36—Ukumkani Wokugqibela KwaYuda

UZedekiya, ekuqaleni kolawulo lwakhe, wayethenjwe ngokupheleleyo ngukumkani waseBhabheli, kwaye wayenomcebisi ongumprofeti ovavanywe kakhulu, uYeremiya. Ngokulandela ikhondo elihloniphekileyo ngakumaBhabheli nangokuthobela izigidimi ezivela kuYehova ngoYeremiya, wayeya kukwazi ukukugcina ukuhlonitshwa ngamagunya aphezulu abe nalo nethuba lokugqithisela kuwo ukwazi ngoThixo oyinyaniso. Ngalo ndlela, abathinjwa abaselubhacweni ababesele beseBhabheli babeya kubekwa kumhlaba omhle banikwe amalungelo amaninzi; lize igama likaThixo liphakanyiswe kude nangokubanzi; baze abo basele emhlabeni wakwaYuda, babe nokusinda kwiintlekele ezimbi ezaya zabafikela ekugqibeleni.AN 440.1

NgoYeremiya, uZedekiya naye wonke uYuda, kuhlangene nabo babesiwe eBhabheli, bacetyiswa ukuba balwamkele ngokuzolileyo ulawulo lwexeshana lwaboyisi babo. Kwakubaluleke ngokukodwa ukuba, abo basekuthinjweni bafune uxololwelizwe abaya basiwa kulo. Oku, phofu, kwakuchasene nokuthandwa yintliziyo yomntu; waza uSathana, esebenzisa iimeko ezo, wenza ukuba kuphume abaprofeti ababuxoki phakathi kwabantu, eYerusalem naseBhabheli, abavakalisa ukuba idyokhwe yobukhoboka yayiza kwaphulwa msinyane luze lubuyiselwe udumo lwesizwe lwangaphambili.AN 440.2

Ukuthobela iziprofeto ezikhohlisa ngolo hlobo, kwakuya kukhokelela kwiintshukumo eziyingozi ngakukumkani nakwabasekuthinjweni, zize zikwenze kungabi lutho ukuceba ngenceba kukaThixo ngenxa yabo. Ngokuthi hleze kubekho uvukelo olwenziwayo kuze kulandele ukutsala nzima okukhulu, uYehova wamyalela uYeremiya ukuba ahlangabezane nayo ingxaki ngaphandle kokulibazisa, ngokulumkisa ukumkani wakwaYuda ngesiphumo esiqinisekileyo sovukelo. Abathinjwa nabo balunyukiswa, ngokubhalelwa, ukuba bangalahlekiselwa ekucingeni ukuba ukuhlangulwa kwabo kukufuphi. “Mabanganilukuhli abaprofeti benu abaphakathi kwenu, kwanabavumisi benu,” wakhuthaza. Yeremiya 29:8. Ngokuhlangene noku, kwathethwa ngenjongo kaYehova yokumbuyisela uIsrayeli ekupheleni kwamashumi asixhenxe eminyaka yasekuthinjweni eyayixelwe kwangaphambili ngabathunywa baKhe.AN 441.1

Athi imfesane enobubele awabaxelela ngayo uThixo abantu baKhe abasekuthinjweni ngamacebo anawo ngoIsrayeli! Wayesazi ukuba, ukuba kungenzeka ukuba bakholelwe kubaprofeti ababuxoki baze balindele ukuhlangulwa okukhawulezileyo, imeko yokuhlala kwabo eBhabheli yayiya kwenziwa ibe nzima kakhulu. Nakuphina ukubonisa isikhalazo okanye uvukelo ngakubo kwakuya kuvusa ukubalumkela nokubacinezela kumagunya amaKaledi kuze kukhokelele ekurhoxiseni okugqithileyo kweenkululeko zabo. Ukutsala nzima nentlekele kwakuya kulandela. Walangazelela ukuba bayamkele ngokuzolileyo imeko yabo, bakwenze ukukhonza kwabo kube noyolo kangangoko banako; laza icebiso lakhe kubo athi: “Yakhani izindlu, nihlale kuzo; tyalani imiyezo nidleiziqhamo zayo. . . . nize nizamele uxolo lomzi endinifudusele kuwo, niwuthandazele kuYehova; ngokuba niya kuba noxolo ngoxolo lwawo.” Iindima 5-7.AN 441.2

Phakathi kwabafundisi ababuxoki ababeseBhabheli, kwakukho amadoda amabini awayebanga ukuba angcwele, kodwa ubomi bawo babukhohlakele. UYeremiya wayigxeka indlela ekhohlakeleyo yala madoda waza wawalumkisa ngengozi akuyo. Enziwe umsindo kukuthethiswa, afuna ukuwuchasa umsebenzi womprofeti wenene ngokuvuselela abantu ukuba bangawamkeli amazwi akhe koko benze ngokuchaseneyo necebiso likaThixo kumba wokuziyekela kukumkani waseBhabheli. UYehova wangqina ngoYeremiya ukuba aba baprofeti bobuxoki kufuneka benikelwe ezandleni zikaNebhukadenetsare babulawe emehlweni akhe. Kungekudala emva koko, oko akuxele kwangaphambili kwenzeka ngokuphandle.AN 442.1

Koda kube sekupheleni kwexesha, abantu bevuka bedala isiphithiphithi novukelo phakathi kwabo babanga ukuba bangabameli bakaThixo oyinyaniso. Abo baprofeta ubuxoki baya kukhuthaza abantu ukuba basithabathe isono njengento encinane. Xa iziphumo ezibi zezenzo zabo ezibi zibonakaliswa, baya kufuna, ukuba banako, ukumenza lowo ubalumkise enyanisekile, ukuba abe nobutyala ngeenkathazo zabo, njengoko namaYuda amangalela uYeremiya ngamashwa awo amabi. Sekunjalo, njengoko ayeqinisekile amazwi kaYehova ngomprofeti waKhe ukwenzeka kudala, kwangolo hlobo kuya kuba njalo ukuqiniseka kokuma kwezigidimi zakhe namhlanje.AN 442.2

Kwasekuqaleni, uYeremiya walandela ikhondo elizingileyo ekucebiseni ngokuzinikela kumaBhabheli. Eli cebiso alizange linikwe uYuda kuphela,kodwa nakwezinye izizwe ezijikelezileyo. Ekuqalekeni kanye kokulawula kukaZedekiya, abathunywa abavela kubalawuli bakwaEdom, Mowabhi, Tire, nakwezinye izizwe bamtyelela ukumkani wakwaYuda ukuze bafunde ukuba kokwakhe ukubona ingaba lalililo na ixesha lovukelo olumanyeneyo okanye kwakufuneka ahlangane nabo ekulweni nokumkani waseBhabheli. Ngeli xesha aba bameli babelindele impendulo, ilizwi likaYehova lafika kuYeremiya lisithi, “Zenzele izitropu needyokhwe uzifake entanyeni yakho. Wozithumela kukumkani wakwaEdom, nakukumkani wakwaMowabhi, nakukumkani woonyana baka-Amon, nakukumkani waseTire, nakukumkani waseTsidon ngesandla sabathunywa abeze eYerusalem kuZedekiya ukumkani wakwaYuda.” Yeremiya 27:2, 3.AN 443.1

UYeremiya wanikwa umyalelo wokuba axelele abameli ukuba baxele kubalawuli babo ukuba uThixo ubanikele esandleni sikaNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabheli, nokuba baya “kumkhonza . . . yena, nonyana wakhe, nonyana wonyana wakhe, kude kufike ixesha lelakhe ilizwe.” Indima 7.AN 443.2

Abathunywa babuya baxelelwa ukuba bavakalise kubalawuli babo ukuthi, ukuba bayala ukumkhonza ukumkani waseBhabheli, baya kohlwaywa “ngekrele, nangendlala, nangendyikitya yokufa” bade bagqitywe kuphele. Kwakufuneka bebuyile ngokukodwa kwimfundiso yabaprofeti ababuxoko ababenokucebisa ngolunye uhlobo. “Musani ke nina ukubaphulaphula abaprofeti benu,” watsho uYehova, “nabavumisi benu, namaphupha enu, namatola enu, nabakhafuli benu; bona abo bathi kuni, aniyi kumkhonza ukumkani waseBhabheli. Ngokuba baniprofetela ubuxoki,ukuze ndinikhwelelise kude nomhlaba wenu, ndinigxothe, nitshabalale. Ke lona uhlanga oluya kuyingenisa intamo yalo edyokhweni yokumkani waseBhabheli, lumkhonze, ndoluyeka emhlabeni walo, luwusebenze, luhlale kuwo utsho uYehova.” Iindima 8-11. Esona sohlwayo silula uThixo onenceba awayenokubabetha ngaso abantu abanovukelo olungako, yayikukubayekela kulawulo lweBhabheli, kodwa ukuba bayalwa nalo myalelo wokuba babe ngamakhoboka, babeya kuva ubunzima obupheleleyo bokwaKhe ukohlwaya.AN 443.3

Ukumangaliswa kwebandla lezizwe elalihlangene kwadlula ngaphaya kwemida akuba uYeremiya, ethwele idyokhwe yengcinezelo entanyeni yakhe, wabazisa ngentando kaThixo.AN 444.1

Wathi echaswe kunjalo uYeremiya, wema kwinto yokuba kumele ukuba kubekho ukuzinikela. Phambili kwabo babechasene necebiso likaYehova, kwakukho uHananiya, omnye wabaprofeti bobuxoki ababe lunyukisiwe ngabo abantu. Ecinga ngokwamkeleka kukumkani nasenkundleni yasebukhosini, waliphakamisa izwi lakhe eqhankqalaza, esithi uThixo umnikile amazwi enkuthazo kumaYuda. Wathi: “Utshilo uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaIsrayeli, ukuthi, Ndiyayaphula idyokhwe yokumkani waseBhabheli. Kwangale minyaka mibini izalisekileyo, ndiya kuyibuyisela kule ndawo yonke impahla yendlu kaYehova, awayithabathayo kuloo ndawo uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli, wayisa eBhabheli. Ndiya kubabuyisela kule ndawo oYekoniya unyana kaYehoyakim, ukumkani wakwaYuda, nabafudusiweyo bonke bakwaYuda, abaye eBhabheli, utsho uYehova; ngokuba ndiya kuyaphula idyokhwe yokumkani waseBhabheli.” Yeremiya 28:2-4.AN 445.1

UYeremiya, phambi kwababingeleli nabantu, wabakhuthaza ngenyameko ukuba bazinikele kukumkani waseBhabheli okwexesha elibekwe nguYehova. Wawakhumbuza amadoda akwaYuda izigidimi zikaHoseya, uHabhakuk, uZefaniya, nabanye abazigidimi zabo zokungxolisa nokulumkisa zazifana nesakhe. Wabakhumbuza iziganeko ezenzekayo ukuzalisekisa iziprofeto zembuyekezo ngesono ekungaguqukwanga kuso. Kwixesha eladlulayo, izigwebo zikaThixo zathunyelwa kubantu abangaguqukiyo zikukuzalisekisa kanye kwenjongo yaKhe njengoko yayityhilwa ngabathunywa baKhe.AN 445.2

“Umprofeti lowo uprofeta uxolo,” wacebisa uYeremiya ekugqibeleni, “uya kwaziwa ukuba ungumprofeti othunyiweyo nguYehova okunene, ekwenzekeni kwelo lizwi lomprofeti lowo.” Indima 9. UIsrayeli wakhetha ukuzibeka esichengeni, okwakuya kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo xa kwakuya kugqiba ukuba nguwuphi ngokwenene oyena mprofeti uyinyaniso.AN 445.3

Amazwi kaYeremiya awayecebisa ukuzinikela, avusa kuHananiya isibindi sokunika umngeni ukunyaniseka kwesigidimi esanikwayo. Eyisusa idyokhwe engumfuziselo entanyeni kaYeremiya, uHananiya wayaphula, esithi, “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Ndiya kwenjenje ukuyaphula idyokhwe kaNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli, ngale minyaka mibini.AN 446.1

“Wemka ke uYeremiya umprofeti, wahamba indlela yakhe.” Indima 11. Kukhangeleka ngathi akukho nto yimbi awayenokuyenza kumboniso wembambano. Kuthe kunjalo, uYeremiya wabuya wanikwa esinye isigidimi. “Yiya uthethe kuHananiya, uthi,” wathunywa, “utsho uYehova ukuthi, Uzaphule iidyokhwe zomthi, ke yenza iidyokhwe zesinyithi esikhundleni sazo. Ngokuba utsho uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaIsrayeli, ukuthi, Ndibeke idyokhwe yesinyithi ezintanyeni zeentlanga zonke, ukuze zimkhonze uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli; ziya kumkhonza. . . .AN 446.2

“Wathi uYeremiya umprofeti kuHananiya umprofeti, Khawuve, Hananiya; uYehova akakuthumanga; wena aba bantu ubakholosisa ngobuxoki. Ngako oko, utsho uYehova ukuthi, Yabona, ndiya kukugxotha ebusweni bomhlaba; uya kufa nonyakanje, ngokuba uthethe elokukreqa kuYehova. Wafa ke uHananiya umprofeti ngaloo mnyaka, ngenyanga yesixhenxe.” Iindima 13-17.AN 446.3

Umprofeti wobuxoki waya wakuqinisa ukungakholelwa kwabantu kuYeremiya nesigidimi sakhe. Ngenkohlakalo wazibiza ukuba ungumthunywa kaYehova, waza wafa ngenxa yaloo nto. Ngenyanga yesihlanu uYeremiya waprofeta ngokufa kukaHananiya, kwathi ngenyanga yesixhenxe amazwi akhe afumaneka eyinyaniso, ngokuzaliseka kwawo.AN 446.4

Unxunguphalo olwabangwa ziintetho zabaprofeti bobuxoki lwambeka uZedekiya phantsi kokurhaneleka kokungcatsha umbuso, kwaza kwaba kukukhawuleza nokuqiniseka kokwenza kwakhe okwabangela ukuba avunyelwe aqhubeke nokulawula njengobambeleyo. Ithuba lesenzo esinjalo lasetyenziswa kakuhle kanye nje emva kokubuyela kwabameli ababesuka eYerusalem kwizizwe ezingqongileyo, xa ukumkani wakwaYuda wakhapha uSeraya, “umtshayeleli,” wohambo olubalulekileyo olwalusiya eBhabheli. Yeremiya 51:59. Ngexesha lotyelelo kwinkundla yamaKaledi, uZedekiya wasihlaziya isifungo sakhe sokunyaniseka kuNebhukadenetsare.AN 447.1

NgoDaniyeli kunye namanye amabanjwa amaHebhere, ukumkani waseBhabheli wayenziwe waqhelana namandla kunye negunya elongameleyo likaThixo oyinyaniso; waza wathi uZedekiya akuphinda ukuthembisa ngokunendili, ukuba uza kuhlala ethembekile, uNebhukadenetsare wafuna ukuba afunge egameni likaYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli. Ukuba uZedekiya wayekuhloniphile oku kuhlaziywa kwesifungo sakhe somnqophiso, ukunyaniseka kwakhe ngekwaba yimpembelelo enkulu ezingqondweni zabaninzi ababebukele ukuziphatha kwabo babebanga ukulihlonela igama nabakuthandayo ukuphakanyiswa kukaThixo wamaHebhere.AN 447.2

Noko kunjalo, ukumkani wakwaYuda walahlekwa ngumbono welungelo lakhe elikhulu lokuzisa uzuko egameni likaThixo ophilayo. NgoZedekiya kubhalwe kwathiwa, “Wenza okubi phambi koYehova uThixo wakhe, akazithoba ebusweni bukaYeremiya umprofeti, obethetha okwasemlonyeni kaYehova. Kananjalo wagwilika kukumkani, kuNebhukadenetsare, obemfungise uThixo; waba ngontamo ilukhuni, wayenza ingqoshomba intliziyo yakhe, ukuze angabuyeli kuYehova, uThixo wakwaIsrayeli.” 2 IZikronike 36:12, 13.AN 447.3

Ngeli xesha uYeremiya wayeqhubeka ethwele ubungqina ezweni lakwaYuda, umprofeti uHezekile wanyulwa phakathi kwabathinjwa eBhabheli, ukuba alumkise athuthuzele abasekuthinjweni, nokuba aqinisekise ilizwi likaYehova awayelithethe ngoYeremiya. Ngeminyaka eyayisele kulawulo lukaZedekiya, uHezekile wabubeka kwacaca ubudenge bokuthembela kwiziprofeto zokuza kwenzeka kwabo babe ngunobangela wokuba abathinjwa babe nethemba lokubuyela kwakamsinyane eYerusalem. Wayekwayalelwe ukuba akuvakalise kwangaphambili, ngemifuziselo eliqela nezigidimi ezindilisekileyo, ukungqingwa nokutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo kweYerusalem.AN 448.1

Ngomnyaka wesithandathu wokulawula kukaZedekiya, uYehova wamtyhilela uHezekile embonweni ezinye izinto ezimasikizi ezazisenziwa eYerusalem, naphakathi kwamasango endlu kaYehova, nakwintendelezo engaphakathi. Amagumbi emifanekiso, nezithixo ekwenziwe imifanekiso yazo “imifanekiso yezilo ezirhubuluzayo nezilwanyana ezinezothe, nazo zonke izithixo ezisuke zanqulwa yindlu kaIsrayeli,“—zonke ezi ngokulandelelana zadlula phambi kwamehlo omprofeti oqwalasele ngomothuko. Hezekile 8:10, IBHAYIBHILE.AN 448.2

Abo babemele ukuba zinkokheli zenkolo phakathi kwabantu, “kumadoda amakhulu endlu kaIsrayeli,” akwinani elingamashumi asixhenxe, abonwa eqhumisela phambi kwezinto ezimilise okwezithixo ezazifakwe emagumbini ngaphakathi kweendawo ezingcwele zenkundla yetempile. “UYehova akasiboni,” amadoda akwaYuda azikhohlisa ngexesha exakeke zizenzo zobuhedeni; “uYehova ulilahlile ilizwe,” anyelisa ngelitshoyo. Iindima 11, 12.AN 448.3

Kwakusekho “amasikizi . . . amakhulu” ekwakusafuneka umprofeti ewabonile. Isango elikhokelela ukusukangaphandleukungena kwengaphakathi intendelezo, waboniswa “abafaziapho, belilela uTamuzi,” ngaphakathi “entendelezweni ephakathi yendlu kaYehova, . . . ekungeneni etempileni kaYehova, nanko ekungeneni phakathi kwevaranda nesibingelelo, kukho amadoda angathi angamashumi amabini anamahlanu, eyinikele umva itempile kaYehova, ubuso bawo bubheke empumalanga; aqubuda kwilanga, ebheke empumalanga.” Iindima 13-16.AN 449.1

Ngoku Lowo ubengezelayo ebekhapha uHezekile kuwo wonke lo mbono wothusayo wenkohlakalo kwiindawo eziphezulu ezweni lakwaYuda, wambuza umprofeti: “Ubonile na, nyana womntu? Kuncinane na kwindlu kaYuda ukuwenza la masikizi bawenzayo apha, ukuba ke balizalise ilizwe ngogonyamelo, babuye bandiqumbise? Nabo, besisa isebe lomdiliya emathatheni abo. Nam ndiya kwenza ngobushushu; aliyi kuba nanceba iliso lam, ndibaconge; nokuba badanduluke ezindlebeni zam ngezwi elikhulu, andiyi kubeva.” Iindima 17, 18.AN 449.2

NgoYeremiya, uYehova wayethethe ngabantu abakhohlakeleyo ababezenza ngokungathi bema phambi kwabantu egameni laKhe: “Ngokuba umprofeti kwanombingeleli ngabenzi bobubi; ndizifumene nasendlwini yam izinto zabo ezimbi.” Yeremiya 23:11. Ekumangalelweni okubi kukaYuda kwibali lokugqibela lobhala ngolawulo lukaZedekiya, esi simangalo sokuhlambela ubungcwele betempile saya saphindwa. “Kananjalo,” watsho umbhali ongcwele, “bonke abathetheli bababingeleli babantu bandisa ukwenza ubumenemene ngokwamasikizi onke eentlanga; bayenza inqambi indlu kaYehova, awayingcwalisayo eYerusalem.” 2 IZikronike 36:14.AN 449.3

Imini yentshabalalo yobukumkani bakwaYuda yayisondele ngokukhawuleza. UYehova wayengasalibeki phambi kwabo ithemba lokuzijika nezona zibi izigwebo zaKhe. “Niba nina niya kubhunca?” wabuza. “Aningekhe ningohlwaywa.” Jeremiya 25:29, IBHAYIBHILE.AN 450.1

Nala amazwi amkelwa ngokugculela okuhlekisayo. “Imihla iyoluka, iyadaka imibono yonke,” utsho ongafuni kuguquka. Sekunjalo, ngoHezekile, oku kukhanyelwa ngokuqatha. “Ngako oko yithi kubo,” watsho uYehova, “Ndiya kuwenza uphele lo mzekeliso, bangabi sazekelisa ngawo kwaIsrayeli. Ngokubaakuyi kuba sabakho namnye umbono okhohlakeleyo, nokuvumisa okucengacengayo, phakathi kwendlu kaIsrayeli. Ngokuba ndinguYehova, ndiya kuthetha; ilizwi endisukuba ndilithetha liya kwenzeka, lingayi kulibala; ngokuba ngemihla yenu, ndlundini ineenkani, ndithetha ilizwi ndilenze; itsho iNkosi uYehova.”AN 450.2

Uyaphinda angqine uHezekile, “Kwafika ilizwi likaYehova kum lisithi, Nyana womntu, yabona, indlu kaIsrayeli ithi, Umbono awubonayo yena lo, ngowemihla emininzi; uprofetele amaxesha akude. Ngako oko yithi kubo, Itsho iNkosi uYehova ukuthi, Akayi kuba salityaziswa onke amazwi am; ilizwi elisukuba ndilithetha liya kwenzeka; itsho iNkosi uYehova.” Hezekile 12:22-28.AN 450.3

Owayeyintloko phakathi kwabo babekhawuleza ukukhokelela isizwe kwantshabalalo yayinguZedekiya ukumkani wabo. Eshiya ngokupheleleyo iingcebiso zikaYehova njengoko zazinikwa ngabaprofeti, elilibala ityalaAN 450.4

Lombulelo awayenalo ngakuNebhukadenetsare, esaphula isifungo esingcwele sokuthobela esenziwa egameni likaYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli, ukumkani wakwaYuda wavukela abaprofeti, abancedi bakhe, noThixo wakhe. Ekuphutheni kobulumko bakhe, wabhenela ekufuneni uncedo kwiintshaba zakudala zempumelelo kaIsrayeli, “[wa]thuma abathunywa bakhe eYiputa, ukuze anikwe amahashe nabantu abaninzi.”AN 451.1

“Woba nempumelelo na? wabuza uYehova ngalowo uye wenza njalo ukukungcatsha ukuthenjwa okungcwele; “Wosinda na owenze loo nto? Wowaphula umnqophiso, asinde na ke? Ndihleli nje, itsho iNkosi uYehova, inyaniso, endaweni yokumkani owamenza ukumkani, osifungo asidelileyo, omnqophiso awaphuleyo, uya kufela kuyo, esazulwini seBhabheli. UFaro akayi kumnceda ngampi inkulu nangasikhungu sikhulu emfazweni: . . . ekubeni esidelile isifungo, ukuba awaphule umnqophiso, yabona, unike isandla sakhe, waza noko wenza zonke ezi zinto; akayikusinda.” Hezekile 17:15-18.AN 451.2

“[Kwi]nkosana . . . ehlazekileyo nekhohlakeleyo” ifikile imini yokohlwaywa kokugqibela. Luya kususwa unkontsho,” wawukhupha umthetho uYehova, “sithulwe nesithsaba.” Woda uKristu ngokwaKhe amise obaKhe ubukumkani andule uYuda ukuvunyelwa kwakhona ukuba abe nokumkani. “Ndiya kukuphenula ndikuphenule, ndikuphenule;” lowo yaba ngumyalelo wezulu ngokubhekiselele kwitrone yendlu kaDavide; “kwanako oko akuyi kuba kuko, koda kufike lowo kukokwakhe ukugweba; ndikunike yena.” Hezekile 21:25-27.AN 451.3