1-3. Yini umphorofidi ovela kwaJuda lo abhalelwa ukuyenza, begodu imiphumela yalokho yaba yini? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

KWATHI ngelinye ilanga kusabusa iKosi uJerobhowamu, uJehova wathuma umphorofidi bona ayokubika umlayezo ebewukhuluma ngesahlulelo ekosini yakwa-Israyeli ebeyivukela. Umphorofidi othembekileko lo, wawusa umlayezo awuphathiswe nguZimu. Begodu uJehova bekasolo abavikela abantu bakhe ekosini ekhohlakeleko uJerobhowamu.—1 Kho. 13:1-10.

² Wathi nase abuyela emva wahlangana nekhehla elinyapha angakalindeli, ikhehleli belivela eBhethe-Eli. Indoda le yathi yona imphorofidi kaJehova. Indoda le yafaka umphorofidi uZimu ebekamthumile edakeni. UJehova wathi nakamthumako wamtjela kuhle wathi: ‘Ungagomi isikwa namkha usele amanzi kwa-Israyeli’ begodu “ungabuyeli emva ngendlela oze ngayo.” Umphorofidi obekathunywe nguZimu lo akhenge awalalele amezwi lawo. Into ayenzako le yamzwisa ubuhlungu tle uJehova. Kwathi kamva sekasendleleni abuyela emva, kwase kwavela ibhubezi latjho limeqela lambulala.—1 Kho. 13:11-24.

³ Yini eyenza umphorofidi obekathobekile lo waba nesibindi sokulandela ikhehlela? IBhayibheli alisitjeli ukuthi kubayini. Kodwana kungenzeka ukuthi wakhohlwa ukuthi kufuze ‘akhambe  ngokuthobeka noZimakhe.’ (Funda uMikha 6:8.) IBhayibheli nalithi kufuze sikhambe noZimu litjho ukuthi kufuze simthembe, sisekele ukubusa kwakhe besilandele nesinqophiso sakhe. Umuntu othobekileko uyazi ukuthi kufuze ahlale akhuluma noBaba usomandla onethando. Yinto umphorofidi lo ebekufuze ayenze, bekufuze abawe uJehova amdlhadlhule ukuthi alo enzeni-ke nase kunje. Kodwana iBhayibheli alitjho ukuthi wakwenza lokho. Nathi-ke ngasikhathi kuba nobujamo obutlhoga ukuthi sithathe isiqunto, kodwana ufumane ukuthi asazi ukuthi ngiyiphi indlela okufuze siyithathe. Nasifuna ukubalekela ukwenza imitjhapho ezosifaka emrhobeni, asizithobeni sibawe uJehova asisize.

4. Sizokufunda ngani esihlokwenesi?

⁴ Esihlokweni esidlulileko sifundile ukuthi kubayini ukuthobeka kusaqakathekile emaKrestwini, safunda nokuthi kuhlanganisani. Umbuzo kukuthi ngiziphi izinto ezingasilinga bona singathobeki? Begodu yini engasisiza bona sibe nobuntu obuhle ngitjho nanyana silingwa? Ukuze siphendule imibuzo leyo, sizokucoca ngezinto ezintathu ezingasilinga bona singathobeki, besibone nokuthi singenza njani ngokuhlakanipha nasisebujamweni obunjalo.—IzA. 11:2.

5, 6. UBharzilayi watjengisa njani ukuthi bekathobekile?

⁵ Ubujamo bethu nabutjhugulukako nalokha nasitjhentjhwa emsebenzini esiwenzako, kungalinga ukuthobeka kwethu. UDavida wakhe wabawa uBharzilayi bona ayokuhlala esigodlweni, ngesikhatheso bekanemiyaka ema-80. Phela ukuhlala esigodlweni bekungamenza ahlonitjhwe khulu. Yeke nange avuma, bekazokuthabela ukuhlala nekosi uDavida. Kodwana uBharzilayi wathi angekhe akghone. Kubayini atjho njalo? Wakutjhwiso kukuthi besekaluphele, yeke watjela uDavida wathi akafuni ukuba mthwalo ekosini. Wathi kungcno kungene uKimhamu, okungenzeka ukuthi bekayindodanakhe.—2 Sam. 19:31-37.

⁶ Ukuthobeka kwasiza uBharzilayi wathatha isiqunto esinengqondo. Akhenge abhale ukuthatha isimemo sekosi ngebanga lokuthi bekangazithembi bona angeze akghona ukuwenza kuhle umsebenzi lo, namkha athi njengombana sekaluphele nje usafuna ukuphumula athabele ipilo. Kodwana wabona ukuthi ubujamo bakhe butjhugulukile begodu amandlakhe sekaphungulekile. Akhenge afune ukuthatha umsebenzi anganamandla wokuwenza. (Funda beGalatiya 6:4, 5.) Yeke nange singasolo sigijimisana neenkhundla, sifuna ukuba phezulu sifuna nokubonwa, kufuze sazi ukuthi into ezokulandela lapho kukuthi siyokuphakamisa amahlombe, siphalisane begodu lokho kuzokusidanisa. (Gal. 5:26) Kodwana nasithobekileko, sizokusebenzisa amakghonwethu sibambisane nabafowethu nabodadwethu, sisoke sizokudumisa uZimu begodu sisize nabanye abantu.—1 Kor. 10:31.

7, 8. Ukuthobeka kungasisiza njani bona singazithembi thina?

⁷ Ukuphathiswa imithwalo emikhulu kukhambisana nokuba namandla amakhulu, yeke lokho kungakulinga ukuthobeka kwethu. UNerhemiya wathi nakezwa ukuthi abantu bakaZimu basebudisini le eJerusalema, wathoma wathandaza kuJehova. (Nerh. 1:4, 11) UJehova yena-ke wambusisa ngesikhathi iKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta ibeka uNerhemiya bona abe sikhulu sendawo. Ngitjho nanyana sekanesikhudla esiphakemeko, anethezekile begodu anamandla, uNerhemiya akhenge azithembe yena. Kunokuthi enze njalo, waragela phambili akhamba noZimu. Begodu bekahlala afuna ukunqotjhiswa nguJehova, lokho kwabonakala ngokuthi afunde imithetho kaZimu. (Nerh. 8:1, 8, 9) UNerhemiya akhenge  aziphakamise ebantwini, kunalokho bekabasiza tle.—Nerh. 5:14-19.

⁸ UNerhemiya usibekela isibonelo sokuthi nasithobekile, ngeze sazithemba thina lokha nasifumana imisebenzi emitjha. Umdala nesakathoma ukuzithemba yena, uzambona ngokuthi enze izinto zebandla ngaphandle kokuthandaza. Abanye-ke bona bathoma bathathe isiqunto bese kukhona bathandaza kuJehova. Kuthobeka lokho? Umuntu othobekileko uyayazi indawo uZimu ambeke kiyo ehlelweni lakhe. Akukafuzi sithembele emakghonwenethu, khulukhulu nasiqalene nobujamo obujayelekileko, asiyeleleni bona singathomi sizithembe thina. (Funda IzAga 3:5, 6.) Nasinje simalunga wendlu kaZimu, yeke esikhundleni sokuphalisana nokulwela iinkhundla ebandleni asibambisaneni njengomndeni namkha ibandla.—1 Thim. 3:15.

9, 10. Ukuthobeka kungasisiza njani bona siqalane nokunyefulwa?

⁹ Abantu nabasinyefulako kungaba budisi khulu ukulawula imizwethu. UHana bekahlala akhihla isililo ngebanga lokuthi umrharidzwenakhe uPhenina bekamhleka, amnyaza nokumnyaza. UHana nanyana bekangayinyumba anjalo, kodwana nakuyindodakwakhe yona beyimthanda tle. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga baye ethebarinekeli wathandaza, umPrisi omKhulu u-Eli akhenge abone kuhle yeke wathi udakiwe. Bewungathini umuntu ase akunyefule ngendlela le? UHana ngombana bekangumma ozithobileko, wamphendula ngehlonipho ekulu u-Eli. Begodu umthandazwakhe othinta ihliziyo loyo watlolwa eBhayibhelini. Emthandazwenakhe loyo udumisa uZimu abe amthokoze, kuyatjho ukuthi bekanokukholwa.—1 Sam. 1:5-7, 12-16; 2:1-10.

¹⁰ Ukuthobeka kungasisiza godu bona ‘sihlule ubumbi ngobuhle.’ (Rom. 12:21) Ephasini lakaSathaneli nakubulungiswa bona maye uthi buyindlala na! Thina-ke kufuze silwe ngamandla ukuze singazingazikhathazi ngabantu abaziphatha kumbi. (Rhu. 37:1) Bese into engasizwisa ubuhlungu khulu kulokha nasiba nemiraro nabafowethu nabodadwethu. Umuntu othobekileko  uzokulingisa uJesu nebujamweni obunjalo. Ngombana uJesu “kwathi athukwa, akhange azibuyiselele,” iBhayibheli liraga lithi: “Akhange asongele; kodwana wazibeka kiloyo ogweba ngokulungileko.” (1 Pit. 2:23) UJesu bekazi kuhle ukuthi nguJehova okufanele abuyisele. (Rom. 12:19) Kungebangelo namaKrestu nawo kufuze athobeke begodu ‘angabuyiseli ubumbi ngobumbi.’—1 Pit. 3:8, 9.

11, 12. (a) Ukuthobeka kungasisiza njani lokha abanye abantu nabasibukako? (b) Ukuthobeka kufuze kusisize njani nasiza endabeni yokumbatha nokuzilungisa kunye nendleleni yokuziphatha?

¹¹ Ukubukwa nakho kungasenza sithome ukuthwala amahlombe. Akhucabange ngobujamo u-Esta ebekakibo. Phela umma lo bekamuhle aqima ilanga begodu wafakwa nehlelweni lokuphotjholozwa umnyaka woke. Bekahlala ababona abanye abomma abavela kiwo woke uMbuso wePeresiya, ebebaphalisana naye ukuze bakare ikosi. Nanyana kunjalo wahlala abahlonipha begodu azithobile. Kwabhala ngitjho nangemva kokuthi ikosi ikhethe yena bona abe yindlovukazi, akhenge athathe ipumulo ayibeke epandla.—Est. 2:9, 12, 15, 17.

¹² Ukuthobeka kusisiza godu nokuthi simbathe besizilungise kuhle nangehlonipho. Kuzosisiza sibone nokuthi ukuziphakamisa nokufuna ukubonwa angeze kwasenza ukuthi sithandwe babantu, kodwana into eyokwenza ukuthi abantu basithande kukuba ‘nommoya wesizotha nothobekileko.’ (Funda yoku-1 Pitrosi 3:3, 4; Jor. 9:23, 24) Akunanto ezokutjengisa indlela esizizwa ngayo ngaphandle kwezenzo zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, singathoma sitjela abantu ngamalungelo esinawo ehlanganweni kaZimu, namkha sibatjele ukuthi thina sinelwazi elingangani nokuthi sazi abazalwana abadosa phambili ehlanganweni. Namkha singakhuluma ngemisebenzi eyenziweko, bese sifune ukuzidumisa kubonakale ngasuthi ngithi esiyenzileko kukulapho nabanye abantu nabo bafakile isandla. UJesu waba sibonelo esihle endabeni le. Bekathi qobe nakakhulumako adzubhule imiTlolo yesiHebheru. Bekazithoba qobe nakakhulumako, enzela ukuthi abantu abamlaleleko bazi ukuthi koke lokho kuvela kuJehova ingasi ukuthi yena usihlakaniphi.—Jwa. 8:28.

13, 14. Ukuthobeka kungasisiza njani bona sithathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko?

¹³ Enye into engalinga ukuthobeka kwethu kulokha nakuthathwa iinqunto. Ngesikhathi umpostoli uPowula aseKhesariya kwafika umphorofidi u-Agabhusi wamtjela wathi nakangathoma atjhinge eJerusalema, azi ukuthi nakuziinsimbi zona zizomlilela. Begodu nokubulawa angabulawa. Lokho kwabafaka amanzi emadolweni abazwalana, yeke barabhela uPowula bona angakhambi. UPowula akhenge avumele lokho bona kumqede amandla. Begodu khenge azithembe khulu namkha abe nevalo. Kunalokho wathembela kuJehova begodu bekakulungele ukuya nanyana kukuphi lapha uZimu amthuma khona. Abazalwana bathi nababona ukuthi uzimisele ukutjhinga khona, bazithoba begodu bebasihlonipha nesiqunto sakhe sokobana aye eJerusalema.—IzE. 21:10-14.

¹⁴ Ukuthobeka godu kungasisiza sithathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko ngitjho nanyana singalazi kuhle ikusasa namkha nakunezinto esingeze sazilawula. Ngokwesibonelo, akhesithi sifuna ukulotjha uZimu isikhathi esizeleko, kodwana siyazibuza ukuthi alo sizokwenza njani nasingagula? Namkha siyokubona senzeni ababelethi bethu abalupheleko nabatlhoga ukusizwa? Thina-ke nasiluphalako sizokondlwa ngubani? Ukuthandaza nokwenza irhubhululo iye khona kungasiza, kodwana ngeze kwayiphendula ngokuzeleko yoke imibuzo le. (UMtj.  8:16, 17) Yeke ukuthemba kwethu uJehova, kuzosenza samukele ukungaphaleli kwethu. Esingakwenza kukuthi sithandazele isinqophiso sakaZimu, sibuze nabanye abantu bese silandele ummoya kaZimu. (Funda UMtjhumayeli 11:4-6.) Lokho kunikela uJehova ithuba lokuthi abe nento nokho azayibusisa, namkha angasinqophisa bona sifinyelele imigomwethu.—IzA. 16:3, 9.

15. Ukucabanga ngoJehova kungasisiza njani bona sihlale sithobekile?

¹⁵ Njengombana ukuthobeka kunemiphumela emihle kangaka, umbuzo ukukuthi singakusebenzela njani? Akhesikhulume ngeendlela ezine zokwenza njalo. Kokuthoma nje kufuze sicabange ngoJehova, ubuntu bakhe, ubukhulu bakhe nokhunye. (Isa. 8:13) Ungakhohlwa ukuthi phela sikhamba noZimu ingasi ingilozi namkha umuntu. Yeke nasingahlala sikukhumbula lokho, kuzokuba bulula bona ‘sizithobe ngaphasi kwesandla esinamandla sakaZimu.’—1 Pit. 5:6.

16. Ukuzindla ngendlela uZimu asithanda ngayo, kungasisiza njani bona sihlale sithobekile?

¹⁶ Kwesibili, kucabanga ngendlela uJehova asithanda ngayo. Nakho lokho kungasisiza sihlale sithobekile. Umpostoli uPowula watlola wathi izitho zomzimba ezibonakala zinganamsebenzi uJehova uzenze ‘zahlonipheka khulu.’ (1 Kor. 12:23, 24) Nanyana singakapheleli sinjalo, kodwana uJehova uyasitlhogomela. Akasimadanisi nabanye abantu begodu akaphelelwa lithando ngathi lokha nasitjhaphako. Ngebanga lokuthi uJehova uyasithanda, kufuze sizizwe sivikelekile njengombana simkhonza endlinakhe le.

17. Nasibona okuhle kwabanye abantu, uzokuba yini umphumela walokho kithi?

¹⁷ Kwesithathu, kuthokozela indima esiyidlalako emsebenzini kaJehova, begodu nasifuna ukuthuthuka endabeni le kufuze silingise uZimu, sibone nezinto ezihle kwabanye abantu. Kunokuthi sifune ukubonakala namkha sihlale sibatjela ukuthi benzeni, sizozithoba sibawe imibonwabo begodu siyisebenzise. (IzA. 13:10) Sizokuthaba nabo uZimu nakabanikela eminye imisebenzi. Begodu sizokudumisa uJehova njengombana abusisa “abazalwana [bethu] ephasini loke.”—1 Pit. 5:9.

18. Ukubandula abonembeza bethu, kungasisiza njani bona sithobeke?

¹⁸ Kwesine, kusebenzisa iBhayibheli bona sibandule abonembeza bethu, lokho kuzosisiza bona sithobeke khulu. Nokubona izinto ngendlela uZimu azibona ngayo, kuzokusisiza bona sithobeke bese sikghone nokwahlulela kuhle. Izinto ezingasisiza bona siqinise abonembeza bethu ngilezi, kuthandaza, ukufunda qobe nokukusebenzisa lokho esikufundako. (1 Thim. 1:5) Sizokufunda nokubeka izinto ezisiza abanye abantu phambili. Nasenza njalo uJehova usithembisa ukuthi uzosibandula, abe asisize sithuthukise ukuthobeka kwethu nobunye ubuntu obuhle.—1 Pit. 5:10.

19. Yini engasisiza sihlale sithobekile umlibe?

¹⁹ Ngebanga lokulahlekelwa kuthobeka, umphorofidi esingalazi nebizo lakhe obekavela kwaJuda, walahlekelwa kuphila kwakhe begodu akhenge asaba nobuhlobo obuhle noZimu. Kodwana iqiniso kukuthi singahlala sithobekile ngitjho nanyana silingwa. Kunabantu abanengi abathembekileko nabathobekileko abakutjengisileko ukuthi kuyakghonakala ukuhlala sithobekile nanyana silingwa. Ukuthi sesikhambe noJehova isikhathi eside kangangani kufuze kubonakale ngokuthobeka kwethu. (IzA. 8:13) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi simlotjha kuphi uJehova njengombana sikhuluma nje, kufuze sazi ukuthi ukukhamba noJehova nje kukodwa sibusiso esihle khulu nesingeze samadaniswa. Kuthokozele lokho, begodu kwanga ungaragela phambili ukhamba noJehova ngokuthobeka umlibe.