1-3. (a) Kodi zinthu zinali bwanji pakati pa anthu a Yehova pamene mneneli Zekariya anayamba utumiki wake? (b) N’cifukwa ciani Yehova anapempha anthu ake kuti ‘abwelele kwa iye’?

BUKU la Zekariya limafotokoza masomphenya ocititsa cidwi kwambili. Mwacitsanzo, limakamba za mpukutu wouluka, mkazi wovininkhilidwa m’ciwiya copimila, ndi akazi aŵili ouluka na mapiko ooneka ngati a dokowe. (Zek. 5:1, 7-9) N’cifukwa ciani Yehova anaonetsa mneneli wake masomphenya ocititsa cidwi amenewa? Kodi zinthu panthawiyo zinali bwanji pakati pa Aisiraeli? Nanga masomphenya amenewa a m’buku la Zekariya atikhudza bwanji ise masiku ano?

² Caka ca 537 B.C.E. cinali caka ca cikondwelelo kwa anthu a Yehova odzipeleka. Iwo anali atangomasulidwa kumene mu ukapolo wa ku Babulo wa zaka 70. Conco, mwacimwemwe ndi modzipeleka, iwo anayamba kugwila nchito yobwezeletsa kulambila koona ku Yerusalemu. Mu 536 B.C.E., anthu a Mulungu anatsiliza kumanga maziko a kacisi. Panthawiyo, iwo anali “kufuula kwambili, ndipo phokoso lawo linali kumveka kutali kwambili.” (Ezara 3:10-13) Koma  posakhalitsa, adani anayamba kuletsa nchito yomangayo. Zopinga zitaculuka, Aisiraeli anagwa ulesi na kuleka nchitoyo, ndipo anayamba kugwila nchito zawo za panyumba ndi za kuminda. Patapita zaka 16, nchito yomanga kacisi wa Yehova inaimilatu. Conco, anthu a Mulungu anafunika kukumbutsidwa kuti abwelele kwa Yehova na kuleka kuika patsogolo zofuna zawo. Yehova anali kufuna kuti iwo abwelele kwa iye, na kuti apitilize kumulambila na mtima wonse komanso mopanda mantha.

³ Mulungu pofuna kukumbutsa anthu ake cifukwa cake anawamasula mu ukapolo wa ku Babulo, anatumiza mneneli wake Zekariya mu 520 B.C.E. Dzina lakuti Zekariya, limene limatanthauza kuti “Yehova Wakumbukila,” liyenela kuti linawakumbutsa mfundo yofunika kwambili. Mfundo yake ni yakuti, ngakhale kuti iwo anaiŵala mmene Yehova anawapulumutsila, iye sanawaiŵale anthu akewo. (Ŵelengani Zekariya 1:3, 4.) Iye anawatsimikizila mwacikondi kuti adzawathandiza kukhazikitsanso kulambila koona. Koma anawacenjeza mwamphamvu kuti adzawalanga ngati adzayamba kumulambila na mitima iŵili. Tsopano, tiyeni tione mmene Yehova analimbikitsila anthu ake kupitila m’masomphenya a Zekariya a namba 6 na 7. Tionanso zimene ise masiku ano tingaphunzilepo pa masomphenya amenewa.

4. Kodi Zekariya anaona ciani m’masomphenya ake a namba 6? Nanga n’cifukwa ciani mpukutuwo unali wolembedwa mbali zonse ziŵili? (Onani pikica namba 1 kuciyambi.)

⁴ Caputa 5 ya buku la Zekariya imayamba na masomphenya ocititsa cidwi kwambili. (Ŵelengani Zekariya 5:1, 2.) Zekariya anaona mpukutu ukuuluka mumlengalenga. Mpukutuwo unali wa mamita 9 m’litali na mamita 4.5 m’lifupi. Unali wotambulula, cakuti munthu angathe kuuŵelenga. Pa mpukutuwo panali uthenga waciweluzo, wolembedwa mbali zonse ziŵili. (Zek. 5:3) Nthawi zambili, mpukutu unali kulembedwa mbali imodzi cabe. Koma mpukutu wa m’masomphenya a Zekariya unali wolembedwa mbali zonse ziŵili, kuonetsa kuti uthenga wake unali wofunika ngako.

5, 6. Kodi kuba kwa mtundu uliwonse Yehova amakuona bwanji?

⁵ Ŵelengani Zekariya 5:3, 4. Anthu onse adzayankha mlandu pamaso pa Yehova cifukwa ca zocita zawo, maka-maka anthu odziŵika na dzina lake. Anthu amene amakonda Mulungu amadziŵa kuti kuba kwa mtundu uliwonse ‘kumanyozetsa dzina la Mulungu [wawo].’ (Miy. 30:8, 9) Kaya munthu waba pa cifukwa canji, kuba n’kuba ndithu. Munthu wakuba amaona zinthu zakuthupi ndiponso cikhumbo cake cadyela kukhala zofunika ngako kuposa kumvela Mulungu. Iye amanyalanyaza malamulo a Mulungu, ndipo mwa kucita zimenezi, amaonetsa kuti akunyozela Yehova na dzina lake.

⁶ Kodi mwaona zimene lemba la Zekariya 5:3, 4 lakamba? Lakamba kuti “tembelelo . . . lidzaloŵa m’nyumba ya munthu wakuba ndi . . . kukakhala m’nyumba mwake n’kuwonongelatu nyumbayo.” Izi zionetsa kuti palibe amene angazembe ciweluzo ca Yehova. Iye angathe kuvumbula chimo lililonse lobisika pakati pa anthu ake. Kawalala angathe kubisa colakwa cake kwa akulu-akulu a boma, mabwana ake, akulu, kapena kwa makolo. Koma sangabise colakwaco kwa Mulungu, cifukwa iye anakambilatu kuti kawalala aliyense adzaululika. (Aheb. 4:13) Ndithudi, ni mwayi waukulu kuyanjana ndi anthu amene amayesetsa “kucita zinthu zonse” moona mtima.—Aheb. 13:18.

7. Tingacite ciani kuti tipewe tembelelo lolembedwa pa mpukutu wouluka?

⁷ Yehova amanyansidwa na kuba kwa mtundu uliwonse. Tiyenela kuona kuti ni mwayi wamtengo wapatali kutsatila mfundo zapamwamba za Yehova za makhalidwe abwino.  Tiyenelanso kupewa khalidwe iliyonse imene imanyozetsa dzina la Mulungu. Tikacita zimenezo, tidzatha kupulumuka pamene Yehova adzapeleka ciweluzo kwa anthu amene amaphwanya mwadala malamulo ake.

8-10. (a) Kodi lumbilo n’ciani? (b) Ni lumbilo lanji limene Mfumu Zedekiya analephela kusunga?

⁸ Uthenga wotsatila wolembedwa pa mpukutu wouluka ni cenjezo lopita kwa anthu ‘olumbila mwacinyengo m’dzina la Mulungu.’ (Zek. 5:4) Lumbilo ni mau amene munthu amakamba pofuna kutsimikizila kuti zina zake n’zoona, kapena ni lonjezo lakuti munthu adzacita kapena sadzacita zinazake.

⁹ Kulumbila m’dzina la Yehova ni nkhani yaikulu ngako. Izi n’zimene anacita Zedekiya, mfumu yothela kukhala pa mpando wacifumu ku Yerusalemu. Iye analumbila m’dzina la Yehova kuti adzakhalabe wokhulupilika kwa mfumu ya Babulo. Koma sanasunge lumbilo lake. Pa cifukwa cimeneci, Yehova anapeleka ciweluzo kwa Zedekiya mwa kunena kuti: “Pali ine Mulungu wamoyo, [Zedekiya] amene ananyoza lumbilo ndi kuphwanya pangano limene anacita ndi mfumu imene inamulonga ufumu, adzafela m’dziko la mfumu yomweyo, dziko la Babulo.”—Ezek. 17:16.

¹⁰ Yehova anali kuyembekezela kuti Mfumu Zedekiya adzacita zinthu mogwilizana na lumbilo limene anacita m’dzina la Mulungu. (2 Mbiri 36:13) M’malomwake, iye anakapempha thandizo ku Iguputo poyesa kudziombola mu ukapolo wa Babulo, koma sizinaphule kanthu.—Ezek. 17:11-15, 17, 18.

11, 12. (a) Kodi lonjezo lofunika ngako limene munthu angapange n’liti? (b) Tingaonetse bwanji pa zocita zathu za tsiku na tsiku kuti tinadzipelekadi kwa Mulungu?

¹¹ Masiku anonso, Yehova amamvetsela malonjezo amene timapanga. Iye sawaona mopepuka malonjezo amenewa. Ndipo timafunika kukwanilitsa malonjezo athu kuti Mulungu apitilize kutikonda. (Sal. 76:11) Pa malonjezo  onse amene timapanga, lonjezo lofunika kwambili ndi la kudzipeleka kwathu kwa Yehova. Kudzipeleka ni kulonjeza kuti tidzam’tumikila Yehova zivute zitani.

¹² Tingaonetse bwanji kuti timacita zinthu mogwilizana ndi kudzipeleka kwathu? Zimene timacita tikakumana na ciyeso, kaya cacikulu kapena cacing’ono, zifunika kuonetsa kuti timafuna kukwanilitsa lonjezo lathu lakuti tidzatamanda Yehova “tsiku ndi tsiku.” (Sal. 61:8) Mwacitsanzo, ngati mwamuna kapena mkazi ku nchito kapena kusukulu wayamba kutifuna, kodi timakana pofuna kuonetsa kuti ‘timasangalala na njila [za Yehova]’? (Miy. 23:26) Ngati tili m’banja limene ena si Mboni, kodi timapempha Yehova kuti atithandize kukhalabe na khalidwe labwino olo kuti amene tikhala nawo alibe khalidwe labwino? Kodi timapemphela kwa Atate wathu wacikondi wakumwamba tsiku lililonse, kumuyamikila cifukwa cotikonda na kutipatsa mwayi wokhala m’gulu lake? Kodi timayesetsa kupatula nthawi yoŵelenga Baibo tsiku na tsiku? Kodi izi si zimene tinalonjeza kuti tidzayamba kucita? Tikamacita zimenezi, ndiye kuti ndise omvela. Ngati tiyesetsa kucita zambili pa kulambila kwathu, timaonetsa kuti timakonda Yehova ndipo tinadzipelekadi kwa iye. Kulambila Mulungu ni mbali ya umoyo wathu, ndipo sitifunika kum’lambila mwamwambo cabe. Ngati tiyesetsa kukwanilitsa lonjezo lathu la kudzipeleka, zinthu zidzatiyendela bwino. Komanso tikakhala okhulupilika, tidzakhala na tsogolo labwino.—Deut. 10:12, 13.

13. Tiphunzilapo ciani pa masomphenya a namba 6 a Zekariya?

¹³ M’masomphenya a namba 6 a Zekariya taphunzila kuti anthu okonda Yehova safunika kuba mwanjila ina iliyonse kapena kulumbila mwacinyengo. Taonanso kuti ngakhale kuti Aisiraeli anali kulakwitsa zinthu zina, Yehova sanawasiye. Iye anali kumvetsetsa mavuto amene anali kukumana nawo kucokela kwa adani awo. Mulungu wapeleka citsanzo cabwino kwa ise mwa kukwanilitsa malonjezo ake, ndipo ifenso amatithandiza kukwanilitsa malonjezo athu. Njila imodzi imene amacitila izi ni mwa kutipatsa ciyembekezo cakuti posacedwa adzathetsa zoipa zonse padzikoli. Masomphenya otsatila a Zekariya aonetsa kuti zimenezi zidzacitikadi.

14, 15. (a) Kodi Zekariya anaona ciani m’masomphenya ake a namba 7? (Onani pikica namba 2 kuciyambi.) (b) Kodi mkazi amene anali mkati mwa ciwiya aimila ciani? Nanga n’cifukwa ciani anam’tsekela m’menemo?

¹⁴ Pambuyo pakuti Zekariya waona mpukutu wouluka, mngelo anamuuza kuti ‘akweze maso’ m’mwamba. Kodi n’ciani cimene anaona m’masomphenya ake a namba 7? Anaona ciwiya copimila cokwana “muyezo wa efa” cikubwela. (Ŵelengani Zekariya 5:5-8.) Ciwiya cimeneco cinali na “civundikilo ca mtovu.” Civundikiloco kapena kuti civininkhilo citacotsedwa pa ciwiyaco, Zekariya ‘anaonamo mkazi atakhala pansi.’ Mngelo uja anafotokoza kuti mkaziyo dzina lake ni “Kuipa.” Zekariya ayenela kuti anacita mantha kwambili ataona kuti mkaziyo afuna kutuluka m’ciwiyaco. Koma mwamsanga mngelo uja anakankha mkaziyo na kum’bwezela m’ciwiyaco. Kenako, anatsekapo na civininkhilo colema cija camtovu. Kodi zimenezi zitanthauza ciani?

¹⁵ Mbali imeneyi ya masomphenya igogomeza mfundo yakuti Yehova sadzalekelela zoipa zamtundu uliwonse pakati pa anthu ake. Iye adzaonetsetsa kuti zathetsedwa mwamsanga. (1 Akor. 5:13) Cimene cionetsa zimenezi n’cakuti mngeloyo anavininkhila ciwiyaco mwamsanga.

16. (a) Malinga n’zimene Zekariya anaona, n’ciani cina cimene cinacitikila ciwiya copimila? (Onani pikica namba 3 kuciyambi.) (b) Kodi akazi okhala na mapiko anapita naco kuti ciwiya copimila?

¹⁶ Ndiyeno, Zekariya anaona akazi aŵili okhala na mapiko olimba ngati a dokowe. (Ŵelengani Zekariya 5:9-11.) Akaziwo anali osiyana ngako na mkazi uja amene anatsekeledwa m’ciwiya copimila. Na mapiko awo  amphamvu, anafika n’kunyamula ciwiya cimene munali mkazi wochedwa “Kuipa.” Kodi anali kupita naye kuti? Anali kupita naye “kudziko la Sinara,” kapena kuti ku Babulo. N’cifukwa ciani ciwiyaco anapita naco ku Babulo?

17, 18. (a) N’cifukwa ciani Sinara anali ‘malo oyenela’ kukhalako ‘zoipa’? (b) Kodi mwatsimikiza mtima kucita ciani?

¹⁷ Kwa Aisiraeli a m’nthawi ya Zekariya, Sinara anali malo oyenelela kukhalako zoipa. Zekariya na Ayuda anzake anali kudziŵa kuti ku Sinara, kapena kuti ku Babulo, kunali kucitika zoipa zambili m’nthawi yawo. Iwo anakulila mumzinda umenewo, umene munali anthu olambila mafano ndi a makhalidwe onyansa, cakuti tsiku lililonse anali kufunika kucita khama kuti apewe makhalidwe oipawo. Conco, masomphenyawa ayenela kuti anawalimbikitsa ngako. Anawatsimikizila kuti Yehova sadzalola kuti kulambila koyela kuipitsidwe.

¹⁸ Komabe, masomphenyawa anakumbutsanso Ayuda za udindo wawo woonetsetsa kuti kulambila koona sikukudetsedwa. Yehova sangalekelele kuti pakati pa anthu ake pazicitika zoipa. Popeza Mulungu anatiloŵetsa m’gulu lake loyela limene limatisamalila na kutiteteza, tili na udindo wothandiza kuti gululi likhalebe loyela. Kodi mumayesetsa kusunga “nyumba” yathu yophiphilitsa imeneyi ili yoyela? M’paladaiso wathu wauzimu simufunika kumacitika zoipa za mtundu uliwonse.

19. Kodi masomphenya a Zekariya atiphunzitsa ciani masiku ano?

¹⁹ Masomphenya a namba 6 na 7 a Zekariya ni cenjezo lamphamvu kwa anthu amene amacita zinthu zacinyengo. Amatikumbutsa kuti Yehova salekelela zoipa. Cinanso, tiphunzilapo kuti olambila ake okhulupilika afunika kudana kwambili na zoipa. Komanso, masomphenyawa ni cilimbikitso cacikondi cocokela kwa Atate wathu wakumwamba. Ngati tiyesetsa kucita zinthu zabwino, Mulungu adzatikonda na kutiteteza, ndipo sitidzalandila tembelelo la imfa. M’malomwake, Yehova adzatidalitsa cifukwa coyesetsa kukhalabe oyela m’dziko loipali. Inde, sitiyenela kukayikila kuti Yehova adzatithandiza kukhalabe oyela. Koma kodi tingatsimikize bwanji kuti kulambila koona kudzapitilizabe m’dziko lodzala na makhalidwe oipali? Nanga tingatsimikize bwanji kuti Yehova adzateteza gulu lake pa cisautso cacikulu cimene cayandikila? Mafunso amenewa adzayankhiwa m’nkhani yotsatila.