UYeremiya—Umprofeti Wemigwebo KaThixo Owayengathandwa
Ufundo lweBhayibhile lweeveki ngeeveki kwincwadi kaYeremiya lucwangciselwe iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo ukususela ngoAprili 17 kuse kuAgasti 21. La manqaku mathathu afundisiswayo aya kunikela inkcazelo entle ukuze kuqondwe le mibhalo yomprofeti
“Ndingekakubumbi esizalweni, bendikwazi . . . Ndakumisa waba ngumprofeti weentlanga.”—YEREMIYA 1:5.
1. (a) Xa sikhangela emva kwithuba elidlulileyo, bambi bamjonga njani uYeremiya? (b) Yena wazijonga njani?
“KWANAKWIQELA labaprofeti, uYeremiya ugqwesa njengoyena mkhulu.” Loo magqabaza awathi enziwa ngumphengululi weBhayibhile achasene ngokumangalisayo nendlela uYeremiya awazijonga ngayo xa walufumana okokuqala uthumo lwakhe olwaluvela kuYehova lokukhonza njengomprofeti wakwaYuda noweentlanga. Impendulo yakhe yaba yile: “Kowu, Nkosi Yehova, Yabona, andikwazi ukuthetha, ngokuba ndingumntwana.” Ngokucacileyo uYeremiya wayekuxhalabele kakhulu ukuba ngumntwana kwakhe, yaye ucelomngeni lokujongana neentlanga eziziintshaba lwabonakala lunzima kakhulu. UYehova wacinga ngokwahlukileyo.—Yeremiya 1:6.
2. UYehova wayibethelela njani intembelo kuYeremiya?
2 Ngokwencoko eyayiphakathi koYehova noYeremiya oselula, kuyacaca ukuba wayengomnye wamadoda ambalwa awathi uYehova wafak’ isandla ngokungqalileyo ekuzalweni kwawo. Yaye kutheni le nto waba nomdla okhethekileyo kuYeremiya ukususela ekukhawulweni kwakhe kuse phambili? Kungokuba uYehova wayecinga ngokumnika uthumo olukhethekileyo. Ngaloo ndlela, wayenokuthi: “Ungekaphumi embilinini, ndakungcwalisa.” (Yeremiya 1:5) Wathi ke wayalela lo uselula ngokuthi: “Musa ukuthi, Ndingumntwana: ke uya kuya kubo bonke endikuthuma kubo; konke endikuwisela umthetho ngako, uze ukuthethe. Uze ungaboyiki, ngokuba ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule; utsho uYehova.” Kwakungekho sizathu sokuba angasamkeli ngentliziyo epheleleyo esi sabelo sakhe. Endaweni yoko, kwafuneka ukuba abe nenkalipho aze akholose ngoYehova.—Yeremiya 1:7, 8.
3. Kutheni uthumo lukaYeremiya lwalulucelomngeni lokwenene?
3 Hayi indlela awachukumiseka waza mhlawumbi waziva emncinane ngayo lo mfana xa wayefumana olo thumo lungqalileyo luvela kuThixo! Yaye olunjani lona uthumo! “Khangela, ndikwenza namhla umveleli weentlanga nezikumkani, ukuba unyothule, udilize, utshabalalise, ugungxule; ukuba wakhe, utyale.” Ngokuqinisekileyo, umyalelo owawuqulethwe kuloo mazwi kuYuda malunga neminyaka ephakathi kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo wamzisela eyona mbopheleleko inkulu lo mprofeti usakhulayo. Wayemele ajongane nohlanga olwalunekratshi nolwalungakhathali olwalukholose ngesixeko salo esingcwele, iYerusalem netempile yayo, njengekhubalo. Njengoko wayegqiba unyaka wakhe wama-40 kubulungiseleli bobuprofeti eYerusalem, kwakuza kufuneka adlulise isigidimi sakhe ebudeni bolawulo lookumkani abahlanu abahlukeneyo (uYosiya, uYowazi, uYehoyakim, uYehoyakin noZedekiya). Kwakuza kufuneka avakalise imigwebo yesohlwayo eyayingathandwa kumaYuda nakwiintlanga zaseBhabhiloni.—Yeremiya 1:10; 51:41-64.
Kutheni Incwadi KaYeremiya Imele Ibe Yeyomdla Kuthi?
4, 5. (a) Kutheni le nto iziganeko zomhla kaYeremiya zinokuthanani nathi? (Roma 15:4) (b) Ziziphi izinto ezikhethekileyo ezizezomdla kuthi?
4 Kodwa sisenokubuza, Zinokuthanani nathi ezo ziganeko zenzeka emva apho, thina siphila ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yama-20? Xa esenza impinda yeziganeko ezithile zembali yakwaSirayeli kwincwadi yakhe eya kwibandla laseKorinte, umpostile uPawulos unikela impendulo. Wabhala oku: “Ezo zinto ke zabe ziyimizekelo kuthi, ukuze singabi ngabakhanuki bezinto ezimbi, njengokuba bakhanukayo bona abo . . . Zabhalelwa ke ukululeka thina aba, bafikelweyo ziziphelo zawo amaphakade.”—1 Korinte 10:6, 11.
5 Iziganeko ezenzeka kwaSirayeli nakwaYuda zingumzekelo olumkisa ibandla lamaKristu okwenyaniso kweli xesha lesiphelo. Sikwanokubona izinto ezifanayo nemizekelo ebonisa kwangaphambili iziganeko zekamva. (Thelekisa uYeremiya 51:6-8 neSityhilelo 18:2, 4.) Ngoko ke, ubulungiseleli bukaYeremiya bokuba ngumprofeti neziganeko ezehlela iYerusalem zibaluleke ngokunzulu kumaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje, ingakumbi ngokubhekisele kumsebenzi wawo kummandla weNgqobhoko, njengoko siza kubona kumanqaku alandelayo.
Ukuvakalisa Ngokungenaloyiko KukaYeremiya Imigwebo KaThixo
6. Yintoni eyenza isabelo sikaYeremiya saba nzima ngakumbi, kanti luluphi ukhuthazo awalufumanayo?
6 Ukuze omeleze uYeremiya ekuthwaleni imbopheleleko yakhe eyoyikekayo, uYehova wahlabela mgama emqinisekisa ngokuthi: “Suk’ ume, uthethe kubo konke endikuwisela umthetho ngako. Musa ukuqhiphuka umbilini ngabo . . . mna ndikwenza namhla umzi onqatyisiweyo . . . kulo lonke ilizwe, lookumkani bakwaYuda, nakubathetheli balo, kubabingeleli balo, nakubantu belizwe.” Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, uYeremiya kwakuza kufuneka abe njengomzi onqatyisiweyo ukuze ajongane nabalawuli nababingeleli bakwaYuda. Yaye ukusa isigidimi esingathandekiyo nesicel’ umngeni ebantwini kwakungayi kuba ngumsebenzi olula.—Yeremiya 1:17, 18.
7. Kutheni le nto abalawuli abangamaYuda babeza kumchasa uYeremiya?
7 UYehova walumkisa ngokuthi, “Baya kulwa nawe, bangabi nakukweyisa.” (Yeremiya 1:19) Kutheni le nto amaYuda nabalawuli bawo babeza kufuna ukulwa nalo mprofeti? Kungokuba isigidimi sakhe sasinxamnye nokungakhathali kwawo nohlobo lonqulo lwawo olwalulolwesithethe. UYeremiya wabagqogq’ iindlebe esenjenje: “Yabona, ilizwi likaYehova libe yingcikivo kubo, abalinanzile. Kuthabathela kwabancinane kuse kwabakhulu, bonke bephela babawa bebawile; kuthabathela kumprofeti kuse kumbingeleli [abo kanye babemele bagcine imilinganiselo yokuziphatha nengokomoya], bonke bephela benza ngobuxoki.”—Yeremiya 6:10, 13.
8. Ababingeleli nabaprofeti babebakhohlisa ngayiphi indlela abantu?
8 Kuyinyaniso ukuba, babelukhokela uhlanga ekwenzeni amadini. Babezibonakalisa ngokungathi babezinikele ngenene kunqulo lokwenyaniso, kodwa iintliziyo zabo zazingekho kulo. Kubo isithethe sasithetha okungakumbi kunehambo elungileyo. Kwangaxeshanye, iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zaziluqaba ngentshongo emehlweni uhlanga ngokulenza lube nemvakalelo yobuxoki yonqabiseko, zisithi, “Luxolo, luxolo” xa kwakungekho luxolo. (Yeremiya 6:14; 8:11) Ewe, zazibenza izidenge abantu ngokubenza bakholelwe ukuba baseluxolweni noThixo. Zavakalelwa kukuba kwakungekho nto babemele kukuzikhathaza ngayo, kuba babengabantu bakaYehova ababesindisiwe, abanesixeko esingcwele netempile yaso. Kodwa ngaba leyo yayiyindlela uYehova awayeyijonga ngayo imeko?
9. Sisiphi isilumkiso uYeremiya awasinika abo banquli ngokubhekisele kwitempile yabo?
9 UYehova wayalela uYeremiya ukuba eme esangweni letempile apho wayeya kubonwa nguye wonke umntu aze adlulise isigidimi Sakhe kubanquli ababengena apho. Wayemele abaxelele oku: “Musani ukukholosa ngamazwi obuxoki, okuthi, Yitempile kaYehova, yitempile kaYehova, yitempile kaYehova yona leyo. . . . Nikholosa ngamazwi . . . angancediyo.” AmaYuda ayehamba ngokubona, kungekhona ngokholo, njengoko ayeqhayisa ngetempile. Ayesele ewalibele amazwi kaYehova esilumkiso: “Amazulu yitrone yam, ihlabathi sisihlalo seenyawo zam. Iyini na le ndlu, niya kundakhela yona?” Ngokuqinisekileyo, uYehova, iNkosi enguMongami wale ndalo iphela inkulukazi, wayengapheleliselwanga kwiindonga zetempile yabo, kungakhathaliseki enoba yayintle kangakanani na!—Yeremiya 7:1-8; Isaya 66:1.
10, 11. Yiyiphi imeko yokomoya yohlanga awathi uYeremiya wayigxeka, ibe ngaba imeko yeNgqobhoko isafana? (2 Timoti 3:5)
10 UYeremiya wahlabela mgama namazwi okukhalimela ekuhleni ngokuhlabayo: “Niyeba, nincinithe, nikrexeze, nifunge ngobuxoki, niqhumisele kuBhahali, nilandele thixo bambi eningabaziyo; . . . nithi, Sihlangulwe; ukuze nenze la masikizi onke?” AmaYuda, ‘njengabantu bakaThixo abanyuliweyo,’ ayecinga ukuba wayeya kulunyamezela naluphi na uhlobo lwehambo, lo gama nje ayesizisa amadini awo etempileni. Noko ke, ukuba ayemcingela njengobawo othabatheka yiyo nayiphi na into eyenziwayo ofekethisa umntwana oliqanda nokuphela kwakhe, ayengalibonanga.—Yeremiya 7:9, 10; Eksodus 19:5, 6.
11 Unqulo lwamaYuda lwaluphelelwe sisidima gqitha emehlweni kaYehova kangangokuba kwakunokuphakanyiswa lo mbuzo woyikisayo: “Yaba ngumqolomba wezihange na emehlweni enu le ndlu ibizwa ngegama lam?” Malunga neminyaka engama-700 kamva imeko yayingekalungi, njengoko uYesu, umprofeti omkhulu kunoYeremiya, wathi wasebenzisa kwala mazwi ukuze agxeke ukuxhaphaza nokurhweba okwakusenziwa kwitempile eyayibuye yakhiwa ngexesha lakhe. Yaye namhlanje imeko ekwiNgqobhoko isenjalo.—Yeremiya 7:11; Mateyu 16:14; Marko 11:15-17.
Ukungananzwa Kwababoniseli Nokuxelwa Kwangaphambili Kweshwangusha
12. AmaYuda asabela njani kubaprofeti uYehova awayebathuma kuwo?
12 Ngokuqinisekileyo uYeremiya wayengenguye umprofeti wokuqala owasetyenziswa nguThixo ukulumkisa uSirayeli noYuda ngekhondo labo lobuxoki. Ebudeni beminyaka elikhulu okanye engaphezulu eyayisele idlulile, umprofeti uIsaya, uMika, uHoseya no-Odede babethunyelwe njengababoniseli ukuya kulumkisa uhlanga. (Isaya 1:1; Mika 1:1; Hoseya 1:1; 2 Kronike 28:6-9) Lwasabela njani uninzi? “Ndamisa phezu kwenu ababoniseli, ndisithi, Libazeleni indlebe ilizwi lesigodlo; bathi ke bona, Asiyi kulibazela ndlebe.” (Yeremiya 6:17; 7:13, 25, 26) Abazange bakuvume ukumphulaphula uYeremiya. Endaweni yoko, bamtshutshisa baza bazama ukumval’ umlomo. Ngoko ke uYehova wagqiba kwelokuba babeya kuvuna ngenxa yokuba nekratshi nokungakholwa kwabo.—Yeremiya 20:1, 2; 26:8, 11; 37:15; 38:6.
13. Sasiyintoni isizinzi sokugweba kukaThixo olu hlanga?
13 Esabela kwisenzo sohlanga sokucekisa abathunywa bakhe, uYehova wakhupha isaziso, ngokungathi kunjalo sisiya kwiintlanga zomhlaba, esithi: “Yiva, hlabathi; yabona, aba bantu ndibazisela ububi, isiqhamo seengcinga zabo; ngokuba amazwi am abawabazelanga ndlebe, nomyalelo wam bawucekisile.” Kutheni le nto aba bantu babeza kwehlelwa leli shwangusha? Kungenxa yezenzo zabo eziphosakeleyo ezazisekelwe kwiingcinga zabo ezimbi. Bawacekisa amazwi noMthetho kaYehova baza balandela utyekelo lwabo lokuzingca nolwalulolokwenyama.—Yeremiya 6:18, 19; Isaya 55:8, 9; 59:7.
14. Lwaba lubi ngokugqithiseleyo kangakanani unqulo lwabo lobuxoki? (Thelekisa eyesi-2 yeziKronike 33:1-9.)
14 Yaye yintoni ababeyenza kwaYuda eyathi yabazisela ingqumbo kaYehova? Babesenzela “ukumkanikazi wezulu” izonkana zedini. Babethululela abanye oothixo iminikelo ethululwayo ngabom besenzela ukuqumbisa uYehova. Ngoko ke, uYehova ubuza oku: “Ngaba baxhokonxa mna? . . . Kunoko ngaba abazenzakalisi bona ngokwabo, ukuze bahlazeke?” (Yeremiya 7:18, 19, New International Version) Kanti, imisebenzi yabo emibi yokunyelisa yathi yaba mibi ngokugqithiseleyo—babeka izithixo ezinezothe endlwini eyayibizwa ngegama likaYehova. Bakha izibingelelo ngaphandle kweYerusalem, emfuleni kaHinom, “ukuze batshise oonyana babo neentombi zabo ngomlilo.” Yintoni ababeya kuyivuna ngenxa yokudelela kwabo unqulo lokwenyaniso?—Yeremiya 7:30, 31.
UYuda Uyavuna
15. Ziziphi iindaba ezimbi uYeremiya awazixelela uYuda?
15 Malunga nowama-632 B.C.E., iAsiriya yayiwele kumaKaledi namaMedi, yaye iYiputa yayenziwe igunya elincinane elalilawula umzantsi welakwaYuda. Into eyayisisisongelo sokwenene kuYuda luhlaselo olwaluza kuza luvela ngasentla. Ngaloo ndlela, uYeremiya wayemele axelele amaYuda akowabo iindaba ezimbi! “Yabona, kuza abantu bevela ezweni lasentla . . . bazizijorha, abanamfesane; . . . bexhobe njengendoda yokulwa, ukukurhintyela wena, ntombi enguZiyon.” Igunya lehlabathi elalilawula ngelo xesha yayiyiBhabhiloni. Laliza kuba sisixhobo sikaThixo sokohlwaya uYuda ongenalukholo.—Yeremiya 6:22, 23; 25:8, 9.
16. Kutheni le nto kwakungenakunceda ukulamlela kukaYeremiya uhlanga lwakowabo?
16 Ngaba kwakunokunceda ukuzama kukaYeremiya ukulamlela abantu bohlanga lwakowabo? Ngaba mhlawumbi kwakunokulalaniswa? Mhlawumbi ngaba uYehova wayeya kwamkela imisebenzi yenguquko engaphelelanga aze abaxolele abantu bakhe? Imbono kaYehova yayicacile. Wayalela uYeremiya ubuncinane kangangezihlandlo ezithathu esithi: “Musa ukubathandazela aba bantu . . . ngokuba andiyi kukuphulaphula.” Kwinzaliseko ekwafanayo, esi silumkiso soyikekayo sixela kwangaphambili ububi obuya kuhlela iNgqobhoko.—Yeremiya 7:16; 11:14; 14:11.
17, 18. Ekugqibeleni waphunyezwa njani umgwebo kaThixo kuYuda?
17 Waba yintoni umphumo kuYuda? Kwenzeka kanye njengoko uYehova wayexele kwangaphambili ngoYeremiya. Ebudeni bolawulo lukaKumkani uYehoyakim, uYuda waba luhlanga olwalukhonza phantsi kweBhabhiloni enamandla. Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva uYehoyakim wavukela. Esi senzo sobudenge sakhokelela ekuthotyweni phantsi okude kwangakumbi ngamaBhabhiloni, awathi asingqinga isixeko seYerusalem. Ngeli xesha uYehoyakim wayesele efile yaye ezihlangwini zakhe kungene unyana wakhe uYehoyakin. Ukungqinga kwamaBhabhiloni kwamthoba ngakumbi uYuda, yaye uYehoyakin nayo yonke intsapho yasebukhosini, ndawonye nezikhulu eziphezulu kwibutho lamaYuda, bathinjelwa eBhabhiloni.—2 Kumkani 24:5-17.
18 Kwenzeka ntoni kwitempile engcwele nakubo bonke ubuqheleqhele bayo obungcwele nobubobexabiso? Ngokwenene ezo zinto azizange zisebenze njengekhubalo lethamsanqa kuYuda. UNebhukadenetsare “warhola khona bonke ubuncwane bendlu kaYehova, nobuncwane bendlu yokumkani; wazinqunqa zonke iimpahla zegolide, awazenzayo uSolomon ukumkani wakwaSirayeli etempileni kaYehova.” (2 Kumkani 24:13) Ekugqibeleni, ukumkani owayemiselwe yiBhabhiloni, uZedekiya, owayesale ngasemva ukuze alawule oko kwakusele eYerusalem, naye wabavukela abaphathi bakhe. Eso yaba sisenzo sokugqibela esamcaphukisa kakhulu uNebhukadenetsare. Isixeko saseYerusalem sangqingwa kwakhona, yaye ngowama-607 B.C.E. sawela ezandleni zikaNebhuzaradan saza satshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo.—Yeremiya 34:1, 21, 22; 52:5-11.
19, 20. Kukuphi ukuchasana okwakukho phakathi kwesimo sengqondo sikaYuda noYeremiya ngokubhekisele kwishwangusha elalixelwe kwangaphambili, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?
19 Enjani yona intlekele ukuba nkulu eyehlela aba ‘bantu abanyuliweyo’! Kodwa hayi indlela izigidimi zikaYeremiya ezivakalisa umgwebo ezangqineka ziyinyaniso ngokucacileyo ngayo. Ngoxa amaYuda ayethelekelela ukuba izinto zowahambela kakuhle, ekholelwa ekubeni kwakungekho ngozi yayinokuwehlela, “umbhombolozi wentlekele” uYeremiya ngokwenene wayenyanisile, wayengenguye umphuphi ongenathemba. (Yeremiya 38:4; phawula ukuba igama “ishwangusha, [NW]” lifumaneka kangangezihlandlo ezinokuba ngama-64 encwadini kaYeremiya.) Hayi indlela lo mgwebo kaYehova owawuchane ngayo: “Ke yithi kuwo, lulo olu uhlanga olungaliphulaphuliyo ilizwi likaYehova uThixo walo, olungayivumiyo intethiso. Kuphelile ukuthembeka, kunqumkile emlonyeni wabo. Ndiya kuliphezisa emizini yakwaYuda nasezitratweni zaseYerusalem izwi lemihlali nezwi lemivuyo . . . ngokuba liya kubharha ilizwe”!—Yeremiya 7:28, 34.
20 Ngale ntlekele, kwanyanzeleka ukuba amaYuda awayenekratshi nawayengakhathali aqonde ukuba ukuthandaza kwawo kuThixo nokuba nolwalamano olukhethekileyo naye kwakungazange kuwaqinisekise ukuba ayeya kusinda. Kunjengokuba isiprofeto sabonisa oku: “Besithembe uxolo, akwabakho nto ilungileyo: besithembe ixesha lokuphiliswa, nanko ikukudandatheka. Ukuvuna kudlule, ihlobo liphelile, thina ke asikasindiswa.” (Yeremiya 8:15, 20) Ngoku kwakulixesha lokuba uYuda aziphendulele. Kodwa umprofeti ongenaloyiko uYeremiya wayekhuselwe ngalo lonke ixesha lokufeza uthumo lwakhe yaye wavunyelwa ukuba asigqibe isabelo sakhe. Wachithela iintsuku zakhe zokugqibela ekuthinjweni, kungekho eBhabhiloni kunye nohlanga olwaluhlazisiwe, kodwa eseYiputa. Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwama-65, wayeyivakalise ngokungenaloyiko nangokuthembekileyo imigwebo kaThixo.
21. Yiyiphi eminye imibuzo esichaphazelayo?
21 Kodwa ngoku sinomdla ekwazini indlela obusebenza ngayo ubomi nobulungiseleli bukaYeremiya kumaxesha ethu. Ngoobani ababeya kufana ncam noYeremiya kule nkulungwane yama-20? Yaye ngoobani ababeya kufana namaYuda neYerusalem? Yaye yintoni efanekisela isisongelo esivela ngasentla? Kumanqaku ethu alandelayo kuya kuhlolisiswa loo mibuzo.
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ UYeremiya wasabela njani kuthumo lwakhe, yaye yathini impendulo kaYehova?
◻ Kutheni le nto sinomdla kwiziganeko zomhla kaYeremiya?
◻ Yiyiphi imeko yonqulo eyagxekwa nguYeremiya, yaye amaYuda ayekholose ngantoni?
◻ Waba yintoni umphumo wokugqibela kwiYerusalem nakuYuda?
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 12]
UYeremiya wayivakalisa ngokungenaloyiko imigwebo kaThixo kwiinkokeli zamaYuda nakubantu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
Abafazi babesenzela “ukumkanikazi wezulu” izonkana