1-2. Kungani kuqakathekile ukufunda ngoSamsoni?

 KUYINI okufika engqondweni yakho nxa usizwa ibizo elithi Samsoni? Engxenye uhle ucabange ngendoda elamandla kakhulu. USamsoni wayelawo sibili amandla. Kodwa wake wenza isinqumo esibi esamthela emanyaleni. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova kazange akukhohlwe okuhle okwakwenziwe nguSamsoni. Isibonelo sendoda le eyayithembekile wasifaka eBhayibhilini ukuze sisincede.

² UJehova wasebenzisa uSamsoni ukuthi enze izinto ezimangalisayo ukuze ancede abantu bakhe bako-Israyeli. Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi uSamsoni efile, uJehova waphefumulela umphostoli uPhawuli ukuthi abhale ngamadoda ayelokholo kugoqele loSamsoni. (Heb. 11:32-34) Okwenziwa nguSamsoni kungasikhuthaza. Wathembela kuJehova langezikhathi ephakathi kobunzima. Asixoxeni ngokuthi indaba kaSamsoni ingasikhuthaza njani lokuthi kuyini esingakufunda kuye okungasinceda.

3. Yiwuphi umsebenzi uSamsoni awuphiwayo?

³ Ngesikhathi uSamsoni ezalwa, abako-Israyeli babebuswa ngamaFilisti futhi ayebathwalise nzima. (Abahlu. 13:1) Ayelesihluku futhi ethwalise ama-Israyeli amagabha avuzayo, yikho uJehova wakhetha uSamsoni ukuthi ‘akhokhele ekusindiseni abantu bako-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.’ (Abahlu. 13:5) Kodwa lo kwakungumsebenzi onzima sibili! Ngakho uSamsoni kwakumele athembele kuJehova ukuze aphumelele ukuwenza.

4. UJehova wamncedisa njani uSamsoni ukuthi aphunyuke kumaFilisti? (ABahluleli 15:14-16)

 ⁴ Ake sixoxe ngokunye okutshengisa ukuthi uSamsoni wayethembele kuJehova lokuthi wamncedisa njani. Ngelinye ilanga amabutho amaFilisti abuya eLehi ezothumba uSamsoni njalo kukhanya iLehi yayikoJuda. Amadoda akoJuda esaba kakhulu yikho acabanga ukuthi abambe uSamsoni amnikele esitheni. Ngakho amadoda la akibo ambopha ngentambo ezimbili ezintsha asemusa kumaFilisti. (Abahlu. 15:9-13) Kodwa ‘umoya kaJehova wehlela kuye waba lamandla’ waqamula intambo ayebotshwe ngazo, “wasebona ithambo lomhlathi kababhemi elalingakawomi” walidobha wabulala ngalo amasotsha amaFilisti angu-1 000!—Bala aBahluleli 15:14-16.

5. USamsoni watshengisa njani ukuthi wayethembele kuJehova?

⁵ Umhlathi kababhemi wawungayisiso sikhali esasisetshenziswa empini. Pho kungani uSamsoni wawusebenzisa? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayekwazi ukuthi ukuthembela kuJehova yikho okwakuzamenza aphumelele hatshi isikhali ayezasisebenzisa. Indoda le eyayithembekile yasebenzisa lokho okwakukhona ngalesosikhathi ukuze yenze intando kaJehova. Lakanye uJehova wambusisa uSamsoni wamenza waphumelela ngoba wayethembele kuye.

6. Singamlingisela njani uSamsoni nxa kulemisebenzi esiyiphiweyo?

⁶ Lathi uJehova angasinika amandla okuthi senze imisebenzi esiyiphiwayo lanxa kwezinye izikhathi ingakhanya angathi inzima. UNkulunkulu angasincedisa ngendlela esingayikhangelelanga. Ungathandabuzi ukuthi nxa ungathembela kuJehova, angakuncedisa ukuthi wenze intando yakhe njengoba nje wancedisa uSamsoni.—Zaga. 16:3.

7. Yisiphi isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi sivume ukukhokhelwa nguJehova?

⁷ Abafowethu labodadewethu abasebenza ukwakha izakhiwo zenhlanganiso batshengisa ukuthi labo bayamthemba uJehova. Kudala abazalwane babedweba amaplani amaWolu oMbuso lezinye izakhiwo okwakumele zakhiwe baphinde baziyakhe. Kodwa kwaba  lotshintsho njengoba inhlanganiso kaJehova yayilokhu ikhula. Abafowethu abakhokhelayo bakhuleka becela ukuthi uJehova abancedise, basebezama ezinye indlela ezintsha njengokuthenga ezinye izakhiwo besebezilungisisa. URobert owasebenza ekwakhiweni kwezinye izakhiwo zenhlanganiso emhlabeni wonke uthi: “Ekuqaliseni kwakunzima ukusebenzisa indlela le entsha ngoba yayitshiyene kakhulu lalokho esasesilesikhathi eside sikwenza. Kodwa abazalwane babezimisele ukutshintsha njalo kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova ubeyibusisa indlela le entsha esesiyisebenzisa.” Lesi ngesinye isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabakhokhela abantu bakhe ukuthi benze intando yakhe. Sonke kumele sihlale sizibuza imibuzo le, ‘Ngiyacela yini ukuthi uJehova angincedise? Ngizimisele yini ukutshintsha ukuze umsebenzi wakhe ngiwenze ngendlela engcono?’

8. USamsoni wenzani esewomile?

⁸ Kungenzakala ukuthi sewake wabala amanye amavesi akhuluma ngoSamsoni esenza izinto ezimangalisayo. Eyedwa zwi walwisana lesilwane wasibulala futhi wabulala amadoda angu-30 edolobheni lamaFilisti okuthiwa yi-Ashikheloni. (Abahlu. 14:5, 6, 19) USamsoni wayekwazi ukuthi wayengeke enze izinto zonke lezi engancediswanga nguJehova. Lokhu kwakhanya ngesikhathi esewomile ngemva kokubulala amadoda angamaFilisti angu-1 000. Wenzani? Kazange azame ukuzidingela amanzi kodwa wacela ukuthi uJehova amncedise.—Abahlu. 15:18.

9. UJehova wawuphendula njani umthandazo kaSamsoni? (ABahluleli 15:19)

⁹ UJehova waphendula umthandazo kaSamsoni ngokumnika amanzi ngendlela eyisimangaliso. USamsoni wathi esewanathile “wezwa eselamandla futhi.” (Bala aBahluleli 15:19.) Kukhanya amanzi la ayelokhu egeleza ngesikhathi umphrofethi uSamuyeli ephefumulelwa ukuthi abhale ibhuku laBahluleli futhi kwasekudlule iminyaka eminengi ephuma. Kumele ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayesithi nxa ebona amanzi lawo egeleza akhumbule ukuthi nxa engathembela kuJehova wayezawancedisa ngezikhathi zobunzima.

10. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyavuma ukuncediswa nguJehova? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ Lathi kumele sithembele kuJehova, sicele ukuthi asincedise kungelani lokuthi silaziphi iziphiwo kumbe ukuthi kuyini esenelisa ukukwenza loba ukuthi kuyini esesiphumelele ukukwenza. Kumele sithobeke sivume ukuthi ukuthembela kuJehova yikho kodwa okungasenza siphumelele. USamsoni wezwa eselamandla ngemva kokunatha amanzi ayewaphiwe nguJehova. Lathi sizahlala siqinile ekukhonzeni nxa singakusebenzisa konke uJehova asinika khona.—Mat. 11:28.

11. Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi sithembele kuJehova? Nika isibonelo.

¹¹ Ake sixoxe ngomunye umfowethu weRussia okuthiwa ngu-Aleksey othwele nzima ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa. Kuyini okumncede ukuthi ahlale eqinile lanxa esebunzimeni obukhulu? Yena lomkakhe balohlelo lokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Uthi: “Nsuku zonke ekuseni mina lomkami siyabala umbhalo wosuku sixoxe ngawo besesikhuleka kuJehova. Ngiyazama lokulandelela uhlelo lwami lokutaditsha ngingedwa lokubala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke.” Sifundani ku-Aleksey lomkakhe? Sifunda ukuthi akumelanga sizithembe kodwa kumele sithembele kuJehova. Singakwenza njani lokho? Ngokuhlala sisenza izinto eziqinisa ukholo, ngokwesibonelo  ukutaditsha iBhayibhili lokukhuleka lokungena imihlangano yebandla kanye lokutshumayela. Nxa singakwenza konke lokhu uJehova uzasincedisa ukuthi siqhubeke simkhonza. Kasoze ayekele ukusiqinisa njengoba nje wanika uSamsoni amandla.

12. Ukuthandana kukaSamsoni loDelila kwakutshiyene njani lobudlelwano ayeke waba labo labanye abesifazana?

¹² Ngezinye izikhathi uSamsoni wayewenza amaphutha ngoba laye wayelesono njengathi. Wake wenza esinye isinqumo esamthela emanyaleni. USamsoni wayeke wathembisana lomunye owesifazana ongumFilisti kodwa “nguJehova owayefuna enze njalo, edinga ithuba lokulwa lamaFilisti.” Ngesinye isikhathi uSamsoni waya endlini yesifebe esasihlala edolobheni lamaFilisti okuthiwa yiGaza. UJehova wamnika amandla okuthi athwale iminyango yegedi ledolobho lelo, idolobho lasala lingavikelekanga. (Abahlu. 14:1-4; 16:1-3) Kodwa wathi esesebenze okwesikhathi engumahluleli “wathandana lowesifazana owayehlala esigodini seSorekhi okwakuthiwa nguDelila.” (Abahlu. 16:4) Kungenzeka ukuthi uDelila wayengasimFilisti kodwa wayengumIsrayeli. Yikho isinqumo lesi esenziwa nguSamsoni sasingelani lomsebenzi ayewuphiwe nguJehova futhi sasingasoze simnike ithuba lokulwa lamaFilisti.

13. UDelila wamqila njani uSamsoni?

¹³ UDelila waphiwa inkalakatha yemali ngamaFilisti ngenxa yokuthengisa uSamsoni. Mhlawumbe uSamsoni wayesephandlwe luthando futhi emthemba kakhulu uDelila okokuthi wehluleka ukubona ukuthi wayemqila. Asazi ukuthi kwahamba njani ngoSamsoni kodwa uDelila wayehlala embelesela emncenga ukuthi amtshele ukuthi amandla  akhe avela ngaphi, waze wacina esemtshelile. Kuyadanisa ukuthi uSamsoni wavuma ukuqilwa wasephelelwa ngamandla akhe lobungane bakhe loJehova okwesikhathi esithile.—Abahlu. 16:16-20.

14. Yibuphi ubunzima obehlela uSamsoni ngenxa yokuthemba uDelila?

¹⁴ USamsoni wazithezela olulenkume ngokuthemba uDelila kulokuthi athembe uJehova. AmaFilisti ambamba asemkhipha amehlo. Amvalela ejele edolobheni leGaza lapho ayeke abhidliza khona iminyango yedolobho lelo, bamenza isigqili basebemnika umsebenzi wokuchola amabele. USamsoni waphinda wenziwa inhlekisa komunye umbuthano wamaFilisti. Ayenikela umhlatshelo oqakathekileyo kunkulunkulu wawo uDagoni ngoba ayekholwa ukuthi nguye owawancedisa ukuthi abambe uSamsoni. Ngakho akhipha uSamsoni ejele amletha embuthanweni lowo ukuze ‘awalibazise’ futhi amenze inhlekisa.—Abahlu. 16:21-25.

15. USamsoni watshengisa njani ukuthi wayesethembele kuJehova futhi? (ABahluleli 16:28-30) (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹⁵ USamsoni kazange akhalale, waqhubeka emkhonza uJehova lanxa wenza iphutha elikhulu. Wadinga indlela ayengenza ngayo umsebenzi wokulwa lamaFilisti ayewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu. (Bala aBahluleli 16:28-30.) USamsoni wancenga uJehova wathi: ‘Ngicela ungisize ngiphindisele kumaFilisti.’ UNkulunkulu weqiniso wawuphendula umthandazo kaSamsoni wamnika amandla ayisimangaliso. Lokho kwenza uSamsoni wabulala amaFilisti amanengi kakhulu ukwedlula lawo ayeke wawabulala.

16. Sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuSamsoni?

¹⁶ USamsoni kazange ayekele ukuqhubeka ezama ukwenza intando kaJehova lanxa wayesebunzimeni ngenxa yalokho ayekwenzile. Lathi nxa singaphambanisa besesikhuzwa kumbe sithathelwe eminye imisebenzi yenkonzo ebesilayo akumelanga sikhalale kodwa kumele siqhubeke sisenza intando kaJehova. Kumele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova laye kasikhalali. (Hubo. 103:8-10) Lanxa singaphambanisa, uJehova angasincedisa ukuthi siqhubeke sisenza intando yakhe njengoba nje wancedisa loSamsoni.

17-18. Kuyini okukukhuthazayo kulokho okwenzakala kuMichael? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁷ Omunye umfowethu okuthiwa nguMichael wayesenza kuhle kakhulu, eyinceku  ekhonzayo futhi eliphayona lesikhathi sonke. Kodwa uMichael wenza iphutha wacina esethathelwa imisebenzi ayelayo ebandleni. UMichael uthi: “Kungakenzakali lokho ngangisenza okunengi emsebenzini kaJehova kodwa ngokucwayiza kwelihlo nje kwasekungani konke sekungiphelele. Angizange ngike ngizitshele ukuthi uJehova usengilahlile, kodwa ngangizibuza ukuthi ngizaphinda ngibe ngumngane wakhe oseduze njengakuqala yini, kumbe ukuthi ngizaphinda ngiyiphiwe yini imisebenzi yenkonzo ebandleni.”

¹⁸ Okuhle yikuthi uMichael kazange akhalale. Uthi: “Ngangihlala ngisenza izinto ezazizakwenza ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngingumngane kaJehova. Ngangithandaza ngimtshela konke okusenhliziyweni yami, ngitaditsha futhi ngicabangisisa.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uMichael waphinda wayiphiwa imisebenzi yenkonzo ebandleni. Khathesi usengumdala futhi useliphayona lesikhathi sonke. Uphinda athi: “Indlela abazalwane ababengisekela ngayo njalo bengikhuthaza, ikakhulu abadala, yangenza ngabona ukuthi uJehova ulokhu engithanda. Khathesi sengingazenzela imisebenzi yami yebandla ngilomzwangedwa omsulwa. Okwenzakala kimi kungifundise ukuthi uJehova uyathethelela loba ngubani ophenduka ngenhliziyo yonke.” Nxa lathi singenza amaphutha kumele silungisise lokho esiyabe sikuphambanisile siqhubeke sithembela kuJehova. Singenza njalo singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzaqhubeka esisebenzisa futhi esibusisa.—Hubo. 86:5; Zaga. 28:13.

19. Okwenzakala kuSamsoni kukuqinise njani?

¹⁹ Esihlokweni lesi sixoxe ngezinto ezilutshwana ezenzakala empilweni kaSamsoni. Wayephambanisa njengabantu bonke kodwa kazange akhalale. Waqhubeka esenza okusemandleni akhe ukuthi akhonze uJehova langesikhathi aze avume ukuqilwa nguDelila. UJehova laye kazange amkhalale uSamsoni. Waphinda wamsebenzisa ngendlela emangalisayo. UJehova wayelokhu embala phakathi kwabantu abalokholo oluqinileyo, yikho wenza ukuthi laye abhalwe phakathi kwabantu ababelokholo okukhulunywa ngabo kuHebheru isahluko 11. Kuyasikhuthaza kakhulu ukuthi sikhonza uBaba wethu osezulwini olothando njalo ohlala esiqinisa ikakhulu nxa izinto zingasihambeli kuhle. Yikho lathi kasilingiseleni uSamsoni sincenge uJehova sisithi: “Ngicela ungikhumbule unginike amandla.”—Abahlu. 16:28.