1, 2. (a) UJehova wamtshelani uHezekheli? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

 UHEZEKHELI usanda kubona umbono omenze wakhumbula okwenzakala eminyakeni engaba ngu-900 eyadlulayo ngesikhathi sikaMosi loJoshuwa. Ngalesosikhathi uJehova watshela uMosi imingcele yeLizwe Lesithembiso futhi watshela loJoshuwa ukuthi ilizwe kwakumele labiwe njani phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli. (Nani. 34:1-15; Josh. 13:7; 22:4, 9) Kodwa khathesi ngomnyaka ka-593 B.C.E., uJehova utshela uHezekheli lamaJuda athunjiweyo ukuthi baphinde babele izizwana zako-Israyeli iLizwe Lesithembiso.—Hez. 45:1; 47:14; 48:29.

² UJehova ufuna uHezekheli lamanye amaJuda bafundeni embonweni lo? Umbono lo ubakhuthaza njani abantu bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla futhi uzagcwaliseka yini esikhathini esizayo?

3, 4. (a) Yiziphi izithembiso ezine ezisembonweni kaHezekheli wokucina? (b) Yisiphi isithembiso esizaxoxa ngaso esahlukweni lesi?

³ Umbono wokucina uHezekheli awubonayo utholakala ezahlukweni ezingu-9 ezokucina ebhukwini lakhe. (Hez. 40:1–48:35) Embonweni lo kulezithembiso ezine ezazizaqinisa ama-Israyeli  esebuyele elizweni lawo. Yiziphi izithembiso lezo? Esokuqala, ukukhonza kweqiniso kwakuzavuselelwa, abantu baqalise ukukhonza uJehova ethempelini lakhe. Esesibili, kwakuzakuba labaphristi labelusi abalungileyo ababezakhokhela kuhle isizwe. Esesithathu, bonke ababezabuyela elizweni lako-Israyeli babezaphiwa indawo eyayizakuba lilifa labo. Esesine, uJehova wayezaphinda ahlale phakathi kwabo.

⁴ ESahlukweni 13 lo-14 sebhuku leli sixoxe ngezithembiso ezimbili zokuqala, ukuvuselelwa kokukhonza kweqiniso lokuthi abako-Israyeli babezakhokhelwa ngabelusi abalungileyo. Sibonile ukuthi izithembiso lezi zazizagcwaliseka njani. Esahlukweni lesi sizaxoxa ngesithembiso sesithathu esimayelana lokwabiwa kwelizwe. Esahlukweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngesithembiso sokuthi uJehova wayezakuba phakathi kwabantu bakhe.—Hez. 47:13-21; 48:1-7, 23-29.

5, 6. (a) Yiliphi ilizwe okwakumele labelwe abantu bako-Israyeli? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) UJehova wayehloseni ngesikhathi etshengisa uHezekheli umbono wokwabiwa kwelizwe?

⁵ Bala uHezekheli 47:14. Embonweni uJehova watshengisa uHezekheli ilizwe elalizakuba lihle ‘njengensimu ye-Edeni.’ (Hez. 36:35) UJehova wathi: “Leli yilo ilizwe okumele ulabele izizwana ezingu-12 zako-Israyeli libe lilifa lazo.” (Hez. 47:13) “Ilizwe” elitshiwo lapha lilizwe lako-Israyeli. Yilo ilizwe amaJuda ayethunjiwe ayezabuyela kulo. KuHezekheli 47:15-21 uJehova wacacisa ukuthi imingcele yelizwe lonke lelo yayizabe ihamba ngaphi.

⁶ UJehova wayehloseni ngesikhathi enika eHezekheli umbono wokwabiwa kwelizwe? Wabacacisela ngokugcweleyo ukuthi umngcele welizwe labo wawuzabe uhamba ngaphi. Kwakungani ubadwebela imephu yelizwe labo. Wayehlose ukubaqinisekisa ukuthi babezabuyela elizweni labo ababelithanda. Kufanele ukuthi uHezekheli lamanye amaJuda bathi besizwa lokho bathokoza kakhulu. Kodwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu balabelwa yini ilizwe laba lilifa labo? Ye baliphiwa.

7. (a) Kuyini okwaqalisa ukwenzakala kusukela ngo-537 B.C.E., njalo lokhu kusifundisani? (b) Yiwuphi umbuzo esizaqala siwuphendule?

⁷ Ngo-537 B.C.E., sokudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-56 uHezekheli ebone umbono lo, izinkulungwane zamaJuda ayethunjiwe zabuyela elizweni lako-Israyeli zayahlala kulo. Lokhu kusikhumbuza okwenzakale ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sethu. Labo baphiwa ilizwe. Baliphiwa njani? UJehova wabavumela ukuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo. Ngakho ukubuyela kwama-Israyeli eLizweni Lesithembiso kusifundisa okunengi ngokuvuselelwa kokukhonza kweqiniso lamuhla. Singakaxoxi ngezifundo lezi sizaqala siphendule umbuzo othi: Kungani sisithi abantu bakaNkulunkulu basepharadayisi lamuhla?

8. (a) Yisiphi isizwe esathatha isikhundla sama-Israyeli akudala? (b) Yiliphi ipharadayisi esikulo lamuhla? (c) Laqalisa nini ukuba khona njalo ngobani abakulo?

⁸ Komunye umbono uJehova awunika uHezekheli, waveza ukuthi iziphrofetho ezimayelana lokuvuselelwa zazizaphinda zigcwaliseke  ngesikhathi ‘inceku yakhe uDavida’ isiyinkosi. Inceku yakhe le nguJesu Khristu. (Hez. 37:24) Lokho kwenzakala ngo-1914. Ngalesosikhathi ama-Israyeli ayengaselaso isibusiso sokuba ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu. UJehova wayesewalahlile wakhetha esinye isizwe ukuthi sibe ngabantu bakhe. Isizwe leso sibunjwa ngamaKhristu agcotshiweyo. (Bala uMathewu 21:43; u-1 Phetro 2:9.) Kodwa akuphelelanga lapho. Ilizwe lako-Israyeli lalo lathathelwa isikhundla ngelinye ilizwe uJehova alinika isizwe lesi esitsha ayesesikhethile. (Isaya. 66:8) Yiliphi ilizwe lelo? ESahlukweni 17 sebhuku leli sibonile ukuthi ilizwe leli yindlela esikhonza ngayo uJehova silabafowethu labodadewethu emhlabeni wonke, simkhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo futhi ayamukelayo. Le yindlela amaKhristu agcotshiweyo abelokhu ekhonza ngayo uJehova kusukela ngo-1919. (Khangela ibhokisi 9B elithi “Kungani Sisithi Bakhululwa Ngo-1919?”) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ‘labezinye izimvu’ abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni baqalisa ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo beselizweni  leli elihle. (Joh. 10:16) Lanxa ipharadayisi esikulo khathesi liqhubeka liqhela futhi lisiba lihle, izibusiso esizitholayo khathesi zilutshwana kakhulu nxa ziqathaniswa lalezo esizazithola ngemva kwe-Amagedoni.

9. UJehova wathi ilizwe kumele labiwe njani?

⁹ Bala uHezekheli 48:1, 28. UJehova wathi esekhulumile ukuthi imingcele yelizwe izabe ihamba ngaphi, wacacisa ukuthi ilizwe kwakumele balehlukaniselane njani. Wathi izizwana ezingu-12 kwakumele ziphiwe indawo elinganayo futhi kwakumele zilandelane kusukela enyakatho kusiya eningizimu. Isizwana sakoDani yiso esasizakuba ngesokuqala enyakatho, esakoGadi sibe ngesokucina eningizimu. Indawo eyayizaphiwa isizwana ngasinye yayizabe iqalisela emngceleni welizwe osempumalanga itshaye ize iyefika entshonalanga eLwandle Olukhulu loba uLwandle lweMedithera.—Hez. 47:20.

10. Indlela ilizwe elalizakwabiwa ngayo yawaqinisekisa ngani amaJuda?

¹⁰ Ukwabiwa kwelizwe ngalindlela kwawaqinisekisa ngani amaJuda ayethunjiwe? Indlela uHezekheli achasisa ngayo ukuthi ilizwe lalizakwabiwa njani yenza amaJuda ayethunjiwe akholwa ukuthi lalizakwabiwa ngendlela ehlelekileyo. Ukwabiwa kwelizwe phakathi kwezizwana ezingu-12 kusetshenziswa izilinganiso ezicacileyo kwenza amaJuda akholwa ukuthi bonke ababezabuyela elizweni labo babezalithola ilifa. Akula owayezabuyela owayezaswela indawo yokuhlala.

11. Kuyini esikufunda embonweni kaHezekheli wokwabiwa kwelizwe? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi, “Ukwabiwa Kwelizwe.”)

¹¹ Yiziphi izifundo esizithola embonweni lo? Wonke ama-Israyeli ayezabuyela eLizweni Lesithembiso ayezayithola indawo. Yayingasoze itholwe ngabaphristi lamaLevi labakhokheli kuphela. (Hez. 45:4, 5, 7, 8) Kunjalo lasepharadayisi elikhona lamuhla. Ayisilo lamaKhristu agcotshiweyo ‘labexuku elikhulu’ abakhokhelayo enhlanganisweni kodwa bonke abexuku elikhulu baphakathi kwalo. a (Isam. 7:9) Sonke siqakathekile enhlanganisweni kaJehova kungelani lokuthi siphathiswe yiphi imisebenzi. Kuyasithokozisa ukwazi ukuthi sonke silendawo lomsebenzi esabelwe ukuthi siwenze epharadayisi esikulo lamuhla.

12, 13. UJehova wathi izizwana zako-Israyeli kwakumele zilabelwe njani ilizwe?

¹² Okunye uJehova akutshela uHezekheli mayelana lokwabiwa kwelizwe kumele ukuthi kwamtshiya emangele ngoba kwakutshiyene lalokho ayekutshele uMosi. Kasixoxeni ngokubili kwakhona. Okokuqala kuphathelane lelizwe, okwesibili kuphathelane labantu ababezahlala elizweni.

¹³ Ilizwe. UMosi watshelwa ukuthi abe ilizwe kusiya ngokuthi izizwana zazilabantu abanengi kangakanani. Izizwana ezazilabantu abanengi kwakumele ziphiwe indawo enkulu kuthi ezazilabantu  abalutshwana ziphiwe indawo encane. (Nani. 26:52-54) Kodwa embonweni kaHezekheli uJehova wathi zonke izizwana kwakumele zithole “indawo ezilinganayo.” (Hez. 47:14) Kuzo zonke izizwana ezingu-12 umango wokusuka emngceleni osenyakatho usiya eningizimu kwakumele ulingane. Wonke ama-Israyeli ayezathola indawo enhle futhi evundileyo eLizweni Lesithembiso kungelani lokuthi ayengawasiphi isizwana.

14. Lokho uJehova akutshela uHezekheli mayelana labantu bezinye izizwe kwakutshiyene njani lokwakuseMthethweni kaMosi?

¹⁴ Abantu ababezahlala elizweni. Lanxa uMthetho kaMosi wawubavikela abantu bezinye izizwe futhi ubavumela ukukhonza uJehova, wawungavumi ukuthi baphiwe indawo elizweni. (Levi. 19:33, 34) Kodwa lokhu uJehova akutshela uHezekheli kwakutshiyene lalokho okwakutshiwo nguMthetho kaMosi. UJehova watshela uHezekheli wathi: “Umuntu wesinye isizwe kumele limnike ilifa endaweni yesizwana ahlala phakathi kwaso.” Umthetho lo wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi kwakungelamehluko phakathi kwabantu “abadabuka ko-Israyeli” labezinye izizwe ababehlala elizweni lako-Israyeli. (Hez. 47:22, 23) Ngakho uHezekheli wabona ukuthi nxa abantu sebebuyele elizweni labo bonke babezaphathwa ngendlela efananayo njalo bakhonze uJehova bemanyene.—Levi. 25:23.

15. Lokho uJehova akutshela uHezekheli ngokwabiwa kwelizwe langabantu abazahlala kulo kwagcizelela liphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo?

 ¹⁵ Izinto ezimbili uJehova azitshela uHezekheli mayelana lokwabiwa kwelizwe kanye labantu ababezahlala kulo zawaqinisa amaJuda ayethunjiwe. Ayesekwazi ukuthi bonke abantu babezaphiwa indawo elinganayo kungelani lokuthi babengama-Israyeli kumbe bengabezinye izizwe abakhonza uJehova. (Ezra. 8:20; Neh. 3:26; 7:6, 25; Isaya. 56:3, 8) Lokho kwagcizelela iqiniso eliqakathekileyo elokuthi bonke abantu abakhonza uJehova bayalingana futhi baligugu kuye. (Bala uHagayi 2:7.) Kuyasithokozisa kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi sonke siqakathekile kuJehova kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini kumbe elokuphila emhlabeni.

16, 17. (a) Lokho uJehova akutshoyo ngokwabiwa kwelizwe langabantu ababezahlala kulo kusifundisani? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

¹⁶ Ukuhlola lokho uJehova akutshoyo ngokwabiwa kwelizwe langabantu ababezahlala kulo kusinceda njani? Kusifundisa ukuthi thina abantu bakaNkulunkulu kasikhethi, kasibandlululi futhi simanyene. UJehova kalabandlululo, yikho ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze ukuthi uyamlingisela yini uJehova lokuthi uyabahlonipha yini bonke abafowethu labodadewethu kungelani ukuthi ngabawuphi umhlobo loba ukuthi balani empilweni. (Rom. 12:10) Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi uJehova uyasivumela sonke ukuthi simkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini kumbe elokuphila emhlabeni. Sonke siyazithola izibusiso azinika abantu bakhe epharadayisi esikulo.—Gal. 3:26-29; Isam. 7:9.

¹⁷ UJehova wathembisa ukuthi wayezakuba labantu bakhe ababethunjiwe. Esahlukweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngesithembiso sesine esisembonweni kaHezekheli. Sizabona lokuthi isithembiso leso sisifundisani.