Isahluko Sesithandathu

UYehova UThixo Unenceba Kwintsalela

Isaya 4:2-6

1, 2. Yintoni ayixela kwangaphambili umprofeti uIsaya ngokuphathelele elakwaYuda neYerusalem?

 KUVUKA isivunguvane sesaqhwithi kummandla onabemi abaninzi. Zifika ezo zitshingitshane, eziphelekwa zizandyondyo zemvula, nazizantyalantyala zezikhukula, zitsho kuthi nkcwe elizweni, kuthi waca izindlu, izilimo, izilwanyana kwanabantu. Kodwa emva kwethuba eso saqhwithi sivunguza sigqithe, kutsho kuthi qabu emva koko. Ngoku abo basindileyo basalelwe ngumsebenzi wokuphinda bakhe, balungise umonakalo.

² Seso sihelegu kanye umprofeti uIsaya athi siza kwehlela elakwaYuda neYerusalem. Sele livakala ifuthe lokuza kwesaqhwithi somgwebo kaThixo—ibe ngesizathu esivakalayo! Kaloku olu hlanga lone ngokunzulu. Abalawuli kwanabantu ngokubanzi babangele ukuphalala kwegazi nokungekho sikweni. Ngoko, uYehova usebenzisa uIsaya ukudandalazisa isono sikaYuda aze amlumkise ukuba uza kulugweba olo hlanga lukreqileyo. (Isaya 3:25) Ilizwe lakwaYuda liya kusala lithe bhe ngokupheleleyo mhla sagaleleka eso saqhwithi. Kumele ukuba noko oku kuyamnxubisa uIsaya.

 3. Ziziphi iindaba ezimnandi eziqulethwe sisigidimi esiphefumlelweyo esikuIsaya 4:2-6?

³ Kodwa kukho iindaba ezimnandi! Esi saqhwithi somgwebo kaYehova wobulungisa siza kuvuthuza sigqithe, kwaye  ikho intsalela eya kusinda. Ewe, uYehova uya kumgweba ngenceba uYuda! Isigidimi sikaIsaya esiphefumlelweyo esikuIsaya 4:2-6 sisithela thsuphe ngelo xesha leentsikelelo. Kuba ngathi kuthi gqi ilanga ligqobhozele ngaphaya kwaloo mafu; kutsho kuthi nqum ukubhodloza komgwebo—ochazwe kuIsaya 2:6–4:1— kuthi gqi abantu nelizwe elihle elihlaziyiweyo.

 4. Kutheni sifanele sixubushe ngesiprofeto sikaIsaya sokubuyiselwa kwentsalela?

⁴ Esi siprofeto sikaIsaya sokuhlaziywa kwentsalela nokukhuselwa kwayo, siyazaliseka nakwixesha lethu—‘ekupheleni kwemihla.’ (Isaya 2:2-4) Makhe sixubushe ngesi sigidimi sisexesheni, kuba asipheleli nje ekubeni sisiprofeto, kodwa sikwasifundisa ngenceba kaYehova nangendlela esinokuyifumana ngayo.

‘Ihlumelo LikaYehova’

5, 6. (a) UIsaya ulichaza njani ixesha loxolo eliya kubakho emva koqhwithela? (b) Iyintoni intsingiselo yegama elithi “ihlumelo,” yaye oku kubonisa ntoni ngelizwe lakwaYuda?

⁵ Zitsho zithi gingxi izibilini kuIsaya njengoko amehlo akhe egqobhozela ngaphaya kolo qhwithela, ondele kwixesha loxolo. Ubhala athi: “Ngaloo mini oko uYehova akuhlumisayo [“ihlumelo likaYehova,” umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo] kuya kuba kokokuhombisa nokozuko, yaye isiqhamo selizwe siya kuba yinto yokuqhayisa nento entle kwabo basindileyo bakwaSirayeli.”—Isaya 4:2.

⁶ Apha uIsaya uthetha ngohlaziyo. Isibizo sesiHebhere esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “ihlumelo” sibhekisela ‘kwinto ehlumayo, ikhaba, isebe.’ Sinento yokwenza nokuchuma, ukwanda, neentsikelelo ezivela kuYehova. Lilonke uIsaya uzam’ ukuthi likho ithemba—olu hlanga aluyi kuphanziswa ngonaphakade. UYehova uza kulisikelela eli lizwe lakwaYuda,  alibuyisele kwimeko yalo yokuchuma yangaphambili. a—Levitikus 26:3-5.

 7. Ihlumelo likaYehova liya kuba ‘lelokuhombisa nelozuko’ ngayiphi indlela?

⁷ UIsaya usebenzisa amabinzana akukhanyisa mhlophe ukuzuka kohlaziyo oluzayo. Ihlumelo likaYehova liya kuba ‘lelokuhombisa nelozuko.’ Igama elithi ‘ukuhombisa’ lisikhumbuza ngobuhle beLizwe Ledinga ngexesha lokulinikela kukaYehova kuSirayeli kwiinkulungwane ezidluleyo. Ngangendlela elalilihle ngayo kwade kwathiwa “lalingumhombiso [“isacholo,” New American Bible] emazweni onke.” (Hezekile  20:6) Ngoko amazwi kaIsaya ayabaqinisekisa abantu ukuba ilizwe lakwaYuda liya kubuyiselwa kwimeko yalo entle nezukileyo yangaphambili. Eneneni, liya kuba njengesacholo emhlabeni.

 8. Ngoobani abaya kunandipha ubuhle belo lizwe libuyiselweyo, yaye uIsaya uyichaza njani indlela abavakalelwa ngayo?

⁸ Kodwa ke, ngoobani abo baya kuwelwa ngulo mqa esandleni wokunandipha ubuhle belo lizwe libuyiselweyo? Ngabo “basindileyo bakwaSirayeli,” utsho njalo uIsaya. Oko kutsh’ ukuthi, bakho abaya kusinda kwintshabalaliso ebixelwe kwangaphambili. (Isaya 3:25, 26) Loo ntsalela isindileyo iya kubuyela kwaYuda ize ibe nenxaxheba ekuhlaziyweni kwelo lizwe. Aba babuyileyo—“abo basindileyo”—baya ‘kuqhayisa ngobuhle’ bemveliso engumdliva yelizwe labo elibuyiselweyo. (Isaya 4:2) Ukuphuma kwabo ehlazweni lokuphanziswa kuya kubenza babe nesizathu esingakumbi sokuqhayisa.

 9. (a) Azaliseka njani amazwi kaIsaya ngowama-537 B.C.E.? (b) Kunokutshiwo ngayiphi ingqiqo ukuba “abo basindileyo” baquka abanye babo bazalelwe ekuthinjweni? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)

⁹ Kanye njengokuba uIsaya ebetshilo, wagaleleka umgwebo wesaqhwithi ngowama-607 B.C.E. xa amaBhabhiloni ayitshabalalisayo iYerusalem aza ashiya inkitha yamaSirayeli iqungquluzile. Ababhungcayo bathinjelwa eBhabhiloni, nabo sebefane nje basinda ngenxa yenceba kaThixo. (Nehemiya 9:31) Ekugqibeleni, elakwaYuda lashiywa lingamabhodlo. (2 Kronike 36:17-21) Kwandula ke, ngowama-537 B.C.E., uThixo onenceba wabavumela “abo basindileyo” ukuba babuyele kwaYuda ukuze babuyisele unqulo lokwenyaniso. b (Ezra 1:1-4; 2:1) Ukuguquka ngokusuk’ entliziyweni kwaba bathinjwa babuyileyo kuchazwe kakuhle kwiNdumiso 137,  ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabhalwa ngexesha lokuthinjwa kwabo okanye kamsinya nje emva koko. Bafike kwaYuda balima masimi, batyala zimbewu, kwayiloo nto. Khawuyithelekelele nje indlela abamele ukuba bavakalelwa ngayo bakubona ukuba uThixo wayeyisikelela imigudu yabo, elenza ilizwe lichume “njengomyezo wase-Eden”!—Hezekile 36:34-36.

10, 11. (a) ABafundi BeBhayibhile babethinjwe njani ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu’ ebutsheni benkulungwane yama-20? (b) UYehova wayisikelela njani intsalela yamaSirayeli okomoya?

¹⁰ Kuye kwenzeka uhlaziyo olufanayo nangomhla wethu. Ebutsheni benkulungwane yama-20, amaNgqina kaYehova, awayesaziwa njengaBafundi BeBhayibhile ngoko, angeniswa ekuthinjweni kokomoya ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. (ISityhilelo 17:5) Nangona babezigatya iimfundiso ezininzi zonqulo lobuxoki, aBafundi BeBhayibhile babesadyojwe ziingcamango naluqheliselo oluthile lobuBhabhiloni. Abanye babo bade bavalelwa entolongweni ngokoqobo, ngenxa yentshutshiso eyaxhokonxwa ngabefundisi. Ilizwe labo lokomoya—eliyimeko yabo yonqulo, okanye yokomoya—lashiywa liyinkangala.

¹¹ Kodwa entwasahlobo yowe-1919, uYehova waba nenceba kule ntsalela yamaSirayeli okomoya. (Galati 6:16) Wakubona ukuguquka kwayo nomnqweno wayo wokumnqula ngenyaniso, waza wayikhulula entolongweni, yaye ngokubaluleke nangakumbi, ekuthinjweni kokomoya. UThixo wababuyisela kwimeko entle yokomoya aba “basindileyo,” wabenza bachuma kanobom. Le meko yabo intle yokomoya, iye yatsalela izigidi zabantu aboyik’ uThixo ekubeni babathelele kunqulo lokwenyaniso.

12. Amazwi kaIsaya ayibalaselisa njani indlela uYehova anenceba ngayo kubantu bakhe?

¹² La mazwi kaIsaya abalaselisa indlela uThixo anenceba ngayo kubantu bakhe. Nangona uhlanga lwamaSirayeli lwamnikel’ umva uYehova, kodwa waba nenceba kwintsalela eguqukileyo. Kumele kusikhuthaze ukwazi ukuba kwanabo  banxaxha ngokunzulu banalo ithemba lokuba bangabuyela kuYehova. Abo baguqukayo abamele bavakalelwe kukuba abayifanelanga inceba kaYehova, kuba akayigatyi intliziyo etyumkileyo. (INdumiso 51:17) IBhayibhile isiqinisekisa ngelithi: “UYehova unenceba nobabalo, uzeka kade umsindo yaye unobubele bothando obuninzi. Njengoyise obenzela inceba oonyana bakhe, uYehova ubenzele inceba abo bamoyikayo.” (INdumiso 103:8, 13) Ngokuqinisekileyo, uThixo onjalo ukuba nenceba ukufanele ukudunyiswa sithi sonke!

Intsalela Iba Ngcwele KuYehova

13. Njengoko kuchazwe kuIsaya 4:3, uIsaya uyichaza njani intsalela eyayiza kwenzelwa inceba nguYehova?

¹³ Siwavile amavandlakanya ngentsalela eyayiza kwenzelwa inceba nguYehova, kodwa ngoku uIsaya uyichaza elubala. Ubhala athi: “Wothi ke oseleyo eZiyon noshiyiweyo eYerusalem, kuthiwe bangcwele kuye, bonke ababhaliweyo ngenjongo yokuba badle ubomi eYerusalem.”—Isaya 4:3.

14. Ngoobani aba ‘baseleyo’ ‘nabashiyiweyo,’ yaye kutheni uYehova eya kubenzela inceba nje?

¹⁴ Ngoobani aba ‘baseleyo’ ‘nabashiyiweyo’? Ngabo basindileyo abakhankanywe kwindinyana eyandulelayo—abathinjwa bamaYuda abaya kuvunyelwa ukuba babuyele kwaYuda. Ngoku uIsaya uchaza isizathu sokuba uYehova eya kuba nenceba kubo—uthi baya kuba “ngcwele kuye.” Ukuba ngcwele kuthetha “ukuhlambuluka okanye ukusulungeka ngokonqulo; ukungcwaliswa.” Ukuba ngcwele kubandakanya ukuhlambuluka, okanye ukusulungeka, ngentetho nangezenzo, uvumelane nemilinganiselo kaYehova yokulungileyo nokufanelekileyo. Ewe, uYehova uya kubenzela inceba abo “bangcwele kuye,” aze abavumele ukuba babuyele ‘kwisixeko esingcwele,’ iYerusalem.—Nehemiya 11:1.

15. (a) Ibinzana elithi “ababhaliweyo ngenjongo yokuba badle ubomi eYerusalem” lisikhumbuza ngasiphi isithethe samaYuda? (b) Sisiphi isilumkiso esiphethwe ngamazwi kaIsaya?

¹⁵ Ngaba le ntsalela ithembekileyo iya kuhlala ihleli apho?  UIsaya uthembisa ukuba, iya ‘kubhalwa ngenjongo yokuba idle ubomi eYerusalem.’ Oku kusikhumbuza ngesithethe samaYuda sokugcina iingxelo ezichanileyo zeentsapho nezizwe zakwaSirayeli. (Nehemiya 7:5) Ukubhalwa kwincwadi yengxelo kwakuthetha ukudl’ amazimba, kuba ekufeni komntu, igama lakhe lalicinywa. Kwezinye iinxalenye zeBhayibhile, sifunda ngengxelo, okanye incwadi yokomfuziselo, enamagama abo uYehova abavuza ngobomi. Kodwa ukubhalwa kwamagama kule ncwadi kuyaxhomekeka, kuba uYehova ‘unokuwacima’ la magama. (Eksodus 32:32, 33; INdumiso 69:28) Ngoko ke, kukho isilumkiso esiphethwe ngala mazwi kaIsaya, sokuba—abo babuyileyo banokuqhubeka bephila kwilizwe labo elibuyiselweyo kuphela ukuba bahlala bengcwele emehlweni kaThixo.

16. (a) Yintoni uYehova awayeyilindele kwabo wayebavumele ukuba babuyele kwaYuda ngowama-537 B.C.E.? (b) Kutheni kunokuthiwa ukuyenzela kukaYehova inceba intsalela ethanjisiweyo kunye “nezinye izimvu” akubanga lilize?

¹⁶ Intsalela eyabuyela eYerusalem ngowama-537 B.C.E., yayineenjongo ezintle—zokubuyisela unqulo lokwenyaniso. Akukho namnye odyojwe luqheliselo lonqulo lobuhedeni okanye yihambo engacocekanga awayelumkise kanobom nxamnye nazo uIsaya, owayenelungelo lokubuyela. (Isaya 1:15-17) Kuphela ngabo babegqalwa bengcwele nguYehova, ababenokubuyela kwaYuda. (Isaya 35:8) Ngokufanayo, ukususela ekukhululweni kwayo ekuthinjweni kokomoya ngowe-1919, intsalela ethanjisiweyo, eye kamva yathelelwa zizigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’—ezingabo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni—yenze konke okusemandleni ukuba ihlale ingcwele emehlweni kaThixo. (Yohane 10:16) Iye yazigatya iimfundiso kwanoqheliselo lobuBhabhiloni. Lungu ngalinye layo, lenza unako-nako wokubambelela kwimilinganiselo kaThixo ephakamileyo yokuziphatha. (1 Petros 1:14-16) Eneneni, ukwenzelwa kwayo inceba nguYehova, akubanga lilize.

17. Ngamagama oobani uYehova awabhalayo ‘encwadini yakhe yobomi,’ kwaye yintoni esifanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

 ¹⁷ Khumbula ukuba uYehova wabaphawula abo babengcwele kuSirayeli waza ‘wawabhala amagama abo ngenjongo yokuba badle ubomi.’ Nanamhlanje, uYehova uyayiphawula imigudu yethu yokuzabalazela ukuhlala sicocekile engqondweni nasemzimbeni njengoko ‘sinikela imizimba yethu njengemibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo.’ (Roma 12:1) Yaye bonke abo balandela eli khondo lobomi, uThixo ubabhala ‘encwadini yakhe yobomi’—eyingxelo yokomfuziselo enamagama abo banethemba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade, enoba kusezulwini okanye emhlabeni. (Filipi 4:3; Malaki 3:16) Ngoko ke, masizame ngokusemandleni ethu onke ukuhlala singcwele emehlweni kaThixo, kuba ngokwenjenjalo siya kuwagcina amagama ethu ekuloo “ncwadi” ixabisekileyo.—ISityhilelo 3:5.

Isithembiso Senyameko Yothando

18, 19. NgokukaIsaya 4:4, 5, kukuphi ukuhlambulula aya kukwenza uYehova, yaye njani?

¹⁸ Ngokulandelayo uIsaya uthi gqaba-gqaba ngendlela abemi belizwe elibuyiselweyo abaya kuba ngcwele ngayo nangeentsikelelo ezibalindeleyo. Uthi: “Xa uYehova aya kube eligutyule ilindle leentombi zaseZiyon kwaye eluyalazile kwanophalazo-gazi lweYerusalem ngaphakathi kwayo ngomoya wokugweba nangomoya wokutshisa, kanjalo uYehova ngokuqinisekileyo uya kudala phezu kweendawo zonke ezimisiweyo zeNtaba yeZiyon naphezu kwendawo yayo yendibano ilifu emini nomsi, nokuqaqamba komlilo odangazelayo ebusuku; ngenxa yokuba phezu kwalo lonke uzuko kuya kubakho ikhusi.”—Isaya 4:4, 5.

¹⁹ Ngaphambilana uIsaya uye wazikhalimela ‘iintombi zaseZiyon,’ ezazinobuhle bekhiwane. Walubhenca nophalazo-gazi lwabantu ngokubanzi, ebabongoza ukuba bazihlambe. (Isaya 1:15, 16; 3:16-23) Noko ke, apha ubhekisela kwixesha  laxa uThixo eya kube “eligutyule ilindle,” okanye ukungcola ngokokuziphatha, “eluyalazile kwanophalazo-gazi.” (Isaya 4:4) Oku kuhlanjululwa kuya kwenziwa njani? “Ngomoya wokugweba nangomoya wokutshisa.” Ukuqhambuka kwentshabalalo yeYerusalem nokuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni kuya kuba kukugaleleka komgwebo kaThixo nokutshisa komsindo wakhe kolo hlanga lungahlambulukanga. Intsalela eya kusinda kuloo ntlekele ize ibuyel’ ekhaya iya kube iyimvoco ukuthobeka, kwaye isulungekisiwe. Kungako nje iya kuba ngcwele kuYehova aze ayenzele inceba.—Thelekisa uMalaki 3:2, 3.

20. (a) Amabinzana athi “ilifu,” ‘umsi,’ nelithi ‘umlilo odangazelayo’ asikhumbuza ntoni? (b) Kutheni abathinjwa abahlanjululweyo bengenasizathu sakoyika?

²⁰ UYehova, ngoIsaya, uthembisa ukuba uya kuyinyamekela ngothando le ntsalela ihlambulukileyo. Amabinzana athi “ilifu,” ‘umsi,’ nelithi ‘umlilo odangazelayo,’ asikhumbuza ngendlela  uYehova awawanyamekela ngayo amaSirayeli ekufudukeni kwawo eYiputa. ‘Umqulu womlilo nelifu’ wawakhusela kumaYiputa awayewasukela; kwakhona wawakhokela entlango. (Eksodus 13:21, 22; 14:19, 20, 24) Xa uYehova wazibonakalisayo kwiNtaba yeSinayi, yonke loo ntaba “yaqhuma.” (Eksodus 19:18) Ngoko, aba bathinjwa bahlanjululweyo abanasizathu sakoyika. UYehova uya kuba nguMkhuseli wabo. Uya kuba nabo enoba bahlanganisana emakhayeni abo okanye kwiindibano ezingcwele.

21, 22. (a) Ngokuqhelekileyo, umnquba okanye iphempe, lalisakhelwa yiphi injongo? (b) Liliphi ithemba elibekwe phambi kwentsalela ehlanjululweyo?

²¹ Ekuqukumbeleni uIsaya utsalel’ ingqalelo kwimeko yemihla ngemihla ngaloo maxesha. Ubhala athi: “Kuya kubakho umnquba ongumthunzi kulophu lwasemini, noyindawo yokusabela nokusithela esiphangweni nasemvuleni.” (Isaya 4:6) Ngokuqhelekileyo kwakusakhiwa umnquba, okanye iphempe, esidiliyeni okanye entsimini, lokuzikhusela kwingqatsini yelanga xa kubalele nakwiingqele neziphango ngexesha leemvula.—Thelekisa uYona 4:5.

²² Xa ijamelene nengqatsini yelanga eyintshutshiso neziphango eziyinkcaso, intsalela ehlanjululweyo izimela ngoYehova njengoMthombo wayo wenkuselo, nonqabiseko, negwiba. (INdumiso 91:1, 2; 121:5) Elinjani lona ukubalasela ithemba elibekwe phambi kwayo: Ukuba izinikel’ umva iinkolelo noqheliselo olungacocekanga lweBhabhiloni, ize ivume ukuhlanjululwa ngumgwebo kaYehova, ize izabalazele ukuhlala ingcwele, iya kuhlala ikhuselekile, ngokungathi ‘ikumnquba’ oyinkuselo kaThixo.

23. Kutheni uYehova eye wayisikelela intsalela ethanjisiweyo kunye namaqabane ayo?

²³ Phawula ukuba imele ihlanjululwe kuqala, yandule ukusikelelwa. Oko kwenzekile kule mihla yethu. Emva phayaa ngowe-1919 intsalela ethanjisiweyo iye ngokuzithoba yavuma ukusulungekiswa, waza uYehova ‘wakugutyula’  ukungahlambuluki kwayo. Ukususela ngoko, ‘nesihlwele esikhulu’ sezinye izimvu siye naso savuma ukuhlanjululwa nguYehova. (ISityhilelo 7:9) Yakube ke ihlanjululwe, intsalela kwakunye namaqabane ayo, baye basikelelwa—ngokuthi uYehova abanyamekele aze abakhusele. Akabuthinteli ngokungummangaliso ubushushu bentshutshiso neziphango zenkcaso ukuba zingabafikeli. Kodwa eneneni uyabakhusela, ebakhela, ngokungathi kunjalo, ‘umnquba ongumthunzi nendawo yokusithela esiphangweni.’ Njani?

24. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova uyisikelele intlangano yabantu bakhe?

²⁴ Kaloku khumbula: Akungoku oorhulumente abanamandla bewuvala umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wokushumayela, bade maxa wambi bazame nokuwacim’ igama. Kodwa, amaNgqina aye ahlala eqinile aza aqhubeka engayeki ukushumayela! Ucing’ ukuba yintoni eyoyise ezi ntlanga zomeleleyo ekuyekiseni umsebenzi weli qaqobana licekeceke labantu? Kungenxa yokuba uYehova ubafake abakhonzi bakhe abahlanjululweyo ‘kumnquba’ wenkuselo, ekungekho mntu unokuwudiliza!

25. Ukuba noYehova njengoMkhuseli wethu kuthetha ntoni kuthi ngabanye?

²⁵ Kuthekani ngathi ngabanye? Ukuba noYehova njengoMkhuseli wethu akutheth’ ukuba asijamelani nazingxaki kule nkqubo yezinto. AmaKristu amaninzi athembekileyo athwaxwa ziinkxwaleko, ezinjengobuhlwempu, iintlekele, iimfazwe, ukugula, nokufa. Xa sijamelene neenkxwaleko ezilolo hlobo, mayingaze isisithele into yokuba uThixo unathi. Uyasikhusela ngokomoya, esinika oko sikusweleyo—kuquka “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo”—ukuze sixhathise izilingo. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ekubeni ke eyintonga yethu esekhosi, asinasizathu sakoyika. Ngapha koko, logama nje thina sizama ngokusemandleni ethu ukuhlala singcwele emehlweni akhe, akukho nto iya “kuba nako ukusahlula eluthandweni lukaThixo.”—Roma 8:38, 39.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

 [Umfanekiso okwiphepha 63]

UYuda uza kufikelwa sisaqhwithi somgwebo kaThixo