ULevitikusi—Ubizo Ekukhulekelweni Okungcwele KukaJehova

ABAKHULEKELI bakaJehova kumelwe babe ngcwele. Lokhu incwadi yeBhayibheli kaLevitikusi ikwenza kukhanye ngokuphindaphindiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, kuyona siyafunda: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu; ngalokho zingcweliseni, nibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—Levitikusi 11:44; 19:2; 20:7, 26.

ULevitikusi wabhalwa umprofethi uMose eSinayi, ngokunokwenzeka ngo-1512 B.C.E. Uhlanganisa isikhathi esingengaphezu kwenyanga—kusukela ekwakhiweni kwetabernakele ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala ngonyaka wesibili wokukhululwa kwamaIsrayeli ebugqilini baseGibithe kuze kube umyalo kaJehova kuMose wokubalwa kwabantu “ngolokuqala lwenyanga yesibili ngomnyaka wesibili emva kokuphuma kwabo eGibithe.” (Numeri 1:1-3; Eksodusi 40:17) Okuqukethwe ilencwadi kubonisa impilo yasekamu, kanjalo kubonisa ukuthi yahlanganiswa ehlane.—Levitikusi 4:21; 10:4, 5; 14:8; 17:1-5.

OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla abekho ngaphansi koMthetho owanikezwa uNkulunkulu ngoMose, ngoba ukufa kukaJesu Kristu kwawuphelisa lowomthetho. (Roma 6:14; Efesu 2:11-16) Ngakho-ke, ingabe imithetho etholakala kuLevitikusi ingawazuzisa amaKristu? Uma kunjalo, ngaziphi izindlela? Kulencwadi yini esingayifunda ngokukhulekela kwethu uJehova?

Okuqukethwe Kugcizelela Ubungcwele

Iminikelo nemihlatshelo ikhulunyelwa kuLevitikusi izahluko 1 kuya ku-7. Umnikelo wokushiswa wokuzithandela wawunikelwa kuNkulunkulu wonke, njengoba nje noJesu Kristu azinikela ngokuphelele. Ingxenye yomhlatshelo wokuzithandela wokuthula wawunikelwa kuNkulunkulu ealtare, kanti enye ingxenye yayidliwa umpristi futhi enye idliwa ngonikelayo. Ngokufanayo, ngamaKristu agcotshiwe iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu siyisidlo sokuthula.—Levitikusi 1:1-17; 3:1-17; 7:11-36; 1 Korinte 10:16-22.

Iminikelo yesono neminikelo yecala yayiphoqelelwa. Owokuqala wawungowokuhlawulela izono ezenziwe ngephutha noma ngokungahlosiwe, kanti owesibili ngokusobala wawungowokwenelisa uNkulunkulu ngelungelo elonakalisiwe kanye/noma ukubuyisela amalungelo athile omoni ophendukayo. (Levitikusi 4:1-35; 5:1–6:7; 6:24-30; 7:1-7) Kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi ngaphezu kwesikhathi esisodwa amaIsrayeli akhunjuzwa ukuba angalidli igazi. (Levitikusi 3:17; 7:26, 27) Kwakukhona futhi iminikelo yokusanhlamvu engenalo igazi eyayenzelwa ukuqaphela ukuphana kukaJehova. (Levitikusi 2:1-16; 6:14-23; 7:9, 10) AmaKristu namuhla acabangela zonke lezizinto ngesithakazelo esibukhali, ngoba imihlatshelo eyayalwa ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho yonke yakhomba kuJesu Kristu nomhlatshelo wakhe noma ezinzuzweni ezehla zivela lapho.—Heberu 8:3-6; 9:9-14; 10:5-10.

Ngokulandelayo kukhulunyelwa izimiso zobupristi. Njengoba eqondiswa uNkulunkulu, uMose waqhuba umkhosi wokumiswa kuka-Aroni, umpristi omkhulu, namadodana akhe amane njengabapristi abangaphansi. Khona-ke ubupristi baqala ukusebenza.—Levitikusi 8:1–10:20.

Ngemva kwalokho kunikezwa imithetho emayelana nezinto ezihlanzekile nezingcolile. Imithetho ephathelene nezilwane ezihlambulukile noma ezingcolile njengokudla yavikela amaIsrayeli ekuthelelweni izilwane ezilimazayo ngezifo futhi yaqinisa umgoqo phakathi kwabo nabantu bezizwe ezizungezile. Eminye imithetho yayiphathelene nokungcoliswa izidumbu, ukuhlambuluka kwabesifazane ngemva kokubeletha, izinqumo ezihilela uchoko, nokungcola okuwumphumela wokucucuza kowesilisa nowesifazane. Ukucatshangelwa kwemithetho enjalo kumelwe kugxilise kithina isidingo sokulondoloza ubuqotho njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova.—Levitikusi 11:1–15:33.

Imihlatshelo ebaluleke kakhulu yezono yayinikelwa ngosuku lwaminyaka yonke lokubuyisana. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, inkunzi yayinikelelwa abapristi naso sonke isizwe samaLevi. Imbuzi eyodwa yayinikelelwa izizwe zakwaIsrayeli ezingezona ezobupristi, futhi kwakunokumenyezelwa kwezono zabantu phezu kwembuzi ephilayo eyayithunyelwa ehlane. Zombili izimbuzi zazibhekwa njengomhlatshelo owodwa wesono (16:5), okwakuthanda ukubonisa ukuthi zombili zazenza umfanekiso owodwa. Ngakho-ke, uJesu Kristu akenziwanga umhlatshelo kuphela kodwa futhi ususa izono zalabo abafela njengomhlatshelo.—Levitikusi 16:1-34.

Ngokulandelayo kube sekukhulunyelwa imithetho ngokudla inyama nangokuphathelene neminikelo. Okuphawulwa ngokukhethekile kwakuwumyalo waphezulu ngokumelene nokudla igazi. Ukuzila igazi kuseyindinganiso ngalabo abakhulekela uJehova ngobungcwele.—Levitikusi 17:1-16; IzEnzo 15:28, 29.

Izinqumo zokwahlulela ezikhulunyelwa ngokulandelayo ngokuphathelene nokuhlangana ngokobulili nesihlobo, ukuphendukezelwa kobulili neminye imikhuba ehlukahlukene eyenyanyekayo, kuhlanganise nokukhulekela izithombe, imimoya, ukunyundela, njalonjalo, nakho kumelwe kugxilise kithina isidingo sobungcwele ekukhulekeleni uJehova. Ngokufanelekile, abapristi kwakumelwe bazigcine bengcwele. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, kwabekwa imithetho ngokuphathelene nomshado wabapristi, ukungcola kobupristi nokudla izinto ezingcwele.—Levitikusi 18:1–22:33.

Okuphawulwa ngemva kwalokho imikhosi emithathu yaminyaka yonke—iPhasika ekuqaleni kwentwasahlobo, iPentekoste ekupheleni kwentwasahlobo, uMkhosi wamaDokodo, noma Ukuvuna, ngasekupheleni konyaka. Ngemva kwalokho kunezimiso ezihilela ukonakaliswa kwegama likaJehova elingcwele, ukugcinwa kwamaSabatha (elamasonto onke, elezinyanga nelonyaka wesikhombisa ngamunye) neleJubili, ukuziphatha ngakumaIsrayeli ampofu nokuphathwa kwezigqila.—Levitikusi 23:1–25:55.

Ngemva kwalokho kube sekuqhathaniswa izibusiso ezazizotholakala ngokulalela uNkulunkulu neziqalekiso ezazizotholakala ngokungalaleli. Kukhona futhi imithetho yeminikelo yesifungo neyokubekwa kwamanani, eyamazibulo ezilwane neyokunikela okweshumi ‘njengokungcwele kuJehova.’ Lokhu kuphetha “imiyalo uJehova ayala ngayo uMose ngabantwana bakwaIsrayeli entabeni yaseSinayi.”—Levitikusi 26:1–27:34.

Ukufunda ngokucophelela uLevitikusi ngokungangabazeki kuyokuhlaba umxhwele ngokugcizelela kwakhe ekukhulekelweni okungcwele kukaJehova. Kepha ungase uhlangabezane nezinkinga ezithile. Ngakho-ke imibuzo nezimpendulo ezilandelayo ingase ithakazelise.

Iminikelo Engcwele Nenkonzo Yobupristi

• 2:11—Kungani iminikelo yoju yayingamukeleki kuJehova?

Ngokusobala, uju olushiwo lapha lwalungelona olwezinyosi kodwa uju lwezithelo. Ngaphandle kwalokho, lwalungenakuhlanganiswa phakathi ‘kolibo.’ (Levitikusi 2:12; 2 IziKronike 31:5) Njengoba uju lwesithelo lwalungabila, lwalungamukeleki njengomnikelo ealtare.

• 3:17—Kungani ukudliwa kwamanoni kwakwenqatshelwe?

Amanoni ayebhekwa njengenxenye engcono kakhulu noma ecebe kakhulu, njengoba kuboniswa inkulumo engokomfanekiso enjengokuthi “amanoni ezwe.” (Genesise 45:18) Ngakho-ke, ukunqatshelwa kokudla amanoni ngokusobala kwagcizelela kumaIsrayeli iqiniso lokuthi izingxenye ezingcono kakhulu zazingezikaJehova. Nakuba amaKristu engekho ngaphansi kwalokhu kuvimbela koMthetho, kungase kukhumbuze izinceku zikaJehova zosuku lwanamuhla ukuthi kumelwe ziqhubeke zinikela okungcono kakhulu kuye.—IzAga 3:9, 10; Kolose 3:23, 24.

• 10:1, 2—Yini okungenzeka yayihilelekile kulesisono?

Lapho uNadabi noAbihu bethatha lamalungelo angafanelekile, kungenzeka babengaphansi kwethonya lophuzo oludakayo. Lokhu kungabanjalo, ngoba masinya ngemva kwalokho uJehova wenqabela abapristi ukusebenzisa iwayini noma uphuzo oludakayo lapho bekhonza etabemakele. Nokho, isizathu sangempela sokufa kukaNadabi noAbihu sasiwukunikela kwabo “ngomlilo ongafanele, [uJehova] angabayalanga ngawo.” (Levitikusi 10:1-11) Lesisehlakalo sibonisa ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova ezinomthwalo wemfanelo namuhla kumelwe zihambisane nezimfuneko zaphezulu futhi ngeke zenze ukulunga emisebenzini enikezwe uNkulunkulu lapho zingaphansi kwethonya leziphuzo ezidakayo.

Ukukhulekela Okungcwele Kudinga Ukuhlanzeka

• 11:40—Lomthetho ungavumelaniswa kanjani noDuteronomi 14:21, othi: “Aniyikudla-lutho lwengcuba”?

Eqinisweni, akukho ukungavumelani phakathi kwalamavesi. UDuteronomi 14:21, wenqabela ukudliwa kwesilwane esizifele noma esasitholwa sifile. Kodwa uLevitikusi 11:40 washo ngokuqonde ngqó okwakufuneka uma umIsrayeli ephule umyalo. Ngokufanayo, uMthetho wenqabela izenzo ezinjengokweba, kepha abantu abathile beba. Izijeziso ezazinikezwa izelelesi zaqinisa ukwenqabela koMthetho.

• 12:2, 5—Kungani ukubeletha kwakwenza owesifazane abe “ngongcolile”?

Izitho zokuzala zenzelwa ukudlulisela ukuphila kwabantu abaphelele. Nokho, ngenxa yemiphumela yesono ezuzwe ngefa, ukuphila okungaphelele nokunesono kwadluliselwa ngaleyondlela enzalweni. Izikhathi ezimfushane ‘zokungcola’ ezihlanganiswa nokubeletha, ukuya esikhathini nokucucuza zafaka engqondweni lokhu kuba-nesono okungokofuzo. (Levitikusi 15:16-24; IHubo 51:5; Roma 5:12) Lokhu kwakuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi ngokubeletha, ngoba umnikelo wesono wawufuneka ngokuphathelene nakho. Ngokuthakazelisayo, ngenxa yokucabangela, uJehova, kulesisimo, wavumela abampofu ukuba banikele ngezinyoni esikhundleni semvu ebiza ngokwengeziwe. (Levitikusi 12:8) Imithetho enjalo yokuhlambuluka yayizosiza amaIsrayeli ukuba azise isidingo somnikelo womhlatshelo wokusibekela ukuba nesono kwesintu nokubuyisela ukuphelela kobuntu. Eqinisweni, imihlatshelo yezilwane ababeyinikela ayikwazanga ukufeza lokhu. Ngakho-ke uMthetho, wawuyobaholela kuKristu futhi ubasize ukuba bazise iqiniso lokuthi umhlatshelo wakhe kuphela owawungaletha ukuthethelelwa kweqiniso futhi kamuva ukubuyiselwa kokuphelela kobuntu.—Galathiya 3:24; Heberu 9:13, 14; 10:3, 4.

Ubungcwele Kumelwe Bulondolozwe

• 16:29—Yini eyayishiwo ‘ngokuthobisa umphefumulo’?

Ngokunokwenzeka, ‘ukuthobisa umphefumulo’ lapha kwabhekisela ekuzileni. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ngosuku lokubuyisana kwakwenziwa umhlatshelo wezilwane ngezono zamaLevi nezaso sonke isizwe. Ngemva kokuba umpristi omkhulu evume izono zabantu zonyaka odlule phezu kwembuzi ephilayo, yayithunyelwa ehlane ithwele izono zabo. Ngenxa yenqubo eyayilandelwa ngoSuku lokuBuyisana, khona-ke, ukuzila ngalesosikhathi ngokusobala kwakuhlanganiswa nokuvuma izono.—Levitikusi 16:5-10, 15, 20-22.

• 20:9—Kungani isijeziso sokufa sasibekelwa noma ubani “othuka” abazali bakhe?

Umuntu owayethuka abazali bakhe futhi efuna ukuba inhlekelele eyesabekayo ibehlele wayengaba nesimo senzondo, nesokubulala. Nakuba engasebenzisanga isikhali ukubabulala, enhliziyweni wayefisela ukuba bafe. Njengoba onjalo umoya wolaka wawuwukubulala emehlweni kaJehova, uMthetho wabeka isijeziso esifanayo ngokuthuka komuntu abazali bakhe kanjalo njengokubabulala ngokoqobo. Lokhu kumelwe kushukumisele umKristu ekuboniseni uthando, hhayi inzondo, kwakholwa nabo.—1 Johane 3:14, 15.

• 25:35-37—Ingabe akulungile ngaso sonke isikhathi ukubiza inzalo (yemali) kumzalwane?

Uma omunye umzalwane eboleka omunye imali ngezinjongo zebhizinisi, obolekisayo angase alindele ukubuyiswa kwaleyomali futhi angase abize nenzalo. Obolekayo usebenzisa imali ukuba imsebenzele futhi ukuba yenze eyengeziwe, nobolekisayo angahlanganyela ngokufanelekile emkhiqizweni waleyomali ngokubiza inzalo efanele. (Qhathanisa uMathewu 25:27.) Nokho, uMthetho wenqabela ukubizwa kwenzalo kokubolekelwe ukususa ubumpofu. Obolekisayo wayengalindela ukubuyiselwa okubolekiwe, kodwa kwakwenqatshelwe ukuzuza ekuweni kukamakhelwane ontulayo.—Eksodusi 22:25.

• 26:26—Yini eshiwo ‘ngabesifazane abapheka isinkwa eziko linye’?

Ngokuvamile, owesifazane ngamunye wayedinga iziko elihlukile ngakho konke ukupheka okwakumelwe akwenze. Kodwa lamazwi akhomba ekuntulekeni kokudla kangangokuthi iziko elilodwa laliyoba elanele konke ukupheka okwakungenziwa abesifazane abayishumi. Lokhu kwakungomunye wemiphumela eyabikezelwa ‘yokuhamba ngokuphambene’ noJehova kanjalo behluleka ukulondoloza ubungcwele enkonzweni yakhe.—Levitikusi 26:23-25.

Indlela ULevitikusi Angathinta Ngayo Ukukhulekela Kwethu

OFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla abaphili ngaphansi koMthetho. (Galathiya 3:23-25) Kodwa njengoba okushiwo kuLevitikusi kusinikeza ukuqonda umbono kaJehova ngezindaba ezihlukahlukene, kungathinta ukukhulekela kwethu. Phawula izindlela ezimbalwa lokhu okuba iqiniso ngazo.

UJehova, iNkosi eNkulu, ufanelwe ukukhulekela okungcwele. Akakubekezeleli ukuphikiswa, ungcwele futhi ufuna ubungcwele kulabo abanikela inkonzo engcwele kuye. (Levitikusi 11:45; 19:2) Lendinganiso iyasebenza futhi ekukhulekeleni kobuKristu, njengoba umphostoli uPetru akwenza kwacaca lapho ebhala: “Njengabantwana abalalelayo ningalingisi izinkanuko zakuqala ekungazini kwenu, kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—1 Petru 1:14-16.

Igama likaJehova kumelwe ligcinwe lingcwele. OFakazi BakaJehova abalokothi balethe isihlamba egameni laphezulu, njengoba nje namaIsrayeli asendulo kwakumelwe azilinde kulokhu. (Levitikusi 22:32; 24:10-16, 23) Njengabahlukanisiwe, noma abangcweliselwe inkonzo kaJehova engcwele, kumelwe sidumise igama lakhe ngokufanele futhi sithandazele ukungcweliswa kwalo.—IHubo 7:17; Mathewu 6:9.

UJehova ufuna ukuba silwe nesono. Ukuthethelelwa kwezono akudingi nje kuphela umhlatshelo ohlawulelayo kodwa futhi ukuzivuma, ukuphenduka nokuzilungisa ngezinga esingakwenza ngalo. Futhi uma sazi ukuthi elinye ilungu lebandla liye lenza isono esingathi sína kodwa alisivezi, kumelwe silethe udaba ekunakekeleni kwabadala abamisiwe. (Qhathanisa uLevitikusi 4:2; 5:1, 5, 6.) Yebo, ngezono ezithile akukho ukuthethelelwa. (Levitikusi 20:2, 10; Heberu 6:4-6; 10:26-29) Kodwa uma silwa nesono, njalo sizama ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaBaba wethu wasezulwini futhi samukele umhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu singaba nokuma okuhle noNkulunkulu ongcwele, uJehova.—1 Johane 2:1, 2.

Khona-ke, ngokusobala uLevitikusi kumelwe athinte ukukhulekela kwethu njengoFakazi BakaJehova abangamaKristu. Kumelwe agcizelele kithina iqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu wethu ufuna ubungcwele ezincekwini zakhe. Ngakho-ke, kumelwe sigcine igama lakhe lingcwele futhi ngokuqhubekayo silwe nesono. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lencwadi yeBhayibheli kumelwe isishukumisele ekunikezeni oPhezukonke okungcono kakhulu kwethu, silondoloza njalo ukuhlanzeka nobungcwele enkonzweni engcwele ekudunyisweni kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele, uJehova.

[Izithombe ekhasini 9]

Imihlatshelo eyenziwa ngaphansi koMthetho yakhomba ekufeni kukaJesu Kristu komhlatshelo nasezinzuzweni ezivela kukho