1, 2. Yini okwakudingeka ukuba inzalo yowesifazane ivikelwe kuyo, futhi kungani?

ISIPROFETHO sokuqala esilotshwe eBhayibhelini sibaluleke kakhulu ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaJehova. Lapho enza isithembiso sase-Edene, uNkulunkulu weqiniso wathi: “Ngizobeka ubutha phakathi kwakho [Sathane] nowesifazane naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe.” Babuyoshuba kangakanani lobo butha? UJehova wathi: “Yona [inzalo yowesifazane] iyokulimaza [wena Sathane] ekhanda wena uyoyilimaza esithendeni.” (Gen. 3:15) Ubutha phakathi kwenyoka nowesifazane babuyoshuba kangangokuthi uSathane wayeyokwenza konke angakwenza ukuze ayiqothule inzalo yakhe.

² Akumangalisi ukuthi umhubi wakhala kuNkulunkulu ethandazela abantu baKhe abakhethiwe: “Bheka! izitha zakho ziyayaluza; nabo abakuzonda kakhulu baphakamisé ikhanda labo. Baqhuba inkulumo yabo eyisifuba ngobuqili ngokumelene nabantu bakho; futhi bakhela abathukusiwe bakho uzungu. Bathé: ‘Wozani masibasizile bangabi yisizwe.’ ” (IHu. 83:2-4) Kwakudingeka ukuba uhlu lozalo lwenzalo yowesifazane luvikelwe ekuqothulweni nasekonakalisweni. Ukuze afeze lokhu, uJehova wenza amanye amalungiselelo angokomthetho abophayo ayeyovikela ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe.

3, 4. (a) Isivumelwano soMthetho saqala nini ukusebenza, futhi yini isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esavuma ukuyenza? (b) Isivumelwano soMthetho sasiklanyelwe ukuvikela ini?

³ Njengoba inzalo ka-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe yanda ifinyelela ezigidini, uJehova wayenza yaba isizwe—isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. NgoMose, uJehova wenza naso isivumelwano esikhethekile sesizwe sonke ngokusinika uMthetho, futhi isizwe sayamukela imibandela yaleso sivumelwano. IBhayibheli liyalandisa: “[UMose] wathatha incwadi yesivumelwano wayifunda ezindlebeni zabantu. Khona-ke bathi: ‘Konke uJehova akukhulumile sizimisele ukukwenza futhi silalele.’ Ngakho uMose wathatha igazi [lezinkunzi ezazihlatshiwe] walifafaza kubantu wathi: ‘Nanti igazi lesivumelwano uJehova asenze nani ngokuqondene nawo wonke la mazwi.’ ”—Eks. 24:3-8.

⁴ Isivumelwano soMthetho saqala ukusebenza eNtabeni YaseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E. Ngaleso sivumelwano, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo sahlukaniswa kwezinye saba isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe. UJehova wabe eseba ‘uMahluleli waso, uMniki-zimiso waso neNkosi yaso.’ (Isaya 33:22) Umlando wakwa-Israyeli usinika umbhalo ogciniwe walokho okwenzekayo lapho izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zigcinwa nalapho zingagcinwa. Njengoba uMthetho wawukwenqabela ukuganiselana nezinye izizwe nokuhlanganyela ekukhulekeleni kwamanga, wawuklanyelwe ukuvikela uhlu lozalo luka-Abrahama ukuba lungonakaliswa.—Eks. 20:4-6; 34:12-16.

5. (a) Isivumelwano soMthetho samvulela liphi ithuba u-Israyeli? (b) Kungani uJehova amlahla u-Israyeli?

⁵ Isivumelwano soMthetho saphinde senza kwaba nelungiselelo lobupristi, elaliwumfuziselo welungiselelo elikhulu elaliseza. (Heb. 7:11; 10:1) Eqinisweni, leso sivumelwano sanikeza u-Israyeli ithuba nelungelo eliyingqayizivele lokuba “umbuso wabapristi,” uma nje ehlangabezana nemfuneko eyayishiwo yokulalela imithetho kaJehova. (Funda u-Eksodusi 19:5, 6.) Kodwa u-Israyeli wehluleka ukuhlangabezana nale mfuneko. Kunokuba sikwazise ukufika kukaMesiya, oyingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama, lesi sizwe samenqaba. Ngenxa yalokho uNkulunkulu wasilahla.

6. Yini eyafezwa uMthetho?

⁶ Ukwehluleka kuka-Israyeli ukuhlala ethembekile kuJehova futhi akwazi ukuveza bonke ababeyokwakha umbuso wabapristi kwakungasho ukuthi uMthetho wawehlulekile. Injongo yoMthetho yayiwukuvikela inzalo nokuholela abantu kuMesiya. Indima yoMthetho yagcwaliseka lapho nje uKristu esefikile futhi esaziwa. IBhayibheli lithi: “UKristu uyisiphetho soMthetho.” (Roma 10:4) Nokho, umbuzo uyasala: Obani-ke ababeyonikezwa ithuba lokuba umbuso wabapristi? UJehova uNkulunkulu walungiselela esinye isivumelwano  esingokomthetho ukuze kwakhiwe isizwe esisha.

7. Yini uJehova ayibikezela ngoJeremiya ngokuphathelene nesivumelwano esisha?

⁷ Esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba isivumelwano soMthetho siqedwe, uJehova wabikezela ngomprofethi uJeremiya ukuthi wayeyokwenza “isivumelwano esisha” nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli. (Funda uJeremiya 31:31-33.) Leso sivumelwano sasiyohluka esivumelwaneni soMthetho ngoba sona sasiyokwenza ukuba izono zithethelelwe ngaphandle kwesidingo semihlatshelo yezilwane. Sasiyokwenza kanjani lokho?

8, 9. (a) Yini efezwa igazi likaJesu elachitheka? (b) Iliphi ithuba elavulekela labo abasesivumelwaneni esisha? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁸ Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka uJesu wamisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngoNisani 14, 33 C.E. Lapho ekhuluma ngendebe yewayini, watshela abaphostoli bakhe abangu-11 abathembekile: “Le ndebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami, elizothululwa ngenxa yenu.” (Luka 22:20) Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuwacaphuna ngale ndlela amazwi kaJesu ngewayini: “Lokhu kusho ‘igazi’ lami ‘lesivumelwano,’ elizothululwa ngenxa yabaningi ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono.”—Math. 26:27, 28.

⁹ Igazi likaJesu elachitheka liqinisa isivumelwano esisha. Lelo gazi lenza futhi kwenzeke ukuba izono zithethelelwe kube kanye kuphela. Isivumelwano esisha asenziwa noJesu. Njengoba engenasono, akakudingi ukuthethelelwa. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayengasebenzisa inani legazi likaJesu elachitheka enzalweni ka-Adamu. Wayengakwazi nokuthola abathile abazinikele kuye babe “njengamadodana” akhe ngokubagcoba ngomoya ongcwele. (Funda eyabaseRoma 8:14-17.) Njengoba uNkulunkulu esebabheka njengabangenasono, ngomqondo othile babeyoba njengoJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu engenasono. Laba abagcotshiweyo babeyoba “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu” futhi babe nethuba lokuba “umbuso wabapristi.” Leli yilungelo okwakumelwe litholwe isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngaphansi koMthetho. Ngokuqondene nalezi “zindlalifa ezikanye noKristu,” umphostoli uPetru wathi: “ ‘Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Pet. 2:9) Yeka ukuthi sibaluleke kangakanani isivumelwano esisha! Senza abafundi bakaJesu bakwazi ukuba ingxenye yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama.

10. Isivumelwano esisha saqala nini ukusebenza, futhi kungani kwaze kwaba yingaleso sikhathi?

¹⁰ Isivumelwano esisha saqala nini ukusebenza? Asiqalanga lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngaso ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina emhlabeni. Ukuze siqale ukusebenza kwakudingeka ukuba igazi lakhe lichitheke futhi inani lalo liyiswe kuJehova ezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakudingeka kuthululwe umoya ongcwele kulabo ababeyoba “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” Ngakho, isivumelwano esisha saqala ukusebenza ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. lapho abafundi bakaJesu abaqotho begcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele.

11. Isivumelwano esisha senza kanjani ukuba kokubili amaJuda nabeZizwe babe ingxenye ka-Israyeli ongokomoya, futhi bangaki ababeyokuba kulesi sivumelwano esisha?

¹¹ Nakuba isivumelwano soMthetho sangaphambili ngomqondo othile senziwa “sangabe sisasebenza” lapho uJehova ememezela ngoJeremiya ukuthi wayeyokwenza isivumelwano esisha no-Israyeli, asizange siphele kwaze kwaba yilapho isivumelwano esisha siqala ukusebenza. (Heb. 8:13) Lapho sesiqalile ukusebenza, uNkulunkulu  wayengabheka kokubili amakholwa angamaJuda nabeZizwe abangasokile ngendlela efanayo, njengoba ‘ukusoka kwabo kuyilokho kwenhliziyo ngomoya, hhayi ngesimiso esilotshiwe.’ (Roma 2:29) Ngokwenza nabo isivumelwano esisha, uNkulunkulu wayeyofaka imithetho yakhe “ezingqondweni zabo, [ayilobe] nasezinhliziyweni zabo.” (Heb. 8:10) Isibalo esiphelele salabo abasesivumelwaneni esisha sasiyoba ngu-144 000, bakhe isizwe esisha—“u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu”—u-Israyeli ongokomoya.—Gal. 6:16; IsAm. 14:1, 4.

12. Imuphi umahluko okhona phakathi kwesivumelwano soMthetho nesivumelwano esisha?

¹² Isivumelwano soMthetho sihluke kanjani esivumelwaneni esisha? Isivumelwano soMthetho sasiphakathi kukaJehova no-Israyeli wemvelo; isivumelwano esisha siphakathi kukaJehova no-Israyeli ongokomoya. Umlamuleli wesivumelwano sokuqala kwakunguMose; uMlamuleli wesivumelwano esisha uJesu. Isivumelwano soMthetho saqiniswa ngegazi lezilwane; isivumelwano esisha sona saqiniswa ngegazi likaJesu elachitheka. Futhi kwasetshenziswa isivumelwano soMthetho ukuba kuhlelwe isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngaphansi kukaMose; labo abasesivumelwaneni esisha bahlelwa ngaphansi kukaJesu—iNhloko yebandla.—Efe. 1:22.

13, 14. (a) Isivumelwano esisha sihlobene kanjani noMbuso? (b) Yini edingekayo ukuze u-Israyeli ongokomoya akwazi ukubusa noKristu ezulwini?

¹³ Isivumelwano esisha sihlobene noMbuso ngokuthi siveza isizwe esingcwele esinelungelo lokuba amakhosi nabapristi kulowo Mbuso wasezulwini. Leso sizwe sakha ingxenye yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama. (Gal. 3:29) Ngakho, isivumelwano esisha siqinisa isivumelwano sika-Abrahama.

¹⁴ Kunesinye futhi isici soMbuso okusamelwe sikhanyiswe. Isivumelwano esisha siveza u-Israyeli ongokomoya futhi sinikeze isisekelo sokuba amalungu aso abe “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” Nokho, kudingeka ilungiselelo elingokomthetho eliwabophayo ukuze avunyelwe ukuba ahlanganyele noJesu eMbusweni wakhe njengamakhosi nabapristi ezulwini.

15. Isiphi isivumelwano uJesu asenza nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile?

¹⁵ Ngemva kokumisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, uJesu wenza isivumelwano nabafundi bakhe abathembekile, ngokuvamile okubhekiselwa kuso ngokuthi isivumelwano soMbuso. (Funda uLuka 22:28-30.) Ngokungafani nezinye izivumelwano uJehova angumhlanganyeli kuzo, lesi isivumelwano esiphakathi kukaJesu nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe. Lapho ethi, “njengoba nje uBaba enze isivumelwano . . . nami,” kubonakala ayebhekisele kuleso uJehova ayesenze naye sokuba “umpristi kuze kube phakade ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki.”—Heb. 5:5, 6.

16. Yini isivumelwano soMbuso esenza amaKristu agcotshiwe akwazi ukuyenza?

¹⁶ Abaphostoli abangu-11 abathembekile babengazange ‘bamshiye uJesu ekulingweni kwakhe.’ Isivumelwano soMbuso sabaqinisekisa ngokuthi babeyoba naye ezulwini, bahlale ezihlalweni zobukhosi ukuze babuse njengamakhosi futhi bakhonze njengabapristi. Nokho, akubona bodwa labo baphostoli abangu-11 ababeyoba nalelo lungelo. UJesu okhazinyulisiwe wabonakala kumphostoli uJohane embonweni wathi: “Onqobayo ngiyomnika ukuba ahlale nami esihlalweni sami sobukhosi, njengoba nje nami nganqoba, ngahlala noBaba esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi.” (IsAm. 3:21) Ngakho, isivumelwano soMbuso senziwa namaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000. (IsAm. 5:9, 10;  7:4) Yilesi isivumelwano esakha isisekelo esingokomthetho sokuba babuse noJesu ezulwini. Lokhu kuyefana nomakoti okuthi ngokushada nenkosi, naye abe sesikhundleni sokuhlanganyela amandla ayo okubusa. Eqinisweni, imiBhalo ibhekisela kwabagcotshiweyo ngokuthi ‘bangumlobokazi’ kaKristu, ‘intombi emsulwa’ ethenjiswe umshado noKristu.—IsAm. 19:7, 8; 21:9; 2 Kor. 11:2.

17, 18. (a) Bukeza kafushane izivumelwano eziyisithupha ezihlobene noMbuso esixoxe ngazo. (b) Kungani singaba nokholo olungenakunyakaziswa eMbusweni?

¹⁷ Zonke izivumelwano esixoxe ngazo kulezi zihloko ezimbili zihlobene nesici soMbuso esibaluleke kakhulu esisodwa noma ezengeziwe. (Bheka ishadi elithi “Indlela UNkulunkulu Azoyifeza Ngayo Injongo Yakhe.” elisesihlokweni esandulele.) Leli qiniso ligcizelela ukuthi ilungiselelo loMbuso lisekelwe ngokuqinile ezivumelwaneni ezingokomthetho. Ngakho sinesizathu esinamandla sokuthembela ngokugcwele eMbusweni KaMesiya njengethuluzi uNkulunkulu alisebenzisayo ukuze enze injongo yakhe yokuqala ngomhlaba nangesintu igcwaliseke.—IsAm. 11:15.

¹⁸ Singakungabaza yini ukuthi lokho uMbuso okufezayo kuyophumela ezibusisweni zaphakade zesintu? Singasho kugcwale umlomo ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwekhambi lazo zonke izinkinga zabantu. Kwangathi singalihlanganyela ngentshiseko lelo qiniso nabanye!—Math. 24:14.