Amaphuzu Avelele EBhayibheli Esteri 1:1–10:3
Ukusindisa Kwaphezulu Ekubulaweni Kwesizwe
Ukubulala okukhulu kuzophumelela ngokudabukisayo: abancane nabadala, izingane nabesifazane, bazobhujiswa ngaphandle kokukhetha. Akekho ozoba nesibindi sokuphikisana nesu, ngoba umyalezo wokubulala unesiqinisekiso nobufakazi benkosi. Yebo, amaJuda azofa njengezinkomo ezingenakuzivikela!
Okungenani yilendlela izinto ezibukeka ngayo kuHamani, undunankulu wePheresiya lasendulo. Uye wenza uzungu lwalokhu kubulala okukhulu ngenxa yenzondo efihlekile ngoMoridekayi ongumJuda. Kodwa njengoba uHamani elindele ukunqoba kwakhe ngokwaneliseka okukhulu, isizwe samaJuda sithandazela ukusinda. Uba yini umphumela? Wembulwe encwadini yeBhayibheli kaEsteri. Ibhalwe nguMoridekayi ngokwakhe, iyindaba eqinisa ukholo ngendlela usizo lwaphezulu—nokholo lowesifazane osemusha—olwasindisa ngayo isizwe.
UEsteri Uba YiNdlovukazi
Siza ufunde uEsteri 1:1–2:23. Cishe ngo-484 B.C.E., inkosi yasePheresiya uAhashiveroshi (Xerxes I) yenza idili elikhulu. Kodwa iNdlovukazi uVashiti iyenqaba ukulalela ukubizwa kwayo yinkosi ukuba ibonakale lapho. Inkosi ethukuthele iyephuca isikhundla sayo futhi ifuna indlovukazi entsha. Ngemva kokuhlola abesifazane abahle kakhulu endaweni, ikhetha umJudakazi othobile ogama lakhe linguHadasa, oye walungiselelwa lendima ngumzala wakhe uMoridekayi. Lentombi iyalifihla iqiniso lokuthi ingumJuda, isebenzisa igama layo lasePheresiya elithi Esteri.
◆ 1:3-5—Kungani kwakwenziwa lemigidingo?
Ngokwesazi-mlando uHerodotus, uXerxes wake wabiza umhlangano ukuze ahlele amalungiselelo ezempi okuhlasela iGrisi. Mhlawumbe lona umbuthano ofanayo. Ngokunokwenzeka, uXerxes wabukisa ngodumo nengcebo yombuso wakhe ukuze athonyele izikhulu zombuso wakhe ekufezeni ukuhlaselwa kweGrisi.
◆ 1:8—Wawuthini umthetho ngokuphuza?
Kubonakala sengathi amaPheresiya ayenesiko lokukhuthazana ukuba aphuze isilinganiso esithile emibuthanweni enjalo. Nokho, inkosi ayizange yenze mngcele kulombuthano. Ukuthi lokhu kwaphumela ekulinganiseleni okukhulu noma ekuphuzeni okungenakulinganisela, iBhayibheli alisho.
◆ 2:19, 20—Kungani uMoridekayi ‘ahlala esangweni lenkosi’?
UMoridekayi ngokusobala wayengesinye sezikhulu zeNkosi uAhashiveroshi. Iziphathi-mandla ezinjalo ngokuvamile zazihlala esangweni, zilindele ukusabela esicelweni sasebukhosini. Kumelwe ukuba uMoridekayi wayesesikhundleni esiphakeme ngempela. Ngaphandle kwalokho, cishe uHamani wayeyomxosha ngokushesha. Ngakho uMoridekayi wayesesimweni sokuba ezwe futhi avimbele uzungu lokubulala inkosi.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: UEsteri wabonisa ukubaluleka kokuzithoba ngokungaceli izinto zokuhloba eziyigugu noma izingubo ezinhle ngaphambi kokuya enkosini. Wavumela umuntu osithekileyo wenhliziyo yakhe, ‘nomoya omnene onokuthula,’ ukuba azuze umusa weNkosi. (1 Petru 3:1-5) Ngokufanayo, labo bensali egcotshiwe abaqoqwa kusukela ngo-1919 baye bazuza umusa weNkosi uJesu Kristu.
Uzungu LukaHamani
Funda isahluko 3:1–5:14. UAhashiveroshi wenza umAmaleki ogama lakhe nguHamani ukuba abe undunankulu. Kodwa uMoridekayi, ekhumbula ukuthi uJehova wayezimisele ‘ukulwa noAmaleki izizukulwane ngezizukulwane,’ uyenqaba ukukhuleka phambi kukaHamani. (Eksodusi 17:8-16) Ukuze aziphindisele, uHamani oqhoshayo uncenga inkosi ukuba ibhubhise amaJuda!
UMoridekayi ucela uEsteri ukuba angenele endabeni, emkhumbuza ukuthi uma ethule, “ukukhululwa nokophulwa kwabaJuda kuyakuvela kwenye indawo.” Njengoba ukufa kwabantu bakaJehova nesahlulelo sakhe ngokumelene nama-Amaleki kwakuhilelekile, uMoridekayi unethemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu uyolungiselela ukusinda. (1 Samuweli 12:22) UEsteri uya enkosini engamenyiwe—ngokunokwenzeka okuyicala elingathi sína! Nokho, uAhashiveroshi uyamvumela ukuba aphile futhi uba khona edilini uEsteri alenzayo. Esebuyela ekhaya, uHamani, ethukuthele futhi ngenxa yokwenqaba kukaMoridekayi ukumkhulekela, uhlela ukumbulala.
◆ 3:7—Yini eyayihilelekile ngokwenza iPhure?
“IPhure” kubonakala kuyigama lasePheresiya elisho “inkatho.” Ngokuvamile inkatho yayenziwa yizazi zezinkanyezi njengendlela yokubhula. Cishe, lokhu kwakwenziwa ukuze kunqunywe isikhathi esithokozisa kakhulu ngoHamani ukuba afeze icebo lakhe lokubhubhisa isizwe.
◆ 4:3—Kungani uMoridekayi namaJuda bazila ukudla?
Kungoba inhlekelele ethinta isizwe yayiseduze, kwakuyisikhathi sokucabanga kalusizi, nangokungathi sína. (UmShumayeli 3:4) Ayedinga kakhulu ukuqondiswa kwaphezulu. Ngakho-ke ukuzila kwakubonisa ukuphendukela kwawo kuJehova ukuze athole amandla adingekile nokuhlakanipha. Lapho ubhekene novivinyo, ingabe nawe uphendukela kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo?—Heberu 5:7.
◆ 5:6-8—Kungani uEsteri aphuza ukwazisa inkosi?
Ngokuqinisekile uEsteri waba nesibindi, ngoba kakade wayesefake ukuphila kwakhe engozini yokufa. Nokho, mhlawumbe wayefuna ukuzuza umusa wenkosi kuqala. Ngakho-ke, wayimemela edilini lesibili. Ukuqondisa kwaphezulu nakho kwakuhilelekile, ngoba isikhathi esilandelayo sasivumela izinto ezithile ukuba zenzeke.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: UEsteri wabonisa ukholo, isibindi, nesifiso sokusebenzisa iseluleko sikaMoridekayi. Labo abaye baba yingxenye yensali egcotshiwe kusukela ngo-1919 baye babonisa ukholo okufanayo, isibindi, nesifiso sokusebenza namalungu asekhulile omlobokazi kaKristu. Izibonelo ezinhle ngempela!
Uzungu Luyavinjelwa
Funda isahluko 6:1–7:10. UAhashiveroshi uyaqwasha, ngokungangabazeki kuvela phezulu. Mhlawumbe enomuzwa wokuthi uye wehluleka ngandlela-thile, ufuna ukuba afundelwe incwadi yomlando, mhlawumbe incwadi yasebukhosini elotshwe izenzakalo zosuku nosuku. Ethola ukuthi uMoridekayi akazange avuzwe ngokwembula uzungu lokubulawa kwenkosi, inkosi icela uHamani ukuba asho umvuzo ofanelekile. UHamani uzicabangela ngokwakhe njengokuwuyena odunyiswayo futhi usikisela umgidingo osezingeni eliphezulu. Kodwa washaqeka lapho etshelwa ukuba udumo olunjalo aluthwese uMoridekayi! Abeluleki bakaHamani bakubheka lokhu njengesibikezelo sokuwa kwakhe.
Kungakapholi namaseko lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okwehlisayo kwenzekile, uHamani uyiswa edilini lesibili likaEsteri. Lapho, inkosi itshela uEsteri ukuba enze isicelo. “Mangiphiwe ukuphila kwami ngesicelo sami nokwesizwe sakithi ngokufuna kwami,” kunxusa indlovukazi enesibindi. Ekwembula ukuthi ungumJudakazi, uveza uzungu lukaHamani. UHamani othukile unxusela okuphila kwakhe kodwa, kunalokho, uyabulawa—kuwo kanye umuthi owawuhloselwe uMoridekayi!
◆ 7:4—Kungani ukubhujiswa kwamaJuda kwakungase kube okulimazayo enkosini?
Ukuba uHamani wahlela ukuthengisela amaJuda ebugqilini, ngokunokwenzeka lokhu kwakuyoba nomphumela ozuzisa kakhulu kuAhashiveroshi. Kodwa ukubhujiswa kwabo bonke abantu kwakungase kube nomphumela wokulahlekelwa ngokwezimali okukhulu kakhulu kunamathalenta esiliva ayizi-10 000 uHamani ayethembise ukuwakhokha. Ukuphumelela kozungu lokubulawa kwesizwe futhi kwakuyophumela ekulahlekelweni kwenkosi yindlovukazi yayo—ukuzilimaza okukhulu kakhulu ngempela!
◆ 7:8—Kungani ubuso bukaHamani bambozwa?
UHamani akazange abumboze ubuso bakhe ngenxa yokudabuka noma ngenxa yokuzisola. Ngokusobala izikhulu zasegcekeni ezamboza ubuso bakhe, mhlawumbe ukuze zibonise amahloni noma ukulahlwa. Mhlawumbe lesi kwakuyisinyathelo sokuqala esathathwa ekwehliseni isigwebo sokufa.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: Efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini, uEsteri ngesibindi wembula ukuthi wayengumJuda. Kusukela ngo-1931, abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokufanayo baye bazifaka engozini yokushushiswa ngokuzibiza ngokwabo ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Ingabe unesibindi ngaleyondlela?
Abantu BakaNkulunkulu Bayakhululwa!
Funda isahluko 8:1–10:3. UMoridekayi uba undunankulu esikhundleni sikaHamani. Nalapha ufaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini, uEsteri uya enkosini engamenyiwe futhi unxusa ukuba kuthathwe izinyathelo zokuhoxiswa kwecebo likaHamani. Inkosi iyavuma futhi ivumela uMoridekayi ukuba amemezele umthetho ophambene nowokuqala egameni lika-Ahashiveroshi. Nakuba ngokwesiko lasePheresiya umthetho wangaphambili wokubhubhisa wawungasenakwesulwa, umthetho omusha uvumela amaJuda ukuba azivikele.
Injabulo iyabonakala phakathi kwamaJuda! Awasezona izisulu ezingenakuzivikela, manje asenezinyanga ezimbalwa zokuhlela ukuzivikela kwawo. Ekugcineni, uAdari 13 (February-March) uyafika. Cishe abayizi-75 000 ‘ababefuna ukubalimaza’ babulawa ngamaJuda. Ukuze bangakhohlwa ukuthi lokhu kunqoba kwakuvela kuJehova, uMoridekayi umemezela ukuba uMkhosi wePhurimi waminyaka yonke wenziwe ngoAdari 14 no-15.
◆ 8:5—UEsteri wakubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha?
UEsteri wabala amazwi akhe ngokunakekela, encenga inkosi ukuba zibuyiswe izincwadi zamacebo kaHamani, “azilobayo [uHamani].” Ngokuhlakanipha, wakugwema ukusho noma yikuphi okwakungase kwenze inkosi ihileleke kulendaba. AmaKristu ngokufanayo ayahlakanipha lapho efakaza phambi kwezikhulu zohulumeni.
◆ 8:17—Abantu ‘baphenduka kanjani amaJuda’?
ISeptuagint ithi laba basePheresiya “babesoka futhi benza amasiko nemikhuba yamaJuda.” Ngokusobala beqaphela umthetho ophambene nowokuqala njengesibonakaliso sokusekelwa kwaphezulu kwamaJuda, abasePheresiya abaningi baphendukela ebuJudeni. Ngokufanayo namuhla, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ siye sathatha ukuma kwaso ngasohlangothini lwensali egcotshiwe.—IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16; Zakariya 8:23.
◆ 9:10, 15, 16—Kungani amaJuda engayithathanga impango?
Umthetho wenkosi wawubagunyaza ukuba bayithathe impango. Nokho, ukwenqaba kwabo ukwenza kanjalo, kwenza kwaba sobala ukuthi injongo yabo kwakuwukuzivikela, hhayi ukuzicebisa.
Isifundo Esisitholayo: NjengamaJuda osuku lukaEsteri, oFakazi BakaJehova ngokufanelekile banxusa ohulumeni nezinkantolo ukuze bathole isivikelo ezitheni. Ikakhulukazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II kwadingeka ukuba lokhu kwenziwe ngenxa yokuhlaselwa okushoshozelwa abefundisi kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngesibusiso sikaJehova, kuye kwanqotshwa amacala amaningi asezinkantolo.
Incwadi kaEsteri isebenza njengomthombo wethemba nesikhuthazo koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Bayazi ukuthi inzondo enkulu kaSathane ngabo ngokushesha iyofinyelela ekwenzeni kwakhe umzamo omkhulu wokubabhubhisa. Kusazobonakala ngalesosikhathi ukuthi uJehova uzobavikela kanjani ngokuthe ngqó. (Hezekeli 38:16-23) Kodwa ithemba labo liwukuthi, njengasosukwini lukaEsteri, uJehova ngeke abalahle abantu bakhe. Ngesikhathi esifanelekile, uyobanikeza “impumuzo nokusinda.”