Imithetho KaNkulunkulu Yenzelwe Ukusizuzisa

“Ngiyawuthanda umthetho wakho kangaka.”—IHUBO 119:97.

1. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo esivamile mayelana nokulalelwa kwemithetho yaphezulu?

UKULALELA imithetho yaphezulu akuthandwa namuhla. Abaningi bakubona kungenangqondo ukuzithoba egunyeni eliphakeme elingabonakali. Siphila enkathini yenkolelo yokuthi ukuziphatha kuxhomeke embonweni womuntu ngamunye, inkathi yemingcele efiphele phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile, neyezinto eziningi ezingenakuchazwa kalula njengezilungile noma ezingalungile. (IzAga 17:15; Isaya 5:20) Ukuhlola okuthile kwamuva nje kubonisé indlela yokucabanga evamile emiphakathini eminingi egxile ezintweni zezwe lapho kuveza ukuthi “iningi lamaMelika lifuna ukuzinqumela ukuthi yini elungile, enhle nenenjongo.” Likhetha “uNkulunkulu ongenaso isandla esiqinile. Imithetho engaqinile. Iziphathimandla ezingenazo izinkolelo eziqinile, kungaba ezokuziphatha noma ezinye.” Umhlaziyi othile wezenhlalo yabantu waphawula ukuthi namuhla “abantu kulindeleke ukuba bazinqumele ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuphila ukuphila okulungile nokuqotho.” Waqhubeka: “Igunya eliphakeme lanoma yiluphi uhlobo kudingeka livumelanise imiyalo yalo nezidingo zabantu bangempela.”

2. Indawo yokuqala eBhayibhelini okuphathwa kuyo umthetho ihlobene kanjani nezibusiso nokwamukelwa kwaphezulu?

² Njengoba abaningi kakhulu bekungabaza ukuba usizo kwemithetho kaJehova, kudingeka siqinise ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi izindinganiso zaphezulu ziyasizuzisa. Kuyathakazelisa ukuhlola ukulandisa lapho umthetho ushiwo khona okokuqala eBhayibhelini. KuGenesise 26:5, sifunda la mazwi kaNkulunkulu: “U-Abrahama . . . wagcina ukusho kwami, nemiyalo yami, nezimiso zami, nemithetho yami.” Lawo mazwi ashiwo emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba uJehova anikeze inzalo ka-Abrahama isimiso somthetho esinemininingwane. UNkulunkulu wakuvuza kanjani ukulalela kuka-Abrahama, kuhlanganise nokulalela imithetho yaKhe? UJehova uNkulunkulu wamthembisa: “Ngenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba.” (Genesise 22:18) Ngakho ukulalela imithetho yaphezulu kuhlobene eduze nezibusiso nokwamukelwa kwaphezulu.

3. (a) Umhubi othile waveza muphi umuzwa ngomthetho kaJehova? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okudingeka siyihlole?

³ Omunye wabahubi—cishe inkosana yakwaJuda eyayisazokuba yinkosi—waveza umuzwa ongavamile ukuhlotshaniswa nomthetho. Wathi kuNkulunkulu: “Ngiyawuthanda umthetho wakho kangaka.” (IHubo 119:97, omalukeke sizenzele.) Lokhu kwakungekhona nje ukuphahluka ngenxa yemizwelo. Kwakuwukuzwakaliswa kothando ngentando kaNkulunkulu evezwe emthethweni wakhe. UJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu  ephelele, wayenemizwa efanayo. UJesu wachazwa ngokwesiprofetho ethi: “Ngiyathanda ukwenza intando yakho, Nkulunkulu wami, nomthetho wakho usenhliziyweni yami.” (IHubo 40:8; Heberu 10:9) Kuthiwani ngathi? Ingabe siyakujabulela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu? Siyaqiniseka yini ukuthi imithetho kaJehova iyasiza futhi iyazuzisa? Kubaluleke kangakanani ukulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu ekukhulekeleni kwethu, ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke, ezinqumweni esizenzayo nasebuhlotsheni bethu nabanye? Ukuze siyithande imithetho yaphezulu, kuhle siqonde ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu enelungelo lokubeka imithetho nokufuna ukuba igcinwe.

UJehova—UMniki-mthetho Ofanele

4. Kungani uJehova enguMniki-mthetho ofanele nophakeme kunabo bonke?

⁴ NjengoMdali, uJehova unguMniki-mthetho ofanele nophakeme kunabo bonke endaweni yonke. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Umprofethi u-Isaya wathi: “UJehova ungumenzi wemithetho yethu.” (Isaya 33:22) Ubeké imithetho yemvelo elawula indalo ephilayo nengaphili. (Jobe 38:4-38; 39:1-12; IHubo 104:5-19) Njengendalo kaNkulunkulu, umuntu ungaphansi kwale mithetho kaJehova yemvelo. Futhi nakuba umuntu eyisidalwa esinenkululeko yokuzikhethela, esikwazi ukuzicabangela, ujabula kuphela lapho ezithoba emithethweni kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha nengokomoya.—Roma 12:1; 1 Korinte 2:14-16.

5. Isimiso esikweyabaseGalathiya 6:7 siyiqiniso kanjani ngokuqondene nemithetho yaphezulu?

⁵ Njengoba sazi, imithetho kaJehova yemvelo ayinakwephulwa. (Jeremiya 33:20, 21) Uma umuntu enza ngokuphambene nemithetho ethile yemvelo, njengomthetho wamandla adonsela phansi, uthola imiphumela. Ngokufanayo, imithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha ayinakushintshwa futhi ayinakugwenywa noma yephulwe kodwa umuntu angajezi. Isebenza ngokuqinisekile njengemithetho yakhe yemvelo, nakuba umphumela ungase ungasheshi. “UNkulunkulu akayena owokuhlekwa insini. Ngoba noma yini umuntu ayihlwanyelayo, uyovuna yona futhi.”—Galathiya 6:7; 1 Thimothewu 5:24.

Ukwenaba Komthetho KaJehova

6. Imithetho yaphezulu yenabe kangakanani?

⁶ Ukubonakaliswa okuvelele komthetho waphezulu kwakuwuMthetho KaMose. (Roma 7:12) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova uNkulunkulu wanikeza “umthetho kaKristu” esikhundleni soMthetho KaMose. * (Galathiya 6:2; 1 Korinte 9:21) NjengamaKristu angaphansi ‘komthetho ophelele ongowenkululeko,’ siyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akasibekeli iziqondiso ezicini ezithile kuphela zokuphila kwethu, njengezinkolelo eziyizimfundiso noma imidanti yemikhosi. Izindinganiso zakhe zithinta zonke izici zokuphila, kuhlanganise nezindaba zomkhaya, izivumelwano zebhizinisi, indlela esiphatha ngayo abobulili obuhlukile, isimo sethu sengqondo ngamaKristu esikanye nawo nokuhlanganyela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso.—Jakobe 1:25, 27.

7. Nikeza izibonelo zemithetho ebalulekile yaphezulu.

⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli lithi: “Izifebe, noma abakhonza izithombe, noma iziphingi, noma amadoda agcinelwe izinjongo ezingezona ezemvelo, noma amadoda alala namadoda, noma amasela, noma abantu abahahayo, noma izidakwa, noma izithuki, noma abaphangi ngeke bawuzuze njengefa umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Yebo, ukuphinga nokufeba akukhona nje “ukuthandana” okungasho lutho. Izenzo zobungqingili aziyona nje “indlela yokuphila ehlukile.” Lokhu ukwephula umthetho kaJehova. Kungokufanayo nangezinto ezinjengokweba, ukuqamba amanga nokunyundela. (IHubo 101:5; Kolose 3:9; 1 Petru 4:15) UJakobe wakulahla ukuqhosha, kanti uPawulu waseluleka ukuba sigweme inkulumo yobuwula nokuntela okuyichilo. (Efesu 5:4; Jakobe 4:16) KumaKristu, yonke le mithetho yokuziphatha iyingxenye yomthetho ophelele kaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 19:7.

8. (a) Unjani umthetho kaJehova? (b) Iyiphi incazelo eyisisekelo yegama lesiHeberu elisho “umthetho”?

⁸ Izimiso ezinjalo eziyisisekelo eziseZwini likaJehova zembula ukuthi umthetho wakhe awulona nje uhlu lweziqondiso ezingenamizwelo ezifuna  ukugcinwa ngaphandle kokucabanga. Uyisisekelo sokuphila okunokulinganisela nokunezithelo futhi uthuthukisa zonke izici zokuziphatha. Umthetho waphezulu uyakha, unobuntu futhi uyafundisa. (IHubo 119:72) Igama elithi “umthetho” elisetshenziswe umhubi lihunyushwe lisuselwa kwelesiHeberu elithi toh·rahʹ. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sithi: “Leli gama lisuselwa esenzweni esisho ukubonisa, ukuqondisa, ukukhomba, ukuciba. Ngakho-ke incazelo yalo . . . kungaba yisimiso sokuziphatha.” Kumhubi umthetho wawuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu. Akufanele yini siwazise ngokufanayo, siwuvumele ulolonge indlela esiphila ngayo?

9, 10. (a) Kungani sidinga isiqondiso esinokwethenjelwa? (b) Iyiphi okuwukuphela kwendlela yokuba nokuphila okujabulisayo nokuphumelelayo?

⁹ Zonke izidalwa zidinga isiqondiso esinokwethenjelwa nesithembekile. Kunjalo ngoJesu nangezinye izingelosi, zona eziphakeme kunomuntu. (IHubo 8:5; Johane 5:30; 6:38; Heberu 2:7; IsAmbulo 22:8, 9) Uma lezi zidalwa eziphelele zingazuza esiqondisweni saphezulu, kakhulu kangakanani-ke abantu abangaphelele! Umlando wesintu nalokho esiye sazibonela khona ngawethu kufakazela ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi omprofethi uJeremiya: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”—Jeremiya 10:23.

¹⁰ Uma sifisa ukuba nokuphila okujabulisayo nokuphumelelayo, kumelwe sibheke kuNkulunkulu ukuze sithole isiqondiso. INkosi uSolomoni yayiqaphela ingozi yokuziphilela ngezindinganiso zakho, ungabi naso isiqondiso saphezulu: “Kukhona indlela ebonakala sengathi ilungile kumuntu, kepha ukuphela kwayo kuyindlela yokufa.”—IzAga 14:12.

Izizathu Zokwazisa Umthetho KaJehova

11. Kungani kufanele sifise ukuqonda umthetho kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Kuhle sihlakulele isifiso esijulile sokuqonda umthetho kaJehova. Umhubi wezwakalisa lokho kulangazela lapho ethi: “Vula amehlo ami ukuba ngibone izimangaliso zasemthethweni wakho.” (IHubo 119:18) Lapho simazi ngokwengeziwe uNkulunkulu nezindlela zakhe, siyokuqonda ngokujule nakakhulu ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi ka-Isaya: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okufundisile okukusizayo, okuholile ngendlela omelwe ukuhamba ngayo. Sengathi nga ulalele imiyalo yami!” (Isaya 48:17, 18) UJehova ufisa ngobuqotho ukuba abantu bakhe bagweme inhlekelele, bajabulele ukuphila ngokulalela imiyalo yakhe. Ake sihlole ezinye zezizathu eziyinhloko ezenza kufuneke siwazise umthetho kaNkulunkulu.

12. Ukusazi kukaJehova kumenza kanjani abe nguMniki-mthetho ongcono kakhulu?

¹² Umthetho waphezulu uvela kuLowo osazi  ngaphezu kwanoma ubani. Njengoba uJehova enguMdali wethu, kunengqondo ukuthi abantu ubazi ngokuphelele. (IHubo 139:1, 2; IzEnzo 17:24-28) Abangane abaseduze, izihlobo, ngisho nabazali abanakusazi kahle njengoJehova. Phela, uNkulunkulu usazi ngaphezu kokuba sizazi kwathina! UMenzi wethu uqonda izidingo zethu ezingokomoya, ezingokomzwelo, ezingokwengqondo nezingokomzimba ngezinga elingenakulinganiswa nelomunye. Njengoba esinaka, ubonisa ukuthi ukuqonda kahle ukwakheka kwethu, izifiso zethu nezinto esiziphishekelayo. UJehova uyakuqonda ukulinganiselwa kwethu, kodwa futhi uyazi nokuthi kungakanani okuhle esingakufeza. Umhubi uthi: “Uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” (IHubo 103:14) Ngakho, singazizwa silondekile ngokomoya njengoba sizama ukuhamba emthethweni wakhe, sizithoba ngokuzithandela esiqondisweni saphezulu.—IzAga 3:19-26.

13. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova usikhathalela ngobuqotho?

¹³ Umthetho waphezulu uvela kuLowo osithandayo. UNkulunkulu uyikhathalela ngokujulile inhlalakahle yethu yaphakade. Akazange yini adele lukhulu ngokunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ukuze ibe “isihlengo esenana abaningi”? (Mathewu 20:28) Akazange yini uJehova athembise ukuthi ‘ngeke asivumele ukuba silingwe ngokungaphezu kwalokho esingakuthwala’? (1 Korinte 10:13) Alisiqinisekisi yini iBhayibheli ukuthi ‘uyasikhathalela’? (1 Petru 5:7) Akekho umuntu onothando nesithakazelo ekunikeni indalo engabantu iziqondiso ezizuzisayo ngaphezu kukaJehova. UJehova uyazi ukuthi yini esilungele nokuthi yini eyosilethela injabulo neyosilethela usizi. Yize singaphelele futhi senza amaphutha, uma siphishekela ukulunga, yena ubonisa izinga asithanda ngalo ngezindlela eziyophumela ekuphileni nasezibusisweni.—Hezekeli 33:11.

14. Iyiphi indlela ebalulekile umthetho kaNkulunkulu ohluke ngayo emibonweni yabantu?

¹⁴ Ukungaguquguquki komthetho kaJehova kuyasiqinisekisa. Kulezi zikhathi zeziyaluyalu esiphila kuzo, uJehova uyidwala eligxilile, njengoba ekhona kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade. (IHubo 90:2) Wathi ngaye siqu: “Mina Jehova angiguquki.” (Malaki 3:6) Izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini zinokwethenjelwa ngokuphelele—ngokungafani nobishi lwemibono yabantu eshintsha njalo. (Jakobe 1:17) Ngokwesibonelo, kwaphela iminyaka izazi zengqondo zithuthukisa indlela eyekelelayo yokukhulisa izingane, kodwa kamuva ezinye zashintsha umqondo zavuma ukuthi iseluleko sazo sasiyiphutha. Izindinganiso neziqondiso zezwe ziya ngapha nangapha njengokungathi zipheshulwa umoya. Nokho, iZwi likaJehova alishintshashintshi. Sekungamakhulu eminyaka iBhayibheli linikeza iseluleko sendlela yokukhulisa izingane ngothando. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Bobaba, ningabacasuli abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisa ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.” (Efesu 6:4) Yeka indlela okuqinisekisa ngayo ukwazi ukuthi singathembela ezindinganisweni zikaJehova; ngeke zishintshe!

Abalalela Imithetho KaNkulunkulu Bathola Izibusiso

15, 16. (a) Uyoba yini umphumela lapho sisebenzisa izindinganiso zikaJehova? (b) Imithetho kaNkulunkulu ingaba kanjani yisiqondiso esihle emshadweni?

¹⁵ Ngomprofethi wakhe u-Isaya, uNkulunkulu wathi: ‘Izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami liyakuphumelela.’ (Isaya 55:11) Ngokuqiniseke ngokufanayo, lapho sizama ngobuqotho ukulandela izindinganiso eziseZwini lakhe, siyophumelela, sifeze okuhle futhi sithole injabulo.

¹⁶ Cabanga indlela imithetho kaNkulunkulu eyisiqondiso esihle ngayo emshadweni ophumelelayo. UPawulu wabhala: “Umshado mawudunyiswe phakathi kwabo bonke, nombhede womshado ungabi nakungcola, ngoba uNkulunkulu  uyokwahlulela izifebe neziphingi.” (Heberu 13:4) Abangane bomshado kufanele bahloniphane futhi bathandane: “Lowo nalowo kini makamthande kanjalo umkakhe njengoba ezithanda yena; ngakolunye uhlangothi, umfazi kufanele abe nenhlonipho ejulile ngomyeni wakhe.” (Efesu 5:33) Uhlobo lothando oludingekayo luchazwe kweyoku-1 Korinte 13:4-8: “Uthando lubhekakade futhi lunomusa. Uthando alunamhawu, aluzigabisi, alukhukhumali, aluziphathi ngokuhlazisayo, aluzifuneli izinzuzo zalo siqu, alucasuki. Alugcini umbhalo wokulinyazwa. Alujabuli ngokungalungi, kodwa lujabula kanye neqiniso. Lubekezelela zonke izinto, lukholelwa yizo zonke izinto, luthemba zonke izinto, lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alupheli nanini.” Umshado onalolu hlobo lothando ngeke ufadalale.

17. Yiziphi izinzuzo ezilethwa ukusebenzisa izindinganiso zikaJehova zokusebenzisa uphuzo oludakayo?

¹⁷ Obunye ubufakazi bokuthi izindinganiso zikaJehova ziyazuzisa, ukuthi uyakulahla ukudakwa. Ngisho ‘nokuzinikela ewayinini eliningi’ akakwamukeli. (1 Thimothewu 3:3, 8; Roma 13:13) Abaningi abangazinaki izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu kulokhu bathola izifo ezibangelwa noma ezibhebhethekiswa ukuphuza ngokweqile. Bengasinaki iseluleko seBhayibheli sokulinganisela, abanye baye baba nomkhuba wokuphuza kakhulu ukuze ‘bancibilike.’ Izinkinga ezibangelwa ukuphuza ngokweqile ziningi, kuhlanganise ukuphelelwa ukuhlonishwa, izingxabano zomkhaya noma ukuchitheka komkhaya, ukusaphazeka komholo nokulahlekelwa umsebenzi. (IzAga 23:19-21, 29-35) Izindinganiso zikaJehova zokusetshenziswa kophuzo oludakayo azisona yini isivikelo?

18. Ingabe imithetho kaNkulunkulu iyasiza ezindabeni zezimali? Chaza.

 ¹⁸ Izindinganiso zikaJehova ziye zaba usizo nasezindabeni zemali. IBhayibheli linxusa amaKristu ukuba athembeke futhi akhuthale. (Luka 16:10; Efesu 4:28; Kolose 3:23) Ngenxa yokulandela lesi seluleko, amaKristu amaningi aye akhushulelwa izikhundla noma asinda lapho abanye bedilizwa. Umuntu uthola izinzuzo ezingokwezimali nalapho egwema imikhuba nokulutheka okungqubuzana nemiBhalo njengokugembula, ukubhema nokudla izidakamizwa. Akungabazeki ukuthi kunezinye izibonelo ongazicabanga zokuba usizo kwezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu kwezezimali.

19, 20. Kungani kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha ukwamukela imithetho yaphezulu nokunamathela kuyo?

¹⁹ Kulula kubantu abangaphelele ukuphambuka emithethweni nasezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngama-Israyeli eNtabeni YaseSinayi. UNkulunkulu wathi kuwo: “Uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba yigugu kimi kunazo zonke izizwe.” Wona aphendula athi: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.” Nokho, yeka ukuthi akhetha ukulandela inkambo ephambene kanjani nalokhu! (Eksodusi 19:5, 8; IHubo 106:12-43) Ngokuphambene, thina masizamukele izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu futhi sinamathele kuzo.

²⁰ Inkambo yokuhlakanipha nenjabulo iwukunamathela eduze emithethweni engenakuqhathaniswa uJehova asinikeze yona ukuze asisize ekuqondiseni ukuphila kwethu. (IHubo 19:7-11) Ukuze sikwenze ngokuphumelelayo lokhu, kudingeka futhi siqonde ukubaluleka kwezimiso zikaNkulunkulu. Isihloko esilandelayo sikhuluma ngalokhu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

• Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi imithetho kaNkulunkulu yenzelwe ukusizuzisa?

• Umthetho kaJehova kufanele siwazise ngenxa yaziphi izizathu?

• Imithetho kaNkulunkulu izuzisa ngaziphi izindlela?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

U-Abrahama wabusiswa kakhulu ngenxa yokulalela umthetho kaJehova

[Izithombe ekhasini 15]

Izinkathazo zokuphila kwanamuhla okumatasa ziphazamisa abaningi ekunakeni umthetho waphezulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Njengesibani esiphezu kwedwala, umthetho waphezulu ugxilile, awushintshashintshi