ISAHLUKO 16
‘Beka Uphawu Eziphongweni’
IPHUZU ELIYINHLOKO: Indlela abathembekile ngosuku lukaHezekeli ababebekwa ngayo uphawu lokusinda, nokuthi ukubekwa uphawu kusho ukuthini osukwini lwethu
1-3. (a) Kungani uHezekeli emangale, futhi yini ayizwayo ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyiphendula?
UHEZEKELI umangele! Usanda kubona umbono wezinto ezinyanyisayo ezenziwa amaJuda ayizihlubuki ethempelini eJerusalema. * Lezo zihlubuki zingcolise indawo uNkulunkulu ayekhonzelwa kuyo ngendlela emsulwa kwa-Israyeli. Kodwa akulona ithempeli lodwa elingcolisiwe. Izwe lakwaJuda seligcwele udlame futhi ngeke lisalungiseka. Ecasulwe yizinto ezenziwa abantu bakhe abakhethile, uJehova uthi kuHezekeli: “Ngizobonisa ulaka lwami.”—Hez. 8:17, 18.
2 Yeka indlela okumzwisa ubuhlungu ngayo uHezekeli ukwazi ukuthi iJerusalema nethempeli lalo elalike laba ngcwele sekubangele uJehova ulaka futhi kuzobhujiswa! Kumelwe ukuba uHezekeli uyazibuza: ‘Kuthiwani ngabantu abathembekile abakuleli dolobha? Ingabe bona bayosinda? Uma beyosinda, bayosinda kanjani?’ UHezekeli akudingeki alinde isikhathi eside ukuze athole izimpendulo. Lapho nje eqeda kuzwa isahlulelo esibi seJerusalema, ube esezwa izwi elikhulu libiza labo abazokhipha isahlulelo sikaJehova. (Hez. 9:1) Lapho lo mbono uqhubeka, lo mprofethi uthola induduzo lapho ezwa ukuthi ngeke kubhujiswe bonke abantu, kodwa kuyobhujiswa abathile. Yebo, abafanelekayo bayosinda!
3 Njengoba lesi simiso esibi sezinto siphela, nathi kungenzeka sizibuze ukuthi siyosinda yini kule mbubhiso enkulu ezayo. Manje, ake sifunde ngalokhu: (1) Yini uHezekeli abe eseyibona embonweni? (2) Wagcwaliseka kanjani lo mbono osukwini lwakhe? (3) Lo mbono oyisiprofetho usho ukuthi kithi manje?
“Biza Labo Abazoletha Isijeziso”
4. Chaza lokho uHezekeli akubona futhi wakuzwa embonweni.
4 Yini uHezekeli abe eseyibona futhi eyizwa embonweni? (Funda uHezekeli 9:1-11.) Kwaqhamuka amadoda ayisikhombisa “evela ngasesangweni elingenhla elibheke enyakatho,” mhlawumbe eduze kwalapho okwakukhona umfanekiso wokukhonza izithombe othukuthelisa uNkulunkulu noma lapho abesifazane babekhalela khona unkulunkulu uTamuzi. (Hez. 8:3, 14) La madoda ayisikhombisa angena egcekeni elingaphakathi lethempeli ama eduze kwe-altare lethusi lokwenza imihlatshelo. Kodwa ayengalethile umhlatshelo. UJehova wayengasayamukeli imihlatshelo eyayenziwa kulelo thempeli. Amadoda ayisithupha ama, “ngayinye iphethe isikhali sayo sokuphihliza.” Indoda yesikhombisa yayihluke ngendlela ephawulekayo. Yayigqoke ilineni, ingaphethe sikhali kodwa iphethe “uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala” noma, njengoba kusho umbhalo waphansi, “into yombhali yokubamba uyinki.”
5, 6. Yini esingayisho ngalabo ababebekwa uphawu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)
5 Yayizokwenzani indoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki? Yathola isabelo esinzima esivela kuJehova uqobo lwakhe: “Nqamula edolobheni, eJerusalema, ubeke uphawu eziphongweni zabantu ababubulayo nabaqumayo ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezinengekayo ezenziwa edolobheni.” Mhlawumbe ngaleso sikhathi uHezekeli wakhumbula abazali abathembekile abangama-Israyeli okwakumelwe benze uphawu ngegazi engxenyeni ephezulu yeminyango nasezinsikeni ukuze izingane zabo ezingamazibulo zisinde ekubhujisweni. (Eks. 12:7, 22, 23) Embonweni kaHezekeli, ingabe uphawu olwalubekwa esiphongweni yindoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki nalo lwalusho ukuthi onalo uzosinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema?
6 Impendulo siyithola uma sicabanga ngokuthi uphawu kwakungolwani. Kwakumelwe lubekwe eziphongweni zalabo ‘ababebubula nababequma’ ngenxa yezinto ezinengekayo ‘ezazenziwa edolobheni.’ Ngakho, yini esingayisho ngalabo ababebekwa uphawu? Akukona ukukhonza izithombe okwakwenziwa ethempelini kuphela okwakubaphatha kabi, kodwa nokubona udlame, ukuziphatha okubi nokonakala okwase kugcwele eJerusalema. (Hez. 22:9-12) Babengayifihli indlela ababezizwa ngayo. Amazwi nezenzo zalabo bantu abaqotho ngokungangabazeki kwabonisa ukwenyanya kwabo izinto ezazenziwa ezweni, kwabonisa nokuzinikela kwabo endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. UJehova wayezobasindisa ngoba unesihe.
7, 8. Amadoda ayephethe izikhali zokuphihliza kwakufanele awenze kanjani umsebenzi wawo, futhi waba yini umphumela?
7 Amadoda ayisithupha ayephethe izikhali zokuphihliza kwakufanele awenze kanjani umsebenzi wawo? UHezekeli wakuzwa lokho uJehova awayala ukuba akwenze: Kwakufanele alandele indoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki abulale bonke abantu ngaphandle kwalabo abanophawu eziphongweni. UJehova wawatshela: “Kufanele niqale endlini yami engcwele.” (Hez. 9:6) Labo babulali kwakufanele baqale phakathi eJerusalema, ethempelini, elalingasesona isakhiwo esingcwele kuJehova. Ababulawa kuqala ‘kwakungamadoda amadala ayephambi kwendlu’—amadoda amadala angu-70 akwa-Israyeli ayesethempelini, enikela impepho konkulunkulu bamanga.—Hez. 8:11, 12; 9:6.
8 Waba yini umphumela? Njengoba uHezekeli ayeqhubeka ebukele futhi elalele, indoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki yabikela uJehova, yathi: “Ngenze njengoba nje ungiyalile.” (Hez. 9:11) Lokhu kusenza sizibuze: ‘Kwenzekani kulabo ababehlala eJerusalema? Bakhona yini abathembekile abasinda?’
Lo Mbono Wagcwaliseka Kanjani Ngosuku LukaHezekeli?
9, 10. Obani abanye babathembekile abasinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema, futhi singaphetha ngokuthini ngabo?
9 Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 36:17-20. Lesi siprofetho sikaHezekeli sagcwaliseka ngo-607 B.C.E. lapho ibutho laseBhabhiloni libhubhisa iJerusalema nethempeli lalo. ‘Njengendebe esandleni sikaJehova,’ abaseBhabhiloni babengamathuluzi uJehova awasebenzisela ukujezisa iJerusalema elingathembekile. (Jer. 51:7) Ingabe kwabhujiswa bonke abantu? Cha. Umbono kaHezekeli wawubikezele ukuthi bakhona ababengeke babulawe ngabaseBhabhiloni.—Gen. 18:22-33; 2 Pet. 2:9.
10 Kunabantu abaningana abathembekile abasinda, njengamaRekabi, u-Ebhedi-meleki umTopiya, umprofethi uJeremiya noBharuki unobhala wakhe. (Jer. 35:1-19; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) Ngokwalokho okushiwo embonweni kaHezekeli, kumelwe ukuba laba ‘babebubula futhi bequma ngenxa yezinto ezinengekayo’ ezazenziwa eJerusalema. (Hez. 9:4) Ngaphambi kokuba libhujiswe, cishe babonisa ukuthi abahambisani nobubi obabenziwa, babonisa nokuzinikela kwabo endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu, ngaleyo ndlela bazibeka ethubeni lokusinda.
11. Obani ababemelelwa amadoda ayisithupha ayephethe izikhali zokuphihliza nendoda eyayiphethe uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala?
11 Ingabe labo abathembekile babebekwe uphawu olubonakalayo lokuba basinde? Akukho la sifunda khona ukuthi kukhona umuntu—kungaba uHezekeli noma omunye umprofethi—owayehamba ebeka uphawu eziphongweni zabantu abathembekile eJerusalema. Ngokusobala-ke, umbono kaHezekeli oyisiprofetho usivezela lokho okwakwenzeka ezulwini, okuyinto abantu ababengayiboni. Indoda eyayiphethe uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala namadoda ayisithupha ayephethe izikhali zokuphihliza ayemelela izidalwa zomoya ezithembekile zikaJehova, ezihlala zilindele ukwenza intando yakhe. (IHu. 103:20, 21) Asingabazi ukuthi uJehova wasebenzisa izingelosi zakhe ukuze aqondise ukwahlulelwa kweJerusalema elingathembekile. Izingelosi zaqinisekisa ukuthi akubulawa wonke umuntu, njengokungathi zibeka uphawu eziphongweni zalabo okwakufanele basinde.
Umbono KaHezekeli Usho Ukuthini Osukwini Lwethu?
12, 13. (a) Yini eyenza uJehova walithukuthelela iJerusalema, futhi kungani kufanele silindele ukuthi uzokwenza okufanayo namuhla? (b) Ingabe iJerusalema elingathembekile lalifanekisela eLobukholwa? Chaza. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ingabe IJerusalema Lalifanekisela ELobukholwa?”)
12 Maduze sizobona uNkulunkulu ekhipha isahlulelo esingakaze sisibone ngaphambili—“usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungeke luphinde lube khona.” (Math. 24:21) Njengoba silindele leso senzakalo esikhulu, nansi imibuzo ephakamayo: Ingabe imbubhiso ezayo iyobulala wonke umuntu noma iyokhetha? Ingabe ngandlela-thile labo abakhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa bayobekwa uphawu lokusinda? Ngamanye amazwi, ingabe umbono kaHezekeli oyisiprofetho wendoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki uyagcwaliseka namuhla? Impendulo yale mibuzo emithathu inguyebo. Kungani singaphetha kanjalo? Ukuze sithole, ake sibuyele embonweni kaHezekeli.
13 Uyakhumbula yini ukuthi kungani uJehova athululela ulaka lwakhe eJerusalema lasendulo? Awuphinde ubheke uHezekeli 9:8, 9. (Yifunde.) Lapho uHezekeli ekhathazeke ngokuthi kwakuzobhujiswa “bonke abasele bakwa-Israyeli,” uJehova wamnikeza izizathu ezine zokuletha isahlulelo. Esokuqala, “isiphambeko” sesizwe ‘sasisikhulu kakhulu.’ * Esesibili, izwe lakwaJuda ‘laligcwele ukuchithwa kwegazi.’ Esesithathu, iJerusalema, inhloko-dolobha yombuso wakwaJuda, ‘laligcwele inkohlakalo.’ Esesine, abantu babethethelela izenzo zabo ezimbi ngokuzitshela ukuthi uJehova ‘wayengaziboni.’ Izwe lanamuhla nalo lonakele, linodlame futhi alithembekile njengoba lalinjalo iJerusalema lasendulo. Ngokuqinisekile, njengoba uJehova ‘engashintshashintshi noma aphenduke,’ lokho okwakumthukuthelisile ngosuku lukaHezekeli kusamthukuthelisa nanamuhla. (Jak. 1:17; Mal. 3:6) Kufanele silindele-ke ukuthi la madoda ayisithupha aphethe izikhali zokuphihliza nendoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki azoba nomsebenzi okumelwe awenze nanamuhla!
Amadoda ayisithupha aphethe izikhali zokuphihliza maduze nje azoba nomsebenzi azowenza (Bheka izigaba 12, 13)
14, 15. Yiziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyabaxwayisa abantu ngaphambi kokuba kufike imbubhiso?
14 Nokho, umbono kaHezekeli oyisiprofetho ugcwaliseka kanjani osukwini lwethu? Uma sibheka indlela lo mbono owagcwaliseka ngayo esikhathini esidlule, singathola ukuthi yini okumelwe siyilindele manje nasesikhathini esizayo. Cabanga ngezinye zezinto esizibonile zenzeka noma esisazozibona zenzeka ezigcwalisa isiprofetho sikaHezekeli.
15 UJehova uyabaxwayisa abantu ngaphambi kokuba alethe imbubhiso. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 11 sale ncwadi, uJehova wathuma uHezekeli ukuba abe “umlindi endlini ka-Israyeli.” (Hez. 3:17-19) Kusukela ngo-613 B.C.E., uHezekeli wawaxwayisa ngokucacile ama-Israyeli ngembubhiso eyayisondela. Abanye abaprofethi, abahlanganisa u-Isaya noJeremiya, nabo baxwayisa ngenhlekelele eyayizokwehlela iJerusalema. (Isaya 39:6, 7; Jer. 25:8, 9, 11) Osukwini lwethu, uJehova, ngoKristu, uye wasebenzisa iqembu elincane lezinceku zakhe ezigcotshiwe ukuba lingagcini nje ngokondla izikhonzi zakhe ezimkhonza ngeqiniso, abendlu, kodwa futhi lixwayise nabanye ngosizi olukhulu olusondela ngokushesha.—Math. 24:45.
16. Njengabantu bakaJehova, ingabe sibabeka uphawu labo abayosinda? Chaza.
16 Abantu bakaJehova abababeki uphawu labo abayosinda. Khumbula ukuthi uHezekeli akatshelwanga ukuba ahambe ebeka uphawu kulabo ababezosinda eJerusalema. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, abantu bakaJehova abathunyiwe ukuba babeke uphawu kulabo abazosinda. Kunalokho, njengabendlu kaKristu engokomfanekiso, thina sinikezwe umyalo wokuba sishumayele. Sibonisa ukuthi lo myalo asiwuthathi kalula ngokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngentshiseko nangokuxwayisa abantu ngomdlandla ukuthi leli zwe elibi selizophela. (Math. 24:14; 28:18-20) Ngakho sinengxenye ekusizeni abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa.—1 Thim. 4:16.
17. Yini okudingeka abantu bayenze manje ukuze babe sethubeni lokubekwa uphawu esikhathini esizayo?
17 Ukuze umuntu asinde ekubhujisweni okuzayo, kudingeka abonise ukholo manje. Njengoba sibonile ekuqaleni, labo abasinda ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. babonisa kusengaphambili ukuthi abahambisani nobubi nokuthi bazinikele endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Kuyafana nanamuhla. Ngaphambi kokuba kufike imbubhiso, abantu kudingeka ‘babubule baqume’—bezwe ubuhlungu obukhulu—ngenxa yokonakala kwaleli zwe. Esikhundleni sokufihla indlela abazizwa ngayo, kumelwe babonise ngamazwi nangezenzo ukuzinikela kwabo endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Bangakwenza kanjani lokho? Kudingeka basabele ngendlela efanele emsebenzini wokushumayela owenziwa namuhla, baqhubeke begqoka ubuntu obunjengobukaKristu, babhapathizwe njengophawu lokuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova, basekele nabafowabo bakaKristu ngobuqotho. (Hez. 9:4; Math. 25:34-40; Efe. 4:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:21) Yilabo abenza lokho manje—futhi abayongena osizini olukhulu bekhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa—abayobekwa uphawu lokusinda.
18. (a) UJesu Kristu uzobabeka nini uphawu labo abafanelekayo, futhi kanjani? (b) Ingabe abagcotshiwe abathembekile kuyadingeka babekwe uphawu lokusinda e-Armagedoni? Chaza.
18 Ukubekwa uphawu kwalabo abafanelekela ukusinda kuyokwenziwa uJesu. Osukwini lukaHezekeli izingelosi zazinendima ekubekeni uphawu kwabathembekile ukuze basinde. Ekugcwalisekeni kwalesi siprofetho kosuku lwanamuhla, indoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala imelele uJesu Kristu lapho ‘eza ngenkazimulo yakhe’ ezoba uMahluleli wezizwe. (Math. 25:31-33) UJesu uyofika phakathi nosizi olukhulu, ngemva kokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga. * Ngaleso sikhathi esibalulekile, ngaphambi nje kokuba i-Armagedoni iqale, uJesu uyokwahlulela abantu ngokuthi bayizimvu noma bayizimbuzi. Labo abayingxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ bayokwahlulelwa, noma babekwe uphawu lokuthi bayizimvu, okusho ukuthi ‘bayothola ukuphila okuphakade.’ (IsAm. 7:9-14; Math. 25:34-40, 46) Kuthiwani ngabagcotshiwe abathembekile? Akudingeki babekwe uphawu lokusinda e-Armagedoni. Kunalokho, bayobekwa uphawu lwabo lokugcina ngaphambi kokuba bafe noma ngaphambi kokuba kuqale usizi olukhulu. Kuyobe sekuthi esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kokuba i-Armagedoni iqale, bayiswe ezulwini.—IsAm. 7:1-3.
19. Obani abayobe behamba noJesu lapho ahlulela lesi simiso sezinto? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukububula Nokuquma, Ukubeka Uphawu Nokuphihliza—Kuyokwenzeka Nini Futhi Kanjani?”)
19 Inkosi yasezulwini, uJesu Kristu, namabutho ayo asezulwini bayokwahlulela lesi simiso sezinto. Embonweni kaHezekeli, amadoda ayisithupha aphethe izikhali zokuphihliza awazange aqale ukubhubhisa kwaze kwaba yilapho indoda eyembethe ilineni isiwuqedile umsebenzi wokubeka uphawu. (Hez. 9:4-7) Ngokufanayo, ukubhujiswa okuzayo kuyoqala ngemva kokuba uJesu ahlulele abantu bazo zonke izizwe, wababeka nophawu lokuthi bayizimvu ezifanelekela ukusinda. Kuyobe sekuthi phakathi nempi ye-Armagedoni, uJesu ahole amabutho akhe asezulwini akhipha isahlulelo, ayobe ehlanganisa izingelosi ezingcwele nabo bonke ayobusa nabo abangu-144 000, abhubhise leli zwe elibi aliqede liphele nya, bese ekhulula abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa bangene ezweni elisha lokulunga.—IsAm. 16:14-16; 19:11-21.
20. Yiziphi izifundo ezisiqinisayo esizifunde embonweni kaHezekeli wendoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala?
20 Asive sibonga ngezifundo ezisiqinisayo esizifunda embonweni kaHezekeli wendoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki lukanobhala! Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova ngeke abhubhise abalungile kanye nababi. (IHu. 97:10) Siyazi ukuthi yini okudingeka siyenze manje ukuze sibekwe uphawu ukuze sisinde esikhathini esizayo. Njengezikhonzi zikaJehova, sizimisele ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele ekumemezeleni izindaba ezinhle nasekuxwayiseni labo ababubulayo nabaqumayo ngenxa yobubi obusezweni likaSathane. Uma senza kanjalo singase sibe nelungelo lokusiza labo ‘abanesimo esihle sengqondo esiyobenza bathole ukuphila okuphakade’ ukuba bahlanganyele nathi ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa, ngaleyo ndlela babe sethubeni lokubekwa uphawu lokusinda bangene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga.—IzE. 13:48.
^ par. 1 Umbono kaHezekeli okhuluma ngezinto ezinyanyekayo ezazenzeka ethempelini kuxoxwe ngawo eSahlukweni 5 sale ncwadi.
^ par. 13 Enye incwadi yokucwaninga ithi igama lesiHebheru elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isiphambeko” linomqondo “wokonakala.” Enye incwadi iphawula ukuthi leli gama “lihlobene kakhulu nenkolo, futhi cishe ngaso sonke isikhathi lisetshenziselwa ukubhekisela kumuntu onecala lokushiya ngamabomu indlela elungile kaNkulunkulu.”
^ par. 18 Kubonakala sengathi lapho kubhujiswa iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, ngeke kufe bonke abantu abasenkolweni yamanga. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngisho nabanye abefundisi bangase bayishiye inkolo yamanga, bathi abakaze nje bona babe ingxenye yayo.—Zak. 13:3-6.
