1. Ilizwi likaYehova lahluke njani kwawabantu abanesono?

UYEHOVA ‘unguThixo wenyaniso.’ (INdu. 31:5) Asinakusoloko sibathemba abantu abanesono, kodwa ‘akunakwenzeka ukuba uThixo axoke.’ (Heb. 6:18; funda iNumeri 23:19.) Zonke iinjongo anazo ngoluntu zisoloko ziphumelela. Ngokomzekelo, zonke izinto uThixo awathi uza kuzenza ekuqaleni kwesihlandlo ngasinye sokudala kwakhe ‘zaba njalo.’ Ngenxa yoko, ngasekupheleni kosuku lwesithandathu lokudala, “uThixo wazibona zonke izinto awayezenzile, khangela! zilunge gqitha.”—Gen. 1:6, 7, 30, 31.

2. Luyintoni usuku lukaThixo lokuphumla, yaye ubungcwele balo bumele busichaphazele njani?

² Emva kokuba ehlolisise imisebenzi yakhe yendalo, uYehova uThixo wavakalisa ukuba luqalile usuku lwesixhenxe—kungekhona usuku oluneeyure ezingama-24, kodwa ixesha elide aye waphumla ngalo kwimisebenzi engakumbi yokudala emhlabeni. (Gen. 2:2) Usuku lukaThixo lokuphumla alukapheli. (Heb. 4:9, 10) IBhayibhile ayichazi ukuba lwaqala nini kanye kanye. Lwaqala kwithuba elingachazwanga emva kokudalwa komfazi ka-Adam, uEva, malunga neminyaka engama-6 000 eyadlulayo. Silindele uLawulo lukaYesu Kristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka, oluya kuqinisekisa ukuba injongo kaThixo yokuba umhlaba ube yiparadesi engunaphakade ezaliswe ngabantu abafezekileyo iyenzeka. (Gen. 1:27, 28; ISityhi. 20:6) Ngaba unokuqiniseka ukuba uya kunandipha ikamva elimnandi ngolo hlobo? Ngokwenene unako! Kuba “uThixo walusikelela usuku lwesixhenxe waza walungcwalisa.” Oku kwakuqinisekisa ukuba, enoba kungavela ziphi iingxaki ezingalindelwanga, injongo kaThixo iya kuphumelela nakanjani na ngasekupheleni kosuku lwakhe lokuphumla.—Gen. 2:3.

3. (a) Yiyiphi imvukelo eyabakho emva kokuqalisa kosuku lukaThixo lokuphumla? (b) UYehova wayichaza njani injongo yakhe yokuphelisa le mvukelo?

 ³ Noko ke, emva kokuqalisa kosuku lukaThixo lokuphumla kwehla intlekele. Unyana kaThixo oyingelosi, uSathana wazenza uthixo olutshaba lwakhe. Wathetha ubuxoki bokuqala waza wakhohlisa uEva, waza yena akamthobela uYehova. (1 Tim. 2:14) Kanti, uEva wabangela umyeni wakhe ukuba angene kuloo mvukelo. (Gen. 3:1-6) Kwanasebudeni belo xesha libuhlungu kwimbali yendalo yonke, ekwathi kwathandatyuzwa ukuba nenyaniso kukaThixo, uYehova akazange akubone kuyimfuneko ukusiqinisekisa ngesifungo isibakala sokuba injongo yakhe iseza kuphumelela. Kunoko, ngamazwi awayeza kuqondwa ngexesha lakhe elifanelekileyo, wachaza indlela imvukelo eya kupheliswa ngayo: “Ndiya kubeka ubutshaba phakathi kwakho [Sathana] nomfazi naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe. Yona [iMbewu ethenjisiweyo] iya kukutyumza intloko uze wena uyityumze isithende.”—Gen. 3:15; ISityhi. 12:9.

4, 5. Yiyiphi indlela esemthethweni eyasetyenziswa nguAbraham maxa wambi?

⁴ Ngelo xesha kwimbali yabantu, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uThixo wayengekamfundisi uAdam noEva ukufunga ngenjongo yokuqinisekisa ubunyaniso bomba. Izidalwa ezifezekileyo ezithanda uThixo zize zimxelise akuyomfuneko ukuba zenze izifungo; zisoloko zithetha inyaniso yaye ziyathembana. Kodwa xa umntu wonayo kwaza kwabakho ukungafezeki, izinto zatshintsha. Ekugqibeleni xa kwaqalisa ukuxhaphaka kokuxoka nokukhohlisa phakathi kwabantu, kwafuneka bafunge ukuze baqinisekise ubunyaniso kwimiba ebalulekileyo.

⁵ Ukwenza izifungo kwakuyindlela esemthethweni eyanceda usolusapho uAbraham kangangezihlandlo ezithathu ubuncinane. (Gen. 21:22-24; 24:2-4, 9) Ngokomzekelo, oko kwenzeka xa uAbraham wayevela koyisa ukumkani wakwaEdom namahlakani akhe. Ukumkani waseSalem nowaseSodom beza kuhlangabeza uAbraham. UMelkitsedeki, ukumkani waseSalem “wayengumbingeleli wOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo.” Wamsikelela uAbraham waza wazukisa uThixo ngokumenza oyise iintshaba zakhe. (Gen. 14:17-20) Emva koko, xa uKumkani waseSodom wayefuna ukumnika isipho ngenxa yokukhusela abantu balo kumkani kwimikhosi eyayibahlasela, uAbraham wafunga wathi: “Ndiyasiphakamisa isandla sam ukuze ndifunge kuYehova ongOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo, uMvelisi wezulu nomhlaba, ukuba, andiyi kuthabatha msonto namtya wembadada, nditsho, nantoni na eyeyakho, ukuze ungathi, ‘Ndim omenze isityebi uAbram.’”—Gen. 14:21-23.

6. (a) UAbraham wasimisela wuphi umzekelo? (b) Kusinceda njani thina ukuthobela kuka-Abraham?

⁶ Ngenxa yabantu abanesono, uYehova uThixo uye wazenza izifungo, esebenzisa amabinzana anjengelithi “‘Ndiphila nje,’ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova.” (Hez. 17:16) IBhayibhile ithetha ngezihlandlo ezahlukeneyo ezingaphezu kwama-40 zokwenza kukaYehova uThixo izifungo. Mhlawumbi esona sihlandlo sisazi kakuhle sesaxa uThixo wasenza kuAbraham. Ukutyhubela iminyaka emininzi, uYehova uye wenza iminqophiso emininzi kuAbraham, ethi xa idibene ibonise ukuba iMbewu ethenjisiweyo iza kuphuma kuAbraham ngonyana wakhe uIsake. (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:5, 18; 21:12) Emva koko uYehova wamvavanya ngokuqatha uAbraham ngokumyalela ukuba  anikele ngonyana wakhe amthandayo. Ngaphandle kokulibazisa, uAbraham wathobela yaye xa kanye wayeza kunikela ngoIsake, wanqandwa yingelosi kaThixo. Emva koko uThixo wenza esi sifungo: “‘Ndizifungile . . . ukuba ngenxa yokuba uyenzile le nto waza akwala nonyana wakho, ekuphela kwakhe, ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukusikelela yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuyandisa imbewu yakho njengeenkwenkwezi zasemazulwini nanjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle; kwaye imbewu yakho iya kulidla ilifa isango leentshaba zayo. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba kuba uliphulaphule ilizwi lam.’”—Gen. 22:1-3, 9-12, 15-18.

7, 8. (a) UThixo wasenza ngayiphi injongo isifungo kuAbraham? (b) “Ezinye izimvu” zikaYesu zingenelwa njani kwisifungo sikaThixo?

⁷ Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo afunge kuAbraham esithi izithembiso zakhe ziza kuphumelela? Wayefuna ukuqinisekisa abo baza kulawula noKristu, ababumba inxalenye yesibini ‘yembewu’ ethenjisiweyo nokomeleza ukholo lwabo. (Funda amaHebhere 6:13-18; Gal. 3:29) Ngokutsho kukampostile uPawulos, uYehova “wenza isifungo, ukuze, ngokuphathelele ezi zinto zimbini zingatshintshekiyo [isithembiso nesifungo sakhe] nekungenakwenzeka ukuba axoke ngazo uThixo . . . sibambelele kwithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu.”

⁸ AsingomaKristu athanjisiweyo kuphela angenelwayo kwisifungo esenziwa nguThixo kuAbraham. UYehova wafunga wathi, ‘abantu bazo zonke iintlanga zomhlaba baya kuzisikelela ngembewu ka-Abraham.’ (Gen. 22:18) Abo basikelelweyo baquka “ezinye izimvu” zikaKristu ezithobelayo, ezinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Yoh. 10:16) Enoba unethemba lokuphila ezulwini okanye emhlabeni, ‘bambelela’ kwithemba onalo, uqhubeke uthobela uThixo ngendlela ophila ngayo.—Funda amaHebhere 6:11, 12.

9. Sisiphi isifungo esenziwa nguThixo ngoxa inzala ka-Abraham yayingamakhoboka eYiputa?

⁹ Kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo, uYehova waphinda wafunga ngokuphathelele ezi zithembiso sithethe ngazo ngokuthumela uMoses ukuba aye kuthetha nenzala ka-Abraham eyayisele ingamakhoboka eYiputa. (Eks. 6:6-8) Ethetha ngeso sihlandlo, uThixo wathi: “Ngemini yokunyula kwam uSirayeli, . . . Ndasiphakamisa isandla sam ndibafungela ukuze ndibakhuphe kwilizwe laseYiputa ndibase kwilizwe  endandibahlolele lona, eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi.”—Hez. 20:5, 6.

10. UThixo wenza siphi isithembiso kuSirayeli emva kokumkhulula eYiputa?

¹⁰ Emva kokukhululwa kukaSirayeli eYiputa, uYehova wasiphinda isifungo sakhe kuwo esithi: “Ukuba nithe nalithobela okunene ilizwi lam, nawugcina ngenene umnqophiso wam, ngokuqinisekileyo noba yinqobo kum kwizizwana zonke, kuba umhlaba uphela ngowam. Yaye niya kuba bubukumkani kum nababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.” (Eks. 19:5, 6) UThixo wamnika ilungelo elingathethekiyo uSirayeli! Loo nto yayithetha ukuba xa bethobela, abantu bolo hlanga babenokuba nethemba lokusetyenziswa nguThixo njengobukumkani nababingeleli ukuze kusikelelwe uluntu lonke. Kamva, ngokungathi uchaza oko akwenzele uSirayeli ngeso sihlandlo, uYehova wathi: “Ndatwabululela umbhinqo wam phezu kwakho ndaza . . . ndenza nesifungo ndangena emnqophisweni kunye nawe.”—Hez. 16:8.

11. AmaSirayeli asabela njani kwisimemo sikaThixo sokuba kulwalamano lomnqophiso kunye naye njengabantu bakhe abanyuliweyo?

¹¹ Ngelo xesha, uYehova akazange awanyanzele amaSirayeli ukuba enze isifungo sokuba aza kuthobela; engazange awanyanzele kananjalo ukuba abe kolu lwalamano luxabisekileyo. Kunoko, kwatsho wona ngokuzithandela ukuba: “Konke akuthethileyo uYehova sikulungele ukukwenza.” (Eks. 19:8) Kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva, uYehova uThixo wawachazela amaSirayeli oko akufunayo kuhlanga lwakhe alunyulileyo. Aqala anikwa iMithetho Elishumi, waza uMoses wawachazela eminye imiyalelo engakumbi ebhalwe kwiEksodus isahluko 20:22 ukuya kutsho kwiEksodus isahluko 23:33. Asabela njani amaSirayeli? “Baphendula ngazwi-nye bonke abantu bathi: ‘Sikulungele ukwenza ngokwamazwi onke awathethileyo uYehova.’” (Eks. 24:3) Emva koko, uMoses wayibhala le mithetho ‘kwincwadi yomnqophiso’ waza waphinda wayifundela lonke uhlanga ngokuvakalayo. Emva koko, okwesihlandlo sesithathu abantu benza esi sifungo: “Sikulungele ukukwenza nokukuthobela konke akuthethileyo uYehova.”—Eks. 24:4, 7, 8.

12. Abantu abanyulwe nguYehova bawuphatha njani umnqophiso awawenza kunye nabo?

¹² UYehova wakhawuleza waqalisa ukufeza indima yakhe kumnqophiso woMthetho ngokwenza ilungiselelo lentente yonqulo nobubingeleli obabusenza kube lula ukuba abantu abangafezekanga basondele kuye. Kwelinye icala, uSirayeli wakhawuleza wakulibala ukuzahlulela kwakhe kuThixo waza ‘wamenza buhlungu Lowo uyiNgcwele kaSirayeli.’ (INdu. 78:41) Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa uMoses wayesamkela imiyalelo engakumbi kwiNtaba yeSinayi, amaSirayeli aphelelwa ngumonde nokholo kuThixo, ecinga ukuba uMoses uwalahlile. Ngoko enza umfanekiso wethole legolide aza athi ebantwini: “Nanko uThixo wakho, Sirayeli, okukhuphileyo ezweni laseYiputa.” (Eks. 32:1, 4) Emva koko, enza into awayibiza ngokuba “ngumthendeleko kuYehova” aza aqubuda abingelela kumfanekiso oqingqiweyo. Esakubona loo nto, uYehova wathi kuMoses: “Baphambuke ngokukhawuleza endleleni endabayalela ukuba bahambe ngayo.” (Eks. 32:5, 6, 8) Ilusizi into yokuba, ukususela ngelo xesha uSirayeli wazenzela imbali yokwenza izifungo kuYehova, aphinde azaphule.—Num. 30:2.

13. UThixo wafunga wathini kuKumkani uDavide yaye eso sifungo sasinxulumene njani neMbewu ethenjisiweyo?

¹³ Xa kwakulawula uKumkani uDavide, uYehova wenza izifungo ezibini ezingakumbi ngenjongo yokunceda bonke abo bamthobelayo. Okokuqala, wafunga kuDavide ukuba itrone yakhe iya kuhlala  ngonaphakade. (INdu. 89:35, 36; 132:11, 12) Oku kuthetha ukuba iMbewu ethenjisiweyo yayiza kubizwa ngokuba ‘ngunyana kaDavide.’ (Mat. 1:1; 21:9) Ngokuthobeka, uDavide wabiza lo mzukulwana wakhe ngokuthi ‘yiNkosi’ yakhe ngenxa yokuba uKristu wayeza kuba nesikhundla esingaphezu kwesakhe.—Mat. 22:42-44.

14. Sisiphi isifungo esenziwa nguYehova ngokuphathelele iMbewu ethenjisiweyo, yaye singenelwa njani thina kuso?

¹⁴ Okwesibini, uYehova waphefumlela uDavide ukuba aprofete ukuba lo Kumkani ubalaseleyo wayeza kuba nguMbingeleli Omkhulu woluntu. KwaSirayeli ubukumkani nobubingeleli babuzizinto ezimbini ezahlukeneyo. Ababingeleli babephuma kuhlanga lwabaLevi, kanti bona ookumkani babevela kuhlanga lwakwaYuda. Kodwa uDavide waprofeta wathi ngale ndlalifa ibalaseleyo: “Utsho uYehova eNkosini yam ukuthi: ‘Hlala ngasekunene kwam ndide ndizibeke iintshaba zakho njengesitulo seenyawo zakho.’ UYehova ufungile (yaye akayi kuzisola), wathi: ‘Ungumbingeleli ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeki!’” (INdu. 110:1, 4) Eso siprofeto siyazaliseka, kuba uYesu Kristu, oyiMbewu ethenjisiweyo, uyalawula sithethanje esezulwini. Kanti unguMbingeleli Omkhulu woluntu kuba unceda abo baguqukayo ukuba babe kulwalamano oluhle noThixo.—Funda amaHebhere 7:21, 25, 26.

15, 16. (a) Ngabaphi ooSirayeli ababini ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni, yaye nguwuphi osikelelwayo nguThixo namhlanje? (b) UYesu wabayalela wathini abalandeli bakhe ngokwenziwa kwezifungo?

¹⁵ Ngenxa yokugatya uYesu Kristu, uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwada lwaphulukana nenkoliseko kaThixo kwakunye nethemba lokuba ‘bubukumkani nababingeleli.’ Kwenzeka kanye ngendlela awayetsho ngayo uYesu: “Ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kuthatyathwa kuni buze bunikwe uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo.” (Mat. 21:43) Olo hlanga lutsha lwazalwa ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. xa umoya kaThixo wathululwa kubafundi bakaYesu abamalunga ne-120 ababehlanganisene eYerusalem. Aba babizwa ngokuba ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo’ yaye bakhawuleza baba ngamawaka aliqela abunjwa ngabantu ababephuma kuzo zonke iintlanga.—Gal. 6:16.

¹⁶ Ngokungafaniyo namaSirayeli okuzalwa, uhlanga lukaThixo olutsha lokomoya luye lwaqhubeka luthwala isiqhamo ngokusoloko luthobela uThixo. Omnye wemiyalelo ethotyelwa ngamalungu alo uphathelele ukwenziwa kwezifungo. Xa uYesu wayelapha emhlabeni, abantu babekusebenzisa kakubi ukwenziwa kwezifungo, abanye befunga ubuxoki okanye befungela izinto ezingenamsebenzi. (Mat. 23:16-22) UYesu wabafundisa oku abalandeli bakhe: “Ningafungi konke konke . . . Ke uEwe makabe nguEwe, uHayi wenu, abe nguHayi; kuba okugqithe koko kuvela kongendawo.”—Mat. 5:34, 37.

17. Yiyiphi imibuzo eya kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁷ Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba kusoloko kuphosakele ukwenza isifungo? Okubaluleke nangakumbi, yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuqinisekiseni ukuba uEwe wethu uba nguEwe? Le mibuzo iza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo. Njengoko siqhubeka sicamngca ngeLizwi likaThixo, ngamana singaqhubeka simthobela uYehova. Yena uya kukuvuyela ukusisikelela ngonaphakade ngokuvisisana nezifungo zakhe ezixabisekileyo.