1. Ziziphi izinto eziphazamisayo uNehemiya awafika zisenzeka xa wabuyela eYerusalem? (Bona umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

ABEMI baseYerusalem bayabuzana bexakiwe. Etempileni kuhlala umphambukeli odume kakubi. AbaLevi bayawushiya umsebenzi wabo. Kunokukhokela abantu ukuze banqule uYehova, abadala bakhetha ukurhweba nangeSabatha. AmaSirayeli amaninzi atshata abantu beentlanga. Le yimbinana nje yezinto eziphazamisayo uNehemiya awafika zisenzeka ukubuyela kwakhe eYerusalem ngaxa lithile emva konyaka ka-443 B.C.E.—Neh. 13:6.

2. USirayeli waba siso njani isizwana esingcwalisiweyo?

² USirayeli wayesisizwe esizahlulele kuThixo. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., amaSirayeli ayezimisele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova. Athi: “Sikulungele ukwenza ngokwamazwi onke awathethileyo uYehova.” (Eks. 24:3) Ngenxa yoko uThixo wawangcwalisa, okanye wawanyula ukuba abe sisizwana sakhe. Yayililungelo elingathethekiyo elo! Kwiminyaka eyi-40 kamva, uMoses wawakhumbuza oku amaSirayeli: “Usisizwana esingcwele kuYehova uThixo wakho. Nguwe uYehova uThixo wakho amnyulileyo ukuba abe sisizwana sakhe, abe yinqobo kuye, kwizizwana zonke eziphezu komhlaba.”—Dut. 7:6.

3. Yayinjani imeko yokomoya yamaYuda xa uNehemiya wayefika okwesibini eYerusalem?

³ Okubuhlungu kukuba, zange kube kudala, laphela elo bhongo lokuba sisizwana esingcwele kumaSirayeli. Nakuba kwakusoloko kukho abathile abakhonza uThixo, eyona nto yayisoloko ixhalatyelwe yinkoliso yamaYuda kukubonakala emehlweni abantu engcwele, okanye ezinikele kuThixo kunokuzixhalabisa ngokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. Xa uNehemiya wayefika apho isihlandlo sesibini, kwakusele kudlule iminyaka emalunga nekhulu intsalela yawo ethembekileyo ibuyile ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni ukuze ivuselele unqulo lwenyaniso. Ayephinde etha amandla ekuzondeleleni ukuthanda kukaThixo.

4. Ziziphi izinto esiza kuxubusha ngazo ezinokusinceda sihlale singcwele?

⁴ NjengamaSirayeli, singatsho ukuba namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova aye angcwaliswa nguThixo. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo nalawo ‘esihlwele esikhulu’ aye angcwaliswa, ebekelwa bucala ukwenza inkonzo engcwele. (ISityhi. 7:9, 14, 15; 1 Kor. 6:11) Akukho namnye kuthi ofuna ukuphulukana neli lungelo lokungcwaliswa nguThixo njengokuba kwenzekayo kumaSirayeli. Yintoni ke enokusinceda siphephe le meko ukuze sihlale singcwele sikufanelekela ukusetyenziswa nguYehova? Kweli nqaku siza kuqwalasela izinto ezine ezibalaseliswa kuNehemiya isahluko 13: (1) Ukuphepha unxulumano olubi; (2) ukuxhasa amalungiselelo kaThixo; (3) ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo; (4) nokulondoloza ubuKristu. Makhe sihlolisise nganye kwezi zinto.

⁵ Funda uNehemiya 13:4-9. Siphila phakathi kwempembelelo embi, ngoko kufuneka umgudu ukuze sihlale singcwele. Cinga nje ngoEliyashibhi noThobhiya. UEliyashibhi wayengumbingeleli omkhulu, ngoxa uThobhiya esenokuba wayengumAmoni negosa nje elingabalulekanga kulawulo lwamaPersi kwelo lakwaYuda. UThobhiya nabahlobo bakhe babesilwa neenzame zikaNehemiya zokuvusa iindonga zeYerusalem. (Neh. 2:10) Ama-Amoni ayengavumelekanga ukubeka umcondo etempileni. (Dut. 23:3) Yenzeka njani ke eyokuba umbingeleli omkhulu wonke, avumele uThobhiya ukuba angene kwiholo yokutyela etempileni?

5, 6. Wayengubani uEliyashibhi noThobhiya, ibe yintoni esenokuba yabenza abahlobo?

⁶ UThobhiya waba ngumhlobo osenyongweni kaEliyashibhi. UThobhiya nonyana wakhe uYehohanan babetshate namaYudakazi, ibe amaYuda amaninzi ayemhlonela uThobhiya. (Neh. 6:17-19) Omnye wabazukulwana bakaEliyashibhi, wayetshate nentombi kaSanebhalati irhuluneli yaseSamariya, owayengomnye wabahlobo abaphambili bakaThobhiya. (Neh. 13:28) Olu lwalamano lusinceda sisibone kakuhle isizathu sokuba uMbingeleli Omkhulu uEliyashibhi ayekelele kwimpembelelo yomntu ongakholwayo nochasayo. Noko ke, uNehemiya wanyaniseka kuYehova ngokuyilahlela ngaphandle yonke impahla kaThobhiya.

7. Abadala nabanye abantu baqinisekisa njani ukuba bahlala bengcwele emehlweni kaYehova?

⁷ Ekubeni sizahlulele kuYehova, ngoyena simele sinyaniseke kuye ngalo lonke ixesha. Ekuphela kwento eya kusinceda sihlale singcwele kuye, kukubambelela kwimilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Asinakwaphula imigaqo yeBhayibhile kuba nje sicenga ubuhlobo namalungu entsapho. Abadala bebandla bamele bakhokelwe ziimbono zikaYehova, kungekhona ezabo nendlela abavakalelwa ngayo. (1 Tim. 5:21) Baphepha nantoni na enokubenza bangabi ngcwele emehlweni kaThixo.—1 Tim. 2:8.

8. Yintoni emele ikhunjulwe ngabo bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo ngokuphathelele unxulumano?

⁸ Simele sikhumbule ukuba “unxulumano olubi lonakalisa imikhwa elungileyo.” (1 Kor. 15:33) Ezinye izalamane zethu zisenokungabi nampembelelo intle kubomi bethu. UEliyashibhi wayemele abe ngumzekelo omhle ebantwini ngokuxhasa uNehemiya ekuvuseni iindonga zeYerusalem. (Neh. 3:1) Okubuhlungu kukuba, kubonakala ukuba ethubeni loo mpembelelo imbi kaThobhiya nabanye yakhokelela ekubeni uEliyashibhi angahlambuluki emehlweni kaYehova. Ukunxulumana nabantu abafanelekileyo kuyasikhuthaza ukuze senze izinto ezifanelekileyo zobuKristu, njengokufunda iBhayibhile, ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla nokushumayela entsimini. Siwathanda gqitha yaye siyawaxabisa amalungu entsapho asiphembelela ekubeni senze okulungileyo.

9. Yintoni eyayiphazamisa amalungiselelo etempile, ibe uNehemiya walibeka koobani ityala?

⁹ Funda uNehemiya 13:10-13. Kuyacaca  ukuba abantu babengasanikeli tu etempileni xa kwakufika uNehemiya eYerusalem. Ngenxa yokungaxhaswa ngeminikelo, abaLevi babeshiya umsebenzi wabo baye kusebenza kumasimi abo. UNehemiya walibeka kumasekela-baphathi ityala. Kuyabonakala ukuba ayengawenzi umsebenzi wawo. Mhlawumbi ayengaziqokeleli izishumi ebantwini okanye engazidluliseli etempileni, njengokuba yayingumsebenzi wawo ukwenjenjalo. (Neh. 12:44) UNehemiya wenza amalungiselelo okuba kuqokelelwe izishumi. Wamisela amadoda athembekileyo ukuba ongamele oovimba betempile nezinye ezazimele zabiwe.

10, 11. Liliphi ilungelo elifunyanwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova xa bexhasa unqulo oluyinyaniso?

¹⁰ Ngaba ikho into esiyifundayo koku? Ewe, kusikhumbuza ngelungelo esinalo lokubeka uYehova ngezinto zethu zexabiso. (IMize. 3:9) Eyona nto siyenzayo xa sinikela kumsebenzi kaYehova, kukubuyisela kuye oko ebesiphe kona. (1 Kron. 29:14-16) Sisenokucinga ukuba akukho nto ingako sinokunikela ngayo, kodwa xa sinomnqweno singakwazi nathi ukunikela.—2 Kor. 8:12.

¹¹ Kangangeminyaka, enye intsapho enkulu yayisoloko imema esinye isibini esikhulileyo nesingoovulindlela abakhethekileyo ukuze idle naso kanye ngeveki. Nakuba kule ntsapho kwakukho abantwana abasibhozo, unina wayedla ngokuthi, “Ziqale zayintoni iipleyiti ezimbini xa sizongeza kwezabantu abalishumi?” Sisenokubonakala njengento encinane isidlo nje esinye ngeveki, kodwa babenombulelo gqitha abo vulindlela ngobo bubele! Nabo aba vulindlela baba yintsikelelo kule ntsapho. Ukhuthazo namava abo anceda abantwana balapho benza inkqubela ngokomoya. Bonke baba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

12. Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle omiselwa ngamadoda amiselweyo ebandleni?

¹² Nasi esinye isifundo: NjengoNehemiya, amadoda amiselweyo ebandleni namhlanje amisela umzekelo omhle ekuxhaseni amalungiselelo kaThixo. Abazalwana ebandleni bafunda lukhulu kubo. Xa besenjenjalo, abadala baxelisa umpostile uPawulos. Wayeluxhasa unqulo oluyinyaniso yaye enikela ulwalathiso oluluncedo. Ngokomzekelo, wabachazela iindlela eziliqela eziluncedo zokunikela.—1 Kor. 16:1-3; 2 Kor. 9:5-7.

13. Ziziphi izinto ezazisenziwa ngamaYuda athile ezazibonisa ukuba akanaxesha leSabatha?

¹³ Funda uNehemiya 13:15-21. ­Ukuba ­siyayekelela sixakekiswe zizinto eziphathekayo, singazibhaqa sele ­sipholile  ­ekuthandeni uThixo. Ngokutsho kwe-Eksodus 31:13, injongo yeSabatha yeveki yayikukukhumbuza amaSirayeli ukuba asisizwana esingcwalisiweyo. ISabatha yabekelwa bucala, yaba lusuku oluza kusetyenziswa yintsapho ukuze inqule, ithandaze yaye icamngce ngoMthetho kaThixo. Noko ke, kubantu abathile ababephila ngomhla kaNehemiya iSabatha yagqibela sele ilusuku nje olufanayo nezinye—bexakeka zizinto zemihla ngemihla. Babelibele tu ngokunqula uYehova. Esakubona loo mkhwa, uNehemiya wayalela ukuba kuvalwe iingcango zesixeko xa kuphela usuku lwesithandathu, bakhutshelwe ngaphandle abarhwebi basemzini ngaphambi kokuqalisa kosuku lweSabatha.

14, 15. (a) Yintoni enokwenzeka kuthi ukuba asilinganiseli kwindlela esiqhuba ngayo urhwebo? (b) Singena njani ekuphumleni kukaThixo?

¹⁴ Sifunda ntoni kulo mzekelo kaNehemiya? Enye into kukuba, simele silinganisele kumkhamo esirhweba ngayo. Kungenjalo, kunokuba lula ukuba lusiphazamise—de kube nzima ukukhetha phakathi kwalo noThixo—ngakumbi xa izinto zisihambela kakuhle emsebenzi. Khumbula isilumkiso sikaYesu ngokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini. (Funda uMateyu 6:24.) Yiyiphi indlela uNehemiya awalisebenzisa ngayo ixesha lakhe eYerusalem nakuba wayenazo iindlela zokuzizuzela ubutyebi? (Neh. 5:14-18) Kunokuba azame ukuzakhela ubuhlobo noosomashishini baseTire okanye bezinye iindawo, wazibhokoxa ukuze ancede abazalwana bakhe kwimigudu yokungcwalisa igama likaYehova. Namhlanje ke, abadala abangamaKristu nezicaka zolungiselelo, banikela ingqalelo ekwenzeni izinto eziza kwakha ibandla, ibe loo nto ibenza bathandwe gqitha ngabazalwana babo. Yiloo nto ubona abantu bakaThixo bethandana kangaka, benoxolo yaye bekhuselekile.—Hez. 34:25, 28.

¹⁵ Nakuba kungekho mfuneko yokuba amaKristu agcine iSabatha, uPawulos usixelela ukuba “abantu bakaThixo basasalelwe luphumlo lwesabatha.” Emva koko uthi: “Umntu ongene ekuphumleni kukaThixo naye uphumle kwimisebenzi yakhe, kanye njengoko noThixo wenjenjalo kweyakhe.” (Heb. 4:9, 10) Ekuphumleni kukaThixo sinokungena kuphela xa sizithoba senze ngokuvisisana nenjongo yakhe. Ngaba unqulo lwentsapho, ukuya kwiintlanganiso nasentsimini zezona zinto zibalulekileyo kuwe nentsapho yakho? Maxa wambi kusenokufuneka singagungqi xa sithi hayi kumqeshi okanye abo sishishina nabo, ngakumbi xa bengenaxesha lokuba sikhonza uThixo. Enyanisweni, kusenokufuneka ‘sivale iingcango zesixeko size siwakhuphele ngaphandle amaTire’ ukuze sikwazi ukunikela ingqalelo kwezona zinto zibalulekileyo kuthi, izinto ezingcwele. Ekubeni singcwalisiwe, simele sizibuze oku, ‘Ngaba indlela endiphila ngayo ibonisa ukuba ndibekelwe bucala ukuze ndenze ukuthanda kukaYehova?’—Mat. 6:33.

16. Kwenzeka njani ukuze amaSirayeli abe nengxaki yokungazazi ukuba asisizwana azingcwalisele sona uThixo ngomhla kaNehemiya?

¹⁶ Funda uNehemiya 13:23-27. Ngomhla kaNehemiya, amaSirayeli ayetshata abafazi basemzini. Kutyelelo lwakhe lokuqala eYerusalem, uNehemiya watyikitya isivumelwano nawo onke amadoda amakhulu ezibophelela ngelithi ayengasayi kuze atshate nabahedeni. (Neh. 9:38; 10:30) Noko ke, kwiminyaka ethile kamva, wafumanisa ukuba loo madoda angamaYuda ayenganelanga nje ukutshata nabafazi basemzini kodwa kwakusele kunzima nokuba azazi eyona nto ayiyo, isizwana azingcwalisele sona uThixo! Abantwana babo bafazi basemzini babengakwazi ukusifunda nokusithetha isiHebhere. Babeya kuzazi njani ke ukuba bangamaSirayeli bakuba badala? Ngaba babengayi kukhetha ukuba bangama-Ashdode, ama-Amoni, okanye amaMowabhi?  Babeya kuwazi njani uMthetho kaThixo xa bengasazi isiHebhere? Babeya kumazi njani uYehova baze bakhethe ukukhonza yena kunoothixo bobuxoki ababekhonzwa ngoonina? Kwakufuneka ilungiswe ngokukhawuleza le ngxaki, ibe yiloo nto kanye awayenzayo uNehemiya.—Neh. 13:28.

17. Abazali banokubanceda njani abantwana babo babe nolwalamano noYehova?

¹⁷ Namhlanje simele siqinisekise ukuba siyabanceda abantwana bethu bazi ukuba eyona nto bayiyo bangamaKristu. Bazali nimele nizibuze oku, ‘Ngaba abantwana bam balwazi kakuhle “ulwimi olunyulu” lwenyaniso yeZibhalo? (Zef. 3:9) Ngaba incoko yabo ityhila ukuba baphenjelelwa ngumoya kaThixo okanye owehlabathi?’ Ungatyhafi xa ubona ukuba kukho iinkalo abamele baphucule kuzo. Kuthath’ ixesha ukufunda olu lwimi ngakumbi xa singqongwe ziziphazamiso. Abantwana bakho baphantsi kwengcinezelo enkulu efuna balalanise. Ngoko ke, yiba nomonde uze kuNqulo Lwentsapho uzame ukubanceda babe nolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova. (Dut. 6:6-9) Balaselisa iingenelo zokwahluka kwihlabathi likaSathana. (Yoh. 17:15-17) Zabalazela ukufikelela intliziyo yabo.

18. Kutheni abazali abangamaKristu ingabona banokukwazi kakuhle ukunceda abantwana babo bazahlulele kuYehova?

¹⁸ Ekugqibeleni, mntwana ngamnye uya kuzenzela isigqibo ngokukhonza uThixo. Sekunjalo, zininzi izinto ezinokwenziwa ngabazali. Banokumisela umzekelo omhle, imiqathango ecacileyo nokuxubusha nabantwana ngemiphumo yezigqibo abazenzayo. Bazali, akakho omnye umntu onokukwazi ngaphezu kwenu ukunceda abantwana benu bazahlulele kuYehova. Bafuna uncedo lwenu ukuze babe ngamaKristu baze ke babulondoloze. Kakade ke, sonke simele sihlale siphaphile ukuze singaphulukani ‘nezambatho zethu zangaphezulu’—iimpawu nemilinganiselo esahlulayo ukuba singabalandeli bakaKristu.—ISityhi. 3:4, 5; 16:15.

19, 20. Simele senze ntoni ukuze uYehova asikhumbule ngokulungileyo?

¹⁹ Omnye wabantu ababephila ngomhla kaNehemiya yayingumprofeti uMalaki, owabonisa ukuba “incwadi yokukhumbuza yabhalwa . . . ngenxa yabo bamoyikayo uYehova nangenxa yabo bacinga ngegama lakhe.” (Mal. 3:16, 17) UThixo akanakuze abalibale abo bamoyikayo nabalithandayo igama lakhe.—Heb. 6:10.

²⁰ UNehemiya wathandaza: “Ndikhumbule, Thixo wam, ngokulungileyo.” (Neh. 13:31) NjengoNehemiya, amagama ethu aya kubhalwa kwincwadi kaThixo yokukhumbuza ukuba siqhubeka siphepha unxulumano olubi, sixhasa amalungiselelo kaThixo, senza ukuthanda kukaThixo kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo size silondoloze ubuKristu. “Masihlale sizivavanya enoba siselukholweni kusini na.” (2 Kor. 13:5) Ukuba silondoloza olu lwalamano lokuba ngcwele emehlweni kaYehova, uya kusikhumbula “ngokulungileyo.”