UJehova watshela uHezekheli isiphrofetho esasiveza ukuthi abako-Israyeli babezamanyana nxa sebebuyele eLizweni Lesithembiso. Isiphrofetho lesi sasitshengisa lokumanyana kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu okwakuzakubakhona ezinsukwini zokucina.

UJehova watshela umphrofethi wakhe ukuba alobe ezintini ezimbili zezigodo. Kolunye uluthi kwakumele alobe kulo ukuthi, “NgolukaJuda lama-Israyeli amanyene laye” ikanti kolunye kwakumele alobe ukuthi, “Uluthi luka-Efrayimi, olukaJosefa kanye lendlu yonke ka-Israyeli emanyene laye.” Izinti lezi ezimbili kwakumele zihlanganiswe ukuze zibe “luthilunye” esandleni sikaHezekheli.—Hez. 37:15-17.

 Limela bani ibala elithi ‘u-Efrayimi’? U-Efrayimi wayeyisizwana esasidumile kulezinye izizwana ezazibumba umbuso wasenyakatho. Kanti njalo uJerobhowami inkosi yokuqala eyabusa izizwana lezi yayizalwa ko-Efrayimi. (Dute. 33:13, 17; 1 AmaKho. 11:26) Isizwana lesi sasidabuka ku-Efrayimi indodana kaJosefa. (Nani. 1:32, 33) UJosefa wayethole isibusiso esiqakathekileyo kuyise uJakhobe. Ngakho kwakuqondile ukuthi uluthi olwalumela izizwana ezilitshumi zombuso wasenyakatho lubizwe ngokuthi “uluthi luka-Efrayimi.” Ngomnyaka ka-740 B.C.E. umbuso wasenyakatho wathunjwa ngama-Asiriya. (2 AmaKho. 17:6) Kodwa ngemva kweminyaka eminengi abaseBhabhiloni bawanqoba ama-Asiriya. Yikho ngesikhathi uHezekheli eloba isiphrofetho lesi, inengi lama-Israyeli lalihlakazekile ezindaweni ezinengi ezazingaphansi koMbuso waseBhabhiloni.

Ngomnyaka ka-607 B.C.E., abaseBhabhiloni bahlasela umbuso waseningizimu owawubunjwa yizizwana ezimbili bathatha abantu babahambisa eBhabhiloni. Kungenzakala lokuthi bathatha labanye abantu ababesele embusweni wasenyakatho. Uluhlu lwamakhosi akoJuda yilo olwalubusa izizwana lezi ezimbili njalo labaphristi babetholakala embusweni lo ngoba ithempeli lalivele liseJerusalema. (2 ImiLan. 11:13, 14; 34:30) Ngakho kwakuqondile ukuthi umbuso waseningizimu umelwe luluthi ‘lukaJuda.’

Zahlanganiswa nini izinti lezi ezimela imibuso emibili? Zahlanganiswa ngo-537 B.C.E. lapho ama-Israyeli ebuyela eJerusalema ukuze ayekwakha kutsha ithempeli. Abantu ababevela embusweni waseningizimu lasembusweni wasenyakatho babuyela ndawonye eJerusalema bevela ekuthunjweni. Kwasekuphelile ukwehlukana phakathi kwabantwana bako-Israyeli. (Hez. 37:21, 22) Sasefikile isikhathi sokuthi wonke ama-Israyeli aphinde akhonze uJehova emanyene. Ukumanyana lokhu kwaphrofethwa ngu-Isaya loJeremiya.—Isaya. 11:12, 13; Jer. 31:1, 6, 31.

Isiphrofetho lesi sitshengisa liphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo mayelana lokukhonza kweqiniso? Sitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uzenza izikhonzi zakhe zimanyane, zibe “luthi lunye.” (Hez. 37:18, 19) Sigcwalisekile yini isiphrofetho lesi esikhathini sethu? Ye sigcwalisekile. Saqala ukugcwaliseka ngomnyaka ka-1919 lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu abamanyaniswa khona njalo bahlelwa kutsha kancane kancane. USathane wayezama sibili ukubehlukanisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa wakha phansi.

Ngalesosikhathi inengi labantu bakaNkulunkulu lalilethemba lokuyakuba ngamakhosi labaphristi ezulwini ndawonye loJesu. (Isam. 20:6) Singathi babemelwa luluthi lukaJuda. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abantu abanengi abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni baqalisa ukuzihlanganisa lo-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, okutsho abagcotshiweyo. (Zek. 8:23) Ixuku leli elikhulu lalimelwa luluthi luka-Efrayimi njalo lalingelathemba lokuyabusa loKhristu.

Womabili amaqembu la akhonza uJehova emanyene lamuhla njalo akhokhelwa yiNkosi uJesu Khristu. Isiphrofetho sikaHezekheli sibiza uJesu ngokuthi “inceku yami uDavida.” (Hez. 37:24, 25) UJesu wakhuleka wathi abalandeli bakhe ‘babezakuba munye’ njengoba yena loYise bemunye. * (Joh. 17:20, 21) Waphinda waphrofetha lokuthi umhlambi omncane obunjwa ngabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo wawuzakuba ‘ngumhlambi owodwa’ ‘lezinye izimvu.’ Bonke babezakhokhelwa ‘ngumalusi oyedwa.’ (Joh. 10:16) Njengoba nje uJesu watsho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla bamanyene kungelani lokuthi balethemba lokuphila emhlabeni loba elokuyaphila ezulwini.