1-3. Khuyini eyabangela ukutjhuguluka endleleni amaJuda ebewaseBhabhiloni ebewazizwa ngayo? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

 INDLELA amaJuda aseBhabhiloni azizwa ngayo sele itjhugulukile. Sekuminyaka emihlanu uHezekiyeli aphorofida bona iJerusalema lizokutjhatjalaliswa kodwana abantu bebasolo bakholelwa ukuthi angeze kwenzeke lokho. Akunandaba bona yini ayenzako emifanekisweni nokuthi wamemezela umlayezo onjani, abantu abadingisiweko akhenge bakholwe ukuthi uJehova uzokuvumela iJerusalema litjhatjalaliswe. Ngitjho nangesikhathi balemuka bona idorobho livinjezelwe libutho leBhabhiloni, bebaqiniseka bona abahlali bakhona baphephile.

² Kodwana ngemva kweminyaka emibili ukuvinjezelwa kuthomile, umbaleki ovela eJerusalema wafika eBhabhiloni alethe umbiko othi: “Idorobho litjhatjalalisiwe!” Iindabezi zibaqeda amandla abadingisiweko. Kubudisi kibo ukuzwisisa ukuthi, idorobho abalithandako, ithempeli elicwengileko nenarha abayithandako koke kutjhabalele! Ithemba ebebanalo isikhathi eside liyaphela.—Hez. 21:7; 33:21.

³ Asaphelelwe lithemba njalo, uHezekiyeli ufumana umbono onamandla wethemba. Ngiwuphi umlayezo ebewuphethwe mbono lo  ngabadingisiweko abaphelelwe lithemba? Umbono lo uhlobene njani nabantu bakaZimu namhlanjesi begodu singazuza njani kiwo? Bona sifumane iimpendulo akhe sihlole lokho uJehova akuveza kuHezekiyeli.

4. Khuyini uHezekiyeli ayitjhejako embonweni awufumanako?

⁴ Funda uHezekiyeli 37:1-10. Embonweni lo, uHezekiyeli ujame emrhobeni othabaleleko ogutjuzeswe mathambo. Kwaba ngasuthi uJehova ufuna uHezekiyeli awubone njengombana unjalo. Wathi kuye ‘dlula magega namathambo arhatjhekileko la.’ Njengombana uHezekiyeli akhambakhamba emrhobeni othabaleleko lo, zimbili izinto azilemukako ngamathambo, isibalo nobujamo bawo. Walemuka ukuthi, ‘amathambo bekamanengi’ begodu “bekome kere.”

5. Ngiyiphi imiyalo emibili uJehova ayinikela uHezekiyeli begodu kwenzekani ngemva kokuthi uHezekiyeli ayenzile?

⁵ UJehova wanikela uHezekiyeli imiyalo emibili ebeyizokwenza isiphorofido sokuzaliseka kokulotjha okuhlwengileko sithome. Umyalo wokuthoma bewuthi: “Phorofida emathanjeni la,” uwatjele bona “nizokuphila.” (Hez. 37:4-6) Ngemva kokuthi uHezekiyeli aphorofidile, “bekunetjhada, itjhada lobukhehlekhehle, amathambo athoma ukuhlangana” ngemva kwalokho, “imisipha nenyama” kweza emathanjeni begodu ‘isikhumba sawavala.’ (Hez. 37:7, 8) Umyalo wesibili bewuthi: “Phorofida emoyeni,” uwutjele ukuthi: “Ngizokuvuthela” emizimbeni. Ngemva kokuthi uHezekiyeli aphorofidile, “umphefumulo wangena kiwo, athoma ukuphila bewajama ngeenyawo zawo, aba libutho elikhulu khulu.”—Hez. 37:9, 10.

6. UJehova wasebenzisa maphi amezwi ukusiza uHezekiyeli azwisise umbono?

⁶ Ngokulandelako uJehova utjengisa uHezekiyeli indlela ekufuze umbono uzwisiswe ngayo, uthi: “Amathambo la ayindlu yoke yakwa-Israyeli.” Ngemva kokuthi abadingisiweko bezwe ngokuthi iJerusalema litjhatjalalisiwe bazizwa ngasuthi kufana nokuthi bahlongakele. Ngemva kwalokho balila bathi: “Amathambethu omile, ithemba lethu litjhabalele. Sitjhabalele ngokupheleleko.” (Hez. 37:11; Jor. 34:20) Ngemva kokulila kwabo, uJehova waveza ukuthi umbono wamathambo lo, kuhlekuhle uphethe umlayezo wethemba kuma-Israyeli.

7. Khuyini uJehova ayitjengisa uHezekiyeli njengombana kutlolwe kuHezekiyeli 37:12-14 begodu lokho kwabaqinisekisa njani abantu bakhe abadingisiweko?

⁷ Funda uHezekiyeli 37:12-14. UJehova wasebenzisa umbono lo, ukuqinisekisa abadingisiweko ukuthi uzobenza baphile godu, uzobarholela enarhenabo begodu uzobenza bahlale kiyo. Ukungezelela kilokho uJehova wababiza ngokuthi ‘babantu bakhe.’ Kufuze bona amezwi lawo abakhuthaza abadingisiweko ebesele baphelelwe mamandla. Khuyini ebeyingabenza baqiniseke ukuthi isithembiso sokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko besizokuzaliseka? Ngombana bekunguJehova othembisileko, wathi: “Mina Jehova ngikhulumile begodu ngenzile.”

8. (a) Kwenzeka njani bona “yoke indlu yakwa-Israyeli” kube ngasuthi ifile? (b) UHezekiyeli 37:9 uyitjengisa njani into eyabangela ukufa okungokomfanekiso kwama-Israyeli? (Funda umtlolo waphasi.)

 ⁸ Isitjhaba sama-Israyeli wekadeni sakubona njani ukuzaliseka kwengcenye yombono osiphorofido? U-Israyeli besele alahlekelwa buhlobo bakhe noJehova ngokupheleleko ngo-740 B.C.E. nakuwa begodu kudingiswa umbuso weenkoro ezilitjhumi. Ngemva kweminyaka eli-130 lokha abantu bakwaJuda bafudusiwe, “yoke indlu yakwa-Israyeli” beyidingisiwe. (Hez. 37:11) Ukuhlubuka kwabantu abadingisiweko besele kufana namathambo uHezekiyeli awabonako. a Begodu bekungasi mathambo nje kwaphela kodwana bekumathambo “ome kere” okuveza ubujamo bokuhlongakala isikhathi eside. Kwaphela iminyaka engaphezu kwema-200 kusukela ngo-740 kufikela ngo-537 B.C.E u-Israyeli noJuda bahlubuka uJehova.—Jor. 50:33.

9. U-Israyeli wekadeni bekafana ngani ‘no-Israyeli kaZimu?’

⁹ Iimphorofido ngo-Israyeli ezikhuluma ngokubuyiselwa kokulotjha kweqiniso ezifana nalezi uHezekiyeli akhuluma ngazo, zisazokuzaliseka ngendlela ekulu. (IzE. 3:21) Njengombana isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli wekadeni ‘sabulawa’ begodu kwaba sikhathi eside sihlongakele ngokomfanekiso, kunjalo ‘nango-Israyeli kaZimu,’ ibandla lamaKrestu azesiweko elabulawa ngokomfanekiso begodu lathunjwa isikhathi eside. (Gal. 6:16) Ekhabolakhona, ukuthunjwa kwebandla labazesiweko kwathatha isikhathi eside kangangobana besele lifana namathambo ‘ome kere.’ (Hez. 37:2) Njengombana kuhlathululiwe ezahlukweni ezidlulileko, ukuthunjwa kwebandla lamaKrestu azesiweko kwathoma ngekhulu lesibili C.E. begodu kwathatha iminyaka eminengi njengombana uJesu aveza emfanekiswenakhe womBuso okhuluma ngekoroyi nekhula.—Mat. 13:24-30.

10. (a) Ngiyiphi ituthuko malungana nabantu bakaZimu eyabikezelwa kuHezekiyeli 37:7, 8? (b) Khuyini kancanikancani eyaqinisa ukukholwa kwabantu abasaba uZimu abadingisiweko?

¹⁰ Eenkhathini zekadeni uJehova wabikezela bona abantu bakhe bazokubuyiselwa baphile godu. (Hez. 37:7, 8) Ngiziphi izinto kancanikancani ezanikela abantu abasaba uZimu abadingisiweko ithemba lokuthi bazokubuyela kwa-Israyeli? Omunye umthombo wethemba kungenzeka bekuziimphorofido ezatjhiwo baphorofidi bangaphambili. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya wabikezela bona abaseleko ‘okuyimbewu ecwengileko’ bazokubuyela enarheni. (Isa. 6:13; Job. 14:7-9) Godu iimphorofido ezinengi ezatlolwa nguHezekiyeli zokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko akunakuzaza bona zabenza baba nethemba. Ukungezelela kilokho, ukuba khona kwamadoda athembekileko anjengomphorofidi uDanyela, kuhlanganise nokuwa okukhulu kwedorobho leBhabhiloni ngo-539 B.C.E. kufuze ukuthi kwalivuselela ithemba labadingisiweko lokubuyiselwa enarhenabo.

11, 12. (a) Kwabuyiselwa njani kancanikancani ukulotjha okuhlwengileko hlangana ‘no-Israyeli kaZimu?’ (Funda godu ibhoksi elithi “Ukulotjha Okuhlwengileko Kuyabuyiselwa Kancanikancani.”) (b) Amezwi afumaneka kuHezekiyeli 37:10 aphakamisa muphi umbuzo?

¹¹ Ukulotjha okuhlwengileko okufana nalokhu esikhulume ngakho kwabuyiselwa njani ‘kuma-Israyeli kaZimu’ kancanikancani, okulibandla lamaKrestu azesiweko? Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi abantu bakaZimu bathunjiwe, “bekunetjhada, itjhada lobukhehlekhehle,” elazwakalako njengombana abantu abasaba uZimu bajamela ukulotjha kweqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, ngeminyaka yabo-1501-1600, uWilliam Tyndale watjhugululela iBhayibheli esiNgisini. Abefundisi besonto lamaRoma Katolika basilingeka ngebanga lokuthi iBhayibheli besele lifundwa nginanyana ngubani. UTyndale wabulawa. Nanyana kunjalo, abantu abanengi abanesibindi baragela  phambili batjhugulula iBhayibheli ngamalimi amanengi begodu inengi lakghona ukufunda iliZwi lakaZimu.

¹² Ngemva kwesikhathi, lokha uCharles T. Russell nabakhambisani bakhe bathoma ukusebenza ngamandla bona babuyisele amaqiniso weBhayibheli, bekungasuthi, “imisipha nenyama” kwavela emathanjeni. I-Zion’s Watch Tower nezinye iincwadi zethu zasiza abantu abathobekileko bafumana amaqiniso avela eBhayibhelini, ekubenze bazihlanganisa neenceku zakaZimu ezizesiweko. Ekuthomeni kweminyaka yabo-1900, abantu bakaZimu abazesiweko baragela phambili bakhuthazeka, bakhuthazwa mathulusi afana “ne-Photo-Drama of Creation” nencwadi ethi, The Finished Mystery. Ngemva kwalokho, kwafika isikhathi sakaZimu bona enze abantu bakhe ‘bajame ngeenyawo zabo.’ (Hez. 37:10) Kwenzeka nini lokho begodu njani? Izehlakalo ezenzeka eBhabhiloni lakade zisisiza siphendule umbuzo lowo.

13. (a) Amezwi afumaneka kuHezekiyeli 37:10, 14 azaliseka njani ekuthomeni kwaka-537 B.C.E.? (b) Ngimiphi imitlolo etjengisa ukuthi amanye amalunga wombuso weenkoro ezilitjhumi abuyela kwa-Israyeli?

¹³ Nakuthoma u-537 B.C.E., amaJuda ebewaseBhabhiloni athoma ukubona ukuzaliseka kombono. Kwenzeka njani lokho? UJehova wawenza aphila bewawenza ‘ajama ngeenyawo zawo’ ngokuwasindisa ekuthunjweni nokuwavumela bona abuyele kwa-Israyeli. Isiqhema  sama-Israyeli esizi-42 360 nabantu abangasiwo ama-Israyeli abazi-7 000 bakhamba eBhabhiloni bayokwakha kabutjha iJerusalema nethempeli lalo begodu bahlala enarheni yakwa-Israyeli. (Ezr. 1:1-4; 2:64, 65; Hez. 37:14) Ngemva kweminyaka ema-70 abadingiswa abangaba yi-1 750 bakhamba no-Ezra, babuyela eJerusalema. (Ezr. 8:1-20) Yeke, nasele awoke amaJuda abuyelako bekangaphezu kwee-44 000, kwamambala leli ‘bekulibutho elikhulu khulu.’ (Hez. 37:10) Ukungezelela kilokho iliZwi lakaZimu liveza ukuthi amalunga weenkoro ezilitjhumi zombuso, lawo abokhokho bazo abathunjwa ma-Asiriya phakathi nekhulu lobunane B.C.E., nawo abuyela kwa-Israyeli ukuyokusiza ukwakha kabutjha ithempeli.—1 Kron. 9:3; Ezr. 6:17; Jor. 33:7; Hez. 36:10.

14. (a) Amezwi akuHezekiyeli 37:24 asisiza njani sibone isikhathi sokuzaliseka kokuthoma kwesiphorofido? (b) Kwenzekani ngo-1919? (Funda ibhoksi elithi “‘Amathambo Ome Kere’ ‘Nabofakazi Ababili’—Kuhlangana Njani?”)

¹⁴ Ingcenye le yesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli yazaliseka njani ngendlela ekulu? Njengombana uJehova atjengisa uHezekiyeli esiphorofidweni esikhambisana nalesi, ukuzaliseka kokuthoma kwesiphorofido sokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko bekuzokwenzeka ngemva kobana uDavida oMkhulu, uJesu Krestu abe yiKosi. b (Hez. 37:24) Begodu kwaba njalo lokha uJehova nakafaka ummoyakhe ebantwini bakhe ngo-1919. Umphumela walokho waba kukuthi ‘baphila’ begodu batjhatjhululwa ekuthunjweni kwabo eBhabhiloni eliKhulu. (Isa. 66:8) Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova wabavumela  bahlala ‘enarhenabo’ okulipharadesi elingokomfanekiso. Kodwana kwenzeke njani ukuthi abantu bakaZimu namhlanjesi babe “libutho elikhulu”?

15, 16. (a) Abantu bakaJehova namhlanjesi baba njani ‘libutho elikhulu’? (b) Isiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli sisisiza njani sikghone ukuqalana neenlingo ekuphileni? (Funda ibhoksi elithi “Ukusiqinisa Idolo.”)

¹⁵ Ngemva kokuthi uKrestu abeke inceku ethembekileko ngo-1919 abantu bakaZimu bathoma ukuqalana nalokho uZakariya, umphorofidi obekahlangana nabadingiswa ababuyako nakabikezela athi: “Abantu abanengi neentjhaba ezinamandla zizokufuna uJehova.” Umphorofidi wathi labo abafuna uJehova ‘madoda alitjhumi avela eentjhabeni ezihlukahlukeneko nakhuluma amalimi ahlukahlukeneko.’ Amadoda lawo bekazokubamba umphetho ‘womJuda,’ u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso, athi: ‘Sifuna ukukhamba nani ngombana sizwile ukuthi uZimu unani.’—Zak. 8:20-23.

¹⁶ Namhlanjesi u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso (okungabaseleko abazesiweko) kuhlanganise ‘namadoda alitjhumi’ (okungezinye izimvu), nababoke benza ‘ibutho elikhulu khulu,’ elenza iingidigidi. (Hez. 37:10) Njengombana simasotja kaKrestu, ebuthweni eliragela phambili likhula, silandela iKosethu uJesu eduze kukulapho kuneembusiso ezinengi esizozifumana.—Rhu. 37:29; Hez. 37:24; Flp. 2:25; 1 Thes. 4:16, 17.

17. Sizokucoca ngani esahlukweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Isiphorofidwesi sokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko, besizokwenza kulindeleke okuthileko okuqakathekileko ebantwini bakaZimu. Ngikuphi? Ukufumana ipendulo yombuzo loyo, sitlhoga ukubuyela emuva siyokuhlolisisa umsebenzi uHezekiyeli awufumana kuJehova ngaphambi kobana iJerusalema litjhatjalaliswe. Ngilokho esizokwenza esahlukweni esilandelako sencwadi le.