1. Iziphi izenzakalo eziphazamisayo uNehemiya azithola lapho ebuyela eJerusalema? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

IZAKHAMUZI zaseJerusalema ziyahhomuzela. Kunomuntu ongeyena umIsrayeli onedumela elibi ohlala kwelinye lamakamelo asethempelini. AmaLevi ashiya isabelo sawo. Esikhundleni sokuba bahole ekukhulekeleni ngeSabatha, abadala bayadayisa. Ama-Israyeli amaningi ashada nabangewona amaJuda. Lezi ezinye zezinto eziphazamisayo uNehemiya azitholayo lapho ebuyela eJerusalema esikhathini esithile ngemva kuka-443 B.C.E.—Neh. 13:6.

2. U-Israyeli waba kanjani isizwe esingcwelisiwe?

² U-Israyeli wayeyisizwe esizinikezele kuNkulunkulu. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., ama-Israyeli ayekulangazelela ukwenza intando kaJehova. Athi: “Wonke amazwi uJehova awakhulumile sizimisele ukuwenza.” (Eks. 24:3) Ngakho uNkulunkulu wawangcwelisa, noma wawahlukanisa ukuba abe isizwe sakhe esikhethiwe. Yeka ilungelo! Eminyakeni engu-40 kamuva, uMose wawakhumbuza: “Uyisizwe esingcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Nguwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akukhethile ukuba ube yisizwe sakhe, impahla ekhethekile, kuzo zonke izizwe ezisebusweni bomhlaba.”—Dut. 7:6.

3. Sasinjani isimo esingokomoya samaJuda lapho uNehemiya efika okwesibili eJerusalema?

³ Ngokudabukisayo, isasasa u-Israyeli ayenalo ekuqaleni ngokuba isizwe esingcwele alizange lihlale isikhathi eside. Nakuba kwahlale kunabathile abakhonza uNkulunkulu, iningi lamaJuda lalivame ukukhathalela kakhulu ukubonakala lingcwele, noma lizinikele, kunokukhathalela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi uNehemiya efika eJerusalema okwesibili, kwase kuphele iminyaka eyikhulu insali ethembekile ibuyile eBhabhiloni ukuzovuselela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Nangaleso sikhathi, intshiseko yalesi sizwe ngezinto ezingokomoya yayifadalala.

4. Iziphi izici esizoxoxa ngazo ezingasisiza ukuba sihlale singabantu abangcwelisiwe?

⁴ Njengama-Israyeli, namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova bangcweliswe uNkulunkulu. Kokubili amaKristu  agcotshiwe nalabo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ bangcwele, bahlukaniselwe inkonzo engcwele. (IsAm. 7:9, 14, 15; 1 Kor. 6:11) Akekho kithi ofuna ukulahlekelwa ubungcwele bakhe phambi kukaNkulunkulu njengoba kwagcina kwenzekile kuma-Israyeli. Ukuze kungenzeki lokhu, yini engasisiza ukuba sihlale singcwele futhi uJehova akwazi ukusisebenzisa? Kulesi sihloko, sizobheka izici ezine eziqokonyiswe kuNehemiya isahluko 13: (1) Gwema abangane ababi; (2) sekela amalungiselelo angokwasezulwini; (3) beka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala; futhi (4) ulondoloze uphawu lwakho lobuKristu. Manje ake sihlole iphuzu ngalinye kulawa.

5, 6. Babengobani o-Eliyashibi noThobiya, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi yini eyenza ukuba u-Eliyashibi abe nobudlelwane noThobiya?

⁵ Funda uNehemiya 13:4-9. Sizungezwe amathonya angcolile, ngakho akulula ngathi ukuhlale singcwele. Cabanga ngo-Eliyashibi noThobiya. U-Eliyashibi wayengumpristi ophakeme, uThobiya engumAmoni okungenzeka ukuthi wayengesinye sezikhudlwana embusweni wasePheresiya ezibekwe phezu kwelaseJudiya. UThobiya nabangane bakhe babeye bamelana nemizamo kaNehemiya yokwakha kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema. (Neh. 2:10) Ama-Amoni ayenqatshelwe ukungena emagcekeni ethempeli. (Dut. 23:3) Pho kungani umpristi ophakeme anika umuntu onjengoThobiya indawo egumbini lokudlela ethempelini?

⁶ UThobiya wayesengumngane omkhulu ka-Eliyashibi. UThobiya nendodana yakhe uJehohanani babeshade nabesifazane abangamaJuda, futhi amaJuda amaningi ayekhuluma kahle ngoThobiya. (Neh. 6:17-19) Omunye wabazukulu baka-Eliyashibi wayeshade nendodakazi kaSanibhalati, umbusi waseSamariya owayengomunye wabangane abakhulu bakaThobiya. (Neh. 13:28) Lobu buhlobo busenza sibone ukuthi kungani umPristi Ophakeme u-Eliyashibi avumela umuntu ongakholwa nongumphikisi ukuba amthonye. Kodwa uNehemiya wabonisa ubuqotho kuJehova, wayijikijela ngaphandle kwegumbi lokudlela yonke impahla kaThobiya.

7. Abadala nabanye bakugwema kanjani ukonakalisa ukuba kwabo abangcwele phambi kukaJehova?

⁷ Njengabantu abazinikezele kuNkulunkulu, kumelwe ngaso sonke isikhathi sithembeke kuJehova ngokuyinhloko. Ngaphandle kokuba sinamathele ezindinganisweni zakhe zokulunga, ngeke sihlale singcwele phambi kwakhe. Akumelwe sivumele ubuhlobo bomndeni bube ngaphezu kwezimiso zeBhayibheli. Abadala abangamaKristu baqondiswa ukucabanga kukaJehova, hhayi imibono noma imizwa yabo. (1 Thim. 5:21) Abadala bayaqikelela ukuba bagweme noma yini engase yonakalise ubungcwele babo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.—1 Thim. 2:8.

8. Yini okufanele zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele ziyikhumbule ngokuphathelene nabangane?

⁸ Senza kahle ngokukhumbula ukuthi “ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba emihle.” (1 Kor. 15:33) Ezinye zezihlobo zethu zingase zingabi ithonya elihle kithi. U-Eliyashibi wayebabekele isibonelo esihle abantu ngokumsekela ngokugcwele uNehemiya lapho kwakhiwa kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema. (Neh. 3:1) Nokho, kubonakala sengathi ithonya elibi likaThobiya nabanye laholela u-Eliyashibi ekwenzeni izinto ezamenza waba ongcolile phambi kukaJehova. Abangane abahle basikhuthaza ukuba senze imisebenzi yobuKristu, enjengokufunda iBhayibheli, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini. Siyawathanda futhi siwazisa ngokukhethekile amalungu omkhaya asithonyela ukuba senze okulungile.

9. Kungani amalungiselelo asethempelini aphazamiseka, futhi obani uNehemiya abasola ngalokhu?

⁹ Funda uNehemiya 13:10-13. Kubonakala  sengathi iminikelo yasethempelini yayisinqamukile ngesikhathi uNehemiya ebuyela eJerusalema. Njengoba ayengasasekelwa, amaLevi ayeshiya izabelo zawo ayosebenza emasimini awo. UNehemiya wasola amaphini ababusi ngalesi simo. Kubonakala sengathi ayengazifezi izibopho zawo. Kungaba ukuthi ayengayiqoqi iminikelo yokweshumi kubantu noma engayidluliseli ethempelini njengoba kwakufanele. (Neh. 12:44) Ngakho uNehemiya wathatha isinyathelo sokuba kuqoqwe okweshumi. Wamisa amadoda athembekile ukuba engamele izinqolobane zethempeli nokwabiwa kwezinto ezizofakwa kuzo.

10, 11. Iliphi ilungelo abantu bakaNkulunkulu abanalo ekusekeleni ukukhulekela kweqiniso?

¹⁰ Sikhona yini isifundo esingasifunda kulokhu? Yebo, ngoba sikhunjuzwa ukuthi sinelungelo lokudumisa uJehova ngezinto zethu ezibalulekile. (IzAga 3:9) Lapho senza iminikelo yokusekela umsebenzi kaJehova, simnika lokho okungokwakhe vele. (1 IziKr. 29:14-16) Singase sicabange ukuthi akukungakanani esingamnika kona, kodwa uma isifiso sikhona, sonke singaba nengxenye.—2 Kor. 8:12.

¹¹ Sekuyiminyaka eminingi omunye umkhaya omkhulu umema umbhangqwana osukhulile wamaphayona akhethekile ukuba uzodla nawo kanye ngesonto. Nakuba lo mkhaya unezingane ezingu-8, inkosikazi ivame ukuthi, “Ayini kodwa amapuleti amabili engeziwe kwayishumi?” Ukumema othile kanye ngesonto kungase kubonakale kuyinto encane, kodwa yeka ukuthi lawo maphayona ayewazisa kanjani lowo moya wokungenisa izihambi! Nawo aba isibusiso kulo mkhaya. Amazwi awo akhuthazayo nokuhlangenwe nakho kwawo kwasiza ekushukumiseleni izingane ukuba zithuthuke ngokomoya. Zonke zangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

12. Isiphi isibonelo esihle esibekwa abadala ebandleni?

¹² Nasi esinye isifundo: NjengoNehemiya, amadoda amisiwe namuhla ayahola ekusekeleni amalungiselelo angokwasezulwini. Abanye ebandleni bayazuza esibonelweni sawo. Kule ndaba, abadala balingisa nomphostoli uPawulu. Wasekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi wanikeza isiqondiso esiwusizo. Ngokwesibonelo, wanikeza ukusikisela okuningana okusebenzayo kwendlela yokwenza iminikelo.—1 Kor. 16:1-3; 2 Kor. 9:5-7.

13. Amanye amaJuda ayelidelela kanjani iSabatha?

¹³ Funda uNehemiya 13:15-21. Uma sizivumela ukuba sihlale simatasa ngezinto ezibonakalayo, singagcina sesifile ngokomoya. Ngokuka-Eksodusi 31:13, injongo  yeSabatha lamasonto onke kwakuwukukhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi ayisizwe esingcwelisiwe. Kwakumelwe abekele eceleni usuku lweSabatha ukuze alusebenzisele ukukhulekela komkhaya, ukuthandaza nokuzindla ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, kwabanye ababephila ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya, iSabatha lase lifana nje nazo zonke ezinye izinsuku—bezenzela imisebenzi yabo njengangezinye izinsuku. Ukukhulekela kwase kulandela kamuva. Lapho ebona okwakwenzeka, uNehemiya wayala ukuba ngosuku lwesithupha amasango omuzi avalwe lapho kushona ilanga, exosha abathengisi abangewona ama-Israyeli ukuba bahambe ngaphambi kokuba kuqale iSabatha.

14, 15. (a) Yini engase yenzeke kithi uma singalinganiseli emisebenzini yethu yezentengiselwano? (b) Singangena kanjani ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Singafundani esibonelweni sikaNehemiya? Esinye isifundo siwukuthi kufanele silinganisele emisebenzini yethu yezentengiselwano. Ngale kwalokho, singase sichezukiswe kalula—noma izinhliziyo zethu zizithole sezihlukene phakathi—ikakhulukazi uma siwuthanda umsebenzi wethu wokuziphilisa. Khumbula isixwayiso sikaJesu ngokukhonza amakhosi amabili. (Funda uMathewu 6:24.) UNehemiya wayemi kahle ngokwezimali, kodwa wasisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi sakhe eJerusalema? (Neh. 5:14-18) Esikhundleni sokuphishekela ukwakha ubudlelwano bezentengiselwano nabaseThire noma nabanye, wazinikela ekusizeni abafowabo nasekwenzeni izinto ezaphumela ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaJehova. Nanamuhla, abadala abangamaKristu nezinceku ezikhonzayo bagxila ekwenzeni izinto ezizozuzisa ibandla, futhi lo moya wabo wenza abafowabo nodadewabo ebandleni babathande. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu banothando, ukuthula nokulondeka.—Hez. 34:25, 28.

¹⁵ Nakuba kungadingeki ukuba amaKristu agcine iSabatha lamasonto onke, uPawulu usitshela ukuthi “abantu bakaNkulunkulu basalelwe ukuphumula kwesabatha.” Wanezela: “Umuntu ongene ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu naye ngokwakhe uye waphumula emisebenzini yakhe siqu, njengoba nje noNkulunkulu eye waphumula kweyakhe.” (Heb. 4:9, 10) NjengamaKristu, singangena ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu ngokuba silalele futhi sisebenze ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakhe eqhubekela phambili. Ingabe ukukhulekela komkhaya, imihlangano yebandla nenkonzo yasensimini kuza kuqala kuwe nakwabathandekayo bakho? Kungase kudingeke ukuba siqine kubaqashi bethu noma kwesinabo ebhizinisini, ikakhulukazi uma bengazihloniphi izinto ezingokwasezulwini eziza kuqala kithi. Njengokungathi kunjalo, kungase kudingeke ‘sivale amasango omuzi futhi sixoshe abaseThire’ ukuze sikwazi ukwenza izinto ezingcwele zize kuqala futhi sizinake ngokufanele. Ngenxa yokuthi singcwelisiwe, kuhle sizibuze, ‘Ingabe indlela engiphila ngayo iyabonisa ukuthi ngihlukaniselwe inkonzo kaJehova?’—Math. 6:33.

16. Ukuma kwama-Israyeli njengesizwe esingcwelisiwe kwakusongelwa kanjani osukwini lukaNehemiya?

¹⁶ Funda uNehemiya 13:23-27. Ngosuku lukaNehemiya, amadoda angama-Israyeli ayeshada nabesifazane bezinye izizwe. Ngesikhathi evakashele eJerusalema okokuqala, uNehemiya wayala wonke amadoda amadala ukuba asayine isivumelwano afunge ukuthi ayengeke ashade namaqaba. (Neh. 9:38; 10:30) Nokho, eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, wathola ukuthi amaJuda ayengagcinanga nje ngokuthatha abesifazane bezinye izizwe kodwa futhi ayesezolahlekelwa ukuba kwawo isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esingcwelisiwe! Izingane zalabo besifazane bezinye izizwe zazingakwazi ukufunda noma ukukhuluma isiHebheru. Ingabe lapho sezikhulile zaziyozibiza ngama-Israyeli? Noma ingabe zaziyozibheka njengabase-Ashidodi, abakwa-Amoni noma abakwaMowabi?  Njengoba zazingasazi isiHebheru, zaziyokwazi yini ukuqonda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu? Zaziyomazi kanjani uJehova futhi zikhethe ukumkhonza esikhundleni sokukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga onina ababebakhulekela? Kwakudingeka isinyathelo esiphuthumayo nesiwujuqu, futhi uNehemiya wasithatha.—Neh. 13:28.

17. Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo ukuba zibe nobuhlobo noJehova?

¹⁷ Namuhla, kudingeka sithathe isinyathelo esifanele ukuze sisize izingane zethu zithole uphawu lobuKristu. Bazali, zibuzeni, ‘Izingane zami zilukhuluma kahle kangakanani “ulimi oluhlanzekile” lweqiniso leBhayibheli? (Zef. 3:9) Ingabe izingxoxo zezingane zami zibonisa ithonya lomoya kaNkulunkulu noma wezwe?’ Ungasheshi udikibale uma ubona ukuthi kudingeka uzisize zithuthuke. Kuthatha isikhathi ukufunda ulimi, ikakhulukazi uma kunezinto ezithikamezayo. Izingane zakho zibhekene nezingcindezi ezinkulu ezingazenza ziyekethise. Ngakho-ke, yiba nesineke usebenzise izikhathi zoKukhulekela Komkhaya namanye amathuba ukuze usize izingane zakho zakhe ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova. (Dut. 6:6-9) Qokomisa izinzuzo zokuhluka ezweni likaSathane. (Joh. 17:15-17) Lwela ukufinyelela izinhliziyo zazo.

18. Kungani abazali abangamaKristu besesimweni esingcono sokulungiselela izingane zabo ukuba zizinikezele kuJehova?

¹⁸ Yebo, kusemahlombe engane ngayinye ukuzenzela isinqumo ngokuphathelene nokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, kuningi abazali abangakwenza. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukubeka isibonelo esihle, ukubeka imithetho ecacile nokuxoxa nezingane zakho ngemiphumela yezinqumo. Bazali, akekho osesimweni esingcono kunani sokulungiselela izingane zenu ukuba zizinikezele kuJehova. Zidinga usizo lwenu ukuze zibe nophawu lobuKristu futhi zilulondoloze. Yiqiniso, sonke kudingeka sihlale siqaphile ukuba singalahlekelwa ‘izingubo zethu zangaphandle’ ezingokomfanekiso—izimfanelo nezindinganiso ezisibonakalisa njengabalandeli bakaKristu.—IsAm. 3:4, 5; 16:15.

19, 20. Yini esingayenza ukuze uJehova asikhumbule ‘ngokuhle’?

¹⁹ Umprofethi uMalaki, ongomunye wabantu ababephila ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya, wembula ukuthi “kwalotshwa incwadi yenkumbulo . . . yalabo abamesabayo uJehova nalabo abacabanga ngegama lakhe.” (Mal. 3:16, 17) UNkulunkulu akasoze abakhohlwa labo abalihlonipha ngokujulile igama lakhe nabalithandayo.—Heb. 6:10.

²⁰ UNehemiya wathandaza: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikhumbule kube kuhle kimi.” (Neh. 13:31) NjengoNehemiya, amagama ethu ayoba sencwadini kaNkulunkulu yenkumbulo uma siqhubeka sigwema abangane ababi, sisekela amalungiselelo angokwasezulwini, senza izinto ezingokomoya zize kuqala futhi silondoloze uphawu lwethu lobuKristu. Masiqhubeke ‘sihlola ukuthi sisokholweni yini.’ (2 Kor. 13:5) Uma silondoloza ubuhlobo bethu noJehova obungcwele, uyosikhumbula ‘ngokuhle.’