42—Ubukhulu Benene

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuDaniyeli 4.]

Kwakusithi kuba ephakanyiselwe encotsheni yembeko yehlabathi, evunywa nayiMpefumlelo ukuba unjengo“kumkani wookumkani” (Hezekile 26:7), uNebhukadenetsare, maxa wambi, wayelubalela eluthandweni lukaYehova uzuko lobukumkani bakhe nobuhle bolawulo lwakhe. Yayinjalo nemeko yasemva kwephupha lakhe lomfanekiso omkhulu. Ingqondo yakhe yaphenjelelwa ngendlela emangalisayo ngulo mbono nayingcamango yokuba ubukumkani baseBhabheli, bubobezwe lonke bunjalo, ekugqibeleni babuza kuwa, ukuze ezinye izikumkani zilawule, kude kuthi, ekupheleni, onke amagunya omhlaba onganyelwe bubukumkani obuya kumiselwa nguThixo wamazulu, ubukumkani obungasokuze butshatyalaliswe.AN 514.1

Imbono entle kaNebhukadenetsare yenjongo kaThixo ngezizwe yalahleka kamva emaveni akhe; kanti ke, wathi wakuthotyelwa umoya wakhe onekratshi phambi kwesihlwele kwithafa laseDura, waphinda wavuma ukuba ubukumkani bukaThixo “bubukumkani obungunaphakade, igunya lakhe likwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana.”Umnquli wezithixo ngokuzalwa nokuqeqeshwa, eyinkokheli yohlanga lwabanqula izithixo, sekunjalo, wayenayo ngaphakathi kwakhe ingqondo yobulungisa nokulungileyo, waza uThixo wakwazi ukumsebenzisa njengesixhobo sokuzalisekiswa kwenjongo yezulu. “ Abangcangcazelisi basezintlangeni” (Hezekile 28:7), oko kwanikelwa kuNebhukadenetsare, emva kweminyaka yomsebenzi wonyamezelo noqobayo, ukuba oyise iTire; neYiputa yaba lixhoba kwimikhosi yakhe eyayisoyisa; wathi ngokongeza isizwe phezu kwesizwe kubukumkani baseBhabheli, wongeza ngakumbi nangakumbi kudumo lwakhe njengoyena mlawuli mkhulu wexesha lakhe.AN 514.2

Akumangalisi ukuba, ukumkani onempumelelo, onamabhongo nomoya wekratshi kangako, walingeka ukuba aphume ecaleni kwindlela yokuthobeka, nekuphela kwayo ekhokelela kubukhulu benene. Kumaxesha aphakathi kweemfazwe zakhe zokuthabatha amaxhoba, wakucinga kakhulu ukomeleza nokuhlaziya isixeko sakhe esiyintloko, kwada kwathi, ekuhambeni kwexesha, isixeko saseBhabheli saba sesona siphambili kubukumkani bakhe, “umzi obugolide” (KJV), “iqhayiya lehlabathi.” Eyona nto wayeyithanda njengomakhi, nempumelelo yakhe ebonakalayo ekwenzeni iBhabheli ibe ngomnye wemimangaliso emhlabeni, zizinto ezaphembelela ikratshi lakhe, wada wasengozini enkulu yokonakalisa ingxelo yakhe njengomlawuli onobulumko owayenokuqhubeka esetyenziswa nguThixo njengesixhobo sokwenza injongo yezulu.AN 515.1

Ngenceba, uThixo wamnika ukumkani elinye iphupha, ukumlumkisa ngengozi nangomgibe obekelwe intshabalalo yakhe. Embonweni wasebusuku, uNebhukadenetsare wabona umthi omkhulu ukhula esazulwini somhlaba, incopho yawo ivelele yayakufikelela emazulwini, athi amasebe awo anabela eziphelweni zomhlaba. Imihlambi neenkomo zasezintabeni nasezindulini zonwabela ukukhuseleka ngaphantsi komthunzi awo, zaza iintaka zezulu zakha izindlu zazo emasebeni awo. “Amagqabi awo abemahle, neziqhamo zawo bezizininzi; ubunokudla okwanele iinto zonke. . . . yadla kuwo yonke inyama.”AN 515.2

Uthe ukumkani ewuqwalasele umthi omkhulu, wabona “uMlindi,” “engOngcwele,” owasondela emthini, wadanduluka ngelizwi elikhulu:AN 516.1

“Wugawuleni lo mthi, niwanqumle amasebe awo, niwaqhawule amagqabi awo, nizichithachithe iziqhamo zawo. Makabaleke emke phantsi kwawo amarhamncwa, neentaka emasebeni awo. Kodwa ke isiphunzi esineengcambu zawo sishiyeni emhlabeni, siphanjiwe ngesinyithi nobhedu eluhlazeni lwasendle. Masinyakamiswe ngumbethe wezulu; makahlulelane neenkomo ngotyani bomhlaba. Intliziyo yakhe mayisuke ingabi yeyomntu, anikwe intliziyo yenkomo; kudlule amaxesha amisiweyo abe sixhenxe phezu kwakhe. Umyalezo lo ukho ngengqibo yabalindi, umcimbi lo lilizwi labangcwele; ngokokuze bazi abahleliyo, ukuba Osenyangweni unegunya ebukumkanini babantu, abunike lowo athanda ukumnika, amise ophantsi ebantwini phezu kwabo.”AN 516.2

Ekhathazeke kakhulu liphupha, nekwakucacile ukuba lalixela ngembandezelo ezayo, ukumkani walibizela “izazi, nabakhwitsi, namaKaledi, namatola;” kodwa, nangona iphupha lalicace kakhulu, akakho kwizilumko owakwazi ukuchaza intsingiselo yalo.AN 516.3

Kwakhona kwesi sizwe sinqula izithixo, ubungqina babakho kwinto yokuba, kuphela ngabo bathanda boyike uThixo abanokuziqonda iimfihlakalo zobukumkani bamazulu. Ukumkani, ekudidekeni kwakhe, wathumela ukuba kubizwe umkhonzi wakhe uDaniyeli, indoda eyayisaziwa ngengqibelelo nokuzinza kwanobulumko bayo obungenantanga.AN 516.4

Waya uDaniyeli, ekusabeleni akubizwa ngukumkani, wema phambi kukakumkani, uNebhukadenetsare wathi, “Bheletshatsare, mongameli wezazi, wena ndikwaziyo ukuba unomoya woothixo abangcwele, akukho mfihlakalo ikukhohlayo; ndityele imibono yephupha lam endilibonileyo, nokutyhilwa kwalo.” Emva kokulichaza iphupha, uNebhukadenetsare wathi, “Beletshatsare, Lityhile ke, ngenxa enokuba zonke izilumko zobukumkani bam zingenako ukundazisa ukutyhilwa kwalo; ube ke wena unako, ngokuba unomoya woothixo abangcwele.”AN 517.1

KuDaniyeli, intsingiselo yephupha yayicacile, kwaye nokubaluleka kwayo kwamothusa. “Wamangaliswa umzuzwana, nezicamango zakhe zamkhwankqisa.” Ekubona ukuziziliza nokuxinzeleka kukaDaniyeli, ukumkani wavakalisa uvelwano ngomkhonzi wakhe. “Bheletshatsare,” watsho, “iphupha nokutyhilwa kwalo malingakukhathazi.”AN 517.2

“Nkosi yam,” waphendula uDaniyeli, “iphupha malisingisele kwabakuthiyileyo, nokutyhilwa kwalo kwabakuzondayo.” Umprofeti waqonda ukuba uThixo ubeke phezu kwakhe umthwalo onzima wokutyhilela uNebhukadenetsare isigwebo esasiza kuwa phezu kwakhe kungekudala ngenxa yekratshi nokuziphakamisa kwakhe. UDaniyeli kufuneka atyhile iphupha ngolwimi anokuluqonda ukumkani; kanti, nangona ukubaluleka kwalo okoyikekayo kwamenza wathingaza waphantsa wasisimumu kukumangaliswa, kwakusafuneka eyithethile yona inyaniso, nokuba zaziya kuba yintoni iziphumo ngakuye.AN 517.3

Ngoko uDaniyeli walazisa igunya alinikwe nguSomandla. “Umthi owubonileyo, owakhulayo womelela, okuphakama kwawo kwafikelelayoezulwini,wabonwaehlabathini lonke;omagqabi ayemahle,oziqhamo bezizininzi, obunokudla okwanele izinto zonke, awahlala phantsi kwawo amarhamncwa asendle, ezaba nendlu emasebeni awo iintaka zezulu: nguwe lowo, kumkani, uthe wakhula, womelela; ubukhulu bakho bukhulileyo bafika ezulwini, negunya lakho ekupheleni kwehlabathi.AN 518.1

“Le nto yokuba ukumkani ebone umlindi ongOyingcwele esihla emazulwini, esithi, Wugawuleni lo mthi, niwonakalise; kodwa isiphunzi esineengcambu zawo, sishiyeni emhlabeni, siphanjiwe ngesinyithi nobhedu eluhlazeni lwasendle; sinyakamiswe ngumbethe wezulu, ahlulelane neenkomo ngotyani, kude kudlule phezu kwakhe amaxesha amisiweyo asixhenxe: nanku ukutyhilwa kwako, kumkani; nantsi ingqibo yOsenyangweni eya kuyifikelela inkosi yam ukumkani: uya kugxothwa ebantwini, libe kumarhamncwa asendle ikhaya lakho, udliswe utyani njengeenkomo, unyakamiswe ngumbethe wezulu, kudlule phezu kwakho amaxesha amisiweyo asixhenxe, ude wazi ukuba Osenyangweni unegunya ebukumkanini babantu, ebunika lowo athanda ukumnika. Le nto kuthiwe isiphunzi esineengcambu zomthi, masishiywe, ithi, ubukumkani bakho buya kuqiniselwa kuwe, kwaoko wakuthi wazi ukuba amazulu anegunya.”AN 518.2

Akuba elichaze ngokunyanisekileyo iphupha, uDaniyeli wamcela ukumkani oziphakamisileyo ukuba aguquke abuyele kuThixo, ngokuba ngokwenza okulungileyo angayijika intlekele ethenjisiweyo. “Ngako ke, kumkani,” wabhena umprofeti, icebo lam malikholeke kuwe, uzaphule izono zakho ngobulungisa, nobugwenxa ngokubababala abaziintsizana,ukuba kunga kungoluka ukuchulumanca kwakho.”AN 518.3

Kwaba lixesha uluvo lwesilumkiso necebiso lomprofeti linzima phezu kukaNebhukadenetsare; kodwa intliziyo engaguqulwanga lubabalo lukaThixo ikhawuleza ilahlekane neembono zikaMoya Oyingcwele. Ukuziyekelela nebhongo kwakungekacimi entliziyweni kakumkani, kwaza kwathi kamva zabuya zavela ezi mpawu. Nangona wawunikwe ngobunene obunjalo umyalelo, kukwahlangene nezilumkiso zamava awadlulayo, uNebhukadenetsare wazivumela ukuba alawulwe ngumoya womona ngakwizikumkani ezaziya kulandela. Ulawulo lwakhe, ubukhulu becala, olwalunobulungisa nenceba ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, lwajika lwaba lolucinezelayo. Eyenze lukhuni intliziyo yakhe, wazisebenzisa iitalente azinikwe nguThixo ekuzizukiseni, nasekuziphakamiseni ngaphezu kukaThixo owayemnike ubomi namandla.AN 519.1

Kwaba ziinyanga silengalenga isigwebo sikaThixo. Kwathi endaweni yokuba aguquke koku kunyamezelwa [nguThixo], wasuka ukumkani wanyukelwa kakhulu likratshi wada walahlekelwa kukuthemba noko kutyhilwa kwephupha, wasuka wahlekisa ngokoyika kwakhe kwangaphambili.AN 519.2

Kwisithuba somnyaka emva kokuba wafumana isilumkiso, uNebhukadenetsare, ehamba-hamba ebhotweni lakhe, ecinga, ngokuzidla, ngamandla akhe njengomlawuli nangempumelelo yakhe njengomakhi, wadanduluka, “Le asiyiyo na iBhabheli enkulu, endiyakhele ukuba ibe yindlu yobukumkani ngokuqina kwamandla am, nangenxa yobuhandiba bobungangamsha bam?”AN 519.3

Kwathi ukuzigwagwisa ngekratshi kusesemilebeni kakumkani, kwaphuma ilizwiezulwinielavakalisa ukuba,ixesha likaThixo elimisiweyo lesigwebo lifikile. Kwawa ezindlebeni zakhe umyalelo wegunya kaYehova: “Nebhukadenetsare kumkani, ubukumkani bumkile kuwe. Uya kugxothwa ebantwini, libe kumarhamncwa asendle ikhaya lakho, udliswe utyani njengeenkomo, kudlule phezu kwakho amaxesha asixhenxe, ude wazi ukuba Osenyangweni unegunya ebukumkanini babantu, ebunika lowo athanda ukumnika.”AN 519.4

Kwathi ngomzuzwana, ingqondo uThixo awayemnikile yasuswa; imbono awayecinga ukumkani ukuba igqibelele, ubulumko awayezidla ngabo, ezo zinto zasuswa, kwangoko umlawuli owayekhe waligorha waba ligeza. Isandla sakhe asizange sibe sakwazi ukuphakamisa intonga yokulawula. Izigidimi zokulumkisa zazingathotyelwanga; ngoku, ehlutywe amandla awayewanikwe nguMdali wakhe, waza wagxothwa ebantwini, uNebhukadenetsare “wadla utyani njengeenkomo, wanyakamiswa umzimba wakhe ngumbethe wezulu, zada iinwele zakhe zakhula, zanjengeentsiba zamaxhalanga, neenzipho zakhe zanjengezeentaka.”AN 520.1

Kwaba sisithuba seminyaka esixhenxe uNebhukadenetsare esisikhwankqiso kubantu bakhe; iminyaka esixhenxe ethotyiwe phambi komhlaba wonke. Kamva, yabuyiselwa ingqiqo yakhe wathi, ekhangele kuThixo wamazulu ngokuzithoba, wasibona isandla esingcwele ekohlwayweni kwakhe. Ngesindululo sasesidlangalaleni, wabuvuma ubutyala bakhe kwanenceba enkulu kaThixo ekumbuyiseleni [kwimo yokuqala]. “Ekupheleni kwemihla mna, Nebhukadenetsare, ndawaphakamisela ezulwini amehlo am; ukwazi kwam kwabuyela kwakum, ndambonga Osenyangweni, ndamncoma, ndambeka ohleli ngonaphakade, ogunya liligunya elingunaphakade, obukumkani bunezizukulwana ngezizukulwana. Baye bonke abemi behlabathi bebalelwe ekubeni yinto engento, esenza yena ngokuthanda kwakhe empini yasemazulwini, nakubemi behlabathi. Akukho bani ubethayo esandleni sakhe,athi kuye, Wenza ntoni na?AN 520.2

“Kwaoko ukwazi kwam kwabuyela kwakum; nangenxa yobuhandiba bobukumkani bam, ubungangamsha bam nokutyatyamba kwam kwabuyela kwakum. Andifuna amaphakathi am nezikhulu zam; ndabuyiselwa ebukumkanini bam, ndongezwa ubukhulu obuncamisileyo.”AN 521.1

Ukumkani owayekhe wanekratshi, waba ngumntwana othobekileyo kaThixo; indlongondlongo eyayingqwabalala yomlawuli, yaba ngukumkani onobulumko novelwano. Lowo wayemdelela emnyelisa uThixo wamazulu, ngoku wawavuma amandla Osenyangweni wazama ngokunyanisekileyo ukukhuthaza ukoyikwa kukaYehova nolonwabo lwabantu abaphetheyo. Phantsi kokukhalima kwaLowo unguKumkani wookumkani neNkosi yeenkosi, uNebhukadenetsare wafunda ekugqibeleni isifundo ekudingeka ukuba bonke abalawuli basifunde—esokuba ubukhulu benene bukho ngokulunga kwenene. Wamvuma uYehova ukuba unguThixo ophilileyo, esithi, “Mna Nebhukadenetsare ndiyamncoma, ndimphakamisa, ndimbeka uKumkani wamazulu; ngokuba yonke imisebenzi yakhe iyinyaniso, neendlela zakhe zisesikweni; ngangokuba enako ukubathoba abahamba beqhankqalazile.”AN 521.2

Injongo kaThixo yokuba, obona bukumkani bukhulu kakhulu emhlabeni bubonakalalise ukumdumisa ngoku yayizalisekile. Esi sibhengezo sasesidlangalaleni, ekuhleni, athe kuso uNebhukadenetsare wavuma inceba nokulunga kunye negunya likaThixo, yaba sisenzo sokugqibela sobomi bakhe esibhalwe kwimbali engcwele.AN 521.3