1-2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

IMPILO yethu imfitshane futhi ‘igcwele inhlupho.’ (Jobe. 14:1) Ukucabanga ngalokhu kungenza ngezinye izikhathi sidane kakhulu. Izinceku ezinengi zikaJehova zakudala lazo zazike zidane. Ezinye zaze zafisa ukuthi ngabe ziyafa. (1 AmaKho. 19:2-4; Jobe. 3:1-3, 11; 7:15, 16) Kodwa uJehova wayehlala eziduduza futhi eziqinisa. Indaba zazo zabhalwa eBhayibhilini ukuze zisiduduze njalo zisifundise.—Rom. 15:4.

² Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngoJosefa indodana kaJakhobe, ngomfelokazi uNawomi lomalokazana wakhe uRuthe, ngomLevi owabhala iHubo 73 langomphostoli uPhetro. UJehova wabaqinisa njani abantu bakhe laba ngesikhathi bedanile? Okwenzakala kubo kusifundisani? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le zizasiqinisekisa ukuthi “uJehova useduze labo abalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo” lokuthi ‘uyabasindisa labo abadabukileyo emoyeni.’—Hubo. 34:18.

3-4. Kwenzakalani kuJosefa eseselijaha?

³ UJosefa wayeleminyaka engaba ngu-17 ngesikhathi ephupha amaphupho amabili ayevela kuNkulunkulu. Amaphupho la ayeveza ukuthi uJosefa wayezakuba ngumuntu oqakathekileyo abangakibo ababezamhlonipha. (Gen. 37:5-10) Kodwa ngalesosikhathi abafowabo babengamhloniphi ngitsho, baze bamthengisa futhi waba yisigqili sesikhulu seGibhithe esithiwa nguPhothifa. (Gen. 37:21-28) Impilo yaphongumphendukela uJosefa, wayengasahlali ngakibo loyise owayemthanda. Wayeseyisigqili eGibhithe esebenzela umuntu owayengamazi uJehova.—Gen. 39:1.

⁴ UJosefa wayesazokwehlelwa ngobunye ubunzima. UmkaPhothifa  wamqambela amanga esithi wayezame ukumbamba iganyavu. UPhothifa kazange atshone ezihlupha ngokudingisisa ukuthi lokhu kwakuliqiniso yini kodwa waphosela uJosefa ejele lapho abotshwa khona ngamaketane. (Gen. 39:14-20; Hubo. 105:17, 18) Akucabange ukuthi ijaha elinguJosefa lezwa njani ngesikhathi liqanjelwa amanga kuthiwa lizame ukubamba iganyavu. Kumele ukuthi labantu bakhuluma kubi ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu kaJosefa lapho besizwa ngendaba le. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kwamdanisa kakhulu uJosefa.

5. Kuyini okwanceda uJosefa ukuthi angakhulelwa yikudana?

⁵ Ngesikhathi uJosefa eyisigqili langesikhathi esesejele kwakungelanto angayenza ukutshintsha isimo ayekuso. Manje kuyini okwamncedayo? Wenza imisebenzi ayeyiphiwe ngamandla akhe wonke kulokuthi azihluphe ngezinto ayengeke azitshintshe. Kodwa okwamnceda kakhulu yikuqakathekisa ukwenza izinto ezazithokozisa uJehova. Lokhu kwenza uJehova wabusisa konke ayekwenza.—Gen. 39:21-23.

6. Ukucabanga ngamaphupho akhe kungabe kwamnceda njani uJosefa?

⁶ Okunye okungabe kwanceda uJosefa yikucabanga ngamaphupho ayevela kuJehova ayebe lawo esesengakibo. Amaphupho lawo ayeveza ukuthi uzaphinda ayibone imuli yangakibo lokuthi izinto zizamhambela kuhle futhi lokhu yikho kanye okwenzakalayo. Ngesikhathi eseleminyaka engaba ngu-37 amaphupho akhe aqalisa ukugcwaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo.—Gen. 37:7, 9, 10; 42:6, 9.

7. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Phetro 5:10, kuyini okuzasinceda siqinisele nxa sisehlelwa yibunzima?

⁷ Sifundani? Okwenzakala kuJosefa kusifundisa ukuthi abantu bomhlaba lo balesihluku lokuthi bangasiphatha kubi. Ngezinye izikhathi abangasiphatha kubi  ngabafowethu labodadewethu. Kodwa nxa singabona uJehova eliDwala lethu kumbe iSiphephelo sethu asisoze sidane kakhulu futhi asisoze siyekele ukumkhonza. (Hubo. 62:6, 7; bala u-1 Phetro 5:10.) Khumbula ukuthi uJosefa wayeleminyaka engaba ngu-17 ngesikhathi esiba lamaphupho avela kuJehova. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyazithemba izinceku zakhe ezisakhulayo. Lamuhla banengi abasakhulayo abalokholo olunjengolukaJosefa. Abanye babo baze babotshwa ngenxa yokuthembeka kuNkulunkulu.—Hubo. 110:3, NWT.

8. Kuyini okwehlela uNawomi loRuthe?

⁸ UNawomi lemuli yakhe basuka elizweni lakibo koJuda ngenxa yendlala eyayibhahile bahamba bayahlala koMowabi. Sebekhonale u-Elimeleki umkaNawomi wafa emtshiya lamadodana amabili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amadodana la athatha abesifazana abangamaMowabi okwakuthiwa nguRuthe lo-Opha. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba litshumi amadodana la lawo afa atshiya omkawo esengaselabani ngoba ayengelabantwana. (Ruthe. 1:1-5) Kumele ukuthi konke lokhu kwenza abesifazana laba abathathu bacwila osizini. URuthe lo-Opha babengaphinda bende. Kodwa ngubani owayezanakekela uNawomi owayesekhulile? UNawomi wadana kakhulu waze wathi: “Lingangibizi ngokuthi nginguNawomi. Wothani nginguMara, ngoba uSomandla wenze impilo yami yaba munyu.” Ngemva kwezehlakalo zonke lezi ezibuhlungu, uNawomi wakhetha ukubuyela eBhethilehema futhi uRuthe wahamba laye.—Ruthe. 1:7, 18-20.

9. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuRuthe 1:16, 17, 22, uRuthe wamnceda njani uNawomi?

⁹ UNawomi wancedwa luthando oluqotho alutshengiswayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uRuthe wamtshengisa uthando oluqotho ngokuqhubeka elaye. (Bala uRuthe 1:16, 17, 22.) SebeseBhethilehema uRuthe wasebenza nzima edobha ibhali yakhe loNawomi. Lokhu kwenza abantu babona ukuthi wayengowesifazana okhutheleyo futhi olobuntu obuhle.—Ruthe. 3:11; 4:15.

10. UJehova walutshengisa njani uthando oluqotho kubayanga abanjengoNawomi loRuthe?

¹⁰ UJehova wanika ama-Israyeli umthetho owawutshengisa ukuthi ulendaba labayanga abanjengoNawomi loRuthe. Watshela abantu bakhe ukuthi nxa bevuna bangafiki emaphethelweni ensimu ukuze batshiyele abayanga. (Levi. 19:9, 10) Yikho uNawomi loRuthe babengathola ukudla bengazange bakucele.

11-12. Kuyini okwenziwa nguBhowazi okwathokozisa uNawomi loRuthe?

¹¹ Insimu uRuthe ayedobha kuyo ibhali yayingeyendoda enothileyo okwakuthiwa nguBhowazi. Kwayithinta kakhulu ukubona indlela uRuthe ayeqotho ngayo kuNawomi lendlela ayemthanda ngayo. Yikho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wamthatha wasethenga umhlabathi owawungowemuli kaNawomi ukuze abantwana bakaRuthe bawuthole njengelifa. (Ruthe. 4:9-13) UBhowazi loRuthe babalomntwana okwakuthiwa ngu-Obhedi owaba ngukhulu kaDavida.—Ruthe. 4:17.

¹² Kumele ukuthi uNawomi wathokoza kakhulu futhi wabonga uJehova ngesikhathi ephethe usana olungu-Obhedi. Kodwa yena loRuthe basazothokoza okwamagama sebevusiwe, sebesizwa ukuthi u-Obhedi waba ngukhokho kaJesu Khristu uMesiya owayethenjisiwe.

13. Sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuNawomi lakuRuthe?

¹³ Sifundani? Nxa sisehlelwa yibunzima singadana kakhulu kumbe sizizwe sidabukile emoyeni. Singacabanga ukuthi ubunzima  lobu abusoze buphele. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo kumele simthembe ngokupheleleyo uBaba wethu osezulwini futhi sihlale siseduze labafowethu labodadewethu. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova kabususi ubunzima esiyabe siphakathi kwabo. Phela kazange amvuse umkaNawomi kanye lamadodana akhe. Kodwa uzasincedisa ukuthi siqinisele. Angasebenzisa abafowethu labodadewethu ukuthi basitshengise uthando oluqotho.—Zaga. 17:17.

14. Kuyini okwenza umLevi wadana kakhulu?

¹⁴ IHubo 73 labhalwa ngumLevi othile. Umlobi wehubo leli wayelesibusiso sokusebenza endlini kaJehova. Kodwa ngesinye isikhathi wake wadana kakhulu. Kwasekutheni? Waqalisa ukuhawukela abantu ababi futhi ababezikhukhumeza. Kayisikho ukuthi wayefuna ukwenza izinto ezimbi njengabo kodwa wayebona angani baphila impilo engcono kuleyakhe. (Hubo. 73:2-9, 11-14) Izinto zazikhanya zibahambela kuhle. Babelemali, bekholisa impilo njalo bekhanya bengelanhlupho. Lokhu kwamdanisa kakhulu umLevi waze wathi: “Ngempela bekuyize ukugcina inhliziyo yami ihlanzekile; kube yize ukugeza izandla zami ngokungelacala.” Kusegcekeni ukuthi lokhu kwakungabangela ukuthi acine engasamkhonzi uJehova.

15. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuHubo 73:16-19, 22-25, kuyini okwanceda umLevi ngesikhathi edane kakhulu?

¹⁵ Bala iHubo 73:16-19, 22-25. UmLevi ‘wangena endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu.’ Eselapho kanye labanye ababekhonza uJehova wayesengahlaliseka, acabangisise kuhle ngendaba yakhe futhi athandaze ngayo. Lokhu kwenza wabona ukuthi ukucabanga kwakhe kwakuyibuthutha lokuthi wayengacina engasenguye mngane kaJehova. Wazwisisa lokuthi abantu ababi ‘basendaweni etshelelayo’ lokuthi bazakuba lesiphetho esibi. Umhubi ongumLevi kwakumele abone izinto ngendlela kaJehova ngoba lokho kwakuzamnceda ukuthi angadani kakhulu lokuthi angahawukeli abantu ababi. Esekwenzile lokho wayengasakhathazekanga futhi wayesethokoza.  Wathi: “Lomhlaba kawulakho engikufisayo ngaphandle kwakho [Jehova].”

16. Sifundani kumLevi?

¹⁶ Sifundani? Kasingaqali ukuhawukela abantu ababi abakhanya bephumelela. Intokozo yabo ngeyesikhatshana futhi abasoze baphile kuze kube nini lanini. (UmTshu. 8:12, 13) Nxa singabahawukela sizadana kakhulu futhi singacina singaseyibo bangane bakaJehova. Yikho ungazibona usuqalisa ukuhawukela abantu ababi yenza okwenziwa ngumLevi. Lalela lokho esikutshelwa nguNkulunkulu njalo umkhonze ndawonye labanye abenza intando yakhe. Nxa ungamthanda ukwedlula loba yini uzathola intokozo yeqiniso futhi uzahlala usendleleni eya ‘ekuphileni koqobo.’—1 Tim. 6:19.

17. Kuyini okungabe kwadanisa uPhetro?

¹⁷ Umphostoli uPhetro wayeyindoda etshisekayo kodwa ngezinye izikhathi wayekhuluma kumbe enze izinto engacabanganga okwakubangela ukuthi acine ezisola. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJesu etshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi uzahlupheka afe uPhetro wathi kuye: “Lokho ngeke kwenzeke kuwe loba sekutheni.” (Mat. 16:21-23) UJesu wamkhuza uPhetro. Ngesikhathi kusiza ixuku elalizobopha uJesu, uPhetro kazange atshone ecabanga kabili, waquma indlebe yenceku yomphristi omkhulu. (Joh. 18:10, 11) Lalapha uJesu wamkhuza. Ngesikhathi uJesu esithi abaphostoli bakhe bazamtshiya, uPhetro wazikhukhumeza wathi yena kasoze amtshiye loba sekutheni lanxa abanye bonke bengamtshiya. (Mat. 26:33) Kodwa ngobusuku lobo uPhetro wakhulelwa yikwesaba waze waphika iNkosi yakhe kathathu. Lokhu kwamenza wadana kakhulu “waphuma phandle wakhala okuzwisa usizi.” (Mat. 26:69-75) Wayengabe ezibuza ukuthi uJesu uzafa wamxolela yini.

18. UJesu wamnceda njani uPhetro ngesikhathi edanile?

¹⁸ Lanxa uPhetro wadana kakhulu kazange amtshiye uJehova, waqhubeka emkhonza  kanye labanye abaphostoli. (Joh. 21:1-3; ImiSeb. 1:15, 16) Kuyini okwamncedayo? Wakhumbula ukuthi uJesu wayeke wamthandazela encenga ukuthi ukholo lwakhe lungapheli lokuthi nxa esephendukile aqinise abafowabo. UJehova wawuphendula umthandazo lo. UJesu esevusiwe wabonakala kuPhetro ukuze amkhuthaze. (Luk. 22:32; 24:33, 34; 1 Khor. 15:5) Ngemva kokuthi abaphostoli beqede ubusuku bonke bengabambanga nhlanzi elwandle uJesu wabonakala kubo. Wasenika uPhetro ithuba lokuthi atsho ukuthi umthanda kangakanani. UJesu wayesemxolele umngane wakhe amthandayo futhi wamnika omunye umsebenzi.—Joh. 21:15-17.

19. IHubo 103:13, 14 lisifundisani ngendlela uJehova asibona ngayo?

¹⁹ Sifundani? Indlela uJesu aphatha ngayo uPhetro itshengisa ukuthi ulozwelo olukhulu njengoYise. Yikho nxa singenza iphutha akumelanga sicabange ukuthi uJehova kasoze asithethelele ngoba lokho yikho kanye uSathane afuna sikucabange. Kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda, uyabazi ukuthakathaka bethu lokuthi uyafuna ukusithethelela. Kanti njalo kumele simlingisele ngokuthethelela abanye nxa besiphambanisele.—Bala iHubo 103:13, 14.

20. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Okwenzakala kuJosefa, kuNawomi loRuthe, kumLevi lakuPhetro kusiqinisekisa ukuthi “uJehova useduze labo abalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo.” (Hubo. 34:18) Ngezinye izikhathi uyavumela ukuthi sidane kakhulu lokuthi sehlelwe yibunzima. Kodwa uzasincedisa ukuthi siqinisele futhi lokhu kuzenza ukuthi ukholo lwethu luqine. (1 Phet. 1:6, 7) Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaqhubeka sibona indlela uJehova asekela ngayo izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo kuye ezidaniswa yibuthakathaka bazo kumbe ngobunye ubunzima.