50—Izishumi Neminikelo

Ngokoqoqosho lwesiHebhere, isahlulo seshumi sengeniso yabantu sasibekelwa bucala ukuba sixhase umsebenzi wonqulo lukaThixo lwasesidlangalaleni. Kungoko uMoses wavakalisa kuIsrayeli wenjenje: “Sonke isishumi somhlaba, sembewu yomhlaba, seziqhamo zomthi, sesikaYehova; singcwele kuYehova.” “Sonke isishumi senkomo, nasempahleni emfutshane, . . . eyeshumi mayibe ngcwele kuYehova.” Levitikus 27:30, 32.ANa 525.1

Uhlelo lokubuyiswa kwesishumi aluzange luqale kumaHebhere. Kususela kumaxesha angaphambili, uYehova wasibanga isishumi njengesaKhe, laza eli bango lamkeleka lahlonitshwa. UAbraham wahlawula isishumi kuMelkitsedeki, umbingeleli woThixo osenyangweni. Genesis 14:20. UYakobi, ngexesha eseBheteli, eyimbacu, nobhadulayo, wathembisa kuYehova, “Nento zonke othe wandinika, ndokunika isishumi sazo.” Genesis 28:22. Athi xa amaIsrayeli eza kumiselwa njengesizwe, umthetho wokubuyiswa kwesishumi wabethelelwa njengomnye wemiyalelo ebekwe lizulu ekuxhomekeke ekuthotyelweni kwayo impumelelo yabo.ANa 525.2

Uhlelo lokubuyisa izishumi neminikelo lwalulungiselelwe ukuzisa inyaniso enkulu ezingqondweni zabantu, ukuba uThixo ulithende lazo zonke iintsikelelo kwizidalwa zaKhe, nokuba, umntu kufuneka abe nombulelo ngezipho ezihle zokubonelela kwaKhe.ANa 525.3

“Nguye nje obanika bonke ubomi, nomphefumlo, nazo zonke izinto.” Zenzo 17:25. UYehova uthi, “Ngokuba zezam zonke iinyamakazi zehlathi, neenkomo ezisezintabeni eziliwaka.” Ndumiso 50:10. “Isilivere yeyam, igolide yeyam.” Hagayi 2:8. NguThixo onika umntu amandla okuzuza ubutyebi. Duteronomi 8:18. Ukubonakalisa ukuvuma ukuba zonke izinto zivela kuYe, uYehova wayalela ukuba inxalenye yobutyebi kufuneka ibuyiselwe kuYe njengezipho neminikelo ukuxhasa ukunqulwa kwaKhe.ANa 525.4

“Isishumi . . . sesikaYehova.” Apha kusetyenziswe intetho enye naleyoisetyenziswekumthetho weSabatha. “Umhlawesixhenxe uyisabatha kaYehova uThixo wakho.” UThixo wazibekela inxalenye eqinisekisiweyo yexesha lomntu nezinto zakhe, engekho umntu onokuthi, ngaphandle kokuzenzela ityala, asebenzise naziphina kuzo, kwizinto zokuzithandela kwakhe.ANa 526.1

Isishumi sasimiselwe ukusetyenziswa kuphela ngabaLevi, uhlanga olwalubekelwe bucala umsebenzi wasengcweleni. Noko kunjalo, oku kwakungeyiyo indlela yokumisa umda kwiminikelo yeenjongo zenkolo. Umnquba, njengetempile kamva, wakhiwa ngeminikelo yokuqhutywa yintliziyo; kanti nokulungiselela ukulungiswa kunye nezinye iindleko, uMoses wayalela ukuba lonke ixesha kubalwa abantu, elowo kufuneka anikele isiqingatha seshekele “kwinkonzo yomnquba.” Ngexesha likaNehemiya, umnikelo wale njongo wawukhutshwa minyaka le. Bona kuEksodus 30:12-16; 2 Kumkani 12:4, 5; 2 IziKronike 24:4-13; Nehemiya 10:32, 33. Amaxesha ngamaxesha, umnikelo wesono nowokubulela yayiziswa kuThixo. Yayinikelwa ngamaqela amakhulu ngamaxesha ezidlo zomnyaka. Owona msindleko wobubele wawusenzelwa abangamahlwempu.ANa 526.2

Kwaphambi kokuba sibekwe bucala isishumi, kwakukho ukuwavuma amabango kaThixo. Konke okuthe kwavuthwa kuqala kuyo yonke imveliso yomhlaba, kwakunikelwa kuThixo. Obokuqala uboya xa kuchetywa iigusha, eyokuqala ingqolowa xa kubhulwa, ioli newayini yokuqala, konke kwakubekelwa uThixo bucala. Kwakunjalo nakumazibulo ezilwanyana; kuze kwenziwe intlawulo yokuhlangula ngonyana wokuqala. Ulibo lweziqhamo kwakufuneka lunikelwe phambi kukaYehova engcweleni, kwandule ukuba lunikelwe ekusetyenzisweni ngababingeleli.ANa 526.3

Ngaloo ndlela, abantu babekhunjuzwa njalo ukuba uThixo wayengumnini wamasimi, imihlambi yeenkomo nempahla emfutshane; nokuba nguYe obathumela ilanga nemvula ngexesha labo lokufaka imbewu nokuvuna, nokuba yonke into ababenayo yayidalwe nguYe, waza bona wabenza bangamagosa obutyebi baKhe.ANa 526.4

Babesithi abantu bakwaIsrayeli, besindwa lulibo lwasemasimini, nolwamabhoma nezidiliya, bahlanganisane emnqubeni, kwenziwe ukuvuma kwasesidlangalaleni kokulunga kukaThixo. Bekusithi umbingeleli akusamkela isipho, onikelayo, ethetha ngoko phambi kukaYehova, athi, “EbengumAram ochithakeleyo ubawo;” atsho achaze ukuphambukela eYiputa nengcikivo uThixo awahlangula kuyo uIsrayeli “ngesandla esithe nkqi, nengalo eyolukileyo, nangokoyikeka okukhulu, nangemiqondiso, nangezimanga.” Aze athi, “Wasingenisa kule ndawo, wasinika eli lizwe, ilizwe elibaleka amasi nobusi. Kaloku ke, nanku ndizise ulibo lweziqhamo zomhlaba lowo undinikileyo, Yehova.” Duteronomi 26:5, 8-11.ANa 526.5

Iminikelo eyayifunwa kumaHebhere, iyeyenkolo neenjongo zokubonisa ububele yayifikelela kwingxenye yamashumi amabini anesihlanu ekhulwini wengeniso yawo. Umrhumo omkhulu kangako kwizinto abanazo abantu kwakunokulindeleka ukuba ubenze amahlwempu; kodwa endaweni yoko, ukuyigcina ngokuthembeka le mithetho, kwaba yenye yeemeko zempumelelo yabo. Ngokuxhomekeke ekuthobeleni kwabo, uThixo wayebanike esi sithembiso: “Ndoyikhalimela inkumbi edlayo ngenxa yenu, ingazonakalisi iziqhamo zomhlaba wenu, ungaphunzi umdiliya wenu entsimini. . . . Zonke iintlanga ziya kuthi ninoyolo, ngokuba niya kuba lilizwe elinanziweyo; utsho uYehova wemikhosi.” Malaki 3:11, 12.ANa 527.1

Umzekeliso okhwankqisa kakhulu weziphumo zokubamba ngomona neminikelo le yokuqhutywa yintliziyo emsebenzini kaThixo, wanikwa ngexesha likaHagayi umprofeti. Akuba ebuyile ekuthinjweni eBhabheli, amaYuda aqala ukwakha itempile kaYehova; kodwa aqubisana nenkcaso enzima kubachasi bawo, awuyeka umsebenzi; kwabakho imbalela enkulu, eyabenza banentswelo, yaboyisela ukuba bakubone kungenakwenzeka ukuba bagqibe ukwakha itempile. “Asikabi lixesha lokuba kuziwe,” batsho, “asikabi lixesha lokuba yakhiwe indlu kaYehova.” Sathunyelwa isigidimi kubo ngomprofeti kaYehova: “Lixesha na kuni nina, lokuba nihlale ezindlwini zenu zalekiwe, ibe le ndlu yam yona ilinxuwa? Kaloku ke, utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Zigqaleni iindlela zenu. Nahlwayela kakhulu, ningenise kancinane; niyadla, ningahluthi; nisela, ninganeli kukusela; nambatha, ningevi ntsitho; noziqeshisayo uziqeshisela ukuba agalele engxoweni enezikroba.” Hagayi 1:2-6. Saya sanikwa isizathu: “Nalindela into eninzi, nantso isuke yaba yinto encinane; nithe nakuza nayo ekhaya, ndayiphephetha. Ngani ke? utsho uYehova wemikhosi; ngenxa yendlu yam, yona le ilinxuwa, nibe nina elowo ebalekela endlwini yakhe. Ngenxa yoko, ngenxa yenu, izulu liyala nombethe, nomhlaba wala neendyebo zawo. Ndabiza ukoma phezu kwelizwe, naphezu kweentaba, naphezu kwengqolowa, naphezu kwewayini entsha, naphezu kweoli, naphezu kwezinto zonke eziphuma emhlabeni, naphezu kwabantu, naphezu kweenkomo, naphezu kokuxelenga konke kwezandla.”Iindima 9-12. “Xa umntu ebefike esitheni esimilinganiso imashumi mabini, asuke afumane libe linye ishumi; xa ebefika emkhumbini wokukhongozela iwayini, eza kukha imilinganiso emashumi mahlanu, asuke afumane amashumi amabini. Ndanibetha ngembabala, nangexoshomba, nangesichotho, kuyo yonke imisebenzi yezandla zenu.” Hagayi 2:16, 17.ANa 527.2

Bathi bephaphanyiswe zezi zilumkiso, abantu bazimisela ukwakha indlu kaThixo. Lafika ilizwi likaYehova kubo: “Khanigqale, nithabathele kule mini, nibhekise emva, nithabathele kusuku lwamashumi omabini anesine lwenyanga yesithoba kususela kuloo mini yokusekwa kwetempile kaYehova, . . . Ndithabathele kule mini, ndiya kunisikelela.” Iindima 18, 19.ANa 528.1

Ithi indoda esisilumko, “Kukho ohlakazayo, aye esanda ngokwanda; kukho nozinqandayo kokumfaneleyo, oko kube yintswelo.” Mizekeliso 11:24. Kwaeso sifundo sinye sifundiswa kwiTestamente eNtsha ngumpostile uPawulos: “Lowo uhlwayela ngokuvimba wovuna kwangokuvimba; nalowo uhlwayela ngesisa wovuna kwangesisa.” “Unako ke uThixo ukuphuphumisela kuni ubabalo lonke, ukuze nithi, nihlala ninako nje ukwanela konke ngeendawo zonke, niphuphumele umsebenzi olungileyo.” 2 Korinte 9:6, 8.ANa 528.2

UThixo wayefuna ukuba abantu baKhe, amaIsrayeli, babe ngabathwali bokukhanya okuya kubo bonke abemi bomhlaba. Ngokugcina unqulo lwaKhe lwasesidlangalaleni, babethwala ubungqina bobukho bobungangamsha bukaThixo ophilayo. Olu nqulo, yayililungelo labo ukuba baluxhase, njengesibonakaliso sokunyaniseka kwabo nothando lwabo kuYe. UThixo umisele ukuba ukungena kokukhanya nenyaniso emhlabeni kuya kuxhomekeka kwimizamo neminikelo yabo banenxaxheba kwisipho sezulu. Ngewayenze iingelosi zaba ngabameli benyaniso yaKhe; ngewayeyazisile intando yaKhe, xa wayevakalisa umthetho eSinayi, ngelizwi laKhe; kodwa ngothando nobulumko baKhe obungenasiphelo, wabiza abantu ukuba babe ngabasebenzisana kunye naYe, ngokubakhetha ukuba benze lo msebenzi.ANa 528.3

Ngemihla kaIsrayeli, isishumi neminikelo yokuqhutywa yintliziyo yayifuneka ukuze kugcinwe imimiselo yenkonzo engcwele. Ingaba banganikela nganeno abantu bakaThixo kweli xesha? Umthetho-siseko obekiweyo nguKristu uthi, iminikelo yethu kuThixo kufuneka ihambelane nokukhanya kunye namalungelo esiwaxhamlayo. “Kubo bonke abanikwe okukhulu, kuya kufunwa okukhulu kubo.” Luka 12:48. UMsindisi wathi kubafundi baKhe xa wayebathuma, “Namkele ngesisa, yiphaningesisa.” Ngokukhula kweentsikelelonamalungeloethu, ngaphezu kwako konke, njengoko phambi kwethu sinombingelelo ongenamlinganiselo onguNyana kaThixo onobuqaqawuli, umbulelo wethu ubungethi ufumane ukubonakaliswa ngezipho ezingaphezulu ukuze kudluliselwe isigidimi sosindiso kwabanye? Umsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo, njengoko usiya ukhula, ufuna umsindleko omkhulu ukuwuxhasa kunoko kwakunjalo kudala; oku kuwenze ukuba umthetho wezishumi neminikelo ube nokungxama okukhawulezileyo kunangexesha loqoqosho lwamaHebhere. Ukuba abantu baKhe bebengawuxhasa ngobubele umsebenzi waKhe ngezipho zokuzithandela, endaweni yokubhenela kwiindlela ezingezizo ezobuKristu ukuzalisa uvimba, uThixo ebeya kuzukiswa, ibe mininzi imiphefumlo ezuzelwa uKristu.ANa 528.4

Icebo likaMoses lokuzuza izixhobo zokwakha umnquba laba nempumelelo enkulu. Kwakungekho kunyanzela kufunekayo. Akazange kanjalo asebenzise naziphi iindlela athi abhenele kuzo amabandla ale mihla yethu. Akazange enze zidlo zikhulu. Akazange amemele abantu emathekweni, kwimidaniso, naselonwabeni nje; engazange enze iilotho, nayiphina into engengcwele ukuze afumane izinto zokwakha umnquba kaThixo. UYehova wamyalela uMoses ukuba ameme abantwana bakaIsrayeli ukuba bazise iminikelo. Wayeza kwamkela izipho ezivela kuye wonke umntu onikela ngokukhululekileyo, ngokuphuma entliziyweni. Iminikelo yaba mininzi kakhulu wada uMoses wabacela abantu ukuba bayeke ukunikela, kuba banikela ngaphezu koko kwakunokusetyenziswa.ANa 529.1

UThixo ubenze amagosa abantu baKhe. Oko akubeke ezandleni zabo zizixhobo ezilungiselelwe ukusasazwa kweegospile. Abo bangamagosa anyanisekileyo, uya kubagcinisa okuninzi. Uthi uYehova, “Ondizukisayo ndiya kumzukisa,” 1 Samuweli 2:30. “UThixo uthanda umphi ocwayithileyo” kwaye, xa abantu baKhe bezisa izipho zabo ngeentliziyo ezinombulelo, “kungabi kokuphuma kabuhlungu, nokunyanzelwa,” intsikelelo yaKhe iya kuba phezu kwabo, njengoko athembisileyo. “Ziziseni zonke izishumi endlwini yobuncwane bam, ize ke nindicikide ngale nto, utsho uYehova wemikhosi, ukuba andisayi kunivulela na iingcango zezulu, ndinithululele iintsikelelo, kude kungasweleki lutho.” Malaki 3:10.ANa 529.2