Isahluko Sokuqala

Umprofeti KaThixo Ukhanyisela Uluntu

1, 2. Ziziphi iimeko zanamhlanje ezenza abaninzi baphelelwe lithemba?

 KWELI xesha siphila kulo phantse akukho nto umntu angenakuyenza. Ukhenketha esibhakabhakeni, usebenzisa ubugcisa bekhompyutha, unobugcisa bokujika imizila yemfuza, yaye ukwanabo nobunye ubuchule benzululwazi obuluvulele amathuba amatsha uluntu, nto leyo enik’ ithemba lobomi obuphucuke ngakumbi—mhlawumbi obude ngakumbi.

² Ngaba amalinge anjalo enze ukuba ukwazi ukulala ungatshixanga iingcango? Ngaba asiphelisile isisongelo semfazwe? Ngaba aziphilisile izifo okanye ayishenxisa intlungu yokufelwa ngomthandayo? Unotshe! Inkqubela yabantu, nokuba ingaba semagqabini kangakanani na, isikelwe umda. Ingxelo yeWorldwatch Institute ithi: “Sikhenkethe saya kutsho enyangeni, senza amandla e-elektroniki angakumbi, saza senza noqhaqho-fakelo lwemizila yemfuza. Kodwa asikakwazi ukuvelisela amawaka ezigidi zabantu amanzi acocekileyo, nokuthintela ukutshabalala kwamawakawaka eendidi zezidalwa eziphilayo, kwanokwanelisa iimfuno zethu ngaphandle kokungcolisa umoya.” Ngoko siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba, abaninzi bengenamathemba ngekamva, yaye bengaqinisekanga nalapho bangafumana khona intuthuzelo nethemba.

3. Yayinjani imeko kwaYuda ngenkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo?

³ Imeko esijamelene nayo namhlanje iyafana naleyo yabantu bakaThixo benkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ngelo xesha, uThixo wathuma umkhonzi  wakhe uIsaya ukuba abazisele isigidimi sentuthuzelo abemi bakwaYuda, ibe ke babeyifuna ngokwenene intuthuzelo. Kukho iziganeko ezimaxongo ezaluphazamisa kanobom olo hlanga. Kungekudala uBukhosi baseAsiriya obukhohlakeleyo babuza kulityityimbisel’ umnwe elo lizwe, nto leyo eyayiza kungcungcuthekisa abaninzi. Babenokuphephela phi abantu bakaThixo ukuze basinde? Igama likaYehova lalisemilebeni yabo, kodwa bakhetha ukukholosa ngabantu.—2 Kumkani 16:7; 18:21.

Ukubonakala Kokukhanya Ebumnyameni

4. Sisiphi isigidimi esintlu-mbini uIsaya awathunywa ukuba asivakalise?

⁴ Ngenxa yokuvukela kukaYuda, iYerusalem yayiza kutshatyalaliswa, baze abemi bakwaYuda bathinjelwe eBhabhiloni. Ewe, babeza kufikelwa ngamaxesha obumnyama. UYehova wathuma umprofeti wakhe uIsaya ukuba alichaze kwangaphambili eli xesha lentlekele, kodwa wamyalela nokuba avakalise neendaba ezimnandi. Zona zezokuba emva kweminyaka engama-70, amaYuda ayeza kukhululwa ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni! Intsalela ezaliswe luvuyo yayiza kubuyela eZiyon ize ibe nelungelo lokubuyisela unqulo lokwenyaniso apho. Ngesi sigidimi sivuyisayo awasidlulisela ngomprofeti wakhe, uYehova wenza ukuba kubonakale ukukhanya kobo bumnyama babuwagubungele.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova azityhile kusengaphambili kangaka iinjongo zakhe?

⁵ UYuda waphanziswa emva kwenkulungwane ukususela ekubhaleni kukaIsaya iziprofeto zakhe. Ngoko, kwakutheni ukuze uYehova azityhile iinjongo zakhe kuselithuba elide kangako ngaphambili? Ngethuba lokuzaliseka kwezo ziprofeto ngaba babengayi kuba sekukudala bafayo abo bamvayo uIsaya eprofeta? Kunjalo. Sekunjalo, ngenxa yokuba uYehova wamtyhilela kwangaphambili uIsaya, abo babeza kube bephila ngexesha lokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. babeza kuba nengxelo ebhaliweyo yeziprofeto zikaIsaya. Oku kwakuza kuba bubungqina obungenakuphikiswa bokuba uYehova “uxela ukuphela kwasekuqaleni, kwakudala izinto ebezingekenziwa.”—Isaya 46:10; 55:10, 11.

6. Ziziphi ezinye zeendlela uYehova abalasele ngazo kunabo bonke abantu abaxela iziganeko kwangaphambili?

 ⁶ NguYehova kuphela onamandla okwenjenjalo. Umntu usenokuliqikelela ikamva ngokuhlola ukuba umoya wemeko yezobupolitika nowasekuhlaleni ubheka ngaphi na. Kodwa nguYehova kuphela onokukubona kwangaphambili ngokuqinisekileyo okuza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuba likude kangakanani na. Uyakwazi nokunika abakhonzi bakhe amandla okuxela kwangaphambili ngeziganeko ezingekenzeki. IBhayibhile ithi: “INkosi enguMongami uYehova ayiyi kwenza nto ngaphandle kokuba iwutyhilile umcimbi wayo oyimfihlo kubakhonzi bayo abaprofeti.”—Amosi 3:7.

Bangaphi “OoIsaya”?

7. Abaphengululi abaninzi baye bayithandabuza njani into yokuba le ncwadi yonke yabhalwa nguIsaya, yaye ngoba?

⁷ Imbambano eye yaphakama ngokuphathelele esi siprofeto ibangele ukuba abaphengululi abaninzi bayithandabuze into yokuba le ncwadi yonke yabhalwa nguIsaya. Aba bahlalutyi bami ngelithi inxalenye yokugqibela yale ncwadi imele ukuba yabhalwa ngumntu owayephila ngenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, mhlawumbi ebudeni bokuthinjelwa kwabo eBhabhiloni okanye emva koko. Bayikhaba ngawo omane into yokuba iziprofeto zokuphanziswa kwelakwaYuda zabhalwa kwangaphambili, kunoko bema ngelithi zabhalwa emva kokuzaliseka kwazo. Kwakhona aba bahlalutyi bathi emva kwesahluko 40, incwadi kaIsaya ithetha ngokungathi iBhabhiloni yayiligunya elongamileyo yaye amaSirayeli ayengabathinjwa apho. Ngoko baqiqa ngelithi lowo wabhala inxalenye yokugqibela kaIsaya umele ukuba wayibhala ebudeni belo xesha—ebudeni benkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ngaba kukho isizathu esivakalayo sokuqiqa okunjalo? Ngokuqinisekileyo asikho!

8. Kwaqala nini ukuthandatyuzwa kokubhalwa kwale ncwadi nguIsaya, yaye kwanda njani?

⁸ Oku kuthandatyuzwa kokubhalwa kwale ncwadi nguIsaya kuqale ukuvela ngenkulungwane ye-12 yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo.  Unobangela wako konke oku yayingumhlalutyi ongumYuda uAbraham Ibn Ezra. IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Ekugqabazeni kwakhe ngencwadi kaIsaya, [uAbraham Ibn Ezra] uthi inxalenye yesibini, esusela kwisahluko 40, yabhalwa ngumprofeti owayephila ebudeni bokuThinjwa kwaseBhabhiloni de kwasekuqaleni kokuBuyela eZiyon.” Ebudeni benkulungwane ye-18 neye-19, iingcamango zikaIbn Ezra zamkelwa ngabaphengululi abaliqela, kuquka uJohann Christoph Doederlein, umfundi wezakwalizwi waseJamani owathi ngowe-1775 wapapasha incwadi yakhe enenkcazelo ngoIsaya, waza wapapasha uhlelo lwayo lwesibini ngowe-1789. INew Century Bible Commentary ithi: “Bonke abaphengululi ngaphandle kwabo basadla ngendeb’ endala bayazamkela izibakala ezandlalwa nguDoederlein . . . zokuba iziprofeto ezikwizahluko 40-66 zencwadi kaIsaya azibhalwanga ngumprofeti uIsaya wenkulungwane yesibhozo kodwa zezasemva koko.”

9. (a) Iye yahlalutywa njani incwadi kaIsaya? (b) Omnye umhlalutyi weBhayibhile uyishwankathela njani impikiswano engokubhalwa kwencwadi kaIsaya?

⁹ Noko ke, la mathandabuzo ngokuphathelele ukubhalwa kwencwadi kaIsaya akazange aphelele apho. Le ngcamango yokuba kukho uIsaya wesibini yaba ngunozala wembono yokuba kusenokuba kukho nomntu wesithathu owayebandakanyekile ekubhalweni kwale ncwadi. a Ngoko ke yahlalutywa ngakumbi incwadi kaIsaya, kangangokuba omnye umphengululi wathi isahluko 15 nese-16 zabhalwa ngumprofeti othile ongaziwayo, kanti omnye yena wada wayithandabuza nento yokuba isahluko 23 ukusa kwesama-27 zabhalwa nguye. Bakwakho nabangqisha phantsi besithi akunakwenzeka ukuba isahluko 34 nesama-35 zibe zabhalwa nguIsaya. Ngoba? Kuba zinombandela ofanayo nalowo ukwisahluko 40 ukusa kwesama-66, ekusele kugqityiwe ukuba zabhalwa mntu wumbi ongenguye uIsaya wenkulungwane yesibhozo! Umhlalutyi weBhayibhile uCharles C. Torrey uhlab’ emhloleni ekuyishwankatheleni  kwakhe imiphumo yezi ngcamango. Uthi: “‘UmProfeti omkhulu wexesha lokuThinjwa,’ uye wathotywa isidima, wanyamalala kwezo ziqwenga zamaphepha encwadi yakhe.” Phofu ke, asingabo bonke abaphengululi abavumelanayo noko kuhlalutywa kwencwadi kaIsaya.

Ubungqina Bokuba Inombhali Omnye

10. Chaza umzekelo ube mnye obonisa indlela ukusetyenziswa kwamabinzana afanayo okunikela ngayo ubungqina bokuba incwadi kaIsaya inombhali omnye.

¹⁰ Kukho ubungqina obunamandla obuxhasa ukuba incwadi kaIsaya yabhalwa ngumbhali omnye kuphela. Obunye ubungqina bobokuba isebenzisa amabinzana afanayo. Ngokomzekelo, ibinzana elithi “Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli” lifumaneka izihlandlo ezili-12 kuIsaya isahluko 1 ukusa kwesama-39 nezihlandlo ezili-13 kuIsaya isahluko 40 ukusa kwesama-66,  kanti uYehova uchazwa ngale ndlela izihlandlo ezi-6 kuphela kuzo zonke ezinye iinxalenye zeZibhalo zesiHebhere. Ukuphindaphindwa kweli binzana lingaqhelanga kusetyenziswa kububungqina bokuba mnye umbhali wencwadi kaIsaya.

11. Kukuphi ukufana okukhoyo kwisahluko 1 ukusa kwesama-39 nesahluko 40 ukusa kwesama-66 zikaIsaya?

¹¹ Zikwakho nezinye iindlela afana ngazo uIsaya isahluko 1 ukusa kwesama-39 kunye nesahluko 40 ukusa kwesama-66. Zombini ezi nxalenye zisebenzisa isigaba sentetho esifanayo esikhethekileyo, njengokuthi umfazi onenimba nokuthi “indlela” okanye “uhola wendlela.” b Zikwasebenzisa kakhulu negama elithi “iZiyon,” elivela izihlandlo ezingama-29 kwisahluko 1 ukusa kwesama-39 nezihlandlo ezili-18 kwisahluko 40 ukusa kwesama-66. Eneneni, kuthethwa kakhulu ngeZiyon kuIsaya kunayo nayiphi na enye incwadi yeBhayibhile! Ubungqina obunjalo, ngokutsho kweThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “buyenza le ncwadi ibe nesimbo esikhethekileyo, nto leyo ebingenakwenzeka” ukuba ibibhalwe ngababhali ababini, okanye abathathu, nangakumbi.

12, 13. IZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike zibonisa njani ukuba incwadi kaIsaya yayinombhali omnye?

¹² Obona bungqina bunamandla bokuba incwadi kaIsaya yayinombhali omnye kuphela bufumaneka kwiZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Zibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayekholelwa ukuba incwadi kaIsaya yayinombhali omnye. Ngokomzekelo, uLuka uthetha ngegosa laseTiyopiya elalifunda inxalenye ngoku efumaneka kuIsaya isahluko 53, nxalenye leyo kanye abahlalutyi banamhlanje abathi yabhalwa nguIsaya Wesibini. Noko ke, uLuka yena uthi lo mTiyopiya ‘wayefunda ngokuvakalayo umprofeti uIsaya.’—IZenzo 8:26-28.

¹³ Phinda uqwalasele oko kutshiwo ngumbhali wencwadi yeVangeli uMateyu, ochaza indlela ubulungiseleli bukaYohane  umBhaptizi obawazalisekisa ngayo amazwi esiprofeto afumaneka kuIsaya 40:3. UMateyu uthi sabhalwa ngubani eso siprofeto? Ngaba uthi nguIsaya Wesibini ongaziwayo? Akunjalo, kunoko uthi umbhali waso ‘nguIsaya umprofeti.’ c (Mateyu 3:1-3) Ngesinye isihlandlo, uYesu wafunda umsongo owawunamazwi ngoku afumaneka kuIsaya 61:1, 2. Xa echaza le ngxelo, uLuka uthi: “Wanikwa umsongo womprofeti uIsaya.” (Luka 4:17) Kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseRoma, uPawulos ubhekisela kwinxalenye yokuqala neyokugqibela kaIsaya, yaye akukho kwanto ayithethayo ebonisa ukuba kwakukho omnye umbhali  ngaphandle kukaIsaya. (Roma 10:16, 20; 15:12) Ngokucacileyo, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayengakholelwa ukuba incwadi kaIsaya yabhalwa ngabantu ababini, okanye abathathu, nangakumbi.

14. ImiSongo Yolwandle Olufileyo ikukhanyisa njani ukuba nombhali omnye kwencwadi kaIsaya?

¹⁴ Kwakhona, qwalasela ubungqina obufumaneka kwimiSongo Yolwandle Olufileyo—engamaxwebhu amandulo, amanye awo asusela kwixesha elingaphambi kwelikaYesu. Omnye umbhalo-ngqangi kaIsaya, owaziwa njengomSongo kaIsaya, ngowenkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, yaye uyikhaba ngawo omane imbono yabahlalutyi yokuba isahluko  40 sabhalwa nguIsaya Wesibini. Ukwenza njani oko? Kolu xwebhu lwamandulo, isivakalisi sokuqala soko sikwazi ngoku njengesahluko 40 siqalisa kumgca wokugqibela womhlathi wesahluko esandulela eso, size sigqityezelwe kumhlathi olandelayo. Kucacile ukuba umkhupheli wayengazi nto ngokutshintsha kombhali okanye ngokwahlukaniswa kwale ncwadi kuloo ndawo.

15. Uthini umbhali-mbhali ongumYuda wenkulungwane yokuqala uFlavius Josephus ngeziprofeto zikaIsaya eziphathelele uKoreshi?

¹⁵ Okokugqibela, qwalasela ubungqina bombhali-mbhali ongumYuda wenkulungwane yokuqala uFlavius Josephus. Akaneli nje ngokuthi iziprofeto ezikuIsaya eziphathelele uKoreshi  zabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kodwa ukwathi uKoreshi wayezazi ezi ziprofeto. UJosephus ubhala athi: “UKoreshi wazazi ezi zinto ngokuzifunda encwadini yesiprofeto eyashiywa nguIsaya ngasemva kwiminyaka engamakhulu amabini aneshumi eyadlulayo.” Ngokutsho kukaJosephus, ukwazi kukaKoreshi ngezi ziprofeto kusenokuba kuko okwamshukumisela ekubeni awavumele amaYuda abuyele ezweni lawo, kuba uJosephus ubhala athi uKoreshi “washukunyiswa ngumnqweno obukhali nangamabhongo okufuna ukwenza oko kwakubhaliwe.”—IJewish Antiquities, Umqulu XI, isahluko 1, isiqendu 2.

16. Kunokuthiwani ngebango labahlalutyi lokuba iBhabhiloni ichazwa kwinxalenye yokugqibela kaIsaya njengegunya elongamileyo?

¹⁶ Njengoko kuboniswe ngaphambilana, abahlalutyi abaninzi bami ngelithi ukususela kuIsaya isahluko 40 ukusa phambili, iBhabhiloni ichazwa njengegunya elongamileyo, namaSirayeli kuthethwa ngawo njengasele esekuthinjweni kakade. Ngaba oko akubonisi ukuba umbhali wayephila ebudeni benkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo? Akunjalo. Inyani ikukuba kwanangaphambi kwesahluko 40 sikaIsaya, iBhabhiloni maxa wambi kubhekiselwa kuyo njengegunya elongamileyo lehlabathi. Ngokomzekelo, kuIsaya 13:19, iBhabhiloni ibizwa ngokuba ‘ngumhombiso wezikumkani’ okanye, “elona gunya libalaseleyo kunawo onke,” ngokutsho kweToday’s English Version. Ngokucacileyo la ngamazwi esiprofeto, ekubeni iBhabhiloni ingazange ibe ligunya lehlabathi de kwasemva kwenkulungwane kamva. Omnye umhlalutyi “uyicombulula” le ngxaki, ngabula yena, ngokusuka nje athi uIsaya 13 wabhalwa mntu wumbi! Phofu ke kona, iqhelekile eziprofetweni zeBhayibhile into yokuthetha ngeziganeko zexesha elizayo ngokungathi sele zenzekile. Esi sakhono sokubhala siqinisekisa ukuba nakanjani na isiprofeto siza kuzaliseka. (ISityhilelo 21:5, 6) Eneneni, nguThixo wesiprofeto sokwenyaniso kuphela onokuthi: “Ndixela izinto ezintsha. Phambi kokuba ziqalise ukuntshula, ndinivisa zona.”—Isaya 42:9.

 Incwadi Enesiprofeto Esinokuthenjwa

17. Kunokuchazwa njani ukutshintsha kwesimbo sokubhala ukususela kuIsaya isahluko 40 ukusa phambili?

¹⁷ Ngoko ubungqina busikhokelela kwisiphi isigqibo? Kwisigqibo sokuba incwadi kaIsaya yabhalwa ngumbhali omnye ophefumlelweyo. Ebudeni beenkulungwane le ncwadi yonke ibikade iyincwadi enye, kungekhona ezimbini okanye ezingakumbi. Enyanisweni, abanye basenokuthi isimbo sokubhala sencwadi kaIsaya siyatshintsha ngandlel’ ithile ukususela kwisahluko 40 ukusa phambili. Kaloku, khumbula ukuba uIsaya wakhonza njengomprofeti kaThixo ithuba elimalunga neminyaka engama-46. Ilindelekile into yokuba ebudeni belo xesha sitshintshe isigidimi sakhe, kwanendlela asivakalisa ngayo. Eneneni, uThixo akamthumanga nje kuphela uIsaya ukuba adlulisele izilumkiso zomgwebo oqatha. Wayemele adlulisele kwanamazwi kaYehova athi: “Thuthuzelani, thuthuzelani abantu bam.” (Isaya 40:1) Ngokwenene sasiya kubathuthuzela abantu bakaThixo bomnqophiso isithembiso sokuba, emva kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthinjwa, amaYuda ayeza kubuyiselwa ezweni lawo.

18. Nguwuphi umxholo wencwadi kaIsaya oza kuxutyushwa kule mpapasho?

¹⁸ Ukukhululwa kwamaYuda ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabhiloni kungumxholo wezahluko ezininzi zikaIsaya ezixutyushwe kule ncwadi. d Ezininzi zezi ziprofeto zizaliseka kumhla wethu, njengoko siza kubona. Ukongezelela, encwadini kaIsaya sifumana iziprofeto ezibangel’ umdla ezazaliseka kubomi—nasekufeni—koNyana kaThixo okuphela kwamzeleyo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukufundisisa ezi ziprofeto zibalulekileyo zisencwadini kaIsaya kuya kuba yingenelo kubakhonzi bakaThixo nakwabanye emhlabeni wonke. Eneneni, ezi ziprofeto zilukhanyiselo lwalo lonke uluntu.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 9]

Ubungqina Kwizifundo Zophando Ngolwimi

Izifundo zophando ngolwimi—eziphanda imizila yokutshintsha kolwimi emva kweminyaka emininzi—zinikela ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba incwadi kaIsaya inombhali omnye. Ukuba inxalenye kaIsaya yayibhalwe ngenkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo yaza enye inxalenye yabhalwa kwiminyaka engama-200 kamva, kufanele kubekho umahluko kuhlobo lwesiHebhere esisetyenzisiweyo kwinxalenye nganye. Kodwa ngokohlolisiso olupapashwe kwiWestminster Theological Journal, “ubungqina obunikelwa zizifundo zophando ngolwimi buyixhasa ngokupheleleyo imbono yokuba uIsaya 40-66 wabhalwa ngaphambi kwexesha lokuthinjwa.” Umbhali wolu hlolisiso uqukumbela ngelithi: “Ukuba abaphengululi abagxekayo bayaqhubeka nebango labo lokuba uIsaya wabhalwa ebudeni bexesha lokuthinjwa okanye emva koko, mabayazi mhlophe into yokuba bayaphikisana nobungqina obunikelwa zizifundo zophando ngolwimi.”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]

Inxalenye yemiSongo Yolwandle Olufileyo kaIsaya. Ukuphela kwesahluko 39 kuboniswe ngentloko yotolo

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12, 13]

Malunga nama-200 eminyaka ngaphambili, uIsaya uchaza ngokukhululeka kwamaYuda