Isahluko Sesine

“Ningamangqina Am”!

Isaya 43:1-28

1. UYehova usisebenzisela yiphi injongo isiprofeto, yaye abantu bakhe bamele basabele njani ekuzalisekeni kwesiprofeto?

 UKUKWAZI kukaThixo wokwenyaniso ukuxela ikamva kwangaphambili kumenza abalasele kunabo bonke oothixo bobuxoki. Kodwa xa uYehova eprofeta, akacingi nje kuphela ngokungqina ubuThixo bakhe. Njengoko kuboniswe kuIsaya isahluko 43, uYehova usebenzisa isiprofeto njengobungqina bobuThixo bakhe nobothando lwakhe ngabantu bakhe bomnqophiso. Bona ke abantu bakhe, bakuba bekubonile ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto abamelanga bathi cwaka; bamele banikele ubungqina boko bakubonileyo. Ewe, bamele babe ngamangqina kaYehova!

2. (a) Injani imeko yokomoya kaSirayeli ngexesha likaIsaya? (b) UYehova uwavula njani amehlo abantu bakhe?

² Ngelishwa, ngexesha likaIsaya uSirayeli ukwimeko embi kangangokuba uYehova ubagqala abantu bakhe njengabayimilwelwe ngokomoya. “Zisa isizwana esiziimfama nakuba ekho wona amehlo, nezithulu nakuba beneendlebe.” (Isaya 43:8) Abantu abaziimfama nabazizithulu ngokomoya bangakwazi njani ukukhonza uYehova njengamangqina akhe aphilayo? Inye kuphela indlela yokwenjenjalo. Amehlo neendlebe zabo zimele zivulwe ngokungummangaliso. Yaye uYehova uye wazivula! Njani? Okokuqala, uYehova ubaqeqesha ngokuqatha—abemi bobukhosi basentla bakwaSirayeli basiwa ekuthinjweni ngowama-740 B.C.E., baze bona abakwaYuda basiwe ngowama-607 B.C.E. Wandula ke uYehova abonakalise amandla akhe ngokuthi ayikhulule intsalela eguqukileyo yabantu bakhe, ayihlaziye ngokomoya, aze ayibuyisele ezweni  layo ngowama-537 B.C.E. Enyanisweni, uYehova uqinisekile ukuba injongo yakhe ngokuphathelele oku ayinakuphanziswa kangangokuba malunga neminyaka engama-200 ngaphambili, uthetha ngokukhululwa kukaSirayeli ngokungathi sele kwenzekile.

3. UYehova ubakhuthaza njani abathinjwa bexesha elizayo?

³ “Utsho uYehova, uMdali wakho, Yakobi, noMyili wakho, Sirayeli, ukuthi: ‘Musa ukoyika, kuba ndikuhlawulele. Ndikubizile ngegama lakho. Ungowam. Ukuba kunokwenzeka udlule emanzini, ndiza kuba nawe; nasemilanjeni, ayiyi kukukhukulisa. Ukuba kunokwenzeka uhambe emlilweni, akuyi kutsha, nedangatye aliyi kukurhawula. Kuba ndinguYehova uThixo wakho, Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli uMsindisi wakho.’”—Isaya 43:1-3a.

4. UYehova unguMdali kaSirayeli ngayiphi indlela, yaye ubaqinisekisa ngelithini abantu bakhe ngokuphathelele ukubuyela kwabo ezweni labo?

⁴ UYehova unomdla okhethekileyo kuSirayeli ngenxa yokuba uluhlanga lwakhe. Uludale ngokobuqu ukuze azalisekise umnqophiso awawenza kuAbraham. (Genesis 12:1-3) Ngenxa yoko, INdumiso 100:3 ithi: “Yazini ukuba uYehova nguThixo. Nguye owasenzayo, asisithi. Thina singabantu bakhe nezimvu zedlelo lakhe.” NjengoMdali noMhlawuleli kaSirayeli, uYehova uza kubabuyisela bekhuselekile abantu bakhe ezweni labo. Iziphazamiso, ezinjengamachibi amanzi, imilambo ephuphumayo, neentlango ezitshayo, aziyi kubathintela okanye zibenzakalise, kanye njengokuba ezo zinto zingazange zibaphazamise oobawomkhulu babo ngoxa babesendleleni eya kwiLizwe Lesithembiso kwiminyaka eliwaka ngaphambili.

5. (a) Amazwi kaYehova amthuthuzela njani uSirayeli wokomoya? (b) Ngoobani abathelela uSirayeli wokomoya, yaye babefanekiselwa ngoobani?

⁵ Amazwi kaYehova ayayithuthuzela nentsalela kaSirayeli wokomoya wanamhlanje, ‘esisidalwa esitsha’ esizelwe ngomoya. (2 Korinte 5:17) Iye yema ngenkalipho phambi ‘kwamanzi’ aluluntu, yaye iye yakhuselwa ngokunothando nguThixo  kwizikhukula zokomfuziselo. Umlilo ovela kwiintshaba zayo awuyenzakalisanga, kunoko uyisulungekisile. (Zekariya 13:9; ISityhilelo 12:15-17) Inyameko kaYehova iye yanabela ‘nakwisihlwele esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu,’ esiye sathelela uhlanga lukaThixo lokomoya. (ISityhilelo 7:9; Yohane 10:16) Siye safanekiselwa ‘liqela elikhulu elingumxube’ elibunjwa ngabo bafuduka eYiputa kunye namaSirayeli kwanabo bangengomaYuda ababuya kunye nabathinjwa abakhululwayo eBhabhiloni.—Eksodus 12:38; Ezra 2:1, 43, 55, 58.

6. UYehova uzibonakalisa njani enguThixo wokusesikweni ngokuphathelele ukuhlawulela kwakhe (a) uSirayeli wokwenyama? (b) uSirayeli wokomoya?

⁶ UYehova uthembisa ukubahlangula abantu bakhe eBhabhiloni ngokusebenzisa imikhosi yamaMedi namaPersi. (Isaya 13:17-19; 21:2, 9; 44:28; Daniyeli 5:28) NjengoThixo wokusesikweni,  uYehova uza kubanika intlawulelo efanelekileyo aba “baqeshwa” bakhe bamaMedi namaPersi ngokukhulula kwabo uSirayeli. “Ndinikele ngeYiputa ukuba ibe yintlawulelo yakho, iTiyopiya neSebha esikhundleni sakho. Ngenxa yokuba uxabisekile yaye ubekekile emehlweni am, mna ke ndikuthandile. Yaye ndiya kunikela abantu esikhundleni sakho, namaqela eentlanga esikhundleni somphefumlo wakho.” (Isaya 43:3b, 4) Imbali iqinisekisa ngelokuba uBukhosi bamaPersi bayoyisa iYiputa, iTiyopiya neSebha emelene nayo, kanye njengokuba uThixo wayexele kwangaphambili. (IMizekeliso 21:18) Ngowe-1919 uYehova wasebenzisa uYesu Kristu ukuyikhulula ekuthinjweni ngendlela efanayo intsalela yoSirayeli wokomoya. Noko ke, yena uYesu kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba ahlawulwe ngenkonzo yakhe. Wayengengomlawuli wobuhedeni. Yaye wayekhulula abazalwana bakhe bokomoya. Ngaphezu koko, ngowe-1914, uYehova wayesele emnikile  “iintlanga njengelifa [lakhe] neziphelo zomhlaba njengelifa [lakhe].”—INdumiso 2:8.

7. UYehova uvakalelwa njani ngabantu bakhe bamandulo nabexesha lethu?

⁷ Phawula indlela uYehova akuvakalisa ngokuphandle ngayo ukubathantamisa kwakhe aba bathinjwa bahlawulelweyo. Uyabaxelela ukuba ‘baxabisekile’ yaye ‘babekekile’ kuye yaye ‘uyabathanda.’ (Yeremiya 31:3) Uvakalelwa ngendlela efanayo—kwanangakumbi—ngabakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo namhlanje. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo aye anolwalamano noThixo, kungekhona ngokuzalwa, kodwa ngokusebenza komoya oyingcwele kaThixo emva kokuba wona ezinikele ngokobuqu kuMdali wawo. UYehova uye wawatsalela kuNyana wakhe nakuye ngokwakhe waza wabhala imithetho nemimiselo yakhe kwiintliziyo zawo ezivumayo.—Yeremiya 31:31-34; Yohane 6:44.

8. UYehova ubaqinisekisa ngelithini abo bathinjiweyo, yaye baza kuvakalelwa njani ngokuhlangulwa kwabo?

⁸ Ebaqinisekisa ngakumbi abo bathinjiweyo, uYehova wongezelela athi: “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe. Ndiya kuyizisa imbewu yakho ivela empumalanga, ndikuqokelele ndawonye uvela entshonalanga. Ndiya kuthi kumntla, ‘Khupha!’ nakumzantsi ndithi, ‘Musa ukunqanda. Zisa oonyana bam abavela kude, neentombi zam ezivela esiphelweni somhlaba, wonk’ ubani obizwa ngegama lam nendimdalele uzuko lwam, endimyilileyo, ewe, endimenzileyo.’” (Isaya 43:5-7) Kwanezona ndawo zisemagqagaleni ziya kufikeleleka xa kufika ixesha lokuba uYehova akhulule oonyana neentombi zakhe aze azibuyisele ezweni lazo elithandekayo. (Yeremiya 30:10, 11) Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, oku kukhululwa kuya kubonakala kubo kukukhulu ngakumbi kunokuhlangulwa kohlanga lwamandulo eYiputa.—Yeremiya 16:14, 15.

9. Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini uYehova akunxulumanisa ngazo ukuhlangula kunye negama lakhe?

⁹ Ngokukhumbuza abantu bakhe ukuba babizwa ngegama  lakhe, uYehova uqinisekisa isithembiso sakhe sokuhlangula uSirayeli. (Isaya 54:5, 6) Ukongezelela, uYehova ulinxulumanisa igama lakhe nezithembiso zakhe zokubakhulula. Ngaloo ndlela, uqinisekisa ukuba yena uza kufumana uzuko xa ilizwi lakhe lesiprofeto lizaliseka. Olo zuko aluzi kufunyanwa nkqu nangumkhosi owoyise iBhabhiloni, kuba lolukaThixo ophilayo kuphela.

Oothixo Basiwa Ematyaleni

10. UYehova uzicel’ umngeni ngelithini iintlanga noothixo bazo?

¹⁰ Ngoku uYehova wenza isithembiso sakhe sokukhulula uSirayeli sibe sisiseko senkundla yendalo iphela, axoxa kuyo ityala loothixo beentlanga. Sifunda oku: ‘Iintlanga zonke maziqokelelwe kwindawo enye, namaqela eentlanga ahlanganiselwe ndawonye. Ngubani na phakathi koothixo bazo onokukuxela oku? Okanye banako na ukusivisa kwanezinto zokuqala? Mabavelise amangqina abo, ukuze babe nokuvakaliswa bengamalungisa, okanye mabeve baze bathi, “Yinyaniso!”’ (Isaya 43:9) UYehova ubeka isimangalo esikhulu phambi kweentlanga zehlabathi. Eneneni, uthi kuzo: ‘Oothixo benu mabazingqine ukuba bangoothixo ngokuthi balixele kwangaphambili ikamva.’ Ekubeni inguThixo wokwenyaniso kuphela onokuprofeta ngokuchanileyo, olu vavanyo lwaluza kubhenca bonke abakhohlisi. (Isaya 48:5) Wandula ke uSomandla abaqwele ngokuthi: Bonke abazibanga bengoothixo bokwenyaniso bamele bavelise amangqina, aza kungqinela iziprofeto zabo nokuzaliseka kwazo. Naye uYehova uyaziquka kulo myalelo wasemthethweni.

11. Sisiphi isigxina uYehova amnika sona umkhonzi wakhe, yaye yintoni uYehova ayityhilayo ngobuThixo bakhe?

¹¹ Ekubeni bezizidodo, oothixo bobuxoki abakwazi kuvelisa amangqina. Ngenxa yoko, bayaphoxeka kuba umkhumbi wabo wamangqina uhlala ungenanto. Kodwa ngoku kufika ixesha lokuba uYehova aqinisekise ubuThixo bakhe. Ekhangela kubantu bakhe, uthi: “Ningamangqina am,  . . . ningumkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo, ukuze nazi, nikholwe kum, niqonde ukuba ikwaNdim. Phambi kwam akuzange kuyilwe Thixo, nasemva kwam akubangakho namnye. Mna—ke, ndinguYehova, yaye akukho msindisi ngaphandle kwam. Mna ndixelile, ndasindisa, ndavakalisa, kungekho thixo wumbi phakathi kwenu. Ngoko nina ningamangqina am, . . . yaye mna ndinguThixo. Lonke ixesha eli ikwaNdim; yaye akukho bani uhlangulayo esandleni sam. Ndiya kusebenza, kwaye ngubani na [onokusibuyisa isandla sam]?”—Isaya 43:10-13.

12, 13. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina obuyintabalala abantu bakaYehova abafanele babunikele? (b) Liye labalaseliswa njani igama likaYehova kwixesha lethu?

¹² Emva kwala mazwi kaYehova, umkhumbi wamangqina uphuphuma ngokukhawuleza lihlokondiba lamangqina azaliswe luvuyo. Ubungqina bawo bucace gca yaye abuthandabuzeki. NjengoYoshuwa, angqina ukuba ‘yonke into uYehova ayithethileyo ibe yinyaniso. Akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi.’ (Yoshuwa 23:14) Asankenteza ezindlebeni zabantu bakaYehova amazwi kaIsaya, uYeremiya, uHezekile, nabanye abaprofeti, abathi ngazwi-nye, baxela kwangaphambili ngokuthinjwa kukaYuda nokuhlangulwa kwakhe ngokumangalisayo ekuthinjweni. (Yeremiya 25:11, 12) Umhlanguli kaYuda, uKoreshi, wachazwa ngegama kude kudala ngaphambi kokuba azalwe kwaukuzalwa!—Isaya 44:26–45:1.

¹³ Emva kwayo yonke le ntabalala yobungqina, ngubani onokukhanyela ukuba nguYehova kuphela uThixo wokwenyaniso? Ngokungafaniyo noothixo bobuhedeni, nguYehova kuphela ongazange adalwe; nguye kuphela uThixo wokwenyaniso. a Ngenxa yoko, abantu ababizwa ngegama likaYehova banelungelo elikhethekileyo nelichulumancisayo lokuchazela izizukulwana ezizayo nabanye abafuna ukwazi ngezenzo zakhe ezimangalisayo. (INdumiso 78:5-7) Ngendlela efanayo,  amaNgqina kaYehova anamhlanje anelungelo lokuvakalisa igama likaYehova emhlabeni wonke. Ngeminyaka yee-1920 aBafundi BeBhayibhile bakuqonda ngakumbi ukubaluleka kwegama likaThixo, uYehova. Ngoko ke, ngoJulayi 26, 1931, kwindibano eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, umongameli woMbutho, uJoseph F. Rutherford, wafunda isigqibo esinomxholo othi “Igama Elitsha.” Amazwi athi, “Sinqwenela ukwaziwa nokubizwa ngegama, elithi, amangqina kaYehova,” abachulumancisa abo babesendibanweni, baza basamkela eso sigqibo ngokukhwaza bathi “Ewe!” Ukususela ngoko, igama likaYehova labalasela emhlabeni wonke.—INdumiso 83:18.

14. UYehova uwakhumbuza ntoni amaSirayeli, yaye kutheni sisexesheni nje esi sikhumbuzo?

¹⁴ UYehova uyabanyamekela abo balithwala ngokubekekileyo igama lakhe, ebagqala “njengokhozo lweliso lakhe.” Ukhumbuza amaSirayeli ngako oku, ewaxelela indlela awawahlangula ngayo eYiputa waza wawakhokela ngokukhuselekileyo entlango. (Duteronomi 32:10, 12) Ngelo xesha kwakungekho thixo wasemzini phakathi kwawo, kuba azibonela ngamehlo ukuhlaziswa kanobom kwabo bonke oothixo baseYiputa. Ewe, bebonke nje oothixo bamaYiputa boyiswa kukukhusela iYiputa nokuthintela uSirayeli angemki. (Eksodus 12:12) Ngokukwanjalo, iBhabhiloni eyomeleleyo, eneetempile ubuncinane ezingama-50 ezinikelwe koothixo bobuxoki, ayisayi kukwazi ukusithintela isandla sikaSomandla xa ekhulula abantu bakhe. Ngokucacileyo, “akukho bani uhlangulayo” ngaphandle kukaYehova.

Ukuwa Kwamahashe Emfazwe, Nokuvuleka Kweentolongo

15. Uprofeta athini uYehova ngeBhabhiloni?

¹⁵ “Utsho uYehova, uMhlawuleli wenu, Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli, ukuthi: ‘Ngenxa yenu ndiza kuthumela eBhabhiloni ndize ndihlise imivalo yeentolongo, namaKhaledi ehlahlamba ezinqanaweni zawo. NdinguYehova Lowo Ungcwele  wenu, uMdali kaSirayeli, uKumkani wenu.’ Utsho uYehova, Lowo wenza indlela elwandle nendlela emanzini anamandla, Lowo uvelisa inqwelo yokulwa nehashe, umkhosi wamajoni nabo bomeleleyo kwangaxeshanye, ukuthi: ‘Baya kulala phantsi. Abayi kuvuka. Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kucimeka. Njengomsonto weflekisi bamele bacime.’”—Isaya 43:14-17.

16. Liliphi ishwangusha eliza kwehlela iBhabhiloni, abarhwebi bamaKhaledi, nabo bazama ukukhusela iBhabhiloni?

¹⁶ IBhabhiloni ifana nentolongo kwabo bathinjiweyo kuba iyabathintela ukuba bangabuyeli eYerusalem. Kodwa ukunqabiseka kweBhabhiloni akungomqobo kuSomandla, Lowo wathi ngaphambilana “wenza indlela [kuLwandle Olubomvu] nendlela emanzini anamandla”—ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ngalawo aseYordan. (Eksodus 14:16; Yoshuwa 3:13) Ngendlela efanayo, ummeli kaYehova, uKoreshi, uza kuwuwuthisa umEfrate omkhulu, kuze kuvuleke indlela yokuba imikhosi yakhe ingene esixekweni. Abarhwebi abangamaKhaledi abanyuka besehla kuloo mijelo yaseBhabhiloni—ezaliswa ngamawakawaka ezikhephe zabarhwebi nezithutha oothixo baseBhabhiloni—baza kuba nesingqukru xa ikomkhulu labo elomeleleyo lisiwa. Njengeenqwelo zokulwa zikaFaro kuLwandle Olubomvu, iinqwelo zokulwa ezinamendu zaseBhabhiloni azizukunceda nganto. Aziyi kuyisindisa. Bonke abazama ukuyikhusela, baza kuthiwa qwaka-qwaka nje ngokulula ngumhlaseli, kube ngathi ucima umsonto weflekisi wesibane samafutha.

UYehova Ukhokelela Abantu Bakhe Ekhayeni Labo Bekhuselekile

17, 18. (a) Yiyiphi into “entsha” aprofeta ngayo uYehova? (b) Kungayiphi indlela abamele abantu bangazikhumbuli izinto zangaphambili, yaye ngoba?

¹⁷ Ethelekisa indlela awahlangula ngayo ngaphambili nento aza kuyenza, uYehova uthi: “Musani ukuzikhumbula izinto zokuqala, musani ukuphethulela ingqalelo yenu kwizinto zangaphambili. Khangelani! Ndenza into entsha. Ke kaloku  iya kuntshula. Nina niya kuyazi, akunjalo na? Ngokwenene, entlango ndiya kumisa indlela, imilambo enkqantosini. Irhamncwa lasendle liya kundizukisa, oodyakalashe neenciniba; ngenxa yokuba ndiya kuvelisa amanzi entlango, nemilambo enkqantosini, ukuze ndiseze abantu bam, onyuliweyo wam, abantu endiziyilele bona, ukuze babalise indumiso yam.”—Isaya 43:18-21.

¹⁸ Xa esithi, “musani ukuzikhumbula izinto zokuqala,” uYehova akathi abakhonzi bakhe mabalibale ngezenzo zokubasindisa kwakhe kwangaphambili. Eneneni, ezininzi zezi zenzo ziyinxalenye yembali kaSirayeli ephefumlelwe ngokobuthixo, yaye uYehova wayalela ukuba ukuhlangulwa kwabo eYiputa kukhunjulwe minyaka le ngokuthi benze umsitho wePasika. (Levitikus 23:5; Duteronomi 16:1-4) Noko ke, ngoku uYehova ufuna abantu bakhe bamzukise ‘ngento entsha’—into abaza kuzibonela yona ngamehlo. Oku akuquki nje kuphela ukuhlangulwa kwabo eBhabhiloni kodwa kwanohambo lwabo olumangalisayo lokugoduka, mhlawumbi olunqumla ngqo entlango. Kuloo mmandla uyinkqantosi, uYehova uza kubavulela “indlela” aze abenzele imisebenzi yamandla efanayo naleyo wayenzela amaSirayeli ngomhla kaMoses—eneneni, uza kubondla kuloo ntlango abo babuyayo aze abavelisele nemilambo yokoqobo ukuze basele. Intsikelelo kaYehova iya kuba yintabalala kangangokuba kwanamarhamncwa asendle aya kumzukisa uThixo yaye angabahlaseli aba bantu.

19. Intsalela kaSirayeli wokomoya kunye namaqabane ayo ihamba njani ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele’?

¹⁹ Ngokufanayo, ngowe-1919 intsalela kaSirayeli wokomoya yakhululwa ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabhiloni, yaza yangena endleleni uYehova awayeyilungiselele yona, “iNdlela Yobungcwele.” (Isaya 35:8) Ngokungafaniyo namaSirayeli, yona akuzange kufuneke ukuba inqumle kwintlango etshisayo ukusuka kwenye indawo ukuya kwenye, yaye uhambo lwayo aluzange luphele emva kweenyanga ezimbalwa ngokuthi ifike eYerusalem. Noko ke, le “Ndlela Yobungcwele” yayikhokelela  intsalela yamaKristu athanjisiweyo kwiparadesi yokomoya. Yona ihlala ikuloo “Ndlela Yobungcwele,” ekubeni kusafuneka ihambe ukutyhubela le nkqubo yezinto. Logama nje isahleli kuhola wendlela—ngokuthi igcine imilinganiselo kaThixo yokucoceka neyobungcwele—ihleli ikwiparadesi yokomoya. Yaye hayi indlela ekuvuyela ngayo ukuthelelwa sisihlwele esikhulu samaqabane ‘angengawo amaSirayeli’! Ngokwahluke ngokupheleleyo kwabo bathembele kwinkqubo kaSathana, yona intsalela kunye namaqabane ayo bayaqhubeka benandipha intabalala yesidlo sokomoya esandleni sikaYehova. (Isaya 25:6; 65:13, 14) Bebona indlela uYehova abasikelela ngayo abantu bakhe, abaninzi ababenjengamarhamncwa baye baziguqula iindlela zabo baza bazukisa uThixo wokwenyaniso.—Isaya 11:6-9.

UYehova Uchaza Intlungu Yakhe

20. USirayeli womhla kaIsaya umphoxe njani uYehova?

²⁰ Intsalela ebuyiselweyo kaSirayeli wamandulo itshintshile, ayifani nesizukulwana esingendawo somhla kaIsaya. Ethetha ngesi sizukulwana singendawo, uYehova uthi: “Akundibizanga mna, Yakobi, ngenxa yokuba utyhafile ndim, Sirayeli. Akundiziselanga izimvu zomnikelo wakho otshiswa kuphele, yaye akundizukisanga ngemibingelelo yakho. Andikunyanzelanga ukuba undikhonze ngesipho, ndingakutyhafisanga nangentlaka yokuqhumisa. Akundithengelanga ngcongolo yeziqholo emnandi ngayo nayiphi na imali; yaye akundanelisanga ngamanqatha emibingelelo yakho. Ngenene undinyanzele ukuba ndikhonze ngenxa yezono zakho; undityhafisile ngeziphoso zakho.”—Isaya 43:22-24.

21, 22. (a) Kunokutshiwo njani ukuba imiyalelo kaYehova ayiloxanduva? (b) Eneneni, aba bantu bamenza njani uYehova ukuba abakhonze?

²¹ Ngokuthi, “andikunyanzelanga ukuba undikhonze ngesipho, ndingakutyhafisanga nangentlaka yokuqhumisa,” uYehova akathi imibingelelo nentlaka (yesiqhumiso esingcwele) aziyomfuneko. Eneneni, ezi zinto ziyinxalenye ebalulekileyo  yonqulo lokwenyaniso phantsi komnqophiso woMthetho. Kukwanjalo ‘nangengcongolo,’ ebhekisela kwisiqholo esinevumba elimnandi seoli engcwele yokuthambisa. AmaSirayeli aye akutyeshela ukusetyenziswa kwezi zinto etempileni. Kodwa ngaba le miyalelo ingumqobo? Eneneni akunjalo! Imiyalelo kaYehova ilula xa ithelekiswa naleyo yoothixo bobuxoki. Ngokomzekelo, uthixo wobuxoki uMoleki wanyanzelisa ukuba kubingelelwe ngabantwana—nto leyo uYehova angazange ayalele ukuba yenziwe!—Duteronomi 30:11; Mika 6:3, 4, 8.

²² Ukuba nje amaSirayeli ebenembono yokomoya, ebengayi ‘kutyhafa nguYehova.’ Ngokujonga eMthethweni wakhe, ebeya kubona uthando lwakhe olunzulu ngawo aze ngovuyo anikele kuye “ngamanqatha,” eyona nxalenye ibalaseleyo yeminikelo yawo. Kunoko, ngokubawa aye azigcinela wona amanqatha. (Levitikus 3:9-11, 16) Hayi indlela olu hlanga lungendawo olumdimaza ngayo uYehova ngoxanduva lwezono zalo—eneneni, lumenza alukhonze!—Nehemiya 9:28-30.

Uqeqesho Luvelisa Iziqhamo

23. (a) Kutheni lufanelekile nje uqeqesho lukaYehova? (b) Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuqeqesheni kukaThixo uSirayeli?

²³ Nangona luqatha, yaye lufanele phofu ukuba njalo, uqeqesho lukaYehova luvelisa imiphumo enqwenelekayo, yokwenzelwa inceba. “Mna—mna ndinguLowo ususa ukunxaxha kwakho ngenxa yam, kwaye izono zakho andiyi kuzikhumbula. Ndikhumbuze; masimiselane isigwebo; chaza ingxelo yakho ukuze ube ngolungileyo. Uyihlo, owokuqala, wonile, nalowo ukuthethelayo [“iitoliki,” umbhalo osemazantsi we-NW eneembekiselo] unxaxhile kum. Ngoko ndiya kuzihlambela iinkosana zendawo engcwele, yaye ndiya kumnikela kwintshabalalo uYakobi noSirayeli kumazwi okutshabhisa.” (Isaya 43:25-28) Njengazo zonke iintlanga zehlabathi, uSirayeli naye uyinzala ka-Adam, “owokuqala.” Ngoko ke, akukho  mSirayeli unokuzingqina ‘engolungileyo.’ ‘Kwanabathetheli’ bakaSirayeli—abafundisi okanye iitoliki zakhe zoMthetho—bonile kuYehova baza bafundisa ubuxoki. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova uza kulunikela olo hlanga luphela “kwintshabalalo” ‘nakumazwi okutshabhisa.’ Uza kubahlazisa nabo bonke abo banezabelo ‘kwindawo engcwele,’ okanye kwingcwele yakhe.

24. UYehova uya kubaxolela ngasiphi isizathu esiyintloko abantu bakhe—bamandulo nabanamhlanje—sekunjalo, uvakalelwa njani ngabo?

²⁴ Noko ke, phawula ukuba inceba kaThixo ayizukubangelwa nje kukuzisola kukaSirayeli; kodwa uYehova uza kuyibonakalisela injongo yakhe. Ewe, igama lakhe libandakanyekile. Ukuba ebenokumyekela ekuthinjweni ngokusisigxina uSirayeli, igama lakhe beliya kugculelwa ngababukeli. (INdumiso 79:9; Hezekile 20:8-10) Ngokukwanjalo namhlanje, ukusindiswa kwabantu akubalulekanga njengokungcwaliswa kwegama likaYehova nokuthethelelwa kolongamo lwakhe. Sekunjalo, uYehova uyabathanda abo balwamkela ngokupheleleyo uqeqesho lwakhe nabamnqula ngomoya nangenyaniso. Ubonisa uthando lwakhe kubo—enoba ngabathanjisiweyo okanye abezinye izimvu—ngokuthi abushenxise ubugwenxa babo ngedini likaYesu Kristu.—Yohane 3:16; 4:23, 24.

25. Ziziphi izinto ezinkulu aza kuzenza uYehova kwixesha elingekude elizayo, yaye singalubonakalisa njani uxabiso lwethu ngoku?

²⁵ Ngaphezu koko, kungekudala uYehova uza kubonakalisa uthando lwakhe ngesihlwele esikhulu sabanquli bakhe abanyanisekileyo xa ebenzela into entsha ngokuthi abahlangule “embandezelweni enkulu” abangenise ‘emhlabeni omtsha.’ (ISityhilelo 7:14; 2 Petros 3:13) Baza kuba ngamangqina okuzibonela ukubonakalisa kukaYehova amandla akhe amakhulu ngendlela engazange ibonwe ngaphambili. Ukukhangela phambili kweso siganeko siqinisekileyo kwenza intsalela ethanjisiweyo nabo bonke abaza kubumba isihlwele esikhulu bazaliswe yimincili baze baphile suku ngalunye ngokuvumelana nesigxina esibalaseleyo sokuba: “Ningamangqina am”!—Isaya 43:10.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 48, 49]

UYehova uza kuwaxhasa amaYuda endleleni egodukayo ukuya eYerusalem

 [Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 52]

UYehova uzicel’ umngeni iintlanga ukuba zivelise amangqina oothixo bazo bobuxoki

1. Umfanekiso wobhedu kaBhahali 2. Imifanekiso yodongwe ka-Ashtoreti 3. UHorus, uOsiris noIsis abangubathathu emnye wamaYiputa 4. Oothixo bamaGrike uAthena (ekhohlo) noAphrodite

 [Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 58]

“Ningamangqina am.”—Isaya 43:10