Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wamelela Abantu BakaNkulunkulu

U-ESTERI wazama ukwehlisa umoya njengoba esondela egcekeni lesigodlo eShushani. Kwakungelula. Konke okwakusesigodlweni—imifanekiso emibalabala yezinkunzi ezinamaphiko, abacibisheli, amabhubesi akhiwe ngezitini ezinemibala, izinsika zetshe nemifanekiso ethusayo, ngisho nendlela ebekwe ngayo phezu kwamapulatifomu eduze kweNtaba iZagros elele iqhwa futhi ebheke umfula ocwebile iChoaspes—kwakuhloselwe ukukhumbuza noma yisiphi isivakashi ngamandla endoda ayezoyibona, eyayizibiza ngokuthi “inkosi enkulu.” Leyo ndoda yayingumyeni wakhe.

Umyeni wakhe? Yeka indlela u-Ahashiveroshi ayehluke ngayo kunoma yiluphi uhlobo lomyeni intombazane engumJuda ethembekile okungenzeka yayilulindele!a U-Ahashiveroshi wayengazange azibone izibonelo ezinjengo-Abrahama, indoda eyasamukela ngokuthobeka isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu sokulalela uSara, umkayo. (Genesise 21:12) Kuncane okwakwaziwa yile nkosi, uma kukhona, ngoNkulunkulu ka-Esteri, uJehova, noma ngoMthetho waKhe. Nokho, u-Ahashiveroshi wayewazi umthetho wamaPheresiya, owawuhlanganisa nalowo owawenqabela yona kanye into u-Esteri ayezoyenza. Yini leyo? Umthetho wawuthi noma ubani ovela phambi kwenkosi yasePheresiya inkosi ingambizanga wayefanelwe ukufa. Inkosi yayingambizanga u-Esteri, kodwa waya kuyo noma kunjalo. Njengoba esondela egcekeni elingaphakathi lapho inkosi yayingambona khona, kungenzeka wayezitshela ukuthi ulibuka uyaligcina.—Esteri 4:11; 5:1.

Kungani azifaka engozini engaka? Yini esingayifunda okholweni lwalona wesifazane omangalisayo. Okokuqala, ake sibone ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba u-Esteri azithole esesikhundleni esingandele bani sokuba yindlovukazi yasePheresiya.

‘Wayemuhle’

U-Esteri wayeyintandane. Sazi okuncane ngabazali bakhe abamqamba ngokuthi uHadasa, igama lesiHebheru elisho ukuthi “umbomvana,” isihlahlana esihle esiqhakaza izimbali ezimhlophe. Ngesikhathi abazali baka-Esteri befa, esinye isihlobo, indoda enomusa egama layo linguMoridekayi, sayizwela le ngane. UMoridekayi wayengumzala ka-Esteri, kodwa wayemdala kakhulu kunaye. Wathatha u-Esteri wamkhulisa njengendodakazi yakhe.—Esteri 2:5-7, 15.

UMoridekayi no-Esteri babephila njengamaJuda adingisiwe kuleyo nhloko-dolobha yasePheresiya futhi kungenzeka babengathandwa ngenxa yenkolo yabo noMthetho ababezama ukuwulandela. Ngokuqinisekile, u-Esteri wasondelana nomzala wakhe njengoba ayemfundisa ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu onesihe owayobophule kaningi abantu baKhe ebunzimeni esikhathini esidlule—nowayesazobophula. (Levitikusi 26:44, 45) Akubuzwa ukuthi u-Esteri noMoridekayi bagcina bengamathe nolimi.

Kubonakala sengathi uMoridekayi wayeyisikhulu esigodlweni saseShushani, evame ukuhlala esangweni nezinye izinceku zenkosi. (Esteri 2:19, 21; 3:3) Asazi ukuthi u-Esteri wayenzani lapho esakhula, nakuba kubonakala sengathi wamnakekela kahle umzala wakhe owayesekhulile kanye nomuzi wakhe, okungenzeka ukuthi wawakhiwe engxenyeni yabadla imbuya ngothi ngaphesheya komfula. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayekujabulela ukuya emakethe eShushani, lapho abasebenza ngegolide nesiliva babethengisa khona izinto zabo. U-Esteri wayengakaze acabange ukuthi izinto ezinjengalezi zaziyogcina ziyizinto ezivamile nje kuye; wayengazi ukuthi ikusasa limphatheleni.

Indlovukazi Ithathelwa Isikhundla

Ngolunye usuku kwaba namahlebezi eShushani okuthi endlini yenkosi kukhona okungahambi kahle. Esidlweni esikhulu, u-Ahashiveroshi ayesenzele ukujabulisa izikhulu zakhe ngezibiliboco nangewayini, inkosi yanquma ukubiza indlovukazi yayo enhle, uVashiti, eyayidla kwelinye igumbi nabesifazane. Kodwa uVashiti wenqaba ukuya. Iphoxekile futhi ithukuthele, inkosi yabuza abeluleki bayo ukuthi ingamjezisa kanjani uVashiti. Waba yini umphumela? Inkosi yanquma ukuba angabe esaba yindlovukazi, kubekwe enye esikhundleni sakhe. Izinceku zenkosi zaqala ukufuna ezweni lonke abesifazane abahle abayizintombi; kulaba besifazane inkosi yayizokhetha indlovukazi entsha.—Esteri 1:1–2:4.

Singambona ngamehlo engqondo uMoridekayi ebuka u-Esteri ngothando ezizwa eziqhenya futhi enokukhathazeka kancane ngokuthi umzala wakhe usekhulile—futhi muhle kakhulu. Siyafunda: “Le ntombi yayimi kahle futhi iyinhle.” (Esteri 2:7) Ubuhle bangaphandle buyathandeka, kodwa kufanele buhambisane nokuhlakanipha nokuthobeka, kungenjalo, bungazala ukuqhosha, ukuziqhayisa nezinye izimfanelo ezimbi zenhliziyo. (IzAga 11:22) Uke wabubona yini ubuqiniso balokho? Endabeni ka-Esteri, ubuhle babuyoba yini kuye—isipho noma ugibe? Kwakuyocaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

U-Esteri wawakhanga amehlo ezinceku zenkosi. Zamthatha kuMoridekayi zamyisa esigodlweni esihle kakhulu ngaphesheya komfula. (Esteri 2:8) Cishe kwaba buhlungu ukuhlukana, ngoba base benjengobaba nendodakazi. UMoridekayi wayengeke athande ukuba indodakazi yakhe yokutholwa ishade nanoma yimuphi umuntu ongeyena umkhulekeli kaNkulunkulu, ngisho nenkosi imbala, kodwa konke kwase kungaphezu kwamandla akhe. Cishe u-Esteri wamlalelisisa uMoridekayi lapho emeluleka okokugcina ngaphambi kokuba ahambe. Njengoba ayebheke esigodlweni eShushani, wayezibuza imibuzo eminingi. Hlobo luni lokuphila olwalumlindele?

Wathola Umusa “Emehlweni Abo Bonke Ababembona”

U-Esteri wazithola esesendaweni entsha nangayijwayele. Wayephakathi ‘kwezintombi eziningi’ ezazibuthwe kuwo wonke uMbuso WasePheresiya. Amasiko, ulimi nesimo sazo sengqondo cishe kwakuhluke kakhulu. Ziqondiswa isikhulu esibizwa ngokuthi uHegayi, izintombi kwakufanele zilungiswe zibe zinhle, futhi lo msebenzi wawuyothatha unyaka wonke; wawuhilela nokubhucungwa ngamafutha anamakha. (Esteri 2:8,12) Ukuphathwa ngaleyo ndlela kwakungase kwenze lezi zintombi ziqale ukukhathazeka ngokweqile ngokubukeka, futhi kubangele ukuqhosha nokuncintisana. Wathonyeka kanjani u-Esteri?

Akekho umuntu emhlabeni okungenzeka ukuthi wayekhathazeke ngo-Esteri ukwedlula uMoridekayi. Sifunda ukuthi usuku nosuku wayezidlisa satshanyana ngasendlini yabesifazane ukuze ezwe ukuthi u-Esteri uqhuba kanjani. (Esteri 2:11) Njengoba kungenzeka ukuthi wayezizwa ezinye zezindaba, mhlawumbe ngosizo lwezinceku zangaphakathi, kumelwe ukuba wayezizwa njengobaba isibili. Ngani?

U-Esteri wamhlaba umxhwele uHegayi kangangokuba wamphatha ngomusa wothando owengeziwe futhi wamnika izincekukazi ezingu-7 nendawo enhle kakhulu endlini yabesifazane. Ukulandisa kuze kuthi: “U-Esteri wayelokhu ethola umusa njalo emehlweni abo bonke ababembona.” (Esteri 2:9,15) Ingabe kwakuwubuhle kuphela okwakubahlaba umxhwele kangaka? Cha, u-Esteri wayenezinye izimfanelo ezinhle.

Ngokwesibonelo, siyafunda: “U-Esteri wayengazange akhulume ngabantu bakubo noma ngezihlobo zakhe, ngoba uMoridekayi wayemyalile ukuthi angakhulumi.” (Esteri 2:10) UMoridekayi wayeyiyalile intombazane ukuba ingathi vú ngozalo lwayo lwamaJuda; akungabazeki ukuthi wayebona ukuthi kunezikhulu zasePheresiya ezazibacwasa kakhulu abantu bakubo. Yeka indlela ajabula ngayo ukwazi ukuthi ngisho noma engasekho ngaphansi kwesandla sakhe, u-Esteri wayesaqhubeka ebonisa ukuhlakanipha futhi elalela!

Intsha namuhla ngokufanayo ingajabulisa abazali nabaqaphi bayo. Lapho ingekho phambi kwabazali bayo—ngisho noma izungezwe abantu abazidlayo, abaziphatha kabi noma abanonya—ingawagwema amathonya amabi futhi inamathele ezimisweni eyaziyo ukuthi zilungile. Uma yenza kanjalo, njengoba kwenza u-Esteri, yenza inhliziyo kaYise wasezulwini ijabule.—IzAga 27:11.

Lapho sifika isikhathi sokuba u-Esteri ethulwe phambi kwenkosi, wanikezwa ilungelo lokukhetha noma yini angase ayidinge, cishe ukuze azenze abe muhle nakakhulu. Nokho, walalela iseluleko sikaHegayi akangacela lutho; wamukela kuphela lokho ayekunikezwa. (Esteri 2:15) Kungenzeka ukuthi wayazi ukuthi ubuhle kuphela babungeke buyizuze inhliziyo yenkosi; kunalokho, yisizotha nokuthobeka okwakuyoba usizo olukhulu esigodlweni. Ingabe wayeqinisile?

Ukulandisa kuyaphendula: “Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye besifazane, kangangokuba wathola umusa nomusa wothando omkhulu phambi kwayo ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izintombi. Yabe isifaka umnqwazo wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.” (Esteri 2:17) Cishe lwalunzima lolu shintsho kule ntombazane engumJuda ethobekile—yayisiyindlovukazi entsha, inkosikazi yenkosi enamandla emhlabeni wonke ngaleso sikhathi! Ingabe isikhundla sika-Esteri esisha samenza wakhukhumala, waqhosha?

Lutho neze! U-Esteri waqhubeka ezithoba kuyise wokutholwa, uMoridekayi. Waqhubeka exhumana ngasese namaJuda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uMoridekayi edalula itulo lokubulala u-Ahashiveroshi, u-Esteri wamlalela waxwayisa inkosi futhi icebo lababophi bozungu labhuntsha. (Esteri 2:20-23) Waqhubeka ebonisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu wakhe ngokubonisa umoya wokuthobeka nokulalela. Ukulalela kuyethukela kubhekwa njengemfanelo enhle namuhla; ukungalaleli nokuvukela kuyinsakavukela. Kodwa abantu abanokholo lweqiniso bakubheka njengokuyigugu ukulalela, njengoba kwenza u-Esteri.

Ukholo Luka-Esteri Luyavivinywa

Indoda okuthiwa uHamani yachuma egcekeni lika-Ahashiveroshi. Inkosi yayimisa njengondunankulu, kanjalo yamenza umeluleki wayo oyinhloko nodlula yena kuphela esikhundleni. Inkosi yaze yakhipha umyalo wokuba wonke umuntu obona lesi sikhulu kumelwe asikhothamele. (Esteri 3:1-4) Lowo mthetho wambekela inselele uMoridekayi. Wayekholelwa ekulaleleni inkosi inqobo nje uma kungahileli ukungahloniphi uNkulunkulu. UHamani ‘wayengumAgagi.’ Lokho kwakusho ukuthi wayengowozalo luka-Agagi, inkosi yama-Amaleki eyabulawa umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uSamuweli. (1 Samuweli 15:33) Ama-Amaleki ayemabi kangangokuthi ayezenze izitha zikaJehova no-Israyeli. UNkulunkulu wawalahla wonke njengesizwe.b (Duteronomi 25:19) UmJuda othembekile wayengamkhothamela kanjani umAmaleki wasebukhosini? Wayengeke akwenze lokho uMoridekayi. Wama waqina. Ngisho nanamuhla, amadoda nabesifazane bokholo baye babeka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuze balandele lesi simiso: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.

UHamani wavutha ngentukuthelo. Kwakunganele kuye ukuthola indlela yokubulala uMoridekayi. Wayefuna ukubaqothula bonke abantu bakubo! UHamani wakhuluma nenkosi, wenza amaJuda abonakala njengabantu ababi. Ngaphandle kokubagagula ngegama, wasikisela ukuthi babengabalulekile, abantu ‘abahlakazekile nabahlukanisiwe phakathi kwezizwe.’ Okubi nakakhulu ukuthi wathi babengayilaleli imithetho yenkosi; ngakho-ke, bengabavukeli abayingozi. Wasikisela ukunikela ngemali eningi engcebweni yenkosi ukuze kukhokhwe izindleko zokubulala wonke amaJuda asembusweni.c U-Ahashiveroshi wanikeza uHamani indandatho yakhe njengophawu lokuthi uvumela noma yini acabanga ukuyenza.—Esteri 3:5-10.

Ngokushesha izithunywa ezigibele amahhashi zaya kuzo zonke izingxenye zombuso, zihambisa kumaJuda umlayezo wesigwebo sokufa. Cabanga ukuthi isimemezelo esinjalo sabathinta kanjani ababeseJerusalema, lapho insali yamaJuda eyayibuye ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni yayikuthola kunzima ukwakha umuzi ongenalo udonga lokuwuvikela. Mhlawumbe ngesikhathi uMoridekayi ezwa lezi zindaba ezimbi wacabanga ngabo, ngabangane nangezihlobo eShushani. Ekhungathekile, wadabula izingubo zakhe, wagqoka indwangu yesaka wathela umlotha ekhanda lakhe futhi wakhala kakhulu phakathi nomuzi. Kodwa uHamani yena wayehleli nenkosi bephuza, engenandaba nosizi alubangele amaJuda amaningi nabangane bawo eShushani.—Esteri 3:12–4:1.

UMoridekayi wayazi ukuthi kufanele athathe isinyathelo. Kodwa wayezokwenzenjani? U-Esteri wezwa ngokukhathazeka kwakhe futhi wamthumelela izingubo, kodwa uMoridekayi wenqaba ukududuzeka. Kungenzeka kwase kuyisikhathi eside ezibuza ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, evumele ukuba u-Esteri athathwe ayokwenziwa indlovukazi yombusi oyiqaba. Manje sase sibonakala isizathu. UMoridekayi wathumela umlayezo ku-Esteri, enxusa indlovukazi ukuba ikhulume nenkosi, ukuba ilwele “abantu bakubo.”—Esteri 4:4-8.

Kumelwe ukuba u-Esteri wethuka kakhulu lapho ezwa lo mlayezo. Lokhu kwakuwuvivinyo olukhulu lokholo lwakhe. Wayesaba, futhi akakufihlanga lokho lapho ephendula uMoridekayi. Wamkhumbuza ngomthetho wenkosi. Ukuya enkosini ingakubizanga kwakuyosho isigwebo sokufa. Isoni sasingasindiswa kuphela uma inkosi iphakamisa intonga yayo yegolide. Sikhona yini isizathu esasingenza u-Esteri alindele umusa onjalo, ikakhulukazi uma ecabangela lokho okwenzeka kuVashiti ngesikhathi enqaba ukuya enkosini lapho imbiza? Watshela uMoridekayi ukuthi sekuphele izinsuku ezingu-30 inkosi ingambizi! Ukunganakwa okunjalo kwamenza wazibuza ukuthi inkosi isamthanda yini.d—Esteri 4:9-11.

UMoridekayi waphendula u-Esteri wamqinisa ukholo. Wamqinisekisa ukuthi uma ehluleka ukuthatha isinyathelo, insindiso yamaJuda yayiyovela kwenye indawo. Kodwa wayengasinda kanjani yena lapho lolu shushiso luqala? Lapha uMoridekayi wabonisa ukholo oluqinile kuJehova owayengasoze avumele abantu bakhe ukuba baqothulwe futhi izithembiso zaKhe zingagcwaliseki. (Joshuwa 23:14) UMoridekayi wabe esebuza u-Esteri: “Kwazi bani ukuthi utholé isithunzi sasebukhosini ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi?” (Esteri 4:12-14) UMoridekayi wayemethemba ngokuphelele uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Thina?—IzAga 3:5, 6.

Ukholo Olunamandla Ukwedlula Ukwesaba Ukufa

Lwafika usuku lwamanqamu. U-Esteri wacela uMoridekayi ukuba abantu bakubo bahlanganyele naye ekuzileni ukudla izinsuku ezintathu, futhi waphetha umlayezo wakhe ngamazwi okholo nesibindi asathinta inhliziyo nangemva kwamakhulu eminyaka ashiwo: “Uma kumelwe ngibhubhe, ngizobhubha.” (Esteri 4:15-17) Kumelwe ukuba wathandaza ngentshiseko kulezo zinsuku ezintathu kunanoma yinini ekuphileni kwakhe. Ekugcineni, wafika lowo mzuzu. Wagqoka izimpahla zakhe eziphambili zasebukhosini, wazilungisa kahle ukuze athandeke enkosini. Wabe esehamba.

Njengoba kuchaziwe esingenisweni salesi sihloko, u-Esteri wangena egcekeni lenkosi. Singacabanga nje ukuthi wayekhathazeke kangakanani nokuthi wathandaza kaningi kangakanani. Wangena egcekeni lapho ayengabona khona u-Ahashiveroshi esihlalweni sobukhosi. Kungenzeka ukuthi wazama ukufunda ubuso bakhe—ubuso obunehwanqa elilungiswe kahle. Uma kwakudingeka alinde, cishe kwaba sengathi ulinde isikhathi eside. Kodwa kwadlula isikhashana nje—umyeni wakhe wambona. Ngokuqinisekile wayemangele, kodwa ubuso bakhe bathamba. Waphakamisa intonga yakhe yegolide!—Esteri 5:1, 2.

U-Esteri wathola umusa, inkosi yamlalela. Wayethathe isinyathelo sokumelela uNkulunkulu wakhe nabantu bakubo, ezibekela isibonelo esihle sokholo zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngisho nanamuhla. Kodwa lokhu kwakuyisiqalo nje. Wayezoyenza kanjani inkosi ukuba ikholwe ukuthi umeluleki wayo emthandayo, uHamani, ungumakhi wozungu okhohlakele? Wayengabasindisa kanjani abantu bakubo? Sizocabangela le mibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

UMoridekayi wayenezizathu ezinhle zokuziqhenya ngendodakazi yakhe yokutholwa

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

U-Esteri wayazi ukuthi ukuthobeka nokuhlakanipha kubaluleke kakhulu kunokubukeka kwangaphandle

[Isithombe emakhasini 22, 23]

U-Esteri wabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze avikele abantu bakaNkulunkulu