1, 2. (a) UJehova wazibonisa enguNkulunkulu onjani esizweni sakwa-Israyeli? (b) Imuphi umbuzo ozophendulwa kulesi sihloko?

EZINSUKWINI zikaNehemiya, iqembu lamaLevi lavuma emthandazweni wasobala ukuthi okhokho balo “benqaba ukulalela” imiyalo kaJehova ngokuphindaphindiwe. Nokho, uJehova wazibonisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ‘enguNkulunkulu wezenzo zokuthethelela, onomusa nesihe, owephuza ukuthukuthela futhi ochichima umusa wothando.’ UJehova waqhubeka ebabonisa umusa ongafanelwe labo ababedingisiwe abase bebuyiselwe ezweni labo ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya.—Neh. 9:16, 17.

² Ngamunye wethu angazibuza, ‘Kusho ukuthini kimi ukuthethelela kukaJehova?’ Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo obalulekile, ake sihlole indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo namadoda amabili azuza ekuthetheleleni kwakhe—amakhosi amabili akwa-Israyeli, uDavide noManase.

3-5. UDavide wahileleka kanjani esonweni esikhulu?

³ Nakuba uDavide ayemesaba uNkulunkulu, wenza izono ezinkulu. Ezimbili zazo zihilela umbhangqwana oshadile, u-Uriya noBhati-sheba. Imiphumela yalezo zono yaba buhlungu kubo bonke ababehilelekile. Noma kunjalo, indlela uNkulunkulu amlungisa ngayo uDavide yembula lukhulu ngokuthethelela kukaJehova. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka.

⁴ UDavide wathumela amabutho akwa-Israyeli ukuba ayovimbezela ikomkhulu labakwa-Amoni, iRaba. Laliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-80 ukusuka empumalanga yeJerusalema, ngaphesheya koMfula iJordani. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uDavide esophahleni lwesigodlo sakhe eJerusalema, wabona uBhati-sheba—owesifazane oshadile—egeza. Umyeni wakhe wayengekho. UDavide washiswa kakhulu inkanuko ngokubona  uBhati-sheba kangangokuthi wayala ukuba alethwe esigodlweni sakhe, lapho afike waphinga naye.—2 Sam. 11:1-4.

⁵ Lapho uDavide etshelwa ukuthi uBhati-sheba ukhulelwe, wayala ukuba umyeni wakhe, u-Uriya, abuyiswe eJerusalema ethemba ukuthi uzofike alale nomkakhe. Kodwa u-Uriya akazange afune ngisho nokungena emzini wakhe—naphezu kokuba uDavide azama ukumkhuthaza ukuba enze kanjalo. Ngakho-ke, le nkosi yabhalela umkhuzi wamabutho ayo incwadi, imyala ngasese ukuba abeke u-Uriya “lapho impi ishube kakhulu khona” bese amasosha akanye nawo ehlehla. Njengoba ayengasavikelekile, u-Uriya wafa empini, njengokwecebo likaDavide. (2 Sam. 11:12-17) Ukuhlela kwale nkosi ukuba kubulawe umuntu ongenacala kwasikhulisa isono sayo sokuphinga.

6. Wasabela kanjani uNkulunkulu ezonweni zikaDavide, futhi lokhu kwembulani ngoJehova?

⁶ Yiqiniso, uJehova wakubona konke okwenzeka. Akukho lutho olumphunyukayo. (IzAga 15:3) Nakuba le nkosi yagcina imthathile uBhati-sheba, “le nto uDavide ayeyenzile yabonakala iyimbi emehlweni kaJehova.” (2 Sam. 11:27) Ngakho, wasabela kanjani uNkulunkulu kulezi zono ezinkulu zikaDavide? Wathumela umprofethi wakhe uNathani kuDavide. Njengoba enguNkulunkulu othethelelayo, kusobala ukuthi uJehova wayenesithakazelo sokuthola isisekelo sokubonisa isihe. Ingabe indlela uJehova ayisebenzisa ayiyithinti inhliziyo yakho? Akazange aphoqe uDavide ukuba avume izono zakhe kodwa wamane wacela uNathani ukuba axoxele inkosi indaba eyayicacisa ububi bezono zayo. (Funda eyesi-2 Samuweli 12:1-4.) Yeka ukuthi yaphumelela kanjani indlela asisingatha ngayo leso simo esibucayi!

7. UDavide wasabela kanjani emfanekisweni kaNathani?

⁷ Umfanekiso uNathani awusebenzisa wavusa umuzwa wobulungisa enkosini. UDavide wamthukuthelela umuntu ocebile okulowo mfanekiso futhi wathi kuNathani: “Kuphila kukaJehova, umuntu owenza lokhu ufanelwe ngukufa!” Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathi lo muntu owayephucwe iwundlu lakhe kwakufanele anxeshezelwe. UNathani wabe esesho la mazwi antinyelayo: “Nguwe lowo muntu!” UDavide wabe esetshelwa ukuthi ngenxa yezenzo zakhe, “inkemba” yayingeke isuke endlini yakhe nendlu yakhe yayiyokwehlelwa inhlekelele. Wayeyolulazeka obala ngenxa yeziphambeko zakhe. UDavide wabubona ububi balokho ayekwenzile futhi ngokudabuka wavuma: “Ngonile kuJehova.”—2 Sam. 12:5-14.

8, 9. IHubo 51 liyembula kanjani imicabango eyayisekujuleni kwenhliziyo kaDavide, futhi lisifundisani ngoJehova?

⁸ Amazwi engoma eyaqanjwa iNkosi uDavide ngemva kwalokho embula ukuzisola kwayo okuqotho. IHubo 51 liqukethe amazwi kaDavide athinta inhliziyo okuncenga uJehova futhi abonisa ngokucacile ukuthi wenza okungaphezu kokuvuma izono zakhe. Waphenduka nasezonweni zakhe. Ngokuyinhloko, uDavide wayekhathazeke ngobuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu. Wavuma: “Ngoné kuwe wena wedwa.” Wancenga uJehova: “Dala kimi inhliziyo ehlanzekile impela, ufake ngaphakathi kimi umoya omusha, ogxilile. . . . Buyisela kimi ukwethaba kwensindiso yakho, kwangathi ungangisekela impela ngomoya ovumayo.” (IHu. 51:1-4, 7-12) Ingabe nawe uqotho futhi awufihli lutho lapho ukhuluma noJehova ngamaphutha akho?

⁹ UJehova akazange ayisuse imiphumela ebuhlungu yezono zikaDavide. Yayizoqhubeka ikhona ukuphila kwakhe konke. Nokho, eqaphela umoya kaDavide wokuphenduka—‘wayenenhliziyo ephukile nechobozekile’—uJehova wamthethelela. (Funda iHubo 32:5; IHu. 51:17) UNkulunkulu  uMninimandla onke uyasiqonda isimo sengqondo sangempela nesisusa sokwenza isono. Kunokuba laba bantu ababephingile bagwetshelwe ukufa abahluleli abangabantu ngokuvumelana noMthetho KaMose, ngesihe, uJehova wangenela, walisingatha ngokwakhe icala likaDavide noBhati-sheba. (Lev. 20:10) UNkulunkulu waze wenza nokuba indodana yabo uSolomoni ibe inkosi elandelayo yakwa-Israyeli.—1 IziKr. 22:9, 10.

10. (a) Isiphi isisekelo sokuthethelela uDavide okungenzeka ukuthi uJehova wasithola? (b) Iziphi izizathu ezishukumisela uJehova ukuba athethelele?

¹⁰ Mhlawumbe esinye isizathu esenza uJehova wamthethelela, indlela uDavide ngokwakhe abonisa ngayo uSawule isihe. (1 Sam. 24:4-7) Njengoba uJesu achaza, uJehova usiphatha ngendlela esiphatha ngayo abanye. Wathi: “Yekani ukwahlulela ukuze ningahlulelwa; ngoba noma isiphi isahlulelo enahlulela ngaso, nani niyokwahlulelwa ngaso; nesilinganiso enilinganisa ngaso, bayonilinganisela ngaso nani.” (Math. 7:1, 2) Yeka ukuthi kududuza kanjani ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyozithethelela izono zethu—ngisho nezono ezimbi kakhulu njengokuphinga nokubulala! Uyokwenza lokhu uma sinomoya othethelelayo, uma sivuma izono zethu phambi kwakhe, futhi uma sibonisa isimo sengqondo esishintshile ngezenzo zethu ezimbi. “Izinkathi zokuqabuleka” ezivela kuJehova zifika lapho izoni ziphenduka ngobuqotho.—Funda izEnzo 3:19.

11. INkosi uManase yenza okubi emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ngaziphi izindlela?

¹¹ Cabanga ngokunye ukulandisa okusemiBhalweni okubonisa izinga uJehova azimisele ngalo ukuthethelela. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-360 ngemva kokuba uDavide abusa, uManase waba inkosi yakwaJuda. Ukubusa kwakhe kweminyaka engu-55 kwaba nedumela elibi lenkohlakalo, futhi imikhuba yakhe yenza ukuba uJehova amlahle. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, uManase wamisela oBhali ama-altare, wakhulekela “lonke ibutho lamazulu,” wadabulisa amadodana akhe emlilweni futhi wakhuthaza imikhuba yokusebenzelana nemimoya. Yebo, “wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova ngezinga elikhulu.”—2 IziKr. 33:1-6.

12. UManase wabuyela kanjani kuJehova?

¹² Ekugcineni, uManase wathathwa ezweni lakubo wayovalelwa etilongweni eBhabhiloni. Kungenzeka ukuthi ngesikhathi elapho wakhumbula la mazwi uMose awasho ku-Israyeli: “Lapho usebunzimeni obukhulu futhi wonke la mazwi esekuficile ekupheleni kwezinsuku, khona-ke uyobuyela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ulalele izwi lakhe.” (Dut. 4:30) UManase  wabuyela kuJehova. Kanjani? “Waqhubeka ezithoba kakhulu” futhi “elokhu ethandaza” kuNkulunkulu (njengoba kuboniswe esithombeni esisekhasini 21). (2 IziKr. 33:12, 13) Asinawo umbhalo wamazwi uManase awasho ngokuqondile kuleyo mithandazo, kodwa singacabanga ukuthi ngandlela-thile ayefana naweNkosi uDavide akumaHubo 51. Kunoma ikuphi, inhliziyo kaManase yaphenduka ngokuphelele.

13. Kungani uJehova amthethelela uManase?

¹³ UJehova wasabela kanjani emithandazweni kaManase? “Wavuma ukuba ancengwe [nguManase] futhi wasizwa isicelo sakhe somusa.” NjengoDavide owamandulela, uManase wabubona ububi bezono zakhe futhi waphenduka ngeqiniso. Yingakho uNkulunkulu amthethelela futhi wambuyisela ebukhosini bakhe eJerusalema. Ngenxa yalokho, “uManase wazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (2 IziKr. 33:13) Yeka ukuthi kukhuthaza kanjani ukuba nalobu bufakazi obengeziwe obubonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu onesihe uyabathethelela labo abaphenduka ngobuqotho!

14. Yini enquma ukuthi uJehova uyozithethelela izoni noma cha?

¹⁴ Bambalwa phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla okuyoke kudingeke ukuba bacele ukuthethelelwa izono ezimbi kakhulu ezinjengezikaDavide noManase. Noma kunjalo, iqiniso lokuthi uJehova wawathethelela lawo makhosi amabili lisisiza siqaphele ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu uzimisele ukuthethelela ngisho nezono ezinkulu uma isoni siphenduka ngeqiniso.

15. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukuthethelela kukaJehova akuzenzakaleli?

¹⁵ Yebo, ngeke kufaneleke ukuba siphethe ngokuthi uJehova ubathethelela ngokuzenzakalelayo bonke abantu. Mayelana nale ndaba, ake siqhathanise isimo sengqondo esaboniswa uDavide noManase naleso esaboniswa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli nesakwaJuda ezazingalaleli. UNkulunkulu wathumela uNathani ukuba akhulume  noDavide ngesono sakhe futhi amnike ithuba lokushintsha isimo sakhe sengqondo. UDavide walazisa lelo thuba. Lapho uManase ezithola esebunzimeni, washukumiseleka ukuba aphenduke ngobuqotho. Nokho, ngokuvamile abantu bakwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda babengaphenduki. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova akazange abathethelele. Kunalokho, wathumela abaprofethi bakhe ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba babatshele indlela ayekubheka ngayo ukungalaleli kwabo. (Funda uNehemiya 9:30.) Ngisho nangemva kokuba ababedingisiwe sebebuyele ezweni lenkaba yabo bevela eBhabhiloni, uJehova waqhubeka ethumela izithunywa zakhe ezithembekile, njengompristi u-Ezra nomprofethi uMalaki. Lapho benza ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova, babethola injabulo enkulu.—Neh. 12:43-47.

16. (a) Yaba yini imiphumela yokungaphenduki kwesizwe sakwa-Israyeli? (b) Imuphi umphumela ongaba khona kubantu ngabanye abayinzalo yama-Israyeli asendulo?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokuba uJesu ethunyelwe emhlabeni futhi esekhokhe umhlatshelo wesihlengo owodwa ophelele, uJehova akabange esayamukela imihlatshelo yezilwane yama-Israyeli. (1 Joh. 4:9, 10) Njengomuntu, uJesu wabonisa umbono kaYise lapho ekhuluma la mazwi ashukumisayo: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, mbulali wabaprofethi nomkhandi ngamatshe walabo abathunyelwe kuye,—yeka ukuthi kukaningi kangakanani ngifuna ukubuthela abantwana bakho ndawonye, ngendlela isikhukukazi esibuthela ngayo amatshwele aso ndawonye ngaphansi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa anifunanga.” Ngakho uJesu wathi: “Bhekani! Indlu yenu ishiywa nani.” (Math. 23:37, 38) Ngakho, leso sizwe esonayo nesingaphenduki sathathelwa indawo u-Israyeli ongokomoya. (Math. 21:43; Gal. 6:16) Kodwa kuthiwani ngabantu ngabanye ababengamalungu esizwe sika-Israyeli wemvelo? Bamukelekile ukuba bazuze entethelelweni nasesiheni sikaJehova ngokubonisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu nasemhlatshelweni kaJesu Kristu. Lelo thuba liyovulekela nalabo abafa bengaphendukanga ezonweni zabo kodwa abayovuswa emhlabeni ohlanziwe.—Joh. 5:28, 29; IzE. 24:15.

17, 18. Singayithola kanjani intethelelo kaJehova?

¹⁷ Kufanele sisabele kanjani ekuzimiseleni kukaJehova ukuthethelela? Ngokuqinisekile kufanele senze njengoDavide noManase. Kufanele sivume ukuthi siyizoni, siphenduke eziphambekweni zethu, sincenge uJehova ngobuqotho ukuba asithethelele futhi simcele ukuba adale kithi inhliziyo ehlanzekile. (IHu. 51:10) Uma senze isono esibi kakhulu, kufanele sicele nosizo olungokomoya lwabadala. (Jak. 5:14, 15) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyini izimo zethu, kuyaduduza ukukhumbula ukuthi uJehova unjengoba azichaza kuMose—“uNkulunkulu onesihe nomusa, owephuza ukuthukuthela nochichima umusa wothando neqiniso, olondolozela abayizinkulungwane umusa wothando, oxolela isiphambeko neseqo nesono.” UJehova akakashintshi.—Eks. 34:6, 7.

¹⁸ Esebenzisa isiqhathaniso esinamandla, uJehova wathembisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi wayezolisusa ngokuphelele ibala lezono zawo, enze ‘okwakubomvu klebhu’ kube mhlophe “njengeqhwa.” (Funda u-Isaya 1:18.) Khona-ke, kusho ukuthini kithi ukuthethelela kukaJehova? Izono neziphambeko zethu ziyoxolelwa ngokuphelele kuphela uma sibonisa isimo sengqondo sokwazisa nokuphenduka.

19. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Njengoba uJehova esithethelela, singamlingisa kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwethu? Singakugwema kanjani ukuba nesimo sengqondo sokungabathetheleli labo abenza izono ezimbi kakhulu kodwa abaphenduka ngobuqotho? Isihloko esilandelayo sizosisiza ukuba sihlole izinhliziyo zethu ukuze sifane kakhulu noBaba wethu, uJehova, ‘omuhle nokulungele ukuthethelela.’—IHu. 86:5.