1, 2. Abanye abantu bacabangani ngoNkulunkulu?

ABANTU abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi abakwenzayo akubalulekile kuNkulunkulu. Bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanandaba ngempela nokwenzeka kubona. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kwesiphepho esinamandla kakhulu esacekela phansi ingxenye enkulu yePhilippines ngo-November 2013, imeya yelinye idolobha elikhulu yathi: “Kumelwe ukuba uNkulunkulu ubengekho lapha.”

² Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakuboni abakwenzayo. (Isaya 26:10, 11; 3 Johane 11) Kunabanye nangezikhathi zomphostoli uPawulu ababecabanga kanjalo. Wathi ngabo: ‘Abakwamukelanga ukubheka uNkulunkulu ngolwazi olunembile.’ Babengalungile, bekhohlakele, behaha futhi bebabi.—Roma 1:28, 29.

3. (a) Yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona? (b) EBhayibhelini, igama elithi “isandla” sikaNkulunkulu livame ukubhekiselaphi?

³ Kuthiwani ngathi? Siyazi ukuthi uJehova ubona yonke into esiyenzayo. Kodwa ingabe siyakholelwa ukuthi uJehova unendaba nathi? Siyasibona yini isandla sakhe ekuphileni  kwethu? EBhayibhelini, igama elithi “isandla” sikaNkulunkulu livame ukubhekisela ekusebenziseni kwakhe amandla. Usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze asize izinceku zakhe futhi anqobe izitha zakhe. (Funda uDuteronomi 26:8.) UJesu wathi abanye abantu “bayobona uNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 5:8) Ingabe siphakathi kwalabo bantu? ‘Singambona kanjani uNkulunkulu’? Ake sifunde ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini zalabo abasibona isandla sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwabo nalabo abangasibonanga. Sizofunda nangokuthi ukholo lusisiza kanjani sibone isandla sikaNkulunkulu.

4. Kungani izitha zika-Israyeli zenqaba ukubona isandla sikaNkulunkulu?

⁴ Esikhathini esidlule, abantu abaningi baba nethuba lokubona nokuzwa indlela uNkulunkulu amsiza ngayo u-Israyeli. UJehova wasebenzisa izimangaliso ukuze akhulule abantu bakhe eGibhithe futhi anqobe amakhosi amaningi eZweni Lesithembiso. (Joshuwa 9:3, 9, 10) Nakuba amanye amakhosi ezwa futhi abona indlela uJehova asindisa ngayo abantu bakhe, “ahlangana wonke ndawonye ukuze alwe noJoshuwa no-Israyeli nganhliziyonye.” (Joshuwa 9:1, 2) Lapho elwa no-Israyeli, lawo makhosi aba nethuba lokubona isandla sikaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yamandla kaJehova amakhulu, “ilanga lama langanyakaza, nenyanga yama, isizwe saze saziphindiselela ezitheni zaso.” (Joshuwa 10:13) Kodwa uJehova wavumela izinhliziyo zezitha zika-Israyeli ‘zaba nenkani,’ kangangokuthi zalwa no-Israyeli. (Joshuwa 11:20) Izitha zika-Israyeli zehlulwa ngenxa yokuthi zenqaba ukuvuma ukuthi uJehova wayebalwela abantu bakhe.

5. Yini inkosi embi u-Ahabi eyenqaba ukuyikholelwa?

⁵ Kamuva, inkosi embi u-Ahabi yaba nethuba lokubona isandla sikaNkulunkulu izikhathi eziningana. U-Eliya wathi kuyo: ‘Ngeke abe khona amazolo noma imvula ngaphandle kokuba kuphumé umyalo emlonyeni wami!’ (1 AmaKhosi 17:1) Lokhu kwakungenzeka kuphela ngesandla sikaNkulunkulu, kodwa u-Ahabi wenqaba ukukukholelwa lokho. Kamuva, u-Eliya wathandaza kuJehova, futhi uNkulunkulu wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe ngokuthumela umlilo uvela ezulwini. U-Ahabi wakubona lokho. Khona-ke, u-Eliya watshela u-Ahabi ukuthi uJehova wayezoqeda isomiso futhi anise imvula enkulu. (1 AmaKhosi 18:22-45) U-Ahabi wazibona zonke lezi zimangaliso kodwa waqhubeka enqaba ukukholelwa ukuthi uwabonile amandla kaJehova. Yini esiyifundayo kulezi zibonelo? Kumelwe sibheke isandla sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu.

6, 7. Yini abaseGibheyoni noRahabi abayiqaphela?

⁶ AbaseGibheyoni babehluke kakhulu ezizweni ezazibazungezile. Basibona isandla sikaNkulunkulu. Kunokuba balwe no-Israyeli, bafuna ukwenza ukuthula naye. Kungani? Bathi kungenxa yokuthi babezwile ngoJehova nangakho konke ayekwenzile. (Joshuwa 9:3, 9, 10) Kwakuwukuhlakanipha  ngabo ukuqaphela ukuthi uJehova wayemlwela u-Israyeli.

⁷ URahabi naye wasibona isandla sikaJehova. Wayengeyena umIsrayeli, kodwa wayezwile ngendlela uJehova akhulula ngayo abantu bakhe eGibhithe. Lapho izinhloli ezimbili ezingama-Israyeli zifika kuye, wathi kuzo: “Ngiyazi ukuthi ngokuqinisekile uJehova uzoninika lona leli zwe.” URahabi wayekholelwa ukuthi uJehova wayengamsindisa yena nomndeni wakhe. Wabonisa ukholo kuJehova nakuba ayazi ukuthi ukwenza kanjalo kuyingozi.—Joshuwa 2:9-13; 4:23, 24.

8. Abanye kuma-Israyeli basiqaphela kanjani isandla sikaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Ngokungafani nenkosi embi u-Ahabi, amanye ama-Israyeli abona umlilo uvela ezulwini ngemva komthandazo ka-Eliya aqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu owayewehlisile. Amemeza: “UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso!” (1 AmaKhosi 18:39) Kuwo, kwaba sobala ukuthi ayebone amandla kaNkulunkulu.

9. Singambona kanjani uJehova nesandla sakhe namuhla?

⁹ Sesixoxile ngezibonelo ezinhle nezimbi ezisisiza siqonde ukuthi kusho ukuthini ‘ukubona uNkulunkulu’ noma ukubona isandla sikaNkulunkulu. Njengoba siya simazi uJehova nezimfanelo zakhe, sibona isandla sakhe ‘ngamehlo enhliziyo.’ (Efesu 1:18) Lokhu kusishukumisela ukuba sifune ukulingisa abantu abathembekile basendulo nabanamuhla abayibonile indlela uJehova asize ngayo abantu bakhe. Nokho, ingabe sinabo ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu uyabasiza abantu namuhla?

10. Sinabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyabasiza abantu namuhla? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁰ Sinobufakazi obuyintilibathwa bokuthi uJehova uyaqhubeka esiza abantu namuhla. Sivame ukuzwa ngabantu abathandazela usizo lukaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwabo futhi baphendulwa. (IHubo 53:2) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi u-Allan eshumayela esiqhingini esincane sasePhilippines, wahlangana nowesifazane owavele wamthela ngezinyembezi. Uthi: “Ngalolo suku ekuseni, wayethandaze kuJehova ecela ukuba oFakazi bakhe bamthole.” Lapho esanda kweva eshumini nambili wayefunde noFakazi iBhayibheli, kodwa lapho eshada futhi ethuthela esiqhingini, akabange esakwazi ukuqhubeka nokufunda. UNkulunkulu wawuphendula ngokushesha umthandazo wakhe kangangokuthi kwamthinta inhliziyo. Kungakapheli nonyaka, wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova.

11, 12. (a) UJehova uzisiza kanjani izinceku zakhe? (b) Chaza indlela uJehova asiza ngayo omunye udade.

¹¹ Izinceku eziningi zikaJehova zisibonile isandla sakhe sizisiza lapho ziyeka imikhuba emibi enjengokubhema, ukusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa noma ukubuka izithombe ezingcolile. Abanye bathi bake bazama ukuziyekela lezi zinto kodwa behluleka. Nokho, lapho becela usizo kuJehova, wabanika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile,” futhi bagcina bekwazile ukuyiyeka leyo mikhuba yabo emibi.—2 Korinte 4:7; IHubo 37:23, 24.

¹² UJehova uphinde asize izinceku zakhe ukuba zikhuthazelele izinkinga zazo. Lokhu kwenzeka ku-Amy. Wayabelwe ukusiza ekwakheni iHholo LoMbuso nekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli esiqhingini esincane esisoLwandle iPacific. Amasiko ayehlukile, ugesi namanzi kwakuvame ukungabi bikho, imigwaqo yayigeleza amanzi, wayekhumbula umndeni wakhe futhi ehlala egunjini elincane lasehhotela. Ngolunye usuku, wathethisa udade ayesebenza naye. Waphatheka kabi kakhulu ngalokho ayekwenzile. Lapho ebuyela egunjini lakhe elimnyama, wathandaza kuJehova wacela usizo. Kwathi lapho ugesi usubuyile, wafunda isihloko esasikuyi-Nqabayokulinda esasikhuluma ngokuthweswa iziqu eGileyadi. Lesi sihloko sasikhuluma ngezinkinga naye ayezikhuthazelela. Uthi: “Ngezwa sengathi uJehova wayekhuluma nami ngalobo busuku. Kwangikhuthaza ukuba ngiqhubeke nesabelo sami.”—IHubo 44:25, 26; Isaya 41:10, 13.

13. Yibuphi ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi uJehova ubasizile abantu bakhe ukuba bavikele amalungelo abo okushumayela?

¹³ UJehova uye wasiza abantu bakhe nokuba bavikele futhi bamise ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle. (Filipi 1:7) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abanye ohulumeni bezama ukumisa umsebenzi wokushumayela, siye sazivikela ezinkantolo. Sesinqobe amacala asezinkantolo eziphakeme abalelwa ku-268 emhlabeni wonke, angu-24 awo anqotshwa eNkantolo YaseYurophu Yamalungelo Abantu kusukela ngonyaka ka-2000. Kusobala ukuthi akekho umuntu ongavimba isandla sikaNkulunkulu!—Isaya 54:17; funda u-Isaya 59:1.

14. Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi uNkulunkulu unabantu bakhe?

 ¹⁴ Ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle emhlabeni wonke kungobunye ubufakazi besandla sikaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14; IzEnzo 1:8) Kanti nobunye obuphakathi kwezinceku zikaJehova ezivela ezizweni zonke bungenzeka kuphela ngosizo lukaJehova. Lobu bunye buyivela kancane! Ngisho nabantu abangamkhonzi uJehova bayavuma: “Ngempela uNkulunkulu uphakathi kwenu.” (1 Korinte 14:25) Sinobufakazi obuningi bokuthi uNkulunkulu unabantu bakhe. (Funda u-Isaya 66:14.) Kuthiwani ngawe? Uyasibona yini isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwakho?

15. Ngezinye izikhathi, kungani singase singasiboni isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwethu?

¹⁵ Ngezinye izikhathi, singase singasiboni isandla sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu. Kungani? Lapho sikhungethwe yizinkinga, singase sikhohlwe ukuthi uJehova usesisize izikhathi eziningi. Lokhu kwenzeka ku-Eliya. Wayenesibindi, kodwa lapho iNdlovukazi uJezebeli ifuna ukumbulala, wesaba. Okwangaleso sikhathi, wayikhohlwa indlela uJehova ayemsize ngayo ngaphambili. IBhayibheli lithi u-Eliya wayefisa ukufa. (1 AmaKhosi 19:1-4) Wayengalutholaphi usizo nesibindi? Kwakudingeka abheke kuJehova!—1 AmaKhosi 19:14-18.

16. Singambona kanjani uNkulunkulu lapho sinezinkinga?

¹⁶ UJobe wayegxile ezinkathazweni zakhe kangangokuthi akazange abheke isimo ayebhekene naso ngendlela uJehova ayesibheka ngayo. (Jobe 42:3-6) Ngezinye izikhathi, nathi singase sikuthole kunzima ukubona uNkulunkulu ngenxa yezinkinga zethu. Yini engasisiza sizibone izinto uNkulunkulu asenzela zona?  Kumelwe sizindle ngalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngezinkinga zethu. Khona-ke, uJehova uyoba ngokoqobo ngokwengeziwe kithi, bese nathi sikwazi ukuthi: “Ngizwile ngawe ngenzwabethi, kodwa manje iso lami liyakubona.”

17, 18. (a) Ungasibona kanjani isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwakho? (b) Landisa ngokwenzeka ekuphileni kothile okubonisa indlela uNkulunkulu asisiza ngayo namuhla.

¹⁷ Ungasibona kanjani isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwakho? Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo ezinhlanu. Esokuqala, ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova wakusiza wathola iqiniso. Esesibili, ungase ukhumbule uya emhlanganweni wobuKristu, uzwa inkulumo, futhi uthi: “Yilokho kanye ebengikudinga!” Esesithathu, mhlawumbe ubone uJehova ephendula omunye wemithandazo yakho. Esesine, kungenzeka ubufuna ukwenzela uJehova okwengeziwe futhi wabona indlela akusize ngayo ukuba uwufinyelele lowo mgomo. Esesihlanu, kungenzeka wayeka umsebenzi ngenxa yokuthi wawukuncisha isikhathi sokukhonza uJehova wabe usubona indlela uNkulunkulu agcwalisa ngayo isithembiso sakhe sokuthi: ‘Angisoze ngakulahla.’ (Hebheru 13:5) Lapho sinobuhlobo obuqinile noJehova, singasibona kalula isandla sakhe ekuphileni kwethu.

¹⁸ USarah, udade waseKenya, uthi: “Ngathandaza ngokuphathelene nomfundi enganginomuzwa wokuthi akanandaba nesifundo sakhe seBhayibheli. Ngabuza uJehova ukuthi ngiyeke yini ukufunda naye. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuthi ‘Amen,’ kwakhala ucingo. Kwakunguye lowo mfundi weBhayibheli, futhi ebuza ukuthi wayengaya yini nami esifundweni! Ngakhexa!” Uma sikucinga lokho uNkulunkulu asenzela kona, siyosibona isandla sakhe. URhonna, udade ohlala e-Asia, uthi kuthatha isikhathi ukubona indlela uJehova asisiza ngayo ekuphileni kwethu. Uyenezela: “Kodwa lapho ukwenza lokhu, kuyamangaza ukubona indlela uNkulunkulu asikhathalela ngayo!”

19. Yini enye okumelwe siyenze ukuze sibone uNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ UJesu wathi labo ‘abayobona uNkulunkulu’ kumelwe ‘bahlanzeke enhliziyweni.’ (Mathewu 5:8) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Kumelwe sigcine imicabango yethu ihlanzekile futhi siyeke ukwenza noma yini engalungile. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 4:2.) Kulesi sihloko sifunde ukuthi ukuze sibone uNkulunkulu, kumelwe siqhubeke siqinisa ubuhlobo bethu naye. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngendlela ukholo olungasisiza ngayo sisibone ngokucace kakhudlwana isandla sikaJehova ekuphileni kwethu.