1-3. (a) Kungani umbono wethempeli elikhulu ngokubabazekayo wawungamduduza uHezekeli? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Sizofunda ngani kulesi sahluko?

AKE umbone ngeso lengqondo uHezekeli eseneminyaka engu-50. Manje usengabheka emuva eminyakeni engu-25 ayichithe edingisiwe. Sekuyisikhathi eside ithempeli eliseJerusalema lingamanxiwa. Uma uHezekeli ayenethemba lokuba ngumpristi eJerusalema, lelo themba lase lishabalele. Kusasele iminyaka engaba ngu-56 ngaphambi kokuba bakhululwe ekudingisweni, ngakho uHezekeli uyazi ukuthi mancane amathuba okuthi angaphila isikhathi eside aze abone abantu bakaJehova sebebuyele ezweni labo, ingasaphathwa eyokubona ithempeli selakhiwe kabusha. (Jer. 25:11) Ingabe ukucabanga ngalezo zinto kumenza adabuke?

² UJehova umbonisa umusa ngempela uHezekeli ngokukhetha lesi sikhathi ukuze amnikeze umbono onemininingwane eminingi, ozokwenza le ndoda ethembekile iduduzeke futhi ibe nethemba! Ngalo mbono, lo mprofethi ubuyiselwa ezweni lakubo, ahlaliswe entabeni ephakeme kakhulu. Kule ndawo ephakeme, utholana ‘nendoda ebukeka njengethusi.’ Leyo ngelosi iyamhambisa imbukise isakhiwo sethempeli esikhulu ngokubabazekayo. (Funda uHezekeli 40:1-4.) Konke lokhu ungathi kwenzeka ngokoqobo! Kumelwe  ukuba kumqinisa ukholo uHezekeli, kumqede amandla futhi mhlawumbe kumdide kancane. Nakuba ithempeli alibonayo linezinto eziningi azijwayele, lihluke kakhulu kulelo ayelazi elaliseJerusalema.

³ Lo mbono omangalisayo nokwenza ucabange, kukhulunywa ngawo ezahlukweni zokugcina ezingu-9 zencwadi kaHezekeli. Manje ake sixoxe ngesimo sengqondo okufanele sibe naso njengoba siqala ukufunda ngalo mbono sifuna ukuwuqonda. Ngemva kwalokho, sizobe sesixoxa ngokuthi ingabe lokho uHezekeli akubona kwakuyithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso uPawulu akhuluma ngalo kabanzi emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva. Ekugcineni sizofunda ngokuthi lo mbono wawusho ukuthini kuHezekeli nakubantu ayedingiswe nabo.

4. Mayelana nombono wethempeli, iyiphi indlela ebesilichaza ngayo ngaphambili, kodwa yini okufanele siyenze manje?

⁴ Ngaphambili, izincwadi zethu zazithi uHezekeli wabona ithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso likaJehova, lelo umphostoli uPawulu aphefumulelwa ukuba abhale ngalo encwadini yakhe eyayiya kumaHebheru. * Ngenxa yalokho, kwakubonakala kunengqondo ukusebenzisa lokho okwachazwa uPawulu ngetabernakele ukuze sithi izinto eziningi ezabonwa uHezekeli embonweni zazifanekisela okuthile. Nokho, ngemva kokuthandaza, ukutadisha nokuzindla kubonakale kudingeka incazelo elula yethempeli uHezekeli alibona embonweni.

5, 6. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka lapho ekhuluma ngetabernakele? (b) Yini uPawulu ayisho mayelana neminye imininingwane yetabernakele, futhi thina singakusebenzisa kanjani lokho endleleni esiqonda ngayo umbono kaHezekeli wethempeli?

⁵ Kubonakala kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba singacabangi ukuthi into ngayinye okukhulunywa ngayo embonweni wethempeli kaHezekeli ifanekisela okuthile noma iyisiprofetho esimayelana nento ethile. Kungani? Ake ucabange nganasi isibonelo. Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma ngetabernakele nethempeli elingokomfanekiso wakhuluma ngezinto ezazisetabernakele ezifana nomcengezi wegolide, isivalo somphongolo, kanye nembiza yegolide eyayinemana. Ingabe wabe esethi lezo zinto zifanekisela okuthile? Ngokusobala, umoya ongcwele awuzange umholele ukuba asho kanjalo. Kunalokho, uPawulu wabhala: “Manje akusona isikhathi sokukhuluma ngokuningiliziwe ngalezi zinto.” (Heb. 9:4, 5) Wayezimisele ukuba aholwe umoya ongcwele nokuba alinde uJehova ngokuthobeka.—Heb. 9:8.

⁶ Kungashiwo okufanayo nangethempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni. Nalo linemininingwane eminingi. Uma kunezinto ezidinga ukucaciswa, kubonakala kungcono ukulinda uJehova ukuba kube nguye ozicacisayo. (Funda uMika 7:7.) Nokho, ingabe kufanele siphethe ngokuthi umoya kaJehova awuzange uyikhanyise ngokwengeziwe indaba yalo mbono? Cha!

7, 8. (a) Iyiphi indlela ebesiqonda ngayo ithempeli elisembonweni kaHezekeli esilungisiwe manje? (b) Ithempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni lihluke kanjani ethempelini elingokomfanekiso elachazwa uPawulu?

⁷ Njengoba kuye kwashiwo ekuqaleni, bese kuyiminyaka eminingi  izincwadi zethu zithi uHezekeli wabona ithempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingomfanekiso, lelo uPawulu aphefumulelwa ukuba abhale ngalo encwadini yakhe eya kumaHebheru. Nokho, lapho sitadisha sijula siye saphetha ngokuthi uHezekeli akunakwenzeka ukuthi wabona ithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso. Kungani?

⁸ Okokuqala, ithempeli elabonwa uHezekeli alihambisani nencazelo kaPawulu ephefumulelwe. Cabanga ngalokhu: Umphostoli uPawulu wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi itabernakele langesikhathi sikaMose lalifanekisela okuthile okukhulu nakakhulu. Itabernakele lalinegumbi ‘eliyiNgwelengcwele,’ njengoba kwakunjalo nangethempeli likaSolomoni nalelo elalakhiwe ngosuku lukaZerubhabhele, womabili ayakhiwe afana netabernakele. UPawulu wabiza lelo gumbi ngokuthi ‘yindawo engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla,’ echaza ukuthi ‘yayingumfanekiso wokungokoqobo,’ yayingekona okungokoqobo. Yini eyayingokoqobo? UPawulu wachaza, ‘Yizulu ngokwalo.’ (Heb. 9:3, 24) Ingabe uHezekeli wabona izulu? Cha. Akukho lutho embonweni kaHezekeli olusikisela ukuthi wayebona izinto ezisezulwini.—Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 7:9, 10, 13, 14.

9, 10. Uma kuziwa endabeni yemihlatshelo, ithempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni, lihluka kanjani ethempelini elikhulu elingokomfanekiso elachazwa uPawulu?

⁹ Omunye umehluko osiqinisekisa nakakhulu ukuthi ithempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni alifani nalokho okuchazwa uPawulu yindaba yeminikelo. UHezekeli wezwa abantu, izikhulu nabapristi benikezwa iziqondiso eziningi mayelana nokunikelwa kwemihlatshelo. Kwakufanele banikele imihlatshelo yezabo izono. Kwakumelwe banikele nemihlatshelo ehlanganyelwayo ababengayidla nabanye abantu emagunjini okudlela asethempelini. (Hez. 43:18, 19; 44:11, 15, 27; 45:15-20, 22-25) Ingabe imihlatshelo enjalo enikelwa njalo iyanikelwa ethempelini elikhulu elingokomfanekiso?

¹⁰ Impendulo icacile futhi ilula. UPawulu wachaza: “Lapho uKristu efika njengompristi ophakeme wezinto ezinhle ezase zenzekile, wadabula etendeni elikhulu neliphelele ngokwengeziwe elingenziwanga ngezandla, okuwukuthi, elingelona elale ndalo. Akangenanga endaweni engcwele negazi lezimbuzi nelamathole eduna, kodwa wangena negazi lakhe kwaba kanye kuphela, futhi wasitholela ukukhululwa okuphakade.” (Heb. 9:11, 12) Ngakho ethempelini elikhulu elingokomfanekiso, munye kuphela umhlatshelo onikelwayo—kube kanye kuphela. Ngumhlatshelo wesihlengo onikelwa uMpristi Ophakeme Kunabo Bonke, uJesu Kristu. Kuyacaca ukuthi ithempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni nemihlatshelo yalo yezimbuzi nezinkunzi kwakungelona ithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso.

11. Ngosuku lukaHezekeli, kungani kwakungakabi yisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokwambula amaqiniso amayelana nethempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso?

¹¹ Lokho kusiholela esizathwini sesibili sokuthi kungani kungenakwenzeka ukuthi uHezekeli wabona ithempeli elikhulu elingokomfanekiso. Kwakungakabi yisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokuba embule amaqiniso anjalo. Khumbula ukuthi umbono kaHezekeli okokuqala wawubhekiswe kumaJuda ayedingiselwe eBhabhiloni. Ayengaphansi koMthetho KaMose. Ngemva kokuba ekhululiwe ekudingisweni, ayeyobuyela eJerusalema alalele lowo Mthetho ophathelene  nokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa, ngokwakha kabusha ithempeli ne-altare lawo. Ayezobe esenikela imihlatshelo lapho futhi lokho kwaqhubeka iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-600. Cabanga ukuthi kwakuyowathinta kanjani amaJuda ukube uHezekeli wayewabonise ithempeli elingokomfanekiso—ithempeli lapho umpristi ophakeme ayenikela khona ngokuphila kwakhe kube umhlatshelo, ngemva kwalokho yonke eminye imihlatshelo iqedwe! Ayeyowuqonda yini umbono onjalo? Kwakungenzeka yini angabe esazimisela kangako ukulalela uMthetho KaMose? Ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uveza amaqiniso kuphela uma sekuyisikhathi esifanele futhi nabantu bakhe sebezokwazi ukuwaqonda kahle.

12-14. Yikuphi ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwethempeli elabonwa uHezekeli nencazelo kaPawulu yethempeli elingokomfanekiso? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Amathempeli Angafani, Izifundo Ezingafani.”)

¹² Pho, yikuphi ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kombono kaHezekeli wethempeli nalokho uPawulu akuchaza ngethempeli elingokomfanekiso? Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu akazange asekele ingxoxo yakhe ethempelini elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni; kunalokho, wayisekela etabernakele langesikhathi sikaMose. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uPawulu wakhuluma ngezinto eziningana ezazikhona ethempelini likaSolomoni nelikaZerubhabhele nezazikhona ethempelini elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni. Noma kunjalo, uHezekeli noPawulu  bagxila ezintweni ezingafani lapho bebhala. * Ababhalanga izinto ezifana ncamashi, kodwa babhala izinto eziphelelisanayo. Ziphelelisana kanjani?

¹³ Ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwalezi zindima ezimbili zeBhayibheli singakuchaza kanje: KuPawulu sifunda ngelungiselelo likaJehova lokumkhonza, kodwa kuHezekeli sifunda ngemithetho kaJehova yokumkhonza. Ukuze uPawulu asifundise ngelungiselelo likaJehova lokumkhonza ngendlela emsulwa, usitshela incazelo yalokho okutholakala ethempelini elingokomfanekiso, ngokwesibonelo usitshela ngompristi ophakeme, imihlatshelo, i-altare neNgcwelengcwele. Kodwa ukuze kugcizelelwe imithetho ephakeme okufanele siyilandele ukuze sikhonze uJehova ngendlela emsulwa, ithempeli uHezekeli alibona embonweni lisinikeza isithombe esicacile esigxilisa ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu izifundo eziningi ezimayelana nalokho uJehova akulindele kithi.

¹⁴ Lokhu kulungiswa kwendlela ebesiqonda ngayo lo mbono kusho ukuthini? Akusho ukuthi umbono kaHezekeli awusithinti kangako thina namuhla. Ukuze sibone ukuthi lo mbono usizuzisa kanjani thina, ake sihlole ukuthi wawazuzisa kanjani amaJuda athembekile ngosuku lukaHezekeli nangemva kwalokho.

15. (a) Wawuthini umyalezo oyisiprofetho wombono kaHezekeli? (b) Yimuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kwesahluko 8 sikaHezekeli nezahluko 40 kuya ku-48?

¹⁵ Ukuze sithole impendulo yeBhayibheli yalo mbuzo, ake sihlole eminye imibuzo ehlobene nawo ezosisiza siyiqonde kahle le ndaba. Okokuqala, wawuthini umyalezo oyisiprofetho walo mbono? Kalula nje, umyalezo wawuthi indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uJehova iyobuyiselwa! UHezekeli wakubona ngokucacile lokho. Wayesekubhalile lokho manje okusesahlukweni 8 sencwadi yakhe, lapho uJehova ambonisa ngokucacile ukuthi izimo zase zizimbi kakhulu ethempelini eliseJerusalema. Kumelwe ukuba kwamjabulisa uHezekeli ukubhala ngoshintsho oluhle olwaluzoba khona olusezahlukweni 40 kuya ku-48. Kulezi zahluko akukhulunywa ngokuthi indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uJehova seyonakalisiwe, kodwa kukhulunywa ngabantu abamkhonza ngendlela emsulwa—indlela afuna ukukhonzwa ngayo ngokuvumelana noMthetho KaMose.

16. Umbono kaHezekeli wethempeli wakuqinisekisa kanjani lokho u-Isaya ayekubikezele eminyakeni engaba yikhulu ngaphambili?

¹⁶ Ukuze indlela yokukhonza uJehova ibuyiselwe esimweni sayo esifanele, kwakuzomelwe iphakanyiswe. Eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu ngaphambili, umprofethi u-Isaya waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina, intaba yendlu kaJehova iyomiswa iqine ibe ngaphezu kweziqongo zezintaba, iyophakanyiswa ngaphezu kwamagquma.” (Isaya 2:2) U-Isaya wabona ngokucacile kusengaphambili ukuthi indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uJehova yayiyobuyiselwa, iphakanyiswe njengokungathi ibekwe phezu kwentaba ephakeme kunazo zonke. Manje kulo mbono awuthola kuJehova, uHezekeli uzibona ekuphi? ‘Wayephezu kwentaba ephakeme kakhulu,’ ebuka indlu kaJehova! (Hez. 40:2) Ngakho, umbono kaHezekeli waqinisekisa ukuthi indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uJehova yayiyobuyiselwa.

17. Ake uthi qaphu qaphu ngezahluko 40 kuya ku-48 zencwadi kaHezekeli.

¹⁷ Ake sithi qaphu qaphu ngalokho uHezekeli akubona nakuzwa, njengoba kubhalwe ezahlukweni 40 kuya ku-48 zencwadi yakhe. Wayebukele njengoba ingelosi ikala amasango, udonga, amagceke, kanye nendlu engcwele yethempeli. (Hez. 40-42) Kwabe sekwenzeka into emangalisayo: uJehova wafika ngendlela ekhazimulayo ethempelini! UJehova weluleka abantu bakhe abaphambukayo, abapristi nezikhulu. (Hez. 43:1-12; 44:10-31; 45:9-12) UHezekeli wabona umfula ugeleza uvela endlini engcwele, uletha ukuphila nezibusiso njengoba wehla ubheke oLwandle Olufile. (Hez. 47:1-12) Wabona izwe likalwa lihlukaniswa liba yizingxenye, futhi maphakathi nalo, abantu babekhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa. (Hez. 45:1-8; 47:13–48:35) Yimuphi umyalezo oqukethwe yilo mbono? Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova wayeqinisekisa abantu ukuthi indlela emsulwa yokumkhonza yayiyobuyiselwa futhi iphakanyiswe. Wayeyobusisa indlu akhonzelwa kuyo ngokuthi abe khona kuyo, abangele izibusiso ukuba zigeleze zivela kulelo thempeli, zifike zelaphe, ziphilise, zibangele nokuhleleka ezweni elibuyiselwe.

18. Ingabe izinto ezabonwa uHezekeli embonweni wethempeli zaziyokwenzeka ngokoqobo? Chaza.

 ¹⁸ Okwesibili, ingabe izinto azibona embonweni zaziyokwenzeka ngokoqobo? Cha. UHezekeli nalabo ayedingiswe nabo ayebachazela lo mbono cishe basheshe babona ukuthi izinto ayezichaza zazingeke zenzeke ngokoqobo. Kungani? Khumbula ukuthi uHezekeli wabona leli thempeli ‘liphezu kwentaba ephakeme kakhulu.’ Nakuba lokho kwakuhambisana kahle nesiprofetho sika-Isaya, kwakungahambisani nendawo ithempeli elalikuyo. Ithempeli likaSolomoni lalikade lakhiwe eNtabeni iMoriya eJerusalema, futhi yilapho laliyophinde lakhiwe khona ngolunye usuku. Kodwa ingabe leyo ‘kwakuyintaba ephakeme kakhulu’? Cha, empeleni iNtaba iMoriya izungezwe ezinye izintaba ezilingana nayo noma eziphakeme kunayo. Okunye ukuthi isakhiwo sethempeli uHezekeli asibona sasisikhulu kakhulu sisendaweni enkulu ebiyelwe ngodonga, sasisikhulu kakhulu ukuba singanela phezu kweNtaba iMoriya. Sasingeke sinele ngisho nasendaweni engangedolobha laseJerusalema langosuku lukaSolomoni! Kanti futhi abadingisiwe babengeke balindele ukuthi kwakungaba nomfula wangempela ogeleza usuka endaweni engcwele yethempeli uye oLwandle Olufile, ufike ulaphe izinto ezifile ezikulawo manzi. Okokugcina, ngenxa yezintaba ezaziseZweni Lesithembiso, kwakungeke kwenzeke ukuba kube nemingcele eqondile engagwincizi phakathi kwezizwe, njengoba kuchaza lo mbono. Ngakho, izinto ezikulo mbono zazingeke zenzeke ngokoqobo.

19-21. UJehova wayefuna umbono kaHezekeli ubenze bazizwe kanjani abantu, futhi kungani babengase bazizwe kanjalo?

 ¹⁹ Okwesithathu, lo mbono kwakumelwe ubathinte kanjani abantu bakubo kaHezekeli? Kwakufanele babe namahloni lapho becabanga ngemithetho kaJehova ephakeme yendlela emsulwa yokumkhonza. UJehova watshela uHezekeli ukuba ‘achazele indlu ka-Israyeli ngethempeli.’ UHezekeli kwakumelwe ayichaze yonke imininingwane yethempeli ukuze ama-Israyeli akwazi ukucabanga ngalo, kuze kube sengathi ‘ahlolisisa indlela elakheke ngayo.’ Kungani kwakufanele abantu bacabangisise ngalelo thempeli? Njengoba sesibonile, kwakungekhona ukuthi babezolakha lelo thempeli, kunalokho njengoba uJehova asho, injongo yayiwukuba ‘babe namahloni ngenxa yeziphambeko zabo.’—Funda uHezekeli 43:10-12.

²⁰ Kungani lo mbono wawungase uthinte onembeza babantu abaqotho, ubenze babe namahloni? Phawula lokho okwashiwo kuHezekeli: “Ndodana yomuntu, nakisisa, ubuke futhi ukulalelisise kahle konke engikutshela kona ngeziqondiso nemithetho yethempeli likaJehova.” (Hez. 44:5) UHezekeli wezwa kukhulunywa kaningi ngeziqondiso nemithetho. (Hez. 43:11, 12; 44:24; 46:14) Wayekhunjuzwa kaningi nangalokho uJehova akulindele—ngisho nokuthi wayelindele ukuba ingalo ibe ubude obungakanani nokuthi izisindo ezinembile wayelindele ukuba zibe ngakanani. (Hez. 40:5; 45:10-12; qhathanisa nezAga 16:11.) Phela kulo mbono uwodwa nje, uHezekeli usebenzise amagama olimi lokuqala akhuluma ‘ngokukala’ ‘nesikali’ izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezingu-50!

²¹ Yini uJehova ayeyitshela abantu bakhe lapho ekhuluma ngalezi zinto—izikali, izisindo, imithetho neziqondiso? Kubonakala sengathi wayesebenzisa ulimi olunamandla ukuze abakhumbuze leli qiniso elibalulekile: nguJehova kuphela osibekela imithetho yokuthi kufanele simkhonze kanjani ngendlela emsulwa. Abantu ababengasayilandeli leyo mithetho kwakufanele babe namahloni! Nokho, lo mbono wawafundisa ngaziphi izindlela amaJuda lezi zifundo? Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngezibonelo ezithile. Lokho kuzosisiza sibone ngokucacile ukuthi lowo mbono omangalisayo usho ukuthini kithi namuhla.