1-3. (a) UHezekile wothuswa yintoni, ibe njengoko umbono yintoni ayiqondayo? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni?

UHEZEKILE wothukile! Usand’ ukubona izinto ezimbi ezenziwa ngabantu abajikele uYehova etempileni yakhe, eYerusalem. * Bangcolise kanye indawo akhonzelwa kuyo. Abangcolisanga itempile yodwa, kodwa lonke ilizwe lakwaYuda, kuba ligcwele abantu abathanda ukulwa. Imkhubekisa kakhulu uYehova le nto, kangangokuba uthi kuHezekile: “Ndiza kubohlwaya ndinomsindo.”​—Hez. 8:17, 18.

² Imkhathaza kakhulu uHezekile into yokuba iYerusalem netempile eyayikhe yangcwele zimenza umsindo uYehova, ibe eza kuzitshabalalisa. Inoba uyacinga ukuba: ‘Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngabantu abathembekileyo kweso sixeko? Ngaba baza kusinda? Baza kusinda njani?’ Zange kube kudala waphenduleka. Wathi egqiba kuva ngokugwetywa kabuhlungu kweYerusalem, wabe esiva ilizwi elikhulu liyalela ukuba itshatyalaliswe. (Hez. 9:1) Njengoko umbono uqhubeka, lo mprofeti uyaqonda ukuba akuzokutshatyalaliswa wonke umntu. Abathembekileyo baza kusinda.

 ³ Njengokuba lisiya ekupheleni eli hlabathi, kusenokwenzeka ukuba nathi siyazibuza ukuba ngoobani abaza kusinda xa kutshatyalaliswa. Ngoko makhe sithethe ngokuba: (1) Yintoni enye eyabonwa nguHezekile embonweni? (2) Lo mbono wenzeka njani ngexesha likaHezekile? (3) Uthetha ntoni kuthi?

4. Yintoni enye eyabonwa neyaviwa nguHezekile kulo mbono?

⁴ Yintoni enye eyabonwa neyaviwa nguHezekile kulo mbono? (Funda uHezekile 9:1-11.) Wabona amadoda asixhenxe “evela kwicala legeyithi ephezulu ejonge ngasemntla,” mhlawumbi ngakwindawo eyayinomfanekiso wekhwele, okanye ngakwindawo abafazi ababelilela kuyo uthixo uTamuzi. (Hez. 8:3, 14) Angena aza ema ngakwisibingelelo sekopolo. Kodwa ayengayelanga kubingelela. Laliphelile ixesha lokwenza imibingelelo eza kuthandwa nguYehova kuloo tempile. Amathandathu kuloo madoda ema, “nganye inesixhobo sokukroboza esandleni sayo.” Eyesixhenxe indoda yayahlukile. Yona yayinxibe ilinen, ingaphethanga sixhobo, kodwa “inophondo lweinki lukanobhala,” okanye “inento yokufaka i-inki kanobhala,” ngokutsho kombhalo osemazantsi.

5, 6. Sinokuthini ngabantu ababephawuliwe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁵ Yayiza kwenza ntoni le ndoda inophondo lweinki lukanobhala? UYehova wathi kuyo: “Tyhutyha isixeko saseYerusalem, ubaphawule ebunzi abantu abancwinayo nabagcumayo ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo esixekweni.” Mhlawumbi le nto yenza ukuba uHezekile acinge ngelaa xesha amaSirayeli aphawula imizi yawo ngokuqaba igazi kwimigubasi ukuze abantwana bawo abangamazibulo bangatshatyalaliswa. (Eks. 12:7, 22, 23) Ngaba nakulo mbono kaHezekile uphawu olusebunzi luthetha ukuba abantu abanalo baza kusinda xa kutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem?

⁶ Impendulo iza kucaca xa sijonga ukuba kwakutheni ukuze kuphawulwe abantu. Kaloku olu phawu lwaluza kubekwa emabunzini abantu “abancwinayo nabagcumayo” ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo ezazisenzeka “esixekweni.” Ngoko sinokuthini ngaba bantu babephawuliwe? Sibona ukuba babekhathazeke nyhani kukukhonzwa kwezithixo etempile nangabantu ababethanda ukulwa, ababeziphethe kakubi namaqhinga awayegcwele eYerusalem. (Hez. 22:9-12) Enye into, kusenokwenzeka ukuba zange bayifihle indlela ababeziva ngayo ngento eyayisenzeka. Amazwi abo nezinto abazenzayo abonisa ukuba babengafuni nokuyibona into eyayisenzeka apho, bengayithandi nendlela abantu ababemkhonza ngayo uThixo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba enenceba, uYehova wayeza kubasindisa.

7, 8. (a) Amadoda amathandathu awayephethe izixhobo zokukroboza ayeza kuwenza njani umsebenzi wawo? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni ngasekupheleni kwalo mbono?

 ⁷ Wona amadoda amathandathu awayephethe izixhobo zokukroboza ayeza kuwenza njani umsebenzi wawo? UHezekile weva xa uYehova wayewachazela into amawayenze. Wathi kuwo: Hambani emva kwale ndoda inophondo lweinki nize nibulale wonke umntu ngaphandle kwabantu abanophawu. Waphinda wathi: “Nize niqale engcweleni yam.” (Hez. 9:6) Ayemele aqale etempileni, kuba yayingasekho ngcwele kuYehova. Abantu bokuqala ukubulawa “ngabadala ababephambi kwendlu.” Aba badala bayi-70 babesetempileni bebingelela kwizithixo.​—Hez. 8:11, 12; 9:6.

⁸ Kwenzeka ntoni ngasekupheleni kwalo mbono? Njengoko uHezekile ebukele ibe emamele, wabona indoda enophondo lweinki isithi kuYehova: “Ndenze yonke into ubundiyalele  yona.” (Hez. 9:11) Kusenokwenzeka siyazibuza: ‘Kwenzeka ntoni kubantu baseYerusalem? Ngaba bakhona abasindayo xa yatshatyalaliswayo?’

9, 10. Ngoobani abanye abasindayo xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem, ibe sinokuthini ngabo?

⁹ Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 36:17-20. Lo mbono kaHezekile wenzeka ngo-607 B.C.E. xa umkhosi waseBhabhiloni watshabalalisa iYerusalem netempile yayo. UYehova wasebenzisa amaBhabhiloni ‘njengendebe esandleni sakhe’ ukuze ohlwaye abantu abangathembekanga eYerusalem. (Yer. 51:7) Ngaba kwabulawa wonke umntu? Hayi. Umbono kaHezekile wachaza kwangaphambili ukuba abanye babengazukubulawa ngamaBhabhiloni.​—Gen. 18:22-33; 2 Pet. 2:9.

¹⁰ Bakhona abantu abathembekileyo abaye basinda, njengamaRekabhi, uEbhedi-meleki umTiyopiya, uYeremiya umprofeti noBharuki unobhala wakhe. (Yer. 35:1-19; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) Njengoko sifundile kumbono kaHezekile sinokuthi bamele ukuba ‘babencwina yaye begcuma’ ngenxa yezinto ezazisenzeka eYerusalem. (Hez. 9:4) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba babonisa ngaphambi kokuba kutshatyalaliswe indlela ababeziva ngayo ngezinto ezimbi ezazisenzeka, nendlela ababezinikele ngayo kuYehova, bezibeka ethubeni lokuba basinde.

11. Indoda enophondo lweinki namadoda amathandathu anezixhobo zokukroboza amela bani?

¹¹ Ngaba abo bantu bathembekileyo babephawulwe ngokoqobo? Akukho nto ibonisa ukuba ukhona umntu, nokuba nguHezekile okanye omnye umprofeti, owaya eYerusalem waza wabeka uphawu lokoqobo emabunzini abantu abathembekileyo. Ngoko kuyacaca ukuba lo mbono kaHezekile, ubonisa into eyayisenzeka emazulwini, nengenakubonwa ngabantu. Indoda enophondo lweinki namadoda amathandathu anezixhobo zokukroboza, amela iingelosi zikaYehova, ezisoloko zikulungele ukwenza into uYehova athi maziyenze. (INdu. 103:20, 21) Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova wayesebenzisa iingelosi zakhe ukuze agwebe abantu ababengathembekanga eYerusalem. Uphawu olusemabunzini abanye abantu lwalubonisa ukuba kwakungazukutshatyalaliswa wonke umntu.

12, 13. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova akhuphele umsindo wakhe kwiYerusalem yakudala, ibe kutheni enokuba nomsindo nanamhlanje? (b) Ngaba iicawa zimela iYerusalem engathembekanga? Cacisa. (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “Ngaba IYerusalem Engathembekanga Imela Iicawa?”)

¹² Kungekudala, siza kubona intshabalalo evela kuThixo, oko kukuthi ‘ixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo engazange ibonwe ukususela ekuqaleni kwehlabathi de kube ngoku, nengasoze iphinde ibekho.’ (Mat. 24:21) Njengokuba sisalinde elo xesha, sisenokuba nemibuzo enjengethi: Ngaba le ntshabalalo izayo iza kutshayela bonke abantu? Ngaba abantu abakhonza  uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo baza kuba nento abaphawulwa ngayo eza kubanceda basinde? Ngamanye amazwi, ngaba umbono kaHezekile wendoda enophondo lweinki uza kwenzeka kweli xesha lethu? Impendulo kuyo yomithathu le mibuzo nguewe. Kutheni sisitsho? Ukuze sive isizathu, makhe sibuyele kulo mbono kaHezekile.

¹³ Uyasikhumbula na isizathu sokuba uYehova akhuphele umsindo wakhe kwiYerusalem yakudala? Khawuphinde ujonge uHezekile 9:8, 9. (Mfunde.) Xa uHezekile wayenexhala lokuba intshabalalo ezayo yayiza kutshayela “bonke abashiyekileyo kwaSirayeli,” uYehova wachaza izizathu ezine ezazimenza abatshabalalise. Esokuqala kukuba, “isiphoso” sabo ‘sasisikhulu, sisikhulu kakhulu.’ * Esesibini kukuba, ilizwe lakwaYuda ‘laligcwaliswe kukuchithwa kwegazi.’ Esesithathu kukuba, iYerusalem eyayilikomkhulu lakwaYuda ‘yayigcwele abantu abanamaqhinga.’ Esesine kukuba, abantu babeyithethelela indlela embi ababeziphethe ngayo, beziqhatha besithi uYehova ‘akaziboni’ izinto ezingcolileyo abazenzayo. Yiloo nto kanye esiyibonayo kweli hlabathi liziphethe kakubi, likhohlakeleyo, lonakeleyo nelingathembekanga. Ekubeni ke uYehova ‘engaguquguquki’ okanye ‘atshintshe,’ into eyayimenza abe nomsindo ngexesha likaHezekile ikwayile imenza abe nomsindo nakweli xesha lethu. (Yak. 1:17; Mal. 3:6) Ngoko sinokulindela ukuba umsebenzi owenziwa ngamadoda amathandathu awayephethe izixhobo zokukroboza nendoda enophondo lweinki, uza kwenziwa nakweli xesha lethu.

14, 15. Yeyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba uYehova uyabalumkisa abantu bakhe ngaphambi kokuba atshabalalise?

¹⁴ Lo mbono kaHezekile, uza kwenzeka njani namhlanje? Ukuba sijonga indlela owenzeka ngayo kudala, sinokubona ukuba singalindela ntoni ngoku nakwixesha elizayo. Makhe sijonge izinto esele sizibonile kwezo kuthethwa ngazo kumbono kaHezekile kunye nezo siseza kuzibona.

¹⁵ UYehova uyabalumkisa abantu bakhe ngaphambi kokuba atshabalalise. KwiSahluko 11 sale ncwadi, sibonile ukuba uYehova wayalela uHezekile ukuba abe ‘ngunogada kwindlu kaSirayeli.’ (Hez. 3:17-19) Kubonakala ukuba uHezekile waqala ngo-613 B.C.E. ukulumkisa abantu ngentshabalalo ezayo. Nabanye abaprofeti, abanjengoIsaya noYeremiya, bakha balumkisa ngentlekele eza kufika eYerusalem. (Isa. 39:6, 7; Yer. 25:8, 9, 11) Kweli xesha lethu, uYehova ngoKristu, usebenzise iqela labakhonzi bakhe elithanjisiweyo, ukuba lingapheleli nje ekondleni abakhonzi bakhe, kodwa lilumkise abantu ngexesha eliza kukhawuleza lifike lentlungu engathethekiyo.​—Mat. 24:45.

16. Ngaba abakhonzi bakaYehova baphawula abo baza kusinda? Cacisa.

 ¹⁶ Abakhonzi bakaYehova ababaphawuli abo baza kusinda. Khumbula kaloku ukuba zange kutshiwo kuHezekile ukuba makahambahambe eYerusalem aze aphawule abantu abaza kusinda. Nanamhlanje, abakhonzi bakaYehova khange kutshiwo ukuba mabaphawule abantu abaza kusinda. Endaweni yoko, siyalelwe ukuba sishumayele. Xa sichazela abantu ngeendaba ezilungileyo ezithetha ngoBukumkani BukaThixo size sibalumkise ngokutshatyalaliswa kweli hlabathi, sibonisa ukuba ubaluleke kakhulu kuthi lo myalelo. (Mat. 24:14; 28:18-20) Ngoko sincedisa kumsebenzi wokunceda abantu bakhonze uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo.​—1 Tim. 4:16.

17. Yintoni abanokuyenza abantu ngoku ukuze basinde xa kutshatyalaliswa?

¹⁷ Umntu kufuneka abonise ngoku ukuba unokholo ukuze asinde xa kutshatyalaliswa. Njengokuba besifundile, abantu abasindayo xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem ngo-607 B.C.E., babonisa indlela ababeziva ngayo ngezinto ezimbi ezazisenzeka, nendlela ababezinikele ngayo kuYehova ngaphambi kokuba kutshatyalaliswe. Kuyafana ke nanamhlanje. Ngaphambi kokuba kutshatyalaliswe, abantu kufuneka ‘bancwine baze bagcume,’ ngamanye amazwi, kufuneka zibakhathaze izinto ezimbi ezenzeka kweli hlabathi. Abamele bayifihle indlela abaziva ngayo, kodwa bamele  babonise ngamazwi nangezinto abazenzayo ukuba bazinikele kuYehova. Bangayenza njani loo nto? Ngokuthi bazamkele iindaba ezilungileyo, baqalise ukwenza izinto njengoKristu, babonise ukuba bazinikele kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa baze bangayeki ukuxhasa abathanjiswa. (Hez. 9:4; Mat. 25:34-40; Efe. 4:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:21) Ngabantu abenza ngolu hlobo, nabaza kube bemkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo uYehova xa kuqala ixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, abaza kuba nophawu lokusinda.

18. (a) UYesu Kristu uza kubaphawula njani abantu abaza kusinda, ibe nini? (b) Ngaba nabathanjiswa baza kuphawulwa? Cacisa.

¹⁸ NguYesu oza kuphawula abantu abaza kusinda. Ngexesha likaHezekile, neengelosi zazincedisa ekuphawuleni abantu abaza kusinda. Namhlanje, indoda enophondo lweinki ekumbono kaHezekile imela uYesu Kristu xa “esiza ekuzuko lwakhe” ezokugweba iintlanga. (Mat. 25:31-33) UYesu uza kuza ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, emva kokuba kutshatyalaliswe zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki. * Ngeli xesha libalulekileyo, ngaphambi nje kokuba kuqale iArmagedon, uYesu uza kugweba abantu njengeegusha okanye iibhokhwe. Abo ‘basisihlwele esikhulu’ baza kuphawulwa njengeegusha, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba baza “kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade.” (ISityhi. 7:9-14; Mat. 25:34-40, 46) Abathanjiswa abathembekileyo bona? Baza kuphawulwa  ngaphambi kokuba basweleke okanye ngaphambi kokuba kuqale ixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo. Emva koko, ngaphambi kokuba kuqale iArmagedon, abo baza kube beselapha emhlabeni, baza kunyuselwa ezulwini.​—ISityhi. 7:1-3.

19. UYesu uza kube ekunye nabani xa etshabalalisa eli hlabathi? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “Ukuncwina, Ukugcuma, Ukuphawula Nokukroboza​—Nini Ibe Njani?”)

¹⁹ UKumkani wasezulwini, uYesu Kristu, nemikhosi yasezulwini baza kutshabalalisa eli hlabathi. Kumbono kaHezekile, amadoda awayephethe izixhobo zokukroboza aqala umsebenzi wawo emva kokuba indoda eyayinxibe ilinen iwugqibile umsebenzi wayo wokuphawula abantu. (Hez. 9:4-7) Ngendlela efanayo, kuza kutshatyalaliswa emva kokuba uYesu egwebe zonke iintlanga waza waphawula abantu abaza kusinda. Emva koko, ngemfazwe yeArmagedon, uYesu uza kukhokela imikhosi yasezulwini, eza kube ineengelosi kunye ne-144 000, batshabalalise eli hlabathi lenza izinto ezimbi baze bona abo bakhonza uYehova kakuhle bangene kwihlabathi elitsha.​—ISityhi. 16:14-16; 19:11-21.

20. Zeziphi izinto esizifunde kumbono kaHezekile wendoda enophondo lweinki?

²⁰ Zisivuyisa nyhani izinto esizifunde kumbono kaHezekile wendoda enophondo lweinki. Ngoku siqinisekile ukuba uYehova akazukutshabalalisa abantu abathembekileyo xa etshabalalisa abo benza izinto ezimbi. (INdu. 97:10) Siyayazi nento esimele siyenze ukuze siphawulwe kwixesha elizayo size sisinde. Njengabakhonzi bakaYehova, sifuna ukusebenzisa naliphi ixesha esinalo ukuze sishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo, size silumkise abo bancwinayo nabagcumayo ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezenzekayo kweli hlabathi likaSathana. Sinokuba nenyhweba yokunceda ‘abo bazimiseleyo ukufumana ubomi obungunaphakade’ bamkhonze uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo, bezibeka ethubeni lokuba basinde baze babekhona kwihlabathi elitsha.​—IZe. 13:48.