UJehova, “UmaHluleli Womhlaba Wonke” Ongakhethi
“[U]Baba . . . owahlulela yilowo nalowo ngokwemisebenzi yakhe engakhethi-buso.”—1 PETRU 1:17.
1, 2. (a) Kungani kufanele usesabise futhi usiduduze umqondo wokuthi uJehova ungumaHluleli omkhulu? (b) Ecaleni eliqulwa uJehova elingokomthetho ngokumelene nezizwe, zifeza yiphi indima izinceku zakhe zasemhlabeni?
UJEHOVA ‘ungumaHluleli’ omkhulu “womhlaba wonke.” (Genesise 18:25) NjengoNkulunkulu Ophakeme wendawo yonke, unegunya eliphelele lokwahlulela izidalwa zakhe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo lokhu kungumqondo obangela ukwesaba noduduzayo. UMose ngendlela eshukumisayo washo lokhu okubonakala kuyindida, ethi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu wawonkulunkulu, neNkosi yamakhosi, uNkulunkulu omkhulu onamandla nowesabekayo, ongakhethi-buso bamuntu, nongamukeli-mvuzo. Uyenza ukwahlulela kwezintandane nokomfelokazi, uyathanda umfokazi ngokumnika ukudla nezingubo.”—Duteronomi 10:17, 18.
2 Yeka ukulinganisela okumangalisayo! UNkulunkulu omkhulu, onamandla, nowesabekayo, kodwa ongakhethi futhi ovikela ngothando izithakazelo zezintandane, abafelokazi, nezabafokazi. Ubani obengafuna umaHluleli onothando ukwedlula uJehova? Eziveza njengoqula icala elingokomthetho ngokumelene nezizwe zezwe likaSathane, uJehova ubiza izinceku zakhe emhlabeni ukuba zibe ofakazi bakhe. (Isaya 34:8; 43:9-12) Akencikile ebufakazini bazo ukuze abonise ubunkulunkulu nobukhosi bakhe obungokomthetho. Kodwa unikeza ofakazi bakhe ilungelo elingavamile lokunikeza ubufakazi phambi kwaso sonke isintu bokuthi bayaliqaphela igunya lakhe eliphakeme. Ofakazi bakhe bazithoba ngokwabo ebukhosini bakhe bokulunga, futhi ngenkonzo yabo yasobala, bashukumisela abanye ukuba bazithobe ngaphansi kwegunya lomaHluleli Ophakeme.
Indlela KaJehova Yokwahlulela
3. Indlela kaJehova yakwahlulela ingachazwa kanjani ngamafuphi, futhi lokhu kwaboniswa kanjani endabeni ka-Adamu noEva?
3 Phakathi nomlando wokuqala wesintu, uJehova wahlulela izoni ezithile ngokwakhe siqu. Izibonelo zendlela yakhe yokusingatha izindaba zokwahlulela zababekela isibonelo labo ezincekwini zakhe kamuva ababezoba nomthwalo wemfanelo wokuphatha izindaba zokwahlulela phakathi kwabantu bakhe. (IHubo 77:11, 12) Indlela yakhe yokwahlulela ingase ifushaniswe ngalendlela: ukuqina lapho kudingekile, isihe lapho kungenzeka khona. Endabeni ka-Adamu noEva, izidalwa eziphelele ezingabantu ezazihlubuke ngamabomu, abazange basifanelekele isihe. Ngakho-ke, uJehova wabagwebela ukufa. Kodwa isihe sakhe sasebenza enzalweni yabo. UJehova wahlehlisa ukukhishwa kwesigwebo sokufa, ngaleyondlela evumela ukuba uAdamu noEva babe nabantwana. Ngothando wanikeza inzalo yabo ithemba lokukhululwa ebugqilini besono nokufa.—Genesise 3:15; Roma 8:20, 21.
4. UJehova wasebenzelana kanjani noKayini, futhi kungani lendaba ingethakazelisa ngokukhethekile?
4 Indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo noKayini ingethakazelisa kakhulu ngoba iyindaba yokuqala elotshiwe ehilela omunye wabantwana abangaphelele baka-Adamu noEva, “othengisiwe phansi kwesono.” (Roma 7:14) Ingabe uJehova wakucabangela lokhu futhi wasebenzelana ngokwehlukile noKayini kunendlela asebenzelana ngayo nabazali bakhe? Futhi ingabe lendaba inganikeza isifundo kubabonisi abangamaKristu namuhla? Ake sibone. Ebona ukusabela okungalungile kukaKayini lapho umnikelo wakhe ungemukeleki, uJehova ngothando wamxwayisa ngengozi ayekuyona. Isaga esidala sithi: ‘Ukugoma kungcono kunokwelapha.’ UJehova wenza konke okusemandleni exwayisa uKayini ngokuvumela ukuthambekela kwakhe okunesono ukuba kumbuse. Wazama ukumsiza ukuba ‘enze kahle.’ (Genesise 4:5-7) Lokhu kungokokuqala ukuba uNkulunkulu afune ukuba umuntu onesono aphenduke. Ngemva kokuba uKayini ebonise isimo sengqondo sokungaphenduki futhi wenza icala elinesijeziso sokufa, uJehova wamgweba ngokumdingisa, lokhu ekwenza kube sesilinganisweni ngomyalo onqabela abanye abantu ukuba bambulale.—Genesise 4:8-15.
5, 6. (a) UJehova wasebenzelana kanjani nesizukulwane sangaphambi kukaZamcolo? (b) Yini uJehova ayenza ngaphambi kokukhipha isahlulelo ezakhamuzini zaseSodoma neGomora?
5 Ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, lapho ‘uJehova ebona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni, wadabuka enhliziyweni yakhe.’ (Genesise 6:5, 6) ‘Wazisola’ kangangokuba wadabuka ngokuthi iningi labantu besizukulwane sangaphambi kukaZamcolo laliyisebenzise kabi inkululeko yalo yokuzinqumela nangokuthi kumelwe akhiphe isahlulelo phezu kwabo. Nokho, wabanika isixwayiso esanele, esebenzisa uNowa iminyaka eminingi ‘njengomshumayeli wokulunga.’ Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova wayengasenasizathu ‘sokuyeka [ukujezisa, NW] lelozwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu.’—2 Petru 2:5.
6 Ngendlela efanayo uJehova waphoqeleka ukuba asingathe icala elingokomthetho ngokumelene nezakhamuzi ezonakele zaseSodoma neGomora. Kodwa phawula indlela akwenza ngayo. Wayesizwile “isikhalo” ngokuziphatha okushaqisayo kwalabantu, uma kungekhona ukuthi wayezwe ngemithandazo kaLoti kuphela olungileyo. (Genesise 18:20; 2 Petru 2:7, 8) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuthatha isinyathelo, “wehla” ukuze azihlolele amaqiniso esebenzisa izingelosi zakhe. (Genesise 18:21, 22; 19:1) Futhi wathatha isikhathi esanele eqinisekisa uAbrahama ngokuthi wayengeke enze ngendlela engebona ubulungisa.—Genesise 18:23-32.
7. Iziphi izifundo ezingafundwa abadala abakhonza emakomitini okwahlulela ezibonelweni zendlela kaJehova yokwahlulela?
7 Yini abadala namuhla abangayifunda kulezibonelo? Endabeni ka-Adamu noEva, uJehova wabonisa uthando nokucabangela ngalabo okuthé, nakuba babehlobene nabanecala, ababengasoleki ecaleni. Wabonisa isihe ebantwaneni baka-Adamu noEva. Endabeni kaKayini, uJehova wayibona kusengaphambili ingozi uKayini ayekuyo futhi wabonisana naye ngomusa, ezama ukuvimbela ukwenziwa kwesono. Ngisho nangemva kokumdingisa, uJehova wabonisa ukumcabangela uKayini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wakhipha isahlulelo esizukulwaneni sangaphambi kukaZamcolo kuphela ngemva kokubonisa ukukhuthazela okukhulu kwesineke. Lapho ebhekene nobubi obuphikelelayo, uJehova “wadabuka enhliziyweni yakhe.” Wadabuka ngokuthi abantu babehlubukile ekubuseni kwakhe kokulunga nangokuthi wayephoqeleka ukuba abahlulele kube nomphumela omubi. (Genesise 6:6; qhathanisa noHezekeli 18:31; 2 Petru 3:9.) Endabeni yeSodoma neGomora, uJehova wathatha isinyathelo kuphela ngemva kokuzihlolela amaqiniso. Yeka izibonelo ezinhle ngalabo namuhla okumelwe basingathe amacala angokomthetho!
Abahluleli Abangabantu Ngezikhathi Zezinzalamizi
8. Imiphi imithetho kaJehova eyisisekelo eyayaziwa ngezikhathi zezinzalamizi?
8 Nakuba ngalesosikhathi ngokusobala wawungekho umthetho olotshiwe, umphakathi wesikhathi sezinzalamizi wawujwayelene nemithetho eyisisekelo kaJehova, futhi izinceku zakhe zazinesibopho sokuyigcina. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 26:5.) Isenzakalo sase-Edene sasibonise isidingo sokulalela nokuzithoba ebukhosini bukaJehova. Indaba kaKayini yayembule ukungakuvumeli kukaJehova ukubulala. Ngokushesha ngemva kukaZamcolo, uNkulunkulu wanikeza isintu imithetho ephathelene nobungcwele bokuphila, ukubulala, isijeziso sokufa, kanye nokudla igazi. (Genesise 9:3-6) UJehova wakulahla ngokuqinile ukuphinga phakathi nesenzakalo esasihilela uAbrahama, uSara, noAbimeleki, inkosi yaseGerari, eduze naseGaza.—Genesise 20:1-7.
9, 10. Iziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi isimiso sokwahlulela sasikhona emphakathini wangesikhathi sezinzalamizi?
9 Ngalezozinsuku izinhloko zemikhaya zaziba abahluleli futhi zisingatha izinkinga ezingokomthetho. UJehova wathi ngokuphathelene noAbrahama: “Ngimkhethele ukuba ayale abantwana bakhe nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe ukugcina indlela kaJehova nokusebenza ukulunga nokwahlulela.” (Genesise 18:19) UAbrahama wabonisa ukungabi nabugovu nokuqonda ekuxazululeni ukuxabana phakathi kwabelusi bakhe nabakaLoti. (Genesise 13:7-11) Enjengenhloko nomahluleli wangesikhathi sezinzalamizi, uJuda walahla umalokazana wakwakhe uTamari ukuba akhandwe ngamatshe aze afe futhi ashiswe, ekholelwa ukuthi wayeyisiphingi. (Genesise 38:11, 24; qhathanisa noJoshuwa 7:25.) Nokho, lapho ezwa wonke amaqiniso, wamchaza ngokuthi wayelunge ngaphezu kwakhe. (Genesise 38:25, 26) Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuzwa wonke amaqiniso ngaphambi kokwenza isinqumo sokwahlulela!
10 Incwadi kaJobe ibhekisela esimisweni sokwahlulela futhi ibonisa ukuthandeka kokwahlulela ngokungakhethi. (Jobe 13:8, 10; 31:11; 32:21) UJobe ngokwakhe ukhumbula isikhathi lapho ayengumahluleli ohlonishwayo owayehlala esangweni lomuzi enze ubulungisa futhi amelele indaba yomfelokazi neyentandane. (Jobe 29:7-16) Ngaleyondlela, kunobufakazi bokuthi emphakathini wangesikhathi sezinzalamizi, “amalunga [amadoda amadala, NW]” ayesebenza njengabahluleli phakathi kwabantwana baka-Abrahama ngisho nangaphambi koFuduko kanye nomthetho-sisekelo ongokomthetho owawuvela kuNkulunkulu wesizwe sakwaIsrayeli. (Eksodusi 3:16, 18) Eqinisweni, izici zesivumelwano soMthetho uMose wazinikeza “amadoda amadala,” noma abadala, bakwaIsrayeli, ababemelela abantu.—Eksodusi 19:3-7, qhathanisa neNW.
Isimiso Sokwahlulela SakwaIsrayeli
11, 12. Ngokwezazi ezimbili zeBhayibheli, yini eyayenza isimiso sokwahlulela sikaIsrayeli sihluke kuleso sezinye izizwe?
11 Ukwenziwa kobulungisa kwaIsrayeli kwakwehluke kakhulu ezinqubweni ezingokomthetho ezazilandelwa ezizweni ezazibazungezile. Awukho umehluko owawenziwa phakathi komthetho wamalungelo ezakhamuzi nomthetho wezijeziso zamacala. Yomibili yayihlanganiswa nemithetho yokuziphatha nengokwenkolo. Icala umuntu ayelenza kumakhelwane wakhe kwakuba icala elenziwe kuJehova. Encwadini yakhe ethi The People and the Faith of the Bible, umlobi uAndré Chouraqui uyabhala: “Isiko lokuphathwa komthetho lamaHeberu lehlukile kulelo lomakhelwane bawo, hhayi nje kuphela ekuchazeni kwalo ukwephulwa kwemithetho nezijeziso kodwa kukho kanye okushiwo imithetho. . . . ITora [uMthetho] ayihlukile ekuphileni kwansuku zonke; ilawula isimo kanye nalokho okuqukethwe ukuphila kwansuku zonke ngokukhipha isibusiso noma isiqalekiso. . . . KwaIsrayeli . . . cishe akwenzeki ukwenza umehluko ocacile emisebenzini yokuphathwa komthetho womuzi. Yayifihleke ebunyeni bokuphila okugxile ngokuphelele ekufezweni kwentando kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”
12 Lesisimo esivelele sasenza ukuba ukwenziwa kobulungisa kwaIsrayeli kube sezingeni eliphakeme kakhulu kunasezizweni zangalesosikhathi. Isazi seBhayibheli uRoland de Vaux siyabhala: “Umthetho wamaIsrayeli, naphezu kokufana okuthile ngesimo sawo nangalokho okuqukethe, uhluke kakhulu ezithasiselweni ‘zezivumelwano’ zaseMpumalanga kanye neziphakamiso ‘zemithetho’ yazo. Ungumthetho ongokwenkolo. . . . Awukho umthetho waseMpumalanga ongafaniswa nomthetho wamaIsrayeli, lowo omsunguli wawo uwonke kuthiwa uNkulunkulu. Uma uqukethe, futhi ngokuvamile uyihlanganisa, imiyalo ephathelene nezimiso zokuziphatha kanye nemicikilisho eyisiko, lokhu kungenxa yokuthi uhlanganisa wonke umkhakha weSivumelwano saphezulu, nangenxa yokuthi leSivumelwano sibusa ubuhlobo obuphakathi kwabantu ngabanye kanye nobuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu.” Akumangalisi ukuthi uMose wabuza: “Yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esinezimiso nezahlulelo ezilungile njengawo wonke lomthetho engiwubeka phambi kwenu namuhla na?”—Duteronomi 4:8.
Abahluleli KwaIsrayeli
13. Kungaziphi izici uMose ayeyisibonelo esihle kubadala namuhla?
13 Njengoba kwakunesimiso sokwahlulela esiphakeme kanjalo, luhlobo luni lomuntu okwakudingeka abe umahluleli? Mayelana nomahluleli wokuqala ngqá owamiswa kwaIsrayeli, iBhayibheli lithi: “Lowomuntu uMose wayemnene kunabo bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Numeri 12:3) Wayengazethembi ngokweqile. (Eksodusi 4:10) Nakuba kwakudingeka ahlulele abantu, ngezinye izikhathi wayeba ummeleli wabo phambi kukaJehova, emncenga ukuba abathethelele futhi aze ngisho afune nokuzinikela ngenxa yabo. (Eksodusi 32:11, 30-32) Ngokusankondlo wathi: “Imfundiso yami iyakuconsa njengemvula, inkulumo yami ichiche njengamazolo, njengomkhizo ohlazeni, nanjengezihlambi etshanini.” (Duteronomi 32:2) Kunokuba ahlulele abantu ngokuncika ekuhlakanipheni kwakhe siqu, wathi: “Uma benendaba, beza kimi; ngiyahlulela phakathi komuntu nomakhelwane wakhe, ngibazise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu nemithetho yakhe.” (Eksodusi 18:16) Lapho engabaza, wayedlulisela leyondaba kuJehova. (Numeri 9:6-8; 15:32-36; 27:1-11) UMose wayeyisibonelo esihle ngabadala namuhla ‘abelusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu’ nabenza izinqumo zokwahlulela. (IzEnzo 20:28) Kwangathi ngendlela efanayo ubudlelwane babo nabafowabo bungaba “njengezihlambi etshanini.”
14. Zaziyini izimfanelo ezingokomoya zamadoda amiswa uMose ukuba abe abahluleli kwaIsrayeli?
14 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uMose wayengasakwazi ukuwuthwala yedwa umthwalo wokusingatha amacala abantu adinga ukwahlulelwa. (Eksodusi 18:13, 18) Wamukela ukusikisela komkhwe wakhe kokuba athole usizo. Nalapha, luhlobo luni lwamadoda olwakhethwa? Siyafunda: “Wozifunela phakathi kwabantu bonke amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo angalungile, . . . UMose wakhetha amadoda anamandla phakathi kukaIsrayeli wonke, wawabeka aba-yizinhloko phezu kwabantu, izinduna zezinkulungwane, nezinduna zamakhulu, nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, nezinduna zamashumi. Zahlulela abantu ngezikhathi zonke; izindaba ezilukhuni zazidlulisela kuMose, kepha zonke izindaba ezincane zahlulelwa yizo uqobo.”—Eksodusi 18:21-26.
15. Zaziyini izimfanelo zalabo ababekhonza njengabahluleli kwaIsrayeli?
15 Kungabonakala ukuthi ubudala babungeyona indinganiso eyinhloko ekukhetheni amadoda ayezoba abahluleli. UMose wathi: “Nizithathele amadoda ahlakaniphileyo, aqondileyo, awaziwayo [anokuhlangenwe nakho, NW] ezizweni zenu, ngiwenze abe-yizinhloko phezu kwenu.” (Duteronomi 1:13) UMose wayejwayelene kakhulu nalokho uElihu osemusha ayekushilo eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili: “Abakhulu abahlakaniphile, nabadala abaqondi ukwahlulela.” (Jobe 32:9) Ngokuqinisekile, labo ababemiswa kwakumelwe babe ‘amadoda anokuhlangenwe nakho.’ Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke kwakumelwe kube amadoda anekhono, esaba uNkulunkulu, anokwethenjelwa, azonda inzuzo engalungile futhi ahlakaniphile nanokuqonda. Ngakho-ke, kubonakala kusobala ukuthi ‘izinhloko’ “nabahluleli” okukhulunywa ngazo kuJoshuwa 23:2 no-24:1 zazingahlukile ‘emalungwini [emadodeni amadala, NW]’ okukhulunywa ngawo kuwo lawomavesi kodwa zazikhethwe phakathi kwawo.—Bheka i-Insight on the Scriptures, uMqulu 2, ikhasi 549.
Ukwenza Ubulungisa
16. Yini namuhla okufanele siyiphawule ngokuphathelene nemiyalo uMose ayinikeza abahluleli ababesanda kumiswa?
16 Ngokuphathelene nemiyalo eyanikezwa lababehluleli abamisiwe, uMose wathi: “Ngabayala abahluleli benu ngalesosikhathi, ngathi: Zwanini okuphakathi kwabafowenu, nahlulele ngokulungileyo phakathi komuntu nomfowabo, nomfokazi okuye. Maningakhethi abantu ekwahluleleni, nimuzwe omncane njengomkhulu, ningesabi ubuso bamuntu, ngokuba ukwahlulela kungokukaNkulunkulu; indaba elukhuni kini niyilethe kimi [Mose], ngiyizwe.”—Duteronomi 1:16, 17.
17. Obani abamiswa njengabahluleli, futhi isiphi isixwayiso iNkosi uJehoshafati eyabanika sona?
17 Yebo, indaba yayingalethwa kuMose phakathi nesikhathi sakhe sokuphila kuphela. Ngakho kwenziwa amanye amalungiselelo ngezindaba ezilukhuni ukuba zidluliselwe kubapristi, amaLevi, futhi ikakhulukazi kubahluleli ababemisiwe. (Duteronomi 17:8-12; 1 IziKronike 23:1-4; 2 IziKronike 19:5, 8) Kubahluleli eyabamisa emizini yakwaJuda, iNkosi uJehoshafati yathi: “Bhekani enikwenzayo, ngokuba anahluleleli umuntu kepha uNkulunkulu, . . . Niyakwenze njalo ngokumesaba uJehova, ngeqiniso nangenhliziyo epheleleyo. Yonke imibango efika kini ivela kubafowenu abahlala emizini yabo . . . niyakubaxwayisa ngayo ukuba bangabi-nacala kuJehova, nehlelwe yintukuthelo nina nabafowenu; yenzani njalo, aniyikuba-nacala.”—2 IziKronike 19:6-10.
18. (a) Iziphi ezinye zezimiso abahluleli kwaIsrayeli okwakumelwe bazisebenzise? (b) Yini abahluleli okwakumelwe bayikhumbule, futhi imiphi imibhalo ebonisa imiphumela yokukukhohlwa kwabo lokhu?
18 Phakathi kwezimiso abahluleli kwaIsrayeli okwakumelwe bazisebenzise kwakunalezi ezilandelayo: ubulungisa obulinganayo ngabacebile nabampofu (Eksodusi 23:3, 6; Levitikusi 19:15); ukungakhethi okuqinile (Duteronomi 1:17); ukungamukeli ukufunjathiswa. (Duteronomi 16:18-20) Abahluleli kwakumelwe bakhumbule njalo ukuthi labo ababebahlulela babeyizimvu zikaJehova. (IHubo 100:3) Eqinisweni, esinye sezizathu ezenza ukuba uJehova amlahle uIsrayeli ongokwenyama sasiwukuthi abapristi bakhe nabelusi bahluleka ukwahlulela ngokulunga futhi baphatha abantu ngokhahlo.—Jeremiya 22:3, 5, 25; 23:1, 2; Hezekeli 34:1-4; Malaki 2:8, 9.
19. Kubaluleke ngani kithi lokhu kuhlola izindinganiso zikaJehova zobulungisa zangaphambi kwesiKhathi sethu Esivamile, futhi yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
19 UJehova akashintshi. (Malaki 3:6) Lokhu kubukezwa kafushane kwendlela isahlulelo okwakufanele sinikezwe ngayo kwaIsrayeli nendlela uJehova ayebheka ngayo noma ikuphi ukungaboniswa kobulungisa kufanele kwenze abadala bathi ukucabangisisa njengoba namuhla benomthwalo wemfanelo wokwenza izinqumo zokwahlulela. Isibonelo sikaJehova njengomaHluleli, kanye nesimiso sokwahlulela asimisa kwaIsrayeli, kwamisa izimiso ezabeka isibonelo sokwenziwa kobulungisa ebandleni lobuKristu. Lokhu sizokubona esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Indlela kaJehova yokwahlulela ingachazwa kanjani ngamafuphi?
◻ Indlela kaJehova yaboniswa kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe noKayini kanye nesizukulwane sangaphambi kukaZamcolo?
◻ Obani ababa abahluleli ezikhathini zezinzalamizi, futhi kanjani?
◻ Yini eyayenza isimiso sokwahlulela sikaIsrayeli sihluke kuleso sezinye izizwe?
◻ Luhlobo luni lwamadoda amiswa njengabahluleli kwaIsrayeli, futhi iziphi izimiso okwakufanele azilandele?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ezikhathini zezinzalamizi nakwaIsrayeli, amadoda amadala ayemisiwe ayenza ubulungisa esangweni lomuzi