1, 2. Abako-Israyeli babekuyiphi ingozi ngesikhathi bengena esigabeni saseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E., futhi uJehova wabaqinisa njani?

ABAKO-ISRAYELI babesengozini njengoba babengena esigabeni saseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E. Uhambo lwabo lwaluzakuba yingozi kakhulu ngoba babezadlula ‘enkangala enkulu eyesabekayo, elobuthi bezinyoka lezinkume.’ (UDutheronomi 8:15) Babesengozini yokuhlaselwa layizizwe ezazingafuni izihambi. UJehova nguye owenza abantu bakhe baba kulesi simo. Wayezenelisa yini ukubavikela njengoba wayenguNkulunkulu wabo?

² Amazwi kaJehova alandelayo abaqinisa kakhulu: “Lina ngokwenu lizibonele engikwenze eGibhithe lokuthi ngilithwele ngamaphiko engqungqulu ngaliletha lapha kimi.” (U-Eksodusi 19:4) UJehova wakhumbuza abantu bakhe ukuthi wayebakhulule ebantwini baseGibhithe, kwakungathi usebenzise izingqungqulu ukuthi abase endaweni evikelekileyo. Kodwa kulesinye isizathu esenza ‘amaphiko engqungqulu’ abe ngumzekeliso omuhle wesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu.

3. Kungani ‘amaphiko engqungqulu’ engumzekeliso omuhle wesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu?

³ Ingqungqulu kayisebenzisi amaphiko ayo amakhulu futhi alamandla ukuthi iphaphe kuphela. Nxa ilanga litshisa, ingqungqulu elamaphuphu isebenzisa amaphiko ayo ukuthi iwavikele angatshiswa lilanga. Amaphiko la angaba ngamamitha amabili nxa iwelulile. Ngezinye izikhathi, ithandela amaphuphu ngamaphiko ayo ukuze iwavikele emoyeni oqandayo. UJehova wavikela isizwe esasisakhula sako-Israyeli njengengqungqulu ivikela amaphuphu ayo. Lasenkangala, abantu bakhe babezaqhubeka bevikelwa ngamaphiko kaNkulunkulu alamandla kuphela nxa babezahlala bethembekile. (UDutheronomi 32:9-11; IHubo  36:7) Kodwa lamuhla kuqondile yini ukuthi sikhangelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu asivikele?

4, 5. Kungani singathembela ngokupheleleyo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi uzasivikela?

⁴ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova uyenelisa ukuvikela izinceku zakhe. ‘UnguNkulunkulu uSomandla,’ futhi ibizo leli lokuhlonipha litshengisa ukuthi ulamandla amakhulu kakhulu. (UGenesisi 17:1) Amandla kaJehova ngeke amiswa njengoba nje igagasi lalo lingeke lamiswa. Njengoba esenelisa ukwenza loba yini ayifunayo, singabuza, ‘Kuyintando kaJehova yini ukuthi asebenzise amandla akhe ukuthi avikele abantu bakhe?’

⁵ Impendulo yalowo mbuzo nguyebo! UJehova usenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uzabavikela abantu bakhe. IHubo 46:1, lithi: “UNkulunkulu uyisiphephelo sethu lamandla ethu, usizo oluhlezi lukhona nxa kulohlupho.” Njengoba uNkulunkulu engeke ‘waqamba amanga,’ singathembela ngokupheleleyo esithembisweni sakhe sokuthi uzasivikela. (KuThithusi 1:2) Kasixoxeni ngeminye imizekeliso esetshenziswa nguJehova ukuze achaze indlela asivikela ngayo okutshengisa ukuthi uyasikhathalela.

6, 7. (a) Umalusi wezikhathi zeBhayibhili wayezivikela njani izimvu zakhe? (b) IBhayibhili lilawuphi umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyafuna ngenhliziyo yonke ukuvikela kanye lokunakekela izimvu zakhe?

⁶ UJehova unguMalusi, futhi “singabantu bakhe, izimvu zedlelo lakhe.” (IHubo 23:1; 100:3) Zilutshwana izinyamazana ezingenelisi ukuzivikela njengezimvu. Umalusi wezikhathi zeBhayibhili kwakumele abe lesibindi ukuze enelise ukuvikela izimvu zakhe ukuthi zingadliwa yizilwane, zimpisi, amabhere, kumbe ukuthi zingantshontshwa ngamasela. (1 USamuyeli 17:34, 35; UJohane 10:12, 13) Kodwa kwakulezikhathi lapho okwakumele umalusi abe lobubele nxa evikela izimvu. Kwakusithi imvu ingazalela khatshana lesibaya, umalusi okhathalelayo wayeyilinda ngesikhathi ingenelisi ukuzivikela abesethwala izinyane layo alise esibayeni.

 ⁷ Ngokuziqathanisa lomalusi, uJehova usenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uyafuna ngenhliziyo yonke ukusivikela. (UHezekheli 34:11-16) Khumbula indlela uJehova achazwa ngayo ku-Isaya 40:11, eSahlukweni 2 sebhuku leli: “Welusa umhlambi wakhe njengomalusi: Ubuthelela amawundlu ezingalweni zakhe awathwale eseduzane lenhliziyo yakhe.” Izinyane lemvu lifika njani ‘eduzane lenhliziyo’ yomalusi​—okutsho isikhwama esikhulu esasisesifubeni somalusi? Izinyane lingaya kumalusi, mhlawumbe lifike lithinte kancane unyawo lwakhe. Kodwa umalusi nguye okumele akhothame, aphakamise izinyane lelo, futhi alifake ngonanzelelo esifubeni sakhe. Lokho kungumzekeliso omuhle otshengisa ukuzimisela kukaMalusi wethu Omkhulu ukuthi asivikele!

8. (a) UNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi uzavikela obani, futhi umbhalo kaZaga 18:10 ukutshengisa njani lokhu? (b) Kugoqelani ukudinga isivikelo ebizweni likaNkulunkulu?

⁸ UNkulunkulu kathembisi ukuphonguvikela loba ngubani, kodwa uvikela kuphela labo abasondela kuye. IZaga 18:10 zithi: “Ibizo likaJehova liyinqaba eqinileyo; abalungileyo babalekela kulo baphephe.” Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili, izinqaba zazisakhiwa enkangala ukuze zibe zindawo ezivikelekileyo zokucatsha. Kodwa lowo osengozini nguye okwakumele athathe inyathelo lokuyacatsha khona. Lokhu kuyafanana lokudinga isivikelo ebizweni likaNkulunkulu. Kakumelanga siphonguphindaphinda ibizo likaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi ibizo lakhe lilodwa kalisivikeli ngendlela eyisimangaliso. Kodwa kumele simazi uMnikazi walelo bizo futhi simethembe, siphinde silandele lezimiso zakhe ezilungileyo. UJehova utshengise umusa ngokusenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi nxa singamethemba, uzakuba yinqaba esivikelayo!

9. Kuyini okwenziwa nguJehova okutshengisa ukuthi kathembisi ukuvikela kuphela?

⁹ UJehova kasithembisi ukusivikela kuphela, wenza okwedlula lapho. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili, watshengisa ngezindlela eziyisimangaliso  ukuthi uyenelisa ukuvikela abantu bakhe. Embalini yama-Israyeli, “isandla” sikaJehova esilamandla sasandise ukuvimba izitha ezilamandla. (U-Eksodusi 7:4) Kodwa uJehova waphinda wasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuthi avikele abantu abathile.

10, 11. Yiziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa indlela uJehova asebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe ekuvikeleni abantu abathile?

¹⁰ Lapho amaHebheru amathathu, uShadreki, uMeshaki, lo-Abhediniko, esala ukukhothamela isithombe segolide esasenziwe nguNebhukhadinezari, inkosi leyo eyayizonde isisidla inja yathi izabaphosela esithandweni somlilo esasivutha kakhulu. UNebhukhadinezari, umbusi owayelamandla ukwedlula bonke emhlabeni wakhuluma ngendelelo esithi: “Nguwuphi unkulunkulu ozalilamulela esandleni sami na?” (UDanyeli 3:15) Lanxa lawomajaha amathathu engazange aphethe ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uzawavikela, ayengathandabuzi ngitsho lakancane ukuthi ulawo amandla okuwavikela. Ngakho aphendula athi: “Singaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo, uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulamandla okusisindisa kuwo.” (UDanyeli 3:17) Lanxa isithando leso somlilo sasingakhwezelwa sitshise kasikhombisa ukwedlula lokho esasiyikho, sasingeke simehlule uNkulunkulu wamajaha lawo ongumnikazi wamandla wonke. UNkulunkulu wawavikela lawomajaha, futhi inkosi yacina ivuma ukuthi: “Kakho omunye unkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale indlela.”​—UDanyeli 3:29.

¹¹ UJehova waphinda watshengisa amandla akhe okuvikela ngenye indlela emangalisayo lapho ethatha ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe elizibulo ezulwini ekufaka esiswini sentombi engumJuda okuthiwa nguMariya. Ingilosi yatshela uMariya ukuthi ‘wayezakhulelwa azale indodana.’ Yachasisa yathi: ‘Umoya ongcwele uzakwehlela phezu kwakho, lamandla akhe oPhezukonke azakusibekela.’ (ULukha 1:31, 35) Kwakungakhanya angani iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayingavikelwanga. Isono sikaMariya sasizakwenza inkonyane le ibe lesici yini? USathane wayengenelisa yini ukubulala kumbe ukulimaza iNdodana le ingakazalwa? Wayengeke enelise! Kusukela uMariya esanda kukhulelwa, kwakungani uJehova wafaka umduli oyisivikelo ukuze kungabi lalutho olwalungalimaza umntwana lo owayesakhula esiswini  sakhe. Lezozinto zazingagoqela isono, amandla alimazayo, umuntu ongumbulali, kumbe amadimoni. UJehova waqhubeka evikela uJesu ngesikhathi ekhula. (UMathewu 2:1-15) Kwakungela lutho olwalungalimaza iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo, kuze kube yisikhathi esasibekwe nguNkulunkulu.

12. Kungani uJehova wavikela abantu abathile ngendlela eyisimangaliso ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili?

¹² Kungani uJehova wavikela abantu abathile ngendlela eyisimangaliso? Kanengi, uJehova wavikela abantu abathile ukuze izinjongo zakhe zigcwaliseke. Ngokwesibonelo, ukusinda kukaJesu eseselusane kwakuqakathekile ukuze injongo kaNkulunkulu eyayizanceda bonke abantu igcwaliseke. Kulokunengi okwabhalwa eMibhalweni ephefumulelweyo okutshengisa ukusetshenziswa kwamandla okuvikela, futhi lokho kwalotshelwa “ukusifundisa, ukuze kuthi ngokubekezela langokukhuthazwa yiMibhalo sibe lethemba.” (KwabaseRoma 15:4) Kuliqiniso ukuthi zonke izibonelo lezi zisenza sibe lokholo oluqinileyo kuNkulunkulu wethu ongumnikazi wamandla onke. Kodwa singakhangelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu asivikele ngaziphi izindlela lamuhla?

13. UJehova kumele asenzele izimangaliso yini? Chasisa.

¹³ Isithembiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu uzasivikela kasitsho ukuthi uJehova sekumele ahlale esenzela izimangaliso. UNkulunkulu wethu kasithembisi impilo engelazinhlupho esikhathini lesi esiphila kuso. Izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ezinengi zivelelwa yizinhlupho ezibuhlungu, ezigoqela ubuyanga, izimpi, ukugula lokufa. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ngokucacileyo ukuthi kwakungenzakala ukuthi babulawe ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Lokhu yikho okwenza uJesu wagcizelela ukuthi kumele umuntu aqinisele kuze kube sekucineni. (UMathewu 24:9, 13) Nxa uJehova ubengasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuthi ahlale evikela abantu ngendlela eyisimangaliso, uSathane ubezakuba lesizatho sokusola uJehova futhi enze ukuzinikela kwethu kuNkulunkulu kuthandabuzwe.​—UJobe 1:9, 10.

14. Yiziphi izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova kahlali evikela zonke izinceku zakhe ngezindlela ezifananayo?

 ¹⁴ Lasezikhathini zeBhayibhili, uJehova kazange asebenzise amandla akhe okuvikela ukuthi avikele yinye ngayinye yezinceku zakhe ukuze ingafi masinyane. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uJakhobe wabulawa nguHerodi phose ngo-44 C.E.; kodwa ngemva nje kwalokhu, uPhethro wahlengwa ‘ekubotshweni nguHerodi.’ (ImiSebenzi 12:1-11) UJohane umnewabo kaJakhobe waphila isikhathi eside kuloPhethro loJakhobe. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi ngeke sikhangelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu avikele zonke izinceku zakhe ngezindlela ezifananayo. Kanti njalo, “isikhathi lethuba” kwehlela bonke. (UmTshumayeli 9:11, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Pho-ke uJehova usivikela njani lamuhla?

15, 16. (a) Yibuphi ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uzivikele izikhonzi zakhe ziliqembu? (b) Kungani singaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzazivikela izinceku zakhe khathesi kanye ‘lasekuhluphekeni okukhulu’?

¹⁵ Cabanga ngendaba yokuvikelwa kwethu ezintweni ezingasilimaza. Njengoba siyizikhonzi zikaJehova, singalindela ukuthi asivikele ngendlela enjalo siliqembu. Ngabe kasila sivikelo leso, uSathane ubengasihlasela lula. Cabanga ngalokhu: Kakulalutho olungathabisa uSathane, “inkosi yalo umhlaba,” ukwedlula ukuqeda nya ukukhonza kweqiniso. (UJohane 12:31; ISambulo 12:17) Abanye ohulumende abalamandla ukwedlula bonke emhlabeni sebeke bazama ukuvimba umsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela njalo bazama lokusiqeda nya. Lanxa kunjalo, abantu bakaJehova baqhubeka beqinile futhi betshumayela! Kuyini okwenze ukuthi izizwe ezilamandla zingenelisi ukumisa umsebenzi lo wokutshumayela owenziwa liqembu lamaKhristu elikhanya lilincane futhi lingelamandla? Kungenxa yokuthi uJehova usivikele ngamaphiko akhe alamandla kakhulu!​—IHubo 17:7, 8.

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngokuvikelwa kwethu ezintweni ezingasilimaza ngesikhathi ‘sokuhlupheka okukhulu’? Kakulasidingo sokuthi sesabe ukukhitshwa kwezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu. Ngoba  “uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuhlenga abantu abamesabayo ekulingweni kanye lokugcinela abangalunganga usuku lokwahlulela.” (ISambulo 7:14; 2 UPhetro 2:9) Okwakhathesi singahlala siqiniseka ngezinto ezimbili. Okokuqala, uJehova kasoze wavumela izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo ukuthi ziqedwe nya emhlabeni. Okwesibili, uzanika abahlala beqotho umvuzo wokuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni wakhe omutsha olokulunga, futhi nxa kuyikuthi bafile, uzabavusa. Kulabo abafileyo, ukukhunjulwa nguNkulunkulu kutsho ukuthi bavikeleke kakhulu.​—UJohane 5:28, 29.

17. UJehova usivikela njani esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe?

¹⁷ Lakhathesi, uJehova usivikela esebenzisa ‘ilizwi’ lakhe eliphilayo elilamandla. Ilizwi lelo lelapha izinhliziyo zabantu futhi lintshintshe lezimpilo zabo. (KumaHebheru 4:12) Nxa singasebenzisa izimiso zalo, singenelisa ukuthi sivikelwe kwezinye izinto ezingasilimaza. U-Isaya 48:17 uthi: ‘Mina nginguJehova, okufundisa lokho okuhle kakhulu kuwe.’ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukwenza lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu kungenza sibe lempilakahle futhi siphile isikhathi eside. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yokuthi sisebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibhili esokungaphingi, lesokuzihlambulula ezintweni zonke, kasenzi izinto ezingcolileyo futhi ezilimazayo ezenza izimpilo zabantu abanengi abangakhonzi uNkulunkulu ziphambaniseke. (ImiSebenzi 15:29; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1) Siyasibonga kakhulu isivikelo esisinikwa liLizwi likaNkulunkulu!

18. UJehova usivikela njani ekukhonzeni?

¹⁸ Okuqakatheke ukwedlula konke yikuthi uJehova uyasivikela ekukhonzeni. UNkulunkulu wethu osithandayo usipha esikudingayo ukuze senelise ukubekezelela izilingo futhi sihlale silobuhlobo obuhle laye. Ngokwenza njalo usivikela ekuthini singaphanjaniswa ekukhonzeni. Ngokwenza njalo uJehova uthatha inyathelo lokusenza sihlale siphila, hatshi okweminyaka emilutshwana kuphela, kodwa kuze kube nini lanini. Cabanga ngezinye izinto asinike zona ukuze asivikele ekukhonzeni.

19. Umoya kaJehova ungasincedisa njani ukuthi silwisane laloba yiluphi uhlupho esingaba lalo?

 ¹⁹ UJehova ‘uyayizwa imithandazo.’ (IHubo 65:2) Nxa izinhlupho zokuphila zisiba zinengi kakhulu, kuyanceda kakhulu ukuthi sitshele uNkulunkulu konke okusikhathazayo. (KwabaseFiliphi 4:6, 7) Kungenzakala ukuthi angazisusi ngendlela eyisimangaliso izinhlupho zethu, kodwa angaphendula imithandazo yethu esuka enhliziyweni ngokusipha inhlakanipho esinceda ukuthi senelise ukulwisana lazo. (UJakhobe 1:5, 6) Okunye futhi yikuthi uJehova unika umoya ongcwele kubo bonke abawucelayo. (ULukha 11:13) Umoya lo olamandla uyasinceda ukuthi senelise ukulwa lanoma yiluphi uhlupho esingaba lalo. Ungasinika ‘amandla amakhulukazi’ ukuze sibekezele kuze kube yilapho uJehova ekhipha zonke izinhlupho emhlabeni omutsha osuseduze kakhulu.​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7.

20. UJehova angabasebenzisa njani abanye esikhonza labo ukuthi asitshengise amandla akhe okuvikela?

²⁰ Ngezinye izikhathi, uJehova angasebenzisa abafowethu esikhonza labo ukuze asitshengise amandla akhe okuvikela. UJehova wenze abantu bakhe baba ‘lobuzalwane’ bomhlaba wonke. (1 UPhetro 2:17; UJohane 6:44) Kulobobuzalwane, sibona ubufakazi bokuthi umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ulamandla okwenza ukuthi abantu benze okuhle. Umoya lowo usenza sibe  lezimpawu zobuntu ezinhle futhi eziligugu ezigoqela uthando, umusa, kanye lokulunga. (KwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23) Ngakho-ke nxa silezinhlupho futhi omunye esikhonza laye abesesinika iseluleko esincedayo kumbe asikhuthaze, kumele simbonge uJehova ngokusitshengisa kwakhe ukunakekela okunjalo okusivikelayo.

21. (a) Yikuphi ukudla okufika ngesikhathi uJehova asipha khona esebenzisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’? (b) Wena ngokwakho uncedakale njani kulokho uJehova asinike khona ukuze asivikele ekukhonzeni?

²¹ Ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi esifaneleyo ngokunye esikunikwa nguJehova ukuze asivikele. UJehova unike ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ umlayo wokwaba ukudla okungokomoya ukuze asincede ukuthi sithole amandla eLizwini lakhe. Leyonceku ethembekileyo isebenzisa amabhuku adindiweyo, agoqela amamagazini okuthiwa yi-Nqabayokulinda le-Awake! Iphinde isebenzise lemihlangano yebandla, imihlangano emincane lemikhulu ukuze isinike ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi isinika ukudla esikudingayo ngesikhathi esikudinga ngaso. (UMathewu 24:45) Sewake wezwa okuthile yini emhlanganweni wamaKhristu okwakunika amandla kanye lesikhuthazo owawusidinga? Mhlawumbe kwakuyimpendulo yothile, inkulumo, kumbe umthandazo. Sewake wathintwa yindaba ethile yini owayibala emabhukwini ethu? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wenza konke lokhu ukuze asivikele ekukhonzeni.

22. UJehova uhlala ewasebenzisa njani amandla akhe, futhi lokhu kuzasinceda ngani?

²² Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova “ulihawu labo bonke abaphephela kuye.” (IHubo 18:30) Siyakuzwisisa ukuthi okwakhathesi kulezinye izikhathi angawasebenzisi khona amandla akhe ukuthi asivikele. Kodwa ngazozonke izikhathi, usebenzisa amandla akhe okuvikela ukuthi aqiniseke ukuthi injongo yakhe iyagcwaliseka. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lokhu akwenzayo kuzanceda abantu bakhe. UJehova uzasinika ukuphila okungapheliyo futhi okupheleleyo nxa singaqhubeka sisondela kuye futhi sihlale sisethandweni lwakhe. Ukucabanga ngethemba lelo kuzakwenza ukuthi ukuhlupheka okusemhlabeni lo sikubone ‘kukuncane futhi kungokwesikhatshana.’​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:17.