Isahluko 15
IEdom Yanamhla Yokomfuziselo Iza Kushenxiswa
1, 2. UMdali uzijonga njani iintlanga ezixhobe zaf’ amacala, ibe siyintoni isigqibo sikaYehova, ngokutsho kwesiprofeto sikaIsaya?
NAMHLANJE ihlabathi lixhobe laf’ amacala kunanini na ngaphambili. Izixhobo zenyukliya zamazwe zisisisongelo sokwenene kubukho boluntu. Ngoko, uMdali wentsapho engabantu, uYehova uThixo, uyijonga njani le meko? Oku kuchazwe ngokucacileyo kwisahluko 34 sesiprofeto sikaIsaya, esiqala ngala mazwi athi:
2 “Sondelani, zintlanga, nive; nibaze iindlebe, zizwe; malive ihlabathi nenzaliseko yalo; elimiweyo, neziveliso zonke eziveliswa lilo. Ngokuba uburhalarhume bukaYehova buphezu kweentlanga zonke, nobushushu bakhe buphezu komkhosi wazo wonke; uzisingele phantsi, uzinikele ekusikweni. Baya kulahlwa ababuleweyo bazo, nezidumbu zabo kunyuke ukunuka kwazo, kunyibilike iintaba ligazi lazo. Uya kuvunda wonke umkhosi wezulu, lisongwe izulu [oorhulumente babantu abangenampumelelo] njengencwadi, wonke umkhosi walo ubune njengokubuna kwegqabi emdiliyeni, njengokubuna kwegqabi emkhiwaneni.” (Isaya 34:1-4) Ngokwenene esi sisiprofeto esikhwankqisayo!
3. (a) Iintlanga kuthiwa maziphulaphule ntoni, ibe kutheni uYehova enokuziyalela ngokufanelekileyo nje? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba iintlanga aziphulaphulanga?
3 UMdali wendalo iphela ubambene neentlanga namhlanje. Kungeso sizathu le nto iintlanga ziyalelwa ukuba ziphulaphule isigidimi esisekelwe eBhayibhileni aye wasibangela ukuba sivakaliswe zwenibanzi ukususela ngowe-1919. Zimele zikuphulaphule oko akuthethayo ngamaNgqina akhe. Kodwa iziganeko zehlabathi zingqina ukuba azikwenzanga oko, ibe amaNgqina akhe ajongelwa phantsi ziintlanga, ezikhethe iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo kungekhona uBukumkani bezulu obulawulwa nguNyana wakhe osetroneni, “uMthetheli Woxolo.”
Isiprofeto SikaIsaya Esinxamnye Ne-Edom
4, 5. (a) Ayengoobani amaEdom, ibe ayenasiphi isimo sengqondo ngohlanga lwawo olungumzalwana oliwele, uSirayeli? (b) Ke ngoko uYehova wamisela ntoni nge-Edom?
4 Kukho uthunywashe obekek’ ityala ngokukhethekileyo nosebenza phakathi kwamaqela eentlanga zanamhlanje. Loo thunywashe wafanekiselwa luhlanga lwakwaEdom, olukhankanywa ngokungqalileyo kwesi siprofeto. AmaEdom ayeyinzala kaEsawu, owathengisa ngobuzibulo bakhe kumntakwabo owayeliwele naye, uYakobi, ngenxa ‘yesonka neentlumayo eziphekiweyo.’ Kwaba ngeso sihlandlo ekwathi uEsawu wanikwa igama elinguEdom, elithetha “Ngqombo.” (Genesis 25:24-34) Ngenxa yokuba uYakobi wabuthabatha ubuzibulo bakhe obuxabisekileyo, uEsawu wamthiya kunene umntakwabo aliwele naye. UEdom waba lutshaba olukhulu lohlanga lwamandulo lukaSirayeli, okanye uYakobi, nakubeni babeziintlanga ezingabazalwana abangamawele. Ngenxa yokuba nobu butshaba ngabantu bakaThixo, uEdom wazibangela ukuba afumane ingqumbo efanelekileyo kaYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli, ibe Yena wamisela ukuba atshatyalaliswe ngonaphakade uEdom. Esi sigqibo sobuthixo sandlalwe kumazwi omprofeti uIsaya:
5 “Ngokuba lisele lahlutha ezulwini ikrele lam; yabona, lihla phezu koEdom, naphezu kwabantu endibasingele phantsi, ibe ngumgwebo. Ikrele likaYehova lizele ligazi, lityetyiswe ngamanqatha, ligazi leemvana neleebhokhwe, ngamanqatha ezintso zeenkunzi zeegusha; ngokuba uYehova unombingelelo eBhotsera [esona sixeko sibalaseleyo sakwaEdom], nokuxhela okukhulu ezweni lakwaEdom.”—Isaya 34:5, 6.
6. (a) Kutheni uYehova wathetha ngokusebenzisa “ikrele” lakhe nxamnye ne-Edom “ezulwini”? (b) Xa ubukumkani bakwaYuda bahlaselwa yiBhabhiloni, sisiphi isimo sengqondo sokungabi nabubele bobuzalwana iEdom eyasibonakalisayo ngabantu bakaYehova?
6 Ilizwe lohlanga lukaEdom olunengqondo yokubulala limele lenziwe lintyumpantyumpeke egazini lalo ‘likrele’ likaYehova. UEdom wayekummandla ophakamileyo noneentaba. (Yeremiya 49:16) Ngoko ekubangeleni ukuba ukufa kubekho kwelo lizwe, ngokucacisayo uYehova wayenokuthi wayesebenzisa ikrele lakhe lokugweba “ezulwini.” UEdom wayexhobe waf’ amacala, ibe imikhosi yakhe exhobileyo yayihamba ukutyhubela ungcelele lweentaba eziphakame okwezulu ukuze ikhusele ilizwe kubahlaseli. Ngoko umkhosi wakwaEdom ngokufanelekileyo wawunokubizwa ngokuthi ‘ngumkhosi wezulu.’ Kodwa iEdom enamandla ayizange inikele luncedo kuhlanga olungumzalwana oliwele, uSirayeli, xa wahlaselwa yimikhosi yaseBhabhiloni. Kunoko, iEdom yavuya yakubona ukubhukuqwa kobukumkani bakwaYuda yaza yade yombelela ababebutshabalalisa. (INdumiso 137:7) Ubuqhophololo be-Edom baqhubela phambili besa kwinqanaba lokusukela abantu ababebaleka besindisa ubomi babo yaza yabasa kutshaba. (Obhadiya 10-14) AmaEdom aceba ukulithabathela kuwo ilizwe elalishiyiwe lamaSirayeli, ethetha ngokuqhayisayo nxamnye noYehova.—Hezekile 35:10-15.
7. UThixo kaSirayeli wayijonga njani ihambo yenkohliso yohlanga lukaEdom?
7 Ngaba uYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli wamandulo, wayityeshela le hambo yokungabi nabubele yamaEdom kubantu bakhe abanyulileyo? Hayi. Kungeso sizathu le nto intliziyo kaThixo yaceba ukumisela ‘umhla wempindezelo’ ‘nomnyaka wembuyekezo’ ephindezela oko kwakwenziwe ngolunya kwintlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni, eyiZiyon. Isiprofeto sathi: “Kuba uYehova unomhla wempindezelo, unomnyaka wembuyekezo, wokuthethelela [phambi kweNkundla Yendalo Iphela] iZiyon.”—Isaya 34:8; Hezekile 25:12-14.
8. (a) UYehova wasebenzisa oobani ukuze ohlwaye iEdom? (b) Yintoni umprofeti uObhadiya awayixela kwangaphambili nge-Edom?
8 Kungekudala emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, uYehova waqalisa ukubonakalisa impindezelo yakhe yobulungisa kumaEdom ngokusebenzisa ukumkani waseBhabhiloni, uNebhukadenetsare. (Yeremiya 25:8, 15, 17, 21) Xa imikhosi yamaBhabhiloni yahlasela iEdom, akukho nto yayinokusindisa amaEdom! Imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni yawothula amaEdom kwiintaba zawo eziphakamileyo. ‘Yayingumnyaka wembuyekezo’ kwiEdom. Kunjengokuba uYehova waxela kwangaphambili oku ngomnye umprofeti: “Ngenxa yokumgonyamela kwakho umninawa wakho uYakobi, kuya kukugubungela ukudana, unqanyulwe ngonaphakade. . . . Njengoko wenze ngako, kuya kwenjiwa njalo kuwe; okwenzileyo kuya kubuyela entlokweni yakho.”—Obhadiya 10, 15.
9. Ngubani iEdom yanamhla yokomfuziselo ibe ngoba?
9 Oku kukwabonakalisa isimo sengqondo sikaYehova kwiEdom yanamhla yokomfuziselo. Ingubani? Kaloku, kule nkulungwane yama-20, ngubani oye wakhokela ekunyeliseni nasekutshutshiseni abakhonzi bakaYehova? Ayithanga na yaba yiNgqobhoko ewexukileyo ngokusebenzisa udidi lwayo lwabefundisi abanekratshi? Ewe kube njalo! INgqobhoko, ummandla wobuKristu bobuxoki, iye yaziphakamisa yesa kwiintaba eziphakamileyo kwimicimbi yeli hlabathi. Iyinxalenye ephakamileyo yentlangano yenkqubo yezinto yoluntu, ibe iinkonzo zayo zibumba inxalenye ebalaseleyo yeBhabhiloni Enkulu. Kodwa uYehova umisele ‘umnyaka wembuyekezo’ kwiEdom yanamhla yokomfuziselo ngenxa yokuphatha kwayo kakubi gqitha abantu bakhe, amaNgqina akhe.
Ishwangusha Elinjengelo Le-Edom
10. UIsaya 34:9, 10 ulichaza njani ishwangusha le-Edom, kodwa esi siprofeto sisebenza koobani namhlanje?
10 Njengoko siqwalasela inxalenye engakumbi yesi siprofeto sikaIsaya, sinokucinga ngeNgqobhoko yanamhla: “Yoguquka imilambo yabo ibe yitela, uthuli lwabo lube yisulfure, ilizwe labo libe yitela etshayo. Aliyi kucinywa ubusuku nemini; umsi walo uya kunyuka ngonaphakade.” (Isaya 34:9, 10) Ngaloo ndlela ilizwe lakwaEdom lichazwa njengelibharhe kangangokuba kwakungathi imilambo yalo yayihamba itela nangokungathi uthuli lwayo lwaluyisulfure, zathi ke ezi zinto zinokutsha zalunyekwa umlilo.—Thelekisa ISityhilelo 17:16.
11, 12. Ngokwengcaciso yesiprofeto enikelwe kuIsaya 34:10-15, kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kwilizwe lakwaEdom, ibe imeko elolo hlobo kwelo lizwe yayiza kuqhubeka ithuba elide kangakanani?
11 Isiprofeto sikaIsaya sihlabela mgama sisithi: “Liya kuchithakala kwisizukulwana ngesizukulwana; liya kuhlala lihleli lodwa, kungabikho ucanda kulo. Loba lilifa lengcwangube nokhwalimanzi, kuhlale kulo ifubesi nehlungulu, olule phezu kwalo ulutya lokulinganisa lwakwanyanyeni, nelothe yokulungelelanisa yakwalubala. Abanumzana balo—akuyi kuba sabakho babiza bukumkani kubo, bonke abathetheli balo babe yinto engekhoyo. Iingxande zalo ezinde ziya kumila into enameva, amarhawu namakhakakhaka ezinqabeni zalo ezinkulu, libe sisikhundla seempungutye nedlelo leenciniba. Kohlangabezana amarhamncwa omqwebedu neempungutye, into elixhonti ikhawulelane nowayo; ewe, into yasebusuku iya konwaba khona, izifumanele ukuphumla. Kulapho iya kwenzela khona indlu inyoka ejubayo, izale amaqanda.”—Isaya 34:10-15.
12 IEdom yayiza kuba lilizwe ‘elisenyanyeni’ ngokubhekisele ebantwini. Yayiza kuba lilizwe elingumqwebedu ekwakuza kufumaneka amarhamncwa, iintaka neenyoka kuphela kulo. Le meko yokubharha kwelizwe yayiza kuqhubeka, njengoko indinyana ye-10 isithi, “ngonaphakade.” Abemi balo bangaphambili babengayi kubuyiselwa kulo.—Obhadiya 18.
13. Yintoni eyaxelwa kwangaphambili ngeNgqobhoko “encwadini kaYehova,” ibe ngokungqalileyo, iyintoni le ncwadi?
13 Enjani ukoyikeka imeko oku okwamfanekisela ngayo umlingani we-Edom—iNgqobhoko! Izingqine ilutshaba olubi lukaYehova uThixo, amaNgqina akhe aye atshutshiswa ngokukrakra yiyo. Ngoko le ntshabalalo isondelayo yayo ngaphambi kweArmagedon iye yaxelwa kwangaphambili “encwadini kaYehova.” (Isaya 34:16) Ngokungqalileyo, le ‘ncwadi kaYehova’ yincwadi yakhe yokuzinziswa kwamatyala, eneenkcukacha zemicimbi ekufuneka izinziswe nabo baziintshaba zakhe nabacinezeli babantu bakhe. Okwakubhalwe “encwadini kaYehova” nge-Edom yamandulo kwaba yinyaniso, ibe oku kuqinisekisa ukuba esi siprofeto njengokuba sisebenza kwiNgqobhoko, iEdom yanamhla, siya kuthi ngokukwanjalo siphumelele.
14. Yintoni le ingamkelwanga ngamaEdom anamhla okomfuziselo, ibe nguwuphi umzekelo wabantu bakaYehova aye asilela ukuwulandela?
14 AmaEdom okomfuziselo anamhla aye akamamkela uYehova uThixo njengoKumkani ebudeni boku ‘kupheliswa kwephakade.’ Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni iNgqobhoko iyinxalenye ebalasele kangako kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, ifanele izifumane izibetho zayo. Iye ayazithoba kumyalelo kaYehova ‘wokuphuma’ kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhilelo 18:4) Ayiwulinganisanga umzekelo wentsalela yamaSirayeli okomoya okanye lowo ‘wesihlwele esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu.’
15, 16. Liyintoni ikamva elingekude leNgqobhoko, njengoko laxelwa kwangaphambili kwiSityhilelo 17 nese-18 nakuIsaya 34?
15 Ikamva elikufutshane leNgqobhoko ngokwenene limfiliba. Yenza konke enako ukuxolisa izihlobo zayo zobupolitika nokuzenza zingayihlaseli, nto leyo engayi kukuthintela ukutshatyalaliswa kwayo ngokupheleleyo!
16 Ngokutsho kweSityhilelo isahluko 17 nese-18, uThixo uSomandla, uYehova, uya kukufaka ezintliziyweni zazo ukuba zisebenzise onke amandla azo obupolitika nawezomkhosi ukuphumeza esi senzo sikhohlakeleyo nxamnye neBhabhiloni Enkulu kuzo zonke iinxalenye zayo zonqulo, kuquka neNgqobhoko. Oku kuya kubangela ukuba kushenxiswe ubuKristu bobuxoki kuwo wonke umhlaba. Imeko yeNgqobhoko iya kufana nemeko emfiliba echazwe kuIsaya 34. Ayinakubakho ukuze ibone ‘imfazwe yaloo mini inkulu kaThixo uSomandla’ neya kunikela isigqibo sokwenene nxamnye neentlanga, eziya kube zitshabalalise iBhabhiloni Enkulu. IEdom yokomfuziselo, iNgqobhoko, iya kube ishenxiswe ngokupheleleyo emhlabeni, “ngonaphakade.”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 122]
INgqobhoko iya kufumana umgwebo ofana nalowo wamaEdom, inzala kaEsawu, owathengisa ngobuzibulo bakhe ngenxa yesidlo esinye