Isahluko Seshumi Elinesithoba

UYehova Uyayithoba ITire Enekratshi

Isaya 23:1-18

1, 2. (a) Yayisisixeko esinjani iTire yamandulo? (b) Waprofeta ntoni uIsaya ngeTire?

 ‘YAYINTLE ngokupheleleyo’ yaye izaliswe ‘bubuninzi bobuncwane bonke.’ (Hezekile 27:4, 12, IBhayibhile yesiXhosa) Umkhosi wayo omkhulu weenqanawa wawuwela ulwandle uye kwiindawo ezikude. Yaba ‘yezuke kakhulu embindini wesithabazi solwandle,’ yaye ‘ngezinto zayo zexabiso, ibenze bazizityebi ookumkani bomhlaba.’ (Hezekile 27:25, 33) Ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, leyo yindlela eyayibalasele ngayo iTire—isixeko samaFenike esasingakwimpuma yeMeditera.

² Sekunjalo, ukutshatyalaliswa kweTire kwakusemnyango. Malunga ne-100 leminyaka ngaphambi kokuba uHezekile achaze ngayo, umprofeti uIsaya wakuxela kwangaphambili ukuwa kwale nqaba yamaFenike nentlungu yabo baxhomekeke kuyo. Kwakhona uIsaya waprofeta nokuba emva kwethuba elithile uThixo wayeza kunikel’ ingqalelo kwakhona kwesi sixeko, asenze sichume ngokutsha. Azaliseka njani amazwi alo mprofeti? Yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda koko kwenzeka kwiTire? Ukukuqonda ngokucacileyo oko kwenzeka kuyo nesizathu sako kuya kuluqinisa ukholo lwethu kuYehova nakwizithembiso zakhe.

“Bhombolozani, Nina Zinqanawa ZaseTarshishe!”

3, 4. (a) Yayiphi iTarshishe, yaye luluphi ulwalamano olwalukho phakathi kweTire neTarshishe? (b) Kutheni oomatiloshe abarhweba neTarshishe beya kuba nesizathu ‘sokubhomboloza’?

³ Emva kwentshayelelo yakhe ethi, “Isibhengezo seTire,”  uIsaya uhlabela mgama athi: “Bhombolozani, nina zinqanawa zaseTarshishe! kuba iphangiwe ekubeni lizibuko, ekubeni yindawo ekungenwa kuyo.” (Isaya 23:1a) Kukholelwa ukuba iTarshishe yayiyinxalenye yeSpeyin, ithe qelele kwiTire ngakwimpuma yeMeditera. a Noko ke, amaFenike ayeziingcungela kwezohambo ngolwandle, yaye neenqanawa zawo zazinkulu kwaye zomelele. Bambi ababhali-mbali bakholelwa ukuba amaFenike aba ngabokuqala ukuphawula unxibelelwano olukhoyo phakathi kwenyanga namaza kwanokusebenzisa ulwazi ngeenkwenkwezi kuhambo lwaselwandle. Ngoko umgama omde wokusuka eTire ukuya eTarshishe wawungengomqobo kuwo.

⁴ Ngomhla kaIsaya, iTarshishe le ethe qelele iliziko lezorhwebo leTire, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba ingoyena vimba wobutyebi bayo ebudeni bembali yayo. ISpeyin ityebile yimigodi yesilivere, intsimbi, inkcenkce, nezinye iimveliso zesinyithi. (Thelekisa uYeremiya 10:9; Hezekile 27:12.) ‘Iinqanawa zaseTarshishe,’ ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ziinqanawa zaseTire ezirhweba neTarshishe, ziya kuba nesizathu esivakalayo ‘sokubhomboloza,’ zililele ukutshatyalaliswa kwelona zibuko lazo liligugu.

 5. Oomatiloshe abavela eTarshishe baza kuva njani ngokuwa kweTire?

⁵ Oomatiloshe abaselwandle baza kwazi njani ngokuwa kweTire? UIsaya uyaphendula: “Bakutyhilelwe kuvela kwilizwe laseKitim.” (Isaya 23:1b) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba “lizwe laseKitim” sisiqithi saseSipro, esikumgama we-100 leekhilomitha kumazantsi onxweme lwaseFenike. Eli lizibuko lokugqibela leenqanawa eziya ngasempuma eTarshishe ngaphambi kokuba zifike eTire. Ngoko, oomatiloshe bazive iindaba zokubhukuqwa kweziko labo eliligugu bakuba bemisile eSipro. Hayi indlela abothuka ngayo! Benesingqukru, baza ‘kubhomboloza’ bekhwankqisiwe.

 6. Chaza ulwalamano oluphakathi kweTire neSidon.

 ⁶ Abanye abaza kukhwankqiswa ngabantu abakunxweme lwaseFenike. Umprofeti uthi: “Yithini cwaka, nina bemi belizwe elingaselunxwemeni. Abarhwebi baseSidon, abo bawela ulwandle—bakuzalisile. Yaye imbewu yaseShihore ibisemanzini amaninzi, isivuno somNayile, ingeniso yayo; kwaye iye yaba yingenelo ezintlangeni.” (Isaya 23:2, 3) ‘Abemi belizwe elingaselunxwemeni’—abamelwane beTire—baza kuthi cwaka bethe khamnqa leli shwangusha lokuwa kweTire. Bangoobani “abarhwebi baseSidon” ‘abazalise’ aba bemi, bebenza batyebe? Ngaphambili iTire yayilithanga lesixeko esilizibuko laseSidon, esikumgama nje weekhilomitha ezingama-35 ngasemantla. Kwiingqekembe zayo, iSidon izichaza njengonina weTire. Nangona iTire inobutyebi ngaphezu kweSidon, ‘iseyintombi yeSidon,’ yaye nabemi bayo basazibiza ngokuba bangamaSidon. (Isaya 23:12) Ngoko, ibinzana elithi “abarhwebi baseSidon” lisenokuba libhekisela kubarhwebi baseTire.

 7. Abarhwebi baseSidon babusasaza njani ubutyebi?

⁷ Kukhenketho lwabo lwezoshishino, abarhwebi abazizityebi baseSidon bawela uLwandle lweMeditera. Basa imbewu okanye ukudla okuziinkozo kwaseShihore kwiindawo ezininzi, elisebe elingasempuma loMlambo umNayile kummandla waseYiputa. (Thelekisa uYeremiya 2:18.) “Isivuno somNayile” sikwaquka nenye imveliso yaseYiputa. Ukurhweba nokunaniselana ngale mveliso kunenzuzo enkulu kwaba barhwebi baselwandle kwanakwiintlanga abarhweba nazo. Abarhwebi baseSidon bayizisela ingeniso enkulu iTire. Ngokwenene, baza kuba buhlungu ngokuphanziswa kwayo!

 8. Ukutshatyalaliswa kweTire kuza kuba nawuphi umphumo kwiSidon?

⁸ Wandula uIsaya abhekise kwiSidon athi: “Yiba neentloni, Sidon, ngenxa yokuba ulwandle, igwiba lolwandle, lithe: ‘Andibanga nanimba, yaye andikhange ndizale, ndingakhulisanga bafana, nantombi zinyulu.’” (Isaya 23:4) Emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweTire, unxweme esasikade simi kulo eso sixeko luza kukhangeleka luyinkqantosi ephanzileyo. Ulwandle luza kubonakala lukhala lunxubile, njengonina oshiywa ziingqondo  ngenxa yokuphulukana nabantwana bakhe kangangokuba ade ayikhanyele kwainto yokuba wayekhe wanabo. ISidon iza kuba neentloni ngoko kwenzeka kwintombi yayo.

 9. Intlungu yabantu ebangelwa kukuwa kweTire ifana nomothuko owabangelwa ziziphi ezinye iziganeko?

⁹ Ewe, iindaba ezingokutshatyalaliswa kweTire ziza kubangela usizi ngokubanzi. UIsaya uthi: “Kanye njengakuyo ingxelo eyayiphathelele iYiputa, ngokunjalo abantu baya kuba sentlungwini eqatha ngengxelo yaseTire.” (Isaya 23:5) Intlungu yabo benza isijwili iza kufana naleyo yabakho mhla kwavakala ingxelo eyayiphathelele iYiputa. Yiyiphi loo ngxelo athetha ngayo umprofeti? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kukuzaliseka ‘kwesibhengezo sakhe sangaphambilana nxamnye neYiputa.’ b (Isaya 19:1-25) Okanye mhlawumbi ubhekisela kwingxelo yokutshatyalaliswa komkhosi kaFaro ngomhla kaMoses, okwabangela umothuko ongathethekiyo. (Eksodus 15:4, 5, 14-16; Yoshuwa 2:9-11) Ngoko ke, nabo abo beva ingxelo engokutshatyalaliswa kweTire baza kuba sentlungwini engathethekiyo. Bacetyiswa ukuba basabele kwiTarshishe ethe qelele ukuze bakhuseleke yaye bayalelwa ukuba bayivakalise ngokuphandle intlungu yabo: “Welelani eTarshishe; bhombolozani, nina bemi belizwe elingaselunxwemeni.”—Isaya 23:6.

Ukugcoba ‘Ngamaxesha Aso Angaphambili’

10-12. Chaza ubutyebi, ubudala nempembelelo yeTire.

¹⁰ ITire sisixeko samandulo, njengoko uIsaya esikhumbuza xa ebuza esithi: “Sesi sixeko senu na esi sasigcobile ngemihla yamandulo, kumaxesha aso angaphambili?” (Isaya 23:7a) Imbali yokuchuma kweTire isusela emva phayaa ukuya kuthi ga ubuncinane kwixesha likaYoshuwa. (Yoshuwa 19:29) Ekuhambeni kweminyaka, iTire iye yaduma ngemveliso yesinyithi, iglasi nedayi emfusa. Imiwunduzo emfusa yaseTire ibiza elona xabiso liphakamileyo, yaye imichako yexabiso eliphakamileyo yaseTire ifunwa shushu zizidwangube. (Thelekisa  uHezekile 27:7, 24.) ITire ikwaliziko lezorhwebo ekothulwa nekulayishwa kulo impahla ehanjiswa ngezithuthi.

¹¹ Ngaphezu koko, esi sixeko sikwami kakuhle nakwezomkhosi. UL. Sprague de Camp ubhala athi: “Nangona ayengabalaselanga kwezemfazwe—ayengabashishini, kungekhona amajoni—amaFenike azikhusela izixeko zawo ngenkaliphokazi engaphaya kwengqondo, exolele ukuba kuqhawuk’ unobathana. Oku kuzimisela kwawo kungaka, kwanomkhosi wawo owomeleleyo weenqanawa zemfazwe, kwabenza abemi baseTire bakwazi ukuxhathisa umkhosi wama-Asiriya, owawungowona womeleleyo ngelo xesha.”

¹² Eneneni, isixeko saseTire sasibalasele kummandla weMeditera. “Iinyawo zaso zazifudula zisizisa kude ukuze sihlale njengomphambukeli.” (Isaya 23:7b) AmaFenike akhenketha kwiindawo ezikude, emisela amaziko namazibuko ezorhwebo, yaye amanye awo akhula aba ngamathanga. Ngokomzekelo, iCarthage, ekunxweme lwasemntla Afrika, ilithanga laseTire. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, iza kuduma ngakumbi kuneTire notshaba lwayo iRoma kummandla weMeditera.

Iqhayiya Layo Liza Kuhlanjelwa

13. Yintoni ebangela kubuzwe ukuba ngubani onobuganga bokuvakalisa umgwebo nxamnye neTire?

¹³ Ngenxa yembali ende yeTire nobutyebi bayo, ngoko kufanelekile ukubuza ukuba: “Ngubani na owenze esi sigqibo ngeTire, yona ethwesa ngezithsaba, ebarhwebi bayo babeziinkosana, nebathengisi bayo bangababekekileyo bomhlaba?” (Isaya 23:8) Ngubani onobuganga bokuthetha nxamnye nesixeko esimisele abantu abadumileyo kwizikhundla eziphakamileyo kumathanga aso nakwezinye iindawo—saza ngaloo ndlela saba ‘sesithwesa ngezithsaba’? Ngubani onobuganga bokuthetha nxamnye nesixeko esilikomkhulu esinabarhwebi abaziinkosana nabathengisi ababekekileyo? UMaurice Chehab, owayesakuba ngumalathisi wezinto zamandulo kwiNational Museum of Beirut, eLebanon, wathi: “ITire ibibalasele ngenkulungwane  yesithoba ukusa kweyesithandathu ngaphambi kukaKristu ngendlela ebibalasele ngayo iLondon ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yamashumi amabini.” Ngoko ngubani onokuba nobuganga bokuthetha nxamnye nesi sixeko?

14. Ngubani ovakalisa umgwebo nxamnye neTire, yaye ngoba?

¹⁴ Impendulo ephefumlelweyo iza kuyothusa iTire. UIsaya uthi: “UYehova wemikhosi wenze esi sigqibo, ukuze ahlambele iqhayiya lobuhle bonke, aphathe ngendelelo bonke abo babekekileyo bomhlaba.” (Isaya 23:9) Kutheni uYehova evakalisa umgwebo nxamnye nesi sixeko sityebileyo samandulo? Ngaba kungenxa yokuba abemi baso bangabanquli bothixo wobuxoki uBhahali? Ngaba kungenxa yokunxulumana kweTire noIzebhele—intombi kaKumkani uEtebhahali waseSidon nowaseTire—owatshata noKumkani uAhabhi wakwaSirayeli waza wababulala abaprofeti bakaYehova? (1 Kumkani 16:29, 31; 18:4, 13, 19) Impendulo kuyo yomibini le mibuzo ithi hayi. ITire igwetywa ngenxa yokuzigwagwisa kwayo—izizuzele ubutyebi ngokuxhaphaza ezinye izizwe, kuquka amaSirayeli. Ngenkulungwane yesithoba ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, esebenzisa umprofeti uYoweli, uYehova wathi kwiTire nakwezinye izixeko: “Oonyana bakaYuda noonyana baseYerusalem nathengisa ngabo koonyana bamaGrike, ngenjongo yokubashenxisela kude nommandla wabo.” (Yoweli 3:6) Ngaba uThixo angasuka nje akubethe ngoyaba ukuxhaphaza kweTire abantu bakhe bomnqophiso kwezorhwebo?

15. Iza kusabela njani iTire ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem nguNebhukadenetsare?

¹⁵ Iqengqelekile iminyaka yada yalikhulu ingakhange itshintshe nganto iTire. Oku sikubona kwindlela egcoba ngayo, xa umkhosi kaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare waseBhabhiloni utshabalalisa iYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E., isithi: “Heke! Zaphukile, iingcango zezizwana [zaseYerusalem]! Ngokuqinisekileyo utyekelo luya kuba ngakum. Ndiya kuzaliswa—yona iphanzisiwe.” (Hezekile 26:2) ITire iza kuba nemihlali, inethemba lokufumana inzuzo ngokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem. Ekubeni eli komkhulu lakwaYuda lingasazi kukhuphisana  nayo, ithemba ukuba luza kwanda urhwebo lwayo. UYehova uza kubaphatha ngendelelo ‘aba babekekileyo,’ abathi ngekratshi bazimanye neentshaba zabantu bakhe.

16, 17. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kubemi baseTire ekutshatyalalisweni kweso sixeko? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo.)

¹⁶ UIsaya uchaza ngokubhekele phaya ngomgwebo kaYehova nxamnye neTire, esithi: “Wela kulo ilizwe lakho njengoMlambo umNayile, ntombi yaseTarshishe. Akusekho ndawo yokwakhela iinqanawa. Isandla sakhe usolulele phezu kolwandle; uzibangele zaphazamiseka izikumkani. UYehova unikele umyalelo nxamnye neFenike, ukuba kubhujiswe amagwiba ayo. Yaye uthi: ‘Ungaze ugcobe kwakhona, wena ucinezelweyo, ntombi enyulu yaseSidon. Sukuma, welela eKitim. Kwanalapho akuyi kuba nakuphumla.’”—Isaya 23:10-12.

¹⁷ Kutheni iTire ibizwa ngokuba ‘yintombi yaseTarshishe’? Mhlawumbi kungenxa yokuba emva kokoyiswa kweTire, iTarshishe iza komelela ngakumbi kwezo zimbini. c Abemi beTire ephanzileyo baza kuthi saa oku kwamanzi omlambo ophuphumayo, agqobhozela ngaphaya kweendonga zomlambo aze athi saa kuyo yonke imimandla eselumelwaneni. Isigidimi sikaIsaya ‘kwintombi yaseTarshishe’ sigxininisa ubuqatha boko kuza kwenzeka kwiTire. NguYehova ngokwakhe owolula isandla sakhe aze anikele umyalelo. Akukho bani unokukuthintela ukuba kungenzeki oko.

18. Kutheni iTire ibizwa ngokuba ‘yintombi enyulu yaseSidon,’ yaye imeko yayo iza kutshintsha njani?

¹⁸ Kwakhona uIsaya ubhekisela kwiTire ‘njengentombi enyulu yaseSidon,’ ukubonisa ukuba ekoyisweni kwayo ngabahlaseli bangaphambili ayikhange iphanziswe ngokupheleleyo, kuba  isekwisigxina esiphakamileyo. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 yooKumkani 19:21; Isaya 47:1; Yeremiya 46:11.) Noko ke, ngoku iza kuphanziswa, yaye abanye babemi bayo baza kubhaca, bawelele kwithanga laseFenike eliyiKitim. Kodwa ke, ekubeni bengasemanga kakuhle kwezoqoqosho, abazukufumana kuphumla apho.

AmaKhaledi Aza Kuyiphanga

19, 20. Ngubani ekuprofetwe ukuba uza koyisa iTire, yaye sizaliseka njani eso siprofeto?

¹⁹ Liliphi igunya lezobupolitika eliza kuphumeza umgwebo kaYehova kwiTire? UIsaya uthi: “Khangela! Ilizwe lamaKhaledi. Ngabo aba abantu—iAsiriya yangqineka ingeyiyo—bayiseka ukuze ibe yeyabemi basezinkqantosini. Bamise iinqaba zabo zokungqinga; baziphange azabi nanto iinqaba zayo zokuhlala; ubani uyimise njengenxuwa eliwohlokayo. Bhombolozani, nina zinqanawa zaseTarshishe, kuba igwiba lenu liphangiwe.” (Isaya 23:13, 14) NgamaKhaledi—kungekhona ama-Asiriya—aza koyisa iTire. Aza kumisa iinqaba zokungqinga, azitshabalalise izakhiwo zaseTire, aze awenze umkhosi owomeleleyo weenqanawa zaseTarshishe ube yimfumba yamanxuwa awohlokayo.

²⁰ Kungabanga thuba lide emva kokuwa kweYerusalem, esi siprofeto sizaliseke ngokuthi iTire ivukele iBhabhiloni, waza uNebhukadenetsare wasingqinga eso sixeko. Ngokuzicingela ukuba ayinakoyiswa, iTire iye yaqula. Ebudeni boko kungqinga, iintloko zamajoni aseBhabhiloni ‘zichetywa inkqayi’ kukukhuthulwa zizigcina-ntloko zawo, namagxa awo “atyabukile” kukuthwala impahla yokwakha izinto zokungqinga. (Hezekile 29:18) Olu ngqingo luba ziindleko kakhulu kuNebhukadenetsare. Ukwazile ukuwutshabalalisa ummandla wesixeko saseTire, kodwa impahla yaso eninzi isindile. Izixa ezikhulu zobuncwane baseTire ziye zafuduselwa kwisiqithi esincinane esikumgama omalunga nekhilomitha ukusuka elunxwemeni. Ngenxa yokungabi nawo umkhosi weenqanawa, ukumkani  wamaKhaledi akakwazanga kusihlasela esi siqithi. Emva kweminyaka eli-13, iTire yanikezela, kodwa iza kusinda ukuze ibone ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto ezingakumbi.

‘Imele Ibuyele Emvuzweni Wayo’

21. ITire ‘ilityelwe’ ngayiphi indlela, yaye kangangethuba elingakanani?

²¹ UIsaya uprofeta ngokubhekele phaya esithi: “Kuya kuthi ngaloo mini iTire ilityalwe iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe, njengemihla yokumkani omnye.” (Isaya 23:15a) Emva kokutshatyalaliswa kommandla wesixeko saseTire ngamaBhabhiloni, isiqithi sayo siza ‘kulityalwa.’ Kanye njengokuba kuprofetiwe, kangangesithuba sokulawula ‘kokumkani omnye’—obuBukhosi baseBhabhiloni—isiqithi saseTire asiyi kuba sesibalulekileyo ngokwasezimalini. Ngomprofeti uYeremiya, uYehova uquka neTire phakathi kweentlanga aza kuziselisa iwayini yengqumbo Yakhe. Uthi: “Ezi ntlanga ziya kumkhonza ukumkani waseBhabhiloni iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe.” (Yeremiya 25:8-17, 22, 27) Enyanisweni, isiqithi saseTire asibi phantsi kweBhabhiloni iminyaka epheleleyo engama-70, ekubeni uBukhosi baseBhabhiloni busiwa ngowama-539 B.C.E. Ngokucacileyo, ama-70 abhekisela kwixesha lokubalasela kolawulo lweBhabhiloni—xa ubukhosi baseBhabhiloni buqhayisa ngokuphakama kwetrone yabo kwanangaphezu “kweenkwenkwezi zikaThixo.” (Isaya 14:13) Ziintlanga ezahlukeneyo ezilawulwa bobo bukhosi ngamaxesha ahlukeneyo. Kodwa ekupheleni kweminyaka engama-70, obo bukhosi buza kuwohloka. Yintoni ke ngoko eza kwenzeka kwiTire?

22, 23. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kwiTire ekukhululekeni kwayo kubukhosi baseBhabhiloni?

²² UIsaya uqhubeka athi: “Ekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe kuya kwenzeka kwiTire ngokwengoma kanongogo, ethi: ‘Thabatha uhadi, jikeleza isixeko, nongogo olityelweyo. Yenza okusemandleni akho ukudlala imirhubhe; zenze zibe ninzi iingoma zakho, ukuze ube nokukhunjulwa.’ Kuya kuthi ke ekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi  asixhenxe uYehova aphethulele ingqalelo yakhe kwiTire, ibuyele emvuzweni wayo ize ibe ngunongogo wezikumkani zonke zehlabathi eziphezu komhlaba.”—Isaya 23:15b-17.

²³ Emva kokuwa kweBhabhiloni ngowama-539 B.C.E., iFenike iwela ezandleni zoBukhosi bamaMedi namaPersi. Umlawuli wasePersi, uKoreshi Omkhulu, akangomlawuli ungqongqo. Phantsi kolu lawulo lutsha, iTire iza kuzabalazela ngamandla ukuqala phantsi kwakhona noshishino lwayo lwezorhwebo—kanye njengoko unongogo olityelweyo waza washiywa zizithandane zakhe ezama ukutsala izithandane ezitsha ngokujikeleza isixeko, ecula, ekwadlala nohadi lwakhe. Ngaba iTire iza kuphumelela? Ewe, uYehova uza kuyenza iphumelele. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, esi siqithi siza kuchuma kakhulu kangangokuba ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, umprofeti uZekariya uza kuthi: “ITire yazakhela ungqameko, yazifumbela isilivere njengothuli negolide njengodaka olusezitratweni.”—Zekariya 9:3.

‘Ingeniso Yayo Imele Ibe Yinto Engcwele’

24, 25. (a) Ingeniso yaseTire iba yinto engcwele njani kuYehova? (b) Phezu kwako nje ukunceda kweTire abantu bakaThixo, sisiphi isiprofeto asiphefumlelayo uYehova ngayo?

²⁴ Hayi indlela ahlab’ umxhelo ngayo la mazwi alandelayo esiprofeto! “Ingenelo yayo nomvuzo wayo zimele zibe yinto engcwele kuYehova. Ayiyi kuqwetywa, ingayi kubekwa, ngenxa yokuba umvuzo wayo uya kuba ngowabo bahlala phambi koYehova, ukuze badle baneliseke nokuze banxibe ezintle.” (Isaya 23:18) Ingeniso engokwemali yeTire iba yinto engcwele njani? UYehova walathisa imicimbi ngendlela yokuba isetyenziswe ngokuvumelana nokuthanda kwakhe—ukuze badle baneliseke yaye banxibe abantu bakhe. Oku kwenzeka emva kokubuya kwamaSirayeli ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabhiloni. Abantu baseTire babanceda ngokubanika amaplanga omsedare okuphinda kwakhiwe itempile. Bayaphinda baqalise ukurhweba nesixeko saseYerusalem.—Ezra 3:7; Nehemiya 13:16.

 ²⁵ Phezu kwako nje oku, uYehova uphefumlela ukuba kuvakaliswe isibhengezo esingakumbi nxamnye neTire. UZekariya uprofeta athi ngesi siqithi sityebileyo ngoku: “Khangela! UYehova uya kuyihlutha, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo umkhosi wayo wamajoni uya kuwuxabela elwandle; yona iya kuqwengwa ngumlilo.” (Zekariya 9:4) Oku kuzaliseka ngoJulayi 332 B.C.E. xa uAlesandire Omkhulu ebutshabalalisa elwandle obo bukhosi bunekratshi.

Kuphephe Ukuthanda Izinto Eziphathekayo Nekratshi

26. Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo ayigwebe iTire?

²⁶ UYehova wayigweba iTire ngenxa yekratshi layo, phawu olo alucekisayo. “Amehlo aziphakamisayo” akhankanywe kuqala phakathi kwezinto ezisixhenxe azithiyileyo uYehova. (IMizekeliso 6:16-19) UPawulos walinxulumanisa ikratshi noSathana uMtyholi, kanti noHezekile ekuchazeni kwakhe iTire enekratshi, ukhankanya iinkcukacha ezichaza uSathana ngokwakhe. (Hezekile 28:13-15; 1 Timoti 3:6) Kwakutheni ukuze iTire ibe nekratshi? UHezekile uthi, xa ebhekisa kuyo iTire: ‘Intliziyo yakho yaba nekratshi ngenxa yendyebo yakho.’ (Hezekile 28:5) Esi sixeko sasizinikele ngokupheleleyo ekurhwebeni nasekufumbeni imali. Ukuphumelela kweTire koku kwayenza yazigwagwisa ngokungathethekiyo. NgoHezekile, uYehova wathi “kwinkokeli yaseTire”: “Intliziyo yakho iye yanekratshi, waza wamana usithi, ‘Ndinguthixo. Ndihleli esihlalweni sikathixo.’”—Hezekile 28:2.

27, 28. Nguwuphi umgibe abanokuwela kuwo abantu, yaye uYesu wakuzekelisa njani oku?

²⁷ Iintlanga zingatyekela ekubeni nekratshi nembono ephosakeleyo yobutyebi—kukwanjalo nangabantu ngabanye. UYesu wenza umzekeliso obonisa indlela ubani anokuwela ngayo kulo mgibe. Wathetha ngendoda esisityebi eyayinamasimi achumileyo. Ichwayitile, le ndoda yaceba ukwakha oovimba abakhulu ngakumbi besivuno sayo yaza ngovuyo yakhangela  phambili kubomi obude bobutofotofo. Kodwa oko akuzanga kwenzeke. UThixo wathi kuyo: “Wena ungenangqiqo, ngobu busuku bayawufuna kuwe umphefumlo wakho. Ziya kuba zezikabani na ke ezo zinto uziqwebileyo?” Ewe, loo ndoda yafa, yaye ubutyebi bayo abuyincedanga nganto.—Luka 12:16-20.

²⁸ UYesu wawuqukumbela lo mzekeliso ngokuthi: “Kuba njalo ngomntu oziqwebela ubuncwane kodwa engesosityebi kuThixo.” (Luka 12:21) Ukuba sisityebi kwakungaphosakalanga kona ngokwako, nokuba nesivuno esihle kwakungesosono. Isiphoso sale ndoda sikukuba yazenza ezi zinto zaba zezona zibalulekileyo ebomini bayo. Yayithembele ngokupheleleyo ebutyebini bayo. Ekukhangeleni kwayo phambili kwikamva, yayingamgqali uYehova uThixo.

29, 30. UYakobi walumkisa njani nxamnye nokuzithemba?

 ²⁹ Esebenzisa amazwi abukhali, naye uYakobi wakhanyisa ingongoma efanayo. Wathi: “Yizani kaloku, nina bathi: ‘Namhlanje okanye ngomso siza kuya kwisixeko esithile, sihlale unyaka wonke, size sishishine sizuze ingeniso,’ kanti anikwazi oko ubomi benu buya kuba kuko ngomso. Kuba nifana nje nenkungu ebonakala okwethutyana ize ithi shwaka. Kunoko, nifanele nithi: ‘Ukuba uYehova uyathanda, siza kuphila senze oku nokuya.’” (Yakobi 4:13-15) Wandula uYakobi abonise ukuhlobana kobutyebi nekratshi xa ehlabela mgama, esithi: “Niqhayisa ngokuzigwagwisa kwenu ngokuzidla. Konke ukuqhayisa okunjalo kungendawo.”—Yakobi 4:16.

³⁰ Kwakhona, ukushishina akusosono. Into esisono likratshi, ukuzigwagwisa, nokuzithemba ngenxa yobutyebi. Ngobulumko, umzekeliso wamandulo uthi: “Musa ukundinika ubuhlwempu okanye ubutyebi.” Ubuhlwempu bunokubenza bube nzima ubomi. Kodwa ubutyebi bunokumkhokelela umntu ekubeni ‘amkhanyele uThixo aze athi: “Ngubani na uYehova?”’—IMizekeliso 30:8, 9.

31. Yiyiphi imibuzo ekuya kuba kuhle ukuba umKristu azibuze yona?

³¹ Siphila kwihlabathi apho abaninzi baye batyekela ekubaweni nasekuzingceni. Ngenxa yokubalasela kwezorhwebo, kugxininiswa kakhulu kubutyebi. Ngoko ke, umKristu uya kuba wenza kakuhle ukuzihlola yena ngokwakhe ukuqinisekisa ukuba akaweli kumgibe ofanayo nowarhintyela isixeko sezorhwebo saseTire. Ngaba uchitha ixesha lakhe elininzi namandla akhe efuna izinto eziphathekayo, ngokokude eneneni abe likhoboka lobutyebi? (Mateyu 6:24) Ngaba uyabamonela abathile abanezinto ezingakumbi okanye ezibhetele kunaye? (Galati 5:26) Ukuba kuyenzeka abe sisityebi, ngaba ngekratshi uvakalelwa kukuba umele anikwe ingqalelo okanye amalungelo angakumbi kunabanye? (Thelekisa uYakobi 2:1-9.) Ukuba akasosityebi, ngaba ‘uzimisele ukuba sisityebi,’ nokuba sekumnyam’ entla? (1 Timoti 6:9) Ngaba uzixakekise kakhulu ngoshishino kangangokuba abe nexesha elincinane  kakhulu ebomini bakhe lokukhonza uThixo? (2 Timoti 2:4) Ngaba uzinikele ngamandla ekufuneni ubutyebi kangangokuba ade ayityeshele imilinganiselo yobuKristu kushishino lwakhe?—1 Timoti 6:10.

32. Sisiphi isilumkiso awasinikelayo uYohane, yaye singasisebenzisa njani?

³² Nokuba injani na imeko yethu yezoqoqosho, uBukumkani bufanele busoloko bukwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu. Kubalulekile ukuba sihlale siwakhumbula amazwi ompostile uYohane, athi: “Musani ukulithanda ihlabathi nezinto ezisehlabathini. Nabani na olithandayo ihlabathi, uthando lukaBawo alukho kuye.” (1 Yohane 2:15) Liyinyaniso elokuba, sifanele sisebenzise inkqubo yehlabathi yezorhwebo ukuze siphile. (2 Tesalonika 3:10) Noko ke, nangona ‘silisebenzisa ihlabathi’—kodwa asilisebenzisi “ngokupheleleyo.” (1 Korinte 7:31) Ukuba sizithanda ngokugqithiseleyo izinto eziphathekayo—izinto ezisehlabathini—asisamthandi uYehova. Ukusukela “inkanuko yenyama nenkanuko yamehlo nokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi” kuyangqubana nokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. d Yaye kukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo okuya kusikhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade.—1 Yohane 2:16, 17.

33. AmaKristu anokuwuphepha njani umgibe owarhintyela iTire?

³³ Umgibe wokusukela kuqala izinto eziphathekayo wayirhintyela iTire. Yaphumelela ekuqwebeni izinto eziphathekayo, yaba nekratshi kakhulu, yaza yohlwaywa ngenxa yekratshi layo. Umzekelo wayo usisilumkiso kwiintlanga nakubantu ngabanye namhlanje. Hayi indlela ekulunge ngakumbi ngayo ukulandela isibongozo sompostile uPawulos! Ubongoza amaKristu ukuba ‘angaziphakamisi, yaye angathembeli kubutyebi obungaqinisekanga, kodwa athembele kuThixo, osinika zonke izinto ngokobutyebi ukuze sizinandiphe.’—1 Timoti 6:17.

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(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

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