1, 2. Kungani kungathiwa iNkosi uDavida yayikujayele ukuhlutshwa ngabantu abangathembekanga?

INKOSI UDAVIDA yayikujayele ukuhlutshwa ngabantu abangathembekanga. Kwake kwaba lesikhathi okwakuxokozela khona embusweni wayo lapho abanye eyayibabusa bebumba icebo lokuyivukela. Okunye yikuthi labo esasingakhangelela ukuthi babe ngabangane bayo babeyidla izithende. Cabanga ngenkosikazi yayo yokuqala uMikhali. Ekuqaliseni “wayemthanda uDavida,” futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayemsekela emsebenzini wakhe wokuba yinkosi. Ngokuya kwesikhathi “wameyisa enhliziyweni yakhe,” waze wambona ‘njengolilema.’​—1 USamuyeli 18:20; 2 USamuyeli 6:16, 20.

² Omunye kwakungumeluleki kaDavida okwakuthiwa ngu-Ahithofeli. Iseluleko sakhe sasiqakathekiswa angani ngamazwi kaJehova. (2 USamuyeli 16:23) Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi, umeluleki lo owayesethenjwa waba ngumthengisi, wazihlanganisa leqembu elalihlamukela uDavida. Kwakungubani umkhokheli waleliqembu elihlamukayo? Kwakungu-Abhsalomi indodana kaDavida sibili! Iqhalaqhala leli lalilokhu ‘likhanga izinhliziyo zabantu abanengi ko-Israyeli,’ lizibeka njengenkosi evukelayo. Ukuhlamuka kuka-Abhsalomi kwaqina kakhulu kwaze kwenza ukuthi iNkosi uDavida icine isibaleka ukuze ingabulawa.​—2 USamuyeli 15:1-6, 12-17.

3. Kuyini uDavida ayeqiniseka ngakho?

³ Lokhu kutsho yini ukuthi kwakungaselamuntu owayelokhu ethembekile kuDavida? Ekuhluphekeni kwakhe konke uDavida kazange athandabuze ukuthi wayekhona. Kwakungubani? KwakunguJehova uNkulunkulu. UDavida wakhuluma ngoJehova wathi: “Kothembekileyo uzibonakalisa uthembekile.”  (2 USamuyeli 22:26) Kuyini ukuthembeka, futhi uJehova usibeka njani isibonelo esizedlula zonke kulolu phawu?

4, 5. (a) Kuyini “ukuthembeka”? (b) Ukuthembeka kwezinto ezingaphiliyo kutshiyene njani lokuthembeka okwenziwa ngumuntu?

⁴ EMibhalweni yesiHebheru ibala elithi “ukuthembeka” litsho umusa onamathela entweni ethile ngenxa yothando uze ugcwalise inhloso yawo ngaleyonto. Umuntu othembekileyo ulothando. Akusimangalisi ukuthi umhubi wathi inyanga ‘ingufakazi othembekileyo esibhakabhakeni’ ngenxa yokuthi ihlala iphuma ebusuku. (IHubo 89:37, NW) Ngendlela le yokuzwisisa inyanga ithembekile futhi singayithemba. Kodwa inyanga ngeke ithembeke ngendlela umuntu angathembeka ngayo. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi ukuthembeka komuntu yikutshengisa uthando kodwa izinto ezingaphiliyo kazenelisi ukwenza njalo.

⁵ NgokweBhayibhili ukuthembeka ngumuzwa osuka ngaphakathi. Ukuba khona komuzwa lo kutsho ukuthi kulobudlelwano phakathi kwakho wena othembekileyo lalowo othembeka kuye. Ukuthembeka lokhu kakuntshintshantshintshi. Kakufanani lamagagasi olwandle aphetshulwa ngumoya  uwase le lale. Kodwa ukuthembeka, kumbe uthando oluqotho, kuzinzile njalo kulamandla okunqoba izilingo ezinkulu kakhulu.

6. (a) Abantu bathembeke kangakanani, futhi iBhayibhili likuveza njani lokhu? (b) Yiphi indlela engcono ukwedlula zonke yokufunda ngokuthi ukuthembeka kugoqelani, futhi kungani kunjalo?

⁶ Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukuthembeka okunjalo kakwandanga lamuhla. Kujayelekile ukuthi abangane ‘babulalane, kumbe bachithane.’ Sesihlala sisizwa ngabantu abatshadileyo ababalekela omkabo. (IZaga 18:24, The Holy Bible in Ndebele; UMalaki 2:14-16) Ubuqili bande kakhulu okokuthi lathi singatsho amazwi atshiwo ngumphrofethi uMikha athi: ‘Abamesabayo uNkulunkulu kumbe abathembekileyo basusiwe elizweni.’ (UMikha 7:2) Lanxa izikhathi ezinengi abantu besehluleka ukutshengisa umusa wothando, ukuthembeka kutshengisa lokho kanye uJehova ayikho. Okusalayo yikuthi indlela engcono ukwedlula zonke yokufunda ukuthi ukuthembeka kugoqelani sibili, yikuhlola indlela uJehova ayitshengisa ngayo ingxenye le enkulu yothando lwakhe.

7, 8. Kungani kungathiwa uJehova nguye yedwa othembekileyo?

⁷ IBhayibhili lithi ngoJehova: “Nguwe kuphela ongcwele [othembekileyo, NW].” (ISambulo 15:4) Lokhu kungaba njani liqiniso? Kakusiqiniso yini ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi abantu lezingilosi bayake batshengise ukuthembeka okukhulu? (UJobe 1:1; ISambulo 4:8) Kuthiwani ngoJesu Khristu? Kanti kayisuye yini isikhulu “esithembekileyo” esibekwe nguNkulunkulu? (IHubo 16:10, NW) Manje kungani kuthiwa uJehova nguye yedwa othembekileyo?

⁸ Okokuqala, khumbula ukuthi ukuthembeka kuyingxenye yothando. Njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu eluthando’ okutsho ukuthi uyisibonelo esedlula zonke sophawu lolu, kakula omunye ongatshengisa ukuthembeka okupheleleyo ukwedlula uJehova. (1 UJohane 4:8) Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu lezingilosi bangatshengisa  izimpawu zobuntu zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa uJehova uthembeke ukwedlula loba ngubani. Njengoba ‘enguSimakade,’ usetshengise umusa wothando okwesikhathi eside ukwedlula loba yisiphi isidalwa esisemhlabeni loba esisezulwini. (UDanyeli 7:9) Ngakho-ke uJehova uyisibonelo sokuthembeka esizedlula zonke. Akulasidalwa esingatshengisa uphawu lolu njengaye. Cabanga ngezinye izibonelo.

9. UJehova uthembeke njani “kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe”?

⁹ UJehova “ulungile [kumbe uthembekile, NW] kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe.” (IHubo 145:17) Njani? IHubo 136 yilo elilempendulo. Kulelo Hubo, kuqanjwe izenzo zikaJehova ezithile zokusindisa, ezigoqela lokukhululwa ngendlela eyisimangaliso kwabako-Israyeli eLwandle Olubomvu. Kulesizathu kungani ivesi linye ngalinye lehubo leli ligcizelela ngokuthi: “Uthando lwakhe [kumbe ukuthembeka] lumi laphakade.” Ihubo leli likhona eMibuzweni Yokucabangisisa Ngayo esekhasini 289. Ngesikhathi ubala amavesi la uzathintwa zindlela ezehlukeneyo uJehova atshengisa ngazo umusa wothando ebantwini bakhe. UJehova utshengisa ukuthembeka ezincekwini zakhe ezithembekileyo ngokuzwa ukucela kwazo usizo langokuthatha inyathelo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo. (IHubo 34:⁠6) Uthando lukaJehova oluthembekileyo ngeke luntshintshe nxa izinceku zakhe zihlala zithembekile kuye.

10. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile mayelana lezimiso zakhe?

¹⁰ Okunye futhi yikuthi uJehova utshengisa ukuthembeka ezincekwini zakhe ngokuba lezimiso ezingantshintshiyo. UJehova kakwenzi okwenziwa ngabanye othathekile abaqondiswa yimizwa kanye lezifiso nje, kodwa yena kantshintshi umbono wakhe ngokulungileyo lokungalunganga. Kusukela endulo ubelokhu ekuzonda ukusebenzelana lamadimoni, ukukhonza izithombe kanye lokubulala. Esebenzisa umphrofethi wakhe uMalaki wathi: “Mina uJehova kangiguquki.” (UMalaki 3:6) Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi sizancedakala nxa singalandela isiqondiso esicacileyo esiseLizwini likaNkulunkulu esiphathelane lokuziphatha.​—U-Isaya 48:17-19.

11. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyagcwalisa izithembiso.

 ¹¹ UJehova uphinda atshengise ukuthi uthembekile ngokuhlala eqotho ezithembisweni zakhe. Konke akukhulumayo kuyagcwaliseka. Ngakho uJehova wathi: “Linjalo lelizwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami: kaliyikubuya kimi lize, kodwa lizafeza engikufunayo liphumelelise lokho engilithume khona.” (U-Isaya 55:11) Ngokuhlala egcwalisa lokho akuthembisayo, uJehova utshengisa ukuthi uthembekile ebantwini bakhe. Kababambisi ilitshe loba sekutheni. Kuyaziwa ukuthi uJehova uyazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe yikho lenceku yakhe uJoshuwa yaze yathi: “Asikho lesisodwa sazo zonke izithembiso ezinhle zikaJehova endlini ka-Israyeli esehlulekayo; zonke zagcwaliseka.” (UJoshuwa 21:45) Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova kasoze asidanise ngokwehluleka ukugcwalisa lokho akuthembisileyo.​—U-Isaya 49:23; KwabaseRoma 5:5.

12, 13. Umusa wothando kaJehova “umi phakade” ngaziphi izindlela?

¹² Njengoba sike safunda, iBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi umusa wothando kaJehova “umi phakade.” (IHubo 136:1) Njani? Okunye yikuthi nxa uJehova angathethelela izono, kuhle kuphelele khonapho. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 26 uJehova kaphindi akhumbule izono ezindala asezithethelele. Njengoba ‘sonke sonile njalo sisilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu,’ yikho munye ngamunye wethu kumele abonge ukuthi umusa wothando kaJehova umi kuze kube phakade.​—KwabaseRoma 3:23.

¹³ Kodwa umusa wothando kaJehova ngowaphakade ngeyinye njalo indlela. ILizwi lakhe lithi olungileyo “unjengesihlahla esihlanyelwe emifuleni yamanzi, esithela izithelo zaso ngesikhathi saso, ohlamvu laso kalibuni. Konke akwenzayo kuyaphumelela.” (IHubo 1:3) Akucabange ngesihlahla esikhule kuhle esilamahlamvu angabuniyo! Ngakho-ke nxa singalithanda ngenhliziyo yonke iLizwi likaNkulunkulu sizaphila isikhathi eside, esilokuthula njalo esilezibusiso. Ngokwethembeka,  uJehova unika izinceku zakhe eziqotho izibusiso zaphakade. Yikho-ke abantu abalalelayo bazakholisa umusa wakhe wothando kuze kube phakade emhlabeni omutsha olokulunga ozalethwa nguJehova.​—ISambulo 21:3, 4.

14. UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyakuqakathekisa ukuthembeka kwezinceku zakhe?

¹⁴ UJehova utshengise kanenginengi ukuthi uthembekile. Njengoba uJehova engaguquki, ukuthembeka kwakhe ezincekwini zakhe eziqotho kakuntshintshi loba sekutheni. Umhubi wabhala wathi: “Ngangimutsha, manje sengiluphele, kodwa angizange ngibone abalungileyo bedelwa loba abantwababo becela isinkwa. Ngokuba uJehova uthanda abalungileyo njalo kayikubadela abathembekileyo bakhe.” (IHubo 37:25, 28) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova kufanele akhonzwe ngoba unguMdali. (ISambulo 4:11) Loba kunjalo ngenxa yokuthi uthembekile uJehova uyaziqakathekisa izenzo zethu eziqotho.​—UMalaki 3:16, 17.

15. Chasisa ukuthi indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo abako-Israyeli yayitshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile.

¹⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ulomusa wothando, uhlala ezisiza izinceku zakhe eziphakathi kohlupho. Umhubi usitshela ukuthi: “Uyazilinda izimpilo zabathembekileyo bakhe abakhulule esandleni sababi.” (IHubo 97:10) Cabanga ngendlela abaphatha ngayo abako-Israyeli. Esebasindise ngendlela eyisimangaliso eLwandle Olubomvu abako-Israyeli bahlabelela uJehova ingoma besithi: “Ngothando lwakho olungapheliyo [kumbe “uthando oluqotho”] uzabahola abantu abahlengiweyo.” (U-Eksodusi 15:13) Ukusindisa abantu akwenza eLwandle Olubomvu kwakutshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulothando oluqotho sibili. Yikho uMosi watshela abako-Israyeli ukuthi: “UJehova kazange ehlisele uthando lwakhe phezu kwenu ngoba libanengi kulezinye izizwe, phela lina livele liyisizwe sabalutshwana. Kodwa kungenxa yokuthi uJehova walithanda  wagcina isifungo asifunga kubokhokho benu walikhupha ngesandla esilamandla walihlenga ezweni lobugqili, emandleni kaFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe.”​—UDutheronomi 7:7, 8.

16, 17. (a) Ama-Israyeli atshengisa njani ukuthi ayesidla esesulela phansi, kodwa uJehova watshengisa njani isihawu? (b) Kwakhanya njani ukuthi ‘kwakungasekho okunganceda’ ama-Israyeli amanengi, futhi yisiphi isixwayiso esisitholayo?

¹⁶ Liqiniso ukuthi sonke isizwe sako-Israyeli sehluleka ukubonga umusa wothando kaJehova ngoba ngemva kokubasindisa “baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala [uJehova] yena oPhezukonke.” (IHubo 78:17) Okwamakhulu eminyaka alandelayo babelokhu bemhlamukela uJehova bekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga belandela amasiko abahedeni okwacina kubalulazile. Kodwa uJehova kazange asephule isivumelwano labo. Kulokuthi enze njalo uJehova wasebenzisa umphrofethi uJeremiya ukuthi atshele abantu bakhe athi: ‘Phenduka Israyeli ongathembekanga, kangisayikukuhwaqela futhi, ngoba ngilesihawu [ngithembekile, NW].’ (UJeremiya 3:12) Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 25, abako-Israyeli abanengi kabazange bazihluphe. Liqiniso “izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu babezihleka ulunya, beseyisa amazwi akhe njalo beklolodela abaphrofethi bakhe.” Kwaphetha ngani? Ekucineni, “lwaze lwavutha ulaka lukaJehova ebantwini bakhe kungasekho okunganceda.”​—2 Imilando 36:15, 16.

¹⁷ Sifundani kulokhu? Ukuthembeka kukaJehova kakuthatheki futhi kakuqileki. Liqiniso ukuthi uJehova “ogcwele uthando” uyakuthanda ukuba lesihawu nxa kulesizathu sokwenza njalo. Kodwa kwenzakalani nxa isoni sisephulela izigodo endlebeni? Endabeni enjalo uJehova unamathela ezimisweni zakhe ezilungileyo asijezise isoni leso. Yikho uMosi watshelwa ukuthi, “ikanti abalamacala [uJehova] kabayekeli bengajeziswanga.”​—U-Eksodusi 34:6, 7.

18, 19. (a) Ukujezisa kukaJehova abantu ababi kutshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile? (b) UJehova uzatshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile ezincekwini zakhe ezahlutshwa zaze zafa?

¹⁸ Ukujezisa kukaNkulunkulu abantu ababi kutshengisa  ukuthi uthembekile. Njani? Obunye ubufakazi balokhu sibuthola ebhukwini leSambulo lapho uJehova athuma khona izingilosi eziyisikhombisa esithi: “Hambani, lithululele emhlabeni imiganu eyisikhombisa yolaka lukaNkulunkulu.” Lapho ingilosi yesithathu ithululela umganu wayo “emifuleni lasemithonjeni yamanzi,” kuntshintsha kube ligazi. Ingilosi yasisithi kuJehova: “Wena okhona lowayekhona, oNgcwele [othembekileyo, NW], ngoba wahlulele kanjalo; ngoba bachitha igazi labangcwele bakho lelabaphrofethi, ngakho ubanike igazi ukuba balinathe njengokubafaneleyo.”​—ISambulo 16:1-6.

¹⁹ Nanzelela ukuthi ngesikhathi ibika ngesigwebo leso, ingilosi ithi uJehova ‘ungongcwele [uthembekile, NW].’ Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi ukutshabalalisa kukaJehova abantu ababi kutshengisa ukuthi uthembekile ezincekwini zakhe ezinengi ezahlukunyezwa zaze zafa. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uthembekile ulokhu ebagcine bephila enkumbulweni yakhe. Uyafisa ukubona laba ababeqotho asebafayo, njalo leBhayibhili liyafakaza ukuthi inhloso yakhe yikubavusa. (UJobe 14:14, 15) UJehova kazikhohlwa izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo lanxa sezafa. Kodwa “kuye bonke bayaphila.”  (ULukha 20:37, 38) Ukuthi uJehova uhlose ukuvusa labo abasenkumbulweni yakhe kuyibufakazi obuqinileyo bokuthi uthembekile.

20. Ngobani ‘abayizitsha zomusa,’ njalo uJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile kubo?

²⁰ Kusukela endulo uJehova ubelokhu ethembekile ebantwini abaqotho. Singathi okwezinkulungwane zeminyaka uJehova ubelokhu ‘ethwele ngokubekezela okukhulu izitsha zolaka ezilungiselwe ukubhujiswa.’ Ngenxa yani? “Ukuze abonakalise inotho yenkazimulo ezitsheni zomusa ayezilungisele inkazimulo yakhe ngaphambili.” (KwabaseRoma 9:22, 23, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) ‘Izitsha lezi zomusa’ yilabo abamiselwe ukuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo futhi bagcotshwa  ngomoya ongcwele ukuze bayebusa loKhristu eMbusweni wakhe. (UMathewu 19:28) Ngokuvula indlela yokuthi lezizitsha zomusa zisindiswe, uJehova waqhubeka ethembekile ku-Abhrahama lowo ayemthembise esivumelwaneni esithi: “Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa, ngokuba ungilalele.”​—UGenesisi 22:18.

21. (a) UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthembeka kwakhe ‘exukwini elikhulukazi’ elilethemba lokusinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu”? (b) Ukuthembeka kukaJehova kukwenza ufune ukwenzani?

²¹ UJehova utshengisa ukuthembeka okufananayo ‘exukwini elikhulukazi’ elilethemba lokusinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu” njalo liphile phakade emhlabeni oyipharadayisi. (ISambulo 7:9, 10, 14) Lanxa izikhonzi zakhe zilesono, uJehova utshengisa ukuthembeka kwakhe ngokuzinika ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Ukwenza njani lokhu? UJehova usebenzisa inhlawulo okuyindlela enkulu ukwedlula zonke yokutshengisa ukuthi uthembekile. (UJohane 3:16; KwabaseRoma 5:8) Ukuthembeka kukaJehova kwenza labo abathanda ukulunga ezinhliziyweni zabo basondele kuye. (UJeremiya 31:3) Kawuzizwa useduze loJehova yini ngenxa yokuthembeka akutshengise abantu lalokho azabatshengisa khona? Njengoba kuyisifiso sethu ukusondela kuNkulunkulu, kasitshengiseni ukubonga uthando lwakhe ngokuqinisa isifiso sokumkhonza sithembekile.