USamuweli Uthuthukisa Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso
UMPROFETHI usola abakhulekeli ayekanye nabo abacela inkosi engumuntu futhi ubanxusa ukuba balalele uNkulunkulu. Ukuze abonise igunya ayelinikiwe, ucela uJehova ukuba enze isiphepho sibe isibonakaliso salokho. Iziphepho azivamile neze kwa-Israyeli phakathi nale nkathi yonyaka, izinsuku zokuvunwa kukakolweni. Noma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu ubangela ukuba lidume futhi line. Lokhu kwenza abantu bamesabe kakhulu uJehova nommeleli wakhe, uSamuweli.—1 Samuweli 12:11-19.
USamuweli wayengumprofethi futhi engumlobi. Izincwadi aziloba zilandisa ngezigigaba ezenzeka eminyakeni engaba ngu-330 futhi zihlanganisa nemisebenzi emikhulu yabaHluleli bakwa-Israyeli. Ngokwesibonelo, indaba engokoqobo kaSamsoni, indoda enamandla kunawo wonke ake aphila, iye yasetshenziswa ezinkondlweni, ezingomeni nakweminye imidlalo yaseshashalazini namabhayisikobho. (AbaHluleli, izahluko 13-16) USamuweli wabhala nangoRuthe noninazala wakhe, uNawomi, bobabili ababengabafelokazi futhi bempofu. Le ndaba eyenzeka ngempela enesiphetho esijabulisayo ithakazelisa njengendaba kaSamsoni.—Ruthe, izahluko 1-4.
Yini esingayifunda ezincwadini ezabhalwa uSamuweli nasekuphileni kwakhe? Wakuthuthukisa kanjani ukukhulekela kweqiniso?
Ubusha Bakhe
Uyise, u-Elkana, wayengumkhulekeli kaJehova futhi engumyeni onothando. Umka-Elkana, uHana, wayengowesifazane oqinile ngokomoya. Ngesikhathi esendlini kaJehova eShilo, uHana oyinyumba wathandaza ngobuqotho futhi wathembisa: “O Jehova wamabutho, uma ungakubheka nokukubheka ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho futhi ungikhumbule ngempela, futhi ungeke uyikhohlwe incekukazi yakho kodwa empeleni ungayipha inzalo yesilisa, ngiyoyinika uJehova zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwayo, akukho nsingo eyothinta ikhanda layo.” (1 Samuweli 1:1-11) Lokhu kwakusho ukuthi umntwana wayezonikelwa ukuba akhonze uJehova.
UHana wayethandaza buthule. Ukulandisa kuthi, “yizindebe kuphela ezazivevezela.” UMpristi Ophakeme u-Eli wafika esiphethweni esingafanele sokuthi udakiwe futhi wamkhuza. Nokho, ngenhlonipho uHana wamchazela isimo sakhe, futhi u-Eli wathi: “Hamba ngokuthula, kwangathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakunika lokho okucelile kuye.” UJehova wasizwa isicelo sikaHana, ngoba ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka: “Kwathi ekupheleni konyaka uHana wakhulelwa wazala indodana wayiqamba ngokuthi uSamuweli, ngoba wathi, ‘ngimcele kuJehova.’”—1 Samuweli 1:12-20.
USamuweli wakhuliswa “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.” (Efesu 6:4) Ngokushesha lapho uSamuweli eselunyuliwe, uHana wamyisa endlini kaNkulunkulu eShilo wamletha ku-Eli umPristi Ophakeme. U-Eli wamnakekela lo mfana, wakhula “waba isikhonzi sikaJehova.” Injabulo kaHana enkulu ibonakala emazwini akhe ashukumisayo okubonga, uSamuweli ngokwakhe awabhala kamuva.—1 Samuweli 2:1-11.
Uma ungumzali, ingabe uyabakhuthaza abantwana bakho ukuba bakhonze uJehova ukuphila kwabo konke? Indlela engcono kakhulu yokuba umuntu asebenzise amandla akhe iwukuthuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso.
USamuweli wajwayelana nokuphila kwasendlini engcwele. “Waqhubeka ekhula enoJehova” futhi ‘wathandeka ngokwengeziwe kuJehova nakubantu.’ Wabonisa izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezamenza wathandeka.—1 Samuweli 2:21, 26.
Kwakungenjalo ngoHofini noFinehasi, amadodana ka-Eli ayengelusizo lwalutho ‘nayengamqapheli uJehova.’ Ayeziphatha kabi ngokobulili futhi ezithathela izingxenye ezingcono kakhulu emhlatshelweni owawulethwa abantu endlini engcwele. UNkulunkulu wayethumele umprofethi ngaphambili ukuba azise u-Eli ngesijeziso ayezosithola, esasihlanganisa ukufa kwamadodana akhe amabili. (1 Samuweli 2:12, 15-17, 22-25, 27, 30-34) UJehova wayezosebenzisa uSamuweli ukuba adlulise esinye isigijimi sesahlulelo.
USamuweli Ukhonza Njengomprofethi
UNkulunkulu wathi kuSamuweli: “Kumelwe umtshele [u-Eli] ukuthi ngiyayahlulela indlu yakhe kuze kube nini nanini ngenxa yesiphambeko asazile, ngoba amadodana akhe aqalekisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa akawakhuzi.” Kwakungesona isigijimi esilula lesi, futhi u-Eli waphikelela ethi uSamuweli akangamfihleli lutho. Ngakho, uSamuweli wamtshela konke okwashiwo uJehova. Lokhu kwakudinga isibindi!—1 Samuweli 3:10-18.
Njengoba uSamuweli ayekhula eba indoda, wonke u-Israyeli wabona ukuthi wayengumprofethi kaNkulunkulu. (1 Samuweli 3:19, 20) Isahlulelo esabikezelwa uSamuweli saqala ukugcwaliseka lapho u-Israyeli enqotshwa amaFilisti kabuhlungu. UHofini noFinehasi bafa empini, futhi amaFilisti athumba umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova. Lapho ezwa ngokufa kwamadodana akhe nokuthunjwa koMphongolo, u-Eli wawa esihlalweni ngesiphundu, waphuka intamo wafa.—1 Samuweli 4:1-18.
Eminyakeni engu-20 kamuva, uSamuweli wanxusa ama-Israyeli ukuba ashiye ukukhulekela kwamanga. Asabela ngokubhubhisa izithombe zawo, ngokuzila ukudla nangokuvuma izono zawo. USamuweli wawathandazela futhi wawenzela umhlatshelo wokushiswa. Waba yini umphumela? Lapho amaFilisti ehlasela, uNkulunkulu wawaphithizelisa, futhi u-Israyeli wasinqoba leso sitha. Ngesibusiso sikaJehova, isimo sama-Israyeli sathuthuka kakhulu, futhi aphinde ayibuyisa indawo ayeyamukwe amaFilisti.—1 Samuweli 7:3-14.
Ngokuqinisekile, uSamuweli wakuthuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, waqinisekisa ukuthi enye impango yempi isetshenziselwa ukunakekela itabernakele. Wasiza ekuhlelweni kwemikhosi yePhasika nenkonzo yabalindisango abangamaLevi. (1 IziKronike 9:22; 26:27, 28; 2 IziKronike 35:18) Minyaka yonke, uSamuweli wayesuka emzini wakhe eRama aye emizini ehlukahlukene ayokwahlulela. Waba nedumela lokwethembeka nokungakhethi. Ngenxa yokuthi abantu babemhlonipha, wakwazi ukubasiza ngokomoya. (1 Samuweli 7:15-17; 9:6-14; 12:2-5) Akungabazeki ukuthi ukwethembeka nengokomoya lakhe kwashukumisa abaningi ukuba balingise isibonelo sakhe. Ayikushukumisi yini nawe inkambo kaSamuweli?
U-Israyeli Ucela Inkosi
Esegugile, uSamuweli wamisa amadodana akhe, uJoweli no-Abhiya ukuba babe abahluleli. “Awahambanga ngezindlela zakhe, kodwa ayethambekele ekulandeleni inzuzo engalungile, amukela isifumbathiso futhi ephendukezela isahlulelo.” Ukuziphatha kwawo kwenza amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli acela inkosi. (1 Samuweli 8:1-5) Lokhu kwakukubi emehlweni kaSamuweli. Nokho, lapho ethandaza ngakho, uJehova wathi: “Akuwena abamalile, kodwa yimi abamalile ukuba ngingabi yinkosi phezu kwabo.” (1 Samuweli 8:6, 7) UNkulunkulu watshela uSamuweli ukuba enze ngokwesifiso sabantu futhi abaxwayise ngokuthi lapho sebebuswa inkosi babezophelelwa amalungelo athile. Lapho abantu bephikelela, uJehova wahlela ukuba uSamuweli agcobe uSawule ukuba abe inkosi.—1 Samuweli 8:6-22; 9:15-17; 10:1.
USamuweli walisekela leli lungiselelo nakuba ayelingalithandisisi. Ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli enqobe abakwa-Amoni, uSamuweli wahlanganisa abantu eGiligali ukuze aqinise ukuthi uSawule uyinkosi. (1 Samuweli 10:17-24; 11:11-15) Wabukeza umlando ka-Israyeli futhi wayala inkosi nabantu ukuba balalele uJehova. UNkulunkulu wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe ngesiphepho okukhulunywe ngaso ekuqaleni esafika ngenkathi yonyaka engafanele. Leso siphepho senza abantu basivuma isiphambeko sabo sokwenqaba uJehova. Lapho becela ukuba uSamuweli abathandazele, waphendula: “Kuyinto engacabangeki ukuba ngone kuJehova ngokuyeka ukunithandazela; futhi kumelwe nginifundise indlela enhle nelungile.” Yeka isibonelo sothando oluqotho ngoJehova nangabantu bakhe! (1 Samuweli 12:6-24) Ingabe nawe uyazimisela ukuwasekela ngokuzithandela amalungiselelo angokwasezulwini futhi uthandazele amanye amakholwa?
Amakhosi Akwa-Israyeli Amabili Okuqala Angabantu
USawule wayeyindoda enesizotha ethandwa uNkulunkulu. (1 Samuweli 9:21; 11:6) Nokho, kamuva wasishaya indiva isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uSamuweli wamsola ngokwenza umhlatshelo ngamawala kunokulinda njengoba ayeyaliwe. (1 Samuweli 13:10-14) Lapho uSawule eqa umyalo engayibulali inkosi yama-Amaleki u-Agagi, uSamuweli wathi kuye: “UJehova ubuhlwithile ubukhosi buka-Israyeli wabususa kuwe namuhla, futhi ngokuqinisekile uyobunika umuntu wakini ongcono kunawe.” USamuweli wambulala mathupha u-Agagi futhi wahamba wayolilela uSawule.—1 Samuweli 15:1-35.
Ekugcineni uJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Kuyoze kube nini ulilela uSawule, kuyilapho mina, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngimalile ukuba angabe esabusa njengenkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli?” UJehova wabe esethuma uSamuweli eBhetlehema ukuba ayogcoba indodana kaJese ukuba ibe inkosi. USamuweli wabheka amadodana kaJese ngayinye ngayinye kwaze kwaba yilapho uJehova ebonisa ukuthi ukhetha uDavide, uthunjana. Ngalolo suku, uSamuweli wafunda isifundo esibalulekile: “Indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo akuyona indlela umuntu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu nje ubona okubonakala emehlweni; kodwa uJehova yena, ubona lokho inhliziyo eyikho.”—1 Samuweli 16:1-13.
Njengoba ukungalaleli kukaSawule kwamphatha kabuhlungu uSamuweli, yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba wadabuka ngayo lapho uSawule efukamela inzondo ngoDavide aze afune nokumbulala! Naphezu kwalobu bunzima, uSamuweli wahlala ekhuthele nalapho esegugile futhi wazikhandla enkonzweni kaJehova.—1 Samuweli 19:18-20.
Ifa Elashiywa USamuweli
Lapho uSamuweli efa, u-Israyeli wamlilela lo mprofethi othobekile nonesibindi owathonya ukuphila kwabaningi. (1 Samuweli 25:1) USamuweli wayengaphelele, futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayenza amaphutha ekwahluleleni. Nokho, naphezu kokulinganiselwa kwakhe, uSamuweli wazinikela ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi wazikhandla esiza abanye ukuba benze okufanayo.
Kuningi osekushintshile kusukela ngosuku lukaSamuweli, kodwa umlando wokuphila kwakhe unezifundo ezibalulekile kithi. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uSamuweli waqhuba futhi wathuthukisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kweqiniso. Ingabe yilokho nawe okwenzayo?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 16]
CABANGA NGOKUPHILA KUKASAMUWELI
• Njengoba abazali bakaSamuweli bamfundisa izwi likaNkulunkulu, nawe khulisa abantabakho “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.”—Efesu 6:4.
• Khuthaza abantabakho ukuba balingise uSamuweli ngokukhonza uJehova ukuphila kwabo konke.
• Izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezaboniswa uSamuweli zamenza wathandeka, ngakho uyisibonelo esihle kithi.
• USamuweli wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze athuthukise ukukhulekela kweqiniso njengoba nathi kufanele senze okufanayo.
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
USamuweli wathuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi ngokuzithandela wasiza abanye ngokomoya