1, 2. (a) UElifazi noBhiledadi bathini ngefuthe enokuba nalo inkonzo yethu kuThixo? (b) UYehova wayenza yacaca njani indlela avakalelwa ngayo?

“NGABA indoda eyomeleleyo inokuba luncedo kuThixo, ukuba nabani na onengqiqo ufanele abe luncedo kuye? Ngaba uSomandla uyayoliswa kuba ulilungisa, okanye uyazuza kuba usenza indlela yakho ingabi nakusoleka?” (Yobhi 22:1-3) Ngaba wakha wazibuza ukuba zithini iimpendulo zale mibuzo? Asithandabuzi ukuba xa uElifazi umTeman wayeyibuza kuYobhi, wayecinga ukuba impendulo nguhayi. Ugxa wakhe, uBhiledadi umShuha yena wade wathi akunakwenzeka ukuba umntu abe lilungisa emehlweni kaThixo.—Funda uYobhi 25:4.

² La madoda awayezenza ngathi eze kuthuthuzela uYobhi ayesithi sifane saziduba ngokungagungqi ekukhonzeni uYehova, kuye sifana nje namanundu, iimpethu okanye imibungu. (Yobhi 4:19; 25:6) Xa uwakha phezulu, la mazwi kaElifazi noBhiledadi asenokuvakala ngathi ayebonisa ukuba bathobekile. (Yobhi 22:29) Kaloku xa usencochoyini yentaba engurhec’ izulu okanye ujonge ngefestile kwinqwelo-moya, imisebenzi yabantu ibonakala izizinto nje ezingenamsebenzi. Kodwa ke ngaba leyo yindlela uYehova alijonga ngayo igalelo lethu kumsebenzi woBukumkani  xa ejonge emhlabeni esezulwini? UYehova wayenza yacaca indlela avakalelwa ngayo xa wakhalimela uElifazi, uBhiledadi noTsofare ngokuxoka kwabo waza wamncoma uYobhi, embiza ngokuthi ‘ngumkhonzi wakhe.’ (Yobhi 42:7, 8) Ngoko, umntu unako ukuba “luncedo kuThixo.”

3. UElihu wathini ngemizamo yethu yokukhonza uYehova, ibe ayethetha ukuthini loo mazwi akhe?

³ UElihu yena akazange alungiswe nguYehova xa wabuza lo mbuzo: “Ukuba eneneni wenze okulungileyo, umnika ntoni na [uThixo], okanye yintoni na ayamkelayo esandleni sakho?” (Yobhi 35:7) Ngaba noElihu wayezama ukuthi siyaziduba ngokuzama ukukhonza uThixo? Hayi. Wayesithi uYehova akaxhomekekanga kunqulo lwethu. UYehova akaswelanga nto. Akabi nguThixo osisityebi okanye onamandla ngenxa yethu. Kunoko, nakuphi na ukulunga, isiphiwo, okanye amandla esinawo siwaphathiswe nguThixo, kwaye uyijongile indlela esiwasebenzisa ngayo.

4. UYehova ukufanisa nantoni ukwenzela kwethu abantu ububele?

⁴ UYehova ujonga izenzo zothando olungagungqiyo ezenzelwa abakhonzi bakhe njengezenzelwa yena ngenkqu. IMizekeliso 19:17 ithi: “Obabala isisweli uboleka uYehova, yaye impatho yakhe uya kumbuyekeza ngayo.” Ngaba esi sibhalo sithetha ukuba uYehova uphawula zonke izinwe ezenzelwa abantu bakhe abangathathi ntweni? Ngaba sinokutsho ke sithi uMdali uziva ebatyala abantu abenzela abanye inceba nokuba ubajonga njengabantu abamboleke okuthile aze yena abahlawule ngokuthi abathande yaye abasikelele? Ewe kaloku, noNyana wakhe wayingqina loo nto.—Funda uLuka 14:13, 14.

5. Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

⁵ UYehova wakha wacela umprofeti uIsaya ukuba abe sisithethi sakhe, emchazela indlela ayithanda ngayo into yokuba abantu abathembekileyo babe negalelo ekuphunyezweni kwenjongo yakhe. (Isa. 6:8-10) UIsaya wavuma. Namhlanje, kukho amawaka abantu abathi “Ndikho! Thuma mna,” njengoko besamkela izabelo ezinzima enkonzweni kaYehova. Kodwa nanku umbuzo osenokuphakama: ‘Ngaba nale yenziwa ndim into ibalulekile? Nangona uYehova endenzelele ngokuthi andivumele ndibe litshantliziyo kwaye ndibe negalelo, ngaba ebengayi kwenza nantoni na efunekayo kakade ukuze afeze akuthethileyo kungakhathaliseki ukuba mna ndikhetha ukwenza ntoni enkonzweni yakhe?’ Khawubone indlela iziganeko ezenzeka ngemihla kaDebhora noBharaki eziyiphendula ngayo le mibuzo.

6. Nguwuphi umahluko owawukho phakathi kwabemi beedolophana zakwaSirayeli nomkhosi kaYabhin?

⁶ AmaSirayeli ‘ayecinezelwe ngokungqwabalala’ nguKumkani uYabhin wamaKanan iminyaka eyi-20 yonke. Abahlali babesoyika nokuphuma phandle ezindlwini zabo. Nyhani ke xa kusiyiwa kwezomkhosi, babengenakulunga, kuba babengenazo izixhobo zokuhlasela nezinto zokuzikhusela, kanti iintshaba zabo zona zazineenqwelo zokulwa eziyi-900 ezazinamarhengqa entsimbi.—ABagwe. 4:1-3, 13; 5:6-8. *

7, 8. (a) Yiyiphi imiyalelo uYehova awayinika uBharaki? (b)USirayeli wawoyisa njani umkhosi kaYabhin? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁷ Kodwa ke, uYehova wathuma umprofetikazi uDebhora ukuba axelele uBharaki  lo myalezo: “Hamba uze uzithi saa kwiNtaba yaseTabhore, yaye thabatha amadoda angamawaka alishumi koonyana bakaNafetali nakoonyana bakaZebhulon. Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukutsalela uSisera intloko yomkhosi kaYabhin neenqwelo zakhe zokulwa nesihlwele sakhe kwintlambo yaseKishon, yaye eneneni ndiya kumnikela esandleni sakho.”—ABagwe. 4:4-7.

⁸ Yathi ndii le nto ebantwini. Amatshantliziyo adibana kwiNtaba yaseTabhore. UBharaki akazange aphozise maseko ekulandeleni imiyalelo kaYehova. (Funda aBagwebi 4:14-16.) Phakathi kwelo dabi likhulu elaliseTahanaki, kwana izantyalantyala zemvula yaza loo ndawo yangumgxobhozo. UBharaki wawuswantsulisa umkhosi kaSisera waya kuwufaka eHarosheti—iikhilomitha eziyi-24 zonke. Kuthe phiphiphi, uSisera wayishiya apho loo nqwelwana yakhe ingancediyo waza wababeleka abasicatyana esiya eTsananim, mhlawumbi eyayikufutshane neKedeshe. Wabalekela kwintente kaYaheli, umfazi kaHebheri umKeni, waza wamkelwa. Edinwe eyimfe, wabiwa bubuthongo. UYaheli watsho wasebenzisa elo thuba ukuze ambulale uSisera. (ABagwe. 4:17-21) Utshaba lukaSirayeli lwaloyisiwe! *

9. Ziziphi iinkcukacha ezivezwa ngaBagwebi 5:20, 21 ngedabi elaliwa noSisera?

⁹ Isahluko sesi-4 nesesi-5 zencwadi yaBagwebi zifanele zifundwe kunye, kuba isahluko ngasinye sityhila iinkcukacha ezingekhoyo kwesinye. Ngokomzekelo, incwadi yaBagwebi 5:20, 21 ithi: “Iinkwenkwezi zalwa zisezulwini, zisezindleleni zazo zalwa noSisera. Umsinga waseKishon wabakhukulisa.” Ngaba la mazwi athetha ukuba neengelosi zancedisa, okanye ngaba mhlawumbi kwakusina amatye asuka emajukujukwini? Le ngxelo ayisichazeli. Kodwa ngaba ukho omnye ngaphandle koYehova owayenokubangela ukuba kune imvula engako kanye kuloo ndawo nangelo xesha, ukuze kuxinge iinqwelo zokulwa eziyi-900? KuBagwebi 4:14, 15, iphindwa kude kube kathathu into yokuba nguYehova owayebancede boyisa. Akukho nokuba abe mnye kumatshantliziyo ayi-10 000 akwaSirayeli owayenokuzingomb’ isifuba athi nguye ohlangule abantu.

10, 11. Yayiyintoni “iMerozi,” ibe kwakutheni ukuze iqalekiswe?

¹⁰ Kodwa ke ibangela umdla into yokuba uDebhora noBharaki, xa babecula ingoma yoloyiso, bafake namazwi athi: “‘Qalekisani iMerozi,’ yatsho ingelosi kaYehova, ‘Baqalekiseni ngokungapheziyo abemi bayo, kuba abakhange beze kumnceda uYehova, babe luncedo kuYehova nabo banamandla.’”—ABagwe. 5:23.

¹¹ Kuyabonakala ukuba iMerozi yaqalekiswa kakhulu kangangokuba kunzima nokuqiniseka ukuba yayiyintoni kanye kanye. Ngaba mhlawumbi yayisisixeko esingazange sisabele kwikhwelo elalibiza amatshantliziyo? Ukuba sasisendleleni awayebaleka ngayo uSisera, akungebi mhlawumbi abahlali baso babenethuba lokumbamba kodwa abayenza loo nto? Yintoni eyayinokwenza bangeva xa uYehova ehlaba ikhwelo efuna amatshantliziyo? Abantu abayi-10 000 abasuka kuloo mmandla babehlanganisene belungiselela olu hlaselo. Khawube nombono wabantu baseMerozi bebona elo gorha linezothe libaleka linqumla izitrato zabo lilodwa, lomelwe ngumqa ephinini. Kaloku elo yayilithuba lokuphumeza injongo kaYehova nelokufumana intsikelelo yakhe. Kodwa, ngelo xesha kanye, xa kwakufuneka bakhethe phakathi kokwenza okuthile nokuhlala nje basonge izandla, ngaba bona bakhetha ukungabethelwa nangu-do? Babahluke okwempuma kwintshona kuYaheli  owaba nesibindi waza wenza oku kuchazwe kwiivesi ezilandelayo!—ABagwe. 5:24-27.

12. Babahluke njani abantu ekuthethwa ngabo kuBagwebi 5:9, 10, kwaye sifunda ntoni thina?

¹² KuBagwebi 5:9, 10, sibona omnye umahluko omkhulu phakathi kwendlela ababezijonga ngayo izinto abo babehamba noBharaki, nabo babengayi edabini. UDebhora noBharaki babancoma ‘abaphathi bakwaSirayeli, ababezinikele ngokuzithandela phakathi kwabantu.’ Kaloku babengafani ‘nabakhweli beemazi zamaesile ezibomvu bulubhelu,’ ababenqandwa likratshi ukuba bangathathi nxaxheba, nakwabo ‘babehlala kwiikhaphethi ezimfumamfuma,’ bethanda ukuphila tofotofo! Ngokungafaniyo nabo ‘babehamba endleleni’ ababekhetha indlela elula, abo bahamba noBharaki baya edabini kumathambeka ayimixawuka aseTabhore nakwimigxobhozo yentlambo yaseKishon! Bonke abo bathandi beziyolo babongozwa kwathiwa “qwalaselani!” Ngokwenene kwakufuneka bayicingisise into yokuba beye baliyeka lemka ithuba lokufaka isandla emsebenzini kaYehova. Kunjalo ke nanamhlanje kuye nabani na ongade amkhonze ngokupheleleyo uThixo.

13. Isizwana sakwaRubhen, esakwaDan nesakwa-Ashere zazahluke njani kwesakwaZebhulon nesakwaNafetali?

¹³ Amatshantliziyo azibonela xa uYehova wayephakamisa ulongamo lwakhe. Ayenento enesihlahla awayenokuthetha ngayo xa ebalisa “ngezenzo zikaYehova zobulungisa.” (ABagwe. 5:11) Isizwana sakwaRubhen, esakwaDan nesakwa-Ashere zabhencwa kuBagwebi 5:15-17 ukuba zaye zathi phithi bubutyebi—imihlambi, iinqanawa namazibuko—kunokuba zenze umsebenzi uYehova awayefuna wenziwe. Kwelinye icala, isizwana sakwaZebhulon nesakwaNafetali zona zayincama “imiphefumlo [yazo] ukusa kwinqanaba lokufa” ukuze zixhase uDebhora noBharaki. (ABagwe. 5:18) Ininzi into esinokuyifunda kulo mahluko ukhoyo kwindlela abantu ababekujonga ngayo ukuba ngamatshantliziyo.

14. Siluxhasa njani ulongamo lukaYehova namhlanje?

¹⁴ Namhlanje akukho khwelo lihlatyiweyo elithi siye emfazweni, kodwa sinikwe inyhweba yokuba sibonise isibindi esinaso  ngokuthi sikhuthalele intsimi. Amatshantliziyo afuneka ngakumbi kunangaphambili ngoku entlanganweni kaYehova. Kukho izigidi zabazalwana, oodade nolutsha oluzinikela kwiindidi ezahlukeneyo zenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo njengoovulindlela, abasebenzi baseBheteli, amatshantliziyo akha iiHolo ZoBukumkani, namatshantliziyo ezindibanweni. Asibalibali nabadala abathwala iimbopheleleko ezinkulu kwiiKomiti Zokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele nakumalungiselelo eendibano. UYehova uyawuxabisa umoya wenu omhle, kwaye soze awulibale.—Heb. 6:10.

15. Sinokubona njani ukuba asingenwanga ngumoya wokungawukhathaleli umsebenzi kaYehova?

¹⁵ Kuhle ukuba ngamnye kuthi azibuze le mibuzo: ‘Ngaba mna ndanele kukubukela abanye abantu bebulaleka ngumsebenzi? Ngaba ndivumela ukuthi swii bubutyebi kuphazamisane nomoya wokuba litshantliziyo? Ngaba nam njengoBharaki, uDebhora, uYaheli namatshantliziyo ayi-10 000, ndinokholo nesibindi sokusebenzisa kwanto endinayo ukuze ndiphumeze umyalelo kaYehova? Ukuba ndicinga ngokufudukela kwesinye isixeko okanye ilizwe kuba ndigxeleshe amathuba okwenza imali, ngaba ndiyayicinga into yokuba iza kuyiphatha njani loo nto intsapho yam nebandla endikulo?’ *

16. Yintoni esinokumnika yona uYehova?

¹⁶ UYehova usenza abantu ngokusivumela ukuba sixhase ulongamo lwakhe. Ekubeni uMtyholi waqala ngabantu xa wayegaya abaxhasi bolongamo lwakhe, ukuma kwakho ngakwicala likaYehova kudlulisela umyalezo ocacileyo kuye. UYehova uyakholiswa lukholo nokuthembeka okukwenza ube litshantliziyo. (IMize. 23:15, 16) Usebenzisa umzekelo wakho wokungagungqi ekumxhaseni xa ephendula ungcikivo lukaSathana. (IMize. 27:11) Ngoko xa ungayeki ukumthobela nokuba sekunzima, iba ngathi unika uYehova into ayixabisayo, ibe imvuyisa kakhulu loo nto.

17. Incwadi yaBagwebi 5:31 ithi kuza kwenzeka ntoni kwixesha elizayo?

¹⁷ Kungekudala lo mhlaba uza kube uzaliswe ngabantu abakhetha ulongamo lukaYehova kunalo naluphi na olunye. Ingathi ayisafiki loo mini! NjengoDebhora noBharaki, nathi sithi: “Mazitshabalale zonke iintshaba zakho, Yehova, yaye abakuthandayo mababe njengokuphuma kwelanga ngamandla alo.” (ABagwe. 5:31) Loo nto iya kwenzeka xa uYehova ephelisa ihlabathi elingendawo likaSathana! Xa kuqalisa idabi leArmagedon, akuyi kufuneka amatshantliziyo angabantu aza kuswantsulisa utshaba. Iza kube ilixesha lokuba ‘sime ngxi size silubone usindiso lukaYehova.’ (2 Kron. 20:17) Kodwa ke okwangoku, asemaninzi amathuba okuba sixhase umsebenzi kaYehova ngesibindi kwaye siwukhuthalele.

18. Uba yintoni umphumo wenkonzo yamatshantliziyo kubantu abazuzayo kuyo?

¹⁸ “Ngokuzinikela kwabantu, bongani uYehova.” Ngaloo mazwi, uDebhora noBharaki babeqalisa ingoma yoloyiso neyokudumisa, bengabongi izidalwa, kodwa bebonga Oyena Uphakamileyo. (ABagwe. 5:1, 2) Nathi ke, ngamana umoya wethu wokuba ngamatshantliziyo ungenza bonke abo bazuzayo kuwo ‘babonge uYehova!’