1. Ngukuphi kuhlangana kwebantfu baNkulunkulu lesitawufundza ngako, futsi kuphakamisa miphi imibuto?

“SUKUMANI, nidvumise Simakadze Nkulunkulu wenu kusukela phakadze kuze kube nguphakadze.” Nabasho lamavi lajabulisako, bantfu baNkulunkulu basendvulo bebahlangene kute bathantaze lomunye wemithantazo lemidze lebhalwe eBhayibhelini. (Neh. 9:4, 5) Bahlangana eJerusalema mhlaka 24 Tishri, inyanga yemaJuda yesikhombisa, nga-455 B.C.E. Nasifundza kabanti ngetintfo letenteka kwate kwaba ngulelolanga lelikhetsekile, tibute kutsi: ‘Ngumuphi umkhuba lomuhle lowenta lomkhosi waba yimphumelelo? Ngutiphi letinye tifundvo lengingatifundza kulomthantazo lobewulungiselelwe kahle?’—Hla. 141:2.

2. Ngusiphi sibonelo lesihle lesasibekelwa ngema-Israyeli njengobe bewahlangene nakacedza kwakha kabusha lubondza lwaseJerusalema?

² EmaJuda bewasandza kucedza kwakha kabusha lubondza lwaseJerusalema ngenyanga leyendvulela lokuhlangana lokukhulunywe ngako. (Neh. 6:15) Bantfu baNkulunkulu bawucedza ngemalanga langu-52 nje kuphela lomsebenti futsi ngemuva kwaloko base banaka tintfo letitsintsa buhlobo babo naNkulunkulu. Ngelilanga lekucala lenyanga lelandzelako, Tishri, babutsana enkhundleni yekuhlangana kute balalele lobekushiwo ngu-Ezra kanye nalamanye emaLevi njengobe bebafundza ngelivi lelivakalako futsi bachaza uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Imindeni yahlangana, lokufaka ekhatsi “bonkhe lababekhona kuwucondzisisa” lomtsetfo, bema balalela “kusukela ekuseni kuseluvivi, kwaze kwaba ngusemini.” Lesi sibonelo lesihle kakhulu kubantfu labeta emihlanganweni emaHholweni eMbuso. Nome kunjalo kulemihlangano, kuyenteka kutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi ingcondvo yakho izule ucabange ngetintfo letingakabaluleki kangako? Nakwenteka loko, naka sibonelo sema-Israyeli asendvulo langazange agcine ngekulalela kuphela  kodvwa aphindze acabangisisa ngaloko labekuva kangangekutsi acala kulila ngenca yekwehluleka kwesive sakubo kulalela uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu.—Neh. 8:1-9.

3. Ngusiphi sicondziso ema-Israyeli lasilandzela?

³ Nobe kunjalo, leso bekungesiso sikhatsi sekuvuma tono. Njengobe bekulilanga lemkhosi, bekufanele kube sikhatsi sekujabula ekukhonteni Jehova. (Num. 29:1) Ngako-ke, Nehemiya watjela bantfu kutsi: “Hambani niye emakhaya enu niyekudla kudla kwelikhetselo netinatfo letimnandzi, niphe nalabo labangenalutfo. Leli lilanga lelingcwele kuSimakadze wetfu. Ningakhatsateki, ngobe injabulo yenu levela kuSimakadze ingemandla enu.” Kuyajabulisa kutsi labantfu balalela futsi lelo kwaba lilanga ‘lekujabula’ lokukhulu.—Neh. 8:10-12.

4. Yini leyentiwa baholi bemindeni yema-Israyeli, futsi yini labatfola kutsi iyincenye lebalulekile yaloMkhosi Wemadlangala?

⁴ Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, baholi bayo yonkhe imindeni bahlangana kute babonisane ngekutsi sive sakubo singenta njani kute sente loko lokushiwo nguMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Ekufundzeni kwabo imiBhalo, batfola kutsi ngenyanga yesikhombisa bekufanele kube neMkhosi Wemadlangala lobewuhambisana nemhlangano lobalulekile wekwephetsa lomkhosi kusukela mhlaka-15 kuya kumhlaka-22 waTishri, ngako bacala kwenta emalungiselelo. LoMkhosi Wemadlangala waphumelela kwendlula yonkhe leyake yabakhona kusukela ngesikhatsi saJoshuwa futsi “kujabula kwabo kwaba kukhulu kakhulu.” Incenye lebeyibalulekile bekukufundvwa kweMtsetfo waNkulunkulu, “lilanga ngelilanga kusukela kulekucala kwaze kwaba kulekugcina.”—Neh. 8:13-18.

5. Yini leyentiwa bantfu baNkulunkulu ngaphambi kwekutsi emaLevi abamelele ngemthantazo kuJehova?

⁵ Ngemuva kwemalanga lamabili, bekusikhatsi lesikahle sekutsi wonkhe umuntfu avume tono ngenca yekwehluleka kwema-Israyeli kugcina uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Leli bekungesilo lilanga lekudla nekujabula kodvwa bantfu baNkulunkulu bazila futsi bembatsa emasaka njengeluphawu lwekulila. Ekuseni baphindze bafundzelwa uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu ema-awa lacishe abe matsatfu. Emini “bavuma tono tabo, bakhonta Simakadze Nkulunkulu wabo.” Ngaleso sikhatsi emaLevi amelela bantfu ngemthantazo lolungiselelwe kahle. —Neh. 9:1-4.

6. Yini leyasita emaLevi kutsi athantaze umthantazo lobalulekile, futsi ngusiphi sifundvo lesisifundzako kuloku?

⁶ Akungabateki kutsi kufundza uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu kanyenti kwasita emaLevi kutsi alungiselele lomthantazo lobalulekile. Emavesi ekucala lalishumi akhuluma kakhulu ngemisebenti yaJehova nebunguye bakhe. Encenyeni yekugcina yalomthantazo, “sihawu lesikhulu” sigcizelelwa kanyenti kuphindze kuvunywe kutsi bekungakawafaneli ema-Israyeli kuboniswa sihawu. (Neh.  9:19, 27, 28, 31) Imithantazo yetfu leya kuJehova nayo ingaba ngulekahle njengaleyo yemaLevi nangabe sizindla ngeliVi laNkulunkulu onkhe emalanga sivumele Jehova kutsi akhulume natsi ngaphambi kwekutsi sithantaze kuye.—Hla. 1:1, 2.

7. EmaLevi acela ini kuNkulunkulu, futsi yini lesiyifundzako?

⁷ Lomthantazo unesicelo sinye lesikhombisa kutfobeka. Lesicelo sisencenyeni yekugcina yelivesi 32, sitsi: “Manje, Nkulunkulu wetfu, lomkhulu kakhulu, nalonemandla, Nkulunkulu lowesabekako, yebo, wena logcina sivumelwane sakho selutsandvo, ungabenti bulukhuni bube yintfo lencane emehlweni akho, bona lobumatima lobehlele etikwetfu, nasemakhosini etfu, nakubaholi betfu, nasetikwebaphristi, nasetikwebaphrofethi, nasetikwabobabe betfu, nakuso sonkhe sive sakho, kusukela etinsukwini temakhosi ase-Asiriya kuze kube ngulamuhla.” Ngekuthantaza ngalendlela, emaLevi asibekela sibonelo sekudvumisa kanye nekubonga Jehova kucala ngaphambi kwekutsi sisho ticelo tetfu emithantazweni yetfu.

8, 9. (a) EmaLevi awucalisa ngayiphi indlela lekhombisa kutfobeka umthantazo wawo? (b) EmaLevi akhuluma ngamaphi emabutfo lamabili asezulwini?

⁸ Nanobe umthantazo wawo abewulungiselele kahle, lamaLevi bewatfobekile ngobe eva shengatsi emagama lawasebentisa nawathantaza awumdvumisi ngendlela leyenele Jehova. Kungako lomthantazo ucala ngesicelo lesikhombisa kutfobeka kwebantfu baNkulunkulu, lesitsi: “Alidvunyiswe Libito lakhe lelikhatimulako, Libito lelaphakanyiswa laba ngetulu kwato tonkhe tindvumiso netibongo.”—Neh. 9:5.

⁹ Lomthantazo uchubeka utsi: “Wena Simakadze, nguwe wedvwa longuSimakadze. Wena wadala emazulu, ngisho nemazulu laphakeme kakhulu, kanye nato tigidzigidzi tetinkhanyeti, nemhlaba kanye nako konkhe lokukuwo, tilwandle kanye nako konkhe lokukuto. Wena ukugcina konkhe lokuphilako, netigidzigidzi tasezulwini tikhonta wena.” (Neh. 9:6) Nkulunkulu Jehova wadala indzawo yonkhe lefaka ekhatsi netigidzigidzi tetinkhanyeti. Waphindze wadala neplanethi yetfu lenhle lekhona kutisekela ngendlela lesimangaliso tintfo letehlukehlukene letiphila kuyo. Konkhe lokuphilako kuyo kuchubeka kutalana kuye ngetinhlobo tako. Lababona konkhe loku, tingilosi taNkulunkulu letingcwele, letingaphindze tichazwe ngekutsi ‘yimphi yasezulwini.’ (1 Khos. 22:19; Jobe 38:4, 7) Ngetulu kwaloko, letingilosi tiyenta ngekutitfoba intsandvo yaNkulunkulu ngekutsi tisite bantfu labanesono “labo labayawudla lifa lensindziso.” (Heb. 1:14) Tingilosi tisibekela sibonelo lesihle kakhulu njengobe sikhonta Jehova ngebunye njengelibutfo leliceceshwe kahle.—1 Khor. 14:33, 40.

10. Sifundzani endleleni Nkulunkulu lasebentelana ngayo na-Abrahama?

¹⁰ Ngemuva kwaloko, emaLevi akhuluma ngendlela Jehova lasebentelana ngayo  na-Abrama nanobe abesaneminyaka lengu-99 budzala kodvwa ete umntfwana nemfati wakhe lobekayinyumba longuSarayi. Kungaleso sikhatsi lapho Jehova atsi libito lakhe sekutawuba ngu-Abrahama lokusho kutsi ‘nguyise wetive letinyenti.’ (Gen. 17:1-6, 15, 16) Nkulunkulu waphindze wetsembisa Abrahama kutsi intalo yakhe uyoyinika live laseKhenani. Ngalokuvamile bantfu bayakukhohlwa labakwetsembisile, kodvwa Jehova akakhohlwa. Kunjengobe umthantazo wemaLevi usho kutsi: “Wena unguSimakadze Nkulunkulu, lowakhetsa Abrama, wamkhipha e-Uri yemaKhaledi, wametsa libito watsi ngu-Abrahama. Wakhandza kutsi inhlitiyo yakhe yetsembekile kuwe, wase wenta sivumelwane naye kutsi lelo live uyawuliniketa titukulwane takhe, live lemaKhenani, . . . Usigcinile setsembiso sakho, ngobe wena ulungile.” (Neh. 9:7, 8) Shengatsi natsi singamlingisa Nkulunkulu wetfu lolungile ngekutsi njalo setame kwetsembeka etetsembisweni tetfu.—Mat. 5:37.

11, 12. Chaza kutsi lisho kutsini libito laJehova nekutsi loku wakukhombisa njani nakasebentalana nesitukulwane sa-Abrahama.

¹¹ Libito lelitsi Jehova lisho kutsi “Ubangela Kutsi Kube Khona,” lokukhombisa kutsi Nkulunkulu uhlale asebenta kute tigcwaliseke tetsembiso takhe. Loku kubonakala kahle endleleni Jehova lasebentelana ngayo netitukulwane ta-Abrahama ngalesikhatsi tigcilatwa bantfu baseGibhithe. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekubonakala kungeke kwenteke kutsi sonkhe lesive sikhululwe bese siyatinta Eveni Lesetsembiso. Nome kunjalo asebentisa tindlela letehlukahlukene, Nkulunkulu watifeza tetsembiso takhe, ngekwenta njalo wafakazela kutsi liyamfanela libito lakhe lelingafani nelamuntfu futsi lelatiwako lelitsi Jehova.

¹² Umthantazo lowabhalwa nguNehemiya utsi ngaJehova: “Wakubona kuhlupheka kwabokhokho betfu eGibhithe; wakuva kukhala kwabo eLwandle Lolubovu. Watfumela tibonakaliso letimangalisako netimanga, wamelana naFaro, nato tonkhe tiphatsimandla takhe, nabo bonkhe bantfu baseveni lakhe, ngobe wena wawati kutsi emaGibhithe abebaphetse kabuhlungu kangakanani. Watentela ligama emhlabeni, lelisolo lahlala kuze kube ngulamuhla. Wehlukanisa lwandle embikwabo, kuze kutsi bewele emhlabatsini lowomile, kodvwa labo bebabacosha ngemuva wabajikijela ekujuleni kwelwandle njengelitje naligcumkiselwa emantini lanemandla.” Lomthantazo uchubeka usitjela ngalokunye Jehova lakwentela bantfu bakhe, utsi: “EmaKhenani labehlala kulelive wawancoba embikwabo babuka . . . Batfumba emadolobha labetinqaba, nemhlabatsi lovundzile, badla tindlu letatigcwele tonkhe tinhlobo tetintfo letinhle, nemitfombo leyase imbiwe, netivini, netihlahla temincumo kanye netihlahla tetitselo letinyenti. Badla besutsa, bondleka kahle, batitika ngekulunga kwakho lokukhulu.”—Neh. 9:9-11, 24, 25.

13. Jehova wawanakekela njani ema-Israyeli, kodvwa yini wona layenta?

¹³ Tatitinyenti letinye tindlela Nkulunkulu latisebentisa kute afeze injongo yakhe. Sibonelo saloko kutsi nawasandza kuphuma eGibhithe ema-Israyeli, Jehova wawaniketa imitsetfo waphindze wawafundzisa indlela yekumkhonta. Nawakhumbula loko lokwenteka, emthantazweni wawo emaLevi atsi: “Wehlela eNtsabeni iSinayi; wakhuluma kubo usezulwini. Wabanika timfundziso nemitsetfo lelungile nalefanele, kanye netimiso nemiyalo lemihle.” (Neh. 9:13) Jehova wetama kufundzisa bantfu bakhe kute kubafanele kubitwa ngelibito lakhe lelingcwele njengobe bebatindlalifa eVeni Lesetsembiso, kodvwa bayishiya imfundziso yakhe lenhle.—Fundza Nehemiya 9:16-18.

14, 15. (a) Jehova wawakhombisa njani umusa ema-Israyeli? (b) Sifundzani endleleni Nkulunkulu lasebentalana ngayo nesive sakhe lasikhetsa?

¹⁴ Umthantazo wemaLevi ukhuluma ngetono letimbili letentiwa ngema-Israyeli nawaseNtsabeni iSinayi ngemuva kwekwetsembisa  Nkulunkulu kutsi atawugcina uMtsetfo wakhe. Bewafanelwe kufa ngenca yetono tawo. Nome kunjalo, lomthantazo udvumisa Jehova utsi: ‘Ngenca yesihawu sakho lesikhulu awuzange uwashiye odvwa ehlane. . . . Wawagcina ngekuwasekela iminyaka lengu-40 . . . Awazange eswele lutfo, timphahla tawo atizange tiguge, kantsi netinyawo tawo atizange tivuvuke.’ (Neh. 9:19, 21) Natsi lamuhla, Jehova usiniketa konkhe lesikudzingako kute simkhonte ngekwetsembeka. Shengatsi singehluka kuma-Israyeli latinkhulungwane lafa ehlane ngenca yekungalaleli nekuphelelwa kukholwa. Ecinisweni, leto tintfo ‘tabhalwa phansi njengesecwayiso kitsi tsine lesesifikelwe sikhatsi sekugcina.’—1 Khor. 10:1-11.

¹⁵ Kuyadzabukisa kutsi ngemuva kwekungena Eveni Lesetsembiso, Ema-Israyeli awazange etsembeke kuJehova. Acala kukhonta bonkulunkulu bemaKhenani, lokwakuhlanganisa kutiphatsa kabi nekunikela ngebantfwana babo. Ngako Jehova wavumela tive letibomakhelwane kutsi tihluphe sive sakhe lasikhetsa. Atsi nawaphendvuka, Jehova wawatsetselela ngemusa waphindze wawavikela etitseni tawo. Loko kwenteka “tikhatsi ngetikhatsi.” (Fundza Nehemiya 9:26-28, 31.) EmaLevi avuma kutsi: ‘Wababeketelela iminyaka leminyenti. Wabekhuta ngemoya wakho ngekusebentisa baphrofethi bakho. Kodvwa noko abazange bakunake loko, ngako wabanikela esandleni setive letatibomakhelwane babo.’—Neh. 9:30.

16, 17. (a) Ngemuva kwekutfunjwa, simo sema-Israyeli sehluka kanjani kuleso sabokhokho bawo ngesikhatsi angena Eveni Lesetsembiso? (b) Yini ema-Israyeli layivuma, futsi yini letsembisa kuyenta?

¹⁶ Ngisho nangemuva kwekubuya ekutfunjweni, ema-Israyeli aphindze abuyela emkhubeni wawo wekungalaleli. Yini lebeyehlukile kuloku? LamaLevi achubeka athantaza atsi: “Kodvwa asewubuke, lamuhla sesitigcili, sitigcili eveni lowalipha bobabemkhulu kuze batekudla titselo naletinye tintfo letimnandzi letiphuma kulelive. Ngenca yetono tetfu, sivuno salo lesinyenti sesiya emakhosini lose usibekele wona . . . Tsine siselusizini lolukhulu.”—Neh. 9:36, 37.

¹⁷ EmaLevi bewasho kutsi Nkulunkulu akalungi yini kubantfu bakhe? Cha akusinjalo. Avuma atsi: “Kuko konkhe loko lokusehlele wena bewusolo ulungile wenta tintfo ngekwetsembeka, lite nome tsine besenta lokubi.” (Neh. 9:33) Lomthantazo lokhombisa kungakhetsi uphetsa ngesetsembiso lesibalulekile sekutsi lesive sesitawulalela uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. (Fundza Nehemiya 9:38; 10:29) Ngemuva kwaloko kwentiwa sivumelwano lesasayinwa baholi bemaJuda labangu-84.—Neh. 10:1-27.

18, 19. (a) Yini lesiyidzingako kute sisindze futsi singene emhlabeni lomusha waNkulunkulu? (b) Yini lokungakafaneli siyekele kuyithantazela, futsi ngasiphi sizatfu?

¹⁸ Sidzinga siyalo lesivela kuJehova kute sikulungele kusindza futsi singene emhlabeni lomusha lonekulunga. Umphostoli Pawula wabuta watsi: “Ikhona yini indvodzana lengayalwa nguyise?” (Heb. 12:7) Sikhombisa kutsi siyasemukela sicondziso saNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwetfu ngekubeketela ngekwetsembeka sente imisebenti yakhe futsi sivumele umoya longcwele kutsi usisite. Nasente sono, singaciniseka kutsi Jehova utasitsetselela nasiphendvuka mbamba siphindze sisemukele ngekutitfoba siyalo.

¹⁹ Ngekushesha, Jehova utakwenta tintfo letinkhulu kakhulu kwendlula loko lakwenta nakasindzisa ema-Israyeli eGibhithe. (Hez. 38:23) Njengobe bantfu bakhe basendvulo bangena eVeni Lesetsembiso, onkhe emaKhristu latawuchubeka akhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka atawutfola kuphila emhlabeni lomusha waNkulunkulu lotawugcwala kulunga. (2 Phet. 3:13) Njengobe silindzele letetsembiso letinhle kangaka, shengatsi singete sayekela kuthantazela kutsi lingcwelise libito laNkulunkulu lelikhatimulako. Sihloko lesilandzelako sitawukhuluma ngalomunye umthantazo lokufanele sente ngekuvumelana nawo kute sijabulele tibusiso letivela kuNkulunkulu nyalo naphakadze.