1, 2. (a) Ngiziphi izinto eziqakatheke khulu ebuhlotjeni obuhle noJehova? (b) Sizokuzuza njani ngokuhlola ukulandisa okungokomTlolo malungana neendlela abantu abasabela ngazo esiyalweni sakaZimu?

“KODWANA nakungimi, kuhle ukuba seduze noZimu; ngenze uSomandla isiphephelo sami.” (Rhu. 73:28) La umrhubi waveza ukuthembela kwakhe kuZimu. Ngibuphi ubujamo obamrholela esiphethweni esizwisisekakwesi? Nekabona ukuthula kwabantu abambi, ekuthomeni umrhubi wazizwa kabuhlungu ehliziyweni. Walila wathi: “Kube lilize kobana ngihlambulule ihliziywami, ngahlamba izandla zami ngimsulwa.” (Rhu. 73:2, 3, 13, 21) Nokho, nakangena ‘ngethempelini lakaZimu,’ waba sendaweni eyamsiza bona alungise ukucabanga kwakhe begodu ahlale aseduze noZimu. (Rhu. 73:16-18) Okuhlangabezanwenakhoku kwafundisa indoda esaba uZimu leyo isifundo esiqakathekileko: Ukuba hlangana nabantu bakaZimu, ukwamukela iseluleko, nokusisebenzisa kurholela ebuhlotjeni obuseduze noJehova.—Rhu. 73:24.

² Nathi ngokufanako sifisa ukuba nobuhlobo obutjhidelene noZimu wamambala nophilako. Bona sifikelele umnqopho lo, kuqakathekile ukuvumela iseluleko namkha isiyalo sakhe sisibumbe, ukwenzela bona sibe babantu abamthabisako! Eenkhathini ezidlulileko, ngomusa uZimu wanikela abantu ngabanye neentjhaba amathuba wokusabela esiyalweni sakhe. Ukulandisa kwendlela abasabela ngayo kutlolwe eBhayibhelini “ukusifundisa” ‘nokusiyelelisa thina esele sifikelwe kuphela kweenkhathi.’ (Rom. 15:4; 1 Kor. 10:11) Ukuhlolisisa ukulandisokhu ngokudephileko kuzosipha ilwazi ngobuntu bakaJehova nokobana singazuza njani ekubunjweni nguye.

3. Ku-Isaya 64:8 nakuJoromiya 18:1-6, lifaniswe njani igunya lakaJehova ebantwini? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni kwesihloko.)

³ Ahlathulula ngokomfanekiso igunya lakaJehova  ebantwini ngabanye neentjhabeni, u-Isaya 64:8 uthi: ‘Nokho [uJehova], unguBabethu. Thina simdaka, wena uMbumbi wethu simsebenzi wezandla zakho soke nje.’ Umbumbi unegunya elizeleko lokubumba umdaka ube lihlobo lesitja asifunako. Umdaka angekhe wazikhethela endabeni le. Kunjalo ngabantu noZimu. Umuntu akanalungelo lokuphikisana noZimu njengombana nomdaka ungekhe waphikisana nombumbi wawo.—Funda uJoromiya 18:1-6.

4. Inga-kghani uJehova uzenzela umathanda nekabumba abantu nofana iintjhaba? Hlathulula.

⁴ Ngama-Israyeli wekadeni, uJehova watjengisa ikghono lakhe lokwenza njengombana umbumbi enza ngomdaka. Kodwana kunomahluko omkhulu. Umbumbi angenza nanyana ngimuphi umhlobo wesitja angakghona ukusenza ngomdaka. Inga-kghani uJehova uzenzela umathanda abumbe abantu namtjhana iintjhaba, enze abanye babe bahle begodu enze abanye babe bambi? Ipendulo yeBhayibheli ngu-awa. UJehova unikele abantu isipho esiligugu—isipho sekululeko yokuzikhethela. Akasebenzisi igunya lakhe njengombusi ngendlela ezokwenza isiphweso singasasebenzi. Abantu kufuze bazikhethele ukubunjwa nguJehova, umBumbi.—Funda uJoromiya 18:7-10.

5. Abantu nabala ukubunjwa nguJehova, ulisebenzisa njani igunya lakhe kibo?

⁵ Kuthiwani nengabe ngekani abantu bayala ukubunjwa Mbumbi Omkhulu? UZimu ulisebenzisa njani-ke igunya lakhe nekunjalo? Cabanga bona kwenzekani ngomdaka newungasafanelekeli umsebenzi ebekufuze uwenze. Umbumbi angenza elinye ihlobo lesitja ngomdaka loyo nofana amane awulahle. Umdaka newungasasebenzisekiko, uqinile, ngokujayelekileko yiphoso yoMbumbi. Akwenzeki lokho ngoMbumbethu. (Dut. 32:4) Umuntu nekalako ukubunjwa nguJehova, mumuntu loyo onephoso. UJehova usebenzisa igunya lakhe njengombumbi ebantwini ngokutjhugulula indlela asebenzelana ngayo nabo kuye ngokuthi basabela njani ekubunjweni nguye. Labo abasabela kuhle babunjwa ngendlela ezuzisako. Ngokwesibonelo, amaKrestu azesiweko ‘azizitja zomusa’ ezibunjwe zaba ‘zizitja ezikhethekileko.’ Ngakelinye ihlangothi, labo ngekani abaphikisa uZimu bagcina ‘bazizitja ezibekelwe ukubhujiswa.’—Rom. 9:19-23.

6, 7. IKosi uDavide neKosi uSawula bahluke njani endleleni abasabela ngayo eselulekweni sakaJehova?

 ⁶ Enye indlela uJehova abumba ngayo abantu kusebenzisa iseluleko namkha isiyalo. Singabona ukuthi ulisebenzisa njani igunya lakhe kilabo ababumbako ngokucabangela amakhosi amabili wakwa-Israyeli—uSawula noDavide. Lokha iKosi uDavide iphinga noBhathi-Tjheba, izenzo zayo zaba nomphumela obuhlungu kiyo nakwabanye. Ngitjho nanyana uDavide bekayiKosi, uJehova akhenge ahlale angamnikeli isiyalo esiqinileko. UZimu wathumela umphorofidakhe uNathani kuDavide nomlayezo onamandla. (2 Sam. 12:1-12) Wasabela njani uDavide? Wathinteka ehliziyweni watjhuguluka. UDavide wafumana umusa kaZimu.—Funda 2 Samyela 12:13.

 ⁷ Ngokuphambene nalokho, owalandelwa nguDavide esikhundleni, iKosi uSawula, khenge asabele kuhle eselulekweni. UJehova wanikela uSawula umyalo onqophileko ngomphorofidi uSamyela: Tjhabalalisa woke ama-Amalekhi nefuyo yawo. USawula khenge awulalele umyalo kaZimu lo. Zange ambulale u-Agagi, ikosi, wababalela nefuyo engehle khulu. Kubayini? Ngokwengcenye kungombana bekafuna ukuzilethela idumo. (1 Sam. 15:1-3, 7-9, 12) Nekalulekwako, uSawula bekufuze athambise ihliziywakhe, avumele ukubunjwa Mbumbi Omkhulu. Kunalokho, uSawula wala ukubunjwa. Wabeka amabanga ngokuziphatha kwakhe. Wathi akwenzileko bekuvumelekile ngombana ifuyo leyo beyingasetjenziselwa ukwenza iminikelo, begodu wasithathela phasi iseluleko sakaSamyela. UJehova wamlahla uSawula  njengekosi, begodu uSawula khenge asaba nobuhlobo obuhle noZimu weqiniso.—Funda 1 Samyela 15:13-15, 20-23.

8. Singafundani endleleni isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli esasabela ngayo ekubunjweni nguJehova?

⁸ UJehova akanikeli kwaphela abantu ngabanye ithuba lokusabela ekubunjweni nguye kodwana unikela neentjhaba. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, batjhatjhululwa ebugqilini eGibhide, bangena ebuhlotjeni besivumelwano noZimu. U-Israyeli bekasitjhaba sakhe esikhethiweko begodu bekanelungelo lokubunjwa nguye, njengokungathi usevilini lokubumba loMbumbi Omkhulu. Nanyana kunjalo, abantu bebasolo benza izinto ezimbi emehlweni kaJehova, bebalotjha abosingazimu beentjhaba ezibabhodileko. UJehova wathumela abaphorofidi amahlandla amanengi ukuwasiza bona aqaquluke, kodwana ama-Israyeli akhenge alalele. (Jor. 35:12-15) Ngokuba nekani kwakhe, u-Israyeli kwatlhogeka bona ayalwe kabuhlungu. Njengesitja esifanelekela ukutjhatjalaliswa, umbuso weentjhaba zetlhagwini ezilitjhumi wahlulwa ma-Asiriya nombuso wesewula weentjhaba eembili kwenziwa okufanako ngawo ngebeBhabhiloni. Qala bona leso sifundo esinamandla kangangani ekufuze sisifunde! Ukubunjwa nguJehova kungasisiza kwaphela nesisabela kuhle kikho.

9, 10. Abantu beNiniva basabela njani eselulekweni sakaZimu?

⁹ Godu uJehova wanikela abantu behlokodorobha ye-Asiriya iNiniva ithuba lokusabela esiyelelisweni sakhe. Ilizwi lakhe lazwakala  kuJona, lithi: “Khuphuka uye edorobheni elikhulu iNiniva, ufike ubakhalime ngombana ubukhohlakali babo sele benyuke bebafike phambi kwami.” INiniva belikufanelekela kuhle ukutjhatjalaliswa.—Jona 1:1, 2; 3:1-4.

¹⁰ Nokho, uJona nekamemezela umlayezo wokutjhatjalaliswa kwalo, “amadoda weNiniva akholwa kuZimu. Abeka ilanga lokuzila ukudla kusukela komkhulu kuya komncani ambatha iinzilo.” Ikosawo yasikima “esihlalweni sayo, yahlubula iingubo zayo zobukhosi, yazibhibha ngomgodla yahlala phasi ebhudwini.” Abantu beNiniva basabela emizamweni kaJehova yokubabumba, batjhuguluka. Ngalokho, uJehova akhenge abangele ihlekelele.—Jona 3:5-10.

11. Ngiyiphi ifanelo kaJehova ebonakala ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe no-Israyeli neNiniva?

¹¹ Ukuba sitjhaba esikhethiweko khenge kwenze ama-Israyeli angasifumani isiyalo. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, abantu beNiniva bebangekho ebuhlotjeni besivumelwano noZimu. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova wenza bona umlayezwakhe wesahlulelo umenyezelwe kibo begodu batjengiswe umusa nebaziveza banjengomdaka othambileko ezandleni zakhe. Qala bona iimbonelo eembilezi zikutjengisa ngokukhanya kangangani ukuthi uJehova uZimethu ‘akenzi izinto ngokukhetha ibala’!—Dut. 10:17.

12, 13. (a) Kubayini uZimu atjhentjha ikambwakhe lokha abantu ngabanye nebasabela ekubunjweni nguye? (b) ‘Ukuzisola’ kwakaJehova kwatjho ukuthini endabeni kaSawula? yeNiniva?

¹² Indlela uJehova azimisele ngayo ukusibumba itjengisa bona uyabonelela begodu ukhambisana nobujamo. Lokho kuyabonakala ebujamweni lapho uJehova azimisele ukuthatha igadango ngokusekelwe esahlulelweni sakhe esinobulungiswa kodwana ngemva kwalokho atjhentjhe umkhumbulwakhe ngebanga lokusabela kwabantu. ImiTlolo ithi malungana nekosi yokuthoma yakwa-Israyeli uJehova ‘wazisola ngokobana wambekelani uSawula njengekosi.’ (1 Sam. 15:11) Abantu beNiniva nebaphendukako begodu batjhuguluka eendleleni zabo ezimbi, iBhayibheli ithi: “UZimu wabona izenzo zabo, nangendlela baphenduke ngayo ebukhohlakalini babo, wabarhawukela [wazisola, NW] azange asababhubhisa njengombana agade atjhwile.”—Jona 3:10.

¹³ Ibizo lesiHebheru elitjhugululwe ngokuthi ‘ukuzisola’ kuhlekuhle lihlobana nokutjhugulula indlela yokucabanga nofana ihloso. Indlela kaJehova yokucabanga malungana noSawula yatjhentjha kusukela ekumbekeni njengekosi kuya ekumlahleni. Itjhentjho le akhenge ivezwe kukobana uJehova wenza iphoso ekukhetheni uSawula, kodwana ngombana uSawula wenza ngokungabi nekholo begodu akhenge alalele. UZimu weqiniso wazisola malungana namaNiniva, okutjho ukuthi, watjhentjha ihloswakhe ngokuphathelene nawo. Qala bona kududuza kangangani ukwazi bona uJehova, uMbumbi wethu, uyabonelela begodu ukhambisana nobujamo, unomusa, uzimisele nokutjhentjha ikambo yakhe ngokusekelwe ematjhugulukweni umuntu owonako awenzako!

14. (a) UJehova usibumba njani namhlanjesi? (b) Kufuze sisabele njani ekubunjweni nguZimu?

¹⁴ Ngokuyihloko uJehova namhlanjesi usibumba ngeLizwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, nangehlanganwakhe. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Akukafuzi na silalele nanyana ngisiphi iseluleko namtjhana isiyalo esisifumana ngamalungiselelo la? Kungakhathaliseki bona sesinesikhathi eside kangangani sibhabhadisiwe namtjhana angangani amalungelo wekonzo esinawo, kufuze siragele phambili sisabela eselulekweni sakaJehova, sisivumele sisibumbe ekubeni zizitja ezisetjenziselwa izinto ezihloniphekileko.

15, 16. (a) Ngimaphi amazizo angakafaneli angavela lokha ukuyalwa kubandakanya ukulahlekelwa malungelo? Nikela isibonelo. (b) Yini engasisiza bona siqalane namazizo angakafaneli malungana nesiyalo?

 ¹⁵ Esinye isiyalo singeza kithi njengesinqophiso nofana ukulungiswa. Nokho, ngezinye iinkhathi singasitlhoga isiyalo ngombana singakenzi okulungileko. Isiyalo esinjalo singahlanganisa ukulahlekelwa malungelo. Cabangela isibonelo sakaDennis * ogade akhonza njengomdala. Wenza ukungakalungi ngebanga lokwahlulela okubogabogako eendabeni zamabhizinisi, begodu wasolwa erhorhomejeni. UDennis wazizwa njani ngobusuku okwamenyezelwa ngabo ebandleni bona akasakhonzi njengomdala? Uthi, “Ngazizwa ngisihluleki esikhulu. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-30 edlulileko, ngaba namalungelo amanengi. Bengiliphayona lesikhathi esizeleko, ngakhonza eBethel, ngaba yinceku ekhonzako begodu ngaba mdala. Godu bengisand’ ukunikela ikulumwami yokuthoma emhlanganweni wesigodi. Ngokuphazima kwelihlo, bengingasenalitho. Ngaphandle kokuzizwa ngineenhloni begodu ngihlazekile, ngacabanga bona angisenandawo ehlanganweni.”

¹⁶ UDennis kwatlhogeka atjhentjhe ikambwakhe, atjhuguluke ekwenzeni umtjhapho owenza kwatlhogeka bona alungiswe. Kodwana yini eyamsiza bona aqalane namazizo angakafaneli? Uyahlathulula: “Bengizimisele ukubulunga imikghwa emihle engokomoya. Okhunye ebekuqakathekile lisekelo engalifumana ebuzalwaneni bobuKrestu neenkhuthazo engazifumana eencwadini zethu. Isihloko esithi, ‘Ingabe Wake Wakhonza? Ungaphinde Yini Ukhonze?’ esiku-Sithalasokulinda saka-Arhostosi 15, 2009, besinjengencwadi etlolelwe mina mathupha ephendula imithandazwami. Iseluleko engasithanda khulu, bekungesithi, ‘Nawungakabi nemithwalo yefanelo engezelelekileko ebandleni, dzimelela ekwakheni ingokomoya lakho.’” UDennis wazuza njani eselulekwenesi? Ngemva kweminyaka ethileko, uthi, “UJehova wangibusisa godu ngelungelo lokukhonza njengenceku ekhonzako.”

17. Ngiyiphi indima engadlalwa kususwa ekuhlanganyeleni ekululameni kwesoni? Nikela isibonelo.

¹⁷ Ukususwa ekuhlanganyeleni ngesinye isiyalo esivela kuJehova. Kuvikela ibandla bona lingangenwa mimikghwa emimbi begodu kungadlala indima ekululameni kwesoni. (1 Kor. 5:6, 7, 11) URobert wasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni iminyaka epheze ibe-16, hlangana nesikhatheso ababelethi bakhe nabantwana bekhabo badzimelela ngokuthembeka ekusebenziseni isinqophiso seLizwi lakaZimu sokungazihlanganisi nabantu abenza izinto ezimbi, singabalotjhisi nokubalotjhisa abantu abanjalo. Nje uRobert sekaneminyaka embalwa abuyiselwe ekuhlanganyeleni begodu uraga kuhle ngokomoya. Nekabuzwa bona yini ayamtjhukumisela ukuthi abuyele kuJehova nebantwini bakhe ngemva kwesikhathi eside kangaka, wathi igadango elathathwa mndenakhe lamthinta. “Ngathana umndenami wazihlanganisa nami ngitjho nakancani, mhlamunye ubuze amavuko, itjhebiswano encani leyo beyizonganelisa begodu beyingakhandela isifiso sami sokuhlangana nabantu bakaZimu bona sibe sikhuthazo sokuthi ngibuyele kuJehova.”

18. Ngiliphi ihlobo lomdaka ekufuze sibe ngilo ezandleni zoMbumbi Omkhulu?

¹⁸ Kungenzeka singatlhogi iseluleko asifanako, kodwana sizozibonakalisa simdaka onjani ezandleni zoMbumbi Omkhulu? Sizokusabela njani nesiyalwako? Sizozibonakalisa sinjengoDavide nofana uSawula? UMbumbi Omkhulu unguBabethu. Ungalibali bona “[uJehova] uyamkhalima amthandako, njengobaba endodanenakhe ayithandako.” Ngalokho, ‘ungasali isiyalo [sakaJehova], begodu ungahloyi ukusolwa nguye.’—IzA. 3:11, 12.