1, 2. Kucoca ngemakhosi lamane akaJuda kutasisita ngani?

NANGABE ungabona umuntfu ashelela bese sewuyawa, ngeke yini unakisise nawuhamba kuleyo ndlela? Nangabe singafundza ngemaphutsa lentiwa ngulabanye, loko kungasisita kutsi singawenti emaphutsa lafanako. Loku kungasisita njengobe sisachubeka sikhonta Jehova. Kunyenti lesingakufundza emaphutseni alabanye, lafaka ekhatsi lawo labhalwe eBhayibhelini.

² Emakhosi lamane akaJuda lesicoce ngawo esihlokweni lesendlulile akhonta Jehova ngenhlitiyo yonkhe. Nanobe kunjalo, lamakhosi enta emaphutsa lamakhulu. Yini lesingayifundza kuloko lokwenteka kulamakhosi futsi yini lesingayenta kute singawenti emaphutsa lafanako? Kuzindla ngaletibonelo kungasisita kutsi sizuze kuloko lokwabhalwa kute kufundziswe tsine.—Fundza Roma 15:4.

3-5. (a) Nanobe Asa bekatsembele kuJehova ngenhlitiyo yakhe yonkhe, nguliphi liphutsa labese uyalenta? (b) Yini lokungenteka yenta Asa wetsembela kubantfu ngesikhatsi Bhasha ahlasela sive sakaJuda?

³ Asesicale sicoce nga-Asa futsi sibone kutsi liVi laNkulunkulu lingakutsintsa njani kuphila kwetfu. Asa wetsembela kuJehova ngesikhatsi libutfo lemaKushe lihlasela sive sakaJuda, kodvwa wehluleka kutsembela kuJehova ngesikhatsi Bhasha, inkhosi yaka-Israyeli,  icala kwakha iRama, lobekulidolobha lebelivimbela kutsi kubete lophumako nalongenako eveni la-Asa. (2 Khr. 16:1-3) Asa wetsembela ekuhlakanipheni kwakhe futsi wafumbatsisa iNkhosi Bheni Hadadi yase-Siriya kute ihlasele Bhasha. Laphumelela yini lelisu la-Asa? LiBhayibheli litsi: “Kwatsi kube Bhasha akuve loko, wayekela kwakha iRama, wawushiya phansi umsebenti wakhe.” (2 Khr. 16:5) Lelisu la-Asa lacale labonakala ngatsi liyasebenta.

⁴ Nobe kunjalo, Jehova wativa njani ngaloko lokwentiwa ngu-Asa? Nkulunkulu watfumela umkhulumeli wakhe Hanani kutsi ayovetela Asa liphutsa lakhe lekungetsembeli kuye. (Fundza 2 Tikhronike 16:7-9.) Hanani watsi: “Kusukela manje utakulwa timphi siphelane.” Nanobe Bhasha ayekela kwakha iRama, Asa nebantfu bakhe balwa timphi letinyenti ngesikhatsi kusabusa Asa.

⁵ Njengobe sifundzile esihlokweni lesendlulile, Nkulunkulu wayihlola inhlitiyo ya-Asa futsi wayikhandza itinikele kuye ngalokuphele. (1 Khos. 15:14) Emehlweni aNkulunkulu, Asa bekanesisusa lesihle nakatinikela kuye futsi bekayigcina imiyalo yakhe. Nanobe kunjalo, bekufanele abhekane nemiphumela yetincumo takhe letimbi. Ngesikhatsi Asa afuna kuhlasela Bhasha, yini leyamenta watetsemba yena futsi wetsemba naBheni Hadadi kunekutsi etsembele kuJehova? Kungenteka yini kutsi wacabanga kutsi kutsembela ebutfweni laBheni Hadadi bekutamphumelelisa kunekutsi etsembele kuJehova? Kungenteka yini kutsi kucabanga lokunjalo kwentiwa kutsi bekaniketwe seluleko lesibi?

6. Yini lesingayifundza ephutseni lelentiwa ngu-Asa? Fanekisa.

⁶ Loko lokwenteka ku-Asa kungasisita yini kutsi sihlole tento tetfu? Nangabe sibhekane netinkinga lesitibona kungatsi kumatima kuticatulula, singasheshe sibone kutsi sidzinga kutsembela kuJehova. Kodvwa kutsiwani nangabe kufanele sibhekane netinkinga letibonakala titincane? Asilingisi yini labanye bantfu, ngekutsi setame kuticatulula ngendlela yetfu? Nome sifuna timiso teliBhayibheli futsi setame kutisebentisa, ngaleyondlela sikhombise kutsi setsembele kuJehova kutsi angasisita sicatulule tinkinga tetfu? Nasi sibonelo, ngalesinye sikhatsi umndeni ungase ukuphatse kabi ngenca yekutsi uya emihlanganweni yelibandla nobe emhlanganweni lomkhulu. Ucela Jehova kutsi akucondzise aphindze akusite ukhone kubona indlela lekahle yekubhekana nalesimo. Kodvwa ungenta njani nangabe uphelelwe ngumsebenti futsi kulukhuni kutfola lomunye? Nangabe ukhuluma naloyo lokungenteka akucashe, utamtjela yini kutsi kufanele uye emihlanganweni yelibandla njalo ngeliviki? Kungakhatsaliseki kutsi nguyiphi inkinga lesibhekene nayo, sitabe senta kahle nangabe silalela emavi emhlabeleli lowatsi: “Nikela indlela yakho kuSimakadze, umetsembe, yena-ke uyawukutsatsela tinyatselo.”—Hla. 37:5.

7, 8. Ngumaphi emaphutsa lentiwa nguJehoshafati futsi amletsela miphi imiphumela? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

⁷ Sifundzani kuJehoshafati lobekayindvodzana ya-Asa? Bekanebuntfu lobuhle. Ngenca yekutsi beketsembele kuNkulunkulu, Jehoshafati wenta tintfo letinyenti letinhle. Nanobe kunjalo, naye watenta tincumo letingakahlakaniphi. Nasi sibonelo, wahlela kutsi kube nebuhlobo bemshado emkhatsini wemndeni wakhe nenkhosi lembi yasenyakatfo lengu-Ahabi. Jehoshafati wahamba na-Ahabi bayokulwa nelibutfo laseSiriya nanobe umphrofethi Mikhaya bekatsite akangayi. Kulemphi, Jehoshafati wasindza ngekulambisa. Ngemuva kwaloko, wabuyela eJerusalema. (2 Khr. 18:1-32) Nakefika eJerusalema, umphrofethi Jehu wambuta watsi: “Wena ukubona kulungile yini kutsi usite lababi  nekutsi utsandze labo labatondza Simakadze?”—Fundza 2 Tikhronike 19:1-3.

⁸ Wasitfola yini sifundvo Jehoshafati? Nanobe achubeka etama kujabulisa Nkulunkulu, kubonakala shengatsi akazange asitfole sifundvo ngekwakha buhlobo na-Ahabi kanye nakuloko lobekushiwo nguJehu. Ngebulima, Jehoshafati waphindze wakha lesinye sivumelwano. Lesivumelwano wasakha nesitsa saNkulunkulu, indvodzana ya-Ahabi lebekuyiNkhosi lembi Ahaziya. BoJehoshafati na-Ahaziya bakha imikhumbi leyagcina seyephukile futsi yangasawenti umsebenti lebebayakhela yona.—2 Khr. 20:35-37.

9. Kutihlanganisa nebantfu lababi kungakutsintsa njani kuphila kwetfu?

⁹ Kufundza ngaloko lokwenteka kuJehoshafati kufanele kusishukumisele kutsi sitihlole. Kanjani? Jehoshafati bekayinkhosi lekahle. Wenta lokulungile futsi “wafuna Simakadze ngayo yonkhe inhlitiyo yakhe.” (2 Khr. 22:9) Nanobe kunjalo, kutihlanganisa kwakhe nebantfu lababi kwamletsela imiphumela lemibi. Khumbula loko lokushiwo taga natitsi: “Lohambisana nebantfu labahlakaniphile naye ugcina asahlakaniphile; kodvwa umngani wetilima uyawuhlupheka.” (Taga 13:20) Kuliciniso kutsi kungenteka setame kusita labo labatsandza kufundza ngaNkulunkulu kutsi babe boFakazi. Nanobe kunjalo, Jehoshafati wacishe wafa ngenca yekutihlanganisa kwakhe na-Ahabi ngaphandle kwesizatfu. Ngalokufanako, natsi nasitihlanganisa nebantfu labangamkhonti Jehova ngaphandle kwesizatfu kungafaka kuphila kwetfu engotini.

10. (a) Ngusiphi sifundvo lesingasifundza kuJehoshafati nangabe sifuna umuntfu lesingashada naye? (b) Yini lokufanele sihlale siyikhumbula nangabe sinenkinga yekutihlanganisa nebantfu lababi?

¹⁰ Yini lesingayifundza kuloko lokwenteka kuJehoshafati? UmKhristu angase acale kutsandzana nemuntfu longamtsandzi Jehova ngobe nje acabanga kutsi kute umuntfu langashada naye emkhatsini wemaKhristu. Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, umkhristu angase acindzetelwe tihlobo takhe letingamkhonti Jehova kutsi asheshe ashade angaze aguge. Ngetulu kwaloko, labanye bangase bative njengalomunye dzadze lowatsi: “Sinesidzingo sekutsandvwa futsi natsi kube khona lesimtsandzako.” Nakunjalo, yini umKhristu langayenta? Kuzindla ngaloko lokwenteka kuJehoshafati kungasisita. Bekavame kufuna sicondziso kuNkulunkulu nakenta tincumo.  (2 Khr. 18:4-6) Kodvwa kwentekani kuJehoshafati ngesikhatsi akha buhlobo na-Ahabi, lobekangamtsandzi Jehova? Jehoshafati bekufanele ahlale akhumbula kutsi Jehova unaka labo labamkhonta ngenhlitiyo yonkhe. Nalamuhla, emehlo aJehova “abuka emhlabeni wonkhe” futsi ukulungele ‘kusicinisa.’ (2 Khr. 16:9) Uyasati simo setfu futsi uyasitsandza. Uyakholelwa yini kutsi Nkulunkulu utasenetisa sidzingo sakho sekutsandvwa nesekutsandza? Ciniseka kutsi ngalelinye lilanga loku kutakwenteka!

11, 12. (a) Hezekiya wakuveta njani loko lobekusenhlitiyweni yakhe? (b) Kungani Hezekiya asindza elulakeni lwaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Loko lesingakufundza kuHezekiya kufaka ekhatsi loko lokungekhatsi etinhlitiyweni tetfu. Ngalelinye lilanga, uMhloli wetinhlitiyo wakuveta ebaleni loko lebekusenhlitiyweni yaHezekiya. (Fundza 2 Tikhronike 32:31) Ngesikhatsi Hezekiya agula kakhulu, Nkulunkulu wamniketa sibonakaliso sekutsi bekatawusindza—wabona sitfunti lebesiya emuva. Kubonakala shengatsi bantfwabenkhosi yaseBhabhulona batfumela titfunywa kutsi tiyobuta ngalesibonakaliso. (2 Khos. 20:8-13; 2 Khr. 32:24) Hezekiya waveta loko lokusenhlitiyweni yakhe ngesikhatsi ‘bamshiye yedvwa,’ wakhombisa letitfunywa taseBhabhulona “konkhe lokwakusetindlini takhe tengcebo.” Lesento lesibulima saveta “konkhe lokwakusenhlitiyweni yaHezekiya.”

¹² LiBhayibheli alisitjeli kutsi yini leyenta inhlitiyo yaHezekiya kutsi itiphakamise. Kungenteka yini kutsi watiphakamisa ngenca yekutsi bekancobe ema-Asiriya nobe kutsi Nkulunkulu bekamphilise ngalokusimangaliso? Nome kungenteka yini kutsi wentiwa kutsi “abenjinge kakhulu futsi advumile”? Kunobe ngabe ngukuphi, ngenca yekutsi Hezekiya bekatiphakamisa, “akazange awunake lomusa longaka labentelwe wona.” Lesi kwaba sento lesibi kakhulu. Nanobe Hezekiya akhonta Nkulunkulu ngenhlitiyo yonkhe, kodvwa kukhona lapho angazange amjabulise khona Jehova. Nobe kunjalo, kamuva “Hezekiya wase uyaphendvuka kulokutiphakamisa,” ngako yena nebantfu bakhe basindza elulakeni lwaNkulunkulu.—2 Khr. 32:25-27; Hla. 138:6.

13, 14. (a) Kunini lapho Jehova ‘asishiya sodvwana entela kusivivinya’? (b) Yini lokufanele siyente nangabe sidvunyiswa ngenca yekutsi siphumelele ekwenteni lokutsite?

¹³ Singazuza njani ngekufundza ngaloko lokwenteka kuHezekiya futsi sizindle ngako? Khumbula kutsi kutiphakamisa kwaHezekiya kwabonakala kahle ngesikhatsi Jehova ancoba Senaheribi futsi amphilisa Hezekiya ekuguleni kwakhe lokumatima. Natsi nangabe siphumelele entfweni letsite, kungenteka yini kutsi Jehova ‘usishiya sodvwa entela kusivivinya,’ kuze avete loko lokusetinhlitiyweni tetfu? Nasi sibonelo, umzalwane angahle atimisele alungiselele inkhululumo yakhe futsi ayetfule kahle embikwebantfu labanyenti. Labanyenti kungenteka bamdvumise ngendlela layibeke ngayo lenkhulumo. Lomzalwane utakwenta njani nakatfola loludvumo?

¹⁴ Nangabe sidvunyiswa, sitabe senta kahle nangabe sisebentisa loko lokwashiwo nguJesu nakatsi: “Nanente tintfo lenitfunywe tona, nibotsi: ‘Sitisebenti letingakafaneli kubongwa. Lesikwentile nguloko lebekufanele sikwente.’” (Luk. 17:10) Nakuloku, singafundza kuloko lokwenteka kuHezekiya. Kutiphakamisa kwakhe kwavele kwaba sebaleni ngobe “akazange awunake lomusa longaka labentelwe wona.” Nasizindla ngaloko Jehova lasentele kona, kungasisita kutsi sigweme kubonisa buntfu lobenyanywa nguJehova. Singakhuluma ngaye futsi simbonge ngaloko lasentele kona. Usinikete liBhayibheli kanye nemoya wakhe longcwele kute kusisite.

15, 16. Yini leyenta Josaya wangavikelwa nguNkulunkulu futsi wagcine afile?

¹⁵ Ngusiphi secwayiso lesisitfolako kuloko lokwenteka eNkhosini lenhle lenguJosaya? Khumbula loko lokwaholela ekuhlulweni kwakhe kanye nasekufeni kwakhe. (Fundza 2 Tikhronike 35:20-22.) Josaya “washuca wayakuhlangana” neNkhosi yaseGibhithe lenguNekho emphini, ngisho nobe lenkhosi beyimtjelile Josaya kutsi kute labakubangako. LiBhayibheli lisitjela kutsi loko Nekho lakusho bekuvela ‘kuNkulunkulu.’ Yini-ke leyenta Josaya wafuna kuyokulwa naye? LiBhayibheli alisitjeli.

¹⁶ Bekangati ngani-ke Josaya kutsi loko lokwakushiwo nguNekho bekuvela kuJehova? Kafisha-nje, bekufanele abute umphrofethi lowetsembekile longuJeremiya. (2 Khr. 35:23, 25) Kodvwa kute lasifundza khona ngekutsi wakwenta loko. Ngetulu kwaloko, Nekho bekatiyela eKhakhemishi, ayokulwa ‘nendlu lebekacabene nayo,’ hhayi iJerusalema. Ligama laJehova belingatsintseki nje kuloku ngobe Nekho akazange sekamtfuke Jehova nobe bantfu bakhe. Ngako bekusincumo lesibi ngaJosaya kutsi ayokulwa naNekho. Sikhona yini sifundvo lesisitfolako kuloku? Nangabe sibheke nenkinga, sitabe senta kahle ngekucale sicabange ngaloko lokufunwa nguNkulunkulu.

17. Nangabe sisenkingeni, singakugwema njani kwenta liphutsa njengaJosaya?

¹⁷ Nangabe sisenkingeni, kufanele sicabange ngetimiso letiseBhayibhelini futsi sitisebentise ngendlela lefanele. Ngalesinye sikhatsi singacela nelusito kubazalwane labadzala ebandleni. Kungenteka sesicabangile ngalesikwatiko ngaleyondzaba futsi kungenteka sesicwaningile ngayo etincwadzini tetfu. Nanobe kunjalo, kungahle kube naletinye timiso letiseBhayibhelini lesingatisebentisa, ngako lomdzala welibandla angasisita sibone kutsi singatisebentisa njani. Asesitsi lomunye dzadze uyati kutsi kufanele ashumayele tindzaba letimnandzi. (Imis. 4:20) Kungenteka ngalelinye lilanga ahlele kutsi utawuya kuyoshumayela, kodvwa indvodza yakhe lengasiye Fakazi ifune kutsi abe sekhaya ngalelolanga. Umtjela kutsi kadze bagcina kuba ndzawonye, ngako utsi angatsandza bente lokutsite ndzawonye njengemndeni ngalelo langa. Lodzadze kungenteka akhumbule emavesi latsite lakhuluma ngekulalela Nkulunkulu kanye nalakhuluma ngemyalo wekwenta bantfu babe bafundzi. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Imis. 5:29) Ngesikhatsi lesifanako kufanele acabange ngekutsi umfati kufanele atitfobe endvodzeni yakhe futsi ayicabangele. (Ef. 5:22-24; Fil. 4:5) Kambe ngabe lendvodza yakhe iyamalela yini kutsi ashumayele nobe nje imane imcela kutsi bente lokutsite ndzawonye ngalelo langa? Kufanele silinganisele njengobe setama kwenta loko lokufunwa nguNkulunkulu futsi silwele kuba nanembeza lomuhle.

18. Kungasisita ngani kucabanga ngaletibonelo talamakhosi lamane lesesicoce ngawo kulesihloko?

¹⁸ Ngenca yekutsi sinesono, natsi ngaletinye tikhatsi singahle siwente emaphutsa lacishe afanane nalawo lentiwa ngulamakhosi lamane lesesicoce ngawo. Singahle (1) setsembele ekuhlakanipheni kwetfu, (2) sitihlanganise nebantfu lababi, (3) sitiphakamise, nobe (4) sente tincumo singakacali sacabanga ngaloko lokufunwa nguNkulunkulu. Kuyajabulisa kutsi Jehova ubuka lokuhle kitsi njengoba enta nakulamakhosi lamane. Jehova uyabona kutsi simtsandza kangakanani futsi uyabona nekutsi sitimisele kangakanani kumkhonta ngenhlitiyo yetfu yonkhe. Kungako nje asinikete tibonelo letisisita kutsi singawenti emaphutsa lamakhulu. Ngako asizindle ngaletibonelo letiseBhayibhelini futsi simbonge Jehova ngaletibonelo letisecwayiso lasinikete tona.