1-3. (a) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithembekile kuNkulunkulu lanxa siphila ensukwini zokucina? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

NJENGOBA insuku zokucina sezisemaphethelweni, abantu ababi baqhubeka ‘bemila njengotshani.’ (Hubo. 92:7) Ngakho akusimangalisi ukubabona besenza izinto ezimbi kangaka. Pho singenzani ukuze singacini sesilandela izenzo zabo? IBhayibhili lithi: “Mayelana lobubi wobani zingane, kodwa ekucabangeni kwenu wobani ngabadala.” (1 Khor. 14:20) Singakwenza njani lokhu?

² Impendulo siyithola eMbhalweni okusekelwe kuwo isihloko lesi othi: “Abantu ababi kabakuzwisisi ukwahlulela kuhle, kodwa labo abamdingayo uJehova bayakuzwisisa kakhulu”. (Zaga. 28:5) UZaga 2:7, 9 laye uveza ukuthi uJehova uyabanika ukuhlakanipha labo abaqotho. Nxa singaba lakho ukuhlakanipha okunjalo sizakwenelisa ‘ukuzwisisa lokho okulungileyo lokuqondileyo lokufaneleyo​—zonke izindlela ezinhle.’

³ UNowa loDanyeli loJobe bakuthola ukuhlakanipha okunjalo. (Hez. 14:14) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi lathi singaba lakho.  Wena sewakuthola yini? Usukuzwisisa yini ukuthi uJehova ufuna wenzeni ukuze umthokozise? Ukwazi uNkulunkulu kungakunceda kakhulu endabeni le. Ngakho ake sixoxe ngokuthi (1) uNowa loDanyeli loJobe bamazi njani uNkulunkulu, (2) ulwazi lolo lwabasiza njani (3) lokuthi singabalingisela njani.

4. UNowa wamazi njani uNkulunkulu njalo ulwazi lolo lwamnceda njani?

⁴ UNowa wamazi njani uJehova? Kusukela kudala amadoda labesifazane ababethembekile babefunda ngoNkulunkulu ngezindlela ezintathu: Ngokuhlola izinto ezidaliweyo, ngokuxoxelwa ngabanye ababelokholo langokubona indlela uNkulunkulu ayebabusisa ngayo nxa belandela izimiso zakhe. (Isaya. 48:18) Ukuhlola izinto ezidaliweyo kwenza uNowa wabona ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona lokuthi ulempawu ezinhle kakhulu ezigoqela ‘amandla akhe angapheliyo kanye lobuNkulunkulu bakhe.’ (Rom. 1:20) Lokhu kwamenza waba lokholo oluqinileyo.

5. Ngubani owafundisa uNowa mayelana lenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu?

⁵ “Ukukholwa kuvela ekuzweni ilizwi.” (Rom. 10:17) UNowa wazizwa ngobani izinto eziphathelane loJehova? Kumele ukuthi ulwazi lolu waluthola ezihlotsheni zakhe. Phela uyise uLameki, wayeyindoda elokholo oluqinileyo futhi wambona u-Adamu. (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) Kungenzakala ukuthi abanye abamsizayo ngukhulu wakhe uMethusela lokhokho wakhe uJaredi owaphila iminyaka engu-366 uNowa esezelwe. * (Luk. 3:36, 37) Kumele ukuthi amadoda la labomkabo yibo abafundisa uNowa ngokudalwa kwabantu, lokuthi uJehova wayefuna abantu bazalane bande bagcwalise umhlaba njalo bamkhonze. Bangabe bamxoxela langokuhlamuka kuka-Adamu lo-Eva futhi laye uNowa wayeyibona impumela yokuhlamuka kwabo. (Gen. 1:28; 3:16-19, 24) Konke akufundayo kwamthinta inhliziyo njalo kwamenza wazimisela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.​—Gen. 6:9.

6, 7. Ithemba lamqinisa njani uNowa?

⁶ Ukuba lethemba kuyaluqinisa ukholo. Ake ucabange ukuthi uNowa wezwa njani lapho esizwa ukuthi ibizo lakhe litsho “Ukuphumula loba Ukududuza.” (Gen. 5:29) Uyise uLameki waphrofetha ngaye wathi: ‘Uzasiduduza emsebenzini lasekutshikatshikeni kwethu okubuhlungu ngezandla zethu okubangwa ngumhlabathi uJehova awuthukileyo.’ UNowa wayelethemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu uzalungisa izinto emhlabeni. Laye njengo-Abela lo-Enoki wayekholwa ukuthi kwakuzakuba ‘lenzalo’ ezachoboza ikhanda lenyoka.​—Gen. 3:15.

⁷ Lanxa uNowa wayengabe engasizwisisi ngokugcweleyo isiphrofetho esikuGenesisi 3:15, wabona ukuthi sasiveza ithemba elihle ngekusasa. Kanti njalo sasihambelana lalokho okwatshiwo ngu-Enoki mayelana lokwahlulelwa kwabantu abangamlaleliyo uNkulunkulu. (Jud. 14, 15) Isiphrofetho lesi senza uNowa waba lokholo lethemba eliqinileyo njalo sizagcwaliseka okokucina lapho i-Amagedoni ifika.

8. Ukuba lolwazi oluqondileyo kwamsiza njani uNowa?

⁸ Ukuthola ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu kwamsiza njani uNowa? Ukuba lolwazi kwamenza waba lokholo kanye lokuhlakanipha okwamnceda ukuthi aqhubeke ‘ebambelele kuNkulunkulu.’ Kwamsiza lokuthi angalandeli izinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa ngabantu ayephila labo. Ngalesosikhathi abantu abanengi babethatheka ngamandla kanye lezimangaliso ezazisenziwa zingilosi ezazihlamukile futhi kungenzakala ukuthi  basebezikhonza. Kodwa uNowa kazange enze njalo. (Gen. 6:1-4, 9) Okunye ayekwazi yikuthi abantu babetshelwe ukuthi bazalane bande bagcwalise umhlaba. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Yikho wakubona kungaqondanga ukuthi izingilosi ziye emacansini labantu. Lokhu kwahle kwamcacela lapho ebona abesifazane labo bezala abantwana abangajayelekanga. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa ukuthi uzaletha uZamcolo emhlabeni. UNowa wakukholwa lokho njalo wazimisela ukwakha umkhumbi ukuze yena lemuli yakhe basinde.​—Heb. 11:7.

9, 10. Singamlingisela njani uNowa?

⁹ Singamlingisela njani uNowa? Okuqakathekileyo yikubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu zikhathi zonke lokucabangisisa ngesikufundayo njalo sikusebenzise empilweni zethu. (1 Phet. 1:13-15) Singenza njalo sizakuba lokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu kanye lokholo oluzasinceda ukuthi sibalekele amacebo kaSathane lezenzo zabantu balumhlaba. (2 Khor. 2:11) Abantu abanengi lamuhla bathanda udlakela, abaziphathanga njalo balandela izifiso zabo ezingalunganga. (1 Joh. 2:15, 16) Abakuvumi ukuthi ukuphela komhlaba lo sekusondele. Nxa lathi singelalo ukholo oluqinileyo singacina sesilandela indlela abacabanga ngayo. Khumbula ukuthi lapho uJesu eqathanisa izinsuku zikaNowa lezethu kazange akhulume ngodlakela lokungaziphathi kodwa wakhuluma ngengozi yokuvumela ezinye izinto zisiphambanise ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu.​—Bala uMathewu 24:36-39.

¹⁰ Ngakho zibuze: ‘Izinto engizenzayo nsuku zonke ziyatshengisa yini ukuthi ngiyamazi uJehova? Ukholo lwami luyangifuqa yini ukuthi ngenze intando kaNkulunkulu njalo ngincede abanye ukuthi bamazi?’ Indlela ozaphendula ngayo imibuzo le yiyo ezatshengisa ukuthi uhamba loNkulunkulu yini loba hatshi.

11. (a) Indlela uDanyeli ayezinikele ngayo kuNkulunkulu esesemutsha ikutshelani ngendlela akhuliswa ngayo? (b) Ufisa ukumlingisela njani uDanyeli?

¹¹ UDanyeli wamazi njani uJehova? Kumele ukuthi abazali bakhe yibo abamsiza ukuthi amazi uJehova njalo athande iLizwi lakhe. Lakanye uDanyeli wakwenza ayekufundiswe ngabazali bakhe. Langesikhathi esegugile waqhubeka elithanda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu futhi elobuhlobo obuhle laye. (Dan. 9:1, 2) Umthandazo wakhe otholakala kuDanyeli 9:3-19 utshengisa ukuthi wayemazi kuhle uJehova futhi eyizwisisa indlela ayephatha ngayo ama-Israyeli. Zinike isikhathi sokuwufunda umthandazo lo ubusucabangisisa ngawo ukuze ubone ukuthi kuyini ongakufunda esibonelweni sakhe.

12-14. (a) UDanyeli watshengisa njani ukuthi ulokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu? (b) UDanyeli wabusiswa njani ngokuba lesibindi lokuthembeka?

¹² Ukuthola ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu kwamsiza njani uDanyeli? AmaJuda ayethwele nzima eBhabhiloni ngoba ayephakathi kwabantu ababengamkhonzi uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo uJehova wawatshela wathi: “Funani ukuthula lokuphumelela kwedolobho engilise ekuthunjweni kulo.” (Jer. 29:7) Loba kunjalo wayekhangelele ukuthi amaJuda ahlale ethembekile kuye. (Eks. 34:14) UDanyeli wenelisa yini ukuhlala ethembekile kuJehova ngapha ehlonipha ababusi beBhabhiloni? Ye wenelisa ngoba wayezwisisa ukuthi ababusi bomhlaba kumele banikwe inhlonipho engakanani. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uJesu laye wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi benze okufananayo.—Luk. 20:25.

¹³ Cabanga ngalokho okwenziwa nguDanyeli ngesikhathi kukhitshwa umlayo wokuthi abantu bathandaze enkosini kuphela okwensuku ezingu-30. (Bala uDanyeli 6:7-10.) UDanyeli wayengazitshela ukuthi lokhu akutsho lutho ngoba ngokwamalanga angu-30 kuphela. Wayengenelisa  lokukhuleka ecatshile kungelamuntu ombonayo. Kodwa kazange avume ukuthi umlayo wenkosi uphambanise uhlelo lwakhe lwansuku zonke. Yikho waqhubeka ngalokho ayejayele ukukwenza ngoba wayengafuni ukuthi abantu bacabange ukuthi usemtshiyile uNkulunkulu wakhe.

¹⁴ Okwenziwa nguDanyeli kwatshengisa ukuthi ulesibindi futhi uJehova wamvikela lapho ephoselwa emgodini wezilwane. Isimangaliso lesi saba yindaba esegudwini ezindaweni ezazingaphansi kombuso wamaMede lamaPhesiya futhi senza abantu bamdumisa uJehova.​—Dan. 6:25-27.

15. Singenzani ukuze sibe lokholo oluqinileyo njengolukaDanyeli?

¹⁵ Singamlingisela njani uDanyeli? Okungasisiza ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo njengoDanyeli kayisikho kubala iBhayibhili kuphela kodwa yikuzwisisa lokho elikutshoyo. (Mat. 13:23) Kumele sicabangisise ngalokho esikufundayo ukuze silingisele indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo. Okunye okumele sikwenze yikuthandaza zikhathi zonke ikakhulu nxa siphakathi kobunzima. Nxa singathandaza kuJehova sicela ukuhlakanipha lamandla uzasinika khona.​—Jak. 1:5.

16, 17. UJobe wamazi njani uNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ UJobe wamazi njani uJehova? UJobe wayengaveli esizweni sako-Israyeli kodwa kukhanya wayeyisihlobo sika-Abhrahama lo-Isaka loJakhobe. IMibhalo iveza ukuthi uJehova waziveza kuwo amadoda la njalo wawatshela okuthile ngenjongo yakhe. UJobe laye waluthola ulwazi lolo lanxa singakwazi ukuthi waluthola njani. (Jobe. 23:12) Ngokwesibonelo wabhala wathi, “Izindlebe zami zasezizwile ngawe.” (Jobe. 42:5) UJehova laye waveza ukuthi uJobe wayekhulume okulungileyo ngaye.​—Jobe. 42:7, 8.

¹⁷ Ukuhlolisisa izinto ezidaliweyo lakho kwamsiza ukuthi afunde okunengi ngobuntu bukaJehova. (Jobe. 12:7-9, 13) Ngokuya kwesikhathi u-Elihu loJehova basebenzisa izinto ezidaliweyo ukuze bakhumbuze uJobe ukuthi umuntu ngeke aqathaniswe loNkulunkulu. (Jobe. 37:14; 38:1-4) Amazwi akhulunywa nguJehova amthinta inhliziyo uJobe waze wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi ungazenza zonke izinto; kalikho icebo lakho elingavinjelwa. . . . Sengiphenduka ngizilahla othulini lasemlotheni.”​—Jobe. 42:2, 6.

18, 19. UJobe watshengisa njani ukuthi wayemazi uJehova?

 ¹⁸ Ukuthola ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu kwamsiza njani uJobe? UJobe wayemazi uJehova futhi eyizwisisa imithetho yakhe. Lokhu kwamfuqa ukuthi ayisebenzise empilweni yakhe. Wakubona ukuthi wayengeke athi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngapha ephatha kubi abanye. (Jobe. 6:14) UJobe wayebakhathalela abantu futhi kazange azibone engcono kulabo. Ngokwesibonelo wathi, “Yena lowo owangenzayo esizalweni kabenzanga labo na?” (Jobe. 31:13-22) Kazange avumele ukuthi inotho lodumo kumenze azikhukhumeze loba akhangelele abanye phansi. Wayetshiyene kakhulu labantu abanothileyo abagcwele emhlabeni lamuhla.

¹⁹ Lanxa wayeyindoda eyayikhomba ngophakathi kazange avumele loba yini ukuthi iphambanise ubungane bakhe loJehova. Wayekwazi ukuthi lokho kwakungabangela ukuthi amphike ‘uNkulunkulu ophezulu.’ (Bala uJobe 31:24-28.) UJobe wayekwazi lokuthi umuntu othetheyo kumele awuhloniphe umtshado. Yikho wenza isivumelwano lamehlo akhe ukuze angahawukeli abanye abafazi ngaphandle komkakhe. (Jobe. 31:1) Ngalesosikhathi uJobe wayekhululekile ukuthi athathe umfazi wesibili nxa efuna ngoba uNkulunkulu wayengakawukhuphi umthetho owawusenqabela ukuthatha isithembo. * Kodwa yena walandela lokho okwakwenziwe nguNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esungula umtshado ensimini yase-Edeni. (Gen. 2:18, 24) Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-1 600 uJesu laye watshela ababemlalele ukuthi indoda kumele ibe lomfazi oyedwa njalo nguye kuphela okumele iye emacansini laye.​—Mat. 5:28; 19:4, 5.

20. Ukwazi uJehova lokuzwisisa izimiso zakhe kungasinceda njani ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane lezokuzilibazisa?

²⁰ Singamlingisela njani uJobe? Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuba lolwazi olujulileyo ngoJehova kanye lokulusebenzisa kukho konke esikwenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo umhubi uDavida wachaza ukuthi uJehova ‘uyabazonda abantu abathanda udlakela,’ njalo wasixwayisa ukuthi singabi lobungane labantu ‘abakhohlisayo.’ (Bala iHubo 11:5; 26:4.) Ngakho zibuze ukuthi, ‘IMibhalo le ingisiza njani ukuthi ngilingisele indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo? Ingisiza njani ukuthi ngibone engikuqakathekisa kakhulu empilweni? Inganginceda njani ukuthi ngikhethe kuhle abangane, ezokuzilibazisa njalo ngisebenzise kuhle i-inthanethi? Izimpendulo zakho zizatshengisa ukuthi uyamazi yini uJehova loba hatshi. Umhlaba lo ugcwele ububi futhi uyaxokozela, ngakho kumele sizifundise ukwehlukanisa okuhle kokubi kanye lokuqakathekileyo kokungaqathekanga ukuze sihlale simsulwa.​—Heb. 5:14; Efe. 5:15.

21. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi ‘sizwisise’ lokho okufanele sikwenze ukuze sithokozise uBaba wethu osezulwini?

²¹ UNowa loDanyeli loJobe bamdinga ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova futhi laye waziveza kubo. Wabanceda ukuthi ‘bakuzwisise kakhulu’ lokho okwakufanele bakwenze ukuze bamthokozise. Isibonelo sabo sitshengisa ukuthi ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kuletha impumela emihle. (Hubo. 1:1-3) Ngakho lawe zibuze umbuzo lo othi: ‘Ngiyamazi yini uJehova njengoNowa loDanyeli loJobe?’ Phela thina singenelisa ukwazi uJehova ukwedlula amadoda la ngoba lunengi ulwazi esilutholayo. (Zaga. 4:18) Ngakho qhubeka ulihlolisisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, ucabangisise ngalo njalo uthandazele umoya ongcwele. Ungenza njalo uzahlala useduze loBaba wethu osezulwini njalo uzathola ukuhlakanipha okuzakuvikela emhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane.​—Zaga. 2:4-7.