UJehova UnguNkulunkulu Wezivumelwano
“Ngiyakwenza isivumelwano esisha nendlu kaIsrayeli nendlu kaJuda.”—JEREMIYA 31:31.
1, 2. (a) Yimuphi umkhosi uJesu awumisa ngobusuku bango-Nisan 14, 33 C.E.? (b) Yisiphi isivumelwano uJesu akhuluma ngaso mayelana nokufa kwakhe?
NGOBUSUKU bango-Nisan 14, 33 C.E., uJesu wagubha iPhasika nabaphostoli bakhe abangu-12. Njengoba ayazi ukuthi kwakuzoba isidlo sakhe sokugcina lesi enabo nokuthi ngokushesha wayezobulawa izitha zakhe, uJesu wasebenzisa leli thuba ukuze achazele abafundi bakhe ayesondelene kakhulu nabo izindaba eziningi ezibalulekile.—Johane 13:1–17:26.
2 Kwakungalesi sikhathi lapho uJesu, ngemva kokuxosha uJuda Iskariyothe, amisa khona okuwukuphela komkhosi ongokwenkolo waminyaka yonke amaKristu ayalwa ukuba awugcine—iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Njengoba beqhubeka bedla, uJesu wathatha isinkwa, futhi ngemva kokusho isibusiso, wasihlephula, futhi esinikeza abafundi, wathi: ‘Thathani, yidlani. Lokhu kusho umzimba wami.’ Futhi, wathatha indebe, futhi esebongile, wabanika yona, ethi: ‘Phuzani kuyo, nonke; ngoba lokhu kusho “igazi” lami “lesivumelwano,” elizothululwa ngenxa yabaningi ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono.’” (Mathewu 26:26-28) Abalandeli bakaJesu kwakufanele bagubhe isikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe ngendlela engenamicikilisho, nenesizotha. UJesu wakhuluma nangesivumelwano esimayelana nokufa kwakhe. Ekulandiseni okukuLuka, sibizwa ngokuthi “isivumelwano esisha.”—Luka 22:20.
3. Yimiphi imibuzo ebuzwayo ngesivumelwano esisha?
3 Siyini isivumelwano esisha? Uma siyisivumelwano esisha, ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi kunesivumelwano esidala? Zikhona yini ezinye izivumelwano ezihlobene naso? Lena imibuzo ebalulekile ngoba uJesu wathi igazi lesivumelwano laliyothululwa “ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono.” Sonke sikudinga kakhulu ukuthethelelwa okunjalo.—Roma 3:23.
Isivumelwano No-Abrahama
4. Yisiphi isithembiso sasendulo esisisiza siqonde isivumelwano esisha?
4 Ukuze siqonde isivumelwano esisha, kudingeka sihlehle cishe ngeminyaka engu-2000 ngaphambi kwenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni size sifike esikhathini lapho uThera nomkhaya wakhe—kuhlanganise no-Abrama (kamuva owaba u-Abrahama) nomka-Abrama, uSarayi (kamuva owaba uSara)—bethatha uhambo olusuka e-Uri lamaKaledi elalichuma beya eHarana enyakatho yeMesopotamiya. Bahlala lapho waze wafa uThera. Eyalwe nguJehova, u-Abrahama owayeseneminyaka engu-75 wabe esewela uMfula i-Ewufrathe futhi walibhekisa eningizimu-ntshonalanga ezweni laseKhanani eyophila ukuphila kokuzulazula ematendeni. (Genesise 11:31–12:1, 4, 5; IzEnzo 7:2-5) Lokho kwenzeka ngo-1943 B.C.E. Ngenkathi u-Abrahama eseseHarana, uJehova wayethe kuye: “Ngiyakukwenza isizwe esikhulu, ngikubusise, ngenze igama lakho libe-likhulu, wena ube-yisibusiso. Ngiyakubabusisa abakubusisayo, nokuqalekisayo ngiyakumqalekisa; imindeni yonke yomhlaba iyakubusiswa kuwe.” Kamuva, ngemva kokuba u-Abrahama ewelele eKhanani, uJehova wanezela: “Lelizwe ngiyakulinika inzalo yakho.”—Genesise 12:2, 3, 7.
5. Isithembiso uJehova asenza ku-Abrahama sihlangene nasiphi isiprofetho esingokomlando?
5 Isithembiso esenziwa ku-Abrahama sasihlobene nesinye sezithembiso zikaJehova. Empeleni, senza u-Abrahama waba umuntu obalulekile emlandweni wesintu, umuntu okwakuyogcwaliseka ngaye isiprofetho sokuqala ngqá esalotshwa. Ngemva kokuba u-Adamu no-Eva bonile ensimini yase-Edene, uJehova wakhipha isahlulelo kubo bobabili, futhi ngaso leso sikhathi wakhuluma noSathane, owayedukise u-Eva, wathi: “Ngizakubeka ubutha phakathi kwakho nowesifazane, naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona iyakuchoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyakulimaza isithende sayo.” (Genesise 3:15) Isivumelwano sikaJehova no-Abrahama sabonisa ukuthi iNzalo eyayiyokwenziwa ngayo imisebenzi kaSathane ibe yize yayiyovela ohlwini lozalo lwaleyo nzalamizi.
6. (a) Isithembiso sikaJehova ku-Abrahama sasiyogcwaliseka ngobani? (b) Siyini isivumelwano sika-Abrahama?
6 Njengoba isithembiso sikaJehova sasihlobene nenzalo, kwakudingeka u-Abrahama abe nendodana okwakuyovela ngayo iNzalo. Kodwa yena noSara babeguga futhi besalokhu bengenangane. Nokho, ekugcineni uJehova wababusisa, wavuselela ngokuyisimangaliso amandla abo okuzala, futhi uSara wazalela u-Abrahama indodana, u-Isaka, kanjalo kwenza isithembiso senzalo sahlala singokoqobo. (Genesise 17:15-17; 21:1-7) Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ngemva kokuvivinya ukholo luka-Abrahama—kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokulungela ukunikela ngendodana yakhe ethandekayo, u-Isaka, njengomhlatshelo—uJehova waphinda isithembiso sakhe ku-Abrahama: “Ngiyakukubusisa nokukubusisa, ngandise nokwandisa inzalo yakho, ibe-ngangezinkanyezi zezulu nangangesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle, inzalo yakho inqobe isango lezitha zayo, nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba, ngokuba ulalele izwi lami.” (Genesise 22:15-18) Lesi sithembiso esenezelwe sivame ukubizwa ngokuthi isivumelwano sika-Abrahama, futhi isivumelwano esisha sakamuva sasiyohlobana eduze naso.
7. Inzalo ka-Abrahama yaqala kanjani ukwanda ngenani, futhi yiziphi izimo ezaholela ekubeni ibe izakhamuzi eGibithe?
7 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Isaka waba nabafana abangamawele, u-Esawu noJakobe. UJehova wakhetha uJakobe ukuba abe ukhokho weNzalo Ethenjisiwe. (Genesise 28:10-15; Roma 9:10-13) UJakobe wayenamadodana angu-12. Ngokusobala, manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba inzalo ka-Abrahama iqale ukwanda. Lapho amadodana kaJakobe esengabantu abadala, amaningi esenemikhaya yawo, indlala yawaphoqa ukuba wonke athuthele ezansi eGibithe, lapho, ngesiqondiso saphezulu, indodana kaJakobe uJosefa yayisilungise indlela. (Genesise 45:5-13; 46:26, 27) Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, indlala yaphela eKhanani. Kodwa umkhaya kaJakobe wahlala eGibithe—ekuqaleni njengezihambi kodwa kamuva njengezigqila. Kwaze kwathi ngo-1513 B.C.E., ngemva kweminyaka engu-430 u-Abrahama awela i-Ewufrathe, uMose wahola inzalo kaJakobe wayikhipha eGibithe wayiyisa ekukhululekeni. (Eksodusi 1:8-14; 12:40, 41; Galathiya 3:16, 17) Manje uJehova wayesezonaka ngokukhethekile isivumelwano sakhe no-Abrahama.—Eksodusi 2:24; 6:2-5.
“Isivumelwano Esidala”
8. Yini uJehova avumelana ngayo nenzalo kaJakobe eSinayi, futhi lokhu kwakuhlangene ngani nesivumelwano sika-Abrahama?
8 Lapho uJakobe namadodana akhe bethuthela eGibithe, babewumndeni, kodwa inzalo yabo yaphuma eGibithe iyisixuku sezizwana eziningi. (Eksodusi 1:5-7; 12:37, 38) Ngaphambi kokuba uJehova abangenise eKhanani, wabaholela eningizimu phansi kwentaba eyayibizwa ngokuthi iHorebe (noma, iSinayi) e-Arabiya. Lapho, wenza isivumelwano nabo. Lesi sabizwa ngokuthi “isivumelwano esidala” uma siqhathaniswa ‘nesivumelwano esisha.’ (2 Korinte 3:14) Ngesivumelwano esidala, uJehova wafeza isivumelwano sakhe no-Abrahama ngendlela efanekiselayo.
9. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezine uJehova azithembisa ngesivumelwano sika-Abrahama? (b) Yimaphi amathemba engeziwe isivumelwano sikaJehova no-Israyeli esawenza atholakala, futhi ngamuphi umbandela?
9 UJehova wachazela u-Israyeli imininingwane yalesi sivumelwano: “Uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba-yigugu kimi kunazo zonke izizwe, ngokuba umhlaba wonke ungowami, nibe-ngumbuso wabapristi kimi, nesizwe esingcwele.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) UJehova wayethembise ukuthi inzalo ka-Abrahama (1) yayiyoba isizwe esikhulu, (2) yenziwe inqobe izitha zayo, (3) izuze izwe laseKhanani njengefa futhi (4) ibe umzila wezibusiso ezizweni. Manje wembula ukuthi bona ngokwabo babengazuza lezi zibusiso njengabantu bakhe abakhethekile, u-Israyeli, ‘umbuso wabapristi, nesizwe esingcwele,’ uma babeyolalela imiyalo yakhe. Ingabe ama-Israyeli avuma ukungena kulesi sivumelwano? Aphendula njengomuntu oyedwa: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.”—Eksodusi 19:8.
10. UJehova wawahlela kanjani ama-Israyeli aba isizwe, futhi wayelindeleni kuwo?
10 Kusukela lapho, uJehova wahlela ama-Israyeli aba isizwe. Wawanika imithetho elawula ukukhulekela nokuphila emphakathini. Walungiselela netabernakele (kamuva, ithempeli elaba seJerusalema) nabapristi ababezonikela inkonzo engcwele etabernakele. Ukugcina isivumelwano kwakusho ukulalela imithetho kaJehova futhi, ikakhulu ukukhulekela yena yedwa. Owokuqala eMiyalweni Eyishumi eyayiwumnyombo waleyo mithetho wawuthi: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho owakukhipha ezweni laseGibithe, indlu yobugqila. Ungabi-nabanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.”—Eksodusi 20:2, 3.
Izibusiso Ezeza Ngesivumelwano SoMthetho
11, 12. Izithembiso zesivumelwano esidala zagcwaliseka ngaziphi izindlela ku-Israyeli?
11 Ingabe izithembiso ezisesivumelwaneni soMthetho zagcwaliseka ku-Israyeli? Ingabe u-Israyeli waba ‘isizwe esingcwele’? Njengenzalo ka-Adamu, ama-Israyeli ayeyizoni. (Roma 5:12) Noma kunjalo, ngaphansi koMthetho, kwakwenziwa imihlatshelo ukuze imboze izono zawo. Ngokuqondene nemihlatshelo eyayinikelwa ngoSuku Lokubuyisana lwaminyaka yonke, uJehova wathi: “Ngalolosuku niyakwenzelwa ukubuyisana ukuba nihlanjululwe; niyakuhlambuluka ezonweni zenu zonke phambi kukaJehova.” (Levitikusi 16:30) Ngakho-ke, lapho u-Israyeli ekholekile, wayeyisizwe esingcwele, esihlanzelwe inkonzo kaJehova. Kodwa lesi simo sokuhlanzeka sasixhomeke ekulaleleni kwakhe uMthetho nokuqhubeka enikela imihlatshelo.
12 Ingabe u-Israyeli waba “umbuso wabapristi”? Kusukela ekuqaleni nje, wayewumbuso, uJehova eyiNkosi yakhe yasezulwini. (Isaya 33:22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isivumelwano soMthetho sasihlanganisa namalungiselelo amakhosi angabantu, kangangokuthi kamuva uJehova wamelelwa amakhosi ayebusa eJerusalema. (Duteronomi 17:14-18) Kodwa ingabe u-Israyeli wayewumbuso wabapristi? Phela, wayenabapristi ababenikela inkonzo engcwele etabernakele. Itabernakele (kamuva, ithempeli) laliyisikhungo sokukhulekela okuhlanzekile kuma-Israyeli nakwabangewona. Futhi lesi sizwe sasiwukuphela komzila weqiniso elambuliwe esintwini. (2 IziKronike 6:32, 33; Roma 3:1, 2) Wonke ama-Israyeli akholekile, hhayi nje abapristi abangamaLevi, ‘ayengofakazi’ bakaJehova. U-Israyeli ‘wayeyinceku’ kaJehova, ayeyenzele ukuba ‘ishumayele udumo lwakhe.’ (Isaya 43:10, 21) Abezizwe abaningi abathobekile babona amandla kaJehova lapho elwela abantu bakhe futhi bakhangwa ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Baba amaproselithe. (Joshuwa 2:9-13) Kodwa yisizwana esisodwa kuphela esakhonza ngempela njengabapristi abagcotshiwe.
Amaproselithe Kwa-Israyeli
13, 14. (a) Kungani kungase kuthiwe amaproselithe ayengebona abahlanganyeli esivumelwaneni soMthetho? (b) Amaproselithe angena kanjani ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho?
13 Sasinjani isimo samaproselithe anjalo? Lapho uJehova enza isivumelwano sakhe, wayesenza no-Israyeli kuphela; labo ‘ababekuyingxubevange yabantu,’ nakuba babekhona, akushiwongo ukuthi bangabahlanganyeli. (Eksodusi 12:38; 19:3, 7, 8) Amazibulo abo awahlanganiswanga lapho kubalwa inani lesihlengo lamazibulo akwa-Israyeli. (Numeri 3:44-51) Emashumini eminyaka kamuva lapho izwe laseKhanani lihlukaniselwa izizwana zakwa-Israyeli, amakholwa angewona ama-Israyeli awashiyelwanga lutho. (Genesise 12:7; Joshuwa 13:1-14) Ngani? Ngoba isivumelwano soMthetho asenziwanga namaproselithe. Kodwa amadoda angamaproselithe ayesokwa ngokulalela uMthetho. Ayezilalela izimiso zawo, futhi ezuza emalungiselelweni awo. Amaproselithe kanye nama-Israyeli aba ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho.—Eksodusi 12:48, 49; Numeri 15:14-16; Roma 3:19.
14 Ngokwesibonelo, uma umproselithe ayebulele othile ngengozi, wayekwazi ukubalekela emzini wesiphephelo, njengomIsrayeli. (Numeri 35:15, 22-25; Joshuwa 20:9) NgoSuku Lokubuyisana umhlatshelo wawunikelelwa ‘ibandla lonke lakwa-Israyeli.’ Njengengxenye yebandla, amaproselithe ayehlanganyela kulokho okwakwenzeka futhi ayehlanganisiwe emhlatshelweni. (Levitikusi 16:7-10, 15, 17, 29; Duteronomi 23:7, 8) Amaproselithe ayehlobaniswe eduze no-Israyeli ngaphansi koMthetho kangangokuthi ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., lapho ‘isihluthulelo sombuso’ sokuqala sisetshenziswa ngokuqondene namaJuda, amaproselithe nawo azuza. Ngenxa yalokho, ‘uNikolawu, umproselithe wase-Antiyokiya,’ waba umKristu futhi wayephakathi ‘kwamadoda ayisikhombisa afakazelwayo’ amiswa ukuba anakekele izidingo zebandla laseJerusalema.—Mathewu 16:19; IzEnzo 2:5-10; 6:3-6; 8:26-39.
UJehova Ubusisa Inzalo Ka-Abrahama
15, 16. Sagcwaliseka kanjani isivumelwano sikaJehova no-Abrahama ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho?
15 Lapho inzalo ka-Abrahama yayisihleleké njengesizwe ngaphansi koMthetho, uJehova wayibusisa ngokuvumelana nesithembiso asenza kule nzalamizi. Ngo-1473 B.C.E. uJoshuwa owalandela uMose esikhundleni, waholela u-Israyeli eKhanani. Ukwabelwa kwezizwana izwe okwalandela kwagcwalisa isithembiso sikaJehova sokunika inzalo ka-Abrahama leli lizwe. Lapho u-Israyeli ekholekile, uJehova wayefeza isithembiso sakhe sokubenza banqobe izitha zabo. Lokhu kwaba njalo ikakhulukazi phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uDavide. Ngesikhathi sendodana kaDavide uSolomoni, kwagcwaliseka isici sesithathu sesivumelwano sika-Abrahama. “OJuda noIsrayeli babebaningi ngangesihlabathi solwandle ngobuningi, bedla, bephuza, bejabula.”—1 AmaKhosi 4:20.
16 Nokho, izizwe zaziyozibusisa kanjani ngo-Israyeli, inzalo ka-Abrahama? Njengoba sekuphawuliwe, u-Israyeli wayeyisizwe sikaJehova esikhethekile, esingummeleli kaJehova phakathi kwezizwe. Ngaphambi nje kokuba ama-Israyeli angene eKhanani, uMose wathi: “Yenanelani abantu bakhe nina-zizwe.” (Duteronomi 32:43) Abezizwe abaningi basabela. Kakade “ingxubevange yabantu” yayisilandele u-Israyeli ekuphumeni eGibithe, yabona amandla kaJehova ehlane, futhi yezwa isimemo sikaMose sokwenanela. (Eksodusi 12:37, 38) Kamuva, umMowabikazi uRuthe washada nomIsrayeli uBowazi futhi waba ukhokho kaMesiya. (Ruthe 4:13-22) UJehonadaba umKheni nenzalo yakhe no-Ebedi-Meleki umTopiya bazihlukanisa ngokunamathela ezimisweni ezilungile lapho ama-Israyeli amaningi emvelo eba angakholekile. (2 AmaKhosi 10:15-17; Jeremiya 35:1-19; 38:7-13) Ngaphansi koMbuso WasePheresiya, abezizwe abaningi baba amaproselithe futhi balwa bekanye no-Israyeli belwa nezitha zakhe.—Esteri 8:17, umbhalo waphansi we-NW.
Kwadingeka Isivumelwano Esisha
17. (a) Kungani uJehova awenqaba umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wasenyakatho nowasengizimu? (b) Yini eyaholela ekwenqatshweni kwamaJuda kokugcina?
17 Nokho, ukuze isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sigcwaliseke ngokuphelele kuso, isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethekile kwakudingeka sibe esikholekile. Asibanga njalo. Yiqiniso, ayekhona ama-Israyeli ayenokholo oluvelele. (Heberu 11:32–12:1) Noma kunjalo, kaningi lesi sizwe saphendukela konkulunkulu bamaqaba, sinethemba lezinzuzo zezinto ezibonakalayo. (Jeremiya 34:8-16; 44:15-18) Abathile bawusebenzisa kabi uMthetho noma bamane bawushaya indiva. (Nehemiya 5:1-5; Isaya 59:2-8; Malaki 1:12-14) Ngemva kokufa kukaSolomoni, u-Israyeli wahlukana waba umbuso wasenyakatho nombuso waseningizimu. Lapho umbuso wasenyakatho uhlubuka ngokuphelele, uJehova wathi: “Ngokuba ukulahlile ukwazi nami ngiyakukulahla wena, ungabi-ngumpristi wami.” (Hoseya 4:6) Umbuso waseningizimu nawo wajeziswa kanzima ngenxa yokungathembeki esivumelwaneni. (Jeremiya 5:29-31) Lapho amaJuda enqaba uJesu njengoMesiya, uJehova naye wawenqaba. (IzEnzo 3:13-15; Roma 9:31–10:4) Ekugcineni, uJehova wenza ilungiselelo elisha lokusigcwalisa ngokuphelele isivumelwano sika-Abrahama.—Roma 3:20.
18, 19. Yiliphi ilungiselelo elisha uJehova alenza ukuze isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sigcwaliseke ngokuphelele?
18 Lelo lungiselelo elisha kwakuyisivumelwano esisha. UJehova wabikezela lokhu lapho ethi: “Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza, usho uJehova, lapho ngiyakwenza isivumelwano esisha nendlu kaIsrayeli nendlu kaJuda, . . . yilesi esiyisivumelwano engizakusenza nendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezozinsuku, usho uJehova: ngiyakufaka umthetho wami ezibilinini zabo, ngiwulobe ezinhliziyweni zabo, ngibe-nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe-ngabantu bami.”—Jeremiya 31:31-33.
19 Yilesi isivumelwano esisha uJesu akhuluma ngaso ngo-Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi, wambula ukuthi kwase kuzomiswa isivumelwano esithenjisiwe phakathi kwabafundi bakhe noJehova, uJesu angumlamuleli waso. (1 Korinte 11:25; 1 Thimothewu 2:5; Heberu 12:24) Ngalesi sivumelwano esisha, isithembiso uJehova asenza ku-Abrahama sasizogcwaliseka ngendlela enhle kakhulu nehlala njalo, njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungachaza?
◻ Yini uJehova ayithembisa esivumelwaneni sika-Abrahama?
◻ UJehova wasifeza kanjani isivumelwano sika-Abrahama ku-Israyeli wenyama?
◻ Amaproselithe ayezuza kanjani esivumelwaneni esidala?
◻ Kungani kwadingeka isivumelwano esisha?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Ngesivumelwano soMthetho, uJehova wafeza isivumelwano sika-Abrahama ngendlela efanekiselayo