Ingabe Ulandela UJehova Ngokugcwele?

“ABALUNGILEYO banesibindi njengengonyama.” (IzAga 28:1) Babonisa ukholo, bathembela eZwini likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi, futhi baqhubekela phambili ngesibindi enkonzweni kaJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi babhekana nayiphi ingozi.

Lapho ama-Israyeli eseSinayi ngemva kokuba uNkulunkulu ewakhulule ebugqilini baseGibithe  ngekhulu le-16 B.C.E., amadoda amabili ngokukhethekile azibonakalisa enesibindi njengezingonyama. Futhi abonisa ukwethembeka kuJehova ngaphansi kwezimo ezingathandeki. Enye yalamadoda kwakunguJoshuwa wakwa-Efrayimi, owayeyinceku kaMose futhi kamuva owamiswa ukuba athathe isikhundla sakhe. (Eksodusi 33:11; Numeri 13:8, 16; Duteronomi 34:9; Joshuwa 1:1, 2) Enye kwakunguKalebi, indodana kaJefune wesizwe sakwaJuda.—Numeri 13:6; 32:12.

UKalebi wenza intando kaJehova ngokwethembeka nangentshiseko. Ukuphila kwakhe okude kwenkonzo yokwethembeka kuNkulunkulu kwamenza wakwazi ukuthi ‘wayelandele uJehova ngokugcwele.’ (Joshuwa 14:8, NW) I-New American Bible ithi: “Ngangithembeke ngokuphelele eNKOSINI, uNkulunkulu wami.” UKalebi “walalela ngokwethembeka,” noma “wafeza ngokwethembeka injongo,” kaJehova uNkulunkulu. (Today’s English Version; The New English Bible) Uma kubekwa ngenye indlela, uKalebi wathi: “Mina . . . ngalandela iNKOSI uNkulunkulu wami ngenhliziyo yonke.” (New International Version) Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe ulandela uJehova ngokugcwele?

Ukuhlola Izwe

Ake uzicabange uphakathi kwama-Israyeli ngemva nje kokuba uJehova ewakhulule ekubeni yizigqila zabaseGibithe. Bheka indlela umprofethi uMose alandela ngayo iziyalezo ezivela kuNkulunkulu. Yebo, phawula futhi ukuqiniseka kukaKalebi ngokuthi uJehova unabantu baKhe.

Sekuwunyaka wesibili ngemva koFuduko olusuka eGibithe, futhi ama-Israyeli amise eKadeshi-Barineya ehlane lasePharanu. Ami emngceleni weZwe Lesithembiso. Ngokuyala kukaNkulunkulu, cishe uMose usezothumela izinhloli ezingu-12 eKhanani. Uthi: “Yenyukani ngalapha, niye ngaseningizimu, nikhuphukele ezintabeni, nibone izwe ukuthi linjani, nabantu abakhé kulo ukuthi banamandla noma babuthakathaka, bayingcosana noma baningi yini, nokuthi izwe abakhé kulo linjani, noma lihle noma libi, nokuthi imizi abahlala kuyo injani, noma ngamakamu noma yizinqaba, nokuthi izwe linjani, noma livundile noma limpofu, noma linezinkuni noma qha. Yibani-nesibindi, nibuye nezithelo zezwe.”—Numeri 13:17-20.

Lamadoda angu-12 aqalisa uhambo lwawo oluyingozi. Loluhambo lwawo lwathatha izinsuku ezingu-40. EHebroni abona amadoda azimukile. Esigodini sase-Eshikoli, aphawula umkhiqizo wezwe futhi anquma ukuphindela emuva nezinye zezithelo zalo. Ihlukuzo elilodwa lomvini lisinda kakhulu kangangokuba kumelwe lithwalwe amadoda amabili ngenduku!—Numeri 13:21-25.

Ziphindela ekamu lama-Israyeli, lezinhloli ziyabika: “Safika-ke ezweni owasithuma kulo; ngempela livamé ubisi nezinyosi; lokhu kuyizithelo zalo. Nokho abantu abakhé ezweni banamandla, imizi ibiyelwe, mikhulu kakhulu; futhi sabona abantwana bakwa-Anaki khona. UAmaleki wakhile ezweni laseningizimu, amaHeti, namaJebusi, nama-Amori ahlala ezintabeni; amaKhanani akhile ngaselwandle naseceleni kweJordani.” (Numeri 13:26-29) Izinhloli eziyishumi azikulungele ukwamukela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nokuya eZweni Lesithembiso.

“UJehova Unathi”

Nokho, ngokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu inhloli engesabi uKalebi iyanxusa: “Masenyuke khona manje, silidle, ngokuba sinamandla okulinqoba.” Kodwa izinhloli eziyishumi ziyenqaba, zithi izakhamuzi zaseKhanani zinamandla kunama-Israyeli. Lezinhloli ezinengebhe nezingenakholo zizibheka njengezintethe nje ngokuqhathaniswa.—Numeri 13:30-33.

“UJehova unathi; ningabesabi,” kunxusa uKalebi noJoshuwa. Amazwi abo awela phansi. Lapho abantu bekhuluma ngokubakhanda ngamatshe, uNkulunkulu uyangenela futhi ukhipha isigwebo kulabo abakhonondayo: “Abayikungena ngempela ezweni engaphakamisa ngalo  isandla sami ukuthi bengiyakunakhisa kulo, ngaphandle kukaKalebi indodana kaJefune noJoshuwa indodana kaNuni. Kepha abancane benu . . . ngiyakubangenisa, balazi izwe enalilahla. . . . Abantwana benu bayakuba-ngabelusi ehlane iminyaka engamashumi amane, . . . izidumbu zenu zize ziqedwe ehlane. Njengokomumo wezinsuku enahlola ngazo izwe, izinsuku ezingamashumi amane, umnyaka ngosuku, niyakuthwala ububi benu, yebo, iminyaka engamashumi amane.”—Numeri 14:9, 30-34.

Basathembekile Eminyakeni Ethile Kamuva

Isigwebo seminyaka engu-40 siyaqhubeka, futhi ukufa kusiqeda sonke isizukulwane sabakhonondayo. Kodwa uKalebi noJoshuwa basathembekile kuNkulunkulu. Emathafeni akwaMowabi, uMose nomPristi Omkhulu u-Eleyazare baye babala amadoda empi aneminyaka engu-20 ubudala nangaphezulu. UNkulunkulu ukhetha indoda eyodwa esizweni ngasinye sakwa-Israyeli ukuba inikezwe isabelo sokuhlukanisa iZwe Lesithembiso. UKalebi, uJoshuwa, no-Eleyazare baphakathi kwawo. (Numeri 34:17-29) Nakuba manje eneminyaka engu-79 ubudala, uKalebi usashiseka, uthembekile, futhi unesibindi.

Lapho uMose no-Aroni bebala abantu eSinayi ngaphambi nje kokuba benqabe ngokwesaba ukungena ezweni laseKhanani, amadoda empi akwa-Israyeli abalelwa ku-603 550. Ngemva kweminyaka engamashumi amane ehlane, kwakunebutho elincane labangu-601 730. (Numeri 1:44-46; 26:51) Nokho, enoJoshuwa njengomholi wawo noKalebi othembekile ezinhlwini zawo, ama-Israyeli angena eZweni Lesithembiso futhi ajabulela ukunqoba okulandelanayo. Njengoba uJoshuwa noKalebi babelokhu belindele, uJehova wayenqobela abantu bakhe izimpi.

Bewela uMfula iJordani namadoda empi akwa-Israyeli, uJoshuwa osekhulile noKalebi bathwala imithwalo yabo ezimpini ezilandelayo. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka eyisithupha yempi, kuba nezwe elikhulu okufanele kuhlalwe kulo. UJehova uyoxosha izakhamuzi kodwa manje unquma ukuba izwe labiwe ngokwenza inkatho phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli.—Joshuwa 13:1-7.

Walandela UJehova Ngokugcwele

Njengeqhawe lezimpi eziningi, uKalebi uma phambi kukaJoshuwa futhi uthi: “Ngangineminyaka engamashumi amane lapho uMose inceku kaJehova wangithuma ngisuka eKadeshi-Barineya ukuba ngihlole izwe, ngabuyisela izwi kuye njengokusenhliziyweni yami. Kepha abafowethu abakhuphuka nami baqeda amandla enhliziyo yabantu, kodwa mina ngamlandela uJehova uNkulunkulu wami ngokupheleleyo, [ngokugcwele, NW].” (Joshuwa 14:6-8) Yebo uKalebi wayelandele uJehova ngokugcwele, enza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka.

UKalebi uyanezela: “UMose wafunga ngalolosuku, wathi: Impela izwe unyawo lwakho olunyathelé kulo liyakuba-yifa lakho nelabantwana bakho kuze kube-phakade, ngokuba umlandele uJehova uNkulunkulu wami ngokupheleleyo. Manje bheka, uJehova ungisindisile njengokusho kwakhe leminyaka engamashumi amane nanhlanu, selokhu uJehova akhuluma lelizwi kuMose, u-Israyeli esahamba ehlane; bheka, manje sengineminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagolombili nanhlanu namuhla. Ngisenamandla namuhla njengasosukwini uMose angithuma ngalo; njengamandla ami ngalesosikhathi anjalo amandla ami manje ekulweni, ekuphumeni nasekungeneni. Ngalokho nginike manje lentaba uJehova akhuluma ngayo ngalolosuku, ngokuba wezwa wena ngalolosuku ukuthi ama-Anaki ayelapho enemizi emikhulu ebiyelweyo; mhlawumbe uJehova uyakuba-nami, ngiwaxoshe njengokukhuluma kukaJehova.” Manje uKalebi uthola iHebroni njengefa.—Joshuwa 14:9-15.

UKalebi osekhulile uye wamukela isabelo esinzima kakhulu—isifunda esigcwele abantu abakhulu ngokungavamile. Kodwa lokhu akunzima kakhulu ngaleliqhawe elineminyaka engu-85 ubudala. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izidlova ezihlala eHebroni ziyanqotshwa. U-Otheniyeli,  indodana yomfowabo omncane kaKalebi nongumahluleli kwa-Israyeli, uthumba iDebiri. Kamuva yomibili imizi ihlalwa amaLevi, futhi iHebroni iba umuzi wesiphephelo womuntu obulala omunye ngokungenhloso.—Joshuwa 15:13-19; 21:3, 11-16; AbAhluleli 1:9-15, 20.

Landela UJehova Ngokugcwele Ngaso Sonke Isikhathi

UKalebi noJoshuwa babengabantu abangaphelele. Nakuba kunjalo, benza intando kaJehova ngokwethembeka. Ukholo lwabo aluzange lunciphe phakathi neminyaka engu-40 yobunzima ehlane eyaphumela ekwehlulekeni kuka-Israyeli ukulalela uNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo, izinceku zikaJehova zosuku lwanamuhla azivumeli lutho ukuba iphazamise inkonzo yazo yokudumisa uNkulunkulu. Njengoba ziqaphela ukuthi impi iyaqhubeka phakathi kwenhlangano kaNkulunkulu nekaSathane uDeveli, zigxilile, zifuna ngokuphikelelayo ukuthokozisa uYise wasezulwini kuzo zonke izinto.

Ngokwesibonelo, abantu bakaJehova abaningi baye bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini yokuhlukunyezwa ngisho neyokufa ukuze bagubhe iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, noma iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Kulokhu owesifazane ongumKristu owayevalelwe ekamu lokuhlushwa lamaNazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II wabika:

“Wonke umuntu watshelwa ukuba abe selondolo ngo-11 ebusuku. Ngaye kanye u-11 ebusuku sase sihlangene, singu-105. Sama sasondelana senza isiyingi, maphakathi [naso kukhona] isihlalo sokubeka izinyawo esinendwangu emhlophe emboze izifanekiselo. Kwakukhanyise ikhandlela kulelokamelo, njengoba ukukhanya kukagesi kwakuyosidalula. Sazizwa sinjengamaKristu akudala asemihumeni. Kwakuwumkhosi ohloniphekile. Sazwakalisa kabusha izifungo zethu eziqotho kuBaba wethu zokusebenzisa wonke amandla ethu ekulwelweni kwegama laKhe elingcwele, zokumelela ngokwethembeka umsebenzi ongokwaseZulwini.”

Naphezu kovivinyo lwethu njengezinceku zikaJehova ezishushiswayo, singathembela emandleni avela kuNkulunkulu okuba simkhonze ngesibindi futhi silethe udumo egameni lakhe elingcwele. (Filipi 4:13) Njengoba sizama ukuthokozisa uJehova, kuyosizuzisa ukukhumbula uKalebi. Isibonelo sakhe ekulandeleni uJehova ngokugcwele sahlaba umxhwele kakhulu ensizweni eyangenela umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele wokushumayela emuva ngo-1921. Yabhala:

“Nakuba ukuba yiphayona kwasho ukushiya umsebenzi wami owanelisayo wokunyathelisa ngendlela yesimanje e-Coventry [eNgilandi], kwakungekho ukuzisola. Ukuzinikezela kwami kwase kuyilungisile kakade indaba; ukuphila kwami kwakunikezelwe kuNkulunkulu. Ngakhumbula uKalebi, owangena eZweni Lesithembiso noJoshuwa okwathiwa ngaye, ‘walandela uJehova ngokugcwele.’ (Josh. 14:8, NW) Lokho kwabonakala kuyisimo sengqondo esifiselekayo kimi. Ngangazi ukuthi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ‘ngokugcwele’ kwakuyokwenza ukuphila okunikezelwe kube okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe; kwakuyonginikeza amathuba engeziwe okukhiqiza izithelo eziphawula umKristu.”

Ngempela uKalebi wabusiswa ngenxa yokwethembeka ekulandeleni uJehova ngokugcwele, ngaso sonke isikhathi efuna ukwenza intando yaphezulu. Njengaye, abanye baye baba nenjabulo enkulu nezibusiso ezicebile enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Kwangathi lokho kungaba okuhlangenwe nakho kwakho njengomuntu oqhubeka elandela uJehova ngokugcwele.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

UKalebi noJoshuwa babethembekile kuJehova ngaphansi kovivinyo. Ingabe nawe uthembekile?