1-2. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

NGEZINYE IZIKHATHI, singase sicabange ngeqiniso lokuthi ukuphila kwethu kufushane kangakanani nokuthi “kugcwele izinkathazo.” (Jobe 14:1) Ngakho kuyaqondakala ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi singase sizizwe sidangele. Izinceku zikaJehova eziningi esikhathini esidlule nazo zazizwa ngaleyo ndlela. Ezinye zaze zafisa ngisho nokufa. (1 AmaKh. 19:: 2-4; Jobe 3: 1-3, 11; 7:15, 16) Kodwa uJehova—uNkulunkulu ezazithembele kuye—wayelokhu eziduduza futhi eziqinisa. Okwenzeka ekuphileni kwazo kwabhalwa ukuze kududuze futhi kufundise thina.—Roma 15:4.

² Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngezinceku zikaJehova ezakhuthazelela ubunzima obaziqeda amandla, lezo zinceku uJosefa indodana kaJakobe, umfelokazi uNawomi nomalokazana wakhe uRuthe, umLevi owabhala iHubo 73, nomphostoli uPetru. UJehova wabakhuthaza kanjani? Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda ezibonelweni zabo? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zisiqinisekisa ngokuthi “uJehova useduze nalabo abaphukile enhliziyweni,” futhi “uyabasindisa abadangele.”—IHu. 34:18.

3-4. Kwenzekani kuJosefa ngesikhathi eseyinsizwa?

³ UJosefa wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-17 ngesikhathi ephupha amaphupho amabili ayevela kuNkulunkulu. La maphupho ayesho ukuthi ngelinye ilanga uJosefa wayeyoba nesikhundla esihlonishwayo emndenini wakubo. (Gen. 37:5-10) Kodwa ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uJosefa ephuphile, ukuphila kwakhe kwashintsha ngendlela ayengayilindele. Abafowabo bakaJosefa babengamhloniphi, ngakho bamdayisa  waba isigqila. Waba sendlini yesikhulu saseGibhithe, uPotifari. (Gen. 37:21-28) Ngokushesha nje, uJosefa wasuka ekubeni intandokazi kayise waba isigqila sesikhulu segceke esasingamkhonzi uJehova eGibhithe.—Gen. 39:1.

⁴ UJosefa wayesazobona okukhulu ngoba izinkinga zakhe zazingakapheli. Inkosikazi kaPotifari yaqambela uJosefa amanga yathi wayezama ukuyidlwengula. UPotifari akazange azihluphe ngokuthola ukuthi okwakushiwo umkakhe kuyiqiniso noma cha, kunalokho wavele wavalela uJosefa ejele futhi waboshwa ngezinsimbi. (Gen. 39:14-20; IHu. 105:17, 18) Ake ucabange indlela okumelwe ukuba uJosefa wayezizwa ngayo ngokuqanjelwa lawo manga. Cabanga indlela okwalihlambalaza ngayo igama likaJehova. Kusobala ukuthi uJosefa wayenesizathu sokudangala!

5. UJosefa wakunqoba kanjani ukudangala?

⁵ Ngesikhathi uJosefa eyisigqila nangesikhathi evalelwe ejele, akukuningi ayengakwenza ngesimo ayekuso. Yini eyamsiza waba nombono omuhle? Kunokuba agxile kulokho ayengasakwazi ukukwenza, wazimisela ukuwenza kahle umsebenzi ayenikwe wona. Okukhulu nakakhulu, uJosefa waqhubeka ebheka uJehova njengoMuntu obaluleke kunabo bonke ekuphileni kwakhe. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wabusisa yonke into uJosefa ayeyenza.—Gen. 39:21-23.

6. Kungenzeka amduduza kanjani uJosefa amaphupho akhe?

⁶ UJosefa kungenzeka waduduzwa nawukukhumbula amaphupho ayisiprofetho ayewaphuphe ngaphambilini. Ayebonisa ukuthi wayezophinde awubone umndeni wakhe nokuthi isimo ayekuso sasizoba ngcono. Yilokho ngempela okwenzeka. Lapho eneminyaka engaba ngu-37, amaphupho akhe ayisiprofetho aqala ukugcwaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo!— Gen. 37:7, 9, 10; 42:6, 9.

7. Ngokweyoku-1 Petru 5:10, yini ezosisiza sikhuthazelele ubunzima?

 ⁷ Esikufundayo. Indaba kaJosefa isikhumbuza ukuthi abantu baleli zwe bakhohlakele futhi bazosiphatha ngendlela engenabulungisa. Ngisho nabafowethu nodadewethu bangase basizwise ubuhlungu. Kodwa uma sibheka uJehova njengeDwala lethu, noma isiPhephelo, ngeke siphelelwe amandla noma siyeke ukumkhonza. (IHu. 62:6, 7; funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:10.) Khumbula nokuthi uJosefa kungenzeka wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-17 ngesikhathi uJehova emnika la maphupho. Kusobala ukuthi uJehova uyayithemba intsha emkhonzayo. Namuhla, abasebasha abaningi bafana noJosefa. Banokholo kuJehova. Abanye kubo baye baphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa, bavalelwa emajele ngenxa yokungafuni ukuphula ubuqotho babo kuNkulunkulu.—IHu. 110:3.

8. Kwenzekani kuNawomi noRuthe?

⁸ Ngenxa yendlala enkulu, uNawomi nomndeni wakhe bashiya umuzi wabo kwaJuda bayohlala kwaMowabi, izwe ababengalijwayele. Kuleyo ndawo, umyeni kaNawomi, u-Elimeleki, washona futhi wamshiya namadodana abo amabili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, womabili la madodana ashada nabesifazane bakwaMowabi, uRuthe no-Orpa. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba yishumi, nawo amadodana kaNawomi ashona engenabantwana. (Ruthe 1:1-5) Cabanga usizi okumelwe ukuba babebhekene nalo laba besifazane abathathu! URuthe no-Orpa babengaphinde bashade. Kodwa ubani owayeyonakekela uNawomi owayesekhulile? UNawomi wacindezeleka kakhulu kangangokuba ngesinye isikhathi wathi: “Ningangibizi ngokuthi nginguNawomi. Ngibizeni ngokuthi nginguMara, ngoba uMninimandla Onke wenze ukuphila kwami kwaba lusizi kakhulu.” Elusizi, uNawomi wanquma ukubuyela eBhetlehema, futhi uRuthe wahamba naye.—Ruthe 1:7, 18-20.

9. Ngokusho kwencwadi kaRuthe 1:16, 17, 22, uRuthe wamkhuthaza kanjani uNawomi?

⁹ Into eyasiza uNawomi osizini lwakhe uthando oluqotho. Ngokwesibonelo, uRuthe wabonisa uNawomi uthando oluqotho ngokuthi angamshiyi. (Funda uRuthe 1:16, 17, 22.) EBhetlehema, uRuthe wasebenza kanzima ukuze atholele yena noNawomi ukudla. Ngenxa yalokho, lona wesifazane ngokushesha nje waba nedumela elihle.—Ruthe 3:11; 4:15.

10. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabathanda labo ababehlupheka njengoNawomi noRuthe?

¹⁰ UJehova wabonisa uzwela ngokunika ama-Israyeli umthetho owawuyonakekela abantu abahluphekayo njengoNawomi noRuthe. Watshela abantu bakhe ukuthi lapho bevuna, kwakungafanele bavune emaphethelweni ensimu ukuze abahluphekayo bakhothoze khona. (Lev. 19:9, 10) Ngakho uNawomi noRuthe kwakungadingeki bahambe becela ukudla. Babengakuthola ngendlela enesithunzi.

11-12. UBhowazi wabajabulisa kanjani uRuthe noNawomi?

¹¹ Umnikazi wensimu uRuthe ayekhothoza kuyo kwakuyindoda ecebile, uBhowazi. Yamthinta kakhulu indlela uRuthe ayeqotho ngayo kuNawomi nendlela ayemthanda ngayo umamezala wakhe, kangangokuba wathenga ifa labo lomndeni futhi washada noRuthe. (Ruthe 4:9-13) UBhowazi noRuthe bazala ingane bayiqamba ngokuthi u-Obede, owaba umkhulu weNkosi uDavide.—Ruthe 4:17.

¹² Cabanga ukuthi wayejabule kangakanani uNawomi njengoba ayephethe u-Obede omncane futhi ebonga uJehova ngomthandazo osuka enhliziyweni! Kodwa-ke kukhulu okusalinde laba besifazane. UNawomi noRuthe bayojabula nakakhulu lapho bevuswa, bethola nokuthi u-Obede waba ukhokho kaMesiya Othenjisiwe, uJesu Kristu!

13. Yiziphi izifundo ezibalulekile esingazifunda endabeni kaNawomi noRuthe?

 ¹³ Esikufundayo. Lapho sibhekene nobunzima, singase sidangale, size ngisho siphelelwe amandla. Mhlawumbe singase sicabange ukuthi izinkinga zethu azisoze zaphela. Ezikhathini ezinjalo, kufanele sithembele ngokuphelele kuBaba wethu wasezulwini futhi sihlale siseduze nabafowethu nodadewethu ebandleni. Iqiniso liwukuthi uJehova angase angayisusi inkinga esibhekene nayo. Khumbula ukuthi akazange amvuse umyeni kaNawomi namadodana akhe. Kodwa uzosisiza sikwazi ukukhuthazela, ngezinye izikhathi angasisiza ngokuthi abafowethu nodadewethu basibonise uthando oluqotho.—IzAga 17:17.

14. Kungani azizwa edangele kakhulu omunye umLevi?

¹⁴ Umbhali weHubo 73 kwakungumLevi. Ngakho wayenelungelo elikhethekile lokukhonza endlini kaJehova. Noma kunjalo, ngesinye isikhathi naye wazizwa edangele. Kungani? Waqala ukuba nomona ngabantu ababi nabadelelayo, hhayi ngoba ayefuna ukwenza izinto ezimbi ababezenza, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi babebonakala bephila kamnandi kunaye. (IHu. 73:2-9, 11-14) Babebonakala benakho konke—imali, ukuphila okuntofontofo futhi bengenazinkinga. Lapho lo mLevi ekubona konke lokho, wadikibala kakhulu kangangokuba wathi: “Impela kube yize ukugcina inhliziyo yami imsulwa nokuhlanza izandla zami zibe msulwa.” Kuyacaca ukuthi wacishe wayeka ukukhonza uJehova.

15. Ngokwencwadi yeHubo 73:16-19, 22-25, yini eyasiza umLevi owabhala leli hubo?

¹⁵ Funda iHubo 73:16-19, 22-25. UmLevi ‘wangena endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu.’ Endlini kaNkulunkulu, lapho enabanye abantu abakhonza uJehova, wakwazi ukuzola, ukucabangisisa kahle nokuthandaza ngenkinga yakhe. Ngenxa yalokho, waqala ukubona ukuthi indlela ayecabanga ngayo yayingaphusile, nokuthi wayesengozini yokulahlekelwa ubungane bakhe noJehova. Waqonda nokuthi ababi ‘babekwe endaweni eshelelayo’ futhi ‘bazoshabalala kabuhlungu.’ Ukuze ayeke ukuba nomona nokudikibala, umhubi ongumLevi kwadingeka abheke izinto ngombono kaJehova. Ngokwenza kanjalo, waphinde waba nokuthula  futhi wajabula. Wathi: “Angifisi lutho emhlabeni ngaphandle [kukaJehova].”

16. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda kumLevi?

¹⁶ Esikufundayo. Masingalokothi sibe nomona ngabantu ababi okubonakala sengathi izinto zibahambela kahle. Injabulo yabo akuyona eyangempela futhi ingeyesikhashana; ngeke baphile kuze kube phakade. (UmSh. 8:12, 13) Ukuba nomona ngabo kuyosenza sidikibale, kusenze silahlekelwe ngisho nawubungane bethu noJehova. Ngakho uma uzithola usunomona ngabantu ababi ababonakala bephila kamnandi, yenza lokho okwenziwa umLevi. Lalela isiyalo sikaJehova esinothando futhi ube nabantu abenza intando kaJehova. Lapho uthanda uJehova ukwedlula noma yini enye, uzojabula ngempela. Uzohlala nasendleleni eya ‘ekuphileni kwangempela.’—1 Thim. 6:19.

17. Yiziphi izinto ezenza uPetru wazizwa edangele?

¹⁷ Umphostoli uPetru wayeyindoda ephapheme; kodwa wayebuye enze izinto ngokuxhamazela, futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayeshesha ukuveza indlela azizwa ngayo. Ngenxa yalokho, ngezinye izikhathi washo futhi wenza izinto azisola ngazo kamuva. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJesu etshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi wayezohlupheka futhi afe, uPetru wamkhuza wathi: “Ngeke neze lokhu kwenzeke kuwe.” (Math. 16:21-23) UJesu wamlungisa uPetru. Ngesikhathi isixuku sizobopha uJesu, uPetru wathathela izinto phezulu, wagenca indlebe yenceku yompristi ophakeme. (Joh. 18:10, 11) Nalapho futhi uJesu wamlungisa lo mphostoli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPetru wayeqhoshe ngokuthi ngisho noma abanye abaphostoli bangamshiya uJesu, yena wayengasoze amshiya! (Math. 26:33) Kodwa konke lokho kuzethemba kwaphela nya, uPetru wesaba abantu futhi wayiphika kathathu iNkosi yakhe. Ecindezeleke kakhulu, uPetru “waphumela ngaphandle wakhala kalusizi.” (Math. 26:69-75) Cishe wayezibuza ukuthi engabe uJesu uyoke amthethelele yini.

18. UJesu wamsiza kanjani uPetru wanqoba ukudangala?

 ¹⁸ UPetru akakuvumelanga ukudangala kumnqobe. Ngemva kokwenza lelo phutha, waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova futhi kamuva wahlangana nabanye abaphostoli. (Joh. 21:1-3; IzE. 1:15, 16) Yini eyamsiza? Wakhumbula ukuthi uJesu wayethandazele ukuba ukholo lukaPetru lungapheli futhi uJesu wayemnxuse ukuba abuye, aqinise abafowabo. UJehova wawuphendula lowo mthandazo osuka enhliziyweni. Kamuva, uJesu wabonakala ngokuqondile kuPetru, akungabazeki ukuthi wayemkhuthaza. (Luka 22:32; 24:33, 34; 1 Kor. 15:5) UJesu wabonakala nakubo bonke abaphostoli ngemva kokuba bedobe ubusuku bonke kodwa bangabamba nhlanzi. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu wanika uPetru ithuba lokuthi amtshele ukuthi umthanda kangakanani. UJesu wayesemxolele umngane wakhe amthandayo futhi wamnika umsebenzi owengeziwe.—Joh. 21:15-17.

19. Incwadi yeHubo 103:13, 14 isisiza kanjani sizibheke ngendlela uJehova asibheka ngayo lapho sona?

¹⁹ Esikufundayo. Indlela uJesu aphatha ngayo uPetru ibonisa ukuthi uJesu unomusa njengoYise. Ngakho lapho senza amaphutha, akufanele sicabange ukuthi uJehova akasoze asithethelela. Khumbula ukuthi uSathane ofuna sicabange kanjalo. Kunalokho, kufanele sizame ukucabanga ngendlela uJehova asithanda ngayo nasiqonda ngayo, nokuthi uyafuna ukusithethelela. Nathi kufanele simlingise lapho abanye benza izinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu.—Funda iHubo 103:13, 14.

20. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Izibonelo zikaJosefa, uNawomi noRuthe, umLevi, noPetru zisiqinisekisa ngokuthi “uJehova useduze nalabo abaphukile enhliziyweni.” (IHu. 34:18) Ngezinye izikhathi uyasivumela sibhekane nobunzima futhi sizizwe sidangele. Noma kunjalo, lapho sikhuthazelela ubunzima ngosizo lukaJehova, ukholo lwethu luyaqina. (1 Pet. 1:6, 7) Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoqhubeka nokuhlola indlela uJehova azisekela ngayo izinceku zakhe eziqotho ezizizwa zidangele, mhlawumbe ngenxa yamaphutha azo noma ngenxa yezimo ezinzima.