66—Ukufa KukaSawule
[Esi sahluko sisekwe ku-1 Samuweli 28; 31.]
Kwakhona imfazwe yaphinda yaqala phakathi kukaIsrayeli namaFilisti. “Ahlangana amaFilisti, aya amisa eShunem,” kungqameko lwangasentla kwisithabazi sakwaYizereli; lo gama uSawule nemikhosi yakhe bemise kwiimayile ezingephi ukusuka apho, emazantsi eNtaba iGilibhowa, kumda ongezantsi wesithabazi. Kwakukwesi sithabazi apho uGidiyon namakhulu amathathu amadoda wawaleqa khona amaMidiyan. Umoya owawuphembelela umhlanguli kaIsrayeli wawahluke kakhulu kulo wavuselela intliziyo kakumkani ngoku. UGidiyon wahamba eqinile ekukholweni kuThixo oligorha likaYakobi; kodwa uSawule wayeziva ukuba uyedwa, engenankuseleko kuba uThixo wayemshiyile. Wathi akuposa amehlo ngokubanzi kumkhosi wamaFilisti, “woyika, yagubha intliziyo yakhe kunene.”ANa 675.1
USawule wayeve ukuba uDavide nomkhosi wakhe ukunye namaFilisti, waza walindela ukuba unyana kaYese uza kuthabatha eli thuba ukuba aziphindezele ngobubi awabufumanayo. Ukumkani wayebandezeleke kakhulu. Yayiyimvakalelo yakhe engazikisiyo ukucinga, eyamtyhudayo ukuba atshabalalise abanyulwa bakaThixo, eyasifaka kwingozi enkulu isizwe. Lo gama wayethe bhakada ekusukeleni uDavide, wayelutyeshele ukhuseleko lobukumkani bakhe. AmaFilisti, ngokubona ithuba elihle lale meko ingakhululekanga, angena phakathi embindini kanye welizwe. Ngoko ke, lo gama uSathana ebekhuthaza uSawule ukuba asebenzise onke amandla akhe ekuzingeleni uDavide, ukuba amtshabalalise, kwawona loo moya wenkohlakalo wawuphembelela amaFilisti ukuba alithabathe eli thuba ukusebenza intshabalalo kaSawule nokoyisa abantu bakaThixo. Kuba kangakanani apho ithi kwaloo nkqubo isetyenziswe lutshaba olukhulu! Usebenze kwiintliziyo ezinganikelwanga ukuvuthisa umnqweno nembambano ebandleni, aze athi emva koko, asebenzise elo thuba lobukho kweyantlukwano ebantwini bakaThixo, ukuvusa abathunywa bakhe ukuba benze umsebenzi wentshabalalo yabo [abantu bakaThixo].ANa 675.2
Ngengomso, uSawule kufuneka engene emfazweni namaFilisti. Amathunzi entshabalaloeyayisondeleafinganaamnyama phezu kwakhe; walangazelela ukuzuza uncedo nenkokelo. Sekunjalo, kwakulilize ukufuna ingcebiso kuThixo. “UYehova akamphendula nangamaphupha, nange-Urim, nangabaprofeti.” UYehova akaze awugxothe umphefumlo oza kuye ngokunyaniseka nokuzithoba. Kwakutheni ukuze amgxothe uSawule engaphendulwanga? Ukumkani wathi ngesakhe isenzo waphulukana neentsikelelo zazo zonke iindlela zokubuza kuThixo. Wayelalile icebiso likaSamuweli umprofeti; wamgxotha uDavide, umnyulwa kaThixo; wayebabulele ababingeleli bakaYehova. Wayengalindela ukuphendulwa nguThixo xa wayewaqhawule onke amajelo oqhagamshelwano awayemiswe lizulu? Ngokona kwakhe wamgxotha uMoya wobabalo, ke ebengaphendulwayo na ngamaphupha nesityhilelo sikaYehova? USawule akazange abuyele kuThixo ngokuzithoba nenguquko. Yayingekuko ukuxolelwa kwesono nokuxolelanisana noThixo into awayeyifuna, kodwa yayikukuhlangulwa ezintshabeni zakhe. Ngeenkani zakhe nokuvukela kwakhe wazahlula kuThixo. Kwakungekho kubuya kungengayo indlela yokuguquka nokutyumka; kodwa ikumkani eyayinokuziphakamisa, kwintlungu nokungabi nathemba, yazimisela ukulufuna kwelinye icala uncedo.ANa 676.1
“Wathi uSawule kubakhonzi bakhe, Ndifuneleni inkazana eneshologu, ndiye kuyo, ndibuze kuyo.” USawule wayeyazi ngokupheleleyo imo yokuthetha nabafileyo ngobugqi. Yayalelwe ngokuphandle nguYehova, saye isigwebo sokufa sasibekiwe ngakwabo benza obo buchule bungekho ngcwele. Ngexesha lokuphila kukaSamuweli, uSawule wayeyalele ukuba onke amagqwirha nabo baneshologu babulawe; kodwa ngoku, kubutyhuthutyhuthu bokuphelelwa lithemba, ubuyela kwakubo osiyazi awayebagwebe njengabangamasikizi.ANa 676.2
Waxelelwa ukumkani ukuba ikho intokazi eneshologu eyayizifihle e-Endore. Le ntokazi yayinqophisene noSathana ngokuthi iza kuziyekela kulawulo lwakhe, ukuze ifezekise iinjongo zakhe; ukubuyekeza itshawe lobubi layenzela imimangaliso layityhilela iimfihlelo.ANa 676.3
Wathi ezifihlile ukuba angaqondwa ukuba nguye, uSawule waya ngobusuku ekunye nabakhonzi ababini, bayikhangela bafuna ukuhlangana nayo ecaleni intokazi leyo ineshologu. Umbono olusizi! Hayi ubumnyama bendlela ezihamba kuyo iinyawo zomntu njengaleyo ekhethwe ngulowo othe rhoqo ukufuna eyakhe indlela, emelana neempembelelo ezingcwele zikaMoya kaThixo! Ubukhobokaobunjaloukuba bubi njengobo balowo ozinikele ekulawulweni ngoyena mphathi unamandla, umna! Ukuthemba uThixo nokuthobela intando yaKhe yayikuphela kweemeko uSawule awayenokuthi ngayo abe ngukumkani kaIsrayeli. Kuba wayevumelene nezi meko ngalo lonke ixesha lokulawula kwakhe, ubukumkani bakhe ngebabukhuselekile; uThixo ngewaye ngumkhokeli wakhe, Onamandla Onke engumkhuseli wakhe. UThixo wayemnyamezele ixesha elide uSawule; kwathi nangona ukuvukela kunye neenkani zakhe zazisondele ekulithuliseni ilizwi lezulu, lahlala likho lona ithuba lokuguquka. Noko kunjalo, kwathi xa ngethuba esengozini emshiya uThixo efuna ukukhanya komanyene noSathana, waba uqhawula iqhina lokugqibela elimhlanganise noMenzi wakhe; waba uzibeke ngokupheleleyo phantsi kolawulo lwegunya elikhohlakeleyo elalimsebenza iminyaka, nelalimbeke emngciphekweni wentshabalalo.ANa 676.4
Phantsi kwesigqubuthelo sobumnyama, uSawule nabakhonzi bakhe bacanda isithabazi songqameko lwentaba, besiya kwikhaya elilodwa loneshologu wase-Endore. Apha intokazi eneshologu yayizifihlile ukuze ikwazi ukwenza izihlabo zayo ezihlambelayo. Esazifihlile enjalo [uSawule], isithomo esikhulu nesifanele ukumkani sasixela ukuba akalilo ijoni nje eliqhelekileyo. Le ntokazi yamrhanela umhambi wayo ukuba nguSawule, zaza nezipho zakhe zexabiso zakuqinisa ukusola kwayo. Kwisicelo sakhe, “Khawundivumisele ngeshologu lakho, undinyusele lowo ndiya kuthetha yena kuwe,” lo mfazi waphendula wathi, “Yabona, uyakwazi nawe akwenzileyo uSawule, ukuba ubanqamle ezweni abaneshologu noosiyazi; yini na ukuba uwuthiyele umphefumlo wam, ukuze ndibulawe?” Waza “uSawule wayifungela uYehova, esithi, Ehleli nje uYehova, inene, akuyi kuba natyala ngale ndawo.” Wathi akubuza [umfazi] “Ndikunyusele bani na?” waphendula wathi, “uSamuweli.”ANa 679.1
Emva kokuba evumisile, wathi, “Ndibona umnyanya unyuka uphuma emhlabeni. . . . Kunyuke indoda enkulu, ithe wambu ingubo yokwaleka. Wazi ke uSawule ukuba nguSamuweli lowo. Wathoba ngobuso emhlabeni waqubuda.”ANa 679.2
Yayingenguye umprofeti ongcwele kaThixo lowo wavezwa ngumlingo wokuvumisa koneshologu. Oko kwavelayo kwangaphezu kwendalo kwakuvezwa kuphela ngamandla kaSathana. Kwakulula kuye ukuzimilisa okwesimo sikaSamuweli njengoko wakwazi ukuzimisa okwesithunywa sokukhanya, xa wayelinga uKristu entlango.ANa 679.3
Amazwi okuqala entokazi ngexesha ithiwe hlasi ngumoya wokuvumisa abhekiswa kukumkani, “Yintoni ukuba undikhohlise? UnguSawule wena.” Ngaloo ndlela, isenzo sokuqala somoya ombi owazenza umprofeti, saba kukuthetha emfihlakalweni nale ntokazi, ukuyilumkisa ngenkohliso eyenziwa kuyo. Isigidimi esaya kuSawule siphuma kulowo uzenza umprofeti sathi, “Yini na ukuba undigungqise, undinyuse? Wathi uSawule, ndibandezelekile kakhulu; amaFilisti alwa nam, uThixo umkile kum akasandiphenduli nangabaprofeti nangamaphupha; ndikubizele ukuba undazise into endingayenzayo.”ANa 680.1
Ngexesha uSamuweli wayesaphila, uSawule walidelela icebiso lakhe wakuthiya ukuthethisa kwakhe. Ngoku, ngeyure yokuxinzeleleka kwakhe kwanentlekele akuyo, weva ukuba inkokelo kamprofeti yayikuphela kwethemba analo, nokuba, ukuze akwazi ukuthetha nommeli weZulu, kufuneka athi ngoku sekungasancedi nto, abhenele kumthunywa wentshabalalo! USawule wayezibeke ngokupheleleyo egunyeni likaSathana; ngoku, lowo ovuyo lwakhe lusekwenzeni inkxwaleko nentshabalalo, walisebenzisa kakhulu eli thuba, emsebenzini wokutshabalalisa ukumkani. Ukuphendula ukucenga okunentlungu kukaSawule, kweza isigidimi esoyikekayo, ekuthiwa sivela kuSamuweli:ANa 680.2
“Yini na ukuba undibuze, uYehova emkile nje kuwe, waba lutshaba lwakho? UYehova uzenzele njengoko wakuthethayo ngam: uYehova ubukrazule esandleni sakho ubukumkani, wabunika ummelwane wakho uDavide. Ngokuba ungaliphulaphulanga izwi likaYehova, ungenzanga njengokuvutha komsindo wakhe kuma-Amaleki, ngenxa yoko uYehova uyenzile le nto kuwe namhla. Uwanikele uYehova namaIsrayeli kunye nawe esandleni samaFilisti. Ngomso wena noonyana bakho niya kuba nam; nomkhosi wamaIsrayeli uYehova uya kuwunikela esandleni samaFilisti.”ANa 680.3
Kuyo yonke indlela yovukelo lwakhe, uSawule wayeqhathwa ekhohliswa nguSathana. Ngumsebenzi womlingi ukusicuntsa isono, ukwenza indlela yokreqo ibe lula inomtsalane, ukumfamekisa ingqondo ngakwizilumkiso nezoyikiso zikaYehova. USathana, ngamandla akhe okuthakatha, wamkhokelela uSawule ukuba azithethelele ekudeleleni ukuthethisa kukaSamweli nokulumkisa kwakhe. Ngoku, xa esesiphelweni soxinzelelo, ubuyela kuye, ebeka ubukhulu besono sakhe nokungabikho kwethemba lokuxolelwa, ukuze amtyhudiseleekuphelelwe nilithemba.Akukhookudlula oku okwakungakhethwa ukuze kutshabalalise isibindisakhe nokuphazamisa ingqondo yakhe, okanye ukumtyhalela ekuncameni nasekuzitshabalaliseni.ANa 680.4
USawule wayetyhafile kukudinwa nakukuzila; wayesoyika ebethwa sisazela. Kwathi kwakuwa ezindlebeni zakhe okuzayo, wagungqa njengom-oki obhudlwa ngumoya, wawa wathoba emhlabeni.ANa 681.1
Intokazi eneshologu yothuka kakhulu. Ukumkani kaIsrayeli wayelele phambi kwayo enjengofileyo. Ukuba angafa elapha egquguleni, singayintoni isiphumo soko kuyo? Yamcela ukuba aphakame atye, imkhuthaza ukuba, njengoko ebeke ubomi bayo esichengeni ngokwenza ngokwesicelo sakhe, kufuneka asamkele isicelo sayo sokuba asindise obakhe. Abakhonzi bakhe baya bangenelela ngezabo izicengo, waza uSawule wavuma ekugqibeleni, yaza intokazi yabeka phambi kwakhe ithole elityetyisiweyo nesonka esingenagwele ezaya zalungiswa ngokukhawuleza. Umbono onjalo! Kumqolomba osendle kasiyazi, apho bekusanda kuvakala amazwi entshabalalo, phambi komthunywa kaSathana, lowo wayethanjisiwe nguThixo njengokumkani phezu kukaIsrayeli wahlala phantsi watya, elungiselela imfazwe ebhubhisayo yemini [elandelayo].ANa 681.2
Phambi kokuba kuthi qheke ukusa, ekunye nabakhonzi bakhe, wabuyela enkampini kaIsrayeli eyokulungiselela imfazwe. Ngokubuza kuloo moya wobumnyama, uSawule wazitshabalalisa. Ephethwe ngumvandedwa nokuswela ithemba, kwakuza kuba nzima kuye ukuwukhuthaza umkhosi wakhe ukuba ube nesibindi. Njengoko wayehlukene neThende lamandla, wayengakwazi ukuzikhokela iingqondo zikaIsrayeli ukuba zikhangele kuThixo njengomncedi wazo. Ngaloo ndlela ububi obuxelwe ngenx’ engaphambili babuza kusenza isohlwayo sabo.ANa 681.3
Kwisithabazi sakwaShunem, kumathambeka eNtaba iGilibhowa, imikhosi kaIsrayeli nemikhosi yamaFilisti yaqubisana kwidabi elalitshabalalisa. Nangona umboniso owoyikekayo kumqolomba wase-Endore wawulisuse lonke ithemba entliziyweni yakhe, uSawule wayilwela ngobukroti bokugqibela itrone yakhe nobukhosi bakhe. Sekunjalo, konke kwaba lilize. “Asaba amadoda akwaIsrayeli phambi kwamaFilisti, awa angxwelerhiweyo ezintabeni zeGilibhowa.” Oonyana abathathu nabangamagorha bakakumkani bafa ecaleni kwakhe. Abatoli basukela uSawule. Wawabona amajoni akhe esiwa kufuphi kuye, noonyana bakhe abafanele ubukhosi, bawa ngekrele. Wathi kuba yena engxwelerhekile, akakwazi ukubaleka, akakwazi ukusaba. Kwakungekho ukusinda, wathi ezimisele ukuba angathatyathwa ephila ngamaFilisti, wacelaumphathi weentongazakheesithi,“Rholaikrelelakho, undihlabe.” Yathiyakwala ngalo lendodaukuphakamisaisandla sayo ngakumthanjiswa kaYehova, uSawule wabuthabatha ngokwakhe ubomi bakhe ngokuziwisa phezu kwekrele lakhe.ANa 681.4
Watshabalala ngaloo ndlela ukumkani wokuqala kaIsrayeli, enetyala lokuzibulala emphefumlweni wakhe. Ubomi bakhe baba nokusilela, wehlela kwabafileyo ehlazekile, engenathemba, kuba wayibeka intando yakhe etenxileyo ukuba ichasane nentando kaThixo.ANa 682.1
Iindaba zokoyiswa zasasazeka kuzo zonke iindawo, zifaka uloyiko kuye wonke uIsrayeli. Abantu babaleka ezixekweni, aza amaFilisti athabatha amaxhoba engaphazanyiswa nto. Ulawulo lukaSawule, olungaxhomekekanga kuThixo, lwasondela ekubeni lube yintshabalalo kubantu bakhe.ANa 682.2
Ngemini elandela eyedabi, amaFilisti, athi ngokugqutha-gqutha kwibala ledabi ukuba aphange ababuleweyo, afumana imizimba kaSawule neyoonyana bakhe abathathu. Ukugqibezela uloyiso lwawo, ayinqumla intloko kaSawule azihluba izikrweqe zakhe; emva koko intloko nezikrweqe, zivuza igazi, zathunyelwa kwizwe lamaFilisti njengembasa yoloyiso, “ukuba kushunyayelwe iindaba ezilungileyo ezindlwini zezithixo zayo nasebantwini.” Ekugqibeleni, izixhobo zabekewa “ezindlwini zika-Ashtaroti,” yaza intloko yabotshelelwa etempileni kaDagoni. Ngaloo ndlela uzuko loloyiso lwamkelwa kumandla aba thixo bobuxoki, laza lahlaziswa igama likaYehova.ANa 682.3
Izidumbu zikaSawule noonyana bakhe zarhuqelwa eBhete-shan, isixeko esingekho kude eGilibhowa, kufuphi nomlambo weYordan. Apha yaxhonywa ngamatyathanga, ukuze idliwe ziintaka ezitya inyama. Noko kunjalo, amadoda awomeleleyo aseYabheshe yaseGiliyadi, ekhumbula ukuhlangula kukaSawule isixeko sawo kwiminyaka yakhe yangaphambili neyayonwabile, ngoku abonakalalisa umbulelo wawo ngokuyithabatha imizimba kakumkani neenkosana, ayingcwaba ngokunesidima. Ayiwela iYordan ngobusuku “awuthabatha umzimba kaSawule, nemizimba yoonyana bakhe, eludongeni lwaseBhete-shan, eza eYabheshe, ayitshisa khona, Awathabatha amathambo abo, awangcwabela phantsi komtanariske eYabheshe; azila ukudla iintsuku zasixhenxe.” Ngaloo ndlela, isenzo esihle esenziwa kwiminyaka engamashumi amane ngaphambili, samzuzela uSawule noonyana bakhe ukungcwatywa ngezandla ezinothando novelwano ngeyure yobumnyama bokoyiswa nokuhlaziswa.ANa 682.4