1. Ngiyiphi itlhogeko abantu abanayo, begodu ngubani onganelisa itlhogeko leyo?

ABANTU bakutlhoga khulu ukuzizwa batjhidelene nabanye abantu. Abanye bathi “batjhidelena khulu nebathandanako namkha bajayelene khulu.” Ngokwemvelo, bona sibe nepilo ehle, siyabutlhoga ubuhlobo esinabo nomndeni nabangani abasithandako, abasamukelako nabazizwisisako. Nanyana kunjalo, uMuntu okufuze sakhe naye ubuhlobo obutjhideleneko Mbumbi wethu omKhulu.—UmTj. 12:1.

2. Khuyini uJehova asithembisa yona, kodwana kubayini abantu abanengi bangasikholwa isithembisweso?

² EliZwini lakhe uJehova usikhuthaza bona ‘sitjhidele’ kuye, nasenza njalo usithembisa ukuthi, “uzakutjhidela” kithi. (Jak. 4:8) Qala bona mamezwi akhuthaza kangangani la! Nokho, abantu abanengi bacabanga bona akunangqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uZimu ufuna ukutjhidela kibo; bacabanga bona abafanelekeli ukubandamela kuye nofana ukude khulu bona bangatjhidela kuye. Kghani ukutjhidela kuJehova kuyakghonakala na kwamambala?

3. Ngiliphi iqiniso okufuze silazi ngoJehova?

³ Iqiniso kukobana uJehova ‘akasikude ngitjho nakubani wethu’ omfunako; yeke kuyakghonakala ukumazi. (Funda IzEnzo 17:26, 27; IRhubo 145:18.) Umnqopho kaZimethu kukobana ngitjho nabantu abangakapheleli kufuze batjhidele kuye, ukulungele  begodu uzimisela nokubamukela ngomusa njengabangani bakhe. (Isa. 41:8; 55:6) Njengofakazi wokuzibonela, umrhubi watlola ngoJehova wathi: “Wena ozwa imithandazo, boke abantu beza kuwe. Uyathaba loyo okhetha ukumtjhideza hlanu kwakho.” (Rhu. 65:2, 4, NW) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okumalungana neKosi u-Asa yakwaJuda kusinikela isibonelo somuntu owatjhidela kuZimu, begodu kutjengisa indlela uJehova asabela ngayo. *

4. Ngisiphi isibonelo iKosi u-Asa eyasibekela abantu bakwaJuda?

⁴ IKosi u-Asa yatjengisa itjiseko emangalisako ngokukhulekela okuhlwengileko njengombana yaphelisa ubungwadla ethempelini nokulotjha iinthombe obekusele kudlangile enarheni. (1 Kho. 15:9-13) Inekululeko yokukhuluma, yakhuthaza abantu bona “bafune [uJehova, NW] uZimu waboyisemkhulu begodu balalele umthetho nomyalwakhe.” UJehova wabusisa iminyaka yokuthoma elitjhumi yokubusa kwaka-Asa ngokuthula okupheleleko. U-Asa wadumisa bani ngokuthulokho? Watjela abantu wathi: “Inarha le isese ngeyethu ngombana sifune [uJehova, NW] uZimethu. Iye, samfuna bewasipha nokuthula mahlangothi woke.” (2 Kron. 14:1-7) Funda lokho okwenzeka ngokulandelako.

5. Ngibuphi ubujamo obalinga u-Asa bona athembele kuZimu, begodu kwaba namuphi umphumela?

⁵ Akhe uzifake emanyathelweni ka-Asa. UZera omTopiya weza ukuzokuhlasela uJuda anamadoda ayi-1 000 000 neenkarana zepi ezima-300. (2 Kron. 14:8-10) Gade uzokusabela njani newubona ibutho elikhulu limatjhela embuswenakho? Amabuthwakho azi-580 000 kwaphela! Njengombana ibuthweli pheze lisibuyelela kabili isibalo samabuthwakho, kghani bewuzozibuza ukuthi kubayini uZimu avumela bona nihlaselwe libutho elingaka? Bona uqalane nobujamo oburhabako, kghani bewuzoburarula ngokuhlakanipha kwakho? Ukusabela kwaka-Asa kwatjengisa ukuthi bekamthemba uJehova begodu anobuhlobo obutjhideleneko naye. Ngokuthembeka wabawa wathi: “Nje-ke [Jehova, NW] Zimethu, sisize ngombana sithembele kuwe. Maye [Jehova, NW]! Kazi wena unguZimethu, ungavumeli bonyana umuntukazana andlondlobale ngaphezu kwakho.” UZimu wasabela njani esibaweni saka-Asa esisuka ehliziyweni? AmaTopiya “arabhalala, ngokubhujiswa [nguJehova, NW].” Akhenge kusinde ngitjho namunye webutho lenaba epini leyo.—2 Kron. 14:11-13.

6. Singamlingisa njani u-Asa?

⁶ Khuyini eyasiza u-Asa bona athembele ngokupheleleko esinqophisweni sakaZimu nevikelweni lakhe? IBhayibheli lithi, “U-Asa wenza okulungileko phambi [kwakaJehova, NW]” begodu ‘ihliziyo ka-Asa beyinamathele ngokupheleleko [kuJehova, NW] ipilwakhe yoke.’ (1 Kho. 15:11, 14) Nathi kufuze sikhonze uZimu ngehliziyo epheleleko. Kuqakathekile khulu bona senze njalo nasifuna ukuba nobuhlobo obuhle obuseduze naye nje nesikhathini esizako. Qala bona simthokoza kangangani uJehova ngokuthi uthathe igadango lokuthoma lokobana asidosele kuye nokobana asisize sakhe besilondoloze ubuhlobo obuseduze naye! Akhe sicabangela iindlela eembili uZimu asidosela ngayo kuye.

7. (a) Yini uJehova ayenzileko bona asidosele kuye? (b) Ngiyiphi indlela ezidlula zoke uZimu asidosele ngayo kuye?

⁷ UJehova watjengise ithando lakhe emndenini wabantu ngokusenzela ikhaya  lethu elihle eliliphasi. Usasitjengisa ithando lakhe ngokusekela ukuphila kwethu ngokudla nezinto ezisiphilisako. (IzE. 17:28; IsAm. 4:11) Okuqakatheke khulu, uJehova uqinisa ukukholwa kwethu. (Luk. 12:42) Godu uyasiqinisekisa bona uyasilalela nesithandaza kuye. (1 Jwa. 5:14) Nokho, indlela eqakatheke khulu uZimu asidosela ngayo kuye lithando alitjengise ngesihlengo. (Funda 1 Jwanisi 4:9, 10, 19.) UJehova wathumela ‘iNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa’ ephasini ukwenzela bona asitjhaphulule esonweni nekufeni.—Jwa. 3:16.

8, 9. UJesu udlale yiphi indima emnqophweni kaJehova?

⁸ UJehova wenze kwakghonakala ngitjho nebantwini abaphila ngaphambi kwesikhathi sakaKrestu bona bazuze esihlengwenesi. Kusukela ngesikhathi uJehova aphorofida ngomSindisi wabantu ozako, bekufana nokuthi isihlengo besele sibhadelwe ngokombonwakhe, ngombana bekazi bona umnqophwakhe angekhe uhlale ungaphumeleli. (Gen. 3:15) Ngemva kwamakhulu weminyaka, umpostoli uPowula wathokoza uZimu “ngokuhlengwa nguKrestu uJesu.” UPowula wangezelela ngokuthi: “Ngokubekezela kwakhe kobuZimu, azange abale izono ezenziwe phambilini.” (Rom. 3:21-26) Qala bona uJesu udlale indima eqakatheke kangangani ekudosweni kwethu nguZimu!

⁹ NguJesu kwaphela ongenza abantu abathobekileko bazi uJehova begodu bathabele ubuhlobo obutjhideleneko naye. ImiTlolo ilikhanyisa njani iqinisweli? UPowula watlola: “UZimu ubonise ithando lakhe kithi ngendlela yokobana sithe sisesezizoni, uKrestu wasifela.” (Rom. 5:6-8) Salungiselelwa umhlatjelo kaJesu wesihlengo ingasi ngebanga lokobana besinelungelo lokuwufumana, kodwana kungombana uZimu wasithanda khulu. UJesu wathi: “Akakho ongeza kimi nakube uBaba ongithumileko akamdoseli kimi.” Kesinye isenzakalo, wathi: “Akakho noyedwa ozakuya kuBaba ngaphandle kwami.” (Jwa. 6:44; 14:6) UJehova usebenzisa umoya ocwengileko bona adosele abantu kuye ngoJesu begodu abasize bahlale ethandweni lakhe banombono wokuphila ngokungapheliko. (Funda Juda 20, 21.) Nanyana kunjalo, cabanga ngenye indlela uJehova asidosela ngayo kuye.

10. Khuyini iBhayibheli elisifundisa khona okusisiza bona sitjhidele kuZimu?

¹⁰ Bekube nje esihlokwenesi, sesidzubhele imitlolo ehlukahlukeneko eencwadini zeBhayibheli ezili-14. Ngaphandle kweBhayibheli, besizokwazi njani bona singakghona ukutjhidela kuMbumbi wethu? Ngaphandle kwalo, besizokwazi na ukufunda ngesihlengo nangokudoselwa kwethu kuJehova ngoJesu? Ngomoyakhe ocwengileko, uJehova waphefumulela bona kutlolwe iBhayibheli, elisimbulela ubuntu bakhe obukarisako kuhlanganise neminqophwekhe emkhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ku-Eksodusi 34:6, 7, uJehova uzihlathulula ngokwakhe kuMosi ngokuthi “nguZimu onomusa nesirhawu, ubuthaka ekusilingekeni, uzele ukwethembeka neqiniso! Uhlala athembekile eenkulungwaneni ngeenkulungwana zeenzukulwana, ulibalela imilandu, imitjhapho nezono.” Ngubani ongekhe athande ukudoseleka emuntwini onje? UJehova uyazi bona nesifunda ngaye khulu emakhasini weBhayibhelini, uzokuba mumuntu wamambala kithi begodu sizozizwa sitjhidelene naye khulu.

11. Kubayini kufuze sizimisele ukufunda ngobuntu bakaZimu neendlela zakhe? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹¹ IHlathulula indlela esingafikelela ngayo ubuhlobo obutjhideleneko noZimu, esingenisweni sencwadi ethi, Sondela KuJehova ithi: “Kinanyana ngibuphi ubungani esibakhako, isibopho vane sisekelwe ekwazini umuntu loyo, ekuthandeni nokubona  ukuqakatheka kobuntu bakhe. Kuqakathekile ukufunda ubuntu bakaZimu neendlela zakhe njengombana zembuliwe eBhayibhelini.” Ngalokho-ke, qala bona simthokoza kangangani uJehova owenze bonyana iliZwi lakhe litlolwe ngendlela abantu abazolizwisisa ngayo!

12. Kubayini uJehova asebenzisa abantu bona batlole iBhayibheli?

¹² UJehova bekangasebenzisa iingilozi zitlole iBhayibheli. Sekusikhathi eside zinekareko kithi neemsebenzinethu. (1 Pit. 1:12) Akunakuzaza bona iingilozi bezingatlola umlayezo kaZimu oya ebantwini ngaphandle komtjhapho. Kghani bezizokubona izinto ngombono wabantu? Bezizokukghona na ukutjho iintlhogo zethu, ubuthakathaka bethu neminqophwethu? Awa, uJehova uyazi bona azinalemuko elingako ezintwenezo. Ngokuvumela abantu batlole iBhayibheli, uJehova walenza lafanelana nalokho esingikho. Singazwisisa ukucabanga namazizo wabatloli beBhayibheli nabanye okukhulunywe ngabo emiTlolweni. Sizwisisa ukudana kwabo, ukuzaza, ukusaba nokungapheleli kuhlanganise nokuthaba nokuphumelela kwabo. Ngokufana nomphorofidi u-Eliya, boke abatloli beBhayibheli ‘bebababantu abafana nathi.’—Jak. 5:17.

13. Umthandazo kaJona ukwenza bona uzizwe njani?

¹³ Ngokwesibonelo, akhe ucabange bona ingilozi beyizokudlulisela ngokupheleleko amazizo wakaJona nekabalekela isabelo asinikelwe nguZimu. Qala bona kwaba kuhle ngakangani uJehova nekasebenzisa uJona bona atlole umlandwakhe, kuhlanganise nomthandazwakhe wokuthembeka oya kuZimu awenza ekuzikeni kwelwandle! UJona wathi: “Lokha umoyami nawuphelelwa mamandla, ngakhumbula [uJehova, NW].”—Jona 1:3, 10; 2:1-9.

14. Kubayini ungakghona ukulandisa lokho u-Isaya akutlola ngaye ngokwakhe?

¹⁴ Cabanga nangalokho uJehova akwenza ku-Isaya bona atlole ngaye ngokwakhe.  Ngemva kokubona iphazimulo kaZimu, umphorofidi wathinteka bona akhulume ngokuba sisoni kwakhe: “Maye mina, ngiphelile! Ngimumuntu weembhena ezisilapheleko begodu ngihlala phakathi kwabantu abanemibono esilapheleko. Nanyana kunjalo amehlwami ayibonile iKosi, [uJehova, NW] uMninimandla woke!” (Isa. 6:5) Kghani ingilozi beyizokukghona ukudlulisela amezwi la? Kodwana u-Isaya bekangakghona, ukwenzile, begodu singazwisisa indlela azizwa ngayo.

15, 16. (a) Kubayini singakghona ukuzwisisa amazizo wabanye abantu? Nikela iimbonelo. (b) Khuyini ezosisiza bona sitjhidele kuJehova?

¹⁵ Kghani iingilozi bezingakghona ukutjho bona ‘zincani khulu’ namkha azifaneleki, njengombana kwatjho uJakopo, nofana ukuthi ‘zizizoni’ ngendlela uPitrosi azizwa ngayo? (Gen. 32:10; Luk. 5:8) Kghani ‘bezizokuthukwa,’ njengombana abafundi bakaJesu benza, namkha iingilozi ezilungilekwezi bekuzokutlhogeka bona ‘ziqalane nokuphikiswa okukhulu’ nezitjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi njengombana kwenza uPowula nabanye? (Jwa. 6:19; 1 Thes. 2:2) Awa, iingilozi ziphelele begodu zinamandla amakhulu ukudlula abantu. Nokho, abantu abanesono nebaveza amazizo afana nalowo, siwazwisisa msinyana amazizwabo ngombana nathi sifana nabo. Nesifunda iliZwi lakaZimu, kwamambala singakghona ‘ukuthaba kanye nalabo abathabileko, silile kanye nalabo abalilako.’—Rom. 12:15.

¹⁶ Nengabe sizindla ngalokho okutjhiwo yiBhayibheli ngokusebenzelana kwakaJehova neenceku zakhe ezithembekileko zangesikhathi esidlulileko, sizokufunda izinto ezinengi ezikarisako ngoZimethu, obekezelako begodu ngethando siyakghona ukutjhidelana nabantu abangakapheleli. Ngalokho sizomazi kuhle uJehova besimthande ngokudephileko. Ngebanga lalokho, sizokukghona ukutjhidela kuye.—Funda IRhubo 25:14.

17. (a) Ngisiphi isiluleko esihle u-Azariya asinikela u-Asa? (b) U-Asa wasala njani isiluleko saka-Azariya, begodu kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁷ Ngemva kobana iKosi u-Asa ithumbe ibutho leTopiya ngendlela erarako, umphorofidi kaZimu u-Azariya watjela abantu bakhe amezwi wokuhlakanipha. U-Azariya wathi: “[UJehova, NW] uzakuba nani nanizibandakanya naye. Nanifuna ubuso bakhe, uzanitjheja. Kodwana nanimfulathelako, naye uzanifulathela.” (2 Kron. 15:1, 2) Nokho, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, u-Asa wabhalelwa kulalela isiluleko esihlakaniphileko. Nekahlaselwa umbuso wetjingalanga wakwa-Israyeli, u-Asa wayokubawa isizo kumaSiriya. Kunokobana afune isizo godu kuJehova, wakha isikhozi nabantu abangamkhonziko uZimu. Ngokufaneleko, u-Asa watjelwa: “Wena-ke wenze ubudlhadlha. Nje-ke ukusuka gadesi uzakuphila ngepi.” Iminyaka eseleko yokubusa kwaka-Asa beyiragela phambili izele izipi ezingapheliko. (2 Kron. 16:1-9) Thina sifundani kilokhu?

18, 19. (a) Khuyini okufuze siyenze nengabe sivumela bona kukhule isikhala phakathi kwakaZimu nathi? (b) Singatjhidela njani kuJehova?

¹⁸ Akukafuzi sizitjhideze kude noJehova. Nengabe sivumela bona kukhule isikhala phakathi kwethu naye, kufuze senze ngokuvumelana namezwi akuHosiya 12:6 athi: “Ubuyele kuZimakho: Thembeka ubulunge imiyalwakhe; uthembele kuZimakho ngeenkhathi zoke.” Ngalokho, asitjhideleni kuJehova ngokutjengisa bona siyasithokoza isihlengo nangokuzimisela sifunde iliZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli.—Funda uDuteronomi 13:4

¹⁹ Umrhubi watlola wathi, “kuhle ukuba seduze noZimu.” (Rhu. 73:28) Kwanga soke singaragela phambili sifunda izinto ezitja ngoJehova nesenza njalo sizokuba namabanga amanengi wokumthanda. Nesitjhidela kuye, uJehova uzokutjhidela kithi nje nangokungapheliko!