1-2. (a) Ziintoni esifana ngazo namaYuda awayebuyele eYerusalem? (b) Khawuchaze ezinye zeengxaki awayenazo amaYuda. (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ Imihla KaHagayi, UZekariya NoEzra.”)

 NGABA ukhe ube nexhala lezinto ezisenokwenzeka? Mhlawumbi uphelelwe ngumsebenzi, uyazibuza ukuba uza kuyondla njani intsapho yakho. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwindawo ohlala kuyo imeko yepolitiki neyezoqoqosho ayizinzanga, niyatshutshiswa okanye akufunwa nishumayele. Ezi zinto zisenokukwenza uzibuze ukuba ikhuselekile na intsapho yakho. Ikhona ingxaki onayo wena kwezi? Ukuba ikhona, kuza kukunceda ukufunda ngendlela uYehova awawanceda ngayo amaSirayeli xa ayeneengxaki ezifana nezi.

² Kwakufuneka amaYuda awayezalelwe eBhabhiloni abe nokholo ukuze ashiye ubutyebi nobomi awayebuqhelile, aye kwilizwe awayengazi nto ingako ngalo. Kungekudalanga efikile, kwabakho ukungazinzi kukarhulumente nemeko yezoqoqosho, engafunwa naziintlanga awayehlala phakathi kwazo. Loo nto yenza kwanzima ukuba anike iintsapho zawo izinto ezizidingayo. Kwamaninzi ukuphinda kwakhiwe itempile kaYehova kwakungasabalulekanga kangako. Ngoko malunga no-520 B.C.E. uYehova wathuma abaprofeti ababini, uHagayi noZekariya, ukuba baye kukhuthaza abantu ukuba bangatyhafi. (Hag. 1:1; Zek. 1:1) Siza kuyibona indlela aba baprofeti abawanceda ngayo amaYuda. Sekunjalo, kwiminyaka ephantse ibe yi-50 emva koko, loo maYuda ayebuyele eYerusalem aphinda akudinga ukukhuthazwa. UEzra, umkhupheli woMthetho owazi kakuhle umsebenzi wakhe wasuka eBhabhiloni waya eYerusalem eyokukhuthaza abantu bakaThixo ukuze ukukhonza uYehova kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini babo.​—Ezra 7:1, 6.

3. Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula? (IMizekeliso 22:19)

 ³ Njengokuba isiprofeto sikaHagayi nesikaZekariya zanceda abantu bakaThixo abayeka ukumthemba uYehova xa babengafunwa, nathi zinokusinceda siqiniseke ukuba uza kusinceda nokuba iimeko zethu zinganzima kangakanani. (Funda iMizekeliso 22:19.) Njengokuba siza kufunda ngoEzra nangomyalezo kaThixo owaziswa nguHagayi noZekariya kubantu Bakhe, siza kuphendula le mibuzo: Zeziphi iingxaki ezenza amaYuda aphelelwa lukholo? Kutheni kumele kuhlale kubalulekile kuthi ukwenza izinto ezithandwa nguThixo naxa kunzima? Ziintoni ezinokusinceda simthembe kakhulu uYehova ngamaxesha anzima?

4-5. Yintoni esenokuba yenza amaYuda aphelelwa ngumdla wokwakha itempile?

⁴ AmaYuda afika eYerusalem enomsebenzi omninzi ekwakufuneka awenze. Akhawuleza akha isibingelelo sikaYehova aza abeka isiseko setempile. (Ezra 3:1-3, 10) Kodwa akhawuleza aphelelwa ngumdla wokusebenza. Kwakutheni? Ngaphandle komsebenzi wokwakha itempile, kwakufuneka akhe izindlu zawo, atyale amasimi ondle neentsapho zawo. (Ezra 2:68, 70) Ayenazo neentshaba ezazisenza amacebo okuwayekisa umsebenzi wokwakha itempile.​—Ezra 4:1-5.

⁵ AmaYuda awayebuyele eYerusalem aba neengxaki ezazisenziwa yimeko yezoqoqosho engazinzanga neyeepolitiki. Ngoku ilizwe lawo laliphantsi koBukhosi BasePersi. Emva kokusweleka kukaKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi ngo-530 B.C.E., ukumkani owaphatha emva kwakhe, uCambyses, waya kulwa neYiputa, ezimisele ukuyoyisa. Xa amajoni akhe ayesiya eYiputa, kusenokwenzeka ukuba akufuna ngenkani ukutya, amanzi neendawo zokuhlala kumaSirayeli. Loo nto yongeza kwiingxaki ababenazo abantu bakaThixo. Emva kukaCambyses kwalawula uDariyo I. Ukuqala kwakhe ukulawula kwakuvukelwa urhulumente nemeko yepolitiki ingazinzanga. Ngokuqinisekileyo yonke le nto yayiwakhathaza amaYuda awayebuyele eYerusalem, ecinga indlela awayeza kuzondla ngayo iintsapho zawo. Zonke ezi ngxaki zenza amanye amaYuda acinga ukuba yayingekabi lixesha elifanelekileyo lokuphinda akhe itempile kaYehova.​—Hag. 1:2.

6. Ngokutsho kukaZekariya 4:6, 7 zeziphi ezinye iingxaki awayenazo amaYuda? Wawaqinisekisa ngantoni uZekariya?

⁶ Funda uZekariya 4:6, 7. Ngaphandle kwengxaki yezoqoqosho neyepolitiki, amaYuda kwafuneka anyamezele ukuphathwa kakubi. Ngo-522 B.C.E., laphumelela icebo leentshaba zawo lokuba ayekiswe ukwakha itempile kaYehova. Kodwa uZekariya wawaqinisekisa ukuba uYehova wayeza kusebenzisa umoya Wakhe onamandla ukuze ususe nantoni na eyayixabe endleleni yawo xa esakha itempile. Ngo-520 B.C.E., uKumkani uDariyo wakhupha umyalelo wokuba aqhubeke nomsebenzi wokwakha, waza wawanika nemali yokuwenza. Wayalela nabalawuli basekuhlaleni ukuba bawancede.​—Ezra 6:1, 6-10.

7. Ngenxa yokuba eyona nto yayibalulekile kumaYuda awayebuyele eYerusalem yayikukwenza izinto ezithandwa nguThixo, wawasikelela njani?

 ⁷ Esebenzisa uHagayi noZekariya, uYehova wathembisa abantu bakhe ukuba, ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini babo kukwakha itempile, wayeza kubanceda. (Hag. 1:8, 13, 14; Zek. 1:3, 16) Abo baprofeti bawakhuthaza amaYuda, aza ngo-520 B.C.E. aqala apho ebewuyeke khona umsebenzi wokuyakha. Ayigqiba kungekapheli neminyaka eyi-5. Ngoxa ayeneengxaki ezininzi, eyona nto yayibalulekile kuwo yayikukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Yiloo nto eyenza uYehova wawanceda ngezinto  awayezidinga nangokuba ahlale engabahlobo bakhe. Atsho amkhonza evuya.​—Ezra 6:14-16, 22.

8. Amazwi akuHagayi 2:4 anokusinceda njani ukuze eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi ibe zizinto ezithandwa nguThixo? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁸ Njengoko intlungu engathethekiyo seyisemnyago, siyaqonda ukuba kubaluleke kakhulu kunangaphambili ukuthobela umyalelo wokwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela. (Marko 13:10) Kodwa kusenokuba nzima ukuba lo msebenzi ube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ukuba sinengxaki yemali okanye awufunwa. Yintoni ke enokusinceda ukuze umsebenzi kaYehova ube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi? Kufuneka sihlale siqinisekile ukuba “uYehova wemikhosi” b ukunye nathi. Ukuba umsebenzi woBukumkani ubaluleke ngaphezu kwezinto zethu, akasoze asishiye. Ngoko akukho nto sifanele siyoyike.​—Funda uHagayi 2:4.

9-10. UOleg noIrina bayibona njani indlela eyinyaniso ngayo into eyathethwa nguYesu kuMateyu 6:33?

⁹ Khawuve into eyenzeka kuOleg nomfazi wakhe uIrina c ababengoovulindlela. Emva kokuba beye kunceda kwibandla elalikwenye indawo, baphelelwa ngumsebenzi ngenxa yokuba imeko yezoqoqosho yayisiya isiba mbi kwilizwe labo. Kwaphela ixesha elimalunga nonyaka bengade bawufumane umsebenzi osisigxina, kodwa babesoloko beyibona indlela uYehova abanceda ngayo, ngamanye amaxesha bencedwa ngabazalwana noodade. Bancedwa yintoni ukuze bamelane neengxaki ababenazo? UOleg, eyayimkhathaza le nto ekuqaleni uthi, “Ukuhlala sixakeke ngumsebenzi wokushumayela kwasinceda sacinga ngeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bethu.” Ngoxa babekhangela umsebenzi, bahlala bexakeke ngumsebenzi wokushumayela.

 ¹⁰ Ngenye imini bathi xa befika ekhaya bevela entsimini bafumanisa ukuba umhlobo wabo uhambe iikhilomitha ezimalunga neziyi-160 ebaphathele iibhegi eziyi-2 zokutya. UOleg uthi: “Ngaloo mini saphinda sayibona indlela asikhathalele ngayo uYehova nabazalwana noodade. Siqinisekile ukuba uYehova akasoze abalibale abakhonzi bakhe, nokuba kubonakala ngathi izinto azinakuphinda zibahambele kakuhle.”​—Mat. 6:33.

11. Xa umsebenzi kaYehova uhlala uyeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bethu, yintoni esimele siyilindele?

¹¹ UYehova ufuna ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi ibe ngumsebenzi wokwenza abafundi osindisa ubomi. Njengokuba bekutshiwo  kwisiqendu 7, uHagayi wabakhuthaza abantu bakaYehova ukuba baphinde baqale apho bebewuyeke khona umsebenzi ongcwele wokwakha itempile. Ukuba babenokwenza loo nto, uYehova wayeza ‘kubazisela iintsikelelo.’ (Hag. 2:18, 19) Nathi sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uza kusisikelela ukuba senza iinzame zokuba umsebenzi asinike wona ube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bethu.

12. Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uEzra namanye amaYuda awayesuka eBhabhiloni babe nokholo oluqinileyo?

¹² Ngo-468 B.C.E., uEzra wahamba neqela lesibini lamaYuda awayesuka eBhabhiloni besiya eYerusalem. Ukuze bakwazi ukuyihamba kakuhle loo ndlela, kwakufuneka babe nokholo oluqinileyo. Kaloku babeza kuhamba iindlela eziyingozi, bephethe igolide eninzi nesilivere eyayinikelwe ukuze isetyenziswe xa kusakhiwa itempile. Loo nto yayinokubenza babe ngamaxhoba ootsotsi. (Ezra 7:12-16; 8:31) Enye into ababeyazi kukuba naseYerusalem akukhuselekanga. Babengekho baninzi abantu ababehlala khona, iindonga neegeyithi zazifuna ukulungiswa. UEzra wayeqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kumnceda. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kuye?

13. Yintoni eyenza uEzra waqiniseka kakhulu ukuba uYehova uyabanceda abantu bakhe? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹³ UEzra wayeyibonile indlela uYehova abanceda ngayo abantu bakhe ngamaxesha anzima. Kwiminyaka engaphambili, ngo-484 B.C.E., kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayehlala eBhabhiloni xa uKumkani uAhaswerosi wakhupha umyalelo wokuba kubulawe amaYuda awayephantsi koBukhosi BasePersi. (Estere 3:7, 13-15) Ubomi bukaEzra nawo onke amaYuda babusengozini. Athi akuyiva loo nto amaYuda ‘akwiphondo ngalinye,’ akhathazeka kakhulu kangangokuba ade ayeka nokutya, elila, ecela uYehova ukuba awancede. (Estere 4:3) Khawuyicinge indlela anokuba waziva ngayo uEzra naloo maYuda xa endaweni yokuba kubulawe bona, kwafa abo bantu babeceba ukubabulala! (Estere 9:1, 2) Ngokuqinisekileyo izinto ezenzeka kuEzra ngaloo maxesha ayenzima zamenza walungela iingxaki awayeseza kuba nazo, waza waqiniseka kakhulu ukuba uYehova uyakwazi ukubakhusela abantu Bakhe. d

14. Yintoni awayifundayo omnye udade kwindlela uYehova awamkhathalela ngayo ngexesha elalinzima?

¹⁴ Xa sibona indlela uYehova asikhathalela ngayo ngamaxesha anzima, siqiniseka kakhulu ukuba uza kusikhathalela nakwixesha elizayo. Khawuve into eyenzeka kuAnastasia ohlala eMpuma Yurophu. Wayeka umsebenzi wakhe kuba wayengafuni ukuthath’ icala kwipolitiki. Uthi: “Oko ndabakho ndandiqala ukungabi namali ngolwa hlobo.” Uphinda athi: “Ndathandaza, ndaza ndayibona indlela uYehova andikhathalele ngayo. Xa kunokwenzeka ndiphinde ndingaphangeli, soze ndoyike. Ukuba uTata wam osezulwini undikhathalele ngoku, uza kundikhathalela nakwixesha elizayo.”

15. Yintoni eyanceda uEzra waqiniseka ukuba uYehova unokumnceda nanini na esengxakini? (Ezra 7:27, 28)

 ¹⁵ UEzra wasibona isandla sikaYehova sisebenza ebomini bakhe. Xa wayecinga ngamaxesha amaninzi uYehova awamnceda ngawo, watsho waqiniseka kakhulu ukuba unokumnceda nanini na xa esengxakini. Nanga amazwi awawathethayo, “isandla sikaYehova uThixo wam sasiphezu kwam.” (Funda uEzra 7:27, 28.) Wathetha amazwi abufana nala kayi-6 kwincwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe.​—Ezra 7:6, 9; 8:18, 22, 31.

16. Zeziphi izinto ezinokwenza usibone isandla sikaYehova sisebenza ebomini bakho? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁶ UYehova angasinceda xa sineengxaki. Ngokomzekelo, xa ucela iintsuku zokuya kwindibano kumqashi wakho okanye umcela ukuba atshintshe amaxesha akho omsebenzi ukuze ukwazi ukuya kwiintlanganiso, unokusibona isandla sikaYehova sisebenza ebomini bakho. Isenokukumangalisa into enokwenzeka. Loo nto inokukwenza uqiniseke kakhulu ukuba uYehova unokukunceda ngamaxesha anzima.

17. Ngamaxesha anzima yintoni awayeyenza uEzra eyayibonisa ukuba uthobekile? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹⁷ UEzra wazithoba, wathandaza ecela uYehova amncede. Qho xa enexhala lezinto ekufuneka azenze, wayezithoba athandaze. (Ezra 8:21-23; 9:3-5) Ngenxa yokuba wayemthembile uYehova, abantu awayekunye nabo babenomdla wokumnceda nokulinganisa ukholo lwakhe. (Ezra 10:1-4) Xa sinexhala kakhulu ngezinto esizidingayo okanye ngendlela ezinokukhuseleka ngayo iintsapho zethu, simele sithandaze siqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda.

18. Yintoni enokusenza siqiniseke kakhulu ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda ngamaxesha anzima?

¹⁸ Xa sizithoba sicele uYehova asincede, sivume nokuncedwa ngabazalwana noodade, sitsho siqiniseke kakhulu ukuba uYehova unokusinceda ngamaxesha anzima. Omnye umama onabantwana abathathu, uErika, xa wayesehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu wayesoloko eqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kumnceda. Ngexeshana nje elifutshane waswelekelwa lusana awayengekaluzali nomyeni awayemthanda. Xa ethetha ngezi zinto zamehlelayo uthi: “Awusoze wazi ukuba uYehova uza kukunceda njani, de akuncede. Unokukunceda ngendlela eza kukumangalisa. Ndiye ndabona ukuba uye wasebenzisa abahlobo bam xa ephendula imithandazo yam emininzi. Loo nto ndiyibone kwizinto abaye bazithetha nabandenzele zona. Xa ndibaxelela into eyenzekayo kum, kuba lula ukuba bandincede.”

19-20. Sifunda ntoni kumaYuda awayengazange akwazi ukubuyela eYerusalem?

¹⁹ Ikhona into ebalulekileyo esinokuyifunda nakumaYuda angazange akwazi ukubuyela eYerusalem. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye zange akwazi ukubuyela ngenxa yeminyaka, impilo okanye iimeko zentsapho. Sekunjalo, ayekuvuyela ukunceda amaYuda awayebuyela ngokuwanika izinto ezininzi awayeza kuzidinga xa esakha itempile. (Ezra 1:5, 6) Kubonakala ukuba kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-19 iqela lokuqala lamaYuda libuyele eYerusalem, awayeshiyeke eBhabhiloni ayesaqhubeka ethumela iminikelo eYerusalem.​—Zek. 6:10.

²⁰ Nokuba asikwazi ukumenzela yonke into ebesingathanda ukumenzela yona uYehova, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uyibona yonke into esimenzela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Siyazi njani loo nto? Ngemihla kaZekariya, uYehova wacela lo mprofeti ukuba enze isithsaba segolide nesilivere ezazithunyelwe ngamaYuda awayeshiyeke eBhabhiloni. (Zek. 6:11) Esi ‘sithsaba sizukileyo’ sasiza kuba sisikhumbuzo seminikelo yawo eyayisuka entliziyweni. (Zek. 6:14, umbhalo osemazantsi) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova akasoze azilibale iinzame esizenza sinyanisekile zokumkhonza ngamaxesha anzima.​—Heb. 6:10.

21. Yintoni eza kusinceda siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uza kuba nathi nokuba kwenzeka ntoni kuthi kwixesha elizayo?

²¹ Ngokuqinisekileyo kula maxesha esiphelo siza kuqhubeka sineengxaki, neemeko zethu zisenokuba nzima kakhulu kwixesha elizayo. (2 Tim. 3:1, 13) Sekunjalo, akukho sizathu sokuba sikhathazeke kakhulu. Masikhumbule into uYehova awayixelela abantu bakhe ngemihla kaHagayi. Wathi: “Ndinani . . . Sanukoyika.” (Hag. 2:4, 5) Nathi sinokuqiniseka ukuba uza kuba nathi ukuba senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sikwazi ukwenza izinto azithandayo. Xa sizenza izinto esizifunde kwisiprofeto sikaHagayi nesikaZekariya, nakwizinto ezenzeka kuEzra, sinokuhlala siqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda nokuba zingakanani iingxaki esinazo kwixesha elizayo.