1. Ngisiphi isifiso esingokwemvelo soke esinaso, begodu sihlanganisani?

UZIZWA njani nange umuntu omaziko nomhloniphako akhohlwa ibizo lakho namkha angasakukhumbuli nokukukhumbula? Lokho kungakuzwisa ubuhlungu. Kwenziwa yini? Kwenziwa kukuthi kungokwemvelo kithi soke ukufuna ukwamukelwa. Asitlhogi ukwaziwa nje kwaphela kodwana sifuna nokuthi abantu basithande ngendlela esingayo bebasibuke ngezinto esizenzako.—Num. 11:16; Job. 31:6.

2, 3. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukulawula isifiso sokuhlonitjhwa? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

² Ukufisa ukuhlonitjhwa kufana nezinye iimfiso ezingokwemvelo esinazo, kutlhoga ukulawulwa ngombana sinesono. Kungabe kusenze sikhanukele ukubukwa okungakafaneli. Iphasi lakaSathaneli lihlohlozela abantu bona bafune ukudunyiswa nokubukwa, okwenza bona uBabethu wezulwini uJehova angalifumani idumo nokuhlonitjhwa okumfaneleko.—IsAm. 4:11.

³ Emihleni kaJesu, abanye abarholi bezekolo bebanombono ongakafaneli ngendaba yokubukwa le. UJesu wayelelisa abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Yelelani abatloli abathanda  ukukhambakhamba bambethe iimphuraphura, abathanda ukulotjhiswa ematatawini wokuthengisela nokuhlala eenhlalweni eziphambili ngemasinagogeni neendaweni ezikhethekileko eminyanyeni.” Wanaba wathi: “Laba bazokufumana isigwebo esikhulu khulu.” (Luk. 20:46, 47) Kodwana wenza okuhlukileko nakazakubona umhlolokazi otlhagileko anikela ngokuncani, wambuka ngitjho nanyana kungenzeka inengi lingakhenge liwutjheje umnikelwakhe. (Luk. 21:1-4) Kuyatjho bona indlela uJesu ebekaqala ngayo indaba yokubukwa le, beyihlukile keyabanye. Isihlokwesi sizosisiza siqale izinto ngendlela efaneleko, okuyindlela uJehova ayimukelako.

4. Ngiliphi idumo ekufuze silwele ukulifumana, begodu kubayini?

⁴ Alo-ke ngelinjani idumo ekufuze silwele ukulifumana? Akusilidumo abantu abalifuna kwezefundo, kwezerhwebo nezokuzithabisa zephaseli. Kunalokho, ngelihlathululwa nguPowula emezwini la: “Kodwana njengombana senazi uZimu, namkha, senaziwa nguZimu, kuza njani bona nibuyele ezintweni zobuntwana ezibogabogako nezililize, nifune ukuba ziingqila zazo godu?” (Gal. 4:9) Lilungelo elikhulu lelo! ‘Singaziwa nguZimu,’ umBusi wezulu nephasi. Uzimisele ukuba bangani bethu. Esinye isazi sathi thina bantu “sifumana itjhejo elikhethekileko lakaZimu.” Ihloso yamambala yokuphila kukuba nobuhlobo obuhle noZimu, nje-ke uZimu nakasiqala njengabangani bakhe sizizwa sanelisekile.—UMtj. 12:13, 14.

5. Singazenza njani saziwe nguZimu?

⁵ UMosi wabusiswa nguZimu. Ngesikhathi abawa uJehova bona amsize azi iindlela zakhe ngokuzeleko, uJehova wathi kuye: “Ngizakwenza lokho okukhulumileko ngombana ufumene umusa emehlwenami begodu ngikukhethile [namkha, ngikwazi ngebizo, NW].” (Eks. 33:12-17) Nathi singafumana iimbusiso ezinengi uJehova nakasazi ngamabizwethu. Kodwana singazenza njani saziwe nguJehova? Senza lokho ngokumthanda begodu sinikele ukuphila kwethu kuye.—Funda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte 8:3.

6, 7. Khuyini engasenza silahlekelwe buhlobo bethu noJehova?

⁶ Nanyana kunjalo, kutlhogeka sisebenze budisi bona sihlale sinobuhlobo obuhle noBabethu wezulwini. NjengamaKrestu weGalatiya atlolelwa nguPowula, kutlhogeka sibalekele ukuba ziingqila ‘zezinto ezibogabogako nezililize’ zephaseli, ezibandakanya ukufuna idumo lalo. (Gal. 4:9) AmaKrestu la besele athuthuke bekwafika eqophelweni lokwaziwa nguZimu. Nokho uPowula wathi wona amaKrestu la besele ‘abuyela’ ezintweni ezililize. Ngamanye amezwi uPowula bekathi: “Ngemva kokuthuthuka kangaka, kubayini nibuyela ezintweni ezibudlhadlha nezinganasizo enazitjhiya ngemva?”

⁷ Kungenzeka lokho kithi na? Iye. Ngesikhathi sithoma ukwazi uJehova, kungenzeka saliphayela eqadi ithuba lokuba nezinto ezinengi ephasini lakaSathana njengombana kwenza uPowula. (Funda kwebeFilipi 3:7, 8.) Kungenzeka salisa amathuba wokufumana ifundo ephakemeko, wokufumana imali enengi kwezamabhizinisi namkha sala ukukhutjhulelwa esikhundleni esiphezulu. Kungenzeka ngathana saba babantu abadumileko nabanjingileko ngebanga lamakghonwethu wezombhino namkha wezemidlalo, kodwana sakufulathela koke lokho. (Heb. 11:24-27) Singathomi sicabange ukuthi iinqunto ezihle ezinjalo esazenzako ‘bekukudlala ngamathuba’! Akusikucabanga okuhlakaniphileko  lokho. Ukucabanga okunjalo kungasenza sibuyele ezintweni ebesesiqunte ukuthi zizinto “ezibogabogako nezililize” zephaseli. *

8. Yini engasisiza sizimisele ukufuna ukutjhejwa nguJehova?

⁸ Yini engasisiza sizimisele ukufuna ukutjhejwa nguJehova ingasi ukudunyiswa liphaseli? Kukhumbula amaqiniso amabili aqakathekileko. Lokuthoma ngelithi, uJehova uhlala abatjheja abantu abamlotjha ngokuthembeka. (Funda amaHebheru 6:10; 11:6) Boke abantu abamlotjhako ubathanda kwamanikelela, kungebangelo akuqala ‘njengento engakalungi’ ukungabatjheji. UJehova “uyabazi abangebakhe.” (2 Thim. 2:19) “Uyelela indlela yabalungileko,” uyazi nokuthi kufuze abahlangule njani esilingweni.—Rhu. 1:6; 2 Pit. 2:9.

9. Akhuze neembonelo ezitjengisa ukuthi uJehova wabasiza njani abantu bakhe.

⁹ Ngezinye iinkhathi uJehova wasiza abantu bakhe bangakalindeli. (2 Kron. 20:20, 29) Esinye isibonelo salokho kungesikhathi azakuhlangula abantu bakhe eLwandle lomGaba (iLwandle eliBomvu) nabagijinyiswa libutho lakaFaro elinamandla. (Eks. 14:21-30; Rhu. 106:9-11) Isenzwesi satjhiya abantu babambe wangenzasi kangangobana ngitjho nangemva kweminyaka ema-40 senzeka, besisolo sisematheni. (Jotj. 2:9-11) Njengombana kwabikezelwa kade ukuthi uGogi wakwaMagogi uzokusahlela abantu bakaZimu, kuyakhuthaza ukukhumbula indlela uJehova atjengisa ngayo ukuthi uyabathanda abantu bakhe nokuthi unamandla. (Hez. 38:8-12) Kazi ngesikhatheso sizokuthokoza khulu ukuthi azange sifune idumo lephasi kodwana sifune ukutjhejwa nguZimethu!

10. Ngiliphi elinye iqiniso ekufuze sihlale silikhumbula?

¹⁰ Kufuze sihlale sikhumbula iqiniso lesibili eliqakathekileko ngendaba le, elithi: UJehova angasitjheja ngeendlela esingakazilindeli. Abantu abenza izinto ezihle ngehloso yokubonwa babantu kufuze balale bakhohliwe ukuthi uJehova uzabavuza ngalokho abakwenzako. Kubayini kunjalo? Kazi abantu nababadumisako ngemisebenzabo leyo, sebawufumene ngokupheleleko umvuzwabo. (Funda uMatewu 6:1-5.) Kungebangelo uJesu athi uYise “obona emsitheleni,” uyabatjheja abantu abenza izinto ezihle bangafuni ukudunyiswa babantu. Uyayitjheja imisebenzi emihle leyo abe avuze woke umuntu oyenzako ngendlela efaneleko. Kodwana ngezinye iinkhathi uJehova usivuza ngeendlela esingakhenge khesizicabange. Akhesithi fahlafahla ngezinye iimbonelo zalokho.

11. UJehova wamtjheja njani uMariya?

¹¹ Kwathi nakufika isikhathi sokobana iNdodana kaZimu ibelethwe njengomuntu ephasini, uJehova wakhetha umntazana othobekileko uMariya bona abe ngumma womntwana okhethekileko lo. UMariya bekahlala eNazaretha, indawo ebeyiphasi begodu ikude neJerusalema nethempeli lalo elibabazekako. (Funda uLukasi 1:26-33.) Alo kubayini uJehova akhetha yena? Kazi ingilozi uGabhariyeli yamtjelela ukuthi “ufumene umusa kuZimu.” Kwathi kamva uMariya nakakhuluma nesihlobo sakhe u-Elisabethi, kwabonakala ukuthi mbala uyamthanda uZimu. (Luk. 1:46-55) Yeke uJehova bekasolo amqalile uMariya, bewambusisa ngendlela angakayilindeli ngebanga lokuthembeka kwakhe.

12, 13. UJesu wahlonitjhwa njani ngesikhathi abelethwa nangesikhathi azakusiwa ethempelini?

 ¹² UJesu nakaqeda ukubelethwa, uJehova khenge ahloniphe iinkhulu namkha abaphathi beJerusalema nebeBhethelehema ngokubazisa okwenzekileko. Iingilozi zayokwazisa abelusi abathobekileko, ebebaluse izimvu zabo ngaphandle kweBhethelehema ngokubelethwa komntwana. (Luk. 2:8-14) Ngemva kwalokho abelusaba bakhamba bayokubona isana eliqeda ukubelethweli. (Luk. 2:15-17) Asingabazi ukuthi uMariya noJosefa barareka khulu nababona indlela uJesu ahlonitjhwa ngayo. Endabeni le sibona umehluko endleleni yokwenza izinto phakathi kwakaJehova noDeveli. Phela ngesikhathi uSathana athumela abantu abathukula ngeenkwekwezi bona bayokuvakatjhela uJesu nababelethi bakhe, boke abantu beJerusalema basilingeka baqeda itjhukela ngokubelethwa kwakaJesu. (Mat. 2:3) Ukwaziwa kokubelethwa kwakaJesu emphakathini woke kwenza bona kubulawe abantwana abanengi abanganamlandu.—Mat. 2:16.

¹³ Ngemva kwamalanga ama-40 uJesu abelethiwe, uMariya bekufuze ayokwenza umhlatjelo kuJehova ethempelini leJerusalema, ebelimakhilomitha angaba li-9 nawusuka eBhethelehema. (Luk. 2:22-24) Njengombana uMariya akhamba noJosefa noJesu kungenzeka bekazibuza ukuthi kghani kunento umphristi azoyenza, ezokufakazela bona kunendima eqakathekileko uJesu azoyidlala esikhathini esizako. Iye uJesu wahlonitjhwa, mhlamunye ngendlela uMariya ebekangakayilindeli. Kazi uJehova wasebenzisa uSimiyoni, indoda ‘ebeyilungile begodu isaba uZimu,’ nomphorofidikazi u-Ana obekaneminyaka ema-84 begodu amhlolokazi. Bakufakazela ukuthi umntwana lo uzokuba nguMesiya namkha uKrestu okwathenjiswa bona uzakufika.—Luk. 2:25-38.

14. UJehova wambusisa njani uMariya?

¹⁴ Alo kwenzekani ngoMariya? Kghani uJehova wasolo amhlonipha ngebanga lokuthembeka ekukhuliseni iNdodanakhe? Iye. UZimu wavumela bona izenzo namezwakhe atlolwe eBhayibhelini. Kubonakala ngasuthi uMariya akhenge akghone ukukhamba noJesu phakathi neminyaka emithathu nesiquntu yokutjhumayela kwakhe ephasini. Njengombana kungenzeka uMariya bekamhlolokazi, mhlamunye bekutlhogeka ahlale eNazaretha. Ngitjho nanyana kunezinto uJesu azenzako angakhenge abe nelungelo lokuzibona, bekakhona nakahlongakalako. (Jwa. 19:26) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, emalangeni angaphambi kwePentekoste nangesikhathi abafundi bakaJesu bazakufumana ummoya ocwengileko, uMariya bekanabo eJerusalema. (IzE. 1:13, 14) Kungenzeka ukuthi naye wazeswa nabanye ebebalapho. Nangabe kunjalo, kutjho bona wafumana ithuba lokuba noJesu mlibe ezulwini. Kwamambala wabusiswa khulu ngokuthembeka kwakhe emsebenzini kaZimu!

15. UJehova wayibuka njani iNdodanakhe ngesikhathi isephasini?

¹⁵ UJesu bekangafisi ukudunyiswa badosi phambili bezekolo nabezepolotiki bangesikhathi sakhe. Kodwana akhucabange ukuthi wakhuthazeka kangangani nakezwa uJehova ngokwakhe akhuluma asezulwini, wambuka bekwaba kathathu. Msinyana ngemva kokubhajadiswa kwakaJesu eMlanjeni iJordani, uJehova wathi: “Le yiNdodanami, engiyithandako, engiyamukeleko.” (Mat. 3:17) Kubonakala ngasuthi nguJesu noJwanisi uMbhabhadisi kwaphela abezwa amezwi lawo. Kwathi esikhathini esingaba mnyaka ngaphambi kokuhlongakala kwakaJesu, abapostoli bakhe  abathathu bezwa uJehova athi ngaye: “Le yiNdodanami, engiyithandako, engiyamukeleko. Yilaleleni.” (Mat. 17:5) Kwamaswaphela, emalangeni ambalwa ngaphambi kokuhlongakala kwakaJesu, uJehova wakhuluma neNdodanakhe asezulwini.—Jwa. 12:28.

16, 17. UJehova wambuka njani uJesu ngendlela engakalindeleki?

¹⁶ Ngitjho nanyana uJesu bekazi ukuthi uzokuhlaziseka nakafako, abe apharwe ngomlando omamala wokuhlambalaza, wathandaza bona kwenzeke intando kaJehova kungenzeki yakhe. (Mat. 26:39, 42) “Wakghodlhelela isigodo sokuhlunguphazwa, wangaba nendaba nokuhlaziswa,” angafuni ukudunyiswa liphasi kodwana afuna ukubukwa nguYise. (Heb. 12:2) UJehova watjengisa njani ukuthi uyakulemuka lokho?

¹⁷ Ngesikhathi asephasini, uJesu wathi ufisa ukubuyela ephazimulweni egade anayo ezulwini nakanoYise. (Jwa. 17:5) Akukho okutjengisa ukuthi uJesu bekanethemba lokufumana okungaphezu kwalokho. Bekangakalindeli ukuthi “uzokukhutjhulwa esikhundleni” esidlula leso ebekanaso ezulwini. Kodwana wenzani uJehova? Wabusisa uJesu ngendlela ebekangakayilindeli, ngokumvusela “esikhundleni esiphezulu” nokumnikela into ebekungekho omunye okhewayifumana bekube ngesikhatheso, ukuba sidalwa sommoya esingafi. * (Flp. 2:9; 1 Thim. 6:16) UJesu wahlonitjhwa kwamambala ngokuthembeka kwakhe.

18. Khuyini engasisiza sibalekele ukufuna idumo lephaseli?

¹⁸ Khuyini engasisiza sibalekele ukufuna idumo lephaseli? Hlala ukhumbula ukuthi ngaso soke isikhathi uJehova uyayibona imisebenzi yeenceku zakhe ezithembekileko; begodu kanengi uzivuza ngeendlela ezingakalindeleki. Kudela owaziko ukuthi uJehova uzosivuza njani esikhathini esizako! Kodwana kwanje, njengombana sikghodlhelelela imiraro neenlingo zephasi elimbeli, asihlale sikhumbula ukuthi iphaseli nedumo lalo, liyadlula. (1 Jwa. 2:17) UBabethu osithandako uJehova, ‘akasingongakalungi bona angakhohlwa umsebenzethu nethando esilitjengise ebizweni lakhe.’ (Heb. 6:10) Mbala uzosinikela umvuzo osifaneleko, mhlamunye ngeendlela esingekhe sakghona ukuzicabanga nje!