1, 2. Mhlobo onjani wengwadla onganyenyisa khulu?

 KUZWISA ubuhlungu ukubona umuntu oyingwadla. Singazibuza ukuthi khuyini emenze wagcina sekaphila ngendlela ephathisa iinhloni kangaka. Inga-kghani ube yingwadla asesemncani ngebanga lenturhu namkha ukuhlunguphazwa ngothileko emndeninakhe? Namkha mhlamunye mtlhago omenze wagcina sele angwadla? Namkha bekabalekela umlinganakhe omhlunguphazako? Iindaba ezidanisakwezi zenzeka kanengi ephasini elimbeli. Akurari-ke ukuthi kunezinye iingwadla uJesu aziphatha kuhle. Wagandelela ukuthi lezo eziphendukako bezitjhuguluke bezizokuba nethemba lokuphila ngcono.—Mat. 21:28-32; Luk. 7:36-50.

² Nanyana kunjalo, akhe sicoce ngengwadla ehlukileko. Akhe ucabange ngomfazi okhetha ukuba yingwadla. Akakuqali njengento ephathisa iinhloni kodwana uyazikhakhazisa ngakho! Ufuna imali nedumo elilethwa msebenzi lo. Okumbi ukudlula lokhu, akhe sithi umfazi lo bekanendoda ethembekileko kodwana wakhetha ukungathembeki kiyo, wangwadla. Kuba budisi ukumzwela ubuhlungu umuntu ophila njalo, kunalokho uyakunyenyisa.  Indlela esizizwa ngayo nasicabanga ngengwadla le, libanga eliyihloko elenze uJehova uZimu wasebenzisa isibonelo sengwadla ngokubuyelelweko ukuhlathulula indlela azizwa ngayo ngekolo yamala.

3. Sizokucoca ngani esahlukwenesi?

³ Incwadi kaHezekiyeli ineendaba ezimbili ngobungwadla obuhlathulula ukungathembeki kwabantu bakaZimu, kwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda. (Hez., izahl. 16 no-23) Ngaphambi kobana sifundisise ngeendabezi, akhe sifunde ngenye ingwadla engokomfanekiso. Ukungwadla kwayo kwathoma ngaphambi kwemihla kaHezekiyeli, ngitjho no-Israyeli angakabi ukuba khona begodu nanamhlanjesi isesekhona. Ingwadla le ihlathululwe encwadini yokugcina yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo.

4, 5. Liyini “iBhabhiloni eliKhulu” begodu sikwazi njani lokho? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ Kwavela okubabazekako embonweni uJesu awutjengisa umpostoli uJwanisi ekupheleni kwekhulu lokuthoma C.E. Kubizwa ngokuthi ‘yingwadla ekulu’ nangokuthi ‘liBhabhiloni eliKhulu, unina weengwadla.’ (IsAm. 17:1, 5) Sekuphele amakhulu weminyaka, abarholi bezekolo nezazi zeBhayibheli bangazi ukuthi kukhulunywa ngobani. Bayihlathulula ngeendlela ezinengi bathi ijamele iBhabhiloni, iRoma namkha isonto lobuKatolika lamaRoma. Nanyana kunjalo, sekuphele iminyaka aboFakazi bakaJehova bazwisisa ukuthi ingubani ‘ingwadla ekulu.’ Mbuso wephasi loke wekolo yamala. Sikwazi njani lokho?

⁵ Ingwadla le, isolwa ngokuziphatha kumbi ‘namakhosi wephasi’ namkha zepolotiki. Yeke, kuyakhanya ukuthi ayisiyingcenye yezepolotiki. Ukungezelela kilokho, isAmbulo sitjengisa ukuthi ‘abarhwebi bephaseli,’ bayalila ngebanga lokutjhatjalaliswa kweBhabhiloni eliKhulu. Nje-ke, iBhabhiloni eliKhulu angeze lajamela zerhwebo. Alo liyini? Linomlandu wokwenza “izinto zobungoma,” ukulotjha iinthombe nokukhohlisa. Kghani izintwezo azizifaneli iinhlangano ezikhohlakeleko zekolo zephaseli? Tjheja nokuthi ingwadla le, ivezwa ikhwele namkha inomthelela othileko phezu kwezepolotiki zephaseli. Ibuye ihlunguphaze abantu abalotjha uJehova uZimu ngokuthembeka. (IsAm. 17:2, 3; 18:11, 23, 24) Kghani akusingilokho ikolo yamala ekwenzileko bekufikele esikhathini sethu?

6. Kungayiphi indlela iBhabhiloni eliKhulu ‘lingunina weengwadla’?

⁶ Kubayini iBhabhiloni eliKhulu lingabizwa kwaphela ngokuthi ‘ingwadla ekulu’ kodwana nangokuthi ‘ngunina weengwadla’? Ikolo yamala ineenqhema ezinengi ngebanga lokuhlukana phakathi. Kuneenqhema zamabandla wamasonto ezinengi. Kusukela ngesikhathi kuba netjharagano yamalimi eBhabheli lakade namkha eBhabhiloni, zoke iinkolo zamala zarhatjhekela eendaweni  ezikude ephasini loke, lokho kwenza bona kube nemihlobohlobo yeenkolo ezinengi. Qala bona kufaneleka kangangani ukuthi “iBhabhiloni eliKhulu” lafumana igama lalo eBhabhiloni, lapho kwathoma khona zoke iinkolo zamala! (Gen. 11:1-9) Kungakho, zoke iinkolwezi kungenzeka bona ziqalwa “njengamadodakazi” wehlangano yinye, ingwadla ekulu. USathana usebenzisa iinkolwezo bona adosele abantu ebungomeni, ekulotjheni iinthombe nekwenzeni eminye imikghwa engamthabisiko uZimu. Akurari ukuthi abantu bakaZimu bayeleliswa ngehlangano ekhohlakeleko le yephasi loke bona: “Phumani kilo bantu bami, nangabe anifuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo”!—Funda isAmbulo 18:4, 5.

7. Kubayini silalela isiyeleliso ‘sokuphuma’ eBhabhiloni eliKhulu?

⁷ Kghani uyasilalela isiyeleliswesi? Khumbula ukuthi nguJehova owenza abantu bona ‘bamtlhoge.’ (Mat. 5:3) Bangakghona ukutlhogomela ubuhlobo babo noJehova, ngokuthi bamlotjhe ngendlela ayamukelako kwaphela. Kungokwemvelo bona abantu bakaJehova bangafuni ukuzihlanganisa nokulotjha kwamala. Kodwana uSathana uDeveli ufuna okuhlukileko. Uthanda ukudosela abantu bakaZimu esilingweni somhlobo lo wobungwadla. Begodu uphumelele iinkhathi ezinengi ukwenza njalo. Ngesikhathi sakaHezekiyeli, abantu bakaZimu besele banomlando omude wokuzibandakanya ebungwadleni obungokomfanekiso. Senza kuhle ngokufunda ngomlando lowo, ngombana ungasifundisa okunengi ngeenkambiso zakaJehova, ubulungiswa bakhe nomusa anawo.

8-10. Ngiyiphi ifanelo eqakathekileko yokulotjha okuhlwengileko esisiza sizwisise indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngokuzibandakanya nekolo yamala? Fanekisa.

⁸ Encwadini kaHezekiyeli, uJehova usebenzisa umfanekiso wengwadla ngendlela emthintako. UHezekiyeli waphefumulelwa bona atlole ngendlela ekwamphula ngayo ihliziyo uJehova ukujikelwa babantu bakhe, abathoma ukungathembeki nokuziphatha kumbi ngeendlela ezimbili ezikhanyako. Kubayini bekabamadanisa neengwadla?

⁹ Ukuzwisisa ipendulo, kufuze sithome ngokukhumbula ifuneko eqakathekileko ngokulotjha okuhlwengileko, ehlathululwe esaHlukweni sesi-5 sencwadi le. EmThethweni awutlolela ama-Israyeli, uJehova wathi: “Akukafuzi nibe nabanye abozimu ngaphandle kwami, mina Jehova Zimenu, nginguZimu ofuna nizinikele kimi kwaphela.” (Eks. 20:3, 5) Wabuye wagandelela iqiniswelo ngokuthi athi: “Akukafuzi ukhothamele omunye uzimu, ngombana uJehova ufuna kulotjhwe yena yedwa. UnguZimu ofuna kulotjhwe yena yedwa.” (Eks. 34:14) Wayikhanyisa kuhle khulu uJehova indaba le. Angeze samlotjha ngendlela ayamukelako ngaphandle kokuthi silotjhe yena kwaphela.

 ¹⁰ Akhe senze isibonelo ngomtjhado. Bobabili indoda nomfazi banelungelo lokulindela ukuthembeka komunye nomunye. Nangabe omunye wabo angathanda omunye umuntu angakatjhadi naye, namkha aye emabhayini naye, umlinganakhe unelungelo lokuzizwa anomona bekazizwe angakaphathwa kuhle. (Funda amaHebheru 13:4.) Kuyafana nangokulotjha uJehova, uzizwa aphethwe kumbi lokha abantu bakhe abazinikele kuye kwaphela balotjha abanye abozimu. Uveza indlela azizwa ngayo emtlolweni kaHezekiyeli isahluko se-16.

11. Khuyini uJehova ayitjho ngeJerusalema nalapho livela khona?

¹¹ Esahlukweni se-16 sencwadi kaHezekiyeli, uJehova ukhuluma isikhathi eside begodu isahlukwesi sinesiphorofido sakaJehova eside khulu ukudlula yoke imiTlolo yesiHebheru. UJehova udzimelela edorobheni leJerusalema ukufanekisa uJuda ongakathembeki. Ukhuluma ngendabakhe ethusako nezwisa ubuhlungu yendabukwakhe nokungasalotjhi kwakhe uZimu, alotjhe iinthombe. Ekuthomeni, bekafana nomntwana olahliweko, ongakghoni ukuzenzela izinto, ongakahlanzeki nongatlhogonyelwako. Bekabelethwa maKanana ahlala enarheni, angalotjhi uZimu. Kuhlekuhle, besele kukade iJerusalema lilawulwa yikoro yamaKanana, amaJebusi, bekwaba kulapho uDavida ahlula idorobho. UJehova wamzwela umntwana lo, wamhlambisa bewamtlhogomela. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, waba njengomfazi kuye. Ekhabolakhona, ama-Israyeli athoma ukuhlala edorobhenelo bewanesivumelwano noJehova, leso asenza ngokuzithandela nakusaphila uMosi. (Eks. 24:7, 8) Ngemva kokuthi iJerusalema libe yihlokodorobho yenarha, uJehova walibusisa, waliphumelelisa begodu walenza laba lihle njengendoda eregileko nenamandla nayinikela umkayo izinto ezihle zokuzikghabisa.—Hez. 16:1-14.

12. Ukungathembeki kwathoma njani eJerusalema?

¹² Tjheja okwenzeka ngokulandelako. UJehova wathi: “Wathoma ukuthembela ebuhleni bakho, waba yingwadla ngebanga ledumo lakho. Ungwadle khulu nabo boke abantu abadlulako begodu ubuhle bakho wabunikela bona.” (Hez. 16:15) Emihleni kaSolomoni, uJehova wabusisa bewaphumelelisa abantu bakhe kangangobana iJerusalema laba lidorobho elihle khulu ngesikhatheso. (1 Kho. 10:23, 27) Kodwana kwathoma ukuba nokulotjha kwamala. Njengombana uSolomoni bekafuna ukuthabisa abafazi bakhe beentjhaba abanengi, wathoma ukusilaphaza iJerusalema ngokulotjhwa kwabozimu beentjhaba. (1 Kho. 11:1-8) Amanye amakhosi alandela ngemva kwakhe, enza okumbi ukudlula yena, asilaphaza inarha yoke ngokulotjha kwamala. UJehova wazizwa njani ngezenzo ezinjalo zobungwadla nokungathembeki? Wathi: “Izintwezi akukafuzi zenzeke.” (Hez. 16:16) Kodwana abantu bakhe abangalaleliko benza okumbi khulu ukudlula lokhu!

13. Abantu bakaZimu eJerusalema bebakhohlakele ngayiphi indlela?

 ¹³ Akhe ucabange ngobuhlungu uJehova abuzwa nendlela anyenya ngayo njengombana aveza ubukhohlakali babantu bakhe abakhethileko nakathi: “Uthethe amadodanakho namadodakazakho ongibelethele wona, wanikela ngawo eenthombenezi bona ziwarhiribidele, kghani awukaneliswa bungwadla obenzileko bekube nje? Uhlahlele amadodanami, wawenza aba mhlatjelo.” (Hez. 16:20, 21) Izinto ezimbi ezenziwa babantwaba zitjengisa indlela uSathana akhohlakele ngayo. Qala nendlela athanda ngayo ukudosela abantu bakaJehova emikghweni enyenyisa kangaka! Kodwana uJehova ubona koke. UZimu angakghona ukususa izinto ezimbi khulu ezibangelwe nguSathana begodu uzokwenza bona kube nobulungiswa.—Funda uJobho 34:24.

14. Bekubobani abodadwabo ababili beJerusalema emfanekisweni kaJehova begodu ngimuphi obekakhohlakele khulu kibo bobathathu?

¹⁴ IJerusalema bekufuze lithukwe ngebanga lobukhohlakali balo kodwana akhenge lithukwe. Laragela phambili nobungwadla balo. UJehova wathi belithuwelele ukudlula ezinye iingwadla ngombana lona belibhadela abanye bona bangwadle nalo! (Hez. 16:34) UZimu wathi iJerusalema belifana ‘nonina,’ okuziinkoro zeentjhaba ezingamlotjhiko uZimu ebezibusa inarha. (Hez. 16:44, 45) Nakaraga nomfanekiso okhuluma ngomndeni, wathi iSamariya okungudadwabo omdala weJerusalema, nguye owamfundisa ubungwadla obungokomfanekiso. UZimu wabuye wakhuluma ngodadwabo wesibili, iSodoma, elisetjenziswe ngokomfanekiso ngebanga lokuthi kade latjhatjalaliswa ngokungatjheji nangokukhohlakala kwalo okukhulu. UJehova bekaveza ukuthi iJerusalema likhohlakale ukudlula abodadwalo ababili, iSamariya neSodoma! (Hez. 16:46-50) Abantu bakaZimu akhenge balalele nabayeleliswa kanengi, baragela phambili nokuziphatha kwabo okunyenyisako.

15. Beyiyini ihloso kaJehova yokukhupha isahlulelo eJerusalema begodu kwanikela liphi ithemba?

¹⁵ Khuyini uJehova ebekazoyenza? Wathembisa iJerusalema wathi: “Ngibuthelela zoke iinthandwa ozithabisileko” begodu, “ngizokunikela ezandleni zabo.” Abantu beentjhaba ebebalotjha abozimu bamala nabantu bakhe, bebazolitjhabalalisa, balenze lingasabi lihle bebalithathele nezinto zalo ezikhamba phambili. UJehova wathi, ‘Bazokukghadlha ngamatje begodu bazokurhayila ngeensabula zabo.’ Bewuyini umnqopho kaJehova wesahlulelwesi? Bekungasikutjhabalalisa abantu bakhe. Kunalokho: ‘Bekukuqeda ubungwadla babo.’ UZimu wangezelela wathi: “Ngizokwanelisa ilaka lami ngokujamelene nawe, ukusilingeka kwami kuzokusuka kuwe, ngizokwehlisa ummoya begodu angekhe ngisezwa ubuhlungu.” Njengombana kuhlathululiwe esaHlukweni se-9 sencwadi le, ihloso kaJehova bekukuthi abuyise abantu bakhe ekudingisweni. Lokho kungebanga lokuthi uJehova wathi: “Mina ngizokukhumbula isivumelwano engasenza nawe  emalangeni wobutjha bakho.” (Hez. 16:37-42, 60) Ngokungafani nabantu bakhe, uJehova bekazokutjengisa ukuthi uthembekile!—Funda isAmbulo 15:4.

16, 17. (a) Kubayini singasatjho ukuthi u-Ohola no-Oholiba bafanekisela lobuKholwa? (Funda ibhoksi elithi “Abantwana Bomuntu Abaziingwadla.”) (b) Singafundani kuHezekiyeli isahluko se-16 nesama-23?

¹⁶ UJehova wasebenzisa amezwakhe anamandla akuHezekiyeli isahluko se-16, ukusifundisa ngeenkambiso zakhe ezilungileko, indlela azizwa ngayo ngobulungiswa nangomusakhe omkhulu. Singatjho okufanako nangesahluko sama-23. AmaKrestu weqiniso namhlanjesi, awuqala njengoqakathekileko umlayezo kaJehova okhanyako wokuthi abantu bakhe kufuze bakhambele kude nobungwadla. Asifuni ukuzwisa uJehova ubuhlungu ngendlela amaJuda neJerusalema enza ngayo. Yeke, sifuna ukudlalela kude nokulotjha iinthombe kwemihlobo yoke. Lokho kuhlanganisa ukuba marhamaru nokunganeliseki, okungaba mihlobo yokulotjha iinthombe. (Mat. 6:24; Kol. 3:5) Sifuna ukuhlala sithokoza uJehova ngokuthi, ngomusakhe ubuyisele ukulotjha okuhlwengileko endawenakho, emalangeni wokuphela la, nokuthi angeze kusasilaphazwa! UJehova wasebenzisa u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso ukwenza ‘isivumelwano esingapheliko,’ engeze saphulwa kungathembeki namkha bungwadla. (Hez. 16:60) Kufuze silithokoze ilungelo lokuba hlangana nabantu bakaJehova abahlwengileko namhlanjesi.

¹⁷ Amezwi kaJehova ngeengwadla ezihlathululwe encwadini kaHezekiyeli, asifundisani ‘ngengwadla ekulu,’ okuliBhabhiloni eliKhulu? Akhe sibone.

18, 19. Ngikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kweengwadla ezihlathululwe emtlolweni kaHezekiyeli naleyo esemtlolweni wesAmbulo?

¹⁸ UJehova akatjhuguluki. (Jak. 1:17) Indlela azizwa ngayo ngekolo yamala beyisolo ifana kiwo woke umlando wengwadla ekulu. Nje-ke, akusirari ukubona ukufana hlangana kwesahlulelo seengwadla ezisencwadini kaHezekiyeli nalokho okuzokwenzeka ‘ngengwadla ekulu’ ekukhulunywa ngayo encwadini yesAmbulo.

¹⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, tjheja ukuthi ukujeziswa kweengwadla okukhulunywa ngazo eemphorofidweni zakaHezekiyeli akuveli kuJehova ngokunqophileko, kuvela eentjhabeni abantu bakaZimu abenza ubungwadla obungokomfanekiso nazo. Ngendlela efanako, umbuso wekolo yamala wephasi loke uyahlulelwa ngebanga lokuziphatha kumbi ‘namakhosi wephasi.’ Yeke, isijeziso sakhe sivela kubani? Sifunda ukuthi iinhlangano zepolotiki, “zizoyihloya ingwadla ziyitjhabalalise beziyihlubulise begodu zizokudla inyamayo ngokupheleleko ziyitjhise ngomlilo.” Kubayini imibuso yephaseli izokwenza into enjengale? Ngombana uZimu ‘uzokufaka eenhliziyweni zayo ukuthi yenze ngokomcabangwakhe.’—IsAm. 17:1-3, 15-17.

20. Khuyini etjengisa ukuthi isahlulelo ngeBhabhiloni kuzokuba ngesamaswaphela?

 ²⁰ UJehova uzokusebenzisa iintjhaba zephaseli ukukhupha isahlulelo ngekolo yamala yoke, okufaka hlangana iinkolo ezinengi zelobuKholwa. Lesi kuzokuba sisahlulelo samaswaphela, angekhe zisalitjalelwa, angekhe kusaba namanye amathuba wokuthi ikolo itjhugulule iindlela zayo. IsAmbulo sithi iBhabhiloni “angekhe lisafumaneka.” (IsAm. 18:21) Iingilozi zakaZimu zizokuthokoza ngokutjhatjhalaliswa kwalo, zizokuthi: “Dumisani uJah! Intuthu ephuma kilo izokusolo ikhuphuka ngokungapheliko.” (IsAm. 19:3) Isahlulelwesi angeze saphela. Angeze kusaba nekolo yamala ezokuvunyelwa bona ibe khona, isilaphaze ukulotjha okuhlwengileko. Isahlulelo esinamandla ngeBhabhiloni nokutjhatjalaliswa kwalo, ngokomfanekiso sizokuthumela intuthu ezokukhuphukela phezulu ngokungapheliko.

21. Ukutjhatjalaliswa kwekolo yamala kuzoba sithomo sasiphi isikhathi begodu isikhatheso sizokuphela njani?

²¹ Aborhulumende bephaseli nabahlanukela iBhabhiloni eliKhulu, bazabe bakhupha isahlulelo sakaZimu ekuzabe kusisenzakalo  esikhulu esizokuzalisa ihloso kaJehova. Lokho kuzokuthoma isizi elikhulu, ihlekelele engakhenge ibe khona ngaphambilini. (Mat. 24:21) Ivuthondaba yesizi elikhulu kuzokuba yi-Arimagedoni, ipi kaJehova ngephaseli elimbi. (IsAm. 16:14, 16) Njengombana izahluko ezilandelako zizokutjengisa, incwadi kaHezekiyeli izositjela okunengi ngokuthi isizi elikhulu lizokwenzeka njani. Okwanje, ngiziphi iimfundo ezisencwadini kaHezekiyeli isahluko se-16 nesama-23 esifuna ukuzikhumbula nokuzisebenzisa?

22, 23. Ukucabanga ngehlathululo yeengwadla ekuHezekiyeli nakusAmbulo kufuze kuyithinte njani indlela esisebenzela ngayo uJehova?

²² USathana uyakuthanda ukonakalisa labo abalotjha uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako. Ayikho into ezomthabisa ukudlula ukusenza singasalotjhi uZimu ngendlela ehlwengileko besenze ngendlela iingwadla ezihlathululwe encwadini kaHezekiyeli ezenza ngayo. Kufuze sikhumbule, uJehova ngeze asivumele bona silotjhe yena kube ngapha silotjha iinthombe namkha asithembeki! (Num. 25:11) Senza koke okusemandlenethu bona sidlalele kude nekolo yamala, ‘singathinti litho elingakahlwengeki’ emehlweni kaZimu. (Isa. 52:11) Ngamabanga afanako, asithathi ihlangothi kezepolotiki nezombango ezihlukeneko zephaseli. (Jwa. 15:19) Asingeni endabeni zenarha esihlala kiyo njengombana uSathana asebenzisa lokho ukuthuthukisa ikolo yamala begodu asithathi ihlangothi naziza kilokho.

²³ Naphezu kwalokho, asihlale sikhumbula ilungelo esinalo lokulotjha uJehova ethempelini lakhe elihlwengileko elingokomfanekiso begodu simlotjhe ngendlela ayamukelako. Njengombana sithabela ilungelweli, kwanga singazimisela khulu ukungazihlanganisi nekolo yamala nobungwadla bayo!