32—UManase NoYosiya
Ubukumkani bakwaYuda, obabunempumelelo ngamaxesha kaHezekiya, baphinda batsalelwa phantsi kwiminyaka emide yolawulo olukhohlakeleyo lukaManase, xa kwaya kwavuselelwa ubuhedeni, baza abantu abaninzi bakhokelelwa kunqulo lwezithixo. “Ke uManase wawalahlekisa amaYuda nabemi baseYerusalem, ukuba benze okubi, ngaphezu kweentlanga.” 2 IZikronike 33:9. Ukukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwezizukulwana zangaphambili balandelwa bubumnyama benkolo nemposiso. Ububi obukhulu bahluma batyatyamba—ukubandezela, ingcinezelo, nokuthiya konke okulungileyo. Ubulungisa bagqwethwa; ubungonyama boyisa.AN 381.1
Kanti ke sekunjalo, loo maxesha mabi awazange angabi nawo amangqina kaThixo nokulungileyo. Amava awayevavanya awathi uYuda wadlula kuwo ekhuselekile ngexesha lolawulo lukaHezekiya akhulisa ezintliziyweni zabaninzi, ukuzinza kwesimilo okwathi ngoku kwaluqilima lodonga ekukhuseleni kubugwenxa obugqubayo. Ubungqina babo ngenyaniso nobulungisa bavusa umsindo kuManasenakubalingane bakheekulawuleni, nabayabazama ukuzimisa ekwenzeni okubi ngokuthulisa lonke ilizwi elingavumelani nabo. “Kananjalo igazi elimsulwa uliphalaze lalininzi kunene uManase, yada yazala iYerusalem kwathabathela kwelinye icala kwesa kwelinye.” 2 Kumkani 21:16.AN 381.2
Omnye wabokuqala ukulwa yayinguIsaya, owathi, kwisithuba esingaphezu kwesiqingatha senkulungwane wamelana noYuda njengomthunywa onyuliweyo kaYehova. “Bambi benziwa intlekisa, batyakatywa; phezu koko ke baviswa imixokelelwane nentolongo; baxulutywa ngamatye; basarhwa; bahendwa; bafa kukubulawa ngekrele; bahamba ngeengubo zeegusha nangeengaga zeebhokhwe, beswele, bebandezelwe, bephathwa kakubi (elalingabafanele ihlabathi), bedinga koozintlango, noozintaba, noomiqolomba, nakwimingxuma yomhlaba.” Hebhere 11:36-38.AN 382.1
Abanye babo baphatheka kakubi ngokutshutshiswa ngexesha lolawulo lukaManase, bayalelwa ukuba bathwale izigidimi ezizodwa zokungxolisa nokohlwaya. Ukumkani wakwaYuda, abaprofeti bathi, “wenza okubi okungaphezulu kwako konke awakwenzayo . . . abengaphambi kwakhe.” Ngenxa yale nkohlakalo, ubukumkani bakhe babusondela kwintlekele; kungekudala abemi belizwe babeza kuthatyathwa basiwe ekuthinjweni eBhabheli, baze “baphangwe bathinjwe zizo zonke iintshaba zabo.” 2 Kumkani 21:11, 14. Noko kunjalo, uYehova wayengasayi kubashiya ngokupheleleyo abo bathe kwilizwe lasemzini bamvuma njengoMlawuli; babeya kungcungcuthekiswa kakhulu, kodwa wayeza kukuzisa ukuhlangulwa kubo ngexesha nangendlela yaKhe ayimisileyo. Abo babeya kubeka ithemba labo ngokupheleleyo kuYe, babeza kufumana indawo yokuphephela eqinisekileyo.AN 382.2
Ngokuthembeka, abaprofetibaqhubekanezilumkisonezicengo zabo; bengenaloyiko, bathetha noManase kunye nabantu bakhe; kodwa izigidimi zagculelwa, waza uYuda ohlehlileyo akafuna kuphulaphula. Ukuqinisekisa oko kuya kubahlela abantu ukuba baqhubeka nokungazohlwayi, uYehova wavumela ukumkani wabo ukuba athinjwe libutho lamasoldati ama-Asiriya, awaya amkhonkxa “ngamakhamandela obhedu, amsa eBhabheli,” ikomkhulu lawo lexeshana. Le mbandezelo yambuyisela ezingqondweni zakhe ukumkani; “wambongoza uYehova uThixo wakhe, wazithoba kakhulu phambi koThixo wooyise. Wathandaza kuye, wathandazeka yena nguye, wakuva ukutarhuzisa kwakhe, wambuyisela eYerusalem ebukumkanini bakhe. Wazi ke uManase ukuba uYehova nguye onguThixo.” 2 IZikronike 33:11-13. Phofu le nguquko, nangona yayibonakala kakhulu, yafika sekusemva ukuba ibusindise ubukumkani kwimpembelelo yeminyaka eyonakalisayo yezenzo zokunqulwa kwezithixo. Baninzi abakhubeka bawa, ukuba bengazange babuye bavuke.AN 383.1
Phakathi kwabo ababomi babo babunjwa bangaphaya kokuba bube nokulungiseka lukreqo olubulalayo lukaManase, kwakukho unyana wakhe, owahlala etroneni eneminyaka engamashumi amabini anambini. Ngokumkani uAmon kubhaliwe, kwathiwa: “Wahamba ngendlela yonke awahamba ngayo uyise; wazikhonza izigodo ezizizithixo awazikhonzayo uyise, waqubuda kuzo. Wamshiya uYehova uThixo wooyise” (2 Kumkani 21:21, 22); “akazithobanga phambi koYehova, njengoko wazithobayo uManase uyise; ke yena lo Amon walikhulisa ityala.” Ukumkani okhohlakeleyo akazange avunyelwe ukuba alawule ixesha elide. Phakathi kokungahloneli-Thixo kwakhe ngokungakhathali, kwiminyaka nje emibini ehleli etroneni, wabulawelwa kwibhotwe lakhe ngabakhonzi bakhe; baza “abantu belizwe bamenza ukumkani uYosiya, unyana wakhe esikhundlenisakhe.” 2 IZikronike 33:23, 25.AN 383.2
Ngokukhwela kukaYosiya etroneni, apho wayeza kulawula iminyaka engamashumi amathathu anamnye, abo babebugcinile ubunyulu bokholo bathemba ukuba umgangatho ohlayo wobukumkani wawuza kunqandwa; kuba ukumkani omtsha, nangona wayeneminyaka esibhozo kuphela, wayemoyika uThixo, kwathi kwasekuqaleni, “wenza okuthe tye emehlweni kaYehova, wahamba ngendlela yonke kaDavide uyise; akatyekela ngasekunene nangasekhohlo.” 2 Kumkani 22:2. Ezalwa ngukumkani okhohlakeleyo, engqongwe zizihendo zokulandela emanyathelweni kayise, enabacebisi abambalwa ukuba bamkhuthaze kwindlela elungileyo, noko kunjalo, uYosiya wanyaniseka kuThixo kaIsrayeli. Wathi ngokulunyukiswa ziziphoso zezizukulwana ezadlulayo, wakhetha ukwenza okulungileyo, endaweni yokuhlela ezantsi kumgangatho wesono nokuhlaziswa awawela kuko uyise noyisemkhulu. “Akatyekela ngasekunene nangasekhohlo.” Njengowayeza kuhlala kwisikhundla sokuthenjwa, wagqiba ekubeni athobele imfundiso awayinikwayo yokukhokela abalawuli bakwaIsrayelil, kwaza ukuthobela kwakhe kwenza ukuba abenakho uThixo ukumsebenzisa njengesitya sembeko.AN 384.1
Ngexesha uYosiya wayeqala ukulawula, kwaneminyaka emininzi ngaphambili, abantliziyo inyanisekileyo kwaYuda baba nengxaki yokuba ingaba izithembiso zikaThixo kuIsrayeli wakudala zingaze zizaliseke na. Ngokokubona komntu, injongo yezulu ngesizwe esinyuliweyo kwakubonakala ngokungathi ayinakho ukufezwa. Ukreqo lweenkulungwane zangaphambili lwaluzuze amandla kwiminyaka eyadlulayo; izizwe ezilishumi zazisasazwe phakathi kweentlanga; kwakukuphela izizwe zakwaYudanakwaBhenjamin ezazisele, nazo ezo ngoku zazibonakala zikumngcipheko wentshabalalo yokuziphatha neyobuzwe. Abaprofeti babeqalile ukuxela kwangaphambili ngentshabalalo epheleleyo yesixeko sabo esilungileyo, apho kwakumi khona itempile eyakhiwa nguSolomon, nalapho onke amathemba abo asemhlabeni obukhulu besizwe ayezinze khona. Ingaba kwakunokwenzeka ukuba uThixo wayesele eza kuyibekela ecaleni injongo yaKhe awayeyifungele yokuzisa ukuhlangulwa kwabo babeka ithemba labo kuYe? Phambi kwentshutshiso yabalungileyo ekade iqhubeka, nokubonakala ngathi yimpumelelo yabakhohlakeleyo, ingaba abo bahlala benyanisekile kuThixo babengathemba ukufika kwemihla engcono?AN 384.2
Le mibuzo yexhala yayithethwa ngumprofeti uHabhakuki. Ebona imeko yabathembekileyo ngomhla wakhe, wawubeka umthwalo wentliziyo yakhe ngokubuza, athi: “Kunini na, Yehova, ndizibika ungeva; ndikhala kuwe ndisithi, Ugonyamelo, ungasindisi? Yini na ukuba undikhangelise ubutshinga, ukondele okubi? Yimbuqo nogonyamelo phambi kwam; kukho ubambano, kuphakame ingxabano. Ngenxa yoko uyekelelwe umyalelo, ukuze kungaveli naphakade okusesikweni; kuba abangendawo bayawarhawula amalungisa; ngenxa yoko okusesikweni kuphuma kujikekile.” Habhakuki 1:2-4.AN 385.1
UThixo wasiphendula isikhalo sabantwana baKhe abanyanisekileyo. Ngomlomo waKhe awunyulileyo wakutyhila ukuzimisela kwaKhe uzisa isohlwayo kwisizwe esabuya umva kuYe sakhonza oothixo beentlanga. Ngexesha lokuphila kwabanye, nabo ababebuza ngekamva, wayeza kuyilungisa ngendlela engummangaliso imicimbi yokulawula kweentlanga zomhlaba aze anyuse amaBhabheli abe ziintloko. La maKhaledi, “adengisa esoyikeka,” ayeza kugxuphuleka ngequbuliso kwelakwaYuda ngokwesohlwayo esithunywe lizulu. Indima 7. Abathetheli bakaYuda nabona bantu balungileyo basiwa ekuthinjweni eBhabheli; izixeko zakwaYuda nezithili namasimi alinyiweyo, zonke ezo zaba yinkangala; akwasindiswa nto.AN 385.2
Ethembe ukuba, nakwesi sohlwayo siqatha, injongo kaThixo ngabantu baKhe, ngandlela ithile, iya kuzaliseka, uHabhakuki wathoba ngokuzinikela kwintando etyhiliweyo kaYehova. “Wena akunguye na owasusela kwakumandulo, Yehova, Thixo wam, ungOyingcwele wam?” wadanduluka. Emva koko, wathi, ukholo lwakhe lufikelela ngaphaya kwemeko eyalayo yekusasa elikufuphi, ebamba ngokuqinileyo izithembiso ezinexabiso ezityhila uthando lukaThixo kubantwana baKhe abamthembayo, umprofeti wongeza, “Asiyi kufa.” Indima 12. Ngoku kuvakalisa ukholo, waba uyawugqiba umcimbi wakhe, nowakhe wonke umIsrayeli okholwayo, ewubeka ezandleni zikaThixo onemfesane.AN 386.1
Yayingekuphela kwamava kaHabhakuki la ekusebenziseni ukholo oluqinileyo. Kwesinye isiganeko, xa wayecamngca ngekamva, wathi, “Ndiya kuma emboniselweni yam, ndizibeke phezu kwenqaba ndibonisele, ukuba ndiyibone into aya kuyithetha kum.” Ngovelwano, uYehova wamphendula: “Bhala umbono, uwukrole kakuhle emacwecweni, ukuze abaleke owulesayo. Kuba umbono usaya kuba ngowexesha elimisiweyo, ukhawulezela ekupheleni, angathethi wona amanga; ukuba uthe wazilazila, wulinde kuba uya kuza, awuyi kubuya umva. Yabona, ugxalathelene, awuthe tye, umphefumlo wakhe phakathi kwakhe ke lona ilungisa liya kudla ubomi ngokholo lwalo .” Habhakuki 2:1-4.AN 386.2
Ukholo olwamomelezayo uHabhakuki nabo bonke abangcwele nabalungileyo kuloo mihla yokuvavanywa okukhulu ikwalulo oluxhasaabantubakaThixonamhlanje. Kwezona yurezimnyama, phantsi kwezona meko zingumqobo, ikholwa elingumKristu linokuwugcina umphefumlo walo umile kwithende lako konke ukukhanya namandla. Imihla ngemihla, ngokholo kuThixo, ithemba lakhe nokuqina kwakhe kunakho ukuhlaziywa. “Lona ilungisa liya kudla ubomi ngokholo lwalo.” Emsebenzini kaThixo, akudingeki ukuba kubekho ukuphelelwa lithemba, ukuthandabuza noloyiko. INkosi iya kuzalisekisa ngaphezu koko kulindelwe ngabo babeka ithemba labo kuYo. Iya kubanika ubulumko obudingwa ziintswelo zabo ezahlukeneyo.AN 387.1
Ngobuninzi bomsindleko owenzelwe wonke umphefumlo olingwayo, umpostile uPawulos unika ubungqina obuninzi. Wanikwa isiqinisekiso esingcwele, “Ubabalo lwam lukwanele; kuba amandla am azalisekiswa ekuswelekeni kwamandla.” Enombulelo nesibindi, umkhonzi kaThixo ovavanyiweyo waphendula, wathi: “Ngoko kokukhona sendiya kuqhayisa kamnandi kakhulu ngokuswela kwam amandla, ukuze ahlale phezu kwam amandla kaKristu. Kungoko ndikholisiweyo kukuswela amandla, kukuphathwa kakubi, ziingxakeko, ziintshutshiso, ziingxinano, ngenxa kaKristu; kuba xa sukuba ndiswele amandla, kuxa ndinamandla.” 2 Korinte 12:9, 10.AN 387.2
Kufuneka sondle sikhulise ukholo abangqina ngalo abaprofeti nabapostile—ukholo olubamba amadinga kaThixo lulindele ukuhlangulwa ngexesha nangendlela ayinyulileyo. Ilizwi eliqinisekileyo lobuprofeti liya kuzalisekiseka ekufikeni isebuqaqawulini kweNkosi noMsindisi uYesu Kristu, enguKumkani kakumkani neNkosi yeenkosi. Ixesha lokulinga lingakhangeleka lilide, umphefumlo ucinezelekile ziimeko ezityhafisayo, bebaninzi ekuthe kubo ukuthembela kwasuka kwaphela endleleni; kodwa kuthi, njengokuba wenza njalo umprofeti ukukwazi ukukhuthaza uYuda ngexesha lokreqo olungenamlinganiselo, nathi ngesibindi, masithi, “UYehovakeyenausetempileni yakheengcwele;malithi tu ebusweni bakhe lonke ihlabathi.” Habhakuki 2:20. Masihlale sisikhumbula isigidimi esivuyisayo, “Kuba umbono usaya kuba ngowexesha elimisiweyo, ukhawulezela ekupheleni, angathethi wona amanga; ukuba uthe wazilazila, wulinde, kuba uya kuza, awuyi kubuya umva. . . . Ke lona ilungisa liya kudla ubomi ngokholo lwalo.” Iindima 3, 4.AN 387.3
“Yehova wuphilise umsebenzi wakho
phakathi kweminyaka,
Wazise phakathi kweminyaka;
Ekugugumeni kwakho khumbula inceba.
“UThixo uza evela kwaTeman,
Oyingcwele evela ezintabeni zaseParan.
Igubungele amazulu indili yakhe,
Ihlabathi lizele yindumiso yakhe.
Ubumhlophe bakhe busuke baba njengokukhanya;
Yimithi emacaleni akhe;
Phambi kwakhe kuhamba indyikitya yokufa,
Kulandele icesina ezinyaweni zakhe
Umi, walishukumisa ihlabathi;
Ukhangele, wazishukumisa iintlanga;
Zaba nkumenkume iintaba zanini,
Zasibekeka iinduli zasephakadeni;
Iindlela zakhe yena zisephakadeni.”
“Uphuma ukuba usindise abantu bakho,
Ukuba usindise umthanjiswa wakho.”
“Nokuba umkhiwane awusayi kutyatyamba,
Kungabikho ndyebo emidiliyeni;
Nokuba isiqhamo somnquma asiyi kuba siso,
Amasimi angabi nakudla,
Iphele esibayeni impahla emfutshane,
Kungabikho nkomo esitalini;
Mna ke ndiya kudlamka ndikuYehova,
Ndigcobe ndikuThixo umsindisi wam.”AN 388.1
Habhakuki 3:2-6, 13, 17-19.
UHabhakuki yayingekuphela kwakhe owanikwa isigidimi sethemba elikhanyayo nekamva loloyiso kwakunye nokohlwaywa kwelo xesha. Ngexesha lokulawula kukaYosiya, ilizwi likaYehova leza kuZefaniya, lizibeka ngokucacileyo iziphumo zokreqo oluqhubekayo, ebizela ingqondo yebandla lenyaniso kubuqaqawuli obulindelekileyo kwakuba kudlule konke okukhoyo. Iziprofeto zakhe zokugwetywa okulindelekileyo phezu kukaYuda, kusebenza ngamandla afanayo kwizigwebo eziza kuwa phezu kwehlabathi elingazohlwayiyo ngexesha lokubuya kwesibini kukaKristu:[389]AN 389.1
“Isondele imini enkulu kaYehova,
Isondele, ikhawulezile kakhulu.
Yivani, imini kaYehova!
“Loo mini yimini yokuphuphuma komsindo,
Yimini yembandezelo nocutheko,
Yimini yentshabalala yakwantshabalala,
Yimini yobumnyama nesithokothoko,
“Yimini yamafu, namafu amnyama;
Yimini yesigodlo nokuhlaba umkhosi
Emizini enqatyisiweyo,
Naseluqoqweni olude.”
Zefaniya 1:14-16.
“Ndiya kubabandezela abantu, bahambe ngokweemfama, kuba bonile kuYehova; liphalazwe igazi labo njengothuli. . . . Nesilivere yabo negolide yabo ayisayi kuba nako ukubahlangula ngemini yokuphuphuma komsindo kaYehova; lotshiswa lonke ihlabathi ngumlilo wekhwele lakhe. Ngokuba uya kubaphelisa, inene, abenze into ekhwankqisayo yonke abemi behlabathi.” Iindima 17, 18.AN 390.1
“Zihlanganiseni nizihlanganise,
Luhlangandini lungadaniyo,
Ungekazali ummiselo
(kuba imini le idlula njengomququ),
Kungekanifikeli ukuvutha komsindo kaYehova,
Ingekamfikeli imini yomsindo kaYehova.
“Funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo belizwe,
Bakwenzileyo okusesikweni kwakhe;
Funani ubulungisa,
Funani ululamo,
Mhlawumbi nositheliswa
Ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”AN 390.2
Zefaniya 2:1-3.[390]
“Yabona, ndiya kubenza ngendawo bonke abacinezeli bakho ngelo xesha; ndiyisindise into eqhwalelayo, ndiyihlanganise into egxothiweyo; ndibenze indumiso negama emazweni onke abahlaziswa kuwo. Ngelo xesha ndiya kunizisa, ndinibuthe ngexesha elililo; ngokuba ndiya kunenza nibe negama, nidunyiswe phakathi kwezizwe zonke zehlabathi, ekukubuyiseni kwam ukuthinjwa kwenu phambi kwamehlo enu; utsho uYehova.” Zefaniya 3:19, 20.AN 391.1
“Memelela, ntombi inguZiyon: duma, Israyeli;
Vuya, udlamke ngentliziyo yonke,
Ntombi inguYerusalem.
UYehova ukususile ukugwetywa kwakho,
Uzidedisile iintshaba zakho;
Ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli, uYehova,
Uphakathi kwakho;
Akusayi kuba sabona bubi.
“Ngaloo mini baya kuthi kwiYerusalem, Musa ukoyika:
Ziyon, mazingawi izandla zakho.
UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho,
Ligorha elisindisayo;
Unemihlali ngawe, enovuyo;
Uthe cwaka eluthandweni lwakhe,
Ugcoba ngawe ememelela.”AN 391.2
Iindima 14-17.