osati ndi mtundu wa Israyeli wakuthupi, koma ndi otsatira okhulupirika a Yesu Kristu amene anapatsidwa chiyembekezo cha moyo kumwamba. Poyambitsa Chikumbutso cha imfa yake, Yesu anawapatsa chikho cha vinyo ndipo anati: “Chikho ichi ndipangano latsopano m’mwazi wanga.” [1 Akor. 11:25])

Chiv. 7:4: “Ndinamva chiŵerengero cha iwo osindikizidwa chizindikiziro, zikwi makumi khumi ndi makumi anayi mphambu anayi, osindikizidwa chizindikiro mwa mafuko onse a ana a Israyeli.” (Koma m’mavesi otsatira, mwatchulidwa “fuko la Levi” ndi “fuko la Yosefe.” Amenewa sanaphatikizidwe m’ndandanda zamafuko 12 a Israyeli wakuthupi. Mokondweretsa, pamene kuli kwakuti kukunenedwa kuti anthu “akasindikizidwa chizindikiro mwa mafuko onse a ana a Israyeli,” fuko la Dani ndi fuko la Efraimu silikutchulidwa. [Yerekezerani ndi Numeri 1:4-16.] Panopa otchulidwawo ayenera kukhala Israyeli wauzimu wa Mulungu, kwa awo amene Chivumbulutso 14:1-3 chimasonyeza kuti adzakhala ndi phande limodzi ndi Kristu mu Ufumu wake wakumwamba.)

Aheb. 12:22: “Mwayandikira ku Phiri la Ziyoni, ndi mudzi wa Mulungu wa moyo, Yerusalemu wakumwamba, ndi kwa unyinji wochuluka wa angelo.” (Chotero sikuli ku Yerusalemu wapadziko lapansi koma ku “Yerusalemu wakumwamba” kumene Akristu owona amayang’anako kaamba ka kukwaniritsidwa kwa malonjezo a Mulungu.)

Babulo Wamkulu

Tanthuzo: Ulamuliro wa dziko lonse wa chipembedzo chonyenga, wophatikizapo zipembedzo zonse zimene ziphunzitso zake ndi zizoloŵezi sizimagwirizana ndi kulambiridwa kowona kwa Yehova, Mulungu wowona yekha. Pambuyo pa chigumula cha tsiku la Nowa, chipembedzo chonyenga chinayambira pa Babele (pambuyo pake wodziŵika monga Babulo). (Gen. 10:8-10; 11:4-9) M’nthaŵi yokwanira, zikhulupiriro za chipembedzo cha Babulo zinafikira ku maiko ambiri. Chotero Babulo Wamkulu linafikira kukhala dzina loyenerera la chipembedzo chonse chonyenga.

Kodi ndiumboni wotani umene umasonya kukudziŵikitsidwa kwa Babulo Wamkulu, wotchulidwa m’Chivumbulutso?

Sukanakhala mzinda wakale wa Babulo. Chivumbulutso chinalembedwa chakumapeto kwa zaka za zana loyamba C.E. ndipo chikulongosola zochitika zimene zikafika mpaka ku tsiku lathu. The Encyclopedia Americana imati: “Mzindawo [Babulo] unatengedwa ndi Aperisi pansi pa Koresi Wamkulu mu 539 B.C. Pambuyo pake Alexander Wamkulu anachita makonzedwe a kupanga Babulo kukhala likulu la ulamuliro wake wakummaŵa, koma pambuyo pa imfa yake pang’ono ndi pang’ono Babulo anatayikiridwa ndi ulemerero.” (1956, Vol. III, p. 7) Lerolino mzindawo uli bwinja losakhoza kukhalidwa.

M’chilankhulidwe chophiphiritsira cha Chivumbulutso, Babulo Wamkulu amatchulidwa kukhala “mzinda waukulu,” “ufumu” umene umalamulira mafumu ena. (Chiv. 17:18) Mofanana ndi mzinda, ukakhala ndi magulu ambiri mkati mwake; ndipo mofanana ndi ufumu umene umaphatikizapo mafumu ena mu ulamuliro wake, ukakhala pamlingo wa mitundu yonse. Ukulongosoledwa kukhala ndi unansi ndi olamulira andale zadziko ndipo ukuthandizira kwambiri chuma cha anthu azamalonda, pamene kuli kwakuti uwo uli mbali yachitatu imene “yakhala malo aziŵanda” ndi wozunza “aneneri ndi oyera mtima.”—Chiv. 18:2, 9-17, 24.

Babulo wakale anadziŵika mwapadera kaamba ka chipembedzo chake ndi kunyozera kwake Yehova

Gen. 10:8-10: “Nimrodi . . . ndiye mpalu wamphamvu pamaso pa Yehova. . . . Ndipo kuyamba kwake kwa ufumu wake kunali Babele [pambuyo pake unadziŵika monga Babulo].”

Dan. 5:22, 23: “Ndipo inu [Belisazara mfumu ya Babulo] . . . munadzikweza kutsutsana naye Ambuye wakumwamba; . . . mwalemekezanso milungu yasiliva, ndi yagolidi, yamkuwa, yachitsulo, yamtengo, ndi yamwala imene siwona kapena kumva kapena kudziŵa; ndi Mulungu amene m’dzanja mwake muli mpweya wanu, ndi njira zanu zonse, yemweyo simunamchitira ulemu.”

Malembo ozokotedwa akale amati: “Onse pamodzi m’Babulo muli akachisi 53 a milungu yaikulu, tiakachisi 55 ta Merodaki, tiakachisi 300 ta milungu yapansi, 600 kaamba ka timilungu tam’mwamba, maguwa ansembe 180 a mulungu wachikazi Ishtar, 180 a mulungu wotchedwa Nergal ndi Adad ndi maguwa ansembe ena 12 a milungu yosiyanasiyana.”—Mawu ogwidwa mu The Bible as History (New York, 1964), W. Keller, p. 301.

The Encyclopedia Americana imati: “Kutsungula Kwachisumeriya [kumene kunali mbali ya Babulo] kunalamulidwa ndi ansembe; mkulu wake waboma anali lugal (kutanthauza ‘mwamuna wamkulu’), woimira milungu.”—(1977), Vol. 3, p. 9.

Chifukwa chake, mwachiwonekere, Babulo Wamkulu monga momwe akutchulidwira m’Chivumbulutso ngwachipembedzo. Pokhala wofanana ndi mzinda ndi ufumu, saali wolekezera pagulu limodzi lachipembedzo koma amaphatikizapo zipembedzo zonse zimene ziri zotsutsana ndi Yehova, Mulungu wowona.

Ziganizo ndi zizoloŵezi zachipembedzo zakale Zachibabulo zimapezeka m’zipembedzo zapadziko lonse

“Igupto, Perisiya, ndi Girisi anamva chisonkhezero cha chipembedzo Chababulo . . . Kusanganikira kwamphamvu kwa zizoloŵezi Zachisemu ponse paŵiri m’nthanthi Zachigiriki zoyambirira ndi m’miyambo Yachigiriki tsopano zikuvomerezedwa kwambiri ndi akatswiri kotero kuti sipamafunikira mawu owonjezereka. Kumlingo waukulu zizoloŵezi Zachisemu zimenezi ziridi Zachibabulo chenicheni kwambiri.”—The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria (Boston, 1898), M. Jastrow, Jr., pp. 699, 700.

Milungu yawo: Kunali milungu yautatu, ndipo pakati pa milungu yawo panali yoimira makamu osiyanasiyana achilengedwe ndi imene inali ndi chisonkhezero chapadera m’zochitika zina za anthu. (Babylonian and Assyrian Religion, Norman, Okla.; 1963, S. H. Hooke, pp. 14-40) “Utatu wa Plato, pokhala kulinganizidwanso chabe kwa utatu wachikale kwambiri kuposa umene unayambira kwa anthu amakedzana, umawonekera kukhala utatu wanthanthi za anzeru amikhalidwe imene inachititsa kukhalapo kwa anthu atatu kapena anthu aumulungu ophunzitsidwa ndi matchalitchi Achikristu. . . . Lingaliro la wanthanthi Wachigiriki [la Plato] limeneli la utatu waumulungu . . . lingapezedwe m’zipembedzo [zachikunja] zonse zakale.”—Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel (Paris, 1865-1870), lolembedwa ndi M. Lachâtre, Vol. 2, p. 1467.

Kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwa mafano: “[M’chipembedzo cha Mesopotamiya] ntchito ya fano inali yaikulu m’dzoma kudzanso m’kulambira kwamtseri, monga momwe kugaŵiridwa kwa zithunzi zotchipa za mafano otere kumasonyezera. Kwakukulukulu, mulunguyo anali kulingaliridwa kukhalapo m’fano lake ngati linasonyeza mikhalidwe ina yotsimikizirika m’njira yoyenerera.”—Ancient Mesopotamia—Portrait of a Dead Civilization (Chicago, 1964), A. L. Oppenheim, p. 184.

Chikhulupiriro ponena za imfa: “Anthu limodzi ndi atsogoleri achipembedzo omwe [m’Babulo] sanalingalire konse kuti pali kuthekera kwa kuwonongeka kotheratu kwa chinthu chimene poyamba chinali ndi moyo. Imfa inali njira yoloŵera kumoyo wa mtundu wina.”—The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria p. 556.

Malo antchito aunsembe: “Kusiyana pakati pa wansembe ndi munthu wamba kuli kodziŵika m’chipembedzo chimenechi [cha Babulo].”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1948), Vol. 2, p. 861.

Chizoloŵezi cha openda nyenyezi, openduza, ndi amatsenga: Wolemba mbiri A. H. Sayce akulemba kuti: “[Mu] chipembedzo cha Babulo wakale . . . chinthu chirichonse ndi mphamvu yachilengedwe chinayembekezeredwa kukhala ndi zi yake kapena mzimu, umene ukalamuliridwa ndi kupenduza kwamatsenga kwa Shaman, kapena mlauli.” (The History of Nations, New York, 1928, Vol. 1, p. 96) “Akasidi [Ababulo] anapanga kupita patsogolo kwakukulu m’kufufuza sayansi yopenda zakuthambo kupyolera mwa kuyesayesa kudziŵa zamtsogolo m’nyenyezi. Luso limeneli timalitcha ‘kupenda nyenyezi.’”—The Dawn of Civilization and Life in the Ancient East (Chicago, 1938), R. M. Engberg, p. 230.

Babulo Wamkulu ali wofanana ndi mkazi wachigololo woipa wokonda chikondwerero mopanda manyazi

Chivumbulutso 17:1-5 chimati: “Idza kuno, ndidzakuwonetsa chitsutso chamkazi wachigololo wamkulu, wakukhala pamadzi [anthu] ambiri, amene mafumu [olamulira andale zadziko] a dziko anachita chigololo naye, ndipo iwo akukhala padziko analedzera ndi vinyo wachigololo chake. . . . Ndipo pamphumi pake padalembedwa dzina, chinsinsi, Babulo Wamkulu, amayi wa achigololo ndi wa zonyansa za dziko.” Chivumbulutso 18:7, (NW) chimawonjezera kuti “anadziveka ulemerero nakhala wokonda chikondwerero mopanda manyazi.”

Kodi sizowona kuti magulu aakulu achipembedzo ali ndi chizoloŵezi cha kugwirizana ndi olamulira andale zadziko kuti alamulire ndi kupindula m’zachuma, ngakhale kuli kwakuti zimenezi zachititsa kuvutika kwa anthu wamba? Kodi sizirinso zowona kuti atsogoleri awo apamwamba achipembedzo amakhala mu ulemerero, ngakhale kuli kwakuti anthu ambiri amene ayenera kutumikiridwawo angakhale aumphaŵi?

Kodi nchifukwa ninji zipembedzo zimene zimadzinenera kukhala Zachikristu moyenelera zingawonedwe kukhala mbali ya Babulo Wamkulu, limodzi ndi izo zimene sizimadziŵa konse Mulungu wa Baibulo?

Yak. 4:4, NW: “Akazi achigololo, kodi simudziŵa kuti ubwenzi ndi dziko uli udani ndi Mulungu? Chifukwa chake, yense wofuna kukhala bwenzi la dziko, akudzipanga kukhala mdani wa Mulungu.” (Chotero, ngakhale kuli kwakuti amadziŵa chimene Baibulo limanena ponena za Mulungu, amadzipangitsa kukhala adani ake ngati asankha ubwenzi ndi dziko mwa kutsanzira njira zake.)

2 Akor. 4:4, NW; 11:14, 15: “Mulungu wadongosolo iri lazinthu wachititsa khungu maganizo a osakhulupirira, kuti kuunika kwa mbiri yabwino yaulemerero yonena za Kristu amene ali chifanefane cha Mulungu, kusawaŵalire.” “Satana yemwe adziwonetsa ngati mngelo wakuunika. Chifukwa chake sikuli kanthu kwakukulu ngatinso atumiki ake adziwonetsa monga atumiki achilungamo; amene chimaliziro chawo chidzakhala monga mwa ntchito zawo.” (Motero mdani wamkulu wa Yehova, Satana Mdyerekezi mwiniyo, akulemekezedwadi ndi onse amene samalambira Mulungu wowona mwadongosolo limene Iye waika, ngakhale kuli kwakuti iwo angadzinenere kukhala Akristu. Wonaninso 1 Akorinto 10:20.)

Mat. 7:21-23: “Siyense wakunena kwa ine [Yesu Kristu], Ambuye, Ambuye, adzaloŵa mu ufumu wakumwamba; koma wakuchitayo chifuniro cha Atate wanga wa kumwamba. Ambiri adzati kwa ine tsiku lomwelo, Ambuye, Ambuye, kodi sitinanenera mawu m’dzina lanu, ndi m’dzina lanunso kutulutsa mizimu yoipa, ndi kuchita m’dzina lanunso zamphamvu zambiri? Ndipo pamenepo ndidzafukulira iwo, Sindinakudziŵani inu nthaŵi zonse; chokani kwa ine inu akuchita kusayeruzika.”

Kodi nchifukwa ninji kuli kofulumira kutuluka m’Babulo Wamkulu popanda kuzengeleza?

Chiv. 18:4, NW: “Tulukani mwa iye, anthu anga, ngati simufuna kugaŵana naye machimo ake, ndipo ngati simufuna kulandira mbali ya miliri yake.”

Chiv. 18:21, NW: “Mngelo wamphamvu ananyamula mwala ngati mphero yaikulu nauponya m’nyanja, akumati: ‘Motero limodzi ndi kuponya kofulumira Babulo mzinda waukuluwo adzaponyedwa, ndipo iye sadzapezekanso.’”

Luka 21:36, NW: “Khalani maso, nthaŵi zonse mukumapemphera kuti inu mukapambane kupulumuka zinthu zonse zimenezi zimene zaikidwiratu kuchitika, ndi kuima pamaso pa Mwana wa munthu.”

Kodi nchiyani chimene chidzachitika kwa anthu amene sanadziŵe chowonadi cha Baibulo koma amene anakhala ndi moyo nafa kaleromonga mbali ya Babulo Wamkulu?

Mac. 17:30: “Nthaŵi za kusadziŵako tsono Mulungu analekerera; koma tsopanotu alinkulamulira anthu onse ponseponse atembenuke mtima.”

Mac. 24:15: “Kudzakhala kuuka kwa olungama ndi osalungama.” (Kuti ndianthu “osalungama” ati amene adzaukitsidwa, Mulungu adzasankha.)

Yobu 34:12: “Ndithudi zowonadi, Mulungu sangachite choipa, ndi Wamphamvuyonse sangaipse mlandu.”

Baibulo

Tanthauzo: Mawu olembedwa a Yehova Mulungu kwa anthu. Anagwiritsira ntchito alembi aumunthu okwanira 40 mkati mwa nyengo ya zaka mazana 16 kulilemba, koma Mulungu mwiniyo anatsogoza kwenikweni kulembedwako mwa mzimu wake. Chotero liri louziridwa ndi Mulungu. Mbali yaikulu ya cholembedwacho njopangidwa ndi mawu enieni onenedwa ndi Yehova ndi malongosoledwe onena za ziphunzitso ndi ntchito za Yesu Kristu, Mwana wa Mulungu. Mmenemu timapezamo mawu onena za malamulo a Mulungu kaamba ka atumiki ake ndi zimene adzachita kukwaniritsa chifuno chake chachikulu kaamba ka dziko lapansi. Kuti azamitse chiyamikiro chathu kaamba ka zinthu zimenezi, Yehova anasunganso m’Baibulo cholembedwa chosonyeza zimene zimachitika pamene anthu ndi mitundu amvetsera Mulungu ndi kugwira ntchito mogwirizana ndi chifuno chake, kudzanso chotulukapo pamene ayenda m’njira ya iwo eni. Kupyolera mwa cholembedwa cha m’mbiri chodalirika chimenechi Yehova amatidziŵitsa ntchito zake ndi anthu ndipo motero ndi umunthu wake wodabwitsa.

Zifukwa zophunzirira Baibulo

Baibulo lenilenilo limati nlochokera kwa Mulungu, Mlengi wa anthu

2 Tim. 3:16, 17: “Lemba lirilonse adaliuzira Mulungu, ndipo lipindulitsa pa chiphunzitso, chitsutsano, chikonzero, chilangizo cha m’chilungamo: kuti munthu wa Mulungu akhale woyenera, wokonzeka kuchita ntchito iriyonse yabwino.”