Gwema ‘Ukuzifunela Izinto Ezinkulu’

1, 2. (a) UBharuki wabhekana nayiphi inkinga ngonyaka wesine kaJehoyakimi? (b) UJehova wamsiza kanjani uBharuki?

UBHARUKI, unobhala othembekile kaJeremiya, wayesediniwe. Kwakungunyaka wesine wokubusa kwenkosi embi uJehoyakimi, noma cishe ngo-625 B.C.E. UJeremiya watshela lo nobhala ukuba alobe emqulwini wonke amazwi ayekhulunywe uJehova ngomprofethi ngeJerusalema noJuda, amazwi ayewasho phakathi neminyaka engu-23 yokuprofetha kukaJeremiya kuze kube yileso sikhathi. (Jer. 25:1-3; 36:1, 2) UBharuki akawafundelanga ngaso leso sikhathi amaJuda okwakulotshwe emqulwini. Wayezowafundela ngonyaka olandelayo. (Jer. 36:9, 10) Kodwa ingabe kukhona okwakukhathaza uBharuki?

² “Maye, manje, kimi,” kubalisa uBharuki, “ngoba uJehova unezele usizi ebuhlungwini bami! Ngidiniwe ngenxa yokububula kwami.” Cishe nawe uke ube nezikhathi osho ngazo amazwi okudinwa, noma ngabe uwasho kuzwakale noma uwasho ngenhliziyo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uBharuki wawasho kanjani, uJehova wayelalele. UMhloli wezinhliziyo zabantu wayazi ukuthi yini eyayibangela ukuba uBharuki akhathazeke kangaka, futhi ngoJeremiya, uNkulunkulu wamlungisa ngomusa. (Funda uJeremiya 45:1-5.) Nokho, ungase uzibuze ukuthi yini le eyayenza uBharuki adinwe kangaka. Ingabe yisabelo ayesitholile noma mhlawumbe yizimo ayezosenzela kuzo? Cha, inkinga yayisenhliziyweni yakhe. Phela uBharuki ‘wayefuna izinto ezinkulu.’ Kwakuyizinto zini? UJehova wamqinisekisa ngani uma esamukela iseluleko nesiqondiso saKhe? Futhi singafundani kokwehlela uBharuki?

ZAZIYINI LEZO “ZINTO EZINKULU”?

3. Wawuyini umsuka wenkinga kaBharuki engokomoya?

³ Kumelwe ukuba uBharuki wayazi ukuthi ziyini lezi “zinto ezinkulu.” Lo nobhala wayazi ukuthi “amehlo [kaNkulunkulu] asezindleleni zomuntu, futhi zonke izinyathelo zakhe uyazibona.” (Jobe 34:21) Isizathu esenza uBharuki waba nomuzwa wokuthi ‘akanandawo yokuphumula’ ngesikhathi eloba amazwi kaJeremiya angokwesiprofetho kwakungesona isabelo ngokwaso. Kwakungumbono wakhe walokho ayekubona kukukhulu—okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe. Njengoba ayegxile ekuzifuneleni “izinto ezinkulu,” walahlekelwa umbono wezinto ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe, lezo eziphathelene nokwenza intando yaphezulu. (Fil. 1:10) INguqulo Yezwe Elisha iveza umqondo wesenzo esisetshenzisiwe bese isihumusha ngokuthi “ukuqhubeka ufuna.” Ngakho kwakungewona umcabango wesikhashana, odlulayo. UBharuki wayesevele ezifuna “izinto ezinkulu” ngesikhathi uJehova emxwayisa ngokuba ayeke. Nakuba unobhala othembekile kaJeremiya ayeyenza intando kaNkulunkulu, ngesikhathi esifanayo wayelangazelela ukuzitholela “izinto ezinkulu.”

4, 5. Kungani kungenzeka ukuthi “izinto ezinkulu” zikaBharuki zaziphathelene nodumo nokuqashelwa, futhi kungani sasifaneleka isixwayiso sikaJehova?

⁴ Kungenzeka ukuthi enye yezinto ezazikhathaza uBharuki yayiphathelene nodumo nokuqashelwa. Nakuba uBharuki ayengunobhala kaJeremiya, kungenzeka ukuthi wayengeyena nje unobhala kaJeremiya kuphela. UJeremiya 36:32 usikisela ukuthi wayenesikhundla esiphakeme, ‘engunobhala.’ Ubufakazi babavubukuli nabo busikisela ukuthi wayenesikhundla sokuba yisikhulu esiphakeme ebukhosini. Empeleni, sona lesi siqu kubizwa ngaso “u-Elishama unobhala,” owayebalwa phakathi kwezikhulu zakwaJuda. Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi noBharuki wayengena “ekamelweni lokudlela likanobhala” “endlini yenkosi” njengomunye wozakwabo baka-Elishama. (Jer. 36:11, 12, 14) Ngakho-ke kumelwe ukuba uBharuki wayeyisikhulu esifundile emndenini wasebukhosini. Umfowabo uSeraya wayeyisikhulu sezindawo zokuphumula zeNkosi uZedekiya futhi wahamba nenkosi ohambweni olubalulekile lwaseBhabhiloni. (Funda uJeremiya 51:59.) Njengesikhulu sezindawo zokuphumula, cishe uSeraya uyena owayengamela izimpahla nendawo yokuhlala yenkosi lapho isohambweni, isikhundla esiphakeme impela.

⁵ Ungaqonda ukuthi umuntu ojwayele ukuba isitatanyiswa kungamdina ukulokhu ebhalana nezigijimi ezilahla uJuda. Eqinisweni, ukusekela umprofethi kaNkulunkulu kwakungenza uBharuki aphunyukwe isikhundla nomsebenzi wakhe. Cabanga nangomphumela uma uJehova ediliza ayekwakhile, njengoba sifunda kuJeremiya 45:4. “Izinto ezinkulu” ayecabanga ngazo uBharuki—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakuwukuthola udumo olwengeziwe egcekeni lasebukhosini noma ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo—zazingase zingamsizi. Uma uBharuki ayefuna isikhundla esasizomlonda kuleso simiso samaJuda esasizobhujiswa, uNkulunkulu wayenesizathu esihle sokumnqanda.

6, 7. Uma “izinto ezinkulu” zikaBharuki zazihilela izinto ezibonakalayo, yiziphi izibonelo esingazicabangela?

⁶ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, “izinto ezinkulu” zikaBharuki kungenzeka zazihlanganisa ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Izizwe ezazizungeze uJuda zazithembele kakhulu ezintweni ezazinazo nasengcebweni. UMowabi wayethembele ‘emisebenzini yakhe nasengcebweni.’ U-Amoni naye wayenjalo. Futhi uJehova waphefumulela uJeremiya ukuba achaze iBhabhiloni ngokuthi ‘linengcebo eningi.’ (Jer. 48:1, 7; 49:1, 4; 51:1, 13) Kodwa iqiniso liwukuthi uNkulunkulu wazilahla lezo zizwe.

⁷ Uma-ke uBharuki ayefuna izindawo nengcebo, ungabona ukuthi kungani uJehova amxwayisa ngakho. Lapho uNkulunkulu ‘elulela isandla sakhe’ kumaJuda, imizi namasimu awo ayeyonikelwa ezitheni zawo. (Jer. 6:12; 20:5) Ake sithi wawuphila noBharuki eJerusalema. Iningi labantu bakini—abahlanganisa izikhulu, abapristi nenkosi uqobo—linomuzwa wokuthi kufanele nilwe nabaseBhabhiloni abahlaselayo. Kodwa usizwile isigijimi sikaJeremiya: “Khonzani inkosi yaseBhabhiloni niqhubeke niphila.” (Jer. 27:12, 17) Ucabanga ukuthi ukuba nezimpahla eziningi kwakuyokwenza kube lula ukuba ulalele isiqondiso saphezulu? Ingabe imizwa yakho ngalezo zimpahla yayiyokwenza ulalele isixwayiso sikaJeremiya noma ulandele iningi? Empeleni, zonke izinto eziyigugu kwaJuda naseJerusalema, kuhlanganise nezazisethempeleni, zaphangwa zayiswa eBhabhiloni. Ngakho ukulwela ukuzuza izinto ezibonakalayo kwakungeke kukusize. (Jer. 27:21, 22) Ingabe sikhona isifundo kulokhu?

“NGIYOKUNIKA UMPHEFUMULO WAKHO UKUBA UBE YIMPANGO”

8, 9. Kungani ungathi ukuthola kukaBharuki umphefumulo wakhe kwakuphawuleka?

⁸ Manje cabangela lesi sici: UBharuki wayeyotholani ngokulalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu? Umphefumulo wakhe! Wayeqinisekiswe ngokuthi uzoba “impango” yakhe. (Funda uJeremiya 45:5.) Bambalwa abantu abasinda. Kwakungobani? Yilabo abalalela isiqondiso saphezulu sokuba bahlubukele, noma bazinikele, kumaKhaledi. (Jer. 21:9; 38:2) Abanye bangase bazibuze, ‘Yilokho nje kuphela abanikwa kona ngenxa yokulalela?’

⁹ Sibone ngeso lengqondo isimo eJerusalema ngesikhathi livinjezelwe abaseBhabhiloni. Leso simo esadonsa isikhathi eside kwakungesosizi ngendlela exakile. Uma uqhathanisa neSodoma, iSodoma lagumbuqelwa ngomzuzwana. Kunjengokungathi ukubhujiswa kweSodoma kwakungcono kunokweJerusalema. (IsiL. 4:6) UBharuki waloba isiprofetho esithi abantu baseJerusalema babeyobulawa ngenkemba, indlala noma isifo. Kumelwe ukuba wakubona kugcwaliseka loko. Ukudla kwaphela nya eJerusalema. Yeka indlela okwakushaqisa ngayo ukuba semzini owawunomama ababilisa izingane zabo bazidle, kanti ngokwemvelo bangabantu “abanobubele”! (IsiL. 2:20; 4:10; Jer. 19:9) Noma kunjalo uBharuki wasinda. Yebo, phakathi nalolo sizi, ukuphila kukodwa nje kwakuyimpango, kunjengomvuzo wabanqobi empini. Ngokusobala, kumelwe ukuba uBharuki wasamukela futhi wasilandela iseluleko saphezulu sokungazifuneli “izinto ezinkulu.” Futhi wathola umusa kaJehova, okufakazelwa ukuthi wasinda.—Jer. 43:5-7.

INGABE UZOFUNA “IZINTO EZINKULU”?

10, 11. Indaba kaBharuki ihlobana kanjani nosuku lwethu futhi isithinta kanjani thina ngabanye?

¹⁰ Nakuba uBharuki ayematasa enza intando kaNkulunkulu, wake wahlushwa isifiso ‘sezinto ezinkulu.’ UJehova wamxwayisa ngengozi, futhi wophulwa enhlekeleleni engokomoya nasekufeni okungokoqobo. Ingabe nathi, njengoBharuki, singalingwa futhi mhlawumbe size sinqotshwe izifiso ezisekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zethu, ngisho simatasa sikhonza uJehova?

¹¹ Kungenzeka ukuthi ukuzenzela igama kwakuyisilingo sangempela kuBharuki. Ungamcabanga ezibuza: ‘Ngizokwazi yini ukuwugcina lo msebenzi wami wokuba “unobhala”? Konje ngingasithola isikhundla esingaphezudlwana kwalesi?’ Kuthiwani ngathi? Zibuze, ‘Ingabe nginazo “izifiso,” mhlawumbe ezifihleke laphaya ngaphakathi enhliziyweni yami, zokuba ngiphume phambili emsebenzini wokuziphilisa manje noma esikhathini esizayo?’ Amanye amaKristu asemasha angase acabange ngalo mbuzo, ‘Ingabe amathuba okuthola ukuqashelwa nokulondeka ngokwezimali ngenxa yokuphumelela kahle esikoleni angiyengela ekuzifuneleni “izinto ezinkulu”?’

12. Omunye umzalwane wamfunela kanjani uJehova izinto ezinkulu, futhi wena ucabangani ngesinqumo sakhe?

¹² Umzalwane okhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke wayeneminyaka engu-15 ngenkathi enikezwa umfundaze waseyunivesithi. Othisha bakhe bacasuka lapho ewenqaba, ekhetha ukuba yiphayona. Kodwa aluzange luphele uthando lwakhe lokufunda. Waba isithunywa sevangeli esiqhingini esikude. Kwadingeka afunde ulimi olukhulunywa abantu abeve kancane nje ku-10 000. Sasingekho isichazamazwi salolu limi, ngakho wazakhela uhlu lwamagama nencazelo yawo. Wagcina eselwazi lolo limi futhi wacelwa ukuba ahumushe ezinye zezincwadi zethu zobuKristu. Kamuva, lolo luhlu lwamagama ayelwenzile kwasekelwa kulo isichazamazwi sokuqala salolo limi. Wake watshela izilaleli eziningi emhlanganweni wesigodi: “Ukube ngaya kofunda eyunivesithi, noma yimuphi umsebenzi engangiyowenza wawuyodumisa mina. Ngikhuluma nje akukho msebenzi engawufundela. Ngakho angitholi dumo ngalokho engikwenzile. Lonke udumo luya kuJehova.” (IzAga 25:27) Ucabangani ngesinqumo asenza eneminyaka engu-15? Kule minyaka edlule uye wathola amalungelo amaningi phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Wena ufuna ukuzisebenzisa kanjani iziphiwo zakho? Kunokuba uzifunele udumo, ingabe uzimisele ukuzisebenzisela ukudumisa uJehova?

13. Kungani kufanele abanye abazali bacabangisise ngenselele uBharuki ayebhekene nayo?

¹³ Kunengozi ehambisana nalokhu: ukufunela abantu esibathandayo futhi esingabathonya “izinto ezinkulu” noma ukuzifuna ngabo. Cishe uye wababona abazali bezwe benza izinto ngendlela yokuba ingane yabo ifinyelele izinto ezingaphezu kwabazifinyelela bona noma baqhoshe ngayo. Hleze uye wazizwa izinkulumo ezinjengokuthi: “Angifuni ingane yami ikhandleke njengami” noma “Ngifuna umntanami aye eyunivesithi ukuze aphile kahle.” Abazali abangamaKristu bangase bazizwe ngaleyo ndlela nabo. Yiqiniso, umuntu angase athi, ‘Angizifuneli izinto ezinkulu.’ Kodwa kungenzeka yini ukuthi uyazifuna ngeziphansi, ngamanye amazwi, uzifuna ngomunye umuntu, ngendodana noma ngendodakazi? Njengoba kungenzeka ukuthi uBharuki wayezama ukuvelela esebenzisa isikhundla noma umsebenzi wakhe, nomzali angase akufune lokho esebenzisa impumelelo yezingane zakhe. Kodwa “umhloli wezinhliziyo” ngeke yini akubone lokho, njengoba nje ambona noBharuki? (IzAga 17:3) Ingabe akufanele sicele uNkulunkulu ukuba ahlole imicabango yethu esekujuleni, njengoba kwenza uDavide? (Funda iHubo 26:2; Jeremiya 17:9, 10.) UJehova angase asebenzise izindlela ezihlukahlukene, njengale ndaba kaBharuki, ukuze asixwayise ngengozi yokufuna “izinto ezinkulu.”

UGIBE ‘LWEZINTO ZENANI ELIKHULU’

14, 15. Ingcebo ingaba kanjani “izinto ezinkulu” kithi?

¹⁴ Ake sithi “izinto ezinkulu” uBharuki ayezifunela zona kwakuyingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo. Njengoba kuboniswe ngaphambili, ukube uBharuki wayenamathele kakhulu ezintweni ayenazo kwaJuda, mhlawumbe kwakuyoba nzima ngaye ukulalela umyalo waphezulu wokuba bacele umaluju kumaKhaledi. Cishe ubonile ukuthi umuntu ocebile uvame ukuthembela ‘ezintweni zakhe zenani elikhulu,’ kodwa iBhayibheli lithi lezo zinto zimvikela “emcabangweni wakhe.” (IzAga 18:11) Zonke izinceku zikaJehova zingazuza ngokuzikhumbuza umbono olinganiselayo ngezinto ezibonakalayo olotshwe eZwini lakhe. (Funda izAga 11:4.) Nokho, abanye bangase bathi, ‘Kungani ngingenakuzinambitha kancane izinto ezisezweni?’

¹⁵ Ukunamathela ezintweni umKristu anazo kungamenza alangazelele izinto zalesi simiso sezinto esidlulayo. Akubanga njalo kuJeremiya nakuBharuki. Ngemva kwesikhathi eside, uJesu waxwayisa abantu ababephila “lapho kwambulwa iNdodana yomuntu.” Wathi kubo: “Khumbulani umkaLoti.” Kungafaneleka ngendlela efanayo ukuxwayisa amaKristu: ‘Khumbulani uJeremiya noBharuki.’ (Luka 17:30-33) Uma singanamathela ngokuqinile ezintweni ezibonakalayo, kungaba nzima ukuba silalele amazwi kaJesu. Kodwa ungakhohlwa—uBharuki wasilalela isixwayiso sikaNkulunkulu futhi waqhubeka ephila.

16. Landisa ngesimo izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezagcina kuso izinto ezibonakalayo zisendaweni yazo.

¹⁶ Cabanga ngesimo sabafowethu baseRomania ngesikhathi sombuso wamaKhomanisi. Ngezinye izikhathi lapho izisebenzi zikahulumeni zisesha imizi yoFakazi, zazithatha izimpahla zabo, ikakhulu izinto ezazingazidayisa. (IsiL. 5:2) Abafowethu nodade abaningi babezimisele ukulahlekelwa izinto zabo. Abanye kwadingeka bashiye izinto zabo nemizi yabo lapho beyiswa kwezinye izindawo; noma kunjalo, baqhubeka beqotho kuJehova. Uma ubhekene novivinyo olunjalo, ingabe uyovumela uthando lwakho lwezinto ezibonakalayo lukuvimbele ukuba ulondoloze ubuqotho bakho kuNkulunkulu?—2 Thim. 3:11.

17. Kungenzeka abathile ababephila noJeremiya noBharuki baba kanjani usizo kubo?

¹⁷ Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi kunabathile ababesekela uJeremiya noBharuki ababephila sikhathi sinye nabo. UZefaniya waprofetha phakathi nokubusa kukaJosiya, ngesikhathi uJeremiya ekhonza njengomprofethi. Wazizwa kanjani uJeremiya ngamazwi akuZefaniya 1:18? (Yifunde.) Awucabangi yini ukuthi wayexoxa noBharuki ngalawo mazwi aphefumulelwe? Omunye owayephila ngaleso sikhathi kwakunguHezekeli, owathunjelwa eBhabhiloni ngo-617 B.C.E. Imisebenzi yakhe nezigijimi zakhe ezithile zazihlobene ngokuqondile namaJuda ayesebuyele ezweni lawo, ngakho cishe uJeremiya wayekwazi lokho uHezekeli akusho noma akwenza, noHezekeli kungenzeka wayekwazi okwakushiwo noma kwenziwa uJeremiya. Lokhu kungahlanganisa namazwi alotshwe kuHezekeli 7:19. (Yifunde.) Njengoba nje uJeremiya noBharuki babengazuza kulawo mazwi aphefumulelwe, nathi singazuza. Abantu bayocela onkulunkulu babo ukuba babasindise ngosuku lukaJehova. Kepha onkulunkulu babo nengcebo yabo bayohluleka ukubasindisa.—Jer. 2:28.

INGABE UYOWUTHOLA ‘UMPHEFUMULO WAKHO NJENGEMPANGO’?

18. “Umphefumulo” kabani okufanele sifune ukuwuthola njengempango, futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho?

¹⁸ Kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uthembise ukusinika ‘imiphefumulo’ yethu njengempango. Ngisho noma izinceku zakhe ezimbalwa zingabulawa ngoshushiso olungagqashuka phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’ lapho izimpondo zesilo sasendle sezombangazwe ziphendukela inkolo, kuyobe kungaphelanga ngalezo zinceku ezithembekile. Nakanjani ‘imiphefumulo’ yazo iyophinde iphile, ijabulele “ukuphila kwangempela” ezweni elisha. (IsAm. 7:14, 15; 1 Thim. 6:19) Nokho, singaqiniseka ngokuthi iningi lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziyobe zithembekile ngaleso sikhathi ziyosinda osizini olukhulu. Ungaqiniseka ngokuthi lapho uNkulunkulu ebhubhisa izizwe, akekho othembekile oyobe ephakathi kwalabo “ababulewe nguJehova.”—Jer. 25:32, 33.

19. Ukucabangela izibonelo zikaJeremiya noBharuki kukuqinise kanjani ukuzimisela kwakho ukugwema ukuzifunela “izinto ezinkulu”?

¹⁹ Abanye kungase kubadumaze ukucabanga ukuthi bangasinda bese bethola ‘imiphefumulo’ yabo kuphela njengempango, kodwa empeleni lokho akufanele neze kusidumaze. Khumbula ukuthi ngesikhathi abantu baseJerusalema bebulawa indlala, uJehova wagcina uJeremiya ephila. Kanjani? INkosi uZedekiya yamvalela eGcekeni Labaqaphi, yayala ukuba anikwe “isinkwa esiyindilinga nsuku zonke sivela esitaladini sababhaki, saze saphela sonke isinkwa emzini.” (Jer. 37:21) UJeremiya wasinda! UJehova angasebenzisa noma iyiphi indlela ayithandayo ukuze alonde abantu bakhe. Kodwa yena uyobalonda ngoba ithemba labo lokuphila okuphakade liqinisekile. UBharuki wasinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema ngoba akazange ‘azifunele izinto ezinkulu.’ Nathi singabheka phambili ekusindeni e-Armagedoni ukuze sidumise uJehova ‘ngemiphefumulo’ yethu eyimpango esiyoyijabulela phakade.