Babengasoze Bakhuleke

UYAKHUMBULA uzwa ngalezi zinsizwa ezintathu? Yebo, zingabangane bakaDaniyeli abenqaba ukudla okwakungalungile kubona. AbaseBhabhiloni bababiza ngokuthi oShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego. Kodwa ake ubabheke manje. Kungani bengakhothami kulesi sithombe esikhulu njengabo bonke? Ake sizwe.

Uyayikhumbula imithetho eyabhalwa uJehova ngokwakhe okuthiwa iMiyalo Eyishumi? Owokuqala walena uthi: ‘Ungakhulekeli abanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.’ Lezi zinsizwa lapha zilalela lo mthetho, noma kungeyona into elula ukuyenza.

UNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, uye wabiza abantu abaningi abayizikhulu ukuzodumisa isithombe asimisile. Usanda kuqeda nje ukutshela abantu ukuthi: ‘Lapho nizwa ukukhala kwamacilongo, amahabhu nezinye izimfijoli, nikhothame phansi nikhulekele lesi sithombe segolide. Noma ubani ongakhothami akhuleke uyophonswa esithandweni somlilo ngaso leso sikhathi.’

Uma uNebukhadinezari ezwa ukuthi uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego abakhothamanga, uthukuthela kakhulu. Uyala ukuba balethwe kuye. Ubanikeza elinye ithuba lokukhothama. Kodwa lezi zinsizwa zithembele kuJehova. Zithi kuNebukhadinezari: ‘UNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo uyakwazi ukusisindisa. Kodwa noma engasisindisi, ngeke sisikhulekele isithombe sakho segolide.’

Ngokuzwa lokhu, uNebukhadinezari uthukuthela ngokungaphezulu. Kunesithando somlilo eduzane, ngakho uyayala: ‘Sibaseleni sishise ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa kunokuvamile!’ Uyala amadoda anamandla emabuthweni akhe ukuba abophe uShadiraki noMeshaki no-Abhedinego abaphonse emlilweni. Isithando somlilo sishisa kangangokuthi amadoda anamandla abulawa ngamalangabi. Kodwa kuthiwani ngezinsizwa ezintathu aziphonse phakathi?

Inkosi ibheka emlilweni, isabe kakhulu. Iyabuza: ‘Asizange yini sibophe amadoda amathathu sawaphonsa emlilweni ovuthayo?’

‘Yebo, kunjalo,’ kuphendula izinceku zayo.

Ithi: ‘Kodwa ngibona amadoda amane ehamba emlilweni. Awaboshiwe, nomlilo awuwashisi. Eyesine ifana nonkulunkulu.’ Inkosi isondela eduze kwesithando somlilo imemeze: ‘Shadiraki! Meshaki! Abhedinego! Phumani, nina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke!’

Uma bephuma, bonke bayabona ukuthi abalimalanga. Inkosi ithi: ‘Makadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego! Uthumele ingelosi yakhe yabasindisa ngoba bengenakukhulekela omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle kowabo.’

Ingabe akusona yini lesi isibonelo esihle sokwethembeka kuJehova okufanele sisilandele?