1-3. Yini leyenta emaJuda lebekatfunjwe eBhabhulona ashintja indlela lebekativa ngayo? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesehluko.)

INDLELA emaJuda laseBhabhulona lativa ngayo seyishintje kakhulu! Besekuyiminyaka lesihlanu Hezekeli aphrofetha kutsi iJerusalema itawubhujiswa, kodvwa bantfu bebasolo bangakholwa kutsi loko kungenteka. Ngisho nobe bekasolo enta imiboniso, akhuluma ngemifanekiso futsi amemetela nemilayeto, kodvwa labatfunjiwe bebasolo bangafuni kukholelwa kutsi Jehova utawuvumela iJerusalema ibhujiswe. Ngisho nangesikhatsi beva kutsi lelidolobha livinjetelwe libutfo laseBhabhulona, kodvwa bebasolo baciniseka kutsi takhamuti takhona titawuvikeleka.

² Kodvwa nyalo, ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili kucalile lokuvinjetelwa, sikhoseli lesivela eJerusalema safika eBhabhulona, siletse umbiko lotsi: “Lelidolobha selincotjiwe!” Letindzaba tabadvumata kakhulu labantfu labatfunjiwe. Abazange bakukholwe konkhe loku: lidolobha lelitsandzekako, lithempeli lelingcwele, kanye nelive labo lebebalitsandza—konkhe kushabalele! Selilahlekile litsemba lebesekusikhatsi lesidze babambelele kulo.—Hez. 21:7; 33:21.

³ Nobe kunjalo, kulesikhatsi sekudvumateka, Hezekeli utfola umbono lonemandla futsi lomayelana nelitsemba. Lombono ubaphatsele  muphi umlayeto labantfu labatfunjiwe nalabadvumatekile? Lombono ubatsintsa njani bantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla, futsi umuntfu ngamunye angazuza njani kuwo? Kuze sitfole timphendvulo, asesihlolisise kutsi Jehova umembulela ini Hezekeli.

4. Yini Hezekeli layinakisisa kulombono lawubona?

⁴ Fundza Hezekeli 37:1-10. Embonweni, Hezekeli ubekwa esihosheni lesigcwele ematsambo. Kuze aciniseke kutsi Hezekeli ubona kahle, Jehova wamtjela kutsi ‘ahambahambe emkhatsini’ walamatsambo lasakatekele kuyo yonkhe lendzawo. Njengobe Hezekeli ahambahamba kulesihosha, wanaka tintfo letimbili ngalamatsambo: linani lawo kanye nesimo sawo. Watsi: ‘Lamatsambo bekamanyenti’ futsi ‘bekome kheshe.’

5. Ngumiphi imiyalo lemibili Jehova layiniketa Hezekeli, futsi kwentekani ngemuva kwekutsi Hezekeli sekayentile?

⁵ Jehova waniketa Hezekeli imiyalo lemibili lebeyitawucalisa lokubuyiselwa. Umyalo wekucala bewutsi: “Phrofetha kulamatsambo,” utsi kuwo ‘philani.’ (Hez. 37:4-6) Ngekushesha nje Hezekeli nakasaphrofetha, “kwaba nemsindvo, umsindvo webukhehlekhehle, futsi lamatsambo acala kuhlangana ndzawonye,” ngemuva kwaloko, “imisipha nenyama” kwavela kulamatsambo, “futsi ase avalwa sikhumba.” (Hez. 37:7, 8) Umyalo wesibili bewutsi: “Phrofetha emoyeni,” uwutjele kutsi “uphuphutse” lemitimba. Watsi Hezekeli nakaphrofetha, “umoya wangena kulemitimba, yase icala kuphila futsi yema ngetinyawo, yaba libutfo lelikhulu kakhulu.”—Hez. 37:9, 10.

6. Ngumaphi emavi aJehova lasita Hezekeli wawucondza lombono?

⁶ Ngemuva kwaloko Jehova wembulela Hezekeli kutsi lombono kufanele ucondvwe kanjani, watsi: “Lamatsambo angibo bonkhe bantfu baka-Israyeli.” Ecinisweni, ngemuva kwekutsi labantfu labatfunjiwe beve kutsi iJerusalema ibhujisiwe, beva shengatsi bafile. Ngako balila batsi: “Ematsambo etfu omile futsi litsemba letfu lishabalele. Kuphelile ngatsi.” (Hez. 37:11; Jer. 34:20) Jehova waphendvula lesililo ngekutsi embulele ema-Israyeli kutsi lombono lowetfusako wematsambo, ecinisweni bewuletsa umlayeto welitsemba kuwo.

7. Yini Jehova layembulela Hezekeli njengobe kubhalwe kuHezekeli 38:12-14, futsi ngusiphi sicinisekiso lokwasiletsa kubantfu bakhe lebebatfunjiwe?

⁷ Fundza Hezekeli 37:12-14. Ngalombono, Jehova wacinisekisa labantfu labatfunjiwe kutsi utawubenta baphile, ababuyisele emuva eveni labo, futsi abente bahlale khona. Ngetulu kwaloko, Jehova waphindze wababita ngekutsi ‘bantfu bakhe.’ Asingabati kutsi lamavi abajabulisa labantfu lebebadvumatekile futsi lebebatfunjiwe! Kungani bekufanele baciniseke kutsi lesetsembiso sekubuyiselwa besitawugcwaliseka? Kungobe nguJehova matfupha lobekabetsembisile. Watsi: “Mine Jehova lucobo lwami ngikhulumile futsi ngikwentile loko.”

8. (a) “Bonkhe bantfu baka-Israyeli” baba njani sesimeni lesifana nesebantfu labafile? (b) Hezekeli 37:9 ukuveta njani loko lokwabangela kufa kwema-Israyeli lokungekwemfanekiso? (Buka umbhalo longentasi.)

⁸ Lencenye yembono losiphrofetho yagcwaliseka njani esiveni saka-Israyeli wasendvulo? Nga-740 B.C.E., ema-Israyeli besekavele  alahlekelwe buhlobo bawo naJehova ngesikhatsi kuwa umbuso wetive letilishumi taka-Israyeli futsi bantfu bawo batfunjwa. Ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-130, ngesikhatsi bantfu bakaJuda nabo bayiswa ekutfunjweni, “bonkhe bantfu baka-Israyeli” besebatfunjiwe. (Hez. 37:11) Buhlobo lelicembu lebantfu labatfunjiwe lebelinabo naJehova besebufile futsi bufana nalamatsambo labonwa nguHezekeli embonweni. * Khumbula nekutsi Hezekeli akazange abone nje ematsambo, kodvwa wabona ematsambo ‘lebekome kheshe,’ lobekukhombisa kutsi simo salabantfu, lebesifana nekufa, besesichubeke sikhatsi lesidze kakhulu. Ngako lesimo semaJuda nema-Israyeli, satsatsa iminyaka lengetulu kwa-200, kusukela ku-740 kuya ku-537 B.C.E.—Jer. 50:33.

9. Ngukuphi kufana lokukhona emkhatsini wa-Israyeli wasendvulo ‘na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu’ kuletimo lababhekana nato?

⁹ Tiphrofetho letimayelana nekubuyiselwa kwema-Israyeli, njengaleto letakhulunywa nguHezekeli, tinekugcwaliseka lokukhulu. (Imis. 3:21) Njengobe nje nesive saka-Israyeli wasendvulo, “sabulawa” ngekwemfanekiso futsi sahlala sikuleso simo sikhatsi lesidze, ngako, ‘na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu’ lokulibandla lemaKhristu lagcotjiwe, wabulawa ngemcondvo longekwemfanekiso futsi wahlala akuleso simo sikhatsi lesidze. (Gal. 6:16) Ecinisweni, lokutfunjwa kwalelibandla lemaKhristu lagcotjiwe, kwatsatsa sikhatsi lesidze kakhulu kangangekutsi simo sebuhlobo bawo naNkulunkulu, besesingafaniswa nesimo sematsambo ‘lebekome kheshe.’ (Hez. 37:2) Njengobe kuchaziwe esehlukweni lesendlulile, kutfunjwa kwelibandla lemaKhristu lagcotjiwe kwacala ngelikhulu lesibili C.E. futsi kwadvonsa emakhulu  eminyaka, njengobe nje Jesu bekavetile emfanekisweni wakhe weMbuso lobewukhuluma ngakolo nelukhula.—Mat. 13:24-30.

10. (a) Nguluphi lushintjo lolwenteka kubantfu baNkulunkulu njengobe bekuphrofethiwe kuHezekeli 37:7, 8? (b) Ngutiphi tintfo lokungenteka takucinisa kancane kancane kukholwa kwebantfu labesaba Nkulunkulu lebebatfunjiwe?

¹⁰ Etikhatsini tasendvulo, Jehova bekabiketele kutsi bantfu bakhe bebatawubuyiselwa ekuphileni. (Hez. 37:7, 8) Ngako, ngutiphi letinye tetintfo letenta bantfu labatfunjiwe lebebasaba Nkulunkulu kutsi kancane kancane babe nekukholwa kutsi litsemba labo lekubuyela ka-Israyeli belitawugcwaliseka? Lomunye umtfombo welitsemba kungenteka bekungemavi lebekashiwo baphrofethi bangaphambili. Sibonelo saloko nje kutsi Isaya bekabiketele kutsi labasele ‘lokuyinhlanyelo lengcwele,’ bebatawubuyela eveni labo. (Isa. 6:13; Jobe 14:7-9) Ngetulu kwaloko, asingabati kutsi tiphrofetho letinyenti letimayelana nekubuyiselwa letabhalwa nguHezekeli tenta kutsi litsemba lalabantfu lichubeke liphila. Kuba khona kwemadvodza letsembekile eBhabhulona, lafaka ekhatsi umphrofethi Danyela, nekuwa kwalelidolobha nga-539 B.C.E. nako kwalicinisa litsemba lebantfu lebebatfunjiwe kutsi bebatawubuyela emuva.

11, 12. (a) “Israyeli waNkulunkulu” wabuyiselwa njani kancane kancane? (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “Kukhonta Lokuhlantekile—Kuyabuyiselwa Kancane Kancane.”) (b) Emavi latfolakala kuHezekeli 37:10 aphakamisa muphi umbuto?

¹¹ Kubuyiselwa kancane kancane lokufana naloko lokwenteka endvulo kwenteka njani ‘ku-Israyeli waNkulukulu,’ lokulibandla lemaKhristu lagcotjiwe? Emakhulwini lamanyenti eminyaka bakulesimo sekufa ekutfunjweni kwabo, “kwaba nemsindvo, umsindvo webukhehlekhehle,” kulabantfu lebebasaba Nkulunkulu njengobe bebamelela kukhonta kweliciniso. Nasi sibonelo, ngelikhulu  lesi-16 leminyaka, William Tyndale wahumusha liBhayibheli ngelulwimi lwesiNgisi. Bafundisi belisontfo lemaRoma Katolika batfukutsela nabeva kutsi liBhayibheli selitawukhona kufundvwa nabantfu labavamile. Ngako Tyndale wabulawa. Nanobe kunjalo, kukhona bantfu lebebanesibindzi labachubeka nekuhumusha liBhayibheli ngetilwimi letinyenti, futsi bantfu labanyenti bakhona kufundza liVi laNkulunkulu.

¹² Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Charles T. Russell kanye nalebekabambisene nabo, bacala kusebenta ngekutimisela kute babuyisele emaciniso eliBhayibheli, futsi kwaba shengatsi “imisipha kanye nenyama” kuyavela kulamatsambo. I-Zion’s Watch Tower kanye naletinye tincwadzi tasita bantfu labanetinhlitiyo leticotfo kutsi batfole emaciniso lavela eBhayibhelini, labasita kutsi batihlanganise netinceku taNkulunkulu letigcotjiwe. Ekucaleni kwabo-1900, bantfu baNkulunkulu labagcotjiwe bachubeka baciniswa, kusetjentiswa emathulusi lafana ne-“Photo-Drama of Creation” kanye nencwadzi letsi The Finished Mystery. Ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko, sikhatsi sekutsi Nkulunkulu ente bantfu bakhe ‘beme ngetinyawo’ sefika. (Hez. 37:10) Loko kwenteka nini futsi kanjani? Tintfo letenteka eBhabhulona yasendvulo tiyasisita kutsi siphendvule lombuto.

13. (a) Emavi latfolakala kuHezekeli 37:10, 14 agcwaliseka njani kusukela nga-537 B.C.E., kuchubeke? (b) Ngumiphi imibhalo lekhombisa kutsi lamanye emalunga embuso wetive letilishumi abuyela ka-Israyeli?

¹³ Kusukela nga-537 B.C.E., emaJuda lebekaseBhabhulona abona kugcwaliseka kwalombono. Kanjani? Jehova wabenta baphila futsi ‘bema ngetinyawo’ ngekutsi abakhulule ekutfunjweni futsi ababuyisele ka-Israyeli. Licembu lema-Israyeli langu-42 360 kanye nalabanye lebebangasiwo ema-Israyeli labangaba ngu-7 000 bashiya iBhabhulona kute bayokwakha kabusha iJerusalema nelithempeli lalo futsi bahlale kulelo live. (Ezra 1:1-4; 2:64, 65; Hez. 37:14) Ngemuva kweminyaka lengaba ngu-70 labatfunjiwe labangaba ngu-1 750 bahamba na-Ezra nakabuyela eJerusalema. (Ezra 8:1-20) Naseka onkhe emaJuda labuyela emuva bekangetulu kwa-44 000—leli ‘bekulibutfo lelikhulu kakhulu.’ (Hez. 37:10) Ngetulu kwaloko, liVi laNkulunkulu liveta kutsi emalunga embuso wetive letilishumi, lawo bokhokho bawo bewatfunjwe ngema-Asiriya ngelikhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., nawo abuyela ka-Israyeli kute asite ekwakheni kabusha lithempeli.—1 Khr. 9:3; Ezra 6:17; Jer. 33:7; Hez. 36:10.

14. (a) Emavi lakuHezekeli 37:24 asisita njani kutsi sicondze sikhatsi sekugcwaliseka kwalesiphrofetho lesibalulekile? (b) Kwentekani nga-1919? (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “‘Ematsambo Lomile’ Kanye ‘Nabofakazi Lababili’—Kuhlobana Njani?”)

¹⁴ Lencenye yesiphrofetho saHezekeli yagcwaliseka njani ngelizinga lelikhulu? Njengobe Jehova embulela Hezekeli esiphrofethweni lesifanako, kugcwaliseka lokukhulu kwalesiphrofetho lesimayelana nekubuyiselwa bekutawenteka esikhatsini lesitsite ngemuva kwekutsi Davide Lomkhulu, lokunguJesu Khristu, acale  kubusa njengeNkhosi. * (Hez. 37:24) Ngako, nga-1919 Jehova wafaka umoya wakhe kubantfu bakhe. Umphumela waba kutsi ‘baphila’ futsi bakhululwa ekutfunjweni yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu. (Isa. 66:8) Ngemuva kwaloko, Jehova wabavumela kutsi bahlale ‘eveni’ labo, lokusho kuba nekuthula naNkulunkulu. Nobe kunjalo, bantfu baJehova lamuhla babe njani “libutfo lelikhulu”?

15, 16. (a) Bantfu baJehova esikhatsini salamuhla, babe njani “libutfo lelikhulu”? (b) Lesiphrofetho saHezekeli sisisita njani kutsi sikhone kumelane netimo letimatima ekuphileni? (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “Lokungasisita Sivuke Sime Ngetinyawo.”)

¹⁵ Kungakapheli sikhatsi lesingakanani ngemuva kwekutsi Khristu abeke sisebenti lesetsembekile nga-1919, tinceku taNkulunkulu tacala kubona kugcwaliseka kwemavi aZakhariya umphrofethi lowabuya nema-Israyeli ekutfunjweni, njengobe bekatsi: “Tive letinemandla kanye nebantfu labanyenti batewukhonta Jehova.” Lomphrofethi wachaza labantfu lebebakhonta Jehova ngekutsi ngemadvodza “langu-10 lavela kuto tonkhe tilwimi netive.” Lamadvodza bekatawubambisisa ‘umJuda,’ lokungu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu atsi: “Sifuna kuhamba nani, ngobe sivile kutsi Nkulunkulu unani.”—Zak. 8:20-23.

¹⁶ Lamuhla, Israyeli waNkulunkulu (lokungulabagcotjiwe labasele) kanye ‘nemadvodza langu-10’ (lokunguletinye timvu) bakha “libutfo lelikhulu kakhulu” lelitigidzi letinyenti. (Hez. 37:10) Njengobe singemasotja aKhristu kulelibutfo lelichubeka landza, siyilandzela edvute iNkhosi Jesu, njengobe sibuke tibusiso letisembikwetfu.—Hla. 37:29; Hez. 37:24; Fil. 2:25; 1 Thes. 4:16, 17.

17. Sitawucoca ngani esehlukweni lesilandzelako?

¹⁷ Lokubuyiselwa kwekukhonta lokuhlantekile bekutawuletsela bantfu baNkulunkulu umsebenti lobalulekile. Uyini lomsebenti? Kuze sitfole imphendvulo yalombuto, kudzingeka sibuyele emuva siyohlola umsebenti Jehova lawunika Hezekeli ngaphambi kwekutsi iJerusalema ibhujiswe. Loko sitawucoca ngako esehlukweni lesilandzelako salencwadzi.