1, 2. UBhiliyamu walinga njani ukulimaza ama-Israyeli?

UMTHIYI nakafuna ihlobo elithileko leemfesi uyazi ukuthi kufanele ajame ncangangakuphi. Uzokuthoma-ke alungise isithiyo sakhe kuhle, abe asiphosele ngemanzini bese ulinda ngesineke. Kuzokuthi ifesi ingabanjwa, uzoyiminyezela emlonyeni ayidosele ngaphandle msinyana.

² Nabantu bangathiywa ngendlela efanako. Ama-Israyeli nasekusele kancani angene enaRheni yesiThembiso, bekufuze athome ngokulinda emRhobeni wakwaMowabi. Kwathi kusesenjalo, ikosi yakwaMowabi yathembisa enye indoda ebizwa ngoBhiliyamu ukuthi nange ingathuwelelisa ama-Israyeli bekazoyibhadela imali ehle khulu. UBhiliyamu besele asazi isithiyo ebesingenza ama-Israyeli azithuwelelise ngokwawo. Isithiyweso sabetha poro emhlolweni. Wathumela abantazana bakwaMowabi ekampeni yama-Israyeli, nabafika lapho baganukejana namadodakhona.—Numeri 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; IsAmbulo 2:14.

3. Isithiyo sakaBhiliyamu sawabamba njani ama-Israyeli?

 ³ Isithiyo sakhe saphumelela na? Kunjalo. Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli “athoma ukungwadla namadodakazi wakwaMowabi.” Abe alotjha nabozinyana bakhona abanyenyisako, omunye wabo bekunguBhali wePewori. Umphumela wakhona waba buhlungu tle! Iinkulungwana zama-Israyeli zafa seziyiqale nje inaRha yesiThembiso.—Numeri 25:1-9.

4. Ngiliphi ibanga elenza ama-Israyeli ahlola?

⁴ Iwomakazi lama-Israyeli labanjwa sithiyo sakaBhiliyamu ngaliphi ibanga? Besele aziphathelwe marhamaru, akhohlwa yoke into uJehova awenzela yona. Ama-Israyeli bewaneenzathu ezinengi khulu zokuhlala athembekile kuZimu. Wawatjhaphulula ebugqileni beGibhida. Wawatlhogomela wabe wakhamba nawo abe ayokufika aphephile hlanu kwenaRha yesiThembiso. (Hebheru 3:12) Khonapho, akarwa kuganukejwa. Ngikho umpostoli uPowula athi, “Singenzi izenzo zomseme ezisisono, njengombana abanye babo bazenza, kwafa abantu.”—1 Korinte 10:8.

5, 6. Sifundani ngokwenzeka emRhobeni wakwaMowabi?

⁵ Iphasi elitjha selitjhidele khulu. Nathi sifana nama-Israyeli hlanu kwenaRha yesiThembiso. (1 Korinte 10:11) Iphasi esiphila kilweli namhlanjesi lihlanyiswa mabhayi ukudlula abantu bakwaMowabi. Nabantu bakaZimu bangaba bongazimbi lula entweni le. Soke nje sazi kuhle, asikho isithiyo sakaDeveli esiphumelela ukudlula zomseme.—Numeri 25:6, 14; 2 Korinte 2:11; Juda 4.

⁶ Akhesithi ngiyakhetha, ‘Kghani bengingakhetha ukuthatjiswa marhamaru isikhatjhana esincani  kunokuthi ngithatjiswe kuphila okungapheliko ephasini elitjha?’ Phela ukulalela imiyalo kaJehova kuqakathekile, ngikho kufuze ‘sibalekele ukwenza izenzo zomseme ezisisono.’—1 Korinte 6:18.

7, 8. Ziyintobani izenzo zomseme ezisisono? Begodu ziyingozi kangangani?

⁷ Ameswe sewaba yindlela yabantu yokuphila, kangangokuthi abantu abasawuboni umraro ngezinga abadelele ngalo imithetho kaJehova endabeni yamabhayi. IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ngezomseme ezisisono isuke itjho ukulalana kwabantu abangakatjhadi ngokomThetho, kube kulalana kweentabani, nokulala komuntu nesilwana. Kubuye kube kumunyana namkha ukukhothana izitho zobulili. Kuhlanganise nokulalana esidunwini, nokuphululana izitho zobulili.—Qala isiPhetho 23.

⁸ IBhayibheli ikubeka ebaleni, nangabe umuntu uraga nokwenza izenzo zomseme ezisisono angeze ahlala angathathelwa amagadango ebandleni. (1 Korinte 6:9; IsAmbulo 22:15) Akugcini lapho, umuntu oziphethe ngameswe uphelelwa kuzihlonipha angasathembi nabantu. Ungayaphi uyephi, iziga zihlala zinemiphumela emimbi. Kanengi umuntu uba nonembeza onecala, kungaba kuzithwala, imiraro yomtjhado, amalwelwe kunye nokufa. (Funda kwebeGalatiya 6:7, 8.) Nange umuntu angayihlalela phasi indaba le, angakghona ukubona nemiphumela yakhona. Mhlamunye angahlathuluka ayibalekele. Kodwana ngokujayelekileko okufika qangi emuntwini kufuna ukwanelisa iimfiso ezimbi, njengokubukela iinthombe ezisilapheleko.

9. Iinthombe ezisilapheleko ziyingozi ukufikaphi?

⁹ Iinthombe ezisilapheleko zenzelwe ukusivusela ikanuko. Indlela ezirhatjheke ngayo akukho lapho ungakhamba khona ungaziboni. Kungaba ku-Inthanethi, eencwadini, emvumeni, naku-tv. Abanengi bakholelwa ukuthi iinthombezi azinabungozi. Kodwana iqiniso kukuthi ziyingozi ngendlela edluleleko. Indlela ezingayo zenza umuntu aphilele umseme. Nasele usigqila sazo, ukuskomora kuba mumukghwakho, ngapha kube miraro yomtjhado bese kuphethe ngokutlhalana.—Roma 1:24-27; Efesu 4:19; qala isiPhetho 24.

10. Ikambiso efumaneka kuJakopo 1:14, 15 isisiza njani endabeni yokuziphatha ngameswe?

¹⁰ Kuqakathekile ukuzwisisa ukuthi iinthombezi zingakudosa njani. Umtlolo kaJakopo 1:14, 15, usiyelelisa ngokuthi: “Ngamunye ulingwa ngokudoswa nangokuyengwa yikanukwakhe. Nje-ke ikanuko nasele ivundile, ibeletha isono; isono nasele senziwe, siletha ukufa.” Yeke nawufikelwa mizindlo emimbi, ungasariyada lwisana nayo khonokho. Nakungenzeka ubone isithombe esivusa ikanuko susa amehlwakho msinyana. Ungacima ikhomphyuthako namkha utjhentjhe itjhaneli. Ungathomi uvumele iimfiso ezimbi ekuphileni kwakho, nakungasinjalo zingarhagala zigcine sezingasalawuleki.—Funda uMatewu 5:29, 30.

11. UJehova usisiza ngayiphi indlela nasivinjezelwe mizindlo emimbi?

¹¹ UJehova usazi ukudlula indlela esizazi ngayo. Wazi nokuthi isono sisilawula kangangani. Kodwana uyazi ukuthi singakghona ukuhlula iimfiso ezimbi.  Abuye athi: “Bulalani amalunga womzimbenu asephasini ngokuphathelene nezenzo zomseme ezisisono, ukusilaphala, iinkanuko zomseme ezingalawulwako, ikanuko elimazako, nokuba marhamaru, okukulotjha iinthombe.” (Kolose 3:5) UJehova ukwazi kuhle ukuthi akusilula ukwenza lokhu, ngikho ayana nathi ngesineke. (IRhubo 68:20) Omunye umzalwana osesemutjha wakhe wabanjwa sithiyo sokubukela iinthombe ezisilapheleko abuye askomore. Abangani bakhe esikolweni bebanganamraro nakancani ngezintwezi, kangangokuthi bebathi nawukhulako kufuze udlule lapho. Kodwana yena uthi: “Izintwezi zalimaza unembezami kangangokuthi ngagcina sengiphilela ubuhlola.” Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi wavuleka amehlo, uJehova wamsiza wakghona ukulwisana neemfiso zakhe. Nange unemizindlo eyonakeleko,  bawa uJehova akuphe “amandla angaphezu kajayelekileko,” ukwazi ukucabanga izinto ezivuthiweko.—2 Korinte 4:7; 1 Korinte 9:27.

12. Kubayini kufuze ‘seluse’ iinhliziyo zethu?

¹² USolomoni wathi: “Kikho koke okulondako yelusa khulu ihliziywakho, ngombana imuthombo wokuphila.” (IzAga 4:23) ‘Ihliziyo’ ingilokho esingikho ngaphakathi, umuntu obonwa nguJehova kwaphela. Izinto esizibukelako zingaba nomthelela kithi. NoJobho wathi: “Ngenze isivumelwano namehlwami, kobana ngingaqali itlawu ngokulikhanukela.” (Jobho 31:1) Nathi-ke kufuze simlingise ngokulawula esikubonako nesikucabangako. Nalokha nasithandazako singalingisa umrhubi nakathi: “Fulatheza amehlwami ekuqaleni ilize.”—IRhubo 119:37.

13. UDina wakhetha abangani abanjani?

¹³ Abangani bethu bangaba mthelela omumbi namkha omuhle kithi. Nawunganisene nabantu abalandela imilayo kaZimu bangaba mthelela nakuwe wenze okufanako. (IzAga 13:20; funda kwebe 1 Korinte 15:33.) Nawuqala into eyehlakalela uDina ukghona ukubona ukuthi kuqakatheke ngani ukukhetha abangani. Bekayindodakazi kaJakopo. Kutjho khona ukuthi wakhulela emndenini ebewulotjha uJehova. Bekumntazana oziphethe kuhle, wayona ngokutjhomana nabantazana bamaKanana ebebangamlotjhi uJehova. Abantu beKanana bebanombono ohlukileko ngamabhayi kunendlela yabantu bakaZimu, begodu bebadume ngeziga. (Levitikusi 18:6-25) Ngokutjhomana nabantazanaba uDina, wagcina selazana  nesokana elibizwa ngoTjhekemu. Isokaneli belisolo limrhalela. UTjhekemu lo ‘bekahlonitjhwa’ khulu emndeninakhe. Kodwana-ke bekangamthandi uJehova.—Genesisi 34:18, 19.

14. UDina wehlakalelwa yini?

¹⁴ Into eyenziwa nguTjhekemu kuDina beyamukelekile begodu ibonakala ingokwemvelo kuye. Wamrhalela njalo ‘wamthatha bewamgagadlhela.’ (Funda uGenesisi 34:1-4.) Ubugebengobu babangela umonakalo ongangani! UDina kunye nomndenakhe bavelelwa matlhuwo ngapha nangapha.—Genesisi 34:7, 25-31; Galatiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Khuyini engasihlakaniphisa?

¹⁵ Akusatlhogeki bonyana nathi sithome ngokungena emrarweni njengoDina, bese kukhona sivuleka amehlo sazi ukuthi iinkambiso zakaJehova zisilungele. Phela, “Okhambisana nabahlakaniphileko naye uyahlakanipha, kodwana odlhemadlhema neendlhadlha uyahlupheka.” (IzAga 13:20) Nawungahlala uyivulele amehlo indaba le, bewulwele nokuzwisisa ‘uzakulemuka ukulunga, nendlela elungileko,’ ubalekele ubuhlungu bangabomu.—IzAga 2:6-9; IRhubo 1:1-3.

¹⁶ Ukufunda iliZwi lakaZimu nokuthandaza, kuzosihlakaniphisa sikwazi ukwenza neenqunto ezivuthiweko. Sibuye silandele neenqophiso ezivela encekwini ethembekile nehlakaniphileko. (Matewu 24:45; Jakopo 1:5) Khona siyazi ukuthi sinesono begodu sibuthakathaka. (Joromiya 17:9) Akhesithi nangu umuntu ukuphephisa engozini yokuziphatha kumbi. Kghani uzokusolo uzama ukuzivikela namkha uzozithoba umukele isizo?—2 AmaKhosi 22:18, 19.

17. Iza nesibonelo esitjengisa ukuthi omunye umKrestu angasisiza njani?

 ¹⁷ Sinesibonelo nasi, nangu udade emsebenzini kunesokana elinande limnaka belimkhuphe. Isokaneli alimlotjhi uJehova, kodwana liyathandeka begodu linomusa. Omunye udade ababone, ngemva kwesikhathi alinge ukubonisana naye. Udade lo uzozizwa njani? Kghani uzokuzama ukuzivikela namkha uzokuthatha iseluleko? Kungenzeka udade umumuntu omthandako uJehova godu uzama nokwenza okulungileko. Kodwana nakakhamba nesokaneli usazibalekela na ‘izenzo zomseme ezisisono’ namkha ‘sekathembela ekwazini kwakhe’?—IzAga 22:3; 28:26; Matewu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. Hlathulula ukuthi uJosefa wakubalekela njani ukuziphatha kumbi?

¹⁸ UJosefa waba sigqila eGibhida nakasesemutjha. Umkamphathakhe qobe lilanga bekambawa ukuthi akhe alale naye. UJosefa bekazi ukuthi ukwenza lokho kumbi, ngombana bekathanda uJehova. Qobe lilanga umfazi lo nakalinga ukumyenga, uJosefa bekala. Ngebanga lokuthi bekasigqila bengeze akghona ukutjhiya umphathakhe. Ngelinye ilanga wabalekela “ngaphandle” lokha umkamphathakhe nakamkatelela ukuthi alale naye.—Funda uGenesisi 39:7-12.

¹⁹ Ngathana uJosefa bekahlala acabanga ngokuziphatha okumbi nomfazi lo, ubujamobu bebozokuba budisi. Ayikho into ebeyiqakatheke ukudlula ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. Watjela umfazi lo ukuthi: “Umphathami . . . akukho nokuncani angidime khona ngaphandle kwakho ngombana wena umkakhe. Alo-ke ngingakwenza njani ukukhohlakala okungako ngone kuZimu na?”—Genesisi 39:8, 9.

20. Sazi njani ukuthi uJehova wathatjiswa nguJosefa?

²⁰ Nanyana bekakude nomndenakhe wahlala athembekile begodu uJehova wambusisa ngokwenza njalo. (Genesisi 41:39-49) UJehova wathaba khulu ngebanga lokuthembeka kukaJosefa. (IzAga 27:11) Kungaba budisi ukubalekela ukuziphatha okumbi. Nanyana kunjalo, khumbula ukuthi uJehova: “Uthanda abazonde ubumbi, welusa amaphilo wabathembekileko bakhe, abahlenge esandleni seenkhohlakali.”—IRhubo 97:10.

21. Elinye isokana lamlingisa njani uJosefa?

²¹ Abantu bakaJehova qobe lilanga bazimisele ukutjengisa ukuthi ‘bazonde ubumbi’ ‘bathande ukulunga.’  (Amosi 5:15) Ungahlala uthembekile kuJehova nanyana ungangani. Elinye isokana khelaqalana nobujamo obalinga ukukholwa kwalo esikolweni. Omunye umntazana afunda naye wathi, nakangamsiza ngesifundo seembalo uzokulala naye. Alo-ke lenzani isokanelo? Lenza njengoJosefa. Lithi: “Ngasala khonokho isibawo somntazana loyo. Ngokuziphatha kwamokho ngavikela ukuzihlonipha nesithunzi sami.” Ubuhlungu behliziyo bulethwa kukuthi umuntu azivumele “ukuthatjiswe sisono kwesikhatjhana,” ngokuziphatha okumbi. (Hebheru 11:25) Kodwana ithabo lamambala lilethwa kulalela uJehova.—IzAga 10:22.

22, 23. UJehova angasisiza njani nasenze isono esihlahlathelisako?

²² Isilingo samambala esisetjenziswa nguSathana kukwenza izenzo zomseme ezisisono. Soke sibanayo imicabango engakalungi ngezinye iinkhathi. (Roma 7:21-25) UJehova uyakuzwisisa lokhu begodu “uyakhumbula bonyana silithuli nje.” (IRhubo 103:14) Kuthiwani lokha umKrestu nakenza isono esikhulu sokuziphatha kumbi? Kghani ithemba alisekho ebujamwenobo? Awa. Nakhisibe umuntu loyo uyazisola aphenduke, uJehova uzimisele ukumsiza ngombana “uyacolela.”—IRhubo 86:5; Jakopo 5:16; funda izAga 28:13.

²³ UJehova “waphana ngezipho ezibabantu.” Abadala bebandla bayasinakekela. (Efesu 4:8, 12; Jakopo 5:14, 15) UJehova ubasebenzisa ukuze basisize silungise ubuhlobo bethu naye.—IzAga 15:32.

24, 25. “Ubuhlakani” bungasisiza njani sibalekele ukuziphatha okumbi?

²⁴ Nasizakuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko, kufuze sizwisise ukuthi imilayo kaJehova isizuzisa njani. Asifuni ukufana nesokana elihlathululwe encwadini yezAga 7:6-23. Belinganabo “ubuhlakani,” ngikho labanjwa sithiyo sokwenza izenzo zomseme ezisisono. Ukuzwisisa kudlula ukuhlakanipha, kutjho ukuthi sizokuzwisisa indlela kaZimu yokucabanga besiphile ngayo. IBhayibheli nayo ithi: “Ozuza ubuhlakani, uthanda ipilwakhe nolonda ukuzwisisa ufumana okuhle.”—IzAga 19:8.

²⁵ Uyaqiniseka na ukuthi iinkambiso zakaZimu zilungile? Uyakholelwa na ukuthi nasizilandelako zingasilethela ithabo? (IRhubo 19:8-11; Isaya 48:17, 18) Nangabe awuqiniseki khumbula zoke izinto ezihle uJehova akwenzele zona. IBhayibheli ithi: “Yizwani benibone bonyana uSomnini muhle.” (IRhubo 34:9) Ngokwenza njalo uzomthanda khulu uZimu. Uzokuthanda izinto azithandako uhloye azihloyileko. Zalisa umkhumbulwakho ngezinto, eziliqiniso, nanyana ngiziphi izinto ezilungileko, nanyana ngiziphi izinto ezimsulwa, nanyana ngiziphi izinto ezithandekako, nanyana ngiziphi izinto okukhulunywa kuhle ngazo. (Filipi 4:8, 9) NjengoJosefa singazuza ekuhlakanipheni kwakaJehova.—Isaya 64:8.

26. Khuyini esizokucoca ngayo esihlokweni esilandelako?

²⁶ UJehova ufuna uthabele ukuphila kungakhathaliseki ukuthi utjhadile namkha awukatjhadi. Izahluko ezimbili ezilandelako zizosisiza siphumelelise imitjhadwethu.