1, 2. Ngisiphi isipho esiqakathekileko uJehova asiphe sona?

UJEHOVA uphe woke umuntu isipho esihle sokuphila. (Genesisi 1:27) Ufuna sikuthabele ukuphila. Yeke usiphe iinkambisolawulo ezisifundisa indlela yokuthatha iinqunto. Kufuze sizisebenzise ukwenzela bona sikwazi “ukuhlukanisa kokubili okuhle nokumbi.” (Hebheru 5:14) Nasenza soneso, sivumela uJehova asibandule bona sicabange ngendlela efaneleko. Nasisebenzisa iinkambisolawulo zakhe, lokho kuzosisiza sibone ukuthi ziqakatheke kangangani.

² Ngezinye iinkhathi siqalana nobudisi ekuphileni. Khekuvele ubujamo obungakatlolwa eBhayibhelini. Nasi isibonelo, ngezinye iinkhathi kungatlhogeka sithathe iinqunto malungana nendlela yokulatjhwa ebandakanya ukusetjenziswa kweengazi. Ebujamweni obunjalo, sizozenza njani iinqunto ezizokuthabisa uJehova? IBhayibheli lineenkambisolawulo ezisifundisa ngendlela uJehova akuqala ngakho ukuphila kubandakanye neengazi. Yeke nasizizwisisa kuhle iinkambisolawulwezi, lokho kuzosisiza sikghone ukuthatha iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko begodu sizokuba  nonembeza omuhle. (IzAga 2:6-11) Nje-ke, akhesidembe ezinye zeenkambisolawulwezo.

3, 4. (a) Uyini umbono kaZimu ngeengazi? (b) Iingazi zifanekisela ini?

³ IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi iingazi zicwengile ngombana zifanekisela ukuphila begodu ukuphila kuqakathekile kuJehova. Kwathi ngemva kobana uKhayini abulale umfowabo, uJehova wathi kuye: “Iingazi zomfowenu zingililela kangangani ehlabathini!” (Genesisi 4:10) Iingazi zaka-Abela bezifanekisela ukuphila kwakhe; uKhayini nakabulala u-Abela kuhlekuhle lokho bekutjho ukuthi uthethe ukuphila kwakhe.

⁴ Ngemva komThwalela emihleni kaNowa, uZimu watjela abantu bona bangayidla inyama. Kodwana nakhu akugandelela: “Akukameli nidle inyama eneengazi.” (Genesisi 9:4) Umlayo lo, usebenza kizozoke iinzukulwana zakaNowa kubandakanye nathi. UJehova wakubeka epepeneneni ukuthi iingazi zifanekisela ukuphila. Nathi kufuze sibe nombono kaZimu kilokhu.—IRhubo 36:10.

5, 6. UmThetho kaMosi wawuveza njani umbono kaJehova ngokuphila neengazi?

⁵ EmThethweni uJehova awunikela uMosi, wathi: ‘Nangabe umuntu . . . adla iingazi ngizakujamelana nomuntu loyo. Ngizamjuba ebantwini bekhabo. Ngombana ukuphila kwenyama kuseengazini.’—Levitikusi 17:10, 11.

⁶ UmThetho kaMosi bewuthi umuntu nakabulala isilwana bona asidle, bekufuze athululele iingazi zaso ehlabathini. Lokhu bekutjengisa ukuthi ukuphila  kwesilwana kubuyele kuMbumbaso, uJehova. (Duteronomi 12:16; Hezekiyeli 18:4) Kodwana uJehova bekangakalindeli ama-Israyeli athathe amagadango angaka nawakhipha iingazi esilwaneni. Bekufuze enze koke ukuqiniseka bona iingazi ziphumile. Lokho bekuzowasiza adle inyama ngonembeza ohlanzekileko. Ngokuhlonipha iingazi zesilwana, lokho bekutjengisa ukuthi ahlonipha uMuphi wokuphila uJehova. Godu umThetho walayela ama-Israyeli bona enze imihlatjelo yeenlwana, ukwenzela bona kusulwe izono.—Qala isiPhetho 19 no 20.

7. UDavida watjengisa njani bona uhlonipha iingazi?

⁷ Ukuqakatheka kweengazi sikubona nakilokho okwenziwa nguDavida nakalwa namaFilisti. Amadoda ebekakhamba noDavida abona ukuthi womile, yeke angena enarheni eyingozi khulu abeka ukuphila kwawo engozini bona amkhelele amanzi. Kodwana nasele anikela uDavida amanzi lawo, akhenge awafune “wawathulula phambi kwakaSomnini.” Wathi: “Angeze bengithome! Kuzakuba ngathi ngisela iingazi zabantu abadele ukuphila kwabo.” UDavida bekazwisisa ukuthi ukuphila kubandakanye neengazi, kuqakatheke kangangani kuZimu.—2 Samyela 23:15-17.

8, 9. AmaKrestu kufuze aziqale njani iingazi?

⁸ Nakusaphila amaKrestu wokuthoma, abantu bakaZimu bebangasayenzi imihlatjelo yeenlwana. Nanyana kunjalo, bekusatlhogeka ukuthi babe nombono ofaneleko ngeengazi. ‘Ukutjhida . . . eengazini,’ bekuhlangana nemiThetho uJehova ebekafuna amaKrestu ayilandele. Lokhu bekufana ntse nokubalekela ukuziphatha kumbi namkha ukulotjha iinthombe.—IzEnzo 15:28, 29.

 ⁹ Nanamhlanjesi kwenziwa soneso. Thina maKrestu sazi kuhle ukuthi uJehova umThombo wokuphila nokuthi ukuphila ngekwakhe. Godu siyalemuka ukuthi iingazi zicwengile begodu zifanekisela ukuphila. Ngalokho, silwela ukucabanga ngeenkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli nasenza nanyana ngisiphi isiqunto esihlanganisa ukulatjhwa okubandakanya iingazi.

10, 11. (a) AboFakazi bakaJehova bayiqala njani indaba yokuthelwa kweengazi zingakahlukaniswa nalokha sezihlukaniswe zaba ziingcenye ezine? (b) Omunye nomunye umKrestu kufuze aqunte njani?

¹⁰ AboFakazi bakaJehova bayizwisisa kuhle indaba ‘yokutjhida . . . eengazini,’ ukuthi ayitjho ukumane uzidle namkha uzisele. Kodwana kuhlanganisa nokungavumi ukufakelwa iingazi, ukunikela ngazo, ngitjho nokukhupha zethu bese sizibuyisele ngemva kwesikhathi. Kubuye kuhlanganise nokufakelwa iingcenye zazo ezine okuma-red cells, amaseli athumela ummoya ohlanzekileko emzimbeni, ama-white cells, avikela umzimba emalwelweni, ama-platelets, amaseli enza iingazi zibumbe ihlwili ne-plasma, eyingcenye yeengazi ezimamanzi.

¹¹ Iingcenye ezinezi zingahlukaniswa zibe ziingcenyana ezincani zeengazi. Indaba le itjhiyelwa komunye nomunye umKrestu bone kube nguye okhethako ukuthi uzokwamukela ukufakwa iingenyanezo na. Lokhu kusebenza nalokha iingcenyanezi zithathwe eengazini zakho ngokwakho. Umuntu ngamunye kufuze atjho ukuthi iingazi zakhe zisetjenziswe njani endabeni yokuhlinzwa, lokha nakuhlolwa ukuthi ngikuphi okumphetheko, namkha ngimaphi amalwele anawo.—Qala isiPhetho 21.

12. (a) Yini eyenza iinqunto esizithatha ngebanga lakanembezethu ziqakatheke kangaka kuJehova? (b) Singaqunta njani ngokuhlakanipha malungana nezokwelapha?

 ¹² UJehova unendaba na nendlela esiqunta ngayo ngebanga labonembeza bethu? Kunjalo. UJehova uyakuthanda ukwazi esikucabangako nokuthi sihloseni. (Funda IzAga 17:3; 24:12.) Nakunjalo-ke, nasenza iinqunto eziphathelene nezokwelatjhwa, kufuze sithandaze uJehova azokwazi ukusinqophisa besihlolisise neendlela esizokulatjhwa ngazo. Ngemva kwalokho, sizokusebenzisa unembezethu obandulwe yiBhayibheli, bese sithatha igadango. Singathomi sibuze abanye abantu ukuthi thana bekungibo abasebujamweni bethu bebazokwenza njani? Akukafaneli nokuthi bazame ukusikhethisa. “Omunye nomunye uzozithwalela umthwalwakhe.”—Galatiya 6:5; Roma 14:12.

13. Sifundani emthethweni kaJehova kunye neenkambiswenilawulo zakhe malungana neengazi?

¹³ Nanyana yini uJehova asibawa yona izuzisa thina. Ibuye itjengise ukuthi usithanda ukufikela kuphi. (IRhubo 19:7-11) Asimlaleli nganingoba sizuza, kodwana simlaleliswa kukuthi siyamthanda. Ngikho siyibalekela nendaba yokuthelwa iingazi, ngebanga lokuthi iyasivikela. (IzEnzo 15:20) Abantu abanengi namhlanje sebayazi ukuthi ukuthelwa iingazi kuyingozi kangangani. Nabodorhodere bayavuma ukuthi ukuhlinzwa ngaphandle kokuthelwa iingazi kuvikela ipilo yeengulani. Sekuyakhanya ukuthi iindlela zakaJehova zihlakaniphile begodu zilawulwa lithando.—Funda Isaya 55:9; Jwanisi 14:21, 23.

14, 15. (a) Ngimiphi imithetho uJehova avikela ngayo abantu bakhe? (b) Ungazisebenzisa njani iinkambisolawulo ezikhambisana nemithetho?

 ¹⁴ Kusukela ekadeni, imithetho kaZimu beyisole ibazuzisa abantu bakhe. UJehova wanikela ama-Israyeli imithetho ebeyibavikela eengozini ezikulu. Sinesibonelo nasi, omunye wemithetho bewuthi nange umninimuzi akha indlu enombundu, kufuze ayakhele nesirhodlo ukwenzela ukuthi kungalimali muntu. (Duteronomi 22:8) Omunye umthetho bewukhuluma ngeenlwana. Nange umuntu afuye ikunzi engalawulekiko, bekufuze aqiniseke ukuthi uyitlhogomela kuhle ukwenzela bonyana kungabi nofako. (Eksodusi 21:28, 29) Nakungenzeka ama-Israyeli ahlulwe kulalela imithetho leyo, bewazoyithwalela nange kuba khona umuntu ofako.

¹⁵ Imithetho le isenza sibone ukuthi ukuphila kuligugu kangangani kuJehova. Alo, thina kusithinta njani? Kufanele nathi sikutjengise endleleni esitlhogomela ngayo amakhaya, iinkoloyi zethu, nasikhetha zokuzilibazisa nendleleni esitjhayela ngayo. Inengi labantu abatjha aliyithatheli ehloko indaba le, kangangokuthi abakuboni okumbi ezintweni eziyingozi. Kodwana leyo akusiyo indlela uJehova afisa siziphathe ngayo. Ufuna sihloniphe ukuphila komuntu woke, ngitjho nokwethu imbala.—UMtjhumayeli 11:9, 10.

16. UJehova uzizwa njani ngokurhulula umbungu?

¹⁶ Ukuphila kutjho into ekulu kuJehova. Ngitjho nombungu ongakabelethwa imbala. UmThetho kaZimu bewuthi, nange kwenzeka umfazi ozithweleko avelelwe yingozi, afe namkha kuhlongakale umntwanakhe, umuntu obangele umonakalo loyo uJehova  bekambeka icala lokubulala. Ngitjho nanyana into leyo beyenzeke ngephoso, umuntu loyo bekufuze abhadale ngepilwakhe. (Funda Eksodusi 21:22, 23.) KuZimu umntwana ongakabi ukubelethwa ufana ntse nomuntu ophilako. Alo ucabanga ukuthi uzizwa njani ngokurhululwa kwemibungu engaka qobe mnyaka?

17. Umfazi owakhe warhulula umbungu ngaphambi kokuthi azi ngoJehova, angaduduzwa yini?

¹⁷ Kuthiwani nange umfazi arhulula umbungu ngaphambi kokuthi azi ukuthi uJehova uzizwa njani ngalokho? Kufuze aqiniseke ukuthi uJehova angamlibalela ngebanga lesihlengo sakaJesu. (Lukasi 5:32; Efesu 1:7) Akusena sidingo sokuthi asole asuhleka ngebanga lomtjhapho awenza kade, ngebanga lokuthi sekaphendukile. “USomnini unomusa nesirhawu . . . Njengepumalanga idedelene netjingalanga, ngokunjalo ususa iimphambeko zethu kithi.”—IRhubo 103:8-14.

18. Kubayini kufuze sisebenze budisi sisiphulane nemizindlo emimbi ngabanye abantu?

¹⁸ Ukuhlonipha isipho sakaZimu esikuphila kusuka ngaphakathi eenhliziyweni zethu. Kukhambisana nokuthi uzizwa njani ngabanye abantu. Umpostoli uJwanisi wathi: “Woke umuntu ohloya umfowabo umbulali.” (1 Jwanisi 3:15) Into le yenzeka ngokuphazima kwelihlo. Kuthi kusesekuhle uzithole sewuhloye umntwabantu, kungagcini lapho uthome umdelele, umthomelele ngamala kangangokuthi ugcine sewumfisela nokuthi angafa. Kodwana uJehova wazi kuhle ukuthi sizizwa njani ngabanye abantu. (Levitikusi 19:16; Duteronomi 19:18-21; Matewu 5:22) Nange  wazi ukuthi kunomuntu omzondako, kusafuze usebenze budisi usiphule imizindlo emimbi leyo ngaye.—Jakopo 1:14, 15; 4:1-3.

19. UJehova uzizwa njani ngenturhu begodu thina sithinteka njani?

¹⁹ Kunenye godu indlela esingatjengisa ngayo ukuthi ipilo siyihlonipha ukufikaphi. IRhubo 11:5 lithi uJehova, “uyamnyenya othanda inturhu.” Nange sikhetha zokuzilibazisa ezigcwele inturhu, sisuke sikubeka ebaleni ukuthi nathi sibabantu benturhu. Angeze wahlobisa ngeenthombe ezinenturhu namkha ukhulume amezwi ahlahlathelisako ekubeni awuzithandi izintwezo. Ngikho silwela ukuzalisa iingqondo zethu ngezinto ezihlwengileko nemizindlo eyakhako.—Funda Filipi 4:8, 9.

20-22. (a) UJehova uliqala njani iphasi lakaSathaneli? (b) Abantu bakaZimu bangatjengisa njani ukuthi “abasiyingcenye yephasi”?

²⁰ Iphasi lakaSathaneli aliyihloniphi ipilo, ngalokho-ke uJehova uliqala njengelinomlandu wokuphalaza iingazi. Iinhlangano zepolotiki zibangele ukufa kwabantu abanengi kuhlanganise nabakhulekeli bakaJehova. Nalikhuluma ngemibuso neenhlanganwezi iBhayibheli liyifanisa nesibandana esiyingozi. (Danyela 8:3, 4, 20-22; IsAmbulo 13:1, 2, 7, 8) Irhwebo leenkhali ngilo elenza inzuzo enengi khulu ephasini esiphila kilweli. Kuyakhanya ukuthi, “iphasi loke lisemandleni womumbi.”—1 Jwanisi 5:19.

²¹ AmaKrestu weqiniso ‘awasiyingcenye yephasi.’ Nabantu abalotjha uJehova abathathi hlangothi kezepi nepolotikini. Njengombana bangabulali abazisekeli neenhlangano ezibulala abantu. (Jwanisi 15:19; 17: 16) Ngitjho nanyana ahlunguphazwa, amaKrestu awazibuyiseleli ngenturhu, njengombana noJesu athi kufanele sithande amanabethu.—Matewu 5:44; Roma 12:17-21.

²² Enanini labantu ababuleweko kufumaniseka ukuthi namasondo anesandla ekubulawenokho. Nalikhuluma ngeBhabhiloni eliKhulu umbuso wekolo yamala, iBhayibheli lithi: “Kilo kufumaneke iingazi zabaphorofidi nabacwengileko nezabo boke ababuleweko ephasini.” Uyakghona na ukubona ukuthi kubayini uJehova athi: “Phumani kilo, bantu bami”? Labo abalotjha uJehova abasiyingcenye yekolo yamala.—IsAmbulo 17:6; 18:2, 4, 24.

23. ‘Ukuphuma’ eBhabhiloni eliKhulu kubandakanyani?

²³ ‘Ukuphuma’ eBhabhiloni eliKhulu kutjho ukwenza kucace ukuthi awuseseyingcenye yekolo yamala. Nasi isibonelo, nasele uphuma kufanele uqinisekise ukuthi ibizo lakho liyasulwa erhelweni lamalunga wesondo. Ukungezelela kilokho, kufanele uhloye bewubalekele izinto ezimbi ezenziwa yikolo yamala. Isizathu salokho kukuthi ikolo yamala ivumela beyithuthukise ukuziphatha okumbi, ipolotiki noburhamaru. (Funda iRhubo 97:10; IsAmbulo 18:7, 9, 11-17) Iingidigidi zabantu zilahlekelwe kuphila eminyakeni edlulileko ngebanga lekolo.

24, 25. Ukwazi uJehova kungasilethela njani ukuthula nonembeza omuhle?

²⁴ Ngaphambi kokwazi uJehova abanye bethu besisekela izinto ezimbi ezenziwa liphasi lakaSathana. Satjhuguluka samukela umhlatjelo wesihlengo besanikela ngamaphilwethu kuJehova. Sathola ‘iinkhathi zokuvuseleleka ezivela kuJehova ngokwakhe.’ Kwanjesi  sithabela ukuthula, unembeza omuhle nokwazi ukuthi sithabisa uJehova.—IzEnzo 3:19; Isaya 1:18.

²⁵ Nanyana ngaphambilini khesaba seenhlanganweni ezingahloniphi ukuphila, uJehova angasilibalela ngomhlatjelo wesihlengo. Sisithokoza kwamambala isipho sikaJehova esikuphila. Lokho sikubonisa ngokwenza koke ekusizeni abanye bafunde ngoJehova basuke ephasini lakaSathana bebathabele ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova.—2 Korinte 6:1, 2.

26-28. (a) UJehova wanikela uHezekiyeli muphi umsebenzi okhethekileko? (b) UJehova ufuna senzeni namhlanjesi?

²⁶ Ngesikhathi sama-Israyeli, uJehova watjela umphorofidi uHezekiyeli bona ayelelise abantu bona iJerusalema lizokutjhatjalaliswa abe abafundise ukuthi bangenzani ukuze basinde. Angathana uHezekiyeli akhenge ayelelise abantwabo bekazokuba nomlandu wokungayelelisi abantwabo. (Hezekiyeli 33:7-9) UHezekiyeli watjengisa ukuthi uyakuhlonipha ukuphila ngokwenza koke angakwenza ukuze atjele abantu umlayezo oqakathekileko lo.

²⁷ UJehova usinikela umsebenzi wokuyelelisa abantu ngokuthi iphasi lakaSathaneli kungasikade lizokutjhatjalaliswa, nokubasiza bazi uJehova ukuze basinde bebaphile ephasini elitjha. (Isaya 61:2; Matewu 24:14) Sifuna ukwenza koke esingakwenza ukuze sitjele abanye umyalezo lo. Sithemba bona nathi sizakutjho njengoPowula sithi: “Ngimsulwa eengazini zabo boke abantu, ngombana azange ngizaze ukunitjela woke umnqopho kaZimu.”—IzEnzo 20:26, 27.

²⁸ Kunezinye iindawo ekufanele sihlanzeke kizo. Akhesiqale ezinye zazo esahlukweni esilandelako.