1-3. (a) Yintoni eza kusinceda sihlale sithembekile kuThixo kule mihla yokugqibela? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

NJENGOKO le mihla yokugqibela isondela esiphelweni, abantu abangendawo baqhubeka ‘behluma njengotyani.’ (INdu. 92:7) Ngoko ayisothusi into yokuba imithetho elawula ukuziphatha ingathotyelwa. Singenza njani ukuze sibe “ziintsana ebubini,” size kwangaxeshanye sibe “ngabakhule ngokupheleleyo emandleni [ethu] okuqonda” kweli hlabathi siphila kulo?—1 Kor. 14:20.

² Impendulo yalo mbuzo ifumaneka kwisibhalo elisekelwe kuso eli nqaku, esithi: “Abo bafuna uYehova banokuqonda yonk’ into”—ngamany’ amazwi, yonke into edingekayo ukuze bamkholise. (IMize. 28:5) NeMizekeliso 2:7, 9, ithetha into efanayo xa isithi uYehova “abathe tye uya kubagcinela ubulumko bobuqili.” Ngenxa yoko, abathe tye bayakwazi “ukubuqonda ubulungisa nomgwebo nokuthe tye, ikhondo lokulungileyo liphela.”

³ UNowa, uDaniyeli noYobhi babufumana obo bulumko. (Hez. 14:14) Kunjalo ke nakubantu bakaThixo bale mihla. Kodwa ke ngaba unabo nawe? Ngaba ‘uziqonda zonke izinto’ ezidingekayo ukuze ukholise uYehova? Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba umazi ngendlela echanileyo. Yiloo nto ngoku siza kuthetha (1) ngendlela uNowa, uDaniyeli noYobhi abamazi ngayo uThixo, (2) indlela  abancedakala ngayo ngokumazi, kunye (3) nendlela nathi esinokuba nokholo olufana nolwabo.

4. UNowa wamazi njani uThixo, ibe kwamnceda ngantoni ukumazi kakuhle?

⁴ Indlela uNowa awamazi ngayo uYehova. Ukususela ekudalweni kwabantu, abakhonzi bakaThixo bebefunda ngaye ngezi ndlela zintathu ziphambili: ngokubona indalo yakhe, ngokufundiswa ngabanye abakhonzi bakaThixo, nangokubona indlela uThixo abasikelela ngayo xa bephila ngemithetho nangemigaqo yakhe. (Isa. 48:18) Kwindalo kaThixo, uNowa umele ukuba akazange aphelele nje ekuboneni ubungqina bokuba uThixo ukho, kodwa wabona neempawu zakhe ezininzi ezingabonakaliyo, ‘ezinjengamandla akhe angunaphakade nobuThixo bakhe.’ (Roma 1:20) Ngenxa yoko, uNowa akazange akholelwe nje kuThixo; waba nokholo olomeleleyo kuye.

5. UNowa wayazi njani injongo kaThixo ngabantu?

⁵ Ukholo “lulandela oko kuviweyo.” (Roma 10:17) Ngubani owaxelela uNowa ngoYehova? Umele ukuba wafunda ngaye kwizalamane zakhe. Omnye wabo ngutata wakhe, uLameki, indoda enokholo eyaphila ngaxeshanye noAdam. (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) Kanti abanye yayingutat’ omkhulu wakhe, uMethusela, nokhokho wakhe uYaredi, owaphila noNowa iminyaka eyi-366. * (Luka 3:36, 37) Kungenzeka ke ukuba uNowa wafunda kula madoda nakubafazi bawo ukuba ubomi baqala njani, injongo kaThixo yokuba umhlaba uzaliswe yintsapho engamalungisa, nangokuvukelwa kukaThixo e-Eden, ibe uNowa wayezibonela imiphumo yaloo nto. (Gen. 1:28; 3:16-19, 24) Nokuba wayefunde ngoThixo kubani, uNowa wayithanda into awayifundayo yaza yamenza wafuna ukumkhonza.—Gen. 6:9.

6, 7. Ukholo lukaNowa lwaqiniswa njani lithemba?

⁶ Ukholo luqiniswa lithemba. Kumele ukuba ukholo lukaNowa lwaqina xa weva ukuba igama lakhe lisenokuba lithetha “ukuphumla” okanye “intuthuzelo”! (Gen. 5:29) UYehova waphefumlela uLameki ukuba athi: ‘UNowa uya kusithuthuzela ekuveni ubuhlungu kwezandla zethu ngenxa yomhlaba awuqalekisileyo uYehova.’ UNowa wayenethemba lokuba uThixo uza kuzenza izinto zibe bhetele. NjengoAbheli noEnoki ababephila ngaphambi kwakhe, uNowa wayenokholo lokuba kwakuza kubakho ‘imbewu’ eyayiza kutyumza intloko yenyoka.—Gen. 3:15.

⁷ Nangona uNowa wayengasiqondi kakuhle isiprofeto esikwiGenesis 3:15, kodwa wayesazi ukuba sithetha ngethemba lokukhululwa kwabantu. Ukongezelela, eso sithembiso senziwa e-Eden sasifana nento awayeshumayela ngayo uEnoki, owayethetha ngokuba uThixo uza kubagweba abantu ababi. (Yude 14, 15) Umyalezo kaEnoki oza kuzaliseka ngokupheleleyo eArmagedon, waluqinisa ukholo nethemba likaNowa!

8. Kwamnceda ngantoni uNowa ukumazi kakuhle uThixo?

⁸ Kwamnceda ngantoni uNowa ukumazi kakuhle uThixo? Ulwazi oluchanileyo lwamenza uNowa waba nokholo nobulumko obuvela kuThixo, loo nto yamkhusela ukuba angenzi izinto eziza kumxabanisa noYehova. Ngokomzekelo, ngenxa yokuba uNowa “wahamba noThixo oyinyaniso,” zange ahambe okanye abe neetshomi ezazingakholelwa kuThixo. Akazange abhanxwe ziidemon ezazambethe imizimba yabantu, ababethe phithi zizo abantu abangenakholo nababethatheka lula ngamandla azo angaphaya kwawabantu—mhlawumbi bade  bazinqule. (Gen. 6:1-4, 9) Kwakhona, uNowa wayesazi ukuba ngabantu ekwathiwa mababe nabantwana bazalise umhlaba. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Umele ukuba wayesazi ukuba ukulala kwedemon eyambethe umzimba womntu nebhinqa kwakuyinto engeyoyamvelo kwaye kuphosakele. Umele ukuba waqiniseka nangakumbi ngaloo nto xa loo mabhinqa abeleka abantwana abangaqhelekanga. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uThixo walumkisa uNowa ukuba uza kubangela kubekho uNogumbe emhlabeni. Ngenxa yokuba uNowa wayenokholo lokuba iza kwenzeka loo nto, wakha umkhombe waza wasindisa intsapho yakhe.—Heb. 11:7.

9, 10. Singaba nalo njani ukholo olufana nolukaNowa?

⁹ Singaba nalo njani ukholo olufana nolukaNowa? Into ebalulekileyo kukuba silifunde kakuhle iLizwi LikaThixo, siyithande into esiyifundayo size siyisebenzise ebomini bethu yaye senze izigqibo ezizizo. (1 Pet. 1:13-15) Ngoko ukholo nobulumko obuvela kuThixo buya kusikhusela kumaqhinga kaSathana nakwifuthe labantu ababi. (2 Kor. 2:11) Abantu abaninzi bathanda ubundlobongela nokuziphatha kakubi. Loo nto ibenza bathi phithi yiminqweno emdaka. (1 Yoh. 2:15, 16) Ibe basenokungabuhoyi ubungqina bokuba imini kaThixo enkulu seyiza kufika. Khumbula kaloku ukuba xa uYesu wathelekisa eli xesha siphila kulo nelo likaNowa, zange athethe ngobundlobongela nangokuziphatha kakubi, kodwa wathetha ngengozi enokusenza siyeke ukukhonza uThixo.—Funda uMateyu 24:36-39.

¹⁰ Zibuze: ‘Ngaba indlela endiphila ngayo ibonisa ukuba ndimazi kakuhle uYehova? Ngaba ukholo lwam lundenza ndingenzi nje into efunwa nguThixo, kodwa lundenza ndixelele nabanye abantu ukuba ufuna ntoni kubo?’ Siyathemba ukuba iimpendulo zakho zibonisa ukuba nawe ‘uhamba noThixo oyinyaniso.’

11. (a) Indlela uDaniyeli awayemthanda ngayo uThixo esemncinci, ibonisa ukuba wakhuliswa njani? (b) Yintoni ofuna ukufana ngayo noDaniyeli?

¹¹ Indlela uDaniyeli awamazi ngayo uYehova. Kubonakala ukuba uDaniyeli wafundiswa ngabazali bakhe ukuthanda uYehova neLizwi lakhe. Wamthanda uYehova neLizwi lakhe ubomi bakhe bonke. Naxa wayesele aluphele wayefunda iZibhalo. (Dan. 9:1, 2) Indlela uDaniyeli awayemazi kakuhle ngayo uYehova nezinto awazenzela amaSirayeli, siyibona kumthandazo wakhe lo mprofeti okuDaniyeli 9:3-19. Wufunde lo mthandazo uze ucinge ngawo, uzibuze ukuba ukufundisa ntoni ngoDaniyeli.

12-14. (a) UDaniyeli wabonisa njani ukuba unobulumko obuvela kuThixo? (b) Wasikelelwa njani uDaniyeli ngokuba engazange ayeke ukukhonza uThixo?

¹² Kwamnceda ngantoni uDaniyeli ukumazi kakuhle uThixo? Kwakungekho lula ukuba umYuda othembekileyo akhonze uThixo eBhabhiloni eyayinabantu abangakholelwayo kuye. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wathi kumaYuda: “Funani uxolo lwesixeko endinibangele ukuba niye kuso ekuthinjweni.” (Yer. 29:7) Sekunjalo, wayefuna ukuba azinikele kuye ngokupheleleyo. (Eks. 34:14) Yintoni eyanceda uDaniyeli wakwazi ukuyithobela yomibini le mithetho? Ubulumko awabunikwa nguThixo bamnceda waqonda ukuba kuxa kutheni apho kufuneka athobele urhulumente. Kwiminyaka engamakhulu emva koko, uYesu wafundisa into efanayo.—Luka 20:25.

¹³ Khawucinge ngento uDaniyeli awayenzayo xa kwamiswa umthetho othi, kangangeentsuku eziyi-30 kumele kuthandazwe kukumkani kuphela. (Funda uDaniyeli 6:7-10.) UDaniyeli wayenokuzithethelela athi, ‘Ziintsuku eziyi-30 qha!’ UDaniyeli zange avumele ukuba umthetho obekwe ngumntu ubaluleke ngaphezu kokaThixo.  Wayenokuzifihla ukuze angabonwa xa ethandaza. Kodwa wayesazi ukuba abantu abaninzi babedla ngokumbona ethandaza yonke imihla. Nangona wayesazi ukuba ubeka ubomi bakhe engozini, uDaniyeli wayengafuni ukuba abantu bacinge ukuba uyekile ukukhonza uYehova.

¹⁴ Ngenxa yokuba uDaniyeli waba nesibindi yaye engazange ayeke ukukhonza uYehova, wamsikelela ngokuthi amsindise ekubulaweni kabuhlungu. Phofu, loo nto yenza ukuba uYehova aziwe kuzo zonke iindawo ezazingaphantsi kwamaMedi namaPersi!—Dan. 6:25-27.

15. Singaba nalo njani ukholo olufana nolukaDaniyeli?

¹⁵ Singaba nalo njani ukholo olufana nolukaDaniyeli? Ukuze sibe nokholo oluqinileyo akufuneki silifunde nje iLizwi LikaThixo kodwa kufuneka siliqonde. (Mat. 13:23) Sifuna ukuyazi indlela uYehova acinga ngayo, loo nto ithetha ukwazi izinto azifunayo nangazifuniyo. Ngoko kufuneka sicinge ngezinto esizifundayo. Enye into ebalulekileyo kukuthandaza qho, ingakumbi xa sivavanywa okanye sinengxaki. Xa sithandaza sinokholo lokuba uYehova uza kusinika ubulumko namandla, siya kuzifumana.—Yak. 1:5.

16, 17. UYobhi wamazi kakuhle njani uThixo?

¹⁶ Indlela uYobhi awamazi ngayo uYehova. UYobhi wayengengomSirayeli. Kodwa wayezalana noAbraham, uIsake noYakobi, ibe uYehova wayebachazele ngaye nangenjongo yakhe ngabantu. UYobhi wayemazi uThixo nenjongo yakhe ngabantu kodwa asiyazi ukuba wamazi njani. (Yobhi 23:12) Wathi: “Ndikuve ngondiva, kodwa ngoku iliso lam liyakubona.” (Yobhi 42:5) Ngaphezu koko, uYehova wathi uYobhi uthethe inyani ngaye.—Yobhi 42:7, 8.

¹⁷ UYobhi wabona ukuba uThixo unjani kwindalo yakhe ebonakalayo. (Yobhi 12:7-9, 13) Kamva, uElihu noYehova basebenzisa indalo ukuze bakhumbuze uYobhi indlela umntu aphantsi ngayo xa ethelekiswa noThixo. (Yobhi 37:14; 38:1-4) Amazwi kaYehova ayifikelela intliziyo kaYobhi, kangangokuba wade wathi kuye: “Ndiyazi ukuba uyakwazi ukuzenza zonke izinto, yaye akukho ngcamango ingenakufikeleleka kuwe. . . . Ndiyaguquka ndiseluthulini naseluthuthwini.”—Yobhi 42:2, 6.

18, 19. UYobhi wabonisa njani ukuba umazi kakuhle uYehova?

¹⁸ Kwamnceda ngantoni uYobhi ukumazi  kakuhle uThixo? UYobhi wayeyiqonda kakuhle imigaqo kaThixo. Wayemazi kakuhle uYehova, ibe wenza izinto ezazifunwa nguye. Ngokomzekelo, uYobhi wayesazi ukuba akanakuthi uyamthanda uThixo abe engabathandi abantu. (Yobhi 6:14) Akazange aziphakamise kwabanye abantu kodwa wayenomdla kubo bonke abantu, izityebi nabantu abahluphekayo. Wathi: “Ngaba akenziwanga nguLowo wandenzayo esiswini?” (Yobhi 31:13-22) Kuyabonakala ukuba ayizange imze entloko into yokuba wayehlonelwa ngabantu kwaye esisityebi. Wayahluke kakhulu kubantu abaninzi abaphetheyo nabazizityebi namhlanje!

¹⁹ UYobhi wayengafuni ukunqula nantoni na okanye nabani na ngaphandle kukaYehova. Wayesazi ukuba ukunqula nantoni na, nkqu nobutyebi kwakuza kumenza ayeke ukunqula “uThixo oyinyaniso ophezulu.” (Funda uYobhi 31:24-28.) Umtshato wawungcwele kuYobhi, ibe uyinto yendoda nomfazi. Wenza isigqibo namehlo akhe ukuba akayi kujonga intombi enyulu ngendlela engafanelekanga. (Yobhi 31:1) Ukhumbule ukuba ngexesha lakhe, uThixo wayeyivumela into yokuba indoda ibe nabafazi abaninzi. Ngoko ukuba uYobhi wayefuna ukuthatha umfazi wesibini, wayengamthatha. * Kucacile ukuba wajonga indlela uThixo awenza ngayo umtshato e-Eden, waza wakhetha ukuphila ngolo hlobo. (Gen. 2:18, 24) Kwiminyaka enokuba yi-1 600 eyalandelayo, uYesu Kristu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe into efanayo ngomtshato nangokuziphatha.—Mat. 5:28; 19:4, 5.

20. Ukumazi kakuhle uYehova nemigaqo yakhe kusinceda njani xa sikhetha iitshomi nendlela yokuzonwabisa?

²⁰ Singaba nalo njani ukholo olufana nolukaYobhi? Kwakhona, eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukwazi uYehova ngendlela echanileyo kakuhle nokuba sisebenzise olo lwazi ebomini bethu. Ngokomzekelo, umdumisi uDavide wathi uYehova “umthiyile ngokuqinisekileyo nabani na othanda ugonyamelo,” kwaye walumkisa ngokuhlala ‘nabo bazifihlayo oko bakuko.’ (Funda iNdumiso 11:5; 26:4.) Ezi zibhalo zikubonisa njani indlela uThixo acinga ngayo? Ukuqonda indlela acinga ngayo, kwenza ibe yintoni ebalulekileyo kuwe, uyisebenzise njani i-intanethi, uzikhethe njani iitshomi nendlela yokuzonwabisa? Iimpendulo zakho ziza kukunceda ubone ukuba umazi kakuhle kangakanani uYehova. Ukuze abantu ababi bangabi nafuthe kuthi, kufuneka siqeqeshe ‘amandla ethu okuqonda’ size singahluli okulungileyo kokubi nje kuphela, kodwa nento ebubulumko kwengebobulumko.—Heb. 5:14; Efe. 5:15.

21. Yintoni eza kusinceda ‘siqonde yonke into efunekayo’ ukuze sivuyise uBawo wethu osezulwini?

²¹ Ngenxa yokuba uNowa, uDaniyeli noYobhi bamfuna nyhani uYehova, wabenza bamazi. Wabanceda ukuze ‘baqonde yonke into efunekayo’ ukuze bamvuyise. Ngoko sinokufunda kubo ukuba ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaYehova kumenza umntu aphumelele. (INdu. 1:1-3) Zibuze, ‘Ngaba nam ndimazi kakuhle uYehova njengoNowa, uDaniyeli noYobhi?’ Sivuya nyhani kuba ngoku thina sinezinto ezininzi kunabo ezisinceda sifunde ngoYehova! (IMize. 4:18) Ngoko lifunde kakuhle iLizwi LikaThixo. Cinga ngezinto ozifundileyo. Uze ucele umoya oyingcwele kuThixo. Ngoko uya kutsho usondele kakhulu kuBawo wethu wasezulwini. Ibe izinto ozenzayo ziya kubonisa ukuba unokuqonda nobulumko phakathi kwabantu abangamfuniyo uThixo.—IMize. 2:4-7.