1, 2. Basoloko becinga njani bo balandela ‘ikhondo elithandwayo,’ yaye kutheni umele wahluke kubo?

 NAMHLANJE abantu abakuthandi ukuthobela. Abaninzi abazikhathazi nakancinane ngokucinga ngoko kulungileyo nokuphosakeleyo xa besenza izigqibo. Ngoko ke, bazixelela ukuba umntu umele enze loo nto ayifunayo okanye into engazukumfaka engxakini. Oku unokukubona endleleni xa abaqhubi bengathobeli imithetho yendlela, abatyali-zimali besaphula imithetho yezimali, yaye amagosa aphezulu esaphula imithetho ayibeke ngokwawo. Oko kuqhubeka ‘nekhondo elithandwayo,’ enoba liphosakele okanye liyingozi, kwakuxhaphakile ngemihla kaYeremiya.—Yer. 8:6.

² Uyazi ukuba abo bafuna ukuthandwa nguThixo uSomandla abamele balandele ‘ikhondo elithandwayo.’ Kuyabonakala ukuba, uYeremiya wenza umahluko phakathi kwabo ‘bangalithobeliyo ilizwi likaYehova’ nabo bamthobelayo. (Yer. 3:25; 7:28; 26:13; 38:20; 43:4, 7) Simele sizibuze ukuba simi phi na thina. Ngoba? USathana uyihlasela kabuhlungu ingqibelelo yabakhonzi bokwenyaniso. Ufana nenyoka elalele ixhoba layo ize ngequbuliso ilihlasele ilibulale. Ukuzimisela kwethu ukuthobela ilizwi likaYehova kusinceda siphephe loo nyoka. Kodwa singahlala njani sithobela uYehova? Imibhalo kaYeremiya inokusinceda.

 3. Kutheni kufuneka simthobele uYehova?

³ Kutheni kufuneka simthobele uYehova? UYeremiya  uthi esinye isizathu kukuba “nguMenzi womhlaba ngamandla akhe, Lowo umisela ngokuqinileyo ilizwe elinemveliso ngobulumko.” (Yer. 10:12) UYehova nguMongami wendalo iphela. Sifanele simoyike ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye abalawuli. Unelungelo lokufuna ukuba sithobele imiyalelo yakhe yobulumko ukuze silungelwe ngonaphakade.—Yer. 10:6, 7.

4, 5. (a) Yiyiphi inyaniso eyafundwa ngamaYuda ngexesha lembalela? (b) Abemi bakwaYuda bawachitha njani ‘amanzi aphilayo’ avela kuYehova? (c) Unokuwasela njani ‘amanzi aphilayo’ avela kuThixo?

⁴ UYehova akangoMlawuli weNdalo Yonke nje kuphela, unguMlondolozi wobomi—ubomi bethu. Oku kwacaciswa kumaYuda exesha likaYeremiya. Ilizwe laseYiputa lalixhomekeke kumanzi omlambo umNayile kuyo yonke into, kodwa kwakwahlukile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Abantu bakaThixo babexhomekeke kakhulu kwiimvula ezina ngamaxesha athile, yaye babesoloko besonga loo manzi kumaqula angaphantsi komhlaba. (Dut. 11:13-17) NguYehova kuphela owayenokuthumela imvula efumisa umhlaba ukuze uchume. Kwelinye icala, wayenokukwazi ukuyibamba loo mvula ingani. Ngenxa yoko, ngemihla kaYeremiya amaYuda angathobeliyo afumana imbalela eyabangela ukuba amasimi nezidiliya zintshwenye, namaqula ome.—Yer. 3:3; 5:24; 12:4; 14:1-4, 22; 23:10.

⁵ Ekubeni loo maYuda ayewaxabisa amanzi okoqobo, awagatya ‘amanzi aphilayo’ awayewanikwa nguYehova ngesisa. Oku akwenza ngokungawuthobeli ngabom uMthetho kaThixo aza axhomekeka kwiintlanga ezaziwangqongile. Ngokufanayo nabantu abathi xa kunqabe amanzi bawagalele kumaqula aqhekekileyo navuzayo, amaYuda ajamelana nemiphumo yokungathobeli. (Funda uYeremiya 2:13; 17:13.) Ngokuqinisekileyo sinesizathu sokungaziziseli intlekele ngokulandela elo khondo. UYehova uqhubeka esikhokela esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo.  Ngokuqinisekileyo siyazuza kuloo ‘manzi aphilayo’ xa silifundisisa rhoqo size sizabalazele ukuphila ngokuvisisana nalo.

 6. (a) Chaza isimo sengqondo sikaKumkani uZedekiya ngokuphathelele ukuthobela uYehova. (b) Kutheni ucinga ukuba lo kumkani wayengalumkanga?

⁶ Njengoko imini kaThixo yokugweba amaYuda yayisondela, kwakubaluleke ngakumbi ukuba athobele. Ukuba umYuda wayefuna ukuthandwa aze akhuselwe nguYehova, kwakufuneka aguquke aze amthobele. NoKumkani uZedekiya kwakufuneka enze oko. Wayengakwazi ukukumela ukwenza okulungileyo. Xa amagosa angaphantsi kwakhe amxelela ukuba afuna ukubulala uYeremiya, akazange abe nesibindi sokuwanqanda. Njengoko siphawule kwisahluko esingaphambili, lo mprofeti wasindiswa nguEbhedi-meleki waza kamva wabongoza uZedekiya esithi: “Nceda, uthobele ilizwi likaYehova.” (Funda uYeremiya 38:4-6, 20.) Licacile elokuba, ukuze lo kumkani athandwe nguThixo, kwakufuneka enze isigqibo: Ngaba wayeza kuthobela uThixo?

 7. Ziziphi iimeko okunokuvavanywa kuzo ukuthobela kwakho?

⁷ Namhlanje kubalulekile ukuthobela njengoko kwakunjalo ngomhla kaYeremiya. Uzimisele kangakanani ukuthobela uYehova? Ukuba uthe ungalindelanga kwavela imifanekiso engamanyala ngoxa usebenzisa i-Internet, ngaba uza kuyibukela okanye uza kuyivala loo Web site? Kuthekani ukuba umntu osebenza naye okanye ofunda naye ufuna nithandane? Ngaba uya kuba naso isibindi sokwala? Ngaba unokuba nomdla okanye unokukwazi ukuluphepha uncwadi lwabawexuki okanye iWeb site yabo? Kwezi meko okanye ezinye cinga ngamazwi akuYeremiya 38:20.

8, 9. (a) Kutheni kububulumko ukuphulaphula abadala xa bekunceda? (b) Ufanele usijonge njani isiluleko osinikwa ngabadala ngokuphindaphindiweyo?

⁸ UYehova wayesoloko ethumela uYeremiya ukuba abongoze abantu bakhe athi: “Khanincede, nibuye, ngamnye endleleni yakhe embi, nilungise iindlela zenu nezenzo zenu.” (Yer. 7:3; 18:11; 25:5; funda uYeremiya 35:15.) Ngokufanayo namhlanje, abadala abangamaKristu benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bancede amanye amaKristu kwiingozi  zokomoya. Ukuba maxa wambi abadala bakululeka ngokuphepha ikhondo elingelolabulumko okanye eliphosakeleyo, baphulaphule. Usukelo lwabo luyafana nolo lukaYeremiya.

⁹ Abadala basenokukukhumbuza ngemigaqo yeZibhalo ababekubonise yona. Kufuneka wazi ukuba ukusoloko ululekwa ngento enye akuyondlwan’ iyanetha, kodwa oko kuba nzima ngakumbi xa loo mntu ululekwayo enesimo sengqondo esifana nesamaYuda amaninzi omhla kaYeremiya. Zama ukuyigqala njengothando lukaYehova imigudu eyenziwa ngabadala ngokuphindaphindiweyo yokuzama ukukunceda. Kwakhona phawula ukuba kwakungekho sizathu sokuba uYeremiya aphindaphinde izilumkiso ukuba amaYuda ayesabela kakuhle. Indlela yokuphepha ukusoloko ululekwa ngento enye kukusisebenzisa isiluleko.

10. Kutheni uYehova engasuki azixolele ngokuzenzekelayo izono?

¹⁰ Enoba sizama kangakanani na, asinakumthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova kule nkqubo yezinto. Ngoko siyambulela ngokuba ekulungele ukuxolela iziphoso zethu. Sekunjalo, akasixoleli nje ngokuzenzekelayo. Ngoba? Kuba uYehova uyasicekisa isono. (Isa. 59:2) Ngoko ke, ufuna ukuqiniseka ukuba sikufanele ukuxolelwa nguye.

11. Kutheni umntu engenakusinda xa esenza isono emfihlekweni?

¹¹ Njengoko sesibonile, amaYuda amaninzi omhla kaYeremiya ayenomkhwa wokungamthobeli uThixo, ngaloo ndlela edlala ngomonde nenceba yakhe. Ngaba omnye wabakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje unokuba nomkhwa onjalo? Kunjalo, ukuba uyazityeshela izikhumbuzo zikaYehova aze aqalise ukwenza isono. Kwezinye iimeko, oku kunokwenzeka phambi kwamehlo abantu, njengaxa umntu etshata nomnye engawuqhawulanga umtshato. Enoba isono senziwa kungekho bantu babonayo, lowo usenzayo usengozini.  Umntu ophila ubomi obumbaxa unokucinga ngale ndlela, ‘Akukho mntu uza kwazi.’ Sekunjalo, inyaniso kukuba uThixo ukhangela ingqondo nentliziyo yaye unokuyibona nantoni na eyenziwa emfihlekweni. (Funda uYeremiya 32:19.) Yintoni efanele yenziwe xa umntu engamthobeli uThixo?

12. Yintoni abamele bayenze abadala maxa wambi ukuze bakhusele ibandla?

¹² AmaYuda amaninzi alugatya uncedo uYehova awayesoloko ewanika lona ngoYeremiya. Ngokufanayo, umntu owenze isono namhlanje usenokungaguquki, agatye uncedo lwabadala. Xa kunjalo, abadala bamele balandele ulwalathiso lweZibhalo lokukhusela ibandla ngokumsusa kubudlelane lowo wenze ububi. (1 Kor. 5:11-13; funda ibhokisi ethi  “Ukuphila Ngaphandle KoMthetho,” kwiphepha 73.) Kodwa ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba loo mntu uncanyiwe, akasoze aphinde abuyele kuYehova? Akunjalo. AmaSirayeli amvukela uThixo kangangexesha elide; sekunjalo wathi: “Buyani, nina nyana bakreqileyo. Ndiya kuniphilisa kwimeko yenu yokukreqa.” (Yer. 3:22) a UYehova umema abenzi-bubi ukuba babuyele kuye.

13. Xa umntu efuna ukubuyela kuYehova yintoni amele ayiqonde?

¹³ Njengokuba uYeremiya wabonisayo, ukuze umntu akwazi ukubuyela kuThixo umele azibuze oku, ‘Yintoni  kanye endiyenzileyo?’ Emva kokuba ehlolisise imilinganiselo yeZibhalo, umele ayamkele impazamo yakhe. AmaYuda angafuni ukuguquka omhla kaYeremiya asilela ukuzibuza lo mbuzo. Ayengafuni ukuzamkela izono awayezenza—ngoko ke uYehova wayengenako ukuwaxolela. (Funda uYeremiya 8:6.) Ngokwahlukileyo kuwo, umoni oguqukayo uye abone ukuba ukungathobeli kwakhe uYehova kuye kwalingcolisa igama lakhe nebandla lamaKristu. Umntu oguquke ngokwenene uye abe buhlungu ngenxa yomonakalo asenokuba uwenzile kubantu abamsulwa. Umele aqonde ukuba uYehova unomkuxolela kuphela xa ewamkela ngokupheleleyo umonakalo wezenzo zakhe eziphosakeleyo. Sekunjalo, kufuneka okungakumbi ukuze umntu amkholise uThixo.

14. Umntu ‘ubuyela njani kuYehova’? (Funda nebhokisi ethi “ Kukuthini Ukuguquka?”)

¹⁴ Umntu oguquke ngokwenene uhlolisisa intsusa anayo, iminqweno kwanemikhwa yakhe. (Funda IZililo 3:40, 41.) Uhlolisisa iinkalo abuthathaka kuzo, njengokuthanda ukuwa  ngabantu besini esahlukileyo, ukutshaya nokusebenzisa kakubi utywala neInternet okanye indlela aliqhuba ngayo ishishini. Kanye njengomfazi ogutyula zonke iindawo ekhitshini ukuze agcine ikhaya licocekile, umntu oguqukayo umele alwe ngamandla ukuze acoceke kwiingcamango nezenzo zakhe zangasese. Umele ‘abuyele kuYehova’ ngokwenza oko kufunwa nguThixo aze aphile ngemilinganiselo Yakhe. Wambi amaYuda omhla kaYeremiya abuyela kuYehova ‘ngobuxoki.’ Ayesenza inkwalambisa ngathi aguqukile ngoxa iintliziyo zawo zingendawo. (Yer. 3:10) Ngokwahlukileyo kuwo, umntu ofuna ukuxolelwa ngokunyanisekileyo akazami ukumkhohlisa uYehova kunye nebandla. Kunokufuna nje ukuthandwa ngabantu, okanye ukuphinda anxulumane nezalamane okanye abanye ebandleni, yena uguquka ngokupheleleyo kwizenzo zakhe eziphosakeleyo aze afune ukuxolelwa nguThixo nokwamkeleka kuye.

15. Injani imithandazo yomntu oguquke ngokwenene?

¹⁵ Umthandazo ubaluleke gqitha kumntu oguqukileyo. Ngamaxesha amandulo, kwakuqhelekile ukuba abantu baphakamise izandla xa bethandaza. Njengokuba uYeremiya  esitsho, namhlanje xa umntu oguquke ngokwenene ethandaza ‘uphakamisela intliziyo yakhe kunye neentende zakhe kuThixo.’ (IZili. 3:41, 42) Xa umoni ezisola ngekhondo lakhe uye azame ukuziphatha ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yakhe. Uthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo nangokusuk’ entliziyweni.

16. Kutheni kusengqiqweni nje ukubuyela kuThixo?

¹⁶ Alithandabuzeki elokuba umoni ozivuma ngokunyanisekileyo iziphoso zakhe ufanele ayeke ukuba nekratshi. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo yile: UYehova ufuna aboni babuyele kuye. Xa uThixo ebona ukuba loo mntu uguquke ngokusuka entliziyweni, neyakhe intliziyo iyathamba. Uye ‘asikwe’ yimfesane kuba ufuna ukubaxolela bonke abaguqukayo kwizono zabo, kanye njengokuba wenzayo kumaSirayeli awayebuya ekuthinjweni. (Yer. 31:20) Kusithuthuzela ngokwenene ukwazi ukuba uThixo ubanika uxolo kwanethemba abo bamthobelayo. (Yer. 29:11-14) Banokufumana indawo kwakhona phakathi kwabakhonzi abazinikeleyo bakaThixo.

17, 18. (a) Yayingoobani amaRekabhi? (b) Yintoni aziwa ngayo, njengoko kuboniswe kwiphepha 77?

¹⁷ Ukumthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova lelona khondo lobulumko. Oku sinokukubona ngokuqwalasela umzekelo wamaRekabhi kumhla kaYeremiya. Ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezimbini ngaphambili, ukhokho wawo ongumKeni uYehonadabhi, owaxhasa uYehu ngokunyaniseka, wayewabekele imithetho eliqela engqongqo. Omnye wawunxamnye nokusela iwayini. UYehonadabhi wayesele enexesha elide efile, kodwa amaRekabhi ayesamthobela. Ewavavanya, uYeremiya wawasa kwigumbi lokutyela elisetempileni waza wawanika iwayini, ewacenga ukuba ayisele. Athi kuye: “Asiyi kusela wayini.”—Yer. 35:1-10.

¹⁸ Kwakubalulekile kumaRekabhi ukuthobela ukhokho wawo owafa kudala. Bona abanquli bokwenyaniso bamele  bayithobele nangakumbi imithetho yoThixo ophilayo. Ukuzimisela kwamaRekabhi ukuthobela kwamchukumisa uYehova, ibe ayahluke ngokupheleleyo kumaYuda awayengathobeli. UThixo wawathembisa ukuba wayeza kuwakhusela amaRekabhi kwintlekele eyayiza kufika. Xa sicinga ngoku namhlanje, ngaba akukho sengqiqweni ukucinga ukuba abo bamthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova baza kukhuselwa nakanjani na kwimbandezelo enkulu?—Funda uYeremiya 35:19.

19. UThixo ukukhusela njani xa umthobela?

¹⁹ Nanamhlanje uThixo usakwazi ukukhusela abantu bakhe njengamandulo. Kwanangoku, uYehova uyabakhusela  abo bamthobelayo kwiingozi zokomoya. Kanye njengokuba iindonga eziphakamileyo zamandulo zazikhusela izixeko, umthetho kaThixo uyabakhusela abo bawufundayo baze baphile ngawo. Ngaba uza kuphila ngemilinganiselo  kaThixo yokuziphatha ukuze uhlale ukhuselekile? Qiniseka ukuba izinto ziya kukulungela ukuba wenjenjalo. (Yer. 7:23) Baninzi abantu okuye kwenzeka kubo oku.—Funda ibhokisi ethi  “Ukuthobela UYehova Kuyasikhusela.”

20, 21. (a) Yintoni onokuqiniseka ngayo njengoko ukhonza uYehova? (b) Yintoni awayenzayo uKumkani uYehoyakim emva kokuva isigidimi uThixo awayesidlulisele ngoYeremiya?

²⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuba ngamalungu entsapho yakho, ngabantu osebenza nabo okanye ofunda nabo, okanye ngabasemagunyeni kwindawo ohlala kuyo, abachasi babangela kube nzima ukukhonza uThixo. Qiniseka ukuba xa umthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova kuzo zonke izinto, uya kukuxhasa nakwezona meko zinzima. Ungalibali ukuba—uThixo wathembisa uYeremiya ukuba wayeza kuba naye xa ejamelana nenkcaso ekrakra, yaye wenza kanye oko. (Funda uYeremiya 1:17-19.) UThixo waphinda wayibonakalisa inkxaso yakhe ngemihla kaKumkani uYehoyakim.

²¹ Bambalwa abalawuli bakwaSirayeli ababachasa ngokukrakra njengoYehoyakim abantu ababethethela uThixo. Oku sinokukubona kwimeko yomprofeti u-Uriya, owayephila ngexesha likaYeremiya. UKumkani uYehoyakim owayengendawo wamsukela nasemva kokuba etsibe imida wabaleka kwilizwe lakhe. Xa u-Uriya umprofeti kaYehova wabuyiselwa kulo kumkani, wathi makabulawe. (Yer. 26:20-23) Kunyaka wesine wolawulo lukaYehoyakim, uYehova wayalela uYeremiya ukuba abhale onke amazwi amyalele wona aze awafunde etempileni. UYehoyakim wawufumana lo msongo kaYeremiya waza wayalela igosa lasenkundleni ukuba limfundele. Njengoko laliwufunda, lo kumkani wawukrazula waza wawuphosa emlilweni nakuba ezinye iinkosana zazimbongoza ukuba angakwenzi oko. Emva koko wathumela amadoda ukuba aye kubamba uYeremiya noBharuki. Yintoni eyenzekayo? “UYehova wabagcina befihlakele.” (Yer. 36:1-6; funda uYeremiya 36:21-26.) UYehova wawakhusela loo madoda athembekileyo kuYehoyakim.

22, 23. Yintoni oyifunda kumava elinye iNgqina elikumbindi weAsia ngenkxaso kaThixo?

 ²² Nanamhlanje, xa uYehova ebona kufanelekile unokubakhusela abakhonzi bakhe engozini. Kodwa izihlandlo ezininzi ubanika isibindi nobulumko ukuze bamthobele baze baqhubeke beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Omnye umama ongenaqabane esiza kumbiza ngokuba nguGulistan unabantwana abane. Uye waxhaswa nguYehova. Kangangexesha elide, ibinguye kuphela iNgqina kummandla omkhulu okumbindi waseAsia apho abasemagunyeni bengafuni nokuva ngokushunyayelwa koBukumkani. Ibandla elikufuphi kuye likumgama weekhilomitha ezingama-400, ngoko akafane anxulumane namanye amaKristu aqolileyo. Phezu kwayo nje loo nkcaso nezinye iingxaki, uyaqhubeka eshumayela kwindlu ngendlu yaye ufumana abantu abaninzi abanomdla. Ngokutsho kwengxelo yakutshanje, ebeqhubela abantu abamalunga nama-20 izifundo zeBhayibhile yaye enyamekela iqela elisakhulayo lezimvu zikaYehova.

²³ Kanye njengokuba wanceda uYeremiya namanye amaNgqina afana noGulistan, uThixo angakunceda nawe, kuquka abanye abakhonzi abathobelayo. Zimisele ukumthobela njengoMlawuli kunabantu. Xa usenjenjalo, inkcaso neminye imiqobo azinakukuyekisa ukudumisa okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso kubantu abakwintsimi yakho.—Yer. 15:20, 21.

24. Ziyintoni iingenelo zokuthobela?

²⁴ Asinakuze silufumane ulonwabo nolwaneliseko lokwenene ebomini ukuba asiphili ngemilinganiselo yoMdali wethu. (Yer. 10:23) Emva kokuba ufunde ngoko kwabhalwa nguYeremiya ngokuphathelele ukuthobela, ngaba uyazibona iindlela onokumvumela ngazo uYehova ukuba akukhokele? Yimithetho yakhe kuphela enokusinceda sonwabe size siphumelele ebomini. UYehova usibongoza esithi: “Thobelani ilizwi lam, . . . ukuze kulunge kuni.”—Yer. 7:23.