1, 2. Chaza ukuthi kwenzakalani kuPhawuli loSila besedolobheni leFiliphi. (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

KUPHAKATHI kobusuku futhi uPhawuli loSila bavalelwe esitokisini edolobheni leFiliphi. Babotshiwe futhi bayafuthelwa. (ImiSeb. 16:23, 24) Kuhambe njani baze babe lapha? Bathe bezihambela emini basukelwa lixuku labantu labathatha labahambisa enkundleni yokuthengisa ukuze bayethonisiswa yiziphathamandla. Ngemva kwalokho bakhululwa izigqoko batshaywe kabuhlungu. (ImiSeb. 16:16-22) Kutheni uPhawuli aze aphathwe kabuhlungu kangaka yena eyisizalwane seRoma esilelungelo lokuthonisiswa ngendlela eqondileyo? *

² Ngalobobusuku uPhawuli uqalisa ukucabanga ngabantu baseFiliphi kanye lalokho okwenzakale mhlalokho. Idolobho leli litshiyene lamanye uPhawuli ayake afike kuwo ngoba kalilasinagogi futhi amaJuda asendaweni le ajayele ukuya eduze komfula  nxa esiyakhuleka. (ImiSeb. 16:13, 14) Mhlawumbe esinye isizathu esibangela ukuthi kungabi lesinagogi eFiliphi yikuthi kulamadoda amalutshwana angamaJuda. Phela kwakufuneka amadoda alitshumi angamaJuda ukuze kubunjwe isinagogi. Abantu beFiliphi bavele bayaziqhenya kakhulu ngokuba yizizalwane zeRoma. Mhlawumbe lokhu yikho okubangela ukuthi bacabange ukuthi uPhawuli loSila ngamaJuda nje avakatshileyo, kayisizo zizalwane zeRoma. (ImiSeb. 16:21) Lanxa singakwazi ukuthi babecabangani esikwaziyo yikuthi uPhawuli loSila bafakwa ejele bengonanga lutho.

3. Kungani uPhawuli wayengabe ezibuza imibuzo ethile ngokubotshwa kwakhe futhi kuyini angazange akuvumele?

³ Kungenzakala ukuthi uPhawuli wacabanga langalokho okwakwenzakale kuye ezinyangeni ezazisanda kwedlula. Engakafiki edolobheni leli wayese-Asia Minor njalo umoya ongcwele wamvimbela ukuthi atshumayele emadolobheni athile. Kwakungani umqondisa ukuthi aye kwenye indawo. (ImiSeb. 16:6, 7) Pho wayezakuya ngaphi? Impendulo wayithola ngesikhathi eseThrowa. Ngalesosikhathi uPhawuli wafikelwa ngumbono wenye indoda eyathi kuye, “Woza eMakhedoniya uzosisiza.” Lokhu kwamenza wabona ukuthi uJehova wayefuna aye ngaphi njalo wahle waya khona. (Bala ImiSebenzi 16:8-10.) Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi uPhawuli wathi efika kuleyondawo wahlaselwa ngabantu futhi wavalelwa ejele. Mhlawumbe wazibuza ukuthi kungani uJehova evumele ukuthi abotshwe lokuthi uzahlala isikhathi esinganani ejele? Lanxa wayengabe ebindana lemicabango le, uPhawuli kazange avume ukuthi ixegise ukholo lwakhe. Ngakho yena loSila baqalisa “ukukhuleka lokuhlabela amahubo kuNkulunkulu.” (ImiSeb. 16:25) Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu kwenza inhliziyo lengqondo zabo zahlaliseka.

4, 5. (a) Kuyini okungenzakala kithi okufanana lalokho okwenzakala kuPhawuli? (b) Izinto zantshintsha njani ngesikhathi uPhawuli loSila besejele?

⁴ Mhlawumbe lawe wake wacela ukuthi uJehova akuqondise ngomoya wakhe ongcwele ngesikhathi usenza isinqumo esithile futhi ngemva kwalokho wabona ukuthi uwuphendulile sibili umthandazo wakho. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi izinto zaphonguntshintsha ungalindelanga njalo waqalisa ukuhlaselwa zinhlupho. (UmTshu. 9:11) Engxenye uyake ucabange ngakho ubusuzibuza ukuthi kungani uJehova wavumela ukuthi izinto zibe njalo. Nxa usesimeni esinjalo kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ubekezele futhi umlindele uJehova? Ukuze siphendule umbuzo lo asibuyeleni endabeni kaPhawuli loSila.

⁵ Amadoda la athi elokhu ehlabela, kwenzakala izimanga ezawatshiya ebambe owangaphansi. Kwaba lokuzamazama komhlaba, izivalo zentolongo zathi gwabu futhi amaketani ezibotshwa athukuluka. Umlindijele wathi ekubona lokhu wakhokha inkemba yakhe efuna ukuzibulala kodwa uPhawuli wamtshela wathi angazilimazi. Ngemva kwalokho indoda le lemuli yayo babhabhathizwa. Ngosuku olulandelayo omantshi bathuma amanxusa abo ukuthi ayekhulula uPhawuli loSila futhi abatshele ukuthi baphume kulelodolobho. Kodwa omantshi bathi besizwa ukuthi amadoda la angamaRoma agcweleyo bananzelela ukuthi benze iphutha elikhulu. Ngakho bahamba bona ngokwabo bayabancenga ukuthi baphume njalo ngemva kwalokho babaqhuba bahamba labo. Kodwa kulokuthi bahle bahambe, uPhawuli loSila baqala bedlula emzini kaLidiya owayesanda kubhabhathizwa njalo bafika baqinisa abazalwane ababelapho. (ImiSeb. 16:26-40) UJehova wenza into ababengayikhangelelanga.

6. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁶ Sifundani endabeni kaPhawuli loSila? Akumelanga sikhathazeke kakhulu nxa siphakathi kobunzima ngoba uJehova angenza esingakukhangelelanga. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhawuli kazange asikhohlwe isifundo lesi ngoba ngemva kweminyaka ethile wabhalela abazalwane beFiliphi ngendaba yokukhathazeka kanye lokuthula kukaNkulunkulu. Ake sixoxeni ngawo amazwi kaPhawuli atholakala kuFiliphi 4:6, 7. (Bala.) Ngemva kwalokho sizahlola ezinye izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova angantshintsha izinto ngendlela esiyabe singayicabangeli. Sizacina ngokuhlola ukuthi “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” kungasinceda njani ukuthi sibekezele njalo siqhubeke simthemba uJehova nxa siphakathi kobunzima.

7. Yisiphi isifundo uPhawuli ayefuna abazalwane basithole encwadini ababhalela yona njalo thina sifundani emazwini akhe?

⁷ Kumele ukuthi abazalwane beFiliphi bathi bebala incwadi ababeyibhalelwe nguPhawuli bakhumbula izinto ezazimehlele ngesikhathi eseFiliphi lokuthi uJehova wamkhulula njani ngendlela ababengayicabangeli. Wayehloseni uPhawuli ngokubabhalela leyoncwadi? Wayefuna ukubanceda ukuthi bangakhathazeki nxa bephakathi kwenhlupho kodwa bakhuleke ukuze bathole ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli wathi ‘ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu . . . kudlula ukuqedisisa konke.’ Kutshoni lokhu? Amanye amaBhayibhili athi “kudlula konke esingabe sikucabanga” loba “wonke amacebo esilawo.” Ngamanye amazwi uPhawuli wayesithi “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” kuyamangalisa njalo akulalutho esingalulinganisa lakho. Lanxa singabona angathi inhlupho zethu seziphezu kwamandla ethu akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ukhangele njalo angenza esingakukhangelelanga.—Bala u-2 Phetro 2:9.

8, 9. (a) Okwenzakala kuPhawuli eFiliphi kwaba layiphi impumela emihle? (b) Kungani abazalwane beFiliphi bengazange bawathathe lula amazwi kaPhawuli?

⁸ Kumele ukuthi incwadi kaPhawuli yabaqinisa abazalwane beFiliphi lanxa kwasekudlule iminyaka elitshumi yena loSila behlangane lobunzima kulelodolobho. UJehova wayevumele ukuthi behlelwe yibunzima lobo futhi lokhu kwanceda ukuthi ‘kuvikelwe njalo kuqiniswe ivangeli’ ngokusemthethweni kuleyondawo. (Flp. 1:7) Iziphathamandla zedolobho leFiliphi zazingeke ziphinde zibathwalise nzima abazalwane kulelobandla elalisanda kubunjwa. Kungenzakala lokuthi ukuveza kukaPhawuli ukuthi uyisizalwane seRoma yikho okwenza uLukha wenelisa ukusala eFiliphi lanxa uPhawuli loSila basebesukile. Lokhu kwenza kwaba lula ukuthi aqhubeke encedisa abazalwane kulelobandla.

⁹ Ngakho ngesikhathi abazalwane beFiliphi bebala incwadi kaPhawuli babekwazi mhlophe ukuthi ibhalwe ngumuntu oyaziyo into akhuluma ngayo. Phela wayehlangane lobunzima obukhulu kulelodolobho kodwa “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” kwamsiza ukuthi ahlaliseke. Kanti njalo ngesikhathi ebabhalela incwadi le wayeyisibotshwa eRoma. Kodwa langalesosikhathi wayelokhu etshengisa ukuthi ulakho “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu.”—Flp. 1:12-14; 4:7, 11, 22.

10, 11. Kuyini okumele sikwenze nxa sikhathazekile ngohlupho oluthile njalo kuyini esingakukhangelela?

¹⁰ Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singakhathazeki ngalutho njalo sibe ‘lokuthula kukaNkulunkulu’? UPhawuli wathi yikuthandaza. Yikho nxa sikhathazekile kufanele sithandaze kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke ngoba yena  uyasikhathalela. (Bala u-1 Phetro 5:6, 7.) Okunye esingakwenza yikumbonga ngokuhle asenzele khona. Ukuhlala sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova ‘angenza okukhulu kakhulu kulalokho esikucelayo kumbe esikucabangayo’ kuzasiqinisa okwamagama.—Efe. 3:20.

¹¹ Lathi njengoPhawuli loSila uJehova angasikhulula ebunzimeni ngendlela ebesingayicabangeli. Lanxa kungeke kube yinto enkulu, kuyabe kuyikho kanye esikudingayo ngalesosikhathi. (1 Khor. 10:13) Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi sekumele sihlale nje sigoqe izandla silindele ukuthi uJehova alungise uhlupho esiphakathi kwalo. Kuyabe kufanele senze okuthile ngalolohlupho. (Rom. 12:11) Singenza njalo uJehova uzayibusisa imizamo yethu. Kodwa kasingakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova angenza okukhulu kakhulu kulalokho esikucelayo kumbe esikucabangayo. Kwezinye izikhathi angasenzela esingakukhangelelanga. Ake sixoxe ngezinye izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova wabasiza njani abantu bakhe endulo ngendlela ababengayicabangeli.

12. (a) UHezekhiya wenzani ngesikhathi inkosi yase-Asiriya ifuna ukumhlasela? (b) Indlela uJehova alungisa ngayo lolohlupho isifundisani?

¹² Endulo uJehova wasiza abantu bakhe ngendlela ababengayicabangeli. Ngokwesibonelo inkosi yase-Asiriya uSenakheribi yatshaya yabhuqa amadolobho akoJuda kwasala iJerusalema kuphela. (2 AmaKho. 18:1-3, 13) Ngemva kwalokho uSenakheribi lamabutho akhe balubhekisa eJerusalema. Wenzani uHezekhiya ekubona lokhu? Okokuqala wathandaza kuJehova futhi wahamba wayacela usizo ku-Isaya umphrofethi. (2 AmaKho. 19:5, 15-20) Okwesibili wabhadala konke okwakufunwa yinkosi yase-Asiriya. (2 AmaKho. 18:14, 15) Okwesithathu wenza amalungiselelo okuthi babezakwenzani nxa sebevinjelwe ngama-Asiriya. (2 ImiLan. 32:2-4) Kodwa kwaphetha ngani? UJehova wathuma ingilosi yakhe njalo yafika yabulala amasotsha kaSenakheribi angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa kuphela. Wasala emangele sibili uHezekhiya ngoba wayengacabangeli ukuthi uJehova angabakhulula ngendlela enjalo.—2 AmaKho. 19:35.

13. (a) Sifundani endabeni kaJosefa? (b) Kuyini okwenzakala kuSara?

¹³ Omunye owasizwa nguJehova ngendlela emangalisayo nguJosefa indodana kaJakhobe. Ngesikhathi esejele wayengacabangeli ukuthi kwelinye ilanga angaphiwa isikhundla esilandela esenkosi eGibhithe kumbe ukuthi uJehova angamsebenzisa ukuthi asize abangakibo ngesikhathi indlala ibambile. (Gen. 40:15; 41:39-43; 50:20) Siyabona-ke ukuthi okwenziwa nguJehova kwakusedlula khatshana konke ukuqedisisa uJosefa ayengabe elakho. Omunye owakubonayo lokhu nguSara. Wayeyinyumba njalo wayengacabangi ukuthi ngelinye ilanga angaba lomntwana obiza yena  ngoba wayesegugile. Umntwana ayemthembile ngulowo ayemzalelwe yincekukazi yakhe. Ngakho kumele ukuthi ukuzalwa kuka-Isaka kwamtshiya emangele ngoba wayengacabangeli ukuthi kungenzakala.​—Gen. 21:1-3, 6, 7.

14. Kuyini esilethemba lokuthi uJehova angasenzela khona?

¹⁴ Kasikhangelelanga ukuthi uJehova enze izimangaliso ukuze aqede zonke izinhlupho ezisithwalise nzima. Esikwaziyo yikuthi zonke inhlupho zizaphela emhlabeni omutsha. Kodwa okwenziwa nguJehova endulo kusenza sibe lethemba lokuthi angenza loba yini lamuhla ukuze asikhulule ebunzimeni esikubo. (Bala u-Isaya 43:10-13.) Ukwazi lokhu kuyaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwethu. UJehova angenza loba yini ukuze asisize ukuthi senelise ukwenza intando yakhe. (2 Khor. 4:7-9) Kuyini esikutholileyo endabeni kaHezekhiya loJosefa kanye loSara? Sibonile ukuthi nxa singahlala sithembekile kuJehova, angasincedisa ukuthi sinqobe loba yiluphi uhlupho lanxa lungakhanya lungangentaba.

15. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sithole “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” njalo inhlawulo isisiza njani?

¹⁵ Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sithole “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” lanxa siphakathi kobunzima? Yikuhlala silobuhlobo obuhle laye. Ubuhlobo obuhle loJehova sibuthola ngokuba lokholo “kuKhristu uJesu” owasifelayo. Inhlawulo le ngenye into enhle esiyenzelwe nguBaba wethu ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyasithanda. UJehova uyayisebenzisa ukuze asithethelele izono futhi lokhu kuyasinceda ukuthi sibe lomzwangedwa omuhle lokuthi sisondele kuye.—Joh. 14:6; Jak. 4:8; 1 Phet. 3:21.

16. ‘Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu’ kusinceda njani? Nika umzekeliso.

¹⁶ Kuzasinceda ngani ukuba ‘lokuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke’? IBhayibhili lithi ‘kuzalinda izinhliziyo lezingqondo zethu kuKhristu uJesu.’ (Flp. 4:7) Ibala elithi “kuzalinda” lalisetshenziswa esisotsheni nxa kukhulunywa ngamabutho ayelinda idolobho endulo. Idolobho leFiliphi lalo lalilindwa ngamasotsha njalo izakhamuzi zalo zazilala behle ebusuku ngoba zazikwazi ukuthi amasango edolobho alindiwe. Lathi nxa ‘silokuthula kukaNkulunkulu’ izinhliziyo lezingqondo zethu ziyahlaliseka. Siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasikhathalela futhi ufuna sihlale sithokoza. (1 Phet. 5:10) Lokhu kwenza singakhulelwa yikukhathazeka loba ukudana.

17. Kuyini okusenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzasivikela ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu?

¹⁷ Sekuseduze ukuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kufike. (Mat. 24:21, 22) Asikwazi ukuthi kuzakwenzakalani kithi ngalesosikhathi. Loba kunjalo akumelanga sikhathazeke kakhulu ngalokhu. Lanxa singakwazi konke uJehova azakwenza ngalesosikhathi siyakwazi ukuthi uzasikhulula. Indlela ancedise ngayo abantu bakhe endulo isenza sibone ukuthi uJehova angenza loba yini ukuze injongo yakhe iphumelele futhi angenza into esiyabe singayicabangeli. Ngeqiniso ‘ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu kudlula ukuqedisisa konke’ futhi lokhu siyakubona kukho konke asenzela khona.