UYehova, “UMgwebi Wehlabathi Lonke” Ongakhethi Buso
“UBawo . . . ugweba ngokungakhethi buso umntu ngamnye ngokomsebenzi wakhe.”—1 PETROS 1:17, NW.
1, 2. (a) Kutheni sifanele soyike yaye sithuthuzeleke xa sicinga ukuba uYehova unguMgwebi omkhulu? (b) Kwityala lenkundla likaYehova emangalele iintlanga, banayiphi indima abakhonzi bakhe basemhlabeni?
UYEHOVA ‘ngumgwebi omkhulu wehlabathi lonke.’ (Genesis 18:25) NjengoThixo onguMongami wendalo iphela, unelungelo elingasikelwanga mda lokugweba izidalwa zakhe. Le ngcamango iyoyikisa kanti kwangaxeshanye iyathuthuzela. UMoses wayivakalisa ngendlela echukumisayo le ngcamango ibonakala iziphikisa, esithi: “UYehova uThixo wenu nguThixo woothixo yena, nguNkosi kankosi, nguThixo omkhulu, oligorha, owoyikekayo, ongakhethi buso, ongamkeli sicengo; ogwebela inkedama nomhlolokazi, othanda owasemzini, amnike ukudla, amnike nengubo.”—Duteronomi 10:17, 18.
2 Olunjani lona ukumangalisa ulungelelwano! UThixo omkhulu, oligorha nowoyikekayo, kodwa ongakhethi buso nothi ngothando anyamekele izilangazelelo zeenkedama, ezabahlolokazi nezabasemzini. Ngubani onokunqwenela ukuba kungakho uMgwebi onothando ngakumbi kunoYehova? Ezibonakalisa njengalowo umangalelene enkundleni neentlanga zehlabathi likaSathana, uYehova uhlab’ ikhwelo kubakhonzi bakhe abasemhlabeni ukuba babe ngamangqina akhe. (Isaya 34:8; 43:9-12) Akaxhomekekanga kubungqina babo ukuze angqine ubuthixo nolongamo lwakhe olufanelekileyo. Kodwa uthi jize amangqina akhe ngelungelo elibalaseleyo lokubonisa lonke uluntu ukuba ayalwamkela ulongamo lwakhe. Amangqina akhe ayazithoba kulongamo lwakhe lobulungisa, yaye ngobulungiseleli bawo basesidlangalaleni, ashukumisela abanye ukuba bazithobe phantsi kwegunya loMgwebi Owongamileyo.
Indlela KaYehova Yokugweba
3. Inokushwankathelwa njani indlela kaYehova yokugweba, ibe oku kwazekeliswa njani kwimeko ka-Adam noEva?
3 Ekuqaleni kwembali yoluntu, uYehova wabagweba ngokwakhe aboni abathile. Imizekelo yendlela ayisingatha ngayo imibandela yokugweba yamisela umzekelo abakhonzi bakhe ababeya kuthi kamva babe nembopheleleko yokuqhuba imicimbi yokugweba phakathi kwabantu bakhe. (INdumiso 77:11, 12) Indlela agweba ngayo inokushwankathelwa ngolu hlobo: ukuba ngqongqo apho kuyimfuneko, ukubonakalisa inceba apho kunokwenzeka. Kwimeko ka-Adam noEva, izidalwa ezingabantu ezifezekileyo ezavukela ngabom, kwakungafuneki nceba. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wabagwebela ukufa. Kodwa inceba yakhe yasebenza kwinzala yabo. UYehova wakuhlehlisa kancinane ukuphumeza isigwebo sokufa, ngaloo ndlela evumela uAdam noEva ukuba babe nabantwana. Ngothando wanika inzala yabo ithemba lokukhululwa ebukhobokeni besono nokufa.—Genesis 3:15; Roma 8:20, 21.
4. UYehova waqhubana njani noKayin, yaye kutheni le meko ibangel’ umdla ngokukhethekileyo nje?
4 Indlela uYehova awaqhubana ngayo noKayin ibangel’ umdla ngokukhethekileyo ngenxa yokuba yimeko yokuqala ebhaliweyo ebandakanya omnye wenzala engafezekanga ka-Adam noEva, ‘ethengiswe phantsi kwesono.’ (Roma 7:14) Ngaba uYehova wacinga ngoku waza waqhubana noKayin ngokwahlukileyo kwindlela awaqhubana ngayo nabazali bakhe? Yaye ngaba le meko inokubafundisa isifundo abaveleli abangamaKristu namhlanje? Makhe sibone. Ebona intsabelo ephosakeleyo kaKayin xa idini lakhe lingazange lamkeleke, ngothando uYehova wamlumkisa ngengozi awayekuyo. Iqhalo lakudala lithi: ‘Kulunge ngakumbi ukuyithintela into kunokuyinyanga.’ UYehova wenza unako nako ukulumkisa uKayin ngokuvumela utyekelo lwesono ukuba lumlawule. Wazama ukumnceda ukuba ‘alungise.’ (Genesis 4:5-7) Esi sisihlandlo sokuqala uThixo awafuna ngaso ukuba umntu onesono aguquke. Emva kokuba uKayin ebonakalise isimo sengqondo sokungaguquki waza wenza isenzo esafuna ukuba afumane isohlwayo sokufa, uYehova wamgwebela ukuba sisibhadubhadu, waza wakhupha nomyalelo owalela abanye abantu ukuba bangambulali.—Genesis 4:8-15.
5, 6. (a) UYehova waqhubana njani nesizukulwana sangaphambi koMkhukula? (b) Wenza ntoni uYehova ngaphambi kokuphumeza umgwebo nxamnye nabemi baseSodom naseGomora?
5 Ngaphambi koMkhukula, xa ‘uYehova wabona ukuba ububi babantu bandile ehlabathini, kwaba buhlungu kuye entliziyweni.’ (Genesis 6:5, 6) “Wazohlwaya” ngokokude abe buhlungu kuba uninzi lwesizukulwana sangaphambi koMkhukula sayisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yaso yokuzikhethela nokuba kufuneke asigwebe. Sekunjalo, wasinika izilumkiso ezifanelekileyo, esebenzisa uNowa iminyaka emininzi ‘njengomvakalisi wobulungisa.’ Emva koko, uYehova wayengenasizathu sokuba ‘angalihliselli unogumbe ihlabathi labangahloneli Thixo.’—2 Petros 2:5.
6 Ngokufanayo uYehova wanyanzeleka ukuba achophele ityala labemi ababonakele baseSodom naseGomora. Kodwa phawula indlela awaqhuba ngayo. Wayesive kwimithandazo kaLote kuphela “isikhalo” esingehambo eyothusayo yaba bantu. (Genesis 18:20; 2 Petros 2:7, 8) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba athabathe amanyathelo, ‘wehla’ ngezithunywa zakhe ukuze ahlolisise izibakala. (Genesis 18:21, 22; 19:1) Kwakhona wathabatha ixesha lokuqinisekisa uAbraham ukuba wayengayi kuqhuba ngokungekho sikweni.—Genesis 18:23-32.
7. Ziziphi izifundo abadala abakhonza kwiikomiti ezigwebayo abanokuzifunda kwimizekelo yendlela uYehova agweba ngayo?
7 Abadala namhlanje banokufunda ntoni kule mizekelo? Kwimeko ka-Adam noEva, uYehova wabonakalisa uthando nolwazelelelo ngabo, ngoxa babehlobene nabo banetyala, babemsulwa etyaleni. Wabonakalisa inceba kwinzala ka-Adam noEva. Kwimeko kaKayin, uYehova wayibona kwangaphambili ingozi uKayin awayekuyo waza waqiqa ngobubele naye, ezama ukukuthintela ukwenziwa kwesono. Kwanasemva kokuba emgxothile, uYehova wayenolwazelelelo ngoKayin. Kamva, uYehova waphumeza umgwebo kwisizukulwana sangaphambi koMkhukula kuphela emva kokuba ebonakalise ukunyamezela ngomonde. Xa wayejamelene nobungendawo obubi, uYehova ‘waba buhlungu entliziyweni.’ Waba buhlungu kuba abantu bevukele ulawulo lwakhe lobulungisa nokuba kunyanzeleke ukuba abagwebe ngokuqatha. (Genesis 6:6; thelekisa uHezekile 18:31; 2 Petros 3:9.) Kwimeko yeSodom neGomora, uYehova wathabatha amanyathelo kuphela emva kokuba ehlolisise izibakala. Enjani yona ukubalasela imizekelo kwabo namhlanje bafanele bachophele amatyala angokwasemthethweni!
Abagwebi Abangabantu Kumaxesha Oosolusapho
8. Yiyiphi imithetho esisiseko kaYehova eyayisaziwa ngamaxesha oosolusapho?
8 Nangona kubonakala ukuba kwakungekho myalelo ubhaliweyo ngelo xesha, ibutho loosolusapho laliqhelene nemithetho esisiseko kaYehova, yaye abakhonzi bakhe babenyanzelekile ukuba bayithobele. (Thelekisa iGenesis 26:5.) Okwenzeka e-Eden kwakubonise imfuneko yokuzithoba kulongamo lukaYehova. Imeko kaKayin yayityhile ukungafuni kukaYehova ukuba abantu babulalane. Kamsinya emva koMkhukula, uThixo wanika uluntu imithetho ephathelele ubungcwele bobomi, ukubulala, isohlwayo sokufa nokutyiwa kwegazi. (Genesis 9:3-6) UYehova wakugweba ngokuqatha ukukrexeza kwimeko eyayibandakanya uAbraham, uSara noAbhimeleki, ukumkani waseGerare, kufutshane neGaza.—Genesis 20:1-7.
9, 10. Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba inkqubo yokugweba yayikho kwibutho loosolusapho?
9 Ngaloo maxesha iintloko-ntsapho zazisiba ngabagwebi ibe zazinyamekela iingxaki ezingokwasemthethweni. UYehova wathi ngokuphathelele uAbraham: “Kuba ndaze yena, ukuze abawisele umthetho abantwana bakhe, nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe, bagcine indlela kaYehova, benze ubulungisa nokusesikweni.” (Genesis 18:19) UAbraham wabonakalisa ukungazingci nokuqonda ekucombululeni ingxabano phakathi kwabalusi bemfuyo yakhe nabekaLote. (Genesis 13:7-11) Njengentloko nomgwebi ongusolusapho, uYuda wamgwebela umolokazana wakhe uTamare ukuba axulutywe ngamatye ade afe aze atshiswe, ekholelwa ukuba wayengumkrexezikazi. (Genesis 38:11, 24; thelekisa uYoshuwa 7:25.) Noko ke, emva kokuba eve zonke izibakala, wamgqala njengolilungisa ngakumbi kunaye. (Genesis 38:25, 26) Hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuva zonke izibakala ngaphambi kokwenza isigqibo sokugweba!
10 Incwadi kaYobhi ibhekisela kwinkqubo yokugweba yaye ibonisa ukunqweneleka kokugweba ngokungakhethi buso. (Yobhi 13:8, 10; 31:11; 32:21) UYobhi ngokwakhe usikhumbuza ngexesha laxa wayengumgwebi ohloniphekileyo owayehlala kwisango lesixeko ephumeza okusesikweni yaye ethethelela abahlolokazi neenkedama. (Yobhi 29:7-16) Ngaloo ndlela, kukho ubungqina bokuba phakathi kwebutho loosolusapho, “amadoda amakhulu” ayesebenza njengabagwebi phakathi kwenzala ka-Abraham kwanangaphambi kweMfuduko nangaphambi kokuba uThixo anike uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli umgaqo-siseko ongokwasemthethweni. (Eksodus 3:16, 18) Enyanisweni, uMoses wawanika “amadoda amakhulu,” okanye abadala, akwaSirayeli, awayemela abantu imigaqo yomnqophiso woMthetho.—Eksodus 19:3-7.
Inkqubo Yokugweba YakwaSirayeli
11, 12. Ngokutsho kwabaphengululi ababini beBhayibhile, yintoni eyayisahlula inkqubo yokugweba yakwaSirayeli kuleyo yezinye iintlanga?
11 Ukuphunyezwa kokusesikweni kwaSirayeli kwakwahluke gqitha kwiinkqubo ezingokwasemthethweni ezazilandelwa ziintlanga ezaziwangqongile. Kwakungenziwa mahluko phakathi komthetho wamalungelo abemi nomthetho wolwaphulo-mthetho. Yomibini yayidibene nemithetho yokuziphatha okuhle neyonqulo. Ukona ummelwane kabani kwakukukona uYehova. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The People and the Faith of the Bible, umbhali uAndré Chouraqui uyabhala: “Indlela eqhelekileyo yokugweba yamaHebhere iyahluka kuleyo yeentlanga ezazingabamelwane bawo, kungekuphela nje kwindlela ezichaza ngayo izono nezohlwayo kodwa nakwintsingiselo yokwenene yomthetho. . . . ITora [uMthetho] ayahlukanga kubomi bemihla ngemihla; ilawula ubume nokuqulethwe bubomi bemihla ngemihla ngokunikela intsikelelo okanye isiqalekiso. . . . KwaSirayeli . . . phantse kube akunakwenzeka ukwenza umahluko ocacileyo kwimisebenzi yesixeko yokugweba. Yayifihlwe kumanyano lobomi obunikelwe ngokupheleleyo ekuzalisekeni kokuthanda koThixo ophilileyo.”
12 Le meko yahlukileyo yabeka ukuphunyezwa kokusesikweni kwaSirayeli kumgangatho ophakame gqitha kunoweentlanga ezimelene nabo. Umphengululi weBhayibhile uRoland de Vaux ubhala oku: “Umthetho wakwaSirayeli, phezu kwako nje ukufana kwawo ngokwakheka nangoko ukuquletheyo, wahluka ngokupheleleyo kwimibhalo ‘yezivumelwano’ zakuMbindi Mpuma nakumagatya ‘emithetho’ yazo. Ngumthetho wonqulo. . . . Awukho umthetho wakuMbindi Mpuma onokuthelekiswa nomthetho wakwaSirayeli, obhalwe nguThixo xa uwonke. Ukuba uquka, yaye udla ngokuxuba, imimiselo engokokuziphatha nengokwesithethe, oku kungenxa yokuba igubungela konke okuqulethwe nguMnqophiso kaThixo, yaye kungenxa yokuba lo Mnqophiso wawulawula iintlobano zabantu neentlobano zabo noThixo.” Akumangalisi ukuba uMoses wabuza oku: “Luluphi na uhlanga olukhulu olunemimiselo namasiko anobulungisa, njengalo myalelo wonke ndiwubekayo phambi kwenu namhla?”—Duteronomi 4:8.
Abagwebi KwaSirayeli
13. UMoses wababekela umzekelo omhle kweziphi iinkalo abadala namhlanje?
13 Ekubeni kwakukho inkqubo ephakame kangaka yokugweba, luhlobo luni lomntu owayefuneka ukuze asebenze njengomgwebi? IBhayibhile ithi ngomgwebi wokuqala ngqa owamiselwayo kwaSirayeli: “Ke indoda le inguMoses ibilulamile kunene kunabantu bonke abasemhlabeni.” (Numeri 12:3) Wayengazithembanga ngokugqithiseleyo. (Eksodus 4:10) Nangona kwakufuneka agwebe abantu, maxa wambi wayesiba ngummeli wabo phambi koYehova, embongoza ukuba abaxolele yaye wayekulungele nokubafela. (Eksodus 32:11, 30-32) Ngendlela ebumbongo wathi: “Ichaphaze njengemvula imfundiso yam, ihle njengombethe intetho yam, njengomkhumezelo phezu kohlaza, njengamathontsi phezu kotyani.” (Duteronomi 32:2) Engakholosi ngobakhe ubulumko ekugwebeni abantu, wathi: “Xa benendawo, beza kum ukuba ndigwebe phakathi komntu nommelwane wakhe, ndibazise imimiselo kaThixo nemiyalelo yakhe.” (Eksodus 18:16) Xa wayengaqinisekanga ngombandela othile, wayewusa kuYehova. (Numeri 9:6-8; 15:32-36; 27:1-11) UMoses wayengumzekelo omhle kubadala namhlanje ‘abalusa umhlambi kaThixo’ baze benze izigqibo zokugweba. (IZenzo 20:28) Lwanga ngokukwanjalo ulwalamano lwabo nabazalwana babo lungangqineka ‘lunjengamathontsi phezu kotyani.’
14. Ziziphi iimfaneleko zokomoya zamadoda awayemiselwa nguMoses njengabagwebi kwaSirayeli?
14 Ekuhambeni kwexesha uMoses wayengasenako ukuwuthwala eyedwa umthwalo wokunyamekela amatyala abantu afuna ugwebo. (Eksodus 18:13, 18) Walamkela icebiso awalinikwa ngumkhwe wakhe lokuba afune uncedo. Kwakhona, kwakhethwa amadoda anjani? Siyafunda: “Uze uzikhangelele ebantwini bonke amadoda anobunkunkqele ekuthetheni amatyala, amoyikayo uThixo, amadoda anyanisekileyo, ayithiyileyo inzuzo embi. . . . UMoses wanyula amadoda anobunkunkqele ekuthetheni amatyala kuwo onke amaSirayeli, wawenza iintloko phezu kwabantu, aba ngabathetheli-waka, nabathetheli-khulu, nabathetheli bamashumi ngamahlanu, nabathetheli bamashumi ngamanye. Bathetha amatyala abantu ngamaxesha onke; izinto ezinqabileyo bazizisa kuMoses, zonke ezincinane bazigweba bona.”—Eksodus 18:21-26.
15. Ziziphi iimfaneleko zabo babekhonza njengabagwebi kwaSirayeli?
15 Kunokubonwa ukuba ubudala ngeminyaka babungeyonkalo iphambili ejongwayo ekukhetheni amadoda ukuba asebenze njengabagwebi. UMoses wathi: “Zikhangeleleni amadoda alumkileyo, aziingqondi, aziwayo, [“anamava,” NW] ngokwezizwe zakomawenu, niwamise abe ziintloko zenu.” (Duteronomi 1:13) UMoses wayekwazi kakuhle oko kwakuthethwe nguElihu oselula kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambili: “Ukulumka akunabakhulu, ukuqonda okufanelekileyo akunamadoda makhulu odwa.” (Yobhi 32:9) Ngokuqinisekileyo, abo babemiselwa babefanele babe ‘ngamadoda anamava.’ Kodwa ngaphezu kwako konke ayefanele abe ngamadoda anobunkunkqele, awoyika uThixo, awayenokuthenjwa, awayeyithiyile inzuzo embi nawayelumkile yaye enengqiqo. Ngoko ke, kubonakala kucacile ukuba ‘iintloko’ “nabagwebi” abakhankanywe kuYoshuwa 23:2 nakwesama-24:1 babengahlukanga ‘kumadoda amakhulu’ akhankanywe kwakwezo ndinyana kodwa babekhethwa kuwo.—Bona i-Insight on the Scriptures, uMqulu 2, iphepha 549.
Ukuphumeza Okusesikweni
16. Yintoni esifanele siyiphawule namhlanje ngemiyalelo uMoses awayinikela abagwebi ababesandul’ ukumiselwa?
16 Ngokuphathelele imiyalelo eyayinikwa aba bagwebi bamiselweyo, uMoses wathi: “Ndabawisela umthetho abaphathi benu ngelo xesha, ndathi, Noyilamla into ephakathi kwabazalwana benu, nigwebe ngobulungisa phakathi komntu nomzalwana wakhe, nowasemzini okuye. Ize ningakhethi buso ekugwebeni kwenu; ize nimphulaphule omncinane njengomkhulu, ninganxunguphaliswa bubuso bomntu; ngokuba ukugweba oku kokukaYehova. Indawo eninqabeleyo noyizisa kum, ndiyive.”—Duteronomi 1:16, 17.
17. Ngoobani ababemiselwa njengabagwebi, yaye sisiphi isilumkiso uKumkani uYehoshafati awabanika sona?
17 Kambe ke, ityala lalinokuziswa kuMoses kuphela ebudeni bokuphila kwakhe. Ngoko kwenziwa amalungiselelo awongezelelekileyo okuba amatyala anzima asiwe kubabingeleli, abaLevi nabagwebi abamiselwe ngokukhethekileyo. (Duteronomi 17:8-12; 1 Kronike 23:1-4; 2 Kronike 19:5, 8) Kubagwebi awabamiselayo kwizixeko zakwaYuda, uKumkani uYehoshafati wathi: “Kulumkeleni enikwenzayo; ngokuba akungenxa yomntu ukugweba kwenu, kungenxa kaYehova; . . . Niya kwenjenjalo ukumoyika uYehova ngokunyanisekileyo, nangentliziyo epheleleyo. Zonke iindawo ekubanjwene ngazo eziza kuni, zivela kubazalwana benu, abahleli emizini yabo, . . . nobakhanyisela; ukuze bangabi natyala kuYehova, bunganifikeli nina nabazalwana benu uburhalarhume bakhe; nenjenjalo, ukuze ningabi natyala.”—2 Kronike 19:6-10.
18. (a) Yiyiphi eminye yemigaqo abagwebi bakwaSirayeli ababefanele bayisebenzise? (b) Yintoni abagwebi ababefanele bahlale beyikhumbula, yaye ziziphi izibhalo ezibonisa imiphumo yokuyilibala kwabo?
18 Phakathi kwemigaqo abagwebi bakwaSirayeli ababefanele bayisebenzise yayiyile: okusesikweni okulinganayo kwizityebi nakumahlwempu (Eksodus 23:3, 6; Levitikus 19:15); ukungakhethi buso okungqongqo (Duteronomi 1:17); ukungamkeli izicengo. (Duteronomi 16:18-20) Abagwebi babefanele bahlale bekhumbula ukuba abo babebagweba babezizimvu zikaYehova. (INdumiso 100:3) Enyanisweni, esinye sezizathu zokuba uYehova amlahle uSirayeli wokwenyama sasikukuba ababingeleli nabalusi bakhe basilela ukugweba ngobulungisa yaye babebaphatha ngqwabalala abantu.—Yeremiya 22:3, 5, 25; 23:1, 2; Hezekile 34:1-4; Malaki 2:8, 9.
19. Kubaluleke ngantoni kuthi oku kuhlolisisa imilinganiselo kaYehova yobulungisa ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, yaye yintoni eza kuqwalaselwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
19 UYehova akaguquguquki. (Malaki 3:6) Oku kuhlolisisa ngokufutshane indlela umgwebo owawufanele uphunyezwe ngayo kwaSirayeli nendlela uYehova awayekugqala ngayo nakuphi na ukungenziwa kokusesikweni kufanele kubenze abadala abanembopheleleko yokwenza izigqibo zokugweba namhlanje banqumame baze bacinge. Umzekelo kaYehova njengoMgwebi, nenkqubo yokugweba awayisungulayo kwaSirayeli, wamisela imigaqo engumzekelo wokuphunyezwa kokusesikweni phakathi kwebandla lamaKristu. Oku siza kukubona kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Imibuzo Yempinda
◻ Inokushwankathelwa njani indlela kaYehova yokugweba?
◻ Yazekeliswa njani indlela kaYehova kwiinkqubano zakhe noKayin nesizukulwana sangaphambi koMkhukula?
◻ Ngoobani ababesebenza njengabagwebi kumaxesha oosolusapho, yaye njani?
◻ Yintoni eyayisahlula inkqubo yokugweba yakwaSirayeli kuleyo yezinye iintlanga?
◻ Luhlobo luni lwabantu ababemiselwa njengabagwebi kwaSirayeli, yaye yiyiphi imigaqo ekwakufuneka beyilandele?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Kumaxesha oosolusapho nakwaSirayeli, amadoda amakhulu amiselweyo ayephumeza okusesikweni kwisango lesixeko