1-3. (a) Kungenzeka kubayini uHezekiyeli afumana induduzo embonweni wethempeli elibabazekako? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Sizokucoca ngani esahlukwenesi?

 AKHE ucabange ngoHezekiyeli aneminyaka ema-50. Ucabanga ngeminyaka ema-50 asekudingisweni. Ithempeli eJerusalema besele kukade limarubhi. Nangabe uHezekiyeli bekanethemba lokuba mphristi eJerusalema, nje sekayalemuka ukuthi angekhe kwenzeka lokho. Bekusasele iminyaka ema-56 ngaphambi kobana kuphele ukudingiswa. UHezekiyeli bekazi ukuthi kungenzeka angaphili bekube kulapho uJehova abuyisela khona abantu bakhe enarhenabo, singasayiphathi yokubona ithempeli lakhiwa kabutjha. (Jor. 25:11) Inga-kghani bekumdanisa ukucabanga ngalokhu?

² UJehova waba nomusa ngokuthi akhethe isikhathesi bona anikele uHezekiyeli umbono onabileko lo, ebewuzomduduza begodu umnikele ithemba. Ngombono lo, umphorofidi ubuyiselwa enarheni yekhabo, ubekwa phezu kwentaba ephakeme khulu. Lapho uhlangana ‘nendoda ukuqaleka kwayo ebekunjengekwekhopha.’ Ingilozi leyo imtjengisa ithempeli elikhulu nelibabazekako. (Funda uHezekiyeli 40:1-4.) Koke lokhu bekubonakala ngasuthi kwenzeka kwamambala. Kufuze bona lokhu kwamhlangahlanganisa begodu kwaqinisa  ukukholwa kwakhe. Ngitjho nanyana izinto ebekazibona ethempelineli bekazijayele kodwana bezihlukile kilezi azibona eJerusalema.

³ Izahluko ezilithoba zencwadi kaHezekiyeli zikhuluma ngemibono ekarisako le. Akhe sicoce ngendlela ekufuze siqale begodu sizwisise ngayo umbono lo. Ngemva kwalokho, sizokucoca ngokuthi inga-kghani lokho uHezekiyeli akubonako bekulithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso, umpostoli uPowula akhuluma ngalo ngokunabileko eminyakeni eminengi eyalandelako. Emaswapheleni sizokucoca ngalokho ebekutjhiwo mbono kuHezekiyeli nakilabo adingiswe nabo.

4. Bewuzwisiswa njani umbono wethempeli ekadeni begodu uzwisiswa njani namhlanjesi?

⁴ Ekadeni iincwadi zethu zathi uHezekiyeli wabona ithempeli elikhulu lakaJehova elingokomfanekiso, umpostoli uPowula aphefumulelwa bona atlole ngalo encwadinakhe eya kumaHebheru. a Kuqaliselwe kilokho, bekubonakala kukuhle ukuthi izinto ezinengi ezisembonweni kaHezekiyeli wethempeli bezilitshwayo namkha zifanekisela okuthileko, nasithoma ngokusebenzisa ihlathululo kaPowula yethaberinakeli. Nanyana kunjalo, ngemva kokuthandaza, ukufunda nokuzindla, kwaphethwa ngokuthi kutlhogeka ihlathululo elula yethempeli elisembonweni kaHezekiyeli.

5, 6. (a) Umpostoli uPowula watjengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile nakahlathulula ithaberinakeli? (b) Ngiziphi izinto uPowula azitjhoko ngethaberinakeli begodu ukuzwisisa lokho, kusenza siwuzwisise njani umbono kaHezekiyeli wethempeli?

⁵ Kubonakala kukuhlakanipha ukuthi singaqali ihlathululo esiphorofido namkha itshwayo kizo zoke iingcenye zombono kaHezekiyeli wethempeli. Kubayini kunjalo? Akhe siqale isibonelwesi. Umpostoli uPowula nakakhuluma ngethaberinakeli namkha ithempeli elingokomfanekiso, wakhuluma ngezinto zethaberinakeli ezinjengesitja segolide, isivalo somfaji, umjeka wegolide ekufakwa kiwo imana. Inga-kghani ngemva kwalokho watjho ihlathululo esiphorofido ngezintwezo? Kuyakhanya ukuthi ummoya ocwengileko akhenge umphefumulele bona enze njalo. Kunalokho uPowula watlola ukuthi: “Nje akusisikhathi sokunaba ngezintwezi.” (Heb. 9:4, 5) UPowula bekazimisele ukulandela isinqophiso sommoya ocwengileko nokuzithoba alinde uJehova.—Heb. 9:8.

⁶ Kungatjhiwo okufanako nangethempeli elabonwa nguHezekiyeli embonweni. Nalo linemininingwana eminengi. Kubonakala kukuhlakanipha ukulindela uJehova bona ahlathulule izinto, nangabe kunezinto ekufuze zihlathululwe. (Funda uMikha 7:7.) Lokho akukafuzi kusenze sicabange ukuthi ummoya kaJehova akhenge usisize sizwisise umbono lo.

7, 8. (a) Umbono wethempeli sesiwuzwisisa njani namhlanjesi? (b) Ithempeli elisembonweni lihluka njani ethempelini elingokomfanekiso uPowula alihlathulula?

⁷ Njengombana sikhe satjho ngaphambilini, eminyakeni eminengi edlulileko iincwadi zethu bezithi uHezekiyeli wabona ithempeli lakaJehova elingokomfanekiso nelikhulu, uPowula aphefumulelwa  bona atlole ngalo encwadinakhe eya kumaHebheru. Nanyana kunjalo, irhubhululo elingeziweko lenze saphetha ngokuthi uHezekiyeli akhenge abone ithempeli elingokomfanekiso elikhulu. Kubayini sitjho njalo?

⁸ Kokuthoma, ithempeli elabonwa nguHezekiyeli alifani naleli umpostoli uPowula aphefumulelwa bona alihlathulule. Akhe ucabange ngalokhu: Umpostoli uPowula wakwenza kwakhanya ukuthi ithaberinakeli langesikhathi sakaMosi belifanekisela okuthileko okukhulu. Ithaberinakeli, njengethempeli lakaSolomoni nelakaZerubhabheli, imakhiwo le beyakheke ngendlela efanako begodu beyinendawo “eCwengeke Khulu.” UPowula wabiza ikumba leyo ngokuthi ‘yindawo ecwengileko eyenziwe ngezandla,’ wahlathulula nokuthi ‘imfanekiso walokho okungokwamambala,’ ingasi okwenzekako. Bekutjho ukuthini lokho? UPowula wahlathulula ukuthi bekutjho: ‘Izulu ngokwalo.’ (Heb. 9:3, 24) Kghani uHezekiyeli wabona izulu? Awa. Akunalitho embonweni kaHezekiyeli elitjengisa ukuthi bewumalungana nezinto ezisezulwini.—Madanisa noDanyela 7:9, 10, 13, 14.

9, 10. Ithempeli elisembonweni kaHezekiyeli lihluka njani naziza endabeni yomnikelo nethempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso elahlathululwa nguPowula?

⁹ Okusiqinisekisa khulu kukuthi kunomehluko hlangana nombono kaHezekiyeli nehlathulululo kaPowula yindaba yemihlatjelo. UHezekiyeli wezwa iinqophiso ezikhanyako ezinikelwa abantu, amakhosana, nabaphristi ezimalungana nokunikela imihlatjelo. Bekufuze banikele imihlatjelo yezono zabo. Godu bekufuze banikele imihlatjelo yetjhebiswano, ekungenzeka bebayidla ndawonye eenkumbeni zethempeli. (Hez. 43:18, 19; 44:11, 15, 27; 45:15-20, 22-25) Inga-kghani imihlatjelo ebuyelelweko leyo beyinikelwa ethempelini elikhulu elingokomfanekiso?

¹⁰ Ipendulo iyakhanya begodu ilula. UPowula wahlathulula ukuthi: “Ngesikhathi uKrestu afika njengomphristi ophakemeko wezinto ezihle esezenzekile, wadlula etendeni eliqakatheke khulu neliphelele khulu, elingakenziwa ngezandla, okutjho ukuthi, elingasingelendalo le. Wangena endaweni ecwengileko, ingasi ngeengazi zeembuzi namathole aduna kodwana ngeengazi zakhe, kwaba kanye kwaphela, wasifumanela isindiso engapheliko.” (Heb. 9:11, 12) Yeke, ethempelini elikhulu elingokomfanekiso, kunikelwa umhlatjelo munye, mhlatjelo wesihlengo onikelwa mPhristi omKhulu noPhakeme kunabo boke, uJesu Krestu. Kuyakhanya, bona ithempeli elabonwa nguHezekiyeli embonweni, nemihlatjelo eminengi yeembuzi neyeenkunzi bekungasilithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso.

11. Ngesikhathi sakaHezekiyeli, kubayini bekungasisikhathi sakaZimu sokuveza amaqiniso ngethempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso?

¹¹ Lokho kusenza sifikelele ebangeni lesibili lokuthi kubayini uHezekiyeli angakhenge abone ithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso: Bekungasiso isikhathi sokuthi uJehova aveze amaqiniso anjalo. Khumbula bona umbono kaHezekiyeli kokuthoma bewuqaliselwe emaJudeni ebewadingiselwe eBhabhiloni. Bewangaphasi komThetho kaMosi.  Ngemva kobana atjhatjhululwe ekudingisweni, bewazokubuyela eJerusalema, alandele umThetho omalungana nokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko ngokwakha kabutjha ithempeli ne-aldara. Bewazokuragela phambili anikela imihlatjelo lapho, njengombana bewenza eminyakeni epheze yaba makhulu asithandathu. Akhe ucabange bona bekuzowathinta njani amaJuda nange umbono kaHezekiyeli uwatjengise ithempeli elingokomfanekiso, okulithempeli lapho umphristi ophakemeko anikela ngokuphila kwakhe bona kube mhlatjelo, ngemva kwalokho yoke imihlatjelo yapheliswa. Bebazowuzwisisa njani umbono lo? Inga-kghani lokho bekuzobenza bangasawulalela umThetho kaMosi? Njengombana sazi, uJehova uveza amaqiniso ngesikhathi esifaneleko nalokha abantu bakhe nabakulungele.

12-14. Ngikuphi ukufana okukhona hlangana nethempeli elabonwa nguHezekiyeli nehlathululo kaPowula yethempeli elingokomfanekiso? (Funda ibhoksi elithi, “Amathempeli Ahlukileko, Iimfundo Ezihlukileko.”)

¹² Umbono kaHezekiyeli wethempeli nalokhu uPowula akuhlathulula ngethempeli elingokomfanekiso kuhlobene ngani? Khumbula bona uPowula akhenge asekele ihlathululwakhe ethempelini elabonwa nguHezekiyeli embonweni, kunalokho wayisekela ethaberinakelini langesikhathi sakaMosi. UPowula wakhuluma ngezinto ezinengi ebezikhona ethempelini lakaSolomoni nelakaZerubhabheli nebezikhona ethempelini elabonwa nguHezekiyeli. Nanyana kunjalo,  uHezekiyeli noPowula badzimelela ezintweni ezingafaniko lokha nabatlolako. b Abakutlolako bekungafani kodwana bekukhambelana. Ngayiphi indlela?

¹³ Singaqala ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kweendaba zeBhayibheli nganasi indlela: KuPowula sifunda ngelungiselelo lakaJehova lokumlotjha kodwana kuHezekiyeli, sifunda ngeenkambiso zakaJehova zokumlotjha. Bona asifundise ngelungiselelo lakaJehova lokulotjha okuhlwengileko uPowula uhlathulula okutjhiwo lithempeli elingokomfanekiso, njengomphristi ophakemeko, umhlatjelo, i-aldara, nendawo eCwengeke Khulu. Bona sigandelele iinkambiso eziphakemeko zakaJehova ngokulotjha okuhlwengileko, ithempeli uHezekiyeli alibona embonweni lisinikeza iimfundo ezinengi ezizokuhlala isikhathi eside eenhliziyweni neengqondweni zethu ngeenkambiso zakaJehova.

¹⁴ Ihlathululo etja le, itjho ukuthini kithi? Siyaqiniseka ukuthi ayitjho bona umbono kaHezekiyeli awusithinti namhlanjesi. Ukuthi sibone indlela umbono lo osizuzisa ngayo, akhe sihlole bona wawazuzisa njani amaJuda athembekileko wangesikhathi sakaHezekiyeli nangemva kwalokho.

15. (a) Bewuthini umlayezo wombono kaHezekiyeli? (b) UHezekiyeli isahluko so-8 nesahluko sama-40 ukuya kwesama-48 zihluke ngani?

¹⁵ Ukufumana ipendulo yeBhayibheli ngombuzo lo, akhe siqale imibuzo efana nale ezosisiza sizwisise kuhle indaba le. Kokuthoma, bewuthini umlayezo osiphorofido ngombono lo? Nasiyibeka bulula, bekutjho ukuthi ukulotjha okuhlwengileko bekuzokubuyiselwa. Lokhu bekukhanya kuHezekiyeli. Besele akutlolile esahlukweni sobu-8 sencwadakhe, lapho uJehova amtjengisa khona ngokukhanyako ubujamo obumbi bethempeli eliseJerusalema. Kungenzeka kwamthabisa khulu uHezekiyeli ukutlola ngomehluko okhona okarisako ofumaneka esahlukweni sama-40 kuya kwesama-48. Ezahlukwenezi siyabona ukuthi ukulotjha okuhlwengileko akukasilaphazwa kodwana kungendlela okufuze kube ngayo, okusibonelo esihle sokulotjha uJehova ngokomThetho kaMosi.

16. Umbono kaHezekiyeli wethempeli wakuqinisekisa njani lokho u-Isaya akutjho eminyakeni eminengi ngaphambilini?

¹⁶ Bona ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kubuyiselwe, kube sebujamweni obufaneleko bekuzokufuze kuphakanyiswe. Eminyakeni elikhulu ngaphambili, umphorofidi u-Isaya waphefumulelwa bona atlole ukuthi: “Emihleni yokuphela, intaba yendlu kaJehova. Izokudzinyeleliswa ngaphezu kwesiqongolo seentaba, izokuphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwemibundu.” (Isa. 2:2) U-Isaya wakubona kusesengaphambili bona ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kwakaJehova bekuzokubuyiselwa, kuphakanyiswe kwanga kubekwe eentabeni eziphakemeko. Nje, uHezekiyeli wazifumana akuphi embonweni kaZimu lo? ‘Bekasentabeni ephakeme khulu,’ aqale endlini kaJehova! (Hez. 40:2) Yeke, umbono kaHezekiyeli waqinisekisa bona ukulotjha okuhlwengileko bekuzokubuyiselwa.

17. Itjho umlayezo okuHezekiyeli isahluko sama-40 ukuya kwesama-48

¹⁷ Akhe sicoce kancani ngalokho uHezekiyeli akubonako nakuzwako njengombana kutlolwe esahlukweni sama-40 kuya kwesama-48 zencwadi le. Bekabukele njengombana ingilozi ilinganisa amasango, iboda, iinrhodlo kunye nendawo ecwengeke khulu yethempeli. (Hez. 40-42) Ngemva kwalokho, kwenzeka isenzakalo esithabisako: UJehova uyafika ethempelini! Weluleka abantu bakhe abaphume endleleni, abaphristi namakhosana. (Hez. 43:1-12; 44:10-31; 45:9-12) UHezekiyeli wabona umlambo ugeleza endaweni ecwengileko, uletha ukuphila neembusiso njengombana uphelela eLwandle eliFileko. (Hez. 47:1-12) Wabona inarha ihlukaniswa iba ziingcenye ezilinganako begodu ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kwenzeka phakathi nendawo. (Hez. 45:1-8; 47:13–48:35) Bewuyini umlayezo wombono lo? UJehova bekaqinisekisa abantu bakhe ukuthi ukulotjha okuhlwengileko bekuzokubuyiselwa begodu kuphakanyiswe. Bekazokubusisa indlwakhe ekulotjhelwa kiyo ngokuthi abe khona, abangele bona iimbusiso zigeleze ethempelini, kube nokuphila, ukulatjhwa nokuhleleka enarheni ebuyiselweko.

18. Inga-kghani umbono wethempeli bekufuze uthathwe njengombana unjalo? Hlathulula.

 ¹⁸ Kwesibili, inga-kghani umbono bekufuze uzwisiswe njengombana unjalo? Awa. UHezekiyeli nalabo adingiswe nabo bazwisisa khonokho bona umbono lo bekungakafuzi uthathwe ngendlela ungayo. Kubayini? Khumbula bona uHezekiyeli wabona ithempeleli ‘lisentabeni ephakeme khulu.’ Ngitjho nanyana bekuhlangana kamnandi khulu nesiphorofido saka-Isaya kodwana bewungavezi ithempeli lisendawenalo efaneleko. Ithempeli lakaSolomoni beliseNtabeni iMoriya eJerusalema begodu kulapho ebelizokwakhiwa khona godu. Kghani leyo ‘bekuyintaba ephakeme khulu’? Awa. Kuhlekuhle iNtaba iMoriya beyizombelezwe ngezinye iintaba ezilingana nayo namkha eziphakeme ukudlula yona. Ithempeli uHezekiyeli alibona belilikhulu khulu. Njengombana likampelwe ngamaboda, belilikhulu khulu, lingalingani eNtabeni iMoriya. Bengekhe lanele nemadorobheni weJerusalema wangesikhathi sakaSolomoni. Godu abadingisiweko bebangakalindeli umlambo wamambala ugeleze usuka endaweni ecwengileko yethempeli uyokuphelela eLwandle eliFileko, ulaphe amanzi anganakuphila. Kwamaswaphela, iindlela ebezisentabeni yeNarha yesiThembiso bezingakanqophi, zingalingani hlangana neenkoro njengombana kuhlathululiwe embonweni. Nje-ke, izinto ezisembonweni lo bengeze zibe ngezamambala.

19-21. UJehova bekafuna umbono kaHezekiyeli wenze abantu bazizwe njani begodu kubayini bekufuze bazizwe ngendlela leyo?

 ¹⁹ Kwesithathu, umbono lo bekufuze ubathinte njani abantu bekhaboHezekiyeli? Abantu bekufuze babe neenhloni nabacabanga ngeenkambiso zakaJehova eziphakemeko zokulotjha okuhlwengileko. UJehova watjela uHezekiyeli ukuthi ‘ahlathulule ithempeli endlini ka-Israyeli.’ UHezekiyeli bekufuze ayihlathulule yoke imininingwana yethempeli ukwenzela bona ama-Israyeli akghone ‘ukufunda ukwakheka kwalo.’ Kubayini abantu bekufuze bacabange ngethempelelo? Njengombana sibonile, bekungasi kukuthi kufuze balakhe. Kunalokho, bekungebanga lalokho uJehova akutjhoko, “bona baphathwe ziinhloni ngebanga lemitjhaphwabo.”—Funda uHezekiyeli 43:10-12.

²⁰ Kubayini kungathiwa umbono lo ungathinta iinhliziyo zabalungileko bewubenze babe neenhloni? Tjheja lokho uHezekiyeli atjelwa khona: “Ndodana yomuntu, tjheja, uqale, ulalelisise koke engizokutjela khona ngemiyalo nangemithetho yethempeli lakaJehova.” (Hez. 44:5) UHezekiyeli wezwa ngokubuyelelweko ngemiyalo nangemithetho. (Hez. 43:11, 12; 44:24; 46:14) UHezekiyeli naye bekahlala akhunjuzwa ngeenkambiso zakaJehova, njengekambiso yobude bekhubhithi nekambiso yokusebenzisa iinkala ngendlela efaneleko. (Hez. 40:5; 45:10-12; madanisa nezAga 16:11.) Kungebangelo emibonweni le uHezekiyeli asebenzisa ilimi lokuthoma emezwini athi, “ukulinganisa” nemezwini athi, “isilinganiso” iinkhathi ezingaphezu kwezima-50!

²¹ Kuhlekuhle, khuyini uJehova ebekayitjela abantu bakhe ngeenlinganiso, iinsindo, imithetho nemiyalo? Bekubonakala ngasuthi bekabakhumbuza ngeqinisweli eliqakathekileko: NguJehova kwaphela obeka iinkambiso zokulotjha okuhlwengileko. Labo abangasazilaleli iinkambiswezi kufuze baphathwe ziinhloni! Umbono lo, wawafundisa njani amaJuda iimfundwezo? Esahlukweni esilandelako sizokubona iimbonelo zalokho. Lokho kuzosisiza sibone ngokukhanyako ukuthi umbono lo okarisako utjho ukuthini kithi namhlanjesi.