Izifundo Eziwusizo Ezitholakala EZweni Lesithembiso

NGOKUQINISEKILE iZwe Lesithembiso laseBhayibhelini laliyingqayizivele. Kulendawo engadle ngabukhulu, sithola izici zokuma kwezwe ezihlukahlukene. Enyakatho, kunezintaba ezilele iqhwa; eningizimu, kunezindawo ezishisayo. Kunezindawo eziphansi ezivundile, izindawo eziwugwadule ezingahlali muntu, namaqele amasimu ezithelo nawokuklabisa imihlambi.

Ukungafani kokuphakama kwendawo, isimo sezulu, nomhlabathi kwenza kube nezinhlobonhlobo zemithi, izihlahla ezibhashile, nezinye izitshalo—kuhlanganise nezithile ezihluma ezindaweni ezibandayo zase-Alps, ezinye ezimila ogwadule olushisayo, nezinye ezihluma ethafeni eligugulekile noma enkangala enamadwala. Esinye isazi sezitshalo silinganisela ukuthi kulendawo kungatholakala izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo ezingaba ngu-2 600! Ama-Israyeli okuqala ahlola lelizwe abona ubufakazi obusobala balokho elalingakukhiqiza. Kwesinye isigodi abuya nehlukuzo lamagilebhisi elalilikhulu kangangokuthi kwakudingeka lithwalwe amadoda amabili ngobhoko! Lesi sigodi sabizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi i-Eshikoli, okusho ukuthi “Ihlukuzo [Lamagilebhisi].”a—Numeri 13:21-24.

Kodwa manje ake sihlolisise ezinye zezici zokuma kwalesi siqephu sezwe esiyingqayizivele, ikakhulukazi ingxenye engaseningizimu.

IShephelah

Ugu olungasentshonalanga lweZwe Lesithembiso luwusebe lwayo loLwandle iMedithera. Emakhilomitheni angaba ngu-40 ukuya maphakathi nezwe kukhona iShephelah. Igama elithi “Shephelah” lisho ukuthi “iThafa,” kodwa empeleni lena indawo enamagquma futhi kungathiwa iyithafa kuphela uma iqhathaniswa nezintaba zakwaJuda ezingasempumalanga.

Bheka ibalazwe elisikiwe eliseceleni uphawule indlela iShephelah ehlobana ngayo nezindawo eziyizungezile. Ngasempumalanga kunezintaba zakwaJuda; entshonalanga, kunethafa eliwugu laseFilistiya. Ngakho, iShephelah yayinjengendawo ehlukanisayo, umngcele owawuhlukanisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu nezitha zabo zasendulo ezikhathini zeBhayibheli. Noma iyiphi impi eyayihlasela ivela ngasentshonalanga kwakuyodingeka idlule eShephelah ngaphambi kokuba ikwazi ukuhlasela iJerusalema, inhloko-dolobha yakwa-Israyeli.

Isenzakalo esinjalo senzeka phakathi nekhulu le-9 B.C.E. IBhayibheli libika ukuthi iNkosi uHazayeli yaseSiriya ‘yenyuka yalwa neGati, [cishe eyayisemngceleni weShephelah] yalithatha; uHazayeli wabhekisa ubuso bakhe ukwenyukela eJerusalema.’ INkosi uJehowashi yakwazi ukumvimba uHazayeli, yamfumbathisa izihlobonhlobo zezinto eziyigugu zasethempelini nezasesigodlweni. Nokho, lokhu kulandisa kubonisa ukuthi iShephelah yayibaluleke kakhulu ekulondekeni kweJerusalema.—2 AmaKhosi 12:17, 18.

Singafunda isifundo esiwusizo kulokhu. UHazayeli wayefuna ukunqoba iJerusalema, kodwa kwakudingeka aqale adlule eShephelah. Ngokufanayo, uSathane uDeveli ‘ufuna ukushwabadela’ izinceku zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngokuvamile kumelwe aqale adlule isithiyo esinamandla—ukunamathela kwazo ezimisweni zeBhayibheli, njengalezo eziphathelene nokuzihlanganisa nababi nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. (1 Petru 5:8; 1 Korinte 15:33; 1 Thimothewu 6:10) Ukuyekethisa ezimisweni zeBhayibheli kuvame ukuba isinyathelo sokuqala esiya ekwenzeni isono esingathi sína. Ngakho gcina leso sithiyo siqinile. Landela izimiso zeBhayibheli namuhla, ngaleyo ndlela ngeke uphule imithetho kaNkulunkulu kusasa.

Izwe Elinamagquma LakwaJuda

Uma uqhubeka uya maphakathi nezwe usuka eShephelah kunezwe elinamagquma lakwaJuda. Lena indawo enezintaba eyayikhiqiza okusanhlamvu, amafutha omnqumo, newayini elihle. Ngenxa yokuphakama kwayo, indawo yakwaJuda yayibuye ibe isiphephelo esihle kakhulu. Ngakho, iNkosi uJothamu yakha “izinqaba nemibhoshongo” kuyo. Ngezikhathi zenkathazo, abantu babengabalekela kulezi zindawo ukuze baphephe.—2 IziKronike 27:4.

IJerusalema, elalibizwa nangokuthi iSiyoni, laliyingxenye evelele yendawo enamagquma yakwaJuda. IJerusalema lalibonakala lilondekile njengoba lalizungezwe izigodi eziyimiqansa ezinhlangothini ezintathu, futhi uhlangothi olungasenyakatho, ngokwesazi-mlando sekhulu lokuqala, uJosephus, lwaluvikelwe izindonga ezintathu. Kodwa indawo yokuphephela idinga okungaphezu kwezindonga nezikhali ukuze ihlale ilondekile. Kumelwe futhi ibe namanzi. Amanzi abalulekile ngesikhathi sokuvinjezelwa, ngoba nga-phandle kwawo, izakhamuzi ezivalelekile zingasheshe ziphoqeleke ukuba zizinikele.

IJerusalema lalithola amanzi eChibini laseSilowama. Nokho, phakathi nekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., lapho ilindele ukuvinjezelwa abase-Asiriya, iNkosi uHezekiya yakha udonga olungaphandle ukuze ivikele iChibi laseSilowama, ilivalela ngaphakathi komuzi. Yavala neziphethu ezingaphandle komuzi, ukuze abase-Asiriya ababeyobe bevimbezele bakuthole kunzima ukuthola amanzi abo siqu. (2 IziKronike 32:2-5; Isaya 22:11) Akugcinanga lapho. UHezekiya wathola indlela yokuchezukisa amanzi engeziwe angene khona kanye eJerusalema!

Enza lokho okuye kwabizwa ngokuthi omunye wemigilingwane yobunjiniyela emikhulu yasendulo, uHezekiya wamba umhubhe owawusuka esiphethwini saseGihoni uye eChibini laseSilowama.b Ngokwesilinganiso lomhubhe wawungamamitha angu-1,8 ukuphakama, futhi ungamamitha angu-533 ubude. Cabanga nje ngakho—umhubhe ocishe ube isigamu sekhilomitha ubude, ombiwe edwaleni! Namuhla, eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 700 kamuva, abavakashele eJerusalema bangangena kulomkhiqizo wobuciko bobunjiniyela, ngokuvamile owaziwa ngokuthi umhubhe kaHezekiya.—2 AmaKhosi 20:20; 2 IziKronike 32:30.

Imizamo kaHezekiya yokuvikela nokukhulisa umthombo wamanzi aseJerusalema ingasifundisa isifundo esiwusizo. UJehova ‘ungumthombo wamanzi aphilileyo.’ (Jeremiya 2:13) Imicabango yakhe, equkethwe iBhayibheli, isekela ukuphila. Yingakho isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu sibalulekile. Kodwa ithuba lokutadisha, nolwazi olungatholakala, ngeke kumane kugeleze kuze kuwe. Kungase kudingeke ‘umbe imihubhe,’ njengasesimisweni sakho sansuku zonke esimatasa, ukuze usitholele isikhathi. (IzAga 2:1-5; Efesu 5:15, 16) Uma nje usuqalile, namathela esimisweni sakho, wenze isifundo sakho somuntu siqu size kuqala. Qikelela ukuthi awuvumeli noma ubani noma yini ikuphange lomthombo wamanzi oyigugu.—Filipi 1:9, 10.

Izindawo Eziyihlane

Ngasempumalanga yezintaba zakwaJuda kukhona iHlane LakwaJuda, elibizwa nangokuthi iJeshimon, okusho ukuthi “uGwadule.” (1 Samuweli 23:19, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) NgasoLwandle LukaSawoti, lendawo engatheli inezingoxi ezisemadwaleni namawa acijile. Njengoba lehla ngamamitha angu-1 200 emakhilomitheni angu-24 kuphela, iHlane LakwaJuda livikelekile emimoyeni evela entshonalanga eza nemvula, futhi kanjalo lithola nje kuphela isilinganiso esincane sezimvula. Akungabazeki ukuthi leli ihlane lapho imbuzi ka-Azazeli yayiyiswa khona ngoSuku Lokubuyisana. Yilapha futhi lapho uDavide aya khona ebalekela uSawule. Lapha, uJesu wazila ukudla izinsuku ezingu-40 kwathi ngemva kwalokho walingwa uDeveli.—Levitikusi 16:21, 22; IHubo 63, umbhalo ongenhla; Mathewu 4:1-11.

Cishe emakhilomitheni angu-160 ukuya ngaseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeHlane LakwaJuda kuneHlane LasePharanu. Amakamu amaningi ama-Israyeli aba kulendawo phakathi nohambo lwawo lweminyaka engu-40 esuka eGibithe eya eZweni Lesithembiso. (Numeri 33:1-49) UMose wabhala ‘ngehlane elikhulu nelesabekayo elinezinyoka ezinesihlungu nawofezela nomhlabathi owomileyo, lapho kwakungekho-manzi khona.’ (Duteronomi 8:15) Kuyamangalisa ukuthi izigidi zama-Israyeli zakwazi ukuqhubeka ziphila! Nokho, uJehova wazisekela.

Kwangathi lokhu kungaba isikhumbuzo sokuthi uJehova angasisekela nathi, ngisho nakulelizwe elingatheli ngokomoya. Yebo, nathi sihamba phakathi kwezinyoka nawofezela, ngisho noma kungebona abangokoqobo. Kungase kudingeke ukuba nsuku zonke sithintane nabantu abangakushayi mkhuba ukukhipha inkulumo ewushevu engakonakalisa kalula ukucabanga kwethu. (Efesu 5:3, 4; 1 Thimothewu 6:20) Kufanele banconywe labo abazama ukukhonza uNkulunkulu naphezu kwalezi zithiyo. Ukwethembeka kwabo kuwubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uJehova uyabasekela ngempela.

Amagquma AseKarmeli

Igama elithi Karmeli lisho ukuthi “iNsimu Yezithelo.” Lendawo evundile engasenyakatho, engaba amakhilomitha angu-50 ubude, ivunule ngezivini, izixhobo zomnqumo, nemithi yezithelo. Inhlonhlo yalolu khahlamba olumagqumagquma ayilibaleki ngokukhanga nobuhle bayo. U-Isaya 35:2 ukhuluma ‘ngobukhosi beKarmeli’ njengophawu lwenkazimulo ethelayo yezwe elibuyiselwe lika-Israyeli.

Kunezenzakalo eziningana eziphawulekayo ezenzeka eKarmeli. Kwakulapha lapho u-Eliya acela khona abaprofethi bakaBali inselele nalapho ‘kwehla khona umlilo kaJehova’ ufakazela ubukhulu baKhe. Futhi, kwakusesiqongweni seKarmeli lapho u-Eliya adonsela khona ukunakekela efwini elincane elaba imvula enkulu, kanjalo yaqeda isomiso kwa-Israyeli ngendlela eyisimangaliso. (1 AmaKhosi 18:17-46) U-Elisha, owalandela u-Eliya, wayeseNtabeni iKarmeli lapho owesifazane waseShunemi efika ezocela usizo lwakhe ngenxa yengane yakhe eyayifile, u-Elisha ayivusa ngemva kwalokho.—2 AmaKhosi 4:8, 20, 25-37.

Imithambeka yeKarmeli isenawo amasimu ezithelo, izixhobo zomnqumo, nezivini. Entwasahlobo, lemithambeka imbozwa izimbali eziwumbukwane omuhle ngokumangalisayo. USolomoni wathi entombini yomShulamithi, “ikhanda lakho kuwe linjengeKarmeli,” mhlawumbe ebhekisela ezinweleni zayo ezinhle noma endleleni ikhanda layo elimi kahle elivele ngayo entanyeni yayo.—IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo 7:5.

Ubuhle amagquma aseKarmeli ayenabo busikhumbuza ngobuhle obungokomoya uJehova aye wabunikeza inhlangano yakhe yosuku lwanamuhla yabakhulekeli. (Isaya 35:1, 2) OFakazi BakaJehova baphila epharadesi elingokomoya ngempela, futhi bayavumelana nombono weNkosi uDavide, eyabhala: “Izabelo zingehlele ezindaweni ezinhle, yebo, nginalo ifa elihle.”—IHubo 16:6.

Yiqiniso, zikhona izinselele ezinzima isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esingokomoya okumelwe sibhekane nazo namuhla, njengoba nama-Israyeli asendulo ayebhekana nokuphikiswa okuqhubekayo okuvela ezitheni zikaNkulunkulu. Nokho, amaKristu eqiniso awalahlekelwa nanini umbono wezibusiso uJehova aye waziletha—kuhlanganise nokukhanya kweqiniso leBhayibheli okwanda njalo, ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke, nethuba lokuzuza ukuphila okumi phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—IzAga 4:18; Johane 3:16; 13:35.

“Njengensimu KaJehova”

IZwe Lesithembiso lasendulo lalikhanga. Liye lachazwa ngokufanele ‘njengezwe elichichima ubisi nezinyosi.’ (Genesise 13:10; Eksodusi 3:8) UMose walibiza ngokuthi “[izwe] elihle, izwe elinemifudlana yamanzi, nemithombo, nezinzulu eziphuphuma ezigodini nasezintabeni, izwe likakolweni, nelebhali, nelemivini, nelemikhiwane, nelamapomegranati, izwe leminqumo enamafutha, nelezinyosi, izwe lapho uyakudla khona isinkwa kungekho-kuswela; awuyikudinga-lutho; izwe elimatshe alo ayinsimbi, nelizintaba zalo ungemba kuzo ithusi.”—Duteronomi 8:7-9.

Uma uJehova ayenganikeza abantu bakhe basendulo izwe elinothile, elihle kanjalo, ngokuqinisekile anganikeza izinceku zakhe ezikholekile zosuku lwanamuhla ipharadesi elikhazimulayo elenabela emhlabeni wonke—elinezintaba, imifudlana, imifula, namachibi. Yebo, iZwe Lesithembiso lasendulo kanye nazo zonke izinto zalo ezihlukahlukene lalimane nje linikeza umbono kusengaphambili wepharadesi elingokomoya oFakazi bakhe abalijabulelayo namuhla nowePharadesi lesikhathi esizayo lezwe elisha. Lapho, isithembiso esilotshwe kumaHubo 37:29 siyogcwaliseka: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” Lapho uJehova enikeza isintu esilaleyo lelo khaya eliyiPharadesi, yeka ukuthi siyokujabulela kanjani ukuhlola wonke “amakamelo” alo nokuba nesikhathi esiphakade sokwenza kanjalo!

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IGALILE

INtaba IKarmeli

ULwandle LwaseGalile

ISAMARIYA

ISHEPHELAH

Izintaba ZakwaJuda

ULwandle LukaSawoti

[Umthombo]

NASA photo

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IShephelah yayiwumngcele phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nezitha zabo

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IThafa LaseFilistiya

IShephelah

Izwe Elinamagquma LakwaJuda

IHlane LakwaJuda

IRift Valley

ULwandle LukaSawoti

Izwe Lakwa-Amoni NakwaMowabi

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Umhubhe kaHezekiya: ongamamitha angu-533 ubude, ombiwe edwaleni eliqinile

ITyropoeon Valley

ISilowama

UMUZI KADAVIDE

IsiGodi SaseKidroni

IGihoni

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EHlane LakwaJuda, lapho uDavide aya khona ebalekela uSawule. Kamuva uJesu wavivinywa uDeveli kulendawo

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Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

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INtaba iKarmeli, lapho u-Eliya athobisa khona abaprofethi bakaBali

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Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

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“UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho useyakungenisa ezweni elihle, izwe elinemifudlana yamanzi, nemithombo, nezinzulu eziphuphuma ezigodini nasezintabeni.”—Duteronomi 8:7