Lingisela Abaphrofethi—UZefaniya
1. Ayenjani amaJuda ngesikhathi uZefaniya engumphrofethi, njalo kungani umphrofethi lo eyisibonelo esihle kithi?
1 Kwakuphakathi laphakathi kwekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E., njalo amaJuda ayengasakufihli ukuthi ayekhonza uBhali. INkosi embi u-Amoni yayisanda kubulawa futhi iNkosi uJosiya yiyo eyayisibusa. (2 ImiLan. 33:21–34:1) Ngesikhathi leso, uJehova wasebenzisa umphrofethi uZefaniya ukuthi atshele abantu ngesahlulelo sakhe. Lanxa kungenzakala ukuthi uZefaniya wayengowendlini yasesikhosini yakoJuda, umlayezo kaJehova wokulahla amakhosi akoJuda wawukhuluma unjengoba unjalo. (Zef. 1:1; 3:1-4) Lathi sizama ukulingisela isibindi sikaZefaniya ngokungavumeli ukuthi ubuhlobo esilabo labemuli yethu busenze singabi lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova. (Mat. 10:34-37) Yiwuphi umlayezo uZefaniya awutshela abantu, njalo kwaba lempumela bani?
2. Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze sisinde ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova?
2 Dinga uJehova: NguJehova kuphela ongasindisa abantu ngosuku lwentukuthelo yakhe. Yikho uZefaniya wakhuthaza abantu bakoJuda ukuthi badinge uJehova, badinge ukulunga, futhi badinge lokuthobeka ukubhujiswa kungakafiki. (Zef. 2:2, 3) Lathi lamuhla sikhuthaza abantu njengoZefaniya ukuthi badinge uJehova. Kodwa lathi kumele sizimisele ‘ukungadeli ukulandela uJehova.’ (Zef. 1:6) Kulokuthi senze njalo, sidinga uJehova ngokuhlolisisa iLizwi lakhe langokucela ukuthi asiqondise. Sidinga ukulunga ngokuziphatha ngendlela ehlanzekileyo. Sidinga ukuthobeka ngokuhlala sizehlisa kwabanye langokwenza konke inhlanganiso kaJehova esitshela khona.
3. Kungani kumele sithembe ukuthi ukutshumayela kwethu kuzakuba lempumela emihle?
3 Impumela Emihle: Abanye abantu koJuda bawulalela umlayezo kaZefaniya, futhi okuhle kakhulu yikuthi uJosiya owayesesengumfana nje laye wawulalela futhi wahle waqalisa ukudinga uJehova. UJosiya wenza ukuthi zonke izithombe ezaziselizweni lelo zibhidlizwe. (2 ImiLan. 34:2-5) Lanxa lamuhla eyinye inhlanyelo yoMbuso iwela endleleni, eyinye ekhetheni, eyinye emeveni, ikhona eyinye ewela emhlabathini olungileyo ibisithela izithelo. (Mat. 13:18-23) Silethemba lokuthi uJehova uzaqhubeka eyibusisa imizamo yethu njengoba siqhubeka sitshumayela ngoMbuso.—Hubo. 126:6.
4. Kungani kumele sihlale ‘silindele uJehova’?
4 Abanye koJuda babecabanga ukuthi uJehova ngeke alethe isahlulelo. Kodwa uJehova wabaqinisekisa bonke ukuthi usuku lwakhe olukhulu lwaselusemnyango. (Zef. 1:12, 14) Wayezasindisa kuphela labo ababephephela kuye. (Zef. 3:12, 17) Njengoba ‘silindele uJehova,’ kasihlaleni sithokoziswa yikukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu simanyene lesikhonza labo.—Zef. 3:8, 9.