1, 2. Ngisiphi isitjhijilo uJafta nendodakazakhe abaqalana naso?

UMNTAZANA wagijima ayokuhlangabeza uyise. Bekathabe khulu ukubona uyise abuya epini angakalimali. Indlela ebakathabe ngayo yamenza wacula wajida nokujida. Asathabe njalo, uyise wenza into okungenzeka yamrara. Warathula izembatho zakhe warhuwelela wathi, “Maye ndodakazami! Ungiqede amandla!” Wamtjela ukuthi ufunge kuJehova begodu isifungweso sizokutjhentjha ipilwakhe. Phela isifungwesi besitjho ukuthi indodakazakhe angeze isatjhada namkha ibe nabantwana. Umntazana lo wasabela kuhle khulu, wakhuthaza uyise ukuthi abulunge isithembiso sakhe kuJehova. Indlela asabele ngayo itjengisa ukuthi wazimisela ukwenza nanyana yini uJehova athi ayenze. (AbaKhokheli 11:34-37) Uyise nakabona ukukholwa kwakhe, wathaba khulu ngombana bekazi ukuthi ukufisa kwakhe ukwenza lokho kuthabisa uJehova.

² UJafta nendodakazakhe bebamthemba tle uJehova,  bazi nokuthi indlela yakhe yokwenza izinto ngiyo ehle. Bebahlala bathembekile kuye ngitjho nanyana bekubudisi. Bebafuna ukwamukelwa nguJehova begodu bazi nokuthi ukwenza njalo kufanele nanyana ngikuphi ukuzidela.

3. Kubayini isibonelo sakaJafta nendodakazakhe singaba lisizo kithi?

³ Akusilula ngasosoke isikhathi ukuthembeka kuJehova. Kufuze ‘silwele ukukholwa.’ (Juda 3) Ukuze sikghone ukwenza njalo, akhesifunde ngoJafta nendodakazakhe, ngombana nabo baqalana neentjhijilo. Bahlala njani bathembekile kuJehova?

4, 5. (a) UJehova waweluleka wathini ama-Israyeli nakangena Enarheni Yesithembiso? (b) Njengombana kutjho amaRhubo 106, ukungalaleli kwama-Israyeli kwaletha miphi imiphumela?

⁴ Qobe langa kungenzeka uJafta nendodakazakhe bebakhunjuzwa ngemiphumela yokungalaleli kwama-Israyeli uJehova. Eminyakeni engaba yi-300 ngaphambilini, uJehova wayala ama-Israyeli bona abulale boke abophorofidi bamala Enarheni Yesithembiso, kodwana akhenge ababulale. (Duteronomi 7:1-4) Inengi lama-Israyeli lathoma ukulingisa amaKanana lalotjha abosingazimu belaziphatha nakumbi.—Funda iRhubo 106:34-39.

⁵ Ngebanga lokungalaleli kwama-Israyeli, uJehova akhenge awavikele emanabenawo. (AbaKhokheli 2:1-3, 11-15; IRhubo 106:40-43) Kufanele ukuthi bekubudisi ngeminye imindeni ebeyithanda uJehova bona ihlale ithembekile hlangana nesikhatheso. Nanyana bekunjalo, kukhona abantu abathembeka iBhayibheli ekhuluma ngabo njengoJafta, indodakazakhe, u-Elikhana, uHana, noSamyela. Bebazimisele tle ukuthabisa uJehova.—1 Samyela 1:20-28; 2:26.

6. Ngiziphi izinto okufuze sizigegede ephasineli, begodu yini okufuze siyenza ngalokho?

⁶ Nesikhathini sethwesi abantu esiphila nabo bacabanga bebenze njengabantu beKanana. Iimpilo zabo zidzimelele emsemeni, ekubangeni inturhu nekuthandeni imali. Nathi uJehova usipha iinluleko ezizwakalako. Usipha zona ngombana ufuna ukusivikela ngendlela avikela ngayo ama-Israyeli. Kghani sizokufunda na emitjhaphwenawo? (1 Korinte 10:6-11) Asenzeni koke esingakwenza ukuze sigegede ukucabanga njengephaseli. (Roma 12:2) Uzokwenza koke okusemandlenakho na ukuthi ubalekele lokho?

7. (a) Abafowabo lakaJafta bamphatha njani? (b) UJafta wasabela njani kikho koke lokho?

⁷ Ngeenkhathi zakaJafta, ama-Israyeli bewagandelelwa maFilista nama-Amoni ngebanga lokuthi akhenge athembeke kuJehova. (AbaKhokheli 10:7, 8) Ngaphezu kwalokho, UJafta bekangathelelani amanzi nabafowabo nabarholi bakwa-Israyeli. Ngebanga lokuthi bebanomona begodu bamhloyile, yeke bafuna nokumqotha endaweni ethi yena. (AbaKhokheli 11:1-3) UJafta akhenge akuvumele lokho bona kumtjhentjhe. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Sikutjhwiso kukuthi kwathi lokha abaphathi beentjhaba nabambawa bona abarhelebhe, wabarhelebha khonokho. (AbaKhokheli  11:4-11) Yini okungenzeka yenza uJafta wasabela ngaleyo ndlela?

8, 9. (a) Ngiziphi iinkambiso ebezikhambisana nomThetho kaMosi ezarhelebha ukucabanga kwakaJafta? (b) Yini ebeyiqakatheke khulu kuJafta?

⁸ UJafta bekayingorho naziza epini, bekawazi kuhle nje umlando wakwa-Israyeli nomThetho kaMosi. Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo abantu Bakhe ngiyo eyamfundisa ngeenkambiso zakaZimu, wakghona ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokumbi nokuhle. (AbaKhokheli 11:12-27) UJafta walisebenzisa ilwazelo nakufuze athathe iinqunto. Bekazi ukuthi uJehova ukuqala njani ukuba nelaka nokuzibuyiselela, begodu alemuka bona uZimu ufuna abantu Bakhe bathandane. UmThetho godu wamfundisa ukuthi kufuze athande boke abantu ngitjho nabamhloyileko.—Funda u-Eksodusi 23:5; Levitikusi 19:17, 18.

⁹ Kungenzeka uJafta wafunda esibonelweni sakaJosefa. Wabona ukuthi uJosefa wabanomusa kubafowabo ngitjho nanyana bebamhloyile. (Genesisi 37:4; 45:4, 5) Lokho kungenzeka kwarhelebha uJafta wasabela ngendlela eyathabisa uJehova. Phela into uJafta abafowabo abamenza yona beyibuhlungu tle! Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi bekangafuni ukusilaphaza ibizo lakaJehova athanda nabantu bakhe, indlela ebekazizwa ngayo beyingakaqakatheki khulu. (AbaKhokheli 11:9) Bekazimisele ukuhlala athembekile kuJehova. Ngilokho okwenza uJehova wambusisa, wabe wabusisa nama-Israyeli.—Hebheru 11:32, 33.

10. Singazivumela njani iinkambiso zeBhayibheli zisirhelebhe senze ngendlela amaKrestu enza ngayo?

¹⁰ Kghani kukhona na thina esingakufunda kuJafta? Yini esizoyenza nange udadwethu namkha umfowethu asidanisa nofana sibona ngasuthi akasiphathi kuhle? Akukafuzi sivumele ubuhlungu bokuphathwa kumbi busenze singasalotjhi uJehova. Ungalisi ukuya esifundweni nofana ukuba namalunga webandla. Asilaleleni uJehova ngokulingisa uJafta. Lokho kuzosirhelebha siphumelele nalokha nasihlezi phezu kwamalahle avuthako, begodu sibe sibonelo sokulingiswa.—Roma 12:20, 21; Kolose 3:13.

11, 12. UJafta wenza siphi isifungo, begodu lokho bekuhlanganisani?

¹¹ UJafta bekalemuka ukuthi ukuze atjhaphulule ama-Israyeli ngaphasi kwesandla sama-Amoni bekufuze athembele kuZimu. Kungebangelo athembisa uJehova ukuthi nakangamrhelebha athumbe ipi leyo, uzakunikela ‘umhlabelo wokutjhiswa,’ ngomuntu ozukuphuma qangi azomhlangabeza nakafika  emzinakhe. (AbaHluleli 11:30, 31) Bekutjho ukuthini lokho?

¹² UJehova uyihloyile imihlabelo eyenzwa ngokunikela ngabantu, yeke uJafta bengeze anikela ngomntwanakhe. (Duteronomi 18:9, 10) Ngaphasi komThetho kaMosi, umhlatjelo wokutjhiswa bewusisipho esikhethekileko esiya kuJehova. Yeke uJafta bekatjho ukuthi umuntu loyo uzokusebenzela uJehova ethaberinakeli ipilwakhe yoke. UJehova wamlalela uJafta, wayithumba ipi. (AbaKhokheli 11:32, 33) Kodwana ngubani-ke uJafta azokunikela ngaye kuJehova?

13, 14. AbaKhokheli 11:35 basitjelani ngokukholwa kwakaJafta?

¹³ Akhucabange ngesenzakalo esikhulume ngaswesa ekuthomeni. UJafta wathi nakabuya epini, umuntu wokuthoma owamhlangabezako kwaba yindodakazakhe ekungiyo yodwa tere! Alo uJafta usazokwenza njengombana athembisile na? Uzoyinikela na indodakazakhe kuJehova bona iyokusebenza ethaberinakeli ukuphila kwayo koke?

¹⁴ Iinkambiso eziseliZwini lakaZimu zasiza uJafta wakhetha kuhle. Kungenzeka ukuthi wakhumbula amezwi ka-Eksodusi 23:19, njengombana ayelelisa abantu bakaZimu bona bazimisele ukunikela ngokungcono khulu kuJehova. Umthetho godu bewuthi umuntu nakenza isifungo, ‘kufuze angawephuli amezwakhe. Enze koke akukhulumileko.’ (Numeri 30:2) Njengombana kwenza uHana, okungenzeka waphila ngesikhathi sakaJafta. UJafta akhenge asiphule isifungo sakhe ngitjho nanyana bekazi bona sizokutjho ukuthini kuye nendodakazinakhe. Phela indodakazakhe beyizokusebenza ethaberinakeli, nabantwana ingabi nabo. Izinto nasezinjalo-ke lokho bekutjho ukuthi ibizo lakaJafta  belizokutjhabalala endaweni ebakahlala kiyo. (AbaKhokheli 11:34) Wakhuluma okusehliziywenakhe wathi, “Ngirhabe ngakhuluma [kuJehova], nje-ke angisakwazi ukujika amezwami.” (AbaKhokheli 11:35) UJehova wawamukela umnikelo kaJafta wabe wambusisa. Kube beku nguwe, bewuzokuthembeka njengoJafta?

15. Ngisiphi isifungo inengi lethu elasenza? Singahlala njani sithembekile?

¹⁵ Sathi nasizinikela kuJehova safunga ukuthi sizokwenza intandwakhe ngitjho nanyana kungenzekani. Besazi kuhle ukuthi ngeze kubelula ngaso soke isikhathi ukubulunga isifungweso. Esingazibuza khona kukuthi, sisabela njani nabasibawa bona senze into esingayithandiko? Nasingalwela ukuhlula ivalo bese silalela uZimu ngokuzimisela, sizabe sikubeka ebaleni ukuthi sifisa ukusibulunga isithembisweso. Iye khona kuliqiniso ukuthi kungaba buhlungu ukwenza umhlatjelo kuJehova ngezinye iinkhathi, kodwana isibusiso sakhe sihlala sisikhulu tle! (Malaki 3:10) Kuthiwani-ke ngendodakazi kaJafta? Yasabela njani esithembisweni sakayise??

16. Indodakazi kaJafta yasabela njani esithembisweni esenziwa nguyise? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹⁶ Isifungo sakaJafta besihlukile kesakaHana. UHana wathembisa ukunikela ngendodanakhe uSamyela bona isebenze ethaberinakeli ibe Mnaziri. (1 Samyela 1:11) UMnaziri yena-ke bekavunyelwe ukutjhada abenomndeni. Kodwana indodakazi kaJafta beyinikelwe ngokupheleleko njengo ‘mhlabelo wokutjhiswa,’ yeke bengeze ibe mfazi namkha umma. (AbaKhokheli 11:37-40) Akhucabange ngendaba le! Phela beyingatjhada nendoda yamadoda, ngani ngoba uyise bekamrholi wakwa-Israyeli. Kodwana bekazokuba sisebenzi esithobekileko ethaberinakeli. Wasabela njani umntazana lo? Wakwenza kwakhanya ukuthi ukusebenzela uJehova kuza qangi, ngombana watjela uyise wathi, “Yenza lokho okuthembise [uJehova].” (AbaKhokheli 11:36) Wadela isifiso esingokwemvelo sokuba nendoda  nabantwana ukuze asebenzele uJehova. Thina-ke singamlingisa njani?

17. (a) Singakulingisa njani ukukholwa kwakaJafta nendodakazakhe? (b) AmaHebheru 6:10-12 akukhuthaza njani ukuthi uzidele?

¹⁷ Kunabazalwana nabodade abanengi tle abazimiseleko bona badele ukutjhada nokuba nabantwana. Kubayini benza njalo? Bafuna ukudzimelela ekulotjheni uJehova. Bese kuthi abanye abantu abalupheleko bona badela isikhathi sokuba nabantwana babo neenzukulu. Banikela ngamandlabo nesikhathi sabo kuJehova. Abanye basiza emisebenzini yokwakha, baye esiKolweni sabaTjhumayeli beVangeli lomBuso, namkha bayokurhelebha amabandla atlhoga abatjhumayeli. Abanye-ke bona bahlela bona basebenzise isikhathi sabo esinengi esimini ngesikhathi sesiKhumbuzo. UJehova angeze ayilibala imihlabelo yabantu bakhe abathembekileko. (Funda amaHebheru 6:10-12.) Kuthiwani ngawe? Ungakghona na ukwenza umhlabelo kuJehova ngokuthi ungezelele isikhathi sokumsebenzela?

18, 19. Khuyini esiyifunde ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli okumalungana noJafta nendodakazakhe? Singabalingisa njani?

¹⁸ UJafta wasizwa yini bona ahlule iintjhijilo aqalana nazo? Wavumela uJehova wamsiza wakhetha kuhle. Akhenge avumele abantu ebekakhelene nabo ukuthi bamtjhentjhe. Wahlala athembekile ngitjho nanyana abantu bamdanisa. UJehova wambusisa nendodakazakhe ngebanga lokwenza kwabo umhlabelo bazimisele, begodu wabasebenzisa bona bathuthukise ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngitjho nanyana abantu balisa ukwenza okulungileko, nakunguJafta nendodakazakhe bona bahlala bathembekile kuJehova.

¹⁹ IBhayibheli lithi, “Nilingise labo abathi ngokukholwa nangokunyamezela bazuza ilifa lesithembiso.” (Hebheru 6:12) Asilingiseni uJafta nendodakazakhe, sihlale sithembekile, uJehova uzosibusisa.