1, 2. (a) Inoba amaYuda awayethinjiwe ayenexhala lantoni? (b) Kutheni sisithi ayebeth’ ecaleni? (c) Ithini imibuzo esiza kuthetha ngayo?

UHEZEKILE wenza imiboniso yeziprofeto ezininzi awayezithunywe nguThixo kubantu ababethinjwe eBhabhiloni. Umboniso wokuqala wawuthetha ngomgwebo, ibe nowesibini, nowesithathu wawuthetha ngomgwebo. (Hez. 3:24-26; 4:1-7; 5:1; 12:3-6) Phofu yonke imiboniso awayenzayo yayithetha ngokugwetywa kwamaYuda.

² Inoba ayenexhala nyhani ke ngoku amaYuda awayethinjiwe xa uHezekile ephinda esima phambi kwawo, eza kwenza omnye umboniso wesiprofeto. Mhlawumbi ayecinga ukuba, ‘Az’ ukuba uza neziphi iindaba ezimbi ngoku!’ Kodwa ayebeth’ ecaleni, kuba sasahlukile esi isiprofeto. UHezekile wayengazanga kuprofeta ngomgwebo, kodwa wayeze nesiprofeto esinika ithemba. (Hez. 37:23) Wawusithini umyalezo kaHezekile kubantu bakaThixo abathinjiweyo? Wawuthetha ntoni? Udibana njani nabantu bakaThixo namhlanje? Makhe sive.

3. (a) Yayimela ntoni intonga ‘kaYuda’? (b) Kutheni “intonga kaEfrayim” yayimela ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi?

³ UYehova wathi uHezekile makathathe iintonga ezimbini aze abhale kwenye “ekaYuda,” kwenye abhale “ekaYosefu, intonga kaEfrayim.” (Funda uHezekile 37:15, 16.) Zazimela ntoni ezi ntonga? “EkaYuda” yayimela ubukumkani bezizwe ezibini, isizwe sakwaYuda nesakwaBhenjamin. Ezi zizwe zazilawulwa ngookumkani abayinzala kaYuda, kwaye nababingeleli babephuma kwaYuda, kuba babekhonza kwitempile eseYerusalem. (2 Kron. 11:13, 14; 34:30) Yiloo nto babephuma kwesi sizwe ookumkani abayinzala kaDavide kunye nababingeleli abangabaLevi. Yona “intonga kaEfrayim” yayimela ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli. Yayidibana njani le ntonga noEfrayim? Ukumkani wokuqala wezizwe ezilishumi yayinguYerobhoham umEfrayim. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uEfrayim waba sesona sizwe sinamandla kwaSirayeli. (Dut. 33:17; 1 Kum. 11:26) Kodwa ke ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli lwalungaquki ookumkani abayinzala kaDavide okanye ababingeleli abangabaLevi.

4. Yayibonisa ntoni into eyenziwa nguHezekile ngeentonga ezimbini? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ UYehova waphinda wathi uHezekile makadibanise ezi ntonga zimbini “zibe yintonga enye.” Njengokuba amaYuda awayethinjiwe ayembukele uHezekile, ambuza: “Awuzukusixelela na ukuba zithetha ntoni ezi zinto?” Wawaxelela ukuba lo mboniso wawubonisa into eza kwenziwa nguYehova ngokwakhe. UYehova wathi ngezi ntonga: “Ndiza kuzenza intonga enye esandleni sam.”​—Hez. 37:17-19.

5. Kwakuthetha ntoni ukudibanisa kukaHezekile iintonga ezimbini? (Jonga nebhokisi ethi “Ukudityaniswa Kweentonga Ezimbini.”)

⁵ Emva koko, uYehova wayicacisa into yokuba kuthetha ntoni ukudityaniswa kwezi ntonga zimbini. (Funda uHezekile 37:21, 22.) Wayeza kubuyisela abantu bakhe abathinjiweyo abasuka kwizizwe ezibini zakwaYuda kunye nabasuka kwezilishumi zakwaSirayeli (uEfrayim) kwilizwe labo lakwaSirayeli, baze babe “luhlanga olunye.”—Yer. 30:1-3; 31:2-9; 33:7.

6. Zeziphi iziprofeto ezihambisanayo ezichazwe kuHezekile isahluko 37?

⁶ Uyayibona indlela ezihambisana ngayo iziprofeto ezichazwe kuHezekile isahluko 37? UYehova uza kubonisa ukuba akakwazi nje kuphela ukubavusa ngokubakhulula ekuthinjweni abantu bakhe (ivesi 1-14) kodwa uyakwazi nokubenza bamanyane (ivesi 15-28). Umyalezo okhuthazayo wezi ziprofeto uthi: Abantu abathinjiweyo banokubuyiselwa kwilizwe labo, baze baphinde bamanyane.

7. Eyoku-1 yeziKronike 9:2, 3 ingqina njani ukuba “kuThixo yonke into ingenzeka”?

⁷ Abantu babenokucinga ukuba ukukhululwa nokumanyaniswa kwabantu ababethinjiwe kwakuyinto engenakuze yenzeke. * Kodwa ke, “kuThixo yonke into ingenzeka.” (Mat. 19:26) UYehova  wayenza into awayeyiprofetile. Wabakhulula ngo-537 B.C.E. abantu bakhe ababethinjiwe eBhabhiloni, baza babuyela eYerusalem ukuze baphinde bamkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo. NeBhayibhile iyayingqina le nto. Ithi: “Abanye benzala kaYuda, ekaBhenjamin, ekaEfrayim nekaManase bahlala eYerusalem.” (1 Kron. 9:2, 3; Ezra 6:17) Njengokuba uYehova wayetshilo, abantu bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli bamanyaniswa nabezizwe ezibini zakwaYuda.

8. (a) Waprofeta wathini uIsaya? (b) Zeziphi izinto ezimbini esizifunda kuHezekile 37:21?

⁸ Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-200 ngaphambili, uIsaya waprofeta ngendlela awayeza kumanyaniswa ngayo amaSirayeli namaYuda emva kokuba ekhululiwe ekuthinjweni. Wathi uYehova wayeza kuqalisa ukuqokelela “abasasazekileyo bakwaSirayeli . . . nabachithachithekileyo bakwaYuda mbombo zone zomhlaba,” kuquka nabo ‘baphuma eAsiriya.’ (Isa. 11:12, 13, 16) Kwaye njengokuba wayetshilo uYehova, wawalanda “amaSirayeli phakathi kweentlanga.” (Hez. 37:21) Jonga izinto ezimbini esizifundayo: Okokuqala, uYehova akasababizi abantu bakhe ngokuthi ‘uYuda’ kunye ‘noEfrayim,’ kodwa uyabadibanisa athi “amaSirayeli.” Okwesibini, akuthiwa amaSirayeli asuka kuhlanga nje olunye lwaseBhabhiloni, kodwa kwiintlanga eziliqela, kude kuthiwe asuka “kuzo zonke iindawo.”

9. UYehova wabanceda njani bamanyana abantu bakhe ababebuye ekuthinjweni?

⁹ UYehova wabanceda njani bamanyana abantu bakhe emva kokuba bebuye ekuthinjweni? Wathumela abalusi ababeza kubanceda,  abanjengomprofeti uZerubhabheli, uMbingeleli Omkhulu uYoshuwa, uEzra noNehemiya. Wathumela nomprofeti uHagayi, uZekariya noMalaki. Onke la madoda athembekileyo asebenza nzima ekhuthaza olu hlanga ukuba luthobele imiyalelo kaYehova. (Neh. 8:2, 3) UYehova waphinda wawakhusela amaSirayeli ngokuwenza angaphumeleli amayelenqe awayesenziwa ziintshaba zawo.​—Estere 9:24, 25; Zek. 4:6.

10. USathana waphumelela ekwenzeni ntoni?

¹⁰ Nakuba uYehova wayewenzele zonke ezi zinto, amaSirayeli amaninzi ayeka ukumkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo. Izinto awazenzayo zikhona kwiincwadi zeBhayibhile ezabhalwa emva kokuba ebuyile ekuthinjweni. (Ezra 9:1-3; Neh. 13:1, 2, 15) Kwiminyaka nje eyi-100 ebuyile, amaSirayeli amshiya uYehova, kwada kwafuneka awacenge athi: “Buyelani kum.” (Mal. 3:7) Wathi efika uYesu emhlabeni, abe amaYuda engasakhonzi kunye, eqhekeke aba ngamaqela anabalusi abangathembekanga. (Mat. 16:6; Marko 7:5-8) USathana wayephumelele ekwenzeni abantu bakaThixo bangamanyani ngokupheleleyo. Kodwa ke, sona isiprofeto sikaYehova sokuba abantu bakhe babeza kumanyana, sasiza kwenzeka nakanjani na. Njani?

11. (a) Wathini uYehova ngokumanyana kwabantu bakhe? (b) Yintoni awaphinda wazama ukuyenza uSathana emva kokugxothwa kwakhe ezulwini?

¹¹ Funda uHezekile 37:24. UYehova wachaza ukuba abantu bakhe babeza kumanyana ngokupheleleyo emva kokuba ‘umkhonzi wakhe uDavide,’ oko kukuthi uYesu, eqalise ukulawula njengoKumkani ngo-1914. * (2 Sam. 7:16; Luka 1:32) Ngelo xesha amaSirayeli ayethathelwe indawo nguSirayeli kaThixo, abathanjiswa. (Yer. 31:33; Gal. 3:29) USathana waphinda wafuna ukuyekisa abantu bakaThixo ukumanyana, ingakumbi emva kokugxothwa kwakhe ezulwini. (ISityhi. 12:7-10) Ngokomzekelo, emva kokusweleka kukaMzalwan’ uRussell ngo-1916, uSathana wabona ithuba lokwenza abathanjiswa bangavani esebenzisa abantu ababemjikele uYehova. Kodwa ke zange bahlale abo bantu entlanganweni, bakhawuleza bayishiya. USathana wenza nokuba abazalwana ababekhokela babanjwe, kodwa naleyo into zange ibatyhafise abantu bakaYehova. Abazalwana abathanjisiweyo abahlala bethembekile baqhubeka bemanyene.

12. Kwakutheni ukuze angaphumeleli amayelenqe kaSathana okufuna ukwahlula abathanjiswa?

¹² Abazalwana abathanjisiweyo zange boyiswe ngamayelenqe kaSathana okufuna ukubahlula njengamaSirayeli akudala. Yintoni eyenza uSathana akaphumelela? Kaloku abathanjiswa bazama kangangoko ukuthobela imithetho kaYehova. Ngenxa yaloo nto, baye bakhuselwa nguKumkani wabo uYesu Kristu, osaqhubeka emoyisa uSathana.​—ISityhi. 6:2.

13. Yintoni ebalulekileyo esiyifundiswa sisiprofeto sokudityaniswa kweentonga ezimbini?

¹³ Sibaluleke ngantoni isiprofeto sokudityaniswa kweentonga ezimbini kwixesha lethu? Khumbula kaloku ukuba esi siprofeto sasibonisa indlela amaqela amabini awayeza kumanyaniswa ngayo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba esi siprofeto sibonisa ukuba nguYehova omanyanisa abantu bakhe. Yeyiphi ke inyani ebalulekileyo engokukhonzwa kukaYehova eboniswa sesi siprofeto sokudityaniswa kweentonga ezimbini? Ngamafutshane nantsi: UYehova uza kwenza abantu bakhe babe ‘banye.’​—Hez. 37:19.

14. Ukususela ngo-1919, senzeka njani okwesibini isiprofeto sokudityaniswa kweentonga ezimbini?

¹⁴ Ukususela ngo-1919, emva kokuba abantu bakaYehova becociwe baza benza izinto ngendlela kaYehova, isiprofeto sokudityaniswa kweentonga ezimbini saqalisa ukwenzeka okwesibini. Ngelo xesha, abaninzi kubantu ababemanyanisiwe babenethemba lokuba ngookumkani nababingeleli ezulwini. (ISityhi. 20:6) Aba bathanjiswa babefana nentonga ‘kaYuda,’ isizwe esasinookumkani abayinzala kaDavide kunye nababingeleli abangabaLevi. Kodwa ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha kwangenelela nabanye abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Aba ke ‘babenjengentonga kaEfrayim,’ uhlanga olwalungenabo ookumkani abayinzala kaDavide kunye nababingeleli abangabaLevi. Omabini la maqela akhonza kunye emanyene njengabantu bakaYehova, phantsi koKumkani wabo omnye, uYesu Kristu.​—Hez. 37:24.

15. Iziprofeto ezichazwe kuHezekile 37:26, 27 zenzeka njani namhlanje?

¹⁵ Isiprofeto sikaHezekile sibonisa ukuba kuza kubakho abantu abaninzi abaza kufuna ukukhonza uYehova kunye nabathanjiswa. UYehova wathi ngabantu bakhe: ‘Ndiza kubandisa, ibe intente yam iza kuba phakathi kwabo.’ (Hez. 37:26, 27; umbhalo osemazantsi.) La mazwi asikhumbuza into eyathethwa ngumpostile uYohane kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-700 eswelekile uHezekile, esithi, ‘Lowo uhleli etroneni wayeza kuyolulela phezu kwesihlwele esikhulu intente yakhe.’ (ISityhi. 7:9, 15) Namhlanje, abathanjiswa nesihlwele esikhulu bahlala kunye njengohlanga olunye lwabantu bakaThixo phantsi kwentente yakhe ekhuselekileyo.

16. Sithini isiprofeto sikaZekariya esithetha ngokumanyaniswa kwabathanjiswa kunye nabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

¹⁶ UZekariya, naye owayesuka ekuthinjweni, wayeprofetile ngokumanyaniswa kwabathanjiswa kunye nabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Wathi ‘amadoda alishumi eentlanga ayeza kubamba nkqi isambatho somYuda,’ aze athi: “Sifuna ukuhamba nani, kuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.” (Zek. 8:23) Lo ‘mYuda’ kuthethwa ngaye kwesi sibhalo ayingomntu nje omnye kodwa liqela labantu, aze amazwi athi “unani,” kwixesha lethu abhekise  kubathanjiswa. (Roma 2:28, 29) “Amadoda alishumi” amela abo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. ‘Bababambe nkqi’ abathanjiswa, ibe ‘bahamba nabo.’ (Isa. 2:2, 3; Mat. 25:40) Amagama athi “asibambe nkqi” nathi “ukuhamba nani” abonisa ukuba la maqela mabini aza kube emanyene nyhani.

17. UYesu wakuchaza njani ukumanyana kwethu namhlanje?

¹⁷ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu wayecinga ngesi siprofeto sikaHezekile sokumanyaniswa xa wathi yena ungumalusi okhokela izimvu (abathanjiswa) kunye “nezinye izimvu” (abo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni) aze azenze zibe “ngumhlambi omnye.” (Yoh. 10:16; Hez. 34:23; 37:24, 25) La mazwi kaYesu kunye nawabaprofeti bakudala akuchaza kakuhle ukumanyana kwethu, nokuba sinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni okanye ezulwini. Nakuba iinkonzo zobuxoki ziqhekeka zibe ngamaqela amaninzi, thina simanyene.

18. UHezekile 37:28 ukubonisa njani ukubaluleka kokuba abantu bakaThixo ‘bangabi ngabehlabathi’?

¹⁸ Amazwi okugqibela esiprofeto sikaHezekile esithetha ngokumanyana asenza siqiniseke ukuba soze siyeke ukumanyana. (Funda uHezekile 37:28.) Abantu bakaYehova bamanyene kuba ingcwele yakhe ‘iphakathi kwabo,’ oko kukuthi bamkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo. Kwaye ingcwele yakhe yayiza kuqhubeka iphakathi kwabo ukuba babehlala bengcwele, okanye kungekho nto ibadibanisa nehlabathi likaSathana. (1 Kor. 6:11; ISityhi. 7:14)  UYesu wakubethelela ukubaluleka kokungazidibanisi nehlabathi. Xa wayethandazela abafundi bakhe ngokusuka entliziyweni, wathi: “Tata Ongcwele, ndicela ubagade . . . ukuze babe banye . . . Abangabo abehlabathi . . . Benze babe ngcwele ngenyaniso.” (Yoh. 17:11, 16, 17) Uyibonile into yokuba uYesu udibanisa ukuba “banye” kunye ‘nokungabi ngabehlabathi’?

19. Sibonisa njani ukuba ‘silinganisa uThixo’? (b) Yintoni awayibethelelayo uYesu ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe?

¹⁹ Yile ndawo kuphela eBhayibhileni apho uYesu abiza uThixo ngokuthi “Tata Ongcwele.” UYehova ucoceke kuyo yonke into kwaye izinto uzenza kakuhle. Wathi kumaSirayeli: “Nimele nibe ngcwele, kuba ndingcwele.” (Lev. 11:45) Nathi, ekubeni ‘silinganisa uThixo,’ sifuna ukuwuthobela lo myalelo kwindlela esiziphatha ngayo. (Efe. 5:1; 1 Pet. 1:14, 15) Ebantwini ukuba “ngcwele” kuthetha ‘ukuzahlula.’ Yiloo nto uYesu ngaphambi kokuba afe wabethelela ukuba abafundi bakhe babeza kuhlala bemanyene ukuba babezahlula kweli hlabathi lingamanyenanga.

20, 21. (a) Yintoni esenza simthembe ngakumbi uYehova ukuba uza kusikhusela? (b) Uzimisele ukwenza ntoni?

²⁰ Ukumanyana kwamaNgqina KaYehova, okubonakala ngokucacileyo emhlabeni wonke, kungqina ukuba uYehova wasiphendula isicelo sikaYesu esithi: “Ndicela ukuba ubakhusele kuSathana.” (Funda uYohane 17:14, 15.) Ukubona ukuba uSathana akakwazanga ukuwayekisa ukumanyana, kusenza simthembe ngakumbi uYehova ukuba uza kusikhusela. Kwisiprofeto sikaHezekile, uYehova wachaza ukuba iintonga ezimbini zaba yintonga enye esandleni sakhe. Loo nto ithetha ukuba uYehova ubamanyanise ngokwakhe abantu bakhe ngendlela emangalisayo kwisandla sakhe esikhuselayo, ngoko uSathana akukho nto anokuyenza.

²¹ Yintoni ke esimele sizimisele ukuyenza? Kukuzama ukugcina uxolo esinalo. Sinokuyenza njani loo nto? Ngokuqhubeka sikhonza uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Izahluko ezilandelayo ziza kusichazela ukuba singayenza njani loo nto.