1, 2. (a) Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba sohlangothini lukaJehova? (b) Yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko?

KUWUKUHLAKANIPHA ukunamathela kuJehova. Akekho umuntu onamandla, ohlakaniphile noma onothando kunoNkulunkulu! Ubani kithi ongeke athande ukuba ngakuye? (IHu. 96:4-6) Noma kunjalo, abanye abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu baye baba manqikanqika lapho kudingeka babe sohlangothini lukaJehova.

² Kulesi sihloko, sizohlola izibonelo zabantu ababethi basohlangothini lukaJehova kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo bebe benza izinto angazithandi. Lezi zindaba ziqukethe izifundo ezibalulekile ezingasisiza sihlale siqotho kuJehova.

3. Kungani uJehova azama ukusiza uKhayini, futhi yini amtshela yona?

³ Cabanga ngoKhayini. Wayengakhonzi abanye onkulunkulu, wayekhonza uJehova kuphela. Nokho, uNkulunkulu akazange akwamukele ukukhulekela kukaKhayini. Kwakunobubi obabukhula ekujuleni kwenhliziyo yakhe. (1 Joh. 3:12) UJehova wamxwayisa uKhayini, wathi: “Uma uphendukela ekwenzeni  okuhle, ngeke yini kube khona ukuphakanyiswa? Kodwa uma ungaphendukeli ekwenzeni okuhle, kukhona isono esicathama emnyango, futhi sinxanela wena; wena-ke, ingabe uzosihlula?” (Gen. 4:6, 7) Empeleni, uJehova wayetshela uKhayini ukuthi, “Uma uphenduka futhi ukhethe uhlangothi lwami, nami ngiyoba sohlangothini lwakho.”

4. Nakuba ayenethuba lokuba sohlangothini lukaJehova, yini uKhayini ayenza?

⁴ UJehova wayeyokwamukela ukukhulekela kukaKhayini kuphela uma elungisa indlela ayecabanga ngayo. Kodwa uKhayini akazange asilalele iseluleko. Ukucabanga okuyiphutha nesifiso sobugovu kwamholela ezenzweni ezimbi. (Jak. 1:14, 15) Ngesikhathi esakhula, kungenzeka ukuthi uKhayini wayengacabangi ukuthi uyoke amelane noJehova. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wenza into engacabangeki—wavukela uNkulunkulu wabulala umfowabo.

5. Hlobo luni lokucabanga olungasenza silahlekelwe ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova?

⁵ NjengoKhayini, umKristu namuhla kungenzeka athi ukhonza uJehova ebe enza izinto uNkulunkulu azizondayo. (Jude 11) Ngokwesibonelo, umKristu angaba nemicabango engcolile, imicabango yobugovu noma azonde omunye umKristu. (1 Joh. 2:15-17; 3:15) Imicabango enjalo ingaholela esonweni. Lokhu kungenzeka kumuntu, ebe eshiseka enkonzweni futhi eba khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla. Abantu bangase bangakwazi lokho esikucabangayo noma babone esikwenzayo, kodwa uJehova ubona zonke izinto futhi uyazi uma singekho ohlangothini lwakhe ngenhliziyo ephelele.—Funda uJeremiya 17:9, 10.

6. UJehova usisiza kanjani sinqobe izifiso ezimbi lapho sikhetha ukuba sohlangothini lwakhe?

⁶ Ngisho noma kunjalo uJehova akasilahli ngokushesha. Lapho izenzo zethu zisidedisela kude noNkulunkulu, uJehova uyasinxusa: “Buyelani kimi, nami ngizobuyela kini.” (Mal. 3:7) Lapho silwa nobuthakathaka bethu, uJehova ufuna simelane nobubi. (Isaya 55:7) Uma senza lokho, uyobonisa ukuthi ungasohlangothini lwethu ngokusisiza ngokomoya, asisekele ngokomzwelo futhi asinike amandla adingekayo ukuze sikunqobe ukuthambekela esonweni.—Gen. 4:7.

7. Yini eyalimaza ubungane bukaSolomoni noJehova?

⁷ Kuningi esingakufunda esibonelweni seNkosi uSolomoni. Ngesikhathi esemusha, uSolomoni wayefuna isiqondiso kuJehova. UNkulunkulu wamnika ukuhlakanipha okukhulu, wamnika nesabelo sokwakha ithempeli elibabazekayo eJerusalema. Kodwa uSolomoni walahlekelwa ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova. (1 AmaKh. 3:12; 11:1, 2) UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawenqaba ngokuqondile ukuba inkosi engumHebheru “izandisele abafazi, ukuze inhliziyo yayo ingaphambuki.” (Dut. 17:17) USolomoni akalalelanga, ekugcineni washada abesifazane abangu-700. Waletha emzini wakhe izancinza ezingu-300. (1 AmaKh. 11:3) Amakhosikazi akhe amaningi ayengewona ama-Israyeli futhi ayekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Ngakho, uSolomoni waphinde waphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokushada nabesifazane bezinye izizwe.—Dut. 7:3, 4.

8. USolomoni wona kuJehova ngezinga elingakanani?

⁸ Ukungayilaleli imithetho kaNkulunkulu, kwabangela ukuba kancane kancane uSolomoni agcine enza izono ezinkulu kakhulu. USolomoni wakhela unkulunkulukazi oyisithombe u-Ashitoreti i-altare, wakhela nonkulunkulu wamanga uKemoshi i-altare. Wahlanganyela namakhosikazi akhe ekukhulekeleni onkulunkulu bamanga.  Wakha lawo ma-altare entabeni ephambi kweJerusalema, lapho ayakhe khona ithempeli likaJehova! (1 AmaKh. 11:5-8; 2 AmaKh. 23:13) Mhlawumbe uSolomoni wazikhohlisa ngokucabanga ukuthi uJehova uzokushalazela lokhu kungalaleli uma nje eqhubeka enikela imihlatshelo ethempelini.

9. Waba yini umphumela wokungalaleli kukaSolomoni isixwayiso sikaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Nokho, uJehova akabushalazeleli ububi. IBhayibheli lithi: “UJehova wamvuthela ngolaka uSolomoni, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayichezukile kuJehova . . . , owayebonakalé kabili kuye. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu wamyala ukuba angalandeli abanye onkulunkulu; kodwa wayengazange akugcine lokho uJehova ayemyalé ngakho.” Ngenxa yalokho uJehova wamshiya, wayeka ukumsekela. Izindlalifa zikaSolomoni zalahlekelwa umbuso wakwa-Israyeli ohlangene futhi kusukela lapho isizwe sabhekana nezinkinga eziningi.—1 AmaKh. 11:9-13.

10. Yini engalimaza ubuhlobo bethu obuhle noJehova?

¹⁰ Njengoba kwenzeka kuSolomoni, ingozi enkulu engalimaza ubuhlobo bethu obuhle noNkulunkulu, ukuba nabangane abangaziqondi noma abangazihloniphi izindinganiso zikaJehova. Abanye kungenzeka bayingxenye yebandla kodwa abanabo ubuhlobo obuqinile noJehova. Abanye kungaba yizihlobo zethu, omakhelwane, abantu esisebenza nabo noma esifunda nabo abangamkhonzi uJehova. Kunoma yikuphi, uma abantu esisondelene nabo bengazihloniphi izindinganiso zikaJehova eziphakeme, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bangonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu obuhle noNkulunkulu.

11. Yini engasisiza sikhethe abangane bethu?

¹¹ Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:33. Abantu abaningi banobuntu obuhle futhi kungenzeka ukuthi abaningi abangamkhonzi uJehova abazenzi izinto ezimbi kakhulu. Uma abantu obajwayele benjalo, ungaphetha yini ngokuthi bangabangane abahle? Zibuze ukuthi ukuzihlanganisa nabo kuyobuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bakho noJehova. Ingabe bayokwenza usondele nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu? Yini esezinhliziyweni zabo? Ngokwesibonelo, lapho bexoxa ingabe bahlale bekhuluma ngemfashini, imali, izinto zobuchwepheshe, ezokuzijabulisa noma ukufuna izinto ezibonakalayo? Ingabe ezingxoxweni zabo bagxeka abanye noma benze amahlaya angcolile? UJesu waxwayisa: “Umlomo ukhuluma ngokuchichima kwenhliziyo.” (Math. 12:34) Uma uqaphela ukuthi abantu ozihlanganisa nabo bangalimaza ubuhlobo bakho noJehova, thatha isinyathelo ngokushesha ubunciphise lobo bungane noma uma kudingeka ubuqede.—IzAga 13:20.

12. (a) Yini uJehova ayitshela ama-Israyeli ngemva nje kokuphuma eGibhithe? (b) Ama-Israyeli asabela kanjani lapho uNkulunkulu ethi kumelwe azinikele kuye kuphela?

¹² Kukhona nokunye esingakufunda kulokho okwenzeka ngemva nje kokuba ama-Israyeli ekhululwe eGibhithe. Abantu babuthana phambi kweNtaba iSinayi. Lapho, uJehova wazibonakalisa kubo. Kwavela ifu elimnyama. UJehova wenza ukuba lidume, kube nemibani nentuthu, kwabe sekuzwala umsindo omkhulu wophondo. (Eks. 19:16-19) Ngale ndlela, uJehova wazibonakalisa kuma-Israyeli ‘njengoNkulunkulu ofuna ukuzinikela kuye kuphela.’ Wawaqinisekisa ngokuthi uzoba qotho kulabo abamthandayo nakulabo abagcina imiyalo yakhe. (Funda u-Eksodusi 20:1-6.) Empeleni uJehova wayetshela abantu bakhe ukuthi, “Uma nizibonakalisa nisohlangothini lwami, ngiyozibonakalisa ngisohlangothini lwenu.” Ubuyosabela kanjani kulesi sithembiso sokuba qotho esivela kuJehova uNkulunkulu? Ngokuqinisekile ubuyokwenza ngendlela ama-Israyeli enza ngayo. Aphendula ngazwi linye athi: “Wonke amazwi uJehova awakhulumile sizimisele ukuwenza.” (Eks. 24:3) Nokho, ngokushesha kwenzeka into eyayingalindelekile eyavivinya ubuqotho bama-Israyeli.

13. Yiziphi izimo ezavivinya ubuqotho bama-Israyeli?

¹³ Ama-Israyeli ayethukile ngenxa yefu elimnyama nemibani nezinye izibonakaliso ezazivela kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho acela uMose ukuba awakhulumele noJehova eNtabeni iSinayi, uMose wavuma. (Eks. 20:18-21) UMose wahlala isikhathi eside esiqongweni sentaba. Ingabe manje ama-Israyeli ayesangazi ukuthi azokwenzenjani njengoba umholi wawo engekho? Kubonakala sengathi ukholo lwabantu lwaluncike kakhulu ekubeni khona kukaMose. Bakhathazeka base bethi ku-Aroni: “Senzele unkulunkulu ozohamba phambi kwethu, ngoba ngokuqondene nalo Mose, umuntu owasihola wasikhuphula ezweni laseGibhithe, asazi ngempela ukuthi kwenzekeni kuye.”—Eks. 32:1, 2.

14. Yini ama-Israyeli azikhohlisa ngayo, futhi uJehova wasabela kanjani?

¹⁴ Abantu babazi ukuthi ukukhonza izithombe kwakuyisono esikhulu kuJehova. (Eks. 20:3-5) Kodwa manje base bekhonza ithole legolide! Ngisho noma ayephule umthetho ingcaca, ngandlela thile ama-Israyeli azikhohlisa acabanga ukuthi asaqhubeka esohlangothini lukaJehova. Phela, ngisho no-Aroni wabiza ithole lawo ngokuthi “umkhosi kaJehova”! UJehova wasabela kanjani? Wazizwa ekhohlisiwe. UJehova watshela uMose ukuthi abantu “benze ngendlela echithayo” futhi ‘baphambukile endleleni abayale ukuba bahambe ngayo.’ Ngenxa ‘yentukuthelo yakhe evuthayo,’ uJehova waze wacabanga nokusibhubhisa sonke isizwe sakwa-Israyeli.—Eks. 32:5-10.

15, 16. UMose no-Aroni babonisa kanjani ukuthi babesohlangothini lukaJehova? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁵ UJehova wanquma ukungawabhubhisi ama-Israyeli. Umusa wakhe wanika izikhonzi zakhe eziqotho ithuba lokuma ngokuqinile ohlangothini lwakhe. (Eks. 32:14) Ngemva kokubona indlela engalawuleki abantu ababeziphethe ngayo—bememeza, becula futhi bedansa phambi kwesithombe—uMose waliphihliza ithole legolide laba yizicucu. Wabe esethi: “Ngubani ongakuJehova? Makeze ngakimi!” “Wonke amadodana kaLevi abuthanela” ngakuMose.—Eks. 32:17-20, 26.

¹⁶ Ngisho noma ayenengxenye ekwenzeni lesi sithombe, u-Aroni wazisola wabe esema kanye namaLevi ohlangothini lukaJehova. Laba bantu abaqotho babekhetha  uhlangothi lukaJehova ngesikhathi esifanayo bezihlukanisa kulabo abenza okubi. Leso kwakuyisenzo sokuhlakanipha; ngalo lolo suku izinkulungwane zafa ngenxa yokukhulekela kwazo isithombe. Nokho, labo ababesohlangothini lukaJehova bathenjiswa isibusiso.—Eks. 32:27-29.

17. Yini esiyifunda emazwini kaPawulu aphathelene nethole legolide?

¹⁷ Lapho ekhuluma ngendaba yethole legolide umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa wathi: “Lezi zinto zaba yizibonelo zethu, ukuze singabi abantu . . . abakhonza izithombe njengoba abanye kubo benza. [Lezi zibonelo] zalotshelwa ukuba zibe yisixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwezimiso zezinto. Ngenxa yalokho, lowo ocabanga ukuthi umile makaqaphele angawi.” (1 Kor. 10:6, 7, 11, 12) Njengoba uPawulu ebonisile, ngisho nabakhulekeli beqiniso bangahileleka ezenzweni ezimbi. Labo abavumela isilingo sibanqobe bangase bacabange ukuthi baqhubeka benobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Ukufuna nje ukuba umngane kaJehova noma ukwenza sengathi uqotho akusho ukuthi uJehova uyayamukela inkonzo yakho.—1 Kor. 10:1-5.

18. Yini engabangela ukuba siqhele kuJehova futhi lokho kungaba namiphi imiphumela?

¹⁸ Njengoba ama-Israyeli akhathazeka lapho uMose ethatha isikhathi eside eSinayi, namuhla amaKristu angase akhathazeke lapho ebona sengathi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela nezwe elisha kuyephuza ukufika. Ukugcwaliseka kwalezi zithembiso kungase kubonakale kuyinto eyokwenzeka ngemva kwesikhathi eside noma kube yinto okunzima ukuyikholelwa ukuthi iyoke yenzeke. Uma singaqaphile, ukucabanga okunjalo kungasenza sigijimise izifiso zenyama, sinciphise ekwenzeni intando kaJehova. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, singaqhela kuJehova futhi ekugcineni senze izinto ebesingeke sizenze ngesikhathi sinobuhlobo obuhle noJehova.

19. Yiliphi iqiniso eliyinhloko okufanele sihlale silikhumbula, futhi kungani?

¹⁹ Akufanele sikhohlwe nanini ukuthi uJehova ufuna simlalele ngokuphelele futhi sizinikele kuye kuphela. (Eks. 20:5) Ukuqhela ekukhonzeni uJehova kusho ukwenza intando kaSathane futhi lokho kungasiholela enhlekeleleni. Yingakho uPawulu asikhumbuza: “Anikwazi ukuphuza indebe kaJehova nibe niphuza indebe yamademoni; anikwazi ukudla ‘etafuleni likaJehova’ nibe nidla etafuleni lamademoni.”—1 Kor. 10:21.

20. Ngisho nangemva kokwenza amaphutha, uJehova angasisiza kanjani?

²⁰ Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngoKhayini, uSolomoni nama-Israyeli eNtabeni iSinayi kunokuthile okufana ngakho. Laba bantu babenethuba ‘lokuphenduka nokuguquka.’ (IzE. 3:19) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova akasheshi ukubalahla labo abenza amaphutha. Endabeni ka-Aroni, uJehova wamthethelela. Namuhla, izixwayiso ezivela kuJehova zingeza kithi ngezindaba eziseBhayibhelini, ngezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini noma ngeseluleko somusa esivela komunye umKristu. Lapho silalela izixwayiso, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzosibonisa umusa.

21. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza lapho ubuqotho bethu kuJehova buvivinywa?

²¹ Umusa kaJehova unenjongo. (2 Kor. 6:1) Usinika ithuba lokuba “silahle ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu nezifiso zezwe.” (Funda uThithu 2:11-14.) Uma nje sisaphila “phakathi nalesi simiso samanje sezinto,” siyobhekana nezimo eziyovivinya ukuzinikela kwethu kuphela kuJehova. Kwangathi singahlale sikulungele ukuma ngokuqinile ohlangothini lukaNkulunkulu ngoba ‘nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu okufanele simkhonze sinamathele kuye’!—Dut. 10:20.