1. (a) Yintoni ababefana ngayo uYesu noYeremiya? (b) Kutheni simele sixelise uYeremiya kubulungiseleli bethu?

 UYESU KRISTU ngowona mzekelo ubalaseleyo esiwulandelayo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Noko ke, kuyaphawuleka ukuba maxa wambi abantu benkulungwane yokuqala babecinga ngomprofeti uYeremiya xa bebona uYesu. (Mat. 16:13, 14) Ngokufanayo noYesu, noYeremiya wayalelwa nguThixo ukuba ashumayele. Ngokomzekelo, ngesinye isihlandlo uThixo wamxelela oku: “Umele uthethe eli lizwi kubo, ‘Utsho uYehova.’” (Yer. 13:12, 13; Yoh. 12:49) UYeremiya wabonisa iimpawu ezifana nezikaYesu kubulungiseleli bakhe.

 2. Imeko yabantu namhlanje ifana njani neyamaYuda exesha likaYeremiya?

² Noko ke, amanye amaNgqina asenokuthi: ‘Indlela esishumayela ngayo yahlukile kwekaYeremiya. Wayethethela uThixo kuhlanga olwaluzinikele Kuye, ngoxa thina sishumayela kwinkoliso yabantu abangamaziyo uYehova.’ Oko kuyinyaniso. Kodwa ngemihla kaYeremiya, inkoliso yamaYuda ayizange ibonise ‘ubulumko,’ yaza yamshiya uThixo oyinyaniso. (Funda uYeremiya 5:20-22.) Kwakufuneka iguquke ukuze inqule uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Ngokufanayo, abantu esiphila phakathi kwabo—enoba bathi bangamaKristu okanye akunjalo—kufuneka bafunde ukoyika uYehova baze bafune unqulo lokwenyaniso. Makhe sibone indlela esinokumkhonza ngayo uThixo oyinyaniso size sixelise uYeremiya ngokunceda abanye.

 3. Yintoni eyenziwa nguThixo kuYeremiya xa wayeqala ukuprofeta, yaye wavakalelwa njani lo mprofeti?

³ Khumbula ukuba xa wayeqala ukuprofeta, uYeremiya weva la mazwi: “Ufanele uye kubo bonke abo ndiya kukuthuma kubo; kwaye ufanele uthethe yonk’ into endiya kukuyalela yona. Musa ukoyika ngenxa yobuso babo, kuba ‘mna ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule,’ utsho uYehova.” (Yer. 1:7, 8) Emva koko uThixo wenza into awayengayilindelanga uYeremiya. UYeremiya uthi: “UYehova ke wolula isandla sakhe waza wachukumisa ngaso umlomo wam. Wandula ke uYehova wathi kum: ‘Yabona, ndibeke amazwi am emlonyeni wakho. Khawubone, ndikumisele ngale mini.’” (Yer. 1:9, 10) Ukususela ngoko uYeremiya watsho wazi ukuba uthethela uThixo onguMongami. a Exhaswa nguThixo, wayizondelela ngakumbi inkonzo engcwele.—Isa. 6:5-8.

 4. Yiyiphi imizekelo onokuyibalisa yabantu abanenzondelelo ebalaseleyo?

 ⁴ Namhlanje uYehova akabachukumisi ngokoqobo abakhonzi bakhe. Sekunjalo, esebenzisa umoya wakhe, ubenza bakulangazelele ngamandla ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Uninzi lwabo lunenzondelelo ebalaseleyo. Cinga ngomzekelo kaMaruja waseSpeyin. Ngoku ungaphezu kweminyaka engama-40 egogeke iingalo nemilenze. Kunzima ukuba ashumayele kwindlu ngendlu, ngoko ushumayela ngezinye iindlela. Enye yazo kukubhala iileta. UMaruja uxelela intombi yakhe oko imele ikubhale eleteni. Ngexesha lephulo lokushumayela olwathabatha inyanga, uMaruja nentombi yakhe bathumela iileta ezingaphezu kwe-150 befaka iphecana kwileta nganye. Ngenxa yezo leta, iindaba ezilungileyo zafikelela phantse kuyo yonke imizi eyayikwilali ekufutshane. UMaruja wathi kwintombi yakhe, “Ukuba enye yezi leta inokufunyanwa ngumntu onentliziyo enyanisekileyo, uYehova uya kusisikelela ngesifundo seBhayibhile.” Umdala webandla lasekuhlaleni uthi, “Ndiyambulela uYehova ngokusinika oodade abafana noMaruja, abafundisa abanye abantu ukuxabisa izinto ezibaluleke ngokwenene.”

 5. (a) UYeremiya wayigcina njani inzondelelo yakhe nakubeni abantu babengenamdla? (b) Unokuhlala njani unenzondelelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?

 ⁵ Ngemihla kaYeremiya, inkoliso yabemi baseYerusalem ‘yayingayoliswa’ yinyaniso yelizwi likaThixo. Ngaba lo mprofeti wayeka ukushumayela ngenxa yokuba bebaninzi abantu ababengenamdla kwisigidimi sakhe? Akunjalo. UYeremiya wathi: “Ndizele ngumsindo kaYehova. Ndidiniwe kukuwubamba.” (Yer. 6:10, 11) Wena unokwenza njani ukuze uhlale unenzondelelo enjalo? Enye indlela kukucamngca ngelungelo elimangalisayo onalo lokumela uThixo oyinyaniso. Uyazi ukuba abantu abadumileyo beli hlabathi baye balinyelisa igama likaThixo oyinyaniso. Kwakhona cinga ngendlela iinkokeli zonqulo eziye zabalahlekisa ngayo abantu abakwintsimi osebenza kuyo, kanye njengokuba zenzayo iinkokeli zonqulo ngemihla kaYeremiya. (Funda uYeremiya 2:8, 26, 27.) Ngokwahlukileyo, iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ozishumayelayo zibonisa ukuba uThixo uyabathanda abantu. (IZili. 3:31, 32) Ngoko ke, ukucinga ngaloo nyaniso kuya kukunceda uhlale unenzondelelo yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo uze uncede abantu abanjengezimvu.

 6. Ziziphi iingxaki ezoyikekayo awajamelana nazo uYeremiya?

⁶ Mhlawumbi uyavuma ukuba akuyondlwan’ iyanetha ukuhlala unenzondelelo kubulungiseleli basentsimini. Ngoxa noYeremiya wayekhonza uYehova, wahlangabezana neengxaki ezoyikekayo, kuquka abaprofeti bobuxoki. Unokufunda ngenye yazo kuYeremiya isahluko 28. Inkoliso yabantu yayingasiphulaphuli isigidimi sakhe, kangangokuba maxa wambi wayeziva elilolo. (Yer. 6:16, 17; 15:17) Ngaphezu koko, ngezinye izihlandlo wayejamelana neentshaba ezazisongela ubomi bakhe.—Yer. 26:11.

7, 8. UThixo ‘wamqhatha’ njani uYeremiya ngendlela eyingenelo?

⁷ Ngesinye isihlandlo xa uYeremiya wayegculelwa yaye enyeliswa suku ngalunye, wachazela uThixo indlela avakalelwa ngayo. Ucinga ukuba uYehova ‘wamqhatha’ njani lo mprofeti wakhe uthembekileyo, njengoko kuchazwe kuYeremiya 20:7, 8?—Yifunde.

⁸ Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova akazange amkhohlise uYeremiya ngokusebenzisa amaqhinga achuliweyo. Kunoko wamqhatha ngendlela enengqiqo neyingenelo. UYeremiya wavakalelwa kukuba inkcaso ingaphezu kwamandla akhe kangangokuba wayengenakukwazi ukusizalisekisa isabelo awayesinikwe nguThixo. Kodwa wasizalisekisa, ngenxa yenkxaso noncedo lukaSomandla. Ngenxa yoko, usenokuthi uYehova wamoyisa uYeremiya, ezibonisa enamandla ngakumbi kunaye notyekelo lwakhe. Xa le ndoda kaThixo yayicinga ukuba yenze konke okusemandleni ayo, uYehova wasebenzisa amandla akhe awenza kwabonakala ngathi le ndoda iqhathiwe. UThixo wamomeleza lo mprofeti kobo buthathaka wayenabo. Nakubeni abantu babengenamdla kwisigidimi sakhe, bemchasa yaye benogonyamelo, uYeremiya waqhubeka eshumayela.

 9. Kutheni unokomelezwa ngamazwi akuYeremiya 20:11?

⁹ UYehova waba ‘namandla ngokunkwantyisayo,’ emxhasa uYeremiya. (Yer. 20:11) Nawe unokukomeleza ukuze uhlale unenzondelelo kunqulo lokwenyaniso uze ungayeki naxa ujamelene neengxaki ezinzima. Unokucinga ngoku ngendlela enye inguqulelo ekuchaza ngayo—uYehova uya “kuba lijoni elinamandla” ecaleni kwakho.—Contemporary English Version.

10. Uzimisele ukwenza ntoni xa ujamelene nenkcaso?

¹⁰ Umpostile uPawulos wayibalaselisa le ngongoma xa wayekhuthaza amaKristu ajamelene nenkcaso. Wabhala: “Ukuziphatha kwenu makube kokuzifaneleyo iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu, ukuze, . . . ndive . . . ukuba nimi niqinile  moyeni mnye, nizama kunye ngamphefumlo mnye ngenxa yokholo kwiindaba ezilungileyo, yaye ningothuswa ngabo bamelene nani.” (Fil. 1:27, 28) Ngokufanayo noYeremiya namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, unokwayama ngoThixo uSomandla njengoko uqhubeka nobulungiseleli bakho. Ukuba bayakuhlasela, khumbula ukuba uYehova unawe yaye unokukomeleza. Wamomeleza uYeremiya, nabanye abazalwana bakho; ngoko ke, nawe unokukomeleza. Mbongoze ukuba akuncede, uze ube nethemba lokuba uya kuwuphendula umthandazo wakho. Nawe usenokufumanisa ukuba uThixo ‘uyakuqhatha’ njengoko ekunika amandla ukuze ukwazi ukuhlangabezana neengxaki ngokuphumelelayo nangesibindi. Unokukwazi ukwenza ngaphezu kokuba ubucinga.—Funda IZenzo 4:29-31.

11, 12. (a) Luluphi uhlengahlengiso omele ulwenze ukuze ukwazi ukushumayela kubantu abangakumbi? (b) Umfanekiso okwiphepha 39 usibonisa ukuba ziziphi ezinye iindawo esinokushumayela kuzo?

¹¹ Oko sikufunda kwinkonzo kaYeremiya kunokusinceda ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ukuze siphumelele kubulungiseleli bethu bokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Emva kokuba ngumprofeti kaYehova iminyaka engaphezu kwama-20, wakwazi ukuthi: “Ndahlala ndilithetha kuni, ndivuka ekuseni ndize ndithethe, kodwa aniphulaphulanga.” (Yer. 25:3) Wayevuka kwasekuseni. Ngaba ikho into esinokuyifunda kumzekelo wakhe? Kumabandla amaninzi, abanye abavakalisi bavuka ngenj’ ixukuxa ukuze baye kuthetha nabantu abakwizikhululo zebhasi nezikaloliwe. Ezilalini, amaNgqina amaninzi avuka kwakusasa atyelele abalimi nabanye abasele besebenza ngelo xesha. Ngaba zikho ezinye iindlela onokusisebenzisa ngazo esi sifundo osifumana kubulungiseleli obenziwa nguYeremiya ngokuthembeka? Kuthekani ngokuvuka kwasekuseni ukuze ubekho xa kuqalisa ucwangciso lwentlanganiso yenkonzo yasentsimini?

¹² Enye into, ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu emva kwemini nangorhatya kusoloko kusiba nemiphumo emihle  kwiindawo ezininzi. Abanye abavakalisi bade bashumayele ebusuku, betyelela abantu kwiindawo zokutha ipetroli, kwiivenkile zokutyela nakwamanye amashishini avula ubusuku nemini. Ngaba unokuhlengahlengisa ucwangciso lwakho ukuze ukwazi ukushumayela ngexesha onokubafumana ngalo abantu ekhaya okanye kwenye indawo?

13, 14. (a) Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaYeremiya ngokwenza amabuyelo? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba umele uthembeke ekwenzeni amabuyelo?

¹³ Ngesinye isihlandlo, uYehova wayalela uYeremiya ukuba aprofete kumasango etempile okanye aseYerusalem. (Yer. 7:2; 17:19, 20) Ngokuprofeta emasangweni, uYeremiya wafikelela abantu abaninzi ngelizwi likaYehova. Yaye ekubeni abantu abaninzi kuquka amadoda adumileyo esixeko, abarhwebi noosomashishini babedla ngokungena ngesango elinye, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayethetha nabantu abaninzi ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuze abancede baqonde oko babekuve kwixa elingaphambili. Yintoni esiyifundayo apha ngokubuyela kubantu abanomdla?

¹⁴ UYeremiya wayesazi ukuba ubomi babantu buxhomekeke kumsebenzi wakhe njengomprofeti kaThixo. Ngesinye isihlandlo xa wayengazukukwazi ukudlulisela umyalelo kaThixo ebantwini, wacela umhlobo wakhe uBharuki ukuba enjenjalo. (Funda uYeremiya 36:5-8.) Sinokumxelisa njani uYeremiya kule nkalo? Xa sixelele umninimzi ukuba siza kubuya, ngaba siyabuya ngokwenene? Ukuba asizukukwazi ukubuyela okanye ukuya kuqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile, ngaba sicela omnye umntu ukuba enjenjalo? UYesu wathi: “UEwe makabe nguEwe.” (Mat. 5:37) Kubalulekile ukuyenza into esiyithethileyo, kuba simela uThixo wenyaniso nolungeleleneyo.—1 Kor. 14:33, 40.

15, 16. (a) Abaninzi baye bawulandela njani umzekelo kaYeremiya ngokwandisa ubulungiseleli babo? (b) Sisiphi isifundo osifumana koko kwenzeka eChile, njengoko kuboniswe kumfanekiso okwiphepha 40?

 ¹⁵ UYeremiya wakhuthaza amaYuda aseBhabhiloni ngokuwabhalela ileta ethetha ‘ngelizwi elilungileyo’ likaYehova lokuwabuyisela kwilizwe lawo. (Yer. 29:1-4, 10) Nanamhlanje, ‘ilizwi elilungileyo’ loko kuza kwenziwa nguYehova kungekudala linokusasazwa ngokuphumelelayo ngeleta nangefowuni. Ngaba unokusebenzisa ezi ndlela ukuze uncede izalamane zakho okanye abanye abahlala kwiindawo ezikude okanye ekunzima ukuya kubo?

¹⁶ Ngokulandela umzekelo kaYeremiya wokubufeza ngokupheleleyo ubulungiseleli bakhe, abavakalisi boBukumkani namhlanje basoloko befumana imiphumo encumisayo.  Elinye iNgqina laseChile laya kwibhinqa elaliphuma kwisikhululo sikaloliwe esingaphantsi komhlaba. Lavuya ngokwenene xa lalisiva isigidimi seBhayibhile laza lavuma ukuqhutyelwa isifundo ekhayeni lalo. Noko ke, eli Ngqina alizange liyibhale iadresi yaloo mntu. Emva koko, eqonda ukubaluleka kokunceda elo bhinqa linomdla ukuba lazi inyaniso, udadewethu wacela uncedo kuYehova. Ngosuku olulandelayo, wabuyela kwesa sikhululo kwangexesha elifanayo. Waphinda wadibana neli bhinqa. Ngeli xesha, wabhala phantsi iadresi yalo waza kamva walityelela ekhayeni lalo ukuze alincede lazi iZibhalo. Imigwebo kaThixo iza kulitshabalalisa kungekudala eli hlabathi likaSathana. Kodwa likho ithemba kwabo baguqukayo baze babe nokholo kwiindaba ezilungileyo. (Funda IZililo 3:31-33.) Ngoko ke, oku makuhlale kunkenteza ezingqondweni zethu njengoko sishumayela entsimini.

17. Kwintsimi osebenza kuyo, unokuyixelisa njani indlela uYeremiya awayethetha ngayo nabantu?

¹⁷ UYehova wayengafuni abantu bafe. Kwiminyaka elishumi ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem wasebenzisa uYeremiya ukuba abaxelele ngethemba ababenalo abo babethinjelwe eBhabhiloni. Sifunda oku: “Ndiza kubeka iliso labo kum ngendlela elungileyo, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kubabuyisela kweli lizwe. Kwaye ndiza kubakha, andiyi kubachitha; ndiza kubatyala, andiyi kubancothula.” UYeremiya wathi kubo: “Kukho ithemba ngekamva lakho.” (Yer. 24:6; 26:3; 31:17) UYeremiya wayebajonga abantu ngendlela uThixo abajonga ngayo. Ubulungiseleli bakhe wayebenza ngokunyanisekileyo, edlulisa izibongozo zikaYehova ezithi: “Khanincede, nibuye, ngamnye endleleni yakhe embi, nize nilungise izenzo zenu.” (Yer. 35:15) Ngaba unokucinga ngezinye iindlela zokubonisa umdla wokwenene kubantu abakwintsimi osebenza kuyo?

18, 19. (a) Yiyiphi imbono esimele siyiphephe njengoko sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo? (b) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo sikaYeremiya esimele sibe naso?

¹⁸ Indlela uYeremiya awayebathanda ngokuphuma entliziyweni ngayo abantu ayizange iphele. Xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem, akazange ayeke ukuba novelwano. (Funda IZililo 2:11.) AmaYuda ayebekek’ ityala ngentlekele eyawehlelayo. Sekunjalo, uYeremiya akazange athi, ‘bendinixelele.’ Kunoko waba buhlungu ngento eyabehlelayo. Ngokufanayo, asimele sidlulisele usana kunina kubulungiseleli bethu. Umgudu esiwenzayo xa sishumayela umele ubonise indlela esimthanda ngayo uThixo wethu omangalisayo kunye nabantu, abadale ngokomfanekiso wakhe.

¹⁹ Alikho ilungelo okanye isikhundla emhlabeni esinokodlula eso sokushumayela ngoThixo oyinyaniso. UYeremiya wavakalelwa ngaloo ndlela xa wathi: “Amazwi akho  afunyanwa, ndaza ndawadla; nelizwi lakho kum liba kukugcoba nemihlali yentliziyo yam; kuba ndibizwe ngegama lakho, Yehova.” (Yer. 15:16) Ngoxa sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, baninzi abantu abanokumazi baze bamthande Lowo buxhomekeke kuye ubomi babo. Ngokukhonza ngenzondelelo nangothando, njengoko wenzayo uYeremiya, siya kufak’ isandla ekuncedeni abo bantu.