Indlu ka-Israyeli

Endaweni ethize esehlane elisempumalanga neKhanani, uJakobe wayelindile eshaywa uvalo lokuhlangana nomfowabo oyiwele lakhe, u-Esawu. Ngesikhathi uJakobe egcina ukubona u-Esawu, cishe eminyakeni engama-20 ngaphambilini, u-Esawu wayemsongela ngokuthi uzombulala. UJakobe wayechithe ubusuku bonke ezabalaza, efuna isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokholo lwakhe uJakobe, nokuphikelela, kanye nokuzimisela, uNkulunkulu wayiphendula imikhuleko yakhe. Ngalobo busuku igama likaJakobe laguqulwa laba ngu-Israyeli, igama elisho ukuthi, phakathi kwezinye izinto, “uphikelela noNkulunkulu” (IGenesisi 32:28, imibhalo yaphansi b).

Lesi isikhathi sokuqala lapho kuvela khona igama elithi Israyeli eBhayibhelini, futhi igama elaphikelela kuyo yonke incwadi futhi kuwo wonke umlando. Ngokushesha leligama lagcina lingasabhekisile endodeni eyodwa kuphela. U-Israyeli waba namadodana ayi-12, futhi isizukulwane sawo sisonke sasaziwa ngokuthi “indlu ka-Israyeli,” “izizwe zakwa-Israyeli,” “abantwana bakwa-Israyeli,” noma “Ama-Israyeli.”

Kuwo wonke umlando, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babekubheka njengento ebaluleke kakhulu ukuthi bawuzalo lwesinye sezizwe kweziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli. Uhlu lwabo lwenzalo lwaluyingxenye ebalulekile ngokuqondene nalokho abayikho ngokwesivumelwano. UMphostoli uPawula wamemezela ukuthi “wayengowesizwe sikaBenjamini” (KwabaseRoma 11:1). Isizathu esisodwa uLehi athumela amadodana akhe eJerusalema ukuze alande izingcwephe zethusi yingoba zaziqukethe “umlando ngesizukulwane sobabamkhulu” (1 Nefi 5:14). ULehi wathola ukuthi wayengowesizukulwane sikaJosefa, futhi isizukulwane sakhe sakuqonda ukuhlobana kozalo nendlu ka-Israyeli okwafakaza ukubaluleka kubona eminyakeni eyalandela.

Ebandleni namuhla, ungase uzwe ngo-Israyeli ezinkulumweni ezifana nokuthi “ukuqoqwa kwabakwa-Israyeli.” Sicula mayelana nge “Redeemer of Israel,”, “Hope of Israel,” futhi “Ye Elders of Israel.” Kulezi zimo, asikhulumi noma asiculi kuphela mayelana nombuso wasemandulo wakwa-Israyeli noma isizwe sanamuhla esibizwa ngokuthi u-Israyeli. Kunalokho, sibhekise kubantu abaqoqwe ezizweni zomhlaba bangena eBandleni likaJesu Kristu. Sibhekise kubantu abaphikelela noNkulunkulu, abafuna ngobuqotho izibusiso Zakhe, futhi, ngokubhabhadiswa, sebaba abantu Bakhe besivumelwano. Ngamazwi kaMongameli uRussell M. Nelson, ukuba ngu-Israyeli kusho “ukuvumela uNkulunkulu abuse ezimpilweni zethu, … ukuvumela uNkulunkulu abe ithonya elinamandla kakhulu ezimpilweni zethu.”

Isibusiso sakho sabaphatriyakhe simemezela ukuhlobana kwakho nesinye sezizwe zendlu zika-Israyeli. Lokhu kungaphezu nje kokuba isiqephu somlando omuhle womndeni. Kuphinde kube mayelana nemanje kanye nekusasa lakho. Ukuba yingxenye yendlu ka-Israyeli kusho ukuthi unobudlelwane obuyisivumelwano noBaba oseZulwini kanye noJesu Kristu. Kusho ukuthi wena, njengo-Abrahama, kumele “ube isibusiso” kubantwana baNkulunkulu (IGenesisi 12:2; Abrahama 2:9–11). Kusho ukuthi, ngokwamazwi kaPhethro, “nina niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubuphristi obobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abazuziweyo; ukuze nishumayele ubukhosi balowo owanibiza niphume ebumnyameni, ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo” (1 KaPhethro 2:9). Kusho ukuthi wena “uvumela uNkulunkulu avame”—ungomunye “ophikelela noNkulunkulu” njengoba ugcina izivumelwano zakho Naye.