1, 2. (a) Kungani kungasicinisa kufundza ngesibonelo saNowa, Danyela naJobe? (b) Hezekeli bekakusiphi simo nakabhala emavi lakuHezekeli 14:14?

UBHEKENE netinkinga temphilo yini, tetimali noma kushushiswa? Ngaletinye tikhatsi ukutfola kumatima yini kwenta umsebenti waJehova ngenjabulo? Nangabe kunjalo, kungakucinisa kufundza ngesibonelo saNowa, Danyela kanye naJobe. Bebanesono, futsi bebabhekana netinkinga letifana nalesihlangabetana nato, letinye tato betibeka kuphila kwabo engotini. Noma kunjalo, bahlala betsembekile kuNkulunkulu futsi baba tibonelo tekukholwa kanye nekulalela.​—Fundza Hezekeli 14:12-14.

² Emavi lokusekelwe kuwo sihloko setfu abhalwa nguHezekeli nakaseBhabhulona nga-612 B.C.E. * (Hez. 1:1; 8:1) Besekusondzela kubhujiswa kweJerusalema njengoba bekubiketelwe, futsi labhujiswa nga-607 B.C.E. Bancane kakhulu bantfu labakhombisa buntfu  baNowa, Danyela kanye naJobe futsi babekwa luphawu lwekusindza. (Hez. 9:1-5) Labanye babo bekuboJeremiya, Bharuki, Ebedi Meleki kanye nemndeni wemaRekhabi.

3. Sitawucoca ngani kulesihloko?

³ Nalamuhla, bantfu labatawubekwa luphawu lwekusindza nakubhujiswa lelive, bantfu labamsulwa emehlweni aJehova kuphela​—bantfu labanjengaNowa, Danyela naJobe. (Semb. 7:9, 14) Asesicoce ngekutsi kungani Jehova atsi batibonelo tekulunga. Njengoba sicoca ngamunye wabo sitawunaka kutsi (1) ngutiphi tinkinga lahlangabetana nato kanye nekutsi (2) singasilingisa njani sibonelo sakhe sekukholwa nekulalela.

4, 5. Ngutiphi tinkinga Nowa lahlangabetana nato, futsi kungani kubeketela kwakhe kumangalisa?

⁴ Tinkinga Nowa lahlangabetana nato. Ngesikhatsi kusaphila Enoki longukhokho waNowa, bantfu bebangamesabi Nkulunkulu. Bebakhuluma “onkhe emavi lamabi” ngaNkulunkulu. (Juda 14, 15) Budlova bebandza. Ecinisweni, ngesikhatsi saNowa, “umhlaba wawugcwele budlova.” Tingilosi letimbi tatishintja taba bantfu, tatsatsa bafati futsi tatala tidlakela letinebudlova. (Gen. 6:2-4, 11, 12) Kodvwa Nowa bekehlukile kubo. “Watfola umusa kuSimakadze. . . . Abelungile amsulwa esitukulwaneni sakhe, ahamba naNkulunkulu.”​—Gen. 6:8, 9.

⁵ Cabanga ngekutsi lamavi lakulelivesi asho kutsini ngalendvodza lelungile. Siyati kutsi Nowa akazange ahambe naNkulunkulu iminyaka lengu-70 noma lengu-80 kuphela​—lokuyiminyaka lephilwa bantfu esikhatsini salamuhla. Kunaloko waphila iminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-600 kulelive lelikhohlakele langaphambi kwaZamcolo! (Gen. 7:11) Ngalokungafanani natsi lamuhla, Nowa bekete libandla noma bazalwane labebamsekela ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu, ngisho nebantfwana bakubo abazange bamsekela. *

6. Nowa wakukhombisa njani kuba nesibindzi?

⁶ Nowa bekangenetiswa nje kuphila imphilo lekahle. Kodvwa waphindze waba ‘ngumshumayeli wekulunga’ lonesibindzi futsi wakuvuma embikwebantfu kukholwa kwakhe kuJehova. (2 Phet. 2:5) Umphostoli Pawula wabhala kutsi: ‘Ngekukholwa, [Nowa] walilahla live.’ (Heb. 11:7) Nowa wabhekana nekuphikiswa futsi bantfu bebahlekisa ngaye, mhlawumbe baze bamsongela, kodvwa akazange ‘esabe bantfu.’ (Taga 29:25) Kunaloko bekanesibindzi Jehova lasiniketa tinceku takhe letetsembekile.

7. Ngutiphi tinkinga Nowa lahlangabetana nato nakakha umkhumbi?

⁷ Ngemuva kweminyaka lengetulu kwa-500 Nowa etsembekile kuNkulunkulu, Jehova wamtjela kutsi akhe umkhumbi kute avikele bantfu kanye netilwane. (Gen. 5:32; 6:14) Lesabelo besibonakala silukhuni kakhulu! Bekutawuba matima kwakha umkhumbi futsi Nowa bekati kutsi bantfu bebatamhleka futsi bamphikise. Noma kunjalo, walalela futsi wenta lomsebenti ngekukholwa. “Wakwenta konkhe layalwa kutsi akwente.”​—Gen. 6:22.

8. Nowa wakhombisa njani kutsi uyetsemba kutsi Jehova utamnakekela?

⁸ Lenye inkinga Nowa lahlangabetana nayo kutsi bekufanele anakekele umkakhe nebantfwana bakhe. Ngaphambi kwekutsi kufike Zamcolo bantfu bekufanele basebente kamatima kuze batfole kudla, futsi naNowa bekufanele ente lokufanako. (Gen. 5:28, 29) Noma kunjalo, akazange anake kakhulu kuba netintfo letinyenti kepha wanaka kukhonta Nkulunkulu. Nangesikhatsi akha umkhumbi,  lokungenteka kwatsatsa iminyaka lengu-40 noma lengu-50, Nowa abenake kakhulu tintfo letiphatselene naNkulunkulu. Wachubeka wenta kanjalo iminyaka lengu-350 ngemuva kwaZamcolo. (Gen. 9:28) Lesi sibonelo lesihle kakhulu sekukholwa kanye nekulalela!

9, 10. (a) Singakulingisa njani kukholwa kanye nekulalela kwaNowa? (b) Jehova ubaphatsa njani bantfu labagcina timiso takhe?

⁹ Singakulingisa njani kukholwa nekulalela kwaNowa? Loko singakwenta ngekutsi sisekele kulunga kwaNkulunkulu, singabi yincenye yalelive laSathane, futsi sifune uMbuso kucala. (Mat. 6:33; Joh. 15:19) Siyaciniseka kutsi indlela lesiphila ngayo isenta singemukeleki kulelive. Ngisho nanyalo, labanye basikhuluma kabi nasigcina imiyalo yaNkulunkulu lemayelana nemshado, kanye nekuya ecasini. (Fundza Malakhi 3:17, 18.) NjengaNowa sesaba Jehova hhayi bantfu. Siyati kutsi nguye kuphela longasinika kuphila lokuphakadze.​—Luk. 12:4, 5.

¹⁰ Kodvwa kutsiwani ngawe? Utawuchubeka yini wetsembekile kuNkulunkulu nangabe labanye bakuhleka, bakukhuluma kabi noma timo temnotfo tivivinya kwetsembela kwakho kuJehova kutsi utakunakekela? Nangabe ulingisa kukholwa nekulalela kwaNowa, ungaciniseka kutsi Jehova utakunakekela.​—Fil. 4:6, 7.

11. Ngutiphi tinkinga Danyela kanye nebangani bakhe labatsatfu labahlangabetana nato eBhabhulona? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

¹¹ Tinkinga Danyela lahlangabetana nato. Danyela bekatfunjwe eBhabhulona, lidolobha lebeligcwele kukhonta titfombe kanye nekusebentisa emadimoni. Ngetulu kwaloko baseBhabhulona bebawabukela phasi emaJuda futsi bahlekisa ngawo nangaNkulunkulu wawo Jehova. (Hla. 137:1, 3) Loku kwawavisa buhlungu kakhulu emaJuda letsembekile njengaDanyela. Ngetulu kwaloko, Danyela kanye nebangani bakhe labatsatfu boHananiya, Mishayeli, na-Azariya​—bebanakwa kakhulu njengobe bebatawuceceshelwa kwenta umsebenti wasebukhosini. Bebaniketwa ngisho netintfo lebekufanele batidle nalebekufanele batinatse. Ecinisweni, loko kwaba yinkinga ngobe Danyela bekangafuni ‘kutingcolisa ngalokudla kwenkhosi.’​—Dan. 1:5-8, 14-17.

12. (a) Ngubuphi buntfu lobuhle Danyela labenabo? (b) Jehova wabona Danyela angumutfu lonjani?

¹² Lenye inkinga lebhacile Danyela lahlangabetana nayo, kutsi bekanemakhono lamenta watfola emalungelo lakhetsekile. (Dan. 1:19, 20) Esikhundleni sekutsi atikhukhumete noma angabalaleli labanye, Danyela wahlala atfobekile futsi lonkhe ludvumo bekaluyisa kuJehova. (Dan. 2:30) Kusukela ngesikhatsi Danyela asemusha, Jehova bekamtsatsa njengemuntfu lolungile futsi watsi usibonelo sekulunga njengaNowa kanye naJobe. Nkulunkulu wenta liphutsa yini ngekwetsemba Danyela? Cha. Kuko konkhe kuphila kwakhe, Danyela wahlala etsembekile futsi alalela. Ecinisweni, nakaneminyaka lengetulu kwa-90 ingilosi yaNkulunkulu yatsi kuye: “Danyela, wena lotsandzekile.”​—Dan. 10:11.

13. Danyela waba njani sibusiso kumaJuda labekanye nawo?

¹³ Ngenca yemusa waNkulunkulu, Danyela wanikwa sikhundla lesiphakeme embusweni waseBhabhulona kanye nasembusweni wemaMede nemaPheresiya. (Dan. 1:21; 6:1, 2) Mhlawumbe Jehova wenta loko kuze Danyela abe sibusiso kubantfu bakubo njengobe naJosefa aba sibusiso eGibhithe futsi bo-Esta naModekhayi baba sibusiso ePheresiya. * (Dan. 2:48) Cabanga kutsi emaJuda labetfunjiwe  kufaka ekhatsi Hezekeli, ajabula kangakanani nakabona Jehova angenela kute awasite.

14, 15. (a) Timo lesihlangabetana nato tifana njani netimo Danyela labebhekene nato? (b) Lamuhla, yini batali labangayifundza esibonelweni sebatali baDanyela?

¹⁴ Singakulingisa njani kukholwa kanye nekulalela kwaDanyela? Lamuhla siphila njengetihambi kulelive leligcwele kutiphatsa lokubi kanye nekukhonta kwemanga lokubangelwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu lokungumbuso welive wenkholo yemanga, ‘leyindzawo yekuhlala yemadimoni.’ (Semb. 18:2) Sehlukile, futsi loko kwenta bantfu bahlekise ngatsi. (Mak. 13:13) Kodvwa njengaDanyela kufanele sisondzele kuNkulunkulu wetfu Jehova. Nasitfobekile, silalela Jehova futsi simetsemba sitawuba ligugu emehlweni akhe.—Hag. 2:7.

¹⁵ Ngusiphi sifundvo batali labangasitfola esibonelweni sebatali baDanyela? Danyela wakhula amtsandza Nkulunkulu ngisho noma live lakaJuda beligcwele bubi. Kodvwa loku akuzange kutentakalele. Kunaloko kwaba ngumphumela wekutsi batali bakhe bamcecesha kahle. (Taga 22:6) Ligama laDanyela lelisho kutsi Nkulunkulu unguMehluleli Wami liveta kutsi batali bakhe bebamesaba Nkulunkulu. Ngako batali, ningaphelelwa ngemandla kodvwa chubekani nifundzisa bantfwana benu ngesineke. (Ef. 6:4) Ngetulu kwaloko, chubekani nithantaza nabo futsi nibathantazela. Jehova utanibusisa nangabe ninamatsisela emaciniso laseBhayibhelini etinhlitiyweni tabo.​—Hla. 37:5.

16, 17. Ngutiphi tinkinga Jobe lahlangabetana nato?

¹⁶ Tinkinga Jobe lahlangabetana nato. Kwaba nelushintjo lolukhulu emphilweni yaJobe. Ngaphambi kwekutsi abhekane neluvivinyo, ‘bekanjinge kwendlula onkhe emadvodza asemphumalanga.’ (Jobe 1:3) Bekanjingile, advumile futsi bantfu bebamhlonipha kakhulu. (Jobe 29:7-16) Noma kunjalo, Jobe akazange atikhukhumete noma acabange kutsi akamdzingi Nkulunkulu. Ecinisweni, Jehova wambita ngekutsi yinceku yakhe, futsi waphindze watsi: “Umsulwa, ucotfo ngenhlitiyo, ungumuntfu lowesaba Nkulunkulu nalokubalekelako lokubi.”​—Jobe 1:8.

¹⁷ Ngesikhashana lesincane nje, imphilo yaJobe yashintja ngalokuphelele. Wahlupheka kakhulu futsi wadvumateka. Siyati kutsi konkhe loku kwabangelwa nguSathane, lowanyundzela Jobe futsi watsi ukhonta Nkulunkulu ngenca yetizatfu tebugovu. (Fundza Jobe 1:9, 10.) Jehova watinaka letinsolo letingemanga. Ngako waniketa Jobe litfuba lekukhombisa  kutsi ucotfo, kuze akhombise kutsi ukhonta Nkulunkulu ngenhlitiyo yonkhe futsi ute tizatfu tebugovu.

18. (a) Yini loyitsandzako mayelana nekwetsembeka kwaJobe? (b) Yini lesiyifundzako endleleni Jehova laphatsa ngayo Jobe?

¹⁸ Sathane wahlasela Jobe ngetintfo letihlukahlukene kute amente acabange kutsi nguNkulunkulu lombangela tinkinga. (Jobe 1:13-21) Bangani baJobe labatsatfu labenta ngatsi bayamdvudvuta bavakashela Jobe futsi bakhuluma emavi labuhlungu, batsi Nkulunkulu unika Jobe loko lokumfanele. (Jobe 2:11; 22:1, 5-10) Noma kunjalo Jobe wahlala etsembekile. Kuliciniso kutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi Jobe bekakhuluma kabi, kepha Jehova bekabucondza buhlungu labebuva. (Jobe 6:1-3) Nkulunkulu wanaka kutsi Jobe lobekacindzetelekile akazange amshiye ngisho noma Sathane bekamhlasela futsi amcalela emanga. Nasekuphelile lokuvivinywa, Jehova wanika Jobe konkhe lebekanako ekucaleni sekuphindvwe kabili, waphindze wamngetela iminyaka lengu-140 yekuphila. (Jak. 5:11) Ngaleso sikhatsi, Jobe wachubeka atinikele kuJehova ngalokuphelele. Yini lesenta siciniseke ngaloko? Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Hezekeli wabhala emavi lokusekelwe kuwo sihloko setfu.

19, 20. (a) Singakulingisa njani kukholwa nekulalela kwaJobe? (b) Singakhombisa njani kutsi sinesihawu njengaNkulunkulu endleleni lesiphatsa ngayo labanye?

¹⁹ Singakulingisa njani kukholwa nekulalela kwaJobe? Ngisho noma singabhekana nanoma ngusiphi simo, shengatsi singachubeka sibeka Jehova kucala ekuphileni kwetfu, simetsembe ngalokuphelele futsi simlalele ngenhlitiyo yetfu yonkhe. Ecinisweni sinetizatfu letinyenti tekwenta njalo, kwendlula leto Jobe labenato. Cabanga ngaloku: Kunyenti lesikwatiko ngaSathane nangemachinga akhe. (2 Khor. 2:11) Siyajabula nangekwati kutsi incwadzi yaJobe iyasichazela kutsi kungani Jehova avumela kuhlupheka. Esiphrofethweni saDanyela siphindze sifundze kutsi uMbuso waNkulunkulu unguhulumende lotawubusa emhlabeni ucondziswa nguJesu Khristu. (Dan. 7:13, 14) Siyati kutsi madvutane loMbuso utawucedza konkhe kuhlupheka kungaphindze kube khona.

²⁰ Lokwenteka kuJobe kuphindze kugcizelele sidzingo sekukhombisa luvelo kumaKhrisu lesikanye nawo labhekene netinkinga. NjengaJobe, lamanye angahle akhulume emavi labuhlungu ngaletinye tikhatsi. (Shu. 7:7) Esikhundleni sekubehlulela, shengatsi singachubeka sikhombisa kucondza futsi sibavele. Nangabe senta njalo sitawube silingisa Jehova longuBabe wetfu lonelutsandvo nemusa.​—Hla. 103:8.

21. Emavi laku-1 Phetro 5:10, asikhumbuta njani loko lokwenteka kuNowa, Danyela kanye naJobe?

²¹ Ngisho noma Nowa, Danyela kanye naJobe baphila ngetikhatsi letingafani nangephasi kwetimo letingafani, bonkhe babeketelela timo letimatima. Umlandvo wekuphila kwabo usikhumbuta emavi emphostoli Phetro latsi: “Ngemuva kwekuhlupheka sikhashana, Nkulunkulu wawo wonkhe umusa . . . utawucedzela kuceceshwa kwenu, anicinise futsi anente nibe nemandla.”​—1 Phet. 5:10.

22. Sitawucoca ngani esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

²² Emavi lashiwo ngumphostoli Phetro, asicinisekisa kutsi Jehova utaticinisa tinceku takhe futsi atente tibe nemandla. Lamavi solo ayasebenta nakubantfu baJehova lamuhla. Sonkhe sinesifiso lesikhulu sekuciniswa nguJehova futsi sihlale sicinile ekumkhonteni. Kungako sifuna kulingisa kukholwa nekulalela kwaNowa, Danyela naJobe. Njengobe sitawubona esihlokweni lesilandzelako, lokwabasita kutsi bahlale betsembekile kutsi bebamati kahle Jehova. Ecinisweni ‘bebakucondzisisa kahle konkhe’ loko Jehova bekalindzele kutsi bakwente. (Taga 28:5) Natsi singakhona kukwenta loko.