Somo la 4 kwa ajili ya Oktoba 26, 2019

Kujengwa upya Hekalu:

Maadui wataka kusaidia

Kazi imekamilika

Kujengwa upya mji:

Kazi yasitishwa

Nehemia achukua hatua

Kuukabili upinzani

Kazi ya Mungu daima imekuwa ikikumbana na upinzani mkali kutoka kwamaadui wa ile kweli.

Waebrania wamekuwa wakikumbana na upinzani tangu wakati Mungualipokuwa akiyatoa matukio ya wao kuujenga upya Yerusalemu pamoja naHekalu.

Pale wana wa Israeli walipokuwa chini ya shinikizo la ukiwa, Mungu aliwatiamoyo kwa kutuma watu maalumu kuirejesha kazi.

Matukia katika Ezra 3-7 hayakuandikwa katika mpangilio unaofuatana kamatulivyozoea.

Baada ya upinzani wa Wasamaria, inatajwa kuwa Dario aliruhusu kujengwaupya kwa Hekalu kuendelee (Ezra 3:1-4:5).

Katika Ezra 4:6-23, kuna upinzani katika kujengwa upya kwa mji BAADA ya amriya Dario.

Badaye, kujengwa upya kwa hekalu kunaendelea kuanzia katika Ezra 4:24 nakuendelea, kulingana na amri ya Dario.

KUJENGWA UPYA KWA HEKALU

KUJENGWA UPYA MJI

[tarehe zote ni KK]

536 –madhabahuyajengwa, na

misingi ya Hekaluyawekwa (Ezra 3)

520 –Dario aamuru

kujengwa upyakwa Hekalu

(Ezra 4:5; 5:1-6:12)

484 –Tashasta azuiakujengwa upya kwa

mji (Ezra 4:6)

450? –Artashasta azuiakazi (Ezra 4:7-23)

535 –Wasamariawaizuia kazi

(Ezra 4:1-4, 24)

515 –Hekalu lakamilikakwa msaada wa Hagai na

Zekaria(Ezra 6:13-18)

457 –Artashastaamtuma Ezra nakuamuru ujenzi

uendelee (Ezra 7)

444 –Nehemiaakamilisha ujenzi wakuta (Nehemia 2-6)

“Msifungiwe nira pamoja na wasioamini, kwa jinsi isivyosawasawa; kwa maana pana urafiki gani kati ya haki na uasi?

Tena pana shirika gani kati ya nuru na uasi?” (2 Wakorintho 6:14)

Wakati wana wa Israeli walipoanza kujenga upyaHekalu, majirani zao—Wasamaria—walitaka kusaidia: “Na tujenge sisi nasi pamoja nanyi; kwa maanatunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi.” (Ezra 4:2)

Msaada huo ulikataliwa kwa sababu kuu mbili:

Ibada yao ilikuwa ni ibada ya sanamu: “Wakamcha BWANA, nakuitumikia miungu yao wenyewe.” (2 Wafalme 17:33)

• Wayahudi hawakutaka kuchafuliwa na ibada ya sanamu tena.

Walitambuliwa kama maadui wa wana wa Israeli (Ezra 4:1).

• Mara moja msaada wao ulipokataliwa, wakaonyesha nia yaoiliyofichika (Ezra 4:4).

Wasamaria wakaendelea kuukwamisha ujenzi waHekalu wakati wa utawala wa Koreshi, Cambyses naSmerdis wa uongo.

Wayahudi hawakuuweza mgogoro huo. Wakazijenganyumba zao wenyewe kwa kutumia mbao zilizokuwazimetengwa kwa ajili ya hekalu.

Mungu alituma kwao “ishara" kuwafanya waliangalie upya jambohili (Hagai 1:5-11). Wala hawakufanyahivyo, ndipo Mungu akatuma kwaomanabii wawili ambao ujumbe waoulisikiwa: Hagai na Zekaria.

Walipoianza kazi, Munguakamwamsha mfalmeDario kuwasaidia(Ezra 5).

“Throughout the history of God’s people great

mountains of difficulty, apparently

insurmountable, have loomed up before those

who were trying to carry out the purposes of

Heaven. Such obstacles are permitted by the Lord

as a test of faith. When we are hedged about on

every side, this is the time above all others to

trust in God and in the power of His Spirit. The

exercise of a living faith means an increase of

spiritual strength and the development of an

unfaltering trust. It is thus that the soul becomes

a conquering power. Before the demand of faith,

the obstacles placed by Satan across the pathway

of the Christian will disappear; for the powers of

heaven will come to his aid. 'Nothing shall be

impossible unto you.' Matthew 17:20”

E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 48, p. 594)

“Hata nakala ya waraka huo wa mfalme Artashasta uliposomwa mbele ya Rehemu, Bwana shauri, na Shimshai, mwandishi, na wenzao, wakaendaYerusalemu upesi, kwa Wayahudi, wakawakomesha kwa nguvu na kwa

kuwashurutisha” (Ezra 4:23)

Hekalu lilikamilika mnamo mwaka 515 KK. Na ndipoujenzi wa Yerusalemu ukaanza mara moja.

Badaye, Wasamaria wakaletaupinzani tena. WakawasitishaWaisraeli kujenga wakati wautawala wa Ahasuero [Tashasta] (Ezra 4:6).

Katika mwaka 457 KK, Artashasta alimtuma Ezra nakuwapa Yuda uhuru. Ujenzi wamji ukaanza tena.

Katika mwaka 450? KK, kazi ilisitishwa tena (Ezra 4:23). Wayahudi wakajawa na hofu, kwa kuwa walijihisiwadhaifu mbele ya upinzani wenye dhuluma.

Ilichukua miaka 15 kumaliza kazi ya siku 52. haikuwarahisi. Kulikuwa na upinzani mwingi. Ilimbidi Nehemiakuchukua hatua:

Waliomba kwanza, ndipo wakachukua hatua. Walifanyasehemu yao na Mungu akafanya iliyobaki.

“Na mimi nikatuma wajumbe kwao, nikasema, ‘ Hii ni kazikubwa ninayoifanya mimi, hata nisiweze kushuka; mbona kazi

ikome, hapo ninapoiacha, niwashukie?’” (Nehemia 6:3)

a) Dhihaka: Neh. 4:1-3

b) Kupigana vita: Neh. 4:7-8 Kaskazini: Sanbalati Mhoroni➔ Mashariki: Tobia Mwamoni Kusini: Geshemu Mwarabu Magharibi: Wafilisti kutoka Ashdodi

c) Matatizo ya ndani: 5:1

d) Njama: 6:2

e) Mashtaka ya uhaini: 6:6-7

f) Manabii wa uongo: 6:10-13

Kulingana na hesabu ya Nehemia, upinzani ulikuja kwa njia nyingi:

Shemaya nabii wa uongo akamshauri Nehemia akimbilie mahalipatakatifu ili kuokoa maisha yake. Hata hivyo, Nehemiaalichagua kuhatarisha maisha yake mwenyewe ila siyo kuvunjasheria ya Mungu (makuhani tu walipaswa kuingia mahalipatakatifu).

“Like Nehemiah, God’s people are neither to fear nor

to despise their enemies. Putting their trust in God,

they are to go steadily forward, doing His work with

unselfishness, and committing to His providence the

cause for which they stand…

In every crisis His people may confidently declare, 'If

God be for us, who can be against us?' Romans 8:31.

However craftily the plots of Satan and his agents

may be laid, God can detect them, and bring to

nought all their counsels. The response of faith

today will be the response made by Nehemiah, 'Our

God shall fight for us;' for God is in the work, and no

man can prevent its ultimate success.”

E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 53, p. 645)