Imiduli yeJerusalema

KHANGELA wonke umsebenzi owenziwa lapha. Ama-Israyeli akha imiduli yeJerusalema. INkosi uNebhukhadinezari yadiliza imiduli njalo yatshisa lamagedi edolobho lapho ibhidliza iJerusalema eminyakeni engu-152 eyadlulayo. Ama-Israyeli kawazange aphinde akhe imiduli lapho evela eBhabhiloni okwakuqala.

Ubona angani abantu babesizwa njani ngokuhlala lapha iminyaka yonke le bengela miduli egombolozele idolobho labo? Babezizwa bengavikelekanga. Kwakungaba lula ukuthi izitha zabo zibahlasele. Kodwa khathesi uNehemiya usencedisa abantu ukuthi baphinde bakhe imiduli. Uyamazi yini uNehemiya?

UNehemiya ungumIsrayeli ovela edolobheni laseSusa lapho okuhlala khona uModekhayi lo-Esta. UNehemiya wasebenza esigodlweni senkosi ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi wayengumngane omkhulu kaModekhayi leNdlovukazi u-Esta. Kodwa iBhayibhili kalitsho ukuthi uNehemiya wasebenzela indoda ka-Esta, iNkosi u-Ahasuweru. Wasebenzela iNkosi eyalandelayo u-Athakisekisi.

Khumbula ukuthi u-Athakisekisi yinkosi enhle eyanika u-Ezra yonke imali yokuyalungisa ithempeli likaJehova eJerusalema. Kodwa u-Ezra akazange ayiyakhe imiduli yeJerusalema eyayidilikile. Ake sibone ukuthi kwenzekala njani ukuthi uNehemiya kube nguye owenza umsebenzi lo.

Sekudlule iminyaka engu-13 u-Athakisekisi ephe u-Ezra imali yokuyalungisa ithempeli. Khathesi uNehemiya nguye osengumphathi wezitsha zokudla zeNkosi u-Athakisekisi. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi upha inkosi iwayini layo, njalo abe leqiniso lokuthi akulamuntu ozama ukufakela inkosi iphoyizeni. Umsebenzi lo uqakatheke kakhulu.

Ngelinye ilanga umnewabo kaNehemiya okuthiwa nguHanani lamanye amadoda avela elizweni lako-Israyeli abuya ukuzovakatshela uNehemiya. Bamtshela ngohlupho ama-Israyeli alalo kanye lokuthi imiduli yaseJerusalema ilokhu idilikile. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uNehemiya adane kakhulu njalo ukhuleka kuJehova emtshela ngalokhu.

Ngelinye ilanga inkosi inanzelela ukuthi uNehemiya udanile, ngakho iyabuza: ‘Kungani ukhanya udanile?’ UNehemiya uyitshela ukuthi kungenxa yokuthi iJerusalema lisesimweni esibi njalo imiduli idilikile. Inkosi iyambuza: ‘Pho ufunani?’

UNehemiya uthi: ‘Ngivumela ngiye eJerusalema ukuze ngiyekwakha kutsha imiduli yakhona.’ INkosi u-Athakisekisi ilomusa kakhulu. Itshela uNehemiya ukuthi angahamba ayekwakha njalo iyamncedisa ukuthi athole izigodo zokwakhisa okunye. UNehemiya utshela abantu ngamacebo akhe masinyane nje esanda kufika eJerusalema. Bayalithanda icebo lakhe njalo bathi: ‘Kasiqaliseni ukwakha.’

Lapho izitha zama-Israyeli zibona ukuthi umduli ususakhiwa, zithi: ‘Sizahamba siyebabulala, siwumise umsebenzi wokwakha.’ Kodwa uNehemiya uzwa ngalokhu, abesenika abasebenzayo izinkemba lemikhonto. Njalo uthi: ‘Lingazesabi izitha zethu, lwelani abafowenu, abantwana benu, abafazi benu lemizi yenu.’

Abantu baba lesibindi. Bagcina izikhali zabo zilungile ebusuku lasemini njalo baqhubeka besakha. Ngakho imiduli iyaphela ukwakhiwa ngemva kwamalanga angu-52. Khathesi abantu sebengazizwa bevikelekile bephakathi kwedolobho. UNehemiya lo-Ezra bafundisa abantu umthetho kaNkulunkulu njalo abantu bayathokoza.

Kodwa izinto lokhu zingafanani lalokho ezaziyikho ama-Israyeli engakahanjiswa eBhabhiloni. Abantu babuswa yinkosi yasePhesiya njalo kumele bayisebenzele. Kodwa uJehova uthembise ukuthi uzathuma inkosi entsha njalo inkosi le izaletha ukuthula ebantwini. Ingubani inkosi le? Izaletha njani ukuthula emhlabeni? Kudlula iminyaka engu-450 kungakaziwa ngendaba le, besekuzalwa umntwana oqakatheke kakhulu. Kodwa le ngenye indaba.