1, 2. Sisiphi isipho esivela kuThixo esibaluleke kakhulu namhlanje, yaye kutheni kunjalo nje?

 UBAWO wethu osezulwini usinike into exabiseke kakhulu—isipho sokuba ngabantu abakrelekrele nabakwaziyo ukuxelisa iimpawu zakhe. (Genesis 1:27) Ngenxa yesi sipho, siyakwazi ukuqiqa ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile. Xa siyisebenzisa, sinako ukukhula ngokomoya size sibe ngabantu abathanda uYehova ‘nabamandla abo okuqonda aqeqeshelwe ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.’—Hebhere 5:14.

² Kubaluleke nangakumbi namhlanje ukukwazi ukuqiqa ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile, kuba ihlabathi liphixene kangangokuba imithetho ayinakukwazi ukugubungela zonke iimeko ezinokuvela ebomini. Umzekelo wale nto ukumba wezonyango, ngokukodwa xa kufikwa kumayeza nakwiindlela zokunyanga ezibandakanya igazi. Lo mbandela ubalulekile kubo bonke abantu abafuna ukuthobela uYehova. Sekunjalo, xa siyibona into yokuba imigaqo yeBhayibhile iyasebenza, sifanele sikwazi ukwenza izigqibo ezibonisa ukuba silumkile, ezamkelwa zizazela zethu, nezisigcina kuthando lukaThixo. (IMizekeliso 2:6-11) Makhe sixovule eminye yale migaqo.

3, 4. Kwaqala nini ukuthethwa ngobungcwele begazi kwiZibhalo, ibe ubungcwele balo busekelwe kuwuphi umgaqo?

³ Kamsinya nje emva kokuba uKayin ebulele uAbheli, uYehova waluchaza okokuqala unxibelelwano olusondeleyo oluphakathi kobomi negazi, ebonisa kananjalo ukuba zombini  ezi zinto zingcwele. UThixo wathi kuKayin: “Phulaphula! Igazi lomntakwenu liyadanduluka kum emhlabeni.” (Genesis 4:10) Emehlweni kaYehova, igazi lika-Abheli lalimela ubomi bakhe obabuye basutywa ngenkohlakalo. Ngenxa yoko kwakunokutshiwo ukuba igazi lika-Abheli lalidanduluka kuThixo lifuna impindezelo.—Hebhere 12:24.

⁴ Emva koMkhukula womhla kaNowa, uThixo wanika abantu imvume yokutya inyama yezilwanyana, kodwa wathi bangalityi igazi. UThixo wathi: “Kuphela yinyama enomphefumlo wayo—igazi layo—eningamele niyidle. Yaye, ngapha koko, ndiya kulibiza igazi lemiphefumlo yenu.” (Genesis 9:4, 5) Lo myalelo usebenza kubo bonke abantu abazelwe nguNowa ukuhla ukuza kuthi ga kumhla wethu. Ubethelela oko kwakuvezwe nguThixo ngaphambidlana xa wayethetha noKayin—wathi umphefumlo, okanye ubomi bazo zonke izidalwa bumelwa ligazi. Loo myalelo uyenza icace into yokuba uYehova, onguMthombo wobomi, uya kumphendulisa nabani na ongabuhloneliyo ubomi negazi.—INdumiso 36:9.

5, 6. UMthetho kaMoses wabonisa njani ukuba igazi lingcwele kwaye lixabisekile? (Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Buhlonele Ubomi Bezilwanyana.”)

⁵ Le migaqo mibini ibalulekileyo iyafumaneka kuMthetho kaMoses. ILevitikus 17:10, 11 ithi: “Nawuphi na umntu . . . othi adle naluphi na uhlobo lwegazi, ndowuchasa ngokuqinisekileyo loo mphefumlo udle igazi, ndiwunqumle phakathi kwabantu bakowawo. Kuba umphefumlo wenyama usegazini, yaye mna ndaninika lona esibingelelweni ukuze kucanyagushelwe imiphefumlo yenu, kuba igazi eli licamagusha ngomphefumlo okulo.” a—Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Igazi Linamandla Okucamagushela Izono.”

⁶ Xa igazi lesilwanyana lingasetyenziswa esibingelelweni, lalimele liphalazwe emhlabeni. Ngaloo ndlela kufuziselwa ukubuyiselwa kobo bomi kuMninibo. (Duteronomi 12: 16; Hezekile 18:4) Kodwa ke, phawula ukuba kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba amaSirayeli ade azidube ngokuzama ukukhucula nkqu nethontsana legazi elisele kwinyama yesilwanyana awayeza kusitya. UmSirayeli wayenako ukuyitya loo nyama ngesazela esikhululekileyo xa ixhelwe ngendlela efanelekileyo yaza yophiswa, kuba wayeya kube emnike imbeko emfaneleyo uMniki-bomi.

 7. UDavide wabuhlonela njani ubungcwele begazi?

 ⁷ UDavide, ‘indoda eyayivunyiwe yintliziyo kaThixo,’ wayiqonda imigaqo eyabangela ukuba uThixo awise umthetho ngegazi. (IZenzo 13:22) Ngenye imini, xa wayekhothekile lunxano, amathathu kumadoda akhe angena ngenkani kwinkampu yotshaba, akha amanzi equleni, aza eza nawo kuye. Wasabela njani uDavide? Wathi: “Ndilisele na igazi lamadoda ahambe umphefumlo wawo usesichengeni?” Emehlweni akhe, loo manzi ayeligazi lala madoda. Ngoko nangona wayenxaniwe, “wawathululela kuYehova.”—2 Samuweli 23:15-17.

8, 9. Ngaba indlela uThixo ajonga ngayo ubomi negazi iye yatshintsha kwakusekwa ibandla lamaKristu? Cacisa.

⁸ Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-2 400 emva komyalelo owanikwa uNowa, yaye emva kweminyaka eli-1 500 emva kokuba umnqophiso woMthetho wenziwe, uYehova waphefumlela iqumrhu elilawulayo lamaKristu okuqala ukuba libhale lithi: “Kukholekile kumoya oyingcwele nakuthi ngokwethu ukungongezeleli uxanduva olubhekele phaya kuni, ngaphandle kwezi zinto ziyimfuneko, ukuba nikhwebuke kwizinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo nasegazini nakwizinto ezikrwitshiweyo nakuhenyuzo.”—IZenzo 15:28, 29.

⁹ Kucacile ukuba iqumrhu elilawulayo laliqonda ukuba igazi lingcwele kwaye ukulisebenzisa kakubi kwakuphosakele kanye njengokuba kunjalo ngokunqula izithixo okanye ukuhenyuza. NamaKristu enene anamhlanje ayayivuma loo nto. Ngaphezu koko, ngenxa yokuba ecinga ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile, ayakwazi ukumkholisa uYehova xa esenza izigqibo ngendlela yokusebenzisa igazi.

10, 11. (a) AmaNgqina kaYehova akujonga njani ukutofelwa kwegazi elipheleleyo nokweenxalenye eziyila igazi? (b) Ziziphi izinto eziphathelele igazi anokuba neembono ezingafaniyo kuzo amaKristu?

¹⁰ AmaNgqina kaYehova ayaqonda ukuba ‘ukuzikhwebula egazini’ kuthetha ukungavumi ukutofelwa igazi nokunikela okanye ukugcina igazi lawo ngenjongo yokuba litofelwe. Ngenxa yokuba ewuhlonela umthetho kaThixo, awazamkeli  iinxalenye ezibalulekileyo ezine eziyila igazi: iiseli ezibomvu, iiseli ezimhlophe, iiplatelets, nesiyilelo-gazi (plasma).

¹¹ Namhlanje, ngenxa yobugcisa, nganye kwezi nxalenye ziyila igazi iyakwazi ukwahlulwa ibe yimichiza esetyenziswa ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Ngaba umKristu unako ukuyamkela le michiza? Ngaba uyijonga “njengegazi”? Umntu ngamnye umele azenzele isigqibo kulo mba. Kumelwe kwenziwe njalo ke nakwiindlela zokunyanga ezifana nehemodialysis, ihemodilution, necell salvage apho kusetyenziswa kwaigazi lakho, logama nje lingagcinwanga.—Bona inqaku elikwiSihlomelo elithi “Imichiza Etsalwe Kwizinto Eziyila Igazi Neendlela Zokutyanda.”

12. Sifanele siyijonge size siyisingathe njani imicimbi efuna sisebenzise izazela zethu?

¹² Ngaba xa into iyekelwe kwisigqibo somntu ngamnye, loo nto ithetha ukuba ayibalulekanga kangako kuYehova? Akunjalo,  kuba unomdla omkhulu wokwazi indlela esivakalelwa ngayo nezinto ezisishukumisayo. (Funda iMizekeliso 17:3; 24:12.) Ngoko, emva kokuba senze uphando olucokisekileyo ngeyeza okanye ngendlela ethile yokunyanga, sifanele sithobele izazela zethu eziqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile. (Roma 14:2, 22, 23) Kakade ke, abanye abantu abafanele banyanzelise izazela zabo kuthi, kwelinye icala nathi asifanele sibuze umbuzo othi, “Ubuya kwenza ntoni ukuba ubundim?” Kwimicimbi elolu hlobo, umKristu ngamnye ufanele ‘athwale owakhe umthwalo.’ b—Galati 6:5; Roma 14:12; bona ibhokisi ethi “ Ngaba Igazi Ndilijonga Njengento Engcwele?”

13. Imithetho nemigaqo kaYehova isityhilela ntoni ngaye? Zekelisa.

¹³ Imithetho nemigaqo efumaneka eBhayibhileni ibonisa ukuba uYehova unguMwisi-mthetho olumkileyo noBawo onothando obakhathalelayo abantwana bakhe. (INdumiso 19:7-11) Nangona umyalelo othi ‘sikhwebuke egazini’ wawungawiswanga ngenjongo yokukhusela impilo, uyasikhusela kwiingxaki eziye zibangelwe lutofelo-gazi. (IZenzo 15:20) Iingcali ezininzi zonyango zithi ukutyanda ngaphandle kokutofela igazi “yeyona ndlela isemagqabini” yokunyanga abantu kule mihla. KumaKristu enene, oku kungqina ukuba ubulumko bukaYehova nothando lwakhe olufana nolukaBawo alunakulinganiswa nanto.—Funda uIsaya 55:9; Yohane 14:21, 23.

14, 15. (a) Yiyiphi imithetho ebonisa indlela uThixo abathanda ngayo abantu bakhe? (b) Unokuyisebenzisa njani imigaqo exhasa le miyalelo yokhuseleko?

¹⁴ Imithetho emininzi kaThixo isibonisa indlela awayeyixhalabele ngayo impilo-ntle yabantu bakhe kuSirayeli wamandulo. Ngokomzekelo, wathi amaSirayeli mawakhe ungqameko kuphahla lwezindlu zawo ukuze kungabikho zingozi, kuba zazizininzi izinto awayezenza kumaphahla ezindlu zawo. (Duteronomi 22:8; 1 Samuweli 9:25, 26; Nehemiya 8:16; IZenzo  10:9) UThixo wayalela nokuba iinkunzi zeenkomo ezihlabayo zibekwe esweni. (Eksodus 21:28, 29) Ukungayinanzi le miyalelo kwakubonisa ukuba ubani akayikhathalele kwaphela impilo-ntle yabanye abantu, ibe loo nto yayinokubangela ukuba abe netyala legazi.

¹⁵ Unokuyisebenzisa njani imigaqo eyayisekelwe kuyo le mithetho? Kutheni ungakhe ucinge ngemeko yemoto yakho, ngendlela oqhuba ngayo, ngezilwanyana ozifuyileyo, ngekhaya lakho, ngendawo osebenzela kuyo, nangendlela okhetha ukuzonwabisa ngayo? Kwamanye amazwe, abantu abaselula abaninzi babulawa ziingozi, ngenxa yokuba bedla ngokubeka ubomi babo esichengeni ngokungeyomfuneko. Noko ke, ulutsha olufuna ukuzigcina kuthando lukaThixo lubuxabisile ubomi kwaye alwenzi izinto eziyingozi kuba nje lufuna ukuba nemincili. Aluyifaki kwiingqondo zalo ingcamango ebubudenge yokuba xa uselula akuhlelwa ziingozi. Kunoko, luvuyela ubutsha balo ngokuphepha nayiphi na into enokulufaka engozini enokuphepheka.—INtshumayeli 11:9, 10.

16. Yiyiphi imigaqo yeBhayibhile esebenzayo kumba wokuqhomfa? (Bona nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁶ Kwanobomi bemveku engekazalwa buxabisekile kuThixo. KuSirayeli wamandulo, xa umntu eye wenzakalisa umfazi okhulelweyo waza ngenxa yoko loo mfazi okanye umntwana wakhe wafa, uThixo wayejonga loo mntu unetyala njengombulali, ibe kwakufuneka anikele “umphefumlo ngomphefumlo.” c (Funda iEksodus 21:22, 23.) Khawuthelekelele nje indlela uYehova amele ukuba uziva ngayo xa ebona iintsana ezininzi ziqhomfwa ngabom unyaka nonyaka, uninzi lwazo lubulawa ngenjongo yokuba kulungelwe oonina kwaye baqhubeke beziphethe kakubi.

17. Ubunokumthuthuzela njani umntu owakha waqhomfa ngaphambi kokuba afunde ngemilinganiselo kaThixo?

¹⁷ Kodwa ke kuthekani ngomfazi owaqhomfayo engekayazi  inyaniso yeBhayibhile? Ngaba uThixo akanakumenzela inceba? Akunjalo konke konke! Kaloku umntu oguquke ngokwenene unokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kumxolela ngenxa yegazi elaphalalayo likaYesu. (INdumiso 103:8-14; Efese 1:7)  UKristu ngokwakhe wathi: “Ndize kubizela enguqukweni, kungekhona abantu abangamalungisa, kodwa aboni.”—Luka 5:32.

18. IBhayibhile ithi yintoni oyena nobangela wokuphalazwa kwegazi?

¹⁸ Ukongezelela kwinto yokuba singabenzakalisi abanye abantu, uYehova ufuna sitoncule nkqu nonobangela wokuphalazwa kwegazi ezintliziyweni zethu—intiyo. Umpostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “Lowo umthiyileyo umzalwana wakhe usisibulala-mntu [okanye umbulali].” (1 Yohane 3:15) Umntu onjalo akaneli nje ukungamginyi umzalwana wakhe, kodwa unqwenela ukuba afe. Ubutshaba bakhe unokubuveza ngokumnyelisa okanye ngokumtyhola ngobuxoki obekunokuthi xa bufunyaniswe buyinyaniso, agwetywe nguThixo. (Levitikus 19:16; Duteronomi 19:18-21; Mateyu 5:22) Ngoko kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba sisebenzele ekususeni kwiintliziyo zethu naziphi na izingqukru ezisenokuba ngaphakathi kwazo!—Yakobi 1:14, 15; 4:1-3.

19. Umntu olawulwa yimigaqo yeBhayibhile uzijonga njani iindinyana ezifana neNdumiso 11:5 neyabaseFilipi 4:8, 9?

¹⁹ Abantu ababuxabise ngendlela uYehova abuxabise ngayo ubomi nabafuna ukuzigcina kuthando lwakhe baluphepha ngandlela zonke ugonyamelo. INdumiso 11:5 ithi: “Umphefumlo [kaYehova] umthiyile ngokuqinisekileyo nabani na othanda ugonyamelo.” Le ndinyana ayaneli kuchaza nje ubuntu bukaThixo; inomgaqo osikhokelayo ebomini. Yenza abantu abathanda uThixo babaleke nayiphi na indlela yokuzonwabisa enokusenza siluthande ugonyamelo. Ngendlela efanayo, amazwi athi uYehova ‘nguThixo woxolo’ abangela ukuba abakhonzi bakhe bazalise iingqondo neentliziyo zabo ngezinto ezithandekayo, ezinesidima, ezincomekayo, zinto ezo zidala uxolo.—Funda amaFilipi 4:8, 9.

20-22. AmaKristu aqhubana njani nehlabathi, yaye ngoba?

²⁰ Lonke ihlabathi likaSathana linetyala legazi emehlweni  kaThixo. Inkqubo yalo yepolitiki, iZibhalo eziyifanisa namarhamncwa anoburhalarhume, iye yanqunqel’ egoqweni inkumbula yabantu, kuquka nabakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi. (Daniyeli 8:3, 4, 20-22; ISityhilelo 13:1, 2, 7, 8) La magunya afana namarhamncwa ebesebenzisana namahlakani awo, abezoshishino nabenzululwazi, kuqulunqwa amaqhinga okwenza ezona zixhobo zikhohlakeleyo unokuzicinga, kuyo yonke loo nto beyikha ngezitya imali. Ngokwenene anyanisile amazwi athi “ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo”!—1 Yohane 5:19.

²¹ Ngenxa yokuba abalandeli bakaYesu ‘bengeyonxalenye yehlabathi’ yaye bengathathi cala kwipolitiki nakwiimfazwe zalo, bayasinda ekubeni netyala legazi. d (Yohane 15:19; 17:16) Kwaye njengoKristu, akaphindisi ngogonyamelo xa abantu bewatshutshisa. Kunoko, ayazithanda iintshaba zawo, ade azithandazele.—Mateyu 5:44; Roma 12:17-21.

 ²² Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, amaKristu enene akananto yakwenza ‘neBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ebubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki obunelona tyala legazi likhulu. ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “[Kuyo] kwafunyanwa igazi labaprofeti nelabo bangcwele nelabo bonke abaye babulawa ngogonyamelo emhlabeni.” Ngenxa yoko, silunyukiswa ngala mazwi: “Phumani kuyo, bantu bam.”—ISityhilelo 17:6; 18:2, 4, 24.

23. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuphuma kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu?

²³ Ukuphuma kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu akupheleli nje ekucimeni amagama ethu kwiincwadi zeecawa. Kukwaquka ukuthiya yonke imikhwa engendawo eyamkelwa okanye ekhuthazwa lunqulo lobuxoki—izinto ezinjengokuziphatha okubi, ukungena kwipolitiki, nokunyolukela ubutyebi. (Funda iNdumiso 97:10; ISityhilelo 18:7, 9, 11-17) Ezi zinto zidla ngokubangela ukuba kuphalazwe igazi!

24, 25. (a) Kungenxa yasiphi isizathu le nto uThixo enokumenzela inceba umntu obenetyala legazi waza waguquka? (b) Loo nto yafuziselwa njani ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile?

²⁴ Ngaphambi kokuba singene enyanisweni, ngamnye wethu, ngandlel’ ithile, wayeyixhasa inkqubo kaSathana, ibe ukusa kumlinganiselo othile siye saba netyala legazi. Noko ke, ngenxa yokuba siye satshintsha, saba nokholo kwidini lentlawulelo likaKristu, saza sazahlulela kuThixo, siye safumana inceba kaThixo saza sakhuseleka ngokomoya. (IZenzo 3:19) Oko kukhuseleka kusikhumbuza ngezixeko zokusabela ezazikho ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile.—Numeri 35:11-15; Duteronomi 21:1-9.

²⁵ Lalisebenza njani elo lungiselelo? Xa umSirayeli eye wabulala omnye ngengozi, kwakufuneka asabele kwesinye sezixeko zokusabela. Emva kokuba abagwebi abafanelekayo beye bagweba kwelo tyala, umntu obulele ngempazamo kwakuye kufuneke ukuba ahlale kwisixeko sokusabela de kufe umbingeleli omkhulu. Emva koko wayekhululeka ukuba aye kuhlala naphi na. Ngokwenene lo ngumzekelo omhle wenceba kaThixo nobonisa indlela abujonga njengento ebalulekileyo ngayo ubomi babantu! Namhlanje izixeko zokusabela zamandulo lilungiselelo  likaThixo, elisekelwe kwidini lentlawulelo likaKristu, elisikhuselayo ekufeni kuba siye, ngengozi, saphula umthetho kaThixo othi ubomi negazi zizinto ezingcwele. Ngaba uyalixabisa eli lungiselelo? Unokubonisa njani ukuba uyalixabisa? Enye indlela kukuya kubiza nabanye abantu ukuba bamkele eli lungiselelo likaThixo lokusikhusela, ingakumbi njengokuba “imbandezelo enkulu” isondela.—Mateyu 24:21; 2 Korinte 6:1, 2.

26-28. Imeko yethu namhlanje ifana njani nekamprofeti uHezekile, kwaye sinokwenza njani ukuze sizigcine kuthando lukaThixo?

²⁶ Imeko yabantu bakaThixo namhlanje isikhumbuza umprofeti wamandulo uHezekile, owathunywa nguYehova ukuba abe ngumlindi wokomoya kwindlu kaSirayeli. UThixo wathi: ‘Umele ulive ilizwi lam uze ubanike isilumkiso esivela kum.’ Xa uHezekile wayenokungayenzi le nto wayeyithunyiwe, wayeya kuphenduliswa ngegazi labo babeza kubulawa xa kusohlwaywa iYerusalem. (Hezekile 33:7-9) Kodwa uHezekile wathobela waza akaba natyala legazi.

²⁷ Nanamhlanje ke, sifikelela esiphelweni salo lonke ihlabathi likaSathana. Ngenxa yoko, amaNgqina kaYehova akujonga njengembopheleleko nelungelo avavwe ngalo ukuvakalisa ‘umhla wempindezelo’ kaThixo kwakunye nesigidimi soBukumkani. (Isaya 61:2; Mateyu 24:14) Ngaba uwukhuthalele lo msebenzi ubalulekileyo? Umpostile uPawulos wayelujonga njengento ebalulekileyo uthumo awayelunikiwe lokuba ashumayele. Ngenxa yoko, wakwazi ukuthi: “Ndimsulwa egazini labantu bonke, kuba andinifihlelanga nto, ndinixelele lonke icebo likaThixo.” (IZenzo 20:26, 27) Ngumzekelo omhle ngokwenene lowo, kwaye sifanele siwuxelise!

²⁸ Kakade ke, ukuze sizigcine kuthando olufudumeleyo lukabawo wethu uYehova, simele senze okungakumbi kunokujonga ubomi negazi ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo. Kukwafuneka sihlale sicocekile, okanye singcwele, emehlweni akhe, njengoko siza kubona kwisahluko esilandelayo.