1. Emavi aJehova ehluke njani kulawo lashiwo bantfu labanesono?

JEHOVA “unguNkulunkulu lowetsembekile.” (Hla. 31:5) Angeke ubetsembe ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi bantfu labanesono, kantsi “Nkulunkulu akasiye umuntfu kutsi angacala emanga.” (Heb. 6:18; fundza Numeri 23:19.) Injongo yakhe ngebantfu ihlale igcwaliseka. Sibonelo saloku kutsi konkhe latsi utakwenta ngesikhatsi adala tonkhe tintfo, ‘kwaba njalo.’ Ngako-ke, ngasekupheleni kwelilanga lesitfupha lekudala, “Nkulunkulu wakubona konkhe labesakwentile, kutsi kuhle kakhulu.”—Gen. 1:6, 7, 30, 31.

2. Liyini lilanga laNkulunkulu lekuphumula, futsi yini leyamenta “walingcwelisa”?

² Ngemuva kwekuhlola konkhe lakudalile, Nkulunkulu Jehova wamemetela kucala kwelilanga lesikhombisa—hhayi lilanga lelingema-awa langu-24, kodvwa sikhatsi lesidze laphumula ngaso ngemuva kwekudala konkhe lokusemhlabeni. (Gen. 2:2) Lilanga laNkulunkulu lekuphumula lisengakapheli. (Heb. 4:9, 10) LiBhayibheli alisitjeli ngalokucondze ngco kutsi lacala nini. Kungenteka kutsi lacala ngemuva kwekudala Eva, umfati wa-Adamu, eminyakeni lecishe ibe ngu-6 000 leyendlulile. Madvutane, kutawucala kuBusa kwaJesu Khristu kweMinyaka Leyinkhulungwane, lokutawucinisekisa kugcwaliseka kwenjongo yaNkulunkulu yekwenta umhlaba ube lipharadisi laphakadze, lokutawuhlala kulo bantfu labete sono. (Gen. 1:27, 28; Semb. 20:6) Nawe ungaciniseka ngekutsi utawuba nelikusasa lelijabulisako lelifanana naleli! Ngobe “Nkulunkulu walibusisa lilanga lesikhombisa, walingcwelisa.” Lesi bekusicinisekiso sekutsi ngisho nobe kungavela tinkinga letingakalindzelwa, injongo yaNkulunkulu beyitawufezeka nasekuphele sikhatsi sakhe sekuphumula.—Gen. 2:3.

3. (a) Ngemuva kwekucala kwelilanga laNkulunkulu lekuphumula, ngukuphi kuhlubuka lokwenteka? (b) Jehova wativeta njani tihloso takhe tekubhubhisa lesihlubuki?

 ³ Ngemuva kwekucala kwelilanga laNkulunkulu lekuphumula, kwavela tentakalo letibuhlungu. Sathane, labeyingilosi yaNkulunkulu, watenta sitsa saKhe. Wakhuluma emanga ekucala, waphindze wakhohlisa Eva kute angamlaleli Jehova. (1 Thim. 2:14) Ngemuva kwaloko, Eva wakhona kwenta indvodza yakhe kutsi nayo ingamlaleli Nkulunkulu. (Gen. 3:1-6) Ngisho nangaleso sikhatsi sekucala kwemlandvo webantfu, kwetsembeka kwaNkulunkulu kwasolwa, kodvwa Jehova akazange asibone sizatfu sekwenta sifungo kute acinisekise kutsi injongo yakhe itawufezeka. Esikhundleni saloko, washo emavi labetawucondvwa ngesikhatsi sakhe. Wamane washo indlela lesihlubuki lesitawubhujiswa ngayo: “Ngitawubeka butsa emkhatsini wakho [Sathane] nemfati, nasemkhatsini wentalo yakho nentalo yemfati. Yona [leNtalo leyetsenjisiwe] iyawufihlita inhloko yakho, wena uyawuluma sitsendze sayo.”—Gen. 3:15; Semb. 12:9.

4, 5. Nguyiphi indlela yekukhuluma Abrahama labekahle ayisebentisa?

⁴ Ngaleto tikhatsi tekucala kwemlandvo webantfu, kufunga kute ufakazele kuba liciniso kwemavi, bekungasiyo indlela yekukhuluma Nkulunkulu labefuna kutsi bo-Adamu na-Eva bayisebentise. Tidalwa letite sono letitsandza Nkulunkulu futsi letimlingisako, atidzingi kwenta sifungo; tihlale tikhuluma liciniso futsi tiyetsembana. Kodvwa tintfo tashintja ngesikhatsi bo-Adamu na-Eva bona. Kucala emanga nekukhohlisa sekutintfo letivamile kubantfu, ngako sekudzingeka bafunge kute bafakazele kutsi loko labakushoko kuliciniso.

⁵ Kufunga bekuyindlela yekukhuluma Abrahama layisebentisa kahle tikhatsi leticishe tibe tintsatfu. (Gen. 21:22-24; 24:2-4, 9) Sibonelo saloko sisibona kulokwenteka ngesikhatsi abuya kuyewuncoba inkhosi yase-Elamu nemakhosi labeyisekela. Emakhosi aseSalema newaseSodoma aphuma kute ayewuhlangabeta Abrahama. Melkhisedeki, inkhosi yaseSalema, labephindze abe ‘ngumphristi waNkulunkulu Losetikwako Konkhe,’ wabusisa Abrahama waphindze wadvumisa Nkulunkulu ngekusita Abrahama kutsi ancobe titsa takhe. (Gen. 14:17-20) Ngesikhatsi inkhosi yaseSodoma ifuna kupha Abrahama tipho ngekusindzisa bantfu benkhosi kulelibutfo lelihlaselako, Abrahama wafunga watsi: “Ngiphakamisela sandla sami, ngifunga kuSimakadze Nkulunkulu Losetikwako Konkhe, uMdali welizulu nemhlaba, kutsi ngingeke ngitsatse ngisho nelucotfo nome umchilo weticatfulo nome yini lekuyakho. Angifuni kutsi bese utsi: ‘Abrama ngimcebisile.’”—Gen. 14:21-23.

6. (a) Ngusiphi sibonelo Abrahama lasibekela sona? (b) Singazuza njani ekulaleleni kwa-Abrahama?

⁶ Kute kuzuze bantfu labanesono, Nkulunkulu Jehova abefunga asebentise emagama lafanana nalatsi: “‘Ngifunga kuphila kwami,’ . . . kusho iNkhosi Simakadze.” (Hez. 17:16) LiBhayibheli lisitjela ngetikhatsi letingetulu kwaletingu-40 lapho Nkulunkulu Jehova afunga khona. Kungenteka kutsi sifungo lesatiwa kakhulu nguleso Nkulunkulu lasenta ku-Abrahama. Eminyakeni leminyenti leyendlulile, Jehova wenta tetsembiso tetivumelwane letinyenti ku-Abrahama, lebetikhombisa kutsi iNtalo letsenjisiwe beyitawuvela ku-Abrahama, ngendvodzana yakhe, Isaka. (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:5, 18; 21:12) Jehova wase uvivinya Abrahama ngekumtjela  kutsi anikele ngendvodzana yakhe layitsandzako. Ngekushesha, Abrahama walalela futsi ngesikhatsi asatawunikela nga-Isaka, ingilosi yaNkulunkulu yamvimba. Nkulunkulu wase wenta lesifungo: “Ngitifunga mine kutsi njengobe wente loku, wangete wayigodla indvodzana yakho yekuphela, ngiyakukubusisa impela, ngandzise titukulwane takho tibe ngangetinkhanyeti tesibhakabhaka nangangesihlabatsi selugu lwelwandle. Titukulwane takho tiyakwehlula emadolobha etitsa tato. Tive tonkhe temhlaba tiyawubusiswa ngetitukulwane takho, ngobe ulalele livi lami.”—Gen. 22:1-3, 9-12, 15-18.

7, 8. (a) Yini leyenta Nkulunkulu wafunga ku-Abrahama? (b) ‘Letinye timvu’ taJesu titawuzuza njani esetsembisweni saNkulunkulu?

⁷ Yini leyenta Nkulunkulu wafunga ku-Abrahama kutsi tetsembiso taKhe titawufezeka? Abefuna kucinisekisa labo labebatawuba tindlalifa naKhristu, labakha sigaba sesibili ‘sentalo’ aphindze acinise kukholwa kwabo. (Fundza Hebheru 6:13-18; Gal. 3:29) Njengobe umphostoli Pawula achaza, Jehova ‘wacinisa tetsembiso takhe ngekufunga. Nkulunkulu wasebentisa tintfo letimbili langeke agucuke kuto: setsembiso nesifungo [langeke acale emanga ngato]. Tsine-ke . . . kufanele sibe nekukhutsatela lokukhulu, siphutfume lelitsemba leselibekwe embikwetfu.’

⁸ EmaKhristu lagcotjiwe akusiwo kuphela lazuzako kulesifungo Nkulunkulu lasenta ku-Abrahama. ‘Ngentalo’ ya-Abrahama, Jehova wafunga kutsi bantfu ‘betive tonkhe temhlaba bayawubusiswa ngetitukulwane takho.’ (Gen. 22:18) Laba lababusisiwe bafaka ekhatsi ‘letinye timvu’ taKhristu letilalelako, letinelitsemba lekuphila phakadze emhlabeni lolipharadisi. (Joh. 10:16) Ngisho nobe unelitsemba lekuphila ezulwini nobe emhlabeni, bambelela kulo ngekuchubeka ulalela Nkulunkulu.—Fundza Hebheru 6:11, 12.

9. Ngusiphi sifungo lesentiwa nguNkulunkulu ngesikhatsi situkulwane sa-Abrahama sigcilatwa baseGibhithe?

⁹ Ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka, Jehova waphindze wafunga ngekugcwaliseka kwetetsembiso lesikhulume ngato ngenhla. Loko wakwenta ngesikhatsi atfuma Mosi kutsi ayokhuluma nesitukulwane sa-Abrahama lebesigcilatwa ngemaGibhithe. (Eks. 6:6-8) Akhuluma ngaleso sikhatsi, Nkulunkulu watsi: ‘Ngelilanga lengakhetsa ngalo ema-Israyeli, ngafunga ngiphakamise sandla, . . . kutsi ngiyawubakhipha eGibhithe, ngibayise eveni  lengilicingele bona, live leligcwele lubisi neluju lwetinyosi.’—Hez. 20:5, 6.

10. Yini Nkulunkulu layetsembisa ema-Israyeli ngemuva kwekuwakhulula eGibhithe?

¹⁰ Ngemuva kwekutsi ema-Israyeli akhululwe eGibhithe, Jehova waphindze wawetsembisa: “Naniyawulilalela livi lami nigcine nesivumelwane sami, niyawuba ligugu lami emkhatsini wato tonkhe tive; ngobe wonkhe umhlaba wami. Niyawuba ngumbuso webaphristi, nibe sive lesingcwele.” (Eks. 19:5, 6) Leli bekulilungelo lelikhulu Nkulunkulu labeletsembise ema-Israyeli! Lesifungo besisho kutsi nangabe ema-Israyeli alalela, bantfu besive sawo bebatawuba nelitsemba lekusetjentiswa nguNkulunkulu, babe ngumbuso webaphristi kute kubusiswe bonkhe bantfu. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Jehova wachaza loko lakwentela ema-Israyeli, watsi: “Ngakunika sifungo sami lesicinile, ngangena esivumelwaneni nawe.”—Hez. 16:8.

11. Ema-Israyeli aphendvula atsini nawatfola simemo sekwenta sivumelwane naNkulunkulu sekutsi abe bantfu bakhe labakhetsile?

¹¹ Ngaleso sikhatsi, Jehova akazange acindzetele ema-Israyeli kutsi ente sifungo sekutsi atamlalela; nobe awacindzetele kutsi abe nebuhlobo naye. Esikhundleni saloko, asho lamavi lalandzelako akhululekile: “Konkhe lokushiwo nguSimakadze siyawukwenta.” (Eks. 19:8) Ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu, Nkulunkulu Jehova watjela ema-Israyeli loko lalindzele kutsi sive sakhe lasikhetsile sikwente. Kwekucala, wasinika iMiyalo Lelishumi, wase utfuma Mosi kutsi asitjele naleminye imiyalo letfolakala ku-Eksodusi 20:22 kuya ku-Eksodusi 23:33. Yini leyashiwo ngema-Israyeli ngemuva kwekutfola lemiyalo? “Bonkhe bantfu baphendvula kanyekanye batsi: ‘Onkhe emavi lawakhulumile Simakadze siyakuwenta.’” (Eks. 24:3) Mosi wabhala lemiyalo ‘encwadzini yesivumelwane’ waphindze wayifundza kute sonkhe lesive siyilalele. Ngemuva kwaloko, labantfu baphindze bafunga kwesitsatfu, batsi: “Konkhe lokushiwo nguSimakadze siyawukwenta sikulalele.”—Eks. 24:4, 7, 8.

12. Yini leyentiwa nguJehova ngemuva kwekwenta setsembiso sekutsi ema-Israyeli atawuba sive sakhe lesikhetsekile, futsi yini leyentiwa ngema-Israyeli ngemuva kwekufunga kuNkulunkulu?

¹² Ngekushesha, Jehova wacala kufeza setsembiso sakhe lasente kulesivumelwane seMtsetfo ngekutsi ente emalungiselelo ekwakhiwa kwelithende lekukhontela nekutsi kube nebaphristi labebatawusita bantfu labanesono basondzele kuYe. Ngakulokunye, ema-Israyeli asheshe akukhohlwa kutinikela kwawo kuNkulunkulu, ngekwenta njalo ‘acansula Longcwele waka-Israyeli.’ (Hla. 78:41) Sibonelo saloko kutsi ngesikhatsi Mosi aseNtsabeni iSinayi amatasatasa abhala ticondziso letivela kuNkulunkulu, ema-Israyeli aphelelwa sineke futsi nekukholwa kwawo kuNkulunkulu kwancipha, acabanga kutsi Mosi uwalahlile. Ngako atentela sitfombe selitfole legolide ase atsi: “Israyeli! Nangu-ke Nkulunkulu wakho lowakukhipha eveni laseGibhithe!” (Eks. 32:1, 4) Ema-Israyeli abetsi enta ‘sibhimbi sekudvumisa Simakadze’ akhotsamela lesitfombe aphindze asentela nemihlatjelo. Naku Jehova lakutjela Mosi nakabona loko lokwakwenteka: “Sebaphambuke ngekushesha kuloko lengabayala ngako.” (Eks. 32:5, 6, 8) Lokubuhlungu kutsi kusukela lapho ema-Israyeli aba nemlandvo wekwenta tifungo kuNkulunkulu kodvwa angatigcini.—Num. 30:2.

13. Ngusiphi sifungo Nkulunkulu lasenta eNkhosini Davide, futsi sihlobene njani neNtalo letsenjisiwe?

¹³ Ngesikhatsi kubusa iNkhosi Davide, Jehova waphindze wenta letinye tifungo letimbili kute kuzuze bonkhe labamlalelako. Kwekucala, wafunga kuDavide kutsi  sihlalo sakhe sebukhosi sitawuchubeka kute kube phakadze. (Hla. 89:35, 36; 132:11, 12) Loku bekusho kutsi iNtalo letsenjisiwe itawubitwa ngekutsi ‘yiNdvodzana yaDavide.’ (Mat. 1:1; 21:9) Ngekutfobeka, Davide wabita lentalo letawuvela ngekutsi “yiNkhosi” yakhe ngobe Khristu abetawuba sesikhundleni lesisetulu.—Mat. 22:42-44.

14. Ngusiphi sifungo Jehova lasenta mayelana neNtalo letsenjisiwe, futsi tsine sizuza njani kuso?

¹⁴ Kwesibili, Jehova waphefumulela Davide kutsi abiketele kutsi leNkhosi itawuphindze ibe ngumPhristi Lomkhulu webantfu. Ka-Israyeli, babusi nebaphristi bebehlukile. Baphristi bebavela esiveni semaLevi, kantsi emakhosi abevela esiveni sakaJuda. Nobe kunjalo, naku Davide lakubiketela ngalombusi lotako: “Simakadze watsi enkhosini yami: ‘Hlala lapha ngesekudla sami, ngize ngifake titsa takho ngaphansi kwetinyawo takho.’ Simakadze wafunga, futsi angeke agucuke, watsi: ‘Wena ungumphristi loyawuhlala akhona kuze kube phakadze ngekuma kwaMelkhisedeki.’” (Hla. 110:1, 4) Lesiprofetho sesigcwalisekile, ngobe Jesu Khristu, loyiNtalo letsenjisiwe, sewuyabusa ezulwini. Uphindze abe ngumPhritsi Lomkhulu webantfu ngekusita labo labaphendvukako kutsi babe nebuhlobo naNkulunkulu.—Fundza Hebheru 7:21, 25, 26.

15, 16. (a) Ngutiphi tinhlobo letimbili tema-Israyeli lokukhulunywa ngato eBhayibhelini, futsi nguwaphi labusiswa nguNkulunkulu lamuhla? (b) Ngumuphi umyalo lomayelana nekufunga Jesu lawuniketa balandzeli bakhe?

¹⁵ Ngesizatfu sekutsi awazange amemukele Jesu Khristu, ema-Israyeli alahlekelwa lilungelo lelikhulu lelivela kuNkulunkulu, lekuba “ngumbuso webaphristi.” Jesu watjela baholi bemaJuda watsi: “Umbuso waNkulunkulu uyawutsatfwa kini, unikwe bantfu labayawutsela titselo letifanele.” (Mat. 21:43) Leso sive lesisha savela ngeliPhentekhoste la-33 C.E. ngesikhatsi umoya waNkulunkulu utfululelwa kubafundzi baJesu labangu-120 labebabutsene eJerusalema. Labafundzi batiwa ngekutsi ‘bangu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu’ futsi ngekushesha bandza baba tinkhulungwane futsi kubo bekunebantfu labavela etiveni letisemhlabeni wonkhe.—Gal. 6:16.

¹⁶ Ngalokwehlukile kuma-Israyeli emvelo, lesive saNkulunkulu lesisha sachubeka siveta titselo letinhle ngekutsi silalele Nkulunkulu. Leminye imiyalo emalunga alesive lachubeka ayilalela imayelana nekwenta tifungo. Kufunga bekusetjentiswa kabi ngesikhatsi Jesu alapha emhlabeni, ngobe bantfu bebafunga ngetintfo letingasilo liciniso nobe letingakabaluleki. (Mat. 23:16-22) Naku Jesu lakufundzisa balandzeli bakhe: “Ningafungi sanhlobo . . . Yebo wenu akabe nguYebo, naCha wenu abe nguCha; ngobe lokwendlula lapho kuvela kuLomubi.”—Mat. 5:34, 37, NW.

17. Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawucoca ngayo esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

¹⁷ Loku kusho kutsi akukalungi yini kwenta sifungo? Yini lokudzingeka uyente kute Yebo wakho abe nguYebo? Lemibuto sitawucoca ngayo esihlokweni lesilandzelako. Njengobe sichubeka sizindla ngeliVi laNkulunkulu, shengatsi singaba nesifiso lesikhulu sekuchubeka silalela Jehova. Nasenta njalo, yena utawukujabulela kusibusisa kute kube phakadze ngekuvumelana netifungo letiligugu latentile.