1. AmaJuda ebekathunjiweko bekazokuthabela ziphi iindaba ezimnandi?

 AMAJUDA bewathabile. UJehova bekenze ‘iKosi uPheretjhi wePheresiya’ bona atjhaphulule ama-Israyeli ebesele anamatjhumi weminyaka athunjwe eBhabhiloni. Ikosi yenza isimemezelo sokobana abuyele enarhenawo ‘azilungiselele ukwakha i-Aldari lakaZimu wakwa-Israyeli.’ (Ezr. 1:1, 3) Lokho bekuthabisa tle! Bekutjho ukuthi ukulotjhwa kwakaZimu wamambala bekuzokubuyiselwa enarheni ebekayinikela abantu bakhe.

2. Khuyini into yokuthoma amaJuda ayenzako nakabuya ekuthunjweni?

² Ngo-537 B.C.E., amaJuda wokuthoma ebekathunjiweko afika eJerusalema ebekulidorbha elikhulu lombuso wesewula yakwaJuda. AmaJuda abuyiselwako lawo, athoma msinya ukwakha ithempeli begodu ngo-536 B.C.E besele athomile nokubeka isisekelo salo.

3. AmaJuda aqalana nakuphi ukuphikiswa?

³ Kwathi lokha nakathoma nomsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli, amaJuda ebekathunjiweko aqalana nokuphikiswa okuqinileko. Abantu ebebawabhodileko ‘bathoma ukuthusela amaJuda bebawanyefula, aphelelwa mdlandla wokwakha.’ (Ezr. 4:4) Ubujamo baragela phambili baba bumbi khulu. Ngo-522 B.C.E, ikosi etjha yePheresiya u-Aritarhitjhasta yathoma ukubusa. * Abaphikisi baqala itjhuguluko elenzeka embusweni njengethuba lokuwujamisa ngokupheleleko umsebenzi wokwakha ‘ngokubumba okumbi ngokujamelana nomthetho.’ (Rhu. 94:20) Batjela iKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta ukuthi hlangana nezinye zezinto, amaJuda bewahlela ukulwisana nombuswakhe. (Ezr. 4:11-16) Ikosi yawakholelwa  amanga lawo begodu yakhupha umyalo wokobana kujanyiswe ukwakhiwa kwethempeli. (Ezr. 4:17-23) Lokho kwenza bona ujanyiswe umsebenzi ebewuthabisa wokwakha ithempeli.—Ezr. 4:24.

4. UJehova waqalana njani nokuphikiswa kokwakhiwa kwethempeli? (Isaya 55:11)

⁴ Abantu benarha ebebangamlotjhiko uJehova kunye nabanye ebebasembusweni wePheresiya, bebazimisele ukuvimbela ukwakhiwa kwethempeli. UJehova yena bekafuna amaJuda aqedelele ukwakhiwa kwethempeli begodu uhlala ayifeza intandwakhe. (Funda u-Isaya 55:11.) Wavusa umphorofidi obekanesibindi ibizo lakhe linguZakariya begodu wamnikela imilandelande yemibono ebunane ebekufuze ayitjele amaJuda bona awakhuthaze. Imibono leyo yabaqinisekisa begodu yabasiza babona ukuthi akunalitho ebekufuze bayisabe kubaphikisi babo begodu wabakhuthaza bona baragele phambili nokwenza umsebenzi uJehova abanikele wona. Umbono wesihlanu embonweni le, uZakariya wabona ilithi lesibani kunye nemithi emibili yama-oliva.

5. Khuyini esizokucoca ngayo esihlokwenesi?

⁵ Soke khekube neenkhathi la siphelelwa khona mamandla. Yeke, soke singazuza ngokuhlolisisa isikhuthazo uJehova asinikela ama-Israyeli asebenzisa umbono kaZakariya wesihlanu. Ukuzwisisa umbono lo kungasisiza nathi bona silotjhe uJehova ngokuthembeka nasiqalene nokuphikiswa, nasiqalene namatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwethu nalokha nasifumana iinqophiso kodwana singazizwisisi kuhle.

6. Umbono welithi lesibani nemithi emibili yama-oliva okukhulunywa ngawo kuZakariya 4:1-3 wawakhuthaza njani amaJuda? (Qala isithombe esingaphandle.)

⁶ Funda uZakariya 4:1-3. Umbono welithi lesibani nemithi emibili yama-oliva wanikela amaJuda isibindi sokuqalana nokuphikiswa. Njani? Kghani utjhejile bona ilithi lesibani belinomthombo ongapheliko? Imithi emibili yama-Oliva beyithela amafutha esitjeni bese isitjeso sithelele isibani ngasinye kwezilikhomba. Amafutha bewenza isibani sikhanye ngokungapheliko. UZakariya wabuza, wathi: “Kuyini-ke lokhu kosami?” Ingilozi yamphendula nganaku umlayezo ovela kuJehova: “‘Akuyi ngeenkhwepha nanyana ngamandla womuntu, kodwana kuya ngoMoyami, kuzakufezeka’, kutjho uSomnini uMninimandlawoke.” (Zak. 4:4, 6) Amafutha avela emithini bewajamele amandla kaJehova angapheliko wommoya ocwengileko. Umbuso wePheresiya kunye namabuthawo bewangasi lilitho nawamadaniswa namandla wommoya kaZimu. Ngokusekelwa nguJehova, abakhi bethempeli bakghona ukujamelana nokuphikiswa begodu baqeda nomsebenzabo. Umlayezo lo wabakhuthaza tle! AmaJuda bekufuze athembele kuJehova, arage nomsebenzawo wokwakha. Ngilokho abakwenzako ngitjho nanyana umsebenzi wokwakha bewusolo uvinjelwe.

7. Ngiliphi itjhuguluko eleza netjhaphuluko kubakhi bethempeli?

⁷ Itjhuguluko elaba khona leza netjhaphuluko ethileko kubakhi bethempeli. Ngiliphi itjhugulukwelo? Ngo-520 B.C.E, ikosi etjha uDariyasi woku-I yathoma ukubusa iPheresiya. Ngomnyakayo wesibili wokubusa, yafumana bona ukuvinjelwa kokwakhiwa kwethempeli bekungasi semthethweni. Ikosi le yakhipha umyalo wokobana kuqedelelwe ukwakhiwa. (Ezr. 6:1-3) Iindabezi bezikara khulu kodwana bekusesenokunengi ebekusezako. Yalayela bona labo ebebaphikisa ukwakhiwa kwethempeli balise begodu basekele ukwakhiwa kwalo ngeemali nangezinto zokwakha. (Ezr. 6:7-12)  Umphumela walokho kwaba kukuthi amaJuda aqeda ukwakha ithempeli eminyakeni engaphezudlwana kwemine eyalandelako, ngo-515 B.C.E.—Ezr. 6:15.

8. Kubayini kufuze ubenesibindi nawuqalene nokuphikiswa?

⁸ Nanamhlanjesi, inengi leenceku zakaJehova lingaqalana nokuphikiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye baphila eenarheni la umsebenzi wokutjhumayela uvinjelwe khona. Eenarhenezi, abafowethu bangabotjhwa begodu, ‘bajanyiswe phambi kwababusi namakhosi’ bona baziphendulele. (Mat 10:17, 18) Ngezinye iinkhathi, ukutjhuguluka kwababusi kungaletha itjhuguluko. Kungenzeka godu nokuthi umahluleli ongakhethiko akhuphe isahlulelo esizosivumela bona sitjhumayele. Abanye aboFakazi baqalana nokuphikiswa okuhlukileko. Baphila eenarheni lapho batjhaphuluke khona bona bangawenza umsebenzi wokutjhumayela begodu balotjhe uJehova kodwana nanyana kunjalo basaqalana nokuphikiswa okuvela emalungeni wemindenabo azimisele ukubakhandela bona balotjhe uZimu. (Mat 10:32-36) Ebujamweni obunjalo, abaphikisi nabalemuka bona imizamwabo yokuphikisa iinhlobo zabo eziboFakazi ayiphumeleli, bayalisa ukubaphikisa. Labo ekhebaphikiswa kumbi phambilini, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bababoFakazi abakhutheleko. Nawuqalene nokuphikiswa, ungapheli amandla, iba nesibindi! UnoJehova nommoya ocwengileko abakusekelako, yeke akunalitho ekufuze ulisabe!

9. Kubayini amanye amaJuda angakhenge aphatheke kuhle ngesisekelo sethempeli elitjha?

⁹ Nakubekwa isisekelo sethempeli elitjha, amanye amaJuda ebesele kukade akhona, alila. (Ezr 3:12) Bewalibonile ithempeli elitjha ebelakhiwe nguSolomoni begodu babona ngasuthi ithempeli elitjheli belifana “nelize lakolize” nalimadaniswa nelangaphambilini. (Hag 2:2, 3) Umahluko hlangana kwethempeli elitjha nelidala bewubonakala khulu kangangokuthi khenge bakghone ukuzibamba. Umbono kaZakariya bewuzobasiza baqalane netjhugulukweli. Njani?

10. Amezwi wengilozi akuZakariya 4:8-10, awasiza njani amaJuda bona aqalane netjhuguluko?

¹⁰ Funda uZakariya 4:8-10. Beyitjho ukuthini ingilozi nayithi amaJuda ‘azakujabula lokha nawabona uZerubhabheli aphethe isinqophisamakho’? Isinqophisamakho lithulusi elitjengisa bona iboda linqophile  begodu alitjekeli kwelinye ihlangothi. Ingilozi beyiqinisekisa abantu bakaZimu ukuthi njengombana ithempeli belibonakala lingasi lilitho nalimadaniswa nelaphambilini, belizokuba lithempeli elamukelekako emehlweni kaZimu. Bekazokuthaba ngalo, yeke khuyini ebeyizobenza bangathabi ngalo? Ebekuqakathekile kuJehova bekukumlotjha ebekuzokwenziwa ethempelini elitjha nokuthi abantu benze ngokuvumelana nentandwakhe. Ngathana amaJuda bewadzimelele ekulotjheni uJehova ngendlela ayamukelako, bewazokuthaba godu.

11. Ngiziphi iintjhijilo ezinye iinceku zakaJehova eziqalana nazo namhlanjesi?

¹¹ Ukuqalana netjhuguluko kusitjhijilo kwabanengi bethu. Abanye ebesele banesikhathi eside basekonzweni ekhethekileko yesikhathi esizeleko bafumane amatjhuguluko. Abanye kutlhogeke balise izabelo zabo ebebazithanda ngebanga lokukhula ngeminyaka. Kuyinto ejayekileko ukuzizwa udanile nakufuze ulise isabelo ebewusenza. Ekuthomeni ngeze sasizwisisa isiqunto esithethweko namkha sivumelane naso. Singakhumbula indlela yakade izinto ebezenzeka ngayo. Singaphelelwa mamandla sizizwe ngasuthi ubujamo esikibo abusivumeli senzele uJehova okunengi. (IzA. 24:10) Umbono kaZakariya ungasisiza njani bona siragele phambili nokunikela uZimu okusemandlenethu?

12. Umbono kaZakariya ungasisiza njani bona siqalane nokutjhuguluka kwezinto ngebanga lobujamo?

¹² Sikghona ukuqalana kuhle namatjhuguluko nasiwaqala ngombono kaJehova. Zinengi izinto ezihle azenzako begodu sinelungelo lokuba ziinsebenzi kunye naye. (1 Kor. 3:9) Izabelo zethu zingatjhuguluka kodwana indlela uJehova asithanda ngayo ngekhe itjhuguluke. Ngendlela efanako, nangabe ihlangano kaJehova yenza amatjhuguluko asithinta bunqopha, kufuze sikubalekele ukucabanga khulu ngokuthi kubayini kwenziwe amatjhuguluko lawo. Kunokucabanga ‘ngamalanga waphambilini’ kufuze sithandaze, siqale phambili ezintweni ezihle ezilethwa litjhugulukwelo. (UMtj. 7:10) Kunokucabanga ngezinto ebesikghona ukuzenza ngaphambilini, asicabangeni ngezinto esikghona ukuzenza nje. Umbono kaZarariya usifundisa ukuqakatheka kokuba nombono ofaneleko. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sizokuhlala sithabile begodu sinokukholwa nalokha ubujamo bethu butjhuguluka.

13. Kubayini ukuvuselelwa kwethempeli kwazakala ngasuthi akusimbono omuhle kwamanye amaJuda?

¹³ Umsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli wajanyiswa. Amadoda amabili aphakemeko, umphristi ophakemeko uJotjhuwa nomBusi uZerubhabheli “bathoma ukuvuselela ithempeli lakaZimu.” (Ezr. 5:1, 2) Isiquntweso kungenzeka amanye amaJuda asibona singasimbono omuhle. Umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli bengeze wafihlwa emanabenawo, ebewazokulinga nanyana yini bona akhandele umsebenzi lo. Amadoda amabili akhethiweko la, uJotjhuwa noZerubhabheli bewatlhoga isiqinisekiso sokuthi uJehova bekazowasekela. Asifumana isiqinisekisweso. Njani?

14. NgokwakaZakariya 4:12, 14, umBusi uZerubhabheli nomPhristi Ophakemeko uJotjhuwa bafumana siphi isiqinisekiso?

¹⁴ Funda uZakariya 4:12, 14. Engcenyeni le yombono kaZakariya, ingilozi ivezela umphorofidi kaZimu othembekileko ukuthi umbono wemithi emibili yama-oliva ujamele ‘ababili abakhethiweko’ uJotjhuwa noZerubhabheli. Amadoda amabili la, ngokomfanekiso ‘ajame phambi kwakaSomnini, umniniphasi loke,’ uJehova. Lelo bekulilungelo elihle tle! UJehova bekabathemba. Ngokufanako nama-Israyeli bewangathemba nanyana yini amadoda la ayitjhoko ngombana uJehova bekasebenzisa wona bona adose phambili.

15. Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyasihlonipha isinqophiso uJehova asinikela sona ngeliZwi lakhe?

¹⁵ Enye indlela uJehova asinikela ngayo iinqophiso, kusebenzisa iliZwi lakhe iBhayibheli. Encwadini le, usitjela indlela efaneleko yokumlotjha. Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyasihlonipha isinqophiso esisifumana eliZwini lakaZimu? Ngokulalelisisa lokho elikutjhoko begodu sizinikele isikhathi sokukuzwisisa. Zibuze: ‘Nangifunda iBhayibheli namkha enye yeencwadi ezisekelwe kilo, kghani ngiyacabangisisa ngalokho engikufundako? Kghani ngiyalenza irhubhululo ngamaqiniso engiwafumana eBhayibhelini ‘okubudisi ukuwazwisisa’? Namkha ngikha phezulu nangifundako?’ (2 Pit. 3:16) Nasizipha isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokho uJehova asifundisa khona, sizokukghona ukulandela iinqophiso zakhe besiwenze kuhle nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela.—1 Thim. 4:15, 16.

16. Lokha nasingazizwisisi kuhle iinqophiso esizifumana ‘encekwini ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko,’ khuyini engasisiza bona sizilalele?

¹⁶ Enye indlela uJehova ayisebenzisako bona asinikele iinqophiso, kusebenzisa  ‘inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko.’ (Mat. 24:45) Ngezinye iinkhathi, inceku le ingasinikela iinqophiso esingazizwisisi kuhle. Ngokwesibonelo, singafumana iinqophiso ezinqophileko malungana nokulungela ukusinda ngesikhathi sehlekelele ebesicabanga bona ngeze yenzeka endaweni esikiyo. Kokhunye singazizwa ngasuthi inceku le sele ikhupha khulu iinqophiso hlangana nesindabelaphi. Khuyini ekufuze siyenze nasizwa ngasuthi iinqophiso esinikelwa zona azikahlakaniphi? Singacabanga ngokuthi ama-Israyeli azuza njani ngokulalela isinqophiso asifumana kuJotjhuwa noZerubhabheli. Singacabanga godu nangezinye iimbonelo eziseBhayibhelini ekhesazifunda. Ngezinye iinkhathi abantu bakaZimu bebafumana iinqophiso ebezibonakala zingasizi ngalitho ngokubona komuntu kodwana ekugcineni, bezisindisa ukuphila.—Khok. 7:7; 8:10.

17. Ngimuphi umphumela ilithi lesibani nemithi emibili yama-oliva okwaba nawo kumaJuda?

¹⁷ Umbono wesihlanu uZakariya awubonako kungenzeka bewumfitjhani khulu kodwana wanikela amaJuda umbono omuhle ngomsebenzi abawenzako nokulotjha kwabo uZimu. Lokha nabalalela iinqophiso zakaZakariya, babona ukuthi uJehova ubathanda begodu ubasekela njani. Ngommoyakhe ocwengileko, uJehova wabasiza baragela phambili nomsebenzi begodu bafumana nethabo.—Ezr. 6:16.

18. Umbono kaZakariya ungaba namuphi umphumela ekuphileni kwakho?

¹⁸ Umbono kaZakariya ngelithi lesibani nemithi emibili yama-oliva ungakunikela iimfundo eziqakatheke khulu ekuphileni kwakho. Njengombana khesacoca, ungakusiza bona ufumane amandla owatlhogako bona uqalane nokuphikiswa, ithabo olitlhogako bona uqalane namatjhuguluko ebujamweni okibo nethemba elizokusiza ulalele iinqophiso nanyana ungazizwisisi. Khuyini ekufuze uyenze nawuqalene neentjhijilo ekuphileni kwakho? Kokuthoma, bona lokho uZakariya akubonako, ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova unendaba nabantu bakhe. Sebenzisa lokho okubonako ngokuthemba uJehova, uragele phambili ngokumlotjha ngehliziywakho yoke. (Mat. 22:37) Nawenza njalo, uJehova uzokusiza bona umlotjhe uthabile ngokungapheliko.—Kol. 1:10, 11.