1, 2. Ukukhathalela intando kaNkulunkulu kungasizuzisa kanjani, futhi yini esingalindela ukuyifunda ngale ndaba eNkosini uDavide?

LAPHO uthatha uhambo, ingabe wake wasebenzisa ibalazwe elikuyi-computer elikunikeza isithombe esithathwe phezulu sendawo oya kuyo? Ukuyibona kahle yonke indawo oya kuyo kungenzeka kwakusiza ukuba ubone indlela engcono kakhulu ongahamba ngayo. Ukusebenzisa isimiso esifanayo kungasisiza lapho senza izinqumo ezibalulekile. Ukubheka izinto ngombono ophakeme woMdali kuyosenza sikwazi ‘ukuhamba endleleni’ uJehova ayivumelayo.—Isaya 30:21.

² Eminyakeni eminingi yokuphila kwakhe, uDavide inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo wabeka isibonelo esivelele sokukhathalela intando kaNkulunkulu. Ake sibukeze izenzakalo ezithile ekuphileni kwakhe ukuze sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda ekuziphatheni kwale ndoda eyakhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo ephelele.—1 AmaKh. 11:4.

3, 4. (a) Yini eyashukumisela uDavide ukuba amukele inselele yokulwa noGoliyati? (b) UDavide wayelibheka kanjani igama likaNkulunkulu?

³ Cabanga ngesikhathi uDavide elwa nengqwele yamaFilisti uGoliyati. Yini eyashukumisela uDavide osemncane ukuba amukele inselele yokulwa nomdondoshiya owawuhlome uzingovolo futhi umude ngamamitha amathathu? (1 Sam. 17:4) Isibindi sakhe? Ukholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu? Zombili lezi zimfanelo zaba nengxenye ebalulekile esenzweni sakhe sobuqhawe. Nokho, inhlonipho ngoJehova nangegama lakhe elikhulu yiyo ngokukhethekile eyashukumisela uDavide ukuba athathe isinyathelo sokulwa nalowo mdondoshiya owesabekayo. Ethukuthele, uDavide wabuza: “Ungubani lo mFilisti ongasokile ukuba aklolodele izinhlu zempi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo?”—1 Sam. 17:26.

⁴ Eqonda ngqo kuGoliyati, uDavide osemncane  wathi: “Wena uza kimi nenkemba nomkhonto nengcula, kodwa mina ngiza kuwe negama likaJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu wezinhlu zempi yakwa-Israyeli, oye wamklolodela.” (1 Sam. 17:45) Ethembele kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uDavide wayilahla phansi ingqwele yamaFilisti ngetshe elilodwa alijikijela ngendwayimane. UDavide akazange athembele kuJehova ngaleso sikhathi kuphela kodwa ekuphileni kwakhe konke futhi walazisa kakhulu igama likaNkulunkulu. Empeleni, uDavide wanxusa ama-Israyeli akubo ukuba ‘aziqhayise ngegama likaJehova elingcwele.’—Funda eyoku-1 IziKronike 16:8-10.

5. Isiphi isimo ongase ubhekane naso esingase sifaniswe nokukloloda kukaGoliyati?

⁵ Uyaziqhenya yini ngokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wakho? (Jer. 9:24) Usabela kanjani lapho omakhelwane, osebenza nabo, ofunda nabo noma izihlobo bekhuluma kabi ngoJehova futhi begcona oFakazi bakhe? Uyalilwela yini igama likaJehova lapho lihlanjalazwa, wethembele ekutheni uyokusekela? Yiqiniso, sikhona “isikhathi sokuthula,” kodwa akumelwe sibe namahloni ngokuba oFakazi BakaJehova nabalandeli bakaJesu. (UmSh. 3:1, 7; Marku 8:38) Nakuba kufanele sibe nesu lokungacunuli futhi sibe nomusa endleleni esisebenzelana ngayo nabantu abangasithandi, masingafani nama-Israyeli ‘ethuka kakhulu futhi esaba kakhulu’ lapho ezwa amazwi kaGoliyati okukloloda. (1 Sam. 17:11) Kunalokho, masingananazi ukuthatha isinyathelo sokungcwelisa igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu. Isifiso sethu ukusiza abantu bamazi kahle uJehova njengoNkulunkulu. Sisebenzisa iZwi laKhe elilotshiwe ukuze sisize abanye ukuba babone ukubaluleka kokusondela kuNkulunkulu.—Jak. 4:8.

6. Yini uDavide ayefuna ukuyifeza ngokulwa noGoliyati, futhi yini okufanele siyikhathalele kakhulu?

⁶ Ukulwa kukaDavide noGoliyati kusifundisa esinye isifundo esibalulekile. Lapho uDavide egijimela ezinhlwini zempi, wabuza: “Kuzokwenziwani kumuntu obulala lowaya mFilisti asuse isihlamba phezu kuka-Israyeli?” Bemphendula, abantu basho lokho ababekushilo ngaphambili: “Umuntu [ozobulala uGoliyati], inkosi izomcebisa ngengcebo enkulu, imnike indodakazi yayo.” (1 Sam. 17:25-27) Kodwa akukhona ukuthola umvuzo wezinto ezibonakalayo uDavide ayekukhathalele kakhulu. Injongo yakhe yayiphakeme kunalokho. Wayefuna ukukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu weqiniso. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 17:46, 47.) Yini thina esiyifunayo? Ingabe sikhathalela ngokuyinhloko ukuzenzela igama ngokuqongelela ingcebo nangokuvelela ezweni? Ngokuqinisekile sifuna ukufana noDavide, owahlabelela: “Dumisani uJehova kanye nami, nina bantu, masiliphakamise kanyekanye igama lakhe.” (IHu. 34:3) Kwangathi singathembela kuNkulunkulu, sikhathalele igama lakhe kuqala kunelethu.—Math. 6:9.

7. Singaluhlakulela kanjani ukholo oluqinile oludingekayo lapho sihlangana nabantu abangasithandi?

⁷ Ukuze uDavide abe nesibindi sokulwa noGoliyati, kwakudingeka athembele ngokuphelele kuJehova. UDavide osemncane wayenokholo oluqinile. Phakathi kokunye, wakha ukholo lwakhe ngokuthembela kuNkulunkulu emsebenzini wakhe njengomalusi. (1 Sam. 17:34-37) Nathi sidinga ukholo oluqinile ukuze siqhubeke enkonzweni yethu, ikakhulukazi lapho sihlangana nabantu abangasithandi. Singahlakulela ukholo olunjalo ngokuthembela kuNkulunkulu emisebenzini yethu yansuku zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, singaqala ingxoxo ngeqiniso leBhayibheli nomuntu esihlezi eceleni kwakhe lapho sisezintweni zokuhamba zomphakathi. Akufanele futhi senqene ukukhuluma nabantu esihlangana nabo emgwaqweni lapho sisenkonzweni yendlu ngendlu.—IzE. 20:20, 21.

8, 9. Ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe neNkosi uSawule, uDavide wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayehlale ecabanga ngentando kaJehova?

⁸ Esinye isibonelo sokuzimisela kukaDavide  ukuthembela kuJehova siphathelene noSawule—inkosi yokuqala yakwa-Israyeli. USawule onomhobholo wazama kathathu ukuhlanganisa uDavide nodonga ngomkhonto, kodwa njalo uDavide wayemane avike, enqabe ukuphindisela. Ekugcineni, wambalekela uSawule. (1 Sam. 18:7-11; 19:10) USawule wabe esethatha amadoda angu-3 000 akhethiwe ku-Israyeli wonke wayofuna uDavide ehlane. (1 Sam. 24:2) Makhathaleni, engazi, uSawule wangena emhumeni okwakukhona kuwo uDavide namadoda akhe. UDavide wayengalisebenzisa leli thuba ukuze aqede ngale nkosi eyayiwusongo kuye. Kwakuvele kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba uDavide abe inkosi yakwa-Israyeli esikhundleni sikaSawule. (1 Sam. 16:1, 13) Empeleni, ukube uDavide wasilalela iseluleko samadoda akhe, ngabe wambulala uSawule. Kodwa uDavide wathi: “Kuyinto engacabangeki, ngami, emehlweni kaJehova, ukuba ngenze le nto enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaJehova.” (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 24:4-7.) USawule wayeseyinkosi egcotshiweyo emiswe uNkulunkulu. UDavide wayengafuni ukuphuca uSawule ubukhosi, njengoba uJehova ayengakamgudluzi. Ngokumane asike umphetho wejazi likaSawule elingenamikhono, uDavide wabonisa ukuthi wayengahlosile ukumlimaza uSawule.—1 Sam. 24:11.

⁹ UDavide waphinde wabonisa ukuthi wayemhlonipha ogcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu lapho ebonana nale nkosi okokugcina. Ngaleso sikhathi, uDavide no-Abhishayi bafika endaweni uSawule ayekanise kuyo futhi bamfica elele. Nakuba u-Abhishayi aphetha ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayenikele lesi sitha sabo esandleni sikaDavide futhi wazicelela ukuba athunge uSawule ngomkhonto amhlanganise nomhlabathi, uDavide akamvumelanga. (1 Sam. 26:8-11) Ngenxa yokuthi uDavide waqhubeka efuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, akazange antengantenge ekuzimiseleni kwakhe ukwenza ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova naphezu kokuncenga kuka-Abhishayi.

10. Isiphi isimo esiyinselele esingase sibhekane naso, futhi yini eyosisiza ukuba sime siqine?

¹⁰ Nathi singase sibhekane nesimo esiyinselele lapho abangane bethu bezama ukusicindezela ukuba silandele ukucabanga kwabo okungaphelele kunokuba basisekele ekwenzeni intando kaJehova. Njengo-Abhishayi, abanye bangasikhuthaza ngisho nokuba sithathe isinyathelo ngaphandle kokucabangela intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nendaba ethile. Ukuze sime siqine, kudingeka sibe nombono ocacile wendlela uJehova ayibheka ngayo indaba futhi sizimisele ukunamathela ezindleleni zakhe.

11. Yini oyifunde kuDavide ngokukhathalela intando kaNkulunkulu kuqala?

 ¹¹ UDavide wathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu: “Ngifundise ukwenza intando yakho.” (Funda iHubo 143:5, 8, 10.) Kunokuncika emicabangweni yakhe siqu noma avumele ukunxenxwa omunye umuntu, uDavide wayelangazelela ukufundiswa uNkulunkulu. ‘Wazindla ngawo wonke umsebenzi kaJehova futhi ngokuzithandela wazigcina ekhathalela umsebenzi wezandla zaKhe.’ Nathi singathola ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu ngokumba sijule emiBhalweni nangokuzindla ngokulandisa okuningi okuseBhayibhelini kokusebenzelana kukaJehova nabantu.

12, 13. Kungani uDavide awathululela emhlabathini amanzi awalethelwa amadoda akhe amathathu?

¹² Ukuqonda kukaDavide izimiso ezaziqukethwe uMthetho nesifiso sakhe sokuphila ngazo nakho kuyinto okufanele siyilingise. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka lapho uDavide ezwakalisa ukunxanela kwakhe ‘ukuphuza amanzi omthombo oseBhetlehema.’ Amadoda kaDavide amathathu afohla angena emzini—ngaleso sikhathi owawudliwe amaFilisti—amlethela lawo manzi. Nokho, “uDavide akavumanga ukuwaphuza, kunalokho wawathululela kuJehova.” Kungani? UDavide wachaza: “Kuyinto engacabangeki, ngokuphathelene noNkulunkulu wami, ukuba ngenze lokhu! Ingabe kufanele ngiphuze igazi lala madoda abeke imiphefumulo yawo engozini? Ngoba awalethé ngokubeka imiphefumulo yawo engozini.”—1 IziKr. 11:15-19.

¹³ UDavide wayazi ukuthi uMthetho wawuthi igazi kwakufanele lithululelwe kuJehova, lingadliwa. Wayeqonda nokuthi kungani kwakufanele kwenziwe lokhu. Wayazi ukuthi “umphefumulo wenyama usegazini.” Kodwa lawa kwakungamanzi nje, kungelona igazi. Pho kungani enqaba ukuwaphuza? Wayeqonda isimiso okwakusekelwe kuso le mfuneko engokomthetho. KuDavide, la manzi ayeyigugu njengegazi lalawo madoda amathathu. Ngenxa yalokho, wayengakucabangi nakukucabanga ukuwaphuza. Kunokuba awaphuze, waphetha ngokuthi kufanele awathululele emhlabathini.—Lev. 17:11; Dut. 12:23, 24.

14. Yini eyasiza uDavide ukuba abe nombono kaJehova ngezinto?

 ¹⁴ UDavide wazama ukuzigcina egxile ngokuphelele ekufundeni umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Wahlabelela: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikujabulele ukwenza intando yakho, nomthetho wakho usezibilinini zami.” (IHu. 40:8) UDavide watadisha umthetho kaNkulunkulu wazindla ngokujulile ngawo. Wathembela ekuhlakanipheni kwemiyalo kaJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, uDavide wayenesifiso sokugcina hhayi nje kuphela lokho okushiwo uMthetho KaMose kodwa nesimiso owawusekelwe kuso. Lapho sitadisha iBhayibheli, kuwukuhlakanipha ukuzindla ngalokho esikufundayo futhi sikugcine ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuze sikwazi ukuthola lokho okujabulisa uJehova endabeni ethile.

15. USolomoni wahluleka ngayiphi indlela ukubonisa inhlonipho ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ UJehova uNkulunkulu wayithanda kakhulu indodana kaDavide uSolomoni. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uSolomoni wahluleka ukubonisa inhlonipho ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Akazange awulalele umyalo kaJehova wokuthi inkosi yakwa-Israyeli akufanele “izandisele abafazi.” (Dut. 17:17) Eqinisweni, uSolomoni washada nabesifazane abaningi bezinye izizwe. Lapho esekhulile, “abafazi bakhe base beyichezukisile inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ilandele abanye onkulunkulu.” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zaziyini izizathu zakhe, “uSolomoni waqala ukwenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, futhi akazange amlandele ngokuphelele uJehova njengoDavide uyise.” (1 AmaKh. 11:1-6) Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba siphile ngokuvumelana nemithetho nezimiso eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu! Ngokwesibonelo, lokhu akuve kubalulekile lapho sicabangela umshado.

16. Ukuqonda isimiso esiqukethwe umyalo wokushada “kuphela eNkosini” kuyobathinta kanjani labo abafisa ukushada?

¹⁶ Uma seshelwa abantu abangebona oFakazi, ingabe indlela esisabela ngayo ibonisa ukuthi sinombono onjengokaDavide noma okaSolomoni? Abakhulekeli beqiniso batshelwa ukuba bashade “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Uma umKristu ekhetha ukushada, kufanele ashade nakholwa naye. Uma sisiqonda isimiso esiqukethwe yile mfuneko engokomBhalo, ngeke nje kuphela sigweme ukushada nomuntu ongakholwa kodwa siyogwema nokukitazwa ukweshelwa umuntu onjalo.

17. Yini engasisiza ukuba sigweme ugibe lwezithombe ezingcolile zobulili?

¹⁷ Cabanga nangendlela isibonelo sikaDavide sokukhuthalela ukufuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu esingasisiza ngayo ukuba simelane nesilingo sokubuka izithombe ezingcolile zobulili. Funda imiBhalo elandelayo, cabanga ngezimiso eziqukethe bese uzama ukuthola ukuthi iyini intando kaJehova kule ndaba. (Funda iHubo 119:37; Mathewu 5:28, 29; Kolose 3:5.) Ukuzindla ngezindinganiso zakhe eziphakeme kusihlomisela ukuba sigweme ugibe lwezithombe ezingcolile zobulili.

18, 19. (a) Nakuba ayengaphelele, uDavide wasizwa yini ukuba aqhubeke amukeleka kuNkulunkulu? (b) Yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Nakuba uDavide ayeyisibonelo ngezindlela eziningi, ngezinye izikhathi wenza izono ezinkulu. (2 Sam. 11:2-4, 14, 15, 22-27; 1 IziKr. 21:1, 7) Nokho, uDavide wayephenduka isikhathi ngasinye ngemva kokona. Wahamba phambi kukaNkulunkulu “ngobuqotho benhliziyo.” (1 AmaKh. 9:4) Sikusho ngani lokhu? Ngoba uDavide wayezama ukwenza ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova.

¹⁹ Naphezu kokungapheleli kwethu, singaqhubeka samukeleka kuJehova. Sinalowo mgomo engqondweni, masitadishe iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo, sizindle ngokujulile ngalokho esikufunda kulo bese singanqikazi ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho esikufaka ezinhliziyweni zethu. Uma senza kanjalo, siyobe sithandaza kuJehova njengomhubi owenza lesi sicelo ngentobeko: “Ngifundise ukwenza intando yakho.”