Josia Anozvininipisa Aidiwa naJehovha

JOSIA Muchinda weJudha ane makore mashanu anofanira kuve achitya. Amai vake, Jedhidha, vari kuchema. Jedhidha ane chikonzero chokuchema, nokuti sekuru vaJosia, Mambo Manase, vafa.—2 Madzimambo 21:18.

Zvino baba vaJosia, Amoni, vachava mambo weJudha. (2 Makoronike 33:20) Makore maviri gare gare (659 B.C.E.), Amoni anopondwa navaranda vake. Vanhu vanouraya varonga kumukira kwacho voita Josia muduku mambo. (2 Madzimambo 21:24; 2 Makoronike 33:25) Panguva yaitonga Amoni, Josia akanga ajaira kunzwa munhuhwi wezvinonhuhwira waizadza mhepo yomuJerusarema nemhaka yeatari dzakawanda dzaiva pamusoro pematenga edzimba apo vanhu vaipfugamira vanamwari venhema. Vapristi vechihedheni vaionekwa vachifamba-famba, uye vatsigiri vakasimba—kunyange vamwe vaitaura kuti vainamata Jehovha—vakanga vachipika namwari anonzi Markami.—Zefania 1:1, 5.

Josia anoziva kuti Amoni akaita zvakaipa zvikuru nokunamata vanamwari venhema. Mambo muduku weJudha anosvikawo pakunzwisisa zviri nani kuzivisa kwomuprofita waMwari Zefania. Josia paanosvitsa makore 15 (652 B.C.E.), ari mugore rake rechisere rokutonga uye asarudza kuteerera mashoko aZefania. Achiri kakomana, Josia anotanga kutsvaka Jehovha.—2 Makoronike 33:21, 22; 34:3.

Josia Anoita Chiito!

Makore mana anopfuura uye Josia anotanga kuchenesa Judha neJerusarema pakunamata kwenhema (648 B.C.E.). Anoparadza zvidhori, matanda anoyera, uye atari dzezvinonhuhwira dzinoshandiswa mukunamata Bhaari. Zvifananidzo zvavanamwari venhema zvinokuyiwa kuva upfu uhwo hunozoparadzirwa pamakuva eavo vaibayira kwazviri. Atari dzinoshandiswa mukunamata kusina kuchena dzinozvidzwa dzozoparadzwa.—2 Madzimambo 23:8-14.

Kuchenesa kwaJosia kwava pakati apo Jeremia, mwanakomana womupristi wechiRevhi, anouya kuJerusarema (647 B.C.E.). Jehovha Mwari agadza Jeremia muduku somuprofita wake, uye anozivisa zvine simba sei shoko raJehovha pachitendero chenhema! Josia akanga akada kuenzana naJeremia pazera. Zvisinei, pasinei nokuchenesa kwoushingi kwaJosia uye kuzivisa kwokusatya kwaJeremia, vanhu vakakurumidza kudzokazve mukunamata kwenhema.—Jeremia 1:1-10.

Kuwana Chinhu Chinokosha!

Makore mashanu anopfuura. Josia ane makore 25 ave achitonga kweanenge makore 18. Anodaidza Shafani, munyori; Maaseya, mukuru weguta; uye Joa munyori. Mambo anorayira Shafani kuti: ‘Udza Hirkia, mupristi mukuru, kuti atore mari yakaunganidzwa navatariri vomukova wetemberi kubva kuvanhu uye aipe mumaoko avashandi kuitira kuti vagadzirise imba yaJehovha.’—2 Madzimambo 22:3-6; 2 Makoronike 34:8.

Kubva mangwanani-ngwanani, vanogadzirisa temberi vanoshanda zvakasimba. Zvechokwadi Josia anoonga Jehovha kuti vashandi vari kugadzirisa kuparadza uko mamwe amadzitateguru ake akaipa akaita kuimba yaMwari. Basa zvarinofambira mberi, Shafani anouya kuzopa mushumo. Asi chii chiri [muruoko rwake]? Hungu, akatakura mupumburu! Anotsanangura kuti Mupristi Mukuru Hirkia awana  “bhuku yomurayiro waJehovha, wakanga wapiwa Mosesi.” (2 Makoronike 34:12-18) Kuwana kwakadini—pasina mubvunzo yaiva kopi yapakuvamba yoMutemo!

Josia anoda kunzwa shoko rose riri mubhuku racho. Shafani zvaanoverenga, mambo anoedza kuona mashandire anoita murayiro mumwe nomumwe kwaari uye kuvanhu. Anoororwa zvikurukuru nokusimbisa kunamata kwakachena kunoitwa nebhuku racho uye nokufanotaura matambudziko nokutapwa kunozovapo kana vanhu vakapinda muchitendero chenhema. Zvino achiziva kuti haisi mirayiro yose yaMwari yave ichiitwa, Josia anobvarura nguo dzake uye anopa Hirkia, Shafani, navamwe murayiro wokuti: ‘Bvunzai Jehovha pamusoro pamashoko ebhuku iri; nokuti kutsamwa kwaJehovha kwadururwa pamusoro pedu kukuru nokuti madzibaba edu haana kuteerera mashoko ebhuku iri.’—2 Madzimambo 22:11-13; 2 Makoronike 34:19-21.

Shoko raJehovha Rinoparadzirwa

Nhumwa dzaJosia dzinoenda kuna Hurdha muprofitakadzi ari muJerusarema uye dzinodzoka nomushumo. Hurdha aparadzira shoko raJehovha, achiratidza kuti matambudziko akanyorwa mubhuku richangobva kuwanikwa achawira rudzi rwakaramba kutenda. Zvisinei, nemhaka yokuzvininipisa kwake pamberi paJehovha Mwari, Josia haafaniri kuona matambudziko aya. Achava pamwe namadzibaba ake uye achavigwa muhwiro hwake murugare.—2 Madzimambo 22:14-20; 2 Makoronike 34:22-28.

Uprofita hwaHurdha hwakanga hwakarurama here, sezvo Josia akafira muhondo? (2 Madzimambo 23:28-30) Hungu, nokuti “rugare” rwaakavigwa narwo muhwiro hwake rwakasiyana ne“zvakaipa” zvaizouya paJudha. (2 Madzimambo 22:20; 2 Makoronike 34:28) Josia akafa zvakaipa zvomuna 609-607 B.C.E. zvisati zvaitika vaBhabhironi pavakakomba nokuparadza Jerusarema. Uye ‘kuiswa kumadzibaba omumwe’ hakurevi chaizvozvo kusafa rufu rwechisimba. Kutaura kwakafanana kunoshandiswa kureva nzufu dzechisimba kana dzisiri dzechisimba.—Dheuteronomio 31:16; 1 Madzimambo 2:10; 22:34, 40.

Kunamata Kwechokwadi Kunoenderera Mberi

Josia anounganidza vanhu veJerusarema patemberi uye anovaverengera “mashoko ose ebhuku yesungano” yakanga yawanikwa muimba yaJehovha. Ipapo anoita sungano yo“kutevera Jehovha, nokuchengeta mirayiro yake nezvipupuriro, nezvaakatema, nomwoyo wake wose nomweya wake wose, kuti asimbise mashoko esungano iyi, akanga akanyorwa mubhuku iyi.” Vanhu vose vanotsigira sungano yacho.—2 Madzimambo 23:1-3.

Sezviri pachena, Mambo Josia zvino anotangazve kumwe kurwisa kunamata zvidhori kwakasimba zvikuru. Vapristi vavanamwari vokumwe veJudha havasisina basa. Vapristi vechiRevhi vari kuitawo zvokunamata kusina kuchena vanorasikirwa neropafadzo yokushanda paatari yaJehovha, uye nzvimbo dzakakwirira dzakavakwa panguva yokutonga kwaMambo Soromoni dzinonzi hadzina kukodzera nokuda kwokunamata. Kuchenesa kwacho kunosanganisirawo nharaunda yehwaichimbova umambo hwendudzi gumi dzaIsraeri, hwakanga hwakundwa pakuvamba navaAsiriya (740 B.C.E.).

Mukuzadzika mashoko akataurwa makore 300 zvisati zvaitika no“munhu waMwari” asina kutaurwa zita, Josia anopisa mapfupa avapristi vaBhaari paatari yaMambo Jerobhoami I yakavakwa paBheteri. Nzvimbo dzakakwirira dzinobviswa ikoko nomumamwe maguta, uye vapristi vanonamata zvidhori vanopisirwa paatari chaidzo dzavakanga vashandira.—1 Madzimambo 13:1-4; 2 Madzimambo 23:4-20.

Paseka Huru Inoitwa

Mabasa aJosia mukusimudzira kunamata kwakachena ane tsigiro yaMwari. Chero bedzi achirarama, mambo wacho achaonga Mwari kuti vanhu vasa“tsauka pakutevera Jehovha Mwari wamadzibaba avo.” (2 Makoronike 34:33) Uye Josia angakanganwa sei chiitiko chinoshamisa zvikuru chakaitika mugore rechi18 rokutonga kwake?

Mambo wacho anorayira vanhu kuti: “Itirai Jehovha Mwari wenyu paseka, sezvakanyorwa mubhuku iyi [ichangobva kuwanikwa] yesungano.” (2 Madzimambo 23:21) Josia anofara kuona vanhu vachiita izvozvo. Pakuchengeta uku, iye pachake anopa mhuka dzePaseka 30 000 nemombe 3 000. Yaiva Paseka yakakurumbira zvakadini! Muzvinopiwa zvayo, gadziriro dzayo dzakanyatsorongwa, uye nhamba yayo yavanamati, inodarika Paseka ipi neipi yakanga yamboitwa kubvira mazuva omuprofita Samueri.—2 Madzimambo 23:22, 23; 2 Makoronike 35:1-19.

 Akachemwa Zvikuru Murufu

Kwemakore ake ose 31 okutonga (659-629 B.C.E.), Josia anotonga samambo akanaka. Pedyo nomugumo wokutonga kwake, anoziva kuti Farao Neko anoronga kupfuura nomuJudha achienda kunovhiringidza mauto eBhabhironi nokudaro achibatsira mambo weAsiriya paKarkemishi paRwizi rweYufratesi. Nokuda kwechikonzero chisingadudzwi, Josia anoenda kunorwisa muIjipiti wacho. Neko anotuma nhumwa kwaari achiti: “Iwe chirega hako kunetsa Mwari uneni, kuti arege kukuparadza.” Asi Josia anozvichinja chitarisiko uye anoedza kudzora vaIjipiti paMegidho.—2 Makoronike 35:20-22.

Nhamo nokuda kwamambo weJudha! Vavengi vanopfura nouta vakapfura chaipo pavaida, uye anoudza varanda vake kuti: “Ndibvisei, nokuti ndakuvadzwa kwazvo.” Vanobvisa Josia mungoro yake yehondo, vomuisa mune imwe, vonanga kuJerusarema. Ikoko kana kuti vari munzira kuenda kuguta, Josia anofema kokupedzisira. “Akafa, akavigwa mumahwiro amadzibaba ake,” inodaro nhoroondo yakafuridzirwa, “vaJudha vose neJerusarema vakachema Josia.” Jeremia akaita rwiyo rwokumuchema, uye pashure paizvozvo mambo wacho akaimbwa nezvake munziyo dzamariro pazviitiko zvinokosha.—2 Makoronike 35:23-25.

Hungu, Mambo Josia akaita chikanganiso chinonzwisa urombo paakarwa navaIjipiti muhondo. (Pisarema 130:3) Kunyange zvakadaro, kuzvininipisa kwake uye kutsigira kwake kwakasimba kunamata kwechokwadi kwakaita kuti atenderwe naMwari. Upenyu hwaJosia hunoenzanisira zvakanaka sei kuti Jehovha anoda vashumiri vake vakazvipira vane mwoyo inozvininipisa!—Zvirevo 3:34; Jakobho 4:6.

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 29]

Mambo Josia muduku akatsvaka Jehovha nomwoyo wose

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 31]

Josia akaparadza nzvimbo dzakakwirira uye akatsigira kunamata kwechokwadi