1, 2. Yiyiphi ingozi ayejamelene nayo amaSirayeli njengoko ayengena kummandla waseSinayi ngowe-1513 B.C.E., yaye uYehova wawakhuthaza njani?

 AMASIRAYELI ayesengozini njengoko ayengena kummandla waseSinayi ekuqaleni kowe-1513 B.C.E. Ayejongene nohambo oloyikekayo, olwalutyhubela ‘kwintlango enkulu neyoyikekayo, eneenyoka ezinobuhlungu noonomadudwane.’ (Duteronomi 8:15) Kwakhona ayejamelene nokuhlaselwa ziintlanga ezinobutshaba. NguYehova owayebafake kule meko abantu bakhe. NjengoThixo wabo, ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukubakhusela?

² Ayelukhuthazo ngokwenene amazwi kaYehova athi: “Nizibonele ngokwenu oko ndikwenzileyo kumaYiputa, ukuze ndinithwale ngamaphiko okhozi, ndinizise kum.” (Eksodus 19:4) UYehova wabakhumbuza abantu bakhe ukuba wabahlangula kumaYiputa, ngokungathi ubathwele ngamaphiko okhozi, wabasa kwindawo ekhuselekileyo. Kodwa kukho ezinye izizathu ezenza ukuba “amaphiko okhozi” abe ngumzekeliso ofanelekileyo wokubonisa ukukhusela kukaThixo.

 3. Kutheni “amaphiko okhozi” engumzekelo ofanelekileyo wokubonisa ukukhusela kukaThixo?

³ Ukhozi aluwasebenziseli ukundanda nje kuphela amaphiko alo amakhulu nawomeleleyo. Xa kushushu kakhulu, ukhozi luvula amaphiko—afikelela kubukhulu beemitha ezimbini—ukuze lwenze iambrela yokukhusela amantshontsho alo kwingqatsini yelanga. Maxa wambi, luyawafingqa amaphiko alo ukuze amantshontsho alo akhuseleke engqeleni. Kanye njengokuba ukhozi lukhusela amantshontsho alo, ngoko noYehova walukhusela uhlanga lukaSirayeli. Njengoko babesentlango, abantu bakhe babeza kukhuseleka phantsi kwamaphiko akhe omeleleyo logama nje babehlala bethembekile.  (Duteronomi 32:9-11; INdumiso 36:7) Kodwa ngaba thina namhlanje sinokulindela ukuba uThixo asikhusele?

4, 5. Kutheni sinokuba nentembelo epheleleyo kwisithembiso sikaThixo sokusikhusela?

⁴ Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uyakwazi ukubakhusela abakhonzi bakhe. ‘UnguThixo uSomandla’—binzana elo elibonisa ukuba unamandla angenakuxhathiswa mntu. (Genesis 17:1) Njengamaza angenakunqunyanyiswa, amandla kaYehova akanakuthintelwa. Ekubeni enako ukwenza nantoni na athanda ukuyenza, sisenokubuza, ‘Ngaba kukuthanda kukaYehova ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ukukhusela abantu bakhe?’

⁵ Impendulo ithi ewe! UYehova usiqinisekisa ukuba uya kubakhusela abantu bakhe. INdumiso 46:1 ithi: “UThixo uyindawo yokusabela namandla kuthi, uncedo olufumaneka ngokukhawuleza ekubandezelekeni.” Ekubeni uThixo ‘engenakuxoka,’ sinokuba nentembelo ngokupheleleyo kwisithembiso sakhe sokusikhusela. (Tito 1:2) Makhe sihlolisise amabinzana acacileyo awasebenzisayo uYehova ukubonisa ukukhusela kwakhe.

6, 7. (a) Umalusi wamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile wayezikhusela njani izimvu zakhe? (b) IBhayibhile iwuzekelisa njani umnqweno kaYehova osuk’ entliziyweni wokuzikhusela nokuzinyamekela izimvu zakhe?

⁶ UYehova unguMalusi, yaye “thina singabantu bakhe nezimvu zedlelo lakhe.” (INdumiso 23:1; 100:3) Zimbalwa izilwanyana ezibuthathaka njengezimvu. Umalusi wamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile wayemele azikhusele ngenkalipho izimvu ekuqwengweni ziingonyama, iingcuka, neebhere, kwanasekubiweni ngamasela. (1 Samuweli 17:34, 35; Yohane 10:12, 13) Kodwa kwakubakho amaxesha axa ukukhusela izimvu kwakufuna ukuthantamisa. Xa imvu yayizalela kude nesibaya, umalusi onenyameko wayehlala eyilindile ebudeni beso sihlandlo sokungakwazi kwayo ukuzinceda aze athabathe elo takane libuthathaka alithwale alise esibayeni.

 ⁷ Ngokuzifanisa nomalusi, uYehova usiqinisekisa ngomnqweno wakhe osuk’ entliziyweni wokusikhusela. (Hezekile 34:11-16) Khumbula indlela achazwa ngayo uYehova kuIsaya 40:11, njengoko ixutyushwe kwiSahluko 2 sale ncwadi: ‘Njengomalusi uya kuwalusa umhlambi wakhe. Ngengalo yakhe uya kuqokelela ndawonye amatakane; uya kuwathwala ngesifuba sakhe.’ Itakane lifika njani ‘esifubeni’ somalusi—umphetho wesambatho sakhe sangaphezulu? Itakane lalisenokusondela kumalusi, lide limkrwece emlenzeni. Noko ke, ngumalusi omele agobe, aliphakamise itakane, aze ngobunono alifake kwindawo ekhuselekileyo esifubeni sakhe. Enjani yona indlela oku okukubonisa ngayo ukuzimisela koMalusi wethu Omkhulu ukusikhusela!

 8. (a) Isithembiso sikaThixo sokusikhusela sibhekiswa koobani, yaye oku kuboniswe njani kwiMizekeliso 18:10? (b) Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekusabeleni egameni likaThixo?

⁸ Isithembiso sikaThixo sokusikhusela asibhekisi kuwonke-wonke—sibhekiswa kuphela kwabo basondela kuye. IMizekeliso 18:10 ithi: “Yinqaba eyomeleleyo igama likaYehova. Ilungisa libalekela kulo lize likhuseleke.” Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, maxa wambi iinqaba zazakhiwa entlango njengeendawo ezikhuselekileyo zokusabela. Kodwa kwakuxhomekeke kulowo usengozini ukubalekela kwinqaba leyo ukuze akhuseleke. Kuyafana ke nangokusabela egameni likaThixo. Oku kubandakanya okungakumbi kunokuliphindaphinda nje kuphela igama likaThixo; igama likaThixo lilodwa nje alizisi mathamsanqa. Kunoko, sifanele simazi yaye sikholose ngoMnini welo gama size siphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Hayi indlela anobubele ngayo uYehova ngokusiqinisekisa ukuba, ukuba sibonisa ukholo kuye, uya kuba yinqaba yokusikhusela!

 9. UYehova wenze njani okungakumbi kunokuthembisa nje ukusikhusela?

⁹ UYehova akaphelelanga nje ngokusithembisa ukusikhusela. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, wabonisa ngeendlela  ezingummangaliso ukuba uyakwazi ukubakhusela abantu bakhe. Ebudeni bembali kaSirayeli, “isandla” esomeleleyo sikaYehova saqhubeka sizithintela iintshaba ezinamandla. (Eksodus 7:4) Noko ke, uYehova wawasebenzisa amandla akhe akhuselayo nasekuncedeni abantu ngabanye.

10, 11. Yiyiphi imizekelo yeBhayibhile ebonisa indlela uYehova awawasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe akhuselayo kubantu abathile?

¹⁰ Xa abafana abathathu abangamaHebhere—uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego—balayo ukuqubuda emfanekisweni wegolide kaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare, loo kumkani wavutha ngumsindo waza wabagrogrisa ngokubaphosa ezikweni lomlilo. UNebhukadenetsare, oyena mlawuli wayenamandla emhlabeni, wabagculela esithi: “Nguwuphi na uthixo onokunihlangula ezandleni zam?” (Daniyeli 3:15) Aba bafana bathathu babethembele ngokupheleleyo emandleni kaThixo okubakhusela, kodwa abazange bazithembise ukuba wayeza kubakhusela. Ngoko, baphendula bathi: “Ukuba kumele kube njalo uThixo wethu esimkhonzayo, unako ukusihlangula.” (Daniyeli 3:17) Eneneni, elo ziko lomlilo, nangona lalitshisa ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe kunangesiqhelo, alizange libe ngumqobo kuThixo onamandla onke. Wabakhusela, yaye loo kumkani wanyanzeleka ukuba avume athi: “Akukho thixo wumbi unako ukuhlangula ngale ndlela.”—Daniyeli 3:29.

¹¹ Kwakhona uYehova wasibonisa amandla akhe akhuselayo ngokufudusela ubomi boNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo esibelekweni sentombi enyulu yomYuda uMariya. Ingelosi yathi kuMariya wayeza ‘kukhawula esibelekweni sakhe aze azale unyana.’ Le ngelosi yachaza yathi: “Umoya oyingcwele uya kukufikela, namandla Oyena Uphakamileyo aya kukusibekela.” (Luka 1:31, 35) Kubonakala ukuba, uNyana kaThixo wayengazange akhe abe sesichengeni ngale ndlela. Ngaba isono nokungafezeki kukanina ongumntu kwakuza kuyichaphazela loo mveku ingekazalwa? Ngaba uSathana wayenokukwazi ukumenzakalisa okanye ukumbulala loo Nyana ngaphambi kokuzalwa Kwakhe? Kwakungenakwenzeka oko! Enyanisweni, uYehova wenza udonga lokukhusela uMariya ukuze kungabikho nto—enoba kukungafezeki, ukwenzakala nokubulawa ngumntu  okanye nayiphi na idemon—eyayinokwenzakalisa loo mveku ingekazalwa, ukususela ekukhawulweni kwayo. UYehova waqhubeka emkhusele uYesu ebutsheni bakhe. (Mateyu 2:1-15) De kwalixesha likaThixo elimiselweyo, akazange avumele nantoni na ukuba yenzakalise uNyana wakhe othandekayo.

12. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abakhusele ngokumangalisayo abantu abathile ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile?

¹² Kutheni uYehova wayebakhusela ngeendlela ezimangalisayo nje abantu abathile? Kwiimeko ezininzi uYehova wayebakhusela abantu abathile ukuze akhusele into ebaluleke ngakumbi: ukuzalisekiswa kwenjongo yakhe. Ngokomzekelo, ukusindiswa kwemveku enguYesu kwakubalulekile ekuzalisekisweni kwenjongo kaThixo, eyayiza kuthi ekugqibeleni ibe yingenelo kulo lonke uluntu. Iingxelo ezininzi zokubonakaliswa kwamandla akhe akhuselayo ziyinxalenye yeZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo, ‘ezabhalelwa ukuyalela thina, ukuze ngonyamezelo lwethu nangentuthuzelo yeZibhalo sibe nethemba.’ (Roma 15:4) Ewe, le mizekelo iyaluqinisa ukholo lwethu kuThixo onamandla onke. Kodwa yiyiphi indlela esinokulindela ukuba uThixo asikhusele ngayo thina namhlanje?

13. Ngaba uYehova unyanzelekile ukuba asenzele imimangaliso? Cacisa.

¹³ Isithembiso sikaThixo sokusikhusela asithethi ukuba uYehova unyanzelekile ukuba asenzele imimangaliso. Akunjalo, kuba uThixo wethu akasithembisanga ubomi obungenazo iinkathazo kule nkqubo indala yezinto. Abakhonzi abaninzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova bajamelana neenkxwaleko eziqatha, kuquka ubuhlwempu, iimfazwe, ukugula nokufa. UYesu wabaxelela ngokucacileyo abafundi bakhe ukuba babenokude babulawe ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Kungako nje uYesu wagxininisa imfuneko yokunyamezela kude kube sekupheleni. (Mateyu 24:9, 13) Ukuba uYehova ebenokusebenzisa amandla akhe ukusihlangula ngokungummangaliso kuzo zonke iimeko, ngoko uSathana ebeya kuba nesizathu sokumgculela uYehova nesokuthandabuza ukunyaniseka kokuzinikela kwethu kuThixo wethu.—Yobhi 1:9, 10.

14. Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba uYehova akasoloko ebakhusela bonke abakhonzi bakhe ngeendlela ezifanayo?

 ¹⁴ Kwanangamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, uYehova akazange awasebenzise amandla akhe akhuselayo ekukhuseleni ngamnye wabakhonzi bakhe ukuba angafi ngaphambi kwexesha. Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uYakobi wabulawa nguHerode malunga nowama-44 C.E.; kanti, kamsinya emva koko, uPetros wahlangulwa “esandleni sikaHerode.” (IZenzo 12:1-11) Yaye uYohane, umntakwaboYakobi, waphila ithuba elide kunoPetros noYakobi. Ngokucacileyo, asinakulindela ukuba uThixo abakhusele bonke abakhonzi bakhe ngeendlela ezifanayo. Ngapha koko, sonke sifikelwa “lixesha nasisihlo.” (INtshumayeli 9:11) Ngoko, uYehova usikhusela njani namhlanje?

15, 16. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba uYehova uyabakhusela ngokwasemzimbeni abakhonzi bakhe njengeqela? (b) Kutheni sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uYehova uya kubakhusela abakhonzi bakhe ngoku nasebudeni ‘bembandezelo enkulu’?

¹⁵ Khawucinge kuqala ngendlela esikhuselwa ngayo ngokwasemzimbeni. Njengabanquli bakaYehova, sinokulindela ukuba uya kukwenza oko kuthi njengeqela. Kungenjalo, besiya kuba zizisulu zikaSathana. Khawucinge nje ngoku: USathana, “umlawuli weli hlabathi,” akananto yimbi ayinqwenela njengokuphelisa unqulo lokwenyaniso. (Yohane 12:31; ISityhilelo 12:17) Abanye babona rhulumente bomeleleyo emhlabeni baye bawuvala umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela baza bazama nokusicim’ igama. Sekunjalo, abantu bakaYehova baye bahlala bomelele yaye baqhubeka beshumayela bengayeki! Kutheni iintlanga ezomeleleyo zingakwazanga nje ukuliphelisa eli qela lincinane nelibonakala lingenamandla lamaKristu? Kungenxa yokuba uYehova uye wasikhusela ngamaphiko akhe omeleleyo!—INdumiso 17:7, 8.

¹⁶ Kuthekani ngokusikhusela kwakhe ngokwasemzimbeni ebudeni ‘bembandezelo enkulu’ ezayo? Akumele kusoyikise ukusondela komgwebo kaThixo. Ngapha koko, “uYehova uyakwazi ukubahlangula esilingweni abantu abanozinikelo lobuthixo, kodwa abantu abangengomalungisa ubagcinele  imini yomgwebo ukuze banqunyulwe.” (ISityhilelo 7:14; 2 Petros 2:9) Okwangoku, sinokusoloko siqinisekile ngezinto ezimbini. Okokuqala, uYehova akayi kuze avumele ukuba abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo bapheliswe emhlabeni. Okwesibini, uza kubavuza abagcini bengqibelelo ngobomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa—ukuba kuyimfuneko, ngokuthi abavuse. Ukuba kuyenzeka sife, akukho nto ibhetele ngakumbi kunokuba senkumbulweni kaThixo.—Yohane 5:28, 29.

17. UYehova usikhusela njani ngeLizwi lakhe?

¹⁷ Kwanangoku, uYehova uyasikhusela ‘ngelizwi’ lakhe eliphilileyo, elinamandla okuphilisa iintliziyo nawokuguqula indlela esiphila ngayo. (Hebhere 4:12) Ngokusebenzisa imigaqo yalo, sinako ngandlel’ ithile ukukhuseleka ekwenzakaleni ngokwasemzimbeni. UIsaya 48:17 uthi: ‘Mna, Yehova, ndikufundisa okuyingenelo kuwe.’ Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, ukuphila ngokuvisisana neLizwi likaThixo kunokuyiphucula impilo yethu kuze kusenze siphile ixesha elide. Ngokomzekelo, ngenxa yokuba sisebenzisa isiluleko seBhayibhile sokuzikhwebula kuhenyuzo nesokuzihlambulula ekudyobhekeni, siyaluphepha uqheliselo olungacocekanga noluyingozi oluthwaxa ubomi babaninzi abangahloneli Thixo. (IZenzo 15:29; 2 Korinte 7:1) Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo ngokukhuselwa kwethu liLizwi likaThixo!

18. Yiyiphi indlela uYehova asikhusela ngayo ngokomoya?

¹⁸ Okona kubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, uYehova uyasikhusela ngokomoya. UThixo wethu onothando uyasikhusela ekwenzakaleni ngokomoya ngokusixhobisa ngoko sikufunayo ukuze sinyamezele izilingo nokuze sikhusele ulwalamano lwethu kunye naye. Ngoko uYehova uyabukhusela ubomi bethu, kungekhona kangangexesha nje elifutshane kodwa ngonaphakade. Khawucinge ngamanye amalungiselelo kaThixo okusikhusela ngokomoya.

19. Umoya kaYehova unokusenza njani simelane naso nasiphi na isilingo esisenokujamelana naso?

¹⁹ UYehova ‘unguMphulaphuli wemithandazo.’ (INdumiso  65:2) Xa sithwaxwa ziingcinezelo zobomi, ukuthululela imbilini yethu kuye kunokusizisela isiqabu. (Filipi 4:6, 7) Usenokungazisusi ngokungummangaliso izilingo zethu, kodwa unokuyiphendula imithandazo yethu esuk’ entliziyweni ngokusinika ubulumko bokujamelana nazo. (Yakobi 1:5, 6) Ngaphezu koko, uYehova ubanika umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo. (Luka 11:13) Loo moya onamandla unokusenza sikwazi ukumelana naso nasiphi na isilingo okanye ingxaki esisenokujamelana nayo. Usenokusinika “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo” ukuze sikwazi ukunyamezela de uYehova aziphelise zonke iingxaki ezibuhlungu kwihlabathi elitsha elisemnyango.—2 Korinte 4:7.

20. UYehova usenokubasebenzisa njani abo sikhonza nabo ekubonakaliseni amandla akhe akhuselayo?

²⁰ Maxa wambi, uYehova usenokusebenzisa abo sikhonza nabo ukubonakalisa amandla akhe akhuselayo. UYehova uye wabenza abantu bakhe ehlabathini lonke baba ‘lumanyano lwabazalwana.’ (1 Petros 2:17; Yohane 6:44) Kobo buzalwana bothando, sibona ubungqina bokwenene bendlela amandla omoya oyingcwele kaThixo abaphembelela ngayo abantu ukuba benze okulungileyo. Loo moya uvelisa kuthi isiqhamo—iimpawu ezintle nezixabisekileyo, eziquka uthando, ububele  nokulunga. (Galati 5:22, 23) Ngoko ke, xa sibandezelekile aze ubani esikhonza naye anikele icebiso eliluncedo okanye amazwi okhuthazo, sinokumbulela uYehova ngokusinyamekela kwakhe ngaloo ndlela.

21. (a) Kukuphi ukutya kokomoya okufika ngexesha elifanelekileyo asilungiselela kona uYehova ‘ngekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’? (b) Uye wangenelwa njani wena ngokobuqu kumalungiselelo kaYehova okusikhusela ngokomoya?

²¹ Likho nelinye ilungiselelo likaYehova lokusikhusela: ukutya kokomoya okufika ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Ukuze asincede somelezwe liLizwi lakhe, uYehova uye wamisela “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” ukuba lilungiselele ukutya kokomoya. Elo khoboka lithembekileyo lisebenzisa iimpapasho ezishicilelweyo, kuquka amaphephancwadi IMboniselo noVukani!, kwakunye neentlanganiso, neendibano zesiphaluka nezesithili, zokusilungiselela ‘ukutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo’—oko sikufunayo, ngexesha esikufuna ngalo. (Mateyu 24:45) Ngaba wakha weva kusini na kwintlanganiso yamaKristu—empendulweni enikelwayo, entethweni, okanye kwanasemthandazweni—kukhankanywa ingongoma ekunika kanye amandla nokhuthazo olufunayo? Ngaba wakha wachukunyiswa linqaku elithile elalipapashwe kwamanye amaphephancwadi ethu? Khumbula ukuba, uYehova uwenze onke la malungiselelo ngenjongo yokusikhusela ngokomoya.

22. Yiyiphi indlela asoloko ewasebenzisa ngayo uYehova amandla akhe, yaye kutheni oko kuyingenelo nje kuthi?

²² Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova “ulikhaka kubo bonke abo basabela kuye.” (INdumiso 18:30) Siyaqonda ukuba akawasebenzisi amandla akhe ukuze asikhusele kuzo zonke iintlekele. Noko ke, usoloko ewasebenzisa amandla akhe akhuselayo ukuqinisekisa ukuba injongo yakhe iyazaliseka. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, oko kuba yingenelo kubantu bakhe. Ukuba siyasondela kuye size sihlale eluthandweni lwakhe, uYehova uza kusinika ubomi obugqibeleleyo obungunaphakade. Ngenxa yelo themba, sisenokukugqala nakuphi na ukubandezeleka esijamelana nako kule nkqubo ‘njengokomzuzwana nokuncinane.’—2 Korinte 4:17.