KuHezekeli isahluko 23, sithola amazwi abuhlungu alahla abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokungathembeki kwabo. Ngezindlela eziningi, lesi sahluko sithi asifane nesahluko 16. Naso sisebenzisa umfanekiso wesifebe. IJerusalema kuthiwa liwudadewabo omncane weSamariya. Zombili lezi zahluko zibonisa indlela iJerusalema elalandela ngayo iSamariya ekufebeni kodwa lona laze lalidlula ngobubi nangokuziphatha kabi. Esahlukweni 23, uJehova ubaqamba amagama laba besifazane ababili: Omdala kuthiwa u-Ohola, okuyiSamariya, inhloko-dolobha yombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi; omncane kuthiwa u-Oholiba, okuyiJerusalema, inhloko-dolobha yakwaJuda. *—Hez. 23:1-4.

Zikhona nezinye izinto ezifana ngazo lezi zahluko ezimbili. Mhlawumbe ezibaluleke kakhulu yilezi: Lezi zifebe ziqala zibe amakhosikazi kaJehova bese ziyamkhohlisa. Kubuye kube khona nesithembiso sethemba. Isahluko 23 siliveza kancane ithemba lokubuyisana noNkulunkulu, kodwa sithi asifane nesahluko 16 lapho uJehova ethi: “Ngizokuqeda konke ukuziphatha kwakho okungcolile nobufebe bakho.”—Hez. 16:16, 20, 21, 37, 38, 41, 42; 23:4, 11, 22, 23, 27, 37.

Esikhathini esidlule, izincwadi zethu bezilokhu zithi laba besifazane ababili u-Ohola no-Oholiba, bafanekisela eLobukholwa elakhiwa iSonto LamaKatolika nobuProthestani. Nokho, ukuthandaza nokucwaninga kuye kwaphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile. Ingabe eLobukholwa lalike laba inkosikazi kaJehova ngandlela-thile? Lake lasenza yini isivumelwano naye? Cha. ELobukholwa lalingakabi bikho lapho uJesu enza “isivumelwano esisha” no-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso; kanti futhi lalingeyona ingxenye yesizwe samaKristu agcotshiwe. (Jer. 31:31; Luka 22:20) ELobukholwa laze laba khona ngemva kwesikhathi eside abaphostoli bafa. Laqala ukuba khona ekhulwini lesine C.E. njengenhlangano eyisihlubuki neyonakele eyakhiwa “ukhula”—amaKristu okuzenzisa—uJesu akhuluma ngalo esiprofethweni sakhe sikakolweni nokhula.—Math. 13:24-30.

Omunye umahluko obalulekile yilo: UJehova wanikeza ithemba lokuthi uyolisindisa iJerusalema neSamariya elingathembekile. (Hez. 16:41, 42, 53-55) Ingabe iBhayibheli linikeza eLobukholwa ithemba elifanayo? Cha! Alinalo ithemba, liyazifanela nje neBhabhiloni Elikhulu.

Ngakho u-Ohola no-Oholiba abafanekiseli eLobukholwa. Nokho, bayasisiza siqonde into ebaluleke nakakhulu: indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngalabo abalimelela kabi igama lakhe elingcwele nemithetho yakhe yokumkhonza ngendlela emsulwa. ELobukholwa linecala elikhulu kule ndaba ngoba amasonto alo athi amelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Okukhulu nakakhulu athi iNdodana kaJehova ayithandayo, uJesu Kristu, ingumholi wawo. Ayaziphikisa ngalokho akushoyo ngokuveza uJesu eyingxenye kankulunkulu onamakhanda amathathu nangokungawulaleli umyalo wakhe ocacile wokuba ‘angabi ingxenye yezwe.’ (Joh. 15:19) Ngokuqhubeka likhonza izithombe nokuzifaka kwezepolitiki, eLobukholwa lizibonise liyingxenye ‘yesifebe esikhulu.’ (IsAm. 17:1) Ngaphandle kokungabaza, kumelwe lithole isahlulelo esiyotholwa umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga!