1, 2. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezixakile uHezekeli azenza? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Izenzo zakhe zazibikezelani?

IZINDABA eziphathelene nokuziphatha kukaHezekeli okuxakile zisakazeka kuwo wonke amaJuda adingisiwe ahlala eBhabhiloni. Bese kuphele iviki ehleli nabadingisiwe, endwazile, engakhulumi, kodwa ube esesukuma ngokushesha ahambe ayozivalela endlini. Manje njengoba omakhelwane bakhe abadidekile bebuka, umprofethi uyaphuma endlini, athathe isitini asibeke phambi kwakhe bese eqopha umdwebo othile kuso. Ngemva kwalokho, uHezekeli uqala ukwakha udonga oluncane elokhu ezithulele.—Hez. 3:10, 11, 15, 24-26; 4:1, 2.

² Izibukeli, ngokungangabazeki ezazilokhu zanda, kumelwe ukuba zazizibuza, ‘Kusho ukuthini konke lokhu?’ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lawo maJuda ayedingisiwe ayezoqonda ngokugcwele ukuthi ukuziphatha kukaHezekeli okuxakile kwakubikezela isenzakalo esesabekayo esasizoza esibonisa intukuthelo elungile kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Sasiyini leso senzakalo? Sasithinta kanjani isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasendulo? Sibaluleke ngani kubantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa namuhla?

3, 4. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezintathu ezazizokwenzeka lapho uNkulunkulu ahlulela iJerusalema uHezekeli azibonisa? (b) UHezekeli wakubonisa kanjani ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema?

³ Cishe ngo-613 B.C.E., uJehova wayala uHezekeli ukuba abonise izinto ezintathu ezazizokwenzeka lapho uNkulunkulu ahlulela iJerusalema. Kwakuyilezi: ukuvinjezelwa kwedolobha, ukuhlupheka kwabantu bakhona, nokubhujiswa kwedolobha nabantu bakhona. * Ake sifunde kabanzi ngalezi zinto ezintathu.

⁴ Ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema. UJehova watshela uHezekeli: ‘Thatha isitini usibeke phambi kwakho usivimbezele.’ (Funda uHezekeli 4:1-3.) Isitini sasimelela idolobha laseJerusalema, kuyilapho uHezekeli emelela ibutho laseBhabhiloni elalisetshenziswa uJehova. UHezekeli wayalwa nokuba akhe udonga oluncane, udonga lokuvimbezela, akhe nezikhali zokubhubhisa. Lezi zinto wayezozibeka zizungeze isitini. Zazimelela izikhali zempi izitha zeJerusalema ezaziyozisebenzisa lapho zizungeze idolobha futhi zilihlasela. Ukuze abonise ukuthi amasosha ayizitha ayezoba namandla anjengawensimbi, uHezekeli kwakufanele abeke ‘isigazingo sensimbi,’ noma ipuleti, phakathi kwakhe nedolobha. Ube esenza ‘ubuso bakhe bumelane’ nedolobha. Lezo zenzo zaba “isibonakaliso endlini ka-Israyeli” sokuthi kukhona okungalindelekile okwakuzokwenzeka. UJehova wayeyosebenzisa ibutho eliyisitha ukuze livimbezele iJerusalema, idolobha elibalulekile labantu bakaNkulunkulu, lapho ithempeli likaNkulunkulu lalikhona!

5. Chaza indlela uHezekeli akubonisa ngayo lokho okwakuzokwenzeka kubantu abahlala eJerusalema.

⁵ Ukuhlupheka kwabantu baseJerusalema. UJehova wayala uHezekeli: ‘Thatha ukolweni, ibhali, ubhontshisi, udali, unyaluthi nesipelite [uhlobo oluthile lukakolweni] wenze isinkwa ngakho, ukukale futhi udle amashekeli angu-20 ngosuku.’ UJehova wabe esemchazela: “Ngizonqamula ilungiselelo lokudla.” (Hez. 4:9-16) Kulokhu, uHezekeli wayengasameleli ibutho laseBhabhiloni; kunalokho wayesemelela abantu abahlala eJerusalema. Lokhu uHezekeli akwenza kwakubikezela ukuthi ukuvinjezelwa okwakuzoza kwakuzobangela ukuba ukudla kuphele edolobheni. Ngaleso sikhathi isinkwa sasiyokwenziwa ngezinto okungavamile ukwenziwa ngazo isinkwa, okubonisa ukuthi abantu babeyodla noma yini abayitholayo. Yayiyoba nkulu kangakanani indlala? Njengokungathi ukhuluma nabahlala eJerusalema, uHezekeli wathi: “Obaba bayodla amadodana abo, . . . namadodana adle oyise.” Ekugcineni abaningi babeyohlupheka ngenxa ‘yemicibisholo yendlala ehlaselayo’ futhi abantu ‘babeyophela emzimbeni.’—Hez. 4:17; 5:10, 16.

6. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezimbili uHezekeli azenza ngokoqobo ngasikhathi sinye? (b) Umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokuba uHezekeli “akale futhi ahlukanise izinwele” wawubonisani?

⁶ Ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema nabantu bakhona. Kule ngxenye yesiprofetho, uHezekeli wazenza ngokoqobo ngasikhathi  sinye izinto ezimbili ezazizokwenzeka. Okokuqala, uHezekeli wakubonisa ngokoqobo lokho uJehova ayezokwenza. UJehova wathi kuye: “Zithathele inkemba ebukhali uyenze ibe insingo yomgundi.” (Funda uHezekeli 5:1, 2.) Isandla sikaHezekeli esasiphethe inkemba sasimelela isandla sikaJehova—noma isahlulelo sakhe—ayezosikhipha esebenzisa ibutho laseBhabhiloni. Okwesibili, uHezekeli wakubonisa ngokoqobo lokho okwakuzokwehlela amaJuda. UJehova wathi kuye: “Gunda ikhanda lakho nentshebe yakho.” Ukugunda kukaHezekeli ikhanda kwakufanekisela indlela amaJuda ayezohlaselwa ngayo futhi abulawe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umyalo othi ‘thatha isikali ukale izinwele uzihlukanise zibe izingxenye ezintathu ezilinganayo’ wawusho ukuthi uJehova wayeyolahlulela ngokuphelele iJerusalema.

7. Kungani uJehova atshela uHezekeli ukuba ahlukanise izinwele zibe izingxenye ezintathu nokuba enze okuhlukile ngengxenye ngayinye?

 ⁷ Kungani uJehova atshela uHezekeli ukuba ahlukanise izinwele zakhe ayezigundile zibe izingxenye ezintathu nokuba enze okuhlukile ngengxenye ngayinye? (Funda uHezekeli 5:7-12.) Ingxenye yokuqala yezinwele uHezekeli wayishisela “ngaphakathi edolobheni” ukuze abonise ababukele ukuthi abanye babantu abahlala eJerusalema babeyofela khona. Enye ingxenye yezinwele uHezekeli wayishaya ngenkemba “nxazonke zedolobha” ukuze abonise ukuthi abanye abantu babeyobulawelwa ngaphandle kwedolobha. Ingxenye yokugcina yezinwele wayisakazela emoyeni ukuze abonise ukuthi abanye abantu babeyosakazekela phakathi kwezizwe kodwa ‘inkemba yayiyobajaha.’ Ngakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi labo abasindile babeyogcina behlalaphi, babengeke babe nokuthula.

8. (a) Isiprofetho uHezekeli asenza ngokoqobo sasinayiphi inhlansi yethemba? (b) Isiprofetho esimayelana “nabambalwa” sagcwaliseka kanjani?

⁸ Noma kunjalo, lesi siprofetho uHezekeli ayesenza ngokoqobo sasinayo inhlansi yethemba. Ngokuphathelene nezinwele uHezekeli azigunda, uJehova wathi kulo mprofethi: ‘Thatha ezimbalwa uzisonge ngemiphetho yengubo yakho.’ (Hez. 5:3) Lo myalo wawubonisa ukuthi kumaJuda ayeyosakazekela ezizweni, akhona ambalwa ayeyosinda. Abanye balabo abambalwa babeyoba phakathi kwezithunjwa ezaziyobuyela eJerusalema ngemva kokuthunjelwa eBhabhiloni iminyaka engu-70. (Hez. 6:8, 9; 11:17) Ingabe leso siprofetho sagcwaliseka? Yebo. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi amaJuda ekhululiwe eBhabhiloni, umprofethi uHagayi wabika ukuthi amanye amaJuda ayesakazekile abuyela ngempela eJerusalema. ‘Ayengamaxhegu ayebone indlu yokuqala,’ okungukuthi, ithempeli likaSolomoni. (Ezra 3:12; Hag. 2:1-3) UJehova waqiniseka ukuthi indlela emsulwa yokumkhonza iyaqhubeka ikhona njengoba ayethembisile. Sizofunda okwengeziwe ngokubuyiselwa kwaleyo ndlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu eSahlukweni 9 sale ncwadi.—Hez. 11:17-20.

9, 10. Isiprofetho uHezekeli asenza ngokoqobo sisikhumbuza ziphi izenzakalo ezibalulekile okwabikezelwa ukuthi zizokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo?

⁹ Izenzakalo uHezekeli azenza ngokoqobo zisikhumbuza izenzakalo ezibalulekile iZwi likaNkulunkulu elibikezela ukuthi zizokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo. Iziphi ezinye zazo? Njengoba kwenzeka eJerusalema lasendulo, uJehova uzosebenzisa ababusi bezepolitiki ukuze enze into engacatshangwa muntu—ahlasele zonke izinkolo zamanga emhlabeni. (IsAm. 17:16-18) Njengoba nje ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema ‘kwakuyinhlekelele engavamile’ ‘nosizi olukhulu’ nempi yalo ye-Armagedoni kuyoba isenzakalo ‘esingakaze sibe khona.’—Hez. 5:9; 7:5; Math. 24:21.

¹⁰ IZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ukuthi iningi labalandeli benkolo yamanga liyosinda ekubhujisweni kwezinhlangano zenkolo okuzayo. Bethukile, labo abasindile bayohlangana nabanye abantu abayobe becinga indawo yokucasha. (Zak. 13:4-6; IsAm. 6:15-17) Isimo sabo sisikhumbuza okwenzeka kubantu baseJerusalema lasendulo abasinda lapho libhujiswa base besakazwa “emoyeni.” Njengoba sifundile  esigabeni 7, nakuba basinda okwesikhathi esithile, uJehova wabe esehosha ‘inkemba wabajaha.’ (Hez. 5:2) Ngokufanayo, noma yiziphi izindawo zokucasha abangase babalekele kuzo labo abasinde ekuhlaselweni kwenkolo, ngeke zibavikele enkembeni kaJehova. Nge-Armagedoni, bayofa kanye nabo bonke abanye abaziphathisa okwezimbuzi.—Hez. 7:4; Math. 25:33, 41, 46; IsAm. 19:15, 18.

11, 12. (a) Ukuqonda kwethu isiprofetho sikaHezekeli ngokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema, kunamuphi umthelela endleleni esibheka ngayo inkonzo yethu namuhla? (b) Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela nomyalezo esiwushumayelayo kungase kushintshe kanjani?

¹¹ Ukuqonda kwethu lesi siprofetho kunamuphi umthelela endleleni esibheka ngayo inkonzo yethu nokuphuthuma kwayo? Kugcizelela kithi ukuthi kudingeka senze okusemandleni ethu namuhla ukuze sisize abantu babe izinceku zikaJehova. Kungani? Isikhathi esisele ‘sokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi’ sesinciphile. (Math. 28:19, 20; Hez. 33:14-16) Lapho “induku” yokujezisa (ababusi bezepolitiki) iqala ukuhlasela inkolo, ngeke sisashumayela umyalezo wensindiso. (Hez. 7:10) Ngokuqondene nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle, siyoba ‘izimungulu,’ njengoba nje noHezekeli aba yisimungulu noma ayeka ukumemezela imiyalezo yakhe phakathi nengxenye ethile yenkonzo yakhe. (Hez. 3:26, 27; 33:21, 22) Yiqiniso, ngemva kokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga kuyofana nokuthi abantu ‘bafuna umbono kumprofethi,’ kodwa asikho isiqondiso esisindisa ukuphila abayosithola. (Hez. 7:26) Siyobe sesidlulile isikhathi sokuthola isiqondiso esinjalo nesokuba abalandeli bakaKristu.

¹² Nokho, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela uyobe ungakapheli. Kungani? Phakathi nosizi olukhulu kungenzeka siqale ukumemezela umyalezo wesahlulelo oyofana nenhlupho yesichotho. Lowo myalezo uyobonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ukuphela kwaleli zwe elibi sekufikile.—IsAm. 16:21.

13. Kungani uJehova athi uHezekeli makalale ngohlangothi lwesobunxele aphinde alale ngohlangothi lwesokudla?

¹³ Ngaphandle kokubikezela indlela iJerusalema elaliyobhujiswa ngayo, uHezekeli waphinde wakubonisa ngokoqobo ukuthi laliyobhujiswa nini. UJehova watshela uHezekeli ukuba alale ngohlangothi lwesobunxele izinsuku ezingu-390 aphinde alale ngohlangothi lwesokudla izinsuku ezingu-40. Usuku ngalunye lwalumelela unyaka. (Funda uHezekeli 4:4-6; Num. 14:34) Leso senzo sikaHezekeli, okungenzeka wayesenza ingxenye ethile yosuku kuphela, sasibonisa unyaka oqondile iJerusalema elaliyobhujiswa ngawo. Iminyaka engu-390 yokona kuka-Israyeli kubonakala sengathi yaqala ngo-997 B.C.E., unyaka umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi nambili owahlukaniswa ngawo kabili. (1 AmaKh. 12:12-20) Iminyaka engu-40 yesono sikaJuda cishe yaqala ngo-647 B.C.E., okuwunyaka uJeremiya ayalwa ngawo ukuba axwayise umbuso wakwaJuda ngokucacile mayelana  nokubhujiswa kwawo okwakuza. (Jer. 1:1, 2, 17-19; 19:3, 4) Ngakho, zombili lezi zinkathi zaziyophela ngo-607 B.C.E., okuwunyaka iJerusalema elawa ngawo futhi labhujiswa njengoba uJehova ayebikezele. *

14. (a) UHezekeli wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzosigcina isikhathi? (b) Yini eyayizokwenzeka ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema?

¹⁴ Ngesikhathi uHezekeli ethola isiprofetho sezinsuku ezingu-390 nezinsuku ezingu-40, kungenzeka ukuthi wayengawazi ngokuqondile unyaka iJerusalema elalizobhujiswa ngawo. Noma kunjalo, eminyakeni engaphambi kokubhujiswa kwalo wawaxwayisa kaningi amaJuda ngokuthi isahlulelo sikaJehova sasisondela. Wathi, ‘Manje ukuphela kunifikele.’ (Funda uHezekeli 7:3, 5-10.) UHezekeli wayengangabazi ukuthi uJehova wayeyosigcina isikhathi. (Isaya 46:10) Lo mprofethi wabikezela nangezenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema: “Kuyofika inhlekelele phezu kwenhlekelele.” Ngenxa yalezo zenzakalo izimo emphakathini zaziyoba zimbi kakhulu, abaholi benkolo babengeke besakwazi ukuhola nababusi bengeke besakwazi ukubusa.—Hez. 7:11-13, 25-27.

15. Yiziphi izingxenye zesiprofetho sikaHezekeli ezaqala ukugcwaliseka ngonyaka ka-609 B.C.E. kuqhubeke?

¹⁵ Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa uHezekeli ememezele ukuwa kweJerusalema, isiprofetho saqala ukugcwaliseka. Ngo-609 B.C.E., uHezekeli wezwa ukuthi kwase kuqalile ukuhlaselwa kweJerusalema. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwashaywa icilongo lokubiza abantu ukuba balwele idolobha labo, kodwa njengoba uHezekeli ayeprofethile ‘akukho muntu owaya empini.’ (Hez. 7:14) AbaseJerusalema abazange bahlangane ukuze balwe nabaseBhabhiloni bavikele idolobha labo. Kungenzeka amanye amaJuda acabanga ukuthi uJehova uzowasiza. Wayewasizile ngesikhathi abase-Asiriya besongela ukuhlasela iJerusalema, wathumela ingelosi yakhe yabhubhisa abaningi ebuthweni labo. (2 AmaKh. 19:32) Kodwa kulokhu ayikho ingelosi eyabasiza. Ngokushesha nje, leli dolobha elivinjezelwe lafana ‘nebhodwe lokupheka elibekwe eziko,’ abahlala kulo bafana ‘namaqatha’ akulelo bhodwe. (Hez. 24:1-10) Ngemva kokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema okwathatha izinyanga ezingu-18, okwabangela abantu ubuhlungu obukhulu, leli dolobha labhujiswa.

16. Namuhla singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamethemba uJehova ukuthi uyasigcina isikhathi?

¹⁶ Yini esingayifunda kule ngxenye yesiprofetho sikaHezekeli? Iyahlobana yini nomyalezo wenkonzo yethu nendlela abantu esibashumayezayo abasabela ngayo? UJehova usenqumile ukuthi inkolo yamanga iyobhujiswa nini—futhi uyosigcina isikhathi. (2 Pet. 3:9, 10; IsAm. 7:1-3) Asazi ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi iyobhujiswa nini inkolo yamanga. Nokho, njengoHezekeli siyaqhubeka silalela umyalo kaJehova, sibaxwayise ngokuphindaphindiwe sithi: ‘Manje ukuphela sekunifikele.’ Kungani kudingeka silokhu siwuphinda  lowo myalezo? Ngesizathu esifanayo esenza uHezekeli wawuphinda. * Abantu abaningi ayememezela kubo isiprofetho sikaNkulunkulu sokuwa kweJerusalema abazange bamkholwe. (Hez. 12:27, 28) Kodwa kamuva, amanye amaJuda ayedingiselwe eBhabhiloni abonisa ukuthi anesimo esihle senhliziyo, abuyela ezweni lakubo. (Isaya 49:8) Ngokufanayo, abantu abaningi namuhla bayenqaba ukukholelwa ukuthi leli zwe lizobhujiswa. (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Noma kunjalo, kuze kube yilapho siphela isikhathi sokuba abantu bamukele umyalezo kaNkulunkulu, sifuna ukusiza abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho ukuba bathole indlela eholela ekuphileni.—Math. 7:13, 14; 2 Kor. 6:2.

17. Iziphi izenzakalo esiyozibona phakathi nosizi olukhulu oluzayo?

¹⁷ Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli sisikhumbuza nokuthi lapho sekuhlaselwa izinhlangano zenkolo, amalungu azo ngeke ‘aye empini’ ukuze alwele inkolo. Kunalokho, lapho eqaphela ukuthi isikhalo sawo sokucela usizo esithi, “Nkosi, Nkosi,” asiphendulwa, ‘izandla zawo ziyoyetha’ ‘aqhaqhazele.’ (Hez. 7:3, 14, 17, 18;  Math. 7:21-23) Yini enye ayoyenza? (Funda uHezekeli 7:19-21.) UJehova uthi: “Bayophonsa isiliva labo emigwaqweni.” Lawo mazwi awasho ngokuphathelene nalabo ababehlala eJerusalema lasendulo akubonisa ngokucacile lokho okuyokwenzeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu bayoqaphela ukuthi imali ngeke ibasindise enhlekeleleni ezayo.

18. Yisiphi isifundo esisifunda esiprofethweni sikaHezekeli mayelana nokubeka izinto ezibalulekile kuqala ekuphileni?

¹⁸ Sikhona yini isifundo esingasifunda kule ngxenye yesiprofetho sikaHezekeli? Sifunda ukuthi kudingeka izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu zize kuqala ekuphileni. Cabanga ngalokhu: Kwaze kwaba yilapho iJerusalema selibhujiswa futhi izinto zabo zingasabasizi ngalutho lapho abantu baseJerusalema babona khona ukuthi yini ngempela ebalulekile. Balahla izinto zabo baqala “bayofuna umbono kumprofethi”—kodwa kwase kwephuzile. (Hez. 7:26) Ngokungafani nabo, thina sibona kahle ukuthi ukuphela kwaleli zwe sekufikile. Ngenxa yalokho, ukholo lwethu ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu lusenze sahlela kahle ukuthi yiziphi izinto ezibalulekile ekuphileni. Yingakho sizibekela ingcebo ezulwini, engasoze yaphelelwa ukubaluleka futhi engasoze yalahlwa “emigwaqweni.”—Funda uMathewu 6:19-21, 24.

19. Izimemezelo zikaHezekeli eziyiziprofetho zisithinta kanjani namuhla?

¹⁹ Ngamafuphi, yiziphi izindlela okusithinta ngazo namuhla lokho okushiwo isiprofetho sikaHezekeli mayelana nokuwa kweJerusalema? Kusikhumbuza ukuthi isikhathi esisele sokusiza abanye ukuba babe izinceku zikaNkulunkulu sesiyaphela. Ngakho, umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi siwenza ngokuphuthuma. Sijabula kakhulu lapho abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho beqala ukukhonza uBaba wethu, uJehova. Nokho, ngisho nalabo abangakasithathi leso sinyathelo, siyaqhubeka sibaxwayisa njengoba uHezekeli axwayisa abantu ngosuku lwakhe: ‘Manje ukuphela kunifikele.’ (Hez. 3:19, 21; 7:3) Ngesikhathi esifanayo sizimisele ukuqhubeka simethemba uJehova, nokumkhonza kwethu ngendlela emsulwa kuze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu.—IHu. 52:7, 8; IzAga 11:28; Math. 6:33.