1, 2. Umbono kaZakariya nawuphethako, bebunjani ubujamo babeJuda eJerusalema?

NJENGOMBANA umbono kaZakariya wekhomba uphetha, kunengi okufuze ucabange ngakho. UJehova uqinisekisile ukuthi uzokujezisa abantu abakhohlakeleko. UZakariya kwamqinisekisa lokho. Kodwana abantu akhenge batjhugulule indlela abenza ngayo izinto. Bekusese nabantu abangakathembeki nabenza izinto ezikhohlakeleko. Kusese njalo, ukwakhiwa kwethempeli bekusazokuthatha ibangana bona kuphele. Kwenzeke njani bona abeJuda baliselele umsebenzi abawunikelwe nguZimu msinya kangaka? Inga-kghani babuyela lapho badabuka khona ngebanga lokuthi bafuna ukuyozenzela izinto zabo?

² UZakariya bekazi ukuthi abeJuda abafudukela eJerusalema bekumadoda nabomma abanokukholwa. Angitjho phela abantwabo ngilaba uZimu atjhukumisa iinhliziyo zabo bona basukele izindlu zabo ezivikelekileko namabhizinisabo. (Ezr. 1:2, 3, 5) Basukela indawo abayaziko nabayijayeleko bafudukela endaweni abangayaziko. Ngathana ukwakhiwa kwethempeli lakaJehova bekungakaqakatheki kibo bebangakhe bakhamba ikhambo elibudisi nelide kangaka, phela bakhamba amakhilomitha ayi-1 600.

3, 4. AbeJuda ababuyela emva baqalana nabuphi ubudisi?

 ³ Belinjani ikhambo labo? Njengombana abeJuda basekhambweni, asingabazi ukuthi kwaphela ama-awara basolo bacabanga ngekhaya labo. Bekhe bezwa ukuthi idorobho leJerusalema belilihle kangangani. Abantu abadala ebebaphakathi kwabo bakhe babubona uburhanyarhanya bethempeli. (Ezr. 3:12) Ngathana bewukhamba nabo uyokuhlala eJerusalema, bewuzozizwa njani nawubona iJerusalema kokuthoma? Bewuzokudana na nawubona amarubhi esele agutjuzeswe likhula? Bewuzalimadanisa na namaboda amakhulu weBhabheli? Ngombana iJerusalema besele limarubhi namabodalo awile, lapho ebekuneyege nesithala khona kungasana litho. Kodwana abantu babanesibindi. Besele bambonile uJehova abasiza ekhambweni labo elide. Into yokuthoma abayenzako kukuthi bakhe i-aldari lapho bekunethempeli khona, bathoma banikela imihlabelo kuJehova. (Ezr. 3:1, 2) Ekuthomeni bewungafunga ukuthi ayikho into engabaqeda amandla.

⁴ Ukungezelela ekwakheni ithempeli, ama-Israyeli bekusafuze akhe izindlu zabo. Anomsebenzi wokulungisa izindlu, ngapha bekufuze ondle imindenawo. (Ezr. 2:70) Umsebenzi ebebaqalene nawo bewubonakala umnengi khulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho kwafika ukutjhutjhiswa. Ngitjho nanyana bebathome kuhle kodwana iminyaka eli-15 yokutjhutjhiswa yabaqeda amandla. (Ezr. 4:1-4) Ngo-522 ngesikhathi ikosi yePheresiya ijamisa ukwakhiwa eJerusalema, baphela amandla khulu. Ingomuso ledorobheli belibonakala limnyama.​—Ezr. 4:21-24.

5. AbeJuda nasele badonda ukuqedelela ukwakha ithempeli, uJehova wabasiza njani?

⁵ UZimu bekazi ukuthi abantu bakhe batlhogani. Yeke watjengisa uZakariya umbono wamaswaphela oqinisekisa abeJuda ukuthi uyabathanda nokuthi uyathokoza ngakho koke esele bakwenzile bekube nje, wabuye wabaqinisekisa nangokuthi uzobapha amandla nange bangabuyela emsebenzini. Ngokuphathelene nokwakhiwa kwethempeli, wabathembisa wathi: “Lokhu kuzakwenzeka nange nilalela [uJehova] uZimenu ngokuncamileko.”​—Zak. 6:15.

6. (a) Umbono kaZakariya wobunane uthoma njani? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Kubayini imibala yeenjomana ihlukile?

⁶ Kungenzeka isiphetho sombono wobunane kaZakariya kwaba ngiwo oqinisa ukukholwa kwabeJuda khulu. (Funda uZakariya 6:1-3.) Akhucabange nganakhu, “hlangana neentaba ezimbili​—iintaba zedzila” iinkarana ezine ezinamandla zilungele ipi. Iinjomana ezidosa iinkaranezi zingemibala ehlukahlukeneko. Lokho kwenza kube lula ukuhlukanisa abakhweli bazo. UZakariya wabuza wathi: “Khuyini lokhu, kosami?” (Zak. 6:4) Yeke nathi namhlanjesi sifuna ukwazi ipendulo yombuzo lo, ngombana umbono lo uyasithinta.

7, 8. (a) Iintaba ezimbilezi zijamele ini? (b) Kubayini iintabezi zenziwe ngedzila namkha ikoporo?

⁷ EBhayibhelini iintaba kanengi zijamelela imibuso. Iintaba ezimbili ezisembonweni kaZakariya zifana nalezi ezisesiphorofidweni sakaDanyela. Intaba yinye ijamelela umBuso kaJehova nokubusa kwakhe phakade. Bese kuthi enye ijamelele umBuso kaMesiya ophethwe kuJesu. (Dan. 2:35, 45) Njengombana uJesu ahlala esihlalweni sobuKhosi ngo-1914, zombili iintabezi bezikhona begodu zadlala indima eqakathekileko ekuzaliseni intando kaZimu ephasini.

⁸ Kubayini iintabezi zenziwe ngedzila namkha ikoporo? Idzila nayo iqalelwa phezulu njengegolide. UJehova walayela abantu bona kufuze kusetjenziswe iinsimbi eziphazimako ekwakhiweni kwethabarinakele,  ngokukhamba kwesikhathi zisetjenziswe nakwakhiwa ithempeli eJerusalema. (Eks. 27:1-3; 1 Kho. 7:13-16) Yeke singatjho sithi ikoporo esetjenziswe eentabeni ezingokomfanekiswezi ibubeka ebaleni ubuhle obuzokulethwa mBuso kaJehova nomBuso kaMesiya. ImiBuso le izokulethela abantu ukuthula neembusiso.

9. Bobani abatjhayeli beenkoloyana begodu uyini umsebenzabo?

⁹ Njenganje sibuyela endabeni yeenkoloyana. Zona nabatjhayeli bazo kujamelela ini? Abatjhayeli beenkoloyana bajamelela iingilozi, kungaba ziinqhema namkha ukuhlukaniswa kweengilozi. (Funda uZakariya 6:5-8.) ‘Zijame phambi [kwakaJehova], umniniphasi,’ kunomsebenzi oqakathekileko ekufuze ziwenze. Zinikelwe msebenzi bani? Iinkoloyana nabatjhayeli bazo zithunyelwe bona ziyokusebenza endaweni ethileko. Umsebenzazo kukuthi zivikele abantu bakaJehova, zibavikele khulukhulu “enarheni yangetlhagwini” iBhabheli. UJehova bekazokuqiniseka ukuthi iBhabheli angekhe lisagandelela abantu bakhe. Lokho kufuze ukuthi kwabaqinisa abakhi bethempeli bangesikhathi sakaZakariya. Bebangasatshwenywa kucabhela kwamanababo.

10. Abantu bakaZimu kufuze baqiniseke ngani malungana nesiphorofido sakaZakariya esikhuluma ngeenkoloyana nabatjhayeli bazo?

¹⁰ Njengesikhathini sakaZakariya, nanamhlanjesi uJehova usazisebenzisa iingilozi bona avikele bekaqinise abantu bakhe. (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 1:7, 14) Solo u-Israyeli watjhatjhululwa ekugandelelweni yiBhabheli eliKhulu elingokomfanekiso ngo-1919, ukulotjha uJehova ngeqiniso akujamiseki ngitjho naphezu kokutjhutjhiswa kabuhlungu. (IsAm. 18:4) Akukafuzi sithukwe ukuthi ihlangano kaJehova ingabuyela ekugandelelweni godu, angitjho sivikelwa ziingilozi. (Rhu. 34:8 [Rhu. 34:7, NW]) Ekufuze siqiniseke ngakho kukuthi abantu bakaJehova ephasini loke bazokuragela phambili bathuthuka ethandweni labo ngoJehova. Nasicabanga ngombono kaZakariya, asingabazi ukuthi siphephele ngaphasi komthunzi weentaba ezimbili.

11. Kubayini kufuze kungasithusi ukuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaZimu okuzako?

¹¹ Kungasikade, abosopolotiki abalawulwa nguSathana bazokwakhela abantu bakaZimu amano wokuthi bababhubhise. (Hez. 38:2, 10-12; Dan. 11:40, 44, 45; IsAm. 19:19) Isiphorofido sakaHezekiyeli sihlathulula amandla lawo ngokuthi asibekela inarha ngasuthi mamafu, begodu eza ebantwini bakaZimu ngasuthi yitukuthelo etjhayela iinjomana. (Hez. 38:15, 16) * Inga-kghani kufuze kusithuse lokho? Awa, akukafuzi. Sinesekelo. Ngesikhathi seenhlupheko ezimbi, iingilozi ezimabutho kaJehova zizokuza zizoke zizokuvikela abantu bakaJehova zibhubhise abantu abalwisana nobuKhosi bakhe. (2 Thes. 1:7, 8) Akhuthi uyalicabanga ilangelo. Umbuzo esinawo nje ngothi, ngubani odosa phambili emabuthweni kaJehova wezulwini?

12, 13. (a) UZakariya ulayelwa bona enzeni? (b) Hlathulula ukuthi kuzanjani indoda ebizwa ngokuthi liQumbe sithi nguJesu Krestu.

¹² UZakariya wabona imibono ebunane  begodu wayibona ayedwa. Kodwana nje wenza into ezokubonwa ngibo boke abantu ngokuthi akhuthaze abantu abavuselela ithempeli lakaZimu. (Funda uZakariya 6:9-12.) UZakariya kuthiwa kufuze abuthelele isiliva negolide kuRheldayi, uThobiya noJedaya, abafiki abathathu ababuyela eBhabheli, bona benze “isihlohlo” esikhulu ngezintwezo. (Zak. 6:11) UZakariya walayelwa na ukuthi abeke isihlohlweso ehlokweni yomBusi u uZerubhabeli wekoro yakwaJuda yesizukulwana sakaDavida? Awa akhenge alayelwe njalo. Abantu ebebabukele kungenzeka kwabarara uZakariya nakathwesa umPhristi oPhakemeko uJotjhuwa isihlohlo.

¹³ Isihlohlweso kghani senza uMphristi oPhakemeko uJotjhuwa ikosi? Awa, uJotjhuwa bekangasi ngewekoro kaDavida, yeke akhenge akulungele ukuba yikosi. Isihlohlo sakhe besingokwesiphorofido, siqalisele esikhathini esizako nembusweni waphakade nobuphristi. Umphristi ophakemeko obizwa ngokuthi liQumbe (Sprout) wenziwa ikosi. ImiTlolo itjengisa ukuthi iQumbe nguJesu Krestu.​—Isa. 11:1; Mat. 2:23.

14. Ngiwuphi umsebenzi uJesu awenzako njengombana ayiKosi abuye abeMphristi oPhakemeko?

¹⁴ UJesu njengombana ayiKosi abuye abeMphristi oPhakemeko, nguye omdosi phambili webutho lakaJehova lezulwini. Usebenza ngamandla bona abantu bakaZimu babe nokuthula ngitjho nanyana baphila ephasini elimbi nje. (Jor. 23:5, 6) Ingasikade, uKrestu uzokuthatha iintambo ekuhluleni iinarha, asekele ubukhosi bakaZimu ekuvikeleni abantu liqumbe bakhe. (IsAm. 17:12-14; 19:11, 14, 15) Kodwana kusese nomsebenzi omkhulu okusafuze wenziwe ngaphambi kobana uQumbe akhuphe isahlulelo.

15, 16. (a) Emalangeni esiphila kiwo la ngikuphi ukulungiswa esele kwenziwe begodu ngubani okwenzileko lo? (b) Yini ezokwenzeka hlangana nemiNyaka eyiKulungwana yokuBusa kwakaKrestu?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kokubekwa bona abe yiKosi ePhakemeko nomPhristi, uJesu bekabelwe bona “akhe” ithempeli lakaJehova. (Funda uZakariya 6:13.) Emalangenethu la umsebenzi kaJesu wokwakha uhlanganisa ukusindisa ukulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso eBhabheli leDumo nokuvuselela ibandla lobuKrestu ngo-1919. Godu wajamisa “inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko” bona idose phambili inqophise ekwakheni ithempeli elingokomfanekiso ephasina. (Mat. 24:45) UJesu bekasolo amajadu asiza abantu bakaZimu bona bamlotjhe ngokuhlanzekileko.​—Mal. 3:1-3.

¹⁶ Hlangana nemiNyaka eyiKulungwana yokuBusa kwakaKrestu, yena nabazi-144 000 amakhosi nabaphristi abakunye naye bazokwenza abantu abathembekileko bona baphelele. Lokho nakwenzekako, abantu bakaZimu abathembekileko ngibo kwaphela abazokuphila ephasini elihlanziweko. Ekugcineni, ukulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso kuzokubuyiselwa endawenakho.

17. UJehova wabaqinisekisa njani abeJuda? Thina umlayezo lo usithinta njani namhlanjesi?

¹⁷ Umlayezo kaZakariya wabathinta njani abeJuda bangesikhathi sakhe? UJehova wabathembisa ukuthula nokubavikela emsebenzini ebebawenza. Kungenzeka isiqinisekisweso sabanikela ithemba kwaqinisa iinhliziyo zabo ebesele zidiniwe. Kodwana bekuzokwenzaka njani ukuthi abantu abayimbijana benze umsebenzi omkhulu kangaka? Amezwi kaZakariya alandelako aqeda koke ukuzaza nokusaba. Ukungezelela ekusekelweni kwabathembekileko  abanjengoRheldayi, uThobiya noJedaya, uZimu wathi kibo ‘fakani izandla ekwakhiweni’ kwethempeli lami. (Funda uZakariya 6:15.) AbeJuda baba nethemba kuJehova, bathoma bangena ngehloko emsebenzinabo wokwakha ngaphezu kweentjhijilo ebebaqalene nazo. Kungasikade uJehova wazisusa iinqabo ebezingangentaba leza, ithempeli laqedwa ukwakhiwa ngo-515. (Ezr. 6:22; Zak. 4:6, 7) Amezwi kaJehova namhlanjesi athi izinto zizokuba ngcono.

18. UZakariya 6:15 uzaliseka njani esikhathini esiphila kiswesi?

¹⁸ Namhlanjesi abantu abanengi bakhetha ukulotjha uJehova ngeqiniso begodu batjhukumiseleka eenhliziyweni zabo bona banikele ‘ngeminonwabo’ ehlanganisa isikhathi, amandla, nezinto zabo bona basekele ukwakhiwa kwethempeli lakaJehova elingokomfanekiso. (IzA. 3:9) Singaqiniseka njani ukuthi uJehova unendaba nokuthi siyamsekela? Khumbula uRheldayi, uThobiya noJedaya, baletha izinto zokwenza isihlohlo sakaZakariya. Ngemva kwalokho isihlohlo saba “sikhumbuzo” seminikelwabo ekulotjheni uZimu ngeqiniso. (Zak. 6:14) Nathi namhlanjesi uJehova angekhe ayilibale indlela esimthanda ngayo. (Heb. 6:10) UJehova uzokuhlala ayikhumbula.

19. Umbono kaZakariya kufuze usithinte njani thina namhlanjesi?

¹⁹ Koke esele kuzalisekile malungana nokulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso emalangeni esiphila kiwo la, kubufakazi obubonakalako bokuthi uJehova ubusisa ukudosa phambili kwakaKrestu. Siyingcenye yehlangano kaJehova ezinzileko nezokuhlala bekube nini nanini. Ihloso kaJehova malungana nokuthi simlotjhe ngeqiniso ‘izokwenzeka.’ Yithabele indawakho hlangana nabantu bakaJehova begodu ‘ulalele [uJehova] uZimakho ngokuncamileko.’ Nawenza njalo uzokuhlala ngaphasi kwesivikelo seKosethu noMphristi oPhakemeko nekoloyana nabatjhayeli bayo bezulwini. Hlanganyela khulu ngendlela ongakghona ngayo ekulotjheni nekusekeleni umBuso kaZimu. Njengombana wenza njalo ungaqiniseka bona uJehova nebutho lakhe bazokuvikela esikhathini esiselekwesi sephasi lakaSathana begodu lokho bazokwenza bekube nini nanini.