“Angikwazi Ukuthula”

1. Kungani uJeremiya nabanye abaprofethi bakaJehova bengazange bathule?

“YIZWA izwi likaJehova.” Lawo mazwi ayelokhu ezwakale njalo emigwaqweni nasezigcawini zaseJerusalema kusukela ngo-647 B.C.E. Futhi umprofethi kaNkulunkulu akazange ayeke ukuwasho. Ngisho nalapho umuzi ubhujiswa eminyakeni engu-40 kamuva, wasiphinda leso sikhuthazo. (Jer. 2:4; 42:15) UNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wathumela abaprofethi ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi amaJuda ayasizwa iseluleko sakhe futhi aphenduke. Njengoba kubonisiwe ngaphambili kule ncwadi, uJeremiya wayevelele kulabo bakhulumeli baphezulu. Lapho uNkulunkulu emthuma, wamtshela: “Kumelwe usukume futhi ukhulume kubo konke engikuyala ngakho. Ungafikelwa yinoma yikuphi ukwesaba.” (Jer. 1:17) Lo msebenzi wawukhandla. UJeremiya wahlukumezeka ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo, kodwa naphezu kwalolo vivinyo, washukumiseleka ukuba afeze isabelo sakhe. Wathi: “Inhliziyo yami iyahlokoma ngaphakathi kimi. Angikwazi ukuthula.”—Jer. 4:19.

2, 3. (a) Abafundi bakaJesu bamlingisa kanjani uJeremiya? (b) Kungani kufanele ulandele isibonelo sikaJeremiya?

² Indlela uJeremiya asifeza ngayo isabelo sakhe sokuprofetha yabekela izinceku zikaJehova zesikhathi esizayo isibonelo. (Jak. 5:10) Ngokushesha ngemva kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., iziphathimandla zamaJuda zabopha abaphostoli uPetru noJohane, zabayala ukuba bayeke ukushumayela. Uyayazi impendulo yabo. “Ngeke siyeke ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonile nesizizwile.” (IzE. 4:19, 20) Ngemva kokuba ababusi bebasongele ngokuthi babeyobenza isilo sengubo esikhathini esilandelayo, babadedela oPetru noJohane. Uyakwazi okwenzeka. Lawo madoda athembekile ayengeke ayeke ukushumayela futhi awayekanga.

³ Uyayibona yini indlela amazwi kaPetru noJohane alotshwe encwadini yezEnzo 4:20 enanela ngayo intshiseko kaJeremiya? Njengesikhonzi sikaJehova uNkulunkulu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina ezibucayi, awuzimisele yini nawe ukucabanga ngendlela efanayo, ‘Ngeke ngithule!’ Ake sibone indlela esingaqina ngayo njengoJeremiya ukuze siqhubeke sishumayela izindaba ezinhle naphezu kwezimo ezisizungezile eziya ziba zimbi.

QHUBEKA NAPHEZU KOKUNGANAKWA

4. Isiphi isimo sengqondo esasivamile eJerusalema lasendulo?

⁴ Awuqiniseki yini ukuthi isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sekusasa elimangalisayo ngaphansi kokubusa kweNdodana yakhe, siyizindaba ezinhle kakhulu abantu abangazizwa? Noma kunjalo, abaningi namuhla basabela ngendlela okwenza ngayo amanye amaJuda lapho ethi kuJeremiya: “Ngokuqondene nezwi olikhulume kithi egameni likaJehova, ngeke sikulalele.” (Jer. 29:19; 44:16) UJeremiya wayehlale ewezwa amazwi anjalo. Kunjalo nangezinceku zikaJehova namuhla, ngoba abantu abaningi bathi, “Siyabonga.” Ukunganakwa kwesigijimi okwandile kungayinciphisa intshiseko yabamemezeli boMbuso. Uma kwenzekile lokho ensimini yakini, kwabathile ebandleni noma ngisho kuwe, yini engenziwa?

5. (a) UJeremiya wasabela kanjani lapho abantu bengamnaki? (b) Kungani labo abangenandaba nezindaba ezinhle besengozini enkulu?

⁵ Cabanga ngesimo sengqondo uJeremiya asihlakulela lapho ebhekene nabantu bakwaJuda, abaningi babo ababengenandaba. Ngasekuqaleni komsebenzi kaJeremiya, uJehova wamnika umbono wesahlulelo saphezulu esasisondela. (Funda uJeremiya 4:23-26.) Ngakho lo mprofethi wayengabona ukuthi ukuphila kwezinkulungwane kwakuncike ekuzweni amazwi ayezowakhuluma nokuwenza. Namuhla, abantu basesimweni esifanayo, kuhlanganise nalabo abasensimini yakini. Ngokuqondene ‘nalolo suku’ lwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ezweni elibi lanamuhla, uJesu wathi: “Luyofikela bonke abahlala kuwo wonke umhlaba. Khona-ke, hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka, nasekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 21:34-36) Ngokwamazwi kaJesu, ungaphetha ngokuthi labo abenqaba izindaba ezinhle basengozini enkulu.

6. Kungani kufanele uqhubeke ushumayeza ngisho nalabo abangabonisi sithakazelo esitheni esigijimini sakho?

⁶ Nokho, labo abanakayo futhi balalele bese besabela ezwini likaJehova esisuke sililethile bayothola izinzuzo ezingenakuqhathaniswa. UNkulunkulu usivulela indlela yokusinda ekubhujisweni singene ezweni lakhe elisha. Ngezici ezithile, kwakunjalo nasenkonzweni kaJeremiya. Izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zazingasinda. (Funda uJeremiya 26:2, 3.) Ukuze abasize, uJeremiya wachitha amashumi eminyaka encenga abantu ukuba ‘balalele babuye,’ balalele izwi likaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Asazi ukuthi bangaki abaphenduka futhi bashintsha ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yokufakaza kwakhe. Kodwa bakhona abaphenduka, njengoba kwenze abaningi esikhathini sethu. Njengoba siqhubeka sishumayela izindaba ezinhle, sivamile ukuzwa indlela eziye zathamba ngayo izinhliziyo zabantu ababengasabeli. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukungabi Nandaba Kungaphenduka Isithakazelo,” ekhasini 184.) Ingabe leso akusona isizathu esengeziwe sokuhlala simatasa enkonzweni yethu yezindaba ezinhle esindisa ukuphila?

ABAPHIKISI NGEKE BASILIMAZE PHAKADE

7. Izitha zazama kanjani ukuqeda umsebenzi kaJeremiya wokuprofetha?

⁷ Isici esiphawulekayo enkonzweni kaJeremiya indlela abaphikisi ababevame ngayo ukuzama ukumbulala nokuqeda umsebenzi wakhe. Abaprofethi bamanga babemphikisa obala. (Jer. 14:13-16) Njengoba uJeremiya ayehamba emigwaqweni yaseJerusalema, ababembukele babemthuka futhi bamhleke usulu. (Jer. 15:10) Abanye ezitheni zakhe baceba izindlela ezengeziwe zokumelana naye. (Jer. 18:18) Abanye baqhuba umkhankaso wokumhleba ukuze bafulathelise abanhliziyo ziqotho emaqinisweni aphezulu ayewashumayela. (IsiL. 3:61, 62) Ingabe uJeremiya waphonsa ithawula? Lutho neze, waqhubeka eshumayela. Wakwenza kanjani?

8. Njengoba abaphikisi babeqinisa imizamo yabo yokumelana noJeremiya, wasabela kanjani?

⁸ Isikhali sikaJeremiya esiyinhloko ekulweni nakho konke ukuphikiswa kwakuwukwethembela kuJehova. Ekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, uNkulunkulu wamtshela ukuthi wayezomlonda futhi amvikele. (Funda uJeremiya 1:18, 19.) UJeremiya waba nokholo kuleso sithembiso, futhi uJehova akazange amenzele phansi. Njengoba abaphikisi babemcindezela futhi bezama nezindlela ezinonya ngokwengeziwe, waba nesibindi nokukhuthazela okwengeziwe. Phawula indlela lezo zimfanelo ezamsiza ngayo.

9, 10. Iziphi izenzakalo ekuphileni kukaJeremiya okufanele zikukhuthaze ukuba ube nesibindi?

⁹ Ngesinye isikhathi abapristi nabaprofethi abavukelayo bayisa uJeremiya phambi kwezikhulu zakwaJuda ukuze abulawe. Ingabe izinsongo zabo zamesabisa uJeremiya wangabe esenza lutho? Cha. Wakuphikisa ukumangalela kwalezo zihlubuki kangangokuba akazange abulawe.—Funda uJeremiya 26:11-16; Luka 21:12-15.

¹⁰ Khumbula ukuthi ngemva kokulalela isigijimi esinamandla salo mprofethi, isikhulu sethempeli okuthiwa uPhashuri samfaka esitokisini. Kumelwe ukuba uPhashuri waphetha ngokuthi lokhu kwakuzomfundisa isifundo uJeremiya bese eyathula. Ngakho ngosuku olulandelayo, uPhashuri wamdedela wahamba. Kodwa uJeremiya, ngokuqinisekile eqaqanjelwa ngenxa yokushushiswa ayekutholile, wakhuluma noPhashuri ngokuqondile emtshela isahlulelo sikaJehova. Cha, ngisho nokushushiswa akuzange kumthulise uJeremiya! (Jer. 20:1-6) Kungani? Yena ngokwakhe uyasitshela: “UJehova wayenami njengonamandla owesabekayo. Yingakho labo abangishushisayo uqobo lwabo beyokhubeka banganqobi.” (Jer. 20:11) Ngisho nalapho ebhekene nabaphikisi abanonya, uJeremiya akazange esabe. Ukwethembela kwakhe kuJehova kwakunesisekelo esiqinile, futhi nokwakho kungaba naso.

11, 12. (a) UJeremiya wakubonisa kanjani ukuba nengqondo lapho uHananiya emphikisa? (b) Iziphi izinzuzo ezingatholakala ‘ngokuzibamba ngaphansi kokubi’?

¹¹ Kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi uJeremiya wayengashiseki ngokweqile. Wasebenzisa ingqondo lapho ebhekene nabaphikisi. Wayazi ukuthi kunini lapho kufanele ahoxe. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka phakathi kwakhe noHananiya. Ngemva kokuba lowo mprofethi wamanga eliphikise obala izwi likaJehova lesiprofetho, uJeremiya wamlungisa futhi wachaza indlela yokubona umprofethi weqiniso. UJeremiya wayekade ethwele ijoka lokhuni ukuze afanekise ukungena ngaphansi kwejoka laseBhabhiloni; ngobudlova uHananiya walephula lelo joka. Ubani owayazi ukuthi yini uHananiya ayezoyenza ngokulandelayo? Ngakho uJeremiya wenzani? Siyafunda: “Umprofethi wazihambela ngendlela yakhe.” Yebo, uJeremiya wasuka kuleyo ndawo. Kamuva, eqondiswa uJehova, wabuya watshela uHananiya lokho uNkulunkulu ayezokwenza—amaJuda ayezoba izigqila zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni futhi uHananiya wayezokufa.—Jer. 28:1-17.

¹² Lokhu kulandisa okuphefumulelwe kwenza kucace ukuthi lapho sishumayela, kuyoba kuhle ukuba isibindi sethu sihambisane nokwahlulela okunengqondo. Uma umuntu emzini othile enqaba ukwamukela umbono ongokomBhalo futhi ethukuthela, aze asisongele ngokusilimaza, singacela uxolo ngenhlonipho bese sidlulela kwenye indlu. Akudingeki siphikisane kushunqe uthuli nanoma ubani ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. ‘Ngokuzibamba ngaphansi kokubi,’ siyishiya ivulekile indlela yokusiza umninikhaya ngesikhathi esivumayo.—IzAga  17:14; funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 2:23-25.

“UNGESABI”

13. Kungani uJehova athi kuJeremiya: “Ungesabi,” futhi kungani kufanele sikuhlole lokhu?

¹³ Abakhulekeli beqiniso zabathinta izimo ezethusayo zangaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngakho-ke, ungasiqonda isizathu esenza uNkulunkulu watshela uJeremiya: “Ungesabi.” (Jer. 1:8; IsiL. 3:57) Futhi uJehova wamthuma ukuba atshele abanye babantu bakhe la mazwi afanayo akhuthazayo. (Funda uJeremiya 46:27.) Yini esingayifunda kulokhu? Kulesi sikhathi esiyingozi sokuphela, ngezinye izikhathi singazizwa sesaba. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, ingabe siyomlalela uJehova, othi kithi: ‘Ningesabi’? Ngasekuqaleni kwale ncwadi, sihlole indlela uNkulunkulu amlondoloza ngayo uJeremiya ngaleso sikhathi esasesabeka ngempela. Ake sibukeze kafushane lokho okwenzeka, ukuze sibone ukuthi sithola siphi isifundo.

14, 15. (a) Yisiphi isimo esiyingozi uJeremiya azithola ekuso? (b)  UJehova wasigcwalisa kanjani isithembiso sakhe sokuvikela uJeremiya?

¹⁴ Njengoba abaseBhabhiloni babelibhincisela nxanye iJerusalema, abantu baqala ukulamba. Ngokushesha abaningi babengasenakho ukudla. (Jer. 37:21) Njengokungathi indlala yayinganele, uJeremiya wavaleleka endaweni eyayingagcina isiyithuna lakhe. Izikhulu zakwaJuda zazicindezele inkosi enguvumazonke uZedekiya ukuba ivumelane nazo. Zabe seziphonsa uJeremiya emgodini ojulile. Wawungenamanzi kodwa unodaka kuphela. Njengoba uJeremiya ayeqala ukubisha odakeni, wayengenandlela yokuzitakula. Ukube wawukuleso simo, wawungeke yini wesabe?—Jer. 38:4-6.

¹⁵ Nakuba ayengumuntu ofayo njengathi, uJeremiya wathembela ezwini likaJehova lokuthi wayengasoze amshiya. (Funda uJeremiya 15:20, 21.) Ingabe uJehova waluvuza lolo kholo? Ngokuqinisekile siyazi ukuthi waluvuza. UNkulunkulu washukumisa u-Ebhedi-meleki ukuba amelane nezikhulu futhi atakule uJeremiya. Ngemvume yenkosi, u-Ebhedi-meleki wamdonsa wamkhipha umprofethi emgodini, emophula ukuba angafeli kulowo mgodi onodaka.—Jer. 38:7-13.

16. UJehova wabakhulula kuziphi izingozi abaqotho bakhe?

¹⁶ Ngisho nalapho uJeremiya esephumile emgodini, wayengakaphumi engozini. Lapho encengela uJeremiya, u-Ebhedi-meleki wayetshele inkosi: “Uzofa lapho ekhona ngenxa yendlala. Ngoba akusekho sinkwa emzini.” (Jer. 38:9) Ukudla kwakuntuleka eJerusalema kangangokuba abantu bancamela ukudla abantu. UJehova waphinde wangenela ukuze ophule umprofethi wakhe. Futhi uJeremiya waqinisekisa u-Ebhedi-meleki ngokuthi uJehova wayezomvikela. (Jer. 39:16-18) UJeremiya wayengasikhohliwe isiqinisekiso sikaNkulunkulu: “Nginawe ukuba ngikukhulule.” (Jer. 1:8) Njengoba uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ayeqaphe lawo madoda amabili aqotho, ayengeke abulawe yisitha esingumuntu noma indlala. Aphunyuka ekufeni kulowo muzi owawuzobhujiswa. Kusitshelani lokhu? Ukuthi uJehova wathembisa ukuthi uzobavikela futhi wasifeza isithembiso sakhe.—Jer. 40:1-4.

17. Kungani kufanele ube nokholo esithembisweni sikaJehova sokuvikela izinceku zakhe?

¹⁷ Ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJesu ngesiphelo sesimiso sezinto kuphikelele ngokungenakuvinjwa emvuthwandaba wakho. Maduzane, kuzoba khona “izibonakaliso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkanyezini, kube khona usizi lwezizwe emhlabeni, zingayazi indlela yokuphuma . . . kuyilapho abantu beba nesinxi ngenxa yokwesaba nokulindela izinto ezehlela umhlaba owakhiweyo.” (Luka 21:25, 26) Kuzomelwe silinde ukuze sibone ukuthi ziyoba njani lezo zibonakaliso nokuthi ziyobethusa kanjani abaningi. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, akudingeki neze ungabaze amandla nesifiso sikaJehova sokusindisa abantu bakhe. Kodwa isiphetho salabo abangamukeleki kuye siyokwehluka kakhulu. (Funda uJeremiya 8:20; 14:9.) Ngisho noma kungabonakala sengathi izinceku zakhe zisesimweni esingenathemba njengokuba semgodini ojulile onodaka futhi omnyama, angazisindisa! Amazwi uNkulunkulu awasho ku-Ebhedi-meleki ayosebenza kubantu bakhe: “‘Nakanjani ngiyokunika ukuphunyuka, futhi ngeke uwe ngenkemba; ngokuqinisekile umphefumulo wakho uyoba yimpango yakho, ngoba uthembele kimi,’ kusho uJehova.”—Jer. 39:18.

AMAZWI ALOTSHELWE WENA

18. (a) Yimaphi amazwi ashintsha ukuphila kukaJeremiya? (b) Usho ukuthini kuwe umyalo kaNkulunkulu okuJeremiya 1:7?

¹⁸ “Kubo bonke labo engizokuthuma kubo, kufanele uye; futhi konke engizokuyala ngakho, kufanele ukukhulume.” (Jer. 1:7) Ukuphila kukaJeremiya kwashintsha unomphela lapho ezwa lowo myalo kaNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, ayekukhathalela kakhulu kwakuwukumemezela “izwi likaJehova.” Lawo mazwi avela ngokuphindaphindiwe kuyo yonke incwadi kaJeremiya. Esahlukweni sokugcina, uJeremiya ulandisa ngokunqotshwa kweJerusalema nokudingiswa kwenkosi yalo yokugcina, uZedekiya. Yebo, uJeremiya waqhubeka efundisa futhi ekhuthaza abantu bakwaJuda ukuba balalele uJehova kwaze kwaba yilapho izenzakalo sezibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe wawusufeziwe.

19, 20. (a) Kungani inkonzo kaJeremiya iyisibonelo ongasilingisa? (b) Umsebenzi wokushumayela uhlobana kanjani nokuthola injabulo nokwaneliseka? (c) Ukucabangela incwadi kaJeremiya neyesiLilo kukuthinte kanjani?

¹⁹ Kunokufana okuningi phakathi kwesabelo sikaJeremiya nenkonzo yasobala yoFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Njengaye, ukhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso phakathi nesikhathi sokwahlulela. Kuneminye imithwalo yemfanelo edinga isikhathi sakho namandla; kodwa ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kungumsebenzi ovelele kunayo yonke ongayenza kulesi simiso sezinto. Ngawo, uphakamisa igama likaNkulunkulu elikhulu futhi wamukele ilungelo negunya lakhe eliphelele njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. (Funda isiLilo 5:19.) Ubonisa nothando oluvelele ngomakhelwane ngokusiza abanye ukuba bazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso nezimfuneko zakhe zokuphila.—Jer. 25:3-6.

²⁰ Ngokuqondene nomsebenzi uJehova amnika wona ukuba awenze, uJeremiya wathi: “Izwi lakho kimi liba ngukwethaba nokujabula kwenhliziyo yami; ngoba igama lakho libizwé phezu kwami, Jehova Nkulunkulu wamabutho.” (Jer. 15:16) Injabulo nokwaneliseka okunjalo kuyotholwa yibo bonke namuhla abazinhliziyo zabo zibashukumisela ukuba bakhulumele uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngakho-ke, unesizathu esihle sokuqhubeka umemezela isigijimi sikaJehova, njengoba kwenza uJeremiya.