1, 2. (a) Ziziphi iimpawu eziya kusinceda sikwazi ukunyamezela izilingo? (b) Luyintoni ukholo? Yenza umzekelo.

AYIKHO into esivuyisa njengokukhonza uYehova. Sekunjalo, njengabo bonke abantu siyehlelwa ziingxaki, ibe ‘sisenokubandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa.’ (1 Pet. 3:14; 5:8, 9; 1 Kor. 10:13) Kufuneka ukholo nesibindi ukuze sikwazi ukunyamezela ezi zilingo.

² Luyintoni ukholo? Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ukholo lululindelo oluqinisekisiweyo lwezinto ezithenjiweyo, ubungqina obucacileyo bezinto zokwenene nangona zingabonwa.” (Heb. 11:1) Enye inguqulelo yeBhayibhile iluchaza ngolu hlobo: “Ukholo lusisiqinisekiso sezinto esinethemba lazo. Ukholo sisiqinisekiso sezinto esingenakuzibona.” (The Simple English Bible) “Isiqinisekiso” luxwebhu oluqinisekisa ukuba singabanini bomhlaba. Ekubeni sinokholo lokuba uThixo usoloko ezizalisekisa izithembiso zakhe, oko kufana nokuba sifumene “isiqinisekiso” esixabisekileyo. Seyisekile ukuba izithembiso zikaThixo ziza kuzaliseka kwanokuba zonke izinto asixelela zona kwiLizwi lakhe ziyinyaniso, kuquka izinto esingenakuzibona.

3, 4. (a) Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba nesibindi? (b) Yiyiphi enye indlela esinokulomeleza ngayo ukholo lwethu nesibindi?

³ Ukuba nesibindi kukukwazi ukuthetha nokwenza ngaphandle koloyiko xa sikwiimeko ezinzima neziyingozi. Ukuba nesibindi kuthetha ukuqiniseka nokuba nenkalipho, nokukulungela ukubandezeleka ngenxa yoko sikukholelwayo.—Marko 6:49, 50; 2 Tim. 1:7.

⁴ Sonke siyakunqwenela ukuba nokholo nesibindi. Kodwa kunokubakho amaxesha apho sivakalelwa ukuba asinazo ngokwaneleyo ezi mpawu. Xa kunjalo, iBhayibhile isichazela ngamawaka abakhonzi bakaThixo ababeyimizekelo emihle yokholo nesibindi. Ngoko enye indlela yokomeleza ezi mpawu kukucinga ngeminye yaloo mizekelo.

5. Yintoni ekwakufuneka ifunyanwe nguYoshuwa, ukuze abe yinkokeli efanelekileyo?

⁵ Makhe sibuyele emva kwiminyaka emalunga  nama-3 500 eyadlulayo. Ngoku sekudlule iminyaka engama-40 uYehova ehlangule izigidi zamaSirayeli eYiputa aza akhokelwa ngumprofeti uMoses. Ngoku uneminyaka eli-120 yaye uya kwincopho yeNtaba yeNebho aze abone iLizwe Lesithembiso, emva koko afe. Ezihlangwini zakhe kungena uYoshuwa, indoda ‘ezele ngumoya wobulumko.’ (Dut. 34:1-9) Umkhosi wamaSirayeli sele ukulungele ukuthabatha ilizwe lakwaKanan. Ukuze uYoshuwa abe yinkokeli efanelekileyo, kufuneka afumane kuThixo ubulumko, ukholo, isibindi, nentembelo.—Dut. 31:22, 23.

6. (a) Incwadi kaYoshuwa 23:6, ithi kutheni kufuneka sibe nesibindi? (b) Sifunda ntoni kumazwi akwiZenzo 4:18-20 nakwiZenzo 5:29?

⁶ Ubulumko, isibindi, nokholo awayenalo uYoshuwa ezo zinto zimele ukuba zawomeleza amaSirayeli kulo minyaka mininzi yokulwa ethimba ilizwe lakwaKanan. Kwakungafuneki nje abe nesibindi sokulwa, kodwa ayemele abe naso nesibindi sokuthobela uThixo. Ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uYoshuwa wathi kuwo: “Nimele nibe nesibindi kakhulu nigcine nize nenze konke okubhalwe encwadini yomthetho kaMoses ngokungaze nisuke kuyo niye ngasekunene okanye ngasekhohlo.” (Yosh. 23:6) Nathi simele sibe nesibindi ukuze sithobele uYehova lonke ixesha, ngakumbi xa abantu befuna senze into engafunwayo nguThixo. (Funda iZenzo 4:18-20; 5:29.) Ukuba siyalucela ukhokelo kuYehova size sithembele kuye, uya kusinika isibindi esisifunayo.

7. Yintoni ekwakufuneka ayenze uYoshuwa ukuze abe nesibindi sokwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova ngempumelelo?

⁷ Ukuze sibe nesibindi sokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, simele silifunde iLizwi lakhe size sikwenze oko likutshoyo. Yiloo nto kanye uYehova awayixelela uYoshuwa ukuqala kwakhe ukulawula: “Yiba nesibindi womelele kakhulu ukuze unyameke wenze ngokuvumelana nawo wonke umthetho uMoses umkhonzi wam awakuyalela wona.” Waphinda wathi: “Le ncwadi yomthetho ayifanele isuke emlonyeni wakho, yaye umele uyifunde ngesandi esiphantsi imini nobusuku, ukuze wenze ngenyameko ngokuvumelana nako konke oko kubhalwe kuyo; kuba ke ngoko uya kuyenza iphumelele indlela yakho wandule ke wenze ngobulumko.” (Yosh. 1:7, 8) UYoshuwa ‘waphumelela’ kuba walithobela elo cebiso. Nathi siya kuba nesibindi size siphumelele ekumkhonzeni uThixo ukuba siyamthobela.

8. Sisiphi isibhalo othatyathwe kuso umxholo wonyaka wowama-2013, yaye ucinga ukuba loo mazwi aya kukunceda njani?

⁸ UYoshuwa umele ukuba womelezwa gqitha ngala mazwi kaYehova athi: “Yiba nesibindi womelele. Musa ukothuka okanye unkwantye, kuba uYehova uThixo wakho unawe naphi na apho uya khona.” (Yosh. 1:9) UYehova usenathi nanamhlanje. Ngoko ke, asimele ‘sothuke okanye sinkwantye’ enoba sifumana ziphi izilingo. Sinomdla ngakumbi kula mazwi athi: “Yiba nesibindi womelele. . . . uYehova uThixo wakho unawe.” La mazwi akuYoshuwa 1:9 aye akhethwa ukuze abe ngumxholo wonyaka wowama-2013. Wona neminye  imizekelo yabantu abanokholo nesibindi aza kusinceda sibe nentembelo ngakumbi kwezi nyanga zizayo.

9. URahabhi walubonisa ngaziphi iindlela ukholo nesibindi?

⁹ Xa uYoshuwa wathumela iintlola ezimbini kwaKanan, uRahabhi ihenyukazi wazifihla ngoxa ezikhomba kwelinye icala iintshaba zazo. Ngenxa yokholo nesibindi, yena nentsapho yakhe basinda xa amaSirayeli ayetshabalalisa isixeko saseYeriko. (Heb. 11:30, 31; Yak. 2:25) Kakade ke, uRahabhi wayeka ukuziphatha kakubi waza wakholisa uYehova. Bambi abaye bangamaKristu baye banokholo nesibindi baza batshintsha ubomi babo ukuze bakholise uThixo.

10. Yayinjani imeko xa uRute wayekhetha ukuba ngumnquli kaYehova, ibe wasikelelwa njani nguYehova?

¹⁰ Emva kokufa kukaYoshuwa, ngesibindi umMowabhikazi uRute walumela ngokuqinileyo unqulo olunyulu. Ekubeni indoda yakhe efileyo yayingumSirayeli, umele ukuba wayemazi uYehova. Uninazala ongumhlolokazi uNahomi, owayefelwe ngoonyana bakhe, wayehlala kwaMowabhi kodwa wagqiba ekubeni abuyele eBhetelehem, kwaSirayeli. Apho endleleni, uNahomi wacela uRute ukuba abuyele kubantu bakowabo, kodwa wala ukubuyela, esithi: “Musa ukundibongoza ukuba ndikushiye, ndijike ekukuphelekeni . . . Abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu basekhaya, noThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam.” (Rute 1:16) URute wayengadlali xa esitsho, kuba ethubeni watshata noBhohazi, indoda eyayisisalamane sentsapho kaNahomi. Bazala unyana owaba ngukhokho kaDavide noYesu. Ngokwenene uYehova uyabasikelela abo banesibindi nokholo!.—Rute 2:12; 4:17-22; Mat. 1:1-6.

11. UYehoyada noYehoshebha babonisa njani ukuba banesibindi, ibe kwaba nayiphi imiphumo oko?

¹¹ Isibindi nokholo lwethu ziyomelela xa sibona ukuba uThixo uyabaxhasa abo benza ukuthanda kwakhe baze bakhusele nabazalwana babo. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoMbingeleli Omkhulu, uYehoyada nenkosikazi yakhe uYehoshebha. Emva kokufa kukaKumkani uAhaziya, unina uAtaliya wababulala bonke abantwana bale kumkani, waza wazenza ukumkanikazi. Noko ke, uYehoyada noYehoshebha bazibeka esichengeni bafihla uYehowashe, unyana ka-Ahaziya iminyaka emithandathu. Kunyaka wesixhenxe, uYehoyada wenza uYehowashe ukumkani waza wayalela ukuba kubulawe uAtaliya. (2 Kum. 11:1-16) UYehoyada waphinda wanceda uYehowashe ukuze ahlaziye itempile. Ekufeni kwakhe eneminyaka eli-130 ubudala lo mbingeleli wangcwatywa nookumkani “ngenxa yokuba wenza okulungileyo kwaSirayeli nakuThixo oyinyaniso nendlu Yakhe.” (2 Kron. 24:15, 16) Ngenxa yokuba nesibindi kukaYehoyada nenkosikazi yakhe, umnombo wentsapho awayeza kuvela kuyo uMesiya wakhuseleka.

12. UEbhedi-meleki wabonisa njani ukuba unesibindi?

¹² UEbhedi-meleki, owayesisicaka endlwini kaKumkani uZedekiya, wazibeka esichengeni ngenxa kaYeremiya. Iinkosana zakwaYuda zatyhola uYeremiya kukumkani zisithi wayezenza buthathaka izandla zamajoni, ibe wakukholelwa oko waza wazivumela ukuba zimenze nantoni na. Zaye zamphosa kwiqula elinzulu ukuze afele apho. (Yer. 38:4-6) UEbhedi-meleki wacela uKumkani uZedekiya ukuba ancede uYeremiya. Ngesi senzo, uEbhedi-meleki wayebubeka esichengeni ubomi bakhe kuba babebaninzi abantu ababemthiyile uYeremiya. UZedekiya wavuma waza wayalela uEbhedi-meleki ukuba athabathe amadoda angama-30 ukuze  akhuphe uYeremiya equleni. Esebenzisa uYeremiya, uThixo wathembisa uEbhedi-meleki ukuba wayeya kusinda xa iBhabhiloni ihlasela iYerusalem. (Yer. 39:15-18) UThixo uyabavuza abanesibindi sokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe.

13. AmaHebhere amathathu abonisa njani ukuba anesibindi, ibe sifunda ntoni thina kweli bali lawo?

¹³ Malunga neminyaka engama-600 ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu, amaHebhere amathathu angabakhonzi bakaThixo avuzwa ngenxa yokuba nokholo nesibindi. UKumkani uNebhukadenetsare wayalela ukuba zonke izikhakhamela zaseBhabhiloni zihlanganisane ukuze ziqubude kumfanekiso omkhulu wegolide. Nabani na ongawuthobeliyo loo myalelo wayeza kuphoswa ezikweni elivutha umlilo. Ngentlonelo la maHebhere mathathu amxelela oku uNebhukadenetsare: “UThixo wethu esimkhonzayo, unako ukusihlangula. Uya kusihlangula ezikweni elivutha umlilo, nasesandleni sakho kumkani. Kodwa ukuba akunjalo, makwazeke kuwe, kumkani, ukuba asiyi kubakhonza oothixo bakho, nomfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo asiyi kuwunqula.” (Dan. 3:16-18) KuDaniyeli 3:19-30 sifumana ingxelo ebangel’ imincili ngendlela uYehova awasindisa ngayo la maHebhere. Nakuba sisenokungaze sisongelwe ngokuphoswa emlilweni, kodwa kukho amaxesha esimele sithobele uThixo kwiimeko ezinzima. Siqinisekile ukuba uThixo uya kusisikelela xa sinokholo nesibindi.

14. Ngokutsho kukaDaniyeli isahluko 6, sisiphi isenzo senkalipho awasenzayo, ibe kwaphumela entweni oko?

¹⁴ Iintshaba zikaDaniyeli zeyisela uKumkani uDariyo ekubeni amisele umthetho owawuza kumfaka engxakini uDaniyeli. Zathi kukumkani: “Wonk’ ubani obongoza nakuwuphi na uthixo okanye umntu ongenguwe, kumkani, kwiintsuku ezingamashumi amathathu, ufanele aphoswe emhadini weengonyama.” Nakule inkalo uDaniyeli akazange agungqe kukholo nenkalipho yakhe. Wathi akuva ngalo mthetho “wasuka waya endlwini yakhe, yaye, iifestile zegumbi lakhe eliseluphahleni zazivulekele ngaseYerusalem, wafika waguqa ngamadolo izihlandlo ezithathu ngemini, wathandaza, edumisa uThixo wakhe, njengoko wayeqhele ukwenjenjalo.” (Dan. 6:6-10) Waphoswa emhadini weengonyama, kodwa uYehova wamhlangula!—Dan. 6:16-23.

15. (a) UAkwila noPrisila balubonisa njani ukholo nesibindi? (b) Atheth’ ukuthini amazwi kaYesu akuYohane 13:34, ibe amaKristu amaninzi aye alubonisa njani olo thando?

¹⁵ IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba uAkwila noPrisila babeka esichengeni iintamo zabo ngenxa kaPawulos. (IZe. 18:2; Roma 16:3, 4) Ngesibindi bathobela umyalelo kaYesu  othi: “Ndininika umyalelo omtsha, wokuba nithandane; kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo mna, ukuba nani nithandane.” (Yoh. 13:34) UMthetho kaMoses wawusithi umntu umele athande abanye kanye njengokuba ezithanda. (Lev. 19:18) Yintoni ke ‘eyayintsha’ kulo mthetho kaYesu? Kaloku wona uthi simele sithande abanye kangangokuba sikulungele ukuncama ubomi bethu ngenxa yabo, njengokuba naye wancama obakhe ngenxa yethu. AmaKristu amaninzi aye abonisa uthando ngokuzibeka esichengeni ukuze akhusele abazalwana bawo ekonzakalisweni okanye ekubulaweni ziintshaba.—Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 3:16.

16, 17. Yiyiphi indlela olwaluvavanywa ngayo ukholo lwamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? Yiyiphi indlela oluye lwavavanywa ngayo okholo lwamanye amaKristu namhlanje?

¹⁶ NjengoYesu, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayenqula uYehova kuphela. (Mat. 4:8-10) Ayesala ukunyusa iziqhumiso ukuze anqule umlawuli waseRoma. (Bona umfanekiso.) Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Those About to Die, uDaniel P. Mannix uthi: “Isibingelelo somlilo ovuthayo sasidla ngokugcinwa kwibala le midlalo. Ekuphela kwento eyayifunwa kwibanjwa, kukutshiza nje isiqhumiso emlilweni libe likhululekile. Lalicaciselwa ukwenjenjalo asikokunqula umlawuli, kodwa kukuvuma ukuba umlawuli waseRoma unguthixo. Sekunjalo, amaKristu ayengalalanisi kuba nje efuna ukukhululwa.”

¹⁷ Nawo amaKristu anamhlanje awayevalelwe kwiinkampu zoxinaniso zamaNazi ejamelene nokufa ayesoloko enikwa ithuba lokuzikhulula ngokulalanisa ukuze aphephe ukufa. Ekuphela kwento eyayifunwa kuwo kukutyobela nje uxwebhu oluchaza ukuba amlahlile uYehova. Kodwa ambalwa awakwenzayo oko. Ebudeni bemfazwe yaseRwanda, amaNgqina angamaTutsi namaHutu ayezibeka esichengeni ukuze akhuselane. Kwimeko ezinjalo, kufuneka ukholo nesibindi.

18, 19. Yiyiphi imizekelo yabantu ababenokholo nesibindi eseBhayibhileni enokusinceda sishumayele?

¹⁸ Ngoku sinikwe elona lungelo likhulu kwawakha axhanyulwa ngabakhonzi bakaThixo emhlabeni, ilungelo lokushumayela ngoBukumkani nokwenza abafundi. (Mat. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Simbulela gqitha uYesu ngomzekelo obalaseleyo awasimisela wona. “Wahambela kwizixeko ngezixeko nakwiidolophana ngeedolophana, eshumayela yaye evakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani bukaThixo.” (Luka 8:1) Njengaye, kufuneka sibe nokholo nesibindi ukuze sishumayele ngoBukumkani. UThixo unokusinceda sibe nesibindi njengoNowa, ‘umshumayeli wobulungisa kwihlabathi labantu abangenabuthixo’ ababeza kutshatyalaliswa ngomkhukula.—2 Pet. 2:4, 5.

¹⁹ Ukuthandaza kuya sinceda ukuze sishumayele. Abanye abafundi bakaYesu ababetshutshiswa bathandazela ukuqhubeka ‘belithetha ilizwi ngenkalipho,’ ibe uThixo wabaphendula. (Funda iZenzo 4:29-31.) Ukuba uyoyika ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, cela uYehova akuphe isibindi nokholo olungakumbi, ibe uya kukunceda.—Funda iNdumiso 66:19, 20. *

20. Luluphi uncedo esilufumanayo thina bakhonzi bakaYehova?

²⁰ Akuyonto ilula ukuhlala sisenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kweli hlabathi lingendawo. Kodwa ke asisedwa. UThixo unathi. Siphinda sincedwe nguNyana wakhe, oyiNtloko yebandla. Olunye uncedo silufumana kubazalwana bethu, amaNgqina kaYehova angaphezu kwe-7 000 000 ehlabathini lonke. Ngamana sonke singaqhubeka sinokholo size sishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo njengoko kunkenteza umxholo wonyaka wowama-2013 othi: “Yiba nesibindi womelele. . . . uYehova uThixo wakho unawe.”—Yosh. 1:9.