1. Ngutiphi tintfo letiphatamisako Nehemiya latitfola tenteka nakabuya eJerusalema? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni.)

TAKHAMUTI taseJerusalema tiyakhuluma. Umuntfu lotsite wetive lowedzelelako uhleti ngasensikeni yelithempeli. EmaLevi ayekela umsebenti wawo. Kunekutsi ahole ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu, emadvodza lamadzala ayatsengisa ngeliSabatha. Ema-Israyeli lamanyenti ashada nebeTive. Leti nguletinye tetintfo Nehemiya latitfola tenteka nakabuya eJerusalema ngemuva kwa-443 B.C.E.—Neh. 13:6.

2. Ema-Israyeli aba njani sive lesingcwele?

² Ema-Israyeli abesive lesitinikele kuNkulunkulu. Nga-1513 B.C.E., ema-Israyeli abetimisele kuvumelana nentsandvo yaJehova. Kungako atsi: “Onkhe emavi lawakhulumile Simakadze siyakuwenta.” (Eks. 24:3) Ngako Nkulunkulu wawangcwelisa nobe wawehlukanisa kulabanye aba bantfu bakhe labakhetsile. Bekulilungelo lelihle lelo! Ngemuva kweminyaka lengemashumi lamane, Mosi wawakhumbuta: “Nine nisive lesingcwele saSimakadze Nkulunkulu wenu. Simakadze Nkulunkulu wenu unikhetse emkhatsini wato tonkhe tive letisebusweni bemhlaba, kutsi nibe sive sakhe, sive lesiligugu lelingelakhe.”—Dut. 7:6.

3. Ngesikhatsi Nehemiya abuyela eJerusalema babunjani buhlobo besive semaJuda naNkulunkulu?

³ Kuyadzabukisa kutsi inshisekelo yema-Israyeli yekuba sive lesingcwele ayitsatsanga sikhatsi lesidze. Nanobe labambalwa kuso bachubeka bakhonta Nkulunkulu, emaJuda lamanyenti abekhatsateke ngekubonakala angcwele nobe atinikele, kodvwa abe angayenti intsandvo yaNkulunkulu. Ngesikhatsi Nehemiya abuyela eJerusalema kwesibili, besekwendlule iminyaka lecishe ibe likhulu insali letsembekile ibuyele eBhabhulona kute ivusetele kabusha kukhonta kweliciniso. Ngisho nangaleso sikhatsi, inshisekelo yalesive yekukhonta Nkulunkulu yayehle kakhulu.

4. Ngumaphi emaphuzu lesitawucoca ngawo latasisita kutsi sichubeke sibantfu labangcwele?

⁴ Njengema-Israyeli, boFakazi BaJehova lamuhla bangcweliswe nguNkulunkulu. EmaKhristu lagcotjiwe nalawo ‘esicumbi lesikhulu’ angcwele futsi ehlukanisiwe kute ente umsebenti longcwele. (Semb. 7:9, 14, 15;  1 Khor. 6:11) Kute ngisho munye kitsi lofuna kulahlekelwa budlelwane bakhe lobuhle naNkulunkulu njengobe kwenta ema-Israyeli. Yini lengasisita sikuvimbele loku kutsi kwenteke kute sitewuchubeka singcwele futsi asisebentisa Jehova emsebentini wakhe? Kulesihloko sitawucoca ngemaphuzu lamane lagcamile lakusehluko 13 saNehemiya: (1) Kubalekele kutihlanganisa nebantfu lababi; (2) sekela emalungiselelo aNkulunkulu; (3) yenta tintfo letihlobene nekukhonta Nkulunkulu tite kucala; futsi (4) ulondvolote luphawu lwakho lwebuKhristu. Nyalo ase sihlole liphuzu ngalinye.

⁵ Fundza Nehemiya 13:4-9. Situngeletwe bantfu lababi, ngako akusimelula ngatsi kuhlale singcwele. Cabanga nga-Eliyashibi naThobiya. Eliyashibi abengumphristi lomkhulu, Thobiya abengumAmoni, futsi kungenteka abesisebenti senkhosi yasePheresiya. Thobiya nebangani bakhe bebaphikisana nemetamo yaNehemiya yekwakha kabusha lithempeli eJerusalema. (Neh. 2:10) Ema-Amoni bekangakavunyelwa kutsi aye emabaleni elithempeli. (Dut. 23:3) Kungani-ke umphristi lomkhulu bekangavulela indvodza lefana naThobiya sikhala endlini yekudlela yelithempeli?

5, 6. Bekungubani Eliyashibi naThobiya, futsi mhlawumbe yini leyabangela Eliyashibi kutsi atihlanganise naThobiya?

⁶ Thobiya abesangumngani losedvute wa-Eliyashibi. Thobiya nendvodzana yakhe Jehohanani bebashade nebafati labangemaJuda, ngako-ke emaJuda lamanyenti abemkhuluma kahle Thobiya. (Neh. 6:17-19) Lomunye webatukulu ba-Eliyashibi bekashade nendvodzakati yaSanbalati, umbusi waseSamariya lobekangumngani lomkhulu waThobiya. (Neh. 13:28) Lokuhlobana kungase kuchaze kutsi kungani umPhristi Lomkhulu Eliyashibi avumela kutsi umuntfu longakholwa futsi longumphikisi kutsi amtjele loko lokufanele akwente. Kodvwa Nehemiya wakhombisa kutsi wetsembekile kuJehova ngekukhipha timphahla taThobiya endlini yekudlela atilahlele ngephandle kwelithempeli.

7. Bazalwane labadzala nalabanye batibalekela njani timo letingabenta bangabi ngcwele emehlweni aJehova?

⁷ Njengebantfu labatinikele kuNkulunkulu, kufanele kutsi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi setsembele kuJehova. Nangabe singatilaleli timiso takhe, angeke sihlale singcwele emehlweni akhe. Akukafaneli sivumele lutsandvo lwetfu ngemindeni yetfu lusente singatinaki timiso teliBhayibheli. Labadzala labangemaKhristu bacondziswa nguJehova hhayi imibono yabo nobe indlela labativa ngayo. (1 Thim. 5:21) Labazalwane labadzala bayacikelela kutsi abenti nobe ngabe yini lengase ilimate buhlobo babo naNkulunkulu.—1 Thim. 2:8.

8. Yini lokufanele kutsi tonkhe tinceku taJehova letitinikele tiyikhumbule endzabeni yalabo letitihlanganisa nabo?

⁸ Senta kahle ngekukhumbula kutsi “bangani lababi bonakalisa similo lesihle.” (1 Khor. 15:33) Letinye tihlobo tetfu tingahle tingasikhutsati ngendlela lefanele. Eliyashibi wababekela sibonelo lesihle bantfu ngekusekela Nehemiya ekwakheni kabusha lithempeli eJerusalema. (Neh. 3:1) Nobe kunjalo, ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi ngenca yekulalela imibono yaThobiya neyalabanye, Eliyashibi wenta tintfo letingamjabulisi Jehova. Bangani labakahle basikhutsata kutsi sihlanganyele emisebentini yebuKhristu lefaka ekhatsi kufundza liBhayibheli, kuya emihlanganweni yebuKhristu kanye nekuhlanganyela emsebentini wekushumayela. Emalunga emndeni lasikhutsata kutsi sente lokuhle siwatsandza kakhulu.

9. Yini leyenta emalungiselelo elithempeli aphatamiseka, futsi bobani Nehemiya labasola ngaloko?

⁹ Fundza Nehemiya 13:10-13. Kubonakala shengatsi iminikelo lebeyentiwa ethempelini beyingasentiwa ngesikhatsi Nehemiya  abuyele eJerusalema. Ngenca yekutsi beyingasentiwa leminikelo, emaLevi ashiya imisebenti yawo abuyela emasimini awo. Nehemiya wasola tindvuna ngalesimo. Kuyacaca kutsi bebangayenti imisebenti yabo. Kungenteka kutsi bebangasakukoleki kwelishumi nobe bebangakutfumeli ethempelini njengobe bekulindzelekile. (Neh. 12:44) Ngako Nehemiya wenta indlela yekutsi kwelishumi kukolekwe. Wabeka emadvodza letsembekile kutsi anakekele tindzawo tekugcina iminikelo nekukhishwa kwayo.

10, 11. Nguliphi lilungelo bantfu baNkulunkulu labanalo ekusekeleni kukhonta kweliciniso?

¹⁰ Kukhona yini lesikufundzako kuloku? Yebo, siyakhunjutwa kutsi sinelilungelo lekudvumisa Jehova ngemcebo wetfu. (Taga 3:9) Nasenta iminikelo yekusekela umsebenti wakhe, sisuke siniketa Jehova lokukwakhe. (1 Khr. 29:14-16) Singase sicabange kutsi angeke sikhone kunikela ngobe sinalokuncane kakhulu, kodvwa nangabe sinesifiso sekunikela, sonkhe singakwenta.—2 Khor. 8:12.

¹¹ Eminyakeni leminyenti leyendlulile, lomunye umndeni lomkhulu wawumema emahlahlandlela lashadene lakhetsekile lakhulile kutsi adle nawo kanye ngeliviki. Nanobe labatali bebanebantfwana labasiphohlongo, make wabo abevame kutsi: “Abeyini nje emapuleti ekudla lamabili.” Nanobe bekungabonakala shengatsi kulite, lamahlahlandlela abejabula kakhulu ngalolutsandvo labeboniswa lona. Bekaba sibusiso kulomndeni. Emavi awo lakhutsatako nalokuhlangenwe nako kwalaba labashadene, kwasita ekukhutsateni labantfwana kutsi batfutfuke ebuhlotjeni babo naNkulunkulu. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, bonkhe labantfwana bangenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe.

12. Emadvodza labekiwe emabandleni abeka siphi sibonelo lesihle?

¹² Naku lokunye lesikufundzako: Nalamuhla emadvodza labekiwe atsatsa sinyatselo sekusekela imisebenti yebuKhristu, njengobe kwenta Nehemiya. Labanyenti ebandleni bayazuza ngenca yesibonelo sawo. Labadzala belibandla nabenta njalo, basuke balingisa sibonelo semphostoli Pawula. Naye wakusekela kukhonta kweliciniso waphindze waniketa neteluleko letilusito. Sibonelo saloko kutsi washo tindlela letisebentako letehlukene tekwenta iminikelo.—1 Khor. 16:1-3; 2 Khor. 9:5-7.

13. Lamanye emaJuda abengalihloniphi kanjani lilanga leliSabatha?

¹³ Fundza Nehemiya 13:15-21. Nasingavumela kutsi kuphila kwetfu kuminyaniswe ngumcebo, buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu  bungancipha kancane kancane. Ngekusho kwa-Eksodusi 31:13, liSabatha belilekukhumbuta ema-Israyeli kutsi abebantfu labangcwelisiwe. Lilanga leliSabatha belilekukhonta kwemndeni, kuthantaza nekuzindla ngeMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Kubantfu labebaphila ngesikhatsi saNehemiya, liSabatha beselifanana nalamanye emalanga—lilanga lelibhizinisi. Bayekela kukhonta Nkulunkulu. Abona loko lokwakwenteka, Nehemiya abevele avale emagede nasekuhwalele ngelilanga lesitfupha, acoshe bonkhe betive labebatsengisa ngaphambikwekutsi licale liSabatha.

14, 15. (a) Yini lengenteka kitsi nangabe sicitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti sicongelela imali? (b) Singangena njani ekuphumuleni kwaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Yini lesingayifundza esibonelweni saNehemiya? Sifundza kutsi kufanele sehlise lizinga lesinaka ngalo emabhizinisi. Nasingenti njalo, singahle siphatamiseke—sigcine sesingasati kutsi yini lebalulekile kitsi—ikakhulukati nasijabulela umsebenti wetfu wekutiphilisa. Khumbula secwayiso saJesu lesimayelana nekukhonta emakhosi lamabili. (Fundza Matewu 6:24.) Nehemiya abenawo umcebo, kodvwa abesisebentisa njani sikhatsi sakhe eJerusalema? (Neh. 5:14-18) Kunekutsi atfutfukise libhizinisi lakhe nemadvodza aseThire nobe labanye bantfu, watinikela ekusiteni bazalwane nasekwenteni tintfo letingcwelisa libito laJehova. Nalamuhla, bazalwane labadzala labangemaKhristu netinceku letisebentako benta tintfo kute kuzuze libandla, futsi nalabo labakholwa nabo bayabatsandza. Umphumela waloko kutsi emkhatsini webantfu baNkulunkulu kuba nelutsandvo, kuthula kanye nekuvikeleka.—Hez. 34:25, 28.

¹⁵ Nanobe emaKhristu kungadzingeki kutsi agcine liSabatha, Pawula usitjela kutsi “kuphumula kweliSabatha kusabasalele bantfu baNkulunkulu.” Wachubeka watsi: “Lowo longene ekuphumuleni kwaNkulunkulu, naye uphumula emisebentini yakhe, njengobe naNkulunkulu aphumula kuyakhe.” (Heb. 4:9, 10) NjengemaKhristu, singangena ekuphumuleni kwaNkulunkulu ngekusebenta ngekwetsembeka sivumelane nenjongo yakhe letfutfukako. Wena nemndeni wakho nikubeka kucala yini ekuphileni kwenu kukhonta kwemndeni, kuya emihlanganweni nekuhlanganyela emsebentini wekushumayela? Kungase kudzingeke singagwegwesi kubacashi betfu nobe lesinabo ebhizinisini, ikakhulukati nabangahloniphi kutsi imisebenti yebuKhristu ita kucala ekuphileni kwetfu. Ngendlela lefanako singalingisa Nehemiya kube shengatsi ‘sivala emagede futsi sicosha emadvodza aseThire’ kute kukhonta kwetfu Nkulunkulu kute kucala futsi sinake tintfo letingcwele. Ngesizatfu sekutsi singcwelisiwe, senta kahle ngekutibuta kutsi ‘Indlela lengiphila ngayo iyakhombisa yini kutsi ngibeka kucala imisebenti yaJehova?’—Mat. 6:33.

16. Yini lebeyibangela luphawu lwesive saka-Israyeli lube sengotini ngesikhatsi saNehemiya?

¹⁶ Fundza Nehemiya 13:23-27. Ngemalanga aNehemiya, emadvodza langema-Israyeli abeshada nebafati bakuletinye tive. Ekuvakasheni kwakhe kwekucala eJerusalema, Nehemiya wacela kutsi onkhe emadvodza lamadzala asayine sivumelwane lesibhaliwe kutsi angeke ashade besifazane labangemacaba. (Neh. 9:38; 10:30) Ngemuva kweminyaka letsite, watfola kutsi lamadvodza langemaJuda akatsatsi nje kuphela besifazane betive kodvwa abe ngahle alahlekelwe naluphawu njengebantfu baNkulunkulu labagcwelisiwe. Labantfwana balabesifazane betive bebangakwati kufundza nekukhuluma lulwimi lwesiHebheru. Njengobe bebachubeka bakhula, bebangasho yini kutsi bangema-Israyeli? Nome bebangacabanga kutsi bangema-Ashdodi, ema-Amoni nobe bakaMowabi? Ngaphandle kwekwati lulwimi lwesiHebheru, bebangakhona yini kucondza uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu?  Bebangakhona njani kwati Jehova futsi bakhetse kumkhulekela kunekulandzela bonkulunkulu bemanga labebakhontwa bonina babo? Nehemiya wenta sento lesiphutfumako sekuvikela luphawu lwema-Israyeli.—Neh. 13:28.

17. Batali bangabasita njani bantfwana babo kutsi babe nebuhlobo naJehova?

¹⁷ Lamuhla kufanele sitsatse sinyatselo kute sisite bantfwana betfu babe neluphawu lwebuKhristu. Batali kufanele nitibute loku: “Bantfwana bami balukhuluma kahle yini lulwimi ‘loluhlambululiwe’ lolungemaciniso lasemBhalweni? (Zef. 3:9) Indlela bantfwabami labacoca ngayo ikhombisa kutsi bacondziswa ngumoya waNkulunkulu yini nome walelive?” Ungasheshi udvumale nangabe bangalikhulumi kahle. Kutsatsa sikhatsi kufundza lulwimi ikakhulukati nangabe utungeletwe tiphatamiso. Bantfwabakho babhekene nekucindzetelwa lokukhulu kutsi batsatse tincumo letimbi. Ngako, sebentisa Kukhonta Kwemndeni nalamanye ematfuba kute usite bantfwabakho babe nebuhlobo lobusedvute naJehova. (Dut. 6:6-9) Batjele ngetinzuzo tekwehluka eveni laSathane. (Joh. 17:15-17) Yetama kufinyelela tinhlitiyo tabo.

18. Kungani batali labangemaKhristu kungibo labangakhona kusita bantfwana babo kutsi batinikele kuJehova?

¹⁸ Umntfwana ngamunye kufanele atincumele yena kukhonta Nkulunkulu. Nobe kunjalo, kunyenti umtali langakwenta kute amsite. Loku kufaka ekhatsi kubeka sibonelo lesihle, imincele lecacile kanye nekucoca nebantfwana bakho ngemiphumela yetincumo tabo. Batali, akekho longasita bantfwana benu kutsi batinikele kuJehova ngaphandle kwenu. Bayaludzinga lusito lwenu kute batfole futsi bagcine luphawu lwabo lwebuKhristu. Kuliciniso kutsi sonkhe kufanele sitigadze kute singalahlekelwa “tingubo” tetfu tangaphandle letingumfanekiso—buntfu netimiso letiluphawu lwekutsi sibalandzeli baKhristu.—Semb. 3:4, 5; 16:15.

19, 20. Angasikhumbula njani Jehova ‘ngalokuhle’?

¹⁹ Lomunye walabo labebaphila ngesikhatsi saNehemiya bekungumphrofethi Malakhi, lowaveta kutsi “incwadzi legocotwako yesikhumbuto yabhalwa embikwakhe macondzana nalabo labesaba Simakadze bahloniphe Libito lakhe.” (Mal. 3:16, 17) Nkulunkulu angeke abakhohlwe labamesaba ngekweliciniso futsi labatsandza libito lakhe.—Heb. 6:10.

²⁰ Nehemiya wathantaza watsi: ‘Awu, Nkulunkulu wami, ngikhumbule ngalokuhle.’ (Neh. 13:31) Nangabe sichubeka sibalekela kutihlanganisa nebantfu lababi, sisekela emalungiselelo aNkulunkulu senta tintfo letihlobene nekukhonta Nkulunkulu tite kucala, futsi silondvolota luphawu lwetfu lwebuKhristu, emabito etfu atawuba sencwadzini yenkhumbulo yaNkulunkulu njengaNehemiya. Asichubeke ‘sitihlolisisa kute sibone kutsi sibambelele yini ekukholweni.’ (2 Khor. 13:5) Nangabe sigcina buhlobo betfu naJehova bungcwele utasikhumbula njalo.