1-2. NgokweRhubo 25:14, khuyini ekufuze siyenze nasifuna ukuba nobungani obutjhideleneko noJehova?

 NGIBUPHI ubuntu obuqakathekileko ocabanga ukuthi buyatlhogeka nawuzakuba nobungani nomunye umuntu? Kungenzeka uzokuphendula ngokuthi abangani abatjhideleneko kufuze bathandane bebasekelane. Angekhe ucabange ukuthi ukusaba kububuntu obuqakathekileko nanizakuba bangani abatjhideleneko. Nanyana kunjalo, njengombana umtlolo osekela isihlokwesi utjho, labo abafuna ukuba nobungani obuseduze noJehova kufuze ‘bamsabe.’—Funda iRhubo 25:14.

² Nanyana sinesikhathi eside kangangani silotjha uJehova, soke kufuze sihlale simhlonipha ngendlela efaneleko. Kodwana kutjho ukuthini ukusaba uZimu? Singakufunda njani ukusaba uZimu? Singafundani esisebenzini u-Obadiya, kuMphristi oPhakemeko uJehoyada neKosini uJowatjhi malungana nokusaba uZimu?

3. Hlathulula ukuthi ukusaba kungasivikela njani.

³ Singazizwa sisaba nange sibona kwanga okuthileko kuzosilimaza. Ukusaba okunje kulungile begodu kungasenza senze iinqunto ezihle. Ukusaba ukuwa kungasenza singakhambi  eduze khulu neemphethweni weliwa. Ukusaba ukulimala kungasenza sibalekele ubujamo obuyingozi. Ukusaba ukumorosa isingani sethu nomuntu esimthandako kungasenza singakhulumi namkha senze into engakhiko.

4. USathana ufuna simsabe njani uJehova?

⁴ USathana ufuna abantu basabe uJehova ngendlela ekungasiyo. Ufuna sikholelwe ukuthi uJehova uhlala akwatile, ufuna ukusihlunguphaza nokuthi angekhe samthabisa. (Job 4:18, 19) Ufuna nokuthi sisabe uJehova besilise nokumlotjha. Nasizakubalekela isithiywesi, kufuze sisabe uZimu ngendlela efaneleko.

5. Kutjho ukuthini ukusaba uZimu?

⁵ Umuntu osaba uJehova ngendlela efaneleko uyamthanda begodu akafuni ukwenza nanyana yini engalimaza itjhebiswano lakhe naye. UJesu ‘bekasaba uZimu’ ngendlela leyo. (Heb. 5:7) Akhenge azizwe athuswa nguJehova. (Isa. 11:2, 3) Kunalokho, wazizwa amthanda afuna nokumlalela. (Jwa. 14:21, 31) NjengoJesu, nathi simhlonipha khulu uJehova besiyamsaba ngebanga lokhu unethando, uhlakaniphile, unobulungiswa bekabe namandla. Siyazi godu nokuthi uJehova usithanda khulu begodu iyamthinta indlela esisabela ngayo nakafundisako. Singamzwisa ubuhlungu uJehova namkha simthabise.—Rhu. 78:41; IzA. 27:11.

6. Ngiyiphi indlela esingafunda ngayo ukusaba uZimu? (IRhubo 34:11)

⁶ Asibelethwa sisaba uJehova, kufuze sikufunde. (Funda iRhubo 34:11.) Enye indlela esingakwenza ngakho lokho kuhlolisisa indalo. Nasilemuka ukuthi izinto uJehova azidalileko zitjengisa ukuhlakanipha, amandla nethando analo ngathi, sizomhlonipha besimthande khulu. (Rom. 1:20) Udadwethu u-Adrienne wathi, “Ukuhlakanipha kwakaJehova okubonakala endalweni kungitjhiya ngibambe ongenzasi begodu kuyangisiza ngilemuke bona ungifunela okuhle.” Ukucabangisisa kwakhe kwamenza waphetha ngokuthi, “Kubayini ngingafuna ukwenza into ezokubeka isiqabo phakathi kwami noJehova, umThombo wokuphila kwami?” Akhuziphe isikhathi iveke le bona ucabangisise ngokuthileko uJehova akudalileko. Ukwenza njalo kuzokwenza umthande bewumhloniphe khulu.—Rhu. 111:2, 3.

7. Umthandazo ungasenza njani sisabe uJehova ngendlela efaneleko?

⁷ Enye indlela esingatjengisa ngayo ukuthi siyamsaba uJehova kukuthi sithandaze qobe. Nasilokhu sithandaza kuJehova, sizomazi ngcono. Qobe nasimbawa asiphe amandla wokukghodlhelela, siyakhumbula bona unamandla angangani. Nasimthokoza ngesipho esiyiNdodanakhe, sikhumbula indlela asithanda ngayo. Nasimbawa asisize ngomraro othileko, siyakhumbula bona uhlakaniphe kangangani. Imithandazo enjalo isisiza simhloniphe khulu. Isenza sizimisele ukubalekela ukwenza nanyana yini engalimaza isingani sethu naye.

8. Singenzani bona siragele phambili sisaba uZimu?

⁸ Singaragela phambili nokusaba uJehova ngokuthi sihlolisise iBhayibheli ngomnqopho wokufunda eembonelweni ezihle nezimbi ezifumaneka kilo. Khesicoce ngeenceku ezimbili zakaJehova ezithembekileko, u-Obadiya isisebenzi sendlu yeKosi u-Arhabi noMphristi oPhakemeko uJehoyada. Ngemva kwalokho, sizokubona ukuthi singafundani eKosini uJowatjhi yakwaJuda, eyathoma kuhle kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi yatjhiya uJehova.

9. Ukusaba uJehova kwaka-Obadiya kwamsiza njani? (1 AmaKhosi 18:3, 12)

⁹ IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ngo-Obadiya b kokuthoma, lithi: “U-Obadiya bekamsaba kwamambala uJehova.” (Funda yoku-1 AmaKhosi 18:3, 12.) Indlela u-Obadiya ebekasaba ngayo uJehova yamsiza njani? Yamenza wathembeka, yeke iKosi yambeka bona atlhogomele umuzi webukhosini. (Madanisa noNerhemiya 7:2.) Ukusaba kwakhe uZimu kwamnikela nesibindi esirarako—okububuntu ebekabutlhoga. Waphila ngesikhathi kubusa iKosi ekhohlakeleko u-Arhabi ‘owenza okumbi khulu emehlweni kaJehova ukudlula woke [amakhosi] ebekangaphambi kwakhe.’ (1 Kho. 16:30) Nomfazi ka-Arhabi obekalotjha uBhali, uJezebheli bekahloye uJehova khulu kangangokuthi walinga ukuqeda ukulotjha kweqiniso embusweni wetlhagwini. Wabulala nabaphorofidi abanengi bakaZimu. (1 Kho. 18:4) Akunakuzaza ukuthi u-Obadiya walotjha uJehova ngesikhathi esibudisi.

10. Sabonakala njani isibindi esirarako saka-Obadiya?

¹⁰ Sabonakala njani isibindi esirarako saka-Obadiya? Lokha uJezebheli nakafuna abaphorofidi bakaJehova bona ababulale, wathatha abali-100 wabafihla ‘ngeenqhema zabama-50 wasolo abalethela uburotho namanzi.’ (1 Kho. 18:13, 14) Ngathana uJezebheli bekazi ngalokhu ebekwenziwa ngu-Obadiya onesibindi, bekazombulala. Kuliqiniso ukuthi bekathukiwe begodu angafuni ukufa. Kodwana bekathanda uJehova nalabo abamsebenzelako ukudlula ukuphila kwakhe.

11. Iinceku zakaJehova zanamhlanjesi zifana njani no-Obadiya? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹¹ Namhlanjesi iinceku ezinengi zakaJehova zihlala eendaweni lapha umsebenzethu ukhandelwe khona. Njengo-Obadiya, abafowethu nabodadwethu abathembekilekwaba bala ukulisa ukulotjha uJehova. Nanyana kunjalo, baragela phambili bahlonipha iimphathimandla. (Mat. 22:21) Batjengisa ukuthi basaba uZimu ngokuthi bamlalele kunokuthi balalele abantu. (IzE. 5:29) Benza lokhu  ngokuthi baragele phambili batjhumayela nangokuhlangana ndawonye ngemsitheleni. (Mat. 10:16, 28) Balinga ukuqiniseka bona abafowabo nabodadwabo banazo izinto abazitlhogako ukuragela phambili balotjha uZimu. Cabanga ngesibonelo saka-Henri, ohlala e-Afrika lapho umsebenzethu bewuvinjelwe khona isikhatjhana. Lokha umsebenzethu nawusakhandelwe, wazimisela bona akhambisele abafowethu nabodadwethu iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Watlola wathi: “Ngimumuntu onamahloni. Yeke, ngiyaqiniseka bona bekuyihlonipho ekulu ebenginayo ngoJehova eyanginikela isibindi ebengisitlhoga.” Kghani ungaba nesibindi njengo-Henri? Ungaba naso nange ulwela ukusaba uZimu ngendlela efaneleko.

12. UMphristi oPhakemeko uJehoyada nomkakhe batjengise njani ukuthembeka kuJehova?

¹² UJehoyada uMphristi oPhakemeko bekasaba uJehova, okwamenza wathembeka bewakhuthaza nabanye bona balotjhe uJehova. Lokhu kwabonakala lokha indodakazi kaJezebheli u-Ataliya ithatha ubukhosi ngokungakafaneli kwaJuda. Abantu bebanebanga elihle lokusaba u-Ataliya. Bekakhohlakele khulu begodu afuna ukuba yindlovukazi kangangobana walinga nokubulala zoke iinzukulwana zakhe ukwenzela bona abuse! (2 Kron. 22:10, 11) Omunye wabantwanabo nguJowatjhi wasinda ngebanga lokuthi umfazi kaJehoyada uJehotjhabhathi wamsindisa. Yena nendodakhe bafihla umntwana bebamtlhogomela. Ngendlela le, uJehoyada noJehotjhabhathi basiza ekuvikeleni irhelo lamakhosi avela emndenini kaDavida. UJehoyada bekathembekile kuJehova, akhenge avumele ukusaba u-Ataliya kumkhandele ekwenzeni okulungileko.—IzA. 29:25.

13. UJowatjhi nakaneminyaka elikhomba, uJehoyada ukutjengise njani godu ukuthembeka?

¹³ Lokha uJowatjhi nakaneminyaka elikhomba, uJehoyada watjengisa godu ukuthi uthembekile kuJehova. Wenza iqhinga. Nangabe belizokuphumelela, uJowatjhi bekazokuba yikosi, indlalifa kaDavida efaneleko. Nangabe iqhinga lakhe aliphumeleli, uJehoyada bekangalahlekelwa kuphila kwakhe. Ngesibusiso sakaJehova, iqhingeli laphumelela. UJehoyada asekelwa makhosana namaLevi wenza uJowatjhi ikosi bewabulala no-Ataliya. (2 Kron. 23:1-5, 11, 12, 15; 24:1) Ngemva kwalokho, uJehoyada “wenza isivumelwano noJehova, nekosi nabantu, sokuthi bazokuhlala bababantu bakaJehova.” (2 Kho. 11:17) “Wathatha nabalindisango wabajamisa esangweni lendlu kaJehova bona kungathomi kube nomuntu ongakacwengeki ozokungena.”—2 Kron. 23:19.

14. UJehoyada wahlonitjhwa njani ngokuhlonipha uJehova?

¹⁴ UJehova ekuthomeni wathi: “Ngizokuhlonipha abangihloniphako.” Kwamambala, wambusisa uJehoyada. (1 Sam. 2:30) Ngokwesibonelo, wafaka indaba kaJehoyada eBhayibhelini ukwenzela bona sifunde ngayo. (Rom. 15:4) Lokha uJehoyada nakahlongakalako, wahlonitjhwa ngendlela ekhethekileko ngokuthi abulungwe “eDorobheni lakaDavida kunye namakhosi ngombana bekenze okulungileko kwa-Israyeli ngokuphathelene noZimu weqiniso nendlu kaZimu.”—2 Kron. 24:15, 16.

15. Khuyini esingayifunda endabeni kaJehoyada? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁵ Indaba kaJehoyada ingasisiza soke bona  silwele ukusaba uJehova. Abadala bangalingisa isibonelo sakaJehoyada ngokuhlala bafuna iindlela zokuvikela ibandla. (IzE. 20:28) Abalupheleko bangafunda kuJehoyada ukuthi nabasaba uJehova bebahlale bathembekile, angabasebenzisa ukuzalisekisa umnqophwakhe. Akababekeli eqadi. Abantu abatjha bangafunda endleleni uJehova aphatha ngayo uJehoyada begodu bamlingise ngokuthi baphathe abalupheleko ngesithunzi nangehlonipho, khulukhulu esele banesikhathi eside balotjha uJehova ngokuthembeka. (IzA. 16:31) Emaswapheleni, soke singafunda emakhosaneni nakumaLevi asekela uJehoyada. Asibasekeleni ngokuthembeka “labo abadosa phambili” ngokuthi sibalalele.—Heb. 13:17.

16. Yini ebeyitjengisa ukuthi iKosi uJowatjhi beyibogaboga?

¹⁶ UJehoyada wasiza iKosi uJowatjhi bona ibe mumuntu olungileko. (2 Kho. 12:2) Ngebanga lalokho, ikosi nayisakhulako beyifuna ukuthabisa uJehova. Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJehoyada, uJowatjhi walalela amakhosana aziinhlubuki. Umphumela waba yini? Yena nabantu ababusako “bathoma ukulotjha iingodo ezicwengileko neenthombe.” (2 Kron. 24:4, 17, 18) Nanyana uJehova kwamzwisa ubuhlungu lokhu, “wasolo athumela abaphorofidi hlangana nabo bona ababuyisele kuye. . . , akhenge balalele.” Akhenge balalele indodana kaJehoyada uZakariya, obekangasimphorofidi nomphristi  kaJehova kwaphela kodwana bekangumzala kaJowatjhi. IKosi uJowatjhi yabulala uZakariya ngitjho nanyana umndeni wekhaboZakariya wasindisa ukuphila kwakhe.—2 Kron. 22:11; 24:19-22.

17. Zamkhambela njani izinto uJowatjhi?

¹⁷ UJowatjhi akhenge aragele phambili asaba uJehova begodu nezinto zamkhambela kumbi. UJehova wathi: “Abangangihloniphiko bazokudelelwa.” (1 Sam. 2:30) Ibutho elincani lamaSiriya lahlula “ibutho elikhulu” lakaJowatjhi begodu lamtjhiya “alimele khulu.” Ngemva kokuthi amaSiriya akhambile, uJowatjhi wabulawa ziinsebenzi zakhe ngebanga lokubulala uZakariya. Ikosi ekhohlakeleko le beyikhohlakele kangangokuthi akhenge ibulungwe “lapho kubulungelwa khona amakhosi.”—2 Kron. 24:23-25.

18. NgokwakaJoromiya 17:7, 8, singakubalekela njani ukufana noJowatjhi?

¹⁸ Sifundani esibonelweni sakaJowatjhi? Bekafana nomuthi onemirabhu engakaqini obewusame esigodweni. Ngemva kokuthi umuntu obekamsekela—uJehoyada—ahlongakele, wathoma ukulalela iinhlubuki bese wangathembeki kuJehova. Isibonelwesi sisitjengisa ukuthi akukafuzi silalele uJehova ngebanga lokuthi imindenethu nabanye ebandleni basibekela isibonelo esihle sokwenza njalo. Bona sihlale sitjhidelene noJehova, kufuze siqinise indlela esimthanda ngayo nesimhlonipha ngayo ngokuthi sifunde iBhayibheli, sicabangisise besithandaze.—Funda uJoromiya 17:7, 8; Kol. 2:6, 7.

19. Khuyini uJehova ayifuna kithi?

¹⁹ UJehova akafuni okunengi kithi. Into ayifunako itholakala kuMtjhumayeli 12:13, nakathi: “Saba uZimu weqiniso begodu uphethe imiyalwakhe, ngombana koke lokhu sibopho somuntu.” Nasisaba uZimu, sizokuhlala sithembekile esikhathini esizako nanyana kungenzekani njengo-Obadiya noJehoyada. Ayikho into ezokulimaza ubungani bethu noJehova.