URAHABI ubuka ngaphandle ngefasitela legumbi lakhe njengoba ukukhanya kwelanga lasekuseni kuhlaba ithafa elizungeze iJeriko. Ibutho elihlaselayo—ibutho lakwa-Israyeli—lingaphandle komuzi. Njengoba liphinda lizungeza umuzi, kuphakama izintuli kuphinde kuzwakale umsindo omkhulu wezimpondo.

IJeriko kwakuyikhaya likaRahabi; wayeyazi imigwaqo yalo, izindlu zalo, izimakethe zalo eziphithizelayo kanye nezitolo. Wayebazi kahle abantu bakulowo muzi. Wayebona ukuthi uvalo lwaluya luba lukhulu kubantu njengoba ama-Israyeli eqhubeka nokwenza into engavamile—ezungeza umuzi kanye ngosuku. Njengoba umsindo wezimpondo zawo wawuzwakala emigwaqeni nasezigcawini zaseJeriko, abantu babethuthumela futhi bephelelwe ithemba, kodwa kwakungenjalo ngoRahabi.

URahabi wabuka njengoba ibutho liqala ukuzungeza umuzi ekuseni ngosuku lwesikhombisa. Phakathi kwebutho lama-Israyeli wabona abapristi beshaya izimpondo futhi bethwele umphongolo ongcwele owawumelela ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu wabo uJehova. Singase simbone ngeso lengqondo uRahabi ebambe intambo ebomvu elenga efasiteleni elisodongeni lomuzi wakhe. Le ntambo yayikhumbuza uRahabi ngethemba yena nomndeni wakhe ababenalo lokusinda ekubhujisweni kwalowo muzi. Ingabe uRahabi wayeyimbuka? Ngokuqinisekile wayengelona kuJehova; uNkulunkulu wayembheka njengowesifazane onokholo oluphawulekayo. Ake siyiqale phansi le ndaba kaRahabi, sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda kuye.

URahabi wayeyisifebe. Lelo qiniso lashiya izazi zeBhayibheli zibambe ongezansi kangangokuthi ngaphambili, ezinye zaphetha ngokuthi wayemane nje engumgcini wendlu yezihambi. Nokho, iBhayibheli licacile futhi alifihli lutho. (Joshuwa 2:1; Hebheru 11:31; Jakobe 2:25) Kungenzeka ukuthi umphakathi wamaKhanani wawukwamukela okwakwenziwa uRahabi. Nokho, ukwamukelwa kwento akukuqedi ukudliwa unembeza, umuzwa ongaphakathi kithi wokulungile nokungalungile esiwunikwe uJehova. (Roma 2:14, 15) Mhlawumbe uRahabi wayenamahloni ngenxa yendlela ayephila ngayo. Kungenzeka njengabantu abaningi namuhla, wayenomuzwa wokuthi akukho okunye ayengakwenza ukuze anakekele umndeni wakhe.

Akungabazeki ukuthi uRahabi wayekufisa ukuphila okungcono. Izwe lakubo laligcwele ubudlova, ukuziphatha okubi nokulala nezihlobo nezilwane. (Levitikusi 18:3, 6, 21-24) Ukwanda kwezenzo ezinjalo kulelo zwe kwakubangelwa inkolo. Amathempeli ayekhuthaza ubufebe futhi ukukhulekelwa okunjalo konkulunkulu bobudemoni abanjengoBhali noMoloki kwakuhlanganisa ukushiswa kwezingane ziphila ezindaweni zokwenza imihlatshelo.

UJehova wayezibona izinto ezazenzeka eKhanani. Empeleni ngenxa yemikhuba eminingi emibi yamaKhanani, uJehova wathi: “Izwe lingcolile, futhi ngiyoletha isijeziso phezu kwalo ngenxa yesiphambeko salo, futhi leli zwe liyobahlanza abakhileyo kulo.” (Levitikusi 18:25) Sasihilelani “isijeziso . . . ngenxa yesiphambeko salo”? Ama-Israyeli ayenikwe lesi sithembiso: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngokuqinisekile uyozidudula lezi zizwe zisuke phambi kwakho  kancane kancane.” (Duteronomi 7:22) Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, uJehova wayethembise umndeni ka-Abrahama ukuwunika lelo zwe, futhi ‘uNkulunkulu akawaqambi amanga.’—Thithu 1:2; Genesise 12:7.

Nokho, uJehova wabikezela nokuthi amaqembu athile kulelo zwe ayeyobhujiswa ngokuphelele. (Duteronomi 7:1, 2) ‘NjengoMahluleli olungile womhlaba wonke,’ uNkulunkulu wazifunda zonke izinhliziyo zabo futhi wayekwazi kahle ukujula kobubi nokonakala kwabo. (Genesise 18:25; 1 IziKronike 28:9) Kwakunjani kuRahabi ukuphila emzini owawulindelwe imbubhiso? Cabanga nje indlela azizwa ngayo lapho ezwa imibiko ngama-Israyeli. Wezwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wama-Israyeli uhole abantu bakhe—isizwe sezigqila esasicindezelwe—wabasiza ekunqobeni ngokuphelele ibutho laseGibhithe, ibutho elalinamandla kunawo wonke emhlabeni ngaleso sikhathi. Manje u-Israyeli wayevivela ukuhlasela iJeriko! Noma kunjalo abantu bakulowo muzi abazange bayeke ukwenza okubi. Singabona ukuthi kungani iBhayibheli libiza abantu baseKhanani ngokuthi abantu “abangalalelanga.”—Hebheru 11:31.

URahabi wayehlukile. Njengoba iminyaka iqhubeka kungenzeka ukuthi wayecabanga ngemibiko ayeyizwile ngama-Israyeli nangoNkulunkulu wawo uJehova. Yeka ukuthi wayehluke kanjani konkulunkulu bamaKhanani! Lona kwakunguNkulunkulu olwela abantu bakhe kunokuba abahlukumeze, ophakamisa izinga lokuziphatha kwabakhulekeli bakhe kunokubalulaza. Lo Nkulunkulu wayephatha abesifazane njengabayigugu, hhayi njengezinto ezisetshenziselwa ucansi ezingathengwa, zithengiswe futhi zisetshenziswe kabi ekukhulekeleni okuyihlazo. Lapho uRahabi ezwa ukuthi ama-Israyeli akanise ngaphesheya kweJordani futhi alungela ukuhlasela, kungenzeka wayekhathazekile ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka kubantu besizwe sakhe. Ingabe uJehova wamqaphela uRahabi futhi wakwazisa ukulunga kwakhe?

Namuhla, kunabantu abaningi abafana noRahabi. Banomuzwa wokuthi ngeke besakwazi ukuphunyuka endleleni yokuphila ebalulazayo, ebancisha injabulo futhi ebenza bazizwe bengelutho. Indaba kaRahabi iyisikhumbuzo esiduduzayo sokuthi akekho umuntu ongelutho kuNkulunkulu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sizizwa siphansi kangakanani, uNkulunkulu ‘akakude kulowo nalowo kithi.’ (IzEnzo 17:27) Useduze nathi, ukulungele futhi uzimisele ukunika bonke ababa nokholo kuye ithemba. Ingabe uRahabi wakwenza lokho?

Ngolunye usuku, ngaphambi kokuba ama-Israyeli azungeze umuzi waseJeriko, uRahabi wavakashelwa amadoda amabili angawazi. La madoda ayenethemba lokuthi akekho ozowabona, kodwa ayengabuzang’ elangeni ngoba kulowo muzi ophithizelayo kwakunabantu abaningi ababeqaphe noma ubani owayengase abe inhloli yakwa-Israyeli. Kungenzeka ukuthi kwasheshe kwahlaluka kuRahabi ukuthi angobani la madoda. Nakuba kwakuvamile ukuba amadoda angawazi afike emzini wakhe, lawa ayefuna nje indawo yokulala—hhayi ucansi.

Empeleni la madoda amabili, ayeyizinhloli ezivela ekamu lama-Israyeli. Ayethunywe umkhuzi wempi yawo, uJoshuwa, ukuba ahlole amandla nobuthakathaka beJeriko. Lona kwakuwumuzi wokuqala  wamaKhanani ama-Israyeli ayezowuhlasela futhi kungenzeka yiwo owawunamandla kunayo yonke. UJoshuwa wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi yena namadoda akhe bazobhekana nani. Akungabazeki ukuthi izinhloli zawukhetha ngamabomu umuzi kaRahabi. Kule ndlu, indlu yesifebe, izihambi zazingena ziphume kungekho oqaphelayo. Mhlawumbe izinhloli zazinanethemba lokuthola imininingwane ewusizo ezingxoxweni zabantu.

IBhayibheli lithi uRahabi ‘wamukela izithunywa ngokufudumele.’ (Jakobe 2:25) Wawangenisa emzini wakhe la madoda, ngisho noma ayenezinsolo zokuthi angobani nokuthi afunani, wawavumela ukuba ahlale. Mhlawumbe wayenethemba lokuzwa okwengeziwe ngoNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova.

Nokho, kungazelelwe kwafika izithunywa ezivela enkosini yaseJeriko! Kwase kuzwakele ukuthi izinhloli ezivela kwa-Israyeli zingene endlini kaRahabi. Wayezokwenzenjani uRahabi? Uma evikela la madoda angawazi wayezobe ufaka ukuphila kwakhe nokomndeni wakhe engozini. Babengeke yini abantu baseJeriko bababulale bonke uma bezwa ukuthi ucashise lezo zitha? Ngakolunye uhlangothi, manje uRahabi wayeseqiniseka ngokuthi angobani la madoda. Uma kuwukuthi wayazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu ongcono kakhulu kunowakhe, kwakungeke yini kube ithuba elihle lokuba akhethe ukuba ngasohlangothini lukaJehova?

URahabi wayenesikhathi esincane sokucabanga kodwa wasisebenzisa kahle futhi wathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha. Wafihla izinhloli phakathi kwezinhlanga zefilakisi ezazisophahleni lwendlu yakhe. Ngemva kwalokho wakhuluma nezithunywa zenkosi wathi: “Yebo, afikile kimi lawo madoda, futhi bengingazi ukuthi avelaphi. Kuthe ngesikhathi sokuvalwa kwesango sekuhlwile aphuma lawo madoda. Angiwazi ukuthi ayephi. Wasukeleni masinyane, ngoba nizowafica.” (Joshuwa 2:4, 5) Zama ukumbona ngeso lengqondo uRahabi njengoba ebuka ubuso bezithunywa zenkosi. Kungenzeka yini wayezibuza ukuthi kuyabonakala ukuthi wethukile?

Iqhinga lakhe lasebenza! Amadoda enkosi aphuma ngelikhulu ijubane elibangise emazibukweni aseJordani. (Joshuwa 2:7) Cishe uRahabi wakhululeka ngemva kwalokho. Esebenzisa iqhinga elilula, wakwazi ukukhohlisa amadoda angababulali ayengakufanelekeli ukutshelwa iqiniso, wasindisa izinceku zikaJehova ezingenacala.

URahabi waphuthuma esephindela ophahleni lwendlu yakhe wafika wachazela izinhloli lokho akwenzile. Waveza neqiniso elibalulekile: Abantu bakulowo muzi babephelelwe ithemba futhi bethuthumela ngenxa yabahlaseli. Cishe izinhloli zajabula lapho zizwa lezi zindaba ezinhle. Lawo maKhanani onakele ayethuthumela ngenxa yamandla kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uJehova! URahabi waveza nokunye okubaluleke nakakhulu kithi. Wathi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu emazulwini  phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi.” (Joshuwa 2:11) Imibiko ayeyizwile ngoJehova yayanele ukuba imfundise ukuthi kwakufaneleka ukuba amethembe uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Waba nokholo kuJehova.

URahabi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzobenza banqobe abantu bakhe. Ngakho wacela ukuboniswa umusa, enxusa ukuba yena nomkhaya wakhe bangabulawa. Izinhloli zavuma, zathi uRahabi kumelwe angayithi vú le ndaba futhi alengise intambo ebomvu efasiteleni lakhe elisodongeni lomuzi ukuze amasosha akwazi ukuvikela yena nomndeni wakhe.—Joshuwa 2:12-14, 18.

Singafunda iqiniso elibalulekile okholweni lukaRahabi. Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho, “ukholo lulandela into ezwiweyo.” (Roma 10:17) Wezwa imibiko ethembekile ngamandla nobulungisa bukaJehova uNkulunkulu, ngakho waba nokholo kuye futhi wamethemba. Namuhla, sinolwazi oluningi kakhulu ngoJehova. Ingabe sizofuna ukumazi futhi sibe nokholo kuye ngokusebenzisa lokho esikufunda eZwini lakhe iBhayibheli?

Zilalela iseluleko sikaRahabi, izinhloli ezimbili zehla ngentambo eyayilenga efasiteleni odongeni lomuzi zabalekela ezintabeni. Kwakunemihume eminingi izinhloli ezazingacasha kuyo eduze kwezindawo eziyimiqansa ngasenyakatho yeJeriko, zazizolinda lapho kuze kuphephe bese zibuyela ekamu lakwa-Israyeli nezindaba ezinhle ezizizwe kuRahabi.

Lapho abantu baseJeriko bezwa ukuthi uJehova umise ngokuyisimangaliso amanzi oMfula iJordani ukuze ama-Israyeli awele emhlabathini owomile, ngokuqinisekile bangenwa amanzi emadolweni. (Joshuwa 3:14-17) Kodwa kuRahabi, lezo zindaba zaziwubufakazi bokuthi ukukholelwa kuJehova kuyisenzo sokuhlakanipha.

Kwabe sekufika isikhathi sokuba ama-Israyeli azungeze umuzi—izinsuku eziyisithupha, ezungeza umuzi kanye usuku ngalunye. Manje kwase kuwusuku lwesikhombisa futhi lwaluhlukile kwezinye. Njengoba kubonisiwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko, ukuzungeza umuzi kwakuqala ekuseni futhi ngemva kokuba ibutho seliwuzungezile umuzi kanye, laliqhubeka liwuzungeza izikhathi eziningana. (Joshuwa 6:15) Yini eyayenziwa ama-Israyeli?

Ekugcineni, ngosuku lwesikhombisa ngemva kokuwuzungeza kasikhombisa umuzi, ibutho lama. Izimpondo zathula. Kwathi cwaka. Cishe ngaphakathi emzini abantu base bephelile uvalo. Lilandela isiqondiso sikaJoshuwa, ibutho lakwa-Israyeli lakhamuluka kanye kanye ngezwi elikhulu ngokokuqala ngqa. Kungenzeka yini abaqaphi ababephezu kwezindonga zaseJeriko bacabanga ukuthi lena indlela engavamile yokuhlasela, ukumemeza nje? Uma kunjalo, basheshe bayithola impendulo. Izindonga ezinkulu zaqala ukundindizela. Zanyakaza, zaqhephuka zabe sezidilika—zayoshayeka phansi! Nokho lapho uthuli lwehla, kwakusele ingxenye eyodwa yodonga. Indlu kaRahabi yayisamile, ukuphela kwesakhiwo esasinda ngenxa yokholo lowesifazane oyedwa. Cabanga nje ukuthi uRahabi wazizwa kanjani lapho ebona indlela uJehova ayemvikela ngayo! * Umndeni wakhe wawuphephile!—Joshuwa 6:10, 16, 20, 21.

Ngendlela efanayo ama-Israyeli amhlonipha uRahabi ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Lapho ebona ukuthi indlu eyodwa ayibhujiswanga, aqonda ukuthi lona wesifazane usekelwa uJehova. Yena nomndeni wakhe basinda embubhisweni eyachitha lowo muzi omubi. Ngemva kwempi, uRahabi wavunyelwa ukuba ahlale eduze kwekamu lama-Israyeli. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uRahabi waba yingxenye yamaJuda. Washada nendoda ebizwa ngokuthi uSalimoni. Indodana yabo uBhowazi yakhula yaba indoda enokholo oluphawulekayo. Yashada noRuthe uMmowabikazi. * (Ruthe 4:13, 22) Kamuva, iNkosi uDavide noJesu Kristu uMesiya bavela ohlwini lwalowo mndeni ovelele.—Joshuwa 6:22-25; Mathewu 1:5, 6, 16.

Indaba kaRahabi ibonisa ukuthi akekho kithi ongabalulekile kuJehova. Uyasibona sonke, ufunda izinhliziyo zethu futhi uyajabula lapho ethola inhlansi yokholo efana naleyo eyashukumisa inhliziyo kaRahabi. Ukholo lwakhe lwamshukumisela esenzweni. Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho, kwathiwa “ulungile ngemisebenzi.” (Jakobe 2:25) Siyobe senza ngokuhlakanipha uma silingisa ukholo lwakhe!