1, 2. Bukhulu kangakanani ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu, futhi iBhayibhili lilugcizelela njani uphawu lolu?

ABANGANE bayazidlela bezihlalele phandle, bezixoxela futhi behleka ngapha bebuka indawo, bekholisa lokothamela ilanga eselibantubahle. Kwenye indawo, umlimi ukhangele izilimo zakhe eseziswaba futhi uyabobotheka esuthiseka njengoba izulu lithwala futhi liqalisa ukuthonta. Ikanti kwenye indawo, indoda lomkayo bajabulela ukubona umntanabo omncane eqalisa ukucathula.

² Abantu bonke laba bajabulela izinto zonke lezi ngenxa yobuhle bukaJehova uNkulunkulu kungelani lokuthi bayakwazi lokhu loba hatshi. Abantu abasontayo bandise ukuthi “uNkulunkulu muhle bakithi!” Kodwa iBhayibhili lona ligcizelela ukwedlula lapho. Lithi: “Yeka ukuthi bukhulu kangakanani ubuhle bakhe!” (UZekhariya 9:17, NW) Kodwa kukhanya angani balutshwana lamuhla abantu abakwaziyo sibili ukuthi amazwi la atshoni. Ubuhle bukaJehova uNkulunkulu bugoqelani vele, futhi uphawu lolu luthinta njani munye ngamunye wethu?

3, 4. Buyini ubuhle, futhi kungani ubuhle bukaJehova bungachasiswa ngcono ngokuthi yikutshengiswa kothando lwakhe?

³ Ibala elithi “ubuhle” lijayelekile ezindimini ezinengi zalamuhla. Kodwa iBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi ubuhle buqakathekile. Mdabuko walo litsho ukuba lobuntu kanye lesimilo. Ngakho singathi konke uJehova akwenzayo kulobuhle. Zonke izimpawu zakhe zobuntu zilobuhle, futhi zigoqela amandla, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, kanye lenhlakanipho. Lanxa  kunjalo, ubuhle bungachasiswa ngcono ngokuthi yikutshengiswa kothando lukaJehova. Ngani?

⁴ Ubuhle bukhanya kulokho okwenzelwa abanye. Umphostoli uPhawuli watshengisa ukuthi ebantwini ubuhle bungcono ukwedlula ukulunga. (KwabaseRoma 5:7, NW) Umuntu olungileyo angakhangelelwa ukuthi alandele lokho okufunwa ngumthetho kunjengoba kunjalo, kodwa umuntu omuhle wenza okwedlula lapho. Usukumela phezulu, edinga izindlela zokunceda abanye. Njengoba sizabona, yiyo kanye indlela uJehova amuhle ngayo. Kuyacaca ukuthi uthando lukaJehova olungapheliyo yilo oluveza ubuhle obunjalo.

5-7. Kungani uJesu wala ukubizwa ngokuthi “Mfundisi Omuhle,” futhi yiliphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo aligcizelelayo ngalokho?

⁵ UJehova kafanani laloba ngubani ngobuhle bakhe. Kulendoda eyafika kuJesu esezabulawa izombuza umbuzo, yambiza ngokuthi “Mfundisi Omuhle.” UJesu waphendula wathi: “Kungani ungibiza ngokuthi ngimuhle? Kakula omuhle ngaphandle koyedwa, uNkulunkulu.” (UMakho 10:17, 18, NW) Impendulo le ingakumangalisa. Kungani uJesu wayiqondisa indoda le? Kanti uJesu ‘wayengasiMfundisi Omuhle’ yini?

⁶ Kukhanya angani indoda le yasebenzisa amazwi athi “Mfundisi Omuhle” ifuna ukumkhukhumeza. UJesu wayethobekile ngakho wadumisa uYise wasezulwini, olobuhle obungeke baqathaniswa. (IZaga 11:2) Kodwa uJesu wayegcizelela lelinye iqiniso eliqakathekileyo. UJehova nguye yedwa ositshelayo ukuthi okuhle yikuphi. Nguye yedwa olelungelo lokwenza isinqumo sokuthi kuyini okuhle lokubi. Ngesikhathi u-Adamu lo-Eva besidla isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi betshengisa ukuhlamuka, babezama ukuthatha ilungelo leli. Kodwa uJesu kenzanga njengabo ngoba yena watshiyela uYise ukuthi kube nguye otshoyo ukuthi okuhle yikuphi.

⁷ Okunye futhi yikuthi uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi konke okuhle okungelasici kuvela kuJehova. Nguye osinika “zonke izipho ezinhle lezipheleleyo.” (UJakhobe 1:17) Kasihloleni ukuthi ubuhle bukaJehova bukhanya njani ekupheni kwakhe.

8. UJehova utshengise njani ubuhle kubo bonke abantu?

⁸ Kakula muntu owake waphila ongakaze ancedwe yibuhle bukaJehova. IHubo 145:9 lithi: “UJehova muhle kubo bonke.” (NW) Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi bokuthi ubuhle bakhe bunceda wonke umuntu? IBhayibhili lithi: “Kayekelanga ukuzifakazela ngokwenza okuhle, walinika izulu livela ezulwini lezikhathi zenala, esuthisa inhliziyo zenu ngokudla langokujabula.” (ImiSebenzi 14:17, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Wake wakholisa yini lapho usidla ukudla okunambithekayo? Sasingasoze sibe lokudla ngabe uJehova ngobuhle bakhe kazange adale umhlaba lo lomjikelezo wawo wamanzi anathekayo kanye “lezikhathi zenala” ukuze kwenziwe ukudla okunengi. UJehova utshengise bonke abantu ubuhle bakhe hatshi labo abamthandayo kuphela. UJesu wathi: “Wenza ilanga lakhe liphume kwababi labalungileyo, anise izulu kwabenza okuhle lakwabangalunganga.”​—UMathewu 5:45.

9. I-apula litshengisa njani ubuhle bukaJehova?

 ⁹ Abantu abanengi bawuthatha lula umusa omkhulu abawutshengisiweyo ngenxa yokuthi ilanga liqhubeka liphuma, izulu lisina, futhi kusiba lezikhathi zenala. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga nge-apula. Litholakala kuzo zonke izindawo zomhlaba ezilomumo womkhathi ongatshisiyo futhi ongaqandiyo kakhulu. Kodwa lihle, limnandi futhi ligcwele amanzi amahle lezakhi zomzimba. Ubukwazi yini ukuthi emhlabeni wonke kulemihlobo yama-apula edlula i-7 500, kulabomvu, aligolide, alithanga, aluhlaza, futhi kawalingani, amanye mancane okokuthi angaba ngangomqokolo kuthi amanye angalingana lama-orenji amakhulu? Nxa uphethe intanga ye-apula, ikhanya incinyane kakhulu, kodwa ikhula ibe yinkalakatha  yesihlahla esihle kakhulu. (INgoma Yezingoma 2:3) Minyaka yonke ngesikhathi sentwasa isihlahla se-apula siba lamaluba amahle, njalo asiphambanisi ukuthela izithelo ngekwindla. Izihlahla ezinengi zama-apula zithela izithelo okweminyaka engu-75, futhi sinye ngasinye singakhipha izithelo ezingagcwala amabhokisi angu-20 alesisindo samakhilogramu angu-19 ngomnyaka!

10, 11. Ukwenelisa ukubona, ukuhogela, ukuthinta, ukuzwa kanye lokunambitha kutshengisa njani ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Ubuhle bakhe obungapheliyo benza uJehova asiphe umzimba ‘obunjwe ngesimanga esesabekayo,’ futhi olemizwa eyenzelwe ukusinceda ukuthi sizwisise imisebenzi yakhe futhi siyithokozele. (IHubo 139:14) Cabanga ngezibonelo esixoxe ngazo ekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi. Kuyini okwakubonwa ngabantu laba okwenza bathokoza? Yikubobotheka komntwana othabileyo. Amathonsi ezulu atshaya phezu kwezilimo. Imibala ebomvu, eligolide, futhi eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ekhanya nxa ilanga selitshona. Ilihlo lomuntu lenziwe ngendlela yokuthi libone imibala edlula i-300 000! Umuzwa wethu wokuzwa uyenelisa ukuzwa ukuntshintsha kwelizwi lomuntu esimthandayo, ukuvunguza komoya ezihlahleni, kanye lokuhleka komntwana omncane. Kuyini okwenza senelise ukubona kanye lokuzwa izinto ezinjalo? IBhayibhili lithi: “Izindlebe ezizwayo lamehlo abonayo-kokubili kwenziwa nguJehova.” (IZaga 20:12) Kodwa okwakhathesi sesixoxe ngemizwa emibili nje kuphela esilayo.

¹¹ Umuzwa wokuhogela amaphunga atshiyeneyo lawo utshengisa ubuhle bukaJehova. Amakhala omuntu ayenelisa ukwehlukanisa amaphunga angaba ngu-10 000 atshiyeneyo. Amanye alawo maphunga angagoqela uqhatshi lokudla okuthandayo, amaluba, amahlamvu awele phansi, iphunga lentuthu eliphuma emlilweni. Umuzwa wokuthinta wenza wenelise ukujabulela ukuphephethwa ngumoya ebusweni, ukugonwa ngumuntu omthandayo, kanye lokuzwa ukuthi isithelo sibutshelezi okunganani. Nxa ungaluma okuthile, uyenelisa ukunambitha. Emlonyeni wakho kuba lemihlobohlobo yobunandi njengoba ulimi lwakho lunambitha futhi lusehlukanisa  amakhemikhali amanenginengi esithelo. Kuliqiniso ukuthi silezizathu ezinengi zokukhuluma ngoJehova sisithi: “Bukhulu kangakanani ubuhle bakho, lobo obugcinele labo abakwesabayo!” (IHubo 31:19, NW) Kodwa uJehova ‘ubagcinele’ njani ubuhle labo abamesabayo?

12. Kuyini esikunikwa nguJehova okuqakatheke ukwedlula konke, futhi kungani kunjalo?

¹² UJesu wathi: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Umuntu kaphili ngesinkwa kuphela, kodwa ngelizwi lonke eliphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.’ ” (UMathewu 4:4) Konke uJehova asinika khona okuphathelane lokukhonza kungasinceda ukwedlula loba yikuphi esikusebenzisayo ekuphileni ngoba khona kusenza sibe lokuphila okungapheliyo. ESahlukweni 8 sebhuku leli, sibonile ukuthi ezinsukwini lezi zokucina uJehova usebenzisa amandla akhe okubuyisela ukuze sibe sepharadayisi elingokomoya. Okuqakatheke kakhulu kulokho yikuthi silokudla okunengi okungokomoya.

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okwabonwa ngumphrofethi uHezekheli embonweni, futhi lokho kutshoni kithi? (b) Yiziphi izinto ezingokomoya uJehova azinike izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo?

¹³ Kwezinye iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili ezinkulu eziphathelane lokubuyisela, umphrofethi uHezekheli waphiwa umbono wokubuyiselwa kanye lokukhazinyuliswa kwethempeli. Kwakulesifula esasisehla sisuka kulelo thempeli, esasilokhu sisiba banzi futhi sitshona saze saba ‘ngumfula’ omkhulu. Umfula lowo wawuletha izibusiso loba ngaphi lapho owawugelezela khona. Okhunjini lwawo, kwakulezihlahla ezazisenza ukuthi kube lokudla kanye lokusiliswa. Umfula lowo waze waletha lempilo lezilimo oLwandle Olufileyo futhi oluletswayi! (UHezekheli 47:1-12) Kodwa konke lokho kwakusitshoni?

¹⁴ Umbono wethempeli owabonwa nguHezekheli wawusitsho ukuthi uJehova uzabuyisela uhlelo lokukhonza kweqiniso. Izinto esiziphiwa nguNkulunkulu ukuze siphile zazizagelezela ebantwini bakhe njengomfula owabonwa nguHezekheli. UJehova uye wabusisa abantu bakhe ngezipho ezinika ukuphila  kusukela ukukhonza kweqiniso kwabuyiselwa ngo-1919. Njani? IBhayibhili, amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini, imihlangano emikhulu lemincane konke kwenze ukuthi izigidi zabantu zifunde iqiniso eliqakathekileyo. UJehova usebenzise konke lokhu ukuze afundise abantu ngesipho esedlula zonke. Isipho lesi ngumhlatshelo kaKhristu wenhlawulo owenza bonke abathanda uJehova ngeqiniso futhi abamesabayo babe ngabahlanzekileyo kuye futhi babe lethemba lokuphila okungapheliyo. * Ngakho ezikhathini lezi zokucina abantu bakaJehova bathokozela ukudla okunengi okungokomoya, kodwa umhlaba wona ulambele iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu.​—U-Isaya 65:13.

15. Ubuhle bukaJehova buzageleza njani ebantwini abathembekileyo ngesikhathi sokuBusa kukaKhristu kweMinyaka eyiNkulungwane?

¹⁵ Kodwa umfula owabonwa nguHezekheli embonweni kawumi ukugeleza nxa umumo lo omdala uphela. Kulokuthi ume, uzageleza kakhulu ngesikhathi sokuBusa kukaKhristu kweMinyaka eyiNkulungwane. Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova uzasebenzisa uMbuso kaMesiya ukuze aqede isono ebantwini abathembekileyo, ngaleyondlela esebenzisa ngokugcweleyo umhlatshelo kaJesu. Ngaleso sikhathi sizajabula kakhulu ngobuhle bukaJehova.

16. IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye izimpawu zobuntu, futhi yiziphi ezinye zakhona?

¹⁶ Ubuhle bukaJehova kabugoqeli ukupha kwakhe kuphela. UNkulunkulu watshela uMosi wathi: “Ngizakwenza ubuhle bami budlule phambi kwakho, njalo ngizamemezela ibizo lami, uJehova, phambi kwakho.” Indaba le iqhubeka isithi: UJehova “wadlula phambi kukaMosi ememezela esithi, ‘UJehova, uJehova; uNkulunkulu olesihawu lomusa, ophuzayo ukuthukuthela, ogcwele uthando lobuqotho kumbe iqiniso.’ ” (U-Eksodusi 33:19; 34:6) Ngakho ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye izimpawu ezinhle. Ake sixoxeni ngezimbili zalezi zimpawu.

17. Uyini umusa, futhi uJehova uwutshengise njani ebantwini abalesono?

¹⁷ ‘Umusa.’ Uphawu lolu lusitshela okunengi ngendlela uJehova aphatha ngayo izidalwa zakhe. UJehova ulomusa futhi ulozwelo, kafanani labantu abalezikhundla eziphezulu bona abandise ukungabi lomusa kanye lokuba ngontandokayiphikiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wathi ku-Abrama: “Ngiyacela [NW ], phakamisa amehlo akho asuke lapho okhona, ukhangele enhla leningizimu, empumalanga lentshonalanga.” (UGenesisi 13:14) AmaBhayibhili amanengi kawalifaki ibala elithi “ngiyacela.” Kodwa izikhwicamfundo zeBhayibhili zithi umutsho wesiHebheru ugoqela ibala elintshintsha umutsho lo ukuthi ungabi ngumlayo kodwa ube yisicelo esithobekileyo. Kulezinye futhi izimo ezinjalo. (UGenesisi 31:12, NW; UHezekheli 8:5, NW) Ake ucabange, uMbusi wendawo yonke uthi “ngiyacela” ebantwini abalesono! Kakujabulisi yini ukucabanga ngomusa kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu nxa sikhangele umhlaba lo ogcwele udlakela, isihluku kanye labantu abayiziqoqodo?

18. UJehova ‘uqotho kumbe uleqiniso’ ngayiphi indlela, njalo kungani amazwi la esinika isibindi?

¹⁸ “Uqotho kumbe uleqiniso.” Abantu abanengi emhlabeni lamuhla kabasathembekanga. Kodwa iBhayibhili lisikhumbuza ukuthi: “UNkulunkulu kasumuntu, ukuthi angaqamba amanga.” (AmaNani 23:19) Yikho loThithusi 1:2 esithi: ‘UNkulunkulu ngeke aqambe amanga.’ Ubuhle bakhe kabumvumeli ukuthi enze njalo. Ngakho izithembiso zikaJehova zithembeke ngokupheleleyo; amazwi akhe ayagcwaliseka ngazo zonke izikhathi. UJehova uze abizwe ngokuthi ‘nguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5) Kakhulumi manga ngitsho lakancane kanti njalo iqiniso ulikhuluma ngobunengi balo. Kazifihli njalo kazenzi ngudlu izinto zakhe kodwa ngenxa yomusa wakhe uyazifundisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo, ethatha ulwazi enhlakaniphweni yakhe  engapheliyo. * Uze afundise abantu ukuthi baphile ngeqiniso elivela kuye ukuze ‘baqhubeke bephila ngokumayelana leqiniso.’ (3 UJohane 3) Kodwa ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busithinte njani thina?

19, 20. (a) Kuyini uSathane akwenzayo ukuze u-Eva athandabuze ubuhle bukaJehova, futhi kwaba layiphi impumela? (b) Ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busenze sizizwe njani, futhi kungani kumele kube njalo?

¹⁹ USathane wenza ukuthi kancane kancane u-Eva athandabuze ubuhle bukaJehova ngesikhathi emlinga esivandeni sase-Edeni. UJehova wayetshele u-Adamu esithi: “Ukhululekile ukudla loba yisiphi isihlahla esivandeni.” UJehova wayethe bangadli isihlahla esisodwa zwi phakathi kwezazingadlula izinkulungwane ezazisesivandeni. Kodwa nanzelela indlela uSathane abuza ngayo u-Eva umbuzo wokuqala: “Kambe uNkulunkulu watsho ngeqiniso wathi, ‘Lingadli noma yisiphi isihlahla esivandeni’?” (UGenesisi 2:9, 16; 3:1) USathane watshila amazwi kaJehova esenzela ukuthi u-Eva acabange ukuthi uJehova wayebancitsha okuthile okuhle. Kuyadanisa ukuthi waphumelela. U-Eva waqalisa ukuthandabuza ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu owayemnike konke ayelakho, njalo abesilisa labesifazana abanengi benza njengaye.

²⁰ Siyakwazi ukuthi ukuthandabuza okunjalo kwenza kwaba losizi kanye lokuhlupheka okukhulu. Ngakho kasicabangisiseni ngamazwi akuJeremiya 31:12: “Bazathokoza ngokuphana kukaJehova.” Ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busenze sigcwale intokozo. UNkulunkulu ugcwele ubuhle, ngakho kakulasikhathi lapho okumele sicabange ukuthi wenza izinto elezinhloso ezimbi. Singamethemba ngokupheleleyo ngoba ufuna labo abamthandayo bathole okuhle kakhulu.

21, 22. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izindlela ongathanda ukutshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyabonga ngobuhle bukaJehova? (b) Yiluphi uphawu lobuntu esizaxoxa ngalo esahlukweni esilandelayo, futhi lutshiyene njani lobuhle?

 ²¹ Okunye yikuthi siyathokoza kakhulu nxa sisiba lethuba lokutshela abanye ngobuhle bukaNkulunkulu. Mayelana labantu bakaJehova, iHubo 145:7 lithi: “Bazathokoza ngokuzwa ngobukhulu bobuhle bakho.” (NW) Ubuhle bukaJehova buyasinceda nsukuzonke ekuphileni kwethu. Kungani ungazami ukubonga uJehova nsukuzonke ngobuhle bakhe, ukubeke kucace ukuthi vele ubongani? Ukucabanga ngophawu lolu, ukubonga uJehova ngalo nsukuzonke, kanye lokutshela abanye ngalo kuzasinceda ukuthi silingisele uNkulunkulu wethu omuhle. Nxa lathi singadinga izindlela zokwenza okuhle njengoJehova, sizasondela kuye kakhulu. Umphostoli uJohane esegugile wathi: “Bangane abathandekayo, lingalingiseli okubi kodwa okuhle. Lowo owenza okuhle ngokaNkulunkulu.”​—3 UJohane 11.

²² Ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye izimpawu zobuntu. Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu ‘ugcwele uthando,’ kumbe uthando oluqotho. (U-Eksodusi 34:6) Uphawu lolu lutshiyene lobuhle ngokuthi lona kalusizi uwonkewonke nje, kodwa uJehova ulutshengisa kakhulu ezincekwini zakhe. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizafunda okunengi ngokuthi ukwenza njani lokhu.