1, 2. Kungani sizohlola izibonelo zamakhosi amane akwaJuda?

UMA ungabona umuntu eshelela abese ewa, ubungeke yini uhambe ngokucophelela kuleyo ndawo awe kuyo? Ngokuhlola amaphutha abanye singasizwa ukuba sigweme ukwenza amaphutha afanayo. Lokhu kuyiqiniso nangenkambo yethu engokomoya. Singafunda izifundo ezibalulekile emaphutheni abanye kuhlanganise nakulabo okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini.

² Amakhosi amane akwaJuda okuxoxwe ngawo esihlokweni esidlule, akhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo ephelele. Noma kunjalo, enza amaphutha amakhulu. Yini esingayifunda ekuphileni kwawo futhi singakugwema kanjani ukwenza amaphutha afanayo? Ukuzindla ngalezi zibonelo kungasisiza sizuze ezintweni ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili ukuze kufundiswe thina.—Funda eyabaseRoma 15:4.

3-5. (a) Nakuba inhliziyo ka-Asa yayiphelele kuJehova, iyiphi inkinga abhekana nayo? (b) Yini okungenzeka yabangela ukuba u-Asa ancike kubantu lapho uBhahasha emelana noJuda?

³ Ake siqale ngokuhlola u-Asa, sibone indlela iZwi likaNkulunkulu elingakuthonya ngayo ukuphila kwethu. U-Asa wancika kuJehova  lapho abantu abangu-1 000 000 baseTopiya behlasela uJuda, kodwa wehluleka ukuncika kuYe lapho uBhahasha inkosi yakwa-Israyeli iqala ukwakha iRama, umuzi owawusemngceleni wendawo ebuswa u-Asa. (2 IziKr. 16:1-3) Kulokhu kwamuva, u-Asa wancika ekuhlakanipheni kwakhe wafumbathisa inkosi yaseSiriya uBheni-hadadi ukuze ihlasele uBhahasha. Ingabe icebo lika-Asa laphumelela? IBhayibheli liyabika, “Kwathi nje lapho uBhahasha ezwa ngakho, wayeka masinyane ukwakha iRama wawumisa umsebenzi wakhe.” (2 IziKr. 16:5) Ngakho icebo lika-Asa lasebenza—okwesikhashana!

⁴ Nokho, uJehova wasibheka kanjani isenzo sika-Asa? Ngenxa yokuthi u-Asa akancikanga kuNkulunkulu, uJehova wathumela umkhulumeli wakhe uHanana ukuba akhulume naye. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 16:7-9) UHanana wathi, “Kusukela manje kuqhubeke kuzoba khona izimpi ngokumelene nawe.” Nakuba bakwazi ukumxosha uBhahasha; ngaphansi kokubusa kuka-Asa kwaba nezimpi eziningi, asibanga khona isikhathi sokuthula.

⁵ Njengoba sibonile esihlokweni esidlule, uNkulunkulu wahlola inhliziyo ka-Asa futhi wayibona iphelele kuYe. (1 AmaKh. 15:14) Emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ukuzinikela kuka-Asa kwakukuhle, kuhlangabezana nezimfuneko zaphezulu. Noma kunjalo, kwakudingeka abhekane nemiphumela yesenzo sakhe esingahlakaniphile. Ngesikhathi ebhekene noBhahasha yini eyabangela ukuba u-Asa ancike kubantu—uBheni-hadadi nakuye ngokwakhe—kunokuba ancike kuJehova? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi wacabanga ukuthi ukuxoxisana noma ukusetshenziswa kwebutho lempi kwakungaba nemiphumela engcono kunokucela usizo kuNkulunkulu? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi iseluleko esibi samenza wacabanga ngale ndlela?

6. Yini esingayifunda ephutheni lika-Asa? Bonisa.

⁶ Ingabe indaba ka-Asa izosishukumisela ukuba sihlole indlela esenza ngayo izinto? Lapho sibhekana nezinkinga ezibonakala zingaphezu kwamandla ethu, kungase kube lula ukubona isidingo sokuncika kuJehova. Kodwa yini esiyenzayo lapho sibhekana nezinkinga ezincane ekuphileni kwansuku zonke? Ingabe sincika ekucabangeni kwabantu ngokuzama ukulungisa izinkinga ngendlela yethu? Noma ingabe sifuna izimiso zeBhayibheli bese sizama ukuzisebenzisa, ngaleyo ndlela sibonise ukuthi sincika endleleni kaJehova yokulungisa izinkinga? Ngokwesibonelo, ngezinye izikhathi ungase uphikiswe umndeni wakho ngokuphathelene nokuya emihlanganweni emincane noma emikhulu. Ucela uJehova ukuba akuqondise futhi akusize ubone indlela engcono yokubhekana naleso simo. Kuthiwani uma uphelelwa umsebenzi bese kuba nzima ukuthola omunye? Lapho ukhuluma nomuntu ongakuqasha ingabe uzomchazela ukuthi kunemihlangano okudingeka ube khona kuyo njalo ngesonto? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iyiphi inkinga esibhekana nayo, senza kahle ngokulalela amazwi omhubi owathi: “Gingqela indlela yakho kuJehova, Wethembele kuye, yena uyothatha isinyathelo.”—IHu. 37:5.

7, 8. Yimaphi amaphutha enziwa uJehoshafati futhi yaba yini imiphumela? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁷ Kuthiwani ngoJehoshafati indodana ka-Asa? Wayenezimfanelo eziningi ezinhle. Ngokuncika kuNkulunkulu, uJehoshafati wenza izinto eziningi ezinhle. Nokho, wenza nezinqumo ezingahlakaniphile. Ngokwesibonelo, wakha ubuhlobo bomshado nenkosi embi u-Ahabi yombuso wasenyakatho. Naphezu kwesixwayiso somprofethi uMikhaya, uJehoshafati  wakha umfelandawonye no-Ahabi ukuze balwe namaSiriya. Empini, uJehoshafati wasinda ngokulambisa. Ngemva kwalokho wabuyela eJerusalema. (2 IziKr. 18:1-32) Umprofethi uJehu wabe esembuza: “Ingabe usizo kufanele lunikezwe abantu ababi, futhi ingabe yilabo abazonda uJehova okufanele ubathande?”—Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 19:1-3.

⁸ Ingabe uJehoshafati wafunda kulokho okwenzeka? Nakuba aqhubeka eshisekela ukufuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu, kubonakala sengathi akazange afunde kulokho okwenzeka ngesikhathi ehamba no-Ahabi nasemazwini ayisixwayiso kaJehu. Ngobuwula, uJehoshafati waphinda wakha omunye umfelandawonye. Kulokhu wawakha nendodana ka-Ahabi, inkosi ekhohlakele u-Ahaziya eyayiyisitha sikaNkulunkulu. UJehoshafati no-Ahaziya bakha imikhumbi ndawonye eyagcina iphahlazekile, ingayifezanga injongo eyayakhelwe yona.—2 IziKr. 20:35-37.

9. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi kungakonakalisa kanjani ukuphila kwethu?

⁹ Ukufunda indaba kaJehoshafati kumelwe kusishukumisele ukuba sihlole ukuphila kwethu. Kanjani? UJehoshafati wayeyinkosi elungile. Wenza okuhle futhi “wafuna uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakhe.” (2 IziKr. 22:9) Noma kunjalo, akakwazanga ukubalekela ithonya labangane ababi. Khumbula lesi saga esiphefumulelwe: “Ohamba nabahlakaniphile uyohlakanipha, kodwa osebenzelana neziphukuphuku kuyomhambela kabi.” (IzAga 13:20) Kona kuhle ukuba sizame ukusiza abantu abanesithakazelo ukuba bafunde ngoNkulunkulu. Kodwa sasingekho isidingo sokuba uJehoshafati azihlanganise no-Ahabi, empeleni lokho kwacishe kwamlahlekisela ngokuphila kwakhe. Ngendlela efanayo, ukuzihlanganisa ngokungenasidingo nalabo abangamkhonzi uJehova kunezingozi.

10. (a) Yisiphi isifundo mayelana nokushada esingasifunda kuJehoshafati? (b) Yini okufanele siyikhumbule lapho sinenkinga yabangane ababi?

¹⁰ Yisiphi isifundo esiwusizo esingasithola kulokho okwenzeka kuJehoshafati? Ecabanga ukuthi ngeke amthole umuntu ofanelekayo phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso, umKristu angase aqale ukuba nemizwa yothando ngomuntu ongamthandi uJehova. UmKristu angase acindezelwe izihlobo ezingakholwa ukuba ashade ‘isikhathi sisavuma.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanye  bangase bazizwe njengodade othile owathi: “Sidalwe ngaleyo ndlela, siyamfuna umuntu ozosithanda.” Yini umKristu angayenza? Ukuzindla ngalokho okwenzeka kuJehoshafati kungasiza. Ngokuvamile wayefuna isiqondiso kuNkulunkulu. (2 IziKr. 18:4-6) Kodwa kwenzekani lapho uJehoshafati ezihlanganisa no-Ahabi owayengamthandi uJehova? UJehoshafati kwakufanele akhumbule ukuthi amehlo kaJehova afuna labo abanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye. Nasosukwini lwethu amehlo kaNkulunkulu “aqalaza kuwo wonke umhlaba” futhi ukulungele ‘ukubonisa amandla akhe’ ngenxa yethu. (2 IziKr. 16:9) Uyasiqonda isimo sethu futhi uyasithanda. Unalo yini ukholo lokuthi uNkulunkulu uyokwanelisa isidingo sakho sokuthandwa nokuthanda ngendlela eyanelisayo? Qiniseka ngokuthi ngolunye usuku, uyokwenza lokho!

11, 12. (a) UHezekiya wakwembula kanjani lokho okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe? (b) Yini eyabangela ukuba uHezekiya asinde entukuthelweni kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Isifundo esingasifunda kuHezekiya sihilela inhliziyo. Ngesinye isikhathi, uMhloli wezinhliziyo wembula lokho okwakusenhliziyweni kaHezekiya. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 32:31.) Lapho uHezekiya egula kakhulu, uNkulunkulu wamnika isibonakaliso esibonisa ukuthi wayezolulama—isithunzi esibuyela emuva. Kubonakala sengathi amakhosana aseBhabhiloni athumela izithunywa ukuba zibuze ngaleso sibonakaliso. (2 AmaKh. 20:8-13; 2 IziKr. 32:24) Eveza okusenhliziyweni yakhe uHezekiya wabonisa abaseBhabhiloni “yonke indlu yakhe yengcebo.” Lesi senzo sobuwula sembula ‘konke okwakusenhliziyweni [kaHezekiya].’

¹² IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi yini eyabangela ukuba inhliziyo kaHezekiya izidle. Ingabe mhlawumbe yabangelwa ukunqoba kwakhe ama-Asiriya noma ukuphulukiswa kwakhe uNkulunkulu ngokuyimangaliso? Ingabe yabangelwa ‘ingcebo nenkazimulo’ yakhe? Kunoma yikuphi, ngenxa yokuthi uHezekiya wayezidla akazange abonge ngokuhle ayenzelwe kona. Yeka isimo esidabukisayo! Nakuba uHezekiya ayengathi ukhonze uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo ephelele, okwesikhathi esithile wazidla futhi lokho akumjabulisanga uJehova. Nokho kamuva, “uHezekiya wazithoba,” ngakho yena nabantu bakhe basinda entukuthelweni kaNkulunkulu.—2 IziKr. 32:25-27; IHu. 138:6.

13, 14. (a) Yisiphi isimo esingembula lokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu? (b) Kumelwe sisabele kanjani lapho abanye besincoma ngalokho esikufezile?

¹³ Singazuza kanjani ngokufunda indaba kaHezekiya nokuzindla ngayo? Khumbula ukuthi ukuzidla kukaHezekiya kwaba sobala ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uJehova enqobe uSaneherebi nangemva kokuphulukiswa kwakhe esifweni esibi. Kuthiwani uma sifeza okuthile okuphawulekayo esinconywa ngakho, ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasivivinya ukuze kwembuleke lokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu? Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka umzalwane uye wazikhandla ukuze alungiselele futhi abeke inkulumo phambi kwabantu abaningi. Abaningi bayamncoma ngenkulumo yakhe. Uzosabela kanjani kulokho kunconywa?

¹⁴ Lapho sinconywa, senza kahle ngokusebenzisa amazwi kaJesu: “Lapho nenze zonke izinto enabelwe zona, anothi, ‘Siyizinceku ezingelusizo lwalutho. Lokho esikwenzile yilokho obekufanele sikwenze.’” (Luka 17:10) Nalapha singafunda endabeni kaHezekiya. Ukuzidla kwabonakala ngokuthi angabongi ngokuhle ayenzelwe kona. Ukuzindla ngezinto uNkulunkulu asenzele zona kuyosisiza sigweme izimfanelo uJehova azizondayo. Singakhuluma ngokwazisa  ngoJehova. Uye wasiza abantu bakhe ngemiBhalo Engcwele nangomoya wakhe ongcwele.

15, 16. Kungani uJosiya alahlekelwa isivikelo sikaJehova nokuphila kwakhe?

¹⁵ Ekugcineni, yisiphi isifundo esisithola kulokho okwenzeka enkosini elungile uJosiya? Cabanga ngalokho okwaholela ekunqotshweni nasekufeni kwakhe. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 35:20-22.) UJosiya “waphuma wayohlangabezana” neNkosi uNekho yaseGibhithe, ngisho noma leyo nkosi yatshela uJosiya ukuthi ayixabene naye. IBhayibheli lithi amazwi kaNekho ‘ayevela emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.’ Pho kungani uJosiya aphuma walwa noNekho? IBhayibheli alisho.

¹⁶ Nokho, uJosiya wayezokwazi kanjani ukuthi amazwi kaNekho ayevela kuJehova? Wayengabuza uJeremiya, omunye wabaprofethi abathembekile. (2 IziKr. 35:23, 25) Kodwa iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi wakwenza lokho. Okunye, uNekho wayelibangise eKharikemishi eyokulwa “nenye indlu” hhayi iJerusalema. Ngaphezu kwalokho, igama likaNkulunkulu lalingahilelekile ngoba uNekho wayengahlambalazi igama likaNkulunkulu noma abantu bakhe. Ngakho uJosiya wenza isinqumo esibi ngokulwa noNekho. Sikhona yini isifundo esingasifunda kulokhu? Lapho sibhekene nenkinga, senza kahle ngokucabanga ukuthi iyini intando kaJehova ngaleyo ndaba.

17. Lapho sibhekana nenkinga, singakugwema kanjani ukwenza iphutha elifana nelenziwa uJosiya?

¹⁷ Lapho kuphakama inkinga kumelwe sicabangele izimiso zeBhayibheli ezihilelekile futhi sizisebenzise ngendlela elinganiselayo. Kwezinye izimo, singase sithinte abadala. Kungenzeka sesicabangile ngalokho esesikwazi kakade ngodaba futhi kungenzeka sesenze nocwaningo olwengeziwe ezincwadini zethu. Nokho, kungase kube nezinye izimiso zeBhayibheli okumelwe zicatshangelwe, abadala abangasisiza sizihlole. Ngokwesibonelo, udade uyazi ukuthi unomthwalo wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (IzE. 4:20) Nokho, ake sithi uhlela ukuya enkonzweni yasensimini ngosuku oluthile, kodwa umyeni wakhe ongakholwa ufuna ukuba ahlale endlini. Uthi muva nje abasasichithi isikhathi ndawonye, ufisa ukuba benze okuthile ndawonye. Udade angase acabangele imiBhalo ethile, njengalowo othi kumelwe alalele Nkulunkulu nomyalo wokwenza abafundi. (Math. 28:19, 20; IzE. 5:29) Kodwa kudingeka nokuba acabange ngokuthobela ubunhloko nokuba ocabangelayo. (Efe. 5:22-24; Fil. 4:5) Ingabe umyeni wakhe umelene ngokuphelele nokuthi aye ensimini noma ingabe ucela nje ukuba benze okuthile usuku olulodwa? Kudingeka silinganisele njengoba sifuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu nanjengoba sizama ukuba nonembeza omuhle.

18. Ungazuza kanjani ekuhloleni ukulandisa kwamakhosi amane oxoxwe ngakho kulesi sihloko?

¹⁸ Njengoba singaphelele, nathi ngezinye izikhathi singawenza amaphutha enziwa amakhosi amane esixoxe ngawo ngenhla. Singase (1) sincike ekuhlakanipheni kwabantu, (2) silalele abangane ababi, (3) sizidle noma (4) senze izinqumo singahlolanga ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu. Kuyasijabulisa ukuthi uJehova ubona okuhle kithi, njengoba abona okuhle kula makhosi amane! UJehova ubona nendlela esimthanda kakhulu ngayo nendlela esifisa ngayo ukumkhonza ngokugcwele. Ngakho usinike izibonelo eziyisixwayiso ukuze asisize sigweme ukwenza amaphutha amakhulu. Masizindle ngalokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli futhi sibonge uJehova ngokusinika kona!