1, 2. (a) Iziphi izimfanelo ezizosisiza ukuba sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo nobunzima? (b) Ungaluchaza kanjani ukholo? Fanekisa.

INKONZO kaJehova isilethela injabulo. Noma kunjalo siyabhekana nobunzima obehlela sonke isintu kanti futhi singase ‘sihlupheke ngenxa yokulunga.’ (1 Pet. 3:14; 5:8, 9; 1 Kor. 10:13) Ukuze sibhekane nobunzima obunjalo ngokuphumelelayo, kudingeka sibe nokholo nesibindi.

² Luyini ukholo? Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ukholo luwukulindelwa okuqinisekisiwe kwezinto ezithenjwayo, ukuboniswa okusobala kwezinto ezingokoqobo nakuba zingabonakali.” (Heb. 11:1) Enye inguqulo ifundeka kanje: “Ukholo luyitayitela yezinto esethemba ukuzithola. Ukholo luwukuqiniseka ngezinto esingenakuzibona.” (The Simple English Bible) Uma sinikezwe itayitela lendlu, siyaqiniseka ukuthi isingeyethu. Njengoba sinokholo lokuthi uNkulunkulu uyasigcwalisa njalo isithembiso sakhe, kunjengokungathi siphethe itayitela eliyigugu. Ukholo lwethu lusenza siqiniseke ukuthi siyokubona ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini esinethemba lazo, futhi siyaqiniseka ngezinto ezingokoqobo ezingokomoya nakuba singenakuzibona.

3, 4. (a) Siyini isibindi? (b) Iyiphi enye indlela yokuqinisa ukholo lwethu nesibindi?

³ Isibindi siye sachazwa ngokuthi “amandla angokomoya, angokomzwelo, noma akushukumisela ukuba ukhulume futhi wenze izinto ngaphandle kokwesaba lapho ubhekene nezingqinamba nezingozi.” (The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible) Uma sinesibindi, siyaqina, sibe namandla, size singesabi ngezinye izikhathi.—Marku 6:49, 50; 2 Thim. 1:7.

⁴ Ukholo nesibindi kuyizimfanelo ezifiselekayo. Kodwa ake sithi sinomuzwa wokuthi sidinga ukholo olwengeziwe futhi sizizwa singenaso isibindi. IBhayibheli lilandisa ngenqwaba yabantu abaye baba isibonelo ekubonakaliseni lezi zimfanelo. Ngakho enye indlela yokuqinisa ukholo lwethu nesibindi iwukucabangela ezinye zalezo zibonelo.

5. Ukuze aphumelele esabelweni sakhe, yini uJoshuwa ayeyidinga?

⁵ Ake sibuyele emuva eminyakeni engaba amakhulu angu-35. Sekudlule iminyaka engu-40 izigidi zama-Israyeli zakhululwa ebugqilini baseGibhithe ngesandla sikaJehova esinamandla. Umprofethi uMose nguye obewahola. Useneminyaka engu-120 ubudala, umi esiqongweni seNtaba iNebo ubuka iZwe Lesithembiso, ngemva kwalokho uyafa. Esikhundleni sakhe kungena uJoshuwa, ‘ogcwele umoya wokuhlakanipha.’ (Dut. 34:1-9) Ama-Israyeli asemi ngomumo ukuba adle izwe laseKhanani. Ukuze aphumelele njengomholi wawo, uJoshuwa kuzodingeka abe nokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu. Kuzodingeka abonise nokholo kuJehova futhi azibonakalise enesibindi futhi eqinile.—Dut. 31:22, 23.

6. (a) NgokukaJoshuwa 23:6, kudingeka sibe nesibindi sokwenzani? (b) Sifundani emazwini encwadi yezEnzo 4:18-20 nezEnzo 5:29?

⁶ Ukuhlakanipha, isibindi nokholo okwaboniswa uJoshuwa phakathi nokunqotshwa kweKhanani okwathatha isikhathi eside kumelwe ukuba kwawaqinisa ama-Israyeli. Nokho, ngaphezu kobuqhawe basempini, ayedinga lokho okwakungase kuchazwe ngokuthi isibindi esiboniswa buthule sokwenza lokho uJoshuwa ayewanxusa ukuba akwenze. Ngasekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe, enkulumweni yakhe yokuvalelisa, wathi: “Kumelwe nibe nesibindi kakhulu sokugcina nokwenza konke okulotshwe encwadini yomthetho kaMose ngokuba ningalokothi niphambuke kuwo niye kwesokunene noma kwesobunxele.” (Josh. 23:6) Nathi kudingeka sibe nesibindi ukuze silalele uJehova ngazo zonke izikhathi. Lokhu kuhlanganisa izikhathi lapho abantu abavamile bengase bafune khona ukuba senze okuphambene nentando kaNkulunkulu. (Funda izEnzo 4:18-20; 5:29.) Uma sincika ngomthandazo kuJehova, uyosisiza ukuba sibe nesibindi njengabo.

7. Yini okwakudingeka uJoshuwa ayenze ukuze abe nesibindi futhi aphumelele?

⁷ Ukuze sibe nesibindi esidingekayo sokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, kumelwe sitadishe iZwi lakhe futhi silisebenzise. Yilokho uJoshuwa atshelwa ukuba akwenze lapho engena esikhundleni sikaMose: “Yiba nesibindi uqine kakhulu ukuba uqaphele ukwenza ngokuvumelana nawo wonke umthetho uMose inceku yami akuyala ngawo. . . . Le ncwadi yomthetho akufanele isuke emlonyeni wakho, futhi kumelwe uyifunde ngezwi eliphansi ubusuku nemini, ukuze uqaphele ukwenza ngokuvumelana nakho konke okulotshwe kuyo; ngoba uma wenza kanjalo uyoyiphumelelisa indlela yakho futhi uyokwenza ngokuhlakanipha.” (Josh. 1:7, 8) UJoshuwa wasilandela leso seluleko, futhi ‘indlela yakhe yaphumelela.’ Uma senza njengaye, siyoba nesibindi esengeziwe futhi siphumelele enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu.

8. Isihloko sonyaka sika-2013 sithathwe kumuphi umBhalo, futhi unomuzwa wokuthi lawo mazwi azokusiza kanjani?

⁸ Kumelwe ukuba kwamqinisa kakhulu uJoshuwa ukuzwa amazwi uJehova awasho ngokulandelayo: “Yiba nesibindi uqine. Ungethuki noma wesabe, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.” (Josh. 1:9) Nathi uJehova unathi. Ngakho ‘masingethuki noma sesabe’ kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene nobunzima  obunjani. Phawula ngokukhethekile amazwi athi: “Yiba nesibindi uqine. . . . UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe.” Lawo mazwi akuJoshuwa 1:9 aye akhethwa ukuba abe isihloko sonyaka sika-2013. Ngokuqinisekile azosiqinisa ezinyangeni ezizayo, njengoba ezosiqinisa namazwi nezenzo zabanye abayizibonelo zokholo nesibindi.

9. URahabi wabonisa ukholo nesibindi ngaziphi izindlela?

⁹ Lapho uJoshuwa ethumela izinhloli ezimbili eKhanani, uRahabi isifebe wazifihla futhi wadukisa umkhondo wezitha zazo. Ngenxa yezenzo zakhe zokholo nesibindi, yena nabendlu yakubo basinda lapho ama-Israyeli ebhubhisa umuzi waseJeriko. (Heb. 11:30, 31; Jak. 2:25) Yebo, uRahabi wakuyeka ukuziphatha kwakhe kabi ukuze athokozise uJehova. Abanye abaye baba amaKristu baye baba nokholo, isibindi namandla okwenza izinguquko ezifanayo ukuze bathokozise uNkulunkulu.

10. URuthe wamelela ukukhulekela kweqiniso ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo, futhi iziphi izibusiso azithola ngenxa yalokho?

¹⁰ Ngemva kokufa kukaJoshuwa, uRuthe umMowabikazi naye waba nesibindi sokumelela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Njengomfelokazi womuntu owayengum-Israyeli, kumelwe ukuba kukhona ayesekwazi ngoJehova. Uninazala uNawomi, naye owayengumfelokazi, wayehlale kwaMowabi kodwa wanquma ukuthuthela emzaneni wakwa-Israyeli okuthiwa iBhetlehema. Endleleni, uNawomi wanxusa uRuthe ukuba abuyele kubantu bakubo, kodwa lo mMowabikazi waphendula: “Ungangincengi ukuba ngikushiye, ukuba ngibuyele emuva ngingahambi nawe . . . Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami.” (Ruthe 1:16) Akazange agudluke emazwini akhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isihlobo sikaNawomi uBhowazi sashada noRuthe, owasizalela indodana futhi waba ukhokhokazi kaDavide noJesu. Yebo, uJehova uyazibusisa izenzo zokholo nesibindi.—Ruthe 2:12; 4:17-22; Math. 1:1-6.

11. UJehoyada noJehosheba basibonisa kanjani isibindi, futhi lokhu kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

¹¹ Isibindi nokholo lwethu kuyaqina lapho sibona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabasekela labo ababeka izithakazelo zakhe nenhlalakahle yabakhulekeli abakanye nabo kuqala kunezithakazelo zabo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngomPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada nomkakhe, uJehosheba. Ngemva kokufa kweNkosi u-Ahaziya, unina u-Athaliya, wabulala bonke abantwana basebukhosini ngaphandle kukaJehowashi, wabe eseqhoqhobala isihlalo sobukhosi. UJehoyada noJehosheba babeye bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini, basindisa indodana ka-Ahaziya, uJehowashi, futhi bamfihla iminyaka eyisithupha. Ngonyaka wesikhombisa, uJehoyada wenza ukuba kumenyezelwe ukuthi uJehowashi uyinkosi futhi u-Athaliya wabulawa. (2 AmaKh. 11:1-16) Kamuva, uJehoyada wasekela iNkosi uJehowashi ekulungiseni ithempeli. Lapho uJehoyada efa eseneminyaka engu-130 ubudala, wangcwatshwa namakhosi “ngoba wayenze okuhle kwa-Israyeli nakuNkulunkulu weqiniso nendlu yaKhe.” (2 IziKr. 24:15, 16) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izenzo zesibindi zikaJehoyada nomkakhe zalondoloza uhlu lozalo lwasebukhosini olusukela kuDavide futhi olwaluholela kuMesiya.

12. Isiphi isinyathelo sesibindi esathathwa u-Ebhedi-melekhi?

¹² U-Ebhedi-melekhi, umthenwa owayesendlini yeNkosi uZedekiya, wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze asize uJeremiya. Inkosi yayinikele uJeremiya ezikhulwini zakwaJuda, ezammangalela ngamanga ngokuthi wayevukela umbuso zabe sezimphonsa emthonjeni owawunodaka, ukuba afele lapho. (Jer. 38:4-6) Naphezu kwengozi lokhu okwakumfaka kuyo ngenxa yenzondo eyayikhona ngoJeremiya, u-Ebhedi-melekhi wamnxusela lo mprofethi kuZedekiya. Isicelo sakhe sezwakala kuZedekiya futhi wamnika amadoda angu-30 ukuba ahambe naye bayotakula uJeremiya. Esebenzisa  lo mprofethi, uNkulunkulu waqinisekisa u-Ebhedi-melekhi ukuthi wayengeke abhujiswe lapho abaseBhabhiloni bevimbezela iJerusalema. (Jer. 39:15-18) Isibindi esibangelwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu siyavuzwa.

13. Asibonisa kanjani isibindi amaHebheru amathathu, futhi singazuza kanjani kulokho okwenzeka kuwo?

¹³ Ngekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E., izinceku zikaJehova ezingamaHebheru ezintathu zanikezwa ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi uNkulunkulu uyaluvuza ukholo nesibindi. INkosi uNebukhadinezari yaqoqela ndawonye izikhulu zaseBhabhiloni futhi yayala ukuba zikhulekele isithombe esikhulu segolide. Noma ubani owayengeke asikhulekele wayeyophonswa esithandweni somlilo. AmaHebheru amathathu atshela uNebukhadinezari ngenhlonipho: “UNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo uyakwazi ukusophula. Uyosophula esithandweni somlilo esivuthayo nasesandleni sakho nkosi. Kodwa uma kungenjalo, makwazeke kuwe, nkosi, ukuthi onkulunkulu bakho akubona onkulunkulu esibakhonzayo, futhi umfanekiso wegolide owumisile ngeke siwukhulekele.” (Dan. 3:16-18) Ukukhululwa kwala maHebheru amathathu ngokumangalisayo kuchazwe ngokucacile kuDaniyeli 3:19-30. Nakuba cishe kuyinto engase ingenzeki ukuba sisongelwe ngokuphonswa esithandweni somlilo, siyabhekana novivinyo lobuqotho bethu futhi singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosibusisa uma sibonisa ukholo nesibindi.

14. NgokukaDaniyeli isahluko 6, uDaniyeli wasibonisa kanjani isibindi, futhi waba yini umphumela?

¹⁴ UDaniyeli wabonisa ukholo nesibindi lapho izitha zakhe ziphumelela ekwenzeni ukuba iNkosi uDariyu ikhiphe umyalo wokuthi “noma ngubani owenza isicelo kunoma yimuphi omunye unkulunkulu noma umuntu ezinsukwini ezingamashumi amathathu ngaphandle kokusenza kuwe nkosi, kufanele aphonswe emgodini wezingonyama.” Lapho nje ezwa ukuthi kwakugunyazwe lowo myalo, uDaniyeli “wangena endlini yakhe, amafasitela egumbi lakhe elisophahleni evulekele ngaseJerusalema, yebo kathathu ngosuku wayeguqa ngamadolo ethandaza futhi edumisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu wakhe, njengoba ayevame ukwenza ngaphambi kwalokhu.” (Dan. 6:6-10) UDaniyeli onesibindi waphonswa emgodini wezingonyama—kodwa uJehova wamkhulula.—Dan. 6:16-23.

15. (a) U-Akhwila noPrisila basibekela siphi isibonelo sokholo nesibindi? (b) Asho ukuthini amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 13:34, futhi amaKristu amaningi aye alubonisa kanjani uthando olunjalo?

¹⁵ U-Akhwila noPrisila ‘bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa yomphefumulo kaPawulu’ ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile ezingachazwanga eBhayibhelini. (IzE. 18:2; Roma 16:3, 4) Ngesibindi, benza ngokuvumelana nala mazwi kaJesu: “Ngininika  umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane.” (Joh. 13:34) UMthetho KaMose wawufuna ukuba umuntu athande umakhelwane wakhe njengoba ezithanda. (Lev. 19:18) Kodwa umyalo kaJesu ‘wawumusha’ ngoba wawuchaza uthando olwaluyofinyelela eqophelweni lokunikela ngokuphila kwethu ngenxa yabanye, njengoba naye enza. AmaKristu amaningi aye abonisa uthando ngokuba nesibindi ‘sokufaka ukuphila kwawo engozini’ ukuze agweme ukunikela abafowabo ezandleni zezitha ezibafunela ukubahlukumeza ngonya noma ukubabulala.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:16.

16, 17. Abanye abalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala babhekana naluphi uvivinyo lokholo, futhi lokhu kufana kanjani nalokho amaKristu athile abhekana nakho osukwini lwethu?

¹⁶ NjengoJesu, amaKristu okuqala abonisa isibindi akhulekela uJehova kuphela. (Math. 4:8-10) Enqaba ukushisa impepho yokudumisa umbusi wamaRoma. (Bheka isithombe.) UDaniel P. Mannix wabhala: “Ambalwa amaKristu ahoxa nakuba kwakune-altare elalihlale livutha umlilo enkundleni yezemidlalo ukuze kube lula ngawo. Kwakudingeka ukuba isiboshwa simane sisakaze inkeshezana yempepho elangabini bese sinikezwa iSitifiketi Somhlatshelo kube ukukhululwa kwaso. Sasichazelwa kahle nokuthi sasingamkhulekeli umbusi; sasimane sivuma ukuthi uphakeme kakhulu njengenhloko yombuso wamaRoma. Noma kunjalo, cishe awekho amaKristu alisebenzisa leli thuba lokusinda.”—Those About to Die.

¹⁷ AmaKristu anamuhla ayevalelwe emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi futhi ebheke ukufa ngeziqu zamehlo, anikezwa kaningi amathuba okukhululwa ngokumane asayine isitatimende sokuthi awasakholelwa kuJehova. Kodwa ambalwa asisayina. Befaka ukuphila kwawo engozini phakathi nokuqothulwa kwesizwe eRwanda kwamuva-nje, oFakazi abangamaTutsi namaHutu bavikelana. Uvivinyo olunjalo lwaludinga isibindi nokholo.

18, 19. Iziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini zokholo nesibindi ezingasisiza ukuba sifeze umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

¹⁸ Manje sinelungelo lokuhlanganyela emsebenzini omkhulu kunayo yonke eyake yaphathiswa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingabantu—wokumemezela isigijimi soMbuso nokwenza abafundi. (Math. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngesibonelo sikaJesu esiyingqayizivele! “Wahamba umuzi ngomuzi nomzana ngomzana, eshumayela futhi ememezela izindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 8:1) Njengaye, sidinga ukholo nesibindi ukuze sishumayele isigijimi soMbuso. Ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu, singaba nesibindi njengoNowa, “umshumayeli wokulunga” ongesabi ‘ezweni labantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu’ elase lizobhujiswa ngozamcolo wembulunga yonke.—2 Pet. 2:4, 5.

¹⁹ Umthandazo uyasisiza ukuba sifeze umsebenzi wokushumayela. Lapho abalandeli bakaKristu abathile ababeshushiswa bethandazela ukuba ‘bakhulume izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi,’ isicelo sabo saphendulwa. (Funda izEnzo 4:29-31.) Uma ngandlela-thile unamahloni okushumayela endlini ngendlu, uJehova uyoyiphendula imithandazo yakho yokucela ukholo olwengeziwe nesibindi.—Funda iHubo 66:19, 20. *

20. Obani abasisekelayo njengezinceku zikaJehova?

²⁰ Kuyinselele ukuphishekela inkambo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu lapho sibhekene novivinyo olusehlelayo kuleli zwe elibi neligcwele izinkathazo. Nokho, asisodwa. UNkulunkulu unathi. NeNdodana yakhe, iNhloko yebandla, inathi. SinanoFakazi BakaJehova esikanye nabo abangaphezu kuka-7 000 000 emhlabeni wonke. Kwangathi sonke singaqhubeka sibonisa ukholo futhi simemezela izindaba ezinhle kuyilapho sihlale sikhumbula isihloko sethu sonyaka sika-2013: “Yiba nesibindi uqine. . . . UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe.”—Josh. 1:9.