1. Singazizwa njani nxa sibona izimo ezitshengisa ukungalungi?

UMFELOKAZI osekhulile uqilwa imali yakhe akade eyiqongelela okwempilo yakhe yonke. Usane lulahlwa ngunina ololunya. Indoda ethile ibotshelwa icala engalenzanga. Uzwa njani nxa usizwa izindaba ezinjengalezi? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi yinye ngayinye yezindaba lezi ikuzwisa ubuhlungu futhi kufanele ukuthi uzizwe njalo. Thina abantu siyajabula nxa sisizwa ngokuhle okwenzakeleyo, sibuye sizwe ubuhlungu nxa sisizwa ngokubi okuyabe kwenzakele. Nxa kulokungalungi okwenziweyo, siyazonda kakhulu. Sifuna ukuthi lowo owenzelwe ukungalungi aphathwe kuhle ikanti owonileyo ajeziswe. Nxa lokhu kungenzakalanga, singazibuza ukuthi: ‘UNkulunkulu uyakubona yini okwenzakalayo? Kungani engenzi okuthile ngakho?’

2. Kuyini okwabuzwa nguHabakhukhi mayelana lokungalungi ayekubona, futhi kungani uJehova engazange amsole?

² Kusukela kudala, izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo bezilokhu zibuza imibuzo enjengale ephezulu. Ngokwesibonelo, umphrofethi uHabakhukhi wakhuleka kuNkulunkulu wathi: “Kungani ungitshengisa okungasimfanelo na? Kungani ubekezelela okungalunganga na? Ukuchitheka lodlakela kuphambi kwami; kulokulwa, lengxabano yandile.” (UHabakhukhi 1:3) UJehova kazange amsole uHabakhukhi ngemibuzo eyayiphuma enhliziyweni ayibuzayo. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu nguye owadala umuntu elophawu lokuthanda ukwahlulela okuhle. UJehova usinike umuzwa wokuthanda ukwahlulela okuhle.

3. Kungani kungathiwa uJehova ubona ukungalungi ukwedlula indlela thina esikubona ngayo?

³ UJehova uyakubona ukungalungi. Uyakubona konke okwenzakalayo.  Ngokuphathelane losuku lukaNowa, iBhayibhili lithi: “UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi ukuxhwala kwabantu kwasekukukhulu kanganani emhlabeni, njalo lokuthi zonke izinkanuko zeminakano yezinhliziyo zabo zaziyibubi kuphela sonke isikhathi.” (UGenesisi 6:5) Cabanga ngokuthi umutsho lo utshoni. Izikhathi ezinengi, indlela esizwisisa ngayo ukungalungi isekelwe kulokho esake sakuzwa kumbe kulokho okwake kwenzakala kithi. Ngokungafanani lathi, uJehova uyakunanzelela konke ukungalungi okwenzakala emhlabeni wonke. Konke kusegcekeni kuye! Kanti njalo uyakubona lokho okuthandwa yizinhliziyo zethu, okutsho imicabango emibi esenza senze ukungalungi.​—UJeremiya 17:10.

4, 5. (a) IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova uyabakhathalela labo abaphathwe kubi? (b) Ukungalungi okukhona kumphatha njani uJehova?

⁴ Kodwa uJehova kananzeleli nje kuphela ukuthi kulokungalungi. Ukhathalela lalabo abaphathwe kubi yikungalungi okukhona. Ngesikhathi abantu bakhe bephathwa kubi yizizwe ezaziyizitha zabo, uJehova wakhathazeka ‘ngokububula kwabo ngaphansi kwalabo ababebacindezele bebahlukuluza.’ (ABahluleli 2:18) Mhlawumbe ukunanzelele ukuthi nxa abantu betshona bebona ukungalungi kusenzakala, bacina bengasela sihawu kulabo abaphathwa kubi. UJehova yena kanjalo! Ukubonile ukungalungi konke obekusenzakala okweminyaka engu-6 000, kodwa kantshintshanga indlela akuzonda ngayo. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi izinto ‘ezinjengolimi oluqamba amanga,’ ‘izandla ezichitha igazi elingelacala,’ kanye ‘lofakazi wamanga, okhuluma inkohliso’ ziyenyanyeka kuye.​—IZaga 6:16-19.

⁵ Cabanga futhi langokusola kukaJehova abakhokheli bako-Israyeli ababengalunganga. Waphefumulela umphrofethi wakhe ukuthi ababuze athi: “Ukulunga akumelanga likwazi na?” Ngemva kokuchaza ngokucacileyo ukusebenzisa kwabo kubi amandla, uJehova wakhuluma ngokwakuzakwenzakala ebantwini abanjalo abalenkohliso: “Bazakhala kuJehova, kodwa kayikubaphendula. Ngalesosikhathi uzabafihlela ubuso bakhe  ngenxa yobubi ababenzileyo.” (UMikha 3:1-4) Lokho kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyakuzonda kakhulu ukungalungi! Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ukungalungi kwenzakala lakuye! USathane ubelokhu emeyisa okweminyaka eyizinkulungwane. (IZaga 27:11) Okunye futhi yikuthi uJehova wezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu ngesenzo esibi ukwedlula zonke lapho iNdodana yakhe ‘eyayingenzanga sono’ ibulawa njengesigebenga. (1 UPhetro 2:22; U-Isaya 53:9) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova uyakubona ukungalungi futhi uzakwenza okuthile ngakho.

6. Sandise ukwenzani nxa sibona ukungalungi, futhi ngani?

⁶ Kodwa kungokwemvelo ukuthi sicaphuke lapho sibona ukungalungi kusenziwa, kumbe lapho thina ngokwethu siphathwa ngendlela engalunganga. Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, futhi ukungalungi kutshiyene kakhulu lalokho uJehova ayikho. (UGenesisi 1:27) Pho kungani uNkulunkulu evumela ukungalungi?

7. Chasisa ukuthi ubukhosi bukaJehova bahlaselwa njani.

⁷ Impendulo yombuzo lowo ihambelana lendaba yobukhosi. Njengoba sibonile, uMdali ulelungelo lokubusa umhlaba kanye labo bonke abahlala kuwo. (IHubo 24:1; ISambulo 4:11) Kodwa lapho abantu besanda kudalwa, ubukhosi bukaJehova bahlaselwa. Lokhu kwenzakala njani? UJehova watshela umuntu wakuqala, u-Adamu, ukuthi angadli izithelo zesihlahla esithile esasisesivandeni, ekhaya lakhe eliyiPharadayisi. Kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala nxa wayengekela ukulalela? UNkulunkulu wamtshela wathi: “Uzakufa ngempela.” (UGenesisi 2:17) Umlayo kaNkulunkulu wawungenzi impilo ka-Adamu lo-Eva ibe nzima. Lanxa kunjalo, uSathane wenza ukuthi u-Eva akholwe ukuthi umlayo owawufakwe nguNkulunkulu wawunzima kakhulu. Kwakuzakwenzakalani nxa wayengadla izithelo zesihlahla leso? USathane watshela u-Eva wathi: “Kalisoze life ngempela. Ngoba uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi lingasidla amehlo enu azavuleka beselisiba njengoNkulunkulu lazi okuhle lokubi.”​—UGenesisi 3:1-5.

8. (a) USathane wayesithini ngalokho akutshela u-Eva? (b) Kuyini uSathane ayekuphikisa mayelana lobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu?

 ⁸ Ngamanye amazwi uSathane wayesitsho ukuthi uJehova wayefihlela u-Eva okuthile okwakuqakathekile, esitsho lokuthi uNkulunkulu wayetshela u-Eva amanga. USathane wazama ukuthi angathandabuzi iqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu ungumbusi. Kodwa waphikisa ilungelo, ukufanela, kanye lokulunga kobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. Ngamanye amazwi wayesithi uJehova wayengabusi ngendlela elungileyo, futhi enganiki abantu ababuswa nguye izinto abazidingayo.

9. (a) Yiwuphi umpumela owabakhona ngokungalaleli kuka-Adamu lo-Eva, njalo yiphi imibuzo eqakathekileyo eyabakhona? (b) Kungani uJehova engazange ababhubhise abantu labo abahlamukayo?

⁹ Ekucineni, bobabili u-Adamu lo-Eva abazange bamlalele uJehova ngoba badla isihlahla ababetshelwe ukuthi bangasidli. Ukungalaleli kwabo kwabenza ukuthi bathole isijeziso sokufa njengoba nje uNkulunkulu wayetshilo. Amanga kaSathane enza kwaba lemibuzo eminengi eqakathekileyo. UJehova ulalo yini sibili ilungelo lokubusa abantu, kumbe umuntu kumele azibuse? UJehova ubusebenzisa ngendlela enhle yini ubukhosi bakhe? UJehova wayengasebenzisa amandla akhe amakhulu ukuthi ahle ababhubhise abantu labo abahlamukayo. Kodwa imibuzo eyaba khona yayimayelana lokubusa kukaNkulunkulu, hatshi amandla akhe. Ngakho ukubhubhisa u-Adamu, u-Eva kanye loSathane kwakungasoze kutshengise ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMbusi omuhle. Nxa wayengababhubhisa abantu laba, ukubusa kwakhe kwakuzathandabuzwa kakhulu. Indlela eyayingcono kakhulu yokubona ukuthi abantu bangenelisa ukuzibusa bengela Nkulunkulu, yayiyikubavumela ukuthi bazibuse okwesikhathi esithile.

10. Imbali itshengiseni ngokubusa kwabantu?

¹⁰ Ukuhamba kwesikhathi kutshengiseni? Okweminyaka eminengi edlulileyo, abantu abanengi bazame imihlobo etshiyeneyo yabohulumende, egoqela ababusi abangontandokayiphikiswa kanye lemibuso eyenza intando kazulu. Umpumela wakho konke lokhu ufinqwe ngamazwi la aseBhayibhilini athi: “Umuntu ubuse umuntu kwaba yikulimala kwakhe.”  (UmTshumayeli 8:9, NW) Ngakho elesizathu esihle, umphrofethi uJeremiya wathi: “Ngiyazi, O Jehova, ukuthi ukuphila komuntu akusikho kwakhe; umuntu akusikho kwakhe ukuthi aqondise izinyathelo zakhe.”​—UJeremiya 10:23.

11. Kungani uJehova wavumela ukuthi abantu bahlupheke?

¹¹ UJehova wayekwazi kusukela ekuqaliseni ukuthi ukuzibusa kwabantu kwakuzaletha ukuhlupheka okukhulu. Kwakuyikungalungi yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu avumele isimo lesi esibi sibe khona? Ngitsho lakancane! Nanku umzekeliso: Ake sithi ulomntwana okumele ahlinzwe ukuze elatshwe umkhuhlane obulalayo. Uyakwazi ukuthi ukuhlinzwa lokhu kuzamzwisa ubuhlungu obuthile, futhi lokhu kukuzwisa ubuhlungu. Ngesikhathi esifananayo, uyakwazi ukuthi ukuhlinzwa lokhu kuzanceda umntanakho ukuthi abe lempilakahle kwelakusasa. Ngokufananayo, uNkulunkulu wayekwazi ukuthi ukuvumela abantu bazibuse kuzaletha ubuhlungu kanye lokuhlupheka emhlabeni, futhi wakhuluma kuseselesikhathi ukuthi kwakuzakuba njalo. (UGenesisi 3:16-19) Kodwa wayekwazi lokuthi impumuzo ehlalayo yayingatholakala kuphela nxa wayengavumela bonke abantu ukuthi bazibonele impumela emibi yokuhlamuka. Indaba yobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu yayizalungiswa ngalindlela futhi yayingasoze iphinde ivuke kuze kube nini lanini.

12. USathane ubasola esithini abantu, njengoba kutshengiswa yindaba kaJobe?

¹² Kulokunye futhi okuhlanganiswayo endabeni le. Ngesikhathi ephikisa ukuthi ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bulungile njalo bufanele, uSathane kazange anyundele kuphela ubukhosi bukaJehova, kodwa wasola lobuqotho bezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, nanzelela lokho uSathane akutsho kuJehova ngokuphathelane lendoda eyayilungile uJobe:  “Kawumbiyelanga ngothango yini yena lendlu yakhe, kanye lakho konke alakho? Uwubusisile umsebenzi wezandla zakhe kuze kuthi imihlambi yakhe yezimvu leyezinkomo igcwale ilizwe lonke. Kodwa akuwelule isandla sakho uchithe konke alakho, uzabona uzakuthuka ekukhangele.”​—UJobe 1:10, 11.

13. Wayesitshoni uSathane ngokusola kwakhe uJobe, njalo abantu bangena njani endabeni le?

¹³ USathane waphikisa esithi uJehova wayesebenzisa amandla akhe okuvikela ukuze uJobe aqhubeke emkhonza. Lokhu kwakusitsho ukuthi ubuqotho bukaJobe babungobokuzenzisa, ekhonza uNkulunkulu kuphela ngenxa yalokho ayezakuthola. USathane wathi ngabe uJobe wayengabusiswanga nguNkulunkulu, wayezamthuka uMdali wakhe. USathane wayekwazi ukuthi uJobe wayengafanani labanye ngoba wayeyindoda ‘engelasici, eqondileyo, indoda emesabayo uNkulunkulu, exwaya ububi.’ * Ngakho nxa uSathane wayengenza ukuthi uJobe angabi qotho, wayengeke yini enelise ukwenza njalo kubo bonke abantu? Ngokutsho njalo uSathane wayesola ubuqotho babantu bonke abafuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Eqhelisa indaba leyo, uSathane wathi kuJehova: “Umuntu [hatshi uJobe kuphela] anganikela loba yini alayo ukusiza impilo yakhe.”​—UJobe 1:8; 2:4.

14. Imbali itshengiseni mayelana lendlela uSathane asola ngayo abantu?

¹⁴ Imbali itshengise ukuthi banengi abenze njengoJobe, abaqhubeke bethembekile kuJehova kungelani lezilingo futhi baphumelele kungelani lalokho okwatshiwo nguSathane. Ukuqhubeka kwabo bethembekile kuthokozise inhliziyo kaJehova njalo kwenza lokuthi uJehova aphendule uSathane, yena othi abantu kabasoze baqhubeke bekhonza uNkulunkulu nxa belezinhlupho. (KumaHebheru 11:4-38) Abalezinhliziyo ezilungileyo  kabazange bayekele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Lanxa izimo zinzima okokuthi abasakwazi lokuthi benzeni, baqhubeke bethembela kuJehova ukuthi abanike amandla okubekezela.​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7-10.

15. Yiwuphi umbuzo ongabakhona ngokuphathelane lezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu azenza kudala kanye lalezo azazenza ngesikhathi esizayo?

¹⁵ Kodwa ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova akugoqeli indaba yobukhosi lendaba yokuba qotho kwabantu kuphela. IBhayibhili likhuluma ngezahlulelo zikaJehova azenza ngesikhathi esahlulela abantu abathile kanye lezizwe. Ligoqela leziphrofetho zezahlulelo azazenza esikhathini esizayo. Kungani singaba leqiniso lokuthi esikhathini esadlulayo uJehova wahlulela kuhle futhi uzakwahlulela kuhle esikhathini esizayo?

16, 17. Yiziphi izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi abantu kabakuzwisisi ukwahlulela okuhle?

¹⁶ Ngokuphathelane loJehova, kungatshiwo ukuthi: “Zonke izindlela zakhe ziyikwahlulela okuhle.” (UDutheronomi 32:4, NW) Thina abantu ngeke sithi sinjalo ngenxa yokuthi izikhathi ezinengi, ukuba lesono kwethu kwenza singenelisi ukwahlulela kuhle. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngo-Abhrahama. Wancenga uJehova ngokuphathelane lokubhujiswa kweSodoma lanxa kwakulobubi obunengi endaweni leyo. Wabuza uJehova ukuthi: “Uzakhucula abalungileyo kanye lababi na?” (UGenesisi 18:23-33) Iqiniso yikuthi impendulo yayinguhatshi. Ngoba uJehova wamelela uLothi owayelungile kanye lamadodakazi akhe ukuthi baqale bafike bephephile eZowari, ngemva kwalokho ‘wasenisa umlilo wesolufa etshisayo’ phezu kweSodoma. (UGenesisi 19:22-24) Kodwa uJona yena “wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda” ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu esiba lesihawu ebantwini baseNineve. Njengoba uJona wayesememezele ukubhujiswa kwalabo bantu, wayengasuthiseka ngokubona abantu labo bebhujiswa lanxa babengaphenduka ngezinhliziyo zabo zonke.​—UJona 3:10–4:1.

 ¹⁷ UJehova waqinisekisa u-Abhrahama ukuthi ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle akugoqeli kuphela ukubhubhisa abantu ababi kodwa kugoqela lokusindisa abantu abalungileyo. Kodwa uJona yena kwakusamele afunde ukuthi uJehova ulesihawu. Nxa abantu ababi bentshintsha izindlela zabo, ukulungele ‘ukubathethelela.’ (IHubo 86:5) Ngokungafanani labantu abesaba abanye, uJehova kahluleli kabuhlungu ukuze nje atshengise abantu ukuthi ulamandla, futhi uyatshengisa isihawu engesabi ukuthi kuzathiwa kalamandla. Uyatshengisa isihawu nxa kulesizathu esihle sokwenza njalo.​—U-Isaya 55:7; UHezekheli 18:23.

18. Tshengisa ukuthi iBhayibhili likuveza njani ukuthi uJehova kakhohliswa ngabantu abenza angani bayazisola.

¹⁸ Kodwa uJehova kakhohliswa ngabantu abenza angani bayazisola bona bengazisoli. Abantu bakhe baze bafebe, uJehova wabatshela mgceke wathi: “Ngizalahlulela ngokumayelana lezenzo zenu ngilivuze kukho konke ukwenza kwenu okunengekayo. Kangiyikulikhangela ngesihawu loba ngiliyekele; ngeqiniso ngizalinika umvuzo wezandla zenu.” (UHezekheli 7:3, 4) Ngakho nxa abantu bengafuni ukuntshintsha izenzo zabo, uJehova ubahlulela ngokuhambelana lezenzo lezo. Kodwa wahlulela kuphela nxa kulobufakazi beqiniso. Yikho lapho esizwa “insolo” mayelana leSodoma leGomora, uJehova wathi: “Sengizakuya khona ngiyobona ingabe lokho abakwenzileyo kubi okulingana lensolo le esifikile kimi.” (UGenesisi 18:20, 21) Kumele sikubonge ukuthi uJehova kafanani labantu abaphanga bahlulele bengakayizwa yonke indaba! Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova unjengoba nje iBhayibhili limchaza ukuthi, ‘unguNkulunkulu othembekileyo ongenzi okubi.’​—UDutheronomi 32:4.

19. Singenzani nxa silemibuzo esiphicayo mayelana lokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova?

¹⁹ IBhayibhili kaliyiphenduli yonke imibuzo ephathelane lendlela uJehova ayesenza ngayo endulo; njalo alisitsheli konke ngendlela uJehova azakwahlulela ngayo abantu abathile kanye  lamaqembu athile esikhathini esizayo. Nxa siphicwa yizindaba ezinjalo kumbe iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini okungakhulunywa okunengi ngazo, singatshengisa ukuthi sithembela kuNkulunkulu njengomphrofethi uMikha owabhala wathi: “Ngilindele uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami.”​—UMikha 7:7.

20, 21. Kungani singaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzahlala esenza okuqondileyo?

²⁰ Singaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzakwenza okuqondileyo kuloba yisiphi isimo. Lanxa abantu bengelandaba lokungalungi, uJehova uthembisa ukuthi: “Ukuphindisela ngokwami; ngizaphindisela.” (KwabaseRoma 12:19) Nxa singalindela uNkulunkulu, sizakutsho amazwi akhulunywa ngumphostoli uPhawuli, athi: “Kukhona ukungalungi kuNkulunkulu na? Phinde!”​—KwabaseRoma 9:14, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.

²¹ Okwakhathesi, siphila ‘ezikhathini ezinzima.’ (2 KuThimothi 3:1) Ukungalungi kanye ‘lokucindezelwa’ kwenze ukuthi kube lokuhlupheka okubuhlungu. (UmTshumayeli 4:1) Kodwa uJehova kantshintshanga. Ulokhu esakuzonda ukungalungi, njalo uyabakhathalela labo abahlukuluzwa yikho. Nxa singahlala sithembekile kuJehova lasebukhosini bakhe, uzasinika amandla okubekezela kuze kube yisikhathi esifaneleyo sokuthi alungise konke ukungalungi okukhona nxa sekubusa uMbuso wakhe.​—1 UPhetro 5:6, 7.