1. Ziziphi iintsikelelo esizifumana kuYehova ezinokusinceda sonwabe?

UYEHOVA ufuna sonwabe, ibe uhlala esisikelela ukuze asincede sikwazi ukonwaba. Enye yezo ntsikelelo bubomi asinike bona. Ngoko ke, sinokusebenzisa obu bomi ukuze simdumise kuba eye wasitsalela kunqulo lokwenyaniso. (INdu. 144:15; Yoh. 6:44) UYehova uyasiqinisekisa ukuba uyasithanda ibe usinceda sikwazi ukunyamezela njengokuba simkhonza. (Yer. 31:3; 2 Kor. 4:16) Siphila kwiparadesi yokomoya egquba uxolo, umanyano kunye nabazalwana abathandanayo, ibe sihlala sikhunjuzwa ngendlela asithanda ngayo uYehova. Phezu kwayo yonke loo nto, sinethemba lekamva elimangalisayo.

2. Yiyiphi ingxaki abanayo abanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo?

² Nakuba sinezi zizathu zokonwaba, kusekho abanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo abanengxaki yokusoloko bezigxeka. Mhlawumbi bavakalelwa kukuba uYehova akaneliswa ngabo okanye yindlela abamkhonza ngayo. Kubantu abanale ngxaki, into yokuphila “iminyaka emininzi” isenokubonakala njengephupha nje. Kubo ubomi busenokubonakala njengendinisa yothotho lweziganeko ezibuhlungu.—INtshu. 11:8.

3. Ziziphi izinto ezinokwenza kube lula kwabanye ukuzigxeka?

³ Kubazalwana noodade abanale ngxaki, kulula ukusuka bazigxeke  ngenxa yokudana, ukugula okanye ukukhathazwa kukungakwazi kwabo ukwenza izinto ezithile ngenxa yokwaluphala. (INdu. 71:9; IMize. 13:12; INtshu. 7:7) Ukongezelela koko, mKristu ngamnye umele ayamkele inyaniso yokuba intliziyo inenkohliso ibe inokusixelela ukuba akukho yethu ngoxa yena uThixo ekholiswa sithi. (Yer. 17:9; 1 Yoh. 3:20) UMtyholi usoloko ebabeka amabala abakhonzi bakaThixo. Njengokuba uElifazi owayengenalukholo wenzayo, abantu abanale ngcamango kaSathana basenokuzama ukusenza sikholelwe ukuba asixabisekanga kuThixo. Obo yayibubuvuvu ngexesha likaYobhi, ibe isebubo nanamhlanje.—Yobhi 4:18, 19.

4. Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo kweli nqaku?

⁴ KwiZibhalo uYehova uyenza icace into yokuba uyabaxhasa abo ‘bahamba kwintlambo yethunzi elimnyama.’ (INdu. 23:4) Enye into ayisebenzisayo ukusixhasa liLizwi lakhe. Ngenxa kaThixo, iBhayibhile ‘inamandla okubhukuqa izinto ezinqatyisiweyo,’ kuquka iingcamango ezibubuvuvu ezidimazayo. (2 Kor. 10:4, 5) Ngoko ke, makhe sithethe ngendlela esinokuyisebenzisa ngayo iBhayibhile ukuze sikwazi ukubona izinto ngendlela efanelekileyo size siyeke ukusoloko sizigxeka. Ukwenjenjalo kunokukunceda gqitha utsho ufumane neendlela zokukhuthaza abanye.

5. Kukuphi ukuzivavanya okunokusinceda siyeke ukuzigxeka?

⁵ Umpostile uPawulos wachaza ezinye zezinto ezinokusinceda siyeke ukuhlala sizigxeka. Wabongoza ibandla laseKorinte esithi: “Hlalani nizivavanya enoba niselukholweni kusini na.” (2 Kor. 13:5) ‘Ukholo’ zizo zonke iinkolelo zamaKristu ezityhilwa yiBhayibhile. Ukuba sithetha size senze ngokuvisisana nezo nkolelo, oko kuya kubonisa ukuba ‘sinokholo’ ngokwenene. Kakade ke, asinakuzikhethela ukuba ziziphi iinkolelo esizifunayo. Simele sizithobele zonke iimfundiso zamaKristu eziseBhayibhileni.—Yak. 2:10, 11.

6. Kutheni simele sizivavanye ‘enoba siselukholweni kusini na’? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁶ Usenokuba madolw’ anzima ukuzivavanya, ngakumbi xa uvakalelwa ukuba kukho izinto osilela kuzo. Noko ke, indlela asijonga ngayo uYehova yeyona ibalulekileyo kuneyethu, neengcamango zakhe ziphakamile kunezethu. (Isa. 55:8, 9) Uyabahlolisisa abakhonzi bakhe, kungekhona ngenjongo yokubohlwaya, kodwa ukuze afumane iimpawu zabo ezintle nokuze abancede. Xa usebenzisa iLizwi likaThixo ukuze uzivavanye enoba ‘uselukholweni kusini na,’ uya kutsho uzibone phantse ngendlela obonwa ngayo nguThixo. Ngenxa yesiqinisekiso seBhayibhile sokuba uxabisekile emehlweni kaYehova, uya kutsho uyeke ukuziva ungento yanto kuThixo. Kuya kutsho kuthi qwenge njengaxa kushenxiswe ikhethini kwavela ukukhanya kwigumbi elimnyama.

7. Inokusinceda njani imizekelo eseBhayibhileni yabo babethembekile?

⁷ Enye indlela ephumelelayo yokuzivavanya kukucamngca ngemizekelo yabantu abathembekileyo ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni. Thelekisa iimeko okanye iimvakalelo zabo nezakho uze ukhangele ukuba wawuya kuthini ukuba yayinguwe. Makhe sijonge imizekelo emithathu eyibonisa kakuhle indlela onokuyisebenzisa ngayo iBhayibhile ukuqinisekisa ukuba ‘uselukholweni,’ utsho uyeke ukusoloko uzigxeka.

8, 9. (a) Yayinjani imeko yomhlolokazi osweleyo? (b) Ziziphi iimvakalelo ezidimazayo asenokuba wayenazo?

⁸ Etempileni eYerusalem, uYesu wabona umhlolokazi osweleyo. Umzekelo walo mhlokazi unokusinceda siyeke ukusoloko sizigxeka nakuba sineentsilelo. (Funda uLuka 21:1-4.) Cinga nje ngemeko yakhe: Ukongezelela kwintlungu yokufelwa yindoda yakhe kwanyanzeleka ukuba anyamezele  nemeko eyayigquba yeenkokeli zonqulo ‘ezaziqwenga izindlu zabahlolokazi’ kunokuba zibancede. (Luka 20:47) Wayelihlwempu kangangokuba wanikela ngemali encinane gqitha eyayinokuba ngumvuzo womntu osebenze imizuzu nje embalwa.

⁹ Zama ukucinga indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo lo mhlolokazi njengokuba engena kwintendelezo yetempile ephethe iingqekembe ezimbini ezincinane. Ngaba wayengacingi ngobuncinane baloo mnikelo wakhe xa uthelekiswa nalowo wayeya kunikela ngawo xa indoda yakhe yayisaphila? Ngaba wayengenazintloni xa ebona iminikelo emikhulu eyayisenziwa ngabo bangaphambi kwakhe, mhlawumbi evakalelwa kukuba awuxabisekanga lowo wakhe? Nokuba wayevakalelwa ngolo hlobo, wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ngenxa yonqulo lokwenyaniso.

10. UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba umhlolokazi wayexabisekile kuThixo?

¹⁰ UYesu wabonisa ukuba uYehova wayemxabisa gqitha loo mhlolokazi nomnikelo wakhe. Wathi ‘uphose ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezo zityebi.’ Umnikelo wakhe wawuza kudibana naleyo yabanye, kodwa uYesu wabalaselisa owakhe exabisa ukuzinikela kwakhe kuYehova. Abaqokeleli baloo minikelo abafika kamva baza babona ezo ngqekembe babengenakuze bayazi indlela ezixabiseke ngayo zona nalowo unikele ngazo kuYehova. Kuyo yonke loo nto, eyona nto yayibalulekile yindlela azijonga ngayo uThixo, kungekhona imbono yabanye nkqu neyaloo mhlolokazi. Ngaba akunakusebenzisa le ngxelo ukuzivavanya enoba uselukholweni kusini na?

11. Yintoni onokuyifunda kwingxelo yomhlolokazi?

¹¹ Iimeko zakho zinokuyichaphazela indlela onikela ngayo kuYehova. Ngenxa yokwaluphala okanye ubulwelwe, abanye bachitha ixesha elincinane ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngaba kufanelekile ukuvakalelwa ukuba ingxelo yabo ayibalulekanga ukuba bade bayifake? Kwanokuba usemtsha akunazo ezi ngxaki zempilo, usenokuvakalelwa kukuba ingxelo yakho lithontsi emphandeni xa ithelekiswa nenkumbula yeeyure ezishunyayelwa ngabanquli bakaThixo. Noko ke, sifunda nto kule ngxelo  yomhlolokazi osweleyo yokuba uYehova ubona yaye uxabisa nto nganye esimenzela yona, ngakumbi xa siyenza phantsi kweemeko ezinzima. Cinga nje ngendlela oye wamnqula ngayo uYehova kunyaka ophelileyo. Ngaba kwiiyure ozishumayeleyo kukho izinto ekuye kwafuneka uzincame ngokukhethekileyo? Ukuba kunjalo, qiniseka ukuba uYehova uyayixabisa into omenzele yona kwezo yure. Xa usenza konke okusemandleni ukuze ukhonze uYehova, kanye njengomhlolokazi osweleyo umele uqiniseke ukuba ‘uselukholweni.’

12-14. (a) Ukuzigxeka kwaba nayiphi imiphumo kuEliya? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yakhokelela kwindlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uEliya?

¹² Umprofeti uEliya wayenyanisekile kuYehova yaye enokholo olomeleleyo. Ukanti, ngaxa lithile wakha wadimazeka kangangokuba wada wacela uYehova ukuba ambulale, esithi: “Kwanele! Owu Yehova, wuthabathe umphefumlo wam, kuba andilunganga ngaphezu kookhokho bam.” (1 Kum. 19:4) Abantu abangekabikho kwingxaki enjalo basenokuthi umthandazo kaEliya ‘wawukukubhuda.’ (Yobhi 6:3) Kodwa, wayethetha into ayiva ngaphakathi. Noko ke, phawula ukuba kunokuba acatshukiswe kukufuna kukaEliya ukufa, uYehova wasuka wamnceda.

¹³ Kwakutheni ukuze uEliya avakalelwe ngale ndlela? Ngaphambilana nje koku, wenza ummangaliso owangqina ukuba uYehova nguye uThixo oyinyaniso, kwatsho kwabulawa abaprofeti bakaBhahali abayi-450. (1 Kum. 18:37-40) UEliya umele ukuba wayelindele ukuba abantu bakaThixo babeza kubuyela kunqulo lokwenyaniso, kodwa abazange bakwenze oko. UKumkanikazi uIzebhele ongendawo wathumela umyalezo kuEliya emchazela ukuba wenza amalungiselelo okuba abulawe. Esoyikela ubomi bakhe, uEliya wabaleka wehla enqumla kwelakwaYuda esiya kungena entlango, kwindawo engumqwebedu.—1 Kum. 19:2-4.

¹⁴ Ngoxa eyedwa apho entlango, uEliya waqalisa ukucinga ukuba umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofeta ulilize nje nokudlalisa ngexesha. Wathi kuYehova: “Andilunganga ngaphezu kookhokho bam.” Eyona nto wayeyithetha kukuba wayezibona kungekho yakhe, nqwa nothuli namathambo ookhokho bakhe. Impazamo awayenzayo kukuzivavanya ngemilinganiselo yakhe waza wagqiba ekubeni usilele kwimigudu yakhe, ngoko akukho yakhe kuYehova okanye nakubani na.

15. UThixo wamqinisekisa njani uEliya ukuba usamxabisa?

¹⁵ Noko ke, uSomandla wayengamjongi ngaloo ndlela. UYehova wayesamxabisa uEliya, ibe wenza izinto ezithile ukumqinisekisa ngoko. Wathumela ingelosi ukuze imomeleze. Wamlungiselela ukutya nento eselwayo ukuze abe namandla ohambo lweentsuku eziyi-40 esiya emazantsi kwiNtaba yeHorebhe. Ukongezelela koko, uThixo wamlungisa kuloo mpazamo yokucinga ukuba kwakungasekho namnye umSirayeli othembekileyo kuYehova ngaphandle kwakhe. Phawula nokuba, uThixo wamnika umsebenzi ongakumbi, ibe uEliya wavuma. UYehova wamnceda gqitha uEliya, watsho wanamandla okuqala apho ebeyeke khona nokuprofeta kwakhe.—1 Kum. 19:5-8, 15-19.

16. Ziziphi ezinye iindlela oye womelezwa ngazo nguThixo?

¹⁶ Izinto ezenzekayo kuEliya zinokukunceda uziqinisekise ukuba useselukholweni utsho uyeke ukuzigxeka. Okokuqala, cinga ngeendlela oye womelezwa ngazo nguYehova. Ngaba akukho mkhonzi kaThixo, enoba ngumdala okanye omnye umKristu oqolileyo, oye wakunceda kwinkalo ethile? (Gal. 6:2) Ngaba uye wancedwa yiBhayibhile, iincwadi zamaKristu neentlanganiso watsho waqonda ukuba uYehova ukukhathalele? Xa uphinda ufumana uncedo kwezi zinto, cinga ngowona Mthombo wazo uze uthandaze ubulele kuYehova.—INdu. 121:1, 2.

17. Yintoni uYehova ayixabisayo kubakhonzi bakhe?

 ¹⁷ Okwesibini, umele uqonde ukuba ukuzigxeka kungakukhohlisa. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo yindlela esijongwa ngayo nguThixo. (Funda abaseRoma 14:4.) UYehova uyakuxabisa ukuzinikela nokuthembeka kwethu kuye; ukuxabiseka kwethu kuye akuxhomekekanga kwizinto esizifezileyo. Kanye njengokuba kwenzekayo kuEliya, kusenokwenzeka ukuba zininzi izinto oye wazifeza ngenxa kaYehova kunokuba wena ucinga. Bamele ukuba bakho ebandleni abantu oye wabakhuthaza, kuquka abo baye bafumana inyaniso ngenxa yakho entsimini.

18. Yintoni engqinwa kukunikwa kwakho umsebenzi nguYehova?

¹⁸ Okokugqibela, jonga umsebenzi ngamnye owunikwa nguYehova njengobungqina bokuba uyakholiswa nguwe. (Yer. 20:11) NjengoEliya, usenokudimazeka kuba umsebenzi wakho ubonakala ulilize okanye kunzima ukuphumeza iinjongo ezithile onazo zokukhonza uYehova. Sekunjalo, unelona lungelo likhulu umntu anokulifumana—ilungelo lokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nokuba liNgqina likaYehova. Ngoko ke, hlala uthembekile kuYehova. Njengokuba uYesu watshoyo kumzekeliso wakhe, kuya kwandula ke kuthiwe kuwe: “Ngena kuvuyo lwenkosi yakho.”—Mat. 25:23.

19. Yiyiphi ingxaki awayekuyo umbhali weNdumiso 102?

¹⁹ Umbhali weNdumiso 102 wayesengxakini. ‘Wayexhwalekile,’ ebandezeleke gqitha emzimbeni nangokweemvakalelo, ibe wayengenamandla okujamelana neengxaki zakhe. (INdu. 102, umbhalo osemantla) Kumazwi akhe sifumanisa ukuba wayesentlungwini, elilolo yaye enomvandedwa. (INdu. 102:3, 4, 6, 11) Wayecinga ukuba uYehova ufuna ukumlahlela kude.—INdu. 102:10.

20. Umthandazo unokumnceda njani umntu onengxaki yokuziva engaxabisekanga?

²⁰ Noko ke, umdumisi wayesenalo ithuba lokudumisa uYehova. (Funda iNdumiso 102:19-21.) Njengokuba sibona kule Ndumiso 102, nabo banokholo banokuba sentlungwini baze bangakwazi ukucinga ngayo nantoni na enye. Umdumisi wayeziva elilolo kanye ‘njengentaka eyodwa eluphahleni,’ ngokungathi uphahlwe ziingxaki kuphela. (INdu. 102:7) Xa uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela, xelisa umdumisi uphalaze imbilini yakho kuYehova. Ukuthandaza xa uxhwalekile, kunokukunceda njengoko usilwa nengxaki yokuziva ungaxabisekanga. UYehova uthembisa ukuba “uya kuphethukela emthandazweni wabo baphangwe yonk’ into, aze angawudeli umthandazo wabo.” (INdu. 102:17) Sithembe eso sithembiso.

21. Yintoni enokunceda umntu onengxaki yokusoloko ezigxeka?

²¹ INdumiso 102 iphinda ibonise indlela onokuyeka ngayo ukusoloko uzigxeka. Umdumisi wancedwa kukucinga ngolwalamano awayenalo noYehova. (INdu. 102:12, 27) Wathuthuzelwa kukwazi ukuba uYehova wayeza kusoloko ekho ukuze omeleze abantu bakhe baphumelele kwiimvavanyo. Ngoko ke, ukuba okwangoku kukho iingxaki ezikuphazamisayo ekukhonzeni uThixo kangangoko unako, thandaza. Cela uThixo aphulaphule umthandazo wakho kungekhona nje ukuze ufumane isiqabu kwiingxaki zakho kodwa nokuze “igama likaYehova livakaliswe.”—INdu. 102:20, 21.

22.  Yintoni enokwenziwa ngumntu ngamnye ukuze akholise uYehova?

²² Enyanisweni, singakwazi ukusebenzisa iBhayibhile ukuze siqiniseke ukuba siselukholweni yaye sixabisekile kuYehova. Ewe kona, kule nkqubo yezinto sisenokungakwazi ngokupheleleyo ukuyeka ukuzigxeka okanye ukudimazeka. Sekunjalo, ngamnye kuthi unokukwazi ukukholisa uYehova aze asindiswe kuba eye wamkhonza ngokunyamezela.—Mat. 24:13.