1-3. Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uthobekile?

 UBABA ufuna ukufundisa ingane yakhe encane isifundo esibalulekile. Uzimisele ukufinyelela inhliziyo yayo. Uzosebenzisa yiphi indlela? Ingabe kufanele ayithethise ingane, akhulume ngokhahlo? Noma ingabe kufanele agobe alingane nayo, akhulume kamnandi ngobumnene? Nakanjani ubaba ohlakaniphile nothobekile angakhetha indlela emnene.

² UJehova unguBaba onjani—ozikhukhumezayo noma othobekile, onokhahlo noma omnene? UJehova wazi konke futhi uhlakaniphe kakhulu. Kodwa uye waqaphela yini ukuthi ulwazi nokuhlakanipha akubenzi ngaso sonke isikhathi abantu bathobeke? Njengoba kusho iBhayibheli, “ulwazi luyakhukhumeza.” (1 Korinte 3:19; 8:1) Kodwa uJehova, ‘onenhliziyo ehlakaniphile,’ uthobekile ngesikhathi esifanayo. (Jobe 9:4) Lokhu akusho neze ukuthi unesikhundla esiphansi noma untula inkazimulo, kodwa kusho ukuthi akazikhukhumezi. Kungani kunjalo?

³ UJehova ungcwele. Ngakho akazikhukhumezi, okuyimfanelo engcolisayo. (Marku 7:20-22) Phawula nalokho umprofethi uJeremiya akusho kuJehova: “Nakanjani uyokhumbula wehlele kimi ungibonise umusa.” a (IsiLilo 3:20) Cabanga nje! UJehova iNkosi EnguMbusi wendawo yonke, wayezimisele ‘ukwehla’ alingane noJeremiya ukuze anake lo muntu onesono. (IHubo 113:7) Yebo, uJehova uthobekile. Kodwa ukuthobeka  kukaNkulunkulu kuhilelani? Kuhlobene kanjani nokuhlakanipha? Futhi kungani kubalulekile kithi?

4, 5. (a) Kuyini ukuthobeka, kubonakala kanjani, futhi kungani kungafanele neze kudidaniswe nobuthakathaka noma ukuzinyeza? (b) UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka lapho esiza uDavide, futhi ukuthobeka kukaJehova kubaluleke kangakanani kithi?

⁴ Ukuthobeka ukuzibeka phansi, ukungazazisi nokungaqhoshi. Njengoba kuyimfanelo yenhliziyo, kubonakala ngezici ezinjengobumnene, isineke nokucabangela. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Kodwa akufanele nanini lezi zimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu sizididanise nobuthakathaka noma ukuzinyeza. Azingqubuzani nentukuthelo kaJehova yokulunga noma ukusebenzisa kwakhe amandla ukuze abhubhise. Kunalokho, ngokuthobeka nobumnene bakhe, uJehova ubonisa amandla akhe amakhulu okuzibamba ngokuphelele. (Isaya 42:14) Ukuthobeka kuhlobene kanjani nokuhlakanipha? Enye incwadi ehlaziya iBhayibheli ithi: “Ukuthobeka ngokuyinhloko kuchazwa . . . ngokuthi ukungabi nabugovu futhi kuyisisekelo esisemqoka  sakho konke ukuhlakanipha.” Ngakho-ke awunakuba nokuhlakanipha kwangempela ube ungathobekile. Ukuthobeka kukaJehova kusizuzisa kanjani?

⁵ INkosi uDavide yahlabelelela uJehova: “Unginika ihawu lakho lensindiso, isandla sakho sokudla siyangisekela, ukuthobeka kwakho kungenza ngibe mkhulu.” (IHubo 18:35) Kwakunjengokungathi uJehova uyazehlisa ukuze asize lo muntu ongaphelele, amvikele futhi amlonde usuku nosuku. UDavide wayeqaphela ukuthi ukuthola kwakhe insindiso—futhi aze agcine eseyinkosi enkulu—kwakungenzeka kuphela ngenxa yokuzimisela kukaJehova ukuzithoba, amenzele lokhu. Ubani nje ngempela kithi obengaba nethemba lokusindiswa ukube uJehova ubengathobekile, ezimisele ukuzehlisa ukuze asisize njengoBaba omnene nonothando?

6, 7. (a) Kungani iBhayibheli lingalokothi lithi uJehova unesizotha? (b) Ubumnene buhlobene kanjani nokuhlakanipha, futhi ubani oyisibonelo esikhulu kulokhu?

⁶ Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi kunomehluko phakathi kokuthobeka nesizotha. Isizotha siyimfanelo enhle okufanele abantu abathembekile bayihlakulele. Njengokuthobeka, sihlobene nokuhlakanipha. Ngokwesibonelo, izAga 11:2 zithi: “Ukuhlakanipha kukwabanesizotha.” Nokho, iBhayibheli alilokothi lithi uJehova unesizotha. Kungani? Ngokwendlela esisetshenziswa ngayo emiBhalweni, isizotha sisikisela ukuqaphela komuntu ukulinganiselwa kwakhe. UMninimandla Onke akanakho ukulinganiselwa ngaphandle kwalokho azibekela kona ngenxa yemithetho yakhe yokulunga. (Marku 10:27; Thithu 1:2) Kanti okunye, njengoba engoPhezukonke, akekho azithoba kuye. Ngakho asinakusho ukuthi uJehova unesizotha.

⁷ Nokho, uJehova uthobekile futhi umnene. Ufundisa izinceku zakhe ukuthi ukuze zibe nokuhlakanipha kweqiniso zidinga ubumnene. IZwi lakhe likhuluma “ngobumnene obuwumphumela wokuhlakanipha.” b (Jakobe 3:13) Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaJehova kulokhu.

8-10. (a) Kungani kuphawuleka ukuthi uJehova uzimisele ukuphathisa abanye futhi alalele? (b) UMninimandla Onke uye wasebenzelana kanjani nezingelosi zakhe ngendlela ebonisa ukuthobeka?

⁸ Ukuzimisela kukaJehova ukuphathisa abanye imithwalo nokulalela kwakhe kuwubufakazi obuthinta imizwa bokuthi uthobekile. Kuyamangaza nje kwakona ukuthi uzimisele ukulalela nokuphathisa abanye; uJehova akadingi ukusizwa noma ukwelulekwa. (Isaya 40:13, 14; Roma 11:34, 35) Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli lisibonisa kaningi ukuthi uJehova uyazehlisa enze lokhu.

⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngesenzakalo esiphawulekayo esenzeka ku-Abrahama. U-Abrahama wafikelwa izivakashi ezintathu, esinye sazo asibiza wathi “Jehova.” Empeleni lezi zivakashi kwakuyizingelosi, kodwa esinye sazo sasimelele igama likaJehova futhi senza ngokuvumelana nalo. Lapho sikhuluma noma senza esasikwenza, empeleni kwakunguJehova okhulumayo nowenza lokho. Ngale ngelosi, uJehova watshela u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezwe “isikhalo [esikhulu] ngeSodoma neGomora.” UJehova wathi: “Ngizokwehla ukuze ngibone ukuthi benza ngokwesikhalo esiye safika kimi yini. Uma kungenjalo, ngizokwazi.” (Genesise 18:3, 20, 21) Yebo, lokho uJehova akusho ngengelosi kwakungasho ukuthi uMninimandla Onke ‘wayezozehlela’ yena mathupha. Kunalokho, waphinde wathumela izingelosi ukuba ziyommelela. (Genesise 19:1) Kungani? UJehova obona yonke indawo wayengeke yini ‘azazele’ yena isimo sangempela saleyo ndawo? Wayengazazela. Kodwa kunalokho, ngokuthobeka uJehova wanika lezo zingelosi isabelo sokuyohlola isimo futhi zivakashele uLoti nomndeni wakhe eSodoma.

¹⁰ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uyalalela. Wake wacela ukuba izingelosi zakhe zisikisele izindlela ezihlukahlukene zokuketula inkosi embi u-Ahabi. UJehova wayengaludingi lolo sizo. Nokho, wakwamukela ukusikisela kwenye ingelosi  futhi wayithuma ukuba ikwenze lokho eyayikusikisele. (1 AmaKhosi 22:19-22) Kwakungekhona yini ukuthobeka lokho?

11, 12. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba u-Abrahama azi ukuthi uJehova uthobekile?

¹¹ UJehova uzimisele ngisho nokulalela abantu abanesono abafuna ukuveza izinto ezibakhathazayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJehova eqala ukutshela u-Abrahama ukuthi ufuna ukubhubhisa iSodoma neGomora, leyo ndoda ethembekile yaxakeka. U-Abrahama wathi: “Kuyinto engacabangeki ngawe. Ubengeke yini umaHluleli womhlaba wonke enze okulungile?” Wabuza uJehova ukuthi wayeyoyixolela yini la madolobha uma kungatholakala abantu abangu-50 abalungile. UJehova wamqinisekisa ukuthi wayeyoyixolela. Kodwa u-Abrahama waphinde wabuza, wehlisa isibalo saya ku-45, sase siya ku-40, njalonjalo. Naphezu kweziqinisekiso zikaJehova, u-Abrahama waphikelela waze wafika eshumini. Mhlawumbe u-Abrahama wayengakaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova unesihe kangakanani. Noma ngabe akunjalo, ngesineke nangokuthobeka uJehova wamvumela u-Abrahama ongumngani nenceku yakhe ukuba aveze okumkhathazayo.—Genesise 18:23-33.

¹² Bangaki abantu abakhaliphile nabafundile abebengamlalela ngesineke kangaka umuntu ongadle ngakuhlakanipha? c Kunjalo ukuthobeka kukaNkulunkulu wethu. Kuyo leyo ngxoxo, u-Abrahama wabona nokuthi uJehova ‘uyephuza ukuthukuthela.’ (Eksodusi 34:6) Mhlawumbe eqaphela ukuthi wayengenalungelo lokungabaza okwenziwa oPhezukonke, u-Abrahama wancenga kabili: “Ngiyacela Jehova, ungangithukutheleli kakhulu.” (Genesise 18:30, 32) Yebo, uJehova akamthukuthelelanga. Unabo ngempela ‘ubumnene obuwumphumela wokuhlakanipha.’

13. Isho ukuthini inkulumo ethi uJehova “uyacabangela” futhi kungani leli gama limchaza kahle uJehova?

¹³ Ukuthobeka kukaJehova kubonakala nakwenye futhi imfanelo enhle—ukucabangela. Abantu abanesono bayintula ngendlela edabukisayo le mfanelo. UJehova akagcini ngokuzimisela ukulalela izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile kodwa futhi uzimisele ukubonelela lapho kungekho zimiso zokulunga eziphulwayo. NgesiGreki sakuqala, igama elisho “ukucabangela” ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukubonelela.” Le mfanelo nayo iyisici esibonisa ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu. “Ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu . . . kuyacabangela.” (Jakobe 3:17) UJehova, ohlakaniphe kakhulu, ucabangela ngamuphi umqondo? Okokuqala, uvumelana nezimo. Khumbula ukuthi igama lakhe lisifundisa ukuthi uJehova uba yinoma yini edingekayo ukuze agcwalise izinjongo zakhe. (Eksodusi 3:14) Lokho akubonisi yini ukuba ovumelana nezimo nocabangelayo?

14, 15. Umbono kaHezekeli wenqola kaJehova yasezulwini usifundisani ngengxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaJehova, futhi ihluke kanjani ezinhlanganweni zezwe?

¹⁴ EBhayibhelini kunendima ephawulekayo esisiza siqonde ngezinga elithile ukuthi uJehova uvumelana nezimo. Umprofethi uHezekeli wanikwa umbono wengxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaJehova yezidalwa zomoya. Wabona inqola enkulu ngokwethusayo, inqola kaJehova uqobo ayiqondisa ngaso sonke isikhathi. Indlela eyayihamba ngayo yayithakazelisa kakhulu. Amasondo amakhulukazi ayenezinhlangothi ezine futhi enamehlo yonke indawo okwakwenza abone yonke indawo, akwazi nokushintsha indlela ngokuphazima kweso, ngaphandle kokuma noma ukujika. Futhi le nqolakazi yayingandandazeli njengemoto esindanayo eyakhiwe umuntu. Yayintininiza ngejubane lombani, ithathe ngisho namajika acijile! (Hezekeli 1:1, 14-28) Yebo, inhlangano kaJehova, njengoMbusi onguMninimandla Onke oyiqondisayo, ivumelana nezimo ngendlela emangalisayo, isabela ezimweni nasezidingweni ezishintshashintshayo ezivelayo.

 ¹⁵ Abantu bangagcina ngokuzama nje ukulingisa ukuvumelana nezimo okuphelele kanjalo. Ngokuvamile abantu nezinhlangano zabo baqinisa amakhanda kunokuba bavumelane nezimo, abacabangeli kunokuba babonelele. Ngokwesibonelo: Umkhumbi omkhulu noma isitimela sezimpahla singase sibe sikhulu kakhulu futhi sibe namandla amakhulu. Kodwa ikhona yini kulezi zinto engama noma ijike ngokuphazima kweso lapho kudingeka? Lapho isitimela sezimpahla sihamba, bese kuqhamuka isiphazamiso, akukho ukuthi singajika. Akulula nokuba sime ngokushesha. Isitimela esisindwa yizimpahla kungasithatha ibanga elingaba amakhilomitha amabili ukuba sime ngemva kokunyathelwa kwamabhuleki! Ngokufanayo, umkhumbi omkhulu ungase uqhubeke uhamba amakhilomitha angu-8 ngemva kokuba izinjini zicishiwe. Ngisho noma lezi zinjini zifakwa egiyeni lokuhlehla, ungase uqhubeke uya phambili ngamakhilomitha amathathu! Kunjalo nangezinhlangano zabantu ezingaguquki nezingacabangeli. Ngenxa yokuqhosha, abantu ngokuvamile abafuni ukuzivumelanisa nezidingo nezimo ezishintshayo. Ukungaguquki kuye kwawisa izinhlangano kwaketula nohulumeni. (IzAga 16:18) Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi uJehova nenhlangano yakhe abanjalo neze!

16. UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukucabangela endleleni aphatha ngayo uLoti ngaphambi kokuba abhubhise iSodoma neGomora?

¹⁶ Ake uphinde ucabange ngokubhujiswa kweSodoma neGomora. Ingelosi kaJehova yamyala ngokucacile uLoti nomndeni wakhe: “Balekela esifundeni esinezintaba.” Kodwa uLoti akakuthandisisanga lokhu. Wancenga: “Ngicela ukungayi lapho Jehova!” Ezitshela ukuthi wayeyokufa nakanjani uma ebalekela ezintabeni, uLoti wacela ukuba babalekele edolobheni eliseduze laseZowari. UJehova wayekade ehlose ukulibhubhisa lelo dolobha. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasingekho isizathu sokuba uLoti esabe. UJehova wayengamgcina ephila ngisho noma esezintabeni! Noma kunjalo, uJehova wasivuma isicelo sikaLoti. Ingelosi yathi kuLoti: “Kuhle kakhulu,  ngizophinde ngibonise ukukucabangela ngokungaligumbuqeli idolobha okhuluma ngalo.” (Genesise 19:17-22) Ingabe kwakungekona ukucabangela ngoJehova ukwenza kanjalo?

17, 18. Kulokho akwenza kwabaseNineve, uJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyacabangela?

¹⁷ UJehova uyakwamukela nokuphenduka okusuka enhliziyweni, ngaso sonke isikhathi abonise isihe enze nokulungile. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ngenkathi umprofethi uJona ethunywa edolobheni laseNineve elalikhohlakele futhi linobudlova. UJona wahamba emigwaqweni yaseNineve ememezela isigijimi esicacile esiphefumulelwe: Leli dolobha elinamandla lalizobhujiswa ezinsukwini ezingu-40. Kodwa izinto zashintsha kakhulu. AbaseNineve baphenduka!—Jona, isahluko 3.

¹⁸ Ukuqhathanisa indlela uJehova noJona abasibheka ngayo lesi simo kusifundisa okuthile. Kulokhu, uJehova wavumelana nezimo, waba uMthetheleli wezono kunokuba abe “yiqhawe elinamandla.” d (Eksodusi 15:3) Kanti uJona yena akavumelananga nesimo, akabanga nasihe. Esikhundleni sokucabangela njengoJehova, walingisa isitimela sezimpahla noma umkhumbi omkhulu esikhulume ngawo ngaphambili. Wayethe idolobha lizobhubha, ngakho kwakumele libhubhe nakanjani! Kodwa ngesineke uJehova wafundisa lo mprofethi ongenasineke isifundo ayengeke asikhohlwe sokucabangela nokuba nesihe.—Jona, isahluko 4.

19. (a) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyacabangela kulokho akulindele kithi? (b) IzAga 19:17 zibonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguMphathi ‘omuhle nobonelelayo’ nokuthi uthobeke kakhulu?

¹⁹ Okokugcina, uJehova uyacabangela kulokho akulindele kithi. INkosi uDavide yathi: “Yena uyakwazi ukwakheka kwethu, ekhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” (IHubo 103:14) UJehova  ukuqonda kangcono kunathi ukulinganiselwa nokuba nesono kwethu. Akalokothi alindele okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. IBhayibheli likhuluma ngabaphathi abangabantu ‘abahle nababonelelayo’ nangalabo ‘okunzima ukubajabulisa.’ (1 Petru 2:18) UJehova yena unguMphathi onjani? Phawula lokho okushiwo izAga 19:17: “Obonisa ophansi umusa uboleka uJehova.” Kusobala ukuthi ngumphathi omuhle nocabangelayo kuphela ongaphawula zonke izenzo zomusa ezenzelwa abaphansi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lo mBhalo usikisela ukuthi empeleni uMdali wendawo yonke uzibheka njengobakweletayo abantu abenza izenzo ezinjalo ezibonisa isihe! Lokhu ukuthobeka okukhulu kakhulu.

20. Sinasiphi isiqinisekiso sokuthi uJehova uyayizwa futhi ayiphendule imithandazo yethu?

²⁰ Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo izinceku zakhe namuhla isabonisa ubumnene nokucabangela. Lapho sithandaza ngokholo, uyalalela. Yize engasithumeleli izingelosi zizokhuluma nathi, akufanele siphethe ngokuthi akayiphenduli imithandazo yethu. Khumbula ukuthi lapho umphostoli uPawulu ecela ayekholwa nabo ukuba ‘baqhubeke bethandazela’ ukuba adedelwe ejele, wanezela: “Ukuze ngibuyele kini ngokushesha.” (Hebheru 13:18, 19) Ngakho imithandazo yethu ingenza uJehova enze into abengeke ayenze!—Jakobe 5:16.

21. Yini okungafanele siphethe ngayo ngokuthobeka kukaJehova, kodwa kunalokho yini okufanele siyiqonde ngaye?

 ²¹ Yebo, kulezi zindlela zikaJehova zokubonisa ukuthobeka—ngokuba mnene, ngokuzimisela ukulalela, ngokuba nesineke nokucabangela—ayikho emenza ayekethise ezimisweni zakhe zokulunga. Abefundisi beLobukholwa bangase bacabange ukuthi bayacabangela lapho bekitaza izindlebe zemihlambi yabo ngokwehlisa imithetho kaJehova yokuziphatha. (2 Thimothewu 4:3) Kodwa ukuthambekela kwabantu kokuyekethisa ukuze izinto zibe lula akuhlobene nokucabangela kukaNkulunkulu. UJehova ungcwele; akasoze ayonakalisa imithetho yakhe yokulunga. (Levitikusi 11:44) Ngakho-ke masikuthande ukucabangela kukaJehova ngoba kubonisa ukuthi uthobekile. Awujabuli yini uma ucabanga ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu, uMuntu ohlakaniphe kunabo bonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni, uthobeke ngendlela evelele kangaka? Yeka ukuthi kumnandi kanjani ukusondela kulo Nkulunkulu othi nakuba esabeka kodwa abe emnene, enesineke, ecabangela!