1, 2. Nika izibonelo zabantu uJehova ayebabona njengabangane bakhe abathanda kakhulu.

NGONJANI umuntu ongamkhetha ukuthi abe ngumngane wakho? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ungakhangwa ngumuntu olemibono efanana leyakho, othanda izinto ozithandayo loqakathekisa izinto oziqakathekisayo. Ungathanda umuntu olobuntu obuhle ngokwesibonelo othembekileyo njalo olomusa.

² Kusukela kudala uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ekhetha abanye abantu ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo uJehova wabiza u-Abhrahama ngokuthi ngumngane wakhe. (Bala u-Isaya 41:8 loJakhobe 2:22, 23.) UNkulunkulu wabiza uDavida ngokuthi “indoda ethandwa yinhliziyo yami,” ngenxa yokuthi wayemthanda. (ImiSebenzi 13:22) UJehova waphinda wathi umphrofethi uDanyeli wayengumuntu ‘oqakathekiswa kakhulu.’​—UDanyeli 9:23.

3. Kungani uJehova ekhetha abanye abantu ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe?

³ Kuyini okwakusenza uJehova abe ngumngane ka-Abhrahama, uDavida, loDanyeli? Watshela u-Abhrahama wathi: “Ngokuba ungilalele.” (UGenesisi 22:18) Ngakho uJehova uba ngumngane walabo abamlalela ngokuthobeka besenza konke abatshela khona. Watshela ama-Israyeli wathi: “Ngilalelani, njalo ngizakuba  nguNkulunkulu wenu lina libe ngabantu bami.” (UJeremiya 7:23) Nxa ungamlalela uJehova, angaba ngumngane wakho.

4, 5. UJehova uzincedisa njani izinceku zakhe ngamandla akhe?

⁴ Cabanga ukuthi ungazuzani ngokuba ngumngane kaNkulunkulu. IBhayibhili lithi uNkulunkulu udinga amathuba ‘okutshengisa amandla akhe ngenxa yalabo abalenhliziyo ezipheleleyo kuye.’ (2 ImiLando 16:9, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) UJehova angawatshengisa njani amandla akhe lapho ekuncedisa? Enye indlela angakwenza ngayo siyithola kumaHubo 32:8, lapho esifunda khona ukuthi: “[Mina Jehova] Ngizakutshengisa ngikufundise indlela ofanele uhambe ngayo; ngizakweluleka ngikulinde.”

⁵ La ngamazwi athinta inhliziyo asitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasikhathalela. Uzakunika isiqondiso osidingayo njalo akuvikele nxa usilandela. UNkulunkulu ufuna ukukuncedisa ukuthi uphumelele ekulwisaneni lezilingo lobunzima ophakathi kwabo. (Bala iHubo 55:22.) Ngakho nxa ungakhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo epheleleyo ungaba lesibindi sokutsho amazwi la akhulunywa ngumhubi athi: “Sengibeke uJehova phambi kwami kokuphela. Njengoba ekwesokunene sami, angiyikuzanyazanyiswa.” (IHubo 16:8; 63:8) UJehova angakuncedisa ukuthi uphile ngendlela emthokozisayo. Kodwa njengoba usazi, kulesitha sikaNkulunkulu esingafuniyo ukukubona usenza lokhu.

6. USathane wasola abantu esithini?

⁶ Sifundile kuSahluko 11 sebhuku leli ukuthi uSathane uDeveli wasola indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa. USathane wahlasela uJehova ngokuthi wayeqamba amanga, njalo wenza kwakhanya angathi uJehova wayelenhliziyo elukhuni ngokunganiki u-Adamu lo-Eva inkululeko yokuzikhethela ukuthi okuhle lokubi yikuphi. U-Adamu lo-Eva bathi sebonile kuNkulunkulu njalo abantwana babo beqhubeka besanda emhlabeni, uSathane wathandabuza izisusa zabantu bonke. Kufanana lokuthi uSathane wayesola esithi, ‘Abantu kabakhonzi uNkulunkulu ngoba  bemthanda. Nginganikwa ithuba ngingenza loba ngubani ahlamuke kuNkulunkulu.’ Indaba yendoda okuthiwa nguJobe itshengisa ukuthi yikho kanye uSathane ayekukholwa. Wayengubani uJobe, njalo wayehlanganiswa njani ekusoleni kukaSathane?

7, 8. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uJobe angafanani labanye abantu bangalesosikhathi? (b) USathane wazisola njani izisusa zikaJobe?

⁷ UJobe waphila eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 600 eyadlulayo. Wayeyindoda elungileyo ngoba uJehova wathi: “Kakho emhlabeni onjengaye; kalasici, uqondile, indoda emesabayo uNkulunkulu, exwaya okubi.” (UJobe 1:8) UJobe wayemthokozisa uNkulunkulu.

⁸ USathane wasola izisusa zikaJobe zokukhonza uNkulunkulu. USathane wathi kuJehova: “Kawumbiyelanga ngothango yini yena [uJobe] lendlu yakhe, kanye lakho konke alakho? Uwubusisile umsebenzi wezandla zakhe kuze kuthi imihlambi yakhe yezimvu leyezinkomo igcwale ilizwe lonke. Kodwa akuwelule isandla sakho uchithe konke alakho, uzabona uzakuthuka ekukhangele.”​—UJobe 1:10, 11.

9. UJehova wenzani ngensolo kaSathane, njalo kungani wenza njalo?

⁹ Yikho-ke, uSathane waqina ngelokuthi uJobe ukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yalokho ayekuthola. USathane waphinda wathi uJobe wayezahlamukela uNkulunkulu nxa kungenzeka ukuthi alingwe. UJehova wayezakwenza njani ngensolo kaSathane? UJehova wavumela ukuthi uSathane alinge uJobe ngoba indaba yakhona yayiphathelane lezisusa zikaJobe. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza ukuthi kukhanye ngendlela ecacileyo ukuthi uJobe uyamthanda uNkulunkulu kumbe kamthandi.

10. UJobe walingwa ngani, njalo wasesenzani?

¹⁰ USathane wathi esevunyelwe ukuthi alinge uJobe, wamehlisela izilingo ezitshiyeneyo. Enye imfuyo kaJobe yantshontshwa enye yabulawa. Izinceku zakhe ezinengi zabulawa ngesihluku. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi aphile nzima. Omunye umonakalo wabakhona lapho uJobe efelwa ngabantwabakhe abalitshumi bebulawa yisivunguzane. Lanxa uJobe wahlangana lezinto lezi ezizwisa usizi, kazange “enze isono ngokubeka umlandu uNkulunkulu athi wonile.”​—UJobe 1:22.

11. (a) ikuphi okunye okwasolwa nguSathane mayelana loJobe, njalo uJehova wathini? (b) UJobe wenzani ngemva kokuhlaselwa ngumkhuhlane obuhlungu?

 ¹¹ USathane kazange acine khonapho. Njengoba engahlamukanga ngemva kokulahlekelwa yimpahla, yizinceku kanye labantwana bakhe, kumele ukuthi uSathane wacabanga ukuthi uJobe uzahlamuka kuNkulunkulu nxa engagula. UJehova wavumela ukuthi uSathane ahlasele uJobe ngomkhuhlane obuhlungu njalo owenyanyekayo. Kodwa lalokhu kakuzange kwenze ukuthi uJobe angakholwa kuNkulunkulu. Yikho wakhuluma engathandabuzi esithi: “Ngizaze ngiyokufa ngingabulandulanga ubuqotho bami.”​—UJobe 27:5.

12. Ukubaqotho kukaJobe kwatshengisa njani ukuthi ukusola kukaSathane kungamanga?

¹² UJobe wayengakwazi ukuthi izinhlupho zakhe zazibangelwa nguSathane. Wayecabanga ukuthi izinhlupho zakhe zazibangelwa nguNkulunkulu ngoba wayengakwazi lutho ngokuthi uSathane wayehlasela ubukhosi bukaJehova. (UJobe 6:4; 16:11-14) Lanxa kunjalo, wahlala eqotho kuJehova. Ukusola kukaSathane esithi uJobe ukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yalokho akutholayo kwakhanya ukuthi kungamanga ngoba uJobe wahlala eqotho!

13. Ukubaqotho kukaJobe kuNkulunkulu kwaba layiphi impumela?

¹³ Ukubaqotho kukaJobe kwenza ukuthi uJehova aphendule engathandabuzi kulokhu kusola kukaSathane okutshengisa indelelo. UJobe wayengumngane kaJehova weqiniso njalo uNkulunkulu wamnika umvuzo ngenxa yokuhlala kwakhe eqotho.​—UJobe 42:12-17.

14, 15. Kuyini okwenza sithi uSathane wayengasoli uJobe kuphela kodwa wayesola abantu bonke?

¹⁴ Indaba yobuqotho bukaJobe eyaqaliswa nguSathane yayingaqondananga loJobe kuphela. Lawe ukhona phakathi kwalindaba. Lokhu sikubona kuZaga 27:11. Evesini le, iLizwi likaJehova lithi: “Hlakanipha, ndodana, ulethe intokozo enhliziyweni yami; lapho ngizakwazi ukumphendula ongeyisayo.” Amazwi la abhalwa ngemva kweminyaka eminengi uJobe efile, atshengisa  ukuthi uSathane wayelokhu eseyisa uNkulunkulu njalo esola izinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Sizancedisa ekuphenduleni ukusola kukaSathane kwamanga njalo sizakwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule, nxa singaphila ngendlela emthokozisayo uNkulunkulu. Uzizwa njani ngalokhu? Akungeke kube kuhle yini ukuthi lawe uncedise ekuphenduleni ukusola kukaSathane kwamanga, lanxa kusitsho ukuthi untshintshe ezinye izinto empilweni yakho?

¹⁵ Nanzelela ukuthi uSathane wathi: “Umuntu anganikela loba yini alayo ukusiza impilo yakhe.” (UJobe 2:4) USathane wakucacisa ukuthi wayengasoli uJobe kuphela kodwa wayesola abantu bonke ngoba wasebenzisa ibala elithi “umuntu.” Lo ngumcijo oqakathekileyo. USathane uyakuthandabuza ukuthi wena uqotho kuJehova. Angathaba nxa ungalaleli uNkulunkulu njalo ususenza okungalunganga ngezikhathi zobunzima. Angazama ukukwenza njani lokhu?

16. (a) Yiziphi izindlela ezisetshenziswa nguSathane ukuze abantu bahlamukele uNkulunkulu? (b) USathane angazama njani ukuzisebenzisa kuwe?

¹⁶ KuSahluko 10 sibonile ukuthi uSathane usebenzisa izindlela ezitshiyeneyo ukuze abantu bahlamukele uNkulunkulu. Enye indlela ayisebenzisayo yikuhlasela “njengesilwane esibhongayo sidinga esingamudla.” (1 UPhetro 5:8) Yikho-ke uSathane angenza ukuthi abangane bakho, izihlobo labanye abantu bakuphikise nxa uzama ukufunda iBhayibhili njalo usebenzisa lokho okufundayo. * (UJohane 15:19, 20) Okunye uSathane akwenzayo ‘yikuzenza ingilosi yokukhanya.’ (2 KwabaseKhorinte 11:14) USathane angasebenzisa izindlela ezicatshileyo ukuze akudukise njalo akuhuge ukwenzela ukuthi uphile ngendlela engathokozisi uNkulunkulu. Kwezinye izikhathi angakwenza uphele amandla, mhlawumbe ekwenza uzizwe angathi awungeke wenze izinto  ezingathokozisa uNkulunkulu. (IZaga 24:10) Lanxa uSathane ezenza ‘isilwane esibhongayo’ kumbe ezenza ‘ingilosi yokukhanya,’ ukusola kwakhe akuntshintshi: Uthi nxa ungahlangana lezilingo lobunzima awusoze uqhubeke ukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ungakuphendula njani ukusola kwakhe, utshengise ukuthi uqotho kuNkulunkulu njengoJobe?

17. Yisiphi isizatho esikhulu esenza silalele imilayo kaJehova?

¹⁷ Ungaphendula ukusola kukaSathane ngokuphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu. Lokhu kugoqelani? Impendulo eseBhayibhilini ithi: “Thanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomoya wakho wonke kanye langamandla akho wonke.” (UDutheronomi 6:5) Nxa ungaqhubeka uthanda uNkulunkulu, isifiso sokwenza akufunayo laso sizaqhubeka sikhula. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala wathi: “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu: ukulalela imilayo yakhe.” Ungathanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, uzathola ukuthi “imilayo yakhe kayinzima.”​—1 UJohane 5:3.

18, 19. (a) Yimiphi eminye imilayo kaJehova? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Balekela Izinto Ezizondwa NguJehova.”) (b) Sikwazi njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu kalindelanga ukuthi senze okungaphezu kwamandla ethu?

¹⁸ Yiphi imilayo kaJehova? Eminye yakhona igoqela ukuziphatha okumele sikubalekele. Ngokwesibonelo, khangela ibhokisi elilesihloko esithi “ Balekela Izinto Ezizondwa NguJehova.” Kulelobhokisi uzabona ukuthi yikuphi ukuziphatha okulahlwa liBhayibhili. Ekuqaliseni, eminye imikhuba ebhalwe lapho ingakhanya angathi ayimibi kangako. Kodwa nxa ungacabangisisa ngemibhalo ekhonapho, uzakuzwisisa ukuthi imithetho kaJehova itshengisa ukuhlakanipha. Ukuntshintsha indlela oziphatha ngayo kungaba nzima kakhulu. Lanxa kunjalo, ukuphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu kungenza usuthiseke njalo ujabule kakhulu. (U-Isaya 48:17, 18) Ungenelisa ukukwenza lokhu. Sikwazi njani ukuthi ungakwenza?

¹⁹ UJehova kalindelanga ukuthi senze okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. (Bala uDutheronomi 30:11-14.) Ukwazi ngcono kulathi esingakwenza lesingeke senelise ukukwenza. (IHubo  103:14) Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi uJehova angasinika amandla okuthi siqhubeke simlalela. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “UNkulunkulu uthembekile; akayikuvumela ukuba lilingwe ngokwedlula lokho elingakumela. Kodwa lapho lilingwa, uzalinika indlela yokuphunyuka ukuze limelane lakho.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:13) UJehova angakunika ‘amandla amakhulukazi’ ukuze akusize uqhubeke uqotho. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7) UPhawuli esenqobe ubunzima obukhulu waphetha ngokuthi: “Ngingazenza zonke izinto ngaye onginika amandla.”​—KwabaseFiliphi 4:13.

20. Kumele ube laziphi izimpawu zobuntu ezithandwa nguNkulunkulu, njalo kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi ube lazo?

²⁰ Nxa ufuna ukuthokozisa uJehova kulokunye okumele ukwenze ngaphandle nje kokubalekela izinto azizondayo. Kumele uthande izinto azithandayo. (KwabaseRoma 12:9) Abakukhangi yini abantu abalemibono efanana leyakho, abathanda izinto ozithandayo labaqakathekisa izinto oziqakathekisayo? Abantu abanjalo bayamkhanga uJehova. Ngakho zama ukuthanda izinto ezithandwa nguJehova. Ezinye zakhona zichazwe kuHubo isahluko  15, lapho esifunda khona ngalabo uNkulunkulu ababona njengabangane bakhe. (Bala iHubo 15:1-5.) Abangane bakaJehova balezimpawu zobuntu ezinhle ezibizwa ngokuthi ‘yizithelo zomoya.’ IBhayibhili lithi izimpawu lezi zigoqela ‘uthando, ukuthokoza, ukuthula, ukubekezela, umusa, ukulunga, ukuthembeka, ubumnene, kanye lokuzithiba.’​—KwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23.

21. Kuyini okuzakunceda ukuthi ube lobuntu obuthandwa nguNkulunkulu?

²¹ Ukubala iBhayibhili lokulifunda zikhathi zonke kuzakunceda ukuthi ube lobuntu obuthandwa nguNkulunkulu. Ukufunda ngalokho okufunwa nguNkulunkulu kuzakunceda ukuthi ucabange ngendlela uNkulunkulu acabanga ngayo. (U-Isaya 30:20, 21) Nxa ungamthanda kakhulu uJehova, isifiso sakho sokuphila ngendlela emthokozisayo sizakhula.

22. Uzafezani nxa ungaphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu?

²² Ukuphila ngendlela ethokozisa uJehova akulula. IBhayibhili lifanisa ukuntshintsha impilo yakho lokuhlubula ubuntu obudala ubusugqoka obutsha. (KwabaseKholose 3:9, 10) Lanxa kunjalo, umhubi wakhuluma ngemilayo kaJehova esithi: ‘Ukuyilandela kulomvuzo omkhulu.’ (IHubo 19:11) Lawe uzakubona ukuthi ukuphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu kuletha umvuzo omkhulu. Ungenza njalo uzaphendula ukusola kukaSathane ubusuthokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova!