27—UAhazi

Ukuhlala kuka-Ahazi etroneni kwamzisa uIsaya namaqabane akhe kubuso ngobuso neemeko ezothusayo ngaphezu kwazo naziphi ukuza kuthi ga kweli xesha kummandla wakwaYuda. Abaninzi ababeye ngaphambili bamelana nempembelelo elahlekisayo yonqulo lwezithixo bathi ngoku boyiseka ukuba bathabathe inxaxheba kunqulo lwezithixo zobuhedeni. Abathetheli bakwaIsrayeli babonakalisa ukunganyaniseki emsebenzini abawuphathisiweyo; kwaza kwavumbuluka abaprofeti bobuxoki benezigidimi ezilahlekisayo; bathi nabanye bababingeleli bafundisa ngenjongo yokuba bahlawulwe. Sekunjalo, iinkokeli zokreqo zazisagcine iindlela zonqulo lwezulu zibanga ukuba zisabalwa phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo.AN 322.1

Umprofeti uMika, owayephethe ubungqina ngaloo maxesha enkathazo, wavakalisa ukuba aboni eZiyon, nangona besithi “bayame ngoYehova,” babe begwagwisa ngendlela enyelisayo besithi, “uYehova akaphakathi kwethu, yini na? Asiyi kuzelwabubi,” babebeqhubeka“[besakha]iZiyonngamagazi,neYerusalem ngobugqwetha.” Mika 3:11, 10. Ukuchasa obu bubi, umprofeti uIsaya waliphakamisa ilizwi lakhe ekhalima kalukhuni: “Liveni ilizwi likaYehova, baphathi baseSodom; wubekeleni indlebe umyalelo kaThixo wethu, bantu baseGomora. Yeyani na kum le mibingelelo yenu mininzi kangaka? Utsho uYehova. . . . Xa niza kubonakala ebusweni bam, ngubani na okufunileyo oko esandleni senu, ukugqusha iintendelezo zam?” Isaya 1:10-12.AN 322.2

Impefumlelo ithi, “Umbingelelo wabangendawo lisikizi; kobekaphi na ke bakuwuzisa ngenxa yamanyala!” IMizekeliso 21:27. UThixo wasezulwini “ungomehlo ahlambulukileyo, ukuba angayikhangeli into embi, ukuba ungabi nakukondela okubi.” Habhakuki 1:13. Asikuko ukuba akakulungelanga ukuxolela okwenza ukuba amshiye umoni; kungokuba umoni uyala ukuwusebenzisa umsindleko omkhulu wobabalo, okwenza ukuba uThixo angakwazi ukumhlangula esonweni. “Yabonani, isandla sikaYehova asisifutshane, ukuba singasindisi; nendlebe yakhe ayinzima, ukuba ingevi. Bubugwenxa benu obunahlukanisileyo noThixo wenu, zizono zenu ezibusithelisileyo ubuso bakhe kuni, ukuba angevi.” Isaya 59:1, 2.AN 323.1

USolomon ubhale wathi, “Yeha, wena lizwe likumkani ungumntwana!” Intshumayeli 10:16. Kwaba njalo kwilizwe lakwaYuda. Ngokuqhubeka kokugqitha umthetho kwakhe, abalawuli bakhe baya bafana nabantwana. UIsaya wabatsalela ingqalelo abantu kubuthakathaka bendawo abakuyo phakathi kwezizwe zomhlaba, wababonisa ukuba oku kwakusisiphumo senkohlakalo kwiindawo eziphezulu. “Uyabona,” watsho, “iNkosi uYehova wemikhosi, isusa eYerusalem nakwaYuda isixhaso nenkxaso, sonke isixhaso sesonka kwanesixhaso samanzi: igorha nendoda yokulwa, umgwebi nomprofeti, umvumisi nendoda enkulu, umthetheli wamshumi amahlanu, nobekekileyo, nomphakathi, nesilumko esinobungcibi, nengqondi yokukhwitsa. Ndobanika abathetheli abangabantwana, nabafekethi babalawule.” “Ngokuba ikhahlelekile iYerusalem, awile amaYuda; ngokuba iilwimi zabo neentlondi zabo zichase uYehova.” Isaya 3:1-4, 8.AN 323.2

“Abakhokeli benu” waqhubeka umprofeti, “ngabandwendwisi, bayigqukile indlela yomendo wenu.” Indima 12. Ngexesha lokulawula kukaAhazi, le nto yayiyinyaniso ephathekayo; kuba kubhalwe kwathiwa ngaye: “Wahamba ngeendlela zookumkani bakwaIsrayeli, kananjalo wabenzela ooBhahali imifanekiso etyhidiweyo. Waqhumisela yena emfuleni waseBhen-hinom;” “kananjalo wamcandisa emlilweni unyana wakhe, ngokwamasikizi eentlanga, awazigqogqayo uYehova phambi koonyana bakaIsrayeli.” 2 IZikronike 28:2, 3; 2 Kumkani 16:3.AN 324.1

ngokwenene, yayilixesha eli, lengozi enkulu kwisizwe esinyuliweyo. Kwakuza kuba yiminyaka nje embalwa, zize izizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaIsrayeli zisasazwe phakathi kweentlanga zobuhedeni. Ebukumkanini bakwaYuda, nakhona, kwakukhangeleka kumnyama wakujonga. Imikhosi yokulungileyo yayiphela ngokukhawuleza, lo gama imikhosi yobubi yona yayisanda. Umprofeti uMika, ekhangele kule meko, wanyanzeleka ukuba akhuze: “Udakile owenceba, akabakho ehlabathini; akasekho nothe tye phakathi koluntu.” “Olungileyo kubo unjengomtholo, othe tye ugqithisele nakuthango lweminga.” Mika 7:2, 4. “Koko uYehova wasisalisela intwana esindileyo,” watsho uIsaya, “singe saba njengeSodom, . . . neGomora.” Isaya 1:9.AN 324.2

Kwisizukulwanangasinye,ngenxa yabo babesele benyanisekile, nangenxa yothando lwaKhe olungenasiphelo kwabonayo, uThixo ubanyamezele abo bavukelayo, kwaye ebakhuthaza ukuba bayishiye indlela yabo yobubi babuyele kuYe. “Umthetho uza phezu komthetho; ummiselo phezu kommiselo, intwana apha, intwana phaya,” ngabantu abanyulwe nguYe, ufundise abagqitha kwindlela yobulungisa. Isaya 28:10.AN 325.1

Kwaba njalo ngexesha lokulawula kuka-Ahazi. Isimemo phezu kwesimemo sathunyelwa kuIsrayeli ogwilikileyo ukuba babuyele ekunyanisekeni kuYehova. Zazinobubele izicengo zabaprofeti; bathi naxa bemi phambi kwabantu, bebongoza ngokuzondeleleyo ukuba kuguqukwe kubekho uhlaziyo, amazwi abo athwala isiqhamo sokumzukisa uThixo.AN 325.2

NgoMika, kwafika isibheno esingummangaliso, “Khanive akuthethayo uYehova; uthi, Suk’ ume, ubambane neentaba, iinduli zilive ilizwi lakho. Yivani, zintaba, ukubambana kukaYehova, nani zimakade, ziseko zehlabathi; kuba uYehova ubambene nabantu bakhe, uya kuphikisana namaIsrayeli.AN 325.3

“Bantu bam, ndenze ntoni na kuni? Ndinidinise ngantoni na? Ndiphenduleni. Ngokuba ndaninyusa ezweni laseYiputa, ndanikhulula endlwini yamakhoboka, ndathuma phambi kwenu ooMoses, noAron, noMiriyam.AN 325.4

“Bantu bam, khanikukhumbule ukucebisa kukaBhalaki ukumkani wakwaMowabhi, nokuphendula kukaBhileham unyana kaBhehori, ethabathela eShitim, wada wesa eGiligali, ukuze niyazi imisebenzi kaYehova yobulungisa.” Mika 6:1-5.AN 325.5

UThixo esimkhonzayo uzeka kade umsindo; “azipheli iimfesane zakhe.” IZililo 3:22.Ngalo lonke ixesha lenceba,uMoyawaKhe ucenga abantu ukuba bamkele isipho sobomi. “Ndihleli nje, itsho iNkosi uYehova, unakanye ukuba kube mnandi kum ukufa kongendawo; kumnandi kum ukubuya kongendawo endleleni yakhe, aphile. Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi!” Hezekile 33:11. Licebo elikhethekileyo likaSathana ukukhokelela umntu ukuba one aze amshiye apho, engenaluncedo engenathemba, esoyika ukufuna ukuxolelwa. Yena uThixo uyamema, “Mababambelele egwibeni lam, baxolelane nam, ewe, baxolelane nam.” Isaya 27:5. KuKristu, wonke umsindleko wenziwe, yonke inkuthazo inikiwe.AN 326.1

Ngemihla yokukreqa kukaYuda noIsrayeli, abaninzi babebuza: “Ndiya kumkhawulela uYehova ndinantoni na? Ndiye kuzigoba na kuThixo ophezulu? Ndiya kumkhawulela ndinamadini anyukayo na, ndinamathole amnyaka mnye na? Wokholiswa na uYehova ngamawaka alishumi emilambo yeoli?” Impendulo icacile kwaye ilungile: “Uxelelwe, mntundini, okulungileyo; akubizayo uYehova kuwe, kukuthi wenze okusesikweni, uthande inceba, uhambe noThixo wakho ngokuthozamileyo.” Mika 6:6-8.AN 326.2

Ngokukhuthaza ngexabiso lokoyika uThixo okuphathekayo, umprofeti wayephinda kuphela icebiso elanikwa uIsrayeli kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo. NgoMoses, xa babeza kungena eZweni leDinga, ilizwi likaYehova lathi: “Ke kaloku ke, Israyeli, uYehova uThixo wakho ubiza ntoni na kuwe, kungekuko ukumoyika uYehova uThixo wakho, uhambe ngeendlela zakhe zonke, umthande, umkhonze uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho yonke, nangomphefumlo wakho wonke; ugcine imithetho kaYehova, nemimiselo yakhe, endikumiselayo namhla ukuba kulunge kuwe?” Duteronomi 10:12, 13.Ukusuka kwisizukulwana ukuya kwesinye, iziyalo zaphindwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova kwabo babesengozini yokuwela kwimikhwa yokwenza isiqhelo nokulibala ukubonisa inceba. Xa Yena uKristu ngokwaKhe, ngexesha lokulungiselela kwaKhe emhlabeni, kwaya kweza kuYe umqondisi-mthetho enombuzo othi: “Mfundisi, owona myalelo mkhulu emthethweni nguwuphi?” UYesu wathi kuye “Uze uyithande iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela. Nguwo lowo owokuqala nomkhulu umthetho. Owesibini ke ufana nawo: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho ngoko uzithanda ngako. Kule mithetho yomibini kuxhomekeke umyalelo uphela nabaprofeti.” Mateyu 22:36-40.AN 326.3

Ezi ntetho zicacileyo zabaprofeti kunye nezeNkosi ngokwaYo, zinokwamkelwa sithi njengelizwi likaThixo emphefumlweni ngamnye. Kufuneka singalahlekelwa lithuba lokwenza izenzo zenceba, ukubeka phambili uthando nembeko yobuKristu, kwabo basindwa yimithwalo nabacinezelweyo. Ukuba asinakho ukwenza ngaphezu koko, singathetha amazwi enkuthazo nethemba kwabo bangaqhelananga noThixo, nekunokuthethwa nabo ngokulula kakhulu ngejelo lovelwano nothando.AN 327.1

Zityebile kwaye zininzi izithembiso ezenziwa kwabo balindele amathuba okuzisa uvuyo nentsikelelo ebomini babanye. “Xa [usabelana nabalambileyo ngokutya], wawuhluthisa umphefumlo wocinezelweyo: kophumela ke ukukhanya kwakho emnyameni, nesithokothoko sakho sibe njengemini enkulu. Uya kuhlala ekwalathisa uYehova, awuhluthise umphefumlo wakho ekubaleleni kwelanga, omeleze amathambo akho, ube njengomyezo onyakamiswa yimvula, nanjengendawo ephuma amanzi, emanzi angatshiyo.” Isaya 58:10, 11.AN 327.2

Ikhondo lika-Ahazi lonqulo lwezithixo, sekukho izibheno ezizondeleleyo zabaprofeti, lalimelwe kukuba libe nesiphumo esinye kuphela. “Afikelwa amaYuda neYerusalem buburhalarhume bukaYehova, wawanikela aba yinto yokufeketha, neyokumangalisa, neyomsondlo.” 2 IZikronike 29:8. Ubukumkani behla ngokukhawuleza, baza kwaubukho obu baso, basesichengeni semikhosi egqugqisayo. “URetsin, ukumkani wakwa-Aram (Siriya), noPeka unyana kaRemaliya, ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli, beza kulwa eYerusalem; bamngqinga uAhazi.” 2 Kumkani 16:5.AN 328.1

Ukuba uAhazi namadoda akhe aphambili kummandla wolawulo lwakhe babe ngabakhonzi abanyanisekileyo kOsenyangweni, ngebabengazange babe noloyiko ngokuhlangana okunjalo okungaqhelekanga okwaya kwenziwa ukuchasa bona. Kwathi kodwa ngenxa yokuphindaphindwa kusoniwa bathezeka amandla. Babethwa luloyiko olukhulu, olungenakubizwa nangegama,lwezohlwayo[328]AN 328.2

zempindezelo zikaThixo owoniweyo, intliziyo kakumkani “yadidizela . . . nentliziyo yabantu bakhe, njengokudidizela kwemithi yehlathi phambi komoya.” Isaya 7:2. Kule ntlekele, ilizwi likaYehova lafika kuIsaya, limthuma ukuba ahlangane nokumkani ongcangcazelayo, athi:AN 328.3

“Hlala uthe qwa uzole; ungabhuduzeli ube nevuso.” (IBHAYIBHILE) . . . “ngenxa enokuba ama-Aram namaEfrayim nonyana kaRemaliya becebile ububi ngawe, besithi, Masinyuke siye kwelakwaYuda, silikruqule, silinqike libe lelethu, simise ukumkani phakathi kwalo, . . . ; itsho iNkosi uYehova, ukuthi, Loo nto ayiyi kuma, ayiyi kubakho.” Umprofeti wavakalisa ukuba ubukumkani bakwaIsrayeli, nobaseSiriya, nabo, buya kufika esiphelweni kungekudala. “Ukuba nithe anakholwa,” wagqibezela, “inene, aniyi kuqiniseka.” Iindima 4-7, 9.AN 329.1

Kwakuya kuba kuhle kubukumkani bakwaYuda ukuba uAhazi wayesamkele isigidimi esiphuma ezulwini. Kwathi ngokukhetha ukwayama kwingalo yenyama, wafuna uncedo ezintlangeni. Ngokuphelelwa lithemba, wathumela kuTigelate-pilezere, ukumkani waseAsiriya: Ndingumkhonzi wakho, ndingunyana wakho; nyuka uze kundisindisa esandleni sokumkani wakwaIsrayeli, abandivunukeleyo.” Isicelo sasikhatshwa sisipho esityebileyo esiphuma kwindyebo kakumkani nakuvimba wetempile.AN 329.2

Uncedo oluceliweyo lwathunyelwa, waza uKumkani Ahazi wafumana ukukhululeka okwethutyana, kodwa oko kwaba ngendleko enkulu kuYuda! Umbulelo owenziwayo wavusa ukubawa kwiAsiriya, saza eso sizwe singathembekanga, ngokukhawuleza, sathembisa ukumgubungela simphange uYuda. uAhazi nabantu bakhe abangonwabanga ngoku baphathwa kakubi luloyiko lokuwela ngokupheleleyo ezandleni zeAsiriya ekhohlakeleyo.AN 329.3

“UYehova wawathoba amaYuda” ngenxa yokuqhubeka kwawo esona. Ngeli xesha lokohlwaywa kuka-Ahazi, endaweni yokuba aguquke, “waphinda wenza ubumenemene kuYehova: . . . wabingelela kwizithixo zaseDamasko.” Wathi, “Izithixo zookumkani bama-Aram ezawancedayo, ndobingelela kuzo; zondinceda nam.” 2 IZikronike 28:19, 22, 23.AN 330.1

Wathi xa ukumkani okreqileyo esondela ekupheleni kolawulo lwakhe, wenza ukuba iingcango zetempile zivalwe. Iinkonzo ezingcwele zaphazanyiswa. Zazingasagcinwa zikhanya iziphatho zezibane phambi kwesibingelelo. Babengasayenzelwa abantu iminikelo yezono. Lalingasanyuki ivumba elimnandi lesiqhumiso ngexesha lenkonzo yakusasa neyangokuhlwa. Ukushiya iintendelezo zendlu kaThixo nokutshixa iingcango zayo, abahlali besixeko esingoyiki Thixo bamisa izibingelelo zokunqula oothixo babahedeni kwiimbombo zezitrato kuyo yonke iYerusalem. Ubuhedeni babubonakala ngathi buyoyisa; amagunya obumnyama ayesondele kakhulu ekoyiseni.AN 330.2

Sekunjalo, kwaYuda kwakuhleli abathile abakugcinayo ukunyaniseka kwabo kuYehova, beqinile ekwaleni ukukhokelelwa ekunquleni izithixo. Kwaye kukwaba abathi uIsaya noMika kunye namahlakani abo bakhangela ngethemba xa babehlola iindonga ezingamanxuwa ezenzeka ngexesha leminyaka yokugqibela ka-Ahazi. Ingcwele yabo yayivaliwe, kodwa abo banyanisekileyo baqinisekiswa: “UThixo unathi.” “UYehova wemikhosi, ngcwalisani yena nina, abe nguye enimoyikayo, abe nguye oningcangcazelisayo. Woba yingcwele kuni.” Isaya 8:10, 13, 14.AN 330.3