1-3. (a) Kungani kungenteka Hezekeli wadvudvuteka nakabona umbono wesakhiwo lesihle selithempeli? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesehluko.) (b) Sitawucoca ngani kulesehluko?

CABANGA ngaHezekeli aneminyaka lengu-50 budzala. Sewucitse iminyaka lengu-25 yekuphila kwakhe atfunjiwe. Lithempeli leliseJerusalema solo litindzala. Nangabe Hezekeli ake wacabanga ngekutsi uyoke abe ngumphristi eJerusalema, nyalo sewuyabona kutsi lena yintfo lengeke ize yenteke. Kusafanele kwendlule iminyaka lengaba ngu-56 ngaphambi kwekutsi bantfu labatfunjiwe bakhululwe ekutfunjweni, ngako Hezekeli uyati kutsi mancane ematfuba ekutsi angaphila sikhatsi lesidze kuze kube ngulapho abona bantfu baJehova babuyiselwa eveni labo, ingasaphatfwa-ke yekubona lithempeli lakhiwa kabusha. (Jer. 25:11) Imicabango lenjalo yamenta weva buhlungu yini?

² Cabanga nje kutsi Jehova unemusa kanjani ngekutsi akhetse lesikhatsi lesi kuze anikete Hezekeli umbono lobanti, loyo loniketa lendvodza leyetsembekile indvudvuto kanye nelitsemba. Ngalombono, lomphrofethi ubuyiselwa emuva eveni lakhe futsi uhlaliswa phansi entsabeni lendze kakhulu. Kulendzawo lephakeme uhlangana nendvodza “lebeyibukeka njengelitfusi.” Lengilosi yamhambahambisa imkhombisa sakhiwo lesihle selithempeli. (Fundza Hezekeli 40:1-4.)  Konkhe bekungatsi kwenteka mbamba! Kungenteka loku bekwenteka kwakucinisa kukholwa kwaHezekeli, kwammangalisa kantsi futsi kungenteka bekangakucondzi kahle. Nanobe lelithempeli lalibona linetintfo letinyenti latetayele, kepha lehluke kakhulu kulelo lalatiko leliseJerusalema.

³ Lombono lomangalisako kukhulunywa ngawo etehlukweni letingu-9 tekugcina tencwadzi yaHezekeli. Nyalo asesicoce ngesimo sengcondvo lokufanele sibe naso njengobe sihlolisisa lombono futsi sifuna nekuwucondza. Ngemuva kwaloko sitawubese sicoca ngekutsi lelithempeli laNkulunkulu lelikhulu lelabonwa nguHezekeli ngulelo lelachazwa ngumphostoli Pawula yini ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka. Kwekugcina sitawuhlola kutsi lombono bewusho kutsini kuHezekeli kanye nalabo bekatfunjwe nabo.

4. Mayelana nalombono welithempeli, nguyiphi indlela besisolo siwucondza ngayo, kepha yini lokufanele siyente nyalo?

⁴ Esikhatsini lesendlulile, tincwadzi tetfu betisolo titsi Hezekeli wabona lithempeli laJehova lelikhulu, lelo umphostoli Pawula laphefumulelwa kutsi abhale ngalo encwadzini yakhe lebeyiya kumaHebheru. * Sinaloku engcondvweni, kungaba melula kuphetsa ngekutsi letintfo letinyenti letabonwa nguHezekeli kulombono welithempeli tingafanekisela nobe timelele intfo letsite nasisebentisa inchazelo yaPawula nakachaza lithende lekukhontela. Nanobe kunjalo, singakhona kuyicondza melula inchazelo yaHezekeli yembono welithempeli nangabe siyihlolisisa ngemthantazo futsi sizindla ngayo.

5, 6. (a) Umphostoli Pawula wakukhombisa njani kutfobeka nakachaza lithende lekukhontela? (b) Ngumiphi imininingwane leyashiwo nguPawula mayelana nelithende lekukhontela, futsi tsine singakusebentisa njani loko lakusho kuze sicondze umbono waHezekeli welithempeli?

⁵ Kukuhlakanipha kungafuni inchazelo yesiphrofetho nobe yemfanekiso wayo yonkhe intfo lesembonweni waHezekeli welithempeli. Kungani? Cabanga nganasi sibonelo. Ngesikhatsi Pawula akhuluma ngelithende lekukhontela kanye nelithempeli laNkulunkulu, wakhuluma ngetintfo lebetikhona kulelithende lekukhontela letifaka ekhatsi sitja seligolide, simbonyo selibhokisi nembita yeligolide lebeyinemana. Wayisho yini inchazelo lesiphrofetho sentfo ngayinye layibala? Kuyabonakala kutsi umoya longcwele awuzange umente akuvete loko. Esikhundleni saloko wabhala watsi: “Nyalo akusiso sikhatsi sekuchaza konkhe mayelana naletintfo.” (Heb. 9:4, 5) Pawula bekatimisele kucondziswa ngumoya longcwele kanye nekulindzela Jehova ngekutfobeka.—Heb. 9:8.

⁶ Kungashiwo intfo lefanako nangembono waHezekeli welithempeli. Nalo linemininingwane leminyenti. Kukahle nekulindzela Jehova kutsi kube nguye locacisa tintfo nangabe kunesidzingo sekwenta kanjalo. (Fundza Mikha 7:7.) Ngako, singaphetsa yini ngekutsi umoya waJehova awukasicaciseli lutfo kulombono? Cha!

7, 8. (a) Ngukuphi kucondza nyalo lesekulungisiwe? (b) Lithempeli lelabonwa nguHezekeli lihluke njani kulelo lelichazwa nguPawula?

⁷ Njengobe kuvetiwe ekucaleni, sekuphele iminyaka leminyenti tincwadzi tetfu solo titsi Hezekeli wabona lithempeli lelikhulu laJehova,  lelo Pawula laphefumulelwa kutsi abhale ngalo encwadzini yakhe lebeyiya kumaHebheru. Nanobe kunjalo, nasiyihlolisisa kabanti lendzaba, siphetsa ngekutsi Hezekeli bekangeke abone lithempeli lelikhulu laNkulunkulu. Kungani?

⁸ Kwekucala nje lithempeli lelabonwa nguHezekeli alihambisani nenchazelo yaPawula lephefumulelwe. Cabanga nganaku: Umphostoli Pawula wakwenta kwacaca kutsi lithende lekukhontela langesikhatsi saMosi belisitfunti sentfo letsite lenkhulu. Lelithende lekukhontela belifana nelithempeli laSolomoni nelaZerubhabheli, lebekakhiwe ngendlela lefanako, futsi bekafaka ekhatsi likamelo lokutsiwa ‘yiNgcwelengcwele.’ Pawula wabita lelikamelo ngekutsi yindzawo “lengcwele leyentiwe ngetandla,” achaza kutsi lendzawo “ingumfanekiso waleyo lengiyo sibili,” lokusho kutsi beyingasiyo intfo sibili. Beyiyini-ke intfo sibili? Pawula wachaza watsi: ‘Ngemazulu lucobo.’ (Heb. 9:3, 24) Manje Hezekeli wabona emazulu yini? Cha. Kute lakuvela khona embonweni wakhe kutsi bekabona tintfo letisezulwini.—Catsanisa naDanyela 7:9, 10, 13, 14.

9, 10. Nakutiwa endzabeni yemihlatjelo, lithempeli lelabonwa nguHezekeli embonweni lihluke njani ethempelini laNkulunkulu lelikhulu lelichazwa nguPawula?

⁹ Umehluko lomkhulu lokhona emkhatsini wembono waHezekeli nenchazelo yaPawula uhlanganisa imihlatjelo. Hezekeli weva ticondziso letibanti letimayelana nekwenta imihlatjelo titjelwa bantfu, baholi kanye nebaphristi. Bekufanele bente imihlatjelo kuze kutsetselelwe tono tabo. Bekufanele baphindze bente nemihlatjelo yekuthula lebebangayidlela emakamelweni ekudlela lasethempelini. (Hez. 43:18, 19; 44:11, 15, 27; 45:15-20, 22-25) Lemihlatjelo lebeyentiwa tikhatsi letinyenti beyentelwa ethempelini laNkulunkulu lelikhulu yini?

¹⁰ Imphendvulo ilula futsi icacile. Pawula wachaza watsi: “Ngesikhatsi Khristu eta angumphristi lophakeme wetintfo letinhle lesetentekile, wadzabula ethendeni lelikhulu naleliphelele kakhulu lelingakentiwa ngetandla, lokusho kutsi lelingasilo lalapha emhlabeni. Wangena endzaweni lengcwele kwaba kanye kuphela, angangeni nje nengati yetimbuti neyetinkunzana, kodvwa angena nengati yakhe, futsi wasitfolela kukhululwa kwaphakadze.” (Heb. 9:11, 12) Ngako ethempelini laNkulunkulu lelikhulu, munye kuphela umhlatjelo lowanikelwa. Lomhlatjelo loyinhlawulo wanikelwa nguMphristi Lophakeme kakhulu, Jesu Khristu lucobo lwakhe. Kuyacaca-ke kutsi umbono waHezekeli welithempeli kanye nemihlatjelo yawo leminyenti yetimbuti neyetinkunzi bewungasiwo umbono welithempeli laNkulunkulu lelikhulu.

11. Ngesikhatsi saHezekeli, kungani bekungasiso sikhatsi lesikahle sekutsi Nkulunkulu embule emaciniso lamayelana nelithempeli lakhe lelikhulu?

¹¹ Loku kusiholela kunasi sizatfu sesibili lesisenta sitsi Hezekeli akazange abone lithempeli laNkulunkulu lelikhulu: Bekungasiso sikhatsi saNkulunkulu sekwembula emaciniso lanjalo. Khumbula kutsi umbono waHezekeli wacale watjelwa emaJuda lebekatfunjwe eBhabhulona. LamaJuda bewangaphansi kweMtsetfo waMosi. Bekutawutsi  nakuphela lokutfunjwa, bewatawubuyela emuva eJerusalema futsi bekatawusebentisa loMtsetfo lomayelana nekukhonta lokuhlantekile ngekutsi akhe kabusha lithempeli neli-al’thare lalo. Ngako bewatawuchubeka anikela imihlatjelo yawo lapho, njengobe bekenta kuleminyaka lengaba ngu-600 leyendlulile. Cabanga-ke kutsi bewatawutsintseka kanjani emaJuda kube umbono waHezekeli bewuwakhombise lithempeli laNkulunkulu, Iokulithempeli lapho umphristi lophakeme lucobo lwakhe anikela ngekuphila kwakhe kutsi kube ngumhlatjelo, bese ngemuva kwaloko leminye imihlatjelo ingasentiwa. Bekatawucondza njani umbono lonjalo? Bewungenta yini kutsi kulalela kwawo uMtsetfo waMosi kunciphe? Njengobe sati, Jehova wembula emaciniso kuphela nasekusikhatsi lesifanele futsi nebantfu bakhe sebakulungele loko.

12-14. Ngukuphi kuhlobana lokukhona emkhatsini welithempeli lelabonwa nguHezekeli nalelo lelichazwa nguPawula? (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “Emathempeli Langafani, Tifundvo Letingafani.”)

¹² Ngako, umbono waHezekeli welithempeli uhlobana njani nenchazelo yaPawula yelithempeli laNkulunkulu? Kufanele sikhumbule kutsi Pawula akazange asekele inchazelo yakhe embonweni waHezekeli welithempeli; kunaloko wayisekela ethendeni lekukhontela langesikhatsi saMosi. Kuliciniso kutsi Pawula wakhuluma ngetintfo letimbalwa lebetikhona ethempelini laSolomoni nelaZerubhabheli futsi betikhona nasembonweni waHezekeli welithempeli. Hezekeli naPawula  babhala ngetintfo letingafani. * Nanobe loko labakubhala akufani kepha kuyahambelana. Ngayiphi indlela?

¹³ Singacabanga ngekuhlobana lokukhona kulokulandzisa kweliBhayibheli lokubili ngalendlela: Kulandzisa kwaPawula kusifundzisa indlela Jehova lakuhlele ngayo kukhonta, kepha kwaHezekeli kona kusifundzisa ngetimiso taJehova letimayelana nekumkhonta. Kuze asifundzise ngemalungiselelo aJehova lamayelana nekukhonta lokuhlantekile, Pawula waveta kutsi betisho kutsini letintfo lebetisethempelini laNkulunkulu, letifaka ekhatsi umphristi lophakeme, imihlatjelo, li-al’thare kanye neNgcwelengcwele. Kuze ugcizelele kubaluleka kwetimiso taJehova letiphakeme letimayelana nekukhonta lokuhlantekile, umbono waHezekeli welithempeli usiniketa sitfombe lesicacile lesigcizelela etingcondvweni nasetinhlitiyweni tetfu tifundvo letinyenti letimayelana netimiso taJehova.

¹⁴ Ngako lokucondza kwetfu lokulungisiwe kusenta siphetse ngekutsini? Siyaciniseka kutsi umbono waHezekeli uyasitsintsa natsi lamuhla. Kuze sicondze kutsi lombono usizuzisa njani, asesihlolisise kutsi wawazuzisa njani emaJuda letsembekile kusukela ngesikhatsi saHezekeli kuchubeke.

15. (a) Bewutsini umlayeto losiphrofetho wembono waHezekeli? (b) Ngumuphi umehluko lokhona emkhatsini waHezekeli sehluko 8 naHezekeli sehluko 40 kuya ku-48?

¹⁵ Kuze sitfole imphendvulo lesekelwe eBhayibhelini lemayelana nalombuto, asesihlole leminye imibuto lehlobene nawo letasisita sibe nesitfombe lesigcwele. Kwekucala, utsini umlayeto losiphrofetho ngalombono? Kalula nje, lomlayeto bewuveta kutsi kukhonta lokuhlantekile bekutawubuyiselwa. Siyaciniseka kutsi Hezekeli bekakucondza ngalokucacile loku. Esehlukweni 8 sencwadzi yakhe besekavele akubhalile loko, lapho Jehova asiveta ngalokucacile khona simo lesenyanyekako selithempeli leliseJerusalema. Kungenteka nekutsi Hezekeli kwamjabulisa kubhala kabanti ngalomehluko lojabulisako, njengobe nyalo utfolakala etehlukweni 40 kuya ku-48. Kulamavesi sibona kukhonta lokuhlantekile nalokungakangcoliswa, kungendlela bekufanele kube ngayo kusukela ekucaleni, lokuyindlela lengiyo Jehova lokufanele akhontwe ngayo njengobe kuvetwe eMtsetfweni waMosi.

16. Umbono waHezekeli lomayelana nelithempeli ukucinisekisa njani loko lokwashiwo ngu-Isaya eminyakeni lengaba ngu-100 ngaphambi kwaloko?

¹⁶ Kuze kubuyiselwe kukhonta kwaJehova endzaweni yako lefanele, kudzingeka kuphakanyiswe. Eminyakeni lengetulu kwa-100 ngaphambi kwaloko, umphrofethi Isaya waphefumulelwa kutsi abhale atsi: “Encenyeni yekugcina yemalanga, intsaba yendlu yaJehova iyawukuma icine ngetulu kweticongo tetintsaba, iyawuphakanyiswa ibe ngetulu kwemagcuma.” (Isa. 2:2) Isaya wabona ngalokucacile kutsi kukhonta Jehova ngendlela lehlantekile bekutawubuyiselwa futsi kuphakanyiswe, kube shengatsi kubekwe ngetulu kwentsaba lephakeme kakhulu kutendlula tonkhe. Ngako Hezekeli watibona akuphi kulombono lovela kuNkulunkulu? ‘Abesetikwentsaba lendze kakhulu,’ abuka indlu yaJehova. (Hez. 40:2) Ngaleyo ndlela umbono waHezekeli bewucinisekisa kutsi kukhonta lokuhlantekile kutawubuyiselwa.

17. Chaza kafishane loko lokukuHezekeli tehluko 40 kuya ku-48.

¹⁷ Cabanga kafishane ngaloko Hezekeli lakubona nalakuva njengobe kubhalwe kuHezekeli sehluko 40 kuya ku-48. Bekabuka njengobe lengilosi beyikala emagede, lubondza, emabala kanye nendzawo lengcwele yelithempeli. (Hez. 40-42) Kwabese kwenteka nayi intfo lejabulisako: Kufika kwaJehova ngendlela lekhatimulako ethempelini. Jehova wayala bantfu bakhe lebebangalaleli, baphristi kanye nebaholi. (Hez. 43:1-12; 44:10-31; 45:9-12) Hezekeli wabona umfula ugeleta usuka endzaweni lengcwele, uniketa kuphila kanye netibusiso njengobe ugeletela eLwandle Lolufile. (Hez. 47:1-12) Wabona nalelive lihlukaniswa liba ticephu letikalwe kahle, futsi kukhonta lokuhlantekile bekusekhatsi nalelive. (Hez. 45:1-8; 47:13–48:35) Bewuyini umlayeto waloko? Kuyacaca kutsi Jehova bekacinisekisa bantfu bakhe kutsi kukhonta lokuhlantekile bekutawubuyiselwa futsi kuphakanyiswe. Bekatawubusisa lendlu yakhe yekukhontela ngekutsi abe kuyo, futsi bekatawubangela kutsi tibusiso tigelete tisuka kulelithempeli tiletsele bantfu kwelashwa, kuphila kanye nekuthula kulelive lelibuyiselwe.

18. Chaza kutsi lombono welithempeli kufanele utsatfwe njengobe unjalo yini.

 ¹⁸ Kwesibili, lombono kufanele utsatfwe njengobe unjalo yini? Cha. Kungenteka Hezekeli kanye nalabo bekatfunjwe nabo lebekabachazela lombono wakhe bavele babona kutsi lombono akukafaneli utsatfwe njengobe unjalo. Kungani? Khumbula kutsi Hezekeli wabona lelithempeli ‘asetikwentsaba lendze kakhulu.’ Nanobe lombono uhambelana kahle nesiphrofetho sa-Isaya, kepha bewungahambisani nendzawo lelithempeli belikuyo. Lithempeli laSolomoni beliseNtsabeni iMoriya leseJerusalem, futsi kulapho belitawuphindze lakhiwe khona kabusha ngalelinye lilanga. Kodvwa leyo bekuyintsaba “lendze kakhulu” yini? Cha. Ecinisweni iNtsaba iMoriya beyitungeletwe nguletinye tintsaba lebetilingana nayo kantsi futsi letinye betitindze kunayo. Lesakhiwo selithempeli lesabonwa nguHezekeli besisikhulu kakhulu. Lesakhiwo lesikhulu lesitungeletwe lubondza, besisikhulu kakhulu kutsi singenela eNtsabeni iMoriya. Besisikhulu kakhulu kangengekutsi besingeke senele edolobheni iJerusalema langesikhatsi saSolomoni. Labantfu labatfunjiwe bebangeke balindzele kutsi kugelete umfula mbamba losuka endzaweni lengcwele yelithempeli uyotfululeka eLwandle Lolufile, lapho bewungafika welaphe khona emanti langaphili. Kwekugcina, lendzawo yeLive Lesetsembiso lenetintsaba beyingavumi kutsi kungaba nemincele lelinganako emkhatsini wetive njengobe kuchazwa kulombono. Ngako lombono akukafaneli utsatfwe njengobe unjalo.

19-21. Jehova bekafuna kutsi umbono waHezekeli ubatsintse njani bantfu, futsi kungani bewungabatsintsa ngaleyo ndlela?

 ¹⁹ Kwesitsatfu, lombono bewutabatsintsa njani bantfu bangesikhatsi saHezekeli? Kungenteka labantfu badliwa ngemahloni nabacabanga ngetimiso taJehova letiphakeme letimayelana nekukhonta lokuhlantekile. Jehova watjela Hezekeli kutsi achaze “lithempeli kubantfu baka-Israyeli.” Hezekeli bekufanele alichaze kahle lelithempeli kuze ema-Israyeli ‘atohlolisisa ipulani yayo.’ Kungani labantfu bekufanele bacabangisise ngalelithempeli? Njengobe sibonile, injongo bekungasiko kutsi balakhe. Kunaloko, kunjengobe Jehova bekashito: “Kuze babe nemahloni ngenca yetono tabo.”—Fundza Hezekeli 43:10-12.

²⁰ Kungani lombono kungenteka watsintsa bonembeza bebantfu labanetinhlitiyo leticotfo futsi wabenta bativa banemahloni? Naka naku Hezekeli latjelwa kona: “Ndvodzana yemuntfu, nakisisa, ubuke, futsi ukulalele ngekucophelela konkhe lengitakutjela kona mayelana netimiso nemitsetfo yelithempeli laJehova.” (Hez. 44:5) Hezekeli weva timiso nemitsetfo ngalokuphindzaphindziwe. (Hez. 43:11, 12; 44:24; 46:14) Hezekeli naye bakavame kukhunjutwa ngetimiso taJehova, lokufaka ekhatsi ngisho nesimiso sebudze belikhyubhitha kanye nesimiso setikali letetsembekile. (Hez. 40:5; 45:10-12; catsanisa neTaga 16:11.) Tikhatsi letingetulu kwa-50 embonweni wakhe, Hezekeli usebentisa emagama elulwimi lwekucala latsi “kukala nesikali.”

²¹ Kungani Jehova bekatjela bantfu bakhe ngetikali, tisindvo, imitsetfo, kanye nangetimiso? Kubonakala shengatsi bekabakhumbuta nali liciniso lelibalulekile asebentisa emavi lacinile: NguJehova kuphela lokufanele abeke timiso letimayelana nekukhonta lokuhlantekile. Labo lebebakhweshile kuletimiso bekufanele badliwe ngemahloni. Kodvwa lombono wawafundzisa tiphi tifundvo lamaJuda? Esehlukweni lesilandzelako, sitawucoca ngetibonelo letitsite. Loko kutasenta sibone ngalokucacile kutsi lombono lomangalisako usho kutsini kitsi lamuhla.