24—IPasika

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiEksodus 11; 12:1-32.]

Ukuqala kokubekwa ukuba kufuneka kukhululwe uIsrayeli phambi kukakumkani waseYiputa, sanikwa isilumkiso sezibetho ezibi kakhulu. UMoses wayalelwa ukuba athi kuFaro, “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Unyana wam wamazibulo nguIsrayeli; ndithi kuwe, Mndulule unyana wam lowo, andikhonze; walile nje ukumndulula, uyabona, ndombulala unyana wakho, amazibulo akho.” Eksodus 4:22, 23. Nangona ayedelekile kumaYiputa, amaIsrayeli ayephakanyisiwe nguThixo, kuba ayenyulwe angabagcini bomthetho waKhe. Kwiintsikelelo namalungelo ababewanikiwe, babezivelele izizwe, njengonyana wamazibulo kubantakwabo.ANa 273.1

Isigwebo eyalunyukiswa ngaso kuqala iYiputa, saba sesokugqibela ukuthunyelwa. UThixo uzeka kade umsindo, emninzi ngenceba. Ubakhathalele ngothando abantu awabenza ngokomfanekiselo waKhe. Ukubona ukulahlekwa sisivuno sabo, nemihlambi namaqela emfuyo kwakuyizisile inguquko eYiputa, ngebengazanga babulawa abantwana; kodwa isizwe saxhathisa ngenkani kumyalelo wezulu, kwaza ngoku kwaba kuza kuwa igalelo lokugqibela.ANa 273.2

UMoses wayalelwe, ngokuthenjiswa ngokubulawa, ukuba abuye aphinde avele phambi kukaFaro; kodwa kwakufuneka isigidimi sikaThixo sokugqibela sihanjisiwe kukumkani onengcwangu; waza waphinda uMoses ukuya phambi kwakhe, nesaziso esoyikekayo: “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, Xa kuphakathi kobusuku, ndiya kuphuma ndihambe phakathi kweYiputa, afe onke amazibulo ezweni laseYiputa, ethabathela kumazibulo kaFaro, ohleliyo etroneni yakhe, ese kumazibulo omkhonzazana osemva kwamatye okusila, namazibulo onke eenkomo; kubekho isikhalo esikhulu ezweni lonke laseYiputa, ekungazanga kubekho sinjalo, kwaye kungayi kuphinda kubekho sinjalo. Ke kubo bonke oonyana bakaIsrayeli, akukho nja iya kubavungamela,kuthabathela emntwinikuse ezinkomeni; ukuze nazi ukuba uYehova uyawahlula amaYiputa kumaIsrayeli; behle bonke abakhonzi bakho abo, beze kum, baqubude kum besithi, Phuma wena nabantu bonke abakulandelayo; ndiphume ke emveni koko.”ANa 273.3

Phambi kokuba asiphumeze esi sigwebo, uYehova, ngoMoses, wanika abantwana bakwaIsrayeli umyalelo ngokuphuma kwabo eYiputa, ngakumbi ngokubagcina kugwebo olwalusiza. Usapho ngalunye, okanye luhlangene nezinye, lwaluza kuxhela imvana okanye itakane lebhokhwe “elingenasiphako,” nesipha sehisope, kutshizwe igazi “emigubasini yomibini nasemqadini” wendlu, ukuze ingelosi etshabalalisayo, xa ifika enzulwini yobusuku, ingangeni kuloo ndlu. Kwakufuneka bayitye yosiwe inyama, nesonka esingenagwele namahlamvu akrakrayo, ebusuku, ngokutsho kukaMoses, “nibhinqile, nineembadada ezinyaweni zenu, ninentonga esandleni senu, nidle buphuthuphuthu: leyo yipasika kuYehova.”ANa 274.1

UYehova wathi, “Ndiya kucanda ezweni laseYiputa ngobu busuku, ndibethe onke amazibulo ezweni laseYiputa, ndithabathele emntwini ndise enkomeni, ndenze izigwebo koothixo bonke baseYiputa, . . . Igazi elo loba ngumqondiso kuni ezindlwini enikuzo. Ndolibona igazi, ndigqithe kuni, singabikho kuni isibetho esonakalisayo, ekulibetheni kwam ilizwe laseYiputa.”ANa 274.2

Ukukhumbula le mini inkulu yokuhlangulwa, kuya kuthi minyaka yonke kwenziwe isidlo ngabantu bakwaIsrayeli nakuzo zonke izizukulwana. “Le mini yoba sisikhumbuzo kuni, niyenze umthendeleko kuYehova; ezizukulwaneni zenu niyenze ummiselo ongunaphakade.” Ekugcineni kwabo isidlo kwiminyaka ezayo, babeya kuliphinda ebantwaneni babo ibali lokuhlangulwa okukhulu, njengoko wabayalelayo uMoses: “Nithi ke, Ngumbingelelo wepasika kuYehova, owagqitha ezindlwini zoonyana bakaIsrayeli eYiputa; ekubulaleni kwakhe amaYiputa, wazihlangula izindlu zethu.”ANa 274.3

Ngaphezu koko, amazibulo abantu nezilwanyana aya kuba ngakaYehova, akhululwe kuphela nentlawulelo, ukuvuma ukuba xa amazibulo eYiputa ayetshabalala, awamaIsrayeli, nangona asindiswa ngobabalo, ayejongene kanye nesiphelo esifanayo ukuba kwakunge ngambingeleloocamagushayo. Onkeamazibulongawam,” watsho uYehova; “mini ndawabethayo onke amazibulo ezweni laseYiputa, ndazingcwalisela onke amazibulo kwaIsrayeli, ethabathela emntwini esa enkomeni. Oba ngawam, mna Yehova.” Numeri 3:13. Emva kokumiselwa kwenkonzo yomnquba, uYehova wazikhethela uhlanga lukaLevi ukuba lusebenze ingcwele, endaweni yamazibulo abantu. “Ndibanikiwe ndabanikwa phakathi koonyana bakaIsrayeli.” Watsho. “Ndabathabathela kum esikhundleni sabo bonke abavula isizalo, amazibulo onke koonyana bakaIsrayeli.” Numeri 8:16. Ukuvuma inceba kaThixo, bonke abantu kwakusalindeleke ukuba bahlawule ixabiso lokuhlangulwa behlawulela amazibulo abo. Numeri 18:15, 16.ANa 277.1

IPasika yayiza kuba sisikhumbuzo kwanomfuziselo, inganeli kwalatha emva kuphela ekukhululweni eYiputa, kodwa naphambili kukhululo olukhulu uKristu awayeza kulenza ngokukhulula abantu baKhe kubukhoboka besono. Imvana yombingelelo imele “iMvana kaThixo,” elikuyo kuphela ithemba lethu losindiso. Uthi umpostile, “Siyibingelelwe neyethu ipasika enguKristu.” 1 Korinte 5:7. Kwakunganelanga ukuba imvana yepasika ixheliwe; igazi layo kwakufuneka litshizwe emigubasini; ngokunjalo, nokulunga kwegazi likaKristu kufuneka kusetyenziswe emphefumlweni. Kufuneka sikholwe, kungekuphela nje ukuba walifela ihlabathi, kodwa wafela umntu ngamnye. Kufuneka sizithabathele kuthi ubuhle bombingelelo ocamagushelayo.ANa 277.2

Ukusetyenziswa kwehisope xa kutshizwa igazi kwakufuzisela intlambululo, njengoko yayisetyenziswa ukuhlamba oneqhenqa kunye nongcoliswe kukuphatha umntu ofileyo. Umthandazo womdumisi kuyabonakala ukubaluleka kwawo: “Ndihlambulule ngehisope, ndihlambuluke; ndixovule, ndibe mhlophe kunekhephu.” Ndumiso 51:7.ANa 277.3

Imvana kwakufuneka ilungiswe yonke, kungaphuki nalinye ithambo kuyo: ngokunjalo kwakungayi kufuneka kwaphuke nalinye ithambo leMvana kaThixo, eyayiza kusifela. Yohane 19:36. Ngolo hlobo kwakubonakaliswa ukuphelela kombingelelo kaKristu.ANa 277.4

Inyama kwakufuneka ityiwe. Akwanelanga ukukholelwa nje kuKristu ukuba sixolelwe izono; kufuneka ngokholo sithi rhoqo sisamkela amandla kaMoya nokondliwa nguYe ngeLizwi laKhe. UKristu wathi, “Ukuba anithanga niyidle inyama yoNyana woMntu, nilisele igazi lakhe, aninabo ubomi kuni. Lowo uyidlayo eyam inyama, alisele elamigazi, unobomi obungunaphakade.” Yohane 6:53, 54. Ukuchazaintsingiselo yaKhe, wathi, “Amazwila ndiwathethayo kuni mna angumoya, abubomi.” Indima 63. UYesu wawamkela umthetho kaYise, wayiphila imithetho-siseko yawo ebomini baKhe, wabonakalisa umoya wawo, wabonisa ukulunga kwamandla awo entliziyweni. Uthi uYohane, “ULizwi waba yinyama, wahlala phakathi kwethu, sabubona ubuqaqawuli bakhe, ubuqaqawuli kanye bowokuphela kwamzeleyo uYise, ezele lubabalo nayinyaniso.” Yohane 1:14. Abalandeli bakaKristu kufuneka baxhamle kumava aKhe. Kufuneka balamkele baletyise ilizwi likaThixo ukuze libe ngamandla akhuthazayo ebomini nakwizenzo. Ngamandla kaKristu kufuneka batshintshelwe kumfanekiselo waKhe, baze babonakalise iimpawu zezulu. Kufuneka batye inyama basele igazi loNyana kaThixo, okanye abanabo ubomi kubo. Umoya nomsebenzi kaKristu kufuneka ube ngumoya nomsebenzi wabafundi baKhe.ANa 277.5

Imvana kwakufuneka ityiwe namahlamvu akrakrayo, ukwalatha emva kubukrakra bobukhoboka baseYiputa. Ngoko ke xa sisitya uKristu, kufuneka kube kukutyumka kwentliziyo, ngenxa yezono zethu. Ukusetyenziswa kwesonka esingenagwele nako kwakubalulekile. Kwakuyalelwe ngokucacileyo emthethweni wePasika, waza wagcinwa ngqongqo ngamaYuda ekwenzeni kwawo, ukuze kungaze kufumaneke igwele ezindlwini zawo ngexesha lesidlo. Kwangokunjalo, igwele lesono malisuswe kubo bonke abathabatha ubomi nesondlo sikaKristu. Kungoko uPawulos, xa ebhalela ibandla laseKorinte, esithi, “Likhupheni ngoko kuthi tu igwele elidala, ukuze nibe yintlama entsha. . . . Kuba nathi siyibingelelwe neyethu ipasika, enguKristu. Ngoko ke ukwenza umthendeleko, masingawenzi sinegwele elidala, negwele lobubi, nelokungendawo; masiwenze sinezonka ezingenagwele, ezingenasibhidi, ezinenyaniso.” 1 Korinte 5:7, 8.ANa 278.1

Phambi kokuba afumane inkululeko, kwafuneka amakhoboka abonise ukukholelwa koko kuhlangulwa kukhulu kwakuza kwenzeka. Uphawu lwegazi kufuneka lubekiwe ezindlwini zawo, kwaye kufuneka bazahlule neentsapho zabo kumaYiputa, bahlangane kwizindlu zabo (bodwa). Ukuba amaIsrayeli ayeye atyeshela nayiphina inkcukacha yomyalelo awunikiweyo, ukuba ayekutyeshele ukwahlula abantwana bawo kumaYiputa, ukuba ayeyixhelile imvana, kodwa asilela ukuqaba igazi emgubasini, okanye kubekho ubani othi aphume endlwini yakhe, ayengayi kukhuseleka. Ayenokukholwa ngenene ukuba enze konke okwakufuneka, kodwa ukunyaniseka kwawo (ekukholweni), kwakungayi kuwanceda. Bonke abasilelayo ukuthobela imiyalelo kaThixo babeya kulahlekwa ngamazibulo abo esandleni somtshabalalisi.ANa 278.2

Ngokuthobela, abantu babeya kuba banika ubungqina bokholo lwabo. Ngokunjalo, bonke abathembe ukusindiswa ngokulunga kwegazi likaKristu, kufuneka bazi ukuba ngabo ngokwabo ekufuneka benze into ukuze baluzuze usindiso lwabo. Naxa inguKristu kuphela onokusihlangula kwisohlwayo sokreqo, kufuneka sibuye esonweni size ekuthobeleni. Umntu uza kusindiswa ngokholo, kungengamisebenzi; kodwa ukholo lwakhe kufuneka lubonakaliswe ngemisebenzi yakhe. UThixo unikele ngoNyana waKhe njengesicamagushelo sesono, ukubonakalisile ukukhanya kwenyaniso; indlela yobomi, wanikela ngezixhobo, imithetho, namalungelo, ngoku kufuneka umntu asebenzisane nezi zisebenzisi; kufuneka axabise, asebenzise uncedo uThixo alubekileyo — akholwe, athobele yonke imiyalelo yezulu.ANa 279.1

Wathi xa uMoses ewuphinda kuIsrayeli, umsindleko kaThixo wokubahlangula, “bathoba abantu, baqubuda.” Ithemba lovuyo lwenkululeko, ulwazi oloyikekayo lomgwebo ojingayo phezu kwabacinezeli babo, amaxhala nemisebenzi efanele ukunduluka okukhawulezileyo, konke kwagqunywa ngumbulelo kuMkhululi wabo onenceba. AmaYiputa amaninzi anyanzeleka ukuba amvume uThixo wamaHebhere njengokuphela kwaKhe uThixo oyinyaniso, aza abongoza ukuba afumane igwiba emakhayeni akwaIsrayeli xa ingelosi etshabalalisayo idlula elizweni. Amkeleka ngovuyo, aza azibophelela ukuba, ukususela ngoko, aya kukhonza uThixo kaYakobi, aphume nabantu baKhe eYiputa.ANa 279.2

AmaIsrayeli ayithobela imiyalelo awawanika yona uThixo. Ngokukhawuleza nasemfihlakalweni awenza amalungiselelo okunduluka. Iintsapho zawo zahlangana, imvana yepasika yaxhelwa, inyama yosiwa emlilweni, isonka esingenagwele namahlamvu akrakra alungiswa. Utata, nongumbingeleli wosapho, walitshiza igazi emgubasini, wahlangana nosapho lwakhe khona apho kwindawo abahlala kuyo. Buphuthuphuthu nangokuzola, yatyiwa imvana yepasika. Ngentlonipho, abantu bathandaza bakhangela, intliziyo yonyana omkhulu, kwindoda eyomeleleyo kuse kumntwana omncinane, ibetha ngoloyiko olungenakuchazwa. Ootata noomama babafunqula ezingalweni abamazibulo abathandekayo, xa becinga ngesibetho esoyikekayo esasiza kuwa ngobo busuku. Ayikho indawo ekuhlala kuyo uIsrayeli eyafikelwa yingelosi ephethe ukufa. Umqondiso wegazi—uphawu lokhuselo loMsindisi—wawuphezu kweminyango, waza akangena umtshabalalisi.ANa 279.3

Phakathi kobusuku “kwabakho isikhalo esikhulu eYiputa;kuba akubangakho ndlu ingenamntu ufileyo.” Onke amazibulo elizweni, “kwathabathela kowamazibulo kaFaro ohleliyo etroneni yakhe, kwasa kowamazibulo womthinjwa osentolongweni engumhadi, namazibulo onke eenkomo” abulawa ngumtshabalalisi. Kububanzi beYiputa igugu lalo lonke ikhaya lalibulewe. Izikhalo nezijwili zabafelweyo zawuzalisa umoya. Ukumkani namaphakathi, ubuso bumbatshile namadolo neengalo zingcangcazela, bonke bema bekhwankqisiwe bububi obabubongamele. UFaro wakhumbula indlela awadanduluka ngayo, esithi, “Ngubanina uYehova ukuba ndiphulaphule izwi lakhe, lokuba ndindulule uIsrayeli? Andimazi uYehova, kananjalo andiyi kumndulula uIsrayeli.” Ngoku, ikratshi lakhe lokudelela izulu lihlele eluthulini, “Wabiza UMoses noAron ebusuku, wathi, Sukani niphume phakathi kwabantu bam, nina aba noonyana bakaIsrayeli, nihambe niye kumkhonza uYehova, njengokutsho kwenu; nempahla yenu emfutshane neenkomo zenu zithabatheni, njengoko natshoyo, nihambe; nam nindisikelele.” Abacebisi basebukhosini kunye nabantu bawabongoza amaIsrayeli ukuba ahambe “ngobungxamo kwelo zwe; kuba abesithi, Sonke sesifile.”ANa 280.1