Isahluko Sokuqala
Incwadi KaDaniyeli Kanye Nawe
1, 2. (a) Yiziphi ezinye zezinto ezingavamile ezisencwadini yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli? (b) Ezikhathini zethu zanamuhla, yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngokuqondene nencwadi kaDaniyeli?
INKOSI enamandla isongela ukubulala amadoda ahlakaniphile ngoba ayehluleka ukwambula nokuchaza iphupho layo elididayo. Izinsizwa ezintathu ezenqaba ukukhulekela isizemazema sesithombe ziphonswa esithandweni somlilo esishisa bhé, nokho ziyasinda. Phakathi nokugujwa komkhosi othile, amakhulu abantu abona isandla sibhala amagama angaqondakali odongeni lwesigodlo. Abakhi bozungu abakhohlakele benza ukuba ikhehla elithile liphonswe emgodini wezingonyama, kodwa liphuma lingenamyocu. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu ubona izilo ezine embonweni, futhi ezikushoyo kusebenza ezigidini zeminyaka kamuva.
2 Lezi ngezinye zezindaba ezitholakala encwadini yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli. Ingabe ziyakufanelekela ukucatshangelwa ngokungathi sína? Le ncwadi endala kangaka iyasebenza yini osukwini lwethu? Kungani kufanele sizikhathaze ngezenzakalo ezenzeka eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 600 edlule?
UDANIYELI—INCWADI YASENDULO YEZIKHATHI ZANAMUHLA
3, 4. Kungani abantu abaningi bekhathazeke kufanele ngekusasa lesintu?
3 Ingxenye enkulu yencwadi kaDaniyeli igxila endabeni yokubuswa komhlaba, indaba ekhathaza kakhulu namuhla. Cishe sonke sizovuma ukuthi siphila ezikhathini ezinzima. Nsuku zonke imibiko yezindaba isinikeza izikhumbuzo ezidumazayo zokuthi umphakathi wesintu ungena shí obishini lwezinkinga ezixakayo—futhi lokhu kwenzeka naphezu kwempumelelo ephawulekayo kwezesayensi nezobuchwepheshe.
4 Cabanga ngalokhu: Umuntu uye waya enyangeni, kodwa ezindaweni eziningi akakwazi ukuzishayelwa umoya ngokungesabi emigwaqweni eseplanethini yakhe. Endlini angafaka zonke izinhlobo zezinto zesimanje ezenza ukuphila kube lula, kodwa akakwazi ukunqanda igagasi lokuhlukana kwemikhaya. Futhi angaletha inkathi yolwazi lobuchwepheshe, kodwa akakwazi ukufundisa abantu ukuba bahlale ndawonye ngokuthula. UHugh Thomas, uprofesa wezomlando, wake wabhala: “Ukwanda kolwazi nemfundo kufundise isintu okuncane kakhulu ngokuzithiba futhi kwangasifundisa lutho ngekhono lokuphilisana nabanye abantu.”
5. Ngokuvamile, uye waba yini umphumela wokubusa komuntu?
5 Bezama ukwenza kube nesilinganiso esithile sokuhleleka emphakathini, abantu baye bazihlela baba ngaphansi kohulumeni abaningi abahlukahlukene. Kodwa bonke baye bafakazela ubuqiniso balokho okwaphawulwa iNkosi uSolomoni: “Umuntu [ubusa] omunye kube-ngukulimala kwakhe.” (UmShumayeli 4:1; 8:9) Yebo, abanye ababusi baye baba nemibono ehlakaniphile. Nakuba kunjalo, akukho nkosi, mongameli noma umashiqela ongaqeda ukugula nokufa. Akukho muntu ongabuyisela umhlaba wethu esimweni sePharadesi uNkulunkulu ayehlose ukuba ube yilo.
6. Kungani uJehova engadingi ukubambisana nababusi babantu ukuze afeze intando yakhe?
6 Nokho, uMdali uzimisele futhi uyakwazi ukwenza lezo zinto. Akadingi mvume yohulumeni babantu ukuze afeze injongo yakhe, ngoba kuye “izizwe zinjengethonsi kwasesitsheni, zibalwa njengothuli lwesilinganiso.” (Isaya 40:15) Yebo, uJehova unguMbusi Ophakeme wendawo yonke. Njengoba enjalo, unegunya elingaphezulu kakhulu kwelohulumeni babantu. NguMbuso kaNkulunkulu oyothatha isikhundla sayo yonke imibuso yabantu, bese isintu sibusiswa phakade. Cishe akukho lapho kucaciswe kahle khona lokhu kunasencwadini yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli.
UDANIYELI—WAYETHANDWA KAKHULU NGUNKULUNKULU
7. Wayengubani uDaniyeli, futhi uJehova wayembheka kanjani?
7 UJehova uNkulunkulu wayenothando lomzwelo olukhulu ngoDaniyeli, owakhonza njengomprofethi wakhe iminyaka eminingi. Empeleni ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yachaza uDaniyeli ngokuthi “uthandekile.” (Daniyeli 9:23) Igama lesiHeberu lokuqala elihunyushwe ngokuthi “othandekile” lingasho ukuthi “othandwa kakhulu,” “owaziswa kakhulu” nokuthi “intandokazi.” UDaniyeli wayeyigugu ngokukhethekile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.
8. Wafika kanjani uDaniyeli eBabiloni?
8 Ake sithi ukucabangela izimo ezivelele zalo mprofethi othandekayo. Ngo-618 B.C.E., inkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari yavimbezela iJerusalema. (Daniyeli 1:1) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, intsha ethile engamaJuda ayizifundiswa yathathwa ngenkani yathunjelwa eBabiloni. UDaniyeli wayephakathi kwayo. Ngalesi sikhathi, cishe wayesevile eminyakeni engu-12 ubudala.
9. Yini uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abangamaHeberu abaqeqeshelwa yona?
9 UDaniyeli nabangane bakhe uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya babephakathi kwamaHeberu akhethelwa ukuba aqeqeshwe iminyaka emithathu ‘ezincwadini nasolimini lwamaKaledi.’ (Daniyeli 1:3, 4) Ezinye izazi zithi cishe lokhu kwakungaphezu nje kwezifundo zolimi. Ngokwesibonelo, uProfesa C. F. Keil uthi: “UDaniyeli nabangane bakhe babezofundiswa ukuhlakanipha kwabapristi nokwamadoda angamaKaledi ayizifundiswa, okwakufundiswa ezikoleni zaseBabiloni.” Ngakho uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe babeqeqeshwa ngokukhethekile ukuze basebenzele uhulumeni.
10, 11. UDaniyeli nabangane bakhe babhekana naziphi izinselele, futhi lusizo luni uJehova abanika lona?
10 Yeka ushintsho olukhulu lwezimo kuDaniyeli nabangane bakhe! KwaJuda, babekade behlala phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova. Manje base bezungezwe abantu abakhulekela onkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi basezinganekwaneni. Nakuba kunjalo, intsha engoDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya ayizange yesabe. Naphezu kwalesi simo esasibekela ukholo inselele, yayizimisele ukubambelela ngokuqinile ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso.
11 Kwakungeke kube lula lokhu. INkosi uNebukadinesari yayizinikele ngentshiseko kuMarduk, unkulunkulu omkhulu waseBabiloni. Ngezinye izikhathi izinto ezazifunwa yinkosi zazingamukeleki nhlobo kumkhulekeli kaJehova. (Ngokwesibonelo, bheka uDaniyeli 3:1-7.) Kodwa uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe babenesiqondiso sikaJehova esingashayi eceleni. Phakathi neminyaka emithathu yokuqeqeshwa kwabo, uNkulunkulu wababusisa ‘ngokwazi nokuqonda encwadini nasekuhlakanipheni.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uDaniyeli wanikezwa ikhono lokuqonda okushiwo imibono namaphupho. Kamuva lapho inkosi ihlola lezi zinsizwa ezine, yazithola ‘zizedlula kayishumi zonke izanusi nabathwebulayo ababesembusweni wayo wonke.’—Daniyeli 1:17, 20.
UKUMEMEZELA IMIYALEZO KANKULUNKULU
12. UDaniyeli wayenasiphi isabelo esikhethekile?
12 Kuyo yonke iminyaka eminingi ayichitha eBabiloni, uDaniyeli wakhonza njengesithunywa sikaNkulunkulu emadodeni anjengeNkosi uNebukadinesari noBelishasari. Isabelo sikaDaniyeli sasibalulekile. UJehova wayevumele uNebukadinesari ukuba abhubhise iJerusalema, emsebenzisa njengethuluzi laKhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, neBabiloni lalizobhujiswa. Ngempela, incwadi kaDaniyeli ikhazimulisa uJehova uNkulunkulu njengoPhezukonke nanjengoMbusi ‘embusweni wesintu.’—Daniyeli 4:17.
13, 14. Kwenzekani kuDaniyeli ngemva kokuwa kweBabiloni?
13 UDaniyeli waqhubeka nomsebenzi wasegcekeni iminyaka engaba amashumi ayisikhombisa, kwaze kwawa iBabiloni. Waphila waze wabona amaJuda amaningi ephindela ezweni lakubo ngo-537 B.C.E., nakuba iBhayibheli lingasho ukuthi wahamba nawo. Waqhubeka nomsebenzi kwaze kwaba okungenani unyaka wesithathu wokubusa kweNkosi uKoresi, umsunguli woMbuso WasePheresiya. Ngaleso sikhathi, kumelwe ukuba uDaniyeli wayesecela eminyakeni eyikhulu ubudala!
14 Ngemva kokuwa kweBabiloni, uDaniyeli waloba izenzakalo zokuphila kwakhe ezibaluleke kunazo zonke. Incwadi yakhe manje iyingxenye ephawulekayo yeBhayibheli Elingcwele futhi yaziwa ngokuthi incwadi kaDaniyeli. Kodwa kungani kufanele siyinake le ncwadi yasendulo?
IMIKHAKHA EMIBILI, UMYALEZO OWODWA
15. (a) Yimiphi imikhakha emibili equkethwe incwadi yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli? (b) Ingxenye elandisayo kaDaniyeli ingasizuzisa kanjani?
15 Le ncwadi kaDaniyeli eyingqayizivele inemikhakha emibili engafani nhlobo—omunye uyalandisa, omunye uyisiprofetho. Yomibili le mikhakha yencwadi kaDaniyeli ingalwakha ukholo lwethu. Kanjani? Izingxenye ezilandisayo—eziphakathi kwezicace bhá eBhayibhelini—zisibonisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyobabusisa futhi abanakekele labo abagcina ubuqotho kuye. UDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu bahlala begxilile naphezu kokuvivinywa okusongela ukuphila. Namuhla, bonke abafuna ukuhlala bethembekile kuJehova bazoqiniswa ukucabangela ngokuseduze isibonelo sabo.
16. Yisiphi isifundo esisifunda ezingxenyeni eziyisiprofetho zikaDaniyeli?
16 Izingxenye zencwadi kaDaniyeli eziyisiprofetho zakha ukholo ngokubonisa ukuthi uJehova wazi indlela izinto ezizokwenzeka ngayo emlandweni kusasele amakhulu eminyaka—ngisho nezinkulungwane zeminyaka—ngaphambi kokuba zenzeke. Ngokwesibonelo, uDaniyeli unikeza imininingwane ephathelene nokudlondlobala nokuwa kwemibuso yezwe kusukela esikhathini seBabiloni lasendulo kuze kube “sesikhathini sokugcina.” (Daniyeli 12:4) UDaniyeli usenza siqaphele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ophethwe iNkosi yaKhe ayimisile ‘nabangcwele’ ekanye nabo, ethi uwuhulumeni oyohlala kuze kube phakade. Lo hulumeni uyoyifeza ngokugcwele injongo kaJehova ngomhlaba wethu futhi umphumela uyoba ukubusiswa kwabo bonke abafuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.—Daniyeli 2:44; 7:13, 14, 22.
17, 18. (a) Ukuhlolisisa incwadi kaDaniyeli kuyoluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwethu? (b) Iyiphi indaba okudingeka ixoxwe andukuba siqale ukufunda le ncwadi yeBhayibheli engokwesiprofetho?
17 Siyabonga ngokuthi uJehova akalugodli ulwazi lwezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo. Kunalokho ‘unguMambuli wezimfihlakalo.’ (Daniyeli 2:28) Njengoba sicabangela ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho ezilotshwe encwadini kaDaniyeli, luzoqina ukholo lwethu ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu. Sizoqiniseka nangokwengeziwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyoyifeza injongo yakhe ngesikhathi esifanele nangendlela efanele akhetha ukuyifeza ngayo.
18 Bonke abafunda incwadi yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli ngenhliziyo evulekile bayokhula okholweni. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba siqale ukuhlola le ncwadi ngokunzulu, kudingeka sicabangele ubufakazi bokuthi le ncwadi inokwethenjelwa ngempela yini. Abanye abagxeki baye bayihlasela incwadi kaDaniyeli, bethi iziprofetho zayo empeleni zalotshwa sezigcwalisekile. Ingabe lokhu okushiwo abantu abayingabazayo kuyiqiniso? Isahluko esilandelayo sizokhuluma ngale ndaba.
YINI OYIZUZILE?
Kungani incwadi kaDaniyeli iyincwadi yezikhathi zanamuhla?
• Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe basebenzele uhulumeni waseBabiloni?
• Sasiyini isabelo sikaDaniyeli esikhethekile eBabiloni?
• Kungani kufanele sisinake isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli?
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