1, 2. Ziziphi iingxaki awaba nazo uYoshuwa emva kokufa kukaMoses?

UYEHOVA wayesandul’ ukuthi kuYoshuwa: “UMoses umkhonzi wam ufile; yaye ngoku sukuma, uwele iYordan le, wena naso sonke esi sizwana, niye kwilizwe endibanika lona.” (Yosh. 1:1, 2) Ubomi bukaYoshuwa batshintsha ngesiquphe kuba kaloku wayekade encedisa uMoses kangangeminyaka eyi-40!

² Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYoshuwa wayezibuza ukuba aza kummamela na amaSirayeli kuba kaloku ayesele eqhele ukukhokelwa nguMoses kangangeminyaka. (Dut. 34:8, 10-12) Xa icacisa uYoshuwa 1:1, 2, enye incwadi ecacisa iBhayibhile ithi: “Elinye lawona maxesha ayenzima kwilizwe mandulo yayikukutshintsha kweenkokeli, ibe kusenjalo nanamhlanje.”

3, 4. Sazi njani ukuba uThixo wamnceda uYoshuwa, ibe ngowuphi umbuzo esinokuzibuza wona?

³ Inoba zikhona izinto awayezoyika uYoshuwa, kodwa ke kwathi kungekagqithi neentsuku ezingephi wabe sele engena emsebenzini. (Yosh. 1:9-11) Wayethembele ngoThixo ibe wamnceda. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uYehova wamkhokela uYoshuwa nabantu  bakhe esebenzisa ingelosi. Sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokucinga ukuba le ngelosi yayinguLizwi, uNyana olizibulo likaThixo.​—Eks. 23:20-23; Yoh. 1:1.

⁴ Xa uYoshuwa waba yinkokeli yamaSirayeli endaweni kaMoses, uYehova wanceda abantu bakhe balwamkela olo tshintsho. Nathi siphila kwixesha apho kusenzeka utshintsho oluninzi kwintlangano, ibe sisenokuzibuza, ‘Njengoko intlangano ihambela phambili ngokukhawuleza, ngaba sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokuyithemba inkokeli ebekwe nguThixo, uYesu?’ (Funda uMateyu 23:10.) Makhe sithethe ngendlela uYehova awabakhokela ngayo abantu bakhe mandulo xa kwakusenzeka utshintsho.

5. Wadibana nabani uYoshuwa ngaseYeriko? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁵ Emva nje kokuba amaSirayeli ewele iYordan, uYoshuwa wadibana nento awayengayilindelanga. Njengoko wayesondela eYeriko wadibana nendoda eyayiphethe ikrele. UYoshuwa owayengayazi le ndoda wayibuza: “Ungakuthi okanye ungakwiintshaba zethu?” Wothuka xa yamxelela ukuba ingubani. Kaloku le ‘yayiyinkosana yomkhosi kaYehova’ ngokwayo ibe yayize kukhusela abantu bakaThixo. (Funda uYoshuwa 5:13-15.) Nangona kwezinye iindawo kusithiwa uYehova wathetha ngqo noYoshuwa, kuyabonakala ukuba uThixo wathetha ngengelosi kuba wayesoloko esenza njalo.​—Eks. 3:2-4; Yosh. 4:1, 15; 5:2, 9; IZe. 7:38; Gal. 3:19.

6-8. (a) Kutheni eminye imiyalelo kaYehova yayisenokungavakali ncam kwabanye abantu? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba le miyalelo yayicingisiswe kakuhle kwaye ifike ngexesha elifanelekileyo? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁶ Le ngelosi yanika uYoshuwa imiyalelo yokoyisa isixeko saseYeriko. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni eminye yale miyalelo yayingabonakali ngathi iza kusebenza. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wathi onke amadoda makoluswe, ibe loo nto yayiza kuwenza angakwazi kwenza nto kangangeentsuku eziliqela. Ngaba kwakububulumko ukuwolusa ngelo xesha la madoda emfazwe?​—Gen. 34:24, 25; Yosh. 5:2, 8.

⁷ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nawo loo majoni ayezibuza ukuba aza kuzikhusela njani iintsapho zawo xa utshaba luhlasela. Kuthe kusenjalo eva iindaba zokuba iYeriko, ‘ivalwe ngokuqinileyo ngenxa yoonyana bakaSirayeli.’ (Yosh. 6:1) Inoba loo nto yawenza ayithemba nangakumbi into ethethwa nguThixo.

⁸ AmaSirayeli kwaphinda kwathiwa angayihlaseli iYeriko kodwa amatshe ajikeleze eso sixeko kanye ngokusu iintsuku ezintandathu, aze kolwesixhenxe asijikeleze kasixhenxe. Mhlawumbi namanye amajoni ayesithi, ‘Hayi suka sidlala nje ngexesha!’ Kodwa ke iNkokeli kaSirayeli esezulwini yayiyazi kakuhle into eyenzayo. Eli cebo layo laluqinisa ukholo lwamaSirayeli laza lawakhusela ukuze angalwi ngqo namajoni anamandla aseYeriko.​—Yosh. 6:2-5; Heb. 11:30. *

9. Kutheni simele siyithobele imiyalelo yentlangano? Yenza umzekelo.

⁹ Sifunda ntoni kweli bali? Ngamanye amaxesha sisenokungaziqondi kakuhle izizathu zokuba intlangano ithi masenze into ethile. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni sasizibuza ukuba kutheni ngoku sekusithiwa masisebenzise  iifowuni neethabhlethi xa sifunda, sishumayela okanye sikwiintlanganiso. Kodwa ngoku siyabubona ubulumko bokuzisebenzisa xa sinazo. Xa sibona imiphumo emihle yezigqibo zentlangano nangona besikhe sazithandabuza, siba nokholo oluqinileyo size simanyane.

10. Ngubani owayefuna kubekho intlanganiso yequmrhu elilawulayo eYerusalem?

¹⁰ Nasemva kweminyaka emalunga neyi-13 uKorneli ebe ngumKristu, amanye amakholwa angamaYuda ayesathi iintlanga zimele zoluke. (IZe. 15:1, 2) Xa kwaphikiswana ngale nto kwa-Antiyokwe, kwathunywa uPawulos eYerusalem ukuba aye kuyibuza kwiqumrhu elilawulayo. Kodwa eso yayisisigqibo sikabani? UPawulos wathi: “Ndenyuka ngokwesityhilelo.” Kucacile ukuba uKristu wayefuna loo mpikiswano ilungiswe liqumrhu elilawulayo.​—Gal. 2:1-3.

11. (a) Ulwaluko lwaqhubeka njani luyingxaki kumaYuda angamaKristu? (b) Yintoni eyenza kwacaca ukuba uPawulos uyabaxhasa abadala baseYerusalem? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ Elo qumrhu lilawulayo lalikhokelwa nguKristu lakhupha umyalelo ocacileyo wokuba akuyomfuneko ukuba amaKristu angengomaYuda oluswe. (IZe. 15:19, 20) Kodwa ke nasemva kweminyaka senziwe eso sigqibo, amaKristu amaninzi angamaYuda ayesabolusa abantwana bawo. Xa abadala baseYerusalem beva ukuba kugcwele into yokuba uPawulos akawuthobeli uMthetho KaMoses, bamnika umyalelo awayengawulindelanga. * (IZe. 21:20-26) Bathi makathathe amadoda amane awase etempileni ukuze abantu bacinge ukuba naye ‘uyawuthobela umthetho.’ UPawulos wayesenokungavumi esithi abona bantu banengxaki ngala maKristu angamaYuda kuba akayiqondi kakuhle ukuba ihamba njani le nto yolwaluko.  Kodwa wathobela kuba wayebaxhasa abo badala ababefuna amakholwa amanyane. Kodwa ke sisenokuzibuza, ‘Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu ayiyeke ixesha elide kangaka le nto ekubeni ukufa kwakhe kwakuwuchithile uMthetho KaMoses?’​—Kol. 2:13, 14.

12. Inoba kutheni le nto uKristu wathatha ixesha ngaphambi kokuba alungise umcimbi wolwaluko?

¹² Abanye abantu abakhawulezi bayamkele indlela entsha eziqondwa ngayo izinto. AmaKristu angamaYuda ayedinga ixesha elaneleyo lokutshintsha indlela acinga ngayo. (Yoh. 16:12) Kwakunzima kwabanye ukuyamkela into yokuba akufuneki woluke ukuze ube nobuhlobo obukhethekileyo noThixo. (Gen. 17:9-12) Abanye bona babengafuni kwahluka kumaYuda kuba besoyika ukutshutshiswa. (Gal. 6:12) Kodwa ke ekuhambeni kwexesha uKristu wayilungisa le nto ngeeleta ezabhalwa nguPawulos.​—Roma 2:28, 29; Gal. 3:23-25.

13. Yintoni eza kusinceda sibone ukuba uKristu usakhokela nanamhlanje?

¹³ Xa singasiqondi kakuhle isizathu sokuba intlangano itshintshe into ethile, kuhle sicinge ngendlela uKristu abakhokele ngayo abantu bakaThixo ngaphambili. Ngemihla kaYoshuwa nangexesha labapostile uKristu wakhupha imiyalelo eyayikhusela abantu bakaThixo, iqinisa ukholo lwabo kwaye ibenza bamanyane.​—Heb. 13:8.

14-16. Imiyalelo esiyifumana ‘kwikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ ibonisa njani ngokucacileyo ukuba uKristu ufuna sibe nokholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁴ Into yokuba uYesu ufuna sibe nokholo olomeleleyo siyibona ngokucacileyo kwimiyalelo ‘yekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ esiyifumana kanye ngexesha elifanelekileyo. (Mat. 24:45) UMarc onabantwana abane uthi: “USathana uhlasela iintsapho kuba efuna ukuwenza buthathaka amabandla. Kodwa ke iintloko-ntsapho zinikwe umyalelo ocacileyo othi, ‘Khuselani iintsapho zenu!’ Loo nto siyibona kwinto yokuba kuthiwe maziqhube unqulo lwentsapho veki nganye.”

¹⁵ Xa sibona indlela uKristu asikhokela ngayo sitsho siqonde ukuba nyhani ufuna sibe nokholo olomeleleyo. UPatrick ongumdala uthi: “Ekuqaleni, abanye babengayithandi ncam into yokuphuma intsimi singamaqela amancinci ngeempelaveki. Kodwa eli lungiselelo lenza kucace gca ukuba uYesu uthanda nabona bantu baphantsi. Abazalwana noodade abaneentloni nabangakhuthalanga kangako baye baziva bebalulekile kwaye besetyenziswa, yaza loo nto yaluqinisa ukholo lwabo.”

¹⁶ UKristu usinceda sibe nokholo oluqinileyo kwaye sihlale sicinga ngowona msebenzi ubalulekileyo omele wenziwe namhlanje. (Funda uMarko 13:10.) UAndré osandul’ ukuba ngumdala ebesoloko eluqaphela utshintsho olwenziwa yintlangano kaThixo. Uthi: “Ukuncitshiswa kwenani labantu abakhonza eBheteli kusenza sibone ukuba ixesha liphelile kwaye simele sibe ngathi siyaqina apha ekushumayeleni.”

17, 18. Kusinceda ngantoni ukucinga ngendlela okusincede ngayo ukwamkela utshintsho olusandul’ ukwenziwa?

¹⁷ Imiyalelo esiyifumana kuKumkani uYesu Kristu ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba sele ejonge phambili kwixesha elizayo. Ngoko masivuye xa sibona indlela olusincede ngayo utshintsho olusandul’ ukwenziwa. Kuya kuninceda ukuthetha  ngendlela olunincede ngayo utshintsho olusandul’ ukwenziwa kwiintlanganiso zaphakathi evekini kunqulo lwenu lwentsapho.

¹⁸ Siya kuwuthobela lula umyalelo wentlangano kaYehova xa sizama ukuqonda esona sizathu sawo nendlela osinceda ngayo. Ngokomzekelo, ngoku siyaqonda ukuba ukunciphisa iincwadi eziprintwayo kusenza songe imali; ukusebenzisa iteknoloji yale mihla kusenza siqhubeke nomsebenzi woBukumkani owenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Xa sicinga ngale nto, siya kutsho sizisebenzise nangakumbi iincwadi ze-elektroniki neevidiyo. Xa sisenza loo nto, kuya kutsho kucace ukuba nathi sifuna njengoKristu ukuyisebenzisa kakuhle imali yentlangano.

19. Kutheni simele simthobele uKristu?

¹⁹ Xa simthobela ngentliziyo yonke uKristu, siyaluqinisa ukholo lwabanye size senze kubekho umanyano. Xa ethetha ngokuncitshiswa kwenani labazalwana abakhonza eBheteli emhlabeni wonke, uAndré uthi: “Indlela abalwamkele ngayo utshintsho aba bazalwana bebekade bekhonza eBheteli indenza ndimthembe uKristu ndize ndibahloniphe. Baxhasa intlangano kaYehova ngokwamkela nasiphi na isabelo abasinikwayo.”

20, 21. (a) Kutheni simele siyithembe iNkokeli yethu uKristu? (b) Siza kuphendula owuphi umbuzo kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²⁰ Kungekudala iNkokeli yethu uYesu Kristu iza ‘kuluphelelisa uloyiso lwayo’ ize ‘yenze izinto ezoyikekayo.’ (ISityhi. 6:2; INdu. 45:4) Okwangoku iqeqesha abantu bakaThixo ukuze bakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa nokwakha oza kwenziwa xa kuvuswa abantu.

²¹ UKumkani wethu othanjisiweyo uza kusikhokela singene kwihlabathi elitsha ukuba simthemba ngentliziyo yonke enoba iimeko zitshintsha kangakanani. (Funda iNdumiso 46:1-3.) Kusenokuba nzima ukwamkela utshintsho, ingakumbi xa lufika singalindelanga. Xa kunjalo, yintoni eza kusinceda sihlale sizolile size siqhubeke sinokholo kuYehova? Lo mbuzo uza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.