1, 2. Ngisiphi isipho esiligugu khulu esivela kuZimu namhlanjesi, begodu kubayini kunjalo?

UBABETHU wezulwini usiphe okuthileko okuligugu khulu—ukuphila njengabantu abahlakaniphileko abakghona ukulingisa iimfanelo zakhe. (Genesisi 1:27) Siyathokoza ngesipho esiligugwesi, ngombana siyakghona ukuzwisisa indlela iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili ezisizuzisa ngayo. Ngokuziberegisa singakghona ukukhula ngokomoya sibe babantu abathanda uJehova begodu labo “asebajayele ukusebenzisa umkhumbulo wabo, asebanakho ukuhlukanisa okuhle nokumbi.”—KumaHebheru 5:14.

² Amandla wokwazi ukuberegisa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili aqakatheke khulu namhlanjesi, ngombana iphasi litjharagene kangangobana ayikho iimthetho engahlanganisa boke ubujamo obungaphakama ekuphileni. Isayensi yezokulapha ilitjengisa kuhle iphuzweli, khulu-khulu malungana nemikhiqizo neenkambiso ezibandakanya iingazi. Le, yindaba eqakathekileko kibo boke abafuna ukulalela uJehova. Nokho, nengabe sizwisisa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili eziberega ebujamweni obuthileko, sizokwazi ukwenza iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko ezizokwanelisa kokubili izazelo zethu begodu zisibulunge ethandweni lakaZimu. (Izaga 2:6-11) Cabangela nanzi ezinye iinkambisolawulo.

3, 4. Kunini lapho kukhulunywa khona eMitlolweni ngokucwengeka kweengazi kokuthoma, begodu ngiziphi iinkambisolawulo okusekelwe kizo?

³ Kokuthoma uJehova waveza ukuqakatheka kokuhlobana  kokuphila neengazi, nokucwengeka kwakho, msinyana ngemva kobana uKayini abulele u-Abela. UZimu wathi kuKayini: “Lalela! Iingazi zomnakwenu ziyalila kimi zisehlabathini.” (Genesisi 4:10) Emehlweni kaJehova, iingazi zaka-Abela zijamele ukuphila kwakhe, okwanquntwa kubulawa ngelunya. Ngalokho, kunjengokungathi iingazi zaka-Abela gade zililela ukubuyiselelwa nguZimu.—KumaHebheru 12:24.

⁴ Ngemva kweKukhulamungu kaNuwa, uZimu wanikela abantu iimvume yokobana badle inyama yeenlwana kodwana ingasi iingazi. UZimu wathi: “Inyama enomphefumulo wayo—iingazi zayo—akukafuzi niyidle. Ngaphandle kwalokho, iingazi zomphefumulo wenu ngiyozibiza.” (Genesisi 9:4, 5) Umyalo lo uberega kizo zoke iinzukulwana zakaNuwa bekube sesikhathini sethu. Lokhu kuqinisekisa mamezwi uZimu awatjho ngaphambilini kuKayini—bona umphefumulo namtjhana ukuphila, kwazo zoke iimbunjwa kujanyelwe ziingazi. Umlayo lo godu ufakazela bona uJehova uMthombo wokuphila, uzobenza balandise boke labo abangakuhloniphiko ukuphila neengazi.—AmaRhalani 36:9.

5, 6. UMthetho kaMosisi utjengisa njani bona iingazi zicwengile begodu ziligugu? (Qala godu ibhoksi elithi, “ Hlonipha Ukuphila Kweenlwana.”)

⁵ Amaqiniso amabili aqakathekileko la abonakala godu eMthethweni kaMosisi. ULefitikosi 17:10, 11 ufundeka bunje: “Nanyana ngimuphi umuntu . . . odla nanyana ngiliphi ihlobo leengazi, ngokuqinisekileko ubuso bami buzokujamelana nomphefumulo odla iingazi, begodu kwamambala ngizomqunta hlangana nabantu bekhabo. Ngombana, mina ngiwubeka phezu kwe-aldare bona nenzele imiphefumulo yenu ihlawulo, ngombana ziingazi ezenza ihlawulo ngomphefumulo okizo.” *—Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Amandla Weengazi Ayihlawulo.”

⁶ Nengabe iingazi zesilwana esihlatjiweko akhenge ziberegiswe e-aldare, gade kufuze zithululelwe ehlabathini. Ngalokho,  ngendlela engokomfanekiso, ukuphila gade kubuyiselwa kuMnikazi. (Duteronomi 12:16; Ezekiyeli 18:4) Nokho, tjheja, bona ama-Israyeli akhenge eqise ekulingeni ukususa zoke iingazi enyameni egade azoyidla. Kwaphela nengabe isilwana sihlatjwe begodu sakhitjhwa kuhle iingazi, ama-Israyeli gade angasidla ngesazelo esitjhaphulukileko, ngombana ukukhitjhwa iingazi okunjalo bekuzokutjengisa ihlonipho ngoMuphi Wokuphila.

7. UDavidi wayitjengisa njani ihlonipho ngokucwengeka kweengazi?

 ⁷ UDavidi, ‘yindoda ethandekako [kuZimu]’ yazwisisa iinkambisolawulo ezisekelwe emthethweni kaZimu ngeengazi. (IZenzo 13:22) Kwesinye isehlakalo negade ome khulu, amadoda amathathu egade anaye akateleleka bona aye ekampeni yamanabawo, akha amanzi emthonjeni, awaletha kuye. UDavidi wenzani? Wabuza: “Ngisele iingazi zamadoda afaka umphefumulo wawo engozini?” Eqinisweni, emehlweni kaDavidi amanzi lawo gade afana neengazi zamadoda afaka ukuphila kwawo engozini bona awafumane. Naphezu kokoma kwakhe, “wawathululela kuJehova.”—Duteronomi 12:16; Ezekiyeli 18:4.

8, 9. Indlela uZimu aqala ngayo ukuphila neengazi kwatjhuguluka nekuthoma ibandla lobuKrestu? Hlathulula.

⁸ Eemnyakeni ezi-2 400 ngemva kobana uNuwa anikelwe umthetho malungana neengazi begodu pheze eemnyakeni eyi-1 500 ngemva kobana kwenziwe uMthetho wesivumelwano, uJehova waphefumulela isihlopha esibusako sebandla lamaKrestu wekhulu lokuthoma bona sitlole: “Ngombana umoya ocwengileko nathi sivumelene bona singabeki umthwalo phezu kwenu ngaphandle kwemithetho le efaneleko: Ningagomi ukudla okunikelwe abosingazimu, ningadli iingazi; ningadli inyamazana ekganyiweko, nilise ubungwadla.”—IZenzo 15:28, 29.

⁹ Kuyakhanya bona isihlopha esibusako sokuthoma besazi bonyana iingazi zicwengile begodu ukuziberegisa kumbi kufana nokukhonza iinthombe namtjhana ubungwadla. AmaKrestu weqiniso namhlanjesi ayakwamukela lokho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngombana acabanga ngeenkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili, ayakwazi ukuthabisa uJehova nekenza iinqunto malungana nokuberegisa iingazi.

10, 11. (a) AboFakazi bakaJehova bakuqala njani ukupontjelwa kweengazi neengcenye zeengazi eziyihloko? (b) Kukuziphi iindawo malungana neengazi amaKrestu angaba neembono engafaniko kizo?

¹⁰ AboFakazi bakaJehova bayalemuka bona ‘ukungadli  iingazi’ kutjho ukungavumeli ukupontjelwa iingazi, ukunikela ngazo namtjhana ukubulunga iingazi zabo bona zipontjelwe godu. Bahlonipha umthetho kaZimu, abazamukeli iingcenye ezine eziyihloko zeengazi: amaseli abomvu, amaseli amhlophe, ama-platelets ne-plasma.

¹¹ Namhlanjesi, iingcenyezi kanengi ziyahlukaniswa zibe ziingcenyana ezincancani bona ziberegiswe ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko. UmKrestu angazamukela iingcenye ezinjalo? Uziqala ‘njengeengazi’? Umuntu nomuntu kufuze enze isiqunto somuntu mathupha endabeni le. Lokhu kuyaberega nendleleni yokulapha enjengokuhlanza iingazi ngomtjhini (hemodialysis), ukuhlanjululwa kweengazi (hemodilution), nokuhlanzwa kwamaseli weengazi (cell salvage) okubandakanya iingazi zakho, egade zingakabulungwa.—Qala Isithasiselo, esithi, “Iingcenyana Zeengazi Neendlela Zokuhlinza.”

12. Kufuze siyiqale njani indaba yesazelo?

 ¹² Nengabe indaba itjhiyelwa kithi bona sizikhethele, kutjho bona akumthinti uJehova lokho esikukhethako? Awa, kuyamthinta, ngombana unekareko ekulu kilokho esikucabangako nesikwenzako. (Funda Izaga 17:3; 24:12) Ngalokho ngemva kobana sibawe uJehova bona asinqophise begodu senza irhubhululo ngomkhiqizo nendlela yokulapha, kufuze silalele isazelo sethu esibandulwe yiBhayibhili. (KwebeRoma 14:2, 22, 23) Kwamambala, abanye akukafuzi bona basenzele isiqunto, namtjhana sibuze abanye bona, “Gade uzokwenzani wena newusebujamweni obufana nebami?” Eendabeni ezinjalo umKrestu nomKrestu kufuze “athwale umthwalo wakhe.” *—KwebeGalatiya 6:5; KwebeRoma 14:12; qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Ngiqala Iingazi Njengezicwengileko?”

13. Iimthetho neenkambisolawulo zakaJehova zivezani ngaye? Tjengisa.

¹³ Iimthetho neenkambisolawulo ezifumaneka eBhayibhilini ziveza uJehova njengoMuphi weemthetho ohlakaniphileko noBaba onethando oyikhathalela khulu ihlalakuhle yabantwabakhe. (AmaRhalani 19:7-11) Namtjhana umyalo othi “ningadli iingazi” ungakhenge unikelwe njengesinqophiso kwezokulapha, uyasivikela emirarweni ehlobene nokupontjelwa iingazi. (IZenzo 15:20) Eqinisweni, abanengi kwezokulapha baqala ukuhlinza ngaphandle kweengazi “njengentwehle khulu” kwezokulapha namhlanjesi. EmaKrestwini weqiniso, ituthuko enjalo ifakazela ukuhlakanipha kwakaJehova okunganakulinganiswa nethando lakhe njengobaba.—Funda U-Isaya 55:9; Jwanisi 14:21, 23.

14, 15. (a) Ithando lakaZimu ngabantu latjengiswa kimiphi iimthetho? (b) Ungaziberegisa njani iinkambisolawulo ezisekela iimthetho le?

¹⁴ Ukukhathalela kwakaZimu ihlalakuhle yabantu bakhe ku-Israyeli wekadeni yatjengiswa eemthethweni yakhe eminengi. Isibonelo, gade afuna bona izindlu zama-Israyeli  zibe nomthangala phezu kwamafulelo abhodileko ukuvikela iingozi, njengombana gade kunezinto ezinengi ezenziwa phezu kwamafulelo. (Duteronomi 22:8; 1 Samuweli 9:25, 26; Nehemiya 8:16; IZenzo 10:9) Godu uZimu walayela bona iinkunzi eziyingozi kufuze zitjhejwe. (Eksodosi 21:28, 29) Ukungazinaki iimfunekwezi kutjengisa bona asiyihloniphi ihlalakuhle yabanye begodu kungaphumela emlandwini weengazi.

¹⁵ Singaziberegisa njani iinkambisolawulo iimthetho le esekelwe kizo? Kubayini ungacabangi ngekoloyakho, indlela otjhayela ngayo, ifuywakho, indawo oberega kiyo nezokuzithabisa ozikhethako? Kwezinye iinarha, iingozi zizimbangela zokufa okunengi hlangana nabantu abatjha, ngombana kanengi bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngokungatlhogekiko. Nokho, ulutjha olufuna ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu alifuni ukuzithabisa ngezinto eziyingozi. Alicabangi ngobudlhayela bona abantu abatjha angeze bangena engozini. Kunalokho bathabela ubutjha babo, babalekela iingozi ezingatlhogekiko.—UMtjhumayeli 11:9, 10.

16. Ngiyiphi ikambisolawulo yeBhayibhili eberegako ekurhululweni kombungu? (Qala umtlolo ophasi.)

¹⁶ Ngitjho nokuphila komntwana ongakabelethwa kuligugu emehlweni kaZimu. Ku-Israyeli wekadeni, umuntu nekangalimaza umfazi ozithweleko bese umfazi lo namtjhana umntwanakhe afe, uZimu uqala umuntu loyo njengombulali, begodu kufuze abhadele “umphefumulo ngomphefumulo.” * (Funda U-Eksodosi 21:22, 23) Cabanga-ke, bona uJehova uzizwa njani nekabona abantwana abanganakubalwa ababulawa ngabomu qobe mnyaka ngokurhululwa kombungu, abanengi abakwenzela bona bakwazi ukutjhaphuluka baziphathe kumbi.

17. Ungamduduza njani umuntu owarhulula umbungu ngaphambi kokufunda ngeemthetho kaZimu?

¹⁷ Kuthiwani-ke, ngomfazi owarhulula umbungu ngaphambi kokwazi iqiniso leBhayibhili? Angekhe uJehova abe nomusa  kuye? Akusinjalo! Eqinisweni, umuntu otjhuguluke kwamambala ufumana ukulibalela kwakaJehova okusekelwe eengazini zakaJesu ezaphalakako. (AmaRhalani 103:8-14; Kwebe-Efesu 1:7) Kuliqiniso, uKrestu ngokwakhe wathi:  “Angikazobiza abalungileko bona batjhuguluke, kodwana ngizobiza izoni bona zitjhuguluke.”—Luka 5:32.

18. IBhayibhili iwuhlathulula njani unobangela wokuphalaka kweengazi okunengi?

¹⁸ Ngaphezu kokungalimazi abanye kwaphela, uJehova ufuna bona siruthule eenhliziyweni zethu unobangela omkhulu wokuphalazwa kweengazi—ihloyo. Umpostoli uJwanisi watlola “Loyo ohloya umzalwane wakhe umbulali.” (1 KaJwanisi 3:15) Umuntu onjalo akakahloyi umnakwabo kwaphela kodwana ukhanuka ngathana ufile. Ihloyo lakhe lingabonakala ngehlebo elinelunya namtjhana ukuthomelela ngamala lokho nengabe gade kuliqiniso ebekuzokuletha isahlulelo sakaJehova. (Lefitikosi 19:16; Duteronomi 19:18-21; Matewu 5:22) Qala bona kuqakatheke kangangani-ke ukukhupha eenhliziyweni zethu nanyana ngiliphi ihloyo okungenzeka lakheke!—KaJakobosi 1:14, 15; 4:1-3.

19. Umuntu onqophiswa ziinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili uwuqala njani umtlolo wamaRhalani 11:5; noKwebeFilipi 4:8, 9?

¹⁹ Labo abaqala ukuphila ngendlela uJehova akuqala ngayo begodu abafuna ukuzibulunga ethandweni lakhe babalekela inturhu ngazo zoke iindlela. AmaRhalani 11:5 athi: “Nanyana ngubani othanda inturhu umphefumulo [kaJehova] uyamhloya.” Indima le isitjela okungaphezu kobuntu bakaZimu, iyikambisolawulo okufuze siphile ngayo. Yenza abathandi bakaZimu bona bagegede nanyana ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa elithuthukisa inturhu. Ngokufanako, amezwi athi uJehova “uZimu ophana ukuthula” ubawa iinceku zakhe bona zizalise imikhumbulo neenhliziyo zazo ngezinto ezithandekako, ezihle, ekufuze zidunyiswe ezenza bona kube nokuthula.—Funda KwebeFilipi 4:8, 9.

20-22. Ngibuphi ubujamo amaKrestu abuthathako malungana nephasi, begodu kubayini?

²⁰ Emehlweni kaZimu, loke iphasi lakaSathana linomlandu  weengazi. Zombanganarha zalo, eMitlolweni ezijanyelwe sibanda esinelunya, zibulele iingidi ezinganakubalwa, kuhlanganise nezinengi zeenceku zakaJehova. (Danyela 8:3, 4, 20-22; ISambulo 13:1, 2, 7, 8) Zibambisene nemibuso enjengesibanda le, zamabhizinisi nezesayensi zenze iinkhali eziyingozi khulu kunalokho esingakucabanga, lezo ezenza ngazo imali enengi. Kuliqiniso bona “iphasi loke lisemandleni woKhohlakeleko.”—1 KaJwanisi 5:19.

²¹ Ngombana abalandeli bakaJesu “abasingebephasi” abazibandakanyi kwezombanganarha neempini, bagegeda ukuba nomlandu weengazi bona ngokwabo nemphakathini. * (Jwanisi 15:19; 17:16) Balingisa uKrestu, ababuyiseli ngelunya lokha abanye nebabatlhorisako. Kunalokho, banethando ngamanababo, bayawathandazela nokuwathandazela.—Matewu 5:44; KwebeRoma 12:17-21.

²² Ngaphezu kwakho koke, amaKrestu weqiniso agegeda ukuzihlanganisa ‘neBhabhiloni Yodumo,’ umbuso wephasi  wekolo yamala enomlandu omkhulu wokuphalazwa kweengazi. ILizwi lakaZimu lithi, “Emzini lo kwaphalazwa iingazi zabaporofidi, nezabantu bakaZimu, nezabo boke ababulawako ephasinapha.” Ngalokho, siyayeleliswa: “Phumani niphele, sitjhaba sami, phumani nilitjhiye.”—ISambulo 17:6; 18:2, 4, 24.

23. Kutjho ukuthini ukuphuma eBhabhiloni Yedumo?

²³ Ukutjhiya iBhabhiloni Yodumo kubandakanya okungaphezu kokusula ibizo lakho njengelungu lalo kwaphela. Kubandakanya nokuhloya izenzo ezimbi ikolo ezamukelako namtjhana ezithuthukisa ngokutjhaphulukileko—izinto ezifana nokuziphatha okumbi, ukuzibandakanya kwezombanganarha nokufuna uburego ngokuba marhamaru. (Funda AmaRhalani 97:10; ISambulo 18:7, 9, 11-17) Kanengi izenzwezi zidosela ekuphalakeni kweengazi.

24, 25. (a) UZimu angawutjengisa ngasiphi isisekelo umusa emntwini onecala leengazi otjhugulukileko? (b) Lokhu kwafanekiselwa njani eenkhathini zeBhayibhili?

²⁴ Ngaphambi kokumukela ukukhulekela kweqiniso, ngendlela ethileko omunye nomunye kithi, wakhe wasekela uSathana, ngebangelo waba nomlandu weengazi. Nokho, ngombana satjhugulula iindlela zethu, sahlawulela ikholo esihlabelweni sakaKrestu sesihlengo, sanikela ukuphila kwethu kuZimu, sathola umusa kaZimu nesivikelo esingokomoya. (IZenzo 3:19) Isivikelweso safanekiselwa mimizi yesiphephelo eenkhathini zeBhayibhili.—Numeri 35:11-15; Duteronomi 21:1-9.

²⁵ Ilungiselelwelo laberega njani? Nengabe um-Israyeli ngengozi ubulele umuntu, bekufuze abalekele komunye wemizi yesiphephelo. Ngemva kobana abahluleli abafanelekako benze isiqunto ngendaba leyo, umuntu obulele omunye ngengozi bekufuze ahlale emzini wesiphephelo bekuhlongakale umpristi ophakemeko. Ngemva kwalokho gade angatjhaphuluka ukuhlala kenye indawo. Qala bona sibonelo esihle kangangani somusa kaZimu nendlela akuqala njengokuligugu ngayo ukuphila komuntu! Okufana nemizi yemandulo yesiphephelo namhlanjesi lilungiselelo lakaZimu, elisekelwe esihlabelweni sesihlengo sakaKrestu, esisivikela ekufeni esikufumana ngokuphula imilayo kaZimu ngengozi malungana nokucwengeka kweengazi.  Wena uliqala njengeliyigugu ilungiselelwelo? Ungatjengisa njani bona uliqala njengeliligugu? Enye indlela kumema abanye bona bamukele ilungiselelo elivela kuZimeli, njengombana isikhathi ‘seentlayiseko ezimbi khulu’ sitjhidela—Matewu 24:21; 2 KwebeKorinte 6:1, 2.

26-28. Ubujamo bethu namhlanjesi bufana njani nebomporofidi u-Ezekiyeli, begodu singahlala njani ethandweni lakaZimu?

²⁶ Ubujamo babantu bakaZimu esikhathini sethu busikhumbuza ngomporofidi wekadeni u-Ezekiyeli, uJehova amthuma njengomqali bona atjhumayele ngeenyeleliso zakhe emzini wakwa-Israyeli. “Kufuze uzwe ilizwi [lami] ubanikele isiyeleliso esivela kimi,” kutjho uZimu. Nengabe u-Ezekiyeli akhenge akutjheje ukuthunywa kwakhe, gade azokuqalwa njengonomlandu ngeengazi zabantu abazokubulawa lokha iJerusalema nekufuze lilandise. (Ezekiyeli 33:7-9) Kodwana u-Ezekiyeli walalela akhenge abe nomlandu weengazi.

²⁷ Namhlanjesi, siqalene nokuphela kwalo loke iphasi lakaSathana. Ngalokho, aboFakazi bakaJehova bakuqala njengesibopho nelungelo ukutjhumayela “ilanga lokubuyisela” lakaZimu kuhlanganise nomlayezo woMbuso. (Isaya 61:2; Matewu 24:14) Uhlanganyela ngokuzeleko emberegweni oqakathekileko lo? Umpostoli uPowula waqala ukuthunywa kwakhe kokutjhumayela njengokuqakathekileko. Ngikho gade angathi: “Ngihlwengile eengazini zabo boke abantu, ngombana akhenge nginifihlele ukunitjela yoke iminqopho kaZimu.” (IZenzo 20:26, 27, NW) Qala bona sibonelo esihle kangangani kithi bona sisilingise!

²⁸ Kuliqiniso, ukuzibulunga ethandweni lakaJehova elifuthumeleko elinjengelakababa, kufuze senze okungaphezu kokuqala ukuphila neengazi ngendlela uJehova akuqala ngayo. Godu kufuze sihlale sihlwengile, sicwengile emehlwenakhe, njengombana sizokubona esahlukweni esilandelako.