1, 2. Yini ezoqinisa ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi uMbuso uzoyifeza injongo kaNkulunkulu ngesintu, futhi kungani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

NJENGOFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA, sivame ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwekhambi lazo zonke izinkinga zethu, futhi sibafundisa ngenkuthalo abantu leli qiniso elisemqoka elingokomBhalo. Sithola nenduduzo enkulu ethembeni esilinikezwa uMbuso. Nokho, kuqine kangakanani ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi uMbuso ungokoqobo futhi uzoyifeza injongo yawo? Sinasiphi isisekelo sokuba nokholo olungenakunyakaziswa eMbusweni?—Heb. 11:1.

² UMbuso KaMesiya uyilungiselelo elamiswa uMninimandla onke ngokwakhe ukuze afeze injongo yakhe ngokuphathelene nendalo. Lo Mbuso unesisekelo esingenakunyakaziswa—ilungelo likaJehova eliphelele lokubusa. Izici ezibalulekile zalo Mbuso—inkosi yawo, ababusi abakanye nayo, indawo ozoyibusa—zonke zimiswe ngokomthetho ngezivumelwano ezinoNkulunkulu noma iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, njengabahlanganyeli kuzo. Ukuzindla ngalezi zivumelwano kuzokhulisa ukuqonda kwethu indlela injongo kaNkulunkulu ezogcwaliseka ngayo futhi kuzosisiza sibone indlela leli lungiselelo eliqine ngayo.—Funda eyabase-Efesu 2:12.

3. Yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko nakwesilandelayo?

 ³ IBhayibheli libhekisela ezivumelwaneni eziyisithupha eziyinhloko ezihlobene noMbuso KaMesiya ophathiswe uKristu Jesu. Yilezi: (1) isivumelwano sika-Abrahama, (2) isivumelwano soMthetho, (3) isivumelwano sikaDavide, (4) isivumelwano sompristi onjengoMelkhizedeki, (5) isivumelwano esisha (6) nesivumelwano soMbuso. Ake sihlole indlela isivumelwano ngasinye esihlobene ngayo noMbuso nesiqhubekisela ngayo phambili ukufezeka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba nangesintu.—Bheka ishadi elithi “ Indlela UNkulunkulu Azoyifeza Ngayo Injongo Yakhe.”

4. Njengoba kushiwo kuGenesise, imiphi imiyalo uJehova ayikhipha ngokuqondene nabantu?

⁴ Ngemva kokulungisa le mbulunga yethu enhle ukuze kuhlalwe kuyo, uJehova wakhipha imiyalo emithathu ngokuqondene nabantu: UNkulunkulu wethu wayezodala abantu ngomfanekiso wakhe, abantu babezonweba iPharadesi ligcwale umhlaba wonke bese bewugcwalisa ngenzalo elungile, futhi babenqatshelwe ukuba badle emthini wolwazi lokuhle nokubi. (Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:16, 17) Kwakungadingeki lutho olunye. Ngemva kokudalwa komuntu, okwakudingeka nje kuphela ukuba anamathele kulena eminye imiyalo emibili ukuze injongo kaNkulunkulu igcwaliseke. Pho-ke, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba kube nesidingo sezivumelwano?

5, 6. (a) USathane wazama kanjani ukubhuntshisa injongo kaNkulunkulu? (b) UJehova wasabela kanjani enseleleni kaSathane e-Edene?

⁵ Ngenxa yobubi bakhe, uSathane uDeveli wagqugquzela ukuvukela wazama ukushafisa injongo kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu wakwenza ngokusebenzisa umyalo owawudinga ukuba umuntu alalele—umyalo ayengawuphazamisa kalula. Walinga owesifazane wokuqala, u-Eva, ukuba angawulaleli umyalo owawubenqabela ukudla emthini wolwazi lokuhle nokubi. (Gen. 3:1-5; IsAm. 12:9) Ngokwenza lokhu, uSathane walibekela inselele ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa indalo yaKhe. Kamuva, uSathane wabuye washo ngeziphansi ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziqotho zimkhonza ngezisusa zobugovu.—Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4, 5.

⁶ Wayezosabela kanjani uJehova enseleleni uSathane ayiphakamisa e-Edene? Yebo, ukubabhubhisa labo bavukeli kwakungakuqeda lokho kuvukela kwabo. Kodwa kwakuyosho nokuthi injongo uNkulunkulu ayeseyishilo yokuba umhlaba ugcwale abantwana abalalelayo baka-Adamu no-Eva yayingeke isagcwaliseka. Kunokuba abhubhise labo bavukeli ngaso leso sikhathi, uMdali ohlakaniphile wasabela ngokusho isiprofetho esibaluleke kakhulu—isithembiso sase-Edene—ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi yonke imininingwane yezwi lakhe iyogcwaliseka.—Funda uGenesise 3:15.

7. Isithembiso sase-Edene sisinikeza siphi isiqinisekiso ngokuphathelene nenyoka nenzalo yayo?

⁷ Ngesithembiso sase-Edene, uJehova wahlulela inyoka nenzalo yayo, emelele uSathane uDeveli nabo bonke ababeyomsekela empikiswaneni yelungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa. UNkulunkulu weqiniso wanika inzalo yowesifazane wakhe wasezulwini igunya lokubhubhisa uSathane. Ngakho, isithembiso sase-Edene asigcizelelanga kuphela ukuthi umgqugquzeli wokuvukela kwasensimini yase-Edene uyobhujiswa nayo yonke imiphumela emibi yesenzo sakhe kodwa futhi sibalula nalokho uNkulunkulu ayezokusebenzisa ekufezeni lokhu.

8. Yini engase ishiwo ngokuthi ungubani owesifazane nenzalo yakhe?

⁸ Yayizoba ngubani le nzalo yowesifazane?  Njengoba le nzalo izochoboza ikhanda lenyoka, okungukuthi ‘izokwenza’ uSathane uDeveli oyisidalwa somoya ‘abe yize,’ kumelwe ukuba nayo ingumuntu womoya. Ngenxa yalokho, nowesifazane oyibelethayo kumelwe ukuba ungumuntu womoya. (Heb. 2:14) Njengoba inzalo yenyoka yayanda, kwahlale kuyimfihlakalo ukuthi ungubani owesifazane nenzalo yakhe cishe iminyaka engu-4 000 uJehova anikeza isithembiso sase-Edene. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uJehova wenza izivumelwano eziningana ezibonisa ukuthi ingubani le nzalo neziqinisekisa izinceku zakhe ukuthi le nzalo yayiyoba indlela uNkulunkulu ayezowulungisa ngayo umonakalo omkhulu uSathane ayewenze emkhayeni wesintu.

9. Siyini isivumelwano sika-Abrahama, futhi saqala nini ukusebenza?

⁹ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 000 ngemva kokugweba uSathane, uJehova wayala inzalamizi u-Abrahama ukuba ishiye umuzi wayo e-Uri laseMesophothamiya iye ezweni laseKhanani. (IzE. 7:2, 3) UJehova wathi kuyo: “Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho nasendlini kayihlo uye ezweni engizokutshengisa lona; ngizokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngawe futhi ngizokubusisa ngenze igama lakho libe likhulu; ube yisibusiso. Ngiyobabusisa labo abakubusisayo, nalowo okuqalekisayo ngiyomqalekisa, futhi yonke imindeni yomhlaba nakanjani iyozibusisa ngawe.” (Gen. 12:1-3) Yilokhu ukulandisa kokuqala esinakho okulotshiwe okuphathelene nesivumelwano sika-Abrahama—isivumelwano uJehova uNkulunkulu asenza no-Abrahama. Akwaziwa ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi uJehova wasenza nini okokuqala lesi sivumelwano no-Abrahama. Nokho, saqala ukusebenza ngo-1943 B.C.E., ngesikhathi u-Abrahama owayeseneminyaka engu-75 eshiya iHarana ewela uMfula i-Ewufrathe.

10. (a) U-Abrahama walubonisa kanjani ukholo olungenakunyakaziswa ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu? (b) Imiphi imininingwane uJehova ayembula kancane kancane ngenzalo yowesifazane?

 ¹⁰ UJehova wasiphinda kaningi isithembiso asenza ku-Abrahama, elokhu enezela imininingwane eyengeziwe. (Gen. 13:15-17; 17:1-8, 16) Lapho u-Abrahama ebonisa ukuthi wayenokholo olungenakunyakaziswa ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu ngokuzibonisa ekulungele ukunikela ngendodana yakhe ewukuphela kwayo, uJehova wasiqinisa isivumelwano sakhe naye ngesithembiso esasingenamibandela. (Funda uGenesise 22:15-18; Hebheru 11:17, 18.) Ngemva kokuba isivumelwano sika-Abrahama siqale ukusebenza, uJehova wayembula kancane kancane imininingwane ebalulekile ngenzalo yowesifazane. Wembula ukuthi le nzalo yayizovela ku-Abrahama, ibe ningi, iphathiswe umsebenzi wokubusa, iqede zonke izitha zayo futhi ibe isibusiso kubantu abaningi.

11, 12. ImiBhalo ibonisa kanjani ukuthi isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sinokugcwaliseka okukhulu, futhi lokho kusho ukuthini kithi?

¹¹ Nakuba isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sagcwaliseka ngokoqobo enzalweni yakhe lapho izuza ifa eliyiZwe Lesithembiso, imiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi imibandela ekuleso sivumelwano inanokugcwaliseka okungokomoya. (Gal. 4:22-25) Kulokhu kugcwaliseka okukhulu, umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba achaze ukuthi ingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama nguKristu, ingxenye yesibili amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya angu-144 000. (Gal. 3:16, 29; IsAm. 5:9, 10; 14:1, 4) Akekho owesifazane ongaveza le nzalo ngaphandle ‘kweJerusalema eliphezulu’—ingxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu eyakhiwa izidalwa zomoya eziqotho. (Gal. 4:26, 31) Njengoba isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sathembisa, inzalo yowesifazane yayiyolethela isintu izibusiso.

¹² Isivumelwano sika-Abrahama sikhuluma ngeNkosi nababusi abakanye nayo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu, futhi sakha isisekelo esingokomthetho soMbuso wamazulu. (Heb. 6:13-18) Lesi sivumelwano sizosebenza isikhathi eside kangakanani? UGenesise 17:7 uthi ‘siyisivumelwano kuze kube nini nanini.’ Sizoqhubeka sisebenza kuze kube yilapho uMbuso KaMesiya uqeda zonke izitha zikaNkulunkulu futhi yonke imindeni yomhlaba isibusisiwe. (1 Kor. 15:23-26) Eqinisweni, labo abayophila emhlabeni ngaleso sikhathi bayozuza phakade. Isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu no-Abrahama sibonisa ukuthi uJehova uzimisele ukugcwalisa injongo yakhe yokuba abantu abalungile ‘bagcwalise umhlaba’!—Gen. 1:28.

13, 14. Yini isivumelwano sikaDavide esiyiqinisekisayo ngokuphathelene nokubusa kukaMesiya?

¹³ Isithembiso sase-Edene nesivumelwano sika-Abrahama siqinisekisa iphuzu elisemqoka lokuthi ubukhosi bukaJehova obubonakaliswa ngoMbuso KaMesiya busekelwe ngokuqinile ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga. (IHu. 89:14) Ingabe uhulumeni kaMesiya uyoke wonakale bese kudingeka uqedwe? Kunesinye isivumelwano esingokomthetho esisiqinisekisa ngokuthi into enjalo ayisoze yenzeka.

¹⁴ Cabanga ngalokho uJehova akuthembisa iNkosi uDavide yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo ngesivumelwano sikaDavide. (Funda eyesi-2 Samuweli 7:12, 16.) UJehova wenza lesi sivumelwano noDavide ngesikhathi uDavide ebusa eJerusalema, wamthembisa ukuthi uMesiya wayeyovela ohlwini lozalo lwakhe. (Luka 1:30-33) Ngakho, uJehova waqhubeka eveza uhlu lwale nzalo futhi waqinisekisa ukuthi othile oyindlalifa kaDavide wayeyothola ‘ilungelo elingokomthetho’ lesihlalo sobukhosi soMbuso KaMesiya. (Hez. 21:25-27)  NgoJesu, ubukhosi bukaDavide ‘buyomiswa buqine kuze kube nini nanini.’ Impela, inzalo kaDavide “iyohlala kuze kube nini nanini, nesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi siyohlala njengelanga.” (IHu. 89:34-37) Yebo, ukubusa kukaMesiya akusoze konakala, futhi lokho okuzokufeza kuyohlala phakade!

15-17. Ngokwesivumelwano sompristi onjengoMelkhizedeki, inzalo yayiyokhonza kusiphi esinye isikhundla, futhi ngani?

¹⁵ Nakuba isivumelwano sika-Abrahama nesivumelwano sikaDavide ziqinisekisa ukuthi inzalo yowesifazane yayiyonikezwa umsebenzi wokubusa, leyo ndima iyodwa yayingeke yanele ukuba ilethele abantu bazo zonke izizwe izibusiso. Ukuze babusiswe ngempela, kuyodingeka bakhululwe esimweni sabo sokuba izoni futhi balethwe emkhayeni kaJehova wendawo yonke. Ukuze lokhu kufezeke, kudingeka ukuba inzalo iphinde ikhonze njengabapristi. UMdali ohlakaniphile wakulungiselela lokhu ngelinye ilungiselelo elingokomthetho, isivumelwano sompristi onjengoMelkhizedeki.

¹⁶ UJehova wembula ngeNkosi uDavide ukuthi wayeyokwenza isivumelwano noJesu esasiyoba nenjongo ekabili: ukuba ‘ahlale ngakwesokunene’ sikaNkulunkulu kuze kube yilapho enqoba izitha zakhe nokuba abe “umpristi kuze kube nini nanini ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki!” (Funda iHubo 110:1, 2, 4.) Kungani eba umpristi “ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki”? Kungenxa yokuthi esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba noma ngubani wenzalo ka-Abrahama anikwe ifa leZwe Lesithembiso, uMelkhizedeki, inkosi yaseSalema, wakhonza ‘njengompristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke.’ (Heb. 7:1-3) Wamiswa uJehova ngokuqondile ukuba abe umpristi. Nguye kuphela obalulwa emiBhalweni YesiHebheru njengowakhonza kokubili njengenkosi nompristi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba kungekho muntu owamandulela noma owamlandela okulotshwe ngaye, kungashiwo ukuthi “uhlala engumpristi njalo,” noma phakade.

¹⁷ UJesu umiswa ngokuqondile ukuba abe umpristi ngalesi sivumelwano uJehova asenza naye, futhi uyohlala “[engumpristi] kuze kube phakade ngokwendlela kaMelkhizedeki.” (Heb. 5:4-6) Lokhu kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova uzibophezele ngokomthetho ukusebenzisa uMbuso KaMesiya ukuze afeze injongo yakhe yokuqala ngokuphathelene nabantu emhlabeni.

18, 19. (a) Izivumelwano esixoxe ngazo zibonisani ngokuphathelene noMbuso? (b) Imuphi umbuzo osasele?

¹⁸ Njengoba sibheka lezi zivumelwano esixoxe ngazo, singabona indlela ezihlobana ngayo noMbuso KaMesiya nendlela ilungiselelo loMbuso elisekelwe ngayo ngokuqinile ezivumelwaneni ezingokomthetho. Isithembiso sase-Edene sibopha uJehova ukuba afeze injongo yakhe ngomhlaba nangesintu esebenzisa inzalo yowesifazane. Yayizoba ngubani leyo nzalo, futhi yayizokhonza kusiphi isikhundla? Isivumelwano sika-Abrahama senza iqondakale yonke le mininingwane.

¹⁹ Isivumelwano sikaDavide siveza uhlu lozalo lwengxenye eyinhloko yenzalo futhi siyinika ilungelo lokubusa umhlaba ukuze izinto ezizofezwa uMbuso zibe ezihlala phakade. Isivumelwano sokuba umpristi onjengoMelkhizedeki siba isisekelo esigunyaza le nzalo ukuba ikhonze njengompristi. Nokho, uJesu ngeke abe yedwa lapho esiza isintu ukuba sifinyelele ukuphelela. Kunabanye abagcotshelwe ukuba nabo bakhonze njengamakhosi nabapristi. Babezovelaphi? Sizoxoxa ngalokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.