UYehova Ukukhathalele

“Liphoseni [kuThixo] lonke ixhala lenu, kuba unikhathalele.”—1 PETROS 5:7.

1. Ziziphi izinto ezibalulekileyo uYehova ahluke ngazo kuSathana?

UYEHOVA noSathana abafani kwaphela. Nabani na oziva esondele kuYehova umele ukuba umchasile uMtyholi. Lo mahluko uchazwe kwincwadi eqhelekileyo. Ngokuphathelele imisebenzi kaSathana ebhalwe kwincwadi yeBhayibhile kaYobhi, iEncyclopædia Britannica (1970) ithi: ‘Umsebenzi kaSathana kukuhambahamba emhlabeni ekhangela izinto okanye abantu anokubatyhola ngobubi; ngaloo ndlela umsebenzi wakhe wahluke lee “emehlweni eNkosi,” asingasinga emhlabeni ukuze omeleze abo balungileyo (2 Kron. 16:9). USathana akakholelwa ukuba bakho abantu abalungileyo bengajonganga kufumana nto yaye uThixo uye wamvumela ukuba akuvavanye oko ngokwemida uThixo ayimisileyo.’ Onjani wona umahluko!—Yobhi 1:6-12; 2:1-7.

2, 3. (a) Oko kuthethwa ligama elithi “uMtyholi” kuboniswe njani ngokucacileyo koko kwenzeka kuYobhi? (b) IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba uSathana uqhubeka etyhola abakhonzi bakaYehova emhlabeni?

² Igama elithi “uMtyholi” livela kwigama lesiGrike elithetha “ummangaleli wobuxoki,” “umhlebi.” Incwadi kaYobhi ityhila ukuba uSathana watyhola umkhonzi othembekileyo kaYehova uYobhi ngokuthi umkhonza uThixo ngenxa yokuzingca, esithi: “UYobhi umoyikela ilize na uThixo.” (Yobhi 1:9) Le ngxelo ekwincwadi kaYobhi ibonisa ukuba phezu kwazo nje izilingo neemvavanyo, uYobhi wasondela nangakumbi kuYehova. (Yobhi 10:9, 12; 12:9, 10; 19:25; 27:5; 28:28) Emva kwazo ezi mbandezelo, wathi kuThixo: “Ndikuve ngondiva, kodwa ngoku iliso lam liyakubona.”—Yobhi 42:5.

³ Ngaba uSathana uyekile ukutyhola abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo ukususela ngexesha likaYobhi? Nakanye. Incwadi yeSityhilelo ibonisa ukuba kweli xesha lesiphelo, uSathana uqhubeka etyhola abazalwana abathanjisiweyo bakaKristu kunye namaqabane abo athembekileyo. (2 Timoti 3:12; ISityhilelo 12:10, 17) Ngenxa yoko, eyona nto siyifuna ngamandla sonke thina maKristu okwenyaniso, kukuzithoba kuThixo wethu osikhathalelayo uYehova, simkhonze kuba sinothando olunzulu ngaye size ngaloo ndlela simngqine uSathana elixoki. Ngokwenjenjalo, siya kuyivuyisa intliziyo kaYehova.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

UYehova Ufuna Ukusinceda

4, 5. (a) Ngokwahlukileyo kuSathana, yintoni uYehova ayijongayo emhlabeni? (b) Ukuze uYehova asomeleze, yintoni esifanele siyenze?

⁴ UMtyholi uhambahamba emhlabeni, efuna ukutyhola nokuqwenga othile. (Yobhi 1:7, 9; 1 Petros 5:8) Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uYehova ufuna ukunceda abo bafuna ukomelezwa nguye. Umprofeti uHanani waxelela uKumkani uAsa esithi: “Ngokubhekisele kuYehova, amehlo akhe asingasinga emhlabeni wonke ukuba ababonise amandla abo bantliziyo ziphelele kuye.” (2 Kronike 16:9) Hayi indlela okwahluke ngayo oko kwindlela uSathana asijonga ngayo ngentiyo nokusikhathalela kukaYehova okunothando!

⁵ UYehova akasoloko esijongile ukuze akhangele iimpazamo neentsilelo zethu. Umdumisi wabhala: “Ukuba ubulinda iziphoso, Ya, Owu Yehova, ngubani na obenokuma?” (INdumiso 130:3) Impendulo echanileyo ithi: akakho. (INtshumayeli 7:20) Ukuba sisondela kuYehova ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo, uya kusoloko esijongile, kungekhona ukuba asigwebe, kodwa ukuze abone imigudu yethu aze aphendule imithandazo yethu yokucela uncedo nokuxolelwa. Umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Amehlo kaYehova aphezu kwabo bangamalungisa, neendlebe zakhe zisingisele esikhungweni sabo; kodwa ubuso bukaYehova bunxamnye nabo benza izinto ezimbi.”—1 Petros 3:12.

6. Imeko kaDavide isithuthuzela ize ibe sisilumkiso njani kuthi?

⁶ UDavide wayengafezekanga yaye wona ngokunzulu. (2 Samuweli 12:7-9) Kodwa wazityand’ igila kuYehova waza wasondela kuye ngomthandazo osuk’ entliziyweni. (INdumiso 51:1-12, umbhalo ongasentla) UYehova wawuphulaphula umthandazo wakhe waza wamxolela, nangona uDavide wajamelana nemiphumo emibi ngenxa yesono sakhe. (2 Samuweli 12:10-14) Oku kumele kusithuthuzele kuze kube sisilumkiso. Kuyasithuthuzela ukwazi ukuba uYehova ukulungele ukusixolela izono zethu ukuba siguquka ngokwenene, kodwa kubuhlungu ukuqonda ukuba izono zisoloko zinemiphumo emibi. (Galati 6:7-9) Ukuba sifunda ukusondela kuYehova, sifanele senze okusemandleni ukuba singenzi nantoni na engamkholisiyo.—INdumiso 97:10.

UYehova Utsalela Abantu Bakhe Kuye

7. UYehova ukhangela abantu abanjani, yaye ubatsalela njani kuye?

⁷ UDavide wabhala esithi kwenye yeendumiso zakhe: “UYehova uphakamile, ukanti uyambona othobekileyo; kodwa ophakamileyo umazela mgama kuphela.” (INdumiso 138:6) Ngokufanayo, enye indumiso ithi: “Ngubani na onjengoYehova uThixo wethu, yena ohlala phezulu? Uyazithoba ukuze akhangele ezulwini nasemhlabeni, uvusa eluthulini isisweli.” (INdumiso 113:5-7) Ewe, uMdali usomandla wendalo iphela uyazithoba ukuze akhangele emhlabeni, yaye amehlo akhe abona “othobekileyo,” “isisweli,” abantu ‘abancwinayo nabagcumayo ngenxa yezinto ezicekisekayo ezenziwayo.’ (Hezekile 9:4) Utsalela abanjalo kuye esebenzisa uNyana wakhe. Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wathi: “Akukho mntu unako ukuza kum ngaphandle kokuba uBawo, owandithumayo, amtsale . . . Akukho bani unokuza kum ngaphandle kokuba ukunikwe nguBawo oko.”—Yohane 6:44, 65.

8, 9. (a) Kutheni sonke sifanele sisondele kuYesu? (b) Yintoni ebalaseleyo ngelungiselelo lentlawulelo?

⁸ Bonke abantu bafanele baze kuYesu baze babe nokholo kwidini lentlawulelo kuba bazalwe benesono, behlukanisiwe noThixo. (Yohane 3:36) Kufuneka baxolelaniswe noThixo. (2 Korinte 5:20) UThixo akazange alindele aboni ukuba bamcele ukuba enze ilungiselelo ukuze babe noxolo naye. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “UThixo ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kuthi ngokuthi, ngoxa sasisengaboni, uKristu asifele. Kuba ukuba, xa sasiziintshaba, saxolelaniswa noThixo ngokufa koNyana wakhe, kobeka phi na ke ngoku ukusindiswa ngobomi bakhe, ekubeni sixolelanisiwe.”—Roma 5:8, 10.

⁹ Umpostile uYohane wayiqinisekisa loo nyaniso ebalaseleyo ukuba uThixo uxolelanisa abantu naye, ebhala esithi: “Kwabonakaliswa ngale [nto] ukusithanda kukaThixo, ngokuthi uThixo athumele uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ehlabathini ukuze sizuze ubomi ngaye. Ngoko ayisithi esamthandayo uThixo, koko nguye owasithandayo waza wathumela uNyana wakhe njengombingelelo wokucamagushela izono zethu.” (1 Yohane 4:9, 10) NguThixo owathabatha inyathelo lokuqala, kungekhona abantu. Ngaba awuziva utsalelekile kuThixo owabonakalisa uthando olungako kungekhona nje ‘kuboni,’ kodwa ‘nakwiintshaba?’—Yohane 3:16.

Imfuneko Yokufuna UYehova

10, 11. (a) Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sifune uYehova? (b) Sifanele siyijonge njani inkqubo kaSathana yezinto?

¹⁰ Kakade ke, uYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba size kuye. Sifanele simfune, ‘simphuthaphuthe size ngokwenene simfumane, nangona, enyanisweni, engekude kuye ngamnye wethu.’ (IZenzo 17:27) Simele silamkele ilungelo likaYehova lokuba simthobele. Umfundi uYakobi wabhala: “Zithobeni, ke ngoko, kuThixo; kodwa mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka. Sondelani kuThixo, naye uya kusondela kuni. Hlambululani izandla zenu, nina boni, nisulungekise iintliziyo zenu, nina bangenazigqibo.” (Yakobi 4:7, 8) Asifanele sithingaze ekumchaseni uMtyholi size simmele ngokuqinileyo uYehova.

¹¹ Oku kuthetha ukuzahlula ngokupheleleyo kwinkqubo yezinto engendawo kaSathana. Kwakhona uYakobi wabhala: “Anazi na ukuba ubuhlobo kunye nehlabathi bubutshaba kunye noThixo? Nabani na, ke ngoko, ofuna ukuba ngumhlobo wehlabathi uzenza utshaba lukaThixo.” (Yakobi 4:4) Ngokwahlukileyo, ukuba sifuna ukuba ngabahlobo bakaYehova, sifanele silindele ukuba ihlabathi likaSathana lisithiye.—Yohane 15:19; 1 Yohane 3:13.

12. (a) UDavide wabhala waphi amazwi athuthuzelayo? (b) UYehova wanikela siphi isilumkiso ngomprofeti uAzariya?

¹² Xa ihlabathi likaSathana lisichasa ngandlel’ ithile, ngokukhethekileyo kufuneka sithandaze kuYehova, sicele uncedo lwakhe. UDavide, owasindiswa nguYehova izihlandlo ezininzi, esithuthuzela wabhala esithi: “Usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo, kubo bonke abo bambiza ngenyaniso. Uya kukwenza oko kunqwenelwa ngabo bamoyikayo, nokukhalela kwabo uncedo uya kukuva, yaye uya kubasindisa. UYehova uyabalinda bonke abo bamthandayo, kodwa bonke abangendawo uya kubabhubhisa.” (INdumiso 145:18-20) Le ndumiso ibonisa ukuba uYehova unokumhlangula umntu ngamnye xa evavanywa yaye uya kubahlangula abantu bakhe xa bebonke ngexesha ‘lembandezelo enkulu.’ (ISityhilelo 7:14) UYehova uya kusondela kuthi ukuba sisondela kuye. Ekhokelwa “ngumoya kaThixo,” umprofeti uAzariya wathetha amazwi ayinyaniso xa wathi: “UYehova unani logama nje nani ninaye; nokuba nithe namfuna, uya kufumaneka kuni, kodwa ukuba nithe namshiya uya kunishiya.”—2 Kronike 15:1, 2.

UYehova Umele Abe Ngumntu Wokwenene Kuthi

13. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba uYehova ngumntu wokwenene kuthi?

¹³ Umpostile uPawulos wabhala ngoMoses esithi “waqhubeka eqinile ngokungathi uyambona Lowo ungabonakaliyo.” (Hebhere 11:27) Kakade ke, uMoses akazange ambone ngokoqobo uYehova. (Eksodus 33:20) Kodwa uYehova wayengumntu wokwenene kuye kangangokuba kwakungathi wambona. Ngokufanayo, emva kwezilingo awajamelana nazo, amehlo okholo kaYobhi ambona ngokucacileyo uYehova, njengoThixo ovumela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ukuba bajamelane nezilingo kodwa ongaze abashiye. (Yobhi 42:5) Kwathiwa uEnoki noNowa ‘bahamba noThixo.’ Benza oku ngokufuna ukukholisa uThixo baze bamthobele. (Genesis 5:22-24; 6:9, 22; Hebhere 11:5, 7) Ukuba uYehova ungumntu wokwenene njengoko wayenjalo kuEnoki, uNowa, uYobhi noMoses siya ‘kumgqala yena’ kuzo zonke iindlela zethu, yaye uya “kuwenza uthi tye umendo [wethu].”—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.

14. Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukunamathela’ kuYehova?

¹⁴ Kanye ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uMoses wawaluleka: “Nize nilandele uYehova uThixo wenu, noyike yena, nigcine imiyalelo yakhe, niphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, nikhonze yena, ninamathele kuye.” (Duteronomi 13:4) Ayemele alandele uYehova, amoyike, amthobele aze anamathele kuye. Ngokuphathelele igama eliguqulelwe apha elithetha “ukunamathela,” omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi “ulwimi olusetyenziswe apha lubonisa ulwalamano olusondeleyo nolusenyongweni.” Umdumisi wathi: “Ukusondelelana noYehova kokwabo bamoyikayo.” (INdumiso 25:14) Nathi sisenokuba nalo olu lwalamano luxabisekileyo nolusenyongweni noYehova ukuba ungumntu wokwenene kuthi yaye ukuba siyamthanda kangangokuba siyoyika ukungamkholisi ngayo nayiphi na indlela.—INdumiso 19:9-14.

Ngaba Uyayiqonda Inyameko KaYehova?

15, 16. (a) INdumiso 34 ibonisa njani ukuba uYehova usikhathalele? (b) Simele senze ntoni ukuba asizikhumbuli izinto ezilungileyo uYehova asenzela zona?

¹⁵ Elinye lamaqhinga kaSathana kukuzama ukusenza silibale ukuba uThixo wethu, uYehova, uhlala ebanyamekela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. UKumkani uDavide wakwaSirayeli wayeyazi ingalo kaYehova ekhuselayo kwanaxa wayejamelene nawona maxesha ayingozi. Xa wanyanzeleka ukuba azenze isidenge phambi koKumkani uAkishe waseGadi, waqamba ingoma, indumiso emnandi, eyayiquka la mazwi alandelayo okholo: “Menzeni mkhulu uYehova kunye nam, masiliphakamise kunye igama lakhe. Ndabuza kuYehova, waza wandiphendula, yaye wandihlangula kwizinto ezindothusayo. Ingelosi kaYehova imisa inkampu macala onke kwabo bamoyikayo, ize ibahlangule. Ngcamlani nibone ukuba uYehova ulungile; inoyolo indoda eyomeleleyo esabela kuye. UYehova usondele kwabo baphuke intliziyo; yaye abo bamoya utyumkileyo uyabasindisa. Zininzi iintlekele ezihlela olilungisa, kodwa uYehova ulihlangula kuzo zonke.”—INdumiso 34:3, 4, 7, 8, 18, 19; 1 Samuweli 21:10-15.

¹⁶ Ngaba uqinisekile ukuba uYehova unamandla okusindisa? Ngaba uyazi ukuba iingelosi zakhe zinokukukhusela? Ngaba wena ngokobuqu uye wangcamla waza wabona ukuba uYehova ulungile? Ugqibele nini ukucinga ngoko kuhle uYehova akwenzele kona? Zama ukukhumbula. Ngaba kwakukula ndlu yokugqibela owawushumayela kuyo, xa kanye wawucinga ukuba le yindlu yokugqibela? Mhlawumbi waba nencoko eyakhayo nomninimzi. Ngaba wakhumbula ukumbulela uYehova ngokukunika amandla angakumbi owawuwafuna nangokukusikelela? (2 Korinte 4:7) Kwelinye icala, kusenokuba nzima ukukhumbula izenzo ezithile zokulunga uYehova akwenzele zona. Kusenokufuneka ubuyele emva iveki, inyanga, unyaka okanye ixesha elingaphezu kwelo ngokucinga. Ukuba kunjalo, kutheni ungenzi umgudu onyanisekileyo wokusondela kuYehova uze uzame ukubona indlela akukhokela nakwalathisa ngayo? Umpostile uPetros wabongoza amaKristu esithi: “Zithobeni, . . . phantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo, . . . liphoseni kuye lonke ixhala lenu, kuba unikhathalele.” (1 Petros 5:6, 7) Eneneni, uya kumangaliswa yindlela akukhathalele ngayo!—INdumiso 73:28.

Hlala Ufuna UYehova

17. Yintoni efunekayo ukuze sihlale sifuna uYehova?

¹⁷ Sifanele siqhubeke sigcina ulwalamano lwethu noYehova. Ethandaza uYesu wathi kuYise: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) Ukungenisa ulwazi ngoYehova nangoNyana wakhe kufuna sihlale sisenza umgudu. Siyalufuna uncedo lomthandazo nomoya oyingcwele ukuze siqonde ‘izinto ezinzulu zikaThixo.’ (1 Korinte 2:10; Luka 11:13) Kwakhona sifuna ukukhokelwa “likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” ukuze sondle iingqondo zethu ngokutya kokomoya esikufumana “ngexesha elifanelekileyo.” (Mateyu 24:45) Esebenzisa elo jelo, uYehova uye wasinika isiluleko sokufunda iLizwi lakhe imihla ngemihla, ukuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zethu, nokuba nesabelo esinyanisekileyo ekushumayeleni ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani.’ (Mateyu 24:14) Ngokwenjenjalo, siya kuhlala sifuna uThixo wethu onenyameko, uYehova.

18, 19. (a) Simele sizimisele ukwenza ntoni? (b) Ukuba simchasa ngamandla uMtyholi size sihlale simfuna uYehova, siya kusikelelwa njani?

¹⁸ USathana wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukubenza abantu bakaYehova batshutshiswe, bachaswe baze babandezeleke ngandlela zonke. Uzama ukuphazamisa uxolo lwethu aze atshabalalise ulwalamano lwethu noThixo wethu. Akafuni ukuba siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu wokufuna abantu abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo size sibancede ukuze bame ngakwicala likaYehova kwimbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela. Kodwa simele sizimisele ukuhlala sinyanisekile kuYehova, sinentembelo yokuba uya kusihlangula kongendawo. Ngokuvumela iLizwi likaThixo lisalathise nokuhlala sixakekile kwintlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uya kusoloko esixhasa.—Isaya 41:8-13.

¹⁹ Ngoko ke, ngamana sonke singamchasa ngamandla uMtyholi namaqhinga akhe, sihlale sifuna uThixo wethu esimthandayo, uYehova, ongasoze asilele ‘ukusiqinisa, nokusomeleza.’ (1 Petros 5:8-11) Ngokwenjenjalo, siya ‘kuzigcina kuthando lukaThixo, ngoxa silindele inceba yeNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu sikhangele kubomi obungunaphakade.’—Yude 21.

Ubuya Kuphendula Njani?

• Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi “uMtyholi,” yaye uMtyholi ulilandele njani elo gama?

• UYehova wahluke njani kuMtyholi ngendlela abajonga ngayo abantu emhlabeni?

• Kutheni ubani efanele abonise ukuba uyayiqonda imfuneko yentlawulelo xa ethandaza kuYehova?

• Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukunamathela’ kuYehova, yaye sinokuhlala njani simfuna?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Phezu kwazo nje izilingo awayejamelene nazo, uYobhi wayesazi ukuba uYehova umkhathalele

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16, 17]

Ukufunda iBhayibhile imihla ngemihla, ukuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, nokuba nenxaxheba kumsebenzi wokushumayela kuyasikhumbuza ukuba uYehova usikhathalele