1, 2. Bhalamu walenta njani lisu lekulimata bantfu baJehova?

LAPHO umdwebi ayawudweba timfishi, uvele acondze endzaweni yakhe layitsandzako. Ufuna kubamba luhlobo lolutsite lwetimfishi. Ngako-ke, ukhetsa intfo latawutiyenga ngayo, bese uphosa lidweba lakhe emantini. Ngemuva kwesikhashana, lusinga lwelidweba luyacina, lidweba liyagobeka bese udvonsa imfishi layibambile. Ngemuva kwaloko uyamoyitela ngobe uyati kutsi ukhetse intfo lekahle kakhulu yekuyenga letimfishi.

² Ngemnyaka wa-1473 B.C.E., kwakunendvodza libito layo kunguBhalamu. Bhalamu wacabangisisa kahle ngelisu latawulisebentisa ekuyengeni bantfu labatsite. Bantfu labefuna kubayenga kwakubantfu baNkulunkulu lebebaseMatsafeni emaMowabi, emnceleni weLive Lesetsembiso. Bhalamu watenta umphrofethi waJehova, kepha empeleni abeyindvodza lenebugovu leyayicashelwe kutsi icalekise ema-Israyeli. Kepha Jehova wayingenela lendzaba, wabangela kutsi Bhalamu abusise Israyeli kunekutsi amcalekise. Atimisele kutfola umvuzo wakhe, wacabanga kutsi angenta Nkulunkulu acalekise bantfu bakhe, nangabe nje bangalingeka ekwenteni sono lesimatima. Analomgomo engcondvweni, Bhalamu wasebentisa lisu lelitsite—tintfombi temaMowabi letinhle.—Numeri 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; Sembulo 2:14.

3. Lisu laBhalamu laphumelela kangakanani?

³ Lasebenta yini lelisu? Yebo lasebenta ngelizinga lelitsite.  Tinkhulungwane temadvodza aka-Israyeli talingeka, ngobe tacala “kungenela kulalana nalabasikati besive semaMowabi.” Bacala nekukhonta bonkulunkulu bemaMowabi, ngisho naBhali wasePheyori, nkulunkulu wentalo newebulili. Ngenca yaloko, ema-Israyeli langaba ngu-24 000 afa ngembi nje kwekungena eVeni Lesetsembiso. Loku kwaba yinhlekelele lenkhulu!—Numeri 25:1-9.

4. Kungani tinkhulungwane tema-Israyeli tawela esilingweni sekutiphatsa lokubi?

⁴ Yini leyaholela kulenhlekelele? Bantfu labanyenti bacala kuba nenhlitiyo lembi, bamshiya Jehova, yena loNkulunkulu lowabakhulula eGibhithe, wabapha kudla ehlane, futsi wabahola ngekuphepha endleleni leya eveni lesetsembiso. (Hebheru 3:12) Akhuluma ngalendzaba, umphostoli Pawula wabhala: ‘Futsi singagwadli, singaphingi njengobe labanye babo bagwadla, baphinga; bafa ngalanga linye labangu-23 000.’ *—1 Khorinte 10:8.

5, 6. Kungani indzaba yekuwela kwema-Israyeli esonweni ngesikhatsi aseMatsafeni emaMowabi ibalulekile kitsi lamuhla?

⁵ Lendzaba lebhalwe kuNumeri inetifundvo letinyenti futsi letibalulekile bantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla labangatisebentisa, njengobe sebatawungena eveni lelisha labatsenjiswe lona.  (1 Khorinte 10:11) Asewucabange nganasi sibonelo: Lutsandvo lwelive ngetekulalana luyafanana nalolu lwemaMowabi asendvulo, kepha lona-ke lukhulu kakhulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, umnyaka ngamunye tinkhulungwane temaKhristu tiwela ekutiphatsene lokubi—lona kanye lolugibe lolwabamba ema-Israyeli. (2 Khorinte 2:11) Balingisa Zimri lowaba nesibindzi sekungena enkanjini yema-Israyeli nentfombatana lengumMidiyani, labanye labatihlanganisa nebantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla, bayengela labanye labasebandleni lebuKhristu ekutseni batiphatse kabi.—Numeri 25:6, 14; Juda 4.

⁶ Uyatibona yini kutsi usesimeni lesifanana naleso lesenteka eMatsafeni emaMowabi? Uyawubona yini umvuzo wakho—live lelisha-lebekukadze sililindzele, futsi lesitawungena kulo madvutane? Nangabe kunjalo, yenta konkhe lokusemandleni akho kutsi uhlale uselutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu ngekulalela lomyalo lotsi: ‘Balekelani bundlundlulu.’—1 Khorinte 6:18.

7, 8. Buyini ‘bundlundlulu,’ futsi labo lababentako bakuvuna njani loko labakuhlanyelako?

⁷ Njengobe lisetjentiswe emiBhalweni yakucala yesiHebheru, leligama lelitsi ‘bundlundlulu’ (ngesiGriki lelitsi, por·neiʹa) lisho kutiphatsa lokungcolile ngetekulalana kwebantfu labangakashadi. Lifaka ekhatsi kuphinga, bugwadla, kulalana kwebantfu labangakashadi, kulala umuntfu emlonyeni, emantanyula, kanye nekubamba titfo tangasese temuntfu longakashadi naye. Liphindze lifake ekhatsi nebunkonkoni, kanye nekulala nesilwane. *

⁸ ImiBhalo ibeka ngalokucacile kutsi labo labenta bundlundlulu angeke bahlale ebandleni lebuKhristu, futsi angeke batfole kuphila lokuphakadze. (1 Khorinte 6:9; Sembulo 22:15)  Ngetulu kwaloko, batilimata kakhulu ngobe balahlekelwa kutetsemba kanye nekutihlonipha, baba nekungavumelani emshadweni, bativa banelicala, bakhulelwa bangafuni, batfola tifo kanye nekufa imbala. (Fundza Galathiya 6:7, 8.) Uyabona-ke kutsi akusiko kuhlakanipha kwenta ngendlela lenjalo, letakuletsela lisizi ekugcineni? Kuyadzabukisa kutsi linyenti lebantfu lisuke lingakacabangi ngemiphumela lapho likhetsa indlela lembi—ngalokuvamile lehlanganisa kubuka titfombe letingcolile.

9. Atisiyo yini ingoti titfombe letingcolile, njengobe labanye basho? Chaza.

⁹ Emaveni lamanyenti, titfombe letingcolile tivela emaphephandzabeni, emculweni, kanye naku-TV, futsi titse citsi saka ku-Internet. * Atisiyo ingoti yini letitfombe letingcolile, njengobe labanye basho? Cha tiyingoti. Labo labatibukako bagcina sebabanjwe lugibe lwekushaya indlwabu futsi bafukamela ‘tinkhanuko letilihlazo’ letingaholela ekubeni mihuca yekuya ecasini, tifiso letilimatako, tinkinga emshadweni, kanye nedivosi. * (Roma 1:24-27; Efesu 4:19) Umhloli lotsite wafananisa umuntfu longumhuca wekuya ecasini nekhensa, watsi: “Kokubili kuyachubeka kukhula futsi kusakateka, kulukhuni nekutsi kuphele, futsi kumatima nekukwelapha.”

10. Singasisebentisa njani simiso lesisencwadzini yaJakobe 1:14, 15? (Fundza nelibhokisi “ Indlela Lengawatfola Ngayo Emandla Ekutigcina Ngihlantekile Ekutiphatseni.”)

¹⁰ Cabanga ngemavi labhalwe encwadzini yaJakobe 1:14, 15, lafundzeka kanje: “Ngulowo nalowo ulingwa ahuhwe tinkhanuko takhe, adudeke. Nangabe inkhanuko seyitsatsile, itala  sono; sono nase siphelele, sitala kufa.” Ngako-ke, nangabe sifiso lesibi sicala kwakheka engcondvweni yakho, tsatsa sinyatselo ngekushesha, usikhiphe! Sibonelo saloko kutsi nangabe kwentekile wabona titfombe letivusa inkhanuko ungakanaki, susa emehlo akho ngekushesha, ucishe i-computer nobe ushintje siteshi se-TV. Yenta konkhe longakwenta kute ugweme tifiso letingcolile, ngembi kwekuba tikhule ungasakwati kutilawula!—Fundza Matewu 5:29, 30.

11. Lapho silwa netifiso letimbi, singakubonisa njani kwetsembela kwetfu kuJehova?

¹¹ Anesizatfu lesihle, Lona losati kancono kwendlula indlela tsine lesitati ngayo uyasincenga: ‘Bulalani tonkhe tinkhanuko tenu talapha emhlabeni: bundlundlulu, nebuphingi, nekungcola, nekuhungeka, nekukhanuka lokubi, nebukhali  lobukukhonta tithico.’ (Kholose 3:5) Kuliciniso kutsi kwenta kanjalo kungaba matima ngaletinye tikhatsi. Kepha kufanele sikhumbule kutsi sinaBabe wasezulwini lonelutsandvo futsi lobeketelako, lesingakwati kucela lusito kuye. (Tihlabelelo 68:19) Ngako-ke, kufanele ngekushesha uphendvukele kuye lapho imicabango lengcolile icala kwakheka engcondvweni yakho. Thandaza ucele ‘emandla lamakhulu,’ bese wetama kucabanga ngaletinye tintfo.—2 Khorinte 4:7; 1 Khorinte 9:27; fundza libhokisi lelitsi: “ Ngingawuyekela Njani Umkhuba Lomubi?”

12. Iyini “inhlitiyo” yetfu, futsi kungani kufanele siyigadze?

¹² Solomoni indvodza lehlakaniphile wabhala: ‘Ngetulu kwako konkhe gadza inhlitiyo yakho . . . ngobe kuyo kugeleta tiyalu tekuphila.’ (Taga 4:23) “Inhlitiyo” yetfu ngumuntfu lesinguye ngekhatsi, umuntfu lesinguye emehlweni aNkulunkulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, yindlela Nkulunkulu layibona ngayo “inhlitiyo” yetfu—hhayi loko lesibonakala singiko emehlweni ebantfu—lokuveta kutsi sitawukutfola yini kuphila lokuphakadze. Lena yindzaba lemelula futsi lebaluleke kakhulu. Ngako-ke, kute angambuki umuntfu lomsikati ngetifiso letingcolile, Jobe lowetsembekile wenta sivumelwane nemehlo akhe. (Jobe 31:1) Lesi sibonelo lesihle kitsi. Acabanga ngendlela lefananako, umhlabeleli wathandaza: “Fulatselisa emehlo ami ekubukeni tintfo letingenamsebenti.”—Tihlabelelo 119:37.

13. Abengubani Dina, futsi kungani indlela lakhetsa ngayo bangani yayibulima?

¹³ Njengobe sesibonile eSehlukweni 3, bangani betfu bangahuha tingcondvo tetfu, basibangele kutsi sente lokuhle nobe lokubi. (Taga 13:20; fundza 1 Khorinte 15:33.) Cabanga ngesibonelo saDina, indvodzakati yaJakobe. (Genesisi 34:1) Ngisho nobe abekhuliswe kahle, ngebulima wakha bungani nemantfombatana aseKhenani. Njengebantfu bemaMowabi, bantfu baseKhenani bebatiphatsa kabi kakhulu. (Levithikhusi 18:6-25) Emadvodza lamanyenti aseKhenani, kuhlanganise  naShekhemu—‘labebaluleke kakhulu’ ekhaya kubo—abecabanga kutsi Dina abengakuvumela kutiphatsa kabi ngekwelicasi.—Genesisi 34:18, 19.

14. Indlela Dina labakhetsa ngayo bangani yaluletsa njani lusizi?

¹⁴ Ngalesikhatsi Dina abona Shekhemu, abengenayo imicabango yekuya ecasini naye. Kodvwa Shekhemu yena abecabanga kutsi Dina ufanana nemantfombatana aseKhenani labetiphatsa kabi. Ngisho nobe Dina etama kutilwela, kepha wehluleka ngobe Shekhemu “wamtsatsa wayakumdlwengula.” Kubonakala shengatsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Shekhemu wacala ‘kutsandza’ Dina, kepha konkhe loko akuzange kusigucule sento sakhe. (Fundza Genesisi 34:1-4.) Ekugcineni akusuye Dina yedvwana lowabhekana nelusizi. Indlela labekhetse ngayo bangani yaletsela umndeni wakubo lusizi lolukhulu lolwabangela kuhlanjalatwa.—Genesisi 34:7, 25-31; Galathiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Singakutfola njani kuhlakanipha kweliciniso? (Fundza libhokisi “ ImiBhalo Longazindla Ngayo.”)

¹⁵ Nangabe Dina agcina asifundzile sifundvo, loku kusho  kutsi wasifundza kabuhlungu. Labo labamtsandzako futsi labamhloniphako Jehova, kute sidzingo sekutsi batfole sifundvo kabuhlungu. Ngenca yekutsi bayamlalela Nkulunkulu, bakhetsa ‘kuhambisana nebantfu labahlakaniphile.’ (Taga 13:20a) Ngako-ke, ‘bayakwati lokufanele,’ futsi bagwema tinkinga kanye nebuhlungu lobungakadzingeki.—Taga 2:6-9; Tihlabelelo 1:1-3.

 ¹⁶ Kuhlakanipha lokuvela kuNkulunkulu kungatfolwa ngulabo labakufunako, futsi labenta ngekuvumelana naleso sifiso ngekuphikelela emthandazweni, nangekulifundza njalo liVi laNkulunkulu kanye netincwadzi letivela esisebentini lesetsembekile. (Matewu 24:45; Jakobe 1:5) Lokunye lokubaluleke kakhulu kutfobeka, lokubonakala ngekutimisela kulalela seluleko lesivela emBhalweni. (2 Emakhosi 22:18, 19) Asewucabange nganasi sibonelo: UmKhristu angase akuvume kutsi inhlitiyo iyayengana futsi yonakele. (Jeremiya 17:9) Kepha lapho kwentekile wenta sincumo lesingakahlakaniphi, ngekutfobeka utawusemukela yini seluleko selutsandvo kanye nelusito?

17. Chaza simo lesingase siphakame emndenini, futsi veta indlela babe langase abonisane ngayo nendvodzakati yakhe.

¹⁷ Asewucabange nganasi simo: Babe longumKhristu akayivumeli indvodzakati yakhe kutsi ihambe nemzalwane losemusha kungekho lotawubagadza. Indvodzakati ingase iphendvule itsi: “Kepha Babe, awungetsembi yini? Kute lokubi lesitawukwenta!” Kungenteka iyamtsandza Jehova futsi inetisusa letinhle, kepha-ke, ‘ihamba ngekuhlakanipha yini’? ‘Iyabubalekela yini bundlundlulu’? Nobe ngebulima ‘yetsemba inhlitiyo yayo?’ (Taga 28:26) Mhlawumbe nawe ungacabanga ngaletinye timiso letingasita lobabe kanye nendvodzakati yakhe kutsi babonisane ngalendzaba.—Fundza Taga 22:3; Matewu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. Ngusiphi silingo lesavela ekuphileni kwaJosefa, futsi walwa njani naso?

¹⁸ Lijaha lelikahle lelalitsandza Nkulunkulu futsi labalekela bundlundlulu, nguJosefa, umnakaboDina. (Genesisi 30:20-24) Asengumtfwana, Josefa watibonela matfupha titselo tebulima badzadze wabo. Akungabateki-ke kutsi kukhumbula loku, kanye nesifiso sakhe sekuhlala elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu kwamvikela eminyakeni leyalandzela eGibhithe ngesikhatsi umfati wenkhosi yakhe amhlunuketa nobe etama kumyenga “onkhe emalanga.” Kuliciniso kutsi njengobe  Josefa abesigcili, abengeke amane afake incwadzi yekuyekela umsebenti futsi ahambe! Kwadzingeka alwe nalesimo ngekuhlakanipha nangesibindzi. Loku wakwenta ngekuloku aphindzelela atsi cha kumkaPhotifari, futsi ekugcineni wakwenta ngekubaleka.—Fundza Genesisi 39:7-12.

¹⁹ Asewucabange: Kube Josefa abehlala acabanga ngalomfati nobe abenemkhuba wekuphupha alala nalotsite, abengakhona yini kuhlala acotfo? Cha, abengeke. Esikhundleni sekuvumela imicabango lenjalo, Josefa watsatsa buhlobo bakhe naJehova njengalobubalulekile futsi loku kwabonakala emavini lawasho kumkaPhotifari. Watsi: “Inkhosi ingilinganise nayo kulelikhaya, futsi kute lengigodlele kona ngaphandle kwakho, ngobe ungumkayo. Pho, ngingabenta njani lobubi lobungaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu?”—Genesisi 39:8, 9.

20. Jehova watijikisa njani tintfo endzabeni yaJosefa?

²⁰ Asewucabange ngendlela Jehova lajabula ngayo lapho abona Josefa losemusha, futsi lohlala khashane nemndeni wakubo atigcina acotfo onkhe emalanga. (Taga 27:11) Ngemuva kwaloko, Jehova wajikisa tintfo kute Josefa angagcini ngekukhululwa ejele, kodvwa kute abekwe kutsi abe ngundvunankhulu waseGibhithe, futsi abe ngumphatsi wekudla. (Genesisi 41:39-49) Uyabona-ke kutsi aliciniso kangakanani emavi eTihlabelelo 97:10 latsi: “Nine lenitsandza Simakadze, tondzani konkhe lokubi, ngobe uyabelusa labametsembako, abephule etandleni talababi.”

21. Umzalwane losemusha kulelinye live lase-Afrika wasibonisa njani sibindzi ngekutiphatsa?

 ²¹ Ngalokufananako nalamuhla, tinceku taNkulunkulu letinyenti tiyabonisa kutsi ‘tiyakutondza lokubi, futsi titsandza lokuhle.’ (Amose 5:15) Umzalwane losemusha wakulelinye live lase-Afrika ukhumbula kutsi lenye intfombatana labefundza nayo yatsi itawulala naye nangabe angayisita esivivinyweni setibalo. Lomzalwane utsi: “Ngala ngaphetsa, futsi ngenca yekuhlala ngicotfo, bantfu bayangihlonipha futsi nami ngiyatihlonipha, lokutintfo letincono kakhulu kunegolide nesiliva.” Kuliciniso, sono singakuniketa ‘injabulo yesikhashana,’ kepha injabulo lenjalo iletsa lusizi ekugcineni. (Hebheru 11:25) Ngetulu kwaloko, ibalite nayicatsaniswa nenjabulo lehlala njalo letfolakala ngekulalela Jehova.—Taga 10:22.

22, 23. (a) Nangabe umKhristu ente sono lesimatima, kungani loko kungasiko kuphela kwakhe? (b) Nguluphi lusito langalutfola lowo lowonile?

²² Ngenca yekungapheleli, sonkhe silwa kamatima kute sincobe tifiso tenyama yetfu, futsi kute sente lokulungile emehlweni aNkulunkulu. (Roma 7:21-25) Jehova uyakwati loku, futsi “uyakhumbula kutsi silutfuli nje.” (Tihlabelelo 103:14) Ngaletinye tikhatsi, umKhristu angenta sono lesimatima. Kusuke sekukuphela kwakhe yini? Cha! Akusinjalo. Empeleni loyo lowonile angase avune titselo letibuhlungu, njengeNkhosi Davide. Nobe kunjalo, Nkulunkulu uhlale ‘akulungele kubatsetselela’ labo labatisolako futsi ‘bativume’ tono tabo.—Tihlabelelo 86:5; Jakobe 5:16; fundza Taga 28:13.

²³ Ngakulokunye, ngemusa Nkulunkulu usilungiselele ‘tipho letibantfu’ ebandleni lebuKhristu—laba belusi labavutsiwe, labafanelekako futsi labafuna kusita. (Efesu 4:8, 12; Jakobe 5:14, 15) Umgomo wabo kusita umuntfu lowonile kutsi abuyisele buhlobo bakhe naNkulunkulu, futsi njengobe kwasho indvodza lehlakaniphile, ‘ufundza kucondza’ kute angaphindzi asente leso sono.—Taga 15:32.

24, 25. (a) Lijaha lelichazwe encwadzini yeTaga 7:6-23 libonisa njani kutsi ‘lalite kucondza’? (b) Singakutfola njani ‘kucondza’?

²⁴ LiBhayibheli likhuluma ngebantfu ‘labete kuhlakanipha’ futsi liphindze likhulume nangalabo ‘labafundza kucondza.’ (Taga 7:7) Ngenca yekutsi abayicondzi kahle imicabango yaNkulunkulu, futsi bete lwati enkonzweni yakhe, labo ‘labete kuhlakanipha’ bangaswela kucondza kanye nekwehlulela lokuhle. Njengalelijaha lelichazwe encwadzini yeTaga 7:6-23, kungase kube melula ngalo kutsi lente sono lesimatima. Kepha-ke, loyo ‘lofundza kucondza’ unaka kakhulu umuntfu languye ngekhatsi, ngekuthandaza njalo nengekufundza liVi laNkulunkulu. Ngalokusemandleni akhe njengobe angakapheleli, uphindze avumelanise imicabango, tifiso, imiva, kanye nemigomo yakhe naloko Nkulunkulu lakwemukelako. Ngako-ke ‘utsandza umphefumulo wakhe,’ nobe uyatibusisa yena, futsi “uyakuphumelela.”—Taga 19:8.

²⁵ Tibute naku: ‘Ngiyenetiseka yini kutsi timiso taNkulunkulu tilungile? Ngiyakholelwa yini ngolokucinile kutsi kunamatsela kuto kutawungiletsela injabulo lenkhulu?’ (Tihlabelelo 19:7-10; Isaya 48:17, 18) Nangabe unekungabata ngisho nje lokuncane, kulungise. Zindla ngemiphumela yekunganaki imitsetfo yaNkulunkulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, ‘nambitsa ubone kutsi Simakadze muhle,’ ngekuphila ngeliciniso kanye nangekugcwalisa ingcondvo yakho ngemicabango lemihle—ngetintfo letiliciniso, letilungile, letimsulwa, letitsandzekako, naletinhle. (Tihlabelelo 34:8; Filiphi 4:8, 9) Ciniseka kutsi nawukwenta ngalokwengetiwe loku, uyomtsandza kakhulu Nkulunkulu, uyokutsandza ngalokwengetiwe loko lakutsandzako, futsi uyokutondza loko lakutondzako. Josefa naye abengakapheleli. Nobe kunjalo, wakhona ‘kubalekela bundlundlulu,’ ngobe eminyakeni leminyenti wavumela Jehova kutsi ambumbe futsi amnike kucondza. Shengatsi kungaba njalo nangawe.—Isaya 64:8.

26. Ngusiphi sihloko lesibalulekile lesitawufundza ngaso esehlukweni lesilandzelako?

 ²⁶ UMdali wetfu wabumba titfo tetfu tekutala, hhayi kutsi tibe ngemathoyisi ekutijabulisa nje, kepha kute sikwati kutala, futsi labo labashadile bakwati kusondzelana emshadweni. (Taga 5:18) Etehlukweni letimbili letilandzelako, sitawufundza ngembono waNkulunkulu ngemshado.