1, 2. (a) Yini okungenzeka ithusa abadingisiwe? (b) Kungani bezomangala? (c) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

EQONDISWA uNkulunkulu, uHezekeli wadlulisela kwababedingiselwe eBhabhiloni iziprofetho eziningi ezenza ngokoqobo. Isiprofetho sokuqala uHezekeli asenza ngokoqobo sasinomyalezo wesahlulelo, kanjalo nesesibili, nesesithathu, kuqhubeke. (Hez. 3:24-26; 4:1-7; 5:1; 12:3-6) Empeleni, zonke iziprofetho azenza ngokoqobo zazidlulisela umyalezo onamandla, ophathelene nokwahlulelwa kwamaJuda.

² Cabanga-ke ukuthi abadingisiwe bathuka kanjani lapho bebona uHezekeli ephinda ema phambi kwabo, eselungela ukwenza ngokoqobo esinye isiprofetho. Kumelwe ukuba bayazibuza: ‘Kazi yimuphi umyalezo oqeda amandla azowuletha kulokhu.’ Kodwa bazomangala. Isiprofetho manje uHezekeli azosenza ngokoqobo sihlukile kwezinye. Asikhulumi ngesahlulelo, kodwa sikhuluma ngesithembiso esinika ithemba. (Hez. 37:23) Yimuphi umyalezo uHezekeli awutshela abadingisiwe? Usho ukuthini? Uzithinta kanjani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla? Ake sithole.

3. (a) Yayimelelani induku ‘engekaJuda’? (b) Kungani ‘induku engeka-Efrayimi’ yayimelela umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi?

³ UJehova wayala uHezekeli ukuba athathe izinduku ezimbili,  kweyodwa abhale ukuthi “ngekaJuda” kwenye abhale ukuthi “ngekaJosefa, induku ka-Efrayimi.” (Funda uHezekeli 37:15, 16.) Zazimelelani lezi zinduku ezimbili? ‘EngekaJuda’ yayimelela umbuso wezizwe ezimbili wakwaJuda noBhenjamini. Amakhosi asohlwini lozalo lukaJuda ayebusa lezo zizwe ezimbili; kanti futhi abapristi babekulowo mbuso ngoba babekhonza ethempelini eliseJerusalema. (2 IziKr. 11:13, 14; 34:30) Ngakho, umbuso wakwaJuda wawunamakhosi ozalo lukaDavide kanye nabapristi abangamaLevi. “Induku ka-Efrayimi” yayimelela umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi. Kungani leyo nduku yayihlotshaniswa no-Efrayimi? Inkosi yokuqala yombuso wezizwe eziyishumi kwakunguJerobowamu, owayengowesizwe sakwa-Efrayimi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Efrayimi waba yisizwe esivelele kwa-Israyeli. (Dut. 33:17; 1 AmaKh. 11:26) Phawula ukuthi umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi wawungahlanganisi amakhosi ozalo lukaDavide noma abapristi abangamaLevi.

4. Lokho uHezekeli abe esekwenza ngezinduku ezimbili kufanekiselani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁴ UHezekeli wayalwa nokuba athathe izinduku ezimbili azenze zisondelane ukuze “zibe yinduku eyodwa.” Njengoba ababethunjiwe babebuka uHezekeli bekhathazekile, bambuza: “Ngeke yini usitshele ukuthi lezi zinto zisho ukuthini?” Wabatshela ukuthi lokhu ayekwenza kwakubonisa lokho uJehova ngokwakhe ayezokwenza. Ngokuphathelene nezinduku ezimbili, uJehova wathi: “Ngizozenza zibe yinduku eyodwa, zizoba yinduku eyodwa esandleni sami.”—Hez. 37:17-19.

5. Ithini incazelo yalokho uHezekeli akwenza ngokoqobo? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukuhlanganiswa  Kwezinduku Ezimbili.”)

⁵ UJehova wabe esechaza ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuhlanganiswa kwezinduku ezimbili. (Funda uHezekeli 37:21, 22.) Abadingisiwe abavela embusweni wakwaJuda wezizwe ezimbili nabadingisiwe abavela embusweni wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi (u-Efrayimi) babeyobuyela ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, lapho babeyofike babe “isizwe esisodwa.”—Jer. 30:1-3; 31:2-9; 33:7.

6. Yiziphi iziprofetho ezivumelanayo ezikuHezekeli isahluko  37?

⁶ Yeka indlela ezivumelana kahle ngayo iziprofetho eziphathelene nokubuyiselwa kwendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ezibhalwe kuHezekeli isahluko 37! UJehova uzoba nguNkulunkulu ongabuyiseli nje ukuphila kuphela (amavesi 1-14) kodwa nobunye (amavesi 15-28). Umyalezo ojabulisayo okulezi ziprofetho ezimbili yilo: Ukufa kungaqedwa kanjalo nokuhlukana.

7. Ukulandisa okutholakala kweyoku-1 IziKronike 9:2, 3 kuqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi “kuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka”?

⁷ Ukukhululwa kwabadingisiwe nokwenziwa kwabo babe nobunye kwakubonakala kungenakwenzeka kubantu. * Nokho, “kuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka.” (Math. 19:26) UJehova wasigcwalisa isiprofetho sakhe. Labo ababethunjelwe eBhabhiloni badedelwa ngo-537 B.C.E., ngemva nje kwalokho, abantu bayo yomibili le mibuso bafika eJerusalema ukuze basize ekubuyiseleni indlela yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso. Umbhalo ophefumulelwe uyakuqinisekisa lokhu. Uthi: “Enye inzalo kaJuda,  kaBhenjamini, ka-Efrayimi, nekaManase yahlala eJerusalema.” (1 IziKr. 9:2, 3; Ezra 6:17) Ngempela, njengoba nje uJehova ayebikezele, abantu bombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi bahlanganiswa, noma benziwa baba munye nabantu bombuso wakwaJuda wezizwe ezimbili.

8. (a) Yini eyaprofethwa u-Isaya? (b) Yiziphi izinto ezimbili ezibalulekile ezikuHezekeli 37:21?

⁸ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-200 ngaphambili, umprofethi u-Isaya wayeprofethile ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka ku-Israyeli nakuJuda ngemva kokuba bekhululiwe ekuthunjweni. Wabikezela ukuthi uJehova wayeyoqoqa “abahlakazekile bakwa-Israyeli” ‘nabahlakazekile bakwaJuda bevela emagumbini amane omhlaba,’ kuhlanganise ‘nase-Asiriya.’ (Isaya 11:12, 13, 16) Ngempela, njengoba uJehova ayebikezele, wawathatha “ama-Israyeli phakathi kwezizwe.” (Hez. 37:21) Phawula lezi zinto ezimbili ezibalulekile: Manje uJehova akasababizi abadingisiwe ngokuthi “uJuda” “no-Efrayimi” kodwa usebabiza ngokuthi “ama-Israyeli”—iqembu elilodwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akushiwongo ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayevela esizweni esisodwa, iBhabhiloni, kodwa ayevela ezizweni eziningi—empeleni, “kuzo zonke izindawo.”

9. UJehova wabasiza kanjani abadingisiwe ababebuyele kwa-Israyeli ukuba babe nobunye?

⁹ Ngemva kokuba abadingisiwe bebuyele kwa-Israyeli, uJehova wabasiza kanjani ukuba babe nobunye? Wanika u-Israyeli abelusi abanobuhlobo obuhle naye, abanjengoZerubhabhele, uMpristi Ophakeme uJoshuwa, u-Ezra, noNehemiya. Wabuye wasebenzisa abaprofethi uHagayi, uZakariya noMalaki. Wonke la madoda athembekile azikhandla ekukhuthazeni isizwe ukuba silandele iziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Neh. 8:2, 3) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wavikela  isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngokuwenza angaphumeleli amaqhinga ezitha zabantu bakhe.—Esteri 9:24, 25; Zak. 4:6.

10. Yini uSathane aphumelela ukuyenza?

¹⁰ Naphezu kwazo zonke izinto uJehova ayezinika ama-Israyeli ngothando, iningi lawo lehluleka ukunamathela endleleni emsulwa yokumkhonza. Izenzo zawo zibhalwe ezincwadini zeBhayibheli ezalotshwa ngemva kokubuyela kwawo kwa-Israyeli. (Ezra 9:1-3; Neh. 13:1, 2, 15) Empeleni, ingakapheli iminyaka eyikhulu ebuyile ekudingisweni, ama-Israyeli achezuka kakhulu endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu, kangangokuba uJehova kwadingeka awanxuse athi: “Buyelani kimi.” (Mal. 3:7) Ngesikhathi uJesu efika emhlabeni, inkolo yamaJuda yayisihlukene yaba amaqembu ahlukahlukene ayeholwa abelusi abangathembekile. (Math. 16:6; Marku 7:5-8) USathane wayephumelele ekubavimbeleni ukuba babe nobunye. Noma kunjalo, isiprofetho sikaJehova sokuthi kwakuzoba nobunye sasizogcwaliseka nakanjani. Kanjani?

11. (a) Yini uJehova ayembula mayelana nesiprofetho sakhe sokwenza kube nobunye? (b) Yini uSathane aphinde azama ukuyenza ngemva kokuxoshwa ezulwini?

¹¹ Funda uHezekeli 37:24. UJehova wembula ukuthi isiprofetho sakhe sokwenza abantu babe nobunye sasiyogcwaliseka ngokuphelele kubantu bakhe ngemva kokuba ‘inceku yakhe uDavide,’ okunguJesu, iqale ukubusa njengeNkosi, okuyinto eyenzeka ngo-1914. * (2 Sam. 7:16; Luka 1:32) Ngaleso sikhathi, abagcotshiwe, u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso, base bethathe indawo ka-Israyeli wemvelo. (Jer. 31:33; Gal. 3:29) USathane waphinde wazama ukuqeda ubunye babantu bakaNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi ngemva kokuxoshwa kwakhe ezulwini. (IsAm. 12:7-10) Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokufa kukaMfoweth’ uRussell ngo-1916, uSathane wasebenzisa labo ababeyizihlubuki ukuze azame ukubangela ukuhlukana phakathi kwabagcotshiwe. Kodwa kungakapheli isikhathi, lezo zihlubuki zayishiya inhlangano. USathane waphumelela nasekwenzeni ukuba abazalwane ababehola ngaleso sikhathi baboshwe, kodwa ngisho nalokho akubaqedanga abantu bakaJehova. Abazalwane abagcotshiwe abaqhubeka bethembekile kuJehova babugcina ubunye babo.

12. Kungani ihlulekile imizamo kaSathane yokuhlukanisa u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso?

¹² Ngakho, ngokuphambene nalokho okwenzeka ku-Israyeli wemvelo, u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso wakwazi ukumelana namaqhinga kaSathane okuzama ukubahlukanisa. Kungani imizamo kaSathane ingazange iphumelele? Kungoba abagcotshiwe benze konke abangakwenza ukuze banamathele emithethweni kaJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, iNkosi yabo, uJesu Kristu, iye yabavikela njengoba iqhubeka inqoba uSathane.—IsAm. 6:2.

13. Isiprofetho esimayelana nokuhlanganiswa kwezinduku ezimbili sisifundisa liphi iqiniso elibalulekile?

¹³ Isiprofetho sokwenziwa kwezinduku ezimbili zibe yinto eyodwa sibaluleke ngani esikhathini sethu? Khumbula ukuthi injongo  yalesi siprofetho kwakuwukubonisa indlela amaqembu amabili ayezokwenziwa ngayo abe nobunye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lesi siprofetho siqokomisa ukuthi nguJehova owenza kube khona lobu bunye. Ngakho, lo mfanekiso oyisiprofetho wokuhlanganiswa kwezinduku ezimbili uqokomisa liphi iqiniso elibalulekile ngendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu? Yileli: NguJehova ngokwakhe oyobangela ukuba abantu abamkhonzayo ‘babe yinto eyodwa.’—Hez. 37:19.

14. Kusukela ngo-1919, isiprofetho esimayelana nokuhlanganiswa kwezinduku sigcwaliseke kanjani ngezinga elikhulu?

¹⁴ Kusukela ngo-1919, ngemva kokuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu sebehlanziwe futhi sebengenile epharadesi elingokomfanekiso, lesi siprofetho sokuhlanganiswa kwezinduku ezimbili sagcwaliseka ngendlela enkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, iningi lalabo ababehlanganiswa ukuze babe nobunye lalinethemba lokuba amakhosi nabapristi ezulwini. (IsAm. 20:6) Laba abagcotshiwe babefana nenduku ‘engekaJuda,’—isizwe esasihlanganisa amakhosi asohlwini lukaDavide nabapristi abangamaLevi. Kodwa njengoba isikhathi sihamba, abaningi abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni babezihlanganisa namaKristu agcotshiwe. Laba babefana ‘nenduku ka-Efrayimi’—isizwe esasingenawo amakhosi ayesohlwini lukaDavide noma abapristi abangamaLevi. Ndawonye, womabili la maqembu akhonza ngobunye njengabantu bakaJehova ngaphansi kweNkosi yawo eyodwa, uJesu Kristu.—Hez. 37:24.

15. Amazwi ayisiprofetho akuHezekeli 37:26, 27 agcwaliseka kanjani namuhla?

¹⁵ Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli siveza ukuthi abantu abaningi babeyofuna ukuzihlanganisa nabagcotshiwe endleleni emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. UJehova wathi ngabantu bakhe: ‘Ngiyobenza babe baningi netende lami liyoba phezu kwabo.’ (Hez. 37:26, 27; umbhalo waphansi.) La mazwi asikhumbuza isiprofetho esanikwa umphostoli uJohane eminyakeni engaba ngu-700 ngemva kwesikhathi sikaHezekeli esithi, “Lowo ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi uyokwendlala itende lakhe” phezu ‘kwesixuku esikhulu.’ (IsAm. 7:9, 15) Namuhla, abagcotshiwe nesixuku esikhulu bahlala njengesizwe esisodwa, esingabantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngaphansi kwetende lakhe eliyisivikelo.

16. Yisiphi isiprofetho esashiwo uZakariya esiphathelene nobunye phakathi kuka-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso nalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

¹⁶ UZakariya, owayebuya ekudingisweni, naye wayeprofethile ngobunye amaKristu agcotshiwe ayeyoba nabo nalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Wathi ‘amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izizwe’ “ayobamba ingubo yomJuda” athi: “Sifuna ukuhamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.” (Zak. 8:23) Igama elithi “umJuda” alibhekiseli kumuntu oyedwa, kodwa libhekisela eqenjini labantu, yingakho kuthiwa “nani,” leli qembu namuhla limelelwa abagcotshiwe abasele noma amaJuda angokomfanekiso. (Roma 2:28, 29) “Amadoda ayishumi” amelela labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. La madoda ‘abamba ingubo’ yabagcotshiwe ‘ahambe nabo.’ (Isaya 2:2, 3; Math. 25:40) Inkulumo ethi “bamba”  nethi “ukuhamba nani” iqokomisa ukuba nobunye kwala maqembu amabili.

17. UJesu wabuchaza kanjani ubunye esinabo namuhla?

¹⁷ Kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wayecabanga ngesiprofetho sikaHezekeli sokuthi kuyoba nobunye lapho ezibiza ngokuthi ungumalusi ozokwenza izimvu zakhe (abagcotshiwe) “nezinye izimvu” (abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni) zibe ‘umhlambi owodwa.’ (Joh. 10:16; Hez. 34:23; 37:24, 25) La mazwi kaJesu nawabaprofethi bakudala abuchaza kahle kakhulu ubunye obumangalisayo esinabo namuhla kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila kuphi esikhathini esizayo. Nakuba inkolo yamanga iye yahlukana yaba maqembuqembu, thina sinobunye obumangalisayo.

18. Njengoba kubonisiwe kuHezekeli 37:28, kungani kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘bangabi yingxenye yezwe’?

¹⁸ Amazwi okugcina esiprofetho sikaHezekeli esiphathelene nobunye agcizelela ukuthi yini esiqinisekisa ngokuthi ubunye bethu ngeke buphele. (Funda uHezekeli 37:28.) Abantu bakaJehova banobunye ngoba indlu yakhe engcwele, noma indlela emsulwa yokumkhonza, ‘iphakathi kwabo.’ Indlu yakhe engcwele ihlala iphakathi kwabo uma nje bezigcina bengcwele, noma behlukanisiwe nezwe likaSathane. (1 Kor. 6:11; IsAm. 7:14) UJesu wagcizelela ukubaluleka kokungabi ingxenye yaleli zwe. Lapho ethandazela abafundi bakhe ngokusuka enhliziyweni, wathi: “Baba ongcwele, babheke . . . ukuze babe munye . . . Abayona ingxenye yezwe . . .  Bangcwelise ngeqiniso.” (Joh. 17:11, 16, 17) Phawula ukuthi uJesu uhlobanisa ukuba “munye” ‘nokungabi yingxenye yezwe.’

19. (a) Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘singabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu’? (b) Ngobusuku bokugcina ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, yiliphi iqiniso uJesu aligcizelela mayelana nobunye?

¹⁹ Lena ukuphela kwendawo okubhalwe kuyo ukuthi uJesu wabiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi “Baba Ongcwele.” UJehova umsulwa futhi uqotho ngendlela ephelele. Wayala u-Israyeli wasendulo: “Kumelwe nibe ngcwele ngoba mina ngingcwele.” (Lev. 11:45) ‘Njengabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu’ sifuna ukuwulalela lowo myalo endleleni esiziphatha ngayo. (Efe. 5:1; 1 Pet. 1:14, 15) Lapho igama elithi “ngcwele” libhekisela kubantu, lisho ‘ukuhlukaniselwa into ethile.’ Yingakho ngobusuku bokugcina ngaphambi kokuba afe, uJesu agcizelela ukuthi abafundi bakhe babeyohlala bemunye uma nje bezigcina behlukanisiwe naleli zwe nezinto zalo ezibangela ukwahlukana.

20, 21. (a) Yini esenza sisethembe nakakhulu isivikelo sikaJehova? (b) Yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

²⁰ Ubunye obuvelele obubonakala ngokucacile emhlabeni wonke phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla, bufakazela ukuthi uJehova usiphendulile isicelo sikaJesu esithi: “Babheke ngenxa yomubi.” (Funda uJohane 17:14, 15.) Ukubona ukuthi uSathane wehlulekile ukuqeda ubunye babantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngempela kwenza sisethembe nakakhulu isivikelo saKhe. Esiprofethweni sikaHezekeli, uJehova wathi izinduku ezimbili zaba yinduku eyodwa esandleni sakhe. Ngakho, uJehova uye wahlanganisa abantu bakhe baba nobunye ngokuyisimangaliso ngaphansi kwesandla sakhe esivikelayo—esenza uSathane angabatholi.

²¹ Ngakho yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza? Kufanele sizimisele ukuqhubeka sisebenza kanzima ukuze sibe nesandla ebunyeni obuyigugu esinabo manje. Iyiphi indlela ebalulekile ngamunye wethu angakwenza ngayo lokho? Ukuhlanganyela njalo ekukhonzeni uJehova ngendlela emsulwa ethempelini lakhe elingokomfanekiso. Ukuthi leyo ndlela emsulwa yokumkhonza ihilelani, kuzoxoxwa ngakho ezahlukweni ezilandelayo.