1, 2. Yiphi ‘imfihlo’ okumele isikhange, futhi kungani kumele kube njalo?

IMFIHLO! Kunzima ukuthi abantu bagcine imfihlo ngenxa yokuthi iyakhanga. Kodwa iBhayibhili lithi: “Kuyinkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ukufihla indaba.” (IZaga 25:2) UJehova unguMbusi weNdawo Yonke futhi unguMdali, ngakho ulelungelo lokusifihlela ezinye izinto kuze kube yisikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo sokuthi asambulele zona.

² Kodwa, kulemfihlo ekhangayo uJehova ayiveze eLizwini lakhe. Ibizwa ngokuthi ‘yimfihlakalo yentando [kaNkulunkulu].’ (Kwabase-Efesu 1:9) Ukufunda ngayo kakukwenzi ukuthi usuthiseke kuphela, kodwa kungakwenza usindiswe futhi ubone okuncane nje kwenhlakanipho kaJehova enkulu kakhulu.

3, 4. Isiphrofetho esikuGenesisi 3:15 senza njani ukuthi kube lethemba, futhi sasigoqela yiphi ‘imfihlo engcwele’?

³ Lapho u-Adamu lo-Eva besona, kwakhanya angani injongo kaJehova yokuthi umhlaba wonke ube lipharadayisi elihlala abantu abangelasono yayingasoze ibe isaphumelela. Kodwa uNkulunkulu walungisa uhlupho lolo masinyane. Wathi: “Ngizafaka ubutha phakathi kwakho [inyoka] lowesifazana, laphakathi kwenzalo yakho leyowesifazana; uzahlifiza ikhanda lakho, njalo wena uzamnqanda isithende sakhe.”​—UGenesisi 3:15.

⁴ Amazwi la ayephica. Wayengubani owesifazana lo? Yayingubani inyoka? Ngubani ‘owayeyinzalo’ eyayizahlifiza ikhanda lenyoka? U-Adamu lo-Eva babengacabangela nje kuphela. Lanxa kunjalo, amazwi kaNkulunkulu ayenika ithemba kuloba yibaphi abantwana baka-Adamu lo-Eva ababethembekile. Ukulunga yikho okwakuzanqoba. Injongo kaJehova yayizaphumelela. Kodwa njani? Lokho kwakuyimfihlo. IBhayibhili liyibiza ngokuthi  ‘yinhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu esemfihlweni engcwele, inhlakanipho efihliweyo.’​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 2:7, NW.

5. Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi kungani uJehova wembula imfihlo yakhe kancane kancane.

⁵ UJehova wayezacina esekuvezile okuqakathekileyo okuphathelane lokugcwaliseka kwemfihlo le ngenxa yokuthi ‘wambula izimfihlakalo.’ (UDanyeli 2:28) Kodwa lokhu wayezakwenza kancane kancane. Ngokwesibonelo, singacabanga ngendlela ubaba olothando aphendula ngayo nxa umntanakhe omncane ongumfana esithi, “Baba, kanti mina ngavela ngaphi?” Ubaba ohlakaniphileyo utshela umntanakhe izinto akwaziyo ukuthi uzazizwisisa. Nxa umfana lo esekhulakhulile, ubaba umtshela okunye okunengi. Ngendlela efananayo, uJehova umelela isikhathi esifaneleyo lapho esebona ukuthi abantu bakhe sebengenelisa ukuzwisisa ukwambulwa kwentando yakhe kanye lenjongo yakhe.​—IZaga 4:18; UDanyeli 12:4.

6. (a) Isivumelwano sifeza wuphi umsebenzi? (b) Kungani kumangalisa ukuthi uJehova angenza izivumelwano labantu?

⁶ UJehova wakwambula njani konke lokho? Wasebenzisa izivumelwano ezinenginengi. Kungenzakala ukuthi wake wenza isivumelwano esithile, mhlawumbe lapho uthenga indlu, uboleka othile imali kumbe wena uboleka kothile. Isivumelwano esinjalo sanika isiqinisekiso esingokomthetho sokuthi wena uzagcwalisa amazwi aso. Kodwa kungani kwakumele uJehova enze isivumelwano labantu? Phela ilizwi lakhe lilodwa nje lisenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uzazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Lokho kuliqiniso, kodwa izikhathi ezithile uNkulunkulu wenza izivumelwano ezingokomthetho ukuze atshengise ukuthi uzagcwalisa lokho akutshoyo. Izivumelwano ezinjalo zenza thina abantu abalesono sibe lezizathu eziqinileyo zokwethemba izithembiso zikaJehova.​—KumaHebheru 6:16-18.

7, 8. (a) UJehova wenza siphi isivumelwano lo-Abrahama, futhi lokho kwayicacisa njani imfihlo engcwele? (b) UJehova watshengisa njani ukulandelana kwabokhokho beNzalo eyayithenjisiwe?

⁷ Ngemva kokuba sekudlule iminyaka engu-2 000 abantu bexotshiwe ePharadayisi, uJehova watshela inceku yakhe ethembekileyo u-Abrahama ukuthi: ‘Ngempela ngizakubusisa ngenze izizukulwane zakho zibe zinengi njengezinkanyezi. Kuthi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa ngokuba ungilalele.’ (UGenesisi 22:17, 18) Lokhu kwakungasiso sithembiso nje kuphela; uJehova wasilungisa ngendlela yokuthi sibe yisivumelwano esingokomthetho futhi wenza isifungo esiqinileyo sokuthi lokho uzakwenza. (UGenesisi 17:1, 2; KumaHebheru 6:13-15) Kuyathokozisa ukuthi iNkosi enguMbusi weNdawo Yonke yenza isivumelwano sokubusisa abantu!

⁸ Isivumelwano sika-Abrahama saveza ukuthi iNzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayizabuya ingumuntu ngenxa yokuthi yayizavela esizukulwaneni sika-Abrahama. Kodwa yayizakuba ngubani? Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova waveza ukuthi omunye wamadodana ka-Abrahama okuthiwa ngu-Isaka nguye owayezakuba ngukhokho waleyo Nzalo. Emadodaneni ka-Isaka amabili, kwakhethwa uJakhobe. (UGenesisi 21:12; 28:13, 14) Ngemva kwalokho, uJakhobe wakhuluma ngenye yamadodana akhe angu-12 esitsho amazwi la ayisiphrofetho: “Intonga yobukhosi kayiyikusuka kuJuda, loba umqwayi wombusi phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe, aze ayofika kumnini wayo lokulalela kwezizwe kukuye.” (UGenesisi 49:10) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi iNzalo yayizakuba yinkosi, futhi yayizakuba yisizukulwane esivela kuJuda!

9, 10. (a) Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza lesizwe sako-Israyeli, njalo saletha siphi isivikelo? (b) UMthetho waveza njani isidingo sokukhululwa koluntu?

⁹ Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uJehova wayezalungisa indlela eyayizakwenza kwambulwe okunye futhi okuphathelane lemfihlo engcwele. Wenza isivumelwano lezizukulwane zika-Abhrahama, okutsho isizwe sako-Israyeli. Lanxa isivumelwano soMthetho kaMosi singasasebenzi khathesi, sasiyingxenye eqakathekileyo yenjongo  kaJehova yokuletha iNzalo ethenjisiweyo. Njani? Cabanga ngezindlela ezintathu. Okokuqala, uMthetho wawunjengomduli ovikelayo. (Kwabase-Efesu 2:14) Imilayo yawo elungileyo yayinjengomduli owawusehlukanisa amaJuda kulabo ababengayisiwo maJuda. Ngakho uMthetho wanceda ukuthi kulondolozwe isizukulwane seNzalo eyayithenjisiwe. Lokhu kwenzakala ngenxa yesivikelo esasivela emthethweni lo. Isizwe leso sasilokhu sikhona kwaze kwafika isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifaneleyo sokuthi uMesiya azalwe esizweni sakoJuda.

¹⁰ Okwesibili, uMthetho watshengisa ngokupheleleyo ukuthi uluntu luyakudinga ukuhlawulelwa. Njengoba uMthetho lo wawuphelele, waveza ukuthi abantu abalesono bayehluleka ukwenza konke okutshiwo yiwo. Ngakho uMthetho lo wabakhona “ngenxa yeziphambeko kwaze kwafika iNzalo eyayitshiwo yisithembiso.” (KwabaseGalathiya 3:19) UMthetho wenza ukuthi kube lokuhlawulelwa kwezono kusetshenziswa imihlatshelo yezinyamazana. Kodwa njengoba umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala, “akwenzakali ukuba igazi lezinkunzi lelezimbuzi lisuse izono,” ngakho imihlatshelo le yayimela umnikelo wesihlengo sikaKhristu owawusazobuya. (KumaHebheru 10:1-4) Ngakho kumaJuda ayethembekile, isivumelwano leso saba ‘ngumthetho oholela kuKhristu.’​—KwabaseGalathiya 3:24.

11. Isivumelwano soMthetho sanika abako-Israyeli liphi ithemba elithokozisayo, kodwa kungani inengi lesizwe leso lalahlekelwa yilelo themba?

¹¹ Okwesithathu, isivumelwano leso sanika ama-Israyeli ithemba elithokozisayo. UJehova wawatshela ukuthi nxa ayengahlala ethembekile kuleso sivumelwano, ayezakuba ‘ngumbuso wabaphristi, lesizwe esingcwele.’ (U-Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, labo ababengama-Israyeli ngokuzalwa baba ngabokuqala ukuthi babe ngabaphristi bombuso wasezulwini. Kodwa abako-Israyeli abanengi bahlamukela isivumelwano soMthetho, bala iNzalo enguMesiya, njalo balahlekelwa lithemba lelo. Ngobani-ke ababezakwenza ukuthi umbuso lo wabaphristi wanele? Isizwe leso esasibusisiwe sasizabe silabuphi ubuhlobo leNzalo eyayithenjisiwe? Izingxenye lezo zemfihlo le engcwele zazizakwambulwa ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifaneleyo.

12. Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza loDavida, njalo isivumelwano lesi sayikhanyisa njani imfihlo kaNkulunkulu engcwele?

¹² Ngekhulu lesi-11 B.C.E., uJehova wakhanyisa okunye okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele ngesikhathi esenza esinye isivumelwano. Wathembisa iNkosi eyayithembekile uDavida wathi: ‘Ngizakwenza oyinzalo yakho athathe isikhundla sakho, ngizawuqinisa umbuso wakhe. Njalo ngizaqinisa isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wakhe kuze kube nininini.’ (2 USamuyeli 7:12, 13; IHubo 89:3) Ngakho iNzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayizavela endlini kaDavida. Kodwa kwakungenzakala yini ukuthi umuntu nje abuse kuze kube “laphakade”? (IHubo 89:20, 29, 34-36) Nxa umuntu onjalo wayengabakhona wayezakwenelisa yini ukukhulula uluntu esonweni lasekufeni?

13, 14. (a) NgokweHubo 110, yisiphi isithembiso uJehova asenza eNkosini yakhe egcotshiweyo? (b) UJehova wasebenzisa abaphrofethi bakhe ukuthi bambule kuphi okunye okuphathelane leNzalo eyayisiza?

¹³ UDavida waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale athi: ‘UJehova uthi enkosini yami: “Hlala ngasekunene kwami ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibe yisinyathelo sezinyawo zakho.” UJehova usefungile, kasayikuguquka: “Ungumphristi laphakade ezinyathelweni zikaMelikhizedeki.” ’ (IHubo 110:1, 4) Amazwi kaDavida ayekhuluma ngayo kanye iNzalo eyayithenjisiwe, kumbe uMesiya. (ImiSebenzi 2:35, 36) INkosi le yayingasoze ibuse iseJerusalema kodwa yayizabusa isezulwini “ngasekunene” kukaJehova. Lokhu kwakuzayinika amandla okubusa umhlaba wonke hatshi ilizwe lako-Israyeli kuphela. (IHubo 2:6-8) Lapha kwavezwa okunye futhi okuthile. Nanzelela ukuthi uJehova watsho isifungo esiqotho sokuthi uMesiya wayezakuba ‘ngumphristi ezinyathelweni zikaMelikhizedeki.’ NjengoMelikhizedeki owayeyinkosi engumphristi ngesikhathi sika-Abhrahama, iNzalo eyayisiza yayizabekwa nguNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ukuthi ibe yiNkosi loMphristi!​—UGenesisi 14:17-20.

¹⁴ UJehova wayesebenzisa abaphrofethi ukuthi aveze okunye okunengi ngemfihlo yakhe engcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya waveza ukuthi iNzalo yayizakufa ukufa kokuzinikela.  (U-Isaya 53:3-12) UMikha wakhuluma kuseselesikhathi indawo uMesiya ayezazalelwa kuyo. (UMikha 5:2) UDanyeli waze waphrofetha langesikhathi iNzalo eyayizavela ngaso leyayizakufa ngaso.​—UDanyeli 9:24-27.

15, 16. (a) Kwenzakala njani ukuthi iNdodana kaJehova ‘izalwe ngowesifazana’? (b) Yiwaphi amalungelo uJesu awatholayo ebazalini bakhe, futhi wavela nini njengeNzalo eyayithenjisiwe?

¹⁵ Indlela iziphrofetho lezi ezazizagcwaliseka ngayo yahlala iyimfihlo kwaze kwaba yilapho iNzalo ivela. UGalathiya 4:4 uthi: “Kodwa kwathi lapho isikhathi sesifike ngokupheleleyo, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, yazalwa ngowesifazana.” Ngomnyaka ka-2 B.C.E., ingilosi yatshela intombi eyayingumJuda uMariya yathi: “Uzakhulelwa uzale indodana, uyethe ibizo uthi nguJesu. Uzabangumuntu omkhulu abizwe ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke. INkosi uNkulunkulu izamupha isihlalo sikayise uDavida. Umoya ongcwele uzakwehlela phezu kwakho lamandla akhe oPhezukonke azakusibekela. Ngakho ongcwele ozazalwa uzathiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”​—ULukha 1:31, 32, 35.

¹⁶ Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova wathatha ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe wakudlulisela esibelethweni sikaMariya, ngaleyo ndlela yazalwa ngowesifazana. UMariya wayelesono azalwa elaso. Kodwa uJesu kazange azalwe elesono ngenxa yokuthi yena ‘wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ Ukuzalwa kukaJesu ngabazali ababeyisizukulwane sikaDavida kwamenza waba lelungelo lokuzalwa kanye lelingokomthetho lokuba yindlalifa kaDavida. (ImiSebenzi 13:22, 23) Ngesikhathi uJesu ebhaphathizwa ngo-29 C.E., uJehova wamgcoba ngomoya ongcwele futhi wathi: “Lo yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo.” (UMathewu 3:16, 17) INzalo yavela ngalindlela. (KwabaseGalathiya 3:16) Kwasekuyisikhathi sokuveza okunye okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele.​—2 KuThimothi 1:10.

17. UGenesisi 3:15 wacaciswa njani?

¹⁷ Ngesikhathi esenza inkonzo yakhe, uJesu waveza ukuthi uSathane nguye inyoka okukhulunywa ngayo kuGenesisi  3:15 lokuthi abalandeli bakaSathane yibo abayinzalo yenyoka. (UMathewu 23:33; UJohane 8:44) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwavezwa ukuthi bonke laba babezahlifizwa njani bengaphindi babekhona. (ISambulo 20:1-3, 10, 15) Owesifazana wavezwa ngokuthi ‘yiJerusalema ephezulu,’ okutsho izidalwa zomoya ezibumba inhlanganiso kaJehova yasezulwini enjengomkakhe. *​—KwabaseGalathiya 4:26; ISambulo 12:1-6.

18. Iyini injongo ‘yesivumelwano esitsha’?

¹⁸ Mhlawumbe ukwambulwa okukhulu ukwedlula konke kwenzakala ngobusuku bokucina uJesu ezavuka esifa, lapho atshela khona abafundi bakhe ngokuphathelane ‘lesivumelwano esitsha.’ (ULukha 22:20) Isivumelwano esitsha sasifanana lesivumelwano soMthetho kaMosi ngoba laso kwakumele siveze “umbuso wabaphristi.” (U-Eksodusi 19:6; 1 UPhetro 2:9) Isivumelwano lesi sasingasoze sibumbe isizwe esingokoqobo, kodwa sasizabumba isizwe esingokomoya, okutsho ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ obunjwa ngabalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo. (KwabaseGalathiya 6:16) Amalunga la esivumelwano esitsha ayezahlanganyela loJesu ekubusiseni uluntu!

19. (a) Kungani isivumelwano esitsha siphumelela ekubumbeni “umbuso wabaphristi”? (b) Kungani amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ebizwa ngokuthi ‘ayisidalwa esitsha,’ futhi bangaki abazabusa loKhristu ezulwini?

¹⁹ Kodwa kungani isivumelwano esitsha siphumelela ekubumbeni “umbuso wabaphristi” ukuze uluntu lubusiswe? Siyaphumelela ngenxa yokuthi senza abafundi bakaKhristu bathethelelwe izono ngomhlatshelo wakhe. (UJeremiya 31:31-34) Nxa sebehlanzekile phambi kwakhe, uJehova ubafaka emulini yakhe yasezulwini futhi abesebagcoba ngomoya ongcwele. (KwabaseRoma 8:15-17; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 1:21) Ngakho ‘bazalwa kutsha ethembeni eliphilayo abaligcinelweyo  ezulwini.’ (1 UPhetro 1:3, 4) Njengoba isimo esinjalo sisitsha ngokupheleleyo ebantwini, amaKhristu agcotshwe ngomoya abizwa ngokuthi ‘ayisidalwa esitsha.’ (2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:17) IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi ekucineni abangu-144 000 bazahlanganyela ekubuseni abantu abasindisiweyo, bebusa besezulwini.​—ISambulo 5:9, 10; 14:1-4.

20. (a) Yikuphi ukwambulwa okuphathelane lemfihlo engcwele okwenziwa ngo-36 C.E.? (b) Ngobani abazathola izibusiso ezathenjiswa u-Abhrahama?

²⁰ UJesu kanye lalaba abagcotshiweyo baba ‘yinzalo ka-Abhrahama.’ * (KwabaseGalathiya 3:29) Abokuqala abakhethwayo yilabo ababezalwe bengamaJuda. Kodwa ngo-36 C.E., enye ingxenye yemfihlo engcwele yavezwa: Ababengasiwo maJuda, babezahlanganyela ethembeni lelo elasezulwini. (KwabaseRoma 9:6-8; 11:25, 26; Kwabase-Efesu 3:5, 6) Abagcotshiweyo abangamaKhristu babezakuba yibo bodwa yini ababezathola izibusiso ezathenjiswa u-Abhrahama? Hatshi, ngoba umhlatshelo kaJesu unceda umhlaba wonke. (1 UJohane 2:2) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wambula ukuthi ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ lalizasindiswa lapho umhlaba kaSathane uphela. (ISambulo 7:9, 14) Abanye abanengi babezavuswa belethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadayisi!​—ULukha 23:43; UJohane 5:28, 29; ISambulo 20:11-15; 21:3, 4.

21, 22. Imfihlo engcwele kaJehova itshengisa ngaziphi izindlela inhlakanipho yakhe?

²¹ Imfihlo engcwele itshengisa ngendlela emangalisayo ‘ukuhlakanipha okukhulu kukaNkulunkulu.’ (KwabaseEfesu 3:8-10) UJehova watshengisa inhlakanipho enkulu ekusunguleni imfihlo le langokuyiveza kancane kancane. Esebenzisa inhlakanipho, wacabanga ngokusilela kwabantu ebavumela ukuthi batshengise lokho kanye okusezinhliziyweni zabo.​—IHubo 103:14.

 ²² UJehova waphinda watshengisa inhlakanipho enkulu ngokukhetha uJesu ukuthi abe yiNkosi. INdodana kaJehova ithembekile ukwedlula yiloba yisiphi isidalwa esikhona ezulwini lasemhlabeni. UJesu walwisana lezinhlupho ezitshiyeneyo ngesikhathi esasemhlabeni. Uyazizwisisa kuhle izinhlupho zabantu. (KumaHebheru 5:7-9) Kodwa abazabusa loJesu bona-ke? Emakhulwini eminyaka adlulileyo, bekulokhu kugcotshwa amadoda labesifazana abakhuliswe ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo, abakhethwa kuyo yonke imihlobo yabantu, lasezindimini ezitshiyeneyo. Zonke izinhlupho bahlangana lazo futhi bazinqoba. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:22-24) Ukuphila ngaphansi kokubusa kwamakhosi la angabaphristi kuzabe kujabulisa sibili!

23. Yisiphi isibusiso amaKhristu alaso ngokuphathelane lemfihlo engcwele kaJehova?

²³ Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: ‘Imfihlakalo ebifihlakele okweminyakanyaka kanye lezizukulwane, isibekwe obala kwabangcwele.’ (KwabaseKholose 1:26) Kuliqiniso ukuthi abagcotshiweyo bakaJehova bayakuzwisisa okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele, njalo imfihlo le bayitshele izigidi zabantu. Lokhu kuyisibusiso esikhulu sonke esilaso! UJehova ‘usazise imfihlakalo engcwele yentando yakhe.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 1:9, NW) Ngakho kasitsheleni abanye ngemfihlo le enhle kangaka, sibancede ukuthi labo benelise ukubona inhlakanipho enkulu kaJehova uNkulunkulu!