57—Uhlaziyo

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuNehemiya 13.]

Ngesidima nasekuhleni, abantu bakwaYuda babhambathisa ukuba baya kuwuthobela umthetho kaThixo. Kwathi kodwa yakurhoxiswa okwexesha elithile impembelelo kaEzra nekaNehemiya, baba baninzi abemkayo kuYehova. UNehemiya wayebuyele ePersi. Ngexesha lokungabikho kwakhe eYerusalem, kwangena ngokurhubuluza ububi obabubonakala buza kusigqwetha isizwe. Ngokwendiselana, kwaziswa ubuhlobo phakathi kukaEliyashibhi umbingeleli omkhulu noTobhiya, umAram, utshaba olukhulu lukaIsrayeli. Isiphumo solu manyano lungengcwele, uEliyashibhi wamvumela uTobhiya ukuba ahlale kwigumbi elalayame etempileni, elalisoloko lisetyenziswa njengovimba wezishumi neminikelo yabantu.AN 669.1

Ngenxa yenkohlakalo kwakunye nobuqhophololobama-Amon namaMowabhi ngakuIsrayeli, uThixo wayeyalele ngoMosesukuba bangaze nanini bahlanganiswe nabantu baKhe. Khangela kuDuteronomi 23:3-6. Ngokudelela eli lizwi, umbingeleli omkhulu wayilahlela ngaphandle iminikelo eyayigcinwe egumbini lendlu kaThixo, esenza ukuba kubekho indawo yalo mmeli wohlanga olwenziwe amaxhama. Akukho ukumdelela uThixo okukhulu okwakunokudlula oko kokunika imbeko engako kolu tshaba lukaThixo nenyaniso yaKhe.AN 670.1

Akuba ebuyile ePersi, uNehemiya weva ngokuhlanjelwa ngesibindi waza wathabatha amanyathelo akhawulezileyo ukumgxotha lowo wangena ngenkani. “Kwaba kubi kum kakhulu,” utsho, “ndazilahlela phandle zonke iimpahla zendlu kaTobhiya ngaphandle kwegumbi. Ndatsho, bawahlambulula amagumbi; ndazibuyisela khona iimpahla zendlu kaThixo, umnikelo wokudla, nentlaka emhlophe.”AN 670.2

Kwakungaphelelanga nje ekuhlanjelweni kwetempile, kodwa neminikelo yasetyenziswa gwenxa. Le nto yaba nokuzityhafisa izenzo zesisa zabantu. Balahlekelwa lulangazelelo nomdla, bathingaza nokuhlawula izishumi zabo. Oovimba bendlu kaThixo bazuza okuncinane; iimvumi ezininzi kunye nabanye ababesenza imisebenzi yetempile, ngokungafumani nkxaso yaneleyo, bawushiya umsebenzi kaThixo baya kusebenza kwiindawo zimbi.AN 670.3

UNehemiya wazimisela ukuba asebenze ukukulungisa oku kwenza ngenkohlakalo. Wahlanganisela ndawonye abo bebewushiyile umsebenzi wendlu kaYehova, “ndabamisa esikhundleni sabo.” Oku kwabakhuthaza abantu ukuba baqine, waza wonke uYuda wazibuyisa “izishumi zengqolowa, nezewayini entsha, nezeoli.” Abantu “[e]bekusithiwa banyanisekile” “bamiswa phezu koovimba,” “bamiselwa ukwabela abazalwana babo.”AN 670.4

Esinye isiphumo sokudlelana nabanquli bezithixo saba kukungahloniphi iSabatha, umqondiso owahlula amaIsrayeli kwezinye izizwe njengabanquli bakaThixo oyinyaniso. UNehemiya wafumanisa ukuba oosomashishini nabathengisi abaphuma kwilizwe elijikelezileyo, ababesiza eYerusalem, banyanzela abaninzi kumaIsrayeli ukuba baxakeke kukuhla benyuka ngeSabatha. Babakho abo bangazange babe nokoyiselwa ukuba babingelele ngomthetho-siseko, kodwa abanye bawugqitha umthetho bazimanya neentlanga kwimizamo yabo yokoyisa ubuceducedu babo babenenkathalo enkulu. “Ngaloo mihla,” ubhala athi uNehemiya, “ndabona kwaYuda abaxovula ezixovulelweni zewayini ngesabatha, nabathutha amasinde, abathwalisa amaesile; kwanewayini, neediliya, namakhiwane, nemithwalo yonke, beyizisa eYerusalem ngemini yesabatha. . . . Kwakuhlelikhona nabaseTire, bezise iintlanzi neento zonke zentengiso; bethengisa ngesabatha koonyana bakaYuda.”AN 671.1

Le meko yokuma kwezinto ngeyayithintelwe ukuba abalawuli babesebenzise igunya labo; kodwa umnqweno wokuhambisela phambili okuthandwa ngabo, wabakhokelela ukuba babathande abangamoyikiyo uThixo. UNehemiya wabangxolisa engoyiki ngenxa yokutyeshela kwabo uxanduva lwabo. “Yintoni le nto imbi kangaka niyenzayo niwuhlambelayo umhla wesabatha?” wafuna ukuqonda ngamandla. “Babengenjenjalo na ooyihlo, waza uThixo wethu wasifikisela thina nalo mzi bonke obo bubi? Ke ninanongeza ukuvutha komsindo kuIsrayeli, niyihlambela nje isabatha.” Waza wabanika umyalelo othi, “kwakuba lungcwalaziphakathi kwamasango aseYerusalem phambi kwesabatha,” amele ukuba avalwe,angavulwaideigqithe iSabatha;wazawathi ngokuthemba kakhulu abakhe abakhonzi kunabo abaphathi beYerusalem babeya kubakhetha, wabamisa emasangweni ukuba baqaphele ukuba imiyalelo iyanyanzeliswa.AN 671.2

Bengathambekelanga ekuyiyekeni injongo yabo, “abarhwebi, nababethengisa ngeento zonke zentengiso, babelala ngaphandle kweYerusalem kanye nokuba kukabini,” bethembe ukufumana ithuba lokungena bephuma, bekunye nabemi okanye nabantu belizwe. UNehemiya wabalumkisa ngelithi, baya kohlwaywa ukubabayaqhubeka nesi senzo. “Yini na ukuba nilale phambi kodonga?” wafuna ukuqonda;“ukubanithe naphinda, ndonisa isandla.” “Kususela kwelo xesha ababanga seza ngesabatha.” Waya wayalela abaLevi ukuba bawajonge amasango, esazi ukuba baya kuhlonitshwa kakhulu kunabanye abantu, nanjengoko ngokuhlangana kwabo okukhulu nenkonzo kaThixo, kwakufanelekile ukulindela ukuba babe nomdla omkhulu ekunyanzeliseni ukuthotyelwa komthetho waKhe.AN 672.1

Wabuya uNehemiya, amehlo akhe wawakhangelisa kwingozi eyaphinda yafuna ukufikela uIsrayeli ngokwendiselana nokumanyana nabanquli bezithixo. “Ngaloo mihla,” uyabhala, “ndawabona amaYuda abezeke abafazi abangama-Ashdodekazi, nama-Amonikazi, namaMowabhikazi, oonyana babo inxenye bethetha ngesiAshdode, bengenakuqonda ukuthetha ngesiYuda, bethetha ngokwentetho yezizwe ngezizwe.”AN 673.1

Olu lwalamano lungekho mthethweni lwenza isiphithiphithi esikhulu kwaIsrayeli; kuba abanye abangena kulo yayingamadoda akwisikhundla esiphezulu, abalawulli ababe nelungelo lokukhangela kubo abantu ukuba bafumane icebiso nomzekelo ofanelekileyo. Ebona kwangaphambili intshabalalo eyayiphambi kwesizwe ukuba obu bubi buthe bavunyelwa ukuba buqhube, uNehemiya wathetha ngenzondelelo nabenzi bokungendawo. Ebakhombisa kumba kaSolomon, wabakhumbuza ukuba akuzange kwabakho ukumkani ofana nale ndoda, uThixo awayinika ubulumko obukhulu; kodwa abafazi abanqula izithixo bayisusa intliziyo yayo kuThixo, waza umzekelo wayo wamonakalisa uIsrayeli. “Makuvakale ngani na,” wafuna ukuqonda ngamandla uNehemiya, “ukuba nenze bonke obu bubi bukhulu?” “Inene, iintombi zenu aniyi kuzendisela koonyana babo, neentombi zabo aniyi kuzizekela oonyana benu, aniyi kuzizeka nani ngokwenu.”AN 673.2

Wathi xa ebekaphambi kwaboimiyalelokaThixonezoyikiso zaKhe, kunye nezigwebo ezoyikekayo ezeza kuIsrayeli kwixesha eladlulayo, izazela zabo zavuswa, waza umsebenzi wohlaziyo waqala nowaya wawubhekisela kude umsindo kaThixo owawulindelekile koko wazisa ukwamkeleka nentsikelelo.AN 674.1

Babekho abanye emsebenzini ongcwele abacengela abafazi babo abangabahedeni besithi abakwazi ukuzibona besahlukana nabo. Akuzange ke kwenziwe lucalulo; akuzange kukhethwe ngokwenqanaba okanye isikhundla. Nawuphi phakathi kwababingeleli okanye abaphathi owalayo ukuqhawula uqhagamshelano nabanquli bezithixo, wahlulwa kwangoko nomsebenzi kaYehova. Umzukulwana wombingeleli omkhulu, owayezeke intombi kaSanbhalati owayehlupha, akuzange kwanele ngokumsusa emsebenzini, kodwa wagxothwa kwangoko kwaIsrayeli. “Bakhumbule, Thixo wam,” wathandaza uNehemiya, “ngenxa yokuhlambela kwabo ububingeleli, nomnqopiso wobubingeleli, nowobuLevi.”AN 674.2

Ubungakanani bentlungu yomphefumlo obabudingwa bobu bungqwabalala obafika kumsebenzi othembekileyo kaThixo, ngumgwebo kuphela oya kubutyhila. Kwabakho ukulwa okuzingileyo kwiziqalelo eziphikisanayo, kwaye kungokuzila kuphela, ukuzithoba, nomthandazo ekwakunokubakho ukubheka phambili.AN 674.3

Abaninzi ababezeke abakhozi bezithixo bakhetha ukuhamba nabo ukuya ekuthinjweni, baza aba, bekunye nabo babegxothiwe ebandleni, bazimanya namaSamariya. Ukuza kufika apha, abanye ababe kwizikhundla eziphezulu emsebenzini kaThixo, kwenzeka ngokokufuna kwabo, kwathi emva kwexesha bazikhethela ukuba babe nabo ngokupheleleyo. Ngokufuna ukomeleza olu lwalamano, amaSamariya athembisa ukwamkela ngokupheleleyo inkolo namasiko obuYuda, baza abakreqi, bezimisele ukwenza ngaphezu kwabazalwanababobangaphambili,bakhaitempileeNtabeni eGerizim ngenjongoyokuchasaindlu kaYehova eseYerusalem. InkoloyaboyaqhubekaiyingxubevangeyobuYudanobuhedeni, lathi nebango labo lokuba bangabantu bakaThixo layintsusa yethanda, ukulinganisa, nobutshaba phakathi kwezizwe ezibini, ukusuka kwisizukulwana kuse kwesinye isizukulwana.AN 674.4

Emsebenzini wohlaziyo ekufuneka uqhutyiwe namhlanje, sikho isidingo samadoda aza kuthi, njengoEzra noNehemiya angasiyayazi okanye asiyekelele isono, nangayi koyika ukumela ukuhlonelwa kukaThixo. Abo kukho phezu kwabo umthwalo walo msebenzi abayi kuthula xa kusenziwa okungalungileyo, bengayi kubugquma ububi ngengubo yothando olungelulo. Baya kukhumbula ukuba uThixo akamkhethi wabuso bamntu, nokuba ukuba ngqwabalala kwabambalwa kunokuba yinceba kwabaninzi. Baya kukhumbula kanjalo ukuba, kulowo uchitha ububi, umoya kaKristu kufuneka uhlale ubonakala.AN 675.1

Emsebenzini wabo, uEzra noNehemiya, bazithoba phambi kukaThixo, bevuma izono zabo kunye nezono zabantu babo, becela ukuxolelwa ngokungathi ngabo ngokwabo abangaboni. Ngomonde, basebenza nzima, bathandaza, baphatheka kakubi. Eyona nto yawenza nzima kakhulu umsebenzi wabo, yayingebubo ubundlobongela obuphandle babahedeni, kodwa iyinkcaso efihlakeleyo yababezenza abahlobo, abathi, ngokunika impembelelo yabo kwinkozno yobubi, bawandisa ngokuphindwe kalishumi umthwalo wabakhonzi bakaThixo. Aba bangcatshi, bazinika iintshaba zikaYehova izixhobo zokusetyenziswa ekulweni nabantu baKhe. Iinkanuko zabo ezikhohlakeleyo nentando yabo enovukelo, zazisoloko zisemfazweni nokucacileyo okufunwa nguThixo.AN 675.2

Impumelelo eyabakho kumalinge kaNehemiya ibonisa oko umthandazo, ukholo, nobulumko, nokusebenza ngenkuthalo kunokukufeza. UNehemiya wayengenguye umbingeleli; wayengenguye umprofeti; akazange azame ukuzibeka esikhundleni esiphezulu.Wayengumhlaziyi owavuselwaixesha elibalulekileyo. Yaye iyinjongo yakhe ukulungisa abantu bakhe phambi kukaThixo. Njengoko wayephefumlelwe ngenjongo enkulu, wawanikela onke amandla akhe ekuyifezekiseni. Isidima esiphakamileyo nesingagungqiyo saba luphawu lwamalinge akhe. Wathi akuhlangana nobubi kunye nokuchaswa kokulungileyo wema waqina ekubeni abantu bakhuthazelwe ukusebenza nzima ngolangazelelo nesibindi. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba bakuvume ukunyaniseka kwakhe, ukuthanda izwe, nokumthanda ngokunzulu uThixo; kwathi, ngokubona oku, bakukhuthalela ukumlandela apho wayekhokelela khona.AN 675.3

Ukukhuthala emsebenzini onyulwe nguThixo kuyinxalenye yenkolo yenene. Abantu kufuneka bazamkele iimeko njengezixhobo zikaThixo zokusebenza ngazo intando yaKhe. Ukwenza ngokukhawuleza nangokuqinisekileyo ngexesha elilungileyo kuzuzisa uloyiso oluqaqambileyo, lo gama ukulibazisa nokutyeshela kuba nesiphumo sokuwa phantsi nokungamzukisi uThixo. Ukuba iinkokeli emsebenzini wenyaniso azibonisi lulangazelelo, ukuba azikhathali kwaye zingenanjongo, ibandla liya kuba nokungakhathali, linqene, lithande iziyolo; kodwa ukuba zizaliswe yinjongo engcwele yokusebenzela uThixo, Yena yedwa, abantu baya kumanyana, babe nokuthemba, babe nokukukhuthalela [ukusebenza].AN 676.1

Ilizwi likaThixo lizele ziimpikiswano ezibonakalayo nezicacileyo. Isono nobungcwele zayamene, kangangokuba xa sikhangele, singayiphepha enye samkele enye. Amaphepha achaza intiyo, ubuxoki, nokunyhwalaza kukaSanbhalati noTobhiya, akwachaza ubunene, ukuzinikela, nokuzincama kukaEzra noNehemiya. Sisala sikhululekile ukuba sizifanise nabo nabaphi kubo, ngokokuzikhethela kwethu. Iziphumo ezoyikekayo zokugqitha imiyalelo kaThixo zibekwe zangaphezulu kweentsikelelo eziphuma ekuthobeleni. Thina ngokwethu kufuneka sikhethe ukuba, siya kubulaleka yenye okanye siya kuxhamla ubumnandi benye.AN 676.2

Umsebenzi wokubuyiselwa nokuhlaziywa owenziwa ngababeziimbacu ezabuyayo, phantsi kwenkokelo kaZerubhabheli, uEzra, noNehemiya, unika umfanekiso womsebenzi wokubuyiselwa kwasemoyeni oza kwenziwa ekupheleni kwemihla yembali yeli hlabathi. Amasalela kaIsrayeli ayengabantu abangenamandla, bezizisulu zokuqwengwa ziintshaba zabo; kodwa ngabo, uThixo waba nenjongo yokugcina ukwaziwa kwaKhe kunye nomthetho waKhe emhlabeni. Babeza kuba ngabagcini bonqulo lwenene, abagcini beentsonkotha ezingcwele. Ayemaninzi ahlukene amava abawafumana ngexesha babesakha ngokutsha itempile kunye nodonga lweYerusalem; yaye inamandla inkcaso ekwafuneka behlangabezene nayo. Yayinzima imithwalo eyayithwelwe ziinkokheli kulo msebenzi; kodwa la madoda abheka phambili enesibindi esingagungqiyo, ngomoya othobekileyo, nangokuthembela kuThixo okuqinileyo, ekholelwa ukuba [uThixo] uya kuyenza ukuba yoyise inyaniso yaKhe. NjengoKumkani Hezekiya, uNehemiya “wanamathela kuYehova; akatyeka ekumlandeleni; wayigcina imithetho [yaKhe]. . . . uYehova waba baye.” 2 Kumkani 18:6, 7.AN 677.1

Ukubuyiselwa kwasemoyeni, okwenziwa umfuziselo wako ngumsebenzi owaqhutyelwa phambili nguNehemiya, kwandlalwe kumazwi kaIsaya: “Baya kwakha amanxuwa angunaphakade, bavuse iindawo ezichithakeleyo zangaphambili, bahlaziye imizi engamanxuwa.” “Baya kwakha amanxuwa angunaphakade abakowenu, bavuse iziseko zezizukulwana ngezizukulwana; bathi ukukubiza nguMvingci-wamathuba, nguMbuyisi-womendo-wokuhlala.” Isaya 61:4; 58:12.AN 677.2

Umprofeti apha uchazaabantuabathi, ngexeshalokumka kwabaninzi enyanisweni nasebulungiseni, bafuna ukubuyisela imithetho-siseko yobukumkani bukaThixo. Bangabavali bethuba elenziweyo emthethweni kaThixo—udonga awalubekayo ukuba lujikeleze abantu baKhe abanyuliweyo ukuze lubakhusele, nokuthi ukuthobela imiyalelo yobulungisa, inyaniso nobunyulu, kubo ibe yinkuseleko engunaphakade.AN 678.1

“Ngamazwi angqalileyo angenakuphazanywa, umprofeti walatha umsebenzi owodwa waba bantu bangamasalela bakha udonga. “Ukuba uthe walubuyisa unyawo lwakho kwisabatha, ukuba ungenzi okunanzileyo ngomhla wam ongcwele; wathi ukuyibiza isabatha isisonwabiso, ingcwele kaYehova; wathi inozuko, wayizukisa ke, ngokungenzi iindlela zakho, ngokungafumani okunanzileyo, uthethe iintetho ezingeni: uya kwandula ukuziyolisa ngoYehova, ndikukhwelise emimangweni yomhlaba, ndikudlise ilifa likaYakobi uyihlo; kuba umlomo kaYehova uthethile.” Isaya 58:13, 14.AN 678.2

Ngexesha lesiphelo, sonke isimiso sezulu kufuneka sibuyiselwe. Ulwaphulo olwenziwe emthethweni ngexesha kuguqulwa iSabatha ngumntu, kufuneka lulungisiwe. Abantu besisalela sikaThixo, abemi phambi kwehlabathi njengabahlaziyi, kufuneka babonise ukuba umthetho kaThixo usisiseko salo lonke uhlaziyo olumiyo nokuba, iSabatha yomthetho wesine kufuneka imi njengesikhumbuzo sendalo, isikhumbuzo samandla kaThixo esihlala sikho. Ngeentetho ezicacileyo nezahlukileyo, bamelwe kukuvakalisa ukufuneka kokuthotyelwa kwayo yonke imimiselo yemithetho elishumi. Benyanzelwa luthando lukaKristu, baya kusebenzisana naYe ekwakheni iindawo ezingamanxuwa. Baya kuba ngabavali bethuba, ababuyiseli beendlela zokuhlala. Bona Indima 12.AN 678.3