1, 2. Kutheni kwakungebobulumko nje ukuba uYehoyakim aqalise umsebenzi wokwakha?

 UKUMKANI UYEHOYAKIM wayesakha indlu, ibe wayefuna ukuba ibe lipomakazi. Wayecebe ukuba ubuncinane libe nemigangatho emibini namagumbi aphangaleleyo. Laliza kuba neefestile ezinkulu ezaziza kungenisa ilanga nempepho epholileyo ukuze le kumkani nentsapho yayo bahlale kamnandi. Iindonga zalo zaziza kufulelwa ngemisedare enuka kamnandi yaseLebhanon. Ngaphakathi zaziza kuqatywa ipeyinti ebomvu krwe evela kwamanye amazwe, nto leyo eyayilangazelelwa zizidwangube zamanye amazwe.—Yer. 22:13, 14.

² Esi sakhiwo sasiza kubiza intywenka yemali. Kanye ngelo xesha imeko yemali yelo lizwe yayimaxongo ngenxa yeendleko zomkhosi nezinto ezazifunwa yiYiputa. (2 Kum. 23:33-35) Sekunjalo, lo kumkani wayifumana indlela yokuhlawulela iindleko zelo bhotwe litsha. Wacuntsula kumvuzo wabakhi. Wabaphatha njengamakhoboka, ezakhela ubukumkani ngamandla nokubulaleka kwabo.

 3. Wayahluke ngantoni uYehoyakim kuyise, yaye ngoba?

³ Esebenzisa uYeremiya, uThixo wamgxeka uYehoyakim ngokungacingeli kwakhe abanye abantu. a Wakhumbuza lo kumkani ukuba uyise, uKumkani uYosiya wayenobubele yaye esivulile isandla kubantu abasebenzayo nabangathathi  ntweni. Wayede aye kubathethelela nakwinkundla zomthetho. Efuna ukuba uYehoyakim anikele ingqalelo kwindlela uYosiya awayebaphatha ngayo abantu abaphantsi, uYehova wabuza oku: “Ibingekuko ukundazi na oko?”—Funda uYeremiya 22:15, 16.

 4. Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukwazi uYehova?

⁴ Njengokuba eli hlabathi likaSathana lisiya liwohloka, kufuneka sifumane uncedo nenkuselo uYehova ayinika abo basondele kuye. Ngoko ke, sifanele sisondele ngakumbi kuThixo. Kufuneka sixelise neempawu zakhe ezintle ukuze siphumelele kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Usenokuzibuza oku, ‘UmKristu unokumazi njani uYehova ngendlela awayesaziwa ngayo nguKumkani uYosiya?’

5, 6. (a) Yiyiphi impembelelo aba nayo ubawo olungileyo kubantwana bakhe? (b) Ngokwahlukileyo kwindlela awasabela ngayo uYehoyakim, ukwazi iindlela zikaYehova kumele kusenze sisabele njani?

⁵ Khawucinge ngeendlela ubawo olungileyo anokuba nempembelelo ngazo kubantwana bakhe. Ngokomzekelo, xa bebona indlela asivula ngayo isandla kubantu abangathathi ntweni, nabo basenokuba njalo. Xa bebona indlela amthanda namhlonela ngayo unina, oko kunokubenza nabo babaphathe kakuhle abantu besini esahlukileyo. Ukuva kwabo ngendumasi kayise yokunyaniseka kwimicimbi yemali, kunokubenza bazeke mzekweni. Xa bekhula bezazi iindlela neempawu zikayise, mhlawumbi nabo abo bantwana banokubaphatha ngendlela efanayo abantu.

⁶ Ngokufanayo ke, umKristu owazi uYehova ngendlela awayesaziwa ngayo nguYosiya akapheleli nje ekumazini njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela. Xa efunda iBhayibhile utsho ayazi indlela uThixo abaphatha ngayo abantu aze afune ukuxelisa uYise osezulwini. Uya emthanda ngakumbi njengoko suku ngalunye efunda ngezinto azithandayo nangazithandiyo. Ngokwahlukileyo koku, umntu oyigatyayo imithetho nezikhumbuzo zikaThixo, ngaloo ndlela  engafuni ukuphenjelelwa nguye, akanakumazi uThixo oyinyaniso. Ufana nqwa noYehoyakim owawaphos’ emlilweni amazwi kaYehova awayewaxelelwa nguYeremiya.—Funda uYeremiya 36:21-24.

 7. Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba umazi uYehova kanye njengoKumkani uYosiya?

⁷ Ukuze siphumelele kwinkonzo yethu engcwele yaye sibe nethemba lobomi kwihlabathi elitsha kufuneka simazi ngokuchanileyo uYehova. (Yer. 9:24) Makhe sihlolisise iimpawu ezimbalwa zikaThixo ezichazwe kwiincwadi zikaYeremiya. Njengoko sisenjenjalo, khangela indlela wena siqu onokumazi uze umxelise ngayo uThixo kanye njengoKumkani uYosiya.

 8. Buyintoni ububele bothando?

⁸ Kwiilwimi ezininzi kunzima ukufumana igama elithi gingci xa uchaza inkalo yobuntu bukaThixo eyaziwa ngokuba bububele bothando, okanye uthando olunyanisekileyo. Ngokutsho kwesinye isichazi-magama seBhayibhile, eli binzana lesiHebhere liquka amandla, ukungagungqi nothando. Esi sichazi-magama sihlabela mgama sisithi: “Naliphi na igama elingakwaziyo ukuziquka zontathu ezi nkcazelo alithanga ncam.” Ngoko ke, umntu obonisa ububele bothando akaneli nje ukuba nobubele. Ngenxa yenkxalabo enzulu, uzabalazela ukunceda abanye kwiintswelo zabo, ngokukhethekileyo kwezokomoya. Esona sizathu sokuba enjenjalo kungenxa yomnqweno wokungazingci anawo wokufuna ukukholisa uThixo uSomandla.

 9. Yintoni eyangqinwa yindlela uYehova awawaphatha ngayo amaSirayeli?

 ⁹ Eyona ndlela inokukunceda uliqonde kakuhle eli binzana leBhayibhile lithi “ububele bothando,” kukufundisisa ngendlela uThixo awabaphatha ngayo abakhonzi bakhe bokwenyaniso ukutyhubela iminyaka. UYehova wawakhusela waza wawondla amaSirayeli kwiminyaka engama-40 awayichitha entlango. KwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uThixo wawamisela abagwebi ukuze bawahlangule kwiintshaba zawo nokuze bawabuyisele kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Ekubeni uYehova engazange awalahle kumaxesha anzima namnandi ukutyhubela zonke ezo nkulungwane, wakwazi ukuthi kuwo: “Ndikuthandile ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo. Kungenxa yoko le nto ndikutsalile ngobubele bothando.”—Yer. 31:3. b

10. Njengoko kuboniswa kumzekelo wamaYuda awayeseBhabhiloni, uYehova ububonisa njani ububele bothando kwindlela ayiphulaphula ngayo imithandazo?

 ¹⁰ Kulo mhla wethu, uThixo usaqhubeka ebonisa uthando ngeendlela ezibanceda ngokungqalileyo abakhonzi bakhe. Cinga nje ngombandela wokuthandaza. UYehova uyayiphulaphula yonke imithandazo yabantu abanyanisekileyo, kodwa uyiphulaphula ngokukhethekileyo eyabakhonzi bakhe abazahluleleyo. Kwanokuba kuqengqeleka iminyaka sithandazela ingxaki enye engapheliyo, akadinwa sithi; yaye akakruquki yiloo mithandazo. UYehova wakha wathumela uYeremiya ukuba ase isigidimi kwiqela lamaYuda awayesele ethinjwe eBhabhiloni. Ayekude kangangeekhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-800 ukusuka etempileni, kude lee neentsapho nabahlobo bawo ababekwaYuda. Noko ke, ukuba kude kwawo etempileni akuzange kumthintele uYehova ekubeni aphulaphule imithandazo yawo yokuzingxengxezela kuye nokumdumisa. Njengoko ukhumbula imithandazo yakho enyanisekileyo, cinga ngendlela amaYuda awathuthuzeleka  ngayo xa esiva amazwi kaThixo akuYeremiya 29:10-12.—Wafunde.

11, 12. (a) Yintoni uYehova awayenayo engqondweni ngokuphathelele abantu baseYerusalem? (b) Luluphi uncedo olunokufunyanwa ngumntu oye wafumana uqeqesho?

¹¹ Obunye ubungqina bokuba uYehova unobubele bothando sibubona kwisibakala sokuba ekwazi ukuzibona izinto ezintle ebantwini. Njengoko kwakumbovu ukuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe, nabemi beso sixeko beqhubeka bevukela uThixo, laliza kuba yintoni ikamva labo? Ngaba babeza kubulawa yindlala okanye likrele leBhabhiloni? Eyona nto yayilindelekile kukuba bathinjwe ixesha elide baze bafele kwilizwe lasemzini. Kodwa ke yena uYehova ‘wayenelizwi elilungileyo’ ngokuphathelele abo baguqukayo baze batshintshe indlela yabo yokuphila. Wabathembisa ukuba wayeza ‘kuphethulela ingqalelo yakhe’ kubo. Wayeza ‘kubabuyisela kuloo ndawo,’ ilizwe labo, ebasusa kude eBhabhiloni. (Yer. 27:22) Ngenxa yoko babeza kumemelela bathi: “Bongani uYehova wemikhosi, kuba uYehova ulungile; kuba ububele bothando bobakhe ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo!”—Yer. 33:10, 11.

¹² Ngenxa yobubele bothando bakhe, uYehova unguMthombo wokhuthazo kwabo bakwiimeko ezimaxongo ngokwembono yabantu. Namhlanje kukho abathile ababesakuba yinxalenye yebandla lamaKristu kodwa bafumana isohlwayo esibafaneleyo ngenjongo yokubaqeqesha. Basenokuziva benetyala kangangokuba babe madolw’ anzima ukuphinda banxulumane nabantu bakaThixo. Basenokuba bayazibuza enoba uYehova uya kuze abaxolele aze abamkele kwakhona kusini na. UThixo uSomandla ‘unelizwi elilungileyo’ kubo bonke abanjalo. Banako ukufumana uncedo ukuze benze iinguqu ezifunekayo kwindlela abacinga ngayo nakwizenzo zabo. Oko sikufunde kwisiqendu esandulelayo kunokubhekisela nakubo—uYehova uya ‘kubabuyisela kwindawo yabo,’ phakathi kwabantu bakhe abanemihlali.—Yer. 31:18-20.

13. Kutheni imele ikukhuthaze indlela uYehova awamxhasa ngayo uYeremiya?

 ¹³ NjengoThixo onobubele bothando, uYehova uphinda abaxhase ngokunyanisekileyo abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. Kule mihla yokugqibela yehlabathi likaSathana, sinesizathu sokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kubalondoloza aze abakhusele bonke abo bafuna kuqala uBukumkani bakhe. Ungalibali ukuba kwimihla yokugqibela yeYerusalem, uYeremiya wayexhomekeke kuYehova ukuze afumane ukutya nokhuseleko. UThixo akazange umphoxe lo mprofeti. (Yer. 15:15; funda IZililo 3:55-57.) Ukuba uzifumana ucinezelekile, qiniseka ukuba uYehova uyazikhumbula izenzo zakho zokunyaniseka. Ngenxa yokuba enobubele bothando, unqwenela ukukuxhasa ukuze ‘ungafiki esiphelweni sakho.’—IZili. 3:22.

14. Ziziphi izenzo zokungekho sikweni oye wazibona kutshanje?

¹⁴ Kukho abantu abachitha iminyaka entolongweni ngenxa yamatyala abangawenzanga. Kwiimeko ezithile abantu baye bagwetyelwe ukufa kuze kufunyaniswe ukuba abanatyala sele bebulewe. Kwamanye amazwe abazali bade bathengise ngabantwana babo ebukhobokeni ukuze nje balale betyile. Uvakalelwa njani xa usiva ngezinto ezinjalo ezingekho sikweni ezenziwa namhlanje? Ucinga ukuba uYehova uvakalelwa njani? IBhayibhile ikwenza kucace ukuba ufuna ukubasiphula neengcambu bonke oonobangela bokubandezeleka. Nguye kuphela onokukwazi ukukwenza oko. Ngenxa yoko abantu abangamahlwempu nabamsulwa ababandezelekayo namhlanje banokuba nethemba. UYehova, uThixo wokusesikweni, ulungiselela ukubahlangula kwingcinezelo abakuyo.—Yer. 23:5, 6.

15, 16. (a) Yiyiphi inyaniso eyabalaseliswa nguYeremiya ngokuphathelele uYehova? (b) Kutheni unokuyithemba imithetho nezithembiso zikaThixo?

¹⁵ Ngexesha likaYeremiya, bakho ababelwazi uphawu abalasele ngalo uThixo, okusesikweni. Ngokomzekelo, lo mprofeti wakhankanya into yokuba amaSirayeli ayenokuguquka ezonweni zawo aze abe ngathi athi: “Ephila nje uYehova enyanisweni, kokusesikweni nangobulungisa!” (Yer. 4:1, 2) Oko kunjalo ngokwenene kuba uYehova akakufuni okungekho sesikweni. Zikho nezinye izibakala ezibonisa ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda okusesikweni.

¹⁶ Akuthandabuzeki ukuba uThixo uyaligcina ilizwi lakhe yaye akahanahanisi. Nangona bebaninzi abantu abangazigciniyo izithembiso abazenza kwabanye abantu, yena uYehova akakwenzi oko. Nkqu nemithetho yendalo ayimiseleyo, nekwaluncedo kuthi, ayinakutshintshwa mntu. (Yer. 31:35, 36) Sinokuxhomekeka kwizithembiso nezigwebo zakhe, kuba zisoloko zisinceda.—Funda IZililo 3:37, 38.

17. (a) Yintoni ayenzayo uYehova xa egweba? (b) Siyintoni isizathu sokuba uyithembe indlela abadala abazisingatha ngayo iingxaki ebandleni? (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Bagwebela UYehova,” kwiphepha 148.)

 ¹⁷ Xa uYehova egweba, akawukhi nje phezulu umbandela. Uwuhl’ amahlongwane ukuze afumane zonke iinkcukacha. Ude aphicothe nentsusa yabo babandakanyekileyo. Namhlanje oogqirha basebenzisa izixhobo ezikhethekileyo nezale mihla ukuze bahlole indlela ebetha ngayo intliziyo yesigulane, nto leyo ebanceda bayazi imeko ekuyo. Bade bahlolisise nezintso njengoko zisenza umsebenzi wazo wokucoca igazi. UYehova unokwenza okungaphezu koko. Yena uhlola intliziyo yokomfuziselo ukuze abone eyona ntsusa yomntu, kwangaxeshanye ahlolisise nezintso zokomfuziselo, ezityhila oko kusemazantsi kwiingcamango  zakhe. Ngoko ke, uyakwazi ukubona esona sizathu sokuba umntu enze into ngendlela ethile, nendlela avakalelwa ngayo ngezenzo zakhe. USomandla akonganyelwa bubuninzi beenkcukacha azifumana kolo hlolisiso lwakhe. Yena ubodlula lee nabona bagwebi baziingqondi, uyisebenzisa kakuhle nangendlela elungeleleneyo yonke loo nkcazelo ukuze agqibe ngekamva lethu.—Funda uYeremiya 12:1a; 20:12.

18, 19. Kusichaphazela njani ukwazi ukuba uThixo uthanda okusesikweni?

¹⁸ Nawe unesizathu esivakalayo sokuthembela kuYehova, kwanokuba maxa wambi uye uphathwe kakubi sisazela ngenxa yeempazamo oye wazenza ngaphambili. Ungaze ulibale ukuba uYehova akangomtshutshisi ongenanceba okhangela isizathu sokuba akohlwaye, kunoko unguMgwebi onemfesane ofuna ukukunceda. Ukuba usakhathazwa yinto ethile owayenza ngaphambili okanye ebandakanya omnye umntu, cela uYehova ukuba ayisingathe ngokwakhe loo ‘mbambano’ ukuze ulibale ngayo. c Oko kunokukunceda ubone indlela uThixo ayixabisa ngayo inkonzo yakho engcwele.—Funda IZililo 3:58, 59.

¹⁹ Ngesizathu esiqondakalayo, uThixo othanda okusesikweni ulangazelela ukuba abo bafuna ukumkholisa nabo benze okusesikweni. (Yer. 7:5-7; 22:3) Ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngaphandle komkhethe yindlela ebalulekileyo yokwenza oko kusesikweni kufunwa nguThixo. Xa ukukhuthalele ukubuyela ebantwini nokubaqhubela izifundo zeBhayibhile, uxelisa umlinganiselo obalaseleyo kaThixo wokusesikweni ngendlela eyingenelo ngokwenene. Njani? Unqwenela ukuba bonke abantu bafundiswe ngaye baze basindiswe. (IZili. 3:25, 26) Unelungelo  elikhulu lokuba ngumsebenzi olidlelane likaThixo, ubonisa ukuba sesikweni kwakhe ngokwenza lo msebenzi usindis’ ubomi!

20. (a) UYeremiya wabalaselisa yiphi inkalo yendlela uThixo abaphatha ngayo abantu? (b) Yintoni edibanisa ‘ukuzisola’ nokuxolela kukaYehova? (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ UYehova ‘Uzisola’ Njani?”)

²⁰ Abantu abaninzi bajonga incwadi kaYeremiya neyeZililo njengezibhengeza imigwebo yabenzi bobubi. Oko kubangela ukuba basibethe ngoyaba isithembiso sikaYehova esibhalwe kuzo sokuxolela abantu bakhe. Wabongoza amaYuda esithi: “Khanincede, nibuye, ngamnye endleleni yakhe embi, nilungise iindlela zenu nezenzo zenu.” Ngesinye isihlandlo uYeremiya wathi: “Lungisani iindlela zenu nezenzo zenu, nize nilithobele ilizwi likaYehova uThixo wenu, kwaye uYehova uya kuzisola ngentlekele ayithethileyo nxamnye nani.” (Yer. 18:11; 26:13) Nakulo mhla wethu, uYehova uqhubeka ebaxolela bonke abo baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo baze bayeke imikhwa emibi.

21. UYehova ufuna ukufeza ntoni xa exolela umntu?

²¹ UYehova akatsho nje ngomlomo ukuba uyaxolela, kodwa uxolela ngokwenene. Esebenzisa uYeremiya uYehova wathi: “Buya, Sirayeli okreqileyo . . . andiyi kubusanganisa ubuso bam kuni . . . andiyi kuhlala ndicaphukile ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (Yer. 3:12) UThixo akahlali ecaphukile okanye ebaqumbele abo aye wabaxolela. Kunoko, nangona loo mntu onile, uYehova ufuna ukuphinda abe nolwalamano oluhle naye. Phezu kwazo nje izono aye wazenza loo mntu, ukuba uguquka  ngokunyanisekileyo aze afune ukuxolelwa nguThixo, uYehova uya ‘kumbuyisela’ Kuye aze amsikelele. (Yer. 15:19) Isiqinisekiso esinjalo sifanele sikhuthaze nabani na ophambukileyo kuThixo wenyaniso ukuba abuyele kuye. Ngaba akuvumi ukuba ukuxolela kukaYehova kusenza sifune ukusondela kuye?—Funda IZililo 5:21.

22, 23. Njengoko uxelisa uYehova kumbandela wokuxolela, luluphi usukelo omele uzibekele lona?

²² Xa umntu ekukhubekisa ngamazwi nezenzo, ngaba uza kuxelisa uYehova? KumaYuda amandulo, uThixo wathi wayeya “kubasulungekisa” abo abaxoleleyo. (Funda uYeremiya 33:8.) Uyakwazi ukusulungekisa, okanye ukucoca, ngokusiphosa ngasemva isiphoso sabantu abaguqukileyo, ebanika ithuba elitsha lokuqalisa inkonzo yabo. Yinyaniso ukuba, xa uThixo exolela umntu, oko akuthethi ukuba usulungekile kwisono awasizuz’ ilifa, yaye ngoku ufezekile. Sekunjalo, ikho into esiyifundayo koko uThixo akuthethayo ngokusulungekiswa kwabantu. Sinokuzama ukusiphosa ngasemva isiphoso okanye loo nto soniwe ngayo ngomnye umntu, ngokungathi kunjalo sisulungekisa indlela ebesimjonga ngayo ngaphambili. Njani?

²³ Masithi uye waphiwa ingqayi okanye ivazi exabisekileyo. Ukuba iye yangcola okanye yanebala, ngaba into yokuqala ethi qatha engqondweni ibiya kuba kukuyilahla? Bekuya  kuba ngenkankulu ukwenjenjalo. Mhlawumbi ubuya kwenza iinzame zokuyicoca, ususe nawaphi na amabala okanye ukungcola. Unqwenela ukuyigcina intle, ibengezela. Ngokufanayo, unokuzabalazela ukuphelisa nayiphi ingqumbo okanye ukumcaphukela loo mzalwana okanye udade okukhubekisileyo. Yiyeke into yokuhlal’ ucinga ngamazwi okanye izinto ezibuhlungu akwenze zona. Njengoko usiya uzilibala ezo zinto, uya ukwazi ukumjonga nokucinga kakuhle ngaye. Xa uye wazisusa iingcinga ezimbi obunazo entliziyweni yakho ngaye, kuza kuba lula ukuphinda ube ngumhlobo wakhe.

24, 25. Ziziphi iingenelo oza kuzifumana ngokwazi uYehova njengoKumkani uYosiya?

²⁴ Siye sahlolisisa iimpawu ezimbalwa zikaYehova saza safunda nendlela asebenzisana ngayo nabantu njengoko siya simazi ngakumbi. Siyabona ukuba iinzuzo zokumazi ngokusondeleyo uYehova zibangela ukuba sifune ukumkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo. Ukuba sifuna ukumazi ngokusondeleyo uYehova njengoKumkani uYosiya, siza kufumana ulonwabo, enye yeenkalo zobuntu bukaThixo.

²⁵ Ukumazi ngakumbi uYehova kuya kusenza sibe nolwalamano oluhle nabanye. Xa sisebenzela ukubonakalisa ububele bothando, okusesikweni nokuxolela njengoYehova, siya kubuqinisa size sibuxabise ngakumbi ubuhlobo bethu nabazalwana noodade abasebandleni. Ngaphezu koko, siya kuba nobuchule bokufundisa obungakumbi kwintsimi yethu njengoko sisenza amabuyelo yaye siqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezinenkqubela. Abantu abanomdla baya kuyithanda indlela yamaKristu esiphila ngayo. Ngenxa yoko, siya kukuxhobela ngakumbi ukubanceda banqule uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo, bahambe ‘ngendlela elungileyo.’—Yer. 6:16.