1, 2. Yayiyintoni injongo kaYehova ngokuphathelele usuku lwesixhenxe, yaye babekwa njani eluvavanyweni ubulumko bobuthixo ekuqaleni kolo suku?

 LONAKELE! Uluntu, isithsaba sozuko sosuku lwesithandathu lokudala, lwawohloka ngokukhawuleza ukusuka kwinqanaba eliphezulu ukusa kweyona meko iphantsi. UYehova wayevakalise ukuba “zonke izinto awayezenzile,” kuquka uluntu, “zilunge gqitha.” (Genesis 1:31) Kodwa ekuqaleni kosuku lwesixhenxe, uAdam noEva bakhetha ukulandela uSathana baza bavukela. Bawela esonweni, baqalisa ukungafezeki baza bafa.

² Kwakusenokubonakala ngathi injongo kaYehova ngokuphathelele usuku lwesixhenxe yayiguqulwe ngokupheleleyo. Olo suku, njengezintandathu ezazingaphambi kwalo, lwaluza kuba ngamawaka eminyaka ubude. UYehova waluvakalisa lungcwele, yaye ekugqibeleni lwaluza kuphumela ekubeni umhlaba uphela ube yiparadesi ezaliswe yintsapho yoluntu efezekileyo. (Genesis 1:28; 2:3) Kodwa emva kwentlekele eyabangelwa yimvukelo, kwakunokwenzeka njani oko? Wayeza kwenza ntoni uThixo? Oku kwakuza kububeka eluvavanyweni olukhulu ubulumko bukaYehova—mhlawumbi kolona vavanyo lukhulu.

3, 4. (a) Kutheni indlela uYehova asabela ngayo kwimvukelo yase-Eden ingumzekelo okhwankqisayo wobulumko bakhe? (b) Ukuthobeka kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sikhumbule yiphi inyaniso njengoko sihlolisisa ubulumko bukaYehova?

³ UYehova wasabela ngoko nangoko. Wabagweba abo bavukeli base-Eden, yaye kwangaxeshanye, wavakalisa into entle ngokumangalisayo: injongo yakhe yokulungisa ububi obabuqaliswe ngabo. (Genesis 3:15) Le njongo kaYehova eyavakaliswa e-Eden yayiza kuqhubeka izaliseka ebudeni bawo onke amawaka eminyaka embali yabantu, ukusa kwixesha elikude elizayo. Ilula kakhulu kodwa inzulu kangangokuba umfundi  weBhayibhile usenokuchitha ubomi bakhe bonke efundisisa yaye ecamngca ngayo. Ngaphezu koko, le njongo kaYehova iza kuphumelela ngokuqinisekileyo. Iza kuphelisa bonke ubungendawo, isono nokufa. Iza kuzisa uluntu oluthembekileyo emfezekweni. Konke oku kuza kwenzeka ngaphambi kokuphela kosuku lwesixhenxe, ukuze, phezu kwawo nje wonke umonakalo owenzekileyo, uYehova abe uyiphumezile injongo yakhe ngomhlaba nangoluntu ngexesha elifanelekileyo!

⁴ Ubulumko obunjalo buyakhwankqisa, akunjalo? Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: ‘Hayi ubunzulu bobulumko bukaThixo!’ (Roma 11:33) Njengoko sihlolisisa iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zolu phawu lobuthixo, ukuthobeka kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sikhumbule inyaniso ebalulekileyo—yokuba, sinokufikelela inxalenye nje encinane yobulumko obukhulu bukaYehova. (Yobhi 26:14) Okokuqala, makhe siluchaze olu phawu lukhwankqisayo.

5, 6. Luhlobene njani ulwazi nobulumko, yaye lukhulu kangakanani ulwazi lukaYehova?

⁵ Ubulumko abufani nolwazi. Iikhompyutha zinokugcina ulwazi oluninzi, kodwa asinakuthi abo matshini balumkile. Noko ke, ulwazi nobulumko zihlobene. (IMizekeliso 10:14) Ngokomzekelo, ukuba ubufuna icebiso lobulumko ngendlela yokunyanga ingxaki enzulu yempilo, ngaba ubuya kuya kumntu onolwazi oluncinane okanye ongenalwazi kwaphela ngonyango? Akunjalo! Ngoko ulwazi oluchanileyo lubalulekile ukuze ube nobulumko bokwenene.

⁶ UYehova unolwazi oluninzi ngokugqithiseleyo. ‘NjengoKumkani kanaphakade,’ nguye kuphela obephila ngonaphakade. (ISityhilelo 15:3) Yaye ebudeni bayo yonke loo minyaka ingaziwayo, ebesazi yonke into. IBhayibhile ithi: “Akukho sidalwa singabonakaliyo emehlweni akhe, kodwa zonke izinto zize yaye zibhencekile emehlweni alowo simele siphendule kuye.” (Hebhere 4:13; IMizekeliso 15:3) NjengoMdali, uYehova ukuqonda ngokupheleleyo oko akwenzileyo, yaye uye waziphawula zonke  izenzo zabantu ukususela ekuqaleni. Ugocagoca intliziyo yomntu ngamnye, engashiyi nto. (1 Kronike 28:9) Ekubeni esidale sanenkululeko yokuzikhethela, kuyamkholisa ukusibona sisenza ukhetho lobulumko ebomini. ‘NjengoMphulaphuli wemithandazo,’ uyiphulaphula yonke imithandazo yethu ngaxeshanye! (INdumiso 65:2) Kambe ke, uYehova unenkumbulo egqibeleleyo.

7, 8. UYehova ukubonisa njani ukuqonda nobulumko?

⁷ UYehova akaphelelanga nje ngokuba nolwazi. Uyakwazi ukuhlobanisa izibakala aze abe nembono epheleleyo ngeenkalo ezininzi. Uyayihlolisisa imeko, ahlukanise phakathi kokulungileyo nokubi, naphakathi kokubalulekileyo nokungabalulekanga. Ngaphezu koko, akajongi nje oko kubonakalayo kodwa uhlolisisa intliziyo. (1 Samuweli 16:7) Ngoko, uYehova unokuqonda, phawu olo olusisiseko solwazi. Kodwa bona ubulumko bubalasele ngakumbi kunoko.

⁸ Ubulumko buhlanganisa ulwazi nokuqonda buze bukusebenzise. Eneneni, amanye amagama antlandlolo asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubulumko” ngokoqobo athetha “ukusebenza ngokuphumelelayo” okanye “ubulumko obusebenzisekayo.” Ngoko ubulumko bukaYehova abuyongcamango nje kuphela. Buyasebenziseka, yaye busebenza ngokuphumelelayo. Ngenxa yobuninzi bolwazi lwakhe nobunzulu bokuqonda kwakhe, uYehova usoloko esenza ezona zigqibo zichanileyo, aze aziphumeze ngeyona ndlela ibalaseleyo. Bubulumko bokwenyaniso obo! UYehova ubonakalisa ubunyaniso bamazwi kaYesu athi: “Ubulumko bungqineka bububulungisa ngemisebenzi yabo.” (Mateyu 11:19) Imisebenzi kaYehova kwindalo iphela inikela ubungqina obunamandla bobulumko bakhe.

9, 10. (a) UYehova ubonisa uhlobo olunjani lobulumko, yaye uye wabubonisa njani? (b) Iseli ibunikela njani ubungqina bobulumko bukaYehova?

⁹ Ngaba wakha wamangaliswa bubulumko begcisa elenza izinto ezintle ezisebenza kakuhle? Olo luhlobo oluhlab’  umxhelo lobulumko. (Eksodus 31:1-3) UYehova ungumthombo nomnini wobulumko obunjalo. UKumkani uDavide wathi ngoYehova: “Ndiya kukubonga ngenxa yokuba ngendlela eyoyikekayo ndenziwe ngokumangalisayo. Imisebenzi yakho iyamangalisa, njengoko umphefumlo wam uqonda kakuhle.” (INdumiso 139:14) Eneneni, okukhona sifunda ngomzimba womntu, kokukhona sikhwankqiswa bubulumko bukaYehova.

¹⁰ Singakuzekelisa ngolu hlobo oku: Ubomi bakho buqale ngokuba yiseli nje enye—iseli yeqanda elikumama wakho, eye yakhuliswa lidlozi eliphuma kuyihlo. Kungekudala, loo seli yaqalisa ukwahlukana. Wena, njengokuba sowukhule wangaka, ubunjwa ziiseli ezimalunga ne-100 lamawaka ezigidi. Zincinane kakhulu. Iiseli ezili-10 000 zingalingana nentloko kanotaka. Ukanti, nganye yazo intsonkothe ngendlela engathethekiyo. Iseli inobugoci-goci obuninzi ngakumbi kunawo nawuphi na umatshini okanye umzi-mveliso owenziwe ngumntu. Izazinzulu zithi iseli ifana nesixeko esibiyelweyo—esinamasango anabalindi, inkqubo yezothutho, ubuxhakaxhaka bezonxibelelwano, amaziko ombane, imizi-mveliso, inkqubo yogutyulo neyohlaziyo, amaziko okhuselo, kwanenkqubo yaseburhulumenteni. Ngaphezu koko, iseli iyakwazi ukuziphindaphinda yenze enye efana nayo ngeeyure nje ezimbalwa!

11, 12. (a) Yintoni ebangela ukuba iiseli zahlukahlukane kwimveku ekhulayo, yaye oku kuvisisana njani neNdumiso 139:16? (b) Ubuchopho bomntu bubonisa ngaziphi iindlela ukuba ‘senziwe ngokumangalisayo’?

¹¹ Noko ke, iiseli azifani zonke. Njengoko iiseli zemveku engekazalwa ziqhubeka zihlukana, zenza imisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo. Ezinye ziba ziiseli zemithambo-luvo; ezinye iba ziiseli zamathambo, ezezihlunu, ezegazi okanye ezamehlo. Bonke obo bugoci-goci bucwangciswa “kwithala” lemfuza leeseli elibizwa ngokuba yiDNA. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, uDavide waphefumlelwa ukuba athi kuYehova: “Amehlo akho andibona ndiseyimbumba, yaye zonke iinxalenye zam zazibhalwe phantsi encwadini yakho.”—INdumiso 139:16.

¹² Amanye amalungu omzimba antsonkothe kanobom. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngobuchopho bomntu. Abanye  bathi buyeyona nto intsonkothileyo yakha yafunyanwa kwindalo iphela. Buneeseli zemithambo-luvo ezimalunga ne-100 lamawaka ezigidi—nani elo elilingana neleenkwenkwezi ezikumnyele wethu. Nganye yezo seli inxibelelana namawakawaka ezinye iiseli. Izazinzulu zithi ubuchopho bomntu bunokugcina yonke inkcazelo ekuwo onke amathala eencwadi ehlabathi yaye umlinganiselo wenkcazelo obunokuyigcina awunakulinganiswa. Phezu kwako nje ukuchitha kwazo amashumi eminyaka zifunda ngeli lungu ‘limangalisayo,’ izazinzulu ziyavuma ukuba azinathemba lokuba ziya kuze ziyiqonde ngokupheleleyo indlela elisebenza ngayo.

13, 14. (a) Iimbovane nezinye izidalwa zibonisa njani ukuba ‘zilumkile ngethuku lemvelo,’ yaye oko kusifundisa ntoni ngoMdali wazo? (b) Kutheni sinokuthi indalo enjengendlu yesigcawu yenziwe “ngobulumko”?

¹³ Noko ke, abantu bangumzekelo nje omnye wobulumko bukaYehova bokudala. INdumiso 104:24 ithi: “Hayi indlela emininzi ngayo imisebenzi yakho, Yehova! Yonke uyenze ngobulumko. Uzele umhlaba yimveliso yakho.” Ubulumko bukaYehova buyabonakala kuyo yonke indalo esijikelezileyo. Ngokomzekelo, imbovane ‘ilumkile ngethuku lemvelo.’ (IMizekeliso 30:24) Eneneni, iimbovane zilungelelene ngendlela ebalaseleyo. Kubakho iqela elingabalindi, elinye lakhe indawo yokuhlala, lize elinye lilungiselele ukudla okuvela kwizinambuzane. Ezinye iimbovane ziba ngabalimi, zikhulise “isivuno” somngundo. Kukho nezinye izidalwa ezininzi eziqhutywa lithuku ukuba zenze izinto ezimangalisayo. Impukane inobuchule bokwenza uqulukubhode xa ibhabha ngendlela engenakulinganiswa nazezona nqwelo-moya zikumgangatho ophezulu ezenziwe ngabantu. Iintaka ezifudukayo ziyibona indlela ngokuncedwa ziinkwenkwezi nayimagneti ethile yomhlaba, okanye imaphu yazo yemvelo. Izazi ngendalo zichitha iminyaka zihlolisisa iindlela ezintsonkothileyo zokusebenza kwethuku lezi zidalwa. Ngoko, hayi indlela amele ukuba unobulumko ngayo uThixo onguMyili welo thuku!

¹⁴ Izazinzulu zifunde lukhulu kubulumko bukaYehova bokudala. Kangangokuba kukho icandelo lobugcisa elibizwa  ngokuba yibiomimetics eliphanda ngeendlela zokulinganisa indalo. Ngokomzekelo, usenokuba wakha wamangaliswa bubuhle bendlu yesigcawu. Kodwa lona igcisa limangaliswa yindlela eyilwe ngayo. Imisonto yayo ebonakala ibuthathaka yomelele kunentsimbi, yaye yomelele kunemicu yokwenza ivesti yokuthintela iimbumbulu zingangeni emzimbeni. Kodwa yomelele kangakanani le misonto? Khawuyithelekelele indlu yesigcawu ikhuliswa ide ilingane nomnatha wokuloba. Loo ndlu yesigcawu ibingakwazi ukubambisa inqwelo-moya ebhabhayo ekhwelise abantu! Ewe, uYehova uzenze zonke ezo zinto “ngobulumko.”

15, 16. (a) Iinkwenkwezi zinikela buphi ubungqina bobulumko bukaYehova? (b) Isigxina sikaYehova njengoMphathi-mkhosi Ophakamileyo weengelosi ezininzi sibunikela njani ubungqina bokuba unguMlawuli onobulumko?

¹⁵ Ubulumko bukaYehova bubonakala kwindalo yakhe iphela. Iinkwenkwezi, esixubushe kakhulu ngazo kwiSahluko 5, azithanga saa ngokungalungelelananga esibhakabhakeni. Ngenxa “yemithetho yesibhakabhaka” ebubulumko bukaYehova, isibhakabhaka sahlukaniswe kakuhle saba yiminyele ngeminyele. (Yobhi 38:33, The New Jerusalem Bible) Yiyo loo nto uYehova ebhekisela ezinkwenkwezini ‘njengomkhosi’! (Isaya 40:26) Noko ke, kukho omnye umkhosi obubonisa ngokucace ngakumbi ubulumko bukaYehova.

¹⁶ Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 4, uThixo ubizwa ngokuba ‘nguYehova wemikhosi’ ngenxa yesigxina sakhe njengoMphathi-mkhosi Ophakamileyo womkhosi omkhulu wamakhulu ezigidi ezidalwa zomoya. Oku kububungqina bamandla kaYehova. Kodwa ke, bubandakanyeke njani ubulumko bakhe? Khawucinge nje ngoku: UYehova noYesu abaze bayeke ukusebenza. (Yohane 5:17) Ngoko, kusengqiqweni ukucinga ukuba  abalungiseleli bOsenyangweni abaziingelosi nabo basoloko bexakekile. Yaye khumbula ukuba, baphakamile kunabantu, bakrelekrele yaye banamandla ngokugqithiseleyo. (Hebhere 1:7; 2:7) Ukanti, uYehova uye wazigcina zixakekile zonke ezi ngelosi, zisenza umsebenzi ovuyisayo—‘zisenza ilizwi lakhe’ yaye ‘zisenza ukuthanda kwakhe’—kangangamawaka ezigidi zeminyaka. (INdumiso 103:20, 21) Hayi indlela obumele ukuba bukhwankqisa ngayo ubulumko balo Mlawuli!

17, 18. Kutheni iBhayibhile isithi uYehova ‘nguye yedwa osisilumko,’ yaye kutheni sifanele sikhwankqiswe bubulumko bakhe?

¹⁷ Ngenxa yobu bungqina, ngaba iyamangalisa into yokuba iBhayibhile ibubalaselise kakhulu ubulumko bukaYehova? Ngokomzekelo, ithi uYehova ‘nguye yedwa osisilumko.’ (Roma 16:27) NguYehova kuphela onobulumko ngengqiqo epheleleyo. Ungumthombo wabo bonke ubulumko bokwenene. (IMizekeliso 2:6) Kungenxa yoko le nto uYesu, nangona esesona sidalwa silumkileyo sikaYehova, engazange akholose ngobulumko bakhe kodwa wathetha njengoko wayeyalelwe nguYise.—Yohane 12:48-50.

¹⁸ Phawula indlela umpostile uPawulos akugxininisa ngayo ukubalasela kobulumko bukaYehova: “Hayi ubunzulu bobutyebi nobobulumko nobolwazi lukaThixo! Hayi indlela engaphengululeki ngayo imigwebo yakhe nendlela ezingalandeki ngayo iindlela zakhe!” (Roma 11:33) Ngokuqalisa kwakhe le ndinyana ngokuthi “Hayi indlela,” uPawulos wayebonisa indlela awayechukumiseke ngayo—ekhwankqiswe ngokwenene. Igama lesiGrike alisebenzisileyo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubunzulu” lihlobene kakhulu negama eliguqulelwa ngokuthi “inzonzobila.” Ngoko, la mazwi akhe asinika umfanekiso-ngqondweni ocacileyo. Xa sicingisisa ngobulumko bukaYehova, kufana nokondela inzonzobila enzulu nenkulu ngokungenasiphelo kangangokuba asikwazi nokubuthelekelela ubukhulu bayo, singasathethi ke ngokuzama ukwenza imaphu eneenkcukacha zayo. (INdumiso 92:5) Ngaba oko akusenzi sizive sithobekile?

19, 20. (a) Kutheni ukhozi lungumfuziselo ofanelekileyo wobulumko bobuthixo? (b) UYehova ukubonise njani ukukwazi kwakhe ukubona ikamva?

 ¹⁹ UYehova ‘nguye kuphela osisilumko’ nangenye ingqiqo: Nguye kuphela okwaziyo ukubona ikamva. Khumbula ukuba, uYehova usebenzisa ukhozi olubona kude ukufuzisela ubulumko bakhe bobuthixo. Ukhozi olukhulu lunokuba nobunzima beekhilogram ezintlanu kuphela, kodwa amehlo alo makhulu kunawomntu oliqina. Amehlo okhozi abukhali ngendlela emangalisayo, eyenza le ntaka ikwazi ukubona ixhoba elincinane nokuba seyibhabha kumgama wamakhulukhulu eemitha, kwanoweekhilomitha eziliqela! UYehova wakha wathi ngokhozi: “Amehlo alo aqhubeke ekhangela mgama.” (Yobhi 39:29) Ngengqiqo efanayo, uYehova unokukhangela “mgama” kwixesha elizayo—kwikamva!

²⁰ IBhayibhile izaliswe bubungqina bokuba oku kuyinyaniso. Inamakhulukhulu eziprofeto, okanye imbali ebhalwe kwangaphambili. Imiphumo yeemfazwe, ukuvela nokuwa kwamagunya ehlabathi, kwaneenkcukacha ezingqalileyo zokulwa kwabaphathi-mkhosi, konke oku kwaxelwa kwangaphambili eBhayibhileni—maxa wambi, kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili.—Isaya 44:25–45:4; Daniyeli 8:2-8, 20-22.

21, 22. (a) Kutheni kungekho sizathu sakugqiba ekuthini uYehova ulubone kwangaphambili lonke ukhetho oza kulwenza ebomini? Zekelisa. (b) Sazi njani ukuba ubulumko bukaYehova abububo obungqwabalala okanye obungenaluvelwano?

 ²¹ Noko ke, ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba uThixo sele elubone kwangaphambili ukhetho oza kulwenza ebomini? Abo bakholelwa ekumiselweni kwekamva kwangaphambili baphendula ngokuthi ewe. Kodwa, imbono elolo hlobo ibusingela phantsi ubulumko bukaYehova, kuba ibonisa ukuba akakwazi kuwalawula amandla akhe okubona ikamva. Singakuzekelisa ngolu hlobo oku: Ukuba ubungumlonji osemagqabini, ngaba ubuya kusoloko ucula ngalo lonke ixesha? Akukho ngqiqweni ukucinga ngolo hlobo! Ngokukwanjalo, uYehova unamandla okulazi kwangaphambili ikamva, kodwa akawasebenzisi ngalo lonke ixesha. Ukwenjenjalo bekuya kuphazamisana nenkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela, isipho esixabisekileyo uYehova angasayi kuze asithabathe.—Duteronomi 30:19, 20.

²² Okona kubi nakakhulu kukuba, imbono yokuba ikamva limiselwe kangaphambili idlulisela ingcamango yokuba ubulumko bukaYehova bungqwabalala, abunaluthando, naluvelwano, okanye imfesane. Kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo oku akuyonyaniso kwaphela! IBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba uYehova “ulumkile entliziyweni.” (Yobhi 9:4) Oku akuthethi kuthi unentliziyo yokoqobo, kodwa iBhayibhile idla ngokulisebenzisa elo gama ukubhekisela kwiimvakalelo ezinzulu, ezinjengothando. Ngoko ubulumko bukaYehova, njengezinye iimpawu zakhe, bulawulwa luthando.—1 Yohane 4:8.

23. Ukuphakama kobulumko bukaYehova kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba senze ntoni?

²³ Ngokwemvelo, ubulumko bukaYehova buthembeke ngokugqibeleleyo. Buphakame kakhulu kunobethu ubulumko kangangokuba iLizwi likaThixo lisibongoza ngothando lisithi: “Kholosa ngoYehova ngayo yonke intliziyo yakho, ungayami ngokwakho ukuqonda. Uze umgqale yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, kwaye uya kuwenza uthi tye umendo wakho.” (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Ngoku makhe sibuhlolisise ngokubhekele phaya ubulumko bukaYehova ukuze sisondele ngakumbi kuThixo wethu onobulumko bonke.