1, 2. (a) Ziziphi iingxaki ahlangabezana nazo amaKristu ngokuphathelele abahlobo? (b) Kutheni sifanele sibe nomdla kwindlela uYeremiya awabakhetha ngayo abahlobo bakhe?

 UBUYA kuthini xa abantu osebenza nabo, abamelwane okanye ofunda nabo bekumemela kwitheko leKrismesi? Ubuya kuthini xa umqeshi wakho ekucela ukuba uxoke okanye wenze into engekho mthethweni? Kuthekani ukuba abasemagunyeni bafuna ubandakanyeke kwizenzo ezithile zezopolitiko? Ngokuqinisekileyo isazela sakho besingayi kukuvumela ukuba wenze nayiphi na kwezi zinto, kwanokuba oko bekuya kuthetha ukugculelwa okanye ukusongelwa ngandlela ithile.

² Njengokuba siza kubona, uYeremiya wayesoloko esehlelwa ziingxaki ezifanayo. Uya kungenelwa nakanjani na xa unokucingisisa ngabantu okanye amaqela athile awayenezinto ezaziwadibanisa noYeremiya ngoxa engumprofeti. Bambi kubo babezama ukumdimaza ukuze angaqhubeki nomsebenzi wakhe. Nakuba kwakukho izinto ezazibadibanisa, babengengobahlobo bakhe. Mhlawumbi kungakunceda ukunikela ingqalelo kwisibakala sokuba abahlobo awazikhethela bona uYeremiya ngabo babemxhasa yaye bemkhuthaza ukuba ahlale ethembekile. Ininzi into esinokuyifunda kwizigqibo awazenzayo uYeremiya ngokuphathelele abahlobo.

 3. Yintoni eyayifunwa nguZedekiya kuYeremiya, ibe wathini yena uYeremiya?

³ UKumkani uZedekiya wadlan’ iindlebe noYeremiya izihlandlo eziliqela ngaphambi kokuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe. Ngoba? Lo kumkani wayenethemba lokuba uya kufumana isiqinisekiso ngokuphathelele ikamva lolawulo  lwakhe. Wayefuna uYeremiya athi uThixo wayeza kulihlangula elakwaYuda kwiintshaba zalo. Ecenga uYeremiya, uZedekiya wathumela abantu esithi: “Khawuncede usibuzele kuYehova, ngenxa yokuba uNebhukaderetsare ukumkani waseBhabhiloni ulwa imfazwe nathi. Mhlawumbi uYehova uya kwenza kuthi ngokwemisebenzi yakhe yonke emangalisayo, ukuze [uNebhukaderetsare] emke kuthi.” (Yer. 21:2) Lo kumkani akazange aluthobele ulwalathiso lukaThixo lokunikezela kwiBhabhiloni. Omnye umphengululi wafanisa uZedekiya “nesigulana esibetha sibuyelela kwagqirha sifuna ukuncedwa kodwa singafuni ukusebenzisa amayeza esiwanikiweyo.” Kuthekani ngoYeremiya? Wayenokuzenzela igama ngokuxelela uZedekiya oko wayefuna ukukuva. Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze uYeremiya angasitshintshi isigidimi sakhe ukuze izinto zimhambele lula? Akazange enjenjalo kuba uYehova wamxelela ukuba aprofete ngokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem.—Funda uYeremiya 32:1-5.

 4. Yintoni esifanele sicinge ngayo xa sifuna ukukhetha abahlobo, njengakubantu esisebenza nabo?

⁴ Ngandlel’ ithile imeko yakho iyafana nekaYeremiya. Alithandabuzeki elokuba kukho izinto ezikudibanisa nabamelwane, abantu osebenza nabo okanye ofunda nabo. Kodwa ngaba ubuya kuzama ukwakha ubuhlobo nabo nangona beye bazibonakalisa ukuba abanamdla wokuva okanye wokuthobela uThixo? UYeremiya wayengenakuzinxwema ngokupheleleyo kuZedekiya kuba wayengukumkani, nangona wayengafuni ukuthobela isiluleko sikaThixo. Noko ke, uYeremiya wayenganyanzelekanga ukuba avumelane nembono ephosakeleyo yalo kumkani okanye afune ukuthandwa nguye. Liyinyaniso elokuba, ukuba uYeremiya wayenze oko kunqwenelwa ngukumkani, uZedekiya wayeza kumpha izipho ezininzi aze afumane namanye amalungelo. Sekunjalo, uYeremiya wakwazi ukumelana  nengcinezelo okanye isilingo sokuba asondelelane noZedekiya. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uYeremiya wayengazimiselanga ukwenza into eyahlukileyo kuleyo wayeyiyalelwe nguYehova. Umzekelo kaYeremiya usifundisa ukuba sibahlolisise abahlobo esibakhethayo ukuze sibone enoba bayasikhuthaza kusini na ukuba sithembeke kuThixo. Akunakubaphepha ngokupheleleyo abantu abangamkhonziyo uThixo—abo usebenza nabo, ofunda nabo okanye abamelwane. (1 Kor. 5:9, 10) Kodwa ke ufanele uqonde ukuba xa ukhetha ukuba ngumhlobo wabo, usenokulahlekelwa bubuhlobo bakho noThixo.

5, 6. Yintoni abayenzayo abanye ukuze bathulise uYeremiya?

⁵ AsingoZedekiya kuphela owayenempembelelo embi kuYeremiya. Omnye wamagosa kaZedekiya ‘wabetha’ uYeremiya, mhlawumbi imivumbo engama-39. (Yer. 20:2;  Dut. 25:3) Nezinye iinkosana zakwaYuda zenza okufanayo zaza zamvalela “endlwini yamakhamandela.” Lo mprofeti wafakwa kwintolongo engaphantsi komhlaba, kwiimeko ezazimbi kakhulu, kangangokuba emva kweentsuku ezininzi wayesoyika ukuba angafela apho. (Funda uYeremiya 37:3, 15, 16.) Emva kokuba uYeremiya ekhululwe okwethutyana, ezinye iinkosana zacenga uZedekiya ukuba ambulale. Zazivakalelwa kukuba udimaza imikhosi yakwaYuda. Ngenxa yoko, lo mprofeti waphoswa kumhadi onodaka ukuze afele apho. (Yer. 38:1-4) Uye weva ukuba uYeremiya wahlangulwa kuloo ntlekele. Ukanti, ezi ziganeko ziyibonisa kakuhle into yokuba kanye abo bazibonayo zonke ezi zinto abazange babe nalukholo kumazwi alo mprofeti kaThixo; suke bamjikela.

⁶ Iintshaba zikaYeremiya yayingengobantu basemagunyeni nje kuphela. Ngesinye isihlandlo, kwafika amadoda esixeko sakowabo, iAnatoti—mhlawumbi awayengabamelwane bakhe—aza amsongela esithi aza kumbulala ukuba akayeki ukuprofeta. (Yer. 11:21) Akazange akuthande oko wayekuthetha aza amsongela. Noko ke, uYeremiya wakhetha  ukuba ngumhlobo kaYehova kunabamelwane bakhe. Abanye bade bafuna kuye esiqwini. Wathi akusebenzisa idyokhwe njengomzekelo ocacileyo wokubongoza amaYuda ukuba azithobe kwidyokhwe kakumkani waseBhabhiloni ukuze ahlale ephila, uHananiya wayishenxisa loo dyokhwe entanyeni kaYeremiya waza wayaphula. Ngokutsho kwaloo mprofeti wobuxoki, uYehova wathi: “Ndiza kuyaphula idyokhwe yokumkani waseBhabhiloni.” UHananiya wafa kanye ngaloo nyaka, yaye kwacaca ukuba ngubani oyena mprofeti wokwenyaniso. (Yer. 28:1-11, 17) Kanye njengokuba uYeremiya wayelumkisile, emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, uYohanan nabanye abaphathi-mkhosi abazange bawuthobele umyalelo kaThixo wokuhlala kwilizwe lakwaYuda. Bathi kuYeremiya: “Uthetha ubuxoki. . . . UThixo wethu akakuthumanga, esithi, ‘Musani ukungena eYiputa ukuba nihlale khona.’” Bamdelela ngakumbi uYehova ngokuhamba noYeremiya noBharuki ukuya eYiputa.—Yer. 42:1–43:7.

 7. Yintoni enokwenza kube nzima ukuthembeka kuYehova?

⁷ Kangangeminyaka uYeremiya wayengqongwe ngabantu abangenalukholo neentshaba. Khawucingisise ngale nto. Kwakunokuba lula ukuba abe ngumhlobo wabo bantu babengamhloneli uThixo okanye iLizwi Lakhe. Wayephila phakathi kwabo. Kuthekani ngawe? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nawe unezinto ezikudibanisa nabantu abafanayo nabo bexesha lakhe. Enoba bakuchasa ngokukrakra, wena noThixo wakho, okanye babonakala benobubele, ngaba uza kubenza abahlobo bakho? Ngaba ibiya kuba bubulumko ukunxulumana nabantu abangazinanziyo iziprofeto zikaThixo? Ukuba ibinguYeremiya okule meko yakho, ngaba  ebeya kukhetha abahlobo abangaphili ngenyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo nabathembela ebantwini? (2 Kron. 19:2) UThixo wamnceda uYeremiya wayazi imiphumo yokuthembela ebantwini kunokuthembela kuThixo. (Funda uYeremiya 17:5, 6.) Uvakalelwa njani ngoko?

 8. Chaza iingxaki anokujamelana nazo amaKristu akwingingqi yakho.

⁸ Amanye amaKristu aye acinga ukuba ishishini lawo lingaba nenkqubela xa ezonwabisa nabantu behlabathi ngenjongo yokubathengisela. Ngaba ukwenjenjalo akunakuwachanaba kunxulumano olubi nakwiingozi ezithile, njengentetho engcolileyo okanye ukusela ngokugqithisileyo? Siyaqondakala ke isizathu sokuba amaKristu amaninzi ekufuneka enze izigqibo ezinjalo aye akhetha ukuluphepha olu nxulumano lubi kwanaxa oko kuthetha ukulahlekelwa kokuthile okanye ukungenzi nkqubela ngokwembono yehlabathi. Ngokufanayo, umqeshi okanye abantu abaqeshileyo banokuthengisela abantu ngamaqhinga. Sekunjalo, amaKristu okwenyaniso awaphenjelelwa ngabantu behlabathi abawangqongileyo. Ngamanye amaxesha kusenokungabi lula ukwenza izigqibo kule miba. Ngoko ke, sinemizekelo emihle efana noYeremiya owakwaziyo ukugcina isazela esicocekileyo yaye okubaluleke ngakumbi, wahlala enolwalamano oluhle noThixo.

 9. Yintoni enokuba yingozi ngokufuna ukuthandwa ngabantu?

⁹ Ukulumela ngokuqinileyo ukholo kwamenza isigculelo samanye amaYuda uYeremiya. (Yer. 18:18) Sekunjalo, wayezimisele ukwahluka kubantu awayephila nabo ababelandela ‘ikhondo elithandwayo.’ (Yer. 8:5, 6) Maxa wambi wayede akhethe ‘ukuhlala phantsi yedwa.’ Wakhetha ukuba yedwa kunokuba anxulumane nabantu ababi okanye abangendawo. (Funda uYeremiya 9:4, 5; 15:17.) Kuthekani ngawe? Namhlanje, njengakumhla kaYeremiya, abantu abaninzi abathembekanga kuThixo. Ayiqali ngoku into yokuba kufuneke abakhonzi bakaYehova babakhethe ngobulumko  abahlobo. Oku akuthethi ukuba uYeremiya wayengenabahlobo. Bambi abantu babemkhusela yaye bemxhasa. Yayingoobani abo bantu? Ukubazi kunokukunceda ngokwenene.

10, 11. (a) Yiyiphi imigaqo eyanceda uYeremiya wakwazi ukukhetha abahlobo? (b) Yayingoobani abahlobo bakaYeremiya, yaye yiyiphi imibuzo esinokuyibuza ngabo?

¹⁰ UYeremiya wayeza kuzikhethela abahlobo abanjani? Esalathiswa nguYehova, wabagweba ngokuphindaphindiweyo abangendawo, abaqhathayo, abangenako okusesikweni, abaziindlobongela, abangakhathaliyo nabaziphethe kakubi—abo bashiya unqulo lokwenyaniso baza banqula izithixo, ngaloo ndlela behenyuza ngokomoya. Wabongoza amanye amaYuda esithi: “Khanincede, nibuye, ngamnye endleleni yakhe embi, nilungise iindlela zenu nezenzo zenu.” (Yer. 18:11) Kwanasemva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, uYeremiya wancoma ‘izenzo zobubele, iinceba nokuthembeka’ kukaThixo. (IZili. 3:22-24) UYeremiya wayefuna abahlobo abangabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova kuphela.—Funda uYeremiya 17:7.

¹¹ Siyabazi abanye abahlobo abakhethwa nguYeremiya. Wayenabo abahlobo abanjengoEbhedi-meleki, uBharuki, uSeraya noonyana bakaShafan. Sisenokuzibuza: ‘Ayenjani la madoda? Yintoni eyayiwanxulumanisa noYeremiya? Ayengabahlobo abasenyongweni njani naye? Amnceda njani ukuze agcine ingqibelelo?’ Makhe siphendule le mibuzo sicinga ngeziqu zethu.

12. (a) Yintoni ababefana ngayo uYeremiya noBharuki, njengoko kuboniswe kumfanekiso okwiphepha 58? (b) Yayingubani uSeraya, yaye yintoni esiyaziyo ngaye?

¹² Kuyabonakala ukuba oyena mhlobo wayesondele kulo mprofeti nguBharuki, unyana kaNeriya. Ngenxa yokumthemba uYeremiya wamjizeka ngembopheleleko  yokubhala izinto awayemxelela zona ezazithethwa nguYehova, aze kamva azifunde, okokuqala esidlangalaleni yaye emva koko kwiinkosana zakwaYuda. (Yer. 36:4-8, 14, 15) UBharuki wayenokholo olufana nolukaYeremiya lokuba oko uThixo akuthethileyo kuza kwenzeka. La madoda ajamelana neemeko ezifanayo ukutyhubela iminyaka eli-18 yeziphithiphithi zakwaYuda. Achitha ixesha elininzi esebenza kunye kumsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo. Omabini atyhubela ubunzima ezimela neentshaba. Akhuthazwa nguYehova. Kuyabonakala ukuba uBharuki wayephuma kwintsapho yababhali bakwaYuda. IZibhalo zithi ‘wayengunobhala,’ yaye umntakwabo uSeraya wayeligosa likarhulumente. NjengoBharuki, kamva uSeraya wasebenza noYeremiya ukuze adlulisele isigidimi sesiprofeto sikaYehova. (Yer. 36:32; 51:59-64) Ukukulangazelela kwaba nyana babini bakaNeriya ukusebenza noYeremiya kuloo maxesha obunzima kumele ukuba kwamomeleza kwaza kwamkhuthaza lo mprofeti. Nawe unokomelezwa uze ukhuthazwe ngabo usebenza nabo ngokuthembeka enkonzweni kaYehova.

13. UEbhedi-meleki wazingqina njani engumhlobo wokwenene kaYeremiya, njengoko kuboniswe kwiphepha 63?

¹³ Omnye umhlobo kaYeremiya yayinguEbhedi-meleki. Xa iinkosana ezazinomsindo zaphosa uYeremiya kwiqula elalingenamanzi ukuze afele apho, wahlangulwa yindoda eyayisuka kwelinye ilizwe, uEbhedi-meleki owayengumTiyopiya. Wayelithenwa, oko kukuthi, igosa lendlu yokumkani. Waya kuZedekiya, owayehleli kwiSango lakwaBhenjamin. Ngesibindi uEbhedi-meleki wacela imvume kaZedekiya yokuhlangula uYeremiya kwelo qula linodaka. Lo  msebenzi wawenza namadoda angama-30, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba uEbhedi-meleki wayelindele ukuba iintshaba zikaYeremiya zibahlasele. (Yer. 38:7-13) Asazi ukuba uEbhedi-meleki wayenxulumana kangakanani noYeremiya. Ekubeni bobabini babengabahlobo bakaYehova, kusengqiqweni ukucinga ukuba babengabahlobo bokwenene. UEbhedi-meleki wayesazi ukuba uYeremiya ungumprofeti kaYehova. Wathi izinto ezazisenziwa ziinkosana ‘zimbi’ yaye wayekulungele ukubeka esichengeni isikhundla sakhe ukuze enze okulungileyo. UEbhedi-meleki wayeyindoda elungileyo. Oko sikubona kwisibakala sokuba uYehova wamqinisekisa wathi: “Ndiza kukuhlangula [ngomhla wentlekele yeYerusalem] . . . ngenxa yokuba ukholose ngam.” (Funda uYeremiya 39:15-18.) Wanconywa ngokwenene nguYehova. Ngaba nawe akufuni umhlobo onjalo?

14. Yintoni esiyaziyo ngentsapho kaShafan nento eyayiyidibanisa noYeremiya?

¹⁴ Abanye abahlobo bakaYeremiya yayingoonyana  abathathu nomzukulwana kaShafan. Babephuma kwintsapho yamadoda akwizikhundla eziphezulu, yaye ngaphambilana uShafan wayengunobhala kaKumkani uYosiya. Ekuqaleni xa iintshaba zikaYeremiya zazifuna ukumbulala, “isandla sika-Ahikam unyana kaShafan saba noYeremiya, ukuze anganikelwa esandleni sabantu.” (Yer. 26:24) Igama lomntakwaboAhikam yayinguGemariya. Xa uBharuki wafunda imigwebo kaThixo esidlangalaleni, unyana kaGemariya uMikaya wayelapho waza waya kulumkisa uyise nezinye iinkosana. Zisoyika indlela aza kusabela ngayo uYehoyakim, zacebisa uYeremiya noBharuki ukuba bazimele. Xa lo kumkani engazange asiphulaphule isigidimi sikaThixo, uGemariya waba phakathi kwabo bamcelayo ukuba angawutshisi umkrolo. (Yer. 36:9-25) Kwakhona uYeremiya waphathisa omnye woonyana bakaShafan, uElasa, incwadi yesiprofeto eyayisiya kumaYuda awayethinjwe eBhabhiloni. (Yer. 29:1-3) Ngoko lo mprofeti kaThixo waxhaswa ngoonyana abathathu bakaShafan nomzukulwana wakhe. Khawucinge ngendlela amele ukuba uYeremiya wayewathanda ngayo la madoda. Babengabahlobo kungekhona ngenxa yokuba bethanda uhlobo lokutya okanye iziselo ezifanayo okanye ngenxa yokuba bethanda ukuzonwabisa  ngendlela efanayo. Ubuhlobo babo babusekelwe kwizinto ezibaluleke ngakumbi.

15. Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle owamiselwa nguYeremiya ekukhetheni abahlobo?

¹⁵ Unokufunda kwindlela uYeremiya awayesebenzisana ngayo nabantu awayephila nabo, ababi nabalungileyo. Ukumkani, iinkosana ezininzi, abaprofeti bobuxoki nabaphathi bomkhosi babemnyanzela ukuba atshintshe isigidimi sakhe. Kodwa uYeremiya akazange alalanise. Ukulumela kwakhe unqulo kwambangela ukuba angathandwa ngabantu, kodwa uYeremiya wayengafuni ukuba ngumhlobo wabo. Oyena mhlobo wakhe yayinguYehova. Wayekulungele ukuphathwa ngenkohlakalo ngabanye abantu ngenxa yokuthembeka kuThixo. (Funda IZililo 3:52-59.) Sekunjalo, njengoko sesibonile, yayingengoYeremiya kuphela owayezimisele ukukhonza uYehova.

16, 17. (a) Luluphi uncedo olunokufunyanwa ngumkhonzi kaYehova kumhlobo wokwenene? (b) Enoba uhlala kweliphi na ilizwi, kuphi apho unokufumana khona abahlobo bokwenene?

¹⁶ Into eyabangela ukuba uEbhedi-meleki abe ngumhlobo wokwenene yayilukholo nokuthembela kwakhe kuYehova. Le ndoda yaba nesibindi sokungaphozisi maseko xa kwakufuneka isindise ubomi bukaYeremiya. UBharuki wachitha ixesha elininzi kunye noYeremiya waza wamnceda ekudluliseleni izigidimi zikaYehova. Namhlanje abantu abasebandleni lamaKristu banokuba ngabahlobo bokwenene njengala madoda. Uvulindlela othe ngxi oneminyaka engama-20 ubudala, uCameron, wayeyithanda indlela omnye uvulindlela ogama linguKara awayenempembelelo ngayo kuye. UCameron uthi, “uKara wayendikhuthaza ukuba ndibeke uYehova kuqala ebomini bam, ngomzekelo nangezenzo.” Ngoxa aba dade babehlala kwimimandla eqeleleneyo, uKara wayedla ngokumfowunela okanye ambhalele ukuze aqiniseke ukuba usaphila nokuze  bakhuthazane. UCameron uthi: “Wayeyazi yonke imeko yasekhaya. Wayesazi ingxaki kadadewethu, eyazi nendlela ekwaba nzima ngayo kum xa udadewethu wavukelayo waza wayishiya inyaniso. Wayesoloko enam, ibe andazi ukuba ndandiya kuthini ngaphandle kwakhe. Wayendixhasa ngokwenene.”

¹⁷ Unokubafumana abahlobo bokwenene ebandleni lamaKristu, enoba ngoontanga bakho okanye akunjalo. Abazalwana noodadewenu nabo banokholo nemilinganiselo efanayo neyakho, bayamthanda uYehova, banamathemba afanayo nawakho yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba nabo baye bajamelana nezilingo ezifanayo nezakho. Unokusebenza nabo entsimini. Baya kukwazi ukukukhuthaza xa usebunzimeni, nawe uya kwenjenjalo kubo. Baya kuvuya nawe xa wonwabile enkonzweni kaYehova. Ngaphezu koko, obo buhlobo buya kuhlala buhleli.—IMize. 17:17; 18:24; 27:9.

18. Yintoni oyifundayo kwindlela uYeremiya awabakhetha ngayo abahlobo?

¹⁸ Isifundo esinokusifunda kwindlela uYeremiya awabakhetha ngayo abahlobo sicacile. Ungayilibali le nyaniso engenakuphikwa: Akunakuba ngumhlobo wabantu abaneenkolelo ezingqubanayo neemfundiso zeBhayibhile uze uphinde ukwazi ukubambelela elukholweni. Namhlanje kubalulekile ukwenza ngokuvisisana neso sibakala, njengokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha likaYeremiya. Ukuze aprofete ngokuthembeka yaye asikelelwe nguYehova, uYeremiya wayekulungele ukwahluka kwinkoliso yabantu awayephila nabo. Ngaba kunjalo nakuwe? UYeremiya wakhetha abahlobo ababenokholo olufana nolwakhe nababemxhasa kuthumo lwakhe. Wonke umKristu othembekileyo namhlanje unokufunda kwindlela uYeremiya awabakhetha ngobulumko ngayo abahlobo.—IMize. 13:20; 22:17.