Khawube nombono wenkampu yamajoni esencochoyini yeliwa, ezantsi kwayo kukho umhlaba owomileyo namatye aqhekekileyo. Amajoni amaFilisti agade apho, abona into ekude, ebangela umdla: Ezantsi, kumi amadoda amabini amaSirayeli ngaphaya kwengxondorha. La majoni, ayothuka yilento ayibonayo kodwa ayiwoyikisi. Kudala amaSirayeli acinezelwa ngamaFilisti, kangangokuba ayengakwazi nokulola amakhuba awo ngaphandle kokucela uncedo kwiintshaba zawo, ezingamaFilisti. Lonto, yenza ukuba amajoni amaSirayeli angabi nezixhobo ezaneleyo. Phofu, yayingamadoda amabini qha la. Nokuba yayingamadoda angamagorha axhobileyo, yintoni ababenokuyenza kuloo maFilisti? AmaFilisti awagezela lamadoda mabini, esithi: “Yizani apha, siza kunifundisa isifundo!”​—1 Samuel 13:19-23; 14:11, 12.

 Sasiza kubakhona sona isifundo kodwa hayi kula maSirayeli mabini kunoko ngamaFilisti ayezakudibana neembila zithutha. La madoda mabini amaSirayeli ayiwela ebaleka lo ngxondorha, aza aqalisa ukugwencela kwelo liwa. Kwakunzima nyhani ukunyuka kulo matye ahlabayo kodwa abazange baphelelwe ngamandla, baya ngqo kwinkampu yamaFilisti! (1 Samuweli 14:13) Njengoko babesondela, amaFilisti abona ukuba le ndoda yayikhokela yayixhobe ife amacala ibe nomphathi wezixhobo zayo wayelandela. Ngaba lomkhosi wamaFilisti wawuza kuhlaselwa ngala madoda mabini nje kuphela? Ngaba yayi phambene le ndoda yayi khokela?

 Hayi! yayi ngaphambani tu kodwa yayi nokholo nyhani. Le ndoda, yayinguYonatan ibe amaKristu anokufunda izinto ezibalulekileyo kwibali lakhe nanamhlanje. Nangona singekho semfazweni efana neyakhe kodwa sinokufunda izinto ezininzi kuYonatan. Lo mzekelo wakhe unokusinceda sibe nesibindi, sithembeke size singazicingeli, zinto ezo zinokusenza sibe nokholo.​—Isaya 2:4; Mateyu 26:51, 52.

 Ukuze siqonde ukuba kutheni uYonatan wahlasela iinkampu yamaFilisti, kufuneka sijonge indlela akhule ngayo. UYonatan wayeyinkulu kaSawule ukumkani wakwaSirayeli. Xa uSawule wayebekwa ukuba abe ngukumkani, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYonatan wayesele eneminyaka eyi-20 okanye ngaphezulu. Kubonakala ngathi uYonatan notata wakhe babengabahlobo ibe bexelelana izinto ezininzi. Ngalo maxesha uYonatan, wayengamazi utata wakhe njenge ndoda ende, entle, neligorha elinesibindi kuphela kodwa wayemazi nangezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo​—ukholo nokuthobeka. Wayesibona isizathu sokuba uYehova emenze ukumkani utata wakhe. Nomprofeti uSamuweli wathi akukho namnye unjengo Sawule phakathi kwabo bonke abantu!​—1 Samuweli 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24; 20:2

 Kumele ukuba uYonatan wayekuvuyela nyhani ukulwa neentshaba zikaYehova, ekhokelwa ngutata wakhe. Ezo mfazwe zazingafani neemfazwe ezikhoyo namhlanje. UYehova wakhetha isizwe sakwaSirayeli ukuba simmele ibe sasihlaselwa ziintlanga ezazikhonza oothixo bobuxoki. AmaFilisti awayelahlekisiwe zizithixo ezinje ngoDagon, ayezama ukubacinezela okanye ukubacima igama abo bantu babekhethwe nguYehova.

 Kumadoda afana noYonatan, ukulwa iimfazwe kwakuyindlela yokukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. UYehova wamsikelela uYonatan. Emva kokubekwa njengoKumkani, uSawule wakhetha uYonatan ukuba akhokele amajoni ayi-1,000 ukuze ahlasele umkhosi wamaFilisti eGebha. Umkhosi kaYonatan wawungena zixhobo zingako, kodwa ngoncedo lukaYehova waphumelela kulo mfazwe. Ngenxa yaloo nto amaFilisti aqokelelana enza umkhosi omkhulu. Amajoni amaninzi kaSawule ayesoyika. Amanye ade abaleka, azimela aza athatha icala lamaFilisti kodwa uYonatan zange oyike waba nesibindi.​—1 Samuweli 13:2-7; 14:21

 Njengoko sesibonile ekuqaleni, uYonatan waphuma phakathi kwamajoni akhe engabonwa, waza wahamba nomphathi zixhobo wakhe kuphela. Xa babesondela ngakwinkampu yamaFilisti eMikimashe, uYonatan wamxelela umphathi zixhobo wakhe ngecebo lakhe. Wathi kuye kwakuza kufuneka babonakale kakuhle phambi kwamajoni amaFilisti. Ukuba amaFilisti ayenokuthi mabenyuke beze kuwo, le nto yayiza kubonisa ukuba uYehova uza kubanceda abakhonzi bakhe. Umphathi zixhobo wayithanda lento, kuba wakhuthazwa ngamazwi kaYonatan athi: “Akukho nto inokuma endleleni kaYehova ukuba asindise ngabaninzi okanye ngabambalwa.” (1 Samuweli 14:6-10) Wayethetha ukuthini?

 UYonatan wayemazi kakuhle uThixo. Wayengathandabuzi into yokuba uYehova wabanceda abakhonzi bakhe xa babesilwa neentshaba zabo, nangona zazi ninzi kunabo. Ngamanye amaxesha wayeye asebenzise umntu omnye ukuze baphumelele. (ABagwebi 3:31; 4:1-23; 16:23-30) UYonatan wayesazi ukuba uncedo oluvela kuYehova, lwalungaxhomekekanga kwinani, amandla nezixhobo abanazo, kodwa kwakufuneka ukholo. Ngenxa yokuba wayenokholo, uYonatan wavumela uYehova ukuba ibe nguye ogqibayo enoba yena nomphathi wezixhobo zakhe bangahlasela na. UYehova wamvumela uYonatan, ukuba azikhethele into awayeza kubona ngayo xa uYehova ebavumela ukuba bahlasele amaFilisti. Emva kokuba uYehova evumile, baqalisa ukugwencela eliweni besiya ngqo kumaFilisti.

 Nazi izinto ezimbini ezabonisa ukuba uYonatan unokholo. Okokuqala, wayemhlonipha nyhani uYehova uThixo wakhe. Wayesazi nokuba uThixo akaxhomekekanga kumandla wabantu ukuze enze ukuthanda kwakhe ibe uyabasikelela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. (2 Kronike 16:9) Okwesibini, ngaphambi kokuba enze nantoni na wacela uncedo kuYehova. Namhlanje asisaceli imimangaliso kuThixo ukuze sibone ukuba uyavuma na senze into ethile. Kodwa sinelizwi likaThixo iBhayibhile, elinayo yonke into esiyidingayo ukuze senze ukuthanda kwakhe. (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Ngaba siyisebenzisa kakuhle iBhayibhile xa sisenza ezona zigqibo zibalulekileyo? Ukuba senza njalo, siza kube sibonisa ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi​—njengo Yonatan.

 Ngoko ke lamadoda mabini anesibindi, aqalisa ukugwencela kwelo liwa linamatye ahlabayo esiya kumaFilisti. AmaFilisti abona ukuba asengxakini, aza athumela amajoni ukuba ayokulwa noYonatan nomphathi wezixhobo wakhe. AmaFilisti ayengena mkhosi mkhulu nje qha kodwa ayemi phezulu eliweni, ngoko kwakuza kubalula ukuba abulale lamadoda. UYonatan wakhwela kuwo ehlaba elinye emva kwelinye, wabe umphathi wezixhobo wakhe ewagqibezela. Besandokuqabela nje eliweni babulala amajoni ayi-20! Yena uYehova wenza into engaphezu kwaleyo. Kwade kwabhalwa kwathiwa: “Bonke abantu abasenkampini boyika kakhulu kuquka nabo basenkampini esendle. Kwanamajoni ayesoyika. Kwaqalisa inyikima, waza uThixo wabenza badyuduzela bonke.”​—1 Samuel 14:15.

 USawule namadoda akhe babemele kude kodwa bawabona amaFilisti ukuba ayephithizela, esoyika ibe ebulalana wodwa. (1 Samuweli 14:16, 20) AmaSirayeli atsho anesibindi sokuhlasela, mhlawumbi echola nezixhobo ezazisiwa kumaFilisti. UYehova wawanceda aphumelela amaSirayeli ngala mini ibe akakatshintshi nangoku. Ukuba nathi siyamthemba uYehova, njengoYonatan nomphathi zixhobo wakhe, soze sizisole ngokhetho esilwenzileyo.​—Malaki 3:6; Roma 10:11.

 UYonatan wazukisa uYehova ngale mpumelelo kodwa uSawule yena, wenza impazamo enkulu. Zange amthobele uYehova, wabingelela ngokwakhe endaweni yokulinda ukuba ibe nguMprofeti uSamuweli ongumLevi ofanele ukwenza lonto. Xa efika uSamuweli waxelela uSawule ukuba ngenxa yokungathobeli, ubukumkani bakhe babuza kuphela. Emva koko, xa uSawule wathumela amajoni akhe emfazweni, wawanika umyalelo owawunzima othi: “Uqalekisiwe umntu otya nantoni na ngaphambi kokuba kuhlwe nangaphambi kokuba ndiziphindezelele ezintshabeni zam!”​—1 Samuel 13:10-14; 14:24.

 UYehova zange acinge ngokuwacinezela la majoni asebenza nzima nangokuzimisela, ngokuthi awanike umyalelo ongabhadlanga ngolo hlobo. Ngaba le ndoda eyayikade ithobekile, imthanda uThixo, ngoku yayine kratshi? Athetha ukuthini kanye-kanye amazwi kaSawule athi “ngaphambi kokuba ndiziphindezelele ezintshabeni zam”? Ngaba ayengabonisi ukuba ucinga le mfazwe ingaye? Ngaba wayelibele ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo bubulungisa bukaYehova kungekhona ukufuna ukuziphindezela, nokufumana uzuko nempumelelo?

 UYonatan wayengevanga xa utata wakhe ekhupha lo myalelo. Wayediniwe esuka edabini elali shushu, wolula intonga eyayisesandleni sakhe wathi nkxu ngencam kubusi wangcamla, watsho wadlamka. Elinye ijoni lamxelela uYonatan ngento eyayithethwe ngutata wakhe. UYonatan wathi “Utata ulizisele intlungu yodwa ilizwe. Jonga indlela endidlamke ngayo kuba ndingcamle le ntwana yobusi. Ngekungcono kakhulu ukuba namhlanje abantu bebekhululekile batya kwizinto abazithathe kwiintshaba zabo! Ngesibulele amaFilisti amaninzi kakhulu kunoku.” (1 Samuel 14:25-30) Wayenyanisile. UYonatan wayengunyana othembekileyo, kodwa engayithandi into embi. Wayengasoloko evuma nje yonke into kuba isenziwa okanye ithethwa ngutata wakhe, futhi loo nto yamenza wahlonitshwa ngabantu abaninzi.

 USawule zange abone nto iphosakeleyo kumyalelo awayewukhuphile, nangona weva ukuba unyana wakhe akazange awuthobele. Kunoko, wafuna ukuba uYonatan abulawe kuba nje engakhange awuthobele lo myalelo. UYonatan akazange aphikisane notata wakhe okanye afune ukusizelwa nguye. Waphendula ngesibindi wathi: “Ndim lo ke! Ndikulungele ukufa!” Kodwa amaSirayeli athi kuSawule: “Afe na uYonatan, lo umsindisileyo uSirayeli? Unotshe! Ephila nje uYehova, akukho nalunye unwele lwentloko yakhe oluza kuwela emhlabeni, kuba uncedwe nguThixo kuko konke akwenzileyo namhlanje.” Kwenzeka ntoni? USawule wayicingisisa lento. Kuthiwa: “Ngaloo ndlela, baba ke abantu bayamsindisa uYonatan, akabulawa.”​—1 Samuel 14:43-45.

 Ngenxa yesibindi, ukusebenza nzima nokungazicingeli, uYonatan waba ngumntu olungileyo phambi kwabantu. Xa ubomi bakhe babusesichengeni, abantu baye bamnceda. Siza kube senza kakuhle xa siphucula ubuntu bethu size sizenzele igama elihle ebantwini. NeBhayibhile ithi igama elihle lilungile. (INtshumayeli 7:1) Ukuba nathi eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi kukuthethelela igama likaYehova, siza kuba sizenzela igama elihle.

 Nangona uSawule wayeneempazamo ezininzi,uYonatan akazange ayeke ukuthembeka kutata wakhe. Sinokuyicinga indlela uYonatan awaphoxeka ngayo xa wabona utata wakhe eqalisa ukungathobeli nokuba nekratshi. Ububi bukaSawule babusiya busanda ibe kwakungekho nto anokuyenza uYonatan.

 Kwabakhona ingxaki enkulu xa uYehova waxelela uSawule ukuba ayokulwa namaAmaleki, awayesenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu ngexesha likaMoses, kangangokuba uYehova wathi uzakuwa cima igama. (Eksodus 17:14) USawule waxelelwa ukuba atshabalalise yonke imfuyo yamaAmaleki aze amcime igama ukumkani wawo uAgagi. USawule waliphumelela eli dabi, nakulo encediswa nguYonatan. Kodwa uSawule akazange amthobele uYehova, wamgcina ephila uAgagi waza nemfuyo akayibulala. Umprofeti uSamuweli wathi kuSawule: “Ekubeni ungalithobelanga ilizwi likaYehova, naye uza kukuyekisa ukuba ngukumkani.”​—1 Samuel 15:2, 3, 9, 10, 23.

 Akuzange kube kudala, uYehova wayeka ukumxhasa uSawule. Ngaphandle komoya kaYehova uSawule wayesoloko enomsindo osempumlweni ibe eliphakuphaku. Kwakungathi ungenwe ngumoya omdaka. (1 Samuweli 16:14; 18:10-12) Inoba yayimphatha kakubi nyhani uYonatan into yokubona utata wakhe etshintshile. Kodwa, uYonatan akazange ayeke ukuthembeka kuYehova. UYonatan wayesoloko emxhasa utata wakhe, ezama nokuthetha naye ngamaxesha athile ukuba makabuyele kuYehova. Kodwa, nangona kunjalo wayengayekanga ukuthembela ngoYehova uThixo wakhe ongatshintshiyo.​—1 Samuweli 19:4, 5

 Ngaba uyayazi intlungu yokubona umntu omthandayo okanye ilungu lentsapho lisiya libhekela kuYehova? Kumele ukuba kubuhlungu nyhani. Umzekelo kaYonatan usikhumbuza into eyabhalwa ngumdumisi esithi: “Nokuba utata nomama bangandilahla, UYehova uza kundichola ngokwakhe.” (INdumiso 27:10) UYehova uthembekile. Uzakukuchola nawe aze abe nguTata wakho, nokuba abantu abangafezekanga bangakuphoxa kangakanani okanye bakulahle.

 UYonatan wafumanisa ukuba uYehova wayezakubohlutha ubukhosi bukaSawule. Wenza ntoni uYonatan? Ngaba wazama ukuzibonakalisa ukuba yena angaphatha bhetele? Ngaba waqalisa ukuba namaphupha wokuba yena angazilungisa iimpazamo ezenziwa ngutata wakhe, aze yena abe ngumzekelo obhetele wokumkani onokuthenjwa? Asiyazi into awayeyicinga, kodwa into esiyaziyo kukuba wayengasoze ayenze loo nto. Ngaba lento ithetha ukuba uYehova wayemlibele uYonatan? Hayi! UYehova wamsebenzisa uYonatan waba yeminye yemizekelo eseBhayibhileni yabahlobo abathembekileyo esinokuyilandela. Obo buhlobo bukaYonatan siza kuthetha ngabo kwinqaku elilandelayo.