Hlale Uphapheme NjengoJeremiya
“[Mina Jehova] ngihlala ngiphapheme ngokuphathelene nezwi lami ukuze ngilifeze.”—JER. 1:12.
1, 2. Kungani ‘ukuhlala kukaJehova ephapheme’ kuhlotshaniswa nesihlahla som-alimondi?
ISIHLAHLA som-alimondi siphakathi kwezihlahla eziqhakaza kuqala emagqumeni aseLebhanoni nawakwa-Israyeli. Izimbali zaso ezinhle ezibomvana noma ezimhlophe zingase ziqale ukubonakala engakapheli u-January noma ngasekuqaleni kuka-February. Igama laso ngesiHebheru ngokwezwi nezwi lisho ukuthi “ophaphamayo.”
2 Lapho uJehova emisa uJeremiya njengomprofethi wakhe, lesi sici sesihlahla som-alimondi sasetshenziswa ngokufanele ukuze sicacise iqiniso elibalulekile. Ekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, lo mprofethi waboniswa ihlumela lalowo muthi embonweni. Lalisho ukuthini? UJehova wachaza: “Ngihlala ngiphapheme ngokuphathelene nezwi lami ukuze ngilifeze.” (Jer. 1:11, 12) Njengoba nje isihlahla som-alimondi ‘siphaphama’ kuqala, noJehova ngokomfanekiso ‘wayevuka ekuseni’ ukuze athumele abaprofethi bakhe ukuba bayoxwayisa abantu bakhe ngemiphumela yokungalaleli. (Jer. 7:25) Wayengeke aphumule—‘wayeyohlale ephapheme’—kuze kube yilapho izwi lakhe lesiprofetho selifezekile. Ngo-607 B.C.E., ngaso kanye isikhathi esimisiwe, isahlulelo sikaJehova safikela leso sizwe sakwaJuda sezihlubuki.
3. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo ngoJehova?
3 Nanamuhla, uJehova uphapheme futhi uqaphe ukufeza intando yakhe. Kuyinto engenakwenzeka ukuba adebeselele ukugcwaliseka kwezwi lakhe. Ukuqapha kukaJehova kukuthinta kanjani wena? Uyakholelwa yini ukuthi kulo nyaka ka-2011 uJehova ‘ukuphaphamele’ ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe? Uma sinanoma ikuphi ukungabaza ngezithembiso zikaJehova eziqinisekile, manje yisikhathi sokuba siphaphame kunoma yikuphi ukozela okungokomoya. (Roma 13:11) Njengomprofethi kaJehova, uJeremiya wahlala ephapheme. Ukuhlola ukuthi kungani uJeremiya ahlala ephaphamele isabelo sakhe ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu nokuthi wakwenza kanjani lokhu, kuzosisiza sibone ukuthi singakhuthazela kanjani emsebenzini uJehova asinike wona.
Isigijimi Esiphuthumayo
4. Iziphi izinselele uJeremiya abhekana nazo ekumemezeleni isigijimi sakhe, futhi kungani sasiphuthuma?
4 Cishe uJeremiya wayecela eminyakeni engu-25 lapho uJehova emthuma ukuba abe umlindi. (Jer. 1:1, 2) Kodwa wayezibona engumfana nje, engakufanelekeli neze ukukhuluma nabadala besizwe, amadoda ayesekhulile ngeminyaka futhi esezikhundleni ezaziwanika igunya. (Jer. 1:6) Kwakufanele amemezele izahlulelo ezishisayo nezesabekayo ezazilahla ikakhulu abapristi, abaprofethi bamanga, ababusi nalabo ababelandela ‘indlela ethandwayo’ futhi abase ‘benokungathembeki okuhlala njalo.’ (Jer. 6:13; 8:5, 6) Ithempeli elikhazimulayo elakhiwa iNkosi uSolomoni, elalibe yisikhungo sokukhulekela cishe iminyaka engamakhulu amane, lalizobhidlizwa. IJerusalema nelakwaJuda kwakuzoba incithakalo futhi izakhamuzi zakhona zithunjwe. Ngempela, isigijimi uJeremiya okwakufanele asimemezele sasiphuthuma!
5, 6. (a) UJehova usisebenzisa kanjani isigaba sikaJeremiya namuhla? (b) Isifundo sethu sizogxila kuphi?
5 Ezikhathini zanamuhla, uJehova ngothando uye walungiselela iqembu lamaKristu agcotshiwe elisebenza njengabalindi abangokomfanekiso ukuze lixwayise abantu ngesahlulelo sakhe kuleli zwe. Sekungamashumi eminyaka lesi sigaba sikaJeremiya sinxusa abantu ukuba banake izikhathi esiphila kuzo. (Jer. 6:17) IBhayibheli ligcizelela ukuthi uJehova, uMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu, akephuzi. Usuku lwakhe luyofika ngesikhathi asimisile, ngehora abantu abangalilindele.—Zef. 3:8; Marku 13:33; 2 Pet. 3:9, 10.
6 Hlale ukhumbula ukuthi uJehova uphapheme futhi uyoletha izwe lakhe elisha lokulunga ngesikhathi asimisile. Ukwazi lokho kufanele kukhuthaze labo besigaba sikaJeremiya futhi kusize abangane babo abazinikezele ukuba bahlale bekuphaphamele ukuthi isigijimi sabo siphuthuma ngokwengeziwe. Lokhu kukuthinta kanjani wena? UJesu wabonisa ukuthi wonke umuntu kudingeka abe sohlangothini loMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ake sihlole izimfanelo ezintathu ezasiza uJeremiya ukuba ahlale ephaphamele ukufeza umsebenzi wakhe futhi lokhu kuyosisiza nathi ukuba senze okufanayo.
Uthando Ngabantu
7. Chaza ukuthi uthando lwamshukumisela kanjani uJeremiya ukuba ashumayele naphezu kwezimo ezinzima.
7 Yini eyashukumisela uJeremiya ukuba ashumayele naphezu kwezimo eziyinselele? Wayebathanda abantu. UJeremiya wayazi ukuthi abelusi bamanga babeyimbangela yezinkinga eziningi abantu ababebhekene nazo. (Jer. 23:1, 2) Lolu lwazi lwamsiza ukuba enze umsebenzi wakhe ngothando nangozwela. Wayefuna ukuba abantu bakubo bezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu futhi baphile. Wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngabo waze walila ngenxa yenhlekelele eyayizobehlela. (Funda uJeremiya 8:21; 9:1.) Incwadi yesiLilo ilubonisa ngokucacile uthando lukaJeremiya olujulile nokukhathalela kwakhe igama likaJehova nabantu bakhe. (IsiL. 4:6, 9) Lapho ubona abantu ‘bephundlekile futhi behlakazekile njengezimvu ezingenamalusi’ namuhla, awubi naso yini isifiso sokubatshela izindaba eziduduzayo zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu?—Math. 9:36.
8. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuhlushwa akumenzanga uJeremiya ukuba abe nenzondo?
8 UJeremiya waphathwa kabi yibo kanye abantu ayefisa ukubasiza, nokho akazange aphindisele noma abe nenzondo. Wabekezela futhi waba nomusa, ngisho nasenkosini ekhohlakele uZedekiya! UJeremiya waqhubeka eyincenga ukuba ilalele izwi likaJehova ngisho nangemva kokuba imnikele ukuba abulawe. (Jer. 38:4, 5, 19, 20) Ingabe uthando lwethu ngabantu luqine njengolukaJeremiya?
Isibindi Esivela KuNkulunkulu
9. Sazi kanjani ukuthi isibindi sikaJeremiya sasivela kuNkulunkulu?
9 Lapho uJehova ekhuluma naye okokuqala, uJeremiya wazama ukuhoxa. Lokhu kusenza sibone ukuthi isibindi nokungesabi akubonisa akuzona izimfanelo ayenazo ngokwemvelo. Cha, amandla angaphezu kwavamile uJeremiya awabonisa phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yokuba umprofethi empeleni ayewumphumela wokuthembela ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Empeleni, uJehova wayenalo mprofethi “njengonamandla owesabekayo” ngoba wasekela uJeremiya futhi wamnika amandla ukuze afeze isabelo sakhe. (Jer. 20:11) UJeremiya waziwa kakhulu ngokungesabi nangokuba nesibindi kangangokuthi ngesikhathi uJesu efeza inkonzo yakhe emhlabeni, abanye babecabanga ukuthi wayenguJeremiya owayevuke kwabafileyo!—Math. 16:13, 14.
10. Kungani kungase kuthiwe insali egcotshiwe ‘iphezu kwezizwe nemibuso’?
10 ‘NjengeNkosi yezizwe,’ uJehova wathuma uJeremiya ukuba ayise isigijimi sesahlulelo ezizweni nasemibusweni. (Jer. 10:6, 7) Kodwa insali egcotshiwe ‘iphezu kwezizwe naphezu kwemibuso’ ngamuphi umqondo? (Jer. 1:10) Njengalo mprofethi wasendulo, isigaba sikaJeremiya sinikezwe isabelo nguMbusi wendawo yonke. Ngakho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe zigunyazwe ngokuphelele ukuba zikhiphe izimemezelo emhlabeni wonke ngokumelene nezizwe nemibuso. Njengoba sinikezwe igunya uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke futhi sisebenzisa ulimi olucacile lweZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe, isigaba sikaJeremiya simemezela ukuthi izizwe nemibuso yanamuhla iyosishulwa futhi ibhujiswe ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe nangendlela ayikhethile. (Jer. 18:7-10; IsAm. 11:18) Isigaba sikaJeremiya sizimisele ukuba singayekethisi emsebenzini uNkulunkulu asinike wona wokumemezela izigijimi zezahlulelo zikaJehova emhlabeni wonke.
11. Yini eyosisiza ukuba siqhubeke sishumayela ngaphandle kokuyekethisa lapho sibhekene nezimo ezinzima?
11 Kuvamile ukuba sidumazeke ngezinye izikhathi lapho siphikiswa, singanakwa noma lapho sibhekene nezimo ezinzima. (2 Kor. 1:8) Kodwa masiqhubeke njalo, njengoJeremiya. Masingalilahli ithemba. Kwangathi ngamunye wethu angaqhubeka enxusa uNkulunkulu, encike kuye futhi ‘equnge isibindi’ njengoba sithembele kuye ukuze asisize. (1 Thes. 2:2) Njengabakhulekeli beqiniso, kumelwe siqhubeke siphaphamele imithwalo yethu yemfanelo esiyinikwe uNkulunkulu. Kumelwe sizimisele ukuqhubeka sishumayela ngaphandle kokuyekethisa ngokubhujiswa kweLobukholwa, okwafuziselwa ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema elingathembekile. Isigaba sikaJeremiya ngeke simemezele “unyaka wokuthakazelelwa nguJehova” kuphela kodwa “nosuku lwempindiselo kaNkulunkulu wethu.”—Isaya 61:1, 2; 2 Kor. 6:2.
Injabulo Esuka Enhliziyweni
12. Kungani singaphetha ngokuthi uJeremiya wayilondoloza injabulo yakhe, futhi ngokuyinhloko yini eyamsiza ukuba enze kanjalo?
12 UJeremiya wayethola injabulo emsebenzini wakhe. Wathi kuJehova: “Amazwi akho atholakala, ngawadla; izwi lakho kimi liba ngukwethaba nokujabula kwenhliziyo yami; ngoba igama lakho libizwé phezu kwami, Jehova.” (Jer. 15:16) UJeremiya wayekubheka njengelungelo ukumelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso nokushumayela izwi lakhe. Kuyathakazelisa ukuphawula ukuthi lapho uJeremiya egxila ekuklolodelweni abantu, injabulo yakhe yayiphela. Kodwa lapho egxila ebuhleni nasekubalulekeni kwesigijimi sakhe, injabulo yakhe yayivuseleleka.—Jer. 20:8, 9.
13. Kungani ukuzondla ngamaqiniso angokomoya ajulile kubalulekile ukuze silondoloze injabulo yethu?
13 Osukwini lwethu, kudingeka sizondle ‘ngokudla okuqinile,’ amaqiniso ajulile eZwi likaNkulunkulu, ukuze silondoloze injabulo yethu emsebenzini wokushumayela. (Heb. 5:14) Ukutadisha ujule kwakha ukholo. (Kol. 2:6, 7) Kugcizelela kithi indlela izenzo zethu eziyithinta ngayo ngempela inhliziyo kaJehova. Uma sikuthola kunzima ukuthola isikhathi sokufunda nokutadisha iBhayibheli, kufanele siphinde sihlole isimiso sethu. Ngisho nokufunda nokuzindla imizuzu embalwa nsuku zonke kuyosisondeza kuJehova futhi kuyoba nesandla ‘ekwethabeni nasekujabuleni kwenhliziyo,’ njengoba kwaba njalo nakuJeremiya.
14, 15. (a) Iziphi izithelo ezaba khona ngenxa yokunamathela kukaJeremiya ekuthunyweni kwakhe? (b) Yini abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla abayiqaphelayo ngomsebenzi wokushumayela?
14 UJeremiya wamemezela izixwayiso zikaJehova nesigijimi sesahlulelo ngaphandle kokuyekethisa, nokho enhliziyweni yakhe akazange awukhohlwe umsebenzi wakhe ‘wokwakha nokutshala.’ (Jer. 1:10) Umsebenzi wakhe wokwakha nokutshala waba nezithelo. AmaJuda athile kanye nabanye ababengewona ama-Israyeli basinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Singabala amaRekabi, u-Ebhedi-meleki noBharuki. (Jer. 35:19; 39:15-18; 43:5-7) Laba bangane bakaJeremiya abaqotho nabesaba uNkulunkulu babafanekisela kahle labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni namuhla abangabangane besigaba sikaJeremiya. Isigaba sikaJeremiya sithola injabulo enkulu lapho sakha lesi “sixuku esikhulu” ngokomoya. (IsAm. 7:9) Nabo laba bangane abaqotho babagcotshiweyo bathola ukwaneliseka okukhulu ngokusiza labo abanhliziyo ziqotho ukuba bazi iqiniso.
15 Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayaqaphela ukuthi ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle akuyona nje inkonzo yomphakathi eyenzelwa labo abazizwayo kodwa futhi kuyisenzo sokukhulekela uNkulunkulu wethu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sithola umuntu olalelayo noma cha, ukunikela inkonzo engcwele kuJehova ngokushumayela kwethu kusilethela injabulo enkulu.—IHu. 71:23; funda amaRoma 1:9.
‘Hlale Uphaphamele’ Isabelo Sakho!
16, 17. Incwadi yesAmbulo 17:10 nekaHabakuki 2:3 zikubonisa kanjani ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi esiphila kuzo?
16 Ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi esiphila kuzo kuyagcizeleleka lapho sicabangela isiprofetho esiphefumulelwe esisencwadini yesAmbulo 17:10. Inkosi yesikhombisa, uMbuso Wezwe WamaNgisi NamaMelika, isikhona. Ngokuphathelene nayo siyafunda: “Lapho ifika [umbuso wezwe wesikhombisa] kumelwe ihlale isikhashana.” Kumelwe ukuba manje, leso “sikhashana” sisondela ekupheleni. Umprofethi uHabakuki usinikeza lesi siqinisekiso mayelana nokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi: “Umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiwe . . . Hlala uwulindele; ngoba nakanjani uzogcwaliseka. Ngeke wephuze.”—Hab. 2:3.
17 Zibuze: ‘Ingabe indlela engiphila ngayo ngempela iyakubonisa ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi zethu? Indlela yami yokuphila iyabonisa yini ukuthi ngilindele ukuba ukuphela kufike maduze? Noma, ingabe izinqumo zami nezinto eziza kuqala kimi zibonisa ukuthi angilindele ukuba isiphelo sifike maduze noma ngisho nokuthi angiqiniseki nangokuthi siyoke sifike?’
18, 19. Kungani manje kungesona isikhathi sokwehlisa ijubane?
18 Umsebenzi wesigaba somlindi awukapheli. (Funda uJeremiya 1:17-19.) Yeka ukuthi kuwumthombo wenjabulo engakanani ukuthi insali egcotshiwe imi ingenakunyakaziswa ‘njengensika yensimbi nomuzi onezivikelo eziqinile’! ‘Izinkalo zayo ziboshwe ngeqiniso’ ngoba ivumela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuba liyiqinise ize iqede umsebenzi ethunywe wona. (Efe. 6:14) Ngokuzimisela okufanayo, labo besixuku esikhulu basekela isigaba sikaJeremiya ngenkuthalo ekufezeni isabelo saso esivela kuNkulunkulu.
19 Manje akusona isikhathi sokwehlisa ijubane emsebenzini woMbuso kodwa esokucabanga ngencazelo kaJeremiya 12:5. (Funda.) Sonke sibhekana novivinyo okumelwe silukhuthazelele. Lolu vivinyo lokholo lungase lufaniswe namabutho “emigundatshani” okufanele sigijime nawo. Noma kunjalo njengoba “usizi olukhulu” lusondela, singalindela ukuba ubunzima bande. (Math. 24:21) Ukushikashikana nobunzima obuvivinya ngokwengeziwe obuseza kona kungase kufaniswe ‘nokuncintisana namahhashi.’ Kuyodinga amandla amakhulu okukhuthazela ukuze umuntu akwazi ukuhambisana nalawo mahhashi agabavulayo. Ngakho kuyazuzisa ukukhuthazelela uvivinyo esibhekene nalo manje, olungase lusilungiselele ukukhuthazelela lolo oluseza.
20. Uzimisele ukwenzani?
20 Sonke singalingisa uJeremiya ngokusifeza ngempumelelo isabelo sethu sokushumayela! Izimfanelo ezinjengothando, isibindi nenjabulo zashukumisela uJeremiya ukuba ayifeze ngokwethembeka inkonzo yakhe eyathatha iminyaka engu-67. Imbali enhle yom-alimondi isikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova ‘uyohlale ephapheme’ ngokuphathelene nezwi lakhe ukuze alifeze. Ngakho, nathi sinesizathu esihle sokwenza kanjalo. UJeremiya ‘wahlala ephapheme,’ nathi singakwazi.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
• Uthando lwamsiza kanjani uJeremiya ukuba ‘ahlale ephaphamele’ umsebenzi ayewunikiwe?
• Kungani sidinga isibindi esivela kuNkulunkulu?
• Yini eyasiza uJeremiya ukuba alondoloze injabulo yakhe?
• Kungani ufuna ‘ukuhlale uphapheme’?
[Izithombe ekhasini 31]
Ingabe uzoqhubeka ushumayela naphezu kokuphikiswa?