1, 2. Khuyini ezosiqinisekisa bona umBuso kaZimu uzowufeza umnqophwakhe ngephasi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

NJENGOMBANA siboFakazi bakaJehova nje, sihlala sitjela abantu bona umBuso kaZimu uyipengu yemirarwethu, begodu sifuna balizwe, balizwisise kuhle iqiniso elisemTlolweneli. Kuyasiduduza ukwazi bonyana umBuso lo ukuphela kwethemba esinalo. Umbuzo omaphorodlha kukuthi, sinesiqinisekiso esingangani sokuthi umBuso loyo uyinto yamambala, nokuthi uzowufeza umnqopho kaZimu? Isiqinisekisweso sokuthi umBuso kaZimu uyinto yamambala sisekelwephi?—Heb. 11:1.

² UmBuso kaMesiya ulithulusi elisungulwe nguZimu, alenzele ukufeza umnqophwakhe ngalokho akubumbileko. UmBuso lo usekelwe phezu kwesisekelo esidzimeleleko—esililungelo lakaJehova lokubusa. Yeke, koke okubandakanyekileko emBusweni lo—ikosawo, abazokubusa nayo, nendawo abazoyibusa—kubotjhwe ziimvumelwano ezingokomthetho zakaZimu nendodanakhe. Njengombana sizokucoca ngeemvumelwanezi, sizokuba nesiqinisekiso esisenza sikholwe bona umBuso lo uyinto yamambala nokuthi udzimelele kangangani phezu kwesisekelo sawo.—Funda u-Efesu 2:12.

3. Sizokuhlolisisa ini esihlokwenesi nesilandelako?

 ³ IBhayibheli likhuluma ngeemvumelwano ezisithandathu ezihlobene nomBuso kaMesiya obuswa nguKrestu uJesu. Sivumelwano (1) sakaZimu no-Abrahamu, (2) somThetho kaMosi, (3) sakaZimu noDavida, (4) sokuba nomphristi onjengoMalkitsedekhi, (5) isivumelwano esitjha (6) nesivumelwano somBuso. Khesihlolisise bona isivumelwano ngasinye sihlangana njani nokufezeka komnqopho kaZimu ngabantu nangephasi.—Qala itjhadi elinesihloko esithi “ Indlela UZimu Azowufeza Ngayo Umnqophwakhe”.

4. Ngokutjho kwencwadi kaGenesisi, ngimiphi imithetho uJehova ayibekela abantu?

⁴ Kwathi bona abumbe iplanethi yethu le, uJehova wabekela abantu imithetho emithathu ebekufuze bayilalele. Njengombana ababumbe ngomfanekiswakhe nje, abantu bekufuze benze loke iphaseli libe yiPharadesi, bebabelethe balizalise ngabantu abalungileko, begodu bekungakafaneli bona badle emthini wokwazi okuhle nokumbi. (Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:16, 17) Yeke, bekungatlhogeki bona babekelwe iwomakazi lemithetho. Kuhlekuhle, bekufuze kuthi nebaqeda kubunjwa, balalele imithetho emibili kwaphela khona bazokuzalisa umnqopho kaZimu. Alo-ke, iimvumelwano zingena njani endabeni le?

5, 6. (a) USathana walinga njani ukubekela umnqopho kaZimu isiqabo? (b) UJehova uyirarulule njani ipikiswano kaSathana ayithoma e-Edeni?

⁵ Ngebanga lokuthi uSathana uDeveli bekalinga ukubekela umnqopho kaZimu isiqabo, wenza abantu bakaZimu baba mahlongandlebe. Wakhetha umthetho azi kuhle bona angakghona ukuwuswaya, abadurhise ngawo—umthetho ebewufuna umuntu alalele uZimu. Yeke, walinga umfazi wokuthoma u-Eva, wamenza wadla emthini wokwazi okuhle nokumbi uZimu athe bangadli kiwo. (Gen. 3:1-5; IsAm. 12:9) Ngokwenza njalo, uSathana bekajamelana nelungelo lakaZimu lokubusa koke akubumbileko. Khenge aphelele lapho, uSathana wajikela neenceku zakaZimu ezithembekileko, wathi azimthandi ngehliziyo yoke, kunalokho zimkhonza ngombana zifuna okuthileko kuye.—Job. 1:9-11; 2:4, 5.

⁶ UJehova bekufuze ayirarulule njani ipikiswano le eyaphehlwa nguSathana e-Edeni? Kghani bekufuze awarhayile kube kanye woke amahlongandlebe la? Awa, phela nange bekunjalo, umnqophwakhe wokuzalisa iphasi ngesizukulwana esilalelako saka-Adamu no-Eva bewungekhe ufezeke. Kodwana kunokuthi ababulale ngesikhatheso, uMbumbi wethu ohlakaniphileko wayibona ngamanye amehlo, ngikho akhupha isiphorofido—isithembiso se-Edeni—ebesisiqinisekiso sokobana woke amezwakhe azokwenzeka njengombana anjalo.—Funda Genesisi 3:15.

7. Isithembiso se-Edeni esikhuluma ngenyoka nangesizukulwana sayo sisiqinisekisa ngani?

⁷ Esithembisweni asitjho e-Edeni, uJehova wagweba inyoka neenzukulwana zayo, okunguSathana uDeveli nabo boke ebebazokujama naye epikiswaneni yelungelo lakaZimu lokuBusa. UZimu weqiniso wanikela isizukulwana somfazi wezulwini igunya lokurhayila uSathana. Ngebangelo-ke, isithembiso se-Edeni besingakadzimeleli ekurhayilweni komuntu oyipehli lo kwaphela, kodwana saveza nokuthi ngubani ozombhubhisa.

8. Umfazi nesizukulwana sakhe bamhlobo bani wabantu?

⁸ Alo-ke, ngubani osizukulwana somfazi okukhulunywa ngaye lo? Njengombana umtlolo uthi isizukulwana sizokutshidlha ihloko yenyoka, namkha ‘sichithe’ isibunjwa  somoya esinguSathana uDeveli, kuyatjho-ke bona nesizukulwaneso simumuntu womoya. (Heb. 2:14) Godu lokho kutjho nokobana kwamfazi ozokubeletha isizukulwanesi umumuntu womoya. Njengombana iinzukulwana zenyoka bezisolo zanda, bekungaziwa bona ngubani ozokuba sizukulwana somfazi lo, bekwadlula iminyaka ezi-4 000 yoke uJehova athembisile. Phakathi nesikhatheso, uJehova wenza iimvumelwano ezimbalwa ebeziqinisekisa bona isizukulwanesi sizokuba lithulusi lakaZimu lokulungisa umonakalo owenziwe nguSathana ebantwini.

9. Ngisiphi isivumelwano uZimu asenza no-Abrahamu, begodu sathoma ukusebenza nini?

⁹ Eminyakeni ezi-2 000 ngemva kokuthi agwebe uSathana, uJehova wathi u-Abrahamu akaphume enarheni yekhabo e-Uri eseMesopotamiya, atjhinge enarheni yeKanana. (IzE. 7:2, 3) UJehova wathi kuye: “Tjhiya inarhekhenu, abantu bekhenu nendlu kayihlo, uye enarheni engizakutjengisa yona. Ngizokwenza ube sisizwe esikhulu, begodu ngizokubusisa: Ngizokwenza ibizo lakho libe likhulu, ube sibusiso. Ngizokubusisa abakubusisako, nabakunyazako ngizabanikelela; zoke iinkoro zephasi [“zizokubusiswa ngawe” NW].” (Gen. 12:1-3) Lokhu kulandisa kokuthoma okutloliweko ngesivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu.  Akwaziwa ukuthi uJehova wasenza nini isivumelwanwesi no-Abrahamu. Kodwana esikwaziko kukuthi isivumelwaneso sathoma ukusebenza ngomnyaka ka-1943 ngeenkhathi zaka-Abrahamu, yena-ke obekaneminyaka ema-75, nakasuka eHarana ayama umlambo we-Yufrathe.

10. (a) U-Abrahamu wakuveza njani bona uyaqiniseka ukuthi iinthembiso zakaZimu zizokuzaliseka? (b) Ngimiphi imininingwana uZimu ayembula kancanikancani ngesizukulwana somfazi lo?

¹⁰ UJehova wasihlathulula ngeendlela  ezinengi isivumelwano sakhe no-Abrahama, bewatjho nemininingwana enabileko ngaso. (Gen. 13:15-17; 17:1-8, 16) Yeke, kwathi bona u-Abrahamu atjengise bona uzithemba kangangani iinthembiso zakaZimu ngokunikela ngendodanakhe ekuphela kwayo, lokho kwenza uJehova waqinisa isivumelwanesi ngesinye isithembiso. (Funda uGenesisi 22:15-18; Hebheru 11:17, 18.) Ngemva kokwenza isithembiso no-Abrahamu, uJehova wayiveza kancanikancani imininingwana eqakathekileko ngesizukulwana somfazi. Isizukulwanesi, ebesele sizokuvela ngo-Abrahamu besizokuthatha ubukhosi, besirhayile woke amanaba kaZimu, silethele abantu abanengi iimbusiso.

11, 12. ImiTlolo ikutjengisa njani ukuthi isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu sizokuzaliseka ngokunabileko? Isivumelwanesi sizosenzelani thina?

¹¹ Siyazi bona isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu sazaliseka mhla iinzukulwana zakhe zithola inarha yesithembiso, kodwana imiTlolo iyatjho bona besizokuzaliseka ngokunabileko ngendlela engokomfanekiso. (Gal. 4:22-25) Ngokwamezwi umpostoli uPowula aphefumulelwa bona awatlole, ingcenye yokuthoma yesizukulwana saka-Abrahamu iqalisele emaKrestwini akhethiweko azi-144 000. (Gal. 3:16, 29; IsAm. 5:9, 10; 14:1, 4) Bese umfazi ozokubeletha isizukulwanesi ‘liJerusalema eliphezulu’—eliyingcenye yehlangano kaZimu esezulwini. (Gal. 4:26, 31) Yeke, isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu sathembisa bona kuzokuba nesizukulwana somfazi ebesizokubusisa abantu.

¹² Isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu besiveza bona umBuso kaZimu uzokubuswa yiKosi nabanye ezokubambisana nabo, begodu isivumelwanesi sizokuba sisekelo esingokomthetho somBuso loyo. (Heb. 6:13-18) Sizokuhlala isikhathi esingangani isivumelwanesi? Incwadi kaGenesisi 17:7 ithi sizokuhlala “ngokungapheliko.” Sizokuhlala sikhona bekube kulapho umBuso kaMesiya ubhubhisa woke amanabawo, bese ubusise yoke imindeni esephasini. (1 Kor. 15:23-26) Eqinisweni, izinto abantu abazokwenzelwa zona ephasina zizokuhlala isiphelani. Isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu siveza indlela uJehova azimisele ngayo ukufeza umnqophwakhe wokuthi abantu ‘bazalise iphasi’!—Gen. 1:28.

13, 14. Isivumelwano sakaZimu noDavida sisiqinisekisa njani bona umbuso kaMesiya angekhe wonakale?

¹³ Isithembiso uZimu asenza e-Edeni nesivumelwano sakhe no-Abrahamu siveza iphuzu eliqakathekileko lokuthi ubukhosi bakaJehova obuzokubuswa yindodanakhe enguMesiya busekelwe phezu kwemithetho kaJehova yokulunga. (Rhu. 89:14) Kghani kuzakhe kwenzeke na bona umBuso lo ugcine sele ukhohlakele, bewugcine sele ususiwe? Awa, ngombana kunesinye isivumelwano esingokomthetho esizokuqinisekisa bona into enjalo ingenzeki nangelanga lomhlolo.

¹⁴ Akhusucabange ngalokho uZimu akuthembisa iKosi uDavida obekabusa u-Israyeli wekadeni. Lesi bekusivumelwano sakaZimu noDavida. (Funda 2 Samyela 7:12, 16.) Isivumelwanesi senziwa ngesikhathi uDavida ayikosi yeJerusalema, uZimu wamthembisa bona uMesiya uzokuba sizukulwana sakhe. (Luk. 1:30-33) Yeke, uJehova wembula bona isizukulwanesi besizokuba “nelungelo” elingokomthetho lokuthatha ilifa lobukhosi bakaDavida bube mBuso kaMesiya. (Hez. 21:25-27) UJesu nguye onelungelo lokwenza isihlalo sobukhosi sakaDavida bona “sidzimelele  isiphelani.” Ngebangelo-ke, isizukulwana sakaDavida “sizakujama nini nanini, isihlalo sakhe sinzinze phambi [kwakaZimu] njengelanga.” (Rhu. 89:34-37) Lokho kutjho khona bona lingawa lidojwe ziinkukhu nange ukubusa kwakaMesiya kukhohlakala, begodu lokho ozokwenza kuzokuhlala isiphelani!

15-17. Ngokwesivumelwano sokuba nomphristi onjengoMalkitsedekhi, ngimuphi omunye umsebenzi ozokwenziwa sizukulwanesi, begodu kubayini?

¹⁵ Njengombana isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu, nesakaDavida ziqinisekisa bona isizukulwana somfazi sizokuba yikosi, lokho kukodwa akusiqinisekisi bona abantu beentjhaba zoke bazokubusiswa yikosi leyo. Phela nebazakubusiswa kwamambala, kufuze batjhatjululwe esonweni, bebabe malunga womndeni kaJehova wezulwini nephasini. Yeke, koke lokho kutlhoga isizukulwana esizokuba mphristi. Umdali ohlakaniphileko weza nesinye isivumelwano esingokomthetho—isivumelwano somphristi onjengoMalkitsedekhi.

¹⁶ UJehova wembulela iKosi uDavida bona uzokwenza isivumelwano noJesu esineminqopho emibili: “Hlala ngesidleni sami” kutjho uZimu, bekube kulapho izitha zakhe ziba sinabelo seenyawo zakhe nokuthi abe mphristi “ngokwendlela kaMalkitsedekhi.” (Funda iRhubo 110:1, 2, 4.) Kubayini kufuze abe mphristi “ngokwendlela kaMalkitsedekhi”? Kungebanga lokuthi, kade ngaphambi kobana iinzukulwana zaka-Abrahamu zingene enarheni yesithembiso, bekunekosi yeSalema ibizo layo linguMalkitsedekhi. Ikosi leyo ‘beyimphristi kaZimu ongoPhezulu.’ (Heb. 7:1-3) Bekabekwe nguJehova ngokwakhe bona abe mphristi. Nguye kwaphela obekayikosi nomphristi ngokwemiTlolo yesiHebheru. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngebanga lokuthi akunamuntu owangena esikhundleni sakhe, waba ‘mphristi ngokungapheliko.’

¹⁷ UJehova nguye owenze isivumelwano noJesu sokuthi uzombeka mathupha esikhundleni sobuphristi “ngokwendlela kaMalkitsedekhi.” (Heb. 5:4-6) Kilokhu, uJehova bekazibopha yena ngokomthetho bona asebenzise umBuso kaMesiya ekufezeni umnqophwakhe ngabantu abasephasini.

18, 19. (a) Konje ngiziphi iimvumelwano zomBuso kaZimu esicoce ngazo esihlokwenesi? (b) Ngimuphi umbuzo oseleko esizokucoca ngawo esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁸ Njengombana sesihlolisise iimvumelwano esicoce ngazwezi, siyizwisisa tle indlela ezihlangana ngayo nomBuso kaMesiya nokuthi usekelwe njani phezu kwazo. Isithembiso esenziwa e-Edeni sakatelela uJehova bona asebenzise isizukulwana somfazi ekuzaliseni umnqophwakhe ngephasi nangabantu. Nje-ke ngubani isizukulwanesi, begodu sizokubekwa kisiphi isikhundla? Isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abrahamu siyihlahlandlela yakho koke lokhu.

¹⁹ Isivumelwano sakaZimu noDavida siveza ukuthi isizukulwana esiyihloko sizokuba yikosi nokuthi ilungelo laso lokubusa ephasini nalokho esizokwenzela abantu kuyokuhlala isiphelani. Isivumelwano sokuba nomphristi onjengoMalkitsedekhi siqinisekisa bona isizukulwanesi sizokuba mphristi. Nanyana kunjalo kukhona azokubusa nabo. Bazokwenza woke umuntu osephasini agcine sele aphelele. Nabo abantwabo bazokuba makhosi nabaphristi. Kodwana babuyaphi abantwaba? Ipendulo yombuzo lo asiyidembe esihlokweni esilandelako.