Ezra Wafundzisa Bantfu UMtsetfo WaNkulunkulu

Besekuphele iminyaka lengu-70 ema-Israyeli abuyele eJerusalema, kodvwa lamanye abesahlala ePheresiya. Lomunye wawo bekungu-Ezra umphristi lebekafundzisa bantfu uMtsetfo waJehova. Ezra wabona kutsi bantfu lebebaseJerusalema bebangawulaleli uMtsetfo, ngako wahamba wayobasita. Athazeksesi iNkhosi yasePheresiya watsi: ‘Nkulunkulu ukuhlakaniphisile kuze utewusifundzisa uMtsetfo wakhe. Hamba nanobe ngubani lofuna kuhamba nawe.’ Ezra nabo bonkhe lebebafuna kubuyela eJerusalema bahlangana ndzawonye. Bathantaza kuJehova bacela abavikele endleleni base bayahamba.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letine, befika eJerusalema. Tindvuna tatsi ku-Ezra: ‘Ema-Israyeli akakamlaleli Nkulunkulu futsi ashade nebafati labakhonta bonkulunkulu bemanga.’ Wentani Ezra? Waguca ngemadvolo wathantaza embikwalabantfu watsi: ‘Jehova, kunyenti losentele kona, kodvwa asikakulaleli.’ Labantfu besebashintjile, kodvwa bachubeka benta lokubi. Ezra wakhetsa emadvodza lamadzala kanye netikhulu kutsi bayihlolisise lendzaba. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letintsatfu, labo lebebangamkhonti Jehova bacoshwa.

Eminyakeni lengu-12 leyalandzela, iJerusalema yakhiwa kabusha. Ezra wabita bantfu wabafundzela umtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Ngesikhatsi Ezra avula lencwadzi, bantfu basukuma. Ezra wadvumisa Jehova futsi bonkhe baphakamisa tandla bavumelana naye. Nakawufundza loMtsetfo futsi awuchaza, bantfu balalelisisa. Bavuma kutsi besebamkhohliwe Jehova baze bakhala. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, Ezra wachubeka wabafundzela uMtsetfo. Babona kutsi bekufanele bacale kugubha uMkhosi weMadlangala. Ngekushesha bacala kulungiselela lomkhosi.

Lomkhosi bewutsatsa emalanga langu-7. Labantfu bebadvumisa Jehova futsi babonga ngesivuno lesihle. Kusukela ngesikhatsi saJoshuwa bekungakaze kube neMkhosi weMadlangala lofana nalona. Nasewuphelile lomkhosi, bantfu bahlangana ndzawonye bathantaza batsi: ‘Jehova wasikhulula ekugcilatweni, wasinika kudla ehlane futsi wasipha nendzawo lenhle yekuhlala. Kodvwa solo asikulaleli. Watfumela baphrofethi kutsi batosekhuta, kodvwa asizange silalele. Wena solo uyasibeketelela. Wakwenta loko bewukwetsembise Abrahama. Natsi siyakwetsembisa kutsi sitakulalela.’ Basibhala phansi leso setsembiso futsi tindvuna, emaLevi nebaphristi basisayina.