1, 2. (a) Umama wandise ukwenzani nxa usane lwakhe lungakhala ebusuku? (b) Yiwuphi umuzwa olamandla ukwedlula isihawu sikamama?

USANE luyakhala phakathi kobusuku. Umama uhle avuke masinyane. Selokhu wabelethayo, kasabuquthi ubuthongo. Usefunde ukwehlukanisa lokho okuyabe kukhalelwa lusane lwakhe. Ngakho usekwazi nxa usane lwakhe lukhalela ukumunyiswa, ukuphathwa, kumbe ukuntshintshwa isitshubo. Kodwa umama uyavuka kuphela kungelandaba ukuthi usane lukhalelani. Inhliziyo yakhe kayimvumeli ukuthi angananzi izidingo zosane lwakhe.

² Isihawu umama alaso ngosane lwakhe singeyinye yemizwa etshengisa ububele ekhona ebantwini. Kodwa isihawu sobubele bukaNkulunkulu wethu uJehova sona singumuzwa olamandla ukwedlula yonke. Ukucabanga ngophawu lolu olukhanga kakhulu kungasinceda ukuthi sisondele kakhulu kuJehova. Ngakho okwakhathesi kasixoxeni ngokuthi siyini isihawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu wethu usitshengisa njani.

3. Litshoni ibala lesiHebheru eliyisenzo elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuba lomusa” kumbe “ukuba lozwelo”?

³ EBhayibhilini, isihawu lomusa kuyahambelana kakhulu. Amabala amanengana esiHebheru lawesiGiriki alomqondo wesihawu sobubele. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngebala lesiHebheru eliyisenzo elithi ra·chamʹ, elandise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukuba lomusa,” kumbe “ukuba lozwelo.” Elinye ibhuku lithi ibala eliyisenzo elithi ra·chamʹ “litsho umuzwa ojulileyo futhi olesihawu sobubele, ofanana lokubona  ubuthakathaka obuthize kumbe ukuhlupheka kwalabo esibathandayo kumbe abadinga uncedo lwethu.” Ibala leli lesiHebheru uJehova alisebenzisa kuye ngokwakhe, lihambelana lebala elithi “isibeletho” futhi lingachasiswa ngokuthi “isihawu sikamama.” *​—U-Eksodusi 33:19, NW; UJeremiya 33:26, NW.

4, 5. IBhayibhili lisifundisa njani ngesihawu sikaJehova lisebenzisa imizwa umama alayo ngosane lwakhe?

⁴ IBhayibhili lisifundisa okutshiwo yisihawu sikaJehova lisebenzisa imizwa umama alayo ngosane lwakhe. U-Isaya 49:15, uthi: “Kambe owesifazana angamkhohlwa umntanakhe omunyayo, angabi lesihawu [ra·chamʹ] kuyo indodana yesisu sakhe na? Yebo, mhlawumbe angamkhohlwa; kodwa mina ngingeke ngikukhohlwe wena.” (The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ukuchasisa lokho okuthinta inhliziyo kutshengisa ukujula kwesihawu uJehova alaso ngabantu bakhe. Njani?

⁵ Kunzima ukucabanga ukuthi umama angakhohlwa ukumunyisa kumbe ukunakekela usane lwakhe. Ngoba phela usane kalwenelisi ukuzinceda; usane ludinga ukunakekelwa lokuthandwa ngunina ubusuku lemini. Kodwa kuyadanisa ukuthi sekwandile ukuthi omama bangananzi abantwababo, ikakhulu kulezi ‘zinsuku zokucina’ ezilabantu “abangelathando.” (2 KuThimothi 3:1, 3) Kodwa uJehova uthi “mina ngingeke ngikukhohlwe wena.” Isihawu sobubele uJehova asitshengisa izinceku zakhe kasipheli. Isihawu lesi silamandla ukwedlula loba yiwuphi umuzwa wobubele ongokwemvelo umama andise ukuwuzwa ngosane lwakhe. Yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi omunye owesilisa wathi ngo-Isaya 49:15: “Lokhu yikutshengiswa okulamandla kothando lukaNkulunkulu okwedlula loba yikuphi okuseThestamenteni Elidala.”

6. Abantu abanengi abalesono balawuphi umbono ngesihawu sobubele, kodwa uJehova usenza siqiniseke ngani?

 ⁶ Isihawu sobubele siluphawu lokuthi umuntu ubuthakathaka yini? Abantu abanengi abalesono balombono onjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, isazi saseRoma okwakuthiwa nguSeneca, esaphila ngesikhathi sikaJesu futhi esasiyisikhwicamfundo esiphambili eRoma, safundisa ukuthi “uzwelo yibuthakathaka bengqondo.” USeneca wayesekela ama-Stoic, wona ayegcizelela ukuthi umuntu kumele abekezelele ukuhlupheka angatshengiseli. Wathi umuntu ohlakaniphileyo anganceda labo abalezinhlupho, kodwa kakumelanga azivumele ukuthi abe lozwelo ngoba umuzwa onjalo uyamncitsha ukuthula. Umbono onjalo ngempilo wawungavumeli ukuthi umuntu abe lesihawu. Kodwa uJehova kanjalo ngitsho lakancane! ELizwini lakhe, uJehova usenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi ‘ugcwele isihawu esikhulu lomusa.’ (UJakhobe 5:11) Njengoba sizabona, isihawu kakusilo phawu lobuntu olutshengisa ubuthakathaka kodwa luphawu olutshengisa isibindi futhi oluqakathekileyo. Kasihloleni ukuthi uJehova ulutshengisa njani uphawu lolu njengoba engumzali osithandayo.

7, 8. Ama-Israyeli ahlupheka njani eGibhithe yasendulo, njalo uJehova wenzani ngakho?

⁷ Isihawu sikaJehova sikhanya ngokucacileyo endleleni aphatha ngayo isizwe sako-Israyeli. Ekupheleni kwekhulu lesi-16 B.C.E., izigidi zama-Israyeli zaziyizigqili eGibhithe futhi zazicindezelwa kabuhlungu. AmaGibhithe “enza impilo yabo yaba nzima kakhulu betshaya izitina lokuvoxa udaka.” (U-Eksodusi 1:11, 14) Ngenxa yalobo bunzima, ama-Israyeli  akhala kuJehova ecela uncedo. UNkulunkulu olesihawu sobubele wenzani?

⁸ UJehova wezwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni. Wathi: “Impela ngilubonile usizi lwabantu bami eGibhithe. Ngibazwile bekhala ngenxa yezinduna zezigqili ezibacindezelayo, njalo ngiyaphisekela [ngiyakwazi, NW ] ukuhlupheka kwabo.” (U-Eksodusi 3:7) UJehova wayebazwela lapho ebona ukuhlupheka kwabo lalapho esizwa ukukhala kwabo. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 24 sebhuku leli, uJehova unguNkulunkulu olozwelo. Uzwelo luyikwenelisa ukuzwa ubuhlungu babanye abantu njalo luhambelana lesihawu. UJehova kazange acine ngokubazwela kuphela abantu bakhe, kodwa wafuna ukubanceda. U-Isaya 63:9 uthi: “Ngothando lwakhe langesihawu sakhe wabahlenga.” UJehova wakhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe “ngesandla esilamandla.” (UDutheronomi 4:34) Ngemva kwalokho wabanika ukudla ngendlela eyisimangaliso njalo wabakhokhela baze bayafika elizweni labo elithelayo.

9, 10. (a) Kungani uJehova wakhulula ama-Israyeli kanenginengi ngesikhathi esehlala eLizweni elalithenjisiwe? (b) Ezinsukwini zikaJefitha, uJehova wakhulula ama-Israyeli kukuphi ukucindezelwa, njalo kuyini okwamenza wenza njalo?

⁹ Isihawu sikaJehova kasizange sicine lapho. Ngesikhathi esefikile eLizweni elalithenjisiwe, ama-Israyeli ayelokhu esenza izinto ezimbi futhi lokho kwawenza ahlupheka. Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi ayetshiya izenzo lezo ezimbi abesecela uncedo kuJehova. Kanenginengi wayebakhulula. Kungani? “Ngoba wayelesihawu ebantwini bakhe.”​—2 Imilando 36:15; ABahluleli 2:11-16.

¹⁰ Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngezinsuku zikaJefitha. Njengoba ama-Israyeli ayesekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga, uJehova wavumela ukuthi bacindezelwe ngama-Amoni okweminyaka engu-18. Ekucineni, ama-Israyeli aphenduka. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngakho basusa onkulunkulu bezizweni phakathi kwabo bakhonza uJehova. Wayengeke  alumele futhi usizi luka-Israyeli.” (ABahluleli 10:6-16) Babesithi bangatshengisa ukuthi sebephendukile ngobuqotho, uJehova wayengeke akubekezelele ukubabona behlupheka. Ngakho uNkulunkulu olesihawu sobubele wanika uJefitha amandla okukhulula ama-Israyeli ezitheni zawo.​—ABahluleli 11:30-33.

11. Sifundani ngesihawu endleleni uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli?

¹¹ Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo isizwe sako-Israyeli isifundisani ngesihawu sobubele? Okunye esikufundayo yikuthi ukuba lesihawu kayisikho kuba lomuzwa wokuzwela abantu abahluphekayo kuphela. Khumbula isibonelo sikamama olesihawu esimenza enze okuthile nxa usane lwakhe lukhala. UJehova laye wenza okuthile nxa abantu bakhe bekhala. Isihawu sakhe sobubele simenza asuse izinhlupho zabo. Okunye yikuthi indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli isifundisa ukuthi ukuba lesihawu akutsho ukuba buthakathaka, ngoba uphawu lolu lwamenza wenza isinqumo esiqinileyo sokulwela abantu bakhe. Kodwa uJehova utshengisa isihawu ezincekwini zakhe nxa ziliqembu kuphela yini?

12. UMthetho wawusitshengisa njani isihawu sikaJehova emuntwini munye ngamunye?

¹² UMthetho uNkulunkulu ayewunike isizwe sama-Israyeli wawutshengisa ukuthi ulesihawu emuntwini munye ngamunye. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela ayenakekela ngayo abayanga. UJehova wayekwazi ukuthi zikhona izimo ezazingenza umIsrayeli acine esengumyanga. Kwakumele baphathwe njani abayanga? UJehova walaya ama-Israyeli wathi: “Lingabi lezinhliziyo ezilukhuni loba ukuba ngabancitshanayo kumfowenu ongumyanga. Mupheni okunengi njalo lokhu likwenze ngezinhliziyo ezingelamona; kanti-ke ngenxa yalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu uzalibusisa kuyo yonke imisebenzi yenu lakukho konke elibeka  izandla zenu kukho.” (UDutheronomi 15:7, 10) UJehova waphinda walaya ama-Israyeli ukuthi angavuni emaphethelweni amasimu awo kumbe adobhe izinsalela. Izinsalela zazingezabayanga. (ULevi 23:22; URuthe 2:2-7) Isizwe sasisithi singawulandela umlayo lowo wokunceda abayanga ababehlala labo, kwakungasoze kube lesidingo sokuthi abayanga bako-Israyeli bahambe becela ukudla. Lokho kwakutshengisa isihawu sikaJehova sobubele.

13, 14. (a) Amazwi kaDavida enza njani ukuthi sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova ukhathalela munye ngamunye wethu ngokujulileyo? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova useduze lalabo ‘abalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo’ kumbe ‘abadabukileyo emoyeni’?

¹³ Lasesikhathini esiphila kuso, uNkulunkulu wethu olothando ukhathalela munye ngamunye wethu ngokujulileyo. Singaba leqiniso lokuthi uyazibona zonke izinhlupho esilazo. Umhubi uDavida wabhala ukuthi: “Amehlo kaJehova akhangele abalungileyo lezindlebe zakhe ziyezwa ukukhala kwabo. UJehova useduze labo abalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo asindise labo abadabukileyo emoyeni.” (IHubo 34:15, 18) Omunye ohlola ngezeBhayibhili wakhuluma ngalabo abatshiwo ngamazwi la wathi: ‘Ngabalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo kanye lesazela ngenxa yezono, lokuzikhangelela phansi kanye lokuzibona bengelancedo.’ Abanjalo bangabona angani uJehova ukhatshana labo lokuthi kabasilutho kuye ngakho ngeke abe lendaba labo. Kodwa kakunjalo. Amazwi kaDavida asenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova ngeke abatshiye labo “abazikhangelela phansi.” UNkulunkulu wethu olesihawu uyakwazi ukuthi ngezikhathi ezinjalo simdinga ukwedlula loba nini njalo useduze.

¹⁴ Cabanga ngokwake kwenzakala. Umama othile e-United States wagijimisela umntanakhe oleminyaka emibili ubudala esibhedlela, ngenxa yokuthi wayevaleka, ebulawa yisifuba. Ngemva kokumhlola, amadokotela atshela unina ukuthi ayezamlalisa okwelanga elilodwa. Umama lowo walala ngaphi mhlalokho? Walala esibhedlela, esitulweni esasiseduze  lombheda womntanakhe! Umntanakhe wayegula ngakho wayefuna ukuba seduze laye. Kuliqiniso ukuthi singakhangelela ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini olothando enze okwedlula lokho, ngoba senziwe ngomfanekiso wakhe. (UGenesisi 1:26) Amazwi aduduzayo akuHubo 34:18 asitshela ukuthi nxa ‘izinhliziyo zethu zephukile’ kumbe ‘sidabukile emoyeni’ uJehova njengobaba olothando, “useduze.” Uhlala elesihawu futhi elungele ukusinceda.

15. UJehova unceda njani munye ngamunye wethu?

¹⁵ Pho-ke uJehova unceda njani munye ngamunye wethu? Kazikhiphi izinto ezibangela ukuhlupheka. Kodwa uJehova wenze izinhlelo ezinengi zokusiza labo abacela usizo kuye. ILizwi lakhe iBhayibhili lisinika iseluleko esincedayo. UJehova usinike lababonisi abafaneleyo ebandleni, abazama ukutshengisa isihawu nxa benceda abakhonza labo. (UJakhobe 5:14, 15) Njengoba ‘esizwa imithandazo,’ unika ‘umoya ongcwele kulabo abawucelayo.’ (IHubo 65:2; ULukha 11:13) Umoya lo ungasinika ‘amandla amakhulukazi’ asinceda ukuthi sibekezele kuze kube yisikhathi lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ususa zonke izinhlupho. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7) Kakumelanga sibonge yini ngakho konke lokhu? Kasingakhohlwa ukuthi konke lokhu yikutshengisa kukaJehova isihawu sobubele.

16. Yisiphi isibonelo esikhulu esitshengisa isihawu sikaJehova, njalo lokhu kuthinta njani umuntu munye ngamunye?

¹⁶ Kuliqiniso ukuthi isibonelo esikhulu kakhulu esitshengisa isihawu sikaJehova ngesokunikela kwakhe ngeNdodana yakhe ukuthi ibe yinhlawulo yethu lanxa yayiligugu kakhulu kuye. UJehova wenza umhlatshelo otshengisa uthando njalo wenza ukuthi sithole insindiso. Khumbula ukuthi uhlelo lwenhlawulo lunceda umuntu munye ngamunye. UZakhariya, owayenguyise kaJohane uMbhaphathizi, wayelesizathu esihle lapho ekhuluma kuseselesikhathi ukuthi uhlelo lolu lwandisa ‘isihawu sobubele bukaNkulunkulu.’​—ULukha 1:78.

17-19. (a) IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi isihawu sikaJehova silalapho esicina khona? (b) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi isihawu sikaJehova ngabantu bakhe sifike ekucineni?

¹⁷ Kumele sicabange ukuthi isihawu sikaJehova kasilalapho esicina khona yini? IBhayibhili lona litshengisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi uJehova katshengisi isihawu ebantwini abenza ngabomo izinto ezingahambelani lezindlela zakhe. (KumaHebheru 10:28) Ukuze sibone ukuthi kungani esenza njalo, khumbula isibonelo sesizwe sama-Israyeli.

¹⁸ Lanxa uJehova wawakhulula kanenginengi ezitheni zawo, isihawu sakhe sacina sifike ekucineni. Isizwe leso esasingalaleli sasikhonza izithombe, sasize sihambe lazo khona kanye ethempelini likaJehova! (UHezekheli 5:11; 8:17, 18) Sitshelwa ukuthi: “Izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu babezihleka ulunya, beseyisa amazwi akhe njalo beklolodela abaphrofethi bakhe lwaze lwavutha ulaka lukaJehova ebantwini bakhe kungasekho okunganceda.” (2 Imilando 36:16) Ama-Israyeli acina efika esimweni lapho okwakungasela sizatho sokuwatshengisa isihawu, njalo bavusa ulaka lukaJehova olufaneleyo. Lokhu kwaba lempumela bani?

¹⁹ UJehova wayengaselaso isihawu ngabantu bakhe. Wathi: “Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.” (UJeremiya 13:14) Ngakho iJerusalema labhujiswa lethempeli layo, njalo ama-Israyeli athunjwa ngabaseBhabhiloni. Kuba lempumela emibi nxa abantu abalesono behlamuka futhi besenza ukuthi isihawu sikaNkulunkulu sifike ekucineni!​—IZililo 2:21.

20, 21. (a) Kuyini okuzakwenzakala nxa isihawu sikaNkulunkulu sesifike ekucineni? (b) Yiluphi uhlelo olutshengisa isihawu sikaJehova esizaxoxa ngalo esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Lamuhla-ke? UJehova kantshintshanga. Isihawu simenze ukuthi athume oFakazi bakhe ukuthi batshumayele ‘ivangeli lombuso’ kubo bonke abantu. (UMathewu 24:14)  Nxa abantu abalezinhliziyo eziqotho belalela, uJehova uyabancedisa ukuthi bawuzwisise umlayezo woMbuso. (ImiSebenzi 16:14) Kodwa umsebenzi lo kawusoze uqhubeke kuze kube nini lanini. Kuyabe kuyikungatshengisi isihawu ukuthi uJehova avumele umhlaba lo omubi, kanye lokuhlupheka kwawo, kuqhubeke kuze kube nini lanini. Nxa isihawu sikaNkulunkulu sesifike ekucineni, uJehova uzaletha isahlulelo emhlabeni lo omubi. Lakhonapho okuzamenza enze njalo, yisihawu ‘ngebizo lakhe elingcwele’ langezinceku zakhe ezizinikeleyo. (UHezekheli 36:20-23) UJehova uzasusa ububi abeseletha umhlaba omutsha olokulunga. Ngokuphathelane labantu ababi, uJehova uthi: “Angiyikuba lesihawu kubo kumbe ngibayekele, kodwa lokho abakwenzileyo ngizakwehlisela phezu kwamakhanda abo.”​—UHezekheli 9:10.

²¹ Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, uJehova uzaqhubeka etshengisa isihawu ebantwini, ngitsho lakulabo abazabhujiswa. Abantu abalesono abaphenduka ngobuqotho bangancedakala ezinhlelweni ezitshengisa isihawu ezenziwe nguJehova. Izinhlelo lezo zigoqela ukuthethelelwa kwezono zethu. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizaxoxa ngeminye imizekeliso emihle eseBhayibhilini eveza ukuthi uJehova uthethelela ngokupheleleyo..