1, 2. (a) Ngubani “uKumkani kanaphakade,” ibe kutheni efaneleka nje ukubizwa ngolo hlobo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yintoni esitsalayo kulawulo lukaYehova?

UKUMKANI USOBHUZA II waseSwaziland walawula phantse iminyaka eyi-61. Elo lixesha elide gqitha xa ucinga ngolawulo lweekumkani ezikhoyo namhlanje. Nakuba le kumkani yalawula ixesha elide kangako, kukho omnye ukumkani olawulo lwakhe lungasikelwa umda bubomi obufutshane obuphilwa ngabantu. Enyanisweni, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kuye ngokuthi ‘nguKumkani kanaphakade.’ (1 Tim. 1:17) Xa echaza igama lalo Mongami, umdumisi uthi: ‘UYehova nguKumkani kuse ngonaphakade kanaphakade.’—INdu. 10:16.

² Ubude bexesha lokulawula kukaThixo benza ulawulo lwakhe lungafani nolwakhe nawuphi na umntu. Noko ke, yindlela alawula ngayo esitsalela kuye. Ukumkani owalawula kwaSirayeli iminyaka eyi-40 wamdumisa ngala mazwi uThixo: “UYehova unenceba nobabalo, uzeka kade umsindo yaye unobubele bothando obuninzi. UYehova uyimise ngokuqinileyo itrone yakhe emazulwini; ubukumkani bakhe bulawula phezu kwayo yonk’ into.” (INdu. 103:8, 19) UYehova akapheleli nje ekubeni nguKumkani wethu, kodwa uphinda abe nguBawo wethu—uBawo wethu wasezulwini onothando. Oku kuphakamisa le mibuzo mibini: Yintoni eyenziwe nguYehova ebonisa ukuba unguBawo? UYehova uye walawula njani ukususela kwimvukelo yase-Eden? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo ziza kusinceda  sisondele kuye size simnqule ngentliziyo yethu yonke.

3. Ngubani isidalwa sokuqala kwintsapho kaYehova yendalo iphela, ibe ziziphi ezinye ezaba ‘ngoonyana’ bakaThixo?

³ UYehova umele ukuba wachulumanca gqitha emva kokuba edale uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo! UThixo akazange amphathe njengesidalwa esingabalulekanga. Wayemthanda gqitha lo Nyana wakhe kangangokuba wasebenza kunye naye besenza ezinye izidalwa ezifezekileyo. (Kol. 1:15-17) Ezi zidalwa ziquka izigidi ngezigidi zeengelosi. Ezi ngelosi, nezichazwa ngokuba ‘zingabalungiseleli abenza ukuthanda’ kukaThixo zimkhonza ngovuyo yaye uyazizukisa ngokuzibiza ngokuba ‘zingoonyana’ bakhe. Ziyinxalenye yentsapho kaYehova yendalo iphela.—INdu. 103:20-22; Yobhi 38:7.

4. Kwenzeka njani ukuze kubekho abantu kwintsapho yendalo iphela kaThixo?

⁴ Emva kokuba edale amazulu nomhlaba, uYehova wayandisa le ntsapho yakhe. Emva kokuba elungise umhlaba wamhle, wanazo zonke izinto eziyimfuneko, uYehova waqwela umsebenzi wakhe ngokudala umntu wokuqala, uAdam, ngokomfanekiso wakhe. (Gen. 1:26-28) Ekubeni inguye uMdali, uYehova wayelindele ukuthotyelwa nguAdam. NjengoBawo, uYehova wanika abantu yonke imiyalelo yothando nobubele. Imiyalelo awabanika yona yayingekho ngqongqo kwaphela.—Funda iGenesis 2:15-17.

5. Liliphi ilungiselelo awalenzayo uThixo ukuze umhlaba uzaliswe ngabantwana bakhe abangabantu?

⁵ Ngokwahlukileyo kwiikumkani ezingabantu, uYehova uyavuyiswa kukubanika umsebenzi aba nyana abadalileyo, ebonisa ukuba uyabathemba. Ngokomzekelo, uAdam wamnika igunya phezu kwazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo, wada wampha nomsebenzi ovuyisayo wokuzithiya amagama zonke izilwanyana. (Gen. 1:26; 2:19, 20) UThixo akazange adale izigidi zabantu abafezekileyo ukuze zizalise umhlaba. Wakhetha ukudalela uAdam umphelelisi ofezekileyo—umfazi onguEva. (Gen. 2:21, 22) Emva koko, wanika esi sibini ithuba lokuzalisa umhlaba ngabantwana baso. Kwezo meko zigqibeleleyo, abantu babeza kwandisa umyezo de umhlaba wonke ube yiParadesi. Bona neengelosi ezisezulwini, babeza kubumba intsapho yendalo iphela enqula uYehova ngonaphakade. Babenekamva eliqaqambe ngokwenene! Akakho ubawo onothando olufana nolo lwaluboniswa nguYehova!

6. (a) Yaqalisa njani imvukelo kwintsapho kaThixo? (b) Kutheni singenakutsho ukuba le mvukelo yayithetha ukuba uYehova uphulukene nolawulo?

⁶ Okubuhlungu kukuba, uAdam noEva abazange baneliswe kukulawulwa nguYehova. Bakhetha ukulandela unyana kaThixo ongumoya nowayenemvukelo, uSathana. (Gen. 3:1-6) Ukuziphilela ngaphandle kolawulo lukaThixo kwazisa intlungu, ukubandezeleka nokufa kubo nenzala yabo. (Gen. 3:16-19; Roma 5:12) Emhlabeni babengasekho abantu abamthobelayo uThixo. Ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba uThixo uphulukene nolawulo phezu komhlaba nasebantwini? Akunjalo! Wasebenzisa igunya lakhe ngokukhuphela uAdam noEva ngaphandle komyezo wase-Eden, yaye ukuze abathintele ekubeni babuyele apho, wamisa iikherubhi ukuba zilinde isango lomyezo. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Kwangaxeshanye, uThixo wabonisa ukuba ungubawo onothando ngokuqinisekisa ukuba iza kuzaliseka injongo yakhe yokuba nentsapho yendalo iphela ebunjwa ngoonyana bakhe bokomoya abazinikeleyo kuquka oonyana abasemhlabeni. Wathembisa ‘imbewu’ eyayiza kubhangisa uSathana kunye nemiphumo yesono sika-Adam.—Funda iGenesis 3:15.

7, 8. (a) Ngexesha likaNowa yayisele imbi kangakanani imeko phezu komhlaba? (b) Liliphi ilungiselelo awalenzayo uYehova ukuze acoce umhlaba ngoxa esindisa abantu?

 ⁷ Kwiinkulungwane kamva, kwabakho abantu abakhetha ukunyaniseka kuYehova. Abanye babo yayinguAbheli noEnoki. Noko ke, inkoliso yabantu zange ifune nokuva ngokuba noBawo noKumkani onguYehova. Ngexesha likaNowa, umhlaba wawusele ‘uzaliswe lugonyamelo.’ (Gen. 6:11) Ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba uYehova wayengasenalo ulawulo phezu komhlaba? Yintoni etyhilwa yimbali yomhlaba?

⁸ Cinga nje ngengxelo kaNowa. UYehova wamnika iplani eneenkcukacha nemiyalelo yokwakha umkhombe owawuza kusindisa uNowa nentsapho yakhe. UThixo waphinda wabonisa ukuba uyithanda gqitha intsapho yakhe esemhlabeni ngokuyalela uNowa ukuba ‘ashumayele ubulungisa.’ (2 Pet. 2:5) Akuthandabuzeki ukuba isigidimi sikaNowa sasiquka ukubongoza abantu ukuba baguquke nokubalumkisa ngentshabalalo ezayo, kodwa bakhetha ukuvala iindlebe zabo. Kwaqengqeleka amashumi eminyaka uNowa nentsapho yakhe behlala phakathi kwabantu abanogonyamelo nababeziphethe kakubi ngokugqithisileyo. Ekubeni enguBawo onenkathalo, uYehova wayikhusela waza wayisikelela loo miphefumlo isibhozo. Ngokunisa uMkhukula phezu komhlaba wonke, uYehova wayesebenzisa igunya lakhe phezu kwabo bantu babevukela neengelosi ezingendawo. UYehova wayesazibambe nkqi iintambo.—Gen. 7:17-24.

9. UYehova wabanika liphi ithuba abantu emva koMkhukula?

⁹ Njengokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe babeqalisa ukuphila kumhlaba ocociweyo yaye bephefumla umoya omtsha, bamele ukuba babenombulelo ongazenzisiyo kuYehova ngokubanyamekela nokubakhusela. Kwangoko, uNowa wakha isibingelelo waza wabingelela kuYehova. UThixo wamsikelela uNowa nentsapho yakhe waza wabanika umyalelo wokuba ‘baqhame, bande bawuzalise umhlaba.’ (Gen. 8:20–9:1) Uluntu lwaphinda lwafumana ithuba lokumanyana kunqulo nokuzalisa umhlaba.

10. (a) Yaqala phantsi phi yaye njani imvukelo nxamnye noYehova emva koMkhukula? (b) Yintoni awayenzayo uYehova ukuqinisekisa ukuba injongo yakhe iyazaliseka?

¹⁰ Noko ke, uMkhukula awuzange ukutshayele ukungafezeki, babe nabantu kusafuneka banyamezele impembelelo engabonakaliyo kaSathana neengelosi ezinemvukelo. Zange kube kudala yaqala phantsi imvukelo nxamnye nolawulo lobubele nolungenachaphaza lukaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, umzukulwana kaNowa, uNimrodi wavukela ulawulo lukaYehova ngendlela engazange ibonwe. UNimrodi uchazwe ‘njengomzingeli onamandla ngokuchasene noYehova.’ Wakha izixeko ezikhulu ezifana neBhabheli waza wazenza ukumkani “ezweni laseShinare.” (Gen. 10:8-12) Yintoni eyayiza kwenziwa nguKumkani kanaphakade nxamnye nale kumkani ivukelayo izama ukusingela phantsi injongo kaThixo ‘yokuzalisa umhlaba’? UThixo waluduba ulwimi lwabantu, basala bedidekile abalawulwa bakaNimrodi baza bachithakala “emhlabeni wonke.” Ukuchithakala kwabo kwathetha ukusasazeka konqulo lobuxoki nendlela yabo yokulawula.—Gen. 11:1-9.

11. UYehova wakubonakalisa njani ukunyaniseka kumhlobo wakhe uAbraham?

¹¹ Nakuba baye baba baninzi abantu abakhonza oothixo bobuxoki emva koMkhukula, kwabakho abathile abaqhubekayo bekhonza uYehova. Omnye wabo yayinguAbraham, owathobela uYehova washiya ubutofotofo besixeko sakowabo iUre waya kuhlala ezintenteni kangangeminyaka. (Gen. 11:31; Heb. 11:8, 9) Xa uAbraham wayesihla enyuka, wayesoloko ehlala phakathi kwezikumkani ezingabantu, ezininzi kuzo zazihlala kwizixeko ezibiyelweyo. Kuyo yonke loo nto, uYehova wamlondoloza uAbraham nentsapho yakhe. Ethetha ngento yokuba uYehova engubawo okhuselayo, umdumisi wathi: “[UThixo] akazange avumele nawuphi  na umntu ukuba abaqhathe, kodwa ngenxa yabo wohlwaya ookumkani.” (INdu. 105:13, 14) Ngenxa yokunyaniseka kumhlobo wakhe, uYehova wamthembisa oku uAbraham: ‘Kuya kuphuma ookumkani kuwe.’—Gen. 17:6; Yak. 2:23.

12. UYehova walubonakalisa njani ulongamo lwakhe eYiputa, ibe oku kwaba naliphi igalelo kubantu bakhe?

¹² Esi sithembiso sokubasikelela, uThixo wasiphinda kunyana nakumzukulwana ka-Abraham, uIsake noYakobi, ibe sasiquka ukuvelisa izikumkani kwinzala yabo. (Gen. 26:3-5; 35:11) Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuvelisa ezo zikumkani, inzala kaYakobi yaqala yangamakhoboka eYiputa. Ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba uYehova wayengayi kusizalisekisa isithembiso sakhe okanye wayephulukene nolawulo phezu komhlaba? Nakanye! Ngexesha elifanelekileyo, uYehova wazibonakalisa ukuba unguThixo ngokubonakalisa ulongamo lwakhe kuFaro onenkani. AmaSirayeli awayengamakhoboka abonisa ukholo analo kuYehova, waza wawahlangula ngendlela engummangaliso kuLwandle Olubomvu. Kuyacaca ukuba, uYehova wayesenguMongami Wendalo Iphela, ibe ekubeni enguBawo onenkathalo wasebenzisa amandla akhe amakhulu ukuze akhusele abantu bakhe.—Funda iEksodus 14:13, 14.

13, 14. (a) AmaSirayeli acula athini ngokuba ngukumkani kukaYehova? (b) Sisiphi isithembiso awasenzayo uThixo kuDavide?

¹³ Emva nje kokuhlangulwa ngendlela engummangaliso eYiputa, amaSirayeli avuma ingoma yoloyiso edumisa uYehova. Loo ngoma ibhalwe kwiEksodus isahluko 15 inala mazwi kwivesi 18: “UYehova uya kulawula njengokumkani . . . kude kube ngunaphakade.” Enyanisweni, uYehova waba nguKumkani phezu kolo hlanga lutsha. (Dut. 33:5) Noko ke, abantu abazange baneliswe kukuba noMlawuli ongabonakaliyo, uYehova. Malunga neminyaka eyi-400 emva kokukhululeka eYiputa, efuna ukufana neentlanga ezingabahedeni ezaziwangqongile, amaSirayeli acela kuThixo ukuba awamisele ukumkani ongumntu. (1 Sam. 8:5) Nakuba kunjalo, uYehova wayesenguKumkani wawo, inyaniso eyacaca xa kwakulawula uDavide, ukumkani wesibini ongumntu kwaSirayeli.

¹⁴ UDavide wazisa ityeya yomnqophiso engcwele eYerusalem. Ngelo xesha lokuvuya, abaLevi bavuma ingoma yokumdumisa eyayinala mazwi achukumisayo, abhalwe kweyoku-1 yeziKronike 16:31 athi: “Mabathi phakathi kweentlanga, ‘UYehova nguKumkani!’ ” Omnye usenokuzibuza, ‘Ekubeni uYehova enguKumkani kanaphakade, yintoni eyayibangela ukuba bade babhengeze ngelo xesha?’ Kaloku uYehova uba nguKumkani sihlandlo ngasinye esebenzisa igunya lakhe okanye emisela umntu oza kummela. Kubaluleke gqitha ukwazi ukuba uYehova uba ngukumkani. Ngaphambi kokuba uDavide afe, uYehova wamthembisa ukuba ubukumkani bakhe babuza kulawula ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo: “Ndiya kwandula ke ngokuqinisekileyo ndikuvelisele imbewu yakho emva kwakho, eya kuphuma ezibilinini zakho; yaye eneneni ndiya kubumisela ngokuqinileyo ubukumkani bayo.” (2 Sam. 7:12, 13) Ekugqibeleni, le ‘mbewu’ kaDavide yade yavela emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwe-1 000. Yaba ngubani le mbewu, ibe yayiza kuba nguKumkani nini?

15, 16. UYesu wathanjiselwa nini ukuba nguKumkani wexesha elizayo, ibe ngawaphi amalungiselelo olawulo lwakhe awawenzayo ngoxa wayelapha emhlabeni?

¹⁵ Ngonyaka ka-29, uYohane uMbhaptizi waqalisa ukushumayela esithi, “uBukumkani bamazulu busondele.” (Mat. 3:2) Xa uYesu wayebhaptizwa nguYohane, uYehova wamthambisa emenza uMesiya othenjisiweyo noKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo obuzayo. UYehova wavakalisa umsa anawo kuYesu ngala mazwi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.”—Mat. 3:17.

¹⁶ Kulo lonke ixesha awalichitha kubulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wamzukisa uYise. (Yoh. 17:4) Oku wakwenza ngokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Luka 4:43) Wada wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandazele ukuba bufike obo Bukumkani. (Mat. 6:10) Ekubeni enguKumkani Omiselweyo, uYesu wakwazi ukuthi kwabo babesilwa naye: “UBukumkani bukaThixo buphakathi kwenu.” (Luka 17:21) Kamva, kubusuku obungaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wenza ‘umnqophiso wobukumkani’ kunye nabalandeli bakhe. Ngokwenjenjalo wayenika abanye abafundi abathembekileyo ithemba lokuba ngookumkani ukuze balawule kunye naye eBukumkanini bukaThixo.—Funda uLuka 22:28-30.

17. UYesu wayisebenzisa njani inxalenye yegunya lakhe lokulawula ngenkulungwane yokuqala, kodwa yintoni ekwakusafuneka ayilinde?

¹⁷ UYesu wayeza kuqalisa nini ukulawula esiba nguKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo? Kwakuza kuqala kudlule ixesha elithile. Emva kwemini elandelayo, uYesu wabulawa baza abalandeli bakhe bachithachitheka. (Yoh. 16:32) Noko ke, njengokuba kwakusoloko kunjalo, uYehova wayesabambe iintambo. Kusuku lwesithathu, wamvusa uNyana wakhe, ibe ngomhla wePentekoste ka-33 uYesu waqalisa ukulawula ibandla lamaKristu elibunjwa ngabazalwana bakhe abathanjisiweyo. (Kol. 1:13) Noko ke, uYesu kwakuseza kufuneka alinde ngaphambi kokuba afumane igunya elipheleleyo lokulawula umhlaba njengoko eyimbewu ethenjisiweyo. UYehova wathi kuNyana wakhe: “Hlala ngasekunene kwam ndide ndizibeke iintshaba zakho njengesitulo seenyawo zakho.”—INdu. 110:1.

18, 19. Yintoni esifuna ukuyenza, ibe yintoni esiza kufunda ngayo kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁸ Sekuqengqeleke amawaka eminyaka ukususela oko lwacelwa umngeni ulawulo lukaYehova emhlabeni nasezulwini. UYehova zange khe ayeke ukuba nguMongami; ebesoloko ebambe iintambo. Ekubeni enguBawo onothando, ebebakhusela yaye ebanyamekela abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo abafana noNowa, uAbraham noDavide. Ngaba oku akusenzi sifune ukuzithoba kulo Kumkani wethu size sisondele kuye?

¹⁹ Nanku umbuzo esinokuzibuza wona: UYehova uye waba nguKumkani njani namhlanje? Singenza njani ukuze sihlale sinyanisekile kuBukumkani bukaYehova size ke sibe ngoonyana abagqibeleleyo kwintsapho yakhe yendalo iphela? Yintoni kanye esiyithethayo xa sithandazela ukuba bufike uBukumkani bukaThixo? Le mibuzo iza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.