Iintsikelelo Okanye Iziqalekiso—Ufanele Ukhethe!
“Ndibeke phambi kwenu ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso. Nyula ke ubomi, ukuze uphile.”—DUTERONOMI 30:19.
1. Abantu banikwa liphi ilungelo?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO wasenza—thina zidalwa zakhe ezinengqiqo ezingabantu—sakwazi ukuzikhethela. Asizange sidalwe njengoomatshini, okanye iirobhothi, kodwa sanikwa ilungelo nembopheleleko yokwenza ukhetho. (INdumiso 100:3) Abantu bokuqala—uAdam noEva—babenokuzikhethela ikhondo ababelifuna, yaye babeza kuphendula kuThixo ngokhetho abalwenzileyo.
2. Luluphi ukhetho olwenziwa nguAdam, yaye lwaba nawuphi umphumo?
2 UMdali walungiselela izinto eziyintabalala ukuze uluntu lunandiphe iintsikelelo ezingapheliyo kumhlaba oyiparadisi. Kutheni ingekafezeki loo njongo? Kungenxa yokuba uAdam wenza ukhetho olungelulo. UYehova wamyalela oku umntu: “Yonke imithi yomyezo ungayidla uyidle; ke wona umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi uze ungawudli; kuba mhlana uthe wawudla, uya kufa.” (Genesis 2:16, 17) Ukuba uAdam wayekhethe ukuthobela, abazali bethu bokuqala ngebabesikelelwe. Ukungathobeli kwakhokelela kukufa. (Genesis 3:6, 18, 19) Ngoko isono nokufa ziye zadluliselwa kuyo yonke inzala ka-Adam.—Roma 5:12.
Iintsikelelo Zinokufunyanwa
3. UThixo waqinisekisa njani ukuba injongo yakhe ngoluntu uya kuyifezekisa?
3 UYehova uThixo wenza ilungiselelo lokuba injongo yakhe yokusikelela uluntu ifezeke ekugqibeleni. Eprofeta e-Eden, wathetha ngeMbewu esithi: “Ndiya kumisa ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi, naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe; yona iya kukutyumza intloko, wena uya kuyityumza isithende.” (Genesis 3:15) Kamva uThixo wathembisa ukuba abantu abanentobelo baya kufumana iintsikelelo ngenxa yale Mbewu, inzala ka-Abraham.—Genesis 22:15-18.
4. Liliphi ilungiselelo lokusikelela uluntu alenzileyo uYehova?
4 Loo Mbewu yesithembiso yangqineka inguYesu Kristu. Ngokuphathelele indima kaYesu kwilungiselelo likaYehova lokusikelela uluntu, umpostile ongumKristu uPawulos wabhala: “UThixo uncomela uthando lwakhe kuthi ngokuthi, ngoxa sasisengaboni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:8) Iintsikelelo ziya kunanditshwa yinxalenye yoluntu olunesono oluthobela uThixo luze luxhamle iingenelo zedini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu. (IZenzo 4:12) Ngaba uya kukhetha ukuthobela neentsikelelo? Ukungathobeli kuya kukhokelela kwinto eyahluke ngokupheleleyo.
Kuthekani Ngeziqalekiso?
5. Linayiphi intsingiselo igama elithi “isiqalekiso”?
5 Isichasi sentsikelelo sisiqalekiso. Igama elithi “isiqalekiso” lithetha ukuthetha kakubi ngomntu othile okanye ukumshwabulela. Igama lesiHebhere elithi qela·lahʹ liphuma kwisenzi esithi qa·lalʹ, ngokoqobo esithetha “ukuba khaphukhaphu.” Noko ke, xa sisetyenziswa ngokufuziselayo, sithetha ‘ukutshabhisa’ okanye ‘ukucukuceza.’—Levitikus 20:9; 2 Samuweli 19:43.
6. Sisiphi isiganeko esibandakanya uElisha esenzeka kufutshane neBheteli yamandulo?
6 Cinga ngomzekelo ofanelekileyo wesenzo esakhokelela kwisiqalekiso. Oku kwenzeka xa umprofeti kaThixo uElisha wayehamba evela eYeriko esiya eBheteli. Ingxelo ithi: “Uthe xa anyuka ngendlela, kwaphuma usapho lwamgculela, lwathi kuye, Nyuka, nkqayindini! Nyuka, nkqayindini! Wabheka ngasemva, walubona, waluqalekisa egameni likaYehova. Kwaphuma iibherekazi zambini ehlathini, zabaqwenga abantwana abamashumi mane anababini kulo.” (2 Kumkani 2:23, 24) Eyona nto yathethwa nguElisha xa wayeqalekisa abo bantwana babemgculela ayichazwa. Sekunjalo, isiqalekiso sakhe saba nemiphumo kuba senziwa egameni likaYehova ngumprofeti kaThixo owayesenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.
7. Yintoni eyenzekayo kubantwana ababegculela uElisha, yaye kwakutheni?
7 Kubonakala ukuba isizathu esiphambili sokugculelwa kukaElisha sikukuba wayenxibe isambatho somprofeti uEliya ababesiqhelile, yaye abo bantwana babengafuni nokulibona ilandela laloo mprofeti. (2 Kumkani 2:13) Ukuze aphendule ucelomngeni lokuba ulilandela likaEliya nokuze afundise abo bantwana nabazali babo ukuhlonela umprofeti kaYehova, uElisha waliqalekisa egameni loThixo kaEliya elo gquba lalimgculela. UYehova wabonakalisa ukumamkela uElisha njengomprofeti wakhe ngokukhupha iibherekazi ezimbini ehlathini zize ziqwenge abangama-42 kwabo babemgculela. UYehova wabohlwaya ngokuqatha ngenxa yokungalihloneli kwabo ngokugqithisileyo ijelo lonxibelelwano awayelisebenzisa emhlabeni ngelo xesha.
8. Yintoni abavumayo ukuyenza abantu bakwaSirayeli, yaye bathenjiswa ngantoni?
8 Kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambilana, amaSirayeli abonakalisa ukuswela intlonelo ngamalungiselelo kaThixo ngendlela efanayo. Kwenzeka ngolu hlobo oku: Ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uYehova wabenzela inceba abantu bakwaSirayeli ngokubahlangula kubukhoboka baseYiputa ngokungathi ‘kungamaphiko okhozi.’ Kungekudala emva koko, benza isibhambathiso sokumthobela uThixo. Phawula indlela okwakunxibelelene ngayo ukuthobela nokwamkeleka kuThixo. Esebenzisa uMoses, uYehova wathi: “Ukuba nithe naliphulaphula okunene izwi lam, nawugcina umnqophiso wam, noba yinqobo kum kwizizwe zonke, kuba ihlabathi lonke lelam.” Emva koko, abantu bavuma ngamandla, bathi: “Konke akuthethileyo uYehova sokwenza.” (Eksodus 19:4, 5, 8; 24:3) AmaSirayeli ayesithi ayamthanda uYehova, ayezahlulele kuye, aza abhambathisa ukuba aya kulithobela ilizwi lakhe. Ngokwenjenjalo ayeya kufumana iintsikelelo ezinkulu.
9, 10. Ngoxa uMoses wayekwiNtaba yeSinayi, yintoni eyenziwa ngamaSirayeli, yaye waba yintoni umphumo?
9 Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba imigaqo esisiseko yeso sivumelwano ikrolwe ematyeni “ngomnwe kaThixo,” kwafuneka uThixo awahlisele iziqalekiso. (Eksodus 31:18) Yintoni eyakhokelela kwinyathelo eliqatha ngolo hlobo? Ngaba amaSirayeli ayengabonakalisanga mnqweno wokwenza konke okwakuthethwe nguYehova? Ewe, ngomlomo ayezifuna iintsikelelo, kodwa ngezenzo akhetha ikhondo elalifanele iziqalekiso.
10 Ngoxa uMoses wayekwiNtaba yeSinayi iintsuku ezingama-40 efumana iMithetho Elishumi, amaSirayeli asaphula isithembiso sawo sokunyaniseka kuYehova. Ingxelo ithi: “Ke babona abantu ukuba uMoses, ulibele, akehli entabeni; bababizela ndawonye abantu kuAron, bathi kuye, Sukume, usenzele uthixo oya kuhamba phambi kwethu; kuba lo Moses, le ndoda yasinyusayo ezweni laseYiputa, asazi ukuba uhlelwe yintoni na.” (Eksodus 32:1) Lo ngomnye umzekelo wesimosengqondo sokungahlonelwa kommeli ongumntu owayesetyenziswa nguYehova ukukhokela nokwalathisa abantu bakhe. AmaSirayeli ahendelwa ekubeni axelise unqulo-zithixo lwaseYiputa yaye avuna imiphumo eyintlekele xa kwabulawa malunga nama-3 000 ngekrele ngosuku olunye.—Eksodus 32:2-6, 25-29.
Ukuvakaliswa Kweentsikelelo Neziqalekiso
11. Yiyiphi imiyalelo ephathelele iintsikelelo neziqalekiso eyanikelwa nguYoshuwa?
11 Ngasekupheleni kohambo lwamaSirayeli lweminyaka engama-40 entlango, uMoses wawabalela iintsikelelo awayeza kuzifumana xa ekhetha ukumthobela uThixo. Wabala neziqalekiso amaSirayeli awayeza kuzifumana ukuba ayekhetha ukungamthobeli uYehova. (Duteronomi 27:11–28:10) Emva nje kokungena kukaSirayeli kwiLizwe Ledinga, uYoshuwa wenza ngokwemiyalelo kaMoses ephathelele ezi ntsikelelo neziqalekiso. Izizwe zakwaSirayeli ezintandathu zema emazantsi eNtaba iEbhali, zaza ezinye ezintandathu zema phambi kweNtaba iGerizim. AbaLevi bema kwintlambo ephakathi kwazo. Kucacile ukuba izizwe ezazimi phambi kweNtaba iEbhali zathi “Amen!” kwezo ziqalekiso, okanye izishwabulo, ezazifundwe kwicala lazo. Ezinye zazivuma iintsikelelo ezazifundwa ngabaLevi kwicala lazo emazantsi eNtaba iGerizim.—Yoshuwa 8:30-35.
12. Ziziphi ezinye zeziqalekiso ezavakaliswa ngabaLevi?
12 Yiba nombono usiva abaLevi besithi: “Uqalekisiwe umntu owenza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo notyhidiweyo, into elisikizi kuYehova, into engumsebenzi wezandla zomkroli, ayibeke endaweni esitheleyo. . . . Uqalekisiwe ocukuceza uyise nokuba ngunina. . . . Uqalekisiwe oshenxisa umlimandlela wommelwane wakhe. . . . Uqalekisiwe olahlekisa imfama endleleni. . . . Uqalekisiwe ojika isigwebo somphambukeli nenkedama nomhlolokazi. . . . Uqalekisiwe olala nomkayise; ngokuba utyhila isondo lengubo kayise. . . . Uqalekisiwe olala nantoni ezitho zine. . . . Uqalekisiwe olala nodade wabo, nokuba yintombi kayise, nokuba yintombi kanina. . . . Uqalekisiwe olala nomkhwekazi wakhe. . . . Uqalekisiwe ombulalayo ummelwane wakhe ngasese. . . . Uqalekisiwe osamkelayo isicengo sokubulala umntu, igazi elingenatyala. . . . Uqalekisiwe ongawamisiyo amazwi alo myalelo ukuba awenze.” Emva kwesiqalekiso ngasinye, izizwe ezaziphambi kweNtaba iEbhali zathi, “Amen!”—Duteronomi 27:15-26.
13. Usebenzisa amazwi akho, ubuya kuzichaza njani ezinye zeentsikelelo ezavakaliswa ngabaLevi?
13 Ngoku yiba nombono usiva ezo ziphambi kweNtaba iGerizim ziphendula ngokuvakalayo kwintsikelelo nganye njengoko abaLevi bezifunda: “Wosikelelwa phakathi komzi, usikelelwe emaphandleni; sisikelelwe isiqhamo sesizalo sakho, nesiqhamo somhlaba wakho, nesiqhamo sempahla yakho ezitho zine, nenkonyana yenkomo yakho, namatakane empahla yakho, nomkhombe wakho wokuxovulela intlama. Wosikelelwa ekungeneni kwakho, usikelelwe ekuphumeni kwakho.”—Duteronomi 28:3-6.
14. AmaSirayeli ayeza kuzifumana ngokwasiphi isizinzi iintsikelelo?
14 Sasiyintoni isizinzi sokufumana ezi ntsikelelo? Ingxelo ithi: “Ukuba uthe waliphulaphula ngenkuthalo izwi likaYehova uThixo wakho, ukuba ugcine wenze yonke imithetho yakhe endikuwiselayo namhla, uYehova uThixo wakho akuphakamise ngaphezu kweentlanga zonke zehlabathi; zibe phezu kwakho ezi ntsikelelo zonke, zikufumane, xa uthe waliphulaphula izwi likaYehova uThixo wakho.” (Duteronomi 28:1, 2) Ewe, isikhokelo sokufumana iintsikelelo zikaThixo yayikukumthobela. Kodwa kuthekani ngathi namhlanje? Ngaba siya kukhetha iintsikelelo nobomi ngokuqhubeka ‘siliphulaphula izwi likaYehova’?—Duteronomi 30:19, 20.
Ukuzihlolisisa Ngakumbi
15. Yiyiphi ingongoma eyabalaseliswa kwintsikelelo ebhalwe kwiDuteronomi 28:3, yaye sinokungenelwa njani kuyo?
15 Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zeentsikelelo ezazinokufunwa ngumSirayeli ngokuthobela uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, iDuteronomi 28:3 ithi: “Wosikelelwa phakathi komzi, usikelelwe emaphandleni.” Ukusikelelwa nguThixo akuxhomekekanga kwindawo okanye isabelo esikuso. Bambi basenokuziva bexinezelekile, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba bephila kummandla ohlwempuzekileyo okanye kwilizwe elidlavulwe yimfazwe. Abanye basenokuba banqwenela ukumkhonza bekwenye indawo uYehova. Amanye amadoda angamaKristu asenokudimazeka kuba engamiselwa njengezicaka zolungiselelo okanye njengabadala ebandleni. Maxa wambi, amabhinqa angamaKristu aye azive edimazekile ngenxa yokuba engakwazi ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengoovulindlela okanye abavangeli basemazweni. Sekunjalo, wonke umntu ‘oliphulaphulayo izwi likaYehova aze ngenyameko enze konke akufunayo’ uya kusikelelwa ngoku nangonaphakade.
16. Umgaqo okwiDuteronomi 28:4 uzaliseka njani kwintlangano kaYehova namhlanje?
16 IDuteronomi 28:4 ithi: “Sisikelelwe isiqhamo sesizalo sakho, nesiqhamo somhlaba wakho, nesiqhamo sempahla yakho ezitho zine, nenkonyana yenkomo yakho namatakane empahla yakho emfutshane.” Ukusetyenziswa kwesimelabizo sesinye sesiHebhere esithi “yakho” sibonisa ukuba oku kwakuya kwenzeka kumSirayeli onentobelo kuphela. Kuthekani ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abanentobelo banamhlanje? Ulwando oluqhubekayo kwintlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke lungumphumo wentsikelelo kaThixo kwimigudu enyanisekileyo yabavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani abangaphezu kwezi-5 000 000. (Marko 13:10) Yaye kubonakala ngathi kuseza kubakho ulwando olungakumbi ngenxa yabangaphezu kwezi-13 000 000 abebekho kwisikhumbuzo seSidlo Sangokuhlwa SeNkosi sowe-1995. Ngaba uyazifumana iintsikelelo zoBukumkani?
Ukhetho LwamaSirayeli Lwenza Umahluko
17. Kwakuxhomekeke entwenini ‘ukufunyanwa’ ziintsikelelo okanye ziziqalekiso?
17 Eneneni, iintsikelelo zaziya kufunyanwa ngumSirayeli onentobelo. Kwathenjiswa oku: “Zibe phezu kwakho ezi ntsikelelo zonke, zikufumane.” (Duteronomi 28:2) Ngokufanayo, ngokuphathelele iziqalekiso kwathiwa: “Zize phezu kwakho ezi ziqalekiso zonke zikufumane.” (Duteronomi 28:15) Ukuba wawungumSirayeli kumaxesha amandulo, ngaba ‘ngewawufunyenwe’ ziintsikelelo okanye ziziqalekiso? Oko kwakuza kuxhomekeka ekubeni wawumthobela kusini na uThixo okanye wawungamthobeli.
18. AmaSirayeli ayenokuziphepha njani iziqalekiso?
18 KwiDuteronomi 28:15-68, kuthiwa imiphumo ebuhlungu yokungathobeli ziziqalekiso. Ezinye zahluke ngokupheleleyo kwiintsikelelo zokuthobela ezidweliswe kwiDuteronomi 28:3-14. Ngokufuthi, abantu bakwaSirayeli babefumana imiphumo ebuhlungu yeziqalekiso ngenxa yokukhetha ukuzibandakanya nonqulo lobuxoki. (Ezra 9:7; Yeremiya 6:6-8; 44:2-6) Enjani intlekele! Imiphumo enjalo ngebabeyiphephile ngokwenza ukhetho olululo, lokuthobela imithetho nemigaqo yobulumko kaYehova, ekuchaza kakuhle okulungileyo nokubi. Namhlanje abaninzi bathwaxwa ziintlungu nayintlekele ngenxa yokukhetha ukuyifulathela imigaqo yeBhayibhile ngokuqhelisela unqulo lobuxoki, ukubandakanyeka ekuziphatheni okubi, ngokusebenzisa iziyobisi, ukuzintyintya ngeziselo ezinxilisayo, nezinto ezinjengezo. NjengakuSirayeli nakuYuda wamandulo, ukwenza olo khetho lubi kuphumela ekutyeshelweni nguThixo nakubuhlungu bentliziyo obungeyomfuneko.—Isaya 65:12-14.
19. Chaza iimeko ezazibakho xa uYuda noSirayeli babekhetha ukumthobela uYehova.
19 Kwakubakho intabalala yeentsikelelo noxolo kuphela xa uSirayeli wayemthobela uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, ngokuphathelele imihla kaKumkani uSolomon, sifunda oku: “AmaYuda namaSirayeli ebemaninzi, enjengentlabathi engaselwandle ukuba maninzi, esidla, esela, evuya. . . . Ahlala amaYuda namaSirayeli ekholosile, elowo ehleli phantsi komdiliya wakhe naphantsi komkhiwane wakhe, ethabathela kwaDan esa eBher-shebha, yonke imihla kaSolomon.” (1 Kumkani 4:20-25) Kwanangexesha likaKumkani uDavide, elaligquba inkcaso yeentshaba zikaThixo, olo hlanga lwaluyibona inkxaso nentsikelelo kaYehova xa lwalukhetha ukumthobela uThixo wokwenyaniso.—2 Samuweli 7:28, 29; 8:1-15.
20. Yintoni aqiniseke ngayo uThixo ngokuphathelele abantu?
20 Ngaba uya kumthobela uThixo, okanye akuyi kwenjenjalo? AmaSirayeli ayefanele akhethe. Nangona sonke siluzuze njengelifa utyekelo lwesono kuAdam, sikwafumene nelungelo lokuzikhethela. Nakuba sijamelene noSathana, eli hlabathi lingendawo nokungafezeki kwethu, sinokulwenza ukhetho olufanelekileyo. Ngaphezu koko, uMdali wethu uqinisekile ukuba nakuba bejamelana neemvavanyo nezilingo, baya kubakho abaya kwenza ukhetho olufanelekileyo, kungekhona nje ngomlomo kodwa kwanangezenzo. (1 Petros 5:8-10) Ngaba uya kuba phakathi kwabo?
21. Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
21 Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuhlolisisa izimo zethu zengqondo nezenzo zethu ngokuqwalasela imizekelo yexesha elidluleyo. Ngamana ngamnye wethu angasabela kumazwi awathethwa nguThixo esebenzisa uMoses: “Ndibeke phambi kwenu ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso. Nyula ke ubomi, ukuze uphile.”—Duteronomi 30:19.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ UYehova ulungiselele ntoni ukuze uluntu olunesono lufumane iintsikelelo?
◻ Ziintoni iziqalekiso?
◻ AmaSirayeli ayenokuzifumana njani iintsikelelo kunokufumana iziqalekiso?
◻ Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezazinanditshwa nguSirayeli ngokuthobela uThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
AmaSirayeli ahlanganisene ngaphambi kweNtaba iGerizim neNtaba iEbhali
[Inkcazelo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.