1-3. Khuyini uJehova ebekafuna uHezekiyeli ayibone ethempelini, eJerusalema begodu kubayini? (Qala Isethulo seNgcenye yesi-2.)

 UHEZEKIYELI uyindodana yomphristi, yeke uwazi kuhle umThetho kaMosi. Ulazi kuhle ithempeli eliseJerusalema nokulotjha uJehova ngendlela ehlwengileko okufuze kwenziwe lapho. (Hez. 1:3; Mal. 2:7) Kodwana esele kwenzeka nje, ngo-612 B.C.E ethempelini lakaJehova kuzokuthusa woke amaJuda athembekileko kuhlanganise noHezekiyeli.

² UJehova ufuna uHezekiyeli abone ubujamo obumbi bethempeli begodu ufuna atjele “abadala bakwaJuda,” abadingiswe naye, abahlangene emzinakhe lokho akubonako. (Funda uHezekiyeli 8:1-4; Hez. 11:24, 25; 20:1-3) UJehova wathatha uHezekiyeli ngommoyakhe ocwengileko (ngombono) wamsusa endlinakhe eTele-Abibi hlanu komlambo iKebari, eBhabhiloni, ekude khulu ngamakhulu wamakhilomitha netjingalanga yeJerusalema. UJehova wathatha umphorofidi lo wamusa ethempelini, esangweni elingetlhagwini lesirhodlo esiphakathi. Kulapho uJehova athoma khona ukumtjengisa ithempeli ngombono.

³ Nje, uHezekiyeli ubona izinto ezine ezithusako ezitjengisa ukuthi ukulotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako sekusilaphazwe kangangani.  Kwenzekeni ngokulotjha uJehova ngendlela ayifunako? Umbono lo utjho ukuthini kithi namhlanjesi? Akhe sibone lokho uHezekiyeli akubonako. Kokuthoma, kufuze sazi lokho uJehova akufunako ebantwini abamlotjhako nokumfaneleko.

4. Khuyini uJehova ayilindele ebantwini abamlotjhako?

⁴ Iminyaka engaba makhulu alithoba ngaphambi kobana uHezekiyeli abelethwe, uJehova watjho ngokukhanyako bona ufuna abantu bakhe bamlotjhe njani. EmThethweni wesibili kweliTjhumi ayinikela ama-Israyeli, uJehova wathi: a “Mina Jehova uZimenu nginguZimu ofuna nizinikele kimi kwaphela.” (Eks. 20:5) Nakathi “nizinikele kimi kwaphela,” uJehova watjengisa ukuthi angeze akubekezelele ukulotjhwa kwabanye abozimu. Njengombana sibonile esaHlukweni sesi-2 sencwadi le, ifuneko yokuthoma yokulotjha okuhlwengileko kukuthi umuntu olotjhwako kufuze kube nguJehova. Kufuze eze qangi ebantwini abamlotjhako. (Eks. 20:3) Nasele siyibeka lula, uJehova ulindele bona labo abamlotjhako, bahlwengeke ngokuthi bangahlanganisi ukulotjha kweqiniso nekwamala. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., ama-Israyeli angena esivumelwaneni somThetho ngokuzithandela. Ngokwenza njalo, avuma bona azokulotjha uJehova kwaphela. (Eks. 24:3-8) UJehova uthembekile eemvumelwaneni zakhe begodu ulindele bona abantu abenza isivumelwano naye bathembeke.—Dut. 7:9, 10; 2 Sam. 22:26.

5, 6. Kubayini ama-Israyeli bekufanele alotjhe uJehova kwaphela?

⁵ Bekuyinto efaneleko na bona uJehova afune ama-Israyeli alotjhe yena kwaphela? Iye bekufanele! UnguZimu uMninimandla woke, uMbusi weNdawo yoke, uMthombo noMtlhogomeli wokuphila. (Rhu. 36:9; IzE. 17:28) UJehova bekabuye abe Msindisi wama-Israyeli. Nakawanikela imiThetho eliTjhumi wawakhumbuza wathi: “NginguJehova uZimenu, owanikhupha eGibhide lapha benigqilazwa khona.” (Eks. 20:2) Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova bekafanelwe yindawo ekhethekileko eenhliziyweni zama-Israyeli.

⁶ UJehova akatjhuguluki. (Mal. 3:6) Bekahlala afuna abantu bakhe balotjhe yena kwaphela. Akhucabange bona wazizwa njani nakabona izenzo ezine ezinyenyisako azitjengisa uHezekiyeli ngombono.

7. (a) Khuyini amaJuda ahlubukileko ebekayenza esangweni elingetlhagwini lethempeli begodu khuyini uJehova ayenza ngalokho? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Kutjho ukuthini ukuthi uJehova waba nesikhwele? (Funda umtlolo waphasi wesi-2.)

⁷ Funda uHezekiyeli 8:5, 6. Kufuze bona kwamthusa uHezekiyeli lokhu! Esangweni elingetlhagwini lethempeli, amaJuda ahlubukileko bekalotjha isithombe. Kungenzeka bekusigodo esicwengileko esijamele u-Atjhera, uzimukazi wamala amaKanana ebekamqala njengomfazi kaBhali. Nanyana khuyini ebewayilotjha, ama-Israyeli lawo aphula isivumelwano sawo noJehova. Ngokulotjha isithombe  ngendlela ebekufuze alotjhe ngayo uJehova, okutjho ukulotjha yena yedwa nokuzinikela kuye ngokupheleleko amsilinga khulu uJehova. b (Dut. 32:16; Hez. 5:13) Akhucabange: Iminyaka engaphezu kwama-400 indawo ecwengileko kaJehova ethempelini beyihlotjaniswa nokuba khona kwakhe lapho. (1 Kho. 8:10-13) Kodwana nje, ngokuletha iinthombe ethempelini, benza uJehova ‘waba kude khulu nendawakhe ecwengileko.’

8. Umbono kaHezekiyeli wetshwayo lesikhwele unayiphi ihlathululo namhlanjesi?

⁸ Umbono kaHezekiyeli wetshwayo lesikhwele utjho ukuthini kithi namhlanjesi? AmaJuda ahlubukileko asikhumbuza lobuKholwa namhlanjesi. Amasondo amanengi athi alotjha uZimu kodwana uZimu akakwamukeli ukulotjha kwawo ngombana alotjha iinthombe. Njengombana uJehova angatjhuguluki, siyaqiniseka bona lobuKholwa ngokufana namaJuda ahlubukileko, liyamsilinga uJehova. (Jak. 1:17) Siyaqiniseka bona uJehova ukude nelobuKholwa elingenzi ngendlela afuna ngayo!

9, 10. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso esisifumana kilabo ebebalotjha iinthombe ethempelini?

⁹ Ngisiphi isiyeleliso esisifumana kilabo ebebalotjha iinthombe ethempelini? Nasizakulotjha uJehova kwaphela kufuze ‘sikubalekele ukulotjha iinthombe.’ (1 Kor. 10:14) Singazitjela ukuthi, ‘Angekhe ngasebenzisa iinthombe namkha amatshwayo nangilotjha uJehova!’ Kodwana ukulotjha iinthombe kwenzeka ngeendlela ezinengi, ezinye zakhona azibonakali. Enye itjhugululo yeBhayibheli iyibeka bunjesi, “Lokha imali, amandla namkha nanyana yini oyithanda ngokudluleleko, eqakatheke khulu kithi ukudlula ukulotjha uZimu, lokho kusuke kukulotjha iinthombe.” Yeke, ukulotjha iinthombe kungahlanganisa izinto esinazo, imali, ukutjhinga emabhayini, ukuzithabisa, kuhlekuhle kungaba nanyana yini eza qangi ekuphileni kwethu, ithathe isikhundla sokulotjha uJehova kwaphela. (Mat. 6:19-21, 24; Efe. 5:5; Kol. 3:5) Kufuze sitjheje yoke imihlobo yokulotjha iinthombe ngombana nguJehova kwaphela ekufuze simthande besimlotjhe ngokupheleleko!—1 Jwa. 5:21.

¹⁰ Into yokuthoma uJehova ayitjengisa uHezekiyeli, beyihlanganisa “izinto ezithusako nezinyenyisako.” UJehova watjela umphorofidakhe othembekileko lo wathi: “Uzokubona izinto ezinyenyisako nezithusa khulu ukudlula lezi.” Khuyini ebeyinganyenyisa khulu ukudlula ukulotjhwa kwesithombe esilitshwayo lesikhwele ethempelini?

11. Ngiziphi izinto ezinyenyisako uHezekiyeli azibonako ngemva kokungena esirhodlweni esiphakathi sethempeli eduze ne-aldara?

¹¹ Funda uHezekiyeli 8:7-12. Nje uHezekiyeli uvula imbobo ebodeni, ungena esirhodlweni esingaphakathi, esihlanu kwe-aldara lethempeli, ubona iboda eligobhodlhiweko ‘nemihlobo yezinto ezirhurhubako neembandana ezisilapheleko nazo zoke iinthombe ezinyenyisako.’ c Imigobhodlho ebeyisebodenelo beyijamele abozimu  bamala. Ebekunyenyisa khulu ngilokho uHezekiyeli akubona ngokulandelako: ‘Bekubadala abama-70 bendlu yakwa-Israyeli’ bebajame “ebumnyameni” begodu banikela ipepho kibozimu bamala. Ngaphasi komThetho, ukutjhiswa kwepepho enuka kamnandi bekujamela ukwamukelwa kwemithandazo enikelwa ngilabo abalotjha uZimu ngokuthembeka. (Rhu. 141:2) Nanyana kunjalo, ipepho ebeyinikelwa badala abama-70 kibozimu bamala, beyingakacwengeki begodu inuka kumbi kuJehova. Imithandazwabo beyimnyenyisa uJehova. (IzA. 15:8) Abadalaba bebazikhohlisa bathi: “UJehova akasiboni.” Kodwana uJehova bekababona begodu watjengisa uHezekiyeli lokho ebebakwenza ethempelini lakhe!

12. Kubayini kufuze sihlale sithembekile ngitjho ‘nebumnyameni’ begodu bobani khulukhulu ekufuze babe ziimbonelo ezihle endabeni le?

¹² Khuyini esingayifunda endabeni kaHezekiyeli yabadala abama-70 bakwa-Israyeli abanikela ipepho kibozimu bamala? Nasifuna uZimu amukele imithandazwethu, kufuze senze ukulotjha kwethu kuhlale kuhlwengile emehlwenakhe, kufuze sihlale sithembekile ngitjho ‘nebumnyameni.’ (IzA. 15:29) Kufuze sihlale sikhumbula bona uJehova ubona koke esikwenzako. Nangabe uJehova unguMnganethu, angeze senza nanyana yini emsithelweni esaziko bona ayimthabisi. (Heb. 4:13) Abadala bebandla ngibo ekufuze balinge ngamandla  ukuba sibonelo esihle ekulandeleni iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli. (1 Pit. 5:2, 3) Amalunga webandla, alindele ukuthi umdala obafundisako nodosa phambili ekulotjheni emihlanganweni yebandla, aphile ngokweenkambiso zeBhayibheli ngitjho nanyana ‘asebumnyameni,’ lapho abanye bangamboni khona.—Rhu. 101:2, 3.

13. UHezekiyeli wabona abafazi abaziinhlubuki benzani esangweni lethempeli?

¹³ Funda uHezekiyeli 8:13, 14. Ngemva kokumtjengisa izenzakalo zokuthoma ezimbili ezinyenyisako, uJehova godu utjela uHezekiyeli uthi: “Uzokubona izinto ezinyenyisako nezithusa khulu ukudlula lezi abazenzako.” Khuyini-ke umphorofidi ayibona ngokulandelako? “Ebungenweni besango letlhagwini lendlu kaJehova,” wabona “abafazi bahlezi balilela uTamuzi.” Uzimu weMesopotamiya uTamuzi ubizwa ngokuthi nguDumuzi ngokomtlolo weSamariya begodu kukholelwa bona bekatjhade nozimukazi wembeleko u-Ishtar. d Abafazi bama-Israyeli bebalila njengombana bekusisenzo esingokwekolo esihlobene nokufa kwakaTamuzi. Ngokulilela uTamuzi ethempelini lakaJehova abafazaba bebenza isenzo sokulotjha kwamala endaweni yokulotjha kweqiniso. Ukuhlanganyela ekulotjheni kwamala ethempelini lakaJehova bekungenzi ukulotjha kwabo kwamukeleke. Kubayini? Ngokombono kaJehova, iinhlubuki zabafazaba bezenza ‘into enyenyisako’!

14. Sifundani endleleni uJehova aqala ngayo lokho ebekwenziwa bafazi abaziinhlubuki?

¹⁴ Ngiziphi iimfundo esizifunda endleleni uJehova aqala ngayo ebekwenziwa bafazaba? Nasifuna ukulotjha kwethu kuhlwengeke, akukafuzi sikuhlanganise nemikghwa engakahlwengeki yokulotjha kwamala. Ngikho kufuze siqinisekise bona indlela esilotjha ngayo, ayifaki ukugidinga iminyanya namkha amaholideyi athonywe yikolo yamala. Inga-kghani kunendaba ukuthi ukulotjha okuthileko kwathomaphi? Iye kunendaba. Namhlanjesi kuneminyanya engabonakala ingasiyingozi, iminyanya enjengoKresimusi nama-Easter. Kodwana singakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova wazibonela ngokwakhe ukuthoma kweminyanya yoburhedeni le, bekwafika lapho ibonakala yamukeleka namhlanjesi. Ngokombono kaJehova, imikghwa yoburhedeni ayibi ngenganyenyisiko ngokukhamba kwesikhathi namkha nayihlanganiswa nokulotjha okuhlwengileko.—2 Kor. 6:17; IsAm. 18:2, 4.

15, 16. Khuyini ebeyenziwa madoda ama-25 esirhodlweni esingaphakathi sethempeli, begodu kubayini izenzo zawo zazwisa uJehova ubuhlungu?

¹⁵ Funda uHezekiyeli 8:15-18. UJehova wethula isenzakalo sesine esingesokugcina, ngamezwi la esele athoma ukujayeleka athi: “Uzokubona izinto ezinyenyisako nezithusako ukudlula lezi.” Mhlamunye umphorofidi lo wazibuza ukuthi: ‘Khuyini enganyenyisa ukudlula izinto esele ngizibonile?’ Nje, uHezekiyeli bekasesirhodlweni esiphakathi sethempeli. Ebungenweni bethempeli, wabona amadoda ama-25  akhothamele “ilanga epumalanga.” Amadoda la, bekangadeleli abuya nakusako, asilinga uJehova khulu! Akwenza njani lokho?

¹⁶ Cabanga ngalokho ebekwenzeka, ithempeli lakaZimu belakhiwe ngendlela yokuthi ubungeno balo bebuqale epumalanga. Ebebalotjha ethempelini bebangena baqale etjingalanga, imigogodlhabo ifulathele ipumalanga. Kodwana amadoda ama-25 asembonweni ‘afulathela ithempeli’ begodu aqala epumalanga bona alotjhe ilanga. Ngokwenza njalo, afulathela uJehova, ngombana ithempeli ‘beliyindlu kaJehova.’ (1 Kho. 8:10-13) Amadoda ama-25 lawo bewaziinhlubuki. Akhenge amlalele uJehova begodu akhenge alalele nomyalwakhe okuDuteronomi 4:15-19. Qala bona amdelela kangangani uZimu ekufanele silotjhe yena kwaphela!

17, 18. (a) Sifundani endabeni yabantu ebebalotjha ilanga ethempelini? (b) Iinhlubuki ezima-Israyeli zonakalisa buphi ubuhlobo begodu zakwenza njani lokho?

¹⁷ Khuyini esingayifunda emadodeni alotjha ilanga la? Nasizakulotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, kufuze simvumele asisize sizwisise izinto asifundisa zona begodu asiphe nokuhlakanipha. Khumbula, “uJehova uZimu ulilanga” begodu iliZwi lakhe ‘likukhanya’ endlelenethu. (Rhu. 84:11; 119:105) UJehova usipha ukuhlakanipha ngeliZwi lakhe nangeencwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezivela ehlanganwenakhe, lokho kusisiza senze iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko, ezisenza sithabele ukuphila nje besiphile ngokungapheliko nesikhathini esizako. Nange sifuna ukuphila ngendlela yokuhlakanipha kwephaseli, sizabe sifulathela uJehova. Ukwenza njalo kuzokuzwisa uJehova ubuhlungu, bekumphule ihliziyo. Asifuni ukwenza njalo kuZimethu. Umbono kaHezekiyeli ubuye ube siyeleliso kithi bona sibalekele labo abafulathela iqiniso, okuziinhlubuki.—IzA. 11:9.

¹⁸ Njengombana sibonile bekube nje, uHezekiyeli wabona izenzakalo ezine ezithusako zokulotjha iinthombe nokulotjha kwamala, ebekutjengisa ukuthi ukuhlubuka kwamaJuda besele kukumbi kangangani. Ngokusilaphaza indlela alotjha ngayo uZimu, ama-Israyeli la, alimaza ubuhlobo bawo noZimu. Lapho ekunokulotjha okusilapheleko kuhlala kunokuziphatha okumbi. Akurari ukuthi iinhlubuki zama-Israyeli nazihlanganyela ekuziphatheni okumbi, akhenge zilimaze ubuhlobo bazo noZimu kwaphela kodwana nokwabanye abantu. Khesibone nje ukuthi umphorofidi uHezekiyeli, ngaphasi kokuphefumulelwa, ukuhlathulula njani ukuziphatha okumbi kweenhlubuki zamaJuda.

19. UHezekiyeli wakuhlathulula njani ukuziphatha kwabantu besivumelwano sakaJehova?

¹⁹ Funda uHezekiyeli 22:3-12. Isitjhaba besingakahlwengeki endleleni ebesiziphatha ngayo, kokubili abarholi nabantu. ‘Amakhosana’ namkha abarholi basebenzisa kumbi amandlabo ukuphalaza iingazi ezinganamlandu. Abantu balandela isibonelo sabarholi babo ngokufulathela umThetho kaZimu. Emndenini, abantwana ‘bebadlelezela’  ababelethi babo begodu ukulalana kweenhlobo bekuyinto ejayelekileko. Enarheni yoke, iinhlubuki zama-Israyeli bezidlelezela ababuya kwezinye iinarha begodu ziphatha kumbi iintandani nabahlolokazi. Amadoda wama-Israyeli bewagagadlhela abafazi babomakhelwana babo. Abantu besele bamarhamaru khulu, bamukela isifumbathiso, babolekisa imali ngenzalo begodu babathathela imali ngekani. Kwamzwisa ubuhlungu uJehova ukubona abantu bakhe bangalaleli imithethwakhe, baziphatha kumbi begodu bangatjheji ukuthi uJehova ubeke imiThetho le ngombana abathanda. Walayela uHezekiyeli bona atjele abantu abaziphatha kumbi ukuthi, ‘Ningilibele ngokupheleleko.’

20. Kubayini amezwi kaHezekiyeli ngokuziphatha okungakahlwengeki kwamaJuda atjho okuthileko kithi namhlanjesi?

²⁰ Kubayini amezwi kaHezekiyeli ngokuziphatha kwamaJuda okungakahlwengeki atjho okuthileko kithi namhlanjesi? Ukuhlubuka kwamaJuda kusikhumbuza ngokuziphatha okumbi okwenzeka esikhathini sanamhlanjesi. Abarholi bezepolotiki basebenzise kumbi amandlabo begodu bagandelela abantu. Abarholi bezekolo, khulukhulu abafundisi belobuKholwa, bathandazele izipi zeenarha ezibangele ukufa kweengidi zabantu. Abafundisi abazihloniphi iinkambiso zeBhayibheli ezihlwengileko nezikhanyako malungana nezomseme. Ngebanga lalokho, izinga lokuziphatha kwabantu ephasini loke lehla ngendlela erarako. Nakhu uJehova azokutjho kelobuKholwa,  okufana nalokho akutjho eenhlubukini zamaJuda nakathi, ‘Ningilibele ngokupheleleko.’

21. Khuyini esiyifunda ekuziphatheni okungakahlwengeki kwamaJuda wekadeni?

²¹ Khuyini esingayifunda njengabantu bakaJehova ekuziphatheni okusilapheleko kwamaJuda wekadeni? Bona silotjhe uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, kufuze siphile ngeenkambiso zakaZimu. Ukwenza njalo akusibulula njengombana siphila ephasini eliziphatha kumbeli. (2 Thim. 3:1-5) Nanyana kunjalo, siyazi ukuthi uJehova uzizwa njani ngayo yoke imihlobo yokuziphatha okumbi. (1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Silalela iinkambiso zakaJehova zokuziphatha ngombana siyamthanda begodu sithanda nemithethwakhe. (Rhu. 119:97; 1 Jwa. 5:3) Ukuziphatha kumbi kutjho ukungamthandi uZimethu ocwengileko nohlwengileko. Asifuni nakancani ukunikela uJehova ibanga lokuthi athi kithi: ‘Ningilibele ngokupheleleko.’

22. (a) Ngemva kokubuyekeza lokho uJehova akuveza ngamaJuda wekadeni, khuyini ozimisele ukuyenza? (b) Sizokucoca ngani esahlukweni esilandelako?

²² Sifunde iimfundo eziqakathekileko ngokubuyekeza lokho uJehova akuveza ngokusilaphazwa kokulotjha kweqiniso, nangokwehla kwezinga lokuziphatha kwamaJuda wekadeni. Ngokuqinisekileko sikhuthazwe bona sizimisele ekuzinikeleni kuJehova kwaphela, ekungilokho okumfaneleko. Yeke, kufuze sizitjheje kiyo yoke imihlobo yokulotjha iinthombe begodu sihlale sihlwengile endleleni esiziphatha ngayo. Khuyini-ke uJehova ayenza ngabantu bakhe abangakathembeki? Ngemva kokutjengisa uHezekiyeli ebekwenzeka ethempelini, uJehova utjela umphorofidakhe ukuthi: “Ngizokusilingeka.” (Hez. 8:17, 18) Sifuna ukwazi ukuthi ngiliphi igadango uJehova alithathako malungana namaJuda angakathembeki, ngombana uzolahlulela ngendlela efanako iphasi elimbeli. Esahlukweni esilandelako sizokucoca ngokuthi izahlulelo uJehova azikhupha malungana noJuda zazaliseka njani.