Yesaba UJehova, Ugcine Imiyalo Yakhe
“Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngokuba lokho kungokwabantu bonke.”—UMSHUMAYELI 12:13.
1, 2. (a) Ukwesaba kungasivikela kanjani ngokoqobo? (b) Kungani abazali abahlakaniphile belwela ukugxilisa ukwesaba okunempilo ezinganeni zabo?
“NJENGOBA nje isibindi sifaka ukuphila engozini, ukwesaba kuyakuvikela,” kuphawula uLeonardo da Vinci. Ukuzenza usibindigidi kwenza umuntu angayiboni ingozi, kanti ukwesaba kumkhumbuza ukuba aqaphele. Ngokwesibonelo, uma sisondela eduze nonqenqema lwewa bese sibona ukuthi uma kungenzeka siwe, kukude kangakanani phansi, iningi lethu lihlehlela emuva lingatshelwanga muntu. Ngokufanayo, ukwesaba okunempilo akugcini nje ngokuthuthukisa ubuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu, njengoba sifundile esihlokweni esandulele, kodwa futhi kusivikela ekulimaleni.
2 Nokho, ukwesaba izinto eziningi zanamuhla eziyingozi kumelwe kufundwe. Njengoba izingane zingazazi izingozi zikagesi noma zezimoto edolobheni, zingavelelwa yingozi embi kalula.a Abazali abahlakaniphile bazama ukugxilisa ukwesaba okunempilo ezinganeni zabo, bezixwayisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngezingozi ezizizungezile. Abazali bayazi ukuthi lokhu kwesaba kungase kusindise ukuphila kwezingane zabo.
3. Kungani uJehova esixwayisa ngezingozi ezingokomoya, futhi usixwayisa kanjani?
3 UJehova uyikhathalela ngokufanayo inhlalakahle yethu. NjengoBaba onothando, usifundisa ngeZwi lakhe nangenhlangano yakhe ukuze sizizuzise. (Isaya 48:17) Ingxenye yalesi simiso sokufundiswa kwaphezulu ihlanganisa ukusixwayisa “njalonjalo” ngezihibe ezingokomoya ukuze sihlakulele ukuzesaba okunempilo izingozi ezinjalo. (2 IziKronike 36:15; 2 Petru 3:1) Kuwo wonke umlando izinhlekelele eziningi ezingokomoya ngabe zagwenywa kanjalo kwagwenywa nokuhlupheka okukhulu ‘ukube nje abantu bebeye bafundisa le nhliziyo yabo ukuba yesabe uNkulunkulu futhi igcine imiyalelo yakhe.’ (Duteronomi 5:29) Kulezi “zikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,” singayifundisa kanjani inhliziyo yethu ukwesaba uNkulunkulu futhi sigweme ingozi engokomoya?—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
Deda Ebubini
4. (a) Iyiphi inzondo amaKristu okufanele ayihlakulele? (b) UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngenkambo yesono? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
4 IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi “ukumesaba uJehova kungukuzonda okubi.” (IzAga 8:13) Isichazamazwi seBhayibheli sichaza le nzondo ngokuthi “isimo esingokomzwelo umuntu anaso ngabantu nezinto aphikisana nazo, ezimnengayo, azenyanyayo nangafisi ukuthintana nazo noma ukuba nobuhlobo nazo.” Ngakho ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa nenzondo engaphakathi noma ukunengwa yikho konke okubi emehlweni kaJehova.b (IHubo 97:10) Kusishukumisela ukuba sidede ebubini, njengoba nje besingahlehla onqenqemeni lwewa lapho uvalo olungokwemvelo luhlaba inhlabamkhosi. IBhayibheli lithi: “Nangokumesaba uJehova kudedwa ebubini.”—IzAga 16:6.
5. (a) Singakuqinisa kanjani ukwesaba kwethu uNkulunkulu nenzondo yethu ngokubi? (b) Umlando wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli usifundisani kule ndaba?
5 Singakuqinisa lokhu kwesaba okunempilo nenzondo ngokubi ngokucabangela imiphumela elimazayo nengagwemeki elethwa yisono. IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi siyovuna lokho esikuhlwanyelayo—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihlwanyela ngokuvumelana nenyama noma ngokuvumelana nomoya. (Galathiya 6:7, 8) Ngenxa yalokhu uJehova wayichaza ngokukhanyayo imiphumela engagwemeki yokuyishaya indiva imiyalo yakhe nokulahla ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngaphandle kwesivikelo saphezulu, isizwe esincane nesasingahlaseleka kalula sakwa-Israyeli sasiyoba yibhece komakhelwane baso abanonya nabanamandla. (Duteronomi 28:15, 45-48) Umphumela odabukisayo wokungalaleli kuka-Israyeli wabhalwa ngokuningiliziwe eBhayibhelini ‘njengesixwayiso’ ukuze sithole isifundo futhi sihlakulele ukwesaba uNkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 10:11.
6. Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo ezingokomBhalo esingazicabangela lapho sifunda ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
6 Ngaphandle kwalokho okwenzeka esizweni sakwa-Israyeli sisonke, iBhayibheli futhi liqukethe okuhlangenwe nakho okungokoqobo kwabantu abáhlulwa yisikhwele, ukuziphatha okubi, ukuhaha noma ukuqhosha.c Amanye ala madoda ayesekhonze uJehova iminyaka eminingi, kodwa kwathi ngomzuzu owodwa nje obucayi ekuphileni kwawo, ukwesaba kwawo uNkulunkulu kwangaqina ngokwanele, avuna isivuno esibi. Ukuzindla ngezibonelo ezinjalo ezingokomBhalo kungaqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukuba singenzi amaphutha afanayo. Yeka ukuthi bekuyoba okudabukisa kanjani ukulinda kuze kube yilapho sivelelwa usizi kube yima sinaka iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu! Ngokuphambene nalokho okukholelwa yiningi, ukuthi funda ngokuzibonela, ikakhulukazi uma uyisalakutshelwa, leyo akuyona indlela engcono yokufunda.—IHubo 19:7.
7. Ubani uJehova ammemela etendeni lakhe elingokomfanekiso?
7 Esinye isizathu esinamandla sokuhlakulela ukwesaba uNkulunkulu yisifiso sethu sokuvikela ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu. Siyesaba ukudumaza uJehova ngoba siyabazisa ubungane naye. Ubani uNkulunkulu ambheka njengomngane, umuntu angammemela etendeni lakhe elingokomfanekiso? Yilowo kuphela “ohamba ngobuqotho nowenza ukulunga.” (IHubo 15:1, 2) Uma sibazisa lobu buhlobo obuyigugu noMdali wethu, siyoqikelela ukuba sihambe ngobuqotho phambi kwamehlo akhe.
8. Ama-Israyeli athile osukwini lukaMalaki abuthatha kalula kanjani ubungane noNkulunkulu?
8 Ngokudabukisayo, amanye ama-Israyeli osukwini lukaMalaki abuthatha kalula ubungane noNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni sokuba esabe uJehova futhi amnike udumo, anikela ngezilwane ezigulayo neziyizinyonga e-altare lakhe. Ukuntula kwawo ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwabonakala nasendleleni ayewubheka ngayo umshado. Ukuze ashade nabesifazane abasebasha, ahlukanisa nabafazi bobusha bawo ngenxa yezizathu ezingasho lutho. UMalaki wawatshela ukuthi uJehova uyakuzonda “ukwahlukana” nokuthi umoya wawo okhohlisayo wawuwehlukanise noNkulunkulu wawo. UNkulunkulu wayengayibheka kanjani iminikelo yawo ngomusa kuyilapho ngokomfanekiso i-altare lakhe lalimbozwe yizinyembezi—izinyembezi zomunyu ezazichiphizwa abafazi bawo abalahliwe? Indelelo enjalo esobala ngezindinganiso zikaJehova yamshukumisa ukuba abuze: “Kuphi ukwesatshwa kwami?”—Malaki 1:6-8; 2:13-16.
9, 10. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyabazisa ubungane noJehova?
9 Ngokufanayo nanamuhla uJehova ubona usizi lwabangane abaningi bomshado abangenacala nabantwana abaye bahlushwa abayeni nobaba noma amakhosikazi nomama abaziphethe kabi. Ngokuqinisekile uzwa ubuhlungu. Umngane kaNkulunkulu uyobona izinto ngendlela uNkulunkulu azibona ngayo futhi uyosebenza kanzima ukuze aqinise umshado wakhe, enqabe ukucabanga kwezwe kokungakugqizi qakala ukubaluleka kwesibopho somshado, futhi ‘abalekele ubufebe.’—1 Korinte 6:18.
10 Emshadweni kanye nakwezinye izici zokuphila kwethu, ukuzonda konke okubi emehlweni kaJehova, kanye nokubazisa ngokujulile ubungane naye, kuyosilethela umusa kaJehova nokuvunyelwa nguye. Umphostoli uPetru waqinisa: “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Sinezibonelo eziningi ezingokomBhalo ezibonisa ukuthi ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwabashukumisa kanjani abantu ngabanye ukuba benze okuhle ezimweni ezihlukahlukene ezivivinyayo.
Abathathu Ababesaba UNkulunkulu
11. U-Abrahama kwathiwa “uyamesaba uNkulunkulu” ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo?
11 Kunomuntu oyedwa eBhayibhelini uJehova ngokwakhe amchaza ngokuthi umngane wakhe—inzalamizi u-Abrahama. (Isaya 41:8, NW) Ukuthi u-Abrahama umesaba kangakanani uNkulunkulu kwavivinywa lapho uNkulunkulu emcela ukuba anikele ngokuwukuphela kwendodana yakhe, u-Isaka, uNkulunkulu ayezogcwalisa ngayo isithembiso sakhe sokuthi inzalo ka-Abrahama yayiyoba isizwe esikhulu. (Genesise 12:2, 3; 17:19) Ingabe “umngane kaJehova” wayeyophumelela kulolu vivinyo olubuhlungu? (Jakobe 2:23) Kwathi nje lapho u-Abrahama ephakamisa ummese wakhe ukuze abulale u-Isaka, ingelosi kaJehova yathi: “Ungabeki isandla sakho kumfana, ungenzi lutho kuye, ngokuba ngiyazi manje ukuthi uyamesaba uNkulunkulu, lokhu ungagodlanga kimi nandodana eyodwa yakho.”—Genesise 22:10-12.
12. Yini eyashukumisela u-Abrahama ukuba esabe uNkulunkulu, futhi singawubonisa kanjani umoya ofanayo?
12 Nakuba u-Abrahama ngaphambili ayezibonakalise emesaba uJehova, ngaleso sikhathi wabonakalisa ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu ngendlela evelele. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukunikela ngo-Isaka njengomhlatshelo kwakungabonisi ukulalela okunenhlonipho kuphela. U-Abrahama washukunyiswa ukwethembela okuphelele ekutheni uYise wasezulwini wayeyosigcwalisa isithembiso saKhe ngokuvusa u-Isaka uma kudingekile. Njengoba uPawulu aloba, u-Abrahama ‘wayeqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi lokho [uNkulunkulu] ayekuthembisile uyakwazi futhi nokukwenza.’ (Roma 4:16-21) Ingabe sizimisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngisho nalapho kudingeka ukuzidela okukhulu? Ingabe siqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi ukulalela okunjalo kuyoletha izinzuzo zesikhathi eside, sazi ukuthi uJehova ‘ungumvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho’? (Heberu 11:6) Lokho kungukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso.—IHubo 115:11.
13. Kungani uJosefa ayengazichaza ngokufanele ngokuthi ungumuntu ‘omesabayo uNkulunkulu’?
13 Ake sihlole esinye isibonelo sokwesaba uNkulunkulu okwabonakaliswa ngezenzo—okukaJosefa. Njengesigqila endlini kaPotifari, uJosefa wazithola ecindezelwa nsuku zonke ukuba aphinge. Kubonakala sengathi yayingekho indlela yokugwema umkankosi yakhe, owayemxine ngokumeshela. Ekugcineni, lapho “embamba,” “wabaleka, wagijimela phandle.” Yini eyamshukumisela ukuba adede ebubini ngaphandle kokulibala? Ngokungangabazeki isici esiyinhloko kwakuwukwesaba uNkulunkulu, isifiso sokugwema ukwenza ‘lobo bubi obungako, one kuNkulunkulu.’ (Genesise 39:7-12) UJosefa wayengazichaza kufanele ngokuthi ungumuntu ‘omesabayo uNkulunkulu.’—Genesise 42:18.
14. Isihe sikaJosefa sakubonisa kanjani ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso?
14 Eminyakeni ethile kamuva uJosefa wabhekana ubuso nobuso nabafowabo, ababeye bamthengisela ebugqilini ngendlela enesihluku. Kalula nje wayengasebenzisa ukuhlupheka kwabo beswele ukudla njengethuba lokuphindisela ububi ababebenze kuye. Kodwa ukuphatha abantu ngobushiqela akubonisi ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. (Levitikusi 25:43) Ngakho lapho uJosefa ebona ubufakazi obanele bokuthi inhliziyo yabafowabo yayishintshile, wabathethelela ngomusa. NjengoJosefa, ukwesaba kwethu uNkulunkulu kuyosishukumisela ukuba sinqobe okubi ngokuhle, kuphinde futhi kusinqande singaweli ekulingweni.—Genesise 45:1-11; IHubo 130:3, 4; Roma 12:17-21.
15. Kungani ukuziphatha kukaJobe kwayithokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova?
15 UJobe wayengesinye isibonelo esivelele somuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu. UJehova wathi kuDeveli: “Inhliziyo yakho iyiqaphele inceku yami uJobe na? Ngokuba akakho onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela okubi.” (Jobe 1:8) Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi ukuziphatha kukaJobe okungenasici kuyithokozisa inhliziyo kaYise osezulwini. UJobe wayemesaba uNkulunkulu ngoba wayazi ukuthi kwakuyinto okwakufanele ukuba yenziwe futhi kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila. UJobe wathi: “Bhekani, ukwesaba iNkosi lokhu kungukuhlakanipha; ukusuka ebubini kungukuqonda.” (Jobe 28:28) Njengendoda eshadile, uJobe wayenganaki izintombi ngokungafanele, futhi akazange afukamele amacebo okuphinga enhliziyweni yakhe. Nakuba ayeyindoda ecebile, wenqaba ukuthembela engcebweni futhi wagwema zonke izinhlobo zokukhulekela izithombe.—Jobe 31:1, 9-11, 24-28.
16. (a) UJobe wabonisa umusa wothando ngaziphi izindlela? (b) UJobe wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayengayigodli intethelelo?
16 Nokho, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kusho kokubili ukudeda ebubini kanye nokwenza okuhle. Ngakho uJobe wababonisa umusa abayizimpumputhe, abayizinyonga nabampofu. (Levitikusi 19:14; Jobe 29:15, 16) UJobe wayeqonda ukuthi “ogodlela umuntu wakubo umusa wothando, uyokuyeka futhi nanokwesaba uMninimandla onke.” (Jobe 6:14, NW) Ukugodla umusa wothando kungahlanganisa nokugodla intethelelo noma ukubamba amagqubu. Ngesiyalezo sikaNkulunkulu, uJobe wathandazela abangane bakhe abathathu, ababemzwise ubuhlungu kakhulu. (Jobe 42:7-10) Singawubonisa yini umoya ofanayo wokuthethelela umuntu esikholwa naye okungenzeka uye wasizwisa ubuhlungu ngandlela-thile? Ukumthandazela ngobuqotho umuntu oye wasiphatha kabi kungenza lukhulu ekusisizeni ukuba sinqobe intukuthelo. Izibusiso uJobe azijabulela ngenxa yokwesaba uNkulunkulu zisinika umbono ‘wobukhulu bobuhle uJehova abugcinele abamesabayo.’—IHubo 31:19; Jakobe 5:11.
Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu Kuqhathaniswa Nokwesaba Umuntu
17. Ukwesaba umuntu kungenzani kithi, kodwa kungani lokho kwesaba kuphelela lapha kuphela?
17 Nakuba ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kungasishukumisela ukuba senze okuhle, ukwesaba umuntu kungalululaza ukholo lwethu. Ngenxa yalokhu, lapho uJesu ekhuthaza abaphostoli ukuba babe abashumayeli abashisekayo bezindaba ezinhle, wathi kubo: “Ningabesabi labo ababulala umzimba kodwa bengenakuwubulala umphefumulo; kodwa kunalokho yesabani lowo ongabhubhisa kokubili umphefumulo nomzimba eGehena.” (Mathewu 10:28) UJesu wachaza ukuthi ukwesaba umuntu kuphelela lapha kuphela, ngoba abantu abakwazi ukuqeda amathemba ethu esikhathi esizayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu simesaba ngoba siqaphela amandla akhe amakhulu, amandla azo zonke izizwe awubala uma eqhathaniswa nawo. (Isaya 40:15) Njengo-Abrahama siqiniseka ngokuphelele ngamandla kaJehova okuvusa izinceku zaKhe ezithembekile. (IsAmbulo 2:10) Ngakho sisho ngesibindi sithi: “Uma uNkulunkulu engakithi, ubani oyomelana nathi?”—Roma 8:31.
18. UJehova ubavuza ngayiphi indlela labo abamesabayo?
18 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ophikisana nathi uyilungu lomkhaya noma umuntu oqinela abanye esikoleni, siyothola ukuthi “ekumesabeni uJehova kukhona ithemba elinamandla.” (IzAga 14:26) Singathandaza sicele amandla kuNkulunkulu, sazi ukuthi uzosizwa. (IHubo 145:19) UJehova akalokothi abakhohlwe abamesabayo. Ngomprofethi wakhe, uMalaki, uyasiqinisekisa: “Abamesabayo uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”—Malaki 3:16.
19. Yiziphi izinhlobo zokwesaba eziyophela, kodwa yiluphi uhlobo oluyoba khona kuze kube phakade?
19 Sesisondele isikhathi lapho wonke umuntu emhlabeni eyokhulekela uJehova futhi ukwesaba umuntu kuyonyamalala khona. (Isaya 11:9) Ukwesaba indlala, izifo, ubugebengu nempi nakho kuyobe sekuphelile. Kodwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyohlala phakade njengoba izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ezulwini nasemhlabeni ziqhubeka zimbonisa inhlonipho efanele, zimlalela futhi zimnika udumo. (IsAmbulo 15:4) Sisalindele leso sikhathi, kwangathi sonke singanaka iseluleko esiphefumulelwe sikaSolomoni: “Inhliziyo yakho mayingabi namhawu ngezoni, kepha mawube sekumesabeni uJehova usuku lonke. Ngokuba impela umvuzo ukhona, nethemba lakho aliyikunqunywa.”—IzAga 23:17, 18.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Abanye abantu abadala bagcina bengasayesabi ingozi lapho umsebenzi wabo wenza ukuba babhekane nezimo eziyingozi njalo. Lapho omunye umbazi ongumakadebona ebuzwa ukuthi kungani iminwe yababazi abaningi ingasaphelele, waphendula kalula: “Abasawesabi lawo masaha kagesi asaha ngesivinini sonyazi.”
b UJehova naye uba nawo lowo muzwa wokunengwa. Ngokwesibonelo, kweyabase-Efesu 4:29 ulimi olubi luchazwa ngokuthi ‘izwi elibolile.’ Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “elibolile” ngokwezwi nezwi libhekisela esithelweni, enhlanzini noma enyameni ephethuka izimpethu. Igama elinjalo liwuveza ngokucacile umuzwa wokwenyanya okufanele sibe nawo ngenkulumo eyihlazo noma engcolile. Ngokufanayo emiBhalweni izithombe zivame ukuchazwa ngokuthi “zinjengendle.” (Duteronomi 29:17; Hezekeli 6:9, NW) Ukuyenyanya kwethu kwemvelo indle kusisiza ukuba siqonde umuzwa kaNkulunkulu wokunengwa yinoma yiluphi uhlobo lokukhulekela izithombe.
c Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela ukulandisa kwemiBhalo ngoKayini (Genesise 4:3-12); uDavide (2 Samuweli 11:2–12:14); uGehazi (2 AmaKhosi 5:20-27); no-Uziya (2 IziKronike 26:16-21).
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
• Sifunda kanjani ukuzonda okubi?
• Ama-Israyeli athile osukwini lukaMalaki abuthatha kalula kanjani ubungane noJehova?
• Singafundani ku-Abrahama, uJosefa noJobe ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu?
• Yikuphi ukwesaba okungasoze kwaphela, futhi ngani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Abazali abahlakaniphile bagxilisa ukwesaba okunempilo ezinganeni zabo
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
Njengoba nje ukwesaba kusenza sidede engozini, nokwesaba uNkulunkulu kusidedisa ebubini
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UJobe walondoloza ukwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu ngisho nalapho ebhekene nabangane-mbumbulu abathathu
[Umthombo]
From the Bible translation Vulgata Latina, 1795