NJENGOBE ema-Israyeli asendvulo abelungiselela kwewela umfula iJordane aye eveni Nkulunkulu labewetsembise lona, kwefika tivakashi. Letivakashi bekubafati baletinye tive futsi bamema emadvodza langema-Israyeli kutsi ete esidlweni lesikhetsekile. Loko bekungabonakala kulilungelo lelingakavami. Kutfola bangani labasha, kudansa, kanye nekudla kudla lokumnandzi bekungabonakala kujabulisa kakhulu. Nanobe emasiko nemitsetfo yekutiphatsa kwalabafati beyingafani nemitsetfo Nkulunkulu labeyinikete ema-Israyeli, lamanye ema-Israyeli kungenteka acabanga: ‘Siyakwati lokuhle nalokubi, sitawuhlala sicaphile.’

 Yini leyenteka? LiBhayibheli litsi: “Emadvodza acala kungenela kulalana nalabasikati besive semaMowabi.” Ecinisweni labesifazane bebafuna emadvodza langema-Israyeli akhonte bonkulunkulu bemanga. Futsi nguloko kanye lokwenteka. Kungako “lulaka lwaSimakadze lwabavutsela.”—Num. 25:1-3.

Lama-Israyeli ephula imitsetfo yaNkulunkulu lemibili: Akhotsamela titfombe, aphindze atiphatsa kabi ngekwelicasi. Tinkhulungwane tema-Israyeli tafa ngenca yekungalaleli. (Eks. 20:4, 5, 14; Dut. 13:6-9) Loku lokwenteka kwaba buhlungu kakhulu ngobe kube lamadvodza akazange awephule uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu, ngekushesha tinkhulungwane tema-Israyeli ngabe besetiwewelile umfula iJordane futsi tangena eVeni Lesetsembiso.—Num. 25:5, 9.

Mayelana naloko lokwenteka, umphostoli Pawula wabhala: “Letintfo letenteka kubo tisibonelo, futsi tabhalelwa kutsi tibe sicwayiso kitsi tsine lesesifikelwe kuphela kwalelive.” (1 Ko. 10:7-11) Asingabati kutsi Sathane wajabula ngesikhatsi lamanye ema-Israyeli enta sono lesikhulu futsi angakufanelekeli kungena eVeni Lesetsembiso. Kukuhlakanipha ngatsi kutsi sisinake lesecwayiso ngobe siyati kutsi Sathane utawujabula nasingeke singene eveni lelisha Nkulunkulu lasetsembise lona.

Sathane ubamba emaKhristu asebentisa emachinga lawati kahle kutsi ake aphumelela nakawasebentisa kubantfu labanyenti. Njengobe sifundzile kuma-Israyeli, wasebentisa kutiphatsa lokubi ngekwelicasi. Nalamuhla, kutiphatsa lokubi solo kuyachubeka kulugibe loluyingoti kakhulu. Lenye indlela leyandzisa kutiphatsa lokubi, kubuka titfombe letingcolile.

Lamuhla, umuntfu angabukela titfombe letingcolile ayedvwa futsi labanye bangati. Eminyakeni leminyenti leyendlulile, umuntfu nakafuna kubukela titfombe letingcolile bekaya lakubukelwa khona ema-movie noma esitolo lesitsengisa tincwadzi lakungena khona bantfu labadzala kuphela, kute atsenge tincwadzi letinetitfombe letingcolile. Bekuba lihlazo kubonakala kuletindzawo noma edvute nato, ngako bantfu labanyenti bebangayi kuto. Lamuhla bantfu basebentisa tintfo tebucwephesha kute babukele titfombe letingcolile nabasemsebentini nome bahleti etimotweni tabo. Etindzaweni letinyenti, indvodza nobe umfati angabukela titfombe letingcolile ahleti endlini yakhe.

Kunyenti lakungabukelwa khona titfombe letingcolile. Tintfo tebuchwephesha letiphatfwako tikwente kwaba melula kubukela titfombe letingcolile. Bantfu bangatiphatsa letintfo kute batibukele nabatihambela etitaladini, nabagibele emabhasi nome titimela.

Njengobe sekumelula kubukela titfombe letingcolile nekufihla kutsi uyatibukela, umphumela ube kutsi kulimale bantfu labanyenti kunangesikhatsi lesendlulile. Labanyenti lababukela titfombe letingcolile balahlekelwe yimishado yabo, yinhlonipho futsi balimata nabonembeza babo. Lokubuhlungu nakakhulu balimete buhlobo babo naJehova. Siyaciniseka kutsi bantfu lababukela titfombe letingcolile batilimata bona. Etikhatsini latinyenti kubashiya bacindzeteleke kakhulu. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi kancane kancane lokucindzeteleka kungaphela kodvwa basala banemihuzuko lebuhlungu.

Nanobe kunjalo, kufanele sikhumbule kutsi Jehova uyasivikela kute singabanjwa ngulolugibe lwaSathane. Nangabe sifuna kuvikelwa nguJehova kufanele ‘simlalele,’ lokuyintfo emadvodza langema-Israyeli lehluleka kuyenta. (Eks. 19:5) Kufanele sati kutsi Nkulunkulu akafuni sibukele titfombe letingcolile. Kungani sisho njalo?

Cabanga ngaloku: Imitsetfo Nkulunkulu layiniketa sive sema-Israyeli beyehlukile kuyaletinye  tive tangaleso sikhatsi. Lemitsetfo leyanikwa ema-Israyeli ifananiswa nelubondza lobeluwavikela kubantfu lebebabomakhelwane bawo nasemikhubeni yabo lemibi. (Dut. 4:6-8) Lemitsetfo beyenta kucace kutsi Jehova uyakutondza kutiphatsa lokubi ngekwelicasi.

Nakachaza kutiphatsa lokubi lebekwentiwa tive lebetibomakhelwane bema-Israyeli, Jehova wawatjela watsi: “Aniyikwenta njengaloku benta eveni laseKhenani, lapho nginimikisa khona. . . . Ngisho nelive imbala selangcoliseka; ngako ngalijezisela leso sono salo.” Indlela emaKhenani labephila ngayo beyigcwele kutiphatsa lokubi kakhulu kangangekutsi nendzawo lebebahlala kuyo beseyingcolile ngekwembono waNkulunkulu longcwele waka-Israyeli.—Lev. 18:3, 25.

Nanobe Jehova awajezisa emaKhenani, labanye bantfu bachubeka batiphatsa kabi ngekwelicasi. Ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-1 500 leyalandzela, nakachaza tive emaKhristu lebebaphila emkhatsini wato, Pawula watsi: “Abasadliwa ngunembeza, futsi sebatinikele ekutiphatseni lokubi kwekweyisa kuze bente yonkhe inhlobo yekungcola ngebukhali.” (Ef. 4:17-19) Nalamuhla bantfu labanyenti batiphatsa kabi futsi sebete emahloni ngako. EmaKhristu eliciniso kufanele angakubuki kutiphatsa lokubi lokwenteka kulelive.

Kubuka titfombe letingcolile kukhombisa kungamhloniphi Nkulunkulu. Bantfu wabadala ngemfanekiso wakhe, futsi wabaniketa likhono lekubona lokubi nalokuhle. Ngekuhlakanipha wababekela imincele ngekuya ecasini, futsi bekafuna kutsi kujatjulelwe bantfu labashadile kuphela. (Gen. 1:26-28; Taga 5:18, 19) Kodvwa kutsiwani ngebantfu labakhutsata kubuka titfombe letingcolile? Bakhombisa kungatihloniphi timiso taNkulunkulu tekutiphatsa. Ecinisweni bantfu labakhutsata kubuka titfombe letingcolile bahlambalata Jehova. Jehova utawubehlulela bantfu labangatinaki timiso takhe ngenca yekutsi bente tintfo letingcolile nobe batikhutsate.—Rom. 1:24-27.

Kutsiwani ngebantfu labatibukela ngemabomu titfombe letingcolile? Labanye bacabanga kutsi kuyindlela yekutijabulisa lengasiyo ingoti. Ecinisweni basekela labantfu labangatihloniphi timiso taJehova. Kungenteka nabacala kubuka titfombe  letingcolile basuke bangakahlosi kusekela bantfu labanjalo. Nobe kunjalo liBhayibheli likwenta kucace kutsi bantfu labakhonta Nkulunkulu kufanele batenyanye titfombe letingcolile. LiBhayibheli lisiyala kutsi: “Nine lenitsandza Simakadze, tondzani konkhe lokubi.”—Hla. 97:10.

Ngisho nalabo labangafuni kubukela titfombe letingcolile bangakutfola kumatima kwenta kanjalo. Njengobe sinesono, kudzingeka sente imetamo kute sikhone kumelana netifiso letimbi. Ngetulu kwaloko tinhlitiyo tingasikhohlisa sicabange kutsi akukubi kubuka titfombe letingcolile. (Jer. 17:9) Bantfu labanyenti lesebangemaKhristu bakhonile kuwushiya lomkhuba. Kwati loko kungakwenta ube nesibindzi wati kutsi nawe ungakhona kuncoba lomkhuba. Naka kutsi liVi laNkulunkulu lingakusita ukhone kubalekela lugibe lwaSathane lwekubuka titfombe letingcolile.

Njengobe sibonile ekucaleni, ema-Israyeli lavumela tifiso letimbi abhujiswa ekugcineni. Kungenteka lokufanako nalamuhla. Jakobe umnakabo Jesu wachaza ingoti: “Kodvwa nguloyo naloyo ulingwa ngekuhungwa nangekuyengwa sifiso sakhe. Ngako sifiso nasesakhekile siveta sono; bese kutsi sono nasesentiwe, siletse kufa.” (Jak. 1:14, 15) Nangabe umuntfu avumela sifiso lesibi sakheke enhlitiyweni yakhe ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi loyo muntfu kungenteka ente sono. Ngako kufanele siyikhweshise imicabango yekutiphatsa lokubi futsi singacabangi ngayo.

Nakwenteka kufika imicabango lemibi engcondvweni yakho, yikhweshise ngekushesha. Jesu watsi: “Nangabe sandla sakho nobe lunyawo lwakho lukonisa, lujube ululahle. . . . Nangabe liso lakho likonisa, likhiphe ulilahle.” (Mat. 18:8, 9) Jesu bekangasho kutsi kufanele silimate imitimba yetfu, kodvwa bekasichazela kutsi kufanele sisheshe sitikhweshise tintfo letisenta sibe nemicabango lemibi. Singasisebentisa njani leseluleko mayelana netitfombe letingcolile?

Nakwenteka ubona titfombe letingcolile, ungacabangi kutsi ‘ngeke tize tibe yingoti.’ Ngekushesha khweshisa emehlo akho kuto. Vele uvale i-TV, vala i-computer, noma intfo yakho yebuchwephesha lephatfwako, bese ucabanga ngalokuhlantekile. Kwenta njalo kutakusita ulawule indlela  locabanga ngayo kunekutsi uvumele kulawulwa tifiso letimbi.

Kutsiwani nangabe ukhonile kuyekela umkhuba wekubukela titfombe letingcolile, kodvwa uhle ukukhumbula loko lobewukubukela? Titfombe letingcolile nobe imicabango lemibi ingahlala sikhatsi lesidze engcondvweni yemuntfu. Futsi ingafika nobe ngunini. Loko kungakwenta ufise kwenta imikhuba lengcolile, njengekushaya indlwabu. Ngako hlale ugadzile kutsi ingefika imicabango lenjalo futsi uhlale ukulungele kulwisana nayo.

Timisele kutsi uhlale ucabanga ngentsandvo yaNkulunkulu futsi wente ngekuvumelana nayo. Lingisa umphostoli Pawula lobekafisa ‘kuwucindzetela umtimba wakhe futsi awente sigcili.’ (1 Ko. 9:27) Ungavumeli tifiso letingcolile tikulawule. ‘Gucuka ngekutsi ushintje ingcondvo yakho, kuze utitfolele wena loko lokuyintsandvo yaNkulunkulu, lenhle, leyemukelekako nalephelele.’ (Rom. 12:2) Khumbula kutsi nawucabanga futsi wenta ngekuvumelana neliVi laNkulunkulu utawenetiseka kakhulu. Kodvwa nawenta imikhuba lemibi ngeke ujabule.

Yetama kufundza emavesi latsite eliBhayibheli. Bese uzindla ngawo nakufika imicabango lemibi engcondvweni yakho. Imibhalo lefana neTihlabelelo 119:37; Isaya 52:11; Matewu 5:28; Efesu 5:3; Kholose 3:5; kanye na-1 Thesalonika 4:4-8 itakusita ucabange ngendlela Jehova lativa ngayo ngekubukela titfombe letingcolile kanye naloko lafuna ukwente.

Yini longayenta nangabe ungakhoni kuyekela kubuka nobe kucabanga ngemikhuba lemibi? Landzela edvute Jesu losibonelo setfu lesikhulu. (1 Ph 2:21) Ngemva kwekutsi Jesu abhajatiswe, Sathane wachubeka amlinga. Yini Jesu layenta? Akazange avume. Wasebentisa imiBhalo leyehlukahlukene kuze angavumeli letilingo taSathane. Watsi: “Hamba Sathane,” ngako Sathane wamshiya. Njengobe Jesu angazange ativumele tilingo taSathane, natsi kufanele simlingise. (Mat. 4:1-11) Sathane nelive lakhe lelibi batawuchubeka betama kusenta sicabange tintfo letimbi, kodvwa chubeka ulwa naye. Ungakhona kuwuncoba umkhuba wekubuka titfombe letingcolile. Jehova utakusita ukhone kuncoba Sathane.

Tsembela ngalokuphelele kuJehova futsi uthantaze kuye. Pawula watsi: “Ticelo tenu atatiwe nguNkulunkulu.  . .  . Kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kucondza kutawulondza tinhlitiyo netingcondvo tenu ngaKhristu Jesu.” (Fil. 4:6, 7) Nkulunkulu utasiniketa kuthula lokutawusenta singenti tintfo letimbi. Nawusondzela kuJehova, ‘naye utawusondzela kuwe.’—Jak. 4:8.

Nangabe sinebuhlobo lobuhle neMbusi wendalo yonkhe, sitawuvikeleka emachingeni aSathane. Jesu watsi: “[Sathane] umbusi walelive uyeta kodvwa ute emandla kimi.” (Joh. 14:30) Yini leyenta Jesu waciniseka ngaloko? Wachaza watsi: “Loyo longitfumile unami, futsi akakangishiyi ngedvwa, ngobe ngihlale ngenta tintfo letimjabulisako.” (Joh. 8:29) Nangabe nawe wetama kujabulisa Jehova ungaciniseka kutsi akayuze akushiye. Lubalekele lugibe lwekubuka titfombe letingcolile, futsi Sathane angeke abe nemandla kuwe.