1-3. (a) Yini ezosisiza sihlale sithembekile kuNkulunkulu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina? (b) Yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko?

NJENGOBA izinsuku zokugcina zisondela ekupheleni, ababi baqhubeka “behluma njengezimila.” (IHu. 92:7) Yingakho kungasimangazi ukubona abantu beziphethe kabi namuhla. Njengoba siphila phakathi kwabantu ababi, yini esingayenza ukuze sibe “izingane ngokuqondene nobubi” kodwa ‘sikhule ngokugcwele emandleni okuqonda’?​—1 Kor. 14:20.

² Impendulo itholakala emBhalweni okusekelwe kuwo lesi sihloko, othi: “Abafuna uJehova baqonda konke”​—okungukuthi, konke okudingekayo ukuze bamjabulise. (IzAga 28:5) Umqondo ofanayo uvezwe encwadini yezAga 2:7, 9, ethi, “Abaqotho [uJehova] uyobabekelela ukuhlakanipha okusebenzayo.” Lokho kuhlakanipha kuyosiza abaqotho baqonde “ukulunga nekhono lokwahlulela nobuqotho, yonke inkambo yokuhle.”

³ UNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe bakuthola lokho kuhlakanipha. (Hez. 14:14) Kunjalo nangabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe ‘ukuqonda konke’ okudingekayo ukuze wazi uJehova? Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuba nolwazi olunembile  ngoNkulunkulu. Sinalokho engqondweni, ake sihlole (1) ukuthi uNowa, uDaniyeli kanye noJobe bamazi kanjani uNkulunkulu, (2) indlela lolo lwazi olwabazuzisa ngayo (3) nendlela esingaluhlakulela ngayo ukholo olufana nolwabo.

4. UNowa wamazi kanjani uJehova futhi ulwazi olunembile lwamsiza kanjani?

⁴ Indlela uNowa amazi ngayo uJehova. Kusukela ekuqaleni komlando wesintu, amadoda nabesifazane abanokholo ngokuyinhloko babefunda ngoNkulunkulu ngezindlela ezintathu: ngokubuka indalo, ngokufunda kwabanye abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu, nangokuthola izibusiso ezilethwa ukuphila ngokuvumelana nemithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile. (Isaya 48:18) Lapho ebuka indalo, cishe uNowa wabona ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, wabona nezimfanelo zakhe eziningi ezingabonakali ‘njengamandla akhe angunaphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe.’ (Roma 1:20) Ngenxa yalokho, uNowa akagcinanga nje ngokwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, kodwa waba nokholo oluqinile kuye.

5. UNowa wafunda kanjani ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu?

⁵ Ukholo “lulandela into ezwiweyo.” (Roma 10:17) UNowa wezwa kanjani ngoJehova? Akungabazeki ukuthi wafunda okuningi ezihlotsheni zakhe. Kulaba singabala uyise, uLameka, owaphila ngenkathi efanayo no-Adamu (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) Sibale nomkhulu wakhe uMethusela nokhokho wakhe uJarede okwaphela iminyaka engu-366 bephila noNowa ngesikhathi esifanayo. * (Luka 3:36, 37) Kungenzeka ukuthi uNowa wafunda kula madoda mhlawumbe nasemakhosikazini awo ngesiqalo sabantu, ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokuba emhlabeni kuphile abantu abalungile, wafunda nangokuvukela kwase-Edene—okwaholela emiphumeleni ebuhlungu uNowa ayeyibona ngaleso sikhathi. (Gen. 1:28; 3:16-19, 24) Kunoma yikuphi, lokho uNowa akufunda kwamthinta ngokujulile futhi kwamenza wafuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.​—Gen. 6:9.

6, 7. Ukholo lukaNowa lwaqiniswa kanjani yithemba?

⁶ Ukholo luqiniswa yithemba. Ungase ucabange indlela uNowa azizwa ngayo lapho ethola ukuthi igama lakhe, cishe elisho ukuthi “Ukuphumula; Induduzo,” limelela ithemba! (Gen. 5:29) Ephefumulelwe, uLameka wathi: “Lo [uNowa] uzosinika induduzo . . . ebuhlungwini bezandla zethu ngenxa yomhlabathi uJehova awuqalekisile.” UNowa wayemethemba uNkulunkulu. Njengo-Abela no-Enoke abaphila ngaphambi kwakhe, wayekholelwa ‘enzalweni’ eyayiyolimaza ikhanda lenyoka.​—Gen. 3:15.

⁷ Nakuba uNowa ayengase angayiqondi ngokugcwele imininingwane yesiprofetho esikuGenesise 3:15, akungabazeki ukuthi samnika ithemba lokusindiswa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, leso sithembiso esenziwa e-Edene siyavumelana nesigijimi sika-Enoke, naye owabikezela isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kwababi. (Jude 14, 15) Isigijimi sika-Enoke esiyogcwaliseka okokugcina e-Armagedoni, ngokuqinisekile saqinisa ukholo nethemba likaNowa.

8. Ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu lwamvikela ngaziphi izindlela uNowa?

⁸ Indlela ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu olwamzuzisa ngayo uNowa. Ulwazi olunembile lwenza uNowa waba nokholo wathola nokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu, okwamvikela ikakhulukazi ngokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yokuthi uNowa “wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso,” akazange ahambe, azihlanganise noma abe abangane babantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu. Akakhohliswanga amademoni ayethathe imizimba  yabantu, ayenza izinto ezimangalisayo ezazikhohlisa labo abangenalo ukholo​—okungenzeka ukuthi labo bantu bagcina bewakhulekela. (Gen. 6:1-4. 9) UNowa wayazi nokuthi abantu abayalwa ukuba babe nezingane futhi bagcwalise umhlaba. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Ngenxa yalokho, kumelwe ukuba wayazi ukuthi ukulala kwabesifazane nezingelosi ezazithathe imizimba yabantu kwakuyinto ephambene nemvelo futhi kungalungile. Lokho kwacaca lapho labo besifazane bezala izingane eziyimidondoshiya. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uNkulunkulu waxwayisa uNowa ngokuthi uzoletha uZamcolo emhlabeni. Lapho ezwa leso sixwayiso, ngokholo uNowa wakha umkhumbi wasindisa umndeni wakhe.​—Heb. 11:7.

9, 10. Singalulingisa kanjani ukholo lukaNowa?

⁹ Indlela esingaluhlakulela ngayo ukholo olufana nolukaNowa. Ngokuyinhloko kumelwe sikukhuthalele ukutadisha iBhayibheli, sicabangisise ngalokho esikufundayo bese sivumela lolo lwazi lusibumbe futhi lusiqondise. (1 Pet. 1:13-15) Ukholo nokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu kuyosivikela emaqhingeni kaSathane nasemoyeni omubi waleli zwe. (2 Kor. 2:11) Lo moya ukhuthaza udlame nokuziphatha okubi. Uphoqa abantu ukuba banake kakhulu izifiso zenyama. (1 Joh. 2:15, 16) Ungase ubangele nokuba ababuthaka ngokomoya bangabunaki ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi usuku lukaNkulunkulu olukhulu selusondele. Phawula ukuthi lapho uJesu efanisa usuku lwethu nosuku lukaNowa, akagxilanga odlameni noma ekuziphatheni okubi kodwa wagxila ezingozini zokunganaki ngokomoya.​—Funda uMathewu 24:36-39.

¹⁰ Zibuze: ‘Ingabe indlela yami yokuphila ibonisa ukuthi ngimazi ngempela uJehova? Ingabe ukholo lwami lungishukumisela ukuba ngingaphili nje kuphela ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu elungile kodwa ngitshele nabanye ngayo?’ Kwangathi izimpendulo zakho zingabonisa ukuthi nawe ‘uhamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.’

11. (a) Indlela uDaniyeli ayemthanda ngayo uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esemusha ibonisani ngendlela ayekhuliswe ngayo? (b) Yiziphi izinto ezazenziwa uDaniyeli ongathanda ukuzilingisa?

¹¹ Indlela uDaniyeli amazi ngayo uJehova. Ngokusobala abazali bakaDaniyeli babemqeqeshe kahle, bamfundisa ukuthanda uJehova neZwi laKhe elilotshiwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uDaniyeli wamthanda uJehova neZwi laKhe ukuphila kwakhe konke. Ngisho nasebumpungeni simthola ecwaninga imiBhalo. (Dan. 9:1, 2) Indlela uDaniyeli ayemazi ngayo uNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise nendlela uNkulunkulu ayesebenzelana ngayo nama-Israyeli iboniswe kahle emthandazweni osuka enhliziyweni walo mprofethi obhalwe kuDaniyeli 9:3-19. Ake uziphe isikhathi sokuwufunda lo mthandazo bese ucabangisisa ngawo, unake ngokukhethekile lokho okufundisa khona ngoDaniyeli.

12-14. (a) UDaniyeli wakubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu? (b) UDaniyeli wabusiswa kanjani ngokuba nesibindi nokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu?

¹² Indlela ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu olwamzuzisa ngayo uDaniyeli. KumJuda othembekile, kwakunzima ukuphila eBhabhiloni elalinabantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wathi kumaJuda: “Funani ukuthula komuzi engibangele ukuba nidingiselwe kuwo.” (Jer. 29:7) Kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo wayefuna bakhonze yena kuphela. (Eks. 34:14) Yini eyasiza uDaniyeli wakwazi ukukwenza kokubili? Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu kwamsiza waqonda ukubaluleka kokuhlonipha amagunya aphethe ngezinga elifanele. Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJesu wafundisa isimiso esifanayo.​—Luka 20:25.

¹³ Cabanga ngalokho uDaniyeli akwenza lapho kukhishwa umthetho owawenqabela ukuthandaza kunoma yimuphi unkulunkulu noma umuntu ngaphandle kwenkosi izinsuku ezingu-30. (Funda uDaniyeli 6:7-10.)  UDaniyeli wayengabeka izaba, athi: ‘Izinsuku ezingu-30 ngingathandazi ziwubala, ngingalinda.’ Kodwa akavumanga ukuba umthetho wenkosi umyekise lokho imiBhalo ethi makakwenze. Kuyavunywa ukuthi wayengathandaza buthule noma ngasese ukuze angabonwa. Wayazi ukuthi isiko lakhe lokuthandaza nsuku zonke lalaziwa kahle. Ngakho, ngisho noma kwakuzofaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini, uDaniyeli wanquma ukungadluliseli umbono ongase ubonise ukuthi uyayekethisa ekukhulekeleni kwakhe.

¹⁴ UJehova wasibusisa isinqumo uDaniyeli asenza ngesibindi ngokumsindisa ngokuyisimangaliso ekubulaweni ngonya. Eqinisweni, lokho kwabangela ukuba kunikezwe ubufakazi obuhle ngoJehova obafinyelela ezingxenyeni ezikude zoMbuso wamaMede namaPheresiya!​—Dan. 6:25-27.

15. Singaluhlakulela kanjani ukholo olufana nolukaDaniyeli?

¹⁵ Indlela esingaluhlakulela ngayo ukholo olufana nolukaDaniyeli. Ngokuyinhloko, ukuze sibe nokholo oluqinile kumelwe singagcini nje ngokufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu kodwa kumelwe ‘sithole umqondo walo.’ (Math. 13:23) Sifuna ukubheka izinto ngendlela kaJehova, okuhlanganisa ukuqonda izimiso zeBhayibheli. Yingakho kudingeka sicabangisise ngalokho esikufundayo. Okunye okubalulekile, ukuthandaza ngokusuka enhliziyweni ikakhulukazi lapho sibhekene nezinselele noma ezinye izimo ezinzima. Lapho sithandaza ngokuqiniseka sicele ukuhlakanipha namandla, uJehova uyosiphendula ngesihle.—Jak. 1:5.

16, 17. UJobe waluthola kanjani ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Indlela uJobe amazi ngayo uJehova. UJobe wayengeyena umIsrayeli. Wayeyisihlobo sika-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe futhi uJehova wabatshela imininingwane ngaYe nangenjongo yakhe ngesintu. UJobe wafunda ngalawo maqiniso ayigugu, nakuba ingachazwanga indlela awafunda ngayo. (Jobe 23:12) UJobe wathi, “Ngizwile ngawe ngenzwabethi.” (Jobe 42:5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wathi uJobe ukhuluma okuyiqiniso ngaYe.​—Jobe 42:7, 8. 

¹⁷ UJobe waphinde wabona izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezingabonakali endalweni yakhe. (Jobe 12:7-9, 13) Kamuva u-Elihu noJehova basebenzisa indalo ukuze bakhumbuze uJobe ngobuncane bomuntu uma eqhathaniswa nobukhulu bukaNkulunkulu. (Jobe 37:14; 38:1-4) Amazwi kaJehova ayifinyelela inhliziyo kaJobe, uJobe wabe esethi  kuNkulunkulu: “Sengiyazi ukuthi uyakwazi ukwenza zonke izinto, futhi akukho mqondo ongenakuwufinyelela. . . . ngiphenduka othulini nasemlotheni.”​—Jobe 42:2, 6.

18, 19. UJobe wabonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuthi umazi ngempela uJehova?

¹⁸ Indlela ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu olwamzuzisa ngayo uJobe. UJobe wayezazi kahle izimiso zikaNkulunkulu. Wayemazi kahle uNkulunkulu futhi waphila ngokuvumelana nalolo lwazi. Ngokwesibonelo: UJobe wayazi ukuthi ngeke athi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu ebe engabathandi abantu aphila nabo. (Jobe 6:14) Akazange aziphakamise kodwa wayekhathalela bonke abantu, abacebile nabampofu. Wathi: “Owenza mina esiswini akazange yini naye amenze?” (Jobe 31:13-22) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJobe akavumelanga ukuvelela nomcebo ayenawo kuthonye indlela ayezibheka ngayo nayebheka ngayo abanye. Lokhu kuhluke ngempela kulokho okwenziwa abavelele nabanemali kuleli zwe.

¹⁹ UJobe walulahla lonke uhlobo lokukhulekela izithombe. Wayazi ukuthi ukukhulekela kwamanga, kuhlanganise nokukhonza ingcebo bekuyosho ukuphika “uNkulunkulu weqiniso ophezulu.” (Funda uJobe 31:24-28.) Wayebheka isibopho somshado phakathi kwendoda nowesifazane njengesingcwele. Waze wenza isivumelwano namehlo akhe sokuba angayibuki intombi. (Jobe 31:1) Khumbula ukuthi lokhu wakusho ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu esasibekezelele isithembu. Ngakho, uJobe wayengazithathela inkosikazi yesibili uma ayethanda. * Nokho, kuyacaca ukuthi wayebheka umshado uNkulunkulu awumisa e-Edene njengesibonelo ayefuna ukusilingisa. (Gen. 2:18, 24) Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-1 600, uJesu Kristu wafundisa izilaleli zakhe ukuba zinamathele kulezo zimiso ezilungile eziphathelene nomshado nokuziphatha.—Math. 5:28; 19:4, 5.

20. Ulwazi olunembile ngoJehova nezimiso zakhe kusisiza kanjani sikhethe abangane abahle nokuzijabulisa okuhlanzekile?

²⁰ Indlela esingaluhlakulela ngayo ukholo olufana nolukaJobe. Nalapha, ngokuyinhloko kumelwe sibe nolwazi olunembile ngoJehova bese sivumela lolo lwazi lusiqondise ekuphileni kwethu kukho konke esikwenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo, umhubi uDavide wathi uJehova “uyamzonda umuntu othanda ubudlova,” uDavide waphinde waxwayisa ngokuzihlanganisa “nalabo abafihla lokho abayikho.” (Funda iHubo 11:5; 26:4.) Le miBhalo ikusiza kanjani uqonde indlela uNkulunkulu acabanga ngayo? Lokho kuqonda kufanele kukusize kanjani lapho unquma ukuthi yini eza kuqala ekuphileni kwakho, lapho usebenzisa i-inthanethi, lapho ukhetha abangane nalapho ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zizokusiza ubone ukuthi umazi kangakanani uJehova. Ukuze sihlale singasoleki kuleli zwe eliyinkimbinkimbi nelikhohlakele, kumelwe siqeqeshe ‘amandla ethu okuqonda’ ukuze singagcini nje ngokuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile kodwa sikwazi nokuhlukanisa phakathi kokuhlakaniphile nokungahlakaniphile.​—Heb. 5:14; Efe. 5:15.

21. Yini eyosisiza ‘siqonde konke’ esidinga ukukwazi ukuze sijabulise uBaba wethu osezulwini?

²¹ Ngenxa yokuthi uNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe bafuna uJehova ngezinhliziyo zabo zonke, wazenza watholakala kubo. Wabasiza “baqonda konke” okudingekayo ukuze bamjabulise. Ngaleyo ndlela baba izibonelo zabantu abalungile futhi baphumelela ekuphileni. (IHu. 1:1-3) Zibuze, ‘Ingabe uJehova ngimazi ngendlela uNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe ababemazi ngayo?’ Empeleni, ngenxa yokuqonda okwengeziwe esinakho manje, ungamazi kahle uNkulunkulu! (IzAga 4:18) Ngakho, yimba ujule eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Cabangisisa ngalo, uthandazele umoya ongcwele. Ngokwenza kanjalo, uyosondela nakakhulu kuYihlo osezulwini. Uyobonisa ukuqonda nokuhlakanipha ezweni okugcwele kulo abantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu.​—IzAga 2:4-7.