UDuteronomi Usikhuthaza Ukuba Sikhonze UJehova Ngenjabulo Eqotho

ABAKHULEKELI bakaJehova kumelwe bamkhonze ngokwethembeka nangenjabulo eqotho. Lokhu incwadi yeBhayibheli uDuteronomi ikwenza kukhanye. (Duteronomi 28:45-47) Futhi isiyalo sayo enkonzweni enjalo yokwethembeka nejabulisayo, sinokubaluleka okukhulu ekuphileni kofakazi bakaJehova bekhulu lama-20.

UDuteronomi wabhalwa uMose umprofethi ongumHeberu emathafeni akwaMowabi ngo-1473 B.C.E. futhi wathatha isikhathi esingaphezu kwezinyanga ezimbili. Ngokunokwenzeka, isahluko sokugcina sanezelwa uJoshuwa noma uMpristi Omkhulu uEliyazare. UDuteronomi unezinkulumo ezine, neculo nesibusiso sikaMose lapho uIsrayeli esezongena eZweni Lesithembiso. (Duteronomi 1:3; Joshuwa 1:11; 4:19) KuDuteronomi uMose wachaza futhi waningiliza ngamaphuzu athile oMthetho. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, incwadi ibonisa ukuthi uJehova ufuna ukukhulekelwa okukhethekile. Ixwayisa futhi ngokumelene nokukhulekela kwamanga futhi iyala abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bathembeke enkonzweni yakhe engcwele.

Kodwa, kukuziphi izindlela eziqondile amazwi alotshwe kuDuteronomi asiza ngayo amaIsrayeli? Futhi lencwadi ingabazuzisa kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla?

AmaIsrayeli ayesehlane iminyaka engama-40 lapho uMose manje ekhuluma nawo. Ngokwengxenye, ukhuluma ngokumiswa kwabahluleli ukuba bamsize. Ulandisa ngombiko omubi wezinhloli eziyishumi owaholela ekuhlubukeni nokuzula ehlane. Ukhumbula futhi ukunqoba uNkulunkulu akwenza kwaphumelela. UMose uxwayisa ngokwenziwa kwezithixo futhi ugcizelela lokhu ngokuthi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ungumlilo oqothulayo, unguNkulunkulu onomhawu.” Lokhu kulandelwa iseluleko sokulalela uJehova.—Duteronomi 1:1–4:49.

Enkulumweni yesibili, uMose okokuqala uphinda futhi iMithetho Elishumi futhi alandise ngokunikelwa koMthetho. Ugcizelela kakhulu ukuthanda uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo namandla. Ukufundisa umntwana kuyaqokonyiswa. Izizwe eziyisikhombisa zaseKhanani nezinto zazo zokukhulekela kwamanga kulindelwe imbubhiso. AmaIsrayeli atshelwa ukuthi ayekhethiwe hhayi ngoba elungile kodwa ngenxa yokuthembeka kuJehova njengomgcini wesivumelwano. Lapho eseseZweni Lesithembiso, kwakumelwe ahlale elalela futhi angakhohlwa uNkulunkulu. Izindaba zokungalaleli ziyabukezwa, futhi uthando oluqotho nokwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyaboniswa ukuthi kubalulekile. Izibusiso neziqalekiso kubekwe phambi kukaIsrayeli, futhi kukhuthazwa ukulalela uNkulunkulu.—Duteronomi 5:1–11:32.

Okukhulunywa ngakho ngokulandelayo imithetho ethinta ukuphila eZweni Lesithembiso. Phakathi kwalokhu izimiso zokubhubhisa okuseleyo kwenkolo engahlanzekile, ukudla inyama nokusingathwa kwegazi, ukusebenzelana nabaprofethi bamanga nokuhlubuka, ukudla okucocekile nokungcolile kanye nokunikelwa kokweshumi. Kunikezwa imininingwane ngokuyekelwa kwezikweletu, ubugqili nezilwane ezingamazibulo. Imikhosi emithathu eba kanye ngonyaka iyacatshangelwa, njengezindaba ezithile zokwahlulela nemithetho yamakhosi namaLevi. Ngemva kwezixwayiso ngokumelene nomoya ababi, umprofethi onjengoMose uyabikezelwa.—Duteronomi 12:1–18:22.

Phakathi kwezinye izimo esezishiwo yilezo eziphathelene nemizi yesiphephelo, ukukhululwa empini, ukuhlanjululwa ecaleni legazi, ukushada nabesifazane abathunjiwe, ilungelo lobuzibulo, amadodana ahlubukayo, ukuhlonipha impahla yabanye nokuphila, izindaba zobulili nokungafanelekile ukukhethwa njengelungu ebandleni. Eminye imithetho ihlanganisa leyo ephathelene nezigqila, ukukhokhelwa kwenzalo nezifungo. Izimiso ezindabeni ezinjengamadivosi, ukubolekana, umusa ezintandaneni nabafelokazi, ukungena umfelokazi, izisindo eziqondile, ukunikela ngolibo nokweshumi kuletha lenkulumo ekupheleni.—Duteronomi 19:1–26:19.

Inkulumo yesithathu kaMose ivula ngeziyalo zokubhala uMthetho ematsheni amakhulu. Izibusiso kumelwe zikhulunywe eNtabeni yaseGerizimu futhi iziqalekiso eNtabeni yase-Ebali. Izibusiso zokulalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu khona-ke zingokuphambene neziqalekiso okumelwe zilindelwe ngenxa yokungalaleli.—Duteronomi 27:1–28:68.

Ngokuphathelene nenkulumo kaMose yesine, kunokuvuselelwa kwesivumelwano phakathi kukaJehova namaIsrayeli. UMose ulandisa ukunakekela kukaNkulunkulu ehlane. Kunikezwa isixwayiso ngokumelene nokungalaleli, futhi umusa kaJehova uyagcizelelwa. Ekugcineni, kuboniswa ukhetho phakathi kokufa nokuphila. Abantu bakwaIsrayeli ‘bangaqhubeka bephila ngokuthanda uJehova, ngokulalela izwi lakhe nangokunamathela kuye.’—Duteronomi 29:1–30:20.

UMose ukhuthaza amaIsrayeli ukuba abe nesibindi uma engena eZweni Lesithembiso, ngoba uJehova uhamba nawo. Ukuyala kukaJoshuwa njengomholi kulandelwa isiprofetho maqondana nokuhlubuka kukaIsrayeli. Okulandelayo, ngengoma, uMose ubonga uJehova, ubikezela omaye ngokungathembeki kukaIsrayeli kodwa uphetha ngesiqinisekiso sempindiselo yaphezulu ehambisana nalolubizo, ‘Jabulani zizwe nabantu bakhe.’ UMose usho izibusiso zokugcina, ngemuva kwalokho umprofethi oseneminyaka eyi-120 ubudala ubuka iZwe Lesithembiso, uyafa futhi ungcwatshwa uJehova ethuneni elingaziwa.—Duteronomi 31:1–34:12.

Ukubukeza okungenhla kungenzeka kulolonga isifiso sakho esingokomoya. Kodwa njengoba ufunda uDuteronomi, imibuzo ebalulekile ingase iphakame. Manje ake sicabangele eminye yayo futhi siyiphendule.

INkulumo Yokuqala KaMose

• 4:15-24—Ingabe lamazwi ngokumelene nokwenziwa kwesithombe asho ukuthi akulungile ukuphanyeka izithombe zabantu?

Lamavesi anqabela ukwenziwa kwezithombe zokukhulekela kwamanga. Kodwa amaIsrayeli ayenganqatshelwe ukwenza izithombe ngenxa yezinye izinjongo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunomfanekiso wamakherubi owawuvunyelwe uNkulunkulu ezindwangwini zetende letabernakele nasesembozweni somphongolo ongcwele. Kuyoba okungafanelekile ukuhlanganisa ukuthathwa okuvamile nokuphanyekwa kwezithombe nokukhulekelwa kwezithombe, ngaphandle uma zisetshenziswa ngokuqondile ezinjongweni zenkolo yamanga. Ngokuvamile, akukho ukwenqatshwa okungokomBhalo kwezithombe, imifanekiso ependiwe neqoshiwe enezinjongo ezilusizo nezobungcweti ekuboniseni abantu noma izinto.

Inkulumo Yesibili KaMose

• 6:6-9—Ingabe lomyalo ‘wokubopha umthetho kaNkulunkulu esandleni’ kumelwe uqondwe ngokoqobo?

Lamavesi awasekeli ukugqokwa kwamafilakitheri (amabhokisana amancane aqukethe imibhalo yeBhayibheli). Kunalokho, lamazwi abonisa ukusebenza okungokomfanekiso. (Qhathanisa noEksodusi 13:9; IzAga 7:2, 3.) Akushiwo ukuthi imiyalo kwakumelwe ibhalwe entweni ethile bese igqokwa umuntu noma ayinamathelise ezinsikeni zomnyango nasemasangweni. AmaIsrayeli kwakumelwe agcine imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ngaso sonke isikhathi noma ayesekhaya, emgwaqweni noma eduze namasango omuzi, lapho abadala babesingatha khona amacala. Kwakumelwe agcine imithetho kaNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni, ayifundise abantwana bawo futhi ayibonise ngesenzo (njengoba kuboniswa ngezandla) ukuthi anamathela kuyo. Abantu kwakumelwe bazibonakalise kubantu bonke njengababambelela emthethweni kaJehova, njengokungathi kwakulotshwe phakathi kwamehlo abo ukuze bonke babone. Ngokufanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bafuna ukuzibonakalisa ukuthi bayizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezilalelayo. Izinhliziyo zabo zibashukumisela ukuba balalele iZwi lakhe, futhi bagcwalisa izingqondo zabo ngezinto eziliqiniso, ezokukhathalelwa ngokungathi sína, ezilungile, ezithandekayo, eziqotho nezitusekayo. Ngazo zonke izindlela bazama ukubonisa ukuthi imithetho kaJehova iphambi kwabo ngaso sonke isikhathi.—Filipi 4:8; Kolose 3:23.

• 8:3, 4—Ingabe lokhu kusho nje ukuthi babebuye bathole ezinye izingubo?

Ilungiselelo lemana laliyisimangaliso esiqhubekayo. Kwakungokufanayo ngokuthi izingubo azizange ziguge nezinyawo zabo kazizange zivuvukale phakathi neminyaka engama-40 ehlane. Uma izingubo zazishintshwa kutholakale ezinye ngokuvamile, lokho kwakungeke kube isimangaliso. Kwakungenakubabikho bunzima ekusebenziseni impahla yokugqoka efanayo kuyo yonke leyominyaka, ngoba izingubo zabantwana zazingadluliselwa kwabancane futhi izingubo zazingase zitholakale njengoba abadala befa. Njengoba inani lamaIsrayeli lalicishe lifane ekupheleni kohambo lwasehlane njengasekuqaleni, izingubo zakuqala zaziyoba ngezilingene kuwo wonke amashumi amane eminyaka.—Numeri 2:32; 26:51.

• 14:21—Njengoba amaIsrayeli ayengenakudla “lutho oluyingcuba,” kungani ayengase ayinikeze umfokazi ogogobeleyo noma ayithengisele owezizwe?

NjengoMniki-mthetho oPhakeme, uJehova wayenelungelo lokubeka imithetho ethile evimbelayo kumaIsrayeli kuphela. Babengabantu “abangcwele” kuye. Ezinye izizwe azizange zikuqaphele lokho kunqatshelwa ukudla isilwane esizifele. Kwakungekho lutho olungalungile ekunikeni ingcuba umfokazi ogogobeleyo noma ukuyithengisela owezizwe ngoba amaIsrayeli awazange afihle lutho futhi owamukelayo noma othengayo wayenza ngokuzithandela. Kungase kwenezelwe ukuthi uDuteronomi 14:21 uvumelana noLevitikusi 17:10, owenqabela umfokazi ogogobeleyo ukuba adle igazi. Umfokazi ogogobeleyo owayeyiproselithe kwakungamelwe adle igazi, kodwa lokhu kwenqatshelwa kwakungasebenzi kumfokazi ogogobeleyo owayengelona iproselithe ngokuphelele. Umuntu onjalo wayengase ayisebenzise ingcuba eyayibhekwa njengengcolile ngumIsrayeli othembekile noma iproselithe.

• 17:5-7—Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba izandla zofakazi kube yizona eziqala kuqala ukubulala umuntu ogwetshelwe ukufa?

Noma ubani kwaIsrayeli kwakumelwe akukhuthalele ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi alangazelele ukubona inhlangano ihlala ihlanzekile nokuthi kungabi nahlazo elilethwa egameni likaJehova. Ofakazi babeyobonisa intshiseko enjalo ngokuhola ekufezeni isahlulelo. (Qhathanisa noNumeri 25:6-9; Duteronomi 13:6-11.) Yebo, kwakungenye into ukufakaza ngothile futhi kungenye into ukubulala lowomuntu. Lokhu kwakuyokwenza ufakazi acabange ngokungathi sína ekunikezeni ubufakazi, futhi umuntu omubi kuphela owayenganikeza ubufakazi ngamanga azi ukuthi uyoba ngowokuqala ekuthatheni isenzo sokubulala leyondoda noma owesifazane. OFakazi BakaJehova bangazisebenzisa lezizimiso ngokushisekela ukuhlanzeka kwebandla nangokunakekela ekunikezeni ubufakazi beqiniso. Empeleni, ngamunye wethu kumelwe aziphendulele kuMahluleli Omkhulu, uJehova.—Mathewu 12:36, 37.

• 22:5—Ngenxa yalokhu kwenqatshelwa, ingabe kufanelekile ngowesifazane ukuba embathe amabhulukwe?

Injongo esobala yalomthetho yayiwukuvimbela ukusetshenziswa kabi kobulili nokudideka ekwahlukaniseni ubulili. Ngokubonakala nangokugqoka, ngokuvamile indoda ifuna ukubonakala njengowesilisa nowesifazane njengowesifazane. NgomIsrayeli ukwenza okuphambene nalomuzwa wangaphakathi wokuzihlonipha kwakungaholela ebungqingilini. Nakuba kokubili abesilisa nabesifazane ngalesosikhathi babegqoka izingubo ezishaya phansi, kwakunomehluko phakathi kwezingubo zabesilisa nezabesifazane. Ngokufanayo, ezingxenyeni ezithile zomhlaba namuhla, kokubili abesilisa nabesifazane bagqoka amabhulukwe, nakuba izinhlobo zehluka ngokobulili ngabunye. Isimiso kulombhalo asinakuvimbela owesifazane ongumKristu ukuba agqoke ibhulukwe ngezinye izikhathi, njengalapho esebenza endlini noma epulazini. Futhi ngokwesiko lendawo nangokwesidingo, amabhulukwe angase abe impahla efiselekayo ezimweni ezibanda kakhulu. IBhayibheli liluleka abesifazane ukuba “bagqoke izingubo ezifaneleyo, bazihlobise ngokuhlonipha nokuqonda.”—1 Thimothewu 2:9, 10.

• 24:6—Ukubambisa ngembokodwe noma itshe lokugaya kufana kanjani nokubambisa ngomphefumulo?

Ngokuvamile, isinkwa sasenziwa nsuku zonke futhi izinhlamvu kwakumelwe zigaywe njalo zibe impuphu. Ngakho isinkwa somkhaya sansuku zonke sasixhomeke etsheni lokugaya. Khona-ke, ngomusa, umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakwenqabela ukubambisa ngetshe lokugaya lomuntu noma imbokodwe. Ukubambisa ngokunye kwalokhu kwakungaphumela ekuntuleni komkhaya isinkwa sansuku zonke futhi kwakungafana nokubambisa ngomphefumulo noma “okuphilwa ngakho.”

Izinkulumo Zokugcina, Ingoma Nesibusiso

• 32:39—Kungaba kanjani ukuthi abekho onkulunkulu abanoJehova kanti uJohane 1:1 uthi ‘uLizwi wayenoNkulunkulu futhi wayengunkulunkulu’?

Lamavesi akhuluma ngezindaba ezihlukene ngokuphelele. Iphuzu elivezwe kuDuteronomi 32:39 liwukuthi onkulunkulu bamanga abahlanganyeli noNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, emisebenzini yakhe yokusindisa. Abakwazi ukukhulula abakhulekeli babo enhlekeleleni, futhi onkulunkulu abanjalo babengenaye uJehova kunoma yini ayeyenza. Nakuba “uLizwi” engunkulunkulu noma onamandla, akamelani noJehova noma enze ngokubangisana naye, njengoba kunjalo ngonkulunkulu bamanga.—Duteronomi 32:12, 37, 38.

• 33:1-29—Kungani uSimeyoni engashiwongo kulesisibusiso?

USimeyoni noLevi babebambisene esenzweni esinonya, futhi nakuba banikezwa izingxenye kwaIsrayeli, lezi zazingafani nezezinye izizwe. AmaLevi ayenikezwe imizi engama-48 kulo lonke izwe, kanti isabelo sikaSimeyoni sasisezweni lakwaJuda kuphela. (Genesise 34:13-31; 49:5-7; Joshuwa 19:9; 21:41, 42) Ngakho lapho uMose ebuyisela ukunaka kwakhe kuJuda, wayazi kahle ukuthi isabelo sikaSimeyoni sasihlanganiswe kuyo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isizwe sakwaSimeyoni saba ngaphansi kwesibusiso esivamile: “Ubusisiwe wena-Israyeli; ngubani ofana nawe, isizwe esisindiswe nguJehova?”—Duteronomi 33:29.

Okulusizo Olungapheliyo Ezincekwini Ezithembekile

UDuteronomi unenzuzo engapheliyo ezincekwini zikaJehova, futhi singathola iseluleko esilusizo kuye. Ngokwesibonelo, phakathi nokuhlaselwa kweKhanani, uJoshuwa walandela ngokukhanyayo iseluleko manje esibhalwe kulencwadi. Ngokufanayo, kumelwe sizimisele ukwamukela ukuqondiswa kwaphezulu. (Duteronomi 20:15-18; 21:23; Joshuwa 8:24-29) UJesu Kristu wacaphuna futhi kuDuteronomi ngokuphumelelayo ekumelaneni noSathane. NjengoJesu, siyavuma ukuthi umuntu kumelwe aphile ngamazwi kaJehova, nokuthi asinakumlinga uNkulunkulu nokuthi kumelwe sinikele inkonzo engcwele kuye kuphela.—Mathewu 4:1-11; Duteronomi 5:9; 6:13, 16; 8:3.

Lencwadi ibonisa uJehova njengoNkulunkulu ofuna ukukhulekelwa okukhethekile. (Duteronomi 4:24; 6:15) Ithi futhi: “Wothanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Duteronomi 6:5) Ngakho-ke, uDuteronomi usiyala ukuba sikhonze uJehova ngokwethembeka. Khona-ke, kwangathi singanikela inkonzo engcwele kuye ngenjabulo eqotho.

“Wozani simhubele uJehova, sihlabelele ngenjabulo kulo idwala lensindiso yethu. Masize phambi kobuso bakhe ngokubonga, sihlabelele kuye ngamahubo. Ngokuba uJehova unguNkulunkulu omkhulu, uyinkosi enkulu phezu kwawonkulunkulu bonke.” IHubo 95:1-3