1. Yiyiphi imibandela eman’ ukuxutyushwa ngabantu bakaThixo, ibe singenelwa njani ngokukhunjuzwa ngayo?

NGABA wakha wathi ulungiselela isifundo seMboniselo waziva sele usithi, ‘Ingathi asiqali kodwa ukufunda ngalo mbandela’? Ukuba kudala unxulumana nebandla lamaKristu, mhlawumbi uqaphele ukuba eminye imixholo imane iphindwa. Ukufunda ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, intlawulelo, umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi, neempawu ezifana nothando kwakunye nokholo yinxalenye yokutya kwethu kokomoya esikutya rhoqo. Xa simane sikhunjuzwa ngale mibandela, sincedwa ukuba sihlale siphilile elukholweni size sibe ‘ngabenzi belizwi, singabi ngabevayo kuphela.’—Yak. 1:22.

2. (a) Yintoni ezidla ngokubhekisela kuyo izikhumbuzo zikaThixo maxa wambi? (b) Zahluke njani izikhumbuzo zikaThixo kwezabantu?

² Isibizo sesiHebhere esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “isikhumbuzo” maxa wambi sibhekisela kwimithetho, imiyalelo, nemimiselo uThixo ayinika abantu bakhe. Ngokungafaniyo nemithetho yabantu ekuye kufuneke ilungiswe okanye ihlaziywe, imithetho nemimiselo kaYehova ithembekile. Nangona eminye yayo yenzelwe ixesha okanye imeko ethile, ayikhe isilele okanye ingayiphumezi injongo yayo. Umdumisi wathi: “Ubulungisa bezikhumbuzo zakho bukho ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.”—INdu. 119:144.

3, 4. (a) Zinokuquka ntoni izilumkiso zikaYehova? (b) Ayeza kungenelwa njani amaSirayeli ukuba ayezithobele?

³ Mhlawumbi ukhe waqaphela ukuba maxa wambi izikhumbuzo zikaYehova ziquka isilumkiso. Uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwalusoloko lufumana izilumkiso kubaprofeti bakaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, emva nje kokuba amaSirayeli engene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uMoses wawalumkisa wathi: “Lumkelani ukuba ingawexulwa intliziyo yenu, niphambuke nikhonze thixo bambi nize niqubude kubo, uvuthe umsindo kaYehova kuni.”  (Dut. 11:16, 17) IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uThixo wayebanika uthotho lwezikhumbuzo eziluncedo abantu bakhe.

⁴ Kangangezihlandlo ezininzi, uYehova wayesoloko ewabongoza amaSirayeli ukuba amoyike, aphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, aze angcwalise igama lakhe. (Dut. 4:29-31; 5:28, 29) Ukuba ayemthobele, ngokuqinisekileyo ayeza kufumana iintsikelelo ezininzi.—Lev. 26:3-6; Dut. 28:1-4.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova amlwele uKumkani uHezekiya?

⁵ Ukutyhubela imbali yamaSirayeli eyayinamahla-ndinyuka, uThixo wasigcina isithembiso sakhe. Ngokomzekelo, xa uKumkani uSenaribhe waseAsiriya wahlasela uYuda waza wasongela ngokubhukuqa uKumkani uHezekiya, uYehova wathumela ingelosi. Ngobusuku nje obunye le ngelosi yabulala “onke amakroti, amadoda anamandla” omkhosi waseAsiriya, yaye uSenaribhe wabuyela elizweni lakhe umsila uphakathi kwemilenze. (2 Kron. 32:21; 2 Kum. 19:35) Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo alwele uKumkani uHezekiya? Kungenxa yokuba ‘waqhubeka enamathele kuYehova. Akazange aphambuke ekumlandeleni, kodwa waqhubeka eyigcina imiyalelo yakhe.’—2 Kum. 18:1, 5, 6.

6. UKumkani uYosiya wabonisa njani ukuba uthembele ngoYehova?

⁶ Omnye umntu owathobela imiyalelo kaYehova, nguKumkani uYosiya. Waqalisa ukuthobela uYehova eseyinkwenkwana eneminyaka nje esibhozo, waza “waqhubeka esenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaYehova  . . Akazange aphambukele ngasekunene okanye ngasekhohlo.” (2 Kron. 34:1, 2) Wabonisa ukuthembela kwakhe kuYehova ngokususa zonke izithixo waza wabuyisela unqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngenxa yoko, kwasikelelwa kungekuphela nje yena kodwa uhlanga luphela.—Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 34:31-33.

7. AmaSirayeli afumana yiphi imiphumo xa engazange azithobele izikhumbuzo zikaYehova?

⁷ Okulusizi kukuba abantu bakaYehova abazange bathembele ngokupheleleyo kwizikhumbuzo zakhe. Kangangeminyaka babengasoloko bemthobela uYehova. Xa babephelelwa lukholo, ngokwamazwi kampostile uPawulos ‘babephetshethwa yiyo yonke imimoya yeemfundiso.’ (Efese 4:13, 14) Ibe njengoko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili, xa babengathembeli kwizikhumbuzo zikaThixo, babevuna imiphumo ebuhlungu.—Lev. 26:23-25; Yer. 5:23-25.

8. Sinokufunda ntoni kumzekelo wamaSirayeli?

⁸ Unokusinceda njani umzekelo wamaSirayeli? NjengamaSirayeli, abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje bafumana iziluleko noqeqesho. (2 Pet. 1:12) ILizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo linokusikhumbuza ngezinto azifunayo rhoqo silifunda. Ekubeni sinenkululeko yokuzikhethela, sinokukhetha ukuyithobela imiyalelo kaYehova okanye sihambe ngesiyibonayo. (IMize. 14:12) Makhe sithethe ngezinye zezizathu zokuba kufuneka sithembele kwizikhumbuzo zikaYehova nendlela esinokungenelwa ngayo xa sizithobela.

9. Xa amaSirayeli ayesentlango, uYehova wawaqinisekisa njani ukuba uyawaxhasa?

⁹ Ukunduluka kwamaSirayeli ethabatha uhambo lweminyaka eyi-40 ‘kwintlango enkulu neyoyikekayo,’ uYehova akazange awanike iinkcukacha zendlela awayeya kuwakhokela, awakhusele aze awanyamekele ngayo. Nakuba kunjalo, wawabonisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba ayenokuthembela kuye nakwimiyalelo yakhe. UYehova wasebenzisa ilifu emini nomqulu womlilo ebusuku, ukuze awakhumbuze ukuba wayewaxhasa njengoko ayenqumla loo ntlango iyingozi. (Dut. 1:19; Eks. 40:36-38) Wayewanika nezinto eziyimfuneko. “Izambatho zabo azizange ziphele, neenyawo zabo azizange zidumbe.” Abantu bakaThixo “abazange baswele nto.”—Neh. 9:19-21.

10. UYehova ubakhokela njani abantu bakhe namhlanje?

¹⁰ Ihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa abalijonge ngamehlw’ abomvu abakhonzi bakaThixo, sele lisemnyango. Ngaba siyamthemba uYehova ukuba uza kusinika izinto esizidingayo ukuze sisinde ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’? (Mat. 24:21, 22; INdu. 119:40, 41) Ewe kona, uYehova akasinikanga mqulu walifu okanye womlilo ukuze usikhokelele kwilizwe elitsha. Kodwa usebenzisa intlangano yakhe ukusinceda sihlale sithe qwa. Ngokomzekelo, sihlala sikhunjuzwa ukuba siqhubeke sisakha ukholo lwethu ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile, ukuba neengokuhlwa zoNqulo Lwentsapho, nokubakho rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zebandla nasentsimini. Ngaba siye senza uhlengahlengiso ukuze sikwenze ngokupheleleyo oku? Oko kuya kusenza sibe nokholo oluya kusinceda singene kwihlabathi elitsha.

11. UThixo ubonisa njani ukuba usikhathalele?

¹¹ Ukongezelela ekusincedeni sihlale sithe qwa, imiyalelo esiyifumeneyo isinceda nakubomi bemihla ngemihla. Oku kuquka ukungasukeli izinto eziphathekayo nokugcina iliso lethu lingenakumbi ukuze sinciphise amaxhala. Siye sancedwa ngokuphathelele indlela yokunxiba nokuzilungisa, ukukhetha indlela yokuzonwabisa nemfundo efanelekileyo. Khawucinge nje ngezikhumbuzo esizifumanayo ukuze sikhuseleke xa sisekhaya, ezimotweni, kwiHolo yoBukumkani nokuze silungiselele iintlekele. Zonke ezi zilumkiso zibonisa ukuba uThixo usikhathalele.

12. ((a) Luluphi uphawu awayesoloko ethetha ngalo nabafundi bakhe uYesu? (b) Sisiphi isenzo sokuthobeka esachukumisa uPetros, ibe sisichaphazela njani thina?

¹² Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, abakhonzi bakaThixo babefumana izikhumbuzo rhoqo. UYesu wayesoloko efundisa abalandeli bakhe ngokubaluleka kokuthobeka. Noko ke, wenza okungakumbi kunokubaxelela nje oko kuthethwa kukuthobeka—wababonisa. Kusuku olungaphambi kokufa kwakhe, wenza iPasika nabapostile bakhe. Njengoko abafundi bakhe babesitya, waphakama waza wabahlamba iinyawo—umsebenzi owawusenziwa sisicaka.  (Yoh. 13:1-17) Bachukunyiswa gqitha seso senzo sokuthobeka. Kwiminyaka eyi-30 kamva, umpostile uPetros, owayekho kweso sidlo, wakhuthaza amanye amaKristu ukuba athobeke. (1 Pet. 5:5) Umzekelo kaYesu umele usenze sithobeke kwindlela esiphathana ngayo.—Fil. 2:5-8.

13. Luluphi uphawu olubalulekileyo uYesu awakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe ukuba baluhlakulele?

¹³ Olunye uphawu awayedla ngokuthetha ngalo nabafundi bakhe uYesu lukholo olomeleleyo. Emva kokusilela kwabo ukukhupha idemon kumntu othile, bambuza oku: “Kutheni singabanga nako ukuyikhupha?” UYesu wabaphendula wathi: ‘Kungenxa yokholo lwenu oluncinane. Kuba inene ndithi kuni, Ukuba ninokholo olulingana nokhozo lwemostade, akukho nto iya kuninqabela.’ (Mat. 17:14-20) Kubo bonke ubulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba ukholo luphawu olubalulekileyo. (Funda uMateyu 21:18-22.) Ngaba siyawaxhakamfula amathuba esiwafumana kwiindibano nakwiintlanganiso zamaKristu okomeleza ukholo lwethu? Ezi ayizozihlandlo nje zokuzonwabisa; kodwa zizihlandlo zokubonisa ukuba sithembele kuYehova.

14. Kutheni kubalulekile ukubonisa uthando lobuKristu namhlanje?

¹⁴ IZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike zizaliswe zizikhumbuzo zokubaluleka kokubonisa uthando phakathi kwethu. Xa wayechaza omnye weyona miyalelo mikhulu uYesu wathi: “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.” (Mat. 22:39) Ngokufanayo, uYakobi umntakwaboYesu wathi uthando ‘ngumthetho wakomkhulu.’ (Yak. 2:8) Nompostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “Zintanda, ndinibhalela, kungekhona umyalelo omtsha, kodwa umyalelo omdala lowo beninawo ukususela ekuqaleni.” (1 Yoh. 2: 7, 8) Wayebhekisela entwenini uYohane xa ethetha ‘ngomyalelo omdala’ kwakunye ‘nomyalelo omtsha’? Wayebhekisela kumyalelo wokuba sithandane. Lo myalelo ‘wawumdala’ kuba uYesu wayewunike abafundi bakhe kumashumi eminyaka ngaphambili, “ukususela ekuqaleni.” Ukanti ‘wawumtsha’ kuba kwakuza kuvela iimeko ezintsha ezaziza kufuna abafundi bakhe bazincame. Njengabafundi bakaKristu, ngaba siyazixabisa izikhumbuzo ezisinceda siphephe umoya wokuzingca ogquba kweli hlabathi, nonokusenza singamthandi ummelwane wethu?

15. Yayiyintoni eyona njongo kaYesu xa wayesemhlabeni?

¹⁵ UYesu wayenomdla onyanisekileyo ebantwini. Oku sikubona xa waphilisa abagulayo nabakhubazekileyo naxa wavusa abafileyo. Noko ke, eyona njongo kaYesu yayingekokuphilisa abantu. Eyona nto yaba negalelo ngakumbi kubomi babantu  ngumsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela nokufundisa. Njani? Siyazi ukuba abantu abanyangwa nabavuswa nguYesu ngenkulungwane yokuqala baphinda baluphala baza bafa, kodwa abo basiphulaphulayo isigidimi sikaYesu bafumana ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade.—Yoh. 11:25, 26.

16. Mkhulu kangakanani umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani nowokwenziwa kwabafundi namhlanje?

¹⁶ Lo msebenzi wokushumayela owaqaliswa nguYesu xa wayelapha emhlabeni, namhlanje wenziwa ngomkhamo omkhulu ngakumbi. UYesu wathi xa ethuma abapostile bakhe: “Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.” (Mat. 28:19) Enyanisweni bakwenza oko, ibe nathi singatsho ukuba sikwenzile! AmaNgqina kaYehova angaphezu kwezigidi ezisixhenxe abila esoma evakalisa uBukumkani bukaThixo kumazwe angaphezu kwe-230 ngoxa efundela izigidi zabantu iBhayibhile. Lo msebenzi wokushumayela unikela ubungqina bokuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela.

17. Luluphi ukhuthazo olwadluliselwa nguPawulos noPetros?

¹⁷ Kuyacaca ukuba, izikhumbuzo zanceda amaKristu okuqala ahlala omelele elukholweni. Cinga nje ngokhuthazo olwafunyanwa nguTimoti xa umpostile uPawulos owayelibanjwa eRoma ngoko, wathi kuye: “Bambelela emazwini aphilileyo awaweva kum.” (2 Tim. 1:13) Emva kokukhuthaza amanye amaKristu ukuba azabalazele ukuba neempawu ezifana nonyamezelo, umsa wobuzalwana nokuzeyisa, umpostile uPetros wathi: “Ndiya kusoloko ndityekele ekunikhumbuzeni ngezi zinto, nangona nizazi yaye nimi ngokuqinileyo kwinyaniso ekhoyo kuni.”—2 Pet. 1:5-8, 12.

18. AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayezijonga njani izikhumbuzo?

¹⁸ Ewe, iincwadi ezabhalwa nguPawulos noPetros zazidlulisela amazwi abaprofeti abangcwele ababephila ngaphambi kwexesha labo. (2 Pet. 3:2) Ngaba abazalwana benkulungwane yokuqala bacatshukiswa kukukhunjuzwa ngolo lwalathiso babesele belwazi? Nakanye, kuba yayiluthando lukaThixo olwabangela ukuba bakhunjuzwe, ibe lwabanceda ‘baqhubeka bekhula ebubeleni obungasifanelanga naselwazini lweNkosi noMsindisi wethu uYesu Kristu.’—2 Pet. 3:18.

19, 20. Kutheni simele sithembele kwizikhumbuzo zikaYehova, ibe kusinceda njani oko?

¹⁹ Namhlanje, sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokuthembela kwizikhumbuzo zikaYehova, ezifumaneka kwiLizwi lakhe elingenakuxoka, iBhayibhile. (Funda uYoshuwa 23:14.) Lisichazela indlela uThixo aye wabaphatha ngayo abantu abangafezekanga ukutyhubela iminyaka. Le ngxelo yabhalwa ukuze incede thina. (Roma 15:4; 1 Kor. 10:11) Siye sakubona ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto seBhayibhile. Isiprofeto sinokufaniswa nesikhumbuzo esikhutshwe kusengaphambili. Ngokomzekelo, kukho izigidi eziye zathontelana zaza kunqula uYehova, kanye njengokuba kwakuprofetiwe ukuba kuza kuba njalo “ekupheleni kwemihla.” (Isa. 2:2, 3) Nezi meko zehlabathi ziya zisiba maxongo zizalisekisa isiprofeto seBhayibhile. Njengokuba kuye kwachazwa, nako ukutyhalela phambili kwephulo lokushumayela ehlabathini lonke kukuzaliseka ngokuthe ngqo kwamazwi kaYesu.—Mat. 24:14.

²⁰ UMdali wethu uye wasiqulunqela ingxelo esinokuthembela kuyo. Ngaba siyaxhamla kuyo? Simele sibe nokholo kwizikhumbuzo zakhe. Yiloo nto kanye awayenzayo uRosellen. Uthi: “Njengokuba ndandiqalisa ukuthembela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, ndatsho ndayibona ngokucacileyo indlela andithanda nandomeleza ngayo.” Ngamana nathi kungasinceda ukugcina izikhumbuzo zikaYehova.