1, 2. (a) Yini engasenza sibuze umbuzo othi: Kuzabe “bekube nini?” (b) Sikutjho ngaliphi ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaJehova bakade bayasikhuthaza?

“BEKUBE nini”? Lo, mbuzo owabuzwa mphorofidi u-Isaya nomphorofidi uRhabakhukhu. (Isa. 6:11; Rhab. 1:2) IKosi uDavida ngesikhathi itlola iRhubo 13 nayo yabuza wona umbuzo lo, yabuza bekwaba kane yathi: “Kuzabe kube nini?” (Rhu. 13: 2, 3, [13:1, 2, NW]) NeKosethu uJesu Krestu nayo yawubuza umbuzo lo ngesikhathi imangalelwa babantu abangakholwa ebeyiphila nabo. (Mat. 17:17) Yeke nathi akukafuzi sizirarekele nasifikelwa mbuzo lo ngasikhathi.

² Kanti yini kuhlekuhle le engasenza bona sibuze umbuzo othi: “Kuzabe kube nini?” Kungenzeka bona sakhe sangaphathwa ngobulungiswa. Abanye baqalana neenhlungu zokukhula, abanye kugula nokugandeleleka ngombana kazi siphila ‘esikhathini esibudisi kwamambala,’ yeke lokho kwenza ukuphila kungabi lula nakancani. (2 Thim. 3:1) Bese kube mummoya omumbi ozele iphasi loke nje, nawo usiqeda amandla ngasikhathi. Iqiniso kukuthi soke kunezinto ezibuhlungu esizibekezelelako, alo akusiduduzi na ukwazi ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bekadeni nabo  bakhe bazizwa ngaleyo ndlela begodu baze bayiveza nendlela abazizwa ngayo? UJehova akhenge abajezise ngokuveza indlela abazizwa ngayo.

3. Yini engasisiza bona sibekezele?

³ Yini engasisiza nasiqalene nobujamo obubudisi? Umfundi uJakopo obekamfowabo likaJesu watlola wathi: “Nyamezelani, bazalwana, bekufike ilanga lokubuya kweKosi.” (Jak. 5:7) Ukubekezela bubuntu soke okufuze sibe nabo. Alo yini enye ebandakanyekileko naziza endabeni yokubekezela?

4, 5. (a) Ukubekezela kukhambisana nani? (b) Umfundi uJakopo uyifanisa nani indaba yokubekezela? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ IBhayibheli lisitjela ukuthi ukubekezela sithelo sommoya ocwengileko. Yeke kuyatjho-ke bona ngaphandle kokuthi sisizwe nguZimu, angeze saba babantu ababekezelako. Ukubekezela sisipho esivela kuZimu begodu nasibekezelako sizabe sitjengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uZimu. Ukubekezela kubuye kutjengise ukuthi siyabathanda abanye abantu. Phela ukubekezela nakungekho ithando liyanyefa, kodwana nakukhona, liyaqina. (1 Kor. 13:4; Gal. 5:22) Enye into ngokubekezela kukuthi akukhambi kodwa, kodwana kukhamba nobunye ubuntu okufuze sibe nabo. Ukubekezela kuhlobene eduze khulu nokukghodlhelela okusenza sikghone ukujamelana nobujamo obubudisi ngaphandle kokuphela amandla. (Kol. 1:11; Jak. 1:3, 4) Kubuye kusisize singalilahli itewu nasiqalene nobudisi, sijame siqine nanyana kungenzekani. Kungebangelo iBhayibheli lisikhuthaza bona sibone ukuqakatheka kokubekezela namkha kokulinda. Umtlolo kaJakopo 5:7, 8 (Ufunde.)ukhuluma ngayo yona indaba le yokubekezela.

⁵ Kubayini kufuze sitjhiyele koke ezandleni zakaJehova? UJakopo ufanisa indaba yokubekezela nomlimi. Umlimi nanyana angasebenza budisi kangangani ekulimeni nekutjaleni, angeze alawule ubujamo bezulu namkha ukukhula kweentjalo zakhe. Angekhe asirhabise isikhathi. Uyazi bona kufuze abekezele bekuvunwe “isithelo sephasi esiligugu.” Kunjalo nakithi, kunezinto esingekhe sakghona ukuzilawula njengombana silindele ukuzaliseka kwalokho uJehova akuthembisileko. (Mar. 13:32, 33; IzE. 1:7) Nathi kufuze sibekezele njengomlimi.

6. Umphorofidi uMikha usifundisani?

⁶ Ubujamo esiqalene nabo namhlanjesi buyafana nebemihleni kaMikha. Waphila emihleni yokubusa kweKosi u-Arhazi, emihleni edume ngekohlakalo. Eqinisweni abantu besele “baziinkghwari zokwenza ukukhohlakala.” (Funda uMikha 7:1-3.) UMikha wafunda kezakhe bona angekhe akutjhugulule lokho. Alo, wenzani? Uthi: “Kodwana mina ngiqalelela [“uJehova, NW”] ngethemba. Ngilinda uZimu uMsindisami, uZimami uzangitjheja.” (Mik. 7:7) Nathi kufuze ‘silinde’ njengoMikha.

7. Kubayini kufuze silinde ngethemba bona uJehova uzozizalisa iinthembiso zakhe?

⁷ Nasingaba nokukholwa njengoMikha, sizokulinda uJehova ngombana sithanda. Asifani nesibotjhwa esilindelwe isigwebo sentambo ejele. Sona sikatelelekile bona silinde, sifisa ngathana isikhatheso singahlala singafiki. Qala lokho kuhluke kangangani. Siyazithandela ukulinda uJehova ngombana siyazi bona uzosipha ukuphila okungapheliko akuthembisileko, ngesikhathi esifaneleko! Ngikho ‘sibekezela silinde ngethabo.’ (Kol. 1:11, 12) Ukulinda ngapha unghonghoyila ngokuthi uJehova uyariyada, angekhe kumthabise.—Kol. 3:12.

8. Khuyini okufuze siyicabange nasizindla ngamadoda nabafazi bemandulo?

⁸ Sizokuthanda khudlwana ukulinda nasingakhumbula amadoda nabafazi bemandulo abathembeka, abalinda ukuzaliseka kweenthembiso zakaJehova. (Rom. 15:4) Njengombana sizindla ngabantwaba, kuhle sicabange ngesikhathi abasilindako, ukuthi kubayini balinda neembusiso abazithola ngokubekezela.

9, 10. U-Abrahamu noSara bamlinda isikhathi eside kangangani uJehova?

⁹ Akhesicoce ngo-Abrahamu no-Sara. Baphakathi kwalabo abathi “ngokukholwa nangokunyamezela bazuza ilifa lesithembiso.” IBhayibheli lithi: “U-Abrahamu ngokunyamezela” wazuza isithembiso sokuthi uJehova uzombusisa abe andise neenzukulwana zakhe. (Heb. 6:12, 15) Kubayini kanti bekutlhogeka bona u-Abrahamu abekezele? Phela iinthembiswezi bezisazokuthatha isikhathi bona zizaliseke. Isivumelwano uJehova asenza no-Abrahamu sathoma ukusebenza ngoNisani 14 ngomnyaka ka-1943 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaJesu ngesikhathi yena umkakhe uSara, nabantu bomzakhe bayama uMlambo iYufrathe bangene eNarheni yesiThembiso. Kazi u-Abrahamu godu bekalinde bona indodanakhe u-Isaka ibelethwe kodwana bekufuze alinde iminyaka ema-25 yoke. Akupheleli lapho, godu bekusafuze alinde eminye iminyaka ema-60 yoke bona kubelethwe iinzukulwana zakhe u-Esewu noJakopo, phela babelethwa ngomnyaka ka-1858 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaJesu.—Heb. 11:9.

¹⁰ Akhesikhulume ngendawo uJehova ayithembisa u-Abrahamu, beyingangani? IBhayibheli lithi: “[UJehova] akhange amnikele [u-Abrahamu] ilifa lapho, ngitjho nomtletlana wendawo. Kunalokho  ngesikhathesi wamthembisa nanyana gade anganamntwana bona ngemuva kwakhe izakuba ngeyakhe neenzukulwana zakhe.” (IzE. 7:5) Ngitjho nanyana bekaqeda ukuyama umlambo iYufrathe, kwafuze kuphele iminyaka ema-430 yoke ngaphambi kokuthi iinzukulwana zakhe zizuze inarha begodu zihlale kiyo ngokuhleleka.—Eks. 12:40-42; Gal. 3:17.

11. Kubayini u-Abrahamu bekazimisele ukulinda uJehova, begodu lokho kuzomlethela miphi imiphumela ?

¹¹ Alo yini le ebeyenza u-Abrahamu abekezele kangaka? Bekabekezela ngombana bekanokukholwa kuJehova. (Funda beHebheru 11:8-12.) U-Abrahamu akhenge abekezele kube ngapha udanile, ngitjho nanyana angakhenge abone iinthembiso zakhe zizaliseka ngokupheleleko kodwana wabekezela ngethabo. Akhucabange ukuthi uzozizwa njani nakavukako epharadesi. Kuzomtjhiya abambe wangenzasi ukwazi ukuthi umlandwakhe nowenzukulwana zakhe uvela kanengi eBhayibhelini. * Uzokuthaba khulu nakafumana bona ukufaka kwakhe isandla emsebenzini kaZimu kwaba nendima ethe tjha ekufikeni kwesizukulwana esithenjisiweko, begodu lokho kuzomenza avumela phezulu ukuthi ukubekezela kwakhe bekufanele!

12, 13. Kubayini uJosefa bekatlhoga ukubekezela, begodu waba nommoya onjani?

¹² Isizukulwana saka-Abrahamu, uJosefa naye bekabekezela. Phela uJosefa waphathwa kabuhlungu khulu. Akhucabange nje umsana oneminyaka eli-17 kwaphela athengiswa bona ayokuba sigqila. Ngemva kwesikhathi wanindwa ngomlandu wokuthi bekafuna ukukata umfazi wekosi, kwaphetha ngani? Walilelwa ziinsimbi. (Gen. 39:11-20; Rhu. 105:17, 18) Kunokuthi aphathwe kuhle bekabukwe ngokwenza into elungileko, wajeziswa. Isikhathi sakhamba njalo bekwadlula iminyaka eli-13, kwakhani izinto zithoma ukugaya ngomunye umhlathi. Wakhutjhwa ngejele begodu wanikelwa isikhundla esiphezulu, bekangowesibili ekosini yeGibhide.—Gen. 41:14, 37-43; IzE. 7:9, 10.

¹³ Inga-kghani ukuphathwa kumbi kwakaJosefa kwamenza wahlala anyukubele? Inga-kghani wathoma ukungasamthembi uJehova? Awa! Alo yini eyasiza uJosefa bona abekezele? Wasizwa kukholwa kwakhe ngoJehova. Wasibona isandla sakaJehova ekuphileni kwakhe. Sikutjhwiso yini lokho? Akhuzwe lokho akutjho kubafowabo: “Ningesabi. Angeze ngazibeka esikhundleni sakaZimu. Nina nanihlele ukungilimaza kodwana uZimu wakujika lokho kwaba ngokuhle ukuze asindise amaphilo wabanengi njengombana kunjalo namhlanje.” (Gen. 50:19, 20) Asingabazi ukuthi uJosefa wabona ukuthi akhenge abekezelele ilize.

14, 15. (a) Yini ekhamba phambili endabeni yokubekezela kwakaDavida? (b) Yini eyasiza uDavida bona abekezele?

¹⁴ IKosi uDavida nayo yakhe yaphathwa kabuhlungu khulu. Ngitjho nanyana uJehova ayikhetha ebuncanini bayo bona ibe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli, kwakufanele ilinde iminyaka engaba ma-15 kukhona izokuba yikosi. (2 Sam. 2:3, 4) Ngesikhatheso-ke iKosi uSawula beyiphasi phezulu ifuna ukuhlukanisa uDavida namabele.  * Lokho kwenza bona uDavida aphile abaleka, wakhe wayokuhlala enarheni yakosontjhaba, ngezinye iinkhathi ayokuhlala emadwaleni. Ngitjho nangemva kokuhlongakala kwakaSawula,  uDavida kwafuze alinde eminye iminyaka elikhomba kukhona azokuba yikosi.—2 Sam. 5:4, 5.

¹⁵ Kubayini uDavida bekazimisele ukubekezela? Emezwinakhe awatlola ngemva kokubuza umbuzo othi, “kuzabe kube nini?” Wathi: “Mina ngibambelele ekwethembekeni kwakho, ihliziywami iyathaba ngesindiswakho . . . [“UJehova, NW”] ngizamrhubela ngombana ungenzele okuhle.” (Rhu. 13: 6, 7; [13:5, 6, NW]) UDavida wabambelela ekwethembekeni kwakaJehova. Bekalinde ngokukhulu ukuthaba ukulinda ukusindiswa nguJehova, begodu wacabangisisa ngendlela uJehova amsize ngayo. UDavida naye wabona ukuthi awa khenge abekezelele ilize.

16, 17. UJehova noJesu Krestu basibekela siphi isibonelo naziza endabeni yokubekezela?

¹⁶ Asingabazi ukuthi uJehova angeze athi senze into naye ngokwakhe angafisi ukuyenza, kunjalo-ke nendabeni yokubekezela. Usibekele isibonelo esiphuma phambili sokubekezela. (Funda 2 Pitrosi 3:9.) Phela sekuphele iinkulungwana zeminyaka uJehova abekezelele indaba yokuphikiswa nguSathana esimini ye-Edeni, bona ilungiswe bekungabi nokuzaza ngayo. “Ulindele” isikhathi lapho ibizo lakhe lizokucwengiswa khona. Leso-ke kuzokuba sikhathi esithabisa kwamanikelela kibo “boke abaqalelela kuye.”—Isa. 30:18.

¹⁷ UJesu naye bekazimisele ukulinda. Nangemva kokuhlula ukulingwa kwakhe ngesikhathi asephasini wabe wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngonyaka ka-33, kwafuze alinde kuze kube mnyaka ka-1914 kukhani angathoma ukubusa. (IzE. 2:33-35; Heb. 10:12, 13) Begodu kusazokufanele alinde kuphele imiNyaka eyiKulungwana yokuBusa kwakhe bona kutjhatjalaliswe woke amanabakhe. (1 Kor. 15:25) Maye uthi walinda iminyaka eminengi na, begodu usazokulinda! Kodwana lokho kufanele.

18, 19. Yini engasisiza bona sibekezele?

¹⁸ Soke sesiyazwisisa bona nakukubekezela khona kufanele sibekezele. Alo yini engasisiza bona sibekezele? Kuthandazela ummoya ocwengileko. Phela ukubekezela sithelo sommoya ocwengileko. (Efe. 3:16; 6:18; 1 Thes. 5:17-19) Bawa uJehova akuphe amandla wokubekezela.

¹⁹ Uhlale ukhumbula ukuthi yini eyasiza u-Abrahamu, uJosefa noDavida balindela ukuzaliseka kweenthembiso zakaJehova ngesineke. Basizwa kukholwa nokuthemba kwabo uJehova. Akhenge babe marhamaru. Nasingahlala sikhumbula ukuthi izinto zabakhambela njani, nathi sizokukhuthazeka bona sibekezele.

20. Yini okufuze sizimisele ukuyenza?

²⁰ Ngitjho nanyana singaqalana nemiraro namkha iinlingo, soke asizimiseleni ‘ukulinda’ sibekezele. Iqiniso elimsulwa kukuthi ngasikhathi sizokutjho sithi: ‘Kuzabe kube nini Jehova?’ (Isa. 6:11) Nokho ummoya ocwengileko ungasisiza, begodu nathi sizokutjho njengombana kwatjho uJoromiya nakazakuthi: “[“UJehova, NW”] usisabelo sami, yeke ngizakurhuluphela kuye.”—IsiL. 3:21, 24.