1, 2. (a) Kungani amazwi akuDuteronomi 6:4 aziwa kakhulu? (b) Kungani uMose asho la mazwi?

KWAPHELA amakhulu eminyaka amaJuda esebenzisa amazwi akuDuteronomi 6:4 njengengxenye yomthandazo wawo okhethekile. Lo mthandazo ubizwa ngokuthi yiShema, okuyigama lokuqala kulelo vesi ngesiHebheru. AmaJuda amaningi athandaza lo mthandazo njalo ekuseni nakusihlwa ukuze abonise ukuzinikela kwawo okukhethekile kuNkulunkulu.

² Lawo mazwi ayingxenye yenkulumo yokugcina uMose ayinikeza isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Ngonyaka ka-1473 ngaphambi kukaKristu, lesi sizwe sase sisezweni lakwaMowabi, silungele ukuwela uMfula iJordani ukuze sinqobe iZwe Lesithembiso. (Duteronomi 6:1) UMose wayehole laba bantu iminyaka engu-40 futhi wayefuna babe nesibindi ukuze babhekane nobunzima obabuseza. Kwakudingeka bathembele kuNkulunkulu, uJehova, futhi bathembeke kuye. Amazwi kaMose okugcina abakhuthaza ukuba benze khona kanye lokho. Ngemva kokubhekisela eMithethweni Eyishumi nakweminye  imithetho kaJehova, uMose wakhumbuza abantu ngephuzu elibalulekile elikuDuteronomi 6:4, 5. (Funda.)

3. Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

³ Ama-Israyeli ayazi ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wawo “unguJehova oyedwa.” Ama-Israyeli athembekile ayekhulekela uNkulunkulu oyedwa, uNkulunkulu wokhokho bawo. Pho kungani uMose awakhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wawo “unguJehova oyedwa”? Lihlobana kanjani lelo qiniso nokuthanda uNkulunkulu wethu ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo wonke namandla ethu onke? Amazwi akuDuteronomi 6:4, 5 asebenza kanjani kithi namuhla?

4, 5. (a) Ithini enye incazelo yamazwi athi ‘uJehova oyedwa’? (b) UJehova wehluke kanjani konkulunkulu bezizwe?

⁴ Wehlukile. Inkulumo ethi ‘uJehova oyedwa’ isho ukuthi uJehova wehlukile, okungukuthi akekho olingana naye noma ofana naye. Kungani uMose asebenzisa leyo nkulumo? Akubonakali sengathi wayezama ukubonisa ukuthi inkolelo kaziqu-zintathu ayilona iqiniso. UJehova unguMdali wezulu nomhlaba futhi unguMbusi wendawo yonke. Uwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi akekho unkulunkulu onjengaye. (2 Samuweli 7:22) Amazwi kaMose ayeyokhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi kwakufanele akhulekele uJehova kuphela. Kwakungafanele alingise abantu ayakhelene nabo, ababekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi bamanga nonkulunkulukazi. Labo bantu babekholelwa wukuthi onkulunkulu babo babenamandla okulawula izingxenye ezithile zendalo.

⁵ Ngokwesibonelo, abaseGibhithe babekhulekela unkulunkulu welanga uRa, unkulunkulu wesibhakabhaka uNut, unkulunkulu womhlaba uGeb, unkulunkulu weNayile uHapi kanye nezilwane eziningi. UJehova wabonisa ukuthi wayenamandla kunalab’ onkulunkulu lapho eletha iZinhlupho Eziyishumi. Unkulunkulu ovelele wabaseKhanani kwakunguBhali, unkulunkulu wamanga, amaKhanani ayekholelwa ukuthi uyena owadala ukuphila. Ayekholelwa nawukuthi ungunkulunkulu wesibhakabhaka, imvula nesiphepho. Ezindaweni eziningi, abantu babethembela kuBhali ukuba abavikele. (Numeri 25:3) Ama-Israyeli kwakufanele akhumbule ukuthi uNkulunkulu wawo, ‘uNkulunkulu weqiniso,’ wehlukile. “UnguJehova oyedwa.”—Duteronomi 4:35, 39.

6, 7. Iyiphi enye incazelo yelithi “oyedwa” futhi uJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘uyedwa’?

⁶ Akaguquguquki Futhi Uqotho. Igama elithi “oyedwa” enkulumweni ethi ‘uJehova oyedwa’ lisho nokuthi injongo nezenzo zakhe kungethenjwa ngaso sonke isikhathi. UJehova uNkulunkulu akahlukene phakathi futhi akaguquguquki.  Ngaso sonke isikhathi uthembekile, uqotho futhi uneqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, wathembisa u-Abrahama ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayizophila eZweni Lesithembiso. UJehova wenza izimangaliso eziningi ezinamandla ukuze agcine leso sithembiso. Eminyakeni engu-430 ngemva kokwenza leso sithembiso, injongo kaJehova yayingakashintshi.—Genesise 12:1, 2, 7; Eksodusi 12:40, 41.

⁷ Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJehova wabiza ama-Israyeli ngokuthi ofakazi bakhe futhi wawatshela: “NgisenguYe. Ngaphambi kwami kwakungekho Nkulunkulu owabunjwa, nangemva kwami kwaqhubeka kungekho noyedwa.” UJehova wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi injongo yakhe akwenzeki ishintshe lapho enezela lokhu: “Ngingofanayo ngaso sonke isikhathi.” (Isaya 43:10, 13; 44:6; 48:12) Yeka ilungelo elikhulu ama-Israyeli ayenalo lokukhonza uNkulunkulu ongaguquguquki noqotho ngaso sonke isikhathi! Nathi sinelungelo elifanayo namuhla.—Malaki 3:6; Jakobe 1:17.

8, 9. (a) Yini uJehova ayifunayo kubakhulekeli bakhe? (b) UJesu wakugcizelela kanjani ukubaluleka kwamazwi kaMose?

⁸ UMose wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi uthando lukaJehova nokuwakhathalela kwakhe kwakungeke kushintshe. Ngakho uJehova wayelindele ukuba wona azinikele kuye kuphela futhi amthande ngayo yonke inhliziyo yawo, umphefumulo namandla. Abazali kwakufanele basebenzise wonke amathuba abawatholayo ukuze bafundise izingane zabo ngoJehova ukuze nazo zikhulekele uJehova kuphela.—Duteronomi 6:6-9.

⁹ UJehova akalokothi ayishintshe injongo yakhe, ngakho akasoze azishintsha izimfuneko zakhe eziyisisekelo kubakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso. Uma sifuna ukukhulekela kwethu kujabulise uJehova, kumelwe sizinikele kuye kuphela futhi simthande ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, ingqondo namandla. UJesu wathi lona umyalo obaluleke kunayo yonke. (Funda uMarku 12:28-31.) Ake sifunde indlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi siyakholelwa ukuthi “uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa.”

10, 11. (a) Sikhulekela uJehova kuphela ngamuphi umqondo? (b) Intsha engamaHebheru eBhabhiloni yabonisa kanjani ukuthi yayizinikele kuJehova kuphela?

¹⁰ UJehova uwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu wethu. Sizinikela kuye kuphela lapho sikhulekela yena yedwa. Asinakukhulekela abanye onkulunkulu noma sihlanganise nemibono engamanga noma imikhuba ekukhulekeleni kwethu uJehova. Akayena nje unkulunkulu ongaphezu kwabanye onkulunkulu noma onamandla kakhulu kunabanye. UnguNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kufanele sikhulekele uJehova kuphela.—Funda isAmbulo 4:11.

¹¹ Encwadini kaDaniyeli, sifunda ngezinsizwa ezingamaHebheru uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya. Babonisa ukuthi babezinikele kuJehova kuphela ngokwenqaba ukudla okwakungahlanzekile kubakhulekeli bakaJehova. La bangane bakaDaniyeli abathathu  benqaba ukukhothamela isithixo, isithombe segolide sikaNebukhadinezari. Kubo, uJehova wayeza kuqala. Babeqotho ngokuphelele kuye.—Daniyeli 2:1–3:30.

12. Uma sifuna ukuzinikela kuJehova kuphela, yini okumelwe siyiqaphe?

¹² UJehova kumelwe eze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Uma sifuna ukuzinikela kuye kuphela, kumelwe siqaphele ukuthi ezinye izinto azithathi indawo yakhe. Zingaba yini lezo zinto? EMiyalweni Eyishumi, uJehova wathi abantu bakhe akufanele bakhulekele abanye onkulunkulu. Akufanele bakhulekele noma yiziphi izithombe. (Duteronomi 5:6-10) Namuhla, kunezinhlobo eziningi zokukhulekela izithombe futhi ezinye zazo kunzima ukuzibona. Kodwa uJehova akakazishintshi izimfuneko zakhe. Namanje ‘usenguJehova oyedwa.’ Ake sibone ukuthi singakugwema kanjani ukukhulekela izithombe namuhla.

13. Yini esingase siqale ukuyithanda ngaphezu kukaJehova?

¹³ KweyabaseKolose 3:5 (funda), sifunda ngezinto ezingacekela phansi ubungane bethu obukhethekile noJehova. Siyabona ukuthi ukuhaha kuhlobene nokukhonza izithombe. Kanjani? Ukuba nesifiso esinamandla ngento ethile, njengemali eningi noma izinto zokunethezeka, kungalawula ukuphila kwethu kube njengonkulunkulu onamandla. Zonke izono okukhulunywa ngazo kweyabaseKolose 3:5 zihlobene nokuhaha, okuwuhlobo lokukhulekela izithombe. Ngakho, uma sinesifiso esinamandla salezi zinto, singase siqale ukuzithanda ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu. Okungenza uJehova angabe esaba “uJehova oyedwa” kithi. Asifuni nanini ukuba lokho kwenzeke.

14. Umphostoli uJohane wanikeza siphi isixwayiso mayelana nothando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Umphostoli uJohane wagcizelela into efanayo. Waxwayisa ngokuthi uma noma ubani ethanda izinto ezisezweni, okunguthi “isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho,” khona-ke “uthando lukaBaba alukho kuye.” (1 Johane 2:15, 16) Ngakho kufanele sizihlole njalo ukuze sibone ukuthi asilithandi yini izwe. Singase sithole ukuthi sesiqala ukukhangwa ukuzilibazisa nezitayela zokugqoka nokuzilungisa zaleli zwe. Noma singase sifune “izinto ezinkulu” ngokuphishekela imfundo ephakeme. (Jeremiya 45:4, 5) Izwe elisha seliseduze. Ngakho kudingeka siwakhumbule amazwi kaMose anamandla! Uma siqonda futhi sikholelwa ngempela ukuthi “uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa,” siyozinikela kuye kuphela bese simkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo.—Hebheru 12:28, 29.

15. Kungani uPawulu akhumbuza amaKristu ukuthi uNkulunkulu “unguJehova oyedwa”?

¹⁵ Inkulumo ethi “uJehova oyedwa” isisiza siqonde ukuthi uJehova ufuna izinceku zakhe zibe nobunye futhi zibe nenjongo efanayo ekuphileni. Ebandleni lobuKristu lokuqala, kwakunamaJuda,  amaGreki, amaRoma nabantu bezinye izizwe. Babenezizinda namasiko angefani, bethanda nezinto ezingefani. Ngenxa yalokho, kwakunzima ngabanye ukwamukela indlela entsha yokukhulekela noma ukulahla imikhuba yakudala. Ngakho, uPawulu kwadingeka abakhumbuze ukuthi amaKristu anoNkulunkulu oyedwa, uJehova.—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 8:5, 6.

16, 17. (a) Yisiphi isiprofetho esigcwalisekayo osukwini lwethu futhi uyini umphumela? (b) Yini engalimaza ubunye bethu?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngebandla lobuKristu namuhla? Umprofethi u-Isaya wathi “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” abantu bazo zonke izizwe babeyokhulekela uJehova ndawonye. Babeyothi: “Uzosifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Namuhla, siyajabula ukusibona sigcwaliseka lesi siprofetho! Abafowethu nodadewethu bavela ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene, bakhuluma izilimi ezihlukahlukene futhi banamasiko angefani. Kodwa sinobunye ekukhulekeleni kwethu uJehova. Noma kunjalo, ukuhlukahlukana kwethu, kungenza kube nezinselele ngezinye izikhathi.

 ¹⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, uzizwa kanjani ngabafowenu nodadewenu abanamasiko angefani nawakho? Ulimi lwabo, indlela yabo yokugqoka, indlela abenza ngayo izinto nokudla kwabo kungase kuhluke kakhulu kokwakho. Ingabe uyabagwema bese uchitha isikhathi esiningi nalabo abafana nawe? Uzizwa kanjani ngabadala bangakini abancane kunawe noma abangolunye uhlanga noma abanamasiko angafani nawakho? Uma singaqaphile, singase sivumele lokho kungefani kusiphazamise futhi kulimaze ubunye bethu.

18, 19. (a) Yisiphi iseluleko esitholakala kweyabase-Efesu 4:1-3? (b) Yini esingayenza ukuze sisize ibandla lihlale linobunye?

¹⁸ Singazigwema kanjani lezi zingibe? UPawulu wawanikeza iseluleko esiwusizo amaKristu ase-Efesu, umuzi ocebile owawunabantu ababenezizinda ezingefani. (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:1-3.) UPawulu wakhuluma ngezimfanelo ezinjengokuthobeka, ubumnene, ukubekezela nothando. Lezi zimfanelo zifana nezinsika eziqinile eziphasa indlu. Ukuze indlu ihlale isesimweni esikahle, kudingeka kusetshenzwe kanzima. UPawulu wayefuna la maKristu asebenze kanzima ukuze ‘agcine ubunye bomoya.’

¹⁹ Sonke kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sigcine ibandla linobunye. Singakwenza kanjani lokho? Okokuqala, kudingeka sihlakulele futhi sibonise izimfanelo uPawulu akhuluma ngazo: ukuthobeka, ubumnene, ukubekezela nothando. Okwesibili, kudingeka sisebenze kanzima ukuze siqinise ‘isibopho esihlanganisayo sokuthula.’ Ukungaboni ngaso linye kungadala uqhekeko ebunyeni bethu; ngakho, kudingeka sisebenze kanzima ukuze silungise lokho kungaboni ngaso linye ukuze silondoloze ukuthula nobunye phakathi kwethu.

20. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyaqonda ukuthi “uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa”?

²⁰ “UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa.” Amazwi anamandla ngempela lawo! Awaqinisa ama-Israyeli ukuba akhuthazelele ubunzima lapho engena eZweni Lesithembiso futhi elinqoba. Angasiqinisa nathi ukuze sidlule osizini olukhulu futhi sibe neqhaza ePharadesi elizayo. Masiqhubeke sizinikela kuJehova kuphela. Kudingeka simthande futhi simkhonze ngenhliziyo, ingqondo namandla ethu onke. Kudingeka sisebenze kanzima ukuze silondoloze ukuthula nobunye nabafowethu. Uma siqhubeka senza lezo zinto, uJesu uyosahlulela njengezimvu futhi siyokubona ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi akhe athi: “Wozani, nina enibusiswe nguBaba, nizuze ifa lombuso enawulungiselelwa kusukela ekusungulweni kwezwe.”—Mathewu 25:34.