1. Yini labanye bantfu labayicabangako endzabeni yekutsi Nkulunkulu unebantfu bakhe emhlabeni?

LAMUHLA, bantfu labanyenti labahlakaniphile bayavuma kutsi tinkholo letivamile tebuKhristu naletingasito tebuKhristu tenta lokuncane kakhulu ekusiteni bantfu. Labanye bayavuma kutsi tinkholo letinjalo atimmeleli kahle Nkulunkulu ngetimfundziso tato nangekutiphatsa kwato, ngaleso sizatfu atemukeleki kuye. Nobe kunjalo, bakholelwa kutsi kuto tonkhe tinkholo bakhona bantfu labacotfo futsi Nkulunkulu uyababona aphindze abemukele njengetikhonti takhe tasemhlabeni. Abasiboni sidzingo sekutsi labo bantfu bashiye inkholo yemanga kute bakhonte Nkulunkulu nebantfu bakhe labakhetsiwe. Kodvwa indlela labacabanga ngayo iyafanana yini neyaNkulunkulu? Ase sitfole imphendvulo ngekutsi sihlole umlandvo losemiBhalweni wetikhonti taJehova teliciniso.

2. Bobani lababa bantfu baJehova labakhetsiwe, futsi yini lebeyibenta behluke kulabanye? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

² Ngelikhulu lesi-20 B.C.E., Jehova besekavele anebantfu labakhetsile  emhlabeni. Abrahama, lobitwa ngekutsi “nguyise wabo bonkhe lababa nekukholwa,” abeyinhloko yemndeni lobewakhiwa ngemakhulu ebantfu. (Rom. 4:11; Gen. 14:14) Baholi baseKhenani bebamtsatsa ‘njengesikhulu lesinemandla’ futsi bebamhlonipha. (Gen. 21:22; 23:6) Jehova wenta sivumelwane na-Abrahama kanye nesitukulwane sakhe. (Gen. 17:1, 2, 19) Nkulunkulu watsi ku-Abrahama: “Naku-ke kwekugcina sivumelwane sami lekufanele ukwente wena kanye nentalo yakho emvakwakho: Bonkhe labadvuna niyawubasoka. . . . Loko kuyawuba luphawu lwesivumelwane sami nani.” (Gen. 17:10, 11) Ngako, Abrahama nabo bonkhe labadvuna emndenini wakhe basoka. (Gen. 17:24-27) Kusoka bekuluphawu lobelwenta titukulwane ta-Abrahama tehluke njengekuphela kwebantfu labebente sivumelwane naJehova.

3. Kwenteka njani kutsi titukulwane ta-Abrahama tibe tive?

³ Umtukulu wa-Abrahama lokutsiwa nguJakobe nobe Israyeli, abenemadvodzana langu-12. (Gen. 35:10, 22b-26) Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, lamadvodzana abetawuba tinhloko tetive letingu-12 taka-Israyeli. (Imis. 7:8) Ngenca yendlala, Jakobe nemndeni wakhe bahamba bayewukhosela eGibhithe, lapho Josefa, longulenye yemadvodzana aJakobe, abesangumphatsi wekudla nendvuna yaFaro. (Gen. 41:39-41; 42:6) Titukulwane taJakobe tandza kakhulu, taba “tive letinyenti.”—Gen. 48:4; fundza Imisebenti 7:17.

4. Ekucaleni, bebunjani buhlobo emkhatsini webantfu baseGibhithe netitukulwane taJakobe?

⁴ Titukulwane taJakobe tahlala eGibhithe iminyaka lengetudlwana nje kwemakhulu lamabili, esifundzeni lesingasemfuleni iNayili lesibitwa ngekutsi yiGosheni. (Gen. 45:9, 10) Kubonakala shengatsi cishe encenyeni letsite yesikhatsi labasicitsa lapho, bebaphilisana ngekuthula nebantfu baseGibhithe, bahlala emadolobhaneni futsi belusa imihlambi yabo. Faro, lobekati Josefa futsi amtsandza, bekabemukele kahle. (Gen. 47:1-6) Kodvwa bantfu baseGibhithe bebababukela phansi bantfu labebelusa timvu. (Gen. 46:31-34) Nobe kunjalo, kwadzingeka kutsi bakubeketelele kuba khona kwema-Israyeli.

5, 6. (a) Simo sebantfu baNkulunkulu sashintja njani eGibhithe? (b) Mosi wasindziswa njani, futsi yini Jehova layentela bonkhe bantfu baKhe?

⁵ Kodvwa simo sebantfu baNkulunkulu besitawushintja ngendlela lemangalisako. “Kwase kubekwa inkhosi lensha eGibhithe, leyayingati lutfo ngaJosefa. Yacaphelisa bantfu bayo, yatsi: ‘Bukani la, lama-Israyeli asandza kakhulu lapha eveni letfu, kantsi futsi anemandla kakhulu kunatsi, asayingoti kitsi.’ Ngako-ke emaGibhithe asebentisa sive sema-Israyeli ngesihluku; imphilo yawo ayenta yababa ngekuwagcilata kamatima: awabhucisa ludzaka, awafolomisa netitini, awentisa yonkhe inhlobo yemisebenti yasemasimini. Kuko konkhe labekwenta emaGibhithe asebentisa ema-Israyeli kamatima.”—Eks. 1:8, 9, 13, 14.

⁶ Faro wakhipha nemyalo wekutsi tonkhe tinswane temaHebheru letibafana bekufanele tibulawe natitalwa. (Eks. 1:15, 16) Mosi watalwa ngaleso sikhatsi. Nakanetinyanga letintsatfu budzala, make wakhe wamfihla emhlangeni losemfuleni iNayili, lapho atfolwa khona yindvodzakati yaFaro. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi yamtsatsa yamenta umntfwana wayo. Lokuhle kutsi ngesikhatsi Mosi asemncane, wakhuliswa ngumake wakhe lowetsembekile, lokutsiwa nguJokhebedi, futsi Mosi waba yinceku yaJehova letsembekile. (Eks. 2:1-10; Heb. 11:23-25) Jehova ‘wakunaka’ kuhlupheka kwebantfu bakhe futsi wancuma kutsi abakhulule kulabo labebabacindzetela, asebentisa Mosi. (Eks. 2:24, 25; 3:9, 10) Ngaleyo ndlela,  bebatawuba bantfu ‘labasindziswe’ nguJehova.—Eks. 15:13; fundza Dutheronomi 15:15.

7, 8. Bantfu baJehova baba njani sive lesingcwele?

⁷ Nanobe Jehova abesengakawahleli ema-Israyeli kutsi abe sive, kodvwa abewatsatsa njengebantfu bakhe. Ngako boMosi na-Aroni bayalwa kutsi bakhulume naFaro batsi: “Simakadze longuNkulunkulu wema-Israyeli utsi: ‘Khulula sive sami sihambe, siyewungentela sibhimbi sekungidvumisa ehlane.’”—Eks. 5:1.

⁸ Ngemuva kwetishayo letilishumi nekubhujiswa kwaFaro nemabutfo akhe eLwandle Lolubovu, bantfwana baka-Israyeli bakhululwa ebugcilini baseGibhithe. (Eks. 15:1-4) Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesingephansi kwetinyanga letintsatfu, Jehova wenta sivumelwane nema-Israyeli eNtsabeni iSinayi futsi wawaniketa nasi setsembiso lesibalulekile: “Ngako-ke naniyawulilalela livi lami nigcine nesivumelwane sami, niyawuba ligugu lami emkhatsini wato tonkhe tive, . . . nibe sive lesingcwele.”—Eks. 19:5, 6.

9, 10. (a) Ngekusho kwaDutheronomi 4:5-8, uMtsetfo wabangela njani kutsi ema-Israyeli ehluke kuletinye tive? (b) Ema-Israyeli abetawukhombisa njani kutsi ‘asive lesingcwele kuJehova’?

⁹ Ngesikhatsi emaHebheru aseseGibhithe futsi asengakentiwa tigcili, abehlelwe aba ngemacembu lehlukahlukene laholwa tinhloko temindeni. Letinhloko temindeni betiba baholi, behluleli nebaphristi bemindeni yato, njengobe bekunjalo ngetinceku taJehova lebetiphila ngaphambi kwato. (Gen. 8:20; 18:19; Jobe 1:4, 5) Nobe kunjalo, asebentisa Mosi, Jehova wanika ema-Israyeli umtsetfo lobewutawenta kutsi ehluke etiveni tonkhe. (Fundza Dutheronomi 4:5-8; Hla. 147:19, 20) Ngaphansi kweMtsetfo bekunelilungiselelo lekutsi kube khona baphristi, futsi tehlulelo betikhishwa ‘baholi,’ lebebahlonishwa ngenca yelwati nekuhlakanipha lebebanako. (Dut. 25:7, 8) UMtsetfo bewucondzisa tindzaba tenkholo netekutijabulisa talesive lesisha.

¹⁰ Ngaphambi nje kwekutsi ema-Israyeli angene eVeni Lesetsembiso, Jehova waphindze wawatjela imitsetfo yakhe, futsi Mosi watsi kuwo: “Lamuhla naSimakadze sewetsembisile kutsi nisive sakhe, niligugu lakhe latitsengele lona njengobe etsembisa, nekutsi niyawugcina yonkhe imiyalo yakhe. Wetsembisile kutsi uyakunenta nidvunyiswe, nidvume, nihlonishwe ngetulu kwato tonkhe tive latentile Nkulunkulu wenu, [njengobe nitibonakalisa nisive lesingcwele kuJehova Nkulunkulu wenu, NW].”—Dut. 26:18, 19.

11-13. (a) Bobani labatihlanganisa nebantfu baNkulunkulu labakhetsiwe? (b) Umuntfu longasiye umIsrayeli bekufanele enteni nangabe afuna kukhonta Jehova?

¹¹ Nanobe Jehova besekanesive lesikhetsiwe emhlabeni, akazange abavimbele bantfu labangasiwo ema-Israyeli kutsi batihlanganise nebantfu bakhe. Wavumela ‘inhlanganisela lenkhulu’ yebantfu labangasiwo ema-Israyeli, lokufaka ekhatsi bantfu baseGibhithe, kutsi ihambe kanye nebantfu bakhe ngesikhatsi abakhulula eGibhithe. (Eks. 12:38) Ngesikhatsi bahlaselwa sishayo sesikhombisa, labanye emkhatsini ‘wetiphatsimandla taFaro’ bawesaba emavi aJehova futsi akungabateki kutsi baba yincenye yebantfu labaphuma eGibhithe kanye nema-Israyeli.—Eks. 9:20.

¹² Ngaphambi nje kwekutsi ema-Israyeli ewele iJordane kute atsatse live laseKhenani, Mosi wawatjela kutsi ‘kufanele atsandze labo labatihambi’ labasemkhatsini wabo. (Dut. 10:17-19) Bantfu baNkulunkulu labakhetsiwe bekufanele bemukele tonkhe tihambi lebetitimisele kulalela imitsetfo lebebayitfola ngaMosi. (Lev. 24:22) Letinye tihambi taba tikhonti taJehova, tativa  njengaRuthe umMowabi, lowakhuluma naNawomi umIsrayeli watsi: “Sive sakini, kuyawuba sive sami; naNkulunkulu wakho kube nguNkulunkulu wami.” (Rut. 1:16) Letihambi tagucukela enkholweni yebuJuda, futsi labadvuna basokwa. (Eks. 12:48, 49) Jehova wabemukela njengemalunga esive sakhe lesikhetsiwe.—Num. 15:14, 15.

¹³ Ngesikhatsi lithempeli laSolomoni linikelwa kuJehova, tikhonti letingasiwo ema-Israyeli nato tacatjangelwa, njengobe kubonakala emthantazweni waSolomoni lotsi: “Macondzana newetive longasiye lomunye wesive sakho, ema-Israyeli, kodvwa lochamuka eveni lelikhashane ngenca yeLibito lakho lelikhulu, nangesandla sakho lesinemandla nengalo yakho leyelulekile, naketa-ke lowo wetive atewuthandaza abheke kulelithempeli, ubobe sewuyeva usezulwini, indzawo yakho yekuhlala, wente konkhe loko wetive lakucelako kuwe. Loko kuyakwenta kutsi tonkhe tive temhlaba tilati Libito lakho tikwesabe, njengobe kwenta sive sakho, ema-Israyeli, tati nekutsi lendlu lengiyakhile ibitwa ngeLibito lakho.” (2 Khr. 6:32, 33) Njengobe bekusolo kunjalo ngesikhatsi saJesu, nobe ngumuphi umuntfu longasiye umIsrayeli lobekafuna kukhonta Jehova bekufanele atihlanganise nebantfu baKhe lenta nabo sivumelwane.—Joh. 12:20; Imis. 8:27.

14-16. (a) Ema-Israyeli abetawuba sive lesibofakazi baJehova ngayiphi indlela? (b) Yini bantfu baJehova basesikhatsini salamuhla lokufanele bayente?

¹⁴ Ema-Israyeli abekhonta Nkulunkulu wawo, Jehova, kantsi letinye tive betikhonta bonkulunkulu bato. Ngesikhatsi semphrofethi Isaya, Jehova wafananisa lesimo lebesisemhlabeni nelicala lelitekwa enkantolo. Wabekela labonkulunkulu betive insayeya kutsi bavete bufakazi lobukhombisa emandla abo, watsi: “Tonkhe tive tibutsana ndzawonye, nebantfu bonkhe bayahlangana. Ngusiphi emkhatsini wetithico tabo lesake sakukhuluma kucala loku kungakenteki, samemetela kitsi tintfo takadzeni? Abaletse bofakazi babo, batewusikhombisa kahle kutsi bebasho kona, khona labanye batewuva batsi: ‘Kuliciniso.’”—Isa. 43:9.

¹⁵ Bonkulunkulu betive behluleka  kuletsa bufakazi bemandla abo. Bebamane nje batithico letingakhulumi naletingakwati nekuhamba. (Isa. 46:5-7) Ngalokwehlukile, Jehova watjela bantfu bakhe ema-Israyeli watsi: “Nibofakazi bami, . . . nenceku yami lengiyikhetsile, kuze nitewukwati nikholwe kimi, nicondze nekutsi mine Nginguye. Ngaphambi kwami kute nkulunkulu lowake wabunjwa, futsi kute loyawubuye abe khona emvakwami. Mine, nginguye Simakadze, ngaphandle kwami kute umsindzisi. . . . Nine nibofakazi bami, . . . mine nginguNkulunkulu.”—Isa. 43:10-12.

¹⁶ Emphikiswaneni lenkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe lemayelana nekutsi “Ngubani Nkulunkulu Lophakeme?,” bantfu baJehova labakhetsiwe bekufanele bakhombise ngendlela levakalako nalecacile kutsi Jehova ukuphela kwaNkulunkulu weliciniso. Wababita ngekutsi “sive lengatibumbela sona, kuze sitewumemetela ludvumo lwami.” (Isa. 43:21) Bebasive lebesibitwa ngelibito lakhe. Njengobe bakhululwa nguJehova eGibhithe, bekufanele basekele bukhosi bakhe emkhatsini wabo bonkhe bantfu emhlabeni. Ecinisweni, simo sabo sengcondvo bekufanele sifane naleso umphrofethi Mikha latsi bantfu baNkulunkulu basesikhatsini salamuhla kufanele babenaso. Watsi: “Tonkhe tive tikhonta tihloniphe bonkulunkulu bato, kodvwa tsine siyawukhonta Simakadze Nkulunkulu wetfu phakadze naphakadze.”—Mik. 4:5.

17. Ngembono waJehova, ema-Israyeli aba njani “ngumvini lokhohlakele longewesiganga”?

¹⁷ Ngalokudzabukisako, ema-Israyeli akazange etsembeke kuNkulunkulu wawo, Jehova. Avuma konakaliswa tive lebetikhonta bonkulunkulu labentiwe ngetingodvo nematje. Ngelikhulu lesiphohlongo leminyaka B.C.E., umphrofethi Hoseya wabhala watsi: “Israyeli abengumvini lowenabako . . . Wakha emalati lamanye . . . Inhlitiyo yabo iyakhohlisana, manje sekufanele baletfwale licala labo.” (Hos. 10:1, 2) Ngemuva kweminyaka lecishe ibe ngetulu kwalelikhulu, Jeremiya wabhala emavi aJehova lamayelana nebantfu bakhe labangaketsembeki watsi: ‘Bengikuhlanyele njengemvini welikhetselo, weluhlobo lolucinile nalolwetsembekile. Pho, ungigucukele kanjani lokutsi bese uba ngumvini lokhohlakele longewesiganga? Baphi kantsi labonkulunkulu benu lenatentela bona? Abete phela, nangabe banganisindzisa nanisekuhluphekeni! . . . Sive sami singikhohliwe.’—Jer. 2:21, 28, 32.

18, 19. (a) Jehova wabiketela njani kutsi utawuba nesive lesisha lesitawubitwa ngelibito lakhe? (b) Yini lesitawucoca ngayo esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

¹⁸ Esikhundleni sekutsi avete titselo letinhle ngekutsi akhonte ngendlela lehlantekile aphindze abe bofakazi baJehova labetsembekile, ema-Israyeli aveta titselo letimbi ngekutsi akhonte titfombe. Ngako Jesu watjela baholi bemaJuda labatentisako bangesikhatsi sakhe watsi: “UMbuso waNkulunkulu utawutsatfwa kini unikwe sive lesitsela titselo tawo.” (Mat. 21:43) Jehova abeshito ngemphrofethi Jeremiya kutsi ngulabo labangephansi ‘kwesivumelwane lesisha’ kuphela labebatawakha sive lesisha, lokungu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu. Mayelana na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu labetawuba ngaphansi kwesivumelwane lesisha, Jehova waphrofetha watsi: “Ngiyawuba nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe bantfu bami.”—Jer. 31:31-33.

¹⁹ Ngemuva kwekutsi ema-Israyeli asahlubukile, Jehova wenta Israyeli waNkulunkulu waba sive sakhe ngelikhulu lekucala leminyaka, njengobe sekuvetiwe. Kodvwa bobani bantfu bakhe emhlabeni lamuhla? Bantfu labanetinhlitiyo leticotfo bangatibona njani tikhonti taNkulunkulu teliciniso? Loku kutawucocwa ngako esihlokweni lesilandzelako.