Isahluko Sesibhozo

Unqulo Lobuxoki—Ukubonwa Kwangaphambili Kwesiphelo Salo Esoyikekayo

Isaya 47:1-15

1, 2. (a) Kutheni abanye bekubona kuyinto engenakwenzeka ukuba kungekudala kuza kubakho inguqulelo ephawulekayo kwimeko-bume yonqulo lwehlabathi? (b) Sazi njani ukuba amazwi akuIsaya isahluko 47 aza kuzaliseka kwixesha elizayo? (c) Kutheni kufanelekile nje ukubizwa kwalo lonke unqulo lobuxoki ngokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu’?

 “UNQULO Luthathisa Ngamandla Kwakhona.” Lawo ngamazwi avakaliswa linqaku elikwiThe New York Times Magazine. Eli nqaku labonisa ukuba unqulo lubonakala lusaziphembelela ngamandla iintliziyo neengqondo zezigidi zabantu. Ngoko kusenokuba nzima ukukholelwa ukuba kuza kubakho inguqulelo ephawulekayo kwimeko-bume yonqulo lwehlabathi. Kodwa loo nguqulelo ichazwe kwisahluko sama-47 sikaIsaya.

² Amazwi kaIsaya azaliseka kwiminyaka engama-2 500 eyadlulayo. Noko ke, amazwi abhalwe kuIsaya 47:8 acatshuliwe encwadini yeSityhilelo njengaza kuzaliseka kwixesha elizayo. Apho iBhayibhile ixela kwangaphambili isiphelo sentlangano enjengehenyukazi ebizwa ngokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu’—ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. (ISityhilelo 16:19) Ukubizwa kweenkonzo zobuxoki zehlabathi ngokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni’ kufanelekile, ekubeni unqulo lobuxoki lwaqala kwiBhabhiloni yamandulo. Ukusuka apho lwasasazeka kwiimbombo zone zomhlaba. (Genesis 11:1-9) Iimfundiso zonqulo zaseBhabhiloni, ezinjengokungafi komphefumlo, isihogo somlilo, nokunqulwa koothixo abangoobathathu emnye, zikho  phantse kulo lonke unqulo, kuquka iNgqobhoko. a Ngaba isiprofeto sikaIsaya siyasikhanyisela ngekamva lonqulo?

IBhabhiloni Ihlaliswa Phantsi Eluthulini

3. Chaza ubukhulu beGunya Lehlabathi laseBhabhiloni.

³ Khawuphulaphule esi sibhengezo sobuthixo sichukumis’ intliziyo: “Yihla uze uhlale phantsi eluthulini, ntombi enyulu yaseBhabhiloni. Hlala phantsi emhlabeni apho kungekho trone, ntombi yamaKhaledi. Kuba akuyi kuba namava kwakhona okuba abantu bakubize ngokuba ubuthathaka yaye uethe-ethe.” (Isaya 47:1) Kangangeminyaka iBhabhiloni ibilawula njengegunya lehlabathi. ‘Ibingumhombiso wezikumkani’—ingumthombo ochumileyo wonqulo, wezorhwebo nowezemfazwe. (Isaya 13:19) Ikwincopho yobukhosi bayo, iBhabhiloni yanda yaya kufikelela emazantsi kanye kumda weYiputa. Yaye njengoko iye yoyisa iYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E., kusenokubonakala ngathi noThixo akanawo amandla okuyithintela! Ngoko, izibona ‘iyintombi enyulu,’ engenakuze ihlaselwe nangubani na. b

4. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kwiBhabhiloni?

⁴ Noko ke, le ntombi “enyulu” enekratshi iza kushenxiswa etroneni yayo nakwisikhundla sayo sokuba ligunya lehlabathi ize ithotywe, ‘ihlaliswe phantsi eluthulini.’ (Isaya 26:5) Ayisayi kuba sagqalwa njengokumkanikazi ‘obuthathaka noethe-ethe’ ofanelwe kukuthantanyiswa. Ngenxa yoko uYehova uyalela esithi: “Thabatha ilitye lokuguba uze usile umgubo. Tyhila isigqubuthelo sakho. Hluba umbhinqo wakho omde. Tyhila umlenze. Wela imilambo.” (Isaya 47:2) Emva kokuba ikhobokise uhlanga lukaYuda luphela, ngoku nayo iBhabhiloni  uqobo iza kuphathwa njengekhoboka! AmaMedi namaPersi, ayishenxisileyo egunyeni layo, aza kuyinyanzela ukuba yenze umsebenzi ophantsi.

5. (a) IBhabhiloni iza kuhlutywa njani ‘isigqubuthelo sayo nombhinqo wayo omde’? (b) Usenokuba ubonisa ntoni umyalelo wokuba ‘iwele imilambo’?

⁵ Ngoko iBhabhiloni iza kuhlutywa ‘isigqubuthelo sayo nombhinqo wayo omde,’ ilahlekelwe bubo bonke ubukhulu nesidima sayo. Abaqweqwedisi bayo baza kuyintlokothisa bathi “wela imilambo.” Mhlawumbi amanye amaBhabhiloni aza kuqhutywa ngebhaxa ukuba enze umsebenzi wobukhoboka. Okanye esi siprofeto sisenokuba sithetha ukuba amanye aza kutsalwa ngokoqobo eweliswa imilambo njengoko esiwa ekuthinjweni. Enoba imeko iyintoni na, kodwa iBhabhiloni ayisayi kuba sahamba ngokuzukileyo njengokumkanikazi owela imisinga yamanzi ehleli esitulweni okanye ekhweliswe enqwelweni. Kunoko, iza kuba njengekhoboka elingandilisekanga, elinyuse imibhinqo, latyhila imilenze ukuze liwele umlambo. Okunjani kona ukuthotywa!

6. (a) Ubuze beBhabhiloni buza kutyhilwa ngayiphi ingqiqo? (b) UThixo ‘akahlangabezi mntu ngobubele’ ngayiphi indlela? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)

⁶ UYehova uyaqhubeka nokuyigculela, esithi: “Ufanele ubutyhile ubuze bakho. Ungcikivo lwakho lufanele lubonwe. Ndiya kuphindezela, ndingahlangabezi mntu ngobubele.” (Isaya 47:3) c Ewe, iBhabhiloni iza kuhlaziswa. Ukubaphatha kwayo kakubi nangenkohlakalo abantu bakaThixo kuza kubhencwa ekuhleni. Akukho mntu unako ukuyithintela impindezelo kaThixo!

7. (a) Abathinjwa abangamaYuda baza kusabela njani kwiindaba zokuwa kweBhabhiloni? (b) UYehova uza kubahlawulela ngayiphi indlela abantu bakhe?

 ⁷ Emva kokuba bethinjiwe yiBhabhiloni enamandla kangangeminyaka engama-70, abantu bakaThixo baza kukuvuyela kakhulu ukuwa kwayo. Baza kudanduluka bathi: “Kukho Lowo usihlawulelayo. Igama lakhe nguYehova wemikhosi, Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli.” (Isaya 47:4) Phantsi koMthetho kaMoses, ukuba umSirayeli wayezithengise ebukhobokeni ukuze ahlawule amatyala akhe, umhlawuleli (osisalamane segazi) wayenako ukumthenga, okanye ukumhlawulela, aphume ebukhobokeni. (Levitikus 25:47-54) Ekubeni amaYuda eza kube ethengiswe ebukhobokeni eBhabhiloni, kuza kufuneka ahlawulelwe, okanye akhululwe. Ngokuqhelekileyo, ukoyisa akuwaziseli lutshintsho amakhoboka ngaphandle nje kokufumana iinkosi ezintsha. Kodwa yena uYehova uza kushukumisela uKumkani uKoreshi owoyisileyo ukuba awakhulule amaYuda ebukhobokeni. IYiputa, iTiyopiya neSebha ziza kunikelwa kuKoreshi ‘njengentlawulelo’ esikhundleni samaYuda. (Isaya 43:3) Ngokufanelekileyo, uMhlawuleli kaSirayeli ubizwa ngokuba “nguYehova wemikhosi.” Umkhosi wemfazwe weBhabhiloni obonakala womelele awunto yanto xa uthelekiswa nenkitha yeengelosi ezingabonakaliyo zikaYehova.

Ukuhlawuliswa Ngenxa Yenkohlakalo Yayo

8. IBhabhiloni iza ‘kungena ebumnyameni’ ngayiphi ingqiqo?

⁸ UYehova uyaqhubeka kwakhona nokuyigweba kwakhe iBhabhiloni, esithi: “Hlala phantsi uthe cwaka uze ungene ebumnyameni, ntombi yamaKhaledi; kuba akuyi kuba namava kwakhona okuba abantu bakubize ngokuba uyiNkosikazi Yezikumkani.” (Isaya 47:5) Libonakala limfiliba ngokwenene ikamva leBhabhiloni. Ayisayi kuphinda yongamele ezinye izikumkani njengenkosikazi ekhohlakeleyo.—Isaya 14:4.

9. Kutheni uYehova ewacaphukela amaYuda?

⁹ Phofu ke bekutheni kwasekuqaleni ukuze iBhabhiloni ivunyelwe  ukuba yonakalise abantu bakaThixo? UYehova uyacacisa esithi: “Ndabacaphukela abantu bam. Ndalihlambela ilifa lam, ndabanikela esandleni sakho.” (Isaya 47:6a) UYehova unesizathu esivakalayo sokuwacaphukela amaYuda. Wayewalumkisile ngaphambili ukuba ukungawuthobeli kwawo uMthetho wakhe kwakuya kuphumela ekubeni agxothwe elizweni. (Duteronomi 28:64) Xa awela kunqulo-zithixo nasekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini, uYehova ngothando wathumela abaprofeti bokuwanceda bawabuyisele kunqulo olunyulu. Kodwa ‘aqhubeka ebagculela abathunywa bakaThixo oyinyaniso ewadelela amazwi akhe ebenza intlekisa abaprofeti bakhe, de wafika umsindo kaYehova nxamnye nabantu bakhe, kwada akwabakho kuphiliswa.’ (2 Kronike 36:16) Ngoko uThixo uye walivumela ilifa lakhe, uYuda, ukuba lihlaziswe xa iBhabhiloni ihlasela ilizwe ize ingcolise itempile Yakhe engcwele.—INdumiso 79:1; Hezekile 24:21.

10, 11. Kutheni uYehova eyiqumbele iBhabhiloni, nangona ikukuthanda kwakhe ukuba yoyise abantu bakhe?

¹⁰ Ngoko ke, kanti iBhabhiloni ayenzi ukuthanda kukaThixo na ngokukhobokisa amaYuda? Akunjalo, kuba uThixo uthi: “Akuzange ubenzele nceba. Wayenza yanzima idyokhwe yakho phezu kwendoda enkulu. Kwaye wamana usithi: ‘Ndiya kungqineka ndiyiNkosikazi ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ngonaphakade.’ Akuzange uzithabathele ntliziyweni yakho ezi zinto; akuzange ukukhumbule ukuphela komcimbi.” (Isaya 47:6b, 7) UThixo akayiyalelanga iBhabhiloni ukuba ibonakalise inkohlakalo egqithiseleyo, ingabi nalwazelelelo nkqu ‘nakwindoda enkulu.’ (IZililo 4:16; 5:12) Yaye akazange ayiyalele ukuba ibenze intlekisa abathinjwa bayo abangamaYuda.—INdumiso 137:3.

¹¹ IBhabhiloni ayiyiqondi into yokuba ukukhobokisa kwayo amaYuda kokwexeshana. Izibethe ngoyaba izilumkiso zikaIsaya zokuba, ekuhambeni kwexesha, uYehova uza kubakhulula abantu bakhe. Icinga ukuba iza kuwaphatha ngokusisigxina amaYuda ize ibe yinkosikazi ngonaphakade kwiintlanga  eziphantsi kwayo. Ayisithobeli isigidimi sokuba luza ‘kuphela’ ulawulo lwayo lwengcinezelo!

Ukuwa KweBhabhiloni Kuxelwa Kwangaphambili

12. Kutheni iBhabhiloni ibizwa ngokuba ‘ngumfazi onikwe uyolo’?

¹² UYehova uvakalisa esithi: “Ke kaloku yiva oku, mfazindini unikwe uyolo, lowo uhleli ngonqabiseko, lowo uthi entliziyweni yakhe: ‘Ndim lo, akukho bani ungomnye. Andiyi kuhlala njengomhlolokazi, nokulahlekelwa ngabantwana andiyi kukwazi.’” (Isaya 47:8) IBhabhiloni idume ngokuthanda iziyolo. Umbhali-mbhali wenkulungwane yesihlanu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo uHerodotus uthetha “ngesona sithethe silihlazo” samaBhabhiloni, sokuba onke amabhinqa kulindeleke ukuba abe ngoonongogo ngenjongo yokunikela imbeko kuthixokazi wawo wothando. Ngokukwanjalo umbhali-mbali wamandulo uCurtius wathi: “Akukho ukungcola okudlula okweso sixeko; akukho ukonakala okunokufikelela umlinganiselo waso wokuziphatha okuphantsi.”

13. Ukuthanda kweBhabhiloni iziyolo kuza kukukhawulezisa njani ukuwa kwayo?

¹³ Ukuthanda kweBhabhiloni iziyolo kuza kukukhawulezisa ukuwa kwayo. Ngengokuhlwa yangaphambi kokuwa kwayo, ukumkani wayo nezihandiba zakhe baza kuba nesidlo esikhulu, basele bade bayobe. Ngenxa yoko, abayi kukunanza nganto ukuhlasela kwamaMedi namaPersi eso sixeko. (Daniyeli 5:1-4) ‘Ihleli ngonqabiseko,’ iBhabhiloni iza kucinga ukuba iindonga zayo nomjelo wayo wamanzi ekubonakala kungenakugqithwa kuwo uza kuyikhusela ekuhlaselweni. Izixelela ukuba “akukho bani ungomnye” unokuze ahlale esihlalweni sayo esiphakamileyo. Ayiyicingi nokuyicinga into yokuba kungenzeka ibe ‘ngumhlolokazi,’ ilahlekelwe ngumlawuli wayo ophakamileyo ‘nangabantwana’ bayo, okanye abemi bayo. Sekunjalo, akukho ludonga lunokuyikhusela kwingalo yempindezelo kaYehova uThixo! Kamva uYehova  uza kuthi: “Kwanokuba iBhabhiloni ingenyukela emazulwini nokuba ingade iyenze ingafikeleleki indawo ephakamileyo yamandla ayo, abaphangi baya kuza kuyo bevela kum.”—Yeremiya 51:53.

14. IBhabhiloni iza ‘kulahlekelwa ngabantwana ize ibe ngumhlolokazi’ ngaziphi iindlela?

¹⁴ Siza kuba yintoni isiphelo seBhabhiloni? UYehova uqhubeka esithi: “Kodwa ezi zinto zimbini ziya kuza kuwe ngequbuliso, ngamini-nye: ukulahlekelwa ngabantwana nobuhlolokazi. Ngomlinganiselo wazo opheleleyo zimele zikufikele, ngenxa yokukhafula kwakho okukhulu, ngenxa yamandla apheleleyo oomabophe bakho—ngokugqithiseleyo.” (Isaya 47:9) Ewe, ukongama kweBhabhiloni njengegunya lehlabathi kuza kufikelela esiphelweni ngequbuliso. Kumazwe aseMpuma mandulo, ukuba ngumhlolokazi nokulahlekelwa ngabantwana kwakuyeyona ntlekele inkulu yayinokufikela umfazi. Asazi ukuba iBhabhiloni yalahlekelwa “ngabantwana” abangaphi na ngobusuku bokuwa kwayo. d Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha eso sixeko siza kushiywa ngokupheleleyo. (Yeremiya 51:29) Yaye siza kuba ngumhlolokazi kuba ookumkani baso baza kususwa etroneni.

15. Ukongezelela ekuphatheni kweBhabhiloni amaYuda ngenkohlakalo, sisiphi esinye isizathu sokuba uYehova ayiqumbele?

¹⁵ Noko ke, ingqumbo kaYehova ayibangelwa kukuba nje iBhabhiloni yawaphatha kakubi amaYuda. ‘Ukukhafula kwayo okukhulu’ nako kumqumbisile. UMthetho kaThixo kuSirayeli uyakugweba ukusebenzelana nemimoya; kodwa yona iBhabhiloni izinikele ngamandla ekusebenziseni amandla omlingo. (Duteronomi 18:10-12; Hezekile 21:21) Incwadi ethi Social Life Among the Assyrians and Babylonians ithi ubomi bamaBhabhiloni “babuzaliswe kukoyika intlaninge yeedemon awayekholelwa ukuba zaziwangqongile.”

 Ukukholosa Ngobubi

16, 17. (a) IBhabhiloni ‘ikholosa njani ngobubi bayo’? (b) Kutheni isiphelo seBhabhiloni singenakuthintelwa?

¹⁶ Ngaba abaxeli-thamsanqa beBhabhiloni baza kuyisindisa? UYehova uyaphendula: “Uqhubekile ukholosa ngobubi bakho. Uye wathi: ‘Akukho bani undibonayo.’ Ubulumko bakho nolwazi lwakho—kuko okukulahlekisileyo; yaye umana usithi entliziyweni yakho: ‘Ndim lo, akukho wumbi.’” (Isaya 47:10) IBhabhiloni icinga ukuba ngobulumko bayo bemfundo nobonqulo, ngokomelela kwayo kwezomkhosi, nangenkohlakalo yayo yobuqili, inokusilondoloza isikhundla sayo njengegunya lehlabathi. Ivakalelwa kukuba akukho bani ‘unokuyibona,’ okanye unokuyiphendulisa ngezenzo zayo zobungendawo. Yaye ayiboni ukuba ingase ifikelwe lutshaba. Izixelele ukuba, “Ndim lo, akukho wumbi.”

¹⁷ Noko ke, esebenzisa omnye wabaprofeti bakhe, uYehova ulumkisa esithi: “Ingafihlwa na nayiphi indoda kwiindawo ezifihlakeleyo ndize mna ndingayiboni?” (Yeremiya 23:24; Hebhere 4:13) Ngoko uYehova uvakalisa esithi: “Umele ufikelwe yintlekele; akuyi kulazi ikhubalo lokumelana nayo. Uya kuwelwa yinkxwaleko; akuyi kukwazi ukuyinqanda. Yaye uya kufikelwa ngequbuliso kukonakaliswa ongakwaziyo.” (Isaya 47:11) Oothixo baseBhabhiloni namakhubalo asetyenziswa ngabo basebenzelana nemimoya abanakukwazi ukuyithintela le ntlekele izayo—engafaniyo nayo nayiphi na enye eyakha yayehlela ngaphambili!

Ukusilela Kwabacebisi BeBhabhiloni

18, 19. Ukukholosa kweBhabhiloni ngabacebisi bayo kuza kungqineka njani kuyintlekele?

¹⁸ Eyigculela kabukhali, uYehova uyalela athi: “Ke kaloku, yima ngxi ngoomabophe bakho nangokukhafula kwakho okukhulu, oye wabulaleka ngako ukususela ebutsheni bakho; ukuze mhlawumbi ukwazi ukungenelwa, ukuze mhlawumbi wenze abantu bangenwe luloyiko.” (Isaya 47:12) IBhabhiloni  icelw’ umngeni ukuba ‘ime ngxi,’ okanye ingahexi, ekukholoseni kwayo ngomlingo. Ngapha koko, njengohlanga iye yabulaleka ekusebenziseni ubugcisa bomlingo ukususela “ebutsheni” bayo.

¹⁹ Kodwa uYehova uyayigculela, esithi: “Udiniwe bubuninzi babacebisi bakho. Ke kaloku, mabeme baze bakusindise, abanquli bamazulu, abo bakhangela iinkwenkwezi, abo bathi ekuthwaseni kweenyanga bazise ngezinto eziya kukufikela.” (Isaya 47:13) e Baza kusilela ngokupheleleyo abacebisi beBhabhiloni. Enyanisweni, sekudlule iinkulungwane zeminyaka  iBhabhiloni ivumisa ngeenkwenkwezi. Kodwa ngobusuku bokuwa kwayo, ukusilela kalusizi kwabavumisi bayo ngeenkwenkwezi kuya kukubhenca ukuvumisa njengokulilize.—Daniyeli 5:7, 8.

20. Baza kuphelela phi abacebisi beBhabhiloni?

²⁰ UYehova uliqukumbela eli candelo lesiprofeto ngokuthi: “Khangela! Baye baba njengeendiza. Ngokuqinisekileyo umlilo uya kubatshisa. Abayi kuwuhlangula umphefumlo wabo emandleni amadangatye. Akuyi kubakho mlilo wamalahle eenkuni ukuze abantu bothe, kungekho kukhanya komlilo abaya kuhlala phantsi phambi kwawo. Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuba njalo kuwe, abo ubulaleke ngabo besebenzisa amakhubalo ukususela ebutsheni bakho. Okunene baya kubhadula, ngamnye aye kummandla wakowabo. Akuyi kubakho bani wokukusindisa.” (Isaya 47:14, 15) Ewe, aba bacebisi bobuxoki sele beza kufikelwa ngamaxesha oyikekayo atshisa njengomlilo. Lo ayizukuba ngumlilo ofudumeleyo wokotha, kodwa iza kuba ngumlilo otshabalalisayo noqwengayo, oza kubabhenca abacebisi bobuxoki njengeendiza ezingento. Ayimangalisi ke ngoko into yokuba abacebisi beBhabhiloni beza kusaba buphuthuphuthu! Njengoko ithemba lokugqibela leBhabhiloni limkile, akuyi kubakho bani wokuyisindisa. Iza kufumana kanye ishwangusha ebilizisele iYerusalem.—Yeremiya 11:12.

21. Angqineka njani yaye nini eyinyaniso amazwi kaIsaya esiprofeto?

²¹ La mazwi aphefumlelweyo aqale ukuzaliseka ngonyaka wama-539 B.C.E. Imikhosi yamaMedi namaPersi ekhokelwa nguKoreshi iye yasihlasela esi sixeko, yabulala ukumkani waso, uBheleshatsare. (Daniyeli 5:1-4, 30) Ngobusuku obunye iBhabhiloni iye yawiswa kwisikhundla sayo sodumo ehlabathini. Yaba kukuphela ke oko kweenkulungwane zolawulo lwamaSemite, lwaza ulawulo lwehlabathi lwawela kuma-Aryan. Yona iBhabhiloni yaya iphela ngokuphela ebudeni beenkulungwane. Ngenkulungwane yesine yeXesha  Eliqhelekileyo, ‘iyimfumba nje yamatye.’ (Yeremiya 51:37) Ngoko isiprofeto sikaIsaya sizaliseke ngokupheleleyo.

IBhabhiloni Yanamhlanje

22. Sisiphi isifundo esiphathelele ikratshi esisifundayo ekuweni kweBhabhiloni?

²² Isiprofeto sikaIsaya senza ukuba sicinge nzulu. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, sibalaselisa iingozi zekratshi nokuzikhukhumalisa. Ukuwa kweBhabhiloni enekratshi kugxininisa ubunyaniso besaci seBhayibhile esithi: “Ikratshi liphambi kokuwa, yaye umoya wekratshi uphambi kokukhubeka.” (IMizekeliso 16:18) Maxa wambi siye songanyelwe likratshi ngenxa yokungafezeki kwethu, kodwa ‘ukukhukhumala likratshi’ kunokukhokelela ekuweleni “kungcikivo nakumgibe kaMtyholi.” (1 Timoti 3:6, 7) Ngoko, senza kakuhle ukuthobela isiluleko sikaYakobi esithi: “Zithobeni emehlweni kaYehova, yaye uya kuniphakamisa.”—Yakobi 4:10.

23. Isiprofeto sikaIsaya sisinceda ukuba sibe nayiphi intembelo?

 ²³ Kwakhona la mazwi esiprofeto asinceda ukuba sithembele kuYehova, onamandla kunazo zonke iintshaba zakhe. (INdumiso 24:8; 34:7; 50:15; 91:14, 15) Esi sisikhumbuzo esithuthuzelayo kule mihla enzima. Ukuthembela kuYehova komeleza ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhlala singenakusoleka emehlweni akhe, sisazi ukuba “ikamva [lomntu ongenakusoleka] liya kuba luxolo.” (INdumiso 37:37, 38) Kusoloko kububulumko ukukhangela kuYehova, singakholosi ngobethu ubuncwane ekuxhathiseni kwethu “izenzo zobuqhophololo” zikaSathana.—Efese 6:10-13, umbhalo osemazantsi we-NW eneembekiselo.

24, 25. (a) Kutheni kungekho ngqiqweni ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi, ukanti kutheni abaninzi bephethukela kuko? (b) Ziziphi ezinye zezizathu zokuba amaKristu azigatye iinkolelo?

²⁴ Ngokuphawulekayo, siyalunyukiswa nxamnye noqheliselo lokusebenzelana nemimoya, ingakumbi ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi. (Galati 5:20, 21) Ekuweni kweBhabhiloni, abantu abazange bayeke ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, incwadi ethi Great Cities of the Ancient World ithi amaqela eenkwenkwezi akwiimaphu zamaBhabhiloni “ashenxile” kwiindawo abekuzo mandulo, nto leyo “eyenza ingabikho ngqinqweni yonke ingcamango [yokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi].” Sekunjalo, ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi kuyaqhubeka kusanda, yaye amaphephandaba amaninzi anemihlathi yokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi ukuze kufikeleleke lula kubafundi bawo.

²⁵ Yintoni eyenza ukuba abantu—abaninzi babo abafundileyo—bathembele ezinkwenkwezini okanye kwezinye iinkolelo ezingekho ngqiqweni? IThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Kubonakala ukuba iinkolelo ziya kuhlala zikho logama nje abantu besoyikana yaye bengaqinisekanga ngekamva.” Uloyiko nokungaqiniseki kusenokubaqhubela abantu ekuthini babe neenkolelo. Noko ke, amaKristu ayazigatya iinkolelo. Akaboyiki abantu—uYehova ungumxhasi wawo. (INdumiso  6:4-10) Yaye aqinisekile ngekamva; ayazazi iinjongo ezityhiliweyo zikaYehova yaye akayithandabuzi into yokuba “icebo likaYehova liya kuma kuse kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (INdumiso 33:11) Ukuphila ubomi bethu ngokuvisisana necebo likaYehova ngokuqinisekileyo kuya kusizisela ikamva elonwabisayo nelihlala lihleli.

26. “Ukuqiqa kwabantu abazizilumko” kungqineke njani “kuphuthile”?

²⁶ Kwiminyaka yakutshanje bambi baye bazama ukuhlola ikamva ngokusebenzisa “inzululwazi.” Kude kwakho nesifundo esibizwa ngokuba yifuturology, esichazwa ngokuthi “sisifundo sokuhlolwa kwekamva ngokuthi kuqwalaselwe utyekelo lwanamhlanje.” Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1972 iqela lezifundiswa noosomashishini elaziwa ngokuba yiClub of Rome laqikelela ukuba ngowe-1992 bonke oovimba behlabathi begolide, imekyuri, isinyithi, neoli, baza kuphela. Enyanisweni, ihlabathi liye lajamelana neengxaki ezinkulu ukususela ngowe-1972, kodwa olo qikelelo lwalungachananga kwaphela. Basekho emhlabeni oovimba begolide, imekyuri, isinyithi neoli. Eneneni, abantu baye bazidinisa ngokuzama ukuqikelela ikamva, kodwa uqikelelo lwabo lusoloko lungathembekanga. Enyanisweni, “ukuqiqa kwabantu abazizilumko kuphuthile”!—1 Korinte 3:20.

Ukusondela Kwesiphelo SeBhabhiloni Enkulu

27. IBhabhiloni Enkulu iye yawa nini yaye njani ngokufanayo neBhabhiloni yamandulo ngowama-539 B.C.E.?

²⁷ Iinkonzo zanamhlanje ziye zaqhubeka zizamkela iimfundiso ezininzi zeBhabhiloni yamandulo. Ngenxa yoko, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki bubizwa ngokufanelekileyo ngokuba yiBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhilelo 17:5) Loo mbumba yonqulo yezizwe ngezizwe sele iwile njengoko neBhabhiloni yamandulo yawayo ngowama-539 B.C.E. (ISityhilelo 14:8; 18:2) Ngowe-1919 intsalela yabazalwana bakaKristu yaphuma ekuthinjweni kokomoya yaza yakhululeka kwimpembelelo yonqulo yeNgqobhoko, eyinxalenye ephambili  yeBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ukususela ngoko iye yehla kanobom impembelelo yeNgqobhoko kumazwe amaninzi eyayikade igqugqisa kuwo.

28. Iqhayisa ngelithini iBhabhiloni Enkulu, kodwa ilindelwe yintoni?

²⁸ Noko ke, oko kuwa kwakusisandulela nje sokutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo konqulo lobuxoki. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, isiprofeto seSityhilelo sokutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu sisikhumbuza ngamazwi esiprofeto abhalwe kuIsaya 47:8, 9. NjengeBhabhiloni yamandulo, iBhabhiloni Enkulu yanamhlanje ithi: “Ndingukumkanikazi, andingomhlolokazi, yaye andisayi kuze ndikubone ukuzila.” Kodwa “ziya kuza ngamini-nye izibetho zayo, ukufa nokuzila nendlala, yaye iya kutshiswa ngokupheleleyo ngomlilo, ngenxa yokuba uYehova uThixo, oyigwebayo, womelele.” Ngoko ke amazwi esiprofeto abhalwe kuIsaya isahluko 47 asisilumkiso kwabo baseyinxalenye yonqulo lobuxoki. Ukuba abafuni kutshabalala kunye nayo, mabathobele lo myalelo uphefumlelweyo uthi: “Phumani kuyo”!—ISityhilelo 18:4, 7, 8.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

 [Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 111]

IBhabhiloni ethanda iziyolo iza kuhlaliswa phantsi eluthulini

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 114]

Abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi baseBhabhiloni abayi kukwazi ukukuxela kwangaphambili ukuwa kwayo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 116]

Ikhalenda yaseBhabhiloni yokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi, yewaka lokuqala leminyaka ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 119]

Kungekudala iBhabhiloni yanamhlanje iza kungabikho