1. Kwakutheni ukuze amaBhabhiloni amthande umprofeti uDaniyeli?

 UMPROFETI uDaniyeli wayesengumfana xa wabanjwa ngamaBhabhiloni, aya kumvalela kude nekhaya lakhe. Kodwa amagosa aseBhabhiloni amthanda. Kaloku ayebona into ‘eyayibonakala emehlweni,’ yokuba uDaniyeli ‘yinzwana engenasiphene’ esuka kwintsapho ehlonitshwayo. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ngoko amqeqeshela ukusebenza endlini yasebukhosini.—Dan. 1:3, 4, 6.

2. UYehova wayeziva njani ngoDaniyeli? (Hezekile 14:14)

² UYehova zange athande uDaniyeli kuba wayemhle okanye enesikhundla endlini yasebukhosini. Into eyamenza wathanda lo mfana luhlobo lomntu awakhetha ukuba lulo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uDaniyeli wayeneminyaka eyi-20 xa uYehova wamfanisa noNowa noYobhi. Ngoko kuye wayelilungisa njengaloo madoda amkhonza engagungqi kangangamashumi eminyaka. (Gen. 5:32; 6:9, 10; Yobhi 42:16, 17; funda uHezekile 14:14.) UYehova wamthanda ubomi bakhe bonke uDaniyeli ngenxa yokuthembeka kwakhe.—Dan. 10:11, 19.

3. Yintoni esiza kufunda ngayo kweli nqaku?

³ Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngeempawu ezimbini awayenazo uDaniyeli nezamenza wathandwa nguYehova. Siza kuqala sithethe ngophawu ngalunye size sichaze ukuba walubonakalisa xa kwakutheni. Emva koko siza kubona ukuba wancedwa yintoni ukuze abe nezi mpawu. Ekugqibeleni, siza kuthetha ngokuba sinokumlinganisa njani. Nangona eli nqaku  libhalelwe abantu abasebatsha, sonke sinokufunda kuDaniyeli.

4. UDaniyeli wabonisa njani ukuba unesibindi?

⁴ Abantu abanesibindi bakhe boyike, kodwa loo nto ayibenzi bayeke ukwenza into elungileyo. UDaniyeli wayengumfana onesibindi. Khawucinge ngezi zinto zimbini ezamenza wabonakala ukuba unaso. Mhlawumbi eyokuqala yenzeka emva kweminyaka emibini amaBhabhiloni etshabalalise iYerusalem. UKumkani uNebhukadenetsare waseBhabhiloni waphupha ngomfanekiso omkhulu yaza loo nto yamoyikisa. Wathi uza kubulala onke amadoda azizilumko, nkqu noDaniyeli, ukuba awamxeleli ukuba lithetha ukuthini elo phupha. (Dan. 2:3-5) Kwakuza kufuneka kubekho into akhawuleza ayenze uDaniyeli kuba kwakuza kufa abantu abaninzi. Ngoko “waya kukumkani, wamcela ukuba amphe ixesha lokuba amchazele ukuba lithetha ukuthini eli phupha.” (Dan. 2:16) Loo nto yayibonisa ukuba unesibindi nokholo. Kutheni sisitsho? Kaloku akukho nto iseBhayibhileni ebonisa ukuba uDaniyeli wayekhe watolika amaphupha ngaphambili. Wacela abahlobo bakhe, uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego “ukuba bathandaze bacele inceba kuThixo wezulu ngale mfihlelo.” (Dan. 2:18) UYehova wayiphendula loo mithandazo. Wamnceda uDaniyeli wakwazi ukutolika iphupha likaNebhukadenetsare. Ngoko uDaniyeli nabahlobo bakhe zange babulawe.

5. Yeyiphi enye into eyenzekayo eyafuna uDaniyeli abe nesibindi?

⁵ Kwadlula ixesha uDaniyeli etolike iphupha lomfanekiso omkhulu, kwaphinda kwenzeka enye into eyayifuna abe nesibindi. UNebhukadenetsare waphupha ngomthi omkhulu laza neli iphupha lamoyikisa. UDaniyeli waba nesibindi sokuxelela ukumkani into ethethwa leli phupha, emxelela nokuba uza kuba ligeza, ayeke nokuba ngukumkani okwexeshana. (Dan. 4:25) Ukumkani wayenokucinga ukuba uDaniyeli lutshaba lwakhe aze athi makabulawe. Sekunjalo, uDaniyeli waba nesibindi waza wamxelela into ethethwa lelo phupha.

6. Inoba yintoni eyenza uDaniyeli waba nesibindi?

⁶ Inoba yintoni eyenza uDaniyeli waba nesibindi ubomi bakhe bonke? Ngokuqinisekileyo wafunda kumama notata wakhe esemncinci.  Asithandabuzi ukuba bayithobela imiyalelo uYehova awayinika abazali abangamaSirayeli baza bafundisa nomntwana wabo uMthetho kaThixo. (Dut. 6:6-9) UDaniyeli wayengazi njee imithetho elula, efana neMithetho Elishumi kodwa wayezazi nezinto umSirayeli amele azitye namele angazityi. b (Lev. 11:4-8; Dan. 1:8, 11-13) Wayefundile ngembali yabantu bakaThixo, eyazi nento eyayisenzeka xa bengayithobeli imithetho yakhe. (Dan. 9:10, 11) Izinto ezenzeka kuye zamenza waqiniseka ukuba uxhaswa nguYehova neengelosi zakhe ezinamandla.—Dan. 2:19-24; 10:12, 18.

7. Zeziphi ezinye izinto ezanceda uDaniyeli wanesibindi? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁷ UDaniyeli wafunda izinto ezazibhalwe ngabaprofeti bakaThixo abafana noYeremiya. Izinto awazifundayo zamnceda wabona ukuba amaYuda awayethinjwe ixesha elide eBhabhiloni, ayesele eza kukhululwa. (Dan. 9:2) Ukubona izinto ezaziprofetwe eBhayibhileni zisenzeka, ngokuqinisekileyo kwenza uDaniyeli wamthemba kakhulu uYehova. Abantu abamthemba ngolo hlobo uYehova banokuba nesibindi kakhulu. (Thelekisa amaRoma 8:31, 32, 37-39.) Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba uDaniyeli wayethandaza qho kuTata wakhe osezulwini. (Dan. 6:10) Wayezivuma izono zakhe kuYehova aze amxelele nendlela aziva ngayo. Wayemcela nokuba amncede. (Dan. 9:4, 5, 19) Wayengumntu ofana nathi, zange azalwe enesibindi. Izinto ezamnceda wanaso kukufunda, ukuthandaza nokuthemba uYehova.

8. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sibe nesibindi?

⁸ Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sibe nesibindi? Abazali bethu banokusikhuthaza ukuba sibe naso, kodwa abanakusenza sibe nesibindi kuba bona benaso. Ukuzama ukuba nesibindi kufana nokufunda ukuyenza kakuhle into. Enye into enokukunceda kukumbukela kakuhle umntu okufundisayo eyenza, uze umlinganise. Ngendlela efanayo, ukuze sibe nesibindi simele sibabukele kakuhle abantu abanaso size sibalinganise. Yintoni ke esiyifundileyo kuDaniyeli? Simele sifane naye, silazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo. Simele sithi nca kuYehova, ngokuhlala sithetha naye, simxelele eyona ndlela siziva ngayo. Masingayeki nokumthemba, siqiniseke ukuba ungakwicala lethu. Ngoko xa kusenzeka izinto ezifuna sibonise ukuba sinalo na ukholo, siza kuba nesibindi.

9. Kusinceda njani ukuba nesibindi?

⁹ Ukuba nesibindi kusinceda ngeendlela ezininzi. Khawuve into eyenzeka kuBen. Kwisikolo awayefunda kuso eJamani, wonke umntu wayekholelwa ukuba izinto zazivelela, esithi into ethethwa yiBhayibhile yokuba zadalwa yintsomi. Ngenye imini, kwathiwa makeme phambi kweklasi ayichazele ukuba kutheni ekholelwa ukuba izinto zadalwa. Enesibindi, wabachazela izinto azikholelwayo. Kwenzeka ntoni? UBen uthi: “Utitshala wandimamela kakuhle waza wenza iikopi zamaphepha endandizithatha kuwo izinto endandibaxelela zona, wanika bonke abantwana ababeseklasini.” Benza ntoni abo bantwana? Uthi: “Abaninzi kubo bandimamela baza bathi bayandihlonipha.” Into esiyibonayo kweli bali likaBen kukuba abantu abanesibindi badla ngokuhlonitshwa. Banokunceda nabanye abantu bafune ukumazi uYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinezizathu ezivakalayo ezisenza sifune ukuba nesibindi.

10. Kuthetha ukuthini ukungagungqi?

¹⁰ Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ukungagungqi,” okanye “uthando olungagungqiyo” lidla ngokusetyenziswa xa kuchazwa indlela ekhethekileyo uThixo abathanda ngayo abakhonzi bakhe. Lidla ngokusetyenziswa naxa kuchazwa indlela bona abathandana ngayo. (2 Sam. 9:6, 7) Njengoko kuhamba ixesha, siya sizimisela ukungagungqi. Makhe sibone ukuba yenzeka njani loo nto kuDaniyeli.

11. Xa uDaniyeli wayelixhego, yintoni eyenzekayo eyafuna abonise ukuba akagungqi? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹¹ Kubo bonke ubomi bukaDaniyeli, kwakusenzeka izinto ezazifuna abonise ukuba akagungqi ekukhonzeni uYehova. Kodwa enye yezo zinto, neyayinzima kakhulu, yenzeka xa wayeneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-90. Ngelo xesha, iBhabhiloni yayithinjwe ngamaMedi namaPersi, ilawulwa nguKumkani uDariyo. Amagosa asebukhosini ayengamginyisisi ncam uDaniyeli, engamhloniphi naloo Thixo wakhe. Ngoko enza iqhinga lokumbulalisa. Enza ukumkani wakhupha umyalelo owawuza kwenza kucace ukuba uDaniyeli uthembeke kubani ngokungagungqiyo phakathi kwakhe noThixo. Into ekwakuza kufuneka ayenze uDaniyeli ukuze abonise ukuba uthembeke ngokungagungqiyo kukumkani, atsho afane nabanye abantu, yayikukungathandazi kuYehova kangangeentsuku eziyi-30. Kodwa wahlala ethembeke kuYehova. Ngenxa yaloo nto, waphoswa emngxunyeni weengonyama. UYehova wamsikelela ngenxa yokungagungqi kwakhe, wamsindisa emilonyeni yezo ngonyama. (Dan. 6:12-15, 20-22) Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sithembeke ngokungagungqiyo kuYehova njengoDaniyeli?

12. Yintoni eyanceda uDaniyeli akagungqa ekukhonzeni uYehova?

¹² Njengokuba besesitshilo, luthando olusenza singagungqi. Ayikho into eyayinokwenza uDaniyeli agungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova kuba wayemthanda kakhulu uTata wakhe osezulwini. Ngokuqinisekileyo into eyamnceda wamthanda kakhulu uYehova kukucinga ngeempawu zakhe nangendlela awazibonakalisa ngayo. (Dan. 9:4) Wacingisisa nangazo zonke izinto ezintle uYehova awayemenzele zona nawayezenzele abantu bakhe, watsho wanombulelo.—Dan. 2:20-23; 9:15, 16.

13. (a) Yintoni enokwenziwa ngabantu abafuna abantwana bethu bagungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova? Yenza umzekelo. (Jonga nomfanekiso.) (b) Njengokuba kubonisiwe kwividiyo, unokumphendula njani umntu obuzayo ukuba amaNgqina ayayamkela na into yokutshata kwendoda nendoda okanye ibhinqa nebhinqa?

 ¹³ Nabantwana bethu bayafana noDaniyeli, baphila nabantu abangenaxesha likaYehova nemithetho yakhe. Abo bantu basenokungamthandi nabani na othi uyamthanda uThixo. Abanye basenokude babaphathe kakubi abantwana bethu, bezama ukubenza bagungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova. Khawuve into eyenzeka komnye umfana ohlala eAustralia, uGraeme. Xa wayekumabanga aphakamileyo waba nengxaki. Utitshala wabo wababuza ukuba bangathini xa umhlobo wabo oyintombi ebaxelela ukuba utsaleleke kwezinye iintombi, okanye xa ongumfana esithi utsaleleke kwabanye abafana. Wathi abo bathi abanakuba nangxaki naloo nto mabame kwelinye icala leklasi, baze abo bathi banganengxaki nokuba nomhlobo onjalo bame kwelinye. UGraeme uthi, “Yonke iklasi yama kweli cala labo bathi abanakuba nangxaki nokuba nomhlobo onjalo, kwashiyeka mna nomnye umfana owayeliNgqina qha.” Emva koko, kwenzeka into eyafuna uGraeme abonise ukuba akagungqi ekumeleni into ethethwa nguYehova. Uthi: “Kwaphela iyure abafundi notitshala lowo behlekisa ngathi. Ndazama ngamandla am onke ukuthethelela izinto endizikholelwayo ndizolile, futhi ndiqiniseka ukuba ndithetha izinto ezivakalayo. Kodwa zange bamamele nenye into endandiyithetha.” Kwenzeka ntoni kuGraeme? Uthi, “Ndandingazithandi izinto ezazithethwa ngabantwana endandifunda nabo. Kodwa ndandivuyiswa kukuba ndiye andagungqa, ndazimela izinto endizikholelwayo.” c

14. Yeyiphi enye into esinokuyenza ukuze singagungqi ekukhonzeni uYehova?

¹⁴ Sinokuhlala singagungqi ekukhonzeni uYehova, ukuba siya simthanda kakhulu njengoDaniyeli. Sinokuba nalo olo thando ukuba siyafunda ngeempawu zikaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, sinokufunda ngezinto azidalileyo. (Roma 1:20) Ukuba ufuna ukuya umthanda uYehova uze umhloniphe, unokufunda amanqaku amafutshane athi “Ngaba yadalwa?” okanye ubukele iividiyo ezinaloo mxholo. Unokufunda nencwadana ethi Ngaba Izinto Eziphilayo Zadalwa? neyesiNgesi ethi The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking. Khawuve ukuba uthini udade osemtsha waseDenmark onguEsther ngezi ncwadana: “Iyamangalisa indlela ezikunceda ngayo ucinge. Azikuxeleli into omele uyikholelwe, zikuxelela ubungqina obuyinyani, ibe nguwe owenza isigqibo.” Yena uBen ekukhe kwathethwa ngaye uthi: “Ezi ncwadana zaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwam. Zandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba izinto eziphilayo zadalwa nguThixo.” Emva kokuba uzifundile, unokuvumelana neBhayibhile xa isithi: “Ufanele Yehova Thixo wethu onamandla, ukwamkela uzuko nembeko, kuba wadala zonke izinto.”—ISityhi. 4:11. d

15. Yeyiphi enye into esinokuyenza ukuze simthande kakhulu uYehova?

¹⁵ Enye into esinokuyenza ukuze simthande kakhulu uYehova kukufunda ngobomi bukaYesu, uNyana wakhe. Wayenza ke loo nto uSamira, udade osemtsha waseJamani. Uthi: “Kukwazi uYesu okwandinceda ndamazi bhetele uYehova.” Xa wayesengumntwana, kwakunzima ukuyiqonda into yokuba uYehova uneemvakalelo. Kodwa wayeyiqonda indlela  uYesu awayeziva ngayo. Uthi: “Ndandimthanda uYesu kuba wayenobubele, ebathanda nabantwana.” Ukuya efunda ngoYesu kwamnceda waya emthanda uYehova. Kwakutheni? Uthi: “Ndaya ndiqonda ukuba uYesu umlinganisa kakuhle uTata wakhe. Zininzi izinto abafana ngazo. Ndabona ukuba esinye sezizathu zokuba uYesu athunywe emhlabeni, yayikukuze kuncedwe abantu bamazi bhetele uYehova.” (Yoh. 14:9) Ukuba ufuna ukuya umthanda uYehova, kutheni ungazami ukufunda yonk’ into onokukwazi ukuyifunda ngoYesu? Ukuba uyayenza loo nto, uza kuya umthanda uYehova, uzimisele kakhulu nokuhlala ungagungqi.

16. Kusinceda ngantoni ukungagungqi? (INdumiso 18:25; Mika 6:8)

¹⁶ Xa sinothando olungagungqiyo siye sibe nabahlobo abasithanda ngokungagungqiyo. (Rute 1:14-17) Nabantu abangagungqiyo ekukhonzeni uYehova banesizathu esivakalayo sokuba noxolo lwengqondo. Ngoba? Kaloku uYehova uthembisa ukuba uza kuthi nca kumntu omkhonza ngokungagungqiyo. (Funda iNdumiso 18:25; uMika 6:8.) Khawuyicinge le nto, uMdali onguSomandla ufuna ukuba ngumhlobo wethu! Xa esiba nguye akukho nto inokusahlukanisa naye, enoba sisilingo, umchasi, nkqu nokufa. (Dan. 12:13; Luka 20:37, 38; Roma 8:38, 39) Ngoko kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba silinganise uDaniyeli, singaze sigungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova!

17-18. Zeziphi ezinye izinto esinokuzifunda kuDaniyeli?

¹⁷ Kweli nqaku, sithethe ngezimbini qha kwiimpawu awayenazo uDaniyeli. Kodwa zininzi izinto esinokuzifunda kuye. Ngokomzekelo, mininzi imibono namaphupha uYehova awenza uDaniyeli wawabona, wamenza wakwazi nokutolika iziprofeto. Ezininzi kuzo sezenzekile. Ezinye zisinceda siziqonde kakuhle izinto eziseza kwenzeka, nekungekho mntu uza kukwazi ukuziphepha.

¹⁸ Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngeziprofeto ezibini ezabhalwa nguDaniyeli. Ukuziqonda kuza kusinceda sonke senze izigqibo ezifanelekileyo, nokuba sibadala okanye sibancinci. Ziza kusinceda sizilungele nezinto eziseza kwenzeka, kuba siza kube sinesibindi, sibambelele nkqi kuYehova, singagungqi.