Abaprofeti Nookumkani

6—Ukukrazulwa Kobukumkani

“USolomon walala kooyise; wangcwatyelwa emzini kaDavide uyise; uRehabheham, unyana wakhe, waba ngukumkani esikhundleni sakhe.” 1 Kumkani 11:43. AN 87.1

Wathi esanda kuhlala etroneni, uRehabheham waya eShekem, apho wayelindele ukwamkelwa ngokusemthethweni zizo zonke iintlanga. “AmaIsrayeli onke abeye kumenza ukumkani kwaShekem.” 2 IZikronike 10:1. AN 87.2

Phakathi kwabo babekho yayinguYarobheham unyana kaNebhati—kwayena lowo wathi ngexesha lolawulo lukaSolomon waziwa ngokuba “uligorha elinobukroti,” nowanikwa ngumprofeti uAhija umShilo isigidimi esothusayo, “Yabona, ndiya kubukrazula ubukumkani esandleni sikaSolomon, ndikunike izizwe zibe lishumi.” 1 Kumkani 11:28, 31. AN 87.3

UYehova, ngomthunywa waKhe, wayethethe ngokucacileyo kuYarobheham ngokunyanzeleka kokuba bahlulwe ubukumkani. Oku kwahlulwakufuneka kwenzeke, watsho, “ngenxaenokuba mna bendishiyile, baqubuda kuAshtoreti, uthixo wamaMowabhi [Tsidon], nakuMilikom, uthixo woonyana baka-Amon; abahamba ngeendlela zam, ukuba benze okuthe tye ngeendlela zam, ukuba benze imimiselo yam namasiko am, njengoDavide uyise.” Indima 33. AN 87.4

UYarobheham wayeyaliwe kwakhona ukuba ubukumkani abusayi kwahlulwa phambi kokuba luphele ulawulo lukaSolomon. “Andiyi kubuthabatha bonke ubukumkani esandleni sakhe,” wayetshilo uYehova; “ndomenza abe sisikhulu yonke imihla yobomi bakhe, ngenxa kaDavide umkhonzi wam endamnyulayo, owayigcinayo imithetho yam nemimiselo yam. Ndobuthabatha ubukumkani esandleni sonyana wakhe, ndinike wena izizwe ezilishumi ke.” Iindima 34, 35. AN 88.1

Nangona uSolomon wayelangazelela ukuyilungisa ingqondo kaRehabheham, umlandeli wakhe onyuliweyo, ukuba ihlangabezane ngobulumko nentlekele eyaxelwa ngenx’ engaphambili ngumprofeti kaThixo, akazange akwazi ukuba negalelo elinamandla ekuqulunqeni impembelelo yokulungileyo engqondweni yonyana wakhe, awaya wakutyeshela kakhulu ukumqeqesha eselula. URehabheham wafumana kunina, umMowabhikazi, uhlobo lwesimilo esithandabuzayo. Maxa wambi wayezama ukumkhonza uThixo waza wayifumana impumelelo noko; kodwa wayengazinzanga, wada ekugqibeleni waziyekela kwiimpembelelo zobubi ezazimrhangqile kwasebusaneni bakhe. Kwiimpazamo zobomi bukaRehabheham nasekukreqeni kwakhe kwasekugqibeleni kwaya kwabonakala isiphumo sokuzimanya kukaSolomon nabafazi abanqula izithixo. AN 88.2

Izizwe kwakukade zisiba neempazamo ezimbi kakhulu phantsi kwemiqathangoyabalawulibazobangaphambili.Ukuthsafaza kolawulo lukaSolomon ngexesha lokukreqa kwakhe, kwamkhokelela ekubeni abahlawulise irhafu abantu ngeyona ndlela inzima kwanokubalindela ukuba benze kakhulu imisebenzi ephantsi. Phambi kokuba abheke phambili nokuthwesa isithsaba umlawuli omtsha, amadoda aziinkokheli kwizizwe azimisela ukuqinisekisa ukuba ingaba na yayiyinjongo yonyana kaSolomon ukuyiphungula le mithwalo. “Bathetha noRehabheham, besithi, Uyihlo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yethu; ke wena yenze lula inkonzo elukhuni kayihlo, nedyokhwe yakhe enzima awayibeka phezu kwethu, sikukhonze.” AN 89.1

Ngokulangazelela ukubonisana nabacebisi bakhe ngaphambi kokuba andlale indlela yokusebenza kwakhe, uRehabheham waphendula wathi, “Khanindikhwelele iintsuku zibe ntathu, nibuye nize kum. Bemka ke abantu. AN 89.2

“Ukumkani uRehabheham wacebisana namadoda amakhulu, abesakuma phambi koSolomon uyise oko ebesahleli, wathi, Ninika cebo lini na, ukuba ndibanike ilizwi aba bantu? Athetha ke kuye esithi, Ukuba uthe wanobubele kwaba bantu, wabakholisa wathetha amazwi amahle kubo, bokukhonza yonke imihla.” 2 IZikronike 10:3-7. AN 89.3

Wathi ngokunganeliseki, uRehabheham wabhenela kumadodana asematsha, awayeqhelene nawo ngexesha lobutsha bakhe, wawabuza, “Ninika cebo lini na nina, ukuba sibanike ilizwi aba bantu bathethileyo kum, besithi, Yenze lula idyokhwe awayibeka phezu kwethu uyihlo?” 1 Kumkani 12:9. Amadodana acebisa ukuba abaphathe ngqongqo abantu bobukumkani bakhe abacacisele ukuba, zisuka nje akasayi kunyamezela ukuphazanyiswa kwiminqweno eyeyakhe. AN 89.4

Ekhohliswe lithuba lokusebenzisa elona gunya liphezulu, uRehabheham wazimisela ukungalikhathaleli icebiso labantu abadala kummandla wakhe, nokuba enze ukuba amadodana aselula abe ngabona bacebisi bakhe. Kungoko kwenzeka ukuba kuthi, ngemini emisiweyo, xa abantu “baya ke ooYarobheham nabantu bonke kuRehabheham,” ukuba beve intetho ngendlela yokulawula azimisele ukuyilandela uRehabheham “wabaphendula kalukhuni; . . . esithi, Ubawo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yenu, mna ke ndiya kongeza kuyo; ubawo wanibetha ngeentsontelo, ke mna ndiya kunibetha ngeekatsi.” Iindima 12-14. AN 90.1

Ukuba uRehabheham nabacebisi bakhe abangenamava babeyiqondile intando yezulu ngoIsrayeli, ngebabesiphulaphule isicelo sabantu ekugqityweni kweenguqu kulawulo loburhulumente. Kwathi kodwa ngexesha lethuba elafika kubo kwintlanganiso eyayikwaShekem, basilela ekwazini ngokunxulumana phakathi kwesizathu nesiphumo, ngaloo ndlela baba bayenza buthakathaka impembelelo yabo phezu kweqela elikhulu labantu. Ukuzimisela kwabo abakubeka ngokuphandle bokuba baza kuqhubeka besongeza kwingcinezelo eyaqalwa ngexesha lokuphatha kukaSolomon, kwakusilwa ngqo necebo likaThixo ngoIsrayeli, kwaza kwabanika abantu ithuba elininzi lokukuthandabuza ukunyaniseka kwenjongo zabo. Ngalo mzamo ungalumkileyo, ongenaluvelwano ekusebenziseni igunya, ukumkani nabacebisi bakhe abanyulileyo, babonakalisa ukuziphakamisa ngenxa yesikhundla negunya. AN 90.2

UYehova akazange amvumele uRehabheham ukuba aqhubele phambili nendlela yokulawula awayeyicebile. Phakathi kwezizwe kwakukho amawaka awaya avuka umnyele ngakumanyathelo engcinezelo yolawulo lukaSolomon, aza, ngoku, aziva engenakho ukwenza ngakumbi ngaphandle kokuba ayivukele indlu kaDavide. “Akubonake onkeamaIsrayeliukubaukumkaniakawaphulaphuli, abantu bambuyiselaukumkaniilizwielithi, Sinasabelo sini na kuDavide? Asinalifa kunyana kaYese; elowo makaye ententeni yakhe, maIsrayeli; zikhangelele ngoku indlu yakho, Davide. Aya ezintenteni zawo ke amaIsrayeli onke.” Indima 16. AN 90.3

Umsantsa owadalwa yintetho erhabaxa kaRehabheham wabonakala ungenakho ukulungiseka. Ukususela ngoko, izizwe ezilishumi elinambini zikaIsrayeli zahlukana, izizwe zakwaYuda nesakwaBhenjamin zazikubukumkani obusezantsi okanye bangasezantsi bakwaYuda, phantsi kolawulo lukaRehabheham; lo gama izizwe ezilishumi zangasentla zamanyana zenza ulawulo olwahlukileyo, olwalusaziwa ngokuba bubukumkani bakwaIsrayeli, sinoRehabheham umlawuli waso. Kwaba ngaloo ndlela kuzaliseka okwakuthethwe kwangaphambili ngumprofeti ngokukrazuka kobukumkani. “Esi siphendu sibe siphuma kuThixo.” Indima 15. AN 91.1

Wathi uRehabheham akuzibona izizwe ezilishumi zikurhoxisa ukuba phantsi kolawulo lwakhe, waqala wathi qwa ukuba abe nento ayenzayo. Esebenzisa enye yamadoda anempembelelo ebukumkanini bakhe, “uAdoram, obephethe abafakwa uviko,” wenza ilinge lokubaxolisa. Kwenzeka ukuba umthunywa anikwe impatho eyayibonisa imvakalelo echasene noRehabheham. “Basuka oonyana bakaIsrayeli bamxuluba ngamatye, wafa.” Othukile sesi sibonakaliso samandla ovukelo, “ukumkani uRehabheham wakhawuleza waya kukhwela enqweleni yakhe, ukuba asabele eYerusalem.” Indima 18. AN 91.2

EYerusalem “wabizela ndawonye yonke indlu yakwaYuda, kwanesizwe sakwaBhenjamin, ikhulu elinamanci asibhozo lamawaka amadodana okulwa imfazwe, ukuba aye kulwa nendlu kaIsrayeli, bubuyiselwe ubukumkani kuRehabheham unyana kaSolomon. Lafika ilizwi likaThixo kuShemaya, umfo wakwaThixo, lisithi, Yitsho kuRehabheham unyana kaSolomon, ukumkani wakwaYuda, nakwindlu yonke yakwaYuda, nakuBhenjamin, nakubantu abaseleyo, ukuthi, Utsho uYehova ukuthi, ize ninganyuki; ize ningalwi nabazalwana benu oonyana bakaIsrayeli. Buyani, aye elowo endlwini yakhe; ngokuba iphuma kum le nto. Baliphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova, babuya, bahamba ngokwelizwi likaYehova.” Iindima 21-24. AN 92.1

Kwaba yiminyaka emithathu uRehabheham ezama ukufumana inzuzo ngamava akhe alusizi asekuqaleni kolawulo lwakhe; waza kulo mzamo waba nempumelelo. “Wakha imizi yokunqabisa kwaYuda,” “waziqinisaiinqabawabekaizigangazamadodakuzo, noovimba bokudla neoli newayini.” Waqiniseka ukuba wenza imizi enqatyisiweyo, “wayiqinisa kakhulu kunene.” 2 IZikronike 11:5, 11, 12. Kanti ke kunjalo, imfihlelo yempumelelo kaYuda kwiminyaka yokuqala yolawulo lukaRehabheham yayingalelanga kula manyathelo. Yayikukuvuma kwabo uThixo njengoMlawuli omKhulu owabeka izizwe zakwaYuda nesakwaBhenjamin kumhlaba olungileyo. Kwinani labo, koongezwa abantu abaninzi abamoyikayo uThixo abavela kwiintlanga zangasentla. “Ezizweni zonke zakwaIsrayeli,” ingxelo ifundeka ithi, “bathi abazinikelayo iintliziyo zabo ukumquqela uYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli, beza kubingelela eYerusalem kuYehova, uThixo wooyise. Babuzinzisa ubukumkani bukaYuda, bamomeleza uRehabheham unyana kaSolomon iminyaka emithathu; ngokuba bahamba ngendlela kaDavide noSolomon.” Iindima 16, 17. AN 92.2

Kwakusekulandeleni eli khondo apho lalilele khona ithuba lokuba uRehabheham azihlangule kakhulu iimpazamo zexesha elidlulileyo abuyisele ithemba ekukwazini kwakhe ukulawula ngengqiqo. Phofu ke, usiba lwempefumlelo luyilanda kude ingxelo elusizi yomlandeli kaSolomon njengowasilelayo ukunika impembelelo enamandla yokunyaniseka kuYehova. Ngokwemvelo enenkani, ezithembile, esenza intando yakhe, ekwakekelele nasekunquleni izithixo, nangona enjalo, ukuba wayelibeke ithemba lakhe ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, ngewakhula emandleni esimilo, kukholo oluqinileyo, nasekuzinikeleni kokufunwa lizulu. Kwathi ke, kodwa, ngokuhamba kwexesha, ukumkani walibeka ithemba lakhe kumandla esikhundla nakwiinqaba awaziqinisayo. Kancinane, kancinane, waziyekela kubuthakathaka awabuzuza njengelifa, wada impembelelo yakhe wayilahlela ngokupheleleyo kwicala lokunqula izithixo. “Kwathibakubon’ ukuba buzinzile ubukumkani bukaRehabheham, akomelela, wawushiya umyalelo kaYehova, namaIsrayeli onke kunye naye.”2 IZikronike 12:1. AN 93.1

Athi ukuba buhlungu, indlela abaluleke ngayo amazwi athi, “NamaIsrayeli onke kunye naye,” abantu uThixo awayebanyule ukuba beme babe kukukhanya ezizweni ezazimkile kwiThende lazo lamandla basuka bafuna ukufana nezizwe ezibarhangqileyo. NjengoSolomon, ngokunjalo nangoRehabheham—impembelelo yomzekelo ongalunganga wabalahlekisa abaninzi. Kwakhona, njengabo, kusondele kakhulu okanye ngaphantsana namhlanje, kuye wonke ubani ozinikela ekusebenzeni inkohlakalo—impembelelo yokwenza okungalunganga ayipheleli kumenzi lowo. Akukho mntu uziphilelayo. Akakho otshabalala yedwa ebugwenxeni bakhe. Bonke ubomi bukukukhanya okukhanyisa konwabise indlela yabanye, okanye impembelelo emnyama nedakumbisayo ikholisa ukusa ekupheleni kwethemba nakwantshabalalo. Sikhokela abanye, nokuba sibasa phezulu ekonwabeni nasebomini obungenasiphelo, okanye sibahlisela elusizini nasekufeni okungunaphakade. Ukuba ke ngezenzo zethu someleza okanye sinyanzelise ukusebenza kwamandla obubi kwabo basingqongileyo, sabelana nabo kwisono sabo. AN 94.1

UThixo akazange aluvumele ukreqo lomlawuli wakwaYuda ukuba luhlale lungohlwaywanga. “Ngomnyaka wesihlanu wokumkani uRehabheham, kwenyuka uShishaki ukumkani waseYiputa, wayingenela iYerusalem, ngokuba babemenezile kuYehova; enewaka elinamakhulu amabini eenqwelo zokulwa, namawaka angamashumi omathandathu abamahashe, nabantu abangenakubalwa, abaphuma naye eYiputa. . . . Wayithimba imizi enqatyisiweyo ekwaYuda, wafika naseYerusalem. AN 94.2

“Weza uShemayaumprofeti kuRehabheham,nakubathetheli [95]bakwaYuda ababehlanganisene eYerusalem ngenxa kaShishaki, wathi kubo, Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Nina nandishiya, nam ndinishiyile, ndaninikela esandleni sikaShishaki.” Iindima 2-5. AN 95.1

Abantu babengekemki kakhulu bade bahambe imihlaba emide ekukreqeni kangangokuba bazidele izigwebo zikaThixo. Kwiilahleko zokungenelwa nguShishaki, basiqonda isandla sikaThixo kwaza kwathi okwexesha elithile, bazithoba. “UThixo ulilungisa,” bavuma. AN 95.2

“Akubona uYehova ukuba bazithobile, lafika ilizwi likaYehova kuShemaya, lisithi, Bazithobile; andiyi kubonakalisa; ndiya kubanika ukusinda ixeshana, bungathululelwa ubushushu bam eYerusalem ngesandla sikaShishaki. Noko boba ngabakhonzi kuye, ukuze bayazi inkonzo yam, nenkonzo yezikumkani zamazwe. AN 95.3

“Wenyuka ke [uShishaki] ukumkani waseYiputa, wafika walwa neYerusalem, wabuthabatha ubuncwane bendlu kaYehova, nobuncwane bendlu yokumkani; wabuthabatha bonke; wazithabatha iingweletshetshe zegolide awazenzayo uSolomon. Ukumkani uRehabheham wenza iingweletshetshe zobhedu esikhundleni sazo, waziphathisa abathetheli bezigidimi ezibe zigcina umnyango wendlu yokumkani. . . . Wathi akuzithoba, umsindo kaYehova wabuya kuye, ukuba angamtshabalalisi kuthi tu; kananjalo kwaYuda kwakukho izinto ezilungileyo.” Iindima 6-12. AN 95.4

Eyona nto, sathi xa isandla sembandezelo sisuka, isizwe siphumelela kwakhona, abaninzi balulibala uloyiko lwabo basuka babuyela ekunquleniizithixo kwakhona. Phakathi kwaba, kwakukho ukumkaniuRehabheham ngokwakhe. Nangona wayethotyiwe AN 96.1

yintlekele eyamehlelayo, wasilela ukuwenza la mava ukuba ibe yindawo ajika kuyo ebomini bakhe. Esilibala isifundo uThixo awazama ukumfundisa sona, wabuya wawela ezonweni ezazizise izigwebo esizweni. Emva kweminyaka nje embalwa engabalulekanganganto, awathi ngayo ukumkani “wenza okubi, ngokuba ebengayibhekiselelanga intliziyo yakhe ukumquqela uYehova,” “uRehabheham walala kooyise, wangcwatyelwa emzini kaDavide; uAbhiya, unyana wakhe, waba ngukumkani esikhundleni sakhe.” Iindima 14, 16. AN 96.2

Ngokukrazuka kobukumkani kwasebutsheni bolawulo lukaRehabheham, uzuko lukaIsrayeli lwaya lwaqala ukumka, ukuba lungazange luphinde lubuye ngokupheleleyo. Ngamaxesha athile, kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo, itrone kaDavide yahlalwa ngamadoda akwaziyo ukuziphatha nakwaziyo ukubona kude, kwathi phantsi kolawulo lwaba kumkani iintsikelelo ezahlala phezu kwabantu bakwaYuda zaphumela nakwizizwe ezingqongileyo. Ngamanye amaxesha, igama likaYehova laliphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwabo bonke oothixo ababuxoki, uze umthetho waKhe uhlonitshwe. Amaxesha ngamaxesha kwakubakho umprofeti onamandla azomeleze izandla zabalawuli abakhuthaze abantu ukuba bahlale benyanisekile. Phofu yona imbewu yenkohlakalo eyayisele intshula ngexesha uRehabheham ehlala etroneni, ayizange inyothulwe kuphele; kuthi ngamanye amaxesha, abantu ababeke bathandwa bakaThixo, bawele phantsi bade babe yintlekisa phakathi kwabahedeni. AN 96.3

Sekunjalo, nangona ukugqwetheka kwabo bakekelele ngakwizenzo zokunqula izithixo, uThixo, ngenceba, ubesakwenza konke okusemandleni aKhe ukusindisa ubukumkani obahlukeneyo kwintshabalalo ebhubhisayo. Bekusithi ngokuqengqeleka kweminyaka, nenjongo yaKhe kubonakala ngathi ithinteleka ngokupheleleyo ngamacebo abantu abaphefumlelwazizenzeleli zenkohlakalo, (uThixo) ebesazibonakalalisa iinjongo zobubele baKhe ngokuthinjwa nokubuyiselwa kwesizwe asinyulileyo. AN 96.4

Ukukrazulwa kobukumkani kwakusesisiqalo sembali emangalisayo, ekutyhilwe kuyo ukunyamezela nenceba enothando kaThixo. Kususela esibelekweni sembandezelo ekuthe ngayo kwadlulelwa elifeni nakwimikhwa yobubi eyondliweyo, abo uThixo wayefuna ukubenza nyulu kuYe bengabantu ababodwa, bezondelele imisebenzi emihle, kwafuneka ukuba ekugqibeleni bavume ukuba: AN 97.1

“Akukho namnye unjengawe, Yehova; umkhulu wena, likhulu igama lakho, linobugorha. Ngubani na ongeze akoyike, Kumkani weentlanga? . . . Phakathi kwezilumko zonke zeentlanga, naphakathi kwezikumkani zonke, akukho namnye unjengawe.” “Ke yena uYehova nguThixo, inyaniso, nguThixo ophilileyo, ngukumkani ongunaphakade.” Yeremiya 10:6, 7, 10. AN 97.2

Abanquli bezithixo kwafuneka ukuba, ekugqibeleni, bafunde isifundo sokuba oothixo babo ababuxoki abanawo amandla okuphakamisa nokusindisa. “Bona oothixo abangalenzanga izulu nehlabathi, baya kudaka ehlabathini, naphantsi kwezulu.” Indima 11. Kuphela ngokuzithoba kuThixo ophilayo, uMdali wezinto zonke noMlawuli phezu kwako konke, anokuthi umntu afumane ukuphumla noxolo. AN 97.3

Ngamxhelo mnye, uIsrayeli noYuda abohlwayiweyo nabaguqukayo ekugqibeleni kwafuneka ukuba babuhlaziye ubudlelwane bomnqophiso noYehova wemikhosi, uThixo wooyise; baze bathethe bathi ngaYe: AN 97.4

“Ke yena ngulowenza ihlabathi ngamandla akhe;
Ulozinzisa elimiweyo ngobulumko bakhe;
Waneka izulu ngengqondo yakhe. AN 97.5

“Kwakubon’ ukuba kukho isithonga sokwenza kwakhe ingxolo
yamanzi ezulwini,
Unyusa amafu esiphelweni sehlabathi;
Imvula uyenzela imibane, arhole umoya koovimba bakhe.

“Uba sisityhakala wonke umntu, engenakwazi;
Udaniswa wonke umnyibilikisi wegolide
ngumfanekiso oqingqiweyo,
Ngokuba umfanekiso wakhe otyhidiweyo bubuxoki, awunamoya.

“Zingamampunge ezo zinto, zizenzo zokugwenxa;
Ngexesha lokuvelelwa kwazo ziyadaka.
Akanjengazo uSahlulelo sikaYakobi,

“Ngokuba ngumbumbi weento zonke yena;
UIsrayeli sisizwe selifa lakhe;
NguYehova wemikhosi, igama lakhe.” AN 98.1

Iindima 12-16.