1-2. IHubo 25:14 lithi yini okumele siyenze ukuze sibe nobungani obuseduze noJehova?

 YIZIPHI izimfanelo ocabanga ukuthi zibalulekile uma ufuna ukuhlale uwumngani oseduze nomuntu? Cishe ungaphendula ngokuthi abangani abasondelene kufanele bathandane futhi basekelane. Mhlawumbe ubungeke ucabange ukuthi ukwesaba kuyimfanelo ebalulekile kubangani abathandanayo. Nokho, njengoba umBhalo okusekelwe kuwo lesi sihloko usho, labo abafuna ukuba nobungani obuseduze noJehova kumele ‘bamesabe.’​—Funda iHubo 25:14.

² Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesinesikhathi esingakanani sikhonza uJehova, sonke kudingeka simesabe ngezinga elifanele. Kodwa kusho ukuthini ukwesaba uNkulunkulu? Singakufunda kanjani ukumesaba? Yini esingayifunda ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu kumphathi u-Obadiya, kumPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada naseNkosini uJehowashi?

3. Chaza ukuthi yini engasenza sesabe, futhi lokho kungasithinta kanjani.

³ Kungenzeka sesabe uma sicabanga ukuthi singase silimale ngandlela-thile. Lolu hlobo lokwesaba lungaba luhle futhi lungasisiza senze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. Ukwesaba ukuthi sizowa kungasenza singahambi eduze kakhulu kwewa. Ukwesaba ukulimala kungasenza sisibalekele isimo esiyingozi. Ukwesaba ukuqeda ubungani nomuntu esimthandayo kungasisiza  sigweme ukusho noma ukwenza into engamzwisa ubuhlungu.

4. Uhlobo olunjani lokwesaba uSathane afuna sibe nalo ngoJehova?

⁴ USathane ufuna abantu bamesabe ngezinga elingafanele uJehova. USathane ukhuthaza umbono owashiwo u-Elifazi​—ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu onenzondo nothukuthele, okungelula neze ukumjabulisa. (Jobe 4:18, 19) USathane ufuna sesabe uJehova kakhulu kangangokuba size siyeke ukumkhonza. Ukuze sigweme lolo gibe, kudingeka sifunde ukumesaba ngendlela efanele uNkulunkulu.

5. Kusho ukuthini ukwesaba uNkulunkulu?

⁵ Umuntu omesaba ngendlela efanele uNkulunkulu uyamthanda futhi akafuni ukwenza noma yini ezolimaza ubuhlobo bakhe naye. UJesu ‘wayemesaba’ ngaleyo ndlela “uNkulunkulu.” (Heb. 5:7) Akazange amesabe ngendlela emenza ethuke. (Isaya 11:2, 3) Kunalokho, wayemthanda ngendlela ejulile futhi efuna ukumlalela. (Joh. 14:21, 31) NjengoJesu, nathi simhlonipha ngokujulile futhi siyamazisa uJehova ngenxa yokuthi unothando, uhlakaniphile, unobulungisa futhi unamandla. Siyazi nokuthi uJehova usithanda kakhulu futhi iyamthinta indlela esisabela ngayo lapho esiqondisa. Kuphakathi kokuthi simzwisa ubuhlungu uJehova noma simenza ajabule.​—IHu. 78:41; IzAga 27:11.

6. Iyiphi enye yezindlela esingafunda ngayo ukwesaba uNkulunkulu? (IHubo 34:11)

⁶ Asizalwa simesaba uJehova; kumele sikufunde. (Funda iHubo 34:11.) Enye indlela esingakufunda ngayo ukuhlola indalo. Lapho sibona ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu, amandla akhe nendlela asithanda ngayo ngokujulile, njengoba siyibona ‘ezintweni ezenziwe,’ simthanda futhi simhloniphe nakakhulu. (Roma 1:20) Udade okuthiwa u-Adrienne wathi, “Ukuhlakanipha kukaJehova esikubona ezintweni ezidaliwe kuyangimangaza futhi kuyangisiza ngibone ukuthi uyakwazi okungifanele.” Ukuzindla kwakhe kwamenza wafinyelela lesi siphetho, “Ngingayenza kanjani nje into engalimaza ubuhlobo bami noJehova, uMuntu owangidala?” Ungazinika yini isikhathi kuleli viki ucabange ngento ethile uJehova ayidalile? Ukwenza kanjalo kuzokwenza umhloniphe futhi umthande nakakhulu uJehova.​—IHu. 111:2, 3.

7. Umthandazo ungasisiza kanjani sifunde ukumesaba ngezinga elifanele uJehova?

⁷ Enye yezindlela esingafunda ngayo ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ukuthandaza njalo. Lapho sithandaza njalo, uJehova uba ngokoqobo nakakhulu kithi. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho simcela asiphe amandla okukhuthazelela uvivinyo, sikhumbula amandla akhe amangalisayo. Lapho simbonga ngesipho esiyiNdodana yakhe, sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda. Lapho sinxusa uJehova ukuba asisize ngenkinga ethile, sikhumbula ukuthi uhlakaniphile. Imithandazo enjalo isenza simhloniphe uJehova. Isenza sizimisele nakakhulu ukugwema noma yini engalimaza ubungani bethu naye.

8. Yini esingayenza ukuze siqhubeke simesaba uNkulunkulu?

⁸ Singakwazi ukuqhubeka simesaba uNkulunkulu ngokutadisha iBhayibheli sinomgomo wokufunda ezibonelweni ezinhle nezimbi ezikulo. Ake sixoxe ngezinceku ezimbili ezithembekile zikaJehova​—u-Obadiya owayengumphathi esigodlweni seNkosi u-Ahabi nomPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada. Sizobe sesibona ukuthi yini esingayifunda enkosini yakwaJuda uJehowashi, owaqala ekhonza uJehova kamuva wayeka.

9. Ukwesaba uJehova kwamsiza kanjani u-Obadiya? (1 AmaKhosi 18:3, 12)

⁹ EBhayibhelini u-Obadiya b wethulwa ngala mazwi: “U-Obadiya wayemesaba kakhulu uJehova.” (Funda eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 18:3, 12.) Lokhu kumesaba ngendlela efanele uJehova kwamsiza kanjani u-Obadiya? Phakathi kokunye, kwamenza umuntu othembekile nokungathenjelwa kuye; ngakho, inkosi yamenza umphathi womndeni wasebukhosini. (Qhathanisa noNehemiya 7:2.) Ukwesaba kuka-Obadiya uNkulunkulu kwamenza waba nesibindi esingavamile​—imfanelo ayeyidinga ngempela. Wayephila ngesikhathi kubusa inkosi embi u-Ahabi, ‘eyayenza okubi kakhulu emehlweni kaJehova kunawo wonke [amakhosi] ayengaphambi kwayo.’ (1 AmaKh. 16:30) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJezebeli, inkosikazi ka-Ahabi ekhonza uBhali, wayemzonda uJehova kangangokuba wazama ukuqeda ukukhulekela okumsulwa embusweni wasenyakatho. Waze wabulala ngisho nabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu abaningi. (1 AmaKh. 18:4) Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Obadiya wayekhonza uJehova phakathi nesikhathi esinzima.

10. U-Obadiya wasibonisa kanjani isibindi esingavamile?

¹⁰ U-Obadiya wasibonisa kanjani isibindi esingavamile? Lapho uJezebeli eqala ukufuna abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu ukuze ababulale, u-Obadiya wathatha abangu-100 kubo wabafihla ‘ngamaqembu abangamashumi amahlanu emgedeni ngamunye, elokhu ebanika isinkwa namanzi.’ (1 AmaKh. 18:13, 14) Ukube wabanjwa, nakanjani u-Obadiya owayenesibindi wayezobulawa. Yiqiniso, cishe wayesaba, wayengafuni ukufa. Kodwa wayethanda uJehova nalabo abamkhonzayo ngaphezu kokuphila kwakhe.

11. Izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla zifana kanjani no-Obadiya? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹¹ Namuhla, ziningi izinceku zikaJehova ezihlala emazweni lapho umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwe khona. Ziyazihlonipha iziphathimandla ngezinga elifanele, kodwa njengo-Obadiya,  laba bafowethu nodadewethu abayigugu banikeza uJehova okungokwakhe​—bazinikela kuye kuphela. (Math. 22:21) Babonisa ukuthi bayamesaba uNkulunkulu ngokulalela yena kunokulalela abantu. (IzE. 5:29) Lokhu bakwenza ngokuqhubeka beshumayela izindaba ezinhle nangokuhlangana ndawonye ezindaweni ezingeke zibadonsele amehlo. (Math. 10:16, 28) Bayaqikelela ukuthi abafowabo nodadewabo bayazithola izinto ezizobasiza bahlale besondelene noJehova. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaHenri, ohlala ezweni lase-Afrika, lapho umsebenzi wethu wawuvinjelwe khona okwesikhathi esithile. Phakathi nokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wethu, uHenri wavolontiyela ukuhambisela oFakazi izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Wabhala: “Mina nginamahloni ngokwemvelo. Ngakho ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi ukuhlonipha kwami uJehova ngokujulile yikona okwanginika isibindi engangisidinga.” Ungazibona yini ngeso lengqondo nawe unesibindi njengoHenri? Ungazibona uma umesaba ngezinga elifanele uNkulunkulu.

12. UmPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada nomkakhe babubonisa kanjani ubuqotho bangempela kuJehova?

¹² UmPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada wayemesaba uJehova futhi lokho kwamenza waba qotho, wakhuthaza nokukhulekela kweqiniso. Lokho kwabonakala ngesikhathi indodakazi kaJezebeli, u-Athaliya, iqhwaga ubukhosi kwaJuda. Abantu babenesizathu esihle sokumesaba u-Athaliya. Wayenenhliziyo embi, ethanda izikhundla kangangokuba wazama ukubulala lonke uhlu lozalo lwasebukhosini​—okwakungabazukulu bakhe! (2 IziKr. 22:10, 11) Enye yalezo zingane​—uJehowashi—​akafanga ngoba inkosikazi kaJehoyada, uJehoshabeyati, yamsindisa. Yena nomyeni wakhe bayifihla le ngane bayinakekela. Ngaleyo ndlela, uJehoyada noJehoshabeyati basiza ekulondolozeni amakhosi asohlwini lukaDavide. UJehoyada wayeqotho kuJehova futhi akazange avumele ukwesaba u-Athaliya kumvimbe angakwenzi okulungile.​—IzAga 29:25.

13. Lapho uJehowashi eseneminyaka eyisikhombisa, uJehoyada waphinde wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uqotho?

¹³ Lapho uJehowashi eseneminyaka eyisikhombisa, uJehoyada waphinde wabonisa ukuthi uqotho kuJehova. Wenza iqhinga. Uma liphumelela, uJehowashi wayezoba inkosi, indlalifa efanele kaDavide. Kodwa uma lingaphumeleli, uJehoyada cishe wayezofa nakanjani. UJehova wambusisa, laphumelela lelo qhinga. UJehoyada, esekelwa yizinduna namaLevi, wabeka uJehowashi waba inkosi, wathi u-Athaliya akabulawe. (2 IziKr. 23:1-5, 11, 12, 15; 24:1) UJehoyada wabe ‘esenza isivumelwano phakathi kukaJehova nenkosi nabantu, ukuthi bazoqhubeka bengabantu bakaJehova.’ (2 AmaKh. 11:17) “Wamisa nabalindisango ngasemasangweni endlu kaJehova ukuze kungangeni muntu ongcole nganoma iyiphi indlela.”​—2 IziKr. 23:19.

14. UJehoyada wadunyiswa kanjani ngenxa yokuthi wayedumise uJehova?

¹⁴ Ngaphambili, uJehova wayethe: “Labo abangidumisayo ngiyobadumisa.” Wamvuza ngempela uJehoyada. (1 Sam. 2:30) Ngokwesibonelo, wenza ukuba izenzo ezinhle zalo mpristi zibhalwe ukuze sizuze. (Roma 15:4) Lapho uJehoyada eshona, wahlonishwa ngendlela ekhethekile ngokungcwatshwa “eDolobheni LikaDavide kanye namakhosi, ngoba wayenze okuhle kwa-Israyeli ngokuphathelene noNkulunkulu weqiniso nendlu yaKhe.”​—2 IziKr. 24:15, 16.

15. Yini esiyifundayo endabeni kaJehoyada? (Bheka nesithombe.)

 ¹⁵ Indaba kaJehoyada ingasisiza sonke sifunde ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. Abadala bangalingisa uJehoyada ngokuhlale beqaphile nangokuvikela umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngobuqotho. (IzE. 20:28) Asebekhulile bangafunda kuJehoyada ukuthi uma besaba uJehova futhi behlala beqotho, angabasebenzisa ukuze afeze injongo yaKhe. Akayeki ukubasebenzisa. Abasebasha bangaphawula indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo uJehoyada futhi bangamlingisa ngokubaphatha kahle nangenhlonipho asebekhulile, ikakhulukazi labo abanomlando omude wokukhonza uJehova ngobuqotho. (IzAga 16:31) Ekugcineni, sonke singafunda isifundo ezinduneni namaLevi asekela uJehoyada. Masibasekele ngobuqotho “abaholayo” ngokubalalela.​—Heb. 13:17.

16. Yini ebonisa ukuthi iNkosi uJehowashi yayingathembekile?

¹⁶ INkosi uJehowashi yazuza ethonyeni elihle likaJehoyada. (2 AmaKh. 12:2) Ngenxa yalokho, le nkosi esencane yayifuna ukujabulisa uJehova. Kodwa ngemva kokufa kukaJehoyada, uJehowashi walalela izikhulu eziyizihlubuki. Waba yini umphumela? Yena nabantu ayebabusa “baqala ukukhonza izigxobo ezingcwele nezithixo.” (2 IziKr. 24:4, 17, 18) UJehova wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu, ‘wayelokhu ethuma abaprofethi kubo ukuze bababuyisele [kuye], kodwa abalalelanga.’ Abazange bayilalele ngisho nendodana kaJehoyada uZakariya, eyayingeyena nje umprofethi nompristi kaJehova, kodwa eyayingumzala kaJehowashi. Empeleni, iNkosi uJehowashi  ayikubonisanga ukubonga emndenini owawusindise ukuphila kwayo, yayala ukuba uZakariya abulawe.​—2 IziKr. 22:11; 24:19-22.

17. Izinto zamhambela kanjani uJehowashi?

¹⁷ UJehowashi akazange aqhubeke emesaba ngezinga elifanele uJehova, ngenxa yalokho izinto zamhambela kabi. UJehova wayethe: “Labo abangidelelayo bayoba yinto engelutho.” (1 Sam. 2:30) Kamuva, ibutho elincane laseSiriya lanqoba “ibutho elikhulu kakhulu” likaJehowashi futhi “lamshiya emanxebanxeba.” Lapho abaseSiriya sebehambile, uJehowashi wabulawa yizinceku zakhe ngoba ebulale uZakariya. Leyo nkosi ekhohlakele yayingakufanelekele ngisho nokungcwatshwa “emangcwabeni amakhosi.”​—2 IziKr. 24:23-25.

18. NgokukaJeremiya 17:7, 8, singakugwema kanjani ukufana noJehowashi?

¹⁸ Singafundani esibonelweni sikaJehowashi? Wayefana nesihlahla esinezimpande ezingajulile esiphaswe ngesigxobo. Lapho lesi sigxobo—esinguJehoyada—sesingasekho nomoya wokuhlubuka uvunguza, uJehowashi wawa bhu phansi. Lo mfanekiso onamandla ubonisa ukuthi ukwesaba kwethu uNkulunkulu akumele kuncike kuphela ethonyeni elihle lamanye amaKristu, ngisho namalungu omndeni wethu. Ukuze siqhubeke sinobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu, kumele siqinise ukuzinikela nokumesaba kwethu ngokutadisha njalo, ngokuzindla nokuthandaza.​—Funda uJeremiya 17:7, 8; Kol. 2:6, 7.

19. Yini uJehova ayicela kithi?

¹⁹ Akukuningi ngempela uJehova akucela kithi. Akucelayo kufingqwe kumShumayeli 12:13, othi: “Yesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngoba lokhu kuyiso sonke isibopho somuntu.” Uma sesaba uNkulunkulu, siyokwazi ukubhekana novivinyo oluseza, sime siqine njengo-Obadiya noJehoyada. Ayikho into eyoqeda ubungani bethu noJehova.