1. Kodi anthu ena amakhulupilila ciani ponena za anthu amene amalambila Mulungu?

ANTHU ambili masiku ano, amavomeleza kuti Machalichi Acikristu ndi zipembedzo zina sizithandiza anthu mokwanila. Ena amakamba kuti Mulungu savomeleza zipembedzo zimenezo cifukwa cakuti siziphunzitsa coonadi. Komabe, io amakhulupilila kuti Mulungu amayanja anthu abwino amene ali m’zipembedzo zonse, ndipo amawaona kuti ndi alambili ake. Iwo amaganiza kuti anthu abwino amenewo safunika kucoka m’zipembedzo zonyenga ndi kuyamba kum’lambila monga anthu apadela. Koma kodi zimenezi n’zoona? Kuti tipeze yankho, tiyeni tikambilane mbili ya m’Malemba ya alambili oona a Yehova.

2. Ndani anakhala anthu apadela a Yehova? Nanga n’ciani cinawasiyanitsa ndi anthu ena? (Onani cithunzi pamwamba.)

² Kuciyambi kwa zaka za m’ma 1900 B.C.E., Yehova anali ndi anthu ake apadela padziko lapansi. Abulahamu, amene anali kuchedwa “tate wa onse . . . okhala ndi cikhulupililo,” anali mutu  wa banja lalikulu. (Aroma 4:11; Gen. 14:14) Mafumu acikanani anali kumuona kuti ndi “mtsogoleli woikidwa ndi Mulungu,” ndipo anali kum’lemekeza. (Gen. 21:22; 23:6) Conco, Yehova anacita pangano ndi Abulahamu ndi mbadwa zake. (Gen. 17:1, 2, 19) Ndiyeno, Mulungu anauza Abulahamu kuti: “Ili ndi pangano limene anthu inu muyenela kulisunga, la pakati pa ine ndi inu, ngakhalenso mbeu yobwela pambuyo pa inu. Mwamuna aliyense pakati pa inu azidulidwa . . . kuti ukhale cizindikilo ca pangano la pakati pa ine ndi inu.” (Gen. 17:10, 11) Malinga ndi pangano limeneli, Abulahamu ndi amuna onse a m’banja lake anadulidwa. (Gen. 17:24-27) Mdulidwe unali cizindikilo cimene cinali kusiyanitsa mbadwa za Abulahamu, anthu okha amene anali paubale wapadela ndi Yehova.

3. Kodi mbadwa za Abulahamu zinaculuka motani?

³ Mdzukulu wa Abulahamu Yakobo, kapena kuti Isiraeli, anali ndi ana 12. (Gen. 35:10, 22b-26) M’kupita kwa nthawi, ana amenewa anakhala atsogoleli a mafuko 12 a Isiraeli. (Mac. 7:8) Cifukwa ca njala, Yakobo ndi banja lake anapita kukakhala ku Iguputo. Yosefe, mmodzi wa ana ake, anali kumeneko ndipo anali woyang’anila cakudya, ndiponso munthu wodalilika kwa Farao. (Gen. 41:39-41; 42:6) Mbadwa za Yakobo zinaculuka kwambili ndi kukhala “mitundu yambili ya anthu.”—Gen. 48:4; ŵelengani Machitidwe 7:17.

4. Ndi ubwenzi wotani umene unalipo poyamba pakati pa Aiguputo ndi mbadwa za Yakobo?

⁴ Mbadwa za Yakobo zinakhala mu Iguputo zaka zoposa 200, m’cigawo cochedwa Goseni pafupi ndi mtsinje wa Nailo. (Gen. 45:9, 10) Kwa zaka pafupifupi 100, Aisiraeli anali kukhala mwamtendele ndi Aiguputo. Anali kukhala m’matauni aang’ono ndi kuŵeta nkhosa zao. Ndipo Farao anawalandila ndi manja aŵili, cifukwa anali kum’dziŵa bwino Yosefe ndi kum’konda. (Gen. 47:1-6) Komabe, Aiguputo anali kuona anthu amene anali kuŵeta nkhosa kukhala osanunkha kanthu. (Gen. 46:31-34) Ngakhale n’conco, io analola Aisiraeli kukhala m’dzikolo.

5, 6. (a) Kodi zinthu zinasintha motani kwa anthu a Mulungu mu Iguputo? (b) Nanga Mose anapulumuka bwanji ali mwana? Ndipo Yehova anacitanji kwa anthu ake?

⁵ Komabe zinthu zinali kudzasintha mwadzidzidzi. Baibulo limati: “Patapita nthawi, mfumu ina yomwe sinam’dziŵe Yosefe inayamba kulamulila mu Iguputo. Mfumuyo inauza anthu ake kuti: ‘Taonani! Ana a Isiraeli aculuka kwambili ndipo ndi amphamvu kuposa ife.’ Cotelo, Aiguputo anagwilitsa ana a Isiraeli nchito yaukapolo mwankhanza. Iwo anasautsa moyo wa Aisiraeliwo powagwilitsa nchito yoŵaŵa yaukapolo, yomwe inali yoponda matope ndi kuumba njerwa. Anawagwilitsa nchito yaukapolo wa mtundu uliwonse m’munda, ndi ukapolo wa mtundu uliwonse umene anatha kuwagwilitsa nchito mwankhanza.”—Eks. 1:8, 9, 13, 14.

⁶ Ndiponso Farao analamula kuti ana onse aamuna Aciheberi ayenela kuphedwa akangobadwa. (Eks. 1:15, 16) Imeneyo inali nthawi imene Mose anabadwa. Iye atakwanitsa miyezi itatu, amai ake anam’bisa pakati pa mabango a mumtsinje wa Nailo, mmene mwana wamkazi wa Farao anam’peza. Ndiyeno, iye anam’tenga kukhala mwana wake. Pamene Mose anali mwana, analeledwa ndi amai ake a Yokobedi, ndipo anakhala mtumiki wokhulupilika wa Yehova. (Eks. 2:1-10; Aheb. 11:23-25) Yehova “anayang’ana” kuvutika kwa anthu ake, ndipo kupyolela mwa Mose anakonza zowaombola kwa amene anali kuwapondeleza. (Eks. 2:24, 25; 3:9, 10) Conco, io anakhala anthu ‘oomboledwa’ ndi Yehova.—Eks. 15:13; ŵelengani Deuteronomo 15:15.

7, 8. Kodi anthu a Yehova anakhala motani mtundu woyela?

⁷ Yehova anali kuona Aisiraeli monga anthu ake, ngakhale asanawakhazikitse kukhala mtundu. Conco, iye anauza Mose ndi Aroni kupita kwa Farao kukamuuza kuti: “Yehova Mulungu wa Isiraeli wanena kuti, ‘Lolani anthu anga apite m’cipululu kuti akacite cikondwelelo.’”—Eks. 5:1.

⁸ Koma Farao sanalole Aisiraeli kuti apite. Kuti Yehova apulumutse anthu ake, anabweletsa milili 10 pa Iguputo. Pambuyo pake, anaononga Farao ndi gulu lake la nkhondo pa Nyanja Yofiila. (Eks. 15:1-4) Ndiyeno, pambuyo pa miyezi pafupifupi itatu, Yehova anacita pangano ndi Aisiraeli pa Phili la Sinai. Iye anawalonjeza kuti: “Ngati mudzalabadiladi mau anga ndi kusunga pangano langa, pamenepo mudzakhaladi cuma canga capadela pakati pa anthu ena onse, . . . ndi mtundu wanga woyela.”—Eks. 19:5, 6.

9, 10. (a) Malinga ndi Deuteronomo 4:5-8, kodi Cilamulo cinasiyanitsa bwanji Aisiraeli ndi anthu ena? (b) Nanga Aisiraeli akanaonetsa bwanji kuti anali “anthu oyela kwa Yehova”?

⁹ Kwa zaka zambili, atumiki a Yehova anali kutsogoleledwa ndi mitu ya mabanja, imene inali kutumikila monga mafumu, oweluza, ndi ansembe. Aisiraeli anali kutsatila dongosolo limeneli ku Iguputo asanakhale akapolo. (Gen. 8:20; 18:19; Yobu 1:4, 5) Komabe, Yehova kupyolela mwa Mose, anapatsa Aisiraeli malamulo amene anali kuwasiyanitsa ndi mitundu ina. (Ŵelengani Deuteronomo 4:5-8; Sal. 147:19, 20) Malinga ndi Cilamulo, anthu ena anaikidwa kukhala ansembe. Ndipo “akulu,” amene anali kulemekezedwa cifukwa ca nzelu zao, anaikidwa kukhala oweluza. (Deut. 25:7, 8) Cilamulo cinali kutsogolela mtundu watsopano umenewu pankhani ya kulambila ndi pa zocita zao.

¹⁰ Aisiraeli atatsala pang’ono kuloŵa m’Dziko Lolonjezedwa, Yehova anawauzanso malamulo ake. Mose anati: “Lelo Yehova wakucititsani kunena kuti mudzakhala anthu ake, cuma capadela, monga mmene anakulonjezelani, ndiponso kuti mudzasunga malamulo ake onse, ndi kuti adzakukwezani pamwamba pa mitundu ina yonse imene anapanga. Zimenezi zidzakudzetselani citamando, mbili yabwino ndi kukongola, mukapitiliza kukhala anthu oyela kwa Yehova Mulungu wanu.”—Deut. 26:18, 19.

11-13. (a) Ndani anagwilizana ndi anthu osankhidwa a Mulungu? (b) Nanga anthu amene sanali Aisiraeli anafunika kucita ciani kuti alambile Yehova?

¹¹ Ngakhale kuti Yehova anali ndi mtundu wosankhidwa padziko lapansi, iye sanaletse anthu amene sanali Aisiraeli kukhala pakati pa anthu ake. Iye analola “khamu la anthu a mitundu yosiyanasiyana” amene sanali Aisiraeli, kuphatikizapo Aiguputo, kutsatila anthu ake pamene anawatulutsa mu Iguputo. (Eks. 12:38) Pamene mlili wa 7 unacitika, ena “pakati pa atumiki a Farao,” anaopa mau a Yehova, ndipo anapitila pamodzi ndi mitundu yosiyanasiyana imene inatuluka mu Iguputo ndi Aisiraeli.—Eks. 9:20.

¹² Aisiraeli asanaoloke mtsinje wa Yorodano ndi kuloŵa m’dziko la Kanani, Mose anawauza kuti ‘azikonda mlendo’ wokhala pakati pao. (Deut. 10:17-19) Anthu osankhidwa a Mulungu anayenela kulandila mlendo aliyense mumzinda wao, amene anali wofunitsitsa kumvela malamulo opelekedwa ndi Mose. (Lev. 24:22) Anthu ena amene anali amitundu ina anakhala alambili a Yehova. Iwo anadzimva monga mmene anamvelela Rute, mkazi wacimowabu, amene anauza Naomi, mkazi waciisiraeli, kuti: “Anthu a mtundu wanu adzakhala anthu a  mtundu wanga, ndipo Mulungu wanu adzakhala Mulungu wanga.” (Rute 1:16) Anthu a mitundu ina amenewa anatembenuka, ndipo mwamuna aliyense anadulidwa. (Eks. 12:48, 49) Conco, Yehova anawalola kukhala nzika za mzinda wa anthu ake osankhidwa.—Num. 15:14, 15.

¹³ Pemphelo lina la Solomo linaonetsa kuti Yehova anayanja anthu amene sanali Aisiraeli. Pamene kacisi anali kupelekedwa, Solomo anapemphela kuti: “Mlendo amene sali mmodzi wa anthu anu Aisiraeli, amene wabwela kucokela kudziko lakutali cifukwa ca dzina lanu lalikulu, ndi dzanja lanu lamphamvu ndi mkono wanu wotambasuka, ndipo io abwela n’kupemphela atayang’ana nyumba ino, inuyo mumve muli kumwamba, malo anu okhala okhazikika, ndipo mucite mogwilizana ndi zonse zimene mlendoyo wakupemphani. Mutelo n’colinga coti anthu a mitundu yonse ya padziko lapansi adziŵe dzina lanu, kuti akuopeni mofanana ndi mmene anthu anu Aisiraeli amacitila, ndiponso kuti adziŵe kuti dzina lanu lili panyumba imene ndamangayi.” (2 Mbiri 6:32, 33) Mofananamo, m’nthawi ya Yesu anthu osakhala Aisiraeli koma amene anali kufuna kulambila Yehova, anafunika kugwilizana ndi anthu a Mulungu.—Yoh. 12:20; Mac. 8:27

14-16. (a) Kodi Aisiraeli anakhala motani mtundu wa mboni za Yehova? (b) Nanga anthu a Yehova masiku ano ali ndi udindo wotani?

¹⁴ Aisiraeli anali kulambila Mulungu wao, Yehova, koma anthu a mitundu ina anali kulambila milungu yao. M’nthawi ya mneneli Yesaya, Yehova anayelekezela zocitika za padziko lapansi ndi mlandu m’khoti. Anauza milungu ya anthu a mitundu ina kuti ionetse umboni wakuti iyo ndi milungu yoona. Iye anati: “Mitundu yonse isonkhanitsidwe pamalo amodzi, ndipo mitundu ya anthu ikhale pamodzi. Ndani [wa milungu yao] pakati pao amene anganene zimenezi? Kapena ndani amene angatiuze zinthu zimene zidzayambilile kucitika? Abweletse mboni zao kuti akhale olungama ndipo mbonizo zimve ndi kunena kuti, ‘Zimenezo ndi zoona!’”—Yes. 43:9.

¹⁵ Milungu ya anthu a mitundu ina inalephela kupeleka umboni woonetsa kuti ndi yoona. Iyo inali cabe mafano osalankhula,  ndipo inafunika kunyamulidwa kupita kulikonse. (Yes. 46:5-7) Mosiyana ndi milungu imeneyo, Yehova anauza anthu ake Aisiraeli kuti: “Inu ndinu mboni zanga, . . . Ndinu mtumiki wanga amene ndakusankhani kuti mundidziŵe ndi kundikhulupilila, komanso kuti mumvetse kuti ine sindinasinthe. Ine ndisanakhaleko kunalibe Mulungu amene anapangidwa, ndipo pambuyo panga palibenso wina. Ine ndine Yehova. Popanda ine palibenso mpulumutsi wina. . . . Conco inuyo ndinu mboni zanga, ndipo ine ndine Mulungu.”—Yes. 43:10-12.

¹⁶ Mofanana ndi mboni zimene zimapeleka umboni m’khoti, anthu a Yehova anali ndi udindo wopeleka umboni wakuti Yehova ndi Mulungu yekha woona. Iye anawacha kuti “anthu amene ndinawapanga kuti akhale anga, anene za ulemelelo wanga.” (Yes. 43:21) Iwo anachedwa Mboni za Yehova. Popeza Yehova anatulutsa Aisiraeli mu Iguputo, io anali ndi udindo waukulu wocitila umboni za ulamulilo wake kwa anthu onse padziko lapansi. Mwa kucita zimenezo, io anaonetsa zimene anthu a Mulungu anali kudzacita mtsogolo monga mmene mneneli Mika anakambila kuti: “Mtundu uliwonse wa anthu udzayenda m’dzina la mulungu wake. Koma ife tidzayenda m’dzina la Yehova Mulungu wathu mpaka kalekale, inde mpaka muyaya.”—Mika 4:5.

17. Aisiraeli anakhala bwanji ‘mtengo wa mpesa wacilendo’ kwa Yehova?

¹⁷ N’zomvetsa cisoni kuti Aisiraeli anapandukila Mulungu wao, Yehova. Iwo analola kusonkhezeledwa ndi mitundu imene inali kulambila milungu yopangidwa ndi mitengo ndi miyala. M’zaka za m’ma 700 B.C.E., mneneli Hoseya analemba kuti: “Isiraeli ndi mtengo wa mpesa umene ukuonongeka . . . waculukitsa maguwa ansembe . . . Mtima wao wakhala wacinyengo. Tsopano io adzapezeka ndi mlandu.” (Hos. 10:1, 2) Pambuyo pa zaka pafupifupi 150, Yeremiya anapeleka uthenga wa Yehova kwa anthu a Mulungu osakhulupilika. Iye anati: “Ine ndinakubzala ngati mtengo wa mpesa wofiila, wabwino kwambili. Mtengo wonsewo unali mbeu yeniyeni yabwino. Ndiye wandisinthila bwanji kukhala mphukila yacabecabe ya mtengo wa mpesa wacilendo? Kodi milungu yako imene wadzipangila ili kuti? Imeneyo ibwele kwa iwe ngati ingathe kukupulumutsa pa nthawi ya tsoka . . . Anthu anga andiiŵala.”—Yer. 2:21, 28, 32.

18, 19. (a) Yehova anakambilatu ciani ponena za mtundu watsopano? (b) Nanga m’nkhani yotsatila tidzakambilana ciani?

¹⁸ Aisiraeli anabala zipatso zoola cifukwa analeka kulambila Yehova moyenelela. Iwo sanapitilize kukhala mboni zake, m’malo mwake anayamba kulambila mafano. Conco, Yesu anauza atsogoleli aciyuda acinyengo a m’nthawi yake kuti: “Ufumu wa Mulungu udzacotsedwa kwa inu n’kupelekedwa kwa mtundu wobala zipatso zake.” (Mat. 21:43) Anthu okha amene ali “m’pangano latsopano,” malinga ndi zimene Yehova anakambilatu kupyolela mwa mneneli wake Yeremiya, ndiwo amapanga mtundu watsopano, umene ndi Isiraeli wa kuuzimu. Ponena za Isiraeli wa kuuzimu, amene anali kudzakhala m’pangano latsopano, Yehova analosela kuti: “Ine ndidzakhala Mulungu wao ndipo io adzakhala anthu anga.”—Yer. 31:31-33.

¹⁹ Pambuyo pakuti Aisiraeli akuthupi apanduka, Yehova sanafune kuti akhale wopanda anthu omuimila padziko lapansi. Motelo, m’nthawi ya atumwi, iye anasankha Isiraeli wa kuuzimu kukhala anthu ake. Koma ndani amene ali anthu ake padziko lapansi masiku ano? Nanga anthu oona mtima angawadziŵe bwanji alambili oona a Mulungu? M’nkhani yotsatila, tidzakambilana zimenezi.