ISIFUNDO 71
UJehova Uvikela UJesu
Ezweni elisempumalanga yakwa-Israyeli abantu babekholelwa ukuthi izinkanyezi zingakwazi ukubaqondisa. Ngobunye ubusuku, amadoda athile ayevela eMpumalanga abona okwakubukeka njengenkanyezi ekhanya kakhulu kuhamba esibhakabhakeni, abe esekulandela. “Inkanyezi” yawaholela eJerusalema. La madoda abuza abantu: ‘Uphi umntwana ozoba yinkosi yamaJuda? Size lapha ukuze simkhothamele.’
Lapho uHerode, inkosi yaseJerusalema, ezwa ngenkosi entsha, wakhathazeka kakhulu. Wathi kubapristi abaphethe: ‘Kumele izalelwe kuphi le nkosi?’ Bathi kuye: ‘Abaprofethi bathi iyozalelwa eBhetlehema.’ Ngakho uHerode wabiza amadoda avela eMpumalanga, wathi kuwo: ‘Hambani niye eBhetlehema futhi ningitholele le ngane. Bese niyabuya ningitshele ukuthi ikuphi. Nami ngifuna ukuyikhothamela.’ Kodwa wayeqamba amanga.
“Inkanyezi” yaqala ukuhamba futhi. Amadoda ayilandela yaze yafika eBhetlehema. “Inkanyezi” yama phezu komuzi othile futhi amadoda angena kuwo. Ngaphakathi athola uJesu nomama wakhe uMariya. Ayikhothamela ingane futhi ayinika izipho zegolide, impepho nemure. Ingabe uJehova ngempela owathumela la madoda kuJesu? Cha.
Ngalobo busuku, uJehova watshela uJosefa ephusheni: ‘UHerode ufuna ukubulala uJesu. Thatha umkakho nendodana yakho nibalekele eGibhithe. Nihlale lapho ngize nginitshele uma sekuphephile ukuba nibuye.’ Ngokushesha, uJosefa nomndeni wakhe babalekela eGibhithe.
UJehova watshela amadoda ayevela eMpumalanga ukuba angabe esabuyela kuHerode. Lapho uHerode ebona ukuthi awasabuyeli kuye, wathukuthela kakhulu. Njengoba ayengamtholi uJesu, wakhipha umyalo wokuthi bonke abafana abangangoJesu eBhetlehema babulawe. Kodwa uJesu yena wayevikelekile le kude eGibhithe.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uHerode wafa. UJehova wathi kuJosefa: ‘Sekuphephile-ke manje, ungaphindela emuva.’ UJosefa, uMariya noJesu babuyela kwa-Israyeli futhi baba nomuzi edolobheni laseNazaretha.
“Liyoba njalo nezwi eliphuma emlonyeni wami . . . nakanjani liyophumelela kulokho engilithumele kona.”—Isaya 55:11