1, 2. UBhalami wakuceba kanjani ukulimaza abantu bakaJehova?

UMDOBI wehlela endaweni yakhe ayikhonzile. Unohlobo oluthile lwezinhlanzi afuna ukuzidoba. Ukhetha into azoyenga ngayo izinhlanzi bese ephonsa udobo emanzini. Dukuduku, udobo luyaqina, isibambo salo sigobe, abese elukhipha selubambe inhlanzi. Uyamomotheka ngoba uyazi ukuthi ukhethe into efanele yokuyenga izinhlanzi.

² Ngonyaka ka-1473 B.C.E., indoda okuthiwa uBhalami yacabangisisa kahle ngento eyayizoyenga ngayo abathile. Yona-ke yayihlose ukuyenga abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababekanise emaThafeni akwaMowabi, emngceleni weZwe Lesithembiso. UBhalami wayethi ungumprofethi kaJehova, kodwa empeleni wayemane nje eyigovu elaliqashelwe ukuqalekisa u-Israyeli. Nokho, ngokungenela kukaJehova, uBhalami wamane wazibusisela u-Israyeli nje kuphela. Njengoba ayewufuna ngabomvu umvuzo wakhe, uBhalami wacabanga ukuthi hleze angenza uNkulunkulu aqalekise abantu bakhe uma nje bengalingelwa ekwenzeni isono esibi kakhulu. Enalokhu engqondweni, uBhalami wabeka isilingo—izintombi zakwaMowabi ezikhangayo ngokobulili.—Numeri 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; IsAmbulo 2:14.

3. Laphumelela ngezinga elingakanani iqhinga likaBhalami?

³ Ingabe lasebenza leli qhinga? Ngokwezinga elithile lasebenza. Amashumi ezinkulungwane zamadoda akwa-Israyeli ehlulwa yilesi silingo ngokuvuma “ukuziphatha  kabi namadodakazi akwaMowabi.” Aze aqala ngisho nokukhulekela onkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, kuhlanganise noBhali wasePheyori onyanyekayo, unkulunkulu wenzalo noma wobulili. Ngenxa yalokho, ama-Israyeli angu-24 000 afela khona lapho, esezongena nje eZweni Lesithembiso. Yeka inhlekelele enkulu okwaba yiyo!—Numeri 25:1-9.

4. Kungani izinkulungwane zama-Israyeli zawela ekuziphatheni okubi?

⁴ Yini eyaholela kule nhlekelele? Abantu abaningi base benenhliziyo eyonakaliswe ukuqhela kuJehova, yena kanye uNkulunkulu owayebakhiphe eGibhithe, wabondla ehlane, wabahlenga baze bayongena ezweni lesithembiso. (Hebheru 3:12) Ecabanga ngale ndaba, umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Futhi masingafebi, njengoba abanye kubo bafeba, kwamane kwaphumela ekuweni kwabo, abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nantathu kubo ngosuku olulodwa.” *—1 Korinte 10:8.

5, 6. Kungani kuwusizo kithi ukulandisa okuphathelene nesono sika-Israyeli emaThafeni akwaMowabi?

 ⁵ Ukulandisa okukuNumeri kunezifundo eziningi ezibalulekile kubantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, njengoba sebezongena ezweni lesithembiso elikhulu ngokwengeziwe. (1 Korinte 10:11) Ngokwesibonelo, indlela izwe elihlanyiswa ngayo ubulili ifana neyabakwaMowabi wasendulo, kodwa ngezinga elikhulu kunelabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, unyaka nonyaka izinkulungwane zamaKristu ziwela ekuziphatheni okubi—ugibe olufanayo olwabamba ama-Israyeli. (2 Korinte 2:11) Abanye futhi abahlanganyela nabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla baye baba ithonya elonakalisayo ebandleni lobuKristu, belingisa uZimri owayehamba echiphatheka nowesifazane wakwaMidiyani khona kanye ekamu lama-Israyeli waze wayomfaka etendeni lakhe.—Numeri 25:6, 14; Jude 4.

⁶ Ingabe wena uyazibona usemaThafeni akwaMowabi osuku lwanamuhla? Ingabe uyawubona laphaya emkhathizwe umvuzo wakho—izwe elisha okukade salilinda? Uma uwubona, yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuba uhlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu ngokulalela lo myalo: ‘Balekela ubufebe.’—1 Korinte 6:18.

7, 8. Buyini “ubufebe,” futhi abantu abafebayo bakuvuna kanjani abakuhlwanyelayo?

⁷ Njengoba lisetshenziswe eBhayibhelini, igama elithi “ubufebe” (ngesiGreki por·neiʹa) lisebenza ebuhlotsheni bobulili obungemthetho ngaphandle komshado ovunyelwe yimiBhalo. Buhlanganisa ukuphinga, ubundindwa, nobuhlobo bobulili phakathi kwabantu abangashadile, kanye nobulili bomlomo nobendunu nokuphulula izitho zobulili zomuntu ongashadile naye. Buhlanganisa zona lezi zenzo sezenziwa abantu bobulili obufanayo kanye nokulala nesilwane. *

 ⁸ ImiBhalo icace bhá: Abantu abenza ubufebe ngeke baqhubeke besebandleni lobuKristu futhi ngeke bakuthole ukuphila okuphakade. (1 Korinte 6:9; IsAmbulo 22:15) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngisho kwamanje bayazilimaza kakhulu ngokulahlekelwa ukwethenjwa nokuzihlonipha, ngokuba nezingxabano emshadweni, unembeza onecala, ukukhulelwa okungafunwa, izifo ngisho nokufa imbala. (Galathiya 6:7, 8) Ungayiqalelani nje inkambo enezinto eziningi kangaka ezibanga usizi? Ngeshwa, abaningi abacabangi ngemiphumela lapho bethatha isinyathelo sokuqala esingafanele—ngokuvamile esisuke sihilela izithombe zobulili ezingcolile.

9. Ingabe izithombe zobulili ezingcolile azinangozi, njengoba abanye besho? Chaza.

⁹ Emazweni amaningi izithombe zobulili ezingcolile zitholakala ematafuleni adayisa amaphephandaba, emculweni, kuyithelevishini futhi zigcwele yonke indawo kuyi-Internet. * Ingabe azinangozi, njengoba abanye besho? Phinde! Labo ababukela izithombe zobulili ezingcolile bangase babe nomkhuba wokushaya indlwabu futhi bafukamele ‘izifiso zobulili eziyichilo,’ ezingase zenze umuntu abe umlutha wobulili, ziholele ezifisweni eziphendukezelwe, ezingxabanweni zasemshadweni ezingaxazululeki, ngisho nasesahlukanisweni. * (Roma 1:24-27; Efesu 4:19) Umcwaningi othile uthi ukuluthwa ubulili kufana nomdlavuza. Uthi: “Kuyakhula futhi kuyasakazeka. Kuyaqabukela kuphelile kanti futhi kunzima kabi ukukwelapha nokululama kukho.”

10. Singasisebenzisa ngaziphi izindlela isimiso esikuJakobe 1:14, 15? (Bheka  ibhokisi ekhasini 101.)

 ¹⁰ Cabanga ngamazwi akuJakobe 1:14, 15, afundeka kanje: “Yilowo nalowo ulingwa ngokuhehwa nangokuhungwa yisifiso sakhe siqu. Khona-ke isifiso, lapho sesakhekile, sizala isono; isono, lapho sesifeziwe, siveza ukufa.” Ngakho uma isifiso esibi singena engqondweni yakho, phuthuma uthathe isinyathelo sokusikhipha! Ngokwesibonelo, uma ubona imifanekiso evusa inkanuko yobulili ungahlosile, bheka eceleni ngokushesha, noma uvale i-computer, noma ushintshe uhlelo lwe-TV. Yenza noma yini edingekayo ukuze ugweme isifiso sokuziphatha okubi singakakhuli bese sikwehlula!—Mathewu 5:29, 30.

11. Lapho silwa nezifiso ezingafanele, singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sithembele kuJehova?

 ¹¹ Ngesizathu esihle, Lowo osazi kangcono kunokuba sizazi thina uyasinxusa: “Ngakho-ke, bulalani amalungu emizimba yenu asemhlabeni ngokuqondene nobufebe, ukungcola, isifiso sobulili, isifiso esilimazayo, nokuhaha, okuwukukhonza izithombe.” (Kolose 3:5) Yebo, kungase kube inselele ukwenza kanjalo. Kodwa khumbula, sinoBaba onothando nonesineke esingacela kuye usizo. (IHubo 68:19) Ngakho phendukela kuye masinyane lapho imicabango engafanele ingena engqondweni yakho. Thandazela “amandla angaphezu kwavamile,” futhi uyiphoqe ingqondo yakho ukuba ihlale kwezinye izinto.—2 Korinte 4:7; 1 Korinte 9:27; bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ngingagqashula Kanjani Emkhubeni Omubi?” ekhasini 104.

12. Iyini “inhliziyo” yethu, futhi kungani kumelwe siyilonde?

¹² Indoda ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yaloba: “Ngaphezu kwakho konke okumelwe kuqashelwe, qapha inhliziyo yakho, ngoba imithombo yokuphila ivela kuyo.” (IzAga 4:23) “Inhliziyo” yethu iyingaphakathi lethu, lokho esiyikho ngempela phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuthi siyakuthola yini ukuphila okuphakade noma cha, kuyonqunywa yilokho uNkulunkulu akubonayo lapho ebuka “inhliziyo” yethu—hhayi lokho esingase siziveze siyikho kwabanye. Kulula kanjalo nje. Futhi kuyinto engathí sina kanjalo nje. Ukuze angabuki owesifazane ngendlela engafanele, uJobe othembekile wenza isivumelwano namehlo akhe. (Jobe 31:1) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokusilingisa! Ebonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo, umhubi wathandaza: “Yenza ukuba amehlo ami adlule angakuboni okungenanzuzo.”—IHubo 119:37.

13. Wayengubani uDina, futhi kungani ukukhetha kwakhe abangane kwaba ubuwula?

¹³ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 3, abangane bethu bangaba nethonya elinamandla lokuhle noma lokubi kithi. (IzAga 13:20; 1 Korinte 15:33) Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaDina,  indodakazi yenzalamizi uJakobe. (Genesise 34:1) Naphezu kokukhuliswa kahle, ngobuwula uDina wazakhela abangane namantombazane aseKhanani. NjengabakwaMowabi, amaKhanani ayedume ngokuziphatha okubi. (Levitikusi 18:6-25) Emadodeni aseKhanani, kuhlanganise noShekemi—‘owayenodumo kakhulu’ kunabo bonke endlini kayise—uDina wabonakala eyisisulu esifanelekayo.—Genesise 34:18, 19.

14. Uhlobo lwabangane uDina alukhetha lwaholela kanjani enhlekeleleni?

¹⁴ Cishe uDina wayengacabangi ngobuhlobo bobulili lapho ebona uShekemi. Kepha uShekemi yena wenza cishe lokho iningi lamaKhanani elalikubheka njengento engokwemvelo uma inkanuko isivukile. Noma ikuphi ukuvuka indlobane kukaDina akufezanga lutho ngoba ‘wamthatha wamona.’ Kubonakala sengathi kamuva uShekemi ‘wamthanda’ uDina, kodwa lokho akukushintshanga ayesekwenzile kuye. (Genesise 34:1-4) Akuyena yedwa futhi uDina owahlupheka ngenxa yalokhu. Uhlobo lwabangane abakhetha lwathungela izehlakalo  ezawuthela ngehlazo nesihlamba wonke umkhaya wakubo.—Genesise 34:7, 25-31; Galathiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Singakuthola kanjani ukuhlakanipha kweqiniso? (Bheka  ibhokisi ekhasini 109.)

¹⁵ Uma uDina asifunda isifundo esibalulekile, wasifunda kabuhlungu. Labo abathanda futhi balalele uJehova akudingeki bazifunde kabuhlungu izifundo zokuphila. Ngenxa yokuthi  balalela uNkulunkulu, bakhetha ‘ukuhamba nabahlakaniphile.’ (IzAga 13:20a) Ngaleyo ndlela bayiqonda “yonke inkambo yokuhle” futhi bagweme izinkinga neminjunju engadingekile.—IzAga 2:6-9; IHubo 1:1-3.

¹⁶ Bonke abafisa ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu nabenza ngokwaleso sifiso bangakuthola ngokuphikelela emthandazweni nangokutadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokwaziswa okulungiselelwa isigaba senceku ethembekileyo. (Mathewu 24:45; Jakobe 1:5) Okubalulekile futhi ukuthobeka, okubonakala ngokuzimisela ukulalela iseluleko semiBhalo. (2 AmaKhosi 22:18, 19) Ngokwesibonelo, umKristu angase avume ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe ingakhohlisa futhi ingenza ngokuphelelwa yithemba. (Jeremiya 17:9) Kodwa lapho eye wenza ngobuwula, ingabe uthobeke ngokwanele ukuba amukele iseluleko nosizo oluqondile nolothando?

17. Chaza isimo esingase siphakame emkhayeni, bese ubonisa indlela ubaba angabonisana ngayo nendodakazi yakhe.

¹⁷ Awubone lesi simo ngamehlo engqondo. Ubaba wenqabela indodakazi yakhe nensizwa engumKristu ukuba bahambe bengenaye umbheki. Intombazane ithi: “Hhawu baba, awungethembi? Ngeke senze lutho olubi!” Kungenzeka ukuthi iyamthanda uJehova futhi inezinhloso ezinhle, kodwa ingabe “ihamba ngokuhlakanipha [kukaNkulunkulu]”? Ingabe ‘iyabubalekela ubufebe’? Noma ingabe ngobuwula ‘yethemba inhliziyo’ yayo? (IzAga 28:26) Mhlawumbe ungacabanga ngezinye izimiso ezingasiza ubaba nendodakazi yakhe abakulesi simo babonisane ngale ndaba.—Bheka izAga 22:3; Mathewu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. Yisiphi isilingo esehlela uJosefa, futhi wasisingatha kanjani?

¹⁸ Insizwa ekahle eyayithanda uNkulunkulu futhi yabalekela ubufebe kwakunguJosefa, umfowabo kaDina ngamzali munye. (Genesise 30:20-24) Ngesikhathi esemncane, uJosefa wazibonela mathupha izithelo zobuwula bukadadewabo. Akungabazeki ukuthi lezo zinkumbulo kanye nesifiso sakhe  uJosefa sokuhlala othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kwamvikela ngemva kweminyaka eGibhithe lapho umkankosi yakhe ezama ukumyenga “usuku nosuku.” Yiqiniso, njengoba uJosefa ayeyisigqila, wayengeke nje avele afake incwadi yokwesula, ahambe! Kwadingeka abhekane nesimo ngobuhlakani nangesibindi. Lokhu wakwenza ngokwenqaba ephindelela kumkaPotifari, nangokumbalekela ekugcineni.—Genesise 39:7-12.

¹⁹ Cabanga: Ukube uJosefa wayelokhu ecabangana nalo wesifazane noma enomkhuba wokuphupha ngobulili, wayeyokwazi yini ukugcina ubuqotho bakhe? Cishe wayengeke. Esikhundleni sokuphenduphendula imicabango eyisono, uJosefa wabazisa ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova, okwezwakala emazwini akhe kumkaPotifari. Wayethi: “Inkosi yami . . . ayingigodlelanga lutho neze ngaphandle kwakho, ngoba ungumkayo. Khona-ke ngingabenza kanjani lobu bubi obukhulu kangaka ngone kuNkulunkulu?”—Genesise 39:8, 9.

20. UJehova wazijika kanjani izinto endabeni kaJosefa?

²⁰ Cabanga intokozo okumelwe ukuba uJehova wayizwa njengoba ebuka uJosefa osemusha, ekude nasekhaya, elondoloza ubuqotho bakhe usuku nosuku. (IzAga 27:11) Kamuva, uJehova wajika izinto wabangela ukuba uJosefa angagcini nje ngokudedelwa ejele kodwa futhi wenziwa undunankulu waseGibhithe nomphathi wokudla! (Genesise 41:39-49) Yeka indlela ayiqiniso ngayo amazwi eHubo 97:10: “O nina enithanda uJehova, zondani  okubi. Uqapha imiphefumulo yabaqotho bakhe; uyabakhulula esandleni sababi”!

21. Umzalwane osemusha ezweni lase-Afrika wasibonisa kanjani isibindi endabeni yokuziphatha?

²¹ Nanamuhla, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziningi zibonisa ukuthi ‘ziyakuzonda okubi zithanda okuhle.’ (Amose 5:15) Umzalwane osemusha ezweni lase-Afrika ukhumbula ukuthi intombazane ayefunda nayo yamtshela ukuthi uma ezoyisiza esivivinyweni sezibalo, izovuma ukulala naye. Uthi: “Ngenqaba ngaphetha. Ngenxa yokulondoloza ubuqotho bami, ngisalokhu nginesithunzi futhi ngizihlonipha, okuyizinto eziyigugu kakhulu kunegolide nesiliva.” Yiqiniso, isono singakunikeza ‘ukujabula isikhashana,’ kodwa injabulo enjalo ngokuvamile iletha ubuhlungu. (Hebheru 11:25) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iba ubala uma iqhathaniswa nenjabulo ehlala njalo ewumphumela wokulalela uJehova.—IzAga 10:22.

22, 23. (a) Uma umKristu enza isono esingathí sina, kungani kungasho ukuthi sekuphelile ngaye? (b) Yiluphi usizo angaluthola umenzi wobubi?

²² Njengoba singaphelele, sonke sizabalazela ukunqoba izifiso zenyama futhi senze okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Roma 7:21-25) UJehova uyakwazi lokhu, ‘uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.’ (IHubo 103:14) Noma kunjalo, ngezinye izikhathi umKristu angase enze isono esingathí sina. Ingabe kusuke sekuphelile ngaye? Lutho neze! Yiqiniso, lowo menzi wobubi angase avune kabuhlungu njengeNkosi uDavide. Noma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu uhlale ‘ekulungele ukuthethelela’ abantu abadabukayo bese ‘bezivuma obala’ izono zabo.—IHubo 86:5; Jakobe 5:16; IzAga 28:13.

²³ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngomusa uNkulunkulu ubeke ‘izipho ezingabantu’ ebandleni lobuKristu—abelusi abavuthiwe ngokomoya abakufanelekelayo nabazimisele ukusiza. (Efesu 4:8, 12; Jakobe 5:14, 15) Umgomo wabo uwukusiza umenzi wobubi ekubuyiseleni ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu futhi,  ngokusho kwendoda ehlakaniphile, ‘azuze inhliziyo’ ukuze angasiphindi leso sono.—IzAga 15:32.

24, 25. (a) Insizwa echazwe encwadini yezAga 7:6-23 yabonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘iswele inhliziyo’? (b) ‘Singayizuza’ kanjani “inhliziyo”?

²⁴ IBhayibheli likhuluma ngabantu ‘abaswele inhliziyo’ nalabo ‘abazuza inhliziyo.’ (IzAga 7:7) Ngenxa yokungavuthwa ngokomoya nokungabi nalwazi enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, umuntu ‘oswele inhliziyo’ angase antule ukuqonda nokwahlulela okuhle. Njengale nsizwa echazwe encwadini yezAga 7:6-23, angase awele kalula esonweni esingathí sina. Kepha ‘ozuza inhliziyo’ uyamnakisisa umuntu wangaphakathi ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu njalo ngosizo lomthandazo. Futhi ngezinga angenza ngalo njengoba engaphelele, uvumelanisa imicabango yakhe, izifiso, imizwelo nemigomo yakhe nalokho okwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza kanjalo usuke ‘ethanda umphefumulo wakhe,’ noma ezibusisa yena, futhi usuke ‘eyothola okuhle.’—IzAga 19:8.

²⁵ Zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngigculiseke ngempela ukuthi izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zilungile? Ingabe ngikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi ukunamathela kuzo kuletha injabulo enkulu?’ (IHubo 19:7-10; Isaya 48:17, 18) Uma unokungabaza ngisho okuncane, kulungise. Zindla ngemiphumela yokungayinaki imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘nambitha ubone ukuthi uJehova muhle’ ngokuphila ngeqiniso nangokugcwalisa ingqondo yakho ngemicabango eyakhayo—izinto eziyiqiniso, ezilungile, ezimsulwa, ezithandekayo nezinhle. (IHubo 34:8; Filipi 4:8, 9) Ungaqiniseka ngokuthi lapho ukwenza ngokwengeziwe lokhu, uyomthanda nangokwengeziwe uNkulunkulu, uyokuthanda nangokwengeziwe lokho akuthandayo, futhi uyokuzonda akuzondayo. UJosefa wayengaphelele. Kodwa wakwazi ‘ukubalekela ubufebe’ ngoba wavumela uJehova ukuba ambumbe phakathi neminyaka eminingi, amnike inhliziyo. Kwangathi kungaba njalo nangawe.—Isaya 64:8.

26. Iyiphi indaba ebalulekile osekuzoxoxwa ngayo?

 ²⁶ UMdali wethu wabumba izitho zethu zokuzala ukuze sikwazi ukuzala futhi sijabulele ukusondelana emshadweni, akazibumbelanga ukuba zibe amathoyizi okuzijabulisa nje kuphela. (IzAga 5:18) Ezahlukweni ezimbili ezilandelayo kuzoxoxwa ngombono kaNkulunkulu ngomshado.