1, 2. Kuthetha ukuthini ukujonga kuYehova?

SIPHILA ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo,’ ibe kuseza kuba nzima kakhulu de uYehova atshabalalise abantu abangalunganga aze azise uxolo emhlabeni. (2 Tim. 3:1) Ngoko kuhle ukuba uzibuze, ‘Ndifuna ukuncedwa nokwalathiswa ngubani?’ Mhlawumbi usenokuphendula uthi, “NguYehova,” ibe intle loo nto.

² Kuthetha ukuthini ukujonga kuYehova? Singenza njani ukuze siqiniseke ukuba amehlo ethu akasuki kuye nakuba zininzi iingxaki zobomi? Umdumisi wachaza ukuba kutheni simele sijonge kuYehova xa sifuna ukuncedwa. (Funda iNdumiso 123:1-4.) Wathi xa sijonga kuYehova sifana nesicaka esijonga inkosi yaso. Wayethetha ukuthini lo mdumisi? Isicaka asiyijongi inkosi yaso kuphela xa sifuna ukutya nokukhuselwa, kodwa sihlala siyijongile ukuze sibone ukuba ifuna ntoni size senze loo nto kanye. Kuyafana ke nakuthi, kufuneka sifunde iLizwi LikaThixo yonke imihla, ukuze sibone ukuba uYehova ufuna senze ntoni, size senze loo nto kanye. Siya kuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda xa sisenza ngolo hlobo.—Efe. 5:17.

3. Yintoni enokusiphazamisa singajongi kuYehova?

 ³ Nakubeni sisazi ukuba kubalulekile ukuhlala sijonge kuYehova, ngamany’ amaxesha kusenokubakho izinto ezisiphazamisayo. Kwenzeka kanye loo nto kumhlobo kaYesu, uMarta. ‘Waphazanyiswa kukunyamekela imisebenzi emininzi.’ (Luka 10:40-42) Ukuba le nto yenzeka kumntu othembekileyo owayehleli noYesu, asimele sothuke xa isenzeka kuthi. Yintoni enokusiphazamisa singajongi kuYehova? Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngendlela ezinokusiphazamisa ngayo izinto ezenziwa ngabanye. Siza kufunda nangokuba singenza ntoni ukuze sihlale sijonge kuYehova.

4. Kutheni inokusothusa nje into yokuba uMoses engazange angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso?

⁴ UMoses wayejonga kuYehova xa efuna ukwalathiswa. Ngapha koko, “waqhubeka eqinile ngokungathi uyambona Lowo ungabonakaliyo.” (Funda kumaHebhere 11:24-27.) IBhayibhile ithi “akubanga savela kwaSirayeli mprofeti unjengoMoses, awathi uYehova wamazi ubuso ngobuso.” (Dut. 34:10) Nakuba uMoses wayesondele kangako kuYehova, akazange angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. (Num. 20:12) Kwenzeka ntoni?

5-7. Yeyiphi ingxaki eyavelayo emva nje kokuba amaSirayeli ephumile eYiputa, ibe uMoses wayilungisa njani?

⁵ Kungekapheli neenyanga ezimbini amaSirayeli ephumile eYiputa, engekafiki nakwiNtaba YeSinayi, kwabakho ingxaki enkulu. Abantu bakhalazela uMoses ngenxa yokungabikho kwamanzi. Le meko yaba nzima kakhulu kangangokuba uMoses wakhala kuYehova esithi: “Ndiya kusithini na esi sizwana? Sekukancinane ukuba sindixulube!” (Eks. 17:4) UYehova wamxelela into amakayenze. Wathi makathathe intonga yakhe, aze abethe ilitye laseHorebhe. IBhayibhile ithi: “Wenjenjalo ke uMoses phambi kwamehlo amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli.” Aphuma ke amanzi, aza amaSirayeli asela onela. Yaba ke ilungisiwe ingxaki.—Eks. 17:5, 6.

⁶ IBhayibhile ithi uMoses “walibiza igama laloo ndawo ngokuba yiMasa neMeribha, ngenxa yengxabano yoonyana bakaSirayeli nangenxa yokumvavanya kwabo uYehova, besithi: ‘Ukho na uYehova phakathi kwethu okanye akakho kusini na?’” (Eks. 17:7) Loo magama ayefanelekile kuba elithi Masa lithetha ‘ukuvavanya,’ lize elithi Meribha lithethe ‘ukuxabana.’

⁷ Waziva njani uYehova ngale nto yenzeka eMeribha? Kuye amaSirayeli ayengavukeli nje uMoses, kodwa ayevukela yena negunya lakhe. (Funda iNdumiso 95:8, 9.) Imbi nyhani le nto yayisenziwa ngamaSirayeli. Wenza kakuhle uMoses ngokujonga kuYehova aze enze kanye njengokuba uYehova ethethile.

8. Yintoni eyenzekayo xa amaSirayeli ayesele eza kufika kwiLizwe Lesithembiso?

⁸ Emva kweminyaka emalunga neyi-40, kwenzeka ntoni xa amaSirayeli aphinda aphelelwa ngamanzi? Ayesesentlango, kodwa sele eza kufika kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Afika kwindawo eyayibizwa ngokuba yiMeribha. Kodwa le yayiseKadeshe kufutshane nomda  weLizwe Lesithembiso. * Aphinda akhalazela ukungabikho kwamanzi. (Num. 20:1-5) Kodwa ngoku uMoses wenza impazamo enkulu.

9. UMoses wayalelwa ukuba makenze ntoni, kodwa yintoni awayenzayo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁹ Wenza ntoni uMoses xa ebona abantu bevukela? Waphinda wajonga kuYehova efuna ulwalathiso. Kodwa ngoku uYehova akazange athi makabethe ilitye. Wathi makathathe intonga yakhe, abizele abantu engxondorheni okanye elityeni, aze athethe nalo. (Num. 20:6-8) Kodwa uMoses akazange athethe nelo litye. Wasuka wacaphuka waza wakhwaza esithi: “Khanive, nina, bavukeli! Sinikhuphele amanzi kule ngxondorha na?” Emva koko walibetha kabini elo litye.—Num. 20:10, 11.

10. Wathini uYehova emva kokuba uMoses engenzanga ngendlela abemyalele ngayo?

¹⁰ Yamcaphukisa kakhulu uYehova le nto yenziwa nguMoses. (Dut. 1:37; 3:26) Kwakutheni ukuze acaphuke ngolo hlobo? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba esinye sezizathu kukuba uMoses akazange enze ngendlela uYehova awayemyalele ngayo.

11. Ukubetha kukaMoses ilitye kwawenza amaSirayeli acinga ukuba amanzi avela phi?

¹¹ Ikhona enye into ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yamcaphukisa uYehova. KwiMeribha esithethe ngayo ekuqaleni kuxhaphake amatye enyengane aqinileyo. Nokuba ungalibetha kangakanani eli litye, soze kuphume manzi. Kodwa kule yesibini iMeribha, kuxhaphake amatye angaqinanga abizwa ngokuba ngamatye ekalika. Ekubeni amanzi enokungena kula matye, ngaphantsi kwawo kukho amanzi. Ngoko umntu usenokuliqhekeza ilitye aze afumane amanzi. Ngaba mhlawumbi xa uMoses walibetha kabini eli litye abantu bacinga ukuba ngamanzi awayehleli ephantsi kwalo, zange bacinge ukuba ngummangaliso kaYehova? Xa wayelibetha, engathethi nalo, ngaba wayefuna abantu bacinge ukuba nguye owenze ummangaliso? * Asinakuqiniseka.

12. Yintoni enye enokuba yamcaphukisa uYehova?

¹² Ikhona nenye into enoba yabangela ukuba uYehova acatshukiswe nguMoses noAron. Khawuve into eyathethwa nguMoses ebantwini: “Sinikhuphele amanzi kule ngxondorha na?” Ngokuthi “si-,” mhlawumbi uMoses wayebhekisela kuye noAron. Le nto wayithethayo yabonisa ukuba akamhloniphi uYehova, oyena Mntu wenza ummangaliso. INdumiso 106:32, 33 ithi: ‘Bamcaphukisa emanzini aseMeribha, kangangokuba uMoses wahlelwa bububi ngenxa yabo. Kuba bawenza krakra umoya wakhe, waza wathetha ngobutyhuthu-tyhuthu ngemilebe yakhe.’ * (Num. 27:14) UMoses wafuna  ukuzukiswa naye, kungazukiswa uYehova yedwa. UYehova wathi kuMoses noAron: ‘niwuvukele umyalelo wam.’ (Num. 20:24) Benza isono esinzulu nyhani!

13. Kutheni sinokuthi uYehova wamohlwaya ngendlela efanelekileyo uMoses?

¹³ UYehova wayelindele ukuba uMoses noAron babe yimizekelo, kuba bona babekhokela abantu. (Luka 12:48) UYehova wayesandul’ ukohlwaya uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli olwaluvukela ngokungaluvumeli lungene kwilizwe laseKanan. (Num. 14:26-30, 34) Ngoko kwakulindelekile ukuba uYehova amohlwaye noMoses kuba naye evukele. Naye akazange avunyelwe ukuba angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso njengabanye abantu abavukelayo.

14, 15. Yintoni eyabangela uMoses avukele?

¹⁴ Yintoni eyabangela uMoses avukele? Khawuve kwakhona INdumiso 106:32, 33, ithi: ‘Ngokubhekele phaya, [bamcaphukisa] emanzini aseMeribha, kuba bawenza krakra umoya wakhe waza wathetha ngobutyhuthu-tyhuthu ngemilebe yakhe.’ Nakuba amaSirayeli ayevukela uYehova, kodwa nguMoses owacaphukayo. Ukungakwazi kwakhe ukuzibamba kwambangela ukuba athethe engacinganga.

¹⁵ UMoses wayeka ukuhlala ejonge kuYehova kuba wavumela ukuphazanyiswa ziimpazamo zabanye abantu. Wenza kakuhle xa abantu babevukela okokuqala. (Eks. 7:6) Kodwa kunokwenzeka ukuba yade yamdika le nto yokukhalaza kwamaSirayeli iminyaka emininzi kangaka, de wacaphuka. Ngaba wacinga ngaye kuphela endaweni yokucinga ngokuzukisa uYehova?

16. Kutheni simele sibe nomdla kule nto yenzeka kuMoses?

¹⁶ Ukuba into enje yenzeka kumprofeti othembekileyo onjengoMoses, kungalula ukuba yenzeke nakuthi. NjengoMoses, nathi sisondele kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, ihlabathi elitsha esilithenjiswe nguYehova. (2 Pet. 3:13) Akukho namnye kuthi ofuna ukuphoswa lilo. Ukuze yenzeke loo nto, kufuneka sihlale sijonge kuYehova, sisoloko sifuna ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. (1 Yoh. 2:17) Zeziphi izinto esinokuzifunda kule mpazamo yenziwa nguMoses?

17. Yintoni enokusinceda sikwazi ukuzibamba xa sicatshukiswa yinto ethile?

¹⁷ Funda ukuzibamba xa kukho into ekucaphukisayo. Enoba sineengxaki ezingapheliyo, “masingayeki ukwenza okuhle, kuba sovuna ngexesha elililo ukuba asidinwa.” (Gal. 6:9; 2 Tes. 3:13) Xa sikhathazwe yinto ethile okanye kukungavani nomntu kuba sinobuntu obungafaniyo, ngaba siyazibamba singathethi nje? (IMize. 10:19; 17:27; Mat. 5:22) Xa sikhathazwa ngabanye abantu kufuneka sifunde ‘ukuyikhwelela ingqumbo’ okanye umsindo. Ingqumbo kabani? Ingqumbo kaYehova. (Funda amaRoma 12:17-21.) Ithetha ukuthini loo nto? Endaweni yokucaphuka, silindela kuYehova ukuba ayilungise loo ngxaki ukuba ubona kuyimfuneko. Ukuba asiyenzi loo nto, sizame ukuziphindezela, siya kube asimhloniphi uYehova.

18. Kutheni umele uthobele imiyalelo emitsha yentlangano?

 ¹⁸ Thobela imiyalelo emitsha yokwenza izinto. Ngaba uyayithobela imiyalelo emitsha kaYehova xa usenza izinto? Ukuba kunjalo, awuzukuhlala usenza izinto ngendlela oqhele ukuzenza ngayo. Kunoko, uza kuyithobela nayiphi imiyalelo emitsha kaYehova evela kwintlangano. (Heb. 13:17) Kwangaxeshanye umele ulumke ‘ungagqithi kwizinto ezibhaliweyo.’ (1 Kor. 4:6) Xa usenza loo nto, uya kuba awuwasusi amehlo akho kuYehova.

19. Sinokwenza njani ukuze iimpazamo ezenziwa ngabanye zingaphazamisi ubuhlobo bethu noYehova?

¹⁹ Sukuvumela iimpazamo zabanye abantu ziphelise ubuhlobo bakho noYehova. Ukuba sihlala sijonge kuYehova, asizuvumela izinto ezenziwa ngabanye abantu zisicaphukise okanye ziphelise ubuhlobo esinabo noYehova. Le nto ibaluleke kakhulu kwabo baneembopheleleko kwintlangano kaThixo, njengoMoses. Nangona mntu ngamnye kuthi kufuneka ‘ahlale elufezekisa usindiso lwakhe ngoloyiko nangokungcangcazela,’ simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova akasigwebi ngendlela enye sonke. (Fil. 2:12) Xa sineembopheleleko ezingakumbi, noYehova ulindele okungakumbi kuthi. (Luka 12:48) Ukuba simthanda nyhani uYehova, akukho kwanto inokusikhubekisa okanye isahlukanise naye.—INdu. 119:165; Roma 8:37-39.

20. Simele sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?

²⁰ Kula maxesha anzima, amehlo ethu mawahlale ejonge kuYehova ‘ohlala emazulwini,’ ukuze senze ukuthanda kwakhe. Masingaze sivumele izinto ezimbi ezenziwa ngabanye ziphazamise ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Oko kwenzeka kuMoses kusifundisa ukubaluleka koku. Kunokuba sicatshukiswe ziimpazamo zabanye, masizimisele ukungawasusi “amehlo ethu kuYehova uThixo wethu ade asibabale.”—INdu. 123:1, 2.