1, 2. (a) Kungani kumele sihlole isibonelo sikaNowa loDanyeli loJobe? (b) Wawunjani umumo eJerusalema ngesikhathi uHezekheli ebhala amazwi akuHezekheli 14:14?

UTHWELE nzima yini ngenxa yokugula, ukuswela imali loba ukuhlukuluzwa? Kuyake kwenzakale yini ukuthi uzwe ungaselayo intokozo ekukhonzeni uJehova? Ukuhlola isibonelo sikaNowa loDanyeli loJobe kungakusiza nxa uyake uhlangane lobunzima obunjalo. Amadoda la ayengabantu abalesono njengathi futhi ayehlangana lezimo ezinzima kakhulu empilweni. Lanxa kunjalo azimisela ukuhlala elalela uNkulunkulu, eqotho kuye futhi elokholo oluqinileyo.​—Bala uHezekheli 14:12-14.

² UHezekheli wabhala amazwi akusahluko 14:14 ngesikhathi eseBhabhiloni ngo-612 B.C.E. * (Hez. 1:1; 8:1) Ngalesosikhathi ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema kwasekusondele futhi babebalutshwana abantu ababethembekile njengoNowa loDanyeli loJobe.  (Hez. 9:1-5) Abanye babo nguJeremiya loBharukhi lo-Ebhedimeleki kanye lamaRekhabi. Labobantu basinda lapho iJerusalema ibhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E. *

3. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Lalamuhla abantu abathembekileyo njengoNowa loDanyeli loJobe yibo kuphela abazasinda lapho ukuphela kufika. (Isam. 7:9, 14) Kungani uJehova wathi amadoda la ayelungile? Ake sixoxe ngawo sibone ukuthi yiziphi inhlupho ayehlangana lazo kanye lokuthi singawalingisela njani ukuze lathi sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo futhi silalela uNkulunkulu.

4, 5. UNowa wahlangana labuphi ubunzima futhi kungani ukubekezela kwakhe kumangalisa?

⁴ UNowa wahlangana labuphi ubunzima? Ngesikhathi sika-Enoki ukhokho kaNowa abantu babesenza izinto ezimbi. Babeze ‘bakhulume lamazwi alukhuni’ beseyisa uJehova. (Jud. 14, 15) Udlakela lalo lwalumemetheka njalo kusiyafika izinsuku zikaNowa “umhlaba wawusugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu.” Izingilosi ezimbi zabuya emhlabeni zantshintsha zaba lemizimba yabantu, zathatha abafazi njalo zazala abantwana ababelodlakela. (Gen. 6:2-4, 11, 12) UNowa kazange alandele ububi obabusenziwa ngabantu labo. IBhayibhili lithi: “UNowa wathola umusa emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. . . . Wayeyindoda elungileyo, engelasici phakathi kwabantu ngalesosikhathi, njalo wabambelela kuNkulunkulu.”​—Gen. 6:8, 9.

⁵ Amazwi la asitshelani ngoNowa? Okwakuqala aveza ukuthi wayeyindoda elungileyo sibili. UNowa wahlala labantu abaxhwalileyo okweminyaka engaba ngu-600 hatshi engu-70 loba engu-80 esiyiphilayo lamuhla. Lanxa kunjalo kazange aphambuke, waqhubeka ebambelele kuNkulunkulu. (Gen. 7:11) Okwesibili, uNowa wayengelabo abazalwane abangamkhuthaza njengathi lamuhla njalo kukhanya abafowabo labodadewabo ayezalwa labo abazange bamsekele. * Loba kunjalo waqhubeka ebambelele kuNkulunkulu.

6. UNowa watshengisa njani ukuthi ulesibindi?

⁶ UNowa kazange abe ngumuntu olungileyo nje kwaphelela khonapho kodwa wazimisela lokuba ‘ngumtshumayeli wokulunga.’ Lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo sibili. (2 Phet. 2:5) Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Ngokukholwa kwakhe wawulahla umhlaba.” (Heb. 11:7) Kumele ukuthi umsebenzi lo wenza abantu bamphikisa, bamchothoza futhi bafuna ukumhlasela. Loba kunjalo uNowa kazange ‘esabe abantu.’ (Zaga. 29:25) UJehova wamnika isibindi njengalokho akwenza ezincekwini zakhe lamuhla.

7. UNowa wahlangana labuphi ubunzima ngesikhathi esakha umkhumbi?

⁷ Kwathi uNowa esephile iminyaka edlula 500 uJehova wamnika umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi ukuze kuhlengwe abantu lezinyamazana. (Gen. 5:32; 6:14) Lo kwakungumsebenzi omkhulu okumangalisayo. UNowa wayekwazi lokuthi izinto zazingeke zitshelele ngesikhathi esenza umsebenzi lo ngoba wayezathwala nzima ngenxa yokuphikiswa lokuchothozwa ngabantu. Loba kunjalo waba lokholo wenza lokho uJehova ayemtshele khona.​—Gen. 6:22.

8. UNowa watshengisa njani ukuthi wayekholwa ukuthi uJehova uzamnakekela?

⁸ Omunye umsebenzi onzima uNowa ayelawo ngowokunakekela imuli yakhe. Phela uZamcolo engakafiki abantu kwakumele basebenze nzima ukuze bathole ukudla ngoba umhlabathi wawuqalekisiwe.  (Gen. 5:28, 29) Kodwa uNowa kazange akhathazeke ngalokhu, waqhubeka ethembele kuNkulunkulu. Kazange avumele lokuthi umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi uphambanise ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. Umsebenzi lo wathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-40 loba 50. Ngemva kukaZamcolo uNowa waphila iminyaka engu-350 futhi waqhubeka ebambelele kuNkulunkulu. (Gen. 9:28) Siyabona ukuthi indoda le yayilalela futhi ilokholo oluqinileyo.

9, 10. (a) Singamlingisela njani uNowa? (b) Kuyini uJehova azakwenzela khona nxa ungazimisela ukumlalela?

⁹ Singamlingisela njani uNowa? Singamlingisela ngokulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu lokuqhubeka sifaka kuqala uMbuso kanye lokungangeni ezindabeni zomhlaba lo. (Mat. 6:33; Joh. 15:19) Ukuzimisela kwethu ukuphila ngalindlela kungabangela ukuthi sizondwe ngabantu emhlabeni lo. Lokhu kuliqiniso sibili ngoba kwezinye izindawo abazalwane bethu bayachothozwa ngenxa yokulandela imithetho kaNkulunkulu ephathelane lomtshado kanye lezemacansini. (Bala uMalaki 3:17, 18.) Loba kunjalo kasibesabi abantu kodwa siyaqhubeka silalela uJehova ngoba nguye kuphela ozasinika ukuphila okuphakade.​—Luk. 12:4, 5.

¹⁰ Wena-ke? Uzaqhubeka uhamba loNkulunkulu yini lanxa ezomnotho sezinzima loba nxa uchothozwa? UJehova uzakunakekela ngakho konke okudingayo nxa ungamthemba njalo uhlale umlalela njengoNowa.​—Flp. 4:6, 7.

11. UDanyeli labangane bakhe bahlangana labuphi ubunzima eBhabhiloni? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹¹ UDanyeli wahlangana labuphi ubunzima? Wathunjwa wahanjiswa eBhabhiloni indawo eyayigcwele abantu abathanda ubudimoni lokukhonza izithombe. Okunye njalo yikuthi abantu baseBhabhiloni babewakhangelela phansi amaJuda futhi beseyisa uJehova uNkulunkulu wawo. (Hubo. 137:1, 3) Kumele ukuthi lokhu kwakuwazwisa ubuhlungu amaJuda ayethembekile njengoDanyeli. Kanti njalo uDanyeli labangane bakhe uHananiya loMishayeli lo-Azariya bahlangana lobunye ubunzima. Bakhethwa ukuthi basebenze esigodlweni senkosi yaseBhabhiloni njalo kwakumele badle izibiliboco zenkosi. Indaba yokudla lokho yaba luhlupho kuDanyeli ngoba ‘wayezimisele ukuthi angazingcolisi ngokudla kwesikhosini.’​—Dan. 1:5-8, 14-17.

12. (a) UDanyeli watshengisa njani ukuthi ulobuntu obuhle? (b) UJehova wayembona njani uDanyeli?

¹² Okunye okwakungenza uDanyeli ehluleke ukuqhubeka ethembekile kuJehova yikukhalipha kwakhe okwakumangalisa. Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yakubona lokhu yasimphathisa imisebenzi eqakathekileyo esigodlweni. (Dan. 1:19, 20) UDanyeli kazange avume ukuthi ukukhalipha kwakhe kumenze abe ngumuntu ozigqajayo loba ongatshelwa lutho. Wahlala ethobekile, ezehlisa njalo enika uJehova lonke udumo. (Dan. 2:30) UJehova wakubona ukuthembeka kwejaha leli waze walibala ndawonye lamadoda ayelungile uNowa loJobe. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayeleqiniso lokuthi uDanyeli uzahlala ethembekile kuye. Lakanye wahlala ethembekile futhi elalela okwempilo yakhe yonke. Wathi eseleminyaka ephose ifike 100 ingilosi kaJehova yafika kuye yathi: “Danyeli, uyaqakathekiswa kakhulu.”​—Dan. 10:11.

13. Kuyini okungabe kwenza uDanyeli waphiwa isikhundla esikhulu?

¹³ Langesikhathi sekubusa amaMede lamaPhesiya uNkulunkulu kazange amtshiye uDanyeli ngoba lakulowombuso waphiwa isikhundla sokuba yisikhulu esigodlweni senkosi. (Dan. 1:21; 6:1, 2) Mhlawumbe uJehova nguye owenza ukuthi aphiwe lesosikhundla ukuze asize abantu bakhe njengoba wakwenza kuJosefa eGibhithe  laku-Esta loModekhayi ePhesiya. * (Dan. 2:48) Kumele ukuthi uHezekheli lamanye amaJuda ayethembekile kwabaduduza ukubona uJehova esebenzisa uDanyeli ukuthi abancede.

14, 15. (a) Isimo esikuso lamuhla sifanana njani lesikaDanyeli? (b) Abazali bangafundani esibonelweni sabazali bakaDanyeli?

¹⁴ Singamlingisela njani uDanyeli? Lathi njengoDanyeli siphila emhlabeni ogcwele imikhuba enyanyekayo lezimfundiso ezimemethekiswa ngamasonto amanga abizwa ngokuthi yiBhabhiloni eNkulu. IBhayibhili liphinda libize amasonto la ngokuthi “likhaya lamadimoni.” (Isam. 18:2) Ukuziphatha kwethu kwenza abantu basichothoze loba basihleke. (Mak. 13:13) Lanxa kunjalo kasiqhubekeni silingisela isibonelo sikaDanyeli ngokusondela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Nxa singahlala sithobekile, silalela njalo simthemba uBaba wethu sizakuba ligugu kuye.​—Hag. 2:7.

¹⁵ Abazali lamuhla bangathola isifundo esihle kulokho okwenziwa ngabazali bakaDanyeli. Ngesikhathi uDanyeli esesengumfana abantu abanengi koJuda babesenza izinto ezimbi kodwa yena waqhubeka emthanda uJehova. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi abazali bakhe bamfundisa ngoJehova esesemncane. (Zaga. 22:6) Ibizo lakhe lalo litshengisa ukuthi abazali bakhe babemthanda uJehova ngoba litsho ukuthi, “UNkulunkulu Ungumahluleli Wami.” Ngakho lani bazali lamuhla lingabakhalali abantwabenu kodwa qhubekani libafundisa futhi libabekezelela. (Efe. 6:4) Okunye elingakwenza yikuthandaza ndawonye labo lokubaqamba emithandazweni yenu. UJehova uzalibusisa nxa lingazimisela ukunceda abantwabenu ukuthi balithande iqiniso.​—Hubo. 37:5.

16, 17. UJobe wahlangana labuphi ubunzima?

¹⁶ UJobe wahlangana labuphi ubunzima? Wahlangana lezinhlupho ezibuhlungu kakhulu. Ekuqaliseni wayeyindoda “eyayinothile ukudlula bonke abantu beMpumalanga.” (Jobe. 1:3) Wayedumile futhi ehlonitshwa ngabantu emphakathini. (Jobe. 29:7-16) Loba kunjalo uJobe kazange azibone engcono kulabanye loba acabange ukuthi kamdingi uNkulunkulu. Yikho uJehova wambiza ngokuthi ‘yinceku yami’ njalo wathi, “kalasici, uqondile, indoda emesabayo uNkulunkulu, exwaya okubi.”​—Jobe. 1:8.

¹⁷ Kodwa ngesikhatshana nje impilo kaJobe  yantshintsha ngendlela ebuhlungu. Wasala engumyanga futhi lokhu kwamhlupha waze wafisa lokufa. Inhlupho lezo zabangelwa nguSathane ngoba wayesola uJobe esithi okwenza akhonze uNkulunkulu yinotho amnike yona. (Bala uJobe 1:9, 10.) UJehova kazange akuthathe lula okwatshiwo nguSathane. Wanika uJobe ithuba lokuthi atshengise ubuqotho bakhe futhi ekucineni kwakhanya ukuthi uSathane umqambela amanga.

18. (a) Ufundeni endabeni kaJobe? (b) Indlela uJehova amphatha ngayo itshengisani?

¹⁸ USathane wahlasela uJobe ngenhlupho ezibuhlungu futhi wayefuna acabange ukuthi zivela kuNkulunkulu. (Jobe. 1:13-21) Ngemva kwalokho kwafika amadoda amathathu ayezenza abangane bakhe njalo amhlasela ngamazwi abuhlungu esithi uNkulunkulu wayemjezisela izenzo zakhe ezimbi. (Jobe. 2:11; 22:1, 5-10) Loba kunjalo uJobe wahlala eqotho kuNkulunkulu. Kwezinye izikhathi wayeke alukhuthe ugatsha ekukhulumeni kodwa uJehova wayebuzwisisa ubuhlungu ayephakathi kwabo. (Jobe. 6:1-3) Wakubona ukuthi lanxa uJobe wayesebuhlungwini wayelokhu ebambelele kuye, engavumi ukuthi loba yini elethwa nguSathane imqede amandla. Ekucineni uJehova wambusisa uJobe, wamnika inotho yakhe isiphindwe kabili futhi waphila eminye iminyaka engu-140. (Jak. 5:11) Langalesosikhathi uJobe wahlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu. Sikwazi njani lokhu? Khumbula ukuthi amazwi akuHezekheli 14:14 abhalwa ngemva kweminyaka eminengi uJobe efile.

19, 20. (a) Singamlingisela njani uJobe? (b) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi silesihawu njengoNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Singamlingisela njani uJobe? Lanxa sihlangana lezinhlupho ezinzima kumele siqhubeke simthanda uJehova, simthemba futhi simlalela ngenhliziyo yonke. Thina silesizatho esihle sokwenza lokhu ngoba sesilolwazi olunengi ukwedlula uJobe. Ngokwesibonelo kunengi esikwaziyo ngoSathane lamacebo akhe. (2 Khor. 2:11) Siyambonga uJehova ngokufaka indaba kaJobe eLizwini lakhe ngoba sesikwazi ukuthi kungani evumela ukuhlupheka. Ikanti isiphrofetho sikaDanyeli sisincedile sazwisisa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ukhona lokuthi uJesu Khristu nguye okhethwe ukuthi abe yiNkosi yawo. (Dan. 7:13, 14) Kanti njalo siyakwazi ukuthi uMbuso lo yiwo ozaqeda ukuhlupheka emhlabeni.

²⁰ Indaba kaJobe itshengisa lokuthi kumele sibe lesihawu kubazalwane bethu abasebunzimeni. Kwezinye izikhathi ubunzima abakubo bungabangela ukuthi bakhulume izinto ezingenza kukhanye angani abaselakholo. (UmTshu. 7:7, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kulokuthi sibasole kasizameni ukuba lesihawu kubo njalo sibazwisise. Nxa singenza njalo siyabe silingisela uBaba wethu olothando lesihawu.​—Hubo. 103:8.

21. Amazwi kaPhetro asifundisani ngendaba kaNowa loDanyeli loJobe?

²¹ UNowa loDanyeli loJobe baphila ngezikhathi ezitshiyeneyo futhi behlelwa yibunzima obutshiyeneyo kodwa bonke bazimisela ukubekezela. Okwenzakala kubo kusikhumbuza amazwi alotshwa ngumphostoli uPhetro athi: “Emva kokuba lihlupheke okwesikhatshana, yena uqobo uzalivuselela alenze libe lamandla, liqine njalo lithembeke.”​—1 Phet. 5:10.

22. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²² Amazwi aku-1 Phetro 5:10 atshengisa ukuthi lalamuhla uJehova uyabanika amandla abantu bakhe. Sonke siyafuna ukuthi uJehova asenze sibe lamandla futhi siqine ekukhonzeni. Ngakho kasizimiseleni ukulingisela isibonelo sikaNowa loDanyeli loJobe. IMibhalo iveza ukuthi ‘babekuzwisisa kakhulu’ konke uNkulunkulu ayefuna bakwenze. (Zaga. 28:5) Lathi singenelisa ukukwenza lokhu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi ukwazi uJehova kwabanceda njani ukuthi bahlale bethembekile.