Imihlatshelo Eyajabulisa UNkulunkulu

“Wonke umpristi ophakeme umiselwa ukuba anikele kokubili izipho nemihlatshelo.”—HEBERU 8:3.

1. Kungani abantu bezizwa bedinga ukuphendukela kuNkulunkulu?

“UKWENZA umhlatshelo kubonakala ‘kungokwemvelo’ kumuntu njengokuthandaza; okunye kubonisa indlela umuntu azizwa ngayo ngaye ngokwakhe, okunye kubonisa indlela azizwa ngayo ngoNkulunkulu,” kubhala isazi-mlando u-Alfred Edersheim. Kusukela lapho isono singena emhlabeni, siye saletha ubuhlungu bomuzwa wecala, ukuhlukaniswa noNkulunkulu nokungakwazi ukuzisiza. Abantu badinga ukophulwa kule mizwa. Kulula ukuqonda ukuthi lapho abantu bezithola besesimweni esinjalo sosizi, bazizwa bedinga ukuphendukela kuNkulunkulu ukuze bathole usizo.—Roma 5:12.

2. Yimiphi iminikelo yokuqala eyenzelwa uNkulunkulu esiyithola eBhayibhelini?

² Imihlatshelo yokuqala eyenzelwa uNkulunkulu ngokomlando weBhayibheli kwakungekaKayini no-Abela. Siyafunda: “Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezithile uKayini waletha kuJehova umnikelo wezithelo zomhlabathi. Naye u-Abela waletha umnikelo kuwo amazibulo ezimvu zakhe ezinonileyo.” (Genesise 4:3, 4) Sibe sesithola ukuthi uNowa, owasindiswa nguNkulunkulu kuZamcolo owabhubhisa isizukulwane esibi sosuku lwakhe, washukumiseleka ukuba ‘anikele kuJehova umnikelo wokushiswa e-altare.’ (Genesise 8:20) Kaningana, lapho inceku nomngane kaNkulunkulu u-Abrahama ishukunyiswe yizithembiso nezibusiso zikaNkulunkulu, ‘yayakha i-altare, ikhuleke egameni likaJehova.’ (Genesise 12:8; 13:3, 4, 18) Kamuva, u-Abrahama wabhekana nokuvivinywa okukhulu kakhulu kokholo lwakhe lapho etshelwa nguJehova ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka njengomnikelo wokushiswa. (Genesise 22:1-14) Nakuba kukufushane, lokhu kulandisa kucacisa okuningi mayelana nemihlatshelo, njengoba sizobona.

3. Imihlatshelo ifeza yiphi indima ekukhulekeleni?

³ Kulokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli nakokunye, kusobala ukuthi ukunikela ngomhlatshelo wohlobo oluthile kwakuyingxenye eyisisekelo yokukhulekela ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba uJehova anikeze imithetho eqondile ngokuphathelene nako. Ngokuvumelana nalokho, enye incwadi ichaza “umhlatshelo” ngokuthi “isenzo esingokwenkolo sokunikela ngento kunkulunkulu othile ukuze kwakhiwe, kulondolozwe, noma kuvuselelwe ubuhlobo obuhle phakathi komuntu nalokho okubhekwa njengokungcwele.” Kodwa lokhu kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile okufanele siyihlolisise ngokucophelela njengalena: Kungani kudingeka umhlatshelo ekukhulekeleni? Luhlobo luni lwemihlatshelo eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu? Futhi imihlatshelo yasendulo isho ukuthini kithi namuhla?

Kungani Kudingeka Umhlatshelo?

4. Waba yini umphumela ku-Adamu no-Eva lapho bona?

⁴ Lapho u-Adamu ona, wenza ngamabomu. Ukuthatha isithelo emthini wokwazi okuhle nokubi  asidle kwakuyisenzo sokungalaleli ngenhloso. Isijeziso saleso senzo sokungalaleli kwaba ukufa, njengoba uNkulunkulu ayeshó ngokucacile: “Mhla udla kuwo uyakufa nokufa.” (Genesise 2:17) U-Adamu no-Eva bagcina beyitholile inkokhelo yesono—bafa.—Genesise 3:19; 5:3-5.

5. Kungani uJehova athatha isinyathelo kuqala wasiza inzalo ka-Adamu, futhi yini ayenzela yona?

⁵ Nokho, kuthiwani ngenzalo ka-Adamu? Njengoba yazuza isono nokungapheleli ku-Adamu, nayo ngokufanayo ihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu, ayinakuzisiza futhi iyafa njengoba kwaba njalo ngabantu ababili bokuqala. (Roma 5:14) Nokho, uJehova akayena uNkulunkulu wobulungisa namandla kuphela kodwa futhi—empeleni, ngokuyinhloko—unguNkulunkulu wothando. (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Ngakho, uthatha isinyathelo sokuvala igebe kuqala. Ngemva kokuthi “inkokhelo isono esiyikhokhayo iwukufa,” iBhayibheli libe selithi, “kodwa isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo siwukuphila okumi phakade ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 6:23.

6. Iyini intando kaJehova mayelana nomonakalo owadalwa yisono sika-Adamu?

⁶ Ukuze aqinisekise ukutholakala kwaleso sipho, uJehova uNkulunkulu wagcina enikeze okuthile okwakuyovala ukulahlekelwa okwaba umphumela wokona kuka-Adamu. NgesiHeberu, igama elithi ka·pharʹ cishe ekuqaleni lalisho ukuthi “sibekela” noma mhlawumbe “yesula,” futhi lihunyushwa nangokuthi “inhlawulelo.” * Ngamanye amazwi, uJehova wenza kwaba nendlela efanelekayo yokusibekela isono esazuzwa ku-Adamu, wasulwa nomonakalo esawubangela ukuze labo abasifanelekelayo leso sipho bakhululwe ekulahlweni kwesono nokufa.—Roma 8:21.

7. (a) Yiliphi ithemba elanikezwa esigwebweni uNkulunkulu asinika uSathane? (b) Yiliphi inani okufanele likhokhwe ukuze isintu sikhishwe esonweni nasekufeni?

⁷ Ithemba lokukhululwa ekugqilazweni yisono nokufa lavezwa sakugigiyela ngemva nje ngokuba abantu ababili bokuqala bonile. Egweba uSathane, owayemelelwe yinyoka, uJehova wathi: “Ngizakubeka ubutha phakathi kwakho nowesifazane, naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona iyakuchoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyakulimaza isithende sayo.” (Genesise 3:15) Ngalawo mazwi ayisiprofetho, kwavela inhlansi yethemba ngabo bonke ababeyobonisa ukholo kuleso sithembiso. Nokho, leyo nkululeko itholakala ngenani elithile. INzalo ethenjisiwe yayingeke nje ifike ibhubhise uSathane; iNzalo kwakumelwe ilinyazwe esithendeni, okungukuthi, kwakumelwe ife, nakuba kwakungeke kube unomphela.

8. (a) Kungayiphi indlela uKayini engazange agculise? (b) Kungani umnikelo ka-Abela wamukeleka emehlweni kaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Adamu no-Eva bacabanga kakhulu ngokuthi ingubani iNzalo ethenjisiwe. Lapho u-Eva ebeletha indodana yakhe eyizibulo, uKayini, wathi: “Ngitholile indoda kuJehova.” (Genesise 4:1) Ingabe wayecabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe indodana yakhe yayiyoba yiyona Nzalo? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayecabanga kanjalo noma cha, uKayini, nomnikelo wakhe, akuzange neze kugculise. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umfowabo u-Abela wabonisa ukholo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu futhi washukumiseleka ukuba anikele ngamazibulo omhlambi wakhe njengomhlatshelo kuJehova. Siyafunda: “Ngokholo u-Abela wanikela kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo onokubaluleka okukhulu kunokaKayini, okuwukholo okwathi ngalo wafakazelwa ukuthi wayelungile.”—Heberu 11:4.

9. (a) Yini u-Abela ayenokholo kuyo, futhi walubonisa kanjani? (b) Umnikelo ka-Abela wafezani?

⁹ Ukholo luka-Abela lwalungelona nje ukholo kuNkulunkulu, okumelwe ukuba noKayini wayenalo. U-Abela wayenokholo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu seNzalo eyayizobangela ukusindiswa kwabantu abathembekile. Akambulelwanga ukuthi kwakuyofezwa kanjani lokho, kodwa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu senza u-Abela waqaphela ukuthi kwakuyodingeka ukuba othile alinyazwe esithendeni. Yebo, kubonakala sengathi waphetha ngokuthi kwakuyodingeka kuchithwe igazi—okuyiwona kanye umqondo womhlatshelo. U-Abela wanikela ngesipho esihilela ukuphila negazi eMthonjeni wokuphila, cishe njengophawu lokulangazelela  kwakhe okukhulu nokulindela ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaJehova. Lokhu kuboniswa kokholo yikhona okwenza umhlatshelo ka-Abela wajabulisa kuJehova, futhi ngezinga elilinganiselwe, wabonisa lokho okushiwo umhlatshelo ngempela—indlela abantu abanesono abakwazi ngayo ukusondela kuNkulunkulu ukuze bathole umusa wakhe.—Genesise 4:4; Heberu 11:1, 6.

10. Ukucela kukaJehova u-Abrahama ukuba anikele ngo-Isaka kwakucacisa kanjani lokho okushiwo umhlatshelo?

¹⁰ Ukubaluleka okujulile komhlatshelo kwacaciswa ngokuphawulekayo lapho uJehova eyala u-Abrahama ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka njengomnikelo wokushiswa. Nakuba lowo mhlatshelo ungenziwanga ngokoqobo, waba umfanekiso walokho uJehova uqobo ayeyokwenza ekugcineni—ukunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa njengomhlatshelo omkhulu kunayo yonke ukuze afeze intando yaKhe mayelana nesintu. (Johane 3:16) Ngemihlatshelo neminikelo yoMthetho KaMose, uJehova wanikeza imifuziselo engokwesiprofetho ukuze afundise abantu bakhe abakhethiwe lokho okwakumelwe bakwenze ukuze bathethelelwe izono zabo futhi aqinise ithemba labo lensindiso. Singafundani kule mifuziselo?

Imihlatshelo Eyamukelekayo KuJehova

11. Yiziphi izigaba ezimbili zeminikelo eyayenziwa umpristi ophakeme wakwa-Israyeli, futhi ngaziphi izinjongo?

¹¹ Umphostoli uPawulu uthi: “Wonke umpristi ophakeme umiselwa ukuba anikele kokubili izipho nemihlatshelo.” (Heberu 8:3) Phawula ukuthi uPawulu uyihlukanisa izigaba ezimbili iminikelo eyayenziwa umpristi ophakeme wakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, okungukuthi, “izipho,” “nemihlatshelo,” noma ‘imihlatshelo yezono.’ (Heberu 5:1) Abantu ngokuvamile baphana izipho ukuze babonise uthando nokwazisa, futhi bahlakulele ubungane, ukuthanda noma ukwamukelwa. (Genesise 32:20; IzAga 18:16) Ngokufanayo, iminikelo eminingi eyayishiwo uMthetho ingabhekwa ‘njengezipho’ kuNkulunkulu zokufuna ukwamukelwa nomusa wakhe. * Ukwephulwa koMthetho kwakudinga ukuhlawulelwa, futhi ukuze kubuyiswane, kwakunikelwa ‘ngemihlatshelo yezono.’ IPentateuch, ikakhulu izincwadi zika-Eksodusi, uLevitikusi, noNumeri zinikeza ukwaziswa okuningi mayelana nezinhlobonhlobo zemihlatshelo neminikelo. Nakuba kungase kube yinselele ngempela ukuba siqonde futhi sikhumbule yonke imininingwane, kunamaphuzu ayisihluthulelo ngokuphathelene nezinhlobonhlobo zemihlatshelo okudingeka siwahlole.

12. Kukuphi eBhayibhelini lapho singathola khona imininingwane yemihlatshelo, noma iminikelo eseMthethweni?

¹² Singase siphawule ukuthi kuLevitikusi izahluko 1 kuya ku-7, kunezinhlobo ezinhlanu eziyinhloko zeminikelo—umnikelo wokushiswa, umnikelo wempuphu, umhlatshelo wenhlanganyelo (NW), umnikelo wesono nomnikelo wecala—echazwe ngokwehlukana kwayo, yize eminye yayo empeleni yayenziwa ndawonye. Siphawula nokuthi le minikelo ichazwe kabili kulezi zahluko, ngezinjongo ezingafani: okokuqala, kuLevitikusi 1:2 kuya ku-6:7, lapho kunikezwa imininingwane yalokho okwakufanele kunikelwe e-altare, okwesibili, kuLevitikusi 6:8 kuya ku-7:36, lapho kuboniswa izingxenye ezazigcinelwa abapristi nalezo ezazibekelwa onikelayo. Kube sekuthi kuNumeri izahluko 28 no-29, sithole lokho okungase kubhekwe njengohlelo lwezikhathi oluningiliziwe, olubonisa ukuthi yini okwakumelwe inikelwe nsuku  zonke, masonto onke, nyanga zonke nasemikhosini yaminyaka yonke.

13. Chaza iminikelo eyayenziwa ngokuzithandela njengezipho eziya kuNkulunkulu.

¹³ Phakathi kweminikelo eyayenziwa ngokuzithandela njengezipho noma njengendlela yokusondela kuNkulunkulu ukuze umuntu athole umusa wakhe, kwakuneminikelo yokushiswa, iminikelo yempuphu neminikelo yenhlanganyelo. Ezinye izazi zikholelwa ukuthi igama lesiHeberu elisho “umnikelo wokushiswa” lisho “umnikelo wokukhuphuka” noma “umnikelo okhuphukayo.” Lokhu kuyafaneleka ngoba emnikelweni wokushiswa, isilwane esihlatshiwe sasishiswa e-altare bese iphunga elimnandi likhuphukela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu. Isici esivelele somnikelo wokushiswa kwakuwukuthi ngemva kokuba igazi lawo lifafazwe e-altare, isilwane sasinikelwa sonke kuNkulunkulu. Umpristi ‘wayekushisa konke e-altare, kube ngumnikelo wokushiswa, umnikelo womlilo, ube yiphunga elimnandi kuJehova.’—Levitikusi 1:3, 4, 9; Genesise 8:21.

14. Wawulungiswa kanjani umnikelo wempuphu?

¹⁴ Umnikelo wempuphu uchazwe kuLevitikusi isahluko 2. Wawungumnikelo wokuzithandela owenziwa ngofulawa ocolisekile, ngokuvamile owawuthanjiswa ngamafutha kufakwe nenhlaka. ‘Umpristi kwakumelwe acaphune kuwo ngokhweshe lwempuphu ecolekileyo yawo nowamafutha awo, kanye nayo yonke inhlaka yawo, awushise ube yisikhumbuzo sawo e-altare, umnikelo womlilo, ube yiphunga elimnandi kuJehova.’ (Levitikusi 2:2) Inhlaka yayingesinye sezithako zempepho engcwele eyayishiswa e-altare lempepho etabernakele nasethempelini. (Eksodusi 30:34-36) Ngokusobala iNkosi uDavide yayicabanga ngalokhu lapho ithi: “Umkhuleko wami mawube njengempepho ebusweni bakho, nokuphakanyiswa kwezandla zami njengomnikelo [wempuphu] wakusihlwa.”—IHubo 141:2.

15. Yayiyini injongo yomhlatshelo wenhlanganyelo?

¹⁵ Omunye umnikelo wokuzithandela kwakungumnikelo wenhlanganyelo, ochazwe kuLevitikusi isahluko 3. Leli gama lingahunyuswa futhi ngokuthi “umhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula.” NgesiHeberu, igama elithi “ukuthula” lisho  okungaphezulu kakhulu kokungabi nampi noma ukuphazamiseka. “EBhayibhelini, lisho lokhu, kanye nesimo noma ubuhlobo bokuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu, ukuchuma nenjabulo,” kusho incwadi i-Studies in the Mosaic Institutions. Ngakho, imihlatshelo yenhlanganyelo yayinganikelelwa ukwenza ukuthula noNkulunkulu, ukubuyisana naye, kodwa yayinikelelwa ukubonga, noma ukugubha isimo esibusisekile sokuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu esasijatshulelwa yilabo abamukelekayo kuye. Abapristi nomuntu onikelayo babedla emhlatshelweni ngemva kokuba kunikelwe ngegazi namanoni kuJehova. (Levitikusi 3:17; 7:16-21; 19:5-8) Ngendlela enhle nengokomfanekiso, onikelayo, abapristi noJehova uNkulunkulu babehlanganyela isidlo, okufanekisela ubuhlobo obunokuthula obabuphakathi kwabo.

16. (a) Yayiyini injongo yomnikelo wesono nomnikelo wecala? (b) Leyo minikelo yayihluke kanjani emnikelweni wokushiswa?

¹⁶ Imihlatshelo eyayinikelwa ukuze kucelwe ukuthethelelwa izono noma ukuhlawulelwa ekwephuleni uMthetho yayihlanganisa umnikelo wesono nomnikelo wecala. Nakuba nale mihlatshelo yayihilela ukushisa okuthile e-altare, yayihlukile emnikelweni wokushiswa ngokuthi kwakungabi yisilwane sonke esinikelwa kuNkulunkulu, kwakuba amanoni nezingxenye ezithile kuphela. Okusele kwakulahlwa ngaphandle kwekamu noma kwezinye izimo kudliwe abapristi. Lo mahluko ubalulekile. Umnikelo wokushiswa wawenziwa njengesipho kuNkulunkulu ukuze kusondelwe kuye, ngakho wawenzelwa uNkulunkulu kuphela futhi ushiswa wonke. Ngokuthakazelisayo, umnikelo wokushiswa ngokuvamile wawandulelwa umnikelo wesono noma umnikelo wecala, okusikisela ukuthi ukuze isipho sesoni samukeleke kuNkulunkulu, kwakudingeka sithethelelwe isono.—Levitikusi 8:14, 18; 9:2, 3; 16:3, 5.

17, 18. Umnikelo wesono wawenzelwani, futhi yayiyini injongo yomnikelo wecala?

¹⁷ Umnikelo wesono wawamukelwa kuphela ngokuphathelene nesono sokweqiwa koMthetho kungahlosiwe, isono esenziwe ngenxa yobuthakathaka benyama. “Uma umuntu ona kungengamabomu kuyo imiyalo uJehova ayale ngayo ukuthi akunakwenziwa,” khona-ke leso soni kwakufanele senze umnikelo wesono ohambelana nesikhundla noma indima yaso emphakathini. (Levitikusi 4:2, 3, 22, 27) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izoni ezingaphenduki zazishiywa ngaphandle; kwakungekho mihlatshelo ezazingayenza.—Eksodusi 21:12-15; Levitikusi 17:10; 20:2, 6, 10; Numeri 15:30; Heberu 2:2.

¹⁸ Incazelo nenjongo yomnikelo wecala kucacisiwe kuLevitikusi izahluko 5 no-6. Kwakungenzeka ukuthi umuntu wayoné engahlosile. Noma kunjalo, ukona kwakhe kwakungase kubangele icala lokwephulwa kwamalungelo abantu bakubo noma kaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi lokho kona kwakumelwe kulungiswe. Kunezigaba eziningana zezono eziphawuliwe. Ezinye kwakuyizono zangasese (5:2-6), ezinye zaziphathelene ‘nezinto ezingcwele zikaJehova’ (5:14-16), kanti ezinye, nakuba kungekhona ukuthi zazingahlosiwe ngokuphelele, zaziyizono eziwumphumela wezifiso ezingafanele noma ubuthakathaka benyama (6:1-3). Ngaphandle kokuvuma izono ezinjalo, owonile kwakudingeka akhokhe isinxephezelo lapho kufaneleka khona abese enza umnikelo wecala kuJehova.—Levitikusi 6:4-7.

Kwakuza Okuthile Okungcono

19. Naphezu kokuba noMthetho nemihlatshelo yawo, kungani u-Israyeli ahluleka ukuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ UMthetho KaMose, nemihlatshelo neminikelo yawo eminingi, wanikwa ama-Israyeli ukuze akwazi ukusondela kuNkulunkulu athole futhi alondoloze umusa nesibusiso sakhe kuze kufike iNzalo ethenjisiwe. Umphostoli uPawulu, umJuda  wokuzalwa, wakubeka kanje: “UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu, ukuze kuthiwe silungile ngenxa yokholo.” (Galathiya 3:24) Ngokudabukisayo, u-Israyeli njengesizwe akasabelanga kulokho kufundiswa kodwa walisebenzisa kabi lelo lungelo. Ngenxa yalokho, imihlatshelo yakhe eminingi yamnenga uJehova, wathi: “Ngisuthile ngeminikelo yokushiswa yezinqama nangeyamanoni amathole akhuluphalisiweyo; negazi lezinkunzi nelamawundlu nelezimpongo angithokozi ngalo.”—Isaya 1:11.

20. Kwenzekani ngo-70 C.E. ngokuqondene noMthetho nemihlatshelo yawo?

²⁰ Ngo-70 C.E., isimiso sezinto sobuJuda nethempeli laso nabapristi, kwaphela. Ngemva kwalokho, kwakungasenakwenzeka ukwenza imihlatshelo ngendlela eyayishiwo uMthetho. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi imihlatshelo, njengengxenye eyinhloko yoMthetho, ayisenanjongo nakancane kubakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? Lokhu sizokuhlola esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Yini eyashukumisela amadoda athembekile asendulo ukuba enze imihlatshelo kuJehova?

• Kungani imihlatshelo yayidingeka?

• Yiziphi izinhlobo eziyinhloko zemihlatshelo eyayenziwa ngaphansi koMthetho, futhi zaziyini izinjongo zayo?

• NgokukaPawulu, uMthetho nemihlatshelo yawo wafeza yiphi injongo eyinhloko?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Umhlatshelo ka-Abela wawujabulisa ngoba wabonisa ukholo ayenalo esithembisweni sikaJehova

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ingabe uyakuqonda ukubaluleka kwalokho okwenzeka lapha?