1-2. Yini lesitawucoca ngayo kulesihloko?

NGALETINYE tikhatsi, singahle sicabange kutsi kuphila kufisha futsi ‘kugcwele tinkinga.’ (Jobe 14:1) Ngaletinye tikhatsi loku kuyasidvumata. Tikhonti taJehova letinyenti lokukhulunywa ngato eBhayibhelini take tativa ngaleyondlela. Letinye taze tafuna nekufa. (1 Khos. 19:2-4; Jobe 3:1-3, 11; 7:15, 16) Kodvwa Jehova longuNkulunkulu lebebametsemba, bekabadvudvuta futsi abacinisa. Loko lokwenteka kubo kwabhalwa kuze sifundze ngako futsi siyadvudvuteka nasikufundza.—Rom. 15:4.

² Kulesihloko, sitawucoca ngaletinye tikhonti taJehova letabhekana netimo letidvumatako, indvodzana yaJakobe lokunguJosefa, umfelokati Nawomi namakoti wakakhe Ruthe, umLevi lowabhala Tihlabelelo 73, nemphostoli Phetro. Jehova wabacinisa njani? Yini lesingayifundza kuloko lokwenteka kubo? Timphendvulo talemibuto tiyasicinisekisa kutsi “Jehova usedvute nalabo labephuke tinhlitiyo” futsi “uyabasindzisa labadvumatekile.”—Hla. 34:18, ftn.

3-4. Yini leyenteka kuJosefa ngesikhatsi aselijaha?

³ Josefa bekaneminyaka lengu-17 ngesikhatsi aphupha emaphupho lamabili lebekavela kuNkulunkulu. Lamaphupho bekasho kutsi Josefa bekatawuba ngumuntfu lobalulekile futsi lobekatawuhlonishwa ngumndeni wakubo. (Gen. 37:5-10) Kodvwa ngemuva kwekutsi Josefa abe nalamaphupho, kwenteka tintfo letimbi kuye. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bomnakabo bebangamhloniphi futsi bamtsengisa waba sigcili sesikhulu saseGibhithe lokutsiwa nguPhotifari. (Gen. 37:21-28) Kuphila kwaJosefa kwashintja ngalokuphelele ngesikhashana nje. Besekangasahlali ekhaya nababe wakhe lebekamtsandza.  Waba sigcili eGibhithe wasebentela lenye indvodza lebeyingamati Jehova.—Gen. 39:1.

⁴ Kodvwa simo saJosefa saba sibi nakakhulu. Umfati waPhotifari wacambela Josefa emanga watsi beketama kumdlwengula. Photifari akazange etame kutfola liciniso lalendzaba, kunaloko wavalela Josefa ejele. (Gen. 39:14-20; Hla. 105:17, 18) Josefa bekaselijaha, ngako cabanga kutsi wativa njani nakacanjelwa emanga ekutsi beketama kudlwengula. Kungenteka nebantfu basho tintfo letimbi ngaNkulunkulu waJosefa lokunguJehova, ngesikhatsi beva ngaloku. Siyaciniseka kutsi Josefa bekufanele advumateke!

5. Josefa wakuncoba njani kudvumateka?

⁵ Ngesikhatsi Josefa asigcili futsi aboshiwe, bekute lebekangakwenta ngesimo lebekakuso. Wasitwa yini kuze ahlale anembono lokahle? Kunekutsi acabange ngetintfo lebekangeke akhone kutenta, bekawenta kahle umsebenti lebekanikwe wona. Ngetulu kwako konkhe, Josefa bekahlale anake kujabulisa Jehova. Ngenca yaloko, Jehova wakubusisa konkhe lobekwentiwa nguJosefa.—Gen. 39:21-23.

6. Emaphupho aJosefa kungenteka amdvudvuta njani?

⁶ Kungenteka Josefa wadvudvutwa ngemaphupho Jehova lebekamnike wona eminyakeni leyendlulile. Lamaphupho amvetela kutsi bekatawuphindze awubone umndeni wakubo nekutsi simo lebekakuso besitawulunga. Nguloko kanye lokwenteka. Ngesikhatsi Josefa sekaneminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-37, emaphupho akhe abese ayacala kugcwaliseka ngendlela lemangalisako!—Gen. 37:7, 9, 10; 42:6, 9.

7. Ngekusho kwa-1 Phetro 5:10, yini lengasisita kutsi sibhekane netimo letimatima?

⁷ Lesingakufundza. Indzaba yaJosefa isikhumbuta kutsi lelive linelunya nekutsi bantfu batasiphatsa kabi. Umzalwane nobe dzadze angasivisa buhlungu. Nangabe  sitsatsa Jehova njeliDvwala letfu nobe uMsindzisi wetfu, angeke sidvumateke nobe siyekele kumkhonta. (Hla. 62:6, 7; fundza 1 Phetro 5:10.) Khumbula kutsi naJosefa bekaneminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-17 ngesikhatsi Jehova amniketa emaphupho. Ngako Jehova uyatetsemba tikhonti takhe letisetincane. Lamuhla, banyenti labasebancane labafana naJosefa. Nabo banekukholwa kuJehova. Labanye babo baze baboshwa ngenca yekungayekeli kukhonta Nkulunkulu.—Hla. 110:3.

8. Yini leyenteka kuNawomi naRuthe?

⁸ Ngenca yendlala lenkhulu, Nawomi nemndeni wakhe basuka kaJuda eveni lakubo bayohlala kulelinye live lokulive lakaMowabi. Nasebalapho, indvodza yaNawomi yashona, yamshiya nemadvodzana abo lamabili. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, lamadvodzana ashada netintfombi takaMowabi lobekutsiwa nguRuthe na-Opha. Ngemuva kweminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-10, lamadvodzana aNawomi ashona futsi bekete bantfwana. (Rut. 1:1-5) Cabanga nje kutsi labafati labatsatfu basale beva buhlungu lobunganani! Kuliciniso kutsi Ruthe na-Opha bebangaphindze bashade. Kodvwa ngubani lobekanganakekela Nawomi lobesekakhulile? Nawomi weva buhlungu kakhulu waze watsi: “Ningangibiti ngekutsi nginguNawomi. Ngibiteni ngekutsi nginguMara ngobe Somandla wente imphilo yami yaba munyu.” Ngemuva kwato tonkhe letintfo letibuhlungu, Nawomi wancuma kubuyela eBhetlehema futsi Ruthe wahamba naye.—Rut. 1:7, 18-20.

9. Ngekusho kwaRuthe 1:16, 17, 22, Ruthe wamkhutsata njani Nawomi?

⁹ Yini leyasita Nawomi? Wasitwa lutsandvo. Ruthe wakhombisa kutsi uyamtsandza Nawomi ngekutsi angamshiyi. (Fundza Ruthe 1:16, 17, 22.) EBhetlehema, Ruthe wasebenta kamatima kuze abutse kolo lebekatamudla naNawomi. Ngenca yaloko, bantfu babona kutsi Ruthe bekangumfati lomuhle nalosebenta kamatima.—Rut. 3:11; 4:15.

10. Jehova wakhombisa ngatiphi tindlela kutsi uyabatsandza labeswele njengaNawomi naRuthe?

¹⁰ Jehova bekanikete ema-Israyeli umtsetfo lobewukhombisa kutsi uyabakhatsalela labeswele njengaNawomi naRuthe. Watjela ema-Israyeli kutsi nakavuna angabobutsa konkhe lokusemasimini, kuze labo labeswele batotfola lokutsite. (Lev. 19:9, 10) Ngako boNawomi naRuthe bebangakutfola kudla ngaphandle kwekutsi bahambe bakucela.

11-12. Yini leyentiwa nguBhowazi leyajabulisa Nawomi naRuthe?

¹¹ Ruthe bekabutsa ematimba alokutinhlavu ensimini yendvodza lenjingile lobekutsiwa nguBhowazi. Bhowazi wajabula kakhulu nakabona indlela Ruthe lebeketsembeke ngayo kuNawomi nendlela lebekamtsandza ngayo. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Bhowazi washada naRuthe futsi watsenga umhlaba lobewuwemndeni waNawomi kuze ube lifa lebantfwana baRuthe. (Rut. 4:9-13) Bhowazi naRuthe baba nemntfwana labambita ngekutsi ngu-Obedi futsi waba ngumkhulu weNkhosi Davide.—Rut. 4:17.

¹² Cabanga indlela Nawomi lajabula ngayo ngesikhatsi aphetse umntfwana longu-Obedi futsi athantaza kuJehova ambonga! Kodvwa Nawomi naRuthe batawujabula kakhulu nasebavusiwe futsi beva kutsi Obedi wagcine angukhokho waMesiya lotsenjisiwe, lokunguJesu Khristu!

13. Ngutiphi tifundvo letibalulekile lesingatifundza endzabeni yaNawomi naRuthe?

¹³ Lesingakufundza. Nasibhekene netinkinga,  singadvumateka futsi sive buhlungu lobukhulu. Mhlawumbe singabona shengatsi tinkinga tetfu ngeke ticatululeke. Etikhatsini letinjalo, kufanele setsembele ngalokuphelele kuBabe wetfu losezulwini futsi sisondzelane nebazalwane nabodzadze ebandleni. Kuliciniso kutsi ngalesinye sikhatsi, Jehova angeke ayisuse lenkinga lesinayo. Sibonelo saloko kutsi akazange ayivuse lendvodza yaNawomi lebeyifile nemadvodzana akhe. Kodvwa Nkulunkulu angasisita kutsi sibhekane netinkinga, angasebentisa bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu kutsi basentele tintfo letinhle.—Taga 17:17.

14. Kungani lomunye umLevi advumateka kakhulu?

¹⁴ Umbhali weTihlabelelo 73 bekangumLevi. Ngako waba nelilungelo lekukhonta Jehova endlini yekukhontela. Nobe kunjalo, sake saba khona sikhatsi lapho advumateka khona. Leni? Wacala kuhawukela bantfu lababi hhayi ngobe bekafuna kwenta tintfo letimbi kodvwa ngenca yekutsi bekababona baphumelela kunaye ekuphileni. (Hla. 73:2-9, 11-14) Bebabonakala shengatsi banato tonkhe tintfo, bebanjingile, baphila kahle futsi bebete tinkinga. LomLevi watsi nakakubona loko wadvumateka kakhulu waze watsi: “Kuyacaca kutsi akukangisiti ngalutfo kugcina inhlitiyo yami imsulwa, Nekugeza tandla tami kuze ngikhombise kutsi ngimsulwa.” Kuyacaca kutsi loko bekungamenta ayekele kukhonta Jehova.

15. Ngekusho kweTihlabelelo 73:16-19, 22-25, lomLevi lowabhala Tihlabelelo wakuncoba njani kudvumateka?

¹⁵ Fundza Tihlabelelo 73:16-19, 22-25. LomLevi ‘wangena endzaweni lengcwele yaNkulunkulu.’ Nasekalapho futsi analabanye lebebakhonta Jehova, bekangakutfola kuthula, sikhatsi sekucabanga kahle futsi athantaze ngesimo sakhe. Loko kwamenta wabona kutsi indlela lebekacabanga ngayo beyibulima, futsi loko bekungamenta alahlekelwe bungani lebekanabo naJehova. Waphindze wabona kutsi lababi ‘basendzaweni leshelelako’ futsi ‘siphetfo sabo sitawuba sibi kakhulu.’ LomLevi bekudzingeka  abe nembono waJehova ngetintfo kuze angadvumateki futsi angayihawukeli indlela bantfu lababi lebebaphila ngayo. Ngekwenta njalo, wabese akasadvumateki futsi wajabula. Watsi: “Kute lokunye lengikufunako emhlabeni ngaphandle [kwaJehova].”

16. Ngutiphi tifundvo lesingatifundza kulomLevi?

¹⁶ Lesingakufundza. Akukafanele sibahawukele bantfu lababi lababonakala shengatsi bayaphumelela. Injabulo yabo yesikhashana futsi angeke baphile phakadze. (Shu. 8:12, 13) Nasibahawukela sitawudvumateka futsi singalahlekelwa bungani betfu naJehova. Nawubona shengatsi uhawukela indlela bantfu lababi lababonakala baphumelela ngayo, yenta loko lokwentiwa ngumLevi. Lalela seluleko lesihle saNkulunkulu futsi utihlanganise nalabo labenta intsandvo yaJehova. Nangabe umtsandza Jehova ngetulu kwato tonkhe tintfo, utawujabula mbamba futsi utawutfola “kuphila lokungukonakona.”—1 Thim. 6:19.

17. Yini lebeyenta Phetro advumateke?

¹⁷ Umphostoli Phetro bekayindvodza lebeyinemdlandla, kodvwa bekaphindze abe nemawala futsi ngaletinye tikhatsi bekashesha kuveta indlela lativa ngayo. Loko bekumenta kutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi atisole ngaloko lakushito naloko lakwentile. Sibonelo saloko kutsi ngesikhatsi Jesu atjela baphostoli bakhe kutsi utawuhlupheka futsi afe, Phetro wamekhuta watsi: “Loku ngeke kwenteke kuwe.” (Mat. 16:21-23) Jesu wabese uyamekhuta Phetro. Ngesikhatsi sicumbi sebantfu sitobopha Jesu, Phetro wenta ngemawala futsi wajuba indlebe yesisebenti semphristi lophakeme. (Joh. 18:10, 11) Nalapho, Jesu wamekhuta lomphostoli. Ngetulu kwaloko, Phetro wakhuluma ngekutigabatisa watsi ngisho nobe labanye bangamshiya Khristu, yena bekangeke akwente loko! (Mat. 26:33) Kutetsemba kakhulu kwaPhetro  kwamenta wesaba bantfu, futsi waphika iNkhosi yakhe tikhatsi letintsatfu. Advumateke kakhulu, Phetro “waphumela ngephandle wakhala kabuhlungu.” (Mat. 26:69-75) Kungenteka bekatibuta kutsi ingabe Jesu uyawuke amcolele yini.

18. Jesu wamsita njani Phetro kuze ancobe kudvumateka?

¹⁸ Phetro akazange advumateke kangangekutsi aze ayekele kukhonta Jehova. Ngemuva kwekwenta leliphutsa, wachubeka akhonta Jehova analabanye baphostoli. (Joh. 21:1-3; Imis. 1:15, 16) Yini leyamsita? Wakhumbula kutsi Jesu wake wathantaza amcelela kutsi kukholwa kwakhe kungapheli, futsi Jesu wamcela kutsi ayokhutsata bomnakabo. Jehova wawuphendvula lomthantazo losuka enhlitiyweni. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Jesu wabonakala kuPhetro kuze amkhutsate. (Luk. 22:32; 24:33, 34; 1 Khor. 15:5) Jesu waphindze wabonakala kubo bonkhe baphostoli ngemuva kwekutsi badwebe busuku bonkhe kodvwa bangabambi lutfo. Ngaleso sikhatsi Jesu waniketa Phetro litfuba lekumtjela kutsi umtsandza kanganani. Jesu wamcolela umngani wakhe lamtsandzako futsi wamnika umsebenti lomnyenti.—Joh. 21:15-17.

19. Umbhalo weTihlabelelo 103:13, 14, usisita njani kuze sicondze indlela Jehova lacabanga ngayo nasenta sono?

¹⁹ Lesingakufundza. Indlela Jesu lamphatsa ngayo Phetro ikhombisa kutsi unemusa njengaBabe wakhe. Ngako nasenta emaphutsa akukafanele sicabange kutsi Jehova ngeke asicolele. Khumbula kutsi Sathane ufuna sicabange loko. Kufanele sicabangisise ngendlela Jehova lasitsandza ngayo nendlela lacondza ngayo kwakheka kwetfu, nekutsi ufuna kusicolela. Kufanele simlingise nangabe labanye benta tintfo letisivisa buhlungu.—Fundza Tihlabelelo 103:13, 14.

20. Sitawucoca ngani esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

²⁰ Sibonelo saJosefa, saNawomi naRuthe, semLevi nesaPhetro tiyasicinisekisa kutsi “Jehova usedvute nalabo labephuke tinhlitiyo.” (Hla. 34:18) Ngaletinye tikhatsi uyasivumela kutsi sibhekane netinkinga futsi sidvumateke. Nanobe kunjalo, nangabe sivumela Jehova kutsi asisite nasinetinkinga, kukholwa kwetfu kuyacina. (1 Phet. 1:6, 7) Esihlokweni lesilandzelako sitawubona indlela Jehova lasekela ngayo tikhonti takhe letidvumatekile ngenca yesono nobe ngenca yetimo letimatima letibhekene nato.