1. Kuyini okuthokozisayo okwakuzakwenziwa ngamaJuda ayethunjiwe?

 KWAKUYINTOKOZO yodwa edolobheni, kwakungathi amaJuda ayaphupha. Phela uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘wayethinte inhliziyo kaKhurosi inkosi yasePhesiya’ ukuthi ikhulule ama-Israyeli okwasekuleminyaka eminengi ethunjiwe eBhabhiloni. UKhurosi wenza isimemezelo sokuthi amaJuda abuyele edolobheni lawo “ayokwakha ithempeli likaJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” (Ezra. 1:1, 3) Lezi kwakuzindaba ezinhle sibili! AmaJuda ayesezaphinda akhonze uNkulunkulu weqiniso elizweni ayewanike lona.

2. AmaJuda ayethunjiwe enzani efika eJerusalema?

² Ngo-537 B.C.E. amaJuda ayethunjiwe aqalisa ukufika eJerusalema eyayiyisigodlo sombuso waseningizimu wezizwana ezimbili. AmaJuda la ahle aqalisa umsebenzi wokwakha kutsha ithempeli futhi kusiyafika u-536 B.C.E., ayesesifakile isisekelo.

3. Kwenzakalani amaJuda eseqalise ukwakha ithempeli?

³ Kungakayingaphi amaJuda la aqala ukuphikiswa okuzwayo. Izizwe ezazingomakhelwana zazilokhu ziwaqeda amandla njalo ‘zaziwenza esabe ukuqhubeka esakha.’ (Ezra. 4:4) Kodwa izizwe lezo aziphelelanga lapho. Ngo-522 B.C.E., u-Athakisekisi waba yinkosi entsha yasePhesiya. * Izitha zamaJuda zacabanga ukuthi njengoba kwasekulombusi omutsha zasezizakwenelisa ukuwumisa umsebenzi wokwakha. Yikho ‘zaqalisa ukuletha izinhlupheko ngezimemezelo zazo.’ (Hubo. 94:20) Zatshela iNkosi u-Athakisekisi ukuthi amaJuda ayefuna ukumhlamukela. (Ezra. 4:11- 16) Inkosi yawakholwa amanga la yasikhipha umlayo wokuthi umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwethempeli umiswe. (Ezra. 4:17-23) AbakoJuda bathi besizwa lokho bahle babeka phansi amathuluzi.—Ezra. 4:24.

4. UJehova wenzani izitha zamaJuda sezimise umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwethempeli? (U-Isaya 55:11)

⁴ Abantu bakuleyondawo ababengamkhonzi uJehova kanye lezinye iziphathamandla zasePhesiya zazizimisele ukumisa umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwethempeli. Kodwa uJehova laye wayezimisele ukuthi umsebenzi lo uqhubeke usenziwa futhi lokho akuhlosileyo kuhlala kugcwaliseka. (Bala u-Isaya 55:11.) Wakhetha uZekhariya ukuthi abe ngumphrofethi wakhe futhi wamtshengisa imibono eyisitshiyagalombili emangalisayo. Umphrofethi lo olesibindi kwakumele atshele amaJuda ngemibono le ukuze awakhuthaze. Wathi esewatshelile abona ukuthi kwakungamelanga azesabe izitha zawo njalo aba lamandla okuqhubeka esenza umsebenzi uJehova ayefuna awenze. Embonweni wesihlanu uZekhariya wabona uluthi lwesibane lezihlahla zama-oliva ezimbili.

5. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁵ Sonke siyake siphele amandla. Yikho sizancedakala nxa singafunda ngendlela uJehova akhuthaza ngayo ama-Israyeli esebenzisa umbono wesihlanu kaZekhariya. Umbono lo uzasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova nxa siphikiswa, lapho izimo zethu zitshintsha lalapho sitshelwa ukuthi senze into esingayizwisisiyo.

6. Umbono woluthi lwesibane lezihlahla zama-oliva ezimbili okuZekhariya 4:1-3 wawakhuthaza njani amaJuda? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁶ Bala uZekhariya 4:1-3. Umbono woluthi lwesibane lezihlahla zama-oliva ezimbili wanika amaJuda isibindi sokuthi aqhubeke esakha lanxa ayephikiswa. Unanzelele yini ukuthi uluthi lwesibane lwaluhlala lulamafutha? Kwakulezihlahla zama-oliva ezimbili ezazithela amafutha emganwini owawuhambisa amafutha lawo ezibaneni eziyisikhombisa. Amafutha la ayesenza ukuthi ilangabi lezibane lihlale libhebha. UZekhariya wabuza wathi: “Kuyini lokhu, nkosi yami?” Ingilosi yamphendula ngamazwi la avela kuJehova athi: ‘“Hatshi ngempi kumbe ngamandla, kodwa ngomoya wami,” kutsho uJehova uSomandla.’ (Zek. 4:4, 6) Amafutha ayevela ezihlahleni ayemela umoya ongcwele kaJehova olamandla njalo ongapheliyo. Ibutho lasePhesiya lalingasilutho nxa liqathaniswa lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. UJehova wayezanceda ababesakha ithempeli ukuthi bangapheli amandla futhi bawuqede umsebenzi wabo lanxa babephikiswa. Lokhu kwabakhuthaza sibili. Okwakumele bakwenze nje yikuthemba uJehova lokubuyela emsebenzini. Lakanye bakwenza lokho lanxa umthetho wawungabavumeli ukuthi bakwenze.

7. Yiluphi utshintsho olwathokozisa abakhi bethempeli?

⁷ Ngemva kwesikhathi kwaba lotshintsho olwenza abakhi bethempeli bathokoza. Ngo-520 B.C.E., uDariyu nguye owaseyinkosi yasePhesiya. Ngomnyaka wakhe wesibili wokubusa wathola ukuthi umlayo owawuvimbela amaJuda ukuthi akhe ithempeli wawungekho emthethweni. Yikho wabanika imvumo yokuthi baqhubeke ngomsebenzi wokwakha. (Ezra. 6:1-3) Abantu bathi besamangaliswe yilokho, inkosi yatshela abantu ababakhelane lamaJuda ukuthi bangawuphambanisi umsebenzi wokwakha kodwa babanike imali lokunye ababezakudinga.  (Ezra. 6: 7- 12) Yikho amaJuda aqeda ukwakha ithempeli ngo-515 B.C.E., ngemva kweminyaka emine lenyanga ezilutshwana.—Ezra. 6:15.

8. Kungani kumele ube lesibindi nxa uphikiswa?

⁸ Lamuhla abanye abantu bakaJehova bahlala emazweni lapho umsebenzi wethu ongavunyelwa khona. Emazweni lawo abafowethu bangabotshwa njalo ‘balethwe phambi kwabosibalukhulu lamakhosi’ futhi lokho kuba yibufakazi kubo. (Mat. 10:17, 18) Ngezinye izikhathi nxa kungaba lombusi omutsha emazweni anjalo, abafowethu labodadewethu bangakhonza uJehova bekhululekile. Kanti njalo umahluleli olomusa angakhipha isinqumo esizabanceda bakhonze bekhululekile. Abanye oFakazi bahlala emazweni abavunyelwa khona ukuthi bakhonze uJehova kodwa baphikiswa ngabanye emulini abafuna bayekele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. (Mat. 10:32-36) Izikhathi ezinengi nxa izihlobo zethu zingananzelela ukuthi akulalutho ezilwenzayo olungenza siyekele ukukhonza uJehova zicina zingasasiphikisi. Kanti njalo abanye ababephikisa izihlobo zabo ezingoFakazi bacina sebengoFakazi abatshisekayo. Ungalahli ithemba nxa uphikiswa. Woba lesibindi, uJehova ulawe njalo uzakuncedisa esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele. Yikho akulalutho okumele ulwesabe.

9. Kungani amanye amaJuda adana sekubekwe isisekelo sethempeli elitsha?

⁹ Kwathi isisekelo sethempeli elitsha sesibekiwe, amanye amaJuda ayesekhulile akhala. (Ezra. 3:12) Ayelibonile ithempeli elihle elalakhiwe nguSolomoni njalo ayebona angani leli elitsha lalizakuba ‘yize’ nxa liqathaniswa lelakuqala. (Hag. 2:2, 3) Ezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu ngoba ithempeli elitsha lalingasoze libe lihle njengalakudala. Umbono kaZekhariya wawuzawanceda njani ukuthi athokoze?

10. Amazwi engilosi akuZekhariya 4:8-10 awanceda njani amaJuda ayedanile?

¹⁰ Bala uZekhariya 4:8-10. Yayisitshoni ingilosi lapho isithi amaJuda ‘ayezathokoza esebona intambo yokuqondisa esandleni sikaZerubhabheli’ [umbusi ongumJuda]? Intambo yokuqondisa isetshenziswa ukubona ukuthi into ethile iqondile yini. Yikho ingilosi yayiqinisekisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi lanxa kwakukhanya angani ithempeli lelo lalingamangalisi kangako lalizaphela njalo uJehova  wayezathokoza ngalo. Labo kwakumele bathokoze ngalo. Okwakuqakathekiswa nguJehova yikuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo ethempelini elitsha. AmaJuda la ayezathokoza nxa ayengaqakathekisa ukukhonza uJehova lokwenza izinto ezimthokozisayo.

11. Kuyini okunye okungadanisa izinceku zikaJehova?

¹¹ Abanengi bethu balujayela nzima utshintsho. Abanye ababesenkonzweni eqakathekileyo okwesikhathi eside baphiwa omunye umsebenzi wenkonzo. Abanye bacine besima ukwenza umsebenzi wenkonzo abawuthandayo ngenxa yokukhula. Khona kuyadanisa vele lokhu. Ekuqaliseni singabe singazwisisi ukuthi kungani kube lotshintsho kumbe singabe singavumelani lalo. Singabona angani izinto zazingcono kungakabi lotshintsho. Kanti njalo singadaniswa yikuthi sokukulutshwana esenelisa ukukwenzela uJehova. (Zaga. 24:10, NWT) Umbono kaZekhariya ungasinceda njani ukuthi siqhubeke sisenza konke esingakwenza ekukhonzeni uJehova?

12. Umbono kaZekhariya ungasinceda njani ukuthi siqhubeke sithokoza nxa izimo zethu zitshintsha?

¹² Kuba lula ukuthi sijayele isimo esesikuso nxa sibona izinto ngendlela uJehova azibona ngayo. Wenza izinto ezinkulu lamuhla njalo silesibusiso esimangalisayo sokusebenza laye. (1 Khor. 3:9) Imisebenzi yethu ingatshintsha kodwa uJehova uzaqhubeka esithanda ngendlela efananayo. Yikho nxa kungaba lotshintsho enhlanganisweni, ubusumiswa umsebenzi okade uwenza, ungazikhathazi kakhulu ngokulokhu udinga izizatho zokuthi kwenziwe utshintsho lolu. Kulokufisa ukuthi ngabe izinto ziyabuyela emuva, thandaza ucele ukuthi uJehova akuncedise ubone okuhle esimeni osukuso. (UmTshu. 7:10) Ungacabangi kakhulu ngezinto owawuzenza kudala kodwa cabanga ngezinto ongazenza khathesi. Umbono owabonwa nguZekhariya usifundisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuhlala sibona okuhle esimeni esesikuso. Nxa singenza njalo sizahlala sithokoza njalo sithembekile kuJehova lanxa izimo zethu zitshintsha.

13. Kungani amanye amaJuda ayengacabanga ukuthi ukwakha ithempeli yisinqumo esibi?

¹³ Umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli wawumisiwe. Lanxa kunjalo amadoda  akhokhelayo, uMphristi Omkhulu uJeshuwa (uJoshuwa) loMbusi uZerubhabheli ‘aqalisa ukwakha kutsha indlu kaNkulunkulu.’ (Ezra. 5:1, 2) Amanye amaJuda ayengacabanga ukuthi lesi kwakuyisinqumo esibi. Phela izitha zawo zazizawabona esakha ithempeli besezisenza konke ezingakwenza ukuze ziwumise umsebenzi lo. Yikho uJoshuwa loZerubhabheli babedinga ukuqinisekiswa ukuthi uJehova wayebasekela. Lakanye uJehova wabaqinisekisa. Wakwenza njani lokho?

14. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuZekhariya 4:12, 14, uMphristi Omkhulu uJoshuwa loMbusi uZerubhabheli baqinisekiswa njani?

¹⁴ Bala uZekhariya 4:12, 14, NWT * Embonweni lo ingilosi itshela umphrofethi kaNkulunkulu othembekileyo ukuthi izihlahla ezimbili zama-oliva zimela “abagcotshiweyo ababili,” uJoshuwa loZerubhabheli. Ithi amadoda la ‘ame leNkosi yomhlaba wonke,’ uJehova. Leso kwakuyisibusiso esimangalisayo! UJehova wayewathemba sibili, yikho amaJuda kwakumele athembe loba yini amadoda la ayewatshela ukuthi ayenze ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayewasebenzisa ukuze awakhokhele.

15. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyakuhlonipha lokho uJehova asitshela khona eLizwini lakhe?

¹⁵ Okunye uJehova akusebenzisayo ukuthi akhokhele abantu bakhe liLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili. EBhayibhilini uyasitshela indlela afuna simkhonze ngayo. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyalihlonipha? Ngokuzinika isikhathi sokulibala njalo silizwisise. Zibuze: ‘Nxa ngibala iBhayibhili kumbe amabhuku ethu ngiyama yini ngicabangisise ngalokho engikubalayo? Ngiyazama yini ukuzwisisa izinto ‘okunzima ukuzizwisisa’ eziphakathi kwalo’ kumbe ngiyaphongubala nje ngidlule?’ (2 Phet. 3:16) Nxa singazinika isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokho uJehova asifundisa khona, kuzabalula ukuthi silalele lokho asitshela khona njalo siwenze kuhle umsebenzi wokutshumayela.—1 Tim. 4:15, 16.

16. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi silalele lokho esikutshelwa ‘yinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ lanxa singakuzwisisi?

¹⁶ UJehova uphinda asikhokhele esebenzisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45) Ngezinye izikhathi  inceku le ingasitshela izinto esingazizwisisiyo. Ngokwesibonelo, singaphiwa iziqondiso zokuthi singazivikela njani nxa kungaba lomonakalo wemvelo. Kodwa singacabanga ukuthi umonakalo lo ngeke wenzakale endaweni esihlala kuyo. Kwesinye isikhathi singacabanga ukuthi inceku le ifaka imithetho eminenginengi nxa kube lomkhuhlane ohlasele umhlaba wonke. Kumele senzeni nxa sicabanga ukuthi iziqondiso esiziphiweyo azisebenzi kithi? Singacabanga ngokuthi amaJuda ancedakala njani eselalele lokho ayekutshelwa nguJoshuwa loZerubhabheli. Singacabanga langezinye indaba esizibala eBhayibhilini. Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babephiwa iziqondiso ezazikhanya zingasebenzi kodwa zasindisa ukuphila kwabantu.—Abahlu. 7:7; 8:10.

17. Umbono woluthi lwesibane lezihlahla ezimbili zama-oliva wawanceda njani amaJuda?

¹⁷ Umbono wesihlanu owabonwa nguZekhariya awuzange uthathe isikhathi eside kodwa wanceda amaJuda ukuthi atshintshe indlela ayewubona ngayo umsebenzi wawo kanye lokukhonza kwawo. Ukucabangisisa ngalokho uZekhariya ayekubone embonweni kwenza ananzelela ukuthi uJehova wayewasekela njalo ewakhokhela. UJehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuthi awancedise aqhubeke ngomsebenzi wawo wokwakha futhi aphinde athokoze.—Ezra. 6:16.

18. Umbono owabonwa nguZekhariya ungakunceda njani?

¹⁸ Umbono kaZekhariya woluthi lwesibane lezihlahla zama-oliva ezimbili ungakunceda kakhulu. Njengoba sesibonile, ungakunika amandla okuthi umelane lalabo abakuphikisayo, ungakwenza uthokoze lanxa izimo zitshintsha futhi ungakwenza ukuthembe lokho okutshelwayo lanxa ungakuzwisisi. Kumele wenzeni nxa usehlelwa zinhlupho? Okokuqala, bona lokho okwabonwa nguZekhariya, ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyabanakekela abantu bakhe. Okwesibili, themba uJehova njalo uqhubeke umkhonza ngenhliziyo yakho yonke. (Mat. 22:37) Nxa ungenza njalo uJehova uzakuncedisa ukuthi umkhonze uthokoza kuze kube nini lanini.—Kol. 1:10, 11.