1. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bavame ukuxoxa ngaziphi izihloko, futhi kusizuzisa kanjani ukuziphinda?

LAPHO ulungiselela isifundo se-Nqabayokulinda, awukaze yini uzibuze, ‘Asikaze yini sifunde ngalesi sihloko?’ Uma sekuyisikhathi usebandleni lobuKristu, cishe uyaqaphela ukuthi ezinye izihloko kuxoxwa ngazo ngokuphindaphindiwe. Ukufunda ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, isihlengo, umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi nezimfanelo ezinjengothando nokholo kuyingxenye evamile yokudla kwethu okungokomoya. Ukuziphinda lezi zihloko kusisiza ukuba sihlale siqinile okholweni futhi sibe ‘abenzi bezwi, hhayi abalizwayo kuphela.’—Jak. 1:22.

2. (a) Ngokuvamile izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu zibhekiselaphi? (b) Izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu zihluke kanjani kwezabantu?

² Igama lesiHebheru elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isikhumbuzo” ngokuvamile libhekisela emithethweni, emiyalweni naseziqondisweni uNkulunkulu azinikeza abantu bakhe. Ngokungafani nemithetho yabantu, ngokuvamile edinga ukuchibiyelwa noma ukuthuthukiswa, singayethemba njalo imithetho kaJehova neziqondiso zakhe. Nakuba eminye yayo yanikezwa esikhathini esithile noma ngaphansi kwesimo esithile akwenzeki ibe nephutha noma ingafaneleki. Umhubi wathi: “Ukulunga kwezikhumbuzo zakho kuhlala kuze kube nini nanini.”—IHu. 119:144.

3, 4. (a) Izikhumbuzo zikaJehova zingahlanganisa nani? (b) Ama-Israyeli ayeyozuza kanjani uma ezilalela?

³ Mhlawumbe uye waphawula ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi izikhumbuzo zikaJehova zihlanganisa izigijimi eziyisixwayiso. Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasivame ukuthola izixwayiso ngabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi nje kokuba ama-Israyeli angene eZweni Lesithembiso, uMose wawaxwayisa: “Ziqapheleni, funa inhliziyo yenu ihungeke, niphambuke nikhulekele abanye onkulunkulu nibakhothamele, intukuthelo  kaJehova inivuthele.” (Dut. 11:16, 17) IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wanika abantu bakhe izikhumbuzo eziningi eziwusizo.

⁴ UJehova wawanxusa kaningi ama-Israyeli ukuba amesabe, alalele izwi lakhe futhi angcwelise igama lakhe. (Dut. 4:29-31; 5:28, 29) Ayeyothola izibusiso eziningi uma ezilalela lezo zikhumbuzo.—Lev. 26:3-6; Dut. 28:1-4.

5. Kungani uJehova alwela iNkosi uHezekiya?

⁵ Phakathi nawo wonke umlando wakwa-Israyeli onezinxushunxushu, uNkulunkulu wanamathela esithembisweni sakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho inkosi yase-Asiriya, uSaneheribi, ihlasela uJuda futhi isongela ngokuketula iNkosi uHezekiya, uJehova wangenela, wathumela ingelosi. Ngobusuku obubodwa nje, ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yabhubhisa “wonke umuntu oyiqhawe, onamandla” ebuthweni lase-Asiriya, kangangokuba uSaneheribi wabuyela ekhaya ehlazekile. (2 IziKr. 32:21; 2 AmaKh. 19:35) Kungani uNkulunkulu alwela iNkosi uHezekiya? Kungenxa yokuthi uHezekiya “wanamathela kuJehova. Akaphambukanga ekumlandeleni, kodwa waqhubeka egcina imiyalo yakhe.”—2 AmaKh. 18:1, 5, 6.

6. INkosi uJosiya yathembela kanjani kuJehova?

⁶ Esinye isibonelo somuntu owalalela imiyalo kaJehova yiNkosi uJosiya. Kusukela esemncane, eneminyaka engu-8, “wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaJehova . . . Akaphambukelanga kwesokunene noma kwesobunxele.” (2 IziKr. 34:1, 2) UJosiya wabonisa ukuthembela kwakhe kuJehova ngokuhlanza izwe ekukhulekeleni izithombe nangokubuyisela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokwenza kanjalo, uJosiya wazilethela yena nesizwe sonke izibusiso.—Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 34:31-33.

7. Lapho u-Israyeli engazinaki izikhumbuzo zikaJehova, wawuba yini umphumela?

⁷ Nokho, kuyadabukisa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abazange bathembele njalo ngokuphelele ezikhumbuzweni zikaJehova. Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, babelalela babuye bangalaleli. Uma sisebenzisa amazwi omphostoli uPawulu, singathi lapho ukholo lwabo lubuthaka, ‘babeyiswa lé nalé yiyo yonke imimoya yemfundiso.’ (Efe. 4:13, 14) Njengoba kwabikezelwa, lapho bengazethembi izikhumbuzo zikaNkulunkulu, babevuna kabuhlungu.—Lev. 26:23-25; Jer. 5:23-25.

8. Singafunda kanjani esibonelweni sika-Israyeli?

⁸ Singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sika-Israyeli? Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla  zithola iseluleko nesiyalo njengoba kwakunjalo nango-Israyeli. (2 Pet. 1:12) IZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe lingaba isikhumbuzo kithi ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho silifunda. Njengabantu abanenkululeko yokuzikhethela, singakhetha ukulalela iziqondiso zikaJehova noma singaphishekela lokho esikubona kulungile emehlweni ethu. (IzAga 14:12) Ake sihlole izizathu ezimbalwa ezenza sizethembe izikhumbuzo zikaJehova nokuthi singazuza kanjani ngokuzilalela.

9. Lapho ama-Israyeli esehlane, uJehova wawaqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi uyawasekela?

⁹ Lapho ama-Israyeli ethatha uhambo olwagcina seluyiminyaka engu-40 ‘ehlane elesabekayo,’ uJehova akazange awanike kusengaphambili imininingwane eqondile ngokuthi wayeyowaqondisa, awavikele futhi awanakekele kanjani. Noma kunjalo, wayelokhu ewabonisa ukuthi angathembela kuye naseziqondisweni zakhe. Esebenzisa insika yefu emini neyomlilo ebusuku, uJehova wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi uyawasekela njengoba ayewahola kulelo hlane elesabekayo. (Dut. 1:19; Eks. 40:36-38) Wanakekela nezidingo zawo eziyisisekelo. “Zona kanye izingubo zabo aziguganga, nezinyawo zabo azivuvukalanga.” Ngempela, “abantulanga lutho.”—Neh. 9:19-21.

10. UJehova ubaqondisa kanjani abantu bakhe namuhla?

¹⁰ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zisemngceleni wezwe elisha lokulunga. Siyamethemba yini uJehova ukuthi uyosinika esikudingayo ukuze sisinde ‘osizini olukhulu’? (Math. 24:21, 22; IHu. 119:40, 41) Yiqiniso, uJehova akasinikanga insika yefu noma yomlilo ukuze isiqondise singene ezweni elisha. Kodwa usebenzisa inhlangano yakhe ukuze isisize sihlale siqaphile. Ngokwesibonelo, kuye kwagcizelelwa nakakhulu ukuba sizakhe ngokomoya ngesifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu, ngokuba nobusuku bokuKhulekela Komkhaya nangokuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla nasensimini. Sesizenzile yini izinguquko ezidingekayo ukuze silandele lezi ziqondiso? Ukwenza kanjalo kuyosisiza ukuba sakhe ukholo oluyosilonda size singene ezweni elisha.

11. Yiziphi izindlela uNkulunkulu abonisa ngazo ukuthi uyasikhathalela?

¹¹ Ngaphezu kokusisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya, iziqondiso esiye sazithola zisisiza ukuba sibhekane nezimo zokuphila kwansuku zonke. Izibonelo zalokhu zihlanganisa ukulondoloza umbono olinganiselayo ngezinto ezibonakalayo nokuhlale sineso elihle ukuze sinciphise ukukhathazeka. Siye sazuza nasesiqondisweni esiphathelene nokugqoka nokuzilungisa, ukukhetha ukuzijabulisa okuhle nokunquma ukuthi ingakanani imfundo okumelwe siyithole. Cabanga nangezikhumbuzo esizitholile ngokuphathelene nokuphepha emakhaya, ezimotweni zethu nasemaHholo OMbuso kanye nokuzilungiselela izimo eziphuthumayo. Izeluleko ezinjalo zibonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayikhathalela inhlalakahle yethu.

12. (a) Yisiphi isihloko uJesu akhuluma ngaso ngokuphindaphindiwe nabafundi bakhe? (b) Yisiphi isenzo sokuthobeka esagxila engqondweni kaPetru, futhi kufanele sisithinte kanjani?

¹² Ekhulwini lokuqala, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babethola izikhumbuzo njalo. UJesu wakhuluma ngokuphindaphindiwe nabafundi bakhe ngesidingo sokuhlakulela ukuthobeka. Nokho, wenza okungaphezu nje kokubatshela ukuthi kwakusho ukuthini ukuthobeka—wababonisa nendlela yokuthobeka. Ngosuku lwakhe lokugcina esemhlabeni, uJesu wabizela abaphostoli ndawonye ePhasikeni. Ngesikhathi abaphostoli bakhe bedla, uJesu wasukuma etafuleni wageza izinyawo zabo—umsebenzi owawuvame ukwenziwa  inceku. (Joh. 13:1-17) Lesi senzo sokuthobeka sagxila ezingqondweni zabo. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-30, umphostoli uPetru, owayekhona kuleso sidlo, wanikeza amakholwa ayekanye nawo iseluleko ngokuphathelene nokuthobeka. (1 Pet. 5:5) Isibonelo sikaJesu kufanele sisishukumisele ukuba sonke sithobeke ekusebenzelaneni kwethu.—Fil. 2:5-8.

13. Iyiphi imfanelo ebalulekile uJesu akhumbuza abafundi bakhe ukuba bayihlakulele?

¹³ Esinye isihloko uJesu akhuluma ngaso ngokuphindaphindiwe nabafundi bakhe ukuba nokholo oluqinile. Ngemva kokuba behluleke ukukhipha idemoni kumfana othile, abafundi babuza uJesu: “Kungani thina singakwazanga ukulixosha?” UJesu waphendula: “Kungenxa yokholo lwenu oluncane. Ngoba ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Uma ninokholo olulingana nohlamvu lwesinaphi, . . . akukho lutho olungeke lwenzeke kini.” (Math. 17:14-20) Phakathi nayo yonke inkonzo yakhe, uJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi ukholo luyimfanelo ebalulekile. (Funda uMathewu 21:18-22.) Ingabe siwasebenzisa ngokunenzuzo amathuba asivulekele ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu ngemfundo enikezwa emihlanganweni yesigodi, yesifunda nasemihlanganweni yebandla yobuKristu? Le mibuthano ayigcini nje ngokuba izikhathi ezijabulisayo; kodwa iyizenzakalo zokubonisa ukuthi siyamethemba uJehova.

14. Kungani kubalulekile ukuhlakulela uthando olunjengolukaKristu namuhla?

¹⁴ ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki igcwele izikhumbuzo zokuba sibonise uthando komunye nomunye. UJesu wathi umyalo wesibili omkhulu uwukuba “uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Math. 22:39) Ngokufanayo, umfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye, uJakobe, wabiza uthando ngokuthi “umthetho wobukhosi.” (Jak. 2:8) Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Bathandekayo, anginilobeli umyalo omusha, kodwa umyalo omdala ebenilokhu ninawo kusukela ekuqaleni.” (1 Joh. 2:7, 8) Wayekhuluma ngani uJohane lapho ethi “umyalo omdala”? Wayekhuluma ngomyalo wothando. ‘Wawumdala’ ngomqondo wokuthi uJesu wayewunikeze emashumini eminyaka ngaphambili, “kusukela ekuqaleni.” Kodwa futhi ‘wawumusha’ ngomqondo wokuthi wawudinga ukuba babonise uthando lokuzidela, lolo abafundi ababengase baludinge njengoba babebhekana nezimo ezintsha. Njengabafundi bakaKristu, asizazisi yini izixwayiso ezisisiza ukuba siqaphe umoya wobugovu ogcwele kangaka kuleli lizwe, ongaqeda uthando lwethu ngomakhelwane?

15. Wawuyini umsebenzi kaJesu oyinhloko emhlabeni?

¹⁵ UJesu wabonisa ukuthi unesithakazelo kubantu. Ukukhathalela kwakhe kothando sikubona endleleni aphulukisa ngayo abagulayo nababuthaka nalapho evusa  abafileyo. Nokho, umsebenzi oyinhloko kaJesu kwakungekhona ukuphulukisa abantu ngokwenyama. Ukushumayela nokufundisa kwakhe kwaba nethonya elikhulu nakakhulu ekuphileni kwabantu. Kanjani? Ngokwesibonelo, siyazi ukuthi labo uJesu abaphulukisa nalabo abavusa ekhulwini lokuqala bagcina begugile futhi befile, kanti labo abalalela isigijimi ayesishumayela bazibeka ethubeni lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—Joh. 11:25, 26.

16. Wenziwa ngezinga elingakanani namuhla umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi?

¹⁶ Umsebenzi wokushumayela uJesu awuqala ekhulwini lokuqala wenziwa ngezinga elikhulu namuhla. Yebo, uJesu wayala abafundi bakhe: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.” (Math. 28:19) Ngempela babenzile abafundi, futhi ngempela singasho ukuthi nathi sibenzile! OFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-7 bamemezela ngentshiseko uMbuso kaNkulunkulu emazweni angaphezu kwangu-230, futhi baqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli masonto onke nezigidi zabantu. Lo msebenzi wokushumayela unikeza ubufakazi bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina.

17. UPawulu noPetru banikeza siphi iseluleko?

¹⁷ Kusobala ukuthi izikhumbuzo zawasiza amaKristu okuqala ukuba ahlale eqinile okholweni. Cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba uThimothewu wakhuthazeka ngayo lapho umphostoli uPawulu, owayeyisiboshwa eRoma, emtshela: “Qhubeka ubambelele esibonelweni samazwi anempilo owawezwa kimi.” (2 Thim. 1:13) Ngemva kokukhuthaza amaKristu ayekanye nawo ukuba ahlakulele izimfanelo ezinjengokukhuthazela, uthando lobuzalwane nokuzithiba, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Ngiyohlale ngilungele ukunikhumbuza ngalezi zinto, nakuba nizazi futhi nimi niqinile eqinisweni.”—2 Pet. 1:5-8, 12.

18. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayezibheka kanjani izikhumbuzo?

¹⁸ Yebo, izincwadi ezabhalwa uPawulu noPetru zadlulisela “amazwi akhulunywa ngaphambili abaprofethi abangcwele.” (2 Pet. 3:2) Ingabe abafowethu bangekhulu lokuqala bacasuka lapho bethola lezo ziqondiso? Cha, ngoba zazibonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabathanda, okwabasiza ukuba ‘baqhubeke bekhula emseni ongafanelwe nasolwazini ngeNkosi noMsindisi wethu uJesu Kristu.’—2 Pet. 3:18.

19, 20. Kungani kufanele sizethembe izikhumbuzo zikaJehova, futhi singazuza kanjani ngokwenza kanjalo?

¹⁹ Namuhla, sinezizathu eziningi zokwethemba izikhumbuzo zikaJehova eziseZwini lakhe eliphelele, iBhayibheli. (Funda uJoshuwa 23:14.) Uma silifunda, sithola indlela uNkulunkulu asebenzelana ngayo nabantu abangaphelele phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka. Lo mlando walotshelwa ukuba kuzuze thina. (Roma 15:4; 1 Kor. 10:11) Siye sabona ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli. Isiprofetho singafaniswa nezikhumbuzo ezinikezwa kusengaphambili. Ngokwesibonelo, izigidi zabantu ziye zathuthelekela ekukhulekeleni uJehova okuhlanzekile, njengoba kwaprofethwa ukuthi kwakuzokwenzeka “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Izimo zezwe eziwohlokayo nazo zigcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli. Kanti, njengoba kuphawuliwe, umkhankaso omkhulu wokushumayela oqhubekayo emhlabeni wonke uwukugcwaliseka okuqondile kwamazwi kaJesu.—Math. 24:14.

²⁰ UMdali wethu usilungiselele umlando esingawethemba. Ingabe siyazuza kuwo? Kudingeka sibe nokholo ezikhumbuzweni zakhe. Yilokho uRosellen akwenza. Uyalandisa: “Njengoba ngangiqala ukuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, ngaqala ukusibona ngokucacile isandla sakhe esinothando singisekela futhi singiqinisa.” Kwangathi nathi singazuza ngokugcina izikhumbuzo zikaJehova.