Phakathi kolawulo lwakhe olwaluyimpumelelo, ngequbuliso, uKumkani Hezekiya wabethwa sisifo esibulalayo. “Wayesifa . . . eza kufa,” imeko yakhe ingaphaya kokuba ingancedwa ngamandla omntu. Intsalela yokugqibela yethemba lakhe kubonakala ngokungathi yasuka akuba umprofeti uIsaya evele phambi kwakhe enesigidimi, “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Yolela indlu yakho, ngokuba uya kufa wena, akuyi kuphila.” Isaya 38:1. AN 340.1
Inkangeleko yayibonakala imnyama ngokupheleleyo; kanti ukumkani wayesakwazi ukuthandaza kuLowo, ukuza kuthi ga kule ndawo, “ulihlathi, uligwiba kuthi, ezimbandezelweni ufumaneke eluncedo kunene.” Indumiso 46:1. Ngoko ke, “Wabubhekisa eludongeni ubuso bakhe, wathandaza kuYehova, esithi, Khawukhumbule, ndiyakukhunga, Yehova, okokuba ndihambe phambi kwakho ngokunyanisa nangentliziyo ephelelisileyo, ndakwenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho. Wasitsho uHezekiya isililo esikhulu.” 2 Kumkani 20:2, 3. AN 340.2
Kususela kwimihla kaDavide, akuzange kulawule kumkani owenza okukhuluukwakhangokutshaubukumkanibukaThixongexesha lokreqo nokutyhafiswa njengoko wenzayo uHezekiya. Umlawuli owayesifa wamsebenzela uThixo wakhe ngokuthembeka, waza waqinisa isibindi sabantu kuYehova njengoMlawuli oMkhulu wabo. NjengoDavide, naye wakwazi ukubongoza: AN 341.1
“Mawuze phambi kwakho umthandazo wam;
Thoba indlebe yakho ekuhlahlambeni kwam.
Ngokuba umphefumlo wam uhluthi zizinto ezimbi,
Ubomi bam bufike kwelabafileyo.” AN 341.2
Indumiso 88:2, 3.
“Ngokuba ulithemba lam, Nkosi yam Yehova,
Inkoloseko yam kwasebuncinaneni bam.
Ndixhaswe nguwe kwasesizalweni;
“Musa ukundilahla ngexesha lobuxhego;
Thixo, musa ukuba kude kum;
Thixo wam, khawuleza undincede.
“Thixo, musa ukundishiya . . .
Ndide ndiyixele ingalo yakho
kwisizukulwana esitsha,
Nobugorha bakho kubo bonke abaya kuza.” AN 341.3
Indumiso 71:5, 6, 9, 12, 18.
Lowo waziwa ngokuba “azipheli iinceba zakhe,” wawuva umthandazo womkhonzi wakhe. IZililo 3:22. “Kwathi, uIsaya engekaphumi kophakathi umzi, lafika ilizwi likaYehova kuye, lisithi, Buya uye kuthi kuHezekiya, inganga yabantu bam, Utsho uYehova, uThixo kaDavide uyihlo, ukuthi, Ndiwuvile umthandazo wakho, ndizibonile iinyembezi zakho; uyabona, ndiya kukuphilisa; ngomhla wesithathu uya kunyuka uye endlwini kaYehova; ndongeze kwimihla yakho ishumi elinesihlanu leminyaka; ndikuhlangule wena nalo mzi esandleni sokumkani waseAsiriya, ndiwukhusele lo mzi ngenxa yam, nangenxa kaDavide umkhonzi wam.” 2 Kumkani 20:4-6. AN 341.4
Ngovuyo, umprofeti wabuya namazwi esiqinisekiso nethemba. Eyalela ukuba kubekwe isicumba samakhiwane kwindawo enesifo, uIsaya wamnika ukumkani isigidimi senceba kaThixo kwanenkathalo ekhuselayo. AN 342.1
NjengoMoses ezweni lakwaMidiyan, njengoGidiyon phambi kwesithunywa sezulu, njengoElisha kanye phambi kokuba kunyuke inkosi yakhe, uHezekiya wacenga ukuba anikwe umqondiso wokuba isigidimi sasivela ezulwini. “Uyintoni na umqondiso,” wabuza kumprofeti, “wokuba uYehova uya kundiphilisa, ndinyuke ndiye endlwini kaYehova ngomhla wesithathu?” AN 342.2
“Nangu ke umqondiso kuwe, uphuma kuYehova,” umprofeti waphendula, “wokuba uya kulenza uYehova ilizwi alithethileyo: Isithunzi sihambe na izinyuko ezilishumi, sibuye na izinyuko ezilishumi?” “Kulula,” waphendula uHezekiya, “kwisithunzi ukoluka izinyuko ezilishumi; hayi, isithunzi masibuye umva izinyuko ezilishumi.” AN 342.3
Kuphela ngokungenelela kukaThixo esinokuthi isithunzi kuthunzana (sundial) sibe nokwenziwa sibuye umva izinyuko ezilishumi; kwaye lo yayiza kuba ngumqondiso kuHezekiya wokuba uYehova wawuva umthandazo wakhe. Ngokwenene, “umprofeti wamnqula uYehova, wasibuyisa umva isithunzi izinyuko zalishumi, esasihle zona esinyukweni sika-Ahazi.” Iindima 8-11. AN 342.4
Akuba ebuyiselwe kumandla akhe esiqhelo, ukumkani wakwaYuda wazivuma ngamazwi engoma iinceba zikaYehova waza wafunga ukuyichitha imihla eseleyo ngokumsebenzela ngokukhululekileyo uKumkani wookumkani. Ukuyibonisa kwakhe ngombulelo indlela yokuphathwa kwakhe ngemfesane nguThixo kuyimpembelelo kubo bonke abalangazelela ukuyichithela iminyaka yabo ekuzukiseni uMenzi wabo. AN 342.5
“Ndathi mna,
yakubon’ ukuba ithe cwaka imihla yam,
mandimke ndiye emasangweni elabafileyo;
“Ndivelelwe, ndayihluthwa eseleyo iminyaka yam.
“Ndathi,
Andiyi kumbona uYa, uYa ezweni labaphilileyo;
Andiyi kuba samkhangela umntu,
“Ndikubemi belabangasekhoyo.
Umnquba wam uza kuncothulwa,
ufuduswe kum, njengentente yomalusi;
“Ndibusongile njengomluki ubomi bam;
Unditsheca ezintsingeni.
Ndazizolisa kwada kwasa;
Njengengonyama,
wenjenjalo ukuwaphula onke amathambo am.
“Uya kundigqibela ngosuku olunye.
Njengehlankomo, njengendwe,
Ndenze njalo ukukrikriza,
Ndalila njengevukuthu;
Aphela amehlo am kukubheka phezulu:
Yehova, ndifingekile, ndimele.
“Ndothini na ukubulela,
ethethile nje kum, wenza nokwenza?
Mandicothoze yonke iminyaka yam
eya kuza phezu kobukrakra bomphefumlo wam.
“Nkosi yam, babuya baphile zezo zinto abantu,
Bukuzo kanye ubomi bomoya wam:
Wondiphilisa ke, ndidlise ubomi.
“Yabona, baba lusindiso kum ubukrakra obukhulu.
Wena ke ngokundithanda,
Wawurhola umphefumlo wam
Esihogweni sokonakala;
Ngokuba izono zam uzilahlile
emva komhlana wakho.
“Kuba elabafileyo alinakukuncoma,
Ukufa akunakukudumisa;
Abahla baye emhadini
abakulindele ukunyanisa kwakho. AN 343.1
“Ophilileyo, ophilileyo nguye owokuncoma,
njengam nje namhla.
Uyise uya kukwazisa ukunyanisa kwakho koonyana.
“UYehova uza kundisindisa;
Ngoko ke sozibetha iihadi zethu
Yonke imihla yobomi bethu, endlwini kaYehova.” AN 344.1
Isaya 38:10-20.
Kwiintili ezityebileyo zomhlaba ophakathi kweMilambo iTigris ne-Efrata, kwakuhlala khona uhlanga lwakudala, nangona ngelo xesha lwaluphantsi kweAsiriya, olwalumiselwe ukuba luya kulawula ihlabathi. Phakathi kwabantu balo kwaye kukho amadoda azizazi awanika ingqwalasela ekufundeni iinkwenkwezi; aza athi akuba ephawule ukuba isithunzi kuthunzana (sundial) siye sabuya umva izinyuko ezilishumi, amangala kakhulu. Ukumkani wawo, uBherodaki-bhaladan, wathi akuva ukuba lo mmangaliso wenziwa njengomqondiso kukumkani wakwaYuda wokuba uThixo wasezulwini umnike elinye ithuba lokuphila, wathumela abameli kuHezekiya ukuba bamncome ngokuphila kwakhe nokuba bafunde, ukuba banakho, ngakumbi ngoThixo owakwazi ukwenza ummangaliso omkhulu kangako. AN 344.2
Utyelelo lwaba bathunywa bavela kumlawuli welizwe elikude, lwamnika uHezekiya ithuba lokuphakamisa uThixo ophilileyo. Kwakuya kuba lula kangakanani kuye ukuba wayebaxelele ngoThixo, umphakamisi wazo zonke izinto ezidaliweyo, nokungenxa yothando lwaKhe ekuthe obakhe ubomi basindiswa xa lalise labaleka lemka lonke elinye ithemba! Ubukhulu beenguqulelo ezazinokwenzeka ukuba abo bazingeli benyaniso kumathafa amaKhaledi babenziwe babuvuma ubungangamsha obukhulu bukaThixo ophilileyo! AN 344.3
Noko kunjalo, ikratshi nokuzingca kwayithimba intliziyo kaHezekiya, kwathi ekuziphakamiseni, watyhilela amehlo abawayo iindyebo uThixo awamtyebisa ngazo abantu baKhe. Ukumkani “wababonisa indlu yakhe yezinto aziqwebileyo: silivere, negolide nobulawu, neoli entle, nendlu yonke yezixhobo zakhe, nento yonke ebikho ebuncwaneni bakhe. Akwabakho nto endlwini yakhe nasekulawuleni kwakhe konke, angababonisanga yona uHezekiya.” Isaya 39:2. Akakwenzelanga ukuzukisa uThixo oku, kodwa ukuziphakamisa emehlweniezikhuluzasemzini.Akazangeeme acinge ukuba,aba bameli besizwe esinamandla, abangazange bamoyikaokanyebamthanda uThixo ezintliziyweni zabo, nokuba yayingebubo ubulumko ukubenza abagcini beemfihlo ngobutyebi basemhlabeni besizwe. AN 345.1
Utyelelo lwabameli-mbuso kuHezekiya lwaluluvavanyo lombulelo nokuzinikela kwakhe. Ingxelo ithi, “Kodwa ke emcimbini wabathunywa abangamakhumsha, abathetheli baseBhabheli, ababethunyiwe kuye, bebuzisa ngesimanga esabakho ezweni lakhe, uThixo wamshiya, ukuba amlinge, akwazi konke okusentliziyweni yakhe.” 2 IZikronike 32:31. Ukuba uHezekiya wayelikhulisile ithuba alinikiweyo lokuba anike ubungqina bamandla, bokulunga, nemfesane kaThixo kaIsrayeli, ingxelo yabameli-mbuso ngeyaba kukukhanya okugqobhoza ebumnyameni. Yena wasuka wazenza mkhulu kunoYehova wemikhosi. “Akabuyekezanga njengokuphathwa kwakhe; ngokuba intliziyo yakhe yaphakama.” Indima 25. AN 346.1
Intlekele yeziphumo ezaziza kulandela! UIsaya waboniswa ukuba, ukubuyela kwabo emva abameli-mbuso, babephethe ingxelo ngobutyebi ababubonayo, nokuba ukumkani waseBhabheli nabathetheli bakhe bangaceba ukutyebisa izwe labo ngendyebo yaseYerusalem. UHezekiya wayone kakhulu; “bafikelwa buburhalarhume, yena namaYuda neYerusalem.” Indima 25. AN 346.2
“Waya uIsaya umprofeti kukumkani uHezekiya, wathi kuye, Atheni na la madoda? Avele ngaphi na ukuza kuwe? Wathi uHezekiya, Avele ezweni elikude eBhabheli, esiza kum. Wathi ke, abone ntoni na endlwini yakho? Wathi uHezekiya, Abone into yonke esendlwini yam; akubangakho nto ndingababonisanga yona ebuncwaneni bam. AN 346.3
“Wathi uIsaya kuHezekiya, Live ke ilizwi “Wathi uIsaya kuHezekiya, Live ke ilizwi likaYehova wemikhosi. Uyabona, kuza imihla, eya kuthi yonke into esendlwini yakho, nento abayiqwebayo ooyihlo, kwada kwayile mini, ithwalelwe eBhabheli, kungasali nto; utsho uYehova. Baya kuthabatha nakoonyana bakho abaya kuphuma kuwe, oya kubazala, babe ngababusi ebhotweni lokumkani waseBhabheli. AN 347.1
“Wathi uHezekiya kuIsaya, Lilungile ilizwi likaYehova, olithethileyo.” Isaya 39:3-8. AN 347.2
Wathi ezaliswe kukuzisola, “wazithoba uHezekiya ekuphakameni kwentliziyo yakhe, yena nabemi baseYerusalem; ababafikela ngemihla kaHezekiya uburhalarhume bukaYehova.” 2 IZikronike 32:26. Yona imbewu yobubi yayihlwayelwe eyayiza kuthi ngexesha elifanelekileyo intshule ithwale isivuno esikukuphanziswa nosizi. Ngexesha leminyaka eyayisele, ukumkani wakwaYuda wayeza kuba nempumelelo enkulu ngenxa yokuma aqine kwinjongo yakhe yokuhlangula okwadlulayo nokuzisa uzuko egameni likaThixo awayemkhonza; kanti ke ukholo lwakhe lwaluza kuvavanywa ngamandla, kwaye wayeza kufunda ukuba, kuphela ngokubeka ithemba lakhe ngokupheleleyo kuYehova anokuthi athembe ukoyisa amagunya obumnyama awayeceba intshabalalo yakhe kwanentshabalalo egqibeleleyo yabantu bakhe. AN 347.3
Ibali lokusilela kukaHezekiya ukuhlala enyanisile koko akuphathisiweyo ngexesha lotyelelo lwabameli-mbuso lizele zizifundo ezibalulekileyo zomntu wonke. Ngaphezu kokuba sisenza, kudingeka ukuba sithethe ngezahluko ezibalulekileyo kumava ethu, ngenceba nobubele bukaThixo, ngobunzulu obungenamlinganiso bothando loMsindisi. Xa ingqondo nentliziyo zizele luthando lukaThixo, akuyi kubanzima ukwabelana ngoko kungena ebomini basemoyeni. Iingcamango ezinkulu, ulangazelelo olunendili, ulwazi olucacileyo lwenyaniso, iinjongo ezingenamona, ulangazelelo lokuhlonela uThixo nobungcwele, zizinto eziya kwaziswa ngamazwi atyhila isimilo sobutyebi bentliziyo. AN 347.4
Abo sihlangana nabo yonke imihla badinga uncedo lwethu, inkokelo yethu. Basenokuba kwimeko yengqondo ekunokuthi ukuba bekungathethwa nje ilizwi ngexesha elililo lifane nesikhonkwane esibethelelwe kwindawo eqinisekileyo. Ngengomso, eminye yaloo miphefumlo ingaba lapho singenakube siyifikelele kwakhona. Ithini impembelelo yethu kwaba bahambi kunye nathi endleleni? AN 348.1
Imini nganye yobomi ithwele imithwalo ekufuneka siyithwele. Imini nganye, amazwi ethu nezenzo zethu zenza umda kwabo sihlobana nabo. Hayi, ukuba nkulu kwentswelo yokuba sibeke umlindi emilebeni yethu, siwajonge ngononophelo amanyathelo ethu! Intshukumo nganye yokungakhathali, inyathelo ngalinye lobudenge, namaza anyukayo esilingo esithile esinamandla, singawutshayela umphefumlo uye kwindlela esinga ezantsi. Asingekhe sikwazi ukuziqokelela iingcinga esizityale ezingqondweni zabantu. Ukuba zibe zimbi, kunokwenzeka ukuba siqale umqokozo weziganeko, umsinga wobubi, esingenawo amandla okuwunqanda. AN 348.2
Kwelinye icala, ukuba sithe ngomzekelo wethu, sanceda abanye ukuba baphuhle kwimithetho-siseko elungileyo, sibanika amandla okwenza okulungileyo. Ngelabo ixesha, nabo banika impembelelo efanayo eyintsikelelo kwabanye. Ngaloo ndlela, amakhulu namawaka ayancedwa ngempembelelo yethu engaqondakalanga. Umlandeli onyanisileyo kaKristu womeleza iinjongo ezilungileyo kubo bonke ahlangana nabo. Phambi kwehlabathi elingakholwayo, nelithanda isono, utyhila amandla obabalo lukaThixo kunye nokugqibelela kwesimilo saKhe. AN 348.3