Isizathu Sokuba Usithembe Isiprofeto Sebhayibhile

UKUMKANI UPARIYO wase-Epirus kumntla-ntshona weGrisi wayenengxabano eyathabatha ithuba elide noBukhosi baseRoma. Ekulangazelela ngamandla ukwazi ngokuphathelele umphumo wayo, waya kusiyazi waseDelphi. Kodwa impendulo awayifumanayo isenokuqondwa ngeendlela ezimbini: (1) “Ndithi kuwe nyana ka-Æacus akunako ukuyoyisa iRoma. Ekubeni uza kuya, uya kubuya, akuyi kutshabalala emfazweni.” (2) “Ndithi amaRoma aya kumoyisa, unyana ka-Æacus. Ekubeni uza kuya, akuyi kubuya, uya kutshabalala emfazweni.” Wakhetha ukwamkela le mpendulo yokuqala waza walwa neRoma. UPariyo walaliswa ngophotho.

Iimeko ezinjalo zenza iimpendulo zoosiyazi bamandulo zaduma ngokungavakali nokuba mbaxa. Kodwa kuthekani ngesiprofeto seBhayibhile? Abanye abagxeki bathi iziprofeto ezifumaneka eBhayibhileni azahlukanga kwiimpendulo zoosiyazi. Aba bagxeki bathi iziprofeto zeBhayibhile yayikukuxela nje kusengaphambili iziganeko ezaziya kwenzeka kwixa elizayo ngabantu abakrelekrele nabanengqondo, ngokuqhelekileyo ababingeleli. Masithi ngokomzekelo, ngenxa yamava okanye ngenxa yonxulumano olukhethekileyo, la madoda ayibona kusengaphambili imiphumo yezinto ezithile. Xa sithelekisa iziprofeto zeBhayibhile noko kuthethwe ngoosiyazi, siya kukwazi ukwenza izigqibo ezizizo.

Iingongoma Ezinokuthelekiswa

Iimpendulo zoosiyazi zazisaziwa ngokuba mbaxa. Ngokomzekelo eDelphi, ezi mpendulo zazinikelwa zazingenantsingiselo. Oku kwabangela ukuba abefundisi bathethe okwahluke gqitha koko bekuthethiwe xa betolika. Umzekelo ocacileyo woku yayiyimpendulo eyanikelwa kuCroesus, ukumkani waseLydia. Xa waya kusiyazi, waxelelwa oku: “Ukuba uCroesus unqumla iHalys, uya koyisa ubukhosi obunamandla.” Eneneni, “ubukhosi obunamandla” obatshatyalaliswayo yayibobakhe! Xa uCroesus wawela umlambo iHalys ukuze ahlasele iKapadoki, woyiswa nguKoreshi ongumPersi.

Ngokwahluke mpela kwiimpendulo zoosiyazi, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zaziwa ngokuchana nangokucaca kwazo. Umzekelo woku sisiprofeto esiphathelele ukuwa kweBhabhiloni, esibhalwe kwincwadi yeBhayibhile kaIsaya. Kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-200 ngaphambi kokuba esi siganeko senzeke, umprofeti uIsaya wachaza kusengaphambili ngendlela echanileyo neqinisekileyo yokubhukuqwa kweBhabhiloni ngamaMedi namaPersi. Esi siprofeto satyhila ukuba igama lalowo wayeza koyisa nguKoreshi, yaye satyhila ubuchule bokomisa imijelo yokukhusela engena kwisixeko esinqabisekileyo ngeengcango ezazivuliwe. Konke oku kwenzeka njengoko kwakuchaziwe. (Isaya 44:​27–45:⁠2) Kwakhona kwakuprofetwe ngokuchanileyo ukuba ekugqibeleni iBhabhiloni yayingayi kuba nabemi.​—⁠Isaya 13:​17-⁠22.

Kwakhona, qwalasela indlela esasicace ngayo esi silumkiso sasichazwe ngumprofeti uYona: “Zisaya kuba ziintsuku ezimashumi mane, iNinive ibhukuqwe.” (Yona 3:⁠4) Akukho bumbaxa apha! Isigidimi sasichukumisa yaye sicacile kangangokuba amadoda aseNinive ngokukhawuleza “akholwa kuThixo, amema uzilo, ambatha ezirhwexayo.” Ngenxa yokuguquka kwabo uYehova akazange abazisele intlekele abantu baseNinive ngelo xesha.​—⁠Yona 3:​5-⁠10.

Iimpendulo zoosiyazi zazisetyenziswa njengokukhuthaza ezobupolitika. Abalawuli neenkokeli zasemkhosini ngokufuthi babeguqulela ngendlela abayithandayo ukuze bakhuthaze iminqweno yabo nezinto ezenzekileyo, ngaloo ndlela besenza ngathi “bathunywe nguThixo.” Noko ke, izigidimi zikaThixo zadluliselwa kungakhange kucingelwe iimeko zabantu.

Ngokomzekelo: Umprofeti kaYehova uNatan akazange ale ukohlwaya uKumkani uDavide owonayo. (2 Samuweli 12:​1-12) Ebudeni bokulawula kukaYarobheham II izizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, umprofeti uHoseya noAmosi bamgxeka ngokungqongqo ukumkani ovukelayo nabalandeli bakhe ngenxa yowexuko nokuziphatha ngendlela ebonisa ukungamhloneli uThixo. (Hoseya 5:​1-⁠7; Amosi 2:​6-⁠8)Ngomprofeti uAmosi uYehova wadlulisela esona silumkiso sibukhali kukumkani esithi: “Ndisukele phezulu kwindlu kaYarobheham ngekrele.” (Amosi 7:⁠9) Indlu kaYarobheham yatshatyalaliswa.​—⁠1 Kumkani 15:​25-30; 2 Kronike 13:⁠20.

Amaxesha amaninzi ezo mpendulo zazihlawulelwa. Oyena uhlawule kakhulu wayefumana impendulo ayithandayo. Abo babesiya koosiyazi eDelphi babehlawula ixabiso eliphezulu gqitha ngenkcazelo engabalulekanga, ngaloo ndlela bazalisa itempile ka-Apolo nezinye izakhiwo ngobutyebi obuninzi. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile nezilumkiso zadluliswa ngaphandle kwemali nekhethe, kungakhathaliseki isikhundla okanye ubutyebi bomntu ezazisiya kuye, kuba umprofeti wokwenene wayengenakuthengwa. Umprofeti nomgwebi uSamuweli wayenokubuza ngokunyanisekileyo esithi: “Ndathabatha esandleni sikabani na ucamagusho lokumfamekisa amehlo am?”​—⁠1 Samuweli 12:⁠3.

Ekubeni iindawo zoosiyazi zazifumaneka kwiindawo ezithile kuphela, abantu kwakufuneka bahambe umgama omde ngokwenene ukuze bazifumane. Kumntu oqhelekileyo, uninzi lwezi ndawo kwakunzima gqitha ukufikelela kuzo ngenxa yokuba zazifumaneka kwiindawo ezinjengeDodona kwiNtaba yaseTomarus e-Epirus naseDelphi ekumbindi waseGrisi oneentaba. Ngokuqhelekileyo, yayingabantu abazizityebi nabanegunya ababekwazi ukuthetha noothixo kwiindawo ezinjalo zoosiyazi. Ukongezelela, “injongo yaba thixo” yayityhilwa kuphela kwiintsuku nje ezimbalwa ebudeni bonyaka. Umahluko omkhulu ngowokuba, uYehova uThixo wathumela abathunywa bakhe abangabaprofeti ngokuthe ngqo ebantwini ukuze babazise iziprofeto ekwakufuneka bezivile. Ngokomzekelo, ebudeni bokuthinjwa kwamaYuda eBhabhiloni, uThixo wayenabaprofeti abathathu ababekhonza nabantu bakhe​—⁠uYeremiya eYerusalem, uHezekile ekunye nabathinjwa noDaniyeli kwikomkhulu loBukhosi baseBhabhiloni.​—⁠Yeremiya 1:​1, 2; Hezekile 1:⁠1; Daniyeli 2:⁠48.

Ngokuqhelekileyo iimpendulo zoosiyazi zazinikelwa ekhusini ukuze umntu ozifumanayo azitolike ngendlela eza kulungela yena. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ngokufuthi zazidluliselwa ekuhleni ukuze bonke bakwazi ukuva isigidimi baze baqonde indlela yokusisebenzisa. Umprofeti uYeremiya wathetha kaninzi eYerusalem, nangona wayesazi ukuba isigidimi sakhe sasingathandwa ziinkokeli nangabahlali beso sixeko.​—⁠Yeremiya 7:​1, 2.

Namhlanje, ezo mpendulo zoosiyazi zigqalwa njengenxalenye yembali yamandulo. Azisabalulekanga kubantu abaphilayo namhlanje kula maxesha anomngcipheko. Azikho iimpendulo ezithetha ngemihla yethu okanye ngekamva lethu. Umahluko okhethekileyo ngowokuba, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ziyinxalenye ‘yelizwi likaThixo eliphilileyo kwaye elinamandla.’ (Hebhere 4:​12) Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezisele zizalisekile zibonisa indlela uYehova awayeqhubana ngayo nabantu yaye zityhila iinkalo ezibalulekileyo zeenjongo zakhe nobuntu bakhe. Ukongezelela, iziprofeto ezibalulekileyo zeBhayibhile kulindeleke ukuba zizaliseke kwixesha elingekude elizayo. Echaza oko kuza kwenzeka, umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Kukho amazulu amatsha [uBukumkani bukaMesiya basezulwini] nomhlaba omtsha [abantu abangamalungisa] esiwulindeleyo ngokwesithembiso sakhe, [uThixo] yaye kwezi kuza kuhlala ubulungisa.”​—⁠2 Petros 3:⁠13.

Olu thelekiso lufutshane lwesiprofeto seBhayibhile neempendulo zoosiyazi bonqulo lobuxoki lunokukukhokelela ekubeni ufikelele kwisigqibo esifumaneka kwincwadi ethi The Great Ideas esithi: “Xa kufikelelwa kwindlela umntu ofayo anokuzixela kusengaphambili ngayo izinto eziza kwenzeka, kubonakala ukuba abaprofeti abangamaHebhere bohluke gqitha. Ngokungafaniyo nabavumisi abangabahedeni okanye oosiyazi, . . . akuyomfuneko ukuba basebenzise ubugqi okanye izixhobo zokwazi iimfihlelo zikaThixo. . . . Kuba inkoliso yeziprofeto zabo, ngokungafaniyo nezo zoosiyazi zicace gca. Kuba injongo yeyokuba bazityhile, bangawasithelisi amacebo kaThixo kwimibandela enjalo kuba Yena ufuna abantu balubone kusengaphambili ukhokelo lwakhe.”

Ngaba Uya Kusithemba Isiprofeto SeBhayibhile?

Unokusithemba isiprofeto seBhayibhile. Enyanisweni, usenokubeka uYehova kuqala ebomini bakho nasekuzalisekeni kwelizwi lakhe lesiprofeto. Isiprofeto seBhayibhile asiyongxelo engenamdla yeziprofeto ezisele zizalisekile. Iziprofeto eziliqela ezifumaneka eZibhalweni sele zizaliseka ngoku okanye zilinde ukuzaliseka kwixesha elizayo elingekude. Xa sithelekisa ixesha elidluleyo, sinokuqiniseka ukuba nazo ziya kuzaliseka. Ekubeni iziprofeto ezinjalo zigxininisa kumaxesha ethu yaye ziquka nekamva lethu elingekude, siya kuba senza kakuhle xa sinikela kuzo ingqalelo ekhethekileyo.

Unokusithemba ngokwenene isiprofeto seBhayibhile esifumaneka kuIsaya 2:​2, 3 esithi: “Ke kaloku kuya kuthi ekupheleni kwemihla, intaba yendlu kaYehova ivelele ezincotsheni zazo iintaba, izongamele iinduli . . . Kuya kuhamba izizwe ezininzi, zithi, yizani, sinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova, . . . asiyalele iindlela zakhe, sihambe ngomendo wakhe.” Namhlanje, izigidi zabantu eneneni zamkela indawo ephakamileyo yokunqula uYehova yaye zifunda ukuhamba ngomendo wakhe. Ngaba uya kulixhakamfula eli thuba lokufunda ngakumbi ngeendlela zikaThixo uze ube nolwazi oluchanileyo ngaye neenjongo zakhe ukuze uhambe ngomendo wakhe?​—⁠Yohane 17:⁠3.

Ukuzaliseka kwesinye isiprofeto seBhayibhile kufuna sithabathe amanyathelo akhawulezileyo. Ngokuphathelele ikamva elingekude, eprofeta umdumisi wacula esithi: “Ngokuba abenzi bobubi baya kunqunyulwa . . . Kusaya kuba mzuzwana angabikho ongendawo.” (INdumiso 37:​9, 10) Ucinga ukuba yintoni efunekayo ukuze uphephe ukutshatyalaliswa okusondelayo kwabangendawo, kuquka abo banyelisa iziprofeto zeBhayibhile? Kwale ndumiso inye iyaphendula: “Ke bona abamthembayo uYehova baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe.” (INdumiso 37:⁠9) Ukuthembela kuYehova kuthetha ukukholosa ngaye nangezithembiso zakhe nokuvisisanisa ubomi bethu nemilinganiselo yakhe.​—⁠IMizekeliso 2:​21, 22.

Ubomi buya kuba njani xa abo bamthembayo uYehova besidla ilifa ilizwe? Kwakhona, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zityhila ukuba ikamva elizukileyo likufuphi kuluntu oluthobelayo. Umprofeti uIsaya wabhala: “Aya kuvulwa amehlo eemfama, zivulwe iindlebe zezithulu; size sitsibe njengexhama isiqhwala, lumemelele ulwimi lwesidenge; ngokuba kuya kugqobhoka amanzi entlango, nemilambo enkqantosini.” (Isaya 35:​5, 6) Umpostile uYohane wabhala la mazwi aqinisekisayo: “Uya [uYehova] kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni alo, yaye ukufa akusayi kubakho, kungayi kubakho nakukhedama nasikhalo nantlungu kwakhona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlule. Waza Lowo uhleli etroneni wathi: . . . ‘Bhala, ngenxa yokuba la mazwi athembekile ibe ayinyaniso.’ ”​—⁠ISityhilelo 21:​4, 5.

AmaNgqina kaYehova ayazi ukuba iBhayibhile yincwadi yesiprofeto esinokuthenjwa. Yaye avumelana ngokuthe ngqo nesilumkiso sikaPetros esithi: “Ngenxa yoko sinelizwi lesiprofeto elenziwa laqiniseka ngakumbi; yaye nenza kakuhle ukunikela ingqalelo kulo njengakwisibane esikhanya kwindawo emnyama, kude kube ngesifingo kuphume nekhwezi, ezintliziyweni zenu.” (2 Petros 1:​19) Sinethemba elinyanisekileyo lokuba intliziyo yakho iya kuchukumiseka ngamathemba achulumancisayo afumaneka kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile ngekamva!

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 6]

USIYAZI WASEDELPHI wayengoyena waziwayo kwiGrisi yamandulo.

Umsi orhaxayo owa-​phuma kulo mngxuma wabangela ukuba umbingelelikazi adlamke ngokugqithiseleyo

[Imifanekiso]

Umbingelelikazi, umi kule ndawo, echaza iimpendulo zakhe

Izinto awazithethayo kukholelwa ukuba zazinezityhilelo ezivela kuthixo uApolo

[Inkcazelo]

Tripod: From the book Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities; Apollo: The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Uqikelelo olwaluvakaliswa kwindawo yoosiyazi baseDelphi lwalungathembekanga kwaphela

[Inkcazelo]

Delphi, Greece

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

Unokuba nentembelo epheleleyo kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile ngokuphathelele ihlabathi elitsha