IYerusalem Elilandeleyo Igama Layo
“Nigcobe nanini yiloo nto ndiyidalayo; ngokuba, yabonani, ndiyayidala iYerusalem ukuba igcobe.”—ISAYA 65:18.
1. UEzra wavakalelwa njani ngesixeko esinyuliweyo sikaThixo?
NANJENGAMNTU owayekuthanda ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo, umbingeleli ongumYuda uEzra waluxabisa unxibelelwano eyayikhe yanalo iYerusalem nonqulo olunyulu lukaYehova. (Duteronomi 12:5; Ezra 7:27) Indlela awayesithanda ngayo eso sixeko sikaThixo iboniswe kwinxalenye yeBhayibhile awaphefumlelwa ukuba ayibhale—eyokuQala neyesiBini yeziKronike nencwadi kaEzra. Kwezi ngxelo zisityebisela ngembali, igama elithi Yerusalem livela izihlandlo eziphantse zibe yikota yezingama-800 elivela ngazo eBhayibhileni iphela.
2. Yiyiphi intsingiselo engokwesiprofeto esinokuyibona koko kuthethwa ligama elithi Yerusalem?
2 NgesiHebhere seBhayibhile, igama elithi “Yerusalem” likuhlobo lwesiHebhere oluneentsingiselo ezimbini. Olu hlobo ludla ngokusetyenziswa kwizinto ezihamba ngambini, ezinjengamehlo, iindlebe, izandla neenyawo. Xa likolu hlobo, igama elithi Yerusalem linokugqalwa njengeliprofeta ngoxolo lwabantu bakaThixo oluntlu-mbini—olokomoya nolokwenyama. IZibhalo azisichazeli enoba uEzra wayeyazi ngokupheleleyo kusini na loo nto. Noko ke, njengombingeleli, wazama konke okusemandleni akhe ukunceda amaYuda abe seluxolweni noThixo. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo wazibhokoxa ukuze iYerusalem ilandele igama layo, elithetha “Indawo [okanye, Isiseko] Soxolo Oluntlu-mbini.”—Ezra 7:6.
3. Yiyiphi iminyaka eyadlulayo ngaphambi kokuba kuphinde kuthethwe ngemisebenzi kaEzra, ibe simfumana ephantsi kwayiphi imeko?
3 IBhayibhile ayisichazeli ukuba wayephi uEzra ebudeni beminyaka eli-12 eyayiphakathi kokutyelela kwakhe eYerusalem nokufika kukaNehemiya kweso sixeko. Imeko yokomoya yolo hlanga eyayingentle ibonisa ukuba ngelo xesha uEzra wayengekho. Ukanti sifumana uEzra kwakhona ekhonza njengombingeleli othembekileyo eYerusalem emva nje kokugqitywa kokuphinda zakhiwe iindonga zeso sixeko.
Usuku Lwendibano Eyayimnandi
4. Ubaluleke ngantoni umhla wokuqala wenyanga yesixhenxe yakwaSirayeli?
4 Udonga lweYerusalem lwagqitywa kanye ngaphambi kwenyanga kaTishri yomsitho obalulekileyo, inyanga yesixhenxe yekhalenda yonqulo yamaSirayeli. Ngomhla wokuqala kaTishri kwakubakho ingxikela yomsitho wenyanga entsha owawubizwa ngokuba nguMsitho Wokukhalisa Amaxilongo. Ngaloo mhla, ababingeleli babevuthela amaxilongo ngoxa kunyuswa amadini aya kuYehova. (Numeri 10:10; 29:1, thelekisa iNW.) Lo mhla wawuwenza amaSirayeli awulungele uMhla Wocamagusho owawuza kubakho ngomhla we-10 kuTishri noMsitho Wokuhlanganisa owawuqalisa ngowe-15 use kowama-21 kwakuloo nyanga.
5. (a) UEzra noNehemiya bawusebenzisa kakuhle njani ‘umhla wokuqala wenyanga yesixhenxe’? (b) Yintoni eyayililisa amaSirayeli?
5 “Ngomhla wokuqala wenyanga yesixhenxe,” “bonke abantu” bahlanganisana, mhlawumbi bekhuthazwa nguNehemiya noEzra. Amadoda nabafazi, nabo “bonke abanokuva baqonde” babekho. Ngenxa yoko, nabantwana babekho yaye bephulaphule njengoko uEzra wayemi eqongeni efunda uMthetho “eqale ekuseni kwada kwaba semini enkulu.” (Nehemiya 8:1-4) Ngamathuba athile, abaLevi babenceda abantu ngokubacacisela oko kwakufundwa, nto leyo eyashiya amaSirayeli elil’ iinyembezi akubona indlela awayesilele ngayo wona nooyisemkhulu ukuthobela uMthetho kaThixo.—Nehemiya 8:5-9.
6, 7. Yintoni enokufundwa ngamaKristu koko kwenziwa nguNehemiya ukuthuthuzela amaYuda awayesenza isimbonono?
6 Kodwa esi yayingesosihlandlo sazijwili. Yayingumsitho lo, ibe abantu babesandul’ ukugqiba umsebenzi wokwakha udonga lwaseYerusalem. Ngoko uNehemiya wabakhupha kwezo ntsizi ngokuthetha la mazwi: “Yiyani, nidle amanqatha, nisele izinto ezinencasa, nise isabelo kwabangalungiselwanga nto; ngokuba le mini ingcwele kwiNkosi yethu. Musani ukuba buhlungu; ngokuba uvuyo lukaYehova ligwiba lenu.” Bethobela, “besuka bonke abantu, baya kudla, basela, bathuma izabelo, bavuya kakhulu; ngokuba bawaqonda amazwi ababewaxelelwa.”—Nehemiya 8:10-12.
7 Namhlanje abantu bakaThixo banokufunda lukhulu kule ngxelo. Abo banelungelo lokuba nezabelo kwiintlanganiso nakwiindibano bafanele bakhumbule oku kungasentla. Ukongezelela ekunikeleni isiluleko maxa wambi esiye sibe yimfuneko, ezi zihlandlo zibalaselisa iingenelo neentsikelelo ezibangelwa kukuhlangabezana noko kufunwa nguThixo. Baye banconywe abo benza imisebenzi emihle kuze kukhuthazwe abantu ukuba banyamezele. Abantu bakaThixo bafanele bemke imilomo ingahlangani luvuyo ngenxa yemfundiso eyakhayo evela kwiLizwi likaThixo abayifumene kwezo ntlanganiso.—Hebhere 10:24, 25.
Enye Intlanganiso Evuyisayo
8, 9. Yiyiphi intlanganiso ekhethekileyo eyabakho ngomhla wesibini wenyanga yesixhenxe, yaye yaba nawuphi umphumo kubantu bakaThixo?
8 Ngosuku lwesibini lwaloo nyanga ikhethekileyo, “kwahlanganisana iintloko zezindlu zooyise zabantu bonke, nezababingeleli, nezabaLevi, zeza kuEzra umbhali ukuwaqiqa amazwi omyalelo.” (Nehemiya 8:13) UEzra wayekufanelekela kakuhle ukuyiqhuba le ntlanganiso, ekubeni “intliziyo yakhe wayeyibhekise ekuwufuneni umyalelo kaYehova, awenze, afundise ummiselo nesiko kwaSirayeli.” (Ezra 7:10) Alithandabuzeki elokuba kule ntlanganiso kwakubekw’ umnwe kwiinkalo ekwakufuneka abantu bakaThixo banamathele ngokusondeleyo kuzo kumnqophiso woMthetho. Eyokuqala yayiphathelele imfuneko yokwenza amalungiselelo afanelekileyo okubhiyozela uMsitho Weminquba.
9 Lo msitho owawuthabatha iveki yonke waqhutywa kakuhle, bonke abantu behleli kwiminquba yabo eyenziwe ngamasebe namagqabi emithi ngemithi. Abantu bayakha le minquba kumaphahla asithabazi, kwiintendelezo zezindlu zabo, kwiintendelezo zetempile nakwiindawo zembutho zaseYerusalem. (Nehemiya 8:15, 16) Elinjani ukuba lihle ithuba lokuhlanganisa abantu nokubafundisa uMthetho kaThixo! (Thelekisa iDuteronomi 31:10-13.) Oku kwakusenziwa yonke imihla, “kwathabathela kumhla wokuqala kwezisa kumhla wokugqibela” womsitho, nto leyo eyabangela “uvuyo olukhulu kunene” kubantu bakaThixo.—Nehemiya 8:17, 18.
Asifanele Siyityeshele Indlu KaThixo
10. Kwakutheni ukuze kulungiselelwe intlanganiso ekhethekileyo ngomhla wama-24 wenyanga yesixhenxe?
10 Abantu bakaThixo banexesha nendawo yokulungisa iintsilelo ezinzulu. Kuyabonakala ukuba bathi bakubona ukuba lalifikile elo xesha, uEzra noNehemiya baceba ukuba umhla wama-24 wenyanga kaTishri ube ngumhla wokuzila. Nangaloo mhla kwafundwa uMthetho kaThixo, ibe abantu baxela izono zabo. Emva koko abaLevi babakhumbuza ngendlela uThixo awayeqhubene ngenceba ngayo nabantu bakhe abanxaxhayo, badumisa uYehova yaye benza “umnqophiso wenene” owatyobelwa ngetywina labathetheli babo, abaLevi, nababingeleli.—Nehemiya 9:1-38.
11. Nguwuphi “umnqophiso wenene” awazibophelela kuwo amaYuda?
11 Abantu benza isifungo sokuwugcina “umnqophiso wenene.” Babeza “kuhamba ngomyalelo kaThixo.” Kwaye bavuma ukuba babengayi kutshatiselana ‘nezizwe zelo lizwe.’ (Nehemiya 10:28-30) Ngaphezu koko, amaYuda azibophelela esithi aza kuyigcina iSabatha, enze iminikelo yemali yaminyaka le kunqulo lokwenyaniso, azise iinkuni ezibingelelweni, anikele ngamazibulo emihlambi yawo yempahla emfutshane neyeenkomo ukuze anyuswe njengamadini, aze anikele ngeentlahlela zeziqhamo zelizwe lawo kumagumbi okutyela asetempileni. Kuyacaca ukuba, ayengazimisele ‘kuyishiya indlu kaThixo wabo.’—Nehemiya 10:32-39.
12. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo xa singayityesheli indlu kaThixo namhlanje?
12 Namhlanje, abantu bakaYehova bamele bakulumkele ukulityeshela ilungelo labo ‘lokunikela inkonzo engcwele’ kwiintendelezo zetempile kaYehova yokomoya ezukileyo. (ISityhilelo 7:15) Oku kubandakanya ukuluthandazela rhoqo nangokusuk’ entliziyweni unqulo lukaYehova. Ukuze siphile ngokuvisisana naloo mithandazo kufuneka sizilungiselele yaye sibe nenxaxheba kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, sithelele kumalungiselelo okushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, yaye sincede abanomdla ngokubabuyela nangokuthi, ukuba kuyenzeka, siqalise isifundo seBhayibhile nabo. Abaninzi abangafuni kuyishiya indlu kaThixo banikela ngemali kumsebenzi wokushumayela nokulungisa iindawo zonqulo lokwenyaniso. Kwakhona sinokukwazi ukuxhasa ukwakhiwa kweendawo zokuhlanganisana ezifuneka ngokungxamisekileyo size sizigcine zicocekile yaye zibeth’ umoya. Indlela ebalulekileyo yokubonakalisa uthando ngendlu yokomoya kaThixo kukudala uxolo phakathi kwamanye amakholwa nokunceda nawaphi na ahlelelekileyo ngokwenyama nangokomoya.—Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Hebhere 13:15, 16.
Imigcobo Yonikezelo
13. Nguwuphi umbandela owawungxamisekile nowawufuna ingqalelo ngaphambi kokuba lunikezelwe udonga lwaseYerusalem, ibe nguwuphi umzekelo owamiselwa ngabaninzi?
13 “Umnqophiso wenene” owawutywinwe ngomhla kaNehemiya wenza abantu bakaThixo bamandulo balungela ukunikezelwa kodonga lwaseYerusalem. Kodwa kwakusekho nto ithile eyayisafuna ingqalelo engxamisekileyo. Ekubeni ngoku yayingqingwe ludonga olukhulu olwalunamasango ali-12, kwakufuneka abantu abangakumbi ababeza kuhlala eYerusalem. Nangona ayekho amaSirayeli awayehlala apho, “umzi ububanzi ngeenxa zombini, umkhulu; abantu bembalwa phakathi kwawo.” (Nehemiya 7:4) Ukuze kuconjululwe le ngxaki, abantu “bawisa amaqashiso, ukuba kungeniswe abe mnye kwabalishumi, ahlale eYerusalem kuwo umzi ongcwele.” Intsabelo entle kweli lungiselelo yabangela ukuba abantu bawasikelele “amadoda onke aqhutywa yintliziyo ukuba ahlale eYerusalem.” (Nehemiya 11:1, 2) Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo kubanquli bokwenyaniso namhlanje abameko zibavumelayo ukuba bafudukele apho kukho imfuneko enkulu yoncedo lwamaKristu aqolileyo!
14. Yintoni eyenzeka ngomhla wokunikezelwa kodonga lwaseYerusalem?
14 Kungekudala kwaqaliswa amalungiselelo omhla omkhulu wokunikezelwa kodonga lwaseYerusalem. Iimvumi nemilonji yayilapho ivela kwizixeko ezingqonge elakwaYuda. Yahlukana yazikwayala ezimbini ezazivuma iingoma zemibulelo, nganye ilandelwa ngumngcelele. (Nehemiya 12:27-31, 36, 38) Ezi kwayala nemingcelele zaqalisa kolona donga lukude netempile, mhlawumbi zisuka eSangweni Lomfula, zaza zenjenjeya enye isinge kwelinye icala de zaya kudibana endlwini kaThixo. “Babingelela ngaloo mini imibingelelo emikhulu, bavuya; ngokuba uThixo ubebavuyisile ngovuyo olukhulu. Kananjalo abafazi nabantwana bavuya; kwavakala ukuvuya kweYerusalem namgama.”—Nehemiya 12:43.
15. Kutheni uvuyo lokunikezelwa kweYerusalem lungazange luhlale luhleli?
15 IBhayibhile ayichazi ukuba wenzeka ngawuphi umhla lo mbhiyozo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba wawuyimbalasane, ukuba phofu wawungeyoncopho yokubuyiselwa kweYerusalem. Kakade ke, umsebenzi wokwakha wawusemkhulu ngaphakathi kweso sixeko. Ethubeni, abemi baseYerusalem baphola ngokomoya. Ngokomzekelo, kutyelelo lwesibini lukaNehemiya kweso sixeko, wafumanisa ukuba indlu kaThixo yayiphinde yashiywa yaye amaSirayeli ayephinde atshata abafazi beentlanga. (Nehemiya 13:6-11, 15, 23) Le meko ingathandekiyo iphinda iqinisekiswe yincwadi yomprofeti uMalaki. (Malaki 1:6-8; 2:11; 3:8) Ngoko uvuyo lokunikezelwa kodonga lweYerusalem aluzange luhlale luhleli.
Unobangela Wovuyo Oluhlala Luhleli
16. Ziziphi iziganeko ezibalaseleyo abakhangele phambili kuzo abantu bakaThixo?
16 Namhlanje, abantu bakaYehova balangazelela ixesha uThixo aya kuzoyisa ngalo zonke iintshaba zakhe. Oku kuya kuqalisa ngokutshatyalaliswa ‘kweBhabhiloni Enkulu’—isixeko sokomfuziselo esinkonye wonke uvobe wonqulo lobuxoki. (ISityhilelo 18:2, 8) Ukutshatyalaliswa konqulo lobuxoki kuya kuphawula isiqalo sembandezelo enkulu ezayo. (Mateyu 24:21, 22) Kukho nesinye isiganeko esibalulekileyo esiza kuqalisa kungekudala—umtshato wasezulwini weNkosi uYesu Kristu nomtshakazi wakhe ongabemi ‘beYerusalem Entsha’ abali-144 000. (ISityhilelo 19:7; 21:2) Asazi ukuba uya kuphela nini na loo mtshato ubalaseleyo, kodwa esiqiniseke ngako nje kukuba uya kuba sisihlandlo sovuyo.—Bona IMboniselo ka-Agasti 15, 1990, iphepha 30-1.
17. Yintoni esiyaziyo ngokugqitywa kweYerusalem Entsha?
17 Siyazi ukuba sele kumbovu ukuba igqitywe iYerusalem Entsha. (Mateyu 24:3, 7-14; ISityhilelo 12:12) Ngokungafaniyo neYerusalem yasemhlabeni, ayinakuze iphoxe mntu. Oku kungenxa yokuba abemi bayo bangabalandeli bakaYesu Kristu abathanjiswe ngomoya, abavavanyiweyo baza basulungekiswa. Ngokuthembeka kwabo de kuse ekufeni, ngamnye wabo uya kuba ezingqine enyaniseke ngokungenasiphelo kuMongami Wendalo Iphela, uYehova uThixo. Oko kubalulekile kubo bonke abantu—abaphilayo nabafileyo!
18. Kutheni sifanele ‘sibe nemihlali yaye sigcobe nanini’?
18 Khawucinge nje ngokuya kwenzeka xa iYerusalem Entsha inikela ingqalelo kubantu abanokholo kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu. Umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Khangela! Intente kaThixo iseluntwini, yaye uya kuhlala nalo, ibe lona luya kuba ngamaqela abantu bakhe. NoThixo ngokwakhe uya kuba nalo. Kwaye uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni alo, yaye ukufa akusayi kubakho, kungayi kubakho nakukhedama nasikhalo nantlungu kwakhona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlule.” (ISityhilelo 21:2-4) Ngaphezu koko, uThixo uya kusebenzisa eli lungiselelo linjengesixeko ukwenza uluntu lubuyele emfezekweni. (ISityhilelo 22:1, 2) Ezinjani zona ukuba zihle izizathu ‘zokuba nemihlali nokugcoba nanini ngezo nto azidalayo uThixo’!—Isaya 65:18.
19. Iyintoni iparadesi yokomoya aye ahlanganiswa kuyo amaKristu?
19 Noko ke, akuyomfuneko ukuba abantu abaguqukileyo balinde elo xesha ukuze bafumane uncedo kuThixo. Ngowe-1919, uYehova waqalisa ukuhlanganisa amalungu okugqibela e-144 000 kwiparadesi yokomoya, apho iziqhamo zomoya kaThixo—ezinjengothando, uvuyo noxolo—zibonakaliswa ngamandla khona. (Galati 5:22, 23) Into ebibalasele ngayo le paradesi yokomoya lukholo lwabemi bayo abathanjisiweyo, abebekukhuthalele ukuhamba phambili ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kulo lonke elimiweyo. (Mateyu 21:43; 24:14) Ngenxa yoko, zimalunga nezigidi ezintandathu “ezinye izimvu” ezinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, eziye nazo zavunyelwa ukuba zingene kwiparadesi yokomoya yaye zisebenze ngenkuthalo. (Yohane 10:16) Oku ziye zakufanelekela ngokuzahlulela kuYehova uThixo ngesizinzi sokukholelwa kwazo kwidini lentlawulelo loNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. Ngokwenene ukunxulumana kwazo nabo baza kuba ngamalungu eYerusalem Entsha kungqineke kuyintsikelelo. Ngaloo ndlela, ngeenkqubano zakhe namaKristu athanjisiweyo, uYehova uye wakha isiseko ‘sehlabathi elitsha’—ibutho labantu aboyika uThixo nabaza kuwudla ilifa ummandla womhlaba woBukumkani basezulwini.—Isaya 65:17; 2 Petros 3:13.
20. IYerusalem Entsha iza kulilandela njani igama layo?
20 Uxolo olwesamele ngoku kubantu bakaYehova abakwiparadesi yabo yokomoya kungekudala luza kunwenwela kwiparadesi yokoqobo eza kuba semhlabeni. Oko kuya kwenzeka xa iYerusalem Entsha isihla ezulwini ize kusikelela uluntu. Abantu bakaThixo baya kuphila eluxolweni oluthenjiswe kuIsaya 65:21-25 ngengqiqo entlu-mbini. Njengabanquli abamanyeneyo bakaYehova abakwiparadesi yokomoya, abathanjiswa abangekazithabathi izikhundla zabo kwiYerusalem Entsha yasezulwini kunye ‘nabezinye izimvu’ sele bephila phantsi koxolo lukaThixo. Kwaye olo xolo luya kunwenwela kwiParadesi yokoqobo xa ‘ukuthanda kukaThixo kusenzeka emhlabeni, njengasezulwini.’ (Mateyu 6:10) Ewe, isixeko sikaThixo esizukileyo sasezulwini siya kulilandela igama leYerusalem ize ibe ‘siSiseko esiluqilima Soxolo Oluntlu-mbini.’ Siya kuzisa indumiso kuMdali waso Ozukileyo, uYehova uThixo, nakuMyeni waso onguKumkani, uYesu Kristu kude kuse emaphakadeni.
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
◻ Yintoni eyaphunyezwa kukuhlanganisa kukaNehemiya abantu eYerusalem?
◻ Kwafuneka enze ntoni amaYuda amandulo ukuze angayishiyi indlu kaThixo, yaye yintoni esifanele siyenze thina?
◻ “IYerusalem” ibandakanyeke njani ekuziseni uxolo oluhlala luhleli?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lwaluphela apha udonga lweYerusalem xa eso sixeko satshatyalaliswayo naxa uNehemiya wakhokela ekusakheni ngokutsha