Isiprofeto esikhulu sezikumkani zabantu ngumfanekiso wephupha likaNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabheli, omkhulu nonamabhongo. Wafuna ukwazi ukuba kwakuza kubakho ntoni emva kwakhe, waza, ephupheni lomfanekiso, ekwakungekho mntu unokulichaza, uThixo wamazisa oko kuya kwenzeka. AN 497.2
UThixo wamnika uNebhukadenetsare, owayekholelwa ukuba iBhabheli yayiza kuma ngonaphakade, iphupha. Ngomprofeti waKhe wamnika uNebhukadenetsare inkcazelo yephupha, khon’ ukuze uNebhukadenetsare afunde ukuba inyaniso ingaphezulu kwamabhongo okwandisa ubukumkani ngokuphanga. UThixo wamnika iphupha nokuchazwa kwalo uNebhukadenetsare, kungekuphela nje ukuba ukumkani waseBhabheli azi, kodwa wonke ukumkani olandela yena azi, ukuba izikumkani zasemhlabeni zonke zezexesha ngokupheleleyo, nokuba kufuneka zidlulile, nokuba ubukumkani ekuphela kwabo obungunaphakade, nobungasayi kuze budlule, bubukumkani bukaKristu, obumelwe lilitye elaba yintaba enkulu eyawuzalisayo umhlaba wonke. AN 497.3
Umfanekiso womntu opheleleyo wawumele ubukumkani bomntu; kodwa izabelo zomfanekiso, imifuziselo yezimbiwa, yayimele izikumkani ezine ezazakhe ihlabathi ezaziza kuthi, ukususela kwixesha likaDaniyeli ukubheka phambili zigqube emhlabeni. Ezi ziqala ngeBhabheli, eyathi xa isencotsheni yobuqaqawuli bayo phantsi kukaNebhukadenetsare, yaba bubukumkani obulibumbayo ihlabathi ngendlela ebonakala icace kakhulu. UA. H. Sayce uthi: “Ebuninzini babantu nasebudaleni, iAsiriya yayidlulwa kakhulu ngokugqithiseleyo bubukumkani basezantsi baseBhabheli. Apha kwakukho iziko nesiqalo sempucuko eyathi kamva yasasazeka kuyo yonke intshona yeAsiya.”—The Ancient Empires of the East, 1894 and 1900 eds, p. 93. AN 497.4
“Kwelo lizwe kwatyhilwa iimbali eziqinisekileyo zenkcubeko yangaphambili eyayikudidi oluphezulu eyakha yafunyanwa naleyo eyathi yahlala elona xesha lide. . . . IBhabheli . . . yayimele inkcubeko, impucuko, uncwadi, namandla enkolo alawula konke.” —Art. “Babylonisa,” The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (New York, 1908), vol. 1, pp. 396, 397. AN 497.5
“Asikho, emhlabeni wonke, isixeko esiyintloko esakha saliziko samandla angako, ubutyebi, nempucuko ixesha elide kangako.”—Roberst Wm. Rogers, A History of Babylonia and Assyria, 4th ed., vol.1, p. 386. AN 497.6
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KwakufanelekileukubaintyilelonesilumkisosikaThixosinikwe obo bukumkani bukhulu obabubumba ihlabathi; kodwa iBhabheli, enkulu nebugolide, yadlula phantsi kwabalawuli ababuthakathaka, uNabhonidas, nonyana wakhe Bheleshatsare, ngowama-539 B.C., kwakweso sizukulwana sinye ekwanikwa ngaso isityhilelo. AN 497.7
IBhabheli yalandelwa yiMedo-Persi phantsi kukaKoreshi oMkhulu. Kwaba sisithuba samakhulu amabini eminyaka iPersi, eyafuziselwa ngesilivere yomfanekiso ihleli etroneni yobukumkani behlabathi. AN 497.8
Ngowama-331 B.C., uDariyo III (Comannus) walwa umcimbi wegunya noAlesandire oMkhulu edabini laseArbhela, waza uAlesandire waseGrike waba ngumlawuli womhlaba. Umfuziselo weGrike lubhedu. UAlesandire wafa ngowama-323 B.C.; kwathi kwiminyaka embalwa ubukumkani bakhe bahlulwahlulwa phakathi kwamacala alwayo, yathi inkulungwane elandelayo, ethiswe amandla ngokungenathemba, yasala ilixhoba legunya elikhulayo likakumkani kumlambo iTibheri. AN 497.9
IRoma yoyisa isabelo seSiriya yobo bukumkani babukade bubobamaGrike ngaphambili ngowe-190 B.C., isabelo seMakedoni sobo bukumkani ngowe-168 B.C., lo gama iYiputa yalamkela igunya lobukumkani bentsimbi baseRoma kwakuwo loo mnyaka. IRoma yayimanyene ekuqaleni, nangona yayiyiRiphabliki. Kamva, yaba bubukumkani. Kubukumkani beRoma kwabakho ukwahlukana, okwakufuziselwe ngumxube wesinyithi nodongwe, ngokungenelwa ngamabharibhari avela ngasentla nangasempuma kweYurophu ngenkulungwane yesine; yaza iRoma, ubukumkani bentsimbi, baqhekeka ngonaphakade. Kubekho amalinge amakhulu awenziwayo ukunamathisela izizwe zaseYurophu, izahlulo zeRoma, ukuba zibe yinto enye emanyeneyo ngokwendiselana, okwathethwa ngako esiprofetweni ngokuthi kukuzihlanganisa nembewu yomntu, kodwa ngelize. UCharlemagne noNapoleon bazama ukunyanzela ngezixhobo ukwakha ubukumkani obumanyeneyo; kodwa batsho phantsi. Isiprofeto sasithethe sathi ezi zabelo azisayi kuze zimanyane, kanye njengoko intsimbi ingenakho ukuxubana nodongwe. Ilizwi elithi, “abasayi kunamathelana,” linamandla ngaphezu kobuchule okanye umkhosi wezixhobo. AN 497.10
Ngemihla yezabelo ezahlukeneyo zeRoma, uThixo wamazulu uya kumisa obaKhe ubukumkani, obungasayi kutshatyalaliswa, obungasayi kuze bunikelwe kwabanye abantu ingengabo abaKhe, abaya kubuma ngonaphakade. “Iphuphaliqinisekile, nokuchazwa kwalo kuqinisekile.” AN 497.11
Abashicileli
“Wena kumkani, kumkani wookumkani,” waqhuba uDaniyeli, “uThixo wamazulu ukunike ubukumkani, namandla, nokomelela, nozuko; ezindaweni zonke ke, apho kuhleli khona into engumntu, amarhamncwa asendle neentaka zezulu uzinikele esandleni sakho, wakwenza wanegunya kuzo zonke: intloko yegolide le nguwe. AN 498.1
“Emveni kwakho, kuya kuvela obunye ubukumkani obuphantsi kunawe, nobunye ubukumkani besithathu bobhedu, obuya kuba negunya ehlabathini lonke. AN 498.2
“Nobesine ubukumkani buya kuba njengesinyithi ukomelela, ngenxa enokuba isinyithi sizicola sizithi nkumenkume izinto zonke; boba njengesinyithi ukuzicola nokuzithi nkumenkume izinto zonke. AN 498.3
“Wazibonayo nje iinyawo neenzwane, beziludongwe lombumbi ngenxalenye, zisisinyithi ngenxalenye, bubukumkani obuya kuba bobahlukeneyo; kobakho ubulukhuni besinyithi kubo; ngenxa enokuba ubusibona isinyithi sixutywe nodongwe oluludaka. Iinzwane zeenyawo zisisinyithi njengenxalenye, ziludongwe njengenxalenye, ubukumkani buya kuthi bomelelengenxalenye, bube nkumenkume ngenxalenye. nembewu yento engumntu; kodwa abayi kunamathelana, yabona, kwanjengokuba isinyithi singaxubeki nodongwe.” AN 498.4
“Ngemihla yabo kumkani, uThixo wamazulu uya kumisa ubukumkani obungayi konakala naphakade. Obo bukumkani abuyi kusala nabantu bambi; buya kuzicola buzigqibe zonke ezo zikumkani, bona bume ngonaphakade. Ngenxa enokuba wabonayo, ukuba ilitye lazithwebula entabeni, kungengazandla, lasicola isinyithi, nobhedu, nodongwe, nesilivere, negolide, uThixo omkhulu umazisile ukumkani okuya kubakho emveni koku; iphupha liqinisekile, ukutyhilwa kwalo kuyinyaniso.” AN 499.1
Ukumkani wakholelwa kubunyaniso benkcazo, waza wathi ngokuthobekileyo nokoyika, “wawa ngobuso bakhe, waqubuda,” esithi, Okwenyaniso, uThixo wenu nguThixo woothixo, yiNkosi yokumkani, ngumtyhili weemfihlakalo: uthe waba nako nje wena ukuyityhila le mfihlakalo.” AN 499.2
UNebhukadenetsare wawurhoxisa umthetho wokutshabalalisa amadoda azizilumko. Ubomi bawo basindiswa ngenxa yoqhagamshelano phakathi kukaDaniyeli noMtyhili weemfihlakalo. Ngenxa yoko, “ukumkani wamenza mkhulu uDaniyeli, wampha izipho ezikhulu zazininzi, wamenza waba negunya phezu kwelizwe lonke laseBhabheli, waba ngumongameli omkhulu wezilumko zonke zaseBhabheli. UDaniyeli wacela kukumkani; yena wamisa enkonzweni yokuphatha ilizwe laseBhabheli ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego. Ke yena uDaniyeli waba sesangweni lokumkani.” AN 499.3
Amabali eziganeko zembali yoluntu, ukukhula kwezizwe, ukunyuka nokuwa kwezikumkani, kubonakala kungathi kuxhomekeke kwintando nobukroti bomntu; ukumiswa ngendlelakweziganeko kubonakala, ikakhulu, ngokungathi kwenziwa ngamandla, amabhongo akhe okanye ukuguquguquka kwengqondo yakhe. Kwakufikwa elizwini likaThixo, umdiyadiya ususelwa bucala, sibone ukuba, ngaphezulu, ngasemva nakuwo wonke umdlalo—oqhubekayo nophikisayo—womdla, wamandla nentshisakalo yomntu, kukho izenzeleli zOnenceba yonke, zithe zole, zisebenza ngomonde imiyalelo yeyaKhe intando. AN 500.1
Ngamazwi anobuhle nothando olungenakulinganiswa, umpostile uPawulos wabeka phambi kwezilumko zaseAthene injongo yezulu ekudaleni nasekusasazeni iintlanga nezizwe. “UThixo yena, owenza ihlabathi neento zonke ezikulo,” watsho umpostile, “wazenza ngagazi-nye zonke iintlanga zabantu, ukuba zime phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba, emisa amaxesha abekwe ngenxa engaphambili, nemida yokuma kwazo; ukuze bayifune iNkosi, ukuba kambe bangaphuthaphutha bayifumane.” IZenzo 17:24-27. AN 500.2
UThixo ukwenze kwacaca ukuba, lowo ufunayo unakho ukubotshelelwa “ngomnqophiso.” Hezekile 20:37. Ekudaleni yayiyinjongo yaKhe ukuba umhlaba umiwe ngabantu ababukho babo babuza kuba yintsikelelo kubo nakwabanye, nozuko kuMdali wabo. Bonke abathandayo babakho ukuzayamanisa nale njongo. Kuthiwa ngabo, “Abantu endizibumbeleyo baya kubalisa indumiso yam.” Isaya 43:21. AN 500.3
Emthethweni waKhe, uThixo uyazisile imithetho-siseko ekwakhele phezu kwayo yonke impumelelo yenene, eyezizwe neyomntu ngamnye. KuIsrayeli, uMoses wawuvakalisa lo mthetho: “Oku bubulumko benu, nengqondo yenu.” “Asilizwi lilambathayokuni eli, kubabubomibenu.” Duteronomi4:6; 32:47.Iintsikeleloezaya zaqinisekiswa ngolo hlobo kuIsrayeli, kwakwezo meko zinjalo nangokwaloo mlinganiselo, ziqinisekiswe kuzo zonke izizwe nakubo bonke abantu phantsi kobubanzi bamazulu. AN 500.4
Kumakhulu eminyaka phambi kokuba ezinye izizwe zikhwele kwiqonga lomdlalo, Onolwazi lonke wakhangela phambili kwizizukulwana wakuxela kwangaphambili ukuvuka nokuwa kwezikumkani zezwe lonke. UThixo wamxelela uNebhukadenetsare ukuba ubukumkani baseBhabheli buya kuwa, kuze kuvuke ubukumkani besibini, nabo obabuya kuba nelabo ixesha lokuvavanywa. Ngokusilela ukuphakamisa uThixo oyinyaniso, uzuko lwabo luya kudaka, kuze kubekho ubukumkani besithathu obuthabatha indawo yabo. Nabo obu buya kudlula; kubekho obesine, obomelele njengesinyithi, buzibeke phantsi kwabo zonke izizwe zomhlaba. AN 501.1
Ukuba abalawuli beBhabheli—obo bukumkani bubobona butyebileyo emhlabeni—babubeke phambi kwabo ukumoyika uYehova, ngababenikwe ubulumko namandla, izinto zokuwaqamangela kuYe ukuze abagcine bomelele. Bona basuka bamenza uThixo indawo yokubalekela kuphela xa besengxakini bedidekile. Ngamaxesha anjalo, xa bengakwazi ukufumana uncedo kumadoda abo amakhulu, balufuna kumadoda afana noDaniyeli—amadoda ababewazi ukuba azukisa uThixo ophilileyo kwaye nawo ezukiswa nguYe. Babhenela kula madoda ukuba asombulule iimfihlakalo zeZulu; kuba, nangona abalawuli beBhabheli eziphakamisayo babengamadoda anolwazi oluphezulu kakhulu, babezahlule kude kakhulu kuThixo ngezikreqo kangangokuba babengenakhoukuziqonda izityhilelo nezilumkiso abazinikwayo ngokubhekiselele kwikamva. AN 501.2
Kwimbali yezizwe, umfundi welizwi likaThixo unokubona ukuzaliseka okuphathekayo kwesiprofeto esingcwele. IBhabheli, iwile yaqhekeka ekugqibeleni, yadlula kuba, empumelelweni, abalawuli bayo bazibona njengabangaxhomekekanga kuThixo, baza babubalela ubukhulu nobuhle bobukumkani babo kwimisebenzi yomntu. Ubukumkani bamaMedi-Persi bafikelwa yingqumbo yeZulu kuba kubo, umthetho kaThixo wanyhashwa phantsi kwenyawo. Inkohlakalo, unyeliso, ububi, zizinto ezazilawula. Izikumkani ezalandelayo zona zazigqithisile ekuhleni nakwinkohlakalo; zaza zaya zisihla ngakumbi nangakumbi emgangathweni wokuziphatha. AN 501.3
Amandla asetyenziswa nanguwuphi umlawuli emhlabeni anikwa liZulu; kwaye, kwindlela asetyenziswa ngayo loo mandla, kulapho ilele khona impumelelo. Kuye ngamnye, ilizwi loMlindi wezulu lithi, “Ndakubhinqa ungandazi.” Isaya 45:5 [KJV]. Kunjalo, amazwi awathethwa kuNebhukadenetsare wakudala asisifundo sobomi: “Zaphule izono zakho ngobulungisa, nobugwenxa bakho ngokubababala abaziintsizana, ukuba kunga kungoluka ukuchulumacha kwakho.” Daniyeli 4:27. AN 502.1
Ukuziqonda ezi zinto, -- ukuqonda ukuba “ubulungisa buyaluphakamisa uhlanga;” nokuba “itrone izinziswa bubulungisa;” ukukwamkela ukusebenza kwale mithetho-siseko yokubonakalaliswa kwamandla aLowo “uguzula ookumkani, amise ookumkani,“—oku kukukuqonda ukusebenza kwembhali. Mizekeliso 14:34; 16:12; 20:28; Daniyeli 2:21. AN 502.2
Kuselizwini likaThixo kuphela apho oku kubekwe khona kwacaca. Apha kuboniswe ukuba amandla ezizwe, njengawabantu, awafunyanwa kumathuba okanye kwizinto ezibonakala zinokubenza babonakale bengenakoyiswa; awafunyanwa kubukhulu abazigwagwisa ngabo. Bulinganiswa ngokunyaniseka abathi bafezekise ngako injongo kaThixo. AN 502.3