1, 2. Yayinjani imeko yamaYuda eYerusalem emva kombono wesixhenxe kaZekariya?

NJENGOKO umbono wesixhenxe kaZekariya uphela, lo mprofeti umele ukuba ucinga ngezinto ezininzi. UYehova wayethe uza kubohlwaya abantu abanganyanisekanga abenza izinto ezimbi. UZekariya umele ukuba womelezwa sesi sithembiso. Kodwa kwakungekho nto itshintshileyo. Abantu babeqhubeka benganyanisekanga yaye besenza nezinye izinto ezimbi, kanti ke, kwakungekazukugqitywa nokwakhiwa kwetempile kaYehova eYerusalem. Yintoni eyabangela amaYuda ukuba awuyeke msinya kangaka umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguYehova? Ngaba ayebuyele eYerusalem ukuze enze izinto zawo?

² UZekariya wayesazi ukuba amaYuda awayefudukele eYerusalem ayengabanquli bakaYehova. Yayisengala maYuda ayekhuthazwe nguThixo ukuba ashiye amakhaya namashishini awo. (Ezra 1:2, 3, 5) Ashiya ilizwe aliqhelileyo aza aya kwindawo uninzi lwawo olwalungazange luyibone ngaphambili. Ukuba kwakungabalulekanga kuwo ukwakha itempile kaYehova, ngengazange ahambe iikhilomitha eziyi-1 600 enqumla intlango.

3, 4. Zeziphi iingxaki awayenazo amaYuda?

 ³ Inoba lwalunjani uhambo lwawo? La maYuda amele ukuba ayecinga ngale ndawo ayesiya kuyo. Ayebaliselwe ngendlela iYerusalem eyayintle ngayo ngaphambili. Amadala kuwo ayeyazi indlela eyayizuke ngayo itempile. (Ezra 3:12) Ukuba wawulapho, wawuza kuthini xa usithi ntla iYerusalem okokuqala, usazi ukuba uza kuhlala kuyo? Ngaba wawuza kuba buhlungu xa ubona amabhodlo anokhula? Ngaba ngewawuthelekise udonga lwaseBhabhiloni olwaluluqilima kunye nolwaseYerusalem olwaluwohlokile, olwalunezikhewu apho kwakukade kukho amasango neenqaba? Nakuba kunjalo, abantu zange batyhafe. Kaloku babeyibonile indlela uYehova awabasindisa ngayo endleleni egodukayo. Into yokuqala abayenzayo ukufika kwabo, kukwakha isibingelelo kwindawo eyayikade ikuyo itempile, baza baqalisa ukubingelela kuYehova. (Ezra 3:1, 2) Ngendlela ababevuye ngayo ekuqaleni, kwakubonakala ngathi soze kubekho nto inokubatyhafisa.

⁴ Ngaphezu kokuba kwakufuneka akhe itempile, la maSirayeli kwakufuneka akhe nezixeko. Kwakufuneka akhe izindlu, atyale amasimi aze ondle iintsapho zawo. (Ezra 2:70) Wawubonakala umninzi umsebenzi ekwakufuneka ewenzile. Kungekudala, yaqala inkcaso. Nangona ekuqaleni aba nomqolo, le nkcaso yeminyaka eyi-15 yawatyhafisa. (Ezra 4:1-4) Eyona nto yawagqibezelayo yaba ngumyalelo owakhutshwa ngukumkani wamaPersi ngo-522 B.C.E., owawusithi makuyekwe ukwakhiwa kweYerusalem. Kwakubonakala ngathi asisoze sakhiwe eso sixeko.—Ezra 4:21-24.

5. Wenza ntoni uYehova xa wabona abantu bakhe bengawenzi umsebenzi?

⁵ UYehova wayeyazi eyona nto bayidingayo abantu bakhe. UThixo wabonisa uZekariya umbono wokugqibela ukuze awaqinisekise amaYuda ukuba uyawathanda nokuba uyayixabisa into awayesele eyenzile, kwaye uza kuwakhusela xa enokuphinda enze umsebenzi wakhe. Ngokuphathelele ukwakhiwa kwetempile, uYehova wathembisa wathi: “Kumele ke kwenzeke—ukuba nakanjani na nithe naliphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova uThixo wenu.”—Zek. 6:15.

6. (a) Uqala njani umbono wokugqibela kaZekariya? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Kutheni la mahashe enemibala engafaniyo?

⁶ Umbono wokugqibela kaZekariya umele ukuba ngowona wamqinisa ukholo. (Funda uZekariya 6:1-3.) Kuthi gqi “phakathi kweentaba ezimbini . . . zobhedu” iinqwelo ezine zokulwa, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba zixhobele idabi. Imibala yamahashe atsala ezo nqwelo ayifani. Le nto inceda nje ukuba sikwazi ukwahlula abakhweli bazo. UZekariya wabuza: “Zintoni na ezi?” (Zek. 6:4) Nathi siyafuna ukuyazi impendulo kuba lo mbono uyasebenza nakuthi.

7, 8. (a) Zimela ntoni iintaba ezimbini? (b) Kutheni zenziwe ngobhedu?

⁷ EBhayibhileni, ngamanye amaxesha iintaba zimela ookumkani okanye oorhulumente. Iintaba ezabonwa nguZekariya ikwazeziya ntaba zimbini kuthethwa ngazo kwisiprofeto sikaDaniyeli. Enye yazo imela ulawulo lukaYehova, olulawula yonk’ into noluya kuhlala lukho. Enye yona imela uBukumkani BukaMesiya, obulawulwa nguYesu. (Dan. 2:35, 45) Ukususela ekubekweni kukaYesu etroneni ngo-1914, zombini ezi ntaba bezikho, ibe ziye zaba negalelo ekwenziweni kokuthanda kukaThixo emhlabeni.

⁸ Kutheni ezi ntaba zenziwe ngobhedu? Njengegolide, ubhedu nalo lunexabiso  eliphezulu. UYehova wayalela ukuba kusetyenziswe le ntsimbi imenyezelayo xa kusakhiwa umnquba netempile eYerusalem. (Eks. 27:1-3; 1 Kum. 7:13-16) Into yokuba ezi ntaba zenziwe ngobhedu ibonisa indlela olukumgangatho ophakame ngayo ulawulo lukaYehova noBukumkani BukaMesiya obuza kukhusela kwaye busikelele wonke umntu.

9. Ngoobani abakhweli beenqwelo, ibe bathunywe ntoni?

⁹ Ngoku makhe sibuyele kweza nqwelo. Zimela ntoni zona nabakhweli bazo? Abakhweli beenqwelo ziingelosi, mhlawumbi amaqela azo. (Funda uZekariya 6:5-8.) Baphuma “phambi kweNkosi yomhlaba uphela” ibe kukho into ekhethekileyo abayithunyiweyo. Bathunywe ntoni? Bona neenqwelo zabo baya kwiindawo ezithile. Bathunywe ukuba bakhusele abantu bakaYehova ekuhlaselweni yiBhabhiloni, ‘ilizwe lasemntla.’ UYehova wayeza kuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bakhe abaphinde babe ngamakhoboka eBhabhiloni. Bamele ukuba bakhuthazeka nyhani abantu ababesakha itempile ngemihla kaZekariya! Babengamele boyike ukuphazanyiswa ziintshaba zabo.

10. Isiprofeto sikaZekariya esingeenqwelo nabakhweli bazo senza baqiniseke ngantoni abantu bakaThixo bale mihla?

¹⁰ Njengakwixesha likaZekariya, uYehova wemikhosi usasebenzisa iingelosi zakhe ukuze akhusele aze omeleze abantu bakhe. (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 1:7, 14) Ukususela oko uSirayeli wokomoya wakhululwayo kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1919, unqulo lwenene luye lwanda nangona abachasi bebengancami. (ISityhi. 18:4) Kuba sikhuselwa ziingelosi, asimele soyike ukuba intlangano kaYehova ingaphinda icinezelwe lunqulo lobuxoki. (INdu. 34:7) Kunoko, masiqiniseke ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo emhlabeni wonke baza kuqhubeka besondela kuye. Lo mbono kaZekariya usenza siqiniseke ukuba sikhuselwe zezi ntaba zimbini.

11. Kutheni singamele soyike kuba abantu bakaThixo beza kuhlaselwa?

¹¹ Kungekudala amagunya epolitiki aza kumanyana aze azame ukubatshabalalisa abantu bakaThixo. (Hez. 38:2, 10-12; Dan. 11:40, 44, 45; ISityhi. 19:19) Isiprofeto sikaHezekile sithi le mikhosi igubungele umhlaba wonke njengamafu ibe iza kuthi inomsindo ikhwele amahashe. (Hez. 38:15, 16) * Ngaba sifanele soyike? Tu ke khona! Kaloku sinomkhosi ongakwicala lethu. Ngelo xesha kanye kwimbandazelo enkulu, amajoni kaYehova wemikhosi aziingelosi aza kumanyana aze akhusele abantu bakaThixo kwaye atshabalalise abantu abangafuniyo ukulawulwa nguye. (2 Tes. 1:7, 8) Kuya kuba mnandi kuthi ngaloo mini! Kodwa ngubani okhokela lo mkhosi wasezulwini kaYehova?

12, 13. (a) Kuthiwa makenze ntoni ngoku uZekariya? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uHlumelo nguYesu Kristu?

¹² UZekariya uyibone yedwa le mibono isibhozo. Ngoku wenza into eza kukhuthaza  abakhi betempile kaThixo nefuzisela okuza kwenzeka. (Funda uZekariya 6:9-12.) Kwathiwa kuZekariya makathathe isilivere negolide kuHeldayi, kuTobhiya nakuYedaya, ababesandul’ ukubuya eBhabhiloni, aze enze isithsaba esizukileyo ngazo. (Zek. 6:11) Ngaba kwathiwa uZekariya makasithwalise iRhuluneli uZerubhabheli wesizwe sakwaYuda nowayesuka kumnombo kaDavide? Hayi. Abantu ababebukele inoba bothuka xa babona esithwalisa uMbingeleli Omkhulu, uYoshuwa.

¹³ Ngaba ukuthwaliswa isithsaba koMbingeleli Omkhulu uYoshuwa kwamenza ukumkani? Hayi, uYoshuwa wayengaphumi kumnombo wasebukhosini kaDavide, ngoko wayengafaneleki ukuba ngukumkani. Ukuthwaliswa kwakhe isithsaba kwakuprofeta into eyayiza kwenzeka kukumkani nombingeleli owayeza kuphila ngonaphakade. Lo mbingeleli omkhulu owenziwe ukumkani ubizwa ngokuba nguHlumelo. IZibhalo zibonisa kakuhle ukuba uHlumelo nguYesu Kristu.—Isa. 11:1; Mat. 2:23. *

14. Ngowuphi umsebenzi awenzayo uYesu njengoKumkani noMbingeleli Omkhulu?

¹⁴ UYesu nguKumkani noMbingeleli Omkhulu, ibe ukhokela umkhosi wasezulwini kaYehova. Ngoko usebenza ngamandla ukuze abantu bakaThixo njengeqela bakhuseleke kweli hlabathi likhohlakeleyo. (Yer. 23:5, 6) Kungekudala, uKristu uza kukhokela ekoyiseni iintlanga, exhasa ulawulo lukaThixo kwaye esilwela abantu bakaYehova. (ISityhi. 17:12-14; 19:11, 14, 15) Ngaphambi kokuba uHlumelo azise umgwebo, unomsebenzi omkhulu ekufuneka awenze.

15, 16. (a) Ngowuphi umsebenzi obusenziwa ngeli xesha lethu, ibe ubusenziwa ngubani? (b) Kuza kube kunjani emhlabeni ekupheleni koLawulo LukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kokuba nguKumkani noMbingeleli Omkhulu, uYesu wanikwa umsebenzi ‘wokwakha itempile kaYehova.’ (Funda uZekariya 6:13.) Kweli xesha lethu, umsebenzi wokwakha kaYesu ubuquka ukukhulula abanquli benene kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu nokubuyisela ibandla lamaKristu ngo-1919 kwimeko yalo. Umisele ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ ukuba likhokele kumsebenzi owenziwa kwiintendelezo zetempile yokomoya ezukileyo. (Mat. 24:45) Kwakhona uYesu ebexakeke kukusulungekisa abantu bakaThixo nokubanceda bamnqule ngendlela ecocekileyo.—Mal. 3:1-3.

¹⁶ Ebudeni boLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka, uYesu, encediswa ngookumkani abayi-144 000 abakwangababingeleli, baza kwenza abantu abathembekileyo bafezeke. Ekupheleni kwayo yonke loo nto, emhlabeni kuza kushiyeka kuphela abanquli benene bakaThixo. Ekugqibeleni, unqulo lwenene luya kube lubuyiselwe kwimeko yalo ngokupheleleyo!

17. UYehova uwaqinisekisa ngantoni amaYuda, ibe lo myalezo uba naliphi ifuthe kuwo?

¹⁷ Umyalezo kaZekariya waba naliphi ifuthe kumaYuda? UYehova wayewaqinisekisile ukuba akukho nto iza kuwaphazamisa yaye ayeza kukhuseleka emsebenzini. Eso siqinisekiso sokuba itempile yayiza kwakhiwa simele ukuba sawanika ithemba loo maYuda atyhafileyo. Kodwa ayeza kuwenza njani lo msebenzi ungaka embalwa? Amazwi awalandelisa ngawo uZekariya atsho lwaphela uloyiko namathandabuzo. Ngaphezu kokuba kukho  abantu abathembekileyo ababewaxhasa njengoHeldayi, uTobhiya noYedaya, uThixo wawaxelela ukuba baninzi abantu ababeza “kuza baze okunene bayakhe itempile kaYehova.” (Funda uZekariya 6:15.) Eqinisekile ukuba uThixo uza kuwaxhasa, amaYuda aqala apho ebeyeke khona ukwakha nangona kwakukho umyalelo wokuba angakhi. Kungekudala uYehova uyawususa umqobo omkhulu owawubangelwa nguloo myalelo, ibe itempile iyagqitywa ngo-515 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:22; Zek. 4:6, 7) Kodwa ke, amazwi awathethwa nguYehova asebenza ngakumbi kule mihla.

18. UZekariya 6:15 uzaliseka njani kule mihla yethu?

¹⁸ Kule mihla, baninzi kakhulu abantu abangena kunqulo lwenene, ibe, bengaqhutywa mntu, banikela ‘ngezinto zabo zexabiso,’ ixesha, amandla nezinto abanazo, ukuze baxhase itempile yokomoya kaYehova ezukileyo. (IMize. 3:9) Yintoni esenza siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uyayixabisa loo nto? Kaloku usakhumbula ngokuya uHeldayi, uTobhiya noYedaya babesiza nezinto zokwenza isithsaba? Eso sithsaba saba ‘sisikhumbuzo’ segalelo ababa nalo kunqulo lwenene. (Zek 6:14) Nathi uYehova akasoze awulibale umsebenzi wethu nendlela esimthanda ngayo. (Heb 6:10) Uya kuhlala ezikhumbula ngonaphakade.

19. Imibono kaZekariya imele ibe naliphi ifuthe kuthi?

¹⁹ Yonke into eye yaphunyezwa kuxhaswa unqulo lwenene kule mihla yokugqibela bubungqina obubambekayo bokuba uYehova uyasisikelela kwaye sikhokelwa nguKristu. Sikwintlangano ezinzileyo, ekhuselekileyo nengasoze iphele. Injongo kaYehova ngonqulo lwenene ‘imele yenzeke.’ Yivuyele into yokuba nawe uphakathi kwabantu bakaYehova, kwaye ungaze uyeke ‘ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova uThixo wakho.’ Ukuba uyayenza loo nto, uya kukhuselwa nguKumkani okwanguMbingeleli Omkhulu nangabakhweli basezulwini beenqwelo zokulwa. Luxhase kangangoko unqulo lwenene. UYehova uya kukukhusela kweli xesha liseleyo, nangonaphakade!