Kwakwephuzile Kunesikhathi Ababesilindele!
UNYAKA, ngu-609 B.C.E. Indawo, kuseJerusalema. Isikhulumi, nguJeremiya umprofethi. Wabikezela ukubhujiswa komuzi wakubo ongcwele, iJerusalema, imbubhiso eyayizofika ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda ayefulathele uJehova futhi ayezemboze ngokukhulekelwa konkulunkulu bamanga. Ayehlanganyela ekukhulekeleni ubulili okungcolile ezindaweni eziphakeme, anikela ngeminikelo yokuphuzwa konkulunkulu bobuhedeni, akhulekela ilanga nenyanga nezinkanyezi, ashisela uBali impepho, futhi enzela uMoloki imihlatshelo ngabantwana bawo.—1 AmaKhosi 14:23, 24; Jeremiya 6:15; 7:31; 8:2; 32:29, 34, 35; Hezekeli 8:7-17.
Ngokubona kwawo uJeremiya wayengumuntu othanda ukukhala ngenhlekelele, oshiseka ngokweqile, ohlala enganelisekile ngakho konke nangawo wonke umuntu. Iminyaka engu-38 uJeremiya wayelokhu ewaxwayisa; iminyaka engu-38 izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zazilokhu zimhleka usulu. Kuze kube yilesikhathi, abantu babelokhu bephebeza uJehova, bethi wayengewona amandla okumelwe anakwe. Bathi: “UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi” futhi, “uJehova ulishiyile izwe, uJehova akakuboni.”—Zefaniya 1:12; Hezekeli 9:9.
Abaprofethi uJeremiya noHezekeli bebelokhu beshumayela ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, kodwa akukho lutho olwalwenzekile. Ngakho amaIsrayeli akuchitha ukuthi umbono onjalo wawuyogcwaliseka osukwini lwawo, ethi: “Izinsuku ziyajobeleleka, nayo yonke imibono iphuthile.” Kodwa impendulo kaJehova kulokhu yaba ukuthi: “Izinsuku sezisondele . . . Ngokuba mina-Jehova ngiyakukhuluma izwi engiyakulikhuluma, lenzeke, lingabe lisalitshaziswa, ngokuba ezinsukwini zenu nina-ndlu ehlubukayo ngiyakukhuluma izwi, ngilenze.”—Hezekeli 12:22-25.
Ngo-609 B.C.E., sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba uJehova agcwalise ayekushilo. Ngemva kokuba uJeremiya esezwakalise isixwayiso iminyaka ecishe ibe ngamashumi amane, umuzi waseJerusalema wavinjezelwa amabutho aseBabiloni. Ezinyangeni eziyishumi nesishiyagalombili kamuva izindonga zadilizwa, ithempeli lashiswa, futhi iningi labantu lathunjelwa eBabiloni. Njengoba kwakubikezelwe, umuzi wabhujiswa ngenkemba nangendlala nangesifo.—2 AmaKhosi 25:7-17; 2 IziKronike 36:17-20; Jeremiya 32:36; 52:12-20.
UJeremiya wayeqinisile. Abantu babenephutha. Kwakwephuzile kunesikhathi ababesilindele! Umbono wawungewona oweminyaka ekude. Wawungowosuku lwabo.
Lokhu akuwona nje umlando. Okwenzeka eJerusalema kwakungokwesiprofetho. Kwakufanekisela okuthile okuzayo. ELobukholwa lanamuhla lizithathele igama likaKristu futhi lithi lisebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noNkulunkulu; kodwa lihamba ezinyathelweni zezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema lakudala. Ngokuvamile, amasonto eLobukholwa afundisa izimfundiso zobuqaba, angcoliswe ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili, asekela izimiso zezombangazwe, asekela izimpi zomhlaba, amukela imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo futhi agudluzela eceleni uNkulunkulu njengoMdali, awakunaki ukubulawa kwezigidi zabangakazalwa ngenxa yenzuzo yomuntu siqu, futhi ngokuvamile amukela amafilosofi abantu, ezisholo ukuthi iBhayibheli liyinganekwane futhi liyinsumansumane.
Njengoba abantu baseJerusalema babeklolodela uJeremiya, kanjalo neLobukholwa liklolodela oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Isixwayiso oFakazi abasinikezayo sembubhiso ezayo eArmagedoni siphebezwa njengesiyize. ‘UNkulunkulu akanasithakazelo ngomhlaba,’ kusho eLobukholwa. ‘Makaphathe izulu; thina sizophatha umhlaba. Futhi uma iArmagedoni ifika, ngeke kube sesizukulwaneni sethu. Siye sayizwa leyondaba ngaphambili. Ngeke sikhohliswe yilokho!’
Ingabe lokhu kuzoba ukuphindeka komlando? Ingabe lesi kuzoba esinye isikhathi lapho izigidi ziyothola khona ukuthi kwakwephuzile kunesikhathi ezazisilindele?