UJehova Uyisabelo Sami

“Yimi isabelo sakho nefa lakho phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”—NUM. 18:20.

1, 2. (a) Sasiyini isimo samaLevi ngokuphathelene nezwe eliyifa? (b) Isiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinika amaLevi?

NGEMVA kokuba ama-Israyeli enqobe ingxenye enkulu yeZwe Lesithembiso, uJoshuwa waqala ukwaba izwe ngenkatho. Lo msebenzi wawenza esizwa uMpristi Ophakeme u-Eleyazare nezinhloko zemindeni. (Num. 34:13-29) AmaLevi kwakungafanele abe nezwe eliyifa lawo njengezinye izizwe. (Josh. 14:1-5) Kungani amaLevi ayengeke abe nezwe lesizwe sawo, noma isabelo, eZweni Lesithembiso? Ingabe ayekhishwa inyumbazana?

² Impendulo siyithola emazwini uJehova awatshela amaLevi. Egcizelela iqiniso lokuthi ayengakhishwa inyumbazana, uJehova wathi kuwo: “Yimi isabelo sakho nefa lakho phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” (Num. 18:20) Yeka isiqinisekiso esinamandla: “Yimi isabelo sakho”! Wawuyozizwa kanjani ukube uJehova wawasho kuwe lawo mazwi? Mhlawumbe, wawungaqale usabele ngokuthi, ‘Ngiyakufanelekela yini ngempela ukuthola isiqinisekiso esinjalo esivela kuMninimandla onke?’ Mhlawumbe uzibuza nokuthi, ‘Ingabe uJehova ngempela angaba isabelo sanoma imuphi umKristu ongaphelele namuhla?’ Leyo mibuzo ithinta wena nabathandekayo bakho. Ngakho, masihlole ukuthi lawo mazwi kaNkulunkulu asho ukuthini. Lokho kuyosisiza ukuba siqonde indlela uJehova angaba ngayo isabelo samaKristu namuhla. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, angaba isabelo sakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi unethemba lokuyophila ezulwini noma ubheke phambili ekuphileni emhlabeni oyipharadesi.

UJehova Unakekela AmaLevi

 3. Yini eyenza ukuba uNkulunkulu akhethe amaLevi ukuba amkhonze?

³ Ngaphambi kokuba uJehova anike ama-Israyeli uMthetho, izinhloko zemikhaya zazikhonza njengabapristi phakathi kwawo. Lapho uNkulunkulu ewanika uMthetho, wahlela ukuba kube nabazokhonza isikhathi esigcwele njengabapristi nokuba kube nabasizi ababezovela esizweni sakwaLevi. Kwenzeka kanjani lokhu? Lapho uNkulunkulu ebhubhisa amazibulo aseGibhithe, wangcwelisa amazibulo ama-Israyeli, wawahlukanisa ukuba abe ngawakhe. Wabe esenza lolu shintsho oluphawulekayo: “Ngithatha amaLevi . . . esikhundleni sawo wonke amazibulo . . . kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” Ukubalwa kwabantu kwabonisa ukuthi isibalo samazibulo abantwana bakwa-Israyeli sasingaphezu kwesibalo samaLevi, ngakho kwadingeka ukuba kukhokhwe isihlengo ukuze lezi zibalo zilingane. (Num. 3:11-13, 41, 46, 47) Ngaleyo ndlela amaLevi akwazi ukufeza indima yawo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.

4, 5. (a) Kwakusho ukuthini kumaLevi ukuba noNkulunkulu njengesabelo sawo? (b) UNkulunkulu wayewanakekela kanjani amaLevi?

⁴ Sasisho ukuthini leso sabelo kumaLevi? UJehova wathi wayezokuba isabelo sawo ngomqondo wokuthi kunokuba anikwe izwe njengefa, aphathiswa ilungelo eliyigugu lenkonzo. Ifa lawo kwaba “ubupristi bukaJehova.” (Josh. 18:7) Umongo kaNumeri 18:20 ubonisa ukuthi lokhu akuwenzanga aba mpofu ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. (Funda uNumeri 18:19, 21, 24.) AmaLevi kwakumelwe anikwe “konke okweshumi kwa-Israyeli njengefa kube yimbuyiselo yenkonzo yawo.” Ayeyothola okweshumi komkhiqizo wama-Israyeli nokwemfuyo yawo. Wona ayezokhipha okweshumi kwalokho ayekutholile, “kokuhle kunakho konke,” ukuze asekele abapristi.a (Num. 18:25-29) Abapristi babenikwa nayo “yonke iminikelo engcwele” abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababeyiletha kuNkulunkulu endaweni yakhe yokukhulekela. Ngakho, amalungu abapristi ayenazo zonke izizathu zokukholelwa ukuthi uJehova wayeyowanakekela.

⁵ Kubonakala sengathi uMthetho KaMose wawunanelungiselelo lesibili lokukhipha okweshumi, okwakubekelwa eceleni ukuba kunakekele abendlu futhi bakujabulele ngemihlangano engcwele yaminyaka yonke. (Dut. 14:22-27) Nokho, njalo ekupheleni konyaka wesithathu nowesithupha womjikelezo weminyaka eyisikhombisa yonyaka wesabatha, lokhu okweshumi kwakubekwa esangweni ngenjongo yokuba abampofu namaLevi bazuze kukho. Kungani amaLevi ayefakwa kulabo ababezozuza? Yingoba ‘babengenasabelo nafa’ kwa-Israyeli.—Dut. 14:28, 29.

 6. Nakuba ayengenalo izwe eliyifa lawo kwa-Israyeli, ayezohlalaphi amaLevi?

⁶ Ungase uzibuze, ‘Uma amaLevi ayengenalo izwe eliyifa lawo, ayezohlalaphi?’ UNkulunkulu wawanakekela. Wawanika imizi engu-48 namadlelo ayizungezile. Yayihlanganisa nemizi yesiphephelo eyisithupha. (Num. 35:6-8) Ngakho, amaLevi ayenayo indawo ayehlala kuyo lapho engakhonzi endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu. UJehova wayewanakekela kakhulu lawo ayezinikela enkonzweni yakhe. Kusobala ukuthi amaLevi ayekwazi ukubonisa ukuthi uJehova wayeyisabelo sawo ngokumethemba ukuthi wayethanda futhi enamandla okuwanakekela.

 7. Yini eyayidingeka ukuze amaLevi abe noJehova njengesabelo sawo?

⁷ UMthetho awuzange ube nesijeziso esasinikwa umIsrayeli owayengakukhiphi okweshumi. Lapho abantu bekudebeselela lokhu, abapristi namaLevi babethinteka. Lokho kwenzeka ezinsukwini zikaNehemiya. Ngenxa yalokho, kwadingeka amaLevi asebenze emasimini awo, angayinaka inkonzo yawo. (Funda uNehemiya 13:10.) Ngokusobala, ukondliwa kwesizwe sakwaLevi kwakuxhomeke kuyingokomoya lesizwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abapristi namaLevi ngokwabo babedinga ukuba nokholo kuJehova nasendleleni yakhe yokubanakekela.

Abantu UJehova Aba Isabelo Sabo

 8. Chaza inkinga u-Asafa umLevi abhekana nayo.

⁸ AmaLevi njengesizwe kwakufanele abheke uJehova njengesabelo sawo. Nokho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi amaLevi ngamanye asebenzisa inkulumo ethi, “uJehova uyisabelo sami” lapho echaza ukuzinikela nokwethembela kwawo kuye. (IsiL. 3:24) Omunye walawo maLevi wayengumhlabeleli nomqambi wezingoma. Sizombiza ngokuthi u-Asafa, nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi wayeyilungu lendlu ka-Asafa, umLevi owahola abahlabeleli ezinsukwini zeNkosi uDavide. (1 IziKr. 6:31-43) KumaHubo 73 sifunda ukuthi u-Asafa (noma othile wozalo lwakhe) wakhungatheka. Waba nomona ngabantu ababi ababechuma, waze wathi: “Impela inhliziyo yami ngiyihlanzé ngeze nezandla zami ngizigezelé ize ngobumsulwa.” Kusobala ukuthi umbono wakhe ngelungelo lenkonzo ayenalo wafiphala; wehluleka ukuqaphela ukuthi uJehova wayeyisabelo sakhe. Wakhathazeka ngokomoya “kwaze kwaba yilapho [engena] endlini engcwele enkulu kaNkulunkulu.”—IHu. 73:2, 3, 12, 13, 17.

9, 10. Kungani u-Asafa ayengabiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi ‘uyisabelo sakhe kuze kube nini nanini’?

⁹ Lapho esendlini engcwele, u-Asafa waqala ukubheka izinto ngombono kaNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka nawe wake wabhekana nesimo esifanayo. Mhlawumbe sikhona isikhathi lapho umbono wakho ngamalungelo akho angokomoya wake wafiphala khona ngezinga elithile futhi waqala ukugxila kulokho okuntulayo ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Kodwa ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu kwakwenza wabona izinto ngendlela kaJehova. U-Asafa wakubona lokho okwakuyokwehlela abantu ababi ekugcineni. Wacabanga ngesimo sakhe futhi waqaphela ukuthi uJehova wayeyombamba ngesandla sokunene amhole. Ngakho, u-Asafa wakwazi ukuthi kuJehova: “Ngaphandle kwakho anginakho okunye ukujabula emhlabeni.” (IHu. 73:23, 25) Wabe esebiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uyisabelo sakhe. (Funda amaHubo 73:26.) Nakuba ‘umzimba nenhliziyo yomhubi kwakungase kuyeke ukusebenza,’ uNkulunkulu wayeyoba ‘isabelo sakhe kuze kube nini nanini.’ Umhubi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayeyomkhumbula njengomngane. Inkonzo yakhe yokwethembeka yayingeke ilitshalwe. (UmSh. 7:1) Yeka ukuthi lokho kumelwe ukuba kwamqinisa idolo kanjani u-Asafa! Wahlabelela: “Kepha mina, ukusondela kuNkulunkulu kuhle kimi. Isiphephelo sami ngisibeké eNkosini EnguMbusi uJehova.”—IHu. 73:28.

¹⁰ Ukuba kukaJehova isabelo sika-Asafa kwasho okukhulu kuye kunezinto ezibonakalayo ayezithola njengomLevi. Ngokuyinhloko, wayebhekisele elungelweni lakhe lenkonzo nasebuhlotsheni bakhe noJehova, ubungane ayebakhe noPhezukonke. (Jak. 2:21-23) Ukuze lobo bungane bungapheli, kwakudingeka umhubi alondoloze ukholo lwakhe kuJehova, amethembe. U-Asafa kwakudingeka aqiniseke ukuthi umphumela wokuphila kwakhe ekugcineni wawuyoba ovuzayo uma ephila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Nawe ungamethemba ngokufanayo uMninimandla onke.

11. Imuphi umbuzo uJeremiya ayenawo, futhi waphendulwa kanjani?

¹¹ Omunye umLevi owabheka uJehova njengesabelo sakhe, umprofethi uJeremiya. Ake sihlole ukuthi wayesho ukuthini ngaleyo nkulumo. UJeremiya wayehlala e-Anathoti, umuzi wamaLevi owawuseduze kweJerusalema. (Jer. 1:1) Ngesinye isikhathi, uJeremiya wakhungatheka: Kungani abantu ababi bechuma kuyilapho abalungileyo behlupheka? (Jer. 12:1) Ngemva kokubona lokho okwakwenzeka eJerusalema nakwaJuda, waphoqeleka ukuba ‘akhononde’ ngalokho ayekubona. UJeremiya wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayelungile. Lokho uJehova aphefumulela uJeremiya ukuba akuprofethe ngemva kwalokho nendlela awagcwalisa ngayo lawo mazwi esiprofetho kwanika lo mprofethi impendulo ezwakalayo. Ngokuvumelana neziprofetho zikaNkulunkulu, labo ababelalela isiqondiso sikaJehova ‘bamukela imiphefumulo yabo njengempango,’ kanti abantu ababi ababechuma basishaya indiva isixwayiso futhi babhubha.—Jer. 21:9.

12, 13. (a) Yini eyashukumisela uJeremiya ukuba athi: “UJehova uyisabelo sami,” futhi isiphi isimo sengqondo ayenaso? (b) Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zihlakulele isimo sengqondo sokulinda?

¹² Njengoba uJeremiya kamuva ebheka izwe lakubo elase liyincithakalo, wazizwa njengokungathi uhamba ebumnyameni. Kwakunjengokungathi uJehova wayemenze ukuba ‘ahlale njengabantu asebenesikhathi eside befile.’ (IsiL. 1:1, 16; 3:6) UJeremiya wayesitshelile leso sizwe esiphambukayo ukuba sibuyele kuYise osezulwini, kodwa ububi baso base bufinyelele eqophelweni lokuba uNkulunkulu avumele iJerusalema nelakwaJuda ukuba kuchithwe. Lokho kwamzwisa ubuhlungu uJeremiya, nakuba kwakungelona iphutha lakhe. Ekuhluphekeni kwakhe, lo mprofethi wakhumbula isihe sikaNkulunkulu. Wathi: “Asizange siphele.” Ngempela, isihe sikaJehova sisha njalo ekuseni! Yingaleso sikhathi lapho uJeremiya athi khona: “UJehova uyisabelo sami.” Waqhubeka ejabulela ilungelo lokukhonza uJehova njengomprofethi.—Funda isiLilo 3:22-24.

¹³ Ama-Israyeli ayeyohlala iminyaka engu-70 engenalo izwe elingelawo. Laliyohlale liyincithakalo. (Jer. 25:11) Kodwa amazwi kaJeremiya athi “uJehova uyisabelo sami” embula ukuthi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyobabonisa isihe, futhi lokho kwamnika isizathu sokubonisa ‘isimo sengqondo sokulinda.’ Zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zazilahlekelwe amafa azo, ngakho kwakudingeka zihlakulele isimo sengqondo esifanayo nesalo mprofethi. UJehova wayewukuphela kwethemba lazo. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-70, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babuyiselwa ezweni lenkaba yabo futhi bathola ilungelo lokumkhonza belapho.—2 IziKr. 36:20-23.

Nabanye Babengambheka UJehova Njengesabelo Sabo

14, 15. Ngaphandle kwamaLevi, ubani omunye owenza uJehova waba isabelo sakhe, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Bobabili u-Asafa noJeremiya babengabesizwe sakwaLevi, kodwa ingabe amaLevi kuphela ayengaba nelungelo lokukhonza uJehova? Lutho neze! UDavide osemncane, owayezoba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, wabiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi ‘uyisabelo sakhe ezweni labaphilayo.’ (Funda iHubo 142:1, 5.) Ngesikhathi uDavide eqamba leli hubo, wayengekho esigodlweni ngisho nasendlini. Wayesemhumeni, ecashele izitha zakhe. Izikhathi okungenani ezingaba mbili, uDavide wabalekela emihumeni—omunye wawuseduze nase-Adulamu, omunye usehlane lase-Eni-gedi. Kungenzeka ukuthi waqamba iHubo 142 ekomunye waleyo mihume.

¹⁵ Uma aliloba elapho, wayezingelwa iNkosi uSawule, ifuna ukumbulala. UDavide wabalekela emhumeni okwakungelula ukufinyelela kuwo. (1 Sam. 22:1, 4) Kule ndawo eyihlane, kungenzeka ukuthi uDavide wazizwa njengokungathi wayengenaye umngane eceleni kwakhe owayezomsekela futhi amvikele. (IHu. 142:4) UDavide wambiza ngaleso sikhathi uNkulunkulu.

16, 17. (a) Iziphi izizathu uDavide ayenazo zokuzizwa engenamsizi? (b) UDavide wayengaphendukela kubani ukuze athole usizo?

¹⁶ Ngesikhathi uDavide eqamba iHubo 142, kungenzeka ukuthi wayesezwile ngokwakwehlele uMpristi Ophakeme u-Ahimeleki, owamsiza ngesikhathi ebalekela uSawule engazi ukuthi uzidonsela amanzi ngomsele. Inkosi enomhawu uSawule yayala ukuthi u-Ahimeleki abulawe nabendlu yakhe. (1 Sam. 22:11, 18, 19) UDavide wazizwa enecala ngokufa kwabo. Kwakunjengokungathi wayebulele umpristi owayemsizile. Ukube wawusesimweni sikaDavide, ingabe nawe wawuyozizwa unecala? Okwanezela ekucindezelekeni kukaDavide ukuthi wayengasenakho ukuphumula ngoba uSawule wayelokhu emjaha.

¹⁷ Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, kwashona umprofethi uSamuweli, owayegcobe uDavide ukuba abe yinkosi elandelayo. (1 Sam. 25:1) Lokho kwakunganezela ekuzizweni kukaDavide engenamsizi. Noma kunjalo, uDavide wayazi ukuthi ubani ayengaphendukela kuye ukuze athole usizo—uJehova. UDavide wayengenalo ilungelo lenkonzo elifana nelamaLevi, kodwa kakade wayegcotshelwe olunye uhlobo lwenkonzo, ukuba ekugcineni abe inkosi yabantu bakaNkulunkulu. (1 Sam. 16:1, 13) Ngakho, uDavide wathululela inhliziyo yakhe kuJehova futhi waqhubeka efuna isiqondiso sakhe. Nawe ungenza okufanayo futhi kufanele umbheke njengesabelo sakho nesiphephelo sakho njengoba uzikhandla enkonzweni yakhe.

18. Labo esixoxe ngabo kulesi sihloko babonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova wayeyisabelo sabo?

¹⁸ Labo esixoxe ngabo baye babheka uJehova njengesabelo sabo ngomqondo wokuthi babethole isabelo somsebenzi enkonzweni yakhe. Bancika kuNkulunkulu ukuze abanakekele njengoba bemkhonza. AmaLevi nabezinye izizwe zakwa-Israyeli, njengoDavide babengenza uNkulunkulu abe isabelo sabo. Wena ungamenza kanjani uJehova abe isabelo sakho? Sizoxoxa ngalokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• UJehova wayeyisabelo samaLevi ngamuphi umqondo?

• Yini u-Asafa, uJeremiya noDavide abayenza eyayibonisa ukuthi uJehova wayeyisabelo sabo?

• Iyiphi imfanelo oyidingayo ukuze uNkulunkulu abe isabelo sakho?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 8]

AmaLevi awazange anikwe izwe eliyifa lawo. Kunalokho, uJehova wayeyisabelo sawo, ngoba ayenelungelo elikhulu lokumkhonza

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

UJehova waba kanjani isabelo sabapristi namaLevi?

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Yini eyasiza u-Asafa ukuba aqhubeke ebheka uJehova njengesabelo sakhe?