1. Kwakutheni ukuze uYeremiya nabanye abaprofeti bakaYehova bangathi cwaka?

 “Liveni ilizwi likaYehova.” La yayingamazwi omhla nezolo kwizitrato nakwiimbutho zaseYerusalem ukususela ngowama-647 B.C.E. Naye ke umprofeti kaThixo wayenganikezeli. Nasemva kokuba eso sixeko sitshatyalalisiwe kwiminyaka engama-40 kamva, waqhubeka ebabongoza abantu. (Yer. 2:4; 42:15) UThixo uSomandla wathumela abaprofeti bakhe ukuze aqinisekise ukuba amaYuda ayasiva isiluleko sakhe aze aguquke. Njengokuba kubonisiwe ngaphambili kule ncwadi, uYeremiya wayebalasele phakathi kwabaprofeti bakaThixo. Xa wayethuma uYeremiya, uThixo wathi: “Umele uphakame uze uthethe kubo yonk’ into endikuyalela yona. Musa ukunkwantya.” (Yer. 1:17) Lo msebenzi wawungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. UYeremiya kwafuneka anyamezele iintlungu zokungonjwa nokudandatheka, kodwa phezu kwazo ezo zilingo, waziva enyanzelekile ukuba asifeze isabelo sakhe. Wathi: “Intliziyo yam iyaxokozela ngaphakathi. Andinako ukuthi cwaka.”—Yer. 4:19.

2, 3. (a) Abafundi bakaYesu bamxelisa njani uYeremiya? (b) Kutheni sifanele silandele umzekelo kaYeremiya?

² Indlela uYeremiya awawenza ngayo umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofeta yaba ngumzekelo omhle kubakhonzi bakaYehova ababeza kulandela. (Yak. 5:10) Kungekudala emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., iinkokeli zamaYuda zabavalela umpostile uPetros noYohane zisithi mabayeke ukushumayela. Uye wayifunda indlela abasabela ngayo. “Asinakuyeka  ukuthetha ngezinto esizibonileyo nesizivileyo.” (IZe. 4:19, 20) Emva kokubasongela ngokubenzakalisa xa babenokuphinda, ezo nkokeli zabakhulula bahamba. Uyazi ukuba kwenzeka ntoni. Ayikho into eyayinokuyekisa loo madoda athembekileyo ukuba ashumayele.

³ Ngaba uyayibona indlela amazwi kaPetros nakaYohane akwiZenzo 4:20 afana ngayo nakaYeremiya? Njengomlungiseleli kaYehova uThixo kwezi ntsuku zokugqibela, ngaba akuzimiselanga njengoYeremiya kula mazwi: ‘Andinakuhlala ndithe cwaka!’ Makhe sibone indlela esinokomelela ngayo njengoYeremiya size siqhubeke sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo phezu kwazo nje ezi meko ziya zisiba mbi.

 4. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esasixhaphakile kwiYerusalem yamandulo?

⁴ Ngaba akuqinisekanga ukuba isithembiso sikaThixo sekamva eliqaqambileyo xa kulawula uNyana wakhe zezona ndaba zimnandi zifunwa ngabantu? Kanti abaninzi namhlanje bathetha amazwi afanayo nawamaYuda awathi kuYeremiya: “Ngokubhekisele kwilizwi eli ulithethileyo kuthi egameni likaYehova, asikuphulaphuli.” (Yer. 29:19; 44:16) UYeremiya wayeweva umhla nezolo loo mazwi. Kunjalo ke nakubakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje, kuba abantu abaninzi bathi, “Andinamdla.” Ukungabi namdla kwabantu okuxhaphakileyo kunokubathez’ amandla abavakalisi boBukumkani. Ukuba kunjalo nakwintsimi okuyo, kwabathile ebandleni, okanye kwenzeke nakuwe, yintoni onokuyenza?

 5. (a) Wasabela njani uYeremiya xa abantu babengenamdla? (b) Kutheni sisithi basesichengeni sokufa nje abo bangenamdla kwiindaba ezilungileyo?

⁵ Qwalasela indlela awayecinga ngayo uYeremiya xa abantu abaninzi bakwaYuda babengenamdla. Xa wayeqalisa ukuprofeta, uYehova wamnceda wawubona umgwebo kaThixo owawusiza. (Funda uYeremiya 4:23-26.) Lo mprofeti waqonda ukuba ubomi bamawaka abantu babuxhomekeke  ekuveni kwabo amazwi awayeza kuwathetha baze bawathobele. Namhlanje abantu bakwimeko efanayo, kuquka nabo basentsimini okuyo. Ngokuphathelele “loo mini” yokugweba kukaThixo ihlabathi lanamhlanje elingendawo, uYesu wathi: “Iya kubazela bonke abahleliyo phezu kobuso bawo wonke umhlaba. Hlalani niphaphile, ngoko, lonke ixesha nisenza isikhungo ukuze niphumelele ekubalekeni zonke ezi zinto zimiselwe ukubakho, nasekumeni phambi koNyana womntu.” (Luka 21:34-36) Ngokusuka kula mazwi kaYesu, unokubona kakuhle ukuba abo bazigatyayo iindaba ezilungileyo basesichengeni sokufa.

 6. Kutheni umele utyhalele phambili nokushumayela, nkqu nakubantu abangabonisi mdla?

⁶ Noko ke, abo banomdla baze baliphulaphule ilizwi likaYehova esilishumayelayo baya kuvuzwa ngendlela engathethekiyo. UThixo usivulela indlela yokusinda kuloo ntlekele ukuze singene kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha. Zikho iinkalo okufana ngazo oku nobulungiseleli bukaYeremiya. Abemi bakwaYuda babenako ukusinda. (Funda uYeremiya 26:2, 3.) Ukuze ancede abo bantu, uYeremiya wachitha amashumi eminyaka ebabongoza ukuba ‘baphulaphule baze babuye,’ nokuba balithobele ilizwi loThixo oyinyaniso. Asazi ukuba bangaphi na abaguqukayo ngenxa yobungqina obanikelwa ngulo mprofeti. Kodwa bakho abaguqukayo njengokuba kunjalo ngabaninzi namhlanje. Njengokuba siqhubeka sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, sisoloko sisiva ngabantu abaye bathamba iintliziyo ebezikade zingamatye. (Funda ibhokisi ethi  “Umntu Ongenamdla Unokutshintsha,” kwiphepha 184.) Ngaba oko akumele kusenze sityhalele phambili kulo msebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo usindisa ubomi?

 7. Ziziphi iinzame ezenziwa ziintshaba ukuze zitshabalalise umsebenzi kaYeremiya wokuprofeta?

⁷ Enye into ebalaseleyo ngobulungiseleli bukaYeremiya yindlela abachasi bakhe ababesoloko bezama ngayo ukumtshabalalisa nomsebenzi wakhe. Abaprofeti bobuxoki babesilwa naye esidlangalaleni. (Yer. 14:13-16) Kwizitrato zaseYerusalem, wayeyinto nje yokugculelwa nokuhlekisa. (Yer. 15:10) Ezinye iintshaba zakhe zazimenzela amayelenqe okumhlazisa. (Yer. 18:18) Ezinye zazide zimhlebe ngenjongo yokuba abo bantliziyo zinyanisekileyo bangayiphulaphuli loo nyaniso kaThixo wayeyishumayela. (IZili. 3:61, 62) Ngaba wanikezela? Akunjalo, koko waqhubeka eshumayela. Wancedwa yintoni ukuze enjenjalo?

 8. Njengokuba iintshaba zakhe zazisiba nochatha ekumcinezeleni, uYeremiya wasabela njani?

⁸ Eyona nto yanceda uYeremiya ukuze ajamelane nayo yonke loo nkcaso kukuthembela kuYehova. Ekuqaleni kobulungiseleli bukaYeremiya uThixo wamxelela ukuba wayeya kumomeleza aze amkhusele. (Funda uYeremiya 1:18, 19.) UYeremiya waba nokholo kweso sithembiso, ibe uYehova akazange amphoxe. Njengokuba iintshaba zakhe zazisiba nochatha ekumcinezeleni, waya esiba nesibindi yaye enyamezela ngakumbi. Phawula indlela awancedwa ngayo kukuba nezo mpawu.

9, 10. Kwizinto ezehlela uYeremiya ziziphi ezinokukunceda ube nenkalipho?

⁹ Ngesinye isihlandlo ababingeleli nabaprofeti abanemvukelo baya kumisa uYeremiya phambi kweenkosana zakwaYuda ukuze zimbulale. Ngaba ezo zisongelo zabo zamtheza amandla uYeremiya? Nakanye. Waphumelela ekuzithetheleleni kwezo zityholo zabawexuki kangangokuba wasindiswa ekufeni.—Funda uYeremiya 26:11-16; Luka 21:12-15.

 ¹⁰ Khumbula ukuba emva kokuva isigidimi salo mprofeti, igosa letempile uPashure lamfaka ezitokisini. Mhlawumbi uPashure wayecinga ukuba oko kwakuya kumfundisa isifundo uYeremiya aze avale umlomo. Ngoko ngosuku olulandelayo uPashure wamkhulula. Nangona uYeremiya wayesentlungwini ngenxa yento eyamehlelayo, wathetha ngokungqalileyo noPashure, emchazela ngendlela uYehova aza kumgweba ngayo. Kodwa oko kungcungcuthekiswa akuzange kumval’ umlomo uYeremiya. (Yer. 20:1-6) Ngoba? UYeremiya uthi: “UYehova wayenam njengalowo unamandla ngokunkwantyisayo. Kungenxa yoko le nto bona kanye abo banditshutshisayo beya kukhubeka baze bangoyisi.” (Yer. 20:11) Akazange anikezele nkqu nakubachasi abanogonyamelo. Akakho omnye umntu awayenokuthembela kuye ngaphandle kukaYehova, kumele kube njalo nakuwe.

11, 12. (a) UYeremiya wayisebenzisa njani ingqiqo xa wayechaswa nguHananiya? (b) Yintoni onokuyizuza ‘ngokunyamezela ububi’?

¹¹ Mayingakusitheli into yokuba uYeremiya wayengenanzondelelo yempambano. Wayesebenzisa ingqiqo xa echaswa. Wayelazi ixesha lokurhoxa. Ngokomzekelo, cinga oko wakwenzayo kwimeko kaHananiya. Emva kokuba loo mprofeti wobuxoki ephikise isiprofeto  sikaYehova phambi kwabantu, uYeremiya wamlungisa waza wachaza indlela anokubonwa ngayo umprofeti wenyaniso. UYeremiya wayexwaye idyokhwe eyayifuzisela ukuzithoba kwiBhabhiloni; uHananiya walwa naye waza wayaphula. Asazi ukuba yiyiphi enye into awayeza kuyenza uHananiya emva koko. Ngoko wenza ntoni uYeremiya? Sifunda oku: “Umprofeti wahamba indlela yakhe.” Lo mprofeti wemka kuloo ndawo. Esalathiswa nguYehova, kamva wabuyela apho waza waxelela uHananiya ngoko kwakuza kwenziwa nguThixo—ukusiwa kwamaYuda ebukhobokeni eBhabhiloni nokubulawa kukaHananiya.—Yer. 28:1-17.

¹² Le ngxelo ikwenza kucace ukuba nangona simele sibe nesibindi xa sishumayela, sikwamele sisebenzise ingqiqo. Ukuba umninimzi akanamdla kwintshumayelo yethu aze abe nomsindo, de asisongele ngokusibetha, sinokucela indlela kakuhle size sidlulele kumzi olandelayo. Akuyomfuneko ukuba sibe sixambulisana nabantu ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Ngokuhlala kwethu ‘sinyamezela ububi,’ sivula ithuba lokuba siphinde sikwazi ukumnceda loo mninimzi ngelinye ixesha elifanelekileyo.—IMize. 17:14; funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:23-25.

13. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova athi kuYeremiya: “Musa ukoyika,” yaye kutheni simele sicingisise ngoku?

¹³ Abakhonzi abanyanisekileyo baye bachatshazelwa ziimeko ezazikho ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. Ngoko ke, usenokusiqonda isizathu sokuba uThixo athi kuYeremiya: “Musa ukoyika.” (Yer. 1:8; IZili. 3:57) Wada wamxelela ukuba akhuthaze nabanye  ngaloo mazwi. (Funda uYeremiya 46:27.) Sifunda ntoni koku? Kweli xesha lesiphelo liyingozi, maxa wambi sinokuziva sisoyika. Xa kunjalo, ngaba siza kuwaphulaphula amazwi kaYehova athi: “Musa ukoyika”? Phambili sikhe saxubusha ngendlela uThixo awamomeleza ngayo uYeremiya ngamaxesha obunzima. Makhe sihlolisise ngokufutshane oko kwenzekayo ukuze sibone eyona nto sinokuyifunda.

14, 15. (a) Sisiphi isichenge sokufa awazifumana ekuso uYeremiya? (b) UYehova wasizalisekisa njani isithembiso sokuba wayeya kumkhusela?

¹⁴ Njengokuba iBhabhiloni yayiqinisa ukungqonga kwayo iYerusalem, eso sixeko sabhuqwa yindlala. Kungekudala abaninzi baphelelwa kukutya. (Yer. 37:21) Phezu kwayo nje loo ndlala, uYeremiya waya kuvalelwa ngenjongo yokuba afele apho. Iinkosana zakwaYuda zacinezela uKumkani uZedekiya owayengenamqolo ukuba avumelane nazo. Ngenxa yazo uYeremiya waphoswa kwiqula elinzulu. Kwakungekho manzi kulo, kuzele udaka nje kuphela. Njengoko uYeremiya wayetshona kolo daka, waqonda ukuba akukho nto anokuyenza ukuze azisindise. Ukuba yayinguwe, ngaba wawungayi koyika?—Yer. 38:4-6.

¹⁵ Nakuba wayengumntu ofayo njengathi, uYeremiya wathembela kwilizwi likaYehova lokuba wayengenakuze amshiye. (Funda uYeremiya 15:20, 21.) Ngaba uYehova wamvuza ngokuba naloo ntembelo? Siyazi ukuba wamvuza. UThixo wabangela ukuba uEbhedi-meleki angazithobeli ezo nkosana ukuze ahlangule uYeremiya. Emva kokufumana imvume kakumkani, uEbhedi-meleki waya kumkhupha umprofeti kwelo qula linodaka, emhlangula ekufeni.—Yer. 38:7-13.

16. UYehova wabasindisa kweziphi iingozi abantu bakhe abanyanisekileyo?

¹⁶ Nasemva kokuba uYeremiya ekhutshiwe kwelo qula, ubomi bakhe babusesengozini. Engxengxezela uYeremiya, uEbhedi-meleki wathi kukumkani: “Uya kufa apho akhoyo ngenxa yendlala. Kuba akusekho sonka esixekweni.” (Yer.  38:9) Kangangendlela okwakunqongophele ngayo ukutya eYerusalem, abantu babhenela ekutyeni abanye. Sekunjalo, uYehova wangenelela ukuze ahlangule umprofeti wakhe. UYeremiya waqinisekisa uEbhedi-meleki ukuba wayeza kukhuselwa nguYehova. (Yer. 39:16-18) Wayengekasilibali isiqinisekiso sikaThixo esithi: “Ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule.” (Yer. 1:8) Ekubeni loo madoda mabini anyanisekileyo ayephantsi kweliso likaThixo uSomandla ngokwakhe, kwakungekho nalunye utshaba olungumntu nkqu nendlala olwalunokuwabulala. Asinda xa kwakutshatyalaliswa eso sixeko. Sifunda ntoni koku? UYehova wabathembisa ukuba uza kubakhusela, waza wasigcina isithembiso sakhe.—Yer. 40:1-4.

17. Kutheni umele ube nokholo nje kwisithembiso sikaYehova sokukhusela abakhonzi bakhe?

¹⁷ Ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto sikaYesu sokupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto sele kuza kufikelela encotsheni. Kungekudala “kuya kubakho imiqondiso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkwenkwezini, nokubandezeleka kweentlanga emhlabeni, zingayazi indlela yokuphuma . . . ngoxa abantu besifa isiqaqa ngenxa yoloyiko nolindelo lwezinto ezifikela umhlaba omiweyo.” (Luka 21:25, 26) Kufuneka silinde size sibone ukuba yintoni eya kwenzeka xa kuzaliseka le miqondiso  nokuba abaninzi baya koyika kangakanani na. Nokuba yintoni na eya kwenzeka, simele siqiniseke ukuba uYehova unawo amandla nomnqweno wokuba abasindise abantu bakhe. Kodwa ke kuza kwenzeka okwahlukileyo kwabo bangamkholisiyo. (Funda uYeremiya 8:20; 14:9.) Kwanokuba imeko abakuyo abakhonzi bakhe ayiniki themba, njengokweyela equleni, unokubahlangula. La mazwi athethwa nguThixo kuEbhedi-meleki aza kusebenza nakubantu bakhe: “‘Nakanjani na ndiya kukusindisa, yaye akuyi kuwa ngekrele; ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuba lixhoba lakho umphefumlo wakho, ngenxa yokuba ukholose ngam,’ utsho uYehova.”—Yer. 39:18.

18. (a) Ngawaphi amazwi awabutshintshayo ubomi bukaYeremiya? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngumyalelo kaThixo okuYeremiya 1:7?

¹⁸ “Ufanele uye kubo bonke abo ndiya kukuthuma kubo; kwaye ufanele uthethe yonk’ into endiya kukuyalela yona.” (Yer. 1:7) Ubomi bukaYeremiya batshintsha ngokupheleleyo emva kokuba efumene loo myalelo kaThixo. Ukususela ngoko, eyona nto wayeyixhalabele kukuvakalisa “ilizwi likaYehova.” Elo binzana livela ngokuphindaphindiweyo kule ncwadi kaYeremiya. Kwisahluko sokugqibela, uYeremiya ubalisa ngokuthinjwa kweYerusalem nokumkani wayo wokugqibela, uZedekiya. UYeremiya waqhubeka efundisa yaye ebongoza abantu bakwaYuda ukuba bathobele uYehova de kwacaca ukuba wayewugqibile umsebenzi wakhe.

19, 20. (a) Inkonzo kaYeremiya ingumzekelo njani kuwe? (b) Ukushumayela kudibana njani nokonwaba nokwaneliseka? (c) Ukunikel’ ingqalelo kwincwadi kaYeremiya neyeZililo kube naliphi igalelo kuwe?

¹⁹ Ininzi into esifana ngayo isabelo sikaYeremiya nobulungiseleli basesidlangalaleni obenziwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje. Njengaye, sikhonza uThixo wokwenyaniso kweli xesha lomgwebo. Ezinye iimbopheleleko onazo zifuna ixesha namandla; kodwa owona msebenzi ubaluleke  kakhulu unokuwenza kule nkqubo yezinto ngowokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngenxa yawo, udumisa igama elikhulu likaThixo yaye uyayamkela into yokuba unelungelo negunya lokuba nguMongami Wendalo Iphela. (Funda IZililo 5:19.) Kwakhona ubonisa ukuba ubathanda ngokwenene abamelwane ngokubanceda bazi uThixo oyinyaniso noko akufunayo kubo ukuze baphile.—Yer. 25:3-6.

²⁰ Ngokuphathelele umsebenzi awawunikwa nguYehova, uYeremiya wathi: “Amazwi akho afunyanwa, ndaza ndawadla; nelizwi lakho kum liba kukugcoba nemihlali yentliziyo yam; kuba ndibizwe ngegama lakho, Yehova Thixo wemikhosi.” (Yer. 15:16) Bonke abo bantliziyo zibashukumisela ukuba bathethe ngoThixo oyinyaniso banako ukufumana uvuyo nolwaneliseko olunjalo namhlanje. Ngoko unesizathu esihle sokuqhubeka uvakalisa isigidimi sikaYehova njengoYeremiya.