1. Yini abanye abathembekile abazibuza yona?

UDADE othembekile owakhuthazelela izinselele eziningi amashumi eminyaka wabuza ngokuthobeka, “Ingabe ukuphela kuyofika ngisaphila?” Abanye osekuyisikhathi eside bekhonza uJehova bazibuza into efanayo. Silangazelela usuku lapho uNkulunkulu eyokwenza khona zonke izinto zibe zintsha, asuse izinkinga esibhekene nazo manje. (IsAm. 21:5) Nakuba sinesizathu esizwakalayo sokukholelwa ukuthi ukuphela kwesimiso sikaSathane kuseduze kakhulu, ukululindela ngokubekezela lolo suku kungaba nzima.

2. Imiphi imibuzo ephathelene nokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu esizoxoxa ngayo?

² Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi kumelwe sibekezele. Njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zesikhathi esidlule, siyokuthola lokho uNkulunkulu akuthembisile uma sinokholo oluqinile futhi sisilindela ngokubekezela isikhathi sakhe sokugcwalisa lezo zithembiso. (Funda amaHebheru 6:11, 12.) UJehova ngokwakhe ubelokhu ebekezele. Ubengabuqeda noma nini ububi, kodwa ulinde isikhathi esifanele. (Roma 9:20-24) Kungani ebekezela kangaka? UJesu uye waba kanjani isibonelo sokubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu? Iziphi izinzuzo esiyozithola uma sihlakulela ukubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zingasisiza sihlakulele ukubekezela nokholo oluqinile, ngisho noma kithi kubonakala sengathi uJehova uyephuza.

3, 4. (a) Kungani uJehova eye wabonisa ukubekezela ekufezeni injongo yakhe ngomhlaba? (b) UJehova wasabela kanjani ekuvukeleni kwase-Edene?

³ UJehova unesizathu esihle sokubekezela. Yiqiniso ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi unegunya elikhulu endaweni yonke; noma kunjalo, ukuvukela kwase-Edene kwaphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile ezulwini nasemhlabeni. UJehova uye wabekezela, azi ukuthi kwakuyothatha isikhathi  eside ukuba leyo mibuzo iphenduleke kahle. Njengoba ezazi kahle izenzo nesimo sengqondo somuntu ngamunye ezulwini nasemhlabeni, ngokuqinisekile ukubekezela kwakhe kungokwenzuzo yethu.—Heb. 4:13.

⁴ Injongo kaJehova kwakuwukuba umhlaba ugcwaliswe abantwana baka-Adamu no-Eva. Lapho uSathane eyenga u-Eva futhi u-Adamu ekhetha inkambo yokungalaleli, uNkulunkulu akayishintshanga injongo yakhe. Akazange atatazele, enze izinqumo ngokuxhamazela noma abe namawala, adikile umkhaya wesintu. Kunalokho, wacabanga indlela yokufeza lokho ayekuhlosile ngesintu nangeplanethi enguMhlaba. (Isaya 55:11) Ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe futhi alwele ubukhosi bakhe, uJehova uye wabonisa ukuzithiba nokubekezela okukhulu, waze walinda izinkulungwane zeminyaka ukuze izici ezithile zenjongo yakhe zifezeke ngendlela engcono kakhulu.

5. Ukubekezela kukaJehova kuletha ziphi izibusiso?

⁵ Esinye isizathu sokuba uJehova alinde ngokubekezela ukuba abantu abaningi bakwazi ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Kwamanje, wenza amalungiselelo okusindisa “isixuku esikhulu.” (IsAm. 7:9, 14; 14:6) UJehova usebenzisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ukuze afinyelele abantu, ebamema ukuba bazofunda ngoMbuso wakhe nezindinganiso zakhe zokulunga. Isigijimi soMbuso siyizindaba ezijabulisa kakhulu kunazo zonke kubantu—‘izindaba ezinhle’ ngempela! (Math. 24:14) Umuntu ngamunye odonswa nguJehova uba ingxenye yebandla lomhlaba wonke labangane beqiniso abathanda okulungile. (Johane 6:44-47) UNkulunkulu wethu onothando usiza abantu abanjalo ukuba bamukeleke kuye. Ubelokhu ekhetha futhi phakathi kwesintu labo abayoba amalungu kahulumeni wakhe wasezulwini. Lapho bethola izikhundla zabo zasezulwini, laba bantu abazinikele bayosiza isintu esilalelayo ukuba sifinyelele ukuphelela nokuphila okuphakade. Kusobala ukuthi nakuba elindé ngokubekezela, uJehova ubelokhu esebenza ukuze agcwalise izithembiso zakhe—ngokwenzuzo yethu.

6. (a) UJehova wakubonisa ngamuphi umqondo ukubekezela osukwini lukaNowa? (b) UJehova ukubonisa kanjani ukubekezela osukwini lwethu?

⁶ UJehova uyabekezela naphezu kokucasulwa ngokwedlulele, njengoba singabona endleleni asingatha ngayo ububi bangaphambi kukaZamcolo. Ngaleso sikhathi, umhlaba wawugcwele ukuziphatha okubi nobudlova futhi uJehova “wezwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni yakhe” ngenxa yokuwohloka kwesimilo kubantu. (Gen. 6:2-8) Wayengeke asibekezelele phakade leso simo, ngakho wanquma ukuba asibhubhise leso sintu esingalaleli ngozamcolo. Ngesikhathi “ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kulindile ezinsukwini zikaNowa,” uJehova wayenza amalungiselelo okusindisa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe. (1 Pet. 3:20) Ngesikhathi esifanele, watshela uNowa ngalesi sinqumo futhi wamnika umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi. (Gen. 6:14-22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga,’ etshela omakhelwane bakhe ngembubhiso eyayisondela. (2 Pet. 2:5) UJesu wathi isikhathi sethu siyefana nezinsuku zikaNowa. UJehova usenqumile ukuthi uzosiqeda nini lesi simiso sezinto esibi. Akekho umuntu owazi ‘usuku nehora’ okuyokwenzeka ngalo lokhu. (Math. 24:36) Okwamanje, uNkulunkulu usinike umsebenzi wokuxwayisa abantu nokubatshela indlela abangasinda ngayo.

7. Ingabe uJehova uyephuza ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe? Chaza.

⁷ Kusobala ukuthi ukubekezela kukaJehova akusho ukuthi umane nje uhlezi ulinde isikhathi sidlule. Cha, akufanele nanini siphambanise ukubekezela kwakhe nokunganaki noma ukungabi nandaba! Kuyiqiniso nokho ukuthi kuyinselele ukukukhumbula lokhu njengoba sikhula noma sihlupheka kulesi simiso esibi. Singase sidikibale noma sibe nomuzwa wokuthi uNkulunkulu uyephuza ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. (Heb. 10:36) Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi  unezizathu ezinhle zokubekezela futhi usebenzisa isikhathi esisele ngokwenzuzo yezinceku zakhe eziqotho. (2 Pet. 2:3; 3:9) Cabanga nangendlela uJesu abonisa ngayo ukubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu.

8. UJesu wabekezela ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo?

⁸ UJesu wenza intando kaNkulunkulu futhi ubelokhu eyenza ngentshiseko izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Lapho uSathane evukela, uJehova wanquma ukuthi iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa yayizoza emhlabeni njengoMesiya. Cabanga ukuthi lokho kwakusho ukuthini ngoJesu—ukulinda ngokubekezela izinkulungwane zeminyaka size sifike leso sikhathi. (Funda eyabaseGalathiya 4:4.) Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi, wayengahlezi esongé izandla; kunalokho, wayematasa emsebenzini ayewunikwe nguYise. Ekugcineni, lapho efika emhlabeni wayazi ukuthi kwakuzodingeka ukuba afe ebulawa uSathane njengoba kuprofethiwe. (Gen. 3:15; Math. 16:21) Ngokubekezela, wazithoba entandweni kaNkulunkulu nakuba lokho kwakusho ukubhekana nobuhlungu obukhulu kakhulu. Wabonisa ubuqotho bezinga eliphakeme kakhulu. Akazange agxile kuye ngokwakhe nasesikhundleni sakhe, futhi nathi singazuza kulokho.—Heb. 5:8, 9.

9, 10. (a) Yini uJesu abeyenza ngesikhathi elinde uJehova ngokubekezela ukuba athathe isinyathelo? (b) Kufanele sisibheke kanjani isikhathi sikaJehova sokwenza izinto?

⁹ Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu wanikwa igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni. (Math. 28:18) Usebenzisa lelo gunya ukuze afeze injongo kaJehova ngokuvumelana nesikhathi uNkulunkulu asimisile. UJesu walinda ngokubekezela ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba ngo-1914 ukuba izitha zakhe zibekwe njengesenabelo sezinyawo zakhe. (IHu. 110:1, 2; Heb. 10:12, 13) Maduze uzothatha isinyathelo ukuze aqede isimiso sikaSathane. Okwamanje, ngokubekezela usebenza nabantu futhi ubaholela ‘emanzini okuphila.’—IsAm. 7:17.

¹⁰ Esibonelweni sikaJesu, uyayibona yini indlela okufanele ubheke ngayo isikhathi sikaJehova sokwenza izinto? Ngokungangabazeki, uJesu wayekushisekela ukwenza noma yini uYise ayemcela ukuba ayenze; noma kunjalo, wayezimisele ukulinda isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu. Njengoba silindele ukuphela kwesimiso esibi sikaSathane, sonke sidinga ukubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu, singalokothi simhambele phambili uNkulunkulu noma silahle ithemba ngenxa yokudikibala. Yini esingayenza ukuze sihlakulele lokho kubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu?

11. (a) Ukholo luhlobene ngayiphi indlela nokubekezela? (b) Kungani sinezizathu ezizwakalayo zokuba nokholo oluqinile?

¹¹ Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, abaprofethi nezinye izinceku ezithembekile babeka isibonelo sendlela ngisho nabantu abangaphelele abangakhuthazela ngayo ngokubekezela. Kwakunokuhlobana okuqondile phakathi kokholo lwabo nokubekezela kwabo. (Funda uJakobe 5:10, 11.) Ukube babengakukholelwa ngempela lokho uJehova ayebatshele kona—ukube babentula ukholo—ingabe babeyokulindela ngokubekezela ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zakhe? Ezikhathini eziningi, babebhekana nokuvivinywa kokholo okwesabisayo noma okuyinselele, beqiniseka ukuthi ekugcineni uNkulunkulu uyokwenza lokho akuthembisa. (Heb. 11:13, 35-40) Thina sinesizathu esikhulu kakhulu sokuba nokholo oluqinile, ngoba manje uJesu ‘unguMphelelisi wokholo lwethu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Wagcwalisa iziprofetho futhi wembula izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ngendlela esinika izizathu ezizwakalayo zokuba nokholo.

12. Yini esingase siyenze ukuze sakhe ukholo lwethu?

¹² Iziphi izinyathelo ezingokoqobo esingazithatha ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu, sihlakulele ukubekezela? Isihluthulelo ukusebenzisa  iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngezizathu onazo zokubeka uMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwakho. Ungawenza yini umzamo wokusisebenzisa ngokwengeziwe iseluleko esitholakala kuMathewu 6:33? Lokho kungasho ukuchitha isikhathi esengeziwe ensimini noma ukulungisa izici ezithile zendlela yakho yokuphila. Ungayikhohlwa indlela uJehova abusise ngayo imizamo yakho kuze kube manje. Mhlawumbe uye wakusiza ukuba uqale isifundo seBhayibheli esisha noma uthole ‘ukuthula kwakhe okudlula konke ukucabanga.’ (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:7.) Njengoba ugxila ngale ndlela ezinzuzweni oye wazithola ngokulalela isiqondiso sikaJehova, uyoqonda ngokwengeziwe ukuthi kungani kudingeka ukubekezela.—IHu. 34:8.

13. Singayifanekisa kanjani inqubo yokuhlakulela ukholo nokubekezela?

¹³ Le nqubo ithi ayifane naleyo engokwemvelo yokuhlwanyela, ukuhlakula nokuvuna. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho umlimi evuna isivuno esikhulu, uhlwanyela imbewu eqiniseka kakhudlwana ngenkathi yokulima elandelayo. Yiqiniso, kuyodingeka ukuba asilinde ngokubekezela isivuno, kodwa lokho ngeke kumvimbe ukuba atshale imbewu, mhlawumbe aze ayihlwanyele emasimini engeziwe kunangenkathi edlule. Unethemba lokuthi uyovuna. Ngokufanayo, njengoba siphindaphinda le nqubo yokufunda iseluleko sikaJehova, sisilalele bese sibona izinzuzo zokusilalela, ukuthembela kwethu kuye kuyakhula. Ngokufanayo, ukholo lwethu luyajula bese kuba lula ukulinda izibusiso esaziyo ukuthi ziyofika.—Funda uJakobe 5:7, 8.

14, 15. Imuphi umbono okudingeka sibe nawo ngokuhlupheka kwabantu?

¹⁴ Enye indlela yokuhlakulela ukubekezela ukucabangela indlela okufanele sibheke ngayo izwe nezimo zethu zomuntu siqu. Zama ukubheka izinto ngendlela uJehova azibheka ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela akubheka ngayo ukuhlupheka kwabantu. Sekuyisikhathi eside ezwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yokuhlupheka  kwabantu; noma kunjalo, akakaze agajwe usizi lumenze angakwazi ukwenza okuhle. Wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa “ukuzobhidliza imisebenzi kaDeveli” futhi ilungise wonke umonakalo olethwe uSathane esintwini. (1 Johane 3:8) Eqinisweni, ukuhlupheka kuyobonakala kube yinto yesikhashana, kodwa ikhambi likaNkulunkulu lingelaphakade. Ngokufanayo, kunokuba sivumele ukugajwa ububi bamanje bokubusa kukaSathane noma siphelelwe isineke ngokuthi kuyophela nini, masibe nokholo ezintweni ezingabonwayo eziyohlala phakade. UJehova usenqumile ukuthi uzobuqeda nini ububi, futhi uyosithatha isinyathelo ngaso kanye isikhathi esifanele.—Isaya 46:13; Nah. 1:9.

¹⁵ Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina ezinzima zalesi simiso sezinto, singase sibhekane nezinselele ezinkulu okholweni lwethu. Kunokuba sithukuthele uma siba izisulu zobudlova noma lapho abathandekayo bethu behlupheka, kudingeka sizimisele ukwethembela ngokuphelele kuJehova. Asiphelele, ngakho akulula ukwenza kanjalo. Nokho, khumbula lokho uJesu akwenza, njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 26:39.—Funda.

16. Yini okudingeka sigweme ukuyenza phakathi nalesi sikhathi esisele?

¹⁶ Into esiphazamisayo ekuboniseni ukubekezela okunjengokukaNkulunkulu ukuba nesimo sengqondo sokuthi ngizolinda ngibone kuqala. Kusho ukuthini lokho? Umuntu ongathembi ukuthi ukuphela kuseduze angase aqale ukuba nezinye izinhlelo eziseceleni ukuze zimsize uma kwenzeka izinto zingasenzeki njengoba uJehova ayethé zizokwenzeka. Ngamanye amazwi, kungenzeka ucabanga ukuthi, ‘Ngizolinda ngibone ukuthi uJehova uqinisile yini ngempela kulokho akushilo.’ Angase-ke manje azame ukuzenzela igama kuleli zwe, afune ukulondeka ngokwezimali kunokubeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala noma athembele emfundweni ephakeme ukuze aphile ntofontofo manje. Nokho, empeleni, ngeke yini lokho kube ubufakazi bokuntula ukholo? Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu wasinxusa ukuba sibe abalingisi babathembekile abathola izithembiso kuJehova “ngokholo nangokubekezela.” (Heb. 6:12) UJehova ngeke asivumele lesi simiso esibi ukuba siqhubeke isikhathi eside kunesidingeka ngempela ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakhe. (Hab. 2:3) Phakathi nalesi sikhathi esisele, kumelwe sigweme ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela yokugcina icala. Kunalokho, kudingeka sihlale siphapheme futhi sishumayele izindaba ezinhle ngenkuthalo, okuwumthombo ongenakuqhathaniswa wokwaneliseka ngisho kwamanje.—Luka 21:36.

17, 18. (a) Njengamanje, ukubekezela kusivulela liphi ithuba? (b) Iziphi izibusiso esiyozithola ngokubonisa ukubekezela manje?

¹⁷ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uNkulunkulu sisamkhonzé izinyanga ezimbalwa noma amashumi eminyaka, sifuna ukumkhonza phakade. Ukubekezela kusisiza ukuba sikhuthazele kuze kube yilapho sithola insindiso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lesi simiso sisasalelwe isikhathi esingakanani. Njengamanje, uJehova usinika ithuba lokubonisa ukuthi sizethemba ngokuphelele izinqumo zakhe, nokuthi—uma kudingeka—sizimisele nokuhlupheka ngenxa yegama lakhe. (1 Pet. 4:13, 14) UNkulunkulu usinika nokuqeqeshwa okungasisiza ukuba sibe nokubekezela okudingekayo ukuze sisindiswe.—1 Pet. 5:10.

¹⁸ UJesu unalo lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni, futhi akukho lutho olungakuhlwitha ngaphansi kwesivikelo sakhe—nguwe kuphela ongazikhipha. (Johane 10:28, 29) Asikho isidingo sokwesaba ikusasa ngisho nokufa. Labo abakhuthazela ngokubekezela kuze kube sekugcineni bayosindiswa. Ngakho, kumelwe siqiniseke ukuthi asilivumeli izwe ukuba lisiyenge futhi lisenze siyeke ukuthembela kuJehova. Kunalokho, kumelwe sizimisele ukukhula okholweni futhi sisebenzise isikhathi sokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu ngokuhlakanipha.—Math. 24:13; funda eyesi-2 Petru 3:17, 18.