1, 2. Luhlobo olunjani lokuthengisa ngomzimba esinokulonyanya kakhulu?

ILUSIZI into yokubona umntu ethengisa ngomzimba. Sinokuzibuza ukuba yintoni emenze wade wancamela kule nto imbi kangaka. Ngaba kukuphathwa kabuhlungu okanye kukuxhatshazwa ngumntu wakokwabo okumenze wathengisa ngomzimba esemncinci? Okanye kukusokola okumnyanzele ukuba enze le nto? Okanye ebebaleka ukuxhatshazwa ngumntu atshate naye? Siziva kakhulu izinto ezinjalo kweli hlabathi likhohlakeleyo. Inoba yiloo nto noYesu Kristu waba nobubele kwabanye abantu ababethengisa ngomzimba. Wayibethelela into yokuba abo babezisola baze batshintshe indlela abaziphethe ngayo, babenokuba nethemba lokufumana ubomi obubhetele.​—Mat. 21:28-32; Luka 7:36-50.

² Ngoku makhe sicinge ngohlobo olwahlukileyo lokuthengisa ngomzimba. Yiba nombono womfazi oye wazikhethela ukuphila obu bomi. Uyibona imnika amandla le nto,  ingamthobi. Uyayithanda imali ayifumana kulo msebenzi. Into embi nakakhulu kukuba lo mfazi usenokuba unomyeni olungileyo nothembekileyo, kodwa yena akanangxaki nokumhlazisa kuba efuna ukuthengisa ngomzimba. Yenyanyeka nyhani le nto yenziwa ngulo mfazi. Yiloo nto kanye eyenza ukuba uYehova uThixo ayifanise nomfazi othengisa ngomzimba indlela aziva ngayo ngeenkonzo zobuxoki.

3. Zeziphi izinto esiza kuthetha ngazo kwesi sahluko?

³ Incwadi kaHezekile inezahluko ezibini ezithetha ngokuthengisa ngomzimba, ezibonisa ukungathembeki kwabantu bakaThixo, amaSirayeli namaYuda. (Hez., isahl. 16 no-23) Ngaphambi kokuba sithethe ngezi zahluko, makhe sithethe ngomnye umfazi owathengisa ngomzimba. Waqala ukuthengisa ngomzimba engekabikho uHezekile, kungekabikho namaSirayeli, ibe usenza loo nto nangoku. Lo mfazi uchazwe kwincwadi yokugqibela yeBhayibhile, iSityhilelo.

4, 5. Yintoni “iBhabhiloni Enkulu,” ibe siyazi njani loo nto? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ Kumbono uYesu awawubonisa umpostile uYohane ngasekupheleni kwexesha labapostile, kwavela umfazi othengisa ngomzimba. Ubizwa ngokuba ‘ngunongogo omkhulu’ nangokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu, umama wabafazi abathengisa ngomzimba.’ (ISityhi. 17:1, 5) Kangangeminyaka emininzi abefundisi beecawa kunye nabaphandi beBhayibhile bebengazi ukuba umela bani. Bebethetha izinto ezahlukeneyo besithi umela iBhabhiloni, iRoma okanye iCawa yamaRoma Katolika. Kodwa ke amaNgqina KaYehova wona ebesoloko esazi ukuba umela bani lo ‘nongogo mkhulu.’ Umela ingqokelela yazo zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki. Siyazi njani loo nto?

⁵ Lo mfazi uyagwetywa ngenxa yokuziphatha kakubi kunye ‘nookumkani bomhlaba,’ okanye amagunya eepolitiki. Loo nto ibonisa ukuba akalogunya leepolitiki. ISityhilelo siphinda sibonise ukuba “oosomashishini bomhlaba” bazilele ukutshatyalaliswa kwalo mfazi obizwa ngokuba yiBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ngoko akanakuba umela amashishini amakhulu. Umela ntoni ke lo mfazi uthengisa ngomzimba? Unetyala ‘lobugqwirha,’ elokukhonza izithixo nelokuqhatha. Zonke ezi zityholo zizichaza kakuhle iinkonzo ezonakeleyo zeli hlabathi, andithi? Qaphela nokuba lo mfazi kuthiwa ukhwele okanye unempembelelo anayo kwiipolitiki zalo mhlaba. Utshutshisa nabantu abakhonza uYehova uThixo. (ISityhi. 17:2, 3; 18:11, 23, 24) Yiloo nto kanye ibisoloko isenziwa ziinkonzo zobuxoki.

6. Kutheni iBhabhiloni Enkulu ibizwa ngokuba ‘ngumama wabafazi abathengisa ngomzimba’?

⁶ Kutheni iBhabhiloni Enkulu ingabizwa nje kuphela ngokuba ‘ngunongogo omkhulu,’ kodwa iphinde ibizwe ngokuba  ‘ngumama wabafazi abathengisa ngomzimba’? Kaloku iinkonzo zobuxoki ziqhekeke zangamaqela amaninzi kakhulu. Xa kwaphixaniswa ulwimi eBhabheli okanye eBhabhiloni, abantu bathi saa emhlabeni nezinto abazikholelwayo, ngenxa yaloo nto kwavela iinkonzo ezininzi. Ifanelwe nyhani “iBhabhiloni Enkulu” ligama layo elithathwe kwisixeko saseBhabhiloni, indawo ezaqala kuyo iinkonzo zobuxoki. (Gen. 11:1-9) Yiloo nto zonke ezi nkonzo kunokuthiwa ‘ziintombi’ zentlangano enye, unongogo omkhulu. USathana uthanda ukusebenzisa ezi nkonzo ukuze enze abantu basebenzelane needemon, bakhonze izithixo, baze benze nezinye izinto ezingafunwayo nguYehova. Yiloo nto uThixo elumkisa abantu bakhe ngale ntlangano yenza izinto ezimbi esithi: “Phumani kuyo bantu bam, ukuba anifuni ukwenza izono ezenzayo.”​—Funda iSityhilelo 18:4, 5.

7. Kutheni kufuneka sithobele isilumkiso esithi ‘masiphume’ kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu?

⁷ Ngaba uphumile kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu? Khumbula kaloku ukuba abantu baya ezinkonzweni kuba ‘bedinga uThixo.’ Nguye obadale ngaloo ndlela. (Mat. 5:3) Kukukhonza uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo kuphela okuza kubonwabisa. UYehova ufuna sihambele kude kwiinkonzo zobuxoki. Kodwa yena uSathana ufuna into eyahlukileyo. Uthanda ukulinga abantu bakaThixo ngezinto ezenziwa kwezi nkonzo, ibe amaxesha amanzi uyaphumelela. Ezalwa nje uHezekile, kwakusele kukudala abantu bakaThixo bemane bekhonza izithixo. Kuza kusinceda ukufunda ngabo, kuba kuza kusifundisa indlela uYehova afuna simkhonze ngayo, kusifundise nangobulungisa nenceba yakhe.

8-10. (a) Yintoni ebalulekileyo ekufuneka siyenze ukuze sikhonze uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo? (b) Uziva njani uYehova xa abantu bakhe bekhonza izithixo? Yenza umzekelo.

⁸ Kwincwadi kaHezekile, uYehova wenza umzekelo ngomfazi othengisa ngomzimba ukuze achaze indlela aziva ngayo. Waphefumlela uHezekile ukuba abhale indlela abaye bamjikela baza bamkhathaza ngayo abantu bakhe abangathembekanga, ngezinto abazenzayo. Kwakutheni ukuze abafanise nabafazi abathengisa ngomzimba?

⁹ Ukuze siphenduleke, kufuneka siqale sikhumbule into ebalulekileyo ekufuneka siyenze ukuze sikhonze uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Besithethile ngayo kwiSahluko 5 sale ncwadi. KuMthetho uYehova awawunika amaSirayeli, wathi: “Uze ungabi nabanye oothixo ngaphandle kwam [okanye, “kuba ungafuni ukukhonza mna,” umbhalo osemazantsi]. . . . Mna Yehova Thixo wakho, ndinguThixo ofuna umntu azinikele ngokupheleleyo.” (Eks. 20:3, 5) Waphinda wayibethelela ngale ndlela le nto:  “Awufanelanga uqubude komnye uthixo, kuba uYehova waziwa ngokufuna umntu azinikele ngokupheleleyo kuye. UnguThixo ofuna umntu azinikele ngokupheleleyo kuye.” (Eks. 34:14) Wayenza yacaca nyhani into ayilindeleyo. Akazukuyamkela indlela esimkhonza ngayo ukuba asikhonzi yena yedwa.

¹⁰ Masenze umzekelo ngabantu abatshatileyo. Indoda ilindele ukuba umfazi wayo athande yona yodwa, ibe nomfazi ulindele into efanayo kumyeni wakhe. Ukuba omnye wabo ebenokubonakala encwase umntu angatshatanga naye, lo atshate naye ebeya kuba nesikhwele aze azive ejikelwe yaye ephoxekile. (Funda kumaHebhere 13:4.) Ngokufanayo, noYehova wayeziva ngaloo ndlela xa abantu bakhe, ababezinikele kuye kuphela, bamjikela baza bakhonza izithixo. Wayichaza indlela awayeziva ngayo kuHezekile isahluko 16.

11. Uthini uYehova ngeYerusalem nemvelaphi yayo?

¹¹ UHezekile isahluko 16 sesona sahluko uYehova athetha ixesha elide kuso, nesona siprofeto sakhe side kuzo zonke iZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Uthetha neYerusalem emela uYuda ongathembekanga. Ubalisa ibali elibuhlungu nelothusayo lemvelaphi yayo nokumjikela kwayo. Yayinjengomntana olahliweyo, omdakana nongakhathalelwanga. Abazali bakhe yayingamaKanan awayehlala kwelo lizwe, engamkhonzi uThixo. Nyhani ke, iYerusalem yayilawulwa sesinye isizwe samaKanan, amaYebhusi, de soyiswa nguDavide. UYehova walusizela olu sana lulahliweyo, walucoca waza waluhoya. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, iYerusalem yaba njengomfazi wakhe. AmaSirayeli awayehlala kwelo lizwe, ayenze isivumelwano noYehova ngexesha likaMoses, ibe ayesenze ngokuzithandela. (Eks. 24:7, 8) Emva kokuba iYerusalem ibe likomkhulu lelo lizwe, uYehova wayisikelela, wayinika ubutyebi, waza wayenza ntle, njengokuba nendoda enemali nenegunya inokuthengela umfazi wayo izinto entle.​—Hez. 16:1-14.

12. Yaqala njani into yokukhonza izithixo eYerusalem?

¹² Kwenzeka ntoni emva kwayo yonke loo nto? UYehova wathi: “Wasuka wathembela ngobuhle bakho, waba ngumfazi othengisa ngomzimba ngenxa yodumo lwakho. Wathengisa ngomzimba kuye nabani na ogqithayo, baza ubuhle bakho baba bobakhe.” (Hez. 16:15) Ngemihla kaSolomon, uYehova wabasikelela waza wabenza izityebi abantu bakhe kangangokuba esi sixeko saba sesona sihle emhlabeni wonke ngelo xesha. (1 Kum. 10:23, 27) Kodwa abantu baqalisa ukungathembeki. USolomon wangcolisa iYerusalem ngezithixo, kuba efuna ukuvuyisa abafazi bakhe abaninzi ababengengomaSirayeli. (1 Kum. 11:1-8) Abanye bookumkani abalawula emva kwakhe bade  baqatsela, balingcolisa lonke ilizwe ngezithixo. Waziva njani uYehova xa ejikelwa ngolo hlobo ngabantu bakhe? Wathi: “Izinto ezinjalo azifanelanga zenzeke nanini na.” (Hez. 16:16) Kodwa abantu bakhe baye besenza izinto ezimbi nangaphezu kwezo babesele bezenza.

13. Yeyiphi inkohlakalo eyayisenziwa ngabantu bakaThixo eYerusalem?

¹³ Khawuyicinge intlungu kaYehova xa wayechaza izinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa ngabantu bakhe, esithi: “Wathatha oonyana bakho neentombi zakho owandizalela zona, wabingelela ngazo kwezi zithixo ukuze ziqwengwe. Aziqatselanga ngokwaneleyo na ezi zinto uzenzayo, uthengisa ngomzimba? Waxhela oonyana bam, wanikela ngabo ngokubabingelela emlilweni.” (Hez. 16:20, 21) Ezi zinto zothusayo abazenzayo, zisenza siqonde indlela akhohlakele ngayo uSathana. Ukuthanda kakhulu ukutsalela abantu bakaThixo kwizinto ezonyanyeka ngolo hlobo. Kodwa uYehova ubona yonk’ into. Uza kuziphelisa zonke ezo zinto zikaSathana aze awulungise wonke umonakalo awenzileyo.​—Funda uYobhi 34:24.

14. Yayingoobani oodade ababini beYerusalem abakumzekelo kaYehova, ibe ngowuphi oyena wayesenza izinto ezimbi phakathi kwabo neYerusalem?

¹⁴ IYerusalem yona zange yothuswe zizinto ezimbi eyayizenza. Yaqhubeka injengomfazi othengisa ngomzimba. UYehova wathi yayibogqitha abanye abafazi abathengisa ngomzimba ngokungabi nazintloni, kuba yona yayide ibhatale abantu ukuba balale nayo. (Hez. 16:34) Wathi iYerusalem ifuze “umama” wayo, ozezinye iintlanga ezazikade zininzi kwela lizwe. (Hez. 16:44, 45) Njengoko eqhubeka nomzekelo wentsapho, wathi udade weYerusalem omdala yiSamariya, eyathengisa ngomzimba kuqala. UThixo waphinda wathetha ngomnye udade weYerusalem, iSodom. Kodwa ke wayengathethi ngeSodom yokoqobo, kuba yayisele itshatyalaliswe kudala ngenxa yekratshi nokwenza kwayo izinto ezimbi. UYehova wayefuna ukubonisa ukuba iYerusalem yayonakele ukogqitha oodade bayo bobabini. (Hez. 16:46-50) Abantu bakhe zange bazihoye izilumkiso zakhe ezininzi, baza baqhubeka besenza izinto ezenyanyekayo.

15. Yintoni eyona nto yayifunwa nguYehova xa wayegweba iYerusalem?

¹⁵ Wayeza kuthini uYehova? Wathi kwiYerusalem: “Ndiqokelela bonke abo ububanelisa,” ibe “ndiza kukunikela kubo.” IYerusalem yayiza kutshatyalaliswa ziintlanga eyayivana nazo. UThixo waqhubeka wathi: ‘Baza kukubetha ngamatye, baze bakuxabele ngamakrele.’ Wayefuna ntoni uYehova xa wayebagweba ngolu hlobo abantu bakhe? Wayengafuni kubatshabalalisa bangabikho. Wayichaza eyona nto wayeyifuna, wathi: “Ndiza kukwenza uyeke ukuthengisa ngomzimba.” Waphinda wathi: “Ndiza kuyanelisa ingqumbo endinayo, ibe uza kwehla umsindo  wam; ndiza kuxola, ndiyeke ukucaphuka.” Njengoko sifundile kwiSahluko 9 sale ncwadi, uYehova wayefuna abantu bakhe baphinde bamkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo emva kokubuya kwabo ekuthinjweni. Ngoba? Wathi: “Mna ndiza kusikhumbula isivumelwano endandisenze nawe ngemihla yobutsha bakho.” (Hez. 16:37-42, 60) Yena wayengazukufana nabantu bakhe, wayeza kuthembeka.​—Funda iSityhilelo 15:4.

16, 17. (a) Kutheni singasathi uOhola no-Oholibha bamela iinkonzo zobuxoki? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “Abafazi Ababethengisa Ngomzimba.”) (b) Sifunda ntoni kuHezekile isahluko 16 no-23?

¹⁶ Amazwi kaYehova akuHezekile isahluko 16 asifundisa kakhulu ngendlela afuna siziphathe ngayo, ubulungisa nenceba yakhe. Sifunda into efanayo nakwisahluko 23. Umyalezo wakhe othetha ngokuthengisa ngomzimba kwabantu bakhe ubaluleke gqitha kumaKristu enene. Asifuni kumkhathaza uYehova njengoYuda neYerusalem. Ngenxa yaloo nto, asifuni kwanto isidibanisa nezithixo. Le nto iquka nezinye iindlela zokukhonza izithixo ezinjengokubawa nokuthanda ukuba nezinto. (Mat. 6:24; Kol. 3:5) Sifuna ukuhlala simbulela uYehova, kuba ngenxa yenceba yakhe uye wanceda abantu baphinda bamkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo kule mihla yokugqibela, ibe soze ayivumele indlela akhonzwa ngayo ukuba iphinde ingcoliswe. Wenze ‘isivumelwano esingasoze siphelelwe’ kunye nabathanjiswa. (Hez. 16:60) Soze sophulwe esi isivumelwano, kuba bona baza kuhlala bethembekile kuThixo. Ngoko masiyixabise inyhweba esiyifumeneyo yokukhonza kunye nabantu bakaYehova abacocekileyo.

¹⁷ Asifundisa ntoni amazwi kaYehova athetha ngomfazi othengisa ngomzimba ochazwe kuHezekile ngokuba ‘ngunongogo omkhulu,’ iBhabhiloni Enkulu? Makhe sibone.

18, 19. Ufana njani umfazi othengisa ngomzimba ekuthethwe ngaye kuHezekile nalo kuthethwe ngaye kwiSityhilelo?

¹⁸ UYehova akatshintshi. (Yak. 1:17) Usamcaphukela nangoku la nongogo mkhulu. Asothuki ke xa sibona izinto ezifanayo kwindlela awabagweba ngayo abafazi abathengisa ngomzimba ekuthethwe ngabo kwincwadi kaHezekile, kunye nendlela aza kumgweba ngayo “unongogo omkhulu” ekuthethwa ngaye kwincwadi yeSityhilelo.

¹⁹ Qaphela ke ukuba uYehova zange abohlwaye ngokwakhe abafazi abathengisa ngomzimba abakwincwadi kaHezekile, kodwa bohlwaywa ziintlanga ababeziphethe kakubi kunye nazo. Ngokufanayo, zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki zigwetyiwe ngenxa yokuziphatha kwazo kakubi kunye ‘nookumkani bomhlaba.’ Ziza kohlwaywa ngubani ke zona? IBhayibhile isifundisa ukuba amagunya eepolitiki aza ‘kumcaphukela lo mfazi uthengisa ngomzimba,  yaye aza kumxuthela zonke izinto zakhe, amshiye eze. Aza kuyitya inyama yakhe aze amtshise aphele ngomlilo.’ Kutheni oorhulumente bomhlaba beza kwenza into engalindelekanga ngolo hlobo nje? Kuba uThixo uza ‘kwenza ukuba iintliziyo zabo zenze izinto ezicingwa nguye.’​—ISityhi. 17:1-3, 15-17.

20. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba iza kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo iBhabhiloni?

²⁰ UYehova uza kusebenzisa iintlanga ukuze atshabalalise zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki. Azizukuxolelwa okanye zinikwe ithuba lokuguquka. ISityhilelo sibonisa ukuba iBhabhiloni ayisoze ‘iphinde ifunyanwe.’ (ISityhi. 18:21) Iingelosi zikaThixo ziza kuvuya xa kutshatyalaliswa iinkonzo zobuxoki, zithi: “Dumisani uYa! Umsi weBhabhiloni unyuka ngonaphakade kanaphakade.” (ISityhi. 19:3) Ziza kutshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade. UThixo soze avumele ukuba kuphinde kubekho iinkonzo zobuxoki eziza kwenza abantu bangamkhonzi ngendlela ayifunayo. Emva  kokuba iBhabhiloni igwetyiwe yaza yatshatyalaliswa, kuza kuba ngathi kunyuka umsi kuyo ngonaphakade.

21. Kuza kuthetha ukuqala kwexesha lantoni ukutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu, ibe elo xesha liza kuqhuba de kuthini?

²¹ Xa oorhulumente bejikela iBhabhiloni Enkulu, baza kube besenza into efunwa nguThixo. Loo nto iza kuthetha ukuqala kwexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo nelesiphithiphithi. (Mat. 24:21) Eli xesha liza kuqhuba liyokuma ngeArmagedon, imfazwe kaYehova aza kuyilwa neli hlabathi likhohlakeleyo. (ISityhi. 16:14, 16) Njengokuba siza kufunda kwizahluko ezilandelayo zale ncwadi, incwadi kaHezekile isixelela ngezinto eziza kwenzeka ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo. Kodwa ke okwangoku, ziintoni esizifundileyo kuHezekile isahluko 16 no-23 esifuna ukuzikhumbula size sizenze?

22, 23. Ukwazi abafazi abathengisa ngomzimba abachazwe kuHezekile nakwiSityhilelo kunokusinceda njani ekukhonzeni kwethu uYehova?

²² USathana uyakuthanda ukonakalisa abakhonzi bakaYehova. Eyona nto ayifunayo kukusiyekisa ukukhonza uThixo, size sifane nabafazi ababethengisa ngomzimba, ekuthethwe ngabo kwincwadi kaHezekile. Simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova soze ayinyamezele into yokuba sikhonze yena siphinde sikhonze nezithixo. (Num. 25:11) Sihambela kude kwiinkonzo zobuxoki, asifuni ‘nokuchukumisa kwanto ingacocekanga.’ (Isa. 52:11) Asithathi cala nakwiingxabano nemilo yeepolitiki zeli hlabathi lingamanyenanga. (Yoh. 15:19) Kuthi nokuthanda ilizwe akwahlukanga kwiinkonzo zobuxoki zikaSathana, kwaye asifuni nto isidibanisa nako.

²³ Into ebaluleke ngakumbi kukukhumbula inyhweba esinayo yokukhonza uYehova kwitempile enkulu yakhe ecocekileyo nengcwele. Ngenxa yokuba silixabisa elo lungiselelo, simele sizimisele ukungabi nanto isidibanisa neenkonzo zobuxoki nokukhonza kwazo izithixo!