Xelisa UYehova, UThixo Wethu Ongakhethi Buso

“Akukho kukhetha buso kuThixo.”—ROMA 2:11.

1, 2. (a) UYehova wayenaziphi iinjongo ngeentlanga zaseKanan? (b) Yintoni eyenziwa nguYehova, yaye oko kuphakamisa yiphi imibuzo?

USIRAYELI owayegxumeke iintente kumaThafa akwaMowabhi ngowe-1473 B.C.E. wanikel’ ingqalelo ngokupheleleyo kumazwi kaMoses. Njengoko wayeza kuwelela ngaphesheya koMlambo iYordan, wayejamelene nocelomngeni. UMoses wavakalisa injongo kaYehova yokuba amaSirayeli oyise iintlanga zaseKanan ezisixhenxe nezinamandla ezazikwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Hayi indlela ekwakusomeleza ngayo ukuva la mazwi kaMoses: “Uya kuzinikela kuwe ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uThixo wakho, kwaye uya kuzoyisa”! USirayeli wayengazi kwenza mnqophiso nazo, zabe ke zingafanelwanga nakukwenzelwa inceba.—Duteronomi 1:1; 7:1, 2.

² Sekunjalo, uYehova wayisindisa enye intsapho eyayihlala kwisixeko sokuqala esatshatyalaliswa nguSirayeli. Nabantu ababehlala kwezinye iidolophu ezine bakhuselwa nguThixo. Kwakutheni? Iziganeko eziphawulekayo ezinxulumene nokukhuselwa kwala maKanan zisifundisa ntoni ngoYehova? Yaye thina sinokumxelisa njani?

Iziganeko Ezaphakamisa Udumo LukaYehova

3, 4. Iindaba zoloyiso lukaSirayeli zabachaphazela njani abantu baseKanan?

³ Kuyo yonke iminyaka engama-40 yokuba sentlango ngaphambi kokuba bangene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uYehova wabakhusela waza wabalwela abantu bakhe, amaSirayeli. Kumazantsi eLizwe Lesithembiso, uSirayeli wajamelana nokumkani ongumKanan, waseAradi. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, amaSirayeli amoyisa ekunye nabantu bakhe eHorma. (Numeri 21:1-3) Kamva, uSirayeli warhangqa ilizwe lakwaEdom waza wenjenjeya ukunyukela kumntla-mpuma woLwandle Olufileyo. Lo mmandla wawusele ungowama-Amori nangona ngaphambili wawukhe wemiwa ngamaMowabhi. UKumkani wama-Amori, uSihon wala ukuba amaSirayeli anqumle kumhlaba wakhe. Kwaqhum’ idabi phakathi kwakhe nawo eYahatsa, ekubonakala ukuba yayikumantla eNtlambo yeArnon, waza wabulawelwa apho ke uSihon. (Numeri 21:23, 24; Duteronomi 2:30-33) Kumntla walapho, kwakukho iBhashan eyayihlala ama-Amori elawulwa nguOgi. Nakuba uOgi lo wayengoyiswa mntu, akazange akwazi ukumelana noYehova. UOgi wabulawelwa e-Edreyi. (Numeri 21:33-35; Duteronomi 3:1-3, 11) Iingxelo eziphathelele olu loyiso kwakunye neMfuduko kaSirayeli eYiputa zabachukumisa gqitha abemi baseKanan.a

⁴ Uthe akungena uSirayeli eKanan emva kokuba ewele iYordan, waya kugxumeka iintente eGiligali. (Yoshuwa 4:9-19) Kude kufuphi nalapho, kwakukho isixeko esibiyelwe ngodonga, iYeriko. Ukuva kukaRahabhi ongumKanan ngezenzo zikaYehova, kwamqhubela ekubeni abonise ukholo. Oko kwaphumela ekubeni, xa uYehova etshabalalisa iYeriko, amsindise kunye nabo bahlala endlwini yakhe.—Yoshuwa 2:1-13; 6:17, 18; Yakobi 2:25.

5. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba amaGibheyon enze ngobuqili?

⁵ Emva koko, uSirayeli wayishiya imimandla esemazantsi engasemlanjeni waza wenyukela kwiinduli ezikumbindi welo lizwe. Elandela ulwalathiso lukaYehova, uYoshuwa wahlasela nesixeko saseAyi, esebenzisa amalalela. (uYoshuwa, isahluko 8) Kwathi kwakuvakala ukuba woyisile apho, ookumkani abaninzi bamaKanan badibanis’ imikhosi bequlel’ imfazwe. (Yoshuwa 9:1, 2) Abemi besixeko saseGibheyon abangamaHivi benza ngokwahlukileyo. UYoshuwa 9:4 uthi: “Bona, ngokuzithandela kwabo, benza ngobuqili.” Kanye njengoRahabhi, babeyivile indlela uYehova awabahlangula ngayo abantu bakhe xa babeFuduka nendlela awamoyisa ngayo uSihon no-Ogi. (Yoshuwa 9:6-10) AmaGibheyon aqonda ukuba kuya kuba yinkcitha-xesha nje ukuxhathisa. Ngoko akhupha abantu ababeza kumela iGibheyon nabemi bezixeko ezithathu ezingabamelwane bawo—iKefira, iBheheroti, neKiriyati-yarim—abathumela kuYoshuwa eGiligali, yaye benza ngathi bavela kwilizwe elikude. Iqhinga lawo lasebenza. UYoshuwa wenza umnqophiso kunye nawo, oqinisekisa ukusinda kwawo. Kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva, uYoshuwa namaSirayeli bayifumanisa into yokuba babethwe ngemf’ iphindiwe. Kodwa kuba babesele befunge ngoYehova kulo mnqophiso, bawulondoloza. (Yoshuwa 9:16-19) Ngaba uYehova wavumelana naloo nto?

6. Wasabela njani uYehova kumnqophiso owenziwa nguYoshuwa namaGibheyon?

⁶ AmaGibheyon avunyelwa ukuba acandele amaSirayeli iinkuni aze awathuthele namanzi, aze kwaloo misebenzi ayenzele ‘isibingelelo sikaYehova’ emnqubeni. (Yoshuwa 9:21-27) Ngapha koko, xa ookumkani abahlanu bama-Amori nemikhosi yabo basongela amaGibheyon, uYehova wangenelela ngokungummangaliso. Amatye esichotho abulala into eninzi kwezi ntshaba kunokuba enzayo amajoni kaYoshuwa. UYehova wada wenza ngokuvisisana nesicelo sikaYoshuwa sokumisa ngxi ilanga nenyanga ukuze kuphunyezwe uloyiso. UYoshuwa wathi: “Ayikho imini eyaba njengaleyo, nokuba kuphambi kwayo okanye emva kwayo, ukuba uYehova aphulaphule ilizwi lomntu, kuba uYehova ngokwakhe wayemlwela uSirayeli.”—Yoshuwa 10:1-14.

7. Yiyiphi inyaniso eyaqondwa nguPetros neyabonakaliswa kwimeko yamaKanan athile?

⁷ URahabhi ongumKanan nentsapho yakowabo, kwakunye namaGibheyon, babemoyika uYehova yaye benza ngokuvisisana noko. Okwenzeka kubo kuvisisana kakuhle nenyaniso eyathethwa ngumpostile ongumKristu uPetros kamva esithi: “UThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.”—IZenzo 10:34, 35.

Indlela Awaqhubana Ngayo NoAbraham Kwakunye NoSirayeli

8, 9. Ukungakhethi buso kukaYehova kubonakala njani kwindlela awaqhubana ngayo noAbraham kwakunye nohlanga lwakwaSirayeli?

⁸ Umfundi uYakobi watsalela ingqalelo kububele bukaThixo obungasifanelanga kwindlela awaqhubana ngayo noAbraham nenzala yakhe. Yayilukholo luka-Abraham, kungekhona uhlanga awayelulo, olwamenza “umhlobo kaYehova.” (Yakobi 2:23) Ukholo luka-Abraham nokuthanda kwakhe uYehova, kwazisela umnombo wakhe iintsikelelo. (2 Kronike 20:7) UYehova wamthembisa oku uAbraham: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukusikelela yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuyandisa imbewu yakho njengeenkwenkwezi zasemazulwini nanjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle.” Kodwa phawula isithembiso asenza kwindinyana elandelayo: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba.”—Genesis 22:17, 18; Roma 4:1-8.

⁹ Kunokuba akhethe ubuso, uYehova wakubonisa ngendlela awaqhubana ngayo noSirayeli oko anokukwenzela abo bamthobelayo. Indlela awaqhubana ngayo naye ingumzekelo wendlela uYehova abathanda ngokunyaniseke ngayo abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. Nangona uSirayeli ‘wayeyinqobo’ kuYehova, oku akuthethi ukuba uThixo wayengenabubele kwabanye abantu. (Eksodus 19:5; Duteronomi 7:6-8) Ewe, uYehova wamkhulula uSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa yaye ngenxa yoko wathi: “Ndaze nina kuphela kuzo zonke iintsapho zomhlaba.” Kodwa esebenzisa umprofeti uAmosi nabanye, uYehova waphinda wanika abantu bazo “zonke iintlanga” ithemba elimangalisayo.—Amosi 3:2; 9:11, 12; Isaya 2:2-4.

UYesu, UMfundisi Ongakhethi Buso

10. UYesu wawuxelisa njani umzekelo kaYise wokungakhethi buso?

¹⁰ Ngexesha lokuba ngumlungiseleli kwakhe emhlabeni, uYesu, owayezibonakalisa kakuhle iimpawu zikaYise, waxelisa ukungakhethi buso kukaYehova. (Hebhere 1:3) Eyona nto wayeyixhalabele ngelo xesha kukufumana ‘izimvu ezilahlekileyo zendlu kaSirayeli.’ Kodwa akazange azibandeze ekushumayeleni kumSamariyakazi owayesequleni. (Mateyu 15:24; Yohane 4:7-30) Waphinda wenza ummangaliso, ecelwa ligosa lomkhosi, ekubonakala ukuba lalingengomYuda. (Luka 7:1-10) Oku kwakusongezelela kwizenzo zakhe ezazibonisa indlela abathanda ngayo abantu bakaThixo. Abafundi bakaYesu babeshumayela nakwimimandla ethe qelele. Kwahla kwacaca ukuba, eyona nto ibalulekileyo ukuze umntu asikelelwe nguYehova ayinanto yakwenza nohlanga alulo, kodwa inento yokwenza nesimo sakhe sengqondo. Abantu abathobekileyo, abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo nababelambele inyaniso bazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Kwelinye icala, abantu abanekratshi bamgatya uYesu nesigidimi sakhe. UYesu wathi: “Ndikudumisa esidlangalaleni, Bawo, Nkosi yezulu nomhlaba, ngenxa yokuba uzifihle ngenyameko ezi zinto kwizilumko nakwabo baziingqondi, wazityhilela iintsana. Ewe, Bawo, ngokuba kukholekile kuwe ukwenza ngaloo ndlela.” (Luka 10:21) Xa siqhubana nabanye ngothando yaye sinokholo, asikhethi buso, kuba siyazi ukuba uYehova ufuna loo nto kanye.

11. Ukungakhethi buso kwaboniswa njani kwibandla lokuqala lamaKristu?

¹¹ Kwibandla lokuqala lamaKristu, amaYuda nabangengomaYuda babelingana. UPawulos wathi: “Kuya kubakho uzuko nembeko noxolo kuye wonk’ ubani owenza okulungileyo, kumYuda kuqala nakumGrike. Kuba akukho kukhetha buso kuThixo.”b (Roma 2:10, 11) Ukungenelwa kwabo kububele bukaYehova obungasifanelanga kwakungaxhomekekanga kuhlanga abalulo, kodwa kwakuxhomekeke kwindlela abasabela ngayo besakufunda ngoYehova nangamathemba ababeza kuwafumana ngenxa yentlawulelo yoNyana wakhe, uYesu. (Yohane 3:16, 36) UPawulos wabhala wathi: “UmYuda akanguye ngokwangaphandle, nolwaluko asilulo olwangaphandle enyameni. Kodwa umYuda unguye ngaphakathi, nolwaluko lwakhe lolo lwentliziyo ngawo umoya, kungekhona ngengqokelela yemithetho ebhaliweyo.” Ejikajika igama elithi “umYuda” (“owakwaYuda,” gama elo elithetha ukuthi odunyiswayo okanye ozukisiweyo), uPawulos uphinda athi: “Indumiso yalowo ivela, kungekhona ebantwini, kodwa kuThixo.” (Roma 2:28, 29) UYehova uzukisa abantu ngaphandle kokukheth’ ubuso. Ngaba nathi senza ngendlela efanayo?

12. ISityhilelo 7:9 sinikela liphi ithemba, yaye silinikela koobani?

¹² Kamva, embonweni, umpostile uYohane wabona amaKristu athembekileyo nathanjisiweyo, awabonakala njengohlanga lokomoya oluli-144 000, ‘olwatywinwa luphuma kuzo zonke izizwe zoonyana bakaSirayeli.’ UYohane waphinda wabona “isihlwele esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi, simi phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana, sambethe imiwunduzo emhlophe; yaye kwakukho amasebe esundu ezandleni zaso.” (ISityhilelo 7:4, 9) Ngenxa yoko, alukho uhlanga okanye ulwimi olungekhoyo kwibandla lamaKristu lanamhlanje. Abantu abaphuma mbombo zone zomhlaba banethemba lokusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ ezayo baze basele ‘kwimithombo yamanzi obomi’ kwihlabathi elitsha.—ISityhilelo 7:14-17.

Imiphumo Emihle

13-15. (a) Sinokuhlangabezana njani nokungafani ngokobuhlanga nangezithethe? (b) Chaza imizekelo yeengenelo zokuba nobuhlobo.

¹³ UYehova usazi kakuhle, kanye ngendlela ubawo olungileyo abazi ngayo abantwana bakhe. Ngokufanayo, ukuzipha ithuba lokubazi abanye, ubonisa umdla kwizithethe nemvelaphi yabo, kwenza iiyantlukwano zibe yinto engenamsebenzi. Akubikho miqobo ibangelwa bubuhlanga, yaye amaqhina obuhlobo nothando ayomelela. Kubakho umanyano. (1 Korinte 9:19-23) Le nto ungayibona kakuhle xa ujonga indlela abavangeli basemazweni abakumazwe asemzini abenza ngayo. Baba nomdla kubantu balapho, yaye loo nto yenza aba bavangeli basemazweni bakhawuleze ukuzenzela abahlobo kumabandla abakuwo.—Filipi 2:4.

¹⁴ Imiphumo emihle yokungakhethi buso iyazicacela kumazwe amaninzi. UAklilu, ovela kwelase-Ethiopia, wafika walikheswa eLondon, elikomkhulu laseBritani. Eyona nto yamenza ilolo kakhulu kukufumanisa ukuba iqhelekile into yokungahoywa kwabantu abavela kwamanye amazwe, mkhwa lowo oxhaphakileyo kumazwe amaninzi eYurophu yanamhlanje. UAklilu wabona into eyahluke kwaphela kuleyo, ukuqala kwakhe ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu ezikwiHolo yoBukumkani yamaNgqina kaYehova! Wamkelwa ngabo bonke ababekho, yaye akuzange kube kudala waziva esekhaya. Wenza inkqubela ekhawulezileyo ekomelezeni uxabiso analo ngoMdali. Akazange alibazise ekuxhakamfuleni onke amathuba avelayo okusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani kubantu beso sithili. Xa wabuzwa ngomnye awayeshumayela naye ngosukelo analo ebomini, ngokulula uAklilu wathi wayenethemba lokuba ngenye imini uya kuze abe kwibandla ekuthethwa kulo ulwimi lwakhe, olusisiAmharic. Abadala bebandla lalapho elintetho isisiNgesi bayiva le nto baza benza amalungiselelo okuba kunikelwe intetho yeBhayibhile yesidlangalala ngolwimi lomthonyama luka-Aklilu. Kwamenywa inkitha yabemi basemzini nabantu balapho ukuze baxhase le ntlanganiso yokuqala yesidlangalala neyaqhutywa ngolwimi lwesiAmharic eBritani. Sithethanje, abemi base-Ethiopia, nabanye abantu kuloo mmandla basebenza ngomanyano kwibandla elisebenzisa loo ntetho. Abantu abaninzi baye bafumanisa ukuba ayikho into ebathintelayo ekumeleni uYehova nokufuzisela oko ngobhaptizo lwamaKristu.—IZenzo 8:26-36.

¹⁵ Ubuntu neemvelaphi zabantu ziyahluka. Oku akuthethi ukuba omnye ubhetele kunabanye okanye ungaphantsi; kubonisa nje ukungafani kwabantu. Ngoxa kwakubukelwe ukubhaptizwa kwabakhonzi bakaYehova ababesandul’ ukuzahlulela kwisiqithi saseMalta, amanye amaNgqina avuya gqitha ngoxa iinyembezi zasuka zazehlela kwiindwendwe zaseBritani ezazilapho. Abantu baseMalta nabaseBritani bayibonisa ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo indlela ababevakalelwa ngayo, yaye uthando lwabo olunyanisekileyo ngoYehova lomeleza amaqhina obudlelane bamaKristu.—INdumiso 133:1; Kolose 3:14.

Ukoyisa Ucalucalulo

16-18. Balisa amava abonisa indlela ucalucalulo olunokoyiswa ngayo ebandleni lamaKristu.

¹⁶ Njengoko uthando esinalo ngoYehova nangabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu luya lukhula, sinokumxelisa ngokusondele ngakumbi uYehova kwindlela esibajonga ngayo abanye. Sinokuloyisa naluphi na ucalucalulo esakha sanalo nxamnye neentlanga, izizwe okanye izithethe ezithile. Ngokomzekelo, cinga nje ngoAlbert, owayekuMkhosi waseBritani ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi II waza wabanjwa ngamaJapan emva kokoyiswa kweSingapore ngowe-1942. Kamva wachitha malunga neminyaka emithathu esebenza “kumzila kaloliwe oyingozi,” kufutshane nebhulorho enqumla phezu komlambo iKwai. Uthe ekhululwa ekupheleni kwaloo mfazwe, wabe sele enobunzima obuziikhilogram ezingama-32, aphukelwe ngumhlathi nempumlo, kanti wayenesisu segazi, izitshanguba kwakunye nemalariya. Amanye amawakawaka amabanjwa awayekunye naye ayegula ngaphezu kwakhe; amaninzi kuwo afa. Ngenxa yezinto ezibuhlungu awazibonayo nezamehlelayo, uAlbert wagoduka ngowe-1945 enengqumbo, engafuni nokuva ngoThixo okanye unqulo.

¹⁷ Inkosikazi ka-Albert, uIrene yaba liNgqina likaYehova. Ezama nje ukukholisa yona, uAlbert waya kwiintlanganiso ezimbalwa zebandla lamaNgqina kaYehova lalapho wayehlala khona. UPaul, ongumKristu oselula okwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo watyelela uAlbert ukuze afundisise iBhayibhile kunye naye. UAlbert wakhawuleza wayiqonda into yokuba uYehova ujonga iintliziyo zabantu. Wahlulela ubomi bakhe kuYehova waza wabhaptizwa.

¹⁸ Kamva uPaul wafudukela eLondon, wafunda isiJapan, waza wangena kwibandla elintetho isisiJapan. Wathi akucinga ngokuya namaNgqina angamaJapan kwibandla awayekulo ngaphambili, abazalwana balapho bakhumbula indlela uAlbert awayebacaphukela ngayo abantu belo lizwe. Okoko wabuyela eBritani, uAlbert ebengafuni nokubabona abantu baseJapan, ngenxa yoko abazalwana babenexhala lokuba uza kuyithini le nto. Kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba bazikhathaze—kuba uAlbert wazamkela ngobubele obungathethekiyo ezi ndwendwe.—1 Petros 3:8, 9.

“Phangalalani”

19. Liliphi icebiso lompostile uPawulos elinokusinceda xa sinotyekelo lokukhetha ubuso?

¹⁹ UKumkani uSolomon osisilumko wabhala wathi: “Ukukhetha ubuso akulunganga.” (IMizekeliso 28:21) Kulula ukuziva sisondele kwabo sibazi kakuhle. Noko ke, maxa wambi, siba notyekelo lokungabi namdla kangako kwabo singabazi kakuhle. Umkhonzi kaYehova akamele akhethe ubuso ngolo hlobo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, sonke sifanele sithobele icebiso elicacileyo likaPawulos ‘lokuphangalala’—ewe, masiphangalale kuthando esinalo ngamaKristu aneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo.—2 Korinte 6:13.

20. Ziziphi iinkalo zobomi bethu esinokuxelisa kuzo, uYehova, uThixo wethu ongakhethi buso?

²⁰ Enoba sinelungelo lobizo lwasezulwini okanye sinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni, xa singakhethi buso sinandipha ukuba kumhlambi omnye phantsi koMalusi omnye. (Efese 4:4, 5, 16) Ukufuna ukuxelisa uYehova, uThixo wethu ongakhethi buso, kunokusinceda kubulungiseleli bethu bamaKristu, kwiintsapho zethu, nasebandleni, kanti nakuzo zonke nje iinkalo zobomi bethu. Njani? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuxubusha ngako oku.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• UYehova wakubonisa njani ukungakhethi buso kuRahabhi nakumaGibheyon?

• UYesu wakubonisa njani ukungakhethi ekufundiseni kwakhe?

• Yintoni enokusinceda soyise nakuphi na ukucalucalula abantu ngokwezithethe nangokobuhlanga?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

Ukuqalisa kokoyisa kukaSirayeli iKanan

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UYesu akazange azibandeze ekushumayeleni kwibhinqa elingumSamariya

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Intlanganiso yesidlangalala eyaqhutywa ngolwimi lwesiAmharic eBritani

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Ukuthanda kuka-Albert uYehova kwamnceda woyisa ukuba nocalucalulo