1, 2. Ngusiphi sivikelo lebesidzingwa yintalo yemfati, futsi leni?

SIPHROFETHO sekucala lesibhalwe eBhayibhelini sibaluleke kakhulu ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yaJehova. Ngesikhatsi enta setsembiso e-Edeni, Nkulunkulu weliciniso watsi: “Ngitawubeka butsa emkhatsini wakho [Sathane] nemfati, nasemkhatsini wentalo yakho nentalo yemfati.” Bebutawuba bukhulu kangakanani lobutsa? Jehova watsi: “Yona [intalo yemfati] iyawufihlita inhloko yakho [Sathane], wena uyawuluma sitsendze sayo.” (Gen. 3:15) Butsa emkhatsini wenyoka nemfati bebutawuba bukhulu kangangekutsi Sathane abetawenta konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kute abhubhise intalo yalomfati.

² Akumangalisi-ke kutsi umhlabeli wathantaza kuNkulunkulu mayelana nebantfu bakhe labakhetsiwe watsi: “Ase ubuke nje, titsa takho tiyaphitsitela, nalabo labakutondzako bayakucoloshela. Benta sigungu, bahlangane ngebantfu bakho, bafakane imilomo ngalabo labeluswe nguwe. Batsi: ‘Wotani sibacotfule bangabe basaba ngiso sive.’” (Hla. 83:2-4) Luhla lwekutalwa lwentalo yemfati bekufanele luvikelwe kute lungacotfulwa nobe lonakaliswe. Kuze loku kwenteke, Jehova wenta lamanye emalungiselelo lasemtsetfweni labekatawenta kutsi injongo yakhe igcwaliseke.

3, 4. (a) Sivumelwane seMtsetfo sacala nini kusebenta, futsi yini sive sema-Israyeli lesavuma kuyenta? (b) Sivumelwane seMtsetfo besakhelwe kutsi sivikele ini?

³ Njengobe situkulwane sa-Abrahama, Isaka naJakobe sachubeka sandza saze saba tigidzi tebantfu, Jehova wasenta saba sive, lokusive sema-Israyeli sasendvulo. Asebentisa Mosi, Jehova wenta sivumelwane lesikhetsekile nesive sema-Israyeli ngekutsi asinikete uMtsetfo, futsi savuma kuwulalela. LiBhayibheli litsi: “[Mosi] wase utsatsa incwadzi yesivumelwane, wayifundza, bonkhe bantfu balalela, bakhuluma batsi: ‘Konkhe lokushiwo nguSimakadze siyawukwenta sikulalele.’ Mosi wase utsatsa lengati [yetinkunzi letatentiwe imihlatjelo] leyayisemigezelweni wanyenyeta ngayo labantfu, akhuluma atsi: ‘Lena yingati yesivumelwane Simakadze lasente nani macondzana nalamavi.’”—Eks. 24:3-8.

⁴ Sivumelwane seMtsetfo sacala kusebenta eNtsabeni iSinayi nga-1513 B.C.E. Ngalesivumelwane, sive sema-Israyeli asendvulo sentiwa sive lesikhetsiwe saNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhatsi Jehova waba ‘nguMehluleli wabo, siShayamtsetfo sabo, neNkhosi yabo.’ (Isa. 33:22) Umlandvo wema-Israyeli uveta loko lokwentekako nangabe timiso taNkulunkulu letilungile tilalelwa nobe tingalalelwa. Njengobe uMtsetfo bewukuvimbela kushada nebantfu labangamkhonti Nkulunkulu nekuhlanganyela ekukhonteni kwemanga, injongo yawo bekukuvikela intalo ya-Abrahama ekonakalisweni.—Eks. 20:4-6; 34:12-16.

5. (a) Sivumelwane seMtsetfo sawavulela liphi litfuba ema-Israyeli? (b) Kungani Nkulunkulu awalahla ema-Israyeli?

⁵ Sivumelwane seMtsetfo besinelilungiselelo lebaphristi, lebelisitfunti selilungiselelo lelitawuletsa tibusiso letinkhulu esikhatsini lesitako. (Heb. 7:11; 10:1) Ecinisweni, ngalesivumelwane ema-Israyeli abenelilungelo lelikhetsekile lekuba “ngumbuso webaphristi,” kuphela nje nangabe ayilalela imiyalo yaJehova. (Fundza Eksodusi 19:5, 6.) Nobe kunjalo, ema-Israyeli ehluleka kulalela. Esikhundleni sekutsi ajabule nakufika Mesiya, loyincenye yekucala yentalo ya-Abrahama, ema-Israyeli akazange amemukele. Ngenca yaloko, Nkulunkulu wasilahla lesive.

6. Yini leyafezwa nguMtsetfo?

⁶ Kwehluleka kwema-Israyeli kuhlale etsembekile kuJehova, ngaleyo ndlela avete labo lebebatawuba ngumbuso webaphristi bekungasho kutsi uMtsetfo awukayifezi indzima yawo. Injongo yeMtsetfo bekukuvikela intalo nekuholela bantfu kuMesiya. Ngesikhatsi Khristu efika futsi abonwa bantfu, lenjongo beseyifezekile. LiBhayibheli litsi: “Khristu usiphetfo seMtsetfo.” (Rom. 10:4) Kodvwa kusala nangu umbuto: Bobani-ke lebebatawuba  nelilungelo lekuba ngumbuso webaphristi? Jehova Nkulunkulu wenta lesinye sivumelwane lesisemtsetfweni kute akhe sive lesisha.

7. Yini Jehova layibiketela ngaJeremiya mayelana nesivumelwane lesisha?

⁷ Kusesele sikhatsi lesidze ngaphambi kwekutsi sivumelwane seMtsetfo siphele, Jehova wabiketela ngemphrofethi Jeremiya kutsi abetawenta “sivumelwane lesisha” nesive sema-Israyeli. (Fundza Jeremiya 31:31-33.) Lesivumelwane lesisha besingeke sifane nesivumelwane seMtsetfo ngobe kuso tono betitawutsetselelwa ngaphandle kwesidzingo sekunikela ngetilwane. Besitakwenta njani loko?

8, 9. (a) Yini lefezwa yingati yaJesu leyacitfwa? (b) Nguliphi litfuba lelavulekela labo labayincenye yesivumelwane lesisha? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

⁸ Ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka, Jesu wacalisa Sidlo SeNkhosi Sakusihlwa ngaNisani 14, 33 C.E. Nakakhuluma ngendzebe yeliwayini, watjela baphostoli bakhe labetsembekile labangu-11 watsi: “Lendzebe isho sivumelwane lesisha lesentiwe ngengati yami, letawucitfwa ngenca yenu.” (Luk. 22:20) Kulandzisa kwaMatewu kucaphuna nawa emavi lashiwo nguJesu mayelana neliwayini: ‘Lisho “ingati yami yesivumelwane,” letawucitfwa ngenca yalabanyenti kute kutsetselelwe tono.’—Mat. 26:27, 28.

⁹ Ingati yaJesu leyacitfwa yenta kutsi lesivumelwane lesisha sisebente. Yenta nekutsi tono titsetselelwe phakadze. Jesu akasiyo incenye yalesivumelwane lesisha. Njengobe ete sono, akakudzingi kutsetselelwa. Kodvwa Nkulunkulu angalisebentisa linani lengati yaJesu leyacitfwa kute kuzuze bantfwana ba-Adamu. Abengaphindze akhetse bantfu labatsite labatinikele, abente “emadvodzana” ngekubagcoba ngemoya longcwele. (Fundza Roma 8:14-17.) Ngesizatfu sekutsi Nkulunkulu ubatsatsa njengalabete sono, ngemcondvo lotsite bafana naJesu, iNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu lete sono. Laba labagcotjiwe batawuba ‘tindlalifa naKhristu’ futsi babe nelitfuba lekuba “ngumbuso webaphristi.” Leli lilungelo sive sema-Israyeli lebesingaba nalo ngephansi kweMtsetfo. Nakakhuluma ‘ngetindlalifa naKhristu,’ umphostoli Phetro watsi: “Nine ‘niluhlanga lolukhetsiwe, umbuso webaphristi, sive lesingcwele, nebantfu labayimphahla lekhetsekile, kuze kuyo yonkhe indzawo nimemetele buhle’ baloyo lowanibita naphuma ebumnyameni nangena ekukhanyeni kwakhe lokumangalisako.” (1 Phet. 2:9) Lesivumelwane lesisha sibaluleke kakhulu! Senta kutsi bafundzi baJesu babe yincenye yesibili yentalo ya-Abrahama.

10. Sacala nini kusebenta sivumelwane lesisha, futsi kungani singazange sisebente kuze kube nguleso sikhatsi?

¹⁰ Sacala nini kusebenta sivumelwane lesisha? Asizange sicale ngesikhatsi Jesu akhuluma ngaso ngebusuku bakhe bekugcina asemhlabeni. Kuze sicale kusebenta, ingati yaJesu bekufanele itfululwe futsi linani layo limikiswe kuJehova ezulwini. Ngetulu kwaloko, umoya longcwele bekufanele utfululwe kulabo lebebatawuba ‘tindlalifa naKhristu.’ Ngako-ke, lesivumelwane lesisha sacala kusebenta ngeliPhentekhoste la-33 C.E. ngesikhatsi bafundzi baJesu labetsembekile bagcotjwa ngemoya longcwele.

11. Sivumelwane lesisha sente njani kutsi emaJuda kanye nebetive bakhe Israyeli waNkulunkulu, futsi bangakhi labatawuba yincenye yaso?

¹¹ Nanobe ngandlela tsite sivumelwane seMtsetfo sentiwa kutsi “singasasebenti” ngesikhatsi Jehova akhuluma ngaJeremiya kutsi utawenta sivumelwane lesisha nesive sema-Israyeli, kodvwa sachubeka sikhona kwate kwaba ngulapho  sivumelwane lesisha sesisebenta. (Heb. 8:13) Ngesikhatsi loko kwenteka, Nkulunkulu abengawatsatsa ngendlela lefanako emaJuda kanye nebantfu betive labangakasoki, njengobe ‘bebasoke enhlitiyweni ngemoya longcwele, hhayi ngemtsetfo lobhalwe phansi.’ (Rom. 2:29) Ngekwenta lesivumelwane lesisha nabo, Nkulunkulu abetawufaka imitsetfo yakhe ‘etingcondvweni tabo, aphindze ayibhale nasetinhlitiyweni tabo.’ (Heb. 8:10) Labo lebebatawuba yincenye yaleso sivumelwane bebatawuba ngu-144 000, bakhe sive lesisha—‘lokungu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu.’—Gal. 6:16; Semb. 14:1, 4.

12. Ngukuphi kufana lokukhona emkhatsini wesivumelwane seMtsetfo nesivumelwane lesisha?

¹² Sivumelwane seMtsetfo sifana ngani nesivumelwane lesisha? Sivumelwane seMtsetfo besisemkhatsini waJehova nesive sema-Israyeli; sivumelwane lesisha sisemkhatsini waJehova na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu. Mosi abengumlamuli wesivumelwane seMtsetfo; Jesu unguMlamuli wesivumelwane lesisha. Sivumelwane seMtsetfo sentiwa sasebenta ngengati yetilwane; kantsi sivumelwane lesisha sentiwa sasebenta ngekucitseka kwengati yaJesu. Sive sema-Israyeli besicondziswa nguMosi ngephansi kwesivumelwane seMtsetfo; labo labakha sivumelwane lesisha bacondziswa nguJesu—loyiNhloko yelibandla.—Ef. 1:22.

13, 14. (a) Sivumelwane lesisha sihlobana njani neMbuso? (b) Yini ledzingekako kuze Israyeli waNkulunkulu abuse naKhristu ezulwini?

¹³ Sivumelwane lesisha sihlobene neMbuso ngobe senta kutsi kube nesive lesingcwele lesinelilungelo lekuba ngemakhosi kanye nebaphristi eMbusweni wasezulwini. Lesive sakhiwa yincenye yesibili yentalo ya-Abrahama. (Gal. 3:29) Ngako lesivumelwane lesisha sicinisa lesi lesentiwa na-Abrahama.

¹⁴ Kunalenye incenye yaloMbuso nayo lokusafanele ibekwe ngalokusemtsetfweni. Lesivumelwane lesisha sakha Israyeli waNkulunkulu futsi senta kutsi emalunga akhe abe ‘tindlalifa naKhristu.’ Nanobe kunjalo, kunelilungiselelo lelisemtsetfweni lelidzingekako kute ahlanganyele naJesu eMbusweni wakhe njengemakhosi kanye nebaphristi ezulwini.

15. Ngusiphi sivumelwane Jesu lasenta nebaphostoli bakhe labetsembekile?

¹⁵ Ngemuva kwekucalisa Sidlo SeNkhosi Sakusihlwa, Jesu wenta sivumelwane nebafundzi bakhe labetsembekile, lesibitwa ngekutsi sivumelwane seMbuso. (Fundza Lukha 22:28-30.) Ngekungafani naletinye tivumelwane Jehova laba nencenye kuto, lesivumelwane sisemkhatsini waJesu nebalandzeli bakhe labagcotjiwe. Ngesikhatsi atsi “njengobe naBabe enta sivumelwane . . . nami,” kungenteka kutsi Jesu abekhuluma ngesivumelwane Jehova lasente naye sekutsi abe ‘ngumphristi kuze kube phakadze njengaMelkhisedeki.’—Heb. 5:5, 6.

16. Sivumelwane seMbuso sivulela emaKhristu lagcotjiwe litfuba lani?

¹⁶ Baphostoli baJesu labetsembekile labangu-11 ‘bebasolo banaye ekulingweni kwakhe.’ Sivumelwane seMbuso sabacinisekisa kutsi bebatawuba naye ezulwini futsi bahlale etihlalweni tebukhosi kute babuse njengemakhosi nanjengebaphristi. Nanobe kunjalo, laba labangu-11 bekungeke kube ngibo bodvwa lebebatawutfola lelilungelo. Jesu lokhatinyulisiwe wabonakala embonweni kumphostoli Johane futsi watsi: “Loncobako ngitamvumela kutsi ahlale nami esihlalweni sami sebukhosi, njengobe nami ngancoba ngase ngihlala naBabe esihlalweni sakhe sebukhosi.” (Semb. 3:21) Ngako-ke, sivumelwane seMbuso sentiwa nemaKhristu lagcotjiwe langu-144 000. (Semb. 5: 9, 10; 7:4) Lesivumelwane sakha sisekelo lesisemtsetfweni sekutsi babuse naJesu ezulwini. Loku kufana namakoti losuka emndenini lohloniphekile loshada nenkhosi bese ubusa nayo embusweni. Ecinisweni, imiBhalo ikhuluma ngemaKhristu lagcotjiwe ‘njengamakoti’ waKhristu, ‘intfombi ntfo’ letsembisene umshado naKhristu.—Semb. 19:7, 8; 21:9; 2 Khor. 11:2.

17, 18. (a) Chaza kafishane tivumelwane letisitfupha lesicoce ngato letihlobene neMbuso. (b) Kungani singaba nekukholwa lokucinile eMbusweni?

¹⁷ Tonkhe letivumelwane lesesicoce ngato kuletihloko letimbili tihlobene netincenye letitsite letibalulekile teMbuso. (Fundza lishadi lelitsi “Indlela Nkulunkulu Latayifeza Ngayo Injongo Yakhe” lelisesihlokweni lesendlulile.) Loku kugcizelela kutsi lilungiselelo leMbuso lisekelwe ngalokugcwele etivumelwaneni letisemtsetfweni. Ngako sinesizatfu lesicinile sekuwetsemba ngalokuphelele uMbuso waNkulunkulu lobuswa nguMesiya, njengobe ulithulusi Nkulunkulu lalisebentisako kuze afeze injongo yakhe yasekucaleni ngemhlaba nangebantfu.—Semb. 11:15.

¹⁸ Kufanele yini singabate kutsi loko lokutawufezwa nguMbuso kutawuletsela bantfu tibusiso letitawuhlala phakadze? Ngesibindzi lesikhulu, singamemetela kutsi uMbuso waNkulunkulu ukuphela kwelikhambi lelihlala njalo lato tonkhe tinkinga tebantfu. Shengatsi leliciniso singalicocela labanye ngemdlandla!—Mat. 24:14.