1-2. (a) UMose wayengumuntu onjani, futhi yini ayenza? (b) Yisiphi isizathu esinaso sokufuna ukuba mnene?

IBHAYIBHELI lithi uMose “wayemnene ukubadlula kude bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Num. 12:3) Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi wayeyigwala, emanqikanqika futhi engakwazi ukuzikhulumela? Abanye bangase bamchaze kanjalo umuntu omnene. Kodwa akunjalo. UMose wayengelona igwala, wayekwazi ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile futhi eyinceku kaNkulunkulu enesibindi. Esizwa uJehova, wakhuluma nombusi onamandla waseGibhithe, wahola abantu abangaba ngu-3 000 000 ehlane, wasiza isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sanqoba izitha zaso.

² Asibhekani nezinkinga uMose abhekana nazo, kodwa usuku nosuku kumelwe sibhekane nabantu noma izimo ezenza kube nzima ukuba mnene. Noma kunjalo, sinesizathu esihle sokufuna ukuba mnene. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi “abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba.” (IHu. 37:11) Ingabe wena uzibheka njengomuntu omnene? Ingabe abanye bakubheka kanjalo? Ngaphambi kokuba siphendule le mibuzo ebalulekile, kudingeka sazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba mnene.

3-4. (a) Ubumnene bungafaniswa nani? (b) Yiziphi izimfanelo ezine esizidingayo ukuze sibe mnene, futhi kungani?

³ Ubumnene * bufana nesithombe esihle esidwetshiwe. Kanjani? Njengoba nje umdwebi ehlanganisa imibala eminingi  emihle ukuze adwebe isithombe, nathi kumelwe sibe nezimfanelo eziningana ezinhle ukuze sibe mnene. Ezinye zalezi zimfanelo ukuthobeka, ukulalela, ukuzola nesibindi. Kungani sidinga ukuba nalezi zimfanelo uma sifuna ukujabulisa uJehova?

⁴ Abantu abathobekile kuphela abalalela lokho uNkulunkulu akushoyo. Enye yezinto uNkulunkulu azifunayo ukuba sibe abantu abazolile. (IzAga 29:11; Gal. 5:23) Lapho senza lokho uNkulunkulu akushoyo, uSathane uthukuthela agan’ unwabu. Ngakho nakuba sithobekile futhi sizolile, abantu abaningi ezweni likaSathane bayasizonda. (Joh. 15:18, 19) Ngenxa yalokho, kudingeka sibe nesibindi sokumelana noSathane.

5-6. (a) Kungani uSathane ebazonda abantu abamnene? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyiphendula?

⁵ Umuntu ongenabo ubumnene uyaqhosha, akakwazi ukulawula intukuthelo yakhe futhi akamlaleli uJehova. Lokhu kumchaza kahle kakhulu uSathane. Shono nje ebazonda abantu abamnene! Babonisa indlela amubi ngayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bafakazela ukuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga. Kanjani? Ngokuthi bangayeki ukukhonza uJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uSathane uthini noma wenzani.—Jobe 2:3-5.

⁶ Kunini lapho kungase kube nzima khona ukuba mnene? Kungani kufanele siqhubeke sifuna ubumnene? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, sizohlola isibonelo sikaMose, samaHebheru amathathu ayethunjwe eBhabhiloni nesikaJesu.

7-8. Yini uMose ayenza lapho u-Aroni noMiriyamu bemgxeka?

⁷ Lapho sinikezwa igunya: Kungaba nzima ngabantu abanikezwe igunya ukuhlala bemnene, ikakhulukazi lapho umuntu ongaphansi kwegunya labo engabahloniphi noma emelana nezinqumo zabo. Ingabe kwake kwenzeka lokhu kuwe? Ungenzenjani uma ilungu lomndeni lingalihloniphi igunya lakho? Cabanga ngalokho uMose akwenza lapho ebhekene nalesi simo.

⁸ UJehova wakhetha uMose ukuba ahole ama-Israyeli futhi wamnika ilungelo lokuba awabhalele imithetho. Kwakungangabazeki ukuthi uJehova wayemsekela uMose. Noma kunjalo, udadewabo uMiriyamu  nomfowabo u-Aroni bagxeka uMose futhi bamelana nesinqumo sakhe sokushada nowesifazane wakwesinye isizwe. Abanye abantu abangabhekana nesimo esifana nesikaMose bangathukuthela futhi bazame ukuziphindiselela, kodwa uMose akazange akwenze lokho. Akazange acasuke. Waze ngisho wacela uJehova ukuba aphulukise uMiriyamu ochokweni. (Num. 12:1-13) Kungani uMose enza kanjalo?

9-10. (a) Yini uJehova asiza uMose ukuba ayiqonde? (b) Izinhloko zemindeni nabadala bangafundani esibonelweni sikaMose?

⁹ UMose wavumela uJehova ukuba amqeqeshe. Wayengeyena umuntu omnene ngesikhathi eyilungu lomndeni wasebukhosini eGibhithe eminyakeni engu-40 ngaphambilini. Empeleni, wayeshesha ukucasuka kangangokuba waze wabulala umuntu ngoba embona eshaya omunye. UMose wayecabanga ukuthi uJehova uzojabula ngalokho akwenza. Kwathatha uJehova iminyaka engu-40 ukuba asize uMose aqonde ukuthi wayedinga okungaphezu nje kwesibindi ukuze ahole ama-Israyeli; wayedinga ukuba mnene. Kodwa futhi ukuze abe mnene, kwakudingeka athobeke, alalele futhi abe umuntu ozolile. Wakufunda lokhu futhi waba umholi omuhle kakhulu.—Eks. 2:11, 12; IzE. 7:21-30, 36.

¹⁰ Namuhla, izinhloko zemindeni nabadala kufanele balingise uMose. Lapho ungahlonishwa, ungasheshi ucasuke. Ngokuthobeka, vuma ukuthi nawe uyawenza amaphutha. (UmSh. 7:9, 20) Lalela isiqondiso sikaJehova sendlela yokuxazulula izinkinga. Phendula ngomoya ozolile ngaso sonke isikhathi. (IzAga 15:1) Izinhloko zemindeni nabadala abenza ngale ndlela bajabulisa uJehova, basiza kube nokuthula futhi babeka isibonelo esihle sokuba mnene.

11-13. AmaHebheru amathathu asibekela siphi isibonelo?

¹¹ Lapho sishushiswa: Kuwo wonke umlando, ababusi bebelokhu beshushisa abantu bakaJehova. Bangase basimangalele ngokuthi senza izinto ezimbi, kodwa inkinga yabo enkulu iwukuthi ‘silalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabo.’ (IzE. 5:29) Bangase bahlekise ngathi, basifake emajele noma basishaye. Nokho, uJehova uyosisiza singaziphindiseleli kodwa sihlale sizolile phakathi nalolo shushiso.

¹² Cabanga ngesibonelo samaHebheru amathathu ayethunjiwe, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya. * Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yawayala ukuba akhothamele isithombe esikhulu segolide. Ngomoya ozolile, ayichazela  inkosi ukuthi kungani engeke asikhothamele lesi sithombe. Alalela uNkulunkulu naphezu kokuba inkosi iwasongela ngokuwaphonsa emlilweni. Nakuba uJehova anquma ukuwasindisa, kodwa wona ayengazange aphethe ngokuthi uzowasindisa. Kunalokho, ayezimisele ukwamukela noma yini uJehova ayezovumela ukuba yenzeke. (Dan. 3:1, 8-28) Abonisa ukuthi abantu abamnene banesibindi ngempela—ayikho inkosi, usongo nesijeziso esingasenza siyeke “ukuzinikela [kuJehova] kuphela.”—Eks. 20:4, 5.

¹³ Singawalingisa kanjani amaHebheru amathathu lapho ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu buvivinywa? Ngokuthobeka, siba nethemba lokuthi uJehova uzosivikela. (IHu. 118:6, 7) Sibaphendula ngomoya omnene nangenhlonipho labo abasimangalela ngokwenza izinto ezimbi. (1 Pet. 3:15) Senqaba ngokuphelele ukwenza noma yini engalimaza ubungane esinabo noBaba wethu onothando.

14-15. (a) Yini engenzeka lapho sicindezelekile? (b) Ngokuka-Isaya 53:7, 10, kungani singase sithi uJesu uyisibonelo esiphawuleka kunazo zonke somuntu owabonisa ubumnene lapho ecindezelekile?

¹⁴ Lapho sicindezelekile: Ziningi izinto ezisicindezelayo. Kungenzeka sike sazizwa sicindezelekile lapho sizobhala isivivinyo esikoleni noma lapho kufanele senze okuthile emsebenzini. Singase futhi sicindezeleke lapho sicabanga ngezindlela zokwelapha okungase kudingeke sizikhethe. Kunzima ukuba mnene lapho sicindezelekile. Izinto ezivame ukungasikhathazi zingase ziqale ukusicasula. Singase sikhulume kabi nabanye noma sibaphathe ngendlela engenamusa. Uma uzizwa ucindezelekile, cabanga ngesibonelo sikaJesu.

¹⁵ Ezinyangeni zokugcina zokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni, uJesu wayecindezeleke kakhulu. Wayazi ukuthi wayesazobhekana nobunzima obukhulu futhi abulawe. (Joh. 3:14, 15; Gal. 3:13) Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba afe, wathi ukhathazekile. (Luka 12:50) Kanti ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba afe, wathi: “Umphefumulo wami ukhathazekile.” Singakubona ukuthobeka kwakhe nokulalela uNkulunkulu lapho ethulula isifuba sakhe ngomthandazo: “Baba, ngisindise kuleli hora. Nokho, kungakho ngifike kuleli hora. Baba, khazimulisa igama lakho.” (Joh. 12:27, 28) Lapho sekufika isikhathi sokuba afe, uJesu waziveza ngesibindi ezitheni zikaNkulunkulu, ezambulala kabuhlungu nangendlela ehlazisayo. Nakuba ayecindezelekile futhi ebhekene nobunzima, waba mnene wenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJesu uyisibonelo esiphawuleka kunazo zonke somuntu owabonisa ubumnene lapho ecindezelekile!—Funda u-Isaya 53:7, 10.

16-17. (a) Abangane bakaJesu babuvivinya kanjani ubumnene bakhe? (b) Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu?

¹⁶ Ngobusuku bokugcina uJesu ephila emhlabeni, abangane bakhe abaseduze benza into eyavivinya ubumnene bakhe. Ake ucabange ngezinto ezazenza uJesu acindezeleke ngalobo busuku. Ingabe wayezohlala ethembekile kuze kube sekufeni? Ukuphila kwezigidigidi zabantu kwakuxhomeke kulokho ayezokwenza. (Roma 5:18, 19) Okukhulu nakakhulu ukuthi lokho ayezokwenza kwakungaletha isihlamba noma kukhazimulise igama likaJehova. (Jobe 2:4) Phakathi nesidlo sokugcina nabangane bakhe abaseduze abangabaphostoli, kwaba khona “impikiswano evuthayo ngokuthi ubani kubo owayebonakala emkhulu kunabo bonke.” UJesu wayesekhulume nabo ngalolu daba izikhathi eziningi, ngisho nasemahoreni ambalwa ngaphambi kwalokhu! UJesu akazange acasuke,  kunalokho wabonisa ubumnene. Ngomusa, waphinde wachaza isimo sengqondo okwakufanele babe naso. Wabe esebancoma abangane bakhe ngokuhlala beqotho kuye.—Luka 22:24-28; Joh. 13:1-5, 12-15.

¹⁷ Wawuyokwenzenjani ukube wawusesimweni esifanayo? Singalingisa uJesu futhi sihlale sinomoya ozolile ngisho nalapho sicindezelekile. Kufanele silalele umyalo kaJehova othi: “Qhubekani nibekezelelana.” (Kol. 3:13) Sizowulalela lo myalo uma sikhumbula ukuthi sonke siyazikhuluma futhi siyazenza izinto ezicasula abanye. (IzAga 12:18; Jak. 3:2, 5) Masizame nokubancoma abanye lapho benza izinto ezinhle.—Efe. 4:29.

18. UJehova ubasiza kanjani abantu abamnene ukuba benze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile, kodwa yini okumelwe bayenze?

¹⁸ Siyokwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. Lapho sibhekene nezinqumo ezinzima, uJehova uyosisiza sikwazi ukunquma kahle—kodwa uyosisiza kuphela uma simnene. Uthembisa ukuthi uyosizwa “isifiso sabamnene.” (IHu. 10:17) Ngeke agcine nje ngokuzwa izicelo zethu, kodwa iBhayibheli lithi: “Uyokwenza abamnene bahambe esinqumweni sakhe sokwahlulela, futhi uyofundisa abamnene indlela yakhe.” (IHu. 25:9) UJehova usiqondisa esebenzisa iBhayibheli, izincwadi * namavidiyo esiwathola ‘ngenceku ethembekile neqondayo.’ (Math. 24:45-47) Kumelwe senze ingxenye yethu, sivume ngokuthobeka ukuthi siyaludinga usizo. Kumelwe sitadishe futhi sibukele konke lokho uJehova asinika kona bese sikusebenzisa ekuphileni kwethu.

19-21. Yiliphi iphutha uMose alenza eKadeshi, futhi iziphi izifundo thina esingazifunda?

¹⁹ Sizokugwema ukwenza amaphutha. Ake uphinde ucabange ngoMose. Kwaphela iminyaka emnene futhi ejabulisa uJehova. Ngasekupheleni kohambo lweminyaka engu-40 olwalunzima ehlane, uMose wahluleka ukubonisa ubumnene. Udadewabo, cishe okunguye owayesindise ukuphila kwakhe eGibhithe, wayesanda kufa futhi wangcwatshwa eKadeshi. Manje, ama-Israyeli aphinde akhononda ngokuthi ayengazitholi izinto ayezidinga. Kulokhu “axabana noMose” efuna amanzi. Abantu bakhononda naphezu kwazo zonke izimangaliso  uJehova ayezenzile esebenzisa uMose kanye nendlela engenabugovu uMose ayebahole ngayo isikhathi eside. Abagcinanga nje ngokukhononda ngamanzi kodwa bakhononda nangoMose, kwaba sengathi kwakuyiphutha lakhe ukuthi babengenawo amanzi.—Num. 20:1-5, 9-11.

²⁰ Ethukuthele engqangqa, uMose wehluleka ukuhlala ezolile. Kunokuba abonise ukholo akhulume nedwala, njengoba uJehova ayemyalile, uMose wakhuluma nabantu ethukuthele futhi wazidumisa yena. Wabe eseshaya idwala kabili futhi kwaphuma amanzi amaningi. Ukuqhosha nentukuthelo kwabangela ukuba enze iphutha azisola ngalo. (IHu. 106:32, 33) Ngenxa yokwehluleka ukubonisa ubumnene ngaleso sikhathi, uMose akazange avunyelwe ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso.—Num. 20:12.

²¹ Sifunda izifundo ezibalulekile kule ndaba. Esokuqala, kumelwe sizimisele ukuba mnene ngaso sonke isikhathi. Uma sehluleka ukuba mnene ngisho nakanye nje, ukuqhosha kuyosenza sikhulume futhi senze izinto eziwubuwula. Esesibili, ukucindezeleka kungasenza sibe buthaka, ngakho kumelwe sizimisele ukuhlala simnene ngisho nalapho sicindezelekile.

22-23. (a) Kungani kufanele siqhubeke sifuna ubumnene? (b) Amazwi akuZefaniya 2:3 abonisani?

²² Sizovikeleka. Maduze uJehova uzosusa bonke abantu ababi emhlabeni, futhi kuyosala kuphela abantu abamnene. Ngaleso sikhathi umhlaba uyoba nokuthula ngempela. (IHu. 37:10, 11) Ingabe uyoba phakathi kwalabo bantu abamnene? Ungaba phakathi kwabo uma ulalela lokho uJehova asikhuthaza ukuba sikwenze encwadini kaZefaniya.—Funda uZefaniya 2:3.

²³ Kungani uZefaniya 2:3 ethi: “Mhlawumbe ningase nisitshekelwe”? La mazwi awasho ukuthi uJehova akakwazi ukuvikela abantu abafuna ukumjabulisa nabathandayo. Kunalokho, asho ukuthi kufanele senze okuthile ukuze sivikeleke. Siyosinda “ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova” futhi siphile phakade uma sizama manje ukufuna ubumnene sijabulise uJehova.