1-3. (a) Yini esenza siqiniseke ukuthi kuyakghoneka bona sibe nesingani noZimu? (b) Ngibaphi abantu esizokufunda ngabo esihlokwenesi?

KWABE kwaba kathathu, iBhayibheli ibiza u-Abrahamu ngokuthi mngani kaZimu. (2 IinKronike 20:7; Isaya 41:8; Jakopo 2:23) Akakho omunye umuntu owakhe wabizwa ngomngani kaJehova bunqopha eBhayibhelini, ngaphandle kwaka-Abrahamu. Kghani lokhu kutjho ukuthi u-Abrahamu nguye kwaphela owaba nesingani noJehova? Akusinjalo. IBhayibheli lithi nathi sinalo ithubelo.

² IliZwi lakaZimu lizele ngemilando eminengi yamadoda nabafazi ebebasaba uJehova, bebakholwa nanguye, lokho kwabenza abakhozi bakhe. (Funda iRhubo 25:14.) UPowula wathi, bayingcenye ‘yelifu elikhulu labofakazi.’ Abantwaba boke nje bebabangani bakaZimu.—Hebheru 12:1.

³ Akhesitjheje indaba yeenceku zakaJehova ezintathu ekulandiswa ngazo eBhayibhelini: (1) URute, umfelokazi osesemutjha ongowesitjhaba sakwaMowabi, (2) UHezekhiya, ikosi ethembekileko yakwaJuda, (3) UMariya, unina likaJesu, ongumma othobekileko. Sifundani endleleni ngamunye wabo aba nesingani noZimu ngayo?

4, 5. Ngiliphi igadango elibudisi uRute ekwafuze alithathe, begodu khuyini ebeyilenza libe budisi kangaka? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ UNawomi nabomakoti bakwakhe uRute no-Oripa, sebakhambe ibangana basuka kwaMowabi baya kwa-Israyeli. Phakathi nekhambo labo, u-Oripa wabona ukuthi kungcono abuyele ekhabo kwaMowabi. Kodwana nakunguNawomi yena bekazimisele ukutjhinga enarheni yekhabo kwa-Israyeli. Kuthiwani-ke ngoRute? Bekufuze athathe igadango elibudisi khulu. Kghani naye bekazakubuyela kwaMowabi emndeninakhe, nofana bekazakuragela phambili nomamazalakhe uNawomi, bakhambe bobabili baye eBhethe-Lehema?—Rute 1:1-8, 14.

⁵ Umndeni kaRute bewuhlala kwaMowabi. Yeke, bekangabuyela emndeninakhe ukwazi ukumtlhogomela. Phela bekazi abantu balapho, ilimu lakhona kunye namasiko wakwaMowabi. Intwezi zoke nje uNawomi bengeze amthembisa nayinye yazo uRute, ukuthi uzazifumana nabafika eBhethe-Lehema. UNawomi bekasaba nokuthi angeze amtholela indoda nofana indawo yokuhlala uRute. Ngikho uNawomi abawa uRute bona abuyele emva kwaMowabi. Njengombana sibonile indlela u-Oripa enza ngayo, ‘wabuyela emuva kebakwabo nakibosingazimu bekhabo.’ (Rute 1:9-15) Kodwana uRute wakhetha ukungabuyeli ebantwini bekhabo nakibosingazimu bakhona.

6. (a) URute wathatha waphi amagadango avuthiweko? (b) Yini eyenza uBhowazi nakakhuluma ngoRute athi ukhosele ngaphasi kwamaphiko kaJehova?

⁶ Kubonakala ngasuthi umuntu owafundisa uRute ngoJehova ngubabakwakhe nofana uNawomi. Wafunda ukuthi uJehova bekahlukile kibozimu bakwaMowabi. Wathanda uJehova bewabona nokuthi naye bekufuze amlotjhe. Yeke, uRute wenza into evuthiweko. Wathi kuNawomi: “Abantu bekhenu nami bazakuba ngebekhethu bese kuthi uZimakho abe nguZimami.” (Rute 1:16) Indlela uRute ebekathanda ngayo uNawomi yenza iinhliziyo zethu zihlengezeliswe lithabo. Kodwana into ekarisa khulu, yindlela uRute ebekathanda ngayo uJehova. NoBhowazi naye yamkara indaba le, ngikho kamva ambuka ngokuthi, ‘ukhosele ngaphasi kwamaphiko [kaJehova].’ (Funda uRute 2:12.) Amezwi asetjenziswa nguBhowazi asikhumbuza iphuphu lenyoni indlela elizivikela ngayo ngaphasi kwamaphiko wombelethalo. (IRhubo 36:8, [36:7, NW]; 91:1-4) UJehova naye wasebenzisa indlela efanako, ukuvikela uRute ngethando bewambusisela nokukholwa kwakhe. URute akhenge nalinye ilanga azisole ngeenqunto azenzako.

7. Khuyini engarhelebha labo abangabaza ukunikela uJehova ipilwabo?

⁷ Inengi labantu liyafunda ngoJehova, kodwana likhethe ukungathembeli kuye. Liyamngabaza nasele kufanele linikele ipilwalo kuye belibhajadiswe. Nangabe nawe uzizwa ngendlela le, zibuze bona kubayini ungabaza. Woke umuntu kuba noZimu amlotjhako. (Jotjhuwa 24:15) Ukuhlakanipha kungaba kulotjha uZimu weqiniso. Nawunikela uJehova ipilwakho, usuke umtjengisa ukuthi ukholelwa kuye begodu uzokuba mvikelakho. UZimu uzokurhelebha uhlale umlotjha ngitjho nanyana ungaqalana nemiraro. Ngilokho akwenzela uRute.

8. Akhuhlathulule indlela uHezekhiya akhuliswa ngayo.

⁸ Indlela uHezekhiya akhuliswa ngayo  beyihluke khulu kuneyakaRute. Bekangowesitjhaba ebesizinikele kuZimu. Kodwana akusiwo woke ama-Israyeli ahlala athembekile. Uyise likaHezekhiya okuyiKosi u-Arhazi, bekakhohlakele khulu. Wadelela ithempeli lakaZimu wabe wafaka nabantu ngehloko, abantu bathoma ukulotjha abosingazimu. U-Arhazi watjhisa nabanakwabo lakaHezekhiya emlilweni baphila, wenza ngabo umnikelo kibozimu bamala. UHezekhiya wakhula kabuhlungu tle!—2 AmaKhosi 16:2-4, 10-17; 2 IinKronike 28:1-3.

9, 10. (a) Kubayini uHezekhiya angazange amane athatheke abe mumuntu oneswili? (b) Kubayini kungakafaneli sikwatele uZimu? (c) Kubayini kungakafaneli sithi indlela esakhuliswa ngayo ngiyo esiquntela bona sizokuba lihlobo elinjani labantu?

⁹ Isibonelo esimbesi saka-Arhazi besingabangela indodanakhe uHezekhiya bona ibe mumuntu oneswili nofana ikwatele uJehova. Namhlanje, abanye khebakghodlhelelela izinto nokho ezingafani nezavelela uHezekhiya. Bazizwa baneenzathu ezinehloko zokuthi ‘iinhliziyo zabo zilwisane [noJehova]’ namkha bakwatele ihlanganwakhe. (IzAga 19:3) Abanye bazizwa ngasuthi indlela abakhuliswa ngayo ngiyo ebangele ukuthi baphile ipilo ehlangahlangene nofana babuyelele imitjhapho eyenziwa babelethi babo. (Hezekiyeli 18:2, 3) Kodwana imicabango enjalo iliqiniso na?

¹⁰ Ipilo kaHezekhiya iphendula umbuzo lo ngo awa! Asikho nasinye isizathu esinehloko esingasenza sikwatele uJehova. Akusuye obangela bona abantu behlelwe zizinto ezimbi. (Jobho 34:10) Kuyavunywa khona ukuthi ababelethi bangafundisa abentwababo izinto ezihle nofana ezimbi. (IzAga 22:6; Kolose 3:21) Kodwana lokho akutjho bona indlela esikhuliswe ngayo ngiyo esiquntela ukuthi sizokuba babantu abanjani. Sikutjhwiso yini lokhu? Phela uJehova usiphe ikghono lokuzikhethela, ngikho sikwazi ukuzikhethela kokuhle nokumbi. (Duteronomi 30:19) UHezekhiya wasisebenzisa njani isipho isiyigugwesi?

11. Yini eyenza uHezekhiya waba yikosi ephuma phambili kwaJuda?

¹¹ Ngitjho nanyana uyise bekayikosi ekhohlakeleko kwaJuda, kodwana uHezekhiya yena waphuma phambili. (Funda  2 AmaKhosi 18:5, 6.) Wakhetha ukungasilandeli isibonelo esimbi sakayise. Kunalokho, wakhetha ukulalela abaphorofidi bakaJehova, u-Isaya, uMikha noHosiya. Wazipha isikhathi wabalalela nabamyalako. Lokhu kwamakha wakghona ukulungisa imiraro eminengi eyabangelwa nguyise. Wahlwengisa ithempeli, wancancabeza kuZimu ngezono ebezenziwe babantu, wabe warhayila zoke iinthombe ebezisenarheni. (2 IinKronike 29:1-11, 18-24; 31:1) Kwathi kamva ngesikhathi ikosi ye-Asiriya uSanirheribu yathusela ngokuthi izokuhlasela iJerusalema, uHezekhiya waba nesibindi nokukholwa. Wathembela kuJehova wabe waqinisa nabantu bakhe. (2 IinKronike 32:7, 8) Kwakhe kwenzeka ngesinye isikhathi uHezekhiya wafikelwa kuzikhukhumeza, kodwana uJehova nakamkhalimako, wazithoba. (2 IinKronike 32:24-26) UHezekhiya usibonelo esihle khulu sokulingiswa. Akhenge avumele indlelakhe yokukhuliswa imonele ipilo. Wakubeka ebaleni ukuthi bekamkhozi kaJehova.

12. Namhlanje abantu abanengi bakutjengise njani ukuthi babakhozi bakaJehova?

¹² Namhlanjesi, iphasi seliphelelwe lithando begodu linelunya. Yeke, abantwana abanengi bakhuliswa babelethi abanganathando. (2 Thimothi 3:1-5) AmaKrestu amanengi namhlanje akhuliswe budisi emindeninawo, kodwana akhethe ukuba nesingani noJehova. Alingisa uHezekhiya, akwenze kwakhanya ukuthi indlela akhuliswe ngayo akusiyo equnta bona azokuba mhlobo bani wabantu. UZimu usiphe ikghono lokuzikhethela, nathi-ke singakhetha ukumlotjha besimhloniphe, njengoHezekhiya.

13, 14. Yini eyenza kubonakale ngasuthi umsebenzi uMariya anikelwa wona bewumkhandla, khonapho wasabela njani emezwini kaGabhariyeli?

¹³ Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka eminengi uHezekhiya akhe waphila, kwaba nomma ebekathobeke khulu, ibizo lakhe linguMariya. Umma lo bekamkhozi kaJehova omkhulu, nomsebenzi ebekanikelwe wona bewuhlukile keminye imisebenzi. Bekazokuba sidisi abelethe bekakhulise iNdodana kaZimu! UJehova wamthemba uMariya kangangobana wamupha ilungelo-kazi elingaka! Kodwana wazizwa njani nakezwa ngomsebenzi ebekufuze awenze lo?

¹⁴ Kukanengi sikhuluma ngelungelo uMariya anikelwa loneli. Kodwana kanengi asikhulumi ngezinto okungenzeka bezimthusa. Ngokwesibonelo, ingilozi uGabhariyeli yathi kuye uzokubasidisi ngaphandle kokuhlangana nendoda emabhayini. Kodwana uGabhariyeli akhenge ahlathululele umndenakhe nabomakhelwana bona bekazozithwala ngendlela enjani. Abantwabo khuyini ebebazoyicabanga? Ngapha uMariya bekazomkholisa njani uJosefa  ukuthi bekangakenzi ubuhlola? Ngaphezu kwalokho, bekasese nomsebenzi wokukhulisa iNdodana kaZimu ibe mumuntu! Asikwazi koke ebekusengqondweni kaMariya, kodwana siyakwazi akwenza ngemva kokuthi uGabhariyeli akhulume naye. Wathi: “Ngiyincekukazi [kaJehova], akwenzeke kimi njengombana utjhwile.”—Lukasi 1:26-38.

15. Yini eyenza ukukholwa kwakaMariya kwaba yinto yokubukwa?

¹⁵ Ukukholwa kwakaMariya kwaba yinto ebukwako! Bekazimisele ukwenza nanyana yini njengomuntu ophasi. Bekazi kuhle ukuthi uJehova bekazomtlhogomela abe amvikele. Yini ebeyimenza akholwe kangaka? Phela akhenge sibelethwe sikholwa. Kodwana singakholwa nange sikusebenzela besibawe noZimu bona abusise imizamwethu. (Galatiya 5:22; Efesu 2:8) UMariya naye wakusebenzela budisi ukuqinisa ukukholwa kwakhe. Sikwazi njani lokho? Akhesizwe indlela alalela nakhuluma ngayo.

16. Yini etjengisa bona uMariya bekamumuntu onendlebe?

¹⁶ UMariya walalela ngendlela enjani? IBhayibheli lithi ‘sirhabe ukuzwa kodwana singaphenduli msinyana.’ (Jakopo 1:19) UMariya bekamumuntu onendlebe. IBhayibheli lithi wazilalelisisa izinto azizwako, khulukhulu izinto azifunda ngoJehova. Bekathatha isikhathi sakhe azindle ngezinto eziqakathekileko. Esinye isibonelo kulokha nakubelethwa uJesu, abelusi bamtjela ngomlayezo ovela engilozini. Kwathi uJesu sele aneminyaka eyi-12 wakhuluma into eyarara uMariya. Ezehlakalwenezi zombili, uMariya walalela, wakhumbula, wakudlela amathambo wengqondo ebekakuzwile.—Funda uLukasi 2:16-19, 49, 51.

17. Sifundani endleleni uMariya akhuluma ngayo?

¹⁷ UMariya wakhuluma ngani? IBhayibheli alikhulumi khulu ngokwatjhiwo nguMariya. Ikulumwakhe ede ifumaneka kuLukasi 1:46-55. Amezwi la atjengisa bona uMariya bekumumuntu oyazi kuhle imiTlolo yesiHebheru. Kubayini kutjhiwo njalo? Amezwi atjhiwo nguMariya afana natjhiwo nguHana ongunina likaSamyela emthandazwenakhe. (1 Samyela 2:1-10) Kubonakala ngasuthi uMariya wadzubhula imiTlolo bekwaba ziinkhathi eziyi-20 ekulumwenakhe. Kusebaleni-ke bona bekakuthanda ukukhuluma ngeqiniso alifunde emKhozinakhe omkhulu uJehova.

18. Ngiziphi iindlela esingalingisa ngazo ukukholwa kwakaMariya?

¹⁸ Nathi ngasikhathi, singazizwa njengoMariya uJehova nakasipha imisebenzi esicabanga ukuthi kuzokuba budisi ukuyenza. Asilingiseni isibonelo sakhe, siwamukele ngokuzithoba, besithembe nokuthi uJehova uzosirhelebha. Singabuye silingise nokukholwa kwakaMariya ngokuthi silalele uJehova, sizindle nangesikufundileko ngaye neminqophwakhe. Singathabela nokutjela abanye ngesikufundileko.—IRhubo 77:12, 13, [77:11, 12 NW]; Lukasi 8:18; Roma 10:15.

19. Njengombana silingisa iimbonelo ezihle zekholo eziseBhayibhelini, yeke khuyini esingaqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁹ Kusemtarini ukuthi uRute, uHezekhiya noMariya bebabakhozi bakaJehova, singamlibali no-Abrahamu. Bebayingcenye ‘yelifu elikhulu labofakazi’ abanethuba lokwenza isingani noZimu. Asirageleni phambili nokulingisa iimbonelo ezihle zekholo. (Hebheru 6:11, 12) Nasenza njalo, siwuqala ngabovu umtlomela wokuba bakhozi bakaJehova umtjha wutjhile!