Amaphuzu Avelele EBhayibheli Ezra 1:1–10:44
UJehova Uyazigcwalisa Izithembiso Zakhe!
Inkululeko! Ukubuyiselwa! Yeka indlela lezindaba okumelwe ukuba zathokozisa ngayo kumaJuda ayethunjelwe eBabiloni! Ngokuvumelana nesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu, futhi ngemva kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthunjwa, amaJuda ayebuyiselwa ezweni lakubo. (Jeremiya 25:12; Isaya 44:28–45:7) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izimpahla ezazithathwe ethempelini likaJehova zazibuyiselwa endaweni yazo efanelekile. Yeka injabulo!
Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaEzra iqala ngalezizenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi. Njengoba yabhalwa eJerusalema ngumbhali uEzra cishe ngo-460 B.C.E., ihlanganisa iminyaka engama-70, kusukela ekukhululweni kwamaJuda kuya ekuqedweni kwethempeli lesibili nokuhlanzwa kwabapristi (537 c. 467 B.C.E.). Kuqokonyiswa indlela uJehova agcwalisa ngayo izithembiso zakhe. Lencwadi iqukethe futhi izifundo eziwusizo ngoFakazi BakaJehova namuhla.
Abathunjwa Bayakhululwa
Siza ufunde uEzra 1:1–3:6. Umoya wayo ushukunyiswa uJehova, inkosi yasePheresiya uKoresi ikhipha isimemezelo: Ithempeli laseJerusalema lizokwakhiwa kabusha, futhi ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kumelwe kubuyiselwe lapho! Wonke amaIsrayeli angahlanganyela. Labo abangenza kanjalo bakhululekile ukubuyela ezweni lakubo baye emsebenzini wokuvuselela. Abanye banxuswa ukuba banikele ngokuzithandela esakhiweni. Izitsha zethempeli lokuqala, ezayiswa eBabiloni nguNebukadinesari, kumelwe zibuyiswe. Ngaphansi kokuhola kukaZerubabele, cishe abayizi-50 000 bathatha uhambo olucishe lube ngamakhilomitha ayi-1 600 babuyela eJerusalema. Bakha kabusha itabernakele elingcwele futhi banikela iminikelo kuJehova. Ngokulandelayo, ekwindla ka-537 B.C.E., bagubha uMkhosi wamaDokodo. Iminyaka engama-70 eyabikezelwa yencithakalo yaphela ngaso kanye isikhathi esasimisiwe!—Jeremiya 25:11; 29:10.
◆ 1:3-6—Ingabe amaIsrayeli asala eBabiloni ayengathembekile?
Akunjalo ngempela, nakuba ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo nokuntuleka kokwazisa kwakungase kube yizimbangela kwezinye izimo. Isimemezelo sikaKoresi sasingasho ukuthi bonke kumelwe babuyele kodwa sakwenza kwaba yindaba yokuzithandela. Izimo ezifana nokuguga, ubuthakathaka, noma izibopho zomkhaya kwakungase kubavimbele abanye ekuthatheni lolohambo. Kodwa kwakumelwe basekele labo ababengabuyela.
◆ 1:8—Kwakungubani uSheshebasari?
Ngokunokwenzeka, leli kwakuyigama likaZerubabele ayebizwa ngalo enkantolo yamaKaledi. (Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 1:7.) Lokhu okushiwo ngoSheshebasari kwenye indawo kubhekiselwa kuZerubabele. (Ezra 5:16; Zakariya 4:9) Bobabili banikezwa isiqu esithi “umbusi.” (Ezra 5:14; Hagayi 2:21) Futhi kuEzra 2:2 no-3:1, 2 uZerubabele uqashelwa njengohola abathunjwa ababuyela emuva; ngakho-ke, ngokuvumelanayo, igama likaSheshebasari alithintwa.
◆ 2:61-63—Kwakuyini iUrimi neThumimi?
Kucatshangelwa ukuthi kwakuyinkatho engcwele eyayisetshenziswa lapho umbuzo udinga impendulo evela kuJehova. Ngokwesiko lamaJuda, kwanyamalala lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E. Lokhu kusekelwa iqiniso lokuthi ababesesizukulwaneni sobupristi babevinjelwe ubupristi nokudla okungcwelengcwele “kuze kuvele umpristi oneUrimi neThumimi.” Kodwa awukho umbhalo wokuyisebenzisa kwabo ngalesosikhathi noma ngemva kwalokho.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: Isimo esifana naleso samaJuda athunjiwe sikhona koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Akubona bonke abakwazi ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele noma bashiye amakhaya abo bayokhonza lapho indingeko inkulu khona. Nokho benza konke okusemandleni ukuze baqhubekisele phambili izithakazelo zokukhulekela okuhlanzekile ngokwenza iminikelo yokuzithandela nokunikeza isikhuthazo kulabo abangase bahlanganyele emsebenzini owandisiwe.
Ukubuyiselwa Kuyaphikiswa
Funda isahluko 3:7–4:24. Ngokujabula okukhulu, amaJuda abuyiselwe amisa isisekelo sendlu kaJehova. Kodwa iminyaka eminingi izitha zizama ukudumaza abakhi bethempeli. Ekugcineni, ngokuyenza ikholwe inkosi ukuthi “umuzi ohlubukileyo nonengekayo” uyakhiwa, lezizitha zenza umsebenzi umiswe ngokwesiyalezo senkosi. Ukuvinjelwa kwaqhubeka “kwaze kwaba-ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePheresiya.”
◆ 3:12—Ayelilelani lamadoda?
Lamadoda ayesegugile ayekhumbula indlela elalibukeka kahle ngayo ithempeli likaSolomoni elaliklanywe ngokwaphezulu. Okuphambi kwawo manje—isisekelo nje—kwakungelutho uma kuqhathaniswa nalo. Ngokunokwenzeka ayedumazekile, ekungabaza ukuthi imizamo yawo yayingayibuyisa inkazimulo yakuqala.—Hagayi 2:2, 3.
◆ 4:1-3—Kungani usizo lwalwenqatshwa?
Labantu ababengamaJuda, ababelethwe inkosi yaseAsiriya ukuba bazohlala kulelizwe futhi, babengebona abakhulekeli beqiniso bakaNkulunkulu. (2 AmaKhosi 17:33, 41) Ukwamukela usizo lwabo kwakuyosho ukuhlehla ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso, futhi uJehova wayebaxwayise ngokuqondile abantu bakhe nganoma iziphi izinhlangano ezinjalo ezixubanisa izinkolo. (Eksodusi 20:5; 34:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lendaba ibiza labo abangewona amaJuda ‘njengezitha.’
Isifundo Esisitholayo: Lapho sibhekene nobutha ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu, kumelwe silingise amaJuda ayebuyiselwe ahlangana ngokushesha ukuba sekukhulekeleni “njengomuntu munye.” Ukuthembela kuJehova nokubeka ukukhulekelwa kwakhe kuqala kwabaqinisa ukuba bafeze umsebenzi ababewabelwe.—Ezra 3:1-12.
Ithempeli Liyaqedwa
Funda isahluko 5:1–6:22. Ukhuthazwa abaprofethi uHagayi noZakariya, umsebenzi wokwakha waqhubeka ngentshiseko evuselelwe. Zingakwazi ukuwumisa, izitha zaphinda zakhononda. Inkosi uDariyu iyaphenya futhi ithola isimemezelo sokuqala sikaKoresi. Izitha aziyalwa nje kuphela ukuba ‘zishiye phansi’ kodwa futhi ziyalwa ukuba zisize ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo! Ngesikhuthazo esiqhubekayo sabaprofethi bakaJehova, ithempeli liyaqedwa ngo-515 B.C.E. futhi liyahlanjululwa. Ngenjabulo linikezelwa kuNkulunkulu, ozithembiso zakhe ziyagcwaliseka!
◆ 5:5—Kungani abaphikisi bengawumisanga umsebenzi wokwakha?
Ukunakekela kukaJehova kwakuphezu kwezinceku zakhe ezithembekile. (2 IziKronike 16:9) Beqiniswa umoya kaNkulunkulu, abadala abavumanga ukwesatshiswa. Babhekisela esimemezelweni sikaKoresi okwase kukudala sakhohlakala. Njengoba umthetho wamaPheresiya wawungaguquki, izitha zesaba ukuphikisa isimemezelo senkosi. (Daniyeli 6:8, 15) Ukuqondisa kukaJehova kwakusobala, futhi umsebenzi waqhubeka.
◆ 6:21—Obani ababezehlukanise “nokungcola kwabezizwe”?
Kungaba izihambi (amaProselithe) ezabuyela emuva namaJuda, kungaba ngamaSamariya ngalesosikhathi ayehlala kulelozwe, noma ngisho namaJuda ayesebuyile lawo ayesonakaliswe amathonya obuqaba. (Qhathanisa noEzra 9:1.) Intuthuko yokukhulekelwa okuhlanzekile kukaJehova eJerusalema ngokusobala yabaqhubela ukuba benze ushintsho oludingekile ekuphileni kwabo.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: Abadala abangamaKristu namuhla kumelwe nabo bafune ukuqondisa kukaJehova. Unikeza ukuqondisa okudingekile lapho sibhekene nabaphikisi.—IHubo 32:8.
UEzra Uyabuya
Funda isahluko 7:1–8:36. Kwedlula isikhathi. Ngo-468 B.C.E., inkosi uAritahishashita unikeza uEzra “konke akucelayo,” enzela ukuthi akwazi ukuyosiza eJerusalema. Umyalo wenkosi ukhuthaza wonke amaJuda athandayo ukuba nawo abuyele, futhi unikeza isiliva negolide ukuze alungiselele zonke izidingo zendlu kaJehova. UEzra unikezwa igunya lokumisa abahluleli nabaholi, ababeyobheka ukugcinwa komthetho kaJehova nowenkosi. Ethembele ekusekelweni uNkulunkulu, uEzra uyaziqinisa futhi uqala uhambo oluyingozi. Akakuceli ukuphelezelwa ngamabutho ahlomile, hleze lokhu kubhekwe njengokuntula ukholo emandleni kaJehova okuvikela. Ngokusekelwa uNkulunkulu, amaJuda afika elondekile.
◆ 7:1, 7, 11—Wayengubani loAritahishashita?
Lena kwakuyinkosi yasePheresiya uAritahishashita I (uLongimanus). Onyakeni wakhe wama-20, wanikeza uNehemiya imvume yokubuyela eJerusalema futhi ayokwakha izindonga namasango alo. (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Isazi-mlando sasendulo sabheka loAritahishashita njengonomusa omkhulu nonobuntu obuhle. Ngenxa yomnikelo wakhe omkhulu, wabalwa kuEzra 6:14 njengalowo omiyalo yakhe yasiza ekuqedweni kwethempeli, nakuba ukwakhiwa kwalo kwaqedwa eminyakeni engama-47 ngaphambili. Wayehlukile ku-Aritahishashita owamisa umsebenzi wokwakha. (Ezra 4:7-23) Lowo kwakunguGaumata, owabusa izinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili kuphela ngo-522 B.C.E. “UAritahishashita” ngokusobala kwakuyigama lobukhosi noma isiqu.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: UEzra wabekela izinceku zikaJehova namuhla isibonelo esihle. Umbhali onekhono owayefunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo, wayisa lonke udumo kophezukonke futhi wayekhathalela kakhulu inkazimulo kaJehova kunokulondeka kwakhe siqu.—Ezra 7:27, 28; 8:21-23.
Ukuhlanzwa Kwesizwe
Funda isahluko 9:1–10:44. UEzra ngokushesha uyabona ukuthi abaningi “abazahlukanisanga nabantu bezizwe nezinengiso zabo.” AmaJuda, kuhlanganise nabapristi namaLevi, babeganiselana namaKhanani angamaqaba. UEzra uyashaqeka. Indaba uyibeka phambi kukaJehova ngomthandazo, evuma amaphutha esizwe ngokudabuka. Ngaphansi kokuhola kwakhe, abantu bayaphenduka futhi bazimisela ukuxosha abafazi babezizwe. Ukungcola kuyahlanzwa cishe phakathi nezinyanga ezintathu.
◆ 9:2—Kungani ukuganiselana okunjalo kwakuyisono?
Kwakuwugibe ekubuyiselweni kokukhulekela kweqiniso. (Duteronomi 7:3, 4) Laba babengabesifazane abangakholwa, ababekhulekela izithombe. Ukuganiselana nabo kwakungase kuphumele ekuzifaniseni nezizwe ezingamaqaba ezazibazungezile, futhi ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kwakuyophela emhlabeni.
◆ 10:3, 44—Kungani kwaxoshwa nabantwana?
Abantwana abancane ngokuvamile badinga onina. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngethonya labantwana, abafazi abaxoshiwe babengase babuyele emuva ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kukaJehova kwakumelwe kuze kuqala.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: NjengamaJuda athembekile esikhathi sikaEzra, oFakazi BakaJehova babambelela ezindinganisweni zikaJehova zomshado. Bayaqaphela ukuthi kumelwe bashade ‘kuphela eNkosini.’—1 Korinte 7:39.
UJehova wagcina isithembiso sakhe sokubuyisela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile eJerusalema lasendulo. Ngokufanayo, uyogcwalisa isithembiso sakhe sokwenza ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kwenziwe emhlabeni wonke. (Habakuki 2:14) Ingabe uyoba phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakhe lapho uMgcini Wezithembiso omkhulu eletha ukuthula nenjabulo kulomhlaba?—IHubo 37:10, 11; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.