36—Entlango
Phantse kwangamashumi amane eminyaka abantwana bakwaIsrayeli befihlakele, bengabonakali ekuhleni, besithele entlango. “Imihla,” utsho uMoses, “yokuhamba kwethu, sisuka eKadeshe-bharneha side siwele umlanjana weZerede, yaba yiminyaka emashumi mathathu anesibhozo; sada saphela sonke eso sizukulwana samadoda okulwa phakathi komkhosi, njengoko uYehova wawafungelayo. Saye kananjalo isandla sikaYehova siphezu kwawo, ukuba adutywadutywe phakathi komkhosi ade agqitywe.” Duteronomi 2:14, 15.ANa 406.1
Kule minyaka abantu babehleli bekhunjuzwa ukuba babephantsi kokuthethisa kwezulu. Kuvukelo lwaseKadeshe bamkhanyela uThixo, waza uThixo wabakhanyela okwexesha elithile. Ngenxa yokuba babonisa ukunganyaniseki kumnqophiso waKhe, babengayi kuwufumana umqondiso womnqophiso, inkonzo yokwaluka. Ulangazelelo lwabo lokubuyela kwilizwe lobukhoboka, lwabaveza njengabantu abangayifanelanga inkululeko, nenkonzo yePasika, eyamiselwa ukuba ibe sisikhumbuzo sokuhlangulwa ebukhobokeni, yayingayi kwenziwa.ANa 406.2
Kona ukuqhubeka kwenkonzo yeminquba kwakubonisa ukuba uThixo wayengabashiyanga kwaphela abantu baKhe. Nokwazelelela kwaKhe kwakusabanika iimfuno zabo. “Kuba uYehova, uThixo wakho, ukusikelele emsebenzini wonke wesandla sakho,” watsho uMoses, ekulandeni kwakhe imbali yokujikeleza kwabo. “Uyakwazi ukuyihamba kwakho le ntlango inkulu; le minyaka imashumi mane uYehova uThixo wakho unawe, akuswelanga nto.” Ingoma yabaLevi, ebhalwe nguNehemiya, ikuzoba ngokucacileyo ukukhathalela kukaThixo uIsrayeli, nangale minyaka yokwaliwa nokugxothwa: “Ke wena, ngeemfesane zakho ezinkulu, akubashiyanga entlango; umqulu welifu wokubakhanyisela indlela abahamba ngayo. Wabanika uMoya waKho olungileyo ukuba ubaqononondise; akuwuvimbanga umlomo wabo imana yakho, wabanika amanzi ngenxa yenxano labo. Iminyaka emashumi mane wabafunzela entlango, . . . iingubo zabo azonakalanga bubudala, iinyawo zabo azidumbanga.” Nehemiya 9:19-21.ANa 406.3
Ukubhadula entlango kwakungayekelwanga ukuba kube sisohlwayo kuphela kubavukeli nabakrokri, kodwa kwakuza kuba yingqeqesho kwisizukulwana esikhulayo, ukusilungiselela ukungena kwiZwe leDinga. UMoses wathi kubo, “Njengoko umntu amqeqeshayo unyana wakhe, uYehova uThixo wakho uyakukuqeqesha wena,” “ukuze akuthobe, akulinge, akwazi okusentliziyweni yakho, ukuba woyigcina imithetho yakhe, akuyi kuyigcina, kusini na. . . . wakulambisa, wakudlisa imana, into obungayazi, ababengayazi nooyihlo; ukuze akwazise ukuba akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu; umntu lo yena uphila ngento yonke ephuma emlonyeni kaYehova.” Duteronomi 8:5, 2, 3.ANa 407.1
“Wamfumana ezweni eliyintlango, enyanyeni, enkangala ebhombolozayo; wamwola, wamondla, wamlondoloza njengokhozo lweliso lakhe.” “Ekubandezelekeni kwabo konke wabandezeleka, nesithunywa sobuso bakhe sabasindisa; ekubathandeni kwakhe nasekubachongeni kwakhe wayebakhulula ngokumisela yena, wabafunqula; wabathwala yonke imihla yasephakadeni.” Duteronomi 32:10; Isaya 63:9.ANa 407.2
Ingxelo yabo yobomi babo basentlango ziziganeko zovukelo kuYehova. Uvukelo lukaKora lwaba nesiphumo sokutshabalala kweshumi elinesine lamawaka amaIsrayeli. Zazithe gqaba-gqaba iziganeko ezasibonisa umoya ofanayo wokudelela igunya lezulu.ANa 407.3
Kwesinye isiganeko, unyana womfazi ongumIsrayeli ngendoda yomYiputa, ongomnye wendiba-ndiba emxube, washiya inkampu yakhe wangena kweyamaIsrayeli, ebanga ilungelo lokumisa intente yakhe apho. Oku kwakusalelwa ngumthetho ongcwele ukuba akwenze, kuba inzala yamaYiputa ingamakheswa emhlanganweni kude kuse kwisizukulwana sesithathu. Kwabakho impikiswano phakathi kwakhe nomIsrayeli, waza wakuba umcimbi usiwe kumgwebi, wagwetywa umoni lowo.ANa 407.4
Waya wanengqumbo sesi sigqibo, wamtshabhisa umgwebi, wathi ebushushwini bemvakalelo yakhe walinyelisa igama likaThixo. Waziswa ngokukhawulezaphambi kukaMoses. Umyalelowawunikiwe, “Othe watshabhisa uyise, nokuba ngunina, wobulawa afe” (Eksodus 21:17); kodwa akukho msindleko wenziwayo ukuhlangabezana nalo mba. Kwakukubi ukwaphulwa komthetho kangangokuba kwabonakala kufuneka ubekho umyalelo owodwa ophuma kuThixo. Le ndoda yabekwa elugcinweni kulindwe ukuba kuqinisekiswe ngentando kaYehova. UThixo ngokwaKhe wasivakalisa isigwebo; ngomyalelo wezulu, umnyelisi wakhutshelwa ngaphandle kwenkampu waxulutywa ngamatye wafa. Abo basibonayo esi sono bazibeka izandla zabo phezu kwentloko yakhe, ngaloo ndlela bengqina ubunyaniso besityholo awabekwa sona. Emva koko baba ngabokuqala ukugibisela amatye okuqala, kamva abantu ababemi kufuphi bahlangana nabo ekwenzeni ngokwesigwebo.ANa 408.1
Oku kwalandelwa kukuvakaliswa komthetho wokuqubisana neziphoso ezifana nazo: “Uze uthethe koonyana bakaIsrayeli, uthi, Umnntu ngomntu, xa athe wamtshabhisa uThixo wakhe, wosithwala isono sakhe. Olithukayo igama likaYehova makabulawe afe. Lonke ibandla lomxuluba okunene ngamatye, kwanomphambukeli, kwanozalelwe ekhaya; ekulithukeni kwakhe iGama makabulawe.” Levitikus 24:15, 16.ANa 408.2
Bakho abo banengxaki ngothando lukaThixo kunye nobulungisa baKhe ngokohlwaya qatha amazwi athethwe ngobushushu bemvakalelo. Luthando nobulungisa bukaThixo ezenza ukuba kufuneke ukuba kubonakalalisiwe ukuba iintetho eziqhutywa bububi ngakuThixo zisisono esikhulu. Isohlwayo esinikwa umoni wokuqala sasiya kuba sisilumkiso nakwabanye, sokuba iGama likaThixo kufuneka lihlonitshiwe. Ukuba ke isono sale ndoda sasiyekwe nje asohlwaywa, abanye babeya kuhla emoyeni; kwaye ngenxa yoko, imiphefumlo emininzi yayiya kutshabalala.ANa 408.3
Indiba-ndiba emxube eyaphuma namaIsrayeli eYiputa yaba ngunobangela wokulingwa nenkathazo engapheliyo. Aba bantu bathi bakulahlile ukukhonza izithixo baza bakhonza uThixo oyinyaniso; kodwa imfundo nengqeqesho yobutsha babo zayibumba imikhwa yabo nesimilo sabo, baza bonakaliswa kukukhonza izithixo nokungamhloneli uThixo. Ngabona babekholisa ukuqhwaya inkathazo, bekwa ngabokuqala nokukhalaza, bayizalisa inkampu ngegwele lezenzo zabo zokunqula izithixo, nokukrokrela kwabo uThixo.ANa 408.4
Kwathi kungekudala bebuyele entlango, kwenzeka isiganeko sokwaphulwa kweSabatha, phantsi kweemeko ezenza ukubakube lityala elinomahluko. Ukuvakalisa kukaYehova ukuba uya kumhlamba uIsrayeli kwavusa umoya wovukelo. Omnye wabantu, owayenomsindo kuba eshiywe ngaphandle kweKanan, ezimisele ukubonisa ukuwudelela umthetho kaThixo, waqala ukuwaphula esidlangalaleni umthetho wesine ngokuphuma ayokuqokelela iinkuni ngeSabatha. Ngexesha lohambo lwasentlango, ukubasa umlilo ngomhla wesixhenxe kwakwalelwe ngqongqo. Oku kwalelwa kwakungayi kufikelela kwilizwe leKanan apho ububi bemozulu babuyenza ukuba ifuneke imililo; kodwa entlango, wawungadingeki umlilo ukuze kufudumale. Isenzo sale ndoda sasisesenkani nokwaphula ngabom umthetho wesine—isono, ingesiso esokuswela ingqiqo okanye ukungazi, kodwa isesokudelela.ANa 409.1
Yathatyathwa isayenza loo nto, yaziswa phambi kukaMoses. Kwakusele kutshiwo ukuba, ukwaphula iSabatha kufuneka kohlwaywe ngokufa, kodwa kwakungekatyhilwa ukuba isohlwayo eso kufuneka senziwe njani. Ityala laziswa nguMoses phambi kukaYehova, waza wanikwa umyalelo, “Makabulawe afe loo mntu, limxulube ibandla lonke ngamatye, ngaphandle kweminquba.” Numeri 15:35. Izono zokunyelisa nokwaphula iSabatha ngokuzithandela kwakusohlwaywa ngokufanayo, kuba, kokubini ngokufanayo, kwakubonakalisa ukujongela phantsi igunya likaThixo.ANa 409.2
Kule mihla yethu baninzi abayalayo iSabatha ngelithi isisimiselo sobuYuda baze bathi, ukuba kufuneka igciniwe, kufuneka isigwebo sokufa senziwe yakwaphulwa; kodwa siyabona ukuba ukunyelisa kwakufumana isohlwayo esifanayo nesokwaphulwa kweSabatha. Ingaba singagqiba kwelithi nomthetho wesithathu mawususwe kuba usebenza kuphela kumaYuda? Kanti ke isohlwayo sokufa sisebenza kumthetho wesithathu, wesihlanu, kanti ngokwenene, phantse kuyo yolishumi imiyalelo, ngokufanayo nowesine. Nangona uThixo ngokwangoku engakohlwayi ukwaphulwa komthetho waKhe ngezohlwayo zexeshana, ilizwi laKhe liyatsho ukuthi, umvuzo wesono kukufa; ngoko kuya kuthi ekunikweni kwesigwebo ekugqibeleni, kubonakale ukuba ukufa kusisabelo sabo bayaphulayo imiyalelo yaKhe engcwele.ANa 409.3
Kuyo yonke iminyaka emashumi mane entlango, abantu babekhunjuzwa zonke iiveki ngobungcwele bomyalelo weSabatha, ngomzekelo wemana. Sekunjalo, nale into ayizange ibakhokelele ekuthobeleni. Nangona bengazange bangene ekwaphuleni umthetho phandle,nangesibindi ngokokudebafumaneisigweboesiqatha kanobom, kodwa kwakukho ukuyekelela okukhulu ekugcinweni komthetho wesine. UThixo uthi ngomprofeti waKhe, “Bazihlambela kakhulu iisabatha zam.” Hezekile 20:13-24. Oku kubaliwe kwizizathu zokushiywa ngaphandle kwesizukulwana sokuqala ekungeneni kwiZwe leDinga. Sekunjalo, abantwana babo abazange basifunde isifundo. Kwakunjalo ukutyeshela kwabo iSabatha ngexesha lokujikeleza kwabo entlango kangangokuba, nangona uThixo engazange abathintele ukuba bangene eKanan, wavakalisa ukuba baya kusasazeka phakathi kweentlanga ezingabahedeni emva kokuba belimile iliZwe leDinga.ANa 410.1
Ukusuka eKadeshe, abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babuya umva basinga entlango; laza lathi lakuba liphelile ixesha labo lokuphambukela entlango, babuya, “lonke ibandla, entlango yaseTsin ngenyanga yokuqala; bahlala abantu eKadeshe.” Numeri 20:1.ANa 410.2
Kulapho wafela khona wangcwatyelwa khona uMiriyam. Ukusukela kumbono wokugcoba kunxweme loLwandle oluBomvu, xa uIsrayeli wayevuyela uloyiso lukaYehova, ukuya kwingcwaba lasentlango elaba sisiphelo sokujikeleza kwasentlango lonke ixesha lokuphila elide—saba njalo isiphelo sezigidi ezathi, ngamathemba aphezulu, zaphuma eYiputa. Isono sayihlutha kakubi indebe yentsikelelo. Ingaba sasiya kusifunda na isifundo isizukulwana esilandelayo?ANa 410.3
“Kuyo yonke loo nto bahambisa ngokona, abakholwa yimisebenzi yakhe ebalulekileyo. . . . Xa wathi wababulala, bamquqela; babuya bamquqela uThixo ngenyameko, bakhumbula ukuba uThixo uliliwa labo, uThixo Osenyangweni ungumkhululi wabo.” Ndumiso 78:32-35. Sekunjalo, ababuyelanga kuThixo ngenjongo enyanisekileyo. Nangona nje bathi xa bengcungcuthekiswa ziintshaba zabo, bafuna uncedo kuYe kuba ikuphela kwaKhe onokubahlangula, yabe “intliziyo yabo ayaqina kuye, abanyaniseka emnqophisweni wakhe. Ke yena unemfesane, uxolela ubugwenxa ngocamagushelo, akonakalisi; wawubuyisela futhi umsindo wakhe, . . . Wakhumbula ukuba bayinyama, bangumoya omkayo, ongabuyiyo.” Iindima 37-39.ANa 410.4