Lokho Okushiwo Abelusi Abayisikhombisa Nezikhulu Eziphakeme Eziyisishiyagalombili Kithi Namuhla

1. Kungani uzungu lomfelandawonye weSiriya nombuso wakwa-Israyeli lwaluzobhuntsha nakanjani?

ESIKHATHINI esithile phakathi kuka-762 B.C.E. no-759 B.C.E., inkosi yakwa-Israyeli nenkosi yaseSiriya ahlela impi ukuze alwe nombuso wakwaJuda. Wawuyini umgomo wawo? Ukuhlasela iJerusalema, asuse iNkosi u-Ahazi esihlalweni sobukhosi futhi esikhundleni sakhe abeke omunye umuntu, mhlawumbe owayengeyena owohlu lozalo lweNkosi uDavide. (Isaya 7:5, 6) Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli kwakufanele yazi ukuthi lokhu kwakungeke kuphumelele. UJehova wayememezele ukuthi umuntu wozalo lukaDavide wayeyohlala phakade esihlalweni saKhe sobukhosi, futhi akwenzeki ukuba izwi likaNkulunkulu lingagcwaliseki.—Josh. 23:14; 2 Sam. 7:16.

2-4. Chaza indlela u-Isaya 7:14, 16 agcwaliseka ngayo (a) ekhulwini lesishiyagalombili B.C.E. (b) ekhulwini lokuqala C.E.

² Ekuqaleni, umfelandawonye weSiriya nombuso wakwa-Israyeli wabonakala sengathi unamandla. Kwesinye isiwombe sempi, kwafa amadoda angamaqhawe ka-Ahazi angu-120 000! Kwabulawa noMahaseya, “indodana yenkosi.” (2 IziKr. 28:6, 7) Kodwa uJehova wayebhekile. Wakhumbula isithembiso asenza kuDavide; ngakho wathuma umprofethi u-Isaya ukuba ahambise umyalezo okhuthaza kakhulu.

³ U-Isaya wathi: “Bheka! Intombi empeleni iyokhulelwa, ibelethe indodana, ngokuqinisekile iyoyiqamba ngokuthi u-Imanuweli. . . . Ngaphambi kokuba umfana akwazi ukwala okubi akhethe okuhle, izwe [laseSiriya nelakwa-Israyeli] elimakhosi alo amabili ozwa ingebhe ecanuzelisayo ngalo liyobe lishiywe ngokuphelele.” (Isaya 7:14, 16) Ingxenye yokuqala yaleso siprofetho ngokuvamile ichazwa kufanele njengebhekisele ekuzalweni kukaMesiya. (Math. 1:23) Nokho, njengoba la ‘makhosi amabili,’ inkosi yaseSiriya nenkosi yakwa-Israyeli, ayengaselona usongo kuJuda ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., kumelwe ukuba ukugcwaliseka kokuqala kwesiprofetho esiphathelene no-Imanuweli kwaba ngosuku luka-Isaya.

⁴ Ngemva nje kokuba u-Isaya enze leso simemezelo esiphawulekayo, umkakhe wakhulelwa futhi wamzalela indodana eyaqanjwa ngokuthi uMahere-shalali-hashi-bazi. Kungenzeka ukuthi yilo mntwana isiprofetho sika-Isaya esabhekisela kuye ngokuthi “u-Imanuweli.”a Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, kwakwenzeka ukuba umntwana ethiwe elinye igama lapho ezalwa mhlawumbe ukuze kukhunjulwe isenzakalo esithile esikhethekile, kodwa abazali nezihlobo bambize ngelinye igama. (2 Sam. 12:24, 25) Abukho ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wake wabizwa ngegama elithi Imanuweli.—Funda u-Isaya 7:14; 8:3, 4.

5. Isiphi isinqumo sobuwula esenziwa iNkosi u-Ahazi?

⁵ Ngesikhathi u-Israyeli neSiriya besagxilise amehlo abo kuJuda, kunesinye isizwe, esasinamandla kwezempi, esasihahela leso sifunda. Kwakuwumbuso owawudlondlobala wase-Asiriya. Ngokuka-Isaya 8:3, 4, i-Asiriya laliyomuka “nomnotho waseDamaseku nempango yaseSamariya” ngaphambi kokuba lihlasele umbuso waseningizimu wakwaJuda. Esikhundleni sokuthembela ezwini likaNkulunkulu elalifike no-Isaya, u-Ahazi ongenalukholo wenza isivumelwano esiyinhlekelele nabase-Asiriya, esagcina siholele ekucindezelweni kukaJuda abase-Asiriya. (2 AmaKh. 16:7-10) Yeka indlela edumazayo u-Ahazi enza ngayo njengomalusi kaJuda! Singase sizibuze, ‘Lapho kumelwe ngenze izinqumo ezibalulekile, ingabe ngithembela kuNkulunkulu noma kubantu?’—IzAga 3:5, 6.

UMALUSI OMUSHA WENZA NGENDLELA EHLUKILE

6. Qhathanisa ukubusa kuka-Ahazi nokukaHezekiya.

⁶ U-Ahazi wafa ngo-746 B.C.E., futhi indodana yakhe uHezekiya yathola ifa lombuso wakwaJuda owase uphundlekile futhi umpofu ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo nangokomoya. Njengoba le nkosi esencane ihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi, yini eyayizoza kuqala kuyo? Ukufukula umnotho wakwaJuda owawuwohloka? Cha. UHezekiya wayengumuntu okhathalela izinto ezingokomoya kakhulu, umalusi ofanelekayo wesizwe esasiwumhlambi wakhe. Isinyathelo sakhe sokuqala kwaba ukuvuselela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nokubuyisela lesi sizwe esiphambukayo ebuhlotsheni obuqinile noJehova. Lapho eqonda intando kaNkulunkulu ngaye, uHezekiya wathatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu. Yeka isibonelo esihle asibekela sona!—2 IziKr. 29:1-19.

7. Kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba inkosi entsha iqinisekise amaLevi ukuthi izowasekela?

⁷ AmaLevi ayeyoba nendima esemqoka emsebenzini obalulekile wokubuyisela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Ngenxa yalokho, uHezekiya wahlangana nawo futhi wawaqinisekisa ukuthi uzowasekela. Wabone ngeso lengqondo amaLevi athembekile ayekulowo mhlangano, ubuso bawo bugcwele izinyembezi zenjabulo njengoba ezwa inkosi ithi: “Yinina uJehova anikhethile ukuba nime phambi kwakhe ukuze nimkhonze.” (2 IziKr. 29:11) Yebo, amaLevi ayenikezwe umyalo ocacile wokukhuthaza ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile!

8. Iziphi izinyathelo ezengeziwe uHezekiya azithatha ukuze aqinise ingokomoya lesizwe, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

⁸ UHezekiya wamemela wonke uJuda no-Israyeli emkhosini omkhulu wokugubha iPhasika, owalandelwa uMkhosi Wamaqebelengwane Angenamvubelo wezinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Abantu bawujabulela kakhulu umkhosi kangangokuthi bawelula ngezinye izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. IBhayibheli liyabika: “Kwaba khona ukujabula okukhulu eJerusalema, ngoba kusukela ezinsukwini zikaSolomoni indodana kaDavide inkosi yakwa-Israyeli kwakungazange kube khona okunjengalokhu eJerusalema.” (2 IziKr. 30:25, 26) Yeka ukuthi lelo dili elingokomoya laba isikhuthazo kanjani kubo bonke abantu! Kweyesi-2 IziKronike 31:1, sifunda lokhu: “Ngokushesha nje lapho beqeda konke lokhu, wonke ama-Israyeli . . . aphula izinsika ezingcwele, agawula izigxobo ezingcwele adiliza nezindawo eziphakemeyo nama-altare.” UJuda waqala ngale ndlela enamandla ukubuyela kuJehova. Lokhu kuhlanza okungokomoya kwaba okubaluleke kakhulu uma kucatshangelwa izenzakalo ezaziseza.

INKOSI ILUNGISELELA UBUNZIMA

9. (a) Amacebo ka-Israyeli ashafiswa kanjani? (b) USaneheribi waqale waphumelela kanjani kwaJuda?

⁹ Njengoba nje u-Isaya ayeshilo, abase-Asiriya bawunqoba umbuso osenyakatho wakwa-Israyeli, badingisa izakhamuzi zawo, okwashafisa amacebo ka-Israyeli okubeka inkosi egabadelayo esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide. Kodwa kuthiwani ngamacebo e-Asiriya? Ama-Asiriya abe esephendukela kuJuda. “Ngonyaka weshumi nane weNkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wakhuphuka ukuze amelane nayo yonke imizi yakwaJuda enezivikelo eziqinile wayithatha.” Kubikwa ukuthi uSaneheribi wanqoba imizi engu-46 yakwaJuda. Cabanga ukuthi wawuyozizwa kanjani ukube wawuphila eJerusalema ngaleso sikhathi. Imizi yakwaJuda yawa ilandelana phambi kwamabutho ase-Asiriya ayehlasela!—2 AmaKh. 18:13.

10. Kungani amazwi akuMika 5:5, 6 ayengase amkhuthaze uHezekiya?

¹⁰ Yiqiniso, uHezekiya wayeyibona ingozi eyayisondela, kodwa kunokuba aphelelwe ithemba futhi acele usizo lwesizwe samaqaba, njengoba kwenza uyise oyisihlubuki u-Ahazi, yena wathembela kuJehova. (2 IziKr. 28:20, 21) Kungenzeka ukuthi wayewazi amazwi omprofethi uMika, abaphila ngesikhathi esifanayo naye, owathi nge-Asiriya: “Kepha umAsiriya, . . . kuyomelwe sivuse abelusi abayisikhombisa bamelane naye, yebo izikhulu zesintu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili. Ziyokwelusa izwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba.” (Mika 5:5, 6) Ngokuqinisekile, la mazwi aphefumulelwe ayeyomkhuthaza uHezekiya, ngoba abonisa ukuthi kwakuyovuswa ibutho elingajwayelekile neze ukuba limelane nama-Asiriya nokuthi labo bahlaseli abanenzondo babeyogcina ngokunqotshwa.

11. Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesiprofetho esiphathelene nabelusi abayisikhombisa nezikhulu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili kuyokwenzeka nini?

¹¹ Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu nokubaluleke kakhulu kwalesi siprofetho esiphathelene nabelusi abayisikhombisa nezikhulu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili kwakuzokwenzeka esikhathini eside ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, “umbusi [wakwa-Israyeli], osiqalo sakhe sisukela ezikhathini zakuqala.” (Funda uMika 5:1, 2.) Lesi kwakuyoba isikhathi lapho ukuba khona kwezinceku zikaJehova kwakuyosongelwa “umAsiriya” wanamuhla. Imaphi amabutho uJehova ayowahlela ngeNdodana yakhe ebusayo manje ukuze amelane nalesi sitha esesabekayo? Sisazobona. Kodwa okokuqala, asicabangele lokho esingakufunda esinyathelweni uHezekiya asithatha lapho ebhekene nosongo lwe-Asiriya.

UHEZEKIYA UTHATHA IZINYATHELO EZIWUSIZO

12. Iziphi izinyathelo uHezekiya nalabo ayenabo abazithatha ukuze bavikele abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹² UJehova uhlale ekulungele ukusenzela lokho thina esingenakuzenzela kona, kodwa ulindele ukuba nathi senze lokho esingakwenza. UHezekiya wabonisana “nezikhulu zakhe namadoda anamandla,” futhi banquma ndawonye “ukuba kuvalwe amanzi eziphethu ezazingaphandle komuzi . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, [uHezekiya] wema isibindi futhi wakha lonke udonga olwalubhidlikile wamisa imibhoshongo phezu kwalo, nangaphandle wakha olunye udonga, . . . wenza imicibisholo ngobuningi nezihlangu.” (2 IziKr. 32:3-5) Ukuze avikele futhi eluse abantu bakhe ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova wasebenzisa amadoda amaningana angamaqhawe—uHezekiya, izikhulu zakhe nabaprofethi ababeqinile ngokomoya.

13. Isiphi isinyathelo esibaluleke kakhulu uHezekiya asithatha ukuze alungiselele abantu ukuhlasela okwakusondela? Chaza.

¹³ Lokho uHezekiya akwenza ngokulandelayo kwakubaluleke nangaphezu kokuvala amanzi noma ukuqinisa izindonga zomuzi. Njengoba ayekhathazekile njengomalusi, uHezekiya waqoqela ndawonye abantu futhi wabakhuthaza ngokomoya ngala mazwi: “Ningesabi noma nethuke ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya . . . , ngoba abanathi baningi kakhulu kunalabo abanayo. Yona inengalo yenyama, kodwa thina sinoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu oyosisiza futhi alwe izimpi zethu.” Yeka isikhumbuzo esiqinisa ukholo—uJehova wayeyobalwela abantu bakhe! Lapho ezwa lokhu, amaJuda ‘abe eseziqinisa ngamazwi kaHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda.’ Phawula ukuthi “amazwi kaHezekiya” enza ukuba abantu babe nesibindi. Yena nezikhulu zakhe namadoda akhe anamandla, kanye nomprofethi uMika no-Isaya, bazibonisa bengabelusi abaphumelelayo, njengoba nje uJehova ayebikezele ngomprofethi wakhe.—2 IziKr. 32:7, 8; funda uMika 5:5, 6.

14. URabishake waba nayiphi indima, futhi abantu basabela kanjani?

¹⁴ Inkosi yase-Asiriya yakanisa eLakishi, eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema. Yabe isithumela izithunywa ezintathu, ukuba ziyotshela abaseJerusalema ukuba bazinikele kuyo. Umkhulumeli wayo, owayewuRabishake ngokwesikhundla sakhe, wasebenzisa amasu ahlukahlukene. Ekhuluma ngesiHebheru, wagqugquzela abantu ukuba bakhaphele inkosi futhi bazinikele kwabase-Asiriya, ebakhohlisa ngokuthi uzobasusa abayise ezweni abazophila ngokunethezeka kulo. (Funda eyesi-2 AmaKhosi 18:31, 32.) URabishake wabe esegomela ngokuthi njengoba nje onkulunkulu bezizwe babengakwazanga ukuvikela abakhulekeli babo, noJehova wayengeke akwazi ukukhulula amaJuda ezandleni zabase-Asiriya. Abantu benza ngokuhlakanipha, abazange bazame ukuyiphendula leyo nkulumo-ze enyundelayo, okuyinto nanamuhla evame ukwenziwa izinceku zikaJehova.—Funda eyesi-2 AmaKhosi 18:35, 36.

15. Yini okwakudingeka izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema ziyenze, futhi uJehova wawusindisa kanjani umuzi?

¹⁵ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi uHezekiya wakhathazeka, kodwa esikhundleni sokucela usizo embusweni wesinye isizwe, wathumela ukuba kulandwe umprofethi u-Isaya. U-Isaya watshela uHezekiya: “Ngeke [iNkosi uSaneheribi] ingene kulo muzi noma icibishele umcibisholo khona.” (2 AmaKh. 19:32) Okwakudingeka ukuba nje izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zime ziqine. UJehova wayeyomlwela uJuda. Futhi wamlwela! “Kwathi ngalobo busuku ingelosi kaJehova yaphuma yabulala abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu ekamu lama-Asiriya.” (2 AmaKh. 19:35) Akukhona ukuvala kukaHezekiya imithombo yamanzi omuzi nokwakha kwakhe izindonga zawo okwasindisa uJuda kodwa wasindiswa ukungenela kukaNkulunkulu.

IZIFUNDO ESIZIFUNDAYO NAMUHLA

16. Obani namuhla abamelelwa (a) izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema (b) “umAsiriya” (c) abelusi abayisikhombisa nezikhulu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili?

¹⁶ Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesiprofetho esiphathelene nabelusi abayisikhombisa nezikhulu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili kwenzeka namuhla. Izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema lasendulo zahlaselwa abase-Asiriya. Esikhathini esizayo esiseduze, abantu bakaJehova ababonakala bengavikelekile, bayohlaselwa “umAsiriya” wanamuhla ngenhloso yokubaqothula. ImiBhalo ikhuluma ngalokho kuhlaselwa nangokuhlasela ‘kukaGogi wakwaMagogi,’ ukuhlasela ‘kwenkosi yasenyakatho’ nangokuhlasela ‘kwamakhosi omhlaba.’ (Hez. 38:2, 10-13; Dan. 11:40, 44, 45; IsAm. 17:14; 19:19) Ingabe lokhu kumelela ukuhlasela okuhlukahlukene? Akunjalo ngempela. Kungenzeka ukuthi iBhayibheli libhekisela ekuhlaseleni okufanayo ngamagama ahlukene. Isiprofetho sikaMika sibonisa ukuthi uJehova uzosebenzisa siphi ‘isikhali esicashile’ ngokumelene naleso sitha esigcwele inzondo—“umAsiriya”? Isikhali esingajwayelekile—‘abelusi abayisikhombisa, yebo izikhulu eziphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili’! (Mika 5:5) Abelusi nezikhulu eziphakeme abakha leli butho elingakholeki bangabadala bamabandla. (1 Pet. 5:2) Namuhla, uJehova uye walungiselela inqwaba yamadoda angokomoya ukuze eluse izimvu zakhe eziyigugu, aqinise abantu bakhe balungele ukuhlasela okuzayo ‘komAsiriya’ wanamuhla.b Isiprofetho sikaMika sithi “ziyokwelusa izwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba.” (Mika 5:6) Yebo, phakathi ‘kwezikhali zempi yabo,’ ‘kunenkemba yomoya,’ iZwi likaNkulunkulu.—2 Kor. 10:4; Efe. 6:17.

17. Iziphi iziphetho ezine abadala abangazifinyelela kulokhu kulandisa esixoxe ngakho?

¹⁷ Abadala abafunda lesi sihloko bangafinyelela eziphethweni eziwusizo kulokhu kulandisa esisanda kuxoxa ngakho: (1) Isinyathelo esiwusizo kakhulu esingasithatha ukuze silungiselele ukuhlasela okuzayo ‘komAsiriya’ esokuqinisa ukholo lwethu kuNkulunkulu nokusiza abafowethu ukuba benze ngokufanayo. (2) Lapho “umAsiriya” ehlasela, abadala kumelwe baqiniseke ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova uzosikhulula. (3) Ngaleso sikhathi, isiqondiso esisindisa ukuphila esiyosithola sivela enhlanganweni kaJehova singase sibonakale singenangqondo ngokombono womuntu. Sonke kumelwe sikulungele ukulalela noma iziphi iziqondiso esingase sizithole, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngokombono womuntu zibonakala zihluzekile noma cha. (4) Manje yisikhathi sokuba noma ubani okungenzeka ukuthi uthembele emfundweni yezwe, ezintweni ezibonakalayo, noma ezinhlanganweni zabantu alungise ukucabanga kwakhe. Abadala kumelwe bahlale bekulungele ukusiza noma ibaphi okungenzeka ukuthi manje banokholo oluntengantengayo.

18. Ukuzindla ngalokhu kulandisa kungasizuzisa kanjani esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁸ Isikhathi sizofika lapho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla ziyobonakala zingavikelekile njengamaJuda ayevaleleke eJerusalema osukwini lukaHezekiya. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwangathi sonke singaqiniswa amazwi kaHezekiya. Masikhumbule ukuthi izitha zethu “[zinengalo] yenyama, kodwa thina sinoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu oyosisiza futhi alwe izimpi zethu”!—2 IziKr. 32:8.