1. Yini abanye abantu abayicabangayo ngokuba kukaNkulunkulu nabantu emhlabeni?

ABANTU abaningi abacabangayo namuhla bayavuma ukuthi izinkolo ezinkulu, ezeLobukholwa nezingezona ezeLobukholwa, azibazuzisi kangako abantu. Abanye bayavuma ukuthi lezo zinkolo zimmelela kabi uNkulunkulu ngezimfundiso nangokuziphatha kwazo, ngakho akunakwenzeka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyazamukela. Nokho, bakholelwa ukuthi kunabantu abaqotho kuzo zonke izinkolo nokuthi uNkulunkulu uyababona abamukele njengabakhulekeli bakhe emhlabeni. Abasiboni isidingo sokuba labo bantu baphume enkolweni yamanga ukuze bamkhulekele bebodwa. Kodwa ingabe yile ndlela uNkulunkulu acabanga ngayo? Ake sithole impendulo ngokubukeza umlando othile osemiBhalweni wabakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso.

2. Obani ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ababa abantu bakaJehova abakhethekile, futhi yini eyabenza bahluka kwabanye abantu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

² UJehova waba nabantu abakhethekile emhlabeni kusukela  ngawo-1900 B.C.E. U-Abrahama, owabizwa ngokuthi “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo,” wayeyinhloko yomndeni owawunamalungu abalelwa emakhulwini. (Roma 4:11; Gen. 14:14) Ababusi baseKhanani babembheka ‘njengesikhulu’ futhi bemhlonipha. (Gen. 21:22; 23:6) UJehova wenza isivumelwano no-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe. (Gen. 17:1, 2, 19) UNkulunkulu wathi ku-Abrahama: “Yilesi isivumelwano sami eniyosigcina, phakathi kwami nani, ngisho nenzalo yakho ngemva kwakho: Wonke umuntu wesilisa kini kumelwe asokwe. . . . Futhi kumelwe kusebenze njengesibonakaliso sesivumelwano phakathi kwami nani.” (Gen. 17:10, 11) Ngakho, u-Abrahama nabo bonke abesilisa bendlu yakhe basokwa. (Gen. 17:24-27) Ukusoka kwakuyisibonakaliso esasenza inzalo ka-Abrahama ihluke njengabantu okuwukuphela kwabo ababenesivumelwano noJehova.

3. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba inzalo ka-Abrahama ibe isizwe?

³ Umzukulu ka-Abrahama uJakobe, noma u-Israyeli, waba namadodana angu-12. (Gen. 35:10, 22b-26) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, la madodana ayezoba izinhloko zemindeni engu-12 yakwa-Israyeli. (IzE. 7:8) Ngenxa yendlala, uJakobe nabendlu yakhe babalekela eGibhithe, lapho enye yamadodana akhe, uJosefa, yayisingumqondisi wokudla nesethenjwa sikaFaro khona. (Gen. 41:39-41; 42:6) Inzalo kaJakobe yanda kakhulu, yaba “ibandla lezizwe.”—Gen. 48:4; funda izEnzo 7:17.

4. Ekuqaleni babunjani ubuhlobo babaseGibhithe nenzalo kaJakobe?

⁴ Inzalo kaJakobe yahlala eGibhithe iminyaka engaphezudlwana kwamakhulu amabili, esifundeni saseGosheni esingasesizalweni soMfula iNayile. (Gen. 45:9, 10) Kubonakala sengathi phakathi nengxenye yokuqala yaleso sikhathi yayihlalisene ngokuthula nabaseGibhithe, ihlala emizaneni futhi izelusela imihlambi yayo yezimvu nezinkomo. UFaro, owayazi uJosefa futhi emazisa, wayeyamukele ngezandla ezifudumele. (Gen. 47:1-6) Abantu baseGibhithe babebabukela phansi abantu abelusa izimvu. (Gen. 46:31-34) Kodwa kwadingeka bawabekezelele ama-Israyeli.

5, 6. (a) Isimo sabantu bakaNkulunkulu eGibhithe sashintsha kanjani? (b) UMose wasinda kanjani, futhi yini uJehova ayenzela bonke abantu baKhe?

⁵ Kodwa isimo sabantu bakaNkulunkulu sasizoshintsha kakhulu. “Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwavela inkosi entsha eGibhithe eyayingamazi uJosefa. Yathi kubantu bayo: ‘Bhekani! Abantu babantwana bakwa-Israyeli baningi kunathi futhi banamandla kunathi.’ Ngakho abaseGibhithe benza abantwana bakwa-Israyeli izigqila ngaphansi kobushiqela. Futhi babelokhu bekwenza kube munyu ukuphila kwabo ngokubagqilaza kanzima odakeni lobumba nasezitinini nangazo zonke izinhlobo zokugqilazeka ensimini, yebo, ngazo zonke izinhlobo zobugqila ababebasebenzisa kuzo njengezigqila ngaphansi kobushiqela.”—Eks. 1:8, 9, 13, 14.

⁶ UFaro waze wayala nokuba zonke izingane zabafana zamaHebheru zibulawe lapho zizalwa. (Eks. 1:15, 16) UMose wazalwa ngaleso sikhathi. Lapho enezinyanga ezintathu, unina wamfihla emhlangeni waseNayile, lapho atholwa khona indodakazi kaFaro. Kamuva yamenza umntanayo. Kwaba isibusiso ukuthi lapho esemncane akhuliswe unina othembekile, uJokebedi, ngakho waba inceku kaJehova eqotho. (Eks. 2:1-10; Heb. 11:23-25) UJehova ‘wakuqaphela’ ukuhlupheka kwabantu bakhe, wanquma ukubakhulula kubacindezeli babo, esebenzisa uMose njengomholi. (Eks. 2:24, 25; 3:9, 10) Ngenxa yalokho, babezoba abantu ‘abakhululwe’ uJehova.—Eks. 15:13; funda uDuteronomi 15:15.

7, 8. Abantu bakaJehova baba kanjani isizwe esingcwele?

⁷ Nakuba uJehova ayengakawahleli ama-Israyeli aba isizwe, wayewabheka njengabantu bakhe. Ngakho, uMose no-Aroni bayalwa ukuba bathi kuFaro: “Yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushilo, ‘Mukisa abantu bami ukuze bangigubhele umkhosi ehlane.’”—Eks. 5:1.

⁸ Kwadingeka ukuba iGibhithe lishaywe ngezinhlupho eziyishumi futhi kubhujiswe uFaro namabutho akhe oLwandle Olubomvu, ukuze abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhululwe ekucindezelweni abaseGibhithe. (Eks. 15:1-4) Zingakapheli izinyanga ezintathu ekhululiwe, uJehova wenza isivumelwano nama-Israyeli eNtabeni iSinayi, wawanika lesi sithembiso esaba esibalulekile emlandweni wawo: “Uma nizolilalela nokulilalela izwi lami futhi nizosigcina impela isivumelwano sami, ngokuqinisekile niyoba impahla yami ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe, [nibe isizwe] esingcwele.”—Eks. 19:5, 6.

9, 10. (a) NgokukaDuteronomi 4:5-8, uMthetho wawenza kanjani ama-Israyeli ahluka kwabanye abantu? (b) Ama-Israyeli kwakufanele abonise kanjani ukuthi ‘ayisizwe esingcwele kuJehova’?

⁹ Lapho eseseGibhithe, engakabi izigqila, amaHebheru ayehlelwe ngokwemindeni eqondiswa izinhloko zayo, noma izinzalamizi. Lezi zinhloko zemindeni zazingababusi, abahluleli nabapristi bezindlu zazo, njengoba kwakunjalo ngezinceku zikaJehova zangaphambili. (Gen. 8:20; 18:19; Jobe 1:4, 5) Nokho, esebenzisa uMose, uJehova wanika ama-Israyeli isimiso somthetho esasizowahlukanisa kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe. (Funda uDuteronomi 4:5-8; IHu. 147:19, 20.) UMthetho wawufuna ukuba abapristi bazimele, futhi umsebenzi wokwahlulela wawenziwa “amadoda amadala,” ayehlonishwa ngolwazi nokuhlakanipha kwawo. (Dut. 25:7, 8) UMthetho waqondisa imisebenzi yezenkolo neyezenhlalo yalesi sizwe esasisanda kumiswa.

¹⁰ Ngaphambi nje kokuba ama-Israyeli angene eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wayiphinda imithetho yakhe kuwo, futhi uMose wawatshela: “UJehova, yena, ukunxenxé ukuba usho namuhla ukuthi uyoba yisizwe sakhe, impahla ekhethekile, njengoba nje ekuthembisile, nokuthi uyogcina yonke imiyalo yakhe, nokuthi uyokuphakamisa ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izizwe azenzile, umphumela kube indumiso, nedumela elihle nobuhle, kuyilapho uzibonakalisa uyisizwe esingcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.”—Dut. 26:18, 19.

11-13. (a) Obani abazihlanganisa nabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe? (b) Yini okwakudingeka umuntu ongeyena umIsrayeli ayenze uma efisa ukukhulekela uJehova?

¹¹ Nakuba uJehova ayesenesizwe asikhethile emhlabeni, akazange abenqabele abantu abangewona ama-Israyeli ukuba babe phakathi kwabantu bakhe. Wavumela “iqembu elikhulu eliyingxubevange” labantu abangewona ama-Israyeli, elihlanganisa nabaseGibhithe, ukuba lihambe nabantu bakhe lapho ebakhulula eGibhithe. (Eks. 12:38) Ngenhlupho yesikhombisa, abanye “phakathi kwezinceku zikaFaro” balesaba izwi likaJehova futhi akungabazeki ukuthi baba ingxenye yaleyo ngxubevange yabantu abaphuma eGibhithe nama-Israyeli.—Eks. 9:20.

¹² Ngaphambi nje kokuba ama-Israyeli awele iJordani ayodla izwe laseKhanani, uMose wawatshela ukuthi ‘kumelwe amthande umfokazi’ ophakathi kwawo. (Dut. 10:17-19) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe kwakumelwe bamukele noma ibaphi abantu bezinye izizwe ababezimisele ukugcina imithetho eyisisekelo eyanikezwa nguMose. (Lev. 24:22) Abanye abafokazi baba abakhulekeli bakaJehova, baba nemizwa efana nekaRuthe umMowabikazi,  owathi kuNawomi ongumIsrayeli: “Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami.” (Ruthe 1:16) Laba bafokazi baba amaproselithe nabesilisa babo bavuma ukusokwa. (Eks. 12:48, 49) UJehova wabamukela njengamalungu omphakathi wabantu bakhe abakhethiwe.—Num. 15:14, 15.

¹³ Ngesikhathi ithempeli likaSolomoni linikezelwa kuJehova, abakhulekeli abangewona ama-Israyeli bacatshangelwa, njengoba kuboniswa umthandazo kaSolomoni: “Nowesinye isizwe ongeyona ingxenye yabantu bakho u-Israyeli empeleni ozayo evela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho elikhulu nesandla sakho esinamandla nengalo yakho eyeluliwe, futhi empeleni bafike bathandaze bebheke kule ndlu, khona-ke kwangathi wena ngokwakho ungamlalela usemazulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala emisiwe, wenze ngokuvumelana nakho konke lowo wesinye isizwe akucela kuwe; ukuze zonke izizwe zomhlaba zilazi igama lakho futhi zikwesabe njengoba isizwe sakho u-Israyeli sikwesaba, futhi zazi ukuthi igama lakho libizwé phezu kwale ndlu engiyakhile.” (2 IziKr. 6:32, 33) Njengoba kwakusengenzeka nangosuku lukaJesu, noma imuphi umuntu ongeyena umIsrayeli owayefisa ukukhulekela uJehova kwakuyodingeka azihlanganise nabantu bakaJehova besivumelwano.—Joh. 12:20; IzE. 8:27.

14-16. (a) Ama-Israyeli ayezoba isizwe esingofakazi bakaJehova ngayiphi indlela? (b) Isiphi isibopho abantu bakaJehova banamuhla abanaso?

¹⁴ Ama-Israyeli ayekhulekela uNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova, kanti ezinye izizwe zazikhulekela onkulunkulu bazo. Ngesikhathi somprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova wafanisa isimo sezwe nesokuqulwa kwecala enkantolo. Wacela onkulunkulu bezizwe ukuba baveze ofakazi abazoqinisekisa ukuthi bangonkulunkulu ngempela, wathi: “Izizwe zonke maziqoqane ndawonye, amaqembu ezizwe mawabuthane ndawonye. Ngubani [konkulunkulu] phakathi kwazo ongakusho lokhu? Noma [angasenza] yini sizwe ngisho nezinto zokuqala? [Makaveze] ofakazi [bakhe], ukuze kuthiwe [ulungile], noma mazizwe zithi, ‘Kuyiqiniso!’”—Isaya 43:9.

¹⁵ Onkulunkulu bezizwe abakwazanga  ukuveza ubufakazi bokuba kwabo onkulunkulu. Babeyizithombe nje ezingakwazi nokukhuluma futhi ezazidinga ukuthwalwa abantu. (Isaya 46:5-7) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova watshela abantu bakhe u-Israyeli: “Ningofakazi bami, . . . yebo inceku yami engiyikhethile, ukuze nazi futhi nibe nokholo kimi, niqonde ukuthi ngisenguYe. Ngaphambi kwami kwakungekho Nkulunkulu owabunjwa, nangemva kwami kwaqhubeka kungekho noyedwa. Mina—mina nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwami akekho umsindisi. . . . Ngakho ningofakazi bami, . . . mina nginguNkulunkulu.”—Isaya 43:10-12.

¹⁶ Esimweni esasingafaniswa nokuqulwa kwecala enkantolo yendawo yonke ngempikiswano yokuthi “Ubani OnguNkulunkulu Ophakeme Kunabo Bonke?,” abantu bakaJehova abakhethiwe kwakumelwe bafakaze ngokucacile nangokuzwakalayo ukuthi uJehova kuphela onguNkulunkulu weqiniso. Wababiza ngokuthi “isizwe engizibumbele sona, ukuba silandise ngodumo lwami.” (Isaya 43:21) Babebizwa ngegama lakhe. Njengoba uJehova ayebakhulule eGibhithe, babenesibopho sokusekela ubukhosi bakhe phambi kwezinye izizwe zomhlaba. Empeleni, ukuma kwabo kwakufanele kufane nalokho kamuva umprofethi uMika akuchaza ngokuphathelene nabantu bakaNkulunkulu banamuhla: “Zonke izizwe, ziyohamba yileso naleso ngegama likankulunkulu waso; kodwa thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.”—Mika 4:5.

17. U-Israyeli waba kanjani “umvini wezinga eliphansi” phambi kukaJehova?

¹⁷ Kuyadabukisa ukuthi u-Israyeli akazange athembeke kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Wavumela ukuba athonywe izizwe ezazikhulekela onkulunkulu bokhuni nabetshe. Ngawo-700 B.C.E., umprofethi uHoseya wabhala: “U-Israyeli ungumvini wezinga eliphansi . . . Wandisé ama-altare akhe . . . Inhliziyo yakhe isibe nobuzenzisi; manje uzotholakala enecala.” (Hos. 10:1, 2) Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-150, uJeremiya waloba la mazwi uJehova awasho kubantu baKhe abangathembekile: “Ngangikutshale ungumvini obomvu wekhethelo, wonke uyimbewu yeqiniso. Ngakho ushintshwe kanjani kimi waba ngamahlumela ezinga eliphansi omunye umvini? . . . Baphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Mabavuke uma bekwazi ukukusindisa ngesikhathi senhlekelele yakho . . . Abantu bami [bangikhohliwe].”—Jer. 2:21, 28, 32.

18, 19. (a) UJehova wabikezela kanjani ukuthi wayeyoveza isizwe esisha segama lakhe? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Kunokuveza izithelo ezinhle ngokuqhuba ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nangokuziphatha njengofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile, u-Israyeli waveza izithelo ezibolile ngokukhonza izithombe. Yingakho uJesu atshela abaholi abangamaJuda abangabazenzisi bosuku lwakhe: “Niyophucwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.” (Math. 21:43) Yilabo kuphela ‘abasesivumelwaneni esisha,’ esabikezelwa uJehova ngomprofethi wakhe uJeremiya, ababengaba ingxenye yaleso sizwe esisha, u-Israyeli ongokomoya. Nakhu uJehova ayekuprofethile ngama-Israyeli angokomoya ayezongeniswa kuleso sivumelwano esisha: “Ngiyoba nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe ngabantu bami.”—Jer. 31:31-33.

¹⁹ Ngemva kokuba u-Israyeli wenyama ezibonakalise engathembekile, uJehova wenza u-Israyeli ongokomoya waba abantu bakhe ekhulwini lokuqala, njengoba sekuphawuliwe. Kodwa bangobani abantu bakhe emhlabeni namuhla? Abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho bangababona kanjani abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso? Sizoxoxa ngale ndaba esihlokweni esilandelayo.