Bala Ukuguqa Phansi

USAWAKHUMBULA yini amajaha la amathathu? Yibo kanye abangane bakaDanyeli abayala ukudla izinto ababengazijayelanga. AmaBhabhiloni ababiza ngokuthi nguShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko. Kodwa bakhangele khathesi. Kungani bengakhothameli isithombe lesi esikhulu njengabanye? Ake sibone.

Usayikhumbula yini imithetho eyabhalwa nguJehova ebizwa kuthiwa yiMilayo Elitshumi? Owakuqala uthi: ‘Akumelanga likhonze abanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.’ Amajaha la ayawulalela umthetho lo, lanxa kungalula ukuwulalela.

UNebhukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, ubize abantu abanengi abaqakathekileyo ukuze bakhothamele isithombe lesi asenzileyo. Usanda kutshela abantu bonke ukuthi: ‘Lingavele lizwe ukukhala kophondo, ichacho laloba yikuyini okokuhlabelisa kumele likhothame beselikhonza isithombe lesi esegolide. Ongasoze akhothame njalo asikhonze uzahle ajikelwe emlilweni ovuthayo.’

UNebhukhadinezari uzonda kakhulu nxa esizwa ukuthi uShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko abakhothamanga. Uthi beze kuye. Ubanika elinye ithuba lokuthi bakhothame. Kodwa amajaha la athemba uJehova. Atshela uNebhukhadinezari ukuthi: ‘UNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulamandla okusisindisa. Lanxa angayekela ukusisindisa, asisoze sisikhothamele isithombe sakho segolide.’

UNebhukhadinezari uzonda abe ngokunye, nxa esizwa lokhu. Umlilo useduze, ngakho uthi: ‘Umlilo kawubaselwe utshise okuphindwe kasikhombisa kulalokho okade uyikho!’ Utshela amadoda asebuthweni lakhe alamandla ukudlula wonke ukuthi abophe uShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko abajikele emlilweni ovuthayo. Umlilo lo utshisa kakhulu okokuthi amadoda la alamandla abulawa ngamalangabi omlilo. Kodwa kuyini okwenzakala emajaheni amathathu ajikelwe emlilweni?

Inkosi ikhangela emlilweni ibisiqalisa ukwesaba. Iyabuza isithi: ‘Kanti kasibophanga amadoda amathathu sawajikela emlilweni ovuthayo?’

Izinceku ziyaphendula: ‘Siwajikele.’

Inkosi ithi: ‘Kodwa ngibona amadoda amane ehambahamba emlilweni engabotshwanga njalo kawatshi. Owesine ungani ungunkulunkulu.’ Inkosi iyasondela eduze lomlilo ibisimemeza isithi: ‘Shadreki! Meshaki! Abhediniko! Zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani!’

Ekuphumeni kwabo, wonke umuntu uyabona ukuthi abalimalanga. Inkosi ithi: ‘Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko! Uthume ingilosi yakhe yabasindisa ngoba bale ukukhothamela lokukhonza omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle kowabo.’

Lesi yisibonelo esihle sokuthembeka kuJehova okumele sisilandele.