1, 2. (a) Kwenzakalani kuNabothi? (b) Izibonelo ezimbili esizaxoxa ngazo sizasinceda ngani?

AMADODA amabili ayasukuma phambi kwenkundla abeseqalisa ukufakaza amanga esithi indoda ethile ithethise uNkulunkulu lenkosi. Ngemva kwalokhu abantu bayayisukela indoda leyo bayikhande ngamatshe ize ife. Izihlobo labangane bayo kanye labanye basala betshe amathe bezibuza ukuthi ifeleni indoda le kanye lamadodana ayo. Indaba le kayisiyo nganekwane, yenzakala endulo kwenye inceku kaJehova okuthiwa nguNabothi eyaphila ngesikhathi kubusa iNkosi u-Ahabi ko-Israyeli.—1 AmaKho. 21:11-13; 2 AmaKho. 9:26.

² Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngendaba kaNabothi langalokho okwenziwa ngumphostoli uPhetro ngesikhathi ese-Antiyokhi. Izibonelo lezi ezimbili zizasinceda sibone ukuthi ukuthobeka lokuthethelela kuqakatheke kangakanani nxa sifuna ukulingisela indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo abanye.

3, 4. UNabothi wayeyindoda enjani futhi kungani wala ukuthengisela u-Ahabi isivini sakhe?

³ UNabothi wayeqotho kuJehova lanxa abantu abanengi ko-Israyeli basebephambukile belandela izinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa yiNkosi u-Ahabi lomkakhe uJezebeli. U-Ahabi loJezebeli babengamhloniphi uJehova futhi bengelandaba lemithetho yakhe ngenxa yokuthi babekhonza uBhali. Kodwa uNabothi wayemthanda kakhulu uJehova.

⁴ Bala u-1 AmaKhosi 21:1-3. UNabothi wala ngesikhathi u-Ahabi emcela ukuthi amthengisele isivini sakhe loba ukuthi antshintshane laye amnike esinye esingcono. Wamtshela wathi: “UJehova kangavumi ukuba ngikunike ilifa labobaba.” Okwenziwa nguNabothi kwakuqondile sibili ngoba uMthetho kaMosi wawungavumi ukuthi umuntu athengisele omunye ilifa laboyise ukuze libe ngelakhe kokuphela. (Levi. 25:23; Nani. 36:7) Siyabona-ke ukuthi uNabothi wayelandela lokho okwakufunwa nguJehova.

5. UJezebeli wenzani ukuze yena lomkakhe bathole isivini sikaNabothi?

⁵ U-Ahabi lomkakhe bamenza ulunya uNabothi ngokwala kwakhe ukubathengisela isivini. Ngakho ukuze basithole lesosivini uJezebeli wabumba icebo lokuthi amadoda athile ayefakaza amanga ngoNabothi okwabangela ukuthi yena lamadodana akhe bacine bebulewe. UJehova wathini ngesenzo lesi esibi kangaka?

6, 7. UJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uthanda ukulunga njalo akwenzayo kwabaphatha njani abangane lezihlobo zikaNabothi?

⁶ Ngesikhatshana nje uJehova wathuma u-Elija ukuthi ahle alande u-Ahabi. U-Elija kazange atshone emkhekheleza kodwa wamtshela ukuthi ulisela futhi ungumbulali. Waphinda wamtshela lesahlulelo esasivela kuJehova ukuthi yena lomkakhe labantwababo babezakwehlelwa yilokho ababekwenze kuNabothi lamadodana akhe.—1 AmaKho. 21:17-25.

⁷ Izihlobo labangane bakaNabothi bezwa ubuhlungu sibili ngalokho okwenziwa ngu-Ahabi. Kodwa kumele ukuthi kwabaduduza kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova wayekubonile okwakwenzakele wasesenza okuthile ngakho. Loba kunjalo kukhona okunye okwenzakalayo okungabe kwabatshiya bemangele. Babezazithoba yini kuJehova bamukele isinqumo sakhe?

8. U-Ahabi wenzani lapho esizwa amazwi avela kuJehova njalo kwaphetha ngani?

⁸ U-Ahabi wathi esizwa amazwi avela kuJehova “wadabula izigqoko zakhe, wembatha amasaka wazila. Walala embethe amasaka wahamba ngokuthobeka.” Wazisola ngalokho ayekwenzile. Ngemva kwalokho uJehova waphinda wathuma u-Elija ku-Ahabi ukuthi ayemtshela ukuthi ukubhujiswa okwakuphrofethiwe kwakungasoze kwenzakale esaphila. (1 AmaKho. 21:27-29) UJehova wamtshengisa isihawu u-Ahabi ngenxa yokuthi yena uhlola inhliziyo.—Zaga. 17:3.

9. Ukuthobeka kwakuzabasiza njani abangakibo kaNabothi labangane bakhe?

⁹ Kumele ukuthi isinqumo lesi kasibaphathanga kuhle abangakibo kaNabothi labangane bakhe kanye labo bonke ababeyazi indaba le. Manje kuyini okwakuzabanceda esimeni esinjalo? Yikuthobeka. Phela nxa bethobekile babezaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova njalo babe lethemba lokuthi kasoze loba  nini enze into engalunganga. (Bala uDutheronomi 32:3, 4.) Ngesikhathi esizayo uJehova uzaphinda ayilungise ngokugcweleyo indaba le ngokuvusa uNabothi labantwabakhe. Ngalesosikhathi abangane bakhe lezihlobo bazathokoza kakhulu. (Jobe. 14:14, 15; Joh. 5:28, 29) Umuntu othobekileyo uyananzelela lokuthi “uNkulunkulu uzazahlulela zonke izenzo, lalokho okufihliweyo loba kukuhle loba kukubi.” (UmTshu. 12:14) Siyabona-ke ukuthi nxa uNkulunkulu esahlulela ukhangela lezinto thina esingaziboniyo. Yikho ukuthobeka kuyasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sibambelele kuJehova.

10, 11. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezingabangela ukuthi sisole indlela uJehova enza ngayo izinto? (b) Ukuthobeka kungasinceda njani ezimeni ezinjalo?

¹⁰ Uzakwenzani nxa abadala ebandleni bangenza isinqumo ongasizwisisiyo loba ongavumelani laso? Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzakala ukuthi wena loba omunye umuntu omjayeleyo athathelwe umsebenzi awenzayo ebandleni. Kungenzakala lokuthi umkakho, umntanakho loba umngane wakho asuswe. Mhlawumbe kulothile ebandleni owenze isono futhi ubucabanga ukuthi kumele asuswe kodwa abadala besebesenza isinqumo obungasikhangelelanga. Uzakwenzani  ezimeni ezinjalo? Uzasekela isinqumo esiyabe sithethwe ngabadala yini? Izimo ezinjalo zingabangela ukuthi sisole indlela uJehova enza ngayo izinto futhi singabathembi abakhokhelayo ebandleni. Ukuthobeka kungakunceda njani nxa sekunjalo?

¹¹ Okokuqala ukuthobeka kuzakunceda ukuthi uvume ukuthi kawukwazi konke okungabe kwenzakele. Ikanti lanxa ungabe ukwazi, khumbula ukuthi nguJehova kuphela obona okusenhliziyweni yomuntu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ukucabangisisa ngalokhu kuzakwenza ubone ukuthi kulalapho ophelela khona lokuthi untshintshe umbono wakho ngaleyondaba. Okwesibili ukuthobeka kuzakusiza ukuthi ubekezele njalo ulindele ukuthi uJehova alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kuzabalungela labo abamesabayo uNkulunkulu . . . , kodwa ababi kakuyikubalungela; futhi kabayikuhlala insuku ezinengi.” (UmTshu. 8:12, 13, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi ukuthobeka kuyanceda kakhulu.—Bala u-1 Phetro 5:5.

12. Yiphi indaba esizaxoxa ngayo njalo kuzasinceda ngani ukuyihlola?

¹² Abazalwane base-Antiyokhi bahlangana lesimo esasingabangela ukuthi kube nzima ukuzithoba kuJehova kanye lokuthethelela abanye. Ukuhlola indaba yabo kuzasinceda sibone ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthethelela abanye njalo kuzasenza sizwisise ukuthi ukuthethelela kungenelana njani lokulunga kukaJehova.

13, 14. Yiphi imisebenzi eyayisenziwa ngumphostoli uPhetro njalo watshengisa njani ukuthi ulesibindi?

¹³ Umphostoli uPhetro wayengumdala owayesaziwa kakhulu ebandleni lobuKhristu. Wayengomunye wabaphostoli bakaJesu njalo wayephathiswe imisebenzi eqakathekileyo. (Mat. 16:19) Ngokwesibonelo ngo-36 C.E, * uPhetro wathunywa ukuthi ayetshumayeza uKhoneliya lemuli yakhe labangane abaseduze. Lokhu kwakumangalisa sibili ngoba uKhoneliya wayengumuntu weZizwe ongasokanga. Ngalesosikhathi umoya ongcwele wehlela kuKhoneliya labo bonke ababesemzini wakhe, uPhetro wasesithi: “Kambe ukhona yini umuntu ongalela abantu laba ukuba babhaphathizwe ngamanzi na? Sebemukele umoya ongcwele njengathi.”—ImiSeb. 10:47.

¹⁴ Ngo-49 C.E., abaphostoli lamadoda amadala bahlangana ukuze benze isinqumo mayelana lokuthi abeZizwe abangamaKhristu kumele basokwe yini. Kulowomhlangano uPhetro wakhumbuza abazalwane ukuthi eminyakeni eyayisanda kwedlula wayezibonele ngawakhe abeZizwe benikwa isipho somoya ongcwele lanxa babengasokanga. Lokhu kwanceda abazalwane abakhokhelayo ngalesosikhathi ukuthi benze isinqumo esihle ngendaba le. (ImiSeb. 15:6-11, 13, 14, 28, 29) Kumele ukuthi kwabathokozisa kakhulu abazalwane abangamaJuda kanye labeZizwe ukuthi uPhetro waba lesibindi sokufakaza lokho ayekubonile. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abazalwane labo basebemthemba kakhulu uPhetro.—Heb. 13:7.

15. Yiliphi iphutha elenziwa nguPhetro ngesikhathi ese-Antiyokhi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹⁵ Umhlangano lo usanda kwedlula uPhetro wavakatshela e-Antiyokhi. Esekhonale wafika wabaphatha kuhle kakhulu abazalwane beZizwe njalo labo bafunda okunengi  kuye. Kodwa kuyamangalisa ukuthi uPhetro waqalisa ukubaninela khatshana abazalwane beZizwe. Lokhu kungabe kwabadanisa kakhulu futhi kwabazwisa ubuhlungu. Abanye abazalwane abangamaJuda okugoqela loBhanaba baqalisa ukulandela uPhetro. Kodwa kuyini okwabangela ukuthi uPhetro enze iphutha eliyingozi kangaka elalingenza ukuthi ibandla lidabukane phakathi? Indaba le ingakunceda njani ikakhulu nxa umdala ebandleni angakhuluma loba enze okuthile okukuzwisa ubuhlungu?

16. Waqondiswa njani uPhetro ngobuzenzisi bakhe njalo yiphi imibuzo eba khona?

¹⁶ Bala uGalathiya 2:11-14. Ukwesaba abantu yikho okwabangela ukuthi uPhetro enze iphutha. (Zaga. 29:25) Wesaba amaJuda ayesokile lanxa wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna abeZizwe baphathwe njani. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi efika e-Antiyokhi wamlanda uPhetro wamkhuza ngobuzenzisi ayebenza. (ImiSeb. 15:12; Gal. 2:13) Pho babezakwenzani abeZizwe ababephathwe kubi nguPhetro? Babezatshiya ukukhonza uJehova yini? UPhetro wayezathathelwa imisebenzi ayeyiphathisiwe yini?

17. Ukuthethelela kukaJehova kwamnceda njani uPhetro?

¹⁷ Kukhanya uPhetro wasamukela iseluleko asiphiwa nguPhawuli njalo iMibhalo kayisitsheli lutho ngokuthi wathathelwa imisebenzi ayeyenza ebandleni. Esikwaziyo yikuthi ngokuya kwesikhathi waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale izincwadi ezimbili eziseBhayibhilini. Encwadini yakhe yesibili, uPhetro wakhuluma ngokuthi uPhawuli ‘ngumzalwane othandekayo.’ (2 Phet. 3:15) Lanxa uPhetro wayebaphathe kubi abeZizwe, uJesu waqhubeka emsebenzisa. (Efe. 1:22) Ngakho bonke ababekulelobandla kwakumele bamthethelele uPhetro, belingisela uJesu loYise. Silethemba lokuthi kakho kulabobazalwane owavumela ukuthi okwenziwa nguPhetro kumenze atshiye ukukhonza uJehova.

18. Kunini lapho okumele silingisele khona ukulunga kukaJehova?

¹⁸ Lanamuhla abadala abasemabandleni bayawenza amaphutha ngoba “sonke siyakhubeka ngezindlela ezinengi.” (Jak. 3:2) Singabe sikwazi sibili ukuthi abadala labo bayaphambanisa kodwa kuba nzima ukukukhumbula lokhu ikakhulu nxa umdala othile angasiphatha kubi. Nxa kungaba njalo kuqakathekile ukuthi silingisele uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo umdala angakhuluma ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi ulobandlululo kumbe atsho okuthile okukuzwisa ubuhlungu. Uzakhalala ukukhonza yini? Uzalindela ukuthi uJesu umkhokheli webandla alungise izinto yini kumbe uzazitshela ukuthi lowomzalwane kasafanelanga ukuba ngumdala? Uzakhangela iphutha alenzileyo yini kumbe uzakhumbula okuhle akwenzileyo okweminyaka eminengi ekhonza uJehova? Ake sithi umzalwane okuphathe kubi uqhubeka engumdala mhlawumbe aze anikwe leminye imisebenzi ebandleni. Uzajabula laye yini? Nxa ungabathethelela abakonelayo uyabe ulingisela ukulunga kukaJehova.—Bala uMathewu 6:14, 15.

19. Kuyini okumele sizimisele ukukwenza?

¹⁹ Sekuseduze ukuthi uJehova asuse konke okubi okubangelwa nguSathane. (Isaya. 65:17) Njengoba sisalindele lesosikhathi kasizameni ngamandla wonke ukulingisela uJehova, sivume ukuthi kulalapho esicina khona njalo sibathethelele abasonelayo.