Isahluko Sesihlanu

UThixo Oyinyaniso Ukuxela Kwangaphambili Ukuhlangula Kwakhe

Isaya 44:1-28

1, 2. (a) Yiyiphi imibuzo ayiphakamisayo uYehova? (b) Uza kungqina njani uYehova ukuba nguye kuphela uThixo oyinyaniso?

 ‘NGUBANI uThixo oyinyaniso?’ Lo mbuzo uye wabuzwa ebudeni beenkulungwane. Ngoko hayi indlela ekumangalisa ngayo ukuba encwadini kaIsaya, ibe nguYehova ngokwakhe obuza lo mbuzo! Ukhuthaza abantu ukuba bazibuze: ‘Ngaba uYehova ngokuphela koThixo wokwenyaniso? Okanye ngaba ukho omnye onokusicel’ umngeni isikhundla sakhe?’ Emva kokutshayelela le ngxoxo, uYehova wandlala izibakala ezisengqiqweni zokuzinziswa kwalo mbandela wobuThixo. Izizathu ezibekwayo zikhokelela abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo kwisigqibo esingaphephekiyo.

² Ngemihla kaIsaya, ukunqulwa kwemifanekiso eqingqiweyo kwakuxhaphakile. Ngokungagwegweleziyo ingxelo ekwisahluko 44 sencwadi yesiprofeto kaIsaya, ibubonisa ngokucacileyo ubuyatha bokunqula imifanekiso eqingqiweyo! Sekunjalo, abantu bakaThixo uqobo baye bawela kumgibe wokunqula izithixo. Ngenxa yoko, amaSirayeli alindelwe luqeqesho oluqatha njengoko sibonile kwizahluko ezidluleyo zikaIsaya. Noko ke, ngothando uYehova uyaluqinisekisa olu hlanga ukuba nangona eza kuwavumela amaBhabhiloni ukuba abathimbe abantu bakhe, uza kubahlangula ngexesha lakhe elifanelekileyo. Ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zokuhlangulwa kwabo ekuthinjweni nezokubuyiselwa konqulo olunyulu  kuza kungqina ngokungathandabuzekiyo ukuba nguYehova kuphela uThixo oyinyaniso, nto leyo eya kubahlazisa bonke abo banqula oothixo abangaphiliyo beentlanga.

3. Amazwi kaIsaya esiprofeto awanceda njani amaKristu namhlanje?

³ Iziprofeto ezikule nxalenye kaIsaya nokuzaliseka kwazo mandulo kuyalomeleza ukholo lwamaKristu namhlanje. Ngaphezu koko, amazwi kaIsaya esiprofeto ayazaliseka nakumhla wethu kwanakwixesha elizayo. Yaye ezo ziganeko ziquka umhlanguli kwanokuhlangulwa okukhulu ngakumbi kunoko kwenzeka kubantu bakaThixo bamandulo.

Ithemba Kubantu BakaYehova

4. UYehova umkhuthaza njani uSirayeli?

⁴ Isahluko 44 siqalisa ngesikhuthazo sokukhumbuza uSirayeli ukuba uye wanyulwa nguThixo, wahlukaniswa neentlanga ezimngqongileyo ukuze abe ngumkhonzi wakhe. Isiprofeto sithi: “Ke kaloku phulaphula, Yakobi mkhonzi wam, nawe, Sirayeli, endimnyulileyo. Utsho uYehova, uMenzi wakho noMyili wakho, owaqhubeka ekunceda kwasesiswini, ukuthi, ‘Musa ukoyika, Yakobi mkhonzi wam, nawe, Yeshurun, endimnyulileyo.’” (Isaya 44:1, 2) UYehova uye wamnyamekela uSirayeli ukususela, ngokungathi kunjalo, esibelekweni sikanina, ukususela oko uSirayeli waba luhlanga emva kokuphuma kwakhe eYiputa. Xa bebonke aba bantu bakhe ubabiza ngokuthi “Yeshurun,” gama elo elithetha “Othe Tye,” nelidlulisela imvakalelo yothando nokuthantamisa. Kwakhona eli gama lisisikhumbuzo sokuba amaSirayeli amele ahlale ethe tye, nto leyo aye asilela kanobom ukuyenza.

5, 6. UYehova umhlaziya njani uSirayeli, yaye oko kuba nawuphi umphumo?

⁵ Hayi indlela amyoli nahlaziya ngayo amazwi kaYehova alandelayo! Uthi: “Ndiya kugalela amanzi konxaniweyo,  nemisinga ethontsizayo kwindawo eyomileyo. Ndiya kuthulula umoya wam embewini yakho, nentsikelelo yam kwinzala yakho. Kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuntshula phakathi kwengca eluhlaza, njengemingcunube ngasemijelweni yamanzi.” (Isaya 44:3, 4) Kwanakumazwe ashushu nathwaxwa yimbalela, imithi eshinyeneyo iyachuma kwiindawo ezinamanzi. Xa uYehova ethulula amanzi akhe enyaniso anik’ ubomi kwanomoya wakhe oyingcwele, uSirayeli uza kuchuma ngamandla, njengemithi engasemijelweni yamanzi. (INdumiso 1:3; Yeremiya 17:7, 8) UYehova uza kubanika amandla abantu bakhe okuqhubeka nomsebenzi wabo wokunikela ubungqina ngobuThixo bakhe.

⁶ Omnye umphumo woku kuthululwa komoya oyingcwele uya kuba kukuhlaziywa koxabiso lwabathile ngokuphathelele ulwalamano lukaSirayeli noYehova. Ngenxa yoko, sifunda oku: “Lo uya kuthi: ‘NdingokaYehova.’ Aze lowa azibize ngegama likaYakobi, yaye omnye uya kubhala oku esandleni sakhe: ‘OkaYehova.’ Omnye uya kuzithiya ngegama likaSirayeli.” (Isaya 44:5) Ewe, kuya kuba luzuko ukuthwala igama likaYehova, kuba uya kubonakala engokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso.

Ukucelw’ Umngeni Koothixo

7, 8. UYehova ubacel’ umngeni njani oothixo beentlanga?

⁷ Phantsi koMthetho kaMoses, umhlawuleli—ngokuqhelekileyo owayeyindoda esisalamane—wayenokumthenga umntu aphume ebukhobokeni. (Levitikus 25:47-54; Rute 2:20) Ngoku uYehova uzichaza njengoMhlawuleli kaSirayeli—oza kulukhulula olo hlanga, nto leyo eza kuyihlazisa iBhabhiloni nabo bonke oothixo bayo. (Yeremiya 50:34) Ubacel’ umngeni oothixo bobuxoki nabanquli babo, esithi: “Utsho uYehova, uKumkani kaSirayeli noMhlawuleli wakhe, uYehova wemikhosi, ukuthi, ‘Ndingowokuqala, ndikwangowokugqibela, yaye akukho Thixo ngaphandle kwam. Ngubani na onjengam?  Makamemeze, ukuze akuxele oko aze akwazise kum. Ukususela ekumiseleni kwam abantu kwakudala, mabaxele bona izinto ezizayo nezinto eziya kungena. Musani ukunkwantya, yaye musani ukubamba ongezantsi. Andikhange na ukususela ngelo xesha ndinivise ndaza ndanixelela oko? Kwaye ningamangqina am. Ukho na omnye uThixo ngaphandle kwam? Hayi, akukho Liwa. Akukho ndiliqondayo mna.’”—Isaya 44:6-8.

⁸ UYehova ubacel’ umngeni oothixo ukuba bangqine ibango labo. Bayakwazi na ukuchaza iziganeko ezingekenzeki ngokuchane ngqo ngokungathi sele zisenzeka? Kuphela ‘ngowokuqala nowokugqibela’ onokwenjenjalo, lowo ubekho ngaphambi kwabo bonke oothixo bobuxoki noya kuqhubeka ekho emva kokuba bengasekho yaye belityelwe. Abantu bakhe abanasizathu sakoyika ukuyingqina le nyaniso, ekubeni bexhaswa nguYehova, owomelele njengeliwa elikhulu!—Duteronomi 32:4; 2 Samuweli 22:31, 32.

Amampunge Okunqula Imifanekiso Eqingqiweyo

9. Ngaba kwakuphosakele ngamaSirayeli ukwenza naluphi na uhlobo lomfanekiso oqingqiweyo wento ephilayo? Cacisa.

⁹ Ukubacel’ umngeni kukaYehova oothixo bobuxoki kusikhumbuza ngomyalelo wesibini kwimiYalelo Elishumi. Loo myalelo utsho ngokucacileyo ukuthi: “Uze ungazenzeli umfanekiso oqingqiweyo okanye imbonakalo yayo nantoni na esemazulwini phezulu okanye esemhlabeni phantsi okanye esemanzini phantsi komhlaba. Uze ungaqubudi kuzo okanye uqhutyelwe ekuzikhonzeni.” (Eksodus 20:4, 5) Kambe ke, oku kwakungawaleli amaSirayeli ukuba angenzi imifanekiso yokuhombisa. UYehova ngokwakhe wayalela ukuba kwenziwe imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yezityalo, eyezilwanyana, neyeekherubhi ize ibekwe emnqubeni. (Eksodus 25:18; 26:31) Noko ke, le mifanekiso iqingqiweyo yayingenzelwanga ukuba ihlonelwe okanye inqulwe. Akukho  bani wayemele athandaze okanye abingelele kuyo. Umyalelo ophefumlelweyo wobuthixo wakuthintela nakuphi na ukwenziwa kwemifanekiso eqingqiweyo ngenjongo yokuba inqulwe. Ukunqula imifanekiso eqingqiweyo okanye ukuqubuda kuyo kulunqulo-zithixo.—1 Yohane 5:21.

10, 11. Kutheni uYehova eyigqala njengehlazo imifanekiso eqingqiweyo?

¹⁰ Ngoku uIsaya uchaza ukuba lilize kwemifanekiso eqingqiweyo engaphiliyo nehlazo eliza kwehlela abo bayenzayo, esithi: “Abayili bemifanekiso eqingqiweyo bonke abayonto yokwenene, nezinto zabo ezithandekayo aziyi kuba yingenelo; njengamangqina abo aziboni nto yaye azazi nto, ukuze zibe neentloni. Ngubani na oyile uthixo okanye otyhide umfanekiso oqingqiweyo? Akubanga yingenelo konke konke oko. Khangela! Onke amaqabane akhe aya kuba neentloni, neengcibi zingabantu basemhlabeni. Bonke baya kuqokelelana ndawonye. Baya kuma ngxi. Baya kunkwantya. Kwangaxeshanye baya kuba neentloni.”—Isaya 44:9-11.

¹¹ Kutheni uThixo eyigqala le mifanekiso iqingqiweyo njengelihlazo ngolu hlobo? Okokuqala, akunakwenzeka ukuba uSomandla amelwe ngokuchanileyo zizinto eziphathekayo. (IZenzo 17:29) Ngaphezu koko, ukunqula into edaliweyo endaweni yoMdali kukubudelela ubuThixo bukaYehova. Yaye ngaba eneneni oko akumthobi sidima na umntu, owadalwa “ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo”?—Genesis 1:27; Roma 1:23, 25.

12, 13. Kutheni umntu engenakwenza nawuphi na umfanekiso oqingqiweyo okufanelekeleyo ukunqulwa?

¹² Ngaba into ephathekayo inokuba ngcwele ngenxa nje yokuba yenzelwe ukuba inqulwe? UIsaya usikhumbuza ukuba ukwenza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kungamabhongo nje abantu. Izixhobo nobugcisa obusetyenziswa ngumenzi womfanekiso oqingqiweyo buyafana nobo bayo nayiphi na enye ingcibi: “Umkroli wentsimbi onenkxola uyisebenza ngamalahle;  ayibumbe ngezando, nangengalo yakhe enamandla. Uthi ke alambe, aphelelwe ngamandla. Anxanwe, adinwe. Yena ke umkroli womthi, wolule ulutya lokulinganisa; wenza isazobe ngechitywa; usisebenza ngesixhobo sokuchwela; yaye wenza isazobe ngekhampasi, aze asenze sibe njengembonakaliso yomntu, njengobuhle boluntu, ukuze sihlale endlwini.”—Isaya 44:12, 13.

¹³ UThixo wokwenyaniso wenza zonke izidalwa eziphilayo kulo mhlaba, kuquka umntu. Ukufaka kukaYehova iimvakalelo kwizinto eziphilayo kububungqina bobuThixo bakhe, kodwa ke, yonke into ayidalileyo uYehova ingaphantsi kwakhe. Ebengakwazi njani na ke yena umntu ukwenza bhetele kunoko? Ebengakwazi njani ukwenza into eyongamileyo kunaye—eyongame ngohlobo lokuba kufuneke azinikele kuyo? Xa umntu esenza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, uyadinwa, alambe, aze anxanwe. Oku kungenxa yobuthathaka bomntu, kodwa ke noko kubonisa ukuba umntu uyaphila. Umfanekiso oqingqiweyo awenzayo usenokukhangeleka njengomntu. Usenokude ube mhle. Kodwa awuphili. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo ayinabo kwaphela ubuthixo. Ngapha koko, akukho mfanekiso uqingqiweyo wakha “wawa uvela ezulwini,” njengobungqina bokuba uvela kumthombo ongaphezu komntu ofayo.—IZenzo 19:35.

14. Abenzi bemifanekiso eqingqiweyo baxhomekeke njani ngokupheleleyo kuYehova?

¹⁴ UIsaya uhlabela mgama ebonisa ukuba abenzi bemifanekiso eqingqiweyo baxhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kwinkqubo yemvelo nakwizinto azidalileyo uYehova, esithi: “Kukho lowo unomsebenzi wokugawula imisedare; yena uthabatha iintlobo ezithile zemithi, wona kanye umthi oxandileyo, yaye uyawuyeka womelele phakathi kwemithi yehlathi. Utyala umthi womlowureli, ize imvula iwukhulise. Usetyenziselwa ukubasa umlilo. Ngoko uthabatha inxalenye yawo ukuze othe. Ubasa ngawo umlilo aze abhake isonka. Kanti  kwangawo wenza uthixo aze aqubude kuye. Wenza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, aqubude kuwo. Isiqingatha sawo usitshisa emlilweni. Kwisiqingatha sawo wosa kakuhle inyama ayityayo, aze anele. Uyotha aze athi: ‘Heke! Ndothile. Ndibone ukukhanya komlilo.’ Kodwa okuseleyo kuwo wenza ngako uthixo, umfanekiso wakhe oqingqiweyo. Uqubuda kuwo aze athobe athandaze kuwo athi: ‘Ndihlangule, kuba unguthixo wam.’”—Isaya 44:14-17.

15. Kukuphi ukuswela ukuqonda ngokupheleleyo anako umenzi wemifanekiso eqingqiweyo?

¹⁵ Ngaba isigodo somthi esingabaswanga sinokumhlangula umntu? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo. NguThixo wokwenyaniso kuphela onokuhlangula. Bangathini ke abantu ukunqula izinto ezingaphiliyo? UIsaya ubonisa ukuba ingxaki isentliziyweni yomntu, esithi: “Abazi, bengaqondi, ngenxa yokuba amehlo abo avingciwe khon’ ukuze bangaboni, nentliziyo yabo khon’ ukuze bangabi nangqiqo. Yaye akukho bani ukhumbulayo entliziyweni yakhe okanye onolwazi okanye ukuqonda, esithi: ‘Isiqingatha sawo ndisitshise emlilweni, nasemalahleni awo ndibhake isonka; ndosa inyama ndaza ndatya. Kodwa ngenxalenye eseleyo kuwo ndiya kwenza into ecekisekayo na? Ndiya kuqubuda elukhunini olomisiweyo lomthi na?’ Udla uthuthu. Intliziyo yakhe ekhohlisiweyo imlahlekisile. Yaye akawuhlanguli umphefumlo wakhe, engatsho nokuthi: ‘Akukho buxoki na esandleni sam sokunene?’” (Isaya 44:18-20) Ewe, ukuqiqa ngelithi ukunqula izithixo kunokunceda ngokomoya kufana nokudla uthuthu endaweni yokutya okunesondlo.

16. Lwaqala njani unqulo-zithixo, yaye lubangelwa yintoni?

¹⁶ Eneneni unqulo-zithixo lwaqalisa emazulwini xa isidalwa somoya esinamandla esaba nguSathana sabawela unqulo olwalufanele lunikwe uYehova kuphela. Lo mnqweno kaSathana wawunamandla kangangokuba wamahlukanisa noThixo. Ngokwenene oko kwakusisiqalo sonqulo-zithixo, ekubeni  umpostile uPawulos wathi ukubawa kuyafana nonqulo-zithixo. (Isaya 14:12-14; Hezekile 28:13-15, 17; Kolose 3:5) USathana walukuhlela isibini sokuqala esingabantu ekubeni neengcinga zokuzingca. UEva wakubawela oko wayekuthenjiswa nguSathana, esithi: “Aya kuvuleka amehlo enu nize nibe njengoThixo, nazi okulungileyo nokubi.” UYesu wathi ukubawa kuphuma entliziyweni. (Genesis 3:5; Marko 7:20-23) Unqulo-zithixo lubangelwa kukonakala kweentliziyo. Ngoko, hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba sonke ‘silondoloze iintliziyo zethu,’ singavumeli nabani na okanye nantoni na ukuba ithabathele uYehova indawo ezintliziyweni zethu!—IMizekeliso 4:23; Yakobi 1:14.

UYehova Ubabongoza Ukuba Baguqule Iintliziyo Zabo

17. Yintoni uSirayeli amele ayikhumbule?

¹⁷ Ngoku uYehova ubongoza amaSirayeli ukuba akhumbule ukuba anelungelo elikhethekileyo yaye anembopheleleko. Angamangqina akhe! Uthi: “Khumbula ezi zinto, Yakobi, nawe, Sirayeli, ngenxa yokuba ungumkhonzi wam. Ndikuyilile. Ungumkhonzi wam. Sirayeli, akuyi kulibaleka kum. Ndiza kukususa ukunxaxha kwakho njengelifu, nezono zakho njengengqimba yelifu. Buyela kum, kuba ndiya kukuhlawulela. Memelelani ngovuyo, nina mazulu, kuba uYehova uthabathe inyathelo! Dumani ngoloyiso, nina mimandla iyeyona isemazantsi omhlaba! Chwayitani, nina zintaba nimemelela ngovuyo, wena hlathi nani mithi ekulo! Kuba uYehova umhlawulele uYakobi, nakuSirayeli ubonakalisa ubuhle bakhe.”—Isaya 44:21-23.

18. (a) Kutheni uSirayeli enesizathu sokuvuya? (b) Abakhonzi bakaYehova banokuyixelisa njani inceba yakhe namhlanje?

¹⁸ UYehova akazange ayilwe nguSirayeli. Akangothixo owenziwe ngabantu. Kunoko, nguYehova owayila uSirayeli waba ngumkhonzi wakhe onyuliweyo. Yaye kwakhona uza kubungqina ubuThixo bakhe xa eluhlangula olo hlanga. Uthetha  ngothantamiso nabantu bakhe, ebaqinisekisa ukuthi ukuba bayaguquka, uza kuzixolela ngokupheleleyo izono zabo, akufihle ukunxaxha kwabo ngokungathi kugqunywe ziingqimba zamafu. Oko kumele kumvuyise ngokwenene uSirayeli! Lo mzekelo omhle awumiselayo uYehova ushukumisela abakhonzi bakhe banamhlanje ukuba nabo bamxelise ekubonakaliseni inceba. Banokwenjenjalo ngokufuna ukunceda abo banxaxhayo—bazame ukubahlaziya ngokomoya ukuba kunokwenzeka.—Galati 6:1, 2.

Incopho Yovavanyo LobuThixo

19, 20. (a) UYehova ufikelela njani encotsheni yetyala alichopheleyo? (b) Ziziphi izinto ezifudumez’ intliziyo uYehova aziprofetayo ngabantu bakhe, yaye ngubani aza kumsebenzisa njengommeli wokuzisa ezi zinto?

¹⁹ Ngoku uYehova ufikelela encotsheni yengxoxo yakhe yasemthethweni. Kufike ithuba lokuba anikele impendulo kolu vavanyo luqatha lobuThixo—olubandakanya amandla okukwazi ukulixela kwangaphambili ikamva ngokuchanileyo. Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile wazibiza iindinyana ezintlanu ezilandelayo zikaIsaya isahluko 44 ngokuthi “ngumbongo ochaza ukongama kukaThixo kaSirayeli,” okuphela koMdali, nokuphela koMtyhili wekamva nolithemba lokuhlangulwa kukaSirayeli. Le ngxelo iya iyondelelana ngokuyondelelana de ifikelele encotsheni ngokuthi iyibize ngegama indoda eyayiza kukhulula olo hlanga eBhabhiloni.

²⁰ “Utsho uYehova, uMhlawuleli wakho noMyili wakho kwasesiswini, ukuthi: ‘Mna, Yehova, ndenza yonk’ into, ndolula amazulu ngokwam, nditwabulula umhlaba. Ngubani na owayekunye nam? Nditshitshisa imiqondiso yabo bantetho ililize, yaye ndinguLowo uphambanisa abavumisi; Lowo ubuyisela abantu abazizilumko emva, naLowo uguqulela kwanolwazi lwazo ekubeni bubudenge; Lowo wenza ilizwi lomkhonzi wakhe libe yinyaniso, naLowo uphumeza ngokupheleleyo icebo labathunywa bakhe; Lowo uthi ngeYerusalem,  ‘Iya kumiwa,’ nothi ngezixeko zakwaYuda, ‘Ziya kubuya zakhiwe, neendawo zakhe eziphanzileyo ndiya kuzivusa’; Lowo uthi emanzini anzongonzongo, ‘Yibani ngumphunga; nemilambo yakho yonke ndiya kuyomisa’; Lowo uthi kuKoreshi, ‘Ngumalusi wam, yaye konke oko ndiyoliswa kuko uya kukuphumeza ngokupheleleyo’; athi ngeYerusalem, ‘Iya kubuya yakhiwe,’ nangetempile, ‘Siya kubekwa isiseko sakho.”’”—Isaya 44:24-28.

21. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esinikelwa ngamazwi kaYehova?

²¹ Ewe, uYehova akapheleli nje ekubeni namandla okuxela iziganeko zekamva kwangaphambili kodwa ukwanawo namandla okuyiphumeza ngokupheleleyo injongo yakhe. Esi sibhengezo siza kuba ngumthombo wethemba kuSirayeli. Iqinisekile into yokuba nangona imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni iza kuliphanzisa ilizwe, kodwa iYerusalem nezixeko eziphantsi kwayo ziza kuvuswa kwakhona luze nonqulo lokwenyaniso lumiselwe kwakhona apho. Kodwa kuza kwenzeka njani oku?

22. Chaza indlela owaba ngumphunga ngayo uMlambo umEfrate.

²² Abakhafuli abangaphefumlelwanga abadli ngakuba nabuganga bokuchaza izibakala xa bexela iziganeko zexesha elizayo ngokoyikela ukubhenceka bengamaxoki. Ngokwahlukileyo, yena uYehova, esebenzisa uIsaya, ude achaze nkqu igama lalowo aza kumsebenzisa ukukhulula abantu bakhe ekuthinjweni ukuze bakwazi ukubuyela ekhaya baze bayakhe kwakhona iYerusalem netempile. Igama lakhe nguKoreshi, yaye waziwa njengoKoreshi Omkhulu wasePersi. UYehova unikela kwaneenkcukacha zecebo uKoreshi aza kulisebenzisa ukuze angene eBhabhiloni nakubeni yayikhuseleke ngeyona ndlela. IBhabhiloni iza kube ikhuselwe ziindonga eziphakamileyo nayimijelokazi yamanzi ephumela nejikeleze eso sixeko. UKoreshi uza kuvula ikroba ngokuthi ajike indlela yokuhamba koMlambo umEfrate, ongumthombo waloo mijelokazi yamanzi. Ngokutsho kwababhali-mbali  bamandulo uHerodotus noXenophon, uKoreshi wayijika indlela yokuhamba kwamanzi omEfrate, kummandla osemantla kweBhabhiloni, de wawutha ngokwaneleyo umlambo ukuze amajoni akhe akwazi ukungena ngawo. Ngoko umEfrate omkhulu waba ngumphunga, awakwazi ukuyikhusela iBhabhiloni.

23. Yiyiphi ingxelo ekhoyo engokuzaliseka kwesiprofeto sokuba uKoreshi wayeza kumkhulula uSirayeli?

²³ Kuthekani ngesithembiso sokuba uKoreshi uza kubakhulula abantu bakaThixo aze aqinisekise ukuba iYerusalem netempile ziyakhiwa kwakhona? IBhayibhile ichaza isibhengezo sasemthethweni esenziwa nguKoreshi ngokwakhe, esithi: “Utsho uKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi ukuthi, ‘Zonke izikumkani zomhlaba uYehova uThixo wamazulu uzinike mna, yaye undimisele ukuba ndimakhele indlu eYerusalem, ekwaYuda. Nabani na ophakathi kwenu ebantwini bakhe bonke, wanga uThixo wakhe anganaye. Ngoko makenyuke aye eYerusalem, ekwaYuda, aze abuye akhe indlu kaYehova uThixo kaSirayeli—unguThixo oyinyaniso—eyayiseYerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:2, 3) Ilizwi likaYehova elivakaliswe nguIsaya lizaliseka ngokupheleleyo!

UIsaya, UKoreshi NamaKristu Namhlanje

24. Ukukhutshwa komyalelo ka-Artashashta wokuba “ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona iYerusalem” kuhlobene njani nokuza kukaMesiya?

²⁴ Isahluko sama-44 sikaIsaya sibalaselisa uYehova njengokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso noMhlanguli wabantu bakhe bamandulo. Ngaphezu koko, esi siprofeto sinentsingiselo enzulu kuthi sonke namhlanje. Umyalelo kaKoreshi wokuba iphinde yakhiwe itempile yaseYerusalem, owakhutshwa ngowama-538/537 B.C.E., waba sisiqalo seziganeko ezakhokelela ekuzalisekeni kwesinye isiprofeto esiphawulekayo. Lo myalelo kaKoreshi walandelwa ngomnye owakhutshwa ngumlawuli owalandelayo, uArtashashta, owayalela ukuba siphinde sakhiwe isixeko saseYerusalem. Incwadi kaDaniyeli yatyhila  ukuba “ukususela ekuphumeni kwelizwi lokuba ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona iYerusalem [ngowama-455 B.C.E.] kude kuse kuMesiya iNkokeli,” iya kuba “ziiveki” ezingama-69, nganye kuzo iyiminyaka esi-7. (Daniyeli 9:24, 25) Naso esi siprofeto sazaliseka. Kanye ngexesha elifanelekileyo ngonyaka wama-29 C.E., kwiminyaka engama-483 emva kokuphunyezwa komyalelo ka-Artashashta kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uYesu wabhaptizwa waza waqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni. a

25. Ukutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni nguKoreshi kufanekisela ntoni kwixesha lethu?

 ²⁵ Ukukhululwa kwamaYuda anyanisekileyo ekuthinjweni, okwabangelwa kukuwa kweBhabhiloni, kwakufanekisela ukukhululwa kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo ngowe-1919 ekuthinjweni kokomoya. Oko kukhululwa kwakububungqina bokuba iwile iBhabhiloni, echazwe njengehenyukazi, iBhabhiloni Enkulu—efuzisela zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki zehlabathi. Njengoko kuchazwe encwadini yeSityhilelo, umpostile uYohane wakubona kwangaphambili ukuwa kwayo. (ISityhilelo 14:8) Wakubona kwangaphambili nokutshatyalaliswa kwayo ngequbuliso. Indlela uYohane akuchaza ngayo ukutshatyalaliswa kobo bukhosi behlabathi buzaliswe lunqulo-zithixo iyafana ngandlel’ ithile nendlela uIsaya akuchaza ngayo ukoyisa kukaKoreshi isixeko samandulo saseBhabhiloni. Kanye njengokuba imijelo yamanzi yaseBhabhiloni ingazange ikwazi ukuyikhusela kuKoreshi, ngoko “amanzi” aluluntu oluxhasa nolukhusela iBhabhiloni Enkulu aza ‘kutsha’ ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kwayo ngokusesikweni.—ISityhilelo 16:12. b

26. Isiprofeto sikaIsaya nokuzaliseka kwaso kulomeleza njani ukholo lwethu?

²⁶ Xa sikhangela emva kwixesha lokuchaza kukaIsaya esi siprofeto, kwisithuba seminyaka engaphezu kwamawaka amabini anesiqingatha eyadlulayo, sinokubona ukuba ngokwenene uThixo ‘uliphumeza ngokupheleleyo icebo labathunywa bakhe.’ (Isaya 44:26) Ngoko ke ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto sikaIsaya kungumzekelo osemagqibini wokuba zonke iziprofeto ezikwiZibhalo Ezingcwele zinokuthenjwa.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

 [Umfanekiso okwiphepha 63]

Ngaba isigodo somthi esingabaswanga sinokumhlangula umntu?

 [Umfanekiso okwiphepha 75]

UKoreshi uzalisekisa isiprofeto ngokujika imijelo yamanzi omEfrate