1, 2. Bukhulu kangakanani ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu futhi iBhayibhili lilugcizelela njani uphawu lolu?

 ABANGANE bayazidlela behlezi phandle futhi bezixoxela behleka ngapha bebuka indawo, bekholisa lokothamela ilanga eselibantubahle. Kwenye indawo, umlimi ukhangele izilimo zakhe eseziswaba futhi uyabobotheka esuthiseka njengoba izulu lithwala futhi liqalisa ukuthonta. Ikanti kwenye indawo, indoda lomkayo bakholisa ukubona umntanabo omncane eqalisa ukucathula.

² Abantu bonke laba bakholisa izinto zonke lezi ngenxa yobuhle bukaJehova uNkulunkulu kungelani lokuthi bayakwazi lokhu loba hatshi. Abantu abasontayo bandise ukuthi “uNkulunkulu muhle bakithi!” Kodwa iBhayibhili lona ligcizelela ukwedlula lapho. Lithi: “Ubuhle bakhe buyamangalisa!” (UZakhariya 9:17) Kodwa kukhanya angani balutshwana lamuhla abantu abakwaziyo sibili ukuthi amazwi la atshoni. Ubuhle bukaJehova uNkulunkulu bugoqelani vele futhi uphawu lolu lusinceda njani?

3, 4. Kuyini ubuhle futhi kungani ubuhle bukaJehova buhamba ndawonye lothando lwakhe?

³ Ibala elithi “ubuhle” lijayelekile ezindimini ezinengi zalamuhla. IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi ubuhle buqakathekile lokuthi ibala leli litsho ukuba lobuntu kanye lesimilo. Konke uJehova akwenzayo kuhle. Zonke impawu zakhe ezigoqela amandla, ukwahlulela ngokulunga kanye lenhlakanipho zilobuhle phakathi. Ubuhle bungachasiswa ngokuthi yikutshengiswa kothando lukaJehova. Kungani sisitsho njalo?

 ⁴ Ubuhle bukhanya kulokho okwenzelwa abanye. Umphostoli uPhawuli watshengisa ukuthi umuntu omuhle ungcono kulomuntu olungileyo. (KwabaseRoma 5:7) Umuntu olungileyo angakhangelelwa ukuthi alandele lokho okufunwa ngumthetho kunjengoba kunjalo, kodwa umuntu omuhle wenza okwedlula lapho. Usukumela phezulu, edinga indlela zokunceda abanye. Njengoba sizabona, yiyo kanye indlela uJehova amuhle ngayo. Kuyacaca ukuthi uthando lukaJehova olungapheliyo yilo oluveza ubuhle obunjalo.

5-7. Kungani uJesu wala ukubizwa ngokuthi “Mfundisi Omuhle” futhi yiliphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo ayeligcizelela ngokutsho njalo?

⁵ UJehova kafanani laloba ngubani ngobuhle bakhe. Kulendoda eyafika kuJesu esezabulawa izombuza umbuzo, yafika yathi, “Mfundisi Omuhle.” UJesu wayiphendula wathi: “Kungani ungibiza ngokuthi ngimuhle? Kakho omuhle ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu kuphela.” (UMakho 10:17, 18) Impendulo le ingakumangalisa. Kungani uJesu wayiqondisa indoda le? Kanti uJesu ‘wayengasoMfundisi Omuhle’ yini?

⁶ Kukhanya angani indoda le yasebenzisa amazwi athi “Mfundisi Omuhle” ifuna ukumkhukhumeza. UJesu wayethobekile ngakho wadumisa uYise osezulwini olobuhle obungeke baqathaniswa. (IZaga 11:2) Kodwa uJesu wayegcizelela lelinye iqiniso eliqakathekileyo. UJehova nguye olelungelo lokusitshela ukuthi kuyini okuhle loba okubi. Ngesikhathi u-Adamu lo-Eva besidla isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi babezama ukuthatha ilungelo leli. Kodwa uJesu kenzanga njengabo ngoba yena watshiyela uYise ukuthi kube nguye otshoyo ukuthi okuhle yikuphi.

⁷ Okunye futhi yikuthi uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi konke okuhle okungelasici kuvela kuJehova. Nguye osinika ‘zonke izipho ezinhle lezipheleleyo.’ (UJakhobe 1:17) Kasihloleni ukuthi ubuhle bukaJehova bukhanya njani ekupheni kwakhe.

8. UJehova utshengise njani ubuhle kubo bonke abantu?

⁸ Akulamuntu owake waphila ongakaze ancedwe yibuhle bukaJehova. IHubo 145:9 lithi: “UJehova ulomusa kubo bonke.”  Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi bokuthi ubuhle bakhe bunceda wonke umuntu? IBhayibhili lithi: “Wafakaza ngokwenza izinto ezinhle, elinika izulu elivela ezulwini kanye lezikhathi zenala, elisuthisa ngokudla njalo egcwalisa izinhliziyo zenu ngentokozo.” (ImiSebenzi 14:17) Siyakukholisa ukudla ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wenza umhlaba ngendlela emangalisayo. Sasingasoze sibe lakho ukudla ngabe uJehova kazange adale umjikelezo wamanzi owenza kube “lezikhathi zenala.” UJehova utshengise bonke abantu ubuhle bakhe hatshi labo abamthandayo kuphela. UJesu wathi: ‘Wenza ukuthi ilanga lakhe liphume kwababi labahle, lezulu line kwabalungileyo labangalunganga.’—UMathewu 5:45.

9. I-apula litshengisa njani ubuhle bukaJehova?

⁹ Abantu abanengi bawuthatha lula umusa omkhulu abawutshengisiweyo ngenxa yokuthi ilanga liqhubeka liphuma, izulu lisina futhi kusiba lezikhathi zenala. Ngokwesibonelo  cabanga nge-apula. Litholakala ezindaweni ezilomumo womkhathi ongatshisiyo futhi ongaqandi kakhulu. Lihle nxa ulikhangele futhi limnandi okumangalisayo. Ubukwazi yini ukuthi emhlabeni wonke kulemihlobo yama-apula engaba ngu-7 500. Kulabomvu, aligolide, alithanga, aluhlaza futhi kawalingani, amanye mancane okokuthi angaba ngangomqokolo kuthi amanye angalingana lama-orenji amakhulu. Nxa uphethe intanga ye-apula ikhanya incane kakhulu kodwa ikhula ibe yinkalakatha yesihlahla esihle. (INgoma Yezingoma 2:3) Minyaka yonke ngesikhathi sentwasa isihlahla se-apula siba lamaluba amahle njalo asiphambanisi ukuthela izithelo ngekwindla. Izihlahla ezinengi zama-apula zithela izithelo okweminyaka engu-75 futhi sinye ngasinye singakhipha  izithelo ezingagcwala amabhokisi angu-20 alesisindo samakhilogremu angu-19 ngomnyaka!

10, 11. Ukwenelisa ukubona, ukuhogela, ukuthinta, ukuzwa kanye lokunambitha kutshengisa njani ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Ubuhle bakhe obungapheliyo benza uJehova asiphe umzimba ‘owenziwe ngendlela emangalisayo’ futhi olemizwa eyenzelwe ukusinceda ukuthi sizwisise imisebenzi yakhe futhi isithokozise. (IHubo 139:14) Cabanga ngezibonelo esixoxe ngazo ekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi. Kuyini okwabonwa ngabantu esikhulume ngabo endimeni yokuqala okwenza bathokoza? Yikubobotheka komntwana othabileyo, ukuna kwezulu, lobuhle besibhakabhaka nxa ilanga litshona. Ilihlo lomuntu lenziwe ngendlela yokuthi lenelise ukubona imibala edlula 300 000! Umuntu uyenelisa ukuzwa ukutshintsha kwelizwi lomuntu amthandayo, ukuvunguza komoya ezihlahleni kanye lokuhleka komntwana omncane. Kuyini okwenza senelise ukubona kanye lokuzwa izinto ezinjalo? IBhayibhili lithi: “Indlebe ezwayo lelihlo elibonayo, konke kwenziwe nguJehova.” (IZaga 20:12) Kuyini okunye esikuphiwe nguJehova okwenza sikholise ukuphila?

¹¹ Umuzwa wokuhogela amaphunga atshiyeneyo lawo utshengisa ubuhle bukaJehova. Amakhala omuntu ayenelisa ukwehlukanisa amaphunga angaba ngu-10 000 atshiyeneyo. Amanye amaphunga angagoqela uqhatshi lokudla okuthandayo, amaluba, amahlamvu awele phansi, intuthu ephuma emlilweni. Umuzwa wokuthinta wenza wenelise ukujabulela ukuphephethwa ngumoya ebusweni, ukugonwa ngumuntu omthandayo kanye lokuzwa ukuthi isithelo sibutshelezi okunganani. Nxa ungafaka ukudla okuthile emlonyeni, uyenelisa ukukunambitha. Emlonyeni wakho kuba lemihlobohlobo yobunandi njengoba ulimi lwakho lunambitha futhi lusehlukanisa amakhemikhali amanenginengi esithelo. Kuliqiniso ukuthi silezizatho ezinengi zokukhuluma ngoJehova sisithi: “Buyamangalisa ubuhle bakho! Kunengi okuhle okugcinele labo abakwesabayo.” (IHubo 31:19) Kodwa uJehova ubagcinele njani ubuhle labo abamesabayo?

12. Kuyini esikunikwa nguJehova okuqakatheke kakhulu futhi asinike khona kusinceda njani?

¹² UJesu wathi: “Kubhaliwe ukuthi: ‘Umuntu akumelanga aphile ngesinkwa sodwa, kodwa langawo wonke amazwi aphuma emlonyeni kaJehova.’” (UMathewu 4:4) ILizwi likaJehova lingcono kulokudla ngoba lona liyasinceda ukuthi sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo. ESahlukweni 8 sebhuku leli, sibonile ukuthi kulezinsuku zokucina uJehova usebenzise amandla akhe ukuze ancedise abantu bakhe ukuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo. Kunengi sibili uJehova asinika khona ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu njalo sibe ngabangane bakhe.

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okwabonwa ngumphrofethi uHezekheli futhi kutshoni kithi? (b) Yiziphi izinto eziqinisa ukholo uJehova azinike izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo?

¹³ Umphrofethi uHezekheli wabona umbono omayelana lokubuyiselwa kokukhonza kweqiniso kanye lokukhazinyuliswa kwethempeli. Embonweni lo wabona isifula esasisuka kulelothempeli. Isifula lesi sasilokhu sisiba banzi saze sacina sesingumfula omkhulu otshonayo. Umfula lo wawuletha izibusiso loba ngaphi lapho owawugelezela khona. Ekhunjini lwawo, kwakulezihlahla ezazithela izithelo njalo zilamahlamvu ayengawokwelapha. Umfula lowo waze waletha lempilo lezilimo oLwandle Olufileyo futhi oluletswayi! (UHezekheli 47:1-12) Kodwa konke lokho kwakusitshoni?

¹⁴ Umbono wethempeli owabonwa nguHezekheli wawusitsho ukuthi uJehova uzabuyisela ukukhonza kweqiniso. Njengoba nje umfula wawuletha izibusiso loba ngaphi lapho ogelezela khona, uNkulunkulu uzaqhubeka esinika ukudla okuqinisa ukholo size siyengena emhlabeni omutsha. Ubelokhu ebabusisa sibili abantu bakhe kusukela ngo-1919. Ubekwenza njani lokhu? Ubebafundisa iqiniso esebenzisa iBhayibhili, amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini, imihlangano emikhulu lemincane. UJehova usebenzise konke lokhu ukuze afundise  abantu ngesipho esedlula zonke. Isipho lesi ngumhlatshelo kaKhristu wenhlawulo owenza bonke abathanda uJehova ngeqiniso njalo abamesabayo babe ngabahlanzekileyo futhi babe lethemba lokuphila okungapheliyo. a Ngakho ezikhathini lezi zokucina abantu bakaJehova bazaqhubeka bethola ukudla okunengi okuqinisa ukholo, ngapha abantu bomhlaba lo belambele iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu.—U-Isaya 65:13.

15. Ubuhle bukaJehova buzakhanya njani ebantwini abathembekileyo ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane?

¹⁵ Kodwa umfula owabonwa nguHezekheli embonweni kawusoze ume ukugeleza ekupheleni komumo lo wezinto. Uzaqhubeka ugeleza kakhulu langesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova uzasebenzisa uMbuso kaMesiya ukuze aqede isono ebantwini abathembekileyo, ngaleyondlela esebenzisa ngokugcweleyo umhlatshelo kaJesu. Ngalesosikhathi sizajabula kakhulu ngobuhle bukaJehova.

16. IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye izimpawu zakhe zobuntu futhi yiziphi ezinye zakhona?

¹⁶ Ubuhle bukaJehova kabugoqeli ukupha kwakhe kuphela. UNkulunkulu watshela uMosi wathi: “Ngizakwenza ukuthi ubuhle bami budlule phambi kobuso bakho njalo ngizamemezela ibizo likaJehova phambi kwakho.” Indaba le iqhubeka isithi: “UJehova wadlula phambi kwakhe ememeza esithi: ‘UJehova, uJehova, uNkulunkulu olozwelo lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela, ogcwele uthando oluqotho kanye leqiniso.’” (U-Eksodusi 33:19; 34:6) Ngakho ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye izimpawu zakhe ezinhle. Ake sixoxe ngezimbili zakhona.

17. Uyini umusa futhi uJehova uwutshengise njani ebantwini abalesono?

 ¹⁷ ‘Umusa.’ Uphawu lolu lusitshela okunengi ngendlela uJehova aphatha ngayo izidalwa zakhe. UJehova ulomusa futhi ulozwelo, kafanani labantu abalezikhundla eziphezulu bona abandise ukungabi lomusa kanye lokuba ngontandokayiphikiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wathi ku-Abrama: “Ngicela uphakamise amehlo akho ulapho omi khona, ukhangele enyakatho laseningizimu, empumalanga lasentshonalanga.” (UGenesisi 13:14) AmaBhayibhili amanengi kawalifaki ibala elithi “ngicela.” Kodwa izikhwicamfundo zeBhayibhili zithi umutsho wesiHebheru ugoqela ibala elitshintsha umutsho lo ukuthi ungabi ngumlayo kodwa ube yisicelo esithobekileyo. Kulezinye futhi izimo ezinjalo. (UGenesisi 31:12; UHezekheli 8:5) Ake ucabange, uMbusi wendawo yonke uthi “ngicela” ebantwini abalesono! Akukujabulisi yini ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ulomusa, kafanani labantu bomhlaba lo abalodlakela lesihluku futhi abangontandokayiphikiswa?

18. Kungani sisithi uJehova ‘ugcwele iqiniso’ njalo kungani amazwi la esinika isibindi?

¹⁸ ‘Ugcwele iqiniso.’ Abantu abanengi emhlabeni lamuhla kabasathembekanga. Kodwa iBhayibhili lisikhumbuza ukuthi “uNkulunkulu kasimuntu ukuthi angaqamba amanga.” (AmaNani 23:19) Yikho loThithusi 1:2 esithi: ‘UNkulunkulu ngeke aqambe amanga.’ Ubuhle bakhe kabumvumeli ukuthi enze njalo. Ngakho izithembiso zikaJehova zithembeke ngokupheleleyo; amazwi akhe ayagcwaliseka ngazo zonke izikhathi. Yikho ebizwa ngokuthi ‘nguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5) Kakhulumi manga loba sekutheni. Kazifihli njalo kancitshani lenhlakanipho yakhe kodwa uyazifundisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo. b Ngokwesibonelo ufundisa abantu  bakhe ukuthi baphile ngeqiniso elivela kuye ukuze ‘baqhubeke behamba eqinisweni.’ (3 UJohane 3) Kodwa ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busithinte njani thina?

19, 20. (a) Kuyini uSathane akwenzayo ukuze u-Eva athandabuze ubuhle bukaJehova njalo kwaba lempumela bani? (b) Ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busenze sizizwe njani, futhi kungani kumele kube njalo?

¹⁹ USathane wenza ukuthi u-Eva athandabuze ubuhle bukaJehova ngesikhathi emlinga esivandeni sase-Edeni. UJehova wayetshele u-Adamu wathi: “Ungadla zonke izithelo zezihlahla ezisensimini uze usuthe.” UJehova wayethe bangadli isihlahla esisodwa zwi phakathi kwezazingadlula izinkulungwane ezazisesivandeni. Kodwa nanzelela indlela uSathane abuza ngayo u-Eva umbuzo wokuqala: “Kuliqiniso yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthe lingadli zonke izihlahla ezisensimini?” (UGenesisi 2:9, 16; 3:1) USathane watshila amazwi kaJehova esenzela ukuthi u-Eva acabange ukuthi uJehova wayebancitsha okuthile okuhle. Kuyadanisa ukuthi waphumelela. U-Eva waqalisa ukuthandabuza ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu owayemnike konke ayelakho njalo abantu abanengi benza njengaye.

²⁰ Siyakwazi ukuthi ukuthandabuza okunjalo kwenza kwaba losizi kanye lokuhlupheka okukhulu. Ngakho asicabangisiseni ngamazwi akuJeremiya 31:12 athi: ‘Bazajabula ngenxa yezinto ezinhle ezivela kuJehova.’ Ubuhle bukaJehova kumele busenze sigcwale intokozo. UNkulunkulu ugcwele ubuhle, ngakho akulasikhathi lapho okumele sicabange ukuthi wenza izinto elenhloso ezimbi. Singamthemba ngokupheleleyo ngoba ufuna labo abamthandayo bathole okuhle kakhulu.

21, 22. (a) Yiziphi ezinye indlela ofisa ukutshengisa ngazo ukuthi uyabonga ngobuhle bukaJehova? (b) Yiluphi uphawu lukaJehova esizaxoxa ngalo esahlukweni esilandelayo futhi lutshiyene njani lobuhle?

²¹ Okunye okusithokozisa kakhulu yikuba lethuba lokutshela  abanye ngobuhle bukaNkulunkulu. Mayelana lezinceku zikaJehova, iHubo 145:7 lithi: “Kazisoze ziwuvale umlomo nxa zikhumbula ubuhle bakho obumangalisayo.” Ubuhle bukaJehova buyasinceda nsuku zonke ekuphileni kwethu. Kungani ungazijayezi ukubonga uJehova nsuku zonke ngobuhle bakhe, ukubeke kucace ukuthi ubongani. Ukucabanga ngobuhle bukaJehova kuzakwenza umbonge nsuku zonke njalo uqakathekise lesibusiso akuphe sona sokutshela abanye ngaye. Ukwenza njalo kuzasinceda ukuthi simlingisele uNkulunkulu wethu omuhle. Nxa lathi singadinga izindlela zokwenza okuhle njengoJehova, sizasondela kakhulu kuye. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Mngane wami othandekayo, ungalingiseli okubi kodwa lingisela okuhle. Owenza okuhle uvela kuNkulunkulu kodwa lowo owenza okubi kakamboni uNkulunkulu.”—3 UJohane 11.

²² Ubuhle bukaJehova buhambisana lezinye impawu zakhe ezinhle. Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu ‘ugcwele uthando oluqotho.’ (U-Eksodusi 34:6) Uphawu lolu lutshiyene lobuhle ngoba lona kalusizi uwonkewonke, kodwa uJehova ulutshengisa izinceku zakhe. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizafunda okunengi ngokuthi ukwenza njani lokhu.