Hlobo Luni Lwabantu Oluyoba Abangane Bakho?

1, 2. (a) Yiziphi izinselele amaKristu abhekana nazo endabeni yabangane? (b) Kungani kufanele sibe nesithakazelo endleleni uJeremiya akhetha ngayo abangane?

UNGENZENJANI uma abantu osebenza nabo, omakhelwane noma ofunda nabo bekumemela edilini likaKhisimusi? Kuthiwani uma umqashi wakho ekucela ukuba uqambe amanga noma uphule umthetho? Noma ungenzani uma izikhulu zikahulumeni zithi yenza into ehlangene nezombusazwe? Unembeza wakho ungase ukwenqabele ukuba wenze lezi zinto, ngisho noma ukwenqaba kungakwenza ugconwe noma uphathwe kabi.

² Njengoba sizobona, uJeremiya wayevame ukubhekana nezinselele ezifanayo. Ngokuqinisekile ungazuza ngokucabanga ngabanye abantu uJeremiya ayesebenzelana nabo phakathi neminyaka aprofetha ngayo. Abanye bazama ukumdikibalisa ekufezeni isabelo sakhe. UJeremiya kwadingeka asebenzelane nabo eduze kodwa babengebona neze abangane bakhe. Nokho, ungazuza ngokwazi abantu ababa abangane bakaJeremiya, ababemsekela bemkhuthaza ukuba ahlale ethembekile. Yebo, singafunda endleleni uJeremiya akhetha ngayo abangane.

OBANI OWAKHA NABO UBUNGANE?

3. Yini uZedekiya ayeyifuna kuJeremiya, futhi uJeremiya wasabela kanjani?

³ INkosi uZedekiya yaya kaningi kuJeremiya ngaphambi kokuba iJerusalema libhujiswe. Ngani? Le nkosi yayinethemba lokuthola izimpendulo ezizoyiqinisa idolo lapho ibuza ngekusasa lombuso wayo. Yayifuna ukuba uJeremiya athi uNkulunkulu uzomsindisa uJuda ezitheni zakhe. UZedekiya wanxusa uJeremiya ngezithunywa zakhe: “Siza usibuzele kuJehova, ngoba uNebukhadirezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ulwa nathi. Mhlawumbe uJehova uzokwenza ngathi ngokuvumelana nayo yonke imisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo, bese [uNebukhadirezari] ehoxa kithi.” (Jer. 21:2) Le nkosi yayingafuni ukulalela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuba icele umaluju eBhabhiloni. Esinye isazi safanisa uZedekiya “nesiguli esilokhu siphindela kudokotela ukuze asithembise ukuthi sizoba ngcono sibe singazimisele ukuphuza imithi esiyinikeziwe.” Kuthiwani ngoJeremiya? Wayengazenza athandeke kuZedekiya ngokumtshela lokho ayefuna ukukuzwa. Kungani-ke uJeremiya engazange amane ashintshe isigijimi sakhe ukuze kumhambele kahle? Kungoba uJehova wayemtshele ukuba amemezele ukuthi iJerusalema lizobhujiswa.—Funda uJeremiya 32:1-5.

4. Yiziphi izinqumo okudingeka sizenze mayelana nokukhetha abangane, njengasemsebenzini?

⁴ Isimo sakho siyafana nesikaJeremiya ngezindlela ezithile. Akungabazeki ukuthi bakhona omakhelwane, osebenza nabo noma ofunda nabo ojwayelene nabo ngomqondo othile. Kodwa ungabenza yini abangane bakho ngisho noma sebebonisile ukuthi abafuni ukuzwa noma ukulandela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu? UJeremiya wayengenakumgwema ngokuphelele uZedekiya; wayeyinkosi, nakuba ayenqaba ukulalela iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu. Nokho uJeremiya wayengabophekile ukuba amukele ukucabanga kwenkosi okuyiphutha noma ukuba azincengele kuyo. Yiqiniso, ukube uJeremiya wenza lokho okwakufiswa inkosi, yayiyomgidlabeza ngezipho, athole nezinye izinzuzo. Noma kunjalo, uJeremiya wenqaba ukucindezelwa noma ukulingelwa ukuba asondelane noZedekiya. Ngani? Ngoba uJeremiya wayengeke ayilahle inkambo uJehova ayemyale ukuba ayithathe. Isibonelo sikaJeremiya kufanele sisishukumise ukuba sizihlole ukuthi abangane esibakhethayo bayasikhuthaza yini ukuba sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu. Ngeke ubagweme ngokuphelele abantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu—emsebenzini, esikoleni noma omakhelwane. (1 Kor. 5:9, 10) Noma kunjalo, uyaqaphela ukuthi uma ubenza babe abangane bakho, ungase ulahlekelwe ubuhlobo bakho noNkulunkulu.

INGABE UNOBUHLOBO NALABO ABANGAMKHONZI UJEHOVA?

5, 6. Yini abanye abayenza ukuze bazame ukuthulisa uJeremiya?

⁵ Akuyena uZedekiya kuphela owazama ukudikibalisa uJeremiya. Umpristi okuthiwa uPhashuri ‘wamshaya,’ mhlawumbe imivimbo engu-39. (Jer. 20:2; Dut. 25:3) Ezinye izikhulu zakwaJuda nazo zamshaya zamfaka “etilongweni.” Lo mprofethi wafakwa emgodini omnyama oyijele ngaphansi kwezimo ezimbi kakhulu kangangokuthi emva kwezinsuku eziningi wesaba ukuthi uzofela khona. (Funda uJeremiya 37:3, 15, 16.) Ngemva kwalokho, uJeremiya wakhululwa isikhashana, ezinye izikhulu zancenga uZedekiya ukuba ambulale. Zazibona sengathi uJeremiya uwathena amandla amabutho akwaJuda. Yilokho okwaholela ekutheni lo mprofethi aphonswe emgodini onodaka ukuze abishe. (Jer. 38:1-4) Ufundile ukuthi uJeremiya wasinda kuleso senzakalo. Nokho, lezi zigameko zibonisa indlela labo baphikisi okwakufanele ngabe balalela abenqaba ngayo isigijimi somprofethi kaNkulunkulu; bamjikela.

⁶ Akuzona iziphathimandla kuphela ezaziyizitha zikaJeremiya. Kwesinye isenzakalo, amadoda athile asemzini wakubo kaJeremiya e-Anathoti—cishe omakhelwane bakubo—athi azombulala uma engayeki ukuprofetha. (Jer. 11:21) Awakuthandanga lokho ayekusho ngakho amsongela. Nokho uJeremiya wakhetha ukuba umngane kaJehova kunomakhelwane. Abanye babefuna ukumbamba ngezandla. Lapho uJeremiya esebenzisa ijoka ukuze ancenge amaJuda ukuba angene ngaphansi kwejoka lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni futhi aqhubeke ephila, uHananiya walisusa ijoka entanyeni kaJeremiya waliphula. Ngokwalowo mprofethi wamanga, uJehova wayethé: “Ngiyoliphula ijoka lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.” UHananiya wafa ngawo lowo nyaka, futhi kuyacaca ukuthi yimuphi umprofethi owayeqinisile. (Jer. 28:1-11, 17) Ngemva kokuba iJerusalema libhujisiwe njengoba uJeremiya ayebikezele, uJohanani nezinye izinduna zempi benqaba ukulalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokuba bahlale ezweni lakwaJuda. Bathi kuJeremiya: “Ukhuluma amanga. UNkulunkulu wethu akakuthumanga, ethi, ‘Ningangeni eGibhithe ukuba nigogobale khona.’” Bamdelela nakakhulu uJehova ngokuthatha ngenkani uJeremiya noBharuki baya nabo eGibhithe.—Jer. 42:1–43:7.

7. Iyiphi inselele obhekana nayo ehilela ukuthembeka kuJehova?

⁷ UJeremiya wayezungezwe abantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu iminyaka eminingi. Cabanga ngokuphila kwakhe. Kalula nje, wayengashiya phansi azakhele ubuhlobo nabantu abadelela uNkulunkulu noma iZwi laKhe. Babegcwele yonke indawo. Kuthiwani ngawe? Cishe usuke wasebenzelana nabantu abafana nalabo ababephila noJeremiya. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlasela wena noNkulunkulu wakho noma babonakala bengabantu abahle, ingabe uzobakhetha ukuba babe abangane bakho? Kungaba ukuhlakanipha yini ukuzilibazisa nabantu abangazithathi ngokungathí sina iziprofetho zikaNkulunkulu? Ukube uJeremiya wayesesimweni okuso, wayengabakhetha yini abantu abaphila ngendlela engqubuzana neqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu noma abathembele kubantu ukuba babe abangane bakhe? (2 IziKr. 19:2) UNkulunkulu wakwenza kwamkhanyela uJeremiya ukuthi uyini umphumela wokuthembela kubantu kunokuthembela kuYe. (Funda uJeremiya 17:5, 6.) Uzizwa kanjani ngalokho?

8. Yisho izinselele amaKristu angase abhekane nazo endaweni yakini.

⁸ Amanye amaKristu aba nomuzwa wokuthi angathuthukisa ibhizinisi noma umsebenzi wawo ngokukhetha ukungcebeleka nabathengi abangabantu bezwe. Nokho, ingabe ukuphishekela inkambo enjalo kungachaya lawo maKristu kubantu abakhohlakele nasezingozini ezinjengenkulumo engcolile nokuphuza kakhulu? Ungaqonda ukuthi kungani amaKristu amaningi abhekana nezinqumo ezinjalo aye akhetha ukugwema ukuzihlanganisa nababi ngisho noma lokho kuzowalahlekisela ngenzuzo noma ngezikhundla zezwe ezithile. Ngokufanayo, umqashi noma osebenza nabo bangase banganqikazi ukuphamba abathengi. Noma kunjalo, amaKristu eqiniso awathonywa yilabo abawazungezile. Ngezinye izikhathi, ukwenza izinqumo ezindabeni ezinjalo kungase kube nzima. Kufanele sibonge ngezibonelo ezinjengoJeremiya, owabambelela enkambweni eyamnika unembeza omuhle, futhi okuhle nakakhulu, waba nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu.

9. Iyiphi ingozi ekhona ngokufuna ukuthandwa?

⁹ Isabelo sikaJeremiya nalokho ayekukholelwa kwenza ukuba amanye amaJuda amgcone. (Jer. 18:18) Noma kunjalo, wayezimisele ukuhlala ehlukile komakhelwane ababelandela ‘indlela ethandwayo.’ (Jer. 8:5, 6) UJeremiya wayezimisele ngisho nokuba yedwa ngezinye izikhathi, ‘ahlale yedwa.’ Wayekubona kungcono lokho kunokuba nabantu ababi, abangane ababezomthonyela kokubi. (Funda uJeremiya 9:4, 5; 15:17.) Wena? Namuhla, njengasosukwini lukaJeremiya, inkambo ethandwayo eyokungathembeki kuNkulunkulu. Kusukela kudala izinceku zikaJehova bekudingeka ziqaphe uma zikhetha abangane. Lokhu akusho ukuthi uJeremiya wayengenabangane. Abanye abantu babemvikela futhi bemsekela. Babengobani? Kungakusiza kakhulu ukubazi.

HLOBO LUNI LWABANTU ABABA ABANGANE BAKAJEREMIYA?

10, 11. (a) Yiziphi izimiso uJeremiya azisebenzisa lapho ekhetha abangane? (b) Kwakungobani abangane bakaJeremiya, futhi yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngabo?

¹⁰ UJeremiya wabakha nobani ubungane? Eqondiswa uJehova, wabalahla ngokuphindaphindiwe ababi, abanenkohliso, abangenabulungisa, abanobudlova, abangenazwela nabaziphethe kabi—labo abashiya ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile bakhonza izithombe, befeba ngokomoya. Wanxusa amaJuda akubo: “Sizani nibuye yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi, nenze izindlela zenu nezenzo zenu zibe zinhle.” (Jer. 18:11) Ngisho nangemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema uJeremiya wababaza ‘izenzo zomusa wothando, isihe nokuthembeka’ kukaNkulunkulu. (IsiL. 3:22-24) UJeremiya wayefuna ukuba abangane bakhe kube izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile kuphela.—Funda uJeremiya 17:7.

¹¹ Kukhona esikwaziyo ngalabo uJeremiya abakhetha baba abangane bakhe. Baningana esiqinisekayo ukuthi babengabangane bakhe—u-Ebhedi-meleki, uBharuki, uSeraya namadodana kaShafani. Singazibuza: ‘Babengabantu abanjani? Hlobo luni lobungane ababenalo noJeremiya? Babengabangane bakhe abahle ngamuphi umqondo? Futhi bamsiza kanjani uJeremiya ukuba agcine ubuqotho bakhe?’ Ake sibone, siphawule nokuthi thina sithinteka kanjani.

12. (a) Yini uJeremiya noBharuki, ababoniswe ekhasini 58, ababefana ngayo? (b) Wayengubani uSeraya, futhi yini esiyaziyo ngaye?

¹² Kubonakala sengathi umngane omkhulu walo mprofethi kwakunguBharuki, indodana kaNeriya. UJeremiya wayemethemba futhi wamphathisa imisebenzi yokuloba izimemezelo zikaJehova ayembizela zona bese ezifunda, phambi kweningi kuqala nasezikhulwini zakwaJuda. (Jer. 36:4-8, 14, 15) NjengoJeremiya, uBharuki wayenokholo futhi eqiniseka ngokuthi lokho uNkulunkulu ayekubikezele kwakuzokwenzeka. Bobabili babhekana nezimo ezifanayo phakathi neminyaka engu-18 yezinxushunxushu zakwaJuda. Bachitha isikhathi esiningi besebenza ndawonye esabelweni esingokomoya. Bobabili bahlangabezana nezinkinga futhi kwadingeka bacashele izitha. Futhi bobabili bakhuthazwa uJehova. Kubonakala sengathi uBharuki wayevela emkhayeni odumile wababhali kwaJuda. ImiBhalo imbiza ngokuthi “unobhala” futhi umfowabo uSeraya wayeyinduna evelele embusweni. NjengoBharuki, kamuva uSeraya wasebenza noJeremiya ekumemezeleni izigijimi zikaJehova ezingokwesiprofetho. (Jer. 36:32; 51:59-64) Ukuzimisela kwalawa madodana amabili kaNeriya ukusebenzelana noJeremiya ngalezo zikhathi ezibucayi kumelwe ukuba kwamqinisa futhi kwamkhuthaza lo mprofethi. Nawe ungathola amandla nesikhuthazo kulabo osebenza nabo ngokwethembeka enkonzweni kaJehova.

13. Njengoba kuboniswe ekhasini 63, u-Ebhedi-meleki waba kanjani umngane kaJeremiya oqotho?

¹³ U-Ebhedi-meleki wayengumngane omkhulu kaJeremiya. Ngesikhathi izikhulu ezazithukuthele zigane unwabu ziphonsela uJeremiya emgodini onodaka ukuze afele khona, indoda eyaqunga isibindi ukuze imsindise kwangu-Ebhedi-meleki, umTopiya. Wayeyisikhulu endlini yenkosi. Waya kuZedekiya owayehleli eSangweni LakwaBhenjamini phambi kwabo bonke abantu. Ngesibindi wacela imvume kuZedekiya yokukhipha uJeremiya emgodini. Wahamba namadoda angu-30, okusikisela ukuthi kungenzeka wayelindele ukuba izitha zikaJeremiya zimhlasele. (Jer. 38:7-13) Asazi ukuthi u-Ebhedi-meleki wayesebenzelana kangakanani noJeremiya. Ngenxa yobungane ababenabo noJehova, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi babengabangane abakhulu. U-Ebhedi-meleki wayazi ukuthi uJeremiya wayengumprofethi kaJehova. Wathi izenzo zezikhulu ‘zimbi’ futhi wayezimisele ukulahlekelwa isikhundla sakhe ukuze enze okulungile. Yebo u-Ebhedi-meleki wayengumuntu oqotho. Wayeqotho kangangokuthi uJehova wamqinisekisa: “Ngiyokukhulula [ngosuku lwenhlekelele yeJerusalema] . . . ngoba uthembele kimi.” (Funda uJeremiya 39:15-18.) Yeka ukunconywa! Akulona yini uhlobo lomngane olufunayo lolu?

14. Yini esiyaziyo ngomkhaya kaShafani nokusebenzelana kwawo noJeremiya?

¹⁴ Abanye ababengabangane bakaJeremiya kwakungamadodana amathathu kaShafani nomzukulu wakhe. Babengamadodana ezikhulu futhi uShafani wayeke waba unobhala weNkosi uJosiya. Lapho izitha zikaJeremiya zifuna ukumbulala okokuqala, “yisandla sika-Ahikamu indodana kaShafani esasinoJeremiya, ukuze anganikelwa esandleni sabantu.” (Jer. 26:24) Umfowabo ka-Ahikamu kwakunguGemariya. Ngesikhathi uBharuki efunda izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu phambi kweningi, indodana kaGemariya uMikhaya yamuzwa, yatshela uyise nezinye izikhulu. Bekhathazeke ngokuthi uJehoyakimi uzosabela kanjani, batshela uJeremiya noBharuki ukuba bacashe. Kwathi lapho inkosi yenqaba isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu, uGemariya wayephakathi kwalabo abayincenga ukuba ingawushisi umqulu. (Jer. 36:9-25) UJeremiya waphathisa enye yamadodana kaShafani, u-Elasa, incwadi yomthetho eyayibhalelwe amaJuda ayedingiselwe eBhabhiloni. (Jer. 29:1-3) Womathathu amadodana kaShafani nomzukulu wakhe oyedwa amsekela umprofethi kaNkulunkulu. Cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba uJeremiya wayewazisa ngayo lawo madoda! Babengabangane, kodwa hhayi ngenxa yokuthi babethanda uhlobo olufanayo lokudla noma iziphuzo noma ngenxa yokuthi babethanda ukuzijabulisa noma ukuzilibazisa ngendlela efanayo. Ubungane babo babusekelwe kokungaphezu kwalokho.

KHETHA ABANGANE NGOKUHLAKANIPHA

15. UJeremiya wabeka siphi isibonelo esihle ekukhetheni abangane?

¹⁵ Ungafunda endleleni uJeremiya asebenzelana ngayo nabantu ayephila nabo, ababi nabahle. Inkosi, izikhulu eziningi, abaprofethi bamanga nezinduna zempi zamcindezela ukuba ashintshe isigijimi sakhe. Nokho, uJeremiya akazange ayekethise. Ukuzimisela kwakhe kwambangela amazinyo abushelelezi, kodwa wayengafuni ukwakha ubungane nabo. Umngane wakhe omkhulu kwakulokhu kunguJehova. Uma kwakudingeka abhekane nonya ngenxa yokwethembeka kwakhe kuNkulunkulu, wayezimisele ukubhekana nalo. (Funda isiLilo 3:52-59.) Nokho, njengoba sibonile, uJeremiya wayengeyedwa ekuzimiseleni ukukhonza uJehova.

16, 17. (a) Yiluphi usizo inceku kaJehova engaluthola kumngane oqotho? (b) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uhlalaphi, ungabatholaphi abangane abahle kakhulu?

¹⁶ Okwenza u-Ebhedi-meleki waba umngane omuhle kwakuwukholo nokwethembela kwakhe kuJehova. Wayenesibindi sokuthatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu, asindise uJeremiya. Ngokuzithandela, uBharuki wachitha isikhathi esiningi enoJeremiya futhi wamsiza ekumemezeleni izigijimi zikaJehova. Namuhla, abangane abaqotho ebandleni lobuKristu bangaba igugu njengalawa madoda. UCameron, iphayona elivamile elineminyaka engu-20, uyalazisa ithonya elihle uKara, naye oyiphayona, aba nalo kuye. Uthi, “uKara wangikhuthaza ngamazwi nangesibonelo ukuba ngibeke uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwami.” Lab’ odade babehlala ezindaweni eziqhelelene kodwa uKara wayehlale eshaya ucingo noma abhalele uCameron izincwadi ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi umngane wakhe usaphila yini nokuba bakhuthazane. “Wayezazi kahle izimo zomkhaya wakithi,” kukhumbula uCameron. “Wayazi ukuthi kwenzekani kudadewethu nokuthi kwakunzima kangakanani kimi lapho udadewethu ehlubuka eqinisweni. Wangisekela kukho konke lokhu futhi angazi ukuthi ngangiyoba yini ngaphandle kwesikhuthazo nosizo lwakhe. Ube usizo olumangalisayo kimi.”

¹⁷ Ungabathola abangane abaqotho ebandleni lobuKristu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangontanga yakho noma cha. Abafowenu nodadewenu banokholo olufana nolwakho, izindinganiso zakho, uthando lwakho ngoJehova, amathemba onawo futhi mhlawumbe bake babhekana nezilingo obhekene nazo. Ungasebenza nabo enkonzweni yobuKristu. Bangakukhuthaza lapho ubhekene nobunzima, nawe ungabakhuthaza. Bayojabula kanye nawe ngezikhathi ezimnandi ozijabulela enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubungane obunjalo bungahlala phakade.—IzAga 17:17; 18:24; 27:9.

18. Ikufundisani indlela uJeremiya akhetha ngayo abangane?

¹⁸ Isifundo endleleni uJeremiya akhetha ngayo abangane sisobala. Khumbula leli qiniso elingenakuphikwa: Awukwazi ngempela ukuba umngane nabantu abanezinkolelo ezingqubuzana nezimfundiso zeBhayibheli bese uqhubeka ubambelele ezinkolelweni zakho. Ukwenza ngokuvumelana naleli qiniso kubalulekile namuhla njengoba kwakunjalo ngesikhathi sikaJeremiya. Ukuze afeze isabelo sakhe ngokwethembeka futhi athole isibusiso sikaJehova uJeremiya wayezimisele ukuhluka eningini. Ingabe kunjalo nakuwe? UJeremiya wakhetha abangane ababenezinkolelo ezifana nezakhe, abamsekela ekufezeni isabelo sakhe. Yebo wonke amaKristu athembekile namuhla angafunda kuJeremiya ngokukhetha abangane ngokuhlakanipha!—IzAga 13:20; 22:17.