Lithobele Ngokunyaniseka Igunya LikaThixo
“UYehova nguMgwebi wethu, uYehova nguMmisi-mthetho wethu, uYehova nguKumkani wethu.”—ISAYA 33:22.
1. Ziziphi izinto ezenza uSirayeli wamandulo waluhlanga olukhethekileyo kunezinye iintlanga?
NGOWE-1513 B.C.E., kwasekwa uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli. Ngelo xesha, olo hlanga lwalungenakomkhulu, ilizwe nokumkani obonakalayo. Abemi balo babekhe bangamakhoboka. Noko ke, olo hlanga lutsha lwalukhethekile nangenye indlela. UYehova uThixo wayenguMgwebi walo ongabonakaliyo, uMmisi-mthetho noKumkani. (Eksodus 19:5, 6; Isaya 33:22) Alukho olunye uhlanga olwalunjalo!
2. Nguwuphi umbuzo ovelayo ngokuphathelele indlela uSirayeli awayelungelelaniswe ngayo, yaye kutheni impendulo ibalulekile nje kuthi?
2 Ekubeni uYehova enguThixo wocwangco, noThixo woxolo, sinokulindela ukuba naluphi na uhlanga alulawulayo lube nocwangco. (1 Korinte 14:33) Ngokuqinisekileyo oku kwakunjalo ngoSirayeli. Kodwa intlangano esemhlabeni nebonakalayo yayinokukhokelwa njani nguThixo ongabonakaliyo? Makhe siqwalasela indlela uYehova alulawula ngayo olo hlanga lwamandulo, size ngokukhethekileyo siphawule indlela aqhubana ngayo noSirayeli ebonisa indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukulithobela ngokunyaniseka igunya likaThixo.
Indlela USirayeli Wamandulo Owayelawulwa Ngayo
3. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo asebenzayo uYehova awenza ukuze akhokele abantu bakhe?
3 Nangona uYehova wayenguKumkani wamaSirayeli ongabonakaliyo, wanyula amadoda athembekileyo njengabameli bakhe ababonakalayo. Kwakukho iinkosana, noosolusapho namadoda amakhulu awayeluleka nawayegweba abantu. (Eksodus 18:25, 26; Duteronomi 1:15) Noko ke, asinakugqiba kwelokuba ngaphandle kokhokelo lukaThixo loo madoda anembopheleleko ayenokugweba izinto ngokwengqiqo egqibeleleyo nokuqonda. Ayengafezekanga, yaye ayengenakukwazi oko kusezintliziyweni zabanye abanquli. Sekunjalo, abagwebi ababehlonela uThixo babenokunikela isiluleko esiluncedo kwamanye amakholwa kuba sasisekelwe kuMthetho kaYehova.—Duteronomi 19:15; INdumiso 119:97-100.
4. Yiyiphi imikhwa ekwakufuneka abagwebi abathembekileyo bakwaSirayeli bayiphephe, yaye ngoba?
4 Noko ke, ukuba ngumgwebi kwakuthetha okungakumbi kunokwazi nje uMthetho. Ekubeni ayengafezekanga, amadoda amakhulu kwakufuneka akuphaphele ukuziphepha zonke iindlela zawo ezitenxileyo—njengokuzingca, ukuba nekhethe nokunyoluka—nto ezo ezazinokuwenza enze isigwebo esiphosakeleyo. UMoses wawaxelela oku: “Nize ningakhethi buso ekugwebeni kwenu. Nifanele nimve omncinane njengomkhulu. Nize ningothuswa mntu, ngokuba umgwebo ngokaThixo.” Ewe, abagwebi bakwaSirayeli babegweba esikhundleni sikaThixo. Eli yayililungelo elikhulu ngendlela emangalisayo!—Duteronomi 1:16, 17.
5. Nangaphezu kokuba wayenyule abagwebi, ngawaphi amanye amalungiselelo uYehova awenza ukunyamekela abantu bakhe?
5 UYehova wenza amanye amalungiselelo okunyamekela iimfuno zokomoya zabantu bakhe. Kwanangaphambi kokuba bafike kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, wabayalela ukuba bakhe umnquba, isazulu sonqulo lokwenyaniso. Kwakhona wamisela ababingeleli ukuze bafundise uMthetho, banikele amadini ezilwanyana, baze benze isiqhumiso sakusasa nesangokuhlwa. UThixo wanyula umkhuluwa kaMoses, uAron, njengombingeleli omkhulu wokuqala wakwaSirayeli waza wanyula oonyana baka-Aron ukuba bancedise uyise kwimisebenzi yakhe.—Eksodus 28:1; Numeri 3:10; 2 Kronike 13:10, 11.
6, 7. (a) Babenxulumene njani ababingeleli nabaLevi ababengengobabingeleli? (b) Sinokufunda ntoni kwisibakala sokuba abaLevi babesenza imisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo? (Kolose 3:23)
6 Ukunyamekela iintswelo zokomoya zezigidi zabantu yayingumsebenzi omkhulu, yaye ababingeleli babembalwa gqitha. Ngoko ke kwenziwa elinye ilungiselelo lokuba bancediswe ngamanye amalungu esizwe sabaLevi. UYehova waxelela uMoses: “AbaLevi umele ubanike uAron noonyana bakhe. Bona bangabanikelweyo, benikelwe kuye bevela koonyana bakaSirayeli.”—Numeri 3:9, 39.
7 AbaLevi babelungelelaniswe kakuhle. Babehlulahlulwe ngokweentsapho ezintathu—amaGershon, amaKohati, namaMerari—ntsapho nganye inomsebenzi eyayifanele iwenze. (Numeri 3:14-17, 23-37) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye izabelo zazibonakala zibalulekile kunezinye, kodwa zonke zaziyimfuneko. Umsebenzi wabaLevi abangamaKohati wawubasondeza kwityeya engcwele yomnqophiso nakwiimpahla zomnquba. Noko ke, mLevi ngamnye enoba wayengumKohati okanye wayengenguye, wayenamalungelo akhethekileyo. (Numeri 1:51, 53) Okulusizi kukuba, abanye abazange bawaxabise loo malungelo. Kunokuba bazithobe ngokunyaniseka kwigunya likaThixo, abazange baneliseke baza baqalisa ukuba nekratshi, amabhongo nomona. UmLevi ogama linguKora wayengomnye wabo.
“Nifuna Ukuzuza Kwanobubingeleli Na?”
8. (a) Yayingubani uKora? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yabangela ukuba uKora alijongele phantsi ilungiselelo lobubingeleli?
8 UKora wayengeyontloko yendlu yabaLevi, yaye engenguye nosolusapho wamaKohati. (Numeri 3:30, 32) Noko ke, wayeyinkosana ehlonelwayo kwaSirayeli. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umsebenzi kaKora wawumenza asebenze ngokusondeleyo noAron noonyana bakhe. (Numeri 4:18, 19) Ezibonela ngamehlo akhe ukungafezeki kwala madoda, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uKora waqiqa ngelithi: ‘Hayi indlela abangafezekanga ngayo aba bantu, sekunjalo kusafuneka ndibathobele! Nditsho noAron lo ebasandul’ ukwenza ithole legolide. Ukunqula elo thole kwabangela abantu bakowethu banqul’ izithixo. Kodwa ngoku, umkhuluwa kaMoses, uAron, ungumbingeleli omkhulu! Kukho unyawo lwemfene kuyo yonke le nto! Yaye kuthekani ngoonyana baka-Aron, uNadabhi noAbhihu? Khawufan’ ucinge, nabo abazange babonakalise intlonelo ngamalungelo abo enkonzo kangangokuba kwafuneka uYehova ababulale!’a (Eksodus 32:1-5; Levitikus 10:1, 2) Enoba wayecinga ntoni na uKora, kucacile ukuba waqalisa ukulijongela phantsi ilungiselelo lobubingeleli. Oko kwamkhokelela ekubeni avukele uMoses noAron, yaye ekugqibeleni, wavukela uYehova.—1 Samuweli 15:23; Yakobi 1:14, 15.
9, 10. UKora namahlakani akhe bamtyhola besithini uMoses, yaye kutheni babefanele baqonde ukuba bazifaka engozini?
9 Ekubeni wayeyindoda enesikhundla, akuzange kube nzima ngoKora ukuzigayela abalandeli. Yena, kunye noDatan noAbhiram bafumana amahlakani angama-250—onke eziinkosana zendibano. Bebonke baya kuMoses nakuAron baza bathi: “Indibano iphela ingcwele yaye uYehova uphakathi kwayo. Yini na, ke, ukuba niziphakamise phezu kwebandla likaYehova?”—Numeri 16:1-3.
10 Aba bavukeli babekhab’ uviko ngokuvukela igunya likaMoses. Kungekudala ngaphambilana, uAron noMiriyam babenze into efanayo. Kaloku nabo baqiqa njengoKora! Ngokutsho kweNumeri 12:1, 2, babuza: “UYehova uthethe ngoMoses yedwa na? Akathethanga nangathi na?” UYehova wayephulaphule. Wayalela uMoses, uAron noMiriyam ukuba bahlanganisane kwintente yokuhlangana ukuze Yena akhethe inkokeli ayifunayo. Ngoko, ethetha ngokucacileyo uYehova wathi: “Ukuba nithe nanomprofeti kaYehova, ndozazisa kuye ngombono. Ndithethe kuye ephupheni. Akunjalo ngomkhonzi wam uMoses! Uphathiswe yonke indlu yam.” Emva koko, uYehova wamohlwaya uMiriyam ngokumenza waneqhenqa okwexeshana.—Numeri 12:4-7, 10.
11. UMoses wawusingatha njani umbandela owawubandakanya uKora?
11 UKora namahlakani akhe babesazi ngoko kwakwenzekile. Babengenakuxolelwa ngemvukelo yabo. Sekunjalo, uMoses wazama ngomonde ukuqiqa nabo. Wababongoza ukuba babe noxabiso olungakumbi ngamalungelo abo, esithi: “Yinto encinane na kuni ukuba uThixo kaSirayeli enahlule kwindibano kaSirayeli, wanisondeza kuye?” Akunjalo, ‘yayingeyonto encinane’! AbaLevi babesele benamalungelo amaninzi. Kanye kanye babefuna ntoni? Amazwi abhekele phaya kaMoses abhenca oko kwakusezintliziyweni zabo: “Nifuna ukuzuza kwanobubingeleli na?”b (Numeri 12:3; 16:9, 10) Noko ke, uYehova wathini ngoku kuvukelwa kwegunya lakhe?
UMgwebi KaSirayeli Uyalamla
12. Yintoni amaSirayeli kwakufuneka ayenze ukuze ahlale enolwalamano oluhle noThixo?
12 Xa uYehova wanika amaSirayeli uMthetho, wathi kuwo, ukuba ayethobela, ayeya kuba ‘luhlanga olungcwele’ yaye olu hlanga lwaluya kuhlala lungcwele logama nje lusamkela amalungiselelo kaYehova. (Eksodus 19:5, 6) Ngoku, bakuba abantu beqalise ukuvukela ngokuphandle, kwanyanzeleka ukuba uMgwebi noMmisi-mthetho kaSirayeli alamle! UMoses wathi kuKora: “Wena nendibano yakho yonke, ze nibe phambi koYehova, wena nabo noAron, ngomso. Ngamnye kuni aze athabathe ugcedevu lwakhe, nibeke isiqhumiso phezu kwazo, elowo kuni alusondeze ugcedevu lwakhe phambi koYehova, iingcedevu ezingamakhulu amabini anamashumi mahlanu, nawe noAron elowo abe nogcedevu lwakhe.”—Numeri 16:16, 17.
13. (a) Kutheni yayikukuzikhukhumalisa ngabavukeli ukunikela isiqhumiso kuYehova? (b) UYehova wabenza ntoni abo bavukeli?
13 NgokoMthetho kaThixo, yayingumbingeleli kuphela owayenokwenza isiqhumiso. Kwanento yokuba abaLevi ababengengabo ababingeleli benze isiqhumiso kuYehova kwakumele kubabuyisele ezingqondweni. (Eksodus 30:7; Numeri 4:16) Kodwa akuzange kube njalo ngoKora namahlakani akhe! Ngosuku olulandelayo ‘wayihlanganisela yonke indibano nxamnye [noMoses noAron] emnyangweni wentente yokuhlangana.’ Le ngxelo ithi: “Wathetha uYehova kuMoses nakuAron, esithi: ‘Zahluleni kule ndibano, ukuze ndibatshabalalise ngephanyazo.’” Kodwa uMoses noAron bacela ukuba abo bantu benzelwe inceba. UYehova wasamkela isicelo sabo. Ngokuphathelele uKora namahlakani akhe, “kwaphuma umlilo kuYehova, wawadla amadoda angamakhulu amabini anamashumi mahlanu awayenikela isiqhumiso.”—Numeri 16:19-22, 35.c
14. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova athabathe amanyathelo aqatha kwindibano kaSirayeli?
14 Okumangalisayo kukuba, amaSirayeli akubonayo oko uYehova akwenza kubavukeli akazange afunde isifundo. “Ngengomso yambombozela kuMoses noAron yonke indibano yoonyana bakaSirayeli, isithi: ‘Nina, nibabulele abantu bakaYehova.’” La maSirayeli ayexhasa abavukeli! Ekugqibeleni, uYehova waphelelwa ngumonde. Kwakungekho namnye—kwanoMoses noAron—owayenokubangxengxezela ngoku aba bantu. UYehova wababetha ngesibetho abo bangathobeliyo, yaye “abo bafayo sisibetho baba lishumi elinesine lamawaka anamakhulu asixhenxe, ngaphandle kwabafayo ngenxa kaKora.”—Numeri 16:41-49.
15. (a) Ziziphi izizathu amaSirayeli ayemele ukuba anazo zokulwamkela ngokungathandabuzi ukhokelo lukaMoses noAron? (b) Le ngxelo ikufundise ntoni ngoYehova?
15 Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba aba bantu bafe. Akwaba ngebabecingisise nzulu ngezinto. Ngebabezibuze imibuzo enjengale: ‘Ngoobani abaya kuFaro xa ubomi babo babusengozini? Ngoobani abathi amaSirayeli makakhululwe? Ngubani kuphela owamenyelwa ukuba anyuke aye eNtabeni yaseHorebhe emva kokuba amaSirayeli ekhululwe ukuze athethe ngokuthe ngqo nengelosi kaThixo?’ Ngokuqinisekileyo ingxelo entle kaMoses noAron yanikela ubungqina bokunyaniseka kwabo kuYehova nothando lwabo ngabantu. (Eksodus 10:28; 19:24; 24:12-15) UYehova wayengakuvuyeli ukubulala aba bavukeli. Sekunjalo, xa kwabonakala ukuba abantu babeqhubeka bevukela, wathabatha inyathelo eliqatha. (Hezekile 33:11) Konke oku kusisifundo esibalulekileyo kuthi namhlanje. Ngoba?
Ukufumanisa Ijelo Elisetyenziswayo Namhlanje
16. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina obenza amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala aqiniseke ukuba uYesu wayengummeli kaYehova? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abushenxise ububingeleli babaLevi, yaye wamisela buphi endaweni yabo?
16 Namhlanje, kukho “uhlanga” olutsha uYehova anguMgwebi, uMniki-mthetho noKumkani walo ongabonakaliyo. (Mateyu 21:43) Olo “hlanga” lwabakho ngenkulungwane yokuqala kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ngelo xesha, umnquba womhla kaMoses wawuthatyathelwe indawo yitempile entle eYerusalem, apho abaLevi babesasebenza khona. (Luka 1:5, 8, 9) Noko ke, ngonyaka wama-29 C. E., kwaqalisa ukubakho enye itempile yokomoya, apho uYesu Kristu waba nguMbingeleli Omkhulu khona. (Hebhere 9:9, 11) Apha kwaphinda kwavela imbambano engegunya likaThixo. UYehova wayeza kusebenzisa bani ukukhokela olu “hlanga” lutsha? UYesu wazingqina enyanisekile ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Wayebathanda abantu. Kwakhona wenza imimangaliso emininzi. Noko ke, njengookhokho babo abangoontamo-lukhuni, inkoliso yabaLevi ayizange imamkele uYesu. (Mateyu 26:63-68; IZenzo 4:5, 6, 18; 5:17) Ekugqibeleni, uYehova wabushenxisa ububingeleli babaLevi waza wamisela obahlukileyo—ububingeleli basebukhosini. Obo bubingeleli basebukhosini busekho nanamhlanje.
17. (a) Liliphi iqela elibumba ububingeleli basebukhosini namhlanje? (b) UYehova ubusebenzisa njani ububingeleli basebukhosini?
17 Ngoobani ababumba ububingeleli basebukhosini namhlanje? Umpostile uPetros uphendula lo mbuzo kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumlelweyo. Ebhalela amalungu athanjisiweyo omzimba kaKristu, 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.” (1 Petros 2:9) Ngokusuka kula mazwi, kucacile ukuba njengeqela, abalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo babumba obu “bubingeleli basebukhosini,” uPetros awabubiza ngokuthi “uhlanga olungcwele.” Balijelo uYehova alisebenzisayo ukudlulisela kubantu bakhe imfundiso nolwalathiso lokomoya.—Mateyu 24:45-47.
18. Abadala abamiselweyo banxulumene njani nobubingeleli basebukhosini?
18 Abadala abamiselweyo abaneembopheleleko kumabandla abantu bakaYehova emhlabeni wonke, bamela ububingeleli basebukhosini. La madoda sifanele siwahlonele yaye siwaxhase ngokupheleleyo, enoba athanjisiwe okanye akunjalo. Ngoba? Kuba, ngomoya oyingcwele, uYehova uye wawamisela la madoda amakhulu kwizigxina akuzo. (Hebhere 13:7, 17) Kunokwenzeka njani oko?
19. Abadala bamiselwe ngomoya oyingcwele ngayiphi indlela?
19 La madoda makhulu ayazifikelela imfaneleko ezandlalwe kwiLizwi likaThixo, eliyimveliso yomoya kaThixo. (1 Timoti 3:1-7; Tito 1:5-9) Ngenxa yoko, kunokuthiwa amiselwe ngomoya oyingcwele. (IZenzo 20:28) Amadoda amakhulu, okanye abadala, amele aqhelane ngokucokisekileyo neLizwi likaThixo. NjengoMgwebi Ophakamileyo omisele abadala, nabo bamele bayithiye nantoni na enokubenza bagwebe ngokukhetha ubuso.—Duteronomi 10:17, 18.
20. Yintoni oyixabisayo ngabadala abazibhokoxayo?
20 Kunokuvukela igunya labo, sibaxabisa ngokwenene aba badala bazibhokoxayo! Ingxelo yenkonzo yabo yokuthemba, ngokufuthi yamashumi eminyaka emininzi, isenza sibathembe. Ngokuthembeka balungiselela baze baqhube iintlanganiso zebandla, baze basebenze nathi ngaxhatha-linye ekushumayeleni ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani,’ yaye banikela icebiso elisekelwe kwiZibhalo xa kuyimfuneko. (Mateyu 24:14; Hebhere 10:23, 25; 1 Petros 5:2) Bayasityelela xa sigula yaye bayasithuthuzela xa sisentlungwini. Ngokuthembeka nangokungazingci baxhasa izilangazelelo zoBukumkani. Banomoya kaYehova, yaye uyakholiswa ngabo.—Galati 5:22, 23.
21. Yintoni abadala abamele bayiqonde, yaye ngoba?
21 Kakade ke, la madoda makhulu akafezekanga. Eqonda ukuba aneentsilelo, akazami ukuwulawula umhlambi, “ilifa likaThixo.” Kunoko, azigqala ‘engabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze abazalwana babe novuyo.’ (1 Petros 5:3; 2 Korinte 1:24) Abadala abathobekileyo nabazibhokoxayo bayamthanda uYehova, yaye bayazi ukuba okukhona bemxelisa ngokusondele ngakumbi, kokukhona beya kwenza okuhle ngakumbi ebandleni. Becinga ngoku, bazabalazela ukuhlakulela iimpawu zobuthixo ezinjengothando, imfesane nomonde.
22. Ukuphinda sihlolisise ingxelo kaKora kuye kwalomeleza njani ukholo lwakho kwintlangano kaYehova ebonakalayo?
22 Hayi indlela esivuya ngayo kuba uYehova enguMlawuli wethu ongabonakaliyo, uYesu Kristu enguMbingeleli wethu Omkhulu, amalungu athanjisiweyo abububingeleli basebukhosini engabafundisi bethu, yaye amadoda amakhulu athembekileyo angamaKristu engabaluleki bethu! Nangona kungekho ntlangano eyalathiswa ngabantu enokufezeka, kuyasivuyisa ukukwazi ukukhonza uThixo kunye namanye amakholwa athembekileyo, akuvuyelayo ukuzithoba kwigunya likaThixo!
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Abanye oonyana baka-Aron ababini, uEliyazare noItamare, babengumzekelo kwinkonzo yabo kuYehova.—Levitikus 10:6.
b Amahlakani kaKora, uDatan noAbhiram, babengabendlu kaRubhen. Ngenxa yoko, kuyabonakala ukuba babengafuni ububingeleli. Ntonje babengathandi ukuba uMoses abe yinkokeli yabo yaye ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha, babengekafiki kwiLizwe Lesithembiso nto leyo ababeyithenjisiwe.—Numeri 16:12-14.
c Ngamaxesha amandulo, intloko-ntsapho nganye yayimela umfazi wayo nabantwana bayo kuThixo, ide ibenzele amadini. (Genesis 8:20; 46:1; Yobhi 1:5) Noko ke, xa kwamiselwa uMthetho, uYehova wanyula amalungu angamadoda entsapho ka-Aron njengababingeleli ukuze banikele amadini. Kuyabonakala ukuba aba bavukeli bangama-250 babengafuni ukuhambisana nolu hlengahlengiso lutsha.
Ufunde Ntoni?
• Liliphi ilungiselelo lothando uYehova awalenzayo ukunyamekela amaSirayeli?
• Kutheni uKora wayengenakuthetheleleka ngokuvukela kwakhe uMoses noAron?
• Sinokufunda ntoni kwindlela uYehova awabaphatha ngayo abo bavukeli?
• Sinokubonakalisa njani ukuba siyawaxabisa amalungiselelo kaYehova namhlanje?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Ngaba usigqala nasiphi na isabelo enkonzweni kaYehova sililungelo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
“Yini na, ke, ukuba niziphakamise phezu kwebandla likaYehova?”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
Abadala abamiselweyo bamela ububingeleli basebukhosini