Ukukhulekelwa KukaBali—Impi Yokuzuza Izinhliziyo Zama-Israyeli
Iminyaka ecishe ibe inkulungwane, impi yayibambene phezulu kulwelwa ukuzuza izinhliziyo zama-Israyeli. Ukwesaba okusekelwe ezinkolelweni eziyize nemikhuba ehilela izenzo zobulili kwakulwa nokwethembeka nobuqotho. Kule mpi yokufa nokuphila, ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakuqhathwe nokukhulekelwa kukaJehova.
INGABE isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasiyonamathela ngokwethembeka kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, owasikhipha eGibithe? (Eksodusi 20:2, 3) Noma, ingabe sasiyokwambuka siye kuBali, unkulunkulu waseKhanani owayethandwa, owayethembise ukwenza izwe livunde?
Le mpi engokomoya, eyalwiwa ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ezedlule, ibalulekile kithi. Ngani? Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Lezizinto . . . zalotshelwa ukuba zibe isixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwezimiso zezinto.” (1 Korinte 10:11) Isixwayiso esitholakala kule mpi engokomlando siyoba nengqondo ngokwengeziwe uma siqonda ukuthi wayengubani uBali nokuthi kwakuhilelani ukukhulekelwa kukaBali.
Wayengubani UBali?
Ama-Israyeli azi ngoBali lapho efika eKhanani, cishe ngonyaka ka-1473 B.C.E. Athola ukuthi abaseKhanani babekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi ababefana nonkulunkulu baseGibithe, nakuba babenamagama ahlukile nezici ezithile ezihlukile. Nokho, iBhayibheli liphawula uBali njengonkulunkulu oyinhloko wabaseKhanani, futhi lokho kuvelela kwakhe kwafakazelwa yilokho okwatholakala lapho kuvubukulwa. (AbAhluleli 2:11) Nakuba uBali ayengeyena unkulunkulu omkhulu kunabo bonke onkulunkulu babo, wayewunkulunkulu owayebaluleke kakhulu kwabaseKhanani. Babekholelwa ukuthi wayenamandla phezu kwemvula, umoya namafu nokuthi nguye kuphela owayengakhulula abantu—kanye nezilwane nezilimo zabo—ekuvalekeni kwenzalo noma ngisho nasekufeni. Ngaphandle kwesivikelo sikaBali, uMot, unkulunkulu waseKhanani ophindiselayo, wayeyobehlisela izinhlekelele nakanjani.
Ingxenye esemqoka yokukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakuyimikhuba ehilela izenzo zobulili. Ngisho nezinto ezingokwenkolo ezazihlobene noBali, njengezinsika kanye nezigxobo ezingcwele, kwakunezincazelo ezingokobulili. Kubonakala sengathi izinsika ezingcwele—amatshe agwediwe awumfanekiso wesitho sobulili sowesilisa—zazimelela uBali, ingxenye yowesilisa yokuhlangana ngokobulili. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izigxobo ezingcwele kwakuyizinto zokhuni noma izihlahla ezazimelela u-Ashera, umkaBali futhi ziyingxenye yowesifazane.—1 AmaKhosi 18:19.
Ubufebe basethempelini nokwenziwa kwemihlatshelo ngabantwana kwakungezinye izici ezivelele zokukhulekelwa kukaBali. (1 AmaKhosi 14:23, 24; 2 IziKronike 28:2, 3) Incwadi ethi The Bible and Archaeology ithi: “Emathempelini abaseKhanani kwakunezifebe zabesilisa nabesifazane (abesilisa nabesifazane ‘abangcwele’) futhi kwenziwa zonke izinhlobo zokuzitika ngobulili. [AbaseKhanani] babekholelwa ukuthi ngandlela-thile le mikhuba yayibangela ukuba izilimo nemfuyo kuchume.” Lokho okungenani kwakuyisaba esingokwenkolo, nakuba kungangabazeki ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi okunjalo kwakuzikhanga izifiso zenyama zabakhulekeli. Khona-ke, uBali waziyenga kanjani izinhliziyo zama-Israyeli?
Kungani Ayekhanga Kangaka?
Mhlawumbe ama-Israyeli amaningi ayethanda ukuqhuba inkolo eyayifuna okuncane kuwo. Lapho ekhulekela uBali kwakungadingeki agcine uMthetho, njengeSabatha nemithetho eminingi eyenqabela ukuziphatha okuthile. (Levitikusi 18:2-30; Duteronomi 5:1-3) Kungenzeka ukuthi ukuchuma kwabaseKhanani kwenza amanye akholelwa ukuthi kwakudingeka kushwelezwe kuBali.
Izindawo zokukhulekela zabaseKhanani, ezazaziwa ngokuthi izindawo eziphakeme ezaziphakathi kwemithi eminingi esezinkalweni zezintaba, kumelwe ukuba zaziyizindawo ezikhangayo zemikhuba yenzalo eyayenziwa lapho. Kungakabi kuphi, ama-Israyeli awabange esaneliswa ukuya njalo ezindaweni ezingcwele zabaseKhanani; azakhela ezawo. ‘Nawo azakhela izindawo eziphakemeyo, nezinsika, nawo-Ashera emagqumeni onke aphakemeyo naphansi kwemithi yonke eluhlaza.’—1 AmaKhosi 14:23; Hoseya 4:13.
Kodwa ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakukhanga kakhulu enyameni. (Galathiya 5:19-21) Ukwanelisa inkanuko kwakuba ngaphezu kwesifiso sokuba nezilimo eziningi nemfuyo. Kwakudunyiswa ubulili. Lokhu kufakazelwa imifanekiso eminingi eye yavubukulwa, enezitho zobulili ezenziwe zaba zinkulu ngokweqile, zibonisa ukuvuka kwenkanuko yobulili. Ukuba namadili, ukudansa nomculo kwakwakha isimo esifanelana nokuziphatha okungenakuzithiba.
Singase sisicabange isimo esasiba khona ekuqaleni kwekwindla. Endaweni engokwemvelo enhle ngokumangalisayo, sebeminzé ukudla futhi beshukunyiswa iwayini, abakhulekeli bayadansa. Umdanso wabo wenzalo wenzelwe ukuvusa uBali ngemva kokuba ebengasebenzi ehlobo, ukuze izwe libusiswe ngemvula. Bazungeza izinsika zemifanekiso yezitho zobulili zabesilisa nezigxobo ezingcwele. Indlela abahamba ngayo, ikakhulukazi labo abayizifebe zasethempelini, ivusa inkanuko. Umculo nezethameli kuyabashoshozela. Futhi cishe, lowo mdanso uphelela ekutheni abadansi baphume baye emakamelweni endlu kaBali ukuze babe nokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili.—Numeri 25:1, 2; qhathanisa no-Eksodusi 32:6, 17-19; Amose 2:8.
Babehamba Ngokubona, Hhayi Ngokholo
Nakuba uhlobo olunjalo lokukhulekela oluvusa inkanuko lwaluheha abaningi, ukwesaba nakho kwenza ama-Israyeli akhulekela uBali. Njengoba ama-Israyeli ayengasenalo ukholo kuJehova, ukwesaba abafile, ukwesaba ikusasa nokuthakazeliswa imilingo kwawaholela ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya, okwakuhilela imikhuba eyonakele kakhulu. I-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ichaza indlela abaseKhanani ababehlonipha ngayo umoya ophumile njengengxenye yokukhulekelwa kokhokho: “Amadili . . . ayenziwa emathuneni omndeni noma ezindundumeni okungcwatshwe kuzo kulandelwa inkambiso yokudakwa nokuba nobuhlobo bobulili (okungenzeka ukuthi kwakuhilela izihlobo) kucatshangwa ukuthi ofile wayehlanganyela kubo.” Ukuhlanganyela emikhubeni enjalo eyonakalisayo yokusebenzelana nemimoya kwawahlukanisa ngokwengeziwe ama-Israyeli noNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova.—Duteronomi 18:9-12.
Izithombe—nemikhuba ehlobene nazo—nazo zawaheha lawo ma-Israyeli ayethanda ukuhamba ngokubona kunokuhamba ngokholo. (2 Korinte 5:7) Ngisho nangemva kokubona izimangaliso ezazibangelwe uJehova ongabonakali, ama-Israyeli amaningi ayesuke eGibithe abona kunesidingo sokuba akhunjuzwe ngaye ngendlela ebonakalayo. (Eksodusi 32:1-4) Abanye babantwana bawo nabo bafisa ukukhulekela okuthile okubonakalayo, njengezithombe zikaBali.—1 AmaKhosi 12:25-30.
Ngubani Owanqoba?
Impi yokulwela izinhliziyo zama-Israyeli yabambana phezulu amakhulu eminyaka, kusukela ekufikeni kwawo emathafeni akwaMowabi ngaphambi nje kokungena eZweni Lesithembiso kwaze kwaba sesikhathini sokudingiselwa kwawo eBabiloni. Kubonakala sengathi kwakulokhu kushintshashintsha ukunqoba. Ngezinye izikhathi, iningi lama-Israyeli laliqhubeka lithembekile kuJehova, kodwa futhi lalivamile nokubuye liphendukele kuBali. Isizathu esiyinhloko salokhu kwakuwukuzihlanganisa kwawo namaqaba ayewazungezile.
Ngemva kokunqotshwa kwabo empini, abaseKhanani balwa ngezindlela ezicashe ngokwengeziwe. Bahlala eduze kwama-Israyeli futhi bakhuthaza laba banqobi babo ukuba benze onkulunkulu balelo lizwe babe ngababo. Abahluleli abanesibindi abanjengoGideyoni noSamuweli bamelana nalolu shintsho. USamuweli wanxusa abantu: “Susani kini onkulunkulu babezizwe . . . , nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova, nimkhonze yena yedwa.” Ama-Israyeli akulalela okwesikhashana ukunxusa kukaSamuweli, ‘asusa oBali no-Ashitaroti, amkhonza uJehova yedwa.’—1 Samuweli 7:3, 4; AbAhluleli 6:25-27.
Ngemva kokubusa kukaSawule noDavide, lapho uSolomoni esekhulile waqala ukwenzela onkulunkulu babezizwe imihlatshelo. (1 AmaKhosi 11:4-8) Namanye amakhosi akwa-Israyeli nawakwaJuda enza okufanayo, azinikela kuBali. Noma kunjalo, abaprofethi namakhosi athembekile, njengo-Eliya, u-Elisha noJosiya, bahola ekulweni nokukhulekelwa kukaBali. (2 IziKronike 34:1-5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, phakathi naso sonke lesi sikhathi somlando wama-Israyeli, kwakunabantu abahlala bethembekile kuJehova. Ngisho naphakathi nesikhathi sika-Ahabi no-Izebeli lapho kwakubhidlange khona ukukhulekelwa kukaBali, abangu-7 000 benqaba ‘ukuguqa kuBali.’—1 AmaKhosi 19:18.
Ekugcineni, ngemva kokubuya kwamaJuda ekudingisweni eBabiloni, akube kusakhulunywa lutho ngokukhulekelwa kukaBali. Njengalabo okukhulunywa ngabo ku-Ezra 6:21, bonke ‘bazahlukanisa nokungcola kwabezizwe balelo zwe ukuba bafune uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.’
Isixwayiso Esisithola Ekukhulekelweni KukaBali
Nakuba ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwanyamalala kudala, leyo nkolo yabaseKhanani nomphakathi wanamuhla kunokukodwa okufana ngakho—ukukhazinyuliswa kobulili. Ukuyengela ekuziphatheni okubi kubonakala kuyinsakavukela. (Efesu 2:2) UPawulu waxwayisa: “Silwa namandla angabonakali alawula leli lizwe elimnyama, izithunywa zomoya ezivela endlunkulu yobubi uqobo.”—Efesu 6:12, Phillips.
Lawa “mandla angabonakali” kaSathane akhuthaza ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili ukuze agqilaze abantu ngokomoya. (Johane 8:34) Emphakathini wanamuhla oyekelelayo, ukuzitika ngobulili akwenziwa njengomkhuba wenzalo kodwa, kunalokho, kwenziwa njengendlela yokuzanelisa noma yokwenza komuntu akuthandayo. Kanti nenkulumo-ze iyenga ngendlela efanayo. Ngokuzijabulisa, umculo nezikhangiso, imiyalezo ephathelene nobulili yenza abantu babe abangasangulukile. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu azikugonyelwe lokhu kuhlasela. Eqinisweni, iningi lalabo abasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni nebandla lobuKristu ngabantu abaye bazivumela ukuba banqotshwe imikhuba enjalo. UmKristu uyoqhubeka emsulwa kuphela uma eqhubeka enqaba lokhu kusikisela kokuziphatha okubi.—Roma 12:9.
Intsha engoFakazi ichayeke ngokukhethekile kule ngozi, ngoba izinto eziningi engase izithole zikhanga zixutshwa nobulili. Okubi nakakhulu, kudingeka ilwe nethonya labanye abasha abayinxenxayo. (Qhathanisa nezAga 1:10-15.) Ngokwesibonelo, baningi abaye bawela kule nkinga emibuthanweni emikhulu. Njengasekukhulekelweni kukaBali ngezikhathi zasendulo, umculo, ukudansa nezinto eziyengela ebuhlotsheni bobulili ziyaphuphuthekisa lapho zihlangene ndawonye.—2 Thimothewu 2:22.
Umhubi wabuza: “Insizwa iyakuyihlanza kanjani indlela yayo na?” Waphendula: “Ngokuqaphela okwezwi [likaJehova].” (IHubo 119:9) Njengoba nje uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wayala ama-Israyeli ukuba agweme ukusondelana kakhulu nabaseKhanani, kanjalo iBhayibheli lisiqaphelisa ngezingozi zokuzihlanganisa nabangahlakaniphile. (1 Korinte 15:32, 33) UmKristu osemusha ubonisa ukuvuthwa lapho enqaba lokho okungase kukhange imizwa kodwa akwaziyo ukuthi kuyalimaza ngokokuziphatha. Njengo-Eliya owayethembekile, asinakuvumela igagasi lombono ovamile lisenzele izinqumo.—1 AmaKhosi 18:21; qhathanisa noMathewu 7:13, 14.
Esinye isixwayiso siphathelene nokulahlekelwa ukholo, ‘isono esisithandela kalula.’ (Heberu 12:1) Kubonakala sengathi ama-Israyeli amaningi ayesakholelwa kuJehova, kodwa ebheka uBali njengonkulunkulu owayezovikela izilimo zawo futhi anakekele izidingo zawo zansuku zonke. Mhlawumbe ayenomuzwa wokuthi ithempeli likaJehova elaliseJerusalema lalikude kakhulu nokuthi kwakuyinto engenakwenzeka ukuba agcine imithetho yakhe. Ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakungadingi lutho olutheni futhi kwakulula—ayengase anikele ngentuthu kuBali ngisho naphezu kophahla lwezindlu zawo. (Jeremiya 32:29) Kungenzeka awela ekukhulekeleni uBali ngokumane ahlanganyele kweminye yemikhuba noma ngisho ngokwenza iminikelo kuBali egameni likaJehova.
Singalahlekelwa kanjani ukholo bese sihlehla kancane kancane kuNkulunkulu ophilayo? (Heberu 3:12) Singaya ngokuya siphelelwa ukwazisa esasinakho ngemihlangano emincane nemikhulu. Isimo sengqondo esinjalo sibonisa ukuntula ukuthembela elungiselelweni likaJehova ‘lokudla’ okungokomoya okulungiselelwe “ngesikhathi esifanele.” (Mathewu 24:45-47) Lapho sesibuthakathaka ngaleyo ndlela, singase siyekelele ‘ekulibambeni kwethu izwi lokuphila’ noma size sibe nenhliziyo ehlukene phakathi, mhlawumbe sizivumele ukuba sihileleke ekuphishekeleni izinto ezibonakalayo noma ekuziphatheni okubi.—Filipi 2:16; qhathanisa neHubo 119:113.
Ukubambelela Ngokuqinile Ebuqothweni Bethu
Akungabazeki ukuthi namuhla kunempi elwelwa ukuzuza inhliziyo. Ingabe siyohlala siqotho kuJehova noma siyochezukiswa indlela yokuphila eyekelelayo yaleli lizwe? Kuyadabukisa ukusho ukuthi njengoba nje ama-Israyeli akhangwa imikhuba enyanyekayo yabaseKhanani, abesilisa nabesifazane abathile abangamaKristu namuhla baye bayengelwa ekwenzeni izenzo ezihlazisayo.—Qhathanisa nezAga 7:7, 21-23.
Ukunqotshwa okunjalo okungokomoya kungagwenywa uma, njengoMose, ‘siqhubeka sigxilile sengathi siyambona Lowo ongabonakali.’ (Heberu 11:27) Yiqiniso, kudingeka ‘silulwele kanzima ukholo.’ (Jude 3) Kodwa ngokuqhubeka siqotho kuNkulunkulu wethu nasezimisweni zakhe, singabheka phambili esikhathini lapho ukukhulekela kwamanga kuyoshabalala phakade. Njengoba nje ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kwakunqoba ukukhulekelwa kukaBali, singaqiniseka ukuthi ngokushesha “umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.”—Isaya 11:9.
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Izinsika ezingcwele zokukhulekelwa kukaBali ezonakalisiwe eGezeri
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Musée du Louvre, Paris