1. Imuphi umhlangano wabantu bakaNkulunkulu esizoxoxa ngawo, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?

“SUKUMANI nituse uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade.” Ngala mazwi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo babuthelwa ndawonye ukuba bahlanganyele komunye wemithandazo emide kakhulu ebhalwe eBhayibhelini. (Neh. 9:4, 5) Lowo mhlangano waba seJerusalema zingu-24 enyangeni yesikhombisa yamaJuda, uThishri, ngo-455 B.C.E. Njengoba sixoxa ngezenzakalo zangaphambi kwalolo suku olukhethekile, zibuze: ‘Imuphi umkhuba omuhle owaba nomthelela empumelelweni yaleso senzakalo? Iziphi ezinye izifundo engingazifunda kulo mthandazo olungiselelwe kahle?’—IHu. 141:2.

2. Isiphi isibonelo esihle ama-Israyeli asibekela sona emhlanganweni aba nawo ngemva kokwakha kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema?

² AmaJuda ayeqede ukwakha kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema esikhathini esiyinyanga ngaphambi kwalo mhlangano oshiwo ngenhla. (Neh. 6:15) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babenze lowo msebenzi ngezinsuku ezingaba ngu-52 kuphela, babe sebenaka ngokukhethekile izidingo zabo ezingokomoya. Ngakho, ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga entsha kaThishri, babuthana ndawonye esigcawini ukuze balalele lapho u-Ezra namanye amaLevi befunda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuzwakalayo futhi bewuchaza. Wonke amalungu emikhaya, okuhlanganisa “bonke ababenengqondo ngokwanele ukuba balalele,” ama alalela “kusukela ekuntweleni kokusa kwaze kwaba semini bebade.” Yeka ukuthi basibekela isibonelo esihle kanjani thina sonke namuhla esiba khona emihlanganweni yebandla emaHholo OMbuso athokomele! Noma kunjalo, ingabe ngalezo zikhathi uye uthole ukuthi ingqondo yakho iyazula futhi uqale ukucabanga ngezinto ezingathi shu? Uma kunjalo, phinde ucabange ngesibonelo salawo ma-Israyeli asendulo angagcinanga  nje ngokulalela, kodwa afaka ezinhliziyweni zawo lokho ayekuzwa kangangokuthi aqala ukukhala lapho eqaphela ukuthi ayehlulekile njengesizwe ukulalela uMthetho kaNkulunkulu.—Neh. 8:1-9.

3. Isiphi isiqondiso ama-Israyeli asilalela?

³ Nokho, lesi kwakungesona isikhathi sokuvuma izono obala. Njengoba kwakuwusuku lomkhosi, kwakufanele lube isikhathi senjabulo ekukhulekeleni uJehova. (Num. 29:1) Ngakho uNehemiya watshela abantu: “Hambani nidle okunonileyo niphuze okumnandi, nithumele izabelo kulowo ongalungiselelwanga lutho; ngoba lolu suku lungcwele eNkosini yethu, ningazizwa kabuhlungu, ngoba injabulo kaJehova iyisiphephelo senu.” Ngokujabulisayo, abantu balalela, futhi lolo suku lwaba ‘olokujabula okukhulu.’—Neh. 8:10-12.

4. Izinhloko zemikhaya yama-Israyeli zenzani, futhi yini ezathola ukuthi yayiyisici esiphawulekayo salo Mkhosi Wamadokodo?

⁴ Ngosuku olulandela lolo, izinhloko zemikhaya zabuthana ukuze zibone ukuthi isizwe singazivumelanisa kanjani ngokwengeziwe noMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ekutadisheni kwazo imiBhalo, zathola ukuthi inyanga yesikhombisa kwakumelwe ihlanganise uMkhosi Wamadokodo owawuphetha ngomhlangano onesizotha kusukela zingu-15 kuze kube yilapho zingu-22 enyangeni kaThishri, ngakho zaqala ukwenza amalungiselelo. Kwaba uMkhosi Wamadokodo owaphumelela kakhulu kunayo yonke kusukela ezinsukwini zikaJoshuwa futhi waphumela ‘ekujabuleni okukhulu.’ Isici esibalulekile salo mkhosi sasiwukufunda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu obala, ‘usuku nosuku, kusukela ngosuku lokuqala kuze kube usuku lokugcina.’—Neh. 8:13-18.

5. Yini abantu bakaNkulunkulu abayenza ngaphambi nje kokuba amaLevi abamelele ngomthandazo kuJehova?

⁵ Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva, kwabe sekuyisikhathi esikahle sokuba u-Israyeli avume izono obala ngenxa yokwehluleka kwakhe ukugcina uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Lolu kwakungelona usuku lomkhosi lokwenza idili. Kunalokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazila ukudla futhi bagqoka indwangu yesaka njengesibonakaliso sokulila kwabo. Nangalolo suku, abantu bafundelwa uMthetho kaNkulunkulu cishe amahora amathathu ekuseni. Ntambama, ‘bavuma izono bakhothama kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo.’ AmaLevi abe esemelela abantu ngomthandazo owawulungiselelwe kahle. —Neh. 9:1-4.

6. Yini eyaba nomthelela ekwenzeni kwamaLevi umthandazo onengqondo, futhi lokhu kusifundisa siphi isifundo?

⁶ Akungabazeki ukuthi ukufundwa koMthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuphindaphindiwe kwawasiza amaLevi ukuba alungiselele lo mthandazo othinta inhliziyo. Amavesi okuqala ayishumi agxila ngokukhethekile emisebenzini nasezimfanelweni zikaJehova. Engxenyeni yokugcina yalo mthandazo, kuqokonyiswa ngokuphindaphindiwe “isihe esikhulu” sikaNkulunkulu kanye nokuvuma  ngokungananazi ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayengakufanelekele ukuphathwa ngalowo musa. (Neh. 9:19, 27, 28, 31) Imithandazo yethu kuJehova nayo iyoba eqabulayo nenengqondo uma, njengalawo maLevi, sizindla nsuku zonke ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, sivumele uJehova ukuba akhulume nathi ngaphambi kokuba sithandaze kuye.—IHu. 1:1, 2.

7. Yini amaLevi ayicela kuNkulunkulu, futhi sifundani kulokhu?

⁷ Lo mthandazo unesicelo esisodwa esibonisa isizotha. Sitholakala engxenyeni yokugcina yevesi 32, elifundeka kanje: “Manje, Nkulunkulu wethu, Nkulunkulu omkhulu, onamandla nowesabekayo, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa wothando, mabungabonakali buyinto encane phambi kwakho bonke lobu bunzima obusificile, thina, amakhosi ethu, izikhulu zethu nabapristi bethu nabaprofethi bethu nokhokho bethu nabo bonke abantu bakho kusukela ezinsukwini zamakhosi ase-Asiriya kuze kube kulolu suku.” Ngakho amaLevi asibekela isibonelo esihle sokuba emithandazweni yethu siqale ngokudumisa nokubonga uJehova ngaphambi kokuba senze izicelo zomuntu siqu.

8, 9. (a) AmaLevi awuqala ngayiphi indlela yokuthobeka umthandazo wawo? (b) Cishe, imaphi amabutho amabili asezulwini amaLevi abhekisela kuwo?

⁸ Nakuba umthandazo wawo wawulungiselelwe kahle, lawo maLevi ayethobekile futhi enomuzwa wokuthi amazwi awo akhethwe kahle awasoze aludlulisela ngokugcwele udumo olumfanele ngempela uJehova. Ngakho, lo mthandazo uqala ngalesi sicelo esibonisa isizotha ngokuphathelene nabantu bakaNkulunkulu: “Mabatuse igama lakho elikhazimulayo, eliphakeme ngaphezu kwakho konke ukutusa nodumo.”—Neh. 9:5.

⁹ Lo mthandazo uyaqhubeka: “Nguwe wedwa onguJehova; wena ngokwakho wenzé amazulu, yebo izulu lamazulu, nalo lonke ibutho lawo, umhlaba nakho konke okuphezu kwawo, izilwandle nakho konke okukuzo; nguwe okulondayo konke; ibutho lamazulu likhothamela wena.” (Neh. 9:6) Yebo, uJehova wadala indawo yonke, ehlanganisa nemithala engenakubalwa yezinkanyezi. Kuyamangalisa nokuthi wadala yonke into esemhlabeni wethu omuhle kanye namandla awo amangalisayo okulonda izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo—eziqhubeka zizalana ngokohlobo lwazo. Izingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ezingcwele zingofakazi bakho konke lokhu, futhi nazo zingachazwa ngokuthi ‘ziyibutho lamazulu.’ (1 AmaKh. 22:19; Jobe 38:4, 7) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izingelosi ngokuthobeka zenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokukhonza abantu abanesono “abayozuza insindiso njengefa.” (Heb. 1:14) Yeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu izingelosi ezisibekela sona njengoba sikhonza uJehova ngobunye njengebutho lempi eliqeqeshwe kahle!—1 Kor. 14:33, 40.

10. Sifundani ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu no-Abrahama?

¹⁰ Ngokulandelayo, amaLevi agxila ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu no-Abrama,  owaze waba neminyaka engu-99 engabanga ngisho nomntwana oyedwa vo kumkakhe oyinyumba uSarayi. Yingaleso sikhathi uJehova ashintsha khona igama lakhe laba ngu-Abrahama, okusho ukuthi “uyise wesixuku.” (Gen. 17:1-6, 15, 16) UNkulunkulu wathembisa u-Abrahama nokuthi inzalo yakhe yayiyodla ifa lezwe laseKhanani. Ngokuvamile abantu bayazikhohlwa izinto abazithembisayo kodwa akunjalo ngoJehova. Njengoba umthandazo wamaLevi uchaza: “UnguJehova uNkulunkulu weqiniso, owakhetha u-Abrama wamkhipha e-Uri lamaKhaledi wenza igama lakhe laba ngu-Abrahama. Wathola inhliziyo yakhe ithembekile phambi kwakho; ngakho wenza isivumelwano naye sokumnika izwe lamaKhanani, . . . ukuze ulinike inzalo yakhe; wawafeza amazwi akho, ngoba wena ulungile.” (Neh. 9:7, 8) Kwangathi nathi singalingisa uNkulunkulu wethu olungile ngokuba njalo silwele ukufeza esikuthembisile.—Math. 5:37.

11, 12. Chaza incazelo yegama likaJehova nokuthi yaboniswa kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nenzalo ka-Abrahama.

¹¹ Igama elithi Jehova lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona,” okubonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyaqhubeka enza izithembiso zakhe zigcwaliseke. Lokhu kuboniswe kahle ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu nenzalo ka-Abrahama ngesikhathi iyizigqila eGibhithe. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakubonakala kungenakwenzeka ukuthi sonke isizwe singakhululwa futhi sihlaliswe eZweni Lesithembiso. Nokho, ngochungechunge lwezinyathelo azithatha, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba isithembiso sakhe sigcwaliseke, ngaleyo ndlela ebonisa ukuthi uyena yedwa ofanelekela ukubizwa ngaleli gama elikhazimulayo elithi Jehova.

¹² Umthandazo obhalwe uNehemiya uthi ngoJehova: “Wakubona ukuhlupheka kokhokho bethu eGibhithe, nokukhala kwabo oLwandle Olubomvu wakuzwa. Khona-ke wenza izibonakaliso nezimangaliso kuFaro nazo zonke izinceku zakhe nabo bonke abantu bezwe lakhe, ngoba wawazi ukuthi babegabadele; wazenzela igama njengakulolu suku. Wahlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo, bawela phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomile; ababebaxosha wabajikijela ezinzulwini njengetshe emanzini anamandla.” Lo mthandazo ube usuqhubeka usho ezinye izinto uJehova ayezenzele abantu bakhe: “Wanqoba phambi kwawo abakhileyo ezweni, amaKhanani . . . [Ama-Israyeli] athumba imizi enezivikelo eziqinile nenhlabathi evundile adla nezindlu ezigcwele zonke izinto ezinhle, imithombo embiweyo, izivini nezixhobo zeminqumo nemithi yokudla ngobuningi, adla aneliseka futhi akhuluphala anethezeka ebuhleni bakho obukhulu.”—Neh. 9:9-11, 24, 25.

13. UJehova wazinakekela kanjani izidingo ezingokomoya zama-Israyeli, kodwa abantu basabela kanjani?

¹³ Zikhona nezinye izenzo eziningi uNkulunkulu aqhubeka ezenza ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva nje kokuba ama-Israyeli ephumile eGibhithe, uJehova wanakekela izidingo zawo ezingokomoya. Kulowo mthandazo wawo kuNkulunkulu, amaLevi akhumbula: “Wehlela phezu kweNtaba iSinayi wakhuluma nabo usezulwini waqhubeka wabanika izinqumo zokwahlulela eziqondile nemithetho yeqiniso, iziqondiso ezinhle nemiyalo.” (Neh. 9:13) UJehova wazama ukubafundisa abantu bakhe ukuze bakufanelekele ukubizwa ngegama lakhe elingcwele njengezindlalifa zeZwe Lesithembiso, kodwa bazilahla izinto ezinhle ababezifundile.—Funda uNehemiya 9:16-18.

14, 15. (a) UJehova wabanakekela kanjani ngesihe abantu bakhe ababeyizoni? (b) Sifundani ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu nesizwe sakhe esikhethiwe?

¹⁴ Umthandazo wamaLevi ubhekisela ezonweni ezimbili eziqondile ama-Israyeli azenza ngemva nje kokuba ethembisile eNtabeni iSinayi ukuthi ayeyowugcina  uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokhu, kwakufaneleka ukuba ashiywe wodwa asale efa. Kodwa lo mthandazo udumisa uJehova: “Ngesihe sakho esikhulu awubashiyanga ehlane. . . . Iminyaka engamashumi amane wabalungiselela ukudla . . . Abantulanga lutho. Zona kanye izingubo zabo aziguganga, nezinyawo zabo azivuvukalanga.” (Neh. 9:19, 21) Namuhla, uJehova usinikeza konke esikudingayo ukuze simkhonze ngokwethembeka. Kwangathi singefane neze nezinkulungwane zama-Israyeli ezafela ehlane ngenxa yokungalaleli nokuntula ukholo. Eqinisweni, lezo zinto “zalotshelwa ukuba zibe yisixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwezimiso zezinto.”—1 Kor. 10:1-11.

¹⁵ Kuyadabukisa ukuthi ngemva kokuzuza ifa leZwe Lesithembiso, ama-Israyeli amukela ukukhulekelwa konkulunkulu baseKhanani okwakuhambisa nenkanuko nokubulala. Ngakho uJehova wavumela izizwe ezingomakhelwane ukuba zicindezele isizwe sakhe esikhethiwe. Lapho lesi sizwe siphenduka, uJehova wayeba nesihe asithethelele futhi asisindise ezitheni zaso. Lokhu kwakwenzeka “njalo-nje.” (Funda uNehemiya 9:26-28, 31.) AmaLevi avuma: “Wawatotosa iminyaka eminingi waqhubeka ufakaza ngokumelene nawo ngomoya wakho ngabaprofethi bakho, kodwa awalalelanga. Ekugcineni wawanikela esandleni sezizwe zamazwe.”—Neh. 9:30.

16, 17. (a) Ngemva kokudingiswa, isimo sama-Israyeli sehluka kanjani kuleso sangesikhathi okhokho baso abangena ngaso okokuqala eZweni Lesithembiso? (b) Yini ama-Israyeli ayivuma, futhi yini athembisa ukuyenza?

¹⁶ Ngisho nangemva kokubuya kwawo ekudingisweni, ama-Israyeli abuyela enkambweni yokungalaleli. Waba yini umehluko kulokhu? AmaLevi aqhubeka ethandaza: “Bheka! Namuhla siyizigqila; futhi izwe owalinika okhokho ukuba badle izithelo zalo nezinto zalo ezinhle, bheka! siyizigqila kulo, umkhiqizo walo uvamela amakhosi owabeke phezu kwethu ngenxa yezono zethu, futhi . . . thina sisosizini olukhulu.”—Neh. 9:36, 37.

¹⁷ Ingabe amaLevi ayesikisela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengenabulungisa ngokuvumela lolo sizi lwawo? Akunjalo! Avuma: “Wena ulungile ngokuqondene nakho konke lokhu okusehlele, ngoba wenze ngokuthembeka, kodwa yithi esenze ngokukhohlakala.” (Neh. 9:33) Lo mthandazo ongenabugovu ube usuphetha ngesithembiso esisuka enhliziyweni sokuthi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi lesi sizwe sasiyowulalela uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Funda uNehemiya 9:38; 10:29) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, kube sekubhalwa incwadi eyaqiniswa ngezimpawu zabaholi bamaJuda abangu-84.—Neh. 10:1-27.

18, 19. (a) Yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze sisinde singene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini okungafanele siyeke ukuyithandazela, futhi ngani?

¹⁸ Sidinga isiyalo sikaJehova ukuze sikufanelekele ukusinda singene ezweni lakhe elisha lokulunga. Umphostoli uPawulu wabuza: “Iyiphi indodana engayalwa uyise?” (Heb. 12:7) Sibonisa ukuthi samukela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu ngokukhuthazela ngokwethembeka enkonzweni yakhe nangokuvumela umoya wakhe ukuba usicwengisise. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma senze isono esikhulu, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosithethelela uma siphenduka ngeqiniso futhi ngokuthobeka samukele isiyalo.

¹⁹ Maduze, uJehova uzozenzela igama elikhulu kunalelo azenzela lona ngesikhathi ekhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe. (Hez. 38:23) Njengoba nje abantu bakhe basendulo balidla ngempela iZwe Lesithembiso, ngokufanayo wonke amaKristu akhuthazela njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova abathembekile ayodla ifa lokuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (2 Pet. 3:13) Njengoba sinala mathemba amahle kangaka phambi kwethu, kwangathi singeyeke ukuthandazela ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu elikhazimulayo. Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngomunye umthandazo okumelwe senze ngokuvumelana nawo ukuze sithole isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu manje naphakade.