1, 2. Iyiphi “imfihlo engcwele” okufanele isithakazelise, futhi kungani?

 IZIMFIHLO! Ngenxa yokuthi ziyathakazelisa, zikhange, futhi zixake, abantu bavame ukukuthola kunzima ukuzigcina ziyisifuba. Nokho, iBhayibheli lithi: “Kuyinkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ukugcina indaba iyimfihlo.” (IzAga 25:2) Yebo, njengoba enguMbusi Wendawo Yonke futhi enguMdali, uJehova unelungelo lokugcina izinto ezithile ziyimfihlo kubantu kuze kube isikhathi sakhe esifanele sokuzidalula.

² Kodwa kunemfihlo ekhangayo nethakazelisayo uJehova ayidalulile eZwini lakhe. Ibizwa ngokuthi “imfihlo engcwele yentando [kaNkulunkulu].” (Efesu 1:9) Ukufunda ngayo ngeke kwanelise ilukuluku lakho nje kuphela. Ukwazi le mfihlo kungaholela ekubeni usindiswe futhi kungakwenza ukuqonde ngezinga elithile ukuhlakanipha kukaJehova okungenakulinganiswa.

3, 4. Isiprofetho esikuGenesise 3:15 salinikeza kanjani ithemba, futhi sasinayiphi imfihlakalo, noma ‘imfihlo engcwele’?

³ Lapho u-Adamu no-Eva bona, kungenzeka kwabonakala sengathi injongo kaJehova yokuba abe nepharadesi lasemhlabeni elinabantu abangenasono yayisibhuntshile. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayixazulula ngaso leso sikhathi le nkinga. Wathi: “Ngizobeka ubutha phakathi kwakho [inyoka] nowesifazane naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona iyochoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyoyilimaza esithendeni.”—Genesise 3:15.

⁴ La mazwi ayedida futhi engaqondakali. Wayengubani lona wesifazane? Inyoka yona yayingubani? Yayingubani ‘inzalo’ eyayizochoboza ikhanda lenyoka? U-Adamu no-Eva  babeyogcina ngokuqagela. Amazwi kaNkulunkulu wona ayenikeza ithemba kunoma ubani othembekile ezizukulwaneni zaleyo ndoda nomkayo abangathembekile. Ukulunga kwakuyonqoba. Injongo kaJehova yayizogcwaliseka. Kodwa kanjani? Nanso-ke imfihlakalo! IBhayibheli liyibiza ngokuthi “ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okusemfihlweni engcwele, ukuhlakanipha okufihliwe.”—1 Korinte 2:7.

5. Bonisa ngomfanekiso ukuthi kungani uJehova ayidalula kancane kancane imfihlo yakhe.

⁵ ‘NjengoMambuli wezimfihlo,’ uJehova wayeyogcina eyivezile imininingwane edingekayo ekwambuleni le mfihlo. (Daniyeli 2:28) Kodwa wayeyoyiveza kancane kancane. Ngokwesibonelo, singase sicabange ngendlela ubaba onothando aphendula ngayo umfanyana wakhe uma embuza, “Baba, ngavelaphi mina?” Ubaba ohlakaniphile umtshela lokho kuphela angakuqonda lo mfanyana. Njengoba ekhula, uyise umtshela nezinye izinto. Ngokufanayo, uJehova uyabona lapho abantu bakhe sebekulungele ukwambulelwa intando nenjongo yakhe.—IzAga 4:18; Daniyeli 12:4.

6. (a) Iyini injongo yesivumelwano? (b) Kungani kuyinto ephawulekayo ukuthi uJehova wazikhethela ukwenza izivumelwano nabantu?

⁶ UJehova wayambula kanjani intando nenjongo yakhe? Wembula okuningi esebenzisa izivumelwano. Cishe nawe wake wasenza isivumelwano esithile—mhlawumbe sokuthenga umuzi noma sokuboleka noma ukubolekisa ngemali. Isivumelwano esinjalo sasiyisiqinisekiso esingokomthetho sokuthi lokho enanivumelene ngakho niyokwenza. Kodwa kungani kwakungadingeka uJehova enze izivumelwano nabantu? Ngokuqinisekile izwi lakhe liyisiqinisekiso esanele sezithembiso zakhe. Kuyiqiniso lokho, kodwa noma kunjalo uNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela uye wakuqinisekisa kaningi lokho akushoyo, esebenzisa izivumelwano ezingokomthetho.  Lezi zivumelwano ezingaguquki zinikeza thina bantu abanesono isisekelo esiqine nakakhulu sokuzethemba izithembiso zikaJehova.—Hebheru 6:16-18.

7, 8. (a) Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza no-Abrahama, okwacacisani ngemfihlo engcwele? (b) UJehova wakuveza kanjani kancane kancane ukuthi inzalo ethenjisiwe yayiyogcina ivelephi?

⁷ Sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kuka-2 000 umuntu axoshwa ePharadesi, uJehova watshela inceku yakhe ethembekile u-Abrahama: “Nakanjani ngiyoyandisa inzalo yakho ibe ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu . . . Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyozitholela isibusiso ngenxa yokuthi ulalele izwi lami.” (Genesise 22:17, 18) Lokhu kwakungesona isithembiso nje kuphela; uJehova wakubeka kwaba isivumelwano esingokomthetho, wayesekuqinisekisa ngesifungo angenakusephula. (Genesise 17:1, 2; Hebheru 6:13-15) Yeka ukuthi kumangalisa kanjani ukuthi iNkosi EnguMbusi yazibophezela ngesivumelwano ukuthi iyobusisa abantu!

⁸ Isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sembula ukuthi inzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayiyoba ngumuntu, ngoba yayiyovela ozalweni luka-Abrahama. Kodwa yayiyoba ubani? Ngemva kwesikhathi, uJehova wembula ukuthi emadodaneni ka-Abrahama, ngu-Isaka owayezoba ukhokho wale nzalo. Emadodaneni amabili ka-Isaka, kwakhethwa uJakobe. (Genesise 21:12; 28:13, 14) Kamuva, uJakobe washo la mazwi ayisiprofetho ngenye yamadodana akhe angu-12: “Intonga yobukhosi ngeke isuke kuJuda, nenduku yomyali phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe, kuze kufike uShilo, [noma “Lowo Ongumnikazi Wako,” umbhalo waphansi] uyolalelwa izizwe zonke.” (Genesise 49:10) Kwase kwaziwa-ke manje ukuthi le nzalo iyoba inkosi, iphume ozalweni lukaJuda!

9, 10. (a) Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, futhi leso sivumelwano sasivikela kukuphi isizwe? (b) UMthetho wabonisa kanjani ukuthi isintu sasidinga isihlengo?

⁹ Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uJehova wenza ilungiselelo elavula ithuba lokuba imfihlo engcwele iqhubeke idalulwa. Wenza isivumelwano  nezizukulwane zika-Abrahama, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Nakuba singasasebenzi manje, lesi sivumelwano soMthetho KaMose sasiyingxenye ebalulekile yenjongo kaJehova yokuveza inzalo eyayithenjisiwe. Kanjani? Cabanga ngezindlela ezintathu. Eyokuqala, uMthetho wawunjengodonga oluyisivikelo. (Efesu 2:14) Izimiso zawo zokulunga zaba uthango phakathi kwamaJuda nabeZizwe. Kanjalo uMthetho wasiza ukuba uhlu lwenzalo yesithembiso lungaphazamiseki. Ngenxa yaleso sivikelo, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasisekhona lapho kufika isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele sokuba uMesiya azalelwe esizweni sakwaJuda.

¹⁰ Eyesibili, uMthetho wakubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi isintu sidinga isihlengo. Njengoba wawuphelele, wabonisa ukuthi abantu abanesono abakwazi ukuwugcina ngokugcwele. Ngaleyo ndlela ‘wenza izono zabonakala, kwaze kwafika inzalo okwakwenziwe kuyo isithembiso.’ (Galathiya 3:19) Ngemihlatshelo yezilwane, uMthetho wahlawulela izono okwesikhashana. Kodwa njengoba ‘kungenakwenzeka ukuba igazi lezinkomo nelezimbuzi lisuse izono’ njengoba kwasho uPawulu, le mihlatshelo yayimane iyisithunzi somhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaKristu. (Hebheru 10:1-4) KumaJuda athembekile, leso sivumelwano-ke saba ‘umfundisi oholela kuKristu.’—Galathiya 3:24.

11. Isivumelwano soMthetho samvulela liphi ithemba elihle ngokumangalisayo u-Israyeli, kodwa kungani leso sizwe sisonke saphunyukwa yilelo themba?

¹¹ Eyesithathu, leso sivumelwano sanikeza isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ithemba elihle ngokumangalisayo. UJehova wasitshela ukuthi uma sasithembeka kuleso sivumelwano, sasiyoba “umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ku-Israyeli ongokwenyama agcina ephumile ngempela amalungu okuqala ombuso wabapristi wasezulwini. Nokho, u-Israyeli ewonke wasivukela isivumelwano soMthetho, wenqaba inzalo enguMesiya, wayeselahlekelwa yilelo themba. Obani-ke ababeyophelelisa lowo mbuso wabapristi? Futhi leso sizwe esibusisiwe sasiyobe sihlobene kanjani nenzalo ethenjisiwe? Lezo  zici zemfihlo engcwele zaziyodalulwa ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele.

12. Yisiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza noDavide, futhi sacacisani ngemfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu?

¹² Ngekhulu lika-11 B.C.E., uJehova wayicacisa nakakhulu imfihlo engcwele lapho enza esinye isivumelwano. Wathembisa inkosi ethembekile enguDavide: “Ngiyobe sengivusa inzalo yakho ngemva kwakho, . . . ngiyowumisa uqine umbuso wayo. . . . ngiyosimisa siqine isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wayo kuze kube phakade.” (2 Samuweli 7:12, 13; IHubo 89:3) Manje kwase kwaziwa ukuthi inzalo eyayithenjisiwe yayizovela endlini kaDavide. Kodwa umuntu nje ovamile wayengabusa kanjani kuze kube phakade? (IHubo 89:20, 29, 34-36) Futhi leyo nkosi engumuntu yayingasihlenga yini isintu esonweni nasekufeni?

13, 14. (a) NgokweHubo 110, uJehova wayithembisani iNkosi yakhe egcotshiwe? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izinto ezaqhubeka zidalulwa abaprofethi bakaJehova ngenzalo eyayiseza?

¹³ Ephefumulelwe, uDavide wabhala: “UJehova wathi eNkosini yami: ‘Hlala ngakwesokudla sami ngize ngibeke izitha zakho ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakho.’ UJehova ufungile futhi ngeke awushintshe umqondo, wathi: ‘Wena ungumpristi kuze kube phakade ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki!’” (IHubo 110:1, 4) Amazwi kaDavide asebenza kuyo kanye inzalo eyayithenjisiwe, noma uMesiya. (IzEnzo 2:35, 36) Le Nkosi yayingeke ibuse iseJerusalema, kodwa yayiyobusa isezulwini “ngakwesokudla” sikaJehova. Lokhu kwakuyoyenza ingabi negunya phezu kwezwe lakwa-Israyeli kuphela, kodwa naphezu kwawo wonke umhlaba. (IHubo 2:6-8) Kunokunye futhi okwembulwa. Phawula ukuthi uJehova wafunga waqinisa ukuthi uMesiya wayeyoba “umpristi . . . ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki.” NjengoMelkhizedeki owayengumpristi oyinkosi ngosuku luka-Abrahama, inzalo eyayiseza kwakuzodingeka ibekwe nguNkulunkulu ngokuqondile ukuba ibe iNkosi futhi ibe umPristi!—Genesise 14:17-20.

 ¹⁴ Eminyakeni eyalandela, uJehova wasebenzisa abaprofethi bakhe ukuba baqhubeke bedalula imfihlo yakhe engcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya wadalula ukuthi inzalo yayiyokufa ukufa okuwumhlatshelo. (Isaya 53:3-12) UMika wabikezela indawo ayeyozalelwa kuyo uMesiya. (Mika 5:2) UDaniyeli waze wabikezela nesikhathi esiqondile inzalo eyayiyovela ngaso neyayiyokufa ngaso.—Daniyeli 9:24-27.

15, 16. (a) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba iNdodana kaJehova ‘izalwe owesifazane’? (b) Ukuba kukaJesu nabazali abangabantu kwamenza wazalwa enani, futhi wafika nini eyinzalo eyayithenjisiwe?

¹⁵ Ukuthi lezi ziprofetho zaziyogcwaliseka kanjani kwaba imfihlakalo kwaze kwaba yilapho kuvela inzalo. EyabaseGalathiya 4:4 ithi: “Lapho kufika ukuphela kwaleso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe, eyazalwa owesifazane.” Ngonyaka ka-2 B.C.E., ingelosi yatshela intombi engumJuda egama layo linguMariya: “Bheka! Uzokhulelwa, ubelethe indodana, kumele uyiqambe ngokuthi uJesu. Iyoba umuntu omkhulu ibizwe ngokuthi iNdodana YoPhezukonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyoyinika isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide uyise, . . . Umoya ongcwele uzokwehlela phezu kwakho, amandla oPhezukonke azokwehlela kuwe. Ngenxa yalokho, lowo ozelwe kuyothiwa ungcwele, uyobizwa ngokuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”—Luka 1:31, 32, 35.

¹⁶ Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova wadlulisela ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe esibelethweni sikaMariya kusuka ezulwini, ukuze izalwe owesifazane. UMariya wayengowesifazane onesono. Kodwa uJesu akasitholanga isono njengofuzo kunina, ngoba ‘wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ Ngesikhathi esifanayo, njengoba abazali bakaJesu abangabantu babewuzalo lukaDavide, wazalwa enelungelo elingokomthetho lokuba indlalifa kaDavide. (IzEnzo 13:22, 23) Lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa ngo-29 C.E., uJehova wamgcoba ngomoya ongcwele, wayesethi: “Lo yiNdodana yami ethandekayo.” (Mathewu 3:16, 17) Ekugcineni, yayisifikile inzalo! (Galathiya 3:16) Kwase kuyisikhathi sokudalula okwengeziwe ngemfihlo engcwele.—2 Thimothewu 1:10.

17. Kwacaciswa kanjani lokho okushiwo uGenesise 3:15?

 ¹⁷ Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, uJesu waveza ukuthi inyoka ekuGenesise 3:15 nguSathane nokuthi inzalo yenyoka abalandeli bakaSathane. (Mathewu 23:33; Johane 8:44) Kamuva, kwadalulwa indlela bonke abayochotshozwa ngayo phakade. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 10, 15) Kwadalulwa nokuthi owesifazane ‘yiJerusalema eliphezulu,’ noma umfazi kaNkulunkulu—okuyingxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaJehova eyakhiwa izidalwa zomoya. a—Galathiya 4:26; IsAmbulo 12:1-6.

18. Iyini injongo ‘yesivumelwano esisha’?

¹⁸ Mhlawumbe isambulo esimangalisa kunazo zonke senzeka ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kukaJesu, ngesikhathi etshela abafundi bakhe abathembekile ‘ngesivumelwano esisha.’ (Luka 22:20) Lesi sivumelwano esisha sasizoveza “umbuso wabapristi,” njengesivumelwano soMthetho KaMose esasisandulele. (Eksodusi 19:6; 1 Petru 2:9) Kodwa lesi sivumelwano sasingeke siveze isizwe esingokwenyama, kunalokho sasiyoveza isizwe esingokomoya, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” owakhiwe abalandeli bakaKristu abathembekile bodwa. (Galathiya 6:16) Laba abakulesi sivumelwano esisha babeyobusisa isintu bekanye noJesu!

19. (a) Yini eyenza isivumelwano esisha sikwazi ukuveza “umbuso wabapristi”? (b) Kungani amaKristu agcotshiwe ebizwa ngokuthi “indalo entsha,” futhi bangaki abayokhonza noKristu emazulwini?

¹⁹ Kodwa yini eyenza isivumelwano esisha sikwazi ukuveza “umbuso wabapristi” oyobusisa isintu? Ukuthi senza abafundi bakaKristu bathethelelwe izono ngomhlatshelo wakhe, kunokuba sibalahle njengabayizoni. (Jeremiya 31:31-34) Bathi bangathola ukuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova, abamukele emndenini wakhe wasezulwini futhi abagcobe ngomoya  ongcwele. (Roma 8:15-17; 2 Korinte 1:21) Kanjalo ‘bazalwa kabusha ethembeni eliphilayo eligcinwe ezulwini.’ (1 Petru 1:3, 4) Njengoba isikhundla esiphakeme kanjalo sisisha kubantu, amaKristu agcotshiwe azelwe ngomoya abizwa ngokuthi “indalo entsha.” (2 Korinte 5:17) IBhayibheli liveza ukuthi ekugcineni abangu-144 000 bayohlanganyela ekubuseni isintu esihlengiwe besezulwini.—IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 14:1-4.

20. (a) Yini eyadalulwa ngemfihlo engcwele ngo-36 C.E.? (b) Obani abayothola izibusiso ezazithenjiswe u-Abrahama?

²⁰ Bekanye noJesu, laba abagcotshiwe baba “inzalo ka-Abrahama.” b (Galathiya 3:29) Abokuqala abakhethwa babengamaJuda ngokuzalwa. Kodwa ngo-36 C.E., kwadalulwa nesinye isici semfihlo engcwele: AbeZizwe, noma abangewona amaJuda, nabo babezohlanganyela ethembeni lasezulwini. (Roma 9:6-8; 11:25, 26; Efesu 3:5, 6) Ingabe amaKristu agcotshiwe kwakuzoba yiwo wodwa athola izibusiso u-Abrahama ayethenjiswe zona? Cha, ngoba umhlatshelo kaJesu uzuzisa izwe lonke. (1 Johane 2:2) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wadalula ukuthi “isixuku esikhulu” esingabaliwe sasiyosinda ekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto sikaSathane. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Abanye abaningi babeyovuswa benethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi!—Luka 23:43; Johane 5:28, 29; IsAmbulo 20:11-15; 21:3, 4.

21, 22. Imfihlo kaJehova engcwele ikubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuhlakanipha kwakhe?

²¹ Imfihlo engcwele ikubonisa ngendlela emangalisayo ‘ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okubonakaliswa ngezindlela eziningi ezihlukahlukene.’ (Efesu 3:8-10) Yeka ukuhlakanipha uJehova akubonisa ngokwakha le mfihlo, abese eyidalula kancane kancane kanjena! Ngokuhlakanipha, wacabangela  ukulinganiselwa kwabantu, wabavumela ukuba baveze ukuthi izinhliziyo zabo zinjani ngempela.—IHubo 103:14.

²² UJehova wabonisa nokuhlakanipha okungenakuqhathaniswa ngokukhetha uJesu ukuba abe iNkosi. INdodana kaJehova ithembeke ngaphezu kwanoma yisiphi esinye isidalwa esikhona. Ngokuphila njengomuntu wenyama negazi, uJesu wahlupheka ngezindlela eziningi. Uziqonda kahle-hle izinkinga zabantu. (Hebheru 5:7-9) Abayobusa naye bona? Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, kuye kwagcotshwa abesilisa nabesifazane—bekhethwe kuzo zonke izinhlanga, izilimi nezizinda. Ayikho neyodwa inkinga abanye babo abangakaze babhekane nayo futhi bayinqobe. (Efesu 4:22-24) Kuyoba mnandi ukubuswa yilaba bapristi abangamakhosi anesihe!

23. AmaKristu analiphi ilungelo elihlobene nemfihlo kaJehova engcwele?

²³ Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Imfihlo engcwele eyayifihliwe ezikhathini ezidlule nasezizukulwaneni ezidlule . . . yambuliwe kwabangcwele bakhe.” (Kolose 1:26) Yebo, abagcotshiwe bakaJehova abangcwele sebeqonda okuningi ngale mfihlo engcwele, futhi baye bayazisa nezigidi zabanye. Yeka ilungelo sonke esinalo! UJehova uye ‘wasazisa imfihlo engcwele yentando yakhe.’ (Efesu 1:9) Masibazise nabanye ngale mfihlo enhle kangaka, sibasize nabo babone ukuhlakanipha kukaJehova uNkulunkulu okungenakulinganiswa!