“Qina, Ume Isibindi”

“Aniyikubesaba, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nguyena onilwelayo.”—DUTERONOMI 3:22.

1. (a) Sasiyini isimo kuIsrayeli ekupheleni kohambo lwasehlane? (b) Ikuphi ukunxusa uMose akunikeza ngalesosikhathi?

SASESIFIKILE isikhathi sezenzakalo ezibalulekile emlandweni wakwaIsrayeli. Manje isizwe esingcwele sikaNkulunkulu kumelwe silungiselele ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso! Eminyakeni engama-40, uMose wayeye wahola amaIsrayeli ehlane elikhulu nelisabekayo. Kodwa manje, esifundeni soMfula iJordani ezweni lakwaMowabi, wakhuluma nabantu bakaNkulunkulu okokugcina. Eseneminyaka eyi-120, “iso lakhe lalingafiphele, amandla akhe ayengakanciphi,” futhi ngisho namandla ezwi lakhe ayengakehluleki. UJoshuwa, owayesezothatha isikhundla sakhe, nawo wonke uIsrayeli kumelwe ukuba bavuka amadlingozi ngokuzwa ukuchaza okunamandla kukaMose umthetho kaJehova nokunxusa kwakhe okunamandla ukuba bame isibindi lapho sebengena beyohlala kulelozwe.—Duteronomi 1:1-5, 19, 21, 29, 30; 3:22; 31:6, 7, 23; 34:7.

2. Sazi kanjani ukuthi umbhalo walezizinto ungowokufundiswa kwethu namuhla?

² Ingabe lezozenzakalo zesikhathi eside kangaka esidlule zimane ziwumlando nje? Phinde! Umphostoli uPawulu uyasitshela: “Konke okwalotshwa ngaphambili kwalotshelwa ukufundiswa kwethu, ukuze ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemibhalo sibe-nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Lowombhalo ogciniwe unemifuziselo yosuku lwanamuhla. Namuhla ungasiqinisela impi engokomoya. Futhi usebenza ‘njengesixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto,’ usisiza ukuba sigweme amacebo kaSathane.—1 Korinte 10:11; 1 Petru 4:7.

Amandla KaJoshuwa—Ayevela Kumuphi Umthombo?

3, 4. (a) Kungani sidinga ukuhlakulela isibindi? (b) Singakwenza kanjani lokhu?

³ Ngokushesha okukhulu manje, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazongena esimisweni esisha sezinto sikaJehova. Ngenxa yezenzakalo ezenzeka ezweni, sidinga ukuhlakulela isibindi. Singakwenza kanjani lokhu? Njengoba uJoshuwa ayelungiselela ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso, uNkulunkulu wamyala: “Qina kuphela, ume isibindi kakhulu, uqaphele ukwenze ngokomthetho wonke akuyala ngawo uMose inceku yami, ungaphambuki kuwo ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo ukuba ube-nempumelelo nomaphi lapho uya khona. Lencwadi yomthetho mayingasuki emlonyeni wakho, kepha wozindla ngayo imini nobusuku ukuba uqaphele ukwenza njengakho konke okulotshwe kuyo, ngokuba lapho uyakuhlahlamelisa indlela yakho, uphumelele kahle.”—Joshuwa 1:7, 8.

⁴ Ah, nanso-ke imfihlo! Funda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke. Lisiphathele umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Zindla ngalo. Lalela izikhumbuzo zalo. Ungazivumeli ukuba udonselwe ezweni elikuzungezile elithanda izinto ezibonakalayo, nelinokuziphatha okubi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uzithola ukusiphi isimo, yenza ngokuhlakanipha. Lusebenzise ngokunenzuzo ulwazi oluqondile nokuqonda okungokomoya oye wakuzuza ngokutadisha kwakho iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Khuluma ngakho kwabanye. Ngokwenza kanjalo nangokuthembela kuJehova, ngempela ‘ungaqina ume isibindi, futhi uhlahlamelise indlela yakho.’—Qhathanisa neHubo 1:1-3; 93:5; 119:165-168.

5. (a) NjengoJoshuwa, intsha eyizikhonzi namuhla ingakuthola kanjani ukuqina? (b) Imuphi umgomo omuhle intsha engoFakazi engaba nawo namuhla?

⁵ UJoshuwa “wayeyinceku kaMose kusukela engumfana” kuya phambili. (Numeri 11:28, NW) Akungabazeki ukuthi lobungane obuseduze babumsizile ukuba azuze ukuqina okungokomoya. Ngokufanayo, intsha eyizikhonzi namuhla ingathola ukuqina ngokusebenza nabazali abazinikele, amaphayona, oFakazi asebenesikhathi eside, nezinye izinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova. Ukuhlanganyela ekufakazeni endlini ngendlu nabantu abanjalo abashisekayo kungaba yinjabulo futhi kungasiza ekwakheni ukuvuthwa entsheni yethu nesifiso sokuqhubekela phambili enkonzweni. (IzEnzo 20:20, 21; Isaya 40:28-31) Imuphi umgomo omuhle intsha engoFakazi engaba nawo ngaphandle kwenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngenxa yoMbuso kaJehova!—IHubo 35:18; 145:10-12.

6. Kukanjani uJoshuwa ayeyisibonelo kithi ngokuqondene nomkhankaso ngokumelene noAmaleki?

⁶ Lapho uMose ethumela uJoshuwa ukuba alwe nama-Amaleki, “uJoshuwa wenze njalo, njengalokho uMose eshilo kuye.” Wayelalela; ngakho, wanqoba. Nathi, ngokufanayo, siyohlanganyela ekulwelweni kukaJehova uma siqaphelisisa iziyalezo zempi esizithola ngenhlangano yakhe. UJehova watshela uMose ukuba enze isikhumbuzo sokunqoba kwaKhe uAmaleki ngokuba akulobe encwadini futhi akubeke ezindlebeni zikaJoshuwa. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJoshuwa waphinde waphakamisa ukunqoba kukaJehova ngokuxoxa ngakho kwabanye. Ngendlela efanayo, nathi namuhla singazenza zaziwe izenzo zamandla zeNkosi eBusayo uJehova, futhi singamemezela ‘usuku lwakhe lokuphindisela’ kwababi olusondelayo.—Eksodusi 17:10, 13, 14; Isaya 61:1, 2; IHubo 145:1-4.

7, 8. (a) Iliphi ithemba uJoshuwa noKalebi abalibonisa lapho bevela eKhanani? (b) Isiphi isixwayiso nesikhuthazo esisithola ekusingatheni kukaJehova izindaba ngalesosikhathi?

⁷ Lapho uMose ethumela izikhulu eziyi-12 ukuba zihlole iZwe Lesithembiso, wahlanganisa noJoshuwa. Lapho zibuya, eziyishumi zalezozinhloli zabonisa ukuzesaba okukhulu izakhamuzi zezwe laseKhanani futhi zaphoqelela abantu ukuba bakhankasele ukubuyela eGibithe. Kodwa ngesibindi uJoshuwa noKalebi bathi: “Uma uJehova esithanda, uyakusingenisa kulelozwe, asinike lona, izwe elivame ubisi nezinyosi. Kodwa ningahlubuki kuJehova, futhi ningesabi abantu balelozwe; ngokuba bayisinkwa kithi; umthunzi wabo usukile phezu kwabo, kodwa uJehova unathi; ningabesabi.”—Numeri 13:1–14:38.

⁸ Nokho, inhlangano yakwaIsrayeli yaqhubeka nokukhononda, kangangokuthi uJehova waze wangenela futhi wajezisa lawomaIsrayeli ayenovalo ngeminyaka engama-40 yokuzula ehlane. Ngaphandle kukaKalebi noJoshuwa, wonke amadoda awo empi afa engalibonanga iZwe Lesithembiso. Yeka isixwayiso ngathi namuhla! Masingalokothi sikhononde ngamalungiselelo kaJehova. Ngisho noma sihlangabezana nezindawo okunzima ukufakaza kuzo, masiqine sime isibindi ngokuhambela emakhaya abantu sinesigijimi soMbuso esisindisa ukuphila. Kwangathi singelokothe sibe njengalezo zihlubuki zosuku lwanamuhla ezikhetha ukunyundela abafowabo nokubuyela emuva ezindleleni zezwe—eGibithe elingokomfanekiso, kunokunikeza ubufakazi basobala.—Numeri 14:1-4, 26-30; Luka 12:45, 46; qhathanisa nezEnzo 5:27-29, 41, 42.

Igama LikaJehova Liyavelela!

9. UJoshuwa waphila kanjani ngokuvumelana negama lakhe elisha?

⁹ Uhlu lweBhayibheli lwezinhloli eziyi-12 lubiza uJoshuwa ngokuthi uHosheya, okusho “INsindiso.” Kodwa umbhalo uthi ngalokhu: “UMose wambiza uHosheya indodana kaNuni ngokuthi uJoshuwa [okusho ukuthi, ‘UJehova UyiNsindiso’].” Kungani uMose aligcizelela ngaleyondlela igama likaJehova? Kwakungenxa yokuthi uJoshuwa wayesebenzela ngokuyinhloko ukulwelwa kwalelogama. UJoshuwa waba yisibonelo esiphilayo sokulalela umyalo uMose ayeyowugcizelela kamuva kuIsrayeli: “Wothanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho.” Ngokwenza kanjalo, waba nelungelo lokubonisa ukuthi ‘uJehova uyinsindiso.’—Numeri 13:8, 16; Duteromoni 6:5.

10. (a) Lisho ukuthini igama likaJehova kuwe? (b) Ikuphi ukuqina esingakuthola emazwini kaJehova aqhubekayo kuJoshuwa?

¹⁰ Ingabe nathi asizange yini sibheke igama likaJehova njengeliyigugu kunakho konke nelifanelwe yilo lonke udumo? Igama laKhe elikhulu lisho ukuthi “Obangela Ukuba Kube Khona” ngokuqondene nokugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Yeka indlela izithembiso zakhe zoMbuso eziduduza ngayo! Sinentshiseko efana nekaJoshuwa, kumelwe sifune ukudumisa igama likaJehova nezinjongo phambi kwabo bonke abasengalamukela ithemba lesimiso sakhe esisha sezinto esihlanzekile nesinokulunga. Kulezikhathi ezinzima, singathola ukuqina emazwini kaJehova aqhubekayo kuJoshuwa: “Angikuyalile na? Qina, ume isibindi, ungesabi, ungabi-naluvalo, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.”—Joshuwa 1:9.a

11. (a) Incazelo yegama likaJesu yagcizelelwa kanjani lapho engena eJerusalema? (b) UJesu wayelibheka kanjani igama likaJehova, futhi yini ebonisa lokhu?

¹¹ Igama elihunyushwe esiGrekini elisho uJoshuwa, noma uJehoshuwa, uJesu, nalo futhi elisho ukuthi, “UJehova UyiNsindiso.” UJehova uyilungiselela ngoJesu Kristu insindiso yesintu. Ngo-33 C.E. lapho uJesu engena eJerusalema egibele ithole lembongolo, isixuku sakhamuluka: “Hosiyana! Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.” (Marku 11:9; Zakariya 9:9) UJoshuwa wayefana ngempela noJesu, ‘owasishiyela isibonelo sokuba silandele ezinyathelweni zakhe.’ (1 Petru 2:21) NjengoJoshuwa, uJesu wayebheka igama likaJehova njengeliyigugu, futhi waliphakamisa lelogama. Izikhathi ezimbili emthandazweni wakhe wokugcina enabafundi bakhe, waligcizelela igama likaNkulunkulu, ethi: “Ngibonakalisile igama lakho kubantu ongiphé bona kwabasezweni. . . . Ngibazisile igama lakho, ngizakubazisa lona ukuba uthando ongithandé ngalo lube-kubo, nami ngibe-kubo.” (Johane 17:6, 26) Yeka ilungelo esinalo lokwenza lelogama laziwe kwabanye!

12. Iziphi izenzo zamandla esizilindele namuhla, futhi ngani?

¹² Njengoba sifunda umbhalo ogciniwe weBhayibheli wokuhola kukaJoshuwa ngokwethembeka, singakhumbula ukuthi uJoshuwa oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, uhola abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. “Usuku lukaJehova” lokuzilwela manje luseduze. Yeka indlela esilindele ngayo ngokulangazelela ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sakhe sesimiso esisha sokulunga esiyolandela lolosuku! (2 Petru 3:10-13, 17, 18) Khona-ke, sibheke phambili ngethemba kwezinye izenzo zamandla zikaJehova, ezingezamandla ngisho nangokwengeziwe kunalezo azenza ngoJoshuwa.

Isimangaliso SikaJehova EJordani

13. (a) Isiphi isimo esasibonakala siyimpicabadala uIsrayeli ayebhekene naso ngasohlangothini olungasempumalanga yeJordani? (b) Kwavuzwa kanjani ukulalela kukaIsrayeli?

¹³ Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvuna ngonyaka ka-1473 B.C.E., futhi uMfula iJordani wawudla izindwani. Izigidigidi zabantu, abadala nabancane, amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana, babengawuwela kanjani lowomfula owawungenisa? Nokho uJehova wayeyale uJoshuwa: “Ngalokho suka uwele leli Jordani, wena nalababantu bonke.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu batshela uJoshuwa: “Konke osiyalé ngakho siyakukwenza.” AbakwaIsrayeli basuka ekamu. Abapristi bahamba kuqala, bethwele umphongolo wesivumelwano, owawumbozwe ngokucophelela nowawumelele ukuba khona kukaJehova kubo. Khona-ke uJehova waqala ‘ukwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwabo,’ ngoba “lapho abathwala umphongolo sebefikile eJordani, izinyawo zabapristi abathwala umphongolo zicwilile onqenqemeni lwamanzi . . . ayesema amanzi avela ngenhla.” Amanzi ayengaphansi “anqamuka,” angagobhozela oLwandle Olufile, “abantu base bewela.” (Joshuwa 1:2, 16; 3:5-16) Isimangaliso esikhulu ngempela!

14. Imuphi umfuziselo okhona namuhla, futhi uye waba yini umphumela wobufakazi obunikezwayo?

¹⁴ IJordani elingenisayo liwumfuziselo wezindimbane zesintu manje ezicwile ngokungenathemba ekubhujisweni eArmagedoni. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 57:20; IsAmbulo 17:15.) Namuhla, njengoba isintu simi onqenqemeni lwalokho kucwila kokugcina, uJehova uqinisa abantu bakhe, manje asebengaphezu kwezi-3 000 000—isibalo esilingana naleso sabantu bakaNkulunkulu ababehamba noJoshuwa.—Qhathanisa noHabakuki 2:3.

15. (a) Ezikhathini zanamuhla yini efuze isenzo sesibindi sabapristi emuva lé? (b) “Isixuku esikhulu” simelelwe kanjani kulokhu?

¹⁵ Lapho izigidi zakwaIsrayeli ziwelela osebeni lomfula, “abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova bema baqina emhlabathini owomileyo ngaphakathi neJordani,” bemelela ukuphazamisa izindaba kukaJehova uNkulunkulu. (Joshuwa 3:17) Kwakungo-1919 lapho iqembu elincane loFakazi abagcotshiwe lima ngesibindi phambi ‘kwamanzi’ esintu. Ngo-1922 laphendula ngesibindi ubizo oluthi ‘memezelani, memezelani, memezelani iNkosi noMbuso wayo,’ ngamanye amazwi lithi: “Bheka, nangu mina; ngithume mina.” UJehova uyaliqinisekisa: “Lapho udabula emanzini, mina nginawe; nasemifuleni, ayiyikukukhukhula.” Ngo-1931, wabatusa ngokubanika igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 6:8; 43:2, 12) Phakathi kwalabo ababeyowela iJordani kwakuyoba namaIsrayeli angewona amaLevi kanye nenzalo “yengxubevange yabantu” abangewona amaIsrayeli ababephume noMose eGibithe. Ngendlela efanayo, namuhla “isixuku esikhulu” sinengxenye ekuweleleni esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu, kuyilapho insali yesigaba sabapristi esingokomoya imi ‘igxilile, ingaxegi,’ iyisibonelo ngokholo lwayo.—Eksodusi 12:38; IsAmbulo 7:9; 1 Korinte 15:58.

Ukukhumbula Isimangaliso

16. (a) Sakhunjulwa kanjani isimangaliso saseJordani? (b) Lokhu kusikiselani ngokuqondene nezenzo zamandla zikaJehova namuhla?

¹⁶ UJehova waqhubeka wenza isikhumbuzo salesimangaliso saseJordani, eyala ukuba amadoda ayi-12, amelele izizwe zakwaIsrayeli, athathe amatshe ayi-12 osebeni lomfula awabeke ogwini olusentshonalanga yeGiligali. Lawomatshe ayeyoba lapho njengesikhumbuzo esihlala njalo egameni likaJehova nasezenzweni zakhe zamandla. Amadodana kaIsrayeli esikhathi esizayo ayeyotshelwa ukuthi lesikhumbuzo sasingesokuba “abantu bonke bomhlaba bazi isandla sikaJehova ukuthi sinamandla, nesabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kuze kube-phakade.” (Joshuwa 4:1-8, 20-24) Ezikhathini zanamuhla, izenzo ezimangalisayo zikaJehova zokusindisa abantu bakhe, naphezu kokuhlasela konya kwabaholi bezombangazwe nabenkolo, zimi njengesikhumbuzo sokuthi unabantu bakhe. Ngokungangabazeki imisebenzi yakhe emihle yosuku lwanamuhla yokulwelwa kwegama lakhe iyokhunjulwa phakade esimisweni sakhe esisha sezinto.—IsAmbulo 12:15, 16; IHubo 135:6, 13.

17. (a) Isiphi esinye isikhumbuzo uJoshuwa asimisa? (b) Ibuphi ubufakazi obufanayo namuhla isintu esiye sangakwazi ukubugwema?

¹⁷ Esinye isikhumbuzo sasifanelekile: “UJoshuwa wamisa amatshe ayishumi nambili phakathi neJordani, endaweni lapho izinyawo zabapristi abathwala umphongolo zazimi khona; akhona kuze kube-namuhla.” Njengoba abapristi babephuma osebeni lomfula futhi uJehova ededela amanzi ayizikhukhula ayewavimbele, ayingiliza ematsheni ayi-12 obufakazi. (Joshuwa 4:9) Kusukela lapho kuye phambili, lawomanzi ayengenakwenza lutho ngokuba khona kwalawomatshe. Ngokufanayo namuhla, isintu sicwila ngesivinini esikhulu “oLwandle Olufile” lweArmagedoni. Kodwa alinakwenza lutho ngobufakazi oFakazi BakaJehova abaye bakunqwabelanisa emhlabeni wonke njengoba bema ‘beqinile emoyeni munye, nangomphefumulo munye belwela inkolo yevangeli.’ (Filipi 1:27, 28) Amarekhodi akhona abonisa ukuthi, phakathi neminyaka engama-67 kuze kube yilonyaka ka-1986, oFakazi baye bashiya emakhaya abantu emhlabeni wonke, ngezilimi ezingaphezu kwezi-200, izincwadi ezinoqwembe oluqinile ezingaphezu kwezi-570 000 000 nomagazini beNqabayokulinda nePhaphama! abangaphezu kwezi-6 400 000 000 ukuba kusakazwe emhlabeni wonke, kanye nezigidi zezikhokhelo zomagazini—ubufakazi obukhulu ngempela!

18. (a) Iziphi izimfanelo isigaba sabapristi esiye sazibonisa namuhla? (b) Baye banikwa kanjani umdlandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Singajabula ngokuthi ubufakazi buye baqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilonyaka ka-1986. Ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu bekuwumsebenzi onzima, njengoba kwakunjalo lapho ngayinye yamadoda ayi-12 itshatha itshe layo lesikhumbuzo ihamba nalo iliyisa eGiligali. Kodwa umoya omuhle wamaphayona uye wahlanganisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu bosuku lwanamuhla, ubanika umdlandla wokuba ‘baqine njalo bame isibindi.’—IHubo 27:14; 31:24; Zefaniya 3:9.

19. Ekubukezeni ezinye izenzakalo zosuku lukaJoshuwa, iliphi ithemba esingaba nalo?

¹⁹ Ezinye izenzakalo zosuku lukaJoshuwa kumelwe zisikhuthaze ukuba siqhubekele phambili, siqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyokwenzela abantu bakhe izimangaliso ezengeziwe. Isihloko sethu esilandelayo siyobukeza ezinye zalezi.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ekukhumbuleni Izenzakalo Zosuku LukaJoshuwa—

◻ Kungani kumelwe zibhekwe njengezingaphezu komlando nje?

◻ Singasihlakulela kanjani isibindi nokuqina okungokomoya?

◻ Isiphi isibonelo esihle uJoshuwa asishiyela sona?

◻ UJoshuwa wamfanekisela ngaziphi izindlela uJesu?

◻ Iziphi izenzakalo namuhla ezifana nalezo zaseJordani?