8—Ukreqo Lwesizwe

Ukususela kwixesha lokufa kukaYarobheham ukuya ekuveleni kukaEliya phambi kuka-Ahabhi, abantu bakwaIsrayeli baba nokuhla kwasemoyeni ngendlela engangxamanga. Belawulwa ngabantu ababengamoyiki uYehova nabakhuthaza uhlobo lokunqula oothixo basemzini, uninzi lwabantu lwakhawuleza lwalahlekwa ngumbono woxanduva lwawo lokukhonza uThixo ophilayo lwamkela izinto ezininzi ezenziwa kunqulo lwezithixo.AN 109.1

UNadabhi, unyana kaYarobheham, wahlala etroneni kaIsrayeli iinyanga nje ezimbalwa. Ukusebenza kwakhe okubi, ngokuzama ukuthabathela kuye ulawulo loburhulumente, kwakhawuleza kwapheliswa liyelenqe elalikhokelwa nguBhasha, omnye weenkokheli zakhe zomkhosi. UNadabhi wabulawa, nenzala yakhe yonke eyayisemgceni wolandelelwano, “ngokwelizwi likaYehova, abelithethile ngomkhonzi wakhe uAhiya waseShilo: ngenxa yezono zikaYarobheham awona ngazo, awawonisa ngazo amaIsrayeli.” 1 Kumkani 15:29, 30.AN 109.2

Ngoko ke, yaba iyatshabalala indlu kaYarobheham. Unqulo lwezithixoawaluvezayolwazisakuboni abanetyala imbuyekezo yokubethwa liZulu;kanti ke abalawuli abalandelayo—uBhasha, uEla, uZimri, no-Omri—kwisithuba esiphantse sangamashumi amane eminyaka, baqhubeka kwikhondo elinye elibulalayo lokwenza inkohlakalo. Ngexesha elikhulu lokreqo lukaIsrayeli, uAsa wayelawula ubukumkani bakwaYuda. Iminyaka emininzi, uAsa wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaYehova uThixo wakhe. Wazisusa izibingelelo neziganga zezithixo zolunye uhlanga; waziqhekeza izimiso zamatye, wabagawula ooAshera. Wathi kumaYuda makamquqele uYehova, uThixo wooyise, awenze umyalelo nomtheto. Wazisusa ke emizini yonke yakwaYuda iziganga, neentsika zelanga; bazola ubukumkani phambi kwakhe.” 2 IZikronike 14:2-5.AN 110.1

Ukholo luka-Asa lwavavanyeka kakhulu xa “uZera umKhushi, enempi eliwaka, neenqwelo zokulwa ezimakhulu mathathu,” bahlasela ubukumkani bakhe. Indima 9. Kule ntlekele, uAsa akazange alibeke ithemba lakhe “[kwi]mizi enqatyisiweyo kwaYuda” awayakhayo, “[enee]ndonga neenqaba ezinde, . . . iingcango nemivalo,” kungekuko nakumadoda aqeqeshe ngokucokisekileyo “[a]ngamagorha anobukroti.” Iindima 6-8. Ithemba likakumkani lalikuYehova wemikhosi, ekwathi egameni laKhe kwakho ukuhlangulwa okumangalisayo kukaIsrayeli wakudala. Wathi eyimisa imikhosi yakhe ngoluhlu lwedabi, waye efuna uncedo kuThixo.AN 110.2

Imikhosi echaseneyo yema ngoku ijongene ubuso ngobuso. Yayilixesha lovavanyo nokulingwa kwabo babekhonza uYehova. Ingaba sonke isono sasivunyiwe? Ingaba abantu bakwaYuda babewathembe ngokupheleleyo amandla kaThixo ukuba angahlangula? Iingcinga ezinjengezo zazisezingqondweni zeenkokheli. Ngokwembono yabantu bonke,umkhosi omkhuluwaseYiputa wawunokutshayela yonke into phambi kwawo. Noko kunjalo, ngexesha loxolo, uAsa wayengazinikeli eziyolweni naselonwabeni; wayelungiselela nayiphi na into enokuhla. Wayenomkhosi oqeqeshelwe ungquzulwano; wayezamile ukubakhokela abantu bakhe ukuba benze uxolo noThixo. Ngoku ke, nangona imikhosi yakhe yayimbalwa ngokwamanani kunaleyo yotshaba, ukholo lwakhe kuLowo awayemenze ithemba lakhe aluzange luhle.AN 111.1

Njengoko wayemfune uYehova kwangemihla yokuphumelela kwakhe, yayililixa ngoku lokuba ukumkani angaxhomekeka kuYe ngomhla ombi. Izicengo zakhe zibonisa ukuba wayengenguye umntu ongaqhelananga namandla kaThixo amangalisayo. “Akukho bani ingenguwe onokunceda,” wakhala, “phakathi konamandla nongenawo. Sincede, Yehova, Thixo wethu; ngokuba sayame ngawe size kule ngxokolo egameni lakho. Yehova unguThixo wethu; makangabi namandla umntu okumelana nawe.” Indima 11.AN 111.2

Umthandazo ka-Asa ngumthandazo ofanele ukwenziwa nguye wonke okholwayo ongumKristu. Silwa emfazweni, singalwi nenyama negazi, kodwa nezilawuli noomagunya, nenkohlakalo yasemoyeni kweziphezulu iindawo. Khangela kwabase-Efese 6:12. Kumadabi obomi, kufuneka sihlangane nezenzeleli zobubi ezizimisele ukumelana nokulungileyo. Ithemba lethu alikho kumntu, kodwa likuThixo ophilayo. Ngengqiniseko enkulu yokholo, singalindela ukuba uyakumanya ubungangamsha baKhe nemizamo yezixhobo ezingabantu, ukuze kuzukiswe igama laKhe. Xa sinxibe izixhobo zobulungisa baKhe, sinokulufumana uloyiso phezu kwalo lonke utshaba.AN 111.3

Ukholo lukakumkani uAsa lwavuzwa ngendlela ebonakalayo. “UYehova wawaxabela amaKushi phambi koAsa, naphambi kwamaYuda; asaba ke amaKushi. UAsa nabantu ababenaye bawasukela, bada besaeGerare; oyiswa amaKushi ngokokude angabinakubuyaaphethuke; ngokuba aqotywa phambi koYehova, naphambi komkhosi wakhe.” 2 IZikronike 14:12, 13.AN 111.4

Yathi xa imikhosi eyoyisileyo kaYuda noBhenjamin ibuyela eYerusalem, uMoya kaThixo wamfikela uAzariya, unyana kaOdede. Waphuma, esiya kukhawulela uAsa, wathi kuye, Ndiphulaphuleni, Asa, nani nonke maYuda namaBhenjamin; uYehova unani ekubeni ninaye; ukuba nithe namquqela, nomfumana; ukuba nithe namshiya, wonishiya nani.” “Ke nina yomelelani; mazingawi izandla zenu; ngokuba umsebenzi wenu unomvuzo.” 2 IZikronike 15:1, 2, 7.AN 112.1

Wathi ekhuthazwe ngala mazwi, uAsa wakhokela kuhlaziyo lwesibini kwaYuda. “Wazikhwelelisa zonke izinto ezinezothe ezweni lonke lakwaYuda nelakwaBhenjamin, nasemizini abeyithimbile kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim; wasihlaziya isibingelelo sikaYehova, esiphambi kwevaranda kaYehova. Wawahlanganisa onke amaYuda namaBhenjamin nabasemzini ababekuwo, bakwaEfrayim, nabakwaManase, nabakwaSimon; ngokuba bagalela kuye abakwaIsrayeli babaninzi, bakubona ukuba uYehova uThixo wakhe unaye. Babuthelana ke eYerusalem ngenyanga yesithathu, ngomnyaka weshumi elinesihlanu wobukumkani buka-Asa, babingelela kuYehova ngaloo mhla, bethabatha kumaxhoba ababeze nawo; amakhulu asixhenxe eenkomo, namawaka asixhenxe empahla emfutshane. Benza umnqophiso wokumquqela uYehova uThixo wooyise, ngentliziyo yabo yonke, nangomphefumlo wabo wonke.” “Amfumana; uYehova wawaphumza ngeenxa zonke.” Iindima 8-12, 15.AN 112.2

Ingxelo ende yenkonzo ethembekileyo ka-Asa yonakaliswa ziimpazamo ezithile, ezenziwa ngamaxesha awathi wasilela ngawo ukulibeka ithemba lakhe ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Wathi, ngesinye isiganeko, ukumkani wakwaIsrayeli wangena kubukumkani bakwaYuda wathimba iRama, isixeko esinqatyisiweyo esikwisithuba seemayile ezintlanu kuphela ukusuka eYerusalem, waza uAsa wafuna ukuhlangulwa ngokwenza isivumelwano noBhen-hadade, ukumkani waseSiriya. Oku kusilela ekuthembeni uThixo kuphela ngexesha lentswelo, kwakhalinyelwa kalukhuni yimboni uHanani, owavela phambi kuka-Asa nesigidimi esithi:AN 113.1

“Ngenxa yokuba usuke wakholos ngokumkani wama-Aram endaweni yokukholosa ngoNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, ngoko ke umkhosi wama-Aram uza kuphuncuka esandleni sakho. Andithi na amaKushe namaLibhiya ayengumkhosi onamandla onenyambalala yeenqwelo nabakhweli-mahashe? Kanti ke wathi ngokukholosa ngoNdikhoyo, yena wawunikela esandleni sakho loo mkhosi. Kaloku wona amehlo kaNdikhoyo akulo lonke ihlabathi, yaye ke uyabomeleza abo babambelele kuye ngokupheleleyo. Ewe, wenze into yobuyatha; ngoko ke ukususela ngoku uza kuntyumpa-ntyumpeka emfazweni.” 2 Yeziganeko 16:7-9, IBHAYIBHILE.AN 113.2

Endaweni yokuzithoba phambi kukaYehova, “uAsa wayiqumbela imboni leyo, wayifaka endlwini yesitokisi; ngokuba wayeyiyalele ngale nto. UAsa wayicinezela inxenye yabantu ngelo xesha.” Indima 10.AN 113.3

“Ngomnyaka wamashumi omathathu anesithoba wobukumkani bakhe, uAsa wayesifa ziinyawo, sada senyuka isifo sakhe; kananjalo esifeni sakhe akamquqelanga uYehova, waquqela amagqirha.” Indima 12. Ukumkani wafa ngomnyaka wamashumi amane anamnye wokulawula kwakhe waza walandelwa nguYehoshafati, unyana wakhe.AN 113.4

Iminyaka emibini phambi kokufa kuka-Asa, uAhabhi waqala ukulawula ubukumkani bakwaIsrayeli. Ukususela kwasekuqaleni, ulawulo lwakhe lwaba neempawu ezingaqhelekanga nolawulo olubi. Uyise, uOmri, umseki weSamariya, “wenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova, wenza okubi ngaphezu kwabo bonke ababengaphambi kwakhe” (1 Kumkani 16:25); kodwa izono zika-Ahabhi zona zazingaphezulu. UAhabhi waqokela ukumqumbisa uYehova uThixo wakwaIsrayeli, ngaphezu kwabo bonke ookumkani bakwaIsrayeli ababengaphambi kwakhe,” esenza “ngokungathi kulula kuye ukuhamba ngezono zikaYarobheham unyana kaNebhati.” Iindima 33, 31. Wathi enganelisekanga kukukhuthaza iintlobo zenkonzo yenkolo elandelwa eBheteli nakwaDan, ngesibindi, wabakhokelela abantu kububi obukhulu kakhulu bobuhedeni, ngokulubekela bucala unqulo lukaYehova ngokungenisa unqulo lukaBhahali.AN 114.1

Ngokuthabatha njengenkosikazi yakhe uIzebhele, “intombi kaEtebhahali ukumkani wamaTsidon,” nombingeleli omkhulu kaBhahali, uAhabhi “waya wakhonza uBhahali, wamnqula. Wammisela uBhahali isibingelelo, endlwini kaBhahali, abemakhele yona kwaSamari.” Iindima 31, 32.AN 114.2

UAhabhi akanelanga nje ukungenisa unqulo lukaBhahali kwisixeko esiyintloko, kodwa, phantsi kwenkokhelo kaIzebhele, wakha izibingelelo zobuhedeni “kwiindawo eziphakamileyo” ezininzi, apho, kwinkuseleko yeziganga ezingqongileyo, ababingeleli kunye nabanye babehlangana nohlobo olungcolileyo lokunqula olwalunyanzelisa impembelelo embi, wada uIsrayeli wonke waphantsa ukulandela emva kukaBhahali. “Bekungekho unjengoAhabhi, owazithengisela ukwenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova, owaxhokonxwayo nguIzebhele umkakhe. Wenza ngokwamasikizikunene, ngokulandela izithixo ezizizigodonjengoko enzangako ama-Amori,awawagqogqayouYehova phambi koonyana bakaIsrayeli.” 1 Kumkani 21:25, 26.AN 114.3

UAhabhi wayebuthakathaka emandleni okuziphatha. Ngokuzimanya ngomtshato nomfazi ongumnquli wezithixo ogqibeleleyo koko ngokwesimilo sakhe, kunye nokuzilawula kwakhe okuqinisekileyo, kwaba nesiphumo esiyintshabalalo kuko kokubini, kuye [uAhabhi] nasesizweni. Engalawuleki, engenawo nomgangatho ophezulu wokwenza okulungileyo, isimilo sakhe [uAhabhi] saqulunqwa ngokulula ngumoya wokuzimisela kaIzebhele. Indalo yakhe [uAhabhi] yomona, yayingakwazi ukuzixabisa iinceba zikaThixo kuIsrayeli nezinto eziyimithwalo enyanzelekileyo kuye njengomgcini nenkokheli yabantu abanyuliweyo.AN 115.1

Phantsi kwempembelelo embi ngokwesifo yolawulo luka-Ahabhi, uIsrayeli wahambela kude noThixo ophilayo wazonakalisa iindlela zabo phambi kwaKhe. Iminyaka emininzi, babelahlekwa yingqondo yokuhlonipha noloyiko lokuhlonela uThixo; ngoku, kwabonakala ngathi abakho abanesibindi sokubuveza ubomi babo ngokuma ekuhleni bakuchase ukunyelisa okugqubayo. Ithunzi elimnyama lokreqo lawugquma wonke umhlaba. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo kaBhahali noAshteroti yayibonakala kuyo yonke indawo. Iitempile zezithixo nezigcume ezibekelwe bucala unqulo, apho kwakukhonzwa imisebenzi yezandla zabantu, zaphindaphindwa ukwandiswa. Umoya wawungcoliswe ngumsi wemibingelelo enikelwa koothixo ababuxoki. Induli nentili zaziduma zizikhalo zokunxila kwababingeleli babahedeni ababebingelela elangeni, enyangeni nasezinkwenkwezini.AN 115.2

Ngempembelelo kaIzebhele kunye nababingeleli bakhe abangahlambulukanga, abantu bafundiswa ukuba oothixo abayimifanekiso eqingqiweyo eyayimisiwe, yayingoothixo, abalawula iziqalelo zomhlaba ngamandla abo angabonwayo, umlilo, namanzi. Zonke izinto ezintle zezulu—imifula ebalekayo, imithombo yamanzi amnandi, umbethe omhle, amanziemvulaehlayoihlaziye umhlaba yenze nokuba amasimi achume kakhulu—zonke ezonto zazibalwa njengothando lukaBhahali noAshteroti, endaweni yoMniki wazo zonke izipho ezilungileyo nezigqibeleleyo. Abantu balibala ukuba iinduli neentili, imisinga nemithombo, zazisesandleni sikaThixo ophilayo, nokuba ulawula ilanga, amafu ezulwini, nawo onke amandla endalo.AN 116.1

Ngabathunywa abathembekileyo, uYehova wathumela izilumkiso eziphindaphindiweyo kukumkani nakubantu abakreqileyo, kodwa aba lilize lamazwi okukhalima. Ngoncedo olulilize, abathunywa bamisa ilungelo likaYehova lokuba kuphela koThixo kwaIsrayeli; ngelize, bayayiphakamisa imithetho abanike yona. Bethinjwe bubumenyemenye bokubonakaliswa kobuhle kunye neenkonzo zonqulo lwemifanekiso, abantu balandela umzekelo kakumkani nendlu yakhe, bazinikela kwiziyolo ezinxilisayo nezihlazisayo zonqulo lombulo. Ngobuyatha babo obungaboniyo, bakhetha ukumlahla uThixo nonqulo lwaKhe. Ukukhanya okwakunikwe kwakuninzi kangako, kwasukakwabubumnyama. Igolideecikiziweyo yagqola.AN 116.2

Yeha! Kazi lumke njani uzuko lukaIsrayeli! Abazange ngaphambili abantu abanyuliweyo bakaThixo bawele ezantsi kangako ekukreqeni. “[Ku]baprofeti bakaBhahali” kwakukho “abangamakhulu amane anamanci mahlanu,” ngaphandle kwamakhulu amane “abadla etafileni kaIzebhele.” 1 Kumkani 18:19. Ayikho into eyayingaphantsi kwamandla kaThixo asebenza ngommangaliso eyayinokulugcina uhlanga kwintshabalalo epheleleyo. UIsrayeli wazahlula ngokuzithandela kuYehova, kodwa uYehova, ngemfesane, wayesabalangazelela abo babekhokelelwe esonweni, kwaye wayesele eza kuthumela kubo oyena unamandla kubaprofeti, awayeza kuthi ngaye ababuyisele ekuthembeleni kuThixo wooyise.AN 116.3