1-2. (a) IBhayibhile imchaza njani uMoses, ibe wenza ntoni? (b) Sesiphi isizathu esinaso esisenza sizame ukululama?

XA IBHAYIBHILE ichaza uMoses ithi ‘wayengoyena mntu ululamileyo kubantu bonke ababephezu komhlaba.’ (Num. 12:3) Ngaba le nto ithetha ukuba wayebuthathaka, esoyika ukwenza izigqibo nokuyimela into ayithethayo xa abanye bemphikisa? Abanye abantu basenokuthi unjalo umntu olulamileyo. Kodwa ayonyani leyo. UMoses wayengumkhonzi kaThixo owomeleleyo, ongoyikiyo ukwenza izigqibo nonesibindi. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, wakwazi ukuthetha noKumkani waseYiputa, wakhokela amaSirayeli ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ayeyi-3 000 000 entlango waza wawanceda oyisa iintshaba zawo.

² Thina asinazo iingxaki awazoyisayo uMoses, kodwa yonke imihla simele simelane nabantu okanye neengxaki ezenza kube nzima ukululama. Kodwa ke, sinesizathu esivakalayo sokuba sizame ukululama. UYehova uthembisa ukuba “abalulamileyo baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba.” (INdu. 37:11) Ngaba wena ungathi ungumntu olulamileyo? Ngaba nabanye abantu bakwazi njalo? Ngaphambi kokuba siphendule le mibuzo ibalulekileyo, simele sazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukululama.

3-4. (a) Ukululama kufana nantoni? (b) Zeziphi iimpawu ezine ekufuneka sibe nazo ukuze silulame, ibe ngoba?

³ Ukululama kufana nento epeyintwe kakuhle. Njani? Njengokuba umntu onobuchule bokupeyinta esebenzisa imibala emininzi emihle, nathi simele sibe neempawu ezininzi ezintle ukuze silulame. Ezona ziphambili kuzo kukuthobeka,  ukuthobela, ubulali, nesibindi. Kutheni kufuneka sibe nezi mpawu ukuba sifuna ukuvuyisa uYehova? *

⁴ Ngabantu abathobekileyo kuphela abavumayo ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Okunye ukuthanda kukaThixo kukuba silulame. (Mat. 5:5; Gal. 5:23) Xa sisenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, siyamcaphukisa uSathana. Nangona sithobekile ibe silulamile, abantu abaninzi kweli hlabathi likaSathana bayasicaphukela. (Yoh. 15:18, 19) Ngenxa yoko kufuneka sibe nesibindi ukuze sikwazi ukumlwa uSathana.

5-6. (a) Kutheni uSathana ebacaphukela abantu abalulamileyo? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

⁵ Umntu ongalulamanga ngumntu onekratshi, ongakwaziyo ukulawula umsindo nongamthobeliyo uYehova. Unjalo kanye uSathana. Yiyo le nto ebacaphukela kangaka abantu abalulamileyo! Baveza indlela angcole ngayo kuba baneempawu ezintle yena angenazo. Eyona nto imbi kakhulu kuSathana kukuba bamngqina elixoki. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba, enoba uthini okanye wenza ntoni, akanakukwazi ukunqanda abantu abalulamileyo ukuba bangamkhonzi uYehova!​—Yobhi 2:3-5.

⁶ Kunokuba nzima xa kutheni ukululama? Kutheni simele siqhubeke sizama ukululama? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, siza kuthetha ngomzekelo kaMoses, owamaHebhere amathathu ayengabathinjwa eBhabhiloni, nokaYesu.

7-8. Wathini uMoses xa wayegxekwa nguMiriyam noAron?

⁷ Xa sinegunya: Kusenokuba nzima kwabo banegunya ukuhlala belulamile, ingakumbi xa abo baphantsi kwabo bengabamameli okanye bethandabuza izigqibo abazenzayo. Yakha yenzeka kuwe loo nto? Ungathini ukuba ingenziwa ngumntu ozalana naye? Makhe sithethe ngento eyenziwa nguMoses xa kwakwenzeke into enjalo kuye.

 ⁸ UYehova wakhetha uMoses ukuba akhokele amaSirayeli waza wathi makabhale imithetho eyayiza kuwalawula. Yayicacile into yokuba uMoses uxhaswa nguYehova. Nangona kunjalo, udadewabo nomntakwabo, uMiriyam noAron, babemgxeka ibe bathi wayengamelanga ukuba umtshatile lo mntu wayetshate naye. Ukuba amanye amadoda ayekwisikhundla sikaMoses, mhlawumbi ayenokucaphuka aze afune ukuziphindezela. Kodwa uMoses zange ayenze loo nto. Zange acatshukiswe lula yile nto. Wade wacela uYehova ukuba aphilise uMiriyam. (Num. 12:1-13) Kwakutheni ukuze uMoses enze loo nto?

9-10. (a) UYehova wanceda uMoses ukuba aqonde ntoni? (b) Iintloko ntsapho nabadala banokufunda ntoni kuMoses?

⁹ UMoses wavuma ukuqeqeshwa nguYehova. Kwiminyaka eyi-40 eyadlulayo, xa wayelilungu lentsapho kaKumkani waseYiputa, uMoses wayengalulamanga. Ngaphezu koko, wayekhawuleza ukucaphuka kangangokuba wabulala enye indoda kuba esithi yenza into engafanelekanga. UMoses wayecinga ukuba uYehova uza kuyithanda le nto ayenzileyo. UYehova wachitha iminyaka eyi-40 enceda uMoses aqonde ukuba kwakungafuneki nje abe nesibindi ukuze akwazi ukukhokela amaSirayeli, kodwa kwakufuneka alulame. Ibe ukuze alulame, kwakufuneka nokuba athobeke, athobele aze abe nobulali. Wasifunda kakuhle eso sifundo ibe waba ngumveleli owenza kakuhle kakhulu umsebenzi wakhe.​—Eks. 2:11, 12; IZe. 7:21-30, 36.

¹⁰ Namhlanje, iintloko ntsapho nabadala bamele benze njengoMoses. Xa ungamanyelwa ungakhawulezi ucaphuke. Thobeka uze uzivume iimpazamo ozenzayo. (INtshu. 7:9, 20) Thobela imiyalelo kaYehova xa ufuna ukulungisa iingxaki onazo, uze ube nobulali qho xa uphendula. (IMize. 15:1) Iintloko ntsapho nabadala abenza ngale ndlela bayamvuyisa uYehova, benza kubekho uxolo ibe bangumzekelo wokululama.

11-13. Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo wamaHebhere amathathu?

¹¹ Xa sitshutshiswa: Ukususela kudala, iinkokeli bezisoloko zibatshutshisa abantu bakaYehova. Zisenokusityhola ngokwenza izinto ezimbi, kodwa esona sizathu sokuba zibe nomsindo kukuba sikhetha ‘ukuthobela uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.’ (IZe. 5:29) Kusenokuthethwa kakubi ngathi, sibanjwe okanye sibethwe. Kodwa ke, ngenxa yokuba uYehova esinceda asizokuphindisa, siza kuhlala sizolile.

¹² Makhe sithethe ngomzekelo wamaHebhere amathathu ayethinjwe eBhabhiloni,  uHananiya, uMishayeli noAzariya. Ukumkani waseBhabhiloni wathi mawaqubude kumfanekiso wegolide omkhulu. Alulama aza amcacisela ukumkani ukuba kutheni engazukumnqula lo mfanekiso. Ahlala emthobela uThixo nangona ukumkani wathi uza kuwatshisa ezikweni lomlilo. UYehova wakhetha ukuwasindisa loo madoda ngoko nangoko, kodwa wona ayengalindelanga ukuba enzelwe loo nto. Endaweni yoko, ayezimisele ukwamkela nantoni uYehova awayeza kuyivumela. (Dan. 3:1, 8-28) Abonisa ukuba abantu abalulamileyo banesibindi nyhani. Enoba umntu ophetheyo uthi masingamthobeli uYehova okanye abanye abantu bathi baza kusenzakalisa ukuba asenzi into abayifunayo, ayikho into enokuze isenze siyeke ukukhonza uYehova.​—Eks. 20:4, 5. *

¹³ Singawaxelisa njani la maHebhere mathathu xa sivavanywa? Sihlala sithobekile sisazi ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda. (INdu. 118:6, 7) Sibaphendula ngembeko, sizolile abantu abasityhola ngokwenza izinto ezimbi. (1 Pet. 3:15) Asifuni kwenza nantoni na eza kusenza siyeke ukuba ngabahlobo noTata wethu osithandayo.

14-15. (a) Ziintoni ezinokwenzeka xa sinestres? (b) Ngokutsho kukaIsaya 53:7, 10, kutheni sinokuthi uYesu ungumzekelo woyena mntu owakwaziyo ukululama xa enestres?

¹⁴ Xa sinestres: Sonke siba nestres ngenxa yezizathu ezahlukeneyo. Sisenokuba naso ngaphambi kokuba sibhale iimviwo esikolweni okanye senze into ethile emsebenzini. Okanye sisenokuba nestres xa sicinga ngohlobo lonyango esisenokuludinga. Xa sinestres, kuba nzima ukululama. Izinto ezingaqhelanga kusiphazamisa zisenokuqalisa ukusikruqula. Sisenokungathethi kakuhle size singabaphathi kakuhle abanye abantu. Ukuba wakha wanestres, khawucinge ngomzekelo kaYesu.

¹⁵ Ngeentsuku zokugqibela elapha emhlabeni, uYesu wayenestres. Wayesazi ukuba kuza kwenzeka izinto ezibuhlungu kuye aze abulawe. (Yoh. 3:14, 15; Gal. 3:13) Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba afe wathi ubuhlungu. (Luka 12:50) Kanti kwiintsuku ngaphambi kokuba afe uYesu wathi “ukhathazekile.” Amazwi awawasebenzisayo xa wayechaza indlela aziva ngayo emthandazweni abonisa ukuba wayelulamile ibe emthobela uThixo. Wathi: “Bawo, ndisindise kweli lixa. Noko ke, kungenxa yoku le nto ndifikile kweli lixa. Bawo, lizukise igama lakho.” (Yoh. 12:27, 28) Xa lafikayo ixesha, ngesibindi uYesu wazisa kwiintshaba zikaThixo, ezambulala ngeyona ndlela ibuhlungu nelihlazo. Nangona wayenestres, uYesu walulama waza wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinokuthi uYesu ungumzekelo woyena mntu owakwaziyo ukululama xa enestres!​—Funda uIsaya 53:7, 10.

16-17. (a) Yintoni eyenziwa ngabahlobo bakaYesu eyayinokwenza kube nzima ngaye ukululama? (b) Sinokumxelisa njani uYesu?

¹⁶ Ngobusuku bokugqibela uYesu esemhlabeni, abona bahlobo bakhe basondeleyo benza into eyayinokwenza kube nzima ukuba alulame. Khawufan’ ucinge istres uYesu awayenaso ngoba busuku. Ngaba wayeza kuhlala ethembekile ade afe? Ukuba wayengathembekanga, akekho umntu owayeza kuba nethemba lobomi obungunaphakade. (Roma 5:18, 19) Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba izenzo zakhe zazinokulingcolisa okanye zilingcwalise igama likaTata wakhe. (Yobhi 2:4) Kwisidlo sokugqibela kunye nabona bahlobo basondeleyo kuye, kwabakho “impikiswano  eshushu” phakathi kwabapostile bakhe yokuba “nguwuphi na kubo obonakala engoyena mkhulu.” UYesu wayebalungise kaninzi abahlobo bakhe ngale nto, kangangokuba wayebalungisa okwesibini ngoba busuku! Into emangalisayo kukuba uYesu zange akruquke. Endaweni yoko, wahlala ezolile. Ngobubele uYesu waphinda wabacacisela indlela abamele babe yiyo. Emva koko, wabancoma abahlobo bakhe ngokuqhubeka bemxhasa.​—Luka 22:24-28; Yoh. 13:1-5, 12-15.

¹⁷ Ukuba le nto yayenzeke kuwe, wawuza kuthini? Sinokufana noYesu ngokuthi sihlale sizolile naxa sinestres. Masithobele umyalelo kaYehova ‘wokuqhubeka sinyamezelana.’ (Kol. 3:13) Siza kuwuthobela lo myalelo xa sikhumbula ukuba sonke sikhe sithethe size senze izinto ezibakruqulayo abanye. (IMize. 12:18; Yak. 3:2, 5) Simele sizame nokuzincoma izinto ezintle esizibonayo kwabanye.—Efe. 4:29.

18. UYehova ubanceda njani abantu abalulamileyo ukuba bazenze kakuhle izigqibo, ibe yintoni abamele bayenze?

¹⁸ Siza kuzenza kakuhle izigqibo. Xa singazi nokuba masithini, uYehova uza kusinceda sizenze kakuhle izigqibo. Kodwa uza kuyenza le nto kuphela xa silulamile. Uthembisa ukuba uza kuwuva “umnqweno wabalulamileyo.” (INdu. 10:17) Akazukuphelela nje ekuveni umnqweno wethu. IBhayibhile ithembisa oku: “Uya kubangela abalulamileyo bahambe kwimimiselo yakhe, yaye abalulamileyo uya kubafundisa indlela yakhe.” (INdu. 25:9) UYehova usikhokela esebenzisa iBhayibhile, iincwadi zethu, * iividiyo neentlanganiso esizilungiselelwe ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Simele sithobeke size siyiqonde into yokuba siyaludinga uncedo lukaYehova ngokuzifunda izinto asinika zona size sizenze.

19-21. Yeyiphi impazamo uMoses awayenzayo eKadeshe, ibe zeziphi izinto esizifundayo kuyo?

¹⁹ Siza kukuphepha ukwenza iimpazamo. Makhe siphinde sithethe ngoMoses. Kangangeminyaka emininzi wahlala elulamile ibe wamvuyisa uYehova. Emva kweminyaka eyi-40 amaSirayeli esentlango, uMoses wayeka ukululama. Kwakusandokusweleka udadewabo, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ngulo wayemsindise  eYiputa, ibe wangcwatywa eKadeshe. Emva koko, amaSirayeli aphinda athi ayengakhathalelwanga. Ngoku ‘axabana noMoses’ ngenxa yokuba amanzi engekho. Nangona uYehova wanika uMoses amandla okwenza imimangaliso emininzi, ibe naye uMoses wabakhokela ngaphandle kokunyanzelwa, abantu bakhalaza. Zange bakhalazele nje ukungabikho kwamanzi kodwa bakhalazela noMoses, ngokungathi kungenxa yakhe le nto babenxaniwe.​—Num. 20:1-5, 9-11.

²⁰ UMoses wacaphuka kakhulu waza wayeka ukululama. Nangona uYehova wathi makathethe nelitye, yena uMoses wathetha kakubi nabantu waza wathi uza kwenza ummangaliso. Emva koko, wabetha ilitye kabini kwaza kwaphuma amanzi amaninzi. Wenza impazamo enkulu kuba waba nekratshi nomsindo. (INdu. 106:32, 33) Ngenxa yokuba engazange alulame okwexeshana, uMoses zange avunyelwe ukuba angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso.​—Num. 20:12.

²¹ Kulo mzekelo, sifunda izinto ezibalulekileyo. Okokuqala, simele sizame ukuhlala silulamile. Ukuba siyayeka ukululama, sisenokukhawuleza sibe nekratshi size sithethe okanye senze izinto esiza kuzisola ngazo. Okwesibini, xa sinestres kusenokuba nzima ukuhlala silulamile, ngoko yiloo nto simele sizame ukululama, enoba kwenzeka ntoni.

22-23. (a) Kutheni simele siqhubeke sizama ukululama? (b) Athetha ukuthini amazwi akuZefaniya 2:3?

²² Siza kukhuseleka. UYehova sele eza kubatshabalalisa abantu abenza izinto ezimbi, aze asindise abalulamileyo. Emva koko kuza kubakho uxolo emhlabeni. (INdu. 37:10, 11) Ngaba uza kuba phakathi kwabantu abalulamileyo? Unako ukuba wenza ngokwamazwi abhalwe ngumprofeti uZefaniya.​—Funda uZefaniya 2:3.

²³ Kutheni uZefaniya 2:3 esithi, “Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa”? La mazwi awathethi kuthi uYehova akakwazi ukubakhusela abo bafuna ukumvuyisa nabo abathandayo. Endaweni yoko, athetha ukuthi kufuneka kubekho into esiyenzayo ukuze sikhuselwe. Sinako ukusinda “ngemini yomsindo kaYehova” size siphile ngonaphakade ukuba siyazama ukululama ngoku size sivuyise uYehova.