50—UEzra, UMbingeleli NoMbhali

Kwisithuba samashumi asixhenxe emva kokubuya neqela lokuqala leembacu phantsi kukaZerubhabheli noYoshuwa, uAhaswerosi Longumanus wahlala etroneni yamaMedi-Persi. Igama lalo kumkani liyahlangana nelembali engcwele ngodederhu lweziganeko ezibalulekileyo zokubonelela kukaThixo. Kwakungexesha lokulawula kwakhe ukuphila nokusebenza kukaEzra noNehemiya. Yayinguye owathi ngowama-457 B.C. wawisa umthetho wesithathu nowokugqibela wokuba kubuyiselwe iYerusalem. Ulawulo lwakhe lwenza ukuba kubuye iqela lamaYuda phantsi kukaEzra, ukugqityezelwa kweendonga zaseYerusalem nguNehemiya namahlakani akhe, ukuqulunqwa ngokutsha kweenkonzo zasetempileni, nohlaziyo olukhulu lwenkolo olwenziwa ngoEzra noNehemiya. Ngexesha lolawulo lwakhe olude, wakholisa ukubonisa uthando kubantu bakaThixo, nakubahlobo bakhe awayebathembe nabathanda kakhulu, uEzra noNehemiya, wahlonipha amadoda anyulwe nguThixo, naveliselwe umsebenzi okhethekileyo.AN 607.1

Amava kaEzra ngexesha ehlala phakathi kwamaYuda awayesele eBhabheli, ayengaqhelekanga kangangokuba atsala ingqalelo entle kuKumkani Ahaswerosi, awaya wathetha naye ngokukhululekileyo ngamandla kaThixo wasezulwini nangenjongo yeZulu yokubuyiselwa kwamaYuda eYerusalem.AN 607.2

Ezalwa ngoonyana baka-Aron, uEzra wanikwa uqeqesho lobubingeleli, kwathi ukongeza koko waqhelana nemibhalo yabantu abanobugqi, abafundi beenkwenkwezi, namadoda anobulumko kubukumkani baseMedi-Persi. Sekunjalo, wayenganelisekanga yimeko yakhe yasemoyeni. Walangazelela ukuhambelana ngokupheleleyo noThixo; walangazelela ubulumko bokwenza intando yezulu. Ngenxa yoko, “intliziyo yakhe wayeyibhekise ekuwufuneni umyalelo kaYehova awenze.” Ezra 7:10. Oku kwamkhokelela ekubeni azinikele ngenkuthalo ekufundeni imbali yabantu bakaThixo, njengoko ikho kwimibhalo yabaprofeti nookumkani. Wayiphinda imbali neencwadi zezibongo zeBhayibhile ukuze afunde ngesizathu sokuba uYehova ayiyeke iYerusalem ukuba itshatyalaliswe bathi abantu baKhe basiwe ekuthinjweni ezweni leentlanga.AN 608.1

Amava kaIsrayeli, kususela kwixesha kwenziwa izithembiso kuAbraham, uEzra wacinga kakhulu ngawo. Wayifunda imiyalelo eyayinikwe kwiNtaba yeSinayi nangexesha elide lokubhadula entlango. Wathi akufunda ngakumbi nangakumbi ngokubhekiselele kwindlela uThixo awayebaphatha ngayo abantwana baKhe, wabuqonda nobungcwele bomthetho owanikwa eSinayi, intliziyo kaEzra yakhathazeka. Waba nenguquko entsha neyona iyiyo waza wazimisela ukuzazi kakhulu iingxelo zembali engcwele, khon’ ukuze alusebenzise olu lwazi ekuziseni intsikelelo nokukhanya kubantu bakhe.AN 608.2

UEzra wazama ukuzuza ukulungiswa kwentliziyo ngenxa yomsebenzi awayekholelwa ukuba uphambi kwakhe. Wamfuna uThixo ngokunyanisekileyo, khon’ ukuze abe yititshala elumkileyo kwaIsrayeli.Ngokuzama ukuyekela ingqondonentandokulawulo lwezulu, kwaziswa ebomini bakhe imithetho-siseko yokungcwaliseka kwenene, okwathi, kwiminyaka elandelayo, kwanempembelelo eyakhayo kungekuphela kumntu omtsha owayefuna ukufundiswa, kodwa kubo bonke ababehlobana naye.AN 608.3

UThixo wamnyula uEzra ukuba abe sisixhobo sokulungileyo kuIsrayeli, ukuze anike ukuhlonipheka kububingeleli, uzuko obelukade lucimile kakhulu ngexesha lokuthinjwa. UEzra wakhula waba yindoda yemfundo ekudidi oluphezulu waba “ngumbhali oyinkunkqele emyalelweni kaMoses.” Indima 6. Ezi mpawu zamenza wangumntu obalaseleyo kubukumkani bamaMedi-Persi.AN 609.1

UEzra waba ngumlomo kaThixo, efundisa abo bamngqongileyo ngemithetho-siseko elawula izulu. Ngeminyaka eseleyo yobomi bakhe, nokuba ukufuphi ebhotwe likaKumkani waseMedo-Persi okanye eYerusalem, umsebenzi wakhe ophambili ikukuba yititshala. Ngexesha edlulisela iinyaniso azifundileyo kwabanye, isakhono sakhe sokusebenza nzima saya sanda. Waba yindoda yobungcwele nenzondelelo. Wayelingqina likaYehova elizweni ngegunya lenyaniso yeBhayibhile ukuba aphakamise ubomi bemihla ngemihla.AN 609.2

Amalinge kaEzra okuvuselela umdla ekufundweni kweziBhalo abetheleleka ngokuzidinisa kwakhe ngomsebenzi wobomi bonke ukugcina nokwandisa imiBhalo engcwele. Waqokelela zonke iikopi zomthetho awayenokuzifumana waza wazikhuphela ngokuzibhala wazisasaza. Ilizwi elinyulu, elasasazwa ngaloo ndlela labekwa ezandleni zabantu abaninzi, lanika ulwazi olwalunexabiso elalingenakulinganiswa.AN 609.3

Ukholo lukaEzra lokuba uThixo wayeza kwenza umsebenzi wamandla ngenxa yabantu baKhe, lwamenza ukuba axelele uAhaswerosi ngolangazelelo lwakhe (Ezra) lokubuyela eYerusalem ukuba avuselele unandipho ekufundweni kwelizwi likaThixo, nokunceda abazalwana bakhe ukubuyisela isiXeko esiNgcwele.Wathi xa uEzra evakalisa ukuthembela okugqibeleleyo kuThixo kaIsrayeli njengonakho ngokukhulu ukukhusela akhathalele abantu baKhe, ukumkani wachukumiseka kakhulu. Wayeqonda kakuhle ukuba amaIsrayeli ayebuyela eYerusalem ukuze akhonze uYehova, kodwa lalilikhulu kakhulu ithemba likaKumkani ekuthembekeni kukaEzra kangangokuba wabonakalisa kuye uthando olukhulu, emenzela ngokwesicelo sakhe, emnika izipho ezityebileyo zokusebenza itempile. Wamenza ummeli okhethekileyo wobukumkani beMedo-Persi wamnika amagunya amakhulu okuzenza iinjongo ezazisentliziyweni yakhe.AN 610.1

Umthetho ka-Ahaswerosi Longimanus wokubuyiselwa kwakhiwe iYerusalem, owesithathu ukwenziwa kususela ekupheleni kwamashumi asixhenxe yokuthinjwa, ubaluleke ngokuthetha kwawo ngoThixo wasezulwini, nokuhlonipha izinto ezonwabisa uEzra, nokuba nesandla esishushu ngezipho ezanikwa abantu abangamasalela bakaThixo. UAhaswerosi uthetha ngoEzra ngokuthi ngu“mbingeleli, umbhali obhala amazwi emithetho kaYehova, nemimiselo yakhe kumaIsrayeli; umbhali ogqibeleleyo emthethweni kaThixo wamazulu.” Ukumkani wahlangana namaphakathi akhe ukunikela ngokuqhutywa yintliziyo kuThixo kaIsrayeli, okhaya liseYerusalem;” waza wathi ukongeza, wenza umsindleko wokuba bahlangabezane neengxaki ezinzima zemali ngokuthi ayalele ukuba bahlawulwe “endlwini yendyebo yokumkani.” Iindima 11, 12, 15, 20.AN 610.2

“Ngokuba wena uthunywa ngukumkani namaphakathi akhe asixhenxe,” watsho njalo uAhaswerosi kuEzra, “ukubuzisa ngamaYuda neYerusalem, ngokomthethokaThixowakho osesandleni sakho.” Wadlula ngokumyalela, esithi: “Yonke into engomthetho kaThixo wamazulu mayenzelwe indlu kaThixo wamazulu ngokuthe ngqo; kuba kungani na ukuba bufikelwe buburhalarhume ubukumani bokumkani noonyana bakhe?” Iindima 14, 23.AN 611.1

Ekuwanikeni imvume amaIsrayeli ukuba abuye, uAhaswerosi waya walungiselela ukubuyiselwa kwamalungu obubingeleli kwiinkonzo zawo namalungelo akudala. “Makwazeke kuni,” wabhengeza, “ukuba bonke ababingeleli, nabaLevi, neemvumi, nabamasango, nabakhonzi betempile, nabalungiseleli bale ndlu kaThixo, akukho bani unagunya lakubathwesa irhafu, nasithabathaba, nalunikelo.” Waya walungiselela ukuba kunyulwe abaphathi baseburhulumenteni ukuba babalawule ngobulungisa abantu ngokommiselo wemithetho yamaYuda. “Wena Ezra, ngokobulumko bukaThixo wakho obusesandleni sakho,” wayalela, “misa abagwebi, nabathethi bamatyala, ebantwini bonke abaphesheya koMlambo; ndithi, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaThixo wakho; nabangayaziyo nobazisa. Ke bonke abasukuba bengawenzi umthetho kaThixo wakhe, nomthetho wokumkani, malithethwe ityala labo ngenyameko, nokuba baya kubulawa, nokuba baya kugxothwa, nokuba baya kudliwa, nokuba baya kukhonkxwa.” Iindima 24-26.AN 611.2

Ngoko ke, “ngokwesandla esilungileyo sikaThixo wakhe, esibe phezu kwakhe,” uEzra wamoyisela ukumkani ukuba enze umphako omninzi wokuba bonke abantu bakwaIsrayeli babuye, nababingeleli kunye nabaLevi, kubukumkani beMedo-Persi, abazimiseleyo, “ngokuqhutywa yintliziyo ukuya eYerusalem.” Iindima 9, 13. Ngolo hlobo, baphinda abantwana bentsabo banikwa ithuba lokubuyela kwilizwe ekwakuhlangenenokubanaloizithembiso eziya kwindlukaIsrayeli.AN 611.3

Lo mthetho wazisa uvuyo olukhulu kwabo babezimanye noEzra ekufundeni iinjongo zikaThixo ngokubhekiselele kubantu baKhe. “Makabongwe uYehova, uThixo woobawo,“wadanduluka uEzra, “oyinikeleyo into enjalo entliziyweni yokumkani ukuba ayihombise indlu kaYehova eseYerusalem; ondithobele inceba phambi kokumkani, namaphakathi akhe, nabathetheli bonke bokumkani abangamagorha.” Iindima 27, 28.AN 612.1

Ekukhutshweni kwalo mthetho nguAhaswerosi, ukubonelela kukaThixo kwabonakaliswa. Abanye bakubona oku baza bakusebenzisa njengelungelo lokubuya phantsi kweemeko ezintle kakhulu. Yaxelwa indawo eyayiza kuba nomhlangano, kwaza kwathi ngexesha elimisiweyo, abo babelangazelela ukuya eYerusalem bahlangana ngalo uhambo olude. “Ndabahlanganisela emlanjeni ongumAhava;” utsho uEzra, “samisa khona imihla yamithathu.” Ezra 8:15.AN 612.2

UEzra wayelindele ukuba liya kubalikhulu inani elibuyela eYerusalem, kodwa inani elasabelayo kubizo labalincinane ngendlela emangalisayo. Abaninzi abafumana izindlu nemihlaba, abazange baba nolangazelelo lokuncama izinto abanazo. Bathanda inkululeko nolonwabo baza baneliseka kakhulu kukushiyeka. Umzekelo wabo waba sisiphazamiso kwabanye ababeya kuthi, xa kwakungenjalo, nabo bakhethe ukuzihlanganisa nabo babebheka phambili ngokholo.AN 612.3

Wathi uEzra alikhangela iqela elalihlangene, wamangaliswa kukungafumani noyedwa koonyana bakaLevi. Ayephi amalungu esizwe esasibekwe bucala ukuba senze umsebenzi ongcwele wetempile? Kumbuzo wokuba ngubani na ongakwicala likaYehova, abaLevi babemele ukuba ngabokuqala ukusabela. Ngexesha lasekuthinjweni, nasemva koko, babenikwe amalungelo amaninzi. Babexhamle inkululeko ezeleyo yokulungiselela ngokwasemoyeni kwiintswelo zabazalwana babo ababekwelokuthinjwa. Izindlu zesikhungu zazakhiwe, apho ababingeleli babeqhuba unqulo lukaThixo bekwafundisa abantu. Ukugcinwa kweSabatha, nokwenziwa kweenkonzo ezingcwele ezikhethekileyo kwinkolo yamaYuda, kwakuvunyelwe ngokukhululekileyo.AN 613.1

Kwathi ngokuhamba kweminyaka, emva kokuphela kokuthinjwa, iimeko zaguquka,amathubaamaninziamatsha axhomekekaphezu kweenkokeli zakwaIsrayeli. Itempile yaseYerusalem yayakhiwe, yangcwaliswa, kwaza kwafuneka ababingeleli abongeziweyo ukuba baqhube iinkonzo zayo. Kwakukho isidingo esinyanzelisayo samadoda kaThixo aza kusebenza njengabafundisi babantu. Ngaphandle koko, amaYuda awayesele eBhabheli ayesengozini yokuba inkululeko yawo yenkolo ibe phantsi kwezithintelo. Ngomprofeti uZekariya, nangamava abo amatsha exesha lamaxesha enkathazo kaEstere noMordekayi, amaYuda aseMedo-Persi ayelunyukiswe ngokuphandle ukuba abuyele ezweni lawo. Ixesha lalifikile lokuba kwakungumngcipheko kuwo ukuba agqithise ukuhlala phakathi kweempembelelo zobuhedeni. Ngenxa yezi meko ziguqukileyo, ababingeleli eBhabheli kwakufuneka bekhawulezile ukukuqaphela ukukhutshwa komthetho njengobizo olulodwa kubo ukuba babuyele eYerusalem.AN 614.1

Ukumkani nabathetheli bakhe benza ngaphezulu kwenxaxheba yabo ekuvuleni indlela yokubuya. Bakhupha inkxaso eninzi, kodwa ayephi amadoda? Oonyana bakaLevi basilela ngexesha lempembelelo yesigqibo sokuhamba nabazalwana babo abaye bakhokela abanye ukuze balandele umzekelo wabo. Ukungakhathali kwabo okungaqhelekanga kusisityhilelo esilusizi somoya wamaIsrayeli eBhabheli ngakwinjongo kaThixo ngabantu baKhe.AN 614.2

Waphinda uEzra wenza isibheno kubaLevi, ebathumela isimemo esikhawulezileyo ukuba bahlangane neqela lakhe. Ukucinezela ukubaluleka kokusebenza ngokukhawuleza, wathumela nesicengo sakhe esibhaliweyo “kumadoda amakhulu” na“kumadoda olwazi.” Ezra 7:28, 8:16, [IBHAYIBHILE].AN 614.3

Bathe abahambi besahleli noEzra, aba bathunywa bathenjiweyo bakhawuleza babuya nesicelo esicengayo, “Sizisele abalungiseleli bendlu kaThixo wethu.” Ezra 8:17. Isibheno saphulaphulwa; abanye ababeziziliza, benza isigqibo sokugqibela ukuba babuye. Bebonke, babe kwisithuba samashumi amane ababingeleli namakhulu amabini anamashumi amabini eNethinims (abasebenzi basetempileni) — amadoda uEzra awayenakho ukuxhomekeka kuwo njengabalungiseleli abanobulumko neetitshala ezilungileyo nabancedi abalungileyo — baziswa enkampini.AN 615.1

Bonke ngoku babelungele ukuhamba. Phambi kwabo yayiluhambo olwaluza kubathabatha kangangeenyanga ezisixhenxe. Amadoda ahamba kunye nabafazi nabantwana bawo, iimpahla zabo, ngaphandle kwendyebo enkulu yetempile neenkonzo zayo. UEzra wayesazi ukuba iintshaba zazibalalele endleleni, zilungele ukubaphanga zimtshabalalise yena neqela lakhe; kanti ke wayecele kukumkani ibutho elingaxhobanga ukuba libakhusele. “Ndandineentloni,” wachaza, “ukuba ndicele impi nabamahashe kukumkani, ukuba basincede ezintshabeni endleleni; ngokuba besesithe kukumkani, Isandla sikaThixowethu siphezu kwabo bonke abamfunayo, ukuba kulunge; namandla akhe nomsindowakhe uyabachasa bonke abamshiyayo.” Indima 22.AN 615.2

Kulo mcimbi, uEzra namahlakani akhe, babona ithuba lokwenza likhulu igama likaThixo phambi kwentlanga. Ukholo kumandla kaThixo ophilileyo lwaluza komelezwa ukuba amaIsrayeli ngokwawo ayengathi ngoku aveze ukholo olupheleleyo kwiNkokeli yawo yeZulu. Bagqiba, ke ngoko, ukuba ithemba labo balibeke kuYo. Babengazi kucela lukhuselo lwamajoni. Babengazi kumnika umhedeni ithuba lokuba abe negalelo ekomeleleni komntu aze afumane kuzuko olulolukaThixo kuphela. Babengazi kuvusa ezingqondweni zabahlobo babo abangabahedeni nokukodwa ukuthandabuza ngokunyaniseka kokuxhomekeka kwabo kuThixo njengabantu baKhe. Amandla ayeya kuzuzwa, kungengabutyebi, kungengamandla nempumelelo yabantu abanqula izithixo, kodwa ngokuthandwa nguThixo. Kuphela ngokugcina umthetho kaYehova phambi kwabo, nokuzama ukuwuthobela, abanokuthi bazuze ukukhuselwa.AN 615.3

Oku kwazi iimeko ababenokuthi baqhubeke nokonwabela isandla esiphumelelisayo sikaThixo, kwabanika ngaphezu kondiliseko nje oluqhelekileyo lwenkonzo yongcwaliso eyaqhutywa nguEzraneqela lakhe labantu abanyanisekileyo kanye phambi kokuba banduluke. Ndamema inzilo apho emlanjeni ongumAhava,” uEzra uvakalise amava wakhe, “ukuba sizithobe phambi koThixo wethu, sizifunele kuye indlela ethe tye, thina, nentsapho yethu, nemfuyo yethu yonke.” “Sazila ukudla ke, samkhunga ngenxa yoko uThixo wethu, wathandazeka sithi.” Iindima 21, 23.AN 616.1

Intsikelelo kaThixo, phofu, ayizange yenze ukuba kungafuneki ukusebenzisa ubulumko nokubona kwangaphambili. Njengenyathelo elilodwa ekukhuseleni indyebo, uEzra “[wahlula] kubathetheli bababingeleli abalishumi elinambini”—amadoda akunyaniseka nokuthembeka kwawo kwakuvavanyiwe—uthi “ndayilinganisela kubo isilivere, negolide, nempahla, umrhumo wendlu kaThixo wethu, abawurhumayo ukumkani, namaphakathi akhe, nabathetheli bakhe, namaIsrayeli onke awayekho apho.” La madoda ayenikwe ngokundilisekileyo igunya lokuba enze njengamagosa aphaphileyo kwindyebo ayiphathiswe ukuba ayigcine. “Ningcwele kuYehova,” watsho uEzra; “impahla zingcwele; negolide nesilivere zingumnikelo wabaqhutywa yintliziyo, kuYehova uThixowooyihlo. Phaphani, nizigcine, nide nizilinganisele phambi kwabathetheli bababingeleli, nabaLevi, nabathetheli bezindlu zooyise zamaIsrayeli, eYerusalem, emagumbini endlu kaYehova.” Iindima 24, 25, 28, 29.AN 616.2

Inkathalelo eyenziwa nguEzra kuhambo nakwinkuseleko kwendyebo kaYehova, ifundisa isifundo esifanele ukufundwa ngokucingisisa. Kuphela, ngabo bantembeko yabo yavavanywayo abanyulwayo baza bayalelwa ngokucacileyo ngoxanduva olwaluphezu kwabo. Ekukhethweni kwabaphathi abathembekileyo ukuba basebenze njengabagcini bempahla kaYehova, uEzra wakuqaphela ukufuneka nexabiso locwangco noqulunqo oluhlangene nomsebenzi kaThixo.AN 617.1

Ngeentsuku ezimbalwa amaIsrayeli ayehleli ngasemlanjeni, wagqitywa umphako wohambo olude. “Sanduluka emlanjeni,” ubhala njalo uEzra, “ngomhla weshumi elinesibini wenyanga yokuqala, ukuba size eYerusalem; isandla soThixo wethu saba phezu kwethu, sasihlangula esandleni seentshaba nesabasilaleleyo endleleni.” Indima 31. Isithuba seenyanga ezine zasetyenziswa eluhambeni, isihlwele esasihamba noEzra, iqela lamawaka xa bebonke, kuhlangene abafazi nabantwana, kwalucothisa uhambo. Sekunjalo, bonke bagcinwa bekhuselekile. Iintshaba zabo zabanjwa ukuba zingabenzakalisi. Uhambo lwaba nempumelelo, kwathi ngomhla wokuqala wenyanga yesihlanu, ngomnyaka wesixhenxe wokulawula kuka-Ahaswerosi, bafika eYerusalem.AN 617.2