1, 2. Yiphi imfihlo eqakathekileyo okumele siyazi futhi ukuyazi kusinceda ngani?

 IZIKHATHI ezinengi nxa umuntu esazi enye into abanye abangayaziyo kuba nzima ukuthi ayigcine esifubeni sakhe. Kodwa iBhayibhili lithi: “Kuludumo kuNkulunkulu ukugcina indaba iyimfihlo.” (IZaga 25:2) UJehova unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke futhi unguMdali, ngakho ulelungelo lokusifihlela ezinye izinto kuze kube yisikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo sokuthi asitshele zona.

² Kodwa kulemfihlo eqakathekileyo uJehova ayiveze eLizwini lakhe. Ibizwa ngokuthi ‘yimfihlo engcwele yentando yakhe.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 1:9) Kuyajabulisa ukufunda ngayo kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ukuyazi kungenza sisindiswe futhi siyizwisise ngcono inhlakanipho kaJehova enkulu.

3, 4. Isiphrofetho esikuGenesisi 3:15 senza ukuthi abantwana baka-Adamu lo-Eva babe laliphi ithemba, kodwa kuyini ‘okwakusayimfihlo engcwele’?

³ U-Adamu lo-Eva bathi sebewonile kwakhanya angani injongo kaJehova yokuthi umhlaba wonke ube lipharadayisi elihlala abantu abangelasono yayingasoze isaphumelela. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wahle wakhuluma ukuthi wayezalulungisa njani uhlupho olwaselukhona. Wathi: “Ngizakwenza ukuthi kube lokuzondana phakathi kwakho [inyoka] lowesifazana, laphakathi kwenzalo yakho lenzalo yowesifazana. Izacobodisa ikhanda lakho njalo wena uzayilimaza isithende.”—UGenesisi 3:15.

⁴ Amazwi la ayephica. Wayengubani owesifazana? Yayingubani inyoka? Ngubani ‘owayeyinzalo’ eyayizacobodisa ikhanda lenyoka? U-Adamu lo-Eva babengakwazi konke lokhu. Lanxa kunjalo,  amazwi kaNkulunkulu ayezakwenza ukuthi abantwana baka-Adamu lo-Eva ababethembekile babe lethemba. Babezaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzaqeda isono lokufa kanye lakho konke okubi, enze ukuthi injongo yakhe igcwaliseke. Kodwa ukuthi lokhu wayezakwenza njani kwakusayimfihlo. IBhayibhili libiza imfihlo le ngokuthi ‘yikuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okusemfihlweni engcwele, ukuhlakanipha okufihliweyo.’—1 KwabaseKhorinte 2:7.

5. Yiwuphi umzekeliso ongasinceda sizwisise indlela uJehova embula ngayo imfihlo yakhe?

⁵ UJehova wayezacina ezitshelile izinceku zakhe ngemfihlo le ngenxa yokuthi ‘uyenelisa ukuveza izinto ezifihlakeleyo.’ (UDanyeli 2:28) Kodwa lokhu wayezakwenza kancane kancane. Lokhu singakufanisa lalokho okwenziwa ngubaba olothando nxa umntanakhe omncane embuza esithi, “Baba, kanti mina ngavela ngaphi?” Ubaba ohlakaniphileyo utshela umntanakhe izinto akwaziyo ukuthi uzazizwisisa. Nxa umntwana esekhulakhulile, uyise uqhubeka emtshela okunye okunengi. UJehova laye umelela isikhathi esifaneleyo sokuthi atshele abantwabakhe ukuthi uzayigcwalisa njani injongo yakhe.—IZaga 4:18; UDanyeli 12:4.

6. (a) Isivumelwano sinceda ngani? (b) Kungani uJehova wenza izivumelwano labantu?

⁶ UJehova wayiveza njani imfihlo yakhe? Wasebenzisa izivumelwano ezitshiyeneyo ayezenza labantu bakhe. Kungenzakala ukuthi lawe sewake wenza isivumelwano esithile, mhlawumbe lapho uthenga indlu kumbe uboleka imali. Ngokwenza isivumelwano leso wawuthembisa ukuthi uzakwenza konke okukhulumileyo. Kodwa nxa uJehova ethembisa ukwenza okuthile siyabe sikwazi ukuthi uzakwenza loba sekutheni. Manje kungani wenza izivumelwano labantu? Wenza izivumelwano lezo ngenxa yokuthi uyakwazi ukuthi njengoba silesono kungabanzima ukuthi sikholwe lokho asitshela khona. Izivumelwano lezo zenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzakwenza lokho akuthembisileyo.—KumaHebheru 6:16-18.

7, 8. (a) UJehova wenza siphi isivumelwano lo-Abrahama futhi sayicacisa njani imfihlo engcwele? (b) UJehova waluveza njani usendo okwakuzavela kulo inzalo eyayithenjisiwe?

⁷ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-2 000 u-Adamu lo-Eva bexotshwe ePharadayisi, uJehova watshela inceku yakhe ethembekileyo u-Abrahama wathi: ‘Ngizakwandisa inzalo yakho loba sekutheni, ibe njengezinkanyezi zamazulu. Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizazitholela isibusiso ngenxa yokuthi ulalele ilizwi lami.’ (UGenesisi 22:17, 18) Lokhu kwakungasiso sithembiso nje kuphela. UJehova waqinisekisa u-Abrahama ngokwenza isivumelwano laye langokufunga ukuthi uzasigcwalisa. (UGenesisi 17:1, 2; KumaHebheru 6:13-15) Kuyamangalisa sibili ukuthi lanxa uJehova enguNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wazehlisa wenza isivumelwano lo-Abrahama sokubusisa abantu.

⁸ Isivumelwano uNkulunkulu asenza lo-Abrahama sacacisa ukuthi inzalo okwakukhulunywe ngayo ensimini ye-Edeni yayizavela esizukulwaneni sika-Abrahama. Kodwa ngubani owayezakuba yinzalo leyo? Lanxa u-Abrahama wayelamadodana amanengi, uJehova waveza ukuthi indodana yakhe u-Isaka yiyo eyayizakuba ngukhokho waleyonzalo. Emadodaneni ka-Isaka amabili wakhetha uJakhobe. (UGenesisi 21:12; 28:13, 14) Isiphrofetho esakhulunywa nguJakhobe satshengisa ukuthi emadodaneni akhe angu-12 ngubani okwakuzavela kuye inzalo eyayithenjisiwe. Wathi: “Intonga yobukhosi ayisoze isuke kuJuda; lenduku yombusi ayisoze isuke phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe kuze kufike uShilo [kumbe, “Lowo ongumnikazi wakho,” amabala angaphansi] njalo izizwe zonke zizamlalela.” (UGenesisi 49:10) Yikho khathesi kwasekusaziwa ukuthi inzalo yayizakuba yinkosi futhi yayizakuba ngeyosendo lukaJuda.

9, 10. (a) Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza lesizwe sako-Israyeli futhi sawavikela njani ama-Israyeli? (b) UMthetho wakucacisa njani ukuthi abantu kumele bahlawulelwe?

⁹ Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uJehova wenza isivumelwano lezizukulwane zika-Abrahama esaveza okunye okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele.  Isivumelwano lesi sibizwa ngokuthi yisivumelwano soMthetho kaMosi. Lanxa singasasebenzi khathesi, uJehova wasisebenzisa ukuthi agcwalise isithembiso sakhe esimayelana lenzalo. Njani? Okokuqala, uMthetho wawunjengomduli ovikelayo. (Kwabase- Efesu 2:14) Imilayo yawo yayinjengomduli owawusehlukanisa amaJuda kulabo ababengayisiwo maJuda. UMthetho wavikela isizwe sako-Israyeli ngoba yikho lapho okwakuzavela khona inzalo eyayithenjisiwe. Wanceda ukuthi isizwe sako-Israyeli siqhubeke sikhona kuze kube yilapho uMesiya ezalwa esizwaneni sakoJuda.

¹⁰ Okwesibili, uMthetho wacacisa ukuthi abantu kumele bahlawulelwe. Wanceda ama-Israyeli abona ukuthi abantu abalesono ngeke benelise ukwenza konke okutshiwo nguNkulunkulu. Ngakho uMthetho lo ‘waveza iziphambeko kwaze kwafika inzalo okwakwenziwe kuyo isithembiso.’ (KwabaseGalathiya 3:19) Imihlatshelo yezifuyo ama-Israyeli ayetshelwe ukuthi ayenze yayingenelisi ukuhlawulela izono ngokupheleleyo. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Ngeke kwenzakale ukuthi igazi lezinkunzi lelezimbuzi lisuse izono.” (KumaHebheru 10:1-4) Yikho kwakumele kube lomhlatshelo owawuzasusa izono ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho isivumelwano soMthetho saba ngumkhokheli owakhokhela amaJuda athembekileyo ‘wawasa kuKhristu.’—KwabaseGalathiya 3:24.

11. Isivumelwano soMthetho savulela ama-Israyeli liphi ithuba, kodwa kungani ama-Israyeli amanengi alahlekelwa lithuba lelo?

¹¹ Okwesithathu, isivumelwano soMthetho savulela ama-Israyeli ithuba elihle kakhulu. UJehova wawatshela ukuthi nxa ayengahlala ethembekile, ayezakuba ‘ngumbuso wabaphristi lesizwe esingcwele.’ (U-Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ababa ngabokuqala ukukhethwa nguJehova ukuthi babe ngabaphristi embusweni wakhe ngama-Israyeli. Kodwa ama-Israyeli amanengi ahlamukela uJehova ephula isivumelwano soMthetho futhi awazange amamukele uMesiya. Lokhu kwenza alahlekelwa lithuba lokuba ngabaphristi embusweni kaNkulunkulu. Manje ngobani ababezathatha indawo yabo futhi babezakwenza wuphi umsebenzi? UNkulunkulu wayezaveza izimpendulo zemibuzo le ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

12. Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza loDavida njalo isivumelwano lesi savezani ngemfihlo engcwele?

¹² Kusasele iminyaka engaba ngu-1 000 ukuthi uJesu aze emhlabeni, uJehova wenza isivumelwano loDavida esaveza okunye ngemfihlo engcwele. Wathembisa iNkosi uDavida wathi: ‘Ngizabeka omunye wabantwabakho ukuthi abe yinkosi njalo ngizakwenza umbuso wakhe uqine. Ngizasiqinisa isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi kuze kube nini lanini.’ (2 USamuyeli 7:12, 13; IHubo 89:3) Isithembiso lesi senza kwacaca ukuthi inzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayizakuba ngeyosendo lukaDavida. Kodwa kwakungenzakala yini ukuthi umuntu olesono abuse kuze kube nini lanini? (IHubo 89:20, 29, 34-36) Umuntu onjalo wayengenelisa yini ukukhulula abantu esonweni lasekufeni?

13, 14. (a) Yisiphi isithembiso esikuHubo 110 uJehova asenza eNkosini enguMesiya? (b) Kuyini abaphrofethi abakuvezayo ngemfihlo engcwele?

¹³ UDavida waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale athi: “UJehova wathi eNkosini yami: ‘Hlala esandleni sami sokudla, ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibe yisenabelo senyawo zakho.’ UJehova ufungile, kasoze atshintshe ingqondo, uthe: ‘Wena ungumphristi kuze kube nini lanini ngendlela kaMelikhizedekhi!’” (IHubo 110:1, 4) Lapha uDavida wayekhuluma ngayo kanye inzalo eyayithenjisiwe, uMesiya. (ImiSebenzi 2:35, 36) UMesiya wayengasoze abuse eseJerusalema kodwa wayezabusa esezulwini ehlezi ‘esandleni sokudla’ sikaJehova. UJehova wayezamnika amandla okubusa umhlaba wonke hatshi ilizwe lako-Israyeli kuphela. (IHubo 2:6-8) Kulokunye futhi esikunanzelelayo evesini leyo. UJehova wafunga ukuthi uMesiya wayezakuba ‘ngumphristi ngendlela kaMelikhizedekhi.’ UMelikhizedeki wayeyinkosi futhi engumphristi ngesikhathi sika-Abrahama. Inzalo eyayithenjisiwe layo yayizabekwa nguNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ukuthi ibe yiNkosi loMphristi.—UGenesisi 14:17-20.

¹⁴ UJehova wasebenzisa abaphrofethi ukuthi aveze okunengi ngemfihlo yakhe engcwele. Ngokwesibonelo u-Isaya waphrofetha ukuthi uMesiya wayezanikela ngokuphila kwakhe. (U-Isaya  53:3-12) UMikha waphrofetha ngokuthi uMesiya wayezazalelwa ngaphi. (UMikha 5:2) UDanyeli yena wakhuluma ngokuthi uMesiya wayezawuqalisa nini umsebenzi wakhe lokuthi wayezakufa nini.—UDanyeli 9:24-27.

15, 16. (a) Kwenzakala njani ukuthi iNdodana kaJehova ‘izalwe ngowesifazana’? (b) Yiliphi ilungelo uJesu alithola ebazalini bakhe futhi wagcotshwa nini ukuthi abe nguMesiya?

¹⁵ Indlela iziphrofetho lezi ezazizagcwaliseka ngayo yahlala iyimfihlo kwaze kwaba yilapho inzalo ifika. UGalathiya 4:4 uthi: “Isikhathi esibekiweyo sathi sesifikile, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe yazalwa ngowesifazana.” Ngomnyaka ka-2 B.C.E., ingilosi yafika entombini engumJuda okuthiwa nguMariya yathi: ‘Uzazithwala ubelethe indodana. Kumele uyinike ibizo elithi Jesu. Izakuba ngumuntu oqakathekileyo futhi izabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke. UJehova uNkulunkulu uzayipha isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida. Umoya ongcwele uzakwehlela phezu kwakho, amandla oPhezukonke akugubuzele. Yikho umntwana ozazalwa uzabizwa ngokuthi ungcwele lokuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’—ULukha 1:31, 32, 35.

¹⁶ UJehova wathatha impilo yeNdodana yakhe wayifaka esibelethweni sikaMariya. UMariya wayelesono njengabo bonke abantu. Kodwa uJesu kazange azalwe elesono ngenxa yokuthi yena ‘wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ Kodwa kukhona uJesu akuthola ebazalini bakhe. Bobabili abazali bakhe babengabosendo lukaDavida, yikho uJesu wayelelungelo lokuba yinkosi esihlalweni seNkosi uDavida. (ImiSebenzi 13:22, 23) UJesu wathi ebhabhathizwa ngo-29 C.E., uJehova wamgcoba ngomoya ongcwele wasesithi: “Le yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo.” (UMathewu 3:16, 17) Inzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayisikhona! (KwabaseGalathiya 3:16) Kwasekuyisikhathi sokuveza okunye okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele.—2 KuThimothi 1:10.

17. UGenesisi 3:15 wacaciswa njani?

¹⁷ Ngesikhathi uJesu etshumayela waveza ukuthi uSathane  nguye inyoka okukhulunywa ngayo kuGenesisi 3:15 lokuthi abalandeli bakaSathane yibo abayinzalo yenyoka. (UMathewu 23:33; UJohane 8:44) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwacaciswa ukuthi bonke labo babezacobodiswa bangaphindi babekhona. (ISambulo 20:1-3, 10, 15) Kwavezwa lokuthi owesifazana ‘yiJerusalema ephezulu,’ okutsho izingilosi ezibumba inhlanganiso kaJehova yasezulwini efaniswa lomkakhe. a—KwabaseGalathiya 4:26; ISambulo 12:1-6.

18. “Isivumelwano esitsha” senzelwani?

¹⁸ Ngobusuku bokucina uJesu ezavuka ebulawa waveza okunye okumangalisayo ngemfihlo engcwele. Watshela abafundi bakhe ‘ngesivumelwano esitsha.’ (ULukha 22:20) Isivumelwano esitsha sasifanana lesivumelwano soMthetho kaMosi ngoba laso kwakumele siveze ‘umbuso wabaphristi.’ (U-Eksodusi 19:6; 1 UPhetro 2:9) Isivumelwano lesi senza ukuthi kubunjwe ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ okutsho abalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo. (KwabaseGalathiya 6:16) AmaKhristu la agcotshiweyo azasebenza loJesu ukuze alethe izibusiso ebantwini.

19. (a) Isivumelwano esitsha senza njani ukuthi kubunjwe ‘umbuso wabaphristi’? (b) Kungani amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ebizwa ngokuthi ‘ayindalo entsha’ futhi bangaki abazabusa loKhristu ezulwini?

¹⁹ Isivumelwano esitsha senza ukuthi kubunjwe ‘umbuso wabaphristi’ ozakwenza ukuthi abantu bathole izibusiso. Sikwenza njani lokhu? Senza abafundi bakaKhristu bathethelelwe izono kusetshenziswa umhlatshelo wakhe. (UJeremiya 31:31-34) Nxa sebehlanzekile phambi kukaJehova, uyabamukela emulini yakhe yasezulwini njalo abagcobe ngomoya ongcwele. (KwabaseRoma 8:15-17; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 1:21) Ngakho ‘bazalwa kutsha ukuze babe lethemba eliphilayo abaligcinelwe emazulwini.’ (1 UPhetro  1:3, 4) Njengoba abantu babevele bedalelwe ukuthi bahlale emhlabeni, amaKhristu agcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele abizwa ngokuthi ‘ayindalo entsha.’ (2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:17) IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi amaKhristu la angu-144 000 azabusa loJesu ezulwini.—ISambulo 5:9, 10; 14:1-4.

20. (a) Kuyini uJehova akuveza ngo-36 C.E.? (b) Ngobani abazathola izibusiso ezathenjiswa u-Abrahama?

²⁰ UJesu labagcotshiweyo ‘bayinzalo ka-Abrahama.’ b (KwabaseGalathiya 3:29) Abokuqala abakhethwayo babengamaJuda. Kodwa ngo-36 C.E., uJehova waveza ukuthi wayezakhetha lalabo abangayisiwo maJuda ukuthi bayebusa loJesu ezulwini. (KwabaseRoma 9:6-8; 11:25, 26; Kwabase-Efesu 3:5, 6) Kodwa abagcotshiweyo yibo bodwa yini ababezathola izibusiso ezathenjiswa u-Abrahama? Hatshi, ngoba umhlatshelo kaJesu unceda bonke abantu. (1 UJohane 2:2) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJehova wacacisa ukuthi ‘kulexuku elikhulu’ elizasindiswa nxa abantu ababi sebebhujiswa. (ISambulo 7:9, 14) Abanye abanengi bazavuswa belethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadayisi.—ULukha 23:43; UJohane 5:28, 29; ISambulo 20:11-15; 21:3, 4.

21, 22. Imfihlo engcwele kaJehova itshengisa njani ukuthi ulenhlakanipho enkulu?

²¹ Imfihlo engcwele iveza “ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okutshengiswa ngezindlela ezinengi ezitshiyeneyo.” (Kwabase-Efesu 3:8-10) UJehova watshengisa ukuthi ulenhlakanipho enkulu ngokuthi ahle enze icebo lokulungisa umonakalo owawusudalwe nguSathane kanye lokuyiveza kancane kancane imfihlo le. Wayekwazi ukuthi angahle ayiveze yonke ngasikhathi sinye sasingeke siyizwisise. Kanti njalo ngokuyiveza kancane kancane wasinika ithuba lokutshengisa ukuthi siyamthemba.—IHubo 103:14.

 ²² UJehova waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulenhlakanipho enkulu ngokukhetha uJesu ukuthi abe yiNkosi. UJesu uthembekile ukwedlula loba yiphi ingilosi kumbe umuntu. Wehlelwa zinhlupho ezitshiyeneyo ngesikhathi esemhlabeni yikho ezizwisisa kuhle inhlupho zabantu. (KumaHebheru 5:7-9) Kodwa abazabusa loJesu bona ke? Kusukela kudala uJehova ubelokhu ekhetha amadoda labesifazana abakhuliswe ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo, abayimihlobo etshiyeneyo futhi abakhuluma izindimi ezitshiyeneyo. Labo bake behlelwa zinhlupho ezifanana lezethu. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:22-24) Kuzabamnandi ukubuswa ngamakhosi labaphristi abasizwisisayo futhi abafuna ukusinceda.

23. Yisiphi isibusiso esilaso futhi kumele sizimisele ukwenzani?

²³ Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: ‘Imfihlo engcwele eyayifihliwe kusukela ezikhathini zakudala lakuzizukulwane ezadlulayo isivezelwe abangcwele bakhe.’ (KwabaseKholose 1:26) Abagcotshiweyo bazwisisa okunengi ngemfihlo engcwele njalo bancede labanye abanengi ukuthi bayazi. Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukuthi uJehova wenze ‘sayazi imfihlo engcwele yentando yakhe.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 1:9) Ngakho kasitsheleni abanye ngemfihlo le enhle kangaka, sibancede ukuthi labo benelise ukubona inhlakanipho enkulu kaJehova uNkulunkulu!