Ngaba Uyabuza, “Uphi Na UYehova?”

“Bakhwelele kude kum . . . Kwaye abazange bathi, ‘Uphi na uYehova?’”—YEREMIYA 2:5, 6.

1. Xa abantu bebuza, “Uphi na uThixo?,” basenokuba bacinga ngantoni?

“UPHI na uThixo?” Loo mbuzo uye wabuzwa ngabantu abaninzi. Bambi bebezama nje ukuqonda izinto ezisisiseko ngoMdali, oko kukuthi, uhlala phi? Abanye baye babuza lo mbuzo emva kwentlekele ethile okanye xa bona baye bajamelana nengxaki yaye bengasiqondi isizathu sokuba uThixo engabancedanga. Sekunjalo abanye ababuzi nokubuza kuba besithi uThixo akakho.—INdumiso 10:4.

2. Ngoobani abaye baphumelela ekufuneni uThixo?

² Kakade ke, baninzi ababubonayo ubungqina bokuba uThixo ukho. (INdumiso 19:1; 104:24) Abanye kwaba banelisekile nje kuba behamba icawa. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba beyithanda ngokunzulu inyaniso, abanye abantu abazizigidi, kuzo zonke iindawo, baye bashukunyiselwa ukuba bafune uThixo oyinyaniso. Imigudu yabo ibingelolize kuba yena “engekude kuye ngamnye wethu.”—IZenzo 17:26-28.

3. (a) Uhlala phi uThixo? (b) Sithetha ukuthini iSibhalo esingumbuzo othi, “Uphi na uYehova?”

³ Xa ubani ngokwenene emfumana uYehova, uye aqonde ukuba “uThixo unguMoya,” abantu abanakumbona. (Yohane 4:24) UYesu wabhekisela kuThixo wokwenyaniso ngokuthi ‘uBawo osezulwini.’ Oko kuthetha ukuthini? Kuthetha ukuba ummandla uBawo wethu osezulwini ahlala kuwo, ngokomoya, uphakamile, kanye njengokuba amazulu abonakalayo ephakamileyo kunomhlaba. (Mateyu 12:50; Isaya 63:15) Noko ke, nangona singenakumbona uThixo ngokoqobo, wenza sikwazi ukumazi size sifunde okungakumbi ngeenjongo zakhe. (Eksodus 33:20; 34:6, 7) Uyayiphendula imibuzo ebuzwa ngabantu abanyanisekileyo abafuna ukwazi injongo yobomi. Kwimibandela echaphazela ubomi bethu, usinika imigaqo ecacileyo ukuze sazi oko sifanele sikwenze, oko kukuthi, indlela ayigqala ngayo loo mibandela yaye enoba iminqweno yethu iyavisisana neenjongo zakhe. Ufuna sibuze ngemibandela enjalo size senze umgudu onyanisekileyo wokufumana iimpendulo. Esebenzisa umprofeti uYeremiya, uYehova wabohlwaya abantu bakwaSirayeli wamandulo ngenxa yokungakwenzi oku. Babelazi igama likaThixo, kodwa abazange babuze ukuba, “Uphi na uYehova?” (Yeremiya 2:6) Injongo kaYehova yayingeyiyo eyona nto ibalulekileyo kubo. Babengafuni ukhokelo lwakhe. Xa kufuneka wenze izigqibo, ezinkulu okanye ezincinane, ngaba uye ubuze, “Uphi na uYehova?”

Abo Bafuna Ukhokelo LukaThixo

4. Sinokuzuza njani kumzekelo kaDavide wokufuna ukhokelo lukaYehova?

⁴ Xa wayesengumfana, uDavide, unyana kaYese, waba nokholo olomeleleyo kuYehova. Wayemazi uYehova ‘njengoThixo ophilayo.’ UDavide wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo ukuba uYehova uyamkhusela. Ngenxa yokholo nothando “ngegama likaYehova,” uDavide wayinqumla intloko ingxilimbela engumFilisti eyayixhobe if’ amacala, uGoliyati. (1 Samuweli 17:26, 34-51) Noko ke, uloyiso lukaDavide aluzange lumenze azithembe ngokugqithiseleyo. Akazange aqiqe ngelithi nantoni ayenzayo ukususela ngoku, uYehova uya kumsikelela. Ngokuphindaphindiweyo ebudeni beminyaka elandelayo, uDavide wafuna ukhokelo lukaYehova xa kwakufuneka enze izigqibo. (1 Samuweli 23:2; 30:8; 2 Samuweli 2:1; 5:19) Waqhubeka ethandaza esithi: “Ndazise iindlela zakho, Yehova; ndifundise iindlela zakho. Ndihambise enyanisweni yakho undifundise, ngokuba unguThixo ongumsindisi wam. Bendithembele kuwe imini yonke.” (INdumiso 25:4, 5) Lo ngumzekelo omhle ngokwenene esifanele siwuxelise!

5, 6. UYehoshafati wamfuna njani uYehova ngezihlandlo ezahlukahlukeneyo ebomini bakhe?

⁵ Ngemihla kaKumkani uYehoshafati, ukumkani wesihlanu kubukhosi bomnombo kaDavide, imikhosi emanyeneyo yezizwe ezintathu yayiza kulwa noYuda. Ejamelene nale ntlekele uYehoshafati “wazimisela ukuba afune uYehova.” (2 Kronike 20:1-3) Esi yayingesosihlandlo sokuqala uYehoshafati efuna uYehova. Lo kumkani akazange amnqule uBhahali owayenqulwa bubukhosi basentla bakwaSirayeli obabuwexukile waza wakhetha ukuhamba ngeendlela zikaYehova. (2 Kronike 17:3, 4) Ngoko ke, xa wayejamelene nale ntlekele, uYehoshafati ‘wamfuna njani uYehova’?

⁶ Xa wayethandaza esidlangalaleni eYerusalem ngeli xesha lobunzima, uYehoshafati wabonakalisa ukuba wayewakhumbula amandla amakhulu kaYehova. Wacingisisa nzulu ngenjongo kaYehova njengoko kuboniswe kukugxotha Kwakhe ezinye iintlanga aze amaSirayeli awanike umhlaba othile njengelifa lawo. Lo kumkani waqonda ukuba wayelufuna uncedo lukaYehova. (2 Kronike 20:6-12) Ngaba uYehova wazenza wafumaneka ngeso sihlandlo? Ewe, kunjalo kanye. Esebenzisa uYahaziyeli, umLevi, uYehova wanikela ulwalathiso olungqalileyo, yaye ngosuku olulandelayo wanceda abantu Bakhe ukuba boyise. (2 Kronike 20:14-28) Unokuqiniseka njani ukuba uYehova unokuzenza afumaneke nakuwe xa ucela ukhokelo lwakhe?

7. Yimithandazo yoobani uThixo ayiphulaphulayo?

⁷ UYehova akakhethi buso. Umema abantu bazo zonke iintlanga ukuba bamfune ngomthandazo. (INdumiso 65:2; IZenzo 10:34, 35) Uyakuqonda oko kusezintliziyweni zabo bamfunayo. Uyasiqinisekisa ukuba uyayiphulaphula imithandazo yamalungisa. (IMizekeliso 15:29) Uzenza afumaneke kwabo babengabonakalisi mdla kuye ngaphambili kodwa ngoku ngokuthobeka abafuna ulwalathiso lwakhe. (Isaya 65:1) Ude ayiphulaphule nemithandazo yabo bangayigcinanga imithetho yakhe kodwa ngoku abathi ngokuzithoba baguquke. (INdumiso 32:5, 6; IZenzo 3:19) Sekunjalo, xa intliziyo kabani ingamthobeli uThixo, imithandazo yaloo mntu ililize. (Marko 7:6, 7) Khawuqwalasele eminye imizekelo.

Bathandaza Kodwa Abazange Baphendulwe

8. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova angayamkeli imithandazo kaKumkani uSawule?

⁸ Emva kokuba umprofeti uSamuweli waxelela uKumkani uSawule ukuba uThixo umlahlile ngenxa yokungathobeli kwakhe, uSawule waqubuda kuYehova. (1 Samuweli 15:30, 31) Kodwa oku kwakuyinkwalambisa. Umnqweno kaSawule, yayingekokuthobela uThixo, kodwa ukuzukiswa phambi kwabantu. Kamva, xa amaFilisti ayesilwa noSirayeli, ehanahanisa uSawule wamfuna uYehova. Noko ke, xa angazange aphendulwe, waya kusiyazi, nangona wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayekugweba oku. (Duteronomi 18:10-12; 1 Samuweli 28:6, 7) Ishwankathela oku, eyoku-1 yeziKronike 10:14 ithi ngoSawule: “Akabuzisanga kuYehova.” Kutheni isitsho? Kungenxa yokuba uSawule wayengathandazi enokholo. Ngenxa yoko, kwakufana nje nokungathi akathandazanga konke konke.

9. Yintoni eyayiphosakele ngendlela uZedekiya awayecela ngayo ulwalathiso lukaYehova?

⁹ Ngokufanayo, njengoko isiphelo sobukumkani bakwaYuda sasisondela, abantu bathandaza ngokuphindaphindiweyo yaye bebuzisa kubaprofeti bakaYehova. Noko ke, abantu babenqula izithixo ngoxa besithi bayamhlonela uYehova. (Zefaniya 1:4-6) Nangona babebuzisa kuThixo ngenjongo yokuzalisa nje idinga, babengazilungisanga iintliziyo zabo ukuba benze ukuthanda kwakhe. UKumkani uZedekiya wambongoza uYeremiya ukuba ambuzele kuYehova. UYehova wayesele emxelele lo kumkani oko awayefanele akwenze. Kodwa ngenxa yokungabi nalukholo nokoyika abantu, lo kumkani akazange alithobele ilizwi likaYehova yaye uYehova akazange aphinde amnike enye impendulo awayethanda ukuyiva lo kumkani.—Yeremiya 21:1-12; 38:14-19.

10. Yintoni eyayiphosakele kwindlela uYohanan awayelufuna ngayo ukhokelo lukaYehova, yaye yintoni esiyifundayo kwimpazamo yakhe?

¹⁰ Emva kokuba iYerusalem itshatyalalisiwe yaye umkhosi wamaBhabhiloni uhambe nabathinjwa abangamaYuda, uYohanan wagqiba kwelokuba alithabathe iqela elincinane lamaYuda awayesele kwaYuda aye nawo eYiputa. Enza amalungiselelo, kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, acela uYeremiya ukuba awathandazele afune ulwalathiso lukaYehova. Noko ke, xa engazange ayifumane impendulo ayeyifuna, aqhubeka esenza oko ayekucebile. (Yeremiya 41:16–43:7) Ngaba kukho into oyifundayo eluncedo kwezi ziganeko ukuze xa ufuna ukhokelo lukaYehova, azenze afumaneke kuwe?

“Qhubekani Niqinisekisa”

11. Kutheni sifanele sisebenzise isibongozo esikweyabase-Efese 5:10?

¹¹ Unqulo lokwenyaniso aluquki nje ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwethu ngokuntywiliselwa emanzini, ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla, nokuba nesabelo kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Oku kuquka yonke indlela esiphila ngayo. Suku ngalunye sijamelana neemvavanyo—ezinye akulula ukuzibona, ezinye zicacile—ezinokusenza siphambuke kwindlela evisisana nokuzinikela kwethu kuThixo. Yintoni esiya kuyenza? Xa wayebhalela amaKristu athembekileyo ase-Efese, umpostile uPawulos wawabongoza esithi: “Qhubekani niqinisekisa ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini.” (Efese 5:10) Ubulumko bokwenjenjalo buboniswe kwiimeko ezininzi ezichazwe eZibhalweni.

12. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova angakholiswa xa uDavide wafudusela ityeya yomnqophiso eYerusalem?

¹² Emva kokuba ityeya yomnqophiso ibuyiselwe kwaSirayeli yaza yagcinwa eKiriyati-yarim iminyaka emininzi, uKumkani uDavide wanqwenela ukuyifudusela eYerusalem. Wathetha neenkokeli zabantu waza wathi le Tyeya iza kufuduswa ‘ukuba kubonakala kulungile kubo yaye kwamkelekile kuYehova.’ Kodwa akazange abuzise ngokwaneleyo ukuze aqinisekise ngokuthanda kukaYehova kulo mbandela. Ukuba wayekwenzile oku, iTyeya ngeyingazange ikhweliswe enqweleni. Ngeyayithwelwe emagxeni ngabaLevi abangamaKohati, njengoko uThixo wayekuyalele ngokucacileyo oko. Nangona uDavide wayedla ngokubuzisa kuYehova, ngesi sihlandlo akazange akwenze oku ngendlela efanelekileyo. Oku kwaphumela kwintlekele. Kamva uDavide wavuma: “Wasityhobozela uYehova uThixo wethu, kuba asimfunanga ngokwesiko.”—1 Kronike 13:1-3; 15:11-13; Numeri 4:4-6, 15; 7:1-9.

13. Kwingoma eyayiculwa xa iTyeya yafuduswa ngokufanelekileyo, ngawaphi amazwi asisikhumbuzo ewayequkiwe?

¹³ Xa ekugqibeleni le Tyeya yathwalwa ngabaLevi ukusuka kwindlu kaObhedi-edom ukuya eYerusalem, kwaculwa ingoma eyaqanjwa nguDavide. Le ngoma yayiquka amazwi asuk’ entliziyweni asisikhumbuzo nathi: “Funani uYehova namandla akhe, funani ubuso bakhe rhoqo. Khumbulani izenzo zakhe ezimangalisayo azenzileyo, imimangaliso yakhe nezigwebo zomlomo wakhe.”—1 Kronike 16:11, 12.

14. Sinokuzuza njani kumzekelo omhle kaSolomon nakwiimpazamo awazenzayo kamva ebomini?

¹⁴ Ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uDavide wayalela unyana wakhe uSolomon esithi: “Ukuba uthe wamfuna [uYehova], uya kumfumana.” (1 Kronike 28:9) Emva kokuqalisa kwakhe ukulawula, uSolomon waya eGibheyon, apho kwakukho intente yokuhlangana, waza wenza umbingelelo kuYehova. Apho uYehova wathi kuSolomon: “Cela! Ndingakupha ntoni na?” Ephendula isicelo sikaSolomon, ngesisa uYehova wamnika ubulumko nokuqonda ukuze akwazi ukugweba amaSirayeli yaye koko wongezelela ubutyebi nozuko. (2 Kronike 1:3-12) Esebenzisa iplani yokwakha uYehova awayeyinike uDavide, uSolomon wakha itempile ebalaseleyo. Kodwa kwimicimbi yakhe yomtshato, uSolomon akazange amfune uYehova. USolomon watshata nabafazi ababengengobanquli bakaYehova. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, bayityekisa intliziyo yakhe kuYehova. (1 Kumkani 11:1-10) Enoba sibonakala sibaluleke, silumke okanye sinolwazi kangakanani na, kubalulekile ukuba ‘siqhubeke siqinisekisa ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini’!

15. Xa uZera umTiyopiya wayeza kulwa noYuda, kwakutheni ukuze uAsa athandaze kuYehova eqinisekile ukuba wayeya kumsindisa uYuda?

¹⁵ Imfuneko yoku igxininiswa yingxelo engolawulo luka-Asa, unyana womzukulwana kaSolomon. Emva kweminyaka elishumi elinanye uAsa engukumkani, uZera owayengumTiyopiya wakhokela umkhosi wamadoda asisigidi ukuze alwe noYuda. Ngaba uYehova wayeza kumsindisa uYuda? Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-500 ngaphambilana, uYehova wayebaxelele ngokucacileyo into ababefanele bayilindele abantu bakhe ukuba bayamphulaphula baze bagcine imiyalelo yakhe nento ababefanele bayilindele ukuba abenjinjalo. (Duteronomi 28:1, 7, 15, 25) Ekuqaleni kolawulo lwakhe, uAsa washenxisa zonke izibingelelo neentsika ezazisetyenziswa kunqulo lobuxoki. Wababongoza abantu ukuba ‘bafune uYehova.’ UAsa akazange alinde ade ajamelane neengxaki ngaphambi kokuba enze oko. Ngoko enokholo kuYehova, uAsa wayenokuthandaza kuye ukuze abancede. Oku kwaphumela entwenini? UYuda wasibetha wasitshayela eso sizwe.—2 Kronike 14:2-12.

16, 17. (a) Nangona uAsa woyisa, uYehova wamkhumbuza ntoni? (b) Xa uAsa wenza ubudenge, luluphi uncedo awalunikwayo, kodwa yena wenza ntoni? (c) Sinokuzuza njani xa siqwalasela ihambo ka-Asa?

¹⁶ Sekunjalo, xa uAsa woyisa, uYehova wathumela uAzariya ukuba amhlangabeze lo kumkani aze athi: “Ndiphulaphule, Asa nawe wonke Yuda noBhenjamin! UYehova unani logama nje nani ninaye; nokuba nithe namfuna, uya kufumaneka kuni, kodwa ukuba nithe namshiya uya kunishiya.” (2 Kronike 15:2) Enenzondelelo engakumbi, uAsa wahambisela phambili unqulo lokwenyaniso. Kodwa kwiminyaka engama-24 kamva, xa kwakhona wayejamelene nemfazwe, uAsa akazange amfune uYehova. Akazange alihlolisise iLizwi likaThixo, yaye wayezilibele izinto uYehova awayemenzele zona xa umkhosi waseTiyopiya wahlasela uYuda. Ngobudenge wazimanyanisa neSiriya.—2 Kronike 16:1-6.

¹⁷ Ngenxa yoku, uYehova wathumela uHananiya imboni ukuba imluleke uAsa. Kwanangeso sihlandlo, xa wachazelwa imbono kaYehova ngalo mbandela, oko ngekwakumncedile uAsa. Kunoko, wakhubeka waza wamthabatha uHanani wamvalela esitokisini. (2 Kronike 16:7-10) Hayi indlela okwakukubi ngayo oku! Kuthekani ngathi? Ngaba siyamfuna uThixo kodwa sandule singafuni ukusamkela isiluleko? Xa umdala onenkxalabo nonenyameko esebenzisa iBhayibhile ukusiluleka kuba sibanjiswa lihlabathi, ngaba sibonisa uxabiso ngeso siluleko sothando esisifumanayo ukuze sazi “oko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini”?

Musa Ukulibala Ukubuza

18. Sinokuzuza njani kumazwi kaElihu aya kuYobhi?

¹⁸ Xa sicinezelekile, kwanomntu ozakhele igama elihle enkonzweni kaYehova usenokwenza impazamo. Xa uYobhi wathwaxwa sisifo esonyanyekayo, wafelwa ngabantwana bakhe waza walahlekelwa yimpahla yakhe, aze amaqabane akhe amtyhola ngobuxoki, wadideka. UElihu wamkhumbuza esithi: “Akukho namnye othe, ‘Uphi na uThixo uMenzi wam Ozukileyo?’” (Yobhi 35:10) Kwafuneka uYobhi acinge ngoYehova aze abuze Yena ngendlela awayewujonga ngayo lo mbandela. Ngokuzithoba uYobhi wakwamkela ukukhunjuzwa, yaye umzekelo wakhe unokusinceda senze okufanayo.

19. Abantu bakwaSirayeli babedla ngokusilela ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁹ Abantu bakwaSirayeli babeyazi indlela uThixo awayeqhubana ngayo nohlanga lwabo. Kodwa ngamaxesha amaninzi babeyilibala xa bejamelene neemeko ezithile ebomini babo. (Yeremiya 2:5, 6, 8) Xa kwakufuneka benze izigqibo ebomini, babesenza ngendlela yabo kunokuba babuze, “Uphi na uYehova?”—Isaya 5:11, 12.

Qhubeka Ubuza, “Uphi Na UYehova?”

20, 21. (a) Ngoobani namhlanje ababonisa umoya kaElisha wokufuna ulwalathiso lukaYehova? (b) Sinokubaxelisa njani size sizuze kumzekelo wokholo lwabo?

²⁰ Ekupheleni kobulungiseleli bukaEliya, umkhonzi wakhe uElisha wawuthabatha umnweba owawuwe kuEliya, waza waya eYordan, wabetha amanzi, waza wabuza: “Uphi na uYehova uThixo kaEliya, Yena kanye?” (2 Kumkani 2:14) UYehova waphendula ngokubonisa ukuba umoya wakhe ngoku wawukuElisha. Sinokufunda ntoni koku?

²¹ Kuye kwenzeka into efanayo nakwixesha lethu. AmaKristu athile athanjisiweyo ebekhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela aligqiba ikhondo lawo lasemhlabeni. Abo babesongamela ngoko bahlolisisa iZibhalo baza bathandazela ulwalathiso lukaYehova. Abazange balibale ukubuza, “Uphi na uYehova?” Ngenxa yoko, uYehova uye waqhubeka ebakhokela abantu bakhe yaye ewusikelela umsebenzi wabo. Ngaba sixelisa ukholo lwabo? (Hebhere 13:7) Ukuba kunjalo, siya kunamathela kwintlangano kaYehova, samkele ulwalathiso lwayo, size sibe nenxaxheba ngokuzeleyo kumsebenzi ewenzayo phantsi kolwalathiso lukaYesu Kristu.—Zekariya 8:23.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• Umbuzo othi, “Uphi na uYehova” sifanele siwubuze sinayiphi injongo?

• Namhlanje sinokuyifumana njani impendulo yombuzo othi, “Uphi na uYehova?”

• Kutheni eminye imithandazo yokucela ukhokelo lukaThixo ingaphendulwa?

• Yiyiphi imizekelo yeBhayibhile ebonisa imfuneko ‘yokuqhubeka siqiniseka ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini’?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

UKumkani uYehoshafati wamfuna njani uYehova?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Kwakutheni ukuze uSawule abuzise kusiyazi?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12]

Fundisisa, thandaza uze ucamngce ukuze wazi ukuba ‘uphi na uYehova’