TINKHULUNGWANE letinyenti tebantfu tesuka eBhabhulona taya eJerusalema. Tatsi natifika, takhandza liJerusalema lonakele kakhulu. Kwakungahlali muntfu kulo. Ngako kwadzingeka kutsi ema-Israyeli acale kulakha kabusha.

Intfo yekucala layenta, akha li-altare. Lena kwakuyindzawo lapho bebangentela Jehova iminikelo yetilwane nobe tipho. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letimbalwa, ema-Israyeli acala kulakha kabusha lithempeli. Kodvwa titsa tawo lebetibomakhelwane, tatingafuni kutsi alakhe. Ngako tazama kuwesabisa kuze ayekele kulakha. Ekugcineni, letitsa tatjela inkhosi lensha yasePheresiya kutsi ikhiphe umlayeto wekutsi ema-Israyeli awuyekele lomsebenti wekwakha.

Kwasekwendlule iminyaka lengu-17 ema-Israyeli aphumile eBhabhulona. Ngako Jehova watfuma baphrofethi bakhe boHagayi naZagariya kutsi batjele bantfu bacale kulakha kabusha lithempeli. Ema-Israyeli atsembela kuNkulunkulu kutsi utawasita, futsi abalalela labaphrofethi. Ngako awucala umsebenti wawo wekwakha, nobe nje umtsetfo wawutsi bangakwenti loko.

Umbusi wasePheresiya lobitwa ngekutsi nguThathenayi wabuta ema-Israyeli kutsi ngubani lowanike ligunya lekwakha lithempeli. Ema-Israyeli amtjela kutsi ngalesikhatsi asaseBhabhulona, iNkhosi Khuresi yatsi: ‘Buyelani emuva eJerusalema niyokwakha lithempeli laNkulunkulu wenu, Jehova.’

Thathenayi watfumela incwadzi eBhabhulona abuta kutsi ingabe Khuresi losewafa, wakukhuluma yini loko. Ngekushesha incwadzi lebuya enkhosini lensha yasePheresiya yefika. Yayibhalwe kutsi Khuresi wakukhuluma loko. Ngako lenkhosi yabhala: ‘Yekelani ema-Israyeli akhe lithempeli laNkulunkulu wawo. Ngetulu kwaloko ngishaya umtsetfo wekutsi niwasite.’ Ngemuva kweminyaka lemine lithempeli lacedvwa kwakhiwa, ema-Israyeli ajabula kakhulu.

Kwendlula leminye iminyaka lengu-48 lithempeli licedziwe kwakhiwa. Bantfu eJerusalema bebaphuyile, futsi lidolobha kanye nelithempeli laNkulunkulu kwase kungabukeki kahle. Emuva eBhabhulona, Ezra labengumIsrayeli weva kutsi lithempeli laNkulunkulu beselidzinga kulungiswa. Uyati kutsi yini layenta?

Wahamba waya enkhosini yasePheresiya lengu-Athazeksesi, lenkhosi lelungile yamnika tipho kutsi ahambe nato eJerusalema. Ezra wabese ucela ema-Israyeli labeseBhabhulona kutsi amsite ametfwalise letipho baye eJerusalema. Wahamba nebantfu labangaba ngu-6 000. Bebaphetse isiliva lenyenti negolide, kanye naletinye timphahla letingcwele.

Ezra abekhatsatekile ngobe kwakunemadvodza langakalungi lapho bebahamba khona. Lamadvodza abengahle abamuke lesiliva negolide, futsi ababulale. Ngako wabitela labantfu ndzawonye, njengoba ungababona kulesitfombe. Bathandaza kuJehova kutsi abavikele kuloluhambo lwabo loluya eJerusalema.

Jehova wabavikela. Ngemuva kwekuhamba tinyanga letine, befika baphephile eJerusalema. Loku akusikhombisi yini kutsi Jehova angabasita labo labetsembela kuye?