1, 2. (a) Ngokwemvelo unina usabela njani xa usana lwakhe lukhala? (b) Yiyiphi imvakalelo enamandla ngakumbi kunemfesane kanina?

 KUKHALA usana ezinzulwini zobusuku. Ngoko nangoko, unina uyavuka. Akasalali buthongo njengakuqala—ukususela oko usana lwakhe luzelwe. Uye wafunda ukwahlukanisa iindlela ezahlukeneyo olukhala ngazo usana lwakhe. Ngoko, ngokufuthi uyakwazi ukuqonda xa usana lwakhe lulambile, xa lufuna ukuphathwa, okanye lufuna ukutshintshwa. Kodwa singakhathaliseki isizathu sokukhala kosana, unina usoloko enikela ingqalelo. Uthando lwakhe alumvumeli ukuba azibethe ngoyaba iintswelo zomntwana wakhe.

² Imfesane unina anayo ngomntwana wakhe yenye yezona mvakalelo zothando zibalaseleyo ebantwini. Noko ke, kukho enye imvakalelo enamandla lee kunaleyo—imfesane yothando yoThixo wethu, uYehova. Ukuhlolisisa olu phawu luthandekayo kunokusinceda sisondele ngakumbi kuYehova. Ngoko makhe sihlolisise oko ikuko imfesane nendlela uThixo wethu ayibonakalisa ngayo.

 3. Iyintoni intsingiselo yesenzi sesiHebhere esiguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukubonisa inceba’ okanye ‘ukuba nosizi’?

³ IBhayibhile iyinxulumanisa imfesane kunye nenceba. Amagama aliqela esiHebhere nawesiGrike adlulisela ingcamango yemfesane yothando. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngesenzi sesiHebhere esithi ra·chamʹ, esidla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi ‘ukubonisa inceba’ okanye ‘ukuba nosizi.’ Enye incwadi ithi isenzi esithi ra·chamʹ “sidlulisela ingcamango yemfesane enzulu neyothando, njengaleyo siba nayo xa sibona ukuba buthathaka okanye ukubandezeleka kwabo sibathandayo okanye abafuna uncedo lwethu.” Eli gama lesiHebhere,  uYehova alisebenzisa ukubhekisela kuye uqobo, lihlobene negama elithetha “isibeleko” yaye linokuchazwa ngokuthi “imfesane kamama.” a—Eksodus 33:19; Yeremiya 33:26.

4, 5. IBhayibhile izisebenzisa njani iimvakalelo umama anazo ngosana lwakhe ukusifundisa ngemfesane kaYehova?

⁴ IBhayibhile isebenzisa iimvakalelo unina anazo ngosana lwakhe ukusifundisa ngentsingiselo yemfesane kaYehova. KuIsaya 49:15, sifunda oku: “Umfazi angalulibala yini na usana lwakhe, ukuba angabi namfesane [ra·chamʹ] kunyana wesizalo sakhe? Nokuba oonina abo bathe balibala, andiyi kukulibala mna.” (IBhayibhile yesiXhosa) Loo nkcazelo ichukumisayo igxininisa ubunzulu bemfesane kaYehova ngabantu bakhe. Njani?

⁵ Kunzima ukucinga ukuba umama angalibala ukondla nokunyamekela usana lwakhe. Ngapha koko, usana alunakuzenzela nto; ubusuku nemini lufuna ingqalelo nothando lukanina. Noko ke, okubuhlungu kukuba akuyonto inqabileyo ukuva ngokutyeshela koomama iintsana zabo, ingakumbi kule “mihla yokugqibela” ephawuleka ngokungabikho ‘komsa wemvelo.’ (2 Timoti 3:1, 3) Ukanti, uYehova uthi, “Andiyi kukulibala mna.” Imfesane yothando uYehova anayo ngabakhonzi bakhe ayinakuze iphele. Inkulu lee nakuneyona mvakalelo inzulu yothando lwemvelo esinokuyithelekelela—imfesane umama aba nayo ngokwemvelo ngosana lwakhe. Ngoko ke ayimangalisi into yokuba omnye umhlalutyi wathi ngoIsaya 49:15: “Le yenye yezona nkcazelo zinamandla, ukuba asiyiyo eyona nkcazelo inamandla yothando lukaThixo kwiTestamente Endala.”

 6. Abantu abaninzi abangafezekanga baye bayigqala ngayiphi indlela imfesane yothando, kodwa yintoni asiqinisekisa ngayo uYehova?

⁶ Ngaba imfesane yothando iluphawu lobuthathaka? Abantu abaninzi abangafezekanga bacinga njalo. Ngokomzekelo,  isithandi sobulumko esingumRoma uSeneca, owayephila ngexesha likaYesu nowayesisilumko esiphambili saseRoma, wafundisa ukuba “usizi lububuthathaka bengqondo.” USeneca wayebalaselisa ubuStoyike, obuyintanda-bulumko egxininisa ukungabi nazimvakalelo. Umntu osisilumko usenokubanceda abo babandezelekileyo, watsho njalo uSeneca, kodwa akamele azivumele ukuba abe nosizi, kuba imvakalelo elolo hlobo yayiya kumenza aphulukane nokuzola. Loo mbono yokuzingca yayimenza ubani angabi namfesane. Kodwa yena uYehova akanjalo konke konke! ELizwini lakhe, uYehova usiqinisekisa ukuba “unomsa omkhulu nemfesane.” (Yakobi 5:11, umbhalo osemazantsi we-NW eneembekiselo) Njengoko siza kubona, imfesane asibobuthathaka kodwa luphawu olunamandla nolubalulekileyo. Makhe sihlolisise indlela uYehova, njengomzali onothando, ayibonakalisa ngayo.

7, 8. AmaSirayeli abandezeleka ngayiphi indlela kwiYiputa yamandulo, yaye wasabela njani uYehova ekubandezelekeni kwawo?

⁷ Imfesane kaYehova ibonakala ngokucacileyo kwindlela awasebenzisana ngayo nohlanga lukaSirayeli. Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-16 B.C.E., izigidi zamaSirayeli zazingamakhoboka eYiputa, apho zazicinezeleka khona ngokuqatha. AmaYiputa “abenza bakrakra ubomi babo ngokubatsalisa nzima ebukhobokeni, besenza udaka lodongwe nezitena.” (Eksodus 1:11, 14) Ebandezelekile, amaSirayeli ambongoza uYehova ukuba awancede. Wasabela njani uThixo wemfesane yothando?

⁸ Intliziyo kaYehova yachukumiseka. Wathi: “Ngokungathandabuzekiyo ndiyibonile inkxwaleko yabantu bam abaseYiputa, yaye ndisivile isikhalo sabo ngenxa yabo babaqweqwedisayo emsebenzini; kuba ndiyazi kakuhle intlungu yabo.” (Eksodus 3:7) UYehova wayengenakukubona ukubandezeleka  kwabantu bakhe okanye akuve ukukhala kwabo aze angavakalelwa. Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 24 sale ncwadi, uYehova unguThixo onovelwano. Yaye uvelwano—olubangelwa kukuyiqonda intlungu yabanye—luhlobene nemfesane. Kodwa uYehova akazange nje aphelele ngokuba novelwano ngabantu bakhe; kodwa washukunyiselwa ekubeni enze okuthile. UIsaya 63:9 uthi: “Ngothando lwakhe nangemfesane yakhe wabahlawulela.” “Ngesandla esomeleleyo,” uYehova wawahlangula amaSirayeli eYiputa. (Duteronomi 4:34) Emva koko wawanika ukutya ngokungummangaliso waza wawasa kwilizwe lawo elichumileyo.

9, 10. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awahlangule ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli emva kokuba ezinzile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? (b) Ngemihla kaYifeta, uYehova wawahlangula kwiyiphi ingcinezelo amaSirayeli, yaye yintoni eyamshukumisela ukuba enjenjalo?

⁹ Imfesane kaYehova ayizange iphelele apho. Akuba ezinzile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uSirayeli wawela ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwihambo yokungathembeki waza ngenxa yoko wabandezeleka. Noko ke, aba bantu babebuyela ezingqondweni baze bacele uncedo kuYehova. Wabahlangula ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Ngoba? “Ngenxa yokuba waba nemfesane ngabantu bakhe.”—2 Kronike 36:15; ABagwebi 2:11-16.

¹⁰ Khawucinge nje ngoko kwenzekayo ngemihla kaYifeta. Ekubeni amaSirayeli aphethukela ekukhonzeni oothixo bobuxoki, uYehova wawayekela ukuba aphathwe gadalala ngama-Amoni kangangeminyaka eli-18. Ekugqibeleni, amaSirayeli aguquka. IBhayibhile isixelela oku: “Babashenxisa oothixo basemzini phakathi kwabo baza bakhonza uYehova, kangangokuba umphefumlo wakhe awuzange ukwazi ukunyamezela ngenxa yenkathazo kaSirayeli.” b (ABagwebi 10:6-16)  Bakuba abantu bakhe bebonise inguquko yokwenene, uYehova akazange akunyamezele ukubabona bebandezeleka. Ngoko uThixo onemfesane yothando wanika uYifeta amandla okuwahlangula amaSirayeli ezandleni zeentshaba zawo.—ABagwebi 11:30-33.

11. Kwindlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo namaSirayeli, yintoni esiyifundayo ngemfesane?

¹¹ Indlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo nohlanga lukaSirayeli isifundisa ntoni ngemfesane yothando? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, siyabona ukuba imfesane yothando uYehova anayo ayibangelwa luvelwano nje kuphela ngenxa yokubona iinkxwaleko zabantu. Khumbula umzekelo kamama oqhutywa yimfesane ukuba enze okuthile xa usana lwakhe lulila. Ngokufanayo, uYehova akakubethi ngoyaba ukukhala kwabantu bakhe. Imfesane yakhe yothando imenza ukuba abahlangule ekubandezelekeni kwabo. Ukongezelela koko, indlela uYehova awasebenzisana ngayo namaSirayeli isifundisa ukuba imfesane ayibubo kwaphela ubuthathaka, kuba olu phawu lothando lwamshukumisela ukuba athabathe inyathelo elinamandla nelingqongqo ukuze ahlangule abantu bakhe. Kodwa ngaba uYehova ubonisa imfesane kuphela kubakhonzi bakhe njengeqela?

12. UMthetho wakubonisa njani ukuba nemfesane kukaYehova kumntu ngamnye?

¹² UMthetho uThixo awawunika uhlanga lukaSirayeli wabonisa ukuba nemfesane kwakhe kumntu ngamnye. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngokuxhalabela kwakhe abo bahlwempuzekileyo. UYehova wayesazi ukuba kwakunokuvela iimeko ezingalindelekanga ezazinokumshiya umSirayeli ehlwempuzekile. Babemele baphathwe njani abo bahlwempuzekileyo? UYehova wawayalela ngokungqongqo amaSirayeli esithi: “Uze ungayenzi lukhuni intliziyo yakho okanye ube ligqolo ngakumzalwana wakho ohlwempuzekileyo.  Ufanele umnike, yaye ingavimbi intliziyo yakho ekumnikeni kwakho, ngokuba ngenxa yoko wokusikelela uYehova uThixo wakho kuko konke okwenzayo.” (Duteronomi 15:7, 10) Ngokubhekele phaya uYehova wayalela ukuba amaSirayeli angavuni ekupheleni kwentsimi yawo okanye abhikice. Ngabahlelelekileyo ababefanele babhikice. (Levitikus 23:22; Rute 2:2-7) Xa uhlanga lwaluwuthobela lo mmiselo wokunyamekela abo bahlwempuzekileyo phakathi kwabo, kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba amaSirayeli asweleyo angqibe efuna ukutya. Ngaba oko kwakungabonisi imfesane kaYehova yothando?

13, 14. (a) Amazwi kaDavide asiqinisekisa njani ukuba uYehova unenkxalabo enzulu ngaye ngamnye wethu? (b) Sinokuzekeliswa njani isibakala sokuba uYehova usondele kwabo “baphuke intliziyo” okanye “bamoya utyumkileyo”?

¹³ Nanamhlanje, uThixo wethu onothando unenkxalabo enzulu ngaye ngamnye wethu. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba ukuqonda kakuhle nakuphi na ukubandezeleka kwethu. Umdumisi uDavide wabhala wathi: “Amehlo kaYehova akumalungisa, neendlebe zakhe zibhekiswe ekukhaleleni kwawo uncedo. UYehova usondele kwabo baphuke intliziyo; yaye abo bamoya utyumkileyo uyabasindisa.” (INdumiso 34:15, 18) Ngokuphathelele abo bachazwa ngala mazwi, omnye umhlalutyi weBhayibhile wathi: “Ngabo basentlungwini naselusizini, oko kukuthi, abaziva bephantsi ngenxa yesono nabavakalelwa kukuba abanto yanto.” Abo banjalo basenokuvakalelwa kukuba uYehova ukude kubo yaye ababalulekanga ukuba angade azikhathaze ngabo. Kodwa akunjalo. Amazwi kaDavide ayasiqinisekisa ukuba uYehova akabatyesheli abo “bavakalelwa kukuba abanto yanto.” UThixo wethu onemfesane uyazi ukuba ngamaxesha anjalo, simfuna ngakumbi kunangaphambili, yaye usondele kuthi.

¹⁴ Khawucinge nje ngala mava alandelayo. Umama othile waseUnited States wabalekisela unyana wakhe oneminyaka emibini ubudala esibhedlele ngenxa yokuba wayephethwe sisifo esibangela ukhohlokhohlo olubi. Emva kokuyixilonga le  nkwenkwana, ugqirha wachazela unina ukuba kwakuza kufuneka bayilalise apho esibhedlele. Walala phi lo mama ngobo busuku? Wayehleli esitulweni apho esibhedlele, ecaleni kwebhedi yonyana wakhe! Inkwenkwana yakhe yayigula, ngoko wayefuna ukuba secaleni kwayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinokulindela okungakumbi kunoko kuBawo wethu wasezulwini onothando! Ngapha koko, senziwe ngokomfanekiso wakhe. (Genesis 1:26) Amazwi achukumisayo akwiNdumiso 34:18 asixelela ukuba xa ‘saphuke intliziyo’ okanye ‘sinomoya otyumkileyo,’ uYehova, njengomzali onothando, “usondele”—ubonisa imfesane yaye ukulungele ukusinceda.

15. UYehova usinceda njani umntu ngamnye?

¹⁵ Noko ke, uYehova usinceda njani umntu ngamnye? Akasoloko emsusa unobangela wokubandezeleka kwethu. Kodwa uYehova wenze amalungiselelo amaninzi okunceda abo badanduluka kuye becela uncedo. ILizwi lakhe iBhayibhile linamacebiso aluncedo. Ebandleni, uYehova ulungiselele abaveleli abafanelekileyo bokomoya, abazabalazela ukubonisa imfesane njengaye ekuncedeni abo banqula kunye nabo. (Yakobi 5:14, 15) ‘NjengoMphulaphuli wemithandazo,’ ubanika “umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo.” (INdumiso 65:2; Luka 11:13) Loo moya unokusinika “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo” ukuze sikwazi ukunyamezela de uBukumkani bukaThixo bushenxise zonke iingcinezelo. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngaba asiwavuyeli na onke la malungiselelo? Masingalibali ukuba abonisa imfesane yothando kaYehova.

16. Nguwuphi owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wemfesane kaYehova, yaye oko kumchaphazela njani ngamnye wethu?

¹⁶ Kambe ke, owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wemfesane kaYehova kukunikela kwakhe ngaLowo ungoyena usenyongweni kuye ukuba abe yintlawulelo yethu. Elo lidini lothando uYehova awasenzela lona, yaye lasivulela indlela yosindiso. Khumbula ukuba, elo lungiselelo lentlawulelo lenzelwe thina ngokobuqu. Wayehlab’ emhloleni, uZekariya, uyise kaYohane uMbhaptizi, ngokuthi eli lungiselelo lalibonisa ‘imfesane yothando kaThixo wethu.’—Luka 1:78.

17-19. (a) IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba imfesane kaYehova inesiphelo? (b) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba imfesane kaYehova ngabantu bakhe ifikelele esiphelweni?

¹⁷ Ngaba sifanele sigqibe kwelokuba imfesane yothando kaYehova ayinaso isiphelo? Akunjalo, kuba iBhayibhile ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYehova akayibonisi imfesane kwabo bazigatyayo iindlela zakhe zobulungisa. (Hebhere 10:28) Ukuze ubone isizathu sokuba enjenjalo, khumbula umzekelo wohlanga lukaSirayeli.

¹⁸ Nangona uYehova wawahlangula ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli kwiintshaba zawo, ekugqibeleni imfesane yakhe yafikelela esiphelweni. Aba bantu banenkani babeqhelisela unqulo-zithixo, bada bazisa izithixo zabo ezilizothe kanye etempileni kaYehova! (Hezekile 5:11; 8:17, 18) Ngokubhekele phaya, sixelelwa oku: “Baqhubeka bebagculela abathunywa bakaThixo oyinyaniso bewadelela amazwi akhe bebenza intlekisa abaprofeti bakhe, de wafika umsindo kaYehova nxamnye nabantu bakhe, kwada akwabakho kuphiliswa.” (2 Kronike 36:16) AmaSirayeli afikelela kwinqanaba apho kwakungasekho sizathu sifanelekileyo sokubonisa imfesane kuwo, yaye aphembelela ingqumbo kaYehova yobulungisa. Waba yintoni umphumo woko?

¹⁹ UYehova akazange akwazi ukuqhubeka ebonisa imfesane kubantu bakhe. Wavakalisa oku: “Andiyi kubonisa mfesane, ndingabi nalo naluphi na usizi, yaye andiyi kuba nanceba ngokokude ndingabonakalisi.” (Yeremiya 13:14) Ngaloo ndlela, iYerusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswa, yaye amaSirayeli athinjelwa eBhabhiloni. Hayi indlela ekulusizi ngayo xa abantu abanesono bevukela kangangokuba ide ifikelele esiphelweni imfesane kaThixo!—IZililo 2:21.

20, 21. (a) Yintoni eza kwenzeka xa imfesane kaThixo ifikelela esiphelweni ngomhla wethu? (b) Liliphi ilungiselelo likaYehova lemfesane ekuza kuxutyushwa ngalo kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²⁰ Kuthekani namhlanje? UYehova akatshintshanga. Ngenxa yemfesane, uye wathuma amaNgqina akhe ukuba ashumayele  ‘iindaba ezilungileyo’ kuwo wonke umhlaba. (Mateyu 24:14) Xa abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo bezamkela, uYehova uyabanceda ukuba basiqonde isigidimi soBukumkani. (IZenzo 16:14) Kodwa lo msebenzi awuzukuqhubeka usenziwa ngonaphakade. Bekungayi kuba kukubonisa imfesane ngoYehova ukuvumela eli hlabathi lingendawo, nalo lonke usizi nokubandezeleka okukulo, ukuba ziqhubeke ngokungapheliyo. Xa imfesane kaThixo ifikelele esiphelweni, uYehova uza kuyigweba le nkqubo yezinto. Nako oko, kuya kube kusisenzo semfesane—imfesane ‘ngegama lakhe elingcwele’ nangabakhonzi bakhe abazinikeleyo. (Hezekile 36:20-23) UYehova uza kubuphelisa ubungendawo aze azise ihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. Ngokuphathelele abangendawo, uYehova uthi: “Iliso lam aliyi kuba nosizi, ndingayi kubonisa nemfesane. Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuzisa entlokweni yabo ngokwendlela yabo.”—Hezekile 9:10.

²¹ De kube lelo xesha, uYehova ubonisa imfesane ebantwini, kuquka abo balindelwe yintshabalalo. Abantu abanesono abaguquka ngokunyanisekileyo banokungenelwa kwelinye lawona malungiselelo abalaseleyo kaYehova emfesane—ukuxolela. Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kuxubusha ngeminye yemizekelo emihle eseBhayibhileni ebonisa ukuxolela kukaYehova ngokupheleleyo.