“UJehova UNkulunkulu Wethu Siyakumkhonza”
“Mina nendlu yami siyakumkhonza uJehova.”—JOSHUWA 24:15.
1. Kukanjani incwadi kaJoshuwa ingeyesikhuthazo nesivikelo sethu?
IZENZAKALO ezivusa amadlingozi zencwadi kaJoshuwa zilotshelwe “ukufundiswa kwethu” ‘nanjengezibonelo’ zokusikhuthaza nokusivikela thina “osekufikile kithi ukugcina kwezikhathi.” (Roma 15:4, qhathanisa neNW; 1 Korinte 10:11) Kuqokonyiswe izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu, njengokubekezela, ukholo, nokulalela. “Ngokukholwa izingange zaseJeriko, zawa sezizungeziwe izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Ngokukholwa uRahabi isifebe akabhubhanga kanye nabangalalelanga, esezamukele izinhloli ngokuthula.” (Heberu 11:30, 31) Ukholo lukaJoshuwa, uRahabi, nabanye abathembekile emuva lé kumelwe lusishukumisele ukuba sime isibindi siqine, ukuze siqede umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu namuhla.—Joshuwa 10:25; Johane 4:34.
2. (a) UJoshuwa wakubonisa kanjani ukulalela kwaze kwaba sekugcineni? (b) Yini eyenzeka ezintabeni zase-Ebali naseGerizimu?
2 Ngemva kokunqoba iAyi, uJoshuwa wadonsela ukunakekela eziyalezweni ezinemininingwane ezilotshwe kuDuteronomi 27:1–28:68. ENtabeni iEbali wakha ialtare lamatshe aphelele, futhi elapho wakhipha lomthetho: “Uhlabe iminikelo yokuthula, udle khona, wename phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.” Amanye amatshe amiswa njengesikhumbuzo, enamekiwe ngodaka, futhi amazwi oMthetho ayelotshwe kuwo. Khona-ke izizwe zahlukaniswa, elinye iqembu lalimi eNtabeni iGerizimu “ukubusisa abantu” futhi elinye “entabeni yase-Ebali babe-ngabokuqalekisa.” Ngezwi elikhulu amaLevi akhipha iziqalekiso zokungalaleli, futhi bonke abantu bathi, “Amen!” Kwase kukhishwa izibusiso zokulalela. Kodwa umaye wayeyokwehlela uIsrayeli ukuba wayehluleka ‘ukwenza wonke amazwi omthetho nokwesaba igama elidumisekayo nelisabekayo likaJehova uNkulunkulu’!—Joshuwa 8:32-35.
3, 4. (a) Isiphi isifundo esinamandla inkambo kaIsrayeli esinikeza sona namuhla? (b) Kungani kungamelwe sikhathale ukuzwa izinto ezifanayo ngokuphindaphindiwe? (c) Yini edingekayo ukuze ungene “ngesango elincane”?
3 Ingabe uIsrayeli waqhubeka elalela ‘amazwi omthetho’? Naphezu kokunxusa okuphindaphindiwe kukaMose, futhi kamuva kukaJoshuwa, ehluleka ngokudabukisayo. Yeka isifundo esinamandla lokhu okusinikeza sona namuhla! Naphezu kwezixwayiso eziqhubekayo, ngaso sonke isikhathi kunabathile abacabanga ukuthi bangaklolodela izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu, ‘bazenzele abakuthandayo,’ kodwa basinde. Yeka ubuwula! Ebhekisela emuva kokuhlangenwe nakho kukaIsrayeli, uPawulu wathi: “Osuka ethi umi, akaqaphele ukuba angawi.”—1 Korinte 10:12; UmShumayeli 2:13.
4 Abanye babantu bakaNkulunkulu baye bagxeka izixwayiso eziye zanikezwa, bethi bayakhathala ukuzwa izinto ezifanayo ngokuphindaphindiwe. Kodwa ngokuvamile laba bangabokuqala abawela ogibeni lukaSathane. Incwadi yeBhayibheli ephefumlelwe kaDuteronomi (ngesiHeberu Mish·neh’ hat·to·rahʹ okusho, “Ukuphindwaphindwa KoMthetho”) yakhiwa ngokuyinhloko izinkulumo ezine zikaMose; lezi zazikwenza kukhanye kuIsrayeli ukuthi kumelwe alalele imithetho kaNkulunkulu eyayishiwo ngaphambili. Izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezine lapho uMose exwayisa ngokungalaleli “neziqalekiso” ezaziyoba umphumela wasebenzisa amagama angangalawo awasebenzisa ekubaleni “izibusiso.” ENtabeni iEbali, uJoshuwa waphinde waqaphelisa uIsrayeli ukuthi kumelwe alalele. Ingabe lokhu akusibonisi yini indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukulwela ‘ukungena ngesango elincane’?—Mathewu 7:13, 14, 24-27; 24:21, 22.
5. Iyiphi inhlangano manje eyayisibhekene noIsrayeli, futhi isiphi isimo esifanayo esisibonayo namuhla?
5 Manje kwase kuqala ukuxazululwa kwezindaba kokugcina. Umuzi waseJeriko owakhiwe endleleni wawusuyize, njengoba nje inkolo yamanga iyobhujiswa lapho “usizi olukhulu” luqala. IAyi lase liwile. Kodwa manje “onke amakhosi ayengaphesheya kweJordani, ezintabeni, nasemathafeni, nasogwini lonke loLwandle Olukhulu olubhekene neLebanoni, amaHeti, nama-Amori, namaKhanani, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi . . . abuthana ndawonye ukuze alwe noJoshuwa noIsrayeli nganhliziyonye.” (Joshuwa 9:1, 2) Ngokomfuziselo wosuku lwanamuhla, sithola izizwe zomhlaba manje zihlangana ndawonye njengalokho okubizwa ngokuthi iZizwe Ezihlangene. Zizifunela ukuthula nokulondeka ngezindlela zazo siqu kodwa ‘ziceba icebo ngoJehova nangogcotshiweyo wakhe,’ uJoshuwa oMkhulu. (IHubo 2:1, 2) Uyoba yini umphumela?
Ukwenza Ngokuhlakanipha
6, 7. (a) Isithakazelo sani abaseGibeyoni abasibonisa, futhi imaphi amasu abawasebenzisa? (b) UJoshuwa wayahlulela kanjani lendaba?
6 NjengoRahabi owayengaphambi kwabo, abanye abangewona amaIsrayeli manje baqala ukubonisa isithakazelo ekusindeni. Laba babeyizakhamuzi zaseGibeyoni, umuzi omkhulu ongasenyakatho yeJebusi, noma iJerusalema. Babezwile ngezenzo zamandla zikaJehova futhi bazimisela ukuthi babeyofuna ukuthula nokulondeka ngezindlela zikaJehova. Kodwa kanjani? Bathumela ekamu likaIsrayeli eGiligali amadoda ayephethe umphako owomile nokhuntile namasaka nezimvaba ezigugileyo, futhi begqoke izingubo nezicathulo eziciciyelweyo. Lapho efika kuJoshuwa, lamadoda athi: “Izinceku zakho zivela ezweni elikude kakhulu ngenxa yegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokuba siluzwile udumo lwakhe.” Lapho ezwa lokhu, “uJoshuwa wabethembisa ukuthula, wenza isivumelwano nabo ukuba baphile.”—Joshuwa 9:3-15.
7 Nokho, ngokushesha uIsrayeli wathola ukuthi eqinisweni abaseGibeyoni ‘babakhile phakathi kwabo’! Manje uJoshuwa wakubheka kanjani ukukhohlisa kwabo? Wahlonipha isifungo ayesenzile nabo ngaphambili, ‘sokuba baphile, babe abagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo yonke inhlangano.’—Joshuwa 9:16-27; qhathanisa noDuteronomi 20:10, 11.
8. AbaseGibeyoni basifanekisela ngaziphi izindlela “isixuku esikhulu”?
8 Mhlawumbe amaNethini amaningi, okwathi eminyakeni ethile kamuva akhonza ethempelini likaJehova, ayedabuka eGibeyoni. Ngakho abaseGibeyoni bangafanekisela kahle “isixuku esikhulu” manje esinikela kuNkulunkulu ‘inkonzo engcwele imini nobusuku ethempelini lakhe.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9, 15) Nakuba bephila ezweni elinjengelaseKhanani, laba empeleni ‘abasibo abezwe.’ Ngaphambili, kwakumelwe babekezelele umphako ongokomoya “okhuntile,” njengalowo etholakala emasontweni eLobukholwa, futhi babengenalo “iwayini” lenjabulo. Lapho behlangana nabantu bakaNkulunkulu, baye baqaphela ukuthi uJehova wenza izenzo zamandla ngofakazi bakhe. Baye bathatha uhambo olude besuka ezweni likaSathane ukuze bashintshe ‘izingubo’ ezigugile bambathe uphawu olusha njengezinceku zikaJehova ezithobekile, ezimbethe ubuntu obusha.—Johane 14:6; 17:11, 14, 16; Efesu 4:22-24.
Ukusekela Kwenhlangano
9. (a) Iluphi usizi olwaphakama kamuva? (b) UJoshuwa wasabela kanjani, futhi kwaba nasiphi isiqinisekiso?
9 Lapho uAdoni-sedeki, inkosi yaseJerusalema, ezwa ukuthi abaseGibeyoni babenze ukuthula noIsrayeli, “[we]saba kakhulu, ngokuba iGibeyoni lalingumuzi omkhulu njengomunye wemizi yamakhosi . . . onke amadoda alo engamaqhawe.” Wazihlanganisa namanye amakhosi amane, futhi bahlasela iGibeyoni. Ngokushesha, abaseGibeyoni banxusa uJoshuwa: “Shesha ukhuphukele kithi usisindise, usisize.” Ngokushesha, uJoshuwa wasabela, futhi uJehova wamqinisekisa, ethi: “Ungabesabi, ngokuba ngibanikele ezandleni zakho; akuyikubakho-muntu wabo ongema phambi kwakho.” UJoshuwa namadoda akhe anamandla angamaqhawe bahamba “ubusuku bonke” ukuze baqothule isitha ngokuphelele ngokuzuma.—Joshuwa 10:1-9.
10. (a) Luhlobo luni lwesenzakalo namuhla oluwumfuziselo wokuhlaselwa kweGibeyoni? (b) Ikuphi ukuzimisela abaseGibeyoni bosuku lwanamuhla abakubonisayo?
10 Njengalawo makhosi ayisihlanu, ezinye izinhloko zohulumeni namuhla ziyacasuka ngokubona abaningi kangaka babantu babo—ngisho ‘nabangamaqhawe’—bethatha ukuma kwabo ngasohlangothini lukaJoshuwa oMkhulu kanye noMbuso wakhe wokulunga womhlaba wonke. Lababusi bakholelwa ukuthi imingcele yobuzwe kumelwe ilondolozwe, ngisho nakuba izizwe zixabana njalo futhi zilwa. Ngakho-ke bazama ukunqamula ilungiselelo lokudla okungokomoya ‘kwesixuku esikhulu’ esithanda ukuthula, ukuvimbela imihlangano lapho bedla khona lokho “kudla,” nokusivimbela ekukhulumeni nabanye ngezindaba ezingokomoya. Kodwa labantu baseGibeyoni banamuhla bahlala bethembekile kuIsrayeli ongokomoya, bethi: “Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Zakariya 8:23; qhathanisa nezEnzo 4:19, 20; 5:29.
11. OFakazi BakaJehova bazisingatha kanjani izinhlekelele namuhla?
11 Lapho “isixuku esikhulu” sicela usizo enhlanganweni yaso ‘engumame,’ lunikezwa ngokushesha nangesilinganiso esihle. Ukusabela ngokushesha oFakazi BakaJehova abenza izinto ngakho kubonakala futhi ngezinye izindlela eziningi—njengasekulungiseleleni usizo ngokushesha ngemva kwezinhlekelele ezingokwemvelo nasekwakheni ngokushesha amaHholo oMbuso adingekayo nezinye izindawo zokuhlangana ngenjongo yokwaba “ukudla.” Lapho ngaloJune odlule kuhlelwa ukuba kube nomhlangano eYankee Stadium, eNew York, ibutho labahlanzi bokuzithandela lafika phakathi kwamabili ngemva komdlalo webaseball; leyonkundla ayikaze ibonakale ihlanzeke ngaphezu kokuba yayinjalo phakathi nezinsuku ezine ezalandela. Futhi, abadala abathembekile boFakazi BakaJehova bayashesha ukusingatha izinhlekelele eziphakama ekushumayeleni ngezindaba ezinhle.—Filipi 1:6, 7.
UJehova Ulwela UIsrayeli
12. Iziphi izimangaliso uJehova azenzayo ekulweleni uIsrayeli lapho evikela abaseGibeyoni? (Qhathanisa noHabakuki 3:1, 2, 11, 12.)
12 Kodwa manje, ake ubheke eGibeyoni. UJehova ukhungathekisa lawomabutho ayizitha. UIsrayeli uyawalandela ewabulala ngokubulala okukhulu. Futhi yini esiyibona yehliswa emazulwini? Amatshe amakhulu eqhwa! Baba baningi ababulawa yilesichotho kunababulawa amabutho kaIsrayeli. Manje, lalela. UJoshuwa ukhuluma noJehova, futhi yini ayishoyo “ebusweni babakwaIsrayeli”? Nakhu: “Langa, yima eGibeyoni, nawe-nyanga, esigodini saseAjaloni.” Esinye isimangaliso esisabekayo! “Kungathi usuku lonke,” ilanga likhanyise leyonkundla yempi, kwaze kwaba yilapho impindiselo kaNkulunkulu ikhishwe ngokuphelele. Akukhona okwethu ukuphikisana ngendlela uJehova enza ngayo lesosimangaliso, njengoba nje singenambuzo ngendlela ‘enza’ ngayo izinkanyiso ezimbili ezinkulu ukuba zikhanyise “ngosuku” lwakhe lwesine lokudala. (Genesise 1:16-19; IHubo 135:5, 6) Nangu umbhalo ogciniwe ongumnqamula-juqu: “Aluzange lube-khona usuku olunjengalo ngaphambi kwalo noma ngasemva kwalo lokuba uJehova alilalele izwi lomuntu, ngokuba uJehova wamlwela uIsrayeli.”—Joshuwa 10:10-14.
13. UJoshuwa uzikhuthaza kanjani ngokuqhubekayo izinduna zakhe, futhi kuba namuphi umphumela wokugcina?
13 Izenzakalo zokuphetha zifinyelela umvuthwandaba ngokubulawa kwamakhosi ayisihlanu, okuyisikhathi uJoshuwa athi ngaso ezinduneni zakhe: “Ningesabi, ningabi-naluvalo; qinani, nime isibindi, ngokuba uJehova uyakwenza kanjalo kuzo zonke izitha zenu enilwa nazo.” Lokhu kakade sekuye kwabonakala kunjalo ngokuqondene namakhosi ayisikhombisa aseKhanani, futhi kuqhubeka kuba njalo njengoba esinye isibalo esiphelele semibuso engama-24 igumbuqelwa. Khona-ke, kungemva kweminyaka eyisithupha yezimpi kuphela lapho izwe liba nokuthula khona.—Joshuwa 10:16-25; 12:7-24.
14. Kumelwe sibhekane neArmagedoni ngasiphi isimo nethemba?
14 Namuhla, njengoba sibhekene nempi yokugcina yeArmagedoni, kwangathi singama isibindi siqine njengoJoshuwa, amadoda akhe anamandla, kanye nalo lonke ikamu elikhulu lakwaIsrayeli. Singaba nethemba lokuthi, njengoba nje uJehova angenisa amaIsrayeli ayizigidi eziningi engenamyocu eZweni Lesithembiso, ngokufanayo angenza ezinye izimangaliso ezisabekayo ekudluliseni izigidi zabantu bakhe abanesibindi eArmagedoni bangene esimisweni sakhe esisha.—IsAmbulo 7:1-3, 9, 14; 19:11-21; 21:1-5.
Isinqumo Sethu
15. Luhlobo luni lwezabelo “ezinye izimvu” ezingazilindela esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu?
15 Nakuba manje ayesesondela eminyakeni engama-90, uJoshuwa wayebhekene nomunye umsebenzi omkhulu—lowo wokwahlukanisela izizwe zakwaIsrayeli izwe. Lokhu kwakungasho ukuthi ukuphila kwakuyoba lula ngamaIsrayeli. Eqinisweni, uKalebi wacela indawo eseHebroni, lapho kwakuhlala khona ama-Anaki angamaqhawe; wayefuna ukuqhubeka nokuqothula izitha zikaJehova zokugcina. Lokhu akubonisi ukuthi phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane yokuBusa kukaKristu emhlabeni kuyoba nezitha ezingabantu. Kodwa kuyoba nomsebenzi wokwenziwa. Esimisweni esisha sezinto, akumelwe silindele indlela yokuphila elula, yokungenzi-lutho. Ngemva kokuthola izabelo zazo “emhlabeni omusha,” “ezinye izimvu” zeNkosi ziyoba nomsebenzi omningi emkhankasweni omkhulu wokwenza umhlaba ube muhle nokuwuguqula ube yiPharadesi elingokoqobo.—Joshuwa 14:6-15; Marku 10:29, 30; Roma 12:11.
16. Yini namuhla efanekiselwa yilungiselelo likaJehova “lemizi yokuphephela”?
16 Ekwabeni izwe, uJoshuwa wabekela eceleni imizi eyisithupha yamaLevi ukuba ibe ‘imizi yokuphephela,’ yayimithathu ngasohlangothini ngalunye lweJordani. Leli kwakuyilungiselelo likaJehova lokuvikela owayebulale ngengozi owayengabalekela kweminye yalemizi. Umbulali onjalo kwakumelwe abonakalise ukuthi wayenonembeza ohlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu wayekwenza ngokuhlala, kulowomuzi kuze kufe umpristi omkhulu. Ngokufanayo, ngenxa yobudlelwane bangaphambili nalelizwe elinecala legazi, namuhla “isixuku esikhulu” kumelwe sifune ukuba nonembeza omuhle noNkulunkulu. Sizuza lowonembeza omuhle ngokuvuma izono zaso, siphenduke, siguquke, sizinikezele kuJehova, futhi sibhapathizwe emanzini. Khona-ke kumelwe silondoloze lokho kuma. “Isixuku esikhulu” kudingeka sihlale ‘kulowomuzi’ uJesu aze afe ngokomfanekiso ngokuqondene nomsebenzi wakhe wokuba umpristi omkhulu, ekupheleni kokuBusa kwakhe kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane.—Joshuwa 20:1-9; IsAmbulo 20:4, 5; 1 Korinte 15:22, 25, 26.
17. Imuphi umphumela ojabulisayo esiwulangazelelayo namuhla?
17 Yeka indlela uJehova ayebabusise ngayo abantu bakhe uIsrayeli ngokumangalisayo! Indlela yayinzima, futhi izilingo ziziningi. Kodwa ekugcineni base bengenile eZweni Lesithembiso futhi bahlala lapho. Yeka indlela izinhliziyo zabo okumelwe ukuba zachichima ngayo ukubonga kuJehova! Futhi ekuzibonakaliseni sithembekile kuNkulunkulu wethu, singaba nenjabulo efanayo njengoba singena esimisweni sakhe esisha, esihlanganisa “umhlaba omusha.” Ngempela, kuyoba ngokufanayo kithi, njengoba kwaba njalo ngosuku lukaJoshuwa: “Akuphuthanga-lutho kukho konke okuhle uJehova akukhuluma khona kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli; kwenziwa konke.” (Joshuwa 21:45) Kwangathi ungaba nengxenye ejabulisayo kulokho!
18. (a) Yini uJoshuwa ayilandisa abadala bakwaIsrayeli? (b) Isiphi isifiso okumelwe sibe naso ngokuqondene nesimiso esisha sikaJehova?
18 Ekugcineni, eseneminyaka eyi-110, uJoshuwa wahlanganisa amalunga akwaIsrayeli. Wawalandisa indlela emangalisayo uJehova ayebusise ngayo abantu bakhe abathembekile kusukela esikhathini sika-Abrahama kuze kube yilolosuku. Manje uJehova wabatshela: “Nganinika izwe eningakhandlekanga kulo, nemizi eningayakhanga nihlala nokho kuyo; niyadla ezivinini naseminqumeni eningakutshalanga.” Enalamalungiselelo ayinala, ngokuqinisekile uIsrayeli wayeyofuna ‘ukwesaba uJehova, amkhonze ngobuqotho nangeqiniso’ ngaso sonke isikhathi. Futhi njengoba sibheke phambili esimisweni esisha esikhazimulayo sikaJehova kulomhlaba, ngokuqinisekile ngamunye wethu kumelwe abe nesifiso esifanayo.—Joshuwa 24:13, 14.
19. (a) Ikuphi ukukhetha uJoshuwa manje akubeka kubantu, futhi baphendula kanjani? (b) Kumelwe sifune ukuba njengobani? (c) Ikuphi ukukhetha okumelwe sikwenze, futhi nakuphi ukuzimisela?
19 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wakubeka ngokukhanyayo kubantu: “Uma kukubi emehlweni enu ukumkhonza uJehova, khethani namuhla ukuthi ngubani eniyakumkhonza. . . . MINA NENDLU YAMI SIYAKUMKHONZA UJEHOVA.” Ingabe lamazwi angananelwa yithi ngabanye, amalungu akholwayo emikhaya yethu, amabandla ethu, ‘indlu kaNkulunkulu’ yomhlaba wonke? Ngokuqinisekile angananelwa! (Efesu 2:19) Abantu bosuku lukaJoshuwa bamphendula, bathi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu siyakumkhonza, sililalele izwi lakhe.” (Joshuwa 24:15, 24) Kodwa, ngokudabukisayo, eminyakeni ethile kamuva behluleka ukwenza kanjalo. Asifuni ukuba njengalabo abehluleka. Sifuna ukuba njengoJoshuwa nendlu yakhe, njengoKalebi, njengabaseGibeyoni, nanjengoRahabi. Yebo, “SIYAKUMKHONZA UJEHOVA.” Kwangathi lokhu singakwenza ngesibindi nangethemba eliphelele lokuthi akukho lutho ‘oluyakuba namandla okusahlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.’—Roma 8:39.
Yini Esiyifundayo Encwadini KaJoshuwa—
◻ Ngokuqondene nokuzuza eziyalweni eziphindwaphindwayo?
◻ Ngokuqondene nokunakekela abaseGibeyoni banamuhla?
◻ Ngokuqondene nendlela uJehova ayolwa ngayo eArmagedoni?
◻ Ngokuqondene nesidingo sokubalekela “emizini yokuphephela”?
◻ Ngokuqondene nokukhetha lowo okumelwe simkhonze?