1-2. (a) Yikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kwesikhathi sethu nesamaJuda ayebuyele eJerusalema? (b) Chaza kafushane ukuthi kwenzekani ngemva kokuba amaJuda ebuyele eJerusalema. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ezinsukwini ZikaHagayi, UZakariya No-Ezra.”)

 KUKE kwenzeke yini ngezinye izikhathi ukhathazeke ngekusasa? Mhlawumbe uphelelwe umsebenzi futhi ukhathazekile ngokuthi uzowondla kanjani umndeni wakho. Kungenzeka ukhathazeke ngokuphepha komndeni wakho ngenxa yezinxushunxushu zasezweni ohlala kulo, ushushiso noma ukuphikiswa komsebenzi wokushumayela. Ingabe ubhekene nezinye zalezi zinkinga? Uma kunjalo, uzozuza ngokufunda indlela uJehova asiza ngayo ama-Israyeli asendulo lapho enezinkinga ezifanayo.

² AmaJuda ayesehlale ukuphila kwawo konke eBhabhiloni ayedinga ukholo ukuze ashiye ukuphila okuntofontofo aye ezweni iningi lawo elalazi okuncane kakhulu ngalo. Lapho efika khona, ngokushesha aba nezinkinga zezomnotho, abhekana nezinxushunxushu zezwe nokuphikiswa. Ngakho, kwaba nzima ngamanye ukugxila emsebenzini wokwakha kabusha ithempeli likaJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, ngo-520 B.C.E., uJehova wathumela abaprofethi bakhe ababili, uHagayi noZakariya, ukuba bayovuselela intshiseko yabantu. (Hag. 1:1; Zak. 1:1) Njengoba sizobona, isikhuthazo salaba baprofethi saba nemiphumela emihle kakhulu. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka cishe engu-50, amaJuda ayebuyele eJerusalema aphinde adinga isikhuthazo. Ngakho, u-Ezra, umkopishi owayewazi kahle uMthetho, wasuka eBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema eyokhuthaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba ukukhulekela kweqiniso bakubeke kuqala ekuphileni kwabo.—Ezra 7:​1, 6.

3. Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo? (IzAga 22:19)

 ³ Njengoba nje iziprofetho zikaHagayi noZakariya zasiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu endulo ukuba baqhubeke bethembela kuJehova lapho bephikiswa, nathi namuhla zingasisiza sihlale siqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzosisiza ngisho nalapho sibhekene nezinkinga zokuphila. (Funda izAga 22:19.) Njengoba sizoxoxa ngomyalezo kaNkulunkulu owalethwa uHagayi noZakariya, sihlole nesibonelo sika-Ezra, sizophendula nale mibuzo: Izimo ezinzima zawathinta kanjani amaJuda ayebuyele eJerusalema? Kungani kufanele sigxile ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu ngezikhathi ezinzima? Yini esingayenza ukuze simethembe nakakhulu uJehova lapho sinezinkinga?

4-5. Yini okungenzeka yenza amaJuda aphelelwa umdlandla wokwakha ithempeli?

⁴ Lapho amaJuda efika eJerusalema, ayenomsebenzi omningi okwakudingeka awenze. Ngokushesha akha kabusha i-altare likaJehova, akha nesisekelo sethempeli. (Ezra 3:​1-3, 10) Kodwa asheshe aphelelwa umdlandla ayenawo ekuqaleni. Kungani? Ngaphandle komsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli, kwakudingeka akhe nezindlu ayezohlala kuzo, alime, ondle nemindeni yawo. (Ezra 2:​68, 70) Ngaphezu kwalokho, aphikiswa izitha ezazifuna ayeke ukwakha kabusha ithempeli.—Ezra 4:​1-5.

⁵ AmaJuda ayebuya ekudingisweni abhekana nanezinkinga zomnotho nezinxushunxushu zezwe. Izwe lawo manje lase lingaphansi koMbuso WasePheresiya. Ngemva kokufa kwenkosi yasePheresiya, uKoresi, ngo-530 B.C.E., uCambyses owayilandela waqala umkhankaso wokulwa neGibhithe. Ngesikhathi eya eGibhithe, kungenzeka ukuthi amasosha akhe afuna ngenkani ukudla, amanzi nendawo yokuhlala kuma-Israyeli, okwawabangela obunye ubunzima. Ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaDariyu I owalandela uCambyses, kwaba nezinxushunxushu nezinkinga zezepolitiki. Akungabazeki ukuthi konke lokhu kwenza amaJuda amaningi ayebuya ekudingisweni akhathazeka ngokuthi ayezoyondla kanjani imindeni yawo. Ngenxa yabo bonke lobu bunzima, amanye amaJuda aba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakungakabi isikhathi esifanele sokwakha kabusha ithempeli likaJehova.—Hag. 1:2.  

6. Iyiphi enye inkinga amaJuda aba nayo, futhi uZakariya wawaqinisekisa ngani? (Zakariya 4:​6, 7)

⁶ Funda uZakariya 4:​6, 7. Ngaphezu kwezinkinga zezomnotho nezepolitiki, amaJuda kwadingeka akhuthazelele ushushiso. Ngo-522 B.C.E., izitha zawo zakwazi ukwenza ukuba uhulumeni wasePheresiya umise ukwakhiwa kabusha kwethempeli likaJehova. Kodwa uZakariya wawaqinisekisa ngokuthi uJehova wayezosebenzisa umoya wakhe onamandla ukuze ususe noma yiziphi iziphazamiso. Ngo-520 B.C.E., iNkosi uDariyu yakuqeda ukuvinjelwa komsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli, yaze ngisho yanika amaJuda imali, yayala nababusi bendawo ukuba bawasekele.—Ezra 6:​1, 6-10.

7. AmaJuda ayebuyele eJerusalema athola ziphi izibusiso ngenxa yokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ize kuqala ekuphileni kwawo?

 ⁷ Esebenzisa uHagayi noZakariya, uJehova wathembisa abantu bakhe ukuthi uzobasekela uma ukwakha kabusha ithempeli bekubeka kuqala ekuphileni kwabo. (Hag. 1:​8, 13, 14; Zak. 1:​3, 16) Ngemva kokuba amaJuda ayebuyele eJerusalema ekhuthazwe yilaba baprofethi, aphinde aqala ukwakha kabusha ithempeli ngo-520 B.C.E., aliqeda ingakapheli iminyaka emihlanu. Ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda enza intando kaNkulunkulu yeza kuqala naphezu  kwezimo ezinzima, wawasekela ngokuwanika izinto ayezidinga futhi wawasiza ahlala esondelene naye. Lokhu kwawenza amkhonza ngenjabulo.—Ezra 6:​14-16, 22.

8. Amazwi akuHagayi 2:4 angasisiza kanjani sihlale sigxile ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

⁸ Njengoba usizi olukhulu lusondela, siyaqaphela kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi kuphuthuma kangakanani ukulalela umyalo wokuba sishumayele. (Marku 13:10) Noma kunjalo, kungase kube nzima ukugxila enkonzweni yethu uma sinezinkinga zemali noma siphikiswa emsebenzini wokushumayela. Yini engasisiza sizibeke kuqala izinto eziphathelene noMbuso kaJehova? Kumele siqiniseke ukuthi “uJehova wamabutho” b usohlangothini lwethu. Uzosisekela uma siqhubeka sibeka kuqala izinto eziphathelene noMbuso ngaphambi kwezethu. Ngakho, akudingeki sesabe lutho.—Funda uHagayi 2:4.

9-10. Enye indoda nomkayo babona kanjani ukuthi ayiqiniso amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:33?

⁹ Cabanga ngesibonelo sika-Oleg no-Irina, c indoda nomkayo abangamaphayona. Ngemva kokuthuthela kwenye indawo ukuze basize ibandla, baphelelwa umsebenzi ngenxa yokuwohloka kwezomnotho ezweni lakubo. Nakuba kwacishe kwaphela unyaka bengenawo umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele, babembona njalo uJehova ebasekela ngothando, ngezinye izikhathi babethola usizo nakubafowabo nodadewabo. Babhekana kanjani nalobo bunzima? U-Oleg, owayekade ecindezelwe yilesi simo, uthi: “Ukuhlale simatasa enkonzweni kwasisiza sagxila kokubaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni.” Nakuba baqhubeka bebheka umsebenzi, bahlala bematasa nasenkonzweni.

 ¹⁰ Ngelinye ilanga lapho befika ekhaya bephuma ensimini, bathola ukuthi umngani wabo wayehambe amakhilomitha angaba ngu-160 ezobalethela opulasitiki ababili abagcwele ukudla. U-Oleg uthi: “Ngalelo langa saphinde sabona ukuthi uJehova nebandla basikhathalela kakhulu kangakanani. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi akazikhohlwa nanini izinceku zakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo sibukeka singenathemba kangakanani.”—Math. 6:33.

11. Yini esingayilindela uma sihlale sigxile ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ UJehova ufuna sigxile emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila wokwenza abafundi. Njengoba kuboniswe  esigabeni 7, uHagayi wanxusa abantu bakaJehova ukuba bayiqale kabusha inkonzo yabo engcwele, njengokungathi bakha kabusha isisekelo sethempeli. UJehova wabathembisa ukuthi uma benza kanjalo, ‘wayezoletha isibusiso.’ (Hag. 2:​18, 19) Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi uzoyibusisa imizamo yethu uma siwubeka kuqala umsebenzi asinike wona.

12. Kungani u-Ezra namaJuda babedinga ukholo oluqinile?

¹² Ngo-468 B.C.E., u-Ezra wahamba neqembu lesibili lamaJuda besuka eBhabhiloni beya eJerusalema. Ukuze bathathe lolu hambo, babedinga ukholo oluqinile. Babezohamba emigwaqweni eyingozi, bephethe isiliva negolide eliningi kakhulu elalinikelelwe ithempeli. Babengaba ukudla kwezigebengu. (Ezra 7:​12-16; 8:31) Ngaphezu kwalokho, basheshe baqaphela nokuthi kwakhona eJerusalema kwakungaphephile. Babebancane abantu ababehlala kuleli dolobha kanti izindonga namasango kwakudinga ukulungiswa. Yini esiyifunda ku-Ezra mayelana nokumethemba ngokwengeziwe uJehova?

13. Yini u-Ezra ayenza ukuze amethembe ngokwengeziwe uJehova? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹³ U-Ezra wayeyibonile indlela uJehova ayesekele ngayo abantu baKhe ngezikhathi zovivinyo. Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, ngo-484 B.C.E., kungenzeka ukuthi wayehlala eBhabhiloni ngesikhathi iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ikhipha umyalo wokuba kuqothulwe wonke amaJuda ayehlala ngaphansi koMbuso WasePheresiya. (Est. 3:​7, 13-15) Ukuphila kwakhe kwakusengozini! Lapho ezwa ngalolu songo, amaJuda ayekuzo “zonke izifundazwe” azila ukudla, akhala, ngokungangabazeki ethandaza kuJehova ecela isiqondiso. (Est. 4:3) Cabanga indlela u-Ezra namaJuda ayekanye naye abazizwa ngayo lapho izinto zibajikela labo ababenze icebo lokuwabulala! (Est. 9:​1, 2) Lokho u-Ezra abhekana nakho ngalezo zikhathi ezinzima kungenzeka kwamenza walungela uvivinyo olwaluseza, futhi cishe kwamenza wamethemba nakakhulu uJehova ukuthi uyakwazi ukuvikela abantu baKhe. d

14. Yisiphi isifundo omunye udade asifunda lapho ebona uJehova emnakekela ngezikhathi ezinzima?

¹⁴ Lapho sibona indlela uJehova asinakekela ngayo ngezikhathi ezinzima, simethemba ngokwengeziwe. Cabanga ngesibonelo sika-Anastasia, ohlala eMpumalanga Yurophu. Wayeka umsebenzi ukuze akwazi ukuhlala engathathi hlangothi. Uthi: “Ngangiqala ngqa ekuphileni kwami ukungabi namali.” Uyenezela: “Ngathandaza kuJehova futhi ngayibona indlela ayenginakekela ngayo ngothando. Uma ngiphinda ngilahlekelwa umsebenzi, ngeke ngikhathazeke. Uma uBaba wami osezulwini enginakekela namhlanje, uzonginakekela nakusasa.”

15. Yini eyasiza u-Ezra waqhubeka emethemba uJehova? (Ezra 7:​27, 28)

 ¹⁵ U-Ezra wasibona isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwakhe. Akungabazeki ukuthi lapho ecabanga ngezikhathi uJehova ayemsize ngazo, waqhubeka emethemba. Phawula inkulumo ethi “isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wami sasiphezu kwami.” (Funda u-Ezra 7:​27, 28.) U-Ezra wawasebenzisa izikhathi eziyisithupha amagama acishe afane nalawa encwadini ebizwa ngegama lakhe.—Ezra 7:​6, 9; 8:​18, 22, 31.

16. Kukuziphi izimo lapho singase sisibone ngokucacile isandla sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁶ UJehova angasisiza lapho sibhekene nesimo esinzima. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho sicela izinsuku kumqashi wethu ukuze siye emhlanganweni noma sicela ukushintsha izikhathi zokungena emsebenzini ukuze sibe khona kuyo yonke imihlangano yebandla, sisuke sivula ithuba lokubona isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwethu. Ingase isimangaze indlela izinto ezingahamba kahle ngayo. Ngenxa yalokho, singamethemba nakakhulu uJehova.

17. U-Ezra wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka ngezikhathi ezinzima? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

¹⁷ U-Ezra wazithoba wacela usizo kuJehova ngomthandazo. Njalo lapho imisebenzi okwakufanele ayenze ingaphezu kwamandla, u-Ezra wayezithoba athandaze kuJehova. (Ezra 8:​21-23; 9:​3-5) Indlela u-Ezra enza ngayo yenza abanye bamsekela, balingisa nokholo lwakhe. (Ezra 10:​1-4) Lapho zingaphezu kwamandla izinkinga ezimayelana nokuthola izinto esizidingayo ukuze siphile noma ezimayelana nokuphepha kwemindeni yethu, kumele sithandaze kuJehova siqiniseke ngokuthi uzosizwa.

18. Yini engasisiza simethembe nakakhulu uJehova?

¹⁸ Uma ngokuthobeka samukela usizo lukaJehova nolwabafowethu nodadewethu, siyomethemba nakakhulu uNkulunkulu. U-Erika, umama onezingane ezintathu, waqhubeka ethembela kuJehova naphezu kokushonelwa abantu abathandayo. Ingane yakhe engakazalwa nomyeni ayemthanda bashona ngokulandelana. Uma ebheka emuva, uthi: “Ngeke wazi kusengaphambili ukuthi uJehova uzokusiza kanjani. Usizo lungavela ngezindlela ongazilindele. Ngithole ukuthi uJehova usebenzise abangani bami ukuze aphendule imithandazo yami eminingi ngokuthi basho noma benze okuthile. Uma ngitshela abangani bami indlela engizizwa ngayo, kungaba lula ukuba bangisize.”

19-20. Yini esiyifunda kumaJuda angakwazanga ukubuyela eJerusalema?

¹⁹ Singafunda nesifundo esibalulekile kumaJuda angazange akwazi ukubuyela eJerusalema. Kungenzeka ukuthi amanye ayengasakwazi ukwenza okuningi ngenxa yokukhula, ukugula kakhulu noma izimo zemindeni. Noma kunjalo, awasekela ngokuzithandela amaJuda ayebuyela emuva ngokuwanikeza izinto ayezozidinga ukuze akhe ithempeli. (Ezra 1:​5, 6) Kubonakala sengathi ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-19 iqembu lokuqala lamaJuda lifikile eJerusalema, amaJuda ayesele eBhabhiloni ayesaqhubeka ethumela izipho ngokuzithandela eJerusalema.—Zak. 6:10.

²⁰ Ngisho noma singakwazi ukwenza okwengeziwe enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uyayazisa imizamo yethu yokumjabulisa. Sazi kanjani? Ngosuku lukaZakariya, uJehova wacela lo mprofethi wakhe ukuba enze umqhele ngegolide nesiliva elalithunyelwe izithunjwa ezaziseBhabhiloni. (Zak. 6:11) Lo “mqhele omuhle” wawuzoba “isikhumbuzo” sokuthi zazinikele ngesandla esivulekile. (Zak. 6:​14, mbhw.) Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova akasoze ayikhohlwa imizamo yethu yomphefumulo wonke yokumkhonza ngezikhathi ezinzima.—Heb. 6:10.

21. Yini ezosisiza sithembele kuJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani esikhathini esizayo?

²¹ Akungabazeki ukuthi sizoqhubeka sibhekana nezikhathi ezinzima kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, futhi izimo zingase zibe zimbi nakakhulu esikhathini esizayo. (2 Thim. 3:​1, 13) Kodwa akudingeki sikhathazeke ngokweqile. Khumbula amazwi uJehova awasho kubantu bakhe ngosuku lukaHagayi: “Nginani . . Ningesabi.” (Hag. 2:​4, 5) Nathi singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzoba nathi uma nje senza konke esingakwenza ukuze senze intando yakhe. Uma sizisebenzisa izifundo esizifunde eziprofethweni zikaHagayi noZakariya nasesibonelweni sika-Ezra, sizoqhubeka sithembela kuJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zinzima kangakanani izinto esingabhekana nazo esikhathini esizayo.