Oko UYoshuwa Wakukhumbulayo
UYEHOVA wathi: “UMoses umkhonzi wam ufile; yaye ngoku sukuma, uwele iYordan le, wena naso sonke esi sizwana, niye kwilizwe endibanika lona.” (Yoshuwa 1:2) Ongakanani wona umsebenzi uYoshuwa awayejongene nawo! Wayesebenza kunye noMoses kangangeminyaka enokuba ngama-40. Ngoku wayalelwa ukuba angene ezihlangwini zenkosi yakhe aze akhokele oonyana bakaSirayeli, ngamaxesha amaninzi ababeneenkani, abangenise kwiLizwe Lesithembiso.
Njengoko uYoshuwa wayecinga ngoko kwakungaphambili, mhlawumbi iimvavanyo awajamelana nazo kwixesha elidluleyo waza wazoyisa zathi qatha engqondweni yakhe. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo oko uYoshuwa wakukhumbulayo kwaba luncedo olukhulu ngelo xesha yaye kusenokuba lulo nakumaKristu namhlanje.
Ikhoboka Liba Ngumphathi-mkhosi
UYoshuwa wayesayikhumbula iminyaka emininzi yobukhoboka. (Eksodus 1:13, 14; 2:23) Sinokuthelekelela nje oko kwenzeka kuYoshuwa ebudeni beli xesha, ekubeni iBhayibhile inganikeli zinkcukacha zingako ngalo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYoshuwa wafunda ukuba ngumququzeleli onobuchule ebudeni benkonzo yakhe eYiputa, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba wancedisa ekukhokeleni kwimfuduko yamaHebhere ‘neqela elikhulu elingumxube’ ukusuka kwelo lizwe.—Eksodus 12:38.
UYoshuwa wayelilungu lentsapho yesizwe sakwaEfrayim. Uyisemkhulu uElishama wayeyinkosana yesi sizwe yaye kubonakala ukuba wakhokela amajoni angama-108 100 esinye sezizwe ezintathu zakwaSirayeli. (Numeri 1:4, 10, 16; 2:18-24; 1 Kronike 7:20, 26, 27) Sekunjalo, xa ama-Amaleki ahlasela amaSirayeli kungekudala emva kokuba endulukile eYiputa, uMoses wayalela uYoshuwa ukuba ahlanganise umkhosi. (Eksodus 17:8, 9a) Ngokomzekelo, kwakutheni ukuze ayalele uYoshuwa, kungekhona uyisemkhulu okanye uyise? Enye ingxelo ithi: “Njengenkosana yesizwe esibalulekileyo sakwaEfrayim, nanjengalowo wayesele esaziwa ngobuchule bokulungelelanisa izinto, nalowo wayethenjiwe ngabantu, uMoses wakhetha [uYoshuwa] ukuba abe yinkokeli efanelekileyo yokukhetha nokuhlanganisa umkhosi.”
Enoba wakhethwa ngasiphi isizathu, xa wanyulwayo, uYoshuwa wenza njengoko uMoses wayemyalele. Nangona uSirayeli wayengaqhelananga kwaphela nokulwa iimfazwe, uYoshuwa wayeqinisekile ukuba uThixo wayeya kumnceda. Ngoko xa uMoses wamxelela esithi, “ngomso ndiya kuma phezu kwenduli, intonga kaThixo oyinyaniso isesandleni sam,” oko kwamqinisekisa nangakumbi. Kumele ukuba uYoshuwa wakhumbula ukuba uYehova wayesandul’ ukutshabalalisa umkhosi omkhulu nonamandla welo xesha. Ngosuku olulandelayo, xa uMoses waphakamisela izandla zakhe phezulu de kwatshona ilanga, alukho utshaba olwalunokumelana namaSirayeli, yaye ama-Amaleki oyiswa. Wandula ke uYehova wayalela uMoses ukuba abhale encwadini aze ‘avakalise ezindlebeni zikaYoshuwa’ umyalelo kaThixo othi: “Ndiya kumsusa ngokupheleleyo angabi sakhunjulwa uAmaleki phantsi kwamazulu.” (Eksodus 17:9b-14) Ewe, uYehova ngokuqinisekileyo wayeza kuwohlwaya ngokomlomo wakhe.
Umncedi KaMoses
Oko kwenzeka kuma-Amaleki kusenokuba kwenza uYoshuwa noMoses bangumtya nethunga. UYoshuwa wayenelungelo lokuba ngumncedi kaMoses, okanye “umlungiseleli,” “ukususela ebufaneni bakhe” de wafa uMoses, ixesha elinokuba yiminyaka engama-40.—Numeri 11:28.
Eso sikhundla samnika amalungelo neembopheleleko ezithile. Ngokomzekelo, xa uMoses, uAron, oonyana baka-Aron, namadoda amakhulu angama-70 akwaSirayeli anyuka iNtaba yeSinayi baza babona ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYoshuwa wayengomnye wabo. Njengomncedi kaMoses, wahamba naye wanyuka intaba yaye kubonakala ukuba washiyeka ngasemva ngoxa uMoses wangena kwilifu elalifuzisela ubukho bukaYehova. Okuphawulekayo kukuba, uYoshuwa wahlala kuloo ntaba iintsuku ezingama-40 nobusuku bazo. Ngokuthembeka walindela ukubuya kwenkosi yakhe, kuba xa uMoses waqalisa ukuhla namacwecwe eSingqino, uYoshuwa wayekho ukuba amhlangabeze.—Eksodus 24:1, 2, 9-18; 32:15-17.
Emva kokuba amaSirayeli anqula ithole legolide, uYoshuwa waqhubeka encedisa uMoses kwintente yokuhlangana ngaphandle kwenkampu. Apho uYehova wathetha noMoses ubuso ngobuso. Kodwa xa uMoses wabuyela enkampini, uYoshuwa “akasukanga yena ngaphakathi kwentente leyo.” Mhlawumbi wayelapho ukuze athintele amaSirayeli ukuba angangeni ententeni ekubeni ayengahlambulukanga. Hayi indlela uYoshuwa awasigqala sibaluleke ngayo eso sabelo!—Eksodus 33:7, 11.
Ukuba nobuhlobo noMoses, owayemdala ngeminyaka engama-35 kuYoshuwa, ngokutsho kombhali-mbali uJosephus, kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwalomeleza kakhulu ukholo lukaYoshuwa. Kuthiwa ulwalamano lwabo “bubuhlobo beqina noselula, umfundisi nomfundi,” nto leyo eyabangela ukuba uYoshuwa abe “yindoda eqolileyo nenokuthenjwa.” Namhlanje asisenabo abaprofeti abanjengoMoses, kodwa amabandla abantu bakaYehova aquka abakhulileyo, abathi ngenxa yamava nokukhula kwabo ngokomoya, bomeleze abanye baze babe lukhuthazo. Ngaba uyabaxabisa aba? Yaye ngaba uyazuza ngokuba kunye nabo?
Intlola EKanan
Elona xesha libalulekileyo kubomi bukaYoshuwa kwakusemva kanye kokuba uSirayeli efumene uMthetho. Wakhethwa ukuba amele isizwe sakhe ekuhloleni iLizwe Lesithembiso. Elo bali laziwa kakhulu. Zonke iintlola ezili-12 zavuma ukuba ngokwenene elo lizwe “liqukuqela ubisi nobusi,” kanye njengoko uYehova wayethembisile. Noko ke, ezilishumi kuzo ezazingenalukholo zazisoyika zisithi uSirayeli wayengenakuboyisa abemi belo lizwe. NguYoshuwa noKalebhi kuphela ababongoza abantu ukuba bangavukeli okanye boyike, kuba ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uza kuba nabo. Kanye ngelo xesha, kwabakho ingxwabangxwaba kuyo yonke loo ndibano yaza yafuna ukuxuluba loo madoda mabini ngamatye. Mhlawumbi ngeyayikwenzile oko ukuba uYehova wayengangenelelanga ngokubonakalisa ubuqaqawuli bakhe. Ngenxa yokuswela kwawo ukholo, uThixo wafunga ukuba akukho namnye uSirayeli oneminyaka engama-20 ubudala nengaphezulu oya kungena eKanan. Yaba, nguYoshuwa, uKalebhi nabaLevi kuphela abasindayo.—Numeri 13:1-16, 25-29; 14:6-10, 26-30.
Ngaba bonke aba bantu abazange bazibone izenzo ezazibonisa amandla kaYehova eYiputa? Ngoko ke, yintoni eyabangela uYoshuwa abe nokholo kuncedo lukaThixo ngoxa inkoliso yayiluthandabuza? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYoshuwa wayekukhumbula kakuhle konke oko uYehova wayekuthembisile nawayekwenzile, yaye wayecamngca ngezo zinto. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva wayenokuthi ‘akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo onke amazwi alungileyo uYehova awathethileyo kuSirayeli. Onke abe yinyaniso.’ (Yoshuwa 23:14) Ngaloo ndlela uYoshuwa wayenokholo lokuba konke uYehova athembise ukuba kuya kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo kwakuya kuzaliseka. (Hebhere 11:6) Oku kumele kwenze ubani azibuze: ‘Kuthekani ngam? Ngaba umgudu endiwenzayo wokufundisisa nokucamngca ngezithembiso zikaYehova uye wandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba zithembekile? Ngaba ndiyakholelwa ukuba uThixo unokundikhusela kunye nabantu bakhe ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu ezayo?’
UYoshuwa akazange abonakalise ukholo nje kuphela kodwa wabonakalisa inkalipho. Yena noKalebhi bema beqinile, yaye yonke indibano yayifuna ukubaxuluba ngamatye. Wena wawuza kuthini? Ngaba wawuza koyika? Akazange oyike uYoshuwa. Yena noKalebhi beqinisekile bathetha oko babekukholelwa. Ukunyaniseka kuYehova kusenokufuna ukuba senze okufanayo ngenye imini.
Ibali leentlola likwasixelela ukuba igama likaYoshuwa latshintshwa. Kwigama lakhe lokuqala, uHosheya, elithetha “uSindiso,” uMoses wafakela isimaphambili esimela igama likaThixo waza wambiza ngokuthi nguYehoshuwa, okanye uYoshuwa—“UYehova Ulusindiso.” ISeptuagint iguqulele igama lakhe ngokuthi “Yesu.” (Numeri 13:8, 16) Ngokuvisisana nelo gama libalulekileyo, ngenkalipho uYoshuwa wavakalisa ukuba uYehova ulusindiso. Igama likaYoshuwa alizange litshintshwe ngaphandle kwesizathu. Lalibonisa indlela uMoses awayebujonga ngayo ubuntu bukaYoshuwa yaye lalivisisana nelungelo uYoshuwa awayeza kulizalisekisa ekukhokeleni isizukulwana esitsha kwiLizwe Lesithembiso.
Njengoko ooyise babesifa, amaSirayeli abhadula entlango kangangeminyaka engama-40 nenzima. Akukho nto siyaziyo ngoYoshuwa ebudeni belo xesha. Noko ke, kumele ukuba wafunda lukhulu ebudeni balo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayekho xa uThixo wayesohlwaya abavukeli uKora, uDatan, uAbhiram nabalandeli babo nabo babenqula uBhahali wasePehore. Kufanele ukuba waba buhlungu uYoshuwa xa weva ukuba ekubeni uMoses engazange amngcwalise uYehova ngokuphathelele amanzi aseMeribha, uMoses wayengasayi kungena kwilizwe lesithembiso.—Numeri 16:1-50; 20:9-13; 25:1-9.
Umiselwa Njengelandela LikaMoses
Xa uMoses wayeza kufa, wacela uThixo ukuba amisele ilandela lakhe ukuze amaSirayeli angabi “njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.” Wathini uYehova? UYoshuwa, “indoda okuyo umoya,” wayeza kumiselwa phambi kwayo yonke indibano. Yayifanele imphulaphule. Olu yayilukhetho oluhle! UYehova wayelubonile ukholo nobuchule uYoshuwa awayenabo. Wayengekho omnye umntu owayenokufaneleka ngakumbi ukuze akhokele amaSirayeli. (Numeri 27:15-20) Sekunjalo, uMoses wayesazi ukuba uYoshuwa wayejamelene nezilingo ezininzi. Ngoko uMoses wabongoza eli landela lakhe ukuba ‘libe nesibindi yaye lomelele,’ kuba uYehova wayeza kuqhubeka enalo.—Duteronomi 31:7, 8.
NoThixo waphinda wamkhuthaza ngokufanayo uYoshuwa, waza wongezelela esithi: “Unyameke wenze ngokuvumelana nawo wonke umthetho uMoses umkhonzi wam awakuyalela wona. Ungaphambuki kuwo uye ngasekunene okanye ngasekhohlo, ukuze wenze ngobulumko naphi na apho uya khona. Le ncwadi yomthetho ayifanele isuke emlonyeni wakho, yaye umele uyifunde ngesandi esiphantsi imini nobusuku, ukuze wenze ngenyameko ngokuvumelana nako konke oko kubhalwe kuyo; kuba ke ngoko uya kuyenza iphumelele indlela yakho wandule ke wenze ngobulumko. Andikuyalelanga na? Yiba nesibindi womelele. Musa ukothuka okanye unkwantye, kuba uYehova uThixo wakho unawe naphi na apho uya khona.”—Yoshuwa 1:7-9.
Ekubeni amazwi kaYehova ayesankenteza ezindlebeni zakhe yaye sele enamava, uYoshuwa wayenokukuthandabuza njani oko? Ngokuqinisekileyo laliza koyiswa elo lizwe. Kakade ke, izinto bezingayi kuhamba lula, ingxaki yokuqala kwakuza kufuneka bawele uMlambo iYordan owawuphuphuma. Sekunjalo, uYehova wayalela esithi: “Sukuma, uwele iYordan le.” Ngoko ke, yayiza kuba phi ke ingxaki?—Yoshuwa 1:2.
Iziganeko uYoshuwa ajamelana nazo ebomini bakhe—ukuthimba iYeriko, ukoyisa iintshaba zabo, nokwahlulahlula umhlaba—zityhila ukuba akazange azilibale izithembiso zikaThixo. Xa wayesele eza kufa, yaye uYehova ewakhululile amaSirayeli kwiintshaba zawo, uYoshuwa wahlanganisa abantu ukuze abakhumbuze ngeendlela uThixo aqhubana ngayo nabo waza wababongoza ukuba bamkhonze ngentliziyo iphela. Ngenxa yoko, ngokunyaniseka uSirayeli wawuhlaziya umnqophiso wakhe noYehova, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo ekhuthazwe ngumzekelo wenkokeli yakhe, “uSirayeli waqhubeka ekhonza uYehova yonke imihla kaYoshuwa.”—Yoshuwa 24:16, 31.
UYoshuwa ungumzekelo omhle kuthi. AmaKristu namhlanje ajamelana neemvavanyo ezininzi zokholo. Kubalulekile ukuba ahlangabezane nazo ngokuphumelelayo ukuze ahlale ekholisa uYehova aze ekugqibeleni afumane izithembiso zakhe. Impumelelo kaYoshuwa yayixhomekeke kukholo analo olomeleleyo. Enyanisweni, asikhange sibone izenzo zamandla zikaThixo njengoYoshuwa, kodwa ukuba nabani na uyathandabuza, incwadi yeBhayibhile ebizwa ngegama likaYoshuwa inikela ubungqina ngokunyaniseka kwamazwi kaYehova. NjengoYoshuwa, nathi sinokuqiniseka ukuba siya kufumana ubulumko size siphumelele ukuba sifunda iLizwi likaThixo imihla ngemihla size sizabalazele ukulisebenzisa.
Ngaba maxa wambi uye ukhathazwe yindlela akuphethe ngayo omnye umKristu? Cinga ngokunyamezela kukaYoshuwa ebudeni beminyaka engama-40, engenatyala, kwafuneka abhadule entlango ngenxa yokungathembeki kwabazalwana bakhe. Ngaba ukufumanisa kunzima ukumela oko ukukholelwayo? Cinga ngoko kwenziwa nguYoshuwa noKalebhi. Ngenxa yokholo nentobelo yabo, bafumana umvuzo omkhulu. Ewe, ngokwenene uYoshuwa wayenokholo lokuba uYehova wayeza kuzizalisekisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. Kwanga nathi singanokholo olunjalo.—Yoshuwa 23:14.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
UYoshuwa noKalebhi babethembele kumandla kaYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ukuba nobuhlobo noMoses kwaqinisa ukholo lukaYoshuwa
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Ukhokelo lukaYoshuwa lwenza abantu banamathela kuYehova