1, 2. Yiphi “incwadi” uJehova asibhalele yona, njalo kungani?

UYAKHUMBULA yini isikhathi owamukela ngaso incwadi eyayivela emuntwini omthandayo ohlala khatshana? Zilutshwana izinto ezingasithokozisa ngendlela esithokoza ngayo nxa singathola incwadi evela emuntwini esimthandayo. Sijabula kakhulu ngokuzwa ukuthi uziphilele, kanye lokuzwa okwenzakala empilweni yakhe lalokho afuna ukukwenza. Indlela le yokukhulumisana yenza ukuthi sisondelelane labantu esibathandayo lanxa behlala ezindaweni ezikhatshana.

² Kodwa ukwamukela umlayezo obhalwe phansi ovela kuNkulunkulu esimthandayo kuyasithokozisa ukwedlula yiloba yini. Ngamanye amazwi, uJehova usibhalele “incwadi.” Incwadi le yiLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili. Kulo usitshela ukuthi ungubani, lokho akwenzileyo, lalokho azakwenza kanye lokunye okunenginengi. UJehova usinike iLizwi lakhe ngenxa yokuthi ufuna sibe seduze laye. UNkulunkulu wethu olenhlakanipho yonke ukhethe indlela engcono kakhulu yokukhuluma lathi. Indlela iBhayibhili elibhalwe ngayo kanye lalokho elikumumetheyo kutshengisa inhlakanipho enkulu.

3. UJehova wasebenzisa yiphi indlela ukuthi atshele uMosi uMthetho?

³ Abanye bangazibuza ukuthi, ‘Kungani uJehova engazange asebenzise ezinye izindlela zokukhulumisana labantu ezinjengokukhuluma labo esezulwini?’ Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova wake wakhuluma labantu esezulwini esebenzisa izingilosi. Ngokwesibonelo, wenza njalo ngesikhathi enika ama-Israyeli uMthetho. (KwabaseGalathiya 3:19) Ilizwi elalivela ezulwini lalisesabeka, okokuthi ama-Israyeli athuthumela asecela ukuthi angakhulumi loJehova ngalindlela kodwa ukuthi uJehova akhulume labo  esebenzisa uMosi. (U-Eksodusi 20:18-20) Ngakho uMthetho lo owawugoqela imithetho engaba ngu-600 watshelwa uMosi, ibala ngebala.

4. Chasisa ukuthi kungani ukutshelwa ngomlomo umthetho kwakungasoze kube yindlela engcono yokudlulisa imithetho kaNkulunkulu.

⁴ Kodwa kwakuzakwenzakalani ngabe uMthetho lo kawuzange ubhalwe phansi? UMosi wayezakwenelisa yini ukukhumbula kuhle wonke amazwi oMthetho lo ngokulandelana kwawo aphinde awatshele isizwe sonke engaphambanisanga? Izizukulwane ezazizakuba khona zona zazizakwenza njani? Zazizathembela ekutshelweni ngabanye nje yini? Indlela le yayingasoze ibe yindlela engcono yokudlulisela imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ukuthi kuyini okungenzakala nxa ubungazama ukutshela abantu abaludwendwe indaba ethile ngokuqalisa utshele osekuqaliseni kodwendwe ubususithi laye atshele olandelayo kuze kuyefika ekucineni besenza njalo. Kungenzakala ukuthi lokho umuntu osekucineni azakuzwa kuzabe kutshiyene kakhulu lalokho umuntu osekuqaliseni akuzwileyo. Kodwa kwakungasoze kwenzakale njalo ngamazwi oMthetho kaNkulunkulu.

5, 6. UJehova walaya uMosi ukuthi enzeni ngamazwi ayemtshela wona, njalo kungani kuyisibusiso kithi ukuba leLizwi likaJehova elibhaliweyo?

⁵ UJehova wakhetha ngokuhlakanipha ukuthi amazwi lawo abhalwe phansi. Walaya uMosi wathi: “Loba amazwi la, ngoba ngamazwi la sengenze isivumelwano lawe kanye lo-Israyeli.” (U-Eksodusi 34:27) Ngo-1513 B.C.E., kwaqaliswa ukubhalwa iBhayibhili. Okweminyaka engu-1 610, uJehova ‘wakhuluma izikhathi ezinengi langezindlela ezehlukeneyo’ labantu abangu-40 ababhala iBhayibhili. (KumaHebheru 1:1) Ababhali ababezinikele bahlola ngonanzelelo ukuthi lokho ababekubhala kwakuliqiniso ukuze kulondolozwe iMibhalo.​—U-Ezra 7:6, The Holy Bible in Ndebele; IHubo 45:1.

⁶ UJehova usibusisile ngokukhuluma lathi esebenzisa okubhaliweyo. Wake wamukela yini incwadi owayithanda kakhulu okokuthi waze wayigcina ukuze ubulokhu uyiphinda ukuyibala,  mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi yayikukhuthaza kakhulu? Kuyinto efananayo “ngencwadi” uJehova asibhalele yona. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wabhala phansi amazwi akhe, siyenelisa ukuwabala ngaso sonke isikhathi njalo sicabangisise ngalokho akutshoyo. (IHubo 1:2) Singathola ‘isikhuthazo eMibhalweni’ noma nini lapho esisidinga khona.​—KwabaseRoma 15:4.

7. Inhlakanipho kaJehova ikhanya njani ekusebenziseni kwakhe abantu ukuthi babhale iBhayibhili?

⁷ Esebenzisa inhlakanipho yakhe, uJehova wasebenzisa abantu ukuthi babhale iLizwi lakhe. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ngabe uJehova wasebenzisa izingilosi ukubhala iBhayibhili, lalizasikhanga ngendlela elisikhanga ngayo yini? Kuliqiniso ukuthi izingilosi zazingabhala lokho kanye uJehova ayikho khona ezulwini, zibhale ngokuzinikela kwazo kuye langezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo ezisemhlabeni. Kodwa sasizenelisa yini ukuzwisisa okubhalwe yizingilosi ezipheleleyo, ezilolwazi kanye lamandla ukwedlula thina?​—KumaHebheru 2:6, 7.

8. Abalobi beBhayibhili bavunyelwa ngayiphi indlela ukuthi basebenzise izingqondo zabo ekubhaleni? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

⁸ Esebenzisa abantu ukuthi balobe iBhayibhili, uJehova wasinika khona kanye esikudingayo. Wasinika iLizwi lakhe ‘eliphefumulelweyo’ kodwa elilezinto eziphathelane labantu. (2 KuThimothi 3:16) Wakwenza njani lokhu? Izikhathi ezinengi, wayevumela ukuthi abalobi basebenzise izingqondo zabo ukukhetha “amazwi ayiwonawona” lokubona ukuthi ‘konke abakulobayo kuqondile futhi kuliqiniso.’ (UmTshumayeli 12:10, 11) Lokhu yikho okwenza ukuthi iBhayibhili libe lezinto ezitshiyeneyo; okwabhalwayo kutshengisa ubuntu babalobi kanye lendlela ababephila ngayo. * Lanxa kunjalo, amadoda la ‘akhuluma okuvela kuNkulunkulu  eholwa ngumoya ongcwele.’ (2 UPhetro 1:21) Ngakho konke lokho kwenza ukuthi kube ‘lelizwi likaNkulunkulu.’​—1 KwabaseThesalonika 2:13.

9, 10. Kungani ukusetshenziswa kwabantu ukuthi balobe iBhayibhili kulenza ukuthi lithandeke futhi likhange?

⁹ Ukusetshenziswa kwabantu ukuthi babhale iBhayibhili kulenza ukuthi lithandeke njalo likhange. Abalobi balo kwakungamadoda ayelemizwa enjengeyethu. Ngenxa yokuthi babelesono, behlelwa yizilingo ezifanana lezethu. Ngezinye izikhathi, umoya kaJehova wawubaphefumulela ukuthi babhale ngemizwa yabo langobunzima ababelwisana labo. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 12:7-10) Ngakho babhala besebenzisa izabizwana ezazingeke zisetshenziswe yizingilosi ezinjengokuthi “mina” lokuthi “ngi.”

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngeNkosi yako-Israyeli uDavida. Ngemva kokuba enze izono ezinkulu kakhulu, uDavida wabhala ihubo etshela uNkulunkulu konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe, emcela ukuthi amthethelele. Wabhala wathi: ‘Ungihlambulule esonweni sami. Phela ngiyazazi iziphambeko zami, isono sami sihlezi siphambi kwami. Ngeqiniso ngavele ngazalwa ngilesono, ngaba yisoni ngiqalisa esiswini sikamama. Ungangilahli ebusweni bakho kumbe ususe kimi umoya ongcwele. Imihlatshelo kaNkulunkulu iyinhliziyo edabukileyo; inhliziyo edabukileyo, ezisolayo, hawu Nkulunkulu, kawuyikuyilahla.’ (IHubo 51:2, 3, 5, 11, 17) Uyabuzwa yini ubuhlungu obabuzwiwa ngumlobi lo? Umuntu olesono nguye yedwa ongatshengisa ukudana okuvela enhliziyweni okunjengalokhu.

11. Yizibonelo ezinjani zabantu abake baphila ezabhalwa eBhayibhilini ukuze ‘zisifundise’?

¹¹ Kulokunye futhi okwenza ukuthi iBhayibhili likhange. Libhuku elikhuluma okunengi ngabantu abake baphila, ababekhonza uNkulunkulu lalabo ababengamkhonzi. Sibala ngalokho okwenzakala ezimpilweni zabo, ubunzima abalwisana labo kanye lezikhathi zabo zokuthokoza. Siphinde sibale langempumela yalokho abakhetha ukukwenza empilweni. Izindaba ezinjalo  zabhalwa eBhayibhilini ukuze ‘zisifundise.’ (KwabaseRoma 15:4) UJehova usifundisa ngezindlela ezithinta inhliziyo esebenzisa izibonelo zabantu abake baphila. Cabanga ngezinye izibonelo.

12. Izindaba eziseBhayibhilini zabantu ababengathembekanga zisinceda njani?

¹² IBhayibhili lisitshela ngabantu ababebabi, ababengathembekanga lalokho okwabehlelayo ekuphileni kwabo. Ezindabeni lezo, sibona izimpawu zobuntu ezingazinhle abantu labo ababelazo njalo lokho kwenza kube lula ukuthi sizizwisise. Ngokwesibonelo, uJudasi watshengisa ukungathembeki okukhulu kakhulu ngesikhathi esenza icebo lokuthengisa uJesu. Lesi yisixwayiso esilamandla kakhulu sokuthi singabi ngabantu abangathembekanga. (UMathewu 26:14-16, 46-50; 27:3-10) Izindaba ezinjengalezi zisithinta inhliziyo futhi zisinceda ukuthi sibone izimpawu ezimbi besesizibalekela.

13. IBhayibhili lisinceda njani ukuthi sizwisise izimpawu zobuntu ezinhle?

¹³ IBhayibhili liphinde lisichazele ngezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi ezazithembekile. Sibala ngokuba qotho kwazo kanye lokuzinikela kwazo. Siphinda sibone lezibonelo zezimpawu okumele sibe lazo ukuze sisondele eduze loNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngokholo. IBhayibhili liyachasisa ukuthi ukholo luyini beselisitshela lokuthi luqakathekile ukuze sithokozise uNkulunkulu. (KumaHebheru 11:1, 6) Kodwa iBhayibhili liphinda libe lezibonelo zendlela abantu abathile abatshengisa ngayo ukholo. Cabanga ngokholo olwatshengiswa ngu-Abhrahama ngesikhathi efuna ukunikela ngo-Isaka. (UGenesisi, isahluko 22; KumaHebheru 11:17-19) Ibala elithi “ukholo” liba lomutsho omkhulu njalo liba lula ukulizwisisa nxa sibala izindaba ezinjengalezi. UJehova kasikhuthazi ukuthi sibe lezimpawu lezi ezinhle kuphela kodwa usiphe lezibonelo zendlela abanye abatshengisa ngayo lezizimpawu. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi ulenhlakanipho enkulu!

14, 15. IBhayibhili lisitshelani ngowesifazana othile oweza ethempelini, njalo indaba le isifundisani ngoJehova?

¹⁴ Izindaba lezi zabantu abake baphila ezitholakala eBhayibhilini zisifundisa okunye uJehova ayikho. Cabanga ngalokho esikubalayo mayelana lowesifazana owayesethempelini owabonwa nguJesu. Ngesikhathi ehlezi eduze lendawo yokunikela, uJesu  wayebukele abantu bephosela iminikelo yabo. Abanengi ababenothile ‘babecupha enothweni’ yabo. Kodwa uJesu wakhangela umfelokazi owayengumyanga. Isipho sakhe sasigoqela “okuzinhlamvana kwethusi okubili.” * Kwakuyimali yokucina ayelayo. UJesu, owatshengisa ngokupheleleyo ingqondo kaJehova ezindabeni ezithile, wananzelela lokhu: “Umfelokazi lo ompofu ufake okunengi enkongozelweni kulabo bonke.” Ngokuvumelana lamazwi lawo, umfelokazi lo wafaka okunengi ukwedlula lokho abanye ababekuqongelele.​—UMakho 12:41-44; ULukha 21:1-4; UJohane 8:28.

¹⁵ Ebantwini bonke abeza ethempelini ngalelo langa, kuyamangalisa ukuthi umfelokazi lo nguye yedwa owanconywayo futhi kwabhalwa ngaye eBhayibhilini. Esebenzisa isibonelo lesi, uJehova usifundisa ukuthi uyakubonga okuhle esikwenzayo. Uyakujabulela ukwamukela izipho esizinikela ngomphefumulo wonke, kungelani lokuthi zingakanani nxa ziqathaniswa lalokho abanye abenelisa ukukunikela. Le yiyo indlela engcono kakhulu uJehova akhetha ukuyisebenzisa ukuze asifundise iqiniso elisiduduzayo!

16, 17. Inhlakanipho kaJehova ikhanya njani kulokho akhetha ukungakufaki eLizwini lakhe?

¹⁶ Nxa ubhalela umuntu omthandayo incwadi, kunengi ongakubhala kuleyo ncwadi. Ngakho ngokuhlakanipha ungakhetha ukuthi kuyini ongakubhala. Ngendlela efananayo, uJehova wakhetha ukubhala ngabantu abathile lezinto ezithile eLizwini lakhe. Kodwa ezindabeni lezo, iBhayibhili kalikhulumi ngakho konke okwenzakalayo. (UJohane 21:15) Ngokwesibonelo, nxa iBhayibhili lisitshela ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu, kungenzakala ukuthi lokho okubhaliweyo kungaphenduli yonke imibuzo esingaba layo. Inhlakanipho kaJehova iyakhanya ngitsho lakulokho akhetha ukungakufaki eLizwini lakhe. Njani?

 ¹⁷ Indlela iBhayibhili elibhalwe ngayo yenzelwe ukuhlola lokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu. UHebheru 4:12 uthi: ‘Ilizwi [kumbe umlayezo] likaNkulunkulu liyaphila njalo liyasebenza. Libukhali kulenkemba esika inxa zombili, ingena ize yehlukanise umphefumulo lomoya; lahlulela imicabango lomumo wenhliziyo.’ Umlayezo weBhayibhili uhlola ekujuleni, uveza indlela esicabanga ngayo lezifiso zenhliziyo. Labo abawubalayo umlayezo lo behlose ukusola bandise ukungazizwisisi izindaba ezingelazimpendulo ezingabasuthisa. Abantu abanjalo bangathandabuza lokuthi uJehova ulothando, ulenhlakanipho lokwahlulela kuhle.

18, 19. (a) Kungani kungamelanga sikhathazeke nxa indaba ethile eseBhayibhilini isenza sibe lemibuzo esingenelisi ukuthola izimpendulo zayo masinyane? (b) Kuyini okudingakalayo ukuze sizwisise iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kutshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova ulenhlakanipho enkulu?

¹⁸ Kodwa, nxa sitaditsha iBhayibhili ngonanzelelo langenhliziyo eqotho siyenelisa ukubona uJehova ngendlela iBhayibhili lonke elimchaza ngayo. Ngakho kasikhathazeki nxa indaba ethile isenza sibe lemibuzo esingeke sithole khona izimpendulo masinyane. Ukutaditsha kwethu iBhayibhili kwenza ukuthi kancane kancane sibone lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu ayikho. Lanxa ekuqaliseni singehluleka ukuzwisisa indaba ethile, kumbe ukuthi sibone ukungenelana kwayo lobuntu bukaNkulunkulu, kumele sazi ukuthi ukutaditsha kwethu iBhayibhili sekusifundise okunengi ngoJehova okokuthi sesikwazi ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olothando olungapheliyo futhi ongakhethiyo.

¹⁹ Ukuze senelise ukulizwisisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, kumele silibale futhi silitaditshe ngenhliziyo eqotho singadingi amaphutha. Lokhu kakutshengisi yini ukuthi uJehova ulenhlakanipho enkulu? Abantu abakhaliphileyo bangabhala amabhuku angazwisiswa ‘ngabahlakaniphileyo labafundileyo’ kuphela. Kodwa yinhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu kuphela engenza ukuthi kubhalwe ibhuku elingazwisiswa yilabo abalezinhliziyo ezilungileyo!​—UMathewu 11:25.

20. Kungani kunguJehova kuphela ongasitshela indlela engcono yokuphila, njalo kuyini okutholakala eBhayibhilini okungasinceda?

²⁰ UJehova usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe ukuze asitshele indlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila. Njengoba enguMdali wethu, uyakwazi esikudingayo ukwedlula thina. Izidingo zabantu ezigoqela isifiso sokuthandwa, esokuthokoza lesokuba lobuhlobo obuphumelelayo, kasizange sintshintshe kusukela kudala. IBhayibhili ‘lilenhlakanipho esebenzayo’ engasinceda ukuthi siphile ukuphila okulenjongo. (IZaga 2:7, NW) Ingxenye ngayinye yebhuku leli ilesahluko esitshengisa indlela esingasebenzisa ngayo iseluleko seBhayibhili esilenhlakanipho, kodwa okwakhathesi kasixoxeni ngesisodwa sakhona.

21-23. Yisiphi iseluleko esitshengisa inhlakanipho esingasinceda ukuthi singabambi isikhwili futhi singahlali sizondile?

²¹ Wake wakunanzelela yini ukuthi abantu ababamba isikhwili labahlala bezondile bandise ukuphetha ngokuzilimaza? Ukubamba isikhwili yikuzithwalisa umthwalo onzima, ngenxa yokuthi ukwekela isifiso esinjalo sikhula, kwenza singacabangi kuhle, singabi lokuthula futhi singathokozi. Ukuhlola okwenziwe zingcitshi zesayensi kutshengisa ukuthi ukubamba isikhwili kungengezelela ingozi yokubanjwa ngumkhuhlane wenhliziyo kanye leminye imikhuhlane engelaphekiyo etshiyeneyo. Kusasele iminyaka eminengi ukuthi abezesayensi bakubone lokhu, iBhayibhili lathi: “Xwayana lokuzonda njalo ufulathele intukuthelo.” (IHubo 37:8) Kodwa singakwenza njani lokho?

²² ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisinika iseluleko lesi esihlakaniphileyo: “Ukuhlakanipha komuntu kumupha isineke; kumupha udumo ukunganaki ukuqalwa.” (IZaga 19:11) Ukuqonda yikwenelisa ukubona okungangale kolutho, ukubona izinto ezicatshileyo. Ukuqonda kwenza ukuthi kube lokuhlakanipha, ngoba kungasinceda sibone ukuthi kungani omunye umuntu ekhulume kumbe enze ngendlela ethile. Ukuzama ukuzwisisa imizwa yakhe, izimo zakhe kanye lokuthi ubengahlosanga okubi kungasinceda ukuthi singacabangi okubi ngaye.

²³ Esinye futhi iseluleko esiseBhayibhilini yilesi: “Bekezelelanani, lithethelelane loba kuyinsolo bani omunye angaba layo  ngomunye.” (KwabaseKholose 3:13) Umutsho othi “bekezelelanani” utsho ukubekezelela abanye, singabi lendaba lobuntu babo esingabuthandiyo. Ukubekezela okunjalo kungasinceda ukuthi singabambi isikhwili ngezinto ezingelamsebenzi. ‘Ukuthethelela’ kulomqondo wokungazondi. UNkulunkulu wethu olenhlakanipho yonke uyakwazi ukuthi kumele sithethelele abanye nxa kulesizatho esizwakalayo sokwenza njalo. Lokhu kakuncedi labo abasoneleyo kuphela kodwa kunceda lathi ukuthi sihlaliseke engqondweni lasenhliziyweni. (ULukha 17:3, 4) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lilenhlakanipho enkulu kakhulu!

24. Ukuphila ngokuvumelana lenhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu kulayiphi impumela?

²⁴ UJehova wayefuna ukukhuluma lathi ngenxa yokuthi ulothando olungapheliyo. Wakhetha indlela engcono kulazo zonke. Wasibhalela “incwadi” esebenzisa abantu ababeqondiswa ngumoya ongcwele. Ngenxa yalokho, inhlakanipho kaJehova iyatholakala emakhasini ayo. Inhlakanipho le “ithembekile kakhulu.” (IHubo 93:5, NW) Singasondela kuNkulunkulu wethu olenhlakanipho yonke nxa singaphila ngokuvumelana leBhayibhili njalo sitshele abanye ngalo. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizaxoxa ngesinye isibonelo esimangalisayo senhlakanipho kaJehova yokwenelisa ukukhuluma ngokuzakwenzakala esikhathini esizayo kanye leyokugcwalisa injongo yakhe.