1, 2. (a) Ngiyiphi indlela engakajayeleki uHezekiyeli aziphatha ngayo? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Izenzo zakhe zabikezelani?

 IINDABA zokuziphatha komphorofidi uHezekiyeli ngendlela engakajayeleki, zirhatjheka hlangana namaJuda adingisiweko ahlala enarheni yeBhabhiloni. Iveke yoke, bekasolo ahlezi phasi ararekile, angakhulumi begodu abantu adingiswe nabo babukele, kuthi kusesenjalo wasikima wazivalela ngendlinakhe. Kuthe abomakhelwana bakhe basararekile, udobha isitina usibeka phambi kwakhe bese uyasigobhodlha. Ngemva kwalokho, uHezekiyeli uthoma ukwakha iboda elincani.—Hez. 3:10, 11, 15, 24-26; 4:1, 2.

² Ababukeleko, ebesele bathoma ukuba banengi kungenzeka bazibuza, ‘Kutjho ukuthini koke lokhu?’ AmaJuda adingisiweko bekazokuzwisisa ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ukuthi indlela umphorofidi uHezekiyeli ebekaziphatha ngayo beyitjho ukufika kwesenzakalo esithusako ebesizokuveza indlela uJehova uZimu asilingeke ngayo kufanele. Besiyini isenzakalweso? Sasithinta njani isitjhaba sama-Israyeli wekadeni? Indaba le iqakatheke ngani ebantwini abalotjha uJehova namhlanjesi?

3, 4. (a) Ngiziphi iingcenye ezintathu zesahlulelo sakaZimu uHezekiyeli azitjengisa? (b) UHezekiyeli wakulingisa njani ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema?

³ Pheze ngo-613 B.C.E., uJehova walayela uHezekiyeli bona enze iimbonakaliso ezintathu malungana nesahlulelo sakhe esizako ngokujamelene neJerusalema. Bekungilezi: ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema, ukutlhaga kwabantu beJerusalema nokutjhatjalaliswa kwalo nabantu balo. a Akhe siqalisise izehlakalo ezintathwezi.

⁴ Ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema. UJehova watjela uHezekiyeli wathi: “Thatha isitina usibeke phambi kwakho. . . . Livimbezele.” (Funda uHezekiyeli 4:1-3.) Isitina besijamele idorobho leJerusalema, uHezekiyeli yena bekajamele ibutho lepi leBhabhiloni njengombana belisetjenziswa nguJehova. UHezekiyeli walayelwa nokuthi akhe iboda elincani, indunduma yokuvimbezela, enze neengodo zokulitjhabalalisa. Ngemva kwalokho bekazokubeka izintwezo zizombeleze isitina. Izintwezi bezijamele izinto zepi ebezizokusetjenziswa manaba weJerusalema nakazombeleza idorobho bekalisahlele. UHezekiyeli bekufuze athathe “ipani lesimbi,” namkha isitja, asibeke phakathi kwakhe nedorobho, ukutjengisa amandla wamasotja anjengesimbi, wamanaba weJerusalema. Ngemva kwalokho ‘alibeke ilihlo.’ Izenzwezo bezizokuba “litshwayo endlini ka-Israyeli” lokuthi kuzokwenzeka into engakalindeleki. UJehova bekazokusebenzisa ibutho lamanaba ukuvimbezela iJerusalema, idorobho eliqakatheke khulu ebantwini bakaZimu ebekuyindawo enethempeli labantu bakaZimu!

5. Hlathulula indlela uHezekiyeli akutjengisa ngayo ebekuzokwenzeka ebantwini beJerusalema.

⁵ Ukutlhaga kwabantu beJerusalema. UJehova wayala uHezekiyeli wathi: “Kufuze uthathe ikoroyi, ibhali, amabhontjisi, iinhlumaya, inyaluthi neminye imihlobo yekoroyi . . . begodu uzenzele uburotho,” “uzokukala begodu udle amatjhekeli ama-20 wokudla ngelanga.” Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova wahlathulula wathi: “Ngizokuqeda isabelo sokudla.” (Hez. 4:9-16) Esenzakalwenesi, uHezekiyeli akhenge asajamela ibutho leBhabhiloni; kunalokho wadlala indima yabantu abahlala eJerusalema. Akwenzako bekutjho ukuvinjezelwa okuzako ebekuzokubangela ukudla kunciphe edorobheni. Ngesikhatheso, uburotho bebuzokwenziwa ngezinto ezingakajayeleki, okutjho ukuthi abantu bebazokudla nanyana yini abayifumanako. Beyizokuba yimbi kangangani indlala ezako? UHezekiyeli wakhuluma ngasuthi ukhuluma nabantu beJerusalema ngokunqophileko, wathi: “Abobaba phakathi kwenu bazokudla amadodanabo namadodana azokudla aboyise.” Ekugcineni, abanengi bebazokutlhaga ngebanga ‘lemicibitjholo ebulalako yendlala,’ begodu abantu ‘bebazokonda.’—Hez. 4:17; 5:10, 16.

6. (a) Ngiziphi iindima ezimbili uHezekiyeli azilingisako ngesikhathi sinye? (b) Khuyini etjengiswa myalo kaZimu ‘wokulinganisa bese uhlukanise iinhluthu’?

⁶ Ukutjhatjalaliswa kweJerusalema nabantu balo. Engcenyeni le yesiphorofido esenziwa ngokunqophileko, uHezekiyeli udlala iindima ezimbili ngesikhathi sinye. Kokuthoma, ulingisa lokho uJehova  azokwenza. UJehova uthi kuye: “Zithathele isabula ebukhali uyisebenzisele ukurhuna.” (Funda uHezekiyeli 5:1, 2.) Isandla sakaHezekiyeli ebesiphethe isabula besijamele isandla sakaJehova, isahlulelo sakhe asikhupha ngamasotja weBhabhiloni. Kwesibili, uHezekiyeli walingisa lokho amaJuda ebekazokuqalana nakho. UJehova wathi kuye: “Rhuna ihlokwakho neendevu zakho.” Ukurhuna ihloko kwakaHezekiyeli bekutjengisa indlela amaJuda ebekazokusahlelwa bekatjhatjalaliswe ngayo. Ukungezelela kilokho, umyalo ‘wokuthatha iinkali bona alinganise bese ahlukanise iinhluthu ngeengcenyana’ bekutjho ukuthi isahlulelo sakaJehova malungana neJerusalema sizokwenzeka ngendlela uJehova ahlose nahlele bona senzeke ngayo, bengekhe sizenzakalele.

7. Kubayini uJehova atjela uHezekiyeli bona ahlukanise iinhluthu ngeengcenyana ezintathu bekenze okuhlukileko engcenyeni ngayinye?

 ⁷ Kubayini uJehova atjela uHezekiyeli bona arhune iinhluthu zakhe, azihlukanise zibe ziingcenye ezintathu begodu enze okuhlukileko engcenyeni ngayinye? (Funda uHezekiyeli 5:7-12.) UHezekiyeli watjhisa enye ingcenye yeenhluthu zakhe “phakathi kwedorobho” ukutjengisa abaqalileko ukuthi abanye abantu beJerusalema bebazokufela edorobheni. Usika enye ingcenye yeenhluthu ngesabula “kilo loke idorobho” ukutjengisa ukuthi abanye bebazokubulawelwa ngaphandle kwedorobho. Warhatjha ingcenye yokugcina yeenhluthu emoyeni ukutjengisa ukuthi abanye bebazokurhatjhekela kwezinye iinarha kodwana ‘isabula izobagijimisa.’ Yeke, nanyana abasindileko bebangayaphi, bengeze bafumana ukuthula.

8. (a) Okwenziwa nguHezekiyeli kwaveza liphi ithemba? (b) Umlayezo osiphorofido omalungana ‘neenhluthu ezincani’ waba liqiniso ngayiphi indlela?

⁸ Nanyana kunjalo, isiphorofido uHezekiyeli asenza ngokunqophileko besiletha ithemba. Malungana neenhluthu ebekufuze azirhune, uJehova wathi kumphorofidi lo: “Kufuze uthathe iinhluthu ezincani uziphuthele emphethweni wesambatho sakho.” (Hez. 5:3) Umyalo loyo bewuveza ukuthi bekuzokusinda amaJuda ambalwa ebekarhatjhekele eentjhabeni. Ezinye “iinhluthu ezincani” bekuzokuba ngabanye babadingisiweko ebebazokubuyela eJerusalema ngemva kokudingiswa iminyaka ema-70 eBhabhiloni. (Hez. 6:8, 9; 11:17) Inga-kghani isiphorofidweso sazaliseka? Iye. Ngemva kweminyaka amaJuda abuye ekudingisweni, umphorofidi uHagayi wabika bona amaJuda arhatjhekileko abuyele eJerusalema. ‘Bekumadoda amadala ebekabone indlu yaphambilini,’ ithempeli lakaSolomoni. (Ezr. 3:12; Hag. 2:1-3) UJehova waqinisekisa ukuthi ukulotjha okuhlwengileko kuhlala kukhona, njengombana athembisa. Kuzokukhulunywa ngemininingwana engeziweko esaHlukweni se-9 sencwadi le.—Hez. 11:17-20.

9, 10. Iimphorofido uHezekiyeli azenza ngokunqophileko zisitjelani ngezenzakalo eziqakathekileko ezabikezelwa ngengomuso lethu?

⁹ Izenzakalo uHezekiyeli azilingisa ngokunqophileko zenza sicabange ngezenzakalo eziqakathekileko iliZwi lakaZimu elizibikezele kusesengaphambili ngengomuso lethu. Ngiziphi ezinye zazo?  Njengombana kwenzeka ngedorobho leJerusalema lekadeni, uJehova uzokusebenzisa imibuso yephasi ukwenza into abantu abangakayilindeli, ukusahlela zoke iinhlangano zekolo yamala ephasini. (IsAm. 17:16-18) Njengombana ukutjhatjalaliswa kweJerusalema kwaba ‘yihlekelele engakajayeleki,’ “nesizi elikhulu” nepi yalo i-Arimagedoni kuzokuba sisenzakalo ‘esingakhenge khesibe khona’.—Hez. 5:9; 7:5; Mat. 24:21.

¹⁰ IliZwi lakaZimu lithi abalandeli bekolo yamala bazokusinda ekutjhatjalalisweni kweenhlangano zekolo yamala. Ukusaba, kuzokwenza abasindileko bazihlanganise nabantu bemikhakha ehlukahlukeneko bona bafumane indawo abangazifihla kiyo. (Zak. 13:4-6; IsAm. 6:15-17) Ubujamo babo busenza sicabange ngalokho okwenzeka ebantwini beJerusalema yekadeni abasinda nalitjhatjalaliswako begodu barhatjhekela “emoyeni.” Njengombana sibonile  esigabeni se-7, nanyana basinda isikhatjhaneso, uJehova ‘bekazokukhupha isabula’ bona ibagijimise. (Hez. 5:2) Ngokufanako, nanyana ngiziphi iindawo zokuzifihla abasindileko abazokubalekela kizo nakusahlelwa ikolo yamala, angeze zibavikele esabuleni kaJehova. Ngepi ye-Arimagedoni, bazokubulawa nabo boke abanjengeembuzi.—Hez. 7:4; Mat. 25:33, 41, 46; IsAm. 19:15, 18.

11, 12. (a) Ukuzwisisa iimphorofido zakaHezekiyeli malungana nokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema, kuyithinta njani indlela esiqala ngayo umsebenzi wokutjhumayela namhlanjesi? (b) Ngimaphi amatjhuguluko umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela nomlayezo wakhona ongaba nawo namhlanjesi?

¹¹ Ukuzwisisa isiphorofidwesi kuyithinta njani indlela esiqala ngayo umsebenzi wokutjhumayela nokurhabeka kwawo? Kusenza sibone itlhogeko yokwenza koke okusemandlenethu ukusiza abantu balotjhe uJehova. Kubayini? Isikhathi esiseleko ‘sokwenza abantu bazo zoke iintjhaba babe bafundi’ sinciphile. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Hez. 33:14-16) Nakuthoma ukusahlela ‘kwentonga’ (imibuso yephasi) isahlela ikolo yamala, angekhe sisatjhumayela umlayezo wesindiso. (Hez. 7:10) Naziza endabeni yokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi, sizokuba ‘ziimumu,’ njengombana uHezekiyeli waba simumu namkha walisa ukumemezela imilayezwakhe, ngesikhathi enza isabelo sakhe. (Hez. 3:26, 27; 33:21, 22) Kuliqiniso, ngemva kokutjhatjalaliswa kwekolo yamala, abantu bazokulinga okusemandlenabo, ‘ukufuna umbono kumphorofidi’ kodwana angekhe bafumane iinqophiso zokusindisa ukuphila kwabo. (Hez. 7:26) Isikhathi sokufumana isinqophiso esinjalo nesokuba mfundi kaKrestu sizabe sidlulile.

¹² Nanyana kunjalo, umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela angekhe ujame. Kubayini? Ngesikhathi sesizi elikhulu, sizokuthoma ukutjhumayela umlayezo wesahlulelo ozokufana nesinanja esikhulu. Umlayezo loyo uzokuveza ngokukhanyako ukuthi ukuphela kwephasi elimbeli sekufikile.—IsAm. 16:21.

13. Kubayini uJehova atjela uHezekiyeli bona alale ngehlangothi lakhe lesincele abuye alale ngelesidla?

¹³ Ngaphandle kokubikezela ukuthi iJerusalema lizokutjhatjalaliswa njani, uHezekiyeli watjengisa nokuthi kuzokwenzeka nini lokhu.  UJehova wamtjela bona alale ngehlangothi langesinceleni amalanga ama-390 begodu alale ngehlangothi lesidla amalanga ama-40. Ilanga ngalinye belijamele umnyaka. (Funda uHezekiyeli 4:4-6; Num. 14:34) Lokho uHezekiyeli akwenzako, kungenzeka bekakwenza isikhathi esithileko qobe langa, lokho bekutjengisa ngokunqophileko umnyaka wokutjhatjalaliswa kweJerusalema. Kuyakhanya ukuthi umtjhapho wama-Israyeli owathatha iminyaka ema-390 wathoma ngo-997 B.C.E., okumnyaka lapho umbuso weenkoro ezili-12 wahlukaniswa khona waba ziingcenye ezimbili. (1 Kho. 12:12-20) Isono samaJuda esathatha iminyaka ema-40 kungenzeka sathoma ngo-647 B.C.E., okumnyaka uJoromiya abekwa ngawo bona abe mphorofidi, ukuyelelisa umbuso wakwaJuda ngokunqophileko ngokuza kokutjhatjalaliswa kwawo. (Jor. 1:1, 2, 17-19; 19:3, 4) Nje-ke, iinkhathezo zombili bezizokuphela ngo-607 B.C.E., okumnyaka iJerusalema elawa ngawo belatjhatjalaliswa, njengombana uJehova atjho ngaphambilini. b

14. (a) UHezekiyeli watjengisa njani ukuthi uyamthemba uJehova bona uzokwenza ngesikhathi esifaneleko lokho athe uzokwenza? (b) Khuyini ebeyizokwenzeka ngaphambi kobana iJerusalema litjhatjalaliswe?

 ¹⁴ Ngesikhathi uJoromiya afumana isiphorofido samalanga ama-390 namalanga ama-40, kungenzeka bekangawazi umnyaka wokutjhatjalaliswa kweJerusalema. Nanyana kunjalo, iminyaka yokutjhatjalaliswa kwalo nayitjhidela, wayelelisa amaJuda kanengi bona isahlulelo sakaJehova siyeza. Wathi: “Isiphelo sikufikele.” (Funda uHezekiyeli 7:3, 5-10.) UHezekiyeli bekaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova bekazokwenza ngesikhathi esifaneleko lokho. (Isa. 46:10) Umphorofidi wabikezela nangezenzakalo ebezizokwenzeka ngaphambi kobana iJerusalema litjhatjalaliswe, wathi: “Kuzokuvela ihlekelele ngemva kwehlekelele.” Izenzakalwezo bezizokubangela ihlangahlangano emphakathini, kwezekolo nakurhulumende.—Hez. 7:11-13, 25-27.

15. Ngiziphi iingcenye zesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli ezathoma ukuzaliseka kusukela ngo-609 B.C.E. ukuya phambili?

¹⁵ Eminyakeni embalwa ngemva kokuthi uHezekiyeli abikezele ukuwa kweJerusalema, isiphorofido sathoma ukuzaliseka. Ngo-609 B.C.E., uHezekiyeli wafumana ukuthi ukusahlelwa kweJerusalema sekuthomile. Ngesikhatheso, iimbhorompita zalilela abantu beJerusalema bona bavikele idorobho labo kodwana njengombana uHezekiyeli abikezela, “akunamuntu” owalungela ‘ukuya epini.’ (Hez. 7:14) Abantu beJerusalema akhenge bahlangane bona bavikele idorobho labo bebalwe nebutho leBhabhiloni. Amanye amaJuda kungenzeka bekacabanga ukuthi uJehova uzowavikela. Kazi wakwenza lokho ngaphambilini, ngesikhathi ama-Asiriya abathusela ngokuthatha iJerusalema begodu ingilozi kaJehova yatjhabalalisa pheze loke ibutho labo. (2 Kho. 19:32) Nje, akhenge kube nengilozi ebasizako. Idorobho elivinjezelweko besele lifana ‘nepoto yokupheka’ ebekwe “emlilweni,” begodu abantu balo babanjwe kwanga ‘ziintokana zenyama’ ngaphakathi kwepoto. (Hez. 24:1-10) Ngemva kokuvinjezelwa okubuhlungu okwathatha iinyanga ezili-18, iJerusalema latjhatjalaliswa.

16. Singatjengisa njani bona siyamthemba uJehova namhlanjesi ukuthi uzokwenza ngesikhathi esifaneleko lokho akuthembisileko?

¹⁶ Khuyini esingayifunda engcenyeni le yesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli? Kghani iyahlobana nomlayezo esiwutjhumayelako nendleleni abantu abasabela ngayo nasibatjhumayezako? UJehova ubeke isikhathi lapho azokutjhabalalisa khona ikolo yamala begodu aqinisekise bona kwenzeka ngesikhathi asibekileko. (2 Pit. 3:9, 10; IsAm. 7:1-3) Asilazi ilanga ekuzokwenzeka ngalo. Nathi njengoHezekiyeli, siragela phambili ngokukhuluma ngesiyeleliso uJehova athi sisitjele abantu sibayelelisa kanengi sithi: “Isiphelo sikufikele.” Kubayini kufuze sibuyelele umlayezo lo? Kungebanga lalokho okwenzeka kuHezekiyeli. c Abantu abanengi ebekabatjela ngesiphorofido sakaZimu sokuwa kweJerusalema bebangamkholwa. (Hez. 12:27, 28) Kodwana ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, amanye amaJuda adingisiweko ebewaseBhabhiloni atjhuguluka begodu abuyela enarhenawo.  (Isa. 49:8) Ngokufanako, abantu abanengi namhlanjesi abakukholelwa ukuthi ukuphela kwephaseli kuzokufika. (2 Pit. 3:3, 4) Nanyana kunjalo, bekube kulapho isikhathi sokutjela abantu ngomlayezo kaZimu siphela, sifuna ukusiza boke abaneenhliziyo ezilungileko bafumane indlela etjhinga ekuphileni.—Mat. 7:13, 14; 2 Kor. 6:2.

17. Ngibuphi ubujamo nezenzakalo esizozibona esizini elikhulu elizako?

¹⁷ Isiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli sisikhumbuza nokuthi ukusahlelwa kweenhlangano zekolo yamala nakufikako, amalunga wamasondo angekhe ‘aye epini’ ukuvikela ikolo. Kunalokho, nawabona ukuthi ukulilela kwawo isizo ngokuthi, “Kosi, Kosi,” akuphendulwa, ‘izandla zawo zizokuba buthakathaka’ begodu ‘azokuhlengezela.’ (Hez. 7:3, 14, 17, 18; Mat. 7:21-23) Khuyini okhunye abazokwenza? (Funda uHezekiyeli 7:19-21.) UJehova uthi: “Bazokuphosela isiliva labo eendleleni.” Okwatjhiwo ngabantu beJerusalema yekadeni kusilethela umkhanyo malungana nalokho okuzokwenzeka hlangana  nesizi elikhulu. Ngesikhatheso, abantu bazokulemuka ukuthi imali angekhe ibasindise ekutjhatjalalisweni okuzako.

18. Khuyini esingayifunda esiphorofidweni sakaHezekiyeli ngezinto eziza qangi?

¹⁸ Kghani uyasifumana isifundo engcenyeni le yesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli? Simalungana netlhogeko yokubeka izinto eziza qangi endawenazo. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ngemva kokuthi abantu beJerusalema babone ukuthi idorobho labo nokuphila kwabo kufike ekupheleni nokuthi izinto abanazo angeze zabasindisa, kungemva kwesikhatheso lapho bathoma ukubeka uZimu qangi ekuphileni kwabo. Balahla izinto abanazo bathoma ‘ukufuna umbono kumphorofidi’ kodwana benza amatjhuguluko sekulada khulu. (Hez. 7:26) Ngokuhlukileko, siyalemuka ukuthi ukuphela kwephasi elimbeli sekufikile. Yeke, ukukholelwa kwethu eenthembisweni zakaZimu kusenze sabeka izinto eziza qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Ngebangelo, sizibekela iminqopho yokulotjha uJehova okuyinto engonakaliko nengeze yalahlelwa “eendleleni.”—Funda uMatewu 6:19-21, 24.

19. Imilayezo yesiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli isithinta njani namhlanjesi?

¹⁹ Ngokurhunyeziweko, ngiziphi ezinye iindlela iimphorofido zakaHezekiyeli ngokuwa kweJerusalema ezisithinta ngayo namhlanjesi? Zisikhumbuza ukuthi isikhathi esiseleko sokusiza abanye balotjhe uZimu sinciphile. Kungebangelo senza umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi ngokurhaba. Sithaba khulu nasibona abantu abaneenhliziyo ezilungileko bathoma ukulotjha uBabethu, uJehova. Ngitjho nanyana abanye bangatjhuguluki, siragela phambili nokubayelelisa njengombana uHezekiyeli wayelelisa abantu bangesikhathi sakhe, sithi: ‘Isiphelo sinifikele.’ (Hez. 3:19, 21; 7:3) Ngesikhathi esifanako, sizimisele ukuhlala sithemba uJehova, simlotjhe ngendlela ayifunako besikwenze kube yinto eza qangi ekuphileni kwethu.—Rhu. 52:7, 8; IzA. 11:28; Mat. 6:33.