“Ngifaké Amazwi Ami Emlonyeni Wakho”

1, 2. Kungani ukwethemba okufunda eBhayibhelini?

“KUKHONA umngane onamathela ngaphezu komfowenu.” (IzAga 18:24) Ingabe wake wakubona ukuba yiqiniso kwalawo mazwi aphefumulelwe? Uyakwethemba okushiwo umngane weqiniso. Uma ekutshela okuhle noma ekuchazela azokwenza, uyamkholwa. Uma ekubonisa okudingeka ukulungise, cishe uyamlalela, ukulungise. Sekuyisikhathi eside ebonisa ukuthi ukufunela okuhle, ngisho nalapho ekweluleka. Ufuna uphumelele, futhi nawe umfunela okuhle ukuze ubungane benu bungapheli.

² Abantu abasetshenziswa uNkulunkulu ukuba babhale izincwadi zeBhayibheli nabo bangaba abangane abanjalo. Ungakukholwa abakushoyo. Uyaqiniseka ukuthi kuzokusiza. Ama-Israyeli asendulo kwakufanele azizwe kanjalo ‘ngabantu abakhuluma okuvela kuNkulunkulu beqhutshwa umoya ongcwele.’ (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Umuntu owasetshenziswa uNkulunkulu ukuba alobe incwadi yesiprofetho enkulu kunazo zonke kwakunguJeremiya, owaloba nencwadi yesiLilo nezinye izincwadi ezimbili zeBhayibheli.

3, 4. Abanye abantu bayibheka kanjani incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo, kodwa kungani kuwumbono oyiphutha lowo? Bonisa.

³ Nokho, kungenzeka uphawulile ukuthi abanye abafundi beBhayibheli babheka izincwadi zikaJeremiya ‘njengezingabathinti.’ Bangase bacabange ukuthi incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo inezixwayiso ezimbi nezibikezelo eziqeda amandla kuphela.a Kodwa ingabe umbono oyiwonawona lowo?

⁴ Yiqiniso, okwalotshwa uJeremiya kunezeluleko ezingagunci, kodwa nawe uyazi ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi nomngane ukweluleka ngendlela engagunci. Ngisho noJesu akazange athule lapho abangane bakhe, abaphostoli, bebonisa isimo esingafanele; wabakhuza ngokungagwegwesi. (Marku 9:33-37) Noma kunjalo, isigijimi esiyinhloko sikaJesu sasikhuthaza, sibonisa indlela yokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu neyokuthola ikusasa elijabulisayo. (Math. 5:3-10, 43-45) Kunjalo nangemibhalo kaJeremiya, eyingxenye yayo “yonke imiBhalo” enenzuzo “yokuqondisa izinto.” (2 Thim. 3:16) UJeremiya wawuveza ngokucacile umbono kaNkulunkulu ngalabo ababezisholo ukuthi bakhonza uJehova kodwa befanelwe ukuvuna imiphumela yezindlela zabo ezimbi. Noma kunjalo, incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo inanesigijimi sethemba futhi ibonisa indlela esingaba ngayo nekusasa elibusisekile. UJeremiya waloba neziprofetho ezazichaza izinto uNkulunkulu ayezozenza, futhi namuhla sihileleke ngokuqondile ekugcwalisekeni kwazo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kulezo zincwadi ezimbili uzothola amazwi akhayo nakhuthazayo.—Funda uJeremiya 31:13, 33; 33:10, 11; IsiLilo 3:22, 23.

5. Singazuza kanjani kokwalotshwa uJeremiya?

⁵ Injabulo esinayo manje phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namathemba ethu ngekusasa konke kuhlobene nezinto ezalotshwa uJeremiya. Isibonelo salokhu ubuzalwane bethu obunobunye. Izinto aziloba zizosisiza siqinise lobo buzalwane futhi senze njengoba umphostoli uPawulu eseluleka: “Bazalwane, qhubekani nijabula, nilungiswa, niduduzwa, nicabanga ngokuvumelana, niphila ngokuthula; khona-ke uNkulunkulu wothando nokuthula uyoba nani.” (2 Kor. 13:11) Okwalotshwa uJeremiya kuhlobene ngokuqondile nanesigijimi esisishumayelayo. Nakuba sitshela abanye ngezinsuku zokugcina futhi sixwayisa ngokusondela kokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto, isigijimi sethu siyisikhuthazo, sinikeza isisekelo sethemba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, okwalotshwa uJeremiya kuwusizo kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu. Ukuphila kwakhe nesigijimi sakhe kufana ngezindlela eziningi nokwethu. Ukuze ukubone lokho, cabanga ngesizinda nesabelo salo mprofethi oyisibonelo uNkulunkulu athi kuye: “Bheka ngifaké amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.”—Jer. 1:9.

6, 7. Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayenesithakazelo kuJeremiya, futhi isimo sasinjani lapho ezalwa?

⁶ Indoda nomkayo abalindele ukuzalwa kwengane bacabanga kakhulu ngayo. Kazi izoba njani futhi izokwenzani ngokuphila kwayo—izothandani, yenze msebenzi muni futhi ifezeni? Kungenzeka nabazali bakho bacabanga ngalezo zinto. Kumelwe ukuba kwaba njalo nakubazali bakaJeremiya. Kodwa yena wayehlukile. Ngani? UMdali wendawo yonke wayenesithakazelo ngokukhethekile ekuphileni kukaJeremiya nasezintweni ayeyozenza.—Funda uJeremiya 1:5.

⁷ Ngaphambi kokuba uJeremiya azalwe, uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ikhono lakhe lokwazi kusengaphambili. Waba nesithakazelo esikhethekile kumfana owayeyozalelwa emndenini wabapristi owawuhlala enyakatho yeJerusalema. Kwakuphakathi nekhulu lesi-7 B.C.E., okwakuyisikhathi esingajabulisi kwaJuda ngenxa yokubusa okubi kweNkosi uManase. (Bheka ikhasi 19.) Iminyaka eminingi eminyakeni engu-55 eyayibusa, yenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, indodana yayo u-Amoni nayo yenza okufanayo. (2 AmaKh. 21:1-9, 19-26) Inkosi yaseJudiya eyalandela yenza ushintsho olukhulu. Yebo, iNkosi uJosiya yamfuna uJehova. Ngonyaka we-18 wokubusa kwakhe, wayeselihlanzile izwe ekukhulekeleni izithombe. Kumelwe ukuba kwabajabulisa lokho abazali bakaJeremiya; kwakuphakathi nokubusa kukaJosiya lapho uNkulunkulu athuma khona indodana yabo.—2 IziKr. 34:3-8.

UNKULUNKULU UZIKHETHELA UMKHULUMELI

8. UJeremiya wathunywa ukuba abe yini, futhi wasabela kanjani?

⁸ Asazi ukuthi uJeremiya wayeneminyaka emingaki lapho uNkulunkulu emtshela: “Ngakwenza waba ngumprofethi ezizweni.” Kungenzeka wayesecela eminyakeni engu-25 ubudala, iminyaka umpristi ayengaqala ngayo isigaba sokuqala senkonzo yakhe. (Num. 8:24) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayengakanani, uJeremiya waphendula: “Maye, Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova! Bheka empeleni angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngoba ngisewumfana nje.” (Jer. 1:6) Wayemathintanyawo, mhlawumbe ecabanga ukuthi usemncane kakhulu noma akakawufanelekeli lowo mthwalo wemfanelo ongathí sina nokukhuluma phambi koquqaba lwabantu njengoba kwakwenza abaprofethi.

9, 10. UJeremiya wayiqala ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo inkonzo yakhe, kodwa yini eyenza isabelo sakhe saba nzima ngokuhamba kwesikhathi?

⁹ UJeremiya wathunywa ngesikhathi iNkosi uJosiya iqeda ukukhulekela kwamanga okuyisinengiso futhi ikhuthaza ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uJeremiya noJosiya babesebenzelana kangakanani, kusobala ukuthi isimo sasikahle ngomprofethi weqiniso ukuba aqale ukuprofetha. UZefaniya noNahume nabo bakhonza kwaJuda ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaJosiya.b Umprofethikazi uHulida naye waprofetha ngalesi sikhathi, kodwa yena wabikezela izikhathi ezimbi ezaziseza. Futhi uJeremiya wakubona ukugcwaliseka kwazo. (2 AmaKh. 22:14) Empeleni, ngezinye izikhathi abangane abanjengo-Ebhedi-meleki noBharuki kwadingeka bamophule esimweni esasizombulala nakanjani noma bamvikele ezitheni ezazifuna ukuziphindiselela.

¹⁰ Ungazizwa kanjani uma uNkulunkulu engathi ukuthuma ngokukhethekile ukuba ube umprofethi umemezele isigijimi esiqatha? (Funda uJeremiya 1:10.) Cabanga ngesibonelo esisodwa nje salokho uJeremiya okwakumelwe akumemezele. Ngo-609 B.C.E., amabutho aseBhabhiloni ayebhekise amabombo eJerusalema. INkosi uZedekiya yathi uJeremiya akayicelele kuNkulunkulu amazwi azoyiqinisa. Kodwa akukho okuhle uNkulunkulu ayeyiphathele kona.—Funda uJeremiya 21:4-7, 10.

UMUNTU ONJENGATHI

11. Yini eyayingenza uJeremiya akuthole kunzima ukufeza isabelo sakhe, kodwa yini eyamqinisa?

¹¹ Cabanga ukube bekudingeka simemezele izigijimi ezihlabayo nezahlulelo ezilahla amakhosi, abapristi abakhohlakele nabaprofethi bamanga. UJeremiya kwadingeka akwenze lokho. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyasisekela njengoba amsekela noJeremiya. (Jer. 1:7-9) UNkulunkulu wayemethemba uJeremiya osemusha futhi wamqinisa idolo ngala mazwi: “Ngikwenzé namuhla waba ngumuzi onezivikelo eziqinile nensika yensimbi nezindonga zethusi ngokumelene nalo lonke leli zwe, emakhosini akwaJuda, ezikhulwini zalo, kubapristi balo nakubantu bezwe. Ngokuqinisekile bazolwa nawe, kodwa ngeke bakunqobe, ngoba ‘mina nginawe,’ kusho uJehova, ‘ukuba ngikukhulule.’”—Jer. 1:18, 19.

12. Yiziphi ezinye zezizathu ezingasenza simqonde uJeremiya?

¹² Akufanele sicabange ukuthi uJeremiya wayeyisimangaliso somuntu. Wayengumuntu njengathi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi nakuba aphila kwenye inkathi, wabhekana nezimo ezifana nezethu. Sihlangana nezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zabantu ekuphileni kwansuku zonke nasebandleni, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoJeremiya. Konke lokhu kubonisa ukuthi singafunda kuJeremiya, ‘owayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu,’ njengomprofethi u-Eliya. (Jak. 5:17) Cabanga ngezinye zezibonelo zalokho esingakufunda kuJeremiya.

13, 14. Kungani amanye amaKristu engase akuqonde okwehlela uJeremiya ngenxa kaPhashuri, njengoba kuboniswe ekhasini 10?

¹³ Awukaze yini ube nezikhathi ezinzima nezimnandi? UJeremiya naye waba nazo. Ngesinye isikhathi uPhashuri, umpristi odumile, washaya uJeremiya wamfaka esitokisini. Wahlala isikhathi eside ohlakeni lwamapulangwe, okungenzeka lwalumbambe izinyawo, izandla nentamo, lumhlalise kabuhlungu. Ngaphezu kwalobo buhlungu, kumelwe ukuba wakhuthazelela nokugconwa abaphikisi. Ucabanga ukuthi ungakwazi ukubekezelela ukugconwa, uze uhlukunyezwe nokuhlukunyezwa?—Jer. 20:1-4.

¹⁴ Ekulesi simo uJeremiya, akumangazi ukuthi wathi: “Maluqalekiswe usuku engazalwa ngalo! . . . Kungani ngiphumile esibelethweni ukuze ngibone umsebenzi onzima nosizi nokuba izinsuku zami ziphele ngehlazo lodwa?” (Jer. 20:14-18) Ngokusobala wayazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuphelelwa ithemba. Ingabe wena wake wadangala waze wazizwa ungento yalutho, wangabaza izinto ozenzayo noma wangabe usazi nokuthi uphilelani? Bonke abake bazizwa ngaleyo ndlela bangazuza ngokukuqonda kangcono okwehlela uJeremiya nokuthi izinto zamhambela kanjani.

15. Kungani singazuza ngokunaka indlela imizwa kaJeremiya eyashintsha ngayo?

¹⁵ Amazwi okuphelelwa ithemba esiwafunda kuJeremiya 20:14-18 angemva nje kokuba umprofethi ekhulume ngokuhubela uJehova nokumdumisa. (Funda uJeremiya 20:12, 13.) Wake wayizwa imizwelo yakho ishintsha ngokushesha ngezinye izikhathi? Ubuweneme bese uvele udumala. Cishe sonke singazuza ngokuhlaziya okwenzeka kuJeremiya. Kuyacaca ukuthi wayenemizwa evamile njengeyethu. Ngakho singazuza kakhulu ngokuhlola akwenza nendlela asabela ngayo lapho esetshenziswa uMdali ngendlela enamandla njengomkhulumeli wakhe.—2 IziKr. 36:12, 21, 22; Ezra 1:1.

16. Ukungashadi kukaJeremiya kungasiza obani?

¹⁶ Esinye isizathu esenza abanye bamqonde uJeremiya ukuthi wayengashadile. UNkulunkulu wanikeza uJeremiya umyalo ongajwayelekile nowawungaba inselele: Ungashadi. (Funda uJeremiya 16:2.) Kungani uJehova atshela uJeremiya ukuba angashadi, futhi lokho kwamthinta kanjani? Yini ekule ndaba engase ibe usizo kubafowethu nodade abangashadile, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bazikhethele noma ngenxa yezimo? Kula mazwi uNkulunkulu awasho kuJeremiya, kukhona yini abangazindla ngakho oFakazi abashadile? Kuthiwani ngabashadile kodwa abangenawo “amadodana namadodakazi”? Le ndaba kaJeremiya inganisiza kanjani?

17. Amazwi omprofethi akuJeremiya 38:20 angasenza sicabange ngani?

¹⁷ Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ngesinye isikhathi uJeremiya wanxusa inkosi eyayibusa eJudiya: “Siza, ulalele izwi likaJehova kulokhu engikukhuluma kuwe, kuzokuhambela kahle, futhi umphefumulo wakho uzoqhubeka uphila.” (Jer. 38:20) Le ndaba isinika isiqondiso esihle kakhulu sendlela okufanele sisebenzelane ngayo nabanye. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukusebenzelana nabantu abangakahambi ngezindlela zikaJehova kodwa esingase sikwazi ukubasiza. Indlela uJeremiya ayephatha ngayo nalabo ababelalela uNkulunkulu iyisibonelo esihle kithi namuhla. Yebo, kuningi esingakufunda kuJeremiya.

YINI OKUMELWE UYILINDELE KULE NCWADI?

18, 19. Yiziphi ezinye izindlela incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo ezingafundwa ngazo?

¹⁸ Le ncwadi izokusiza uhlole incwadi yeBhayibheli kaJeremiya neyesiLilo futhi ufunde kuzo. Kanjani? Ephefumulelwe, umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni.” (2 Thim. 3:16) Leyo miBhalo ihlanganisa nezincwadi ezimbili esisanda kuziphawula.

¹⁹ Yiqiniso, incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo ingafundwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezizuzisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye angafunda ivesi nevesi lazo, efuna ukuthola isizinda noma umqondo wevesi ngalinye. Noma omunye angagxila ekuqhathaniseni—abheke ukufana phakathi kwabantu nezenzakalo ezichazwe encwadini kaJeremiya neyesiLilo noma aziqhathanise nesikhathi sethu. (Qhathanisa noJeremiya 24:6, 7; 1 Korinte 3:6.) Enye indlela kungaba ukutadisha umlando nezenzakalo ezikulezi zincwadi ezimbili. (Jer. 39:1-9) Empeleni, ngokwezinga elithile, okunye kwalokho kwaziswa kuyadingeka ukuze sizuze ekuhloleni incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo. Ngenxa yalokho, iSahluko 2, esithi “Ukukhonza ‘Engxenyeni Yokugcina Yezinsuku,’” sizosisiza sibone ukuthi kwakunjani ngesikhathi sikaJeremiya nokuthi uNkulunkulu wangenela kanjani.

20. Incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo zizosisiza ngani?

²⁰ Nokho iphuzu ezogxila kulo le ncwadi lihlukile. Sizofunda lezi zincwadi njengeziyizipho ezivela kuNkulunkulu ezizosisiza siphile njengamaKristu namuhla. (Thithu 2:12) Kuzosikhanyela kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi lezi zincwadi ezimbili ziphethe ukwaziswa okuningi ‘okunenzuzo yokufundisa.’ Zisinika iseluleko esisebenzayo nezibonelo ezingasenza sikwazi ukubhekana nezingqinamba zokuphila futhi sizihlomele. Singasizakala kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sishadile, asishadile, singabadala, singamaphayona, sondla imikhaya, singamakhosikazi emizi noma sisafunda esikoleni. Ngamunye wethu uzothola usizo lwaphezulu kulezi zincwadi ezimbili eziphefumulelwe oluzomenza “ayihlomele . . . yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thim. 3:17.

21. Kungani ubheke phambili ekufundeni le ncwadi?

²¹ Njengoba ufunda isahluko ngasinye kule ncwadi, funa amaphuzu ongawasebenzisa. Asingabazi ukuthi incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo zizogcizelela okwalotshwa uPawulu: “Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.”—Roma 15:4.