1, 2. Nikeza izibonelo zabantu uJehova ababheka njengabangane bakhe abaseduze.

UBUNGAKHETHA umuntu onjani ukuba abe umngane wakho? Cishe ubungakhetha umuntu othanda izinto ozithandayo, onemibono kanye nezimiso ezifana nezakho. Futhi ubungandonseleka kumuntu onezimfanelo ezinhle, njengokwethembeka nomusa.

² Kuwo wonke umlando, uNkulunkulu uye wakhetha abantu abathile ukuba babe abangane bakhe abaseduze. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wabiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi umngane wakhe. (Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:23) UNkulunkulu wabiza uDavide ngokuthi “umuntu ovumelana nenhliziyo yami” ngenxa yokuthi wayewuhlobo lomuntu uJehova aluthandayo. (IzEnzo 13:22) Futhi uJehova wabheka umprofethi uDaniyeli ‘njengomuntu ofiseleka kakhulu.’—Daniyeli 9:23.

3. Kungani uJehova ekhetha abantu abathile ukuba babe abangane bakhe?

³ Kungani uJehova athi u-Abrahama, uDavide, noDaniyeli bangabangane bakhe? Watshela u-Abrahama: “Ngenxa yokuthi ulalelé izwi lami.” (Genesise 22:18) Ngakho uJehova usondela kulabo abazithobayo benze lokho akucela kubo. Watshela ama-Israyeli: “Lalelani izwi lami, ngizoba  nguNkulunkulu wenu, nina nizoba ngabantu bami.” (Jeremiya 7:23) Uma ulalela uJehova, nawe ungaba umngane wakhe!

4, 5. UJehova uwabonisa kanjani amandla akhe ngenxa yabantu bakhe?

⁴ Cabanga ngalokho okushiwo ukuba umngane kaNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli lithi uJehova ucinga amathuba “ukuze abonise amandla akhe ngenxa yalabo abanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.” (2 IziKronike 16:9) UJehova angawabonisa kanjani amandla akhe ngenxa yakho? Enye yezindlela ivezwe kumaHubo 32:8, afundeka kanje: “[Mina Jehova] ngizokwenza ube nokuqondisisa ngikufundise indlela okufanele uhambe ngayo. Ngiyonika iseluleko iso lami likubhekile.”

⁵ Yeka amazwi othando abonisa ukukhathalela kukaJehova! Uyokunikeza isiqondiso osidingayo futhi akuqondise lapho usisebenzisa. UNkulunkulu uyafuna ukukusiza ukwazi ukunqoba izilingo novivinyo. (IHubo 55:22) Ngakho, uma ukhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo epheleleyo, uyoqiniseka njengomhubi owathi: “Ngimbeké njalo uJehova phambi kwami. Ngeke ngintengantengiswe, ngoba yena ungakwesokunene sami.” (IHubo 16:8; 63:8) Yebo, uJehova angakusiza ukuba uphile ngendlela emjabulisayo. Kodwa, njengoba wazi, kunesitha sikaNkulunkulu esingafuni ukuba wenze kanjalo.

6. USathane wabasola ngokuthini abantu?

⁶ ISahluko 11 sale ncwadi sichaze indlela uSathane uDeveli aphonsela ngayo ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu inselele. USathane wasola uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uqamba amanga futhi washo ngeziphansi ukuthi uJehova akenzanga ubulungisa ngokwenqabela u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bazikhethele bona ukuthi yikuphi okulungile nokungalungile. Ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu no-Eva, futhi njengoba umhlaba wawugcwala inzalo yabo, uSathane wangabaza izisusa zabo bonke abantu. Wathi: “Abantu abamkhonzi uNkulunkulu ngoba bemthanda. Awunginike ithuba, ngingenza noma ubani ahlubuke kuNkulunkulu.” Indaba yendoda ebizwa ngokuthi uJobe ibonisa ukuthi  yilokhu uSathane ayekukholelwa. Wayengubani uJobe, futhi ungena kanjani enseleleni kaSathane?

7, 8. (a) Yini eyenza uJobe wavelela kubo bonke abantu besikhathi sakhe? (b) USathane wazingabaza kanjani izisusa zikaJobe?

⁷ UJobe waphila eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-3 600 edlule. Wayeyindoda elungile, ngoba uJehova wathi: “Akukho muntu onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongasoleki futhi oqotho, owesaba uNkulunkulu futhi okugwemayo okubi.” (Jobe 1:8) UJobe wayethandeka kuNkulunkulu.

⁸ USathane wangabaza izisusa zikaJobe zokukhonza uNkulunkulu. UDeveli wathi kuJehova: “Awuzange yini wena umbiyele yena [uJobe] nendlu yakhe nakho konke anakho nxazonke? Umsebenzi wezandla zakhe uwubusisile, nemfuyo yakhe ithé chithi saka emhlabeni. Kodwa, ngiyacela, ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte konke anakho ubone ukuthi ngeke yini akuthuke khona kanye ebusweni bakho.”—Jobe 1:10, 11.

9. UJehova wasabela kanjani enseleleni kaSathane, futhi ngani?

⁹ Ngakho uSathane wagomela ngokuthi uJobe ukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yalokho ayekuthola. UDeveli wathi futhi uma uJobe engavivinywa, uyomphika uNkulunkulu. UJehova wasabela kanjani enseleleni kaSathane? Njengoba kwakuhileleke izisusa zikaJobe, uJehova wamvumela uSathane ukuba avivinye uJobe. Ngale ndlela, lwaluyovela obala uthando lukaJobe ngoNkulunkulu—noma ukungamthandi kwakhe.

10. Yiziphi izilingo ezehlela uJobe, futhi wasabela kanjani?

¹⁰ Ngokushesha uSathane wabe esevivinya uJobe ngezindlela eziningi. Enye imfuyo kaJobe yebiwa enye yabulawa. Iningi lezinceku zakhe labulawa. Lokhu kwaletha izinkinga zomnotho. Olunye usizi lwehla lapho izingane zikaJobe eziyishumi zibulawa isivunguvungu. Kodwa naphezu kwalezi zehlakalo ezimbi, “uJobe akazange one noma amsole uNkulunkulu.”—Jobe 1:22.

11. (a) USathane wabuye wamsola ngani okwesibili uJobe, futhi uJehova wenzenjani? (b) Yini uJobe angazange ayenze nakuba ayesenesifo esibuhlungu?

¹¹ USathane akadelanga. Kumelwe ukuba wacabanga ukuthi  nakuba uJobe ekwazile ukubekezelela ukulahlekelwa impahla yakhe, izinceku kanye nezingane zakhe, uzomphika uNkulunkulu uma eke wagula. UJehova wavumela uSathane ukuba ashaye uJobe ngesifo esinyanyekayo nesibuhlungu. Kodwa ngisho nalokhu akuzange kumenze uJobe ukuba aphelelwe ukholo kuNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, washo ngokuqiniseka: “Ngeke ngiziphuce ubuqotho bami ngize ngiphangalale!”—Jobe 27:5.

12. UJobe wayiphendula kanjani inselele kaDeveli?

¹² UJobe wayengazi ukuthi nguSathane owayembangela izinkinga. Engakwazi konke lokho uDeveli ayekushilo ngobukhosi bukaJehova, uJobe wacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu ombangela izinkinga. (Jobe 6:4; 16:11-14) Noma kunjalo, wabulondoloza ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova. Inkambo kaJobe yokwethembeka yafakazela ukuthi kwakungamanga lokho okwakushiwo uSathane, ukuthi wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ngezisusa ezimbi!

13. Waba yini umphumela wokwethembeka kukaJobe kuNkulunkulu?

¹³ Ukwethembeka kukaJobe kwanikeza uJehova impendulo enamandla ekusoleni kukaSathane kokwedelela. Ngempela uJobe wayengumngane kaJehova, futhi uNkulunkulu wambusisa ngenxa yenkambo yakhe yokwethembeka.—Jobe 42:12-17.

14, 15. Kungani singase sithi inselele kaSathane kuJobe ithinta bonke abantu?

¹⁴ Le ndaba yokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu eyaphakanyiswa uSathane yayingabhekisiwe kuJobe kuphela. Nawe uhilelekile. Lokhu kubonakala kahle encwadini yezAga 27:11, lapho iZwi likaJehova lithi khona: “Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, wenze inhliziyo yami ijabule, ukuze ngimphendule ongiklolodelayo.” La mazwi, abhalwa uJobe esaba mathambo mhlophe, abonisa ukuthi uSathane wayesalokhu eklolodela uNkulunkulu futhi esola nezinceku zaKhe. Lapho siphila ngendlela ejabulisa uJehova, empeleni sisuke simnikeza impendulo yokuphendula izinsolo zamanga zikaSathane, kanjalo senze inhliziyo  yaKhe ijabule. Uzizwa kanjani wena ngalokhu? Ngeke yini kube kuhle ukuba nengxenye ekuphenduleni amanga kaDeveli, ngisho noma lokho kusho ukwenza izinguquko ezithile ekuphileni kwakho?

¹⁵ Phawula ukuthi uSathane wathi: “Umuntu uyokhipha konke anakho ngenxa yomphefumulo wakhe.” (Jobe 2:4) Ngokuthi “umuntu,” uSathane wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi wayengamangaleli uJobe nje kuphela kodwa bonke abantu. Leli yiphuzu elibaluleke ngempela. USathane uye wangabaza ubuqotho bakho kuNkulunkulu. UDeveli angathanda ukukubona ungamlaleli uNkulunkulu futhi uyishiya indlela elungile lapho kuqhamuka ubunzima. USathane angazama kanjani ukwenza lokhu?

16. (a) Yiziphi izindlela uSathane azama ngazo ukususa abantu ekulandeleni uNkulunkulu? (b) Angazisebenzisa kanjani uDeveli lezi zindlela kuwe?

¹⁶ Njengoba kushiwo eSahlukweni 10, uSathane usebenzisa izindlela ezihlukene ukuze azame ukususa abantu kuNkulunkulu. Kulolu hlangothi, uhlasela “njengengonyama ebhongayo, efuna engamshwabadela.” (1 Petru 5:8) Ngakho ithonya likaSathane lingabonakala lapho abangane bakho, izihlobo zakho, noma abanye bephikisa imizamo yakho yokutadisha iBhayibheli nokusebenzisa lokho okufundayo. * (Johane 15:19, 20) Kolunye uhlangothi, uSathane “uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya.” (2 Korinte 11:14) UDeveli angasebenzisa izindlela zobuqili ukuze akudukise futhi akuyengele ekubeni ushiye indlela yokuphila ejabulisa uNkulunkulu. Angasebenzisa nokudumazeka, mhlawumbe akwenze uzizwe ungakufanelekeli ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu. (IzAga 24:10) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uSathane uza “njengengonyama ebhongayo” noma  ‘njengengelosi yokukhanya,’ ukusola kwakhe kusalokhu kunjalo, uthi: Lapho ubhekene novivinyo nezilingo, uyoyeka ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ungayiphendula kanjani le nselele yakhe futhi ubonise ubuqotho bakho kuNkulunkulu, njengoJobe?

17. Yisiphi isizathu esiyinhloko sokulalela imiyalo kaJehova?

¹⁷ Ungayiphendula inselele kaSathane ngokuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu. Kuhilelani lokhu? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Duteronomi 6:5) Njengoba uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu lukhula, siyokhula nesifiso sokwenza lokho akufunayo kuwe. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe.” Uma umthanda ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho uJehova, uyothola ukuthi “imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo.”—1 Johane 5:3.

18, 19. (a) Yimiphi eminye imiyalo kaJehova? (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 122.) (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu akalindele okungaphezu kwamandla ethu?

¹⁸ Yimiphi imiyalo kaJehova? Eminye yayo ihlanganisa ukuziphatha okumelwe sikugweme. Ngokwesibonelo, bheka  ibhokisi elinesihloko esithi “Xwaya Izinto UJehova Azizondayo,” ekhasini 122. Lapho, uzothola uhlu lokuziphatha iBhayibheli elikulahla ingcaca. Uma uluthi nhlá, okunye ukuziphatha okubhalwe lapho kungase kungabonakali kukubi kangako. Kodwa ngemva kokuzindla ngemibhalo ekhonjiwe, cishe uzokubona ukuhlakanipha kwemithetho kaJehova. Ukwenza izinguquko ekuziphatheni kwakho kungase kube inselele enzima kunazo zonke owake wabhekana nazo. Noma kunjalo, ukuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu kuletha ukwaneliseka nenjabulo. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Futhi ungakwenza. Sikwazi kanjani lokho?

¹⁹ UJehova akalokothi afune okungaphezu kwalokho esingakwenza. (Duteronomi 30:11-14) Wazi amakhono ethu  nokulinganiselwa kwethu ngaphezu kwethu. (IHubo 103:14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova angasinika amandla okuba simlalele. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “UNkulunkulu uthembekile, futhi ngeke akuvumele ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwalokho eningakuthwala, kodwa kanye naleso silingo uyokwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusikhuthazelela.” (1 Korinte 10:13) Ukuze akusize ukhuthazele, uJehova angakunikeza ngisho ‘namandla angaphezu kwavamile.’ (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngemva kokukhuthazelela izilingo eziningi, uPawulu wayengathi: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.”—Filipi 4:13.

20. Iziphi izimfanelo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu okumelwe uzihlakulele, futhi kungani zibalulekile?

²⁰ Yebo, ukujabulisa uJehova kuhilela okungaphezu nje kokugwema izinto azizondayo. Kudingeka nokuba uthande izinto azithandayo. (Roma 12:9) Ingabe bayakukhanga abantu abathanda izinto ozithandayo, nabanemibono nezimiso ezifana nezakho? Kunjalo nangoJehova. Ngakho funda ukuthanda izinto uJehova azithandayo. Ezinye zazo zichazwe kumaHubo 15:1-5, lapho sifunda khona ngalabo uNkulunkulu  athi bangabangane bakhe. Abangane bakaJehova babonisa lokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi “izithelo zomoya.” Zihlanganisa izimfanelo ezifana ‘nothando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubekezela, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene, ukuzithiba.’—Galathiya 5:22, 23.

21. Yini eyokusiza ukuba uhlakulele izimfanelo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu?

²¹ Ukufunda nokutadisha iBhayibheli njalo kuyokusiza ukuba uhlakulele izimfanelo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu. Futhi ukufunda ngalokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo kuyokusiza ukuba uvumelanise imicabango yakho nemicabango kaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 30:20, 21) Lapho uthando lwakho ngoJehova luya luba namandla, siyokhula nesifiso sakho sokuphila ngendlela emjabulisayo.

22. Yini oyoyifeza ngokuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu?

²² Ukuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uJehova kudinga umzamo. IBhayibheli lifanisa ukushintsha ukuphila kwakho nokuhlubula ubuntu obudala bese ugqoka obusha. (Kolose 3:9, 10) Kodwa mayelana nemiyalo kaJehova, umhubi wabhala: ‘Kukhona umvuzo omkhulu lapho igcinwa.’ (IHubo 19:11) Nawe ngokufanayo uyothola ukuthi ukuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu kuzuzisa kakhulu. Ngokwenza kanjalo, uyobe uphendula inselele kaSathane futhi wenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule!