UYehova Usisabelo Sam

“Ndim isabelo sakho nelifa lakho phakathi koonyana bakaSirayeli.”—NUM. 18:20.

1, 2. (a) Yayiyintoni imeko yabaLevi ngokuphathelele ilifa lelizwe? (b) UYehova wabaqinisekisa ngelithini abaLevi?

EMVA kokuba amaSirayeli oyise inxalenye enkulu yeLizwe Lesithembiso, uYoshuwa waphethulela ingqalelo yakhe ekwabeni umhlaba ngokwamaqashiso. Wakwenza oku encediswa nguMbingeleli Omkhulu uEleyazare kwakunye neentloko zezizwe. (Num. 34:13-29) Kodwa ke, abaLevi babengazi kuba nawo umhlaba olilifa labo, njengokuba kwakunjalo ngezinye izizwe. (Yosh. 14:1-5) Kwakutheni ukuze isizwe sabaLevi singabelwa mhlaba kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? Ngaba sasibekelwe bucala?

² Impendulo siyifumana koko uYehova wakuxelela abaLevi. Ebethelela isibakala sokuba babengabekelwanga bucala, uYehova wathi kubo: “Ndim isabelo sakho nelifa lakho phakathi koonyana bakaSirayeli.” (Num. 18:20) Sinamandla ngokwenene esi siqinisekiso: “Ndim isabelo sakho”! Wena wawunokuvakalelwa njani ukuba uYehova wayenokukuxelela loo nto? Mhlawumbi wawunokuqala uzibuze, ‘Bendiqale ndangubani ukuba ndingaqinisekiswa ngolo hlobo nguSomandla?’ Kanti ubunokuphinda uzibuze, ‘Ngaba nyhani uYehova angaba sisabelo sakhe nawuphi na umKristu ongafezekanga namhlanje?’ Leyo yimibuzo ebandakanya wena nabantu obathandayo. Ngoko makhe sihlolisise oko kuthethwa ngala mazwi kaThixo. Oku kuya kusinceda siqonde indlela uYehova anokuba sisabelo samaKristu ngayo namhlanje. Ubukhulu becala, unokuba sisabelo sakho, enoba unethemba lokuphila ezulwini okanye ukhangele phambili kwiparadesi esemhlabeni.

UYehova Ulungiselela AbaLevi

3. Yintoni eyakhokelela ukuba uThixo avumele abaLevi banikele inkonzo kuye?

³ Ngaphambi kokuba uYehova anike amaSirayeli uMthetho, iintloko-ntsapho zazingababingeleli kuzo. Wathi akulungiselela uMthetho, uThixo wamisela ababingeleli bexesha elizeleyo nabancedisi babo ababephuma kwisizwe sabaLevi. Kwenzeka njani oku? Xa uThixo watshabalalisa amazibulo amaYiputa, wawangcwalisa amazibulo angamaSirayeli, ewakhetha njengawakhe. Wandula ke uThixo wenza olu tshintsho lubalulekileyo: “Mna ndibathabathile abaLevi . . . esikhundleni samazibulo onke oonyana bakaSirayeli.” Ekubeni ubalo lwabonisa ukuba amazibulo oonyana bakaSirayeli ayemaninzi kunabaLevi, kwahlawulwa ixabiso lentlawulelo ukuze kuvalwe eso sikhewu. (Num. 3:11-13, 41, 46, 47) Ngenxa yoko, abaLevi babenokuba negalelo ekukhonzeni uThixo kaSirayeli.

4, 5. (a) Athetha ntoni amazwi athi, uThixo usisabelo sabaLevi? (b) UThixo wabalungiselela njani abaLevi?

⁴ Eso sabelo sasithetha ntoni kubaLevi? UYehova wathi uza kuba sisabelo sabo ngengqiqo yokuba, endaweni yokuba bafumane umhlaba njengelifa, babeza kunikwa ilungelo lenkonzo elingenakuthelekiswa nanto. Ukuba ‘bububingeleli bukaYehova’ kwakulilifa labo. (Yosh. 18:7) Umongo weNumeri 18:20 ubonisa ukuba oku akuzange kubashiye behlwempuzekile ngokwezinto eziphathekayo. (Funda iNumeri 18:19, 21, 24.) AbaLevi babeza kunikwa “zonke izishumi kwaSirayeli njengelifa ngenxa yenkonzo yabo.” Babeza kufumana i-10 ekhulwini lemveliso yamaSirayeli nelenzala yezilwanyana zasendle. Bona abaLevi kwakufuneka banikele ngesishumi soko bakufumeneyo, ‘okona kulungileyo’ ukuze baxhase ububingeleli.a (Num. 18:25-29) Kanti ababingeleli babenikwa “yonke iminikelo engcwele” eyayisisiwa ngoonyana bakaSirayeli kuThixo kwindawo yakhe yonqulo. Ngenxa yoko amalungu obubingeleli ayenesizathu esifanelekileyo sokucinga ukuba uYehova uya kuwalungiselela.

⁵ Kuyabonakala ukuba, uMthetho kaMoses walungiselela isishumi sesibini, esasibekelwe bucala ukondla nokwanelisa izindlu ebudeni beendibano ezingcwele ezazibakho nyaka ngamnye. (Dut. 14:22-27) Noko ke, ekupheleni konyaka wesithathu nowesithandathu kwiminyaka esixhenxe yesabatha, esi sishumi sasibekwa esangweni ukuze sifunyanwe ngabo bangamahlwempu kwakunye nabaLevi. Kwakutheni ukuze nabaLevi basifumane? Kungenxa yokuba ‘babengenasabelo nalifa’ kwaSirayeli.—Dut. 14:28, 29.

6. Nakuba isizwe sabo sasingabelwanga mhlaba kwaSirayeli, babeza kuhlala phi abaLevi?

⁶ Kusenokwenzeka uyazibuza ukuba, ‘Ukuba abaLevi babengabelwanga mhlaba, babehlala phi?’ UThixo wayebalungiselela. Wabanika izixeko ezingama-48 kwakunye namadlelo akufutshane apho. Ezithandathu kwezi zixeko yayizezokusabela. (Num. 35:6-8) Ngenxa yoko, abaLevi babenayo indawo yokuhlala xa bengakhonzi kwingcwele kaThixo. UYehova wabanika intabalala abo babezinikele kwinkonzo yakhe. Lizicacele elokuba, abaLevi babekwazi ukubonisa ukuba uYehova usisabelo sabo ngokuthemba ukuba ukulungele yaye uyakwazi ukubalungiselela.

7. Yintoni eyayifuneka kubaLevi ukuze uYehova abe sisabelo sabo?

⁷ Emthethweni kwakungekho sohlwayo sibekiweyo xa umSirayeli engasihlawulanga isishumi. Bathi abantu bakungakukhathaleli ukuhlawula isishumi, loo nto yabachaphazela ababingeleli nabaLevi. Loo nto yenzeka ngemihla kaNehemiya. Yabangela ukuba abaLevi basebenze emasimini, beshiya ubulungiseleli. (Funda uNehemiya 13:10.) Ngokucacileyo, ukondliwa kohlanga lwabaLevi kwakuxhomekeke kwimeko yohlanga yokomoya. Ukongezelela, ababingeleli nabaLevi kwakufuneka babe nokholo kuYehova nakwiindlela awayebalungiselela ngazo.

Abantu Abenza UYehova Waba Sisabelo Sabo

8. Chaza ingxaki awayekuyo umLevi onguAsafu.

⁸ Njengohlanga, abaLevi babemele benze uYehova abe sisabelo sabo. Noko ke, kuphawuleka ukuba abaLevi babesebenzisa ibinzana elithi “UYehova sisabelo sam” ngelokubonisa ukuzinikela nokuthembela kuye. (IZili. 3:24) Omnye wabo baLevi wayeyimvumi nomqambi. Siza kuthi nguAsafu, nangona kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayelilungu lendlu ka-Asafu, umLevi owayekhokela iimvumi ngemihla kaKumkani uDavide. (1 Kron. 6:31-43) KwiNdumiso 73 sifunda ukuba uAsafu (okanye omnye woonyana bakhe) wabhideka. Wabamonela abangendawo ababezizityebi wada wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo kulilize ukuyihlambulula kwam intliziyo yam nokuhlamba kwam izandla zam ngobumsulwa.” Kuyabonakala ukuba walibala ngelungelo lenkonzo awayenalo; wasilela ukuqonda ukuba uYehova usisabelo sakhe. Waphazamiseka ngokomoya ‘de wafikelela kwingcwele ezukileyo kaThixo.’—INdu. 73:2, 3, 12, 13, 17.

9, 10. Kwakutheni ukuze uAsafu abhekisele kuThixo ‘njengesabelo sakhe ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo’?

⁹ Xa wayekwingcwele, uAsafu waqalisa ukujonga izinto ngokwembono kaThixo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nawe ukhe wakuloo meko. Mhlawumbi wakha ngandlel’ ithile walibala ngelungelo lokomoya onalo, waza waqalisa ukunikela ingqalelo kwizinto eziphathekayo ongenazo. Kodwa wathi wakufunda iLizwi likaThixo waza waya kwiintlanganiso, waqalisa ukubona izinto ngendlela kaYehova. UAsafu wakuqonda oko kuza kwehlela abangendawo ekugqibeleni. Wacingisisa ngobomi bakhe waza waqonda ukuba uYehova unokumbamba ngesandla sakhe sasekunene aze amkhokele. Ngenxa yoko, uAsafu wayenokuthi kuYehova: “Ngaphandle kwakho ayikho enye into endiyolisayo emhlabeni.” (INdu. 73:23, 25) Wandula ke, wabhekisela kuThixo njengesabelo sakhe. (Funda iNdumiso 73:26.) Ngoxa ‘inyama nentliziyo yomdumisi yayinokuphelelwa,’ uThixo wayeya kuba ‘sisabelo sakhe ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.’ Umdumisi wayeqinisekile ukuba uYehova uya kumkhumbula njengomhlobo. Inkonzo yakhe yokuthembeka yayingenakuze ilibaleke. (INtshu. 7:1) Kumele ukuba oko kwamomeleza ngokwenene uAsafu! Wacula wathi “Ukusondela kuThixo kulungile kum. Ndisabela kwiNkosi enguMongami uYehova.”—INdu. 73:28.

¹⁰ Ukuba noYehova njengesabelo sakhe kwakubaluleke kakhulu kuAsafu kunokuxhaswa kwakhe ngezinto eziphathekayo njengomLevi. Eyona nto wayebhekisela kuyo ngakumbi lilungelo lakhe lenkonzo nolwalamano lwakhe noYehova, ubuhlobo awayebakhile kunye noYena Uphakamileyo. (Yak. 2:21-23) Ukuze alondoloze olo lwalamano, kwafuneka umdumisi aqhubeke enokholo kuYehova aze amthembe. Kwafuneka ukuba uAsafu abe nentembelo yokuba ekugqibeleni uya kuphila ubomi obanelisayo, ukuba nje wayenokuphila ngemilinganiselo kaThixo. Nawe unokuba nentembelo efanayo kuSomandla.

11. UYeremiya wayenawuphi umbuzo, yaye waphendulwa njani?

¹¹ Omnye umLevi owagqala uYehova njengesabelo sakhe, ngumprofeti uYeremiya. Makhe sibone oko wayekuthetha xa wasebenzisa elo binzana. UYeremiya wayehlala eAnatoti, isixeko sabaLevi esikufutshane neYerusalem. (Yer. 1:1) Wakha wadideka waza wazibuza: Kutheni abangendawo bephumelela ngoxa amalungisa esokola? (Yer. 12:1) Wathi esakubona oko kwakusenzeka eYerusalem nakwaYuda, waziva enyanzelekile ukuba ‘amangale’ ngoko wayekubona. UYeremiya wayesazi ukuba uYehova ulilungisa. Oko uYehova waphefumlela uYeremiya ukuba akuprofete nendlela awawazalisekisa ngayo amazwi esiprofeto kwawuphendula kakuhle umbuzo walo mprofeti. Ngokuvisisana neziprofeto zikaThixo, abo baluthobelayo ulwalathiso lukaYehova ‘bafumana imiphefumlo yabo njengamaxhoba,’ ngoxa abangendawo abazizityebi basityeshelayo isilumkiso baza batshabalala.—Yer. 21:9.

12, 13. (a) Yintoni eyashukumisela uYeremiya ukuba athi: “UYehova sisabelo sam,” yaye sisiphi isimo sengqondo awayenaso? (b) Kutheni kwakuyimfuneko ukuba zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli zifunde ukulinda?

¹² Kamva, xa uYeremiya wayejonge ilizwe lakowabo elitshatyalalisiweyo, wayengathi uhamba ebumnyameni. Kwakungathi uYehova umenze ‘wahlala njengamadoda afileyo kangangexesha elide.’ (IZili. 1:1, 16; 3:6) UYeremiya wayeluxelele olu hlanga luwexukileyo ukuba lubuyele kuYise wasezulwini, kodwa ubungendawo balo babusele bufikelele kwinqanaba lokuba uThixo avumele iYerusalem nelakwaYuda ukuba zitshatyalaliswe. Oko kwamenza buhlungu uYeremiya nangona wayengenatyala. Nakuba wayeneenzingo, lo mprofeti wakhumbula inceba kaThixo. Wathi: “Asifikanga esiphelweni sethu.” Eneneni, inceba kaYehova intsha ntsasa nganye! Kungelo xesha awathi ngalo uYeremiya: “UYehova sisabelo sam.” Waqhubeka nelungelo lakhe lokukhonza uYehova njengomprofeti.—Funda iZililo 3:22-24.

¹³ Kangangama-70 eminyaka, amaSirayeli ayengazi kuba kwilizwe lawo. Laliza kuba yinkangala. (Yer. 25:11) Kodwa amazwi kaYeremiya athi “uYehova sisabelo sam” atyhila intembelo awayenayo kwinceba kaThixo yaye amnika isizathu sokuba ‘alinde.’ Zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli zaziphulukene nelifa lazo, ngoko kwakufuneka zibe nesimo sengqondo esifana nesalo mprofeti. YayinguYehova kuphela ithemba lazo. Emva kweminyaka engama-70, abantu bakaThixo babuyiselwa kwilizwe labo baza baba nelungelo lokumkhonza apho.—2 Kron. 36:20-23.

Abanye Banokwenza UYehova Abe Sisabelo Sabo

14, 15. Ngaphandle kwabaLevi, ngoobani abanye abenza uYehova isabelo sabo, yaye ngoba?

¹⁴ UAsafu noYeremiya babengabohlanga lwabaLevi, kodwa ngaba yayingabaLevi kuphela ababenokuba nelungelo lokukhonza uYehova? Akunjalo! UDavide oselula, owayeza kuba ngukumkani wakwaSirayeli wathi uThixo ‘usisabelo sakhe elizweni labaphilayo.’ (Funda iNdumiso 142:1, 5.) Xa wayeqamba le ndumiso, uDavide wayengekho sebhotwe, engekho kwasendlwini. Wayesemqolombeni ezimele iintshaba zakhe. Izihlandlo ezibini ubuncinane, uDavide wazimela emiqolombeni—omnye ukufutshane neAdulam, omnye ukwintlambo yase-En-gedi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba iNdumiso 142 wayiqamba ekomnye waloo miqolomba.

¹⁵ Ukuba kunjalo, yayinguKumkani uSawule owayezingela uDavide, efuna ukumbulala. UDavide wabalekela kumqolomba ekwakunzima ukungena kuwo. (1 Sam. 22:1, 4) Ngoxa wayekula magqagala, kusenokubonakala ngathi uDavide wayengenamhlobo umxhasayo nomkhuselayo. (INdu. 142:4) Ngelo xesha uDavide wacela uncedo kuThixo.

16, 17. (a) Ziziphi izizathu zokuba uDavide azive engakhuselekanga? (b) UDavide wayenokubhenela kubani ukuze afumane uncedo?

¹⁶ Ngexesha lokubhala kukaDavide iNdumiso 142, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayesele esazi ngoko kwehlela uMbingeleli Omkhulu uAhimeleki, owathi engazimiselanga wamnceda xa wayebaleka uSawule. UKumkani uSawule onomona wayalela ukuba kubulawe uAhimeleki nendlu yakhe. (1 Sam. 22:11, 18, 19) UDavide waziva enetyala ngokufa kwabo. Kwaba ngathi nguye obulele umbingeleli omncedileyo. Ukuba wawusezihlangwini zikaDavide, ngaba nawe ngewawuzive unetyala? Enye into eyayisongezelela kuxinezeleko lukaDavide sisibakala sokuba wayengaphumli kuba esukelwa nguSawule.

¹⁷ Kungekudala emva koko kwafa umprofeti uSamuweli, owathambisa uDavide ukuba abe ngukumkani kwixesha elizayo. (1 Sam. 25:1) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba oko kwaba nochatha ekuziboneni kukaDavide engakhuselekanga. Sekunjalo, uDavide wayesazi ukuba unokubhenela kuYehova. UDavide wayengenamalungelo afanayo nabaLevi, kodwa wayesele ethanjisiwe ukuze anikele olunye uhlobo lwenkonzo, olokuba ekugqibeleni abe ngukumkani wabantu bakaThixo. (1 Sam. 16:1, 13) Ngenxa yoko, uDavide waphalaza imbilini yakhe kuYehova waza waqhubeka efuna ulwalathiso lukaThixo. Nawe unako ukwenza uThixo isabelo sakho nendawo yokuzimela njengoko uzibhokoxa kwinkonzo yakhe.

18. Abantu esithethe ngabo kweli nqaku baye babonisa njani ukuba benza uYehova abe sisabelo sabo?

¹⁸ Abantu esithethe ngabo baye benza uYehova isabelo sabo ngenxa yokuba bamkela izabelo kwinkonzo yakhe. Bathembela ngoThixo ukuze abalungiselele njengoko bemkhonza. AbaLevi kwakunye nabantu bezinye izizwe zakwaSirayeli, njengoDavide, benza uThixo waba sisabelo sabo. Wena unokumenza njani uYehova abe sisabelo sakho? Siza kuxubusha oko kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• UYehova wayesisabelo sabaLevi ngayiphi ingqiqo?

• Yintoni eyenziwa nguAsafu, uYeremiya noDavide, ebonisa ukuba uYehova wayesisabelo sabo?

• Luluphi uphawu ekufuneka ube nalo ukuze uThixo abe sisabelo sakho?

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 8]

AbaLevi abazange babe nalo ilifa lomhlaba. Kodwa uYehova wayesisabelo sabo, kuba babenelungelo elingathethekiyo lokumkhonza

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

UYehova wayesiso njani isabelo sababingeleli nabaLevi?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Yintoni eyanceda uAsafu ukuba aqhubeke esenza uYehova isabelo sakhe?