1, 2. Ilanga liwabonakalisa njani amandla kaYehova okudala?

 NGABA wakha wotha umlilo ngobusuku obubandayo? Mhlawumbi wawufudumeza izandla zakho umi kumgama ofanelekileyo ukuze ufumane ubushushu obaneleyo. Xa usondela kakhulu, ubushushu babukongamela. Xa ubhekela kakhulu, wawutyiwa yingqele.

² Kukho “umlilo” ofudumeza imizimba yethu emini. Loo “mlilo” ukumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-150 miliyoni! a Limele ukuba linamandla kakhulu ilanga, xa linokukwazi ukukufudumeza nakuba likumgama okude ngaloo ndlela! Ukanti, umhlaba ulijikeleza kumgama kanye ofanelekileyo elo ziko lobushushu obugqithiseleyo. Ukuba umhlaba ubusondele kakhulu, amanzi asemhlabeni ebeya kutsha aphele; ukuba ubuthe qelele kakhulu, wonke ubuya kuba ngumkhenkce. Naluphi na utshintsho kulo mgama beluya kwenza ukuba kungabikho nto iphilayo kulo mhlaba. Ukukhanya kwelanga kubalulekile ukuze izinto zihlale ziphila emhlabeni, kucocekile, yaye kuyabukeka.—INtshumayeli 11:7.

3. Yiyiphi inyaniso ebalulekileyo ilanga elibubungqina bayo?

³ Sekunjalo, abantu abaninzi abacingi nokucinga ngokubaluleka kwelanga, nangona ubomi babo buxhomekeke kulo. Ngoko, abafundi nto kulo. IBhayibhile ithi ngoYehova: “Nguwe owenza ukukhanya kwanelanga.” (INdumiso 74:16) Ewe, ilanga lizukisa uYehova, “uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba.” (INdumiso 19:1; 146:6) Liyenye yeenkwenkwezi ezingenakubalwa ezisifundisa ngamandla amakhulu kaYehova okudala. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zazo size emva koko sifunde ngomhlaba nangezinto eziphila kuwo.

4, 5. Linamandla yaye likhulu kangakanani ilanga, ukanti lingakanani xa lithelekiswa nezinye iinkwenkwezi?

⁴ Njengoko umele ukuba uyazi, ilanga liyinkwenkwezi. Libonakala lilikhulu kuneenkwenkwezi esizibona ebusuku, ngenxa yokuba lona lisondele kunazo. Linamandla kangakanani? Esiphakathini salo, ilanga lineqondo lobushushu elimalunga ne-15 000 000 ngokukaCelsius. Ukuba ubunokuthatha esiphakathini salo isuntswana lelanga elilingana nentloko kanotaka uze ulibeke apha emhlabeni, ubungenakukwazi ukumelana nobushushu balo ukuba ubunokuma kumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-140! Mzuzwana ngamnye, ilanga likhupha amandla alingana nawokuqhushumba kweemiliyoni ezingamakhulu amaninzi eebhombu zenyukliya.

⁵ Ilanga likhulu kangangokuba kulo kungangena iiplanethi ezingaphezu kwe-1 300 000 ezilingana nomhlaba. Ngaba ilanga liyinkwenkwezi enkulu ngokukhethekileyo? Akunjalo, izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zithi lincinci kakhulu xa lithelekiswa nezinye iinkwenkwezi. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi “inkwenkwezi ayifani nenye ngozuko.” (1 Korinte 15:41) Akamelanga ukuba  wayeyazi indlela ayinyaniso ngayo loo mazwi aphefumlelweyo. Kukho inkwenkwezi enkulu ngohlobo lokuba ukuba ibinokubekwa kanye apho ilanga likhoyo, ibinokude izofika apha emhlabeni, umhlaba ube phakathi kuyo. Kanti kukho nenye inkwenkwezi enkulukazi, yona ebiya kudlulela ngaphaya kwaloo mgama ide ifikelele kwiplanethi enguSaturn—nangona ikude kakhulu nomhlaba kangangokuba isiphekepheke esathunyelwa apho safika emva kweminyaka eyi-4, siphephetheka ngesantya esisiphinda kayi-40 esembumbulu ephuma kumpu onamandla!

6. IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba inani leenkwenkwezi likhulu kakhulu ebantwini?

⁶ Okumangalisa nangakumbi kunobukhulu beenkwenkwezi linani lazo. Enyanisweni, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba iinkwenkwezi azinako ukubalwa, njengoko singenako ukubala ‘isanti yolwandle.’ (Yeremiya 33:22) Oku kuthetha ukuba kukho  iinkwenkwezi ezininzi ngakumbi kunezo sinokuzibona ngamehlo. Ngapha koko, ukuba umbhali weBhayibhile, onjengoYeremiya, wayenokukhangela esibhakabhakeni ebusuku aze azame ukubala iinkwenkwezi azibonayo, wayenokubala ezimalunga neziyi-3 000 kuphela, kuba zezo kuphela esinokuzibona ngamehlo ngobusuku obucwengileyo. Elo nani lisenokulinganiswa nenani leenkozo zesanti esesandleni. Kodwa inyani kukuba, inani leenkwenkwezi likhulu kakhulu, njengesanti yolwandle. b Ngubani onokulibala inani elingako?

7. (a) Ungalicacisa njani inani leenkwenkwezi ezikwigalaksi yethu okanye inani leegalaksi ezikhoyo kwindalo yonke?

⁷ UIsaya 40:26 uyaphendula: “Khanijonge ezulwini nize nibone. Ngubani umdali wezi zinto? NguLowo ukhokela umkhosi weenkwenkwezi, owazi nkqu nenani lazo; uzibiza ngamagama xa zizonke.” INdumiso 147:4 ithi: “Ubala inani leenkwenkwezi.” Lingakanani “inani leenkwenkwezi”? Lowo asingombuzo olula. Izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ziye zaqikelela ukuba zingaphezu kwe-100 bhiliyoni iinkwenkwezi ezikwigalaksi yethu eyiMilky Way. c Ezinye zithi zingaphezulu lee kwelo nani. Kodwa kukho nezinye iigalaksi ezininzi, ezineenkwenkwezi ezininzi. Zingaphi iigalaksi ezikhoyo? Amanani aye aqikelelwa zizazi zeenkwenkwezi ahamba pha kumakhulu eebhiliyoni, kanti nakwiitriliyoni. Ukuza kutsho ngoku, kubonakala ukuba, abantu abakwazi nokubala inani lamaqela eenkwenkwezi, singasathethi ke ngeebhiliyoni zeenkwenkwezi ezikuwo. Ukanti, uYehova uyalazi elo nani. Ngaphezu koko, unike nkwenkwezi nganye igama layo!

8. (a) Ungabuchaza njani ubukhulu begalaksi eyiMilky Way? (b) UYehova ukulungelelanisa njani ukuhamba kweenkwenkwezi?

 ⁸ Sishiyeka sithe manga nyhani xa siqwalasela ubukhulu beegalaksi. Kuqikelelwa ukuba ukunqumla kwigalaksi eyiMilky Way ngesantya esilingana nesokukhanya bekuya kuthatha iminyaka eyi-100 000. Khawube nombono wokukhanya kuphephetheka ngesantya seekhilomitha eziyi-300 000 ngomzuzwana. Bekuya kukuthatha oko kukhanya iminyaka eyi-100 000 ukunqumla kwigalaksi yethu! Yaye ezinye iigalaksi ziyiphindaphinda kaninzi ngobukhulu le sikwaziyo ukuyibona. IBhayibhile ithi uYehova uwolula njengelaphu “amazulu.” (INdumiso 104:2) Ikwanguye nolungelelanisa ukuhamba kwezi zinto azidalileyo. Ukususela kwelona suntswana lincinane lenkwenkwezi ukusa kweyona galaksi enkulu, yonke into ihamba ngokuvumelana nemithetho yemvelo emiselwe nguThixo. (Yobhi 38:31-33) Ngenxa yoko, oososayensi baye bakufanisa ukuhamba ngolungelelwano kweenkwenkwezi kunye nokulungelelana komdaniso omhle! Ngoko, cinga ngaLowo wazidalayo ezi zinto. Ngaba awumangaliswa nguThixo onamandla amakhulu kangako okudala?

9, 10. Amandla kaYehova abonakala njani xa kuqwalaselwa ilanga nezinye iiplanethi ezilijikelezileyo, uJupiter, umhlaba, nenyanga?

⁹ Amandla kaYehova okudala ayabonakala kwikhaya lethu elingumhlaba. Uwubeke umhlaba kweyona ndawo ifanelekileyo kulo mmandla mkhulu kangaka wendalo yonke. Abanye oososayensi bakholelwa ukuba iplanethi enezinto eziphilayo njengale yethu, ibingenakulunga kwezinye iigalaksi. Kwakhona, kubonakala ukuba inxalenye enkulu yegalaksi yethu eyiMilky Way yayingadalelwanga ukuba kuphile nto kuyo. Esiphakathini sale galaksi iinkwenkwezi zixinene. Inobushushu obugqithiseleyo, yaye ezo nkwenkwezi zisoloko zisondelelana kakhulu ngendlela eyingozi. Emacaleni ayo le galaksi ayinazo izinto ezininzi zokuxhasa izinto eziphilayo. Kodwa iplanethi yethu, ilanga nezinye iiplanethi ezijikeleze ilanga zibekwe kwindawo efanelekileyo.

¹⁰ UMhlaba uncedwa ngumkhuseli omkhulu nothe qelele —iplanethi uJupiter. Njengoko emkhulu ngaphezu kokuphindwe kaliwaka kunoMhlaba, uJupiter unegalelo elikhulu kumandla omxhuzulane. Oku kuphumela entwenini? Ubizela izinto ezihamba ngesantya esiphakamileyo esibhakabhakeni. Oososayensi bathi ukuba bekungekho ngenxa kaJupiter, izinto ezininzi eziwela emhlabeni beziya kwenza umonakalo ophindwe kayi-10 000 kunalowo ziwenzayo ngoku. Kufuphi nomhlaba, kukho isikhanyiso esingaqhelekanga esiluncedo—inyanga. Ngaphezu kokuba “isisikhanyiso sasebusuku” esihle kakhulu, inyanga iwugcina umhlaba uthambekile kodwa uzinzile, ungagungqi. Oko kuthambeka komhlaba, kwenza ukuba namaxesha onyaka alungelelane—nto leyo ebalulekileyo kwizinto eziphilayo.

11. Iigesi zomhlaba zisikhusela njani?

¹¹ Amandla kaYehova okudala abonakala kuzo zonke iindlela adale ngazo umhlaba. Khawucinge nje ngazo zonke iigesi ezisikhuselayo. Ilanga likhupha umtha oyimpilo nobulalayo. Xa umtha obulalayo ufika kwezo gesi, uguqula ioksijini ibe yigesi ekuthiwa yiozone. Le nto yenza kubekho iozone eyambathe umhlaba efunxa umtha omninzi. Loo nto yenza kube ngathi iplanethi yethu idalwe yaneambrela ekhuselayo!

12. Umjikelo wamanzi asesibhakabhakeni uwabonisa njani amandla kaYehova okudala?

¹² Iigesi ezijikeleze umhlaba zisinika umoya esiwudingayo futhi zenza nezinye izinto ezenza kubekho ubomi emhlabeni. Enye into emangalisayo ngumjikelo wamanzi. Nyaka ngamnye ilanga lifunxa ngaphezu kweekhilomitha eziyi-400 000 zeecubic zamanzi elwandle. La manzi aguquka abe ngamafu, athi wona asasazwe ngumoya osesibhakabhakeni. Emva koko, la manzi ayahluzwa, acocwe, aze aphinde ehle eyimvula, ikhephu neqabaka. Kunjengokuba kanye iNtshumayeli 1:7 isitsho: “Yonke imifula iya elwandle, kodwa ulwandle alugcwali. Loo mifula ibuyela kwindawo evela kuyo iphinde iqale phantsi.” NguYehova kuphela obenokwenza umjikelo ololo hlobo.

13. Bubuphi ubungqina bamandla oMdali esibubonayo kwizityalo ezisemhlabeni nakumhlaba ngokwawo?

¹³ Naphi na apho sibona khona izinto eziphilayo, sibona ubungqina bamandla oMdali. Ukususela kuhlobo oluthile lomthi  wompayina okhula ube ngaphezu kwesakhiwo esinemigangatho eyi-30, ukusa kwizityalo ezincinanana zaselwandle ezikhupha uninzi lweoksijini esiyiphefumlayo, amandla kaYehova okudala ayabonakala. Umhlaba nawo ngokwawo ugcwele zizinto eziphilayo—imibungu, inkowane nezinto ezincinane eziphilayo, zonke zisebenza ngobunye ekuxhaseni ukukhula kwezityalo. Ngokufanelekileyo, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kumhlaba njengonamandla.—Genesis 4:12, umbhalo osemazantsi.

14. Ngawaphi amandla afihlakeleyo enawo iathom encinane?

¹⁴ Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uYehova “nguMenzi womhlaba ngamandla akhe.” (Yeremiya 10:12) Amandla kaThixo abonakala nakweyona ndalo yakhe incinane. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba bekunokubekwa iiathom eziyimiliyoni enye ecaleni kwenye, bezingayi kufika nokufika kububanzi bonwele lomntu. Kwanokuba iathom inokukhuliswa ide ilingane nesakhiwo esinemigangatho eyi-14, umbindi wayo owaziwa njengenucleus ubuya kulingana nesuntswana letyuwa elibekwe kumgangatho wesixhenxe weso sakhiwo. Ukanti elo suntswana liyinucleus linamandla okuqhushumbisa ibhombu yenyukliya!

15. Ngokuthetha ngezilwanyana zasendle ezahlukahlukeneyo, sisiphi isifundo uYehova awasifundisa uYobhi?

¹⁵ Obunye ubungqina obucacileyo bamandla kaYehova okudala bubonakala kwinyambalala yezilwanyana ezikhoyo emhlabeni. INdumiso 148 ibala izinto ezininzi ezidumisa uYehova, yaye ivesi 10 iquka “nina zilwanyana zasendle nani nonke zilwanyana zasekhaya.” Ukubonisa isizathu sokuba abantu befanele bamoyike uMdali, uYehova wathetha kuYobhi ngezilwanyana ezinjengengonyama, iqwarhashe, inkunzi yenkomo yasendle, iBhehemote (okanye, imvubu) neLeviyatan (ekubonakala ukuba yingwenya). Yintoni ecaciswa koku? Ukuba abantu bayazoyika ezi zidalwa zomeleleyo nezingenakwenziwa zingabi yingozi, bafanele bavakalelwe njani ngoMdali wazo?—Yobhi, isahluko 38-41.

16. Yintoni ekuchukumisayo ngezinye zeentaka uYehova azidalileyo?

 ¹⁶ Kwakhona iNdumiso 148:10 ikhankanya ‘iintaka.’ Khawucinge nje ngeentlobo zazo ezininzi! UYehova waxelela uYobhi ngenciniba, ‘ehleka ihashe nomkhweli walo.’ Eneneni, le ntaka enobude beemitha eziyi-2,5 nangona ingakwazi ukubhabha, kodwa ibaleka ngamendu eekhilomitha eziyi-65 ngeyure, igxanye umgama weemitha eziyi-4,5 sihlandlo ngasinye! (Yobhi 39:13, 18) Kwelinye icala, intaka yaselwandle ebizwa ngokuba yialbatross ichitha elona xesha layo lininzi indanda phezu kolwandle. Le ntaka ithanda ukuziyeka ithwalwe ngumoya, ithe naa loo maphiko ayo amalunga neemitha ezintathu ubukhulu. Inokubhabha kangangeeyure ezininzi iwolulile amaphiko, ingakhange iphaphazele. Kwelinye icala, ingcungcu yeyona ntaka incinane ehlabathini enobude obuziisentimitha ezintlanu kuphela. Iphaphazelisa amaphiko ayo malunga nezihlandlo eziyi-80 ngomzuzwana! Iingcungcu, eziqaqambe njengamatye anqabileyo, ziyakwazi ukundanda zimi kwindawo enye njengehelikopta yaye ziyakwazi nokubhabha zibuye umva.

17. Mkhulu kangakanani umnenga iblue whale, yaye ngokuzenzekelayo sifanele sifikelele kwesiphi isigqibo emva kokucingisisa ngezilwanyana eziyindalo kaYehova?

¹⁷ INdumiso 148:7 ithi ‘kwanezilwanyana zaselwandle’ ziyamdumisa uYehova. Khawucinge nje ngesilwanyana ekucingwa ukuba sesona sikhulu sakha saphila kule planethi, umnenga owaziwa ngokuba yiblue whale. Esi silwanyana sidada ‘kumanzi anzulu’ sisenokuba ziimitha eziyi-30 ubude nangaphezulu. Sinokuba nobunzima obulingana nobomhlambi weendlovu ezinkulu eziyi-30. Ulwimi lwaso lulodwa lunobunzima obulingana nobendlovu. Intliziyo yaso ilingana nemoto encinane. Eli lungu likhulu lingongoza izihlandlo eziyi-9 kuphela ngomzuzu—ngokwahlukileyo kwintliziyo yengcungcu, engongoza izihlandlo ezimalunga ne-1 200 ngomzuzu. Omnye wemithambo yegazi wale blue whale mkhulu kangangokuba umntwana angakhasa ngaphakathi kuwo. Ngokuqinisekileyo iintliziyo zethu zisishukumisela ukuba siphinde isibongozo esisekupheleni kwencwadi  yeNdumiso, esithi: “Yonke into ephefumlayo mayidumise uYa.”—INdumiso 150:6.

18, 19. Zahlukahlukene kangakanani izinto eziphilayo azenzileyo uYehova kulo mhlaba, yaye indalo isifundisa ntoni?

¹⁸ Yintoni esiyifundayo ekusebenziseni kukaYehova amandla akhe okudala? Imangalisa nyhani indlela ezininzi ngayo izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ezidaliweyo. Omnye umdumisi wathi: “Mininzi ngeyona ndlela imisebenzi yakho, Yehova! . . . Umhlaba ugcwele zizinto ozidalileyo.” (INdumiso 104:24) Hayi indlela okuyinyaniso ngayo oko! Izazi ngendalo ziye zafumanisa iindidi ezingaphezu kweziyimiliyoni zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni; kodwa aziqiniseki ncam nokuba zingaphi ezinye iimiliyoni ezikhoyo. Umntu oligcisa usenokuphelelwa bubuchule obutsha maxa wambi. Ukanti bona obukaYehova ubuchule—amandla akhe okusungula nawokudala izinto ezintsha ezahlukahlukeneyo—ngokucacileyo abunasiphelo.

¹⁹ Ukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla akhe okudala kusifundisa ukuba unelungelo lokulawula. Kwaigama elithi “uMdali” limenza uYehova ahluke kuyo yonke enye into ekhoyo kwindalo yonke, kuba yonke enye into ‘iyindalo.’ KwanoNyana kaYehova okuphela kozelweyo, owakhonza ‘njengomsebénzi onobuchule’ ebudeni bexesha lokudala, akaze abizwe ngokuba nguMdali  eBhayibhileni. (IMizekeliso 8:30; Mateyu 19:4) Kunoko, “kwaqala kwadalwa yena kuyo yonke indalo.” (Kolose 1:15) Isigxina sikaYehova njengoMdali simnika ilungelo elikhethekileyo lokuba negunya elipheleleyo kwindalo yonke.—Roma 1:20; ISityhilelo 4:11.

20. UYehova uye waphumla ngeyiphi indlela emva kokuba eyigqibile indalo yakhe yasemhlabeni?

²⁰ Ngaba uYehova uyekile ukusebenzisa amandla akhe okudala? Kambe ke, iBhayibhile iyatsho ukuthi akuba uYehova egqibile ukudala ngosuku lwesithandathu lokudala, “waphumla ngosuku lwesixhenxe kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe.” (Genesis 2:2) Umpostile uPawulos wabonisa ukuba olu ‘suku’ lwesixhenxe lungamawaka eminyaka, kuba lwalusaqhubeka ngomhla wakhe. (Hebhere 4:3-6) Kodwa ngaba ‘ukuphumla’ kuthetha ukuba uYehova uyeke ngokupheleleyo ukusebenza? Akunjalo, uYehova akayeki ukusebenza. (INdumiso 92:4; Yohane 5:17) Ngoko, ukuphumla kwakhe kumele ukuba kubhekisela ekuyekeni kwakhe ukwenza indalo ebonakalayo emhlabeni. Noko ke, wona umsebenzi wakhe wokuzalisekisa iinjongo zakhe uyaqhubeka. Loo msebenzi uye waquka ukuphefumlelwa kweZibhalo Ezingcwele. Umsebenzi wakhe ude waquka nokungeniswa ‘kwesidalwa esitsha,’ ekuza kuxutyushwa ngaso kwiSahluko 19.—2 Korinte 5:17.

21. Amandla kaYehova okudala aza kubenza bazive njani abantu abathembekileyo xa bephila ngonaphakade?

²¹ Xa usuku lokuphumla kukaYehova lufikelele esiphelweni, uza kutsho akwazi ukuthi wonke umsebenzi wakhe emhlabeni ‘ulunge gqitha,’ kanye njengoko wenzayo ekupheleni kweentsuku ezintandathu zokudala. (Genesis 1:31) Indlela aza kukhetha ukuwasebenzisa ngayo emva koko amandla akhe okudala angenasiphelo, iza kubonakala ngelo xesha. Noko ke, sinokuqiniseka ukuba siza kuqhubeka simangaliswa yindlela uYehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe okudala. Indalo iza kuqhubeka isifundisa okungakumbi ngoYehova ngonaphakade. (INtshumayeli 3:11) Okukhona sifunda ngaye, kokukhona siya kumhlonipha ngakumbi—yaye kokukhona siya kusondela ngakumbi kuMdali wethu Ozukileyo.