1-3. (a) Kungani uHezekheli ephelelwe, njalo kuyini akuzwayo okumduduzayo? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

 UHEZEKHELI uphelelwe! Usanda kubona umbono wezinto ezenyanyekayo ezenziwa ngamaJuda ethempelini eliseJerusalema. a AmaJuda lawa asengcolise indawo eyisigodlo sokukhonza kweqiniso ko-Israyeli. Kawangcolisanga ithempeli kuphela kodwa kulo lonke elakoJuda sekugcwele udlakela. Kukhanya kungaselathemba lokuthi izinto zizalunga. UJehova ubathukuthelele kakhulu abantu bakhe ngenxa yalokhu abakwenzayo. Yikho utshela uHezekheli athi: “Ngizavuka ngolaka.”—Hez. 8:17, 18.

² Kumzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu uHezekheli ukuthi iJerusalema kanye lethempeli kuzabhujiswa ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ubathukuthelele kakhulu abako-Israyeli. Mhlawumbe uyazibuza ukuthi kuzahamba njani ngabantu abathembekileyo abaseJerusalema. Bazasinda yini? Nxa kuyikuthi bazasinda, bazasinda njani? UHezekheli uthi esanda kuzwa ngendlela iJerusalema ezajeziswa ngayo futhi esazibuza imibuzo le azwe ilizwi elikhulu limemeza, libiza labo abathunywe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi bajezise  idolobho. (Hez. 9:1) UHezekheli uthola ukuthi akusoze kubulawe wonke umuntu kodwa bakhona abazasinda. Lokho kuyamduduza kumenze ahlaliseke.

³ Kungenzakala lathi siyazibuza ukuthi ngobani abazasinda ekuhluphekeni okukhulu nxa umhlaba kaSathane usubhujiswa. Esahlukweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezinto ezilandelayo: (1) UHezekheli wabonani embonweni? (2) Akubonayo kwagcwaliseka njani ngesikhathi sakhe? (3) Kuzagcwaliseka njani esikhathini sethu?

4. Chasisa lokho uHezekheli akubonayo lakuzwayo embonweni.

⁴ UHezekheli wabonani embonweni? (Bala uHezekheli 9:1-11.) Wabona amadoda ayisikhombisa ethutsha “egedini elingaphezulu elikhangele enyakatho.” Mhlawumbe ayevelela lapho okwakulesithombe esivusa ubukhwele kumbe lapho okwakulabesifazana ababekhalela unkulunkulu uThamuzi. (Hez. 8:3, 14) Amadoda la ayisikhombisa angena egumeni elingaphakathi lethempeli afika ama eduze kwe-alithare lekhopha. Kodwa ayengalandanga ukuzokwenza imihlatshelo ngoba uJehova wayengasayamukeli imihlatshelo eyayisenziwa ethempelini. Ayisithupha akhona ayethwele ‘izikhali zokubulala abantu.’ Besekusithi eyesikhombisa yona yayitshiyene lawo. Yayingathwalanga isikhali kodwa yayithwele ‘izinto zokubhala’ futhi yayigqoke isembatho selineni.

5, 6. Labo abafakwa uphawu babengabantu abanjani? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁵ Indoda eyayilezinto zokubhala yayizokwenzani? UJehova wayeyinike umsebenzi oqakathekileyo. Wayitshela wathi: “Dabula phakathi kwedolobho leJerusalema, ufake uphawu emabunzini abantu ababubulayo labakhalayo ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo ezenziwa edolobheni.” Mhlawumbe uHezekheli wathi esizwa lokho wakhumbula okwenziwa ngama-Israyeli eGibhithe ngesikhathi sePhasika. Achela igazi emigubazini eminyango yawo ukuze abantwabawo abangamazibulo bangabulawa. (Eks. 12:7, 22, 23) UHezekheli wabona indoda eyayilezinto zokubhala ifaka uphawu emabunzini abantu. Manje uphawu lolo lwaluzakwenza ukuthi abantu basinde yini ngesikhathi iJerusalema ibhujiswa?

⁶ Okungasinceda sithole impendulo yombuzo lo yikukhangela ukuthi ngabantu abanjani ababefakwa uphawu. Kwakumele lufakwe emabunzini abantu “ababubulayo labakhalayo” ngenxa yezinto ezenyanyekayo ‘ezazisenziwa edolobheni.’ Kwakubazwisa ubuhlungu ukubona abantu sebekhonza izithombe ethempelini, beziphatha kubi, belodlakela futhi sebengamaqili. (Hez. 22:9-12) Kumele ukuthi babekwenza kucace ukuthi izinto lezo bayazizonda. Indlela ababekhuluma ngayo lababeziphatha ngayo  yayitshengisa ukuthi bona bazimisele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo lokuthi bayakwenyanya okwakusenzakala elizweni. UJehova wayezakuba lesihawu kubo abasindise.

7, 8. Amadoda ayethwele izikhali zokubulala abantu kwakumele awenze njani umsebenzi wawo, njalo kwaphetha ngani?

⁷ Amadoda ayisithupha ayelezikhali zokubulala abantu kwakumele awenze njani umsebenzi wawo? UHezekheli wezwa uJehova ewatshela ukuthi alandele indoda eyayilezinto zokubhala, abulale wonke umuntu ngaphandle kwalabo ababelophawu emabunzini. UJehova wawatshela wathi: “Qalisani endaweni yami engcwele.” (Hez. 9:6) Amadoda la kwakumele aqalisele ethempelini ukubulala abantu ngoba izinto ezazisenzakala lapho zasezizimbi kakhulu. Yikho-ke aqalisa “ngabadala ababephambi kwethempeli.” Babengu-70 futhi babetshisela onkulunkulu bamanga impepha.—Hez. 8:11, 12; 9:6.

 ⁸ Kwaphetha ngani? UHezekheli wathi elokhu esabukele, indoda eyayilezinto zokubhala yaphenduka izoletha umbiko kuJehova. Yathi: “Sengikwenzile konke obungithume khona.” (Hez. 9:11) Lokhu kwenza sizibuze ukuthi kwenzakalani ebantwini beJerusalema. Bakhona yini abathembekileyo abasindayo?

9, 10. Ngobani abanye abasindayo ngesikhathi iJerusalema ibhujiswa, njalo kuyini okwenza basinda?

⁹ Bala u-2 ImiLando 36:17-20. Isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli sagcwaliseka ngo-607 B.C.E., ngesikhathi ibutho leBhabhiloni litshabalalisa iJerusalema lethempeli. IBhabhiloni yaba ‘yinkomitsho’ uJehova ayisebenzisa ukuthululela ulaka lwakhe phezu kwabantu beJerusalema ababengathembekanga. (Jer. 51:7) Kwabulawa wonke umuntu yini? Hatshi. Embonweni wakhe uHezekheli wabona ukuthi ayisuye wonke umuntu owayezabulawa ngamabutho eBhabhiloni.—Gen. 18:22-33; 2 Phet. 2:9.

¹⁰ Bakhona ababethembekile abasindayo. Abanye babo kwakungamaRekhabi, lo-Ebhedi-meleki umTopiya, lomphrofethi uJeremiya kanye lomabhalani wakhe uBharukhi. (Jer. 35:1-19; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) Kumele ukuthi ‘babebubula futhi bekhala ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo’ ezazisenzakala eJerusalema, njengoba nje uHezekheli wayetshilo. (Hez. 9:4) Babetshengisa ukuthi bayakwenyanya okubi njalo bazimisele ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Lokho bakwenza idolobho lingakabhujiswa yikho uJehova wabasindisa.

11. Amadoda ayisithupha ayethwele izikhali zokubulala kanye lendoda eyayithwele izinto zokubhala ayemelani?

¹¹ Abantu ababethembekile babefakwa uphawu sibili yini emabunzini? Akula lapho esitshelwa khona ukuthi uHezekheli loba omunye umphrofethi wabhoda iJerusalema yonke ehamba efaka uphawu emabunzini alabo ababethembekile. Umbono kaHezekheli wawuveza lokho okwakusenzakala ezulwini, okwakungeke kubonwe ngabantu. Indoda eyayithwele izinto zokubhala kanye lamadoda ayisithupha ayethwele izinto zokubulala abantu ayemela izingilosi zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ezihlala zikulungele ukwenza intando yakhe. (Hubo. 103:20, 21) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova wasebenzisa izingilosi zakhe ukuthi zikhokhele ngesikhathi ejezisa abantu beJerusalema ababengathembekanga. Izingilosi zaba leqiniso lokuthi akubulawa wonke umuntu. Kwakungathi zifake uphawu emabunzini abantu abathembekileyo ukuze bangabulawa.

12, 13. (a) Kungani uJehova wathululela ulaka lwakhe phezu kweJerusalema, njalo kungani sikhangelele ukuthi enze okufananayo langesikhathi sethu? (b) Abantu beJerusalema ababengathembekanga bamela amasonto amanga yini? Chasisa. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi, “IJerusalema Imela Amasonto Azithi NgawesiKhristu Yini?”)

¹² Sekuseduze ukuthi uJehova ajezise bonke abantu abenza okubi emhlabeni. Leso kuzabe kuyisikhathi ‘sokuhlupheka okukhulu okungakaze kube khona kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba kuze kube khathesi, njalo okungasoze kuphinde kube khona.’  (Mat. 24:21) Njengoba silindele lesosenzakalo esikhulu siyazibuza ukuthi kulabantu abazasinda yini ngalesosikhathi. Abantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayifunayo bazafakwa uphawu yini? Umbono kaHezekheli wendoda eyayithwele izinto zokubhala uyagcwaliseka yini lamuhla? Ye uyagcwaliseka futhi bakhona abazasinda. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Asibuyeleni embonweni kaHezekheli sizwe.

¹³ Uyakhumbula ukuthi kuyini okwenza uJehova wathululela ulaka lwakhe phezu kweJerusalema? Asimkhangeleni futhi uHezekheli 9:8, 9. (Bala.) UHezekheli wayesesaba ukuthi kuzabulawa bonke abaseleyo bako-Israyeli. Yikho uJehova wamtshela izizatho ezine ezazizakwenza ajezise abantu bakhe. Isizatho sokuqala sasiyikuthi ‘isono sabantu sasisikhulu kakhulu.’ b Esesibili sasiyikuthi abantu ‘babebulalana kusa kwamalanga.’ Esesithathu sasiyikuthi edolobheni leJerusalema elaliyisigodlo sombuso wakoJuda ‘kwasekugcwele ubuqili.’ Isizatho sesine kwakuyikuthi abantu babesenza izinto ezimbi bezitshela ukuthi uJehova ‘kakuboni’ okubi abakwenzayo. Izinto lezi yizo ezenzakalayo lamuhla emhlabeni, yikho uJehova ethukuthele kakhulu. Abantu abaziphathanga, balodlakela, bangamaqili futhi abalakholo. Njengoba uJehova ‘engatshintshi,’ uzabajezisa bonke abantu abenza okubi. Phela wabajezisa ababesenza okubi ngesikhathi sikaHezekheli. (Jak. 1:17; Mal. 3:6) Yikho sikhangelele ukuthi lalamuhla indoda ethwele izinto zokubhala kanye lamadoda ayisithupha athwele izikhali zokubulala abantu enze lokho akwenza eJerusalema.

14, 15. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabaxwayisa abantu engakababhubhisi?

¹⁴ Umbono kaHezekheli ugcwaliseka njani esikhathini sethu? Nxa singakhangela ukuthi wagcwaliseka njani kudala, kuba lula ukuthi sibone ukuthi ugcwaliseka njani lamuhla lokuthi uzagcwaliseka njani esikhathini esizayo. Asixoxeni ngokunye okusesiphrofethweni sikaHezekheli okwenzakalayo khathesi lalokho esilindele ukuthi kwenzakale.

¹⁵ UJehova uyabaxwayisa abantu engakabajezisi. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 11 sebhuku leli, uJehova wabeka uHezekheli ukuthi abe “ngumlindi wabantu bako-Israyeli.” (Hez. 3:17-19) Kusukela ngo-613 B.C.E., uHezekheli waxwayisa abako-Israyeli ngokuthi uJehova wayezabhubhisa abenza okubi. Umphrofethi u-Isaya loJeremiya kanye labanye abaphrofethi labo babaxwayisa abantu ngomonakalo owawuzakwehlela iJerusalema. (Isaya. 39:6, 7; Jer. 25:8, 9, 11) Lalamuhla uJehova loJesu basebenzisa iqembu elincane lamaKhristu agcotshiweyo ukuthi linike abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukudla okuqinisa ukholo kanye lokuthi lixwayise abantu ngokuhlupheka okukhulu osekuseduze.—Mat. 24:45.

16. Yithi yini esifaka uphawu labo abazasindiswa? Chasisa.

 ¹⁶ Abantu bakaJehova ayisibo abafaka labo abazasinda uphawu. Khumbula ukuthi uHezekheli kazange atshelwe ukuthi abhode iJerusalema efaka labo abazasinda uphawu. Lathi kasitshelwanga ukuthi sihambe sifaka labo abazasinda uphawu kodwa sithunywe ukuthi sitshumayele. Sitshengisa ukuthi siyawuqakathekisa umsebenzi lo ngokwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sitshele abantu izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Siyabaxwayisa ukuthi sekuseduze ukuthi uJehova abhubhise abantu abenza okubi. (Mat. 24:14; 28:18-20) Nxa sisenza njalo siyabe sincedisa abantu abafuna ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu ukuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo.—1 Thim. 4:16.

17. Kuyini okumele abantu bakwenze ukuze bafakwe uphawu esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁷ Abantu kumele batshengise khathesi ukuthi balokholo ukuze basinde. Sibonile ukuthi abantu abasindayo ngesikhathi iJerusalema ibhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E., yilabo ababekhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo futhi bezonda okubi. Lalamuhla labo abafuna ukusinda kumele batshengise ukuthi ‘bayabubula njalo bayakhala’ ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezenzakala emhlabeni. Lokhu kumele bakwenze khathesi uNkulunkulu engakabhubhisi abantu ababi. Akumelanga bakufihle ukuthi bayazizonda izinto ezimbi ezenzakala emhlabeni. Indlela abakhuluma ngayo labaziphatha ngayo kumele itshengise ukuthi bazimisele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela  ayifunayo. Bangakwenza njani lokhu? Kumele balalele nxa betshelwa izindaba ezinhle njalo baqhubeke besiba lobuntu obunjengobukaKhristu. Okunye okumele bakwenze yikubhabhathizwa ukuze kukhanye ukuthi sebezinikele kuJehova njalo basekele abafowabo bakaKhristu. (Hez. 9:4; Mat. 25:34-40; Efe. 4:22-24; 1 Phet. 3:21) Labo abenza lokhu khathesi futhi abazabe bekhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuqalisa yibo abazafakwa uphawu lokusindiswa.

18. (a) UJesu uzabafaka njani uphawu labo abazasinda futhi uzakwenza nini lokhu? (b) Abagcotshiweyo abaqhubeka bethembekile bazafakwa uphawu lokusinda empini ye-Amagedoni yini? Chasisa.

¹⁸ Umsebenzi wokufaka labo abazasinda uphawu uzakwenziwa ezulwini. Ngesikhathi sikaHezekheli, izingilosi zancedisa emsebenzini wokufaka labo ababethembekile uphawu. Esikhathini sethu indoda elezinto zokubhala imela uJesu Khristu. Uzabuya ‘esenkazimulweni yakhe’ ezokwahlulela izizwe. (Mat. 25:31-33) UJesu uzabuya ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, inkolo yamanga isibhujisiwe kodwa i-Amagedoni ingakaqalisi. c Ngalesosikhathi uJesu uzakwahlulela abantu, athi abanye bazimbuzi abanye bayizimvu. ‘Abexuku elikhulu’ bazafakwa uphawu lokuthi bayizimvu. Lokhu kuyabe kutshengisa ukuthi bazathola ‘impilo engapheliyo.’ (Isam. 7:9-14; Mat. 25:34-40, 46) Abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo bona-ke? Abasoze bafakwe uphawu lokuthi basinde empini ye-Amagedoni ngoba bona bazafakwa uphawu lokucina  bengakafi kumbe nxa ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuzaqalisa. Bazakuya ezulwini i-Amagedoni ingakaqalisi.—Isam. 7:1-3.

19. Ngobani abazancedisa uJesu ukubhubhisa abantu abenza okubi? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi, “Ukububula Lokukhala, Ukufakwa Uphawu Kanye Lokubulawa—Kuzakwenzakala Nini Futhi Njani?”)

¹⁹ INkosi uJesu Khristu lamabutho ayo asezulwini bazabhubhisa abantu abenza okubi. Embonweni kaHezekheli, amadoda ayisithupha ayethwele izikhali aqalisa ukubulala abantu ngemva kokuba indoda eyayigqoke isigqoko selineni isiwuqedile umsebenzi wayo wokufaka abantu uphawu. (Hez. 9:4-7) Langesikhathi sethu abantu bazabhujiswa nxa uJesu esewuqedile umsebenzi wakhe wokwahlulela zonke izizwe. Labo abayizimvu bazabe sebefakiwe uphawu lokusinda. Ngesikhathi sempi ye-Amagedoni, uJesu uzakhokhela ibutho lakhe lasezulwini elilezingilosi kanye labangu-144 000 abazabusa laye. Bazabhubhisa bonke abantu abenza okubi besebesindisa labo abakhonza uJehova ngendlela ayifunayo, babangenise emhlabeni omutsha.—Isam. 16:14-16; 19:11-21.

20. Yiziphi izifundo eziqinisa ukholo esizithole embonweni kaHezekheli wendoda elezinto zokubhala?

²⁰ Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokusinceda sizwisise umbono kaHezekheli wendoda elezinto zokubhala. Sithole izifundo ezinengi ezisiqinisa ukholo. Sileqiniso lokuthi abalungileyo bazasinda lapho uJehova esebhubhisa abantu ababi. (Hubo. 97:10) Siyakwazi ukuthi kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze sifakwe uphawu lokusinda esikhathini esizayo. Sizimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sitshele abantu izindaba ezinhle futhi sixwayise labo abakhalayo lababubulayo ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezenzakala emhlabeni kaSathane. Kuyasithokozisa ukuncedisa abazimisele ukuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo futhi abalenhliziyo eziqotho ukuthi bakhonze uJehova ngendlela emthokozisayo. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi esikhathini esizayo labo bafakwe uphawu lokusinda besebethola ukuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni omutsha.—Imiseb. 13:48.