1, 2. (a) Umama ujayele ukwenzani nxa usane lwakhe lungakhala ebusuku? (b) Ngubani olozwelo olukhulu kulolwethu?

 USANE luyakhala phakathi kobusuku. Umama uhle avuke masinyane. Selokhu wabelethayo kabuquthi ubuthongo. Usefunde ukwehlukanisa lokho okuyabe kukhalelwa lusane lwakhe. Ngakho usekwazi nxa usane lwakhe lukhalela ukumunyiswa, ukuphathwa, kumbe ukutshintshwa isitshubo. Umama uyavuka kuphela kungelandaba ukuthi usane lukhalelani. Inhliziyo yakhe kayimvumeli ukuthi angabi lendaba lokufunwa lusane lwakhe.

² Okwenza umama abe lozwelo ngosane lwakhe yikuthi abantu badalwe belalo uphawu lolu. Kodwa uzwelo lukaJehova uNkulunkulu lona ludlula khatshana olwethu abantu. Ukucabangisisa ngophawu lolu kuzasinceda ukuthi sisondele kakhulu kuJehova. Ngakho okwakhathesi asixoxeni ngokuthi uzwelo kuyini lokuthi uNkulunkulu ulutshengisa njani.

3. Litshoni ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuba lomusa” kumbe “ukuba lozwelo”?

³ EBhayibhilini uzwelo lomusa kuyahambelana. Kulamabala amanengana esiHebheru lawesiGrikhi alomqondo wokuba lozwelo. Ngokwesibonelo, kulebala lesiHebheru elithi ra·chamʹ, elandise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukuba lomusa” kumbe “ukuba lozwelo.” Elinye ibhuku lithi ibala leli “litsho indlela esizwa ngayo nxa singabona umuntu esimthandayo ethwele nzima edinga uncedo lwethu.” UJehova uyalisebenzisa ibala leli nxa  ekhuluma ngaye ngokwakhe futhi lihambelana lelithi “isibeletho” elingachasiswa ngokuthi “uzwelo lukamama.” a—U-Eksodusi 33:19; UJeremiya 33:26.

4, 5. IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova ulozwelo olukhulu?

⁴ IBhayibhili lisinceda sizwisise uzwelo lukaJehova ngokusebenzisa umzekeliso kamama onakekela umntanakhe. U-Isaya 49:15 uthi: “Kambe owesifazana angamkhohlwa yini umntanakhe omunyayo? Angayekela yini ukuyizwela indodana ayithwala ngesisu sakhe? Lanxa owesifazana engakhohlwa, mina kangisoze ngalikhohlwa loba sekutheni.” Umzekeliso lo othinta inhliziyo utshengisa ukujula kozwelo lukaJehova ebantwini bakhe. Njani?

⁵ Kunzima ukucabanga ukuthi umama angakhohlwa ukumunyisa kumbe ukunakekela usane lwakhe. Ngoba phela usane ludinga ukuthandwa lokunakekelwa ngunina ubusuku lemini. Kodwa kuyadanisa ukuthi abanye omama abalandaba labantwababo, ikakhulu ‘kulezinsuku zokucina’ ezilabantu ‘abangelathando.’ (2 KuThimothi 3:1, 3) Kodwa uJehova uthi ‘kasoze asikhohlwe loba sekutheni.’ Uzwelo alalo ngezinceku zakhe kalupheli. Lulamandla ukwedlula uzwelo umama angaba lalo ngosane lwakhe. Eyinye indoda yathi ikhuluma ngo-Isaya 49:15 yathi: “La ngamazwi atshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulothando olukhulu. Akula eyinye ivesi eMibhalweni yesiHebheru eluveza ngalindlela uthando lukaNkulunkulu.”

6. Abantu abanengi abalesono bacabanga ukuthi uzwelo kuyini, kodwa kuyini uJehova asiqinisekisa ngakho?

⁶ Ukuba lozwelo kutshengisa ukuthi umuntu ubuthakathaka yini? Abantu abanengi bacabanga njalo.  Ngokwesibonelo, esinye isikhwicamfundo seRoma okuthiwa nguSeneca esaphila ngesikhathi sikaJesu sathi “ukuba lozwelo yikuba buthakathaka engqondweni.” USeneca wayesekela imfundiso yamaStoic eyayisithi umuntu kumele abekezelele inhlupho engatshengiseli. Wayekholwa ukuthi umuntu ohlakaniphileyo angabancedisa sibili abanye kodwa akumelanga abazwele ngoba lokho kungamenza angabi lokuthula. Umuntu onjalo uzicabanga yena kuphela futhi kunzima ukuthi abe lozwelo. Kodwa uJehova kanjalo! Uyasiqinisekisa eLizwini lakhe ukuthi “ulozwelo olukhulu futhi ulesihawu.” (UJakhobe 5:11) Njengoba sizabona, ukuba lozwelo akutsho ukuba buthakathaka kodwa kutshengisa ukuthi umuntu ulesibindi. Kasihloleni ukuthi uJehova ulutshengisa njani uphawu lolu njengoba engumzali osithandayo.

7, 8. Ama-Israyeli ahlupheka njani eGibhithe futhi uJehova wenzani ngakho?

⁷ Uzwelo lukaJehova lukhanya ngokucacileyo endleleni aphatha ngayo isizwe sako-Israyeli. Ngemva kokufa kukaJosefa, ama-Israyeli aqalisa ukuphathwa njengezigqili eGibhithe futhi ayecindezelwa kabuhlungu. AmaGibhithe “enza impilo yabo yaba buhlungu ngokubanika imisebenzi enzima. Babevoxa udaka betshaya izitina njalo babesetshenziswa njengezigqili.” (U-Eksodusi 1:11, 14) Ngenxa yalobo bunzima, ama-Israyeli akhala kuJehova ecela uncedo. UNkulunkulu olozwelo wenzani?

⁸ UJehova wezwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni. Wathi: “Sengikubonile sibili ukuhlupheka kwabantu bami eGibhithe njalo sengikuzwile ukukhala kwabo ngenxa yalabo  ababasebenzisa ngenkani. Ngibazi mhlophe ubuhlungu ababuzwayo.” (U-Eksodusi 3:7) UJehova wayebazwela lapho ebabona bekhala ngenxa yokuhlupheka kwabo. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 24 sebhuku leli, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyabuzwa ubuhlungu esibuzwayo. Kazange acine ngokubazwela kuphela abako-Israyeli kodwa wabancedisa. U-Isaya 63:9 uthi: “Wabahlenga ngenxa yothando lwakhe lozwelo lwakhe.” Wabakhulula eGibhithe ‘ngesandla esilamandla.’ (UDutheronomi 4:34) Ngemva kwalokho wabanika ukudla ngendlela eyisimangaliso njalo wabakhokhela baze bayafika elizweni ayebathembise lona.

9, 10. (a) Kuyini okwakusenza uJehova akhulule abako-Israyeli kanenginengi? (b) Ensukwini zikaJeftha, uJehova wakhulula abako-Israyeli kukuphi ukucindezelwa futhi kuyini okwamenza wenza njalo?

⁹ UJehova kazange acine khonapho ukuba lozwelo kwabako-Israyeli. Ngesikhathi abako-Israyeli sebehlala eLizweni Lesithembiso, babelokhu besenza izinto ezimbi futhi lokho kwabenza bahlupheka. Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi babezitshiya izenzo lezo ezimbi besebecela uncedo kuJehova. Wayebakhulula kanenginengi ‘ngoba wayebazwela abantu bakhe.”—2 ImiLando 36:15; ABahluleli 2:11-16.

¹⁰ Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngensuku zikaJeftha. Abako-Israyeli basebekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga yikho uJehova wavumela ukuthi bacindezelwe ngama-Amoni okweminyaka engu-18. Ngokuya kwesikhathi baphenduka. IBhayibhili lithi: “Basusa onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe phakathi kwabo basebekhonza uJehova. Lokhu kwenza wehluleka ukubekezelela ukuhlupheka kwama-Israyeli.” (ABahluleli 10:6-16) Babesithi bangaphenduka ezonweni zabo, uJehova wayebazwela ngenxa  yobunzima ababekubo. Ngakho wanika uJefitha amandla okukhulula abako-Israyeli ezitheni zabo.—ABahluleli 11:30-33.

11. Sifundani ngozwelo endleleni uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli?

¹¹ Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo isizwe sako-Israyeli isifundisani ngokuba lozwelo? Okunye esikufundayo yikuthi ukuba lozwelo akupheleli ekuzweleni abantu abahluphekayo nje kuphela. Khumbula isibonelo sikamama olozwelo. Nxa angezwa usane lwakhe lukhala uyathatha inyathelo enze okuthile. UJehova laye wenza okuthile nxa abantu bakhe bekhala. Uzwelo lwakhe lumenza abancedise ebunzimeni abakubo. Okunye esikufunda endleleni uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli yikuthi ukuba lozwelo akutsho ukuba buthakathaka ngoba uphawu lolu lwenza uJehova wathatha inyathelo lokulwela abantu bakhe. Kodwa uJehova uba lozwelo ezincekwini zakhe ziliqembu kuphela yini?

12. UMthetho wawusitshengisa njani isihawu sikaJehova emuntwini ngamunye?

¹² UMthetho uNkulunkulu awunika isizwe sako-Israyeli wawutshengisa ukuthi ulozwelo emuntwini ngamunye. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela ayenakekela ngayo abayanga. UJehova wayekwazi ukuthi zikhona izimo ezazingenza um-Israyeli acine esengumyanga. Kwakumele baphathwe njani abayanga? UJehova walaya ama-Israyeli wathi: “Ungenzi inhliziyo yakho ibe lukhuni kumbe ube ngoncitshanayo kumfowenu ongumyanga. Ungamniki ukhonona enhliziyweni yakho kodwa kumele umnike ngomusa ngoba lokho kuzakwenza uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho abusise yonke imisebenzi yakho kanye lakho konke okwenzayo.” (UDutheronomi 15:7,10) UJehova  waphinda watshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi angavuni emaphethelweni amasimu awo kumbe adobhe okuseleyo ukuze kudojwe ngabayanga. (ULevi 23:22; URuthe 2:2-7) Nxa abako-Israyeli babewulandela umlayo lo, sasingasoze sibekhona isidingo sokuthi abayanga bako-Israyeli bahambe becela ukudla. Umlayo lo wawutshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulozwelo sibili.

13, 14. (a) Amazwi kaDavida asiqinisekisa njani ukuthi uJehova ukhathalela ngamunye wethu? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova useduze lalabo “abalenhliziyo ezidabukileyo” kumbe “abadanileyo”?

¹³ Lasesikhathini esiphila kuso, uNkulunkulu wethu olothando ukhathalela ngamunye wethu. Singaba leqiniso lokuthi uyazibona zonke inhlupho esilazo ngoba umhubi uDavida wabhala wathi: “Amehlo kaJehova akhangele abalungileyo, lendlebe zakhe ziyezwa ukukhala kwabo becela uncedo. UJehova useduze lalabo abalenhliziyo ezidabukileyo, uyabasiza abadanileyo.” (IHubo 34:15, 18) Omunye ohlolisisa iBhayibhili wakhuluma ngabantu abatshiwo emavesini la wathi: ‘Ngabalezinhliziyo ezidatshulwe yisazela, ukuzikhangelela phansi, lokuzibona bengelancedo ngenxa yezono abake bazenza.’ Abanjalo bangabona angani uJehova ukhatshana labo lokuthi abasilutho kuye ngakho ngeke abe lendaba labo. Kodwa akunjalo. Amazwi kaDavida asenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova ngeke abatshiye abantu abanjalo. UNkulunkulu wethu olozwelo uyakwazi ukuthi simdinga kakhulu ngezikhathi ezinjalo yikho uba seduze lathi.

¹⁴ Cabanga ngokwake kwenzakala. Umama othile ohlala e-United States wagijimisela umntanakhe oleminyaka emibili esibhedlela ngoba wayevaleka, ebulawa yisifuba. Ngemva kokumhlola, amadokotela atshela umama lo ukuthi ayezalalisa umntanakhe okwelanga elilodwa.  Umama lo walala ngaphi mhlalokho? Walala esibhedlela esitulweni esasiseduze lombheda womntanakhe! Njengoba umntanakhe wayegula, wayefuna ukuba seduze laye. Lathi singakhangelela ukuthi uBaba wethu olothando enze okwedlula lokho ngoba senziwe ngomfanekiso wakhe. (UGenesisi 1:26) Amazwi aduduzayo akuHubo 34:18 asitshela ukuthi uJehova uba ‘seduze’ lathi nxa ‘inhliziyo zethu zidabukile’ kumbe nxa ‘sidanile.’ Uhlala elesihawu futhi elungele ukusinceda.

15. UJehova uncedisa njani ngamunye wethu?

¹⁵ UJehova uncedisa njani ngamunye wethu? Kazikhiphi izinto ezibangela ukuhlupheka, kodwa usincedisa ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo nxa sicela usizo kuye. Usincedisa esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili elilezeluleko ezisincedayo empilweni. UJehova usinike lababonisi abafaneleyo ebandleni, abalozwelo nxa benceda abakhonza labo. (UJakhobe 5:14, 15) Uphinda asiphe ‘umoya wakhe ongcwele nxa siwucela kuye’. (IHubo 65:2; ULukha 11:13) Umoya lo usinika “amandla amakhulu futhi angajayelekanga” asinceda ukuthi sibekezele kuze kube yisikhathi lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ususa zonke inhlupho. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:7) Kumele simbonge sibili uJehova ngokusincedisa ngezindlela lezi. Kuyazikhanyela sibili ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olozwelo olukhulu.

16. Yisiphi isibonelo esikhulu esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulozwelo njalo inhlawulo inceda bani?

¹⁶ Indlela enkulu uJehova atshengisa ngayo ukuthi ulozwelo yikunikela ngeNdodana yakhe eligugu ukuthi ihlawulele izono zethu. UJehova wenza umhlatshelo lo ukuze sithole insindiso. Inhlawulo kaJesu inceda umuntu ngamunye. UZakhariya uyise kaJohane uMbhabhathizi wathi ekhuluma ngenhlawulo le wathi ‘uNkulunkulu ulozwelo olukhulu.’—ULukha 1:78.

17-19. (a) IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi uzwelo lukaJehova lulalapho olucina khona? (b) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uJehova angasabazweli abantu bakhe?

¹⁷ Akumelanga sicabange ukuthi uzwelo lukaJehova luhlala lukhona loba sekutheni. IBhayibhili litshengisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi uJehova kabi lozwelo ebantwini abenza izinto ezimbi ngabomo. (KumaHebheru 10:28) Ukuze sibone ukuthi kungani esenza njalo, ake sixoxe ngesibonelo sabantu bako-Israyeli.

¹⁸ Lanxa uJehova wabakhulula kanenginengi ezitheni zabo, uzwelo lwakhe lwacina lufike ekucineni. Basebekhonza izithombe, sebeze behamba lazo khona kanye ethempelini likaJehova! (UHezekheli 5:11; 8:17, 18) IBhayibhili lithi: “Babezihleka izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso, beseyisa amazwi azo njalo bechothoza labaphrofethi bakhe. Ulaka lukaJehova lwacina lusehlela phezu kwabantu bakhe baze basala bengasancediseki.” (2 ImiLando 36:16) Abako-Israyeli basebexhwale kakhulu okokuthi kwakungasavumi ukuthi uJehova aqhubeke ebazwela. Ababekwenza kwamzondisa sibili uJehova.

¹⁹ Wayengaselaso isizatho sokubazwela abantu bakhe. Wathi: “Angisoze ngibe lesihawu loba ngibazwele kumbe ngibe lomusa kubo. Akulanto ezangivimba ukuthi ngibatshabalalise.” (UJeremiya 13:14) Ngakho iJerusalema yabhujiswa lethempeli layo, abako-Israyeli bathunjwa ngabaseBhabhiloni. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi kuba lempumela emibi sibili nxa abantu abalesono behlamuka futhi besenza ukuthi uzwelo lukaNkulunkulu lufike ekucineni!—IZililo 2:21.

20, 21. (a) Kuyini okuzakwenzakala nxa uzwelo lukaNkulunkulu solufike ekucineni? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ UJehova kakatshintshi. Uzwelo lwakhe lumenze wathuma oFakazi bakhe ukuthi batshumayele ‘izindaba ezinhle  zoMbuso’ kubo bonke abantu. (UMathewu 24:14) Nxa abantu abalenhliziyo eziqotho belalela, uJehova uyabancedisa ukuthi bawuzwisise umlayezo woMbuso. (ImiSebenzi 16:14) Kodwa umsebenzi lo awusoze uhlale ukhona kuze kube nini lanini. Phela uyabe engaselazwelo uJehova nxa angayekela umhlaba lo omubi ulokhu ukhona kuze kube nini lanini. Nxa uzwelo lukaNkulunkulu solufike ekucineni, uzawubhubhisa umhlaba lo. Lakhonapho okuzamenza enze njalo yisihawu ‘ngebizo lakhe elingcwele’ langezinceku zakhe ezizinikeleyo kuye. (UHezekheli 36:20-23) UJehova uzasusa ububi abesetshintsha umhlaba lo ube mutsha. Ngokuphathelane labantu ababi, uJehova uthi: “Angisoze ngibazwele futhi angisoze ngibe lesihawu kubo. Ngizabehlisela okufanele izenzo zabo.”—UHezekheli 9:10.

²¹ Kuze kube yilesosikhathi, uJehova uzaqhubeka ebazwela abantu, ngitsho lalabo abazabhujiswa. Enye indlela etshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulozwelo olukhulu yikuthi uzimisele ukusithethelela nxa siphenduka ezonweni zethu. Esahlukweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngemizekeliso emihle eseBhayibhilini eveza ukuthi uJehova uthethelela ngokupheleleyo.