Indaba 81
Ukuthembela Erhelebhweni LakaZimu
ABANTU abangaba yi-50 000 bathatha ikhambo elide basuka eBhabhiloni baya eJerusalema. Kodwana nasele bafika eJerusalema balifumana limotjhakele khulu. Bekunganamuntu ohlala khona. Bekufuneka bona ama-Israyeli akhe yoke into butjha godu.
Into yokuthoma abayakhako yi-aldare. Indawo leyo gade kukulapho egade bazokwenza imihlabelo, namtjhana iminikelo kuJehova. Eenyangeni ezimbalwa ezalandelako ama-Israyeli athoma ukwakha itempeli. Kodwana amanaba egade ahlala eenarheni ezihlanu kwawo gade angafuni bonyana ama-Israyeli alakhe. Ngalokho balinga ukuwathusa bona angalakhi. Emaswapheleni, amanaba la enza ikosi etja yePheresiya bona ibeke umthetho wokujamisa ukwakhiwa kwetempeli lakaJehova.
Kwadlula iimnyaka. Nje gade sele kuminyaka eli-17 ama-Israyeli abuyile eBhabhiloni. UJehova wathumela abaphorofidi bakhe uHagayi noZakariya bonyana batjele abantu bona bathome ukwakha godu. Abantu bathembela erhelebhweni lakaZimu, begodu babalalela abaphorofidi. Bathoma ukwakha godu, ngitjho namtjhana umthetho gade uthi akukafaneli bakhe.
Ngalokho isikhulu sePheresiya esibizwa bona nguThathenayi seza begodu sabuza ama-Israyeli bona ngubani owanikele ilungelo lokwakha itempeli. Ama-Israyeli amtjela bona lokha nabaseBhabhiloni, iKosi uKoresi yabatjela yathi: ‘Khambani nje, niye eJerusalema begodu nakhe itempeli lakaJehova uZimu wenu.’
UThathenayi wathumela incwadi eBhabhiloni begodu wabuza bona uKoresi osele ahlongakele, kwamambala wakukhuluma lokho na. Msinyana incwadi evela ekosini etja yePheresiya yabuya. Gade ithi uKoresi kwamambala wakukhuluma lokho. Ngalokho ikosi yatlola yathi: ‘Vumelani ama-Israyeli akhe itempeli lakaZimu wawo. Begodu nginilaya bona niwarhelebhe.’ Eemnyakeni engalingaiselwa kwemine, itempeleli laqedwa, begodu ama-Israyeli athaba khulu.
Kwadlula iimnyaka eemnengi. Nje, sele kuminyaka engaba ma-48 itempeleli laqedwa. Abantu beJerusalema gade baqhakile, idorobho begodu netempeli lakaZimu besele zingasaqaleki kuhle. Emva eBhabhiloni, umIsrayeli u-Ezra wezwa ngetlhogakalo yokulungiswa kwetempeli lakaZimu. Uyazi bona wenzani?
U-Ezra wakhamba wayokubona u-Aritahishashita, ikosi yePheresiya, ikosi elungileko le yanikela u-Ezra izipho ezinengi khulu bona aye nazo eJerusalema. U-Ezra wabawa ama-Israyeli eBhabhiloni bona amrhelebhe ukuthwala iziphwezi bona ziye eJerusalema. Abantu abangaba yi-6 000 bathi bazokukhamba. Gade baphethe isiliva nerhawuda enengi nezinye godu izinto eziligugu.
U-Ezra bekatshwenyekile, ngombana bekunamadoda angakalungi endleleni. Amadoda la bekangathatha isiliva nerhawuda labo, begodu ababulale. Ngalokho-ke u-Ezra wahlanginisa boke abantu, njengombana ubona la esithombeni. Ngemva kwalokho bathandaza bonyana uJehova abavikele ekhambweni labo lokubuyela eJerusalema.
UJehova wabavikela. Ngemva kweenyanga ezine basekhambweni, bafika ngokuphephileko eJerusalema. Lokhu akutjengisi na bona uJehova angabavikela labo abathembela erhelebhweni lakhe?
Ezra izahluko 2 ukuya ku-8.