1, 2. (a) Kubayini amezwi afumaneka kuDuteronomi 6:4 aziwa kangaka? (b) UMosi wawatjhwelani?

SEKUMAKHULU weminyaka amaJuda asebenzisa amezwi akuDuteronomi 6:4 nakathandazako. Umthandazo loyo ubizwa ngokuthi yi-Shema, okuligama elifumaneka evesini lokuthoma emiTlolweni yesiHebheru. Awuthandaza qobe ekuseni nantambama, batjho lokho kutjengisa ukuthi bazinikele kuZimu kwaphela.

² Amezwi lawo noMosi wawasebenzisa nakakhuluma nama-Israyeli kwamaswaphela. Ngomnyaka ka-1473 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu, isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli bese sisenarheni yakwaMowabi silungele ukuyama uMlambo iJordani bona siye eNarheni yesiThembiso. (Duteronomi 6:1) UMosi njengombana bekarhola ama-Israyeli iminyaka eyi-40 yoke, bekafuna abe nesibindi ngombana bekazi ukuthi azokuhlangana neembila zithutha. Into ebekufuze ayenze bekukuthembela kuJehova uZimawo bewathembeke kuye. Ngilokho uMosi awatjela khona emezwinakhe  wokugqina. Wathi nakaqeda ukuwanikela imiThetho eliTjhumi neminye evela kuJehova, uMosi wabuye wawakhumbuza amezwi afumaneka kuDuteronomi 6:4, 5 (Ifunde.)

3. Ngimiphi imibuzo esizoyiphendula esihlokwenesi?

³ Ama-Israyeli bekazi ukuthi uJehova uZimawo ‘nguJehova yedwa.’ Ama-Israyeli athembekileko alotjha uZimu yedwa, uZimu wabokhokho bawo. Umbuzo ukukuthi, kubayini uMosi awakhumbuza ukuthi uJehova ‘[nguJehova] yedwa’? Iqiniso lihlangana njani nokuthanda uZimu ngehliziyo yoke, umphefumulo woke namandla woke? Begodu amezwi akuDuteronomi 6:4, 5 asebenza njani namhlanjesi?

4, 5. (a) Atjho ukuthini amezwi athi, ‘[UJehova] nguye yedwa’? (b) UJehova uhluke njani ebosingazimini beentjhaba?

⁴ Uhlukile. Amezwi athi ‘[uJehova] yedwa’ atjho ukuthi uJehova uhlukile akunamuntu namkha into elingana naye namkha efaniswa naye. Kubayini uMosi atjho amezwi lawo? Esikwaziko kukuthi kubonakala ngasuthi bekangalingi ukuveza ukuthi ifundiso yakaziqu zintathu imamala. UJehova Mbumbi wezulu nephasi begodu umBusi wakho koke. Nguye yedwa uZimu weqiniso, abe akekho ongafana naye. (2 Samyela 7:22) Yeke amezwi kaMosi la kusebaleni ukuthi bekakhumbuza ama-Israyeli bona kufuze alotjhe uJehova kwaphela. Bekungakafuzi alotjhe abosingazimu namkha abozimukazi njengombana bekwenza abantu abakhelene nawo. Abantwabo bebakholelwa bona abozimu babo balawula ingcenye yezinto ezibunjiweko.

⁵ Isibonelo salokho babantu beGibhide, bona-ke bebalotjha uzimu welanga uRa, usingazimukazi uNut, nozimu wephasi uGeb bese kube nguzimu weNile uHapi balotjha nezinye iinlwana ezinengi. UJehova waziveza ukuthi mkhulu khulu kibozinyanabo, lokha nakabetha amaGibhide ngamaTshwenyeko aliTjhumi. Usingazimu omkhulu wamaKanana bekunguBhali, amaKanana bekakholelwa bona usingazimabo lo nguye owenza bona ipilo ibe khona. Bewakholelwa nokuthi unguzimu wesibhakabhaka, wezulu newommoya. Neendaweni ezinengi abantu bebakholelwa bona uBhali nguye kwaphela ongabavikela. (Numeri 25:3) Kungebangelo ama-Israyeli bekufuze akhunjuzwe bona uZimawo “nguZimu weqiniso,” uhlukile ngani ngoba “akakho omunye ngaphandle kwakhe.”—Duteronomi 4:35, 39, NW.

6, 7. Amezwi athi ‘[uJehova] yedwa’ atjho ukuthini, begodu afezeke njani kuye?

⁶ Uhlala athembekile. Amezwi athi ‘[uJehova] yedwa’ abuye atjho ukuthi iinhloso zakaJehova nendlela enza ngayo ihlala ithembekile. UJehova akasinguZimu ongakumangaza esithubeni. Uhlala athembekile begodu akawaleyi amala.  Isibonelo salokho, kulokha nakathembisa u-Abrahamu bona iinzukulwana zakhe zizokuhlala eNarheni yesiThembiso. Ukuze afeze isithembiso sakhesi, uJehova wenza iinkarisomraro ezinengi. Ngitjho nanyana besele kudlule iminyaka eyi-430, iinhloso zakaJehova azange zitjhuguluke.—Genesisi 12:1, 2, 7; Eksodusi 12:40, 41.

⁷ Kwathi sele kudlule iminyaka emakhulu, uJehova wabiza ama-Israyeli ngokuthi bofakazi bakhe wathi kibo, “Nginguye onguye. Azange khekube noZimu omunye ngaphambi kwami begodu angeze kwaba khona omunye.” Wabuye waveza ukuthi iinhloso zakaJehova azitjhuguluki, wathi: “Nangokuzako ngisazakuba njalo.” (Isaya 43:10, 13; 44:6; 48:12) Akhusuthi uyaqala bona leso bekusibusiso esingangani ama-Israyeli ebekanaso, sokulotjha uZimu ohlala athembekile! Okuhle kukuthi nathi sinaso isibusisweso.—Malaki 3:6; Jakopo 1:17.

8, 9. (a) Yini uJehova ayilindele ebantwini abamkhulekelako? (b) UJesu wakugandelela njani ukuqakatheka kwamezwi kaMosi?

⁸ UMosi wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli bona indlela uJehova awathanda ngayo nawatlhogomela ngayo ayitjhuguluki. Into uJehova ebekayilindele kiwo kuzinikela kuye ngokupheleleko, amthande ngehliziyo yoke, ngomphefumulo woke nangamandla woke. Ababelethi bekufuze basebenzise elinye nelinye ithuba bona bafundise abantwana babo ngoJehova, ukuze balotjhe yena kwaphela.—Duteronomi 6:6-9.

⁹ Njengombana uJehova angatjhuguluki nje, nezinto afuna abakhulekeli bakhe bazenze ukuze bamlotjhe ngeqiniso angeze zatjhuguluka. Yeke nasifuna uJehova akuthabele ukumlotjha kwethu, kufuze sizinikele kuye kwaphela begodu simthande ngehliziyo yoke, ngomkhumbulo woke nangamandla woke. Phela uJesu wathi umyalo lo ngoqakatheke ukuyidlula yoke. (Funda uMarkosi 12:28-31.) Yeke asitjengiseni ngendlela esenza ngayo bona siyakholwa ukuthi ‘[uJehova] nguZimu oyedwa.’

10, 11. (a) Thina sizinikela kuJehova kwaphela ngayiphi indlela? (b) Amasokana amaHebheru akutjengisa njani ukuthi azinikele kuJehova kwaphela?

¹⁰ UJehova nguye kwaphela uZimethu. Nasithi sizinikele kuJehova kwaphela, lokho kutjho ukuthi silotjha yena kwaphela. Yeke angeze salotjha abosingazimu namkha abezimu, angeze sakholelwa iindaba ezimamala. Akasinguzimu onamandla nomkhulu nje kwaphela, kodwana nguye yedwa uZimu weqiniso. Kungebangelo kufanele silotjhe yena kwaphela.—Funda isAmbulo 4:11.

¹¹ Encwadini kaDanyela sifunda ngamasokana amaHebheru uDanyela, uRhananiya, uMitjhayeli no-Azariya. Batjengisa ukuthi bazinikele kuJehova kwaphela ngokuthi bangadli ukudla ebekusilaphele, ebekungakafaneli bona abakhulekeli bakaJehova bakudle. Begodu akhenge bavume ukulotjha isithombesibunjwa segolide esenziwa  nguNebukadinetsari. Kubayini? UJehova bekeza qangi kibo. Bebathembeke kuye kwaphela.—Danyela 2:1–3:30.

12. Nasifuna ukuzinikela kuJehova kwaphela, yini okufuze singayenzi?

¹² UJehova kufuze eze phambili ekuphileni kwethu. Yeke nasifuna ukwenza njalo, kufuze siyelele bona izinto esizithandako azithathi indawo kaJehova. Ngiziphi ezinye zezintwezo? EmiThethweni eliTjhumi uJehova wathi abantu bakhe kufuze balotjhe yena kwaphela, bangalotjhi abosingazimu. Wathi ngitjho neenthombe akukafuzi bazilotjhe. (Duteronomi 5:6-10) Namhlanjesi ukulotjha iinthombe kusabalele khulu, begodu okhunye kwakho angeze sakubona lula. Sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova akakatjhuguluki. Usese ‘[nguJehova] oyedwa.’ Akhesibone ukuthi thina-ke singakubalekela njani ukulotjha iinthombe.

13. Yini esingathoma ukuyithanda ukudlula uJehova?

¹³ KwebeKolose 3:5 (ifunde), sifunda ngezinto ezingasenza singazinikeli kuJehova kwaphela. Umrhobholo uhlotjaniswa nokulotjha iinthombe. Njani? Nakunento esiyirhuluphelako kungaba yimali namkha izinto zakanokutjho, lokho kungalawula ukuphila kwethu kugqine sezinguzimethu. Zoke izono ezitlolwe kwebeKolose 3:5, zihlobene nomrhobholo, okukulotjha iinthombe. Yeke nange sinerhuluphelo yezintwezo, singathoma ukuzithanda ukudlula uZimu. Okuzokutjho khona bona uJehova akasese ‘[nguJehova] oyedwa’ kithi. Okuyinto esingafisi nokuyibona yenzeka.

14. Umpostoli uJwanisi wasiyelelisa wathini endabeni yokuthanda uZimu?

¹⁴ Nompostoli uJwanisi naye wakhe wayigandelela indaba le. Wathi nange umuntu athanda izinto zephasi, okungaba ‘ziinkanuko zenyama, iinkanuko zamehlo nokuzigqaja ngepilo,’ umuntu loyo “ithando lakaBaba alikho kuye.” (1 Jwanisi 2:15, 16) Yeke kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sizihlola bona thina asilithandi na iphasi. Kungenzeka sithanda ukuzilibazisa khulu, sithanda abantu ngokweqileko, ifetjheni nokuzilungisa njengabantu bephaseli, namkha ungafuna ukwenza “izinto ezikulu” mhlamunye ugijimise ifundo ephakemeko. (Joromiya 45:4, 5) Iphasi elitjha litjhidele tle! Yeke sitlhoga ukuhlala sikhumbula amezwi kaMosi. Aqakatheke khulu, ngani ngoba nasiwazwisisako besikholelwe ukuthi ‘[uJehova] uZimethu [nguJehova] oyedwa,’ kuzokuba lula ukuthi sizinikele kuye besimlotjhe ngendlela ayithabelako.—Hebheru 12:28, 29.

15. Kubayini uPowula akhumbuza amaKrestu bona uZimu ‘[unguJehova] oyedwa’?

¹⁵ Amezwi athi ‘[uJehova] uyedwa’ asisiza sizwisise ukuthi uJehova ufuna abantu bakhe babumbane begodu babe nehloso efanako. Ebandleni lobuKrestu  lekadeni bekunamaJuda, ama-Girigi, amaRoma nabantu bezinye iintjhaba. Yeke bebakhuliswe ngeendlela ezingafaniko, amasiko angafaniko, bathanda nezinto ezingafaniko. Kungakho bekubudisi kwabanye ukutjhentjha iinkolelo zabo. Ngebangelo kwatlhogeka uPowula awakhumbuze amaKrestu bona anoZimu oyedwa uJehova.—Funda 1 Korinte 8:5, 6.

16, 17. (a) Ngisiphi isiphorofido esizalisekako emihlenethu le, begodu ube yini umphumela walokho? (b) Yini engasiqedela ukuthula?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani-ke ngebandla lobuKrestu namhlanjesi? Umphorofidi u-Isaya wathi “emihleni yokuphela,” abantu bazo zoke iintjhaba bazokuhlangana balotjhe uJehova. Bazokuthi: “Asifundise iindlela zakhe kobana sikhambe ngemizilakhe.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Kuthabisa khulu ukubona isiphorofidwesi sizaliseka namhlanjesi! Abafowethu nabodadwethu bavela eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko, bakhuluma amalimi angafaniko begodu banamasiko angafaniko. Nanyana kunjalo sibumbene ekulotjheni kwethu uJehova. Iye khona ngezinye iinkhathi imiraro iyaba khona, phela sihlukile.

 ¹⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, ubaqala njani abazalwana nabodade abavela kwezinye iindawo? Ukhumbule ukuthi ilimi abalikhulumako, indlela abambatha ngayo, abaziphatha ngayo, nokudla abakudlako kungahluka khulu kunalokho okujayeleko. Alo inga-kghani uyabagegeda ubhederise ukuhlala nalabo obona ngasuthi bafana nawe? Ubaqala njani abadala abancani kuwe ngeminyaka, namkha bakelinye ihlanga? Nasingakavuli amehlo, ukuhluka kwethokhu kungalimaza ukuthula.

18, 19. (a) Ngisiphi iseluleko esifumaneka kwebe-Efesu 4:1-3? (b) Yini esingayenza ukuze sibulunge ukuthula ebandleni?

¹⁸ Singalwisana njani nokuhluka kwethu? UPowula weluleka amaKrestu we-Efesu, ebekuyindawo ethuthukileko tle begodu enabantu abahlukahlukeneko. (Funda kwebe-Efesu 4:1-3.) UPowula wabatjela ngobuntu obufana nokuthobeka, ukuba nomoya ophasi, ukubekezela nethando. Ubuntobo bufaniswa neensekelo eziqinileko, ezingenza indlu ihlale ijamile. Ukuze indlu ihlale iyihle, kutlhogeka ukuzikhandla. UPowula bekafuna amaKrestu we-Efesu ahlale asebenza budisi, ukuze ‘alonde ubunye bomoya.’

¹⁹ Soke kufanele sibe nesandla ekubulungeni ukuthula ebandleni. Alo singakwenza njani lokho? Kokuthoma nje, kufuze sihlawulele ubuntu uPowula akhuluma ngabo, ukuthobeka, ukuba nomoya ophasi, ukubekezela nethando. Kwesibili, kufuze sizikhandle ukuze sithuthukise ‘isibopho sokuthula.’ Ukungazwisisani kungafaniswa namabharasi ebumbanweni lethu, yeke asizikhandleni silwisane nokungazwisisani ukuze sibulunge ukuthula nebumbano.

20. Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyawazwisisa amezwi athi ‘[uJehova] uZimethu [nguJehova] oyedwa’?

²⁰ ‘[UJehova] uZimethu [unguJehova] oyedwa.’ Amezwi la aliqiniso! Akhuthaza ama-Israyeli akghona ukukghodlhelelela imiraro aqalana nayo nawangena eNarheni yesiThembiso. Nathi amezwi la angasikhuthaza ukuze sidlule eenhluphekweni ezimbi besiyokungena ePharadeyisini. Yeke asirageleni phambili sizinikela kuJehova kwaphela. Kufuze simthande besimlotjhe ngehliziyo yoke, umkhumbulo woke namandla woke. Sitlhoga ukubulunga ukuthula nebumbano nabafowethu nabodadwethu. Nasenza koke lokhu, uJesu uzosiqala njengezimvu, begodu sizokubona amezwi awatjho azaliseka, wathi: “Yizani nina enibusiswe nguBaba! Thathani ilifa lenu okumbuso olungiselelwe nina kusukela ekudalweni kwephasi.”—Matewu 25:34.