1. Yisiphi isifundo esisiduduzayo uJehova asifundisa u-Abrahama?

 EMINYAKENI eminengi eyadlulayo uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ingilosi yakhe ukuthi atshele u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezabhubhisa amadolobho eSodoma leGomora. Kufanele ukuthi u-Abrahama kazange ayikhohlwe ingxoxo aba layo lengilosi le. Lanxa wayeyindoda eyayilokholo, kwamkhathaza lokhu waze wabuza wathi: ‘Kambe uzatshabalalisa abenza okubi uhlanganise labalungileyo yini? Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kasoze enze okulungileyo yini?’ UJehova wambekezelela umngane wakhe u-Abrahama wasemfundisa isifundo esisincedayo futhi esisiduduzayo lathi lamuhla. Isifundo leso ngesokuthi uNkulunkulu kasoze atshabalalise abantu abalungileyo loba sekutheni.—Gen. 18:23-33.

2. Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle lokuthi ulesihawu?

² Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle lokuthi ulesihawu? Yikwazi ukuthi “ubona okusenhliziyweni” zabantu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ukwazi kuhle “okusenhliziyweni yomuntu ngamunye” njalo lokho kuyamangalisa sibili. (1 Amakho. 8:39; 1 Imilan. 28:9) Indlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo ngeke siyizwisise ngokugcweleyo. Yikho umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi athi ngoJehova: “Izahlulelo zakhe ngeke uzihlole uzizwisise ngokugcweleyo.”—Rom. 11:33.

3-4. Kuyini esingazibuza khona ngezinye izikhathi njalo sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi? (UJohane 5:28, 29)

³ Lanxa sikwazi ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle sonke isikhathi, lathi singaba lemibuzo enjengaleyo eyabuzwa ngu-Abrahama. Singazibuza imibuzo le: “Likhona yini ithemba lokuthi abantu ababhujiswa nguJehova njengabeSodoma leGomora bazaphinda baphile? Kambe ukuthi abanye babo bazavuswa yini ngesikhathi ‘kuvuswa abangalunganga’?”—Imiseb. 24:15.

 ⁴ Asixoxeni ngalokho esikwaziyo mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo. Esikhathini esisanda kwedlula, sacaciselwa ukuthi kutshoni ukuthi abanye ‘bazavukela ukuphila’ lokuthi abanye ‘bazavukela ukwahlulelwa.’ a (Bala uJohane 5:28, 29.) Esakucaciselwayo kwenze sazwisisa okunye futhi ngendaba le njalo sizaxoxa ngakho esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo. Sizaqala ngalokho esingakwaziyo besesixoxa ngalokho esikwaziyo mayelana lendaba yokwahlulela kukaJehova nxa sekuvuswa abafileyo.

ESINGAKWAZIYO

5. Amabhuku ethu akudala ayesithini ngabantu ababhujiswayo eSodoma leGomora?

⁵ Kudala amabhuku ethu ayeke akhulume ngokuthi kuzakwenzakalani kulabo uJehova abahlulela ngokuthi ngabangalunganga. Ayesithi abantu ababhujiswa nguJehova njengabeSodoma leGomora abalathemba lokuphinda bavuswe. Kodwa ngemva kokuhlolisisa iMibhalo lokuthandaza ngendaba le, kwaba lombuzo othi: Kuliqiniso yini ukuthi abantu labo abasoze bavuswe?

6. Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo zabantu abangalunganga abahlulelwa nguJehova futhi kuyini esingelabufakazi ngakho?

⁶ Kulendaba ezinengi eziseBhayibhilini ezisitshela indlela uJehova ayesahlulela ngayo abantu abangalunganga. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo uJehova wabhubhisa bonke abantu ngaphandle kukaNowa lemuli yakhe. Wake wasebenzisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi atshabalalise izizwe eziyisikhombisa ezazihlala eLizweni Lesithembiso. Kanti njalo wathuma ingilosi eyodwa ukuthi ibulale amasotsha e-Asiriya angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa nje. (Gen. 7:23; Dute. 7:1-3; Isaya. 37:36, 37) EBhayibhilini abukho ubufakazi obuveza ukuthi uJehova wakhetha ukubabhubhisa phakade abantu labo lokuthi kasoze abavuse. Kungani sisitsho njalo?

7. Kuyini esingakwaziyo mayelana labantu ababhujiswa ngoZamcolo lalabo ababhujiswayo ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ehlasela ilizwe leKhenani? (Khangela umfanekiso.)

⁷ Asikwazi ukuthi ngamunye wabantu laba uJehova wamahlulela njani. Okunye esingakwaziyo yikuthi ababulawayo babelitholile yini ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova lelokuphenduka. Nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo lisitshela ukuthi uNowa ‘wayengumtshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Phet. 2:5) Kodwa alisitsheli ukuthi ngesikhathi uNowa esakha umkhumbi wazama yini ukutshumayeza wonke umuntu emhlabeni emxwayisa ngoZamcolo owayesiza. Kanti njalo lasezizweni zeKhenani ezabhujiswayo asikwazi ukuthi bonke ababesenza okubi kuleyondawo babelitholile yini ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova lokutshintsha izenzo zabo.

8. Kuyini esingakwaziyo mayelana labantu beSodoma leGomora?

⁸ Khathesi asixoxeni ngabantu beSodoma leGomora. ULothi indoda eyayilungile wayehlala phakathi kwabantu laba. Kodwa bukhona yini ubufakazi bokuthi uLothi wabatshumayeza bonke? Hatshi. Lanxa babesenza izinto ezimbi ngamunye wabo wayewazi yini umehluko phakathi kokulungileyo lokungalunganga? Kukhanya angani kwakunganjalo. Khumbula ukuthi edolobheni lelo kuleqembu lamadoda elalifuna ukubamba iganyavu abantu ababevakatshele uLothi. IBhayibhili lithi iqembu lelo lalilabantu besilisa “kusukela ebafaneni kuze kuyefika emaxhegwini.” (Gen. 19:4; 2 Phet. 2:7) Silabo yini ubufakazi bokuthi abantu labo ababhujiswa nguJehova uNkulunkulu olesihawu abasoze baphinde bavuswe? UJehova watshela u-Abrahama ukuthi edolobheni lelo kwakungela ngitsho labantu abalitshumi ababelungile. (Gen. 18:32) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi abantu laba babengalunganga yikho uJehova  wayengaphambanisi nxa wayebabhubhisa. Kodwa siyabe siqinisile yini nxa sisithi phakathi kwabo abakho abazavuka nxa ‘sekuvuswa abangalunganga’? Asilabo ubufakazi obungenza sitsho njalo.

9. Kuyini esingakwaziyo ngeNkosi uSolomoni?

⁹ IBhayibhili liphinda lisitshele ngabanye abantu ababelungile kodwa batshintsha, baqalisa ukwenza izinto ezimbi. Omunye wabo kwakuyiNkosi uSolomoni njalo uJehova wayembusise kakhulu. Wayemazi uJehova futhi wayekwazi lokuthi kumele amkhonze njani. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi watshintsha waqalisa ukukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Izono zakhe zamzondisa kakhulu uJehova njalo isizwe sako-Israyeli sahlupheka okweminyaka eminengi ngenxa yalokho ayekwenzile. IMibhalo ithi uSolomoni “wafa wangcwatshwa edolobheni likaDavida uyise” lapho okwangcwatshelwa khona amanye amadoda ayethembekile. (1 Amakho. 11:5-9, 43; 2 Amakho. 23:13) Lokho sekusitsho ukuthi uJehova uzamvusa yini? IBhayibhili alitsho lutho ngalokho. Abanye bangacabanga ukuthi uSolomoni uzavuswa ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “Lowo osefile usekhululiwe esonweni sakhe.” (Rom. 6:7) Kuliqiniso sibili lokhu, kodwa akutsho ukuthi bonke abantu abafayo bazavuswa. Nxa umuntu angafa akutsho ukuthi uselelungelo lokuthi aphinde aphile. Ukuvuswa kwabafileyo kuyisipho esisiphiwa nguNkulunkulu wethu olothando. Isipho lesi usinika labo afuna bathole ithuba lokumkhonza kuze kube nini lanini. (Jobe. 14:13, 14; Joh. 6:44) INkosi uSolomoni izasiphiwa yini isipho lesi? Asikwazi, nguJehova kuphela okwaziyo. Esikwaziyo yikuthi uJehova uzakwenza okulungileyo.

ESIKWAZIYO

10. UJehova uzwa njani ngokubhubhisa abantu? (UHezekheli 33:11) (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ Bala uHezekheli 33:11. UJehova uyasitshela ukuthi uzwa njani nxa esahlulela abantu. Umphostoli uPhetro waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale amazwi ahambelana lalawo ake abhalwa ngumphrofethi uHezekheli. Wathi: ‘UJehova kafisi ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe.’ (2 Phet. 3:9) Amazwi la ayasiduduza sibili ngoba enza sikwazi ukuthi uJehova ngeke abhubhise umuntu phakade engelasizatho sokwenza njalo. Ulesihawu esikhulu futhi uhlala ekulungele ukutshengisa abantu isihawu.

11. Ngobani abangasoze bavuswe njalo sikwazi njani?

¹¹ Kuyini esikwaziyo ngabantu abangasoze bavuswe? IBhayibhili lisitshela ngabantu abalutshwana nje abangasoze bavuswe. b UJesu wakhuluma amazwi ayetshengisa ukuthi uJudasi Iskariyothi kasoze avuswe. (Mak. 14:21; khangela lomcijo wokutaditsha okaJohane 17:12 ku-Nguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha yesiNgisi okuthiwa yi-Study Bible.) UJudasi wayekwazi ukuthi ayekwenza kwakuphikisana lentando kaJehova kanye leNdodana yakhe kodwa waqinisa ikhanda wakwenza. (Khangela uMakho 3:29 le-Nqabayokulinda kaJuly 15, 2007 ikhasi 18.) UJesu waphinda wathi abanye abakhokheli benkolo ababemphikisa babezakufa bengelathemba lokuphinda bavuke. (Mat. 23:33) Kanti njalo umphostoli uPhawuli waxwayisa abahlamuki ababengaphenduki ukuthi babengasoze bavuswe.—Heb. 6:4-8; 10:29.

12. Kuyini esikwaziyo ngesihawu sikaJehova? Nika izibonelo.

¹² Kuyini esikwaziyo ngesihawu sikaJehova? Utshengise njani ukuthi “kafisi ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe”? Ake sixoxe ngendlela aba lesihawu ngayo kwabanye abenza izono ezinkulu. INkosi uDavida yake yenza izono ezinkulu ezigoqela ukufeba kanye lokubulala. Kodwa uJehova waba lesihawu kuyo wayithethelela  ngoba yaphenduka. (2 Sam. 12:1-13) INkosi uManase layo yenza izono ezinengi ezimbi kakhulu okwesikhathi eside. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova waba lesihawu kuyo wayithethelela ngoba yayisiphendukile. (2 Imilan. 33:​9-16) Lokhu kusikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uba lesihawu ebantwini nxa kulesizatho sokuthi enze njalo. Uzabavusa abantu labo ngoba bananzelela ukuthi babesenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu basebephenduka.

13. (a) Kungani uJehova waba lesihawu ebantwini baseNiniva? (b) UJesu wathini ngabantu baseNiniva?

¹³ Okunye esikwaziyo yikuthi uJehova waba lesihawu ebantwini baseNiniva. Watshela uJona wathi: “Ngiyabubona ububi ababenzayo.” Kodwa bathi sebephendukile batshiya izono zabo uJehova wabathethelela. Watshengisa ukuthi wayelesihawu ukwedlula uJona. UNkulunkulu wakhumbuza umphrofethi wakhe uJona owayesezondile ukuthi abantu baseNiniva ‘babengakwazi ukwehlukanisa okuhle lokubi.’ (Jona. 1:​1, 2; 3:10; 4:​9-11) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJesu wakhuluma ngabantu baseNiniva ukuze afundise abantu ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle lokuthi ulesihawu. UJesu wathi abantu beNiniva abaphendukayo ‘bazavuswa ngesikhathi sokwahlulelwa.’—Mat. 12:41.

14. Kutshoni ukuthi abantu beNiniva ‘bazavuselwa ukwahlulelwa’?

¹⁴ AbaseNiniva “bazavuswa” ngasiphi ‘isikhathi sokwahlulelwa’? UJesu wathi esikhathini esizayo kulabanye ‘ababezavukela ukwahlulelwa.’ (Joh. 5:29) Wayekhuluma ngesikhathi sokubusa kwakhe kweminyaka eyinkulungwane lapho okuzavuswa khona “abalungileyo labangalunganga.” (Imiseb. 24:15) Abangalunganga yibo ‘abazavukela ukwahlulelwa.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uJehova loJesu bazakhangela babone ukuthi abantu labo bayakwenza yini lokho abayabe bekufundiswa. Yikho nxa umuntu weNiniva angavuswa abesesala ukukhonza, uJehova ngeke amvumele ukuthi aqhubeke ephila. (Isaya. 65:20) Kodwa labo abazakhetha ukuqhubeka bekhonza uJehova bethembekile bazathola ithuba lokuphila kuze kube nini lanini.—Dan. 12:2.

15. (a) Kungani kungamelanga sithi bonke abantu ababhujiswa eSodoma leGomora abasoze bavuswe? (b) Kumele siwazwisise njani amazwi akuJuda 7? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UJuda Wayesitshoni?”)

¹⁵ UJesu wathi ekhuluma ngabantu beSodoma leGomora wathi kwakuzabahambela ngcono “ngoSuku Lokwahlulela” ukwedlula labo  abangazange bamamukele labangazange balalele imfundiso zakhe. (Mat. 10:14, 15; 11:23, 24; Luk. 10:12) Wayesitshoni? Kulula ukucabanga ukuthi amazwi kaJesu ayelihaba. Khumbula ukuthi ngesikhathi uJesu esithi abaseNiniva ‘bazavuswa ngesikhathi sokwahlulelwa’ wayengenzi ihaba. c Yikho lalapha nxa esithi abantu beSodoma leGomora bazakwahlulelwa “ngoSuku Lokwahlulela,” singaphetha ngokuthi bazavuswa. ‘USuku Lokwahlulela’ akhuluma ngalo endabeni lezi zombili lwalufanana. Abantu beSodoma leGomora babenze izinto ezimbi njengabaseNiniva kodwa bona abazange balithole ithuba lokuthi baphenduke njengabeNiniva. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wathi abantu ‘abazavukela ukwahlulelwa’ ‘ngababesenza izinto ezimbi.’ (Joh. 5:29) Njengoba abantu beNiniva baphiwa ithuba lokuphenduka, singaphetha ngokuthi likhona ithemba lokuthi abanye abantu beSodoma leGomora bazavuswa “ngoSuku Lokwahlulela” baphiwe ithuba lokuphenduka. Kanti njalo kungenzeka ukuthi lathi sibafundise ngoJehova langoJesu Khristu.

16. Kuyini esikwaziyo ngendlela uJehova azakhetha ngayo labo azabavusa? (UJeremiya 17:10)

¹⁶ Bala uJeremiya 17:10. Ivesi le ikufinqa kuhle lokho esikwaziyo mayelana lendlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo. UJehova uhlala ‘ehlola inhliziyo, ehlolisisa lemicabango ejulileyo.’ Esikhathini esizayo nxa esevusa abantu ‘uzanika umuntu ngamunye umvuzo ofanele izenzo zakhe.’ Uzakuba lesihawu kulabo okumele abe lesihawu kubo kodwa kasoze abazwele labo okungamelanga abazwele. Yikho nxa singelabufakazi akumelanga siphethe ngokuthi umuntu kasoze avuswe.

“UMAHLULELI WOMHLABA WONKE” UZAKWENZA ‘OKULUNGILEYO’

17. Kuzakwenzakalani ngabantu abafayo?

¹⁷ U-Adamu lo-Eva babambana loSathane bahlamukela uJehova uNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi sekufe amabhiliyoni abantu. Ukufa ‘kuyisitha’ sethu esikhulu. (1 Khor. 15:26) Kuzakwenzakalani ngabantu bonke laba abafayo? Abantu abalutshwana abangu-144 000 abakhethwa phakathi kwabalandeli bakaKhristu  abathembekileyo bazavuselwa ukuyaphila ezulwini njalo abasoze baphinde bafe. (Isam. 14:1) Kulamadoda labesifazana abanengi ababethanda uJehova abazavuswa nxa ‘sekuvuswa abalungileyo.’ Bazaphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini nxa bangaqhubeka besenza okulungileyo ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhristu okweminyaka eyinkulungwane langesikhathi sokulingwa kokucina. (Dan. 12:13; Heb. 12:1) Kanti njalo ngalesosikhathi sokubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kuzavuswa “labangalunganga” besebephiwa ithuba lokuthi batshintshe ukuze babe zinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo. Phakathi kwabantu labo kulalabo abangazange bakhonze uJehova kanye ‘lababesenza izinto ezimbi.’ (Luk. 23:​42, 43) Kodwa kulabanye abantu ababesenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu futhi bezimisele ukuhlamukela uJehova kanye lokuphambanisa izinhloso zakhe okokuthi ukhethe ukuthi kasoze abavuse.—Luk. 12:​4, 5.

18-19. (a) Kungani singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzabahlulela kuhle abafileyo? (U-Isaya 55:8, 9) (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Silaso yini isizatho sokukholwa ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle ngazo zonke izikhathi? Ye silaso. Njengo-Abrahama siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ‘nguMahluleli womhlaba wonke’ olesihawu, olenhlakanipho futhi ongelasici. Uqeqetshe iNdodana yakhe wayinika umsebenzi wokwahlulela abantu bonke. (Joh. 5:22) Bobabili uJehova loJesu bayenelisa ukubona okusezinhliziyweni zabantu. (Mat. 9:4) Yikho nxa besahlulela benza “okulungileyo” ngaso sonke isikhathi.

¹⁹ Kasizimiseleni ukuthemba uJehova kukho konke akwenzayo. Konke okumayelana lokwahlulela sikutshiyela yena leNdodana yakhe ngoba siyananzelela ukuthi thina kasenelisi ukwahlulela kodwa yena uyenelisa. (Bala u-Isaya 55:8, 9.) Kanti njalo siyakwazi ukuthi iNkosi yethu uJesu yahlulela kuhle futhi ilesihawu njengoYise. (Isaya. 11:3, 4) Kodwa uJehova loJesu bazabahlulela njani abantu ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu? Kuyini esikwaziyo lesingakwaziyo ngendaba le? Sizaxoxa ngemibuzo le esihlokweni esilandelayo.