1. Abanye bathini ngabantu abasezinkolweni ezitshiyeneyo?

 LAMUHLA kulabantu abanengi abacabanga ukuthi izinkolo ezijayelekileyo ezinkulu azenzi lutho olutheni ukuze zincede abantu. Lokhu kugoqela ezesiKhristu lezingayisizo zesiKhristu. Abanye bayavuma ukuthi okufundiswa yizinkolo lezi kanye lokuziphatha kwabantu abakuzo kwenza uNkulunkulu akhanye emubi, yikho engeke azamukele. Kodwa bathi kulabantu abaqotho ezinkolweni zonke baphinde bathi uNkulunkulu uyababona abemukele. Kanti njalo babona kungelasidingo sokuthi abantu laba baphume ezinkolweni zamanga bazikhonzele bebodwa. Kodwa uNkulunkulu yena uthini? Okuzasinceda ukuthi sithole impendulo yikuhlola imbali ephathelane lezikhonzi zikaJehova zeqiniso etholakala eMibhalweni.

2. Ngobani ababa ngabantu bakaJehova, njalo kuyini okwakutshengisa ukuthi behlukene labanye abantu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

² Eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 eyadlulayo, uJehova wakhetha abantu abathile emhlabeni ukuthi babe ngabakhe. U-Abhrahama  obizwa ngokuthi ‘nguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo’ wayeyinhloko yabantu ababengamakhulu njalo abantu laba babengabendlu yakhe. (Rom. 4:11; Gen. 14:14) Ababusi baseKhenani babembona ‘eyinkosana elamandla’ futhi babemhlonipha kakhulu. (Gen. 21:22; 23:6) UJehova wenza isivumelwano lo-Abhrahama kanye lezizukulwane zakhe. (Gen. 17:1, 2, 19) Watshela u-Abhrahama wathi: ‘Lesi yisivumelwano sami lawe lezizukulwane ezizayo, isivumelwano okumele usigcine: Wonke umuntu wesilisa phakathi kwenu uzamele asokwe. Lokho kuzakuba yisiboniso sesivumelwano phakathi kwami lawe.’ (Gen. 17:10, 11) Yikho-ke u-Abhrahama labo bonke abesilisa ababengabendlu yakhe bahle basokwa. (Gen. 17:24-27) Ukusokwa kwakuluphawu olwalutshengisa ukuthi izizukulwane zika-Abhrahama zehlukene labanye abantu lokuthi kwakuyizo zodwa ezazikhethwe nguJehova ukuthi enze isivumelwano lazo.

3. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi izizukulwane zika-Abhrahama zibe yisizwe sabantu?

³ Umzukulu ka-Abhrahama owayebizwa ngokuthi nguJakhobe langokuthi ngu-Israyeli wayelamadodana angu-12. (Gen. 35:10, 22b-26) Amadodana la ayezakuba zinhloko zezizwana zako-Israyeli ezingu-12. (ImiSeb. 7:8) Kodwa kwaba lendlala eyabangela ukuthi uJakhobe kanye labendlu yakhe bathuthele eGibhithe lapho okwakulendodana yakhe eyayithiwa nguJosefa. UJosefa wayelesikhundla sobukhosi esilandela esikaFaro njalo wayebona ngezokudla elizweni lelo. (Gen. 41:39-41; 42:6) Izizukulwane zikaJakhobe zanda kakhulu, zaba “yisizwe sabantu.”—Gen. 48:4; bala imiSebenzi 7:17.

4. Ekuqaliseni abantu baseGibhithe babehlalisane njani lezizukulwane zikaJakhobe?

⁴ Izizukulwane zikaJakhobe zahlala eGibhithe endaweni okuthiwa yiGosheni duze lomfula uNayili okweminyaka edlula 200. (Gen. 45:9, 10) Kukhanya angani zazihlezi ngokuthula labaseGibhithe okweminyaka engaba ngu-100 njalo zazihlala emadolobheni amancane ziselusa izifuyo zazo. UFaro wayezamukele kuhle izizukulwane zikaJakhobe ngoba wayemazi uJosefa njalo wayemthanda. (Gen. 47:1-6) Yikho-ke lanxa abantu baseGibhithe babebazonda kakhulu abantu ababeselusa izimvu, kwasekumele bahlalisane labo befuna bengafuni.—Gen. 46:31-34.

5, 6. (a) Izinto zaqhubeka zibahambela kuhle yini abantu bakaNkulunkulu eGibhithe? Chaza. (b) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uMosi angabulawa, njalo uJehova wabenzelani abantu bakhe?

⁵ Kodwa izinto azizange ziqhubeke zibahambela kuhle abantu bakaNkulunkulu. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kwasekusiba leNkosi entsha eGibhithe eyayingamazi uJosefa. Yathi ebantwini bayo, ‘Khangelani, abantu bako-Israyeli sebebanengi kakhulu kulathi.’ Asebasebenzisa ngochuku. Enza impilo yabo yaba nzima kakhulu betshaya izitina lokuvoxa udaka besenza leminye yonke imisebenzi yemasimini. Kuyo yonke imisebenzi enzima amaGibhithe abasebenzisa ngochuku.”—Eks. 1:8, 9, 13, 14.

⁶ UFaro waze wafaka lomlayo wokuthi bonke abantwana bamaHebheru abangabafana kwakumele babulawe bezalwa nje. (Eks. 1:15, 16) Yiso isikhathi okwazalwa ngaso uMosi. Lapho elezinyanga ezintathu wafihlwa ngunina phakathi kwemihlanga emfuleni uNayili. Kwahle kwaya ngasifudlana ngoba wabonwa yindodakazi kaFaro eyamthathayo yamenza umntanayo. Yikho-ke yavuma ukuthi umama kaMosi owayethembekile okuthiwa nguJokhebhedi amkhulise njalo lokhu kwamenza waba yinceku kaJehova ethembekileyo. (Eks. 2:1-10; Heb. 11:23-25) UJehova “wakhathazeka” ngabantu bakhe ababehlupheka, yikho wakhetha ukubakhulula esebenzisa uMosi. (Eks. 2:24, 25; 3:9, 10) Lokhu kwenza ukuthi babe ngabantu ‘abasebekhululwe’ nguJehova.—Eks. 15:13; bala uDutheronomi 15:15.

7, 8. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi abantu bakaJehova babe yisizwe esingcwele?

⁷ UJehova wayebona abako-Israyeli bengabantu bakhe lanxa wayengakabaqoqi ukuthi babe yisizwe. Yikho-ke uMosi lo-Aroni balaywa ukuthi batshele uFaro amazwi la athi: “Sikulethele ilizwi elivela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wabantu bako-Israyeli. Uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bahambe, ukuze bangenzele idili enkangala.’ ”—Eks. 5:1.

⁸ Abako-Israyeli baze bakhululwa ekuhluphekeni kwabo eGibhithe ngemva kwezinhlupho ezilitshumi langemva kokubhujiswa kukaFaro lamabutho akhe eLwandle oLubomvu. (Eks. 15:1-4) Kungakapheli izinyanga ezintathu, uJehova wenza isivumelwano labo eNtabeni iSinayi wasebatshela isithembiso esasiqakatheke kakhulu. Wathi: ‘Lingangilalela ligcine isivumelwano sami lani lizakuba ligugu kimi phakathi kwezizwe zonke, libe yisizwe esingcwele.’—Eks. 19:5, 6.

9, 10. (a) UDutheronomi 4:5-8 uveza ukuthi uMthetho wakwenza njani ukuthi abako-Israyeli bangafanani lezinye izizwe? (b) Abako-Israyeli kwakumele batshengise njani ukuthi babezakuba “ngabantu abangcwele kuJehova”?

⁹ AmaHebheru engakabi yizigqili eGibhithe ayengumphakathi owawubunjwa yizizwana ezazikhokhelwa yizinhloko zezimuli. Izinhloko zezimuli lezi zazilandela okwakusenziwa yizinceku zikaJehova zasendulo ngoba lazo zazisiba ngababusi, ngabahluli, njalo zaziphinda zibe ngabaphristi ezimulini zazo. (Gen. 8:20; 18:19; Jobe. 1:4, 5) Kodwa uJehova wasebenzisa uMosi ukuthi anike abako-Israyeli umthetho owawuzakwenza ukuthi bangafanani lezinye izizwe. (Bala uDutheronomi 4:5-8; Hubo. 147:19, 20.) Ngaphansi koMthetho kwabekwa isizwe esithile ukuthi sibe ngabaphristi njalo ‘abadala’ ababehlonitshwa ngenxa yolwazi lwabo kanye lokuhlakanipha kwabo yibo ababesahlulela. (Dute. 25:7, 8) Kanti njalo ngaphansi koMthetho lo, abantu babenikwa imilayo eyayiphathelane lokuthi kwakumele bakhonze njani kanye lokuthi kwakumele baphile njani.

¹⁰ Abako-Israyeli bathi sebezangena eLizweni ababelithenjisiwe, uJehova waphinda wabatshela imithetho yakhe njalo uMosi wabatshela wathi: “UJehova ukuvumile lamuhla ukuthi lina lingabantu bakhe, liyisabelo sakhe esiligugu njengokuthembisa kwakhe njalo kumele ligcine yonke imilayo yakhe. Umemezele ukuthi uzaliphakamisa, ngodumo, ngokwaziwa langenhlonipho ngaphezu kwezizwe zonke azidalayo lokuthi lizakuba ngabantu abangcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”—Dute. 26:18, 19.

11-13. (a) Ngobani abavunyelwa ukuthi bakhonze labantu bakaNkulunkulu ayebakhethile? (b) Umuntu owayengasuye wako-Israyeli wayengenzani nxa wayefisa ukukhonza uJehova?

¹¹ UJehova wavumela lababengayisiwo ma-Israyeli ukuthi babe phakathi kwabantu bakhe lanxa wayeselesizwe ayesesikhethile emhlabeni. Lapho ekhulula abantu bakhe wavumela “abanye abantu nje abanengi” ukuthi bahambe labo njalo phakathi kwabantu laba kwakulamaGibhithe. (Eks. 12:38) Ngesikhathi kufika uhlupho lwesikhombisa, abanye ‘ababeyizikhulu zikaFaro’ besaba ilizwi likaJehova njalo akuthandabuzwa ukuthi babekhona phakathi kwabanye abantu nje abasuka labako-Israyeli eGibhithe.—Eks. 9:20.

¹² Abako-Israyeli bathi sebezachapha uJodani ukuze bayethatha ilizwe laseKhenani, uMosi wabatshela ukuthi ‘kwakuzamele bathande abezizweni’ ababephakathi kwabo. (Dute. 10:17-19) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababekhethiwe kwakumele bemukele bonke abezizweni ababezimisele ukulandela imithetho yakhe. (Levi. 24:22) Ngokwesibonelo uRuthe, owayengowesifazana wakoMowabi watshela uNawomi owayengum-Israyeli wathi: “Abantu bakini bazakuba ngabantu bakithi loNkulunkulu  wakho uzakuba nguNkulunkulu wami.” (Rut. 1:16) Kumele ukuthi labanye abezizweni ababekhethe ukukhonza uJehova babezizwa njengoRuthe. Baphenduka bakhonza uNkulunkulu wama-Israyeli njalo abesilisa babo bavuma ukusokwa. (Eks. 12:48, 49) UJehova wabemukela, wabavumela ukuthi babe ndawonye labantu bakhe ayebakhethile.—AmaN. 15:14, 15.

¹³ Lapho ithempeli likaSolomoni linikelwa kuJehova, kwakhanya ukuthi abezizweni babevunyelwa ukukhonza labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Lokhu sikubona ngamazwi akhulunywa nguSolomoni emthandazweni wakhe. Wathi: “Akuthi owezizweni ongasuye omunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yodumo lwebizo lakho lesandla sakho esilamandla lengalo yakho elulekileyo—nxa esiza ekhuleka ekhangele kulelithempeli, umuzwe usezulwini, lona eliyindawo yakho yokuhlala, umenzele owezizweni loba kuyini akucela kuwe, ukuze kuthi abantu bonke emhlabeni balazi ibizo lakho bakwesabe, njengalokho abantu bakho bako-Israyeli bekwenza, ukuze bazi ukuthi lindlu engiyakhileyo ngeyeBizo lakho.” (2 ImiLan. 6:32, 33) Langesikhathi uJesu esesemhlabeni, wonke umuntu nje owayengasuye wako-Israyeli kodwa elesifiso sokukhonza uJehova wayengahlanganyela labantu ababesesivumelwaneni loNkulunkulu.—Joh. 12:20; ImiSeb. 8:27.

14-16. (a) Kungani kuthiwa abako-Israyeli babeyisizwe esingofakazi bakaJehova? (b) Lamuhla abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhangelelwe ukuthi benzeni?

¹⁴ Abako-Israyeli babekhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, kodwa ezinye izizwe zona zazikhonza onkulunkulu bazo. Ngesikhathi somphrofethi u-Isaya, uJehova waqathanisa okwakusenzakala emhlabeni ngalesosikhathi lecala elisemthethwandaba. Wayefuna iqiniso liphume egcekeni, yikho watshela onkulunkulu bezizweni ukuthi baphe ubufakazi obabuzatshengisa ukuthi bangonkulunkulu beqiniso yini. Wathi: “Izizwe zonke kaziqoqane ndawonye labantu babuthane. Nguwuphi [unkulunkulu] wabo owaphrofetha lokhu wamemezela kithi ngezinto zendulo? Kabalethe ofakazi babo babonakalise ukuthi baqinisile, ukuze abanye bezwe, batsho bathi, ‘Kuqotho.’ ”—Isaya. 43:9.

¹⁵ Onkulunkulu bezizweni behluleka ukupha lobufakazi obubodwa nje  obabuzatshengisa ukuthi bangonkulunkulu beqiniso yini. Babeyizithombe ezingakhulumiyo njalo ezazingeke zisuke lapho ezikhona nxa zingaphakanyiswanga. (Isaya. 46:5-7) Kodwa uJehova watshela abantu bakhe bako-Israyeli wathi: ‘Lina lingofakazi bami, lenceku yami engiyikhethileyo, ukuze lazi, likholwe kimi, njalo lizwisise ukuthi mina nginguye. Ngaphambi kwami kakho uNkulunkulu owake waba khona, njalo kakho ozakuba khona emva kwami. Mina, mina uqobo, nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwami kakho omunye umsindisi. Lingofakazi bami, kutsho uJehova, ekuthini mina yimi uNkulunkulu.’—Isaya. 43:10-12.

¹⁶ Endabeni le ephathelane lokuthi “Ngubani uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke?,” efaniswe lecala elisemthethwandaba omkhulu, abantu bakaJehova abakhethiweyo kwakumele bavungame ngelizwi elicacileyo batsho ukuthi uJehova nguye yedwa uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Wababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu azenzela bona ukuba bamdumise.’ (Isaya. 43:21) Kwakungabantu ababebizwa ngebizo lakhe. Babekhululwe nguJehova eGibhithe njalo wayekhangelele ukuthi babe ngabokuqala ukusekela ubukhosi bakhe ukwedlula bonke abantu emhlabeni. Kwakumele benze lokho umphrofethi uMikha akukhuluma mayelana lokwakuzakwenziwa ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu esikhathini sethu lapho esithi: “Zonke izizwe zingahamba ebizweni labonkulunkulu bazo; thina sizahamba ebizweni likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube laphakade.”—Mik. 4:5.

17. Kungani uJehova wayesebona abako-Israyeli ‘belivini elibolileyo leganga’?

¹⁷ Kuyadanisa ukuthi abako-Israyeli abazange baqhubeke bethembekile kuNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova. Baqalisa ukulandela lokho okwakusenziwa ngezinye izizwe ezazikhonza onkulunkulu bezigodo lamatshe. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 800 eyadlulayo, umphrofethi uHoseya wabhala ukuthi abako-Israyeli basebenjengevini elibolileyo. Waphinda wathi: ‘U-Israyeli wakha ama-alithare amanengi. Izinhliziyo zabo ziyakhohlisa, khathesi kufanele bathwale icala labo.’ (Hos. 10:1, 2) Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-150, uJehova wathuma uJeremiya ukuthi atshele abantu bakhe ababengasathembekanga amazwi la athi: ‘Mina ngangikuhlanyele ulivini elihle elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga? Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze uma bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka. Abantu bami bangikhohliwe.’—Jer. 2:21, 28, 32.

18, 19. (a) Yisiphi isiphrofetho esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayezakuba lesizwe esitsha esasizabizwa ngebizo lakhe? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Abako-Israyeli abazange baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova ngendlela eyiyo njalo abazange baqhubeke bengofakazi bakhe abathembekileyo, kodwa basebekhonza izithombe. Basebethela izithelo ezibolileyo kulokuthi bathele izithelo ezinhle. Yikho uJesu watshela abakhokheli bamaJuda ababengabazenzisi wathi: “Umbuso kaNkulunkulu lizawuthathelwa uphiwe abantu abazathela izithelo zawo.” (Mat. 21:43) ‘Abasesivumelwaneni esitsha’ esakhulunywa nguJehova esebenzisa umphrofethi wakhe uJeremiya yibo kuphela ababezabumba isizwe esitsha, okutsho u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo uJehova waphrofetha ngalabo ababezakuba sesivumelwaneni esitsha wathi: “Ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona bazakuba ngabantu bami.”—Jer. 31:31-33.

¹⁹ Njengoba sesibonile, abako-Israyeli bathi sebehlamukile uJehova wasebumba u-Israyeli wakhe ngekhulu lokuqala. Kodwa ngobani abantu abangabakhe emhlabeni lamuhla? Abalesifiso sokukhonza uNkulunkulu bangazibona njani izinceku zakhe ezimkhonza ngeqiniso? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.