1, 2. UBhalamu wenza liphi icebo ukuze alimaze abantu bakaJehova?

UMGOLI wenhlanzi uyathiya inhlanzi endaweni athanda ukuthiyela khona. Ufuna ukuthiya umhlobo othile lwenhlanzi. Ukhetha ukudla kokubamba lezo nhlanzi abesekufaka ewukeni ayiphosele emanzini. Ngemva kwesikhathi, iwuka iyanyikinyeka igobe abeseyidonsa isibambe inhlanzi. Uyahlekelela ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi ukhethe khona kanye ukudla okufunwa zinhlanzi.

² Ngomnyaka ka-1473 B.C.E., indoda okuthiwa nguBhalamu yacabanga ngecebo lokuhuga. Kodwa wayefuna ukuhuga abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ababehlezi eMagcekeni akoMowabi emngceleni weLizwe Lesithembiso. UBhalamu wayezithi ungumphrofethi kaJehova, kodwa iqiniso yikuthi wayengumuntu oyisihwaba owayeqhatshwe ukuthi aqalekise abako-Israyeli. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova wenza ukuthi uBhalamu abusise abako-Israyeli kulokuthi abaqalekise. Ezimisele ukuthi athole umvuzo ayewuthenjisiwe, uBhalamu wenza icebo elalingabangela ukuthi uNkulunkulu aqalekise abantu bakhe, nxa babengalingwa ukuthi benze isono esibi kakhulu. Elalelo cebo engqondweni, uBhalamu wenza ukuthi izintombi zakoMowabi kube yizo ezizahuga abantu bakaNkulunkulu.​—AmaNani 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; ISambulo 2:14.

3. Icebo likaBhalamu laphumelela kangakanani?

³ Icebo leli lasebenza yini? Lasebenza ngokwezinga elithile. Izinkulungwane zamadoda zawela esilingweni leso ‘ngokuphinga labafazi bamaMowabi.’ Baqalisa lokukhonza onkulunkulu bamaMowabi, kugoqele lonkulunkulu owenyanyekayo uBhali wasePhewori, ongunkulunkulu wenzalo kumbe owezemacansini.  Ngenxa yalokho, kwafa ama-Israyeli angu-24 000 emngceleni weLizwe Lesithembiso. Lokho kwakuyingozi enkulu kakhulu!​—AmaNani 25:1-9.

4. Kungani ama-Israyeli ayizinkulungwane awela esilingweni sokuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini?

⁴ Kuyini okwabangela ingozi le? Abantu abanengi basebelenhliziyo embi ngokuba khatshana loJehova, uNkulunkulu owayebakhulule eGibhithe, wabanika ukudla egangeni, njalo wabakhokhela bephephile ebasa elizweni lesithembiso. (KumaHebheru 3:12) Ecabanga ngaleyo ndaba, umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Akumelanga senze ukuxhwala kobufebe njengokwenziwa ngabanye babo​—njalo ngosuku olulodwa kwafa ababo abayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lantathu.” *​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:8.

5, 6. Kungani indaba yesono sama-Israyeli eseMagcekeni akoMowabi iyisifundo esiqakathekileyo kithi?

⁵ Indaba eku-AmaNani ilezifundo ezinengi eziqakathekileyo ezinganceda abantu bakaNkulunkulu abaphila esikhathini esiseduze kakhulu lelizwe lesithembiso elingcono kakhulu kulalelo elalithenjiswe ama-Israyeli.  (1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:11) Ngokwesibonelo, abantu emhlabeni sebehlanyiswa ngezemacansini ukwedlula abakoMowabi. Umnyaka ngamunye, izinkulungwane zamaKhristu ziziphatha kubi kwezemacansini, okuyinto eyabamba ama-Israyeli. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 2:11) Belingisela uZimri owabuya lowesifazana womMidiyani ezihonqweni zama-Israyeli, lamuhla abanye abazihlanganisa labantu bakaNkulunkulu bahuga amanye amaKhristu ebandleni ukuthi aziphathe kubi kwezemacansini.​—AmaNani 25:6, 14; UJuda 4.

⁶ Uyakunanzelela yini ukuthi usesimweni esifanekiswe yilokho okwenzakala eMagcekeni akoMowabi? Uyawubona yini umvuzo osulesikhathi eside uwulindele, umvuzo womhlaba omutsha osuseduze ukuba uwuthole? Nxa kunjalo, yenza konke ongenelisa ukukwenza ukuze uhlale usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu ngokulalela umlayo lo othi: ‘Balekelani ubufebe.’​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:18.

7, 8. Buyini “ubufebe” njalo labo ababenzayo bavuna njani lokho abakuhlanyelayo?

⁷ Ngendlela elisetshenziswa ngayo eBhayibhilini, igama elithi “ubufebe” (ngesiGiriki por·neiʹa) litsho ukuya emacansini lomuntu ongatshadanga laye. Ligoqela ukuphinga, ubuwule, ukuya emacansini usebenzisa isitho sokuya ngaphandle, lokumumuza kumbe ukuphulula izitho zensitha zomuntu ongatshadanga laye. Kugoqela lokuba yizitabane lokuya emacansini lezinyamazana. *

⁸ IMibhalo ikwenza kucace ukuthi: Labo abenza ubufebe ngeke bahlale ebandleni lobuKhristu futhi ngeke bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:9; ISambulo 22:15) Okunye yikuthi ngitsho lakhathesi ungacina ungasathenjwa, ungasazihloniphi, usulomtshado olezinhlupho, usuhlutshwa yisazela, usulesisu ongasifuniyo, usulemikhuhlane njalo ungacina usifa.  (Bala uGalathiya 6:7, 8.) Kambe ungayiqaliselani impilo ebuhlungu kangaka? Okudanisayo yikuthi abanengi abacabangi ngempumela enjalo nxa bethatha inyathelo lokuqala. Kanengi inyathelo leli ligoqela ukubona imifanekiso yezemacansini.

9. Imifanekiso yezemacansini kayilangozi yini njengokutshiwo ngabanye? Chasisa.

⁹ Emazweni amanengi, imifanekiso yezemacansini (iphonogirafi) itholakala lapho amaphephandaba athengiswa khona, kumathelevizhini, ku-internet lasezingomeni. * Abanye bathi akula ngozi ukubona imifanekiso enjalo, kodwa iqiniso yikuthi ingozi ikhona. Labo ababona imifanekiso yezemacansini (iphonogirafi) baba lomkhuba wokutshaya ibhonyaponya futhi bakhulisa ‘izinkanuko ezilihlazo’ ezingenza bangenelisi ukuhlala bengayanga emacansini, ukuba lezinkanuko ezimbi, ukungahlaliseki emtshadweni, ngitsho lokuchitha umtshado. * (KwabaseRoma 1:24-27; Kwabase-Efesu 4:19) Omunye umcubunguli ufananisa ukuthanda ezemacansini lemvukuzane. Uthi: “Kuyaqhubeka kukhula, kuqhela njalo kunzima ukukubuyisela emuva kanye lokukwelapha.”

10. Singasisebenzisa njani isimiso esikuJakhobe 1:14, 15? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Indlela Engathola Ngayo Amandla Okuhlanzeka Ekusiphatheni.“)

¹⁰ Cabanga ngamazwi abhalwe kuJakhobe 1:14, 15 athi: “Kodwa lowo lalowo ulingwa yinkanuko yakhe embi, lapho edonselwa kude ehugwa.  Ngakho nxa inkanuko isiyemule izala isono; njalo isono lapho sesikhulile okugcweleyo, sizala ukufa.” Ngakho nxa isifiso esibi singena engqondweni yakho, thatha inyathelo lokususa isifiso leso ngokuphangisa! Ngokwesibonelo, nxa ungabona imifanekiso evusa inkanuko ungahlosanga, phanga ukhangele eceleni, ucitshe ikhompiyutha kumbe ithelevizhini. Yenza konke ongakwenza ukuthi ubalekele isifiso sokuziphatha kubi singakabi sikhulu besesikwehlula!​—Bala uMathewu 5:29, 30.

11. Nxa sisilwa lezifiso ezimbi, singakutshengisa njani ukuthi sithembela kuJehova?

¹¹ Ngesizathu esihle, uNkulunkulu osazi ngcono ukwedlula indlela thina esizazi ngayo, uyasikhuthaza esithi: “Ngakho kubulaleni konke okungokwemvelo yenu yasemhlabeni: ukuxhwala kobufebe, ukungcola, inkanuko, izifiso ezimbi kanye lobuhwaba, okuyikukhonza izithombe.”  (KwabaseKholose 3:5) Kuliqiniso ukuthi lokhu kungaba nzima ukukwenza. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi siloBaba osezulwini osithanda kakhulu njalo osibekezelelayo okumele sicele uncedo kuye. (IHubo 68:19) Ngakho phanga ukhuleke kuye nxa kufika imicabango emibi engqondweni yakho. Thandazela “amandla amakhulukazi,” njalo ulwise ukuthi ingqondo yakho icabange ezinye izinto.​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 9:27; khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ngingawekela Njani Umkhuba Omubi?”

12. Iyini “inhliziyo” yethu, njalo kungani kumele siyigcine?

¹² Indoda ehlakaniphileyo uSolomoni yabhala yathi: “Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.” (IZaga 4:23) “Inhliziyo” yethu iyilokho esiyikho ngaphakathi, umuntu esinguye phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ukuthi siyakuthola yini ukuphila okuphakade kumbe asikutholi kuya ngendlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo “inhliziyo” yethu, hatshi ukuthi abantu basibona njani. Kulula kodwa kuyindaba etsho ukufa lokuphila. Ukuze angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele, uJobe owayethembekile wenza isivumelwano lamehlo akhe. (UJobe 31:1) Uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu kithi! Elombono ofananayo, umhubi wakhuleka esithi: “Phendula amehlo ami asuke ezintweni ezingesulutho.”​—IHubo 119:37.

13. Wayengubani uDina, njalo kungani indlela akhetha ngayo abangane itshengisa ubuwula?

¹³ Njengoba safunda eSahlukweni 3, abangane bethu bangasenza senze okubi loba okuhle. (IZaga 13:20; bala u-1 Khorinte 15:33.) Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaDina, indodakazi kaJakhobe. Lanxa wayekhuliswe kuhle, uDina wakhetha ngobuwula ukuba lobungane lamantombazana aseKhenani. NjengabakoMowabi, amaKhenani ayeziphatha kubi kakhulu kwezemacansini. (ULevi 18:6-25) UShekemu ‘owayehlonitshwa kakhulu’ emzini kayise kanye labaseKhenani babebona angani uDina wayengavuma ukuya emacansini njengamanye amantombazana.​—UGenesisi 34:18, 19.

14. Indlela uDina akhetha ngayo abangane yenza njani ukuthi kube lohlupho olukhulu?

 ¹⁴ Kungabe kuyikuthi lapho uDina ebona uShekemu, wayengelangqondo yokuya emacansini. Kodwa uShekemu wenza lokho amanye amaKhenani ayengakwenza nxa inkanuko yawo yezemacansini isivukile. Ukwala kukaDina ekucineni kwakungasancedi ngoba uShekemu “wamthatha wenza ubudlova kuye.” Kukhanya angani ngemva kwalokho uShekemu ‘wathatheka’ ngoDina, kodwa kakuzange kuntshintshe lokho ayemenze khona. (Bala uGenesisi 34:1-4.) Akubanga nguDina kuphela owahluphekayo ngenxa yokwakwenzakele. Indlela akhetha ngayo abangane yenza kwaba lezehlakalo ezaletha ihlazo lokungcola emulini yangakibo yonke.​—UGenesisi 34:7, 25-31; KwabaseGalathiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Singayithola njani inhlakanipho yeqiniso? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Imibhalo Esingacabanga Ngayo.”)

 ¹⁵ UDina wafunda ngendlela ebuhlungu kakhulu. Labo abathanda njalo abahlonipha uJehova akumelanga bafunde ngendlela ebuhlungu. Ngenxa yokuthi balalela uNkulunkulu, bakhetha ‘ukuhamba lezihlakaniphi.’ (IZaga 13:20a) Ngakho-ke baqala ukuzwisisa “zonke izindlela ezinhle” njalo babalekela izinhlupho kanye lobuhlungu obungadingakaliyo.​—IZaga 2:6-9; IHubo 1:1-3.

 ¹⁶ Bonke abadinga inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu bangayithola ngokuyikhulekela kanye lokufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lamabhuku esiwaphiwa yinceku ethembekileyo. (UMathewu 24:45; UJakhobe 1:5) Okunye okuqakathekileyo yikuthobeka, okubonakala esifisweni sokulalela iseluleko esiseMibhalweni. (2 AmaKhosi 22:18, 19) Ngokwesibonelo, umKhristu angavuma ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe iyakhohlisa njalo imbi kakhulu. (UJeremiya 17:9) Kodwa nxa sekumele anikwe iseluleko kumbe ancedwe ngendlela yothando, uyazithoba avume yini?

17. Chaza isimo esingabakhona emulini, njalo ubonise ukuthi ubaba angayinceda njani indodakazi yakhe.

¹⁷ Ake sithi ubaba wala ukuthi indodakazi yakhe ihambe lejaha elingumKhristu bengelamuntu obaphelekezelayo. Indodakazi le ithi: “Kodwa Baba, kawungithembi yini? Akula lutho olubi esizalwenza!” Indodakazi le ingabe imthanda uJehova njalo ilezinhloso ezinhle, lanxa kunjalo ‘ihamba ngokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu’ yini? ‘Iyabubalekela yini ubufebe’? Kumbe ngobuthutha “ithemba inhliziyo yayo” yini? (IZaga 28:26, NW) Mhlawumbe ungacabanga ngezinye izimiso ezinganceda ubaba lo lendodakazi yakhe ekuxazululeni udaba lolu.​—Bona uZaga 22:3; UMathewu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. Yisiphi isilingo esaba khona empilweni kaJosefa, njalo wasinqoba njani?

¹⁸ UJosefa, umnewabo kaDina wayengumuntu olungileyo owayethanda uNkulunkulu njalo wabalekela ubufebe. (UGenesisi 30:20-24) Esesengumntwana, uJosefa wazibonela ngawakhe umpumela owaba khona ngenxa yokungakhethi kuhle kukadadewabo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi isenzakalo lesi, kanye lokuthanda kwakhe uNkulunkulu, yikho okwamvikelayo eseseGibhithe lapho “insuku ngensuku” inkosikazi yenkosi yakhe imyenga ukuthi aye layo emacansini.  Ngenxa yokuthi wayeyisigqila, kwakunzima ukuthi uJosefa ahambe njalo atshiye umsebenzi! Kwakumele ahlakaniphe futhi abelesibindi. Lokhu wakwenza kanengi lapho esala ukuya emacansini lenkosikazi kaPhothifa njalo ekucineni wayibalekela.​—Bala uGenesisi 39:7-12.

¹⁹ Cabanga nje: Ngabe uJosefa wayeke wacabanga ngokulala lomkaPhotifa kumbe elomkhuba wokucabanga ngezemacansini, wayengaqhubeka eqotho yini? Wayengeke. Kulokuthi avumele imicabango emibi yesono, uJosefa waqakathekisa ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. Lokhu kwabonakala kulokho akutshoyo kumkaPhothifa lapho esithi: “Inkosi yami kayingalisi lutho ngaphandle kwakho, ngoba wena ungumkayo. Pho ngingayenza kanjani into embi kanje ngenze isono kuNkulunkulu na?”​—UGenesisi 39:8, 9.

20. UJehova wenza ukuthi izinto zimhambele njani uJosefa?

²⁰ Cabanga ukuthi uJehova wazizwa njani lapho ebona uJosefa, owayekhatshana labangakibo ehlala eqotho nsukuzonke. (IZaga 27:11) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wenza ukuthi uJosefa akhululwe ejele njalo aphiwe isikhundla sokuphatha isigodlo lesokubona ngezokudla eGibhithe. (UGenesisi 41:39-49) Aba liqiniso amazwi akuHubo 97:10 athi: “Akuthi bonke abamthandayo, uJehova, bazonde okubi, ngoba uyazilinda izimpilo zabathembekileyo bakhe abakhulule esandleni sababi.”

21. Omunye umzalwane osakhulayo ohlala elizweni elise-Africa watshengisa njani isibindi endabeni yokuziphatha?

 ²¹ Ngokufananayo lalamuhla, izikhonzi ezinengi zikaNkulunkulu zitshengisa ukuthi “zidinga okuhle hatshi okubi.” (U-Amosi 5:15) Omunye umzalwane osakhulayo ohlala elizweni elise-Africa ukhumbula ecelwa yintombazana ayefunda layo ukuthi ayincedise umhloliso wesamu, imthembisa ukuya laye emacansini. Uthi: “Ngahle ngala ukuya layo emacansini. Ngokuhlala ngiqotho, ngaqhubeka ngilesithunzi sami futhi ngizihlonipha, okuqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula igolide lesiliva.” Kuliqiniso ukuthi isono singenza ukuthi ‘sikholise okwesikhatshana,’ kodwa ukukholisa okunjalo kuba lempumela ebuhlungu. (KumaHebheru 11:25) Okunye futhi yikuthi kuba ngokungasizi lutho nxa siqathanisa lentokozo ebakhona ngokulalela uJehova.​—IZaga 10:22.

22, 23. (a) Nxa umKhristu engenza isono esibi kakhulu, kungani kungatsho ukuthi isimo sakhe asiselathemba? (b) Umuntu owonileyo angasizwa njani?

²² Ngenxa yokuthi silesono, sonke silwa lezinkanuko zenyama ukuze senelise ukwenza okulungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (KwabaseRoma 7:21-25) UJehova uyakuqaphela lokho, “uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.” (IHubo 103:14) Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi, umKhristu angenza isono esibi kakhulu. Uyabe engasela themba yini? Hatshi! Iqiniso yikuthi lowo owonileyo angaba lempumela ebuhlungu njengeNkosi uDavida. Lanxa kunjalo, uNkulunkulu uhlala ezimisele ‘ukuthethelela’ labo abaphendukayo njalo ‘bavume’ izono zabo.​—IHubo 86:5; UJakhobe 5:16; bala iZaga 28:13.

²³ Okunye njalo yikuthi uNkulunkulu uphe ibandla lobuKhristu ‘izipho ebantwini’ ngomusa, okutsho ukuthi uliphe abelusi abamthandayo, abafaneleyo njalo abathanda ukunceda ibandla. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:8, 12; UJakhobe 5:14, 15) Injongo yabo ngeyokunceda owonileyo ukuthi alungisise ubuhlobo bakhe loNkulunkulu njalo bamncede ‘azuze inhliziyo’ njengokwatshiwo yindoda ehlakaniphileyo uSolomoni. Lokhu kuzamnceda ukuthi angasiphindi isono ake wasenza.​—IZaga 15:32, NW.

24, 25. (a) Ijaha okukhulunywa ngalo kuZaga 7:6-23 latshengisa njani ukuthi ‘kalilangqondo’? (b) Singakuzuza njani ‘ukuzwisisa’?

 ²⁴ IBhayibhili likhuluma ngomuntu ‘ongelangqondo’ lalowo ‘ozuza ukuzwisisa.’ (IZaga 7:7) Ngenxa yokungazwisisi lokuba lolwazi olulutshwana enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, umuntu ‘ongelangqondo’ angabe engelakho ukuzwisisa futhi engenelisi ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle. Njengejaha okukhulunywe ngalo kuZaga 7:6-23, angawela lula esonweni esibi kakhulu. Kodwa lowo ‘ozuza ukuzwisisa’ uhlolisisa inhliziyo yakhe ngokufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsukuzonke njalo ethandaza nxa efunda. Uzama ngazozonke izindlela ukuthi enze imicabango yakhe, izifiso, imizwa kanye lemigomo yakhe kuhambelane lentando kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza njalo utshengisa ukuthi “uthanda umphefumulo wakhe” loba uzilethela izibusiso njalo ‘uzaphumelela.’—IZaga 19:8.

²⁵ Zibuze ukuthi: ‘Ngiyakholwa yini ngokupheleleyo ukuthi izimiso zikaNkulunkulu zilungile? Ngiyakholwa yini ukuthi ngingazilandela ngizathokoza kakhulu?’ (IHubo 19:7-10; U-Isaya 48:17, 18) Uma kuyikuthi ulokuthandabuza, lanxa kukuncane, zama ukulungisisa isimo. Cabangisisa ngempumela yokungalandeli imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Okunye futhi esingakwenza ‘yikunambitha sibone ukuthi uJehova ulungile’ ngokuphila ngeqiniso njalo sicabange ngezinto ezakhayo, eziliqiniso, ezilungileyo, ezihlambulukileyo, ezithandwayo njalo ezinhle. (IHubo 34:8; KwabaseFiliphi 4:8, 9) Ungaba leqiniso lokuthi nxa ulokhu usenza njalo, uzamthanda kakhulu uNkulunkulu, uzathanda akuthandayo njalo uzonde akuzondayo. UJosefa wayengumuntu ofanana labantu bonke. Kodwa wenelisa ‘ukubalekela ubufebe’ ngoba wavuma ukuthi uJehova ambumbe okweminyaka eminengi lokuthi amnike ukuzwisisa. Sengathi lawe ungaba njalo.—U-Isaya 64:8.

26. Yisiphi isihloko esiqakathekileyo okuzaxoxwa ngaso?

 ²⁶ UMdali wethu wadala izitho zethu zokuzala ukuze senelise ukuba labantwana njalo sithokozele ukuya emacansini lalabo esitshade labo kuphela. (IZaga 5:18) Ezahlukweni ezimbili ezilandelayo kuzaxoxwa ngombono kaNkulunkulu ngomtshado.