Ungaze Umlibale UYehova

ELINYE iqela lakha layenza loo nto. Noko ke, abaninzi kulo babeqala yaye begqibelisa ukunqumla kumanzi amaninzi ngaphandle kokuba iimpahla zabo zibe manzi. UYehova wayesandul’ ukubangela amanzi oMlambo iYordan ukuba ayeke ukunkcenkceza. Ngoko, izigidi ngezigidi zamaSirayeli zanqumla loo mlambo ukuya kungena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Kanye njengookhokho babo abawela uLwandle Olubomvu kwiminyaka engama-40 ngaphambi koko, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abaninzi ababewela iYordan babesithi, ‘Asinakuze siyilibale le nto siyenzelwe nguYehova apha.’—Yosh. 3:13-17.

Noko ke, uYehova wayesazi ukuba amanye amaSirayeli aza ‘kuyilibala ngokukhawuleza imisebenzi yakhe.’ (INdu. 106:13) Ngoko wayalela inkokeli yamaSirayeli, uYoshuwa ukuba athabatha amatye abe li-12 enzulwini yomlambo aze awabeke njengesikhumbuzo kwindawo yokuqala abaza kumisa iintente kuyo. UYoshuwa wathi: “La matye amele abe sisikhumbuzo koonyana bakaSirayeli.” (Yosh. 4:1-8) Eso sikhumbuzo samatye sasiza kukhumbuza olo hlanga ngezenzo ezikhulu zikaYehova size sibethelele kulo isizathu sokuba lufanele luqhubeke lumkhonza ngokunyaniseka.

Ngaba loo ngxelo ibalulekile kubantu bakaThixo namhlanje? Ewe ibalulekile. Nathi asimele simlibale uYehova, yaye simele siqhubeke simkhonza ngokunyaniseka. Ezinye izilumkiso eziya kuhlanga lwakwaSirayeli zinokusetyenziswa kubakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje. Khawucinge nje ngala mazwi kaMoses: “Uze ulumke ungamlibali uYehova uThixo wakho ngokuthi ungayigcini imiyalelo yakhe nezigwebo zakhe nemimiselo yakhe.” (Dut. 8:11) La mazwi anxulumanisa ukulibala uYehova nokungathobeli ngabom. Nanamhlanje oko kunokuba yingozi. Xa wayebhalela amaKristu, umpostile uPawulos walumkisa nxamnye ‘naloo mzekelo wokungathobeli’ owaboniswa ngamaSirayeli entlango.—Heb. 4:8-11.

Makhe sihlolisise ezinye iziganeko kwimbali yamaSirayeli eziya kubethelela isibakala sokuba singafanele simlibale uThixo. Ukongezelela, izinto esinokuzifunda kubomi bamadoda amabini angamaSirayeli athembekileyo ziya kusinceda sikhonze uYehova ngonyamezelo sinombulelo.

Izizathu Zokukhumbula UYehova

Ngayo yonke iminyaka amaSirayeli awayihlala eYiputa, uYehova akazange awalibale. “Wawukhumbula . . . umnqophiso wakhe noAbraham, uIsake noYakobi.” (Eks. 2:23, 24) Izinto awazenzayo ukuze awakhulule ebukhobokeni zazingalibaleki.

UYehova wabetha iYiputa ngezibetho ezisithoba. Ababingeleli bakaFaro abenza imilingo abazange bakwazi ukuzithintela. Sekunjalo uFaro wamvukela uYehova, esala ukukhulula amaSirayeli. (Eks. 7:14–10:29) Noko ke, isibetho seshumi sanyanzela lo mlawuli unekratshi ukuba athobele uThixo. (Eks. 11:1-10; 12:12) Lukhokelwa nguMoses, uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli neqela elikhulu elingumxube, bantu abo ababemalunga nezi-3 000 000, bayishiya iYiputa. (Eks. 12:37, 38) Bathe bengekabi phi, uFaro watshintsha ingqondo. Wayalela umkhosi wakhe oxhobileyo nokhwele amahashe—owona mkhosi wawunamandla ngelo xesha—ukuba uphinde ubambe abo babesakuba ngamakhoboka akhe. Ngelo xesha, uYehova waxelela uMoses ukuba akhokelele amaSirayeli kwindawo ephakathi koLwandle Olubomvu neentaba, ndawo leyo eyayibonakala iyingxingwa eyayibizwa ngokuba yiPihahiroti.—Eks. 14:1-9.

UFaro wayecinga ukuba amaSirayeli azivalele yaye umkhosi wakhe uza kuwahlasela. Kodwa uYehova wabeka umqulu welifu nomqulu womlilo ukuze akhusele amaSirayeli kumaYiputa. Wandula ke uThixo walwahlula kubini uLwandle Olubomvu, evula indlela yokuhamba aza amanzi aba ziindonga ezimalunga neemitha ezili-15 macala omabini. USirayeli wanqumla ulwandle kumhlaba owomileyo. Akuzange kube kudala amaYiputa azibona eselunxwemeni, ebukele amaSirayeli esiya ngakwelinye icala.—Eks. 13:21; 14:10-22.

Enye inkokeli enengqondo ngeyayiyekile ukuwasukela amaSirayeli, kodwa yena uFaro akazange ayenze loo nto. Ezithembe ngendlel’ egqith’ emgceni, wayalela ukuba iinqwelo nomkhosi wakhe wamahashe ungene phakathi elwandle usukele amaSirayeli. AmaYiputa aqhubeka efunze phambili. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba awafumane amaSirayeli, ukusukelisa kwawo kwafikelela esiphelweni. Iinqwelo zamaYiputa zazingasakwazi ukuhamba, kuba uYehova wayezikhuphe amavili!—Eks. 14:23-25; 15:9.

Ngoxa amaYiputa ayesokoliswa ziinqwelo zawo ezingenamavili, onke amaSirayeli afika kunxweme olungaphesheya. Wandula ke, uMoses wolulela isandla sakhe phezu koLwandle Olubomvu. UYehova wabangela ukuba loo manzi ayeludonga aphinde adibane. Izigidi ngezigidi zeetoni zamanzi zawela phezu koFaro nomkhosi wakhe, baza barhaxwa. Akukho namnye kwezo ntshaba owasindayo. USirayeli wakhululeka!—Eks. 14:26-28; INdu. 136:13-15.

Ukuva ngesi siganeko kwenza iintlanga ezikufutshane apho ukuba zihlale zisoyika. (Eks. 15:14-16) Kwiminyaka engama-40 kamva, uRahabhi waseYeriko wathi kumadoda amabini angamaSirayeli: “Sifikelwe kukothuka ngenxa yenu, . . . kuba siyivile indlela uYehova awawomisa ngayo amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eYiputa.” (Yosh. 2:9, 10) Kwaneentlanga ezingabahedeni azizange ziyilibale indlela uYehova awabasindisa ngayo abantu bakhe. Ngokucacileyo amaSirayeli ayenezizathu ezingakumbi zokumkhumbula.

‘Wawalondoloza Njengokhozo Lweliso Lakhe’

Emva kokuwela uLwandle Olubomvu, uSirayeli wangena kwiNtlango yeSinayi, ‘intlango enkulu neyoyikekayo.’ Njengoko wayecanda kumhlaba ‘obaleleyo nongenamanzi,’ kungekho nokutya kokondla ezo zihlwele, uYehova akazange amlibale uSirayeli. UMoses wathi: “[UYehova] wamfumana [uSirayeli] ezweni eliyintlango, enkqantosini engenanto, ebhombolozayo. Wamrhangqa, wamnyamekela, wamlondoloza njengokhozo lweliso lakhe.” (Dut. 8:15; 32:10) Wanyanyekelwa njani nguThixo?

UYehova wanika amaSirayeli ‘isonka esivela emazulwini,’ esibizwa ngokuba yimana, esabakho ngokungummangaliso “phezu kwentlango.” (Eks. 16:4, 14, 15, 35) Kanti uYehova wenza amanzi ampompoza “eweni leqhwitha.” Ngendlela awawasikelela ngayo uThixo, iimpahla zawo azizange ziguge, neenyawo zawo azizange zidumbe kwiminyaka engama-40 esentlango. (Dut. 8:4) UYehova wayelindele ukuba enze ntoni wona? UMoses wathi kumaSirayeli: “Zilumkele yaye uwunyamekele kakuhle umphefumlo wakho, ukuze ungazilibali izinto azibonileyo amehlo akho nokuze zingemki entliziyweni yakho yonke imihla yobomi bakho.” (Dut. 4:9) Ukuba amaSirayeli ayethe ngombulelo ayikhumbula indlela awasindiswa ngayo nguYehova, ayeya kuqhubeka emkhonza aze azabalazele ukuthobela imithetho yakhe. Wayeza kwenza ntoni uSirayeli?

Ukumlibala Kwakhokelela Kukungabi Nambulelo

UMoses wathi: “ILiwa elakuzalayo, walilibala, akwamkhumbula uThixo.” (Dut. 32:18) AmaSirayeli akhawuleza azilibala izinto ezenziwa nguYehova kuLwandle Olubomvu, amalungiselelo akhe awagcina olo hlanga luphila entlango, nazo zonke ezinye izinto ezilungileyo ezenziwa nguYehova. AmaSirayeli aba nemvukelo.

Ngenye imini amaSirayeli amngcikiva uMoses ngenxa yokuba ayecinga ukuba akanakuze afumaneke amanzi. (Num. 20:2-5) Akhalazela imana eyayiwagcina ephilile esithi: “Umphefumlo wethu uyasenyanya esi sonka sinkatshunkatshu.” (Num. 21:5) Amthandabuza uThixo aza agatya uMoses njengenkokeli yawo esithi: “Akwaba besifele ezweni laseYiputa, okanye akwaba besifele kule ntlango! . . . Masizimisele intloko, sibuyele eYiputa!”—Num. 14:2-4.

UYehova wavakalelwa njani kukungathobeli kwamaSirayeli? Ekhumbula ezo ziganeko, kamva umdumisi wabhala wathi: “Babemvukela ngokufuthi kangakanani entlango, babemenza azive ebuhlungu entlango! Izihlandlo ngezihlandlo babemvavanya uThixo, bemenza buhlungu Lowo uyiNgcwele kaSirayeli. Abasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku awabakhulula ngalo kutshaba, indlela awayibeka ngayo imiqondiso yakhe eYiputa.” (INdu. 78:40-43) Eneneni, ukulibala kukaSirayeli kwamkhathaza gqitha uYehova.

Amadoda Amabini Angazange Amlibale

Noko ke, amanye amaSirayeli akazange amlibale uYehova. La yayingamadoda amabini uYoshuwa noKalebhi. Babephakathi kweqela leentlola ezili-12 ezazithunywe zisuka eKadeshe-bharneya ukuya kuhlola iLizwe Lesithembiso. Ezilishumi kuzo zanikela ingxelo engentle, kodwa uYoshuwa noKalebhi bathi ebantwini: “Ilizwe esadlula kulo silihlola, lilizwe elihle kunene. Ukuba uYehova uyayoliswa sithi, wosisa ngokuqinisekileyo kweli lizwe, asinike, ilizwe eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi. Kuphela nje musani ukumvukela uYehova.” Abantu bathi bakuweva loo mazwi, bathembisa ngokuxuluba uYoshuwa noKalebhi ngamatye. Kodwa bobabini bema beqinile baza bathembela kuYehova.—Num. 14:6-10.

Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, uKalebhi wathi kuYoshuwa: “UMoses umkhonzi kaYehova wandithuma eKadeshe-bharneya ukuba ndiye kuhlola ilizwe, kwaye ndambuyisela ilizwi kanye njengoko lalinjalo entliziyweni yam. Kwaye abazalwana bam ababenyuke nam bayinyibilikisa intliziyo yabantu; mna ke, ndamlandela ngokupheleleyo uYehova uThixo wam.” (Yosh. 14:6-8) Bethembele kuThixo, uKalebhi noYoshuwa banyamezela iinzingo ezininzi. Bazimisela ukumkhumbula uYehova ngayo yonke imihla yobomi babo.

UKalebhi noYoshuwa baba nombulelo, beqonda ukuba uYehova usizalisekisile isithembiso awasenza kubantu bakhe sokubanika umhlaba ochumileyo. Ngokwenene, amaSirayeli ayefanele abe nombulelo kuYehova ngokuwagcina ephila. UYoshuwa wathi: “UYehova wamnika uSirayeli lonke ilizwe awayefungile ukumnika kookhokho bakhe . . . Akukho sithembiso sasilelayo kuzo zonke izithembiso ezilungileyo uYehova awayezenzile kwindlu kaSirayeli; zonke zaba yinyaniso.” (Yosh. 21:43, 45) Thina namhlanje sinokuba nombulelo njani njengoKalebhi noYoshuwa?

Yiba Nombulelo

Enye indoda eyoyika uThixo yakha yabuza lo mbuzo: “Ndiya kumbuyekeza ngantoni na uYehova ngalo lonke uncedo lwakhe kum?” (INdu. 116:12) Ngendlela esimtyala ngayo uThixo ngokusisikelela kwakhe ngezinto eziphathekayo, ukusikhokela kwakhe ngokomoya, nendlela aza kusisindisa ngayo kwixesha elizayo, enoba bekuya kude kube ngunaphakade simbulela oko bekungayi kwanela. Xa sithetha inyaniso, asinakuze simbuyekeze uYehova. Kodwa sonke sinokuqhubeka sibonisa umbulelo.

Ngaba isiluleko sikaYehova siye sakunceda waphepha iingxaki? Ngaba ukuxolelwa nguye kukuncedile waphinda wanesazela esicocekileyo? Iingenelo zezinto ozenzelwe nguThixo zihlala zihleli, ngoko nawe ufanele ube nombulelo ngendlela efanayo. Intwazana eneminyaka eli-14 ubudala egama linguSandra yaba neengxaki ezinzulu kodwa yakwazi ukuhlangabezana nazo ngoncedo lukaYehova. Ithi: “Ndiye ndathandaza kuYehova ndicela ukuba andincede, yaye andinakuze ndiyilibale indlela aye wandinceda ngayo. Ngoku ndiyasazi isizathu utata asoloko endixelela ngeMizekeliso 3:5, 6 ethi: ‘Kholosa ngoYehova ngayo yonke intliziyo yakho, ungayami ngokwakho ukuqonda. Uze umgqale yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, kwaye uya kuwenza uthi tye umendo wakho.’ Ndiqinisekile ukuba kanye njengokuba uYehova eye wandinceda de kube ngoku, uya kuhlala endinceda.”

Bonisa Ukuba Uyamkhumbula UYehova Ngokunyamezela

IBhayibhile ibethelela olunye uphawu olunento yokwenza nokukhumbula uYehova: “Unyamezelo lwenu malupheleliswe, ukuze nibe ngabapheleleyo nabaphilileyo kwiinkalo zonke, ningaswele nto.” (Yak. 1:4) Kuquka ntoni ukuba “ngabapheleleyo nabaphilileyo kwiinkalo zonke”? Kuquka ukuba neempawu eziya kusinceda sijamelane neemvavanyo sithembele kuYehova yaye sizimisele ukuhlangabezana nazo, ngaphandle kokunikezela. Unyamezelo olunjalo lusenza saneliseke ngendlela engathethekiyo xa ezo mvavanyo zokholo ziphela. Yaye zisoloko ziphela.—1 Kor. 10:13.

Omnye umkhonzi kaYehova oligqala oye wajamelana neengxaki ezininzi zempilo uchaza oko kuye kwamnceda wanyamezela: “Ndiye ndizame ukucinga ngoko kwenziwa nguYehova, kungekhona oko mna ndifuna ukukwenza. Ingqibelelo ithetha ukutsolisa amehlo am kwiinjongo zikaThixo, kungekhona kwiminqweno yam. Xa ndijamelana neengxaki, andithi, ‘Kutheni le nto isenzeka kum nje, Yehova?’ Ndiye ndiqhubeke ndimkhonza ndize ndisondele kuye naxa kuvela iingxaki ebendingazilindelanga.”

Namhlanje ibandla lamaKristu linqula uYehova “ngomoya nenyaniso.” (Yoh. 4:23, 24) Njengeqela, amaKristu okwenyaniso akanakuze amlibale uThixo njengohlanga lwakwaSirayeli. Kodwa ukuba yinxalenye yebandla akuthi nje kukodwa kube sisiqinisekiso sokuba umntu uya kugcina ingqibelelo. Kanye njengoKalebhi noYoshuwa ngamnye kuthi umele abe nombulelo aze anyamezele kwinkonzo kaYehova. Sinezizathu ezihle zokwenjenjalo, kuba uYehova uyaqhubeka ekhokela aze anyamekele ngamnye wethu kweli xesha linzima lesiphelo.

Kanye njengesikhumbuzo samatye esamiswa nguYoshuwa, ingxelo engezenzo zokusindisa zikaThixo ziyasiqinisekisa ukuba akasayi kuze abashiye abantu bakhe. Ngamana ungavakalelwa njengomdumisi owathi: “Ndiya kulukhumbula uqheliselo lukaYa; kuba ndiya kukukhumbula ukwenza kwakho kwakudala. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kucamngca ngayo yonke imisebenzi yakho, ndizixhalabise ngezenzo zakho.”—INdu. 77:11, 12.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Uhlanga lulonke kwafuneka luhambe ‘kumhlaba ongenamanzi’

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

Ngoxa amaSirayeli ayemise iintente eKadeshe-bharneya, kwathunyelwa iintlola kwiLizwe Lesithembiso

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Emva kokuhlala kangangeminyaka emininzi entlango, amaSirayeli ayemele abe nombulelo ngomhlaba ochumileyo weLizwe Lesithembiso

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Ukutsolisa amehlo ethu kwiinjongo zikaYehova kusinceda sinyamezele naziphi na iimvavanyo esijamelana nazo