UYehova Uhombisa Abantu Bakhe Ngokukhanya
“Sukuma, mfazi, ukhanyise, kuba kufikile ukukhanya kwakho, nobuqaqawuli bukaYehova bukhanyisile phezu kwakho.”—ISAYA 60:1.
1, 2. (a) Injani imeko yoluntu? (b) Ngubani ongunobangela wobumnyama boluntu?
“KWOWU, akwaba ebekho uIsaya okanye iNgcwele uPawulos!” Wadanduluka watsho uMongameli waseUnited States uHarry Truman emva phayaa ngeminyaka yee-1940. Kwakutheni ukuze athethe loo mazwi? Kungokuba wayebona imfuneko yeenkokeli ezisesikweni njengabo. Ngelo xesha ihlabathi lalisandul’ ukugutyungelwa lilifu elimnyama lemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini yenkulungwane yama-20. Nangona loo mfazwe yayisele iphelile ngelo xesha, kodwa ihlabathi lalingekho seluxolweni. Lalisantyumpantyumpeka ebumnyameni. Enyanisweni, kwiminyaka engama-57 yaphelayo imfazwe, ihlabathi lisekobo bumnyama. Ukuba uMongameli uTruman ebesaphila namhlanje, ngokuqinisekileyo ebesaya kuqhubeka eyibona imfuneko yeenkokeli ezisesikweni njengoIsaya noPawulos.
2 Enoba uMongameli uTruman wayekwazi okanye engakwazi oko, umpostile uPawulos wathetha ngobumnyama obabuza kuthwaxa uluntu, yaye walumkisa ngako kwiincwadi zakhe. Ngokomzekelo, walumkisa amanye amakholwa esithi: “Sizamazamana, kungekhona negazi nenyama, kodwa noorhulumente, namagunya, nabalawuli behlabathi bobu bumnyama, kwanemikhosi yoomoya abangendawo kwezasezulwini iindawo.” (Efese 6:12) Ngaloo mazwi, uPawulos wayengabonisi nje kuphela ukuba wayesazi ngobumnyama obungokomoya obuya kugubungela ihlabathi kodwa wayesazi apho buvela khona obu bumnyama—imikhosi enamandla yeedemon echazwe ‘njengabalawuli behlabathi.’ Ekubeni imimoya enamandla ingunobangela wobumnyama behlabathi, yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze siyichase?
3. Phezu kwayo nje imeko yobumnyama yoluntu, uIsaya waprofeta wathini ngabo bathembekileyo?
3 Ngokufanayo uIsaya wathetha ngobumnyama obuthwaxa uluntu. (Isaya 8:22; 59:9) Noko ke, ekhangela phambili kumhla wethu, ephefumlelwe waprofeta esithi kula maxesha obumnyama, uYehova uya kubakhanyisela abo bathanda ukukhanya. Ewe, nangona uPawulos okanye uIsaya bengasekho, sinayo imibhalo yabo ephefumlelweyo yokusalathisa. Ukuze ubone indlela okuyintsikelelo ngayo oko kwabo bathanda uYehova, makhe siqwalasele amazwi asisiprofeto kaIsaya afumaneka kwisahluko 60 sencwadi yakhe.
Umfazi Wesiprofeto Uyakhanyisa
4, 5. (a) UYehova uyalela ukuba enze ntoni lo mfazi, yaye wenza siphi isithembiso? (b) Yiyiphi inkcazelo echulumancisayo equlethwe kuIsaya isahluko 60?
4 Amazwi okuqala kuIsaya 60 abhekisela kumfazi odandatheke kakhulu—ulele tywa phantsi, ebumnyameni. Ngequbuliso, kuthi tha ilitha lokukhanya, aze uYehova adanduluke athi kuye: “Sukuma, mfazi, ukhanyise, kuba kufikile ukukhanya kwakho, nobuqaqawuli bukaYehova bukhanyisile phezu kwakho.” (Isaya 60:1) Sele lifikile ixesha lokuba lo mfazi aphakame aze akhanyise uzuko lukaThixo. Ngoba? Impendulo siyifumana kwindinyana elandelayo: “Khangela! ubumnyama buya kuwugubungela umhlaba, nesithokothoko amaqela eentlanga; kodwa phezu kwakho uYehova uya kukhanyisa, bubonakale phezu kwakho ubuqaqawuli bakhe.” (Isaya 60:2) Xa lo mfazi ethobela umyalelo kaYehova, uqinisekiswa ngomphumo omhle. UYehova uthi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo iintlanga ziya kuya ekukhanyeni kwakho, nookumkani ekuqaqambeni kokukhanyisa kwakho.”—Isaya 60:3.
5 La mazwi achulumancisayo akwezi ndinyana zintathu ayintshayelelo noshwankathelo loko kuqulathwe kuIsaya isahluko 60. Asichazela oko kwenzeka kumfazi wesiprofeto aze achaze indlela esinokuhlala ngayo ekukhanyeni kukaYehova nangona uluntu ngokubanzi lusebumnyameni. Kodwa kanye kanye iyintoni intsingiselo yesi siprofeto sikwezi ndinyana zintathu?
6. Ngubani umfazi wesahluko 60 kuIsaya, yaye umelwe yintoni emhlabeni?
6 Umfazi ekubhekiselwa kuye kuIsaya 60:1-3 yiZiyon, intlangano kaYehova yasezulwini yezidalwa zomoya. Namhlanje, iZiyon imelwa emhlabeni yintsalela ‘yoSirayeli kaThixo,’ ongamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya, anethemba lokulawula noKristu ezulwini. (Galati 6:16) Olu hlanga lokomoya lunamalungu ali-144 000, yaye uIsaya isahluko 60 uzaliseka namhlanje kulawo asaphilayo emhlabeni ebudeni bale “mihla yokugqibela.” (2 Timoti 3:1; ISityhilelo 14:1) Esi siprofeto sibhekisela nakumaqabane amaKristu athanjisiweyo, “isihlwele esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu.’—ISityhilelo 7:9; Yohane 10:16.
7. Yayinjani imeko yeZiyon ngowe-1918, yaye oku kwakuprofetwe njani?
7 Ngaba kukho xesha lithile xa “uSirayeli kaThixo” awayekhe naye walala ngalo ebumnyameni, njengoko efanekiselwa ngumfazi kwesi siprofeto? Kunjalo kanye, oku kwenzeka ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-80 eyadlulayo. Ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, amaKristu athanjisiweyo enza yonke imizamo yokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Kodwa ngonyaka we-1918, unyaka wokugqibela wemfazwe, loo msebenzi waphantse wanqunyanyiswa. UMzalwan’ uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayesongamela umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke, kunye namanye amaKristu akhokelayo bagwetywa iminyaka emininzi entolongweni ngezimangalo zobuxoki. Kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, amaKristu athanjisiweyo awayesemhlabeni ngelo xesha afaniswa nezidumbu ‘eziqungquluze endleleni ephangaleleyo yesixeko esikhulu esibizwa ngengqiqo yokomoya ngokuba yiSodom neYiputa.’ (ISityhilelo 11:8) Ngokwenene elo yayilixesha lobumnyama kwiZiyon, emelwa ngabantwana bayo abathanjisiweyo abasemhlabeni!
8. Luluphi utshintsho oluphawulekayo olwabakho ngowe-1919, yaye oko kwaba nawuphi umphumo?
8 Kwandula ke, ngonyaka we-1919 kwabakho utshintsho oluphawulekayo. UYehova wayikhanyisela iZiyon! Abo basindileyo boSirayeli kaThixo baphakama baza babonakalisa ukukhanya kukaThixo, baphinda bazivakalisa ngenkalipho iindaba ezilungileyo. (Mateyu 5:14-16) Ngenxa yenzondelelo yala maKristu, abaninzi baye beza ekukhanyeni kukaYehova. Abokuqala kwaba, yayingamalungu ongezelelekileyo oSirayeli kaThixo. KuIsaya 60:3, achazwe njengookumkani, ekubeni eza kuba ziindlalifa kunye noKristu eBukumkanini bukaThixo basezulwini. (ISityhilelo 20:6) Kamva, isihlwele esikhulu sezinye izimvu naso saqalisa ukuza ekukhanyeni kukaYehova. Abo ‘ziintlanga’ ekuthethwa ngazo kwesi siprofeto.
Abantwana Bomfazi Beza Ekhaya!
9, 10. (a) Lo mfazi ubona wuphi umbona ochulumancisayo, yaye oku kufanekisela ntoni kwangaphambili? (b) Sisiphi isizathu iZiyon enaso sokuvuya?
9 Ngoku uYehova uqalisa ukuzalisekisa isiprofeto sikaIsaya 60:1-3. Unika lo mfazi omnye umyalelo. Phulaphula ukuba uthini: “Phakamisa amehlo akho macala onke uze ubone!” Uthe akwenjenjalo lo mfazi, wabona umbono ochulumancisayo! Ubona abantwana bakhe besiza ekhaya. Le ndinyana iqhubeka isithi: “Bonke baqokelelene ndawonye; beze kuwe. Oonyana bakho beza bevela kude, neentombi zakho eziza kunyanyekelwa ephangweni.” (Isaya 60:4) Ukuvakaliswa koBukumkani ehlabathini lonke okwaqaliswa ngowe-1919 kwatsalela amawakawaka abantu abasebatsha kwinkonzo kaYehova. Nabo aba baba ‘ngoonyana’ “neentombi” zeZiyon, amalungu athanjisiweyo oSirayeli kaThixo. UYehova wayihombisa iZiyon njengoko wazisa ekukhanyeni amalungu okugqibela e-144 000.
10 Ngaba unokuluthelekelela uvuyo eyaba nalo iZiyon ngokufumana abantwana bayo kwakhona? Sekunjalo, uYehova unikela izizathu ezingakumbi ezibangela iZiyon ibe novuyo. Siyafunda: “Ngelo xesha uya kubona uze ngokuqinisekileyo ukhazimle, yaye okunene intliziyo yakho iya kugubha ize yande, ngenxa yokuba indyebo yolwandle iya kuzizisa kuwe; bona kanye ubuncwane beentlanga buya kuza kuwe.” (Isaya 60:5) Ngokuvumelana namazwi esi siprofeto, ukususela ngeminyaka yee-1930, izihlwele zamaKristu anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade ziye zathontelana ukuya eZiyon. Ziye zaphuma ‘kulwandle’ loluntu oluhlukanisiweyo noThixo, yaye zifanekisela ubuncwane beentlanga. ‘Zizizinto ezinqwenelekayo zazo zonke iintlanga.’ (Hagayi 2:7; Isaya 57:20) Phawula ukuba “izinto ezinqwenelekayo” azisuki nje zimkhonze uYehova, elowo ngendlela yakhe. Kodwa zongeza kubuhle beZiyon ngokuthi zize kunqula kunye nabazalwana bazo abathanjisiweyo, zibe “mhlambi mnye” kunye nabo phantsi ‘komalusi omnye.’—Yohane 10:16.
Abarhwebi, Abelusi, Noosomashishini Beza EZiyon
11, 12. Chaza isihlwele esibonwa sisiya eZiyon.
11 Umphumo wokuhlanganiswa okwathethwa ngako ngaphambili ubangele ukuba lande ngokungathethekiyo inani labadumisi bakaYehova. Oku kwaprofetwa kumazwi alandelayo esi siprofeto. Khawuzithelekelele umi kunye nalo mfazi wesiprofeto kwiNtaba yeZiyon. Yaye njengoko uphos’ amehlo kwicala elingasempuma, ubona ntoni? “Inkitha yeenkamela iya kukugubungela, amathole eenkunzi zeenkamela akwaMidiyan nawakwaEfa. Bonke abo bavela eShebha—baya kuza. Baya kuthwala igolide nentlaka yokuqhumisa. Kwaye baya kwazisa iindumiso zikaYehova.” (Isaya 60:6) Oku kubhekisela kwinkitha yabarhwebi abakhenkethayo besiya eYerusalem. Iinkamela zifana nesikhukula esigubungele ilizwe! Aba barhwebi baphethe izipho ezixabisekileyo, “igolide nentlaka.” Yaye aba barhwebi beza ekukhanyeni kukaThixo ukuze bamdumise esidlangalaleni, ‘besazisa iindumiso zikaYehova.’
12 Aba barhwebi asingabo kuphela abakolu khenketho. Nabelusi baya eZiyon. Esi siprofeto siqhubeka sisithi: “Yonke imihlambi yakwaKedare—iya kuqokelelwa ndawonye kuwe. Iinkunzi zeegusha zakwaNebhayoti—ziya kukulungiselela.” (Isaya 60:7a) Nazo iintlanga ezingabelusi ziza kwisixeko esingcwele zize kunikela ngeyona mfuyo ixabisekileyo emihlambini yazo kuYehova. Zide zinikele nangeziqu zazo ukuze zilungiselele eZiyon! UYehova uza kuzamkela njani ezi ntlanga zasemzini? UThixo uyaphendula: “Ziya kunyukela esibingelelweni sam ngenkoliseko, yaye ndiya kuyihombisa indlu yam ngobuhle.” (Isaya 60:7b) UYehova uyamkela ngobubele imibingelelo nenkonzo yezi ntlanga zasemzini. Ubukho bazo buhombisa itempile yakhe.
13, 14. Yintoni ebonwa isiza entshona?
13 Ngoku khawujik’ intloko uze uphose amehlo elundini phayaa kummandla ongasentshona. Yintoni oyibonayo? Qelele phayaa ngasentshona, kubonakala kuthe gqa gqa amafu amhlophe phezu kolwandle. UYehova ubuza umbuzo nawe onawo, esithi: “Ngoobani na abaya beza bephaphazela njengelifu, nanjengamahobe esiya emakrobeni awo?” (Isaya 60:8) UYehova uyaziphendula esithi: “Iziqithi ziya kuhlala zithembele kum, iinqanawa zaseTarshishe njengasekuqaleni, ukuze kuziswe oonyana bakho bevela kude, isilivere yabo negolide yabo ikunye nabo, egameni likaYehova uThixo wakho nakuLowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli, kuba uya kube ekuhombisile.”—Isaya 60:9.
14 Ngaba uyakubona oku ngeliso lengqondo? Elo lifu limhlophe selikufuphi ngoku yaye lijongeka njengamachaphaza adibeneyo akude lee entshona. Abonakala ngathi ligquba leentaka ziphaphazela. Kodwa njengoko esondela, uyabona ukuba ziinqanawa ezivule iiseyile zazo ukuze zityhalwe ngumoya. Ngangendlela ezininzi ngayo ezi nqanawa ziya eYerusalem zide zafana negquba lamahobe. Lo mkhosi weenqanawa uvela kumazibuko akude, uzise amakholwa angxamele ukuya kunqula uYehova eYerusalem.
Intlangano KaYehova Iyanda
15. (a) Luluphi ulwando ekwaprofetwa ngalo kumazwi kaIsaya 60:4-9? (b) AmaKristu okwenyaniso abonakalisa wuphi umoya?
15 Onjani wona ukukhanya umfanekiso wesiprofeto ochazwa kwindinyana 4 ukusa kweyesi-9 wolwando lwehlabathi lonke oluye lwabakho ukususela ngowe-1919! Kutheni uYehova eyisikelele ngolwando olungako nje iZiyon? Kungenxa yokuba ukususela ngowe-1919, uSirayeli kaThixo uye ngokuthobekileyo walubonakalisa ukhanyiselo lukaYehova. Noko ke, ngaba uphawulile ukuba ngokutsho kwendinyana yesi-7 eli hlokondiba litsha ‘linyukela esibingelelweni sikaThixo’? Isibingelelo kulapho kwenzelwa khona imibingelelo, yaye esi siprofeto sisikhumbuza ukuba inkonzo kaYehova ibandakanya umbingelelo. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ndiyanibongoza . . . ukuba niyinikele imizimba yenu ibe yimibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo, inkonzo ke leyo engcwele ngokwamandla enu engqiqo.” (Roma 12:1) Ngokuvisisana namazwi kaPawulos, amaKristu okwenene akaneliswa kukuya nje kwiinkonzo ezimbalwa zonqulo kanye ngeveki. Anikela ngexesha, amandla, nobuncwane bawo, ekuhambiseleni phambili unqulo olunyulu. Ngaba ukubakho kwabanquli abazinikele ngolo hlobo akuyihombisi kusini na indlu kaYehova? Isiprofeto sikaIsaya sathi kuya kuba njalo. Yaye, sinokuqiniseka ukuba abanquli abanenzondelelo abanjalo bahle emehlweni kaYehova.
16. Ngoobani ababencedisa kumsebenzi wokwakha kwakhona kumaxesha amandulo, yaye ngoobani abaye benjenjalo kulo mhla wethu?
16 Ewe, eli hlokondiba litsha lizimisele ukusebenza. Esi siprofeto sifundeka ngolu hlobo: “Nabasemzini okunene baya kwakha iindonga zakho, nookumkani babo baya kulungiselela kuwe.” (Isaya 60:10) Kwinzaliseko yokuqala yala mazwi ngemihla yokukhululwa ebukhobokeni eBhabhiloni, ookumkani nabanye kwiintlanga enyanisweni bancedisa ekwakheni kwakhona itempile nesixeko saseYerusalem. (Ezra 3:7; Nehemiya 3:26) Kwinzaliseko yanamhlanje, isihlwele esikhulu siye sayixhasa intsalela yabathanjisiweyo ekwakheni unqulo lokwenyaniso. Sifak’ isandla ekwakhiweni kwamabandla amaKristu, ngaloo ndlela sisomeleza “iindonga” ezinjengesixeko zentlangano kaYehova. Sinenxaxheba nakumsebenzi wokwakha wokoqobo—ukwakhiwa kweeHolo zoBukumkani, iiHolo zeNdibano, nezakhiwo zaseBheteli. Ngazo zonke ezi ndlela, sixhasa abazalwana baso abathanjisiweyo ekunyamekeleni iimfuno zentlangano kaYehova eyandayo!
17. Yiyiphi enye indlela uYehova aye wabahombisa ngayo abantu bakhe?
17 Hayi indlela akhuthaza ngayo amazwi okuqukumbela kaIsaya 60:10! UYehova uthi: “Kuba ndiya kube ndikubethe ndicaphukile, kodwa ngenkoliseko yam ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuba nenceba phezu kwakho.” Ewe, emva phayaa ngowe-1918 okanye ngowe-1919, uYehova wabaqeqesha abantu bakhe. Kodwa kwadlula oko. Ngoku lixesha lokuba uYehova abonakalise inceba kubakhonzi bakhe abathanjisiweyo nakumaqabane abo azezinye izimvu. Ubungqina bokuba oku kunjalo kubonakala ngolwando olukhulu aye wabasikelela ngalo, ngokungathi kunjalo ‘ebahombisa.’
18, 19. (a) Sisiphi isithembiso uYehova asenzayo kwabo batsha beza entlanganweni yakhe? (b) Iindinyana eziseleyo zikaIsaya isahluko 60 zisixelela ntoni?
18 Nyaka ngamnye, abantu ‘basemzini’ abaninzi nangakumbi banxulumana nentlangano kaYehova, yaye indlela iya kuhlala ivulekile nakwabanye abaninzi abaya kulandela. UYehova uthi kwiZiyon: “Namasango akho okunene aya kuhlala evuliwe rhoqo; akayi kuvalwa emini okanye ebusuku, ukuze kuziswe kuwe ubuncwane beentlanga, nookumkani bazo baya kukhokela.” (Isaya 60:11) Abanye abachasi bazama ukuvala loo “masango,” kodwa siyazi ukuba abasayi kuze baphumelele. UYehova uthi nakanjani na, amasango aya kuhlala evulekile. Ulwando luya kuqhubeka.
19 Kukho nezinye iindlela uYehova aye wabasikelela ngayo abantu bakhe, ebahombisa, kule mihla yokugqibela. Iindinyana eziseleyo kuIsaya 60 zityhila ngokwesiprofeto ukuba ziziphi na ezo ndlela.
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• Ngubani “umfazi” kaThixo, yaye umelwe yintoni emhlabeni?
• Abantwana beZiyon babelele tywa nini, yaye ‘basukuma’ nini yaye njani?
• Esebenzisa imiqondiso eyahlukahlukeneyo, uYehova waprofeta njani ngolwando lwabashumayeli boBukumkani namhlanje?
• UYehova uye wabakhanyisela ngaziphi iindlela abantu bakhe?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
“Umfazi” kaYehova uyalelwa ukuba asukume
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Umkhosi weenqanawa ufana namahobe elundini phayaa