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 ezili-150 lezigidi! 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 kwesi sijikelezi-langa. 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 owalungiselela isikhanyiso, kwanelanga.” (INdumiso 74:16) Ewe, ilanga lizukisa uYehova, “uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba.” (INdumiso 19:1; 146:6) Liyenye nje yeenkwenkwezi ezingenakubalwa ezisifundisa ngamandla amakhulu kaYehova okudala. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zazo size emva koko sinikele ingqalelo emhlabeni nakwizinto 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? Embindini walo, ilanga lineqondo lobushushu elimalunga ne-15 000 000 ngokukaCelsius. Ukuba ubunokuthabatha embindini walo isuntswana lelanga elilingana nentloko kanotaka uze ulibeke apha emhlabeni, ubungenakukwazi ukumelana nobushushu balo ukuba ubunokuma kumgama weekhilomitha ezili-140! Mzuzwana ngamnye, ilanga likhupha amandla alingana nawokuqhushumba kwamakhulu ezigidi zeebhombu zenyukliya.

⁵ Ilanga likhulu kangangokuba libuphindaphinda kangangezihlandlo ezisisi-1 300 000 ubukhulu bomhlaba. Ngaba ilanga liyinkwenkwezi enkulu ngokukhethekileyo? Akunjalo, izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zilibiza ngokuba yingqakumbana emthubi. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi “inkwenkwezi iyahluka kwenye inkwenkwezi ngobuqaqawuli.” (1 Korinte 15:41) Akamelanga  ukuba wayeyazi indlela ayinyaniso ngayo loo mazwi aphefumlelweyo. Kukho inkwenkwezi enkulu ngohlobo lokuba ukuba ibinokubekwa kanye apho ilanga likhoyo, ibiya kuwugubungela wonke umgama ophakathi kwelanga nomhlaba. Kanti kukho nenye inkwenkwezi enkulukazi, yona ebiya kudlulela ngaphaya kwaloo mgama ide ifikelele kwisijikelezi-langa esinguSaturn—nangona sikude kakhulu nomhlaba kangangokuba isiphekepheke esathunyelwa apho safika emva kweminyaka emine, siphephetheka ngesantya esisiphinda kangangama-40 esembumbulu ephuma kumpu onamandla!

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

⁶ Okukhwankqisa kwanangakumbi kunobukhulu beenkwenkwezi linani lazo. Enyanisweni, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba iinkwenkwezi azinako ukubalwa, njengoko singenako ukubala ‘intlabathi yolwandle.’ (Yeremiya 33:22) Oku kuthetha ukuba  kukho iinkwenkwezi ezininzi ngakumbi kunezo sinokuzibona ngeliso lenyama. Ngapha koko, ukuba umbhali weBhayibhile, onjengoYeremiya, wayenokukhangela esibhakabhakeni ebusuku aze azame ukubala iinkwenkwezi azibonayo, wayenokubala ezimalunga namawaka amathathu kuphela, kuba zezo kuphela esinokuzibona ngeliso lenyama ngobusuku obucwengileyo. Elo nani lisenokulinganiswa nenani leenkozo zentlabathi esesandleni. Noko ke, eneneni, inani leenkwenkwezi likhulu kakhulu, njengentlabathi yolwandle. b Ngubani onokulibala inani elingako?

 7. (a) Zinokuba zingaphi iinkwenkwezi ezikumnyele wethu oyiMilky Way, yaye likhulu kangakanani elo nani? (b) Kutheni iphawuleka nje into yokuba izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zikufumanisa kunzima ukubala iminyele, yaye oku kusifundisa ntoni ngamandla kaYehova okudala?

⁷ UIsaya 40:26 uyaphendula: “Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu nize nibone. Ngubani na odale ezi zinto? NguLowo uzisa umkhosi wazo kanye ngokwenani, uzibiza nangegama xa zizonke.” INdumiso 147:4 ithi: “Ubala inani leenkwenkwezi.” Lingakanani “inani leenkwenkwezi”? Lowo asingombuzo olula. Izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ziqikelela ukuba zingaphezu kwe-100 lamawaka ezigidi iinkwenkwezi ezikumnyele wethu nje kuphela obizwa ngokuba yiMilky Way. c Kanti kukho iminyele emininzi, yaye eminye yayo ineenkwenkwezi ezininzi ngakumbi. Mingaphi iminyele ekhoyo? Zimbi izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ziyiqikelela kuma-50 amawaka ezigidi. Ezinye ziqikelela ukuba isenokuba li-125 lamawaka ezigidi. Ngoko abantu abakwazi nokubala inani leminyele, singasathethi ke ngawo onke amawaka ezigidi zeenkwenkwezi ezikuyo. Ukanti, uYehova uyalazi elo nani. Ngaphezu koko, unike nkwenkwezi nganye igama layo!

 8. (a) Ungabuchaza njani ubukhulu bomnyele iMilky Way? (b) UYehova ukulungelelanisa njani ukuhamba kweenkwenkwezi?

 ⁸ Sikhwankqiswa nangakumbi xa sihlolisisa ubukhulu beminyele. Kuqikelelwa ukuba ukunqumla kumnyele iMilky Way ngesantya esilingana nesokukhanya bekuya kuthabatha iminyaka eli-100 000. Khawube nombono wokukhanya kuphephetheka ngesantya sama-300 000 eekhilomitha ngomzuzwana. Bekuya kukuthabatha oko kukhanya iminyaka eli-100 000 ukunqumla kumnyele wethu! Yaye eminye iminyele iwuphindaphinda kaninzi lo wethu ngobukhulu. IBhayibhile ithi uYehova ‘uwolula’ njengelaphu la mazulu makhulu kangaka. (INdumiso 104:2) Ikwanguye nolungelelanisa ukuhamba kwezi zinto azidalileyo. Ukususela kwelona suntswana lincinane lenkwenkwezi ukusa kowona mnyele umkhulu, yonke into ihamba ngokuvumelana nemithetho yemvelo emiselwe nguThixo. (Yobhi 38:31-33) Ngenxa yoko, izazinzulu ziye zakufanisa ukuhamba ngolungelelwano kweenkwenkwezi kunye nokulungelelana komnyhadala womdaniso! Ngoko, cinga ngaLowo wazidalayo ezi zinto. Ngaba akukhwankqiswa na nguThixo onamandla amakhulu kangako okudala?

9, 10. Amandla kaYehova abonakala njani xa kuqwalaselwa ummandla wesijikelezi-langa sethu, uJupiter, umhlaba, nenyanga?

⁹ Amandla kaYehova okudala ayabonakala kwikhaya lethu elingumhlaba. Uwubeke umhlaba kweyona ndawo ifanelekileyo kulo mmandla mkhulu kangaka wendalo iphela. Zimbi izazinzulu zikholelwa ukuba imeko-bume imbi kakhulu kwiminyele emininzi xa ithelekiswa neyesi sijikelezi-langa sethu sinezinto eziphilayo. Kubonakala ukuba inxalenye enkulu yomnyele wethu oyiMilky Way yayingayilelwanga ukuba kuphile nto kuyo. Inxalenye yawo esembindini izaliswe ziinkwenkwezi. Inobushushu obugqithiseleyo, yaye maxa wambi ezo nkwenkwezi zisondelelana kakhulu. Ubukhulu becala lo mnyele awunazo izinto ezininzi zokuxhasa izinto eziphilayo. Leyo yimeko engqonge ummandla wesijikelezi-langa sethu.

¹⁰ UMhlaba uncedwa ngumkhuseli omkhulu nothe qelele —isijikelezi-langa uJupiter. Njengoko emkhulu ngaphezu kokuphindwe kaliwaka kunoMhlaba, uJupiter unegalelo elikhulu kumandla omxhuzulane. Oku kuphumela entwenini? Ubizela izinto ezihamba ngesantya esiphakamileyo esibhakabhakeni. Izazinzulu zithi ukuba bekungekho ngenxa kaJupiter, uthotho lwezinto eziwela emhlabeni beziya kwenza umonakalo ophindwe kali-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. Imeko-bume ejikeleze umhlaba iyilwe ukuba isikhusele njani?

¹¹ Amandla kaYehova okudala abonakala kuzo zonke iinkalo zokuyilwa komhlaba. Khawucinge nje ngemeko-bume esikhuselayo. Ilanga likhupha umtha oyimpilo nobulalayo. Xa umtha obulalayo ufika kwimeko-bume ejikeleze umhlaba, uguqula ioksijini eqhelekileyo ibe yimpepho epholileyo. Ngoko inxalenye enkulu yomtha welanga, ifunxwa yiloo mpepho ipholileyo. Eneneni, le mpepho ifana neambrela yokukhusela isijikelezi-langa sethu!

12. Umjikelo wamanzi asesibhakabhakeni uwabonisa njani amandla kaYehova okudala?

¹² Leyo yinkalo nje enye yokusebenza kwemeko-bume, ingxubevange yeegesi zokuxhasa ukukhula kwezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. Enye yeendlela ezimangalisayo esebenza ngazo imeko-bume, ibonakala kumjikelo wamanzi. Nyaka ngamnye ilanga lifunxa ngaphezu kweekhilomitha ezili-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 imisinga yasebusika iya elwandle, ukanti ulwandle aluzali. Kwindawo eya kuyo imisinga yasebusika, ibuyela kwakuyo.” 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 engama-30, ukusa kwiimfikimfelana zezityalo zaselwandle ezikhupha ioksijini esiyiphefumlayo, amandla kaYehova okudala ayabonakala. Umhlaba nawo ngokwawo uzaliswe zizinto eziphilayo—imibungu, inkowane nezinto ezincinane eziphilayo, zonke zisebenza ngobunye ekuxhaseni ukukhula kwezityalo. Ngokufanelekileyo, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kumhlaba njengonamandla.—Genesis 4:12.

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 kunokudityaniswa iiathom ezisisigidi bezingayi kulingana nokulingana nobubanzi bonwele lomntu. Kwanokuba iathom inokukhuliswa ide ilingane nesakhiwo esinemigangatho eli-14, umbindi wayo owaziwa njengenucleus ubuya kulingana nesuntswana letyuwa elibekwe kumgangatho wesixhenxe weso sakhiwo. Ukanti elo suntswana liyinucleus linamandla okuqhushumbisa ibhombu yenyukliya!

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

¹⁵ Obunye ubungqina obucacileyo bamandla kaYehova okudala bubonakala kwinyambalala yezilwanyana ezikhoyo emhlabeni. INdumiso 148 idwelisa uthotho lwezinto ezimdumisayo uYehova, yaye indinyana 10 iquka ‘izilwanyana zasendle nazo zonke izilwanyana 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 mbuna, bafanele bavakalelwe njani ngoMdali wazo?—Yobhi, isahluko 38-41.

16. Yintoni ekuchukumisayo ngezinye zeentaka uYehova azidalileyo?

¹⁶ Kwakhona INdumiso 148:10 ikhankanya ‘iintaka ezinamaphiko.’ Khawucinge nje ngeentlobo zazo ezininzi! UYehova waxelela uYobhi ngenciniba, ‘ehleka ihashe nomkhweli walo.’ Eneneni, le ntaka enobude beemitha ezisisi-2,5 nangona ingakwazi ukubhabha, kodwa ibaleka ngamendu eekhilomitha ezingama-65 ngeyure, igxanye umgama weemitha ezisisi-4,5 sihlandlo ngasinye! (Yobhi 39:13, 18) Kwelinye icala, intaka yaselwandle ebizwa ngokuba yialbatross ichitha elona xesha layo lininzi indanda phezu kolwandle. Xa le ntaka itshebeleza phezu kwamanzi, ithi naa loo miphokophela yamaphiko amalunga neemitha ezintathu ubukhulu. Iyakwazi ukundanda kangangeeyure ingakhange iwaphaphazelise amaphiko ayo. Kwelinye icala, ingcungcu yeyona ntaka incinane ehlabathini enobude obuziisentimitha ezintlanu kuphela. Iphaphazelisa amaphiko ayo malunga nezihlandlo ezingama-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 ‘kwanezilo ezikhulu zaselwandle’ ziyamdumisa uYehova. Khawucinge nje ngesilwanyana ekucingwa ukuba sesona sikhulu sakha saphila kwesi sijikelezi-langa, umnenga owaziwa ngokuba yiblue whale. Esi ‘silo sikhulu’ saselwandle sisenokufikelela ubude beemitha ezingama-30 nangaphezulu. Sinokuba nobunzima obulingana nobomhlambi weendlovu ezinkulu ezingama-30. Ulwimi lwaso lulodwa lunobunzima obulingana nobendlovu. Intliziyo yaso ilingana nenqwelo-mafutha encinane. Eli lungu likhulu lingongoza izihlandlo ezisi-9 kuphela ngomzuzu—ngokwahlukileyo kwintliziyo yengcungcu, engongoza izihlandlo ezimalunga ne-1 200 ngomzuzu. Omnye wemithambo yegazi yomnenga mkhulu kangangokuba umntwana angakhasa ngaphakathi kuwo.  Ngokuqinisekileyo iintliziyo zethu zisishukumisela ukuba siphinde isibongozo esisekupheleni kwencwadi yeNdumiso, esithi: “Yonk’ into ephefumlayo—mayidumise uYa.”—INdumiso 150:6.

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

¹⁸ Yintoni esiyifundayo ekusebenziseni kukaYehova amandla akhe okudala? Sikhwankqisiwe kukuphangalala kwendalo. Omnye umdumisi wadanduluka wathi: “Hayi indlela emininzi ngayo imisebenzi yakho, Yehova! . . . Uzele umhlaba yimveliso yakho.” (INdumiso 104:24) Hayi indlela okuyinyaniso ngayo oko! Izazi ngendalo ziye zafumanisa ngaphezu kweendidi ezisisigidi zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni; kodwa aziqiniseki ncam nokuba zili-10 lezigidi, zingama-30 ezigidi, okanye ngaphezulu. 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 ngolongamo lwakhe. Kwaigama elithi “uMdali” limenza uYehova ahluke kuyo yonke enye into ekhoyo kwindalo iphela, 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, ‘ulizibulo kwindalo yonke.’ (Kolose 1:15) Isigxina sikaYehova njengoMdali simnika ilungelo elikhethekileyo lokuba negunya elipheleleyo kwindalo iphela.—Roma 1:20; ISityhilelo 4:11.

20. UYehova uye waphumla ngayiphi ingqiqo 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 awayewenzile.” (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 aya kubachaphazela njani ngonaphakade abantu abathembekileyo?

²¹ Xa usuku lokuphumla kukaYehova lufikelele esiphelweni, uya kwandula abhengeze ukuba 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 sichulumanciswa kukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla okudala. Siya kuqhubeka ngonaphakade sifunda okungakumbi ngoYehova ngendalo yakhe. (INtshumayeli 3:11) Okukhona sifunda ngaye, kokukhona siya kukhwankqiswa ngakumbi—yaye kokukhona siya kusondela ngakumbi kuMdali wethu Ozukileyo.