Ngaba Ulandela UYehova Ngokuzeleyo?

“KE WONA amalungisa akholosa njengengonyama.” (IMizekeliso 28:1) Anokholo, ngentembelo akholose ngeLizwi likaThixo, yaye ngenkalipho aqhubela phambili kwinkonzo kaYehova naxa ejamelene nayo nayiphi na ingozi.

Ngoxa amaSirayeli ayeseSinayi emva kokuba uThixo ewakhulule kubukhoboka baseYiputa ngenkulungwane ye-16 B.C.E., ngokukodwa amadoda amabini abonisa ukuba ayekholose njengeengonyama. Akwabonakalisa ukuthembeka kuYehova phantsi kweemeko ezinzima. Enye yala madoda yayinguYoshuwa wakwaEfrayim, owayengumlungiseleli kaMoses yaye kamva wanyulwa njengelandela lakhe. (Eksodus 33:11; Numeri 13:8, 16; Duteronomi 34:9; Yoshuwa 1:1, 2) Enye yayinguKalebhi, unyana kaYefune wesizwe sakwaYuda.—Numeri 13:6; 32:12.

UKalebhi wakwenza ngokunyaniseka nangenzondelelo ukuthanda kukaYehova. Ubomi bakhe obude bokukhonza ngokuthembeka uThixo bambangela wakwazi ukuthi ‘wakuzalisa ukumlandela uYehova.’ (Yoshuwa 14:8) IThe New American Bible iyibeka ngokuthi, “ndandinyaniseke ngokupheleleyo kwiNKOSI, uThixo wam.” UKalebhi “wamthobela ngokuthembeka,” okanye “wayiphumeza ngokunyanisekileyo injongo” kaYehova uThixo. (Today’s English Version; The New English Bible) Xa ibekwa ngenye indlela, uKalebhi wathi: “Mna . . . ndayilandela iNKOSI uThixo wam ngentliziyo yam yonke.” (New International Version) Kuthekani ngawe? Ngaba umlandela ngokuzeleyo uYehova?

Ukuhlola Ilizwe

Khawuzithelekelele uphakathi kwamaSirayeli kungekudala emva kokuba uYehova ewakhulule ebukhobokeni bamaYiputa. Khangela indlela umprofeti uMoses ayilandela ngokuthembeka ngayo imiyalelo ayinikwa nguThixo. Ewe, phawula intembelo kaKalebhi yokuba uYehova unabantu Bakhe.

Ngunyaka wesibini emva kweMfuduko eYiputa, yaye amaSirayeli amisa iintente eKadeshe-bharneha kwintlango yaseParan. Akumda weLizwe Ledinga. Ngokomyalelo kaThixo uMoses uza kuthuma iintlola ezili-12 eKanan. Uthi: “Nyukani nina ngasezantsi, ngale ndlela; nyukani niye entabeni, nilikhangele ilizwe ukuba linjani na, nabantu abemi kulo, ukuba bomelele, bangamaphakuphaku, kusini na; bambalwa, baninzi, kusini na; ukuba linjani na ilizwe abemi kulo, lihle, libi, kusini na; ukuba injani na imizi abemi kuyo, baseminqubeni, basezinqabeni, kusini na; ukuba linjani na ilizwe elo, liyachuma, alichumi, kusini na; linemithi, alinayo, kusini na. Yomelelani, nize neziqhamo zelo zwe.”—Numeri 13:17-20.

Amadoda ali-12 aqalisa uhambo lwawo oluyingozi. Lo mcimbi bawuhambelayo uthabatha iintsuku ezingama-40. Abona amadoda azizigantsontso eHebron. Entlanjeni yakwaEshekoli, abona ukuchuma komhlaba yaye agqiba ekubeni abuye nezinye zeziqhamo zalapho. Hayi indlela esisikhulu ngayo isihloko esinye seediliya kangangokuba simele siphathwe ngesibonda phakathi kwamadoda amabini!—Numeri 13:21-25.

Ekubuyeleni kwazo kwiminquba yakwaSirayeli, iintlola zinikela le ngxelo: “Safika kwelo zwe wasithuma kulo; inene, libaleka amasi nobusi; nazi neziqhamo zalo. Kodwa banamandla abantu, abemi kwelo zwe; imizi inqatyisiwe, imikhulu kunene; kananjalo sibone abenzalo ka-Anaki khona. Kumi ama-Amaleki ezweni lasezantsi; amaHeti namaYebhusi nama-Amori emi ezintabeni; amaKanan emi ngaselwandle nangecala laseYordan.” (Numeri 13:26-29) Iintlola ezilishumi azikulungelanga ukwamkela imiyalelo kaThixo nokungena eLizweni Ledinga.

“UYehova Unathi”

Noko ke, inokholo kuYehova uThixo, intlola engoyikiyo uKalebhi iyabongoza: “Masinyuke kwangoku, silihluthe; ngokuba siya kuleyisa kakade.” Kodwa iintlola ezilishumi azivumi, zithi abemi baseKanan banamandla kunamaSirayeli. Iintlola ezinedyudyu nezingenalukholo zizigqala zinjengemicikwane ngentelekiso.—Numeri 13:30-33.

UKalebhi noYoshuwa bayazibongoza: “UYehova unathi; musani ukoyika.” Amazwi abo angena ezindlebeni ezingevayo. Xa abantu bethetha ngokubaxuluba ngamatye, uThixo uyangenelela yaye uvakalisa isigwebo kubakhalazi esithi: “Aniyi kungena ezweni endaliphakamisela isandla sam ukuba ndinihlalise kulo, ingenguKalebhi unyana kaYefune, noYoshuwa unyana kaNun. Ke usapho lwenu, . . . ndiya kulungenisa lona, lulazi ilizwe enilicekisileyo. . . . Oonyana benu babe ngabalusi entlango iminyaka emashumi mane, . . . zide ziphele izidumbu zenu entlango. Ngokwenani lemihla enalihlola ngayo ilizwe, imihla emashumi mane, umhla ube ngumnyaka, niya kubuthwala ubugwenxa benu iminyaka emashumi mane.”—Numeri 14:9, 30-34.

Ukuqhubeka Bethembekile Nasemva Kweminyaka Emininzi

Isigwebo seminyaka engama-40 siyaqhubeka, yaye siyafa sonke isizukulwana sabakhalazi. Kodwa uKalebhi noYoshuwa basathembekile kuThixo. Kumathafa akwaMowabhi, uMoses noMbingeleli Omkhulu uElizare bawabalile amadoda omkhosi akubudala bama-20 nangaphezulu. UThixo unyula indoda ibe nye kwisizwe ngasinye sakwaSirayeli ukuze yabelwe isahlulo seLizwe Ledinga. UKalebhi, uYoshuwa noElazare baphakathi kwawo. (Numeri 34:17-29) Nangona eneminyaka engama-79 ubudala, uKalebhi usomelele, unyanisekile yaye ukhaliphile.

Xa uMoses noAron babebala abantu eSinayi ithutyana nje ngaphambi kokwala ukungena kwilizwe lakwaKanan ngenxa yokoyika, amadoda okulwa akwaSirayeli ayengama-603 550. Emva kweminyaka engamashumi amane entlango, kwakukho umkhosi omncinane ongama-601 730. (Numeri 1:44-46; 26:51) Sekunjalo, ekhokelwa nguYoshuwa yaye enoKalebhi othembekileyo phakathi kwawo, amaSirayeli angena kwiLizwe Ledinga yaye oyisa oyisile. Njengoko uYoshuwa noKalebhi babesoloko belindele, uYehova wayebalwela yaye besoyisa abantu bakhe.

Bewela uMlambo iYordan namadoda okulwa akwaSirayeli, uYoshuwa noKalebhi abakhulileyo bazithwala iimbopheleleko zabo kwiimfazwe ezalandelayo. Noko ke, emva kokulwa iimfazwe iminyaka emithandathu kukho umhlaba omkhulu ekufuneka abantu bahlale kuwo. UYehova uza kubakhuphela ngaphandle abemi belo zwe kodwa ngoku uwisa umthetho wokuba lonke ilizwe labelwe izizwe zakwaSirayeli ngamaqashiso.—Yoshuwa 13:1-7.

Wamlandela Ngokuzeleyo UYehova

Njengegqala leemfazwe ezininzi, uKalebhi uma phambi koYoshuwa aze athi: “Ndandiminyaka imashumi mane ndizelwe, ekususweni kwam nguMoses umkhonzi kaYehova, eKadeshe-bharneha, ukuba ndiye kulihlola lizwe; ndambuyisela ilizwi njengoko bekusentliziyweni yam. Abazalwana bam, abanyukayo nam, bayinyibilikisa intliziyo yabantu; ke mna ndakuzalisa ukumlandela uYehova uThixo wam.” (Yoshuwa 14:6-8) Ewe, uKalebhi wamlandela ngokuzeleyo uYehova, ekwenza ngokunyanisekileyo ukuthanda kukaThixo.

UKalebhi wongezelela ngokuthi: “Wafunga ke uMoses ngaloo mini, esithi, Inene, ilizwe elinyathelwe lunyawo lwakho loba lilifa lakho, neloonyana bakho, kude kuse ephakadeni, ngokuba ukuzalisile ukumlandela uYehova uThixo wam. Khangela ke ngoko, uYehova undisindisile njengoko watshoyo, le minyaka imashumi mane anamihlanu, kususela koko walithethayo uYehova elo lizwi kuMoses, oko amaSirayeli abehamba entlango; yabona ke, ngoku namhla ndiminyaka imashumi asibhozo anamihlanu ndizelwe. Ndisomelele nanamhla, kwanjengamini wandithumayo uMoses; njengoko ayenjalo amandla am oko, asenjalo nangoku amandla am okulwa, kwa-awokuphuma nawokubuya. Ke ngoko ndinike ezo ntaba wathetha zona uYehova ngaloo mini; ngokuba weva wena ngaloo mini ukuba ama-Anaki akhona, imizi yawo mikhulu, inqatyisiwe. Mhlawumbi uYehova woba nam, ndiwagqogqe ke, njengoko watshoyo uYehova.” Ngoku uKalebhi ufumana iHebron njengelifa.—Yoshuwa 14:9-15.

UKalebhi owalupheleyo ufumene esona sabelo sinzima—ummandla ozaliswe ngamadoda azizigantsontso ngendlela engaqhelekanga. Kodwa akukho nzima kangako kulo mphumi-mkhosi uminyaka ingama-85 ubudala. Ekuhambeni kwexesha abemi abazizigantsontso baseHebron bayoyiswa. UOteniyeli, unyana womninawa kaKalebhi nomgwebi wakwaSirayeli, uthimba iDebhiri. Zozibini ezo zixeko kamva zimiwa ngabaLevi, yaye iHebron iba ngumzi wokusabela umbulali obulele ngengozi.—Yoshuwa 15:13-19; 21:3, 11-16; ABagwebi 1:9-15, 20.

Landela UYehova Ngokuzeleyo Ngalo Lonke Ixesha

UKalebhi noYoshuwa babengabantu abangafezekanga. Sekunjalo, bakwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova ngokuthembeka. Ukholo lwabo aluzange lube buthathaka ebudeni beminyaka engama-40 yobunzima entlango bunzima obo obabangela amaSirayeli asilele ukuthobela uThixo. Ngokufanayo, abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje abavumeli nanye into iphazamisane nenkonzo yabo yokudumisa uThixo. Besazi ukuba umlo uyaqhubeka phakathi kwentlangano kaThixo naleyo kaSathana uMtyholi, bami ngokuqinileyo, ngokungaguqukiyo bafuna ukukholisa uYise wasemazulwini kuzo zonke izinto.

Ngokomzekelo, inkoliso yabantu bakaYehova iye yanyamezela ukuphathwa ngenkohlakalo kwanokufa ukuze ibhiyozele iSidlo seNkosi Sangokuhlwa, okanye iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaYesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Ngokuphathelele oku umfazi ongumKristu owayevalelwe kwinkampu yoxinaniso yamaNazi ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II wanikela le ngxelo:

“Wonke ubani waxelelwa ukuba aye kwindawo yokuhlambela impahla ngeye-11 ebusuku. Kanye ngeye-11 ebusuku sahlanganisana, singabantu abali-105. Sema ngokusondeleleneyo senze isangqa, esazulwini [kwakukho] isihlalo seenyawo sinelaphu elimhlophe elalinemifuziselo. Kwakukhanyiswe ngekhandlela, njengoko ukukhanyisa umbane kwakuya kusintama. Saziva sifana namaKristu okuqala emiqolombeni. Yayingumsitho ondilisekileyo. Sahlaziya izibhambathiso zethu zokunyaniseka kuBawo wethu zokuba siya kuwasebenzisa amandla ethu ukuthethelela igama Lakhe elingcwele, yaye siya kulumela ngokunyanisekileyo uLawulo Lobuthixo.”

Phezu kwazo nje iimvavanyo njengabakhonzi bakaYehova abatshutshiswayo, sinokuthembela kumandla esiwanikwa nguThixo ukuze simkhonze ngenkalipho size sinikele imbeko kwigama lakhe elingcwele. (Filipi 4:13) Njengoko sizabalazela ukukholisa uYehova, kuya kuba yinto elungileyo ngathi ukukhumbula uKalebhi. Umzekelo wakhe wokulandela uYehova ngokuzeleyo waba nempembelelo enzulu kwigatyana lomfana elangenela umsebenzi wokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo emva phayaa ngowe-1921. Labhala oku:

“Nangona ukuba nguvulindlela kwathetha ukuyeka umsebenzi wam owanelisayo wokushicilela wezi mini eCoventry [eNgilani], andizange ndizisole. Uzinikelo lwam lwalusele luwuzinzisile lo mcimbi; ubomi bam ndandibunikezele kuThixo. Ndakhumbula uKalebhi, owangena kwiLizwe Ledinga noYoshuwa lowo kwathethwa oku ngaye, ‘Wakuzalisa ukumlandela uYehova.’ (Yosh. 14:8) Oko kwabonakala kusisimo sengqondo esinqwenelekayo kum. Ndandisazi ukuba ukukhonza uThixo ‘ngokuzeleyo’ kwakuya kwenza ubomi bam bokuzinikezela bube nentsingiselo ngakumbi; kuya kundinika ithuba elingakumbi lokuvelisa isiqhamo esifanisa umKristu.”

Ngokuqinisekileyo uKalebhi wasikelelwa ngokulandela kwakhe uYehova enyanisekile ngokuzeleyo, esoloko efuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Njengaye, abanye baye bafumana uvuyo olukhulu neentsikelelo ezityebileyo kwinkonzo kaThixo. Ngamana la ingaba ngamava akho njengomntu oqhubeka elandela uYehova ngokuzeleyo.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UKalebhi noYoshuwa babethembekile kuYehova phantsi kovavanyo. Ngaba nawe unjalo?