1. Yisiphi isifundo esiduduzayo uJehova asifundisa u-Abrahama?

 KWAKUYINGXOXO u-Abrahama angazange ayikhohlwe. Esebenzisa ingelosi, uNkulunkulu watshela u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezowabhubhisa amadolobha aseSodoma naseGomora. Leyo ndoda ethembekile yayikhathazekile. Yabuza: “Ingabe ngempela uzobhubhisa olungile kanye nomubi? . . . Ubengeke yini umaHluleli womhlaba wonke enze okulungile?” Ngesineke uJehova wafundisa umngani wakhe othandekayo ongumuntu isifundo esisizuzisayo nesisiduduzayo sonke: UNkulunkulu akasoze ababhubhise abantu abalungile.—Gen. 18:​23-33.

2. Yini esenza siqiniseke ukuthi izahlulelo zikaJehova zilungile futhi unesihe?

² Yini engasenza siqiniseke ukuthi izenzo zikaJehova zokwahlulela zilungile futhi unesihe? Siqinisekiswa ukuthi siyazi ukuthi ‘uJehova ubona okusezinhliziyweni’ zabantu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Eqinisweni, wazi ‘izinhliziyo zabo bonke abantu.’ (1 AmaKh. 8:39; 1 IziKr. 28:9) Lelo yiqiniso elimangalisayo. Izahlulelo zikaJehova zikwedlula kude kakhulu ukuqonda kwethu. Yingakho umphostoli uPawulu aphefumulelwa ukuba athi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu: “Yeka ukuthi aziphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe!”—Roma 11:33.

3-4. Yini esingase sizibuze yona ngezinye izikhathi, futhi yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko? (Johane 5:​28, 29)

³ Noma kunjalo, ngezinye izikhathi singase sizibuze imibuzo efana naleyo eyabuzwa u-Abrahama. Singase sizibuze ngisho nokuthi: ‘Likhona yini ithemba lekusasa ngabantu abafana  nalabo abahlulelwa eSodoma naseGomora? Kungenzeka yini abanye babo bavuswe ‘ovukweni . . . lwabangalungile’?’—IzE. 24:15.

⁴ Ake siphinde sihlole lokho esikuqondayo mayelana novuko. Muva nje, sithole ukuqonda okusha mayelana ‘novuko lokuphila’ ‘novuko lokwahlulelwa.’ a (Funda uJohane 5:​28, 29.) Lokhu kuqonda okusha kwenze kwaba nokunye ukulungiswa, okuzoxoxwa ngakho kulesi sihloko nakwesilandelayo. Mayelana nezahlulelo zikaJehova ezilungile, sizoqale sixoxe ngalokho esingakwazi bese sixoxa ngalokho esikwaziyo.

LOKHO ESINGAKWAZI

5. Yini eyayishiwo izincwadi zethu ngalabo ababhujiswa eSodoma naseGomora?

⁵ Esikhathini esidlule, izincwadi zethu zikhulume ngalokho okwenzeka kulabo uJehova abahlulela njengabantu abangalungile. Sasithi alikho ithemba lovuko ngabantu abafana nabaseSodoma naseGomora. Kodwa ukutadisha ngokucophelela nokuthandaza kwenze kwaphakama lo mbuzo: Singakusho ngokuqiniseka yini lokho?

6. Yiziphi izibonelo zabantu abangalungile abahlulelwa uJehova, futhi yini esingayazi?

⁶ Ake ucabange ngemibuzo embalwa ehlobene nale ndaba. Izindaba eziningana eziseBhayibhelini zichaza indlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo abantu abangalungile. Ngokwesibonelo, wabhubhisa wonke umuntu ngoZamcolo ngaphandle kukaNowa nomndeni wakhe, uJehova wayala abantu bakhe ukuba babhubhise izizwe eziyisikhombisa eZweni Lesithembiso, ingelosi kaJehova yabulala amasosha ama-Asiriya angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa. (Gen. 7:23; Dut. 7:​1-3; Isaya 37:​36, 37) Kulezi zindaba, iBhayibheli liyasinika yini imininingwane eyanele esenza siphethe ngokuthi uJehova wabahlulela ngokubhujiswa kwaphakade bonke labo bantu futhi ngeke abavuse? Cha, alisiniki. Kungani sisho kanjalo?

7. Yini esingayazi ngabantu ababhujiswa uZamcolo noma ngezizwe zaseKhanani ezaqothulwa ama-Israyeli? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

⁷ Asazi ukuthi uJehova wamahlulela kanjani umuntu ngamunye; asazi nokuthi labo ababulawa balithola yini ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova bese bephenduka. Lapho likhuluma ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo, iBhayibheli lithi uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Pet. 2:5) Kodwa alisho ukuthi ngesikhathi akha umkhumbi wayezama ukushumayeza umuntu ngamunye osemhlabeni owayezobhujiswa uZamcolo. Ngendlela efanayo, endabeni yezizwe zaseKhanani, asazi ukuthi bonke labo bantu ababi balithola yini ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova bese beshintsha izindlela zabo.

8. Yini esingayazi ngabantu baseSodoma naseGomora?

⁸ Kuthiwani ngabantu baseSodoma naseGomora? Indoda elungile, uLoti, yayiphila nalabo bantu. Kodwa siyazi yini ukuthi uLoti wabashumayeza bonke? Cha. Babebabi impela, kodwa ingabe bonke babekwazi okulungile nokungalungile? Khumbula ukuthi isixuku samadoda akulelo dolobha sasifuna ukudlwengula izivakashi zikaLoti. IBhayibheli lithi abantu ababekuleso sixuku babesukela “kumfana kuya ekhehleni.” (Gen. 19:4; 2 Pet. 2:7) Siyazi ngempela yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu onesihe wahlulela ngamunye walabo bantu ukuba afe engenalo ithemba lovuko? UJehova waqinisekisa u-Abrahama ukuthi babengekho ngisho abantu abayishumi abalungile kulelo dolobha. (Gen. 18:32) Ngakho babengalungile,  uJehova wababhubhisa kufanele ngenxa yezenzo zabo. Kodwa singasho ngokuqiniseka yini ukuthi akekho noyedwa kubo oyovuswa ‘ovukweni . . . lwabangalungile’? Cha, ngeke sikwazi ukukusho ngokuqiniseka lokho!

9. Yini esingayazi ngoSolomoni?

⁹ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, eBhayibhelini sifunda ngabantu abalungile abashintsha baba abantu abangalungile. INkosi uSolomoni ingomunye wabo. Yafundiswa ngokucophelela izindlela zikaNkulunkulu futhi uJehova wayibusisa kakhulu; nokho, kamuva yakhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga. Izono zayo zamthukuthelisa kakhulu uJehova futhi imiphumela yazo yahlala amakhulu eminyaka. Yiqiniso, imiBhalo iyasho ukuthi uSolomoni “washona, wangcwatshwa” namadoda athembekile ahlanganisa neNkosi uDavide. (1 AmaKh. 11:​5-9, 43; 2 AmaKh. 23:13) Ingabe indlela angcwatshwa ngayo yayiyisiqinisekiso sokuthi uzovuswa? IBhayibheli alisho. Nokho abanye bangase bathi “lowo ofile ukhululiwe esonweni sakhe.” (Roma 6:7) Yiqiniso, lokhu akusho ukuthi labo abashona bazovuswa, njengokungathi banelungelo lokuphinde baphile. Uvuko luyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu onothando. Ulunika labo afuna ukubanika ithuba lokumkhonza phakade. (Jobe 14:​13, 14; Joh. 6:44) USolomoni uyosithola yini leso sipho? NguJehova owazi impendulo; thina asiyazi. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi uJehova uyokwenza okulungile.

LOKHO ESIKWAZIYO

10. UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngokubhubhisa abantu? (Hezekeli 33:11) (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁰ Funda uHezekeli 33:11. Uma kuziwa endleleni ahlulela ngayo abantu, ngomusa uJehova usitshela indlela azizwa ngayo. Umphostoli uPetru waphefumulelwa ukuba asho amazwi afana nalawo abhalwa umprofethi uHezekeli, wathi “UJehova . . . akafisi ukuba kubhubhe ngisho noyedwa.” (2 Pet. 3:9) Ngenxa yalawo mazwi aduduzayo siyazi ukuthi uJehova akasheshi ukubhubhisa abantu unomphela. Unesihe esikhulu futhi usibonisa noma nini lapho kungenzeka.

11. Obani abangeke bavuswe, futhi sikwazi kanjani lokho?

¹¹ Yini esiyaziyo ngabantu abangeke bavuswe? IBhayibheli linezibonelo ezimbalwa kuphela. b UJesu wabonisa ukuthi uJuda Iskariyothe ngeke avuswe. (Marku 14:21; bheka noJohane 17:12. c) Ngamabomu uJuda wenza into engahambisani noJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe. (Bheka uMarku 3:29. d) Ngendlela efanayo, uJesu wathi abanye abaholi benkolo ababemphikisa babeyofa bangabi nalo ithemba lovuko. (Math. 23:33) Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi izihlubuki ezingaphenduki zazingeke zivuswe.—Heb. 6:​4-8; 10:29.

12. Yini esiyaziyo ngesihe sikaJehova? Nikeza izibonelo.

¹² Nokho, yini esiyaziyo ngesihe sikaJehova? Ubonise kanjani ukuthi “akafisi ukuba kubhubhe ngisho noyedwa”? Cabanga ngesihe asibonise abanye abaye benza izono ezinkulu. INkosi uDavide yenza izono eziningana ezinyanyekayo, ezihlanganisa ukuphinga nokubulala. Nokho, uDavide waphenduka, ngakho uJehova wambonisa isihe wamthethelela. (2 Sam. 12:​1-13) Iminyaka eminingi yokuphila kwayo, iNkosi uManase yayikhohlakele kakhulu. Nokho, ngisho noManase  owayenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu, uJehova wambonisa isihe futhi wamthethelela ngenxa yokuthi waphenduka. (2 IziKr. 33:​9-16) Lezi zibonelo zisikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova ubonisa isihe noma nini lapho enesizathu sokwenza kanjalo. Uzobavusa abantu abanjalo ngenxa yokuthi babonile ukuthi benze izono ezimbi base bephenduka.

13. (a) Kungani uJehova ababonisa isihe abaseNineve? (b) Kamuva yini uJesu ayisho ngabaseNineve?

¹³ Siyazi nangesihe uJehova asibonisa abaseNineve. UNkulunkulu watshela uJona: “Ngibubonile ububi balo.” Kodwa lapho bephenduka ezonweni zabo, uJehova wababonisa umusa wabathethelela. Isihe sakhe sasisidlula kude kakhulu esikaJona. UNkulunkulu kwadingeka akhumbuze umprofethi wakhe owayethukuthele ukuthi abaseNineve ‘babengawazi ngisho nomehluko phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile.’ (Jona 1:​1, 2; 3:10; 4:​9-11) Kamuva, uJesu wasisebenzisa lesi sibonelo ukuze afundise ngobulungisa nangesihe sikaJehova. UJesu wathi abaseNineve abaphenduka ‘bayovukela . . . ekwahlulelweni.’—Math. 12:41.

14. Luyosho ukuthini ‘uvuko lokwahlulelwa’ kwabaseNineve?

¹⁴ Yikuphi ‘ukwahlulelwa’ abaseNineve ‘abayovukela’ kukho? UJesu wathi esikhathini esizayo kuyoba ‘novuko lokwahlulelwa.’ (Joh. 5:29) Wayebhekisela eMinyakeni Eyinkulungwane Yokubusa kwakhe lapho kuyovuswa khona “abalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15) Kwabangalungile kuyoba ‘uvuko lokwahlulelwa.’ Okusho ukuthi uJehova noJesu bazobheka futhi bahlole indlela abenza ngayo nokuthi bayakusebenzisa yini lokho abakufundayo. Uma umNineve ovusiwe enqaba ukukhonza uJehova, uJehova ngeke amvumele ukuba aqhubeke ephila. (Isaya 65:20) Kodwa bonke labo abakhetha ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka isahlulelo sabo siyojabulisa. Bayoba nethuba lokuphila phakade!—Dan. 12:2.

15. (a) Kungani kufanele sigweme ukuthi sithi akekho noyedwa kulabo ababhujiswa eSodoma naseGomora oyovuswa? (b) Singase siwaqonde kanjani amazwi akuJude 7? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Wayesho Ukuthini UJude?”)

¹⁵ Lapho ekhuluma ngabantu baseSodoma naseGomora, uJesu wathi “ngoSuku  Lokwahlulela” kwakuyobahambela kangcono kunabantu abamenqaba benqaba nezimfundiso zakhe. (Math. 10:​14, 15; 11:​23, 24; Luka 10:12) Wayesho ukuthini? Singase sicabange ukuthi uJesu wayenza ihaba. Kodwa akubonakali kunjalo, njengoba kunjalo nje nasendabeni yabaseNineve. e Kunalokho, kubonakala sengathi uJesu wayeqonde ukusho kona kanye lokho akusho. ‘USuku Lokwahlulela’ ayebhekisela kulo kuzo zombili lezi zenzakalo luyefana. Njengabantu baseNineve, abantu baseSodoma naseGomora benza izinto ezimbi. Kodwa abaseNineve baba nethuba lokuphenduka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, khumbula lokho uJesu akusho ‘ngovuko lokwahlulelwa.’ Luyohlanganisa labo “ababenza okubi.” (Joh. 5:29) Ngakho kubonakala sengathi kungenzeka likhona ithemba ngabantu baseSodoma naseGomora. Kungenzeka ukuthi okungenani abanye balabo bantu bayovuswa, futhi kungenzeka sibe nethuba lokubafundisa ngoJehova nangoJesu Kristu.

16. Yini esiyaziyo mayelana nokuthi uJehova uyonquma kanjani ukuthi obani ayobavusa? (Jeremiya 17:10)

¹⁶ Funda uJeremiya 17:10. Leli vesi lisisiza sifingqe lokho esikwaziyo: Bekulokhu kunguJehova ‘ocubungula inhliziyo, ahlole imicabango ejulile.’ Uma kuziwa ovukweni lwesikhathi esizayo, uyohlale ‘enika yilowo nalowo ngokwezindlela zakhe.’ UJehova uyoma aqine uma kudingeka enze kanjalo, kodwa uyoba nesihe noma nini lapho kungenzeka. Ngakho akufanele siphethe ngokuthi umuntu akanalo ithemba lovuko ngaphandle uma sazi ukuthi kunjalo ngempela!

‘UMAHLULELI WOMHLABA WONKE UYOKWENZA OKULUNGILE’

17. Libaphatheleni ikusasa abantu asebashona?

¹⁷ Selokhu u-Adamu no-Eva baba ngasohlangothini lukaSathane bavukela uJehova uNkulunkulu, sekushone izigidigidi zabantu. ‘Isitha . . . esiwukufa’ sesibhuqe abantu abaningi! (1 Kor. 15:26) Yini eyokwenzeka kubo bonke labo bantu? Iqembu elincane labalandeli bakaKristu abangu-144 000 liyovuselwa  ezulwini lingaphinde life. (IsAm. 14:1) Isibalo esikhulu samadoda nabesifazane ababethanda uJehova siyoba phakathi kwalabo abayothola “uvuko lwabalungile” futhi bayophila phakade emhlabeni uma behlala belungile phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane naphakathi kovivinyo lokugcina. (Dan. 12:13; Heb. 12:1) Naphakathi Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, “abangalungile”—okuhlanganisa labo abangakaze bamkhonze uJehova noma ngisho labo “ababenza okubi”—bayothola ithuba lokushintsha izindlela zabo bathembeke. (Luka 23:​42, 43) Nokho, abanye abantu babekhohlakele kakhulu, bezimisele ukuvukela uJehova nezinjongo zakhe, waze wanquma ukuthi ngeke abavuse nhlobo.—Luka 12:​4, 5.

18-19. (a) Kungani singazethemba izahlulelo zikaJehova ngalabo asebashona? (Isaya 55:​8, 9) (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Sinaso yini isizathu esizwakalayo sokuqiniseka ukuthi lapho uJehova ahlulela abantu uhlale enza okulungile? Yebo! Njengoba u-Abrahama ayeqonda kahle, uJehova akanaphutha, unakho konke ukuhlakanipha, ‘ungumaHluleli womhlaba wonke’ onesihe. Uqeqeshe iNdodana yakhe wayinika wonke umsebenzi wokwahlulela. (Joh. 5:22) UJehova neNdodana yakhe bakwazi ukubona lokho okusenhliziyweni yomuntu ngamunye. (Math. 9:4) Kunoma yikuphi, bayokwenza “okulungile”!

¹⁹ Masizimisele ukwethemba uJehova nazo zonke izinqumo zakhe. Siyazi ukuthi asinalo igunya lokwahlulela—kodwa yena unalo! (Funda u-Isaya 55:​8, 9.) Ngakho sishiyela konke ukwahlulela kuye neNdodana yakhe, iNkosi ebulingisa ngokuphelele ubulungisa nesihe sikaYise. (Isaya 11:​3, 4) Nokho, kuthiwani ngendlela uJehova noJesu abayokwahlulela ngayo abantu ngosizi olukhulu? Yini esingayazi? Yini esiyaziyo? Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula leyo mibuzo.