“Ulumkile Entliziyweni”—Ukanti Uthobekile

1-3. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uthobekile?

UBAWO ufuna ukudlulisela imfundiso ebalulekileyo emntwaneni wakhe omncinane. Ulangazelela ukufikelela intliziyo yakhe. Ufanele amngene njani? Ngaba ufanele eme njengesigantsontso esoyikekayo ecaleni komntwana lowo aze athethe ngqwabalala? Okanye ngaba ufanele agobe ukuze abe kumgangatho womntwana aze athethe ngobulali nangokuzolileyo? Ngokuqinisekileyo ubawo olumkileyo nothobekileyo ebeya kukhetha ukuthetha ngobulali.

² UYehova yena unguBawo onjani—ngaba unekratshi okanye uthobekile, ngaba ungqwabalala okanye unobulali? UYehova unolwazi lonke nobulumko bonke. Noko ke, ngaba uphawulile na ukuba ulwazi nobukrelekrele abubenzi abantu bathobeke? Njengoko iBhayibhile isitsho, “ulwazi luyakhukhumalisa.” (1 Korinte 3:19; 8:1) Kodwa uYehova ‘olumkileyo entliziyweni,’ ukwathobekile. (Yobhi 9:4) Oku akusehlisi isidima okanye uzuko lwakhe, kodwa kuthetha ukuba akanalo ikratshi. Kwenzeka njani oko?

³ UYehova ungcwele. Ngoko ikratshi, uphawu oludyobhayo, alukho kuye. (Marko 7:20-22) Ukongezelela, phawula ukuba umprofeti uYeremiya wathini kuYehova: “Nakanjani na umphefumlo wakho [uYehova ngokwakhe] uya kukhumbula uze uthobe phezu kwam.”a (IZililo 3:20) Khawufan’ ucinge! UYehova, iNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela, wayekulungele ‘ukuthoba,’ okanye ukwehla ukuze abe kumgangatho kaYeremiya, ukuze amnike ingqalelo loo mntu ungafezekanga. (INdumiso 113:7) Ewe, uYehova uthobekile. Kodwa kubandakanya ntoni ukuthobeka kobuthixo? Kuhlobene njani nobulumko? Yaye kutheni kubalulekile nje kuthi?

4, 5. (a) Kuyintoni ukuthobeka, kubonakaliswa njani, yaye kutheni kungafanele kubhidaniswe nobuthathaka okanye ukungazithembi? (b) UYehova wakubonisa njani ukuthobeka kwindlela aqhubana ngayo noDavide, yaye kubaluleke kangakanani kuthi ukuthobeka kukaYehova?

⁴ Ukuthobeka kubonisa ukululama, ukungabi nakratshi. Ukuthobeka kuluphawu lwentliziyo, yaye kubonakala kwiimpawu ezinjengobulali, umonde, nokuba nengqiqo. (Galati 5:22, 23) Noko ke, ezi mpawu zobuthixo azifanele zibhidaniswe nobuthathaka okanye ukungazithembi. Azingqubani nomsindo kaYehova wobulungisa okanye ukusebenzisa kwakhe amandla okutshabalalisa. Kunoko, ngokubonakalisa ukuthobeka nobulali, uYehova ubonisa amandla akhe amakhulu okuzibamba iimvakalelo zakhe ngokugqibeleleyo. (Isaya 42:14) Ukuthobeka kuhlobene njani nobulumko? Enye incwadi exubusha ngeBhayibhile ithi: “Ukuthobeka kuthetha . . . ukungazingci yaye kusisiseko sabo bonke ubulumko.” Ngoko, ubulumko bokwenene abunakubakho ngaphandle kokuthobeka. Ukuthobeka kukaYehova kusizuzisa njani?

⁵ UKumkani uDavide wavumela uYehova ingoma esithi: “Uya kundinika ikhaka lakho losindiso, yaye isandla sakho sasekunene siya kundixhasa, ize eyakho intobeko indenze mkhulu.” (INdumiso 18:35) Enyanisweni, uYehova wathoba ukuze asebenzisane nalo mntu ungafezekanga, emkhusela yaye emxhasa imihla ngemihla. UDavide wayeqonda ukuba ukusindiswa kwakhe—aze, ekugqibeleni, aphumelele njengokumkani—kwakuxhomekeke ekuzithobeni kukaYehova ngale ndlela. Eneneni, ngubani kuthi obeya kuba nalo naliphi na ithemba losindiso ukuba uYehova ebengathobekanga, ekulungele ukuthoba ukuze asebenzisane nathi njengoBawo onobulali nonothando?

6, 7. (a) Kutheni iBhayibhile ingaze ibhekisele kuYehova njengothozamileyo? (b) Ukuthozama kuhlobene njani nobulumko, yaye ngubani omisela umzekelo obalaseleyo kule nkalo?

⁶ Sifanele siphawule ukuba kukho umahluko phakathi kokuthobeka kunye nokuthozama. Ukuthozama luphawu oluhle abamele baluhlakulele abantu abathembekileyo. Njengokuthobeka, nako kuhlobene nobulumko. Ngokomzekelo, IMizekeliso 11:2 ithi: “Bunabathozamileyo ubulumko.” Noko ke, iBhayibhile ayize ithethe ngoYehova njengothozamileyo. Ngoba? Ukuthozama, kusetyenziswe eZibhalweni ukubonisa ukukuqonda kukabani ukusikelwa kwakhe imida. USomandla akasikelwanga mida ngaphandle kwaleyo azimisela ngokwakhe ngenxa yemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. (Marko 10:27; Tito 1:2) Ukongezelela, njengoko engOsenyangweni, akukho bani unegunya phezu kwakhe. Ngoko uphawu lokuthozama alusebenzi nje kwaphela kuYehova.

⁷ Noko ke, uYehova uthobekile yaye unobulali. Ufundisa abakhonzi bakhe ukuba ukuba nobulali kubalulekile ukuze babe nobulumko bokwenene. ILizwi lakhe lithetha ngokuba “nobulali bobulumko.”b (Yakobi 3:13) Khawuqwalasele umzekelo kaYehova kule nkalo.

8-10. (a) Kutheni sibalasele nje isibakala sokuba uYehova ekulungele ukwabela abanye nokuphulaphula? (b) USomandla usebenzisene njani ngokuthobeka neengelosi zakhe?

⁸ Ubungqina obubalaseleyo bokuthobeka kukaYehova kukuba ukulungele ukwabela abanye iimbopheleleko nokuphulaphula. Ngokwenene kuyamangalisa oko; uYehova akafuni luncedo okanye ziluleko. (Isaya 40:13, 14; Roma 11:34, 35) Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ibonisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba uYehova uyazithoba ngezi ndlela.

⁹ Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngesiganeko esibalaseleyo ebomini buka-Abraham. UAbraham wayeneendwendwe ezintathu, olunye lwazo walubiza ngokuthi ‘nguYehova.’ Eneneni ezi ndwendwe zaziziingelosi, kodwa enye yazo yeza egameni likaYehova yaye yayimela igama Lakhe. Oko loo ngelosi yayikwenza neyayikuthetha, kwakuthethwa yaye kusenziwa nguYehova. Ngale ndlela, uYehova wamxelela uAbraham ukuba wayesivile “isikhalo sokumangalelwa kweSodom neGomora.” UYehova wathi: “Ndizimisele kunene ukuhla ukuze ndibone enoba benza ngokupheleleyo kusini na ngokwesikhalo esifikileyo kum, ukuze ukuba akunjalo, ndikwazi oko.” (Genesis 18:3, 20, 21) Kambe ke, esi sigidimi sikaYehova sasingathethi kuthi uSomandla wayeza “kuhla” ngokoqobo. Kunoko, wathumela kwakhona iingelosi ukuba zibe ngabameli bakhe. (Genesis 19:1) Ngoba? Ngaba uYehova obona zonke izinto ‘ebengenakuzazela’ ngokwakhe imeko yaloo ndawo? Ngokuqinisekileyo ebenako. Kodwa kunoko, ngokuthobeka uYehova wanika ezo ngelosi isabelo sokuyihlolisisa imeko zize zityelele uLote nentsapho yakhe eSodom.

¹⁰ Ngokubhekele phaya, uYehova uyaphulaphula. Ngesinye isihlandlo wacela iingelosi zakhe ukuba zicebise iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokutshabalalisa uKumkani uAhabhi ongendawo. UYehova wayengaluswelanga uncedo olunjalo. Ukanti, walamkela icebiso lenye ingelosi waza wayivumela ukuba yenze ngaloo ndlela. (1 Kumkani 22:19-22) Ngaba yayingekokuthobeka oko?

11, 12. Yintoni eyenzekayo eyabangela uAbraham wakubona ukuthobeka kukaYehova?

¹¹ UYehova ukulungele ukubaphulaphula nabantu abangafezekanga abanqwenela ukuvakalisa ukuxhalaba kwabo. Ngokomzekelo, xa uYehova waxelela uAbraham okokuqala ngenjongo Yakhe yokutshabalalisa iSodom neGomora, loo ndoda ithembekileyo yamangaliswa koko. UAbraham wathi: “Makube lee kuwe ukwenjenjalo,” waza wahlabela mgama wathi: “UMgwebi womhlaba wonke akayi kwenza okulungileyo yini na?” Wabuza enoba uYehova wayeya kuzisindisa ezo zixeko ukuba kwakunokufumaneka abantu abangamalungisa abangama-50 apho. UYehova wamqinisekisa ukuba wayeya kwenjenjalo. Kodwa uAbraham wabuza kwakhona, walithoba elo nani laba ngama-45, lehla laya kuma-40, njalo njalo. Phezu kwako nje ukumqinisekisa kukaYehova, uAbraham wazingisa de elo nani lehla laya kufikelela kwishumi. Mhlawumbi uAbraham wayengekakuqondi ngokupheleleyo ukuba nenceba kukaYehova. Sekunjalo, ngomonde nangokuthobeka uYehova wamvumela umhlobo nomkhonzi wakhe uAbraham ukuba akuvakalise ukuxhalaba kwakhe.—Genesis 18:23-33.

¹² Bangaphi abantu abakrelekrele nabafundileyo abebenokumphulaphula ngomonde ngolo hlobo umntu ophantsi nongafundanga?c Leyo yindlela athobeke ngayo uThixo wethu. Kuyo loo ncoko, uAbraham wabona ukuba uYehova ‘uzeka kade umsindo.’ (Eksodus 34:6) Mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuqonda ukuba wayengenalo ilungelo lokuthandabuza izenzo zOsenyangweni, uAbraham wabongoza kabini esithi: “Tarhu Yehova, ngamana akungevuthi ngumsindo.” (Genesis 18:30, 32) Kakade ke, uYehova akazange avuthe ngumsindo. Ngokwenene ‘unobulali bobulumko.’

13. Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi “ingqiqo” ngokwendlela elisetyenziswe ngayo eBhayibhileni, yaye kutheni eli gama limchaza ngokuchanileyo nje uYehova?

¹³ Ukuthobeka kukaYehova kubonakala nakolunye uphawu oluhle—ukuba nengqiqo. Ngelishwa olu phawu lunqabile kubantu abangafezekanga. UYehova akapheleli nje ngokukulungela ukuziphulaphula izidalwa zakhe ezikrelekrele kodwa ukulungele nokuyekelela kwiimfuno zazo xa zingangqubani nemilinganiselo yobulungisa. Ngokwendlela elisetyenziswe ngayo eBhayibhileni, igama elithi “ingqiqo” ngokoqobo lithetha “ukuyekelela.” Nalo olu luphawu olubalaseleyo lobulumko bobuthixo. UYakobi 3:17 uthi: ‘Ubulumko obuvela phezulu bunengqiqo.’ UYehova onobulumko bonke unengqiqo ngayiphi indlela? Enye indlela ikukuba, ubhetyebhetye. Khumbula ukuba, igama lakhe lisifundisa ukuba uYehova uzenza abe koko kufunekayo ukuze aphumeze iinjongo zakhe. (Eksodus 3:14) Ngaba oko akubonisi ukuba bhetyebhetye nokuba nengqiqo?

14, 15. Umbono kaHezekile wenqwelo yokulwa kaYehova yasezulwini usifundisa ntoni ngentlangano kaYehova yasezulwini, yaye yahluke njani kwimibutho yehlabathi?

¹⁴ Kukho ingxelo ephawulekayo yeBhayibhile esenza siqalise ukukuqonda ukuba bhetyebhetye kukaYehova. Umprofeti uHezekile waboniswa umbono wentlangano kaYehova yasezulwini yezidalwa zomoya. Wabona inqwelo yokulwa eyoyikekayo, ‘isithuthi’ sikaYehova uqobo esisoloko silawulwa Nguye. Okona kubangel’ umdla yindlela esasihamba ngayo. Amavili aso amakhulu ayenamacala amane yaye ezaliswe ngamehlo ukuze abone kuyo yonk’ indawo yaye asijike siye nakweliphi na icala ngesiquphe, engakhange eme okanye ajike. Yaye le nqwelo yokulwa enkulu yayingacothi ngenxa yobunzima, njengezithuthi ezenziwe ngabantu. Yayinokuphephetheka ngesantya sombane, kwaye ijike iye kwelinye icala ngesiquphe! (Hezekile 1:1, 14-28) Ewe, intlangano kaYehova, njengoMongami ongusomandla oyilawulayo, ibhetyebhetye ngokugqithiseleyo, ihambisana nako nakuphi na ukutshintsha kweemeko ehlangabezana nazo.

¹⁵ Abantu banokuphelela nje ngokuzama ukukuxelisa ukuba bhetyebhetye okugqibeleleyo okunjalo. Noko ke, ngokufuthi abantu kunye nemibutho yabo badla ngokuba ngqongqo kunokuba babe bhetyebhetye, babe ngabangenangqiqo kunokuba babe ngabayekelelayo. Ngokomzekelo: Inqanawa enkulu okanye uloliwe othutha imithwalo unokuba mkhulu ngokumangalisayo yaye abe namandla agqithiseleyo. Kodwa ngaba ezi zinto ziyakwazi ukuhlangabezana nokutshintsha kweemeko ngesiquphe? Ukuba kukho into enkulu ewa phambi kololiwe womthwalo, akakwazi kujika. Nokumisa ngoko nangoko kunzima. Uloliwe omkhulu womthwalo unokumisa kwisithuba seekhilomitha ezimbini emva kokuba kubanjwe iziqhoboshi! Ngokufanayo, inqanawa enkulu inokuqhubeka ihamba kangangeekhilomitha ezisibhozo emva kokuba ii-injini zicinyiwe. Kwanokuba banokuzama ukuyimisa ngokutshintsha iigiyeri ziyenze ukuba ibuye umva, inqanawa enkulu isenokuqhubeka isiya phambili kangangeekhilomitha ezintathu! Kuyafana ke nangemibutho yabantu edla ngokuba ngqongqo yaye ingabi nangqiqo. Ngenxa yekratshi, ngokufuthi abantu bayala ukuba bhetyebhetye xa iimeko zitshintsha. Ukuba ngqongqo ngaloo ndlela kuye kwayenza yabhanga eminye imibutho yezorhwebo kwada kwabhukuqa noorhulumente. (IMizekeliso 16:18) Hayi indlela esivuya ngayo kuba uYehova nentlangano yakhe bengenjalo!

16. UYehova wakubonisa njani ukuba nengqiqo ekusebenzisaneni kwakhe noLote ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweSodom neGomora?

¹⁶ Khawucinge kwakhona ngokutshatyalaliswa kweSodom neGomora. ULote nentsapho yakhe banikwa imiyalelo ecacileyo yingelosi kaYehova, isithi: “Balekela kummandla weentaba.” Noko ke, oku akuzange kumkholise uLote. Wabongoza wathi: “Hayi, khawuncede, Yehova!” Eqinisekile ukuba babeza kufa ukuba babenokusabela ezintabeni, uLote wabongoza ukuba yena nentsapho yakhe bavunyelwe basabele kwisixeko esikufuphi saseTsoware. Kodwa, uYehova wayezimisele ukusitshabalalisa eso sixeko. Ngaphezu koko, uLote wayengenasizathu sakoyika. Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova wayenokumlondoloza uLote ezintabeni! Sekunjalo, uYehova wayekelela kwizibongozo zikaLote waza wayisindisa iTsoware. Ingelosi yathi kuLote: “Yabona, ndinolwazelelelo ngawe ukusa nakweli nqanaba.” (Genesis 19:17-22) Ngaba oko kwakungabonisi ukuba nengqiqo kukaYehova?

17, 18. Ekusebenzisaneni kukaYehova nabantu baseNineve, wabonisa njani ukuba unengqiqo?

¹⁷ Kwakhona uYehova uyayamkela inguquko esuk’ entliziyweni, esoloko esenza ngenceba nangobulungisa. Khawucinge nje ngoko kwenzekayo xa umprofeti uYona wathunywa kwisixeko esingendawo nesinogonyamelo saseNineve. Xa uYona wayesehla enyuka kwizitrato zaseNineve, isigidimi esiphefumlelweyo awayesivakalisa sasilula kakhulu: Eso sixeko sinamandla sasiza kutshatyalaliswa kwisithuba seentsuku ezingama-40. Noko ke, iimeko zatshintsha kakhulu. Abantu baseNineve baguquka!—Yona, isahluko 3.

¹⁸ Sifunda lukhulu ngokuthelekisa indlela uYehova awasabela ngayo kunye nendlela uYona awasabela ngayo ekutshintsheni kweemeko. Kule meko, uYehova waba bhetyebhetye, wazenza waba nguMxoleli wezono kunokuba “yindoda enamandla yemfazwe.”d (Eksodus 15:3) Kwelinye icala, uYona wayengqongqo yaye engenanceba kwaphela. Kunokuba abonise ukuba nengqiqo njengoYehova, wayefana nololiwe womthwalo okanye inqanawa enkulu ekhankanywe ngaphambilana. Wayevakalise intshabalalo, ngoko kwakumele kufike intshabalalo! Noko ke, ngomonde uYehova wamfundisa lo mprofeti wakhe ungenamonde isifundo esingasayi kuze silibaleke ngokuphathelele ukuba nengqiqo nokubonisa inceba.—Yona, isahluko 4.

19. (a) Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova ubonisa ukuba nengqiqo ngokubhekisele koko akulindeleyo kuthi? (b) IMizekeliso 19:17 ibonisa njani ukuba uYehova uyiNkosi ‘elungileyo nenengqiqo’ yaye uthobeke ngendlela ebalaseleyo?

¹⁹ Okokugqibela, uYehova unengqiqo ngokubhekisele koko akulindeleyo kuthi. UKumkani uDavide wathi: “Yena uyakwazi ukuyilwa kwethu, ekhumbula ukuba siluthuli.” (INdumiso 103:14) UYehova uziqonda ngaphezu kwethu iintsilelo zethu nokungafezeki kwethu. Akaze alindele kuthi okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. IBhayibhile yenza umahluko phakathi kweenkosi ezingabantu ‘ezilungileyo nezinengqiqo’ kunye nezo ‘kunzima ukuzikholisa.’ (1 Petros 2:18) UYehova yena uluhlobo olunjani lweNkosi? Phawula oko IMizekeliso 19:17 ikutshoyo: “Obabala isisweli uboleka uYehova.” Ngokucacileyo, yinkosi elungileyo nenengqiqo kuphela ebiya kusiphawula isenzo ngasinye sobubele esenzelwa abo basweleyo. Ngaphezu koko, eneneni esi sibhalo sibonisa ukuba uMdali wendalo iphela, uvakalelwa kukuba uyabatyala abantu ababonisa inceba ngaloo ndlela! Oku kubonisa ukuthobeka ngendlela ebalaseleyo.

20. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esinaso sokuba uYehova uyayiva imithandazo yethu yaye uyayiphendula?

²⁰ UYehova usenobulali yaye usenengqiqo ekusebenzisaneni nabakhonzi bakhe namhlanje. Xa sithandaza ngokholo, uyaphulaphula. Nangona engathumeli abathunywa abaziingelosi ukuba bathethe nathi, asifanele sigqibe kwelokuba akayiphenduli imithandazo yethu. Khumbula ukuba xa umpostile uPawulos wacela abo wayekholwa nabo ukuba ‘baqhubeke bethandazela’ ukuba akhululwe entolongweni, wongezelela wathi: “Ukuze ndibuyiselwe kuni kamsinya.” (Hebhere 13:18, 19) Ngoko imithandazo yethu isenokushukumisela uYehova ukuba enze oko ebengayi kukwenza ukuba besingathandazanga!—Yakobi 5:16.

21. Sisiphi isigqibo esingafanele sifikelele kuso ngokuphathelele ukuthobeka kukaYehova, kodwa, kunoko, yintoni esifanele siyixabise ngaye?

²¹ Noko ke, akukho nalunye kwezi mpawu zikaYehova zokuthobeka—ukuba nenceba kwakhe, ukukulungela kwakhe ukuphulaphula, ukuba nomonde kwakhe, ukuba nengqiqo kwakhe—oluthetha ukuba uYehova uyayityeshela imilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Abefundisi beNgqobhoko basenokucinga ukuba babonisa ukuba nengqiqo xa benyumbaza iindlebe zemihlambi yabo ngokuyisingela phantsi imilinganiselo kaYehova yokuziphatha. (2 Timoti 4:3) Kodwa utyekelo lwabantu lokulalanisa ngenjongo yokufumana okuthile alunanto yakwenza nokuba nengqiqo kobuthixo. UYehova ungcwele; akasayi kuze ayingcolise imilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. (Levitikus 11:44) Ngoko ke, masikuthande ukuba nengqiqo kukaYehova—kuba kububungqina bokuthobeka kwakhe. Ngaba akukuchulumancisi na ukucinga ukuba uYehova uThixo, Oyena unobulumko kwindalo iphela, ukwathobeke ngendlela ekhethekileyo? Hayi indlela ekuyolisa ngayo ukusondela kulo Thixo woyikekayo kodwa onobulali, onomonde nonengqiqo!