1, 2. (a) Kutheni abantu bewazi kangaka amazwi akwiDuteronomi 6:4? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uMoses athethe loo mazwi?

KANGANGAMAKHULUKHULU eminyaka, abantu abangamaYuda bebesenza umthandazo okhethekileyo onamazwi akwiDuteronomi 6:4. Lo mthandazo ubizwa ngokuba yiShema. Eli ligama lokuqala kule vesi yesiHebhere. AmaYuda amaninzi enza lo mthandazo qho ekuseni nasebusuku ukuze abonise ukuba azinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo.

² Loo mazwi ayinxalenye yentetho yokugqibela uMoses awayinikela kuhlanga lwamaSirayeli. Ngonyaka ka-1473 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu, olu hlanga lwalukwaMowabhi, lulungele ukuwela uMlambo iYordan luze lungene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. (Duteronomi 6:1) UMoses wayesele elukhokele kangangeminyaka eyi-40 olu hlanga, ibe wayefuna lube nesibindi ukuze lukwazi ukumelana neengxaki olwaluza kujamelana nazo. Kwakufuneka luthembele luze luthembeke kuThixo walo uYehova. Ngoko amazwi okugqibela kaMoses alukhuthaza ukuba lwenze loo nto kanye. Emva  kokuthetha ngeMithetho Elishumi neminye imithetho kaYehova, uMoses wathetha la mazwi anamandla esiwafumana kwiDuteronomi 6:4, 5. (Yifunde.)

3. Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula kweli nqaku?

³ AmaSirayeli ayesazi ukuba uYehova uThixo wawo “nguYehova mnye.” AmaSirayeli athembekileyo ayenqula uThixo omnye, uThixo wokhokho bawo. Ngoko kwakutheni ukuze uMoses awakhumbuze ukuba uYehova uThixo wawo “nguYehova mnye”? Loo nyaniso idibana njani nokuthanda uThixo wethu ngentliziyo yonke, ngomphefumlo wonke nangamandla onke? Asichaphazela njani thina namhlanje amazwi akwiDuteronomi 6:4, 5?

4, 5. (a) Lithetha ukuthini ibinzana elithi “nguYehova mnye”? (b) UYehova wahluke njani koothixo beentlanga?

⁴ Ukhethekile. Ibinzana elithi “nguYehova mnye” lithetha ukuba uYehova ukhethekile, nokuba akukho nabani na onjengaye. Kwakutheni ukuze uMoses asebenzise elo binzana? Akubonakali ngathi wayezama ukubonisa indlela ekwakungachananga ngayo ukukholelwa kuThixo oneziqu ezithathu. UYehova nguMdali wezulu nomhlaba noMlawuli wendalo iphela. Nguye kuphela uThixo oyinyaniso, ibe akakho omnye uthixo onjengaye. (2 Samuweli 7:22) Ngoko amazwi kaMoses ayemele akhumbuze amaSirayeli ukuba amele anqule uYehova kuphela. Ayengamele alinganise abantu ababewangqongile, ababenqula oothixo noothixokazi bobuxoki abaninzi. Abo bantu babekholelwa ukuba oothixo babo babelawula inxalenye ethile yendalo.

⁵ Ngokomzekelo, amaYiputa ayenqula uthixo welanga uRa, uthixokazi wesibhakabhaka uNut, uthixo womhlaba uGeb, uthixo woMnayile uHapi, kuquka nezilwanyana ezininzi. Xa uYehova wazisa iZibetho Ezilishumi, wazingqina ephakamile kunaba thixo bobuxoki. Oyena thixo wayethandwa ngamaKanan nguBhahali, uthixo wobuxoki awayesithi amaKanan nguye owabangela kubekho ubomi. Ayekholelwa nokuba unguthixo wesibhakabhaka nemvula. Kwiindawo ezininzi, abantu babethembele ekukhuselweni nguBhahali. (Numeri 25:3) Wona amaSirayeli ayemele akhumbule ukuba uThixo wawo, “unguThixo oyinyaniso,” ukhethekile, “nguYehova mnye.”—Duteronomi 4:35, 39.

6, 7. Yintoni enye ethethwa kukuba “mnye,” ibe uYehova wazingqina njani ‘emnye’?

⁶ Akagungqi. Igama elithi “mnye” kwibinzana elithi “nguYehova mnye” lithetha nokuba injongo nezenzo zakhe zisoloko zithembekile. UYehova uThixo akahlulelananga yaye akaguquguquki. Uhlala ethembekile yaye engagungqi. Ngokomzekelo, wathembisa uAbraham ukuba inzala yakhe yayiya kuhlala kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Ibe wenza imimangaliso emininzi  kakhulu ukuze eso sithembiso sibe nokuzaliseka. Kwanasemva kweminyaka engamakhulu amane anamashumi amathathu uYehova esenzile eso sithembiso, akazange asitshintshe.—Genesis 12:1, 2, 7; Eksodus 12:40, 41.

⁷ Kumakhulukhulu eminyaka kamva, uYehova wawabiza amaSirayeli ngokuba ngamangqina akhe waza wawaxelela oku: “IkwaNdim. Phambi kwam akuzange kuyilwe Thixo, nasemva kwam akubangakho namnye.” UYehova wayenza yacaca into yokuba injongo yakhe ayisoze itshintshe xa waphinda wathi: “Lonke ixesha eli ikwaNdim.” (Isaya 43:10, 13; 44:6; 48:12) Hayi ukuba likhulu kwelungelo awayenalo amaSirayeli lokukhonza uThixo ongagungqiyo nothembekileyo! Sinelo lungelo nathi namhlanje.—Malaki 3:6; Yakobi 1:17.

8, 9. (a) Yintoni ayilindeleyo uYehova kubakhonzi bakhe? (b) UYesu wakugxininisa njani ukubaluleka kwamazwi kaMoses?

⁸ Ewe, uMoses wawakhumbuza amaSirayeli ukuba uYehova akasoze ayeke ukuwathanda nokuwakhathalela. Kodwa ke, uYehova wayelindele ukuba nawo azinikele ngokupheleleyo kuye aze amthande ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo nangamandla onke. Abazali babemele babafundise abantwana babo ngoYehova nanini na ithuba livela, ukuze nabo banqule yena kuphela.—Duteronomi 6:6-9.

⁹ UYehova akaze ayitshintshe injongo yakhe, ngoko soze zitshintshe izinto azilindeleyo kubakhonzi bakhe bokwenyaniso. Ukuba sifuna uYehova akholiswe lunqulo lwethu, simele sizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuye size simthande ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo nangamandla onke. UYesu wathi lo ngowona myalelo ubalulekileyo. (Funda uMarko 12:28-31.) Makhe sibone indlela esinokubonisa ngayo ngezenzo zethu ukuba siyakholelwa ukuba “uYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye.”

10, 11. (a) Simnqula njani ngokupheleleyo uYehova? (b) Abanye abafana abaselula babonisa njani ukuba bazinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova ngoxa babeseBhabhiloni?

¹⁰ UYehova nguye kuphela uThixo wethu. Sizinikela ngokupheleleyo kuye xa sinqula yena yedwa. Asimele sinqule abanye oothixo okanye sixube unqulo lwethu kuYehova nonqulo lobuxoki. Akangothixo nje omkhulu nonamandla kunabanye oothixo, kodwa unguThixo wokwenyaniso. Simele sinqule uYehova kuphela.—Funda iSityhilelo 4:11.

¹¹ Kwincwadi kaDaniyeli sifunda ngabafana abaselula abangamaHebhere, uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli noAzariya. Babonisa ukuba bazinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova ngokungakwamkeli ukutya okungahlambulukanga. Kwakhona aba bahlobo abathathu bakaDaniyeli bala ukuqubuda kwisithixo, umfanekiso wegolide kaNebhukadenetsare. Kaloku kubo, eyona nto yayibalulekile yayikukunqula uYehova. Babenyaniseke ngokupheleleyo kuye.—Daniyeli 2:1–3:30.

12. Xa sifuna ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, simele silumkele ntoni?

 ¹² UYehova umele abe kwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu. Xa sifuna ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuye, simele silumke kungabikho zinto zithatha indawo yakhe. Zizinto ezinjani ezo? KwiMithetho Elishumi, uYehova wathi abantu bakhe abamele banqule abanye oothixo. Babengamele baqhelisele naluphi na unqulo-zithixo. (Duteronomi 5:6-10) Zininzi ke iintlobo zonqulo-zithixo namhlanje, ibe ezinye zazo azikhawulezi ziqapheleke. Kodwa uYehova akatshintshanga. Nangoku “nguYehova mnye.” Makhe sibone indlela esinokuluphepha ngayo unqulo-zithixo namhlanje.

13. Yintoni esinokuqalisa ukuyithanda ngaphezu kukaYehova?

¹³ KwabaseKolose 3:5 (yifunde), sifunda ngezinto ezinokonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Sifunda ukuba ukubawa kuhlobene nonqulo-zithixo. Njani? Xa kukho into esiyinqwenela ngamandla, njengokuba nemali eninzi okanye ubunewunewu, ingabulawula ubomi bethu ngokungathi inguthixo onamandla. Zonke ezi zono kuthethwa ngazo kwabaseKolose 3:5 zinento yokwenza nokubawa, okulunqulo-zithixo. Ngoko ukuba sizinqwenela gqitha ezi zinto, sinokuqalisa ukuzithanda ngaphezu kukaThixo. Ngoko ke, loo nto ingathetha ukuba uYehova ‘akangoYehova omnye’ kuthi. Asifuni tu ukuba yenzeke loo nto.

14. Yintoni awasilumkisa ngayo umpostile uYohane ngokuphathelele uthando lwethu ngoThixo?

¹⁴ Umpostile uYohane wagxininisa into efanayo. Walumkisa ukuba xa umntu ethanda izinto zehlabathi, oko kukuthi, “inkanuko yenyama nenkanuko yamehlo nokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi,” ngoko “uthando lukaBawo alukho kuye.” (1 Yohane 2:15, 16) Ngoko kufuneka siqhubeke sizihlola ukuze sibone enoba siyalithanda na ihlabathi. Sisenokubona ukuba siqalisa ukutsaleleka kwiindlela zokuzonwabisa zeli hlabathi, kubantu balo, kwisinxibo nendlela yalo yokuzilungisa. Okanye sisenokuzifunela imfundo enomsila ukuze sifikelele “izinto ezinkulu.” (Yeremiya 45:4, 5) Ihlabathi elitsha lisondele kakhulu. Ngoko kufuneka ahlale enkenteza engqondweni la mazwi kaMoses anamandla! Ukuba siyayiqonda yaye siyayikholelwa into yokuba “uYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye,” siya kuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuye size simkhonze ngendlela afuna ngayo.—Hebhere 12:28, 29.

15. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos akhumbuze amaKristu ukuba uThixo “nguYehova mnye”?

¹⁵ Ibinzana elithi “nguYehova mnye” lisinceda siqonde ukuba uYehova ufuna abakhonzi bakhe bamanyane, baze babe nenjongo efanayo ebomini. Kwibandla lamaKristu okuqala kwakukho amaYuda, amaGrike, amaRoma kunye nabantu bezinye iintlanga. Babekhule ngeendlela  ezahlukeneyo, ibe izithethe nezinto abazithandayo zazingafani. Ngenxa yoko, kwakunzima kwabanye ukwahlukana nemikhwa yabo yangaphambili baze bamkele unqulo olutsha. Ngoko uPawulos kwakufuneka abakhumbuze ukuba amaKristu anoThixo omnye, uYehova.—Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 8:5, 6.

16, 17. (a) Sisiphi isiprofeto esizalisekayo namhlanje, ibe yintoni umphumo woko? (b) Yintoni enokuqhawula umanyano lwethu?

¹⁶ Kuthekani ngebandla lamaKristu lanamhlanje? Umprofeti uIsaya wathi “ekupheleni kwemihla,” abantu bazo zonke iintlanga babeya kuhlanganisana ukuze banqule uYehova. Babeya kuthi: ‘Uya kusiyalela ngeendlela zakhe, ukuze sihambe emendweni wakhe.’ (Isaya 2:2, 3) Hayi indlela esivuya ngayo xa sibona ukuba esi siprofeto siyazaliseka namhlanje! Abazalwana noodadewethu basuka kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo, bathetha iilwimi ezahlukeneyo ibe banezithethe ezahlukeneyo. Kodwa sinqula uYehova ngomanyano. Sekunjalo, ekubeni sahluke kangaka, kuye kube nzima ngamanye amaxesha.

 ¹⁷ Ngokomzekelo, uvakalelwa njani ngabazalwana noodade abanezithethe ezingafaniyo nezakho? Mhlawumbi bathetha ulwimi olwahlukileyo yaye isinxibo, ukutya nendlela abenza ngayo izinto yahlukile kweyakho. Ngaba uyabaphepha uze ukhethe ukuchith’ ixesha kunye nabo bafana nawe? Uvakalelwa njani ngabadala bengingqi yakho abancinane kunawe okanye abo bolunye uhlanga? Ukuba asilumkanga, ezi zinto zinokuluqhawula umanyano lwethu.

18, 19. (a) Sisiphi isiluleko esikumaEfese 4:1-3? (b) Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze ibandla lihlale limanyene?

¹⁸ Singaziphepha njani iingxaki ezinje? UPawulos wawanika icebiso lobulumko amaKristu ase-Efese, eyayisisixeko esifumileyo nesinabantu abakhule ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. (Funda amaEfese 4:1-3.) Wakhankanya iimpawu ezifana nokuthobeka, ubulali, umonde nothando. Ezi mpawu zifana neentsika ezomeleleyo ezixhase indlu. Kodwa ke kuyafuneka nokuba kusetyenzwe nzima ukuze indlu iqhubeke imile. UPawulos wayefuna amaKristu ase-Efese asebenze nzima ukuze ‘agcine ubunye bomoya.’

¹⁹ Sonke simele senze konke esinako ukuze sigcine ibandla limanyene. Sinokuyenza njani loo nto? Okokuqala, kufuneka sihlakulele eza mpawu wayethetha ngazo uPawulos: ukuthobeka, ubulali, umonde nothando. Okwesibini, simele sisebenze nzima ukuze sigcine ‘umxokelelwane omanyanisayo woxolo.’ Ukungaboni ngasonye kufana neentanda ezincinane kumanyano lwethu, ngoko kufuneka sisebenze nzima ukuze sikulungise, sigcine uxolo nomanyano lwethu.

20. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyaqonda ukuba “uYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye”?

²⁰ “UYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye.” Anamandla gqitha loo mazwi! Eso sikhumbuzo sawomeleza amaSirayeli ukuba akwazi ukunyamezela ubunzima xa engena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Loo mazwi anokusomeleza nathi ukuba sikwazi ukudlula kwimbandezelo enkulu aze asincede naseParadesi ezayo. Masiqhubeke sizinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova. Simele simthande size simkhonze ngentliziyo, ingqondo namandla ethu onke, ibe simele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukugcina uxolo nomanyano nabazalwana bethu. Xa sikwenza oku, uYesu uza kusamkela njengezimvu, ibe siza kukubona ukuzaliseka kwala mazwi: “Yizani, nina nisikelelweyo nguBawo, budleni ilifa ubukumkani obalungiselelwa nina ukususela ekusekweni kwehlabathi.”—Mateyu 25:34.