Zithobe Ngokwethembeka Egunyeni LikaNkulunkulu

“UJehova ungumahluleli wethu, uJehova ungumenzi wemithetho yethu, uJehova uyinkosi yethu.”—ISAYA 33:22.

1. Yiziphi izici ezenza u-Israyeli wasendulo wahluka phakathi kwezizwe?

NGO-1513 B.C.E., kwaba khona isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Ngaleso sikhathi, sasingenanhloko-dolobha, singenalizwe nankosi ebonakalayo. Izakhamuzi zaso zazikade ziyizigqila. Kodwa leso sizwe esisha sasihluke nangenye futhi indlela. UJehova uNkulunkulu wayenguMahluleli waso ongabonakali, uMenzi wemithetho neNkosi yaso. (Eksodusi 19:5, 6; Isaya 33:22) Asikho esinye isizwe esasingathi naso sinjalo!

2. Yimuphi umbuzo ophakamayo ngokuphathelene nendlela u-Israyeli ayehlelwe ngayo, futhi kungani impendulo yawo ibalulekile kithi?

² Njengoba uJehova enguNkulunkulu wokuhleleka noNkulunkulu wokuthula, singalindela ukuba noma yisiphi isizwe esibuswa nguye sihleleke kahle. (1 Korinte 14:33) Wayenjalo impela u-Israyeli. Kodwa inhlangano yasemhlabeni ebonakalayo yayingaqondiswa kanjani uNkulunkulu ongabonakali? Kuhle sihlole indlela uJehova ayesibusa ngayo leso sizwe sasendulo, siphawule ngokukhethekile ukuthi indlela amphatha ngayo u-Israyeli ikugcizelela kanjani ukubaluleka kokuzithoba ngokwethembeka egunyeni likaNkulunkulu.

Indlela U-Israyeli Wasendulo Ayebuswa Ngayo

3. Yimaphi amalungiselelo awusizo uJehova awenzela ukuqondisa abantu bakhe?

³ Nakuba kwakunguJehova oyiNkosi ka-Israyeli engabonakali, wamisa amadoda athembekile ukuba abe abameleli bakhe ababonakalayo. Kwakunezinduna, izinhloko zezindlu zawoyise namadoda amadala ayekhonza njengabeluleki nabahluleli kubantu. (Eksodusi 18:25, 26; Duteronomi 1:15) Nokho, asinakuphetha ngokuthi lawo madoda anomthwalo wemfanelo ayeyokwazi ngandlela-thile ukwahlulela ngokuqonda okungenaphutha, ngaphandle kwesiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu. Ayengaphelele, futhi ayengenakukwazi ukufunda izinhliziyo zalabo ayekhulekela nabo. Noma kunjalo, abahluleli abesaba uNkulunkulu babekwazi ukunika abakholwa nabo izeluleko eziwusizo ngoba zazisekelwe eMthethweni kaJehova.—Duteronomi 19:15; IHubo 119:97-100.

4. Yikuphi ukuthambekela abahluleli bakwa-Israyeli abathembekile ababefuna ukukugwema, futhi ngani?

⁴ Nokho, ukuba umahluleli kwakuhilela  okungaphezu kokwazi uMthetho. Njengoba ayengaphelele, amadoda amadala kwakudingeka aqaphe ukuze anqande noma yikuphi ukuthambekela kwawo okungalungile—njengobugovu, ukukhetha nokuhaha—okwakungase kusonte ukwahlulela kwawo. UMose wathi kuwo: “Maningakhethi abantu ekwahluleleni, nimuzwe omncane njengomkhulu, ningesabi ubuso bamuntu, ngokuba ukwahlulela kungokukaNkulunkulu.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Yebo, abahluleli bakwa-Israyeli babemelela uNkulunkulu ekwahluleleni. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyilungelo elesabeka kangakanani lelo!—Duteronomi 1:16, 17.

5. Ngaphezu kokumisa abahluleli, yimaphi amanye amalungiselelo uJehova awenza ukuze anakekele abantu bakhe?

⁵ UJehova wenza namanye amalungiselelo okunakekela izidingo ezingokomoya zabantu bakhe. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba bafike eZweni Lesithembiso, wabayala ukuba bakhe itabernakele, isikhungo sokukhulekela kweqiniso. Wabahlelela nabapristi ukuze babafundise uMthetho, banikele imihlatshelo yezilwane futhi bashise nempepho yasekuseni neyakusihlwa. UNkulunkulu wamisa umfowabo kaMose omdala, u-Aroni, ukuba abe umpristi ophakeme wokuqala wakwa-Israyeli, wayesemisa amadodana ka-Aroni ukuba asize uyise emisebenzini yakhe.—Eksodusi 28:1; Numeri 3:10; 2 IziKronike 13:10, 11.

6, 7. (a) Abapristi namaLevi ayengebona abapristi babehlobene kanjani? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda ekwenzeni kwamaLevi imisebenzi eyahlukahlukene? (Kolose 3:23)

⁶ Ukunakekela izidingo zabantu abayizigidi kwakuwumsebenzi omkhulu, futhi abapristi babembalwa. Ngakho kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba basizwe amanye amalungu esizwe samaLevi. UJehova watshela uMose: “Uyakunikela amaLevi ku-Aroni nakumadodana akhe; ayanikelwa ngempela kuye, evela kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”—Numeri 3:9, 39.

⁷ AmaLevi ayehlelwe kahle. Ayehlukaniswe ngemindeni emithathu—amaGereshoni, amaKohati namaMerari—ngamunye unomsebenzi owabelwe. (Numeri 3:14-17, 23-37) Kungenzeka ukuthi ezinye izabelo zazibonakala zibalulekile kunezinye, kodwa zonke zazidingeka. Umsebenzi wamaLevi angamaKohati wawuwenza abe seduze nomphongolo ongcwele wesivumelwano nempahla yasetabernakele. Nokho, wonke amaLevi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi angamaKohati noma cha, ayejabulela amalungelo amangalisayo. (Numeri 1:51, 53) Ngokudabukisayo, amanye awawazisanga amalungelo awo. Kunokuba azithobe ngokwethembeka egunyeni likaNkulunkulu, aqala ukunganeliseki, azazisa, afuna ukuvelela futhi aba nomona. UmLevi ogama lakhe linguKora wayengomunye wawo.

“Senifisa Nobupristi Futhi?”

8. (a) Wayengubani uKora? (b) Yini okungenzeka yenza uKora waqala ukubheka ubupristi ngeso lomuntu?

⁸ UKora wayengeyona inhloko yendlu kayise wamaLevi, engeyona nenhloko yemindeni yamaKohati. (Numeri 3:30, 32) Nokho, wayeyisikhulu esihlonishwayo kwa-Israyeli. Kungenzeka ukuthi imisebenzi kaKora yamenza wahlala eseduze kuka-Aroni namadodana akhe. (Numeri 4:18, 19) Njengoba ayezibonela mathupha  ukungapheleli kwala madoda, kungenzeka ukuthi uKora wacabanga: ‘Laba bapristi abaphelele neze, kodwa kulindeleke ukuba ngizithobe kubo! Zolo lokhu u-Aroni wenze ithole legolide. Ukukhulekela lelo thole kwenze abantu bawela ogibeni lwezithombe. Manje u-Aroni, umfowabo kaMose, ukhonza njengompristi ophakeme! Kwaze kwenzelelwa bo! Bheka nje amadodana ka-Aroni, uNadabi no-Abihu. Ádelela amalungelo awo enkonzo ngendlela eyinqaba kangangokuthi uJehova kwadingeka awabhubhise!’ * (Eksodusi 32:1-5; Levitikusi 10:1, 2) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uKora wacabanga kanjani, kusobala ukuthi waqala ukububheka ngeso lomuntu ubupristi. Lokho kwaholela ekubeni avukele uMose no-Aroni, okwakuwukuvukela uJehova.—1 Samuweli 15:23; Jakobe 1:14, 15.

9, 10. UKora nabavukeli ababekanye naye bammangalela bathini uMose, futhi kungani bona ngokukhethekile kwakufanele bakugweme ukuphikisa igunya likaMose?

⁹ Njengoba ayeyindoda enethonya, akuzange kube nzima ngoKora ukuba azitholele abacabanga njengaye. Yena noDathani no-Abiramu, bazitholela abangu-250 ababevumelana nabo—bonke beyizikhulu zenhlangano. Baya bonke kuMose no-Aroni bathi: ‘Inhlangano yonke ingcwele, bonke bayo, noJehova ukubo; niziphakamiselani, pho, phezu kwebandla likaJehova?’—Numeri 16:1-3.

¹⁰ Laba bavukeli yibona kanye okwakufanele bakugweme ukuphikisa igunya likaMose. Esikhathini esingeside ngaphambili, u-Aroni noMiriyamu babenze lokho kanye. Ingani nabo, babecabange njengoKora! NgokukaNumeri 12:1, 2 babuza: “Imbala uJehova ukhulumile kuMose kuphela na? Akakhulumanga nakithi na?” UJehova wayelalele. Wayala uMose, u-Aroni noMiriyamu ukuba baqoqanele ngasemnyango wetende lokuhlangana ukuze uNkulunkulu aveze umholi amkhethayo. Ngokungagunci uJehova wabe esethi: “Uma kukhona umprofethi phakathi kwenu, mina Jehova ngiyakuzibonakalisa kuye ngombono, ngikhulume kuye ngephupho. Inceku yami uMose akanjalo; uthembekile endlini yami yonke.” Ngemva kwalokho uJehova washaya uMiriyamu ngochoko okwesikhashana.—Numeri 12:4-7, 10.

11. UMose wasisingatha kanjani isimo esasihilela uKora?

¹¹ UKora nalabo abachema naye kumelwe ukuba babesazi leso senzakalo. Babengenazaba ekuvukeleni kwabo. Noma kunjalo, uMose wazama ngesineke ukubabonisa. Wabanxusa ukuba bawazise kakhudlwana amalungelo abo, ethi: “Kuyinto encane yini kini ukuthi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli unahlukanisile nenhlangano ka-Israyeli, wanisondeza kuye?” Cha, kwakungeyona “into encane”! AmaLevi ayephathiswe okuningi kakade. Ayengafunani futhi okunye? Amazwi kaMose alandelayo adalula izizindlo zenhliziyo yawo: “Senifisa nobupristi futhi?” * (Numeri 12:3; 16:9, 10) Nokho, uJehova wasabela kanjani kulokhu kuvukela igunya elibekwe nguye?

UMahluleli Wakwa-Israyeli Uyangenela

12. Ukuqhubeka kuka-Israyeli enobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu kwakuxhomekephi?

¹² Lapho uJehova enika u-Israyeli uMthetho, watshela isizwe ukuthi uma silalela, sasiyoba ‘isizwe esingcwele’ nokuthi sasiyohlala singcwele uma nje sisalamukela ilungiselelo likaJehova. (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Manje, njengoba kwase kunokuvukela okusobala, kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba uMahluleli noMenzi Wemithetho ka-Israyeli angenele! UMose wathi kuKora: “Wena yiba nayo yonke inhlangano yakho phambi kukaJehova kusasa, wena, nabo, no-Aroni; thabathani, kube yilowo nalowo umcengezi wakhe womlilo, nibeke impepho kuyo, nilethe phambi kukaJehova  kube yilowo nalowo umcengezi wakhe, imicengezi yomlilo engamakhulu amabili namashumi ayisihlanu, nawe futhi no-Aroni, kube yilowo nalowo umcengezi wakhe.”—Numeri 16:16, 17.

13. (a) Kungani kwakuwukugabadela ukunikela kwabavukeli impepho kuJehova? (b) UJehova wenzani kubavukeli?

¹³ NgokoMthetho kaNkulunkulu, ngabapristi kuphela ababengashisa impepho. Ngisho nokucabanga nje ngomLevi ongeyena umpristi enikela impepho kuJehova kwakufanele kubenze basanguluke labo bavukeli. (Eksodusi 30:7; Numeri 4:16) Akubanga njalo kuKora nabasekeli bakhe! Ngakusasa “wahlanganisela [kuMose no-Aroni] yonke inhlangano ngasemnyango wetende lokuhlangana.” Ukulandisa kuyasitshela: “UJehova wayesekhuluma kuMose naku-Aroni, wathi: ‘Zahlukaniseni nale nhlangano ukuba ngibaqede ngokuphazima kweso.’” Kodwa uMose no-Aroni bancengela abantu ukuba bangabhujiswa. UJehova wakulalela ukunxusa kwabo. Ngokuqondene noKora nebutho lakhe, ‘umlilo waphuma kuJehova, wabaqeda labo bantu abangamakhulu amabili namashumi ayisihlanu, ababenikele ngempepho.’—Numeri 16:19-22, 35. *

14. Kungani uJehova ayithathela isinyathelo esiqinile inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli?

¹⁴ Okuxakayo ukuthi, naphezu kwalokhu, ama-Israyeli akubona lokho uJehova akwenza kubavukeli awasifundanga isifundo. “Ngolwangakusasa yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli yakhonona ngoMose nango-Aroni, yathi: ‘Nibabulele abantu bakaJehova.’” Ama-Israyeli ayechema nabavukeli! Ukubekezela kukaJehova kwagcina kuphelile. Kwakungasekho muntu—kwaMose no-Aroni—owayengabalamulela abantu manje. UJehova wehlisela ababengalalelanga isishayo, ‘abafa ngesifo babeyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nane namakhulu ayisikhombisa ngaphandle kwalabo abafa ngendaba kaKora.’—Numeri 16:41-49.

15. (a) Kungaziphi izizathu ama-Israyeli kwakufanele amukele ukuhola kukaMose no-Aroni ngokungathandabuzi? (b) Le ndaba ikufundiseni ngoJehova?

¹⁵ Kwakungadingeki neze ukuba bonke labo bantu bafe. Ukube nje babecabangisise kahle ngale ndaba. Babengazibuza imibuzo enjengokuthi: ‘Obani abaya kuFaro, bebeka ukuphila kwabo engozini? Obani abathi ama-Israyeli mawakhululwe? Ubani okunguye yedwa owabizwa ukuba akhuphuke iNtaba iHorebe ukuze akhulume nengelosi kaJehova ubuso nobuso ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli ekhululiwe?’ Ngokuqinisekile umlando omangalisayo kaMose no-Aroni wawufakazela ubuqotho babo kuJehova nothando lwabo ngesizwe. (Eksodusi 10:28; 19:24; 24:12-15) UJehova wayengakwenameli ukubhubhisa abavukeli. Noma kunjalo, lapho kucaca ukuthi abantu babezophikelela nokuvukela, wathatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu. (Hezekeli 33:11) Konke lokhu kusho lukhulu kithi namuhla. Ngani?

Ukubona Umzila Namuhla

16. (a) Yibuphi ubufakazi okwakufanele benze amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala akholwe ukuthi uJesu ungummeleli kaJehova? (b) Kungani uJehova abususa ubupristi bamaLevi, futhi wafakani esikhundleni sabo?

¹⁶ Namuhla, kukhona “isizwe” esisha esiMahluleli waso ongabonakali, uMniki-mthetho waso neNkosi yaso nguJehova. (Mathewu 21:43) Leso “sizwe” saba khona ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi, esikhundleni setabernakele likaMose kwase kunethempeli elihle laseJerusalema, ayesakhonza kulo amaLevi. (Luka 1:5, 8, 9) Nokho, ngonyaka ka-29 C.E., kwaba khona elinye ithempeli, elingokomoya, eliMpristi walo Ophakeme nguJesu Kristu. (Heberu 9:9, 11) Kwaphinde kwaphakama umbuzo ngegunya likaNkulunkulu. UJehova wayezosebenzisa bani ukuze ahole lesi “sizwe” esisha? UJesu wazibonakalisa eqotho ngokungenamibandela kuNkulunkulu. Wayebathanda abantu. Wenza nezibonakaliso eziningi  ezimangalisayo. Kodwa njengokhokho bawo abantamo lukhuni, iningi lamaLevi lenqaba ukwamukela uJesu. (Mathewu 26:63-68; IzEnzo 4:5, 6, 18; 5:17) Ekugcineni, uJehova wasusa ubupristi bamaLevi wafaka obuhluke kakhulu—ubupristi bobukhosi. Lobo bupristi bobukhosi busekhona nanamuhla.

17. (a) Yiliphi iqembu elakha ubupristi bobukhosi namuhla? (b) UJehova ubusebenzisa kanjani ubupristi bobukhosi?

¹⁷ Obani abakha lobu bupristi bobukhosi namuhla? Umphostoli uPetru uyawuphendula lowo mbuzo encwadini yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe. Wabhalela amalungu agcotshiwe omzimba kaKristu, wathi: “‘Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe sokuba yimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Petru 2:9) Kula mazwi kucacile ukuthi, njengeqembu, abalandeli bezinyathelo zikaJesu abagcotshiwe bakha “ubupristi bobukhosi,” uPetru abubiza nangokuthi “isizwe esingcwele.” Bakha umzila uJehova awusebenzisela ukufundisa abantu bakhe nokubaqondisa ngokomoya.—Mathewu 24:45-47.

18. Abadala abamisiwe bahlobene kanjani nobupristi bobukhosi?

¹⁸ Kunabadala abamisiwe abamelela ubupristi bobukhosi, abasezikhundleni zokuhola emabandleni abantu bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke. La madoda ayakufanelekela ukuba siwahloniphe futhi siwasekele ngokusuka enhliziyweni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi agcotshiwe noma cha. Ngani? Ngoba nguJehova omise la madoda amadala ezikhundleni zawo ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. (Heberu 13:7, 17) Kwenzeka kanjani lokho?

19. Kungayiphi indlela abadala bemiswa ngumoya ongcwele?

¹⁹ La madoda amadala ahlangabezana nezimfuneko ezibekwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu, eliwumkhiqizo womoya kaNkulunkulu. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-7; Thithu 1:5-9) Ngakho, singasho ukuthi bamiswa ngumoya ongcwele. (IzEnzo 20:28) La madoda amadala, noma abadala, kumelwe alazi kahle iZwi likaNkulunkulu. NjengoMahluleli Ophakeme obamisile, abadala kumelwe futhi bazonde noma yini ebonakala iwukwenzelela ekwahluleleni.—Duteronomi 10:17, 18.

20. Yini oyazisayo ngabadala abazikhandlayo?

²⁰ Kunokuba siphikise igunya labo, siyabazisa ngempela abadala bethu abazikhandlayo! Umlando wabo wenkonzo yokwethembeka, ngokuvamile ongamashumi eminyaka, usenza sibethembe. Ngokwethembeka balungiselela futhi baqhube imihlangano yebandla, basebenze  nathi ekushumayeleni ‘izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso,’ banikeze neseluleko esingokomBhalo lapho sisidinga. (Mathewu 24:14; Heberu 10:23, 25; 1 Petru 5:2) Bayasihambela lapho sigula basiduduze lapho sishonelwe. Basekela izithakazelo zoMbuso ngobuqotho nangokungenabugovu. Umoya kaJehova uphezu kwabo; uJehova uyabamukela.—Galathiya 5:22, 23.

21. Yini okumelwe abadala bayiqaphele, futhi ngani?

²¹ Yebo, amadoda amadala awaphelele. Ekhumbula ukulinganiselwa kwawo, awazami ukuzenza izingqongqo emhlambini, “ifa likaNkulunkulu.” Kunalokho azibheka ‘njengezisebenzi ezikanye nabafowabo.’ (1 Petru 5:3; 2 Korinte 1:24) Abadala abathobekile nabazikhandlayo bayamthanda uJehova, futhi bayazi ukuthi uma bemlingisa ngokuseduze kakhulu bayofeza okuningi nakakhulu okuhle ebandleni. Becabanga ngalokhu, bahlale bezama ukuhlakulela izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ezinjengothando, isihawu nokubekezela.

22. Ukubukeza indaba kaKora kuluqinise kanjani ukholo lwakho enhlanganweni kaJehova ebonakalayo?

²² Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuba noJehova njengoMbusi wethu ongabonakali, uJesu Kristu njengoMpristi wethu Ophakeme, amalungu agcotshiwe obupristi bobukhosi njengabafundisi bethu namadoda amadala athembekile angamaKristu njengabeluleki bethu! Nakuba kungenanhlangano eqondiswa abantu ephelele, siyajabula ukukhonza uNkulunkulu nabathembekile esikholwa nabo, abazithoba ngokuzithandela egunyeni likaNkulunkulu!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ufundeni?

• Yimaphi amalungiselelo othando uJehova awenzela ukunakekela ama-Israyeli?

• Kungani uKora ayengenazaba ekuvukeleni uMose no-Aroni?

• Yisiphi isifundo esisithola kulokho uJehova akwenza kubavukeli?

• Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyawazisa amalungiselelo kaJehova namuhla?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Ingabe noma yisiphi isabelo enkonzweni kaJehova usibheka njengelungelo?

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

“Niziphakamiselani, pho, phezu kwebandla likaJehova?”

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Abadala abamisiwe bamelela ubupristi bobukhosi