UJehova Sisabelo Sami

“Ngisisabelo sakho nelifa lakho hlangana nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”—NUM. 18:20.

1, 2. (a) Bebunjani ubujamo bamaLefi malungana nokufumana ilifa lenarha? (b) Ngisiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinikela amaLefi?

NGEMVA kobana ama-Israyeli ahlule ingcenye ekulu yeNarha Yesithembiso, uJoshuwa wadzimelela ekwabeni inarha asebenzisa ikatho. Lokho wakwenza abambisene nomPristi Omkhulu u-Eleyazare neenhloko zeentjhaba zakwa-Israyeli. (Num. 34:13-29) Kodwana amaLefi, bekangeze afumane ilifa eliyinarha njengezinye iintjhaba. (Josh. 14:1-5) Kubayini amaLefi angazange abe nendawo yesitjhaba sawo, namtjhana isabelo, eNarheni Yesithembiso? Kghani bekabandlululwa?

² Sifumana ipendulo kilokho uJehova akutjela amaLefi. Asekela iqiniso lokobana bekangakalahlwa, uJehova wathi: “Ngisisabelo sakho nelifa lakho hlangana nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” (Num. 18:20) Qala bona amezwi athi: “Ngisisabelo sakho,” asiqinisekiso esinamandla kangangani! Bewungazizwa njani uJehova nekangatjho amezwi lawo kuwe? Ukusabela kwakho kokuthoma kungaba kukuthi, ‘Ngiyafaneleka na ukufumana isiqinisekiso esinjalo esivela kuSomandla?’ Godu ungazibuza, ‘Kungenzeka uJehova abe sisabelo sananyana ngimuphi umKrestu ongakapheleli namhlanjesi?’ Iimbuzo leyo ithinta wena nobathandako. Ngalokho akhe sitjheje bona amezwi kaZimu lawo atjho ukuthini. Lokho kuzosisiza sizwisise bona uJehova angaba njani sisabelo samaKrestu namhlanjesi. Okuqakatheke khulu, angaba sisabelo sakho, kungakhathaliseki bona unethemba lokuphila ezulwini namtjhana uqale phambili ekuphileni ephasini eliyiparadeyisi.

UJehova Utlhogomela AmaLefi

3. Yini eyenza uZimu wathatha amaLefi bona enze ikonzo yakhe?

³ Ngaphambi kobana uJehova anikele ama-Israyeli uMthetho, iinhloko zeemndeni bezikhonza njengabapristi hlangana nawo. UZimu nekanikela uMthetho, walungiselela bona kube nabapristi besikhathi esizeleko nabasizi babo abavela esitjhabeni samaLefi. Kwenzeka njani lokho? UZimu nekatjhabalalisa amazibulo weGibhida, wacwengisa amazibulo wakwa-Israyeli, azihlukanisela wona bona abe ngewakhe. Ngemva kwalokho uZimu wenza itjhentjho eliqakathekileko: “Ngithatha amaLefi . . . esikhundleni sawo woke amazibulo wabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” Njengombana ukubalwa kwabantu kwatjengisa bona amazibulo wabantwana bakwa-Israyeli adlula amaLefi ngobunengi, kwakhutjhwa imali yesihlengo ukwenzela bona kube nokulingana. (Num. 3:11-13, 41, 46, 47) Ngalokho amaLefi bekangafeza indima yawo ekukhonzeni uZimu ka-Israyeli.

4, 5. (a) Bekutjho ukuthi ngamaLefi ukwenza uZimu isabelo sawo? (b) UZimu wawatlhogomela njani amaLefi?

⁴ Ukufumana isabelweso bekutjho ukuthini ngamaLefi? UJehova wathi  uzokuba sisabelo sawo ngomqondo wokobana esikhundleni sokufumana ilifa lenarha, bekaphathiswe ilungelo lekonzo elingeze lamadaniswa. Ukuba “bupristi bukaJehova” bekulilifa lawo. (Josh. 18:7) Umongo kaNumeri 18:20 utjengisa bona lokho zange kuwenze adle imbuya ngelithi. (Funda uNumeri 18:19, 21, 24.) AmaLefi bekazokunikelwa “enye nenye ingcenye yetjhumi kwa-Israyeli ibe lilifa lawo njengembuyiselo yekonzo yawo.” Bewazokufumana amaphesenti alitjhumi womkhiqizo wakwa-Israyeli nowokwanda kwefuyo. Bese wona bekufuze anikele ngengcenye yetjhumi kilokho akufumeneko, “okungcono khulu kwakho,” ukusekela ubupristi. * (Num. 18:25-29) Godu abapristi bebanikelwa “yoke iimnikelo ecwengileko” abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ebebayiletha kuZimu endaweni yakhe yokumkhulekela. Ngalokho, amalunga wobupristi bekanamabanga azwakalako wokukholelwa bona uJehova uzowatlhogomela.

⁵ Kubonakala ngasuthi uMthetho kaMosisi bewunelungiselelo lesibili lokukhupha kwetjhumi, egade kubekelwa eqadi bona kutlhogomele begodu kuthatjelwe mndeni hlangana neemhlangano ecwengileko yaqobe mnyaka. (Dut. 14:22-27) Nokho, qobe nekuphela umnyaka wesithathu newesithandathu yomzombe wesabatha leemnyaka elikhomba, okwetjhumokhu bekubekwa esangweni ukwenzela bona kuzuze abatlhagako namaLefi. Kubayini kwahlanganiswa namaLefi bona azuze kilokho? Ngombana ‘bakanganasabelo namtjhana ilifa’ kwa-Israyeli.—Dut. 14:28, 29.

6. Ngitjho nanyana bekanganaso isabelo senarha kwa-Israyeli, amaLefi bekahlalaphi?

⁶ Kungenzeka uyazibuza, ‘Njengombana amaLefi bekanganaso isabelo senarha, bekahlalaphi?’ UZimu wawatlhogomela. Wawanikela imizi ema-48 namadlelo ayibhodileko. Imizi leyo beyihlanganisa nemizi esithandathu yesiphephelo. (Num. 35:6-8) Ngalokho, amaLefi bekanendawo yokuhlala nekangasisekonzweni yawo endaweni ecwengileko kaZimu. UJehova bekabatlhogomela ngezinga elikhulu labo abazinikela ekonzwenakhe. Ngokukhanyako, amaLefi bekangatjengisa bona uJehova sisabelo sawo ngokuthembela ekuzimiseleni nemandleni wakhe wokuwatlhogomela.

7. Khuyini ebeyitlhogeka kumaLefi bona enze uJehova isabelo sawo?

⁷ UMthetho bewungatjho bona umIsrayeli obhalelwe kukhupha kwetjhumi kufuze ajeziswe. Abantu nebangakutjheji ukukhupha kwetjhumi abapristi namaLefi bebathinteka. Lokho kwenzeka eenkhathini zakaNehemiya. Ngebanga lalokho, amaLefi kwatlhogeka bona asebenze emasiminawo angayinaki ikonzwawo. (Funda uNehemiya 13:10.) Ngokukhanyako, ukondliwa kwesitjhaba samaLefi bekusame engokomoyeni lesitjhaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abapristi namaLefi nabo bekutlhogeka babe nekholo kuJehova nendlelenakhe yokubatlhogomela.

Abantu Abenza UJehova Isabelo Sabo

8. Hlathulula ukutshwenyeka umLefi u-Asafa aqalana nakho.

⁸ AmaLefi njengesitjhaba bekazokuba noJehova njengesabelo sawo. Nokho, kuyatjhejeka bona amaLefi ngamanye asebenzisa amezwi athi, “uJehova usisabelo sami” nekahlathulula ukuzinikela nokuthembela kwawo kuye. (Isil. 3:24) Omunye wamaLefi lawo bekamvumi nomtlami weengoma. Sizombiza ngokobana ngu-Asafa, nanyana kungenzeka bona bekalilunga lendlu ka-Asafa, umLefi owadosa phambili abavumi ngeenkhathi zeKosi uDavidi. (1 Mil. 6:31-43) KuRhalani 73 sifunda bona u-Asafa (namtjhana omunye wenzalo yakhe) watshwenyeka.  Waba nomona ngabantu abambi ebebaphila kuhle baregile wabe wafikela ezingeni lokobana athi: “Eqinisweni ukuhlanza ihliziyo yami nokuhlanza izandla zami ngobumsulwa kube lilize.” Kubonakala ngasuthi umbono wakhe ngelungelo lakhe lekonzo wafiphala; wabhalelwa kukwamukela bona uJehova bekasisabelo sakhe. Watshwenyeka emoyeni ‘bekwaba kulapho angena ngendlini kaZimu ecwengileko.’—Rha. 73:2, 3, 12, 13, 17.

9, 10. Kubayini u-Asafa bekangaqalisela kuZimu ‘njengosisabelo sakhe bekube phakade’?

⁹ Nekangendlini kaZimu ecwengileko, u-Asafa wathoma ukuqala izinto ngombono kaZimu. Kungenzeka wakhe waqalana nobujamo obufanako. Mhlamunye kesinye isikhathi umbono wakho ngamalungelo angokomoya wafiphala ngezinga elithileko wathoma ukudzimelela ezintweni eziqalekako onganazo. Kodwana ngokufunda iLizwi lakaZimu nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKrestu, wathoma ukubona izinto ngendlela kaJehova. U-Asafa walemuka lokho ebekuzokwenzeka ebantwini abambi ekugcineni. Wacabanga ngobujamo bakhe watjheja nokobana uJehova uzombamba ngesandla sakhe sokudla amrhole. Ngalokho u-Asafa wathi kuJehova: “Ngaphandle kwakho anginakho okhunye ukuthaba ephasini.” (Rha. 73:23, 25) Yeke waqalisela kuZimu njengosisabelo sakhe. (Funda iRhalani 73:26.) Nanyana ‘umzimba nehliziyo yomrhalani kungalisa ukusebenza,’ uZimu bekazokuba ‘sisabelo sakhe bekube phakade.’ Umrhalani bekaqiniseka bona uJehova uzomkhumbula njengomngani. Ikonzo yakhe yokuthembeka ngekhe ilibaleke. (Mtj. 7:1) Qala bona lokho bekumqinisa idolo kangangani u-Asafa! Wabhina: “Kodwana mina, ukutjhidela kuZimu kuhle kimi. Ngibeke isiphephelo sami eKosini eMbusi uJehova.”—Rha. 73:28.

¹⁰ Ukuba noJehova njengesabelo sakhe bekutjho okukhulu ku-Asafa kunezinto eziqalekako zokuzondla ebekazifumana njengomLefi. Ebekaqalisele kikho khulu bekulilungelo lakhe lekonzo nobuhlobo bakhe noJehova, ubungani abuhlawulela noPhezukoke. (Jak. 2:21-23) Ukuvikela ubuhlobobo, umrhalani bekufuze abulunge ikholo kuJehova, amthembe. U-Asafa bekufuze aqiniseke bona nekaphila ngokuvumelana nekambisolawulo kaZimu umphumela wokuphila kwakhe ekugcineni bewuzokuba ngowanelisako. Ungaba nethemba elinjalo kuSomandla.

11. Ngimuphi umbuzo uJeremiya awubuzako, begodu waphendulwa njani?

¹¹ Umporofidi uJeremiya bekungomunye umLefi owathi uJehova sisabelo sakhe. Akhe sikhulume ngokobana bekatjho ukuthini ngamezwi layo. UJeremiya bekahlala e-Anathoti, idorobho lamaLefi eduze neJerusalema. (Jer. 1:1) Kesinye isikhathi, uJeremiya watshwenyeka: Kubayini abantu abambi baphumelela kube kukulapho abalungileko batlhaga? (Jer. 12:1) Ngemva kokubona egade kwenzeka eJerusalema nakwaJuda wazizwa akatelelekile bona ‘anghonghoyile’ ngalokho akubonako. UJeremiya bekazi bona uJehova ulungile. Lokho uJehova aphefumulela uJeremiya bona akuporofide nendlela awazalisa ngayo amezwi asiporofido layo kwanikela umporofidi lo ipendulo ezwakalako yombuzwakhe. Ngokuvumelana neemporofido zaphezulu, labo abalalela  isinqophiso sakaJehova ‘bamukela imiphefumulo yabo njengezuzwe kumthumbi,’ kukulapho abantu abambi abaregileko zange basitjheje isiyeleliso begodu batjhabalala.—Jer. 21:9.

12, 13. (a) Yini eyatjhukumisela uJeremiya bona athi: “UJehova usisabelo sami,” begodu ngimuphi umoya egade anawo? (b) Kubayini zoke iintjhaba zakwa-Israyeli bekutlhogeka zihlawulele umoya wokulinda?

¹² Kamva njengombana uJeremiya aqala inarha yekhabo eseyihluliwe, wazizwa ngasuthi ukhamba ebumnyameni. Bekungasuthi uJehova umenze ‘wahlala njengabantu esele banesikhathi eside bafile.’ (Isil. 1:1, 16; 3:6) UJeremiya watjela isitjhaba esiphambukako bona sibuyele kuYise waso wezulwini, kodwana ubumbi baso besele bufikelele ezingeni lokobana uZimu avumele iJerusalema nelakwaJuda litjhatjalaliswe. Lokho kwazwisa uJeremiya ubuhlungu, nanyana bekungasiyiphoswakhe. Ekutshwenyekeni kwakhe, umporofidi lo wakhumbula umusa kaZimu. Wathi: “Akhenge siphele.” Kwamambala, umusa kaJehova uba mutjha qobe langa! Kungesikhatheso uJeremiya amemezela wathi: “UJehova usisabelo sami.” Waragela phambili anelungelo lokukhonza uJehova njengomporofidi.—Funda Isililo 3:22-24.

¹³ Iimnyaka ema-70, ama-Israyeli bekangazokuba nenarha ekungeyawo. Beyizokuhlala inganamuntu. (Jer. 25:11) Kodwana amezwi kaJeremiya athi “uJehova usisabelo sami” ambula ukuthembela kwakhe emseni kaZimu, begodu amnikela unobangela wokutjengisa “umoya wokulinda.” Zoke iintjhaba zakwa-Israyeli zalahlekelwa lilifa lazo, ngalokho kwatlhogeka zihlawulele umoya ofana nowomporofidi lo. UJehova bekukuphela kwethemba lazo. Ngemva kweemnyaka ema-70, abantu bakaZimu babuyiselwa enarheni yabo baba nelungelo lokumkhonza lapho.—2 Mil. 36:20-23.

Abanye Bangaba NoJehova Njengesabelo Sabo

14, 15. Ngaphandle kwamaLefi, ngubani owenza uJehova isabelo sakhe, begodu kubayini?

¹⁴ Bobabili u-Asafa noJeremiya bebavela esitjhabeni samaLefi, kodwana bekumaLefi kwaphela na ebekangaba nelungelo lokukhonza uJehova? Awa! UDavidi osesemutjha, ikosi yangomuso yakwa-Israyeli, wabiza uZimu ngokobana ‘sisabelo sakhe enarheni yabaphilako.’ (Funda iRhalani 142:1, 5.) Ngesikhathi uDavidi atlama irhalaneli, bekangasisesigodlweni namtjhana ngendlini. Gade aserholweni, abhacele amanabakhe. Okunganani ezehlakalweni eembili, uDavidi waphephela erholweni—enye ebeyiseduze ne-Adulamu nenye emangweni we-Eni-gedi. Kungenzeka watlama iRhalani 142 akwelinye lamarholo lawo.

¹⁵ Nengabe bekunjalo, iKosi uSawula ngiyo egade izuma uDavidi, ifuna ukumbulala. UDavidi wabalekela erholweni egade kubudisi ukufika kiyo. (1 Sam. 22:1, 4) Esifundeni esikudesi, uDavidi bekangabona ngasuthi bekunganamngani osehlangothini lakhe ongamnikela isivikelo. (Rha. 142:4) Kungesikhatheso uDavidi abiza uZimu.

16, 17. (a) Ngimaphi amabanga uDavidi ebekanawo wokuzizwa anganalisizo? (b) UDavidi bekangalifumanaphi isizo?

¹⁶ Ngesikhathi uDavidi atlama iRhalani 142, kungenzeka bekakwazi okwehlakalele umPristi Omkhulu u-Ahimeleki, owamsiza angakatjheji nekabalekela uSawula. IKosi enomona uSawula yabulala u-Ahimeleki nomndenakhe. (1 Sam. 22:11, 18, 19) UDavidi wazizwa amlandu ngokufa kwabo. Bekungasuthi nguye obulele umpristi omsizileko. Ngathana bewusebujamweni bakaDavidi, bewungazizwa umlandu? Okwangezelela  ekungandelelekeni kwakaDavidi liqiniso lokobana bekanganakuphumula ngebanga lakaSawula ogade amzuma.

¹⁷ Msinyana ngemva kwalokho kwahlongakala umporofidi uSamuweli, owazesa uDavidi bona abe yikosi yangomuso. (1 Sam. 25:1) Kungenzeka lokho kwangezelela emazizweni kaDavidi wokungakwazi ukuzisiza. Nokho, uDavidi bekazi bona angalifumanaphi isizo—kuJehova. UDavidi azange abe nelungelo lekonzo elifana nelamaLefi, kodwana besele azeswe bona uzokwenza enye ihlobo yekonzo, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bekazokuba yikosi yabantu bakaZimu. (1 Sam. 16:1, 13) Ngalokho, wathululela ihliziywakhe kuJehova begodu waragela phambili afuna isinqophiso kuZimu. Nawe ungamenza begodu kufuze umenze isabelo nesiphephelo sakho njengombana uzinikela ekonzwenakhe.

18. Labo esifunde ngabo esihlokwenesi batjengisa njani bona uJehova sisabelo sabo?

¹⁸ Esifunde ngabo esihlokwenesi gade banoJehova njengesabelo sabo ngomqondo wokobana bafumana isabelo somsebenzi ekonzwenakhe. Bathembela kuZimu bona abasekele njengombana bamkhonza. Kokubili amaLefi nabanye beentjhaba zakwa-Israyeli, abanjengoDavidi, bebangenza uZimu bona abe sisabelo sabo. Nawe ngokufanako ungamenza njani uJehova isabelo sakho? Sizokucoca ngalokho esihlokweni esilandelako.

[Umtlolo waphasi]

Ungaphendula Njani?

• Kungamuphi umqondo uJehova gade asisabelo samaLefi?

• U-Asafa, uJeremiya, noDavidi, benzani ukutjengisa bona uJehova sisabelo sabo?

• Ngiyiphi ifanelo okutlhogeka ube nayo nengabe ufuna uZimu abe sisabelo sakho?

[Iimbuzo Yesifundo]

[Umkhangiso osekhasini 8]

AmaLefi azange afumane ilifa lenarha. Kunalokho, uJehova bekasisabelo sawo, ngombana bekanelungelo elikhulu lokumkhonza

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Kungayiphi indlela uJehova bekasisabelo sabapristi namaLefi?

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Yini eyasiza u-Asafa bona aragele phambili anoJehova njengesabelo sakhe?