1, 2. Iyiphi ingozi ama-Israyeli ayekuyo njengoba engena eSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E., futhi uJehova wawaqinisa kanjani idolo?

 AMA-ISRAYELI ayesengozini njengoba efika esifundeni saseSinayi ekuqaleni kuka-1513 B.C.E. Ayesahlalelwe uhambo olwethusayo, ayezonqamula “ihlane elikhulu nelesabekayo eligcwele izinyoka ezinesihlungu nawofezela.” (Duteronomi 8:15, The New English Bible) Ayebhekene nanosongo lokuhlaselwa izizwe eziyizitha. UJehova uyena owayefake abantu bakhe kulesi simo. NjengoNkulunkulu wabo, wayezokwazi yini ukubavikela?

² Amazwi kaJehova ayeqinisa idolo ngempela: “Nina ngokwenu nizibonele engikwenze kwabaseGibhithe, ukuze nginithwale ngamaphiko ezinkozi nginilethe kimi.” (Eksodusi 19:4) UJehova wakhumbuza abantu bakhe ukuthi wayebasindisile kwabaseGibhithe, esebenzisa izinkozi, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, ukuba zibathwale zibaphephise. Kodwa kunezinye izizathu ezenza kufaneleke ukuba “amaphiko ezinkozi” afanekisele isivikelo saphezulu.

3. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba “amaphiko ezinkozi” afanekisele isivikelo saphezulu?

³ Ukhozi lusebenzisa amaphiko alo amakhulu nanamandla ukuze lwenze okungaphezu kokuntweza phezulu. Uma kushisa, ukhozi olungumama luyawagoba amaphiko alo​—amaphiko angandlaleka abe amamitha amabili—​abe sasambulela esivikelayo, avikele amachwane alo antekenteke elangeni elishisa kakhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi lumboza amachwane ukuze luwavikele emakhazeni. Njengoba nje ukhozi lunakekela amachwane alo, noJehova wayesiphephisile futhi wasivikela isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esasisakhula. Lapho sebesehlane, abantu bakhe babezoqhubeka bephephela emthunzini wamaphiko  akhe anamandla uma nje behlala bethembekile. (Duteronomi 32:9-11; IHubo 36:7) Kodwa kuyafaneleka yini ukuba thina namuhla silindele isivikelo sikaNkulunkulu?

4, 5. Kungani singathembela ngokuphelele esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sokusivikela?

⁴ UJehova uyakwazi ngempela ukuvikela izinceku zakhe. ‘UnguNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke’​—isiqu esibonisa ukuthi unamandla angenakwahlulwa. (Genesise 17:1) Kuhle kwegagasi elinganqandeki, akukho muntu onganqanda amandla uJehova awasebenzisayo. Njengoba ekwazi ukwenza noma yini eqondiswa yintando yakhe, singase sibuze, ‘Ingabe kuyintando kaJehova ukuba asebenzise amandla akhe ukuze avikele abantu bakhe?’

⁵ Ngelilodwa nje, impendulo ithi yebo! UJehova uyasiqinisekisa ukuthi uyobavikela abantu bakhe. IHubo 46:1 lithi: “UNkulunkulu uyisiphephelo namandla ethu, usizo olutholakala ngokushesha ngezikhathi zokucindezeleka.” Njengoba uNkulunkulu ‘engenakuqamba amanga,’ singathembela ngokuphelele esithembisweni sakhe sokuthi uyosivikela. (Thithu 1:2) Ake sicabangele eminye yemifanekiso ecacile uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze achaze indlela asivikela ngayo.

6, 7. (a) Umalusi wezikhathi zeBhayibheli wayezivikela kanjani izimvu zakhe? (b) IBhayibheli lisifanekisa kanjani isifiso sikaJehova esisuka enhliziyweni sokuvikela nokunakekela izimvu zakhe?

⁶ UJehova unguMalusi wethu, thina “singabantu bakhe nezimvu zedlelo lakhe.” (IHubo 23:1; 100:3) Zimbalwa izilwane ezihluleka ukuzivikela ukwedlula izimvu ezifuywayo. Umalusi wezikhathi zeBhayibheli kwakudingeka abe nesibindi ukuze avikele izimvu zakhe emabhubesini, ezimpisini, emabhereni nasemaseleni. (1 Samuweli 17:34, 35; Johane 10:12, 13) Kodwa kunezikhathi lapho ukuvikela izimvu kwakudinga uthando. Uma imvu izala ikude nesibaya, umalusi okhathalelayo wayemgada umama phakathi nalesi sikhathi angenakuzisiza  ngaso, abese efukula iwundlu elingavikelekile aliyise esibayeni.

⁷ Ngokuziqhathanisa nomalusi, uJehova usiqinisekisa ngesifiso sakhe esisuka enhliziyweni sokusivikela. (Hezekeli 34:11-16) Khumbula indlela uJehova achazwe ngayo ku-Isaya 40:11, okuxoxwe ngayo eSahlukweni 2 sale ncwadi: ‘Uyokwelusa umhlambi wakhe njengomalusi. Ngengalo yakhe uyoqoqela ndawonye amawundlu, awagone esifubeni sakhe.’ Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba iwundlu elincane libe ‘sesifubeni’ sikamalusi​—emaphaketheni engxenye engenhla yengubo yakhe? Iwundlu lingase liye kumalusi, lizigudle nokuzigudla emlenzeni wakhe. Kodwa ngumalusi okumele agobe, afukule leli wundlu, alibeke kahle esifubeni sakhe lapho lizolondeka khona. Yeka umfanekiso omuhle wokuzimisela kukaMalusi wethu Omkhulu ukusiphephisa nokusivikela!

8. (a) Obani abanikwa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sesivikelo, futhi kuvezwe kanjani lokhu encwadini yezAga 18:10? (b) Kuhilelekeni ekutholeni isiphephelo egameni likaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuvikela sinemibandela​—sitholwa kuphela yilabo abasondela kuye. IzAga 18:10 zithi: “Igama likaJehova lingumbhoshongo oqinile. Olungile ubalekela kuwo athole isivikelo.” Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, ngezinye izikhathi imibhoshongo yayakhiwa ehlane ibe yizindawo zesiphephelo ezilondekile. Kodwa ngumuntu osengozini okwakumele abalekele kulowo mbhoshongo ukuze aphephe. Kungokufanayo nangokuthola isiphephelo egameni likaNkulunkulu. Kuhilela okungaphezu nje kokuphindaphinda igama likaNkulunkulu; igama laphezulu aliwona umlingo. Kunalokho, kudingeka sazi uMnikazi walelo gama futhi simethembe, siphile ngokuvumelana nemithetho yakhe yokulunga. Yeka ukuthi kuwumusa kangakanani ngoJehova ukuba asiqinisekise ukuthi uma siphendukela kuye ngokholo, uyoba umbhoshongo wokusivikela!

9. UJehova ukwenze kanjani okungaphezu kokuthembisa isivikelo?

⁹ UJehova wenze okungaphezu nje kokuthembisa isivikelo.  Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli wabonisa ngezindlela eziyisimanga ukuthi uyakwazi ukuvikela abantu bakhe. Ngesikhathi sika-Israyeli, “isandla” sikaJehova esinamandla sasiye sinqande izitha ezinamandla. (Eksodusi 7:4) Nokho, uJehova wayewasebenzisa namandla akhe okuvikela ngenxa yabantu ngabanye.

10, 11. Yiziphi izibonelo zeBhayibheli ezibonisa indlela uJehova awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe okuvikela?

¹⁰ Lapho amaHebheru amasha amathathu​—okuthiwa uShadiraki, uMeshaki, no-Abhedinego—​enqaba ukukhulekela isithombe segolide seNkosi uNebukhadinezari, le nkosi eyayithukuthele ingqangqa yawasongela ngokuwaphonsa emlilweni ovutha kakhulu. UNebukhadinezari, umbusi onamandla ukubedlula bonke emhlabeni, ngokuchwensa wathi: “Yimuphi unkulunkulu onganikhulula ezandleni zami?” (Daniyeli 3:15) Lezi zinsizwa zazithembele ngokuphelele emandleni kaNkulunkulu wazo okuzivikela, kodwa azizange zigabadele ziphethe ngokuthi wayezozivikela. Yingakho zaphendula: “Uma kumele siphonswe esithandweni somlilo, uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo uzokwazi ukusikhulula.” (Daniyeli 3:17) Ngempela, leso sithando somlilo asibanga yinkinga kuNkulunkulu wabo onamandla amakhulu, ngisho noma sesibaselwe ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa kunokuvamile. UNkulunkulu wazivikela, futhi inkosi yaphoqeka ukuba ivume: “Akekho omunye unkulunkulu okwazi ukukhulula njengalo.”​—Daniyeli 3:29.

¹¹ UJehova wawabonisa ngendlela emangalisa ngempela amandla akhe okuvikela ngesikhathi edlulisela ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa esibelethweni sentombi nto engumJuda, uMariya. Ingelosi yatshela uMariya ukuthi ‘wayezokhulelwa abelethe indodana.’ Ingelosi yachaza: “Umoya ongcwele uzokwehlela phezu kwakho, amandla oPhezukonke azokwehlela kuwe.” (Luka 1:31, 35) Kungabonakala sengathi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayingakaze ibe sesimweni esiyingozi njengalesi. Ingabe ukuba nesono kukamama ongumuntu kwakuyowungcolisa umbungu? Ingabe uSathane wayeyokwazi ukulimaza noma ukubulala leyo Ndodana ngaphambi kokuba izalwe? Lutho! Kwafana nokuthi uJehova wakha udonga  oluyisivikelo olwaluhaqe uMariya ukuze kungabi nalutho​—isono, into elimazayo, umbulali, noma idemoni—​olungalimaza umbungu okhulayo, kusukela ngomzuzu wokukhulelwa kwakhe kuqhubeke. UJehova waqhubeka evikela uJesu ebusheni bakhe. (Mathewu 2:1-15) Kwaze kwaba isikhathi esimiswe uNkulunkulu iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ingahlaseleki.

12. Kungani uJehova avikela abantu abathile ngokuyisimangaliso ezikhathini zeBhayibheli?

¹² Kungani uJehova avikela abantu abathile ngezindlela ezimangalisa kanje? Ezimweni eziningi, uJehova wayevikela abantu ukuze avikele okuthile okubaluleke nakakhulu: ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ukusinda kosana olunguJesu kwakubalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu eyayiyozuzisa sonke isintu ekugcineni. Izindaba ezikhuluma ngokuboniswa kwamandla okuvikela ziyingxenye yemiBhalo ephefumulelwe, ‘eyalotshwa kusengaphambili yalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.’ (Roma 15:4) Yebo, lezi zibonelo ziqinisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu wethu onawo wonke amandla. Kodwa yisiphi isivikelo esingasilindela kuNkulunkulu namuhla?

13. Ingabe uJehova ubophekile ukuba asenzele izimangaliso? Chaza.

¹³ Isithembiso sesivikelo saphezulu asisho ukuthi uJehova ubophekile ukusenzela izimangaliso. Cha, uNkulunkulu wethu akasiqinisekisi ngokuphila okungenazinkinga kulesi simiso esidala. Izinceku zikaJehova eziningi zibhekana nobunzima obukhulu, obuhlanganisa ukuhlupheka, izimpi, ukugula, nokufa. UJesu walibeka ngembaba kubafundi bakhe wathi njengabantu ngabanye bangase babulawe ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Yingakho uJesu agcizelela isidingo sokukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni. (Mathewu 24:9, 13) Ukube uJehova ubengasebenzisa amandla akhe amangalisayo ukuze asikhulule kuzo zonke izimo, uSathane ubezomdelela nakanjani uJehova, angabaze ukuthi sizinikele ngobuqotho kuNkulunkulu wethu.​—Jobe 1:9, 10.

14. Yiziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova akazivikeli izinceku zakhe ngezindlela ezifanayo ngaso sonke isikhathi?

 ¹⁴ Ngisho nasezikhathini zeBhayibheli, uJehova akawasebenzisanga amandla akhe okuvikela ukuze aphephise ngayinye yezinceku zakhe ekufeni. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uJakobe wanqunywa uHerode cishe ngo-44 C.E.; kodwa ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, uPetru wakhululwa “esandleni sikaHerode.” (IzEnzo 12:1-11) Kanti uJohane, umfowabo kaJakobe, waphila isikhathi eside kunoPetru noJakobe. Kuyacaca ukuthi asinakulindela ukuba uNkulunkulu avikele zonke izinceku zakhe ngezindlela ezifanayo. Nangaphandle nje kwalokho, “isikhathi nezenzakalo ezingalindelekile” kusehlela sonke. (UmShumayeli 9:11) Pho, uJehova usivikela kanjani namuhla?

15, 16. (a) Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova ukuvikele ukuphila kwabakhulekeli bakhe njengeqembu? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyozivikela izinceku zakhe manje naphakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’?

¹⁵ Okokuqala, cabanga ngendaba yokuvikelwa kokuphila kwethu. Njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova singasilindela isivikelo esinjalo njengeqembu. Ngaphandle kwalokho, besingaba izinto zokudlala uSathane. Cabanga ngalokhu: USathane, “umbusi waleli zwe,” angathanda ukuqeda ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (Johane 12:31; IsAmbulo 12:17) Abanye bohulumeni abanamandla kunabo bonke emhlabeni baye bawuvala umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela futhi bazama nokusiqothula kwathina siphele nya. Kodwa abantu bakaJehova baye bahlala beqinile, baqhubeka beshumayela bengayeki! Kungani izizwe ezinamandla zehlulekile ukuvimba umsebenzi waleli qembu lamaKristu elibonakala lingavikelekile nelincane uma liqhathaniswa namanye? Kungoba uJehova usivikele ngamaphiko akhe anamandla!​—IHubo 17:7, 8.

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngokuvikelwa kokuphila kwethu phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’? Akudingeki sizesabe izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu. Phela “uJehova uyayazi indlela yokubakhulula ekulingweni  abantu abazinikele kuye, kodwa agcine abantu abangalungile ukuze babhujiswe ngosuku lokwahlulelwa.” (IsAmbulo 7:14; 2 Petru 2:9) Okwamanje singaqiniseka ngezinto ezimbili. Okokuqala, uJehova akasoze avumela ukuba izinceku zakhe ziqothulwe emhlabeni. Okwesibili, uyoklomelisa abagcini bobuqotho ngokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni wakhe omusha wokulunga​—uma kudingeka, uyobaklomelisa ngokubavusa. Kulabo abafayo, ayikho indawo ephephe ngaphezu kokuba senkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu.​—Johane 5:28, 29.

17. UJehova usilonda kanjani ngeZwi lakhe?

¹⁷ Ngisho kwamanje, uJehova uyasilonda ‘ngezwi’ lakhe eliphilayo, elinamandla okuthoba izinhliziyo, liguqule nokuphila. (Hebheru 4:12) Ngokusebenzisa izimiso zalo, singavikeleka ngezindlela ezithile ekulimaleni emzimbeni. ‘Mina, Jehova, ngiyakufundisa ukuze uzuze,’ kusho u-Isaya 48:17. Akungatshazwa ukuthi ukuphila ngokuvumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu kungayenza ngcono impilo yethu, kunwebe nokuphila kwethu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yokuthi sisebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibheli sokudeda ekuziphatheni kabi ngokocansi futhi sizihlanze kukho konke ukungcola, sigwema imikhuba engcolile nelimazayo ebadalela izinkinga abantu abaningi abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 15:29; 2 Korinte 7:1) Asive sibonga ngesivikelo seZwi likaNkulunkulu!

18. Yisiphi isivikelo esingokomoya uJehova asinikeza sona?

¹⁸ Okubaluleke kunakho konke ukuthi uJehova usinikeza isivikelo esingokomoya. UNkulunkulu wethu onothando usivikela ezingozini ezingokomoya ngokusihlomisa ngesikudingayo ukuze sikhuthazelele izilingo futhi silondoloze ubuhlobo bethu naye. Ngakho uJehova uvikela ukuphila kwethu kuze kube phakade, hhayi nje iminyaka embalwa kuphela. Cabanga ngamanye amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu angasivikela ngokomoya.

19. Umoya kaJehova ungasenza kanjani sikwazi ukubhekana novivinyo?

¹⁹ UJehova ‘ulalela imithandazo.’ (IHubo 65:2) Lapho izingcindezi  zokuphila zisixakile, ukuthululela izinhliziyo zethu kuye kungasisiza kakhulu. (Filipi 4:6, 7) Angase angakuqedi ngokuyisimangaliso ukuvivinywa kwethu, kodwa angayiphendula imithandazo yethu esuka enhliziyweni ngokusinika ukuhlakanipha ukuze sikwazi ukubhekana nakho. (Jakobe 1:5, 6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova ubanikeza umoya ongcwele labo abawucelayo. (Luka 11:13) Lowo moya onamandla ungasenza sikwazi ukubhekana nanoma yiluphi uvivinyo noma inkinga. Ungasinika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” ukuze sikhuthazele kuze kube yilapho uJehova eziqeda zonke izinkinga ezisizwisa ubuhlungu ezweni elisha eseliseduze kangaka.​—2 Korinte 4:7.

20. Abantu esikholwa nabo bangawabonisa kanjani amandla kaJehova avikelayo?

²⁰ Ngezinye izikhathi, amandla kaJehova avikelayo singawathola ngezikhonzi esikanye nazo. UJehova usidonsele kubantu ‘esikholwa nabo’ emhlabeni wonke. (1 Petru 2:17; Johane 6:44) Kuleso simo sothando lobuzalwane, sibona ubufakazi obuphathekayo bamandla omoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu okwenza abantu benze okuhle. Lowo moya uveza izithelo kithi​—izimfanelo ezinhle neziyigugu ezihlanganisa uthando, umusa, nobuhle. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ngakho,  lapho sicindezelekile bese esikholwa naye ethinteka, asinikeze iseluleko esiwusizo noma asikhuthaze ngamazwi esisuke siwadinga impela, singambonga uJehova ngokusibonisa ukuthi uyasikhathalela.

21. (a) Yikuphi ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi uJehova akukhipha ‘ngenceku ethembekile neqondayo’? (b) Wena ngokwakho uzuze kanjani emalungiselelweni kaJehova okusivikela ngokomoya?

²¹ Kunokunye futhi uJehova asinikeza kona ukuze asivikele: ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi. Ukuze asisize sithole amandla eZwini lakhe, uJehova uthume “inceku ethembekile neqondayo” ukuba ikhiphe ukudla okungokomoya. Leyo nceku ethembekile isebenzisa izincwadi ezinyathelisiwe, kuhlanganise nomagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama!, iwebusayithi yethu ethi jw.org, imihlangano yebandla, imihlangano emincane nemikhulu ukuze isinikeze ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele’​—lokho esikudingayo, nangesikhathi esikudinga ngaso. (Mathewu 24:45) Kukhona yini owake wakuzwa emhlanganweni wobuKristu​—empendulweni, enkulumweni, ngisho nasemthandazweni—​okwavele kwakunika amandla nesikhuthazo owawusidinga? Sikhona yini isihloko esakhishwa komunye womagazini bethu esathinta ukuphila kwakho? Khumbula, uJehova wenza wonke lawo malungiselelo ukuze asivikele ngokomoya.

22. UJehova uwasebenzisa ngayiphi indlela amandla akhe ngaso sonke isikhathi, futhi kungani ukwenza kwakhe kanjalo kusizuzisa?

²² Ngempela, uJehova uyihawu “labo bonke abaphephela kuye.” (IHubo 18:30) Siyaqonda ukuthi amandla akhe akawasebenziseli ukusivikela kuzo zonke izinhlupheko manje. Nokho, uyawasebenzisa amandla akhe avikelayo ukuze aqikelele ukuthi injongo yakhe iyafezeka. Ekugcineni, ukwenza kwakhe kanjalo kuzuzisa abantu bakhe. Uma sisondela kuye futhi sihlala othandweni lwakhe, uJehova uyosinika ukuphila okuphelele kuze kube phakade. Sinalokho engqondweni, singase sibheke noma yikuphi ukuhlupheka kulesi simiso ‘njengokungokomzuzwana futhi kulula.’​—2 Korinte 4:17.