1, 2. (a) Kungani isibonelo sikaNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe sisiqinisa idolo? (b) UHezekeli wawaloba ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo amazwi akuHezekeli 14:14?

INGABE ubhekene nobunzima, njengokugula, izinkinga zemali noma ushushiso? Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi kuba nzima ukuhlale ujabule njengoba ukhonza uJehova? Uma kunjalo, isibonelo sikaNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe singakuqinisa. Babengabantu abanesono futhi babhekana nobunzima obuningi esibhekana nabo namuhla kuhlanganise nobusongela ukuphila. Noma kunjalo, bahlala beqotho, basibekela isibonelo sokuba nokholo nokulalela uNkulunkulu.​—Funda uHezekeli 14:12-14.

² UHezekeli wabhala amazwi okusekelwe kuwo lesi sihloko eBhabhiloni ngo-612 B.C.E. * (Hez. 1:1; 8:1) Ukubhujiswa okwakubikezelwe kweJerusalema elihlubukile kwase kusondele futhi ekugcineni kwenzeka ngo-607 B.C.E. Abantu abambalwa kuphela  ababonisa ubuntu obufana nobukaNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe futhi yibo ababephawulelwe ukusinda. (Hez. 9:1-5) Phakathi kwalabo bantu abambalwa singabala uJeremiya, uBharuki, u-Ebhedi-meleki namaRekabi.

3. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, ukuphela kwabantu abayophawulelwa ukusinda lapho lesi simiso sezinto sibhujiswa, yilabo abangasoleki kuJehova​—abantu abanjengoNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe. (IsAm. 7:9, 14) Ake sihlole isizathu esenza uJehova wasebenzisa la madoda njengezibonelo zokulunga. Njengoba sixoxa ngala madoda, sizogxila (1) ezinseleleni indoda ngayinye eyabhekana nazo, (2) sibone nokuthi singalulingisa kanjani ukholo nokulalela kwabo.

4, 5. Yiziphi izinselele uNowa abhekana nazo, kungani ukukhuthazela kwakhe kuphawuleka?

⁴ Izinselele uNowa abhekana nazo. Ngesikhathi kuphila ukhokho kaNowa u-Enoke, abantu babengamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Empeleni babesho ‘izinto ezishaqisayo’ ngoJehova. (Jude 14, 15) Udlame lwaluqhubeka lwanda. Ngosuku lukaNowa, “umhlaba wagcwala ubudlova.” Izingelosi ezihlubukile zazenza abantu, zazithathela amakhosikazi futhi zaba nezingane eziyimidondoshiya enodlame. (Gen. 6:2-4, 11, 12) UNowa wayehlukile. “Wathola umusa emehlweni kaJehova. . . . Akabanga naphutha phakathi kwabantu besikhathi sakhe. UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.”—Gen. 6:8, 9.

⁵ Cabanga ngalokho la mazwi asitshela khona ngale ndoda elungile. UNowa akanamathelanga kuJehova phakathi naleso sikhathi esibi iminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80 nje kuphela​—okuyisikhathi esiphilwa yiningi lethu namuhla. UNowa waphila kulelo zwe iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-600! (Gen. 7:11) Ngokungafani nathi namuhla, lalingekho ibandla ayengahlanganyela kulo, athole kulo isikhuthazo esivela kubantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu—ngisho nezingane zakubo zazingamkhonzi uJehova. *

6. UNowa wasibonisa ngaziphi izindlela isibindi esikhulu?

⁶ UNowa wayenganeliswa nje ukuphila kamnandi. Waba “umshumayeli wokulunga” onesibindi, etshela abantu ngoJehova. (2 Pet. 2:5) UPawulu wathi, ngokholo uNowa “walahla izwe.” (Heb. 11:7) Lokho cishe kwabangela ukuba uNowa enziwe inhlekisa, aphikiswe mhlawumbe aze asongelwe ngodlame. Noma kunjalo, wayengabesabi abantu. (IzAga 29:25) Kunalokho, wayenesibindi uJehova asinika izinceku zakhe ezithembekile.

7. Yiziphi izinselele uNowa abhekana nazo lapho akha umkhumbi?

⁷ Ngemva kokuhamba noJehova iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-500, uJehova wathi kuNowa akakhe umkhumbi ozosindisa ukuphila kwabantu nokwezilwane. (Gen. 5:32; 6:14) Lowo kwakuwumsebenzi onzima ngempela! UNowa wayazi ukuthi baningi ababezomgcona futhi bamphikise. Noma kunjalo, walalela waba nokholo waqhubeka nokwakha. “Wenza kanjalo nje.”​—Gen. 6:22.

8. UNowa wathembela kanjani kuJehova njengomnakekeli wakhe?

⁸ Enye inselele uNowa abhekana nayo, ukondla umkakhe nezingane zakhe. Ngaphambi kokufika kukaZamcolo, abantu kwakudingeka basebenze kanzima ukuze bathole ukudla emasimini, uNowa naye kwakumelwe enze okufanayo. (Gen. 5:28, 29) Noma kunjalo, ukuphila kwakhe kwakugxile kuNkulunkulu hhayi ezinkathazweni zokuphila. Ngisho nalapho akha  umkhumbi, okungenzeka kwathatha iminyaka engu-40 noma engu-50, uNowa waqhubeka egxile kuNkulunkulu. Waqhubeka enza kanjalo iminyaka engu-350 ngemva kukaZamcolo. (Gen. 9:28) Uyisibonelo esihle ngempela sokholo nokulalela!

9, 10. (a) Singalulingisa kanjani ukholo nokulalela kukaNowa? (b) UJehova ubabheka kanjani labo abalalela imithetho yakhe?

⁹ Indlela esingalingisa ngayo ukholo nokulalela kukaNowa. Lokho sikwenza ngosekela ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu, ngokungabi ingxenye yezwe nangokubeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. (Math. 6:33; Joh. 15:19) Indlela yethu yokuphila yenza izwe lingasithandi. Ngisho namanje ukulalela kwethu imithetho kaNkulunkulu efana naleyo ephathelene nomshado nokuziphatha, iye yabangela ukuba abantu basikhulume kabi kwezinye izindawo. (Funda uMalaki 3:17, 18.) Nokho, njengoNowa, sesaba uJehova hhayi abantu. Siyazi ukuthi nguye kuphela ongasinika ukuphila okuphakade.​—Luka 12:4, 5.

¹⁰ Kodwa kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe uyoqhubeka ‘uhamba noNkulunkulu,’ ngisho nalapho abantu behlekisa ngawe, bekugxeka noma lapho izimo zomnotho zivivinya ukholo lwakho? Uma ulingisa ukholo nokulalela kukaNowa, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyokunakekela.​—Fil. 4:6, 7.

11. Yiziphi izinselele ezinkulu uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu ababhekana nazo eBhabhiloni? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹¹ Izinselele uDaniyeli abhekana nazo. UDaniyeli wayeyisithunjwa eBhabhiloni, idolobha elalinabantu abangenasimilo nababesebenzisa imimoya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abaseBhabhiloni babewabukela phansi amaJuda, behlekisa ngawo nangoNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova. (IHu. 137:1, 3) Kumelwe ukuba lokho kwakuwalimaza amaJuda athembekile njengoDaniyeli. Ukwenezela kulokho, uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu—uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya—babebhekwe ngeso lokhozi ngoba babezoqeqeshelwa ukwenza umsebenzi wenkosi. Babezonikwa ukudla kwasebukhosini. Nokho, ukudla nokuphuzwayo kwalethela uDaniyeli izinkinga ngoba wayengafuni ‘ukuzingcolisa ngezibiliboco zenkosi.’​—Dan. 1:5-8, 14-17.

12. (a) Yibuphi ubuntu obuhle uDaniyeli ayenabo? (b) UJehova wayembheka kanjani uDaniyeli?

¹² Kungenzeka inselele ecashile uDaniyeli abhekana nayo yayiphathelene namakhono akhe, amenza wathola isikhundla esiphakeme. (Dan. 1:19, 20) Kodwa kunokuba azikhukhumeze noma azibone ehlakaniphile, wahlala ethobekile enikeza uJehova udumo. (Dan. 2:30) Empeleni, uDaniyeli wayesemusha ngesikhathi uJehova embala phakathi kwabantu abayizibonelo zokulunga njengoNowa noJobe. Ingabe uNkulunkulu wenza iphutha? Lutho neze! UDaniyeli wahlala ethembekile futhi elalela ukuphila kwakhe konke. Lapho esecela eminyakeni eyikhulu ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kuye: “O Daniyeli, wena muntu ofiseleka kakhulu.”​—Dan. 10:11.

13. UDaniyeli kungenzeka wayeyisibusiso kumaJuda akubo ngayiphi indlela?

¹³ Ngenxa yokusekelwa uNkulunkulu, uDaniyeli waba yisikhulu esiphakeme embusweni waseBhabhiloni nowamaMede namaPheresiya. (Dan. 1:21; 6:1, 2) Mhlawumbe uJehova wabangela ukuba izinto zenzeke ngale ndlela ukuze uDaniyeli abe yisibusiso kubantu bakubo, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoJosefa eGibhithe nango-Esteri noMoridekayi ePheresiya. * (Dan. 2:48) Cabanga nje ukuthi lokho kwawaduduza kanjani amaJuda athunjiwe kuhlanganise noHezekeli, ukubona ukungenela kukaJehova ngale ndlela!

14, 15. (a) Izimo zethu zifana kanjani nezikaDaniyeli? (b) Namuhla yini abazali abangayifunda kubazali bakaDaniyeli?

 ¹⁴ Indlela esingalingisa ngayo ukholo nokulalela kukaDaniyeli. Namuhla siphila njengabantu abagogobele kuleli zwe eliziphethe kabi nelingamkhonzi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, “indawo yokuhlala yamademoni.” (IsAm. 18:2) Nathi sihlukile, yingakho sigconwa. (Marku 13:13) Ngakho, njengoDaniyeli masisondele kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wethu. Lapho sizithoba kuye futhi simethemba, nathi siyobaluleka kuye.​—Hag. 2:7

¹⁵ Abazali namuhla bangafunda esibonelweni sabazali bakaDaniyeli. Kanjani? Naphezu kobubi obabukhona kwaJuda ngesikhathi uDaniyeli eseyingane, wakhula wathanda uNkulunkulu. Kodwa lokhu akumananga nje kwazenzakalela. Abazali bakhe babemqeqeshe kahle. (IzAga 22:6) Ngisho negama likaDaniyeli, elisho ukuthi “Umahluleli Wami UNkulunkulu,” libonisa ukuthi abazali bakhe babemesaba uNkulunkulu. (Dan. 1:6) Ngakho, bazali ningayeki ukuqeqesha izingane zenu, zifundiseni ngesineke. (Efe. 6:4) Thandazani nazo futhi nizithandazele. Lapho nilwela ukugxilisa amaqiniso eBhayibheli ezinhliziyweni zazo, niyokwenza ukuba zizuze ezibusisweni zikaJehova ezicebile.​—IHu. 37:5.

16, 17. Yiziphi izinselele uJobe abhekana nazo?

¹⁶ Izinselele uJobe abhekana nazo. Ukuphila kukaJobe kusifundisa ngezinto ezimbili ezingafani. Ngaphambi kokuba abhekane nobunzima, wayemkhulu “kunabo bonke abaseMpumalanga.” (Jobe 1:3) Wayecebile, edumile futhi ehlonishwa. (Jobe 29:7-16) Naphezu kwazo zonke lezi zinto uJobe akazange aziphakamise noma acabange ukuthi akamdingi uNkulunkulu. Empeleni, uJehova wambiza ngokuthi ‘inceku yami,’ wathi: Ungumuntu “ongasoleki futhi oqotho, owesaba uNkulunkulu futhi okugwemayo okubi.”​—Jobe 1:8.

¹⁷ Kungakabiphi, ukuphila kukaJobe kwashintsha ngokuphelele. Waba mpofu kakhulu wagajwa usizi. Siyazi ukuthi lokho kwabangelwa umnyundeli uSathane owasola uJobe ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yobugovu. (Funda uJobe 1:9, 10.) UJehova akakubhekanga njengento encane lokho kumangalelwa ngamanga. Kunalokho, wanikeza uJobe ithuba lokubonisa ubuqotho bakhe, ukubonisa ukuthi wayekhulekela  uJehova ngenhliziyo emsulwa nengenabugovu.

18. (a) Yini oyithanda kakhulu ngobuqotho bukaJobe? (b) Indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo noJobe yembulani ngaYe?

¹⁸ USathane wavivinya uJobe ngezinkinga ezibuhlungu ezazilandelana ezabangela ukuba uJobe asole uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 1:13-21) Kwabe sekufika abaduduzi bamanga, abafika bahlasela uJobe ngamazwi abuhlungu, bathi uNkulunkulu umnika lokho okumfanele vele! (Jobe 2:11; 22:1, 5-10) Noma kunjalo, uJobe wahlala eqotho. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi wakhuluma kabi, kodwa uJehova wabuqonda ubuhlungu uJobe ayebuzwa. (Jobe 6:1-3) UNkulunkulu wabona indoda eyayicindezeleke kakhulu engazange imlahle, ngisho noma uSathane ayeyicindezela phansi emhlabathini, eyikhahlela ngezinsolo ezingamanga. Lapho uvivinyo lukaJobe seluphelile, konke okwakumlahlekele, uJehova wambuyisela khona kuphindwe kabili, wenezela neminyaka engu-140 ekuphileni kwakhe. (Jak. 5:11) Phakathi naleso sikhathi, waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ngokuphelele. Kungani siqiniseka ngalokho? Kwase kuphele amakhulu eminyaka uJobe efile lapho uHezekeli ebhala amazwi okusekelwe kuwo lesi sihloko.

19, 20. (a) Singalulingisa kanjani ukholo nokulalela kukaJobe? (b) Lapho sisebenzalana nabanye, singawulingisa kanjani umusa kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Indlela esingalingisa ngayo ukholo nokulalela kukaJobe. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini esibhekene nayo, masiqhubeke senza uJehova abe yinsika yokuphila kwethu, simethembe ngokuphelele futhi simlalele ngenhliziyo ephelele. Ngempela, sinesizathu esikhulu sokwenza lokho kunaleso uJobe ayenaso. Khumbula: Sazi okuningi ngoSathane namaqhinga akhe. (2 Kor. 2:11) Ngenxa yokuthi sinencwadi kaJobe, siyazi ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu evumela ukuhlupheka. Lapho sifunda isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli siyaqonda ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwuhulumeni obuswa uJesu Kristu. (Dan. 7:13, 14) Siyazi nokuthi lo Mbuso maduze uzokuqeda ngokuphelele ukuhlupheka.

²⁰ Okwenzeka kuJobe kuqokomisa isidingo sokuzwelana namaKristu abhekene nobunzima. NjengoJobe, abanye bangase bakhulume kabi ngezinye izikhathi. (UmSh. 7:7) Kodwa kunokuba sibahlulele, masibonise ukuqonda futhi sizwelane nabo. Lapho senza lokho, siyobe silingisa uBaba wethu onothando nomusa uJehova.​—IHu. 103:8.

21. Amazwi akweyoku-1 Petru 5:10 akubonisa kanjani lokho okwenzeka ekuphileni kukaNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe?

²¹ Nakuba uNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe baphila ngezikhathi ezingafani futhi babhekana nezimo ezingafani, bonke babhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezinselele. Ukufunda ngabo kusenza sikhumbule amazwi omphostoli uPetru, owabhala wathi: “Ngemva kokuba senihluphekile isikhashana . . . yena ngokwakhe uyoqedela ukuqeqeshwa kwenu, uyonenza niqine, uyonenza nibe namandla.”​—1 Pet. 5:10.

22. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²² Ngamazwi kaPetru aphefumulelwe, uJehova usiqinisekisa ngokuthi uzokwenza izinceku zakhe ziqine zibe namandla. La mazwi ayasebenza nakubantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Sonke sifisa ukuba uJehova asenze sibe namandla futhi sihlale siqinile njengoba simkhonza. Ngakho, sifuna ukulingisa isibonelo sokuba nokholo nokulalela kukaNowa, uDaniyeli noJobe! Njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo, into eyabasiza baba qotho ukuthi babemazi kahle uJehova. Empeleni ‘babekuqonda konke’ ayekufuna kubo. (IzAga 28:5) Kunjalo nangathi namuhla.