1. Yintoni eyawavuyisayo amaYuda awayethinjiwe?

 KWAKUMNANDI kakhulu kumaYuda. UYehova uThixo “wenza ukuba uKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi” akhulule amaSirayeli awayethinjwe iminyaka emininzi eBhabhiloni. Lo kumkani wathi amaYuda makabuyele kwilizwe lawo “ayokuphinda akhe indlu kaYehova uThixo kaSirayeli.” (Ezra 1:1, 3) Le nto yawavuyisa nyhani amaYuda. Kaloku ayeza kuphinda amkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo uThixo wokwenene kwilizwe awayewanike lona.

2. Yeyiphi into yokuqala eyenziwa ngamaYuda awayevela ekuthinjweni?

² Ngo-537 B.C.E., iqela lokuqala lamaYuda awayethinjiwe lafika eYerusalem, eyayikade ilikomkhulu lobukumkani basemzantsi kwaYuda. Loo maYuda aqalisa ukuyakha itempile. Ngo-536 B.C.E. ayesele ewugqibile umgangatho wayo.

3. Benza ntoni abantu ababengawafuni amaYuda?

³ Akuqalisa ukwakha itempile amaYuda, abantu abaninzi babengayifuni loo nto. Iintlanga ezikufutshane ‘zaqhubeka zibatyhafisa abantu bakwaYuda kulo msebenzi.’ (Ezra 4:4) Yayinzima le nto kumaYuda, kodwa izinto zaziseza kuba nzima nakakhulu. Ngo-522 B.C.E., uArtashashta waba ngukumkani omtsha wasePersi. * Iintshaba zazicinga ukuba kuba kukho ukumkani omtsha, zingakwazi ukuwuphelisa umsebenzi wokwakha ‘ngokubangela inkathazo egameni lomthetho.’ (INdu. 94:20) Zabhalela uKumkani uArtashashta ileta, zisithi amaYuda afuna ukumdelela. (Ezra 4:11-16) Ukumkani wabukholelwa obo buxoki waza wathi mawayekiswe ukwakha itempile. (Ezra 4:17-23) Ngenxa yaloo nto amaYuda ayeka ukwakha.​—Ezra 4:24.

4. Wenza ntoni uYehova xa abantu babengafuni yakhiwe itempile? (Isaya 55:11)

 ⁴ Abantu belo lizwe ababengamkhonzi uYehova nabanye kurhulumente wasePersi, babezimisele ukuwuyekisa umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwetempile. Kodwa yena uYehova wayefuna uqhubeke, ibe usoloko eyenza into ayifunayo. (Funda uIsaya 55:11.) Wakhetha umprofeti owayenesibindi, uZekariya, wambonisa imibono eyi-8 eyayimangalisa. Lo mprofeti wayeza kuwabalisela amaYuda ngale mibono ukuze angatyhafi. Loo mibono yawenza aqiniseka ukuba ayengamele aboyike abo bantu babengafuni yakhiwe itempile, yaza yawanceda aqhubeka nomsebenzi uYehova awayefuna awenze. Kumbono wesihlanu uZekariya wabona isiphatho sezibane nemithi yeminquma emibini.

5. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

⁵ Sonke sikhe sityhafe ngamany’ amaxesha. Nathi inokusinceda indlela uYehova awawakhuthaza ngayo amaSirayeli esebenzisa umbono wesihlanu kaZekariya. Xa siwuqonda kakuhle lo mbono sinokuhlala sithembekile kuYehova xa kukho abantu abangasifuniyo kuba simkhonza, xa ubomi butshintsha naxa intlangano isithi masenze into esingayiqondi kakuhle.

6. Umbono wesiphatho sezibane nemithi emibini yeminquma ochazwe kuZekariya 4:1-3 wawakhuthaza njani amaYuda? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁶ Funda uZekariya 4:1-3. Umbono wesiphatho sezibane nemithi emibini yeminquma wenza amaYuda anesibindi sokuqhubeka nomsebenzi ngoxa abantu babefuna ayeke. Njani? Ubonile ukuba kwakukho ioli eyayingayeki ukungena kwisiphatho sezibane? Le oli yayiphuma kwimithi emibini yeminquma yayigaleleka esityeni, size eso sitya siyigalele kwizibane eziyi-7 ezikwisiphatho sazo. Ngenxa yayo, ezi zibane zazingacimi. UZekariya wabuza: “Zithetha ntoni ezi zinto?” Ingelosi yamphendula ngala mazwi avela kuYehova: “‘Akungamkhosi wamajoni, kungengamandla, kodwa kungomoya wam,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi.” (Zek. 4:4, 6) Le oli iphuma kule mithi yayimela amandla kaYehova angapheliyo angumoya oyingcwele. Umkhosi wasePersi owawunamandla wawungeyonto xa uthelekiswa namandla kaThixo angumoya oyingcwele. Itempile yayiza kwakhiwa igqitywe nokuba kwakukho abantu ababengafuni yakhiwe, kuba abantu ababeyakha babencedwa nguYehova. Amazwi kaYehova awathethwa yingelosi awakhuthaza nyhani amaYuda. Into ekwakufuneka ayenze wona yayikukuthemba uYehova, abuyele emsebenzini. Enza kanye loo nto ngoxa kwakuthiwe mawayeke ukusebenza.

7. Bancedwa yintoni abantu ababesakha itempile?

⁷ Kwenzeka into eyabancedayo noko abantu ababesakha itempile. Yintoni leyo? Ngo-520 B.C.E., uDariyo I waba ngukumkani wasePersi. Ngonyaka wesibini elawula, wafumanisa ukuba kwakungekho semthethweni ukuwayekisa ukwakha amaYuda. Ngoko wawavumela ukuba awugqibezele umsebenzi. (Ezra 6:1-3) Loo nto yothusa wonke umntu, kodwa zange aphelele apho. Wayalela abantu ukuba bayeke ukuwaphazamisa amaYuda baze bawanike yonke into awayeyidinga ukuze agqibe ukwakha itempile. (Ezra 6:7-12) Isand’ ukuphela iminyaka eyi-4 isakhiwa, ngo-515 B.C.E, yagqitywa.​—Ezra 6:15.

8. Kutheni ufanele ube nesibindi xa ungafunwa ngenxa yokuba ukhonza uYehova?

⁸ Nanamhlanje abakhonzi bakaYehova  abaninzi abafunwa. Ngokomzekelo, abanye abakwazi ukukhonza uThixo bekhululekile kumazwe abahlala kuwo. Kuloo mazwe, abazalwana basenokubanjwa baze ‘bamiswe phambi kwabalawuli nookumkani.’ Loo nto ibenza batsho bakwazi ukushumayela kubo. (Mat. 10:17, 18) Ngamany’ amaxesha kusenokutshintsha urhulumente, baze abazalwana noodade bakwazi ukukhonza uYehova bekhululekile. Okanye ijaji enobulungisa isenokukhupha isigwebo esibenza bawenze bekhululekile umsebenzi wabo. Amanye amaNgqina anyamezele ezinye izinto ezenziwa ngabantu abangawafuniyo. Kumazwe abo bamkhonza bekhululekile uYehova, kodwa izizalwana zabo zizama zonke iindlela zokuba bayeke ukumkhonza. (Mat. 10:32-36) Amaxesha amaninzi, xa zibona ukuba iinzame zazo aziphumeleli, ziyabayeka. Kanti ngamanye amaxesha abantu ababekade bebaphatha kakubi abazalwana noodade, baye babe ngamaNgqina akhutheleyo. Xa abantu befuna uyeke ukukhonza uYehova, unganikezeli. Yiba nesibindi. Ngamandla angumoya wakhe oyingcwele, uYehova ukunye nawe, ngoko sukoyika.

9. Yintoni eyayikhathaza amaYuda xa ayebona umgangatho wetempile entsha?

⁹ Emva kokuba ubekiwe umgangatho wetempile entsha, amanye amaxhego akwaYuda akhala. (Ezra 3:12) Ngenxa yokuba ayebone indlela eyayintle ngayo itempile eyayakhiwe nguSolomon, ayecinga ukuba le yakhiwayo ayiyonto xa ‘ithelekiswa nayo.’ (Hag. 2:2, 3) Eyona nto yayiwenza akhathazeke kakhulu yayikukuthelekisa itempile endala nale intsha. Umbono kaZekariya wawuza kuwanceda aphinde avuye. Wawuza kuwanceda njani?

10. Amazwi engelosi akuZekariya 4:8-10 awanceda njani amaYuda ayeka ukukhathazeka?

¹⁰ Funda uZekariya 4:8-10. Yayithetha ukuthini ingelosi xa yayisithi amaYuda ayeza ‘kuvuya, ayibone intambo yokumeta esesandleni sikaZerubhabheli’? Le yintambo esetyenziselwa ukubona ukuba into ayikekelanga na. Ingelosi yayiqinisekisa abantu bakaThixo ukuba nangona le tempile yayibonakala ingeyonto kwabanye xa beyithelekisa nale yokuqala, ukugqitywa kwayo yayiza kuba yile nto uYehova ayifunayo. Yena yayiza kumvuyisa, yintoni ke eyayinokwenza bangavuyi bona?  Eyona nto yayibalulekile kuYehova yayikukuba amaYuda amkhonze ngendlela ayifunayo kule tempile. Ukuba nakumaYuda eyona nto yayibalulekile yayikukukhonza uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo nokumvuyisa, ayeza kuphinda avuye.

11. Zeziphi iingxaki abanazo abanye abakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje?

¹¹ Kuba nzima kuthi sonke xa ubomi butshintsha. Abanye ekudala bekwinkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo baye banikwa eminye imisebenzi. Abanye ngenxa yokuba bebadala kuye kwafuneka bayeke imisebenzi abayithandayo. Iqhelekile into yokuba umntu akhathazeke xa kufuneka ayeke umsebenzi awuthandayo. Ekuqaleni usenokungasiqondi isizathu okanye usenokungavumelani naso. Usenokukhumbula indlela izinto ebezikade zisenzeka ngayo. Usenokude atyhafe acinge ukuba ngoku akasamsebenzeli kakuhle uYehova. (IMize. 24:10) Umbono kaZekariya ungakunceda njani uhlale umsebenzela ngamandla akho onke uThixo wethu?

12. Umbono kaZekariya unokusinceda njani sihlale sivuya nokuba ubomi butshintshile?

¹² Akubi nzima kakhulu kuthi xa ubomi butshintsha ukuba izinto sizijonga ngendlela kaYehova. Zinkulu izinto azenzayo kule mihla, eyona nto isivuyisayo thina kukusebenza naye. (1 Kor. 3:9) Imisebenzi esiyenzayo isenokutshintsha, kodwa indlela yena asithanda ngayo ayisoze itshintshe. Ukuba into etshintshwa yintlangano itshintsha nobomi bakho, kulumkele ukucinga kakhulu ngezizathu zokuba itshintshwe. Kunokuba ucinge ‘ngemihla yakudala,’ thandaza ucele uYehova akuncede ubone izinto ezintle kubomi bakho obutshintshileyo. (INtshu. 7:10) Kunokuba ucinge ngezinto ongasenakukwazi ukuzenza, cinga ngezo unokuzenza. Umbono kaZekariya usifundisa indlela ebaluleke ngayo loo nto. Ukuba siyayenza, siza kuhlala sivuya futhi sithembekile nokuba ubomi buyatshintsha.

13. Yintoni eyayinokwenza amanye amaSirayeli acinge ukuba umyalelo wokuba iphinde yakhiwe itempile wawungebobulumko?

¹³ Umsebenzi wokuphinda kwakhiwe itempile wawuyekisiwe. Kodwa amadoda awayekhokela abantu bakaThixo, uMbingeleli Omkhulu uYeshuwa (uYoshuwa) noMlawuli uZerubhabheli ‘baqala  ukwakha indlu kaThixo.’ (Ezra 5:1, 2) Loo nto yayisenokubonakala ingebobulumko kwamanye amaYuda. Ayengenakukwazi ukwakha engabonwa ziintshaba zawo ezazinokwenza nantoni na ukuze ziwuyekise lo msebenzi. UYoshuwa noZerubhabheli babefuna into eyayiza kubenza baqiniseke ukuba uYehova ukunye nabo, ibe bayifumana. Njani?

14. Ngokutsho kukaZekariya 4:12, 14, uMbingeleli Omkhulu uYoshuwa noMlawuli uZerubhabheli baqinisekiswa ngantoni?

¹⁴ Funda uZekariya 4:12, 14. Ngoku ingelosi ityhilela umprofeti othembekileyo kaThixo into emelwa yimithi emibini yeminquma. Imela ‘abathanjiswa ababini,’ uYoshuwa noZerubhabheli. Loo madoda ayengathi ami “ecaleni kweNkosi yomhlaba wonke,” uYehova. Yayiyinyhweba enkulu leyo. UYehova wayewathembile la madoda. Ngoko amaSirayeli ayemele athembe nantoni na athi mayenziwe kuba ayesetyenziswa nguYehova.

15. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyazixabisa izinto eziseBhayibhileni athi uYehova masizenze?

¹⁵ Enye yezinto azisebenzisayo uYehova namhlanje ukuze akhokele abantu bakhe, liLizwi lakhe iBhayibhile. Kule ncwadi ingcwele, usixelela indlela afuna simkhonze ngayo. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyazixabisa izinto iLizwi LikaThixo elithi masizenze? Ngokuzipha ixesha lokulifundisisa nokuziqonda izinto elizithethayo. Khawuzibuze: ‘Xa ndifunda iBhayibhile okanye enye yeencwadi zethu, ngaba ndikhe ndime, ndicinge ngale nto ndiyifundayo? Ngaba ndiyaphanda ndizame ukuziqonda izinto ezithethwa yiBhayibhile ‘ekungelulanga ukuziqonda’? Okanye ndifundela nje ukugqiba?’ (2 Pet. 3:16) Ukuba sizipha ixesha lokucingisisa ngezinto esizifundiswa nguYehova, siza kutsho sikwazi ukuzenza izinto athi masizenze, siwenze kakuhle nomsebenzi wokushumayela.​—1 Tim. 4:15, 16.

16. Yintoni enokusinceda siyenze into esiyixelelwa ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ nokuba asiyiqondi ncam?

¹⁶ Enye indlela uYehova asikhokela ngayo kukusebenzisa ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mat. 24:45) Ngamany’ amaxesha sisenokungaziqondi kakuhle izinto elithi masizenze. Ngokomzekelo, lisenokusixelela izinto ekufuneka sizenze ukuze sisinde kwintlekele esingaqondi kwaukuba iya kuze ibekho kwindawo esihlala kuyo. Okanye sisenokucinga ukuba liyabaxa xa lisixelela izinto emasizenze  xa kukho isifo esibulalayo. Simele senze ntoni xa sicinga ukuba izinto elisixelela zona azizukusebenza? Simele sicinge ngendlela awancedakala ngayo amaSirayeli ngokumamela uYoshuwa noZerubhabheli. Sinokucinga nangamanye amabali eBhayibhile esiwafundileyo. Ngamanye amaxesha abantu bakaThixo kwakuye kuthiwe mabenze into eyayibonakala ngathi ayinakusebenza, kodwa isindise ubomi babo.​—ABagwe. 7:7; 8:10.

17. Umbono wesiphatho sezibane nemithi emibini yeminquma wawanceda njani amaYuda?

¹⁷ Nangona umbono wesihlanu kaZekariya wawumfutshane, wawanceda amaYuda akhuthala kumsebenzi awayewenza nasekukhonzeni uYehova. Xa ayezenza izinto awayezifunda kumbono kaZekariya, ayebona ukuba uYehova uyawathanda futhi uyawakhokela. Esebenzisa amandla angumoya wakhe oyingcwele, uYehova wawanceda aqhubeka nomsebenzi aza aphinda avuya.​—Ezra 6:16.

18. Ungakunceda njani umbono kaZekariya?

¹⁸ Umbono kaZekariya wesiphatho sezibane nemithi emibini yeminquma ungakunceda kakhulu ebomini bakho. Njengokuba sesifundile, unokukunceda ufumane amandla okumelana nabantu abangakufuniyo kuba ukhonza uYehova, uvuye nokuba ubomi bakho buyatshintsha, uzithembe nezinto ongaziqondi kakuhle intlangano ethi zenze, uze uzenze. Umele wenze ntoni xa uneengxaki? Qal’ ubone into eyabonwa nguZekariya. Wabona izinto ezazibonisa ukuba uYehova uyabakhathalela abantu Bakhe. Xa uyibona, mayikwenze umthembe uYehova, ungayeki ukumkhonza ngentliziyo yakho yonke. (Mat. 22:37) Ukuba uyayenza loo nto, uYehova uza kukunceda umkhonze uvuya ngonaphakade.​—Kol. 1:10, 11.