1, 2. Ngimiphi imiraro uJotjhuwa aqalana nayo ngemva kokuthi uMosi ahlongakele?

UJEHOVA wathi kuJotjhuwa: “UMosi incekwami uhlongakele. Yeke zilungiselele ukuyama iJordani le, wena nabo boke abantwaba, niye enarheni engiyipha ama-Israyeli.” (Jotj. 1:1, 2) Matjhuguluko amakhulu la uJotjhuwa ebekufuze aqalane nawo ngombana bekamsizi kaMosi pheze iminyaka ema-40.

² Kazi uMosi besele kuminyaka engangeminyaka arhola ama-Israyeli, yeke kungenzeka uJotjhuwa bekazibuza ukuthi abantu bazokuthini nasekufuze kudose yena phambili. (Dut. 34:8, 10-12) Enye incwadi nayihlathulula umtlolo kaJotjhuwa 1:1, 2, ithi: “Enye yezinto ezibudisi neziyingozi khulu esitjhabeni kulokha nakuhliswa omunye umrholi bese kukhwezwa omunye. Bekunjalo ekadeni kusesenjalo nanje.”

3, 4. UZimu wambusisa njani uJotjhuwa ngebanga lokuthi bekamthemba, begodu ngiwuphi umbuzo esingazibuza wona?

³ Kungenzeka kwamthusa khulu uJotjhuwa ukuzwa bona sele azokurhola isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli begodu singatjho sithi bekathukwe kufanele. Kodwana okwamsiza kuthemba uJehova begodu akhenge ariyade nokulandela iinqophiso zakhe. (Jotj. 1:9-11) Bekamthemba kufanele uZimu. Ngombana iBhayibheli liyasitjela  ukuthi uJehova wanqophisa uJotjhuwa naso soke isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli asebenzisa ingilozi. Kungenzeka ingilozi le bekuyiNdodanakhe elizibulo uLizwi.—Eks. 23:20-23; Jwa. 1:1.

⁴ UJehova wasiza ama-Israyeli aqalana namatjhuguluko avelako, ngombana bekarholwa nguMosi izinto zatjhuguluka kwaba nguJotjhuwa. Nathi siphila esikhathini esinamatjhuguluko amanengi enzeka ehlanganweni kaZimu, yeke singazibuza: ‘Njengombana ihlangano kaZimu iragela phambili ithuthuka nje, sinawo na amabanga wokuthemba uMrholethu uJesu?’ (Funda uMatewu 23:10.) Nasizakuphendula umbuzo lo akhesiboneni bona uJehova wabarhola njani abantu bakhe ekadeni ngesikhathi samatjhuguluko.

5. UJotjhuwa wahlangana nani ngesikhathi ahlanu kweJerikho? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁵ Kwathi ama-Israyeli nakaqeda ukweyama iJordani uJotjhuwa wahlangabezana nento ebekangakayilindeli. Wathi nakatjhidela eJerikho wahlangana nendoda ephethe isabula. UJotjhuwa bekangayazi indoda le, yeke wayibuza wathi: “Ujame nathi namkha ujame nezitha zethu na?” Warareka khulu nakezwa indoda le ithi ‘iyinduna yebutho’ lakaJehova begodu izele ukuzokuvikela abantu bakaZimu. (Funda uJotjhuwa 5:13-15.) Indaba le nasiyifundako kunalapha ithi khona uJehova nguye obekakhuluma noJotjhuwa kodwana siyazi bona wasebenzisa ingilozakhe ukuthi imjamele, lokho sikutjhwiso kukuthi kanengi bekesebenzisa iingilozi.—Eks. 3:2-4; Jotj. 4:1, 15; 5:2, 9; IzE. 7:38; Gal. 3:19.

6-8. (a) Kubayini ezinye iinqophiso uJehova azinikela ama-Israyeli bezibonakala zingakahlakaniphi ngombono womuntu? (b) Iinqophiswezo kubayini sithi zifike ngesikhathi begodu bezihlakaniphile? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

⁶ Ingilozi yatjela uJotjhuwa ukuthi yini ebekufanele ayenze nakazakuthumba iJerikho. Kungenzeka ukuthi ezinye izinto ingilozi ebeyimtjela zona bezibonakala zingeze zabaphumelelisa. Isibonelo salokho nginasi, ingilozi yatjela uJotjhuwa bona asoke woke amabutho. Phela lokho bekutjho ukuthi amabutho la bengeze akulungele ukulwa. Ngombana bekuzokuthatha amalangana bona aphole. Kghani bekusikhathi esifaneleko sokusoka amadoda la?—Gen. 34:24, 25; Jotj. 5:2, 8.

⁷ Amabutho la nawo kungenzeka bewazibuza bona azokubona enzeni nange amanabawo awasahlela. Azokukghona na ukuvikela imindenewo? Kwathi kusesenjalo kwazwakala umbiko othi iJerikho “gade ivalwe ntsi ngebanga lama-Israyeli.” (Jotj. 6:1) Siyaqiniseka bona umbiko lo wenza ama-Israyeli amthemba khulu uZimu.

⁸ Ingilozi yabuye yatjela uJotjhuwa yathi ama-Israyeli akukafuzi asahlele iJerikho kodwana athome ayizombeleze kanye ngelanga bekube malanga asithandathu bese kuthi elangeni lekhomba ayizombeleze kalikhomba. Amanye amabutho bekangathi ‘lokho khona kudlala ngesikhathi.’ UMrholi wama-Israyeli ongabonakaliko bekayazi kuhle into ayenzako. Indlela arhola ngayo akhenge yenze ama-Israyeli abe nokukholwa okuqinileko kwaphela kodwana yawenza nokuthi angalwi namabutho weJerikho.—Jotj. 6:2-5; Heb. 11:30. *

9. Kubayini kufanele silandele iinqophiso esizifumana ehlanganweni kaZimu? Akhuze nesibonelo.

⁹ Sifundani endabeni le? Ngezinye iinkhathi ngeze sazwisisa kuhle bona kubayini ihlangano yenza amatjhuguluko. Isibonelo  salokho, kungenzeka ekuthomeni khenge sizwisise bona kubayini ihlangano yathi sisebenzise ama-tablet namkha ama-cellphone bona sifunde, siwasebenzise esimini nesifundweni. Kodwana nje kungenzeka siyabona ukuthi kusisiza kangangani ukusebenzisa izintwezi. Nasibona imiphumela emihle ngetuthuko enjengale sivele siqine ekukholweni begodu sibumbane kungakhathaliseki bona besingayiboni izokuphumelela indaba leyo.

10. Ngubani owanqophisa umhlangano wesihlopha esibusako ebewuseJerusalema nakudenjwa indaba yokusoka?

¹⁰ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba li-13 uKorneliyasi abemKrestu amanye amaJuda ebewamaKrestu bewasakholelwa bona ukusokwa yinto ekufuze yenziwe. (IzE. 15:1, 2) Kwathi nakuvuka ipikiswano e-Anthiyokiya ngendaba yokusoka le, kwahlelwa bona uPowula ayoyibikela isihlopha esibusako eJerusalema. Umbuzo kukuthi ngubani obekanqophisa izinto ngesikhatheso? UPowula wathi: “Ngakhuphuka ngebanga lesambulo.” Siyaqiniseka bona uKrestu nguye owanqophisa izinto ukwenzela bona indaba le ilungiswe kuhle.—Gal. 2:1-3.

11. (a) Amanye amaKrestu amaJuda bewasakholelwani ngendaba yokusoka? (b) UPowula wasilandela njani isinqophiso sabadala beJerusalema? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

¹¹ Isihlopha esibusako sathi amaKrestu angasimaJuda akutlhogeki asokwe begodu koke lokho sakwenza sinqotjhiswa nguJesu. (IzE. 15:19, 20) Kodwana ngitjho nanyana besele kudlule iminyaka eminengi kwenziwe isiquntwesi amaKrestu amaJuda bewasolo asoka abantwana bawo. Abadala beJerusalema bezwa amahlebezi wokuthi uPowula akahloniphi umthetho kaMosi. * (IzE. 21:20-26) Bamtjela bona enze into ekungenzeka bekangakayilindeli, bathi akathathe amadoda amane atjhinge nawo ethempelini ukwenzela bona abantu bazi ukuthi uPowula ‘uyawubulunga umThetho.’ UPowula bekangalandula athi into abambawa yona le ayisikuhlakanipha, bekatjho nokuthi kuhlekuhle  umraro la maJuda amaKrestu ngombana bewangazwisisi indaba yokusoka. Kunalokho wasisekela isiqunto sabadala ngombana abona ukuthi balwela ukwenza ukuthula. Yeke wazithoba wenza lokho abamtjele khona. Nathi singazibuza ukuthi: ‘Kubayini uJesu avumela indaba le ihlale isikhathi eside kangaka ingalungiswa naphezu kokuthi umThetho kaMosi waphela ngesikhathi ahlongakala?’—Kol. 2:13, 14.

12. Nawucabangako kubayini uKrestu athatha isikhathi ukusombulula indaba yokusoka?

¹² Kabanye kungathatha isikhathi ukuzwisisa nokwenza ngokuvumelana namatjhuguluko amatjha. AmaKrestu amaJuda nawo atlhoga isikhathi ukwenza ngokuvumelana namatjhuguluko. (Jwa. 16:12) Kabanye khenge kube bulula ukwamukela ukuthi ukusoka akusese litshwayo lokutjengisa ukuba nobuhlobo obuhle noZimu. (Gen. 17:9-12) Bese kuthi abanye bebasaba ukutjhutjhiswa, yeke bebangafuni ukuhluka emphakathini wamaJuda. (Gal. 6:12) Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uKrestu wabanikela iinqophiso ngeencwadi ezatlolwa nguPowula.—Rom. 2:28, 29; Gal. 3:23-25.

13. Yini engasisiza sithokoze indlela uKrestu asirhola ngayo namhlanjesi?

¹³ Ngezinye iinkhathi khesingazwisisi kuhle bona kubayini kunamatjhuguluko ehlanganweni kodwana sizabe senza kuhle nasikhumbula indlela uKrestu arhola ngayo abantu bakaZimu esikhathini esidlulileko. Ngeenkhathi zaboJotjhuwa nezabapostoli uKrestu bekasolo anikela abantu bakaZimu iinqophiso ezibavikelako, ezakha ukukholwa kwabo nezibasiza babe nebumbano.—Heb. 13:8.

14-16. “Inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko” itjengisa njani ukuthi uKrestu uyatshwenyeka ngobungani bethu noZimu?

¹⁴ Indlela uJesu asithanda ngayo siyibona eenqophisweni esizinikelwa ‘yinceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko.’ (Mat. 24:45) UMarc ubaba labantwana abane uthi: “USathana ufuna amabandla abogaboge, lokho ukwenza ngokusahlela imindeni. Kodwana njengombana sikhuthazwa bona senze ukukhulekela komndeni qobe veke, umlayezo lo uyakhanya eenhlokweni zemindeni bona kufuze zivikele imindenazo.”

¹⁵ Nasiqala indlela uKrestu anqophisa ngayo ibandla siyabona bonyana mbala ufuna sithuthukise ubungani bethu noZimu. UPatrick omdala webandla uthi: “Ekuthomeni abanye kwabadondisa ukuthi sekufuze bahlangane baziinqhema ezincani bona babe nomhlangano wokuya esimini ngeempelaveke. Kodwana elungiselelweneli sibona ubuntu bakaJesu obuhle bokuthanda ngitjho nabantu abaqalelwa phasi. Abanakwethu nabodadwethu okungenzeka ithando labo ngoZimu liyabogaboga bazizwa bathandwa begodu batlhogeka. Lokho kwenza ithando labo ngoZimu lathuthuka.”

¹⁶ UKrestu utlhogomela ubungani bethu noZimu abuye asisize sidzimelele emsebenzini oqakatheke khulu owenziwa ephasina. (Funda uMarkosi 13:10.) U-André umnakwethu osanda ukuba mdala bekasolo enza ngokuvumelana namatjhuguluko neenqophiso zehlangano kaZimu. Uthi: “Ukuphungulwa kwabanakwethu nabodadwethu abasemindenini yeBethel kusikhumbuza ngokurhabeka komsebenzi wokutjhumayela.”

17, 18. Kubayini kukuhle ukuqala imiphumela yeenqophiso namatjhuguluko enziwa yihlangano kaZimu?

¹⁷ Iinqophiso esizifumana kuJesu Krestu iKosethu ebusako ziyasisiza begodu zisazosisiza. Yeke kufuze kusithabise ukubona iindlela esisizeke ngazo ngokwamukela nangokwenza ngokwamatjhuguluko wehlangano.  Kungaba kuhle ukuthi nanenza ukukhulekela komndeni nicoce ngokuthi amatjhuguluko enziwe esimini nesifundweni awusize njani umndenenu.

¹⁸ Nasikhumbulako ukuthi iinqophiso ezivela ehlanganweni kaJehova ziba nemiphumela emihle kuzokuba bulula ukuzilandela sithabile. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuphungulwa kweencwadi ezigadangiswako nokusebenzisa ama-tablet nama-cellphone konga imali. Lokho kusiza ihlangano ikghone ukufikelela abantu abanengi ngeendaba ezimnandi. Ukwazi lokho kuzosikhuthaza bona sisebenzise iinsetjenziswezi khulu ngendlela esingakghona ngayo. Nasenza ngaleyo ndlela sizabe silalela uKrestu ngokusebenzisa izinto zehlangano ngokuhlakanipha.

19. Kubayini kufuze sihloniphe iinqophiso zakaKrestu?

¹⁹ Nasihlonipha ubukhosi bakaKrestu neenqophiso zakhe siqinisa ukukholwa kwabanye begodu siba nesandla ekwenzeni ibandla libumbane. U-André nakakhuluma ngamatjhuguluko wokuncitjhiswa kwamalunga womndeni weBethel enziwe mvanje uthi: “Ngakhuthazeka nangibona indlela amalunga weBethel amukela ngayo amatjhuguluko la, lokho kwangenza ngathemba bengahlonipha uJehova. Ngabona ukuthi bakhambisana nekoloyi kaJehova begodu bayathaba kinanyana ngikuphi lapha uJehova afuna ukubasebenzisa khona.”

20, 21. (a) Yini esenza sithembe uKrestu uMrholethu? (b) Sizokuphendula wuphi umbuzo esihlokweni esilandelako?

²⁰ UMrholethu uJesu Krestu kungasikade ‘uzokuphelelisa ukuhlula kwakhe’ abe aphethe “imisebenzi eyesabekako.” (IsAm. 6:2; Rhu. 45:5) Kodwana nanje usilungiselela ipilo etjha ephasini elitjha nomsebenzi esizowenza lapho nasifundisa abantu abavusiweko iqiniso begodu senza iphasi libe yipharadesi.

²¹ Ikani nasithemba uMrholethu kungakhathaliseki bona kwenzekani yena uzosirholela ephasini elitjha. (Funda iRhubo 46:1-3.) Namhlanjesi akusilula ukwamukela amatjhuguluko khulukhulu nawafike singakawalindeli. Alo yini engasisiza sibe nokuthula begodu sithembe uJehova? Umbuzo lo sizowuphendula esihlokweni esilandelako.