Chapter 11
“Balekani EBabele”
1. (a) Singazi kanjani ukuthi luhlobo luni lokukhulekela oluthokozisa uNkulunkulu? (b) UNkulunkulu usinxusa ukuba sibaleke kuphi?
ABANTU abaningi baye basuka kwenye inkolo baya kwenye, befuna izimpendulo ezanelisayo emibuzweni yabo ngokuphila. Bathola ukufana okuthile ezinkolelweni nasemikhubeni, kanti kunokwehlukana okuningi futhi. Kodwa kungokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu kuphela njengomqondisi okungenza umuntu aqiniseke ukuthi iziphi izimpendulo eziyiqiniso nokuthi imiphi imikhuba ethokozisa ngempela kuNkulunkulu. NgeBhayibheli, uMdali usijwayelanisa naye nezinjongo zakhe. Ubuye futhi embule phambi kwethu imisuka yokukhulekela kwamanga. Ngokwenza kanjalo, usixwayisa ngalokho akuchaza ngokuthi “iBabiloni Elikhulu” futhi usinxusa ukuba ‘siphume’ kulo. Ingabe uye wasilandela lesosixwayiso?—IsAmbulo 18:4, 21; Jeremiya 51:6.
2. Liyini “iBabiloni Elikhulu”?
2 Liyini “iBabiloni elikhulu”? Uma zibhekwa zizonke, zonke izinkolo ezikhuthaza isimo sengqondo, izinkolelo noma imikhuba enemisuka yayo enkolweni yaseBabiloni lasendulo zakha iBabiloni Elikhulu. Ngakho-ke izici zalo ezilehlukanisayo zingatholakala ngokuhlola umsuka wenkolo yaseBabiloni lasendulo ngokwalo.
3. (a) IBabiloni lasendulo laqala kanjani, futhi yimuphi umoya owakhuthazwa umsunguli walo? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela lowomoya obonakaliswa ngazo ezinkolweni namuhla?
3 Esikhathini esingaphezu kwekhulu leminyaka ngemva kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa, umuzi waseBabele (kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi iBabiloni) wakhiwa wazungeza umbhoshongo—umsebenzi ngokusobala owawugqugquzelwa uNimrode. LoNimrode wafaka abantu umoya wokuhlubuka kuJehova nesifiso sokuzifunela udumo. (Genesise 10:9, 10; 11:1-9) Ingabe uyawubona lowomoya namuhla—ukungalinaki iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ngisho nakulabo abathi bayakholwa, nokusetshenziswa kwenkolo ukuba bavelele noma bathole udumo?
4. Inkolo yobuBabiloni iye yalisonta kanjani iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu?
4 Onkulunkulu abangoziqu-zintathu babevelele enkolweni yaseBabiloni. Kwakunoziqu-zintathu owayakhiwe uAnu, uBel noEa; omunye wayehlanganisa uSin, uShamash noIshtar. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kwakunezithombe zokukhulekelwa ezazigcwele ezindaweni zokukhonza zaseBabiloni. Konke lokhu kwakususa ukunakekela eqinisweni lokuthi kunoNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela weqiniso, ogama lakhe linguJehova. (Duteronomi 4:39; Johane 17:3) Izimfanelo nokuziphatha okwakuthiwa okonkulunkulu babo, kanye nokusetshenziswa kwezithombe ezingaphili, kwanikeza abantu abaningi umbono osontekile ngoMdali.—Jeremiya 10:10, 14; 50:1, 38; 1 Korinte 10:14, 19-22.
5. (a) Kukanjani ukuthi inkolelo yobuBabiloni ngokufa ngempela yayiwukuhlobisa amanga kaSathane kuEva? (b) Lokhu kuye kwaholela kuziphi ezinye izimfundiso?
5 AbaseBabiloni babekholelwa ukuthi ukufa kwakumane kuwukudlulela nje kolunye uhlobo lokuphila, kodwa lokho kwakuphikisana nalokho uNkulunkulu ayekutshele abazali bethu bokuqala. Izihlakaniphi zamaGreki zandisa kulomqondo, zathi abantu banomphefumulo ongafi. Amanga okuqala kaDeveli ayewukuthi, uma uAdamu noEva bengamlaleli uNkulunkulu, ‘abayikufa nokufa’ enyameni. Manje abantu babetshelwa ukuthi okuphila phakade kwakuyingxenye engaphakathi kubona abangenakuyibona. Lemfundiso yamanga yaholela ekukholelweni esihogwemi somlilo, isihlanzo, ukukhonza amadlozi nokunye okuningi.—Genesise 3:1-5; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4.
6. (a) Imiphi eminye imikhuba evamile namuhla eyaqala enkolweni yaseBabiloni? (b) Lokhu kungokungathi sína kangakanani?
6 Inkolo yaseBabiloni futhi yahlanganisa ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi, ukubhula, imilingo nobuthakathi, okuyizinto abantu abaye bafuna ngazo ukuqondisa kwamandla angaphezu kwawemvelo okungasetshenziswa ekubenzeni bacebe nokuba balawule abanye. (Daniyeli 2:27; Hezekeli 21:21) Yeka indlela lemikhuba eyande ngayo namuhla, nakuba kuxwayiswe ngayo yonke eBhayibhelini! Ngokuzihilela kuyo, abantu baye bazibeka ngokuqondile ezandleni zemimoya yobudemoni, efuna okukhulu kulabo ebenzela okuthile.—Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 8:19; IzEnzo 16:16; IsAmbulo 18:21, 23.
7. Yibuphi ubufakazi obubonayo bokuthi iBabiloni Elikhulu (a) linobuhlobo bokuziphatha okubi nababusi bezombangazwe? (b) linengcebo enkulu? (c) linecala ngokuchitheka kwegazi?
7 Lapho liqhubeka lichaza iBabiloni Elikhulu, iBhayibheli lilandisa ngobufebe balo nababusi bezombangazwe, ingcebo yalo, necala lalo ngokuchitheka kwegazi, kuhlanganise nalelo lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso. (IsAmbulo 17:1-6; 18:24) Umlando wezinkolo zezwe ngokuqondene nalokhu waziwa kahle.
LUKHULU KANGAKANANI UTHANDO LWAKHO NGEQINISO?
8. Ubani ngempela owunkulunkulu weBabiloni Elikhulu?
8 Uma umuntu engowanoma iyiphi ingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu, ehlanganyela emikhosini yalo noma elingisa izindlela zalo, ubani odunyiswayo ngalokho? Ngokuqinisekile akuyena uJehova. Kunalokho, umuntu onjalo eqinisweni ukhothamela “unkulunkulu walelizwe,” lowo oye waphuphuthekisa izingqondo zabantu.—2 Korinte 4:4.
9. Kuye kwenzeka kanjani ngoSathane ukuba akwazi ukudukisa abantu abaningi kangaka ngokwenkolo?
9 Kodwa kuye kwenzeka kanjani ngabantu abaningi kangaka ukuba badukiswe ngalendlela? IBhayibheli liphendula ngokuthi baye baba izisulu zogibe lukaSathane “ngenxa yokuba bengavumanga ukuthanda iqiniso.” (2 Thesalonika 2:9-12) Lokhu akumelwe kusimangaze. Bangaki abantu obaziyo abakhuluma iqiniso njalo—ekhaya, kwezebhizinisi, lapho bebhekene nokushiyeka kwabo siqu? Uma beboniswa ukuthi iBhayibheli, iZwi likaNkulunkulu leqiniso, lithini, bangaki abazimiselayo ukulahla izinkolelo zabo zangaphambili noma amasiko, ngisho nokushintsha indlela yabo yokuphila, ukuze bahambisane nalo? Kuthiwani ngawe?
10. (a) UJehova ufuna uhlobo olunjani lwabantu? (b) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyilolohlobo lwabantu?
10 UJehova ufuna abantu abanothando olunjalo ngeqiniso. Yena ngokwakhe ‘unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5, NW) Izimfundiso zeZwi lakhe azikhona ukucabangela. Ziyiqiniso. UJesu wathi kowesifazane waseSamariya: “Abakhulekayo abaqinisileyo [bayakukhuleka] kuBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso; ngokuba uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo. UNkulunkulu unguMoya; abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:23, 24) Ingabe yilolo uhlobo lomuntu ofuna ukuba yilo?
ILUNGISELELO LIKANKULUNKULU LOKUKHULULA
11. (a) Yini ebikezelwa kuIsaya 49:8, 9? (b) Kwagcwaliseka nini okokuqala? (c) Kungani kusithakazelisa?
11 Ukuze asilungiselele isiqondiso, esikhathini eside esidlule uJehova waloba eBhayibhelini isithembiso sokukhululwa ekulawulweni okucindezelayo kweBabiloni. Sagcwaliseka lapho uKoresi oMkhulu ekhulula amaJuda, kanye namaNethini angewona amaIsrayeli, ukuze abuyele eJerusalema akhe futhi ithempeli likaJehova. Kodwa kwakungekhona lokho kuphela okuhilelekile. Okwenzeka ngalesosikhathi kwakukhomba ekukhululweni okwengeziwe ngoKoresi oMkhulu, iNkosi uJesu Kristu. Ukulandela kwethu iziqondiso zakhe kuyasivikela ekubeni singadukiswa abantu abazifunela udumo kuphela. Sasisebenza ngokukhethekile kuJesu isiprofetho esithi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Ngiyakuphendula ngesikhathi somusa, ngosuku lokusindiswa ngiyakusiza; ngiyakukulondoloza, ngikubeke ube-yisivumelwano sabantu sokubuyisa izwe nokubenza badle amafa achithekileyo, uthi kwababoshiweyo: Phumani, nakwabasebumnyameni: Velani.” (Isaya 49:8, 9) Lokhu kwagcwaliseka kanjani kuJesu?
12. (a) Lesosiprofetho sagcwaliseka kanjani kuJesu? (Luka 4:16-18) (b) Isiphi isikhuthazo esinaso kulokhu?
12 UJehova wayiphendula imithandazo kaJesu. Wayisiza futhi wayivikela iNdodana yakhe, njengoba uJesu ngesibindi ayedalula amanga enkolo wazisa ‘ngeqiniso elaliyokhulula abantu.’ (Johane 8:32) Naphezu kwemizamo yobuSathane yokubhubhisa uJesu, uJehova wayilondoloza iNdodana yakhe kwaze kwaba yilapho umsebenzi wayo emhlabeni sewenziwe. Wabe esevusela uJesu ekuphileni okungenakufa ezulwini, ukuba aqhubeke lapho nomsebenzi wakhe wokukhulula. UNkulunkulu wanikela ngaye ‘njengesivumelwano,’ noma isiqinisekiso, sokuthi kwakuyoba khona ukukhululwa kwabantu ebugqilini eBabiloni Elikhulu. Njengoba nje kunesiqiniseko sokuthi ukhona uJesu Kristu ovusiwe futhi wakhazinyuliswa ezulwini, kungokuqiniseke ngokufanayo ukuthi abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho bayokhululwa ebumnyameni obungokwenkolo beBabiloni Elikhulu. Ingabe uyozuza kulokho kukhululwa?
13. Kusukela ngo-36 C.E. kuqhubeke, uJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi “ungukukhanya kwabezizwe”?
13 Ngokuqondene nezinga lokukhululwa, uJehova wabikezela: “Ngiyakukubeka ube-ngukukhanya kwabezizwe, ube-yinsindiso yami kuze kube-semkhawulweni womhlaba.” (Isaya 49:6) Ngakho-ke ngo-36 C.E. abeZizwe, noma abantu bezizwe ezingewona amaJuda, baqala ukulethwa ebandleni likaIsrayeli ongokomoya. Nokho, ukunezelwa kwabeZizwe ebandleni lamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya, kwakungelona izinga eliphelele uJesu ayeyokhonza ngalo ‘njengokukhanya kwabezizwe.’
14. (a) Obani abanye ‘bezizwe’ uJesu ayezoba ukukhaya kubo? (b) Laba bafanekiselwa yimaphi amaqembu ashiya iBabiloni lasendulo? (c) Iziphi izibusiso ezingokomoya abazijabulelayo kakade, ekugcwalisekeni kukaIsaya 49:10?
14 UJesu wayazi ukuthi wayeyoqoqa futhi “ezinye izimvu” ezaziyojabulela ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. (Johane 10:16) Zafanekiselwa amaNethini angewona amaIsrayeli nabantwana bezinceku zikaSolomoni abazibandakanya namaJuda ngo-537 B.C.E. ekumukeni kwawo eBabiloni. (Ezra 2:1, 43-58) Kakade isixuku esikhulu salaba ezikhathini zanamuhla siye salandela umyalo othi “phumani” eBabiloni Elikhulu. Laba manje bajabulela izibusiso ezingokomoya eziqabulayo ezabikezelwa kuIsaya 49:10: “Abayikulamba, abayikoma, abayikushaywa yisifudumezi nelanga, ngokuba yena onomusa kubo uyakubahola, abayise emithonjeni yamanzi.” KusAmbulo 7:9, 16, 17, lezibusiso zibhekiselwa ngokufanelekile ‘esixukwini esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu.’
“PHUMANI KULO, BANTU BAMI”
15. Kungani iBhayibheli linxusa labo abafuna ukuba ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba baphume eBabiloni Elikhulu?
15 Embonweni ophefumlelwe umphostoli uJohane waboniswa ukuthi ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kwakuyosho ukuthini ngeBabiloni Elikhulu. Ngenxa yokuqiniseka kwaso, ingelosi evela ezulwini, ikhulumela uNkulunkulu, yakhuthaza: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo, ngokuba izono zalo zifinyelele ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wakhumbula ukungalungi kwalo.”—IsAmbulo 18:4, 5.
16. Yini engase ibonise noma siye sawulandela ngempela lowomyalo?
16 Amalungu kaIsrayeli ongokomoya aye awulandela lowomyalo, futhi manje akhuthaza abanye ukuba benze okufanayo. Ayazi ukuthi uma umuntu exubanisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso nokwamanga, akanakumthokozisa uNkulunkulu. Uma umuntu ehlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova kodwa futhi engakahlukani neBabiloni Elikhulu, angasho kanjani ukuthi akayona ingxenye yalo? Ngisho noma engayi nhlobo ezinkonzweni zalo zenkolo, kodwa uma esahlanganyela emaholideni alo enkolo lapho esebenza khona noma lapho enezihlobo, usathinta okungcolileyo. (Isaya 52:11) Uma esahlanganyela emasikweni omkhaya abonisa ukukholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo noma ukwesaba imimoya emibi okuyinkolelo, usahlanganyela izono zalo. Asinakuhlala nje onqenqemeni. Uma sikholelwa ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, khona-ke kumelwe sikhonze yena yedwa.—1 AmaKhosi 18:21.
17. (a) Njengoba kuboniswe kusAmbulo 14:6, 7, abantu yonke indawo bamenywa ukuba benzeni? (b) Ukuze bakhulekele uJehova ngokwamukelekayo, yimuphi omunye umyalo okumelwe bawulalele?
17 Kubantu bazo zonke izizwe nemindeni nezilimi kudluliselwa isimemo esikhangayo esithi: Hlanganyelani ekukhulekeleni uJehova, okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso! (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Ukuze wenze kanjalo, kumelwe futhi ulingise izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo ezagcina lomyalo: “Balekani eBabele, yilowo nalowo akhulule ukuphila kwakhe.”—Jeremiya 51:6.