1. Kungani kufanele silandele uJehova njengoMqondisi wethu? Fanekisa.

 AKE UZICABANGE ulahleke ehlathini. Usengozini ngoba kunezilwane zasendle, izinambuzane ezinezifo, izitshalo ezinobuthi nomgwaqo mubi futhi unamatshe. Cishe ubuyojabula uma kunomuntu ozokuqondisa olazi kahle lelo hlathi, owaziyo ukuthi izingozi zingakuphi nozokusiza uzigweme! Leli zwe lifana nalelo hlathi. Ligcwele izingozi ezingalimaza ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Kodwa sinoMqondisi obedlula bonke—uJehova. Uyasisusa ezingozini, asiyise la esiphokophele khona—ekuphileni okuphakade ezweni elisha.

2. UJehova usiqondisa kanjani?

² UJehova usiqondisa kanjani? Ngokuyinhloko, usebenzisa iZwi lakhe iBhayibheli. Kodwa, usebenzisa nabameleli abangabantu. Ngokwesibonelo, usebenzisa “inceku ethembekile neqondayo” ukuba isinike ukudla okungokomoya okusisiza senze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. (Math. 24:45) UJehova usebenzisa namanye amadoda afanelekayo ukuba asiqondise. Ngokwesibonelo, ababonisi abajikelezayo nabadala bamabandla bayasikhuthaza, basinike neziqondiso ezingasisiza sibhekane nezikhathi ezinzima. Simbonga kakhulu uJehova ngokuthi phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina ezinzima sinesiqondiso esingasethemba! Sisisiza sihlale singabangani bakaJehova, siqhubeke sisendleleni eya ekuphileni.

3. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ Noma kunjalo, ngezinye izikhathi kungase kube nzima ukulandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, ikakhulukazi uma sisinikwa abantu abanesono. Kungani? Singase singabi yilokho esithanda ukukuzwa. Noma singase sibone sengathi isiqondiso esisinikiwe  asihlakaniphile bese siphetha ngokuthi akunakwenzeka ukuba sivela kuJehova. Ezikhathini ezinjengalezo, kudingeka siqiniseke nakakhulu ukuthi uJehova nguye ohola abantu bakhe nokuthi ukulandela isiqondiso sakhe kuletha izibusiso. Ukuze sisisize siqiniseke nakakhulu ngalokho, lesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngokuthi (1) uJehova wayebaqondisa kanjani abantu bakhe ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, (2) ubaqondisa kanjani namuhla, nokuthi (3) sizuza kanjani ngokuqhubeka silandela isiqondiso.

INDLELA UJEHOVA AYEWAQONDISA NGAYO AMA-ISRAYELI

4-5. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayesebenzisa uMose ukuba aqondise ama-Israyeli? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

⁴ UJehova wakhetha uMose ukuba ahole ama-Israyeli awakhiphe eGibhithe. Wanikeza nama-Israyeli ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi wayewaqondisa esebenzisa uMose. Ngokwesibonelo, emini uJehova wayewahola ngensika yefu, ebusuku ewahola ngensika yomlilo. (Eks. 13:21) UMose walandela insika, eyaholela yena nama-Israyeli oLwandle Olubomvu. Abantu besaba kakhulu lapho becabanga ukuthi sebevaleleke ekhoneni njengoba kunolwandle phambi kwabo nebutho laseGibhithe elibajahayo ngemuva. Baphetha ngokuthi uMose wayenze iphutha ngokubaletha oLwandle Olubomvu. Kodwa wayengenzanga iphutha. Ngenhloso uJehova wayesebenzise uMose ukuba aholele abantu bakhe lapho. (Eks. 14:2) UNkulunkulu wabe esebakhulula ngendlela emangalisa kakhulu.—Eks. 14:​26-28.

⁵ Eminyakeni engu-40 eyalandela, uMose waqhubeka encike ensikeni yefu ukuba imsize aqondise abantu bakaNkulunkulu ehlane. a Okwesikhathi esithile, uJehova wabeka insika phezu kwetende likaMose, lapho eyayibonwa khona yiwo wonke ama-Israyeli. (Eks. 33:​7, 9, 10) UJehova wayekhuluma noMose esensikeni, bese uMose edlulisela iziqondiso zikaJehova kubantu. (IHu. 99:7) Ama-Israyeli ayenobufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uJehova wayesebenzisa uMose ukuba awaqondise.

6. Ama-Israyeli asabela kanjani esiqondisweni sikaJehova? (Numeri 14:​2, 10, 11)

⁶ Ngokudabukisayo, ama-Israyeli amaningi abenqaba ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi uJehova wayesebenzisa uMose njengommeleli waKhe. (Funda uNumeri 14:​2, 10, 11.) Ngokuphindaphindiwe, enqaba ukwamukela ukuthi uMose wayesetshenziswa uJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova akazange awavumele lawo ma-Israyeli ukuba angene eZweni Lesithembiso.—Num. 14:30.

7. Nikeza izibonelo zalabo abalandela isiqondiso sikaJehova. (Numeri 14:24) (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁷ Nokho, amanye ama-Israyeli asilandela isiqondiso sikaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wathi: ‘UKalebi . . . waqhubeka engilandela ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke.’ (Funda uNumeri 14:24.) UNkulunkulu wamvuza uKalebi, waze wamnika ngisho nendawo ayeyithanda eKhanani. (Josh. 14:​12-14) Isizukulwane sama-Israyeli esalandela naso sabeka isibonelo esihle endabeni yokulandela isiqondiso sikaJehova. Ngesikhathi uJoshuwa eba umholi wama-Israyeli ngemva kukaMose, “amhlonipha kakhulu zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe.” (Josh. 4:14) Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wawabusisa ngokuwanika izwe ayewathembise lona.—Josh. 21:​43, 44.

8. Chaza ukuthi uJehova wayebaqondisa kanjani abantu bakhe ngezikhathi zamakhosi. (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁸ Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, uJehova wamisa abahluleli abazoqondisa abantu bakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, ngezikhathi zamakhosi, uJehova wamisa abaprofethi abazoqondisa  abantu bakhe. Amakhosi athembekile asilalela iseluleko sabaprofethi. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uDavide yazithoba yakwamukela ukulungiswa umprofethi uNathani. (2 Sam. 12:​7, 13; 1 IziKr. 17:​3, 4) INkosi uJehoshafati yasilandela isiqondiso eyasinikwa umprofethi uJahaziyeli, yakhuthaza nabantu bakwaJuda ukuba ‘babe nokholo kubaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu.’ (2 IziKr. 20:​14, 15, 20) Lapho iNkosi uHezekiya icindezelekile, yacela usizo kumprofethi u-Isaya. (Isaya 37:​1-6) Njalo lapho amakhosi elandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, wayewabusisa avikele nabantu bakhe. (2 IziKr. 20:​29, 30; 32:22) Kwakufanele kucace kuwo wonke umuntu ukuthi uJehova wayesebenzisa abaprofethi bakhe ukuba baqondise abantu bakhe. Nokho, amakhosi amaningi kanye nabantu ababalalelanga abaprofethi bakaJehova.—Jer. 35:​12-15.

INDLELA UJEHOVA AYEWAQONDISA NGAYO AMAKRISTU OKUQALA

9. Obani uJehova abasebenzisa ukuba baqondise amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁹ Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., uJehova wamisa ibandla lobuKristu. Wayewaqondisa kanjani lawo maKristu okuqala? Wamisa uJesu ukuba abe inhloko yebandla. (Efe. 5:23) Kodwa uJesu akazange atshele umfundi ngamunye ukuthi enzeni. Wasebenzisa abaphostoli namadoda amadala aseJerusalema ukuba bahole. (IzE. 15:​1, 2) Kwamiswa nabadala ukuba baqondise amabandla.—1 Thes. 5:12; Thithu 1:5.

10. (a) AmaKristu amaningi angekhulu lokuqala asabela kanjani esiqondisweni asithola? (IzEnzo 15:​30, 31) (b) Kungani abanye ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli bengabamukelanga abameleli bakaJehova? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Kungani Abanye Beye Babunqaba Ubufakazi Obucacile?”)

¹⁰ Asabela kanjani amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala? Amaningi ayekujabulela ukulandela iziqondiso ayezithola. Empeleni, “ajabula ngaleso sikhuthazo” ayesithola. (Funda izEnzo 15:​30, 31.) Esikhathini sethu, uJehova ubebaqondisa kanjani abantu bakhe?

INDLELA UJEHOVA ASIQONDISA NGAYO NAMUHLA

11. UJehova ubebaqondisa kanjani abaholayo osukwini lwethu? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹¹ UJehova uyaqhubeka ehola abantu bakhe namuhla. Ubelokhu enza kanjalo esebenzisa iZwi lakhe neNdodana yakhe, inhloko yebandla. Siyabubona yini ubufakazi bokuthi nasosukwini lwethu uNkulunkulu uyaqhubeka  esebenzisa abameleli abangabantu? Yebo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ngemva konyaka ka-1870. UCharles Taze Russell nabangani bakhe baqala ukuqonda ukuthi unyaka ka-1914 wawuyoba unyaka obalulekile ngokuphathelene nokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Dan. 4:​25, 26) Bafinyelela kuleso siphetho ngenxa yesiprofetho seBhayibheli. NguJehova yini owayeqondisa lolo cwaningo ababelwenza besebenzisa iBhayibheli? Ngokusobala nguye. Ngo-1914 izenzakalo zezwe zaqinisekisa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wawusuqalile ukubusa. Kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe Yokuqala, yalandelwa izifo eziwumshayabhuqe, ukuzamazama komhlaba nokusweleka kokudla. (Luka 21:​10, 11) Ngempela uJehova wayesebenzisa lawo madoda angamaKristu aqotho ukuba asize abantu bakhe.

12-13. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe Yesibili, yimaphi amalungiselelo enziwa ukuze kwenziwe okwengeziwe emsebenzini wokushumayela nokufundisa?

¹² Cabanga nangalokho okwenzeka phakathi neMpi Yezwe Yesibili. Ngemva kokuba abazalwane abaholayo endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke benze ucwaningo ngomBhalo wesAmbulo 17:​8, baqonda ukuthi impi yayingeke iholele e-Armagedoni, kodwa yayiyoholela enkathini yokuthula eyayiyovula amathuba okuba oFakazi BakaJehova bashumayeze abantu abaningi nakakhulu. Ngakho ngisho noma kwakubonakala kungahlakaniphile ngaleso sikhathi, inhlangano kaJehova yasungula iSikole SaseGileyadi ukuze iqeqeshe izithunywa zevangeli ukuba zishumayele futhi zifundise emazweni emhlabeni jikelele. Izithunywa zevangeli zazithunyelwa ngisho noma kunempi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inceku ethembekile yahlela ukuba kube neMfundo Yenkonzo Engokwasezulwini b ukuze iqeqeshe bonke abasemabandleni ukuba babe abashumayeli nabafundisi abangcono. Ngalezi zindlela, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babehlomiselwa umsebenzi owawuseza.

¹³ Uma sibheka emuva, sibona ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova wayeqondisa abantu bakhe ngaleso sikhathi esinzima. Kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe Yesibili, emazweni amaningi abantu bakaJehova baye bajabulela ukuthula nenkululeko ngezinga elithile bebe beqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Empeleni, lo msebenzi ube nemiphumela emihle.

14. Kungani singasethemba isiqondiso esivela enhlanganweni kaJehova nakubadala abamisiwe? (IsAmbulo 2:1) (Bheka nesithombe.)

 ¹⁴ Namuhla, amalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo ayaqhubeka efuna isiqondiso kuKristu. Afuna iziqondiso azinika abafowabo zihambisane nendlela uJehova noJesu ababheka ngayo izinto. Basebenzisa ababonisi abajikelezayo nabadala ukuba banikeze amabandla iziqondiso. c Abadala abagcotshiwe ‘basesandleni . . . sokudla’ sikaKristu. (Funda isAmbulo 2:1.) Yiqiniso, la badala banesono futhi bayawenza amaphutha. Ngezinye izikhathi uMose, uJoshuwa nabaphostoli bawenza amaphutha. (Num. 20:12; Josh. 9:​14, 15; Roma 3:23) Noma kunjalo, uKristu uqondisa ngokucophelela inceku ethembekile nabadala abamisiwe futhi uzoqhubeka enza kanjalo “zonke izinsuku kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Math. 28:20) Ngakho asinaso isizathu sokungabaza isiqondiso asinika sona esebenzisa labo abamiswe ukuba bahole.

SIYAZUZA LAPHO SIQHUBEKA SILANDELA ISIQONDISO SIKAJEHOVA

15-16. Ufundani ezibonelweni zalabo abasilandela isiqondiso sikaJehova?

¹⁵ Lapho siqhubeka silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, sithola izibusiso ngisho kwamanje. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Andy noRobyn basilalela isikhuthazo sokuba bagcine ukuphila kwabo kulula. (Heb. 13:5) Ngenxa yalokho, bakwazi ukuvolontiyela ukusiza ekwakheni izakhiwo zenhlangano. URobyn uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi sasihlala endaweni encane kakhulu, engenalo ngisho ikhishi. Kwadingeka ngidayise izinto eziningi engangizisebenzisela ukushutha izithombe, okwakuyinto engangiyithanda kakhulu. Ngakhala lapho ngizidayisa. Njengomka-Abrahama, uSara, ngangizimisele ukubheka phambili, ngingabheki emuva.” (Heb. 11:15) Yini ezuzwe u-Andy noRobyn ngenxa yalokho abakwenza? URobyn uthi: “Ukwazi ukuthi sinika uJehova konke esinakho kusenza saneliseke kakhulu. Lapho senza umsebenzi esiwabelwe uJehova sithola isithombe sokuthi kuyoba njani ukuphila ezweni elisha.” U-Andy naye uyavuma: “Kuyasijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi wonke amandla ethu siwasebenzisela ukusekela uMbuso.”

¹⁶ Iyiphi enye indlela esizuza ngayo lapho siqhubeka silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova? Lapho eseqedile esikoleni samabanga aphakeme, uMarcia wayefuna ngempela ukulalela isikhuthazo  ayesitholile sokungenela inkonzo yokuphayona. (Math. 6:33; Roma 12:11) Uthi: “Ngathenjiswa umfundaze wokuyofunda eyunivesithi iminyaka emine. Kodwa ngangifuna ukwenzela uJehova okwengeziwe. Ngakho, ngakhetha ukuyofunda esikoleni esifundisa amakhono ukuze ngifunde ikhono elizongisiza ngizisekele enkonzweni. Leso kwakungesinye sezinqumo ezinhle kakhulu kwengake ngazenza. Manje sengiyiphayona elivamile, nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa engiwenzayo uyangivumela ukuba ngisize eBethel izinsuku ezithile ngenze namanye amalungelo akhethekile enkonzweni kaJehova.”

17. Yiziphi ezinye izibusiso esizitholayo lapho siqhubeka silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova? (Isaya 48:​17, 18)

¹⁷ Ngezinye izikhathi sithola iseluleko esisivikela ezintweni ezinjengokuthanda imali nasekwenzeni izinto ezingasifaka engozini yokwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Nakulezo zinto siyazuza uma silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova. Sihlale sinonembeza ohlanzekile, sigweme nezinkinga eziningi ezingenasidingo. (1 Thim. 6:​9, 10) Ngenxa yalokho, singakwazi ukukhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke, okusenza sijabule kakhulu, sibe nokuthula, saneliseke.—Funda u-Isaya 48:​17, 18.

18. Kungani uzimisele ukuqhubeka ulandela isiqondiso sikaJehova?

¹⁸ Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova uzoqhubeka esebenzisa abameleli abangabantu ukuba basinike iziqondiso ngosizi olukhulu naphakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. (IHu. 45:16) Sizoqhubeka yini sizilandela lezo ziqondiso ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kusho ukwenza izinto esingathandi ukuzenza? Okuningi kungase kuncike ekutheni sisabela kanjani esiqondisweni esisinikwa uJehova manje. Ngakho, masisilandele njalo isiqondiso sikaJehova, kuhlanganise naleso esisinikwa amadoda awamise ukuba asiqaphe. (Isaya 32:​1, 2; Heb. 13:17) Njengoba senza kanjalo, asinaso nesincane isizathu sokungamethembi uMqondisi wethu, uJehova, osisusa kunoma yini engase ilimaze ubungani bethu naye asiyise lapho esiphokophele khona—ekuphileni okuphakade ezweni elisha.