UJeremiya—Umprofethi Ongathandeki Wezahlulelo ZikaNkulunkulu
Ukufundwa kweBhayibheli kwamasonto onke encwadini kaJeremiya kuhlelelwe Isikole SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini kusukela ngoApril 17 kuya kuAugust 21. Lezihloko ezifundwayo ziyonikeza isisekelo esihle sokuqonda izincwadi zalomprofethi
“Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi . . . ngakubeka umprofethi ezizweni.”—JEREMIYA 1:5.
1. (a) Lapho behlola isikhathi esidlule, abanye bambheka kanjani uJeremiya? (b) Yena wayezibheka kanjani?
“NGISHO noma ephakathi kwabanye abaprofethi, uJeremiya ungovelele kakhulu.” Lawomazwi akhulunywa isazi seBhayibheli aphikisana ngokuphelele nombono uJeremiya ayenawo ngaye mathupha lapho eqala ukwamukela ukuthunywa kwakhe okuvela kuJehova kokukhonza njengomprofethi kwaJuda nakwabezizwe. Impendulo yakhe yathi: “Awu, Nkosi Jehova! Bheka, angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngokuba ngingumntwana.” Ngokusobala uJeremiya wayebuqaphela kakhulu ubusha bakhe, futhi kuye inselele yokubhekana nezizwe ezinolaka yayingaphezu kwakhe. UJehova wayecabanga ngenye indlela.—Jeremiya 1:6.
2. UJehova wamqinisekisa kanjani uJeremiya?
2 Kuyakhanya engxoxweni kaJehova noJeremiya omncane, ukuthi uJeremiya wayengomunye wabantu abambalwa uJehova abangela ukuzalwa kwabo. Futhi kungani aba nesithakazelo esikhethekile kuJeremiya kusukela kwasekukhulelweni kwakhe kuqhubeke? Ngoba uJehova wayenesabelo esikhethekile sokumthuma ayemgcinele sona. Kanjalo, wayengathi: “Ungakaphumi esizalweni ngakungcwelisa.” (Jeremiya 1:5) Khona-ke wayeseyiyala lensizwa esencane: “Ungasho ukuthi ungumntwana, ngokuba uyakuya kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo, nakho konke engikuyala ngakho uyakukukhuluma. Ungabesabi, ngokuba nginawe ukuba ngikophule, usho uJehova.” Yayingekho indlela yokuba aqale isabelo sakhe ngokwesaba. Kunalokho, sasidinga isibindi nokuthembela kuJehova.—Jeremiya 1:7, 8.
3. Kungani ukuthunywa kukaJeremiya kwakuyinselele ngempela?
3 Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba lensizwa yahlatshwa umxhwele futhi mhlawumbe yajabula kanjani lapho ithola ukuthunywa okunjalo okuvela kuJehova ngokuqondile! Futhi yeka ukuthunywa okwakuyikho! “Bona, ngiyakubeka namuhla phezu kwezizwe naphezu kwemibuso ukusiphula nokudiliza, ukuchitha nokubhubhisa, ukwakha nokutshala.” Ngempela, isimo lapho kushiwo lawomazwi kwaJuda cishe phakathi nekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka B.C.E. sasethwesa lomprofethi osakhula umthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu. Kwakumelwe abhekane nesizwe esiziqhenyayo, esasinganaki, esasithembele emzini waso ongcwele, iJerusalema, nethempeli lalo, njengentelezi yenhlanhla. Njengoba aqeda inkonzo yakhe yobuprofethi yeminyaka engama-40 eJerusalema, kwakuzodingeka alethe isigijimi sakhe phakathi nokubusa kwamakhosi ayisihlanu ahlukahlukene (uJosiya, uJehowahazi, uJehoyakimi, uJehoyakini, noSedekiya). Kwakuzodingeka amemezele izahlulelo ezingathandeki ezazilahla isizwe samaJuda nesaseBabiloni.—Jeremiya 1:10; 51:41-64.
Kungani Kufanele Sibe Nesithakazelo KuJeremiya?
4, 5. (a) Kungani izehlakalo zosuku lukaJeremiya zisithinta? (Roma 15:4) (b) Yikuphi ukusebenza okukhethekile esinesithakazelo kukho?
4 Kodwa singabuza, Lezozenzakalo ezenzeka emuva lé zihlangene ngani nathi, esiphila manje eduze nokuphela kwalelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka? Umphostoli uPawulu unikeza impendulo lapho ebukeza eminye yemilando yakwaIsrayeli encwadini yakhe eyayiya ebandleni laseKorinte. Wabhala: “Kepha lokho kwaba-yizibonelo kithi, size singafisi okubi, njengalokho bona babekufisa . . . kulotshelwe ukusiyala thina, osekufikile kithi ukugcina kwezikhathi.”—1 Korinte 10:6, 11.
5 Izenzakalo ezenzeka kwaIsrayeli nakwaJuda zisebenza njengesibonelo esiyisixwayiso ebandleni lamaKristu eqiniso kulesikhathi sesiphelo. Futhi singabona okufanayo nezenzakalo ezifanayo okusikhanyisela kusengaphambili ngezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo. (Qhathanisa uJeremiya 51:6-8 nesAmbulo 18:2, 4.) Ngakho-ke, inkonzo kaJeremiya yobuprofethi nezenzakalo ezehlela iJerusalema zinokubaluleka okukhulu koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla, ikakhulukazi ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi wabo endaweni yeLobukholwa, njengoba sizobona ezihlokweni ezilandelayo.
Ukumemezela KukaJeremiya Izahlulelo ZikaJehova Ngesibindi
6. Yini eyenza isabelo sikaJeremiya sibe nzima kakhulu, nokho wathola siphi isikhuthazo?
6 Ukuze aqinise uJeremiya ngomthwalo wakhe wemfanelo osabekayo, uJehova waqhubeka emqinisekisa: “Usuke, ukhulume kubo bonke engikuyala ngabo; ungapheli amandla ngabo . . . bheka, ngikubekile namuhla ube-ngumuzi obiyelweyo . . . ngakulo izwe lonke, nangawo amakhosi akwaJuda nezikhulu zalo, nangakubo abapristi balo nabantu bezwe.” Akukho kungabaza ngakho, uJeremiya kwakuyodingeka abe njengomuzi obiyelwe ukuze akwazi ukubhekana nababusi nabapristi bakwaJuda. Futhi ukuletha isigijimi esingathandeki nesiyinselele kubantu kwakungeke kube umsebenzi olula.—Jeremiya 1:17, 18.
7. Kungani ababusi abangamaJuda babezomelana noJeremiya?
7 UJehova waxwayisa: “Bayakulwa nawe, kepha abayikukwahlula.” (Jeremiya 1:19) Manje, kungani amaJuda nababusi bawo babeyofuna ukulwa nalomprofethi? Ngoba isigijimi sakhe sasihlasela ukunganaki kwabo nendlela yabo yokukhulekela eyayingeyokugcina umthetho nje. UJeremiya akazange agwegwese: “Bheka, izwi likaNkulunkulu seliyihlazo kubo, abathokozi ngalo. Ngokuba kusukela kwabancane babo kuya kwabakhulu babo bayaphanga impango bonke, nabaprofethi nabapristi bonke [labo kanye okwakumelwe babe abavikeli bezindinganiso zokuziphatha okuhle nezingokomoya] baqamba amanga.”—Jeremiya 6:10, 13.
8. Abapristi nabaprofethi babebakhohlisa kanjani abantu?
8 Yiqiniso, babehola isizwe ekwenzeni imihlatshelo. Babegcina icala nje mayelana nokukhulekela kweqiniso, izinhliziyo zabo zazingekho kukho. Ukugcina isiko kwakusho okukhulu kakhulu kubo kunokuziphatha okufanele. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, abaholi benkolo bamaJuda babekhohlisa isizwe ukuze sibe nomuzwa wokuthi silondekile, bethi, “Ngukuthula, ngukuthula” lapho kungekho ukuthula. (Jeremiya 6:14; 8:11) Yebo, babekhohlisa abantu ukuba bacabange ukuthi babenokuthula noNkulunkulu. Babenomuzwa wokuthi akukho okwakumelwe bakhathazeke ngakho, ngoba babengabantu abasindisiwe bakaJehova, ababenomuzi ongcwele nethempeli lawo. Kodwa ingabe leyo indlela uJehova ayebheka ngayo isimo?
9. Yisiphi isixwayiso uJeremiya asinikeza abakhulekeli ngokuphathelene nethempeli labo?
9 UJehova wayala uJeremiya ukuba ame obala ngasesangweni lethempeli futhi anikeze isigijimi saKhe kubakhulekeli ababengena lapho. Kwakumelwe abatshele ukuthi: “Ningethembi emazwini amanga, lapho kuthiwa: Nanti ithempeli likaJehova, ithempeli likaJehova, ithempeli likaJehova. . . . Bhekani, niyethemba emazwini amanga angenakusiza.” AmaJuda ayehamba ngokubona hhayi ngokukholwa, njengoba ayeqhosha ngethempeli lawo. Ayesewakhohliwe kakade amazwi kaJehova okuxwayisa: “Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, umhlaba uyisenabelo sezinyawo zami, iphi leyondlu ebeniyakungakhela yona?” UJehova, iNkosi enguMbusi yalendawo enkulu, ngokuqinisekile wayengavalelekile phakathi kwethempeli lawo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lalikhazimula kanjani!—Jeremiya 7:1-8; Isaya 66:1.
10, 11. Sasiyini isimo esingokomoya sesizwe uJeremiya asilahla, futhi ingabe isimo singcono yini manje kweLobukholwa? (2 Thimothewu 3:5)
10 UJeremiya waqhubeka namazwi akhe ahlabayo okusola obala: “Niyakweba yini, nibulale, niphinge, nifunge amanga, nimshisele uBali impepho, nilandele abanye onkulunkulu eningabazanga, . . . nithi: Sophuliwe—nize nenze zonke lezizinengiso, na?” AmaJuda, ‘njengabantu’ bakaNkulunkulu ‘abakhethiwe,’ ayecabanga ukuthi wayezovumela ukuziphatha kwanoma yiluphi uhlobo kuphela nje uma eletha imihlatshelo yawo ethempelini. Nokho, uma ayemcabangela njengoyise onozwela otetemisa umntwana ototoswayo okuwukuphela kwakhe, khona ayelinde amathonsi abanzi.—Jeremiya 7:9, 10; Eksodusi 19:5, 6.
11 Ukukhulekela kukaJuda kwakwehle kakhulu emehlweni kaJehova kangangokuba kwakungabuzwa lombuzo oshaqisayo: “Lendlu ebizwé ngegama lami isiphenduké umhume wabaphangi emehlweni enu na?” Eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngama-700 kamuva, isimo sasingehlukile, njengoba uJesu, umprofethi omkhulu kunoJeremiya, asebenzisa wona kanye lamazwi lapho elahla ukuxhaphaza nesimiso sezentengiselwano okwakuqhutshwa ethempelini elalakhiwe kabusha esikhathini sakhe. Futhi isimo namuhla kweLobukholwa asihlukile neze.—Jeremiya 7:11; Mathewu 16:14; Marku 11:15-17.
Abalindi Abanakwa, Kubikezelwa Inhlekelele
12. AmaJuda asabela kanjani kubaprofethi uJehova abathuma kuwo?
12 UJeremiya wayengeyena neze umprofethi wokuqala owasetshenziswa uNkulunkulu ukuba axwayise uIsrayeli noJuda ngenkambo yabo yokweduka. Eminyakeni eyikhulu noma ngaphezulu ngaphambili, abaprofethi uIsaya, uMika, uHoseya, no-Odedi babeye bathunywa njengabalindi ukuba baxwayise isizwe. (Isaya 1:1; Mika 1:1; Hoseya 1:1; 2 IziKronike 28:6-9) Iningi lalisabele kanjani? “Ngase ngibeka abalindi phezu kwenu, ngithi: Qaphelani ukukhala kwecilongo; kepha bathi: Asiyikukuqaphela.” (Jeremiya 6:17; 7:13, 25, 26) Benqaba ukulalela uJeremiya. Kunalokho, bamshushisa futhi bazama ukumbulala. Ngalokho uJehova wazimisela ukuba bakhokhe ngokunganaki kwabo nokungakholwa.—Jeremiya 20:1, 2; 26:8, 11; 37:15; 38:6.
13. Sasiyini isizathu sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kulesizwe?
13 Esabela ekungamukelini kwesizwe izithunywa zakhe, uJehova wathumela njengokungathi izwi ezizweni zomhlaba, ethi: “Yizwa wena-mhlaba ukuthi: Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela okubi phezu kwalababantu, izithelo zemicabango yabo, ngokuba abaqaphelanga amazwi ami, noMthetho wami bawulahlile.” Kungani isizwe sasiyokwehlelwa inhlekelele? Ngenxa yezenzo zabo ezimbi ezazisekelwe emicabangweni yabo emibi. Abawamukelanga amazwi kaJehova nomthetho, futhi balandela ukuthambekela kwabo kobugovu nokwenyama.—Jeremiya 6:18, 19; Isaya 55:8, 9; 59:7.
14. Ukukhulekela kwawo kwamanga kwafinyelela kuliphi izinga? (Qhathanisa ne-2 IziKronike 33:1-9.)
14 Futhi babenzani kwaJuda eyabalethela intukuthelo kaJehova? Babenza amaqebelengwana omhlatshelo ‘eNkosikazini Yezulu.’ Babethelela abanye onkulunkulu iminikelo ephuzwayo ngamabomu ukuze bathukuthelise uJehova. Ngakho, uJehova uyabuza: “Ingabe yimi abamcasulayo yini? . . . Ingabe abazilimazi yini bona ngokwabo, kube yihlazo kubo na?” (Jeremiya 7:18, 19, New International Version) Nokho, izenzo zabo ezimbi zokuhlambalaza zehlela ezingeni eliphansi kakhulu—bamisa izithombe ezinengekayo endlini eyayinegama likaJehova. Bakha ama-altare ngaphandle kweJerusalema, esigodini sikaHinomu, “ukuba bashise amadodana abo namadodakazi abo ngomlilo.” Yiliphi inani ababezolikhokha ngakho konke ukwedelela kwabo ukukhulekela kweqiniso?—Jeremiya 7:30, 31.
UJuda Uyakhokha
15. Yiziphi izindaba ezimbi uJeremiya ayenazo ngoJuda?
15 Cishe ngo-632 B.C.E., iAsiriya lase liwele kumaKaledi namaMede, futhi iGibithe lancishiswa laba umbuso omncane ngaseningizimu yakwaJuda. Usongo lwangempela kwaJuda lwaluyokuza ngomzila wokuhlasela ngasenyakatho. Ngakho, kwakumelwe uJeremiya anikeze amaJuda akubo izindaba ezimbi! “Bheka, kuvela abantu ezweni elisenyakatho . . . banonya, abanamusa, . . . behlelelwe ukulwa nawe-ndodakazi yaseSiyoni.” Umbuso wezwe owawuthola amandla ngalesosikhathi kwakuyiBabiloni. Lona wawuzokuba ithuluzi likaJehova lokujezisa uJuda ongenalukholo.—Jeremiya 6:22, 23; 25:8, 9.
16. Kungani kwakungasizi lutho ukuncengela kukaJeremiya isizwe?
16 Ingabe sasikhona yini isizathu sokuba uJeremiya azame ukuncengela abantu bakubo? Ingabe mhlawumbe kwakungaba khona ukuhlehla ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso? Ingabe mhlawumbe uJehova wayezokwamukela iminikelo engaphelele futhi abathethelele abantu bakhe? Isimo sikaJehova sasicacile. Wayala uJeremiya okungenani izikhathi ezintathu: “Wena-ke ungakhulekeli lababantu, . . . ngokuba angiyikuzwa.” Ekugcwalisekeni okufanayo, lesixwayiso esibi sibikezela ‘inhlekelele ngeLobukholwa.—Jeremiya 7:16; 11:14; 14:11.
17, 18. Ekugcineni isahlulelo sikaJehova ngokumelene noJuda sakhishwa kanjani?
17 Izindaba zaphetha kanjani ngoJuda? Njengoba nje uJehova ayebikezele ngoJeremiya. Phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uJehoyakimi, uJuda waba isizwe esikhonza ngaphansi kweBabiloni elinamandla. Eminyakeni emithathu kamuva uJehoyakimi wahlubuka. Lesenzo sobuwula saholela ngisho nasekuthotshisweni okukhulu ezandleni zabaseBabiloni, abavimbezela umuzi waseJerusalema. Ngalesikhathi uJehoyakimi wayesefile futhi walandelwa indodana yakhe uJehoyakini. Ukuvimbezela kwabaseBabiloni kwenza ukuba uJuda azithobe, futhi uJehoyakini nawo wonke umkhaya wasebukhosini, kanye nazo zonke izinhloko zomphakathi wakwaJuda, bathunjelwa ebugqilini eBabiloni.—2 AmaKhosi 24:5-17.
18 Kwenzekani ethempelini elingcwele nayo yonke imihlobiso yalo engcwele yenani eliphezulu? Ngokuqinisekile akuzange kube intelezi yenhlanhla kwaJuda. UNebukadinesari ‘wakhipha khona yonke ingcebo yendlu kaJehova nengcebo yendlu yenkosi, wahlahlela zonke izinto zegolide uSolomoni inkosi yakwaIsrayeli azenzileyo ethempelini likaJehova.’ (2 AmaKhosi 24:13) Ekugcineni, uSedekiya, inkosi eyayimiswe iBabiloni, eyashiywa ukuba ibuse okwakusele eJerusalema, nayo yahlubuka emakhosini ayo. Yayisiyinyathele emsileni kuNebukadinesari. Umuzi waseJerusalema waphinde wavinjezelwa, futhi ngo-607 B.C.E. wanqotshwa ngaphansi kukaNebuzaradani futhi wachithwa ngokuphelele.—Jeremiya 34:1, 21, 22; 52:5-11.
19, 20. Yikuphi ukwehlukana okwakukhona embonweni kaJuda nokaJeremiya ngokuphathelene nenhlekelele eyayibikezelwe, futhi namuphi umphumela?
19 Yeka ukuchithwa okuyinhlekelele ‘kwabantu abakhethiwe’! Kodwa yeka ukuthi izimemezelo zikaJeremiya zesahlulelo zalwelwa ngokusobala kanjani. Nakuba amaJuda ayephila ezweni lamaphupho, ekholelwa ukuthi akukho ngozi engawavelela, “umbikezeli wenhlekelele” uJeremiya wayengaphuphi kepha wayekhuluma ngokunqotshwa okungokoqobo. (Jeremiya 38:4; phawula ukuthi igama elithi “inhlekelele” kuNew World Translation livela izikhathi ezingama-64 encwadini kaJeremiya.) Yeka ukuthi isahlulelo sikaJehova sasishaya emhloleni kanjani: “Uyakuthi kubo: Yilesisizwe esingalilalelanga izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu waso, singamukelanga ukulaywa, iqiniso libhubhile, linqunyiwe emlonyeni waso. Ngiyakuthulisa emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema izwi lokujabula nezwi lokuthokoza, . . . ngokuba izwe liyakuba-yincithakalo”!—Jeremiya 7:28, 34.
20 Ngalendlela ebuhlungu, amaJuda azidlayo nanganaki kwadingeka aqaphele ukuthi ukubiza kwawo uNkulunkulu nokuba kwawo nobuhlobo obukhethekile naye akuzange kuqinisekise ukusinda kwawo. Njengoba isiprofetho sasho: “Silindela ukuthula, kepha okuhle akukho, nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa, kepha bheka luvalo. Ukuvuna kudlulile, ihlobo liphelile, kepha thina asisindiswanga.” (Jeremiya 8:15, 20) Manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokulandisa ngoJuda. Kodwa umprofethi onesibindi uJeremiya wavikelwa kukho konke ukuthunywa kwakhe futhi wavunyelwa ukuba aqede isabelo sakhe. Waqedela izinsuku zakhe esekuthunjweni eGibithe, hhayi eBabiloni kanye nesizwe esasihlazisiwe. Wayememezele izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ngesibindi nangokwethembeka iminyaka engaphezu kwama-65.
21. Yimiphi eminye imibuzo esithintayo?
21 Kodwa manje sinesithakazelo sokwazi ukuthi lokhu kuphila nenkonzo kaJeremiya kusebenza kanjani ezikhathini zethu. Obani ababezofana noJeremiya kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka? Futhi obani ababezofana noJuda neJerusalema? Futhi yini efana nosongo oluvela enyakatho? Izihloko zethu ezilandelayo zizohlola leyomibuzo.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ UJeremiya wasabela kanjani ekuthunyweni kwakhe, futhi yathini impendulo kaJehova?
◻ Kungani sinesithakazelo ezehlakalweni zosuku lukaJeremiya?
◻ Yisiphi isimo senkolo uJeremiya asilahla futhi amaJuda ayethembele kuphi?
◻ Waba yini umphumela wokugcina ngeJerusalema noJuda?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 12]
UJeremiya wamemezela ngokungesabi izahlulelo zikaJehova kubaholi abangamaJuda nakubantu
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Abesifazane babebhakela “iNkosikazi Yezulu” amaqebelengwane