1-2. (a) Ngikuphi ukufana okukhona hlangana nobujamo bethu nebamaJuda abuyela eJerusalema? (b) Hlathulula ezinye iintjhijilo amaJuda aqalana nazo. (Qala ibhoksi elithi “ Emalangeni kaHagayi, uZakariya no-Ezra.”)

 KGHANI ngezinye iinkhathi uyatshwenyeka ngengomuso? Kungenzeka ulahlekelwe msebenzi begodu utshwenyeka khulu ukuthi uzowutlhogomela njani umndenakho. Mhlamunye utshwenyeke ngokuphepha komndenakho ngebanga lokubogaboga kwezomnotho, ubujamo bepolotiki obutjhugulukako, ukuhlunguphazwa namkha ukuphikiswa emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Kghani uqalene neminye yemiraro le? Nangabe kunjalo, uzokuzuza khulu ngokubona indlela ama-Israyeli wekadeni azuza ngayo nawaqalene nemiraro efanako.

² AmaJuda ebesele ahlezi eBhabhiloni ukuphila kwawo koke bekutlhogeka atjhiye umnotho nokuphila kamnandi kweBhabhiloni. Ingasikade afikile, aqalana nokubogaboga komnotho, ubujamo bepolotiki obutjhugulukako nokuphikiswa. Yeke abanye bakufumana kubudisi ukudzimelela ekuvuseleleni ithempeli. Ngabo-520 B.C.E., uJehova wathumela abaphorofidi ababili, uHagayi noZakariya, bona bayokusiza abantu bavuselele isifiso sokuragela phambili nomsebenzi kaJehova. (Hag. 1:1; Zak. 1:1) Njengombana sizokubona, isikhuthazo abasifumanako ngabaphorofidaba saba lisizo khulu. Pheze ngemva kweminyaka ema-50, amaJuda ebekabuyele eJerusalema bekatlhoga isikhuthazo godu. U-Ezra, omkopululi onekghono womThetho, wasuka eBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema bona ayokukhuthaza abantu bakaZimu ukuthi babeke ukulotjha uJehova qangi ekuphileni kwabo.—Ezr. 7:​1, 6.

3. Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo? (IzAga 22:19)

 ³ Njengombana iimphorofido zakaHagayi noZakariya zasiza abantu bakaZimu esikhathini esidlulileko bona baragele phambili bathembela kuJehova esikhathini lapha bebaphikiswa khona, nathi namhlanjesi zingasisiza sithembe bona uJehova uzosisekela naphezu kweentjhijilo esiqalana nazo ekuphileni kwethu. (Funda izAga 22:19.) Njengombana sizokuhlolisisa umlayezo owalethwa nguHagayi noZakariya besifunde nangesibonelo saka-Ezra, sizokuphendula imibuzo elandelako: AmaJuda abuyela eJerusalema ahlangana naziphi iintjhijilo zokuphila? Kubayini kufuze sidzimelele ekwenzeni intando kaZimu lokha nasiqalana neentjhijilo ekuphileni kwethu? Singakwakha njani ukuthemba kwethu uJehova lokha nasiqalene neenkhathi ezibudisi?

4-5. Khuyini ekungenzeka yaqeda amaJuda amandla emsebenzini wokuvuselela ithempeli?

⁴ Lokha amaJuda nakafika eJerusalema bekunomsebenzi omnengi ebekufuze awenze. Msinyana akha i-aldara lakaJehova, abeka nesisekelo sethempeli. (Ezr. 3:​1-3, 10) Kodwana aba nemiraro eminengi begodu msinyana akhenge asaba nomdlandla wokuragela phambili. Kubayini? Ngaphezu komsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli, bekufuze azakhele izindlu, atjale amasimu atlhogomele nemindenawo. (Ezr. 2:​68, 70) Ukungezelela kilokho, aqalana nokuphikiswa okuvela emanabenawo begodu amanaba lawo aluka amano wokujamisa umsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli.—Ezr. 4:​1-5.

⁵ AmaJuda ebekabuyele eJerusalema aqalana godu nokubogaboga komnotho nobujamo bepolotiki obutjhugulukako. Inarhabo besele iyingcenye yomBuso wePheresiya. Ngemva kokuhlongaka kweKosi yePheresiya uKoretjhi ngo-530 B.C.E., umbusi olandelako u-Cambyses wathoma ijima lokufuna ukuhlula iGibhide. Nakaya eGibhide, kungenzeka yena namasotjakhe bafuna ngekani ukuthi ama-Israyeli abaphe ukudla, amanzi nendawo yokulala, okuyinto eyangezelela ekugandelelekeni kwama-Israyeli. Nakuthoma ukubusa iKosi elandelako u-Dariyasi I, bekusese nemiraro eminengi efana nokuvukela nemitjhagalo embusweni wePheresiya. Koke lokhu kungenzeka kwabangela ama-Israyeli abuya ekudingisweni bona atshwenyeke ngokuthi azoyitlhogomela njani imindenawo. Ngebanga lokungaqiniseki ebebaqalana nakho, amanye amaJuda aba nomuzwa wokuthi akusisikhathi esifaneleko sokuvuselela ithempeli lakaJehova.—Hag. 1:2.

6. NgokwakaZakariya 4:​6, 7, ngiziphi ezinye iintjhijilo amaJuda aqalana nazo begodu ngisiphi isiqinisekiso uZakariya awanikela sona?

⁶ Funda uZakariya 4:​6, 7. Ngaphezu kokuqalana nokubogaboga komnotho nokutjhuguluka kobujamo bepolotiki, amaJuda kwafuze aqalane nokuhlunguphazwa. Ngo-522 B.C.E., amanabawo aphumelela ekukhandeleni umsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli lakaJehova. Kodwana uZakariya waqinisekisa amaJuda ukuthi uJehova uzowasiza aragele phambili naphezu kweentjhijilo aqalene nazo. Ngo-520 B.C.E., iKosi uDariyasi yavumela ukuthi umsebenzi wokuvuselelwa kwethempeli uragele phambili, yanikela nangemali yokwenza njalo beyayala nababusi abaseduze bona babasize.—Ezr. 6:​1, 6-10.

7. AmaJuda abuyela eJerusalema afumana ziphi iimbusiso nakabeka umsebenzi kaJehova phambili?

 ⁷ Ngokusebenzisa uHagayi noZakariya, uJehova wathembisa abantu bakhe ukuthi uzobasekela, ikani umsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli nawuza qangi ekuphileni kwabo.  (Hag. 1:​8, 13, 14; Zak. 1:​3, 16) AmaJuda abuye eBhabhiloni akhuthazwa baphorofidi, athoma godu umsebenzi wokuvuselela ithempeli ngo-520 B.C.E. begodu awuqeda ngesikhathi esingaphasi kweminyaka emihlanu. Ngebanga lokuthi amaJuda enza ukulotjha kwawo uJehova kweza qangi naphezu kweentjhijilo ebewaqalana nazo, uJehova wawasekela, ingasi ngokuwanikela izinto azitlhogako kwaphela kodwana nangokuwasiza abe netjhebiswano eliseduze naye. Lokho kwenza amaJuda bona alotjhe uJehova athabile.—Ezr. 6:​14-16, 22.

8. Amezwi akuHagayi 2:4 asisiza njani sidzimelele ekwenzeni intando kaZimu? (Qala nomtlolo waphasi.)

⁸ Njengombana isizi elikhulu libandamela, kuqakathekile ngathi ukuthi silalele umyalo wokwenza umsebenzi wokutjhumayela. (Mar. 13:10) Nanyana kunjalo, singakufumana kubudisi ukudzimelela emsebenzini wokutjhumayela nange sinemiraro yeemali namkha siqalene nokuphikiswa emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Khuyini engasisiza sibeke umsebenzi kaJehova qangi? Kufuze siqiniseke ukuthi “uJehova wamabutho” b unathi. Uzosisekela nasiragela phambili sibeka umsebenzakhe qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Akunalitho ekufuze silisabe.—Funda uHagayi 2:4.

9-10. Abanye abatjhadikazi bakubona njani ukuba liqiniso kwamezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 6:33?

⁹ Cabanga ngo-Oleg no-Irina, c okubatjhadikazi abamaphayona. Ngemva kokuthuthela kelinye ibandla bona bayokusiza, balahlekelwa msebenzabo wokuziphilisa ngebanga lobujamo bomnotho obungasibuhle enarheni yekhabo. Njengombana bebabamba amatorho, bebalizwa isekelo lakaJehova lethando begodu ngezinye iinkhathi bebafumana isizo kubafowabo nabodadwabo. Basizwa yini nabaqalene nobujamo obubudisobu? U-Oleg,  ekuthomeni owazizwa agandelelekile, uthi, “Ukuba nesikhathi esinengi emsebenzini wokutjhumayela kwasisiza sadzimelela ezintweni eziqakathekileko ekuphileni.” Ngitjho nanyana yena nomkakhe baragela phambili bafunana nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa, bahlala bamajadu emsebenzini wokutjhumayela.

¹⁰ Ngelinye ilanga nababuya ukuyokutjhumayela, bafumana ukuthi umnganabo ukhambe ibanga elingaba makhilomitha ali-160 ukubalethela izinto abazitlhogako. U-Oleg uthi: “Ngelangelo, sabona godu indlela uJehova nebandla abasitlhogomela ngayo. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova akabalibali abantu bakhe nanyana ubujamo bungabonakala bunganathemba.”—Mat. 6:33.

11. Khuyini esingayilindela nasidzimelela ekwenzeni intando kaZimu?

¹¹ UJehova ufuna sidzimelele emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila wokwenza abafundi. Njengombana khekwatjhiwo  esigabeni 7, uHagayi wakhuthaza abantu bakaJehova ukuthi bathome kabutjha ekulotjheni okucwengileko, njengokungathi babeka iinsekelo zethempeli godu. Nabathoma kabutjha, uJehova wabathembisa ukuthi ‘uzokuthumela isibusiso.’ (Hag. 2:​18, 19) Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzoyibusisa imizamwethu nasibeka qangi umsebenzi asiphe wona.

12. Kubayini u-Ezra namaJuda abuya nawo eBhabhiloni bebatlhoga ukukholwa okuqinileko?

¹² Ngo-468 B.C.E., u-Ezra wakhamba nesinye godu isiqhema samaJuda sisuka eBhabhiloni siya eJerusalema. Nabazakuthatha ikhambweli, u-Ezra nesiqhema ebekakhamba naso bebatlhoga ukukholwa. Bebazokukhamba eendleleni eziyingozi, baphethe igolide nesiliva elinengi, ebekumnikelo ozokusetjenziswa ethempelini. Lokhu bekuzokwenza kube bulula ukusahlelwa botsotsi. (Ezr. 7:​12-16; 8:31) Msinyana balemuka nokuthi iJerusalema ngokwalo belingakaphephi. Bebangasibanengi abantu abahlala lapho begodu amabodalo namasangwalo bewatlhoga ukulungiswa. Khuyini esiyifunda ku-Ezra ngokwakha ukuthemba kwethu uJehova?

13. U-Ezra wakwakha njani ukukholwa kwakhe kuJehova? (Qala nomtlolo waphasi.)

¹³ U-Ezra wayibona indlela uJehova ebekasekele ngayo abantu bakhe eenkhathini ezibudisi. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngomnyaka ka-484 B.C.E., kungenzeka bekahlala eBhabhiloni lokha iKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi nakakhipha umyalo wokuthi kufuze kubulawe woke amaJuda ahlala ngaphasi komBuso wePheresiya. (Est. 3:​7, 13-15) Ukuphila kwaka-Ezra bekusengozini! Nakezwa lokho, woke amaJuda “kizo zoke iimfunda” azila ukudla, alila bekathandaza abawa uJehova ukuthi awanikele isinqophiso. (Est. 4:3) Cabanga ukuthi u-Ezra namaJuda bazizwa njani lokha nakubulawa boke abantu ebebeze namano wokutjhabalalisa woke amaJuda! (Est. 9:​1, 2) Lokho okwenzeka ku-Ezra ngesikhatheso kwamlungiselela iintjhijilo ezisezako begodu kungenzeka bekwamqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova uyabavikela abantu bakhe. d

14. Ngisiphi isifundo esafundwa ngomunye udadwethu nakatlhogonyelwa nguJehova eenkhathini ezibudisi?

¹⁴ Nasibona indlela uJehova asitlhogomela ngayo, siyaqiniseka ukuthi uzositlhogomela nesikhathini esizako. Cabanga ngesibonelo saka-Anastasia, ohlala ePumalanga yeYurobhu. Walisa umsebenzi ngombana bekangafuni ukuthatha ihlangothi. Uthi: “Akhenge ngizifumane nginganamali.” Ungezelela uthi:  “Ngatjhiyela indaba le kuJehova bengabona nendlela angitlhogomela ngayo. Nakungenzeka ngilahlekelwe msebenzi godu, angekhe ngisabe. Nangabe uBabami wezulwini uyangitlhogomela namhlanjesi, uzongitlhogomela nesikhathini esizako.”

15. Yini eyasiza u-Ezra wahlala athemba uJehova? (Ezra 7:​27, 28)

¹⁵ U-Ezra wazibonela indlela uJehova amsiza ngayo. U-Ezra nakacabanga ngeenkhathi ezinengi lapha uJehova amsiza khona, lokho kwamsiza wahlala amthemba. Tjheja amezwi athi “isandla sakaJehova besinami.” (Funda u-Ezra 7:​27, 28.) U-Ezra wasebenzisa amezwi afanako amahlandla esithandathu encwadini ebizwa ngegama lakhe.—Ezr. 7:​6, 9; 8:​18, 22, 31.

16. Ngibuphi ubujamo lapha singabona khona isandla sakaJehova ekuphileni kwethu? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁶ UJehova angasisiza nasiqalene nobujamo obubudisi. Ngokwesibonelo, nasibawa umqatjhethu ukuthi sithathe amalanga bona siye emhlanganweni omkhulu namkha sibawa ukulungisa indlela esisebenza ngayo ukwenzela bona sikghone ukuya esifundweni, singakghona ukubona indlela uJehova asisekela ngayo. Singarareka ngalokho okungenzeka. Ngebanga lalokho, ukuthemba kwethu uJehova kuyakhula.

17. U-Ezra wakutjengisa njani ukuthobeka esikhathini esibudisi? (Qala isithombe singaphandle.)

¹⁷ U-Ezra wathandazela isizo kuJehova ngokuthobeka. Qobe nakatshwenyeke ngezinto ekufuze azenze, bekathandaza kuJehova. (Ezr. 8:​21-23; 9:​3-5) Ngebanga lokuthi u-Ezra wathembela kuJehova, ebebaseduze kwakhe bamsekela bebalingisa nokukholwa kwakhe. (Ezr. 10:​1-4) Nasitshwenyeke ngezinto esizitlhogako namkha ngokuphepha komndenethu, kufuze siye kuJehova ngomthandazo siqiniseka ngokuthi uyasizwa.

18. Yini engasisiza sikhulise ukuthemba kwethu uJehova?

¹⁸ Nasibawa isizo lakaJehova ngokuthobeka besamukele nesekelo labafowethu nabodadwethu, ukuthemba kwethu uZimu kuzokukhula. U-Erika, umma wabantwana abathathu, wahlala athemba uJehova naphezu kokulahlekelwa okubuhlungu. Ngesikhatjhana, wahlongakalelwa mntwana ongakabelethwa nendodakhe ebekayithanda khulu. Malungana nakho koke okwenzekileko, uthi: “Angekhe wazi kusesengaphambili ukuthi uJehova uzokusiza njani. Isizo lingavela ngeendlela esingakazilindeli. Ngibonile ukuthi uJehova usebenzise abangani bami ukuphendula imithandazwami eminengi ngokuthi batjho namkha benze okuthileko. Nange ngitjela abangani  bami ngalokho okwenzeka ekuphileni kwami, kuba bulula ukuthi bangisize.”

19-20. Sifundani kumaJuda angakhange abuyele eJerusalema?

¹⁹ Singafunda nesifundo esiqakathekileko kumaJuda angakhenge afudukele eJerusalema. Amanye bekukuncani akghona ukukwenza ngebanga lokuluphala, ukugula namkha imithwalo yemindeni. Nanyana kunjalo, bekazimisele ukusekela labo ababuyela uJerusalema ngokuthi abanikele izinto abazozisebenzisa ethempelini. (Ezr. 1:​5, 6) Ngitjho nanyana sekudlule iminyaka eli-19 ngemva kokufika kwesiqhema sokuthoma esibuya eBhabhiloni, labo ebebasele eBhabhiloni bebasolo bathumela izipho eJerusalema ngokusuka ehliziyweni.—Zak. 6:10.

²⁰ Ngitjho nanyana kukuncani kangangani esikwenzela uJehova, singaqiniseka ukuthi ukuthokoza khulu lokho esimenzela khona. Sikwazi njani lokho? Ngesikhathi sakaZakariya, uJehova wabawa umphorofidakhe ukuthi enze isihlohlo ngegolide nesiliva elithunyelwe ngilabo abasele eBhabhiloni. (Zak. 6:11) “Isihlohlwesi” sizokuba “sikhumbuzo” somnikelwabo wesihle. (Zak. 6:14) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova angekhe ayilibale emizamwethu esuka ehliziyweni yokumlotjha ngaphasi kobujamo obubudisi.—Heb. 6:10.

21. Yini engasisiza ngitjho nanyana singalazi ikusasa?

²¹ Akunakuzaza ukuthi sizokuragela phambili siqalana nobujamo obubudisi emihleni yamaswaphela le begodu ubujamobu buzokuba bumbi khulu esikhathini esizako. (2 Thim. 3:​1, 13) Nanyana kunjalo, akutlhogeki ukuthi sitshwenyeke khulu. Khumbula amezwi kaJehova aya ebantwini bakhe ngesikhathi sakaHagayi: “Nginani . . . Ningesabi.” (Hag. 2:​4, 5) Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzokuragela phambili aba nathi, ikani nasiragela phambili senza okuyintandwakhe. Ngokusebenzisa iimfundo esizifunde eemphorofidweni zakaHagayi noZakariya nesibonelweni saka-Ezra, sizokuhlala sinethemba kuJehova nanyana siqalana nobujamo obubudisi esikhathini esizako.