1. UJehova usikhuthaza ukuthi senzeni?

ITHANDO elithembekileko liqakatheke khulu kuJehova. (Hos. 6:6) Ufuna nathi sizizwe ngendlela efanako. Asebenzisa umphorofidi uMikha, uZimu usikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sithembeke esivumelwaneni sakhe.’ (Mik. 6:8) Ngaphambi kokuthi sikwenze lokho, kufuze sazi ukuthi liyini ithando elithembekileko.

2. Liyini ithando elithembekileko?

² Liyini ithando elithembekileko? Igama elithi “ithando elithembekileko” livela amahlandla ama-230 eTjhugululweni Yephasi Elitjha Yemitlolo Ecwengileko yesiNgisi. Amanye amaBhayibheli atjhugulula igama lokuthoma elithi “ithando elithembekileko” ngokuthi “ukwethembeka.” Ngalokho imitlolo esesihlokwenesi nesilandelako, nayisebenzisa igama “ukwethembeka” itjho ithando elithembekileko. Liyini ithando elithembekileko? “Ihlathuthululo Yamabizo WeBhayibheli” efumaneka etjhugululweni leyo, ithi ibizweli litjho “ithando elikhambisana nokuzibophelela, ukuthembeka nokunamathela khulu entweni. Esikhathini esinengi, vane litjho ithando uZimu analo ngabantu kodwana lingabuye litjho ithando abantu abatjengisana lona.” UJehova usibonelo esiphuma phambili sokuba nethando elithembekileko. Esihlokwenesi, sizokucoca ngokuthi uJehova utjengisa njani ukuthi ubathanda ngokuthembekileko abantu. Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokucoca ngokuthi singasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaJehova ngokuthanda abanye ngokuthembekileko.

3. UJehova wazembula njani kuMosi?

³ Ingasikade ama-Israyeli aqeda ukuphuma eGibhide, uJehova  wazembula kuMosi ngokumtjela ngegama lakhe nobuntu Bakhe. Wathi: “USomnini, uSomnini unguZimu onomusa nesirhawu, ubuthaka ekusilingekeni, uzele ukwethembeka neqiniso! Uhlala athembekile eenkulungwaneni ngeenkulungwana zeenzukulwana, ulibalela imilandu, imitjhapho nezono.” (Eks. 34:6, 7) Ngamezwi athinta ihliziyo la, uJehova bekatjela uMosi okuthileko okuqakathekileko ngethando Lakhe elithembekileko. Khuyini lokho?

4-5. (a) UJehova uzihlathulule njani? (b) Sizokuphendula miphi imibuzo esihlokwenesi?

⁴ UJehova akhange aziveze anokwethembeka kwaphela kodwana uthi “uzele ukwethembeka.” Ihlathululo le ivela amahlandla asithandathu eBhayibhelini. (Num. 14:18; Nerh. 9:17; Rhu. 86:15; 103:8; Juw. 2:13; Jona 4:2) Kiyo yoke imitlolo engehla, ihlathululo le itjho uJehova kwaphela, ingasi abantu. Kghani akusiyinto erarako na ukuthi uJehova ugandelela khulu ubuntu bakhe bokuba nethando elithembekileko? Kuyatjho ukuthi ithando elithembekileko liqakathekile kuye. * Kungebangelo iKosi uDavida yathi: “Somnini, ukwethembeka kwakho kunabele emazulwini . . . Maye, kuligugu elingangani ukwethembeka kwakho Zimu! Boke abantu bakhosela emthunzini wamaphikwakho.” (Rhu. 36:7, 9) Kghani siliqala njengeliqakathekileko ithando elithembekileko lakaZimu njengoDavida?

⁵ Ukuthi sizwisise indaba yethando elithembekileko, akhesicoce ngemibuzo emibili: UJehova uthanda abobani ngokuthembekileko? Singazuza njani ethandweni elithembekileko lakaJehova?

6. Bobani uJehova abathanda ngokuthembekileko?

⁶ UJehova uthanda abobani ngokuthembekileko? IBhayibheli lithi singathanda izinto ezinengi, ezihlanganisa “ukusebenza ngehlabathi,” “iwayini namafutha,” “ukusolwa,” “ilwazi” ‘nokuhlakanipha.’ (2 Kron. 26:10; IzA. 12:1; 21:17; 29:3) Ngakelinye ihlangothi, angeze sathanda izinto ngethando elithembekileko, babantu kwaphela abafumana ukuthandwa ngokuthembekileko. Akusingiwo woke umuntu uJehova amthanda ngokuthembekileko. Ithandweli lifunyanwa ngilabo abanobuhlobo obukhethekileko naye. UZimethu uthembekile ebanganini bakhe. Unomnqopho omuhle ngabo begodu angeze alise ukubathanda.

7. UJehova wenzeni ukutjengisa ukuthi uyabathanda boke abantu?

 ⁷ UJehova uyabathanda boke abantu. UJesu watjela uNikhodemusi wathi: “UZimu walithanda khulu iphasi [labantu] kangangobana wanikela ngeNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa, bonyana woke umuntu otjengisa ukukholwa kiyo angabhujiswa kodwana abe nokuphila okungapheliko.”—Jwa. 3:1, 16; Mat. 5:44, 45.

8-9. (a) Kubayini uJehova abathanda ngokuthembekileko abantu bakhe? (b) Khuyini esizokucoca ngakho?

⁸ Njengombana sikhe satjho phambilini, uJehova unethando elithembekileko kilabo abanetjhebiswano elihle naye kwaphela, okubabantu abamlotjhako. Lokhu sikubona kilokho okwatjhiwo yiKosi uDavida nomphorofidi uDanyela. Ngokwesibonelo, uDavida wathi: “Yenabisa ukwethembeka kwakho kilabo abakwaziko.” “Ukwethembeka kwakaSomnini kungokwanini nanini kwabamesabako.” UDanyela wathi: “Awu Somandla wena unguZimu omkhulu   ogcina isivumelwano nokwethembeka kilabo abakuthandako nabalonda imiyalwakho.” (Rhu. 36:12; 103:17; Dan. 9:4) Ngokwamezwi aphefumulelweko la, uJehova uthanda abantu bakhe ngethando elithembekileko ngebanga lokuthi bayamazi, bayamesaba, bayamthanda begodu balonda imiyalwakhe. Ubathanda ngokuthembekileko labo abamlotjha ngendlela efaneleko.

⁹ Ngaphambi kokuthi silotjhe uJehova, besifumana ithando athanda ngalo woke umuntu. (Rhu. 104:14) Nanyana kunjalo, njengombana sibabantu bakhe, sifumana ithando lakhe elithembekileko. Kokwakho, uJehova uqinisekisa abantu abamthandako ngokuthi: “Ukwethembeka kwami akusoze kwanyamalala kuwe.” (Isa. 54:10) Kuliqiniso lokhu ngombana noDavida naye wathi, “Uphatha othembekileko kuhle.” (Rhu. 4:4) Kufuze senzeni ngethando elithembekileko uJehova analo ngathi? Umrhubi wathi: “Ohlakaniphileko uzaziyelela izintwezi; acabange ngokwethembeka kwakaSomnini.” (Rhu. 107:43) Sinesiyeleliswesi esiphefumulelweko emkhumbulweni, akhesifunde ngeendlela ezintathu abantu bakaJehova abazuza ngazo ethandweni lakhe elithembekileko.

10. Ithando elithembekileko lakaZimu lisisiza njani? (iRhubo 31:8)

¹⁰ Ithando lakaZimu elithembekileko lijame isiphelani. Ithandweli kukhulunywa ngalo amahlandla ama-26 emavesini weRhubo 136. Ivesi lokuthoma lithi: “Thokozani uSomnini ngombana ulungile; ukwethembeka kwakhe kujame isiphelani.” (Rhu. 136:1) Emavesini 2 kuya ku-26, sifumana amezwi athi “ukwethembeka kwakhe kujame isiphelani.” Njengombana sifunda irhubweli, iyasikara indlela uJehova atjengisa ngayo ithando lakhe elithembekileko ngaso soke isikhathi. Amezwi la godu asiqinisekisa ngokuthi ithando uZimu analo ngabantu bakhe alitjhuguluki. Kuyasikhuthaza ukwazi ukuthi ithando uJehova analo ngabantu bakhe alipheli msinyana! Kunokuthi liphele, akamtjhiyi umuntu omlotjhako, khulukhulu nakaqalene nemiraro. Indlela esizuza ngayo: Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uhlala anathi kusinikela ithabo namandla bona sikghone ukuqalana nokugandeleleka besikwazi ukuragela phambili sikhamba endleni eya ekuphileni okungapheliko.—Funda iRhubo 31:8.

11. IRhubo 86:5, lithi yini eyenza uJehova alibalele?

¹¹ Ithando lakaZimu elithembekileko limenza ukuthi alibalele. Lokha uJehova nakabona isoni esitjhugulukileko begodu sikuhloya lokho esikwenzileko, ithando lakhe elithembekileko limenza ukuthi asilibalele. Umrhubi uDavida wathi ngoJehova: “Akasiphathi njengokufanele izono zethu; akasibuyiseleli ngokulingene amacalethu.” (Rhu. 103:8-11) UDavida wazizwela ngokwakhe ubuhlungu bokudliwa ngunembeza. Wafunda nokuthi uJehova ulungele ‘ukucolela.’ Khuyini eyenza uJehova alibalele? Ipendulo isemtlolweni weRhubo 86:5. (Ufunde.) Kunjengombana uDavida atjhwile emthandazwenakhe ukuthi ngebanga lethando elithembekileko analo, uJehova uyabalibalela boke abafuna ukulitjalelwa.

12-13. Khuyini esingayenza nasigandelelwe mitjhapho esayenza ngesikhathi esidlulileko?

¹² Nasenze isono, kuyafaneleka begodu kuhle ukuthi sizisole. Lokhu kungasenza  bona sitjhuguluke besithathe amagadango wokulungisa imitjhaphwethu. Abanye abantu bakaJehova bazizwa bagandelelekile ngebanga lemitjhapho abayenze esikhathini esidlulileko. Basacabanga ukuthi uJehova angeze abalibalela, ngitjho nanyana kukade balisa ukwenza isono. Nangabe uzizwa ngendlela le, ukufunda ngokuzimisela kwakaZimu ukuthanda abantu bakhe ngokuthembeka kuzokusiza.

¹³ Indlela esizuza ngayo: Nanyana sinesono nje, singalotjha uJehova sithabile ngonembeza ohlanzekileko. Lokhu kwenziwa kukuthi “iingazi zakaJesu iNdodanakhe zisihlanza kizo zoke izono.” (1 Jwa. 1:7) Nawuzizwa udanile ngebanga lokuba nesono, khumbula ukuthi uJehova uyafuna bewuzimisele ukulibalela isoni esitjhugulukako. Qala ukuthi uDavida ulihlobanisa njani ithando elithembekileko nokulibalela. Wathi: “Njengokuphakama kwezulu ngehla kwephasi, kungako ukwethembeka kwakhe kwabamesabako. Njengepumalanga idedelene netjingalanga, ngokunjalo ususa iimphambeko zethu kithi.” (Rhu. 103:11, 12) Iye, uJehova “uyathethelela nokuthethelela.”—Isa. 55:7.

14. UDavida uyihlathulule njani indlela ithando lakaJehova elithembekileko elisivikela ngayo?

¹⁴ Ithando lakaZimu elithembekileko livikela itjhebiswano lethu naye. Emthandazweni oya kuJehova, uDavida wathi: “Wena uyindawo yokubhaca kimi, uyangilondoloza eengozini; ungizombeleza ngokuhlokoma kwetjhaphuluko. . . . othemba uSomnini uzakuzombelezwa kukwethembeka.” (Rhu. 32:7, 10) Njengombana amaboda ebewazombeleza idorobha bewavikela abahlali balapho, nethando lakaJehova elithembekileko liyasizombeleza, lisivikele eengozini ezingalinga ukwethembeka kwethu. Ukungezelela kilokho, ithando elithembekileko lakaJehova limenza ukuthi asidosele kuye.—Jor. 31:3.

15. Ngikuphi ukuhlobana okukhona hlangana kwethando lakaJehova elithembekileko, isiphephelo nerharha?

¹⁵ UDavida wasebenzisa omunye umfanekiso ukuhlathulula ivikeleko elithatjelwa babantu bakaZimu. Wathi: “Ngihlokome ngokwethembeka kwakho ngombana wena ube siphephelo sami nesiviko ngesikhathi sokubandezeleka.” Wabuye wathi: “Ulidwala nobuphephelo bami, irharha nomsindisami; usihlangu sami engiphepha ngaso, uthobisa abantu bami ngaphasi kwami.” (Rhu. 59:17; 144:2) Kubayini uDavida afanisa ithando elithembekileko lakaJehova nedwala nobuphephelo bakhe? Nanyana kukuphi la sihlala khona, uJehova uzosinikela isivikelo esisitlhogako bona sivikele itjhebiswano lethu eliligugu naye. Isiqinisekiso esifanako sifumaneka kuRhubo 91. Umtloli werhubo: “Uthi kuSomnini, ‘Ubuphephelo bami nerholo lami, uZimami engimethembako.’”(Rhu. 91:1-3, 9, 14) UMosi wasebenzisa umfanekiso ofanako ngesiphephelo. (Rhu. 90:1) Ngaphambi kokuhlongakala kwakhe, uMosi wavenza iphuzu elithinta ihliziyo. Watlola wathi: “UZimu wanini nanini usiphephelo, imikhonwakhe ikuthwala isiphelani.” (Dut. 33:27) Amezwi athi “imikhonwakhe ikuthwala isiphelani” asitjelani ngoJehova?

16. Sibusiseke njani ngeendlela ezimbili? (IRhubo 136:23)

¹⁶ Lokha uJehova nakasiphephelo sethu, sizizwa sivikelekile. Nanyana kunjalo, kamanye amalanga sizizwa sigandelelekile nommoyethu uphasi. Ngeenkhathi ezinjalo, khuyini uJehova angasenzela yona? (Funda IRhubo 136:23.) Uzosithwala ngeemkhonwakhe, asiphakamise kabuthaka bekasisize singasazizwa sidanile. (Rhu. 28:9; 94:18) Indlela esizuza ngayo: Ukwazi ukuthi  singathembela esekelweni lakaJehova ngaso soke isikhathi kusikhumbuza ukuthi sibusiseke ngeendlela ezimbili. Kokuthoma, sinesiphephelo esiqinileko nanyana sihlala kuphi. Kwesibili, uBabethu onethando wezulwini unendaba khulu nathi.

17. Ngebanga lethando lakaZimu elithembekileko, singaqiniseka ngani? (IRhubo 33:18-22)

¹⁷ Njengombana sifundile, nasiqalene nemiraro, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzosisekela ukuthi sihlale sithembekile kuye. (2 Kor. 4:7-9) Umphorofidi uJoromiya wathi: “Kungebanga lokwethembeka kwakaSomnini kobana singabhujiswa, iye, kungenca yesirhawu sakhe esingapheliko.” (IsiL. 3:22) Singaqiniseka ukuthi sizokuhlala sifumana ithando elithembekileko lakaJehova ngombana umrhubi wathi, “ilihlo lakaSomnini liphezu kwabamesabako, iye, phezu kwabaqalelele ukwethembeka kwakhe.”—Funda iRhubo 33:18-22.

18-19. (a) Khuyini esifuna ukuhlala siyikhumbula? (b) Sizokudemba yiphi esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁸ Khuyini esifuna ukuhlale siyikhumbula? Ngaphambi kokuthi silotjhe uJehova, besifumana ithando uZimu alinikela woke umuntu. Nanyana kunjalo njengabantu bakhe, sifumana nethando lakhe elithembekileko. Ngebanga lethandwelo, uJehova usisingatha ngeemkhonwakhe evikelako. Uzokuhlala atjhidelene nathi begodu uzozizalisa iinthembiso zakhe ngathi. Ufuna siphumelele! (Rhu. 46:2, 3, 8) Yeke, nanyana singaqalana namiphi imiraro, uJehova uzosinikela amandla esiwatlhogako bona sihlale sithembekile kuye.

¹⁹ Siyibonile indlela uJehova athanda ngayo abantu bakhe ngokuthembekileko. Nathi ulindele ukuthi sithandane ngokuthembekileko. Singakwenza njani lokho? Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokuphendula umbuzo lo.