1, 2. Kungani uJehova ngezinye izikhathi ayesebenzisa izinto ezibonakalayo lapho echazela izinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni amaqiniso?

AWUBONE ngeso lengqondo umndeni onezingane ezincane uhleli etafuleni utadisha iBhayibheli. Ukuze ubaba asize izingane ziqonde iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini, uzibonisa izithombe ezithile ezingenayo imininingwane eminingi. Izingane ziyamomotheka njengoba ziphendula, okubonisa ukuthi ziyakuzwa lokho ezikufundiswayo. Ngokuchaza akushoyo ngezithombe, hhayi ngamazwi kuphela, ubaba usiza izingane ziqonde izimfundiso ngoJehova obekungaba nzima ukuba ziziqonde.

² Ngokufanayo, uJehova usebenzisa izinto ezibonakalayo ukuze asize izingane zakhe ezingabantu ziqonde izinto ezingabonakali ebezingeke ziziqonde. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuze achaze amaqiniso abalulekile ngaye, uJehova wabonisa uHezekeli umbono onezinto eziphawulekayo. Esahlukweni esandulele, sixoxe ngento eyodwa ekulowo mbono. Manje ake sigxile kwenye ingxenye yalowo mbono omangalisayo, sibone ukuthi ukuqonda incazelo yayo kungasisiza kanjani sisondele nakakhulu kuJehova.

3. (a) Yini uHezekeli ayibona embonweni njengoba kuchazwe kuHezekeli 1:4, 5? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Yini oyiphawulayo ngendlela uHezekeli achaza ngayo lokho akubonayo?

³ Funda uHezekeli 1:4, 5. UHezekeli uchaza “okwakufana nezidalwa ezine eziphilayo” okunezici zezingelosi, ezabantu nezezilwane. Phawula indlela enembile uHezekeli abhala ngayo lokho akubona, uthi wabona “okwakufana” nezidalwa eziphilayo. Njengoba uwufunda wonke umbono osesahlukweni 1 sikaHezekeli, uzophawula ukuthi lo mprofethi wazisebenzisa kaningi izinkulumo ezithi ‘okwakubukeka njenge-,’ ‘wawuzwakala njengo-’ ‘owayebukeka njengo-.’ (Hez. 1:13, 24, 26) Kuyacaca ukuthi uHezekeli wayeqonda ukuthi izinto ayezibona zazingezona ezingokoqobo, zazifanekisela izinto ezisezulwini ezingabonakali.

4. (a) Lo mbono wamthinta kanjani uHezekeli? (b) Yini okungangabazeki ukuthi uHezekeli wayeyazi ngamakherubi?

⁴ Kumelwe ukuba uHezekeli kwammangaza lokho akubona nakuzwa kulo mbono. Lezi zidalwa eziphilayo zazibukeka “njengamalahle avuthayo.” Ukuhamba kwazo ngokushesha “kwakunjengokubanika kombani.” Umsindo wamaphiko azo wawuzwakala “njengomsindo wamanzi ahazayo,” umsindo wokuhamba kwazo “wawunjengomsindo webutho.” (Hez. 1:13, 14, 24-28; bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ngangibuka Lezi Zidalwa Eziphilayo.”) Komunye umbono, uHezekeli wachaza lezi zidalwa ezine eziphilayo ngokuthi “amakherubi,” noma izidalwa eziyizingelosi ezinamandla. (Hez. 10:2) Njengoba uHezekeli akhulela emndenini wabapristi, akungabazeki ukuthi wayazi ukuthi amakherubi ahlotshaniswa nokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu nokuthi akhonza njengezinceku zaKhe.—1 IziKr. 28:18; IHu. 18:10.

5. (a) Amakherubi nobuso bawo obune abubonisa kanjani ubukhulu bamandla kaJehova nenkazimulo yakhe? (b) Kungani le ngxenye yombono isikhumbuza incazelo yegama likaNkulunkulu? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

⁵ Funda uHezekeli 1:6, 10. UHezekeli waphawula nokuthi ikherubi ngalinye lalinobuso obune, ubuso bomuntu, obebhubesi, obenkunzi nobokhozi. Kumelwe ukuba ukubona lobu buso obune kwagcizelela kuHezekeli ubukhulu bamandla nenkazimulo kaJehova. Kungani? Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ubuso ngabunye babungobesidalwa esifanekisela isithunzi namandla. Ibhubesi yisilwane sasendle esinesithunzi, inkunzi yisilwane esifuywayo esinamandla, ukhozi inyoni enamandla, kanti umuntu yena uyindalo kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni esezingeni eliphakeme, ubusa zonke ezinye izidalwa emhlabeni. (IHu. 8:4-6) Noma kunjalo, kulo mbono, uHezekeli wabona ukuthi bonke laba bameleli bendalo abane abanamandla, njengoba beboniswa ubuso obune bekherubi ngalinye, babengaphansi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova, yena onguMbusi Ophakeme kunabo bonke. Yeka indlela efanelekayo yokubonisa ukuthi uJehova angasebenzisa indalo yakhe ukuze afeze injongo yakhe! * Ngempela, njengoba umhubi asho ngoJehova, “Isithunzi sakhe singaphezu komhlaba nezulu.”—IHu. 148:13.

6. Yini okungenzeka ukuthi yasiza uHezekeli waqonda ukuthi ubuso obune bungamelelani futhi?

 ⁶ Ngemva kokuba sekudlule isikhathi esithile, noHezekeli esecabangisisile ngalokho ayekubonile, kungenzeka wakhumbula ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezaziphila ngaphambi kwakhe zazisebenzise izilwane lapho ziqhathanisa. Ngokwesibonelo, inhloko yomndeni uJakobe yayike yaqhathanisa indodana yayo uJuda nebhubesi, nendodana yayo uBhenjamini nempisi. (Gen. 49:9, 27) Kungani? Yingoba ibhubesi nempisi kufanekisela izimfanelo ezaziyobonakala ngokucacile ebuntwini bala madoda. Ngakho, ekhumbula izibonelo ezinjalo ezisemibhalweni ephefumulelwe kaMose, kungenzeka uHezekeli waphetha ngokuthi ubuso bamakherubi nabo bufanekisela izimfanelo ezivelele. Kodwa yiziphi lezo zimfanelo?

7, 8. Yiziphi izimfanelo ngokuvamile ezihlotshaniswa nobuso obune bamakherubi?

⁷ Ababhali beBhayibheli ababephila ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaHezekeli babelihlobanisa nani ibhubesi, ukhozi nenkunzi? Phawula lokho amavesi eBhayibheli akushoyo: ‘Indoda enesibindi enenhliziyo enjengeyebhubesi.’ (2 Sam. 17:10; IzAga 28:1) ‘Ukhozi lundizela phezulu,’ “amehlo alo abona emajukujukwini.” (Jobe 39:27, 29) “Amandla enkunzi enza kube nesivuno esiningi.” (IzAga 14:4) Ngokusekelwe kule miBhalo neminye, ubuso bebhubesi bufanekisela ubulungisa obuhambisana nesibindi; ubuso bokhozi bufanekisela ukuhlakanipha okufinyelela kude; ubuso benkunzi bufanekisela amandla amakhulu, njengoba kuye kwachazwa ezincwadini zethu.

⁸ Kodwa kuthiwani ‘ngobuso bomuntu’? (Hez. 10:14) Kumelwe ukuba bubhekisela emfanelweni engeke iboniswe yizilwane, kodwa ngabantu abenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (Gen. 1:27) Leyo mfanelo—okungabantu kuphela abangayibonisa emhlabeni—iqokonyiswa umyalo kaNkulunkulu othi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho” nothi “kumelwe uthande omunye umuntu njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Dut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) Lapho silalela le miyalo ngokubonisa uthando olungenabugovu, sisuke sibonisa uthando lukaJehova. Njengoba umphostoli uJohane abhala, “siyathanda ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Joh. 4:8, 19) Ngakho, ‘ubuso bomuntu’ bumelela uthando.

9. Obani abanezimfanelo ezihlotshaniswa nobuso bamakherubi?

⁹ Obani abanalezi zimfanelo? Njengoba ubuso bungobamakherubi, lezi zimfanelo ezabo bonke labo abafanekiselwa amakherubi asembonweni—umndeni kaJehova wasezulwini wezidalwa zomoya ezithembekile. (IsAm. 5:11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uJehova enguMthombo wokuphila kwamakherubi, nezimfanelo zawo zivela kuye. (IHu. 36:9) Ngakho, ubuso bamakherubi bufanekisela izimfanelo uJehova anazo naye. (Jobe 37:23; IHu. 99:4;  IzAga 2:6; Mika 7:18) Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela uJehova abonisa ngazo lezi zimfanelo ezivelele?

10, 11. Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela esizuza ngazo ezindleleni uJehova abonisa ngazo izimfanelo zakhe ezine eziyinhloko?

¹⁰ Ubulungisa. Njengoba enguNkulunkulu ‘othanda ubulungisa,’ uJehova ‘akakhethi muntu.’ (IHu. 37:28; Dut. 10:17) Ngakho, ithuba lokuba yizinceku zakhe futhi siqhubeke siyizo nelokuthola izibusiso zaphakade lisivulekele sonke, kungakhathaliseki isimo sethu sezenhlalo noma isizinda sethu. Ukuhlakanipha. NjengoNkulunkulu ‘onenhliziyo ehlakaniphile,’ uJehova usinikeze incwadi egcwele “ukuhlakanipha.” (Jobe 9:4; IzAga 2:7) Ukusebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibheli esihlakaniphile kusisiza ukuba sibhekane nezinselele zokuphila zosuku nosuku futhi siphile ukuphila okunenjongo. Amandla. Njengoba uJehova enguNkulunkulu ‘onamandla amakhulu,’ usebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze asinike “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” Lokhu kuyasiqinisa sikwazi ukubhekana nanoma yiluphi uvivinyo olunzima nolubuhlungu olungase lusehlele.—Nah. 1:3; 2 Kor. 4:7; IHu. 46:1.

¹¹ Uthando. Njengoba uJehova ‘echichima uthando oluqotho,’ akalokothi azilahle izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. (IHu. 103:8; 2 Sam. 22:26) Ngakho, ngisho noma singase siphatheke kabi noma sidabuke ngenxa yokuthi ukungabi nampilo noma ukuguga sekuyasivimba ekwenzeni lokho esasikwenza enkonzweni kaJehova ngaphambili, singaduduzwa ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyayikhumbula imisebenzi yethu yothando esamenzela yona esikhathini esidlule. (Heb. 6:10) Kuyacaca ukuthi siyazuza kwamanje endleleni uJehova abonisa ngayo ubulungisa, ukuhlakanipha, amandla nothando futhi sizoqhubeka sizuza kulezi zimfanelo ezine eziyinhloko esikhathini esizayo.

12. Yini okufanele sihlale siyikhumbula ngalokho esikwazi ukukuqonda ngezimfanelo zikaJehova?

¹² Kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi lokho esikuqondayo ngezimfanelo zikaJehova, kumane “kuyingxenye encane nje yemisebenzi yakhe.” (Jobe 26:14) “Ngeke sikwazi ukuqonda uMninimandla Onke” ngoba “ubukhulu bakhe abuphenyeki.” (Jobe 37:23; IHu. 145:3) Yingakho siqonda ukuthi izimfanelo zikaJehova ngeke sikwazi ukuzibala noma sizihlukanise ngezigaba. (Funda eyabaseRoma 11:33, 34.) Eqinisweni, kwawona umbono kaHezekeli uyakuveza lokho. (IHu. 139:17, 18) Yiziphi izingxenye zalowo mbono eziqokomisa lelo qiniso elibalulekile?

13, 14. Bumelelani ubuso obune bamakherubi, futhi kungani siphetha kanjalo?

¹³ Embonweni, uHezekeli wabona ukuthi ikherubi ngalinye lalinobuso obune, hhayi obubodwa. Kubonisani lokho? Khumbula ukuthi eZwini likaNkulunkulu, inombolo u-4 ngokuvamile isetshenziselwa ukumelela lokho okuphelele noma okungashodi ngalutho. (Isaya 11:12; Math. 24:31; IsAm. 7:1) Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi kulo mbono, uHezekeli ukhuluma ngenombolo u-4 izikhathi  ezingaphezu kwezingu-11! (Hez. 1:5-18) Yini-ke esingaphetha ngayo? Njengoba amakherubi amane emelela zonke ezinye izidalwa zomoya ezithembekile, nobuso obune bamakherubi uma sibubheka njengento eyodwa, bumelela zonke izimfanelo zikaJehova. *

¹⁴ Ukuze sibonise ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani ukuba ubuso obune bamakherubi buhlanganise izimfanelo ezingaphezu kwezine, ake siqhathanise nalokho okwenzeka emasondweni amane alo mbono. Isondo ngalinye liyamangalisa, kodwa lapho la masondo amane ebhekwa njengento eyodwa, awabe esaba amasondo amane amangalisayo nje kuphela—aba isisekelo senqola. Ngendlela efanayo, lapho lobu buso obune bubhekwa njengento eyodwa, abube busakha izimfanelo ezine ezimangalisayo nje kuphela—kodwa buba isisekelo sobuntu bukaJehova obumangalisayo.

15. Yiliphi iqiniso elithinta inhliziyo uHezekeli alifunda embonweni wokuqala awuthola?

¹⁵ Kulo mbono wokuqala, uHezekeli wafunda iqiniso elithinta inhliziyo nelibalulekile ngobuhlobo bakhe noJehova. Laliyini? Leli qiniso livezwe emazwini okuqala encwadi yalo mprofethi. Ngemva kokusho ukuthi ‘wayesezweni lamaKhaledi,’ ekhuluma ngaye, uHezekeli wathi: “Isandla sikaJehova saba phezu  kwakhe kuleyo ndawo.” (Hez. 1:3) Phawula ukuthi uHezekeli wathi lowo mbono wawuthola ekuleyo ndawo—eBhabhiloni, hhayi eJerusalema. * Ngakho lelo qiniso lamtshelani uHezekeli? Lamtshela lokhu: Nakuba ayedingisiwe ehlukanisiwe neJerusalema nethempeli lalo, wayengahlukanisiwe noJehova futhi wayesengamkhonza. Ukubonakala kukaJehova kuHezekeli eBhabhiloni kwabonisa ukuthi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa kwakungaxhomekile endaweni noma esikhundleni. Kunalokho, kwakuxhomeke enhliziyweni kaHezekeli nasesifisweni sakhe sokukhonza uJehova.

16. (a) Kungani umbono kaHezekeli usiduduza? (b) Yini ekushukumisela ukuba ukhonze uJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke?

¹⁶ Kungani lelo qiniso elafundwa uHezekeli lisiduduza kakhulu namuhla? Lisiqinisekisa ngokuthi uma sikhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke, uhlale eseduze nathi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihlalaphi, sicindezeleke kangakanani noma siphila ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo. (IHu. 25:14; IzE. 17:27) UJehova, eshukunyiswa uthando oluqotho oluchichimayo ngenceku yakhe ngayinye, akasheshi ukusidikila. (Eks. 34:6) Ngenxa yalokho, akasoze ahluleka ukusibonisa uthando oluqotho. (IHu. 100:5; Roma 8:35-39) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lo mbono omangalisayo wobungcwele bukaJehova namandla akhe amakhulu usikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uyakufanelekela ukuba simkhonze. (IsAm. 4:9-11) Asive sibonga ngokuthi uJehova usebenzisa imibono enjalo ukuze asisize siqonde amaqiniso abalulekile ngaye nangezimfanelo zakhe! Ukuziqonda ngokujulile lezi zimfanelo zikaJehova ezinhle kusisondeza kuye, kusishukumisele ukuba simdumise futhi simkhonze ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu nangawo wonke amandla ethu.—Luka 10:27.

17. Yimiphi imibuzo ezophendulwa ezahlukweni ezilandelayo?

¹⁷ Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, ngosuku lukaHezekeli, uNkulunkulu wayengasakhonzwa ngendlela emsulwa. Kwenzeka kanjani lokho? Wasabela kanjani uJehova? Lezo zenzakalo zasendulo zibaluleke ngani kithi namuhla? Le mibuzo izophendulwa ezahlukweni ezilandelayo.