IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaHezekeli—INgxenye I
UNYAKA ngu-613 B.C.E. Umprofethi uJeremiya ukwaJuda, futhi umemezela ngesibindi ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema okuseduze nokuchithwa kwezwe lakwaJuda. Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari isiwathumbile kakade amaJuda amaningi. Phakathi kwawo kunoDaniyeli omncane nabangane bakhe abathathu futhi bakhonza egcekeni lamaKhaledi. Iningi lala maJuda adingisiwe lingasemfuleni iKhebari “ezweni lamaKhaledi.” (Hezekeli 1:1-3) UJehova akazishiyi zodwa lezi zithunjwa kodwa uzilungiselela isithunywa. Umisa uHezekeli oneminyaka engu-30 ubudala ukuba abe umprofethi.
Incwadi kaHezekeli yaqedwa ngo-591 B.C.E., futhi ihlanganisa inkathi yeminyaka engu-22. UHezekeli ubhala ngokucophelela. Iziprofetho zakhe zibonisa isikhathi azithola ngazo, ngisho nosuku, inyanga nonyaka. Ingxenye yokuqala yesigijimi sikaHezekeli igxile ekuweni nasekubhujisweni kweJerusalema. Eyesibili inezimemezelo eziya ezizweni ezizungezile, kanti eyokugcina iphathelene nokubuyiselwa kokukhulekelwa kukaJehova. Lesi sihloko sidingida amaphuzu avelele asukela kuHezekeli 1:1 kuya ku-24:27, siqukethe imibono, iziprofetho nezimemezelo ezilingiswayo eziphathelene nalokho okwakuzokwehlela iJerusalema.
“NGIKWENZÉ UMLINDI”
Ngemva kokuthola umbono owesabekayo wesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova, uHezekeli unikwa umsebenzi. UJehova uyamtshela: “Ngikwenzé umlindi endlini ka-Israyeli, futhi kumelwe uzwe inkulumo emlonyeni wami ubaxwayise ngalokho engikutshela kona.” (Hezekeli 3:17) Ukuze aprofethe ngokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema nemiphumela yako, uHezekeli uyalwa kabili ukuba akulingise ngokoqobo okuzokwenzeka. Esebenzisa uHezekeli, uJehova usho la mazwi ngezwe lakwaJuda: “Nango mina! Ngiletha phezu kwenu inkemba, futhi ngokuqinisekile ngizozibhubhisa izindawo zenu eziphakeme.” (Hezekeli 6:3) Nakhu akusho ezakhamuzini: “Igoda lezimbali [lenhlekelele] kumelwe lifike kuwe.”—Hezekeli 7:7.
Ngombono uHezekeli uyiswa eJerusalema ngo-612 B.C.E. Yeka ukuthi zinengeka kanjani izinto azibona zenzeka ethempelini likaNkulunkulu! Kuyosinda kuphela labo ‘abanophawu emabunzini’ lapho uJehova ethumela amabutho akhe asezulwini akhipha isahlulelo (amelelwa “amadoda ayisithupha”) ebonisa intukuthelo yakhe ezihlubukini. (Hezekeli 9:2-6) Nokho, “amalahle omlilo”—isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu esivuthayo sembubhiso—kumelwe ajikijelwe phezu komuzi kuqala. (Hezekeli 10:2) Nakuba ‘uJehova eyokwehlisela indlela yababi phezu kwamakhanda abo,’ uthembisa ukuphinde abaqoqe abahlakazekile bakwa-Israyeli.—Hezekeli 11:17-21.
Umoya kaNkulunkulu ubuyisela uHezekeli eKhalideya. Isimemezelo asilingisayo sibonisa ukubaleka kweNkosi uZedekiya nabantu besuka eJerusalema. Abaprofethi nabaprofethikazi bamanga bayalahlwa. Abakhulekela izithombe bayalahlwa. UJuda ufaniswa nomvini ongenanzuzo. Imfumbe yokhozi nomvini ibonisa imiphumela ebuhlungu etholwa iJerusalema ngokucela usizo eGibhithe. Le mfumbe iphetha ngesithembiso sokuthi ‘uJehova uyonqampuna ihlumela elithambile alitshale kabusha phezu kwentaba ephakeme.’ (Hezekeli 17:22) Nokho, kwaJuda ‘yayingeke ibe khona intonga yokubusa.’—Hezekeli 19:14.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
1:4-28—Inqola yasezulwini ifanekiselani? Inqola imelela ingxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaJehova eyakhiwa izidalwa zomoya ezithembekile. Ithola amandla emoyeni ongcwele kaJehova. UMgibeli wenqola, omelela uJehova, ukhazimula ngendlela engenakuchazeka. Ukuzola kwakhe kuboniswa uthingo oluhle.
1:5-11—Zingobani izidalwa ezine eziphilayo? Embonweni wakhe wesibili wenqola, uHezekeli uthi lezi zidalwa ezine zingamakherubi. (Hezekeli 10:1-11; 11:22) Encazelweni yokugcina, ubiza ubuso benkunzi ngokuthi “ubuso bekherubi.” (Hezekeli 10:14) Kuyafaneleka lokhu ngoba inkunzi iwuphawu lwamandla nezikhwepha, futhi amakherubi ayizidalwa zomoya ezinamandla.
2:6—Kungani uHezekeli ebizwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngokuthi ‘indodana yomuntu’? UJehova ubiza uHezekeli ngale ndlela ukuze akhumbuze lo mprofethi ukuthi uyinyama negazi, ngaleyo ndlela enza ucace nakakhulu umahluko phakathi kwesithunywa esingumuntu kanye noMnikazi wesigijimi ngokwaso, uNkulunkulu. UJesu Kristu ubizwa ngale ndlela naye izikhathi ezingaba ngu-80 emaVangelini, okubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yake yaba umuntu, hhayi isidalwa somoya esembethe umzimba wenyama.
2:9–3:3—Kungani umqulu wezingoma zokulila waba mnandi kuHezekeli? Okwenza lo mqulu waba mnandi kuHezekeli isimo sakhe sengqondo ngomsebenzi ayethunywe ukuba awenze. UHezekeli wayekwazisa ukukhonza uJehova njengomprofethi.
4:1-17—Ingabe uHezekeli wasilingisa ngempela isigcawu sokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema okwakuza? Ukucela kukaHezekeli ukuba abase ngokunye ukuze abhake nokuvuma kukaJehova kubonisa ukuthi lo mprofethi wakulingisa ngempela lokhu. Ukulala kwakhe ngohlangothi lwesobunxele kwakumelela isiphambeko sombuso wezizwe eziyishumi seminyaka engu-390—kusukela ngo-997 B.C.E. kuya ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Ukulala ngohlangothi lwesokudla kwakumelela ukona kukaJuda iminyaka engu-40, kusukela ngenkathi uJeremiya amiswa ngayo njengomprofethi ngo-647 B.C.E. kuya ku-607 B.C.E. UHezekeli wadla inkeshezana yokudla waphuza namanzi angengakanani izinsuku ezingu-430, eprofetha ukuthi kuzoba nendlala phakathi nokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema.
5:1-3—Kubonisani ukuthatha kukaHezekeli izinwele ezimbalwa kulezo okwakufanele azisakaze emoyeni azisonge ngomphetho wengubo yakhe? Lokhu kwakubonisa ukuthi insali yayiyobuyela kwaJuda iphinde ibuyisele ukukhulekela kweqiniso ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 yencithakalo.—Hezekeli 11:17-20.
17:1-24—Zingobani izinkozi ezimbili ezinkulu, anqampunwa kanjani amahlumela amasha omsedari, futhi ngubani oyihlumela “elithambile” elitshalwa uJehova kabusha? Izinkozi ezimbili zimelela ababusi baseBhabhiloni naseGibhithe. Ukhozi lokuqala lufika esihlokweni somsedari, okungukuthi, kophethe embusweni ozalweni lobukhosi lukaDavide. Lolu khozi lunqampuna isihloko samahlumela asemasha ngokufaka uZedekiya esikhundleni senkosi yakwaJuda uJehoyakini. Nakuba enze isifungo sokuba qotho, uZedekiya ufuna usizo kolunye ukhozi, umbusi waseGibhithe, kodwa lokho akumsizi. Uzothunjwa futhi afele eBhabhiloni. UJehova unqampuna ihlumela “elithambile,” inkosi uMesiya. Leli hlumela litshalwa kabusha ‘entabeni ende nephakeme,’ entabeni yasezulwini iZiyoni, lapho liyoba khona “umsedari omkhulu ngokubabazekayo,” umthombo wezibusiso zangempela emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 14:1.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
2:6-8; 3:8, 9, 18-21. Akufanele sesatshiswe ababi noma siyeke ukumemezela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu, esihlanganisa nokubaxwayisa. Lapho sibhekene nokuphikiswa noma nokunganaki kwabantu, kudingeka siqine njengedayimane. Nokho, kufanele siqaphele ukuba singabi nezinhliziyo ezilukhuni, ezingazweli noma ezinonya. UJesu wabahawukela abantu ayebashumayeza, futhi nathi kufanele sishukunyiswe isihawu ukuba sishumayele kwabanye.—Mathewu 9:36.
3:15. Ngemva kokuthunywa kwakhe, uHezekeli wahlala eTheli-abibi, ‘eshaqekile izinsuku eziyisikhombisa,’ ezindla ngesigijimi okwakufanele asimemezele. Akufanele yini nathi sizinike isikhathi sokutadisha ngenkuthalo nesokuzindla ukuze siqonde amaqiniso ajulile angokomoya?
4:1–5:4. Kwakudingeka ukuba uHezekeli athobeke futhi abe nesibindi ukuze alingise iziprofetho ezimbili. Nathi kumelwe sithobeke futhi sibe nesibindi lapho sifeza noma isiphi isabelo esisinikwa uNkulunkulu.
7:4, 9; 8:18; 9:5, 10. Akumelwe sivumele iso lethu libahawukele, noma sibazwele labo abathola isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esibuhlungu.
7:19. Lapho uJehova ahlulela lesi simiso sezinto, imali ngeke isize ngalutho.
8:5-18. Ukuhlubuka kuyalibulala ingokomoya lomuntu. “Ngomlomo wakhe, oyisihlubuki uchitha umuntu wakubo.” (IzAga 11:9) Sihlakaniphile uma sigwema ngisho nomcabango wokulalela izihlubuki.
9:3-6. Ukuba nophawu—ubufakazi bokuthi siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele futhi zabhapathizwa nokuthi sinobuntu bobuKristu—kubalulekile ukuze sisinde ‘osizini olukhulu.’ (Mathewu 24:21) AmaKristu agcotshiwe, amelelwa indoda yophondo lukayinki lukanobhala, ayahola emsebenzini wokubeka uphawu, okungukuthi, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi. Uma sifuna ukulondoloza uphawu lwethu, kumelwe siwasize ngentshiseko kulo msebenzi.
12:26-28. UHezekeli kwakumelwe atshele ngisho nalabo ababesihleka usulu isigijimi sakhe: “Ngeke kusaba khona ukuhlehliswa ngokuqondene nanoma yimaphi amazwi [kaJehova].” Kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ukusiza abanye bathembele kuJehova ngaphambi kokuba aqede lesi simiso sezinto.
14:12-23. Yilowo nalowo kithi unomthwalo wemfanelo wokuthola insindiso. Akekho ongasitholela yona.—Roma 14:12.
18:1-29. Kumelwe sithwale imiphumela yezenzo zethu.
“NGIZOKWENZA KUBE INCITHAKALO, INCITHAKALO, INCITHAKALO”
Ngonyaka wesikhombisa besekudingisweni, ngo-611 B.C.E., amalungu amadala akwa-Israyeli eza kuHezekeli “ezobuza kuJehova.” Uwatshela ngomlando omude wokuhlubuka kuka-Israyeli nangesixwayiso sokuthi ‘uJehova wayezokhipha inkemba yakhe’ amelane nabo. (Hezekeli 20:1; 21:3) Esikhulwini sakwa-Israyeli (uZedekiya) uJehova uthi: “Susa umshuqulo, ususe umqhele. Lokhu ngeke kusafana. Beka phezulu okuphansi wehlise okuphakeme. Ngizokwenza kube incithakalo, incithakalo, incithakalo. Nalokhu futhi, ngeke kube okwamuntu aze afike onelungelo elingokomthetho [uJesu Kristu], ngikunike yena.”—Hezekeli 21:26, 27.
IJerusalema libekwa icala. Icala lika-Ohola (u-Israyeli) no-Oholiba (uJuda) liyadalulwa. Kakade u-Ohola usenikelwe “esandleni salabo abamkhanukelayo, esandleni samadodana ase-Asiriya.” (Hezekeli 23:9) Incithakalo ka-Oholiba isisemnyango. Ngo-609 B.C.E., kuqala ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema okuthatha izinyanga ezingu-18. Lapho umuzi uwa ekugcineni, amaJuda ayoshaqeka kakhulu kangangokuthi ayohluleka ukubonisa usizi lwawo. Akumelwe uHezekeli amemezele isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kwabasekudingisweni aze athole umbiko wokubhujiswa komuzi olethwa “ophunyukileyo.”—Hezekeli 24:26, 27.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
21:3—Iyini “inkemba” uJehova ayikhipha emgodleni wayo? “Inkemba” esetshenziswa uJehova ekukhipheni isahlulelo sakhe eJerusalema nakwaJuda iyinkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari nebutho lakhe. Ingahlanganisa nengxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu eyakhiwa izidalwa zomoya ezinamandla.
24:6-14—Ukugqwala kwembiza yokupheka kumelelani? IJerusalema elivinjezelwe lifaniswa nembiza yokupheka enomlomo obanzi. Ukugqwala kwayo kumelela ukungcola ngokokuziphatha komuzi—ukungcola, ukuziphatha okubi nokuchithwa kwegazi onecala lako. Ukungcola kwawo kukhulu kangangokuthi ukubeka imbiza engenalutho eziko bese uyiyeka ishise kakhulu ngeke kukususe ukugqwala.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
20:1, 49. Indlela amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli asabela ngayo ibonisa ukuthi ayekungabaza lokho okwakushiwo uHezekeli. Kwangathi singelokothe sibe nesimo sengqondo sokungabaza izixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu.
21:18-22. Nakuba uNebukhadinezari abhula, kwakunguJehova owaqinisekisa ukuthi lo mbusi oyiqaba uyalihlasela iJerusalema. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi amanxusa kaJehova akhipha isahlulelo ayoyifeza injongo yakhe, ngisho namademoni awanakuwavimba.
22:6-16. UJehova uyakwenyanya ukunyundela, ukuziphatha okubi, ukusebenzisa kabi amandla nokwamukela ukufunjathiswa. Kufanele sizimisele ngokuqinile ukuba sizigweme lezi zinto ezimbi.
23:5-49. Ukwenza imifelandawonye kwezombangazwe kwenza u-Israyeli noJuda bamukela ukukhulekela kwamanga kwalabo ababezihlanganise nabo. Masiqaphe ukuba singakhi ubuhlobo nabantu bezwe ngoba kungabulala ukholo lwethu.—Jakobe 4:4.
Isigijimi Esiphilayo Nesinamandla
Yeka izifundo ezinhle esizithola ezahlukweni ezingu-24 zokuqala zencwadi yeBhayibheli kaHezekeli! Izimiso ezikuyo zibonisa lokho okwenza umuntu angamukeleki kuNkulunkulu, indlela esingathola ngayo isihe sakhe nokuthi kungani kufanele sixwayise ababi. Isiprofetho esiphathelene nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema sibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu ‘owenza abantu bakhe ukuba bazi izinto ezintsha zingakaqali ukuvela.’—Isaya 42:9.
Iziprofetho ezinjengalezo ezilotshwe kuHezekeli 17:22-24 naku-21:26, 27 zabikezela ukumiswa koMbuso kaMesiya ezulwini. Maduze, lowo Mbuso uzokwenza ukuba intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Singabheka phambili ezibusisweni zalowo Mbuso sinokholo oluqinile nethemba. Yebo, “izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.”—Hebheru 4:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Yini efanekiselwa inqola yasezulwini?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Ukuhlanganyela ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela kusisiza ukuba silondoloze “uphawu” lwethu