1. Yiziphi izinto ezicunulayo uNehemiya azithola zisenzakala lapho ebuyela eJerusalema? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 IZAKHAMIZI zaseJerusalema zikhuluma ngokwenzakala edolobheni lazo. Isigangi esivela kwelinye ilizwe sihlala kwenye indlu esethempelini. AmaLevi atshiya imisebenzi yawo. Kulokuthi abadala bakhokhele ekukhonzeni, sebethengiselana ngeSabatha. Ama-Israyeli amanengi athatha abafazi abangayisiwo maJuda. Lezi ngezinye izinto ezicunulayo uNehemiya azithola zisenzakala lapho ebuyela eJerusalema ngemva komnyaka ka-443 B.C.E.​—Neh. 13:6.

2. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi isizwe sako-Israyeli sibe yisizwe esingcwele?

² Isizwe sako-Israyeli sasizinikele kuNkulunkulu. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., ama-Israyeli ayezimisele ukwenza intando kaJehova. Athi: “Konke okutshiwo nguNkulunkulu sizakwenza.” (Eks. 24:3) Ngakho uNkulunkulu wabangcwelisa, okutsho ukuthi wabakhetha ukuthi babe ngabantu bakhe. Lokhu kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu! Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engu-​40, uMosi wabakhumbuza: “Lingabantu abangcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu. UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ulikhethile phakathi kwabantu bonke emhlabeni ukuthi libe ngabantu bakhe, isipho sakhe esiligugu.”​—Dute. 7:6.

3. UNehemiya esebuyela eJerusalema okwesibili wathola amaJuda ekhonza njani?

³ Kuzwisa usizi ukuthi intshiseko yokuqala yama-Israyeli yokuba yisizwe esingcwele yaba ngeyesikhatshana nje. Lanxa isikhathi sonke kwakulabanye abantu ababemkhonza uNkulunkulu, amaJuda amanengi ayezikhathaza kakhulu ngokubonakala angani angcwele, loba ukubonakala angani azinikele, kulokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. UNehemiya wathi efika eJerusalema okwesibili, kwasekudlule iminyaka engafika ikhulu insalela ethembekileyo iphendukile ivela eBhabhiloni, ukuze izoqalisa kutsha ukukhonza kweqiniso. Ukutshisekela ukukhonza kwesizwe lesi kwasokuphola futhi.

4. Sizaxoxa ngani okungasinceda ukuthi sihlale singabantu abangcwele?

⁴ Njengama-Israyeli, singathi lamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova bangcweliswe nguNkulunkulu. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo kanye ‘lexuku elikhulu’ bangcwele, bakhethiwe ukuze benze inkonzo engcwele. (Isam. 7:9, 14, 15;  1 Kor. 6:11) Akula lamunye wethu ofuna ukulahlekelwa yibuhlobo bakhe obungcwele loNkulunkulu njengokwacina kusenziwa ngama-Israyeli. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sivimbele lokhu ukwenzela ukuthi sihlale singcwele njalo sisenza umsebenzi kaJehova? Esifundweni lesi, sizaxoxa ngezinto ezine ezikhulunywa kuNehemiya isahluko 13: (1) Ukungazihlanganisi labangane ababi; (2) ukusekela uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu; (3) ukuqakathekisa ukukhonza ukwedlula loba yini; (4) lokuhlala uzazi ukuthi ungumKhristu. Okwakhathesi ake sixoxe ngomcijo munye ngamunye.

5, 6. Babengobani u-Eliyashibi loThobhiya njalo kuyini okungabe kwenza ukuthi u-Eliyashibi abe lobungane loThobhiya?

⁵ Bala uNehemiya 13:4-9. Siphila labantu ababi, ngakho kunzima ukuthi sihlale singcwele. Cabanga ngo-Eliyashibi loThobhiya. U-Eliyashibi wayengumphristi omkhulu, njalo uThobhiya wayengum-Amoni futhi kungenzeka ukuthi wayelesikhundla esiphansi ohlelweni lokubusa lwesiPhesiya eJudiya. UThobhiya labangane bakhe babelwisana lemizamo kaNehemiya yokwakha kutsha imiduli yeJerusalema. (Neh. 2:10) Kwakulicala ukuthi ama-Amoni angene emagumeni ethempeli. (Dute. 23:3) Pho-ke, umphristi omkhulu wayengakwenzelani ukuthi anike indoda enjengoThobhiya indawo yokuhlala endlini yokudlela eyayisethempelini?

⁶ UThobhiya lo-Eliyashibi basebejayelene kakhulu. UThobhiya lendodana yakhe uJehohanani babetshade labesifazana abangamaJuda njalo amaJuda amanengi ayemncoma kakhulu uThobhiya. (Neh. 6:17-19) Omunye wabazukulu baka-Eliyashibi wayetshade lendodakazi kaSanibhalathi umbusi waseSamariya owayengumngane omkhulu kaThobiya. (Neh. 13:28) Ubuhlobo lobu yibo obungenza kuzwisiseke ukuthi kungani uMphristi oMkhulu u-Eliyashibi wavuma ukuyengwa ngumuntu ongakholwayo owayengumphikisi. Kodwa uNehemiya watshengisa ukuthi wayethembekile kuJehova ngokuthatha yonke impahla kaThobhiya ayikhiphele phandle kwendlu yokudlela.

7. Abadala labanye bangakubalekela njani ukuthi bangangcolisi ubungcwele babo phambi kukaJehova?

⁷ Kumele sithembeke kakhulu kuJehova zikhathi zonke ngoba sizinikele kuye. Ukuhlala sinamathele ezimisweni zakhe zokulunga yikho kuphela okungenza sihlale singcwele phambi kwakhe. Akumelanga siqakathekise izihlobo zethu ukwedlula izimiso zeBhayibhili. Abadala abangamaKhristu baqondiswa yimicabango kaJehova hatshi imibono yabo kumbe imizwa yabo. (1 Tim. 5:21) Abadala bayaqaphela ukuthi bangenzi loba yini engabenza bengamukelwa nguNkulunkulu.​—1 Tim. 2:8.

8. Zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezizinikeleyo kumele zihlale zikhumbulani mayelana labangane?

⁸ Kuhle ukuthi sikhumbule ukuthi “abangane ababi bayasona isimilo esihle.” (1 Kor. 15:33) Ezinye izihlobo zethu zingasiyenga ukuthi senze okubi. U-Eliyashibi wayebe yisibonelo esihle ebantwini ngokusekela uNehemiya ngokugcweleyo ekwakheni kutsha imiduli yeJerusalema. (Neh. 3:1) Kodwa kukhanya angani ukuyengwa nguThobhiya labanye yikho okwacina kwenze ukuthi u-Eliyashibi enze izinto ezamtshiya esengcolile phambi kukaJehova. Abangane abahle basikhuthaza ukuthi senze imisebenzi yobuKhristu encedayo ngokwesibonelo ukubala iBhayibhili, ukungena imihlangano yobuKhristu, kanye lokutshumayela. Siyabathanda kakhulu njalo siyabaqakathekisa abasemulini yethu abasikhuthaza ukwenza okuhle.

9. Kungani izinhlelo zasethempelini zaphambaniseka, njalo uNehemiya wasola bani ngalokhu?

⁹ Bala uNehemiya 13:10-13. Kukhanya angani kwakungasanikelwa ethempelini ngesikhathi uNehemiya ephenduka eJerusalema. Ngenxa yokungasekelwa lokhu,  amaLevi ayesetshiya imisebenzi ethempelini esiyasebenza emasimini awo. UNehemiya wasola izinduna ngenxa yalesisimo. Kwakucaca ukuthi zazingawenzi umsebenzi wazo. Kungenzeka ukuthi zazingathathi okwetshumi okwakumele kukhitshwe ngabantu kumbe zazingakuhambisi ethempelini njengoba zazitsheliwe. (Neh. 12:44) Yikho-ke uNehemiya wenza okuthile ukuze kuthathwe okwetshumi. Wanika amadoda athembekileyo isikhundla sokukhangela iziphala zethempeli kanye lokuthi zazizakwabiwa njani izinto esikhathini esizayo.

10, 11. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu balesibusiso bani abasithola ngokusekela ukukhonza kweqiniso?

¹⁰ Lokhu kungaba yisifundo kithi yini? Ye, ngoba sikhunjuzwa ukuthi silesibusiso sokudumisa uJehova ngemfuyo yethu. (Zaga. 3:9) Nxa sinikela ukuze sisekele umsebenzi kaJehova, siyabe simnika okuvele kungokwakhe. (1 ImiLan. 29:14-16) Singacabanga ukuthi esilakho kulutshwana kakhulu ukuthi simnike, kodwa nxa silesifiso, sonke singenza okuthile.​—2 Kor. 8:12.

¹¹ Enye imuli enkulu yayinxusa imuli yamaphayona aqakathekileyo asekhulile ukuthi adle layo kanye ngeviki okweminyaka eminengi. Lanxa kwakulabantwana abangu-8 emulini le, unina wabo wayejayele ukuthi, “Kambe imiganu emibili engezelelwe ebantwini abangu-10 ingantshintshani?” Ukudla kanye kuphela ngeviki kungakhanya angani kuyinto encane nje, kodwa amaphayona la ayejabula kakhulu ngomusa ayewutshengiswa! Kanti njalo aba yisibusiso emulini le. Amazwi awo akhuthazayo kanye lababehlangana lakho ababekulandisa kwakhuthaza abantwana ukuthi bathuthuke ekukhonzeni kwabo. Bonke bacina sebesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.

12. Yisiphi isibonelo esihle esibekwa ngabadala ababekiweyo ebandleni?

¹² Esinye isifundo yilesi: Abadala ababekiweyo lamuhla bayakhokhela ekusekeleni uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu njengoNehemiya. Abakwenzayo kunceda abanye ebandleni. Nxa besenza lokhu, bayabe belingisela lomphostoli uPhawuli owasekela ukukhonza kweqiniso njalo wanika imilayezo eyayilengqondo. Ngokwesibonelo, wanika amacebo alengqondo ayengasetshenziswa ekunikeleni.​—1 Kor. 16:1-3; 2 Kor. 9:5-7.

13. Amanye amaJuda ayesenzani, okwakutshengisa ukuthi ayengalihloniphi iSabatha?

¹³ Bala uNehemiya 13:15-21. Nxa singahlala siphatheke kakhulu ngezinto zenyama, ukukhonza kwethu kungehla kancane kancane. Ku-Eksodusi 31:13, sithola ukuthi iSabatha leviki ngayinye lalingelokukhumbuza  ama-Israyeli ukuthi ayengabantu abangcwele. Usuku lweSabatha lwalungolokukhonza kwemuli, umthandazo lokucabangasisa ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa abanye ababephila ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya basebebona usuku lweSabatha njengamanye amalanga nje, bezenzela imisebenzi yabo yansuku zonke. Ukukhonza kwakungasaqakathekiswa. UNehemiya esebone okwakusenzakala, wavala amasango edolobho ntambama ngelanga lesithupha, waxotsha abathengisi ababevela kwamanye amazwe iSabatha lingakaqalisi.

14, 15. (a) Kuyini okungenzakala kithi nxa singekela ukuzibamba ezindabeni zezimali? (b) Singangena njani ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa nguNehemiya? Esinye isifundo ngesokuthi kumele sizibambe ezindabeni zezimali. Ngoba kungaba lula ukuthi sithatheke kumbe sicine sesingqondombili, ikakhulu nxa siwukholisa umsebenzi wethu wokuziphilisa. Khumbula isixwayiso sikaJesu mayelana lokukhonza amakhosi amabili. (Bala uMathewu 6:24.) UNehemiya wayelemali, kodwa wasisebenzisa njani isikhathi sakhe eJerusalema? (Neh. 5:14-18) Kulokuthi enze ibhizimusi labaseThire kumbe labanye, wazinikela ekuncediseni abafowabo lasekwenzeni izinto ezazisenza ukuthi ibizo likaJehova lingcweliswe. Lalamuhla, abadala abangamaKhristu lezinceku ezikhonzayo baqakathekisa kakhulu ukwenza izinto ezinceda ibandla njalo abakhonza labo bayabathanda ngenxa yalokhu. Lokhu yikho okwenza ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babe lothando, ukuthula futhi bazizwe bevikelekile.​—Hez. 34:25, 28.

¹⁵ Lanxa kungadingeki ukuthi amaKhristu ananze iSabatha leviki ngayinye, uPhawuli wathi, “kulokhu kukhona ukuphumula kweSabatha kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.” Waphinda wathi: “Loba ngubani ongena ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu uyaphumula lakowakhe umsebenzi, njengokwenziwa nguNkulunkulu kowakhe.” (Heb. 4:9, 10) Thina njengamaKhristu singangena ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu nxa sisekela izinto ezithuthukisa injongo yakhe eqhubekela phambili. Wena kanye lemuli yakho liyakuqakathekisa yini ukukhonza kwemuli, ukuya emihlanganweni, lokutshumayela ukwedlula zonke izinto? Kumele simcacele singatshoni simbhoda umqhatshi wethu kumbe esenza labo ibhizimusi, ikakhulu nxa bengakuhloniphi ukuthi siqakathekisa inkonzo ukwedlula umsebenzi. Kungadingeka ukuthi ‘sivale amasango edolobho besesixotshela khatshana abaseThire’ ukuze siqakathekise izinto ezingcwele ukwedlula loba yini. Ngenxa yokuthi sesangcweliswa, kungaba kuhle ukuthi sizibuze lokhu, ‘Indlela engiphila ngayo iyakutshengisa yini ukuthi ngiphilela ukwenza inkonzo kaJehova?’​—Mat. 6:33.

16. Ezinsukwini zikaNehemiya, isimo sesizwe sokuba ngabantu abangcwele sasisengozini ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁶ Bala uNehemiya 13:​23-27. Ezinsukwini zikaNehemiya, amadoda ako-Israyeli ayetshada labesifazana bakwezinye izizwe. Ekuvakatsheni kwakhe kokuqala eJerusalema, uNehemiya wenza ukuthi wonke amadoda amadala enze isifungo sokuthi kasoze atshade labahedeni njalo sibhalwe phansi. (Neh. 9:38; 10:30) Kodwa eminyakeni emilutshwana eyalandelayo, wathola ukuthi amadoda la angamaJuda, ayesethethe abafazi bakwezinye izizwe futhi esezalahlekelwa yibungcwele bawo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Abantwana babafazi laba ababevela kwezinye izizwe babengenelisi ukubala lokukhuluma isiHebheru. Sebekhulile, babengazithi bangama-Israyeli yini? Kumbe babengazibona angani bangama-Ashidodi, ama-Amoni kumbe amaMowabi? Njengoba babengasazi isiHebheru, babengenelisa yini ukuzwisisa uMthetho kaNkulunkulu? Babengamazi njani uJehova njalo babengabalahla njani onkulunkulu bamanga ababekhonzwa ngonina besebekhetha ukukhonza uJehova? Kwakumele kuthathwe inyathelo eliqinileyo masinya, njalo  uNehemiya wahle walithatha lelo nyathelo.​—Neh. 13:28.

17. Abazali bangabancedisa njani abantwababo ukuthi babelobuhlobo loJehova?

¹⁷ Namuhla kumele senze okuthile ukuze sincedise abantwabethu ukuthi bazazi ukuthi bangamaKhristu. Mzali, zibuze ukuthi, ‘Abantwabami balukhuluma ngezinga elinganani ‘ulimi oluhlambulukileyo’ lweqiniso eliseMibhalweni? (Zef. 3:9, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ingxoxo zabantwabami ziyatshengisa yini ukuthi balomoya kaNkulunkulu kumbe balomoya wezwe?’ Ungapheli amandla nxa ubona angani kulalapho okumele bathuthukise khona. Kuthatha isikhathi ukufunda ulimi olutsha ikakhulu nxa kulezinto eziphambanisayo. Abantwabakho bathwele gadalala ngokulwisana lokwenza izinto okungamelanga bazenze. Yikho-ke ngesineke, sebenzisa uKukhonza kweMuli lezinye izikhathi ongazithola ukuze ubancede ukuqinisa ubuhlobo babo loJehova. (Dute. 6:6-9) Gcizelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukwehlukana lomhlaba kaSathane. (Joha. 17:15-17) Yenza kuthinte izinhliziyo zabo.

18. Kungani abazali abangamaKhristu besesimeni esihle sokulungiselela abantwababo ukuthi bazinikele kuJehova?

¹⁸ Ekucineni, umntwana ngamunye uzazenzela isinqumo sakhe mayelana lokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kulokunengi okungenziwa ngabazali. Lokhu kugoqela ukubekela abantwababo isibonelo esihle, ukubanika imithetho ecacileyo lokuxoxa labo ngempumela yezinqumo zabo. Bazali, lisesimeni esingcono sokulungiselela abantwabenu ukuthi bazinikele kuJehova ukwedlula loba ngubani. Badinga ukuthi libancedise ukuze bathole ulwazi futhi bahlale bezazi ukuthi bangamaKhristu. Kodwa sonke kumele sihlale siqaphile ukuze singalahlekelwa ‘yizigqoko zethu’ ezingokomfanekiso, okutsho izimpawu zobuntu kanye lezimiso ezenza kukhanye ukuthi singabalandeli bakaKhristu.​—sam. 3:4, 5; 16:15.

19, 20. Singenza njani ukuthi ‘sihlale’ sikhunjulwa nguJehova kokuphela?

¹⁹ Omunye owayephila ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya kwakungumphrofethi uMalaki owaveza ukuthi ‘umqulu wencwadi yesikhumbuzo walotshwa mayelana lalabo ababemesaba uJehova, ababehlonipha ibizo lakhe.’ (Mal. 3:16, 17) UNkulunkulu kasoze abakhohlwe loba nini labo abamesaba ngenhlonipho njalo abathanda ibizo lakhe.​—Heb. 6:10.

²⁰ UNehemiya wathandaza wathi: ‘Ungikhumbule kumbe uhlale ungikhumbula, O Nkulunkulu wami.’ (Neh. 13:31) NjengoNehemiya, amabizo ethu azabhalwa encwadini kaNkulunkulu yesikhumbuzo nxa siqhubeka singazihlanganisi labangane ababi, sisekela uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu, sisenza ukuthi ukukhonza kube ngokuqakatheke ukwedlula zonke izinto njalo siqapha ukuze sihlale sizazi ukuthi singamaKhristu. Asiqhubekeni ‘sizihlola ukuba sibone langabe sisekukholweni.’ (2 Kor. 13:5) Nxa singahlala singcwele phambi kukaJehova, ‘uzahlala’ esikhumbula.