1-3. (a) Sisiphi isisongelo esivela kumaYiputa ajamelana naso amaSirayeli? (b) UYehova wabalwela njani abantu bakhe?

 AMASIRAYELI ayesengxingweni—evaleleke phakathi kwemixawuka yentaba nolwandle angenakudlula kulo. Ayesukelwa ngamandla ngumkhosi okhohlakeleyo wamaYiputa, uzimisele ukuwatshayela kuthi tu. a Sekunjalo, uMoses wababongoza abantu bakaThixo ukuba bangalahl’ ithemba. Wabaqinisekisa ngelithi: “UYehova uya kunilwela.”—Eksodus 14:14.

² Noko ke, kubonakala ukuba uMoses wambongoza uYehova, waza uThixo waphendula ngokuthi: “Yini na ukuba udanduluke kum? . . . Phakamisa intonga yakho uze wolule isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ulwahlukanise.” (Eksodus 14:15, 16) Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni woko kwenzekayo. Ngoko nangoko uYehova uthumela ingelosi yakhe, ize intsika yelifu ifudukele ngasemva kukaSirayeli, mhlawumbi ifika inabe njengodonga ize ithintele amaYiputa ukuba angakwazi ukuhlasela. (Eksodus 14:19, 20; INdumiso 105:39) UMoses wolula isandla sakhe. Ulwandle luqhutywa ngumoya onamandla ukuba lwahlukane kubini. Amanzi alo ayema njengeendonga, avule indlela ebanzi ngokwaneleyo ukuba lungahamba kuyo lonke olo hlanga!—Eksodus 14:21; 15:8.

³ Njengoko wayekubona ukubonakaliswa kwaloo mandla makhulu, uFaro wayemele awuyalele umkhosi wakhe ukuba ugoduke. Kunoko, uFaro onekratshi wawuyalela ukuba uhlasele. (Eksodus 14:23) AmaYiputa ambonzeleka ukungena elwandle,  kodwa ukuhlasela kwawo kwakhawuleza kwaba sisiphithiphithi njengoko amavili eenqwelo zawo zokulwa aqalisa ukupoqa. Akuba amaSirayeli ewele ngokukhuselekileyo, uYehova wamyalela uMoses wathi: “Yolula isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ukuze amanzi abuyele phezu kwamaYiputa, neenqwelo zawo zokulwa, namajoni awo akhwele emahasheni.” Ezo ndonga zamanzi zadilika, zamngcwaba uFaro nemikhosi yakhe!—Eksodus 14:24-28; INdumiso 136:15.

 4. (a) Wangqineka eyintoni uYehova kuLwandle Olubomvu? (b) Abanye basenokuvakalelwa njani ngala mandla kaYehova?

⁴ Ukuhlangulwa kohlanga lukaSirayeli kuLwandle Olubomvu kwakusisiganeko esibalulekileyo kwimbali yokuqhubana kukaThixo noluntu. Apho uYehova wazingqina ‘eyindoda enamandla yemfazwe.’ (Eksodus 15:3) Noko ke, wena uvakalelwa njani yile mbonakaliso yamandla kaYehova? Enyanisweni, imfazwe iye yaluzisela intlungu nenkxwaleko uluntu. Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba ukusebenzisa kukaThixo amandla atshabalalisayo kukuthintele kunokuba kukusondeze kuye?

5, 6. (a) Kutheni uThixo ebizwa ngokufanelekileyo ngokuba ‘nguYehova wemikhosi’? (b) Imfazwe yobuthixo yahluke njani kwimfazwe yabantu?

⁵ Phantse kangangezihlandlo ezingamakhulu amathathu kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere nezihlandlo ezibini kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, uThixo uchazwa ‘njengoYehova wemikhosi.’ (1 Samuweli 1:11) NjengoMlawuli onguMongami, uYehova uyalela imikhosi emikhulu yeengelosi. (Yoshuwa 5:13-15; 1 Kumkani 22:19) Amandla atshabalalisayo ale mikhosi makhulu ngokugqithiseleyo. (Isaya 37:36) Akukho mnandi ukucinga ngokutshatyalaliswa kwabantu. Noko ke, simele sikhumbule ukuba iimfazwe zikaThixo azifani neemfazwe ezincinane zabantu. Abaphathi bamajoni neenkokeli zezobupolitika basenokuzama ukuzithethelela. Kodwa iimfazwe zabantu zisoloko zinento yokwenza nokubawa nokuzingca.

 ⁶ Ngokwahlukileyo koko, yena uYehova akaqhutywa ziimvakalelo ezingalawulekiyo. IDuteronomi 32:4 ithi: “NguLiwa, ugqibelele umsebenzi wakhe, ngokuba zonke iindlela zakhe zisesikweni. NguThixo wentembeko, tu ubugqwetha; lilungisa yaye uthe tye yena.” ILizwi likaThixo liyakugweba ukubonakaliswa komsindo ongalawulekiyo, inkohlakalo nogonyamelo. (Genesis 49:7; INdumiso 11:5) Ngoko uYehova akaze enze nantoni na ngaphandle kwesizathu. Uwasebenzisa ngobungcathu amandla akhe atshabalalisayo yaye uwasebenzisa xa sele kungasekho ndlela yimbi. Kunjengokuba watsho ngomprofeti uHezekile, ukuthi: “‘Ndiyayoliswa na mna konke konke ngokufa kongendawo,’ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova, ‘ingekuko ukuba abuye ezindleleni zakhe aze okunene ahlale ephila?’”—Hezekile 18:23.

7, 8. (a) Yintoni uYobhi ngokuphosakeleyo awagqiba kuyo ngokuphathelele ukubandezeleka kwakhe? (b) UElihu wayilungisa njani indlela acinga ngayo uYobhi kule nkalo? (c) Sisiphi isifundo esinokusifunda kumava kaYobhi?

⁷ Ngoko, kutheni uYehova esebenzisa amandla atshabalalisayo? Ngaphambi kokuphendula lo mbuzo, sisenokukhumbula indoda elilungisa uYobhi. USathana wacel’ umngeni enoba uYobhi—enyanisweni, nawuphi na umntu—wayenokuyigcina na ingqibelelo yakhe xa evavanywa. UYehova waluphendula olo celomngeni ngokumvumela uSathana ukuba ayivavanye ingqibelelo kaYobhi. Ngenxa yoko, uYobhi wabandezeleka ngenxa yokugula, ukuphulukana nobutyebi bakhe nokulahlekelwa ngabantwana bakhe. (Yobhi 1:1–2:8) Engayazi imbambano eyayibandakanyekile, uYobhi ngokuphosakeleyo wagqiba kwelokuba ukubandezeleka kwakhe kwakusisohlwayo esingekho sikweni esivela kuThixo. Wambuza uThixo isizathu sokuba ‘ajolise kuye,’ amgqale “njengotshaba.”—Yobhi 7:20; 13:24.

⁸ Umfana ogama linguElihu wakudandalazisa ukuphazama kukaYobhi, esithi: “Uthe, ‘Ubulungisa bam bungaphezu kobukaThixo.’” (Yobhi 35:2) Ewe, akubobulumko ukucinga ukuba sazi ngakumbi kunoThixo okanye sicinge ukuba wenze ngokungekho sikweni. UElihu wathi: “Makube lee kuThixo oyinyaniso ukwenza ngobungendawo, nakuSomandla ukwenza ngokungekho  sikweni.” Kamva wathi: “Ke yena uSomandla, asimfumananga; uphakamile ngamandla, yaye okusesikweni nobulungisa obuninzi akayi kubudelela.” (Yobhi 34:10; 36:22, 23; 37:23) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba xa uThixo esilwa, unesizathu esihle sokwenjenjalo. Njengoko sinoko engqondweni, makhe sihlole ezinye zezizathu zokuba maxa wambi uThixo woxolo alwe imfazwe.—1 Korinte 14:33.

 9. Yintoni eyenza ukuba uThixo woxolo alwe?

⁹ Emva kokudumisa uThixo ‘njengendoda enamandla yemfazwe,’ uMoses wathi: “Ngubani na onjengawe phakathi koothixo, Yehova? Ngubani na onjengawe, wena uvethe amandla obungcwele?” (Eksodus 15:11) Ngokufanayo umprofeti uHabhakuki wabhala: “Usulungeke kakhulu emehlweni ukuba ungabona okubi; yaye akukwazi ukukhangela inkathazo.” (Habhakuki 1:13) Nangona uYehova enguThixo onothando, ukwanguThixo ongcwele, wobulungisa nokusesikweni. Maxa wambi, ezo mpawu zimnyanzelela ukuba asebenzise amandla akhe atshabalalisayo. (Isaya 59:15-19; Luka 18:7) Ngoko uThixo akabubeki ibala ubungcwele bakhe xa esilwa. Kunoko, ulwa ngenxa yokuba engcwele.—Eksodus 39:30.

10. (a) Yavela nini yaye njani okokuqala imfuneko yokuba uThixo alwe imfazwe? (b) Yiyiphi ekuphela kwendlela enokuconjululwa ngayo imbambano eyaxelwa kwangaphambili kwiGenesis 3:15, yaye oko kuya kuluzisela ziphi iingenelo uluntu olungamalungisa?

¹⁰ Khawucinge ngemeko eyavelayo emva kokuba isibini sokuqala esingabantu, uAdam noEva, samvukelayo uThixo. (Genesis 3:1-6) Ukuba wayekunyamezele ukungalungisi kwaso, uYehova ngewayesisingele phantsi isigxina sakhe njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela. NjengoThixo olilungisa, wayenyanzelekile ukuba asigwebele ukufa. (Roma 6:23) Kwisiprofeto sokuqala seBhayibhile, waxela kwangaphambili ukuba kwakuza kubakho ubutshaba phakathi kwabakhonzi bakhe kunye nabalandeli ‘benyoka,’ uSathana. (ISityhilelo 12:9; Genesis 3:15) Ekugqibeleni, obu butshaba babunokupheliswa kuphela ngokutyunyuzwa kukaSathana. (Roma 16:20) Kodwa loo mgwebo wawuza  kuluzisela iintsikelelo ezinkulu uluntu olungamalungisa, uphelise impembelelo kaSathana emhlabeni yaye uvulele indlela iparadesi yomhlaba wonke. (Mateyu 19:28) Kude kube ngoko, abo bangakwicala likaSathana babeya kuqhubeka beyisongela impilo-ntle yokwenyama neyokomoya yabantu bakaThixo. Ngamathuba athile, bekuya kufuneka ukuba uYehova angenelele.

11. Kutheni uThixo waziva enyanzelekile ukuba azise umkhukula womhlaba wonke?

¹¹ UNogumbe womhla kaNowa wawusesinye sezo zihlandlo zokungenelela kwakhe. IGenesis 6:11, 12 ithi: “Umhlaba wawonakele emehlweni oThixo oyinyaniso yaye umhlaba wawuzaliswe lugonyamelo. Ngoko uThixo wawubona umhlaba yaye, khangela! wonakele, kuba yonke inyama yayiyonakalisile indlela yayo emhlabeni.” Ngaba uThixo wayeza kubavumela abantu abangendawo ukuba baphelise nowokugqibela umzila wokuziphatha okuhle owawusele emhlabeni? Unotshe. UYehova waziva enyanzelekile ukuba azise unogumbe womhlaba wonke ukuze atshabalalise emhlabeni abo babetyekele kugonyamelo nasekuziphatheni okubi.

12. (a) Yintoni awayixela kwangaphambili uYehova ngokuphathelele ‘imbewu’ ka-Abraham? (b) Sasiyintoni isizathu sokutshatyalaliswa kwama-Amori?

¹² Kuyafana nangokugweba kukaThixo amaKanan. UYehova watyhila ukuba kuAbraham kwakuza kuvela ‘imbewu’ ezaziza kusikelelwa ngayo zonke iintsapho zomhlaba. Ngokuvisisana naloo njongo, uThixo wawisa ummiselo wokuba inzala ka-Abraham yayiza kunikwa ilizwe lakwaKanan, lizwe elo elalihlala ama-Amori. UThixo wayeza kuthetheleleka njani ngokubagxotha kwakhe aba bantu elizweni labo? UYehova waxela kwangaphambili ukuba ayengasayi kugxothwa kude kudlule iminyaka enokuba ngama-400—side ‘isiphoso sama-Amori siphelele.’ b (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14, 15; 15:13, 16; 22:18) Ebudeni belo  xesha, ama-Amori aya engena nzulu ngakumbi ekuziphatheni okubi. IKanan yaba lilizwe lonqulo-zithixo, lophalazo-gazi, neloqheliselo lokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. (Eksodus 23:24; 34:12, 13; Numeri 33:52) Abemi belo lizwe babebulala kwanabantwana ngokubingelela ngabo emlilweni. Ngaba uThixo ongcwele wayenokuvumela abantu bakhe bachanabeke kubungendawo obulolo hlobo? Akunjalo! Wathi: “Ilizwe eli alihlambulukanga, yaye ndiya kulohlwaya ngesiphoso salo, lize ilizwe elo libahlanze abemi balo.” (Levitikus 18:21-25) Noko ke, uYehova akazange abulale kwanto nje engumntu apho. AmaKanan awayenotyekelo olufanelekileyo, anjengoRahabhi namaGibheyon, asindiswa.—Yoshuwa 6:25; 9:3-27.

13, 14. (a) Kutheni uYehova wayenyanzelekile ukuba alingcwalise igama lakhe? (b) UYehova walususa njani ugculelo egameni lakhe?

¹³ Ngenxa yokuba uYehova engcwele, igama lakhe lingcwele. (Levitikus 22:32) UYesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Malingcwaliswe igama lakho.” (Mateyu 6:9) Imvukelo yase-Eden yalingcolisa igama likaThixo, yavelisa amathandabuzo ngozuko lukaThixo nangendlela yakhe yokulawula. UYehova wayengenakukuvumela ukugculelwa nokuvukelwa ngaloo ndlela. Wanyanzeleka ukuba alihlambulule igama lakhe kungcikivo olunjalo.—Isaya 48:11.

¹⁴ Khawuqwalasele kwakhona amaSirayeli. Logama ayesengamakhoboka eYiputa, isithembiso sikaThixo kuAbraham sokuba zonke iintsapho zaziya kusikelelwa ngeMbewu yakhe sasibonakala sililize. Kodwa ngokuwahlangula kwakhe aze awamisele njengohlanga, uYehova walususa ugculelo egameni lakhe. Ngenxa yoko umprofeti uDaniyeli wathi emthandazweni: ‘Yehova Thixo wethu, wabakhupha abantu bakho elizweni laseYiputa ngesandla esomeleleyo waza wazenzela igama.’—Daniyeli 9:15.

15. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awahlangule amaYuda ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni?

¹⁵ Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, uDaniyeli wawenza lo mthandazo ngexesha amaYuda ayelindele ukuba uYehova aphinde  athabathe inyathelo ngenxa yegama Lakhe. Ngeli xesha, amaYuda angathobeliyo ayesekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. Ikomkhulu lawo, iYerusalem, laliphanzisiwe. UDaniyeli wayesazi ukuba ukubuyisela amaYuda elizweni lawo kwakuya kuliphakamisa igama likaYehova. Ngenxa yoko uDaniyeli wathandaza wathi: “Nceda usixolele, Yehova. Nceda unikele ingqalelo kuthi Yehova, uze wenze. Nceda ungalibazisi, ngenxa yegama lakho, Thixo wam, kuba isixeko sakho nabantu bakho babizwa ngalo igama lakho.”—Daniyeli 9:18, 19.

16. Chaza isizathu sokuba ukulangazelela kukaYehova ukulwela igama lakhe kungathethi ukuba akanabuntu yaye uyazingca.

¹⁶ Ngaba ukulangazelela kukaYehova ukulwela igama lakhe kuthetha ukuba akanabuntu yaye uyazingca? Akunjalo, kuba ngenxa yobungcwele bakhe nokuthanda kwakhe okusesikweni, uyabakhusela abantu bakhe. Khawuqwalasele iGenesis isahluko 14. Apho sifunda ngookumkani abane abathimba umtshana ka-Abraham uLote, nentsapho yakhe. Ngoncedo lukaThixo, uAbraham wayoyisa loo mikhosi yomeleleyo! Kusenokwenzeka ukuba le ngxelo yoku koyisa kwakhe yaba yeyokuqala ukubhalwa “encwadini yeeMfazwe zikaYehova,” ncwadi leyo ekucacileyo ukuba kwakubhalwe kuyo neengxelo zezinye iimfazwe ezingaqukwanga eBhayibhileni. (Numeri 21:14) Kwakusekho ezinye iingxelo ezininzi zoloyiso ezaziza kulandela.

17. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova wawalwela amaSirayeli emva kokungena kwawo kwilizwe laseKanan? Zekelisa.

¹⁷ Kungekudala ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli angene kwilizwe laseKanan, uMoses wawaqinisekisa ngokuthi: “NguYehova uThixo wenu ohamba phambi kwenu. Yena wonilwela njengako konke awanenzelayo eYiputa.” (Duteronomi 1:30; 20:1) Ukususela kwilandela likaMoses, uYoshuwa, ukusa kwixesha lokulawula kwaBagwebi nookumkani abathembekileyo bakwaYuda, ngokwenene uYehova wabalwela abantu bakhe, ebenza bazoyise iintshaba zabo.—Yoshuwa 10:1-14; ABagwebi 4:12-17; 2 Samuweli 5:17-21.

18. (a) Kutheni sinokuba nombulelo kuba uYehova engatshintshanga? (b) Yintoni eza kwenzeka xa ubutshaba obuchazwe kwiGenesis 3:15 bufikelela encotsheni yabo?

 ¹⁸ UYehova akatshintshanga; nenjongo yakhe yokwenza esi sijikelezi-langa sibe yiparadesi eseluxolweni ayitshintshanga. (Genesis 1:27, 28) UThixo usabuthiyile ubungendawo. Kwangaxeshanye, ubathanda ngokwenene abantu bakhe yaye kungekudala uza kubahlangula. (INdumiso 11:7) Enyanisweni, ubutshaba obuchazwe kwiGenesis 3:15 kulindeleke ukuba bufikelele encotsheni yabo kungekudala. Ukuze angcwalise igama lakhe aze akhusele abantu bakhe, kwakhona uYehova uza kuba “yindoda enamandla yemfazwe”!—Zekariya 14:3; ISityhilelo 16:14, 16.

19. (a) Zekelisa indlela ukusebenzisa kukaThixo amandla atshabalalisayo okunokusisondeza ngayo kuye. (b) Ukukulungela kukaThixo ukulwa kufanele kube nawuphi umphumo kuthi?

¹⁹ Makhe sikuzekelise oku: Masithi mhlawumbi intsapho yenye indoda ihlaselwa sisilo esikhohlakeleyo yaza loo ndoda yaziphosa kweso silo sasendle sineengcwangu, yasibulala. Ngaba ubunokulindela ukuba umfazi nabantwana bayo bakucaphukele oko ikwenzileyo? Akunjalo, kunoko ubuya kubalindela ukuba bachukunyiswe luthando lwayo lokuzincama ngabo. Ngokufanayo, nathi akumele kusicaphukise ukusebenzisa kukaThixo  amandla atshabalalisayo. Ukukulungela kwakhe ukulwa ukuze asikhusele kufanele kusishukumisele ekubeni simthande ngakumbi. Sikwafanele sibonise intlonelo enzulu ngakumbi ngamandla akhe angenasiphelo. Ngaloo ndlela, ‘sinokunikela inkonzo engcwele kuThixo sinoloyiko lobuthixo nentlonelo.’—Hebhere 12:28.

20. Xa sifunda iingxelo zeBhayibhile eziphathelele iimfazwe zobuthixo esisenokungaziqondi ngokupheleleyo, sifanele sisabele njani, yaye ngoba?

²⁰ Noko ke, iBhayibhile ayisoloko kwimeko nganye isinika zonke iinkcukacha ngezigqibo zikaYehova ngokuphathelele iimfazwe zobuthixo. Kodwa inye into esiqiniseke ngayo: UYehova akaze asebenzise amandla akhe atshabalalisayo ngokungekho sikweni nangenkohlakalo. Ngokufuthi, ukuqwalasela umongo wengxelo yeBhayibhile kunokusinceda sibe nembono ephangaleleyo. (IMizekeliso 18:13) Kwanokuba asizazi zonke iinkcukacha, ukufunda okungakumbi ngoYehova size sicamngce ngeempawu zakhe ezixabisekileyo kunokusinceda siphelise nakuphi na ukuthandabuza esisenokuba nako. Ukwenjenjalo, kusenza sibone ukuba sinezizathu ezininzi zokumthemba uThixo wethu, uYehova.—Yobhi 34:12.

21. Nangona maxa wambi ‘eyindoda enamandla yemfazwe,’ bunjani ubuntu bukaYehova?

²¹ Nangona uYehova ‘eyindoda enamandla yemfazwe’ xa imeko inyanzelisa oko, oku akuthethi kuthi uyayithanda imfazwe. Embonweni kaHezekile wenqwelo yokulwa yasemazulwini, uYehova uchazwa njengokulungeleyo ukulwa neentshaba zakhe. Ukanti, uHezekile wambona uThixo engqongwe ngumnyama—umqondiso woxolo. (Genesis 9:13; Hezekile 1:28; ISityhilelo 4:3) Ngokucacileyo, uYehova uzolile yaye useluxolweni. “UThixo uluthando,” wabhala watsho umpostile uYohane. (1 Yohane 4:8) Zonke iimpawu zakhe uYehova uzibonakalisa ngolungelelwano olugqibeleleyo. Ngoko, hayi indlela esibabalwe ngayo ngokunikwa ilungelo lokusondela kuThixo onamandla kodwa onothando ngolo hlobo!