Umsebenzi uJehova awenza kuma-Israyeli wamisa phakathi kwesintu indawo kaNkulunkulu yokudabuka emhlabeni, futhi okwakuyindawo engcwele ayekhona kuyo. Wawugcina umsebenzi wakhe ukubantu bakwa-Israyeli kuphela. Ekuqaleni, akazange asebenze ngaphandle kwakwa-Israyeli, kodwa kunalokho, wakhetha abantu abathola befanelekile ukuze anciphise ububanzi bomsebenzi Wakhe. Kwa-Israyeli yindawo lapho uNkulunkulu adala khona u-Adamu no-Eva, futhi ngothuli lwaleyo ndawo, uJehova wenza umuntu; le ndawo yaba yisizinda somsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni. Abakwa-Israyeli, ababeyinzalo kaNowa babeyinzalo ka-Adamu futhi, babeyisisekelo esingabantu somsebenzi kaJehova emhlabeni.

Ngalesi sikhathi, ukubaluleka, inhloso, kanye nezigaba zomsebenzi kaJehova kwa-Israyeli kwakungukuqala umsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni wonke, okwathi, uthatha u-Israyeli njengesizinda sawo, waya ngokuya wandela kwabeZizwe. Lesi yisimiso asebenza ngaso emhlabeni wonke jikelele—ukwakha isibonelo bese esandisa baze bonke abantu emhlabeni jikelele balemukele ivangeli Lakhe. Ama-Israyeli okuqala kwakuyinzalo kaNowa. Labo bantu babefakwe kuphela umphefumulo kaJehova futhi babeqonda ngokwenele ukunakekela izidingo eziyisisekelo zempilo, kodwa babengamazi ukuthi uyinhloboni kaNkulunkulu uJehova, noma isifiso Sakhe ngomuntu futhi bengayazi intando yakhe ngomuntu, ingasaphathwa eyokwazi ngisho ukuthi kufanele bayihloniphe kanjani iNkosi yendalo yonke. Okokuthi yayikhona imigomo nemithetho okwakufanele ilalelwe^[a], noma ukuthi imuphi umsebenzi izidalwa okufanele ziwenzele uMdali, inzalo ka-Adamu yayingazi lutho ngalezi zinto. Konke ababekwazi nje ukuthi umyeni kufanele ajuluke futhi asebenze ukuze ondle umndeni wakhe, nokuthi inkosikazi kufanele ithobele umyeni wayo, futhi yandise uhlanga lwabantu uJehova abadalile. Ngamanye amazwi, abantu abanjalo, ababenomphefumulo kaJehova kanye nokuphila Kwakhe, babengazi lutho ngendlela yokulandela imithetho kaNkulunkulu noma ukwenelisa iNkosi yendalo yonke. Babenokuqonda okuncane kakhulu. Ngakho-ke nakuba kwakungekho lutho olugwegwile noma oluwubuqili ezinhliziyweni zabo, futhi umona nokuphikisana kwakungavamile ukuvuka phakathi kwabo, noma kunjalo babengenalo ulwazi noma ukuqonda uJehova, iNkosi yendalo yonke. Labo khokho bomuntu babazi nje ukuphela ukudla izinto zikaJehova, nokuthokozela izinto zikaJehova, kodwa babengakwazi ukuhlonipha uJehova; babengazi ukuthi uJehova Nguye yedwa okufanele bamkhonze beguqe ngamadolo. Ngakho babengabizwa kanjani ngezidalwa Zakhe? Uma kwakunjalo, kuthiwani ngamagama athi, “uJehova uyiNkosi yendalo yonke” nathi “Wadala umuntu ukuze amveze, amkhazimulise, futhi ammele,”—kwakungeke kube ayekhulunyelwa ize? Kwakungenzeka kanjani ukuthi abantu abangamhloniphi uJehova babe ofakazi benkazimulo Yakhe? Babengaba kanjani ukuvezwa kwenkazimulo Yakhe? Ingabe amazwi kaJehova athi “Ngadala umuntu ngomfanekiso Wami” abe esephenduka isikhali esandleni sikaSathane—lo omubi? La mazwi ayengeke yini abe uphawu lokululazeka kokudala umuntu kukaJehova? Ukuze aqede leso sigaba somsebenzi, uJehova, emuva kokudala isintu, akazange abayalele noma abaqondise ukusuka esikhathini sika-Adamu kuya kwesikaNowa. Kodwa, kwaze kwaba emuva kokuba uzamcolo usubhubhise umhlaba lapho aqala khona ngokusemthethweni ukuhola abakwa-Israyeli, ababeyinzalo kaNowa neka-Adamu futhi. Umsebenzi Wakhe namazwi Akhe kwa-Israyeli kwanika ukuqondiseka kubo bonke abantu ezweni lonke lakwa-Israyeli, ngalokho kwakhombisa isintu ukuthi uJehova akakwazi nje kuphela ukuphefumulela umphefumulo kumuntu, ukuze abenempilo evela Kuye, futhi aphakame othulini abe yisidalwa sikaNkulunkulu, kodwa nokuthi wayengangqongqisa isintu ngomlilo, futhi aqalekise isintu, aphinde asebenzise induku Yakhe ukuphatha isintu. Nabo-ke, babona ukuthi uJehova angayihola impilo yomuntu emhlabeni, futhi akhulume aphinde asebenze phakathi kwesintu ngokwamahora emini nawobusuku. Wenza umsebenzi ukuze izidalwa Zakhe zazi ukuthi umuntu wavela othulini olwalucoshwe Nguye, nokuthi ngaphezulu kwalokho, umuntu wayenziwe Nguye. Hhayi lokhu kuphela, kodwa umsebenzi awuqala ku-Israyeli wenziwa ukuze abanye abantu nezizwe (ababengahlukene empeleni no-Israyeli, kodwa ababexhante besuka kubantu bakwa-Israyeli, kodwa beseyinzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva) bathole ivangeli likaJehova ku-Israyeli, ukuze zonke izidalwa ezweni lonke zimhloniphe futhi zimbone emkhulu. Ukuba uJehova wayengawuqalanga umsebenzi Wakhe kwa-Israyeli, kodwa esikhundleni salokho wathi esesidalile isintu, wasidedela saphila impilo yokuzibonela emhlabeni, ngenxa yemvelo yomzimba womuntu (imvelo ichaza ukuthi umuntu akasoze azi izinto angaziboni, okungukuthi, wayengeke azi ukuthi uJehova wadala isintu, kungasaphathwa okokuthi wamdalelani), wayengasoze azi ukuthi uJehova wadala isintu nokuthi uyiNkosi yezinto zonke. Ukuba uJehova wayedale umuntu wayesembeka emhlabeni, wayesesula izandla Zakhe wamshiya kunokuthi ahlale phakathi kwabantu ukuze abahole isikhathi esithile, khona-ke sonke isintu sasiyophetha ngokushabalala. Ngisho izulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto eziningi azidala, kanye nesintu sonke, kwakuyophetha ngokushabalala kugxotshwe ngezinyawo nguSathane. Ngakho isifiso sikaJehova sokuba, “Emhlabeni, okusho ukuthi, phakathi kwendalo Yakhe, kufanele abe nendawo yokuma, indawo engcwele” sasiyodicileleka phansi. Ngakho-ke, emuva kokudala isintu, ukuthi wakwazi ukuhlala phakathi kwaso, ukuze asiqondise ezimpilweni zaso, futhi akhulume naso ephakathi kwaso, konke lokhu kwakungokokufeza isifiso sakhe, nokufeza uhlelo Lwakhe. Umsebenzi awenza kwa-Israyeli wawuqonde kuphela ukufeza uhlelo ayekade eluhlelile ngaphambi kokudala Kwakhe zonke izinto, ngakho-ke ukusebenza Kwakhe kokuqala phakathi kwabakwa-Israyeli nokudala Kwakhe zonke izinto kwakungaphikisani, kodwa kokubili kwakungenxa yokuphatha Kwakhe, umsebenzi Wakhe, kanye nenkazimulo Yakhe, kwajulisa injongo yokudala Kwakhe isintu. Wayiqondisa impilo yesintu emhlabeni iminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili emuva kukaNowa, okuyisikhathi owafundisa ngaso isintu ukuthi siqonde indlela yokuhlonipha uJehova, iNkosi yezinto zonke, wabafundisa ukuthi baziphathe kanjani futhi baqhubeke kanjani nokuphila, nakakhulu, ukuthi bamfakazele kanjani uJehova, bamlalele, baphinde bamhloniphe, futhi bamdumise ngomculo njengoDavide nabapristi bakhe.

Ngaphambili kwezinkulungwane ezimbili zeminyaka lapho uJehova enza khona umsebenzi Wakhe, umuntu wayengazi lutho, futhi cishe bonke abantu base bewele enkohlakalweni, kwaze kwaba yisikhathi, ngaphambi kukazamcolo, sebefike ekujuleni kobufebe nokonakala lapho izinhliziyo zabo zazingasenaye uJehova, kungasaphathwa okwendlela Yakhe. Abazange neze baqonde umsebenzi uJehova ayezowenza; babengenawo umqondo wokucabanga, lungasaphathwa ulwazi, benjengomshini ophilayo ophefumulayo, bengenalwazi nhlobo ngomuntu, ngoNkulunkulu, ngomhlaba, kanye nempilo ngokufanayo. Emhlabeni bangena ekwenzeni ukuyenga okuningi, njengenyoka, futhi bakhuluma izinto eziningi azazimcasula uJehova, kodwa ngoba babengenalwazi uJehova akazange abasole noma abaqondise. Kungemuva kukazamcolo kuphela, lapho uNowa eseneminyaka engama-601, lapho uJehova wazibonakalisa ngokomthetho kuNowa wabe esemqondisa yena nomndeni wakhe, ehola izinyoni nezilwane ezasinda kuzamcolo Kanye noNowa nozalo lwakhe, kwaze kwabasekupheleni kweNkathi Yomthetho, iminyaka eyizi-2,500 seyiphelele. Wayesebenza ku-Israyeli, okungukuthi, ukusebenza ngokomthetho, isamba seminyaka eyizi-2,000, kanti isikhathi lapho ayesebenza kwa-Israyeli nangaphandle kwakhona sasiyiminyaka engama-500, okwenza iminyaka eyizi-2,500 uma sekuhlangene. Ngale nkathi, watshela abakwa-Israyeli ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova, kufanele bakhe ithempeli bagqoke izingubo zobupristi, futhi bangene bengafake zicathulo ethempelini entathakusa, zingaze izicathulo zabo zingcolise ithempeli bese kwehla umlilo phezulu ethempelini ubashise bafe. Bayenza imisebenzi yabo futhi bathobela izinhlelo zikaJehova. Bakhuleka kuJehova ethempelini, kwathi emuva kokuba sebethole isambulo sikaJehova, okungukuthi, emuva kokuthi uJehova esekhulumile, bahola izihlwele futhi bazifundisa ukuthi zimhloniphe kakhulu uJehova—uNkulunkulu wazo. Futhi uJehova wabatshela ukuthi kufanele bakhe ithempeli ne-altare, bese kuthi ngesikhathi esibekwe uJehova, okungukuthi, ngePhasika, kufanele balungise ethempelini amathole namawundlu asanda kuzalwa njengemihlatshelo yokukhonza uJehova, ukubanqanda kanye nokufaka inhlonipho enkulu kaJehova ezinhliziyweni zabo. Ukuthi bayawulalela yini lo mthetho kwaba isilinganiso sokuthembeka kwabo kuJehova. UJehova wabeka nosuku lweSabatha kubo, usuku lwesikhombisa lokudala Kwakhe. Usuku emuva kwalokho walwenza usuku lokuqala, usuku lwabo lokuba bakhonze uJehova, balethe imihlatshelo, futhi benze umculo Kuye. Ngalolu suku, uJehova wabizela ndawonye bonke abapristi ukuze babe imihlatshelo e-altare ukuze abantu badle, ukuze bathokozele imihlatshelo e-altare likaJehova. Futhi uJehova wathi babusisiwe, ukuthi babehlukaniselana ingxenyana naye, nokuthi babengabantu Bakhe abakhethiweyo (okwabe kuyisivumelwano sikaJehova nabakwa-Israyeli). Yingakho, kuze kube namuhla, abantu bakwa-Israyeli basathi uJehova nguNkulunkulu wabo bodwa, hhayi uNkulunkulu wezinye izizwe.

NgeNkathi Yomthetho, uJehova wabeka imiyalelo eminingi uMose okwakufanele ayidlulisele kwabakwa-Israyeli, abamlandela bephuma eGibhithe. UJehova wayinika le miyalelo abakwa-Israyeli, futhi yayingahlobene nabaseGibhithe; yayenzelwe ukungqanda abakwa-Israyeli. Wasebenzisa imiyalelo ukuze afune izinto kubo. Noma abantu babeligcina iSabatha, noma babehlonipha abazali babo, noma babekhonza izithixo, nokunye nokunye: lezi kwakuyizimiso abantu ababehlulelwa ngazo ukuthi banesono noma balungile. Phakathi kwabo, bakhona ababeshaywa ngumlilo kaJehova, abanye ababekhandwa ngamatshe, nabanye ababethola isibusio sikaJehova, futhi lokhu kwakunqunywa ngokuthi umuntu uyayilalela yini imiyalelo noma cha. Labo ababengaligcini iSabatha babekhandwa ngamatshe. Labo bapristi ababengaligcini iSabatha babeshaywa umlilo kaJehova. Labo ababengabalaleli abazali babo nabo babekhandwa ngamatshe. Konke lokhu kwakuvunywe nguJehova. UJehova wamisa imiyalelo Yakhe kanye nemithetho Yakhe ukuze kuthi lapho ebahola ezimpilweni zabo, abantu balizwe futhi balilalele izwi Lakhe futhi bangamhlubuki. Wasebenzisa le mithetho ukulawula uhlanga lwesintu olwalusanda kuzalwa, ukwakha isisekelo somsebenzi Wakhe owawuseza. Ngakho-ke, ngenxa yomsebenzi owenziwa uJehova, inkathi yokuqala yabizwa ngokuthi iNkathi Yomthetho. Nakuba uJehova wakhuluma amazwi amaningi futhi wenza umsebenzi omningi, wahola abantu ngendlela eyakhayo kuphela, efundisa laba bantu abengenalwazi ukuba babe kanjani ngabantu, baphile kanjani, bayiqonde kanjani indlela kaJehova. Ikakhulukazi, umsebenzi awenza kwakungowokwenza abantu baphile ngendlela Yakhe futhi balandele umthetho Wakhe. Umsebenzi wenziwa kubantu ababengakhohlakele ngokujulile; awuzange wenabele ekuguqulweni kwesimo noma ekukhuleni empilweni. Wayekhathalele kuphela ukusebenzisa imithetho ukunqanda nokulawula abantu. Kuma-Israyeli ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova wayenguNkulunkulu ethempelini nje, uNkulunkulu osemazulwini. Wayeyinsika yefu, eyinsika yomlilo. Konke uNkulunkulu ayefuna bakwenze kwakuwukuthi balalele lokhu abantu banamhlanje abakwazi njengemithetho Yakhe nemiyalelo—umuntu angaze athi nje imigomo—ngoba umsebenzi kaJehova wawungahlosile ukubaguqula kodwa ukubanika ezinye izinto umuntu okufanele abe nazo, ukubatshela ngomlomo wakhe uqobo, ngoba emuva kokudalwa, umuntu wayengazi lutho ngokuthi kufanele abe nani. Ngakho-ke uJehova wanika abantu izinto okufanele babe nazo ezimpilweni zabo emhlabeni, wenza abantu abaholayo ukuthi babedlule okhokho babo, u-Adamu no-Eva, ngoba lokho uJehova abanika khona kwakudlula lokho ayekade ekunike u-Adamu no-Eva ekuqaleni. Nakuba kunjalo, umsebenzi uJehova awenza kwa-Israyeli kwakungowokuqondisa isintu kuphela nokwenza isintu simazise uMdali waso. Akazange abanqobe noma abaguqule, wamane wabaqondisa. Lokhu yisamba somsebenzi kaJehova ngeNkathi Yomthetho. Yisendlalelo, indaba eyiqiniso, ingqikithi yomsebenzi Wakhe ezweni lonke lakwa-Israyeli nesiqalo somsebenzi Wakhe weminyaka eyizinkulungwane eziyisithupha—ukulawula isintu ngesandla sikaJehova. Kulokhu kwazaleka umsebenzi omningi ohlelweni Lwakhe lokuphatha lweminyaka eyizinkulungwane eziyisithupha.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

a. Umbhalo wasekuqaleni awunalo igama elithi “ilalelwe.”