1. Ngiziphi izinto ezihlahlathelisako uNerhemiya azilemukako nakabuyela eJerusalema? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni kwesihloko.)

IZAKHAMUZI zeJerusalema ziyakhuluma. Iphandle elaziwa ngokumbi lihlala ethempelini. AmaLevi alahla isabelo sawo. Esikhundleni sokurhola ekukhulekeleni, abadala bayarhweba ngeSabatha. Ama-Israyeli amanengi atjhada nabangasimaJuda. Lezi ngezinye zezinto ezihlahlathelisako uNerhemiya azilemukako nakabuyela eJerusalema isikhathi esithileko ngemva kwaka-443 B.C.E.—Nerh. 13:6.

2. U-Israyeli waba njani sitjhaba esicwengileko?

² U-Israyeli bekasitjhaba esizinikezele kuZimu. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., ama-Israyeli bekazimisele ukukhambisana nentando kaJehova. Athi: “Woke amezwi akhulunywe [nguJehova] sizawaphetha.” (Eks. 24:3) Ngalokho uZimu wawacwengisa, nofana wawabekela eqadi njengabantu abakhethileko. Qala bona bekulilungelo elingangani lelo! Ngemva kweminyaka amatjhumu amane, uMosi wawakhumbuza: “Nina nibabantu abacwengileko [kuJehova] uZimenu. [UJehova] uZimenu unikhethe kobana nibe sisizwe esingesakhe hlangana nabo boke abantu abasephasinapha.”—Dut. 7:6.

3. Bebunjani ubujamo obungokomoya bamaJuda uNerhemiya nakafika kwesibili eJerusalema?

³ Ngokudanisako, ukutjisekela kwama-Israyeli ukuba sitjhaba esicwengileko kwaba njengomlilo wamaphepha. Nanyana bekunabantu ngabanye ebebalotjha uZimu, amaJuda ngokujayelekileko bekatswenyeka kanengi ngokubonakala acwengekile, nofana azinikele ngokwekolo, kunokwenza intando kaZimu. Ngesikhathi uNerhemiya afika kwesibili eJerusalema, besele kudlule iminyaka engaba likhulu abaseleko abathembekileko babuya eBhabhiloni bazokuvuselela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngakwelinye ihlangothi, inarha yathoma ukuvilaphela izinto ezingokomoya.

4. Ngimaphi amaphuzu esizowacabangela azosisiza sizibulunge sibabantu abacwengekileko?

⁴ Njengama-Israyeli, aboFakazi bakaJehova namhlanjesi bacwengiswe nguZimu ngomqondo ojayelekileko. Kokubili  amaKrestu azesiweko ‘nawesiqubuthu esikhulu’ acwengekile, ahlukaniselwe ikonzo ecwengileko. (IsAm. 7:9, 14, 15; 1 Kor. 6:11) Akakho kithi ofuna ukulahlekelwa bujamo bakhe obucwengileko phambi kwakaZimu njengobana kwenzeka kuma-Israyeli emaswapheleni. Yini engasisiza bona sikhandele ukuthi into le yenzeke kwenzelele bona sihlale sicwengekile begodi sisebenziseka ekonzweni kaJehova? Esifundwenesi, sizokucabangela iingcenye ezine eziveleleko kuNerhemiya isahluko 13: (1) Ungazihlanganisi nabantu abambi; (2) sekela amalungiselelo angokwezulwini; (3) beka izinto ezingokomoya qangi; begodu (4) bulunga itshwayo lakho lobuKrestu. Nje akhe sihlole ngalinye lamaphuzu la.

⁵ Funda uNerhemiya 13:4-9. Sibhodwe mikhuba emimbi, ngolokho akusilula ngathi bona sihlale sicwengekile. Cabanga ngo-Eliyatjhibu noThobiya. U-Eliyatjhibu bekamphristi omkhulu, begodu uThobiya bekamAmoni godu kungenzeka gade asikhudlwana esifundeni sombuso wamaPeresiya weJudiya. UThobiya nabangani bakhe baphikisana nemizamo kaNerhemiya yokwakha ngobutjha amaboda weJerusalema. (Nerh. 2:10) Ama-Amoni bekangakavumeleki ukungena emabaleni wetempeli. (Dut. 23:3) Ngalokho kubayini umphristi omkhulu bekanganikela umuntu onjengoThoboya indawo ewolweni lokudlela lethempeli?

5, 6. Bebabobani u-Eliyatjhibu noThobiya, begodu kungenzeka kubayini u-Eliyatjhibu enza isingani noThobiya?

⁶ UThobiya watjhidelana eduze no-Eliyatjhibu. UThobiya nendodanakhe uJorhanani batjhada nabafazi bamaJuda, begodu amaJuda amanengi bekakhuluma kuhle ngoThobiya. (Nerh. 6:17-19) Munye wabazukulu baka-Eliyatjhibu bekatjhade nomzukulu kaSanibhalathi, umbusi weSamariya, obekangomunye wabangani abakhulu bakaThobiya. (Nerh. 13:28) Isinganesi ngiso esingahlathulula bona kubayini uMphristi Omkhulu u-Eliyatjhibu avumela umuntu ongakholwako nomphikisi bona abe nomthelela kuye. Kodwana uNerhemiya watjengisa ukuthembeka kuJehova ngokulahlela yoke ifenitjhara kaThobiya ngaphandle kwewolo lokudlela.

7. Abadala kuhlanganise nabanye bakubalekela njani ukusilaphaza ubujamo babo obucwengisiweko phambi kwakaJehova?

⁷ Njengabantu abazinikele kuZimu, ngokuyihloko kufuze sithembeke kuJehova. Ngaphandle kobana sinamathele eenkambisweni lawulo zakhe zokulunga, angeze sihlale sicwengekile phambikwakhe. Akukafuzi sivumele ukutjhidelana komdeni kunciphise iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli. Abadala abamaKrestu banqotjhiswa kucabanga kwakaJehova, ingasi iimbono yabo namkha amazizwabo. (1 Thim. 5:21) Abadala ngokutjheja babalekela nanyana yini engabeka ubujamo babo noZimu engozini.—1 Thim. 2:8.

8. Khuyini zoke iinceku ezizinikele kuJehova ekufuze ziyikhumbule nekuziwa endabeni yesingani?

⁸ Senza kuhle nasikhumbula bona “ukuzihlanganisa nabantu abambi konakalisa isimilo esihle.” (1 Kor. 15:33) Ezinye zeenini zethu kungenzeka zingabi nomthelela omuhle emaphilwenethu. U-Eliyatjhibu wabeka isibonelo esihle ebantwini ngokusekela uNerhemiya ngokuzeleko ekwakhiweni kabutjha kwamaboda weJerusalema. (Nerh. 3:1) Nokho, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, kubonakala ngasuthi umthelela onyenyisako kaThobiya nabanye warholela u-Eliyatjhibu bona enze izinto ezingazisiko phambi kwakaJehova. Abangani abahle basikhuthaza bona sizibandakanye ezintweni eziqakathekileko zobuKrestu, njengokufunda iBhayibheli, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKrestu nokuhlanganyela ekonzweni yesimini. Amalunga womndeni asikhuthaza ukwenza okulungileko athandeka khulu.

9. Kubayini amalungiselelo wethempeli athikaziseka, begodu uNerhemiya wasola bani ngalokhu?

⁹ Funda uNerhemiya 13:10-13. Kubonakala  ngasuthi iminikelo yethempeli beyingasenziwa ngesikhathi uNerhemiya abuyela eJerusalema. Angasasekelwa, amaLevi asukela izabelo zawo ayozisebenzela emasiminawo. UNerhemiya wasola abosekela bababusi ngobujamobu. Kuhlekuhle, bebangatlhogomeli imithwalwabo. Kungenzeka bebangabutheleli iminikelo yabantu yokwetjhumi nofana bebangayidluliseli ethempelini, ngendlela ebebabelwe bona benze ngayo. (Nerh. 12:44) Ngalokho uNerhemiya wathatha amagadango wokubuthelela umnikelo wokwetjhumi. Wakhetha amadoda anokuthenjelwa bona angamele iinlulu zethempeli nokwaba kwangomuso.

10, 11. Ngiliphi ilungelo abantu bakaZimu abanalo ekusekeleni ukukhulekela kweqiniso?

¹⁰ Sikhona na isifundo esisifumanako kilokhu? Iye, sikhunjuzwa bona sinelungelo lokudumisa uJehova ngezinto zethu ezilugugu. (IzA. 3:9) Nesenza iminikelo yokusekela umsebenzakhe, sisuke sinikela uJehova lokho okungokwakhe. (1 Kron. 29:14-16) Singacabanga bona asinakho okungako esinganikela ngakho, kodwana nengabe sinesifiso, soke singaba nengcenye.—2 Kor. 8:12.

¹¹ Iminyaka eminengi, omunye umndeni omkhulu bewunande umema isibili esimaphayona akhethekileko asele akhulile bona ahlanganyele nawo esidlweni kanye evekeni. Nanyana bebanabantwana ababunane, umma walapho bekathanda ukuthi, “Ukuphakela izitja eembili ezingeziweko ngeze kwasibulala!” Ukudla kwaqobe veke bekubonakala kungatjho okungako, kodwana amaphayona la athokoza kangangani ngokwamukelwa ngezandla zombili abakutjengiswako! Bona-ke, baba sibusiso ebamukelini babo. Emezwi akhuthazako nokuhlangabezwene nakho kwesibilesi kwabasiza ekukhuthazeni abantwababo bona benze ituthuko ngokomoya. Kamva boke bangenela ikonzo yesikhathi esizeleko.

12. Ngisiphi isibonelo esihle esibekwa madoda akhethiweko ebandleni?

¹² Esinye isifundo ngilesi: NjengoNerhemiya, amadoda abekiweko nanamhlanje ayarhola ekusekeleni amalungiselelo angokwezulwini. Abanye ebandleni bayazuza esibonelweni sabo. Kilokhu, abadala nabo balingisa umpostoli uPowula. Wasekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso wanikela neenqophiso ezilisizo. Ngokwesibonelo, wanikela iindlela ezimbadlwana zokuthi iminikelo ingenziwa njani.—1 Kor. 16:1-3; 2 Kor. 9:5-7.

13. Amanye amaJuda bekangalihloniphi njani iSabatha?

¹³ Funda uNerhemiya 13:15-21. Nasizivumela bona sibibhelaniswe zizinto eziqalekako, kancanikancani ingokomoya lethu lingasilahlekela. Ngokuka-Eksodusi 31:13, iSabatha laqobe veke belikhumbuza ama-Israyeli  bona abababantu abacwengisiweko. Ilanga leSabatha belibekelwa eqadi bona kwenziwe ukukhulekela komdeni, kuthandazwe bekuzindlwe ngemiThetho kaZimu. Abanye abaphila ngesikhathi sakaNerhemiya bebadlumbana bona iSabatha bekumane kulilanga nje—bekungarhwebelana njengemhleni. Ukukhulekela bekusunduzelwe emva. Aqale okwenzekako, uNerhemiya nekurhwaqelako ngelanga lesithandathu wavala amahege, waqotha abathengisi abavela kwezinye iinarha ngaphambi kobana kuthome iSabatha.

14, 15. (a) Kungenzekani kithi nesingalinganiseli ikareko esinayo kwezamarhwebo? (b) Singangena njani ekuphumuleni kwakaZimu?

¹⁴ Singafundani esibonelweni sakaNerhemiya? Okhunye esingakufunda kukuthi kufuze silinganisele ikareko esinayo kwezamarhwebo. Nekungasinjalo, singathikaziseka bulula—nethando lethu lihlukane phakathi—khulukhulu nengabe siyawuthabela umsebenzethu wokuziphilisa. Khumbula isiyeleliso sakaJesu sokusebenzela abaphathi ababili. (Funda uMatewu 6:24.) UNerhemiya gade anayo imali, kodwana wayisebenzisa njani ngesikhathi aseJerusalema? (Nerh. 5:14-18) Esikhundleni sokugijimisa ukwakha itjhebiswano yezerhwebo namaTirosi namkha abanye, wazinikela ekusizeni abanakwabo nokwenza izinto ezihlanganyela ekucwengisweni kwebizo lakaJehova. Ngokufanako namhlanjesi, abadala neenceku ezikhonzako ezimaKrestu zidzimelela ekwenzeni izinto ezizuzisa ibandla, begodu abakhulekeli abakunye nabo bayabathanda ngebanga lomoya abawutjengisako lo. Ngebanga lalokho, kunethando, ukuthula, nokuvikeleka ebantwini bakaZimu.—Hez. 34:25, 28.

¹⁵ Nanyana amaKrestu kungatlhogeki abulunge iSabatha laqobe veke, uPowula usitjela ukuthi ‘abantu bakaZimu basasalelwe kuphumula kwesabatha.’ Wangezelela: “Ngombana loyo osuke angene ekuphumueleni kwakaZimu uyaphumula godu nemisebenzinakhe njengoZimu aphumula kweyakhe.” (Heb. 4:9, 10) NjengamaKrestu, singangena ekuphumuleni kwakaZimu ngokuthi silalele, senze ngokuvumelana nomnqophwakhe othuthukako. Inga-kghani wena nabathandekako bakho nibeka ukukhulekela komndeni, ukuya emihlanganweni, nekonzo yesimini endaweni yokuthoma ekuphileni kwenu? Kungatlhogeka sibethe ngenyawo phasi kubaqatjhi bethu namkha esisebenzisana nabo kwezerhwebo, khulukhulu nebangazihloniphiko izinto eziphathelene nokukhulekela kwethu eziza qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Ngamanye amezwi, kungatlhogeka ‘sivale amasango womuzi begodu siqothe amaTirosi’ ukwenzela bona sizitjheje kuhle begodu sizibeke endaweni yokuthoma izinto ezicwengileko. Ngombana sicwengisiwe, sizabe senza kuhle ngokuzibuza ukuthi, ‘Inga-kghani indlela engiphila ngayo iyatjengisa ukuthi ngihlukaniselwe ukwenza ikonzo kaJehova?’—Mat. 6:33.

16. Itshwayo lesitjhaba sabantu abacwengisiweko lasongelwa njani ngesikhathi sakaNerhemiya?

¹⁶ Funda uNerhemiya 13:23-27. Ngesikhathi sakaNerhemiya, amadoda ama-Israyeli bekatjhada nabafazi bezinye iintjhaba. Nekakhambela iJerusalema kokuthoma, uNerhemiya wenza bona amadoda amadala atlikitle isivumelwano esitloliweko azibopha ukuthi angekhe atjhade nabarhedeni. (Nerh. 9:38; 10:30) Nokho, ngemva kwaminyaka embalwa, amadoda amaJuda lawo zange agcine ngokuthatha abafazi bezinye iintjhaba kwaphela kodwana besele azokulahlekelwa ngilo kanye itshwayo lawo njengabantu bakaZimu abacwengisiweko! Abantwana babafazi bezinye iintjhaba bebangakwazi ukufunda namkha ukukhuluma isiHebheru. Nebakhulako, bebangazibiza na ngokuthi bama-Israyeli? Namkha bebanganyula ukuzicabanga njengabama-Atjhidodi, ama-Amoni, namkha bakwaMowabi? Njengombana bangasazi isiHebheru, angangani amathuba wokobana bebangawuzwisisa umThetho kaZimu? Bebangamazi njani uJehova begodu bakhethe ukumkhonza  esikhundleni sabosingazimu abakhonzwa bonina? Bekutlhogeka kuthathwe amagadango abudisi begodu athathwe ngokurhabako, ngilokho kanye uNerhemiya akwenzako.—Nerh. 13:28.

17. Ababelethi bangabasiza njani abantwababo bona babe nobuhlobo bomuntu mathupha noJehova?

¹⁷ Namhlanjesi, kutlhogeka sithathe amagadango amahle bona sisize abantwabethu babe netshwayo lobuKrestu. Babelethi, zibuzeni, ‘Abantwabami balikhuluma kuhle kangangani “ilimi elicwengileko” leqiniso lomTlolo? (Zef. 3:9, NW.) Inga-kghani iingcoco zabantwabami zitjengisa umthelela womoya kaZimu namkha wephasi?’ Ungacobeki amathambo msinyana newubona ngasuthi kusatlhogeka uphakamise amakowusu. Kuthatha isikhathi ukufunda ilimi, khulukhulu nesibhodwe ziinthikaziso. Abantwabakho baqalene negandelelo elikhulu lokobana baliselele. Ngalokho, ngesineke sebenzisa iinkhathi zokuKhulekela koMndeni namanye amathuba ukusiza abantwabakho bahlawulele ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova. (Dut. 6:6-9) Veza iinzuzo zokuhluka ephasini lakaSathana. (Jwa. 17:15-17) Begodu sebenzela ukuthinta iinhliziyo zabo.

18. Kubayini ababelethi abamaKrestu basebujamweni obungcono khulu bokusiza abantwababo bazinikele kuJehova?

¹⁸ Emaswapheleni, umntwana ngamunye kufuze azenzele isiqunto sakhe malungana nokukhonza uZimu. Kodwana, kunengi ababelethi abangakwenza. Lokho kubandakanya ukubeka isibonelo esihle, ukubeka imikhawulo ekhanyako, nokucoca nabantwabakho ngemiphumela yeenqunto zabo. Babelethi, akakho omunye umuntu ongcono ukudlula nina ongalungiselela abantwabenu bona bazinikele kuJehova. Batlhoga isizo lenu bona bafumane begodu babulunge itshwayo labo lobuKrestu. Liqiniso, soke kutlhogeka sitjheje bona singalahlekelwa ‘sisambatho’ sethu sangaphandle esingokomfanekiso—iimfanelo nemithethokambiso esibonakalisa njengabalandeli bakaKrestu.—IsAm. 3:4, 5; 16:15.

19, 20. Kungenzeka njani bona uJehova asikhumbule “ngobuhle”?

¹⁹ Omunye ogade aphila ngesikhathi sakaNerhemiya mphorofidi uMalaki, owaveza ukuthi kwatlolwa “umtlolo osongiweko . . . mayelana nalabo abesaba [uJehova] bahlonipha nebizo lakhe.” (Mal. 3:16, 17) UZimu angekhe abakhohlwe labo abanokumsaba kokumhlonipha begodu abathanda ibizo lakhe.—Heb. 6:10.

²⁰ UNerhemiya wathandaza: “Zimami, yewungikhumbule ngobuhle.” (Nerh. 13:31) NjengoNerhemiya, amabizwethu azokuba sencwadini kaZimu yekumbulo nengabe siragela phambili sibalekela ukuzihlanganisa nabantu abambi, sisekela amalungiselelo angokwezulwini, sibeka izinto ezingokomoya endaweni yokuthoma, begodu sibulunga itshwayo lethu lobuKrestu. Asirageleni phambili ‘sizihlolisisa bona sisaphila ekukholweni na.’ (2 Kor. 13:5) Nesibulunga ubuhlobo bethu obucwengisiweko noJehova, uzosikhumbula “ngobuhle.”