44—Ukuwela IYordan

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYoshuwa 1 ukuya kwi-5:12.]

AmaIsrayeli ayililela kakhulu inkokeli yawo eyemka ngokufa, kwaza kwabekelwa bucala iintsuku ezimashumi mathathu ukuba kubekho iinkonzo ezizodwa zokuyikhumbula. Yada yasuswa kubo, bengazange baziqonda ngokupheleleyo iingcebiso zayo ezinobulumko, ububele bayo bobuzali kunye nokungaqungqi elukholweni. Ngokuyibona ngokutsha nangokunzulu, bakhumbula izifundo ezixabisekileyo eyabanika zona ise kunye nabo.ANa 481.1

UMoses wayefile, kodwa impembelelo yakhe ayizange ife naye. Yayiza kuqhubeka ihleli iziphindaphinda njalo ezintliziyweni zabantu bakhe. Inkumbulo yobo bomi bungcwele, bungenamona yayiya kuhlala ixesha elide, izolile, inamandla awoyisayo aqulunqa izimilo, nezabo babewatyeshela amazwi akhe aphilayo. Njengokuba ukukhanya okubomvu kwelanga elitshonayo, kukhanyisa iincopho zeentaba emva kokuba lona ilanga selisithele ngaphaya kwazo, injalo imisebenzi yabanyulu, abangcwele, nabalungileyo ukunika ukukhanya ehlabathini sekukudala badlula abo babengabadlali. Imisebenzi yabo, amazwi abo, umzekelo wabo, uphila ngonaphakade. “Lilungisa elikhunjulwa ngonaphakade.” Ndumiso 112:6.ANa 481.2

Nangona babezaliswe yintlungu ngelahleko yabo enkulu, abantu babesazi ukuba babengashiywanga bodwa. Intsika yelifu yayihlala phezu komnquba emini; ibe yintsika yomlilo ebusuku, isiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo wayesaza kuba ngumkhokeli nomncedi wabo ukuba baya kuhamba endleleni yemithetho yaKhe.ANa 481.3

UYoshuwa ngoku wayeyinkokeli eyamkelweyo kaIsrayeli. Wayesakwaziwa kakhulu njengejoni, zaye izipho zakhe nokuhle awayenako kwakuxabiseke ngokukodwa ngeli xesha kwimbali yabantu bakhe. Isibindi, ukuba nesigqibo, nokuzingisa, ukukhawuleza, ukungabi nakonakaliswa, ukungakhathaleli nzuzo imbi ekukhathaleleni abo banikelwe kuye ukuba abajonge, ngaphezu kwako konke, ephenjelelwa lukholo oluphilayo kuThixo, sasinjalo isimilo sendoda eyakhethwa lizulu ukuba iphathe imikhosi kaIsrayeli ekungeneni kwabo eZweni leDinga. Ngexesha lokuphambukela kwabo entlango,wayeyinkulumbuso kaMoses, wathi ngokunyaniseka nokuthembeka kwakhe okuzolileyo nokungazenzisiyo, kunye nokuqina kwakhe ekumeleni inyaniso naphakathi kwengozi, wanika ubungqina bokufaneleka kwakhe ukuba alandele uMoses, kwaphambi kokuba abizelwe kweso sikhundla lilizwi likaThixo.ANa 481.4

UYoshuwa wawukhangela umsebenzi ophambi kwakhe ngexhala nokungazithembi; kodwa uloyiko lwakhe lwasuswa yingqiniseko awayinikwa nguThixo, “Njengoko ndandinoMoses, andiyi kukuyekela, andiyi kukushiya. . . . Uya kulabela bona aba bantu elo lizwe ndabafungela lona ooyise, ukuba ndiya kuba nika.” “Iindawo zonke eziya kunyathelwa yintende yonyawo lwenu, ndininikile, njengoko ndathethayo kuMoses.” Ukuya kwiintaba eziphakamileyo zeLebhanon kude le, kuse kumanxweme oLwandle oluKhulu, nendlela esinga kwiindonga ze-Efrata ngasempuma, wonke loo mhlaba wawuza kuba ngowabo.ANa 482.1

Kwesi sithembiso, kongezwa umyalelo onegunya, “Yomelela, ukhaliphe kunene, ukuze ugcine ukwenza ngokomyalelo wonke, awakuwisela wona uMoses umkhonzi wam.” Umyalelo kaYehova wathi, “Ize ingesuki incwadi yalo myalelo emlonyeni wakho; uze ucinge ngayo imini nobusuku;” “Musa ukutyekela ekunene nasekhohlo kuwo;” “ngokuba woba nokuphumelela ngendlela yakho oko.”ANa 482.2

AmaIsrayeli ayesamise kwicala lempuma yeYordan, nto leyo eyaba ngumqobo wokuqala ekungeneleni iKanan. “Suka ke ngoko,” eso sasisisigidimi sokuqala sikaThixo kuYoshuwa, “uyiwele iYordan le, wena naba bantu bonke, niye kwelo zwe ndibanika lona.” Akukho myalelo wawunikiwe wokuba baya kungena njani. UYoshuwa wayesazi, phofu, ukuba, nokuba yintoni uThixo ayiyaleleyo, uya kwenza indlela ukuba abantu baKhe bayenze, kwaza kwathi ngolu kholo, inkokeli engoyikiyo yaqala ukwenza amalungiselelo okubheka phambili.ANa 482.3

Kwiimayile ezimbalwa ngaphesheya komlambo, kanye kwindawo ejongene nalapho amaIsrayeli ayemise khona, kwakukho isixeko esikhulu esinqatyiswe ngokukodwa, iYeriko. Esi sixeko saye sisisitshixo sokungena kulo lonke ilizwe, saye sasiza kuba ngumqobo oliqilima kwimpumelelo kaIsrayeli. Ngeso sizathu, uYoshuwa wathuma amadodana amabini njengeentlola, ukuba asihambele esi sixeko abe nezinto aziqinisekisayo ngabantu abangabemi, izinto ezikhoyo, nokomelela kweenqaba zaso. Abemi besixeko, benoloyiko nokukrokra, nokukrokra, babesoloko bethe qwaa, ngoko abathunywa babesengozini enkulu. Noko kunjalo, baya bagcinwa nguRahabhi, inkosikazi yaseYeriko, ibeke obayo ubomi esichengeni. Ukubuyekeza ububele bayo, bayinika isithembiso sokuyikhusela xa isixeko sithatyathwa.ANa 482.4

Iintlola zabuya zikhuselekile ziphethe iindaba, “UYehova ulinikele esandleni sethu lonke ilizwe elo; kananjalo bathe amandla bonke abemi belizwe phambi kwethu.” Babexelelwe eYeriko, “Sivile ukuba uYehova wawomisa amanzi oLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eYiputa; noko nakwenzayo kookumkani bobabini bama-Amori, ababephesheya kweYordan, ooSihon no-Ogi, enabasingela phantsi. Sivile ke, zanyibilika iintliziyo zethu, akwaba sabakho kuqina kwamxhelo mntwini ngenxa yenu; ngokuba uYehova uThixo wenu nguye uThixo emazulwini phezulu, nasehlabathini phantsi apha.”ANa 483.1

Imiyalelo yanikwa ngoku, ukuba kulungiselelwe ukubheka phambili. Abantu balungisa ukudla kweentsuku ezintathu, waza umkhosi wabekwa ukuba ulungele imfazwe. Bonke bawamkela ngokuzithoba amacebo enkokeli yabo, bayiqinisekisa ngokuyithemba nokuyixhasa: “Izinto zonke osiwisele umthetho ngazo sozenza, nalapho sukuba usithume khona soya. Ngako konke esamphulaphula ngako uMoses, siya kwenjenjalo ukukuphulaphula nawe; kodwa ke uYehova uThixo wakho unga angaba nawe, njengokuba wayenoMoses.”ANa 483.2

Kwaya kwashiywa indawo ekumiswe kuyo ekwizigcume zeminga eShitim, umkhosi wehla wasinga kumda weYordan. Bonke babesazi, phofu, ukuba ngaphandle koncedo lwezulu, abangekhe bathembe ukuba bangalufeza uhambo. Ngeli xesha lo nyaka, ngeNtlakohlaza, ikhephu elinyibilika ezintabeni laliyinyuse kakhulu iYordan, umlambo uphuphuma ngaphaya kweendonga, usenza ukuba kungabikho kuwela kwiindawo ezinamazibuko aqhelekileyo. UThixo wayethande ukuba indlela kaIsrayeli yokuwela iYordan ibe ngummangaliso. UYoshuwa, ngomyalelo wezulu, wabayalela abantu ukuba bazingcwalise; kufuneka bazibeke nxamnye izono zabo, bazikhulule kuko konke ukungahlambuluki kwangaphandle; “ngokuba ngengomso,” watsho, “uYehova uya kwenza imisebenzi ebalulekileyo phakathi kwenu.” “Ityeya yomnqophiso” kwakufuneka ikhokele indlela phambi komkhosi. Baya kuthi bakuwubona umqondiso wobukho bukaYehova, uphezu kwababingeleli,niyisuse kwindawo yayo embindini wenkampu, niye ngasemlanjeni, baze bayisuse endaweni yabo, “niyilandele.” Iinkcukacha zohambo zaxelwa ngobunono kwangaphambili; wathi uYoshuwa, “Niya kwazi ngale nto ukuba uThixo ophilileyo uphakathi kwenu, eya kuwagqogqa kuphele phambi kwenu amaKanan. . . . Nantso ityeya yomnqophiso weNkosi yehlabathi lonke, ingena phambi kwenu eYordan.”ANa 483.3

Ngexesha elibekiweyo, lwaqala uhambo, ityeya ithwelwe emagxeni ngababingeleli, yawukhokela umqokozo. Abantu babeyalelwe ukuba babuyele emva, kubekho umsantsa ongangesiqingatha semayile phakathi kwabo netyeya. Bonke babukela ngomdla omkhulu xa ababingeleli babehamba besihla udonga lweYordan. Bababona beyiphethe ityeya engcwele bebheka phambili ngokucotha, besiya kumlambo onomsindo, ophuphumayo zada iinyawo zabo bathwele ityeya zangena emanzini. Ngephanyazo, umsinga ongentla wakhawuleza wabuya umva, lo gama umsinga ongasezantsi uhamba, kwaza kwavela umphantsi womlambo.ANa 484.1

Ngomyalelo wezulu, ababingeleli babheka phambili embindini womsele, bema apho lo gama umkhosi wehla weza, wacanda usiya kwelinye icala. Ngaloo ndlela kwabetheleleka ezingqondweni zakhe wonke uIsrayeli ukuba amandla amise amanzi eYordan ikwangaloo mandla ayevule uLwandle oluBomvu kooyise kumashumi amane eminyaka eyadlulayo. Bathi bakuba bedlule bonke abantu, ityeya yathwalelwa kunxweme lwasentshona. Ngako nje ukuba ifike kwindawo ekhuselekileyo, “ekuncothukeni kweentende zeenyawo zababingeleli zafika kowomileyo,” amanzi abebanjiwe akhululwa, abaleka ukuhla, engumsinga ongenakumiswa, njengoko ayehamba ngaphambili.ANa 484.2

Izizukulwana ezizayo azishiywanga zingenabo ubungqina balo mmangaliso. Bathi ababingeleli abathwele ityeya besephakathi eYordan, amadoda alishumi elinambini abe ekhethwe kwangaphambili, indoda enye kwisizwe ngasinye, yathabatha, ilitye phantsi emlanjeni apho babemi khona ababingeleli, awela nawo ukuya ngasentshona. La matye ayeza kubekwa njengesikhumbuzo kwinkampu yokuqala apho kumise khona ngaphesheya komlambo. Abantu bayalelwa ukuba baliphindaphinde eli bali kubantwana babo, nakubantwana babantwana babo, njengebali lokuhlangula awakwenzayo uThixo, njengoko watshoyo uYoshuwa, “Ukuze zonke izizwe zehlabathi zisazi isandla sikaYehova ukuba somelele; ukuze nimoyike uYehova uThixo wenu imihla yonke.”ANa 484.3

Impembelelo yalommangaliso,kumaHebhere, nakwiintshaba zawo, wawubaluleke kakhulu. Wawusisiqinisekiso kuIsrayeli sobukho kunye nokhuselo lukaThixo oluhlala luhleli, ubungqina bokuba uya kubasebenzela ngoYoshuwa njengoko wayesenza ngoMoses. Isiqinisekiso esinjalo sasidingeka. Ukomeleza iintliziyo zabo njengoko babengena ekuthabatheni ilizwe ngokulwa, umsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu owaluhexisayo ukholo looyise kwiminyaka engamashumi amane ngaphambili. “Namhlanje ndiya kuqala ukukwenza mkhulu emehlweni amaIsrayeli onke, ukuze azi ukuba ndiya kuba nawe, njengokuba ndibe noMoses.” Isiphumo sasizalisekisa isithembiso. “Ngaloo mhla uYehova wamenza mkhulu uYoshuwa emehlweni amaIsrayeli onke; amoyika njengoko abemoyika uMoses yonke imihla yobomi bakhe.”ANa 485.1

Oku kusetyenziswa kwamandla ezulu ngenxa kaIsrayeli kwakukwalungiselwe ukunyusa ukoyika awayesoyikwa ngako zizizwe ezijikelezileyo, ukuze kulungiselele indlela yoloyiso olulula noluphelele kakhulu. Iindaba zokuba uThixo umise amanzi eYordan phambi kwabantwana bakaIsrayeli, zathi zakufika kookumkani, owama-Amori nabaseKanan, zanyibilika iintliziyo zabo kukoyika. AmaHebhere ayesebulele ookumkani abahlanu bakwaMidiyan, onamandla uSihon, ukumkani wama-Amori, no-Ogi wakwaBhashan, ngoku indlela ecanda umlambo ozeleyo nolwayo iYordan, konke oku kwazizalisa zonke izizwe ezijikelezileyo ngoloyiko. KumaKanan, kuye wonke uIsrayeli, nakuYoshuwa ngokwakhe, ubungqina obungenako ukuphazanywa banikwa obu bokuba uThixo ophilayo, uKumkani weZulu nomhlaba, wayephakathi kwabantu baKhe, nokuba akasayi kuze abaphoxe, engasayi kuze abashiye.ANa 485.2

Kufutshane nje eYordan, amaHebhere enza inkampu yawo yokuqala eKanan. Apha uYoshuwa “wabalusa oonyana bakaIsrayeli;” “bamisa iintente oonyana bakaIsrayeli eGiligali, benza ipasika.” Ukunqunyanyiswa kwenkonzo yolwaluko kususela kuvukelo eKadeshe, kwaba bubungqina obuzingileyo kuIsrayeli bokuba, umnqophiso wabo noThixo, olwabekwa [lona] njengomfuziselo wawo, waphulwa. Kanti ke, nokungaqhutywa kwePasika, isikhumbuzo sokuhlangulwa eYiputa, kwakububungqina bokunganeliseki kukaYehova lulangazelelo lwabo lokubuyela ebukhobokeni. Ngoku, kunjalo, iminyaka yokwaliwa yayiphelile. Kwakhona uThixo wamamkela uIsrayeli njengabantu baKhe, wabuyiselwa nomqondiso womnqophiso. Inkonzo yokwaluka yenziwa kubo bonke abantu abazalelwa entlango.UYehova wamazisa uYoshuwa, wathi, “Namhla ingcikivo yeYiputa ndiyiqengqile, yesuka kuni,” kwathiwa xa kubhekiswa kule ndawo abamisa kuyo eGiligali iya kubizwa ngokuba “luqengqo,” okanye “uqengqelo kude.”ANa 485.3

Izizwe zabahedeni zazimgculela uYehova nabantu baKhe kuba amaHebhere aya asilela ukuhlutha iKanan, njengoko ayelindele, xa babesanda kushiya iYiputa. Iintshaba zabo zoyisa kuba uIsrayeli wazula ixesha elide entlango, zaza zahlekisa zisithi, uThixo wamaHebhere akakwazi ukuwazisa eZweni leDinga. UYehova ngoku wawatyhila ngendlela ebonakalayo amandla aKhe kunye nemfesane yaKhe ngokuvula iYordan phambi kwabantu baKhe, kwatsho kwaphela ukubagculela kwiintshaba zabo.ANa 486.1

“Ngosuku lweshumi elinesine lwenyanga, ngokuhlwa,” benza iPasika ezinkqantosini zaseYeriko. “Badla iziveliso zelo zwe ngengomso lepasika, izonka ezingenagwele namakhweba, ngenkqu yayo loo mini. Yaphela imana ngengomso, emva kokudla kwabo iziveliso zelo zwe; ababa saba namana oonyana bakaIsrayeli; badla ungeniselo lwelo zwe lakwaKanan.” Iminyaka emide yokubhadula kwabo entlango yayiphelile. Iinyawo zikaIsrayeli, ekugqibeleni, zazinyathele kwiZwe leDinga.ANa 486.2