1, 2. IBhayibhili laphrofethani ngokwanda kwabantu bakaJehova?

OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA emhlabeni lamuhla babumba inhlanganiso etshiyene lezinye ezikhona. Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi inhlanganiso le ilabantu abalesono futhi abaphambanisayo. Lanxa kunjalo umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ubusenza ukuthi kube lengqubelaphambili enhlanganisweni le esemhlabeni wonke. Ake sibone ukuthi uJehova ubebabusisa njani abantu bakhe.

² Kwathi kuqalisa izinsuku zokucina ngo-1914 abantu bakaNkulunkulu babelihlekana nje. Kodwa uJehova wawubusisa umsebenzi wabo wokutshumayela. Eminyakeni eminengi eyalandelayo izigidi zabantu zafunda iqiniso njalo zaba ngoFakazi bakaJehova. UJehova wayevele ekhulumile ngakho ukwanda lokhu, wathi: “Ingcosana yakho izakuba yinkulungwane, abancinyane bazakuba yisizwe esilamandla. Mina nginguJehova; ngesikhathi esifaneleyo lokhu ngizakwenza ngokuphangisa.” (Isaya. 60:22) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi isiphrofetho lesi  siyagcwaliseka kulezi zinsuku zokucina! Abantu bakaNkulunkulu banjengesizwe esikhulu. Ngokwesibonelo emhlabeni kulamazwe amanengi alenani labantu eliphansi kakhulu nxa kuqathaniswa lenani laboFakazi bakaJehova.

3. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu batshengise njani ukuthi balothando?

³ Lakulesisikhathi esikuso uJehova uncede abantu bakhe ukuthi bathandane kakhulu ngoba yena uluthando. (1 Joh. 4:8) UJesu laye wayelothando njengoYise, yikho watshela abafundi bakhe wathi: “Ngilinika umlayo omutsha: Thandanani . . . Bonke abantu bazakwazi ukuthi lingabafundi bami uma lithandana.” (Joh. 13:34, 35) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakutshengisa sibili ukuthi balothando ikakhulu ngesikhathi sempi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili kwabulawa abantu abangaba yi-55 miliyoni. Kodwa oFakazi bakaJehova bona kabazange bangenele empini le eyabulala abantu abanengi kangaka. (Bala uMikha 4:1, 3.) Lokhu kubancedile sibili ukuthi bangabi ‘lecala ngegazi labantu bonke.’—ImiSeb. 20:26.

4. Kungani indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathuthuka ngayo imangalisa?

⁴ Iyamangalisa sibili indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathuthuka ngayo lanxa behlala emhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane, “unkulunkulu walesisikhathi.” (2 Khor. 4:4) USathane nguye ophethe intambo kwezombusazwe ezikhona emhlabeni njalo nguye oqondisa lokukhitshwa kwezindaba ngemithombo etshiyeneyo. Kodwa kenelisi ukumisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Uyakwazi ukuthi usesalelwe yisikhathi esifitshane yikho uzama ngamandla wonke ukudukisa abantu abanengi esebenzisa izindlela ezitshiyeneyo.—Isam. 12:12.

5. Kungani abanye bengasizwisa ubuhlungu kwezinye izikhathi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁵ Inhlanganiso kaJehova ihlala ikhuthaza abantu abakuyo ukuthi bathande uNkulunkulu kanye labanye abantu. UJesu laye wakugcizelela lokhu ngesikhathi ephendula othile owayembuze ukuthi yiwuphi umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke. Wathi: “‘Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.’ Yiwo oyingqala njalo odlula yonke imilayo. Owesibili unjengawo: ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.’” (Mat. 22:35-39) Kodwa iBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi sonke sizalwa silesono ngenxa ka-Adamu, phela zonelwa mvu inye. (Bala uRoma 5:12, 19.) Ngakho ngezinye izikhathi abanye esikhonza labo bangenza loba bakhulume izinto ezingasizwisa ubuhlungu. Uzakwenzani nxa kungenzakala kuwe lokhu? Uzaqhubeka umthanda yini uJehova? Uzahlala uqotho yini kuye lasebantwini bakhe? IBhayibhili lisitshela ngezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo ezazikhuluma loba zenze izinto ezazizwisa abanye ubuhlungu. Ake sibone ukuthi kuyini esingakufunda kulokho.

6. U-Eli wehluleka njani ukukhuza abantwabakhe?

⁶ Ngokwesibonelo uMphristi oMkhulu u-Eli wayelamadodana amabili ayengawulandeli umthetho kaJehova. IBhayibhili lithi: “Amadodana ka-Eli ayengabantu abaxhwalileyo, ayengamnanzi uJehova.” (1 Sam. 2:12) Lanxa u-Eli wayekhuthaze abantu ukuthi bakhonze uJehova, amadodana akhe ayexhwalile okumangalisayo. U-Eli wayekwazi mhlophe ababekwenza futhi kwakumele abathathele inyathelo eliqinileyo kodwa yena kazange akwenze lokhu. Isiphetho saba yikuthi uNkulunkulu wayahlulela indlu ka-Eli. (1 Sam. 3:10-14) Ngokuhamba  kwesikhathi izizukulwane zakhe kazizange zisavunyelwa ukuba ngabaphristi abakhulu. Aluba wawuphila ngesikhathi sika-Eli, wawuzakwenzani nxa umbona ebayekelela abantwabakhe beganga? Wawuzakhubeka yini uze ucine uyekela ukukhonza uJehova?

7. UDavida wenza siphi isono esikhulu njalo uNkulunkulu wenzani ngakho?

⁷ UJehova wayemthanda uDavida, iBhayibhili lize lithi ‘wayemthanda ngenhliziyo yakhe’ yonke. (1 Sam. 13:13, 14; ImiSeb. 13:22) Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uDavida wafeba loBhathisheba futhi umama lo wathatha isisu. Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi u-Uriya umkaBhathisheba esempini. Ngakho uDavida wenza iqhinga lokuthi u-Uriya abuye ekhaya esenzela ukumhuga ukuthi alale lomkakhe ukuze kukhanye angathi isisu ngesika-Uriya. Kodwa u-Uriya kazange akuvume lokho ayekucetshiswa yinkosi ngakho uDavida wenza icebo lokuthi abulawe empini. Icala lakhe leli labangela ukuthi yena lendlu yakhe behlelwe yincithakalo. (2 Sam. 12:9-12) Lanxa kunjalo uNkulunkulu wamtshengisa umusa ngoba waqhubeka ehamba “ngobuqotho benhliziyo” okwempilo yakhe yonke. (1 AmaKho. 9:4) Wawuzakwenzani aluba wawukhona ngesikhathi sikaDavida? Wawungavumela ukuthi isono sikaDavida sikuwise yini?

8. (a) UPhetro wehluleka njani ukugcina isithembiso sakhe? (b) Kungani uJehova waqhubeka emsebenzisa uPhetro?

⁸ Esinye isibonelo ngesomphostoli uPhetro. UJesu wayemkhethe ukuthi abe ngomunye wabaphostoli bakhe. Lanxa kunjalo uPhetro wayekhuluma loba enze ezinye izinto ayephinda azisole ngazo. Ngokwesibonelo uPhetro wayeke wathembisa ukuthi lanxa abanye babengamtshiya uJesu, yena wayengeke amtshiye loba sekutheni. (Mak. 14:27-31, 50) Kodwa kwathi lapho uJesu ebotshwa, bonke abaphostoli bamtshiya, ngitsho laye uPhetro ngokwakhe. Wala wemba phansi lokuthi uyamazi uJesu. (Mak. 14:53, 54, 66-72) Loba kunjalo uPhetro wazisola njalo uJehova waqhubeka emsebenzisa. Aluba wawungomunye wabafundi bakaJesu, wawuzayekela yini ukuba qotho kuJehova  ngenxa yalokho okwakusenziwa nguPhetro?

9. Kungani ulethemba lokuthi izindlela zikaJehova zilungile zikhathi zonke?

⁹ Sixoxe ngabalutshwana nje ababesenza izinto ezazizwisa abanye ubuhlungu. Kodwa zinengi izibonelo esingazibalisa zabanye ababekhonza uJehova ngapha besenza izinto ezimbi ezaziphatha kubi abanye. Okuqakathekileyo okumele ukukhumbule yikuthi uzakwenzani nxa kungaba lesimo esinjalo? Uzavumela yini ukuthi amaphutha abanye akuwise uze utshiye uJehova labantu bakhe? Kumbe njalo uzabekezela ukhumbula ukuthi uJehova uyabanika isikhathi sokuthi baphenduke labo abenza okubi lokuthi konke okwenzakalayo uzakulungisa ngendlela eqondileyo, langesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo. Kodwa-ke abanye abenza izono ezinkulu kabafuni ukuphenduka. Nxa bengabakhona abanjalo, uzamethemba yini uJehova ukuthi uzabahlulela ngesikhathi esifaneleyo mhlawumbe ngokubasusa ebandleni?

10. UJesu wenzani aze aphathwe kubi nguJudasi Iskariyothi loPhetro?

¹⁰ IBhayibhili lisitshela ngezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezahlala ziqotho kuye lanxa abanye babephambanisa. Ngokwesibonelo uJesu wathi eqeda ukuthandaza kuYise ubusuku bonke wakhetha abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12. UJudasi Iskariyothi wayengomunye walabo abakhethwayo kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wathengisa uJesu. UJesu kazange avumele isenzo lesi siphambanise ubuhlobo bakhe loYise. Wenza okufananayo langesikhathi uPhetro emphika phambi kwabantu. (Luk. 6:12-16; 22:2-6, 31, 32) Lanxa abantu laba bamzwisa ubuhlungu, uJesu kazange atshiye uJehova kumbe ayekele ukuzihlanganisa labantu bakhe. UJesu waqhubeka ezinikele emsebenzini wakhe wokutshumayela lanxa wayedaniswa ngabanye abalandeli bakhe. UJehova wamnika umvuzo ngokumvusa kwabafileyo futhi wamenza waba yiNkosi yoMbuso wasezulwini.—Mat. 28:7, 18-20.

11. IBhayibhili laphrofethani ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhona lamuhla?

¹¹ Isibonelo sikaJesu sisifundisa ukuthi sibe qotho kuJehova lasebantwini bakhe. Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova wenza okunengi kakhulu esebenzisa izinceku zakhe kulezizinsuku zokucina. Kabakho abanye abantu abafundisa iqiniso emhlabeni wonke ngaphandle kwenhlanganiso yakhe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi nguye oyiqondisayo. U-Isaya 65:14 uchaza isimo esitholakala ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla, uthi: “Izinceku zami zizahlabela ngentokozo yezinhliziyo zazo.”

12. Kumele senzeni ngamaphutha abanye?

¹² Izinceku zikaJehova ziyathokoza kakhulu nxa zibona izinto ezinhle ezenelisa ukuzenza ngenxa yokuqondiswa nguJehova. Kodwa-ke abantu abaqondiswa nguSathane bona bathwele imikhono ekhanda, kabakwazi lokuthi babambe ngaphi njengoba umumo womhlaba lo ulokhu usiba mubi. Ngakho kungaba yibuthutha sibili ukutshiya uJehova loba inhlanganiso yakhe ngenxa yamaphutha enziwa ngabanye esikhonza labo. Kumele sihlale siqotho kuJehova futhi silandele iziqondiso zakhe. Kanti njalo kufanele sifunde lokulingisela indlela uJesu enza ngayo lapho ephathwa kubi ngabanye.

13, 14. (a) Kungani kumele sibekezelelane? (b) Yisiphi isithembiso okufanele sihlale sisikhumbula?

¹³ Manje kumele wenzeni nxa omunye okhonza laye angakhuluma loba enze okuthile okukuzwisa ubuhlungu? Kufanele ukhumbule isimiso esiseBhayibhilini esithi: “Ungaphangisi ukufuthelana ngaphakathi, ngokuba ulaka luhlezi lugonwe yiziwula.” (UmTshu. 7:9) Kumele ukhumbule ukuthi akugeza lingelasiyinga, sonke siyawenza amaphutha. Ngakho akuqondanga  ukuthi sikhangelele okunengi kwesikholwa labo kumbe ukuthi sivumele amaphutha abo asenze singasakukholisi ukuba phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Okubi kakhulu okungamelanga sikwenze loba nini yikuvumela amaphutha abanye ukuthi asiwise besesitshiya inhlanganiso kaJehova. Okubuhlungu yikuthi nxa singakuvumela lokhu sizalahlekelwa yisibusiso sokuba lobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu njalo ngeke siwubone umhlaba omutsha.

¹⁴ Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sithokoza futhi silethemba eliqinileyo, kumele singakhohlwa isithembiso sikaJehova esithi: “Khangelani, ngizadala izulu elitsha lomhlaba omutsha. Izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, kumbe zifike engqondweni.” (Isaya. 65:17; 2 Phet. 3:13) Ngakho ungavumeli amaphutha abanye akwenze ungazitholi izibusiso lezi.

15. UJesu wathi kumele senzeni nxa abanye besenza amaphutha?

¹⁵ Kodwa njengoba singakabi semhlabeni omutsha, kumele sizimisele ukulandela lokho uJehova afuna sikwenze nxa othile angasiphambanisa. Ngokwesibonelo esinye isimiso okumele sisikhumbule yilesi esakhulunywa nguJesu esithi: “Uma libaxolela abantu nxa belonile uYihlo osezulwini laye uzalixolela. Kodwa uma lingabaxoleli abantu izono zabo uYihlo kayikulixolela izono zenu.” Khumbula futhi ukuthi lapho uPhetro ebuza ukuthi umuntu kumele athethelelwe “kakhombisa” yini, uJesu waphendula wathi: “Ngithi, hatshi kakhombisa, kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.” Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJesu wayesithi kumele sihlale sizimisele ukuthethelela abanye. Kumele sizijayeze ukwenza njalo futhi saziwe njengabathethelelayo.—Mat. 6:14, 15; 18:21, 22.

16. UJosefa watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisibonelo esihle?

¹⁶ Omunye esingafunda kuye indlela esingenza ngayo nxa abanye besikhubile nguJosefa izibulo likaRakheli. Abafowabo abalitshumi babemzonda ngoba uyise wayemthanda. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi bamthengisele ebugqilini. Yadlula iminyaka uJosefa esebugqilini eGibhithe futhi ukuba kwakhe lesimilo esihle kwenza ukuthi aphiwe isikhundla esikhulu. Ngesikhathi indlala ibhahile eKhenani, abafowabo bakaJosefa bafika eGibhithe bezothenga ukudla kodwa kabazange bafike bamnanzelele umfowabo. UJosefa wayengasebenzisa isikhundla sakhe ukuthi abasusele amanqe abafowabo aphindisele ulunya ababemenze lona. Kodwa kazange akwenze lokhu, waqala wahlola ukuthi abafowabo babelokhu bemzonda yini njengakudala. Wananzelela ukuthi basebentshintshile yikho waziveza kubo wasebatshela wathi: “Lingesabi. Ngizalinakekela lina labantwabenu.” Indaba le iqhubeka isithi: “Wababeka isibindi wabakhulumisa ngomusa.”—Gen. 50:21.

17. Kuyini ozimisele ukukwenza nxa abanye bekuphambanisa?

¹⁷ Kuhle ukuthi sikhumbule ukuthi lathi siyabazwisa ubuhlungu abanye njengoba sonke silesono. Yikho nxa singananzelela ukuthi sikhube omunye esikhonza laye, iBhayibhili lithi kumele sihambe kuye siyelungisa indaba. (Bala uMathewu 5:23, 24.) Phela siyakhululeka nxa abanye bengasibambeli izikhwili, yikho lathi kumele senze okufananayo kubo. UKholose 3:13 uthi: “Bekezelelanani, lithethelelane loba kuyinsolo bani omunye angaba layo ngomunye. Thethelelani njengoba iNkosi yalithethelela.” Akumelanga silibale ukuthi uthando “kalubambeli zikhwili.” (1 Khor. 13:5) Nxa singazijayeza ukuthethelela abanye, uJehova laye uzasithethelela. Ngakho-ke kasizimiseleni ukulingisela indlela uBaba wethu olomusa asiphatha ngayo nxa sisenza amaphutha.—Bala iHubo 103:12-14.