53—Abakhi Phezu Kodonga

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuNehemiya 2; 3; ne-4.]

Uhambo lukaNehemiya lwagqitywa esindile. Iileta zikakumkani ezazisiya kwiirhuluneli zezabelo endleleni yakhe zamzuzela ukwamkelwa ngentlonipho nokuncedwa okukhawulezileyo. Alukho utshaba olwaba nesibindi sokumphatha kakubi njengomphathi owayekhuselwe ligunya likakumkani wasePersi waza waqatshelwa ngokukhulu ngabalawuli bamaphondo. Ukufika kwakhe eYerusalem, phofu, ekhatshwa ngumkhosi, kubonakalisa ukuba uze ngomsebenzi obalulekileyo, kwavusa umona kubantu beentlanga ababehlala kufuphi nomzi, nababesoloko besebenza ubutshaba babo ngakumaYuda ngokufumba phezu kwawo ukuhlungisa nokugxeka. Phambili kobu bubi kwakukho abathetheli abathile bezi ntlanga, uSanebhalati umHoron, uTobhiya umAmon, noGeshem umArabhi. Kususela kwasekuqaleni, ezi nkokeli zazijonga ngeliso eligwebayo iihambo zikaNehemiya zaza zazama ngazo zonke iindlela ezinazo ukuwaphanzisa amacebo akhe ziwuthintele umsebenzi wakhe.AN 635.1

UNehemiya waqhubeka ukusebenzisa ukuqaphela nobulumko obunye, obathi, ukuza kufika ngoku, baluphawu lwendlela yakhe. Esazi ukuba iintshaba ezimbi nezizimiseleyo zema zilungile ukuba zimchase, wayifihla kuzo imo yomsebenzi wakhe awuhambeleyo kwada ukuyifunda kwakhe imeko kwamenza wakwazi ukumisa amacebo akhe. Ngaloo ndlela wayethembe ukufumana intsebenziswano nabantu waza wababeka emsebenzini phambi kokuba inkcaso yeentshaba zakhe ibe nokuvuswa.AN 636.1

Akuba enyule amadoda ambalwa, awayesazi ukuba akufanele ukuthenjwa, uNehemiya wawaxelela ngeemeko ezakhokelela ukuba eze eYerusalem, injongo awayenqwenela ukuyifeza, namacebo awayejonge ukuwalandela. Umdla wawo kwiphulolakhe wafumaneka kwangoko, lwaza lwazuzeka uncedo lwawo.AN 636.2

Ngobusuku besithathu emva kokuba efikile, uNehemiya wavuka ezinzulwini zobusuku enamahlakani ambalwa awathembileyo, waphuma ukuba azibonele ngokwakhe ukuphanza kweYerusalem. Eqabele iesile, wahamba esuka kwenye indawo yomzi esiya kwenye, ehlola iindonga eziwe phantsi namasango omzi wooyise. Iinkumbulo ezibuhlungu zayizalisa ingqondoyomthandi wohlanga lwamaYuda ngexesha, ngentliziyo ehlatyekiswe lusizi, wayeqwalasele kwiindonga zokhuselo lweYerusalem yakhe ayithandayo. Iinkumbulo zobukhulu bukaIsrayeli obadlulayo, zema nkqampu zichasene kakhulunoko akubonayo kokuhlaziswa kwakhe [uIsrayeli].AN 636.3

Emfihlakalweni nangokuzolileyo, uNehemiya wakugqiba ukujikeleza kwakhe iindonga. “Ke kaloku abaphathi babengazi apho ndandiye khona,” utsho, “nento endandiye kuyenza; bendingekawaxeleli amaYuda, nababingeleli, nabanumzana, nabaphathi, nabanye abenza umsebenzi.” Ixesha eliseleyo lobusuku walichitha ethandaza; kuba wayesazi ukuba intsasa yayiza kufuna ilinge elinyanisekileyo lokuvusa nokuhlanganisa abantu bakubo abatyhafileyo nabahlukeneyo.AN 636.4

UNehemiya wayenomyalelo ofuna ukuba abahlali basebenzisane naye ekwakheni ngokutsha iindonga zomzi, kodwa wayengaxhomekekanga ekusebenziseni igunya. Waya wazama, endaweni yoko, ukuba azuze ukuthenjwa novelwano lwabantu, esazi ukuba iintliziyo ezibambeneyo kunye nezandla ziyafuneka emsebenzini omkhulu ophambi kwakhe. Wathi ngentsasa elandelayo akuba ebize abantu ukuba bahlangane, wanika iintetho ezazilungiselwe ukuba zivuselele amandla akade elele, wawahlanganisa amanani athe saa.AN 637.1

Ababemmamele uNehemiya, abazange bazi, waye naye engabaxelelanga, ngokujikeleza kwakhe ezinzulwini zobusuku bangaphambili. Ukwenza kwakhe oku kujikeleza kwaba negalelo elikhulu kwimpumelelo yakhe; kuba wakwazi ukuthetha ngemeko yomzi ngokuchanekileyo nangobucukubhede okwamangalisa abaphulaphuli bakhe. Umbono owazobeka kuye xa wayejonge ubuthakathaka nokuhla komgangatho weYerusalem wanika ukunyaniseka namandla emazwini akhe.AN 637.2

UNehemiya wayibeka phambi kwabantu ingcikivo yabo phakathi kweentlanga—inkolo yabo ihlaziswa, uThixo wabo enyeliswa. Wabaxelela ukuba, uthe ekwilizwe elikude weva ngembandezelo yabo, nokuba wacela imfesane yeZulu ngenxa yabo, nokuba, njengoko wayethandaza, wayezimisele ukucela imvume kukumkani ukuba aze kubanceda. Wayemcelile uThixo ukuba ukumkani anganelikunikale mvume nje kuphela,kodwaabeke phezu kwakhe igunya amnike oludingekayo lomsebenzi; waza umthandazo wakhe waphendulwa uncedo ngendlela eyabonisa ukuba icebo lalilelikaYehova.AN 637.3

Konke oku wakuchaza, waza wathi, akuba ebonise ukuba wayexhaswa ngamagunya ahlangeneyo kaThixo kaIsrayeli nokumkani wasePersi, uNehemiya wababuza abantu ngokuthe ngqo, ukuba bangalisebenzisa na eli thuba basuke balwakhe udonga.AN 638.1

Isibheno saya ngqo ezintliziyweni zabo. Ingcamango yendlela imfesane yezulu ebonakalaliswe ngayo ngakubo yaluhlazisa uloyiko lwabo, bathi ngesibindi esitsha, bathetha ngelizwi elinye, bathi, “Masisuke sakhe. Bazomeleza izandla zabo ukuwenza lo msebenzi ulungileyo.”AN 638.2

Umphefumlo kaNehemiya wonke wawukumsebenzi awayewuqalile. Ithemba lakhe, amandla wakhe, ulangazelelo lwakhe, ukuzimisela kwakhe, konke kwakusulela, kukhuthaza abanye ngesibindi esifanayo esiphezulu nenjongo efanayo ephakamileyo. Indoda nganye yaba nguNehemiya kwindawo yayo, yanceda ukomeleza intliziyo nezandla zommelwane wayo.AN 638.3

Zathi iintshaba zikaIsrayeli zakuva oko amaYuda ayethembe ukukufezekisa, zawahleka ziwagculela, zisithi, “Yintoni na le nto niyenzayo? Niya kugwilika na kukumkani?” Waphendula uNehemiya, “UThixo wamazulu nguye oya kusiphumelelisa; thina bakhonzi bakhe siya kusuka sakhe; ke nina aninasabelo nalungelo nasikhumbuzo eYerusalem.”AN 638.4

Phakathi kwabokuqala ukuwubamba umoya kaNehemiya wenzondelelo nokunyaniseka, yayingababingeleli. Ngenxa yesikhundla sabo esinempembelelo, la madoda ayenokwenza okuninzi ukuhambisela phambili okanye ukuthintela umsebenzi; kwaza kwathiukulungela kwawo ukusebenzisana, zisukanje, kwanegalelo elingelincinane kwimpumelelo yawo. Abaninzi kwizikhulu nakubalawuli bakwaIsrayeli beza ngembeko emsebenzini wabo, kwaye la madoda athembekileyo kuthethwe ngawo ngembeko encwadini kaThixo. Zabakho ezimbalwa kwizikhulu zaseTekowa, [ekwafumaniseka ukuba] “azizingenisanga zona iintamo zazo enkonzweni yenkosi yazo.” Inkumbulo yaba bakhonzi bangamavila iye yaphawulwa njengehlazo njengoko inikezwa njengesilumkiso kwizizukulwana zexesha elizayo.AN 638.5

Kuyo yonke intshukumo yenkolo, bakho abo bathi, nangona bengakwazi ukuwukhanyela umsebenzi kaThixo, kodwa bamele kude, besala ukwenza naliphi ilinge lokunceda. Bekungaba kuhle ukuba abo banjalo bangakhumbula ingxelo egcinwe phezulu—kuba kukho incwadi ekungekho nto iphosakalayo kuyo, engenazimpazamo, abaya kugwetywa ngokubhalwe kuyo. Apho, lonke ithuba lokusebenzela uThixo eliye latyeshelwa, libhaliwe; kwaye apho, naso sonke isenzo sokholo nothando siphethwe ngenkumbulo engunaphakade.AN 639.1

Ekuchaseni impembelelo ekhuthazayo yobukho bukaNehemiya, umzekelo wezikhulu zamaTekowa waba nempembelelo encinane. Abantu abaninzi bavuselelwa kukuthanda ubuzwe babo nolangazelelo lwabo. Abantu abanesakhono nempembelelo balungisa iindidi ezahlukeneyo zabemi ukuba zibe ngamaqela, inkokeli nganye izinika umthwalo ekwakhiweni indawo ethile yodonga. Ngabanye babo kubhaliwe ukuba bakha, “elowo ephambi kwendlu yakhe.”AN 639.2

Namandla kaNehemiya awazange athothe, njengokuba wawuqalile nje umsebenzi. Ngokuphapha okungenakudinwa, wakongamela ukwakha, ebakhokela abasebenzi, ephawula iziphazamiso, enika uncedo olukhawulezileyo xa lufuneka. Kubo bonke ubude bezo mayile zintathu zodonga, impembelelo yakhe yayisoloko ivakala. Ngamazwi afanelekileyo, wayebakhuthaza aboyikayo, abavuse abadangeleyo, Abancome abakhutheleyo. Wayesoloko eziqaphele iintshukumo zentshaba zabo, ezaziqokelelana phaya kude amaxesha ngamaxesha zixoxa, ngokungathi ziceba inkathazo, zize, zisondele kubasebenzi, zizame ukutsalela ecaleni ingqondo yabo.AN 640.1

Kwizinto zakhe ezininzi awayezenza, uNehemiya akazange alilibale ithende lamandla akhe. Intliziyo yakhe yayisoloko iphakanyiselwe kuThixo, uMongameli omkhulu wako konke. “UThixo wamazulu,” wadanduluka, “nguye oya kusiphumelelisa;” amazwi, awayenkenteza njalo, azivuselela iintliziyo zabo bonke abasebenzi eludongeni.AN 640.2

Kona ukubuyiselwa kwezikhuselo zeYerusalem akuzange kuqhubeke ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa. USathana wayesebenza ukuxhokonxa inkcaso azise ukutyhafa. USanbhalati, noTobhiya, noGeshem, abathunywa bakhe abaziintloko, ngoku bazimisa ukuba baphazamise umsebenzi wokwakha ngokutsha. Bazama ukwenza ukuba kubekho uqhekeko phakathi kwabasebenzi. Bahlekisa ngamalinge abakhi, besithi liphulo elingenakuzelenzeke babe bethetha ngokuphanza kwalo.AN 641.1

“Enza ntoni na la maYuda antswenyileyo? wadanduluka ehlekisa uSanbhalati; “ozinqabisa na? . . . owavusa na amatye kwezi mfumba zothuli, etshile nje?” UTobhiya, ekwadelela ngaphezulu, wongeza, “Nale nto ayakhayo, kungathi kunyuke impungutye le, iluqhekeze udonga lwawo lwamatye.”AN 641.2

Abakhi bakhawuleza baphazanyiswa yinkcaso ezingisileyo. Banyanzeleka ukuba bahlale bekulinde bangayeki ukuceba kweentshaba zabo, ezathi, nangona zizibiza ngobuhlobo, zaye zizama ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo ukubanga isiphithiphithi nokudideka, nokwenza ukuba kuvuke ukungathembi. Zazama ukutshabalalisa isibindi samaYuda; zenza amayelenqe okutsalela uNehemiya ekusebenzeni kwazo; aza amaYuda antliziyo zinobuxoki afumaneka ekulungele ukuncedisana nephulo lokungcatsha. Ingxelo yasasazwa isithi, uNehemiya uceba [iyelenqe] ngakukumkani wamaPersi, efuna ukuziphakamisa njengokumkani phezu koIsrayeli, nokuba bonke ababencedisana naye babengabangcatshi.AN 642.1

Noko kunjalo, uNehemiya waqhubeka nokulindela kuThixo inkokelo nenkxaso, “abantu banentliziyo yokusebenza.” Umsebenzi wabheka phambili zada zavalwa izithuba lwaba udonga lonke lwakhiwe ukuya kufika kwisiqingatha sokuphakama okulindelekileyo.AN 642.2

Zathi iintshaba zikaIsrayeli zakubona ukuba imizamo yazo ayisebenzi, zazaliswa yingqumbo. Ukuza kuthi ga kwesi sithuba, zazingekazisebenzisi izigalo, kuba zazisazi ukuba uNehemiya namahlakani akhe babesebenza phantsi komyalelo kakumkani, zaye ziyoyika inkcaso ephathekayo ngakuye hleze izizisele ukunganeliseki kukakumkani. Zathi ngoku, emsindweni wazo, zanobutyala bokwaphula umthetho ezazityhola uNehemiya ngako. Zakuba zihlanganisene ukuba zicebisane, “bacebisana kunye bonke bephela, ukuba beze kulwa eYerusalem.”AN 642.3

Ngexesha Kanye lokuba amaSamariya eceba ukubaamchase uNehemiya nomsebenzi wakhe, amanye amadoda aphambili phakathi kwamaYuda,ekhulelwa kukunganeliseki, azama ukumtyhafisa ngokubaxa iinzima ezijongene nomsebenzi. “Amandla abathwali bemithwalo ayetha,” atsho, “inkunkuma ininzi; thina asinakulwakha udonga.”AN 643.1

Isityhafiso seza siphuma nakwelinye icala. “AmaYuda abehleli emacaleni abo,” lawo ayengathabathi nxaxheba emsebenzini, ahlanganisa iintetho neengxelo zeentshaba zabo azisebenzisa ukwethisa isibindi nokudala inkcaso.AN 643.2

Ukoyikisa nokuhlekisa, inkcaso nezoyikiso, zaba ngathi ziya mkhuthaza uNehemiya ngokuzimisela okuqinileyo nokumenza ukuba aphaphame kakhulu. Waziqonda iingozi ekufuneka kuhlangenwe nazo ekulweni neentshaba zabo, kodwa isibindi sakhe sasingoyikiswa nto. “Sathandaza kuThixo wethu,“utsho, “samisa abokulinda imini nobusuku.” Ndesuka, ndamisa ezindaweni ezisezantsi emva kodonga, ezindaweni ezibalelelwa lilanga, ndamisa abantu ngokwezizalwane, benamakrele abo, nezikhali zabo, nezaphetha zabo. Ndakhangela, ndasuka ndathi kubanumzana, nakubaphathi, nakwabanye abantu, Musani ukuboyika; khumbulani iNkosi enkulu eyoyikekayo, nilwele abazalwana benu, noonyana benu, neentombi zenu, nabafazi benu, nezindlu zenu.AN 643.3

“Kwathi, zakuva iintshaba zethu ukuba siyazi thina, nokuba uThixo ulitshitshisile iqhinga lazo, sabuyela sonke siphela eludongeni, elowo emsebenzini wakhe. Kwathi, ukususela kuloo mini, esinye isiqingatha samadodanaakwam sasebenza emsebenzini, esinye isiqingatha saphatha izikhali, neengweletshetshe, izaphetha, neengubo zentsimbi. . . . Ke aba babesakha eludongeni, nabathwala imithwalo, babethwala ngesinye isandla esibe sisebenza emsebenzini, baphathe izikhali ngesinye; nabakhi babesakha.”AN 643.4

Ecaleni kukaNehemiya kwakumi okhalisa ixilongo, kwathi kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo zodonga, kwamiswa ababingeleli abaphethe amaxilongo angcwele. Abantu basasazwa emisebenzini yabo, kodwa kwakusithi kwakuvela utshaba nakweyiphi indawo, unikwe umqondiso ukuze basondele kuyo ngaphandle kokulibazisa. “Sasisebenza emsebenzini,” utsho uNehemiya, “isiqingatha sawo siphethe izikhalil, siqalela ekuphumeni kwesifingo, sizise ekuveleni kweenkwenkwezi.”AN 644.1

Abo babehlala ezidolophini nasezilalini ngaphandle kweYerusalem kwafuneka ngoku ukuba bahlale ngaphakathi kweendonga, ukuze baluse umsebenzi nokuba balungele umsebenzi wentsasa. Oku kwakuza kuthintela ukulibazisa okungadingekiyo, kuze kuguzule amathuba anokuthi asetyenziswe lutshaba ngenye indlela, ekuhlaseleni abasebenzi xa besiya naxa bebuya emakhayeni abo. UNehemiya namahlakani akhe abazange barhoxa ebunzimeni okanye kwinkonzo elingayo. Akuzange kubekho mini nabusuku, okanye ixesha nokuba lincinane kangakanani, ekwalalwa ngalo, kungazange kwakhululwa nempahla zabo okanye kubekwe bucala izikrweqe zabo.AN 644.2

Inkcaso nokutyhafiswa abahlangana nako abakhi bemini kaNehemiya kwiintshaba ezazibonwa nezazingabahlobo bokuzenzisa, ngumzekelo ofana twatse nalowo namhla baya kuhlangana nawo abo basebenzela uThixo. AmaKristu ayavavanywa, hayi kuphela ngumsindo, ukudelelwa, nenkohlakalo yeentshaba, kodwa nakukunqena, ukungami ntweni, ubudikidiki,nokukhohlisakwabo bathibangabahlobo nabancedi.Bagityiselwangokugculelwa nokungcikivwa. Luthi, olu tshaba lunye lukhokelela ekudelelweni, ngethuba elifanelekileyo lusebenzise amanyathelo akhohlakele kakhulu nandlongondlongo.AN 644.3

USathana usebenzisa yonke into enganikelwanga [kuThixo] ekufezekiseni iinjongo zakhe. Phakathi kwabo bathi bangabaxhasi bomsebenzi kaThixo, bakho abo bazimanya neentshaba zaKhe baze bathi ngokwenza njalo bawubeke umsebenzi waKhe esichengeni sokuhlaselwa zezona ntshaba zaKhe zinobukrakra. Kanti ke, nabanye abalangazelela ukuba umsebenzi kaThixo uphumelele, baya kuthi bazethise amandla izandla zabakhonzi baKhe ngokuphulaphula, ukunikwa iingxelo, ukukekelela ekukholelweni izityhilo, ukuzigwagwisa, nezisongelo zabachasi baKhe. USathana usebenza ngempumelelo emangalisayo ngabathunywa bakhe, kwaye bonke abaziyekela kwimpembelelo yabo baphantsi kwamandla athabathekisayo, atshabalalisa ubulumko kwabazizilumko nokuqonda koosiyazi. Sekunjalo, njengoNehemiya, abantu bakaThixo akufuneki bazoyike kwaye bangazideleli iintshaba zabo. Bebeke inkoloseko yabo kuThixo, kufuneka babheke phambili ngokucothozayo, besenza umsebenzi waKhe ngokungenamona, bewunikela ekuboneleleni kwaKhe umsebenzi abawumeleyo.AN 645.1

Phakathi kokutyhafisa okukhulu, uNehemiya wamenza uThixo ithemba lakhe, ukhuselo lwakhe oluqinisekileyo. Lowo ke wayengumxhasi womkhonzi waKhe ngoko, baxhomekeka kuYe abantu baKhe kuzo zonke izizukulwana. Kuyo nayiphi intlekele, abantu baKhe, ngesibindi, bangathi, “Ukuba uThixo ungakuthi, ngubani na ongasichasayo?” Roma 8:31. Nokuba seyibekwe ngobuchule obungakanani imigibe kaSathana nezithunywa zakhe, uThixo unako ukuyibona, awenze angabi nto onke amacebiso akhe. Impendulo yokholo namhla iya kubayimpendulo eyenziwa nguNehemiya, “UThixo wethu uya kusilwela,” kuba uThixo ukhona emsebenzini, kwaye akukhomntu unokusithintela isiphelo sawo esiyimpumelelo.AN 645.2