44—Emhadini Weengonyama

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuDaniyeli 6.]

Ngako nje ukuba uDariyo umMedi athabathe ngokusesikweni itrone yabalawuli baseBhabheli, wakhawuleza walumisa ngenye indlela ulawulo. “Wamisa phezu kwazo ezo abongameli babathathu, omnye kubo inguDaniyeli, ukuze iirhuluneli zinike ingxelo kubo, aze ukumkani angabi nankxwaleko. Waza lo Daniyeli wabongamela abongameli nabaziirhuluneli, ngokuba egqithisele kubongameli ngomoya omhle; ukumkani wacinga ngokummisa phezu kobukumkani bonke.”AN 539.1

Imbeko eyabekwa phezu kukaDaniyeli yavusa umona kumadoda aphambili ebukumkanini; aza azingela isizathu angathi amkhalazele ngaso. Phofu, awazange, afumane nto, “ngenxa enokuba ebethembekile; bekungafumaneki nanye imposiso nantlondi imbi kuye.”AN 539.2

Ukuziphatha okungenabala kukaDaniyeli kwavusa umona ongaphezulu kwiintshaba zakhe. “Asiyikufumana nalinye ithuba ngakulo Daniyeli,“banyanzeleka ukuba bavume, “ngaphandle kokuba silifumane kuye mayela nomthetho woThixo wakhe.”AN 539.3

Ngoko ke, abongameli namadoda amakhulu, bacebisana kunye, baphuma necebo abaya bathemba ukuba ngalo bangawufeza umsebenzi wokumtshabalalisa umprofeti. Bazimisela ukuba bamcele ukumkani ukuba asayine umthetho ababeza kuwuqulunqa, owawuza kwalela nawuphi umntu ebukumkanini ukuba acele nantoni kuThixo okanye emntwini, ingenguye uDariyo ukumkani, isithuba samashumi amathathu eentsuku. Ukwaphulwa kwalo mthetho kwakuza kohlwaywa ngokuphoswa kwalowo uwaphulayo emhadini weengonyama.AN 540.1

Kwahamba ngolo hlobo kuba, amadoda amakhulu awulungisa umthetho lowo, awunikela kuDariyo ukuba awusayine. Ngokubhenela kwikratshi lakhe, bamoyisela ekuthini, ukwenziwa kwalo mthetho kuya kongeza kakhulu kwimbeko negunya lakhe. Ngokungayazi injongo yobuqhophololo bamadoda amakhulu, ukumkani akazange abuqonde ubutshaba bawo njengoko butyhilwe apho emthethweni, waya, ngokuvuma kwinkohliso yawo, wawusayina.AN 540.2

Iintshaba zikaDaniyeli zemka phambi kukaDariyo zinovuyo ngomgibe owabekelwa ngokuqinisekileyo umkhonzi kaYehova. Kwiqhinga elalenziwe ngaloo ndlela, uSathana wayedlale indawo ebalulekileyo. Umprofeti wayephezulu elulawulweni apho ebukumkanini, zaye iingelosi ezikhohlakeleyo zisoyika hleze impembelelo yakhe iludodobalise ulawulo lwazo phezu kwabalawuli bazo. Yayizizenzeleli zenkohlakalo ezavusa amadoda amakhulu ukuba abe nomnqweno kunye nomona; yayizizo ezaphembelela icebo lokutshabalalisa uDaniyeli; aza amadoda amakhulu, ngokuziyekela ukuba abe zizixhobo zobubi, alenza icebo elo.AN 540.3

Iintshaba zomprofeti zakubona ukubambelela ngokuqinileyo kukaDaniyeli kumthetho-siseko [wakhe] njengempumelelo yecebo lazo. Zaye zingaphazamanga ekucingeni kwazo ngesimilo sakhe. Wakhawuleza wayiqonda inkohlakalo yazo ngokwenza lo mthetho, kodwa akaze atshintshe nesuntswana kwindlela yakhe. Ebeza kuyekela ntoni ukuthandaza ngoku, kanye ngexesha ekufuneka ethandaze kakhulu? Wayekhetha ukulahlekwa bubomi ngokwabo, endaweni yokulahlekwa lithemba lokuncedwa nguThixo. Ngokuzolileyo, wawenza umsebenzi wakhe njengentloko yamadoda amakhulu; kuthi ngexesha lokuthandaza, ahambe aye kwigumbi lakhe, athi, eyivulele ngaseYerusalem ifestile yakhe, ngokwesiko lakhe lesiqhelo, wanyusela isikhungo sakhe kuThixo wasezulwini.AN 541.1

Akazange azame ukusifihla isenzo sakhe. Nangona wayezazi kakuhle iziphumo zokunyaniseka kwakhe kuThixo, umoya wakhe awuzange uphazame. Phambi kwabo babeceba intshabalalo yakhe, wayengafuni ukuvumela ukuba kubekho nembonakalo yokuba uqhagamshelwano neZulu luqhawukile. Kuzo zonke iimeko ukumkani awayenelungelo lokumyalela, uDaniyeli wayethobela; kodwa wayengenakho ukumkani okanye umthetho ukumenza ukuba asuke ekunikeni imbeko uKumkani wookumkani.AN 542.1

Ngaloo ndlela, umprofeti, ngesibindi nangokuzolileyo nokuzithoba, wavakalisa ukuba alikho igunya emhlabeni elinelungelo lokungenelela phakathi komphefumlo noThixo. Nangona wayejikelezwe ngabanquli bezithixo, wayelingqina elithembekileyo lenyaniso. Ukubambelela kwakhe okungenaloyiko kokulungileyo yayikukukhanya okubengezelayo kubumnyama bokuziphatha kwelo bhotwe lobuhedeni. UDaniyeli umi phambi kwehlabathi namhlanje engumzekelo ofanelekileyo wokungoyiki nokunyaniseka komKristu.AN 542.2

Kwaba yimini yonke amadoda amakhulu emjongile uDaniyeli. Kwaba kathathu embona engena egumbini lakhe, kwabakathathu eliva ilizwi lakhe liphakanyiswa ngokuzingileyo ukuba uThixo angenelele. Ngentsasa elandelayo, basibeka isikhalazo phambi kukakumkani. UDaniyeli, indoda eyiyeyona ayihloniphileyo neyona inyanisekileyo, yaya yawudela umyalelo kakumkani. “Akusibhalanga na isalelo sokuthi: Bonke abathandaza nakongubani uthixo nomntu, ongenguwe, kumkani ngeentsuku ezimashumi mathathu, mabajulelwe emhadini weengonyama?AN 542.3

“Loo nto iqinisekile ngokomthetho wamaMedi namaPersi, ongenakutshitshiswa bani wona.”AN 542.4

Athi enovuyo, amxelela uDariyo ngokuziphatha koyena mcebisi uthenjiweyo. “UDaniyeli ngowakoonyana abathinjiweyo bakwaYuda,” bathi, “akakhathali nguwe, nasesi salelo usibhalileyo; ke uthandaza umthandazo wakhe kathathu ngemini.”AN 542.5

Wathi ukumkani akuweva la mazwi, wawubona kwangoko umgibe owawubekwe phambi komkhonzi wakhe othembekileyo. Wabona ukuba yayingelulo ulangazelelo lobukhulu nembeko yobukumkani, kodwa yayingumona ngakuDaniyeli, owakhokelela ekucetyweni komthetho wakwakumkani. “Weva kakubi kakhulu ngayo loo nto,” kuba ebe nenxaxheba kububi obenziwayo, “wazama ukuba amhlangule,” umhlobo wakhe, “lada latshona ilanga.” La madoda makhulu, athi, kuba ayeyilindele into yokuba angazama icebo ukumkani, eza kuye esithi, “Yazi, kumkani, ukuba amaMedi namaPersi anomthetho wokuba singabi nakuguqulwa sonke isalelo nommiselo, abewumisile ukumkani.” Umthetho, nangona wawenziwe ngobungxamo, wawungenakuguqulwa, koko kwakufuneka wenziwe.AN 543.1

“Watsho ke ukumkani; bamzisa uDaniyeli, bamjulela emhadini weengonyama. Waphendula ukumkani wathi kuDaniyeli, Wanga uThixo wakho, ombusa ngamaxesha onke angakusindisa.” Kwabekwa ilitye emlonyeni womhadi waza ukumkani “walitywina ngomsesane wakhe wokutywina, nangomsesane wokutywina wezikhulu zakhe, ukuze kungaguqulwa nto mayela noDaniyeli. Waza ukumkani waya ebhotweni lakhe, wabugqiba ubusuku ezila ukudla; akwaziswa zintombi zingqungqayo phambi kwakhe, waphelelwa bubuthongo.”AN 543.2

UThixo akazange azithintele iintshaba zikaDaniyeli ukuba zimphose emhadini weengonyama; wazivumela iingelosi zobubi namadoda akhohlakeleyo, ukuza kuthi gaa kule ndawo, ukuba bonke bayifeze injongo yabo; kodwa kwakungokuba kwakufuneka akwenze ukuhlangulwa komkhonzi waKhe nokuba kucace kakhulu nokoyiswa kweentshaba zenyaniso nobulungisa kugqibelele. “Ngokuba ubushushu bomntu buya kuba ngumbulelo kuwe,” (Ndumiso 76:10), umdumisi uyangqina. Ngesibindi sale ndoda inye, eyakhetha ukulandela okulungileyo kunomyalelo, uSathana woyiswa, laza laphakanyiswa lazukiswa igama likaThixo.AN 543.3

Ngentatha-kusa yemini elandelayo, ukumkani uDariyo wakhawuleza waya emhadini “wadanduluka . . . ngezwi elibuhlungu, Daniyeli, mkhonzi woThixo ophilileyo, uThixo wakho, obuhlala umbusa, ube nako na ukukusindisa ezingonyameni?”AN 544.1

Ilizwi lomprofeti laphendula: “Kumkani, phila ngonaphakade! UThixo wam uthume isithunywa sakhe, sayivingca imilomo yeengonyama, ukuba zingandenzakalisi, ngenxa enokuba phambi kwakhe kufumaneke ukuba ndimsulwa; naphambi kwakho, kumkani, andonanga.AN 544.2

“Waza ukumkani wavuya kunene, wathi uDaniyeli makanyuswe emhadini. Wenyuswa ke uDaniyeli. Akwafumaneka nasinye isenzakalo kuye; ngokuba ebekholwe kuThixo wakhe.AN 544.3

“Ukumkani wayalela, aziswa loo madoda abemncethezile uDaniyeli, bawajulela emhadini weengonyama, wona nabantwana bawo, nabafazi bawo; zaza, bengekafiki nokufika emzantsini womhadi, iingonyama zabagonyamela, zawacola onke amathambo abo.”AN 544.4

Kwaphindwa kwenziwa umthetho ngumlawuli ongumhedeni, phakamisa uThixo kaDaniyeli njengoThixo oyinyaniso. “Waza uDariyo ukumkani wabhalela kuzo zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, neelwimi, ebezihleli ehlabathini lonke, wathi: Uxolo lwenu malube lukhulu! Ndiwisa umthetho wokuba bathi, ezindaweni zonke zegunya lobukumkani bam, badidizele bothuke abantu phambikoThixo kaDaniyeli.Ngokuba unguThixo ophilileyo, emi ngonaphakade; ubukumkani bakhe abonakaliswa, negunya lakhe liya kuda liye ekupheleni; esindisa, ehlangula, esenza imiqondiso nezimanga emazulwini nasehlabathini; ngokuba emsindisile uDaniyeli emandleni eengonyama.”AN 544.5

Inkcaso enenkohlakalo ngakumkhonzi kaThixo yayaphulwe ngokupheleleyo ngoku. “Lo Daniyeli waba nempumelelo ebukumkanini bukaDariyo, nasebukumkanini bukaKoreshi umPersi.” Kwathi ngokuzihlanganisa naye, aba kumkani beentlanga banyanzeleka ukuba bamvume uThixo wakhe ukuba unguThixo “ophilileyo, emi ngonaphakade, ubukumkani bakhe abonakaliswa.”AN 545.1

Kwibali lokuhlangulwa kukaDaniyeli, sinokufunda ukuba, ngamaxesha okulingwa nokudakumba, abantwana bakaThixo kufuneka babe yinto ababe yiyo ngexesha izinto zazibonakala zikhanya lithemba, nendawo abakuyo iyileyo abanokuyinqwenela. UDaniyeli emhadini weengonyama wayekwangulaa Daniyeli wayemi phakathi kwabalungiseleli bombuso engumprofeti wOsenyangweni. Indoda entliziyo yayo imile kuThixo iya kuhlala iyiyo ngeyure yokona kukhulu ukulingwa kwayo, kwanjengoko injalo empumelelweni, xa ukukhanya nothando lukaThixo nomntu lujoliswe phezu kwayo. Ukholo lufikelela kOngabonwayo, lubambe ubukho bezinto ezingunaphakade.AN 545.2

Izulu lisondele kakhulu kwabo baphatheke kakubi ngenxa yobulungisa. UKristu wayamanisa oko akuthandayo noko kuthandwa ngabantu abathembekileyo kuYe; uva ubunzima ngokuba buviwa ngabantu baKhe abangcwele, kwaye nabani na ochukumisa abaKhe abanyuliweyo, uchukumisa Yena. Amandla akufuphi ukuba ahlangule kwingozi yasemzimbeni okanye kuxinzelelo, akwakufuphi ukuba ahlangule kububi obukhulu, enze ukuba abenakho umkhonzi kaThixo ukugcina ukuthembeka kwakhe phantsi kwazo zonke iimeko, aze oyise ngobabalo lwezulu.AN 545.3

Amava kaDaniyeli njengendoda ethembekileyo eburhulumenteni bezikumkani zaseBhabheli namaMedi-Persi, atyhila inyaniso yokuba, usomashishini akaneli nje ukuba ngumntu ocebayo, womthetho, kodwa unokuba ngumtnu oyalelwa nguThixo kwinyathelo ngalinye. UDaniyeli, owayeyinkulu-mbuso wobunye bobona bukumkani bukhulu basemhlabeni, kwangelo xesha linye wayengumprofeti kaThixo, esamkela ukukhanya kwempefumlelo yasezulwini, wayeyindoda emvakalelo efana neyethu, noluyichaza usiba lwempefumlelo ngokuthi, yayingenayo impazamo. Ukwenza kwakhe imicimbi, xa ehlolisiswa ngokusondele kakhulu ziintshaba zakhe, wafunyanwa engenasiphako. Wayengumzekelo wento abamelwe kukuba yiyo abo boshishino xa intliziyo yabo iguqukile, inikelwe [kuThixo], naxa injongo yabo ilungile emehlweni kaThixo.AN 546.1

Ukuvumelana okungqongqo nokufunwa liZulu kuzisa iintsikelelo zasemhlabeni kunye nezasemoyeni. Ukungagungqi ekwayameni ngoThixo, ukungaziyekeli ekulawulweni ngu“mna,” uDaniyeli, ngesidima sakhe esinendili, nentlonipheko yakhe engagungqiyo, esengumfana, kwamenza “wafumana inceba nemfesane” kumphathi oyintlanga awayebekwe phantsi kokujongwa nguye. Daniyeli 1:9. Kwazona ezo mpawu, zabonakala kubomi bakhe obulandelayo. Wanyuka ngokukhawuleza ukuba yinkulu-mbuso ebukumkanini baseBhabheli. Ngokulawula kweekumkani zilandelelana, ukuwa kwesizwe, nokumiswa kobunye ubukumkani behlabathi, babanjalo ubulumko nokuba ngumntu obalulekileyo eburhulumenteni, bugqibelele ubuchule bakhe, intlonipho yakhe, ukunyaniseka kokulunga kwentliziyo yakhe, ukuthembeka kwakhe kumgaqo-siseko, kangangokuba neentshaba zakhe zanyanzeleka ukuba zivume zisithi, azibanga nako “ukufumana nalinye ithuba, nantlondi imbi, ngenxa enokuba ebethembekile.”AN 546.2

Ezukiswe ngabantu ngokunikwa imithwalo yesizwe neemfihlelo zezikumkani ezilawula izwe lonke, uDaniyeli waphakanyiswa nguThixo njengommeli waKhe, wanikwa iintyilelo zeemfihlelo zezizukulwana ezizayo. Iziprofeto zakhe ezimangalisayo, njengoko ezibhalile kwizahluko sesi-7 ukuya kwese-12 kwincwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe; kodwa kwathi phambi kokuba ukubulaleka kwakhe ebomini kufikelele esiphelweni, wanikwa isiqinisekiso esisikelelekileyo sokuba, “[nge]xesha lokuphela,“—xa kuphela imbali yeli lizwe—uya kuvunyelwa kwakhona ukuba eme eqashisweni lakhe nasendaweni yakhe. Akazange anikwe ukuba akuqonde konke uThixo awayekutyhilile okuyinjongo yezulu. “Wavalele amazwi la, uyitywine incwadi,” wayalelwa ngokubhekiselele kwimibhalo yesiprofeto; ezi kwakufuneka zitywiniwe, “kude kube lixesha lokuphela.” “Hamba, Daniyeli,” ingelosi yaphinda yamyalela ngakumbi umthunywa othembekileyo kaYehova; “kuba amazwi aya kuvalelwa, atywinwe kude kube lixesha lokuphela. . . . Hamba uye ekupheleni. Uya kuphumla, uvuke, uye eqashisweni lakho ekupheleni kwemihla.” Daniyeli 12:4, 9, 13.AN 547.1

Njengoko sisondela ekupheleni kwembali yeli lizwe, iziprofeto ezabhalwa nguDaniyeli zifuna ukuba siziqwalasele ngendlela eyodwa, njengoko zihambelana nexesha kanye esiphila kulo. Kufuneka kuthi, kunye nazo, kuhlanganiswe neemfundiso zencwadi yokugqibela yeziBhalo zeTestamente eNtsha. USathana ukhokelele abaninzi ukuba bakholelwe ekuthini iindawo zesiprofeto zoko kubhalwe nguDaniyeli nomtyhilelwa uYohane azinakho ukuqondwa. Sona isithembiso sicacile sokuba intsikelelo ekhethekileyo iya kuhambelana nokufundwa kwezi ziprofeto. “Abanengqiqo baya kukuqonda” (indima 10), kwathethwaokongemibonokaDaniyelieyayizakuvulwa amatywina ngemihla yamva; kwaye nesityhilelo uKristu awasinika umkhonzi waKhe uYohane ukuze kukhokelwe abantu bakaThixo kuzo zonke iinkulungwane, isithembiso sithi, “Unoyolo lowo uwalesayo, kwanabo bawevayo amazwi aso isiprofeto esi, bazigcine izinto ezibhaliweyo kuso.” IsiTyhilelo 1:3.AN 547.2

Ukususela ekuvukeni nasekuweni kwezizwe njengoko kucacisiwe kwiincwadi zikaDaniyeli neyesiTyhilelo, kudingeka ukuba sikufunde ukungabi naxabiso kozuko nje olubonakala ngaphandle nolwehlabathi. IBhabheli, nawo onke amandla nobuqheleqhele bayo, obungazange babonwa leli lizwe lethu ngaphambili, amandla nobuhle kubantu baloo mihla obabubonakala buzinzile bungathi buza kuma ixesha elide—indlela obaphela ngayo, bathi shwaka! “Njengentyantyambo yengca,” badlula. Yakobi 1:10. Batshabalala njalo nobukumkani bamaMedi namaPersi, kwanobukumkani bamaGrike nobamaRoma. Kutshabalala ngolo hlobo konke okungenaye uThixo njengesiseko. Kuphela koko kuqamangelene nenjongo yaKhe, nokubonisa isimilo saKhe, okunokuma. Imithetho-siseko yaKhe, kuphela kwezinto ezime nkqi ezaziwa lilizwe lethu.AN 548.1

Ukukufunda ngocoselelo ukwenzeka kwenjongo kaThixo embalini yesizwe, nasekutyhilekeni kwezinto eziza kuza, kuya kusinceda ukuba sizithelekelele ngokwexabiso lenene izinto ezibonwayo nezingabonwayo, nokufunda ukuba iyintoni na eyona njongo eyiyo ebomini. Ngaloo ndlela, ukuzikhangela izinto zexesha ngokukhanya kukanaphakade, singathi, njengoDaniyeli namaqabane akhe, siphilele oko kunyanisileyo okunendili nokumileyo. Kuya kuthi ekufundeni kobu bomi imithetho-siseko yobukumkani beNkosi noMsindisi wethu, obo bukumkani busikelelekileyo buya kuma ngonaphakade kanaphakade, sibe sikulungele ekufikeni kwaKhe, ukungena kunye naYe ukuba sibuxhamle.AN 548.2