1. Kwabonakala ngani ukuthi u-Abrahamu uyazithemba iingwebo zakaJehova? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

“UMGWEBI wephasi loke uzagweba ngokulungileko.” (Gen. 18:25) Ngokutjho njalo, u-Abrahamu waveza indlela ebekamthemba ngayo uJehova ukuthi uzoligweba ngendlela efaneleko iSodoma neGomora. U-Abrahamu waqiniseka bona uJehova bengeze athoma “abhubhise abamsulwa kanye neenkhohlakali!” Leyo yinto engazange ifike nokufika emkhumbulweni ka-Abrahamu. Kwathi-ke ngemva kweminyaka engaba ma-400, uJehova wathi yena: “Ulidwala, umsebenzakhe uphelele, iye, zoke iindlela zakhe zilungile. UnguZimu wokwethembeka, uZimu onganasiphambeko, umsulwa begodu uneqiniso.”—Dut. 31:19; 32:4.

2. Singakutjho njani ukuthi uJehova akabhalelwa kukwenza okulungileko?

² U-Abrahamu bekamthemba ngaliphi uJehova bona uzokukhipha isigwebo esifaneleko? Kungombana uJehova umthombo opheleleko wobulungiswa nokulunga. Eqinisweni, ibizo lesiHebheru elithi “ubulungiswa” nelithi “ukulunga” vane akhambisane emiTlolweni yesiHebheru. Ngobulula-ke, akunamehluko  phakathi kobulungiswa nokulunga. Nasewuyiqala ngelihlo elibukhali indaba le, njengombana uJehova amnikazi wokulunga, kuyatjho ukuthi nendlela aqala ngayo izinto ihlala inobulungiswa. IliZwi lakhe nalo liyatjho nalithi, “uthanda okufaneleko nokulungileko.”—Rhu. 33:5.

3. Khewusitjele ngesibonelo sepatho embi ephasini namhlanjesi.

³ Abaneenhliziyo ezilungileko bayaduduzeka nabezwa ukuthi uJehova uhlala enza ngokulunga, ngombana ephasini abusekho ubulungiswa. Lokho kubonakala lokha abanye navane babe bongazimbi ngebanga lezinto ezingakalungi. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu uyabotjhwa anganamlandu, kangangobana abanye baze batjhaphuluke ngemva kwamatjhumi amanengi weminyaka, nakhona kwaphela nakutholakala ubufakazi be-DNA obuhlobana nomlandu. Umuntu uyabhadla ejele ngomlandu angakawenzi! Nasisaqale yokukwatiswa kubotjhelwa into engekho njalo, kunomunye-ke umhlobo wepatho embi nebuhlungu evame ukwehlakalela amaKrestu.

4. Kungavivinyeka njani ukukholwa komKrestu?

⁴ AmaKrestu ayilindele ngaphandle kwebandla lobuKrestu ipatho embi. Kodwana singavivinyeka ekukholweni kwethu nasibona ipatho engakalungi ngaphakathi ebandleni. Uzokusabela njani-ke nakungenzeka uphathwe ngendlela engakalungi ebandleni okilo namkha nange kuphazamiseka itjhebiswano onalo nomunye umKrestu? Kghani uzokuvumela na lokho bona kukukhube?

5. Kubayini kungakafaneli kusirare nasizwa kwanga asikaphatheki kuhle ebandleni?

⁵ Soke nje sitjhigamele esonweni ngebanga lokungapheleli, nje-ke siyalemuka bona kungenzeka sizizwe siphethwe kumbi namkha thina ngokwethu sibe yimbangela yepatho embi kwelinye ilunga lebandla. (1 Jwa. 1:8) Nanyana zingakavami nje izinto ezinjalo, umKrestu othembekileko akukafaneli arareke namkha akhubeke nasekabona kwenzeka izinto eziphambene nobulungiswa ebandleni. Ngikho uJehova asinikele iseluleko esilisizo ngeliZwi lakhe, khona sizakuhlala sithembekile nalokha elinye ilunga lebandla lisiphatha kumbi.—Rhu. 55:13-15 [55:12-14, NW].

6, 7. Omunye umzalwana waqalana nani ebandleni, begodu yini eyamsiza wayilungisa kuhle indaba leyo?

⁶ Khewucabange ngokwabonwa nguWilli Diehl. Ngo-1931, uMzalwana uDiehl wathoma ikonzo yakhe yokuthembeka eBethel yeBern, eSwitzerland, kwathi ngo-1946, waya eklasini lobunane leSikolo seGiliyadi, eNew York, e-U.S.A. Ngemva kokuthola iziqu, wathunyelwa ebujikelezini eSwitzerland. Nakasitjela ngomlando wakhe uMzalwana uDiehl uthi: “NgoMeyi 1949, ngatjela bemzimkhulu weBern bona ngifuna ukutjhada.” Nabaphendulako bathi, “lokho-ke kuzonenza bona nibe maphayona wesikhathi esizeleko nje kwaphela.” Nakaraga nehlathululo uMzalwana uDiehl uthi: “Bengingasavunyelwa nokubeka iinkulumo . . . Nabantu abanengi bebangasasilotjhisi, basiphatha njengabantu abasusiweko.”

⁷ Kwaba yinto azoyithini-ke leyo uMzalwana uDiehl? Uyanaba: “Besazi nokho ukuthi akunamthetho weBhayibheli esiwuphulako ngokutjhada, yeke sathandaza umtjhawutjhile, sathembela kuJehova.” Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, kwacaca ebantwini bona loyo bekumbono ophambeneko ngomtjhado, begodu noMzalwana uDiehl wanikelwa woke amalungelo ebekanawo ekonzweni. Loyo kwaba  ngunongorwana wakhe wokuthembeka kuJehova. * Kuhle-ke sizibuze ukuthi: ‘Mina bengizokusabela njalo na khibe ngaqalana nobujamo obunjalo? Bengizomlinda ngesineke na uJehova, namkha bengizokuvele ngizenzele izinto ngeyami indlela?’—IzA. 11:2; funda uMikha 7:7.

8. Kubayini kumtjhapho ukuphetha ngokuthi ungungazimbi wokuphathwa kumbi namkha ukuthi elinye ilunga liphethwe kumbi?

⁸ Khumbula-ke ukuthi ekuthomeni bekungenzeka uzibona ungungazimbi wokuphathwa kumbi namkha khewabona elinye ilunga ebandleni liphethwe kumbi. Kodwana sesibonile ukuthi lokho kungabangelwa bufakazi obungakapheleli ngendaba namkha kukuthi sisuke singakwazi koke okubandakanyekileko. Kungakhathaliseki-ke bona sazi iqiniso lendaba leyo namkha sitjhaphile, nasithandaza kuJehova, sithembele kuye bese sithembeke, lokho kuzosivikela ekutheni singazitholi ‘sesilwisana’ noJehova.—Funda izAga 19:3.

9. Ziimbonelo bani esizokucoca ngazo endabeni le nakwelandelako?

⁹ Khesizikhumbuze ngeembonelo ezintathu zepatho embi ezehlakalela abantu bakaJehova kade. Endabeni le sizokuthi fahlafahla ngomzukulu ka-Abrahamu, uJosefa nendlela abafowabo abamphatha ngayo. Bese kuthi kwezako, sidembe yendlela uJehova aphatha ngayo iKosi yama-Israyeli, u-Arhabi kunye nokwabonwa mpostoli uPitrosi eSiriya ye-Anthiyorhiya. Njengombana sicoca ngeembonelwezi, thola iimfundo ezizokusiza uhlale uphaphamele itjhebiswano lakho noJehova, khulukhulu nawukholelwa ekutheni okubonakokho akunabulungiswa.

10, 11. (a) UJosefa waqalana naziphi izinto ezingakalungi? (b) Kwavela liphi ithuba lokha uJosefa nakasejele?

¹⁰ UJosefa inceku ethembekileko kaJehova waqalana nepatho embi, ingasi ngevela ebantwini bangaphandle kwaphela, kodwana nevela kubafowabo abelethwa nabo! UJosefa nakasese lisokana, abafowabo bamthumba bayomthengisa njengesigqila. Wathathwa ngekani wayiswa eGibhide. (Gen. 37:23-28; 42:21) Ngemva kwesikhatjhana asenarheni yakosobantu leyo, wathonyelelwa ngomlandu wokukata, bewabotjhwa ngaphandle kwesigwebo. (Gen. 39:17-20) Seyiyoke iminyaka yokutlhoriswa kwakhe njengesigqila nanjengesibotjhwa yaba li-13. Singafundani-ke kokwabonwa nguJosefa, begodu kungasisiza njani lokha nakunelunga elisiphethe kumbi ebandleni?

¹¹ UJosefa waba nethuba lokuhlathululela esinye isibotjhwa ngomlandu athweswe wona, begodu isibotjhweso besimphathikapho wekosi. Phakathi nesikhathi sokubotjhwa kwabo, umphathikapo lo waba nebhudango, uJosefa wamhlathululela lona. UJosefa wahlathulula bona umphathikapho bekazokubuyiselwa esikhundleni sakhe esigodlweni sakaFaro. Ngesikhathi uJosefa ahlathulula ibhudangwelo ngokwesiphiwo esivela kuZimu, lokho kwambeka ethubeni lokuthi naye ahlathulule bakhe ubujamo. Kilokhu sithola isifundo esihle, ingasi kilokho uJosefa akutjho kwaphela, kodwana nakilokho angazange akutjho.—Gen. 40:5-13.

12, 13. (a) Amezwi uJosefa awatjela umphathikapo akuveza njani ukuthi azange ayamukele ipatho embi yokutlhoriswa? (b) Ngikuphi uJosefa angazange akutjele umphathikapo?

¹² Funda uGenesisi 40:14, 15. Tjheja  ukuthi la uJosefa uzihlathulula ‘njengowathatwa ngekani.’ Lokhu ngokwelimi lokuthoma lekadeni kutjho “ukwetjiwa.” Kuyatjho-ke bona indoda le beyingungazimbi wokuphathwa kumbi. UJosefa naye ubotjhelwe into angakayenzi, ngikho abawa umphathikapho bona amkhulumele kuFaro. Bekakwenzelani lokhu? Bekakwenzela bona uFaro ‘amkhiphe ngejele.’

¹³ Kghani amezwi kaJosefa la ngewomuntu osekabamukele na ubujamo akibo? Nakancani! UJosefa bekazi kuhle ukuthi sekenziwe izinto ezinengi ezimbi. Wahlathululela umphathikapo loke iqiniso, njengombana bekubonakala kunguye ongamsiza. Kodwana tjheja ukuthi akunalapho imiTlolo itjho khona bona uJosefa kunomuntu amtjela ngitjho, noFaro imbala ukuthi abafowabo ngibo abamthumbako. Eqinisweni, nalapho abafowabo sebafika eGibhide, uJosefa wabuyisana nabo, noFaro wabamukela ngesihle enarheni bewathembisa nokuthi “koke okuhle kweGibhide kuzakuba ngokwabo.”—Gen. 45:16-20.

14. Ngikuphi okuzosisiza esithiyweni sokukhuluma kumbi ngitjho nalokha nasiqalene nepatho embi ebandleni?

¹⁴ UmKretsu nakacabanga ukuthi ungungazimbi wokuphathwa kumbi, kufuze ayelele angazifaki ehlebweni elimazako. Iye khona kuhle ukufuna isizo kubadala nokubatjela nakukhona othileko ebandleni osolwa ngokweza okumbi. (Lev. 5:1) Kodwana, kanengi lokho nakungabandakanyi izenzo zesono, kungaba kuhle ukuthi nikulungise ngaphandle kokubandakanya abadala. (Funda uMatewu 5:23, 24; 18:15.) Kwanga singazimisela ukulungisa iindaba ezinjalo ngokulandela ilayelo leBhayibheli. Kobunye ubujamo singalemuka nokuthi kuhlekuhle asisibongazimbi bokuphathwa kumbi. Kuzosithabisa khulu ukuthi asikenzi ubujamo baba bumbi ukudlula indlela obungiyo, ngokunyefula omunye umKrestu. Khumbula ukuthi kungakhathaliseki bona soniwe namkha kukhona esimonileko, ukuzibandakanya ekulumweni ehlabako angekhe kubulungise nakancani  ubujamobo. Nasithembekileko kuJehova nakubafowethu sizokuvikeleka ekutheni singayenzi imitjhapho enjalo. Umrhubi nakakhuluma ngomuntu ‘okhamba ngobuqotho’ wathi ‘ngongahlebi abanye, ongenzi okumbi kubafowabo nongahlazisi iinhlobo zakhe.’—Rhu. 15:2, 3; Jak. 3:5.

15. Itjhebiswano lakaJosefa noJehova laba njani sibusiso kuye?

¹⁵ Isifundo esihle khulu esisithola kuJosefa ngesetjhebiswano lakhe noJehova. Eminyakeni eli-13 yokubotjhwa kwakhe, kwabonakala bona uJosefa uqala izinto njengoJehova. (Gen. 45:5-8) Azange asole uJehova ngomraro ebekaqalene nawo. Nanyana angazange awulibale umtlhago loyo, kodwana lokho azange kumenze akwatele abafowabo. Okuqakatheke kunakho koke, azange avumele ukungapheleli nepatho embi evela kwabanye imhlukanise noJehova. Ukuthembeka kwakaJosefa kwambeka ethubeni lokuthi abone isandla sakaJehova simsiza ngokulungisa ubumbi lobo begodu lokho kwamlethela isibusiso yena nomndenakhe.

16. Kubayini kufuze sitjhidelane khulu noJehova nasiqalene nepatho embi ebandleni?

¹⁶ Nathi-ke kufuze silithande besilivikele itjhebiswano lethu noJehova. Akukafaneli nakancani sivumele ukungapheleli kwabafowethu kusihlukanise noZimu esimthandako nesimlotjhako. (Rom. 8:38, 39) Kunalokho, nakwenzeka esikholwa naye asiphathe kumbi, kufuze sifane noJosefa, sitjhidelane khulu noJehova, sizame ukuqala izinto njengaye. Nasesenze koke esingakwenza ngokweBhayibheli ukuthi silungise ubujamobo, sekufuze sitjhiyele koke kuJehova, simthembe bona yena uzosilungisela ngesikhathi esifaneleko.

17. Kungabonakala ngani ukuthi siyamthemba “uMgwebi wephasi loke”?

¹⁷ Nasisaphila ephasineli kufuze sikulindele ukuphathwa kumbi ngandlela thize. Ngezinye iinkhathi kungenzeka uphathwe kumbi namkha ubone omunye aphathwa kumbi ebandleni. Ungakuvumeli lokho kukukhube. (Rhu. 119:165) Kunalokho, thina siziinceku ezithembekileko zakaZimu ezihlala zithembele kuye ngokuthi sithandaze ngokuthembeka. Ngesikhathi esifanako, siyavuma ukuthi sisuke singakwazi koke okubandakanyekileko ngaso soke isikhathi. Siyalemuka nokuthi umtjhapho ungabangelwa yindlela yokungapheleli esisuke siqala ngayo ubujamo obuthileko. Yeke njengombana sifundile esibonelweni sakaJosefa, sifuna ukulahla nanyana ngiyiphi ikulumo embi, esaziko ukuthi ingabubhebhedlhisa ubujamo kunokubenza bube ngcono. Bese emaswapheleni, kunokuthi sizilungisile indaba leyo ngekani nangelaka, asizimiseleni ukuhlala sithembekile, silindele uJehova asilungisele yona. Nasenza njalo, nakanjani uJehova uzosibusisa asamukele njengombana kwaba njalo nangoJosefa. Nangambala, singaqiniseka bona uJehova, “uMgwebi wephasi loke,” uzokuhlala enza okulungileko ngombana “zoke iindlela zakhe zilungile.”—Gen. 18:25; Dut. 32:4.

18. Kuzokukhulunywa ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁸ Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokudemba ngezinye izehlakalo ezimbili zepatho embi ekhe zehlakalela abantu bakaJehova emihleni yeBhayibheli. Ukubuyekeza iindabezo kuzosikhanyisela ukuthi kuqakatheke kangangani ukuzithoba nokuzimisela ukulibalela njengombana lokho kuhlobana nendlela kaJehova yobulungiswa.