1, 2. Kukhulu kangakanani ukulunga kukaThixo, yaye iBhayibhile ilugxininisa njani olu phawu?

 BEHLELI phandle yaye begcakamele ilanga, abahlobo abakhulu banandipha isidlo kunye, behleka bencokola bevuyela ubuhle bemini. Qelele phayaa, umlimi ujonge emasimini akhe ezaliswe luvuyo njengoko ebona amafu edibana yaye kuqalisa nokuchaphaza. Kwenye indawo, indoda nomfazi wayo bazele luchulumanco njengoko bebona umntwana wabo eqalisa ukuqingqa.

² Enoba bayakwazi okanye abakwazi oko, bonke aba bantu bavuyiswa yinto enye—ukulunga kukaYehova uThixo. Amakholwa adla ngokuliphindaphinda ibinzana elithi “UThixo ulungile.” Kodwa yona iBhayibhile iligxininisa nangakumbi elo binzana. Ithi: “Hayi indlela okukhulu ngayo ukulunga kwakhe!” (Zekariya 9:17) Kodwa kubonakala ukuba bambalwa namhlanje abayaziyo intsingiselo yokwenene yaloo mazwi. Yintoni kanye kanye ebandakanywa kukulunga kukaYehova uThixo, yaye olu phawu lukaThixo lumchaphazela njani ngamnye wethu?

3, 4. Kuyintoni ukulunga, yaye kutheni ukulunga kukaYehova kunokuchazwa ngeyona ndlela ifanelekileyo njengendlela yokubonakaliswa kothando lobuthixo?

³ Kwiilwimi ezininzi, igama elithi “ukulunga” ligama nje eliqhelekileyo. Noko ke, iBhayibhile ityhila ukuba ukulunga akulogama nje liqhelekileyo. Ngokuyintloko, libhekisela ekuthini tye nakwihambo egqibeleleyo. Ngoko, ngandlel’ ithile sinokuthi ukulunga kuyinxalenye yobuntu bukaYehova. Zonke iimpawu zakhe—kuquka amandla akhe, ukuba sesikweni kwakhe, nobulumko bakhe—zilungile ngokugqibeleleyo. Ukanti, ukulunga kusekwanokuchazwa ngeyona ndlela ifanelekileyo  njengendlela yokubonakaliswa kothando lukaYehova. Ngoba?

⁴ Ukulunga kuluphawu olubonakaliswa ngezenzo. Umpostile uPawulos wabonisa ukuba ebantwini lunomtsalane nangaphezu kobulungisa. (Roma 5:7) Umntu olilungisa unokuthenjwa ukuba uya kuwuthobela ngokuthembekileyo umthetho, kodwa umntu olungileyo wenza okungakumbi. Uthabatha amanyathelo okufuna ukunceda abanye. Njengoko siza kubona, ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova ulungile ngaloo ngqiqo. Ngokucacileyo, oko kulunga kubangelwa luthando olukhulu lukaYehova.

5-7. Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu ale ukubizwa kuthiwe “Mfundisi Olungileyo,” yaye ngaloo ndlela yiyiphi inyaniso ebalulekileyo awayingqinayo?

⁵ Kwakhona ukulunga kukaYehova akunakulinganiswa nanto. Kungekudala ngaphambi kokufa kukaYesu, kweza ndoda ithile kuye yaza yambuza umbuzo, ibhekisela kuye ngokuthi “Mfundisi Olungileyo.” UYesu wayiphendula wathi: “Kutheni undibiza ngokuthi olungileyo? Akukho bani ulungileyo, ngaphandle komnye, uThixo.” (Marko 10:17, 18) Isenokuba iyakothusa noko le mpendulo. Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu ayilungise loo ndoda? Kanti uYesu wayengenguye na ‘uMfundisi Olungileyo’?

⁶ Ngokucacileyo, le ndoda yayiwasebenzisa amazwi athi “Mfundisi Olungileyo” kuba ifuna ukumzukisa. Ngokuthozama uYesu walujolisa kuBawo wakhe wasezulwini uzuko olunjalo, olunge ngomlinganiselo ophakamileyo. (IMizekeliso 11:2) Kodwa kwakhona uYesu wayengqina inyaniso ebalulekileyo. NguYehova kuphela ongumlinganiselo woko kulungileyo. Nguye kuphela onelungelo elipheleleyo lokumisela oko kulungileyo noko kubi. UAdam noEva, ngokutya kwabo ngemvukelo kumthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi, babefuna ukulithabathela kubo elo lungelo. Ngokungafaniyo nabo, ngokuthobekileyo uYesu ukushiyela kuYise ukumisela imilinganiselo.

⁷ Ngaphezu koko, uYesu wayesazi ukuba uYehova ungumthombo wako konke oko kulunge ngokwenene. UnguMniki  waso “sonke isipho esilungileyo naso sonke isipho esigqibeleleyo.” (Yakobi 1:17) Makhe sihlolisise indlela ukulunga kukaYehova okubonakala ngayo kuphawu lwakhe lokuba nesisa.

 8. UYehova ukubonise njani ukulunga kulo lonke uluntu?

⁸ Wonk’ ubani okhe waphila uye wangenelwa kukulunga kukaYehova. INdumiso 145:9 ithi: “UYehova ulungile kubo bonke.” Yiyiphi eminye imizekelo yako konke ukulunga kwakhe? IBhayibhile ithi: “[Akazange] azishiye ngokwakhe ngaphandle kobungqina ngokuba wenza okulungileyo, eninika iimvula ezivela ezulwini namaxesha emveliso, ezizalisa iintliziyo zenu ngokutya nangokuchwayita.” (IZenzo 14:17) Ngaba wakha waziva uchwayitile xa unandipha isidlo esimnandi? Ukuba uYehova ebengathanga ngenxa yokulunga kwakhe wenza umhlaba namanzi awo ahlaziyayo “namaxesha emveliso”  okuvelisa intabalala yokutya, bezingenakubakho izidlo. UYehova ukubonisa ukulunga okunjalo kungekuphela nje kwabo bamthandayo kodwa kuye wonk’ ubani. UYesu wathi: “[Ulenza] ilanga lakhe liphume kubantu abangendawo nabalungileyo nemvula [uyinisa] kubantu abangamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.”—Mateyu 5:45.

 9. Iapile likubonisa njani ukulunga kukaYehova?

⁹ Abaninzi bazithabatha lula ezi ngenelo zesisa ezibangelwa kukusebenza kwelanga, imvula, namaxesha emveliso. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngeapile. Lisisiqhamo esiqhelekileyo kuyo yonke imimandla yomhlaba enemozulu epholileyo. Ukanti, liyabukeka, linencasa, yaye linencindi ehlaziyayo nenezondlo. Ngaba ubusazi ukuba ehlabathini lonke  kukho malunga neendidi ezingama-7 500 ezahlukahlukeneyo zama-apile, anombala obomvu nobugolide nomthubi noluhlaza, nanobukhulu obahlukahlukeneyo ukususela kobediliya ukusa kobembambusi? Ukuba unokubeka esandleni sakho imbewu encinane yeapile, ibonakala njengento engenamsebenzi. Kodwa kuyo kukhula omnye weyona mithi ithandekayo. (INgoma yazo iiNgoma 2:3) Rhoqo ngentwasahlobo imithi yama-apile iyatyatyamba; ize rhoqo ekwindla ivelise iziqhamo. Nyaka ngamnye—kangangeminyaka engama-75—ngokomlinganiselo umthi omnye wama-apile uvelisa iziqhamo ezinokuzalisa iibhokisi ezingama-20 ezinobunzima obuziikhilogram ezili-19 inye!

10, 11. Izivamvo zikubonisa njani ukulunga kukaThixo?

¹⁰ Ngenxa yokulunga kwakhe okungenasiphelo, uYehova uye wasinika umzimba ‘owenziwe ngokumangalisayo,’ onezivamvo ezenzelwe ukusinceda ukuba siyiqonde imisebenzi yakhe yaye siyinandiphe. (INdumiso 139:14) Khawucinge nje kwakhona ngala mibono echazwe ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko. Yintoni eyenza ukuba ezo zihlandlo zibukeke? Zizidlele ezitum-tum zomntwana owonwabileyo. Ukugxagxaza kwemvula emasimini. Imibalabala emihle yokutshona kwelanga. Iliso lomntu lenziwe lakwazi ukubona imibala eyahlukeneyo engaphezu kwama-300 000! Yaye isivamvo sethu sokuva sahlukanisa isandi selizwi elithandekayo, isandi somoya ovuthuza imithi, nokugigitheka kosana. Ngubani owenze ukuba sikwazi ukuyoliswa koko sikubukelayo noko sikuvayo? IBhayibhile ithi: “Indlebe evayo neliso elibonayo—uYehova uzenzile zombini.” (IMizekeliso 20:12) Kodwa sisakhankanye izivamvo ezimbini kuphela.

¹¹ Isivamvo sokujoja sibobunye ubungqina bokulunga kukaYehova. Impumlo yomntu iyakwazi ukwahlukanisa amavumba ahlukeneyo amalunga ne-10 000. Khawucinge nje ngamavumba ambalwa: ivumba lokutya okuthandayo, elezityalo, elamagqabi omileyo, nelomlilo ofudumeleyo. Yaye isivamvo sokuchukumisa sikwenza ukunandiphe ukubetha kwempepho epholileyo ebusweni bakho, ukwangiwa ngulowo umthandayo,  nokuva ukuthamba kwesiqhamo esisesandleni sakho. Xa uluma into, kusebenza isivamvo sakho sokungcamla. Uyoliswa bubumnandi besiqhamo njengoko ungcamla iincindi zaso ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ewe, sinesizathu esihle sokudanduluka sithi ngoYehova: “Hayi ukuba kuninzi kokulunga kwakho, okugcinele abo bakoyikayo!” (INdumiso 31:19) Kodwa ke, uYehova ‘ubagcinele’ njani ukulunga abo banoloyiko lobuthixo?

12. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo kaYehova angawona abalulekileyo, yaye ngoba?

¹² UYesu wathi: “Kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘Akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaYehova.’” (Mateyu 4:4) Eneneni, amalungiselelo kaYehova okomoya anokusizisela iingenelo ezingakumbi kunalawo okwenyama, kuba akhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. KwiSahluko 8 sale ncwadi, siye saphawula ukuba uYehova usebenzise amandla akhe okubuyisela kule mihla yokugqibela ukuze azise iparadesi yokomoya. Eyona nto ibalasele ngayo loo paradesi yintabalala yokutya kokomoya.

13, 14. (a) Yintoni umprofeti uHezekile awayibonayo embonweni, yaye oko kunayiphi intsingiselo kuthi namhlanje? (b) Ngawaphi amalungiselelo okomoya anik’ ubomi uYehova awenzela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo?

¹³ Kwesinye seziprofeto ezikhulu zeBhayibhile ezingokubuyiselwa, umprofeti uHezekile waboniswa umbono wetempile ebuyiselweyo nezukisiweyo. Kuloo tempile kwakuqukuqela umsinga wamanzi, owawusiya usiba banzi yaye usiba nzulu ngakumbi nangakumbi de waba ‘ngumsinga omkhulu.’ Naphi na apho wawuqukuqela khona, loo mlambo wawuzisa iintsikelelo. Emacaleni awo kwakuchume imithi eyayivelisa ukudla neyayiphilisa. Yaye loo mlambo wada waphilisa noLwandle Olufileyo olwalumtyuba yaye kungekho nto iphilayo kulo! (Hezekile 47:1-12) Kodwa kwakuthetha ntoni konke oko?

¹⁴ Lo mbono wawuthetha ukuba uYehova wayeza kulibuyisela ilungiselelo lakhe lonqulo olunyulu, njengoko  lwalufanekiselwa yitempile eyabonwa nguHezekile. Njengaloo mlambo wasembonweni, amalungiselelo kaThixo obomi ayeza kuqukuqelela ebantwini bakhe ngomlinganiselo omkhulu kakhulu. Ukususela ekubuyiselweni konqulo olunyulu ngowe-1919, uYehova uye wabasikelela abantu bakhe ngamalungiselelo anik’ ubomi. Njani? Kaloku iiBhayibhile, uncwadi lweBhayibhile, iintlanganiso, neendibano, ziye zonke zanceda ekudluliseleni iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo kwizigidi zabantu. Ngala malungiselelo uYehova uye wafundisa abantu ngelona lungiselelo libalulekileyo lobomi—idini lentlawulelo likaKristu, elibanika ukuma okucocekileyo phambi kukaYehova nethemba lobomi obungunaphakade bonke abo bamthanda ngokunyanisekileyo uThixo. a Ngoko ke, ebudeni bale mihla yokugqibela, ngoxa ihlabathi liye lathwaxwa yindlala yokomoya, abantu bakaYehova bona banandipha isidlo sokomoya.—Isaya 65:13.

15. Ukulunga kukaYehova kuza kuqukuqela ngayiphi ingqiqo kuluntu oluthembekileyo ebudeni boLawulo Lwewaka Leminyaka lukaKristu?

¹⁵ Kodwa umlambo wasembonweni kaHezekile awuyeki ukuqukuqela ekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo indala yezinto. Kunoko, uya kuqukuqela kakhulu nangakumbi ebudeni boLawulo Lwewaka Leminyaka lukaKristu. Ngoko, ngoBukumkani bukaMesiya, uYehova uza kulisebenzisa ngokupheleleyo ixabiso ledini likaYesu, aze ngokuthe ngcembe aluzise emfezekweni uluntu oluthembekileyo. Siya kwandula ke sikuvuyele kakhulu ukulunga kukaYehova!

16. IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba ukulunga kukaYehova kubandakanya ezinye iimpawu, yaye ziziphi ezinye zazo?

¹⁶ Ukulunga kukaYehova kubandakanya okungakumbi kunokuba nesisa. UThixo wathi kuMoses: “Ndiya kukudlulisa konke ukulunga kwam phambi kobuso bakho, ndivakalise igama likaYehova phambi kwakho.” Kamva ingxelo ithi: “UYehova wadlula  phambi kobuso bakhe waza wavakalisa esithi: ‘UYehova, uYehova, uThixo onenceba nobabalo, ozeka kade umsindo, onobubele bothando obuninzi nenyaniso.’” (Eksodus 33:19; 34:6) Ngoko ukulunga kukaYehova kubandakanya iimpawu ezintle eziliqela. Makhe sihlolisise nje ezimbini zazo.

17. Luyintoni ubabalo, yaye uYehova ulubonakalise njani kubantu abangafezekanga?

¹⁷ ‘Ubabalo.’ Olu phawu lutyhila lukhulu ngendlela uYehova asebenzisana ngayo nezidalwa zakhe. Kunokuba abe ngqwabalala, abe ngqongqo, okanye akhohlakale, njengoko bedla ngokuba njalo abo banegunya phezu kwabanye, uYehova uyathantamisa yaye unobubele. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wathi kuAbram: “Nceda, uphakamise amehlo akho kuloo ndawo ukuyo, uze ukhangele emntla nasemzantsi nasempuma nasentshona.” (Genesis 13:14) Iinguqulelo ezininzi ziyalishiya igama elithi “nceda.” Kodwa abaphengululi beBhayibhile baphawula ukuba kumbhalo wantlandlolo wesiHebhere kufakelwe ilungu legama eliguqula eli binzana lingabi ngumyalelo kodwa libe sisicelo sentlonelo. Ikho neminye imizekelo yoku. (Genesis 31:12; Hezekile 8:5) Khawuyithelekelele nje into yokuba, uMongami wendalo iphela athi “nceda” kubantu nje! Kweli hlabathi lingqwabalala, nelizaliswe lugonyamelo nobukrwada, akuhlaziyi na ukuphawula ukuba nobabalo kukaThixo wethu, uYehova?

18. UYehova ‘unenyaniso eninzi’ ngayiphi ingqiqo, yaye kutheni ekhuthaza nje loo mazwi?

¹⁸ ‘Unenyaniso eninzi.’ Ukunganyaniseki kuyinto yemihla ngemihla ehlabathini namhlanje. Kodwa iBhayibhile isikhumbuza isithi: “UThixo akamntu ukuba athethe ubuxoki.” (Numeri 23:19) Kangangokuba, uTito 1:2 uthi ‘uThixo akanakuxoka.’ Ulunge kakhulu ukuba angenza oko. Ngoko, izithembiso zikaYehova zithembeke ngokupheleleyo; amazwi akhe asoloko ezaliseka ngokuqinisekileyo. UYehova ude abizwe ngokuba ‘nguThixo wenyaniso.’ (INdumiso 31:5) Akaneli nje ngokukuphepha ukuthetha ubuxoki kodwa usasaza inyaniso eninzi. Akagogotyanga nto, yaye akangomntu weemfihlo; kunoko, uyabakhanyisela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ngobulumko bakhe  obuninzi. b Ude abafundise indlela yokuphila ngokuvisisana nenyaniso ayisasazayo ukuze ‘baqhubeke behamba enyanisweni.’ (3 Yohane 3) Ngokuqhelekileyo, ukulunga kukaYehova kufanele kumchaphazele njani ngamnye wethu?

19, 20. (a) Wazama njani uSathana ukuphelisa intembelo kaEva ekulungeni kukaYehova, yaye waba yintoni umphumo? (b) Ukulunga kukaYehova kufanele ngokufanelekileyo kube nawuphi umphumo kuthi, yaye ngoba?

¹⁹ Xa uSathana wahenda uEva emyezweni wase-Eden, waqala ngokuyiphelisa ngokuchuliweyo intembelo yakhe ekulungeni kukaYehova. UYehova wayethe kuAdam: “Kuyo yonke imithi yomyezo ungadla wanele.” Kumawakawaka emithi eyayizalise loo myezo, mnye kuphela uYehova awabalela ukuba badle kuwo. Kodwa, phawula indlela uSathana awawubhekisa ngayo umbuzo wakhe wokuqala kuEva: “Utshilo ngokwenene na uThixo ukuba nize ningadli kuyo yonke imithi yomyezo?” (Genesis 2:9, 16; 3:1) USathana wawagqwetha amazwi kaYehova ukuze enze uEva acinge ukuba uYehova wayebabandeza into elungileyo. Ngelishwa, elo qhinga lasebenza. UEva, njengamadoda namabhinqa amaninzi emva kwakhe, waqalisa ukukuthandabuza ukulunga kukaThixo, owayemnike yonke into awayenayo.

²⁰ Siyabazi ubunzulu bentlungu nosizi olwabangelwa ngaloo mathandabuzo. Ngoko masithobele amazwi kaYeremiya 31:12 athi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo baya . . . [kukhazimla] ngenxa yokulunga kukaYehova.” Ngokwenene ukulunga kukaYehova kufanele kusenze sikhazimle luvuyo. Akukho mfuneko yokuba sizithandabuze iintshukumisa zikaThixo wethu, ozele kukulunga. Sinokuba nentembelo epheleleyo kuye, kuba ubanqwenelela okuhle kuphela abo bamthandayo.

21, 22. (a) Ziziphi ezinye iindlela onokuthanda ukubonisa ngazo uxabiso ngokulunga kukaYehova? (b) Luluphi uphawu esiza kuxubusha ngalo kwisahluko esilandelayo, yaye lwahluka njani kolo lokulunga?

 ²¹ Ngokubhekele phaya, sivuya kakhulu xa sifumana ithuba lokuthetha nabanye ngokulunga kukaThixo. Ngokuphathelele abantu bakaYehova, INdumiso 145:7 ithi: “Baya kumpompoza ngokukhankanywa kobuninzi bokulunga kwakho.” Suku ngalunye lokuphila kwethu, siyangenelwa ngandlel’ ithile ekulungeni kukaYehova. Kutheni ke singakwenzi uqheliselo nje suku ngalunye ukumbulela uYehova ngokulunga kwakhe, sikukhankanye ngokungqalileyo oko simbulela ngako? Ukucinga ngolo phawu, umbulela ngalo uYehova imihla ngemihla, nokuxelela abanye ngalo kuya kusinceda ukuba nathi simxelise uThixo wethu olungileyo. Yaye njengoko sifuna iindlela zokwenza okulungileyo, njengoko uYehova esenza, siya kusondela ngakumbi kuye. Umpostile uYohane owalupheleyo wabhala wathi: “Ntanda, yiba ngoxelisa, kungekhona okubi, kodwa okulungileyo. Lowo wenza okulungileyo uphuma kuThixo.”—3 Yohane 11.

²² Ukulunga kukaYehova kukwanxulunyaniswa nezinye iimpawu. Ngokomzekelo, uThixo ‘unobubele bothando obuninzi,’ okanye uthando olunyanisekileyo. (Eksodus 34:6) Olu phawu uYehova akalubonakalisi kubantu ngokubanzi njengokulunga, kodwa ulubonakalisa ngokukhethekileyo kubakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kufunda indlela akwenza ngayo oko.