1-3. (a) AbaseGibhithe bazama njani ukuhlasela abako-Israyeli? (b) UJehova wabalwela njani abantu bakhe?

AMA-ISRAYELI ayevinjezelwe phakathi kwezintaba ezinkulukazi lolwandle olungachaphekiyo. Ibutho laseGibhithe elalilikhulu kakhulu lalibagijimisa lifuna ukubaqeda bonke. * Lanxa kwasekunjalo, uMosi wakhuthaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi bangalahli ithemba. Wabakhuthaza esithi: “UJehova uzalilwela.”​—⁠U-Eksodusi 14:14.

² Lanxa kunjalo, uMosi wamemeza kuJehova, futhi uNkulunkulu wasemphendula esithi: “Kanti ukhalelani kimi na? . . . Phakamisa intonga yakho welulele isandla sakho phezu kolwandle amanzi adabuke phakathi.” (U-Eksodusi 14:15, 16) Cabanga ngokwalandelayo. UJehova wathuma ingilosi yakhe, iyezi laselisuka phambi kwama-Israyeli layakuma ngemuva kwawo, mhlawumbe lisiba ngumduli ovalela abaseGibhithe ukuthi bangahlaseli. (U-Eksodusi 14:19, 20; IHubo 105:39) UMosi waseselula isandla sakhe. Ulwandle lwehlukana phakathi ngenxa yokuvunguza komoya olamandla. Amanzi aqoqana aba yimiduli, kwavuleka indlela enkulu eyayisenela ukuthi isizwe sonke sama-Israyeli sidlule!​—U-Eksodusi 14:21; 15:8.

³ Esebone amandla amakhulu kangaka, uFaro kumele atshele ibutho lakhe ukuthi liphenduke. Kulokuthi enze njalo, uFaro ozigqajayo utshela ibutho lakhe ukuthi lihlasele. (U-Eksodusi 14:23) AbaseGibhithe bangena elwandle ukuze bahlasele, kodwa ukuhlasela kwabo kubangenisa engozini njengoba amaviri ezinqola zabo eqalisa ukukhumuka. Ama-Israyeli esengale kolwandle futhi esephephile, uJehova utshela uMosi ukuthi:  “Phakamisa isandla sakho phezu kolwandle ukuze amanzi abuyele ambokothe amaGibhithe lezinkolo zawo labagadi bamabhiza.” Amanzi akade engumduli abuyela endaweni yawo, embokotha uFaro lebutho lakhe!​—U-Eksodusi 14:24-28; IHubo 136:15.

4. (a) ELwandle Olubomvu, uJehova watshengisa ukuthi uyini? (b) Abanye bangazizwa njani ngokutshengisa kukaJehova ukuthi ulibutho?

⁴ Ukukhululwa kwesizwe sama-Israyeli eLwandle Olubomvu kwakuyisenzakalo esiqakathekileyo kuzo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu ake wazenzela abantu. Kuleso senzakalo, uJehova watshengisa ukuthi “ulibutho.” (U-Eksodusi 15:3) Kodwa wena uzizwa njani ngokutshengisa kukaJehova ukuthi ulibutho? Siyavuma ukuthi izimpi zizwise abantu ubuhlungu kakhulu futhi zabenza bahlupheka. Kungenzakala yini ukuthi ukusebenzisa kukaNkulunkulu amandla akhe okubhubhisa kwenze ukuthi abantu bangasondeli kuye kulokuthi kubenze basondele kuye?

5, 6. (a)  Kungani kufanele ukuthi uNkulunkulu abizwe ngokuthi ‘unguJehova wamabutho’? (b) Izimpi zikaNkulunkulu zehlukene njani lezabantu?

⁵ Ezindimini zakuqala zeBhayibhili, uNkulunkulu ulebizo lokuhlonipha elithi “Jehova wamabutho” elitholakala izikhathi ezingamakhulu amathathu eMibhalweni yesiHebheru futhi lithokala kabili eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki. (1 USamuyeli 1:11, NW) UJehova uthuma ibutho elikhulu lezingilosi zakhe ngenxa yokuthi unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke. (UJoshuwa 5:13-15; 1 AmaKhosi 22:19) Ibutho leli lilamandla amangalisa kakhulu okubhubhisa. (U-Isaya 37:36) Akuthokozisi ngitsho lakancane ukubona abantu bebhujiswa. Kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi izimpi zikaNkulunkulu kazifanani lezabantu. Abakhokheli bamabutho kanye labezombangazwe bangazama ukufaka isizathu esihle sokulwa kwabo. Kodwa izikhathi  ezinengi izimpi zabantu zibangelwa yibuhwaba lokungabi lendaba labanye abantu.

⁶ Kodwa izimpi zikaJehova azibangelwa yibuhwaba. UDutheronomi 32:4 uthi: “UliDwala, imisebenzi yakhe iphelele, njalo zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile. UNkulunkulu othembekileyo ongenzi okubi, uqotho njalo ulungile yena.” ILizwi likaNkulunkulu liyakwala ukuba lolaka, ukuba lesihluku, kanye lodlakela. (UGenesisi 49:7; IHubo 11:5) Ngakho uJehova kalwi engalasizathu esizwakalayo. Amandla akhe okubhubhisa kawasebenzisi mahlayana nje, kodwa uwasebenzisa nxa kufanele. Kunjengoba nje watsho esebenzisa umphrofethi wakhe uHezekheli, esithi: “Ngiyathokoza na ngokufa komuntu omubi? kutsho uJehova Wobukhosi. Esikhundleni salokho, kangithabi na nxa bephenduka ezindleleni zabo njalo baphile?”​—UHezekheli 18:23.

7, 8. (a) Yikuphi ukucabanga okuliphutha uJobe aba lakho ngokuhlupheka kwakhe? (b) U-Elihu wakulungisa njani ukucabanga kukaJobe kuloludaba? (c) Kuyini esingakufunda kulokho okwenzakala kuJobe?

⁷ Kodwa kungani uJehova ewasebenzisa amandla okubhubhisa? Singakaphenduli umbuzo lo, singakhumbula indoda elungileyo uJobe. USathane wathi uJobe kanye labantu bonke ngeke bahlale beqotho nxa belingwa. UJehova walungisisa leyonsolo ngokuvumela ukuthi uSathane alinge uJobe ukuze abone ukuthi uqotho yini. USathane walinga uJobe ngokumenza ukuthi agule, afelwe ngabantwabakhe, futhi alahlekelwe yinotho yakhe. (UJobe 1:1–2:8) UJobe wayengakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwakusenzakala, yikho waphetha ngokuthi ukuhlupheka kwakhe kwakuyisijeziso esingamfanelanga esasivela kuNkulunkulu. Wabuza uNkulunkulu ukuthi kungani ‘wayekhethe’ ukuthi amenze ‘isitha.’​—UJobe 7:20; 13:24.

⁸ Ijaha okwakuthiwa ngu-Elihu laveza iphutha lokucabanga kukaJobe, ngokuthi: “Wena uthe, ‘Ukulunga kwami kwedlula okukaNkulunkulu.’ ” (UJobe 35:2, NW) Kakusikuhlakanipha ukucabanga ukuthi sazi ngcono kuloNkulunkulu kumbe ukucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uphambanisile. U-Elihu wathi: “Kakube khatshana laye uNkulunkulu ukwenza okubi, khatshana  kukaSomandla ukona.” Ngemva kwesikhathi wathi: “USomandla singeke simfinyelele njalo uphakeme ulamandla; ekwahluleleni kwakhe okuhle lokulunga okukhulu kacindezeli.” (UJobe 34:10; 36:22, 23; 37:23) Singaba leqiniso lokuthi nxa uNkulunkulu esilwa, uyabe elesizathu esihle sokwenza njalo. Sicabanga ngalokho, kasikhangeleni izizathu ezenza uNkulunkulu wokuthula abe libutho.​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 14:33.

9. Kungani uNkulunkulu wokuthula esilwa?

⁹ Ngemva kokubabaza uNkulunkulu ‘njengolibutho,’ uMosi wathi: “Ngubani kubonkulunkulu bonke onjengawe, O Jehova? Ngubani onjengawe-olobukhosi ebungcweleni bakhe?” (U-Eksodusi 15:11) Umphrofethi uHabakhukhi laye wabhala wathi: “Amehlo akho ahlanzeke kakhulu ukuba akhangele okubi; awungeke ubekezelele okungalunganga.” (UHabakhukhi 1:13) Lanxa uJehova enguNkulunkulu olothando, unguNkulunkulu ongcwele, olungileyo, futhi owahlulela kuhle. Ngezinye izikhathi, izimpawu zobuntu ezinjalo zimenza ukuthi awasebenzise amandla akhe okubhubhisa. (U-Isaya 59:15-19; ULukha 18:7) Ngakho uNkulunkulu kabungcolisi ubungcwele bakhe nxa esilwa. Kodwa ulwa ngenxa yokuthi ungcwele.​—U-Eksodusi 39:30.

10. (a) Saba khona nini isidingo sokuthi uNkulunkulu afune ukulwa futhi lokhu kwenzakala njani? (b) Ubutha okwakhulunywa ngabo kuGenesisi 3:15 buzalungiswa njani, njalo lokhu kuzabanceda njani abantu abalungileyo?

¹⁰ Cabanga ngesimo esaba khona ngemva kokuba abantu bakuqala, u-Adamu lo-Eva, behlamukele uNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 3:1-6) Ngabe wabekezelela ukona kwabo, uJehova wayezabe ebukhangelele phansi uBukhosi bakhe beNdawo Yonke. Ngenxa yokuthi unguNkulunkulu olungileyo, wayengasela enye indlela ngaphandle kokuthi abagwebele ukufa. (KwabaseRoma 6:23) Esiphrofethweni sakuqala seBhayibhili, wathi kuzakuba lobutha phakathi kwezikhonzi zakhe labalandeli ‘benyoka,’ enguSathane. (ISambulo 12:9; UGenesisi 3:15) Ubutha lobu bungalungiswa kuphela ngokuchotshozwa kukaSathane. (KwabaseRoma 16:20) Kodwa isahlulelo lesi  sasizakwenza abantu abalungileyo bathole izibusiso ezinengi, futhi senze uSathane angasenelisi ukulinga abantu emhlabeni, besesivula ithuba lokuthi umhlaba wonke ube lipharadayisi. (UMathewu 19:28) Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, labo abasekela uSathane bazafuna ukuhlasela ukukhonza kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kanye lenhlalakahle yabo. Ezimweni ezinjalo, uJehova uzabavikela abantu bakhe.

11. Kungani uNkulunkulu wabona kufanele ukuthi alethe uzamcolo emhlabeni wonke?

¹¹ UNkulunkulu wangenela ukuze aqede ububi lapho eletha uZamcolo ngesikhathi sikaNowa. UGenesisi 6:11, 12 uthi: “Umhlaba wawuxhwalile phambi kukaNkulunkulu njalo ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu. UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi umhlaba wawusuxhwale njani, ngoba bonke abantu emhlabeni basebelezindlela zabo ezixhwalileyo.” UNkulunkulu wayezavumela yini ukuthi abantu ababi badukise abalutshwana ababesenza okuhle emhlabeni? Hatshi. UJehova wabona kufanele ukuthi alethe uzamcolo emhlabeni wonke ukuze abhubhise labo ababelodlakela futhi beziphatha kubi.

12. (a) Kuyini uJehova ayekukhulumile mayelana ‘lenzalo’ ka-Abhrahama? (b) Kungani kwakumele ama-Amori abulawe?

¹² Lokhu kwakufanana lesahlulelo uJehova asinika abaseKhenani. UJehova waveza ukuthi wayezabusisa zonke izizwe esebenzisa ‘inzalo’ ka-Abhrahama. Ngokuvumelana lenjongo yakhe, uNkulunkulu wathi inzalo ka-Abhrahama wayezayinika ilizwe laseKhenani, ilizwe elalihlalwa ngabantu okwakuthiwa ngama-Amori. Kungatshiwo njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeqondile lapho esusa labobantu elizweni labo? UJehova wayekhulume kuseselesikhathi ukuthi ama-Amori ayengasoze asuswe kuze kube yiminyaka engu-400, lapho ‘isono sama-Amori sifika ekucineni.’ * (UGenesisi 12:1-3; 13:14, 15; 15:13, 16; 22:18) Phakathi lesikhathi leso, ama-Amori aqhubeka eziphatha kubi kakhulu.  IKhenani yaba yindawo okwakukhonzwa khona izithombe, kuchithwa igazi, futhi kulokuziphatha okubi kwezemacansini. (U-Eksodusi 23:24; 34:12, 13; AmaNani 33:52) Abantu ababehlala kuleyondawo babeze batshise labantwana emlilweni womhlatshelo. UNkulunkulu ongcwele wayezavumela yini ukuthi abantu bakhe bahlale labantu abenza izinto ezimbi kangaka? Hatshi! Wathi: ‘Ilizwe lingcolile; ngizalijezisa ngesono salo, ilizwe lizabahlanza abahlezi kulo.’ (ULevi 18:21-25) Kodwa uJehova kazange aphongubulala wonke umuntu. Amanye amaKhenani, agoqela uRahabi kanye labantu baseGibhiyoni kabazange babhujiswe ngenxa yokuthi babethanda uNkulunkulu.​—UJoshuwa 6:25; 9:3-27.

13, 14. Kungani kwakumele uJehova enze ukuthi ibizo lakhe lihlanzeke, futhi wakwenza njani lokhu?

¹³ Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ungcwele, ibizo lakhe lalo lingcwele. (ULevi 22:32) UJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi bathandaze besithi: “Malihlonitshwe ibizo lakho.” (UMathewu 6:9) Ukuhlamuka kwase-Edeni kwalingcolisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu, kwenza ukuthi ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu kanye lendlela yakhe yokubusa kuthandabuzwe. UJehova wayengeke akuvumele ukuhlamuka kanye lokunyundela okunjalo. Kwasekumele enze ibizo lakhe lihlanzeke.​—U-Isaya 48:11.

¹⁴ Cabanga futhi ngama-Israyeli. Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli eyizigqila eGibhithe, isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu asenza ku-Abhrahama esokuthi ngeNzalo yakhe izimuli zonke ezisemhlabeni zizabusiswa sasingasoze sigcwaliseke. Kodwa ngokubakhulula futhi ebenza babe yisizwe, uJehova wenza ukuthi ibizo lakhe lihlanzeke. Umphrofethi uDanyeli watsho lokhu emthandazweni wakhe: ‘O Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, owakhupha abantu bakho eGibhithe ngesandla esilamandla njalo wazenzela ibizo elimiyo.’​—UDanyeli 9:15.

15. Kungani uJehova wakhulula amaJuda lapho ethunjiwe eBhabhiloni?

¹⁵ Okuthokozisayo yikuthi uDanyeli wathandaza ngaleyondlela ngesikhathi amaJuda efuna ukuthi uJehova aphinde athathe  inyathelo lokwenza ukuthi ibizo lakhe lihlanzeke. AmaJuda angalalelanga athunjwa yiBhabhiloni. Idolobho labo elikhulu iJerusalema laselilunxiwa. UDanyeli wayekwazi ukuthi ukubuyiselwa kwamaJuda elizweni lawo kwakuzadumisa ibizo likaJehova. UDanyeli waphinda wakhuleka wathi: “O Jehova, thethelela! O Jehova, zwana wenze! Ngenxa yebizo lakho, O Nkulunkulu wami, ungaphuzi, ngokuba idolobho lakho labantu bakho kubizwa ngeBizo lakho.”​—UDanyeli 9:18, 19.

16. Chasisa ukuthi kungani ukulwela kukaJehova ibizo lakhe kungamenzi ukuthi abe ngololunya futhi ongelendaba labanye.

¹⁶ Ukulwela kukaJehova ibizo lakhe kutsho ukuthi ulolunya futhi kalandaba labanye yini? Hatshi ngoba wenza ngokuvumelana lobungcwele bakhe kanye lokwahlulela kwakhe okuhle ukuze avikele abantu bakhe. Cabanga ngoGenesisi isahluko 14. Esahlukweni leso sifunda ngamakhosi amane athumba uLothi, umntwana womnewabo ka-Abhrahama, kanye lemuli yakhe. U-Abhrahama wawehlula ngendlela emangalisayo amakhosi la encediswa nguNkulunkulu! Indaba le yokunqoba lokhu yayingeyokuqala ‘ebhukwini leZimpi zikaJehova,’ futhi leli kwakulibhuku elalilezinye izindaba zempi ezingazange zibhalwe eBhayibhilini. (AmaNani 21:14) Okunye ukunqoba okunengi kwakuzalandela.

17. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wawalwela ama-Israyeli ngemva kokungena kwawo elizweni laseKhenani? Nika izibonelo.

¹⁷ Sekusele ibanga elincane ukuthi ama-Israyeli angene elizweni laseKhenani, uMosi wabakhuthaza esithi: “UJehova wenu ohamba phambi kwenu uzalilwela, njengalokho alenzela khona eGibhithe.” (UDutheronomi 1:30; 20:1) UJehova wabalwela sibili abantu bakhe, izikhathi ezinengi esenza ukuthi banqobe izitha zabo. Wakwenza lokho kusukela ngesikhathi uJoshuwa engena esikhundleni sikaMosi futhi waqhubeka kwaze kwaba yisikhathi saBahluleli kanye lesamakhosi athembekileyo akoJuda.​—UJoshuwa 10:1-14; ABahluleli 4:12-17; 2 USamuyeli 5:17-21.

18. (a) Kungani kumele sibonge ukuthi uJehova kantshintshanga? (b) Kuzakwenzakalani ngesikhathi ubutha okukhulunywa ngabo kuGenesisi 3:15 sebufike ekucineni?

 ¹⁸ UJehova kantshintshanga; futhi kayintshintshanga lenjongo yakhe yokwenza umhlaba lo ube lipharadayisi elilokuthula. (UGenesisi 1:27, 28) UNkulunkulu lokhu ebuzonda ububi. Ngesikhathi esifananayo uyabathanda kakhulu abantu bakhe futhi uzabalwela masinyane nje. (IHubo 11:7) Iqiniso yikuthi ubutha okukhulunywa ngabo kuGenesisi 3:15 bukhangelelwe ukuthi buphele ngendlela elodlakela esikhathini esiseduze esizayo. UJehova uzakuba ‘libutho’ ukuze enze ibizo lakhe lihlanzeke njalo avikele abantu bakhe!​—UZekhariya 14:3; ISambulo 16:14, 16.

19. (a) Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi kungani kumele amandla kaNkulunkulu okubhubhisa asisondeze kuye. (b) Ukuzimisela kukaNkulunkulu ukusilwela kumele kusenze sizizwe njani ngaye?

¹⁹ Cabanga ngomzekeliso lo: Ake sithi imuli ethile ibihlaselwa yinyamazana eyingozi kakhulu, uyise wabantwana abesesilwa lenyamazana leyo ayibulale. Ungakhangelela yini ukuthi imuli yendoda le imesabe ngenxa yesenzo leso? Kulokuthi imuli le yenze njalo, singakhangelela ukuthi ithokoze ngenxa yothando lokuzinikela olutshengiswe yileyo ndoda. Ngakho lathi akumelanga  simesabe uNkulunkulu ngenxa yokusebenzisa kwakhe amandla akhe okubhubhisa. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukusilwela kumele kusenze simthande kakhulu. Ukuhlonipha kwethu amandla akhe angapheliyo kumele kujule. Singenza njalo singenelisa ‘ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokufaneleyo ngenhlonipho langokwesaba.’​—KumaHebheru 12:28.

20. Nxa singabala izindaba zezimpi zikaNkulunkulu eziseBhayibhilini esingazizwisisi ngokugcweleyo, kumele senzeni futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?

²⁰ Kuliqiniso ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi iBhayibhili kalisichasiseli ukuthi kungani uJehova ekhetha ukulwa. Kodwa singaqiniseka ngalokhu: UJehova kasebenzisi amandla akhe okubhubhisa ngendlela engazwisisekiyo, elolunya, kumbe elesihluku. Izikhathi ezinengi amanye amavesi aseduze lendaba ethile eseBhayibhilini angasinceda ukuthi sizwisise isizathu sokuthi kungani esilwa. (IZaga 18:13) Lanxa singakwazi konke okuyabe kwenzakele, ukufunda okunengi ngoJehova kanye lokucabangisisa ngezimpawu zobuntu bakhe kungasinceda ukuthi silungisise loba yikuphi ukuthandabuza esingaba lakho. Singenza njalo sizabona ukuthi silezizathu ezinengi zokumethemba uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova.​—UJobe 34:12.

21. Lanxa esiba ‘libutho’ ngezinye izikhathi, uJehova uzizwa njani ngokulwa?

²¹ Lanxa uJehova esiba ‘libutho’ nxa kulesidingo sokuthi enze njalo, lokhu akutsho ukuthi uthanda izimpi. Embonweni wenqola yasezulwini owabonwa nguHezekheli, uJehova uvezwa njengolungele ukulwa lezitha zakhe. Kodwa uHezekheli wabona uNkulunkulu egonjolozelwe ngumchilowamakhosikazi, oluphawu lokuthula. (UGenesisi 9:13; UHezekheli 1:28; ISambulo 4:3) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova ulokuthula njalo kalalo ulaka. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 UJohane 4:8) UJehova usebenzisa zonke izimpawu zobuntu bakhe ngendlela efaneleyo. Ngakho sibusisiwe kakhulu ngokwenelisa ukusondela eduze kukaNkulunkulu olamandla futhi olothando!