1, 2. (a) UNabhoti noonyana bakhe badlelw’ indlala njani? (b) Siza kufunda ntoni kwimizekelo emibini esiza kuthetha ngayo kweli nqaku?

KHAWUBE nombono woku kulandelayo. Utata utyatyekwa ngetyala anokufumana isigwebo sentambo ngalo. Intsapho nezihlobo zothuswe kukugwetywa kwakhe ngobungqina bobuxoki obunikelwe ngamadoda aziwayo ukuba azizikrelemnqa. Kuthi mabafe abantu abangathandi ukubona omnye umntu esohlwayelwa into angayenzanga, njengoko bebukele le ndoda noonyana bakhe abamsulwa bebulawa. Asiyontsomi le. Le nto yenzeka kumkhonzi kaYehova othembekileyo, uNabhoti, owayephila ngexesha amaSirayeli ayelawulwa nguKumkani uAhabhi.—1 Kum. 21:11-13; 2 Kum. 9:26.

² Kweli nqaku, asizukuthetha ngoko kwenzeka kuNabhoti kuphela, kodwa siza kuthetha nangomdala webandla lamaKristu wenkulungwane yokuqala owaphazamayo. Njengoko sifunda ngale mizekelo iseBhayibhileni siza kubona ukuba ukuthobeka kubaluleke kakhulu ukuze indlela yokugweba efanelekileyo siyibone ngendlela uYehova ayibona ngayo. Siza kufunda nokuba, ukubaxolela abo baye badlel’ indlala thina okanye abanye abantu ebandleni, kubonisa ukuba sijonga izigwebo ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo.

3, 4. Wayengumntu onjani uNabhoti, ibe kutheni engazange avume ukuthengisela uAhabhi isidiliya sakhe?

³ AmaSirayeli amaninzi ayelandela umzekelo ombi kaKumkani uAhabhi nowomfazi wakhe, uKumkanikazi uIzebhele ongendawo, kodwa yena uNabhoti wayethembekile kuYehova. Abo banquli bakaBhahali babengamboni uYehova, ibe bengenaxesha lemithetho yakhe. Kodwa yena uNabhoti wayekuxabisa ukuba ngumhlobo kaYehova ngaphezu kobomi bakhe.

⁴ Funda eyoku-1 yooKumkani 21:1-3. UNabhoti akazange avume xa uAhabhi wayefuna ukuthenga isidiliya sakhe okanye amnike esinye esibhetele kunaso. Kwakutheni? Wamcacisela kakuhle wathi: “Makube lee kum, ngenxa kaYehova, ukuba ndikunike ilifa lookhokho bam.” UNabhoti akazange avume kuba umthetho uYehova awayewunike amaSirayeli, wawungawavumeli ukuba athengise ilifa lawo. (Lev. 25:23; Num. 36:7) Kucacile ke ukuba uNabhoti izinto wayezijonga ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo.

5. UIzebhele waba naliphi igalelo ekubulaweni kukaNabhoti?

⁵ Okubuhlungu kukuba ngenxa yokuba uNabhoti engazange avume, uKumkani uAhabhi nomkakhe benza izinto ezimbi enye emva kwenye. Ukuze afumanele umyeni wakhe eso sidiliya, uIzebhele wenzela uNabhoti iyelenqe lokuba atyholwe ngento angayenzanga eyabangela ukuba axhonywe kunye noonyana bakhe. UYehova weyeza kwenza ntoni ngesi sigwebo sijijekileyo?

6, 7. UYehova wabonisa njani ukuba uyathanda ukuba kugwetywe ngobulungisa, yaye kutheni imele ukuba loo nto yayithuthuzela intsapho nezihlobo zikaNabhoti?

⁶ Ngokukhawuleza uYehova wathuma uEliya ukuba aye kuphendulisa uAhabhi ngale nto. UEliya wamfumanisa uAhabhi enetyala lokubulala nelobusela. Sasisithini isigwebo sikaYehova kweli tyala? Isiphelo sika-Ahabhi, umfazi wakhe noonyana bakhe sasiza kufana nesikaNabhoti noonyana bakhe.—1 Kum. 21:17-25.

⁷ Nangona intsapho nezihlobo zikaNabhoti zazisiva kabuhlungu, zimele ukuba zathuthuzeleka noko xa zabona ukuba uYehova uyayibona le nto imbi yenzekileyo, ibe wenze into ngayo ngokukhawuleza. Kodwa izinto ezenzekayo emva koko zimele ukuba zabavavanya ukuba bathobeke yaye bamthembe kangakanani uYehova.

8. Wenza ntoni uAhabhi akuva isigwebo sikaYehova, ibe waba yintoni umphumo waloo nto?

⁸ Xa uAhabhi weva isigwebo esingesihle sikaYehova, “wazikrazula izambatho zakhe wabeka amarhonya enyameni yakhe; wazila ukutya waza waqhubeka elele phantsi emarhonyeni ehamba ematshekile.” UAhabhi wazithoba! Kwenzeka ntoni emva koko? UYehova wathi kuEliya: “Ngenxa yokuba ezithobile ngenxa yam, andiyi kuyizisa intlekele ngemihla yakhe. Ndiya kuyizisela intlekele indlu yakhe ngemihla yonyana wakhe.” (1 Kum. 21:27-29; 2 Kum. 10:10, 11, 17) UYehova ‘umgocagoci weentliziyo,’ wamenzela inceba uAhabhi.—IMize. 17:3.

9. Intsapho nezihlobo zikaNabhoti zazinokukhuselwa njani kukuthobeka?

⁹ Esi sigwebo sangena njani kubantu ababewazi la manyundululu ka-Ahabhi? Le nto ibonakala ngathi kukurhoxiswa kwesigwebo imele ukuba yayivavanya intsapho nezihlobo zikaNabhoti. Ukuba kwakunjalo, babeza kukhuselwa kukuthobeka, kubenze baqhubeke bemkhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka, ibe baqiniseke  ukuba akasoze asijije isigwebo. (Funda iDuteronomi 32:3, 4.) UNabhoti, oonyana bakhe neentsapho zabo baza kugwetyelwa ngokufanelekileyo xa uYehova evusa amalungisa. (Yobhi 14:14, 15; Yoh. 5:28, 29) Ngaphezu koko, umntu othobekileyo uya kuhlala ekhumbula ukuba “uThixo oyinyaniso uya kuzisa ekugwetyweni lonke uhlobo lomsebenzi ngokuphathelele yonke into efihlakeleyo, enoba ilungile okanye imbi.” (INtshu. 12:14) Xa uYehova ewisa isigwebo uye ajonge zonke izibakala, ibe ezinye zazo sisenokungazazi thina. Ukuthobeka kukhusela abantu abamsulwa ekuphelelweni lukholo.

10, 11. (a) Inokuvavanywa njani indlela esisijonga ngayo isigwebo esifanelekileyo? (b) Ukuthobeka kuya kusikhusela njani?

¹⁰ Uza kuthini xa abadala besenza isigqibo ongasithandiyo okanye ongavumelaniyo naso? Ngokomzekelo, uza kuthini xa wena okanye umhlobo wakho ethathelwa ilungelo alixabisileyo ebandleni? Uza kuthini xa umfazi wakho, unyana okanye intombi yakho, okanye umhlobo wakho esuswa kubudlelane ube ungavumelani neso sigqibo? Uza kuthini ukuba ucinga ukuba umntu owenze isono ebengafanelanga enzelwe inceba? Ezi meko zinokusivavanya ukuba simthemba kangakanani uYehova nentlangano yakhe. Ukuthobeka  kunokukukhusela njani xa ukule meko? Makhe sifunde ngeendlela ezimbini.

¹¹ Okokuqala, ukuthobeka kusinceda siqonde ukuba asizazi zonke izibakala. Noba sele sisazi kangakanani ngaloo meko, nguYehova kuphela okwaziyo ukubona eyona nto icingwa ngumntu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Xa siyiqonda loo nto, siya kutsho sithobeke, siqonde ukuba asazi yonke into, size silungise indlela esizibona ngayo izinto. Okwesibini, ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda sizithobe, sibe nomonde size simlinde uYehova ayilungise ngokwakhe nayiphi na into engahambi kakuhle ukuba ikhona phofu. Enye indoda elumkileyo yathi: “Kuya kulunga kwabamoyikayo uThixo oyinyaniso . . . , kodwa akuyi kuba kuhle konke konke kongendawo, yaye akayi kuyolula imihla yakhe.” (INtshu. 8:12, 13) Kuyabonakala ke ngoko ukuba ukuthobeka kunceda wonke umntu obandakanyekayo.—Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:5.

12. Yeyiphi ingxelo esiza kufunda ngayo, ibe kutheni?

¹² AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala aseSiriya Yakwa-Antiyokwe ahlelwa yimeko eyavavanya ukuthobeka nokuxolela kwawo. Makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka ntoni size sizihlole ukuba thina sikujonga njani ukuxolela. Siza kutsho siqonde kakuhle ukuba ukuxolela kuhambisana njani nendlela uYehova akujonga ngayo ukugweba ngobulungisa.

13, 14. Yeyiphi inyhweba awayifumanayo uPetros, yaye wabonisa njani ukuba unesibindi?

¹³ Umpostile uPetros wayengumdala owaziwayo kwibandla lamaKristu. Wayesebenze noYesu ngokwakhe, ibe wanikwa iimbopheleleko ezibaluleke kakhulu. (Mat. 16:19) Ngokomzekelo, ngo-36 C.E., waba nenyhweba yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuKorneli nabendlu yakhe. Le nto yayikhethekile kuba uKorneli wayengumntu weentlanga ongalukanga. Xa kwathululwa umoya oyingcwele kuKorneli nakwabendlu yakhe, uPetros wathi: “Ukho na onokuwathintela amanzi ukuze aba bangabhaptizwa abo bamkele umoya oyingcwele kwananjengoko senjenjalo nathi?”—IZe. 10:47.

¹⁴ Ngonyaka ka-49 C.E., abapostile nabadala eYerusalem badibana ukuze baxubushe into yokuba ngaba abantu beentlanga abaguqukele kubuKristu bamele boluke na. Kuloo ntlanganiso uPetros wathetha ngesibindi ekhumbuza abazalwana ukuba kwiminyaka engaphambili abantu beentlanga abangolukanga bathululelwa umoya oyingcwele. Obu bungqina bukaPetros balinceda iqumrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala ekwenzeni isigqibo kulo mba. (IZe. 15:6-11, 13, 14, 28, 29) AmaKristu angamaYuda naweentlanga afanele ukuba ayixabisa into yokuba uPetros evelise ezo zibakala ngesibindi. Amele ukuba ayeyithemba le ndoda inokholo oluqinileyo!—Heb. 13:7.

15. Yeyiphi impazamo eyenziwa nguPetros ngoxa wayeseSiriya Yakwa-Antiyokwe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁵ Kungekudala emva kwaloo ntlanganiso ka-49 C.E., uPetros waya eSiriya Yakwa-Antiyokwe. Ngoxa wayelapho wayebuthelana nabazalwana bezinye iintlanga. Ngokuqinisekileyo bafunda lukhulu kulwazi nakumava akhe. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela abaphoxeka nabothuka ngayo xa uPetros wayeka ngesiquphe ukutya nabo. Namanye amalungu ebandla angamaYuda, kuquka noBharnabhas, alandela lo mzekelo mbi kaPetros. Yintoni eyabangela umdala onamava ngolo hlobo enze impazamo eyayinokuliqhekeza ibandla? Owona mbuzo ubalulekileyo ngulo, yintoni esinokuyifunda kwimpazamo kaPetros  eza kusinceda nathi xa siviswe kabuhlungu yinto ethethwe okanye eyenziwe ngumdala?

16. Walungiswa njani uPetros, ibe kuphakama yiphi imibuzo?

¹⁶ Funda amaGalati 2:11-14. UPetros wayesoyika abantu. (IMize. 29:25) Nangona wayeyazi kakuhle indlela uYehova awujonga ngayo lo mba, uPetros woyika ukuba ayeza kuthini amalungu ebandla laseYerusalem angamaYuda olukileyo. Umpostile uPawulos, owayekho naye kwintlanganiso eyayiseYerusalem ngo-49 C.E., wamphendulisa uPetros eAntiyokwe ngaloo nto waza wamxelela ukuba ungumhanahanisi. (IZe. 15:12; Gal. 2:13) Ayeza kuthini amaKristu ezinye iintlanga awayeye acalulwa nguPetros? Ngaba ayeza kuyeka ukukhonza uThixo? Ngaba uPetros wayeza kuthathelwa amalungelo axabisekileyo awayenawo ngenxa yale mpazamo?

17. UPetros wancedakala njani kukuxolelwa nguYehova?

¹⁷ Kuyabonakala ukuba uPetros wathobeka waza wavuma ukulungiswa nguPawulos. Akukho nto eZibhalweni ebonisa ukuba wathathelwa amalungelo awayewanikiwe. Kunoko, emva koko, waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale iincwadi ezimbini eziseBhayibhileni. Xa ethetha ngoPawulos kwincwadi yakhe yesibini uthi ‘ngumzalwana oyintanda.’ (2 Pet. 3:15) Nangona impazamo kaPetros imele ukuba yawavisa kabuhlungu amalungu ebandla azezinye iintlanga, uYesu, intloko yebandla, yaqhubeka imsebenzisa. (Efe. 1:22) Amalungu ebandla ayenethuba lokumxolela njengoYesu noYise. Siyathemba ukuba akukho mntu owayeka ukukhonza uThixo ngenxa yempazamo yomntu ongafezekanga.

18. Kuxa kutheni apho kusenokufuneka sibonise ukuba indlela efanelekileyo yokugweba siyijonga ngendlela uYehova ayijonga ngayo?

¹⁸ Njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, abadala bebandla abafezekanga nanamhlanje kuba “sonke siyakhubeka [okanye senza iimpazamo] izihlandlo ezininzi.” (Yak. 3:2) Kulula ukutsho, kodwa iba ngumnqantsa xa umzalwana ephazamise thina ngokungafezeki kwakhe. Xa kunjalo, ngaba siza kubonisa ukuba indlela efanelekileyo yokugweba siyijonga ngendlela uYehova ayijonga ngayo? Ngokomzekelo, uza kuthini xa umdala ethetha into ebonisa ukuba unentwana yobuhlanga? Ngaba uza kuyeka ukukhonza uThixo xa umdala ethetha engacinganga into ekucaphukisayo okanye ekuhlabayo? Kunokuba ukhawuleze ugqibe ekubeni akasafaneleki ukuba ngumdala, ngaba uza kulindela uYesu, intloko yebandla ukuba ithini yona? Ngaba uza kuzama ukujonga nezinye izinto ezintle azenzileyo loo mzalwana kuyo yonke iminyaka akhonze ngayo uYehova ngokuthembeka? Xa loo mzalwana ukonileyo eqhubeka engumdala okanye efumana amanye amalungelo angakumbi, ngaba uza kuvuyisana naye? Ukuba uyamxolela, loo nto iya kubonisa ukuba indlela efanelekileyo yokugweba uyijonga ngendlela uYehova ayijonga ngayo.—Funda uMateyu 6:14, 15.

19. Sifanele sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁹ Kwabo bathanda ubulungisa, ingathi ayide ifike imini apho uYehova aya kuphelisa bonke ubunzima obubangelwa yimpatho embi eziswa nguSathana nayile nkqubo yakhe ingendawo. (Isa. 65:17) Okwangoku, ngamana sonke singazimisela ukujonga indlela efanelekileyo yokugweba ngendlela uYehova ayijonga ngayo ngokuthi sithobeke, sivume ukuba asazi yonke into, size sibaxolele abo basonayo.