1, 2. Kubayini isingani sakaDavida noJonathani besisibonelo esihle endabeni yokuthembeka?

KUNGENZEKA bona uJonathani yamrara indlela uDavida ebekanesibindi ngayo. UDavida wabulala ingorho-kazi uGoliyadi wabe waletha ‘ihloko yomFilista loyo’ kuyise likaJonathani iKosi yakwa-Israyeli uSawula. (1 Samyela 17:57) UJonathani abe azange angabaze ukuthi uDavida bekasekelwa nguZimu, kusukela kwamhlokho uJonathani noDavida baba yirhara nomncamo. Bafunga bona bazakuhlala bathembekile komunye nomunye. (1 Samyela 18:1-3) Ukuphila kwakhe koke, uJonathani wahlala athembekile kuDavida.

² UJonathani wahlala athembekile kuDavida, kwabhala nanyana uJehova selakhethe uDavida bona abe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli esikhundleni sakhe. Kwathi nangesikhathi uSawula afuna ukubulala uDavida, intweleyo yamtshwenya khulu uJonathani. Bekazi kuhle ukuthi uDavida usemangweni eRhoretjha, ngikho uJonathani aya lapho wafese wamkhuthaza bona angadinwa kuthembela kuJehova. UJonathani watjela uDavida wathi:  “Ungesabi Davida, ubaba, uSawula, angeze asibeka isandla phezu kwakho. Uzokuba yikosi phezu kwaka-Israyeli; mina ngibe ngaphasi kwakho.”—1 Samyela 23:16, 17.

3. Khuyini ebeyiza qangi kuJonathani, ngaphandle kwesingani sakhe noDavida, begodu sikwazi njani lokho? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

³ Kanengi vane sibabuke abantu abathembekileko. Kodwana kilokhu, uJonathani simbuka ngaliphi, kghani ngebanga lokobana wahlala athembekile kuDavida? Akusinjalo, phela ukuhlala athembekile kuZimu bekukuphela kwento eqakathekileko kuJonathani. Eqinisweni ngiso isizathu esamenza wathembeka nakuDavida, begodu bekangamfeli nomona, nanyana bekazi ukuthi uDavida bekazokuba yikosi esikhundleni sakhe. UJonathani wabe wamkhuthaza bona athembele kuJehova. Amadoda amabili la, ahlala athembekile kuJehova nakiwo ngokwawo. Basiphilela isivumelwano abasenzako bathi, uJehova “Ungufakazi phakathi kwami nawe, naphakathi kwesizukulwani sami nesakho isiphelani.”—1 Samyela 20:42.

4. (a) Khuyini ezosenza sithabe begodu saneliseke? (b) Sizokufunda ngani esihlokwenesi?

⁴ Nathi-ke kufuze sithembeke emindeninethu nebanganini, ebazalwaneni kunye nabodadwethu ebandleni. (1 Thesalonika 2:10, 11) Kodwana okuqakatheke khulu, kuthembeka kuJehova. Phela Nguye osiphe ipilo! (IsAmbulo 4:11) Nasithembeka kuye, sihlala sithabile begodu sanelisekile. Kodwana kufanele sihlale sithembekile kuZimu, ngitjho nanyana siqalene neenkhathi ezibudisi. Esihlokwenesi sizokucoca ngesibonelo sakaJonathani ukuthi sisirhelebha njani bona sihlale sithembekile ebujamweni obukane: (1) lokha umuntu osegunyeni aziphatha ngendlela emenza singamhloniphi, (2) nakufuze sikhethe bona ngubani okufuze simhloniphe, (3) nasingazwisiswa mzalwana odosa phambili ebandleni namkha asiphatha makghwankghwa (4) nalokha sibone ngasuthi kubudisi ukuphilela into esiyifungileko.

5. Yini ebeyenza kube budisi esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli nakufuze sithembeke kuZimu ngesikhathi kusabusa ikosi uSawula?

⁵ UJonathani nesitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli bayithwalela. IKosi uSawula onguyise likaJonathani wabalihlongandlebe, uJehova wamala. (1 Samyela 15:17-23) Khonapho, uZimu wamvumela uSawula bona aragele phambili nokubusa eminye iminyaka eminengi. Lokho-ke bekwenza kubebudisi khulu ebantwini nakufuze bathembeke kuZimu, ngebanga leziga ebezenzwa yikosi ebeyikhethwe ukuthi, ihlale ‘esihlalweni sobukhosi [sakaJehova]’.—1 IinKronike 29:23.

6. Sazi njani bona uJonathani wahlala athembekile kuJehova?

⁶ UJonathani wahlala athembekile kuJehova. Akhesucabange ngokwenzwa nguJonathani ngemva kokuthi uSawula athome ukungasalaleli uZimu. (1 Samyela 13:13, 14) Ngesikhatheso, kwafika ibutho lamaFilista ayi-30 000 likhamba ngeenkarana lizokusahlela isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli. USawula yena bekanamajoni ayi-600 kwaphela, begodu bekunguye noJonathani ebebaneembulawo. Kodwana uJonathani bekanganalo ivalo. Wakhumbula amezwi womphorofidi uSamyela nakathi: “Ngebanga lebizo lakhe elikhulu [uJehova] akazukubalahla abantu bakhe.” (1 Samyela 12:22) Wabuye wathi kelinye ijoni:  “[UJehova] angasisiza, nanyana siliwoma namkha sinzunzwana.” Yeke yena nejonelo basahlela isiqhema samaFilista babulala pheze angaba yi-20. UJonathani bekakholelwa kuJehova, ngikho uJehova ambusisa. UJehova wabangela nokusikinyeka kwephasi, amaFilista athoma ukungenwa mamanzi emadolweni. Kwathi kusesenjalo, athoma ukubulalana wodwa. Ama-Israyeli ahlula ngaleyo ndlela epini leyo.—1 Samyela 13:5, 15, 22; 14:1, 2, 6, 14, 15, 20.

7. UJonathani bekamphatha njani uyise?

⁷ Nanyana uSawula araga nobuhlongandlebe bakhe, uJonathani bekasolo amhlonipha uyise nanyana bekunjani. Isibonelo salokho, babambisana bobabili ekulweni ipi bavikela abantu bakaJehova.—1 Samyela 31:1, 2.

8, 9. Nasihlonipha abasemagunyeni sisuke sithembeka kuJehova ngayiphi indlela?

⁸ Nathi-ke singamlingisa uJonathani ngokuthembeka kwakhe kuJehova, silalele urhulumende wangekhethu. UJehova nguye ovumele “ababusi” bona babuse phezu kwethu, begodu ulindele nokuthi sibahloniphe. (Funda kwebeRoma 13:1, 2.) Ngikho-ke kufuze sihloniphe iimphathiswa zakarhulumende ngitjho nanyana zingathembeki nofana indlela eziziphatha ngayo ibenza bangahlonipheki. Kuhlekuhle kufanele sihloniphe woke umuntu onegunya alinikelwe nguJehova.—1 Korinte 11:3; Hebheru 13:17.

⁹ U-Olga ongudade weSewula ye-Amerika, watjengisa ukuthembeka kwakhe kuJehova ngokuhlonipha indodakwakhe nanyana beyimtlhorisa. ^[1] (Qala isiphetho.)  Indodakwakhe bekhese ibhale nokumkhulumisa namkha imtjele izinto ezibuhlungu ngebanga lokuthi unguFakazi kaJehova. Bekamtjela nokuthi uzokuthatha abantwana amsukele anjalo. Kodwana u-Olga akhenge ‘abuyisele ubumbi ngobumbi.’ Wenza koke angakwenza bona abe mfazi oziphethe kuhle. Bekayiphekela indodakwakhe, ayivasele, abe atlhogomele nabantu bekhakwakhe. (Roma 12:17) Ngasikhathi bekhe akhambe nayo bakweriyele bekhakwakhe nabangani. Ngokwesibonelo, kwathi indodakwakhe nayifuna ukuthi ayiphekelele kwenye inarha iyokubulunga uyise, u-Olga walungiselela yoke into ebebazoyitlhoga. Umgcwabo nawuragako u-Olga bekalinde ngaphandle esondweni lalapho. Sekudlule iminyaka eminengi, indoda ka-Olga yathoma ukumphatha kuhle, ngebanga lokuthi bekahlale ayihlonipha begodu anesineke. Kwanjesi sekungiyo indodakwakhe emkhuthaza bona aye esifundweni beyimphekelele khona. Ngasikhathi kheyivatjhe.—1 Pitrosi 3:1.

10. UJonathani wazi ngani ukuthi bekufuze alalele bani?

¹⁰ USawula nakathi uzokubulala uDavida, uJonathani kwafuze enze isiqunto esibudisi. Bekafuna ukuthembeka kuyise, kodwana khonapho bekafuna ukwenza soneso nakuDavida. Bekazi kuhle bona uZimu beka noDavida ingasi uSawula, yeke wakhetha ukuthembeka kuDavida. Waluma uDavida ngendlebe kobana ayokubhaca, wabe wahlathululela noyise bona kubayini kufuze alise uDavida aphile.—Funda 1 Samyela 19:1-6.

11, 12. Ukuthanda kwethu uZimu kusisiza njani bona sihlale sithembekile kuye?

¹¹ U-Alice ohlala e-Australia, naye kwafuze akhethe bona ngubani okufanele athembeke kuye. Ngesikhathi afunda iBhayibheli, watjela umndenakhe ngebekakufunda. Wabe wabatjela nokuthi abe angeze asagidinga uKres’musi nabo, wahlathulula nokobana kubayini enza lokho. Umndenakhe wadana kangangani nawuzwa lokho, wabe wamkwatela. Umndenakhe wathatha ukuthi u-Alice bekangasanandaba nabo. Unina wabe wathi akasafuni nokumbona. U-Alice uthi: “Ngalimala kanganani nangizwa lokho, ngebanga lokuthi bengiwuthanda khulu umndenami. Kodwana khonapho, bengisolo ngazi ukuthi uJehova neNdodanakhe beza qangi ehliziywenami, ngabe ngabhajadiswa emhlanganweni owalandela.”—Matewu 10:37.

¹² Akukafaneli sivumele nanyana yini isimuke ukuthembeka kwethu, kungaba ngezemidlalo, isikolo, namkha inarha yekhethu kube ngiyo eqakatheke ukwedlula ukuthembeka kwethu kuJehova. Sinesibonelo sakaHenry, bekakuthanda khulu ukudlala umdlalo we-chess nabangani bakhe afunda nabo, bekafuna ukuthi agcine sekathumbele nesikolo sakhe unongorwana. Ngebanga lokuthi bekadlala nangeempela veke, bekangasakghoni ukuyokutjhumayela nofana ukuya esifundweni. UHenry uthi, besele ngithembeke esikolweni kunokuthi ngithembeke kuZimu. Kwafika la alisa khona ukudlalela isikolo umdlalo we-chess.—Matewu 6:33.

13. Ukuthembeka kwethu kuZimu kungasirhelebha njani nasiqalene nemiraro yemindeni?

¹³ Ngasikhathi khekube budisi ukuthembeka emalungeni womndenethu. Sinesibonelo sakaKen, uthi: “Bengikuthanda ukukweriyela umma obesele aluphele, bengimbawe nokuthi akhe ahlalahlale nathi isikhatjhana. Kodwana umma banomkami bebangatjhayisani kuhle.” Uthi: “Bekungakghonakali  bona ngithabise omunye, ngaphandle kokuthi ngilimaze omunye. Ngathi nangizindla ngokutjhiwo yiBhayibheli ngabona ukuthi, nje sekufanele ngithabise umkami bengithembeke kuye.” Wagcina ayitholile ipengu ethabisa umkakhe. Wahlathululela nonakwakhe bona kubayini kufuze abe nomusa kunina. Wenza soneso nakunina, wamtjela isizathu esimenza ahloniphe umkakhe.—Funda uGenesisi 2:24; 1 Korinte 13:4, 5.

14. USawula bekamphatha kumbi ngayiphi indlela uJonathani?

¹⁴ Singathembeka kuJehova nalokha umzalwana odosaphambili ebandleni angasiphathi kuhle. IKosi uSawula beyikhethwe nguZimu, kodwana beyiphatha indondanayo ngesandla sesimbi. Bekangahlathuluki bona kubayini uJonathani bekathanda uDavida. Yeke bekuthi uJonathani nakalinga ukurhelebha uDavida, uSawula anyenye khulu, wabe wahlazisa nendodanakhe phambi kwewoma-kazi labantu. Kwabhala kunjalo, uJonathani bekasolo amhlonipha uyise. Akhenge alise nothembeka kuJehova nakuDavida, ebekakhethwe nguZimu bona kube nguye othatha ubukhosi kwa-Israyeli ngokuzako.—1 Samyela 20:30-41.

15. Nange umzalwana angasiphathi ngokulingana, kufuze senzeni?

¹⁵ Namhlanjesi, abazalwana abadosa phambili emabandlenethu balinga ngakho koke bona basiphathe ngokulingana.  Kodwana abazalwanaba babantu abanesono. Ngebangelo-ke kufanele sikulindele ukuthi ngasikhathi angeze bazwisise izinto esizenzako. (1 Samyela 1:13-17) Nanyana singahlulelwa kuhle nofana singazwisiswa, singadinwa kuhlala sithembekile kuJehova.

16. Ngibuphi ubujamo ekufuze sithembeke kibo kuZimu, begodu silise amarhamaru?

¹⁶ USawula bekafuna kube nguJonathani obusako esikhundleni sokuthi kubuse uDavida. (1 Samyela 20:31) Kodwana uJonathani bekathanda uJehova ngendlela erarako, begodu athembekile kuye. Kunokobana abe marhamaru, uJonathani wabamkhozi kaDavida omkhulu, wabe waphilela nesifungo sakhe. Yeke nanyana ngubani othanda uJehova abe athembeke kuye angeze ‘aphula isifungo nanyana sibuhlungu.’ (IRhubo 15:4) Thina-ke sithembekile kuZimu, ngikho silwela ukuhlala eemfungweni zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, akhesithi senza isivumelwano sebhizinisi, sizokwenza esivumelene ngakho nanyana izinto sezibudisi. Nofana sinemiraro emitjhadwenethu, sizokuhlala simthanda uJehova besithembeke emadodeni nebafazini bethu.—Funda uMalaki 2:13-16.

17. Khuyini esiyifundileko esihlokwenesi?

¹⁷ Sifuna ukufana noJonathani, sihlale sithembekile kuZimu ngitjho nebujamweni obubudisi. Asihlaleni sithembekile ebazalwaneni nakibodadwethu, nanyana bangasidanisa. Lokho kuzokwenza ihliziyo kaJehova ithabe, nathi ngilokho okusithabisako. (IzAga 27:11) Siyaqiniseka bona uJehova uzokuhlala asenzela izinto eziphuma phambili, abe asitlhogomele. Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokuthola iimfundo zabantu abaphila ngeenkhathi zakaDavida ebebathembekile nabanye ebebangakathembeki.