1, 2. (a) UHezekeli wathola ziphi iziqondiso ezivela kuJehova? (b) Sizophendula miphi imibuzo?

UHEZEKELI usanda kubona umbono omenze wakhumbula okwenzeka eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-900 ngaphambili esikhathini sikaMose noJoshuwa. Ngaleso sikhathi uJehova wachazela uMose ukuthi imingcele yeZwe Lesithembiso yayizohamba kuphi, kamuva watshela uJoshuwa ukuthi izizwe zakwa-Israyeli kwakufanele zihlukaniselwe kanjani lelo zwe. (Num. 34:1-15; Josh. 13:7; 22:4, 9) Kodwa manje ngonyaka ka-593 B.C.E., uJehova uyala uHezekeli nayedingiswe nabo ukuba baphinde bahlukanisele izizwe zakwa-Israyeli iZwe Lesithembiso!—Hez. 45:1; 47:14; 48:29.

² Lo mbono wawunamuphi umyalezo oya kuHezekeli nayedingiswe nabo? Kungani ubakhuthaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? Ingabe uyogcwaliseka ngezinga elikhulu esikhathini esizayo?

3, 4. (a) Umbono kaHezekeli wokugcina wanikeza amaJuda adingisiwe ziphi iziqinisekiso ezine? (b) Yisiphi isiqinisekiso esizofunda ngaso kulesi sahluko?

³ Umbono wokugcina uHezekeli awuthola usezahlukweni ezingu-9 zencwadi ayibhala. (Hez. 40:1–48:35) Wanikeza ababedingisiwe iziqinisekiso ezine ezikhuthazayo ngesizwe  sakwa-Israyeli esasiyobe sivuselelwe. Yiziphi lezo ziqinisekiso? Esokuqala, abantu babezophinde bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa ethempelini lakhe. Esesibili, lesi sizwe esibuyiselwe sasiyoholwa abapristi nabelusi abalungile. Esesithathu, bonke ababeyobuyela kwa-Israyeli babeyothola izwe eliyifa. Esesine, uJehova wayeyophinde abe nabo ahlale phakathi kwabo.

⁴ IZahluko 13 no-14 zale ncwadi zikhulume ngokuthi iziqinisekiso ezimbili zokuqala—okuwukubuyiselwa kwendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu nokuholwa abelusi abalungile—zaziyofezeka kanjani. Kulesi sahluko, sizogxila esiqinisekisweni sesithathu esiyisithembiso sokuthi abantu babeyothola izwe eliyifa. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngesithembiso esiphathelene nokuba khona kukaJehova phakathi kwabantu bakhe.—Hez. 47:13-21; 48:1-7, 23-29.

5, 6. (a) Embonweni kaHezekeli iyiphi indawo okwakumelwe yabiwe? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Yayiyini injongo yombono wokwabiwa kwezwe?

⁵ Funda uHezekeli 47:14. Embonweni, uJehova wabonisa uHezekeli isiqephu sezwe esase sizofana “nensimu yase-Edene.” (Hez. 36:35) UJehova wabe esethi: “Lena indawo enizoyaba ibe yizwe eliyifa lezizwe ezingu-12 zakwa-Israyeli.” (Hez. 47:13) ‘Le ndawo’ eyayizokwabiwa yayiyizwe lakwa-Israyeli elibuyiselwe ababezobuyela kulo ababedingisiwe. Ngemva kwalokho, njengoba kubhalwe kuHezekeli 47:15-21, uJehova wabe esechaza imininingwane ecacile emayelana nemingcele yalo lonke izwe.

⁶ Yayiyini injongo yalo mbono wokwabiwa kwezwe? Ukuchazwa kwemingcele ekalwe ngokunembile kwaqinisekisa uHezekeli nayedingiswe nabo ukuthi izwe labo abalithandayo laliyobuyiselwa nakanjani. Cabanga ukuthi abadingisiwe kumelwe ukuba bakhuthazeka kanjani njengoba uJehova ayebaqinisekisa ngaleyo ndlela ecacile! Ingabe abantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo balithola ngempela izwe ababelabelwe njengefa? Yebo balithola.

7. (a) Yini eyaqala ukwenzeka ngo-537 B.C.E., futhi isikhumbuzani? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo esizoqale siwuphendule?

⁷ Ngo-537 B.C.E., eminyakeni engaba ngu-56 ngemva kokuba uHezekeli ethole lowo mbono, izinkulungwane zababedingisiwe zaqala ukubuyela ezweni lakwa-Israyeli zahlala kulo. Lezo zenzakalo ezimangalisayo zakudala zisikhumbuza okunye okuthi akufane obekulokhu kwenzeka phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ezikhathini zethu. Ngomqondo othile nabo babelwa izwe. Kanjani? UJehova wavumela izinceku zakhe ukuba zingene ezweni elingokomfanekiso futhi zihlale kulo. Ngakho ukubuyiselwa kweZwe Lesithembiso lasendulo kungasifundisa okuningi ngokubuyiselwa kwezwe elingokomfanekiso labantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Kodwa ngaphambi kokufunda lezo zifundo, ake siqale siphendule umbuzo othi, “Kungani singaphetha ngokuthi izwe elingokomfanekiso likhona ngempela namuhla?”

8. (a) UJehova wabeka siphi isizwe esikhundleni sika-Israyeli wemvelo? (b) Liyini izwe noma ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso? (c) Laqala nini ukuba khona, futhi obani abaye bahlala kulo?

 ⁸ Embonweni uJehova ayewunike uHezekeli ngaphambili, wabonisa ukuthi iziprofetho zokubuyiselwa kuka-Israyeli zaziyogcwaliseka ngendlela enkulu ngemva kokuba ‘inceku yakhe uDavide,’ enguJesu Kristu, iqale ukubusa isiyiNkosi. (Hez. 37:24) Lokho kwenzeka ngo-1914 C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwase kuyisikhathi eside isizwe sika-Israyeli ongokwemvelo sesingasebona abantu bakaNkulunkulu, sesithathelwe indawo yisizwe sika-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso esakhiwa amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. (Funda uMathewu 21:43; 1 Petru 2:9.) Nokho uJehova akagcinanga ngokwenza kube khona isizwe esingokomfanekiso esikhundleni sesizwe sika-Israyeli ongokwemvelo, kodwa wenza nokuba kube khona izwe noma ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso esikhundleni sezwe lakwa-Israyeli lasendulo. (Isaya 66:8) Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 17 sale ncwadi, izwe elingokomfanekiso liyindawo elondekile lapho abagcotshiwe abasele bebelokhu bekhonza khona uJehova kusukela ngo-1919. (Bheka ibhokisi 9B elithi, “Kungani  Sithi U-1919?”) Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, “ezinye izimvu,” nabo baqala ukuhlala kuleli zwe elingokomfanekiso. (Joh. 10:16) Nakuba ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso liqhubeka landa namuhla, izibusiso zalo siyoze sizijabulele ngokugcwele kuphela ngemva kwe-Armagedoni.

9. Yiziphi iziqondiso ezinemininingwane uJehova azikhipha ngokwabiwa kwezwe?

⁹ Funda uHezekeli 48:1, 28. Ngemva kokuba sekubekwe imingcele yezwe, uJehova wachaza ngokucacile ukuthi izwe kwakumelwe lihlukaniswe kanjani. Wayala ukuba amafa ezizwe ezingu-12 zakwa-Israyeli ahlukaniswe ngokunembile nangokulinganayo kusukela enyakatho kuye eningizimu, kuqale isizwe sakwaDani enyakatho yezwe kugcine isizwe sakwaGadi emngceleni oseningizimu. Ifa ngalinye laliyisiqephu sendawo esisuka emngceleni wezwe osempumalanga size siyofika entshonalanga oLwandle Olukhulu, noma oLwandle LwaseMedithera.—Hez. 47:20.

10. Kungenzeka le ngxenye yombono yabaqinisekisa ngani ababedingisiwe?

¹⁰ Kungenzeka ukuthi le ngxenye yombono yabaqinisekisa ngani ababedingisiwe? Ukuchaza kukaHezekeli imininingwane emayelana nokwabiwa kwezwe kumelwe ukuba kwagcizelela kwabadingisiwe ukuthi izwe laliyohlukaniswa ngendlela ehlelekile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlukaniswa kwezwe ngendlela enembile phakathi kwezizwe ezingu-12 kwagcizelela ukuthi umuntu ngamunye kulabo ababeyobe bebuya ekudingisweni wayeyolithola nakanjani ifa ezweni elibuyiselwe. Akekho owayeyobuyela khona afike angabi nandawo nakhaya.

11. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda embonweni wokwabiwa kwezwe? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukwabiwa Kwezwe.”)

¹¹ Yiziphi izifundo ezikhuthazayo esingazithola kulo mbono namuhla? EZweni Lesithembiso elibuyiselwe akubona abapristi namaLevi nezikhulu kuphela ababeyothola indawo, kodwa bonke abantu bezizwe ezingu-12 babeyoyithola. (Hez. 45:4, 5, 7, 8) Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso alilona elabagcotshiwe abasele kanye nalabo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ abaholayo kuphela, kodwa nawo wonke amanye amalungu esixuku esikhulu anendawo kulo. * (IsAm. 7:9) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi indima yethu ayigqamile kangakanani enhlanganweni, sinayo indawo nesabelo esibalulekile ezweni elingokomfanekiso. Kwaze kwaduduza ukwazi lokho!

12, 13. Yiziphi iziqondiso ezicacile uJehova azikhipha ngokwabela izizwe indawo?

¹² Iziqondiso zikaJehova ngokwabiwa kwezwe kungenzeka zamdida uHezekeli ngoba zazingafani nalezo uNkulunkulu ayezinike uMose. Cabanga ngezinto ezimbili ezaziwumehluko. Eyodwa iphathelene nezwe, enye iphathelene nabantu ababezohlala kulo.

¹³ Okokuqala, izwe. UMose wayeyalwe ukuba anikeze izizwe  ezinkulu indawo enkulu kunalezi ezincane. (Num. 26:52-54) Nokho, embonweni kaHezekeli uJehova wakhipha iziqondiso ezicacile zokuba zonke izizwe zabelwe “iziqephu zendawo ezilinganayo.” (Hez. 47:14) Ngakho ibanga elisuka emngceleni osenyakatho liye emngceleni oseningizimu endaweni eyifa lesizwe ngasinye kwakufanele lilingane ncamashi kuzo zonke izizwe ezingu-12. Wonke ama-Israyeli—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayengawasiphi isizwe—ayeyozuza ngendlela efanayo kuwo wonke umkhiqizo weZwe Lesithembiso elalithola amanzi anele.

14. Iziqondiso zikaJehova ngokuphathelene nezifiki zazihluke kanjani kulokho okwakubhalwe eMthethweni KaMose?

¹⁴ Okwesibili, abantu ababeyohlala kulo. UMthetho KaMose wawuzivikela izifiki, uzivumela ukuba zikhonze uJehova. Kodwa zazingabelwa indawo. (Lev. 19:33, 34) Nokho, lokho uJehova abe esekutshela uHezekeli kuhlukile kulokho akusho eMthethweni. Wamyala: ‘Nika oyisifiki ifa endaweni yesizwe ahlala kuyo.’ Ngalowo myalo uJehova waqeda umehluko omkhulu owawukhona phakathi ‘kwama-Israyeli okuzalwa’ nezifiki ezazihlala ezweni. (Hez. 47:22, 23) Ezweni elibuyiselwe uHezekeli alibona embonweni, waphawula ukuthi abantu ababehlala khona babekhonza uNkulunkulu ngobunye futhi belingana.—Lev. 25:23.

15. Yiliphi iqiniso elingenakushintshwa ngoJehova elagcizelelwa iziqondiso azikhipha mayelana nezwe nabantu abahlala kulo?

 ¹⁵ Lezi ziqondiso ezimbili ezimangalisayo uHezekeli azithola mayelana nezwe nabantu balo, kumelwe ukuba zenza ababedingisiwe baduduzeka. Babazi ukuthi uJehova uzobabela indawo elingana neyabanye kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangama-Israyeli okuzalwa noma bayizifiki ezikhonza uJehova. (Ezra 8:20; Neh. 3:26; 7:6, 25; Isaya 56:3, 8) Lezi ziqondiso zaphinde zagcizelela iqiniso elikhuthazayo nelingenakushintshwa eliwukuthi kuJehova zonke izikhonzi zakhe ziyigugu ngendlela elinganayo. (Funda uHagayi 2:7.) Namuhla kuyasijabulisa ukwazi lelo qiniso kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuyophila ezulwini noma emhlabeni.

16, 17. (a) Sizuza kanjani ngokufunda imininingwane ephathelene nezwe nabantu abahlala kulo? (b) Yini esizofunda ngayo esahlukweni esilandelayo?

¹⁶ Sizuza kanjani ngokufunda le mininingwane ephathelene nezwe nabantu abahlala kulo? Sikhunjuzwa ukuthi ubunye nokulingana kufanele kube yizinto ezigqamile phakathi kwethu namuhla. UJehova akakhethi. Kudingeka sizibuze: ‘Ingabe nami angikhethi njengoJehova? Ingabe wonke umuntu engikhonza naye ngimhlonipha ngokusuka enhliziyweni kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ungowasiphi isizwe noma ubhekene nani ekuphileni?’ (Roma 12:10) Siyajabula ngokuthi uJehova usenze sonke sakwazi ukuthola ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso ngendlela efanayo, lapho sinikela khona inkonzo engcwele ngomphefumulo wonke kuBaba wethu osezulwini futhi sijabulela izibusiso zakhe.—Gal. 3:26-29; IsAm. 7:9.

¹⁷ Manje ake sixoxe ngesiqinisekiso sesine esisengxenyeni yokugcina yombono wokugcina kaHezekeli—isithembiso sokuthi uJehova wayeyoba nabantu ababedingisiwe. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda kuleso sithembiso? Impendulo sizoyithola esahlukweni esilandelayo.