Hlakanipha—Yesaba UNkulunkulu!

“Ukwesaba uJehova kungukuqala kokuhlakanipha.”—IZAGA 9:10.

1. Kungani abaningi bekuthola kunzima ukuqonda ukwesaba uNkulunkulu?

 KUNESIKHATHI lapho ukuchaza umuntu ngokuthi wesaba uNkulunkulu kwakubhekwa njengokumtusa. Namuhla, abaningi bacabanga ukuthi ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyinto ethanda ukuba yisidala, okunzima ukuyiqonda. Bangase babuze, ‘Uma uNkulunkulu eluthando, kungani kufanele ngimesabe?’ Kubo ukwesaba kuwumqondo ongathandeki, oze ngisho ukhwantabalise. Nokho, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kweqiniso kunencazelo ebanzi kunalokho, futhi njengoba sizobona, akugcini ngokuba umuzwa noma umzwelo nje.

2, 3. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okuqotho kuhlanganisani?

² EBhayibhelini inkulumo ethi ukwesaba uNkulunkulu isetshenziswe ngendlela enhle. (Isaya 11:3) Kuwukuba nenhlonipho ejulile ngoNkulunkulu, isifiso esinamandla sokugwema ukumphatha kabi. (IHubo 115:11) Kuhlanganisa ukwamukela nokunamathela kakhulu ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokuziphatha kanye nesifiso sokuzivumelanisa nalokho athi kulungile noma akulungile. Enye incwadi ithi ukwesaba okunempilo okunjalo kubonisa “isimo sengqondo esibalulekile okufanele umuntu abe naso ngoNkulunkulu esiholela ekuziphatheni ngokuhlakanipha nasekugwemeni zonke izinhlobo zobubi.” Kuyafaneleka ukuba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi kithi: “Ukwesaba uJehova kungukuqala kokuhlakanipha.”—IzAga 9:10.

³ Ngempela, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa izici eziningi zokuphila kwabantu. Akuhlobene nokuhlakanipha kuphela kodwa nanenjabulo, ukuthula, ukuchuma, ukuphila isikhathi eside, ithemba, ukwethemba nokuqiniseka. (IHubo 2:11; IzAga 1:7; 10:27; 14:26; 22:4; 23:17, 18; IzEnzo 9:31) Kuhlobene eduze kakhulu nokholo nothando. Empeleni kuhilela bonke ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu nabanye abantu. (Duteronomi 10:12; Jobe 6:14; Hebheru 11:7) Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa ukuqiniseka ngokujulile ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini usikhathalela ngabanye futhi ukulungele ukuthethelela iziphambeko zethu. (IHubo 130:4) Ngabantu ababi abangaphenduki kuphela okufanele babe netwetwe ngoNkulunkulu. *—Hebheru 10:26-31.

Ukufunda Ukwesaba UJehova

4. Yini engasisiza ukuba ‘sifunde ukwesaba uJehova’?

⁴ Njengoba ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kubalulekile ekwenzeni izinqumo ezihlakaniphile nasekutholeni izibusiso zakhe, ‘singakufunda’ kanjani “ukwesaba uJehova” ngendlela efanele? (Duteronomi 17:19) Sinezibonelo eziningi zamadoda nabesifazane ababesaba uNkulunkulu ezilotshwe emiBhalweni ukuze “kufundiswe thina.” (Roma 15:4) Ukuze siqonde ukuthi kusho ukuthini ngempela ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, ake sicabange ngesinye salezo zibonelo, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, uDavide.

5. Ukwelusa kwasiza kanjani ekufundiseni uDavide ngokwesaba uJehova?

⁵ UJehova wala inkosi yokuqala yakwa-Israyeli, uSawule, ngenxa yokwesaba kwayo abantu nokuntula kwayo ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. (1 Samuweli 15:24-26) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuphila kukaDavide nobuhlobo bakhe obuseduze noJehova kubonisa ukuthi wayengumuntu omesabayo ngempela uNkulunkulu. Kusukela esemusha wayechitha isikhathi esiningi endle elusa izimvu zikayise. (1 Samuweli 16:11) Izikhathi ayezichitha esendle ebusuku elusa kumelwe ukuba zamsiza ukuba aqonde ukwesaba uJehova. Nakuba uDavide ayebona ingxenye encane nje kuphela yobukhulu  bendawo yonke, wafinyelela isiphetho esifanele—uNkulunkulu uyakufanelekela ukuba simhloniphe futhi simthande. Kamuva wabhala: “Lapho ngibona amazulu akho, imisebenzi yeminwe yakho, inyanga nezinkanyezi okulungiselele, uyini umuntu ofayo ukuba umkhumbule, nendodana yomuntu wasemhlabeni ukuba uyinakekele?”—IHubo 8:3, 4.

6. Ukuqonda ubukhulu bukaJehova kwenza uDavide wazizwa kanjani?

⁶ UDavide wahlabeka umxhwele kufanele lapho eqhathanisa ubuncane bakhe nobukhulu besibhakabhaka esigcwele izinkanyezi. Kunokuba lumethuse, lolu lwazi lwamshukumisela ukuba adumise uJehova athi: “Amazulu amemezela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu; umkhathi ulandisa ngomsebenzi wezandla zakhe.” (IHubo 19:1) Le nhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu yasondeza uDavide kuJehova yamenza wafuna ukufunda ngezindlela zaKhe eziphelele futhi azilandele. Cabanga ngendlela ayezizwa ngayo lapho ehubela uJehova: “Wena umkhulu futhi wenza izinto ezimangalisayo; wena unguNkulunkulu, wena wedwa. O Jehova, ngifundise ngendlela yakho. Ngizohamba eqinisweni lakho. Yenza inhliziyo yami ibe nobunye ukuze yesabe igama lakho.”—IHubo 86:10, 11.

7. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwamsiza kanjani uDavide ukuba alwe noGoliyati?

⁷ Lapho amaFilisti ehlasela izwe lakwa-Israyeli, ingqwele yawo eyayingamamitha amathathu ubude, uGoliyati, yaklolodela ama-Israyeli, empeleni ithi: ‘Qokani umuntu ozolwa nami bukhoma! Uma enqoba, sizonikhonza.’ (1 Samuweli 17:4-10) USawule nayo yonke impi yakhe besaba—ngaphandle kukaDavide. Wayazi ukuthi nguJehova okwakumelwe esatshwe, hhayi umuntu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayenamandla kangakanani. UDavide watshela uGoliyati: “Mina ngiza kuwe negama likaJehova wamabutho. . . . Lonke leli bandla lizokwazi ukuthi uJehova akasindisi ngankemba nangamkhonto, ngoba impi ingekaJehova.” Ngendwayimane yakhe nangetshe elilodwa vó—nangosizo lukaJehova—uDavide wawulahla phansi lowo mdondoshiya.—1 Samuweli 17:45-47.

8. Izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini zabantu abesaba uNkulunkulu zisifundisani?

⁸ Kungenzeka ukuthi sibhekene nezingqinamba noma izitha ezesabekayo njengalezo uDavide abhekana nazo. Singenzani? Singabhekana nazo ngendlela efanayo naleyo uDavide nabanye abathembekile basendulo ababhekana nazo ngayo—ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kunganqoba ukwesaba umuntu. Inceku kaNkulunkulu ethembekile uNehemiya yakhuthaza ama-Israyeli eyayikanye nawo, ayecindezelwe abaphikisi bawo: “Ningabesabi. Cabangani ngoJehova omkhulu nowesabekayo.” (Nehemiya 4:14) Zisekelwa uJehova, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile, njengoDavide, uNehemiya nezinye zaphumelela ekufezeni izabelo uNkulunkulu ayezinike zona. Nathi singaphumelela uma simesaba uNkulunkulu.

Ukubhekana Nezinkinga Ngokwesaba UNkulunkulu

9. UDavide wabonisa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo?

⁹ Ngemva kokuba uDavide ebulele uGoliyati, uJehova wamenza wanqoba kaningi. Nokho, uSawule owayenomhawu wazama ukubulala uDavide—okokuqala wenza ngokuxhamazela, wabe esesebenzisa ubuqili, futhi ekugcineni wasebenzisa ibutho. Nakuba uJehova ayemqinisekisile ukuthi wayeyoba inkosi, iminyaka eminingi kwadingeka abaleke, alwe futhi alindele isikhathi sikaJehova esifanele sokumbeka inkosi. Kukho konke lokhu, uDavide wabonisa ukuthi wayemesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso.—1 Samuweli 18:9, 11, 17; 24:2.

10. UDavide wakubonisa kanjani ukwesaba uNkulunkulu lapho esengozini?

¹⁰ Ngesinye isikhathi, uDavide waya ku-Akhishi, inkosi yamaFilisti yomuzi waseGati, kubo kaGoliyati, eyocela ukukhoseliswa. (1 Samuweli 21:10-15) Izinceku zenkosi zamangalela uDavide zathi uyisitha sesizwe sazo. Wasabela kanjani uDavide kuleso simo esiyingozi? Wathululela inhliziyo yakhe kuJehova ngomthandazo. (IHubo 56:1-4, 11-13) Nakuba kwadingeka azenze osangene ukuze aphunyuke, uDavide wayazi ukuthi empeleni nguJehova owayemkhululile ngokubusisa imizamo yakhe. Ukuncika kukaDavide kuJehova ngenhliziyo yonke nokuthembela kwakhe kuye kwabonisa ukuthi wayemesaba ngempela uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 34:4-6, 9-11.

11. NjengoDavide, singakubonisa kanjani ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ezimweni ezivivinyayo?

¹¹ NjengoDavide singabonisa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu  ngokuthembela esithembisweni sakhe sokusisiza ukuba sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo nezinkinga zethu. UDavide wathi: “Gingqela indlela yakho kuJehova, wethembele kuye, yena uyothatha isinyathelo.” (IHubo 37:5) Lokhu akusho ukumane sinikeze uJehova izinkinga zethu bese sisonga izandla singenzi okusemandleni ethu silindele ukuba athathe isinyathelo sokusisiza. UDavide akazange athandazele usizo wabe esesonga izandla. Wasebenzisa amakhono nokuhlakanipha uJehova ayemnike kona ukuze axazulule inkinga ayesuke ebhekene nayo. Nokho, uDavide wayazi ukuthi ngeke kwalindelwa ukuba imizamo yabantu iyodwa iphumelele. Kufanele kube njalo nangathi. Lapho sesenze konke okusemandleni, kumelwe sishiyele konke kuJehova. Eqinisweni, ngokuvamile akukho lutho esingalwenza, ngaphandle kokuncika kuJehova. Yilapho ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kungena khona. Singathola induduzo kula mazwi kaDavide asuka enhliziyweni: “Ukusondelana noJehova kungokwabamesabayo.”—IHubo 25:14.

12. Kungani kudingeka sibheke imithandazo yethu ngokungathí sina, futhi isiphi isimo sengqondo okungafanele nanini sibe naso?

¹² Ngakho-ke, kufanele imithandazo yethu nobuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu sikubheke ngokungathí sina. Lapho siya kuJehova, kumelwe “[sikholelwe] ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” (Hebheru 11:6; Jakobe 1:5-8) Lapho esisiza, kufanele ‘sizibonise singababongayo,’ njengoba umphostoli uPawulu aseluleka. (Kolose 3:15, 17) Akumelwe nanini sifane nalabo umKristu othile ogcotshiwe futhi ongumakadebona abachaza ngokuthi: “Bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uwuhlobo oluthile lukaweta osezulwini okuzothi lapho bedinga okuthile, bamqhwebe abese eza masinyane kubo. Lapho sebekutholile abakufunayo, bafise sengathi angasuka phambi kwabo.” Isimo sengqondo esinjalo sibonisa ukuntula ukwesaba uNkulunkulu.

Lapho Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu Kuncipha

13. UDavide wahluleka nini ukubonisa inhlonipho ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu?

¹³ Ukuthola kukaDavide usizo lukaJehova ngesikhathi ecindezelekile kwajulisa kuye ukwesaba uNkulunkulu futhi kwaqinisa nokuthembela kwakhe kuye. (IHubo 31:22-24) Nokho, ngezikhathi ezintathu eziphawulekayo, ukwesaba kukaDavide uNkulunkulu kwancipha, kwaholela emiphumeleni emibi kakhulu. Esokuqala siphathelene nokuhlela ukuba umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova uyiswe eJerusalema ngenqola esikhundleni sokuba amaLevi awutshathe emahlombe, njengokwesiqondiso soMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Lapho u-Uza, owayehola inqola, ebamba uMphongolo  ngoba efuna ukuwusekela ukuze ungawi, wafa ngaso leso sikhathi ngenxa ‘yesenzo sakhe sokungahloniphi.’ Yebo, u-Uza wayenze isono esibi, kodwa empeleni kwakuwukwehluleka kukaDavide ukulondoloza inhlonipho efanele ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu okwabangela lowo mphumela odabukisayo. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kusho ukwenza izinto ngokuvumelana nelungiselelo lakhe.—2 Samuweli 6:2-9; Numeri 4:15; 7:9.

14. Waba yini umphumela wokubala kukaDavide u-Israyeli?

¹⁴ Kamuva, eqhutshwa uSathane, uDavide wabala amadoda empi ka-Israyeli. (1 IziKronike 21:1) Le nto uDavide ayenza yabonisa ukuthi ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu kwakusathe ukuncipha, yaholela ekufeni kwama-Israyeli angu-70 000. Nakuba uDavide aphenduka phambi kukaJehova, yena nesizwe bajeza kakhulu.—2 Samuweli 24:1-16.

15. Yini eyabangela uDavide ukuba aphinge?

¹⁵ Ngesinye isikhathi ukwesaba kukaDavide uNkulunkulu kusanciphile, uDavide waziphatha kabi noBhati-sheba, umka-Uriya. UDavide wayazi ukuthi ukuphinga noma ukufisa umngane womshado womunye umuntu kwakungalungile. (Eksodusi 20:14, 17) Inkinga yaqala lapho uDavide ebona uBhati-sheba egeza. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okufanele kwakufanele kumenze awasuse masinyane amehlo akhe nemicabango yakhe. Kunokuba enze kanjalo, kubonakala ‘aqhubeka nokumbuka,’ inkanuko yaze yanqoba ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 5:28; 2 Samuweli 11:1-4) UDavide wakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova wayehileleke kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwakhe.—IHubo 139:1-7.

16. Imiphi imiphumela ebuhlungu uDavide abhekana nayo ngobubi abenza?

¹⁶ Umphumela wokulala kukaDavide noBhati-sheba waba ukuzalwa kwengane yomfana. Ngemva nje kwalokho, uJehova wathumela umprofethi wakhe uNathani ukuba ayodalula isono sikaDavide. Lapho esanguluka, uDavide wakuvuselela ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu futhi waphenduka. Wancenga uJehova ukuba angamlahli noma  asuse umoya wakhe ongcwele kuye. (IHubo 51:7, 11) UJehova wamthethelela uDavide futhi wasinciphisa isijeziso sakhe, kodwa akazange amvikele kuyo yonke imiphumela emibi yezenzo zakhe. Indodana kaDavide yashona, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke umkhaya kaDavide waphila ngomunyu nobuhlungu benhliziyo. Yeka ukuthi wakhokha kabuhlungu kanjani ngokuvumela ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu kunciphe!—2 Samuweli 12:10-14; 13:10-14; 15:14.

17. Bonisa ubuhlungu benhliziyo obubangelwa izenzo zokona.

¹⁷ Namuhla, ukuhluleka ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ezindabeni zokuziphatha kungase ngokufanayo kube nemiphumela ebuhlungu nehlala njalo. Cabanga ngobuhlungu owesifazane othile osemusha abuzwa lapho ethola ukuthi umyeni wakhe ongumKristu wayengazange athembeke kuye lapho esebenza phesheya. Ekhonkobaliswe ukushaqeka nosizi, wamboza ubuso ngezandla waqhumuka wakhala. Kuyothatha isikhathi esingakanani ukuba aphinde amethembe futhi amhloniphe umyeni wakhe? Imiphumela enjalo edabukisayo ingagwenywa ngokumesaba ngempela uNkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 6:18.

Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu Kusinqanda Ekoneni

18. Uyini umgomo kaSathane futhi iyiphi indlela ayisebenzisayo?

¹⁸ USathane uziwohloza ngokushesha izindinganiso zokuziphatha zaleli zwe, futhi ufuna ukonakalisa amaKristu eqiniso ngokukhethekile. Ukuze enze kanjalo, usebenzisa indlela eqondile yokufinyelela izinhliziyo nezingqondo zethu—izinzwa zethu, ikakhulukazi amehlo nezindlebe. (Efesu 4:17-19) Uyokwenzenjani lapho uzithela ezithombeni, enkulumweni noma kubantu abangcolile?

19. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwamsiza kanjani omunye umKristu ukuba anqobe isilingo?

¹⁹ Cabanga ngendaba ka-André, * umdala ongumKristu, ongubaba futhi ongudokotela eYurophu. Lapho u-André esebenza ebusuku esibhedlela, ozakwabo besifazane babehlale bembhalela izincwajana ezihlotshiswe ngemidwebo yezinhliziyo, bazixhome emcamelweni wakhe—bemcela ukuba alale nabo. U-André wala waphetha lapho bemnxenxa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathatha isinyathelo sokusuka kulesi simo esibi, wathola umsebenzi kwenye indawo. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwaba inkambo ehlakaniphe kakhulu futhi kwaholela ezibusisweni, ngoba namuhla u-André ukhonza izinsuku ezithile ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova ezweni lakubo.

20, 21. (a) Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kungasisiza kanjani ukuba sigweme ukona? (b) Yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Ukucabanga njalo ngezinto ezimbi kungaholela esimweni sengqondo esingenza kube lula ngomuntu ukulaxaza ubuhlobo bakhe obuyigugu noJehova ukuze athole okuthile angenalungelo lokukuthola. (Jakobe 1:14, 15) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma simesaba uJehova, siyodeda—mhlawumbe sisuke ngisho nokusuka—kubantu, ezindaweni, emibuthanweni nasekuzijabuliseni okungase kusenze sinciphise ukuqapha kwethu ezindabeni zokuziphatha. (IzAga 22:3) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuhilela ukuhlazeka noma ukuzidela okungakanani, akulutho uma kuqhathaniswa nokulahlekelwa umusa kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 5:29, 30) Ngokuqinisekile, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa ukuba singalokothi sizichaye ngamabomu kunoma yini ewukuziphatha okubi, okuhlanganisa zonke izinhlobo zezithombe ezingcolile, kodwa senze amehlo ethu “adlule angakuboni okungenanzuzo.” Uma senza kanjalo, singathembela kuJehova ukuba ‘asilonde’ futhi asinikeze konke esikudingayo ngempela.—IHubo 84:11; 119:37.

²¹ Ngempela, ukuziphatha ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu kweqiniso kuhlale kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha. Kuphinde futhi kube umthombo wenjabulo yangempela. (IHubo 34:9) Lokhu kuzocaciswa esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ingabe Ungachaza?

• Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa naziphi izimfanelo zobuKristu?

• Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kukuqeda kanjani ukwesaba umuntu?

• Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sinombono ofanele ngomthandazo?

• Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kungasinqanda kanjani ekoneni?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UDavide wafunda ukwesaba uNkulunkulu lapho eqaphelisisa indalo kaJehova

[Izithombe ekhasini 24]

Uyokwenzenjani lapho ubhekana nesimo esilingayo ungalindele?