IYerusalem—“isixeko Sikakumkani Omkhulu”
“Ningafungi . . . ngeYerusalem, ngenxa yokuba isisixeko sikaKumkani omkhulu.”—MATEYU 5:34, 35.
1, 2. Yintoni esenokubadida abanye ngokuphathelele iYerusalem?
IYERUSALEM—kwaigama nje layo lihlab’ umxhelo kubantu beemvaba ngeemvaba. Phofu ke, akukho namnye kuthi onokusityeshela esi sixeko samandulo, ekubeni sikhankanywa ngokufuthi ezindabeni. Noko ke, okulusizi kukuba iingxelo ezininzi zibonisa ukuba iYerusalem ayisoloko iyindawo yoxolo.
2 Oku kusenokuzenza zidideke iingqondo zabathile abafunda iBhayibhile. Igama elishunqulelweyo leYerusalem elalisetyenziswa mandulo phayaa lalisithi Salem, igama elithetha “uxolo.” (Genesis 14:18; INdumiso 76:2; Hebhere 7:1, 2) Ngoko ke, usenokuzibuza, ‘Kutheni kumashumi eminyaka amvanje isixeko esinegama elinjalo siye asaba naluxolo kangako?’
3. Sinokuyifumana phi inkcazelo enokuthenjwa ngeYerusalem?
3 Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, kuza kufuneka sikhe sibuyele kwimbali yamhlamnene size sifunde ngeYerusalem yamandulo. Kodwa bambi basenokucinga, ‘Asinalo ixesha lokufunda imbali yamandulo.’ Kodwa ke, ulwazi oluchanileyo oluphathelele imbali yamandulo yeYerusalem lubaluleke kuthi sonke. IBhayibhile ichaza isizathu soko ngala mazwi alandelayo: “Zonke izinto ezabhalwa kwixesha langaphambili zabhalelwa uyalelo lwethu, ukuze ngonyamezelo lwethu nangentuthuzelo yeZibhalo sibe nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Ulwazi esilufumana eBhayibhileni ngeYerusalem lunokusithuthuzela—ewe, lusenze sibe nethemba lokuba loze lubekho uxolo, kungekuphela nje kweso sixeko kodwa emhlabeni wonke.
Indawo ‘Yetrone KaYehova’
4, 5. UDavide waba negalelo njani ekwenzeni iYerusalem ibe nendima eyintloko ekuphumezeni injongo kaThixo?
4 Ngenkulungwane ye-11 B.C.E., iYerusalem yaduma ehlabathini lonke njengekomkhulu lohlanga olunqabisekileyo noluphila eluxolweni. UYehova uThixo wayethambise ityendyana lomfana elinguDavide ukuba lilawule njengokumkani kolo hlanga lwamandulo—amaSirayeli. Ekubeni ikomkhulu loburhulumente laliseYerusalem, uDavide kunye namatshawe awayekumnombo wakhe bahlala “etroneni yobukumkani bukaYehova,” okanye “etroneni kaYehova.”—1 Kronike 28:5; 29:23.
5 Le ndoda eyayisoyika uThixo inguDavide—umSirayeli owayezalwa kwisizwe sakwaYuda—yayithimbe iYerusalem kumaYebhusi awayenqula izithixo. Ngelo xesha esi sixeko sasithe ngcu phezu kwenduli eyayibizwa ngokuba yiZiyon, kodwa ke elo gama laphela selibhekisela kwiYerusalem ngokwayo. Ethubeni, uDavide wafudusela ityeya yomnqophiso kaThixo namaSirayeli eYerusalem, apho yahlaliswa ententeni. Kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambilana uThixo wayethetha nomprofeti wakhe uMoses ekwilifu elaliba phezu kwaloo Tyeya ingcwele. (Eksodus 25:1, 21, 22; Levitikus 16:2; 1 Kronike 15:1-3) Le Tyeya yayifuzisela ubukho bukaThixo, kuba kaloku oyena Kumkani wakwaSirayeli yayinguYehova. Ngoko ke, ngamany’ amazwi kunokutshiwo ukuba uYehova uThixo wayelawula ekwisixeko saseYerusalem.
6. Liliphi idinga elenziwa nguYehova ngoDavide neYerusalem?
6 UYehova wathembisa uDavide ukuba ubukumkani bendlu yakhe yobukhosi, obabumelwa yiZiyon okanye iYerusalem, babungayi kuphela. Oku kwakuthetha ukuba elinye lamatshawe awayeza kuvela kumnombo kaDavide laliza kuvavwa ngelifa lokulawula ngonaphakade njengoMthanjiswa kaThixo—uMesiya okanye uKristu.a (INdumiso 132:11-14; Luka 1:31-33) IBhayibhile ikwabonisa ukuba le ndlalifa kanaphakade ‘yetrone kaYehova’ yayiya kulawula zonke iintlanga, kungekhona eYerusalem kuphela.—INdumiso 2:6-8; Daniyeli 7:13, 14.
7. UKumkani uDavide walukhuthaza njani unqulo olunyulu?
7 Imizamo yokubhukuqa umthanjiswa kaThixo, uKumkani uDavide, yawa phantsi. Kunoko, iintlanga ezazimgxeleshile zaswantsuliswa kanobom, nemida yeLizwe Ledinga yandiswa kangangoko uThixo wayefuna. UDavide wasebenzisa elo cham ukuze akhuthaze unqulo olunyulu. Kwaye iindumiso zikaDavide ezininzi zizukisa uYehova njengoyena Kumkani waseZiyon.—2 Samuweli 8:1-15; INdumiso 9:1, 11; 24:1, 3, 7-10; 65:1, 2; 68:1, 24, 29; 110:1, 2; 122:1-4.
8, 9. Unqulo lokwenyaniso lwabalasela njani eYerusalem phantsi kolawulo lukaKumkani uSolomon?
8 Kwathi kwakulawula uSolomon unyana kaDavide, hay’ ke lwasusa amaphepha unqulo lukaYehova. USolomon wayandisa ngasemntla imida yeYerusalem yaya kuma ngenduli yaseMoriya (namhlanje eyiDome of the Rock). Kule nduli, wathiwa jize ngelungelo lokwakha itempile ezukileyo yokudumisa uYehova. Ityeya yomnqophiso yafakwa kwiNgcwele kaNgcwele yaloo tempile.—1 Kumkani 6:1-38.
9 Uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwaba seluxolweni njengoko lwaluluxhasa ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo unqulo lukaYehova, olwaluzinze eYerusalem. Khawuve nje indlela iZibhalo eziyichaza kamnandi ngayo loo meko: “AmaYuda namaSirayeli ebemaninzi, enjengentlabathi engaselwandle ukuba maninzi, esidla, esela, evuya. . . . [USolomon] wayenoxolo ngeenxa zonke kuye. Ahlala amaYuda namaSirayeli ekholosile, elowo ehleli phantsi komdiliya wakhe naphantsi komkhiwane wakhe.”—1 Kumkani 4:20, 24, 25.
10, 11. Izinto zakudala ezimbiweyo zikungqina njani oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngeYerusalem yexesha lokulawula kukaSolomon?
10 Izinto zakudala ezimbiweyo ziye zangqina ukuba uSolomon wayengumlawuli onesandla esihle. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Archaeology of the Land of Israel, uNjingalwazi Yohanan Aharoni uthi: “Ubuncwane obabuthontelana ebhotwe buvela kuzo zonke iimbombo zomhlaba, kunye noshishino olwaluchuma . . . zatsho ngeenguqu ezikhawulezileyo neziphawulekayo kulo lonke uqoqosho. . . . Utshintsho olwenzeka kubuncwane besi sixeko . . . unokulubona kungekuphela kubunewunewu nje bezinto kodwa ububona ngokukhethekileyo kwizinto zomdongwe. . . . Umgangatho wezitya zomdongwe kunye nendlela ezazitshiswa ngayo isemagqabini.”
11 Ngendlel’ efanayo, uJerry M. Landay wabhala: “Phantsi kolawulo lukaSolomon, ubutyebi bamaSirayeli banda kakhulu kumashumi amathathu eminyaka ngaphezu kwakwiminyaka engamakhulu amabini engaphambili. Kumaleko womhlaba ekufumaneka kuwo izinto zexesha likaSolomon kukho amatye ezikhumbuzo, izixekokazi ezineendonga eziphakamileyo, indawo zokuhlala ezazisanda okomlilo wedobo kunye nobuxhakaxhaka bamapomakazi awayehlala izinhanha, nto leyo eyayintama ubuqili nobuchule bababumbi kunye neendlela ababezisebenzisa. Kwakhona siye safumana amasuntswana ezinto ezenziwe kwiindawo ezikude, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba le ndawo yayitshotsha phambili kuqoqosho nakurhwebo lwezizwe ngezizwe.”—The House of David.
Ukuphela Koxolo Nokubhangiswa Kwayo
12, 13. Kwenzeka njani ukuba unqulo lokwenyaniso lungaqhubeki lukhuthazwa eYerusalem?
12 Uxolo nenkqubela ezazikho eYerusalem, isixeko eyayimi kuso itempile kaYehova, zazingumbandela owawusoloko uthandazelwa. UDavide wabhala: “Celelani iYerusalem uxolo; mababe nokuchulumanca abakuthandayo, makube luxolo eludongeni lwakho olurhangqileyo, nokuchulumanca ezingxandeni zakho ezinde. Ngenxa yabazalwana bam nowethu, makhe ndithethe uxolo ngawe.” (INdumiso 122:6-8) Nangona uSolomon wavavwa ngelungelo lokwakha itempile ezukileyo kweso sixeko siseluxolweni, ekugqibeleni watshata inkumbula yabafazi babahedeni. Uthe akwaluphala, bamrhwebeshela ekukhuthazeni unqulo loothixo bobuxoki baloo mihla. Olo wexuko lwaba nemiphumo emibi kulo lonke olo hlanga, lwalutshayela lwathi tu uxolo lokwenene kubantu balapho.—1 Kumkani 11:1-8; 14:21-24.
13 Ngasekuqaleni kolawulo lukaRehobhoham unyana kaSolomon, izizwe ezilishumi zazalel’ endle zisithi zifuna obazo ubukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli. Ngenxa yokunqula kwazo izithixo, uThixo wavumela obo bukumkani bachithwa baziintsali ngama-Asiriya. (1 Kumkani 12:16-30) Ubukumkani basezantsi bezizwe ezibini bakwaYuda baqhubeka buzinze eYerusalem. Kodwa ethubeni nabo balunikel’ umva unqulo olunyulu, ngoko uThixo wavumela eso sixeko singalawulekiyo ukuba sitshatyalaliswe ngamaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E. Kangangeminyaka engama-70 abathinjwa abangamaYuda babenkolonkoloza njengabathinjwa eBhabhiloni. Bandula ke, ngenceba kaThixo, bavunyelwa ukuba babuyele eYerusalem baze babuyisele unqulo lokwenyaniso.—2 Kronike 36:15-21.
14, 15. IYerusalem yabuyela njani kwisikhundla eyayinaso ngaphambi kokuthinjwa yiBhabhiloni, kodwa luluphi utshintsho olwalukho?
14 Emva kweminyaka engama-70 zitshatyalalisiwe, izakhiwo ezingamabhodlo zimele ukuba zazenile lukhula. Udonga lweYerusalem lwaludilikile, kukho izikhewu apho kwakufudula kumi amasango kunye neenqaba zokusekela. Kodwa amaYuda awayebuyele enkabeni yawo akazange atyhafe. Akha isibingelelo apho kwakufudula kumi itempile aza aqalisa ukunyusela uYehova amadini emihla ngemihla.
15 Eso yayisisiqalo esihle, kodwa ke le Yerusalem ibuyiselweyo yayingasokuze iphinde ibe likomkhulu lobukumkani obulawulwa litshawe lomnombo kaKumkani uDavide. Kunoko, amaYuda alawulwa libamba elalimiselwe ziingangalala zaseBhabhiloni ibe kwakufuneka ehlawule irhafu kwiinkosi zawo ezingamaPersi. (Nehemiya 9:34-37) Nangona ‘yayinyathelwe,’ iYerusalem yayisesesona sixeko siyinceke kaYehova uThixo emhlabeni. (Luka 21:24) Ekubeni yayisisazulu sonqulo olunyulu, yayikwamela igunya likaThixo lokongama emhlabeni wonke esebenzisa itshawe elivela kumnombo kaKumkani uDavide.
Ichaswa Ngabamelwane Bonqulo Lobuxoki
16. Kwakutheni ukuze amaYuda awayebuye eBhabhiloni ayeke ukwakha eYerusalem?
16 Kungekudala amaYuda awayebuya ekuthinjweni aya kufika eYerusalem aqalisa isiseko setempile entsha. Kodwa abanquli bobuxoki ababengabamelwane bathumela ileta eyayizaliswe bubumenemene kuKumkani wamaPersi uArtashashta, zisithi amaYuda ayeceba ukumvukela. NoArtashashta wasele ezekwa mzekweni esithi makuyekwe ukwakhiwa eYerusalem. Usenokuthelekelela nje ukuba wawuphila kweso sixeko ngelo xesha, ngewawulithandabuzile ikamva laso. Ayeka ke amaYuda ukwakha itempile aza athi tii zizinto eziphathekayo.—Ezra 4:11-24; Hagayi 1:2-6.
17, 18. Yiyiphi indlela eyasetyenziswa nguYehova ukuqiniseka ukuba iYerusalem iyakhiwa kwakhona?
17 Kwiminyaka emalunga ne-17 ebuyile, uThixo wenza ukuba umprofeti uHagayi noZekariya babuyisele abantu bakhe ezingqondweni. Akuba eguqukile, amaYuda aqalis’ apho ebeyeke khona ukwakha itempile. Ngelo xesha, iPersi yayiphantsi kolawulo lukakumkani uDariyo. Wawuqinisekisa umyalelo kaKumkani uKoreshi wokuba itempile yaseYerusalem iphinde yakhiwe. UDariyo wathumela ileta kubamelwane bamaYuda, ebalumkisa ngelithi ‘babe kude neYerusalem’ waza wabayalela ukuba baxhase umsebenzi wokwakha ngemali yerhafu kakumkani ukuze ugqitywe loo msebenzi.—Ezra 6:1-13.
18 AmaYuda ayigqiba itempile kwiminyaka engama-22 ebuyile. Umel’ ukuba sele uqonda ukuba umsebenzi omkhulu kangako wawuya kusongwa ngemigcobo ekhatshwa ngamayeyeye. Ukanti, ukusa kumlinganiselo othile, iYerusalem neendonga zayo yayisengamabhodlo. Esi sixeko savuselelwa “emihleni kaNehemiya ibamba, noEzra umbingeleli, umbhali.” (Nehemiya 12:26, 27) Kuyabonakala ukuba, ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesihlanu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iYerusalem yayigqityiwe ukwakhiwa ngokutsha yaza yaba sisixeko esikhulu samandulo.
Kuvela UMesiya!
19. UMesiya wabonisa njani ukusamkela isikhundla esikhethekileyo eyayinaso iYerusalem?
19 Noko ke, makhe sitsibe iinkulungwane ezithile siye kutsho kwisiganeko esibaluleke kuye wonk’ ubani, ukuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu. Ingelosi kaYehova uThixo yayixelele unina kaYesu owayeyintombi enyulu oku: “UYehova uThixo uya kumnika itrone kaDavide uyise, . . . ibe ubukumkani bakhe abuyi kuba nasiphelo.” (Luka 1:32, 33) Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, uYesu wanikela iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni edume kunene. Kule ntshumayelo wanikela ukhuthazo nesiluleko ngemibandela eyahlukeneyo. Ngokomzekelo, wabongoza abo babemphulaphule ukuba bazizalisekise izifungo zabo kuThixo kodwa bakulumkele ukuhamba befunga nje esithubeni. UYesu wathi: “Neva ukuba kwathiwa kwabo bamaxesha amandulo, ‘Umele ungafungi ungenzi, kodwa umele uzihlawule izibhambathiso zakho kuYehova.’ Noko ke, ndithi kuni: Ningafungi konke konke, ngezulu, ngenxa yokuba liyitrone kaThixo; nangomhlaba, ngenxa yokuba usisitulo seenyawo zakhe; nangeYerusalem, ngenxa yokuba isisixeko sikaKumkani omkhulu.” (Mateyu 5:33-35) Kuyabonakala ukuba uYesu wayevuma ukuba iYerusalem yayikhethekile—njengokuba yayinjalo kangangeenkulungwane. Ewe, ‘yayisisixeko sikaKumkani omkhulu,’ uYehova uThixo.
20, 21. Luluphi utshintsho olukhulu olwenzeka kwisimo sengqondo sabaninzi ababehlala eYerusalem?
20 Ngasesiphelweni sobomi bakhe basemhlabeni, uYesu wazibonakalisa kubemi baseYerusalem njengoKumkani wabo omiselwe ngokufanelekileyo. Kuloo ntswahla eyayilapho, abaninzi babememelela besithi: “Usikelelwe lowo uza egameni likaYehova! Busikelelwe ubukumkani obuzayo bukabawo wethu uDavide!”—Marko 11:1-10; Yohane 12:12-15.
21 Noko ke, kwisithuba esingaphantsi kweveki emva koko, izihlwele zavuma ukuthofiyelwa ziinkokeli zonqulo zaseYerusalem zaza zamjikela uYesu. Walumkisa esithi isixeko saseYerusalem nalo lonke olo hlanga sasiya kuphulukana nenkoliseko kaThixo. (Mateyu 21:23, 33-45; 22:1-7) Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wavakalisa oku: “Yerusalem, Yerusalem, mbulali wabaprofeti nomxulubi wabo bathunyelwa kuyo, kufuthi kangakanani na ndifuna ukuhlanganisela ndawonye abantwana bakho,—ngendlela esithi isikhukukazi sihlanganisele ndawonye amantshontsho aso phantsi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa nina anizange nikufune oko. Khangelani! Indlu yenu ishiyelwa kuni.” (Mateyu 23:37, 38) NgePasika yowama-33 C.E., iintshaba zikaYesu zambulala ngokungekho sikweni cebu kuhle neYerusalem. Noko ke, uYehova wamvusa uMthanjiswa wakhe waza wamzukisa ngobomi bomoya bokungafi kwiZiyon yasezulwini, ibe sonke siyaxhamla kuloo mpumelelo yakhe.—IZenzo 2:32-36.
22. Emva kokufa kukaYesu, zaba nayiphi intsingiselo iimbekiselo ezininzi ezazithetha ngeYerusalem?
22 Ukususela ngoko, inkoliso yeziprofeto ezingazalisekanga eziphathelele iZiyon, okanye iYerusalem, inokuqondwa njengebhekisela kwilungiselelo lasezulwini okanye kubalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo. (INdumiso 2:6-8; 110:1-4; Isaya 2:2-4; 65:17, 18; Zekariya 12:3; 14:12, 16, 17) Kucace mhlophe ukuba iqela leembekiselo “zeYerusalem” okanye “zeZiyon” ezabhalwa emva kokufa kukaYesu zazingumfuziselo kwaye azibhekiseli kwisixeko okanye kwindawo yokoqobo. (Galati 4:26; Hebhere 12:22; 1 Petros 2:6; ISityhilelo 3:12; 14:1; 21:2, 10) Ubungqina bokugqibela bokuba iYerusalem le ‘yayingasesosixeko sikaKumkani omkhulu’ babonakala ngowama-70 C.E., xa imikhosi yamaRoma yayitshabalalisayo, njengoko kwakuprofetwe nguDaniyeli nanguYesu Kristu. (Daniyeli 9:26; Luka 19:41-44) Ababhali beBhayibhile kunye noYesu abazange baxele ngokunye ukubuyiselwa kweYerusalem yasemhlabeni kwinkoliseko kaYehova uThixo eyayikhe yanayo ngaphambili.—Galati 4:25; Hebhere 13:14.
Ukungcamla Uxolo Oluhlala Luhleli
23. Kutheni sifanele siqhubeke sinomdla kwiYerusalem?
23 Ekubeni sixubushile ngembali yeYerusalem yasemhlabeni, akakho umntu onokuyikhanyela into yokuba esi sixeko salilandela igama laso—elithetha “Indawo [okanye, Isiseko] Soxolo Oluntlu-mbini”—ebudeni bolawulo loxolo lukaKumkani uSolomon. Ukanti oko yayikukungcamla nje uxolo nenkqubela kungekudala ezaziza kunanditshwa ngabathandi bakaThixo abaza kuhlala emhlabeni oguqulwe wayiparadesi.—Luka 23:43.
24. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwiimeko zexesha lokulawula kukaSolomon?
24 INdumiso yama-72 ibonisa iimeko zexesha lolawulo lukaKumkani uSolomon. Kodwa olo ncuthu lwengoma lusisiprofeto seentsikelelo eziya kufunyanwa luluntu phantsi kolawulo lwasezulwini lukaMesiya, uYesu Kristu. Umdumisi wavuma ingoma ngaye esithi: “Malityatyambe ngemihla yakhe ilungisa, nobuninzi boxolo, ide ingabi sabakho inyanga. . . . Uya kulihlangula ihlwempu elizibikayo, nabaziintsizana abangenaluncedo; abenzele inceba abasweleyo nabangamahlwempu; akhulule imiphefumlo yawo ekuxinezelweni nasekugonyamelweni; linqabile emehlweni akhe igazi lawo. Makubekho intabalala yengqolowa ezweni, ise encotsheni yeentaba.”—INdumiso 72:7, 8, 12-14, 16.
25. Kutheni sifanele silangazelele ukufunda okungakumbi ngeYerusalem?
25 Anjani ukuthuthuzela nokunik’ ithemba amazwi kubathandi bakaThixo abaseYerusalem okanye ke naphi na emhlabeni! Unokubalwa phakathi kwabo baza kunandipha uxolo lomhlaba wonke phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo obusezandleni zikaMesiya. Ukwazi imbali yeYerusalem kunokusinceda sazi injongo kaThixo ngoluntu. Amanqaku alandelayo aza kuxubusha iziganeko ezenzeka kwiminyaka engama-70 nengama-80 emva kokubuya kwamaYuda ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. Oku kuthuthuzela wonk’ ubani onqwenela ukumnqula ngendlela eyamkelekileyo uYehova uThixo, uKumkani Omkhulu.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Isibizo esithi “Mesiya” (esithatyathwe kwigama lesiHebhere) nesithi “Kristu” (esivela kwisiGrike) zithetha “uMthanjiswa.”
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
◻ Kwenzeka njani ukuba iYerusalem ibe yindawo ‘yetrone kaYehova’?
◻ Yiyiphi indima ebalulekileyo eyaphunyezwa nguSolomon ekuhambiseleni phambili unqulo lokwenyaniso?
◻ Sazi njani ukuba iYerusalem yayeka ukuba sisazulu sonqulo lukaYehova?
◻ Kutheni sinomdla wokufunda okungakumbi ngeYerusalem?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
IsiXeko sikaDavide sasithe ngcu kuqaqa olusemzantsi, kodwa uSolomon wasandisela ngasemntla esi sixeko waza wakha itempile
[Inkcazelo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 8]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.