1. Ziziphi iintsikelelo okhangele kuzo ngokukhethekileyo kwihlabathi elitsha?

 “IHLABATHI elitsha.” Xa usiva loo mazwi ngaba uye ucinge ngeentsikelelo ezibonakalayo ezaxelwa kwangaphambili? Mhlawumbi ucinga ngabantu abafezekileyo, ukutya okusempilweni, ukuba seluxolweni nezilwanyana okanye indawo yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo. Umele ukuba uyazazi iindinyana zeBhayibhile elisekelwe kuzo elo themba. Noko ke, kukho enye intsikelelo ebalulekileyo ongamele uyilibale—ukuphila ngokomoya nangokweemvakalelo. Ukuba akuphilanga ngokomoya nangokweemvakalelo, akusoze ukwazi ukonwaba.

2, 3. Izinto ezabhalwa nguYeremiya zisinceda sikhangele phambili kweziphi iintsikelelo ezikhethekileyo?

² Xa wayexelela uYeremiya kusengaphambili ngokukhululwa kwamaYuda eBhabhiloni, uThixo wayenikele ingqalelo kwindlela awayeza kuvakalelwa ngayo xa wathi: “Usaya kuzivathisa ngeentambula uze okunene uphumele kumngqungqo wabo bahlekayo.” (Funda uYeremiya 30:18, 19; 31:4, 12-14.) UThixo wongezelela la mazwi asenokuba ayakuchukumisa nawe: “Ndiya kuwanelisa umphefumlo wabo odiniweyo, nomphefumlo wonke odangeleyo ndiya kuwuzalisa.” INET Bible ithi xa iguqulela esi sithembiso sikaThixo: “Ndiya kuzanelisa ngokupheleleyo iintswelo zabo batyhafileyo ndize ndiyihlaziye imiphefumlo yabo badiniweyo.”—Yer. 31:25.

 ³ Livuyisa ngokwenene elo themba! UYehova wathi wayeya kumanelisa ngokupheleleyo lowo udiniweyo nodangeleyo. UThixo uyazifezekisa izithembiso zakhe. Oko kwabhalwa nguYeremiya kusiqinisekisa ukuba nathi siza kwaneliswa. Ukongezelela koko, imibhalo yakhe isinceda sikwazi ukuqonda indlela esinokukhuthazwa ngayo size sihlale sinethemba kwanangoku. Isibonisa nendlela esinokubakhuthaza ngayo abanye size sibancede bayeke ukudangala.

 4. Kutheni siyiqonda nje indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uYeremiya?

⁴ Eso sithembiso sasimthuthuzela uYeremiya ibe sinokusithuthuzela nathi. Ngoba? Khumbula ingongoma ekuthethwa ngayo kwiSahluko 1 sale ncwadi—leyo yokuba uYeremiya “wayengumntu oneemvakalelo ezinjengezethu,” kanye njengoEliya. (Yak. 5:17) Cinga ngezizathu ezimbalwa ezazinokubangela ukuba uYeremiya adimazeke okanye adandatheke maxa wambi. Njengokuba usenjenjalo, cinga ngendlela obuya kuvakalelwa ngayo xa ukwiimeko ezifana nezo nezizathu zokuba ezo meko zikudimaze.—Roma 15:4.

 5. Yintoni emele ukuba yayimdimaza uYeremiya?

⁵ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba enye into eyayidimaza uYeremiya, ngabantu bedolophu yakowabo. Wakhulela eAnatoti, isixeko sabaLevi esasikumgama weekhilomitha ezingephi kumntla-mpuma weYerusalem. Lo mprofeti umele ukuba wayenabantu abaziyo nezalamane eAnatoti. UYesu wathi umprofeti akanikwa mbeko kowabo, ibe kwaba njalo nakuYeremiya. (Yoh. 4:44) Abantu balapho abazange banele nje ukungabi namdla okanye ukungamhloneli. Ngesinye isihlandlo uThixo wathi ‘abantu baseAnatoti babefuna umphefumlo kaYeremiya.’ Beneengcwangu bathi: “Umele ungaprofeti egameni likaYehova, ukuze ungafi ngesandla sethu.” Sasisothusa noko ke eso isisongelo xa sivela kubamelwane nezalamane ezazimele ukuba ziyamxhasa.—Yer. 1:1; 11:21.

 6. Indlela awaphathwa ngayo uYeremiya ‘ngabantu baseAnatoti’ ingakunceda njani xa uchaswa ngabantu osebenza nabo okanye abanye?

⁶ Ukuba nawe ucinezelwa ngabamelwane, abanye ofunda  nabo, nosebenza nabo okanye amalungu entsapho, umele uthuthuzelwe yindlela uYehova awamphatha ngayo uYeremiya. UThixo wathi wayeya ‘kunikela ingqalelo yakhe’ kubantu baseAnatoti ababechasa umprofeti wakhe. (Funda uYeremiya 11:22, 23.) Isiqinisekiso awasenzayo uThixo kuYeremiya simele ukuba samnceda wakwazi ukujamelana nokudinyazwa ngabantu bakowabo. Kamva uThixo wayeza kunikela ingqalelo aze azise “intlekele phezu kwabantu baseAnatoti,” ibe wakwenza oko. Qiniseka ukuba uYehova uyayibona neyakho imeko. (INdu. 11:4; 66:7) ‘Ukuhlala’ kwakho kwiimfundiso zeBhayibhile usenza okulungileyo kunokunceda abo bakuchasayo babhungce kwintlekele ebiya kubehlela.—1 Tim. 4:16.

7, 8. Wabandezeleka njani uYeremiya, yaye waziva njani?

⁷ Abantu bakuloYeremiya abazange baphelele nje ekumsongeleni ngamazwi. Esinye isiganeko esamehlelayo siphathelele indoda eyayisaziwa eYerusalem, umbingeleli ekuthiwa nguPashure. a Wathi akuva isiprofeto esivela kuThixo, “uPashure wambetha uYeremiya umprofeti waza wamfaka ezitokisini.” (Yer. 20:1, 2) Loo mazwi akathethi nje ukuqhwatywa ngempama. Bambi bakholelwa ukuba uPashure wayalela ukuba uYeremiya abethwe okanye akatswe imivumbo enokufikelela kuma-40. (Dut. 25:3) Ngoxa uYeremiya wayebethwa, abantu bamele ukuba babemtshixizela amazinyo bemthuka, de bamtshicele. Akuzange kuphelele apho. UPashure wayalela ukuba uYeremiya alaliswe “ezitokisini” ubusuku bonke. Igama lesiHebhere elisetyenziswe apha libonisa ukuba wayedityaniswe izandla neenyawo. Ngenkohlakalo, watyiswa ngeentlungu ubusuku bonke, mhlawumbi eqanyangelwe kwiplanga.

⁸ Waziva njani uYeremiya emva kwale mpatho? Wathi kuThixo: “Ndibe yintlekisa imini yonke.” (Yer. 20:3-7)  Wada wacinga nokuyeka ukuthetha ngegama likaThixo. Noko ke, uyazi ukuba uYeremiya wayengenakwenjenjalo, ibe akazange ayeke ukuthetha. Kunoko, isigidimi awayethunywe nguThixo ukuba asivakalise saba “ngathi ngumlilo ovuthayo ovalelwe emathanjeni” akhe, yaye kwafuneka ethethile ngoYehova.—Funda uYeremiya 20:8, 9.

 9. Kutheni kunokusinceda nje ukucinga ngemeko kaYeremiya?

⁹ Le ngxelo kaYeremiya inokusinceda nathi xa sigculelwa ngabantu esibaziyo, enoba zizalamane, abamelwane, abantu esisebenza nabo, okanye esifunda nabo. Asimele simangaliswe yinto yokuba maxa wambi inkcaso enjalo iye isidimaze. Oko kunokwenzeka naxa siphathwa kakubi ngenxa yokubambelela kunqulo oluyinyaniso. Umntu ongafezekanga uYeremiya wehlelwa zizinto ezinjalo, yaye nathi sineemvakalelo ezifana nezakhe. Sekunjalo, simele singaze silibale ukuba uThixo wamnceda uYeremiya waphinda  wakwazi ukonwaba yaye wazithemba. Akazange ahlale edimazekile yaye simele sibe njalo nathi.—2 Kor. 4:16-18.

10. Yintoni eboniswa yiBhayibhile ngokuphathelele indlela uYeremiya awayevakalelwa ngayo?

¹⁰ Maxa wambi wayevakalelwa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngaba kukhe kube njalo nakuwe—mhlawumbi, namhlanje wonwabe kodwa ngomso udakumbe uze ungabi nathemba? Ngokuphathele ukonwaba kwakhe, phawula amazwi akuYeremiya 20:12, 13. (Wafunde.) Emva kokutshutshiswa nguPashure, uYeremiya wavuyiswa yinto yokuba eye wahlangulwa “esandleni sabenzi bobubi” kanye njengehlwempu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba akho amaxesha oye waziva uchulumancile, ulangazelela ukumvumela ingoma uYehova, enoba oko kwenzeka emva kokuba uhlangulwe okanye ngenxa yento entle eyenzekileyo ebomini okanye kwinkonzo yamaKristu. Kumnandi ngokwenene ukuvakalelwa ngolo hlobo!—IZe. 16:25, 26.

11. Ukuba sivakalelwa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, yintoni esimele siyikhumbule ngoYeremiya?

¹¹ Ngenxa yokungafezeki, nathi inokutshintsha indlela esivakalelwa ngayo njengoko kwakunjalo nakuYeremiya. Emva kokudanduluka athi “mvumeleni uYehova,” wadandatheka, mhlawumbi kwada kwehla neenyembezi. (Funda uYeremiya 20:14-16.) Wadandatheka kanobom kangangokuba wayengasiboni  nesizathu sokuba aphile! Wada wathi indoda eyazisa iindaba zokuzalwa kwakhe yayimele iqalekiswe kanye njengeSodom neGomora. Kodwa nantsi eyona nto ingundoqo: Ngaba uYeremiya wahlala edandathekile? Ngaba wanikezela, waza wahlala edimazekile? Akunjalo. Kunoko, umele ukuba walwa nzima naloo meko, waza waphumelela. Khawuqwalasele ukuba incwadi yakhe ithi kwenzeka ntoni emva koko. Omnye uPashure oyinkosana waya kuYeremiya ethunywe nguKumkani uZedekiya ukuba abuze ngokungqingwa kweYerusalem yiBhabhiloni. Kwathi kwakuba njalo, ngesibindi uYeremiya wavakalisa umgwebo kaYehova noko kwakuza kwenzeka. (Yer. 21:1-7) Kuyacaca ukuba, uYeremiya waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wokuprofeta.

12, 13. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sikwazi ukujamelana notshintsho olwenzekayo kwiimvakalelo zethu?

¹² Abanye babakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje baba neemvakalelo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Oku kunokubangelwa yinto ethile—mhlawumbi ukuphazamiseka kwamadlala athile omzimba okanye ukungazinzi kwemichiza emzimbeni—yaye ugqirha usenokucebisa ngeendlela zokulwa nale ngxaki. (Luka 5:31) Kwinkoliso yethu, yinto eqhelekileyo ukuba namaxesha okonwaba nawokudakumba. Ukuziva ungonwabanga yinto eqhelekileyo kubantu abangafezekanga. Kusenokubangelwa kukudinwa okanye ukufelwa. Xa kunjalo, sinokukhumbula ukuba naye uYeremiya wayekhe azive ngolo hlobo, kodwa wahlala emkholisa uThixo. Kusenokufuneka sihlengahlengise iimeko zethu ukuze siphumle ngokwaneleyo. Okanye sifanele siziphe ixesha ukuze sithuthuzeleke emva kwentlungu yokufelwa. Noko ke, kubaluleke gqitha ukuba sihlale sisiya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu yaye sibe nenxaxheba rhoqo kwizinto zokomoya. Ezi zinto zingundoqo ukuze sihlale silungelelene yaye sonwabile njengoko sikhonza uThixo.—Mat. 5:3; Roma 12:10-12.

¹³ Enoba akufane udandatheke okanye uba njalo rhoqo,  amava kaYeremiya anokukunceda. Njengokuba sele kutshiwo, maxa wambi wayedimazeka. Sekunjalo, akazange avumele ukudimazeka kumyekise ukukhonza uThixo awayemthanda nawayemkhonza ngokuthembeka. Xa iintshaba zakhe zingazange ziluxabise uncedo lwakhe, wabhenela kuYehova waza wathembela kuye. (Yer. 18:19, 20, 23) Zabalazela ukuxelisa uYeremiya.—IZili. 3:55-57.

14. Yiyiphi indlela ekhethekileyo awakhuthazwa ngayo uYeremiya?

¹⁴ Kuya kusinceda gqitha ukuphawula indlela uYeremiya awakhuthazwa ngayo nendlela yena awayikhuthaza ngayo ‘imiphefumlo edangeleyo.’ (Yer. 31:25) Lo mprofeti wakhuthazwa ngokukhethekileyo nguYehova. Cinga nje indlela ubuya kukhuthazeka ngayo xa usiva uYehova esithi kuwe: “Mna ke, yabona, namhlanje ndikwenze isixeko esinqatyisiweyo . . . Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kulwa nawe, kodwa abayi kukoyisa, kuba ‘ndinawe, ukuba ndikuhlangule,’ utsho uYehova.” (Yer. 1:18, 19) Siyaqondakala ke isizathu sokuba uYeremiya athi xa ethetha ngoYehova, “mandla am negwiba lam, nendawo yam yokusabela ngomhla wokubandezeleka.”—Yer. 16:19.

15, 16. Indlela uYehova awamkhuthaza ngayo uYeremiya isinceda njani sibone izinto esinokuzenza ukuze sikhuthaze abanye?

¹⁵ Kuyaphawuleka ukuba uYehova wathi kuYeremiya: “Ndinawe.” Ngaba oku kukunceda ubone into onokuyenza xa kukho umntu omaziyo ofuna ukhuthazo? Yinto eyahlukileyo ukubona ukuba umzalwana okanye udade ongumKristu okanye isalamane sifuna ukukhuthazwa; ukanti yenye into ukuthabath’ inyathelo lokumkhuthaza. Kwiimeko  ezininzi eyona nto unokuyenza yileyo uThixo wayenzela uYeremiya—ukuba kunye nalowo udandathekileyo. Emva kwethuba, mkhuthaze kodwa ungamngxixhi ngamazwi. Amazwi ambalwa aya kumnceda gqitha ukuba akhethwe kakuhle yaye ayakha. Akuyomfuneko ukumcikozela. Thetha izinto eziza kumbonisa ukuba umkhathalele yaye uyamthanda. Ukwenjenjalo kunokumnceda gqitha.—Funda IMizekeliso 25:11.

¹⁶ UYeremiya wabuza: “Owu Yehova, ndikhumbule uze uphethulele ingqalelo yakho kum.” Kwenzeka ntoni emva koko? Lo mprofeti uthi: “Amazwi akho afunyanwa, ndaza ndawadla; nelizwi lakho kum liba kukugcoba nemihlali yentliziyo yam.” (Yer. 15:15, 16) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba yiloo nto kanye efunwa nguloo mntu ufuna ukumkhuthaza. Yinyaniso ukuba akunakukwazi ukuthetha amazwi afanayo nakaYehova, kodwa usenokucaphula kumazwi akhe. Amazwi anyaniseke ngolo hlobo, nasekelwe eBhayibhileni anokuyivuyisa intliziyo yodimazekileyo.—Funda uYeremiya 17:7, 8.

17. Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esinokusifunda kwindlela uYeremiya awaphatha ngayo uZedekiya noYohanan?

¹⁷ Phawula ukuba uYeremiya akazange aneliswe nje kukufumana ukhuthazo kuThixo, kodwa naye wayebakhuthaza abanye. Njani? UKumkani uZedekiya waxelela uYeremiya ngendlela awayesoyika ngayo amaYuda awayezimanye neBhabhiloni. Lo mprofeti wamkhuthaza, waza wambongoza ukuba athobele uYehova ukuze izinto zimhambele kakuhle. (Yer. 38:19, 20) Emva kokuwa kweYerusalem, kwabakho intsalela yamaYuda awayesele apho yaye inkosi yomkhosi uYohanan yagqiba ekubeni iwathabathe iye nawo eYiputa. Kodwa yaqala yabuza kuYeremiya. Lo mprofeti wayiphulaphula waza wathandaza kuYehova. Kamva, wayixelela impendulo kaYehova ekhuthazayo, eyichazela ngezinto ezintle ezaziza kwenzeka xa iphulaphula umyalelo kaThixo wokuhlala kwelo lizwe. (Yer. 42:1-12)  Kuzo zozibini ezo zihlandlo, uYeremiya waphulaphula ngaphambi kokuba athethe. Kubalulekile ukuba siphulaphule ukuze sikwazi ukubakhuthaza abanye. Mvumele umntu odimazekileyo aphalaze imbilini yakhe. Ziphulaphule izinto ezimxhalabisayo. Linda ixesha elifanelekileyo, uze umkhuthaze. Akukho mazwi uza kuwatyhilelwa nguThixo ukuze umkhuthaze, kodwa unokusebenzisa amazwi afanelekileyo akwiLizwi likaThixo, lawo athetha ngekamva eliqaqambileyo.—Yer. 31:7-14.

18, 19. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela esinokubakhuthaza ngayo abanye kwingxelo yamaRekabhi nekaEbhedi-meleki?

¹⁸ UZedekiya noYohanan abazange balamkele icebiso elihle likaYeremiya, yaye kusenokwenzeka abanye bangalamkeli nelakho namhlanje. Ungavumeli oko ukuba kukudimaze. Abanye basabela kakuhle kukhuthazo lukaYeremiya, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba baninzi abaya kusabela nakuwe. Cinga ngamaRekabhi, iqela lamaKeni awayenxulumana namaYuda kangangeminyaka emininzi. Phakathi kwemiyalelo awayeyinikwe ngukhokho wawo, uYehonadabhi kwakukho othi, ekubeni ayengabaphambukeli ayengamele ayisele iwayini. Xa iBhabhiloni yayihlasela iYerusalem, uYeremiya wabizela amaRekabhi kwigumbi lokutyela elisetempileni. Ngokomyalelo kaThixo, uYeremiya wabeka iwayini phambi kwawo. Ehlonela ukhokho wawo, amaRekabhi enza into eyahlukileyo kuleyo yayisenziwa ngamaSirayeli awayengathobeli, athobela aza akayisela iwayini. (Yer. 35:3-10) UYeremiya wawaxelela indlela uYehova akholiswa ngayo ngawo watsho ewathembisa ngekamva. (Funda uYeremiya 35:14, 17-19.) Yiloo nto nawe onokuyenza xa ukhuthaza abanye: Bancome ngokunyanisekileyo xa kufanelekile.

¹⁹ UYeremiya wamncoma noEbhedi-meleki, umTiyopiya owayeligosa kwinkundla kaKumkani uZedekiya. Zisaphula umthetho, iinkosana zakwaYuda zayalela ukuba uYeremiya aphoswe kwiqula elinodaka ukuze afele apho.  UEbhedi-meleki waya kumngxengxezela kuKumkani uZedekiya owayalela ukuba asindise loo mprofeti. Le ndoda yasemzini yamsindisa uYeremiya phezu kwayo nje inkcaso ekrakra. (Yer. 38:7-13) Ekubeni eso senzo simele ukuba samenza wathiywa zezo nkosana zakwaYuda, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uEbhedi-meleki wayengaqinisekanga ngekamva. UYeremiya akazange asonge izandla enethemba lokuba uEbhedi-meleki uza kuyeka ukuxhalaba. Wathetha naye emkhuthaza ngamazwi okuba uThixo uza kumsikelela.—Yer. 39:15-18.

20. Yintoni esimele sizabalazele ukuyenzela abazalwana bethu abaselula nabakhulileyo?

²⁰ Ngokwenene, njengoko sifunda incwadi kaYeremiya sifumana imizekelo ebalaseleyo yendlela esinokukwenza ngayo oko umpostile uPawulos wabongoza abazalwana baseTesolonika ukuba bakwenze esithi: “Hlalani nithuthuzelana yaye nisakhana . . . Ububele obungasifanelanga beNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu mabube nani.”—1 Tes. 5:11, 28.