1. UYehova wabakhuthaza njani abantu emva kokuba evukelwe e-Eden?

UKUSUSELA oko abantu bonayo baze abafezeka, uYehova ebesoloko ebakhuthaza. Emva kokuba abantu bemvukele e-Eden, wabakhuthaza abantu ababeza kuphila kwixesha elizayo. Lalisekhona ithemba. Isiprofeto esikwiGenesis 3:15 sasiza kuthembisa abantu abasiqondayo ukuba kungekudala “inyoka yantlandlolo,” uSathana uMtyholi, wayeza kutshatyalaliswa nemisebenzi yakhe emdaka.—ISityhi. 12:9; 1 Yoh. 3:8.

2. UYehova wamkhuthaza njani uNowa?

² Umkhonzi kaYehova uNowa wayephila nabantu ababengamnquli uThixo, inguye nentsapho yakhe kuphela ababemnqula. Abantu babekhohlakele, beziphethe kakubi, ngoko uNowa wayesenokutyhafa. (Gen. 6:4, 5, 11; Yude 6) Kodwa uYehova wamxelela into eyamkhuthazayo eyamnceda  wanyamezela kwimizamo yakhe ‘yokuhamba noThixo.’ (Gen. 6:9) UYehova wachazela uNowa ukuba uza kubatshabalalisa abo bantu babi, waza wamxelela nento amakayenze ukuze intsapho yakhe ikhuseleke. (Gen. 6:13-18) UYehova wamkhuthaza uNowa.

3. Wakhuthazwa njani uYoshuwa? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

³ Kamva, uYoshuwa wayenomsebenzi omkhulu wokungenisa abantu bakaThixo kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Kwakuza kufuneka oyise imikhosi enamandla yeentlanga ezazihlala kwelo lizwe. UYoshuwa umele ukuba wayesoyika. UYehova wayeyazi loo nto, wathi kuMoses makomeleze uYoshuwa. Wathi uThixo: “Misela uYoshuwa uze umkhuthaze yaye umomeleze, kuba nguye oya kuwela phambi kwesi sizwana kwaye nguye oya kusidlisa ilifa lelo lizwe uya kulibona.” (Dut. 3:28) Ngaphambi kokuba uYoshuwa aqale, uYehova wamkhuthaza wathi: “Andikuyalelanga na? Yiba nesibindi womelele. Musa ukothuka okanye unkwantye, kuba uYehova uThixo wakho unawe naphi na apho uya khona.” (Yosh. 1:1, 9) Wamqinisa nyhani!

4, 5. (a) UYehova wabakhuthaza njani abantu bakhe bakudala? (b) UYehova wamkhuthaza njani uNyana wakhe?

⁴ UYehova wayekhe akhuthaze abantu bakhe njengeqela. AmaYuda awayeza kuba ngamakhoboka eBhabhiloni ayeza komelezwa sesi siprofeto sikaYehova: “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe. Musa ukubhekabheka, kuba ndinguThixo wakho. Ndiza kukuqinisa. Ndiza kukunceda ngokwenene. Ndiza kukubamba nkqi ngokwenene ngesandla sam sasekunene sobulungisa.” (Isa. 41:10) AmaKristu okuqala omelezwa ngendlela efanayo kanti nathi bantu bakaThixo bangoku.—Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 1:3, 4.

⁵ UYesu naye wakhuthazwa nguYise. Xa wayebhaptizwa weva ilizwi liphuma ezulwini lisithi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.” (Mat. 3:17) Loo mazwi amele ukuba amqinisa uYesu ngalo lonke ixesha awayeshumayela ngalo emhlabeni!

6. Ukhuthaza njani umzekeliso weetalente?

⁶ NjengoYise, uYesu wabakhuthaza abantu. Umzekeliso weetalente owenziwa nguYesu eprofeta ngokupheliswa kweli hlabathi ukhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ahlale ethembekile. Inkosi yancoma ikhoboka ngalinye elalithembekile yathi: “Wenze kakuhle, khoboka elilungileyo nelithembekileyo! Ubuthembekile kwizinto ezimbalwa. Ndiza kukumisela phezu kwezinto ezininzi. Ngena kuvuyo lwenkosi yakho.” (Mat. 25:21, 23) La mazwi abakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba bakhonze uYehova bethembekile!

7. UYesu wabakhuthaza njani abapostile bakhe ingakumbi uPetros?

⁷ Abapostile bakaYesu babesoloko bephikisana ngokuba ngowuphi oyena mkhulu kubo, kodwa uYesu wayesoloko ebakhuthaza ukuba bathobeke baze babe ngamakhoboka, hayi izikhulu. (Luka 22:24-26) UPetros ke yena wamphoxa kaninzi uYesu. (Mat. 16:21-23; 26:31-35, 75) Endaweni yokuba uYesu amncame uPetros wamkhuthaza waza wamthuma ukuba omeleze abazalwana bakhe.—Yoh. 21:16.

8. UHezekiya wazikhuthaza njani iintloko zomkhosi nabantu bakwaYuda?

⁸ Kwangaphambi kokuba uNyana kaYehova eze emhlabeni asibonise indlela yokukhuthaza abantu, abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo bakudala babesazi ukuba bamele babakhuthaze abantu. Xa amaSirayeli ayesoyikiswa ngama-Asiriya, uHezekiya wadibanisa iintloko zomkhosi nabantu bakwaYuda ukuze awakhuthaze. “Abantu baxhathisa ngenxa yamazwi kaHezekiya.”—Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 32:6-8.

9. Isifundisa ntoni incwadi kaYobhi ngokukhuthaza?

⁹ Nangona uYobhi wayefuna ukuthuthuzelwa yena kuqala, wafundisa ‘abathuthuzeli abanenkathazo’ abathathu ukuba kuthuthuzelwa njani. Wabaxelela ukuba, ukuba ibinguye lo ubathuthuzelayo, ‘ebeya kubomeleza ngamazwi omlomo wakhe, yaye intuthuzelo yemilebe yakhe ibiya kuyinqanda’ intlungu yabo. (Yobhi 16:1-5) Ekugqibeleni uYobhi wakhuthazwa nguElihu nanguYehova.—Yobhi 33:24, 25; 36:1, 11; 42:7, 10.

10, 11. (a) Kwakutheni le nto intombi kaYifeta yayifuna ukukhuthazwa? (b) Ngoobani thina esifanele sibakhuthaze?

¹⁰ Omnye umntu wakudala owayefuna ukukhuthazwa yintombi kaYifeta. Ngaphambi kokulwa nama-Amoni, uMgwebi uYifeta wafunga ukuba, ukuba uYehova umnceda aphumelele, wayeza kunikela ngomntu wokuqala owayeza kumhlangabeza xa ebuya emfazweni ukuba amkhonze emnqubeni. Umntu wokuqala owamkhawulelayo yaba yintombi yakhe, umntwana wakhe wokuqala nowokugqibela. Waba buhlungu uYifeta. Kodwa ke zange ajike kwisifungo sakhe, wayithumela intombi yakhe enyulu eShilo ukuba ikhonze emnqubeni ubomi bayo bonke.—ABagwe. 11:30-35.

¹¹ Imele ukuba yayinzima le nto kuYifeta, kodwa yayinzima ngakumbi kwintombi yakhe eyavumelana nesigqibo sakhe. (ABagwe. 11:36, 37) Le nto yayithetha ukuba yayingazukutshata, yayingazukuba nabantwana, igama likayise laliza kuphela kwaye kungabikho mntu idlulisela ilifa kuye. Yayifuna nyhani ukukhuthazwa. IBhayibhile ithi: “Yaba ngummiselo kwaSirayeli ukuba: Unyaka nonyaka iintombi zakwaSirayeli zazisiya kwintombi kaYifeta umGiliyadi, ukuze ziyincome iintsuku ezine ngonyaka.” (ABagwe. 11:39, 40) Masiwancome size siwakhuthaze onke amaKristu angatshatanga kuba efuna ukwenza “izinto zeNkosi.”—1 Kor. 7:32-35.

12, 13. UPetros ‘wabomeleza njani abazalwana bakhe’?

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wathi kumpostile uPetros: “Simon, Simon, khangela! uSathana ubenibanga ukuze anihluze njengengqolowa. Kodwa ndiye ndenza isikhungo ngenxa yakho ukuze ungatyhafi elukholweni; yaye nawe, wakubuya, bomeleze abazalwana bakho.”—Luka 22:31, 32.

¹³ UPetros ngomnye wabantu abalinceda lema ibandla lamaKristu lokuqala. (Gal. 2:9) Isibindi awayenaso sabaqinisa abazalwana ngePentekoste nasemva koko. Ngasekupheleni komsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela awawenza iminyaka emininzi, uPetros wabhalela  amanye amaKristu. Wawaxelela isizathu sokuwabhalela, wathi: “Ndinibhalele ngamazwi ambalwa, ndinikhuthaza, ndinikela nobungqina bokuba ngokwenene obu bububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo; yimani niqinile kubo.” (1 Pet. 5:12) Iincwadi eziphefumlelweyo zikaPetros bezisoloko ziwakhuthaza amaKristu yonke le minyaka ukuza kutsho ngoku. Nathi sikufuna nyhani ukukhuthazwa ngale ndlela njengoko silinde ukuba kuzaliseke izithembiso zikaYehova!—2 Pet. 3:13.

14, 15. Iincwadi eziphefumlelweyo zikampostile uYohane ziye zawakhuthaza njani amaKristu?

¹⁴ Umpostile uYohane naye ngomnye wabantu abalinceda lema ibandla lamaKristu lokuqala. Incwadi yakhe yeVangeli eyenza umdla engomsebenzi wokushumayela kaYesu ibiwakhuthaza amaKristu kangamakhulu eminyaka, ibe kusenjalo nangoku. Yiyo yodwa enamazwi kaYesu abonisa ukuba uthando luphawu ayakubonakala ngalo abafundi benene.—Funda uYohane 13:34, 35.

¹⁵ Iincwadi ezintathu zikaYohane nazo zineemfundiso ezixabisekileyo. Xa sityhafiswa zimpazamo zethu, ngaba akuye kuthi xibilili xa sifunda ukuba ‘igazi likaYesu liyasihlambulula kuso sonke isono.’ (1 Yoh. 1:7) Xa iintliziyo zethu zisigweba, ngaba asiye sibindeke size sithi gwantyi iinyembezi xa sifunda ukuba “uThixo mkhulu kuneentliziyo zethu”? (1 Yoh. 3:20) NguYohane yedwa owabhala wathi “uThixo uluthando.” (1 Yoh. 4:8, 16) Kwincwadi yakhe yesibini neyesithathu uncoma amaKristu aqhubeka ‘ehamba enyanisweni.’—2 Yoh. 4; 3 Yoh. 3, 4.

16, 17. Umpostile uPawulos wawakhuthaza njani amaKristu okuqala?

¹⁶ Ngexesha labapostile yayinguPawulos  oyena mpostile owayekhuthaza abazalwana. Ekuqaleni kobuKristu, kubonakala ngathi abapostile abaninzi babehlala eYerusalem, apho iqumrhu elilawulayo lalikhona. (IZe. 8:14; 15:2) AmaKristu kwaYuda ayeshumayela ngoKristu kubantu ababesele bekholelwa kuThixo omnye ngenxa yobuYuda. Kodwa yena umpostile uPawulos wathunywa ngumoya oyingcwele ukuba ayokushumayela kubantu beentlanga, abangamaGrike namaRoma, ababenqula izithixo ezininzi.—Gal. 2:7-9; 1 Tim. 2:7.

¹⁷ UPawulos waya kwindawo ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yiTurkey, naseGrisi naseItali, eqala amabandla amatsha kubantu abangengomaYuda. La maKristu matsha ‘abandezeleka ezandleni zabantu belizwe lawo’ ngoko ayefuna ukukhuthazwa. (1 Tes. 2:14) Malunga nonyaka ka-50 C.E., umpostile uPawulos wabhalela ibandla elitsha laseTesalonika wathi: “Sisoloko simbulela uThixo xa sinikhankanya nonke emithandazweni yethu, kuba asiwulibali umsebenzi wenu wokuthembeka, nokubulaleka kwenu niqhutywa luthando, nokunyamezela kwenu.” (1 Tes. 1:2, 3) Wabacela ukuba nabo bomelezane, wathi: “Hlalani nithuthuzelana yaye nisakhana.”—1 Tes. 5:11.

18. Iqumrhu elilawulayo lexesha labapostile lamkhuthaza njani uFilipu?

¹⁸ Iqumrhu elilawulayo lexesha labapostile lakhuthaza abazalwana ababekhokela namanye amaKristu. Xa uFilipu washumayela ngoKristu kumaSamariya waxhaswa ngabo bakwiqumrhu elilawulayo. Lathumela ababini kulo, uPetros noYohane, ukuba bathandazele la makholwa matsha ukuze afumane umoya oyingcwele. (IZe. 8:5, 14-17) UFilipu nala makholwa matsha bamele ukuba bakhuthazeka nyhani kukuxhaswa liqumrhu elilawulayo ngolu hlobo!

19. Lathini ibandla lamaKristu xa lakhuthazwa liqumrhu elilawulayo?

¹⁹ Kamva, iqumrhu elilawulayo kwafuneka ligqibe ngokuba ngaba amaKristu angengomaYuda kwakufuneka oluke njengoko uMthetho KaMoses wawufuna loo nto kumaYuda. (IZe. 15:1, 2) Aba bazalwana bekhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele nasemva kokuba bebonisene ngoko kuthethwa ziZibhalo, bagqiba ekubeni ayiyomfuneko loo nto, ibe babhalela amabandla bewazisa. Kwathunyelwa abameli bequmrhu elilawulayo ukuze bahambise loo leta emabandleni. Waba yintoni umphumo? “Emva kokuyifunda, baba nemihlali ngenxa yokhuthazo olo.”—IZe. 15:27-32.

20. (a) IQumrhu Elilawulayo libakhuthaza njani abazalwana ehlabathini lonke? (b) Ngowuphi umbuzo oza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²⁰ IQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina KaYehova langoku, likhuthaza amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli, abazalwana abakwinkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo abasebenza entsimini, nabazalwana bonke ehlabathini lonke. Imiphumo iyafana naleyo yexesha labapostile, siyavuya ngenxa yokukhuthazwa! Ukongezelela, ngo-2015 iQumrhu Elilawulayo likhuphe incwadana ethi Buyela KuYehova, eye yakhuthaza abantu abaninzi emhlabeni wonke. Kodwa, ngaba ngabazalwana abakhokelayo bodwa abamele baxelise uYehova ngokukhuthaza abantu? Lo mbuzo uza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.