1, 2. (a) Ngimiphi imiraro abantu abanengi abaqalana nayo namhlanjesi? Begodu ubayini umphumela walokho? (b) Ngisiphi isithembiso esisifumana ku-Isaya 41:10, 13?

KUNODADE oliphayona notjhade nomdala webandla, nakalandisako uthi: “Ngitjho nanyana ngibekela eqadi isikhathi sokwenza izinto zakaZimu kodwana khekube nesikhathi lapho ngitshwenywa kugandeleleka begodu lokho kwangitshwenya isikhathi eside tle! Bekungiqedela ubuthongo ebusuku, kuthikazise nepilwami, bekhe kuphazamise nendlela engiphatha ngayo abantu, bekungenza ngifune ukulisa yoke into ngifise kwanga kungavuleka umgodi ngingene ngapho.”

² Uyayizwisisa na indlela udade lo azizwa ngayo? Kuyadanisa ukwazi bona iphasi lakaSathaneli libangela abantu ukugandeleleka okukhulu, lokho kwenza umuntu azizwe anganamandla. Lokho singakufanisa nesimbi yokujamisa isikepe, ingasivumeli bona sisikinyeke. (IzA. 12:25) Yini engakubangela bona uzizwe ngalendlela? Zinengi izinto ezingabangela lokho, ngokwesibonelo akhesithi mhlamunye usezwa ubuhlungu ngebanga lokuthi kuhlongakele umuntu omthandako, kungenzeka uphethwe kugula okumbi, kufuze wondle umndenakho ngapha naku nomnotho uyabogaboga namkha kungenzeka uphikiswa ngekolelwakho. Ukusolo ucabanga ngezintwezi kungakuqeda amandla. Kungaze kukuqedele nethabo lakho. Kodwana kufuze uqiniseke bona uZimu uzokusiza.—Funda u-Isaya 41:10, 13.

3, 4. (a) IBhayibheli lilisebenzisa njani ibizo elithi “izandla”? (b) Yini engabangela izandla zethu bona zinyefe?

 ³ Kanengi iBhayibheli lisebenzisa amalungu womzimba womuntu ukufanisa izenzo ezihlukahlukeneko. Ngokwesibonelo isandla kukhulunywa ngaso iinkhathi ezinengi. Ukuqinisa isandla somuntu kungaba kumkhuthaza, ukumqinisa namkha ukumupha amandla. (1 Sam. 23:16; Ezr. 1:6) Kungatjho ukuba nethemba ngengomuso.

⁴ Ukuvumela izandla ezingokomfanekiso zinyefe, ngasikhathi kutjho ukuphelelwa mamandla, ukulahla itewu namkha ukungabi nethemba. (2 Kron. 15:7; Heb. 12:12) Kuvamile ke ngomuntu ozizwa njalo bona alahle itewu. Akhesithi uqalene nobujamo obukwenza uphelelwe mamandla mhlamunye emzimbeni, kukwenze ube nomoya ophasi, namkha kwehlise itjisekwakho ezintweni zakaZimu, ungalifumanaphi isizo? Ungasifumanaphi isikhuthazo nokuqiniswa bona ukghodlhelele begodu uthabe?

5. (a) Yini esingayenza nasingaqalana nemiraro? Yini ekufuze sizikhumbuze yona? (b) Sizokhe sicoce ngani esihlokwenesi?

⁵ Funda uZefaniya 3:16, 17. Kunokobana singene amanzi ngemadolweni sigqine sesibeke phasi, okuzokufana nokuthi sivumela izandla zethu bona zinyefe, uBabethu onethando uJehova uthi kithi, ‘sifumbele woke amatshwenyeko wethu kuye.’ (1 Pit. 5:7) Singakhumbula nalokho uZimu akutjela ama-Israyeli wathi ‘[ingalwami] ayisiyifitjhani kobana ingahlala ingasindisi’ abantu bami abathembekileko. (Isa. 59:1) Nje sizokhe sicoce ngeembonelo ezintathu ezihle khulu eziseBhayibhelini ezitjengisa bona uJehova uyafuna begodu uyakghona ukuthi aphe abantu bakhe amandla wokukghodlhelelela ubujamo obungabonakala bubudisi khulu. Okwanje akhesibone ukuthi iimbonelwezi zingakwakha njani wena.

6, 7. Singafundani epini eyathunjwa ma-Israyeli nakalwa nama-Amalekhi?

⁶ Msinyana ngemva kobana ama-Israyeli atjhatjhululwe eGibhide ngokusimangaliso, ama-Amalekhi awahlasela. UJotjhuwa waba nesibindi walalela isinqophiso asinikelwe nguMosi sokuthi arhole ama-Israyeli bona ayokulwa. Bese uMosi yena wakhamba no-Aroni noRhuri baya endaweni ephakamileko eentabeni lapho ebebazokukghona ukubona ikundla okulwelwa kiyo. Singatjho na ukuthi amadoda amathathu la bekabalekela ipi ngombana athukiwe? Awa, bekungasinjalo.

⁷ UMosi wawahlela kuhle amadoda ebekazokulwa nokuthi yini ebekufuze ayenze, lokho bekakuhlele ngepumelelo tle! UMosi waziphakamisa izandla zakhe, begodu uZimu weqiniso wamsekela aphezulu ezulwini. Ukwenza kwakaMosi njalo kwenza bona uJehova aragele phambili amsiza, ama-Israyeli alwa ngepumelelo. Kodwana kuthe uMosi nakathoma ukunyefisa izandla zakhe ama-Amalekhi athoma athumba. “U-Aroni noRhuri bathatha ilitje balisunduzela ngaphasi kwakhe. U-Aroni noRhuri bamphahla baphakamisa izandla zakhe ngokuzidlheganisa. Ngaleyondlela isandla sakhe sahlala siphakeme njalo bekwatjhinga ilanga.” Ngesizo lesandla sakaZimu onamandla ama-Israyeli ayithumba ipi.—Eks. 17:8-13.

8. (a) U-Asa wenzani ngesikhathi amaTopiya athusela amaJuda? (b) Thina singasilingisa njani isibonelo saka-Asa sokuthembela kuZimu?

⁸ UJehova wabuya watjengisa bona isandla sakhe asisisifitjhani ngesikhathi seKosi u-Asa. Zinengi izipi okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini. Kodwana ipi ekulu ekheyaba khona ngeyakaZerurhi umTopiya. Bekunamajoni abandulwe kuhle asi-1 000 000. AmaTopiya bekasidlula isibalo samajoni ka-Asa, bekasidlula ngamaphesenti angaba ma-50. Akhucabange bona bekuzomthusa kangangani u-Asa lokho, kumenze anyefise izandla zakhe ayekelele ahlulwe. Kunalokho u-Asa wabawa ukusizwa  nguJehova. Nawumadanisa amajoni la, bekulula ukuthi ungathi amaTopiya ngiwo azokuthumba ipi le kodwana “ngoZimu koke kuyenzeka.” (Mat. 19:26) UZimu wabonakalisa amandlakhe “wamadlha amaKutjhe phasi phambi kwaka-Asa . . .  ihliziyo ka-Asa yayinamathele ngokupheleleko kuJehova ipilwakhe yoke.”—2 Kron. 14:8-13; 1 Kho. 15:14.

9. (a) Yini engakhenge ivimbele uNerhemiya bona akhe kabutjha amaboda weJerusalema? (b) UZimu wawuphendula njani umthandazo kaNerhemiya?

⁹ Akhucabange indlela okungenzeka uNerhemiya wazizwa ngayo nakufuze abuyele eJerusalema. Kazi inarha le besele pheze ihluliwe, ngapha namaJuda nawo besele aphelelwe mamandla. Ukuthuselwa manabawo kwawabangela bona anyefise izandla zawo ekutheni akhe kabutjha amaboda weJerusalema. Wenzani ke uNerhemiya, inga-kghani wavumela bona izandla zakhe zinyefe ngebanga lezinto ebezenzeka? Awa akhenge enze njalo! UNerhemiya wenza njengo-Asa, uMosi nezinye iinceku zakaJehova ezithembekileko, besele akwenze umukghwa ukuthembela kuJehova nokuthandaza kuye. Wenza okufanako ke nangesikhatheso. Ngesikhathi amaJuda angasenamandla ngebanga lemiraro ebekaqalene nayo, uJehova waphendula umthandazo kaNerhemiya. UZimu wasebenzisa ‘amandlakhe amakhulu’ ‘nesandla sakhe esiqinileko’ bona aqinise amaJuda anganyefisi izandla zawo. (Funda uNerhemiya 1:10; 2:17-20; 6:9.) Uyakholwa na ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa ‘amandlakhe amakhulu’ ‘nesandla sakhe esiqinileko’ bona aqinise iinceku zakhe namhlanjesi?

10, 11. (a) USathana ulinga njani ukunyefisa izandla zethu? (b) UJehova usebenzisa ini bona asiphe amandla? (c) Wena uzuzani eenkolwenezi nebandulweni esilifumana kizo?

¹⁰ Into ekufuze siqiniseke ngayo kukuthi nakunguDeveli naye angekhe anyefise izandla zakhe nakuziwa endabeni yokuthi alisise amaKrestu umsebenzawo awuthunywe nguZimu. Ukwenza njalo usebenzisa amanga nokuthuselwa ngurhulumende, abarholi bekolo namahlubuka. Yini ihloswakhe yokwenza njalo? Ufuna sinyefise izandla zethu ekutjhumayeleni iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso. Kodwana nanyana kunjalo uJehova uzimisele ukusiqinisa ngommoyakhe ocwengileko. (1 Kron. 29:12) Yeke kuqakathekile bona siwusebenzise ummoyakhe bona sikghone ukuqalana nephasi lakaSathana elikhohlakelekweli. (Rhu. 18:39; 1 Kor. 10:13) Kufuze kusithabise ukwazi ukuthi sineliZwi lakaZimu, okumsebenzi wommoya ocwengileko. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga iimfundiso ezivela eBhayibhelini esizifumana qobe nyanga. Amezwi kaZakariya 8:9, 13 (afunde) akhulunywa ngesikhathi kusakhiwa kabutjha ithempeli leJerusalema kodwana asasebenza nakithi.

¹¹ Namhlanjesi sibuye siqiniswe ngefundiso kaJehova nasiya esifundweni, emihlanganweni emincani nemikhulu, nalokha nasiya eenkolweni ezihlukahlukeneko zobuKrestu. Ifundo le isikhuthaza bona sizibekele imigomo yokwenza imisebenzi kaZimu nokuthi siphethe imisebenzi eminengi yobuKrestu. (Rhu. 119:32) Umbuzo kukuthi wena uyayisebenzisa na ifundo le bona ikwakhe?

12. Yini ekufuze siyenze nasizakuhlala siqinile etjhebiswaneni lethu noZimu?

¹² UJehova wasiza ama-Israyeli bona athumbe ipi ngesikhathi alwa nama-Amalekhi namaTopiya, wabuye wapha uNerhemiya nabantu ebekasebenza nabo amandla wokuqedelela ukwakha kabutjha iJerusalema. Ngokufanako uZimu nathi uzosiqinisa bona sibe namandla wokuqalana nokuphikiswa nokugandelelwa, ukwenzela bona siragele phambili nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela. (1 Pit. 5:10) Angeze salindela  bona uJehova asenzele iimangaliso. Kunalokho thina kufuze senze okulindelwe kithi. Lokho kuzokutjho bona sifunde iliZwi lakaZimu qobe langa, sitjhumayele, siye esifundweni qobe veke, sibe nesifundo sethu seBhayibheli, nokukhulekela komndeni begodu sihlale sithembele kuJehova sithandaze. Asingavumeli izinto esizithandako zingene hlangana nalokho uJehova asenzela khona ukuthi asakhe begodu asiqinise. Nakwenzeka ubone ukuthi izandla zakho zinyefile kezinye zezinto esesikhulume ngazo ngehla, bawa uZimu bona akusize. Nawenza njalo uzokubona ukuthi ummoyakhe ‘osebenza ngaphakathi kwakho, owenza bona ukghone begodu usebenze ngokwentando yakhe.’ (Flp. 2:13) Ungenzani-ke bona uqinise izandla zabanye?

13, 14. (a) Umzalwana owafelwa mkakhe waqiniswa njani? (b) Thina singabaqinisa njani abanye?

¹³ UJehova ubuye asiphe abazalwana nabodade abasithandako abazele iphasi loke bona basikhuthaze. Umpostoli uPowula watlola wathi: “Qinisani izandla zenu ezibuthakathaka namadolwenu agedlako nenzele iinyawo zenu imizila enqophileko.” (Heb. 12:12, 13) Abanengi ngekhulu lokuthoma bafumana ukuqiniswa ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko. Kusafana-ke nanamhlanjesi. Kwathi ngemva kobana umzalwana othileko afelwe mkakhe wezwa ubuhlungu khulu, wabe wathi: “Ngafunda bona angeze sazikhethela bona sifuna ukuhlangabezana namiphi imiraro, isikhathi imiraro leyo efika ngaso nobunengi bemiraro leyo asikwazi ukuthi singayikhetha. Ukuthandaza nokuthi sifunde iBhayibheli kwaba njengetayere lokududa ebelikhiphela ihlokwami ngaphandle kwamanzi. Okhunye okwangisizako kududuzwa bazalwana nabodade. Koke lokhu kwangenza ngabona indlela okuqakatheke ngayo ukuba nesingani noJehova.”

¹⁴ U-Aroni noRhuri babamba izandla zakaMosi ngesikhathi sepi. Thina-ke kufuze sifune iindlela esingasekela ngazo abanye. Bobani thina esingabasekela? Singasekela abantu abalupheleko, abagulako, abatjhutjhiswa mindenabo, abanesizungu namkha abafelweko. Singabuya godu sisekele abantu abatjha abaqalene nokugandelelwa namkha abafuna “ukuphumelela” epilweni, kungenzeka sebafuna ifundo ephezulu, bafuna ukuba nemali namkha ukusebenza umsebenzi obhadalako. (1 Thes. 3:1-3; 5:11, 14) Kufuze ufune iindlela ongatjengisa ngazo bona uyabakhathalela abanye eWolweni lomBuso, nanisesimini, nanidla ndawonye namkha nawukhuluma nabantu ngomtato.

15. Amezwi akhako angawakhuthaza njani amaKrestu esikunye nawo?

¹⁵ Ngemva kobana u-Asa athumbe ipi, umphorofidi u-Arhaziya wamkhuthaza wakhuthaza nabantu bakhe wathi: “Wena, qina, ungapheli amandla ngombana uzakuba nomvuzo ngomsebenzakho.” (2 Kron. 15:7) Lokho kwamkhuthaza u-Asa bona avuselele ukukhulekelwa kweqiniso. Kusafana nakithi, nasikhuluma amezwi akhako, angaba nomphumela omuhle ebantwini. Angabasiza bakhulekele uJehova ngamandlabo woke. (IzA. 15:23) Nasisesifundweni akukafuzi seqisele ukuphendula amehlo ngombana lokho kungenza likhulu kabanye abantu.

16. Abadala bangasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaNerhemiya baqinise izandla zabanye ebandleni? Nikela isibonelo sokuthi abantu okholwa nabo bakusiza njani wena.

¹⁶ UJehova wasiza uNerhemiya nabantu bakhe waqinisa izandla zabo bona benze umsebenzakhe. Yeke bakghona ukuthi bakhe baqede amaboda weJerusalema ngamalanga ama-52 kwaphela! (Nerh. 2:18; 6:15, 16) UNerhemiya akhenge amane  abe ngukapteni womsebenzi lo. Kodwana naye gade angene ngehloko, akha nabo amaboda weJerusalema. (Nerh. 5:16) Nanamhlanjesi kuyafana, abadala abanengi abanethando balingisa uNerhemiya, basiza emsebenzini wokwakha, ukukulumaga nokutlhogomela amaWolo womBuso. Ngokuthi basebenze nabatjhumayeli esimini, babeluse bebaqinise izandla ezinyefileko zalabo abagandelelekileko.—Funda u-Isaya 35:3, 4.

17, 18. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo nasihlangabezana neenqabo begodu sigandelelekile?

¹⁷ Ukusebenza ndawonye nabazalwana nabodade kuthuthukisa ubunye. Kwakha isingani esiqinileko begodu kwenza sibe nethemba leembusiso esizozifumana ngaphasi komBuso kaZimu. Njengombana sizabe siqinisa izandla zabanye nje, sibasiza balwisane nemiraro abaqalene nayo, bahlale bacabanga ngezinto ezakhako nangethemba lengomuso. Ukungezelela kilokho, nasisuke sisiza abanye nathi ngokwethu siyasizeka ngani ngoba sidzimelela ezintweni zakaZimu begodu ziba ngezamambala kithi. Lokho kuqinisa nezethu izandla.

¹⁸ Ukubona iindlela ezihlukahlukeneko uJehova asiza navikela ngazo iinceku zakhe ezithembekileko zekadeni, kwakha ukukholwa kwethu begodu kwenza simthembe. Yeke nasihlangabezana neenqabo, kufuze ‘siqine, singapheli amandla.’ Kunokobana siphele amandla, kufuze sithandaze kuJehova, sivumela isandla zakhe esinamandla bona sisiqinise begodu sisirholele eembusisweni zomBuswakhe.—Rhu. 73:23, 24.