51—Ukukhathalela KukaThixo Abahluphekileyo
Ukukhuthaza ukuhlangana kwabantu ngenxa yenkonzo yenkolo, kunye nokulungiselela abangamahlwempu, kwafuneka kubekho isishumi sesibini. Ngesishumi sokuqala, uYehova wathi, “Ndibanika zonke izishumi kwaIsrayeli.” Numeri 18:21. Wabuya wanika umyalelo ngesishumi sesibini, “Udle phambi koYehova uThixo wakho endaweni leyo aya kuyinyulela ukuhlalisa igama lakhe kuyo, esishumini sengqolowa yakho, nesewayini yakho entsha, nese-oli yakho, namazibulo eenkomo zakho, nawempahla yakho emfutshane; ukuze ufunde ukumoyika uYehova uThixo wakho yonke imihla.” Duteronomi 14:23, 29; 16:11-14. Esi sishumi, okanye okulingana naso ngokwemali, iminyaka emibini, sasiza kuziswa apho kumiswe khona ingcwele. Emva kokunikela umnikelo wokubulela kuThixo, nendawo exelwe ngokuphandle kumbingeleli, abanikelayo babeza kukusebenzisa okuseleyo kwisidlo esingcwele, ekwakuza kuthi kuso abaLevi, owasemzini, inkedama, nomhlolokazi babe nenxaxheba. Ngoko ke, kwakwenziwe umsindleko womnikelo wokubulela kunye nezidlo kumsitho wonyaka nonyaka, apho abantu babetsalelwa ekuhlanganeni nababingeleli nabaLevi, ukuze bafumane imfundiso nenkuthazo enkonzweni kaThixo.ANa 530.1
Rhoqo ngomnyaka wesithathu, esi sishumi sesibini sasiza kusetyenziswa emakhayeni, ekuncedeni umLevi nolihlwempu, njengoko watshoyo uMoses, “badla emasangweni akho, bahlutha.” Duteronomi 26:12. Esi sishumi besiya kwenza ukuba kubekho indyebo yokusetyenziselwa uthando nobubele.ANa 530.2
Ukudlula apho, wawenziwe umsindleko wabantu abangamahlwempu. Ayikho into, emva kokuba kwamkelwe amabango kaThixo, ebalula kakhulu imithetho eyayinikwe nguMoses ngaphezu komoya wobubele okhululekileyo nonothando oboniswa ngakumahlwempu. Nangona uThixo wayethembise ukubasikelela kakhulu abantu baKhe, yayingelilo icebo lakhe ukuba ukuhlupheka kungaze kwaziwe phakathi kwabo. Wavakalisa ukuba amahlwempu awasayi kunqamka elizweni. Kuya kuhlalakukho phakathi kwabantubaKhe abo baya kwenza ukuba basebenzise uvelwano lwabo, uthando nobubele. Ngelo xesha, njengangoku, abantu babephantsi kweemeko ezimbi, ukugula, nokulahlekelwa yimihlaba nezinto zabo; ukanti, lonke ixesha besalandela umyalelo onikwa nguThixo, kwakungayi kubakho bangqibi phakathi kwabo, kungabikho nothi aswele into edliwayo.ANa 530.3
Umthetho kaThixo wawunika amahlwempu ilungelo kwinxalenye yentsimi yommelwane walo okanye kwibhoma okanye kwisidiliya, nokuba lidle kwingqolowa okanye iziqhamo ukuze londleke. Kwakuhambelana nesi sivumelwano okwenza ukuba abafundi bakaYesu bagqwathule, batye kwingqolowa eyayimi emasimini xa babedlula ngemini yeSabatha.ANa 531.1
Konke ukukhwahlaza kwamasimi esivuno, amabhoma, nezidiliya, kokwamahlwempu. “Xa uthe waluvuna uvuno lwakho entsimini yakho,” watsho uMoses, “walibala isithungu entsimini, uze ungabuyi uye kusithabatha. . . . Xa uthe wawuvuthulula umnquma wakho, uze ungaphindi uwavuthulule amaebe emva kwakho. . . . Xa uthe wasivuna isidiliya sakho, uze ungasibhikici emva kwakho; soba sesomphambukeli, nesenkedama, nesomhlolokazi; ukhumbule ukuba ube ulikhoboka ezweni laseYiputa.” Duteronomi 24:19-22; Levitikus 19:9, 10.ANa 531.2
Ngawo wonke umnyaka wesixhenxe, kwakukho umsindleko okhethekileyo wamahlwempu. Umnyaka wophumlo obekelwe bucala, owawubizwa ngolo hlobo, wawuqala ekupheleni kwexesha lokuvuna. Ngexesha lokuhlwayela, elalilandela elokuqokelelwa kwendyebo, abantu babengayi kuhlwayela; bengayi kuzilungisa izidiliya ngentwasa-hlobo; kwakufuneka bangalindeli sivuno nazidiliya. Oko ilizwe lalithi likuveze kuzikhulela, bebeya kukutya kuse kutsha, kodwa babengavumelekanga ukuba bathabathe nentwana ukuba bayigcine koovimba babo. Yonke imveliso yalo mnyaka iza kuba yeyowasemzini, nenkedama, kunye nomhlolokazi, kwakunye nezidalwa zasendle. Eksodus 23:10, 11; Levitikus 25:5.ANa 531.3
Ukuba ke ngoko ilizwe laliveza okwanele nje iimfuno zabantu, babeza kuzixhasa njani ngomnyaka wokungavuni? Ukulungiselela le meko, isithembiso sikaThixo sasinike umsindleko omkhulu. “Ndoyiwisela umthetho intsikelelo yam ibe kuni ngomnyaka wesithandathu,” watsho, “iluvelise ungeniselo lweminyaka emithathu. Nohlwayela ngomnyaka wesibhozo, nidle amahasa kude kube ngumnyaka wesithoba; nodla amahasa lude lufike ungeniselo lwawo.” Levitikus 25:21, 22.ANa 531.4
Ukugcinwa komnyaka wophumlo obekwe bucala kwakuyingeniso emhlabeni nasebantwini. Umhlaba, ulele ungalinywanga ixesha elinye, ubuya kuvelisa kakhulu ngakumbi kwixesha elizayo. Abantu babeza kukhululeka kumsebenzi onzima emasimini; kuthi kuba emaninzi namanye amacandelo emisebenzi enokwenziwa ngeli xesha, bonke bonwabele ixesha lokuphumla, elalibanika ithuba lokubuyisela amandla asemzimbeni ukulungiselela ingcinezelo yeminyaka elandelayo. Babenexesha elininzi lokucamngca nokuthandaza, elokuziqhelanisa neemfundiso nokufunwa nguYehova, kwanokufundisa iintsapho zabo.ANa 532.1
Ngomnyaka wophumlo obekelwe bucala, amakhoboka amaHebhere kwakufuneka akhululwe, kwaye kwakungafuneki ukuba akhululwe engaphethe nto. Umyalelo kaYehova wawusithi: “Xa uthe wamndulula ekhululekile kuwe, uze ungamndululi elambatha. Wompha umphe empahleni yakho emfutshane, nasesandleni sakho, nasesixovulelweni sakho; umnike into akusikelele ngayo uYehova uThixo wakho.” Duteronomi 15:13, 14.ANa 532.2
Umvuzo womqeshwa kwakufuneka uhlawulwe kwangoko: “Uze ungamcudisi umqeshwa ongaba uswele, olihlwempu, nokuba ngowabazalwana bakho, nokuba ngowabaphambukeli bakho abasezweni lakho. . . . Ngemini yakhe womnika umvuzo wakhe, lingatshoni ilanga usekuwe; ngokuba eswele, ewumise umphefumlo wakhe kuwo.” Duteronomi 24:14, 15.ANa 532.3
Imiyalelo ekhethekileyo yayinikiwe nayo ngokubhekisele kwindlela yokuphatha ababaleke emsebenzini: “Uze ungasinikeli enkosini yaso isicaka esisabele kuwe, sisuka enkosini yaso. Sohlala nawe phakathi kwenu, kuloo ndawo sithe sayinyula kwelinye isango emasangweni akho, apho kusilungele khona; uze ungasixinzeleli phantsi.” Duteronomi 23:15, 16.ANa 532.4
Kumahlwempu, umnyaka wesixhenxe yayingumnyaka wokukhululwa etyaleni. AmaHebhere ayeyalelwe ukuba ngamaxesha onke abasize abazalwana abasweleyo ngokubaboleka imali ngaphandle kwenzala. Ukuthabatha inzala kumntu olihlwempu kwakwalelwe ngokupheleleyo: “Xa athe umzalwana wakho wanzonza, isandla sakhe solukela kuwe, somomeleza, aphile nawe engumphambukeli, elundwendwe kuwe. Musa ukuthabatha nzala kuye, nalwando lwemboleko; uze woyike uThixo wakho, aphile umzalwana wakho kuwe. Imali yakho uze ungamniki ngenxa yenzala, ungamniki ukudla kwakho ngenxayolwando lwemboleko.” Levitikus 25:35-37. Ukubaityalaliye lahlala lingahlawulwanga, kwada kwangumnyaka wokukhululwa, leyo kwakubolekiswe ngayo ayisayi kuba sakhululwa. Abantu bayalwa ngokuphandle ngasekulubambeni uncedo lwabo kubazalwana babo abaludingayo ngenxa yoku: “Xa kuthe kwakho ihlwempu kuwe ebazalwaneni bakho, . . . uze ungayenzi ingqoshomba intliziyo yakho, usivale isandla sakho kumzalwana wakho. . . . Uze uzigcine kungabikho butshijolo entliziyweni yakho, uthi, Usondele umnyaka wesixhenxe, umnyaka woyekelelo; libe libi iliso lakho ngakumzalwana wakho olihlwempu, ungamniki nto; aze akhale ngawe kuYehova, ube nesono.” “Kuba alisayi kuza lingabikho ihlwempu phakathi kwelizwe elo; ngenxa yoko ndikuwisela umthetho, ndisithi, Sivule kakhulu isandla sakho kumzalwana wakho olusizana, olihlwempu lakho ezweni lakho,” “uze usivule kakhulu isandla sakho kuye, umboleke into elingene ukuswela kwakhe aswele ngako.” Duteronomi 15:7-9, 11, 8.ANa 532.5
Kwakungekho sidingo sokuba kubekho namnye onoloyiko lokuba inkululeko yakhe iya kumenza ihlwempu. Ukuthobela imithetho kaThixo, ngokuqinisekileyo kwakuya kuba nesiphumo esiyimpumelelo. “Woboleka iintlanga ezininzi ngezibambiso,” wayetshilo, “ke wena akuyi kuboleka kuzo ngazibambiso. Wolawula iintlanga ezininzi, ke zona aziyi kukulawula.”Duteronomi 15:6.ANa 533.1
Emva kweesabatha ezisixhenxe zeminyaka,” “izixhenxe ezisixhenxe,” kwakuza kubakho umnyaka omkhulu wokukhululwa—intlokoma. “Nosihambisa isigodlo sokumema ezweni lenu lonke; umnyaka niwungcwalise, umnyaka wamashumi omahlanu, nivakalise inkululeko ezweni kubemi balo bonke. Woba ngowentlokoma kuni, kuba nibuyele elowo elifeni lakhe, nibuyele elowo emizalwaneni yakhe.” Levitikus 25:9, 10.ANa 533.2
“Ngenyanga yesixhenxe, ngolweshumi enyangeni leyo; ngomhla wokucamagusha,” sasivakaliswa isigodlo. Kulo lonke ilizwe, apho bebehleli khona bonke abantu abangamaYuda, sasivakala isandi, sibiza bonke abantwana bakaYakobi ukuba bamkele umnyaka wenkululeko. NgeMini yoCamagushelo enkulu, kwakusamkelwa ukuxolelwa kwezono zikaIsrayeli, kuthi ngovuyo ezintliziyweni, abantu bayamkele intlokoma.ANa 533.3
Njengokuba yayiza kuba ngumnyaka wophumlo, umhlaba wawungasayi kuhlwayelwa okanye kuvunwe, kwaye konke owawuza kukuveza kwakuza kuthatyathwa ngokuba kulilungelo lamahlwempu ngokufanelekileyo. Udidi oluthile lwamakhoboka amaHebhere, bonke abantu abangazanga bayifumana inkululeko ngomnyaka wophumlo, kwakufuneka bekhululwe. Sekunjalo, eyona nto yawenza wabaluleka umnyakawentlokoma, yayikukubuyiselwa kwawowonke umhlaba kusapho owawungowalo kuqala. Ngomyalelo owodwa kaThixo, umhlaba wawahlulwe ngamaqashiso. Emva kokuba wahlulwe, akakho owayenelungelo lokutshintshisa ngesabelo sakhe. Wayengenako nokuwuthengisa ngaphandle kokuba unyanzelwa bubuhlwempu, nalapho, nanini na yena, okanye ozalana naye elangazelela ukuwuhlangula, lowo uwuthengileyo kufuneka angali ukuwuthengisa; kuthi ukuba awuhlangulwanga, ubuyele kumnini wawo wokuqala okanye kwindlalifa zakhe ngomnyaka wentlokoma.ANa 533.4
UYehova wathi kuIsrayeli: “Ilizwe ze kungathengiswa ngalo, libhange, kuba ilizwe lelam; ngokuba ningabaphambukeli neendwendwe kum.” Levitikus 25:23. Kwakufuneka ukuba abantu babe nale ngqondo yokuba yayililizwe likaThixo ababevunyelwe ukuba balime okwexeshana; nokuba ungumnini walo Yena ngokusemthethweni, kususela kwasekuqaleni, nokuba uya kubeka phambili ngendlela eyodwa abo bangamahlwempu kunye nabo bahluphekileyo. Kwakufuneka kubethelelwe ezingqondweni zabo bonke ukuba amahlwempu anelungelo elifanayo lokuba abe nendawo emhlabeni njengabo banobutyebi obungaphezulu.ANa 534.1
Yayinjalo imisindleko eyenziwa nguMdali wethu onenceba, ukucutha ukubulaleka, ukuzisa ukukhanya kwethemba, ukukhanyisa imitha yelanga, ebomini babasweleyo nabaxinzelelekileyo.ANa 534.2
UYehova wayebeke isithintelo ekuthandweni ngokugqithisileyo komhlaba negunya. Ububi obukhulu babuya kuzalwa kukuqokelelwa kufunjwe ubutyebi ludidi oluthile, lo gama kukho ubuhlwempu nokucinezeleka kwabanye. Ngaphandle kokulawulwa, igunya labazizityebi laliya kuba nokuthabathela kulo konke, baze abangamahlwempu, nangona ngazo zonke iindlela benexabiso ngokupheleleyo emehlweni kaThixo, bathatyathwe baphathwe njengabaphantsi kunabo bazalwana babo banempumelelo engaphezulu. Oku kuziva becinezelekile, bekuya kuzivusa iimvakalelo zodidi oluhluphekileyo. Bebeya kuziva bephelelwe lithemba, benengqumbo enokukhokelela ekonakaleni kokuziphatha kwasekuhlaleni nokuvula ucango ukuze kungene iinkohlakalo zeentlobo ngeentlobo. Imiqathango awayimisayo uThixo yayilungiselwe ukukhulisa ukulingana ekuhlaleni. Imisindleko yomnyaka wophumlo nentlokoma yayiza kuthi, ngendlela emangalisayo, ilungise oko kuthe, apha ekuhambeni kwexesha, konakala ekuhlaleni nasekulawulweni kwendyebo yesizwe.ANa 534.3
Le miqathango yayilungiselelwe ukusikelela abazizityebi kwanjengabo bangamahlwempu. Yayiza kuthintela ukubawela ubutyebi, nokubasesichengeni sokuziphakamisa, ize ikhulise umoya ohloniphekileyo wobubele; kuthi, nangokukhuthaza umoya omhle phakathi kwazo zonke iindidi, ikhuthaze ucwangco ekuhlaleni, nokuzinza elulawulweni. Sisonke sisontwesayingubo enye yoluntu, khon’ ukuze, nokuba yintoni esinokuyenza ukunceda nokuphakamisa abanye, ibe kwayintsikelelo nakuthi. Umthetho wokuxhomekeka omnye komnye ufumaneka kuwo onke amanqwanqwa asekuhlaleni. Abahluphekileyo abaxhomekekanga kwabazizityebi ukudlula ukuba izityebi nazo zixhomekeke kwabahluphekileyo. Lo gama olunye udidi lucela isabelo seentsikelelo uThixo azibeke kubamelwane babo olunezinto, nolunye olo ludinga inkonzo enyanisekileyo, amandla engqondo, amathambo nezihlunu, izinto ezo abanazo abo bahluphekileyo.ANa 534.4
Iintsikelelo ezinkulu zazithenjiswe uIsrayeli ukuba uthe wathobela imiyalelo kaYehova. “Ndoninika iziphango zenu ngexesha lazo;” watsho,” ilizwe lininike indyebo yalo, nemithi yentsimi ivelise iziqhamo zayo; nento eniyibhulileyo ifikele ekuvunweni kweediliya, ukuvunwa kweediliya kufikelele ekuhlwayeleni, nidle isonka senu, nihluthe, nihlale ezweni lenu nikholosile. Ndoninika uxolo ezweni elo, nilale; kungabikho bani unigubhisayo, ndilisuse irhamncwa ezweni lenu; ikrele lingahambi ezweni lenu. . . . Ndohamba phakathi kwenu, ndibe nguThixo wenu, nina nibe ngabantu bam. . . . Ukuba nithe anandiphulaphula, anayenza le mithetho yonke; . . . nesuka nawaphula umnqophiso wam: . . . nifumane nihlwayele imbewu yenu, idliwe ziintshaba zenu. Ndonichasa nina, ukuze nibethwe phambi kweentshaba zenu, baninyathele abanithiyayo, nisabe kungekho unisukelayo.” Leviticus 26: 4-17.ANa 535.1
Kukho abo bakhuthaza ngomfutho omkhulu ukuba bonke abantu kufuneka ukuba babelane ngokulinganayo kwiintsikelelo zikaThixo zasemhlabeni. Eli yayingelilo icebo loMdali. Ukwahlukana kwemeko yenye yeendlela athi ngazo uThixo avavanye ngazo akhulise isimilo. Ukanti, ufuna ukuba abo banezinto zasemhlabeni (ubutyebi), bazibone kuphela njengamagosa empahla zaKhe, agciniswe izinto zokusetyenziswa ukulungelwa kwababulalekayo nabasweleyo.ANa 535.2
UKristu wathi siya kuhlala sinawo phakathi kwethu amahlwempu, kwaye umdla waKhe uwuhlanganisa kunye nabo baKhe babulalekayo. Intliziyo yoMhlanguli wethu ivelana nabona bangamahlwempu nabaphantsi kubantwana baKhe basemhlabeni. Usixelela ukuba bangabameli baKhe emhlabeni. Ubabeke phakathi kwethu ukuze avusele iintliziyo zethu kuthando olo analo ngakubantu ababulalekayo nabacinezelweyo.Uvelwanonobubele obenziwakubobamkelwanguKristu njengokungathi benziwakuYe. Isenzo senkohlakalo okanye esokungabakhathaleli sithatyathwa njengokungathi senziwa kuYe.ANa 535.3
Ukuba umthetho onikiweyo nguThixo ukuba ube yintsikelelo kumahlwempu uthi wenziwe, ubuya kuba mkhulu kangakanani umahluko kwimo ekhoyo elizweni ngoku, ekuziphatheni, emoyeni nakweli lizwe! nokuzibabaza bekungasayi kubonakala njengoko kunjalo ngoku, kodwa elowo ebeya kubonisa ukukhathalela ulonwabo nokuhlala kakuhle kwabanye; kuthi oku kuhlupheka kuzalise yonke indawo, njengoko kubonakala kumazwe amaninzi, kungabikho.ANa 536.1
Imithetho-siseko uThixo ayimisileyo, ibiya kuthintela ububi obukhulu obuthe kwizizukulwana bangunozala wengcinezelo ngabazizityebi kwabo bangamahlwempu nokukrokrelana nentiyo yabo bangamahlwempu kwabo bazizityebi. Nangona yayinokuphazamisa ukuqokelelwa kobutyebi obungaphaya komgca kunye nokuziyekela kulonwabo olungenamida, yayiya kusithintela isiphumo sokungazi nokunyhashwa phantsi kwamashumi amawaka abo basetyenziswe nzima behlawulwa into engabonakaliyo ekuzuzeni ezi mfumba zobutyebi. Yayiya kuzisa isisombululo esinoxolo kwezo ngxaki zizisela ihlabathi uvukelo nokuphalala kwegazi.ANa 536.2