Bazalelwa Kwisizwe Esinyulwe NguThixo

“Nguwe uYehova uThixo wakho amnyulileyo ukuba abe sisizwana sakhe.”—DUTERONOMI 7:6.

1, 2. Yintoni uYehova awayenzela abantu bakhe, yaye luluphi ulwalamano olwaba phakathi kwamaSirayeli noThixo?

NGOWE-1513 B.C.E., uYehova wakha ulwalamano nabakhonzi bakhe abasemhlabeni. Ngaloo nyaka, wahlazisa igunya lehlabathi elalikhonya waza wakhulula amaSirayeli ebukhobokeni. Ngenxa yoko, waba nguMsindisi noMnini wolu hlanga. Ngaphambi kokuba awahlangule, uThixo wathi kuMoses: “Yithi koonyana bakaSirayeli, ‘NdinguYehova, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kunikhupha phantsi koxanduva lwamaYiputa ndize ndinihlangule ebukhobokeni bawo, yaye ndiya kunihlangula ngokwenene ngengalo eyoluliweyo nangezigwebo ezikhulu. Ngokuqinisekileyo ndonithabatha nibe sisizwana sam, ndize ndizingqine ndinguThixo wenu.’”—Eksodus 6:6, 7; 15:1-7, 11.

² Emva kokuba endulukile eYiputa, amaSirayeli enza umnqophiso noThixo wawo, uYehova. Kunokuba asebenzisane nabantu ngabanye, iintsapho okanye imilowo, ukususela ngoko uYehova wayeza kuba nabantu abalungelelanisiweyo, uhlanga, olulapha emhlabeni. (Eksodus 19:5, 6; 24:7) Abantu bakhe wabanika imithetho eyayilawula ubomi babo bemihla ngemihla, ngakumbi unqulo lwabo. UMoses wathi kubo: “Luluphi na uhlanga olukhulu oluthixo balo basondeleyo kulo njengoYehova uThixo wethu ekumbizeni kwethu konke? Yaye luluphi na uhlanga olukhulu olunemimiselo nezigwebo zobulungisa njengalo mthetho wonke ndiwubekayo phambi kwenu namhlanje?”—Duteronomi 4:7, 8.

Ukuzalelwa Kuhlanga LwamaNgqina

3, 4. Yayisisiphi esona sizathu sibalulekileyo sokubakho kohlanga lwamaSirayeli?

³ Emva kweenkulungwane ezithile, uYehova wasebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uIsaya ukuba akhumbuze amaSirayeli ngesizathu sokuba awenze uhlanga lwakhe. UIsaya wathi: “Utsho uYehova, uMdali wakho, Yakobi, noMyili wakho, Sirayeli, ukuthi: ‘Musa ukoyika, kuba ndikuhlawulele. Ndikubizile ngegama lakho. Ungowam. Kuba ndinguYehova uThixo wakho, Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli uMsindisi wakho. . . . Zisa oonyana bam abavela kude, neentombi zam ezivela esiphelweni somhlaba, wonk’ ubani obizwa ngegama lam nendimdalele uzuko lwam, endimyilileyo, ewe, endimenzileyo. Ningamangqina am,’ utsho uYehova, ‘ningumkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo, . . . abantu endiziyilele bona, ukuze babalise indumiso yam.’”—Isaya 43:1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 21.

⁴ Njengabantu ababebizwa ngegama likaYehova, amaSirayeli ayeza kuba ngamangqina olongamo lwakhe ezintlangeni. Ayeza kuba ngabantu ‘abadalelwe ukuzukisa uYehova.’ Ayemele ‘adumise uYehova,’ abalise ngendlela awawahlangula ngayo ngaloo ndlela ezukisa igama lakhe elingcwele. Ngegama elinye, ayeza kuba luhlanga lwamangqina kaYehova.

5. USirayeli wayesisizwe esizahluleleyo ngayiphi indlela?

⁵ Ngenkulungwane ye-11 B.C.E., uKumkani uSolomon wabonisa ukuba uYehova wayemenze uhlanga olwahluliweyo uSirayeli. Xa wayethandaza kuYehova, wathi: “Wena ngokwakho wabahlula njengelifa lakho kuzo zonke izizwana zomhlaba.” (1 Kumkani 8:53) MSirayeli ngamnye wayenolwalamano olukhethekileyo noYehova. Ngaphambilana uMoses wathi kuwo: “Ningoonyana kuYehova uThixo wenu. . . . Ngokuba usisizwana esingcwele kuYehova uThixo wakho.” (Duteronomi 14:1, 2) Ngenxa yoko, amaSirayeli aselula kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba azahlulele kuYehova. Ayezalwa sele engamalungu esizwe esizahlulele kuThixo. (INdumiso 79:13; 95:7) Isizukulwana ngasinye esivelayo sasifundiswa imithetho kaYehova kwaye kwakulindeleke ukuba siyigcine loo mithetho ngenxa yomnqophiso owawenziwe ngamaSirayeli kuYehova.—Duteronomi 11:18, 19.

AmaSirayeli Ayenenkululeko Yokuzikhethela

6. Luluphi ukhetho ekwakufuneka lwenziwe ngumSirayeli ngamnye?

⁶ Nangona amaSirayeli ayezalelwa kuhlanga oluzahluleleyo, mntu ngamnye kwakufuneka azenzele isigqibo sokukhonza uThixo. Ngaphambi kokuba angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uMoses wawaxelela oku: “Ndimisela amazulu nehlabathi namhlanje njengamangqina am okuba, ndibeke phambi kwakho ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso; nyula ke ubomi ukuze uphile, wena nenzala yakho, ngokuthi umthande uYehova uThixo wakho, uliphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, unamathele kuye; ngokuba ububomi bakho nokolulwa kwemihla yakho, ukuze uhlale emhlabeni lowo uYehova awafunga kookhokho bakho uAbraham, uIsake noYakobi ukuba wobanika wona.” (Duteronomi 30:19, 20) Ngoko ke, mSirayeli ngamnye kwakufuneka azikhethele ukumthanda uYehova, ukuthobela ilizwi lakhe nokuma kwicala lakhe. Ekubeni amaSirayeli ayenenkululeko yokuzikhethela, ayemele ayamkele imiphumo yokhetho lwawo.—Duteronomi 30:16-18.

7. Kwenzeka ntoni emva kokufa kwesizukulwana sikaYoshuwa?

⁷ Ixesha laBagwebi lingumzekelo omhle wemiphumo yokuthembeka nokungathembeki. Ngaphambi kokuba kuqalise ixesha labagwebi, amaSirayeli alandela umzekelo omhle kaYoshuwa kwaye asikelelwa. “Abantu baqhubeka bekhonza uYehova yonke imihla kaYoshuwa nayo yonke imihla yamadoda amakhulu awayolulayo imihla yawo emva koYoshuwa nawayeyibonile yonke imisebenzi emikhulu uYehova awayenzela uSirayeli.” Emva kwexesha elithile efile uYoshuwa, “kwavela esinye isizukulwana emva kwaso esasingamazi uYehova okanye umsebenzi awayewenzele uSirayeli. Yaye oonyana bakaSirayeli benza okubi emehlweni kaYehova.” (ABagwebi 2:7, 10, 11) Kuyacaca ukuba esi sizukulwana sitsha, singenamava sasingalixabisi ilifa laso lokuzalelwa kwisizwe esizahluleleyo, awenza imimangaliso ngenxa yaso uThixo waso uYehova mandulo.—INdumiso 78:3-7, 10, 11.

Ukuphila Ngokuvisisana Nokuzahlulela Kwawo

8, 9. (a) Ngawaphi amalungiselelo awayesenza amaSirayeli akwazi ukubonisa ukuzahlulela kwawo kuYehova? (b) Asikelelwa njani lawo ayenikela ngokuzithandela?

⁸ UYehova wavulela abantu bakhe ithuba lokuba baphile ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwabo. Ngokomzekelo, uMthetho wakhe wawunelungiselelo lokwenziwa kwamadini okanye iminikelo, eminye inyanzelekile, ngoxa eminye yayisenziwa ngokuzithandela. (Hebhere 8:3) Loo madini ayequka umnikelo otshiswayo, iminikelo yengqolowa neminikelo yobudlelane eyayisenziwa ngokuzithandela—izipho ezaziphiwa uYehova ukuze kufunyanwe inkoliseko yakhe nokumbulela.—Levitikus 7:11-13.

⁹ Loo minikelo yokuzithandela yayimkholisa uYehova. Iminikelo etshiswayo nomnikelo wengqolowa kwakusithiwa ‘ilivumba elithozamisayo kuYehova.’ (Levitikus 1:9; 2:2) Xa kusenziwa umbingelelo wobudlelane, igazi namanqatha esilwanyana ayenikelwa kuYehova, ngoxa enye inyama yayityiwa ngababingeleli naloo mntu unikelayo. Yayisisidlo esifuzisela ulwalamano oluhle noYehova. UMthetho wawusithi: “Xa nibingelela kuYehova umbingelelo wobudlelane, nowunikela ukuze nizizuzele inkoliseko.” (Levitikus 19:5) Ngoxa onke amaSirayeli ayezalwa sele ezahlulele kuYehova, lawo ayeyiqonda intsingiselo yokuzahlulela kwawo ngokwenza iminikelo yokuzithandela ‘ayezizuzela inkoliseko’ kwaye asikelelwa.—Malaki 3:10.

10. UYehova wakubonisa njani ukunganeliseki kwakhe ngemihla kaIsaya noMalaki?

¹⁰ Okulusizi kukuba, ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli ayengathembeki kuYehova. Ngomprofeti wakhe uIsaya, uYehova wathi kuwo: “Akundiziselanga izimvu zomnikelo wakho otshiswa kuphele, yaye akundizukisanga ngemibingelelo yakho. Andikunyanzelanga ukuba undikhonze ngesipho.” (Isaya 43:23) Ukongezelela, iminikelo eyayingenziwa ngokuzithandela nangothando yayingaxabisekanga emehlweni kaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, kwiinkulungwane ezintathu emva kokufa kukaIsaya, ngemihla yomprofeti uMalaki, amaSirayeli ayenikela ngezilwanyana ezineziphene. Ngenxa yoko, uMalaki wawaxelela oku: “‘Andiyoliswa nini,’ uYehova wemikhosi uthi, ‘andikholiswa nangumnikelo osisipho osesandleni senu.’ . . . ‘Nizise into ephangiweyo, nesisiqhwala, negulayo; ewe, nizise yona njengesipho. Ndingakholiswa na yiyo esandleni senu?’ Utsho uYehova.”—Malaki 1:10, 13; Amosi 5:22.

Balahlwa Njengohlanga Oluzahluleleyo

11. Liliphi ithuba elanikwa amaSirayeli?

¹¹ Xa amaSirayeli ayesiba luhlanga oluzahlulele kuYehova, wawathembisa wathi: “Ukuba nithe nalithobela okunene ilizwi lam, nawugcina ngenene umnqophiso wam, ngokuqinisekileyo noba yinqobo kum kwizizwana zonke, kuba umhlaba uphela ngowam. Yaye niya kuba bubukumkani kum nababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.” (Eksodus 19:5, 6) UMesiya owayethenjisiwe wayeza kuvela kuwo, nto leyo eyayiza kuwanika ithuba lokuqala lokuba ngamalungu orhulumente woBukumkani bukaThixo. (Genesis 22:17, 18; 49:10; 2 Samuweli 7:12, 16; Luka 1:31-33; Roma 9:4, 5) Kodwa inkoliso yamaSirayeli ayizange inyaniseke kuzahlulelo lawo. (Mateyu 22:14) Amgatya uMesiya aza ambulala ekugqibeleni.—IZenzo 7:51-53.

12. Ngawaphi amazwi athethwa nguYesu awayebonisa ukuba uSirayeli wayelahliwe njengohlanga oluzahlulele kuYehova?

¹² Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wazixelela oku iinkokeli zonqulo lwamaYuda: “Anizange nifunde na eZibhalweni ukuba, ‘Ilitye abaligatyayo abakhi lilo elaba lilitye lembombo eliyintloko. Oku kuvela kuYehova, yaye kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu’? Kungenxa yoku le nto ndisithi kuni, Ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kuthatyathwa kuni buze bunikwe uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo.” (Mateyu 21:42, 43) Ebonisa ukuba uYehova wayewalahlile njengohlanga oluzahlulele kuye, uYesu wathi: “Yerusalem, Yerusalem, mbulali wabaprofeti nomxulubi wabo bathunyelwa kuyo,—kufuthi kangakanani na ndifuna ukuhlanganisela ndawonye abantwana bakho, ngendlela esithi isikhukukazi sihlanganisele ngayo ndawonye amantshontsho aso phantsi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa anavuma. Khangelani! Indlu yenu ishiyelwa kuni.”—Mateyu 23:37, 38.

Uhlanga Olutsha Oluzahluleleyo

13. Sisiphi isiprofeto esachazwa nguYehova ngemihla kaYeremiya?

¹³ Ngexesha lomprofeti uYeremiya, uYehova wachaza into entsha ngabantu bakhe. Siyafunda: “‘Khangela! Kuza imihla,’ utsho uYehova, ‘endiya kuthi ngayo ndenze umnqophiso omtsha nendlu kaSirayeli nendlu kaYuda; ungabi njengomnqophiso endawenza nookhokho babo ngomhla endababambayo ngesandla ndibakhupha kwilizwe laseYiputa, “mnqophiso lowo wam bawaphulayo bona, nangona mna ndandiyindoda engumnini wabo,” utsho uYehova.’ ‘Kuba nguwo lo umnqophiso endiya kuwenza nendlu kaSirayeli emva kwaloo mihla,’ utsho uYehova. ‘Ndiza kuwufaka umthetho wam ngaphakathi kubo, ndize ndiwubhale entliziyweni yabo. Kwaye ndiza kuba nguThixo wabo, bona babe ngabantu bam.’”—Yeremiya 31:31-33.

14. Lwaqala nini ibe njani uhlanga olutsha noluzahluleleyo lukaYehova? Khawuchaze ukuba luluphi olo hlanga lutsha.

¹⁴ Lo mnqophiso omtsha waqala ukusebenza xa wafayo uYesu waza kamva wanikela ngegazi lakhe elinexabiso elaphalalayo kuYise, ngowama-33 C.E. (Luka 22:20; Hebhere 9:15, 24-26) Noko ke, xa kwathululwa umoya oyingcwele ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. nokuzalwa kohlanga olutsha “uSirayeli kaThixo,” umnqophiso omtsha waqalisa ukusebenza. (Galati 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6; 11:25, 26) Xa wayebhalela amaKristu athanjisiweyo umpostile uPetros wathi: “Nina ‘nisisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, isizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo, ukuze nivakalise ngokubanzi iimbalasane’ zalowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso. Kuba nanikhe anabi sisizwana, kodwa ngoku nisisizwana sikaThixo.” (1 Petros 2:9, 10) Ulwalamano olukhethekileyo olwaluphakathi kukaYehova namaSirayeli okwemvelo lwaluphelile. Ngowama-33 C.E. uYehova wayengasakholiswa nguSirayeli wokwemvelo ekholiswa nguSirayeli wokomoya, ibandla lamaKristu, “uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo” zoBukumkani obulawulwa nguMesiya.—Mateyu 21:43.

Ukuzahlulela Kwabantu Ngabanye

15. Ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., luluphi ubhaptizo uPetros awabongoza abo babemphulaphule ukuba balwamkele?

¹⁵ Emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., mntu ngamnye, enoba ngumYuda okanye ngoweeNtlanga, kwakuza kufuneka azahlulele kuThixo aze abhaptizwe “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.”a (Mateyu 28:19) NgePentekoste umpostile uPetros wathi kumaYuda namaguquka: “Guqukani, yaye ngamnye wenu makabhaptizwe egameni likaYesu Kristu ukuze kuxolelwe izono zenu, kwaye niya kwamkela isipho sesisa somoya oyingcwele.” (IZenzo 2:38) Loo maYuda namaguquka kwakufuneka abonise ngokubhaptizwa ukuba ayengahlulelanga ubomi bawo kuYehova nje kuphela, kodwa kwanokuba ayegqala uYesu njengelungiselelo likaYehova lokuxolela izono zawo. Kwakufuneka amamkele njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu kaYehova nanjengeNkokeli yawo, iNtloko yebandla lamaKristu.—Kolose 1:13, 14, 18.

16. Ngemihla kaPawulos, abantu abanotyekelo olufanelekileyo—amaYuda nabantu beeNtlanga—baba yinxalenye yoSirayeli wokomoya njani?

¹⁶ Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kokubini kwabo baseDamasko kuqala nakwabo baseYerusalem, nakulo lonke ilizwe lakwaYuda, nakuzo iintlanga ndasa isigidimi sokuba bafanele baguquke baze baphethukele kuThixo ngokwenza imisebenzi efanele inguquko.” (IZenzo 26:20) Emva kokuba eyisele amaYuda nabantu beeNtlanga kwelokuba uYesu wayenguKristu, uMesiya, uPawulos wabanceda bazahlulela baza babhaptizwa. (IZenzo 16:14, 15, 31-33; 17:3, 4; 18:8) Xa baguqukela kuThixo, abo bafundi batsha baba ngamalungu oSirayeli wokomoya.

17. Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokutywina osele uza kuqosheliswa, yaye nguwuphi omnye umsebenzi otyhalela phambili?

¹⁷ Namhlanje, ukutywina kokugqibela kwalo maSirayeli okomoya sele kuza kuqukunjelwa. Xa sele kugqityiwe, “iingelosi ezine” ezibambe imimoya yentshabalalo ‘yembandezelo enkulu’ ziya kuyalelwa ukuba ziyiyeke. Okwangoku, ukuhlanganiswa ‘kwesihlwele esikhulu’ esinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni, kuhamba ngesantya esiphezulu. Ngokuzithandela, zonke “ezinye izimvu” zibonisa ukholo “kwigazi lemvana” zize zibhaptizwe zifuzisela ukuzahlulela kwazo kuYehova. (ISityhilelo 7:1-4, 9-15; 22:17; Yohane 10:16; Mateyu 28:19, 20) Phakathi kwazo kukho ulutsha oluninzi olukhuliswe ngabazali abangamaKristu. Ukuba ungomnye wabo baselula, uya kuba nomdla wokufunda inqaku elilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Impinda

• Kutheni kwakungeyomfuneko nje ukuba abantwana bamaSirayeli bazahlulele kuYehova?

• AmaSirayeli ayenokubonisa njani ukuba aphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwawo?

• Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awalahle amaSirayeli njengohlanga lwakhe oluzahluleleyo, kwaye kwangena bani endaweni yawo?

• Ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., yintoni ekwakufuneka yenziwe ngamaYuda nabantu beeNtlanga ukuze abe ngamalungu oSirayeli wokomoya?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Abantwana bamaSirayeli babezalelwa kwisizwe esikhethwe nguThixo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

MSirayeli ngamnye kwakufuneka azenzele isigqibo sokukhonza uThixo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Iminikelo yokuzithandela eyayisenziwa ngamaSirayeli yayiwanika ithuba lokubonisa ukuba ayamthanda uYehova

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., abalandeli bakaKristu kwakufuneka bazahlulele kuThixo baze oko bakufuzisele ngokubhaptizwa