1. Yini ejabulisayo eyayizokwenzeka kumaJuda ayedingisiwe?

 KWAKUHELEZA umoya wenjabulo ngoba amaJuda ayehalalisa! UJehova uNkulunkulu ‘wayeshukumise uKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya’ ukuba akhulule ama-Israyeli ayesechithe amashumi eminyaka edingiswe eBhabhiloni. Inkosi yamemezela ukuthi amaJuda ayengabuyela ezweni lawo, “akhe kabusha indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” (Ezra 1:1, 3) Kwakujabulisa ngempela! Lokho kwakusho ukuthi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso kwakuzobuyiselwa ezweni ayelinike abantu bakhe.

2. Iyiphi into yokuqala amaJuda ayebuya ekudingisweni ayifeza?

² Ngo-537 B.C.E., abokuqala ababedingisiwe babuyela eJerusalema, elaliyinhloko-dolobha yombuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu. Ngokushesha lawo maJuda ayesebuyile aqala ukwakha ithempeli, ngo-536 B.C.E. ayesesiqedile isisekelo salo!

3. AmaJuda abhekana nakuphi ukuphikiswa?

³ Lapho sebeqale ukwakha kabusha ithempeli, ababedingisiwe baqala ukubhekana nokuphikiswa okunzima. Abantu bezizwe ezingomakhelwane “babelokhu bebadikibalisa abantu bakwaJuda, bebaqeda amandla emsebenzini wokwakha.” (Ezra 4:4) Nakuba lokho kwakukubi, izinto zaba zimbi nakakhulu. Ngo-522 B.C.E., u-Aritahishashita waqala ukubusa njengenkosi entsha yasePheresiya. * Ukushintsha kombusi kwanikeza abaphikisi ithuba lokuzama ukuwumisa ngokuphelele umsebenzi wokwakha ‘ngokudala izinkinga egameni lomthetho.’ (IHu. 94:20) Enye yezinto abazitshela iNkosi u-Aritahishashita kwakuwukuthi amaJuda ayehlela ukuvukela  inkosi. (Ezra 4:11-16) Inkosi yawakholwa lawo manga, yakhipha umyalo wokuba uyekwe umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli. (Ezra 4:17-23) Ngenxa yalokho, umsebenzi ojabulisayo wokwakha ithempeli wama ngokuphelele.​—Ezra 4:24.

4. Yini uJehova ayenza lapho abaphikisi bemelana nokwakhiwa kwethempeli? (Isaya 55:11)

⁴ Abantu ababengamkhonzi uJehova kulelo zwe kanye nabanye embusweni wasePheresiya babezimisele ukumisa ukwakhiwa kabusha kwethempeli. UJehova naye wayezimisele ukwenza umsebenzi wokwakha uqhubekele phambili, kodwa yena uhlale eyifeza injongo yakhe. (Funda u-Isaya 55:11.) Wakhetha umprofethi onesibindi okuthiwa uZakariya, wamnika uchungechunge lwemibono engu-8 ethakazelisayo, ayezokhuthaza ngayo amaJuda. Leyo mibono yawaqinisa idolo, yawasiza abona ukuthi kwakungafanele esabe abaphikisi, yawakhuthaza ukuba aqhubeke nomsebenzi kaJehova. Embonweni wesihlanu, uZakariya wabona uthi lwesibani nezihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili.

5. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

⁵ Sonke siyadikibala ngezinye izikhathi. Ngakho, singazuza lapho sicabanga ngesikhuthazo uJehova asinika ama-Israyeli esebenzisa umbono wesihlanu kaZakariya. Ukuqonda lo mbono kungasisiza sikhonze uJehova ngokwethembeka lapho siphikiswa, lapho izimo zethu zishintsha nalapho sithola iziqondiso esingaziqondi.

6. Umbono wothi lwesibani nezihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili ochazwe kuZakariya 4:1-3, wawanika kanjani amaJuda isibindi? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

⁶ Funda uZakariya 4:1-3. Umbono wothi lwesibani nezihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili wanikeza amaJuda isibindi sokunqoba ukuphikiswa. Kanjani? Uphawulile yini ukuthi uthi lwesibani lwalunomthombo wamafutha onganqamuki? Izihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili zazithela amafutha entweni esandishi, bese yona iphakela izibani eziyisikhombisa amafutha. La mafutha ayegcina izibani zikhanya. UZakariya wabuza: “Zisho ukuthini lezi zinto?” Ingelosi yaphendula ngalo myalezo ovela kuJehova: “‘Ngeke kube ngebutho lempi, noma ngamandla, kodwa kuyoba ngomoya wami,’ kusho uJehova wamabutho.” (Zak. 4:4, 6) Amafutha ayephuma ezihlahleni ayefanekisela umoya ongcwele kaJehova onamandla, ongasoze waphela. Ibutho elinamandla loMbuso WasePheresiya lalingelutho uma liqhathaniswa namandla omoya kaNkulunkulu. Besekelwa uJehova, abakhi bethempeli babezokwazi ukumelana nanoma yikuphi ukuphikiswa futhi bawuqede umsebenzi. Wawukhuthaza ngempela lowo myalezo! Okwakudingeka nje ngamaJuda kwakuwukuba athembele kuJehova, abuyele emsebenzini. Yilokho kanye akwenza, nakuba umsebenzi wawusamisiwe.

7. Yiluphi ushintsho olwanikeza abakhi bethempeli izinga elithile lenkululeko?

⁷ Kunoshintsho olwabanikeza izinga elithile lenkululeko abakhi bethempeli. Yiluphi lolo shintsho? Ngo-520 B.C.E., kwase kubusa inkosi entsha ePheresiya, uDariyu I. Onyakeni wesibili wokubusa kwakhe, wathola ukuthi kwakungekho emthethweni ukumiswa komsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli. UDariyu wabe esegunyaza ukuba umsebenzi uqedelwe. (Ezra 6:1-3) Zabamangaza lezo zindaba​—kodwa kwakusekuncane lokho. Inkosi yayala izizwe ezizungezile ukuba ziyeke ukuphazamisa umsebenzi wokwakha kabusha futhi zikhiphe imali nezinto zokuwusekela! (Ezra 6:7-12) Ngenxa  yalokho, amaJuda aqeda ukwakha ithempeli ngemva nje kancane kweminyaka emine, ngo-515 B.C.E.​—Ezra 6:15.

8. Kungani ungaba nesibindi lapho uphikiswa?

⁸ Nanamuhla, izikhonzi zikaJehova eziningi ziyaphikiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bahlala emazweni lapho umsebenzi wethu ubekelwe khona imingcele. Kulawo mazwe, abafowethu bangase baboshwe, ‘balethwe phambi kwababusi namakhosi’ ukuze bafakaze kubo. (Math. 10:17, 18) Ngezinye izikhathi, ukushintsha kombusi kungenza izimo zibe ngcono. Ijaji elinobulungisa lingase likhiphe isinqumo esivumela abafowethu ukuba bakwazi ukukhonza uJehova ngokukhululekile. Abanye oFakazi baphikiswa ngendlela ehlukile. Bahlala emazweni lapho bekhululeke khona ukukhonza uJehova, kodwa amalungu emindeni ayabaphikisa futhi azimisele ukubayekisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wabo. (Math. 10:32-36) Ezimweni eziningi, lapho abaphikisi bebona ukuthi ayiphumeleli imizamo yabo yokudikibalisa izihlobo zabo ezingoFakazi, bayayeka ukuziphikisa. Kwezinye izimo, abanye balabo ababeke baphikisa, kamuva baba oFakazi abashisekayo. Lapho uphikiswa, ungapheli amandla! Yiba nesibindi. UJehova uzokusekela esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele onamandla, ngakho ungesabi lutho!

9. Kungani amanye amaJuda adumala lapho sekubekwe isisekelo sethempeli elisha?

⁹ Lapho sesibekiwe isisekelo sethempeli elisha, amanye amaJuda asekhulile akhala. (Ezra 3:12) Ayebone ithempeli eliwubukhazikhazi elalakhiwe uSolomoni, ayesecabanga ukuthi leli elisanda kwakhiwa liyoba “ubala uma liqhathaniswa” nelasekuqaleni. (Hag. 2:2, 3) Ayengafuni nakuyizwa indaba yethempeli elisha. Umbono kaZakariya wawuzowasiza alwe nokudumala kwawo. Kanjani?

10. Amazwi engelosi akuZakariya 4:8-10 awasiza kanjani amaJuda alwa nokudumazeka?

¹⁰ Funda uZakariya 4:8-10. Ingelosi yayisho ukuthini lapho ithi amaJuda ‘ayeyojabula abone intambo yokukala enetshe esandleni [sombusi ongumJuda] uZerubhabhele’? Intambo yokukala enetshe yithuluzi elibonisa ukuthi into ethile ime yaqonda yini. Ngakho, ingelosi yayiqinisekisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokuthi nakuba leli thempeli lalingase libonakale lingebona ubukhazikhazi kwabanye, lalizophela futhi libe yilokho uJehova  ayekufuna. Wayeyojabula ngalo, ngakho kungani wona ayengeke ajabule? Okwakubalulekile kuJehova ukuba indlela ayezokhonzwa ngayo ethempelini elisha ivumelane nalokho ayekufuna. Uma amaJuda ayegxila ekukhonzeni uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo, ayezophinde ajabule.

11. Yiziphi izinselele ezinye zezikhonzi zikaJehova ezibhekana nazo namuhla?

¹¹ Kwabaningi bethu kuba nzima lapho izimo zishintsha. Abanye abase bekhonze isikhathi eside ohlotsheni oluthile lwenkonzo ekhethekile yesikhathi esigcwele baye bathola izabelo ezintsha. Abanye kuye kwadingeka bayeke amalungelo abawathandayo ngenxa yokukhula ngeminyaka. Kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa udumazekile lapho kwenzeka lolo shintsho. Ekuqaleni, singase singasiqondi ngokugcwele leso sinqumo noma singase singavumelani naso. Kungenzeka sikhumbule indlela izinto ezazenziwa ngayo kudala. Singase sidikibale, sibe nomuzwa wokuthi izimo zethu ezintsha zisenza singabi usizo kangako kuJehova. (IzAga 24:10) Umbono kaZakariya ungasisiza kanjani siqhubeke simupha okungcono kakhulu uNkulunkulu wethu?

12. Umbono kaZakariya ungasisiza kanjani sibhekane nokudumazeka okubangelwa ukushintsha kwezimo zethu?

¹² Silwamukela kangcono ushintsho uma sibheka izinto ngombono kaJehova. Ufeza izinto ezinkulu namuhla, futhi sinelungelo elingandele muntu lokusebenza kanye naye. (1 Kor. 3:9) Izabelo zethu zingashintsha, kodwa indlela uJehova asithanda ngayo ngeke ishintshe. Ngakho, uma ushintsho olwenzeka enhlanganweni lukuthinta, gwema ukulokhu uzibuza uziphendula ukuthi kungani kwenzeke lolo shintsho. Kunokulokhu ucabanga ‘ngezinsuku zangaphambili,’ thandazela ukuba ubone okuhle kulolo shintsho. (UmSh. 7:10) Kunokuba ulokhu ucabanga ngezinto ongasakwazi ukuzenza, cabanga ngezinto okwazi ukuzenza. Embonweni kaZakariya sifunda ukubaluleka kokuhlale sinombono omuhle. Uma senza kanjalo, siyohlale sijabule futhi sithembekile ngisho noma izimo zethu zishintsha.

13. Kungani amanye ama-Israyeli ayengase acabange ukuthi sasingahlakaniphile isinqumo sokuqhubeka nokwakha ithempeli?

¹³ Umsebenzi wokwakha kabusha ithempeli  wawumisiwe. Noma kunjalo, amadoda ayemiswe ukuba ahole​—uMpristi Ophakeme uJeshuwa (uJoshuwa) noMbusi uZerubhabhele​—“baqala ngaleso sikhathi ukwakha kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu.” (Ezra 5:1, 2) Leso sinqumo sasingase sibonakale singahlakaniphile kwamanye amaJuda. Umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli babengeke bakwazi ukuwufihla ezitheni ezazingenza noma yini ukuze ziwuvimbe. Amadoda amabili aholayo, uJoshuwa noZerubhabhele, ayedinga isiqinisekiso sokuthi uJehova uyawasekela. Asithola. Kanjani?

14. NgokukaZakariya 4:12, 14, uMpristi Ophakeme uJoshuwa noMbusi uZerubhabhele baqinisekiswa ngani?

¹⁴ Funda uZakariya 4:12, 14. Kule ngxenye yombono kaZakariya, ingelosi yembulela umprofethi kaNkulunkulu othembekile ukuthi izihlahla ezimbili zomnqumo zimelela “abagcotshiwe ababili”​—uJoshuwa noZerubhabhele. Lawo madoda amabili avezwe njengokungathi “ami eceleni kweNkosi yomhlaba wonke,” uJehova. Yilungelo elimangalisayo ngempela! UJehova wayebethemba. Ngenxa yalokho, amanye ama-Israyeli ayenezizathu ezizwakalayo zokwethemba izinqumo zalawo madoda nesiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi leso siqondiso sasiza ngayiphi indlela.

15. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyasihlonipha isiqondiso sikaJehova esisithola eZwini lakhe?

¹⁵ Namuhla, enye yezindlela uJehova aqhubeka enikeza ngayo isiqondiso kubantu bakhe yiZwi lakhe iBhayibheli. Kuleyo ncwadi engcwele, usitshela ukuthi kufanele simkhonze kanjani ngendlela ayamukelayo. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyasihlonipha isiqondiso esisithola eZwini likaNkulunkulu? Ngokusinakisisa nangokuzinika isikhathi sokusiqonda. Zibuze: ‘Lapho ngifunda iBhayibheli noma enye yezincwadi zethu, ingabe ngiyama, ngizindle? Ngiyawacwaninga yini amaqiniso aseBhayibhelini ‘okunzima ukuwaqonda’? Noma ingabe ngivele ngikhe phezulu nje uma ngifunda?’ (2 Pet. 3:16) Uma sizipha isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokho uJehova asifundisa kona, sizokwazi ukulandela isiqondiso sakhe, sifeze nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela.​—1 Thim. 4:15, 16.

16. Lapho singaziqondi kahle iziqondiso ‘zenceku ethembekile neqondayo,’ yini ezosisiza sizilandele?

¹⁶ Enye indlela uJehova anikeza ngayo isiqondiso ukusebenzisa “inceku ethembekile neqondayo.” (Math. 24:45) Ngezinye izikhathi,  le nceku ingase inikeze isiqondiso esingase singasiqondi kahle. Ngokwesibonelo, singase sithole iziqondiso ezisenza silungele ukusinda enhlekeleleni yemvelo esicabanga ukuthi ingase ingenzeki la sihlala khona. Noma singase sicabange ukuthi le nceku iqapha ngokweqile phakathi nobhubhane. Yini okufanele siyenze uma sicabanga ukuthi iziqondiso esizinikeziwe azihlakaniphile? Singacabanga ngendlela ama-Israyeli azuza ngayo ngokulalela iseluleko asinikezwa uJoshuwa noZerubhabhele. Singacabanga nangezinye izindaba esizifunde eBhayibhelini. Ngezinye izikhathi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babethola iziqondiso ezazibonakala zingahlakaniphile ngokombono womuntu kodwa kamuva zasindisa ukuphila.​—AbaHl. 7:7; 8:10.

17. Umbono wothi lwesibani nezihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili waba namuphi umphumela kumaJuda?

¹⁷ Umbono wesihlanu kaZakariya kungenzeka wawumfushane, kodwa wanika amaJuda umbono omuhle ngomsebenzi wawo nokukhulekela kwawo. Lapho enza ngokuvumelana nalokho okwabonwa uZakariya, ayesibona isiqondiso sikaJehova sothando nokusekela kwakhe. Ngomoya wakhe ongcwele onamandla, uJehova wawasiza aqhubeka nomsebenzi wawo futhi aphinde ajabula.​—Ezra 6:16.

18. Umbono kaZakariya ungaba namuphi umthelela kuwe?

¹⁸ Umbono kaZakariya wothi lwesibani nezihlahla zomnqumo ezimbili ungaba nomthelela onamandla kakhulu ekuphileni kwakho. Njengoba sifundile, ungakusiza uthole amandla owadingayo ukuze umelane nabaphikisi, injabulo oyidingayo lapho izimo zakho zishintsha nokwethemba uJehova ukuze ulalele lapho uthola iziqondiso ongaziqondi. Yini okufanele uyenze lapho ubhekene nezinselele ekuphileni? Okokuqala, bona lokho okwabonwa uZakariya—ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyabanakekela abantu baKhe. Ngemva kwalokho, yenza ngokuvumelana nalokho okubonayo ngokwethemba uJehova, nangokuqhubeka umkhonza ngenhliziyo yakho yonke. (Math. 22:37) Uma wenza kanjalo, uJehova uzokusiza umkhonze ngenjabulo kuze kube phakade.​—Kol. 1:10, 11.