1. Ngimuphi umhlangano wabantu bakaZimu esizokucoca ngawo, begodu uphakamisa miphi imibuzo?

“SIKIMANI nidumise uSomnini [uJehova] uZimenu nini nanini.” Ngamezwi aphehla imizwa yethabo la, abantu bakaZimu bekadeni bathandaza umthandazo omude ukuyidlula yoke eyakhe yatlolwa eBhayibhelini. (Nerh. 9:4, 5) Umhlangano wakhona bewubanjelwe eJerusalema ngelanga lama-24 enyangeni ekhombako yamaJuda, uTishri, ngo-455 B.C.E. Nengombana sizokucoca ngezehlakalo ezenze kwaze kwaba nelanga eliketheke kangaka, zibuze: ‘Ngimuphi umukghwa omuhle owenza isenzakalwesi sakhamba kuhle? Khuyini okhunye esikufundako emthandazweni olungiselelwe kuhle lo?—Rhu. 141:2.

2. Ngisiphi isibonelo esisibekelwa ma-Israyeli emhlanganweni wangemva kokwakhiwa kwemithangala yeJerusalema?

² AmaJuda besekaqedile ukwakha imithangala yeJerusalema ngenyanga engaphambi komhlangano loyo. (Nerh. 6:15) Besekumalanga ama-52 umsebenzi uphelile, ngemva kwalokho-ke bathoma ukutjheja abakutlhogako ngokomoya. Yeke, ngelanga lokuthoma lenyanga etja, uTishri, bahlangana boke etatawini ukuzokulalela u-Ezra, ebekakhamba namanye amaLevi, ngesikhathi afunda ngokuzwakalako begodu ahlathulula umThetho kaZimu. Yoke imindeni, kunye nabo boke ebebangakghona ukuzwisisa, bebajamile, babeke indlebe “kusukela ekuseni bekwaba semini.” Qala bona lokho kusibonelo esihle kangangani kilabo abahlanganyela emaWolweni womBuso namhlanjesi, bazigedlile! Nanyana kunjalo, inga-kghani ingqondwakho iyazula, uthome ukucabanga ngezinto ezingakaqakatheki kangako? Nengabe kunjalo, akhewucabange kabutjha ngesibonelo sama-Israyeli wekadeni, angakhenge alalele kwaphela, kodwana athinteka neenhliziyo ngalokho akuzwako kangangobana athoma ukulila, ngebanga lokubhalelwa kulalela umThetho kaZimu.—Nerh. 8:1-9.

3. Ngisiphi isinqophiso ama-Israyeli asilalela ngokungananazi?

 ³ Nokho, lesi bekungasi sikhathi sokuvuma izono tjhatjhalazi. Ilanga lomnyanyeli belibekwe njengesikhathi esithabisako sokukhulekela uJehova. (Num. 29:1) Ngikho uNerhemiya atjela abantu ukuthi: “Khambani nifese nibethe esimonyongwana, nithumele isabelo konganalitho. Iye, ilangeli licwengile kuSomnini, ngalokho ningaphatheki kumbi ngombana ukwenama enikuphiwa nguSomnini kumamandlenu.” Ngaphandle kokunanaza abantu balalela, kwaba lilanga elithabisa khulu.—Nerh. 8:10-12.

4. Khuyini okwenziwe ziinhloko zemindeni, begodu ngikuphi ukuqakatheka ezakulemuka ngomNyanya wemiTlhatlhana lo?

⁴ Ngelanga elilandelako, iinhloko zemindeni zahlanganisa umkhulumo, kwadenjwa indaba yokuthi isitjhaba singawulalela njani ngconywana umThetho kaZimu. Ekuhlolisiseni kwabo imitlolo, bafumana ukuthi inyanga yekhomba bekufuze ihlanganise nomNyanya wemiTlhatlhana ophetha ngomhlangano ohloniphekileko kusukela ngelanga le-15 bekube ngelama-22 enyangeni kaTishri, kwathi ngemva kwalokho bathoma ukubhincela umnyanya lo. UmNyanya wemiTlhatlhana loyo bewuyidlula yoke iminyanya ekhe yenziwa kusukela emihleni kaJotjhuwa, begodu waba ‘mgidi omkhulu.’ Okuqakathekileko emnyanyeni lo bekukufunda umThetho kaZimu “kusukela elangeni lokuthoma bekube kwelokugcina.”—Nerh. 8:13-18.

5. Khuyini ebekwenziwa babantu bakaZimu ngaphambi kobana amaLevi abajamelele ngomthandazo?

⁵ Ngemva kwamalanga amabili, besekusikhathi esihle bona bavume isono saka-Israyeli sokubhalelwa kukwenza ngokomThetho kaJehova. Leli-ke, bekungasi lilanga lomnyanya. Bekulilanga lokuzila ukudla nokumbatha amatjhila womgodla aziinzilo. Okunye ebekwenzeka, abantu bebafundelwa umThetho kaZimu okunganani ama-awara amathathu ekuseni. Bese kuthi ntambama, “esinye isiquntwana sakhona senza isivumo sesono ngokukhothamela uSomnini uZimawo.” AmaLevi ngiwo ebekajamela abantu ngomthandazo olungiselelwe kuhle. —Nerh. 9:1-4.

6. Khuyini okwenza amaLevi athandaze ngendlela ezwakalako, begodu sifundani kilokho?

⁶ Kusemtarini bona kufunda umThetho kaZimu qobe okwasiza amaLevi enza umthandazo oqakathekileko lo. Itjhumi lamavesi la lidzimelele khulukhulu emisebenzini nebuntwini bakaJehova. Bese kuthi emavesini alandelako, kugandelelwa ngokubuyelelweko ‘umusa kaZimu omkhulu,’ nama-Israyeli avuma bona bewungakawafaneli. (Nerh. 9:19, 27, 28, 31) Imithandazo yethu eya kuJehova kufuze ibe ngenothileko beyizwakale njengeyamaLevi, yeke, kufuze  siletjise iliZwi lakaZimu, sivumele uJehova akhulume nathi ngaphambi kobana sithandaze kuye.—Rhu. 1:1, 2.

7. AmaLevi abawa ini kuZimu, begodu thina sifundani esibaweneso?

⁷ Umthandazo lo bewunesibawo esiqakatheke tle. Isibaweso sitholakala emutjhweni osevesini 32, othi: “Nje-ke Zimethu, wena unguZimu omkhulu nowesabekako, ogcina isivumelwano nokwethembeka, sibawa bona boke ubudisi obasehlela, bungabonakali bulula emehlwenakho. Iye, ngitjho ubudisi obehlele phezu kwethu, amakhosethu, abarholi, abaphristi, abaphorofidi nabobaba kanye naphezu kwabantu boke kusukela esikhathini samakhosi we-Asiriya bekube namhlanje.” Yeke, amaLevi asibekela isibonelo esihle sokudumisa nokubonga uJehova qangi ngaphambi kokuthandaza kuye.

8, 9. (a) Bekathoma ngokuthini amaLevi nakathandaza ngokuthobeka? (b) AmaLevi bekaqalisele kibobani nakakhuluma ‘ngeendalwa zezulu’?

⁸ Ngitjho nanyana umthandazwawo bewulungiselelwe kuhle, amaLevi layo athobekile begodu bekazizwa kwanga amezwawo angekhe akghone ukudumisa uJehova ngendlela efaneleko. Yeke, umthandazo lo uthoma ngesibawo esihloniphekilekwesi ngabantu bakaZimu: “Alidunyiswe ibizo lakho eliphazimulako; iye, ibizo eliphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwedumo neembongo zoke.”—Nerh. 9:5.

⁹ Umathandazo newuragako uthi, “Wena wedwa unguSomnini, nguwe owenza izulu, iye izulu lamazulu kanye nazo zoke iinkhanyisi zalo. Wenze iphasi nakho koke okukilo, amalwandle kanye nakho koke okukiwo. Nguwe ophilisa koke lokho, kanti-ke neendalwa zezulu zikhothamela wena.” (Nerh. 9:6) Kunjalo, uJehova uZimu wabumba yoke indawo esezulwini enemithala eminengi yeenkwekwezi. Ngendlela efanako, wabumba koke okusephasini lethu elihleli, elikwazi ukutlhogomela yoke imihlobo yezinto eziphilako, ezikghona ukubeletha imihlobo ephilako efana nazo. Ababona koke lokho nekwenzekako bekuziingelozi zakaZimu ezicwengileko, ezingabizwa nangokuthi ‘iindalwa zezulu.’ (1 Kho. 22:19; Job. 38:4, 7) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iingilozi ezithobekilekwezi zenza intando kaZimu ngokusiza abantu abanesono “abazokuzuza isindiso.” (Heb. 1:14) Awazi bona iingilozezi zisibekela isibonelo esihle kangangani njengombana sikhonza uJehova ngobunye njengebutho lamasotja abandulwe kuhle.—1 Kor. 14:33, 40.

10. Sifundani endabeni yetjhebiswano lakaZimu no-Abrahamu?

¹⁰ Ngokulandelako, amaLevi adzimelela etjhebiswaneni lakaZimu no-Abramu, owahlala iminyaka ema-99 anganaye newokubika umntwana kumkakhe ebekadinywe imbeleko, uSarayi. Bekungesikhatheso-ke uJehova nakazatjhugulula ibizo lakhe libe  ngu-Abrahamu, okutjho ukuthi, ‘uyise wezizwe ezinengi.’ (Gen. 17:1-6, 15, 16) UZimu wathembisa u-Abrahamu nokuthi iinzukulwana zakhe zizokuthatha inarha yeKanana. Abantu bavame ukukulibala abakuthembisileko; uJehova yena akasinjalo. Umthandazo wamaLevi uthi: “Iye, wena unguSomnini owakhetha u-Abramu bewamkhupha enarheni ye-Uri lamaKasidi, wamthiya ibizo bona ngu-Abrahamu. Nguwe owafunyana bonyana ihliziywakhe yethembekile kuwe, wenza isivumelwano naye kobana unikele isizukulwana sakhe inarha yamaKanana, . . . njeke usiphethile isithembiso sakho ngombana wena uneqiniso.” (Nerh. 9:7, 8) Qala bona kungaba kuhle kangangani nesingalingisa uZimethu olungileko ngokwenza ngokusemandlenethu bona siphethe iinthembiso zethu.—Mat. 5:37.

11, 12. Khewuhlathulule okutjhiwo yibizo lakaJehova nokuthi itjhebiswano lake no-Abrahamu neenzukulwana zakhe kuyisekela njani ihlathululo le.

¹¹ Ibizo lakaJehova elitjho ukuthi “Ubangela Bona Kube Khona,” liveza ukuthi ngokwenza isenzo esiragela phambili, uZimu angabangela bona iinthembiso zakhe zizaliseke. Lokho kwavela kuhle khulu etjhebiswaneni lakhe neenzukulwana zaka-Abrahamu nazisesemakhoboka eGibhide. Ngesikhatheso, bekubonakala kulibhudango bona isitjhaba sisoke singakhe khesitjhaphuluke besiyokuhlala neNarheni yesiThembiso.

¹² Umthandazo otlolwe nguNerhemiya uthi ngoJehova: “Wena wabona ukuhlupheka kwabobaba eGibhide, wezwa nesililo sabo elwandle lomGaba, wenza iimbonakaliso nemikarisomraro kuFaro neencekwini zakhe zoke kanye nebantwini boke benarha yakhona ngombana wena bewazi bonyana bazitjhaya kangangani phezu kwabobabethu. Ngalokho wazenzela ibizo bekube kunamhlanje. Wadabula phakathi ilwandle phambi kwabo kobana bayame ehlabathini eyomileko. Wabuye waphosela nabalandeli babo ekuzikeni kwelwandle, njengelitje naligqumukela ngemanzini anamandla.” Umthandazo lo wabuye wakhuluma ngokhunye uJehova akwenzela abantu bakhe: “Godu waguqisa phambi kwazo amaKanana okubabantu benarha leyo, . . . Bathumba amadorobho anemithangala nenarha enothileko. Bathumba izindlu zigcwele ipahla ehle, imigodi yomphathamanzi ebegade yenjiwe, iindiribe, imithi ye-oliva neminye imithi yeenthelo ezinengi. Nje-ke badla, basutha baba ziintumtumana, benama ngokuhle kwakho okukhulu Zimu.”—Nerh. 9:9-11, 24, 25.

13. UJehova bekawatlhogomela njani ama-Isarayeli ngokomoya, kodwana wona asabela njani kilokho?

¹³ Manengi amanye amagadango uZimu awathetheko bona azalise akunqophileko. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokurhabako ngemva kobana ama-Israyeli ephume eGibhide, uJehova wawatlhogomela ngokomoya. AmaLevi nekathandaza kuZimu athi: “Wehlela entabeni yeSinayi, wakhuluma nabo usezulwini wabanikela iimiso ezilungileko nemithetho yeqiniso iinyeleliso nemiyalo emihle.” (Nerh. 9:13) UJehova walinga ukubafundisa abantu bakhe bona bakulungele ukutjatha ibizo lakhe njengombana bazokudla ilifa leNarha yesiThembiso, kodwana kunalokho, akhenge benze ngendlela abafundiswe ngayo.—Funda uNerhemiya 9:16, 18.

14, 15. (a) UJehova bekabatlhogomela njani abantu bakhe abanesono? (b) Thina sifundani endleleni uZimu ebekatjhebisana ngayo nesitjhaba sakhe esikhethiweko?

¹⁴ Umthandazo wamaLevi ukhuluma ngezono ezimbili ezenziwa ngu-Israyeli msinya ngemva kokuthembisa bona bazokwenza ngokuvumelana nomthetho kaZimu eNtabeni yeSinayi. Ngebangelo bekufuze uZimu abanghale bebafele khonapho. Kodwana umthandazo odumisa uJehova uthi: “Wena Zimu ngomusakho omkhulu azange ubatjhiye erhalawumbeni, . . . Wabalondoloza erhalawumbeni  iminyaka ematjhumi amane, bangasweli litho. Izambatho zabo azange zirhaluke neenyawo zabo akhenge zivuvuke.” (Nerh. 9:16, 17) Nanamhlanjesi uJehova usasitlhogomela asinikele koke esikutlhogako ukwenzela bona simkhonze ngokuthembeka. Asifisi ukufuza iinkulungwaneza zama-Israyeli ezafela erhalawumbeni ngebanga lokutlhoga indlebe nokungabi nekholo. Eqinisweni zoke izinto ezabehlela “zaba sibonelo bezatlolwa njengesiyeleliso kithi thina esele sifikelwe kuphela kweenkhathi.”—1 Kor. 10:1-11.

¹⁵ Ngemva kokungena eNarheni yesiThembiso, ama-Israyeli athoma ukulotjha abosingazimu bamaKanana ngezenzo zawo zelunya. UJehova wavumela ezinye iintjhaba ezakhelene nawo ukuthi ziwatlhorise. Nekaphendukako, kwaba nguJehova godu owalibalelako bewawasindisa nemanabenawo. Lokho kwenzeka “kanengi.” (Funda uNerhemiya 9:26-28, 31.) “Wababekezelela iminyaka eminengi, wabayelelisa ngoMoya nangabaphorofidi, nokho azange balalele. Ngalokho wabanikela ezandleni zabantu bezizwe.”—Nerh. 9:30.

16, 17. (a) Ngemva kokubuya ekuthunjweni, bebunjani ubujamo bama-Israyeli nebumadaniswa nalobo babokhokho bawo nebangena eNarheni yesiThembiso? (b) Ngisiphi isono ama-Israyeli asivuma, begodu athembisa ukwenzani?

¹⁶ Ngitjho nangemva kokubuya ekuthunjweni, ama-Israyeli aragela phambili nesiga sawo sokungalaleli. Waba yini-ke umehluko? AmaLevi athi nekathandazako: “Akhusuthi uyaqala Zimu, namhlanje simakhoboka. Iye, simakhoboka enarheni owayinikela abobabethu kobana bazanelise ngesithelo sakhona nezipho zakhona ezihle; esikhundleni salokho simakhoboka enarheni leyo. Umkhiqizo wenarha uya emakhosini owenze bona abuse phezu kwethu ngenca yesono sethu, . . . Yeke, thina sisesizini elikhulu nasinje.”—Nerh. 9:36, 37.

¹⁷ Inga-kghani amaLevi bekasikisela bona uZimu akakalungi ngokuvumela bona babe sesizini? Awa! “Wena ube neqiniso kukho koke okusehleleko. Mbala usiphethe kuhle ngokwethembeka nanyana thina besiziphethe ngameswe.” (Nerh. 9:33) Umthandazo lo onganabo uburhamaru uphetha ngesithembiso sokuthi soke isitjhaba, kusukela kwangesikhatheso besizokulalela umThetho kaZimu. (Funda uNerhemiya 9:38; 10:29) Kwathi ekuphetheni, kwatlikitlwa incwadi etloliweko beyafakwa isigibo badosi phambili bamaJuda abama-84.—Nerh. 10:1-27.

18, 19. (a) Khuyini esikutlhogako nesifuna ukungena ephasini elitjha lakaZimu? (b) Khuyini okungakafaneli silise ukukuthandazela, begodu kubayini kunjalo?

¹⁸ Sitlhoga ukukhalinywa nguJehova ngezinye iinkhathi ukwenzela bona sisindele ephasini lakhe elitjha elilungileko. UPowula wabuza: “Konje ukhona umntwana ongakhalinywa nguyise na?” (Heb. 12:7) Nesisebenza ngokubekezela ekonzwenakhe nokuvuma lokha umoyakhe newusibandulako, sisuke sitjengisa bona siyasamukela isinqophiso sakaZimu emaphilwenethu. Nengabe senza isono esincamileko, singaqiniseka bona uJehova uzosilibalela nesiphenduka ngeqiniso, sizithobe nesikhalinywako.

¹⁹ Esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo, uJehova uzozenzela ibizo elikhulu kudlula indlela enza ngayo ngesikhathi atjhaphulula ama-Israyeli eGibhide. (Hez. 38:23) Ngendlela abantu abakhe bekadeni abangena ngayo eNarheni yesiThembiso, namaKrestu abekezelako ekulotjheni kwawo uJehova azokungena njalo ephasini lakaZimu elinokulunga. (2 Pit. 3:13) Njengombana sinethemba elibekwe phambi kwethu nje, asingalisi ukuthandazela bona ibizo lakaJehova eliphazimulako licwengiswe. Isihloko esilandelako sizokudzimelela komunye umthandazo okufuze senze ngokuvumelana nawo nesifuna ukuthabela iimbusiso zakaZimu kusukela nje bekube nini nanini.