1. Luhlobo luni lwabantu uJehova aludonsela kuye, futhi kungani kumelwe bahlale beqaphile ngokomoya?

UJESU wathi: ‘Abakhulekeli beqiniso bayokhulekela uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso, ngoba ngempela uBaba ufuna abanjalo ukuba bamkhulekele.’ (Johane 4:23) Lapho uJehova ethola abanjalo—njengoba nje nawe akuthola—ubadonsela kuye naseNdodaneni yakhe. (Johane 6:44) Yeka ilungelo! Nokho, abathandi beqiniso leBhayibheli kumelwe ‘baqhubeke beqiniseka ukuthi kuyini okwamukelekayo eNkosini,’ ngoba uSathane uyingcweti yokukhohlisa.—Efesu 5:10; IsAmbulo 12:9.

2. Chaza indlela uJehova abheka ngayo abazama ukuxuba inkolo yeqiniso neyamanga.

² Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka eduze kweNtaba iSinayi lapho ama-Israyeli ecela u-Aroni ukuba awenzele unkulunkulu. U-Aroni wavuma, walibumba ithole legolide wabe esesikisela ukuthi limelela uJehova. Wathi: “Kukhona umkhosi kaJehova kusasa.” Ingabe uJehova wayengenandaba nalokhu kuxutshwa kwenkolo yeqiniso neyamanga? Cha. Wenza ukuba kubulawe abakhulekeli bezithombe abangaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu. (Eksodusi 32:1-6, 10, 28) Siyini isifundo? Uma sifuna ukuzigcina othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kumelwe ‘singathinti lutho olungcolile,’ kunalokho kufanele sibe nomona ngeqiniso ukuze lingangcoliswa yinoma yiluphi uhlobo lokonakala.—Isaya 52:11; Hezekeli 44:23; Galathiya 5:9.

3, 4. Kungani kufanele sizinakisise izimiso zeBhayibheli lapho sihlola amasiko nemikhosi ethandwayo?

 ³ Ngokudabukisayo, ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli ababenjengothango oluvimbela ukuhlubuka, amaKristu okuzisholo ayengalithandi iqiniso aqala ukwamukela amasiko, imikhosi, nezinsuku “ezingcwele” zamaqaba, athi ezobuKristu. (2 Thesalonika 2:7, 10) Njengoba ucabanga ngeminye yale mikhosi, phawula indlela ebonisa ngayo umoya wezwe, hhayi okaNkulunkulu. Ngokuvamile, imikhosi yezwe ifana ngento eyodwa: Ithokozisa izifiso zenyama futhi ikhuthaza izinkolelo zenkolo yamanga nokusebenzelana nemimoya—izici ‘zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu.’ * (IsAmbulo 18:2-4, 23) Khumbula nokuthi uJehova wazibonela mathupha imikhuba enyanyekayo yenkolo yobuqaba, eyimisuka yamasiko amaningi athandwayo namuhla. Ngokungangabazeki, le mikhosi isamnenga ngendlela efanayo nanamuhla. Akufanele yini kube umbono wakhe obaluleke kakhulu kithi?—2 Johane 6, 7.

⁴ NjengamaKristu eqiniso, siyazi ukuthi imikhosi ethile ayimjabulisi uJehova. Kodwa kudingeka sizimisele ngokuqinile ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuba kungabi khona noluncú olusihlanganisa nayo. Ukubukeza ukuthi kungani uJehova engajabuli ngemikhosi enjalo kuyoqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukugwema noma yini engasithiya ukuba sihlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu.

5. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJesu akazalwanga ngo-December 25?

⁵ IBhayibheli alisho lutho ngokugujwa kosuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu. Empeleni, alwaziwa usuku oluthé ngqo azalwa ngalo. Kodwa singaqiniseka ukuthi akazalwanga ebusika ngo-December 25 lapho amakhaza eshubisa umnkantsha kuleyo  ngxenye yomhlaba. * Ngokwesibonelo, uLuka waloba ukuthi ngenkathi uJesu ezalwa, ‘abelusi babehleli ngaphandle’ beqaphe imihlambi yabo. (Luka 2:8-11) Ukube kwakuwumkhuba wabo ‘ukuhlala ngaphandle’ unyaka wonke, lokhu kwakungeke kuphawuleke. Kepha ngenxa yokuthi eBhetlehema kuna imvula ebandayo futhi likhithike ebusika, imihlambi iyakhoseliswa futhi abelusi babengeke ‘bahlale ngaphandle.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJosefa noMariya baya eBhetlehema ngoba uKhesari Awugustu wayeyale ukuba kubalwe abantu. (Luka 2:1-7) Mancane kakhulu amathuba okuthi uKhesari wayengayala abantu ababekuzonda ukubuswa amaRoma ukuba bathathe uhambo oluya emizini yokhokho babo phakathi nobusika obuqhaqhazelisa amazinyo.

6, 7. (a) Uyini umsuka wamasiko amaningi kaKhisimusi? (b) Kunamuphi umehluko phakathi kokupha kwangoKhisimusi nokupha kwamaKristu?

⁶ Umsuka kaKhisimusi awutholakali emiBhalweni, kodwa utholakala emikhosini yobuqaba yasendulo, njengeSaturnalia yamaRoma, umkhosi owawenzelwa uSaturn, unkulunkulu wezolimo. Ngokufanayo, abakhulekeli bakankulunkulu uMithra babegubha u-December 25 “njengosuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elingenakunqotshwa,” kusho i-New Catholic Encyclopedia. “UKhisimusi wasungulwa ngesikhathi ukukhulekela ilanga kunamandla eRoma,” ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka acishe abe mathathu uKristu afa.

⁷ Phakathi nemikhosi yawo, amaqaba ayephana izipho enze namadili—izinto ezisenziwa namanje ngoKhisimusi. Nokho, njengoba kusenjalo nanamuhla, ukupha kwangoKhisimusi kwakungenziwa ngokuvumelana neyesi-2 Korinte 9:7, efundeka kanje: “Yilowo nalowo makenze njengoba nje enqumile enhliziyweni yakhe, kungabi ngokudabuka noma ngaphansi kokucindezelwa, ngoba uNkulunkulu uthanda umuphi  onamileyo.” AmaKristu eqiniso apha ngokusuka othandweni, awabheki ukuthi umhla kabani, futhi awalindeli ukuba nawo aphinde aphiwe izipho. (Luka 14:12-14; IzEnzo 20:35) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abonga kakhulu ngokuthi akhululekile ebutatateni bangoKhisimusi nasejokeni elisindayo lezikweletu abaningi abangena kuzo ngalesi sikhathi sonyaka.—Mathewu 11:28-30; Johane 8:32.

8. Ingabe izazi zezinkanyezi zapha uJesu izipho zosuku lokuzalwa? Chaza.

⁸ Abanye bangase bathi, kodwa izazi zezinkanyezi azimphanga yini uJesu izipho zosuku lokuzalwa? Cha. Ukuletha kwazo izipho kwakumane kuyindlela yokuhlonipha umuntu obalulekile, okwakuwumkhuba ovamile ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli. (1 AmaKhosi 10:1, 2, 10, 13; Mathewu 2:2, 11) Eqinisweni, azifikanga ngisho nangobusuku uJesu azalwa ngabo. Lapho zifika, uJesu wayengaselona usana olusemkhombeni, kodwa wayesenezinyanga eziningana ubudala futhi esehlala endlini.

9. Yini ephawulekayo ngokushiwo iBhayibheli ngezinsuku zokuzalwa?

⁹ Nakuba ukuzalwa komntwana bekulokhu kuyisikhathi sokujabula okukhulu, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi ikhona inceku kaNkulunkulu eyagubha usuku lokuzalwa. (IHubo 127:3) Ingabe lokhu kwaba yiphutha nje? Cha, ngoba kuyakhulunywa ngokugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa ezimbili—olukaFaro waseGibhithe nolukaHerode Antipase. (Genesise 40:20-22; Marku 6:21-29) Nokho, zombili lezi zenzakalo kukhulunywa kabi ngazo—ikakhulukazi lesi samuva lapho kwanqunywa khona ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi.

10, 11. AmaKristu okuqala ayekubheka kanjani ukugubha izinsuku zokuzalwa, futhi ngani?

¹⁰ I-World Book Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “AmaKristu okuqala  ayebheka ukugubha usuku lokuzalwa lwanoma ubani njengomkhuba wamaqaba.” Ngokwesibonelo, amaGreki asendulo ayekholelwa ukuthi kunomoya oqapha ukuzalwa komuntu ngamunye nokuthi uyamvikela ukuphila kwakhe konke. Lo moya, ngokusho kwencwadi ethi The Lore of Birthdays, “wawuba nobuhlobo obuyimfihlo nonkulunkulu owazalwa ngosuku lokuzalwa kwalowo muntu.” Sekuyisikhathi eside futhi izinsuku zokuzalwa zihlotshaniswa nokufundwa kwezinkanyezi kanye nezinkanyezi ezihambelana nosuku lomuntu lokuzalwa.

¹¹ Ngaphandle kokwenqaba amasiko ezinsuku zokuzalwa ngenxa yemisuka yawo yobuqaba neyokusebenzelana nemimoya, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo cishe zazikwenqaba nangenxa yezimiso. Ngani? Lezi zinceku zazingamadoda nabesifazane abathobekile nabanesizotha, ezazingabheki ukuzalwa kwazo njengokubaluleke kangangokuba kungaze kugujwe. * (Mika 6:8; Luka 9:48) Kunalokho, zazikhazimulisa uJehova futhi zimbonga ngesipho sokuphila esiyigugu. *—IHubo 8:3, 4; 36:9; IsAmbulo 4:11.

12. Usuku lokufa kwethu lungaba ngcono kanjani kunosuku lokuzalwa kwethu?

¹² Lapho befa, bonke abagcini bobuqotho baphephile enkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu, futhi ukuphila kwabo kwesikhathi esizayo kuqinisekisiwe. (Jobe 14:14, 15) UmShumayeli 7:1 uthi: “Igama lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa komuntu.” “Igama” lethu liyidumela elihle esizakhele lona noNkulunkulu  ngenkonzo yokwethembeka. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi okuwukuphela kosuku amaKristu ayalwa ukuba alukhumbule akulona elokuzalwa kodwa elokufa—ukufa kukaJesu, ‘ogama’ lakhe elihle liyisihluthulelo sensindiso yethu.—Luka 22:17-20; Hebheru 1:3, 4.

13, 14. Uyini umsuka wamasiko avamile ama-Easter?

¹³ Nakuba kusuke kuthiwa kugujwa ukuvuswa kukaKristu, empeleni ama-Easter asekelwe enkolweni yamanga. Kwagama elithi Easter liye lahlotshaniswa no-Eostre, noma u-Ostara, unkulunkulukazi wama-Anglo-Saxon wokukhanya nentwasahlobo. Futhi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba amaqanda nonogwaja kuhlotshaniswe nama-Easter? Amaqanda “abelokhu ewuphawu oluvelele lokuphila okusha novuko,” kusho i-Encyclopædia Britannica, kanti sekuyisikhathi eside unogwaja ubhekwa njengophawu lokuzala. Ngakho-ke, ama-Easter empeleni awukukhulekela inzalo kodwa kushaywe sengathi kugujwa ukuvuswa kukaKristu. *

¹⁴ Ingabe uJehova wayeyokwamukela ukuba ukuvuswa kweNdodana yakhe kukhunjulwe ngemigidi enyanyekayo? Phinde! (2 Korinte 6:17, 18) Empeleni nje imiBhalo ayikuyali futhi ayikugunyazi ukugujwa kokuvuswa kukaJesu. Ngakho-ke, ukukugubha bese kubizwa ngokuthi ama-Easter kuwukungathembeki isibili.

15. Uyini umsuka weHalloween, futhi yini ephawulekayo ngosuku okugujwa ngalo leli holide?

¹⁵ IHalloween, edume ngabathakathi, imikhovu, kanye neminye imihlobiso eyesabekayo, ihlehlela lé endulo kumaCelt  aseBrithani nase-Ireland. Lapho inyanga igcwele uma sekusondele u-November 1, ayegubha umkhosi weSamhain okusho ukuthi “Ukuphela Kwehlobo.” Ayekholelwa ukuthi ngeSamhain, udonga oluhlukanisa abantu kanye nezwe lemimoya enamandla angaphezu kwavamile lwalususwa bese imimoya, elungile nengalungile, izulazula emhlabeni. Kwakukholelwa ukuthi imiphefumulo yabafileyo yayiphindela emakubo, imindeni yayo ibekele lezi zivakashi eziyizipoki ukudla nokokuphuza ngenjongo yokushweleza kuzo. Ngakho, lapho izingane namuhla zigqoka njengezipoki noma abathakathi, futhi zingena imizi ngemizi zesabise ngokuthi zizoganga uma zinganikezwa uswidi, zisuke ziqhuba amasiko eSamhain zingazi.

16, 17. (a) Kungani imibhangqwana engamaKristu ehlela ukushada kufanele ihlole amasiko emishado endawo isebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli? (b) Mayelana namasiko anjengokuphonsa ilayisi noma okufana nalo, yini amaKristu okufanele ayicabangele?

¹⁶ Maduzane, “akukho zwi lomkhwenyana nelomlobokazi eliyophinde lizwakale [eBhabhiloni Elikhulu].” (IsAmbulo 18:23) Ngani? Phakathi kokunye, ngenxa yemikhuba yalo yokusebenzelana nemimoya engase ingcolise umshado kusukela ngalo kanye usuku lomshado.—Marku 10:6-9.

¹⁷ Amasiko ayahluka kuye ngamazwe. Amanye amasiko angase abonakale emahle kungenzeka asuka emikhubeni yaseBhabhiloni okukholelwa ukuthi iletha ‘inhlanhla’ kwabashadayo noma kwabamenyiwe. (Isaya 65:11) Elinye isiko elinjalo elokuphonsa ilayisi noma okufana nalo. Lo mkhuba kungenzeka uvela enkolelweni yokuthi ukudla kwakuyijabulisa imimoya emibi futhi kuyivimba ekulimazeni umakoti nomkhwenyane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sekuyisikhathi eside ilayisi lihlotshaniswa ngendlela engaqondakali nenzalo, injabulo, nokuphila kade. Ngokusobala, bonke abafuna ukuhlala othandweni lukaNkulunkulu bayowagwema amasiko anjalo angcolile.—2 Korinte 6:14-18.

18. Yiziphi izimiso zeBhayibheli okufanele ziqondise abahlela umshado kanye nezimenywa?

 ¹⁸ Ngokufanayo, izinceku zikaJehova ziyayigwema imikhuba yezwe engenza umshado nedili lawo kungabi nesithunzi sobuKristu noma engase iphazamise onembeza babanye. Ngokwesibonelo, zigwema inkulumo ebhuqayo elimazayo noma egigiyela ebulilini, namahlaya noma amazwi angababangela amahloni abasanda kushada nabanye. (IzAga 26:18, 19; Luka 6:31; 10:27) Zigwema namadili okubukisa ayiziphihli angenasizotha, “agabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho.” (1 Johane 2:16) Uma uhlela ukushada, ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ufuna usuku lwakho olukhethekile lube usuku okuyothi njalo uma ubheka emuva, ujabule ngalo, ungazisoli. *

19, 20. Yini eshiwo enye incwadi yezwe ngomsuka wokwenza i-toast, futhi kungani lo mkhuba ungamukeleki kumaKristu?

¹⁹ Ukwenza i-toast (ukuphakamisa izingilazi ezinewayini noma obunye utshwala) kuwumkhuba ovamile emishadweni nakweminye imicimbi. I-International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture ka-1995 ithi: “Ukwenza i-toast . . . kungenzeka ukuthi kuwumkhuba wasendulo ongewona owenkolo lapho onkulunkulu babethelelwa khona uketshezi olungcwele . . . ukuze umuntu acele okuthile ngomthandazo ofushaniswa ngamazwi athi ‘uphile isikhathi eside!’ noma ‘mpilonhle!’”

²⁰ Yiqiniso, abantu abaningi kungenzeka ukuthi ababheki ukwenza i-toast njengesenzo senkolo noma esiyinkolelo-ze. Noma kunjalo, umkhuba wokuphakamisela phezulu ingilazi yewayini ungase ubhekwe njengokucela isibusiso “ezulwini”—emandleni angaphezu kwawomuntu—ngendlela engavumelani nemiBhalo.—Johane 14:6; 16:23. *

21. Nakuba ingase ingayihileli inkolo, yimiphi imikhosi evamile amaKristu ayoyigwema, futhi ngani?

²¹ Amanye amazwe abonakalisa izindinganiso eziwohlokayo zaleli zwe lanamuhla—okubangelwe ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile iBhabhiloni Elikhulu—ngokusekela imigubho yaminyaka yonke noma amaMardi Gras, imigidi enemidanso engcolile futhi eminye engase ikhuthaze ngisho nobungqingili. Kungafaneleka yini ngomuntu ‘othanda uJehova’ ukuba ahlanganyele emicimbini enjalo noma ayibukele? Ukwenza kwakhe kanjalo kungabonisa inzondo yangempela na ngokubi? (IHubo 1:1, 2; 97:10) Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukulingisa isimo sengqondo somhubi owathandaza: “Yenza ukuba amehlo ami adlule angakuboni okungenanzuzo”!—IHubo 119:37.

22. Kunini lapho umKristu angase anqume ngokukanembeza wakhe ukuthi uzohlanganyela yini emgubhweni othile noma cha?

²² Ngezinsuku zemikhosi yezwe, umKristu uyoqikelela ukuthi ukuziphatha kwakhe akunikezi abanye umqondo wokuthi uyahlanganyela kuleyo migubho. UPawulu wabhala: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi niyadla noma niyaphuza noma nenza noma yini enye, zonke izinto zenzeleni inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 10:31; bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ukwenza Izinqumo Ezihlakaniphile,” emakhasini 158-9.) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma isiko noma umkhosi othile kusobala ukuthi awuhlangene nhlobo nenkolo, awuhlangene nezombusazwe noma ukushisekela izwe, awephuli zimiso zeBhayibheli, khona-ke umKristu ngamunye angase azenzele isinqumo sakhe siqu sokuthi uzohlanganyela yini kuwo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uyocabangela imizwa yabanye ukuze angabi yimbangela yokukhubeka.

23, 24. Singabunikeza kanjani ubufakazi obuhle ngezindinganiso zikaJehova zokulunga?

²³ Abantu abaningi babheka izinsuku zemikhosi ethandwayo ngokuyinhloko njengethuba lokuba imindeni nabangane  babungazane. Ngakho, uma othile enza iphutha athi ukuma kwethu okungokomBhalo akubonisi uthando noma kuyeqisa, singamchazela ngomusa ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayakwazisa ukuhlangana okwakhayo kwemindeni nabangane. (IzAga 11:25; UmShumayeli 3:12, 13; 2 Korinte 9:7) Sijabulela ubudlelwane nesibathandayo unyaka wonke, kodwa ngenxa yothando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu kanye nezindinganiso zakhe zokulunga, asifuni ukudunga izikhathi ezimnandi kanjalo ngamasiko amenyelisayo.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Kuletha Injabulo Enkulu,” ekhasini 156.

²⁴ Abanye oFakazi baye baphumelela kakhulu lapho bexoxa ngamaphuzu asesahlukweni 16 sencwadi ethi Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli? * nalabo ababuza ngobuqotho. Nokho, khumbula ukuthi umgomo wethu uwukuzuza izinhliziyo, hhayi ukunqoba izimpikiswano. Ngakho yiba nenhlonipho, ulondoloze umoya omnene, futhi ‘amazwi akho ngaso sonke isikhathi mawabe nomusa, ayoliswe ngosawoti.’—Kolose 4:6.

25, 26. Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo zikhule okholweni nasothandweni ngoJehova?

²⁵ Njengezinceku zikaJehova, sifundisiwe. Siyazi ukuthi kungani sikholelwa futhi senza izinto ezithile, kodwa ezinye singazenzi. (Hebheru 5:14) Ngakho bazali, fundisani izingane zenu ukuba ziqonde izimiso zeBhayibheli. Ngokwenza kanjalo, nakha ukholo lwazo, nizisiza ukuba zikwazi ukunikeza izimpendulo ezingokomBhalo kulabo abazibuza ngezinkolelo zazo, futhi niziqinisekisa ngothando lukaJehova.—Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 Petru 3:15.

²⁶ Bonke abakhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso” abagwemi nje kuphela imikhosi engqubuzana nemiBhalo kodwa futhi balwela ukwethembeka kuzo zonke izici zokuphila. Namuhla, abaningi bathi kuyinto engenakwenzeka ukwethembeka. Kodwa njengoba sizobona esahlukweni esilandelayo, izindlela zikaNkulunkulu zihlale zingezingcono njalo.