1. Isiphi isidingo abantu abanaso, futhi ubani onganelisa leso sidingo?

ABANTU banesidingo esikhulu sokuzizwa besondelene nabanye abantu. Kuye kuthiwe abantu “basondelene lapho bethandana kakhulu futhi bazana kakhulu.” Ngokwemvelo, ukuze sibe nempilo enhle, siyabudinga ubuhlobo esinabo nomndeni nabangane abasithandayo, abasazisayo nabasiqondayo. Nokho, uMuntu okudingeka sibe nobuhlobo obuseduze naye kakhulu kunabo bonke nguMdali wethu Omkhulu.—UmSh. 12:1.

2. Yini uJehova asithembisa yona, kodwa kungani abantu abaningi bengasikholelwa leso sithembiso?

² UJehova uyasinxusa eZwini lakhe ukuba ‘sisondele’ kuye, futhi uthembisa ukuthi uma senza kanjalo, “naye uyosondela” kithi. (Jak. 4:8) Yeka ukuthi la mazwi akhuthaza kanjani! Nokho, abantu abaningi bacabanga ukuthi kuwukungabhekani namaqiniso ukukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna ukusondela kubo; banomuzwa wokuthi abakufanelekeli ukusondela kuye noma ukuthi ukude kakhulu ukuba bangasondela kuye. Ingabe kungenzeka ngempela ukusondelana noJehova?

3. Iliphi iqiniso okumelwe silazi ngoJehova?

³ Iqiniso liwukuthi uJehova ‘akakude kulowo nalowo’ omfunayo; singakwazi ukumazi. (Funda izEnzo 17:26, 27; iHubo 145:18.) Kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu wethu ukuba ngisho nabantu abangaphelele  basondelane naye, ukulungele futhi uzimisele ukubamukela, abathande njengabangane bakhe abakhulu. (Isaya 41:8; 55:6) Njengofakazi wokuzibonela, umhubi wayengaloba lokhu ngoJehova: “O Muzwi womthandazo, impela abantu bayo yonke inyama bayokuza kuwe. Uyajabula umuntu omkhethayo wenze ukuba asondele.” (IHu. 65:2, 4) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuphathelene nenkosi yakwaJuda u-Asa kusinikeza isibonelo somuntu owasondela kuNkulunkulu, futhi kubonisa indlela uJehova asabela ngayo. *

4. Isiphi isibonelo iNkosi u-Asa eyasibekela abantu bakwaJuda?

⁴ INkosi u-Asa yabonisa intshiseko emangalisayo ngokukhulekela okuhlanzekile, njengoba yaqeda ubufebe basethempelini nokukhulekela izithombe okwase kudlangile ezweni. (1 AmaKh. 15:9-13) Lokho kwayinika inkululeko yokukhuluma ukuba ikwazi ukunxusa abantu ukuba ‘bafune uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho babo futhi benze umthetho nomyalo.’ UJehova wayibusisa iminyaka yokuqala eyishumi yokubusa kuka-Asa ngokuthula okuphelele. Ubani u-Asa amdumisa ngalokho kuthula? Watshela abantu: “Izwe lisatholakala, ngoba siye samfuna uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Simfunile, yena usinika ukuphumula nxazonke.” (2 IziKr. 14:1-7) Yizwa ukuthi kwabe sekwenzekani.

5. Isiphi isimo esavivinya ukuthembela kuka-Asa kuNkulunkulu, futhi waba yini umphumela?

⁵ Zibeke esimweni sika-Asa. UZera umTopiya uze ukuzohlasela uJuda enamadoda ayisigidi nezinqola zempi ezingu-300. (2 IziKr. 14:8-10) Ubuyosabela kanjani lapho ubona ibutho elikhulu kangako limasha lizohlasela umbuso wakho? Wena unamabutho angu-580 000 kuphela! Njengoba leli butho licishe lisiphinde kabili isibalo samabutho akho, ingabe ubuyozibuza ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu evumela ukuba nihlaselwe ibutho elingako? Ukuze ubhekane nalesi simo esiphuthumayo, ingabe ubuyosisingatha ngokuhlakanipha kwakho? Indlela u-Asa asabela ngayo yabonisa ukuthi wayemethemba uJehova futhi enobuhlobo obuseduze naye. Wanxusa ngobuqotho: “O Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, sisize, ngoba sinciké kuwe, futhi size ukuzomelana nalesi sixuku egameni lakho. O Jehova, wena unguNkulunkulu wethu. Ungavumeli umuntu ofayo abe namandla ngokumelene nawe.” Wasabela kanjani uNkulunkulu kulokhu kunxusa kuka-Asa okuqotho? “UJehova wawahlula amaTopiya.” Akusindanga ngisho noyedwa webutho lesitha kuleyo mpi!—2 IziKr. 14:11-13.

6. Yini ephathelene no-Asa okufanele siyilingise?

⁶ Yini eyenza u-Asa wathembela ngokugcwele esiqondisweni nasesivikelweni sikaNkulunkulu? IBhayibheli lithi “u-Asa wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova,” lithi futhi “inhliziyo ka-Asa yayiphelele kuJehova.” (1 AmaKh. 15:11, 14) Nathi kudingeka sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo ephelele. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba senze kanjalo uma sifuna ukuba nobuhlobo obuseduze naye manje nasesikhathini esizayo. Yeka ukuthi simbonga kanjani uJehova ngokuthi uye wathatha isinyathelo kuqala sokusidonsela kuye nokuthi uyasisiza ukuba sakhe futhi silondoloze ubuhlobo obuseduze naye! Ake sicabangele izindlela ezimbili uNkulunkulu aye wakwenza ngayo lokhu.

7. (a) UJehova uye wenzani ukuze asidonsele kuye? (b) Iyiphi indlela evelele kunazo zonke uNkulunkulu asidonsela ngayo kuye?

⁷ UJehova wabonisa uthando lwakhe ngomkhaya wesintu ngokudala ikhaya lethu elihle eliwumhlaba. Usabonisa uthando lwakhe ngathi ngokusekela ukuphila kwethu ngamalungiselelo akhe amangalisayo angokwenyama. (IzE. 17:28; IsAm. 4:11)  Okubaluleke nakakhulu, uJehova unakekela izidingo zethu ezingokomoya. (Luka 12:42) Usiqinisekisa nangokuthi usilalela ngokwakhe lapho sithandaza. (1 Joh. 5:14) Nokho, indlela evelele kunazo zonke uNkulunkulu asidonsela ngayo kuye nathi esidonsekela ngayo kuye iwuthando alubonisayo ngesihlengo. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:9, 10, 19.) UJehova wathumela ‘iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa’ emhlabeni ukuze sikhululwe esonweni nasekufeni.—Joh. 3:16.

8, 9. UJesu ufeza yiphi indima enjongweni kaJehova?

⁸ UJehova wenze ukuba ngisho nabantu abaphila ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaKristu bakwazi ukuzuza esihlengweni. Kusukela uJehova aprofetha ngoMsindisi wesintu ozoza, kwase kufana nokuthi isihlengo sesikhokhiwe, ngoba wayazi ukuthi injongo yakhe yayingasoze ibhuntshe. (Gen. 3:15) Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka kamuva, umphostoli uPawulu wambonga uNkulunkulu ngelungiselelo ‘lokukhululwa ngesihlengo esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu.’ UPawulu wanezela ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ngokubekezela akubonisa “wayethethelela izono ezenzeka esikhathini esidlule.” (Roma 3:21-26) Yeka ukuthi uJesu ufeza indima ebaluleke kangakanani ekusondelaneni kwethu noNkulunkulu!

⁹ Abantu abathobekile bangazi uJehova futhi bajabulele ubuhlobo nokusondelana naye ngoJesu kuphela. ImiBhalo iliqokomisa kanjani leli qiniso? UPawulu wabhala: “UNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:6-8) Umhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaJesu walungiselelwa ngoba uNkulunkulu esithanda, hhayi ngoba sisifanelekela. UJesu wathi: “Akekho umuntu ongeza kimi ngaphandle kokuba uBaba ongithumileyo emdonsa.” Ngesinye isikhathi wathi: “Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami.” (Joh. 6:44; 14:6) UJehova usebenzisa umoya ongcwele ukuze adonsele abantu ngabanye kuye ngoJesu futhi uyabasiza ukuba bahlale othandweni lwaKhe ukuze bathole ukuphila okuphakade. (Funda uJude 20, 21.) Ake sicabangele enye futhi indlela uJehova asidonsela ngayo kuye.

10. IBhayibheli lisifundisani esisiza ukuba sisondele kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Kuze kube manje kulesi sihloko, siye sacaphuna noma sabhekisela emiBhalweni esezincwadini zeBhayibheli ezingu-14. Ngaphandle kweBhayibheli, besiyokwazi kanjani ukuthi singasondela kuMdali wethu? Ngaphandle kwalo, besiyokwazi kanjani ngesihlengo nangokudonselwa kwethu kuJehova ngoJesu? Esebenzisa umoya wakhe, uJehova waphefumulela ukulotshwa kweBhayibheli, elisembulela ubuntu bakhe obukhangayo kanye nezinjongo zakhe ezinhle. Ngokwesibonelo, ku-Eksodusi 34:6, 7, uJehova wazichaza kuMose ngokuthi “[unguNkulunkulu] onesihe nomusa, owephuza ukuthukuthela nochichima umusa wothando neqiniso, olondolozela abayizinkulungwane umusa wothando, oxolela isiphambeko neseqo nesono.” Ubani ongeke adonsekele kuNkulunkulu onjalo? UJehova uyazi ukuthi lapho sifunda okwengeziwe ngaye emakhasini eBhayibheli, uyoba ngokoqobo kithi futhi siyozizwa sisondelene kakhulu naye.

11. Kungani kufanele sizame ukufunda ngezimfanelo nezindlela zikaNkulunkulu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹¹ Sichaza indlela esingabufinyelela ngayo ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu, isandulela sencwadi ethi Sondela KuJehova sithi: “Kunoma ibuphi ubungane esibakhayo, isibopho sisuke sisekelwe ekumazini lowo muntu, ekuthandeni nasekwaziseni izimfanelo zakhe ezimenza ahluke. Ngakho, kubalulekile ukutadisha izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu nezindlela zakhe njengoba zembulwe eBhayibhelini.” Ngakho-ke, asive sibonga ngokuthi uJehova wenze ukuba iZwi lakhe lilotshwe ngendlela yokuba thina bantu siliqonde!

12. Kungani uJehova asebenzisa abantu ukuba balobe iBhayibheli?

 ¹² UJehova wayengasebenzisa izingelosi ukuba zilobe imiBhalo. Kakade, zinesithakazelo esikhulu kithi nasemisebenzini yethu. (1 Pet. 1:12) Akungabazeki ukuthi izingelosi zazingasibhala isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu esiya kubantu. Kodwa ingabe zaziyobona izinto ngombono wabantu? Zaziyokwazi yini ukuqonda izidingo zethu, ubuthakathaka bethu nezifiso zethu? Cha, uJehova wayazi ukuthi zilinganiselwe kulezi zici. Ngokwenza ukuba kube abantu abaloba iBhayibheli, uJehova walenza lafanelana kakhulu nathi njengabantu. Singakuqonda ukucabanga nemizwelo yabalobi beBhayibheli nabanye okukhulunywa ngabo emiBhalweni. Singazwelana nabo ekudumazekeni kwabo, ekungabazeni, ekwesabeni nasemaphutheni okungapheleli kwabo siphinde sijabule nabo ezintweni ezabajabulisa nabaphumelela kuzo. Njengomprofethi u-Eliya, bonke abalobi beBhayibheli ‘babenemizwa efana neyethu.’—Jak. 5:17.

13. Umthandazo kaJona ukhuluma kanjani nenhliziyo yakho?

¹³ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ukuthi ingelosi yayiyoyidlulisela ngokugcwele yini imizwelo kaJona lapho lo mprofethi ebalekela isabelo ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukuthi uJehova wenza ukuba kube uJona oloba ukulandisa kwakhe, kuhlanganise nomthandazo wakhe oqotho oya kuNkulunkulu awenza esezinzulwini zolwandle! UJona wathi: “Lapho umphefumulo wami ufikelwa yisinxi ngaphakathi kimi, nguJehova engamkhumbula.”—Jona 1:3, 10; 2:1-9.

14. Kungani ungase ukuqonde lokho u-Isaya akuloba ngaye ngokwakhe?

¹⁴ Cabanga nangalokho uJehova enza ukuba u-Isaya akulobe ngaye ngokwakhe. Ngemva kokubona umbono wenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lo mprofethi washukumiseleka ukuba athi ngokuba kwakhe isoni: “Maye kimi! Ngoba kuyefana nokuthi ngithulisiwe, ngoba ngingumuntu onezindebe  ezingcolile, futhi ngihlala phakathi kwesizwe esinezindebe ezingcolile; ngoba amehlo ami abone iNkosi, uJehova wamabutho ngokwakhe!” (Isaya 6:5) Ikhona yini ingelosi eyayingashukumiseleka ukuba isho amazwi anjalo? Kodwa u-Isaya wayengashukumiseleka ukuba awasho, futhi siyakwazi ukuyiqonda indlela ayezizwa ngayo.

15, 16. (a) Yini eyenza sikwazi ukuqonda indlela abanye abantu abazizwa ngayo? Nikeza izibonelo. (b) Yini eyosisiza ukuba sisondele kuJehova?

¹⁵ Izingelosi zazingakusho yini ukuthi ‘azifaneleki,’ njengoba kwasho uJakobe, noma ukuthi ‘zinesono,’ njengoba uPetru azizwa kanjalo? (Gen. 32:10; Luka 5:8) Ingabe ‘zaziyofikelwa ukwesaba,’ njengoba kwenza abafundi bakaJesu, noma ingabe izingelosi ezilungile zaziyokudinga ‘ukuqunga isibindi’ ukuze zimemezele izindaba ezinhle lapho zibhekene nokuphikiswa njengoba kwadingeka ukuba uPawulu nabanye benze kanjalo? (Joh. 6:19; 1 Thes. 2:2) Cha, izingelosi ziphelele ezicini zonke futhi zinamandla angaphezu kwawabantu. Nokho, lapho abantu abangaphelele bezwakalisa imizwelo enjalo, siyiqonda ngokushesha ngoba nathi singabantu nje. Lapho sifunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ‘singajabula ngempela nabantu abajabulayo; sikhale nabantu abakhalayo.’—Roma 12:15.

¹⁶ Uma sizindla ngalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngokusebenzelana kukaJehova nezinceku zakhe ezithembekile zasendulo, siyofunda izinto eziningi kakhulu ezimangalisayo ngoNkulunkulu wethu, owaba nesineke nothando futhi wasondela kulabo bantu abangaphelele. Ngaleyo ndlela siyomazi kahle kakhulu uJehova futhi simthande ngokujulile. Ngenxa yalokho, siyokwazi ukusondela kuye.—Funda iHubo 25:14.

17. (a) Isiphi iseluleko esihle u-Azariya asinika u-Asa? (b) U-Asa wasishaya indiva kanjani iseluleko sika-Azariya futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁷ Ngemva kokuba iNkosi u-Asa inqobe ibutho laseTopiya ngendlela emangalisayo, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Azariya wayiphathela amazwi okuhlakanipha ayezoyizuzisa yona nabantu bayo. U-Azariya wathi: “UJehova unani kuphela uma nina niba naye; uma nimfuna, uyozenza ukuba nimthole, kodwa uma nimshiya uyonishiya.” (2 IziKr. 15:1, 2) Nokho, eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, u-Asa wasishaya indiva leso seluleko esihle. Lapho esongelwa umbuso osenyakatho wakwa-Israyeli oyimbangi, u-Asa waphendukela kwabaseSiriya eyocela usizo. Kunokuba aphinde acele uJehova ukuba amsize, wakha umfelandawonye namaqaba. Ngenxa yalokho, watshelwa: “Wenzé ngobuwula ngokuqondene nalokhu, ngoba kusukela manje kuqhubeke kuzoba khona izimpi ngokumelene nawe.” Iminyaka yokugcina yokubusa kuka-Asa yayigcwele izimpi ezingapheli. (2 IziKr. 16:1-9) Sifundani thina kulokhu?

18, 19. (a) Yini okufanele siyenze uma siye savumela ukuba kuvuleke igebe phakathi kwethu noNkulunkulu? (b) Singasondela kanjani kuJehova?

¹⁸ Akufanele nanini siqhele kuJehova. Uma siye savumela ukuba kube negebe elithile phakathi kwethu naye, kufanele senze ngokuvumelana noHoseya 12:6, othi: “Kufanele ubuyele kuNkulunkulu wakho, ugcine umusa wothando nobulungisa; futhi mawuthembele kuNkulunkulu wakho njalo.” Ngakho-ke, masisondele kuJehova ngokuzindla ngokwazisa ngesihlengo nangokutadisha iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ngenkuthalo.—Funda uDuteronomi 13:4.

¹⁹ Umhubi waloba: “Ukusondela kuNkulunkulu kuhle kimi.” (IHu. 73:28) Kwangathi sonke singaqhubeka sifunda izinto ezintsha ngoJehova futhi siziqonde ngokwengeziwe izizathu eziningi zokumthanda. Kwangathi noJehova angaqhubeka esondela kithi manje nakulo lonke iphakade!