“Ngingabenza Kanjani Lobu Bubi Obukhulu Kangaka?”

UJOSEFA uhogela umoya ofudumele, uzwa iphunga lezimbali zentebe (lotus) eziqhakazayo nelezinye izimbali ezimila emanzini. Usenqoleni yabathengisi futhi manje badabula esigodini esiphansi lapho iNayile enkulukazi ingenela khona ulwandle. Lubone ngeso lengqondo udwendwe lwamadoda adonsa amakamela egudla umfula eya kwelinye idolobha laseGibhithe, elokhu edlula eduze kwezinkonde bese zithuka zindiza. UJosefa wabuye wacabanga ngomuzi wakubo osezindaweni eziphakeme ezinomoya zaseHebroni, oqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha; kodwa manje usekwelinye izwe.

Bona ngeso lengqondo izinkawu zibanga umsindo phezu kwezihlahla ezinde zesundu nezomkhiwane. UJosefa wayengaluqondi kahle nolimi olwalukhulunywa abantu abadlulayo. Mhlawumbe wayezama ukuqonda amagama noma izinkulumo ezithile. Mhlawumbe kungcono avele alufunde. Wayazi ukuthi wayengeke aphinde awubone umuzi wakubo.

UJosefa weyengumfana nje—eneminyaka engu-17 noma engu-18 ubudala—nokho wabhekana nezinselele ezingawaqeda amandla amadoda amaningi. Abafowabo azalwa nabo, baba nomona ngenxa yokuthi uJosefa wayeyintandokazi kayise, baze bacishe bambulala. Nokho, bagcina sebemthengisela abathengisi. (Genesise 37:2, 5, 18-28) Manje, ngemva kokuhamba amasonto amaningi, cishe injabulo yalaba bathengisi yayanda njengoba besondela edolobheni elikhulu lapho babehlele khona ukuthola inzuzo ngokuthengisa uJosefa nezinye izinto zabo eziyigugu. Yini uJosefa ayenza ukuze ukuphelelwa ithemba kungamchobozi inhliziyo? Yini thina namuhla esingayenza ukuze izinselele nokudumazeka kungalubhidlizi ukholo lwethu? Singafunda lukhulu kuJosefa.

“UJosefa yena, wehliselwa eGibhithe, futhi uPotifari, isikhulu sikaFaro segceke, induna yemilindankosi, umGibhithe, wamthenga esandleni sabakwa-Ishmayeli ababemehlisele khona.” (Genesise 39:1) Ngalawo mazwi ambalwa, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kusisiza sibone ngeso lengqondo ukuhlazeka kwale nsizwa njengoba yayisithengiswa okwesibili. Yayimane nje iyimpahla! Singase sicabange ngoJosefa elandela inkosi yakhe entsha, isikhulu segceke saseGibhithe, ezitaladini eziphithizelayo zedolobha elinoxhaxha lwezitolo njengoba belibangise ekhaya likaJosefa elisha.

Ekhaya! Le ndawo yayingafani nhlobo nendawo ayeyazi iyikhaya. Wayekhulele emndenini ofuduka njalo futhi owelusa imihlambi yawo yezimvu. Lapha, izicebi zaseGibhithe ezinjengoPotifari, zazihlala ezindlini zikanokusho ezipendwe ngemibala egqamile. Abavubukuli babika ukuthi abantu baseGibhithe lasendulo babethanda izingadi eziluhlaza ezibiyelwe ngezindonga ezinde, izihlahla zomthunzi kanye namachibi okwakutshalwa kuwo i-papyrus, intebe kanye nezinye izitshalo ezimila emanzini. Ezinye izindlu zazakhiwa ezingadini, zibe novulandi abanethunzi elimnandi, amafasitela aphakeme angenisa umoya opholile, amagumbi amaningi kuhlanganise negumbi elikhulu lokudlela namagumbi ezisebenzi.

Ingabe uJosefa wathathwa yilobu bukhazikhazi? Akubonakali kunjalo. Cishe wayezizwa enesizungu futhi eyedwa. Abantu baseGibhithe babehluke kakhulu kuye ngolimi, indlela yokugqoka, ukuzilungisa ngisho nangenkolo. Babekhulekela onkulunkulu abahlukahlukene, besebenzelana nemimoya, benza imilingo futhi bethanda kakhulu izinto ezihlobene nokufa nokuphila kwangemva kokufa. Nokho, iyodwa into eyasiza uJosefa ukuba angabulawa isizungu. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuyasitshela: “UJehova waba noJosefa.” (Genesise 39:2) Ngokuqinisekile uJosefa wathululela isifuba sakhe kuNkulunkulu wakhe. IBhayibheli lithi, “uJehova useduze nabo bonke abambizayo.” (IHubo 145:18) Iyiphi enye indlela uJosefa asondela ngayo kuNkulunkulu wakhe?

Le nsizwa ayivumanga ukudikibala kodwa yazimisela ekwenzeni umsebenzi wayo. Lokho kwanikeza uJehova ithuba lokuba ayibusise futhi uJosefa washeshe wathola umusa emehlweni enkosi yakhe entsha. UPotifari wabona ukuthi le nceku yakhe eseyintsha yayibusiswa uJehova, uNkulunkulu wabantu bakubo kaJosefa, futhi akungabazeki ukuthi leso sibusiso sayenza yachuma indlu yalo mGibhithe. Uthando nenhlonipho ngoJosefa kwakulokhu kukhula kuPotifari, inkosi yakhe, kwaze kwaba yilapho ephathisa khona le nsizwa enekhono zonke izinto zayo.—Genesise 39:3-6.

UJosefa ubabekela isibonelo esihle abantu abasha abakhonza uNkulunkulu namuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho besesikoleni, bangase bazithole besesimweni esibenza bazizwe bengamukelekile, ezweni eligcwele ukusebenzelana nemimoya futhi elingenanjongo ekuphileni. Uma ukuleso simo, khumbula ukuthi uJehova akakashintshi. (Jakobe 1:17) Usaqhubeka ebasekela bonke labo abathembela kuye futhi abazikhandlayo ukuze bamjabulise. Ubabusisa ngokucebile futhi uyokwenza okufanayo nakuwe.

Ukulandisa kuqhubeka kusitshela ngokukhula kukaJosefa. Wakhula “waba nomzimba omi kahle futhi waba muhle.” Lawo mazwi asikisela ukuthi kukhona okwakusina kumjeqeza ngoba ngokuvamile ubuhle bangaphandle buletha ukunakwa okungadingeki nokungafanele.

UJosefa wayekwazisa ukwethembeka; kodwa umkaPotifari wayengakwazisi. Siyafunda: “Umkankosi yakhe waqala ukuphakamisela amehlo kuJosefa futhi wathi: ‘Lala nami.’” (Genesise 39:7) Ingabe uJosefa walingeka ukuba awele ekuyengweni yilo wesifazane oyiqaba? Akukho okushiwo iBhayibheli okungasenza siphethe ngokuthi uJosefa wayengenayo imizwa noma izifiso izinsizwa ezinazo, noma ukuthi lona wesifazane oyinkosikazi yesikhulu eyayihlale imonyongwa, wayengakhangi. Ingabe uJosefa wayengazithethelela acabange ukuthi inkosi yakhe ngeke yazi? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi walingwa ukucabanga ngezinzuzo ezingokwezimali ayengase azithole ngalokho kuziphatha okubi?

Eqinisweni, asazi ukuthi yini eyafika engqondweni kaJosefa. Kodwa siyakwazi ukukubona ngokucacile okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe. Kubonakala empendulweni yakhe: “Bheka inkosi yami ayazi ukuthi yini enami endlini, futhi inikele esandleni sami konke enakho. Akekho omkhulu kunami kule ndlu, futhi ayingigodlelanga lutho neze ngaphandle kwakho, ngoba ungumkayo. Khona-ke ngingabenza kanjani lobu bubi obukhulu kangaka ngone kuNkulunkulu?” (Genesise 39:8, 9) Ibone ngeso lengqondo le nsizwa isho lawo mazwi ngobuqotho. Kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu ngisho nokucabanga ngalokho umkaPotifari ayefuna akwenze. Kungani?

Kunjengoba uJosefa asho, inkosi yakhe yayimethemba. UPotifari wayebeke konke okusendlini yakhe ezandleni zikaJosefa, engamgodlelanga lutho ngaphandle komkakhe. UJosefa wayengenakulokotha aphoxe inkosi yakhe. Wayezonda ngisho nokucabanga ngalokho. Kodwa kwakukhona okungaphezu kwalokho: ukucabanga ngokona kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. UJosefa wayefunde okuningi kubazali bakhe ngombono kaNkulunkulu ngomshado nokwethembeka koshade naye. UJehova owasungula umshado, futhi wayenza yacaca indlela azizwa ngayo. Indoda nomfazi kwakufanele banamathelane, babe “nyamanye.” (Genesise 2:24) Labo ababezama ukunqamula leso sibopho babezibizela ulaka lukaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, kwasala kancane ukuba baqothulwe labo ababezama ukuthatha umka-Abrahama owayengukhokho kaJosefa nomka-Isaka owayengugogo kaJosefa. (Genesise 20:1-3; 26:7-11) UJosefa wafunda lukhulu kulokho futhi wayefuna ukuphila ngokuvumelana nakho.

Kwamcasula lokho umkaPotifari. Cabanga nje, isigqila senqaba ukulala naye, size sikubize ngokuthi ‘ububi obukhulu’! Noma kunjalo, waphikelela. Ngenxa yokuthi wayeziphakamisa wezwa ubuhlungu lapho uJosefa enqaba waze wazimisela ukushintsha umqondo kaJosefa. Ngaleyo ndlela wabonisa umoya ofana nokaSathane owalinga uJesu. Nomzamo kaSathane awuphumelelanga futhi esikhundleni sokuba ayeke, uSathane walinda “esinye isikhathi esikahle.” (Luka 4:13) Ngakho, abantu abathembekile kudingeka bazimisele futhi bame baqine. Yileyo ndlela uJosefa aziphatha ngayo. Nakuba lesi simo sasiqhubeka “usuku nosuku,” uJosefa akazange avume. Siyafunda: “Akazange amlalele.” (Genesise 39:10) Nokho, umkaPotifari wayeyiyengandoda eliphikelelayo.

Wakhetha isikhathi lapho zonke izinceku zingekho endlini. Wayazi ukuthi kwakudingeka ukuba uJosefa angene enze umsebenzi wakhe. Lapho engena wagxuma wahlala. Ebambe ingubo yakhe, wamncenga okokugcina: “Lala nami!” UJosefa wathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha. Wahluthula esandleni sakhe, wahlehlela emuva—kodwa umkaPotifari wayeyibambe wayiqinisa ingubo yakhe. Waphunyuka, wayishiya ingubo. Wadla phansi!—Genesise 39:11, 12.

Lokhu kungase kusikhumbuze iseluleko somphostoli uPawulu esiphefumulelwe esithi: “Balekelani ubufebe!” (1 Korinte 6:18) Yeka isibonelo uJosefa asibekela wonke amaKristu eqiniso! Singazithola sisondelene eduze nalabo abangenandaba nemithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi kufanele silivumele lelo thonya elibi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, kumelwe sibaleke.

Endabeni kaJosefa, kuningi okwakuhilelekile. UmkaPotifari wayefuna ukuziphindiselela. Ngokushesha waqala ukumemeza, ebiza ezinye izisebenzi zasendlini. Wathi uJosefa ubezama ukumdlwengula futhi wabaleka lapho ememeza. Wayigcina ingubo kaJosefa wabe eselinda ukuba kubuye umyeni wakhe. Lapho uPotifari ebuya, wamtshela amanga afanayo, esikisela ukuthi lokhu kube iphutha lomyeni wakhe ngoba waletha isigqila emzini wabo. Wasabela kanjani uPotifari? IBhayibheli lithi: ‘Intukuthelo yakhe yavutha’! Wafaka uJosefa ejele ukuze abhadle khona.—Genesise 39:13-20.

Kuncane kakhulu esikwaziyo ngamajele aseGibhithe lasendulo. Abavubukuli baye bathola amanxiwa alawo majele—izakhiwo ezinkulu ezinezitokisi nemigodi. Kamuva uJosefa wachaza leyo ndawo ngegama elisho ukuthi ‘umgodi,’ elisikisela ukuthi kwakuyindawo emnyama eqeda ithemba. (Genesise 40:15) Encwadini yamaHubo sifunda ukuthi uJosefa waqhubeka ehlukunyezwa: “Izinyawo zakhe bazihlupha ngezibopho.” (IHubo 105:17, 18) Ngezinye izikhathi abaseGibhithe babebophela izingalo zeziboshwa ngemuva ngezinsimbi bahlanganise izindololwane zazo, ezinye zazigaxwa izinsimbi entanyeni. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba uJosefa wahlukumezeka ngayo—ebe engenzanga lutho!

Okubi nakakhulu ukuthi akahlalanga isikhashana ejele. Ukulandisa kuthi uJosefa “wahlala etilongweni.” Wahlala iminyaka eminingi kuleyo ndawo embi!a UJosefa wayengazi ukuthi uyoke akhululwe. Lezo zinsuku zokuqala ezibuhlungu zaphenduka amasonto, amasonto aphenduka izinyanga. Kodwa yini eyamsiza ukuba angalahlekelwa ithemba?

Ukulandisa kusinikeza le mpendulo eduduzayo: “UJehova waba noJosefa futhi waqhubeka edlulisela kuye umusa wothando.” (Genesise 39:21) Akukho zindonga zasejele, izinsimbi noma imigodi emnyama okungavimba uthando lukaJehova oluqotho ukuba lufinyelele izinceku zakhe. (Roma 8:38, 39) Singase simbone ngeso lengqondo uJosefa ethululela usizi lwakhe kuYise wasezulwini amthandayo ngomthandazo, futhi ethola uhlobo lokuthula nokuzola okunikezwa ‘uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke’ kuphela. (2 Korinte 1:3, 4; Filipi 4:6, 7) UJehova waphinde wamenzelani uJosefa? Sifunda ukuthi waqhubeka enika uJosefa “umusa emehlweni esikhulu esiyinhloko setilongo.”

Kusobala ukuthi iziboshwa zazinikwa imisebenzi, nalapho uJosefa waphinde wanikeza uJehova isizathu sokuba ambusise. Wasebenza kanzima, ezikhandla kunoma yimuphi umsebenzi ayewunikwa, eshiyela konke kuJehova. Ngesibusiso sikaJehova, uJosefa wathola ukwethenjwa nokuhlonishwa njengoba kwenzeka emzini kaPotifari. Siyafunda: “Ngakho isikhulu esiyinhloko setilongo sanikela esandleni sikaJosefa zonke iziboshwa ezazisetilongweni; konke ezazikwenza lapho kwakunguye owayekuyaleza. Isikhulu esiyinhloko setilongo sasinganakekeli lutho nhlobo olwalusesandleni saso, ngoba uJehova wayenoJosefa futhi lokho ayekwenza uJehova wayekuphumelelisa.” (Genesise 39:22, 23) Yeka induduzo uJosefa ayithola ngokwazi ukuthi uJehova uyamnakekela!

Singase sibhekane nobunzima ngisho nokuphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa ekuphileni, kodwa singafunda okholweni lukaJosefa. Uma sizigcina sisondele kuJehova ngomthandazo, siyilalela ngobuqotho imiyalo yakhe futhi sisebenza kanzima ekwenzeni okulungile emehlweni akhe, siyomnika isizathu sokuba asibusise. Endabeni kaJosefa, uJehova wayesamgcinele izibusiso eziningi njengoba sizobona ezihlokweni ezilandelayo kulolu chungechunge.