1, 2. Uhlobo olunjani lwesifebe olungasenza senyanye?

KUYADABUKISA ukubona umuntu oyisifebe. Singase sizibuze ukuthi yini emholele ukuba aphile le mpilo eyehlisa isithunzi kangaka. Ingabe udlame noma ukuhlukunyezwa ekhaya kwamenza wayoziphilela emgwaqweni esemncane? Ingabe ukuhlupheka kwamenza wadayisa ngomzimba? Noma ingabe wayebalekela indoda emhlukumezayo? Izindaba ezibuhlungu kanjalo zenzeka kaningi kuleli zwe elibi. Akumangazi-ke ukuthi uJesu Kristu waziphatha ngomusa ezinye izifebe. Wagcizelela ukuthi lezo eziphendukayo zishintshe indlela yazo yokuphila zaziyoba nethemba lokuphila okungcono.—Math. 21:28-32; Luka 7:36-50.

² Nokho, ake sicabange ngolunye uhlobo lwesifebe. Cabanga ngomuntu wesifazane ovele akhethe lolu hlobo lokuphila. Akaboni ukuthi lumehlisa isithunzi, kodwa ubona ukuthi lumenza azethembe! Ujahe imali nezinto azozithola ngenxa yalo msebenzi. Okubi nakakhulu, kuthiwani uma lona wesifazane ayekade enomyeni okahle, oqotho kodwa wavele wamshiya ukuze ayoba isifebe? Kungaba nzima ukumzwela, kunalokho ungamenyanya  yena nendlela yokuphila ayikhethile. Leyo ndlela esizizwa ngayo yisona sizathu esenza uJehova uNkulunkulu kaningi wasebenzisa igama elithi “isifebe” ukuze abonise ukuthi uzizwa kanjani ngenkolo yamanga.

3. Yiziphi izindaba esizoxoxa ngazo kulesi sahluko?

³ Incwadi kaHezekeli inezindaba ezimbili eziphawulekayo lapho ubufebe bufanekisela ukungathembeki okubi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu bakwa-Israyeli nabakwaJuda. (Hez., izahluko 16 no-23) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba sifunde ngalezo zindaba, kuhle sifunde ngesinye isifebe esingokomfanekiso. Ubufebe baso baqala kudala ngaphambi kosuku lukaHezekeli—ngisho u-Israyeli engakabi khona—busekhona nanamuhla. Lesi sifebe sichaziwe encwadini yokugcina yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo.

4, 5. Liyini “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu,” futhi sikwazi kanjani lokho? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁴ Embonweni uJesu awubonisa umphostoli uJohane ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., kuvela umfanekiso omangalisayo. Ubizwa ngokuthi ‘isifebe esikhulu’ nangokuthi “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe.” (IsAm. 17:1, 5) Sekuphele amakhulu eminyaka abaholi benkolo nezazi zeBhayibheli bengazi ukuthi singubani. Abantu basichaza ngezindlela eziningi. Bathi simelela iBhabhiloni, iRoma, noma iSonto LamaRoma Katolika. Nokho, sekuphele amashumi eminyaka oFakazi BakaJehova beqonda ukuthi singubani lesi ‘sifebe esikhulu.’ Singumbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Sikwazi kanjani lokho?

⁵ Lesi sifebe siyalahlwa ngokuziphatha kabi ‘namakhosi omhlaba,’ noma nezinhlangano zepolitiki. Kuyacaca ukuthi sona asibhekiseli ezinhlanganweni zepolitiki. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isAmbulo sibonisa ukuthi “abahwebi bomhlaba,” noma ezentengiselwano nezamabhizinisi zaleli zwe, bayakhala ngenxa yokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Ngakho iBhabhiloni Elikhulu alimeleli amabhizinisi amakhulu. Limelelani-ke kanti? Linecala ‘lokusebenzelana nemimoya,’ lokukhonza izithombe nelokukhohlisa. Ingabe lawo macala awazifaneli izinhlangano zenkolo zaleli zwe ezikhohlakele? Phawula nokuthi lesi sifebe sivezwa njengesigibele, noma njengesinethonya phezu kwezinhlangano zepolitiki zaleli zwe. Sishushisa nezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova uNkulunkulu. (IsAm. 17:2, 3; 18:11, 23, 24) Akukona yini lokho inkolo yamanga ebilokhu ikwenza kuze kube manje?

6. IBhabhiloni Elikhulu ‘lingunina wezifebe’ ngamuphi umqondo?

⁶ Kungani-ke iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lingabizwa nje ngokuthi ‘isifebe esikhulu’ kodwa libizwa nangokuthi “unina wezifebe”? Inkolo yamanga inamaqembu amaningi. Kunamasonto namahlelo amaningi. Kusukela lapho izilimi ziphithaniswa eBhabhele lasendulo, noma eBhabhiloni, zonke izimfundiso zenkolo yamanga zasakazekela kuyo yonke indawo. Zaqala kanjalo-ke  izinkolo eziningi. Yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu” laqanjwa ngedolobha laseBhabhiloni, lapho izinkolo zamanga eziningi zaqala khona! (Gen. 11:1-9) Ngakho, zonke lezi zinkolo zingase zibhekwe “njengamadodakazi” enhlangano eyodwa, isifebe esikhulu esisodwa. Ngokuvamile uSathane usebenzisa izinkolo ezinjalo ukuze ayengele abantu ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya, ekukhonzeni izithombe, ezinkolelweni nasemasikweni angamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Yingakho abantu bakaNkulunkulu bexwayiswa ngokuphathelene naleyo nhlangano ekhohlakele egcwele umhlaba wonke: “Phumani kulo bantu bami, uma ningafuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo”!—Funda isAmbulo 18:4, 5.

7. Kungani sisilalela isixwayiso ‘sokuphuma’ eBhabhiloni Elikhulu?

⁷ Ingabe wena ususilalelile leso sixwayiso? Khumbula, nguJehova ngokwakhe owadala abantu ‘baqaphela ukuthi bayamdinga.’ (Math. 5:3) Leso sidingo singaneliswa kahle ngokuba uJehova akhonzwe ngendlela emsulwa kuphela. Izinceku zikaJehova ziyayigwema inkolo yamanga. Kodwa uSathane uDeveli ufuna senze okuhlukile. Uyathanda ukuyengela abantu bakaNkulunkulu kulolu hlobo lobufebe. Izikhathi eziningi uye waphumelela. Ngosuku lukaHezekeli, abantu bakaNkulunkulu base benomlando omude wokufeba ngokukhonza abanye onkulunkulu. Kuhle ukuhlola lowo mlando ngoba ungasifundisa okuningi ngemithetho kaJehova, ubulungisa bakhe nesihe sakhe.

8-10. Iyiphi into ebalulekile ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa esisiza siqonde indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo lapho siba yingxenye yenkolo yamanga? Fanekisa.

⁸ Encwadini kaHezekeli, uJehova usebenzisa umfanekiso wesifebe ukuze abonise indlela okwamthinta ngayo ukungathembeki kwabantu bakhe. UHezekeli waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale izindaba ezimbili eziphathelene nobuhlungu uJehova abuzwa ngenxa yokungathembeki nokuziphatha kabi kwabantu bakhe. Yini eyayingenza abafanise nezifebe?

⁹ Ukuze siqonde impendulo, kumelwe siqale sikhumbule into ebalulekile ngokuphathelene nendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu esikhulume ngayo eSahlukweni 5 sale ncwadi. EMthethweni owanikwa u-Israyeli, uJehova wathi: “Akumelwe ube nabanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami [noma, “ungedelele ngokuba nabanye onkulunkulu,” umbhalo waphansi]. . . . Mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho, nginguNkulunkulu ofuna abantu bazinikele kuye kuphela.” (Eks. 20:3, 5) Kamuva, wagcizelela iqiniso elifanayo ngale ndlela: “Akumelwe nikhothamele omunye unkulunkulu, ngoba uJehova waziwa ngokufuna abantu bazinikele kuye kuphela. Yebo, unguNkulunkulu ofuna abantu bazinikele kuye ngokuphelele.” (Eks. 34:14) Ayikho enye indlela uJehova ayengayicacisa ngayo kangcono le  ndaba. Ukuze uJehova simkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo kufanele sikhonze yena kuphela.

¹⁰ Le ndaba singayifanisa nomshado. Indoda nomfazi, bobabili banelungelo lokulindela ukuba bathandane bobabili kuphela. Uma omunye wabo engase athandane nothile noma aye ocansini naye, lowo ashade naye uyozizwa enesikhwele futhi ekhohlisiwe. (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:4.) Ngokufanayo, uJehova uzizwa ekhohlisiwe lapho abantu bakhe, abazinikele kuye kuphela, sebekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Indlela azizwa ekhohliswe ngayo uyiveza kahle esahlukweni 16 sikaHezekeli.

11. Yini uJehova ayisho ngeJerusalema nokuthi laba khona kanjani?

¹¹ Isahluko 16 sikaHezekeli sinenkulumo kaJehova ende kunazo zonke kule ncwadi—nesinye seziprofetho zakhe ezinde kunazo zonke emiBhalweni YesiHebheru. UJehova ugxila edolobheni laseJerusalema elimelela uJuda ongathembekile. Ulandisa indaba ebuhlungu neshaqisayo yokuthi waba khona kanjani futhi wamkhohlisa kanjani. Waqala elusana olulahliwe olungcolile nolunganakiwe. Abazali bakhe babengamaKhanani akhonza izithombe. Ngempela, iJerusalema kwase kuyisikhathi eside libuswa isizwe samaKhanani, amaJebusi, kwaze kwaba yilapho uDavide elinqoba. UJehova waluzwela lolu sana olulahliwe, walugeza futhi walunakekela. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lwagcina selufana nenkosikazi yakhe. Empeleni, ama-Israyeli ayesehlala kuleli dolobha ayenze isivumelwano noJehova, leso asenza ngokuzithandela ezinsukwini zikaMose. (Eks. 24:7, 8) Ngemva kokuba iJerusalema selibe inhloko-dolobha, uJehova walibusisa, walicebisa, walenza laba lihle njengoba nje indoda enemali ingase inikeze umkayo izinto ezinhle.—Hez. 16:1-14.

12. Ukungathembeki kwangena kanjani kancane kancane emlandweni weJerusalema?

¹² Phawula ukuthi kwabe sekwenzekani. UJehova wathi: “Waqala ukuthembela ebuhleni bakho, waba isifebe ngenxa yodumo lwakho. Wawufeba nawo wonke umuntu odlula ngendlela, ubuhle bakho baba obabo.” (Hez. 16:15) Ezinsukwini zikaSolomoni, uJehova wababusisa futhi wabacebisa abantu bakhe, kangangokuthi iJerusalema laba idolobha elihle kakhulu, lagqama kuwo wonke amadolobha asendulo. (1 AmaKh. 10:23, 27) Kodwa kancane kancane abantu baqala ukungathembeki. USolomoni, efuna ukujabulisa amakhosikazi akhe amaningi ezizwe, waqala ukungcolisa iJerusalema ngokukhonza onkulunkulu bamaqaba. (1 AmaKh. 11:1-8) Abanye kulabo ababusa emva kwakhe benza okubi nakakhulu, bangcolisa lonke izwe ngokukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. UJehova wazizwa kanjani ngezenzo ezinjalo zobufebe nezokumkhohlisa? Wathi: “Izinto ezinjalo akufanele zenzeke, akufanele neze zenzeke.” (Hez. 16:16) Kodwa abantu bakhe abangalaleli bonakala nakakhulu!

13. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu eJerusalema babenecala lokwenza buphi ububi?

 ¹³ Cabanga indlela uJehova ayecikeke ngayo nobuhlungu ayebuzwa njengoba edalula ububi babantu bakhe abakhethiwe: “Wathatha amadodana namadodakazi akho owawungizalele wona, wanikela ngawo ezithixweni aba umhlatshelo—azanele yini lezi zenzo zakho zobufebe? Wahlaba amadodana ami, wawenza imihlatshelo ngokuwashisa emlilweni.” (Hez. 16:20, 21) Izinto ezimbi ezazenziwa abantu eJerusalema zibonisa ukuthi uSathane mubi kanjani. Ave ethanda ukuyenga abantu bakaJehova ukuba benze imikhuba enyanyisa kanjalo! Kodwa uJehova ukubona konke okwenzekayo. UNkulunkulu angaqeda ngisho nezinto ezimbi kakhulu ezenziwa uSathane, futhi uyokwenza kube nobulungisa.—Funda uJobe 34:24.

14. Babengobani odadewabo beJerusalema emfanekisweni kaJehova, futhi ubani owayemubi kakhulu kubo bobathathu?

¹⁴ Nokho, iJerusalema kwakufanele lishaqeke ngezenzo zalo ezimbi, kodwa alizange. Laqhubeka lifeba. UJehova wathi lalingenamahloni kakhulu kunezinye izifebe ngoba lalikhokhela abanye ukuze baziphathe kabi nalo! (Hez. 16:34) UNkulunkulu wathi iJerusalema lalifana ‘nonina,’ izizwe zamaqaba ezake zalibusa. (Hez. 16:44, 45) Eqhubeka nomfanekiso ophathelene nomndeni, wathi udadewabo omdala weJerusalema kwakuyiSamariya, elaqala kuqala ukwenza ubufebe ngokukhonza abanye onkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu ubuye akhulume ngomunye udadewabo, okuyiSodoma. Lokho kwakhumbuza abantu ngedolobha lasendulo iSodoma elabhujiswa ngenxa yokuqhosha kwalo nokuziphatha kabi. UJehova wayesho ukuthi iJerusalema lalilibi kakhulu kunodadewabo, iSamariya ngisho neSodoma! (Hez. 16:46-50) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu abazinakanga izixwayiso eziningi, baqhubeka bevukela.

15. Kungani uJehova ahlulela iJerusalema, okwaletha liphi ithemba?

¹⁵ Yini uJehova ayezoyenza? Wathembisa iJerusalema: “Ngizoqoqela ndawonye wonke amashende oye wawathokozisa” futhi “ngizokunikela esandleni samashende akho.” Amashende alo ayeyolibhubhisa aqede ubuhle balo athathe nezinto zalo ezibizayo. Wathi: ‘Ayokushaya ngamatshe akubulale ngezinkemba zawo.’ Kungani uJehova akhipha lesi sahlulelo? Injongo yakhe kwakungekona ukubaqothula abantu bakhe. Kunalokho, kwakuyile: “Ngiyobuqeda ubufebe bakho.” UNkulunkulu wanezela: “Ngizokwenza ulaka lwami ngawe lwehle, ngeke ngisakuthukuthelela; ngizozola ngingabe ngisacasuka.” Njengoba kushiwo eSahlukweni 9 sale ncwadi, uJehova wayehlose ukuba ngemva kokuba abantu bakhe sebebuyile ekudingisweni baphinde bamkhonze ngendlela emsulwa. Kungani? Wathi: “Mina ngizosikhumbula isivumelwano engasenza nawe ezinsukwini zobusha bakho.” (Hez. 16:37-42, 60) Ngokungafani nabantu bakhe, uJehova yena wayezoba qotho ngendlela ephawulekayo!—Funda isAmbulo 15:4.

16, 17. (a) Kungani singasasho ukuthi u-Ohola no-Oholiba bafanekisela eLobukholwa? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Abesifazane Bandawonye Abayizifebe.”) (b) Iziphi izifundo esingazisebenzisa ezikuHezekeli izahluko 16 no-23?

 ¹⁶ UJehova esebenzisa inkulumo yakhe ende nenamandla ebhalwe kuHezekeli isahluko 16, usifundisa ngemithetho yakhe elungile, indlela azizwa ngayo ngobulungisa nangesihe sakhe esikhulu. Kungashiwo okufanayo nangoHezekeli isahluko 23. AmaKristu eqiniso namuhla ayayilalela imiyalezo kaJehova ecacile ephathelene nobufebe babantu bakhe. Asisoze sazibeka emathubeni okuzwisa uJehova ubuhlungu njengoba uJuda neJerusalema benza! Ngakho kumelwe sizigweme zonke izinhlobo zokukhonza izithombe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukuhaha nokuthanda izinto, okungaba izinhlobo zokukhonza izithombe. (Math. 6:24; Kol. 3:5) Sifuna ukuhlala simbonga uJehova ngokuthi ngenxa yesihe sakhe uye wabuyisela indlela emsulwa yokumkhonza kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, nokuthi ngeke aphinde ayivumele yonakaliswe! Ngo-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso, uye wamisa “isivumelwano saphakade,” leso esingeke neze sephulwe ukungathembeki noma ubufebe. (Hez. 16:60) Ngakho asilazise ilungelo lokuba ingxenye yabantu bakaJehova abahlanzekile namuhla.

¹⁷ Inkulumo kaJehova ngokumelene nezifebe ezichazwe kuHezekeli isifundisani-ke ‘ngesifebe esikhulu,’ iBhabhiloni Elikhulu? Ake sibone.

18, 19. Ikuphi ukufana esikuphawulayo phakathi kwezifebe ezichazwe kuHezekeli naleso esichazwe encwadini yesAmbulo?

¹⁸ UJehova akashintshi. (Jak. 1:17) Usazizwa ngendlela efanayo ngenkolo yamanga kusukela saba khona leso sifebe esikhulu. Ngakho asimangali ukubona ukufana phakathi kwesahlulelo sezifebe esisencwadini kaHezekeli nalokho okuzokwenzeka ‘ngesifebe esikhulu’ esichazwe encwadini yesAmbulo.

¹⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, phawula ukuthi ukwahlulelwa kwezifebe okuseziprofethweni zikaHezekeli akuvelanga kuJehova, kodwa kwavela kuzo kanye izizwe abantu bakaNkulunkulu abangathembekile abaziphatha kabi nazo. Ngokufanayo, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga uyalahlwa ngenxa yokuziphatha kabi ‘namakhosi omhlaba.’ Isijeziso sawo sivela kubani? Sifunda ukuthi izinhlangano zepolitiki “ziyosizonda isifebe zisicekele phansi zisihambise nqunu, ziyoyidla ziyiqede inyama yaso futhi zisishise ngomlilo siphele.” Kungani ohulumeni baleli zwe beyokwenza into engalindelekile ngale ndlela? Ngoba uNkulunkulu ‘uyokufaka ezinhliziyweni zabo ukuba bafeze umqondo wakhe.’—IsAm. 17:1-3, 15-17.

20. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukwahlulelwa kweBhabhiloni kuyoba okokugcina?

²⁰ Ngakho uJehova uzosebenzisa izizwe ukuze zahlulele zonke izinkolo zamanga, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa elinezinkolo eziningi. Lesi kuyoba isahlulelo sokugcina; ngeke zisaxolelwa, liyobe lingasekho ithuba lokuba zishintshe. Incwadi  yesAmbulo ithi iBhabhiloni “ngeke liphinde litholakale.” (IsAm. 18:21) Izingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ziyojabula lapho selibhujisiwe. Ziyothi: “Dumisani uJah! Intuthu ephuma kuso isifebe inyuka kuze kube phakade naphakade.” (IsAm. 19:3) Leso sahlulelo salo siyohlala phakade. Ngeke kuphinde kube nanoma iyiphi inkolo yamanga eyovunyelwa ukuba yonakalise indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokwahlulelwa nokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni kuyoba sengathi kwenyuka intuthu evela kulo kuze kube phakade.

21. Ukubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga kuwuphawu lokuqala kwayiphi inkathi, futhi iyophela kanjani leyo nkathi?

²¹ Lapho ohulumeni baleli zwe bejikela iBhabhiloni Elikhulu bayobe bekhipha isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu, okuyisenzakalo esikhulu ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaJehova. Lokhu kuyoba ukuqala kosizi olukhulu, isikhathi sobunzima obungakaze bube khona ngaphambili. (Math. 24:21) Umvuthwandaba walolu sizi olukhulu kuyoba i-Armagedoni, impi kaJehova ngokumelene  nalesi simiso sezinto esibi. (IsAm. 16:14, 16) Njengoba izahluko ezilandelayo zale ncwadi zizobonisa, incwadi kaHezekeli isitshela okuningi ngokuthi usizi olukhulu luzokwenzeka kanjani. Okwamanje, iziphi izifundo ezisencwadini kaHezekeli izahluko 16 no-23 esifuna ukuzikhumbula nokuzisebenzisa?

22, 23. Ukucabanga ngezifebe ezichazwe encwadini kaHezekeli neyesAmbulo kungayithinta kanjani inkonzo yethu engcwele?

²² USathane uyathanda ukonakalisa labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa. Ayikho into engamjabulisa ngaphezu kokuthola ithuba lokusichezukisa endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu, asenze silingise izifebe ezichazwe encwadini kaHezekeli. Kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova akakubekezeleli ukukhonzwa kanye nabanye onkulunkulu nokungathembeki! (Num. 25:11) Siyaqikelela ukuthi asizihlanganisi nenkolo yamanga, ‘asithinti lutho olungcolile’ emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 52:11) Yingakho sihlala siqotho, singathathi hlangothi kwezepolitiki nasezinxushunxushwini zalo mhlaba ogcwele ukungezwani. (Joh. 15:19) Sibheka ukushisekela izwe lethu njengokungenye inkolo yamanga ekhuthazwa uSathane, futhi asifuni lutho oluyosihlanganisa nayo.

²³ Ngaphezu kwakho konke, masingakhohlwa ilungelo elikhethekile esinalo lokukhonza uJehova ethempelini lakhe elingokomfanekiso elihlanzekile nelimsulwa. Njengoba silazisa lelo lungiselelo elibusisiwe, kwangathi singazimisela nakakhulu ukungazihlanganisi nenkolo yamanga nobufebe bayo!