UEzra Wafundisa UMthetho KaThixo

Kwakuyiminyaka emalunga neyi-70 amaSirayeli ebuyele eYerusalem, kodwa amanye ayesahlala ePersi. Omnye wawo ngumbingeleli uEzra, owayefundisa uMthetho kaYehova. UEzra wafumanisa ukuba amaSirayeli aseYerusalem ayengawuthobeli uMthetho, ngoko wayefuna ukuya kuwanceda. UKumkani wasePersi, uArtashashta, wathi kuye: ‘UThixo ukwenze wasisilumko ukuze ukwazi ukufundisa uMthetho wakhe. Hamba nabantu ofuna ukuhamba nabo.’ UEzra wadibana nabo bonke abantu ababefuna ukubuyela eYerusalem. Bathandaza becela uYehova ukuba abakhusele kwindlela ende ababeza kuyihamba, emva koko bahamba.

Bafika eYerusalem emva kweenyanga eziyi-4. Iinkosana zathi kuEzra: ‘AmaSirayeli akamthobelanga uYehova, aye atshata abafazi abakhonza oothixo bobuxoki.’ Wenza ntoni uEzra? Waguqa phambi kwabantu waza wathandaza wathi: ‘Yehova sikonile, nangona usenzele izinto ezininzi.’ Abantu baguquka, kodwa babesaqhubeka besenza izinto ezingafunwayo nguYehova. UEzra wakhetha amadoda amakhulu nabagwebi ababeza kujongana nale ngxaki. Kwiinyanga eziyi-3 ezalandelayo, abo babengamkhonzi uYehova bagxothwa.

Yaqengqeleka iminyaka eyi-12. Ngelo xesha, kwakusakhiwa iindonga zaseYerusalem okwesibini. UEzra waqokelela abantu baya kwindawo ekwakubuthwa kuyo ukuze abafundele uMthetho kaThixo. Wathi xa evula incwadi, bema ngeenyawo. Wabulela uYehova, baza abantu baphakamisa izandla bevumelana naye. Emva koko wafunda uMthetho waza wawucacisa, ngelo xesha abantu babephulaphule. Bavuma ukuba baphinde bamshiya uYehova, balila. Ngosuku olulandelayo, wabafundela ezinye izinto zoMthetho. Bafunda ukuba kungekudala kuza kufuneka bonwabele iTheko Lamakhusi. Ngoko nangoko, balungiselela ukwenza elo theko.

Kwezo ntsuku ziyi-7 kusenziwa elo theko, abantu babevuya bebulela uYehova ngesivuno esihle. Ukususela kwixesha awayephila ngalo uYoshuwa, akuzange kwenziwe iTheko Lamakhusi elifana nelo. Emva kwelo theko, abantu bathandaza bonke besithi: ‘Yehova, usikhuphile ebukhobokeni, wasondla entlango waza wasinika eli lizwe lihle. Kodwa amaxesha amaninzi sikonile. Uye wathumela abaprofeti ukuba basilumkise, kodwa asikhange sibamamele. Sekunjalo, khange usincame. Uye wasigcina isivumelwano owawusenze noAbraham. Ngoku nathi siyakuthembisa ukuba siza kukuthobela.’ Basibhala eso sivumelwano sabo. Iinkosana, abaLevi nababingeleli basibeka isitampu.