1. Uyini umehluko phakathi kokushiwo uJehova nalokho okushiwo abantu abanesono?

UJEHOVA ‘unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHu. 31:5) Abantu abanesono abanakwethenjwa ngaso sonke isikhathi, kanti ‘akunakwenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqambe amanga.’ (Heb. 6:18; funda uNumeri 23:19.) Lokho akuhlosile ukuze kuzuze isintu kuhlale kugcwaliseka. Ngokwesibonelo, konke uNkulunkulu ayethé uzokwenza ekuqaleni kwenkathi ngayinye yokudala “kwaba njalo.” Ngakho, ekupheleni kosuku lwesithupha lokudala, “uNkulunkulu wabona konke ayekwenzile, bheka! kwakukuhle kakhulu.”—Gen. 1:6, 7, 30, 31.

2. Luyini usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokuphumula, futhi kungani “alungcwelisa”?

² Ngemva kokubuka izinto ayezidalile, uJehova uNkulunkulu wamemezela ukuqala kosuku lwesikhombisa—hhayi usuku lwamahora angu-24, kodwa isikhathi eside aye waphumula ngaso emisebenzini eyengeziwe yokudala emhlabeni. (Gen. 2:2) Usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokuphumula lusaqhubeka. (Heb. 4:9, 10) IBhayibheli alibonisi ukuthi lwaqala nini ngokuqondile. Kwakuphakathi nesikhathi esithile ngemva kokudalwa kuka-Eva, umka-Adamu, eminyakeni engaba ngu-6 000 edlule. Sisaphokophele ekuBuseni Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kukaJesu Kristu, okuyoqinisekisa ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni yokuba umhlaba ube yiPharadesi elihlala njalo, eligcwele abantu abaphelele. (Gen. 1:27, 28; IsAm. 20:6) Ungaqiniseka yini ukuthi uyoba nalo ikusasa elinjalo elijabulisayo? Ngempela! Ngoba “uNkulunkulu walubusisa usuku lwesikhombisa walungcwelisa.” Lokhu kwakuyisiqinisekiso sokuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuba naziphi izinkinga esikhathini esizayo, injongo kaNkulunkulu iyobe isigcwalisekile nakanjani lapho kuphela usuku lwakhe lokuphumula.—Gen. 2:3.

3. (a) Ngemva kokuqala kosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokuphumula, ikuphi ukuvukela okwaba khona? (b) UJehova wayiveza kanjani injongo yakhe yokuqeda lokho kuvukela?

 ³ Nokho, ngemva kokuqala kosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokuphumula, kwagadla inhlekelele. USathane, indodana kaNkulunkulu eyingelosi, wazenza imbangi kaNkulunkulu. Waqamba amanga okuqala futhi wakhohlisa u-Eva ukuba angamlaleli uJehova. (1 Thim. 2:14) U-Eva yena, wabangela ukuba nomyeni wakhe ahlanganyele kulokhu kuvukela. (Gen. 3:1-6) Ngisho naphakathi naleyo nkathi embi emlandweni wendawo yonke lapho ukuba neqiniso kukaNkulunkulu kwakubekelwa inselele, uJehova akasibonanga isidingo sokuqinisekisa ngesifungo ukuthi intando yakhe yayisazogcwaliseka. Kunalokho, ngamazwi ayeyoqondakala ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, wamane washo indlela ukuvukela okwakuyoqedwa ngayo: “Ngizobeka ubutha phakathi kwakho [Sathane] nowesifazane naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona [iNzalo ethenjisiwe] iyokulimaza ekhanda wena uyoyilimaza esithendeni.”—Gen. 3:15; IsAm. 12:9.

4, 5. Yiliphi ithuluzi elingokomthetho u-Abrahama alisebenzisa ngezinye izikhathi?

⁴ Ngaleyo nkathi esekuqaleni komlando wesintu, kuyangabazeka ukuthi ukufungela ukuba yiqiniso kwendaba kwakuyingxenye yeqoqo lamagama uNkulunkulu awanika u-Adamu no-Eva. Izidalwa eziphelele ezithanda uNkulunkulu nezimlingisayo akudingeki ukuthi zifunge; zikhuluma iqiniso ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi zethembana ngokuphelele. Kodwa izinto zashintsha lapho umuntu eba onesono nongaphelele. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lapho ukuqamba amanga nokukhohlisa kuvama kubantu, kwadingeka ukuba bafungele ukuba yiqiniso kwezindaba ezibalulekile.

⁵ Ukufunga kwakuyithuluzi elingokomthetho elasetshenziswa kahle yinzalamizi u-Abrahama okungenani izikhathi ezintathu. (Gen. 21:22-24; 24:2-4, 9) Ngokwesibonelo, lokhu kwenzeka lapho ebuya ekunqobeni inkosi yase-Elamu nomfelandawonye wayo. Amakhosi aseSalema naseSodoma ahlangabeza u-Abrahama. UMelkhizedeki, inkosi yaseSalema wayephinde abe ‘umpristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke.’ Wabusisa u-Abrahama futhi wadumisa uNkulunkulu ngokusiza u-Abrahama ukuba anqobe izitha zakhe. (Gen. 14:17-20) Khona-ke, lapho inkosi yaseSodoma ifuna ukuhlomulisa u-Abrahama ngokusindisa kwakhe abantu bayo emabuthweni ayehlasele, u-Abrahama wafunga: “Ngiphakamisa isandla sami ngiyafunga kuJehova uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba, ukuthi, kusukela emucwini kuya emchilweni wembadada, cha, ngeke ngithathe lutho kunoma yini engeyakho, ukuze ungasho ukuthi, ‘Yimi engacebisa u-Abrama.’”—Gen. 14:21-23.

6. (a) Yisiphi isibonelo u-Abrahama asibekela sona? (b) Singazuza kanjani ngokulalela kuka-Abrahama?

⁶ Ukuze kuzuze abantu abanesono, noJehova uNkulunkulu uye wasebenzisa izifungo ngokusebenzisa amazwi anjengokuthi “‘Kuphila kwami,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.” (Hez. 17:16) IBhayibheli lichaza izenzakalo ezingefani ezingaphezu kuka-40 lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu afunga khona. Mhlawumbe isibonelo esaziwa kakhulu, yilapho uNkulunkulu esebenzelana no-Abrahama. Phakathi neminyaka eminingi, uJehova wenza izithembiso zezivumelwano eziningana no-Abrahama ezithi uma zihlanganiswa, zibonise ukuthi iNzalo ethenjisiwe yayiyovela ohlwini lozalo luka-Abrahama, ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka. (Gen. 12:1-3, 7;  13:14-17; 15:5, 18; 21:12) UJehova wabe esemvivinya ngempela u-Abrahama, wamyala ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe ethandekayo. Ngaphandle kokunanaza, u-Abrahama walalela futhi wayesezonikela ngo-Isaka lapho ingelosi kaNkulunkulu imvimba. UNkulunkulu wabe esenza lesi sifungo: “Ngizifunga mina ngokwami . . . ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi wenzé le nto futhi awuyigodlanga indodana yakho, okuwukuphela kwayo, ngokuqinisekile ngiyokubusisa futhi ngokuqinisekile ngiyoyandisa inzalo yakho ibe ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu nangangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle; inzalo yakho iyokudla ifa lesango lezitha zayo. Futhi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba ngokuqinisekile ziyobusiswa ngenxa yokuthi ulalelé izwi lami.”—Gen. 22:1-3, 9-12, 15-18.

7, 8. (a) UNkulunkulu wafunga ku-Abrahama ngayiphi injongo? (b) “Ezinye izimvu” zikaJesu ziyozuza kanjani esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu asifungele?

⁷ Kungani uNkulunkulu afunga ku-Abrahama ukuthi izithembiso zaKhe zizogcwaliseka? Wayefuna ukuqinisekisa futhi aqinise nokholo lwalabo ababeyoba yizindlalifa noKristu, abakha ingxenye yesibili “yenzalo” ethenjisiwe. (Funda amaHebheru 6:13-18; Gal. 3:29) Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu achaza, uJehova “wangenela ngesifungo, ukuze kuthi, ngezinto ezimbili ezingenakuguquleka [isithembiso nesifungo sakhe] okungenakwenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqambe amanga ngazo, thina . . . sithole isikhuthazo esinamandla sokuba sibambe ithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu.”

⁸ Akuwona kuphela amaKristu agcotshiwe azuzayo esifungweni sikaNkulunkulu ku-Abrahama. UJehova wafunga ukuthi “ngenzalo” ka-Abrahama, “zonke izizwe zomhlaba [zaziyobusiswa].” (Gen. 22:18) Labo abayobusiswa bahlanganisa “nezinye izimvu” zikaKristu ezilalelayo, ezinethemba lokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni. (Joh. 10:16) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lakho elasezulwini noma elasemhlabeni, “libambe” ngokuqhubeka uphila ukuphila kokulalela uNkulunkulu.—Funda amaHebheru 6:11, 12.

9. Isiphi isifungo uNkulunkulu asenza ngesikhathi inzalo ka-Abrahama iseyizigqila zabaseGibhithe?

⁹ Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJehova waphinde wafunga ngokuphathelene nezithembiso eziphawulwe ngenhla lapho ethuma uMose ukuba ayokhuluma nenzalo ka-Abrahama, eyayigqilazwe abaseGibhithe. (Eks. 6:6-8) Ebhekisele kuleso senzakalo, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Mhla  ngikhetha u-Israyeli, . . . ngalolo suku ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngifunga kubo ukubakhipha ezweni laseGibhithe ngibayise ezweni engangibahlolele lona, eligeleza ubisi noju lwezinyosi.”—Hez. 20:5, 6.

10. Isiphi isithembiso uNkulunkulu asenza ku-Israyeli ngemva kokumkhulula eGibhithe?

¹⁰ Khona-ke, ngemva kokuba esemkhululile u-Israyeli eGibhithe, uJehova wenza esinye isithembiso asifungela: “Uma nizolilalela nokulilalela izwi lami futhi nizosigcina impela isivumelwano sami, ngokuqinisekile niyoba impahla yami ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe, ngoba wonke umhlaba ungowami. Futhi nina ngokwenu niyoba umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele kimi.” (Eks. 19:5, 6). Yeka ithuba elihle uNkulunkulu alinikeza u-Israyeli! Lokho kwakusho ukuthi uma belalela, abantu ngabanye balesi sizwe bebengaba nethemba lokusetshenziswa uNkulunkulu njengombuso wabapristi ukuze kubusiswe sonke isintu. Kamuva, lapho echaza lokho ayekwenzele u-Israyeli ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova wathi: “Ngafunga kuwe ngangena esivumelwaneni nawe.”—Hez. 16:8.

11. Wasabela kanjani u-Israyeli esimemweni sikaNkulunkulu sokuba angene esivumelwaneni naYe, abe isizwe sakhe esikhethiwe?

¹¹ Ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova akazange afune ukuba ama-Israyeli afunge ukuthi azomlalela; futhi akazange awaphoqe ukuba abe nobuhlobo obukhethekile naye. Kunalokho, azisholo wona: “Konke uJehova akukhulumile sizimisele ukukwenza.” (Eks. 19:8) Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu, uJehova uNkulunkulu watshela u-Israyeli lokho ayeyokufuna kulesi sizwe sakhe esikhethiwe. Aqale alalela iMiyalo Eyishumi, uMose wabe esewatshela neminye imithetho eyengeziwe elotshwe ku-Eksodusi 20:22 kuya ku-Eksodusi 23:33. Asabela kanjani ama-Israyeli? “Bonke abantu baphendula ngazwi linye bathi: ‘Wonke amazwi uJehova awakhulumile sizimisele ukuwenza.’” (Eks. 24:3) UMose wabe eseyibhala le mithetho ‘encwadini yesivumelwano’ futhi wayifunda ngokuzwakalayo ukuze sonke isizwe siphinde siyizwe. Ngemva kwalokho, abantu bafunga okwesithathu: “Konke uJehova akukhulumile sizimisele ukukwenza futhi silalele.”—Eks. 24:4, 7, 8.

12. Iyiphi indlela uJehova nesizwe sakhe esikhethiwe abasabela ngayo esivumelwaneni ababesenzile phakathi kwabo?

¹² UJehova walugcwalisa ngokushesha uhlangothi lwakhe lwesivumelwano soMthetho ngokuhlela itende lokukhulekela nobupristi obenza abantu abanesono bakwazi ukusondela kuye. U-Israyeli yena washesha ukukhohlwa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu futhi ‘wamzwisa ubuhlungu oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.’ (IHu. 78:41) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uMose esanikezwa iziqondiso ezengeziwe eNtabeni iSinayi, ama-Israyeli aphelelwa yisineke futhi aqala ukuphelelwa ukholo kuNkulunkulu, ecabanga ukuthi uMose usewalahlile. Ngakho enza ithole legolide abe esethi: ‘Lona nguNkulunkulu wenu, Israyeli, owanihola wanikhuphula ezweni laseGibhithe.’ (Eks. 32:1, 4) Abe esenza lokho akubiza ngokuthi “umkhosi kaJehova” akhothama futhi enzela isithombe ayezenzele sona imihlatshelo. Lapho ekubona lokhu, uJehova watshela uMose: “Baphambuke ngokushesha endleleni engibayale ukuba bahambe ngayo.” (Eks. 32:5, 6, 8) Ngokudabukisayo, kusukela ngaleso sikhathi u-Israyeli waba nomlando wokwenza izifungo kuNkulunkulu kodwa kamuva azephule.—Num. 30:2.

13. Isiphi isithembiso uNkulunkulu asifunga eNkosini uDavide, futhi sihlobana kanjani neNzalo ethenjisiwe?

¹³ Phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uDavide, uJehova wenza ezinye izithembiso ezimbili azifungela ezazizozuzisa bonke abamlalelayo. Okokuqala, wafunga kuDavide ukuthi isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi siyohlala  phakade. (IHu. 89:35, 36; 132:11, 12) Lokhu kwakusho ukuthi iNzalo ethenjisiwe yayiyobizwa ngokuthi “iNdodana kaDavide.” (Math. 1:1; 21:9) Ngokuzithoba, uDavide wabiza le nzalo ngokuthi “iNkosi” yakhe, ngenxa yokuthi uKristu wayeyoba nesikhundla esiphakeme.—Math. 22:42-44.

14. Isiphi isithembiso asifungela uJehova asenza ngokuphathelene neNzalo ethenjisiwe, futhi thina sizuza kanjani kuso?

¹⁴ Okwesibili, uJehova waphefumulela uDavide ukuba abikezele ukuthi le Nkosi ekhethekile yayizophinde ikhonze njengomPristi Ophakeme wesintu. Kwa-Israyeli, ubukhosi nobuPristi kwakuyizinto ezihlukene. Abapristi babethathwa esizweni sakwaLevi, kanti amakhosi ayethathwa kwesakwaJuda. Kodwa ngokuphathelene nendlalifa yakhe ephakeme yesikhathi esizayo, uDavide wabikezela: “UJehova uthi eNkosini yami: ‘Hlala ngakwesokunene sami ngize ngibeke izitha zakho zibe yisenabelo sezinyawo zakho.’ UJehova ufungile (futhi ngeke azisole) wathi: ‘Wena ungumpristi kuze kube nini nanini ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki!’” (IHu. 110:1, 4) Ekugcwalisekeni kwaleso siprofetho, uJesu Kristu, iNzalo ethenjisiwe, manje uyabusa esezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukhonza njengomPristi Ophakeme wesintu ngokusiza abaphendukayo ukuba babe nobuhlobo obamukelekayo noNkulunkulu.—Funda amaHebheru 7:21, 25, 26.

15, 16. (a) Ibaphi o-Israyeli okubhekiselwa kubo eBhayibhelini, futhi uNkulunkulu ubusisa muphi namuhla? (b) Imuphi umyalo uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe ngokwenza izifungo?

¹⁵ Ngenxa yokwenqaba uJesu Kristu, ekugcineni isizwe sakwa-Israyeli salahlekelwa ilungelo lokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu nethuba lokuba “umbuso wabapristi.” Kunjengoba uJesu atshela abaholi abangamaJuda: “Niyophucwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.” (Math. 21:43) Leso sizwe esisha sazalwa ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu uthululelwa kubafundi bakaJesu abangaba ngu-120 ababendawonye eJerusalema. Laba baziwa ngokuthi ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ futhi banda ngokushesha baba yizinkulungwane, ezakhiwa abantu abavela ezizweni zonke zezwe elalaziwa ngaleso sikhathi.—Gal. 6:16.

¹⁶ Ngokungafani no-Israyeli wemvelo, isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esisha esingokomoya siye saqhubeka sithela isithelo esihle ngokuqhubeka silalela uNkulunkulu. Omunye wemithetho olalelwa amalungu alesi sizwe uphathelene nokwenza izifungo. Izifungo zazisetshenziswa kabi ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, abantu babefunga amanga noma befungela izinto ezingathi shú. (Math. 23:16-22) UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe: “Ningafungi nhlobo . . . Izwi lenu elingu-Yebo malisho uYebo, u-Cha wenu, asho uCha; ngoba okungalé kwalokhu kuvela komubi.”—Math. 5:34, 37.

17. Imiphi imibuzo okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi kuhlale kuyiphutha ukwenza isifungo? Okubaluleke nakakhulu, yini ehilelekile ekwenzeni u-Yebo wethu abe uYebo? Le mibuzo kuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo. Njengoba siqhubeka sizindla ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, kwangathi singashukumiseleka ukuba siqhubeke simlalela uJehova. Yena uyokujabulela ukusibusisa kuze kube phakade ngokuvumelana nezithembiso zakhe eziyigugu azifungela.