1, 2. Kungani kungathiwa iNkosi uDavida yayikujayele ukuhlutshwa ngabantu ababengekho qotho kuyo?

 INKOSI UDAVIDA yayikujayele ukuhlutshwa ngabantu abangathembekanga. Kwake kwaba lokuxokozela embusweni wayo ngesikhathi abanye bebumba icebo lokuyivukela. Abantu okwakukhangelelwe ukuthi babe ngabangane bayo babeyidla izithende. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye wabo yinkosikazi yayo yokuqala uMikhali. Ekuqaliseni “yayimthanda kakhulu uDavida,” futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi yayimsekela emsebenzini wakhe wokuba yinkosi. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi uMikhali ‘waqalisa ukumeyisa enhliziyweni yakhe,’ waze wambona “njengohlanya.”—1 USamuyeli 18:20; 2 USamuyeli 6:16, 20.

² Omunye kwakungumeluleki kaDavida okwakuthiwa ngu-Ahithofeli. Iseluleko sakhe sasiqakathekiswa angathi lilizwi elivela kuJehova. (2 USamuyeli 16:23) Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi umeluleki lo waba ngumthengisi, wazihlanganisa leqembu elalihlamukela uDavida. Kwakungubani umkhokheli waleliqembu elihlamukayo? Kwakungu-Abhisalomu indodana kaDavida! Iqhalaqhala leli lalilokhu ‘lihuga abako-Israyeli,’ lizenza inkosi. Ukuhlamuka kuka-Abhisalomu kwabangela ukuthi iNkosi uDavida icine isibaleka ukuze ingabulawa.—2 USamuyeli 15:1-6, 12-17.

3. Kuyini uDavida ayeqiniseka ngakho?

³ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kwakungaselamuntu owayelokhu ethembekile kuDavida yini? Ekuhluphekeni kwakhe konke uDavida kazange athandabuze ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayemsekela. UDavida wakhuluma ngoJehova wathi: “Emuntwini oqotho lawe uqotho.” (2 USamuyeli 22:26) Kuyini ubuqotho futhi kungani uJehova eyisibonelo esihle endabeni le?

4, 5. (a) Kutshoni “ukuba qotho”? (b) Ukuthembeka kwezinto ezingaphiliyo kutshiyene njani lokuba qotho kwabantu?

⁴ EMibhalweni yesiHebheru ibala elithi ‘ubuqotho’ litsho ukunamathela entweni ethile ungayitshiyi loba kutheni ngenxa yokuthi uyayithanda. Umuntu oqotho ulothando. a Lezinto ezingaphiliyo kungathiwa zithembekile. Ngokwesibonelo, umhubi wathi inyanga ‘ingufakazi othembekileyo esibhakabhakeni’ ngoba ayiyekeli ukuphuma ebusuku. (IHubo 89:37) Kodwa inyanga ngeke ithembeke ngendlela umuntu angathembeka ngayo. Ngenxa yani? Ngoba umuntu othembekileyo uyabe etshengisa uthando kodwa izinto ezingaphiliyo zona kazenelisi ukuba lothando.

⁵ Ngokwalokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili ukuba qotho yinto esuka enhliziyweni. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi umuntu oqotho uyabe emthanda lowo aqotho kuye. Ubuqotho obunjalo abutshintshi. Abufanani lamagagasi olwandle aphetshulwa ngumoya uwase le lale. Umuntu olothando oluqotho kamtshiyi lowo aqotho kuye lanxa izimo zingaze zibe njani.

6. (a) Banjani abantu lamuhla endabeni yokuba qotho? (b) Yiphi indlela engcono ukwedlula zonke yokufunda ngobuqotho futhi kungani kunjalo?

 ⁶ Balutshwane abantu abaqotho lamuhla. Kujayelekile ukuthi abangane babulalane kumbe “bazimisele ukulimazana” njalo labatshadileyo sebetshiya omkabo. (IZaga 18:24; UMalakhi 2:14-16) Ubuqili sebande kakhulu okokuthi lathi singatsho amazwi atshiwo ngumphrofethi uMikha athi: “Oqotho senyamalele emhlabeni.” (UMikha 7:2) Kodwa uJehova uhlala eqotho loba sekutheni, kafanani lathi abantu. Ngakho singafunda ngobuqotho ngokuhlola indlela uJehova abutshengisa ngayo.

7, 8. Kungani iBhayibhili lisithi uJehova nguye yedwa oqotho?

⁷ IBhayibhili lithi uJehova ‘nguye yedwa oqotho.’ (ISambulo 15:4) Kungani iBhayibhili lisitsho njalo lona liyake likhulume ngokuthi izingilosi labantu baqotho? (UJobe 1:1; ISambulo 4:8) Kuthiwani ngoJesu Khristu? Kanti ayisuye yini iBhayibhili elithi ‘ungoqotho’ kaNkulunkulu? (IHubo 16:10) Manje kungani kuthiwa uJehova nguye yedwa oqotho?

⁸ Okokuqala, khumbula ukuthi ubuqotho buyingxenye yothando. Ngakho njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu eluthando’ futhi eyisibonelo esikhulu ekutshengiseni uthando, akulamuntu oqotho njengaye. (1 UJohane 4:8) Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu lezingilosi bangatshengisa impawu ezinhle uNkulunkulu alazo, kodwa uJehova uqotho ukwedlula loba ngubani. Njengoba ‘enguSimakade,’ uselesikhathi eside kakhulu eqotho ukwedlula loba yisiphi isidalwa esisemhlabeni loba esisezulwini. (UDanyeli 7:9) Ngakho-ke uJehova uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni yobuqotho. Akulasidalwa esingatshengisa uphawu lolu njengaye. Cabanga ngezinye izibonelo.

9. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova “uqotho kukho konke akwenzayo”?

 ⁹ UJehova “uqotho kukho konke akwenzayo.” (IHubo 145:17) Kungani kutshiwo njalo? IHubo 136 lilempendulo. KuleloHubo kuqanjwe indlela uJehova asindisa ngayo, okugoqela lendlela asindisa ngayo abako-Israyeli eLwandle Olubomvu. Ivesi ngayinye yehubo leli icina ngamazwi athi: “Uthando lwakhe oluqotho luhlala kuze kube nini lanini.” Ihubo leli likhona  emibuzweni ongacabangisisa ngayo esekhasini 289. Ngesikhathi ubala isahluko leso uzazibonela ngawakho indlela ezitshiyeneyo uJehova atshengisa ngazo ukuthi uqotho ebantwini bakhe. Enye indlela uJehova atshengisa ngayo ukuthi uqotho ebantwini bakhe yikuthi uyalalela nxa bekhuleka kuye becela usizo njalo uyabancedisa ngesikhathi esifaneleyo. (IHubo 34:6) Uthando lukaJehova oluqotho ngeke lutshintshe nxa izinceku zakhe zihlala zithembekile kuye.

10. Kuyini okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uqotho ezincekwini zakhe?

¹⁰ Okunye futhi okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uqotho ezincekwini zakhe yikuthi izimiso zakhe azitshintshi. UJehova kafanani labantu abaphongutshintsha nje ngoba yena katshintshi indlela abona ngayo okulungileyo lokungalunganga. Kusukela endulo ubelokhu ekuzonda ukusebenzelana lamadimoni, ukukhonza izithombe kanye lokubulala. Watshela umphrofethi u-Isaya ukuthi athi: “Lizaze liguge ngilokhu nginjalo.” (U-Isaya 46:4) Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi sizancedakala nxa singalandela imithetho ecacileyo eseLizwini likaNkulunkulu ephathelane lokuziphatha.—U-Isaya 48:17-19.

11. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyagcwalisa izithembiso zakhe.

¹¹ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uqotho yikuthi uhlala egcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Konke akukhulumayo  kuyagcwaliseka yikho wathi: ‘Ilizwi eliphuma emlonyeni wami kalisoze liphenduke kimi lingafezanga lutho, kodwa lizakwenza loba yini engiyifunayo. Loba sekutheni, ilizwi lami lizaphumelela kulokho engilithuma ukuthi likwenze.’ (U-Isaya 55:11) Ngokuhlala egcwalisa lokho akuthembisayo, uJehova utshengisa ukuthi uqotho ebantwini bakhe. Kababambisi ilitshe loba sekutheni. Lokhu yikho okwenza uJoshuwa wathi: “Asikho lesisodwa isithembiso esihle uJehova ayesenze kwabako-Israyeli esingazange sigcwaliseke. Konke ayebathembise khona kwenzakala.” (UJoshuwa 21:45) Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova kasoze asidanise ngokwehluleka ukugcwalisa lokho akuthembisileyo.—U-Isaya 49:23; KwabaseRoma 5:5.

12, 13. Kuyini okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uthando oluqotho lukaJehova alupheli?

¹² Njengoba sesibonile, iBhayibhili lithi uthando lukaJehova oluqotho “luhlala kuze kube nini lanini.” (IHubo 136:1) Kungani kutshiwo njalo? Esinye isizatho yikuthi nxa uJehova angasithethelela kuhle kuphelele khonapho. ESahlukweni 26 sibonile ukuthi uJehova kaphindi akhumbule izono ezindala asezithethelele. Njengoba ‘sonke sonile njalo sisilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu,’ ngamunye wethu kumele abonge ukuthi uthando oluqotho lukaJehova alupheli.—KwabaseRoma 3:23.

¹³ Kodwa kulokunye okutshengisa ukuthi uthando oluqotho lukaJehova alupheli. ILizwi lakhe lithi olungileyo “uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe emifuleni yamanzi, esithela izithelo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, esilamahlamvu angabuniyo. Konke akwenzayo kuzaphumelela.” (IHubo 1:3) Akucabange ngesihlahla esihle esilamahlamvu angabuniyo! Singafanana laso nxa singalithanda ngenhliziyo yonke iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Sizaphila isikhathi eside, silokuthula futhi sizathola izibusiso khathesi lasesikhathini  esizayo. Abantu abalalelayo bazancedwa luthando lukaJehova oluqotho kuze kube phakade emhlabeni omutsha olokulunga.—ISambulo 21:3, 4.

14. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyabuqakathekisa ubuqotho bezinceku zakhe?

¹⁴ UJehova utshengise kanengi ukuthi uqotho. Njengoba engaguquki, ukuthembeka kwakhe ezincekwini zakhe eziqotho akutshintshi loba sekutheni. Umhubi wabhala wathi: “Ngangimncane, khathesi sengimdala, kodwa angikaze ngibone olungileyo elahliwe, loba abantwabakhe beswele ukudla. Ngoba uJehova uthanda ukwahlulela okuhle, kasoze abalahle abaqotho kuye.” (IHubo 37:25, 28) UJehova kufanele akhonzwe ngoba unguMdali. (ISambulo 4:11) Lanxa ephakeme kangako, uJehova uyabuqakathekisa ubuqotho bethu.—UMalakhi 3:16, 17.

15. Chasisa ukuthi indlela uJehova asindisa ngayo abako-Israyeli yayitshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho.

¹⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ulothando oluqotho, uhlala ezisiza izinceku zakhe eziphakathi kohlupho. Umhubi wathi: “Uyabalinda abaqotho bakhe, abakhulule ezandleni zababi.” (IHubo 97:10) Cabanga ngendlela aphatha ngayo abako-Israyeli. Esebasindise ngendlela eyisimangaliso eLwandle Olubomvu bahlabelela uJehova besithi: “Ukhokhele abantu obahlengileyo ngothando lwakho oluqotho.” (U-Eksodusi 15:13) Lokhu kwakutshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulothando oluqotho sibili. Yikho uMosi watshela abako-Israyeli wathi: “Ayisikho ukuthi uJehova walihawukela njalo walikhetha ngenxa yokuthi laliyisizwe esilabantu abanengi ukwedlula zonke ezinye izizwe. Phela lina lalivele liyisizwe esincane kulazo zonke. Kodwa kungenxa yokuthi uJehova walithanda njalo wayefuna ukugcwalisa isifungo asenza kubokhokho benu, yikho uJehova walikhipha  ngesandla esilamandla ukuze alikhulule elizweni lobugqili, emandleni kaFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe.”—UDutheronomi 7:7, 8.

16, 17. (a) Abako-Israyeli batshengisa njani ukuthi babengabongi, kodwa uJehova wabatshengisa njani isihawu? (b)Kwakhanya njani ukuthi ‘babengasancediseki’ futhi yisiphi isixwayiso esisitholayo?

¹⁶ Abako-Israyeli behluleka ukubonga uthando lukaJehova oluqotho ngoba ngemva kokubasindisa “baqhubeka bemonela, bemhlamukela oPhezukonke.” (IHubo 78:17) Okweminyaka eminengi eyalandelayo babelokhu bemhlamukela uJehova bekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga njalo belandela amasiko abahedeni. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova kazange asephule isivumelwano ayesenze labo. Wasebenzisa umphrofethi uJeremiya ukuthi atshele abantu bakhe athi: ‘Phenduka wena Israyeli ohlamukayo, angisoze ngikukhangele ngizondile ngoba ngiqotho.’ (UJeremiya 3:12) Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 25, abako-Israyeli abanengi abazange baphenduke lanxa uNkulunkulu wabo “wayelokhu ebaxwayisa esebenzisa izithunywa zakhe.” Kodwa bona “babezihleka izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso, beseyisa amazwi azo njalo bechothoza labaphrofethi bakhe.” Kwaphetha ngani? “Ulaka lukaJehova lwacina lusehlela phezu kwabantu bakhe baze basala bengasancediseki.”—2 ImiLando 36:15, 16.

¹⁷ Sifundani kulokhu? Ukuthi ukuba qotho kukaJehova akutsho ukuthi uyaphonguyekela nje abantu bazenzele umathanda kumbe ukuthi bangamqila azithulele. UJehova “ogcwele uthando oluqotho” uba lesihawu ebantwini nxa kulesizatho sokwenza njalo. Kodwa kwenzakalani nxa umuntu owonileyo esephulela izigodo endlebeni? Endabeni enjalo uJehova unamathela ezimisweni zakhe ezilungileyo amjezise lowomuntu. UMosi watshelwa ukuthi uJehova “kayekeli ukumjezisa umuntu olecala.”—U-Eksodusi 34:6, 7.

18, 19. (a) Ukujezisa kukaJehova abantu ababi kutshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho? (b) UJehova uzatshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho ezincekwini zakhe ezahlukuluzwa zaze zafa?

 ¹⁸ Ukujezisa kukaNkulunkulu abantu ababi kutshengisa ukuthi uqotho. Njani? Obunye ubufakazi balokhu sibuthola ebhukwini leSambulo lapho uJehova athuma khona izingilosi eziyisikhombisa wazitshela wathi: “Hambani liyethululela emhlabeni imiganu eyisikhombisa yentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu.” Lapho ingilosi yesithathu ithululela umganu wayo “emifuleni lasemithonjeni yamanzi” yatshintsha yaba ligazi. Ingilosi yasisithi kuJehova: “Wena okhona lowayekhona njalo oqotho, utshengise ukuthi ulungile ngokukhipha izahlulelo lezi ngoba bathulula igazi labangcwele lelabaphrofethi. Usubaphe igazi ukuze balinathe futhi lokho kubafanele.”—ISambulo 16:1-6.

¹⁹ Nanzelela ukuthi ngesikhathi ingilosi ibika isigwebo leso, ithi uJehova ‘uqotho.’ Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi ukutshabalalisa kukaJehova abantu ababi kutshengisa ukuthi uqotho ezincekwini zakhe ezahlukuluzwa zaze zafa. UJehova uyafisa ukuphinda ababone abantu  labo ababeqotho kuye, yikho uzabavusa ngoba basenkumbulweni yakhe. (UJobe 14:14, 15) UJehova kabakhohlwa abantu abathembekileyo kuye lanxa bengaze bafe “ngoba kuye bonke bayaphila.” (ULukha 20:37, 38) Ngakho ukuvuswa kwabafileyo kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uqotho sibili.

20. Ngobani ‘abayizitsha zesihawu’ njalo uJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kubo?

²⁰ Kusukela endulo uJehova ubelokhu ethembekile ebantwini abaqotho. Singathi okwezinkulungwane zeminyaka uJehova ubelokhu ‘ebekezelela izitsha zolaka ezifanele ukubhujiswa.’ Ngenxa yani? Ukuze “inotho yenkazimulo yakhe esezitsheni zesihawu yaziwe, leyo ayevele wayilungisela inkazimulo yakhe.” (KwabaseRoma 9:22, 23) ‘Izitsha  zesihawu’ yilabo abagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele ukuze bayebusa loKhristu eMbusweni wakhe. (UMathewu 19:28) Ngokuvula indlela yokuthi izitsha lezi zisindiswe, uJehova wayetshengisa ukuthi uqotho ku-Abrahama ngoba wayenze laye isivumelwano wathi: “Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizazitholela isibusiso ngenxa yokuthi ulalele ilizwi lami.”—UGenesisi 22:18.

21. (a) UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho ‘exukwini elikhulu’? (b) Ukuthembeka kukaJehova kukwenza ufise ukwenzani?

²¹ UJehova uqotho ‘lasexukwini elikhulu’ elizasinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu” beseliphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi. (ISambulo 7:9, 10, 14) Lanxa abantu laba belesono, uJehova utshengisa ukuthi uqotho ngokubanika ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Ukwenza njani lokhu? Usebenzisa inhlawulo okuyindlela enkulu ukwedlula zonke yokutshengisa ukuthi uqotho. (UJohane 3:16; KwabaseRoma 5:8) Uthando lukaJehova oluqotho lwenza labo abathanda ukulunga basondele kuye. (UJeremiya 31:3) Kawuzizwa useduze loJehova yini ngenxa yokuthembeka akutshengise abantu lalokho azabatshengisa khona? Kasitshengiseni ukuthi siyambonga uNkulunkulu ngothando lwakhe, siqhubeke simkhonza sithembekile.