Ake ucabange inkamba yamabutho esendaweni ephezulu. Ngaphansi kulendawo ewomileyo futhi elamadwala. Akulanto enhle yokubuka endaweni leyo. Kodwa khathesi amaFilisti asendaweni leyo ephezulu asebone okuthile okuwakhangayo. Abona amadoda amabili angama-Israyeli futhi akuthi thiki kumaFilisti. Phela sekuyiminyaka amaFilisti edlisa ama-Israyeli luklubhu. Awasenelisi ngitsho lokulola amathuluzi awo okusebenzisa emasimini engazange adinge uncedo kumaFilisti. Lokhu kwenza ama-Israyeli abe lezikhali ezingatsho lutho. Lamadoda la amabili athutshayo angawenzani vele amaFilisti? Lanxa engabe ehlomile ayibunyonyo nje. AmaFilisti awabiza ngendlela yokudelela esithi: “Wozani kithi sizalifundisa isifundo.”​—1 USamuyeli 13:19-23; 14:11, 12.

Bakhona sibili abebazafunda isifundo ngalelolanga kodwa amaFilisti yiwo ayezasifunda. Amadoda lawana amabili angama-Israyeli agijima enquma ngomkhandlu aze ayaqansa intaba. Kwakungasimdlalo ukuqansa yikho ayikhwela esebenzisa izandla lenyawo. Nanko eqansa lamadwala eqonda enkambeni yamaFilisti. (1 USamuyeli 14:13) Khathesi amaFilisti ayesebona ukuthi indoda eyayikhokhela yayihlomile. Kodwa amadoda amabili nje kuphela ayengalwa lebutho lamaFilisti? Kambe ukuthi zasezithanca yini endodeni le eyayikhokhela?

Ngitsho lakancane, yayiyindoda elokholo oluqinileyo. Ibizo layo kwakunguJonathani futhi kunengi amaKhristu eqiniso angakufunda endabeni yayo. Thina asilwi izimpi njengoJonathani kodwa indaba yakhe isifundisa ukuba lesibindi, ukuthembeka kanye lokuzidela. Ubuntu lobu businceda ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo.​—U-Isaya 2:4; UMathewu 26:51, 52.

Ake sihlole impilo kaJonathani ukuze sizwisise ukuthi kungani waqunga isibindi walanda inkamba yamaFilisti. UJonathani wayeyingqabutho kaSawuli inkosi yokuqala yako-Israyeli. Ngesikhathi uSawuli egcotshwa ukuba yinkosi kungenzakala ukuthi uJonathani wayeleminyaka engu-20 loba edlula lapho. Kukhanya angani yena loyise babengamathe lolimi futhi uSawuli wayemthululela isifuba umntanakhe. USawuli wayemude, ebukeka futhi elesibindi. Kodwa okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kuJonathani yikuthi uyise wayelokholo njalo ethobekile. Lokhu kwamenza wabona ukuthi kungani uJehova wayemkhethile ukuthi abe yinkosi. Umphrofethi uSamuyeli laye wathi akulandoda enjengoSawuli elizweni.​—1 USamuyeli 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24; 20:2.

Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJonathani wayekubona kuligugu ukuba ngaphansi kobukhokheli bukayise ngesikhathi besilwa lezitha zabantu bakaJehova. Phela izimpi lezo zazingafanani lalezo ezilwiwa ngabantu lamuhla. Ama-Israyeli ayeyisizwe esasikhethwe nguNkulunkulu futhi izizwe ezazikhonza onkulunkulu bamanga zazijinga ziwahlasela. Esinye salezo zizwe kwakungamaFilisti ayekhonza unkulunkulu wamanga okuthiwa nguDagoni. Isizwe lesi sasifuna ukukhonya phezu kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu futhi sifuna ukubathanyela sibaqede.

KuJonathani ukulwa izimpi kwakungasimdlalo nje, kwakutshengisa ukuthi uthembekile kuNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova futhi uJehova wayibusisa imizamo yakhe. Kungakayingaphi uSawuli ebe yinkosi, wakhetha uJonathani ukuthi akhokhele amasotsha angu-1 000 ukuthi ayehlasela ibutho lamaFilisti elaliseGebha. Bawatshaya bawabhuqa lanxa babengelazikhali ezizwayo ngoba babencediswa nguJehova. AmaFilisti athi ebona lokho aqoqa amabutho amanengi. Lokhu kwenza amabutho kaSawuli amanengi aqhaqhazela. Amanye athi ebona sekukubi athathela ngejubane ayacatsha, amanye ajoyina ibutho lamaFilisti. Kodwa uJonathani wayelokhu elesibindi sengwenya.​—1 USamuyeli 13:2-7; 14:21.

Ake sibuyele emuva kancane, kulokho esikhulume ngakho ekuqaliseni kwendaba le. UJonathani lejaha elalithwala izikhali zakhe babephonguthi nyelele basuka enkambeni yabo. Bathi bethutsha enkambeni yamaFilisti eyayiseMikhimashi, uJonathani watshela umthwali wakhe wezikhali icebo lakhe. Babezaziveza kumaFilisti. Nxa engababiza kwakuzabe kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabasekela. Ijaha elalithwala izikhali zikaJonathani alizange litshone libala amabala engwe. Mhlawumbe laqiniswa ngamazwi kaJonathani athi: “Akulalutho olungavimbela uJehova ekukhululeni, loba kungabanengi kumbe abalutshwana.” (1 USamuyeli 14:6-10) Wayesitshoni?

UJonathani wayemazi mhlophe uNkulunkulu wakhe. Wayeyazi indlela ayencedise ngayo abantu bakhe endulo ngesikhathi behlaselwa ngamabutho ayemanengi kulabo. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova wayesebenzisa umuntu oyedwa kuphela ukuthi asindise abantu bakhe. (ABahluleli 3:31; 4:1-23; 16:23-30) Lokhu kwavula uJonathani amehlo, kwamenza wabona ukuthi inani labantu, amandla abo kumbe izikhali abalazo akusikho okuqakathekileyo kodwa lukholo lwabo kuNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwenza uJonathani waba lokholo kuJehova futhi wamcela ukuthi amkhokhele. Wamcela ukuthi abanike isibonakaliso sokuthi uzabancedisa. Ngemva kwesibonakaliso leso, uJonathani waba lesibindi futhi yena lejaha elalithwala izikhali zakhe baqonda enkambeni yamaFilisti.

Nanzelela izinto ezimbili ezitshengisa ukuthi uJonathani wayelokholo. Okokuqala yikuthi wayemhlonipha kakhulu uNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova. Wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uSomandla kadingi kusekelwa ngumuntu ukuthi agcwalise injongo yakhe. Wayekwazi lokuthi uJehova uthokoziswa yikubusisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo. (2 ImiLando 16:9) Okwesibili yikuthi uJonathani engakayihlasela, waqala wacela isibonakaliso sokuthi uJehova uzamsekela. Lamuhla uNkulunkulu kasoze asinike izibonakaliso ukuze kukhanye ukuthi uyakubusisa lokho esikwenzayo. Usinike iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili futhi yilo elisinceda ukuthi siyazi intando yakhe. (2 KuThimothi 3:16, 17) Uyazinika yini isikhathi sokuhlola lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili ungakenzi izinqumo eziqakathekileyo? Ungaqakathekisa okufunwa nguNkulunkulu ukwedlula lokho okufunwa nguwe uyabe utshengisa ukuthi ulingisela uJonathani.

Iqhawe elinguJonathani lomthwali walo wezikhali baqansa intaba besiya enkambeni yamaFilisti. Kwathi dlwe kumaFilisti ananzelela ukuthi ayesehlaselwa yikho athuma amadoda ukuthi ayekulwa lama-Israyeli lawo amabili. AmaFilisti ayesendaweni ephezulu futhi elamabutho amanengi yikho ayengawabulala ngesikhathi esincane amadoda la. AmaFilisti awa elandelana phambi kukaJonathani, ijaha elalithwala izikhali zakhe lona laligalela loba yiwaphi uJonathani ayengawabulalanga. Ngesikhathi esingatsho lutho basebewise amasotsha angu-20 amaFilisti! UJehova waphinda wabasekela ngenye indlela futhi. IBhayibhili lithi: “Emva kwalokho ibutho lonke latshaywa luvalo—ababesezihonqweni lababesegangeni, lalabo ababesezinkambeni zamabutho lamaqembu abahlaseli—iphansi lanyikinyeka. Kwakuyikuthuthumela okwakulethwe nguNkulunkulu.”​—1 USamuyeli 14:15.

USawuli lamadoda ayelaye babukela isiyaluyalu esasesikhona kumaFilisti ayesegalelana ngezinkemba! (1 USamuyeli 14:16, 20) Ama-Israyeli ama isibindi, atsho ehlasela amaFilisti mhlawumbe esebenzisa izinkemba zamaFilisti ayesefile. UJehova wenza abantu bakhe banqoba ngalolo suku. UJehova kantshintshi yikho nxa singalingisela uJonathani lomthwali wezikhali zakhe sibe lokholo kuNkulunkulu asisoze sizisole ngitsho lakancane.​—UMalaki 3:6; KwabaseRoma 10:11.

UJehova nguye owancedisa uJonathani ukuthi anqobe empini le kodwa uSawuli yena wayengakuboni njalo. USawuli wenza amaphutha amakhulu. Wehluleka ukulalela umphrofethi uSamuyeli owayegcotshwe nguJehova. USawuli wanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa okwakumele unikelwe nguSamuyeli owayengumLevi. USamuyeli wafika watshela uSawuli ukuthi ngenxa yokungalaleli ,umbuso wakhe wawungasoze uqhubeke. Ngesikhathi uSawuli ethuma amabutho akhe empini wenza elinye iphutha. Wenza isifungo esingelangqondo ngesikhathi esithi: “Uthukiwe lowo muntu odla ukudla kungakahlwi, ngingakaphindiseli ezitheni zami!”​—1 USamuyeli 13:10-14; 14:24.

Amazwi la atshengisa indlela uSawuli ayesesiba mubi ngayo. Kambe ukuthi indoda le eyayithobekile futhi ilokholo oluqinileyo yayisiqalisa ukuzigqaja? Phela uJehova wayengatshongo ukuthi amadoda la ayelesibindi esikhulu futhi ekukhuthalele ukulwa izimpi zakhe afakwe ngaphansi kwesifungo esinjalo. Amazwi kaSawuli athi “ngingakaphindiseli ezitheni zami!” atshengisa ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi impi ngeyakhe yini? Kambe ukuthi wayesekhohliwe yini ukuthi okwakufunwa nguJehova yikho okwakuqakathekile ukwedlula ukuzifunela udumo lokunqoba?

UJonathani wayesemnyameni ngesifungo esasenziwe nguyise. Wayedinwe efile ngenxa yempi eyayitshisa ayevela kuyo. Yikho wahloma uduku lomqwayi wakhe ohlangeni loluju waselunambitha futhi wazizwa eselamandla. Enye yamadoda ayelawo yamtshela ngesifungo sikayise. UJonathani waphendula wathi: “Ubaba usedalele ilizwe uhlupho. Khangela ukuthi amehlo ami athe dlwe ekunambitheni kwami okuncane koluju lolu. Kade kuzakuba ngcono kakhulu aluba lamhla abantu bebedlile eyinye yempango abayithethe ezitheni zabo. Ukubulawa kwamaFilisti kade kungayikuba kukhulu kulalokhu na?” (1 USamuyeli 14:25-30) Wayeqinisile sibili. UJonathani wayethembekile kodwa wayengaphongulandela konke okwakutshiwo angathi yinkomo edonswa ngomkhala futhi lokho kwenza abantu bamhlonipha.

Ngesikhathi uSawuli esizwa ukuthi uJonathani wephule isifungo sakhe, kazange ananzelele ukuthi umlayo wakhe wawungelangqondo. Wama ngelokuthi umntanakhe kumele abulawe. UJonathani kazange atshone encenga ukuthi angabulawa futhi kazange aphikise lokho okwatshiwo nguyise. Impendulo yakhe ingakutshiya ubambe owangaphansi. Ngesibindi wathi: “Kulungile ngingafa.” Kodwa ama-Israyeli athi: “UJonathani kumele afe yini​—yena olethe lokhukuhlengwa okukhulu ko-Israyeli lamuhla na? Hatshi bo! Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uJehova ekhona, akulanwele lwekhanda lakhe oluzawela phansi, ngoba lokhu ukwenze lamhla ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu.” Kwaphetha ngani? Yagoba indoda endala. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngakho abantu bamhlenga uJonathani, kasabulawanga.”​—1 USamuyeli 14:43-45.

UJonathani wazenzela ibizo elihle ngokuba lesibindi, ngokusebenza gadalala kanye langokuzidela kwakhe. Lokhu kwamnceda ngesikhathi ukuphila kwakhe sekusemlonyeni wengwe. Lathi kumele silingisele uJonathani ngokuzenzela ibizo elihle ngalokho esikwenza nsuku zonke. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi ibizo elihle liqakathekile kakhulu. (UmTshumayeli 7:1) Ukuzenzela ibizo elihle loJehova kuligugu kakhulu ukwedlula inotho enengi.

Lanxa uSawuli wenza amaphutha amanengi uJonathani kazange ayekele ukumncedisa ekulweni izimpi. Kunzima ukuchaza ubuhlungu ayebuzwa ngesikhathi ebona uyise eqalisa ukuba yisiqholo futhi ezigqaja. Kancane kancane uSawuli waqalisa ukwenza izinto ezimbi futhi kwakungelanto uJonathani ayengayenza.

Ngesikhathi uJehova etshela uSawuli ukuthi ayekulwa lama-Amaleki kwakhanya bha ukuthi wayeselohlupho sibili. Isizwe leso sasicwile ekukhonzeni kwamanga okokuthi ngensuku zikaMosi uJehova wayethe uzasitshabalalisa. (U-Eksodusi 17:14) USawuli wayetshelwe ukuthi abulale zonke izifuyo zesizwe leso kanye lokuthi inkosi u-Agagi kwakungamelanga iqhubeke iwadla amabele. USawuli wanqoba sibili empini le futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi indodana yakhe uJonathani yalwa ngesibindi esikhulu njengoba yayihlala isenza. Kodwa uSawuli wayekela ngabomo ukulalela uJehova, kazange ambulale u-Agagi kanye lezifuyo zama-Amaleki futhi wathatha yonke inotho yelizwe. Umphrofethi uSamuyeli wamtshela isahlulelo sikaJehova sokucina. Wathi: “Ngokuba ilizwi likaJehova ulalile. Usekwalile njengenkosi.”​—1 USamuyeli 15:2, 3, 9, 10, 23.

Akuhlalanga sikhathi ngemva kwalokho uJehova wawususa umoya wakhe kuSawuli. Njengoba wayengaselawo umoya ongcwele, wayesephonguntshintsha ngendlela engaqedakaliyo, wayesiba lolaka aphinde afikelwe yikwesaba. Kwakungani umoya omubi ovela kuJehova usuthethe indawo yomuhle. (1 USamuyeli 16:14; 18:10-12) Kumele ukuthi uJonathani kwamephula umoya ukubona indoda eyayihlonipheka isintshintshe kangaka. Lanxa kunjalo uJonathani waqhubeka ebambelele kuJehova. Waqhubeka emsekela ngenhliziyo yonke uyise kodwa wayengambhodi nxa kwakumele amtshele iqiniso. Kazange amtshiye uNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova.​—1 USamuyeli 19:4, 5.

Sewake wabona umuntu omthandayo, mhlawumbe isihlobo, entshintsha ubuntu bakhe obuhle eqalisa ukwenza izinto ezimbi? Ubuhlungu bakhona buyathophela enhliziyweni. Isibonelo sikaJonathani sisikhumbuza amazwi omhubi athi: “Loba obaba lomama bengangidela, uJehova uzangemukela.” (IHubo 27:10) UJehova uthembekile. Lawe uzakwamukela futhi abenguYihlo lanxa abantu bengakudanisa kumbe bakubambise ilitshe.

Kungenzakala uJonathani wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova uzathathela uSawuli ubukhosi. Lokhu kwenza waziphupha eseyinkosi yini, eselungisa amanye amaphutha kayise, etshengisa ukuthi yena uyinkosi ethembekileyo futhi elalelayo? Asikwazi ukuthi wayesizwani sibisibili ngaphakathi kwakhe, esikwaziyo yikuthi kazange abe yinkosi. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uJehova wamlahlela iganga yini uJonathani? Ngitsho lakancane, kodwa wafaka indaba yakhe eBhayibhilini ukuze asitshengise ukuthi ngobunjani ubungane beqiniso. Sizaxoxa ngobungane lobo kwesinye isihloko esizabe sikhuluma ngoJonathani.