“Inkemba KaJehova NekaGideyoni!”
IZITHA ziningi njengesikhonyane, ziqotha amasimu avundile abe ugwadule. Kungenkathi ethile lapho abahluleli bebusa u-Israyeli, futhi ama-Israyeli aphelelwe ithemba. Sekuyiminyaka eyisikhombisa kukhuphuka uquqaba olugibele amakamela labakwaMidiyani, ama-Amaleki nabaseMpumalanga luhlasele izwe, lapho nje imbewu etshaliwe iqala ukuqhuma. Imihlambi yabaphangi iyahlakazeka ifuna amadlelo, idla lonke uhlaza. Kodwa abantu bakwa-Israyeli abanambongolo, noma inkunzi noma imvu. Ukubusa kwabakwaMidiyani okunonya kucindezela kangangokuthi ama-Israyeli ampofu ayaphoqeleka ukuba asebenzise imigodi yopata esezintabeni, imihume, nezindawo okunzima ukuzifinyelela.
Kungani kunalesi simo esibucayi? U-Israyeli ohlubukayo ukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Ngakho, uJehova ubanikele kubacindezeli. Lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bengasakwazi ukuyimela le mpatho, bacela uJehova ukuba abasize. Ingabe uyobalalela? Okuhlangenwe nakho kuka-Israyeli kusifundisani thina?—AbaHluleli 6:1-6.
Umlimi Ohlakaniphile Noma ‘Umuntu Oyiqhawe, Onamandla’
Ngokuvamile abalimi abangama-Israyeli babhula ukolweni ngenkabi nesihlibhi endaweni evulekile, enomoya ukuze umoya ohelezayo uphephule amakhoba futhi uwahlukanise kokusanhlamvu. Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi ukwela. Kodwa usongo olubangelwa abaphangi abazimisele ukuchitha izwe lwenza ukuba ukwela kungenzeki nhlobo. Njengoba ecashele abakwaMidiyani, uGideyoni ubhula ukolweni esikhamweni sewayini—okungenzeka ukuthi singumgodi omkhulu, osithekile ogwedwe edwaleni. (AbaHluleli 6:11) Kungenzeka ukuthi kule ndawo kubhulwa ngenduku ukolweni omncane kuphela. Kulezi zimo, uGideyoni uyaciciyela.
Cabanga ngendlela uGideyoni amangala ngayo lapho kubonakala kuye ingelosi kaJehova ithi: “UJehova unawe, wena muntu oyiqhawe, onamandla.” (AbaHluleli 6:12) Njengoba ecashile ebhula okusanhlamvu esikhamweni sewayini, ngokuqinisekile uGideyoni akanawo umuzwa wokuthi uyiqhawe. Kodwa lawo mazwi abonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi uGideyoni angaba umholi ka-Israyeli oyiqhawe. Ngisho noma kunjalo, yena ngokwakhe udinga ukuqinisekiswa.
Lapho uJehova emthuma ukuba ‘asindise u-Israyeli entendeni yesandla sikaMidiyani,’ ngokuzithoba uGideyoni uthi: “Uxolo, Jehova. Ngizomsindisa ngani u-Israyeli? Bheka! Inkulungwane yami incane kunazo zonke kwaManase, futhi mina ngingomncane kunabo bonke endlini kababa.” Ngokuqapha, uGideyoni ucela isibonakaliso sokuthi uNkulunkulu uzoba naye njengoba ezobulala abakwaMidiyani futhi uJehova uzimisele ukwanelisa isidingo sikaGideyoni esifanele sokuqinisekiswa. Ngakho uGideyoni upha isivakashi esiyingelosi ukudla, futhi kwenyuka umlilo uphuma edwaleni, ukudle lokho kudla. Ngemva kokuba uJehova esekudambisile ukwesaba kukaGideyoni, uGideyoni wakha i-altare kuleyo ndawo.—AbaHluleli 6:12-24.
“UBhali Makazimele Yena”
Inkinga enkulu kunazo zonke ku-Israyeli akukhona ukucindezela kwabakwaMidiyani. Ukugqilazwa ukukhulekela uBhali. UJehova “unguNkulunkulu onomhawu,” futhi akekho ongamkhonza ngokwamukelekayo ebe ekhonza abanye onkulunkulu. (Eksodusi 34:14) Ngakho, uJehova uyala uGideyoni ukuba adilize i-altare likayise alenzele uBhali futhi agawule isigxobo esingcwele. Ngenxa yokwesaba uyise kanye nabanye uma ekwenza emini lokhu, uGideyoni ukwenza ebusuku futhi usizwa izinceku eziyishumi.
Ukuqapha kukaGideyoni kuyafaneleka, ngoba lapho abakhulekeli bakaBhali bebona “ichilo” alenzile, bafuna ukumbulala. Nokho, ngobuchule obungenakuphikiswa, uyise kaGideyoni, uJowashi, ubonisana nabantu ngokuthi uma uBhali enguNkulunkulu, kufanele ngabe uzivikele. Ngemva kwalokho, uJowashi ubiza kufanele indodana yakhe ngokuthi uJerubhali, okusho ukuthi “UBhali Makazimele Yena.”—AbaHluleli 6:25-32.
Ngaso sonke isikhathi uNkulunkulu uyazibusisa izinceku zakhe ezikumelela ngesibindi ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Lapho abakwaMidiyani nemibuso eyayibasiza bephinda behlasela kwa-Israyeli, ‘umoya kaJehova ugubuzela uGideyoni.’ (AbaHluleli 6:34) Eqondiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla asebenzayo, uGideyoni uqoqa amabutho esizweni sakwaManase, sakwa-Asheri, sakwaZebhuloni nesakwaNafetali.—AbaHluleli 6:35.
Ukulungiselela Ukulwa
Nakuba uGideyoni esenebutho lamadoda angu-32 000, ucela kuNkulunkulu isibonakaliso. Uma uboya bemvu obusesibuyeni buba manzi ngenxa yamazolo kuyilapho umhlabathi womile, lokhu kuzobonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzosindisa u-Israyeli ngesandla sakhe uGideyoni. UJehova uyasenza lesi simangaliso, futhi uGideyoni ufuna esinye isiqinisekiso lapho isibonakaliso sesihlanekezelwe futhi siyenzeka—umhlabathi uba manzi futhi uboya bemvu bomile. Ingabe uGideyoni uqaphe ngokweqile? Akunjalo neze, ngoba uJehova uyasifeza isicelo sakhe sokuqinisekiswa. (AbaHluleli 6:36-40) Namuhla, asizilindele izimangaliso ezinjalo. Nokho, singasithola isiqondiso sikaJehova nesiqiniseko esivela eZwini lakhe.
Manje uNkulunkulu uthi ibutho likaGideyoni likhulu kakhulu. Uma enqoba izitha zawo ngaleli butho elikhulu, ama-Israyeli angase aqhoshe ngokuthi azisindise wona. Kodwa uJehova kumelwe athole udumo ngenxa yalokhu kunqoba okuzayo. Liyini ikhambi? UGideyoni kumelwe asebenzise ilungiselelo eliseMthethweni KaMose ngokucela bonke abesabayo ukuba babuyele emuva. Ngenxa yalokho, amadoda angu-22 000 abuyela emuva, kusala angu-10 000 kuphela.—Duteronomi 20:8; AbaHluleli 7:2, 3.
Ngombono kaNkulunkulu, asemaningi kakhulu amadoda akhona. UGideyoni utshelwa ukuba ayise la madoda emanzini. Isazi-mlando esingumJuda uJosephus sithi uNkulunkulu wathi uGideyoni akahambe nebutho lakhe baye emfuleni ngesikhathi ilanga selishisa. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo sinjani, uGideyoni uyayiqaphela indlela amadoda aphuza ngayo. Amadoda angu-300 kuphela akha amanzi ngesandla esisodwa bese ewaphuza kuyilapho ebheke isitha esingase sihlasele. UGideyoni uzohamba namadoda aqaphile angu-300 kuphela. (AbaHluleli 7:4-8) Ake uzicabange usesimweni sawo. Njengoba izitha zenu zingu-135 000, ngokuqinisekile kumelwe uphethe ngokuthi ukunqoba kungenzeka kuphela ngamandla kaJehova, hhayi awenu!
UNkulunkulu ucela uGideyoni ukuba ahambe nenceku futhi ayohlola ikamu labakwaMidiyani. Ngesikhathi elapho, uGideyoni uzwa indoda ilandisa iphupho kumngane wayo ovele alichaze ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uzimisele ukunikela abakwaMidiyani esandleni sikaGideyoni. Yilokho kanye uGideyoni adinga ukukuzwa. Uyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzokwenza ukuba yena namadoda akhe angu-300 banqobe abakwaMidiyani.—AbaHluleli 7:9-15.
Icebo Lempi
Laba abangu-300 bayahlukaniswa babe amabutho amathathu ngalinye linamadoda ayikhulu. Wonke amadoda anikezwa uphondo nembiza enkulu engenalutho. Ubhaqa lufihlwe embizeni. Yilo umyalo wokuqala kaGideyoni: ‘Ngibhekeni bese nenza njengoba ngenza. Uma ngishaya uphondo, nishaye nezenu bese niyamemeza “Inkemba kaJehova nekaGideyoni!”’—AbaHluleli 7:16-18, 20.
Amabutho akwa-Israyeli angu-300 ayanyonyoba aye emngceleni wekamu lesitha. Cishe sekuyihora leshumi ebusuku—ngemva nje kokushintsha kwabalindi. Leli kubonakala kuyithuba elihle lokugadla, ngoba kuzothatha isikhathi ukuba amehlo abalindi abasha ajwayelane nobumnyama.
Yeka indlela abakwaMidiyani abethuka ngayo manje! Ngokuphazima kweso, ukuthula kuphela ngokuphahlazwa kwezimbiza ezingu-300, nokushaywa kwezimpondo ezingu-300 kanye nokumemeza kwamadoda angu-300. Njengoba beshaqiswe ikakhulu amazwi amemezayo, athi “inkemba kaJehova nekaGideyoni!,” abakwaMidiyani baqala ukukhala ube mkhulu nakakhulu umsindo. Kuleyo nxushunxushu, akunakwenzeka ngabo ukuba bahlukanise umuntu wangakubo esitheni. Abangu-300 bama phuhle ezindaweni ababelwe kuzo njengoba uNkulunkulu ebangela ukuba izitha zigwazane zodwa. Ikamu liyangquzulwa, akekho ophunyukayo futhi abasele bayabulawa okuhilela ukususwa ngokuphelele kosongo lwabakwaMidiyani. Ekugcineni ukubuswa osekuthathe isikhathi eside nokunonya kuyaphela.—AbaHluleli 7:19-25; 8:10-12, 28.
Ngisho nangemva kwalokhu kunqoba, uGideyoni usalokhu ethobekile. Lapho abakwa-Efrayimi, ngokusobala abazizwa bedelelekile ngenxa yokuthi abazange babizelwe impi, bayamgolomba kodwa usabela ngobumnene. Impendulo yakhe emnene inqanda ukufutheka futhi yehlise intukuthelo yabo.—AbaHluleli 8:1-3; IzAga 15:1.
Njengoba sekunokuthula, ama-Israyeli ancenga uGideyoni ukuba abe inkosi yawo. Yeka isilingo! Kodwa uGideyoni uyenqaba. Usakhumbula kahle ukuthi ubani obangele ukuba banqobe abakwaMidiyani. Uthi: “Mina angiyikunibusa, nendodana yami ayiyikunibusa. UJehova nguye ozonibusa.”—AbaHluleli 8:23.
Nokho, njengoba engaphelele, uGideyoni akabonisi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukwahlulela okuhle. Ngasizathu simbe, wenza i-efodi ngempango yempi futhi ubukisa ngalo emzini wakubo. Ukulandisa kuthi wonke u-Israyeli uqala “ukuziphatha kabi ngokobulili” ne-efodi. U-Israyeli uyalikhulekela futhi liba ugibe ngisho nakuGideyoni kanye nendlu yakhe. Nokho, akabi umkhulekeli wezithombe ngokuphelele, ngoba imiBhalo ithi uyindoda enokholo kuJehova.—AbaHluleli 8:27; Hebheru 11:32-34.
Izifundo Esizitholayo
Indaba kaGideyoni inezifundo ezikabili, isixwayiso nesikhuthazo. Iyasixwayisa ukuthi uma uJehova engasusa umoya nesibusiso sakhe kithi ngenxa yokuziphatha kwethu kokungalaleli, isimo sethu esingokomoya singaba njengesezakhamuzi ezikhungethwe ubumpofu zasezweni elonakaliswe isikhonyane. Siphila ezikhathini ezinzima futhi akufanele sikhohlwe ukuthi isibusiso sikaJehova “yiso esicebisayo, futhi akenezeli ubuhlungu kanye naso.” (IzAga 10:22) Sijabulela isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu ngoba ‘simkhonza ngenhliziyo ephelele nangomphefumulo ojabulayo.’ Uma singakwenzi lokho, uzosilahla—1 IziKronike 28:9.
Singathola isikhuthazo ekulandiseni okukhuluma ngoGideyoni, ngoba kubonisa ukuthi uJehova angabasindisa abantu bakhe kunoma yiluphi usongo, asebenzise ngisho nalabo ababonakala bebuthaka futhi bengenakuzisiza. Ukuthi uGideyoni namadoda angu-300 bakwazi ukunqoba abakwaMidiyani abangu-135 000 kufakazela amandla kaNkulunkulu angenamkhawulo. Singase sizithole sisebunzimeni obukhulu futhi kubonakala kungeke kulunge ngenxa yokuthi izitha zethu ziningi ngokwedlulele. Nokho, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okukhuluma ngoGideyoni kuyasikhuthaza ukuba sithembele kuJehova, oyobusisa futhi akhulule bonke ababonisa ukholo kuYe.