1. Yiwuphi umbuthano wabantu bakaNkulunkulu esizawuhlola, futhi yiphi imibuzo ebakhona?

 ‘SUKUMANI lidumise uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade.’ Ngamazwi la athinta inhliziyo, abantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo babuthaniswa ukuze bathandaze ndawonye. Umthandazo lo waba ngomunye wemithandazo emide kulayo yonke eBhayibhilini. (Neh. 9:4, 5) Umbuthano lo wawuseJerusalema mhlaka-24 ngenyanga yamaJuda uTishri ngo-455 B.C.E. Njengoba sikhangela okwenzakalayo lungakafiki usuku lolu oluqakathekileyo, zibuze ukuthi: ‘Yiwuphi umkhuba omuhle owenza ukuthi umbuthano lo uphumelele? Yiziphi ezinye izifundo engingazithola emthandazweni lo olungiselelwe kuhle kangaka?’​—Hubo. 141:2, NW.

2. Abako-Israyeli basibekela siphi isibonelo esihle ngemva kokwakha kutsha imiduli yeJerusalema?

² AmaJuda aqeda ukwakha kutsha imiduli yeJerusalema kusasele inyanga ukuthi umbuthano lo ufike. (Neh. 6:15) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqeda umsebenzi lo ngezinsuku ezingu-52 kuphela, basebeqalisa ukwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Ngakho-ke ngelanga lokuqala ngenyanga kaTishri babuthana egcekeni ledolobho ukuze bazwe u-Ezra, kanye lamanye amaLevi bebalela phezulu umthetho kaNkulunkulu njalo bewuchasisa. Zonke izimuli kanye “labo bonke ababelokuzwisisa,” basukuma balalela “kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kwaze kwaba semini enkulu.” Lesi yisibonelo esihle kakhulu kithi esingena imihlangano emaWolu oMbuso amahle. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi uyake uthole yini ingqondo yakho isivakatsha usucabanga ngezinto ezingaqakathekanga kangako? Nxa kunjalo, akuhlole futhi isibonelo sama-Israyeli asendulo angazange alalele kuphela kodwa akufaka enhliziyweni lokho ayekuzwa kwaze kwafika ekuthini akhale izinyembezi ngokwehluleka kwawo ukulalela uMthetho kaNkulunkulu.​—Neh. 8:1-9.

3. Abako-Israyeli balalela wuphi umlayo?

 ³ Lanxa kunjalo, lesi kwakungayisiso sikhathi sokuvuma izono obala. Kwakumele kube yisikhathi sokuthokoza ekukhonzeni uJehova ngoba kwakulilanga ledili. (AmaN. 29:1) Yikho-ke uNehemiya watshela abantu wathi: ‘Hambani liyozitika ngokudla okumnandi lokunathwayo okumnandi, okunye likuthumele labo abangelakho okulungisiweyo. Ilanga lanamhla lingcwele kuJehova. Malingadani ngoba ukuthokoza kukaJehova kungamandla enu.’ Kuyancomeka ukuthi abantu balalela njalo kwabalilanga ‘lokuthokoza okukhulu.’​—Neh. 8:10-12.

4. Izinhloko zezimuli zama-Israyeli zenzani njalo zathola ukuthi kuyini okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kulelidili loMkhosi weZihonqo?

⁴ Ngelanga elilandelayo, izinhloko zezimuli zabuthana ndawonye ukuze zibone ukuthi isizwe sasingabambelela njani ngokupheleleyo eMthethweni kaNkulunkulu. Ekufundeni kwazo iMibhalo, zathola ukuthi ngenyanga yesikhombisa kwakumele kwenziwe loMkhosi weZihonqo lomhlangano wawo oqakathekileyo wokucina kusukela mhlaka-15 kusiya kumhlaka-22 wenyanga kaTishri. Yikho-ke baqalisa ukulungiselela. Umkhosi weZihonqo lo waphumelela kakhulu njalo wenza kwaba ‘lokuthokoza okukhulu.’ Babengazange bawenze njalo kusukela ezinsukwini zikaJoshuwa. Okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kulelidili kwakuyikubalwa komthetho kaNkulunkulu obala “insuku ngensuku, kusukela kolokuqala kusiya kolokucina.”​—Neh. 8:13-18.

5. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu benzani sekusele isikhatshana nje ukuthi abaLevi babathandazele kuJehova?

⁵ Sekudlule izinsuku ezimbili kwasekuyisikhathi esihle ukuthi ama-Israyeli avume izono zawo obala ngoba babengawugcinanga uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Leli kwakungayisilo langa ledili lokudla nje. Kodwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazila njalo bagqoka amasaka, okwakuluphawu olwalutshengisa ukuthi bahlulukelwe. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu waphinda wabalelwa abantu okwamahola angaba mathathu ekuseni. Emini abantu “babevuma izono njalo bekhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo.” AbaLevi basebethandazela abantu ngomthandazo owawulungiselelwe kuhle. ​—Neh. 9:1-4.

6. Kuyini okwenza amaLevi athandaze umthandazo olohlonzi njalo kusifundisani lokhu?

⁶ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukuhlala bebala uMthetho kaNkulunkulu kwabanceda abaLevi ukuthi balungiselele umthandazo olohlonzi. Amavesi alitshumi okuqala agxile emisebenzini kaJehova kanye lezimpawu zakhe zobuntu. Engxenyeni eseleyo yomthandazo, ‘isihawu esikhulu’ sikaNkulunkulu siyaphindaphindwa kanye lokuvuma okucacileyo ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayengafanelanga aphathwe ngomusa onjalo. (Neh. 9:19, 27, 28, 31) Nxa singanakana ngeLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsukuzonke  njalo simvumele ukuthi akhulume lathi singakathandazi, sizaba lokunengi okutsha kokukhuluma loJehova njalo imithandazo yethu izaba lohlonzi njengamaLevi la.​—Hubo. 1:1, 2.

7. AmaLevi acelani kuNkulunkulu, njalo sifundani kulokho?

⁷ Umthandazo lo ulesicelo esisodwa esilula. Sitholakala ekucineni kwevesi-32 ethi: “Manje, O Nkulunkulu wethu, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla njalo omangalisayo, ogcina isivumelwano sakhe sothando, ungadeleli bonke lobu ubunzima​—obusehleleyo thina, laphezu kwamakhosi ethu labakhokheli, phezu kwabaphristi labaphrofethi bethu, phezu kwabobaba labantu bakho bonke, kusukela ezinsukwini zamakhosi ase-Asiriya kuze kube lamuhla.” Ngakho-ke abaLevi basibekela isibonelo esihle sokuthi siqalise ngokumdumisa njalo simbonge uJehova singakalethi izicelo zethu emithandazweni yethu.

8, 9. (a) AbaLevi baqalisa njani umthandazo wabo ngokuthobeka? (b) AbaLevi bakhuluma ngawaphi amabandla amabili asezulwini?

⁸ Lanxa umthandazo lo wawulungiselelwe kuhle, amaLevi la ayethobekile njalo elomuzwa wokuthi amazwi awo ayengenelisi ukucacisa kuhle udumo okufanele lutholwe nguJehova. Yikho umthandazo uqalisa ngesikhalazo lesi, mayelana labantu bakaNkulunkulu: ‘Malibusiswe kumbe malidunyiswe ibizo lakho elingcwele, sengathi lingaphakanyiswa ngaphezulu kwakho konke ukubusiswa lokudunyiswa.’​—Neh. 9:5.

⁹ Umthandazo uqhubeka usithi: “Wena wedwa unguJehova. Wenza amazulu, kanye lamazulu aphezukonke, lazo zonke izinkanyezi zawo, umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo, izilwandle lakho konke okukuzo. Uyapha ukuphila kukho konke, lamabandla wonke asezulwini ayakukhonza.” (Neh. 9:6) Liqiniso ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wadala zonke izinto okugoqela lemithala eminengi kakhulu yezinkanyezi. Okumangalisayo njalo yikuthi wadala izinto zonke ezisemhlabeni wethu omuhle olamandla amangalisayo okugcina imihlobo lemihlobo yezinto eziphilayo eziqhubeka zizalana. Izingilosi ezingcwele zikaNkulunkulu ezingachazwa ngokuthi ‘ngamabandla kumbe amabutho asezulwini’ zazibukele konke lokhu kusenzakala. (1 AmaKho. 22:19; Jobe. 38:4, 7) Kanti njalo izingilosi zenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuthobeka, zikhonza abantu abalesono “abazakudla ilifa lokusindiswa.” (Heb. 1:14) Izingilosi zisibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokukhonza uJehova simanyene njengebutho eliqeqetshwe kuhle.​—1 Khor. 14:33, 40.

10. Sifundani endleleni uNkulunkulu enza ngayo ku-Abhrahama?

¹⁰ Ngemva kwalokhu abaLevi bakhuluma ngendlela uNkulunkulu asebenza ngayo lo-Abhrama owafikisa iminyaka engu-99 elokhu engakabi lomntwana lomkakhe uSarayi owayeyinyumba. Kulapho uJehova  amntshintsha khona ibizo waba ngu-Abhrahama, okutsho “uyise wezizwe ezinengi.” (Gen. 17:1-6, 15, 16) UNkulunkulu waphinda wathembisa u-Abhrahama ukuthi wayezanika inzalo yakhe ilizwe laseKhenani libe yilifa layo. Abantu bajayele ukukhohlwa izithembiso abazenzileyo kodwa uJehova kakhohlwa. Umthandazo wabaLevi uyalandisa uthi: ‘UnguJehova uNkulunkulu, owakhetha u-Abhrama wamkhupha e-Uri lamaKhaladiya wambiza ngokuthi ngu-Abhrahama. Wabona ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe yayithembekile kuwe, ngakho wenza isivumelwano laye ukupha izizukulwane zakhe ilizwe lamaKhenani. Usigcinile isithembiso sakho ngoba ulungile.’ (Neh. 9:7, 8) Lathi kasilingiseleni uNkulunkulu wethu olungileyo ngokulwisa ukugcina izithembiso zethu zikhathi zonke.​—Mat. 5:37.

11, 12. Chaza ukuthi ibizo likaJehova litshoni njalo lokhu kwakhanya njani endleleni aphatha ngayo izizukulwane zika-Abhrahama.

¹¹ Ibizo likaJehova litsho ukuthi, “Wenza Ukuthi Kube Khona,” okulomqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu usebenzisa amanyathelo aqhubekayo ukuze afeze izithembiso zakhe. Lokhu kusuka kucace kuhle endleleni uNkulunkulu aphatha ngayo izizukulwane zika-Abhrahama ngesikhathi ziyizigqila eGibhithe. Ngesikhathi leso kwakukhanya kungeke kwenzakale ukuthi isizwe sonke sikhululwe sihambe siyehlala sizinze eLizweni eLalithenjisiwe. Kodwa esebenzisa amanyathelo aqhubekayo, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuthi izithembiso zakhe zibe liqiniso, okwakucacisa ukuthi ibizo lakhe yedwa elidumileyo elithi Jehova limfanele.

¹² Umthandazo owalotshwa nguNehemiya mayelana loJehova uthi: ‘Wakubona ukuhlupheka kwabokhokho bethu eGibhithe; wezwa ukukhala kwabo eLwandle oluBomvu. Wathumela izibonakaliso lezimangaliso kuFaro, kuzo zonke izinduna zakhe lakubo bonke abantu belizwe lakhe, ngokuba wawukwazi ukuthi amaGibhithe abaphatha njani ngodlakela. Wazenzela ibizo elimiyo kuze kube lamuhla. Waluhlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo ukuze bedlule kulo emhlabathini owomileyo kodwa waphosela labo ababexhuma ekujuleni, njengelitshe liphoselwa ethwaceni lwamanzi.’ Umthandazo uqhubeka usithi: ‘Wawehlukanisa phambi kwabo amaKhenani ayehlala phakathi kwelizwe. Bathumba amadolobho abiyelweyo lomhlaba ovundileyo; bazithatha izindlu ezazigcwaliswe ngakho konke okuhle, lemithombo eyayivele isigejiwe, izivini lezivande zama-oliva lezihlahla ezinengi ezezithelo. Badla bazitika bakhithika imikhaba; bazithokozisa ngokulunga kwakho okukhulu.’​—Neh. 9:9-11, 24, 25.

13. UJehova wabanika njani abako-Israyeli lokho ababekudinga ukuze bamkhonze, kodwa bona bakuthatha njani lokhu?

¹³ Kulamanye amanyathelo uNkulunkulu awathathayo ukuze aqhubeke efeza injongo yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo ama-Israyeli esanda kusuka eGibhithe uJehova wawanika akudingayo ukuze amkhonze. AmaLevi ayalandisa emthandazweni wawo esithi: “Entabeni yaseSinayi, wakhuluma kubo usezulwini. Wabapha izimiso lemithetho eqondileyo njalo elungileyo, lezimemezelo lemilayo elungileyo.” (Neh. 9:13) UJehova wazama ukufundisa abantu bakhe ukuze bafanele ukubizwa ngebizo lakhe elingcwele beyizindlalifa eLizweni ababeLithenjisiwe kodwa bala ukulalela izinto ezinhle ababezifundile.​—Bala uNehemiya 9:16-18.

14, 15. (a) UJehova wabasekela njani ngomusa abantu bakhe abalesono? (b) Sifundani endleleni uNkulunkulu aphatha ngayo isizwe sakhe esikhethiweyo?

¹⁴ Umthandazo wabaLevi uthinta izono ezimbili ezicacileyo ezenziwa ngama-Israyeli esanda kuthembisa ukugcina umthetho kaNkulunkulu eNtabeni yaseSinayi. Ngenxa yezono lezi, kwakumele batshiywe benjalo, basale besifa. Kodwa-ke umthandazo lo udumisa uJehova usithi: “Ngenxa  yesihawu sakho esikhulu kawubakhalalanga enkangala. Okweminyaka engamatshumi amane wabagcina enkangala; kabazange baswele lutho, izambatho zabo kaziguganga lezinyawo zabo kazivuvukanga.” (Neh. 9:19, 21) Lalamuhla, uJehova uyasinika konke esikudingayo ukuze simkhonze ngokuthembeka. Kasingalingi ukuke sifanane lezinkulungwane zama-Israyeli ezafela enkangala ngenxa yokungalaleli lokuswela ukholo. Kanti njalo izinto lezi “zalotshwa njengezixwayiso kithi, osokufike kubo ukugcwaliseka kwezikhathi.”​—1 Khor. 10:1-11.

¹⁵ Kuyadanisa ukuthi ngemva kokungena eLizweni ababeLithenjisiwe, abako-Israyeli baqalisa ukukhonza okulokuziphatha okubi lokubulala belandela onkulunkulu bamaKhenani. Yikho-ke uJehova wavumela izizwe ezazingomakhelwane ukuthi zihlukuluze isizwe sakhe esikhethiweyo. Kodwa kwakusithi bangazisola, uJehova wayebathethelela ngomusa njalo abasindise ezitheni zabo. Lokhu kwenzakala “izikhathi ngezikhathi.” (Bala uNehemiya 9:26-28, 31.) AbaLevi bavuma besithi: “Okweminyaka eminengi wababekezelela. Ngomoya wakho wabakhuza ngabaphrofethi bakho. Kodwa kabananzanga, wabanikela ebantwini abakhelene labo.”​—Neh. 9:30.

16, 17. (a) Ngemva kokuphenduka ekuthunjweni, isimo sabako-Israyeli sasesintshintshe njani kusukela okhokho babo bethola ilifa leLizwe eLalithenjisiwe? (b) Abako-Israyeli bavumani njalo bathembisa ukwenzani?

¹⁶ Ngitsho langemva kokuphenduka kwabo ekuthunjweni, abako-Israyeli baphinda ukwenza umkhuba wabo wokungalaleli. Kwaba lawuphi umehluko? AbaLevi baqhubeka bekhuleka besithi: ‘Kodwa ake ubone, siyizigqili lamuhla, izigqili elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu ukuthi badle izithelo zalo lezinye izinto ezinhle eziphuma kulo. Ngenxa yezono zethu, isivuno salo esinengi siya emakhosini amanengi osuwabeke phezu kwethu. Siphakathi kosizi olukhulu.’​—Neh. 9:36, 37.

¹⁷ AbaLevi babesitsho yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu kenzanga kuhle ngokuvumela usizi lolu? Hatshi! Bavuma bathi: “Kukho konke okwenzakele kithi, wena ube qotho; wenze ngokuthembeka, thina sisenza okubi.” (Neh. 9:​33) Ngemva kwalokho umthandazo wabo lo owawungela buhaga uphetha ngesithembiso esiqotho sokuthi isizwe leso sasizaphinda silalele uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Bala uNehemiya 9:38; 10:29) Kuze kube lamuhla, kwabhalwa umbhalo njalo abakhokheli bamaJuda abangu-84 bafaka uphawu.​—Neh. 10:1-27.

18, 19. (a) Kuyini esikudingayo ukuze sisinde singene emhlabeni omutsha kaNkulunkulu? (b) Kuyini okungamelanga sekele ukukuthandazela njalo ngani?

¹⁸ Kumele sivume ukulaywa nguJehova ukuze senelise ukusinda singene emhlabeni wakhe omutsha olokulunga. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabuza wathi: “Yiyiphi indodana engalaywa nguYise na?” (Heb. 12:7) Sitshengisa ukuthi siyasamukela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu empilweni zethu ngokuqinisela enkonzweni yakhe sithembekile njalo sivumela umoya wakhe ukuthi usiqondise. Kanti njalo nxa singenza isono esikhulu, singaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzasithethelela nxa siphenduka okweqiniso njalo sisamukela ukulaya kwakhe ngokuthobeka.

¹⁹ Sekuseduze ukuthi uJehova enze ukuthi ibizo lakhe libe likhulu kulalokho akwenzayo lapho ekhulula abako-Israyeli eGibhithe. (Hez. 38:23) Abantu bakhe basendulo balithola sibili ilifa leLizwe eLalithenjisiwe. Yikho-ke amaKhristu wonke aqiniselayo njengezikhonzi zikaJehova ezithembekileyo azazuza ilifa lokuphila emhlabeni omutsha kaNkulunkulu olokulunga. (2 Phet. 3:13) Masingayekeli ukuthandazela ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu elingcwele njengoba silezithembiso ezimangalisayo esizilindeleyo. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngomunye umthandazo okumele siwulandele ukuze sithole isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu khathesi lasesikhathini esizayo.