1-3. (a) Yayinjani imeko yabantu bakaYehova xa uZekariya wayeqalisa ukuprofeta? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova acele abantu bakhe ukuba ‘babuyele kuye’?

UMSONGO ophaphazelayo, umfazi ovalelwe ngaphakathi kwebhaskithi, nabafazi ababini ababhabhayo abaneempiko ezifana nezengwamza—zothusa nyhani izinto ekuthethwa ngazo kwincwadi kaZekariya. (Zek. 5:1, 7-9) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abonise umprofeti wakhe ezi zinto zothusayo? Yayinjani imeko yamaSirayeli ngelo xesha? Ithetha ntoni kuthi le mibono kaZekariya?

² Ngo-537 B.C.E. kwakuyimivuyo yodwa kubantu bakaYehova. Bakhululwa eBhabhiloni emva kweminyaka eyi-70 bethinjiwe. Bawuqala ngehlombe umsebenzi wokubuyisela unqulo lwenene eYerusalem. Ngo-536 B.C.E., kwabekwa isiseko setempile. Ngelo xesha abantu “babekhwaza kakhulu, yaye isandi sasivakala nakude.” (Ezra 3:10-13) Kodwa ke, kungekudala umsebenzi wabo wokwakha wachaswa. Abantu batyhafiswa ziingxaki nabubunzima ababejongene nabo, bayeka ukwakha itempile baza  baxakeka kukwakha imizi yabo nokulima amasimi abo. Emva kweminyaka eyi-16, umsebenzi wokwakha itempile wawumile. Abantu bakaThixo babefuna ukukhunjuzwa ukuba babuyele kuye, kwaye bayeke ukujonga izinto zabo njengezibaluleke ngaphezu koYehova. UYehova wayefuna babuyele kuye, bamnqule ngesibindi kwaye bazinikele kuye ngokupheleleyo.

³ UThixo wathumela umprofeti wakhe uZekariya ngo-520 B.C.E. ukuze akhumbuze abantu bakhe isizathu sokuba abakhulule eBhabhiloni. Kwaigama likaZekariya, elithetha “UYehova Ukhumbule,” lisenokuba labakhumbuza into ebalulekileyo. Nangona babeyilibele indlela uYehova abasindisa ngayo abantu bakhe, yena wayengabalibelanga. (Funda uZekariya 1:3, 4.) Wabaqinisekisa ukuba wayeza kubanceda baphinde bamnqule ngendlela ecocekileyo, kodwa wabalumkisa esithi akayi kuyamkela into yokuba benze uphela-sonwabe xa bemnqula. Makhe sibone indlela uYehova awabakhuthaza ngayo esebenzisa umbono wesithandathu nowesixhenxe kaZekariya. Siza kubona nezinto esinokuzifunda nathi?

4. Yintoni eyabonwa nguZekariya kumbono wesithandathu, kwaye ithetha ntoni into yokuba ubhalwe macala? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni 1.)

⁴ Isahluko 5 sikaZekariya siqala ngombono ongaqhelekanga. (Funda uZekariya 5:1, 2.) UZekariya ubona umsongo ophaphazelayo oziimitha ezisithoba ubude nezine nesiqingatha ububanzi! Awusongwanga, umntu angavele awufunde nje. Macala kubhalwe isigwebo. (Zek. 5:3) Imisongo idla ngokubhalwa icala elinye, kucacile ukuba lo unomyalezo onamandla nobalulekileyo.

5, 6. UYehova ubujonga njani ubusela?

⁵ Funda uZekariya 5:3, 4. Bonke abantu baza kuphendula kuYehova, ngakumbi abo bathwala igama lakhe. Abantu abamthandayo uThixo bayazi ukuba zonke iintlobo zobusela ‘ziyalihlasela igama loThixo wabo.’ (IMize. 30:8, 9) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni eyenza umntu ebe okanye uthetheleleka kangakanani ngenxa yeemeko zakhe, xa esiba, ubonisa ukuba ukunyolukela izinto kubaluleke ngaphezu koThixo kuye. Uwuthatha kancinci umthetho kaThixo, akanaxesha likaYehova kwaye igama lakhe liyinto nje engenamsebenzi kuye.

⁶ Ubonile phofu ukuba kuZekariya 5:3, 4 kuthiwa ‘isiqalekiso sasiza kungena endlwini yesela, sihlale phakathi endlwini yalo size siyitshabalalise’? Nokuba umntu angazitshixela endlwini yakhe, akanakukwazi ukusibaleka isigwebo sikaYehova. Naphi na apho bazifihle khona, siyafika size sibhence izono zabantu bakaYehova. Kwanokuba umntu angabufihla ubusela bakhe emapoliseni, kubaqeshi, kubadala, okanye kubazali, soze abufihle kuThixo, oyibeka icace into yokuba nabani na olisela uza kubhencwa. (Heb. 4:13) Kumnandi nyhani ukuhlala nabantu abasoloko befuna ukunyaniseka “kwizinto zonke”!—Heb. 13:18.

7. Sinokusibaleka njani isiqalekiso somsongo ophaphazelayo?

⁷ Zonke iintlobo zobusela zinezothe kuYehova. Kuyinyhweba kuthi ukuphila ngemithetho kaYehova, singenzi nantoni na eza kungcolisa igama lakhe. Ukuba senjenjalo, singakwazi ukuwubaleka umgwebo kaYehova oya kwabo bawaphula ngabom umthetho wakhe.

8-10. (a) Yintoni isifungo? (b) Sisiphi isifungo angazange asigcine uKumkani uZedekiya?

⁸ Omnye umyalezo okumsongo ophaphazelayo ulumkisa abo ‘benza isifungo  esinzulu egameni likaThixo bexoka.’ (Zek. 5:4) Isifungo kukuthetha amazwi angqina ukuba into iyinyaniso okanye sisithembiso sokuba uza kuzimisela ukwenza into okanye ukungayenzi.

⁹ Asiyonto encinci ukufunga ngegama likaYehova. Wenza loo nto kanye lo kumkani wokugqibela ukuhlala etroneni eYerusalem. UZedekiya wafunga ngoYehova esithi wayeza kuqhubeka ephantsi kokumkani waseBhabhiloni kwaye emnika nezipho. Kodwa ke, uZedekiya akazange asigcine isifungo sakhe. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wawisa esi sigwebo ngaye: “Ndiyafunga, . . . [uZedekiya] uya kufela eBhabheli, kwilizwe laloo kumkani wayembekile waza wasidela isifungo asenze naye, wasaphula isivumelwano.”—Hez. 17:16, iBhayibhile yesiXhosa Ka-1996.

¹⁰ Emehlweni kaYehova, uKumkani uZedekiya wayemele asifeze isifungo awayesenze egameni lakhe. (2 Kron. 36:13) Kunokuba enze loo nto, wacela uncedo kwiYiputa, ezama ukuphuncula kwidyokhwe yeBhabhiloni, kodwa akazange aphumelele.—Hez. 17:11-15, 17, 18.

11, 12. (a) Sisiphi esona sifungo sibalulekileyo esiya kuze sisenze? (b) Sithetha ntoni kuthi isifungo sokuzahlulela?

¹¹ UYehova uyasimamela nathi xa sisenza izithembiso. Zibalulekile kuye, kwaye kufuneka sizifeze ukuba sifuna asamkele. (INdu. 76:11) Kuzo zonke izithembiso esizenzayo, esona sibalulekileyo seso sisenza xa sizahlulela kuye. Ukuzahlulela kukwenza isifungo kuYehova sisithi sizimisele ukumkhonza nokuba sekutheni.

¹² Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sisigcinile isifungo esasenza xa sasizahlulela? Ukuma kwethu singagungqi xa kufika izilingo, enoba zingakanani, kubonisa ukuba sasingadlali xa sasisithi siza kudumisa uYehova “imihla ngemihla.” (INdu. 61:8)  Ngokomzekelo, xa umntu esiphangela naye okanye esifunda naye esincwasa, ngaba loo nto siyithatha njengethuba lokubonisa ukuba ‘siyakholiswa ziindlela zikaYehova’ ngokuthi sisibhebhethe eso sincwaso? (IMize. 23:26) Ukuba amanye amalungu entsapho awangomaNgqina, ngaba siyamcela uYehova ukuba asincede siziphathe njengamaKristu kungakhathaliseki ukuba abanye benza ntoni? Ngaba simbulela yonke imihla uBawo wethu osezulwini onothando ngokusikhokela nangokusithanda kwakhe? Ngaba siyazipha ixesha lokufunda iBhayibhile yonke imihla? Kanti bazalwana, besingathembisanga na ukuba siza kuzenza ezi zinto? Ukuba siyazenza, siya kube siyathobela. Xa sizinikela ngokupheleleyo ekunquleni uYehova sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda kwaye sizahlulele ngokwenene kuye. Ukunqula uYehova yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi, asenzi uphela-sonwabe. Ukwenza izinto esizithembisileyo kunceda kwathina; ukuba sithembekile, siba nekamva eliqaqambileyo.—Dut. 10:12, 13.

13. Sifunda ntoni kumbono wesithandathu kaZekariya?

¹³ Umbono wesithandathu kaZekariya usincedile sabona ukuba abantu abathanda uYehova abafanelanga bebe okanye bafunge baze bangenzi. Sifunda nokuba uYehova akazange awancame amaSirayeli nangona ayesiwa nganeno kwimithetho yakhe. Wayeqonda ukuba akululanga kuwo kuba ayejikelezwe ziintshaba. Ungumzekelo kuthi kuba uyazenza izinto azithembisileyo, ibe uza kusinceda nathi sizenze izinto ezizithembisileyo. Enye indlela asinceda ngayo kukusithembisa ukuba kungekudala, uza kuphelisa bonke ububi emhlabeni. Umbono olandelayo kaZekariya usenza siqiniseke ngelo themba.

14, 15. (a) Ubona ntoni uZekariya kumbono wakhe wesixhenxe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni 2.) (b) Umela ntoni umfazi ongaphakathi kwebhaskithi, ibe kutheni efakwa kuyo kuze kuvalwe ngci?

¹⁴ Emva kokuba uZekariya ebone umsongo ophaphazelayo, ingelosi imxelela ukuba ‘aphakamise amehlo.’ Uza kubona ntoni kumbono wakhe wesixhenxe? Ngoku ubona kuphuma ibhaskithi ebizwa ngokuba ‘yiefa.’ (Funda uZekariya 5:5-8.) Le bhaskithi ‘inesiciko selothe esisisazinge.’ Xa sivulwa esi siciko, uZekariya ubona “kuhleli mfazi uthile phakathi.” Ingelosi ithi lo mfazi usebhaskithini “buBungendawo.” Khawuthelekelele indlela uZekariya awothuka ngayo xa embona ezama ukuphuma kule bhaskithi! Ngoko nangoko, ingelosi imphosa ngaphakathi kwebhaskithi ize iyivale ngci ngesiciko esisindayo. Ithetha ntoni le nto?

¹⁵ Le nxalenye yombono isibonisa ukuba uYehova akayi kubunyamezela nabuphi na ubungendawo phakathi kwabantu bakhe. Uza kubuthintela aze abususe ngoko nangoko. (1 Kor. 5:13) Ingelosi isiqinisekisa ngale nto ngokuphosa isiciko selothe kule bhaskithi ize iyivale.

16. (a) Yintoni ngoku eyenzeka kwibhaskithi ye-efa? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni 3.) (b) Abafazi abaneempiko bayisa phi ibhaskithi ye-efa?

¹⁶ Ngoku kuthi gqi abafazi ababini abanamaphiko anamandla njengawengwamza. (Funda uZekariya 5:9-11.) Bahluke kakhulu kula mfazi usebhaskithini! Basebenzisa amaphiko abo anamandla ukuze baxhwile ibhaskithi enalo mfazi ‘obuBungendawo’ baze bemke nayo. Bamsa phi? Lo mfazi ubekwa “kwilizwe laseShinare,” okanye eBhabhiloni. Kodwa ke, kutheni besisa le bhaskithi eBhabhiloni?

17, 18. (a) Kutheni iShinare ‘iyindawo efanelekileyo’ amele ahlale kuyo umfazi ‘obuBungendawo’? (b) Yintoni esifanele sizimisele ukuyenza ngobungendawo?

 ¹⁷ KumaSirayeli awayephila ngexesha likaZekariya, iShinare yayiyindawo efanelekileyo ekwakunokuvalelwa kuyo uBungendawo. UZekariya kunye namanye amaYuda babenokuyingqina into yokuba iBhabhiloni yayiyindawo yobungendawo ngexesha labo. Ekubeni babekhulele kwesi sixeko singcolileyo nekwakunqulwa kuso izithixo, mihla le kwakufuneka baxhathise ifuthe labahedeni. Lo mbono umele ukuba wabazisela isiqabu, wabaqinisekisa ukuba uYehova wayeza kulugcina lucocekile unqulo lwakhe!

¹⁸ Kodwa ke, lo mbono wawukwakhumbuza amaYuda ukuba ayefanele alugcine lucocekile unqulo lwawo. Ubungendawo abusoze bunyebelezele kubantu bakaYehova buze buvunyelwe buhlale. Intlangano kaThixo ecocekileyo iyasikhusela kwaye inothando, ibe nathi kufuneka siyigcine injalo. Ngaba siza kuyigcina icocekile? Zonke iintlobo zobungendawo azifuneki kwiparadesi yethu yokomoya.

19. Ithetha ntoni kuthi imibono kaZekariya eyothusayo?

¹⁹ Umbono wesithandathu nowesixhenxe kaZekariya isisilumkiso kwabo banganyanisekanga, ibakhumbuza ukuba uYehova akabunyamezeli ububi. Abantu abamnqula nyhani bamele babenyanye ubungendawo, bangazenzisi. Le mibono iyasiqinisekisa ukuba uBawo wethu osezulwini uyasithanda. Ukuba sizama ngamandla ukuba yile nto uThixo afuna sibe yiyo ukuze asamkele yaye asikhusele, asiyi kusifumana isiqalekiso esibulalayo. Kunoko, uYehova uya kusisikelela. Asiyi kuzisola ngayo yonke imizamo esiyenzileyo ukuze sihlale sicocekile kweli hlabathi lingendawo. Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uza kusinceda siphumelele! Kodwa sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba unqulo lwenene luya kuhlala lukho kweli hlabathi lingamhloniphiyo uThixo? Yintoni esenza siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uza kuyikhusela intlangano yakhe njengoko imbandezelo enkulu isondela? Le mibuzo siza kuyiphendula kwinqaku elilandelayo.