1, 2. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezifunekayo ukuze sibe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova? (b) Yintoni okuya kusinceda kuyo ukuhlolisisa iingxelo zeBhayibhile eziphathelele iindlela abasabela ngazo abantu kwingqeqesho kaThixo?

“KE MNA, ukusondela kuThixo kulungile kum. Ndisabela kwiNkosi enguMongami uYehova, ukuze ndivakalise yonke imisebenzi yakho.” (INdu. 73:28) Apha umdumisi wayevakalisa intembelo anayo kuThixo. Ziziphi izinto ezakhokelela kwesi sigqibo? Ekuqaleni, lo mdumisi wathi xa ebona abangendawo beseluxolweni yabuhlungu intliziyo yakhe. Wakhalaza esithi: “Kulilize ukuyihlambulula kwam intliziyo yam nokuhlamba kwam izandla zam ngobumsulwa.” (INdu. 73:2, 3, 13, 21) Kodwa ke, wathi akufika “kwingcwele ezukileyo kaThixo,” le ndawo yamnceda wazikisa ukucinga waza walondoloza ulwalamano awayenalo noThixo. (INdu. 73:16-18) Ukuba kuloo ngcwele kwafundisa loo mkhonzi kaThixo esi sifundo sibalulekileyo: Ukuba phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo, wamkele isiluleko, uze usithobele kusinceda sibe nolwalamano olusenyongweni noYehova.—INdu. 73:24.

² Nathi siyakunqwenela ukuba nolwalamano olusenyongweni noThixo oyinyaniso nophilayo. Ukuze sibe nalo, kufuneka sivumele isiluleko okanye ingqeqesho yakhe isibumbe ukuze sikholeke kuye! Mandulo, ngenceba uThixo wanika abantu nezizwe ezithile ithuba lokwamkela ingqeqesho yakhe. Iindlela abasabela ngazo ibhalwe eBhayibhileni ngenjongo, ‘yokuyalela nokulumkisa thina bafikelwe ziziphelo zeenkqubo zezinto.’ (Roma 15:4; 1 Kor. 10:11) Ukuhlolisisa ezi ngxelo kuya kusinceda siqonde ubuntu bukaYehova sitsho sibone nendlela esinokuzuza ngayo kukubunjwa nguye.

3. KuIsaya 64:8 nakuYeremiya 18:1-6 nguwuphi umzekeliso owenziweyo ukuchaza igunya analo uYehova phezu kwabantu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

³ Xa ezekelisa echaza igunya analo uYehova phezu komntu nesizwe, uIsaya 64:8 uthi: “Ngoku ke, Yehova, wena unguBawo. Siludongwe, yaye wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke singumsebenzi wesandla sakho.” Umbumbi unegunya elipheleleyo lokubumba udongwe lube yile nto afuna lube yiyo. Udongwe alunakumxelela nento le. Unjalo ke nomntu kuThixo. Umntu akanalungelo lakuphikisana noThixo kanye njengokuba udongwe lungenakuxelela umbumbi into amakayenze.—Funda uYeremiya 18:1-6.

4. Ngaba uThixo uyanyanzelisa xa ebumba abantu okanye uhlanga? Cacisa.

⁴ UYehova wabumba uSirayeli wamandulo kanye njengombumbi kudongwe. Kodwa yena wahluke gqitha emntwini. Umbumbi unokwenza naluphi na uhlobo lwesitya aza kukwazi ukusenza ngodongwe. UYehova akanyanzelisi abumbe abantu okanye izizwe ezithile zibe zezilungileyo ngoxa esenza ezinye zibe zezingendawo. UYehova usinike isipho esixabiseke gqitha—inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Akasebenzisi igunya lakhe elongamileyo kakubi ukuze asinyanzele enyhasha esi sipho sakhe. Abantu bayazikhethela ukubunjwa nguMdali, uYehova.—Funda uYeremiya 18:7-10.

5. Xa abantu besala ukubunjwa nguYehova, uye alisebenzise njani igunya lakhe?

⁵ Kuthekani ukuba abantu bayala ukubunjwa ngulo Mbumbi, Mkhulu? Uye alisebenzise njani igunya lakhe? Cinga ngoko kwenziwa kudongwe xa lungabumbeki lwenze oko kufunwa ngumbumbi. Kaloku, umbumbi usenokugqiba ekubeni enze enye into ngalo, okanye alulahle! Ngokuqhelekileyo, udongwe luba yingxaki xa umbumbi engakhange alulungise kakuhle. Kodwa soze abe njalo uYehova, uMbumbi wethu. (Dut. 32:4) Xa umntu engabumbeki esandleni sikaYehova sukube ikuye ingxaki. Indlela uYehova asebenzisa ngayo igunya lakhe ekubumbeni umntu ixhomekeka kwindlela abasabela ngayo. Abamthobelayo, baba yile nto kanye ayifunayo. Ngokomzekelo, amaKristu athanjisiweyo ‘azizitya zenceba’ eziye zabunjwa zaba ‘zizitya zomsebenzi obekekileyo.’ Kodwa abo bangamthobeliyo, baba ‘zizitya zengqumbo ezenziwe zafanelekela intshabalalo.’—Roma 9:19-23.

6, 7. Yahluke njani indlela awasabela ngayo uKumkani uDavide kuleyo kaKumkani uSawule xa babelulekwa nguYehova?

 ⁶ Enye indlela uYehova asibumba ngayo kukusiluleka okanye ukusiqeqesha. Umzekelo wookumkani ababini bokuqala kwaSirayeli—uSawule noDavide usinceda sibone indlela alisebenzisa ngayo igunya lakhe xa ebumba abantu. Xa uKumkani uDavide wakrexeza noBhatsheba, imiphumo ebuhlungu yachaphazela nabanye. Nakuba uDavide wayeyikumkani, uYehova wamqeqesha qatha. Wathumela umprofeti wakhe uNatan kuDavide ukuze amluleke kabukhali. (2 Sam. 12:1-12) Wasabela njani uDavide? Wazisola gqitha waza waguquka. Naye ke uThixo wamenzela inceba.—Funda eyesi-2 kaSamuweli 12:13.

 ⁷ Noko ke, yena uKumkani uSawule akazange asithobele isiluleko sikaYehova. UYehova wathumela umprofeti uSamuweli waza wamyalela ngokungqalileyo uSawule oku: Uze ubulale onke ama-Amaleki nemfuyo yawo. USawule akazange awuthobele lo myalelo kaYehova. Wamsindisa ukumkani uAgagi, neyona mfuyo ilungileyo. Ngoba? Ubuncinane wayefuna ukuzizukisa. (1 Sam. 15:1-3, 7-9, 12) Xa elulekwa, uSawule wayemele  athobeke, aze avume ukubunjwa nguMbumbi Omkhulu. Akazange avume ukulungiswa, suke wakhetha ukuzithethelela. Wema ngelithi wenze into efanelekileyo kuba loo mfuyo kwakunokubingelelwa ngayo, etsho esibetha ngoyaba isiluleko sikaSamuweli. UYehova wamgatya uSawule ekubeni abe ngukumkani, ibe akazange aphinde abe nolwalamano oluhle naye.—Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 15:13-15, 20-23.

8. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela olwasabela ngayo uhlanga lukaSirayeli ekubunjweni nguYehova?

⁸ UYehova akapheleli nje ekunikeni abathile ithuba lokumthobela kodwa unika nohlanga lonke. Emva kokukhulula amaSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uYehova wawenza uhlanga olukhethekileyo kuye. Wathembisa ukuba uza kuwabumba. Kodwa akazange amthobele aqhubeka esenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova de anqula nezithixo zeentlanga ezaziwangqongile. UYehova waqhubeka ethumela abaprofeti awabuyise kwiindlela zawo, kodwa akazange aphulaphule. (Yer. 35:12-15) Ngenxa yokuqaqadeka, wawohlwaya qatha. Njengesitya esifanelekele intshabalalo, ubukumkani basemntla bezizwe ezilishumi boyiswa yiAsiriya ngoxa obo basemzantsi bezizwe ezibini zakwaYuda boyiswa yiBhabhiloni. Simele sifunde lukhulu koku! Ukubunjwa nguYehova kusinceda kuphela xa simthobela.

9, 10. Abantu baseNinive basabela njani kwisilumkiso sikaYehova?

⁹ UYehova wanika nabemi bekomkhulu  laseAsiriya iNinive ithuba lokuthobela isilumkiso sakhe. Wathuma uYona wathi: “Sukuma, uye eNinive isixeko esikhulu, uze ubhengeze nxamnye nayo ukuba ububi babo bunyuke beza kufika phambi kwam.” UYehova wayegqibe ekubeni iNinive ifanelekele ukutshatyalaliswa.—Yona 1:1, 2; 3:1-4.

¹⁰ Noko ke, xa uYona wabhengeza kubantu balapho ukuba baza kutshatyalaliswa, “abantu baseNineve bakholwa kuThixo, yaye babhengeza ukuba kuzilwe ukutya kwambathwe namarhonya, ukususela koyena mkhulu kuse koyena mncinane kubo.” Ukumkani wabo “waphakama etroneni yakhe wawukhulula umnweba wakhe waza wazigquma ngamarhonya wahlala eluthuthwini.” Abantu baseNineve bazithoba xa bebunjwa nguYehova baza baguquka. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wayirhoxisa loo ntshabalalo.—Yona 3:5-10.

11. Luluphi uphawu lukaYehova oluthi qatha xa sicinga ngendlela awenza ngayo kumaSirayeli nabantu baseNinive?

¹¹ Ukuba sisizwe esikhethekileyo kukaSirayeli kwakungathethi kuthi akayi kuwohlwaywa. Kwelinye icala, abantu baseNinive babengenawo umnqophiso wolwalamano noThixo. Kodwa bamthobela uYehova xa ebalumkisa waza wabenzela inceba bakuvuma ukubunjwa nguye kanye njengodongwe oluthambileyo esandleni sakhe. Le mizekelo mibini ibonisa phandle ukuba uYehova ‘akakhethi buso’!—Dut. 10:17.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni uThixo etshintsha kwinjongo yakhe xa abantu bevuma ukubunjwa nguye? (b) Yintoni eyayithethwa ‘kukuzisola’ kukaYehova kwimeko kaSawule? nakwimeko yeyeNinive?

¹² Indlela uThixo akulungele ngayo ukusibumba ibonisa ukuba unengqiqo yaye ubhetyebhetye. Oko kubonakala kwiimeko apho uYehova athi sele egqibile ukuba uza kubohlwaya abantu kodwa ajike esakubona intsabelo yabo. Xa zithetha ngokumkani wokuqala kwaSirayeli, iZibhalo zithi uYehova ‘wazisola kuba ebangele uSawule walawula njengokumkani.’ (1 Sam. 15:11) Xa abantu baseNinive baguqukayo baza bajika kwindlela yabo embi, iBhayibhile ithi: “UThixo oyinyaniso wazisola ngentlekele awayethe uza kubazisela yona; waza akayizisa.”—Yona 3:10.

¹³ Eyona nto ithethwa ligama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “wazisola” kukutshintsha kwesimo sengqondo okanye injongo. Isimo sengqondo sikaYehova satshintsha kuba wajika wazisola ngokukhetha uSawule amenze ukumkani waza wamgatya. UYehova akazange atshintshe kuba enze impazamo ngokukhetha uSawule, kodwa nguSawule owaswela ukholo waza akathobela. Kwimeko yabantu baseNinive, uThixo oyinyaniso wazisola; into ethetha ukuba watshintsha kwinjongo awayegqibe kuyo. Kuyasithuthuzela ukwazi ukuba uYehova uMbumbi wethu unengqiqo yaye ubhetyebhetye, unobabalo nenceba, ukulungele ukutshintsha kwinjongo yakhe xa beguquka aboni!

14. (a) UYehova usibumba njani namhlanje? (b) Simele sisabele njani kwindlela asibumba ngayo uThixo?

¹⁴ Ngokuyintloko, namhlanje uYehova usibumba ngeLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile nentlangano yakhe. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Ngaba asimele samkele nasiphi na isiluleko okanye uqeqesho esilufumana ngezi ndlela? Kungakhathaliseki ukuba kudala kangakanani sibhaptiziwe okanye sifumene amalungelo angakanani, simele siqhubeke  sisithobela isiluleko sikaYehova, ukuze sibumbeke sibe zizitya zenjongo ebekekileyo.

15, 16. (a) Ziziphi iimvakalelo ezingafanelekanga ezinokubakho xa uqeqesho luthetha ukuphulukana namalungelo? Yenza umzekelo. (b) Yintoni enokusinceda soyise ezi mvakalelo xa siqeqeshwa?

¹⁵ Olunye uqeqesho silufumana ngemiyalelo okanye ngokulungiswa. Kodwa ke, maxa wambi sinokuqeqeshwa kuba senze okuphosakeleyo. Olo qeqesho lusenokuthetha ukuphulukana namalungelo athile ebandleni. Cinga ngoDennis * owayengumdala. Wenza okuphosakeleyo ngenxa yokungenzi ngobulumko kwimibandela yoshishino, waza walulekwa ngasese. Waziva njani xa kwakusenziwa isaziso ebandleni sokuba akasenguye umdala? Uthi: “Ndaziva kungasekho yam. Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-30 ngaphambi koko, ndandiphathiswe amalungelo amaninzi. Ndandinguvulindlela othe ngxi, ndikhonze eBheteli, ndasisicaka solungiselelo, emva koko ndangumdala. Ndandisandul’ ukunikela intetho yam yokuqala kwindibano yesithili. Ngephanyazo, ayengasekho onke loo malungelo. Ukongezelela ekuziveni ndihlazekile neentloni, ndandivakalelwa kukuba akusekho yam entlanganweni.”

¹⁶ UDennis kwafuneka atshintshe kwizenzo zakhe, ajike ngokuyeka ezo zinto wayesona ngazo nezabangela ukuba alungiswe. Yintoni eyamncedayo woyisa ezo mvakalelo zibuhlungu? Uthi: “Ndazimisela ukuqhubeka ndisenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ndakhuthazwa yinkxaso yabazalwana bebandla neempapasho zethu. Inqaku elithi, ‘Ngaba Wakha Waba Neembopheleleko Zokomoya? Ngaba Unokuphinda Ube Nazo?’ kwiMboniselo ka-Agasti 15, 2009, laba ngathi libhalelwe mna ukuphendula imithandazo yam. Esona siluleko ndasithanda gqitha sesithi, ‘Ngoxa ungekabi nazimbopheleleko zingako ebandleni, nikela ingqalelo ekomelezeni ulwalamano lwakho noYehova.’” UDennis lwamnceda njani olu qeqesho? Emva kweminyaka ethile, uthi, “UYehova uphinde wandisikelela ngokuba sisicaka solungiselelo.”

17. Ukususa kubudlelane kunokumnceda njani umoni abuyele ezingqondweni? Zekelisa.

¹⁷ Ukususa kubudlelane yenye indlela asiqeqesha ngayo uYehova. Ikhusela ibandla kwimpembelelo embi ibe inokunceda umoni abuyele ezingqondweni. (1 Kor. 5:6, 7, 11) URobert wasuswa kubudlelane phantse iminyaka eli-16, lonke elo xesha abazali bakhe nabantakwabo abane banyaniseka kulwalathiso lweLizwi likaThixo lokuyeka ukunxulumana nabenzi-bubi, bangabuliswa tu. URobert seneminyaka ngoku ebuyiselwe yaye uqhuba kakuhle ngokomoya. Xa ebuzwa into emncede wabuyela kuYehova nakubantu bakhe emva kwexesha elide kangaka uthi, linyathelo lentsapho yakowabo elamchukumisayo. “Ukuba ekhaya babenxulumana nam nangayiphi na indlela, ndandiya kwanela koko, kuze kungabikho nto indenza ndifune ukubuyela kuThixo.”

18. Luhlobo olunjani lodongwe esimele sibe lulo ezandleni zoMbumbi Omkhulu?

¹⁸ Kusenokungabi yimfuneko ukuba side siqeqeshwe ngaloo ndlela, kodwa luhlobo olunjani lodongwe esiya kuba lulo ezandleni zoMbumbi Omkhulu? Siya kusabela njani xa siqeqeshwa? Ngaba siya kufana noDavide okanye uSawule? UMbumbi Omkhulu nguBawo wethu. Ungaze ulibale ukuba “lowo amthandayo uYehova uyamohlwaya, njengoko noyise esenjenjalo kunyana akholiswayo nguye.” Ngoko ke, ‘musa ukuyigatya ingqeqesho kaYehova, ungasenyanyi isohlwayo sakhe.’—IMize. 3:11, 12.