1, 2. Kubayini sizokucoca ngamakhosi amane wakwaJuda?

AKHESITHI ukhamba endleleni, kuthi kusesenjalo umuntu okhamba phambi kwakho akhutjwe bekadusuke phasi, bewungekhe na uhlale uvule amehlo nawukhamba endleleni leyo? Ukucabanga ngemitjhapho yabanye kuyasisiza bona nathi singayenzi. Kunjalo nendleleni yokukholwa esikhamba kiyo le. Singafunda emitjhaphweni eyenziwa ngabanye, ngitjho nalabo okutlolwe ngabo eBhayibhelini.

² Kunamakhosi amane wakwaJuda okukhulunywe ngawo esihlokweni esigadungileko akhewakhonza uJehova ngeenhliziyo zawo zoke. Kodwana kunemitjhapho emikhulu ayenzako. Thina singafundani ekutjhapheni kwawo, begodu singayibalekela njani? Nasingazindla ngamakhosi la singazuza khulu ezintweni ezatlolelwa ukufundisa thina.—Funda amaRoma 15:4.

3-5. (a) Nanyana ihliziyo ka-Asa beyiphelele kuJehova, waqalana namuphi umraro? (b) Khuyini ebeyingenza u-Asa athembele emntwini nakaqalene noBhatjha?

³ Akhesicoce nganasi ikosi u-Asa sibone bonyana iliZwi  lakaZimu lingaba nomthelela ongangani epilwenethu. U-Asa wathembela kuJehova ngesikhathi azokuhlaselwa libutho lamaTopiya elinamasotja asi-1 000 000 kwaJuda, kodwana wahlulwa kuthemba uZimu lokha uBhatjha ikosi yakwa-Israyeli imhlasela ngokwakha umthangala weRama okulidorobha elingaphasi kwakhe. (2 Kron. 16:1-3) Kilesisehlakalo u-Asa wathembela emuntwini, wafumbathisa ikosi yeSiriya uBhen-Hadadi bona iyokuhlasela uBatjha. Kghani iqhinga lakhelo laphumelela? IBhayibheli lithi: “Kwathi bona uBhatjha ezwe lokho, walisa ukwakha umthangala eRama bewajamisa umsebenzakhe.” (2 Kron. 16:5) Kutjho khona bona iqhinga laka-Asa lisebenzile. Kodwana bekangakabuzi elangeni.

⁴ UJehova yena, wamqala njani u-Asa neqhinga lakhe? Wathumela umkhulumelakhe uRhanani bona ayokukhalima u-Asa ngokungathembi kwakhe uJehova. (Funda 2 IinKronike 16:7-9.) URhanani wathi kuye, “Nje-ke ukusuka gadesi uzakuphila ngepi.” UBatjha wadla phasi, begodu kwaba yipi phezu kwepi kwaJuda kiyo yoke iminyaka yokubusa kwaka-Asa.

⁵ Isihloko esigadungileko sisitjelile bona uZimu wahlola ihliziyo ka-Asa wayithola bona iphelele kuye. (1 Kho. 15:14) Emehlweni kaZimu, u-Asa bekazinikele kuye. Nanyana kunjalo wavuna kabuhlungu ngokuthatha igadango elibudlhadlha. Kanti u-Asa wenziwa yini bona athembele emuntwini, ekosini uBhen-Hadadi nakuye ngokwakhe kunokuthemba uJehova? Kghani bekacabanga ukuthi ukwenza amaqhinga wepi nokubawa isizo kabanye abantu kungcono kunokusizwa nguJehova? Kghani mhlamunye kunomuntu owamluleka ngobudlhadlhobu naye wabulalela?

6. Thina singafundani emtjhaphweni ka-Asa? Iza nesibonelo salokho.

⁶ Umlando ka-Asa uyasihlohlozela na bona sihlolisise zethu izenzo? Nasiqalene nemiraro engaphezu kwamahlombethu kulula ukuthemba uJehova. Kodwana kuthiwani ngemiraro emincani yaqobe langa esiqalana nayo? Siyirarulula ngendlelethu na? Namkha siqala iBhayibheli bona lithini, bese sisebenzisa elikutjhoko okutjengisa bona siyayithemba indlela kaJehova yokurarulula imiraro? Ngokwesibonelo, uzokwenzani nangabe bekhenu abafuni bona uye esifundweni namkha emhlanganweni? Uzokuthandaza na kuJehova bona akuphe indlela ehle yokuqalana nomraro lo? Namkha khesithi, ulahlekelwa msebenzi, kube budisi ukuthola omunye, uzokwenzani? Nawungathola umuntu ofuna ukukuqatjha, ungakghona na ukumtjela bona wena uya esifundweni qobe veke? Nanyana ngimuphi umraro ozokuqalana nawo, umrhubi uthi: “Nikela indlelakho [kuJehova], umethembe.”—Rhu. 37:5.

7, 8. Ngimiphi imitjhapho uJehotjhafathi ayenzako, kwaba namiphi imiphumela? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁷ Kuthiwani-ke ngendodana ka-Asa uJehotjhafathi? Naye bekamumuntu tle. Wathemba uJehova wenza nezinto ezinengi ezihle. Kodwana watjhapha-ke naye. Nakuya azakwendiselana nekosi yakwa-Israyeli ekhohlakeleko u-Arhabi. Kunokuthi alalele isiyeleliso somphorofidi uMikha, wabhebhedlheka wayozibandakanya no-Arhabi ekulweni namaSiriya. UJehotjhafathi wasinda ngokulambisa epini leyo. Wabuyela eJerusalema. (2 Kron. 18:1-32) Umphorofidi uJehu wamkhalima wathi: “Waphuma-ke wayokusiza iinkhohlakali, wazwana  nabazonda [uJehova] uZimu!”—Funda 2 IinKronike 19:1-3.

⁸ Kghani uJehotjhafathi wafunda emtjhaphwenakhe? Nanyana akukhuthalele ukufuna ukuthabisa uZimu, kubonakala ngasuthi khenge asifunde isifundo kilokho okwenzeka ku-Arhabi nesiyelelisweni sakaJehu. Wabuyelela godu wayokuqhema nesikhohlakali sekosi eyindodana ka-Arhabi, u-Arhaziya esisisitha sakaZimu. Nguye loya adlhemezela no-Arhaziya batjho bakha imikhumbi. Yagcina iphahlazekile nemikhunjana leyo, khenge ikufeze nalokho ebeyenzelwe khona.—2 Kron. 20:35-37.

9. Abangani abangakalungi bangadlala yiphi indima epilwenethu?

⁹ Umlando kaJehotjhafathi kufuze usikhuthaze bona sihlolisise yethu ipilo. Njani? Nasesikhuluma iqiniso, uJehotjhafathi bekayikosi elungileko. Wenza okulungileko ‘wafuna’ uJehova “ngehliziywakhe yoke.” (2 Kron. 22:9) Kodwana wavuma ukudoswa ngepumulo bangani abangakalungi. Usikhumbuza isaga esithi: “Okhambisana nabahlakaniphileko naye uyahlakanipha, kodwana odlhemadlhema neendlhadlha uyahlupheka.” (IzA. 13:20) Lokho akutjho bona singazihlanganisi nabantu abafuna ukwazi iqiniso. Kodwana, ukuzihlanganisa no-Arhabi kwapheze kwamlahlekisela ipilwakhe. Nathi nasingakha isikhozi esingakafaneli nabangamlotjhiko uJehova ipilwethu izokuba sengozini.

10. (a) Sifundani kuJehotjhafathi nakuziwa endabeni yokukhetha umuntu ozokutjhada naye? (b) Khuyini okufuze sihlale siyikhumbula ngokuzihlanganisa nabantu abangakalungi?

¹⁰ Ngiziphi iimfundo esizifumana emlandweni kaJehotjhafathi? UmKrestu angazizwa sele afuna ukuthandana nomuntu ongamthandiko uZimu, acabanga ukuthi akunamuntu angatjhada naye ebandleni. Namkha angazizwa akatelelekile bona athathe namkha ende ngombana ‘isikhathi siyamtjhiya.’ Kungenzeka abanye bazizwe njengomunye udade owathi: “Nathi siyafuna ukuthandwa.” Alo umKrestu uzakubona enzeni nakunje? Angasizeka nakangazindla ngalokho okwenzeka kuJehotjhafathi, afune nesinqophiso kuZimu. (2 Kron. 18:4-6) UJehotjhafathi  bekufuze enzeni kunokujayelana no-Arhabi ongamthandi uJehova? Bekufuze acabange bona amehlo kaJehova akilabo abamfuna ngehliziywabo yoke. Kunjalo nanamhlanjesi, amehlo kaZimu “athalaza ephasini loke” ukuze ‘asiqinise.’ (2 Kron. 16:9) UZimu uyabuzwisisa ubujamo oqalene nabo begodu uyakuthanda. Uyakholwa na ukuthi uZimu uzokwanelisa isifiso sakho sokuthandwa? Qiniseka bona ngelinye ilanga, uzokwenza lokho!

11, 12. (a) UHezekhiya wakuveza njani ebekusehliziywenakhe? (b) Kubayini ilaka lakaZimu lingakhenge limvuthele uHezekhiya?

¹¹ Singafunda okunengi kuHezekhiya ngendaba yehliziyo yomuntu. UMhloli weenhliziyo zabantu wakhe wembula okungaphakathi ehliziyweni kaHezekhiya. (Funda 2 iinKronike 32:31.) Kwakhe kwenzeka bona uHezekhiya agule abangwe neenzibi, uZimu wamnikela isibonakaliso sokuthi uzokuphola, isibonakalisweso bekusithunzi esikhamba sinyava. Nakho-ke iinkhulu zeBhabhiloni zizokuthumela abazenda bona bazokubuzisisa ngesibonakalisweso. (2 Kho. 20:8-13; 2 Kron. 32:24) Ikghuru yaphuma ngeqepheni mhlokho, kwavela lokho ebekusehliziyweni kaHezekhiya ‘nakayedwa.’ Nguye loya selathatha iinthunyweza azitjengisa koke “okugade kungendlinakhe yamagugu.” Ubudlhadlhobu baveza ‘koke ebekusehliziywenakhe.’

¹² IBhayibheli alisitjeli ngento eyenza ihliziyo kaHezekhiya yazikhakhazisa kangaka. Kghani mhlamunye kungebanga lokuhlula kwakhe ama-Asiriya namkha lokupholiswa nguZimu ngekarisomraro? Kungenzeka na bona wenziwa ‘kunjinga’ kwakhokhu? Nanyana kungaba yini, ukuzikhukhumeza kwakhe kwamenza wangasitjheja “isirhawu [uJehova] ambonise sona.” Ihlazo elingaka! Nanyana angatjho kuZimu bona sekukade amlotjha ngehliziyo epheleleko, kodwana kwaba nesikhathi lapho abhalelwa ukumthabisa khona. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi “uHezekhiya waphenduka ekuzikhukhumezeni” kwakhe, nabantu khenge lisabavuthela ilaka lakaZimu.—2 Kron. 32:25-27; Rhu. 138:6.

13, 14. (a) Kunini lapha uJehova asilisa khona bona kuvele okusehliziywenethu? (b) Khuyini okufuze siyenze nabasibuka ngalokho esikwenzileko?

¹³ Thina-ke sisizeka njani ngokufunda nangokuzindla ngomlando kaHezekhiya? Ungakhohlwa bona uHezekhiya wathoma ukuthwala amahlombe msinyana ngemva kobana uJehova ahlule uSanirheribu bekampholise nekuguleni okuyisindabelaphi. Kungenzeka ukuthi nathi nakungenzeka senze into ebabazekako, uJehova uyasilisa bona kuvele kuhle okuseenhliziyweni zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka umzalwana ulungiselele kuhle ikulumakhe, wayibeka kamnandi phambi kwabantu abanengi. Bese inengi labantu limbuke ngokwenza njalo. Yini okufuze ayenze ngalokho?

¹⁴ Nabasibukako, kungaba kuhle nasingabaphendula ngamezwi kaJesu athi: “Ngokunjalo-ke nani, nasele nenze koke enitjelwe bona nikwenze, kumele nithi, ‘Simakhoboka anganabubhadekelo, senze umsebenzethu nje kwaphela.’” (Luk. 17:10) Singathola esinye isifundo kuHezekhiya ngendaba le. Ukuzikhukhumeza kwamila kuye ngebanga lokuthi “azange atjheje isirhawu” uJehova “ambonise sona.” Nasingazindla ngezinto uZimu asenzele zona sizokusizeka bona silise ukucabanga ngendlela uJehova ayihloyileko. Singakhuluma kuhle ngoJehova. Nguye osisekela  ngemiTlolo eCwengileko nangomoya ocwengileko.

15, 16. Kubayini uZimu angakhenge amvikele uJosiya?

¹⁵ Emaswapheleni, siyeleliso bani esingasifunda kokwenzeka ekosini uJosiya? Akhusucabange ngalokho okwamenza wahlulwa epini, wagcina sele afile. (Funda 2 iinKronike 35:20-22.) UJosiya wathwala ihloko waphuma wayokulwa neKosi uNeko weGibhide, nanyana imtjelile ikosi le bona ayilwi naye. IBhayibheli lithi lokho uNeko amtjela khona bekumamezwi kaZimu. Ukuthi Josiya ndina yini le engakangaka eyenza wayokulwa noNeko, asazi. IBhayibheli alihlathululi ngendaba le.

¹⁶ Alo, uJosiya bekazokwazi njani bona amezwi kaNeko avela kuJehova kwamambala? Bekangabuza abaphorofidi abathembeke kuZimu njengoJeremiya. (2 Kron. 35:23, 25) Kodwana akunanto etloliweko eqinisekisa bona ukwenzile lokho. Ngaphezu kwalokho uNeko bekayokulwa neKarikemitjhi. Bekalwa ‘nomunye umbuso,’ bekangalwi neJerusalema. Okhunye kukuthi ibizo lakaJehova belingakabandakanyeki epini leyo. Yeke, bekubudlhayela ngoJosiya bona ayokulwa noNeko. Sikhona na isifundo esisitholako endabeni le? Nasiqalene nemiraro kuhle sicabange ngokuyintando kaJehova ngomraro loyo.

17. Nasiqalene nomraro, khuyini esingakwenza bona singaphindi umtjhapho owenziwa nguJosiya?

¹⁷ Nasiqalana nemiraro, kufuze sicabange ngalokho okutjhiwo yiBhayibheli bese siyakusebenzisa ngesilinganiso esifaneleko. Kwesinye isikhathi kungaba kuhle khulu nasingabuza abadala bebandla. Kungenzeka sicabangile ngomraro lo, besenza nerhubhululo eencwadini zethu. Kodwana kungenzeka kunezinye iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli ebesingakazicabangi abadala abangasisiza sizihlaziye kuhle. Ngokwesibonelo, udade uyazi ukuthi kumthwalwakhe ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi. (IzE. 4:20) Athi nakathi uyaphuma uya esimini, ubabakwakhe ongakholwako athi ufuna ukuba naye ekhaya. Nakatjhoko ubabakwakhe uthi khebabe nesikhathi bobabili kube khona into abayenzako. Angacabanga ngamavesi aseBhayibhelini aveza ukuthi kufuze siyokwenza abafundi. (Mat. 28:19, 20; IzE. 5:29) Kodwana kusafuze azithobe kubabakwakhe, amcabangele. (Efe. 5:22-24; Flp. 4:5) Kghani ubabakwakhe uyaliphikisa iqiniso, namkha ufuna ukwenzelwa okuthileko ngelangelo kwaphela? Kufuze silinganisele nasifuna ukwenza intando kaZimu singadliwa sisazela.

18. Singasizeka njani nasingazindla ngomlando wamakhosi amane la asesihlokwenesi?

¹⁸ Sibabantu abanesono, yeke nathi singayenza imitjhapho eyenziwe makhosi amane la. (1) Singathembela ekuhlakanipheni komuntu, (2) singaba nabangani abangakalungi, (3) singazikhukhumeza, (4) singathatha amagadango ngaphambi kocabanga ngentando kaZimu. Qala bona kuhle kangangani ukuthi uJehova abone okuhle kithi njengamakhosi la! Abone ithando lethu ngaye nesifiso sethu sokumkhonza ngokuzeleko. Ngikho asiyelelisile nje, wasinikela iimbonelo ezingasisiza bona singenzi imitjhapho emikhulu. Akhesizindle ngabantu abaseBhayibhelinaba, simthokoze uJehova ngokuthi asitlolele ngabo.