1, 2. Lapho umbono wesikhombisa kaZakariya uphela, sasinjani isimo samaJuda eJerusalema?

NJENGOBA umbono kaZakariya wesikhombisa uphela, kuningi umprofethi okufanele acabange ngakho. UJehova wayethembise ukuthi uzokwenza abantu abangathembekile balandise ngezenzo zabo ezimbi. Lesi sithembiso samqinisa ngempela uZakariya. Noma kunjalo, kwakungakashintshi lutho. Ukungathembeki nobunye ububi babusaqhubeka futhi ithempeli lalingakaqedwa ukwakhiwa. Yini eyabangela ukuba amaJuda awuyeke ngokushesha kangaka umsebenzi ayewunikwe uJehova? Ingabe mhlawumbe abuyela ezweni lawo ukuze nje azizuzise wona?

² UZakariya wayazi ukuthi amaJuda abuyela eJerusalema ayengamadoda nabesifazane bokholo. UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba ashiye amakhaya awo anethezekile namabhizinisi awo. (Ezra 1:2, 3, 5) Ashiya izwe ayelijwayele ukuze aye endaweni iningi lawo elalingakaze liyibone. Ukube ukwakhiwa kabusha kwethempeli laseJerusalema kwakungabalulekile, ayengeke athathe lolo hambo olunzima  olungaba amakhilomitha angu-1 600 ehamba endaweni enamagquma nezintaba.

3, 4. Yiziphi izingqinamba amaJuda ayephindele eJerusalema abhekana nazo?

³ Ucabanga ukuthi lwalunjani lolo hambo? Njengoba amaJuda ekulolo hambo, akungabazeki ukuthi achitha amahora amaningi ecabanga ngekhaya lawo elisha. Ayezwile ukuthi idolobha laseJerusalema lalilihle ngaphambili. Omdala kunabo bonke kubo wayelibonile ithempeli ngaphambi kokuba libe yincithakalo. (Ezra 3:12) Ukube wawuhamba nabo, wawuyozizwa kanjani lapho ubona iJerusalema okokuqala, ikhaya lakho elisha? Ingabe ukubona amanxiwa alo, osekumila kuwo ukhula kwakuyokwenza udumale? Ingabe ubuyoqhathanisa izindonga ezinkulu zaseBhabhiloni nezindonga zaseJerusalema ezibhidlikile, ezingenawo amasango nezinqaba zokulinda? Ukubona leso simo akuwaqedanga amandla amaJuda. Ayeyibonile indlela uJehova awasindisa ngayo phakathi nohambo lwawo olude ephindela eJerusalema. Into yokuqala ayenza lapho efika, ukwakha i-altare endaweni okwakumi kuyo ithempeli, abe esenikela imihlatshelo kuJehova nsuku zonke. (Ezra 3:1, 2) Njengoba ayejabule, kwakubonakala sengathi ayikho into engawadikibalisa.

⁴ Ukwenezela emsebenzini wokwakha ithempeli, ama-Israyeli kwakudingeka akhe kabusha amadolobha awo. Kwakunezindlu okwakudingeka azilungise, atshale emasimini bese ondla imindeni yawo. (Ezra 2:70) Umsebenzi okwakudingeka wenziwe wawubonakala umkhulu kakhulu, ungenakwenzeka. Ngemva kwalokho kwafika abaphikisi bengasinisi mahleza. Nakuba ekuqaleni ama-Israyeli aqale amelana nabaphikisi, agcina edikibele ngemva kweminyaka engu-15 yokuphikiswa. (Ezra 4:1-4) Inselele enkulu yavela ngo-522 B.C.E. lapho inkosi yasePheresiya ivimbela ukwakhiwa kabusha kweJerusalema. Ikusasa laleli dolobha lalifiphele ngempela.—Ezra 4:21-24.

5. UJehova wabasiza kanjani abantu bakhe?

⁵ UJehova wayazi ukuthi abantu bakhe badingani. UNkulunkulu wanika uZakariya umbono wokugcina ukuze aqinisekise amaJuda ngokuthi uyawathanda futhi uyakwazisa konke akwenzile futhi uzowavikela nakanjani uma ephindela emsebenzini awanike wona. Ngokuphathelene nokwakhiwa kwethempeli, uJehova wathembisa: “Kuzokwenzeka​—uma nakanjani niyolilalela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”​—Zak. 6:15.

6. (a) Uqala kanjani umbono kaZakariya wesishiyagalombili? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Kungani amahhashi enemibala engafani?

⁶ Umbono kaZakariya wokugcina kweyisishiyagalombili, cishe yiwo oqinisa ukholo kakhulu kunayo yonke. (Funda uZakariya 6:1-3.) Wubone ngeso lengqondo: “Izinqola ezine ziphuma phakathi kwezintaba ezimbili . . . zethusi,” cishe lezi yizinqola ezilungele impi. Izinqola zidonswa amahhashi anemibala engafani. Lokhu kusiza ekuhlukaniseni abagibeli. UZakariya uyabuza: “Kuyini lokhu?” (Zak. 6:4) Nathi sifuna ukwazi, njengoba lo mbono usithinta ngokuqondile.

7, 8. (a) Izintaba ezimbili zimelelani? (b) Kungani izintaba zenziwe ngethusi?

⁷ EBhayibhelini izintaba zingamelela imibuso noma ohulumeni. Izintaba ezisembonweni kaZakariya zifana nezintaba ezimbili okukhulunywa ngazo esiprofethweni sikaDaniyeli. Enye intaba imelela ukubusa kukaJehova kwaphakade emazulwini nasemhlabeni. Bese kuthi enye imelele uMbuso kaMesiya okunguJesu inkosi yawo. (Dan. 2:35, 45) Kusukela uJesu aba yinkosi ngekwindla ka-1914, zombili izintaba bezilokhu zikhona  futhi ziye zadlala indima ekhethekile ekugcwalisekeni kwentando kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.

⁸ Kungani izintaba zenziwe ngethusi? Njengegolide, ithusi liyigugu. UJehova wayala ukuba ithusi lisetshenziswe lapho kwakhiwa itabernakele nalapho kwakhiwa ithempeli eJerusalema. (Eks. 27:1-3; 1 AmaKh. 7:13-16) Ukuba yithusi kwalezi zintaba ezimbili kusikhumbuza ngokuphakama kobukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke noMbuso kaMesiya. Le mibuso emibili iyolethela isintu ukuzinza nezibusiso.

9. Bangobani abagibeli bezinqola, yisiphi isabelo ababesinikiwe?

⁹ Yini emelelwa yizinqola nabagibeli bazo? Abagibeli bezinqola yizingelosi—kungenzeka ukuthi amaqembu ahlukahlukene ezingelosi. (Funda uZakariya 6:5-8.) Abagibeli baphuma “phambi kweNkosi yomhlaba wonke” ukuze bafeze isabelo esibalulekile. Yisiphi leso sabelo? Isabelo sabagibeli ukuvikela abantu bakaJehova, ngokukhethekile “ezweni lasenyakatho,” okuyiBhabhiloni. UJehova wayezoqikelela ukuthi abantu bakhe ngeke baphinde benziwe izigqila yiBhabhiloni. Yeka indlela lokhu okumelwe ukuba kwabaduduza ngayo abakhi bethempeli ngosuku lukaZakariya! Kwakungadingeki bakhathazeke ngokuphazanyiswa yizitha.

10. Isiprofetho sikaZakariya sezinqola nabagibeli bazo sibaqinisekisa ngani abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla?

¹⁰ Nanamuhla, njengasosukwini lukaZakariya, uJehova wamabutho usasebenzisa izingelosi ukuze avikele futhi aqinise abantu bakhe. (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 1:7, 14) Kusukela u-Israyeli ongokomoya akhululwa ekugqilazweni okungokomfanekiso yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngo-1919, ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuye kwakhula kakhulu naphezu kokuphikiswa okuphikelelayo. (IsAm. 18:4) Ngenxa yokuthi sivikelwa yizingelosi, akudingeki sesabe ukuthi inhlangano kaJehova izophinde icindezelwe ngokomoya. (IHu. 34:7) Kunalokho, singaqiniseka ngokuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke zizoqhubeka zichuma ngokomoya. Njengoba sicabanga ngombono kaZakariya, kuyasikhanyela ukuthi lezi zintaba ezimbili ziyasivikela.

11. Kungani kungadingeki sesabe njengoba ukuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kusondela?

¹¹ Maduzane imibuso yezwe likaSathane izobumbana ukuze izame ukushabalalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Hez. 38:2, 10-12; Dan. 11:40, 44, 45; IsAm. 19:19) Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli sichaza le mibuso njengamafu asibekela izwe, le mibuso iza ngentukuthelo enkulu izohlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Hez. 38:15, 16) * Ingabe kumelwe sesabe? Lutho neze! Sinebutho elinamandla elizosivikela. Phakathi nosizi olukhulu, izingelosi zikaJehova wamabutho ziyohlangana ukuze zivikele abantu bakaNkulunkulu futhi zibhubhise labo abamelene nobukhosi bukaJehova. (2 Thes. 1:7, 8) Lolo kuyoba usuku olungeke lulibaleke! Kodwa ubani ohola ibutho likaJehova lasezulwini?

12, 13. (a) Yini manje uZakariya okuthiwa makayenze? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi iHlumela uJesu Kristu? Chaza.

¹² UZakariya yedwa owabona imibono engu-8. Kodwa manje wenza into ezobonwa yibo bonke abantu, eyayizokhuthaza labo abakha kabusha ithempeli likaNkulunkulu. (Funda uZakariya 6:9-12.) UZakariya kuthiwa makaqoqe isiliva negolide kuHelidayi, nakuThobija nakuJedaya—amadoda ayesanda kufika evela eBhabhiloni—bese enza “umqhele.” (Zak. 6:11) Ingabe lo mqhele wawuzobekwa ekhanda likaNdunankulu uZerubhabhele, wesizwe sakwaJuda, ongumzukulu kaDavide? Cha. Ababebukele kumelwe ukuba bamangala lapho ubekwa ekhanda loMpristi Ophakeme uJoshuwa.

¹³ Ingabe uJoshuwa uMpristi Ophakeme waba inkosi lapho enikwa umqhele? Cha, uJoshuwa wayengaveli ohlwini lozalo lukaDavide ngakho wayengakufanelekeli ukuba yinkosi. Ukunikwa kwakhe umqhele kwakuyisiprofetho esibhekisela kumpristi nenkosi yaphakade. Lowo mpristi ophakeme owenziwa inkosi unikwa igama elithi Hlumela. ImiBhalo ibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi lelo Hlumela uJesu Kristu.—Isaya 11:1; Math. 2:23.

14. NjengeNkosi noMpristi Ophakeme, yimuphi umsebenzi uJesu awenzayo?

¹⁴ NjengeNkosi noMpristi Ophakeme, uJesu ungumholi webutho likaJehova lasezulwini. Usebenza kanzima ukuze abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazizwe bevikelekile nakuba bephila kuleli zwe elingenakho ukuthula. (Jer. 23:5, 6) Maduze, uKristu uzohola ekunqobeni izizwe njengoba esekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu futhi evikela abantu bakaJehova. (IsAm. 17:12-14; 19:11, 14, 15) Nokho, ngaphambi kokwahlulela abantu, iHlumela linomsebenzi omkhulu okufanele liqale liwenze.

15, 16. (a) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baye bacwengwa kanjani namuhla futhi ubani owenze lokho? (b) Umhlaba uyobe ukusiphi isimo ngasekupheleni kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kokuba yiNkosi noMpristi Ophakeme, uJesu unikwe umsebenzi ‘wokwakha ithempeli likaJehova.’ (Funda uZakariya 6:13.) Ezikhathini zakamuva, umsebenzi kaJesu wokwakha uye wahlanganisa ukukhulula abakhulekeli beqiniso eBhabhiloni Elikhulu nokubuyisela ibandla lobuKristu ngo-1919. UJesu waphinde wamisa “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuze ihole ekuqondiseni umsebenzi owenziwa engxenyeni esemhlabeni yethempeli elikhulu elingokomoya. (Math. 24:45) UJesu ubelokhu ematasa ecwengisisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ebasiza ukuze bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela ehlanzekile.—Mal. 3:1-3.

¹⁶ Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, uJesu nabangu-144 000 abangamakhosi nabapristi kanye naye bayokwenza abantu abathembekile baphelele. Lapho lokhu sekufeziwe, kuyosala abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso kuphela emhlabeni oyobe uhlanziwe. Ekugcineni, ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuyobe sekubuyiselwe ngokuphelele!

17. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinika amaJuda, futhi umyalezo wakhe uwathinta kanjani?

¹⁷ Umyalezo kaZakariya wawathinta kanjani amaJuda angesikhathi sakhe? UJehova wayewathembise ukuwavikela ngesikhathi akha. Isiqinisekiso saKhe kumelwe ukuba sawakhuthaza amaJuda ayedikibele. Kodwa ayezowufeza kanjani lo msebenzi njengoba ayembalwa? Amazwi ashiwo uZakariya akususa konke ukungabaza noma ukwesaba ayenakho. Ngaphezu  kokusekelwa abathembekile abanjengoHelidayi, uThobija noJedaya, uNkulunkulu uthi kunabanye abaningi ‘ababezofika bakhe ithempeli likaJehova.’ (Funda uZakariya 6:15.) Eqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyawasekela, ngokushesha amaJuda aqhubeka nomsebenzi wokwakha ngisho noma wawuvinjelwe. UJehova wazisusa izingqinamba ezazenza kube nzima ukwakha futhi ekugcineni ithempeli laqedwa ukwakhiwa ngo-515 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:22; Zak. 4:6, 7) Nokho, amazwi kaJehova abhekisela nasezigidini zabantu ezisekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso namuhla.

18. UZakariya 6:15 ugcwaliseka kanjani namuhla?

¹⁸ Namuhla, izigidi zabantu ziza enkolweni yeqiniso futhi zishukumiseleka ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuba zinikele ‘ngezinto zazo zenani elikhulu,’ ezihlanganisa isikhathi, amandla nezimali ukuze zisekele ithempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya. (IzAga 3:9) Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyayazisa iminikelo esiyenza ngobuqotho? Khumbula ukuthi uHelidayi, uThobija noJedaya baletha izinto uZakariya enza ngazo umqhele. Umqhele waba ‘yisikhumbuzo,’ somnikelo wabo ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. (Zak. 6:14) Ngendlela efanayo, umsebenzi nothando esilubonisa uJehova ngeke lulibaleke. (Heb. 6:10) Esikwenzayo kuyohlala njalo enkumbulweni kaJehova.

19. Umbono kaZakariya kumelwe usithinte kanjani namuhla?

¹⁹ Konke okuye kwafezwa ngenxa yokukhulekela kweqiniso kulezi zinsuku zokugcina kuwubufakazi obuqinile besibusiso sikaJehova nokuhola kukaKristu. Thina siyingxenye yenhlangano yaphakade ezinzile nenokulondeka. Injongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela okuhlanzekile izofezeka. Yazise indawo yakho phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova, ulilalele nakanjani izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Uma wenza lokho, uyohlala ngaphansi kwesivikelo seNkosi yethu noMpristi Ophakeme nangaphansi kwesivikelo sabagibeli basezulwini nezinqola zabo. Hlanganyela ngokugcwele ekusekeleni ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Uma wenza lokho, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova wamabutho uyokuvikela phakathi nesikhathi esisele kulesi simiso sezinto futhi akuvikele phakade!