[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuNehemiya 5.]
Udonga lwaseYerusalem lwalungekagqitywa xa ingqondo kaNehemiya yatsalelwa kwimeko yokungonwabi kolona ludidi luhluphekileyo ebantwini. Kwimo engazinzanga yelizwe, ukulima kwakulixesha elide kungasenziwa. Ngapha koko, ngenxa yendlela yokutsalela kubo eyayihanjwa ngabanye babo babuyela ezweni lakwaYuda, intsikelelo kaYehova yayingahlelanga phezu komhlaba wabo, kwaza kwakho ukunqongophala kokutya. AN 646.1
Ukuze azifumanele ukutya iintsapho zawo, amahlwempu aye enyanzelekile ukuba athenge ngetyala nangamaxabiso aphezulu, ekwanyanzelekile ukuba anyuse imali ngokuboleka eza kuhlawula inzala khon’ ukuze akwazi ukuhlawula iirhafu ezinzima ezazibekwe phezu kwawo ngookumkani basePersi. Ukongeza phezu koxinzelelo lwabangamahlwempu, abo babenobutyebi obuninzi kumaYuda, basebenzisa elo thuba ngezinto ababe nazo, ngaloo ndlela bezityebisa [ngakumbi]. AN 646.2
UYehova wayeyalele uIsrayeli, ngoMoses, ukuba, rhoqongomnyaka wesithathuisishumi kufuneka siqokelelelwe ukuzuza kwamahlwempu; kuze kwenziwe nomnye umsindleko ngokuyekwa ukulima rhoqo ngomnyaka wesixhenxe, ulale umhlaba, ithi imveliso ezikhulelayo iyekelwe abo basweleyo. Ukuthembeka ekunikeleni le minikelo yokuzisa ukukhululeka kwabahluphekileyo nokunye ukusetyenziselwa ukwenza ububele kwakuya kuba negalelo ekugcineni ihlaziyekile phambi kwabantu inyaniso yokuba konke kokukaThixo, kunye nethuba labo lokuba babe ngamajelo entsikelelo. Yayiyinjongo kaYehova ukuba amaIsrayeli abe nengqeqesho eyayiya kukususa nengcambu ukubawa, iphuhlise ububanzi bokundiliseka kwesimilo. AN 647.1
UThixo wayekwanike umyalelo ngoMoses: “Ukuba uthe wababoleka imali abantu bam abaziintsizana abanawe, uze ungabi kubo njengomboleki-mali: uze ungababizi nzala.” “Uze ungambizi nzala umzalwana wakho: nzala yamali, nzalayakutya, nzala nokuba yeyani ekubizwa inzala ngayo.” Eksodus 22:25; Duteronomi 23:19. Kwakhona wayethe, “Xa kuthe kwakho ihlwempu kuwe ebazalwaneni bakho, nokuba kukuliphi kumasango akho, ezweni lakho akunikayo uYehova, uThixo wakho, uze ungayenzi ingqoshomba intliziyo yakho, usivale isandla sakho kumzalwana wakho olihlwempu. Uze usivule kakhulu isandla sakho kuye, umboleke into elingene ukuswela kwakhe aswele ngako.” “Kuba alisayi kuza lingabikho ihlwempu phakathi kwelizwe elo ngenxa yoko ndikuwisela umthetho, ndisithi, Sivule kakhulu isandla sakho kumzalwana wakho olusizana, olihlwempu lakho ezweni lakho.” Duteronomi 15:7, 8, 11. AN 647.2
Ngamaxesha asemva kokuba bebuyile ababesekuthinjweni, amaYuda azizityebi ahamba ngokuchaseneyo ngokupheleleyo nale miyalelo. Kwakusithi xa abahluphekileyo kunyanzelekile ukuba babolekekhon’ukuze bahlawule okufanelekileyo kukumkani, abatyebileyo bebaboleka imali, kodwa babafune inzala ephezulu. Ngokufuna ukuba baze bamkele izibambiso ngemihlaba yabahluphekileyo, babesenza ukuba aba basweleyo babekobona bunzulu ubuhlwempu. Abaninzi kwakunyanzeleka ukuba bathengise ngoonyana neentombi zabo ebukhobokeni; kwaye kubonakala lingekho ithemba lokuba ingaze iphuculwe imeko yabo, kuba babenokuswela nokubopheleleka okungapheliyo. Kanti kunjalo nje, babekwangabohlanga olunye, abantwana bomnqophiso omnye, njengabona bazalwana babo abasondeleyo kubo. AN 647.3
Kwathi ekudeni, abantu bayibeka imeko yabo phambi kukaNehemiya. “Khangela,” (KJV) batsho, “siyabanyanzela oonyana bethu neentombi zethu, ukuba babe ngamakhoboka; ezintombini zethu kukho nesezinyanzelwe; akukho mandla esandleni sethu, amasimi ethu nezidiliya zethu zizezabanye nje.” AN 648.1
Wathi uNehemiya akuyiva le ngcinezelo ikhohlakeleyo, umphefumlo wakhe wazaliswa ngumsindo. “Wavutha ke kakhulu kum umsinndo wam,” utsho, “ndakukuva ukukhala kwabo, naloo mazwi.” Wabona ukuba, ukuze aphumelele ukuqhawula isiko lengcinezelo yokubizwa ngqongqo kwemali, kuza kufuneka athabathe isigqibo sokumela ubulungisa. Ngamandla nokuzimisela okuqheleke enako, waya kwenza umsebenzi wokuzisa uncedo kubazalwana bakhe. AN 648.2
Into yokuba abacinezeli yayingabantu abatyebileyo, abankxaso yabo yayidingeka kakhulu emsebenzini wokubuyiselwa kwesixeko, ayizange nakancinane ibe nempembelelo kuNehemiya. Wawangxolisa kabukhali amadoda amakhulu nabalawuli, wathi akuba eyibizele ndawonye intlanganiso yabantu, wabeka phambi kwabo oko kufunwa nguThixo ngokubhekiselele kule meko. AN 648.3
Wabakhumbuza ngeziganeko ezazenzekile ngexesha lokulawula kukakumkani uAhazi. Wasiphinda isigidimi awasithumelayo uThixo ngelo xesha kuIsrayeli ukukhalimela inkohlakalo nengcinezelo yabo. Abantwana bakaYuda, ngenxa yokunqula kwabo izithixo, bayekelwa kwizandla zabazalwana babo ababesanqula izithixo, abantwana bakwaIsrayeli. Aba bamva (bakwaIsrayeli) babubonakalisa ubutshaba babo ngokubulala edabini amawaka amaninzi abantu bakwaYuda, babathimbela bonke abafazi nabantwana, bejonge ukuba babagcine bengamakhoboka okanye babathengise ebukhobokeni ezintlangeni. AN 649.1
Ngenxa yezono zikaYuda, uYehova akazange angenelele ukuthintela idabi; kodwa ngomprofeti uOded, wakukhalimela ukuceba okukhohlakeleyo komkhosi owoyisayo: “Kaloku ke oonyana bakwaYuda neYerusalem, nithe nina niya kubanyathela, babe ngamakhoboka namakhobokazana kuni. Kodwa nina aninatyala na kuYehova uThixo wenu?” 2 IZikronike 28:10. UOded watyityimbisela umnwe abantu bakwaIsrayeli ngelithi, umsindo kaYehova uyavutha ngakubo, nokuba indlela yabo yokungabi nabulungisa nengcinezelo iza kwenza kuhle izohlwayo zaKhe. Bathi bakuweva la mazwi, amadoda axhobileyo abashiya abathinjwa namaxhoba phambi kwabathetheli kunye nebandla. Asuka amadoda aziintloko zohlanga lwakwaEfrayim “abathabatha abathinjwa, abambathisa bonke ababeze phakathi kwabo ngamaxhoba, abadlisa, abaseza, abathambisa, abathundeza ngamaesile bonke abatyhafileyo, abasa eYeriko, kumzi wamasundu, kubazalwana babo.” Indima 15. AN 649.2
UNehemiya nabanye babewahlangule amanye amaYuda awayethengisweezintlangeni,waza ngokuwayandlalalemeko eyithelekisa nokuziphatha kwabo bathi, ngenjongo yokuzuza ingeniso yehlabathi, bakhobokisa abazalwana babo. “ayilungile le nto niyenzayo,” watsho; “nibe ningafanele na ukuhamba ekoyikeni uThixo wethu, ngenxa yokungcikiva kweentlanga ezizintshaba zethu?” AN 650.1
UNehemiya wababonisa ukuba yena ngokwakhe, njengoko wayenikwe igunya ngukumkani wasePersi, wayenakho ukubiza iminikelo emikhulu ukuze azuze. Endaweni yoko, akazange athabathe noko bekulunge kuye, kodwa wanikela ngobubele ukunceda amahlwempu kwintswelo yawo. Wabakhuthaza abalawuli bakaYuda ababenobutyala bokucudisa, ukuba bawuyeke lo msebenzi wenkohlakalo; babuyisele imihlaba yabahluphekileyo, nenzala yemali abayibiza ngqongqo kuwo; baze bawaboleke imali ngaphandle kokuba abeke into okanye akhuphe inzala. AN 650.2
La mazwi ayethethwa phambi kwalo lonke ibandla. Ukuba abalawuli babethande ukuzithethelela, babenalo ithuba. Abazange ke bazithethelele. “Siya kusibuyisa,” batsho, “singabizi nto kubo; siya kwenza njengoko utshoyo.” Bathi bakutsho, uNehemiya, phambi kwababingeleli, “[waba]fungisa ukuba benze ngokwelo lizwi.” “Lathi lonkeibandla, Amen; bamdumisa uYehova. Benza ke abantu ngokwelo lizwi.” AN 650.3
Le ngxelo ifundisa isifundo esibalulekileyo. “Ukuthanda imali yingcambu yeento zonke ezimbi.” 1. Timoti 6:10. Kwesi sizukulwana, ukufuna inzuzo kungumdla ophambili. Ubutyebi bukholisa ukufunyanwa ngobuqhetseba. Kukho iinkulungwane zabantu ezixakene nentlupheko, ezinyanzelekileyo ukuba zisebenze nzima ukuzuza umvuzoomncinane, ezingakwaziyo ukuzuza nezona zinto zincinaneezifunekaukuxhasa ubomi. Ukusebenza nzima nokuhlupheka, lingekho ithemba lezinto ezingcono, kuwenza ube nzima umthwalo wabo. Bathi kuba bedubekile becinezelekile, bangazi ukuba bangabheka ngaphi ukuze bazuze uncedo. Sekunjalo konke oko, abatyebileyo kukona bafuna ukuxhasa ukuthsafaza kwabo okanye ukuziyekela kumnqweno wokufumba! AN 650.4
Ukuthanda imali nokuthanda ukuzibonakalalisa, kulenze elilizwe langumqolomba wamasela nezihange. IziBhalo zinika umfanekiso wokubawa nokucinezela okuya kubakho kanye nje phambi kokubuya kwesibini kukaKrisu. “Wenani kaloku, zityebi,” uyabhala uYakobi, “niziqwebele ubutyebi ngeemini zokugqibela. Yabonani, umvuzo wabasebenzi, abavune amasimi enu, lowo ubandeziweyo nini, uyakhala; kwaye ukubhomboloza kwabavuni abo kungenile ezindlebeni zeNkosi yemikhosi. Nadla ubuncwane emhlabeni apha, naxhamla iziyolo, nazondla iintliziyo zenu njengamhla kuxheliweyo. Namgweba, nambulala olilungisa; yena akanichasi.” Yakobi 5:1, 3-6. AN 651.1
Naphakathi kwabo bazibiza ngokuthi bahamba ngokuyoyika iNkosi, bakho abo bakuphindayo ukulandela ikhondo elalihanjwa ngamadoda abekekileyo akwaIsrayeli. Kuba kuse mandleni abo oko, bayibiza [imali] ngaphezu koko kufanelekileyo, baze ngoko babe ngabacinezeli. Kuthi ke, kuba ukuyirhalela imali nokungathembeki ebomini babo balibizayo igama likaKristu, kuba ibandla liwagcinile ezincwadini amagama abo bazuze oko banako ngendlela engalunganga, inkolo kaKristu ibe nokujongelwa phantsi. Ukuthsafaza, ukudlulisa kumaxabiso afanelekileyo, ukucudisa, zizenzo ezonakalisa ukholo lwabaninzi zitshabalalise ubomi babo basemoyeni. Ibandla nalo kakhulu, liyabandakanyeka kwizono zamalungu alo. Linika imbonakalo yobubi xa lisilela ukuvakalisa ilizwi lalo ukubuchasa [ububi]. AN 651.2
Amasiko ehlabathi awangumgangatho wobuKristu. Akufuneki kwenziwe izenzo zaloezibukhali, ukudlulisa emaxabisweni, nokucudisa kwalo. Sonke isenzo sokuswela ubulungisa ngakomnye umntu, sikukwaphulwa komthetho-siseko wokwenza okulungileyo. Konke okungalungileyo okwenziwa ebantwaneni bakaThixo kwenziwa kuKristu ngokwakhe eziqwini zabangcwele baKhe. Wonke umzamo wokucinezela ukungazi, ukungabi namandla, okanye ukuba seshweni komnye kubhalwa njengamaqhinga encwadini yasezulwini. Lowo umoyika ngenene uThixo, unokukhetha ukusebenza nzima imini nobusuku, atye isonka sentlupheko, kunokuziyekela kwinkanuko yenzuzo ecinezela umhlolokazi nenkedama okanye emsusayo owasemzini kwilungelo lakhe. AN 652.1
Nokona kusuka kuncinane kokulungileyo kuyaziwisa izithintelo, kuze kuyilungiselele intliziyo ukuba yenze izenzo ezikhulu zentswelo yobulungisa. Kuya kuthi kanye kangangoko athe umntu wazifumanela inzuzo ngokubeka omnye kwindawo engentle, kuya kuba njalo ukungasabeli komphefumlo wakhe kwimpembelelo kaMoya kaThixo. Inzuzo ezuzwe ngexabiso elingako, iyilahleko eyoyikekayo. AN 652.2
Sonke sinetyala lobulungisa bezulu, kodwa sasingenanto singalihlawula ngayo ityala. Wathi ngoko uNyana kaThixo, owaba nemfesane ngakuthi, walihlawula ixabiso lokuthengwa kwethu. Waba lihlwempu ukuze kuthi, ngobulwempu baKhe, thina sibe zizityebi. Ngezenzo zobubele ngakumahlwempu aKhe, sinakho ukubonakalalisa ukunyaniseka kombulelo wethu ngenxa yenceba asolulele yona. “Masisebenze okulungileyo kubo bonke,“uyamema umpostile, “ngokukodwa ke kwabendlu yokholo.” Galati 6:10. Amazwi akhe ahambelana nalawo oMsindisi: “Amahlwempu lawo nihleli ninawo, nize xa sukuba nithanda,nibe nako ukuwenzela okulungileyo.” “Zonke izinto ngoko enisukuba ninga bangazenza abantu kuni, yenzani ezikwanjalo nani kubo; kuba oko kungumthetho nabaprofeti.” Marko 14:7; Mateyu 7:12. AN 652.3