1, 2. Yini uNkulunkulu ayenza ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, futhi yini abanye abangase bazibuze yona namuhla lapho begula?

UMA kuwukuthi wake wagula kakhulu, kungenzeka wazibuza, ‘Kaze ngizolulama yini?’ Noma mhlawumbe ilungu lomndeni noma umngane uyagula futhi uyazibuza ukuthi kaze uzophinde abe ngcono yini. Kuyinto evamile ukufuna ukuba umqemane, wena nabantu obathandayo. EBhayibhelini, sifunda ngabathile ababegula futhi befuna ukwazi ukuthi bazolulama yini. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi u-Ahazi, indodana ka-Ahabi noJezebeli, yayifisa ukwazi ukuthi izolulama yini ngesikhathi ilimele. Futhi kamuva, uBheni-hadadi inkosi yaseSiriya wayegula futhi wabuza ukuthi uzolulama yini.—2 AmaKhosi 1:2; 8:7, 8.

² IBhayibheli lisitshela nokuthi esikhathini esidlule, uJehova wabaphulukisa ngokuyisimangaliso abantu ngezinye izikhathi futhi waze wasebenzisa nabaprofethi bakhe ukuze avuse nabathile ababefile. (1 AmaKhosi 17:17-24; 2 AmaKhosi 4:17-20, 32-35) Namuhla, abanye abantu abagulayo bangase bazibuze ukuthi ingabe uNkulunkulu uzobenzela yini okuthile nabo ukuze abasize balulame.

3-5. Yini uJehova noJesu abangayenza, futhi yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

 ³ UJehova unawo amandla okwenza okuthile ngesimo sempilo yabantu. Wajezisa abanye ngokugula, njengoFaro wangesikhathi sika-Abrahama, kamuva wajezisa nodadewabo kaMose, uMiriyamu. (Genesise 12:17; Numeri 12:9, 10; 2 Samuweli 24:15) Kanti wajezisa ama-Israyeli ‘ngokugula noma ngenhlupho’ lapho engathembeki kuye. (Duteronomi 28:58-61) Ngezinye izikhathi, uJehova wabavikela abantu bakhe ekuguleni. (Eksodusi 23:25; Duteronomi 7:15) Abanye waze ngisho wabelapha imbala. Ngokwesibonelo, welapha uJobe lapho egula kakhulu futhi esefisa ukufa.—Jobe 2:7; 3:11-13; 42:10, 16.

⁴ Siyaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova unawo amandla okwelapha abagulayo. UJesu naye angabelapha abagulayo. Lapho esemhlabeni, welapha labo ababenezifo ezinjengochoko noma isithuthwane. Welapha izimpumputhe nababekhubazekile. (Funda uMathewu 4:23, 24; Johane 9:1-7) Lezo zimangaliso zisisiza silangazelele izinto ezinhle kakhulu uJesu azozenza ezweni elisha. Ngaleso sikhathi, “akekho ohlala khona oyothi: ‘Ngiyagula.’”—Isaya 33:24.

⁵ Nokho uma kwenzeka sigula kakhulu, singalindela yini ukuba uJehova noma uJesu baselaphe ngokuyisimangaliso manje? Futhi yini okufanele sicabange ngayo lapho sikhetha ezokwelapha?

6. IBhayibheli lithini ngezimangaliso ezenziwa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala?

⁶ Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJehova wagcoba amaKristu ngomoya wakhe ongcwele futhi amanye wawanika amandla okwenza izimangaliso. (IzEnzo 3:2-7; 9:36-42) Ngokwesibonelo, ayekwazi ukwelapha abantu nokukhuluma izilimi ezihlukahlukene. (1 Korinte 12:4-11) Kodwa kamuva lezo zimangaliso zanqamuka, njengoba nje iBhayibheli lalibikezele. (1 Korinte 13:8) Ngakho namuhla asinakulindela ukuba uNkulunkulu aselaphe ngokuyisimangaliso noma elaphe abantu esibathandayo.

7. IHubo 41:3 lingasikhuthaza kanjani?

⁷ Nokho uma ugula, uJehova uzokududuza futhi akusekele, njengoba enza ezincekwini zakhe esikhathini esidlule. INkosi uDavide yabhala: “Uyajabula umuntu owenza ngokumcabangela ophansi; ngosuku lwenhlekelele uJehova uyomenzela indlela yokuphunyuka. UJehova ngokwakhe uyomqapha futhi amlonde.” (IHubo 41:1, 2) Yiqiniso, uDavide wayengaqondile ukuthi umuntu olungile owayephila ngaleso sikhathi owayecabangela umuntu ophansi wayengasoze afa. Khona-ke, uJehova wayezomsiza kanjani umuntu olungile? UDavide wachaza: “UJehova uqobo uyomsekela okhukhweni lokugula; ngokuqinisekile wonke umbhede wakhe uyowushintsha phakathi nokugula kwakhe.” (IHubo 41:3) UJehova wazi kahle ukuthi yini ekhathaza izinceku  zakhe futhi akazikhohlwa. Angazinika isibindi nokuhlakanipha. UJehova wenze nomzimba womuntu ngendlela yokuba ukwazi ukuzelapha.

8. NgokweHubo 41:4, uDavide wacela uJehova ukuba amenzeleni lapho egula kakhulu?

⁸ Encwadini yeHubo 41, uDavide usitshela nangesikhathi lapho ayegula khona kakhulu, ezizwa ebuthakathaka futhi ekhathazekile. Kubonakala sengathi ngaleso sikhathi, indodana yakhe u-Absalomu yayizama ukumqhwaga ubukhosi. UDavide wayegula kangangokuthi wayengenakukwazi ukumnqanda u-Absalomu. Wayazi ukuthi izinkinga zomndeni wakhe zazibangelwe yisono sakhe noBhati-sheba. (2 Samuweli 12:7-14) Ngakho, wenzani? Wathandaza: “O Jehova, ngibonise umusa. Phulukisa umphefumulo wami, ngoba ngonile kuwe.” (IHubo 41:4) UDavide wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayesithethelele isono sakhe, futhi wencika kuNkulunkulu ukuba amsize phakathi nokugula kwakhe. Kodwa ingabe uDavide wayelindele isimangaliso esivela kuJehova?

9. (a) UJehova wayenzelani iNkosi uHezekiya? (b) Yini uDavide ayeyilindele kuJehova?

⁹ Yiqiniso ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi uNkulunkulu wayekhetha ukubelapha abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho iNkosi uHezekiya ibangwa nezibi, uJehova wayelapha. UHezekiya waqhubeka waphila eminye iminyaka engu-15. (2 AmaKhosi 20:1-6) Kodwa uDavide wayengalindele isimangaliso. Kunalokho, wayelindele ukuba uNkulunkulu amsize ngendlela ayengasiza ngayo “umuntu owenza ngokumcabangela ophansi.” UDavide wayenobuhlobo obuhle noJehova, ngakho wayengamcela uJehova ukuba amduduze futhi amnakekele phakathi nokugula kwakhe. Waphinde wacela ukuba alapheke nokuthi abe ngcono. Nathi singamcela uJehova ukuba asisize ngendlela efanayo.—IHubo 103:3.

10. Kwenzekani kuTrofimu no-Ephafrodithu, futhi kusifundisani lokho?

¹⁰ Ngekhulu lokuqala, akuwona wonke amaKristu aphulukiswa ngokuyisimangaliso nakuba umphostoli uPawulu nabanye babekwazi ukwelapha abagulayo. (Funda izEnzo 14:8-10.) Umphostoli uPawulu wamelapha uyise kaPhubhiliyu owayecindezelwe umkhuhlane futhi egula kakhulu. UPawulu “wathandaza, wambeka izandla wamphulukisa.” (IzEnzo 28:8) Kodwa uPawulu akelaphanga wonke umuntu ayemazi. Omunye wabangane bakhe, uTrofimu, wahamba naye ohambweni lwezithunywa zevangeli. (IzEnzo 20:3-5, 22; 21:29) Lapho uTrofimu egula, uPawulu akamelaphanga. Ngakho uTrofimu kwadingeka angabe esahamba noPawulu futhi wasala eMilethu ukuze alulame. (2 Thimothewu 4:20) Omunye wabangane bakaPawulu, u-Ephafrodithu, wagula wabangwa nezibi. Kodwa iBhayibheli alisitsheli ukuthi uPawulu wamelapha.—Filipi 2:25-27, 30.

11, 12. Yini esiyaziyo ngoLuka, futhi kungenzeka wamsiza kanjani uPawulu?

¹¹ ULuka wayengudokotela, futhi wahamba noPawulu. (IzEnzo 16:10-12; 20:5, 6; Kolose 4:14) Kungenzeka wamsiza uPawulu nabanye lapho begula ohambweni lwabo lwezithunywa zevangeli. (Galathiya 4:13) Njengoba nje noJesu asho, “abagulayo” bayamdinga udokotela.—Luka 5:31.

 ¹² ULuka wayengeyena nje umuntu owayethanda ukweluleka abanye ngezempilo. Wayekuqeqeshelwe ukuba udokotela. IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi waqeqeshwa kuphi noma nini. Kodwa liyasho ukuthi uPawulu wathumela imikhonzo evela kuLuka eya kwabaseKolose. Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi uLuka waqeqeshwa esikoleni sobudokotela eLawodikeya, okuwumuzi oseduze naseKolose. Okunye, lapho uLuka ebhala iVangeli lakhe nencwadi yezEnzo, wasebenzisa amagama aqondene ngqo nezokwelapha. Ngenxa yokuthi wayengudokotela, wafaka nezindaba eziningi zezenzakalo lapho uJesu ayephulukisa khona abantu.

13. Yini okumelwe siyikhumbule ngaphambi kokunikeza noma ukwamukela iseluleko sezempilo?

¹³ Namuhla, akekho kubafowethu ongenza izimangaliso futhi aselaphe. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi bafuna ukusisiza, abanye bangase basinike iseluleko ngisho noma singasicelanga. Yiqiniso, okunye ukusikisela akunabungozi. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wasikisela ukuba uThimothewu aphuze iwayini elincane. UThimothewu wayenezinkinga zesisu, okungenzeka ngenxa yokuthi wayephuze amanzi angcolile. * (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:23.) Kodwa kudingeka siqaphele. Umfowethu kungenzeka azame ukusenza sikholelwe ukuthi kudingeka sisebenzise umuthi othile noma amakhambi, noma sidle okukanye sigweme ukudla okuthile. Kungenzeka asitshele ukuthi kwasiza othile emndenini wakhe owayenenkinga efanayo. Kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi kuyosisiza nathi. Kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi ngisho noma abantu abaningi bewusebenzisa umuthi othile noma indlela ethile yokwelapha, lezo zinto zisengaba yingozi.—Funda izAga 27:12.

14, 15. (a) Abantu abanjani ofanele sibaqaphe? (b) Yini esingayifunda encwadini yezAga 14:15?

¹⁴ Sonke sifuna ukuba yimiqemane ukuze sijabulele ukuphila futhi simsebenzele ngokuzikhandla uJehova. Kodwa asiphelele, ngakho-ke asikwazi ukugwema zonke izinhlobo zokugula. Lapho sigula, kungaba nezinhlobonhlobo zokwelapha, futhi sinalo ilungelo lokuzinqumela ukuthi yiluphi esingalwamukela. Ngeshwa, abanye abantu nezinye izinkampani bathi sebelitholile ikhambi elingelapha ukugula kwethu. Benza lokho ngenxa yokuthi bafuna ukuzenzela izindodla zemali. Bangase basitshele ukuthi abantu abaningi bayisebenzisile leyo ndlela yokwelapha futhi belulama. Futhi uma sigula, singase sizimisela ukuzama noma yini engasisiza sibe ngcono futhi siphile isikhathi eside. Kodwa akumelwe sisikhohlwe iseluleko esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu esithi: “Ongenalwazi uba nokholo kuwo wonke amazwi, kodwa okhaliphile uyazicabangela izinyathelo zakhe.”—IzAga 14:15.

¹⁵ Uma sinokuqonda noma sikhaliphile, siyoqaphela ukuthi yini esiyikholelwayo ikakhulu uma umuntu osinikeza iseluleko  engakaze athole ukuqeqeshwa okufanele. Siyozibuza: ‘Uthi lamavithamini, amakhambi noma indlela ethile yokudla yabasiza abantu, kodwa ingabe ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi kwabasiza ngempela? Ngisho noma kubasizile abanye, ngazi kanjani ukuthi nami kuzongisiza? Ingabe kufanele ngenze ucwaningo olwengeziwe futhi ngikhulume nabathile abakuqeqeshelwe kahle ukwelapha isifo enginaso?’—Duteronomi 17:6.

16. Yini okufanele sicabange ngayo lapho senza izinqumo mayelana nempilo yethu?

¹⁶ Lapho sinquma ukuthi ikuphi ukuhlolwa okufanele sikwenze noma ukwelashwa okufanele sikwamukele, kudingeka sibe ‘nokuhluzeka kwengqondo,’ noma sisebenzise ukwahlulela okuhle. (Thithu 2:12) Lokhu kubaluleke nakakhulu uma ukuhlolwa noma indlela yokwelapha ibonakala ingajwayelekile kakhulu. Ingabe umuntu ozoselapha angakwazi ukusichazela ukuthi ukuhlolwa noma indlela yokwelapha isebenza kanjani? Ingabe incazelo enikezwayo iyinqaba? Ingabe odokotela abaningi bayavuma ukuthi lokhu kuhlolwa noma indlela yokwelapha ingabelapha ngempela abantu? (IzAga 22:29) Mhlawumbe othile usitshela ukuthi kukhona ikhambi elisha elitholakele endaweni ethile ekude futhi odokotela abakazi ngalo. Kodwa ingabe kukhona okuthile  okufakazela ukuthi likhona ikhambi elinjalo? Abanye bangase bathi indlela yabo yokwelapha inekhambi eliyimfihlo noma amandla angaqondakali. Lokhu kungaba yingozi kakhulu. Khumbula, uNkulunkulu usixwayisa ukuba singawasebenzisi amandla angaphezu kwawemvelo noma imilingo.—Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 1:13.

17. Isiphi isifiso esivamile esinaso?

¹⁷ Indikimba ebusayo yangekhulu lokuqala yathumelela abafowethu emabandleni incwadi ukuze ibatshele ngezinto ezithile okwakumelwe bazigweme. Esiphethweni saleyo ncwadi, indikimba ebusayo yabhala: “Uma nizigcina ngokucophelela kulezi zinto, niyochuma. Mpilonhle!” (IzEnzo 15:29) Nakuba amazwi ambalwa okugcina ayemane nje eyindlela yokuvalelisa, asikhumbuza ukuthi kuyinto evamile ukufuna ukuba yimiqemane.

18, 19. Yini esingayilangazelela ezweni elisha?

¹⁸ Ngenxa yokuthi asiphelele, asinakukwazi ukugwema zonke izinhlobo zokugula. Futhi lapho sigula, asilindeli ukuba uJehova aselaphe ngokuyisimangaliso. Kodwa singalangazelela isikhathi esizayo lapho uNkulunkulu ezoselapha khona ngokuphelele. Encwadini yesAmbulo 22:1, 2, umphostoli uJohane wakhuluma ‘ngamanzi okuphila nemithi yokuphila’ eyokwelapha wonke umuntu. Lokhu akubhekiseli emakhambini athile esingawasebenzisa manje noma ezweni elisha ukuze aselaphe. Kunalokho, kubhekisela kukho konke uJehova noJesu abazokwenza ukuze siphile phakade.—Isaya 35:5, 6.

¹⁹ Sisibheke ngabomvu leso sikhathi esimnandi kakhulu. Kodwa okwamanje, siyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uthanda ngamunye wethu nokuthi uyayiqonda indlela esizizwa ngayo lapho sihlupheka. NjengoDavide, siyaqiniseka ukuthi uma sigula, uJehova ngeke asilahle. Uyohlale ebanakekela labo abathembekile kuye.—IHubo 41:12.