Ingabe Bewazi?
UNkulunkulu wayekubheka kanjani ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi phakathi kwama-Israyeli?
Ngokwesichazamazwi esithile, ukufunda izinkanyezi kusho “ukuhlola ukuhamba konozungezilanga, ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi, ngenkolelo yokuthi lokhu kungaba nomthelela ekuphileni kwabantu.” Njengoba umhlaba ujikeleza ilanga unyaka ngamunye, amaqoqo ezinkanyezi ayagudluka endaweni yawo. Kusukela endulo, abantu baye baziphawula lezi zinguquko base bethi zisho okuthile okukhulu.
Kungenzeka ukuthi ukufunda izinkanyezi kwaqalwa abaseBhabhiloni lasendulo, abenza izinkanyezi namaqoqo azo kwaba izinto zokukhulekelwa. Le ndlela yokukhulekela yabe isilandelwa ama-Israyeli lapho ephambuka ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Ngesikhathi senkosi yakwaJuda uJosiya, ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi kwase kugcwele kulelo zwe. Umbono kaNkulunkulu wawucace bha kule ndaba. Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, ukwenqabela koMthetho KaMose ukukhulekelwa kwezinkanyezi kwakuhambisana nesijeziso sokufa.—Duteronomi 17:2-5.
Phakathi kwezinyathelo ezathathwa iNkosi uJosiya ukuze ishintshe imikhuba yokukhulekela engokwenkolo kwaJuda, kwakuwukwenqatshelwa kwemihlatshelo eyayenzelwa ukukhulekelwa ‘kwelanga nenyanga nemilaza yezinkanyezi zomgamu wezulu nalo lonke ibutho lamazulu.’ Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi inkosi yathatha lesi sinyathelo ngoba yayifuna ‘ukulandela uJehova nokugcina imiyalo yakhe.’ (2 AmaKhosi 23:3-5) Lokhu kwababekela isibonelo ngisho nabantu abafuna ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso” namuhla.—Johane 4:24.
Ayengobani ‘amaDodana KaZeyusi’ okukhulunywa ngawo kuzEnzo 28:11?
Incwadi yeBhayibheli yezEnzo ibika ukuthi lapho elibangise eRoma, umphostoli uPawulu wathatha umkhumbi osuka eMelitha oya ePhutheyoli owawunesithombe “samaDodana KaZeyusi.” (IzEnzo 28:11) Amatilosi nabagibeli basendulo babesithanda lesi sithombe.
Ngokwezinganekwane zamaGreki namaRoma, uZeyusi (owaziwa nangokuthi uJupiter) kanye noLeda babenamadodana angamawele, uCastor noPollux. Phakathi kokunye la “maDodana KaZeyusi” ayebhekwa njengamatilosi anekhono anamandla okulawula umoya namagagasi. Ngakho, agcina esekhulekelwa njengonkulunkulu abavikela amatilosi. Abagibeli babewenzela imihlatshelo futhi becela nesivikelo kuwo lapho kuneziphepho. Kwakukholelwa ukuthi lab’ onkulunkulu abangamawele babezibonakalisa bona namandla abo okuvikela ngomlilo kaSt. Elmo, ukubaneka ngezinye izikhathi okwakubonakala ezinsikeni zoseyili emkhunjini lapho kunesiphepho.
Ukukhulekelwa kukaCastor noPollux kwakwandile phakathi kwamaGreki namaRoma, kanti umthombo othile wasendulo uthi lokhu kwakwenziwa ngokukhethekile esifundazweni saseKhurene, eNyakatho Afrika. Umkhumbi okukhulunywa ngawo encwadini yezEnzo wawungowasemzini oseduze, e-Aleksandriya, eGibhithe.
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Itshe eliqoshiwe laseBhabhiloni libonisa iNkosi uNazimaruttash kanye namaqoqo ezinkanyezi
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Uhlamvu lukadenariyu olunomfanekiso “wamadodana kaZeyusi,” lwango-114-113 B.C.E.
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 9]
Stela: Réunion des Musées Nationaux/Art Resource, NY; coin: Courtesy Classical Numismatic Group, Inc./cngcoins.com