45—Ukuwa KweYeriko

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYoshuwa 5:13-15; 6; 7.]

AmaHebhere ayengenile eKanan, kodwa ayengekayoyisi; kwaye ngokukhangela komntu, imfazwe yokulihlutha ilizwe kwakuza kufuneka ibe nde, ibe nzima. Lalimiwe luhlanga olomeleleyo, olwaluhleli lulungele ukuchasa ungenelelo kumhlaba walo. Izizwe ezahlukeneyo zamanywa kukoyika ingozi enye. Amahashe azo emfazwe neenqwelo zemfazwe zesinyithi, ulwazi lwawo lwelizwe, nokuqeqeshelwa kwawo imfazwe, kwakuza kubanika ithuba elihle. Ukudlula apho, ilizwe lalaluswe ziinqaba, “imizi emikhulu enqatyiswe yesa ezulwini.” Duteronomi 9:1. Kwakuphelele ekuqinisekeni kwamandla angengawo awawo awayenokuthembela kuwo amaIsrayeli ngokuphumelela kwimfazwe awayejongene nayo.ANa 487.1

Enye kwezona nqaba zomeleleyo elizweni, isixeko esikhulu nesityebileyo saseYeriko, sasikufuphi phambi kwabo, kodwa sikudana nenkampu yabo eyayiseGiligali. Kumda wesithabazi esityebileyo esizele zimveliso ezahlukeneyo zetropiki, amabhotwe neetempile zaso ezazizindawo ekwakufumaneka kuzo ubuqheleqhele kunye nobubi, esi sixeko siziphakamisileyo, nesikhuseleke ngaphaya kweendonga ezinkulu, samdelela uThixo kaIsrayeli. IYeriko yayiyenye yeendawo apho kwakulawula unqulo lwezithixo olunikelwa ngakumbi kuAshtarothe, isithixokazi senyanga. Apha, kwakukho yonke into eyinqambi nehlazisayo kwinkolo yamaKanan. Abantu bakaIsrayeli, ezazisakhumbuleka ezingqondweni zabo iziphumo ezoyikekayo zesono sabo eBeth-pehore, babesikhangele esi sixeko sobuhedeni ngokukhwankqiswa nangoloyiko.ANa 487.2

Ukusingela phantsi iYeriko kwabonwa nguYoshuwa njengenyathelo lokuqala ekuhlutheni iKanan. Phambi kwako konke, wayefuna ukuqiniseka ngenkokelo yezulu, waza wayinikwa. Wathi ethe gu bucala enkampini ukuba acamngce, athandaze uThixo kaIsrayeli ukuba ahambe phambi kwabantu baKhe, wabona ijoni elixhobileyo, indoda ethe ncothu kanobom inembonakalo enesithozela, “ithe rhuthu ikrele layo ngesandla.” Kumngeni owanikwa nguYoshuwa,[ebuza esithi], “Ungakuthi, ungakwiintshaba zethu, kusini na?” impendulo eyanikwayo yathi, “Hayi, ndingumthetheli womkhosi kaYehova; ndifikile ngoku.” Ukunikwa komyalelo ofana nalowo wanikwa uMoses eHorebhe, “Khulula iimbadada zakho ezinyaweni zakho; kuba loo ndawo umi kuyo ingcwele,” kwaya kwatyhila ukuba ngubani kanye lo mfo wasemzini ungummangaliso. YayinguKristu, Ophakanyisiweyo, owayemi phambi kwenkokeli kaIsrayeli. Wathi othukile, uYoshuwa wawa ngobuso waqubuda, wakuva ukuqinisekiswa, “Ndiyinikele esandleni sakho iYeriko, nokumkani wayo, namagorha anobukhosi,” waza wafumana umyalelo wokuba asithimbe isixeko.ANa 487.3

Ngokuthobela umyalelo wezulu, uYoshuwa wayihlanganisa imikhosi kaIsrayeli. Kwakungayi kuhlaselwa. Kwakufuneka kujikelezwe isixeko, kuphethwe ityeya kaThixo kuvuthelwe amaxilongo. Phambili kwakuhamba amajoni okulwa, iqela lamadoda akhethiweyo, kodwa ngokuthobela kwawo imiyalelo ayinikiweyo nguThixo. Ababingeleli abasixhenxe balandela bephethe amaxilongo. Emva koko iyityeya kaThixo irhangqwe kukukhanya kobuqaqawuli bezulu, ithwelwe ngababingeleli abanxibe iimpahla ezibonisa ubungcwele bomsebenzi wabo. Umkhosi kaIsrayeli walandela, isizwe ngasinye phantsi kwebhanile yaso. Wawunjalo umkrozo owawujikeleza eso sixeko sasijongene nentshabalalo. Kwakungavakali sandi ngaphandle kokungqisha kwaloo mkhosi mkhulu nokumana kukrazula isandi samaxilongo, evakala kwiinduli nakwizitrato zeYeriko. Wakuba ugqityiwe umjikelezo, wawubuya umkhosi uzole ezintenteni zawo, ityeya ibuyiselwe endaweni yayo emnqubeni.ANa 488.1

Bamangala bothukile abalindi besixeko beqaphele yonke intshukumo, benika ingxelo kwabasemagunyeni. Babengayazi intsingiselo yayo yonke into abayibonayo; kodwa bathi xa bewubona loo mkhosi mkhulu ujikeleza isixeko sabo kanye ngosuku, netyeya engcwele ephethwe ngababingeleli, imfihlelo yomboniso yenza [ukuba eYeriko] kubekho uloyiko kwiintliziyo zababingeleli kunye nabantu. Baphinda bahlola ukomelela kwenkuseleko yabo, baziva benokumelana nolona lukhulu uhlaselo ngempumelelo. Abaninzi bahlekisa ngabo bacinga ukuba kungakho ingozi eyenzekayo ngale miboniso yenzekayo. Abanye baqhiphuk’ umbilini kukubona oku kujikelezwa kwesixeko imihla ngemihla. Bakhumbula ukuba uLwandle oluBomvu lwakha lwavuleka phambi kwaba bantu, nokuba kungekudala kwavuleka indlela kumlambo iYordan. Abazange bazi ukuba ingaba nguwuphi omnye ummangaliso kaThixo onokubasebenzela.ANa 488.2

Kwaba ziintsuku ezintandathu uIsrayeli ejikeleza isixeko. Lwafika usukulwesixhenxe, kwathi kusathi chapha ukusa, uYoshuwa wayihlanganisa imikhosi kaYehova. Ngoku yayalelwa ukuba iyijikeleze kasixhenxe iYeriko, ukuze kuthi, kwakuvakala isandi esikhulu samaxilongo, bakhwaze ngezwi elikhulu, kuba uThixo ubanikile isixeko.ANa 491.1

Umkhosi omkhulu wahamba ngondiliseko ukujikeleza iindonga ezithembekileyo. Konke kwakuzolile, ngaphandle kokubetha ngesingqi esinye kweenyawo, nokukhala kwamaxilongo ngamathuba athile, okwakuphazamisa intsasa ethuleyo. Iindonga eziphakamileyo zamatye aqinileyo zazingathi ziyakudelela ukungqinga kwabantu. Abalindi phezu kweendonga, bekhangele ngoloyiko oluya lunyuka, ukuphela komjikelezo wokuqala, kwalandela owesibini, nowesithathu, yangowesine, nowesihlanu, yangowesithandathu. Ingaba yintoni injongo yezi hambo zingaqondakaliyo? Siganeko sini esikhulu esilindelekileyo? Babengazi kulinda xesha lide. Wathi xa uphela umjikelezo wesixhenxe, umqokozo omde wakha wema. Amaxilongo, awayethule okomzuzu, atsho ngesandi esashukumisa umhlaba. Iindonga zelitye eliqinileyo, neenqaba zawo ezinkulu, neendonga ezibanzi kakhulu, zagetyezela, zashukuma ezisekweni, zawa bhuma phantsi emhlabeni, zafana namanxuwa. Abemi baseYeriko bagubha kukoyika, umkhosi kaIsrayeli wangena wasihlutha isixeko.ANa 491.2

UIsrayeli akazange alufumane uloyiso ngawakhe amandla; idabi ngokupheleleyo lalilelikaYehova; kwathi, njengolibo lwelizwe, isixeko, nako konke esinako, kwafuneka sinikelwe kuThixo njengombingelelo. Kwakufuneka kubethelelwe ezingqondweni zikaIsrayeli ukuba, ekulweni eKanan, babengenzeli bona, kodwa babezizixhobo zokwenza intando kaThixo; bangafuni butyebi okanye ukuziphakamisa, kodwa ibe luzuko kuYehova uKumkani wabo. Ngaphambi kokuthimba, kwakunikwe umyalelo, “Zigcineni entweni esingelwe phantsi, hleze nani nizisingele phantsi . . . niwenze umzi wakwaIsrayeli ube yinto esingelwe phantsi, niwuhlisele ishwangusha.”ANa 491.3

Bonke abemi besixeko, nayo yonke into ephilayo ekuwo, “bethabathela kwindoda besa kumfazi, bethabathela kwindodana besa kwixhego, besa nakwinkomo, nakwimpahla emfutshane, nakwi-esile,” konke kwawa phantsi kwekrele. Kwaba kuphela nguRahabhi owayethembekile, nendlu yakhe, abasindiswayo, ukuzalisekisa isithembiso seentlola. Sona isixeko satshiswa; amabhotwe neetempile zaso, izakhiwo ezihle nabo bonke ubunewunewu bazo, amalengalenga exabiso neengubo zexabiso, zanikelwa emalangatyeni. Yonke into eyayingenako ukutsha ngumlilo, “isilivere, negolide, nempahla yobhedu, neyesinyithi,” yayiza kunikelwa kumsebenzi wasemnqubeni. Nendawo le yesixeko yayisingelwe phantsi; iYeriko yayingasayi kuze ibuye yakhiwe njengenqaba; izibetho zathenjiswa kuye nawuphi owayeya kuzama ukubuyisela iindonga ezawiswa phantsi ngamandla ezulu. Kwavakaliswa isaziso esinendili ekho wonke uIsrayeli, “Uqalekisiwe phambi koYehova umntu oya kusuka awakhe lo mzi, iYeriko le; wowuseka ngowamazibulo akhe. Azimise iingcango zawo ngowamathumbu akhe.”ANa 491.4

Ukutshatyalaliswa kuphele kwabantu baseYeriko yayikukuzalisekiswa komyalelo owawunikiwe ngaphambili ngoMoses ngokubhekisele kubemi baseKanan: “Uze uzixabele, uzisingele phantsi kuphele.” Duteronomi 7:2. “Emizini yezi zizwe, . . . uze ungasindisi nanye into ephefumlayo.” Duteronomi 20:16. Kwabaninzi, le miyalelo ikhangeleka ichasene nomoya wothando nenceba eyalelwa kwezinye iindawo zeBhayibhile, kodwa, ngokwenyaniso, yayiyimiyalelo yobulumko nokulunga okungenasiphelo. UThixo wayeza kumisela uIsrayeli eKanan, ukuba ahlumise phakathi kwabo isizwe nolawulo oluya kuba sisibonakalaliso sobukumkani baKhe kulo lonke ihlabathi. Wayengayi kwanela nje ukufumana ilifa lwenkolo yenyaniso, kodwa bangenise [basasaze] imithetho-siseko yayo [inkolo leyo] kemhlabeni wonke. AmaKanan ayeziyekele kobona bakha babubi nobuhlazisayo ubuhedeni, ngoko ke, kwakunyanzelekile ukuba ilizwe lihlanjululwe kwinto eyayiqinisekile ukuba yayiya kukuthintela ukuzalisekiswa kweenjongo ezinenceba zikaThixo.ANa 492.1

Abemi baseKanan babenikwe ithuba elikhulu lokuba baguquke. Kwiminyaka emashumi mane ngaphambili, ukuvuleka koLwandle oluBomvu nezibetho eYiputa zazibungqina ubukhulu bamandla kaThixo kaIsrayeli. Ngoku, ukubhukuqwa kookumkani bamaMidiyan, eGiliyadi nakwaBhashan, kwabonisa ngakumbi ukuba uYehova ungaphezu kwabo bonke oothixo. Ubungcwele besimilo saKhe, nokukuthiya kwaKhe ukungcola kwabonakala kwizigwebo ezawa phezu kukaIsrayeli ngenxa yokuthabatha kwabo inxaxheba kwiinkonzo ezithiyekileyo zikaBhahali-pehore. Zonke ezi ziganeko zazisaziwa ngabemi baseYeriko, kwaye babebaninzi ababenako ukoyiseka uRahabhi awayenako, nangona bengazange bavume ukukuthobela, ukuba uYehova, uThixo kaIsrayeli, “nguye uThixo emazulwini phezulu, nasehlabathini phantsi.” Njengabantu baphambi kukaNogumbe, amaKanan ayephilela kuphela ukunyelisa iZulu nokungcolisa umhlaba. Ngoko ke, kwakufuneka kokubini, uthando nobulungisa ukuze kubekho ukugwetywa okukhawulezileyo kwaba bavukeli ngakuThixo neentshaba zomntu.ANa 492.2

Indlela ekwabalulangayo ukuba imikhosiyasezulwini iziwise iindonga zeYeriko, isixeko esaziphakamisayo, esindonga zaso, kwiminyaka emashumi mane ngaphambili, ezaqhiphul’ umbilini kwiintlola ezingakholwayo! Ingangalala kaIsrayeli yayithe, “Ndiyinikele esandleni sakho iYeriko.” Amandla omntu ayengenako ukumelana nelo lizwi.ANa 492.3

“Ngokholo zawa iindonga zaseYeriko.” Hebhere 11:30. UMphathi womkhosi kaYehova wathetha noYoshuwa kuphela; akazange aziveze kulo lonke ibandla, kwaza kwaxhomekeka kubo ukuba bawakholelwe okanye bawathandabuze amazwi kaYoshuwa, bathobele imiyalelo ayinikiweyo egameni likaYehova, okanye balikhanyele igunya lakhe. Babengenako ukuwubona umkhosi weengelosi ezazibajongile phantsi kwenkokelo kaNyana kaThixo. Babenako nokuzathuza bathi: “Yimijikelezo yantoni le ingenantsingiselo, kwaye iyimfeketho enjani yona le yokujikeleza yonke imihla iindonga zesixeko, kuvuthelwa izigodlo zeenkunzi zegusha. Akukho nto inokwenziwa zezi zinto kwiinqaba ezinde.” Sekunjalo, kwalona eli cebo lenkonzo eqhubeka ixesha elide kangaka esa ekuweni kokugqibela kweendonga, yabanika ithuba lokukhula kokholo kumaIsrayeli. Kwakufuneka kubethelelekile ezingqondweni zabo ukuba amandla ayengekho ebulumkweni bomntu, bungekho kumandla akhe, kodwa kuphela kuThixo wokusindiswa kwabo. Kwakufuneka, ke ngoko, baqhelane nokuxhomekeka ngokupheleleyo kwiNkokeli yabo yezulu.ANa 493.1

UThixo uya kubenzela izinto ezinkulu abo bathembela kuYe. Isizathu sokuba abantu abazibiza ngaYe bangabi namandla makhulu kakhulu kungokuba bathembela kakhulu kobabo ubulumko, bangamniki ithuba uYehova ukuba atyhile awaKhe amandla ngenxa yabo. Uya kubanceda abantwana baKhe abakholwayo kuyo yonke imeko esuka ivele ukuba bangabeka lonke ithemba labo kuYe, bamthobele ngokunyaniseka.ANa 493.2

Kwakamsinyane emva kokuwa kweYeriko, uYoshuwa wazimisela ukuhlasela iAyi, idolophana encinane ephakathi kwemilanjana ezimayile ezimbalwa ukuya ngakwintshona yoMlambo iYordan. Iintlola zathunyelwa kule ndawo zaza zabuya nengxelo yokuba abemi bambalwa, besithi, kungafuneka nje ibutho elincinane ukuwoyisa.ANa 493.3

Uloyiso olukhulu uThixo awayebazuzele lona lwawenza amaIsrayeli azithemba. Kuba wayewathembise ilizwe laseKanan, aziva ekhuselekile, asilela ukuqonda ukuba luncedo lwezulu kuphela olunokuwanika impumelelo. NoYoshuwa wawabeka amacebo akhe okuhlutha iAyi engalifunanga icebiso likaThixo.ANa 493.4

AmaIsrayeli ayeqalisile ukuphakamisa awawo amandla nokuzijonga ngendelelo iintshaba zawo. Kwakulindeleke uloyiso olulula, kwaza kwacingwa ukuba amawakaamathathu amadoda aneleukuba ayithabathe indawo. La akhawuleza ahlasela ngaphandle kwesiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo wayeza kuba nabo. Abheka phambili ada asondela esangweni lesixeko, ahlangana nokuthintelwa okukhulu. Athi ngokoyika amanani kunye nokuqeqesheka okupheleleyo kwentshaba zawo, abaleka azintsali ukuhla indawo emqengqelezi kakhulu. AmaKanan ayesukela ngamandla; AmaKanan aqhumisa uthuli emva kwawo; “awasukela phambi kwesango, . . . awabulala ethambekeni.” Nangona ilahleko yaba ncinane ngokwamanani, kuba kwabulawa kwisithuba samashumi amathandathu amadoda, ukoyiswa kwalityhafisa lonke ibandla. “Yanyibilika intliziyo yabantu, yaba ngamanzi.” Ayeqala ngoku ukuhlangana namaKanan kwiqobo lemfazwe, kwaye, ukuba baboyisiwe basukelwa abakhuseli bale dolophana, zaziya kuba yintoni iziphumo kumadabi amakhulu awaye phambi kwawo? UYoshuwa wakukhangela oku koyiswa kubi njengesibonakalaliso sokungakholiswa kukaThixo, wathi, ngentlupheko nokoyika “wazikrazula . . . iingubo zakhe, wawa ngobuso emhlabeni phambi kwetyeya kaYehova kwada kwahlwa, yena namadoda amakhulu akwaIsrayeli, bagalela uthuli phezu kweentloko.”ANa 494.1

“Awu, Nkosi, Yehova,” watsho, “yinina ukuba aba bantu ubaweze iYordan, usinikele esandleni sama-Amori ukuba asibhubhise? . . . Camagu, Nkosi yam, ndiya kuthini na emveni kokuba amaIsrayeli ezinikele ikhosi iintshaba zawo! Aya kuva amaKanan, nabemi bonke belizwe, asirhawule, alicime igama lethu ehlabathini. Wenze ntoni na ke kwigama lakho elikhulu?”ANa 494.2

Impendulo ephuma kuYehova yathi, “Vuka! Uweleni na ngobuso? . . . AmaIsrayeli awugqithile umnqophiso wam endawawisela wona.” Yayilixesha lokwenza ngokukhawulezileyo nangokuqinisekileyo, lingelilo elokuncama nokukhala. Kwakukho isono esifihlakeleyo enkampini, kwaye kufuneka sigqogqiwe, sisuswe phambi kokuba ubukho nentsikelelo kaYehova ibe nabantu baKhe. “Andiyi kuphinda ndibe nani, ukuba ayithanga itshatyalaliswe into esingelwe phantsi phakathi kwenu.”ANa 494.3

Umyalelo kaThixo wawutyeshelwe ngomnye wabo kwakufuneka enze izigwebo zaKhe. Ngenxa yoko, isizwe kwafuneka siphendule ngetyala lalowo ungumgqithi womthetho: “Athabathile entweni esingelwe phantsi; abile, akhanyele.” Umyalelo wanikelwa uYoshuwa ukuba kuphandwe kohlwaywe lowo waphule umthetho. Kwakuza kufuneka kwenziwe iqashiso ukuze kufunyanwe onetyala. Umoni akazangeakhonjwe ngqo, kodwa umcimbi wayekwa ukhangeleka uthandabuzwa okwexesha elithile, ukuze abantu bazive iluxanduva lwabo olwezono ezikhoyo phakathi kwabo, ukuze bakhokelelwe ekuhloleni intlizyo yabo nokuzithoba phambi kukaThixo.ANa 494.4

Kwakusasa kakhulu, uYoshuwa wabahlanganisa abantu ndawonye ngokwezizwe zabo, yaqala inkonzo ezolileyo nenika umdla. Inyathelo ngenyathelo, lwaqhuba uphando. Lwaya lusondela ngokusondela uvavanyo oloyikekayo. Kuqala, yaba luhlanga, yalusapho, yazizindlu, kwaza kwathatyathwa indoda, uAkan unyana kaKarmi, wesizwe sikaYuda, walathwa ngumnwe kaThixo njengohlupha uIsrayeli.ANa 495.1

Ukubethelela ubutyala bakhe ngaphaya kwamathandabuzo, kungabikho mhlaba wokuthi ugwetywe ngokungekho mthethweni, uYoshuwa wamcela ngesidima uAkan ukuba ayivume inyaniso. Le ndoda ixhwalekileyo, yenza ingxelo epheleleyo yokuvuma ukwaphula kwayo umthetho: “Okunene ndonile kuYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli. . . . ndabona emaxhobeni ingubo enkulu entle yaseShinre [Bhabheli (KJV)] yanye, neeshekele zesilivere zaba makhulu mabini, nesinqumka segolide sasinye esiziishekele ezimashumi mahlanu ubunzima baso; ndazinqwenela, ndazithabatha; nanzo zimbelwe emhlabeni phakathi kwentente yam.” Abathunywa bakhawuleziswa ukuba baye ententeni, apho basusa umhlaba endaweni exeliweyo, “nanzo zimbelwe ententeni yakhe, isilivere ingaphantsi. Bazithabatha phantsi kwentente, bazisa kuYoshuwa, . . . bazikhuphela phambi koYehova.”ANa 495.2

Isigwebo savakaliswa saza senziwa ngokukhawuleza. “Azi usihlisele ishwangusha! Watsho uYoshuwa, “namhla uYehova uya kukuhlisela ishwangusha.” Njengoko abantu kwakufuneke bephendule ngesono sika-Akan, banesabelo kwiziphumo zaso, kwafuneka ukuba, ngabameli babo, babe nenxaxheba ekusohlwayeni. “Onke amaIsrayeli amxuluba ngamatye.”ANa 495.3

Kwanyuswa phezu kwakhe imfumba yamatye, ubungqina kwisono nesohlwayo saso. “Kungoko kwathiwa igama laloo ndawo yintili yeAkore,” oko kukuthi, “inkathazo.” Kwincwadi yeziKronike, isikhumbuzo sakhe sibhaliwe, “Akare, owawahlisela ishwangusha amaIsrayeli.” 1 IziKronike 2:7.ANa 495.4

Isono sika-Akan senziwa ngokudelela ezona zilumkiso zitsolileyo nezinendili nokona kubonakalaliswa ngeyona ndlela iphakamileyo amandla kaThixo. Zigcineni entweni esingelwe phantsi, hleze nani nisingelwe phantsi,” yayingumyalelo kuye wonke uIsrayeli lowo. Umyalelo wanikwa kanye emva kokuba kuvuleke ngommangaliso indlelaeYordan,kwakunye nokwamkelwa komnqophisokaThixo ngokwaluswa kwabantu, emva kokugcinwa kwePasika, nokuvela kweNgelosi yomnqophiso, uMphathi womkhosi kaYehova. Waya walandelwa kukubhukuqwa kweYeriko, okwakunika ubungqina bentshabalalo eqinisekileyo ukuba iza kufikela bonke abaphuli bomthetho kaThixo. Kwaukuba amandla ezulu ewodwa kwanika uIsrayeli uloyiso, nokuba abayihluthanga iYeriko ngawabo amandla, yanika inkxaso enamandla kumyalelo owawusalela ukuthatyathwa kwamaxhoba. UThixo ngobugorha belizwi laKhe, wayiwisa le nqaba; uloyiso lwalulolwaKhe, kwaye kukuYe kuphela ekwakufuneka kunikelwe isixeko nako konke esasinako.ANa 495.5

Kwizigidi zamaIsrayeli, kwakukho indoda enye kuphela, eyathi ngaloo yure izukileyo yoloyiso nokugweba, yanesibindi sokugqitha umyalelo kaThixo. Ukubawa kuka-Akan kwavuswa kukubona ingubo yexabiso yaseShinare; yada yathi naxa seyimenze wajongana ubuso ngobuso nokufa, waba esayibiza ngokuthi “[yi]ngubo enkulu entle yaseShinare.” Isono esinye sakhokelela kwesinye, waza wathabatha igolide nesilivere ezinikelwe kwindyebo kaYehova, wamqhatha uThixo ngolibo lwezwe laseKanan.ANa 496.1

Isono esibulalayo esakhokelela kwintshabalalo ka-Akan, ingcambu yaso yayisekubaweni, kuzo zonke izono, isesona sixhaphakileyo nesona sithatyathwa kancinane. Nangona ezinye izono ziqapheleka zohlwaywe, hayi ukunqaba kokuba ukwaphula umthetho weshumi kufumane ukugxekwa. Ubukhulu besi sono, neziphumo zaso ezibi, zizifundo zembali ka-Akan.ANa 496.2

Ukubawa bububi obukhula kancinane. UAkan waba nokubawela inzuzo kwada kwangumkhwa, owambophelela ngamatyathanga ekwakunzima ukuwaqhawula. Ngeli xesha ekhulisa obu bubi, wayemele ukuba wazaliswa kukoyika akucinga ngokuzisa intlekele phezu kukaIsrayeli; kodwa iingcamango zakhe zazibulewe sisono, sathi sakufika isilingo, wasuka walixhoba elilula.ANa 496.3

Izono ezifana nezi azenziwa na ngoku, sezikho izilumkiso ezizukileyo nezicace gca? Salelwa ngokuphandle ukuba singaziyekeli ekubaweni njengoko uAkan wazithabathela kumaxhoba aseYeriko. UThixo uthi kukunqula izithixo. Silunyukisiwe, “Aninako ukukhonza uThixo nobutyebi.” Mateyu 6:24. “Lumkani, nizilinde ngasekubaweni.” Luka 12:15. “Makungakhe kukhankanywe phakathi kwenu.” Efese 5:3. Phambi kwethu sinesiphelo esoyikekayo sika-Akan, uJudas, uAnaniya noSafira. Emva kwabo bonke aba, sinoKhwezi, “unyana wesifingo,” owathi, ebawela indawo ephezulu, walahlekwa ngonaphakade kukukhanya nolonwabo lwasezulwini. Kanti ke, sekunjalo, ukubawa kusandlondlobala.ANa 496.4

Kuyo yonke indawo, umzila wako omnyubuluzi uyabonakala. Udala ukunganeliseki neengxabano ezintsatsheni; uvusa umnqweno nentiyo kumahlwempu ngakwabazizityebi; ukhuthaza ingcinezelo egubayo ngabazizityebi kwabo bahluphekileyo. Obu bubi bukho, kungekho kuphela ehlabathini, kodwa nasebandleni. Kuxhaphake kangakanani ukufumana nalapha umona, ukubawa, ukuqhatha, ukutyeshela ukupha, nokuqhatha uThixo “kwizishumi neminikelo.” Phakathi kwamalungu ebandla “alungileyo nathembekileyo” bakho, Owu! OoAkan abaninzi. Abantu abaninzi beza ngesidima enkonzweni, bahlale etafileni yeNkosi, lo gama kwizinto abanazo kufihlwe inzuzo engekho mthethweni, izinto eziqalekisiweyo nguThixo. Ngenxa yengubo entle yaseBhabheli, izihlwele zincama ukunconywa sisazela kunye nethemba lazo lezulu. Izihlwele zithengisa ngokunyaniseka kwazo, nezakhono zazo zokuba babeluncedo, ngengxowa yesilivere. Izikhalo zabafa bubuhlwempu, azikhathalelwa; ukukhanya kwevangeli kuyaphazanyiswa endleleni yako; ukuhlekisa kwabehlabathi kuphenjelelwa zizenzo ezinika ubuxoki kwinkolo yobuKristu; lo gama lowo uzibiza [ngabo ubuKristu] eqhubeka nokuziqwebela ubutyebi. “Umntu angamqhatha na uThixo, ukuba nindiqhathe nje?” (Malaki 3:8), utsho uYehova.ANa 497.1

Isono sika-Akan sazisa intlekele phezu kwaso sonke isizwe. Ngesono somntu omnye, ukungakholiseki kukaThixo kuba phezu kwebandla laKhe side isono siphandwe sifunyanwe, sisuswe. Impembelelo ekufuneka yoyikwe kakhulu libandla asiyiyo eyabachase abasekuhleni, ukungakholwa, nabanyelisi, kodwa eyabazibiza ngoKristu bengathembekanga. Ngabo aba abathintela intsikelelo kaThixo kaIsrayeli, bazise ubuthakathaka kubantu baKhe.ANa 497.2

Xa ibandla lisebunzimeni, xa ukubanda nokuhla kwasemoyeni kukho, kunika ithuba kwiintshaba zikaThixo ukuba zivuye, ngelo xesha, endaweni yokusonga izandla zabo bakhalele imeko engonwabisiyo, amalungu mawabuze ukuba ingaba akakho na uAkan enkampini. Ngokuzithoba nokugocagoca intliziyo, elowo nalowo makazame ukufumana izono ezifihliweyo ezivalela ngaphandle ubukho bukaThixo.ANa 497.3

UAkan wasivuma isono sakhe, kodwa sekusemva kakhulu ukuba ukuvuma kungamnceda. Wayeyibonile imikhosi kaIsrayeli ibuya eAyi yoyisiwe iqhiphuk’ umbilini;kodwa akeza phambili asivume isono sakhe. Wayembonile uYoshuwa namadoda amakhulu besiwa emhlabeni benentlungu enzulu kakhulu ukuba ingachazwa. Ukuba ngoko wayesivumile, ngewaba ubonise ubungqina bokuguquka ngenene; kodwa wathi cwaka. Wayevile kuvakaliswa ukuba kwenziwe isono esikhulu, wada weva sixelwa ngokucacileyo ukuba siluhlobo luni. Sekunjalo, wayitywina imilebe yakhe. Kwaya kwafika uphando oluzukileyo. Indlela umphefumlo wakhe owazaliswa ngayo luloyiko akubona isizwe sakhe sisalathwa, yalusapho lwakhe, yayindlu yakhe! Noko kunjalo, akatsho ukuvuma, wada umnwe kaThixo wabekwa phezu kwakhe. Kwaba ngelo xesha, xa isono sakhe sesingenakho ukufihlwa, awaqala ukuvuma inyaniso. Kuba kangakanani ukuvuma okufanayo kusenziwa. Kukho umahluko omkhulu phakathi kokuvuma inyaniso emva kokuba ibonakele nokuvuma izono ezaziwa kuphela sithi noThixo. UAkan ngewayengavumanga ukuba wayengathembanga kujika iziphumo zokwaphula kwakhe umthetho. Ukuvuma kwakhe kwaveza nje kuphela ukuba isohlwayo sakhe sifanelekile. Kwakungekho nguquko yenene esonweni, kungekho kutyumka, kungekho kutshintsha kwanjongo, kungekho nakuthiywa kobubi.ANa 498.1

Ngokunjalo, iinguquko ziya kwenziwa ngabanetyala xa bemi ematyaleni phambi kukaThixo, emva kokuba lonke ityala ligwetyelwe ubomi okanye ukufa. Iziphumo eziya kujongana nalowo ugwetywayo ziya kwenza ukuba kubekho ukusivuma kwakhe isono sakhe. Kuya kunyanzelwa kumphefumlo wakhe yingqondo eyoyikekayo yokugwetywa nokukhangela ekugwetyweni ngoloyiko. Konke ukuvuma okunjalo akunakho ukumsindisa umoni.ANa 498.2

Lo gama besakwazi ukufihla ukona kwabo kubazalwana babo, abaninzi, njengoAkan, baziva bekhuselekile, baze bazikhohlise ngelithi, uThixo akasayi kuba ngqongqo ekubuphawuleni ubugwenxa. Kuya kuthi sekusemva kakhulu, isono sabo sibafumane ngaloo mini abangenakho ukuba sahlanjululwa ngombingelelo okanye ngomnikelo ngonaphakade. Xa iincwadi zengxelo zasezulwini zivulwa, uMgwebi akasayi kulivakalisa ngamazwi ityala lomntu, kodwa uya kukhangela nje kube kanye ngendlela egqobhozayo nemxelelayo umntu, size sonke isenzo, konke okwenziwa ebomini, kuthi thaa ngokucacileyo kwinkumbulo yalowo ungumoni. Umntu akayi kuthi, nangemini kaYoshuwa, kufuneke ukuba azingelwe esizweni kuse kusapho, kodwa ngemilebe yakhe, uya kulivuma ihlazo lakhe. Izono ezifihliweyo ekwaziweni ngabantu ngelo xesha ziya kuvakaliswa kulo lonke ihlabathi.ANa 498.3