Isiprofeto SikaHoseya Siyasinceda Ukuze Sihambe NoThixo

“Uya kuhamba emva koYehova.”—HOSEYA 11:10.

 1. Uphathelele ntoni umdlalo wokomfuziselo ofumaneka kwincwadi kaHoseya?

NGABA uyakuthanda ukubukela umdlalo weqonga wabantu abaziincutshe nonebali elibangel’ umdla? Incwadi yeBhayibhile kaHoseya ingumdlalo onjalo ongumfuziselo.a Lo mdlalo unokuthanani nentsapho kaHoseya, umprofeti kaThixo yaye uphathelele umtshato wokomfuziselo kaYehova noSirayeli ngomnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses.

 2. Yintoni eyaziwayo ngoHoseya?

² Intshayelelo yalo mdlalo ifumaneka kuHoseya isahluko 1. Kubonakala ukuba uHoseya wayehlala kummandla wobukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli (ezikwabizwa ngokuba nguEfrayim, igama lesizwe esisesona sikhulu kuzo). UHoseya waprofeta ebudeni bokulawula kookumkani bokugqibela abasixhenxe bakwaSirayeli noKumkani u-Uziya, uYotam, uAhazi noHezekiya ookumkani bakwaYuda. (Hoseya 1:1) Ngoko ke, uHoseya waprofeta ubuncinane iminyaka engama-59. Nangona le ncwadi ibizwa ngegama lakhe yagqitywa ukubhalwa kungekudala emva kowama-745 B.C.E., iseluncedo nanamhlanje kuba izigidi zabantu ziphila ngendlela eyaxelwa kwangaphambili kula mazwi athi: “Uya kuhamba emva koYehova.”—Hoseya 11:10.

Oko Kutyhilwa Ngumongo Wale Ncwadi

3, 4. Khawuthi gqaba gqaba nje ngoko kufumaneka kwincwadi kaHoseya isahluko 1 ukusa kwesesi-5.

³ Ukushwankathela isahluko 1 ukusa kwesesi-5 sale ncwadi kaHoseya kuya kusenza sizimisele ngakumbi ukuhamba noThixo ngokubonakalisa ukholo nokuphila ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kwakhe. Nangona abemi bobukumkani bakwaSirayeli babenetyala lokukrexeza ngokomoya, uThixo wayeya kuba nenceba kubo ukuba babeguquka. Oku kwabonakala kwindlela uHoseya awamphatha ngayo umfazi wakhe, uGomere. Emva kokumzalela umntwana omnye, uGomere waba nabantwana ababini abayimigqakhwe. Sekunjalo, uHoseya wamamkela, kanye njengokuba uYehova wayekulungele ukubonakalisa inceba kumaSirayeli aguqukayo.—Hoseya 1:1–3:5.

⁴ UYehova wammangalela uSirayeli kuba kwilizwe lakhe kwakungekho nyaniso, ububele bothando, okanye ukumazi uThixo. Wayeza kumphendulisa uSirayeli ngokukhonza kwakhe izithixo nobukumkani bukaYuda obabuphambukile ezindleleni zakhe. Noko ke, xa abantu bakaThixo “besengxakini enkulu,” babeza kumfuna uYehova.—Hoseya 4:1–5:15.

Umdlalo Uyaqhubeka

5, 6. (a) Lwalwande kangakanani uhenyuzo kwizizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli? (b) Kutheni sibalulekile kuthi isilumkiso esanikelwa kuSirayeli wamandulo?

⁵ UYehova uyalela uHoseya: “Yiya, uzithabathele umfazi wobuhenyu nabantwana bobuhenyu, ngenxa yokuba ngohenyuzo ilizwe limkile ekulandeleni uYehova.” (Hoseya 1:2) Lwanda kangakanani uhenyuzo kwaSirayeli? Kaloku kuthiwa: “Ngenxa yokuba kanye umoya wobuhenyu ubabangele baphambuka [abantu bobukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi], yaye ngohenyuzo bayemka phantsi koThixo wabo. . . . Iintombi zenu zihenyuza noomolokazana benu bekrexeza. . . . Ngokuba nawo amadoda, athi gu bucala namahenyukazi, aze abingelele kunye noonongogo basetempileni.”—Hoseya 4:12-14.

⁶ Ukuhenyuza ngokwenyama nangokomoya kwakwandile kwaSirayeli. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wayeza ‘kuwaphendulisa’ amaSirayeli. (Hoseya 1:4; 4:9) Esi silumkiso sibalulekile nakuthi kuba uYehova uya kubaphendulisa abo bahenyuzayo nabanenxaxheba kunqulo olungahlambulukanga. Kodwa abo bahamba noThixo bathobela imimiselo yakhe yonqulo oluhlambulukileyo yaye bayazi ukuba “akukho mhenyuzi . . . unelifa ebukumkanini bukaKristu noThixo.”—Efese 5:5; Yakobi 1:27.

 7. Yintoni eyayifuziselwa ngumtshato kaHoseya noGomere?

⁷ Kucacile ukuba xa uHoseya wayetshata noGomere, wayeyintombi enyulu, yaye wayengumfazi othembekileyo xa “wamzalela unyana.” (Hoseya 1:3) Kanye njengokuba kubonisiwe kulo mdlalo wokomfuziselo, emva kokuba uThixo ekhulule amaSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa ngowe-1513 B.C.E., wenza isivumelwano esasinjengomtshato onyulu kunye nawo. Ngokwenza eso sivumelwano, uSirayeli wayethembisa ukuba uya kuthembeka ‘kwindoda engumnini wakhe,’ uYehova. (Isaya 54:5) Ewe, lo mtshato wokomfuziselo kaSirayeli noThixo wafuziselwa ngumtshato onyulu kaHoseya noGomere. Kodwa izinto zavela nje zaguquka!

 8. Babakho njani ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, yaye unokuthini ngonqulo lwabo?

⁸ Umfazi kaHoseya “wamitha kwakhona ngelinye ixesha wazala intombi.” Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuhenyuzeni kwakhe uGomere wafumana intombi nomnye umntwana. (Hoseya 1:6, 8) Ekubeni uGomere efanekisela uSirayeli, usenokubuza, ‘USirayeli wahenyuza njani?’ Ngowama-997 B.C.E., izizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli zahlukana nesizwe sangezantsi sakwaYuda nesakwaBenjamin. Izizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani basentla zaqalisa ukukhonza ithole kangangokuba abantu bazo babengasayi kwaYuda ukuya kunqula uYehova etempileni yakhe eYerusalem. USirayeli wazinikela ngokupheleleyo kunqulo lothixo wobuxoki uBhahali, nakwimisitho yolo nqulo engokwesini.

 9. Njengokuba kwakuprofetiwe kuHoseya 1:6, kwenzeka ntoni kuSirayeli?

⁹ Xa uGomere wayeza kuzala umntwana wakhe wesibini, intombi engumgqakhwe, uThixo wathi kuHoseya: “Yithiye igama elinguLo-ruhama [igama elithetha ukuthi “Akanzelwanga Inceba”], ngokuba andiyi kuyenzela nceba kwakhona indlu kaSirayeli, ngenxa yokuba ndiya kuyisusa.” (Hoseya 1:6) UYehova ‘wawasusa’ amaSirayeli xa athinjelwa ebukhobokeni ngama-Asiriya ngowama-740 B.C.E. Noko ke, uThixo wazenzela inceba izizwe ezibini zobukumkani bakwaYuda waza wazisindisa kungengasaphetha, ikrele, imfazwe, amahashe okanye abakweli bamahashe. (Hoseya 1:7) Ngobusuku obunye ngowama-732 B.C.E., ingelosi nje enye yabulala amajoni angama-185 000 ama-Asiriya awayefuna ukuhlasela isixeko esilikomkhulu lakwaYuda, iYerusalem.—2 Kumkani 19:35.

UYehova Umangalela USirayeli

10. Ukukrexeza kukaGomere kwakufanekisela ntoni?

¹⁰ UGomere wamshiya uHoseya waza waba ‘ngumfazi wobuhenyu,’ engumasihlalisane weny’ indoda. Oku kubonisa indlela ubukumkani bukaSirayeli abakha ngayo imbumba yamanyama nezizwe ezazikhonza izithixo baza bathembela kuzo. Kunokuba azukise uYehova ngokumsikelela ngezinto eziphathekayo, uSirayeli wayesithi ezi zinto uzifumene koothixo bezo ntlanga waza wawophula umnqophiso womtshato noThixo ngokuba nenxaxheba kunqulo lobuxoki. Ngoko ke, uYehova walumangalela olu hlanga lukrexezayo!—Hoseya 1:2; 2:2, 12, 13.

11. Kwenzeka ntoni kumnqophiso woMthetho xa uYehova wavumela uSirayeli noYuda ukuba bathinjwe?

¹¹ Wohlwaywa njani uSirayeli ngokushiya uMyeni Wakhe? UThixo ‘wamsa entlango’ eBhabhiloni, isizwe esasithimbe iAsiriya, apho amaSirayeli athinjelwa khona ngowama-740 B.C.E. (Hoseya 2:14) Sekunjalo, xa uYehova wabuphelisa ubukumkani bezizwe ezili-10, akazange arhoxe kumnqophiso womtshato awayewenze nezizwe ezili-12 zikaSirayeli. Enyanisweni, xa uThixo wavumela iYerusalem ukuba itshatyalaliswe ngamaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E. waza wavumela abantu bakwaYuda ukuba bathinjwe, akazange awuphelise umnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses owawusisivumelwano somtshato wokomfuziselo kunye naye nezizwe ezili-12 zakwaSirayeli. Olo lwalamano lwaphela kuphela emva kokuba iinkokeli zamaYuda zingazange zimamkele uYesu Kristu zaza zayalela ukuba abulawe ngowama-33 C.E.—Kolose 2:14.

UYehova Uyala USirayeli

12, 13. Chaza umongo wamazwi afumaneka kuHoseya 2:6-8, yaye loo mazwi asebenza njani kuSirayeli?

¹² UThixo wamyala uSirayeli ukuba “alahle ubuhenyu bakhe,” kodwa yena wayefuna ukuhamba nezithandwa zakhe. (Hoseya 2:2, 5) “Ngoko ke,” uYehova wathi: “Yabona ndiyayibiyela indlela yakho ngameva; yaye ndiza kwakha udonga lwamatye nxamnye naye, ukuze iindlela zakhe angazifumani. Uya kusukela izithandwa zakhe, kodwa akayi kuzifumana; yaye ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuzikhangela, kodwa akayi kuzifumana. Yaye uya kuthi, ‘Ndifuna ukubuyela endodeni yam, eyokuqala, kuba bekulunge ngakumbi ngoko kunangoku.’ Kodwa yena akaqondanga ukuba wakunikwa ndim ukudla okuziinkozo newayini enencasa neoli, ndaza ndamenzela isilivere yaphuphuma, negolide, abasuka bayisebenzisela uBhahali [okanye, “benza ngayo umfanekiso kaBhahali,” umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo].”—Hoseya 2:6-8.

¹³ Nangona uSirayeli wafuna uncedo kwizizwe ‘ezazizizithandwa zakhe,’ akukho nasinye esakwazi ukumnceda. Wayengathi ubiyelwe ngameva ekungenakudlula nto kuwo, kangangokuba zange zikwazi ukumnceda. Emva kokurhangqwa yiAsiriya iminyaka emithathu, isixeko sakhe esilikomkhulu, iSamariya, sawa ngowama-740 B.C.E., yaye ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zange buphinde bumiswe. Kuphela ngabantu abathile kumaSirayeli awayethinjiwe aqonda indlela ezazihamba kakuhle ngayo izinto xa ookhokho babo babekhonza uYehova. Loo ntsalela ayizange ivume ukunqula uBhahali yaza yahlaziya ulwalamano lwayo lomnqophiso noYehova.

Makhe Siphinde Siwuqwalasele Lo Mdlalo

14. Kwenzeka ntoni ukuze uHoseya aphinde ahlale noGomere njengomfazi nendoda?

¹⁴ Ukuze uyiqonde kakuhle indlela edibana ngayo imibandela yentsapho kaHoseya nolwalamano uSirayeli analo noYehova, khawuphulaphule la mazwi: “UYehova waqhubeka wathi kum: ‘Phinda umthande, umfazi othandwa liqabane ekrexeza.’” (Hoseya 3:1) UHoseya wakwenza oku ngokuphinda amthenge uGomere kwindoda awayehlalisana nayo. Emva koko uHoseya wamtyityimbisel’ umnwe umfazi wakhe esithi: “Uya kuhlala imihla emininzi ungowam. Uze ungahenyuzi, yaye uze ungabi nenye indoda.” (Hoseya 3:1-3) UGomere wathobela, yaye uHoseya waphinda wahlala naye njengomfazi nendoda. Oku kunxulumene njani nendlela uThixo awasebenzisana ngayo nabantu bakwaSirayeli nabakwaYuda?

15, 16. (a) Isizwe uThixo asohlwayileyo uya kusenzela inceba phantsi kwaziphi iimeko? (b) Amazwi afumaneka kuHoseya 2:18 azaliseke njani?

¹⁵ Ngoxa uSirayeli noYuda babethinjelwe eBhabhiloni, uThixo wasebenzisa abaprofeti bakhe ‘wathetha entliziyweni yakhe.’ Ukuze uThixo abenzel’ inceba, kwafuneka abantu bakhe baguquke baze babuyele kuMyeni Wabo, kanye njengokuba uGomere wabuyela kumyeni wakhe. Wayeza kwandula ke uYehova alwamkele uhlanga lwakhe olunjengomfazi othobelayo alukhuphe ‘kwintlango’ eyiBhabhiloni aze alubuyisele kwaYuda nakwaSirayeli. (Hoseya 2:14, 15) Wasizalisa eso sithembiso ngowama-537 B.C.E.

¹⁶ UThixo wazalisa nesi isithembiso: “Ngaloo mini ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kwenza umnqophiso namarhamncwa asendle nesidalwa esiphaphazelayo sasemazulwini nento erhubuluzayo yasemhlabeni, ndiya kwaphula isaphetha, ikrele nemfazwe ndizikhuphe elizweni, yaye ndiza kubalalisa benqabisekile.” (Hoseya 2:18) Intsalela engamaYuda eyabuyela elizweni layo yahlala inqabisekile, ingawoyiki amarhamncwa. Esi siprofeto sazaliseka nangowe-1919 C.E., xa intsalela yoSirayeli wokomoya yakhululwa ‘kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Ngoku ihlala inqabisekile yaye iphila kamnandi kwiparadesi yokomoya namaqabane ayo, anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade. Akukho mntu unoburhalarhume phakathi kwala maKristu okwenyaniso.—ISityhilelo 14:8; Isaya 11:6-9; Galati 6:16.

Naku Esifanele Sikufunde

17-19. (a) Ziziphi iimpawu zikaThixo esikhuthazwa ukuba nathi sizibonakalise? (b) Inceba novelwano uYehova analo lumele lusichaphazele njani?

¹⁷ UThixo unenceba novelwano, yaye nathi sifanele sibe njalo. Leyo yinto yokuqala efundiswa zizahluko zokuqala zencwadi kaHoseya. (Hoseya 1:6, 7; 2:23) Ukuvuma kukaThixo ukubonakalisa inceba kumaSirayeli aguqukayo kuvumelana nomzekeliso ophefumlelweyo othi: “Okugubungelayo ukunxaxha kwakhe akayi kuphumelela, kodwa okuvumayo aze akushiye uya kwenzelwa inceba.” (IMizekeliso 28:13) Kwakhona okuthuthuzelayo kubenzi bobubi abaguqukayo ngamazwi omdumisi athi: “Imibingelelo kuThixo ngumoya owaphukileyo; intliziyo eyaphukileyo netyumkileyo, Thixo, akuyi kuyidela.”—INdumiso 51:17.

¹⁸ Isiprofeto sikaHoseya sibalaselisa uvelwano nenceba uThixo esimnqulayo anayo. Enoba abanye bayanxaxha kwiindlela zakhe zokulunga, basenokuguquka baze babuyele kuye. Ukuba benjenjalo, uYehova uyabamkela. Wabonisa inceba kumalungu ohlanga lakwaSirayeli aguqukayo, awayetshate nalo ngokomfuziselo. Nangona engazange amthobele uYehova aza ‘amenza buhlungu Lowo uyiNgcwele kaSirayeli, wayenenceba yaye waqhubeka ekhumbula ukuba babeyinyama.’ (INdumiso 78:38-41) Inceba enjalo ifanele isenze sifune ukuhamba noThixo wethu, uYehova onemfesane.

¹⁹ Nangona ukwenza izono ezinjengokubulala, ukuba, ukukrexeza kwakuxhaphakile kwaSirayeli, uYehova ‘wathetha entliziyweni yakhe.’ (Hoseya 2:14; 4:2) Oku kufanele kusenze simthande ngakumbi uYehova njengokuba sicinga ngenceba novelwano analo. Ngoko ke, sifanele sizibuze: ‘Ndinokuyixelisa ngakumbi njani inceba novelwano uYehova analo xa ndisebenzisana nabanye? Ukuba omnye umKristu undonile aze acel’ uxolo, ngaba ndimxolela lula njengokuba uThixo enjalo?’—INdumiso 86:5.

20. Yenza umzekelo obonisa ukuba sifanele sibe nentembelo kwizinto uYehova asithembisa zona.

²⁰ UThixo uyazizalisekisa izithembiso zakhe. Ngokomzekelo, wathembisa esithi: “Ndiza kumnika . . . nentili yeAkore njengesango lethemba.” (Hoseya 2:15) Intlangano kaYehova enjengomfazi wakhe yayiqinisekile ukuba iya kubuyiselwa kwilizwe layo, ‘kwintili yeAkore’ njengoko kwakuthenjisiwe. Ukuzaliseka kweso sithembiso, ngowama-537 B.C.E., kusinika isizathu esivakalayo sokuvuyiswa koko uYehova asithembisa kona.

21. Ulwazi lunayiphi indima ekuhambeni kwethu noThixo?

²¹ Ukuze siqhubeke sihamba noThixo, sifanele siqhubeke sizuza ulwazi ngaye size silusebenzise ekuphileni kwethu. Abantu bakwaSirayeli babengamazi uYehova. (Hoseya 4:1, 6) Kanti, abanye babeyithanda gqitha imfundiso evela kuThixo, bayisebenzisa ekuphileni kwabo, yaye basikelelwa gqitha. UHoseya wayengomnye wabo bantu. Oku kwakunjalo nangabantu abangama-7 000 ngemihla kaEliya abangazange baguqe kuBhahali. (1 Kumkani 19:18; Roma 11:1-4) Ukuyixabisa imfundiso evela kuThixo kuya kusinceda siqhubeke sihamba naye.—INdumiso 119:66; Isaya 30:20, 21.

22. Sifanele silugqale njani uwexuko?

²² UYehova ulindele ukuba amadoda akhokela abantu bakhe aluthiye uwexuko. Noko ke, uHoseya 5:1 uthi: “Yivani oku, babingeleli, ninikele ingqalelo, nina ndlu kaSirayeli, nani, ndlu yokumkani, bekani indlebe, ngokuba uze kuni umgwebo lo; ngenxa yokuba nibe sisibatha eMizpa naza nanjengomnatha owanekwa eTibhore.” Iinkokeli ezingabawexuki zazisisibatha nomnatha kumaSirayeli, ziwahenda ukuze anqule izithixo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba olu nqulo lobuxoki lwaluqhutyelwa kwiNtaba iTabhore nakwindawo ekuthiwa yiMizpa.

23. Ufunde ntoni ngoxa ubuqwalasele uHoseya isahluko 1 ukusa kwesesi-5?

²³ Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, isiprofeto sikaHoseya sisibonise ukuba uYehova nguThixo onenceba obanik’ ithemba nobasikelelayo abo bayisebenzisayo imfundiso yakhe baze baluthiye uwexuko. NjengamaSirayeli amandulo aguqukayo, masifune uYehova size sizabalazele ukumkholisa ngamaxesha onke. (Hoseya 5:15) Ngokwenjenjalo, siya kuzuza okuhle size sifumane uvuyo olungathethekiyo noxolo olufunyanwa ngabo bonke abahamba noThixo ngokuthembeka.—INdumiso 100:2; Filipi 4:6, 7.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Unokuphendula Uthini?

• Ukutshata kukaHoseya noGomere kufuzisela ntoni?

• Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ammangalele uSirayeli?

• Yintoni oyifundileyo kuHoseya isahluko 1 ukusa kwesesi-5?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Uyazi ukuba umfazi kaHoseya ufanekisela bani?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

Abemi baseSamariya boyiswa ngama-Asiriya ngowe-740 B.C.E.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Abantu abanovuyo babuyela kwilizwe labo