1, 2. (a) UNkulunkulu ukhangelele ukuthi sibe njani kukho konke esikwenzayo? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

 UJEHOVA waphefumulela umphostoli uPhetro ukuthi achaze ukuthi ubungcwele obugcizelelwa kuLevi yibo ubungcwele okumele amaKhristu abe labo kukho konke akwenzayo. (Bala u-1 Phetro 1:14-16.) UJehova uNkulunkulu ‘ongcwele’ ukhangelele ukuthi abagcotshiweyo kanye ‘lezinye izimvu’ bazame sibili ukubangcwele kukho konke abakwenzayo. Akumelanga bakhethe abakufunayo kuphela.—Joh. 10:16.

² Kuzasinceda kakhulu ukuhlola eminye futhi imicijo eligugu etholakala kuLevi, njalo ukusebenzisa lokhu esizabe sikufundile kuzasisiza ukuthi sibengcwele kukho konke esikwenzayo. Yikho-ke nansi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo: Kungani kungamelanga siphume endleleni eyiyo loba sekutheni? Kuyini esikufundayo kuLevi mayelana lokusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova? Iminikelo eyayisenziwa ko-Israyeli ingasifundisani thina lamuhla?

3, 4. (a) Kungani amaKhristu kungamelanga ephule imithetho lezimiso eziseBhayibhilini loba sekutheni? (b) Kungani kungamelanga siphindisele kumbe sibambe isikhwili?

³ Nxa sifuna ukuthokozisa uJehova kumele sinamathele emithethweni yakhe lasezimisweni zakhe, njalo singaqali ukukhetha ukuphuma endleleni engcwele ngoba sesibona angani akusela esingakwenza. UMthetho kaMosi usenza siqedisise ukuthi kuyini  uNkulunkulu akuzondayo kanye lalokho akufunayo lanxa singasekho ngaphansi kwawo. Ngokwesibonelo abako-Israyeli balaywa ukuthi: “Lingaphindiseli loba ligodle isikhwili komunye wabantu bakini, kodwa thandani umakhelwane wenu njengalokhu lizithanda lina. Mina yimi uJehova.”—Levi. 19:18.

⁴ UJehova kafuni ukuthi siphindisele njalo kafuni lokuthi sibambele abanye izikhwili. (Rom. 12:19) Phela uDeveli uthaba afe nxa ebona sisephula imithetho kanye lezimiso eziseBhayibhilini njalo kuyabe sokufanana lokuthi sesilingcolisa ibizo likaJehova. Lanxa othile engasiphambanisa ngabomo, akumelanga sivumele ukuthi imizimba yethu ibe njengezimbiza lapho esiyabe sesigcinela khona izikhwili. UNkulunkulu usinike isibusiso esihle sokuthi sibe ‘yizimbiza zebumba’ ezifakwe inotho eligugu, okutsho inkonzo yethu. (2 Khor. 4:1, 7) Yikho-ke nxa sesibamba izikhwili sokufanana lokuthi sesifake into eyingozi kakhulu ezaphambanisa inotho le eligugu.

5. Sifundani endabeni eyenzakala emulini ka-Aroni? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁵ Kulendaba edanisayo eyenzakala emulini ka-Aroni elotshwe kuLevi 10:1-11. Kumele ukuthi u-Aroni lamalunga emuli yakhe bezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu lapho umlilo ovela ezulwini utshabalalisa amadodana akhe ayesethabanikeli, uNadabhi lo-Abhihu. Ubona angani u-Aroni lemuli yakhe bezwa njani lapho betshelwa ukuthi bangalileli izihlobo zabo ezasezifile? Kwasekumele kukhanye ukuthi ukholo lwabo lwaluqinile yini. Lamuhla abanye batshengisa ukuthi bangcwele ngokungazihlanganisi lamalunga emuli asusiweyo kumbe abanye abantu abasusiweyo. Wena-ke?—Bala u-1 Khorinte 5:11.

6, 7. (a) Yiyiphi imicijo okumele sicabangisise ngayo nxa sesinxuswe emtshadweni oyabe usenzelwa esontweni? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.) (b) Singabonisana njani lesihlobo sethu esingayisuyeFakazi nxa sesikhethe ukuthi singayi emtshadweni oyabe usenzelwa esontweni?

⁶ Mhlawumbe asingeke sehlelwe yisilingo esinzima njengesika-Aroni lemuli yakhe. Kodwa singathini nxa sesinxuswe emtshadweni wesihlobo sethu esingayisuyeFakazi oyabe uzakwenzelwa esontweni elithile kumbe nxa sicelwe ukuthi sizokwenza okuthile emtshadweni lo? Phela eBhayibhilini ayikho ivesi ethi singayi, kodwa zikhona yini izimiso eziseMibhalweni esingazisebenzisa nxa sesikhetha ukuthi sizakwenzani? *

⁷ Sizimisele ukubangcwele kuJehova lasendabeni le esikhuluma ngayo. Kodwa izihlobo zethu ezingayisibo boFakazi zingamangala kakhulu ukuthi kungani singavumelani lazo. (1 Phet. 4:3, 4) Kasifuni ukuthi sicine singasazwanani lezihlobo zethu, yikho kungaba kuhle ukuthi sikhulume lazo kuhle. Kodwa akumelanga sikhekheleze nxa sikhuluma lazo. Lokhu singakwenza kusasele isikhathi ukuthi ilanga lomtshado lifike. Singababonga kakhulu ngokusinxusa kwabo ukuthi sizokwenza okuthile emtshadweni. Mhlawumbe singabachasisela lokuthi kungenzakala ukuthi singavumelani lokuthile ngenxa yokuthi kuyabe kungahambelani lalokho esikukholwayo. Ngemva kwalokho sesingabatshela lokuthi lokhu kungacina sekuphambanisa ilanga labo eliqakathekileyo njalo kungabayangisa kakhulu kuphinde kuyangise labamenyiweyo. Lokhu ngokunye esingakwenza ukuze sibambelele kulokho esikukholwayo.

8. Ubukhosi bukaJehova bugcizelelwa njani kuLevi?

⁸ Ubukhosi bukaJehova bugcizelelwa kanengi kuLevi. Ngokwesibonelo, okwezikhathi ezedlula 30 kuvezwa ukuthi imithetho esebhukwini leli yayivela kuJehova. UMosi wakuzwisisa ukuthi imithetho le yayivela kuJehova njalo wakwenza konke ayemlaye ukuthi akwenze. (Levi. 8:4, 5) Lathi kumele senze konke uMbusi wethu uJehova afuna sikwenze. Inhlanganiso yakhe iyasincedisa ukuthi sikwenze lokhu. Kodwa izilingo ezingaxegisa ukholo lwethu zingasehlela lapho sisodwa, njengalokho okwenzakala kuJesu esenkangala. (Luk. 4:1-13) Nxa singahlala sibusekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu  njalo simethemba, akulamuntu ongasenza siphume endleleni eyiyo kumbe sesabe abantu.—Zaga. 29:25.

9. Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu bezondwa ezizweni zonke?

⁹ OFakazi bakaJehova bayahlukuluzwa emazweni atshiyeneyo ngenxa yokuthi bangabalandeli bakaKhristu. Lokhu akumelanga kusimangalise ngoba uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Lizanikelwa ukuba lihlutshwe njalo libulawe, futhi lizazondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yami.” (Mat. 24:9) Lanxa sizondwa kangaka, asiyekeli ukwenza umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso njalo siqhubeka sizama ukuthi sibengcwele kuJehova. Siyizizalwane ezithembekileyo, ezilalela umthetho wababusi njalo eziziphethe kuhle. Pho kungani sizondwa kangaka? (Rom. 13:1-7) Kungenxa yokuthi sikhethe ukuthi uJehova abe nguMbusi wethu. Kanti njalo sinikela inkonzo engcwele ‘kuye yedwa’ futhi siqhubeka silalela imithetho yakhe elungileyo kanye lezimiso zakhe.—Mat. 4:10.

10. Kuyini okwake kwenzakala lapho omunye umzalwane ekhetha ukuphuma endleleni eyiyo?

¹⁰ Kasingeni kwezombusazwe kanye lezezimpi ngoba ‘kasisibo abomhlaba.’ (Bala uJohane 15:18-21; U-Isaya 2:4.) Lanxa kunjalo kulabanye ababezinikele kuNkulunkulu abake baphuma endleleni eyiyo, bakhetha ukungena kwezombusazwe. Inengi labantu laba lacina seliphendukile, laphinda laba lobuhlobo obuhle loBaba wethu osezulwini olesihawu. (Hubo. 51:17) Kodwa kulabalutshwana abangazange baphenduke. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Wonke Yesibili, kulabafowethu ababevalelwe emajele aseHungary bengelacala. Iziphathamandla zathatha abangu-160 phakathi kwabo zasezibabuthanisa ndawonye. Abafowethu laba ababeleminyaka engaphansi kwe-45 batshelwa ukuthi kwasekumele babengamasotsha. Abafowethu abathembekileyo kabazange bavume, kodwa abangu-9 bakhetha ukuphuma endleleni eyiyo, benza izifungo ezazitshengisa ukuthi basebezimisele ukuba ngamasotsha, basebesamukela lamayunifomu. Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka emibili omunye walaba abangu-9 wafakwa eqenjini lamasotsha okwakumele abulale oFakazi laba abathembekileyo. Okubuhlungu kakhulu yikuthi omunye waboFakazi laba kwakungumnewabo. Icebo lokubabulala alisazange lisaphumelela ngoba izinto zasuka zantshintsha.

11, 12. Indlela uJehova ayefuna imihlatshelo yenziwe ngayo ko-Israyeli wasendulo iwafundisani amaKhristu lamuhla?

¹¹ Emthethweni kaMosi abako-Israyeli babetshelwa ukuthi banikele ngani. (Levi. 9:1-4, 15-21) Imihlatshelo yabo kwakungamelanga ibe lesici ngoba yayimela umhlatshelo kaJesu opheleleyo. Kanti njalo umhlatshelo munye ngamunye wawulendlela yawo ecacileyo okwakumele wenziwe ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo nanku okwakufuneka nxa owesifazane wayesebelethile. ULevi 12:6 uthi: “Nxa izinsuku zokuhlanjululwa ngokwendodana loba indodakazi seziphelile, kumele owesifazane alethe izinyane lemvu elilomnyaka owodwa kumphristi esangweni leThente lokuHlanganela ukuze libe ngumhlatshelo wokutshiswa kanye lomntwana wenkwilimba loba ijuba kube ngumnikelo wesono.” Lanxa kwakulemilayezo ecacileyo okwakumele ilandelwe, uMthetho usitshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulothando njalo uyazwisisa. Nxa owesifazane owayesebelethile wayengenelisi ukunikela ngemvu, wayevunyelwa ukuthi anikele ngamajuba amabili loba abantwana benkwilimba ababili. (Levi. 12:8) Lanxa owesifazane lo wayengabe ezidubekela, uNkulunkulu wayemthanda futhi emqakathekisa njengabanye abantu ababenikela ngemihlatshelo edulayo. Thina kusifundisani lokhu?

¹² Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuthaza ayekhonza labo ukuthi banikele kuNkulunkulu “umhlatshelo wokubonga.” (Heb. 13:15) Izindebe zethu kumele zilimemezele obala ibizo likaJehova elingcwele. Abafowethu labodadewethu abangakhulumiyo labangezwayo endlebeni basebenzisa ulimi lwezandla ukuze badumise uNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo amaKhristu angenelisiyo ukuphuma ezindlini amdumisa  ngokubhala izincwadi, ngokutshumayela ngocingo langokutshumayeza ababanakekelayo kumbe ababavakatshelayo. Imihlatshelo yethu yokubonga, okutsho ukudumisa uJehova ngokwenza ukuthi ibizo lakhe laziwe langokumemezela izindaba ezinhle, iya ngokuthi siphilile yini emzimbeni kanye lokuthi kuyini esenelisa ukukwenza. Okuqakathekileyo yikuthi senze ubungcono bethu.—Rom. 12:1; 2 Tim. 2:15.

13. Kungani kumele sibike esikwenzileyo ekutshumayeleni?

¹³ Sinikela imihlatshelo yokubonga kuJehova ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda. (Mat. 22:37, 38) Kodwa sihlala sikhuthazwa ukuthi sibike umsebenzi esiwenzileyo ekutshumayeleni. Umbuzo yikuthi kumele sikubone njani lokhu? Ukuhambisa imibiko yethu nyanga zonke kutshengisa ukuthi siyamesaba uJehova. (2 Phet. 1:7) Lanxa kunjalo, akulamuntu okumele azizwe elecala lokuthi sekumele asebenze enkonzweni liphuma lize liyetshona ehlose ukubika amahola amanengi kakhulu. Phela yikho ummemezeli ohlala lapho okunakekelwa khona asebeluphele kumbe ongaphilanga emzimbeni evunyelwa ukubika imizuzu engu-15 kuphela. UJehova uyakwamukela lokho ngoba ummemezeli lo uyabe enze ubungcono bakhe njalo uyabe etshengisa ukuthi uyamthanda uJehova lokuthi uyasiqakathekisa isibusiso esikhulu kulazo zonke sokuba nguFakazi wakhe. Njengoba uJehova wayeyamukela imihlatshelo eyayisenziwa ngabanye abako-Israyeli ababezidubekela, lezinceku zakhe ezingenelisiyo ukwenza okunengi enkonzweni zingabika ezikwenzileyo ekutshumayeleni ngoba ziligugu kuye. Imibiko yethu iyahlanganiswa ukuze kubunjwe umbiko womhlaba wonke. Umbiko lo yiwo onceda inhlanganiso ukuthi ihlele kuhle izinto eziphathelane lomsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso. Kambe sesingathi siyahlutshwa yini nxa sicelwa ukuthi sibike esikwenzileyo ekutshumayeleni?

14. Chaza ukuthi kungani kumele uhlolisise ukutaditsha kwakho.

¹⁴ Mhlawumbe ukuhlola imicijo eligugu ekuLevi kukwenze wakuzwisisa ngcono ukuthi kungani ibhuku leli liyingxenye yeLizwi likaNkulunkulu elaphefumulelwayo. (2 Tim. 3:16) Kanti njalo ungabe usuzimisele ukubangcwele kukho konke okwenzayo ngoba lokhu kuyintando kaJehova njalo kulilungelo lakhe ukuthi simenzele konke esenelisa ukukwenza. Mhlawumbe osukufundile kuLevi ezihlokweni lezi ezimbili kukwenze waba lesifiso sokuphenyisisa yonke nje iMibhalo. (Bala iZaga 2:1-5.) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ufuna uJehova ayamukele imihlatshelo yakho yokubonga. Yikho-ke zama ukuhlola indlela otaditsha ngayo umcele lokuthi akuncedise. Engxenye awusathuthuki eqinisweni ngenxa yokuthanda ezemidlalo, imidlalo yamavidiyo, ukubukela iTV kumbe ezinye nje izinto ozilibazisa ngazo. Nxa kunjalo, kungakunceda kakhulu ukucabangisisa ngamazwi omphostoli uPhawuli abhalwe kumaHebheru.

15, 16. Kungani uPhawuli engazange atshone ekhekheleza lapho ebhalela amaKhristu angamaHebheru?

¹⁵ UPhawuli kazange atshone ewabhoda amaKhristu angamaHebheru. (Bala uHebheru 5:7, 11-14.) Kazange atshone egudla iguma kodwa wahle wawatshela ukuthi ‘ayephuza’ ukufunda. Kungani uPhawuli engazange atshone ekhekheleza? Wayewatshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayewathanda lokuthi wayewakhathalela lanxa ayelokhu ephila ngochago,  okutsho ulwazi lweMibhalo ayelufunde ekuqaliseni. Lanxa ulwazi lolu luqakathekile sibili kumaKhristu, “ukudla okuqinileyo” kuyadingeka ukuze umKhristu athuthuke eqinisweni.

¹⁶ AmaHebheru la kwasekumele ukuthi ngabe sethuthuke aze afika ebangeni lokufundisa abanye, kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi ayelokhu esadinga umuntu owayengawafundisa. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi ayengazihluphi ‘ngokudla okuqinileyo,’ okutsho ulwazi lweMibhalo olujulileyo. Nansi imibuzo okumele uzibuze yona: ‘Ngiyakuthanda yini ukufunda ulwazi olujulileyo kumbe ngiyadonda? Ngiyazinika yini isikhathi sokuluhlola? Ngizikhangelela phansi yini okokuthi ngiyesaba ukuthandaza kanye lokuhlola ulwazi ojulileyo oluseBhayibhilini? Nxa kunjalo, okunye okungabe kubangela lokhu yindlela engitaditsha ngayo yini?’ Phela umsebenzi wethu yikutshumayeza abantu, ukubafundisa kanye lokubenza babe ngabafundi.—Mat. 28:19, 20.

17, 18. (a) Kungani kumele sihlale sihlola ulwazi olujulileyo oluseBhayibhilini? (b) Kumele sikubone njani ukunatha iwayini kumbe utshwala singakayi emihlanganweni yobuKhristu?

¹⁷ Ukutaditsha iBhayibhili akulula kwabanye bethu. Lanxa uJehova engasibambi ngamandla ukuthi silitaditshe, kumele siqhubeke sihlola ulwazi olujulileyo oluseBhayibhilini. Lokhu kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuze sibengcwele kukho konke esikwenzayo, njalo akulani lokuthi sesileminyaka eminengi sikhonza uNkulunkulu kumbe ukuthi sisanda kuba ngoFakazi.

¹⁸ Okuzasinceda ukuthi sibengcwele kukho konke esikwenzayo yikuhlola iMibhalo ngelihlo elibukhali ukuze senze lokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo. Buyela endabeni kaNadabhi lo-Abhihu ababulawa ngenxa yokunikela ‘ngomlilo ngokungekho emandleni abo.’ Kukhanya angani amadoda la ayeke abukhelela utshwala. (Levi. 10:1, 2) Khangela ukuthi ngemva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wathini ku-Aroni. (Bala uLevi 10:8-11.) Kodwa lokhu kutsho ukuthi akusamelanga sibuthinte yini utshwala loba iwayini nxa singakayi emihlanganweni yobuKhristu? Cabanga ngemicijo elandelayo: Kasisekho ngaphansi koMthetho. (Rom. 10:4) Kwamanye amazwe abafowethu labodadewethu bajayele ukuthi kha kancane utshwala kumbe iwayini nxa besidla bengakayi emhlanganweni. Kanti njalo kwakulenkomitshi ezine ezazilewayini elasetshenziswa ngelanga lePhasika. Lalapho uJesu eqalisa iSikhumbuzo, wanika abafundi bakhe iwayini elalimela igazi lakhe. (Mat. 26:27) IBhayibhili alikuvumeli ukunatha kakhulu kanye lokudakwa. (1 Khor. 6:10; 1 Tim. 3:8) Kanti njalo umzangedwa wamaKhristu amanengi awuwavumeli ukuthi anathe utshwala loba iwayini nxa esenza loba yini ephathelane lenkonzo yethu engcwele. Kodwa lokhu kuyatshiyana kusiya ngokuthi ukuliphi ilizwe, njalo okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi amaKhristu ‘ahlukanise okungcwele kokungangcwele’ ukuze abengcwele kukho konke akwenzayo ngoba lokhu kuyamthokozisa uNkulunkulu.

19. (a) Kuyini okungakunceda nxa utaditsha uwedwa kumbe nxa ulungiselela ukukhonza kwemuli? (b) Uzimisele ukwenzani ukuze kukhanye ukuthi ungcwele?

¹⁹ Zinengi kakhulu izinto eziligugu ongazifunda nxa ungazinika isikhathi sokulichwayisisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Ukusebenzisa izinto zokuchwayisisa esilazo kuzakunceda ukuthi wenelise ukutaditsha ulwazi lweMibhalo olujulileyo njalo kuzakwenza lokuthi ukukhonza kwemuli yakho kube lohlonzi. Julisa ulwazi lwakho ngokufunda okunengi ngoJehova kanye lezinjongo zakhe. Qhubeka usondela phansi kwakhe. (Jak. 4:8) Thandaza kuNkulunkulu njengomhubi owahlabela wathi: “Vula amehlo ami ukuze ngibone izinto ezimangalisayo emthethweni wakho.” (Hubo. 119:18) Ungephuli imithetho kaNkulunkulu kanye lezimiso zakhe loba sekutheni. Zimisele ukulalela uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘ongcwele’ njalo uqhubeke usebenza gadalala emsebenzini ongcwele “wokutshumayela ivangeli likaNkulunkulu.” (1 Phet. 1:15; Rom. 15:16) Akukhanye ukuthi ungcwele kukho konke okwenzayo kulezinsuku zokucina ezinzima. Sonke kasihlaleni singcwele kukho konke esikwenzayo njalo sibusekele kokuphela ubukhosi bukaJehova, uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele.