1. Ithini ingelosi, futhi lokho kusho ukuthini kithi?

 UKUBE ingelosi ibingakhuluma nawe, ubungayilalela? Namuhla ingelosi ikhuluma nazo “zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi nabantu.” Ithini? Ithi: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo . . . Khulekelani Lowo owenza izulu nomhlaba.” (IsAm. 14:​6, 7) UJehova uyena kuphela uNkulunkulu weqiniso okufanele akhonzwe yibo bonke abantu. Asive sibonga ngokuthi usinikeze ithuba eliyigugu lokumkhonza ethempelini lakhe elikhulu elingokomoya!

2. Liyini ithempeli likaJehova elingokomoya? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Lokho Elingekona.”)

² Liyini ngempela leli thempeli elingokomoya futhi singayitholaphi imininingwane elichazayo? Ithempeli elingokomoya alisona isakhiwo esingokoqobo. Liyilungiselelo likaJehova lokumkhonza ngendlela ayamukelayo esekelwe emhlatshelweni wesihlengo sikaJesu. Umphostoli uPawulu walichaza leli lungiselelo encwadini ayibhalela amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala angamaHebheru ayehlala eJudiya. b

3-4. Yini eyayikhathaza uPawulu ngamaKristu angamaHebheru ayehlala eJudiya, futhi wawasiza kanjani?

³ Kungani uPawulu abhalela amaKristu angamaHebheru ayehlala eJudiya? Cishe zimbili izizathu eziyinhloko. Esokuqala, wayefuna ukuwakhuthaza. Iningi lawo lalikhulele enkolweni yamaJuda. Kungenzeka ukuthi abaholi bawo benkolo bangaphambili babehlekisa ngawo ngoba esengamaKristu.  Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi amaKristu ayengenalo ithempeli elibabazekayo ayekhonza kulo, engenalo i-altare ayengenzela kulo imihlatshelo eya kuNkulunkulu, engenabo nabapristi ababewakhonza. Kwakungabadikibalisa lokhu abafundi bakaKristu, kwenze nokholo lwabo lube buthaka. (Heb. 2:1; 3:​12, 14) Kungenzeka nokuthi abanye babo babengalingeka bafune ukubuyela enkolweni yamaJuda.

⁴ Esesibili, uPawulu wathi lawo maKristu angamaHebheru ayengawenzi umzamo wokuqonda izimfundiso ezintsha noma ezijulile, “ukudla okuqinile” okuseZwini likaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 5:​11-14) Kusobala ukuthi amanye ayesabambelele eMthethweni KaMose. Nokho, uPawulu wachaza ukuthi imihlatshelo eyayifuneka ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose yayingazisusi ngokuphelele izono. Yingakho uMthetho ‘washaywa indiva.’ Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu wabe esewafundisa amaqiniso ajulile. Wakhumbuza amaKristu akanye naye ‘ngethemba elingcono’ elisekelwe emhlatshelweni kaJesu owawungawasiza ngempela ukuba ‘asondele kuNkulunkulu.’—Heb. 7:​18, 19.

5. Yini okudingeka siyiqonde encwadini yamaHebheru, futhi kungani?

⁵ UPawulu wachazela abafowabo abangamaHebheru ukuthi kungani indlela ababekhonza ngayo uJehova yayingcono kunendlela ababemkhonza ngayo esikhathini esingaphambili. Indlela amaJuda ayekhonza ngayo ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose yayimane “iyisithunzi sezinto ezazizofika, kodwa okungokoqobo kungokukaKristu.” (Kol. 2:17) Isithunzi asifani ncamashi nento esuke ibangela ukuba kube naleso sithunzi. Ngokufanayo, indlela amaJuda ayekhonza ngayo endulo yayimane iyisithunzi sento engokoqobo eyayiseza. Kudingeka siliqonde ilungiselelo likaJehova lokusithethelela izono ukuze ayamukele indlela esimkhonza ngayo. Manje ake siqhathanise ‘okuyisithunzi’ (indlela amaJuda ayekhonza ngayo endulo) ‘nokungokoqobo’ (indlela amaKristu akhonza ngayo), njengoba kuchazwe encwadini yamaHebheru. Uma senza kanjalo, sizoliqonda kangcono ithempeli elingokomoya nokuthi lisithinta kanjani thina.

6. Lalisetshenziselwa yiphi injongo itabernakele?

⁶ Okuyisithunzi. Ingxoxo kaPawulu ekhuluma ngethempeli elingokomoya isekelwe etabernakele elamiswa uMose ngo-1512 B.C.E.  (Bheka ishadi elithi “Okuyisithunzi—Okungokoqobo.”) Itabernakele laliyisakhiwo esinjengetende ama-Israyeli ayesithwala ekuqaleni lapho esuka kwenye indawo eya kwenye. Alisebenzisa cishe iminyaka engu-500 kwaze kwaba yilapho sekwakhiwe ithempeli eJerusalema. (Eks. 25:​8, 9; Num. 9:22) Leli “tende lokuhlangana” laliyindawo eyinhloko ama-Israyeli ayehlangana kuyo ukuze akhonze uNkulunkulu anikele nemihlatshelo. (Eks. 29:​43-46) Noma kunjalo, leli tabernakele lalimelela nokuthile okungcono kakhulu kwamaKristu okwakuseza.

7. Ithempeli elingokomoya laqala nini ukuba khona?

⁷ Okungokoqobo. Itabernakele lasendulo ‘laliyisithunzi sezinto zasezulwini,’ futhi lalifanekisela ithempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya. UPawulu wathi “leli tende [noma itabernakele] liwumfanekiso wesikhathi samanje.” (Heb. 8:5; 9:9) Ngakho, ngesikhathi ebhalela amaHebheru, leli thempeli elingokomoya lase livele likhona, liyinto engokoqobo kumaKristu. Laba khona ngo-29 C.E. Ngalowo nyaka uJesu wabhapathizwa, wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, waqala ukukhonza ‘njengompristi ophakeme omkhulu’ kaJehova ethempelini elingokomoya. c—Heb. 4:14; IzE. 10:​37, 38.

8-9. NgokweyamaHebheru 7:​23-27, yimuphi umehluko omkhulu phakathi kwabapristi abaphakeme bakwa-Israyeli nomPristi Ophakeme, uJesu Kristu?

⁸ Okuyisithunzi. UmPristi Ophakeme wayenikezwe igunya lokumelela abantu phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Lapho itabernakele linikezelwa, uJehova wamisa umPristi Ophakeme wokuqala kwa-Israyeli, u-Aroni. Nokho, njengoba uPawulu achaza, “baningi okwadingeka babe abapristi ngokulandelana ngenxa yokuthi ukufa kwabavimba ukuba baqhubeke beyibo.” d (Funda eyamaHebheru 7:​23-27.) Labo bapristi abaphakeme babengamadoda anesono, ngakho kwakudingeka benze imihlatshelo yezabo izono. Nawu-ke umehluko omkhulu phakathi kwabapristi abaphakeme bakwa-Israyeli nomPristi Ophakeme, uJesu Kristu.

⁹ Okungokoqobo. UJesu Kristu, njengomPristi Ophakeme, ‘uyisikhonzi sasetendeni leqiniso, elamiswa uJehova, hhayi umuntu.’ (Heb. 8:​1, 2) UPawulu wathi “ngenxa yokuthi [uJesu] uqhubeka ephila kuze kube phakade, akekho olandela esikhundleni sakhe sobupristi.” Wanezela nokuthi uJesu ‘akangcolile, uhlukanisiwe nezoni,’ futhi ngokungefani nabapristi abaphakeme bakwa-Israyeli, “akudingeki ukuba anikele imihlatshelo nsuku zonke” ngenxa yezono zakhe. Manje, cabanga ngomehluko okhona phakathi kwama-altare nemihlatshelo alokho okuyisithunzi nalokho okungokoqobo.

10. Yayifanekiselani imihlatshelo eyayenziwa e-altare lethusi?

¹⁰ Okuyisithunzi. Ngaphandle emnyango wetabernakele kwakukhona i-altare lethusi okwakunikelwa kulo imihlatshelo yezilwane eya kuJehova. (Eks. 27:​1, 2; 40:29) Kodwa leyo mihlatshelo yayingenzi ukuba izono zabantu zithethelelwe ngokuphelele. (Heb. 10:​1-4) Ukunikelwa kwemihlatshelo yezilwane njalo etabernakele kwakufanekisela umhlatshelo owodwa owawuzobahlenga ngokuphelele abantu.

11. UJesu wazinikela kuliphi i-altare ukuba abe umhlatshelo? (Hebheru 10:​5-7, 10)

 ¹¹ Okungokoqobo. UJesu wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayemthume emhlabeni ukuba anikele ngokuphila kwakhe kube umhlatshelo wesihlengo sesintu. (Math. 20:28) Ngakho, ngesikhathi uJesu ebhapathizwa, wayezinikela ukuba enze lokho uJehova ayekufuna. (Joh. 6:38; Gal. 1:4) UJesu wazinikela e-altare elingokomfanekiso elalifanekisela “intando” kaNkulunkulu ewukuba iNdodana yakhe inikele ngokuphila kwayo okungenasono kube umhlatshelo. UJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ‘kwaba kanye kuphela’ ukuze ahlawulele, noma amboze, unomphela izono zabo bonke ababonisa ukholo kuKristu. (Funda eyamaHebheru 10:​5-7, 10.) Manje sesizoxoxa ngokubaluleka kwezinto ezazingaphakathi etabernakele.

12. Ubani owayengangena egunjini ngalinye letabernakele?

¹² Okuyisithunzi. Itabernakele namathempeli akhiwa kamuva eJerusalema kwakwakhiwe ngendlela ethi ayifane. Ngaphakathi kwakunamagumbi amabili—“iNdawo Engcwele” (noma ‘iNgcwele’) ‘neNgcwelengcwele’—ayehlukaniswe ikhethini elinemifanekiso. (Heb. 9:​2-5; Eks. 26:​31-33) Ngaphakathi eNgcwele kwakunothi lwesibani legolide, i-altare lokushisa impepho netafula lesinkwa sokubukwa. “Abapristi abagcotshiwe” kuphela ababevunyelwe ukungena eNgcwele ukuze benze imisebenzi yabo engcwele. (Num. 3:​3, 7, 10) ENgcwelengcwele kwakunomphongolo wesivumelwano owenziwe ngegolide owawufanekisela ukuba  khona kukaJehova. (Eks. 25:​21, 22) Umpristi ophakeme uyena kuphela owayevunyelwe ukudlulela ngale kwekhethini angene eNgcwelengcwele kanye ngonyaka ngoSuku Lokuhlawulelwa. (Lev. 16:​2, 17) Njalo ngonyaka wayengena negazi lezilwane ukuze ahlawulele ezakhe izono nezono zaso sonke isizwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJehova, ngomoya wakhe ongcwele, wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi zazimelelani lezi zinto ezazisetabernakele.—Heb. 9:​6-8. e

13. Ifanekiselani iNgcwele neNgcwelengcwele letabernakele kulokho okungokoqobo?

¹³ Okungokoqobo. Inani elithile labafundi bakaKristu ligcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele futhi linobuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova. Laba abangu-144 000 kumele babe abapristi ezulwini noJesu. (IsAm. 1:6; 14:1) INgcwele letabernakele lifanekisela isimo sabo sokuba amadodana kaNkulunkulu agcotshwe ngomoya ngesikhathi esesemhlabeni. (Roma 8:​15-17) INgcwelengcwele letabernakele limelela izulu, lapho kuhlala khona uJehova. ‘Ikhethini’ elalihlukanisa iNgcwele neNgcwelengcwele lifanekisela umzimba kaJesu wenyama owawuyisithiyo sokuba angene ezulwini njengomPristi Ophakeme omkhulu wethempeli elingokomoya. Ngokunikela ngomzimba wakhe wenyama ukuba ube umhlatshelo, uJesu wavulela wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe indlela yokuyophila ezulwini. Nawo kumele anikele imizimba yawo yenyama ukuze athole umvuzo wasezulwini. (Heb. 10:​19, 20; 1 Kor. 15:50) Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, wangena eNgcwelengcwele lethempeli elingokomoya, lapho bonke abagcotshiwe beyogcina benaye khona.

14. EyamaHebheru 9:​12, 24-26, ithi yini eyenza ilungiselelo likaJehova lethempeli elingokomoya libe eliphakeme?

¹⁴ Kule ndaba, umhlatshelo wesihlengo nobupristi bukaJesu Kristu kusenza sikubone ngokucacile ukuphakama kwelungiselelo likaJehova lokumkhonza ngendlela emsulwa. Umpristi ophakeme wakwa-Israyeli wayengena eNgcwelengcwele eyenziwe umuntu ephethe igazi lemihlatshelo yezilwane, kodwa uJesu yena “wangena ezulwini ngokwalo,” indawo engcwele kunazo zonke, ukuze abonakale phambi kukaJehova. Ngaleso sikhathi, wafike wanikela ngenani lokuphila kwakhe okungenasono ngenxa yethu “ukuze asuse isono ngomhlatshelo wakhe.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 9:​12, 24-26.) Umhlatshelo kaJesu uyedlula yonke eminye imihlatshelo, uzisusa ngokuphelele izono. Njengoba sizofunda, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini noma emhlabeni, sonke singamkhonza uJehova ethempelini lakhe elingokomoya.

15. Obani ababekhonza egcekeni letabernakele?

¹⁵ Okuyisithunzi. Itabernakele lalinegceke elilodwa—elaliyindawo ebiyelwe nevulekile lapho abapristi babenza khona imisebenzi yabo. I-altare elikhulu lethusi lomnikelo oshiswayo lalikuleli gceke, kanye nendishi yamanzi yethusi abapristi ababeyisebenzisela ukuzihlanza ngaphambi kokwenza inkonzo engcwele. (Eks. 30:​17-20; 40:​6-8) Amathempeli akhiwa kamuva nawo ayenalo igceke elingaphandle lapho abantu ababengebona abapristi babema khona bakhonze uNkulunkulu.

16. Obani abakhonza egcekeni ngalinye lethempeli elingokomoya?

¹⁶ Okungokoqobo. Ngaphambi kokuyokhonza njengabapristi noJesu ezulwini, abafowabo  abagcotshiwe abasele bakhonza ngokwethembeka engxenyeni esemhlabeni yegceke elingaphakathi lethempeli elingokomoya. Ukuba khona kwendishi enkulu yamanzi kuyisikhumbuzo esibalulekile kubo nakuwo wonke amaKristu sokuba aqhubeke eziphatha ngendlela ehlanzekile futhi abe nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. “Isixuku esikhulu,” esibasekela ngobuqotho abafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe, simkhonza kuphi-ke sona uJehova? Umphostoli uJohane wasibona “simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi,” endaweni esemhlabeni ethi ayifane negceke elingaphandle, lapho ‘sinikela [khona] inkonzo engcwele [kuNkulunkulu] imini nobusuku ethempelini lakhe.’ (IsAm. 7:​9, 13-15) Sikwazisa ngempela ukuba nengxenye elungiselelweni likaJehova lokumkhonza ngendlela emsulwa!

17. Yimiphi imihlatshelo esinelungelo lokuyinikela kuJehova?

¹⁷ Namuhla wonke amaKristu anelungelo lokunikela ngemihlatshelo kuJehova ngokusebenzisa isikhathi sawo, amandla awo nezinto anazo ukuze athuthukise imisebenzi ephathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba uPawulu atshela amaKristu angamaHebheru, ‘singanikela njalo kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo wokudumisa, okuwukuthi, amazwi aphuma emilonyeni yethu avuma obala igama lakhe.’ (Heb. 13:15) Singabonisa ukuthi siyalazisa ilungelo esinalo lokukhonza uJehova ngokunikela kuye imihlatshelo engcono kakhulu.

18. NgokweyamaHebheru 10:​22-25, yini okufanele siqikelele ukuthi siyayinaka, futhi yini okufanele singayikhohlwa nanini?

¹⁸ Funda eyamaHebheru 10:​22-25. Ngasekuphetheni kwencwadi ayibhalela amaHebheru, uPawulu wakhuluma ngezici ezihlukahlukene zenkonzo yethu okufanele siqikelele ukuthi siyazinaka. Lezi zici zihlanganisa ukuthandaza kuJehova, ukushumayeza abanye ngethemba lethu, ukuhlangana ndawonye njengebandla nokukhuthazana, ‘ikakhulu njengoba sibona usuku [lukaJehova] lusondela.’ Ngasekupheleni kwencwadi yesAmbulo, ingelosi kaJehova iwasho kabili la mazwi ukuze iwagcizelele, ithi: “Khulekela uNkulunkulu!” (IsAm. 19:10; 22:9) Kwangathi singelinge sikhohlwe yileli qiniso elijulile elimayelana nethempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya nelungelo elimangalisayo esinalo lokukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu!