“Siza, Ulalele Izwi LikaJehova”

1, 2. Labo abalandela ‘indlela ethandwayo’ bavame ukuba nasiphi isimo sengqondo, futhi kungani kufanele wehluke?

UKULALELA akuthandeki ezweni lanamuhla. Lapho abaningi benza izinqumo, abalandeli ngisho nesiqondiso esivamile esinjengokuthi, ‘Yenza okulungile.’ Kunalokho, bacabanga kanje, ‘Yenza okuthandayo’ noma ‘Yenza lokho okubona kukulungele.’ Ungakubona lokhu lapho abashayeli beqa imithetho yomgwaqo, abatshali bezimali bephula imithetho yokutshala izimali, neziphathimandla zephula imithetho okungenzeka zibé nesandla ekuyishayeni. Ukuphikelela kanjalo “endleleni ethandwayo,” ngisho noma ingafanele futhi ilimaza, kwakuyinsakavukela nasosukwini lukaJeremiya.—Jer. 8:6.

² Uyazi ukuthi abantu abafisa ukuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke akumelwe balandele ‘indlela ethandwayo.’ UJeremiya waqhathanisa abantu ‘ababengazange balilalele izwi likaJehova’ nalabo ababefuna ukumlalela. (Jer. 3:25; 7:28; 26:13; 38:20; 43:4, 7) Ngamunye kithi kufanele ahlolisise ukuthi unjani kulesi sici. Ngani? Ukuhlasela kukaSathane ubuqotho babakhulekeli beqiniso sekunesihluku ngokukhethekile. Ufana nenyoka ehobile elinde isisulu sayo bese isingqofa ngokuzuma ngendlela engasibulala. Ukuzimisela kwethu ukulalela izwi likaJehova kuyasisiza kusiqhelise emazinyweni aleyo nyoka. Kodwa singakuqinisa kanjani ukuzimisela kwethu ukulalela uJehova? Imibhalo kaJeremiya ingasisiza.

LOWO ESIMKWELETA UKUMLALELA

3. Kungani uJehova efanelwe ukuba simlalele?

³ Kungani uJehova ekufanelekela ukuba simlalele ngokuphelele? UJeremiya usitshela esinye isizathu lapho embiza ngokuthi “unguMenzi womhlaba ngamandla akhe, Lowo ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe olimisa liqine izwe elikhiqizayo.” (Jer. 10:12) UJehova unguMbusi wendawo yonke. Kufanele simesabe ngaphezu kwabo bonke ababusi. Unegunya eliphelele lokusinxusa ukuba sizivumelanise nemiyalo yakhe ehlakaniphile, leyo empeleni eyosizuzisa phakade.—Jer. 10:6, 7.

4, 5. (a) Yiliphi iqiniso amaJuda alifunda ngezikhathi zesomiso? (b) Izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zadlala kanjani ‘ngamanzi aphilayo’ avela kuJehova? (c) Ungawaphuza kanjani “amanzi aphilayo” alungiselelwa uNkulunkulu?

⁴ Nokho, ngaphezu kokuba uMbusi Wendawo Yonke, uJehova unguMlondolozi wokuphila—ukuphila kwethu. Lokhu kwacaciswa ngendlela ephawulekayo kumaJuda esikhathi sikaJeremiya. Izwe laseGibhithe lalithembele kakhulu emanzini omfula iNayile, kodwa isimo sasihlukile eZweni Lesithembiso. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babethembele ikakhulu ezimvuleni, ngokuvamile begcina amanzi emathangini angaphansi komhlaba. (Dut. 11:13-17) UJehova kuphela owayenganisa imvula imanzise umhlabathi ukuze ukhiqize. Kanti wayengabuye ayigodle leyo mvula. Yingakho osukwini lukaJeremiya amaJuda angalaleli ayethola isomiso esigcugcisayo esasishiya amasimu nezivini zigagadekile, imithombo namathangi komile.—Jer. 3:3; 5:24; 12:4; 14:1-4, 22; 23:10.

⁵ Nakuba lawo maJuda ayewazisa amanzi angokoqobo, awachitha “amanzi aphilayo” ayewanikezwa uJehova. Awachitha ngokungawulaleli ngamabomu uMthetho KaNkulunkulu nangokuthembela ezivumelwaneni ayezenze nezizwe ayakhelene nazo. AmaJuda ahlupheka ngalokho, njengoba kwakuba njalo ngabantu okwakuthi ngesomiso bafake amanzi ethangini eliqhekekile, elalingakwazi ukugcina amanzi. (Funda uJeremiya 2:13; 17:13.) Ngokuqinisekile sinaso isizathu sokungazidonseli amanzi ngomsele ngokulandela inkambo efanayo. UJehova uyaqhubeka esilungiselela iziqondiso eziningi ezisekelwe eZwini lakhe eliphefumulelwe. Ngokusobala, lawo “manzi aphilayo” asizuzisa kuphela uma siwatadisha njalo futhi sizama ukuphila ngawo.

6. (a) Chaza isimo sengqondo seNkosi uZedekiya mayelana nokulalela uJehova. (b) Ucabanga ukuthi kungani inkosi yayingahlakaniphile?

⁶ Njengoba usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela uJuda lwalusondela, ukulalela kwabaluleka nakakhulu. Ukuze umJuda ngamunye athole umusa nesivikelo sikaJehova, kwakudingeka aphenduke aqale ukumlalela. INkosi uZedekiya kwakumelwe ikwenze lokhu. Yayingazimisele ukwenza okulungile. Lapho izikhonzi zayo ziyitshela ukuthi zifuna ukubulala uJeremiya, ayizange iqine njengendoda izenqabele. Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esingaphambili, lo mprofethi wasinda kulolo zungu, esizwa u-Ebhedi-meleki futhi kamuva wanxusa uZedekiya: “Siza, ulalele izwi likaJehova.” (Funda uJeremiya 38:4-6, 20.) Ngokusobala, ukuze kuyihambele kahle le nkosi, kwakudingeka yenze isinqumo: Ingabe yayizomlalela uNkulunkulu?

UKULALELA UJEHOVA KUYAPHUTHUMA

7. Yiziphi ezinye zezimo ezingavivinya ukulalela kwakho?

⁷ Ukulalela kubalulekile namuhla njengoba kwakunjalo ngosuku lukaJeremiya. Kuqine kangakanani ukuzimisela kwakho ukulalela uJehova? Ukube ubungazithola ususengosini ye-Internet yezithombe zobulili ezingcolile ungahlosile, ubungaqhubeka yini uzibuka, noma ubungalwa nesilingo uphume kuleyo ngosi? Ake sithi umuntu ongakholwa emsebenzini noma esikoleni uyakweshela, ubungenzenjani? Ubungaba nawo yini amandla okwenqaba? Ingabe izincwadi noma izingosi ze-Internet zezihlubuki ziyakuthakazelisa noma ziyakwenyanyisa? Kulezi zimo nakwezinye, ubokhumbula amazwi kaJeremiya 38:20.

8, 9. (a) Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukulalela lapho abadala bezama ukukusiza? (b) Kufanele ukubheke kanjani ukwelulekwa abadala ngokuphindaphindiwe?

⁸ UJehova wayevame ukuthumela uJeremiya kubantu baKhe nezikhuthazo ezinjengokuthi: “Sizani nibuye yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi, nenze izindlela zenu nezenzo zenu zibe zinhle.” (Jer. 7:3; 18:11; 25:5; funda uJeremiya 35:15.) Abadala abangamaKristu namuhla nabo benza okusemandleni abo ukuze basize amanye amakholwa asengozini ngokomoya. Uma kwenzeka abadala bekweluleka ukuba ugweme inkambo engahlakaniphile noma engalungile, balalele. Umgomo wabo unjengokaJeremiya.

⁹ Abadala bangase bakukhumbuze izimiso ezingokomBhalo asebekutshelile ngazo. Khumbula ukuthi akulula neze ukuphinda iseluleko, futhi ukusiphinda kuba nzima nakakhulu uma lowo odinga usizo ebonisa isimo sengqondo esifana nesamaJuda amaningi ezwa uJeremiya. Zama ukubheka imizamo yabadala yokukusiza njengendlela uJehova abonisa ngayo uthando. Phawula nokuthi kwakungeke kudingeke ukuba uJeremiya aphindaphinde izixwayiso zakhe ukube abantu babelalela. Yebo, indlela yokugwema ukwelulekwa ngokuphindaphindiwe iwukusisebenzisa ngokushesha iseluleko.

UJEHOVA UTHETHELELA NGOKUKHULULEKILE KODWA HHAYI NGOKUZENZAKALELAYO

10. Kungani uJehova engazithetheleli ngokuzenzakalelayo izono?

¹⁰ Ngeke sikwazi ukulalela uJehova ngokuphelele kulesi simiso sezinto, noma singazama kangakanani. Ngakho siyambonga ngokuthi uzimisele ukuthethelela iziphambeko zethu. Noma kunjalo, izono zethu akazixoleli ngokuzenzakalelayo. Kungani? Kungoba uyasenyanya isono. (Isaya 59:2) Ngakho-ke, ufuna ukuqiniseka ukuthi siyayifanelekela yini intethelelo yakhe.

11. Kungani umuntu enganakuzifihla izono zangasese?

¹¹ Njengoba sibonile, amaJuda amaningi ngesikhathi sikaJeremiya ayenomkhuba wokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu futhi ngokwenza kanjalo edlala ngokubekezela nesihe sakhe. Kungenzeka yini enye yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla ibe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo? Yebo, uma ingazinaki izikhumbuzo zikaJehova bese iqala ukusenza umkhuba isono. Kwezinye izimo, lokhu kuye kwenzeka obala, njengalapho umuntu eshadela esithenjini noma ethatha isithembu. Kodwa ngisho noma abanye abantu bengasiboni isono, umuntu ongamlaleli uJehova usuke ezifaka engozini. Umuntu ophila ukuphila okumbaxa-mbili angase acabange, ‘Ngeke kwazi muntu.’ Kepha iqiniso liwukuthi uNkulunkulu ubheka ngaphakathi ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu futhi uyakubona okwenzeka ekusithekeni. (Funda uJeremiya 32:19.) Yini okufanele ayenze umuntu uma engamlalelanga uNkulunkulu?

12. Yini okumelwe abadala bayenze ngezinye izikhathi ukuze bavikele ibandla?

¹² AmaJuda amaningi ayelweya usizo uJehova ayelunikeza kaninginingi ngoJeremiya. Ngokufanayo, umuntu owenze isono esingathí sina namuhla angase angaphenduki, enqabe usizo lwabadala. Kuleso simo, abadala kumelwe balandele isiqondiso semiBhalo sokuvikela ibandla ngokumsusa umenzi wobubi. (1 Kor. 5:11-13; bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukuphila Ngaphandle Komthetho” ekhasini 73.) Kodwa ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi sekuphelile ngaye, ngeke aphinde awuthole umusa kaJehova? Cha. Ama-Israyeli ayesenesikhathi eside ehlubuka; noma kunjalo uNkulunkulu wathi: “Buyani, nina madodana angamambuka. Ngizosiphulukisa isimo senu sobumbuka.” (Jer. 3:22)a UJehova ucela abenzi bobubi ukuba babuyele kuye. Yebo, uthi mababuye.

LALELA UJEHOVA NGOKUBUYELA KUYE

13. Uma umuntu efuna ukubuyela kuJehova, yini okumelwe ayiqaphele?

¹³ Ukuze umuntu abuyele kuNkulunkulu njengoba kwasho uJeremiya, kudingeka azibuze, ‘Yini engiyenzile?’ Ngemva kwalokho, kufanele avume ukuthi wenze iphutha, esizwa izindinganiso ezingokomBhalo. AmaJuda angesikhathi sikaJeremiya ayengaphenduki ayewushalazela lowo mbuzo. Ayengafuni ukuvuma ububi bezono zawo, ngakho uJehova akazange awathethelele. (Funda uJeremiya 8:6.) Ngokuphambene, isoni esiphendukayo siyaqaphela ukuthi ngokungamlaleli uJehova, siye sahlambalaza igama lakhe nebandla lobuKristu. Umuntu ophenduke ngobuqotho udabuka ngokujulile nangenxa yobuhlungu okungenzeka ubuzwise abantu abangenacala. Kufanele aqaphele ukuthi kuyoba yilapho eyivuma yonke imiphumela yezenzo zakhe kuphela lapho uJehova eyokuzwa khona ukukhalela kwakhe intethelelo. Nokho, ukubuyela emseni kaNkulunkulu kuhilela okwengeziwe.

14. Umuntu ‘ubuyela’ kanjani “impela kuJehova”? (Hlanganisa nebhokisi elithi “Kuyini Ukuphenduka?”)

¹⁴ Umuntu ophenduka ngobuqotho uphenya izisusa zakhe, izifiso nemikhuba. (Funda isiLilo 3:40, 41.) Uyohlola izici zokuphila kwakhe abuthaka kuzo, njengasekwakheni ubungane nabobulili obuhlukile, ukusebenzisa kwakhe ugwayi, i-Internet, noma indlela aqhuba ngayo ibhizinisi. Njengoba nje nomama ekhuculula nasemahontshi ekhishi lakhe ukuze agcine umuzi wakhe uhlanzekile futhi ucocekile, umuntu ophendukayo kufanele azikhandle ukuze ahlanze imicabango nezenzo zakhe zangasese. Kumelwe ‘abuyele impela kuJehova’ ngokufeza izimfuno zikaNkulunkulu nangokuzivumelanisa nezindinganiso zaKhe. Amanye amaJuda esikhathi sikaJeremiya abuyela kuJehova “ngamanga.” Ashaya sengathi ayazisola kodwa angaziguqula izinhliziyo noma ukuphila kwawo. (Jer. 3:10) Ngokungafani nawo, umuntu osicelo sakhe sentethelelo siqotho akazami ukukhohlisa uJehova nebandla lakhe. Kunokuba amane azame ukuba angaphoxeki noma ukuba aphinde asondelane nezihlobo noma abanye eqinisweni, ufuna ukubufulathela ngokuphelele ububi abenzile, afanelwe intethelelo nomusa kaNkulunkulu.

15. Hlobo luni lwemithandazo umuntu ophenduka ngempela aluyisa kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ Umthandazo uyingxenye esemqoka yokuphenduka. Endulo, kwakuvamile ukuba abantu baphakamisele izandla ezulwini lapho bethandaza. Namuhla, lapho umuntu ophenduka ngempela ethandaza, ‘uphakamisela inhliziyo yakhe kanye nezintende zezandla zakhe kuNkulunkulu,’ njengoba kusho uJeremiya. (IsiL. 3:41, 42) Ukuzisola kwenza isoni esiphendukayo sivumelanise ukuziphatha kwaso nesicelo saso sentethelelo. Imithandazo yaso iqotho, isuka enhliziyweni.

16. Kungani kunengqondo ukubuyela kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Ngokungangabazeki uyaqaphela ukuthi isoni esiwavuma ngobuqotho amaphutha aso kungase kudingeke siyeke ukuqhosha. Kepha nali iphuzu elibalulekile: UJehova ufuna izoni zibuyele kuye. Lapho uNkulunkulu ebona ukudabuka kweqiniso enhliziyweni yomuntu, neyakhe inhliziyo iyathinteka. ‘Uyahlokoma’ ngemizwelo enesisa ngoba ufuna ukuthethelela bonke abaphendukayo ezonweni zabo, njengoba nje awathethelela nama-Israyeli abuya ekuthunjweni. (Jer. 31:20) Yeka indlela okuqinisa idolo ngayo ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubathembisa ukuthula nethemba labo abamlalelayo! (Jer. 29:11-14) Bangaphinde bamukeleke phakathi kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikele.

UKULALELA KUNGAKUVIKELA

17, 18. (a) Ayengobani amaRekabi? (b) Njengoba kuboniswe ekhasini 77, aziwa ngani?

¹⁷ Ukulalela konke uJehova akushoyo kuyinkambo ephephile. Lokhu sikubona esibonelweni samaRekabi angosuku lukaJeremiya. Eminyakeni engamakhulu amabili ngaphambili, ukhokho wawo ongumKheni uJehonadaba, owasekela uJehu ngobuqotho, wayewanike imiyalo eminingi yezinto okwakungamelwe azenze. Omunye wayo wawuthi angaliphuzi iwayini. Kwase kukudala uJehonadaba afa, kodwa amaRekabi ayeqhubeka emlalela. UJeremiya wawavivinya ngokuwayisa endlini yokudlela ethempelini, wawanika iwayini, wathi awaliphuze. Athi: “Asiyikuphuza wayini.”—Jer. 35:1-10.

¹⁸ Kwakubalulekile kumaRekabi ukulalela ukhokho wawo owayesafa kudala. Abakhulekeli beqiniso bona kufanele balalele uNkulunkulu ophilayo ngokuzimisela okukhulu nakakhulu. Ukuzimisela kwamaRekabi ukulalela kwamhlaba umxhwele uJehova, futhi ayehluke ngokuphelele kumaJuda ayengalaleli. UNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuwavikela amaRekabi enhlekeleleni eyayiza. Uma sicabanga ngalokhu namuhla, kunengqondo ukuthi labo abalalela uJehova kukho konke akushoyo baqinisekiswa ngokuthi bayovikelwa osizini olukhulu, akunjalo?—Funda uJeremiya 35:19.

ABALALELA UJEHOVA ABABODWA

19. UNkulunkulu uyokuvikela kanjani uma umlalela?

¹⁹ Akufanele sicabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu wagcina endulo ukuvikela abantu bakhe. Namanje uJehova uyabavikela abalalelayo engozini engokomoya. Njengoba nje udonga olude lwaluvikela imizi yasendulo ekuhlaselweni, nomthetho kaNkulunkulu uvikela labo abawutadishayo futhi bawusebenzise njalo. Ingabe uzohlala ngaphakathi kodonga oluvikelayo oluyiziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu zokuziphatha? Qiniseka ukuthi kuyokuhambela kahle uma wenza kanjalo. (Jer. 7:23) Okuhlangenwe nakho okuningi kuyakufakazela lokho.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukulalela UJehova Kuyisivikelo.”

20, 21. (a) Yini ongaqiniseka ngayo njengoba ukhonza uJehova? (b) INkosi uJehoyakimi yasabela kanjani esigijimini sikaNkulunkulu esasimenyezelwa uJeremiya?

²⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaphikisi bangamalungu omkhaya wakho, usebenza nabo noma ufunda nabo noma iziphathimandla zangakini, bayokwenza kube inselele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Nokho, ungaqiniseka ukuthi uma ulalela uJehova kukho konke, uyokusekela ngisho nasezimweni ezinzima ngendlela exakile. Ungakhohlwa—uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukumlonda uJeremiya lapho ebhekene nokuphikiswa okushubile futhi yilokho kanye akwenza. (Funda uJeremiya 1:17-19.) Esinye sezikhathi okwabonakala ngaso ukusekela kukaNkulunkulu kwakungezinsuku zeNkosi uJehoyakimi.

²¹ Bambalwa ababusi bakwa-Israyeli abaphikisa abakhulumeli bakaNkulunkulu ngolaka olunjengolukaJehoyakimi. Singakubona lokhu endabeni yomprofethi u-Uriya, uzakwabo kaJeremiya. Inkosi embi uJehoyakimi yayizimisele ukuxosha u-Uriya aze eqele kwamanye amazwe. Lapho ebuyiswa lo mprofethi kaJehova, inkosi yambulala. (Jer. 26:20-23) Onyakeni wesine wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi, uJehova wayala uJeremiya ukuba alobe wonke amazwi ayesewakhulumile Yena kuze kube yileso sikhathi abese ewafunda ngokuzwakalayo ethempelini. UJehoyakimi wathola umqulu kaJeremiya wathi isikhulu segceke asimfundele wona. Njengoba siqhubeka siwufunda, inkosi yawudabula yawuphonsa emlilweni uyizicucu, nakuba ezinye izikhulu zayicela ukuba ingawudabuli. Ngemva kwalokho yathuma amadoda ukuba ayobopha uJeremiya noBharuki. Kwenzekani? “UJehova wabagcina befihlekile.” (Jer. 36:1-6; funda uJeremiya 36:21-26.) UJehova akamvumelanga uJehoyakimi ukuba alimaze laba bantu ababili abathembekile.

22, 23. Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaFakazi wase-Asia emaphakathi kukubonisani ngokusekela kukaNkulunkulu?

²² Uma uJehova ebona kufaneleka, angazifihla engozini nezinceku zakhe zanamuhla. Kodwa ngokuvamile uzinika isibindi nokuhlakanipha ukuze zimlalele futhi ziqhubeke zishumayela izindaba ezinhle. Umama ongayedwa esizombiza ngokuthi uGulistan unezingane ezine. UJehova uye wamsekela. Okwesikhathi esithile wayewukuphela kukaFakazi endaweni enkulu e-Asia emaphakathi lapho iziphathimandla ziwuphikisa khona umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Ibandla eliseduze liqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-400, ngakho kuyathukela uGulistan ehlangene namaKristu avuthiwe. Naphezu kokuphikiswa nezinye izinkinga, uyashumayela endlini ngendlu futhi athole abathakazelayo. Ngokombiko wamuva, ubeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingafinyelela ku-20, enakekela neqembu elandayo lezimvu zikaJehova.

²³ Njengoba nje asiza uJeremiya noFakazi abanjengoGulistan, uNkulunkulu ukulungele ukukusiza nawe kanye nezinye izinceku zakhe ezilalelayo. Zimisele ukumlalela njengoMbusi kunabantu. Uma wenza kanjalo, ukuphikiswa nezinye izithiyo ngeke zikuvimbele ukuba udumise obala okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso kubantu abasensimini yakini.—Jer. 15:20, 21.

24. Yiziphi izinzuzo ozithola ngokulalela manje?

²⁴ Injabulo yangempela nokwaneliseka ngeke sikuthole uma siziphilela ngaphandle koMdali wethu. (Jer. 10:23) Ngemva kokufunda ngalokho uJeremiya akuloba ngokulalela, uyazibona yini izindlela ongavumela ngazo uJehova aqondise izinyathelo zakho ngokugcwele? Imiyalo yakhe iwukuphela kwesiqondiso esiholela enjabulweni nasempumelelweni ephelele. “Lalelani izwi lami,” kunxusa uJehova, “ukuze kunihambele kahle.”—Jer. 7:23.