“Yena Uhlakaniphile”—Kodwa Uthobekile

 1-3. Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uthobekile?

UBABA ufuna ukufundisa umntanakhe omncane isifundo esiqakathekileyo. Ufuna ukukwenza ngendlela ezathinta inhliziyo yomntanakhe. Angakwenza njani lokho? Uyabe eqondile yini nxa angafika ame phambi komntwana ngendlela ezamenza esabe kumbe akhulume laye ngokhahlo? Akusoze kumncede yini ukuguqa alingane lomntanakhe abesekhuluma laye ngomusa? Ubaba ohlakaniphileyo lothobekileyo ubezakhetha ukuba mnene.

² UJehova unguBaba onjani? Uyazigqaja yini kumbe uthobekile? Uyabakhahlameza yini abantu kumbe umnene? UJehova wazi konke futhi ulenhlakanipho ejulileyo. Kodwa wake wakunanzelela yini ukuthi ukuba lolwazi kumbe ukukhalipha kwenza kube nzima ukuthi umuntu athobeke? IBhayibhili lithi “ulwazi luyakhukhumeza.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 3:19; 8:1) Kodwa lanxa uJehova ‘ehlakaniphile enhliziyweni,’ uthobekile. (UJobe 9:4, amabala angaphansi) Lokhu akutsho ukuthi uJehova ulesikhundla esiphansi kodwa kutsho ukuthi kazigqaji. Kungani kunjalo?

³ UJehova ungcwele. Ngakho kazigqaji ngoba ukuzigqaja kwenza umuntu abe ngongcolileyo. (UMakho 7:20-22) Nanzelela futhi ukuthi umphrofethi uJeremiya watshela uJehova wathi: “Uzangikhumbula loba sekutheni, ubusukhothama ungincede.”a (IZililo 3:20) Cabanga ngalokho! UJehova iNkosi eNkulu wayezimisele ‘ukukhothama’ kumbe ukuzehlisa alingane loJeremiya ukuze amlalele. (IHubo 113:7) Uthobekile sibili. Kodwa utshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile? Ukuthobeka kwakhe kutshengisa njani ukuthi ulokuhlakanipha? Ukuthobeka kwakhe kusinceda njani?

 4, 5. (a) Kuyini ukuthobeka futhi kukhanya ngani? Kungani kungamelanga sibone angani ukuthobeka kukaJehova kutsho ukuthi uligwala kumbe uyesaba? (b) UJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile endleleni aphatha ngayo uDavida futhi ukuthobeka kwakhe kusinceda njani?

⁴ Ukuthobeka yikuzehlisa lokungazigqaji. Ukuzithoba kumele kuqalisele enhliziyweni futhi kukhanya ngokuba mnene, ukubekezela lokuzwisisa. (KwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23) UJehova ulazo impawu lezi, kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi kazondi nxa ebona abantu bephathwa kubi kumbe ukuthi kalawo amandla okujezisa abantu abenza okubi. Ukuthobeka kukaJehova kanye lokuba mnene kwakhe kutshengisa ukuthi uyenelisa ukuzibamba lokuthi amandla akhe uzahlala ewasebenzisa ngendlela eyiyo. (U-Isaya 42:14) Ukuthobeka kukaJehova kutshengisa njani ukuthi ulokuhlakanipha? Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngeBhayibhili lithi: “Ukuthobeka kuchazwa . . . ngokuthi yikuba lendaba labanye futhi yikho lapho okuphuma khona ukuhlakanipha.” Ngakho inhlakanipho yeqiniso ngeke ibekhona kungelakuthobeka. Inhlakanipho kaJehova isinceda njani?

⁵ INkosi uDavida yahlabelela uJehova yathi: “Unginika ihawu lakho ukuze ungisindise, isandla sakho sokudla siyangisekela. Ukuthobeka kwakho kwenza ngibe mkhulu.” (IHubo 18:35) UJehova wazehlisa sibili ukuze ancedise umuntu lo owayelesono. UDavida wananzelela ukuthi ukuzithoba kukaJehova ngalindlela yikho kuphela okwakungenza asindiswe futhi acine eselesikhundla esikhulu sokuba yinkosi. Ngubani kithi obengaba lethemba lokusindiswa aluba uJehova ubengathobekanga kumbe engazimiselanga ukuzehlisa ukuze asiphathe njengoBaba omnene futhi osithandayo?

 6, 7. (a) Kungani ukuthobeka kukaJehova kutshiyene lokwabantu? (b) Ukuba mnene kungenelana njani lokuhlakanipha futhi ngubani oyisibonelo esikhulu kulokhu?

⁶ Ukuthobeka luphawu oluhle kakhulu okumele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo zibe lalo. Ukuthobeka kuhamba ndawonye lokuhlakanipha. Ngokwesibonelo, uZaga 11:2 uthi: “Ukuhlakanipha ngokwabazithobayo.” Kodwa ukuthobeka kukaJehova okukhulunywa ngakho eBhayibhilini akufanani lokwethu abantu. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Kungenxa yokuthi nxa kuthiwa umuntu uthobekile kuyabe kutshiwo ukuthi uyakwazi ukuthi kulezinto angenelisi ukuzenza kumbe angelalungelo lokuzenza. Kodwa akulalutho uSomandla angenelisiyo ukulwenza. Yena nguye ozikhethelayo afuna ukukwenza kusiya ngokuthi kulungile yini loba hatshi. (UMakho 10:27; KuThithusi 1:2) Kanti njalo ungoPhezukonke, kabuswa yiloba ngubani. Ngakho ukuzithoba okutshiwo nxa kukhulunywa ngabantu akufanani lokukaJehova.

⁷ Loba kunjalo, uJehova uthobekile njalo umnene. Ukhuthaza izinceku zakhe ukuthi zibe mnene ukuze zibe lokuhlakanipha kweqiniso. ILizwi lakhe lithi ‘ubumnene buvela ekuhlakanipheni.’b (UJakhobe 3:13) Ake sixoxe ngesibonelo sikaJehova.

 8-10. (a) Kuyini okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uthobekile njalo kungani kumangalisa lokho? (b) Indlela uSomandla aphatha ngayo izingilosi itshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile?

⁸ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uthobekile yikuthi uyalalela njalo uyavuma ukuncediswa ngabanye. Lokhu kuyamangalisa sibili ngoba uJehova kadingi kuncediswa kumbe ukwelulekwa. (U-Isaya 40:13, 14; KwabaseRoma 11:34, 35) IBhayibhili litshengisa kanengi ukuthi uJehova uyazehlisa ngalindlela.

⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ku-Abrahama. Ngelinye ilanga wafikelwa yizivakatshi ezintathu futhi esinye sakhona wasibiza ngokuthi ‘nguJehova.’ Izivakatshi lezo kwakuzingilosi. Enye yazo yayimele uJehova, isenza konke ebizweni lakhe. Konke eyayikukhuluma futhi ikwenza kwakuvela kuJehova. UJehova wasebenzisa ingilosi le ukuthi atshele u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezwe “insolo ngeSodoma leGomora.” UJehova wamtshela wathi: “Ngizakwehla ngiyebona ukuthi abakwenzayo kuyahambelana yini lensolo esifike kimi, nxa kungenjalo ngizakwazi.” (UGenesisi 18:3, 20, 21) Kodwa uJehova wayengatsho ukuthi ‘uzakwehla’ ayekhona yena ngokwakhe. Kulokuthi enze njalo, wathuma izingilosi ukuthi ziyekuba ngabameli bakhe. (UGenesisi 19:1) Ngenxa yani? Kambe uJehova obona konke wayengehluleka yini ‘ukwazi’ okwenzakala endaweni leyo engathumanga muntu? Wayengeke ehluleke. Wazehlisa wanika izingilosi umsebenzi wokuyahlola isimo lowokuvakatshela uLothi lemuli yakhe eSodoma.

¹⁰ Okunye yikuthi uJehova uyalalela. Wake wacela izingilosi zakhe ukuthi zilethe amacebo okuwisa u-Ahabi, inkosi eyayingalunganga. UJehova wayengaludingi usizo olunjalo. Kodwa wavuma icebo lenye ingilosi waseyivumela ukuthi ihambe iyekwenza eyayikukhulumile. (1 AmaKhosi 22:19-22) Kambe lokhu akutshengisi yini ukuthi uJehova uthobekile?

11, 12. U-Abrahama wakubona njani ukuthi uJehova uthobekile?

¹¹ UJehova uzimisele lokulalela abantu abalesono nxa bemtshela okubakhathazayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJehova etshela u-Abrahama ukuthi uzabhubhisa iSodoma leGomora, indoda le ethembekileyo yakhathazeka kakhulu. U-Abrahama wathi: “Umcabango onjalo ngeke ufike kuwe. Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kasoze enze okulungileyo yini?” Wabuza ukuthi nxa kungaba labantu abangu-50 abalungileyo kulelodolobho wayezayekela yini ukulibhubhisa. UJehova wathi wayengeke alibhubhise. Kodwa u-Abrahama waphinda wabuza elokhu esehlisa inani. Wehlisa waya ku-45, waya ku-40, waqhubeka elokhu esehlisa waze wayafika ku-10. Kungenzakala ukuthi u-Abrahama wayengakakuzwisisi ukuthi uJehova ulomusa kangakanani. Kungelani lokuthi kuyini okwenza u-Abrahama wabuza imibuzo leyo, uJehova wabekezela wayivumela inceku yakhe le ukuthi itsho okwakuyikhathaza.—UGenesisi 18:23-33.

¹² Bangaki abantu abahlakaniphileyo njalo abafundileyo abangazinika isikhathi sokube belalele umuntu ongakhaliphanga?c UNkulunkulu wethu uthobekile ngoba uyabalalela abantu lanxa bengakhaliphanga. U-Abrahama wazibonela ukuthi uJehova ‘uyaphuza ukuthukuthela.’ (U-Eksodusi 34:6) U-Abrahama wancenga kabili wathi: “Ngiyacela Jehova, ungathukutheli.” Mhlawumbe okwenza watsho njalo yikuthi wayesenanzelele ukuthi wayengelalungelo lokubuza okwenziwa ngoPhezukonke. (UGenesisi 18:30, 32) Kodwa uJehova kazange athukuthele ngoba ‘ulobumnene obuvela ekuhlakanipheni.’

13. Litshoni ibala elithi “ukuzwisisa” ngendlela elisetshenziswa ngayo eBhayibhilini futhi kungani limchaza kuhle uJehova?

¹³ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uthobekile yikuthi uyazwisisa. Kuyadanisa ukuthi ukuzwisisa akwandanga ebantwini abalesono. UJehova kapheleli ekulaleleni kuphela kodwa uzimisele ukutshintsha avumelane lalokho okutshiwo zinceku zakhe nxa kungasoze kwephule izimiso zakhe. EBhayibhilini, ibala elithi “ukuzwisisa” litsho “ukuvuma ukutshintsha.” Ukuzwisisa lakho kuhamba ndawonye lokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu. UJakhobe 3:17 uthi: ‘Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu kuyazwisisa.’ Kodwa kungani sisithi uJehova uyazwisisa? Esinye isizatho yikuthi uyenelisa ukutshintsha avumelane lezimo. Khumbula ukuthi ibizo lakhe litshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyenelisa ukuba yilokho okudingakalayo ukuze enze lokho akuhlosileyo. (U-Eksodusi 3:14) Lokhu akutshengisi yini ukuthi unguNkulunkulu ozwisisayo?

14, 15. Umbono wenqola eyabonwa nguHezekheli usifundisani ngengxenye yasezulwini yenhlanganiso kaJehova futhi itshiyene njani lenhlanganiso zabantu?

¹⁴ Kulamavesi eBhayibhilini asinceda sizwisise indlela uJehova atshintsha ngayo. Umphrofethi uHezekheli watshengiswa umbono wengxenye yasezulwini yenhlanganiso kaJehova ebunjwa zingilosi. Wabona “inqola” emangalisayo eqondiswa nguJehova. Inqola le yayilamaviri amane amakhulu ayegcwele amehlo indawo yonke. Amaviri la ayesenelisa ukutshintsha aye kuloba yiliphi icele engazange ame kumbe atshibilike. Inqola le enkulu yayingahambi kancane njengenqola eyenziwe ngabantu. Yayigijima ngesiqubu sombane. (UHezekheli 1:1, 14-28) Inhlanganiso kaJehova iyatshintsha kusiya ngezimo ngoba iqondiswa nguMbusi olamandla owenelisayo ukutshintsha ahambelane lezimo.

¹⁵ Abantu bangazama sibili ukuvumelana lezimo kodwa kabafiki kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, akulula ukuthi abantu batshintshe imithetho abayifakileyo ukuze ivumelane lezimo esezikhona. Cabanga ngomzekeliso lo: Isitimela esithwala impahla silamandla amakhulu. Kodwa siyenelisa yini ukukhona kumbe ukuma masinyane? Hatshi, akulula ukuthi sikwenze lokhu. Isitimela esithwele kakhulu singaqhubeka sihamba okwamakhilomitha angaba mabili ngemva kokuthi umtshayeli ebhrekile! Lenhlanganiso zabantu zinjalo. Akulula ukuthi zihambisane lokutshintsha kwezimo. Lokhu sekubangele ukuthi inhlanganiso ezinengi ziphelelwe yimali njalo kwenza lokuthi ohulumende abanengi bawe. (IZaga 16:18) Kuyathokozisa ukwazi ukuthi uJehova kanye lenhlanganiso yakhe kabanjalo!

16. UJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uyazwisisa endabeni kaLothi?

¹⁶ Cabanga futhi ngokubhujiswa kweSodoma leGomora. Ingilosi kaJehova yatshela uLothi lemuli yakhe yathi: ‘Balekelani ezintabeni.’ Kodwa uLothi kazange athande ukuya kuleyondawo. Wancenga wathi: “Awu Jehova ungangisi kuleyondawo!” ULothi wacela ukuthi yena lemuli yakhe babalekele edolobheni leZowari elalikhonapho eduze ngoba wayesesaba ukuya ezintabeni. Kodwa uLothi wayengelaso isizatho sokwesaba ngoba uJehova wayezamvikela khonale ezintabeni! Lanxa uJehova wayefuna ukulibhubhisa idolobho leZowari, watshengisa ukuthi uyazwisisa ngokuvumela uLothi ukuthi abalekele kulo. Ingilosi yatshela uLothi yathi: “Kulungile, ngiyasamukela isicelo sakho, angisoze ngilitshabalalise idolobho okhuluma ngalo.” (UGenesisi 19:17-22) UJehova watshengisa ukuthi uyazwisisa sibili.

17, 18. Endabeni yabantu baseNiniva, uJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uyazwisisa?

¹⁷ UJehova ulesihawu ebantwini abatshengisa ukuthi bayaphenduka ngeqiniso. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi umphrofethi uJona ethunywa eNiniva. Idolobho leli lalilabantu abenza okubi labalodlakela. Umlayezo okwakumele uJona awutshele abantu wawucacile: Idolobho leNiniva lalizabhujiswa ngemva kwamalanga angu-40. Kodwa akusabanga njalo. Abantu beNiniva bazisola baphenduka!—UJona isahluko 3.

¹⁸ Kuyanceda kakhulu ukuqathanisa lokho uJehova akwenzayo lalokho okwenziwa nguJona abantu beNiniva sebephendukile. Kulokuthi uJehova atshengise ukuthi “uliqhawe elilamandla” ngokubabhubhisa, watshintsha watshengisa ukuthi unguNkulunkulu othethelelayo.d (U-Eksodusi 15:3) Kodwa uJona yena kazange abe lesihawu ebantwini laba. Kulokuthi azwisise njengoJehova, wenza njengesitimela lesiyana esike sakhuluma ngaso. Wayelokhu ekhangelele ukuthi abantu laba babhujiswe! Kodwa uJehova wambekezelela umphrofethi wakhe wasemfundisa ukuqakatheka kokuzwisisa lokuba lesihawu.—UJona isahluko 4.

19. (a) Kungani sileqiniso lokuthi uJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi senze esingakwenelisiyo? (b) UZaga 19:17 utshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova uyiNkosi elungileyo, elozwelo njalo ethobekileyo?

¹⁹ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyazwisisa yikuthi kakhangelelanga ukuthi senze esingakwenelisiyo. INkosi uDavida yathi: “Uyakwazi ukuthi sibunjwe njani, uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” (IHubo 103:14) UJehova uyazwisisa ukuthi kulezinto esingenelisi ukuzenza lokuthi siyaphambanisa. Usizwisisa ngcono kakhulu ukwedlula indlela thina esizizwisisa ngayo. IBhayibhili lithi kulamakhosi ‘azwisisayo layenza okuhle’ besokusiba lamanye “okunzima ukuwathokozisa.” (1 UPhetro 2:18) UJehova yena uyiNkosi enjani? Zwana ukuthi uZaga 19:17 uthini. Uthi: “Owenzela umuntukazana umusa ukweledisa uJehova.” Ivesi le ikwenza kucace ukuthi uJehova uyiNkosi elungileyo futhi elozwelo ngoba uyazibona zonke izenzo zomusa ezenzelwa abantukazana. Kanti njalo okuhle yikuthi ukubona kufanele ukuthi ababusise abantu abenza izinto ezinjalo. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uthobekile sibili ukwedlula loba ngubani.

20. Kuyini okwenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyayizwa imithandazo yethu lokuthi uyayiphendula?

²⁰ UJehova uyazizwisisa izinceku zakhe futhi uziphatha ngomusa. Uyalalela nxa sikhuleka kuye ngokholo. Lanxa engasoze athume izingilosi zakhe ukuthi zikhulume lathi, akumelanga sicabange ukuthi kayiphenduli imithandazo yethu. Khumbula ukuthi lapho umphostoli uPhawuli ecela ayekhonza labo ukuthi ‘bathandazele’ ukuthi aphume ejele, wabatshela wathi: “Ukuthi ngibuyiselwe kini masinyane.” (KumaHebheru 13:18, 19) Ngakho imithandazo yethu ingenza uJehova enze lokho abengasoze akwenze ngabe besingakhulekanga!—UJakhobe 5:16.

21. Kuyini okungamelanga sikucabange ngokuthobeka kukaJehova? Uzwa njani ngokuthobeka kukaJehova?

²¹ Sesibonile ukuthi uJehova uthobekile, umnene, uzimisele ukulalela, uyabekezela lokuthi uyazwisisa. Kodwa impawu lezi azitsho ukuthi uJehova uyatshintsha izimiso zakhe ezilungileyo. Abakhokheli bamasonto bacabanga ukuthi bayazwisisa nxa betshela abantu abangena emasontweni abo ukuthi akukubi ukwenza izinto ezizondwa nguJehova. Abakwenzayo kwenza kukhanye angani izimiso uJehova azibekileyo endabeni yokuziphatha aziqakathekanga. (2 KuThimothi 4:3) Kodwa lokhu ayisikho okutshiwo yikuzwisisa kukaNkulunkulu, yikufuna ukuthandwa ngabantu nje kuphela. UJehova ungcwele ngakho kasoze loba nini enze into engavumelani lezimiso zakhe. (ULevi 11:44) Yikho asizimiseleni ukuthanda uJehova ngoba uyazwisisa njalo uthobeke ukwedlula loba ngubani. Kanti njalo ulenhlakanipho emangalisayo. Akukuthokozisi yini ukusondela kuNkulunkulu onjalo?