“Uqotho Kukho Konke Akwenzayo”

1, 2. Kungani kungase kuthiwe iNkosi uDavide yayikwazi kahle ukungathembeki?

INKOSI UDAVIDE yayikwazi kahle ukungathembeki. Ngesinye isikhathi ukubusa kwayo okunesiyaluyalu kwaba nezinkinga, amalungu esizwe sakhe ambophela uzungu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wakhashelwa abantu ebesingalindela ukuba babe abangani bakhe abaseduze kakhulu. Cabanga ngoMikhali, umkaDavide wokuqala. Ekuqaleni “wayemthanda uDavide,” futhi akungabazeki ukuthi wayemsekela emisebenzini yakhe njengenkosi. Kodwa kamuva ‘waqala ukumdelela enhliziyweni yakhe,’ waze wabheka uDavide ‘njengomuntu ongenangqondo.’—1 Samuweli 18:20; 2 Samuweli 6:16, 20.

² Bese kuba nomeluleki kaDavide u-Ahithofeli. Iseluleko sakhe sasihlonishwa njengokungathi sivela kuJehova ngokuqondile. (2 Samuweli 16:23) Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lesi sethenjwa saphenduka imbuka sazihlanganisa nababeceba ukuhlubuka kuDavide. Ubani owayeshoshozela lolu zungu? U-Absalomu, yona kanye indodana kaDavide! Lelo qili ‘laqhubeka lizeba izinhliziyo zamadoda akwa-Israyeli,’ lazenza inkosi eyimbangi. Ukuvukela kuka-Absalomu kwashuba kangangokuba iNkosi uDavide yaphoqeka ukuba ibaleke ukuze isindise ukuphila kwayo.—2 Samuweli 15:1-6, 12-17.

 3. UDavide wayeqiniseka ngani?

³ Ingabe akukho muntu owahlala eqotho kuDavide? Kubo bonke ubunzima achusha kubo, uDavide wayazi ukuthi wayekhona ngempela. Kwakungubani? Akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaJehova uNkulunkulu. “Koqotho wena wenza ngobuqotho,” kusho uDavide ngoJehova. (2 Samuweli 22:26) Buyini ubuqotho, futhi uJehova usinikeza kanjani isibonelo esiphakeme kunazo zonke sale mfanelo?

4, 5. (a) Buyini “ubuqotho”? (b) Ubuqotho buhluke kanjani ekwethembekeni?

⁴ Igama elithi “ubuqotho” njengoba lisetshenziswe emiBhalweni YesiHebheru lisho umusa ozinamathelisa ngothando entweni ethile futhi ungasuki kuze kube yilapho usuyifezile injongo yawo ngaleyo nto. Buhilela okungaphezu kokwethembeka. Phela umuntu angathembeka ngoba nje kufanele athembeke. Kanti ubuqotho bona busekelwe othandweni.a Okunye futhi, igama elithi “-thembekile” lingasebenza nasezintweni ezingaphili. Ngokwesibonelo, umhubi wabiza inyanga ngokuthi ‘ufakazi othembekile esibhakabhakeni’ ngenxa yokuthi iba khona njalo ebusuku. (IHubo 89:37) Kodwa inyanga ngeke kushiwo ukuthi iqotho. Kungani? Kungoba ubuqotho buyindlela yokubonisa uthando—okuyinto izinto ezingaphili ezingenakuyibonisa.

⁵ Ngomqondo elisetshenziswe ngawo emiBhalweni, igama elithi ubuqotho libonisa imizwelo. Indlela elisebenza ngayo ibonisa ukuthi kunobuhlobo obuthile phakathi komuntu obonisa le mfanelo nalowo eboniswa kuye. Ubuqotho obunjalo abuguquguquki. Abufani namagagasi olwandle apheshulwa imimoya. Kunalokho, ubuqotho, noma uthando oluqotho, buqinile futhi bunamandla okunqoba izithiyo ezinkulu kakhulu.

 6. (a) Abuvamile kangakanani ubuqotho kubantu, futhi iBhayibheli likubonisa kanjani lokhu? (b) Iyiphi indlela engcono kakhulu yokufunda ukuthi buyini ubuqotho, futhi kungani?

⁶ Yiqiniso, ubuqotho obunjalo abuvamile namuhla. Abangani abasondelene bavame ‘ukuphihlizana.’ Sekwandile ukuzwa ngabantu abashadile abalahlanayo. (IzAga 18:24; Malaki 2:14-16) Izenzo zobuqili sezivame kangangokuba singazithola sesinanela amazwi omprofethi uMika: “Oqotho ushabalele emhlabeni.” (Mika 7:2) Nakuba abantu bevame ukuhluleka ukuba qotho, uJehova yena uyibonisa ngendlela evelele leyo mfanelo enhle. Eqinisweni, indlela engcono kakhulu yokufunda ukuthi buyini ngempela ubuqotho iwukuhlola indlela uJehova asibonisa ngayo lesi sici esihle sothando lwakhe.

7, 8. Kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi uJehova ubonisa ubuqotho obungenakulinganiswa?

⁷ UJehova ubonise ubuqotho obungenakulinganiswa. Kanjani? Abantu nezingelosi abazange yini babubonise ubuqotho obungavamile ngezinye izikhathi? (Jobe 1:1; IsAmbulo 4:8) UJesu Kristu yena? Akabedluli yini bonke ngokuba “qotho” kuNkulunkulu? (IHubo 16:10) Pho kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi nguJehova yedwa obonise ubuqotho obungenakulinganiswa?

⁸ Okokuqala, khumbula ukuthi ubuqotho buyisici sothando. Njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu eluthando’—yena ngokwakhe eyile mfanelo eyenziwe samuntu—ubani ongabonisa ubuqotho ngokuphelele ukwedlula uJehova? (1 Johane 4:8) Kuyiqiniso ukuthi izingelosi nabantu bangazibonisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa uJehova kuphela oqotho ngezinga eliphakeme kunawo wonke. Njengoba ‘enguMdala Wezinsuku,’ uye waba qotho isikhathi eside kunanoma yisiphi isidalwa sasemhlabeni noma sasezulwini. (Daniyeli 7:9) Ngakho, uJehova uyiso kanye isibonelo sobuqotho. Ubonisa le mfanelo ngendlela okungekho sidalwa esingayibonisa ngayo. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezithile.

 9. Kungayiphi indlela uJehova ‘eqotho kukho konke akwenzayo’?

⁹ UJehova “uqotho kukho konke akwenzayo.” (IHubo 145:17) Ngayiphi indlela? IHubo 136 linikeza impendulo. Liveza izenzo eziningana zikaJehova zokusindisa, kuhlanganise nokukhululwa okumangalisayo kwama-Israyeli oLwandle Olubomvu. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ivesi ngalinye laleli hubo linamazwi athi: “Uthando lwakhe oluqotho luhlala kuze kube phakade.” Leli hubo likhona ebhokisini elithi “Imibuzo Yokuzindla” ekhasini 289. Lapho ufunda lawo mavesi, ziyokuhlaba umxhwele izindlela eziningi uJehova abonisa ngazo uthando oluqotho kubantu bakhe. Yebo, uJehova uzibonisa ubuqotho izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ngokuzwa ukukhalela kwazo usizo nangokuthatha isinyathelo ngesikhathi asimisile. (IHubo 34:6) Uthando lukaJehova oluqotho ngezinceku zakhe alunciphi uma nje zona zihlala ziqotho kuye.

10. UJehova ububonisa kanjani ubuqotho ngokuqondene nemithetho yakhe?

¹⁰ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova ubonisa ubuqotho ezincekwini zakhe ngokubambelela emithethweni yakhe. Ngokungafani nabanye abantu abathathela izinto phezulu, abathathekayo nabalawulwa imizwelo, uJehova akashintshashintshi embonweni wakhe wokuthi yini elungile nengalungile. Phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka, awuzange ushintshe umbono wakhe ngezinto ezinjengokusebenzisa imimoya, ukukhulekela izithombe nokubulala. Washo la mazwi ngomprofethi wakhe u-Isaya: “Ngiyolokhu ngingofanayo nize niguge.” (Isaya 46:4) Ngakho, singaqiniseka ngokuthi siyozuza uma silandela isiqondiso sokuziphatha esicacile esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu.—Isaya 48:17-19.

11. Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyaligcina izwi lakhe lesithembiso.

¹¹ UJehova ubonisa ubuqotho nangokugcina izithembiso zakhe. Uma ebikezela okuthile, kuyenzeka. Ngakho uJehova wathi: “Liyoba njalo nezwi eliphuma emlonyeni wami. Ngeke libuyele kimi lingafezanga lutho, kodwa nakanjani liyofeza noma yini eyintando yami, nakanjani liyophumelela kulokho engilithumele kona.” (Isaya 55:11) Ngokugcina izwi lakhe, uJehova ubonisa ubuqotho kubantu bakhe. Akabalindisi umnyama ongenafu. Idumela likaJehova kulokhu lihle kangangokuthi inceku yakhe uJoshuwa yakwazi ukuthi: “Asikho nesisodwa isithembiso esingagcwalisekanga kuzo zonke izithembiso ezinhle uJehova ayezenzile endlini ka-Israyeli; zagcwaliseka zonke.” (Joshuwa 21:45) Ngakho singaqiniseka ngokuthi asisoze sadunyazwa ukuthi uJehova uhlulekile ukugcina izithembiso zakhe.—Isaya 49:23; Roma 5:5.

12, 13. Kungaziphi izindlela uthando lukaJehova oluqotho luhlala kuze kube phakade?

¹² Njengoba sekushiwo, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uthando lukaJehova oluqotho “luhlala kuze kube phakade.” (IHubo 136:1) Kwenzeka kanjani lokho? Ngomqondo wokuthi uJehova uzithethelela unomphela izono. Njengoba kushiwo eSahlukweni 26, uJehova akambaleli umuntu izono zesikhathi esidlule ayesemxolele zona. Njengoba ‘sonke sonile futhi sisilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu,’ ngamunye wethu kufanele abonge ukuthi uthando lukaJehova oluqotho luhlala kuze kube phakade.—Roma 3:23.

¹³ Kodwa uthando lukaJehova oluqotho luhlala kuze kube phakade nangomunye futhi umqondo. IZwi lakhe lithi olungile “uyoba njengesihlahla esitshalwe ngasemifudlaneni yamanzi, esithela isithelo saso ngenkathi yaso, amaqabunga aso awabuni. Konke akwenzayo kuyophumelela.” (IHubo 1:3) Cabanga ngomuthi okhephuzelayo onamahlamvu angabuni nanini! Ngakho nathi uma silijabulela ngempela iZwi likaNkulunkulu, siyophila isikhathi eside, sibe nokuthula futhi ukuphila kwethu kuthele izithelo. Ngobuqotho, uJehova uthembisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile izibusiso zaphakade. Ngempela, ezweni elisha lokulunga uJehova azoliletha, isintu esilalelayo siyothola uthando oluqotho kuze kube phakade.—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

14. UJehova ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabazisa ubuqotho bezinceku zakhe?

¹⁴ UJehova uye wabubonisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ubuqotho bakhe. Njengoba uJehova engaguquguquki nakancane, ubuqotho abubonisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile abunciphi nanini. Umhubi wabhala: “Ngake ngaba musha, manje sengikhulile, kodwa angikaze ngimbone olungile eshiywe dengwane, noma izingane zakhe ziswele ukudla. Ngoba uJehova uyabuthanda ubulungisa, ngeke abashiye abantu bakhe abaqotho.” (IHubo 37:25, 28) Yiqiniso, njengoba uJehova enguMdali, ufanelwe ukuba simkhulekele. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yokuthi uqotho, uyazazisa izenzo zethu zokwethembeka.—Malaki 3:16, 17.

15. Chaza ukuthi indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli ibuqokomisa kanjani ubuqotho bakhe.

¹⁵ Ngenxa yothando oluqotho, uJehova ubasiza ephindelela abantu bakhe uma behluphekile. Umhubi uyasitshela: “Uqapha ukuphila kwabaqotho bakhe; uyabakhulula esandleni sababi.” (IHubo 97:10) Cabanga ngendlela aphatha ngayo isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Ngemva kokusindiswa kwawo ngokuyisimangaliso oLwandle Olubomvu, ama-Israyeli akhamuluka ahlabelelela uJehova, ethi: “Ngothando lwakho oluqotho uhole abantu obathengile.” (Eksodusi 15:13) Ukusindiswa oLwandle Olubomvu ngempela kwakuyisenzo sothando oluqotho lukaJehova. Yingakho uMose atshela ama-Israyeli: “UJehova akanithandanga futhi wanikhetha ngenxa yokuthi naniyisizwe esinabantu abaningi kunazo zonke izizwe, ngoba naniyisizwe esincane kunazo zonke izizwe. Kunalokho kwakungenxa yokuthi uJehova wayenithanda, nangenxa yokuthi wagcina isifungo ayesenze kokhokho benu, yingakho uJehova anikhipha ngesandla esinamandla, ukuze anikhulule endlini yobugqila, emandleni kaFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe.”—Duteronomi 7:7, 8.

16, 17. (a) Ama-Israyeli akubonisa kanjani ukungabi nakwazisa ngendlela eshaqisayo, nokho uJehova wawabonisa kanjani isihawu? (b) Ama-Israyeli amaningi abonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘ayengasenakuphulukiswa,’ futhi lokhu kusixwayisa ngani thina?

¹⁶ Nokho, ama-Israyeli njengesizwe ehluleka ukubonisa ukwazisa ngothando oluqotho lukaJehova, ngoba ngemva kokukhululwa kwawo ‘aqhubeka ona [kuJehova] ngokuvukela oPhezukonke.’ (IHubo 78:17) Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, ahlubuka ehlubukile, amshiya uJehova ashona konkulunkulu bamanga nasemikhubeni yamaqaba eyawangcolisa. Naphezu kwalokho, uJehova akasephulanga isivumelwano sakhe. Kunalokho, wancenga abantu bakhe ngomprofethi uJeremiya: “O Israyeli oyisihlubuki, buya. . . Ngeke ngikubukele phansi ngokuthukuthela, ngoba mina ngiqotho.” (Jeremiya 3:12) Kodwa njengoba kuveziwe eSahlukweni 25, akuzange kuthi diki kuma-Israyeli amaningi. ‘Ayelokhu ehlekisa ngezithunywa zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso, edelela amazwi akhe, ebenza inhlekisa abaprofethi bakhe.’ Waba yini umphumela? Ekugcineni, “kwaphela ithemba lokuthi bangaphulukiswa, uJehova wabavuthela ngolaka.”—2 IziKronike 36:15, 16.

¹⁷ Sifundani kulokhu? Ukuthi uJehova uqotho akusho ukuthi akaziboni izinto ezimbi ezenziwayo futhi akusho ukuthi uyakhohliseka. Yiqiniso, ‘uchichima uthando oluqotho’ futhi uyakuthokozela ukubonisa isihe uma kufaneleka. Kodwa kwenzekani uma umenzi wobubi ezibonisa ukuthi akasalungiseki? Esimweni esinjalo uJehova unamathela emithethweni yakhe elungile, amahlulele kabi. Njengoba uMose atshelwa, uJehova “ngeke alinge angabajezisi abanecala.”—Eksodusi 34:6, 7.

18, 19. (a) Kungani kuthiwa ukujezisa kukaJehova ababi kukodwa nje kuyisenzo sobuqotho? (b) UJehova uyobubonisa ngayiphi indlela ubuqotho ezincekwini zakhe ezishushiswe zaze zafa?

¹⁸ Ukujezisa kukaNkulunkulu ababi kukodwa nje kuyisenzo sobuqotho. Kanjani? Esinye isizathu sisencwadini yesAmbulo emiyalweni uJehova ayinika izingelosi eziyisikhombisa: “Hambani niyothululela izitsha eziyisikhombisa zentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.” Ngenkathi ingelosi yesithathu ithululela isitsha sayo “emifuleni nasemithonjeni yamanzi,” aba yigazi. Le ngelosi ibe isithi kuJehova: “Wena, okhona nowawukhona, othembekile, ulungile, ngoba ukhiphe lezi zahlulelo, ngenxa yokuthi bachitha igazi labangcwele nelabaprofethi, ubanike igazi ukuba baliphuze; kubafanele.”—IsAmbulo 16:1-6, qhathanisa neHubo 145:17.

¹⁹ Phawula ukuthi njengoba ihambisa leso sigijimi sokwahlulela, ingelosi ithi uJehova ‘uqotho.’ Kungani? Kungoba ngokubhubhisa ababi, uJehova uyobe ebonisa ubuqotho ezincekwini zakhe, eziningi zazo ezishushiswe zaze zafa. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uqotho, ubagcina bephila enkumbulweni yakhe abanjalo. Uyakulangazelela ukuphinde ababone laba asebashona, kanti neBhayibheli liqinisekisa ngokuthi injongo yakhe iwukubanika umvuzo ngokubavusa. (Jobe 14:14, 15) UJehova akazikhohlwa izinceku zakhe eziqotho ngenxa nje yokuthi azisaphili. Kunalokho, ‘zonke ziyaphila kuye.’ (Luka 20:37, 38) Injongo yakhe yokubabuyisela ekuphileni labo abasenkumbulweni yakhe iwubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uqotho.

20. Zingobani ‘izitsha zesihe,’ futhi uJehova uzibonisa kanjani ubuqotho?

²⁰ Kuwo wonke umlando, uJehova uye wabonisa ubuqotho obumangalisayo kubantu abathembekile. Empeleni, sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka uJehova ‘ezibekezelela ngesineke esikhulu izitsha zolaka ezifanelwe ukubhujiswa.’ Kungani? “Lokhu kwakwenziwe ngenjongo yokuba kwaziwe ingcebo yenkazimulo yakhe ayibeke ezitsheni zesihe, azilungiselela inkazimulo kusengaphambili.” (Roma 9:22, 23) Lezi ‘zitsha zesihe’ zingabalungile abagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele ukuba babe izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu eMbusweni wakhe. (Mathewu 19:28) Ngokuvulela lezi zitsha zesihe indlela yensindiso, uJehova waqhubeka eqotho ku-Abrahama ayenze kuye lesi sithembiso esiyisivumelwano: “Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyozitholela isibusiso ngenxa yokuthi ulalele izwi lami.”—Genesise 22:18.

21. (a) UJehova usibonisa kanjani ubuqotho “isixuku esikhulu” esinethemba lokusinda “osizini olukhulu”? (b) Ubuqotho bukaJehova bukushukumisela ukuba wenzeni?

²¹ UJehova usibonisa ubuqotho obufanayo ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ esinethemba lokusinda “osizini olukhulu” nelokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14) Yize izinceku zakhe zinesono, uJehova ngobuqotho uzivulela ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Ukwenza kanjani lokho? Ngesihlengo—indlela enkulu kunazo zonke ebonisa ubuqotho bukaJehova. (Johane 3:16; Roma 5:8) Ubuqotho bukaJehova budonsa labo abalambele ukulunga ezinhliziyweni zabo. (Jeremiya 31:3) Awuzizwa yini usondela nakakhulu kuJehova ngenxa yobuqotho obujulile asebubonisile nasazobubonisa? Njengoba sifisa ukusondela kuNkulunkulu, kwangathi singasabela othandweni lwakhe ngokuqina esinqumweni sethu sokumkhonza ngobuqotho.