1, 2. UDavida watshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kuNkulunkulu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

KWELINYE ilanga phakathi kwamabili, uDavida lo-Abhishayi banyenya bangena phakathi kwamasotsha angu-3 000 ayelele. Phakathi laphakathi kwenkamba yamasotsha la bathola iNkosi uSawuli ibuthuza obukabhuka. USawuli lamabutho akhe babephume ijumo baya enkangala yaseJudiya besiyazingela uDavida ukuze bambulale. U-Abhishayi wanyenyeza wathi: “Kahle ngimgwazele phansi [uSawuli] kanye nje ngomkhonto wami; kangiyi kugalela kabili.” Impendulo kaDavida iyamangalisa, wathi: “Ungambulali. Ngubani ongabeka isandla kogcotshiweyo kaJehova angabi lecala na? . . . Kodwa uJehova kanqabele ukuba ngibeke isandla kogcotshiweyo kaJehova.”​—1 Sam. 26:8-12.

² UDavida wayezwisisa ukuthi kutshoni ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Wayengelawo umcabango wokubulala uSawuli. Ngenxa yani? Ngoba uSawuli wayeyinkosi eyayigcotshwe nguNkulunkulu. Lathi lamuhla singatshengisa ukuthi siqotho ngokuhlonipha labo abakhethwe nguJehova  ukuthi bakhokhele. Okukhona yikuthi uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi bonke abantu bakhe bakuthande ukuba qotho.​—Mik. 6:8, nwt.

3. U-Abhishayi watshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kuDavida?

³ U-Abhishayi watshengisa ukuthi uyamhlonipha uDavida. Ngokwesibonelo uDavida wabumba icebo lokuvala icala lokufeba ayelenze lomka-Uriya, uBhathisheba. Wathumela umbiko kuJowabi umnewabo ka-Abhishayi ukuthi afake u-Uriya kuviyo lamasotsha eliphambili ukuze abulawe. (2 Sam. 11:2-4, 14, 15; 1 ImiLan. 2:16) Kungenzakala ukuthi u-Abhishayi wathola udletshana ngendaba le. Lanxa kunjalo waqhubeka emhlonipha. Kanti njalo u-Abhishayi kazange azame ukusebenzisa isikhundla sakhe sokuba ngumlawuli webutho ukuthi ahluthunele uDavida ubukhosi. Kodwa waqhubeka emvikela ezitheni lasebantwini ababevukela umbuso.​—2 Sam. 10:10; 20:6; 21:15-17.

4. (a) Kungani uDavida eyisibonelo sokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo esizaxoxa ngazo?

⁴ Ukwala kukaDavida ukubulala iNkosi uSawuli kwatshengisa ukuthi uyinceku kaJehova eqotho sibili. Esakhula uDavida wanqoba uGoliyathi iqhawe lamaFilisti elalithenjiwe elalilokhu ‘liseyisa amabutho kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’ (1 Sam. 17:23, 26, 48-51) Lapho esebusa wenza izono ezinkulu ezazigoqela ukufeba lokubulala kodwa wavuma ukukhuzwa ngumphrofethi uNathani njalo waphenduka. (2 Sam. 12:1-5, 13) Lalapho esegugile waqhubeka etshengisa ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwakhanya lapho enikela ngempahla ethile ukuze asekele umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli. (1 ImiLan. 29:1-5) Lanxa uDavida wayewenza amaphutha wahlala eqotho kuNkulunkulu. (Hubo. 51:4, 10; 86:2) Njengoba sizahlola ezinye izinto ezimayelana loDavida labanye abaphila ngesikhathi sakhe kasizameni ukuthola izimpendulo zemibuzo elandelayo: Ngubani okumele sibe qotho kuye kuqala? Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe qotho?

5. Yisiphi isifundo esisitholayo endabeni ka-Abhishayi?

⁵ Lapho u-Abhishayi efuna ukugalela uSawuli ngomkhonto wayefuna ukutshengisa ukuthi uqotho kuDavida. Kodwa wayengazange acabangisise ukuthi ngubani okumele abe qotho kuye kuqala. Yikho uDavida engamvumelanga ukuthi enze lokhu ngoba wayenanzelela ukuthi kungaba yinto embi ukuthi umuntu abeke isandla sakhe “kogcotshiweyo kaJehova.” (1 Sam. 26:8-11) Indaba le isinika isifundo esiqakathekileyo: Lanxa kwesinye isikhathi singafuna ukuba qotho kwabanye abantu, kumele sisebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili ukuze sikwazi ukuthi ngubani okumele sibe qotho kuye kuqala.

6. Lanxa singazizwa silomlandu wokuba qotho kumalunga emuli yethu kumbe kubangane bethu, kungani kumele sinanzelele?

⁶ Ukuba qotho kusuka enhliziyweni, kodwa phela inhliziyo yomuntu iyakhohlisa. (Jer. 17:9) Ngakho umuntu oqotho kuNkulunkulu angazizwa elomlandu omkhulu wokuba qotho kumngane wakhe kumbe isihlobo sakhe, lanxa lowomuntu esenza okubi. Lokhu kungenzakala ikakhulu nxa umuntu esimthandayo esetshiye iqiniso. Kodwa nxa sekunjalo kumele sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova nguye okumele simfake kuqala endabeni yobuqotho.​—Bala uMathewu 22:37.

7. Omunye udadewethu watshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kuNkulunkulu ngesikhathi ephakathi kobunzima?

⁷ Indaba yokukhetha ukuthi sizakuba qotho kubani ingavuka nxa omunye emulini angasuswa ebandleni. Ngokwesibonelo udade okuthiwa ngu-Anne ^[1] wafonelwa ngunina owayesusiwe. Unina wayefuna ukumvakatshela ngoba kwasekumzwisa ubuhlungu ukuhlala engabonani lamalunga emuli yakhe. Isicelo sikanina samkhathaza kakhulu u-Anne njalo wathembisa ukuthi wayezamphendula ngokumbhalela incwadi. U-Anne waqala wakhangela izimiso zeBhayibhili engakabhali incwadi. (1 Khor. 5:11; 2 Joh. 9-11) Ngomusa wakhumbuza unina ukuthi nguye owayezehlukanise lemuli ngobubi ayebenzile kanye lokungafuni ukuphenduka. Wambhalela wathi: “Indlela  ongaqeda ngayo ubuhlungu obuzwayo yikubuyela kuJehova.”​—Jak. 4:8.

8. Yiziphi izinto ezintathu ezingasinceda ukuthi sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu?

⁸ Okwenziwa ngabanye abantu ababephila ngesikhathi sikaDavida kusinika izinto ezintathu ezingasisiza ukuthi lathi sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu. Izinto lezi zigoqela ukuthobeka, umusa kanye lesibindi. Ake sizihlole sibone.

9. Kungani u-Abhineri wazama ukubulala uDavida?

⁹ Kungenzakala ukuthi kulamadoda amabili ayekhangele ngesikhathi uDavida ekhuluma leNkosi uSawuli ethwele ikhanda lomFilisti. Omunye wabo nguJonathani indodana kaSawuli owacina esenza isivumelwano sobungane loDavida. Ikanti omunye ngu-Abhineri umlawuli wamabutho. (1 Sam. 17:57–18:3) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi u-Abhineri wasekela uSawuli lapho efuna ukubulala uDavida. UDavida wabhala wathi: “Izikliwi zifuna impilo yami.” (Hubo. 54:3; 1 Sam. 26:1-5) Kungani uJonathani engazange enze njengo-Abhineri? NjengoJonathani u-Abhineri wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayesekhethe uDavida ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli. Ngemva kokufa kukaSawuli u-Abhineri wayeselethuba lokutshengisa ukuthi uthobekile futhi uqotho kuNkulunkulu ngokusekela uDavida. Kodwa yena wema lo-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi u-Abhineri waphinda walala lomfazi kaSawuli weceleni futhi kungenzakala ukuthi lokhu wayekwenzela ukuhluthuna ubukhosi.​—2 Sam. 2:8-10; 3:6-11.

10. Kungani u-Abhsalomi wehluleka ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Ukuswela intobeko kwenza u-Abhsalomi indodana kaDavida yehluleka ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi “u-Abhsalomi wazidingela inqola yempi lamabhiza kanye labantu abangamatshumi amahlanu ukuba ngabagijimi phambi kwakhe.” (2 Sam. 15:1) Waphinda waqila labantu ukuthi babe qotho kuye hatshi uDavida. U-Abhsalomi laye njengo-Abhineri, wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova wayekhethe uDavida ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli lanxa kunjalo wafuna ukumbulala.​—2 Sam. 15:13, 14; 17:1-4.

11. Sifundani endabeni ka-Abhineri, u-Abhsalomi loBharukhi?

¹¹ Okwenziwa ngu-Abhineri lo-Abhsalomi kwenza kucace ukuthi ukufuna isikhundla kungenza ukuthi umuntu ehluleke ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Kayikho inceku kaJehova ethembekileyo engafuna ukulandela isibonelo esibi esenziwa ngamadoda la. Kodwa isifiso sokufuna ukunotha  kumbe sokufuna ukuthola umsebenzi ophezulu emhlabeni lo kungenza umKhristu awe ekukhonzeni. Lokhu kungaba yikho okwenzakala kumabhalani kaJeremiya uBharukhi. Nanku uJehova akutshoyo kuye, wathi: “Ngizadiliza esengikwakhile ngisiphune esengikuhlanyele elizweni lonke. Laphoke uzazifunela izinto ezinkulu na? Ungazidingi.” (Jer. 45:4, 5) UBharukhi wasamukela iseluleko lesi. Kungaba kuhle nxa lathi singawagcina ezingqondweni zethu amazwi la njengoba silindele ukuphela komhlaba lo omubi.

12. Chaza ukuthi kungani kungaba nzima ukuthi sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu siqakathekisa okufunwa yithi.

¹² Omunye umzalwane waseMexico okuthiwa nguDaniel kwakumele akhethe phakathi kokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu lokufuna ukulandela isifiso sakhe esibi. Wayefuna ukutshada lentombi eyayingamkhonzi uJehova. UDaniel uthi: “Lanxa ngasengithethe ubuphayona ngangilokhu ngibhalelana layo. Kodwa ekucineni ngazithoba ngaxoxa lomunye umdala webandla ngamlandisela ukuthi ngasengimbaxambili ngingakwazi ukuthi ngibe qotho kubani. Wangisiza ngabona ukuthi ukuze ngibe qotho kuNkulunkulu kumele ngiyekele ukubhalelana lentombi le. Ngemva kokukhuleka kanengi langezinyembezi ngacina ngikwenzile lokhu. Masinyane nje intokozo yami enkonzweni yakhula.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uDaniel watshada lodade owayemthanda uJehova njalo khathesi ungumbonisi wesiqinti.

13. UNathani watshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kuNkulunkulu lakuDavida ngesikhathi uDavida enze isono esikhulu?

¹³ Kwesinye isikhathi ukuba qotho kuJehova kungenza sibancede abanye abantu esiqotho kubo. Umphrofethi uNathani wayeqotho kuDavida lakuNkulunkulu. UNathani wezwa ukuthi uDavida wenze isono sokufeba lokuthi wenze lecebo lokubulalisa u-Uriya empini. UNathani walalela lapho uJehova emthuma ukuthi ayenika uDavida iseluleko njalo wakwenza lokhu ngesibindi lanxa wayeqotho kuDavida. Wameluleka ngokuhlakanipha langomusa. UNathani wasebenzisa umzekeliso wendoda enothileyo eyathathela indoda engumyanga imvu yayo. Lokhu wayekwenzela ukuthi uDavida abone ukuthi wenze isono esikhulu. Kwathi uDavida esizwa indaba le wayizondela indoda enothileyo, uNathani wasemtshela wathi: “Unguye lowomuntu!” Kwathi dlwe kuDavida wabona ukuthi kutshiwo yena!​—2 Sam. 12:1-7, 13.

14. Ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uqotho kuJehova lakumngane wakho loba isihlobo sakho?

¹⁴ Umusa lawo ungasinceda ukuthi senelise  ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu kuqala. Ngokwesibonelo ungabe ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi omunye umzalwane wenze isono. Mhlawumbe ungazizwa ubophekile ukuthi ube qotho kuye ikakhulu nxa engumngane wakho kumbe isihlobo sakho. Kodwa ukufihla isono sakhe kungatshengisa ukuthi kawukho qotho kuNkulunkulu. Phela khumbula ukuthi okumele ube qotho kuye kuqala nguJehova. NjengoNathani kumele ube lomusa kodwa ungakhekhelezi. Mkhuthaze lowomuntu ukuthi ayedinga usizo ebadaleni. Kodwa ungabona insuku zilokhu zitshova engayanga ebadaleni, wena tshengisa ukuthi uqotho kuNkulunkulu ngokuya ebadaleni uyobabikela. Ungenza njalo uyabe uqotho kuJehova futhi uyabe umenzele umusa lowomuntu, ngoba abadala bazambuyisa kakuhle.—Bala uLevi 5:1 loGalathiya 6:1.

15, 16. Kungani uHushayi wayedinga isibindi ukuze abe qotho kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ UHushayi kwakumele abe lesibindi ukuze abe qotho kuNkulunkulu. Indoda le yayingumngane oqotho kuDavida. Kodwa lapho u-Abhsalomi ehuga abantu bako-Israyeli ukuthi bamsekele njalo efuna ukuhluthunela uyise ubukhosi, kwasekumele uHushayi akhethe ukuthi uzakuba qotho kubani. (2 Sam. 15:13; 16:15) UHushayi wayezakwenzani njengoba uDavida wayesebalekile edolobheni laseJerusalema? Wayezantshintsha yini abe qotho ku-Abhsalomi kumbe wayezanamathela enkosini eyayisiluphele njalo eyayibalekela ukuthi ingabulawa? UHushayi wayezimisele ukuba qotho enkosini eyayikhethwe nguNkulunkulu yikho wahamba wayahlangana layo eNtabeni yama-Oliva.​—2 Sam. 15:30, 32.

¹⁶ UDavida wacela uHushayi ukuthi abuyele eJerusalema afike azenze umngane ka-Abhsalomi ukuze afubise iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli. UHushayi wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini wahamba wayakwenza lokho uDavida ayemtshele khona. Lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi indoda le yayiqotho kuJehova. Umthandazo kaDavida waphendulwa ngoba uHushayi wafika walifubisa sibili icebo lika-Ahithofeli.​—2 Sam. 15:31; 17:14.

17. Kungani kumele sibe lesibindi ukuze sibe qotho?

¹⁷ Kumele sibe lesibindi ukuze sibe qotho kuJehova. Abanengi bethu bebephikiswa ngamalunga ezimuli, ngabasebenza labo loba iziphathamandla, kodwa benelisile ukuba lesibindi sokukumela konke lokhu ukuze batshengise ukuthi baqotho kuNkulunkulu. Yikho kanye okwenziwa ngumzalwane waseJapan okuthiwa nguTaro. Kusukela ebuntwaneni wayeqotho kubazali bakhe futhi ebalalela. Wayengabanjwa ngamandla ukuthi akwenze lokhu kodwa wayefuna ukubathokozisa abazali bakhe. Kodwa lapho eqalisa ukufunda laboFakazi bakaJehova, abazali bakhe bamtshela ukuthi abafuni lakuzwa ngakho. Lokhu kwamzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu njalo wakuthola kunzima ukubatshela ukuthi wayesekhethe lokungena lemihlangano yaboFakazi. UTaro uthi: “Abazali bami bazonda kakhulu okokuthi kwahlala iminyaka bengangivumeli ukuthi ngifike ngekhaya. Ngathandazela ukuthi uJehova anginike isibindi ukuze ngenelise ukunamathela kulokho engasengikukhethile. Khathesi sebantshintsha njalo sengisenelisa lokuhlala ngibavakatshela.”​—Bala iZaga 29:25.

18. Isihloko lesi sikuncede njani?

¹⁸ UDavida, uJonathani, uNathani kanye loHushayi bakuthola ukusuthiseka ngokuhlala beqotho kuJehova. Lathi sizajabulela ukusuthiseka okunjalo nxa singalingisela isibonelo sabo. Kasingabi njengo-Abhineri lo-Abhsalomi abangazange babe qotho kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa kasinamatheleni kuJehova njengoDavida. Kuliqiniso ukuthi sizawenza amaphutha ngoba silesono esasithatha ku-Adamu. Lanxa kunjalo sizimisele ukumfaka kuqala uJehova endabeni yobuqotho.