1, 2. (a) Yiziphi izindawo zokukhonzela ebezisetshenziswa yizinceku zikaJehova zasendulo? (b) UJesu wayezizwa njani ngethempeli likaNkulunkulu elaliseJerusalema? (c) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

 KUSUKELA kudala izinceku zikaNkulunkulu bezisakha izindawo ebezisetshenziselwa ukukhonza kweqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Abela angabe wasebenzisa i-alithare ngesikhathi enikela imihlatshelo yakhe kuNkulunkulu. (Gen. 4:3, 4) UNowa, u-Abhrahama, u-Isaka, uJakhobe loMosi labo bakha ama-alithare. (Gen. 8:20; 12:7; 26:25; 35:1; Eks. 17:15) UJehova watshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi akhe ithabanikeli. (Eks. 25:8) Ngemva kwesikhathi akha ithempeli lapho ayezakhonzela khona uJehova. (1 AmaKho. 8:27, 29) Lapho amaJuda esephendukile ekuthunjweni ngabaseBhabhiloni, ayejayele ukuhlangana emasinagogeni. (Mak. 6:2; Joh. 18:20; ImiSeb. 15:21) AmaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala wona ayehlangana ezindlini zabazalwane. (ImiSeb. 12:12; 1 Khor. 16:19) Lamuhla kulezinkulungwane zamaWolu oMbuso emhlabeni wonke abantu bakaJehova abahlangana kuwo ukuze bafunde ngaye njalo bamkhonze.

² UJesu wayelithanda futhi eliqakathekisa kakhulu ithempeli likaJehova elaliseJerusalema, omunye umlobi weVangeli waze wakhumbula isiphrofetho esasimayelana laye, esasisithi: “Ukutshisekela  indlu yakho kufuthelene kimi.” (Hubo. 69:9; Joh. 2:17) Lanxa iWolu yoMbuso singayibiza ngokuthi “yindlu kaJehova,” ithempeli elaliseJerusalema yilo lodwa elalifanele ukubizwa ngalindlela. (2 ImiLan. 5:13; 33:4, NW) Kodwa iBhayibhili lilezimiso ezisitshengisa ukuthi kumele sizisebenzise njani izindawo zethu zokukhonzela lokuthi singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyazihlonipha. Esihlokweni lesi sizahlola ezinye zakhona besesibona lokuthi zingasinceda njani endleleni esiziphatha ngayo nxa siseWolu yoMbuso. Sizaxoxa langokuthi kumele siwasekele njani ngezimali amaWolu ethu oMbuso lokuthi singawagcina njani esesimeni esihle. *

3-5. IWolu yoMbuso ngeyani, njalo lokhu kumele kusenze siyibone njani imihlangano esiba layo kuyo?

³ IWolu yoMbuso iyindawo lapho abantu abahlangana khona ukuze bakhonze ngendlela emsulwa. Imihlangano esiba layo maviki wonke eWolu yoMbuso ingenye yezindlela uJehova asondla ngayo esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe. Kulapho esithola khona isikhuthazo kanye lesiqondiso esivela enhlanganisweni yakhe. Bonke abayingenayo imihlangano le bayingena ngoba benxuswe nguJehova leNdodana yakhe. Lanxa sinxuswa ukuthi sihlale sisidla “etafuleni leNkosi,” akumelanga sisithathe lula isimemo lesi.​—1 Khor. 10:21.

⁴ UJehova uyakuqakathekisa kakhulu ukuthi sihlangane ndawonye ukuze simkhonze njalo sikhuthazane, yikho waphefumulela umphostoli uPhawuli ukuthi asikhuthaze ukuthi singakudeli ukwenza njalo. (Bala uHebheru 10:24, 25.) Nxa silova emihlanganweni yobuKhristu kungela sizatho esizwakalayo siyabe simhlonipha yini uJehova? Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi nxa silungiselela imihlangano njalo siphendula ngenhliziyo yonke siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyayiqakathekisa lokuthi siyambonga uJehova.​—Hubo. 22:22.

⁵ Indlela esiqakathekisa ngayo iWolu yethu yoMbuso kanye lakho konke okuphathelane lokukhonza okwenziwa kuyo kumele itshengise ukuthi siyamhlonipha uJehova. Phela ukwenza njalo kuyabe kutshengisa ukuthi sifuna ukudumisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu elibhalwe emaWolu ethu.​—Qathanisa lo-1 amaKhosi 8:17.

6. Bathini abanye ngamaWolu ethu oMbuso langabantu abangena kuwo imihlangano? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁶ Abantu abangayisibo boFakazi bajayele ukuyinanzelela indlela esizihlonipha ngayo izindawo zethu zokukhonzela. Ngokwesibonelo, enye indoda yaseTurkey yathi: “Inhlanzeko kanye lokuhleleka engakubona eWolu yoMbuso kwangimangalisa kakhulu. Abantu bakhona babegqoke kuhle, bebobotheka njalo bangibingelela ngomusa. Lokhu kwangitshiya ngibambe owangaphansi.” Indoda le yaqalisa ukungena yonke imihlangano futhi kungakayingaphi yayisibhaphathiziwe. Kwelinye idolobho elise-Indonesia, kulebandla elanxusa izikhulu zikahulumende labomakhelwana ukuthi bazobona iWolu yoMbuso entsha ingakanikelwa. Umeya wedolobho lelo laye wayekhona. Wasala engelankani ebona ukuthi isakhiwo lesi sasingesohlonzi, wababaza lendlela esasakhiwe ngayo kanye leguma elaliceciswe ngamaluba amahle. Wathi: “Inhlanzeko engiyibone ewolu yenu itshengisa ukuthi lilokholo lweqiniso.”

7, 8. Yiziphi izinto eziqakathekileyo amaKhristu okumele azikhumbule nxa esemihlanganweni?

⁷ Indlela esihlonipha ngayo uNkulunkulu osinxusa emihlanganweni yobuKhristu kumele ikhanye ngendlela esiziphatha ngayo, esigqoka ngayo lesizilungisa ngayo nxa sikuyo. Ukumhlonipha kutsho lokuthi kasisoze sidlulise amalawulo  endabeni le. Kukhanya angani kwezinye izindawo abanye bafaka imithetho eminengi yokuthi abantu kumele baziphathe njani nxa beseWolu yoMbuso, kodwa abanye basuka bakhululeke badlulise amalawulo. Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova ufuna izinceku zakhe kanye labavakatshileyo bachelese nxa beseWolu yoMbuso. Kodwa futhi akumelanga badelele imihlangano yethu ngokugqoka angathi bangekhaya, ngokuthumezelana imilayezo, ngokuxoxa, langokudla ngapha imihlangano iqhubeka. Abazali kumele bafundise abantwababo ukuthi akumelanga bagijigijime loba badlale eWolu yoMbuso.​—UmTshu. 3:1.

⁸ UJesu wacaphuka lapho ethola abantu bethengiselana ethempelini likaNkulunkulu, wabadudula bonke. (Joh. 2:13-17) AmaWolu ethu oMbuso lawo ayizindawo zokukhonzela njalo kulapho esifundiswa khona. Ngakho iWolu yoMbuso kayisiyo ndawo yokwenzela ezebhizimusi loba ezinye izinto ezingelani lokukhonza.​—Qathanisa loNehemiya 13:7, 8.

9, 10. (a)Kuyini okwenziwa ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuze kwakhiwe amaWolu oMbuso, njalo lokhu kuncede ngani? (b) Yiluphi uhlelo oseluncede amabandla abengelamali yokwakha amaWolu oMbuso?

⁹ Kunengi inhlanganiso kaJehova ekwenzayo ukuze incedise ekwakhiweni kwamaWolu oMbuso abukekayo lokuthi isekele umsebenzi lo ngezimali. Umsebenzi wokudweba amapulani, owokwakha, lowokulungisisa amaWolu wenziwa yizisebenzi zokuzithandela ezingabhadalwayo. Kuncede ngani lokhu? Kusukela ngoNovember 1, 1999, amabandla emhlabeni wonke akhelwe izindawo zokukhonzela ezinhle okwamagama ezedlula 28 000. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi eminyakeni engu-15 esanda kwedlula, bekusakhiwa amaWolu oMbuso angaba mahlanu ilanga ngalinye.

¹⁰ Inhlanganiso kaJehova yenze uhlelo lokuthi kusekelwe umsebenzi wokwakha amaWolu oMbuso loba ngaphi lapho adingakala khona. Uhlelo lolu lusekelwe esimisweni esiseBhayibhilini sokuthi abalokunengi banganika abaswelayo ukuze ‘kube lokulingana.’ (Bala u-2 Khorinte 8:13-15.) Lokhu sekuncede amabandla abengeke enelise ukuzakhela amaWolu oMbuso ngenxa yokusilela kwezimali ukuthi lawo athole izindawo zokukhonzela ezinhle kakhulu.

11. Abanye abafowethu bathini ngemva kokwakhelwa iWolu yoMbuso, njalo wena uzwa njani ngakho?

¹¹ Elinye ibandla eCosta Rica elancediswa ngalindlela ukuthi lakhelwe iWolu yoMbuso labhala lathi: “Nxa sikhangele iWolu yethu yoMbuso sizwa angathi siyaphupha! Kasikukholwa lokhu. Ngezinsuku ezingu-8 kuphela iwolu yethu enhle yayisiyakhiwe yaphela! Kwaphumelela ngenxa yesibusiso sikaJehova lezinhlelo ezenziwa yinhlanganiso yakhe kanye langokuncediswa  ngabafowethu abathandekayo. Indawo yethu yokukhonzela iyisipho esiligugu sibili esivela kuJehova. Siswele lemilomo yokubonga.” Akukuthokozisi yini ukuzwa ukuthi abafowethu bayabonga kakhulu ngamaWolu oMbuso abawakhelwayo, lokwazi ukuthi kulabanye abafowethu emhlabeni wonke abathokoza ngendlela efananayo? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umsebenzi lo ngokaJehova ngoba nxa amaWolu oMbuso esanda kuphela ukwakhiwa, abantu abalenhliziyo eziqotho futhi abalesifiso sokufunda ngoMdali wethu olothando bajayele ukugcwala phamu kuwo.​—Hubo. 127:1.

12. Ungenzani ukuze uncedise emsebenzini wokwakha amaWolu oMbuso?

¹² Abazalwane labodadewethu abanengi kubenze bathokoza kakhulu ukuncedisa ekwakhiweni kwamaWolu oMbuso. Sonke silethuba lokunikela ukuze kwakhiwe amaWolu oMbuso lanxa singenelisi ukuyancedisa lapho okwakhiwa khona. Nxa sisenza njalo siyabe silingisela abantu esifunda ngabo eBhayibhilini ababetshisekela ukukhonza okumsulwa ngokunikela, futhi lokhu kuzadumisa uJehova.​—Eks. 25:2; 2 Khor. 9:7.

13, 14. Yiziphi izimiso eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa ukuthi kumele sigcine iWolu yethu yoMbuso ihlanzekile futhi ihlelekile?

¹³ Nxa iWolu yoMbuso isiphelile ukwakhiwa, kumele ihlale ihlanzekile njalo ihlelekile ukuze kukhanye ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu ohlelekileyo futhi olobuntu obuhle. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 14:33, 40.) IBhayibhili lithi ubungcwele buyahambisana lokuba msulwa ekukhonzeni kanye lokuhlanzeka emzimbeni. (Isam. 19:8) Ngakho-ke labo abafuna ukuthi uJehova abamukele kumele babe ngabantu abahlanzekileyo.

¹⁴ Nxa singazilandela izimiso lezi kuzakuba  lula ukuthi sinxuse abantu emihlanganweni yethu, ngoba sizabe sikwazi ukuthi ukuhlanzeka kwewolu yethu kuvumelana lezindaba ezinhle esibatshela zona. Bazabona ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu ongcwele osekuseduze ukuthi aguqule umhlaba lo ube lipharadayisi elihlanzekileyo.​—Isaya. 6:1-3; Isam. 11:18.

15, 16. (a) Kungani kungabanzima ukugcina iWolu yoMbuso ihlanzekile, kodwa kuqakatheke ngani ukuyigcina ibukeka? (b) Yiziphi izinhlelo zokuhlanza iwolu ezikhona ebandleni, njalo yisiphi isibusiso ngamunye wethu alaso?

¹⁵ Abanye abantu bangakuqakathekisa ukuhlanza izindawo zabo ukwedlula abanye. Ukuthi izindawo zabo kumele bazihlanze kangakanani kuya ngokuthi bakhuliswa njani lokuthi lapho abahlala khona kulodaka, ubhuqu kumbe imigwaqo emihle yini. Kanti njalo kuya ngokuthi izinto zokuhlanza kanye lamanzi kutholakala lula yini. Loba kunjalo iWolu yoMbuso kumele ihlale ihlanzekile njengoba imela ibizo likaJehova futhi iyindawo yokukhonza okumsulwa.​—Dute. 23:14.

¹⁶ Ukuhlanza iWolu yethu yoMbuso akumelanga kube yisivukampunzana. Iqula labadala kumele libe leqiniso lokuthi liyabhala phansi uhlelo lokuhlanza iWolu yoMbuso lokuthi zonke izinto ezizasetshenziswa zikhona ukuze indawo yethu yokukhonzela ihlale ibukeka. Ezinye izindawo eziseWolu kumele zihlanzwe nxa siqeda imihlangano ikanti ezinye zingahlanzwa ngemva kwesikhathi, ngakho kumele kuhlelwe kuhle ukuze zonke izindawo zihlanzwe ngemfanelo. Wonke umuntu osebandleni ulesibusiso sokubambisana lezinhlelo lezi.

17, 18. (a) Yiziphi izibonelo eziseMibhalweni ezitshengisa ukuthi kumele sinakekele izindawo zethu zokukhonzela? (b) Kungani kumele amaWolu oMbuso agcinwe esesimeni esihle?

¹⁷ Izinceku zikaJehova zikukhuthalele ukugcina izindawo zazo zokukhonzela zisesimeni esihle. INkosi yakoJuda uJowashi yalaya abaphristi ukuba basebenzise iminikelo eyayilethwa ngabantu ethempelini likaJehova ukuze ‘kulungiswe lapho okonakala khona ethempelini.’ (2 AmaKho. 12:4, 5) Ngemva kweminyaka edlula 200, iNkosi uJosiya layo yasebenzisa iminikelo yethempeli ukuze ilivuselele.​—Bala u-2 imiLando 34:9-11.

¹⁸ Amanye amawofisi egatsha abika ukuthi kulamabandla emazweni akibo angakuqakathekisiyo ukulungisisa amaWolu awo oMbuso lokunye okungabe sekonakele kuwo. Mhlawumbe kubangelwa yikuthi bayabalwa abantu kulawo mazwe abakwaziyo ukuthi kulungiswa njani loba abalemali zokulungisisa. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi nxa singayekela ukunakekela iWolu yethu yoMbuso, ingaphangisa ukuguga njalo abantu emphakathini bangaqalisa ukukhuluma kubi ngathi. Nxa amalunga ebandla angenza konke okusemandleni awo ukuthi agcine iWolu yoMbuso isesimeni esihle, kuzakwenza ukuthi uJehova adunyiswe njalo akusoze kudlalise imali enikelwa ngabazalwane bethu.

19. Kuyini ozimisele ukukwenza mayelana lezakhiwo esizisebenzisa ekukhonzeni kwethu okumsulwa?

¹⁹ IWolu yoMbuso yisakhiwo esinikelwe kuJehova. Ngakho-ke asingeke sithi ngeyebandla loba ngeyomuntu othile, kungelani lokuthi ibhaliswe ngaliphi ibizo emthethweni. Izimiso zobuKhristu esesixoxe ngazo zisifundisa ukuthi kumele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze kukhanye ukuthi isakhiwo lesi siyindawo yokukhonzela uJehova. Sonke ebandleni singakwenza lokhu ngokuhlonipha izindawo zethu zokukhonzela langokunikela ukuze kwakhiwe amanye amawolu. Okunye esingakwenza yikunikela ngesikhathi sethu lamandla ethu ukuze sinakekele njalo sigcine amaWolu ethu oMbuso ehlanzekile. Nxa sisenza njalo, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamlingisela uJesu ngokutshisekela indawo esikhonzela kuyo uJehova.​—Joh. 2:17.