UMUNTU onjani ongamkhetha bona abe mnganakho? Ungakhetha umuntu oneembono enjengeyakho, othanda izinto ozithandako begodu neziligugu kuwe. Uzokutjhidela eduze nomuntu oneemfanelo ezihle ezinjengokuthembeka nomusa.

² Kiwo woke umlando, uZimu wakhetha abanye abantu bona babe bangani bakhe abaseduze. Isibonelo, uJehova wabiza u-Abrahama ngokobana mnganakhe. (Isaya 41:8; KaJakobosi 2:23) UZimu waqalisa kuDavidi wathi “yindoda engiyithandako,” ngombana gade alihlobo lomuntu uJehova alithandako. (IZenzo 13:22) UJehova waqala umporofidi uDanyela “njengomuntu ofiseleka khulu.”—Danyela 9:23.

³ Kubayini uJehova athi u-Abrahama, uDavidi noDanyela bangani bakhe? UJehova watjela u-Abrahama wathi: “Ulalele ilizwi lami.” (Genesisi 22:18) Ngalokho uJehova utjhidela eduze nalabo ngokuthobeka abenza lokho akubawako kibo. Watjela ama-Israyeli wathi: “Lalelani ilizwi lami, ngizokuba nguZimu wenu, begodu nina nizokuba babantu bami.” (Jeremiya 7:23) Nengabe ulalela uJehova nawe ungakghona ukuba mnganakhe!

UJEHOVA UYABAQINISA ABANGANI BAKHE

⁴ Cabanga ngeenzuzo zokuba mngani kaZimu. IBhayibhili ithi uJehova uqala amathuba “wokutjengisa amandlakhe kilabo iinhliziyo zabo ziphelele kuye.” (2 Imilando 16:9) UJehova angawatjengisa njani amandlakhe ngawe? Enye indlela itjengiswe kumaRhalani 32:8, lapho sifunda khona bona: “[Mina Jehova] ngizakufundisa indlela ofanele ukhambe ngayo; ngizakweluleka ngikutlhogomele.”

⁵ Qala kuthabisa kangangani ukwazi bona uJehova uyasitjheja! Uzokunikela isinqophiso ositlhogako begodu akutlhogomele njengombana usiberegisa. UZimu ufuna ukukurhelebha bona ukghodlhelele iinlingo. (AmaRhalani 55:22) Nengabe ukhonza uJehova ngehliziyo epheleleko, ungaba nokuqiniseka njengomrhubi owathi: “Ngibeke uJehova phambi kwami qobe. Ngombana usesandleni sami sokugoma, angekhe ngisatjiswe.” (AmaRhalani 16:8; 63:8) Kwamambala, uJehova angakghona ukukurhelebha bona uphile ngendlela emthabisako. Njengombana wazi, kunenaba lakaZimu elingathanda ukukwenza bona ungamthabisi.

UKUPHIKISA KWAKASATHANA

⁶ISahluko se-11 sencwadi le sihlathulule bona uSathana uDeveli waphikisa ubukhosi bakaZimu. USathana wasola uZimu ngamala begodu wathi uJehova akakalungi ngokungavumeli u-Adamu no-Efa bona bazenzele iinqunto zokobana khuyini okulungileko nokungakalungi. Ngemva kobana u-Adamu no-Efa bonile nephasi lithoma ukuzala iinzalo yabo, uSathana waphikisa umnqopho wabo boke abantu. USathana wasola wathi, “Abantu abakhonzi uZimu ngombana bamthanda. Wathi nginikela ithuba, ngingakghona ukususa boke abantu ekukhulekeleni uZimu.” Umlando kaJobhi utjengisa bona ngilokho uSathana akukholelwako. Gade kungubani uJobhi, begodu wabandakanyeka njani epikiswaneni kaSathana?

⁷ UJobhi waphila eemnyakeni epheze ibezi-3 600 eyadlulako. Gade amumuntu olungileko, uJehova wathi ngaye: “Akekho umuntu onjengaye ephasini, umuntu ongasolekiko nonqophileko, osaba uZimu nobalekela ukwenza okumbi.” (Jobhi 1:8) UJobhi gade athabisa uZimu.

⁸ USathana wawuphikisa umnqopho kaJobhi wokukhonza uZimu. UDeveli wathi kuJehova: “Akhenge umvikele [uJobhi] nomndenakhe nakho koke anakho na? Umsebenzi wezandla zakhe uwubusisile, nefuyo yakhe izele iphasi loke. Kodwana yelula isandla sakho, uthinte koke anakho uqale bona angekhe akuthuke emehlweni.”—Jobhi 1:10, 11.

⁹ USathana wathi uJobhi ukhonza uZimu ngombana kunokuthileko akufumanako. UDeveli wasola wathi uJobhi nangalingwa, gade azokulisa ukukhonza uZimu. UJehova wakuphendula njani ukuphikisa kwakaSathana? Njengombana indaba le ihlanganisa umnqopho kaJobhi, uJehova wavumela uSathana bona alinge uJobhi. Ngendlela le, ithando lakaJobhi ngoZimu—namtjhana ukungabi nethando kwakhe—kuzokubonakala kuhle.

UJOBHI UYALINGWA

¹⁰ Msinyana uSathana walinga uJobhi ngeendlela ezinengi. Kokuthoma, ifuyo kaJobhi yetjiwa, enye yabulawa, iinceku zakhe ezinengi zabulawa. Lokhu kwaletha ubudisi bezomnotho. Esinye isehlakalo esibuhlungu senzeka lokha abantwana baJobhi babulawa siwuruwuru. Ngitjho nangaphezu kwezehlakalo ezimbezi, “uJobhi akhenge one namtjhana enze into engakalungi kuZimu.”—Jobhi 1:22.

¹¹ USathana akhenge aphele amandla. Wacabanga bona namtjhana uJobhi angakghodlhelela ukulahlekelwa ngizo zoke izinto egade anazo, iinceku nabantwana, kodwana nangagula gade azokulisa ukukhonza uZimu. UJehova wavumela uSathana bona abethe uJobhi ngobulwelwe obubuhlungu nobunyenyisako. Nalokhu akhenge kwenze uJobhi bona alahlekelwe likholo kuZimu. Kunalokho, ngokuqiniseka wathi: “Angekhe ngakulahla ukuthembeka kwami bengife!”—Jobhi 27:5.

¹² UJobhi gade angatjheji bona nguSathana ombangela imiraro. Angayazi imininingwana yokuphikisa kwakaDeveli ubukhosi bakaJehova, uJobhi gade acabanga bona nguZimu ombangela imiraro. (Jobhi 6:4; 16:11-14) Namtjhana kunjalo, waragela phambili athembekile kuJehova. Ukusola kwakaSathana kobana uJobhi ukhonza uZimu ngombana amarhamaru, ngokuthembeka kwakhe, uJobhi watjengisa bona bekanamala!

¹³ Ukuthembeka kwaJobhi kwanikela uJehova ipendulo enamandla ekuphikiseni kwakaSathana okunelunya. Kwamambala uJobhi gade amngani kaJehova, begodu uZimu wambusisa ngokuthembeka kwakhe.—Jobhi 42:12-17.

INDLELA OBANDAKANYEKA NGAYO EKUPHIKISENI KWAKASATHANA

¹⁴ Indaba yokuthembeka kuZimu eyaphakanyiswa nguSathana beyingakaqaliswa kuJobhi yedwa. Nawe ubandakanyekile. Lokhu kutjengiswe kuhle emtlolweni weZiyema 27:11, lapho iLizwi lakaZimu lithi khona: “Hlakanipha ndodanami, yenza ihliziyo yami ithabe, bona Ngikwazi ukuphendula loyo ongithukako.” Amezwi atlolwe eemnyakeni eyikhulu ngemva kokufa kwakaJobhi, atjengisa bona uSathana usathuka uZimu begodu usola neenceku Zakhe. Nesiphila ngendlela ethabisa uJehova, eqinisweni sinikela ipendulo ekuphikiseni kwakaSathana okumamala, ngendlela le sithabisa ihliziyo kaZimu. Uzizwa njani ngalokho? Angekhe kwaba kuhle na ukuba nengcenye ekuphenduleni ukusola kwakaDeveli ngitjho namtjhana lokho kungatjho ukwenza amatjhuguluko athileko epilwenakho?

¹⁵ Yelela bona uSathana wathi: “Koke umuntu anakho, uzokunikela ngebanga lomphefumulo wakhe.” (Jobhi 2:4) Ngokobana athi “umuntu,” uSathana wakwenza kwakhanya bona ukuphikisa kwakhe gade kungakaqaliswa kuJobhi kwaphela, kodwana kibo boke abantu. Leli liphuzu eliqakathekileko. USathana uphikise ukuthembeka kwakho kuZimu. UDeveli angathabela ukukubona ungamlaleli uZimu begodu ulise nokwenza okulungileko lokha newuqalene neenkhathi ezibudisi. USathana angalinga njani ukwenza lokhu?

¹⁶ Njengombana kuhlathululwe eSahlukweni se-10, uSathana uberegise iindlela ezihlukahlukeneko zokulinga abantu bona balise ukukhonza uZimu. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, uSathana usahlela “njengengwenyama ebhodlako, efuna ezomudla.” (1 KaPitrosi 5:8) Nokho umthelela kaSathana ungabonakala lokha abangani, iinhlobo namtjhana abanye baphikisa imizamakho yokufunda iBhayibhili nokuberegisa lokho okufundileko.* (Jwanisi 15:19, 20) Ngakelinye ihlangothi “uSathana isibili ukhavele asele ayingilozi yokukhanya.” (2 KwebeKorinte 11:14) UDeveli angaberegisa iindlela ezingabonakaliko ukukulahlekisa begodu nokukwenza bona ungaphili ngendlela ethabisa uZimu. Angakwenza bona uphelelwe mamandla, mhlamunye uzizwe ungafaneleki ukuthabisa uZimu. (Iziyema 24:10) Ngitjho namtjhana uSathana angazenza ‘ingwenyama ebhodlako’ namtjhana azenze ‘ingilozi yokukhanya,’ ukuphikisa kwakhe akukatjhuguluki: USathana uthi, lokha newuqalene nokulingwa, uzokulisa ukukhonza uZimu. Ungakuphendula njani ukuphikisa kwakhe begodu utjengise ukuthembeka kwakho kuZimu njengombana kwenza uJobhi?

UKULALELA IMILAYO KAJEHOVA

¹⁷ Ungaphendula ukuphikisa kwakaSathana ngokuphila ngendlela ethabisa uZimu. Kuhlanganisani lokhu? IBhayibhili iyaphendula: “Kufuze uthande uJehova uZimu ngayo yoke ihliziyo yakho nangawo woke umphefumulo wakho nangawo woke amandlakho.” (Duteronomi 6:5) Njengombana ithando lakho ngoZimu likhula, uzokuba nesifiso sokwenza lokho afuna ukwenze. Umpostoli uJwanisi watlola wathi, “Ukumthanda uZimu kuthobela imilayo yakhe.” Nengabe uthanda uJehova ngehliziyo yakho yoke uzokufumana bona “imilayo yakhe ayisibudisi kithi.”—1 KaJwanisi 5:3.

¹⁸ Ngiyiphi imilayo kaJehova? Eminye yayo ihlanganisa imikghwa okufuze siyibalekele. Isibonelo, qala ibhoksi elisekhasini le-122, elinesihloko esithi “Balekela Lokho UJehova Akuhloyileko.” Lapho uzokufumana irhelo lemikghwa iBhayibhili eliyilahla ngokupheleleko. Newuthoma ukuyifunda, ungabona ngasuthi eminye yemikghwa eserhelweneli ayisimimbi kangako. Kodwana ngemva kokuzindla ngemitlolo edzubhuliweko, uzokubona ukuhlakanipha kwemithetho kaJehova. Ukwenza amatjhuguluko endleleni oziphatha ngayo kungaba yinto ebudisi khulu owakhe waqalana nayo. Nokho, ukuphila ngendlela ethabisa uZimu kukulethela ukwaneliseka okukhulu nethabo. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Begodu kuyinto ongakghona ukuyenza. Sikwazi njani lokhu?

Balekela lokho UJehova akuhloyileko

• Ukubulala.—Eksodosi 20:13; 21:22, 23.
• Ukuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme.—Lefitikosi 20:10, 13, 15, 16; KwebeRoma 1:24, 26, 27, 32; 1 KwebeKorinte 6:9, 10.
• Ukuberegelana nemimoya.—Duteronomi 18:9-13; 1 KwebeKorinte 10:21, 22; KwebeGalatiya 5:20, 21.
• Ukukhonza iinthombe.—1 KwebeKorinte 10:14.
• Ukudakwa.—1 KwebeKorinte 5:11.
• Ukweba.—Lefitikosi 6:2, 4; Kwebe-Efesu 4:28.
• Ukuleya amala.—Iziyema 6:16, 19; KwebeKholose 3:9; ISambulo 22:15.
• Ukuba marhamaru.—1 KwebeKorinte 5:11, NW.
• Ukuba nenturhu.—AmaRhalani 11:5; Iziyema 22:24, 25; Malaki 2:16; KwebeGalatiya 5:20, 21.
• Ikulumo embi.—Lefitikosi 19:16; Kwebe-Efesu 5:4; KwebeKholose 3:8.
• Ukuberegisa kumbi iingazi.—Genesisi 9:4; IZenzo 28, 15:20, 29.
• Ukubhala ukutlhogomela umndenakho.—1 KuThimothi 5:8.
• Ukubandakanyeka eempini namtjhana kwezombanganarha zokuphikisana zephaseli.—Isaya 2:4; Jwanisi 6:15; 17:16.
• Ukuberegisa igwayi namtjhana lokho okubizwa bona ziindakamizwa zokuzithabisa.—Markosi 15:23; 2 KwebeKorinte 7:1.

¹⁹ UJehova angekhe afune okunengi kithi esingekhe sikghone ukukwenza. (Duteronomi 30:11-14) Wazi ubukghoni bethu nokungapheleli kwethu ukudlula indlela esizazi ngayo. (AmaRhalani 103:14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova angasinikela amandla wokobana simlalele. Umpostoli uPowula watlola: “UZimu uthembekile, angekhe avume nilingwe ngaphezu kwamandla wenu wokuqinisela. Kuthi lapho nifikelwa sikhathi sokulingwa, uyonipha amandla wokuqinisela, anikhombise nendlela eniyophunyuka ngayo, ze nikwazi ukunyamezela.” (1 KwebeKorinte 10:13) Ukukurhelebha bona ukghodlhelele, uJehova angakunikela “amandla amakhulu la,” angaphezu kwajayelekileko. (2 KwebeKorinte 4:7) Ngemva kobana akghodlhelele iinlingo ezinengi, uPowula bekangathi: “Nginaso isisongo sokujamelana nalokho koke, ngamandla uKrestu angiphe wona.”—KwebeFilipi 4:13.

UKUBA NEEMFANELO EZITHABISA UZIMU

²⁰ Kwamambala, kunengi okubandakanyekileko ekuthabiseni uJehova ukudlula ukubalekela izinto azihloyako. Kutlhogeka uthande lokho akuthandako. (KwebeRoma 12:9) Awuzizwa udoseleka kilabo abaneembono efana neyakho, izinto ozithandako neziligugu kuwe? UJehova uzizwa ngendlela efanako. Ngalokho funda ukuthanda izinto uJehova azithandako. Ezinye zazo zihlathululwe kumaRhalani 15:1-5, lapho sifunda khona ngalabo uZimu abaqala njengabangani bakhe. Abangani bakaJehova batjengisa lokho iBhayibhili ekubiza bona ‘ziinthelo zomoya.’ Zihlanganisa iimfanelo ‘ezinjengethando, ukuthaba, ukuthula, ukunyamezela, ukulunga, ukuthembeka, ukuzithoba, nokuzibamba.’—KwebeGalatiya 5:22, 23.

²¹ Ukufunda nokufundisisa iBhayibhili qobe kuzokurhelebha bona uthuthukise iimfanelo ezithandwa nguZimu. Ukufunda lokho uZimu akufunako kuzokurhelebha bona uvumelanise umkhumbulo wakho nendlela kaZimu yokucabanga. (Isaya 30:20, 21) Njengombana ukhulisa ithando lakho ngoJehova, izokukhula nekareko yakho yokuphila ngendlela ethabisa uZimu.

²² Imizamo iyatlhogeka bona uphile ngendlela ethabisa uJehova. IBhayibhili ifanisa ukutjhugulula ukuphila kwakho nokuhlubula ubuntu obudala bese umbathe obutjha. (KwebeKholose 3:9, 10) Kodwana malungana nemilayo kaJehova, umrhubi watlola: ‘Ngiyazuziswa ekuwuhlonipheni.’ (AmaRhalani 19:11) Nawe ngokufanako uzokufumana bona ukuphila ngendlela ethabisa uZimu kuzuzisa khulu. Ukwenza njalo, kuzokuphendula ukuphikisa kwakaSathana begodu kwenze ihliziyo kaJehova ithabe!

*  Lokho akutjho bona abakuphikisako balawulwa nguSathana ngokunqophileko. Kodwana uSathana nguzimu wephaseli, begodu loke iphasi lisemandlenakhe. (2 KwebeKorinte 4:4; 1 KaJwanisi 5:19) Ngalokho singalindela bona ukuphila ngendlela kaZimu kuzokuba yinto engakajayeleki, begodu abanye bazokuphikisa.