37—Ukusiwa Ekuthinjweni EBhabheli

Kwathi ngomnyaka wesithoba, wokulawula kukaZedekiya, “uNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabheli; yena nempi yakhe yonke” weza eYerusalem “wayirhawula.” 2 Kumkani 25:1. Labonakala liphelile ithemba kuYuda. “Yabona, ndikuchasile,” watsho ngokwaKhe uYehova ngoHezekile. “Mna Yehova ndilirholile ikrele lam esingxotyeni salo; alisayi kuba sabuya libuye. . . . Kuya kunyibilika zonke iintliziyo, ziwe zonke izandla, incame yonke imimoya, amadolo onke angabi namandla.” “Ndiya kuthulula phezu kwakho ubhavumo lwam. Ndiya kukubasela ngomlilo wokuphuphuma komsindo wam, ndikunikele esandleni samadoda azizityhakala, iingcibi ezonakalisayo.” Hezekile 21:3, 5-7, 31.AN 452.1

AmaYiputa azama ukuza kuhlangula isixeko esingqongiweyo; aza amaKaledi, ukuwagcina ekude, akuyeka okwexeshana elithile ukusingqingaisixekosakwaYudaesiyintloko. Kwakhulaithemba entliziyweni kaZedekiya, waza wathumela umthunywa kuYeremiya, emcela ukuba athandaze kuThixo ngenxa yesizwe samaHebhere.AN 452.2

Impendulo eyoyikekayo yomprofeti yathi amaKaledi aza kubuya asitshabalalise isixeko. Ukukhanya kwakucimile; sasingasayi kubanakho isizwe esingazohlwayiyo ukuzijika izohlwayo zikaThixo. “Musani ukuzikhohlisa ngokwenu,” uYehova wabalumkisa abantu baKhe. “AmaKaledi . . . akayi kumka. Inene, nibe ningafanelana niyixabele impi yonke yamaKaledi alwayo nani, kwasala kuyo amadoda aziingxwelerha; abeya kuvuka elowo ententeni yakhe, awutshise lo mzi ngomlilo.” Yeremiya 37:9, 10. Amasalela akwaYuda ayeza kuya ekuthinjweni, ukuze afunde ngokuphatheka kakubi izifundo awalayo ukuzifunda phantsi kweemeko ezifanelekileyo. Kulo mthetho woMbukeli ongcwele, kwakungekho kubhena.AN 453.1

Phakathi kwamalungisa ayeseseYerusalem, nekwabekwa ngokucacileyo kuwo injongo yezulu, babekho abazimisela ukubeka ngaphaya kokufikelelwa zizandla ezikhohlakeleyo ityeya engcwele eyayinamacwecwe amatye ekwakubhalwe kuwo imiyalelo yemiThetho eliShumi. Bakwenza oku. Bekhala benosizi, bayifihla ityeya emqolombeni, apho yayiza kufihlwa kubantu bakwaSirayeli nabakwaYuda ngenxa yezono zabo, ingaze ibe ibuyiselwe kubo. Loo tyeya ingcwele isafihliwe. Ayizange iphazanyiswe kususela ukuba yafihlwa.AN 453.2

Kwaba yiminyaka emininzi uYeremiya esima phambi kwabantu elingqina elithembekileyo likaThixo; kwathi ngoku, xa isixeko esijongene nesiphelo sasiza kudlulela ezandleni zeentlanga, wacinga ukubaumsebenzi wakheugqityiwe wazamaukuhamba, kodwa [453]AN 454.1

[454]wanqandwa ngunyana womnye wabaprofeti bobuxoki, owaxelayo ukuba uYeremiya wayeza kuzimanya namaBhabheli, awayekade ekhuthaza abantu bakwaYuda ukuba azinikele kuwo. Umprofeti wasikhanyela isimangalo sobuxoki, kodwa, sekunjalo, abathetheli bamqumbela uYeremiya, bambetha, bamfaka endlwini yamabanjwa.” Indima 15.AN 454.2

Amathemba abakho ezintliziyweni zabathetheli kunye nabantu xa imikhosi kaNebhukadenetsare yayijika isinga ezantsi ukuba ihlangane namaYiputa, akhawuleza adaka. Ilizwi likaYehova lalisithi, “Uyabona, ndikuchasile, Faro kumkani waseYiputa.” Amandla eYiputa ayefana nengcongolo eyaphukileyo. “Bonke abemi baseYiputa,” yathi impefumlelo, “baya kwazi . . . ukuba ndinguYehova. Ngokuba ibe ingumsimelelo wengcongolo kwindlu kaIsrayeli.” “Ndiya komeleza iingalo zokumkani waseBhabheli, ziwe iingalo zikaFaro; bazi ukuba ndinguYehova, ekulibekeni kwam ikrele esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli, alolulele phezu kwelizwe laseYiputa.” Hezekile 29:3, 6; 30:25, 26.AN 454.3

Lo gama abathetheli bakwaYuda babesakhangele ngelize uncedo kwiYiputa, uKumkani Zedekiya owayenxubile lixhala, wayecinga ngomprofeti kaThixo owayesanda kuphoswa entolongweni. Emva kwemihla emininzi, ukumkani wathumela ukuba aziswe waza wambuza ngasese: “Kukho lizwi na liphuma kuYehova?” UYeremiya wamphendula, wathi: “Likho; wathi, Uya kunikelwa esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli.AN 454.4

“Wathi uYeremiya kukumkani uZedekiya, Ndone ngantoni na kuwe, nakubakhonzi bakho, nakwaba bantu ukuba nindifake entolongweni nje? Baphi na ke abaprofeti benu ababeprofeta ababeprofeta kuni, besithi, Ukumkani waseBhabheli akayi kunifikela nina, nalo eli lizwe? Kaloku ke khawuphulaphule, nkosi yam kumkani, makuwe phambi kwakho ukutarhuzisa kwam; musa ukundibuyisela endlwini kaYonatan umbhali, hleze ndifele khona.” Yeremiya 37:17-20.AN 455.1

Akukuva oku, uZedekiya wakhupha umthetho, “bambeka uYeremiya entendelezweni yabalindi, bamnika intenda yesonka imihla ngemihla esitratweni saboji, sada saphela sonke isonka phakathi komzi. UYeremiya wahlala ke entendelezweni yabalindi.” Indima 21.AN 455.2

Ukumkani akazange akwazi ukulubonisa ekuhleni ukholo lwakhe kuYeremiya. Nangona uloyiko lwamqhubela ukuba afune ulwazi kuye ngasese, ukanti wayebuthakathaka kakhulu ukuba angamelana nokungamkeleki kubathetheli bakhe nasebantwini ngokuziyekela kwintando kaThixo njengoko yayivakaliswa ngumprofeti.AN 455.3

Ukusuka emhadini wabalindi, uYeremiya waqhubeka nokucebisa ngokuzinikela kulawulo lweBhabheli. Ukunika uncedo kwakuya kuba kukumema ukufa okuqinisekileyo. Isigidimi sikaYehova kuYuda sasisithi: “Ohlala kulo mzi wofa likrele, nayindlala, nayindyikityha yokufa; ophuma aye kumaKaledi wophila, ube lixhoba kuye umphefumlo wakhe, aphile.” Ayecacile kwaye amkelekile amazwi awathethwayo. Egameni likaYehova, umprofeti wavakalisa ngesibindi, “Lo mzi uya kunikelwa esandleni sempi yokumkani waseBhabheli, awuthimbe.” Yeremiya 38:2, 3.AN 455.4

Ekugqibeleni, abathetheli, bevutha ngenxa yamacebiso kaYeremiya awayephindaphindwa, awayechasene nenkqubo yabo emiselweyo yokuxhathisa, benza uqhankqalazoolushushu phambi kokumkani, benyanzelisa ukuba umprofeti wayelutshaba esizweni, nokuba amazwi akhe aziphelisa amandla izandla zabantu azise ishwangusha phezu kwabo; ngoko ke umele ukuba abulawe.AN 455.5

Ukumkani onobugwala wayesazi ukuba izimangalo zazibubuxoki; kodwa khon’ ukuze azixolelanise nabo bakwizikhundla eziphezulu nezinempembelelo esizweni, wenza ngokungathi uyakholelwa bubuxoki babo waza wamnikela uYeremiya ezandleni zabo ukuba benze ngokubona kwabo. Umprofeti waphoswa “emhadini kaMalekiya unyana wokumkani, obusentendelezweni yabalindi; bamhlisa uYeremiya ngezintya emhadini, lowo ungenamanzi, unodaka; watshona eludakeni uYeremiya.” Indima 6. Yena uThixo wamvusela abahlobo, abaya bamcenga ukumkani ngenxa yakhe, baza bamenza ukuba aphindiselwe kwakhona entendelezweni yabalindi.AN 456.1

Waphinda kwakhona ukumkani wathumela ngasese ukuba kuziswe uYeremiya, wamcela enyanisekile ukuba achase injongo kaThixo ngakwiYerusalem. Ukuphendula, uYeremiya wabuza, “kuba ndithe ndakuxelela, akuyi kundibulala undibulale na? Nokuba ndithe ndakucebisa, akuyi kundiphulaphula.” Ukumkani wangena kwisivumelwano sangasese nomprofeti. “Ehleli nje uYehova, owasenzela lo mphefumlo,” wathembisa uZedekiya, “inene, andiyi kukubulala, andiyi kukunikela ezandleni zaloo madoda awufunayo umphefumlo wakho.” Iindima 15, 16.AN 456.2

Lalisekho ithuba lokuba ukumkani abonakalalise ukulungela kwakhe ukuziphulaphula izilumkiso zikaYehova, aze njalo achukumise ngenceba izigwebo ezifikela isixeko nesizwe ngeli xesha. “Ukuba uthe waphuma ukuphuma oku, waya kubathetheli bokumkaniwaseBhabheli,“yabasisigidimiesinikwaukumkani, “wophila umphefumlo wakho, nalo mziungatshiswa ngomlilo; uphile wena nendlu yakho; ke ukuba uthe akwaphuma uye kubathetheli bokumkani waseBhabheli, lo mzi wonikelwa esandleni samaKaledi, awutshise ngomlilo, wena ke ungasindi esandleni sawo.”AN 456.3

“Ndoyika amaJuda aselezinikezele kumaKaledi, [IBHAYIBHILE],” waphendula ukumkani, “hleze andinikele esandleni sayo, afekethe ngam.” Ngoko ke, umprofeti waya wathembisa, wathi, “Akayi kukunikela.” Waya wongeza isicengo esinyanisekileyo, “Khawuliphulaphule izwi likaYehova, ngokoko ndilithethileyo kuwe; kolunga kuwe, uphile umphefumlo wakho.” Iindima 17-20.AN 457.1

Ngoko ke, nangeyure yokugqibela, uThixo wakwenza kwacaca ukuba nentumekelelo kwaKhe ukubonisa inceba kwabo babeya kukhetha ukuzinikela koko akufunayo kulungileyo. Ukuba ukumkani wayenyule ukuthobela, ubomi babantu babunokusinda, nesixeko sisindiswe ekutshisweni; kodwa wacinga ukuba wayesele ehambe kakhulu ukuba angabuya alande amanyathelo akhe. Wayesoyika amaYuda, esoyika ukuhlekwa, esoyikela ubomi bakhe. Emva kweminyaka yokuvukela uThixo, uZedekiya wacinga ukuba kungamthoba kakhulu ukuthi kubantu bakhe, Ndiyalamkela ilizwi likaYehova, njengoko lithethwe ngoYeremiya umprofeti; andikwazi ukuya emfazweni elutshabeni sekukho zonke ezi zilumkiso.AN 457.2

Esezinyembezini, uYeremiya wamcenga uZedekiya ukuba azisindise yena kunye nabantu bakhe. Ngomoya obandezelekileyo, wamqinisekisa ukuba, ngaphandle kokuba aphulaphule icebiso likaThixo, akasayi kusinda nobomi bakhe, nako konke anako kuya kuwela kumaBhabheli. Sekunjalo, ukumkani wayesele eqale ukuba kwikhondo elingelilo, akakwazi ukuyiphinda indlela yakhe. Wagqiba ukuba alandele icebiso labaprofeti bobuxoki, nelamadoda awajongele phantsi ngokwenene, nawahlekisa ngobuthakathaka bakhe ngokuziyekela ngokulula kwiminqweno yawo. Wabingelela ngenkululeko ezukileyo yobudoda bakhe waba likhoboka eloyikayo lembono yabaninzi. Nangona wayengenanjongo imileyo yokwenza okubi, kodwa wayengakwazi ukuma ngesibindi kokulungileyo. Nangona wayoyisakele ngokuxabiseka kwecebiso elinikwa nguYeremiya, wayengenawo amandla okuma kokuhle ukuze athobele; saza isiphumo soko saba kukuba athi ngcembe ukubheka phambili esiya kwicala elingelilo.AN 457.3

Ukumkani wayebuthakathaka kakhulu ukuba abe nentumekelelo ukuba amaphakathi akhe nabantu bazi ukuba ukhe wanodliwano-ndlebe noYeremiya, lwaluwubambe ngokupheleleyo umphefumlo wakhe uloyiko lomntu. Ukuba uZedekiya wayemi waqina ngesibindi wavakalisa ukuba uyakholelwa kumazwi omprofeti, asiqingatha sawo sasesizalisekile, ngeyabangakanani imbubhiso eyanqandwayo! Ngewaye wathi, Ndiya kuthobela uYehova, ndisindise isixeko entshabalalweni epheleleyo. Andikwazi ukungayihoyi imiyalelo kaThixo ngenxa yokoyika okanye ukuthandwa ngumntu. Ndiyayithanda inyaniso, ndisithiyile isono, kwaye ndiya kulandela icebiso lOnamandla kaIsrayeli.AN 458.1

Ngenxa yoko abantu babeya kuwuhlonipha umoya wakhe okhaliphileyo, baze bathi nabo babethingaza phakathi kokholo nokungakholwa, bame baqine kokulungileyo. Kwaukungabi naloyiko nokuba nobulungisa kulo msebenzi kwakuya kuphembelela abantu bakhe ngothando nokunyaniseka. Ngewaba nenkxaso enkulu, aze uYuda abe usindisiwe kwintlekele engathethekiyo yendyikityha, nendlala nomlilo.AN 458.2

Ubuthakathaka bukaZedekiya kwaba sisono awahlawula ngaso ngesohlwayo esoyikekayo. Utshaba lwatshayelela phantsi konke ngokwekhephueliqengqelekaentabeni ekungenakumiwa phambikwalo lwawubhubhisa umzi. Imikhosi yamaHebhere yabethwa yabuya umva ididekile. Isizwe soyiswa. UZedekiya wabanjwa, oonyanabakhe babulawa phambi kwamehlo akhe. Ukumkani wasuswa eYerusalem ebanjiwe, amehlo akhe akrolonqwa, wathi akuba efike eBhabheli wafa ngendlela embi. Itempile entle eyayisisihombo sencopho yeNtaba yeZiyon ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezine ayizange isindiswe ngamaKaledi. “Bayitshisa indlu kaThixo, baludiliza udonga lwaseYerusalem, bawatshisa ngomlilo onke amabhotwe, bazitshabalalisa zonke iimpahla zayo ezinqwenelekayo.” 2 IZikronike 36:19.AN 458.3

Ngexesha lokubhukuqwa okokugqibela kweYerusalem nguNebhukadenetsare, abaninzi babesindile kububi bokungqingwa ixeshaelide, kanti baza kufa ngekrele. Kwabo babesasele, abanye ekwaqapheleka kubooyintlokokubabingeleli nabaphathi, nabathetheli bobukumkani, basiwa eBhabheli apho baya babulawa njengabangcatshi. Abanye bathatyathwa basiwa ekuthinjweni, ukuze baphile bengamakhoboka kuNebhukadenetsare nakoonyana bakhe “bada bangena ubukumkani bamaPersi; ukuba lizaliseke ilizwi likaYehova ngomlomo kaYeremiya.” Iindima 20, 21.AN 459.1

Kuthethwa ngoYeremiya ngokwakhe, kubhalwe kwathiwa: “UNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli wawisa umthetho ngoYeremiya ngesandla sikaNebhuzaradan umthetheli wabasiki, esithi, Mthabathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungenzi nto imbi kuye; wothi, njengoko akuthethayo kuwe, wenjenjalo kuye.” Yeremiya 39:11, 12.AN 460.1

Akuba ekhululwe entolongweni ngabaphathi baseBhabheli, umprofeti wakhetha ukuba nabantu bakubo, isisalela esingenamandla, “amahlwempu elizwe” awashiywa ngamaKaledi ukuba abe “ngabasebenzi bezidiliya nabalimi.” Ukongamela phezu kwaba, amaBhabheli abeka uGedaliya ukuba abe yirhuluneli. Kwadlula nje iinyanga ezimbalwa phambi kokuba irhuluneli esanda kunyulwa ibulawe ngokwenzelwa iyelenqe. Abantu abangamahlwempu, emva kokuba bedlule kwizilingo ezininzi, ekugqibeleni boyiselwa zinkokheli zabo ukuba bafumane igwiba elizweni laseYiputa. Ukuchasana neli nyathelo, uYeremiya waliphakamisa ilizwi lakhe ekhalima. “Zeningayi eYiputa,” wacenga. Lona icebiso eliphefumlelweyo alizange liphulaphulwe, aza “onke amasalela akwaYuda, . . . amadoda, nabafazi, nabantwana,” babalekela eYiputa. “Babengaliphulaphulanga izwi likaYehova; baya bafika eTapanesi.” Yeremiya 43:5-7.AN 460.2

Iziprofeto zentshabalalo ezaxelwa nguYeremiya phezukwesisalela esavukela uNebhukadenetsare ngokubalekela eYiputa zazihlanganiswe nezithembiso zokuxolelwa kwabo babeya kuthi baguquke kubuyatha babo baze beme belungele ukubuya. Nangona uYehova engekhe abasindise abo bawashiyayo amacebiso aKhe koko baya kwiimpembelelo ezilahlekisayo zonqulo lwezithixo lwaseYiputa, wayesaya kuyiveza inceba kwabo babeya kuthembeka banyaniseke. “Baya kubuya ezweni leYiputa abasinde ekreleni, baye ezweni lakwaYuda,” watsho; “alazi onke amasalela akwaYuda, azileyo ezweni leYiputa ukuba aphambukele kulo, ukuba liliphi na ilizwi eliya kuma khona: lelam, lelabo, kusini na.” Yeremiya 44:28.AN 460.3

Intlungu yomprofeti ngobugwenxa obupheleleyo babo babekukukhanya kwasemoyeni ehlabathini, nentlungu ngesiphelo seZiyon kunye nabantu abasiwa ekuthinjweni eBhabheli, ityhilwe kwizililo awashiya ezibhalile njengesikhumbuzo sobuyatha bokusuka kumacebiso kaYehova kuyiwe ebulumkweni bomntu. Phakathi kwentshabalalo eyenziwayo, uYeremiya wayesenakho ukuthetha, athi, “Kungeenceba zikaYehova le nto singagqityelwanga;” waza umthandazo wakhe owazingisayo wathi, “Masiziphengulule iindlela zethu, sizigocagoce, sibuyele kuYehova.” IZililo 3:22, 40. Ngexesha uYuda wayesebukumkani phakathi kweentlanga, wayebuza kuThixo wakhe, “Umcekise kwaphela na uYuda? Udimele na yiZiyon umphefumlo wakho?” waba nesibindi sokucenga, athi, “Ngenxa yegama lakho, musa ukusigiba.” Yeremiya 14:19, 21. Ukukholelwa ngokupheleleyo komprofeti kwinjongo engunaphakade kaThixo yokuzisa ucwangco apho kukho isiphithiphithi, nokubonakalalisa ezizweni zomhlaba, nakuyo yonke indalo, iimpawu zobulungisa nothando lwaKhe, ngoku kwamkhokelela ukuba acenge ngesibindi ngenxa yabo babenokubuya ebubini beze ebulungiseni.AN 461.1

Ngoku ke, iZiyon yayitshatyalalisweyaphela;abantu bakaThixo babesekuthinjweni. Egutyungelwe yintlungu, umprofeti wadanduluka: “Yoo! Uhleli wodwa, umzi obantu baye bebaninzi; obe umkhulu ezintlangeni usuke waba njengomhlolokazi; umthethelikazi emazweni usuke waba ngofakwa uviko. Ulila elilile ebusuku, iinyembezi zakhe zisezidleleni zakhe; akanamthuthuzeli kuzo zonke izithandane zakhe; onke amakholwane akhe ammenezelele, aba lutshaba kuye.AN 462.1

“UYuda uye ekuthinjweni, ephuma ezintsizini nasezinkonzweni ezininzi; yena uhleli ezintlangeni, akafumani kuphumla; bonke abamsukelayo bamfikele ezingxingongweni. Iindlela zaseZiyon zenza isijwili, ngokungabikho kwabaya emithendelekweni; onke amasango ayo akanamntu, ababingeleli bayo bayancwina; iintombi zayo zinosizi, yona ke kukrakra kuyo. Ababandezeli bayo basuka bayintloko; iintshaba zayo zinobunqobo; ngokuba uYehova uyenze yanosizi ngenxa yokreqo lwayo oluninzi; abantwana bayo bemkile, bathinjiwe, baqhutywa ngumbandezeli.”AN 462.2

“Yoo! Itheni na iNkosi yam ukuyisibekela kangaka ngomsindo wayo intombi enguZiyon? Isikhuphile ezulwini, yasikhahlela ehlabathini, isihombo sikaIsrayeli, ayasikhumbula isihlalo seenyawo zayo ngemini yomsindo wayo. INkosi yam iwaginyile, ayawaconga, onke amakriwa akwaYakobi; izigungxule ngokuphuphuma komsindo wayo iinqaba ezinkulu zentombi enguYuda; yazizisa emhlabeni; ibungcolisile ubukumkani nabathetheli babo. Izixakazile ngokuvutha komsindo wayo zonke iimpondo zikaIsrayeli; isibuyise umva isandla sayo sokunene ebusweni botshaba; yatshisa kwaYakobi njengomlilo olenyayo, odlayo ngeenxa zonke. Isityedile isaphetha sayo njengotshaba; imise isandla sayo sokunene, saxelisa esombandezeli, yazibulala zonke izinto ezinqwenelekayo emehlweni; ententeni yentombi enguZiyon, ibuphalazile ubushushu bayo njengomlilo.”AN 462.3

“Ndikungqinele ngantoni na? Ndikufanekise nantoni na, ntombi yaseYerusalem? Ndikulinganise nantoni na, ukuze ndikuthuthuzele, ntombindini iyintombi, inguZiyon? Ngokuba kukhulu ngangolwandle ukwaphuka kwakho; ngubani na onokukuphilisa?”AN 463.1

“Kukhumbule, Yehova, okusihlelayo; bheka, uyibone ingcikivo yethu. Ilifa lethu lisuke lenziwa elabasemzini, izindlu zethu zalunga kwabolunye uhlanga. Siziinkedama, asinabawo; oma banjengabahlolokazi. . . . Oobawo bonile, abasekho; thina sithwele ubugwenxa babo. Silawulwa ngabakhonzi; akukho usiqhiwulayo ezandleni zabo. . . . Ngenxa yoko ityhafile intliziyo yethu; ngenxa yezo zinto amnyama amehlo ethu.”AN 463.2

“Wena, Yehova, uhleli ngonaphakade; itrone yakho ikwisizukulwana ngesizukulwana. Yini na ukuba usilibale ngonaphakade, usilahle imihla emide? Sibuyisele kuwe, Yehova; sobuya; hlaziya imihla yethu njengokwamandulo.” Izililo 1:1-5; 2:1-4, 13; 5:1-3, 7, 8, 17, 19-21.AN 463.3