1, 2. UBhalami walenza njani iqhinga lokulimaza abantu bakaJehova?

UMTHIYI mfesi uya endaweni athanda ukuthiya kiyo iimfesi. Unehlobo elithileko lefesi emkhumbulweni afuna ukulibamba. Ukhetha into azokuyenga ngayo iimfesi bese uphosela iwugu yokuthiya iimfesi ngemanzini. Ngemva kwesikhatjhana, iwugu iba budisi, isigodo sewugu siyagobeka, uyayidosa, uyezwa bona ubambile. Uyamomotheka, uyazi bona ukhethe isithiyo esirerhe.

² Ngomnyaka ka-1473 ngaphambi kweenkhathi zakaJesu, indoda ibizo layo elinguBhalami yacabanga khulu ngesithiyo. Nokho, umnqopho wakhe gade kukuphambukisa abantu bakaZimu, egade bakampe eMangweni wakwaMowabi, emkhawulweni weNarha yeSithembiso. UBhalami gade azenza umporofidi kaJehova, kodwana gade ayindoda emarhamaru eqatjhelwe bona iphambukise ama-Israyeli. Nokho, ngokungenela kwakaJehova, uBhalami wabusisa ama-Israyeli. Anomnqopho wokufumana umklomela, uBhalami wacabanga bona angenza uZimu bonyana athuwelelise abantu bakhe, nengabe kwaphela balingeka bona benze isono esimbi khulu. Anomnqopho onjalo engqondweni, uBhalami waberegisa isithiyo—sokobana abayenge ngabesifazana abasebatjha bakwaMowabi.—Numeri 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; ISambulo 2:14.

3. Iqhinga elenziwa nguBhalami laphumelela ngezinga elingangani?

³ Laberega na iqhinga alenzako? Ngokwesilinganiso esithileko laberega. Amatjhumi weenkulungwana zamadoda wama-Israyeli awela esilingweneso “ngokuziphatha kumbi  ngokomseme namadodakazi wakwaMowabi.” Athoma ngitjho nokukhulekela abosingazimu bakwaMowabi, kuhlanganise noBhali wePheyori onyenyisako, usingazimu wenzalo nobulili. Umphumela waba kukobana ama-Israyeli azi-24 000 afa kusele kancani bona angene eNarheni yeSithembiso. Qala bona lokho kwaba buhlungu kangangani!—Numeri 25:1-9.

4. Kubayini iinkulungwana zama-Israyeli zawela ekuziphatheni okumbi?

⁴ Khuyini eyadosela esehlakalwenesi? Abantu abanengi besele baneenhliziyo ezimbi ngombana bazitjhidisela kude noJehova, uZimu owabatjhaphulula eGibhida wabondla emangweni, wabangenisa baphephile enarheni yesithembiso. (KumaHebheru 3:12) Aqalise endabeni le, umpostoli uPowula watlola: “Asingawenzi amanyala wokugadla [ubufebe], njengombana abanye babo gade bawenza, kwarhirizelwa phasi abaziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amabili anantathu ngesuku elilodwa.” *—1 KwebeKorinte 10:8.

5, 6. Kubayini indaba emalungana nokona kwama-Israyeli eMangweni wakwaMowabi iqakathekile nakithi namhlanjesi?

⁵ Indaba ekuNumeri ineemfundo ezinengi eziqakathekileko ebantwini bakaZimu namhlanjesi, abanethuba lokungena enarheni yesithembiso ebhedere khulu. (1 KwebeKorinte  10:11) Isibonelo, indlela iphasi elithanda ngayo umseme ifana naleya yabantu bakwaMowabi ngezinga elikhulu. Ukungezelela kilokho, qobe mnyaka iinkulungwana zamaKrestu ziwela ekuziphatheni kumbi ngokomseme—isithiyo esifanako esabamba ama-Israyeli. (2 KwebeKorinte 2:11) Abanye abazihlanganise nabantu bakaZimu namhlanjesi banethonya elilimazako lokuziphatha kumbi ebandleni lobuKrestu, balingisa uZimri ogade akhambakhamba ngesibindi nomfazi wakwaMidiyani ekampeni yakwa-Israyeli emaswapheleni wamfaka etendenakhe.—Numeri 25:6, 14; KaJuda 4.

⁶ Uyazibona useMangweni wakwaMowabi wanamhlanjesi? Uyawubona umvuzwakho—njengombana sele kusikhathi ulindele iphasi elitjha—esele uzokuzaliseka? Nengabe kunjalo, yenza koke okusemandlenakho bona uzibulunge ethandweni lakaZimu ngokulalela umlayo othi: “Balekelani ubufebe.”—1 KwebeKorinte 6:18, NW.

7, 8. Buyini “ubufebe,” begodu ababenzako bakuvuna njani abakutjalileko?

⁷ Ngokwendlela eliberegiswe ngayo eBhayibhilini, ibizo elithi “ubufebe” (ngesiGirigi, por·neiʹa) litjho ukuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme nomuntu ongakatjhadi naye ngokuvumelana neMitlolo. Lihlanganisa ukuhlola, ubungwadla, begodu nokuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme kwabantu ababili abangakatjhadi, okuhlanganisa ukudlala ngezitho zobulili kuberegiswa umlomo nokuhlanganyela umseme ngesidunu nokuthintathinta izitho zobulili zomuntu ongakatjhadi naye. Ibizweli libuye lihlanganise nezenzo okukhulunywe ngazo ngehla zenziwa babantu bobulili obufanako kubandakanye nokulala nesilwana. *

⁸ IMitlolo itjho ngokucacileko: Labo abenza ubufebe ngekhe bahlale ebandleni lobuKrestu begodu ngekhe bafumane  ukuphila okungapheliko. (1 KwebeKorinte 6:9; ISambulo 22:15) Ukungezelela kilokho, ngitjho nanje bayazilimaza ngokulahlekelwa kuthenjwa nokuzihlonipha, ukungazwani emtjhadweni, ukuba nesazelo esinomlandu, ukuba sidisi okungafunekiko, amalwelwe, begodu nokufa. (Funda KwebeGalatiya 6:7, 8) Ungayithomelani indlela enezinto ezinengi kangaka ezibangela isizi? Ngokudanisako, abacabangi ngeemphumela ezokuvela ngokuthatha ikambo embi leyo—kanengi ehlanganisa ukuqala iinthombe zobulili.

9. Azinangozi na iinthombe zobulili njengombana abanye batjho? Hlathulula.

⁹ Eenarheni ezinengi, iinthombe zobulili zifumaneka eendaweni ekuthengiselwa kizo amaphephandaba, eembhinweni, kumabonakude, begodu zinengi naku-Internet. * Azilimazi na iinthombezi njengombana abanye batjho? Eqinisweni ziyalimaza. Labo abaqala iinthombe zobulili bangaba nomukghwa wokuskomora begodu bangafukamela ‘iinkanuko ezimbi zeenhliziyo zabo,’ okungenza umuntu abe likghoba lobulili, iinkanuko ezihlanakelweko, nemiraro emikhulu yomtjhado, ngitjho nokutlhala. * (KwebeRoma 1:24-27; Kwebe-Efesu 4:19) Umrhubhululi othileko ufanisa ukuba likghoba lobulili nekankere. Uthi: “Ukuba likghoba lobulili kuyakhula begodu kurhatjheke, akukajayeleki bona kuphele, begodu kubudisi nokukulapha.”

10. Ngiziphi iindlela esingaberegisa ngazo ikambisolawulo efumaneka encwadini kaJakobosi 1:14, 15? (Qala nebhoksi elithi, “ Ukufumana Amandla Wokuhlala Ngihlanzekile Ngokokuziphatha.”)

¹⁰ Cabangela amezwi atlolwe kuJakobosi 1:14, 15 afundeka  bunje: “Kodwana loyo naloyo ulingwa adoswe ziinkanuko zakhe, kuthi iinkanuko zakhe ezimbi ziveze isono, kuthi isono nasele sikhulile, silethe ukufa.” Ngalokho nengabe ikanuko embi ingena emkhumbulwenakho thatha igadango lokuyisusa. Isibonelo, nengabe ubona iinthombe zobulili ezivusa ikanuko ungakatjheji, msinyana zibalekele, namtjhana vala ikhomphyutha nanyana utjhentjhe ihlelo le TV olibukeleko. Yenza koke okutlhogekako bona ubalekele ikanuko yokuziphatha kumbi ngaphambi kokobana ikhule begodu ubhalelwe kulwisana nayo.—Funda UMatewu 5:29, 30.

11. Lokha nesilwisana neemfiso ezingakalungi, singatjengisa njani bona sithembele kuJehova?

¹¹ Ngebanga elihle, loyo osazi bhedere ukudlula indlela esizazi ngayo uyasibawa: “Nje-ke, lisani iinkanuko zoke zenu  ezimbi zomzimba; ubudzewuri [ubufebe], ukuhlobonga, nokusilaphala, nokukhanukela, noburhamaru, obukulotjha abosingazimu.” (KwebeKholose 3:5) Yiqiniso, ukwenza njalo kungenzeka kube budisi. Kodwana khumbula, sinoBaba wezulwini onethando nobekezelako esingabawa kuye irhelebho. (AmaRhalani 68:19) Ngalokho phendukela kuye msinyana lokha imicabango engakalungi ingena engqondwenakho. Thandazela “amandla amakhulu,” begodu ukatelele ingqondwakho bona icabange ngezinye izinto.​—2 KwebeKorinte 4:7; 1 KwebeKorinte 9:27; qala ibhoksi elithi “ Ngingawulisa Njani Umukghwa Ongakalungi?”

12. Iyini “ihliziyo” yethu, begodu kubayini kufuze siyivikele?

¹² Indoda ehlakaniphileko uSolomoni yathi: “Kikho koke okufuze kuvikelwe, vikela ihliziyo yakho, ngombana imithombo yokuphila ivela kiyo.” (Izaga 4:23) “Ihliziyo” yethu ngilokho esingikho ngaphakathi, umuntu esinguye kwamambala phambi kwamehlo kaZimu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungendlela uZimu abona “ihliziyo” yethu—ingasi lokho esingabonakala singikho emehlweni wabanye—okuqunta bona sizokufumana ukuphila okungapheliko nofana awa. Ngilokho okufunekako begodu kuqakathekile. Ukwenzela bona angakhanukeli umfazi, uJobhi othembekileko wenza isivumelwana nofana isiqunto esingokomthetho namehlwakhe. (Jobhi 31:1) Qala bona sibonelo esihle kangangani kithi lesi! Anomkhumbulo ofanako, umrhalani wathandaza wathi: “Yenza amehlwami adlule angakuboni okungakalungi.”—AmaRhalani 119:37.

13. Gade angubani uDina, begodu kubayini isiqunto sakhe sokukhetha abangani gade kungesobudlhayela?

¹³ Njengombana sibonile eSahlukweni-3, abangani bethu bangaba nethonya elinamandla kithi ekwenzeni okumbi nofana okuhle. (Izaga 13:20; funda 1 KwebeKorinte 15:33) Cabanga ngesibonelo sakaDina, indodakazi yehloko yembeleko uJakobho. (Genesisi 34:1) Ngitjho nofana akhuliswe kuhle, uDina wenza ubungani nabantazana beKanana. NjengabakwaMowabi, amaKanana  bekadume ngokuziphatha okumbi. (Lefitikosi 18:6-25) Emehlweni wamadoda weKanana, kuhlanganise noShekemi—“ohlonipheke khulu” endlini kayise—kwabonakala kubulula ukumfumana uDina ngokobulili.—Genesisi 34:18, 19.

14. Isiqunto sakaDina sokukhetha abangani sayibangela njani ihlekelele?

¹⁴ Mhlamunye uDina gade angacabangi ngokuya emsemeni lokha nakabona uShekemi. Kodwana uShekemi, wenza lokho egade kulindelekile kumaKanana amanengi lokha nekuvuka imizwa yobulili. Ukujamelana kwakaDina nesehlakalweso ngomzuzu wokugcina bekungatjho litho, ngombana uShekemi “wamthatha” “walala naye.” Kubonakala ngasuthi ngemva kwalokho uShekemi “wamthanda” uDina, kodwana lokho zange kutjhugulule lokho amenza khona. (Funda UGenesisi 34:1-4) AkusinguDina kwaphela owezwa ubuhlungu ngebanga lalokho. Isiqunto sakhe sokukhetha abangani sabangela izehlakalo ezaletha ihlazo emndeninakhe woke.—Genesisi 34:7, 25-31; KwebeGalatiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Singakufumana njani ukuhlakanipha kwamambala? (Qala nebhoksi elithi, “ Imitlolo Yokuzindla.”)

 ¹⁵ Nangabe uDina wafunda isifundo esiqakathekileko, wasifunda kabuhlungu. Labo abathanda begodu balalela uJehova akutlhogeki bona bafunde kabuhlungu epilweni. Ngombana balalela uZimu, bakhetha ‘ukukhamba nabantu abahlakaniphileko.’ (Izaga 13:20a) Ngalokho bezwisisa “yoke indlela  yokulungileko” begodu babalekele imiraro nobuhlungu obungatlhogekiko.—Izaga 2:6-9; AmaRhalani 1:1-3.

¹⁶ Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuZimu kuyafumaneka kilabo abakufunako begodu benze ngokuvumelana nalokho ngokuphikelela bathandaza nangokufunda iLizwi lakaZimu qobe neencwadi ezivela encekwini ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko. (Matewu 24:45; KaJakobosi 1:5) Okhunye okuqakathekileko kuthobeka, okubonakala ngokuzimisela ukulalela isilayo esivela eMtlolweni. (2 AmaKhosi 22:18, 19) Ngokwesibonelo, umKrestu angavuma ngomlomo kobana ihliziyo iyakhohlisa begodu iphelelwa lithemba. (Jeremiya 17:9) Kodwana lokha nekufuze amukele isilayo sethando nerhelebho, uthobeke ngokwaneleko na bona asamukele?

17. Hlathulula ubujamo obungaphakama emndenini, begodu utjengise indlela ubaba angabonisana ngayo nendodakazakhe.

¹⁷ Cabanga ngobujamobu. Ubaba akavumeli indodakazakhe bona izikhiphe nesokana elimKrestu inganaye umphekeleli. Indodakazi iphendula ithi: “Kodwana Baba, awung’thembi? Ngekhe senze intwembi!” Kungenzeka bona uyamthanda uJehova begodu uneenhloso ezihle, nanyana kunjalo ‘ukhamba ngokuhlakanipha okuvela kuZimu’? ‘Uyabubalekela ubufebe’? Nofana ngobudlhayela “uthembela ehliziywenakho”? (Izaga 28:26) Mhlamunye ungacabanga ngezinye iinkambisolawulo ezingarhelebha ubaba nendodakazakhe nebabonisana ngendaba le.—Qala Izaga 22:3; Matewu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. UJosefa wavelelwa ngisiphi isilingo, begodu waqalana njani naso?

¹⁸ UJosefa umfowabo kaDina, ngosemutjha omuhle ogade athanda uZimu begodu wabalekela ubufebe. (Genesisi 30:20-24) Asesemncani uJosefa wabubona ngokunqophileko ubudlhadlha bakadadwabo. Akunakuzaza bona ukucabanga ngalokho okwenzekako, kubandakanye nesifiso sakaJosefa sokuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu, kwamvikela eemnyakeni eemnengi eyalandela eGibhida lokha umfazi wekosakhe alinga ukumyenga “ilanga nelanga.” Njengombana gade asigqila, uJosefa  gade angeze akghone ukuvele alise umberego akhambe! Bekufuze aqalane nobujamobo ngokuhlakanipha nesibindi. Lokho wakwenza ngokwala ngokubuyelelweko ukulala nomkaPotifaro, begodu emaswapheleni ngokumbalekela.—Funda UGenesisi 39:7-12.

¹⁹ Cabanga ngalokhu: Nengabe uJosefa gade ahlala acabanga ngomfazi lo nofana anomukghwa wokuzicabanga ahlanganyela ubulili, bekangakghona na ukuhlala athembekile? Pheze bekangekhe. Esikhundleni sokufukamela imicabango yokwenza isono, uJosefa waqala ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova njengobuqakathekileko, njengombana sikubona lokho emezwini awatjho kumkaPotifaro. Wathi: “Ikosami, ayikangigodleli litho ngaphandle kwakho ngombana ungumkayo. Nje-ke ngingabenza njani ubumbi obukhulobu ngone kuZimu?”—Genesisi 39:8, 9.

20. UJehova wenza bona izinto zimkhambele njani uJosefa?

²⁰ Cabanga bona wathaba kangangani uJehova nakabona uJosefa osemutjha, ahlala athembekile ilanga nelanga ngitjho nofana akude nomndenakhe. (Izaga 27:11) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wenza bona uJosefa atjhaphululwe ejele begodu enziwe undunakulu weGibhida nomnqophisi wokwabiwa kokudla! (Genesisi 41:39-49) Aliqiniso kwamambala amezwi wamaRhalani 97:10 athi: “Nina enithanda uJehova, hloyani okumbi. Uvikela imiphefumulo yabathembekileko bakhe; uyabatjhaphulula esandleni sabambi”!

21. Umzalwana osemutjha enarheni ethileko ye-Afrika wasitjengisa njani isibindi endabeni yokuziphatha okuhle?

 ²¹ Nanamhlanjesi, iinceku zakaZimu zitjengisa bona ‘ziyakuhloya okumbi begodu zithanda okuhle.’ (Amosi 5:15) Umzalwana osemutjha enarheni ethileko ye-Afrika ukhumbula bona umntazana afunda naye wathi angaya naye emsemeni nakangamrhelebha ngesivivinyo seembalo. Umzalwana uthi: “Ngaphandle kokumorosa isikhathi, ngala ngaphetha. Ngokuhlala ngithembekile, ngibulunge isithunzi sami nokuzihlonipha okuqakatheke khulu ukudlula irhawuda nesiliva.” Kuliqiniso, ukwenza isono kungaletha ‘ithabo lesikhatjhana,’ kodwana ukuzithabisa kwesikhatjhana okunjalo kuvamise ukuletha ubuhlungu obukhulu. (KumaHebheru 11:25) Ukungezelela kilokho, ukuzithabisa okunjalo akutjho litho nekumadaniswa nethabo elingapheliko esilifumana ngokulalela uJehova.—Izaga 10:22.

22, 23. (a) Nengabe umKrestu enze isono esikhulu, kubayini lokho kungatjho bona ayisekho into engenziwa? (b) Isoni singafumana liphi irhelebho?

²² Njengombana sinesono, soke siyazabalaza bona sihlule iimfiso zenyama begodu senze okuhle emehlweni kaZimu. (KwebeRoma 7:21-25) UJehova uyakubona lokho, “uyakhumbula bona silithuli.” (AmaRhalani 103:14) Kodwana ngezinye iinkhathi umKrestu angenza isono esikhulu. Kghani lokho kutjho bona ayisekho into engenziwa? Ikhona into engenziwa! Kuyavunywa, umenzi wesono angaqalana neemphumela ebuhlungu, njengombana kwenzeka eKosini uDavidi. Nofana kunjalo, uZimu uhlala ‘akulungele ukubalibalela’ labo abazisolako begodu ‘bazivume’ izono zabo.—AmaRhalani 86:5; KaJakobosi 5:16; funda Izaga 28:13.

²³ Ukungezelela kilokho, ngomusa uZimu unikele ibandla lobuKrestu “izipho”—abalusi abavuthiweko ngokomoya, abafanelekako begodu abazimiseleko ukurhelebha. (Kwebe-Efesu 4:8, 12; KaJakobosi 5:14, 15) Umnqopho wabo kurhelebha isoni bona sibuye sibe nobuhlobo noZimu, begodu ngokwamezwi  wendoda ehlakaniphileko, basirhelebhe ‘sifumane ihliziyo’ khona singazokwenza isonweso godu.—Izaga 15:32.

24, 25. (a) Indoda eseyitjha okukhulunywa ngayo emtlolweni weZiyema 7:6-23 yatjengisa njani bona gade “itlhoga ihliziyo”? (b) ‘Singayifumana njani ihliziyo’?

²⁴ IBhayibhili ikhuluma ngabantu “abatlhoga ihliziyo” nalabo “abafumana ihliziyo.” (Izaga 7:7) Ngebanga lokobana umuntu akakavuthwa ngokomoya begodu usesemutjha ekonzweni kaZimu, “otlhoga ihliziyo” angatlhayela ilemuko nekghono lokwenza iinqunto ezihle. Njengendoda eseyitjha ehlathululwe emtlolweni weZiyema 7:6-23, angawela bulula ekwenzeni isono esikhulu. Kodwana “loyo ofumana ihiziyo” uhlolisisa lokho angikho ngaphakathi ngesifundo seLizwi lakaZimu esikhambisana nomthandazo esenziwa qobe. Begodu ngokwendlela umuntu onesono angakghona ngayo uvumelanisa imicabango, iimfiso, amazizo neminqopho yakhe ekuphileni nalokho okuvunyelwa nguZimu. Ngalokho “uthanda umphefumulwakhe,” nofana uzenzela okuhle begodu “uzokufumana okuhle.”—Izaga 19:8.

²⁵ Nje-ke zibuze: ‘Ngiqiniseka ngokuzeleko bona imithetho kaZimu ilungile? Ngikholwa ngokuqinileko bona ukunamathela kiyo kuzongilethela ithabo elikhulu?’ (AmaRhalani 19:7-10; Isaya 48:17, 18) Nekungenzeka ube nokuzaza ngitjho nokuncancani lungisa ubujamobo. Zindla ngemiphumela yokunganaki imithetho kaZimu. Ukungezelela kilokho, “nambitha begodu ubone bona uJehova muhle” ngokuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso nangokuzalisa ingqondwakho ngemicabango ezuzisako—cabanga ngezinto eziliqiniso, ezilungileko, ezimsulwa, ezithandekako begodu nezihle. (AmaRhalani 34:8; KwebeFilipi 4:8, 9) Ungaqiniseka bona newuragela phambili wenza lokho, nethando lakho ngoZimu lizokukhula nokuthanda kwakho lokho okuthandwa nguZimu kuzokukhula begodu uzokuhloya nalokho akuhloyileko. UJosefa gade amumuntu onesono njengathi. Kodwana wakghona ‘ukubalekela ubufebe’ ngombana wavumela bona uJehova ambandule iimnyaka eminengi,  amnikele ihliziyo. Kwanga kungenzeka okufanako nakuwe.—Isaya 64:8.

26. Ngisiphi isihloko esiqakathekileko okuzokucocwa ngaso ngokulandelako?

²⁶ UMdali wethu wenza izitho zethu zokuzala, ingasibona zibe zizinto zokudlala nofana zokuzithabisa kwaphela, kodwana wazenzela bona sikghone ukuzala begodu sithabele ukutjhidelana emtjhadweni. (Izaga 5:18) Umbono kaZimu ngomtjhado kuzokucocwa ngawo eenhlokweni eembili ezilandelako.