IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi YesiLilo
UMPROFETHI uJeremiya ubona ukugcwaliseka kwesigijimi sesahlulelo abelokhu esimemezela iminyaka engu-40. Lo mprofethi uzizwa kanjani lapho ezibonela ngawakhe ukubhujiswa komuzi wakubo awuthandayo? “UJeremiya wahlala phansi wakhala futhi walilela iJerusalema ngalesi sililo,” kusho i-Septuagint yesiGreki lapho yethula incwadi yesiLilo. Njengoba yabhalwa ngo-607 B.C.E., ngenkathi ukuvinjezelwa okwathatha izinyanga ezingu-18 okwalandelwa ukushiswa kweJerusalema kusekusha engqondweni yomprofethi, incwadi yesiLilo iluchaza ngokucacile usizi olujulile lukaJeremiya. (Jeremiya 52:3-5, 12-14) Awukho omunye umuzi emlandweni owake walilelwa ngamazwi athinta inhliziyo nadabukisa kangaka.
Incwadi yesiLilo iyiqoqo lezinkondlo ezinhlanu ezinezosha. Ezine zokuqala ziyizililo; eyesihlanu iyisicelo, noma umthandazo. Izingoma zokuqala ezine zinamavesi alandelanayo aqala ngohlamvu oluhlukile lwama-alfabhethi esiHebheru angu-22. Nakuba ingoma yesihlanu inamavesi angu-22 ukuze ivumelane nezinhlamvu ezingu-22 zolimi lwesiHebheru, awahlelwanga ngokulandelana kwezinhlamvu zolimi.
“AMEHLO AMI APHELILE NGEZINYEMBEZI”
“O yeka ukuthi usuhlala wodwa kanjani, umuzi owawuchichima abantu! Yeka ukuthi usubé njengomfelokazi kanjani, wona owawunabantu abaningi phakathi kwezizwe! Yeka indlela osube ngayo owokwenza umsebenzi ophoqelelwe wona owawuyinkosazana phakathi kwezifunda zombuso!” Siqala ngalawo mazwi isililo somprofethi uJeremiya ngeJerusalema. Echaza isizathu sale nhlekelele, lo mprofethi uthi: “UJehova ngokwakhe ulilethele usizi ngenxa yobuningi bezeqo zalo.”—IsiLilo 1:1, 5.
Njengoba lenziwe samuntu ongumfelokazi olilela umyeni wakhe nabantwana bakhe, iJerusalema liyabuza: “Bukhona yini ubuhlungu obunjengobuhlungu bami?” Mayelana nezitha zalo, lithandaza kuNkulunkulu: “Kwangathi bonke ububi bazo bungafika phambi kwakho, usebenzelane nazo kanzima, njengoba nje uye wasebenzelana nami kanzima ngenxa yazo zonke izeqo zami. Ngoba ukububula kwami kuningi, futhi inhliziyo yami iyagula.”—IsiLilo 1:12, 22.
Ecindezeleke kakhulu, uJeremiya uthi: “Ngokuvutha kwentukuthelo [uJehova] uzinqumé zonke izimpondo zika-Israyeli. Ubuyisé isandla sakhe sokunene phambi kwesitha; kuJakobe uqhubeka evutha njengomlilo ovutha amalangabi oshwabadele nxazonke.” Echaza usizi lwakhe olujulile, lo mprofethi uyalila: “Amehlo ami aphelile ngezinyembezi zodwa. Amathumbu ami ayabila. Isibindi sami sithululelwé emhlabathini.” Ngisho nabantu abadlulayo babonise ukumangala, bathi: “Ingabe yiwo lo muzi ababevame ukuthi ngawo, ‘Uwukuphelela kobuhle, ukwethaba kwawo wonke umhlaba’?”—IsiLilo 2:3, 11, 15.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
1:15—UJehova ‘wayesinyathele kanjani isikhamo sewayini sendodakazi eseyintombi yakwaJuda’? Lapho bebhubhisa umuzi, ochazwa njengentombi, abaseBhabhiloni bachitha igazi eliningi kangangokuthi kwafaniswa nokukhanywa kwamagilebhisi esikhamweni sewayini. UJehova wakubikezela lokhu futhi wakuvumela ukuba kwenzeke, ngakho kungashiwo ukuthi ‘wayenyathele isikhamo sewayini.’
2:1—‘Ubuhle buka-Israyeli basuswa kanjani ezulwini baphonswa phansi emhlabeni?’ Njengoba “amazulu ephakeme kunomhlaba,” ngezinye izikhathi ukuthotshiswa kwezinto eziphakeme kuchazwa ngokuthi ‘zisuswa ezulwini ziphonswe phansi emhlabeni.’ “Ubuhle buka-Israyeli”—inkazimulo namandla ayenakho ngenkathi esathola isibusiso sikaJehova—baphonswa phansi lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema futhi kuchithwa uJuda.—Isaya 55:9.
2:1, 6—Siyini “isenabelo sezinyawo” zikaJehova ‘nedokodo’ lakhe? Umhubi wahlabelela: “Masingeneni etabernakele lakhe elikhulu; masikhothameni esenabelweni sezinyawo zakhe.” (IHubo 132:7) Ngakho, “isenabelo sezinyawo” okukhulunywa ngaso encwadini yesiLilo 2:1 sibhekisela endlini kaJehova yokukhulekela, noma ethempelini lakhe. AbaseBhabhiloni ‘bashisa indlu kaJehova’ njengokungathi iyidokodo noma indlwana nje esengadini.—Jeremiya 52:12, 13.
2:16, 17—Akufanele yini ivesi 16 liqale ngohlamvu lwesiHebheru u-ayin bese ivesi 17 liqala ngo-pe ngokokulandelana kwezinhlamvu zesiHebheru? Lapho beqamba izinkondlo ngale ndlela, ngokuvamile ababhali abaphefumulelwe babezilandelanisa izinhlamvu. Nokho, lokhu babengakwenzi uma kwakuzozwakala kabi noma kungasheleli. Umqondo oqukethwe indaba wawubhekwa njengobaluleke ngaphezu kokunamathela endleleni yokubhala eyayimane nje isetshenziswa njengento ewusizo ekukhumbuleni. Lezi zinhlamvu ezimbili ziphanjanisiwe nasengomeni yesithathu neyesine yesiLilo.—IsiLilo 3:46, 49; 4:16, 17.
2:17—Yiliphi “izwi” uJehova alifeza mayelana neJerusalema? Elithi “izwi” lapha kubonakala libhekisele kuLevitikusi 26:17, othi: “Ngiyomelana impela nani, futhi nakanjani niyohlulwa yizitha zenu; abanizondayo bayomane baninyathele, nibaleke impela kube kungekho muntu onixoshayo.”
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:1-9. IJerusalema likhala lingathuli ebusuku, futhi izihlathi zalo zigcwele izinyembezi. Amasango alo ayincithakalo, futhi abapristi balo bayabubula. Izintombi zalo zilusizi, futhi nalo linomunyu. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi iJerusalema lenze isono esikhulu. Ukungahlanzeki kwalo kusemiphethweni yezingubo zalo. Umvuzo wokona awuyona injabulo; uyizinyembezi, ukububula, usizi nobuhlungu.
1:18. Lapho uJehova ejezisa izoni, kusuke kufaneleka njalo futhi kuwukulunga.
2:20. Ama-Israyeli axwayiswa ngokuthi uma engalilaleli izwi likaJehova, ayeyothola iziqalekiso, ezazihlanganisa ukudla ‘inyama yamadodana namadodakazi awo.’ (Duteronomi 28:15, 45, 53) Yeka ukuthi kuwubuwula kanjani ukukhetha inkambo yokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu!
“UNGAYIFIHLI INDLEBE YAKHO EKUNGIPHUMUZENI”
Encwadini yesiLilo isahluko 3, kukhulunywa ngesizwe sakwa-Israyeli ‘njengendoda enamandla.’ Naphezu kosizi ebhekene nalo, le ndoda iyahlabelela: “UJehova muhle kothembela kuye, emphefumulweni oqhubeka ufuna yena.” Ithandaza kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, iyacela: “Izwi lami kumelwe ulizwe. Ungayifihli indlebe yakho ekungiphumuzeni, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.” Icela uJehova ukuba akhumbule ukuhlambalaza kwesitha sayo, ithi: “O Jehova, uyobabuyisela impatho evumelana nomsebenzi wezandla zabo.”—IsiLilo 3:1, 25, 56, 64.
UJeremiya uthulula imizwa yakhe ngemiphumela ebuhlungu yokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema izinyanga ezingu-18 futhi uyalila: “Isijeziso sesiphambeko sendodakazi yabantu bami futhi siba sikhulu kunesijeziso sesono saseSodoma, elagumbuqelwa njengokungathi ngomzuzwana, futhi okungazange kube khona izandla ezaphendukela kulo ukuze zisize.” UJeremiya uyaqhubeka: “Ababulewe ngenkemba babe ngcono kunalabo ababulewe yindlala, ngoba laba bayawohloka, begwazwa ngenxa yokuntuleka komkhiqizo wensimu.”—IsiLilo 4:6, 9.
Enkondlweni yesihlanu kukhuluma izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema. Zithi: “O Jehova, khumbula lokho okwenzeke kithi. Bheka ubone isihlamba sethu.” Njengoba zilandisa ngokuhlupheka kwazo, ziyacela: “Jehova, uyohlala kuze kube nini nanini. Isihlalo sakho sobukhosi simi izizukulwane ngezizukulwane. O Jehova, sibuyisele kuwe, sizobuya ngokushesha. Silethele izinsuku ezintsha njengakudala.”—IsiLilo 5:1, 19, 21.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
3:16—Yini esikiselwa inkulumo ethi: “Wenza amazinyo ami aphuke ngohlalwane”? Enye incwadi ithi: “Ngenkathi amaJuda esendleleni eya ekudingisweni, aphoqeleka ukuba abhake izinkwa zawo emigodini ayeyigubhe enhlabathini, okwenza isinkwa sawo sihlangane namatshana.” Ukudla leso sinkwa kwakungaphula amazinyo alowo osidlayo.
4:3, 10—Kungani uJeremiya eqhathanisa “indodakazi yabantu [bakubo]” ‘nezintshe ehlane’? UJobe 39:16 uthi: Intshe “ibaphatha kalukhuni abantwana bayo, njengokungathi akubona abayo.” Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokuba amaqanda echanyuselwe, isikhukhukazi sishiya amachwane aso siye kwezinye izikhukhukazi bese iqhude liqala ukuwanakekela. Kwenzekani lapho izintshe zibhekene nengozi? Intshe yensikazi neyeduna ziyabaleka zishiye isidleke, zishiye namachwane. Ngenkathi abaseBhabhiloni bevimbezele iJerusalema, kwaba nendlala enkulu eJerusalema kangangokuthi omama ngokuvamile ababengaba nesihawu baba nonya ezinganeni zabo, njengezintshe ehlane. Lokhu kwakuhluke kakhulu ekukhathaleleni kwezimpungushe ezincelisayo.
5:7—Ingabe uJehova ujezisa abantu ngamaphutha okhokho babo? Cha, uJehova akabajezisi ngokuqondile abantu ngezono zokhokho babo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngamunye wethu uyozilandisela kuNkulunkulu.” (Roma 14:12) Nokho, imiphumela yezono ingahlala ize itholwe nayizizukulwane zamuva. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuphendukela kuka-Israyeli wasendulo ekukhulekeleni izithombe kwenza kwaba nzima ngisho nangama-Israyeli athembekile amuva ukuba anamathele enkambweni yokulunga.—Eksodusi 20:5.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
3:8, 43, 44. Phakathi nenhlekelele eyehlela iJerusalema, uJehova wenqaba ukulalela lapho izakhamuzi zalo zicela usizo. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi abantu babengamlalelanga, futhi baqhubeka bengaphenduki. Uma sifuna uJehova aphendule imithandazo yethu, kumelwe simlalele.—IzAga 28:9.
3:20. UJehova, “oPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke,” uphakeme kangangokuthi kudingeka azehlise ukuze “abuke ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” (IHubo 83:18; 113:6) Noma kunjalo, uJeremiya wayazi kahle ngokuzimisela kukaMninimandla onke ukuba azehlise ngenxa yabantu, okungukuthi, azehlise abe sezingeni labo ukuze abakhuthaze. Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi akukhona nje ukuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso unguMninimandla onke futhi uhlakaniphe kunabo bonke kodwa futhi uthobekile!
3:21-26, 28-33. Singakukhuthazelela kanjani ngisho nokuhlupheka okukhulu? UJeremiya usitshela ukuthi akufanele sikhohlwe ukuthi uJehova uchichima umusa wothando futhi unesihe esikhulu. Kufanele sikhumbule nokuthi ukuphila nje kwethu kuyisizathu esikhulu sokungaphelelwa ithemba nokuthi kudingeka sibekezele futhi silinde ngokuthula insindiso kaJehova ngaphandle kokukhononda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufanele ‘sibeke umlomo wethu othulini,’ okungukuthi, sizithobe uma silingwa, siqaphela ukuthi lokho uNkulunkulu akuvumela ukuba kwenzeke ukuvumela ngesizathu esihle.
3:27. Ukuvivinywa kokholo lapho usemusha kungase kusho ukukhuthazelela ubunzima nokuhlekwa usulu. Kodwa “kuhle ngendoda enamandla ukuba ithwale ijoka ebusheni bayo.” Ngani? Ngoba lapho umuntu efunda ukuthwala ijoka lokuhlupheka lapho esemusha kwenza akulungele ukubhekana nezinselele lapho esekhulile.
3:39-42. Akukhona ukuhlakanipha ‘ukuhlala sikhononda’ lapho sihlupheka ngenxa yezono zethu. Kunokuba sikhononde ngemiphumela esiyitholayo ngezono zethu, “masiphenyeni izindlela zethu sizihlole, sibuyele impela kuJehova.” Sibonisa ukuhlakanipha uma siphenduka bese siqondisa izindlela zethu.
Yenza UJehova Abe Ithemba Lakho
Incwadi yeBhayibheli yesiLilo yembula indlela uJehova alibheka ngayo iJerusalema nezwe lakwaJuda ngemva kokuba abaseBhabhiloni beshise umuzi bashiya nendawo iyincithakalo. Izinkulumo ezivuma isono ezibhalwe kuyo zikwenza kucace ukuthi ngokombono kaJehova, le nhlekelele yayidalwe ukona kwabantu. Izingoma zale ncwadi ephefumulelwe ziqukethe namazwi aveza ukuthembela kuJehova nesifiso sokuphendukela enkambweni elungile. Nakuba lezi zingoma zazingavezi umuzwa weningi labantu bosuku lukaJeremiya, ziveza imizwa kaJeremiya neyensali ephendukile.
Indlela uJehova abheka ngayo isimo saseJerusalema njengoba sivezwa encwadini yesiLilo isifundisa izifundo ezimbili ezibalulekile. Esokuqala, ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema nokwenziwa kwezwe lakwaJuda incithakalo kukhuthaza ukulalela uJehova futhi kuyisixwayiso sokuba singayishayi indiva intando yakhe. (1 Korinte 10:11) Isifundo sesibili sisithola esibonelweni sikaJeremiya. (Roma 15:4) Nalapho ebhekene nesimo esasibonakala njengomnyama ongenafu, umprofethi olusizi kakhulu wathembela kuJehova ukuze athole insindiso. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba simethembe ngokuphelele uJehova neZwi lakhe!—Hebheru 4:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Umprofethi uJeremiya wabona ukugcwaliseka kwesigijimi sakhe sesahlulelo
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ukholo lwalab’ oFakazi baseKorea lwavivinywa endabeni yokungathathi kwabo uhlangothi njengamaKristu