1, 2. (a) Ngokwemvelo unina usabela njani xa usana lwakhe lukhala? (b) Yiyiphi imvakalelo enamandla ngakumbi kunovelwano lukamama?

 KUKHALA usana ezinzulwini zobusuku. Ngoko nangoko, unina uyavuka. Akasalali buthongo njengakuqala—ukususela oko usana lwakhe luzelwe. Uye wafunda ukwahlukanisa iindlela ezahlukeneyo olukhala ngazo usana lwakhe. Ngoko, ngokufuthi uyakwazi ukuqonda xa usana lwakhe lulambile, xa lufuna ukuphathwa, okanye lufuna ukutshintshwa. Kodwa singakhathaliseki isizathu sokukhala kosana, unina usoloko enikela ingqalelo. Uthando lwakhe alumvumeli ukuba azibethe ngoyaba iintswelo zomntwana wakhe.

² Uvelwano umama analo ngomntwana wakhe luyenye yezona mvakalelo zothando zibalaseleyo ebantwini. Noko ke, kukho enye imvakalelo enamandla lee kunaleyo—uvelwano olunothando lukaThixo wethu, uYehova. Ukuhlolisisa olu phawu luthandekayo kunokusinceda sisondele ngakumbi kuYehova. Ngoko makhe sihlolisise oko lukuko uvelwano nendlela uThixo wethu alubonakalisa ngayo.

3. Iyintoni intsingiselo yesenzi sesiHebhere esiguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukwenzela inceba’ okanye ‘ukusizela’?

³ IBhayibhile inxulumanisa uvelwano kunye nenceba. Amagama aliqela esiHebhere nawesiGrike adlulisela ingcamango yovelwano olunothando. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngesenzi sesiHebhere esithi ra·chamʹ, esidla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi ‘ukwenzela inceba’ okanye ‘ukusizela.’ Enye incwadi ithi isenzi esithi ra·chamʹ “sidlulisela ingcamango yovelwano olunzulu nolothando, njengaleyo siba nayo xa sibona ukuba buthathaka okanye ukubandezeleka kwabo sibathandayo okanye  abafuna uncedo lwethu.” Eli gama lesiHebhere, uYehova alisebenzisa ukubhekisela kuye uqobo, lihlobene negama elithetha “isibeleko” yaye linokuchazwa ngokuthi “uvelwano lukamama.” a—Eksodus 33:19; Yeremiya 33:26.

4, 5. IBhayibhile izisebenzisa njani iimvakalelo umama anazo ngosana lwakhe ukusifundisa ngovelwano lukaYehova?

⁴ IBhayibhile isebenzisa iimvakalelo umama anazo ngosana lwakhe ukusifundisa ngentsingiselo yovelwano lukaYehova. KuIsaya 49:15, sifunda oku: “Umfazi angalulibala usana lwakhe, okanye angamveli [ra·chamʹ] unyana wesibeleko sakhe? Nokuba bona abo bafazi bangalibala, mna soze ndikulibale.” Loo nkcazelo ichukumisayo igxininisa ubunzulu bovelwano lukaYehova ngabantu bakhe. Njani?

⁵ Kunzima ukucinga ukuba umama angalibala ukondla nokunyamekela usana lwakhe. Ngapha koko, usana alunakuzenzela nto; ubusuku nemini lufuna ingqalelo nothando lukanina. Noko ke, okubuhlungu kukuba akuyonto inqabileyo ukuva ngokutyeshela koomama iintsana zabo, ingakumbi kule “mihla yokugqibela” ephawuleka ngokungabikho ‘kothando.’ (2 Timoti 3:1, 3) Ukanti, uYehova uthi, “Mna soze ndikulibale.” Uvelwano olunothando uYehova analo ngabakhonzi bakhe alunakuze luphele. Lukhulu lee nakuneyona mvakalelo inzulu yothando lwemvelo esinokuyithelekelela—uvelwano umama aba nalo ngokwemvelo ngosana lwakhe. Ngoko ke ayimangalisi into yokuba omnye umhlalutyi wathi ngoIsaya 49:15: “Le yenye yezona nkcazelo zinamandla, ukuba asiyiyo eyona nkcazelo inamandla yothando lukaThixo kwiTestamente Endala.”

6. Abantu abaninzi abangafezekanga baye balugqala ngayiphi indlela uvelwano olunothando, kodwa yintoni asiqinisekisa ngayo uYehova?

⁶ Ngaba uvelwano olunothando luphawu lobuthathaka? Abantu abaninzi abangafezekanga bacinga njalo.  Ngokomzekelo, isithandi sobulumko esingumRoma uSeneca, owayephila ngexesha likaYesu nowayesisilumko esiphambili saseRoma, wafundisa ukuba “usizi lububuthathaka bengqondo.” USeneca wayebalaselisa ubuStoyike, obuyintanda-bulumko egxininisa ukungabi nazimvakalelo. Umntu osisilumko usenokubanceda abo babandezelekileyo, watsho njalo uSeneca, kodwa akamele azivumele ukuba abe nosizi, kuba imvakalelo elolo hlobo yayiya kumenza aphulukane nokuzola. Loo mbono yokuzingca yayimenza ubani angabi naluvelwano. Kodwa yena uYehova akanjalo konke konke! ELizwini lakhe, uYehova usiqinisekisa ngendlela “anovelwano nenceba ngayo.” (Yakobi 5:11) Njengoko siza kubona, uvelwano asibobuthathaka kodwa luphawu olunamandla nolubalulekileyo. Makhe sihlolisise indlela uYehova, njengomzali onothando, alubonakalisa ngayo.

7, 8. AmaSirayeli abandezeleka ngayiphi indlela kwiYiputa yamandulo, yaye wasabela njani uYehova ekubandezelekeni kwawo?

⁷ Uvelwano lukaYehova lubonakala ngokucacileyo kwindlela awasebenzisana ngayo nohlanga lukaSirayeli. Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-16 B.C.E., izigidi zamaSirayeli zazingamakhoboka eYiputa, apho zazicinezeleka khona ngokuqatha. AmaYiputa “awaphilisa kabuhlungu ngokuwasebenzisa nzima, esenza udaka lodongwe, izitena nawo wonke umsebenzi wobukhoboka.” (Eksodus 1:11, 14) Ebandezelekile, amaSirayeli ambongoza uYehova ukuba awancede. Wasabela njani uThixo wovelwano olunothando?

⁸ Intliziyo kaYehova yachukumiseka. Wathi: “Ndiyibonile intlungu yabantu bam abaseYiputa, kwaye ndisivile isikhalo sabo ngenxa yabo babanyanzela ngomsebenzi, ndiyiqonda kakuhle intlungu yabo.” (Eksodus 3:7) UYehova wayengenakukubona ukubandezeleka kwabantu bakhe okanye akuve  ukukhala kwabo aze angavakalelwa. Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 24 sale ncwadi, uYehova nguThixo oyivayo intlungu yabakhonzi bakhe ngokungathi yeyakhe. Kodwa uYehova akazange nje aphelele ngokuba novelwano ngabantu bakhe; kodwa washukunyiselwa ekubeni enze okuthile. UIsaya 63:9 uthi: “Wabahlawulela kuba ebathanda futhi ebavela.” “Ngesandla esomeleleyo,” uYehova wawahlangula amaSirayeli eYiputa. (Duteronomi 4:34) Emva koko wawanika ukutya ngokungummangaliso waza wawasa kwilizwe lawo elichumileyo.

9, 10. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awahlangule ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli emva kokuba ezinzile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? (b) Ngemihla kaYifeta, uYehova wawahlangula kwiyiphi ingcinezelo amaSirayeli, yaye yintoni eyamshukumisela ukuba enjenjalo?

⁹ Uvelwano lukaYehova aluzange luphelele apho. Akuba ezinzile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uSirayeli wawela ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwihambo yokungathembeki waza ngenxa yoko wabandezeleka. Noko ke, aba bantu babebuyela ezingqondweni baze bacele uncedo kuYehova. Wabahlangula ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Ngoba? “Kuba waba nosizi ngabantu bakhe.”—2 Kronike 36:15; ABagwebi 2:11-16.

¹⁰ Khawucinge nje ngoko kwenzekayo ngemihla kaYifeta. Ekubeni amaSirayeli aphethukela ekukhonzeni oothixo bobuxoki, uYehova wawayekela ukuba aphathwe gadalala ngama-Amoni kangangeminyaka eli-18. Ekugqibeleni, amaSirayeli aguquka. IBhayibhile isixelela oku: “Abasusa oothixo basemzini phakathi kwawo aza akhonza uYehova, kangangokuba yena akazange akwazi ukuyinyamezela intlungu kaSirayeli.” b (ABagwebi 10:6-16) Bakuba abantu bakhe bebonise inguquko yokwenene, uYehova akazange akunyamezele ukubabona bebandezeleka. Ngoko uThixo onovelwano olunothando wanika uYifeta amandla okuwahlangula amaSirayeli ezandleni zeentshaba zawo.—ABagwebi 11:30-33.

11. Kwindlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo namaSirayeli, yintoni esiyifundayo ngovelwano?

 ¹¹ Indlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo nohlanga lukaSirayeli isifundisa ntoni ngovelwano olunothando? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, siyabona ukuba uvelwano olunothando uYehova analo alubangelwa kukuba buhlungu nje kuphela ngenxa yokubona iinkxwaleko zabantu. Khumbula umzekelo kamama oqhutywa luvelwano ukuba enze okuthile xa usana lwakhe lulila. Ngokufanayo, uYehova akakubethi ngoyaba ukukhala kwabantu bakhe. Uvelwano lwakhe olunothando lumenza ukuba abahlangule ekubandezelekeni kwabo. Ukongezelela koko, indlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo namaSirayeli isifundisa ukuba uvelwano alububo kwaphela ubuthathaka, kuba olu phawu lothando lwamshukumisela ukuba athabathe inyathelo elinamandla nelingqongqo ukuze ahlangule abantu bakhe. Kodwa ngaba uYehova ubonisa uvelwano kuphela kubakhonzi bakhe njengeqela?

12. UMthetho wakubonisa njani ukuba novelwano kukaYehova kumntu ngamnye?

¹² UMthetho uThixo awawunika uhlanga lukaSirayeli wabonisa ukuba novelwano kwakhe kumntu ngamnye. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngokuxhalabela kwakhe abo bahlwempuzekileyo. UYehova wayesazi ukuba kwakunokuvela iimeko ezingalindelekanga ezazinokumshiya umSirayeli ehlwempuzekile. Babemele baphathwe njani abo bahlwempuzekileyo? UYehova wawayalela ngokungqongqo amaSirayeli esithi: “Uze ungayenzi lukhuni intliziyo yakho okanye ube ligqolo kumntakwenu olihlwempu. Umele umenzele ububele yaye ungamphi nto ukrokra, kuba xa unobubele, uYehova uThixo wakho uza kukusikelela kuyo yonke into oyenzayo.” (Duteronomi 15:7, 10) Ngokubhekele phaya uYehova wayalela ukuba amaSirayeli angavuni ekupheleni kwentsimi yawo okanye abhikice. Ngabahlelelekileyo ababefanele babhikice. (Levitikus  23:22; Rute 2:2-7) Xa uhlanga lwaluwuthobela lo mmiselo wokunyamekela abo bahlwempuzekileyo phakathi kwabo, kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba amaSirayeli asweleyo angqibe efuna ukutya. Ngaba oko kwakungabonisi uvelwano lukaYehova olunothando?

13, 14. (a) Amazwi kaDavide asiqinisekisa njani ukuba uYehova unenkxalabo enzulu ngaye ngamnye wethu? (b) Sinokuzekeliswa njani isibakala sokuba uYehova usondele kwabo “baphuke intliziyo” okanye “abo batyumkileyo emoyeni”?

¹³ Nanamhlanje, uThixo wethu onothando unenkxalabo enzulu ngaye ngamnye wethu. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba ukuqonda kakuhle nakuphi na ukubandezeleka kwethu. Umdumisi uDavide wabhala wathi: “Amehlo kaYehova ajonge kumalungisa, neendlebe zakhe zimamele ukukhalela kwawo uncedo. UYehova usondele kwabo baphuke intliziyo; uyabasindisa abo batyumkileyo emoyeni.” (INdumiso 34:15, 18) Ngokuphathelele abo bachazwa ngala mazwi, omnye umhlalutyi weBhayibhile wathi: “Ngabo basentlungwini naselusizini, oko kukuthi, abaziva bephantsi ngenxa yesono nabavakalelwa kukuba abanto yanto.” Abo banjalo basenokuvakalelwa kukuba uYehova ukude kubo yaye ababalulekanga ukuba angade azikhathaze ngabo. Kodwa akunjalo. Amazwi kaDavide ayasiqinisekisa ukuba uYehova akabatyesheli abo “bavakalelwa kukuba abanto yanto.” UThixo wethu onovelwano uyazi ukuba ngamaxesha anjalo, simfuna ngakumbi kunangaphambili, yaye usondele kuthi.

¹⁴ Khawucinge nje ngala mava alandelayo. Umama othile waseUnited States wabalekisela unyana wakhe oneminyaka emibini ubudala esibhedlele ngenxa yokuba wayephethwe sisifo esibangela ukhohlokhohlo olubi. Emva kokuyixilonga le nkwenkwana, ugqirha wachazela unina ukuba kwakuza kufuneka bayilalise apho esibhedlele. Walala phi lo mama ngobo busuku? Wayehleli esitulweni apho esibhedlele, ecaleni kwebhedi yonyana wakhe! Inkwenkwana yakhe yayigula, ngoko wayefuna ukuba secaleni kwayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinokulindela okungakumbi kunoko kuBawo wethu wasezulwini  onothando! Ngapha koko, senziwe ngokomfanekiso wakhe. (Genesis 1:26) Amazwi achukumisayo akwiNdumiso 34:18 asixelela ukuba xa ‘saphuke intliziyo’ okanye ‘sityumkileyo emoyeni,’ uYehova, njengomzali onothando, “usondele”—ubonisa uvelwano yaye ukulungele ukusinceda.

15. UYehova usinceda njani umntu ngamnye?

¹⁵ Noko ke, uYehova usinceda njani umntu ngamnye? Akasoloko emsusa unobangela wokubandezeleka kwethu. Kodwa uYehova wenze amalungiselelo amaninzi okunceda abo badanduluka kuye becela uncedo. ILizwi lakhe iBhayibhile linamacebiso aluncedo. Ebandleni, uYehova ulungiselele abaveleli abafanelekileyo bokomoya, abazabalazela ukubonisa uvelwano njengaye ekuncedeni abo banqula kunye nabo. (Yakobi 5:14, 15) Njengalowo “umamela imithandazo,” ubanika “umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo.” (INdumiso 65:2; Luka 11:13) Loo moya unokusinika “amandla . . . angaqhelekanga” ukuze sikwazi ukunyamezela de uBukumkani bukaThixo bushenxise zonke iingcinezelo. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngaba asiwavuyeli na onke la malungiselelo? Masingalibali ukuba abonisa uvelwano olunothando lukaYehova.

16. Nguwuphi owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wovelwano lukaYehova, yaye oko kumchaphazela njani ngamnye wethu?

¹⁶ Kambe ke, owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wovelwano lukaYehova kukunikela kwakhe ngaLowo ungoyena usenyongweni kuye ukuba abe yintlawulelo yethu. Elo lidini lothando uYehova awasenzela lona, yaye lasivulela indlela yosindiso. Khumbula ukuba, elo lungiselelo lentlawulelo lenzelwe thina ngokobuqu. Wayefanele uZekariya, uyise kaYohane uMbhaptizi, ukuthi eli lungiselelo lalibonisa ‘indlela uThixo anobubele ngayo.’—Luka 1:78.

17-19. (a) IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba uvelwano lukaYehova lunesiphelo? (b) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uvelwano lukaYehova ngabantu bakhe lufikelele esiphelweni?

¹⁷ Ngaba sifanele sigqibe kwelokuba uvelwano  olunothando lukaYehova alunaso isiphelo? Akunjalo, kuba iBhayibhile ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYehova akalubonisi uvelwano kwabo bazigatyayo iindlela zakhe zobulungisa. (Hebhere 10:28) Ukuze ubone isizathu sokuba enjenjalo, khumbula umzekelo wohlanga lukaSirayeli.

¹⁸ Nangona uYehova wawahlangula ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli kwiintshaba zawo, ekugqibeleni uvelwano lwakhe lwafikelela esiphelweni. Aba bantu banenkani babeqhelisela unqulo-zithixo, bada bazisa izithixo zabo ezilizothe kanye etempileni kaYehova! (Hezekile 5:11; 8:17, 18) Ngokubhekele phaya, sixelelwa oku: “Baqhubeka bebagculela abathunywa boThixo wokwenene, bewacaphukela namazwi akhe. Babehlekisa ngabaprofeti bakhe de uYehova wanomsindo, kwada kwabonakala ukuba abazukuncedakala.” (2 Kronike 36:16) AmaSirayeli afikelela kwinqanaba apho kwakungasekho sizathu sifanelekileyo sokubonisa uvelwano kuwo, yaye aphembelela ingqumbo kaYehova yobulungisa. Waba yintoni umphumo woko?

¹⁹ UYehova akazange akwazi ukuqhubeka ebonisa uvelwano kubantu bakhe. Wavakalisa oku: “Andizukuba naluvelwano, lusizi nanceba kubo; akukho nto iza kundinqanda ukuba ndingabonakalisi.” (Yeremiya 13:14) Ngaloo ndlela, iYerusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswa, yaye amaSirayeli athinjelwa eBhabhiloni. Hayi indlela ekulusizi ngayo xa abantu abanesono bevukela kangangokuba lude lufikelele esiphelweni uvelwano lukaThixo!—IZililo 2:21.

20, 21. (a) Yintoni eza kwenzeka xa uvelwano lukaThixo lufikelela esiphelweni ngomhla wethu? (b) Liliphi ilungiselelo likaYehova lovelwano ekuza kuxutyushwa ngalo kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²⁰ Kuthekani namhlanje? UYehova akatshintshanga. Ngenxa yovelwano, uye wathuma amaNgqina akhe ukuba ashumayele ‘iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoBukumkani’ kuwo wonke umhlaba. (Mateyu 24:14) Xa abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo bezamkela, uYehova uyabanceda ukuba  basiqonde isigidimi soBukumkani. (IZenzo 16:14) Kodwa lo msebenzi awuzukuqhubeka usenziwa ngonaphakade. Bekungayi kuba kukubonisa uvelwano ngoYehova ukuvumela eli hlabathi lingendawo, nalo lonke usizi nokubandezeleka okukulo, ukuba ziqhubeke ngokungapheliyo. Xa uvelwano lukaThixo lufikelele esiphelweni, uYehova uza kuyigweba le nkqubo yezinto. Nako oko, kuya kube kusisenzo sovelwano—uvelwano ‘ngegama lakhe elingcwele’ nangabakhonzi bakhe abazinikeleyo. (Hezekile 36:20-23) UYehova uza kubuphelisa ubungendawo aze azise ihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. Ngokuphathelele abangendawo, uYehova uthi: “Ilihlo lam alizukuba nalusizi; yaye andizukubavela. Imiphumo yezenzo zabo ndiza kuyizisa phezu kweentloko zabo.”—Hezekile 9:10.

²¹ De kube lelo xesha, uYehova ubonisa uvelwano ebantwini, kuquka abo balindelwe yintshabalalo. Abantu abanesono abaguquka ngokunyanisekileyo banokungenelwa kwelinye lawona malungiselelo abalaseleyo kaYehova ovelwano—ukuxolela. Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kuxubusha ngeminye yemizekelo emihle eseBhayibhileni ebonisa ukuxolela kukaYehova ngokupheleleyo.