41—Iziko Lomlilo

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuDaniyeli 3.]

Iphupha lomfanekiso omkhulu, elandlalela uNebhukadenetsare iziganeko eziyakufikelela ekupheleni kwexesha, lanikwa ukuze ayiqonde indawo ekwakufuneka eyidlalile embalini yelizwe, kunye nobudlelane ekwakufuneka ukuba ubukumkani bakhe buyimele ebukumkanini basezulwini. Ekuchazweni kwephupha, waxelelwa ngokucacileyo ngokumiselwa kobukumkani bukaThixo obungunaphakade. “Ngemihla yabo kumkani,” watsho uDaniyeli, “uThixo wamazulu uya kumisa ubukumkani obungayi konakala naphakade. Obo bukumkani abuyi kusala nabantu bambi; buya kuzicola buzigqibe zonke ezo zikumkani, bona bume ngonaphakade. . . . Iphupha liqinisekile, ukutyhilwa kwalo kuyinyaniso.” Daniyeli 2:44, 45.AN 503.1

Ukumkani wayewavumile amandla kaThixo, esithi kuDaniyeli, “Okwenyaniso, uThixo wenu nguThixo woothixo, . . . ngumtyhili weemfihlakalo.” Indima 47. Emva kwexesha, uNebhukadetsare waba nomoya wokumoyika uThixo; kodwa intliziyo yakhe yayingekahlanjululwa kwibhongo nolangazelelo lwehlabathi lokuziphakamisa. Impumelelo yobukumkani bakhe yamzalisa ngekratshi. Ekuhambeni kwexesha wakuyeka ukumzukisa uThixo, waphinda waluqala ngamandla unqulo lwemifanekiso kwaneenkani zakhe.AN 503.2

Amazwi athi, “Intloko yegolide le nguwe,” aba nentsingiselo enkulu engqondweni yomlawuli. Izilumko zobukumkani, ngokusebenzisa le meko kunye nokubuyela kwakhe ekunquleni izithixo, zacebisa ukuba enze umfanekiso ofana nalowo wayewubone ephupheni, awubeke apho bonke abantu babeya kuyibona khona intloko yegolide, eyachazwa ukuba imele ubukumkani bakhe.AN 504.1

Wathi ngokwaneliswa licebiso elikhohlisayo, wazimisela ukulenza, ade adlulise. Endaweni yokuwenza umfanekiso njengoko wayewubonile, wayeza kudlulisa kulowowayewubonile. Umfanekiso wakhe akufuneki ukuba uhle kumgangatho wexabiso, ukusuka entloko ukuya ezinyaweni, kodwa ufanele ukuba ube yigolide wonke—ube ngumfuziselo kuyo yonke iBhabheli wokumakwayo kuse ephakadeni, engenakutshatyalaliswa, ubukumkani obunobungangamsha, nobuya kuziqhekeza zibe ziingceba zonke ezinye izikumkanibuze bume ngonaphakade.AN 504.2

Ingcamango yokumisa ubukhosi nendlu yasebukhosini eya kuhlala ngonaphakade yamkhuthaza kakhulu umlawuli onamandla nezazingakwazi ukuma phambi kwamikhosi yakhe zonke izizwe zomhlaba. Ngokutshiseka okwazalwa kukuthanda udumo nekratshi elalibawa elingenamda, wangena kwigqugula namadoda akhe azizilumko kucetywa ukuba kungenziwa njani oku [akunqwenelayo]. Bekulibele ukwazelelela kukaThixo okumangalisayo okwakuhlangene nephupha lomfanekiso omkhulu; bekulibele nokuba uThixo kaIsrayeli, ngomkhonziwaKheuDaniyeli, wakubeka kwacaca ukubaluleka komfanekiso, nokuba, ngokuhlangene nokuchazwa, amadoda amakhulu obukumkani asindiswa ekufeni okubi;bekulibele konke ngaphandle kolangazelelo lokumisa elabo igunya nokuba ngabona bona baphezulu, ukumkani namaphakathi akhe besizwe bazimisela ukuba, ngazo zonke iindlela, baya kuzama unako-nako ukuyiphakamisa iBhabheli ibe phezulu, ifanele ukulawula ilizwe lonke.AN 504.3

Umboniso ongumfuziselo athe uThixo watyhila ngawo kukumkani injongo yaKhe ngezizwe zomhlaba, ngoku wawuza kusetyenziselwa ukuzukiswa kwamandla omntu. Inkcazo kaDaniyeli yayiza kwaliwa, ilityalwe; inyaniso yayiza kubekwa isetyenziswe ngenye indlela. Umzekelo owalungiswa liZulu ukuba utyhile ezingqondweni zabantu iziganeko ezibalulekileyo zexesha elizayo, wawuza kusetyenziselwa ukuthintela ukusasazwa kolwazi uThixo awayelangazelela ukuba lufunyanwe lihlabathi. Ngaloo ndlela, ngokuyila kwabantu abathanda imbeko, uSathana wayefuna ukuchitha injongo yezulu ngohlanga loluntu. Utshaba loluntu lwalusazi ukuba, inyaniso engaxutywanga nobuxoki ingamandla amakhulu okusindisa; kodwa xa ithe yasetyenziswa ukuphakamisa umna nokuqhubela phambili okucetywa ngabantu, iba ngamandla enkohlakalo.AN 505.1

Kwintabalala yobutyebi obabugcinwe koovimba bakhe, uNebhukadenetsare wathi makwenziwe umfanekiso omkhulu wegolide, ofanayo ngezinye iimpawu zawo nalowo wayewubone embonweni, ngaphandle nje kwesixhobo esinye owawenziwe ngaso. Nangona babeqhelene nemifanekiso emikhulu yoothixo babo bobuhedeni, amaKaledi awazange akhe ayenza into enesithinzi nobungangamsha njengalo mfanekiso mhle kakhulu, owawuzikhubhite ezingamashumi amathandathu ukuphakama neekhubhite ezintandathu ububanzi. Akumangalisike ngoko ukuba, ezweni aphoukunqulaumfanekiso kwakuqheleke kuyo yonke indawo, umfanekiso omhle nonexabiso elikhulu kakhulu okwithafa laseDura, owawumeleuzuko lweBhabheli namandla ayo amakhulu, unikelwe njengowokunqulwa. Oku kwalungiselelwa ngendlela, kwaphuma nomthetho wokuba, ngaloo mini yokungcwaliswa kwawo, bona ke abantu kufuneka babonise intobelo enkulu kakhulu kwigunya laseBhabheli ngokuguqa phambi komfanekiso.AN 505.2

Imini eyayimisiwe yafika, isihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke “iintlanga, nezizwe, neelwimi” sabuthana ethafeni laseDura. Ngokomyalelo kakumkani, sathi sakuvakala isandi sengoma, zonke izihlwele “zaqubuda kumfanekiso wegolide.” Ngaloo mini yesiganeko esikhulu, amagunya obumnyama abonakala ngathi azuza uloyiso olukhulu; umfanekiso wegolide wabonakala umhle kakhulu ukuba uhlanganiswe umphelo neendlela ezimiselweyo zonqulo lwezithixo oluhlonitshwa njengenkolo yesizwe. USathana wayethembe ukuba ngaloo ndlela uya kuyoyisa injongo kaThixo yokwenza ukuba ubukho bukaIsrayeli ekuthinjweni eBhabheli kube yindlela yentsikelelo kuzo zonke izizwe zasezintlangeni.AN 506.1

UThixo wagqiba ngenye indlela. Asingabo bonke abaqubuda kumfanekiselo wegunya lomntu. Phakathi kwezihlwele ezazinqula, ayekho amadoda amathathu awayegqibe ngokuqinileyo ukuba awasayi kuze amhlazise ngolo hlobo uThixo wasezulwini. UThixo wawo wayenguKumkani wookumkani noNkosi yeenkosi; babengayi kuze baqubude nakuwuphina omnye.AN 506.2

KuNebhukadenetsare, eziva oyisile, kwaziswa ilizwi lokuba, phakathi kwabantu abaphetheyo, kukho abanye ababe nesibindi sokungawuthobeli umthetho wakhe. Abanye bamadoda azizilumko, enomona ngamawonga awayebekwe phezu kwamakholwaneathembekileyo kaDaniyeli, baya bambikela ngoku ukumkani ngokwaphulwa ngokungakhathali kweminqweno yakhe. “Kumkani, yidla ubomi ngonaphakade!” atsho. “Kukho amadoda angamaYuda, owamise enkonzweni yokuphatha ilizwe laseBhabheli, uShadraki, Meshaki, noAbhede-nego; la madoda akakhathali nguwe, kumkani; akababusi oothixo bakho, akaqubudi kumfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo.”AN 506.3

Ukumkani wayalela ukuba la madoda aziswe phambi kwakhe. “Nenza ngabomi na, . . .” wabuza, “ukuthi ningambusi uthixo wam, ningaqubudi kumfanekiso wegolide endiwumisileyo?” Wazama ngokuboyikisa ukubanyanzela ukuba bazimanye nesihlwele. Esalatha kwiziko lomlilo, wabakhumbuza ngesohlwayo esibalindeleyo ukuba baqhubeka nokwala ukuthobela intando yakhe. Sekunjalo, athi ngokuqina, amaHebhere akungqina ukunyaniseka kwawo kuThixo wasezulwini, kunye nokukholelwa kwawo kumandla aKhe ahlangulayo. Isenzo sokuguqa emfanekisweni sasisaziwa ngabo bonke ukuba sisenzo sokunqula. Imbeko enjalo ayenokuyinika uThixo kuphela.AN 507.1

Ngeli xesha amaHebhere amathathu emi phambi kokumkani, waqonda ukuba anento anayo angenayo amanye amadoda azizilumko zobukumkani bakhe. Ayethembekile ekwenzeni wonke umsebenzi. Wayeza kuwanika olunye uvavanyo. Ukuba nje ayengathi abonise intumekelelo yokuzimanya ekunquleni umfanekiso, konke kwakuya kuwalungela; “kodwa ukuba anithanga niqubude,” wongeza, “nojulelwa kwaoko ezikweni elivutha umlilo.” Waza wathi, esolulele phezulu isandla sakhe ngokudelela, wabuza wathi, “ngubani na ke uthixo oya kunisindisa esandleni sam?’AN 507.2

Zaba lilizeizoyikisozikakumkani.Wayengenakho ukuwajika amadoda ekunyanisekeni kwawo kuMlawuli walo lonke ilizwe. Kwimbali yooyise, ayefunde ukuba, ukungamthobeli uThixo kuba neziphumo zokuhlazeka, intlekele, nokufa; nokuba, ukumoyika uYehova kusisiqalo sobulumko, isiseko sayo yonke impumelelo eyinyaniso. Ngokuzola, ekhangele ezikweni lomlilo, athi, “Kumkani Nebhudenetsare, akufuneki kuthi ukuba sikuphendule ngale ndawo. Ukuba kunjalo [ukuba ugqibe kwelo], uThixo wethu esimbusayo unako, wosisindisa ezikweni elivutha umlilo, nasesandleni sakho, kumkani.” Ukholo lwawo lwaya luqina ngexesha evakalisa ukuba uThixo uya kuzukiswa ngokuwahlangula, aza athi, ngengqiniseko enoloyiso ezalwa kukuthembela okungenantandabuzo kuThixo, ongeza, “Ke, ukuba akunjalo, makwazeke kuwe, kumkani, ukuba asiyi kubabusa oothixo bakho, asiyi kuqubuda kumfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo.”AN 508.1

Ingqumbo kakumkani yayingenamida. Wathi “[ezele] bubushushu,” “[uku]mila kobuso bakhe baba bubi kuShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego,” abameli bohlanga oludeliweyo noluthinjiweyo. Eyalela ukuba iziko lenziwe shushu ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe kunokuba belinjalo, wathi kumadoda anamandla omkhosi wakhe, mawababophe abanquli bakaThixo kaIsrayeli, ukulungiselela ukuwabulala.AN 508.2

“Aza la madoda abotshwa eneehempe zawo, neengubo zawo zangaphantsi, nezokwaleka, nezinye iingubo zawo, ajulelwa ezikweni elivutha umlilo. Kwathi, ngenxa enokuba ilizwi lokumkani belibukhali, neziko belenziwe lashushu ngokuncamisileyo, ngenxa yoko ilangatye lomlilo lawabulala loo madoda abafunqulayo ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego.”AN 508.3

Kunjalo, uYehova akazange abalibale abaKhe. Ngexesha amangqina aKhe ejulelwa eziko, uMsindisi waziveza ngokwaKhe ubuQu kubo, baza bathi bekunye, bahamba esazulwini somlilo. Phambi kukaYehova wobushushu nokubanda, amalangatye alahlekwa ngamandla awo okutshabalalisa.AN 509.1

Elapho esihlalweni sobukhosi, ukumkani wakhangela, elindele ukubona amadoda aye amdelela etshabalala ngokupheleleyo. Zasuka izimvo zakhe zokoyisa zaguquka ngokukhawuleza. Izikhulu ezazimi kufuphi zabubona ubuso bakhe buba mthuthu ngexesha esukuma esihlalweni sakhe ethe ntsho kumalangatye alephuzayo. Othukile ukumkani, wakhangela kumaphakathi akhe, wabuza, “Besingajulelanga phakathi komlilo amadoda amathathu yinina, ebotshiwe? . . . Khangelani, ndibona amadoda amane, ekhululekile, ehamba phakathi komlilo, engenzakele; ukubonakala kweyesine ke kufana nonyana woothixo.”AN 509.2

Lo kumkani womhedeni wayemazelephi ukuba uNyana kaThixo unjani? Abathinjwa bamaHebhere ababesezikhundleni ezikhulu eBhabheli, ebomini nasesimilweni bayityhila phambi kwakhe inyaniso. bakubuzwa ngesizathu senkolo yabo, basinika ngaphandle kwentandabuzo. Ngokucacileyo nangokulula bayibeka imithetho-siseko yobulungisa, ngaloo ndlela befundisa abo bawajikelezileyo ngoThixo abamnqulayo. Bayexelile ngoKristu, uMkhululi ozayo; kwathi kwimo yowesine phakathi komlilo, ukumkani waba nokumbona uNyana kaThixo.AN 509.3

Ngoku ke, bulibalekile obakhe ubukhulu nesidima, uNebhukadenetsare wehla etroneni yakhe wathi, esondela ekungeneni kweziko, wakhwaza, “Bakhonzi boThixo Osenyangweni, phumani nize.”AN 509.4

Ngoko ke, uShadrach, noMeshach, noAbhede-nego baphuma beza phambi kwesihlwele esikhulu, baziveza bengalimalanga. Ubukho boMsindisi wabo kwabakhusela engozini, kwaba ziziqamangelo zabo kuphela ezatshayo. “Zahlanganisana iirhulune nabathetheli bomkhosi namabamba, namaphakathi okumkani; bawakhangela la madoda, ukuba umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yawo, akurhawukanga nalunwele lwentloko yawo; iihempe zawo azibanga zizimbi, nevumba lomlilo alifikanga kuwo.”AN 510.1

Waba uyalityalwa umfanekiso omkhulu wegolide, nowawubekwe ngemigcobo emikhulu. Phambi koThixo ophilileyo, abantu boyika bangcangcazela. “Makabongwe uThixo kaShadraki, kaMeshaki, ka-Abhede-nego,” ukumkani othobekileyo wanyanzeleka ukuba avume, “osithumileyo isithunywa sakhe, wabasindisa abakhonzi bakhe, abakholose ngaye, baligqitha ilizwi lokumkani, bayinikela imizimba yabo, ukuba bangabusi, bangaqubudi, kuthixo nonguwuphi, ongenguye uThixo wabo.”AN 510.2

Okwenzeka ngaloo mini kwamkhokelela uNebhukadenetsare ukuba akhuphe umthetho othi, “Zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, neelwimi, ezisukuba zithetha ngoThixo kaShadraki, kaMeshaki, ka-Abhede-nego, ziya kwenziwa iziqwenga; izindlu zazo zenziwe indawo ekuyiwa kuyo endle.” “[Akukho] thixo wumbi,” enika isizathu salo mthetho, “unako ukuhlangula ngolo luhlobo.”AN 510.3

Ngawo la, kwakunye namanye amazwi afanayo, ukumkani waseBhabheli wazama ukusasaza nakude phambi kwazo zonke iintlanga zomhlaba inkolo yakhe yokuba amandla negunya likaThixo wamaHebherelalifaneleukuzukiswangokukhulukakhulu. UThixo waneliswa yimizamo kakumkani yokumnika imbeko, nokwenza isivumo sakhe sokumthobela ukuba sisasazeke sinabe njengoko wawunjalo ummandla weBhabheli.AN 510.4

Kwakulungile ukuba ukumkani avume esidlangalaleni, nokuzama ukumphakamisa uThixo ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye oothixo; kodwa, ekuzameni ukunyanzela abantu bakhe ukuba benze ukuvumaAN 511.1

kokholo okufanayo, uNebhukadenetsare wayedlule kwilungelo lakhe njengegunya lasemhlabeni. Wayengenalo ngokwaneleyo ilungelo, nokuba lelomthetho okanye lokuziphatha, lokuba athembise abantu ngokufa kuba bengamnquli uThixo, kwanjengokuba wayengenalo elokwenza umthetho wokusa emalangatyeni bonke ababesala ukunqula umfanekiso wegolide. UThixo akaze akunyanzele ukuthobela komntu. Ubayekela bonke ukuba bazikhethele ngokukhululekileyo lowo bafuna ukumkhonza.AN 511.2

Ngokuhlangula abakhonzi baKhe abathembekileyo, uYehova wavakalisaukubauyema nabacinezelweyo, awakhalimele onke amagunya omhlaba avukelana negunya leZulu. AmaHebhere amathathu akuvakalisa kuso sonke isizwe ukukholwa kwawo kuLowo ayemnqula. Axhomekeka kuThixo. Ngeyure yokulingwa kwabo bakhumbula isithembiso, “Xa uthi uwele emanzini, ndoba nawe: nasemilanjeni, ayisayi kukuntywilisela; xa uthi uhambe emlilweni, akuyi kurhawuka, nelangatye lingakutshisi.” Isaya 43:2. Kwathi ngendlela emangalisayo, ukholo lwabo kwiLizwieliphilileyo kwazukiswa emehlweni abantu bonke. Iindaba zokuhlangulwa kwabo ngommangaliso zasiwa kumazwe amaninzi ngabameli ababephuma kwizizwe ngezizwe uNebhukadenetsare awayezimeme zakhona ekunikelweni [komfanekiso]. Ngokuthembeka kwabantwana baKhe, uThixo wazukiswa kumhlaba wonke.AN 511.3

Izifundo ezibalulekileyo zinokufundwa kumava olutsha lwamaHebhere ekwithafa laseDura. Ngale mihla yethu, abaninzi babakhonzi bakaThixo, nangona bemsulwa ekwenzeni ubugwenxa, baya kunikelwa ekungcikivweni nasekuphathweni kakubi ezandleni zabo bathi, bephefumlelwe nguSathana, bazaliswe ngumona neenkani ngasenkolweni. Ngokukodwa, ingqumbo yomntu iya kuvuswa ukuba ibachase abo bangcwalisa iSabatha yomthetho wesine; kuze kuthi ekugqibeleni umthetho ubachithe aba njengabafanele ukufa.AN 512.1

Ixesha loxinzelelo oluphambi kwabantu bakaThixo, luya kufuna ukholo olungasayi kugqwidiza. Abantwana baKhe kufuneka babonakalalise ukuba nguYe kuphela abamnqulayo, nokuba, akukho kucingela, nobomi ngokwabo, okunokuboyisela ukuba benze nokuncinane ukuvuma kunqulo lobuxoki. Kwintliziyo enyanisekileyo, imiyalelo yabantu abanesono nabatshabalalayo isuka inyamalale ingabonakali nokubonakala ecaleni kwelizwi likaThixo ongunaphakade. Inyaniso iya kuthotyelwa nangona isiphumo ikukuvalelwa entolongweni okanye ukusiwa ekudingisweni okanye ukufa.AN 512.2

Njengoko kwakunjalo ngemihla yooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego, ngokunjalo, ngexesha lokuphela kwembali yehlabathi, uYehova uya kusebenza ngamandla ngenxa yabo bema baqine kokulungileyo. Lowo wahamba namagugu ezikweni lomlilo, uya kuba nabalandeli baKhe naphi na apho bakhona. Ubukho baKhe obohlala buhleli buya kubathuthuzela kubaxhase. Phakathi kwexesha lembandezelo—imbandezelo engazange yabakho seloko kwabakho uhlanga—abanyuliweyo baKhe baya kuma bangashukunyiswa nto. USathana nayo yonke imikhosi yakhe yobubi ayinako ukutshabalalisa noyena ungenamandla kwabangcwele bakaThixo. Iingelosi ezibalaseleyo ngamandla ziya kubakhusela, kuthi ngenxa yabo, uYehova aziveze Yena ngokwaKhe ukuba ungu“Thixo woothixo,” onokubasindisa kuse ekupheleni ababeke ithemba labo kuYe.AN 513.1