1, 2. (a) Kuyini okwenzakala kuJosefa? (b) UJehova wamenzelani uJosefa?

 UJOSEFA wayesebunzimeni obukhulu. Wazithola esevalelwe ejele lanxa wayengonanga lutho. Inkosikazi yenkosi yakhe yayimqambele amanga yathi ubefuna ukuyibamba iganyavu. Kodwa lokhu kwakungayisikho kokuqala ukuthi uJosefa aphathwe kubi. Eleminyaka engu-17 waphosa wabulawa ngabanewabo abacina bemthengisile ukuthi ayekuba yisigqili elizweni elikhatshana. Esekhonale inkosikazi yenkosi yakhe yazama ukumyenga ukuthi alale layo kodwa yena wala. Lokho kwenza owesifazana lo waqamba amanga wathi uJosefa ubefuna ukumbamba iganyavu, yikho uJosefa wafakwa ejele. Kwasekukhanya angani akulamuntu owayengamlamulela.

² Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘othanda ukulunga lokwahlulela okuhle’ wayekhangele. (IHubo 33:5) Kazange avume ukuthi uJosefa aqhubeke ephathwa kubi, yikho wenza ukuthi acine ekhululiwe. Wambusisa ngokwenza ukuthi afakwe esikhundleni esiphezulu futhi aphiwe udumo olukhulu. (UGenesisi 40:15; 41:41-43; IHubo 105:17, 18) Kwacina kuzikhanyele ukuthi uJosefa wayengelacala futhi wasebenzisa isikhundla leso ayesiphiwe ukuthi ancede abantu bakaNkulunkulu.—UGenesisi 45:5-8.

3. Kungani kungamangalisi ukuthi sonke sifuna ukuphathwa kuhle?

³ Indaba le iyasiduduza ngoba lathi siyake siphathwe kubi kumbe sibone abanye bephathwa kubi. Sonke siyafuna ukuphathwa kuhle. Lokhu akumangalisi ngoba uJehova wasidala ngomfanekiso wakhe. Njengoba uJehova esahlulela  kuhle, lathi sifuna ukubona abanye besahlulelwa kuhle. (UGenesisi 1:27) Nxa sifuna ukumazi kuhle uJehova, kufanele sizwisise ukuthi ukuqakathekisa kangakanani ukwahlulela okuhle. Lokhu kuzasisondeza kuye futhi kusenze simlingisele.

4. Abantu bacabanga ukuthi kutshoni ukwahlulela kuhle?

⁴ Abantu bandise ukucabanga ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle yikusebenzisa imithetho ngendlela engelabandlululo. Ibhuku elithi Right and Reason—Ethics in Theory and Practice lithi: “Ukwahlulela kuhle yikunika umuntu umvuzo loba isijeziso esimfaneleyo usebenzisa imithetho kumbe lokho abantu abavunyelwa ukuthi bakwenze kumbe bangakwenzi.” Kodwa uJehova yena wenza okwedlula lapho ngoba nxa esahlulela kabotshwa yimithetho.

5, 6. (a) Atshoni amabala asetshenziswe eBhayibhilini ahunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukwahlulela okuhle”? (b) Kutshoni ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle?

⁵ Nxa sifuna ukuzwisisa ukuthi kutshoni ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle kumele sikhangele amabala asetshenziswa ngesikhathi kubhalwa iBhayibhili. EMibhalweni yesiHebheru kusetshenziswa amabala amathathu nxa kukhulunywa ngokwahlulela okuhle. Ibala elandise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukwahlulela okuhle” lingahunyutshwa langokuthi “okulungileyo.” (UGenesisi 18:25) Amanye amabili andise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukulunga.” EMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi, ibala elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukulunga” litsho “ukwenza okuqondileyo.” Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi akulamehluko phakathi kokulunga lokwahlulela kuhle.—U-Amosi 5:24.

⁶ Ngakho nxa iBhayibhili lisithi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle litsho ukuthi uhlala esenza okulungileyo futhi kabandlululi. (KwabaseRoma 2:11) Akufiki ngitsho lakancane  engqondweni yakhe ukuthi ahlulele kubi. U-Elihu wathi: “UNkulunkulu weqiniso ngeke enze okubi, uSomandla kakwenzi okungalunganga!” (UJobe 34:12) Yikho ngeke kwenzakale ukuthi uJehova ahlulele kubi. Ngenxa yani?

7, 8. (a) Kungani uJehova engeke ahlulele kubi? (b) Kuyini okwenza uJehova abaphathe kuhle abantu?

⁷ Isizatho sokuqala yikuthi ungcwele. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 3, uJehova kalasici njalo uqotho. Ngakho ngeke enze okungalunganga loba ahlulele kubi. Lokhu kutshoni? Kutsho ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini kasoze asiphathe kubi loba sekutheni. UJesu wayengakuthandabuzi lokhu. Ngobusuku ezavuka ebulawa wakhuleka wathi: “Baba Ongcwele, bakhangele ngenxa yebizo lakho.” (UJohane 17:11) EMibhalweni uJehova nguye yedwa obizwa ngokuthi ‘nguBaba Ongcwele.’ Lokhu kuqondile ngenxa yokuthi akula omunye ubaba ongcwele njengoJehova. UJesu wayemthemba ngenhliziyo yonke uYise ukuthi wayezabagcina kuhle abafundi bakhe ngoba ungcwele, kalasici futhi ngeke awone.—UMathewu 23:9.

⁸ Isizatho sesibili yikuthi uJehova ulothando olungapheliyo. Lokhu kwenza abaphathe kuhle abantu. Phela okwenza umuntu aphathe abanye kubi kumbe ababandlulule ngokuthi bangumhlobo bani kumbe ngokunye nje yikuthi uyabe engabathandi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu yena uluthando, yikho iBhayibhili lisithi: “UJehova ulungile, uthanda izenzo ezinhle.” (IHubo 11:7) UJehova uphinda athi: “Mina Jehova ngithanda ukwahlulela kuhle.” (U-Isaya 61:8) Kuyasithokozisa ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuthanda ukwenza okulungileyo lokwahlulela kuhle.—UJeremiya 9:24.

9-11. (a) IBhayibhili likuveza njani ukuthi isihawu sikaJehova lokwahlulela kuhle kuhamba ndawonye? (b) Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo abantu abalesono itshengisa njani ukuthi ulesihawu futhi wahlulela kuhle?

⁹ UJehova kaphambanisi nxa esahlulela ngenxa yokuthi uphelele. UMosi wamdumisa wathi: “Yena uliDwala, wonke umsebenzi wakhe uphelele, ngenxa yokuthi zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile. UnguNkulunkulu othembekileyo, kakwenzi okungalunganga, ulungile futhi uqotho.” (UDutheronomi 32:3, 4) Ngakho uJehova wahlulela kuhle zikhathi zonke, kaphonguyekelela abantu futhi kalasihluku.

¹⁰ Isihawu sikaJehova lokwahlulela kuhle kwakhe kuhamba ndawonye. IHubo 116:5 lithi: “UJehova ulozwelo futhi ulungile, uNkulunkulu wethu ulesihawu.” Ivesi le isifundisa ukuthi uJehova ulungile futhi ulozwelo loba isihawu. Kuyakhanya ukuthi isihawu lokwahlulela kuhle akuphikisani. UJehova uyenelisa ukwahlulela kuhle lokuba lesihawu ngasikhathi sinye. Nansi isibonelo esingasinceda sikuzwisise lokhu.

¹¹ Bonke abantu bazalwa belesono futhi kufanele bathole umvuzo wesono, oyikufa. (KwabaseRoma 5:12) Kodwa uJehova akumthokozisi ukufa komuntu owenza okubi. “UnguNkulunkulu ozimiseleyo ukuthethelela, olozwelo futhi olesihawu.” (UNehemiya 9:17) Lanxa kunjalo ngeke aphonguyekela nje abantu besenza okungalunganga ngoba yena ungcwele. Manje ubatshengisa njani isihawu abantu abazelwe belesono? Lokhu ukwenza esebenzisa inhlawulo kaJesu. Inhlawulo le iqakatheke kakhulu ngoba yenza abantu basindiswe. ESahlukweni 14 sizafunda okunengi ngesipho lesi esitshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda.  Inhlawulo iveza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle futhi ulesihawu. Yenza uJehova abe lesihawu ebantwini abaphendukayo kodwa ngesikhathi esifananayo esiba leqiniso lokuthi ulandela izimiso zakhe.—KwabaseRoma 3:21-26.

12, 13. (a) Kungani ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kusenza sisondele kuye? (b) UDavida wafundani ngoJehova futhi lokhu kwenza sizizwe njani?

¹² Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle akwenzi simesabe kodwa kwenza sisondele kuye. IBhayibhili lenza kucace ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulozwelo nxa esahlulela. Kasiboneni ezinye izindlela uJehova atshengisa ngazo ukuthi wahlulela kuhle.

¹³ Okokuqala yikuba qotho ezincekwini zakhe. Umhubi uDavida wakubona lokhu. Okwenzakala empilweni yakhe lalokho akufundayo ngoNkulunkulu kwenza wabona ukuthi uthembekile ebantwini bakhe. Yikho wathi: “UJehova uthanda ukwahlulela okuhle, kasoze abalahle abaqotho kuye. Bazahlala belindiwe.” (IHubo 37:28) Lokhu kuyasiduduza kakhulu. UNkulunkulu wethu kasoze wabalahla labo abathembekileyo kuye. Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uzahlala esithanda futhi esinakekela ngoba ulungile.—IZaga 2:7, 8.

14. UMthetho uJehova awunika ama-Israyeli utshengisa njani ukuthi ulendaba lalabo abahluphekayo?

¹⁴ Enye indlela uJehova atshengisa ngayo ukuthi wahlulela kuhle yikuncedisa abasebunzimeni. UMthetho awunika ama-Israyeli utshengisa ukuthi ulendaba labantu abahluphekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, wabatshela lokho okwakumele bakwenze ukuze banakekele izintandane labafelokazi. (UDutheronomi 24:17-21) UJehova wayekwazi ukuthi  impilo ingaba nzima kakhulu nxa umuntu angafelwa ngumzali loba ngumkakhe. Yikho yena waba nguBaba wezintandane lomvikeli wabafelokazi, waba leqiniso lokuthi ‘bahlulelwa kuhle.’ a (UDutheronomi 10:18; IHubo 68:5) UJehova waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi nxa ayengahlukuluza abesifazana labantwana ababengenelisi ukuzivikela, wayezakuzwa ukukhala kwabo. Wathi: “Ulaka lwami luzavutha.” (U-Eksodusi 22:22-24) UJehova kaphangisi ukuzonda kodwa nxa ebona umuntu ephatha kubi abanye uyathukuthela.—IHubo 103:6.

15, 16. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova kakhethi?

¹⁵ UJehova usitshela ukuthi yena “kabandlululi muntu futhi kavumi ukufunjathiswa.” (UDutheronomi 10:17) Kafanani labantu abalezikhundla abahlulela ngokuthi umuntu ukhangeleka njani kumbe ukuthi unothile yini. UJehova kakhethi. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi kabandlululi? Uphe bonke abantu ithuba lokuthi bamkhonze futhi babe lethemba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kuzo zonke izizwe, uyamamukela umuntu omesabayo futhi owenza okulungileyo.” (ImiSebenzi 10:34, 35) UJehova unike wonke umuntu ithuba leli kungelani lokuthi ungumhlobo bani, uvela kuliphi ilizwe kumbe ukuthi ulesikhundla bani emphakathini. Lokhu kutshengisa uJehova wahlulela kuhle kakhulu.

¹⁶ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle yindlela aphatha ngayo umuntu owonileyo. Ake sibone ukuthi ukwenza njani lokhu.

17. Kungani izinto ezimbi esizibonayo kungamelanga zisenze sicabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu kalunganga?

¹⁷ Abanye bangahle bazibuze ukuthi yindaba emhlabeni kulokuhlupheka okungaka futhi kusenzakala izinto ezimbi nxa kuyikuthi uJehova uyakuzonda okubi. Izinto ezimbi esizibonayo akumelanga zisenze sicabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu kalunganga. Okwenza abantu benze izinto ezimbi kangaka yikuthi balesono abasithola ku-Adamu. Okunye futhi okwenza sihlupheke yikuthi abantu abanengi abafuni ukulalela uNkulunkulu. Kodwa sekuseduze ukuthi aqede konke ukuhlupheka lokuphathwa kubi kwabantu.—UDutheronomi 32:5.

18, 19. Sazi njani ukuthi uJehova uzabajezisa labo abephula imithetho yakhe ngabomu?

¹⁸ Lanxa uJehova elesihawu esikhulu kulabo abafuna ukusondela kuye, kasoze avumele abantu ukuthi baqhubeke bengcolisa ibizo lakhe. (IHubo 74:10, 22, 23) UNkulunkulu ngeke aqilwe, uzabajezisa bonke abephula imithetho yakhe ngabomu. UJehova nguNkulunkulu ‘olozwelo lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela futhi ogcwele uthando oluqotho kanye leqiniso. Kodwa kayekeli ukumjezisa umuntu olecala.’ (U-Eksodusi 34:6, 7) Endulo uJehova wabajezisa labo ababesephula imithetho yakhe ngabomo.

¹⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, ama-Israyeli amhlamukela kanengi uJehova. Lokhu akwenza langesikhathi esehlala eLizweni Lesithembiso. Lanxa lokhu ‘kwamzwisa ubuhlungu’ uJehova, kazange ahle abalahle abako-Israyeli. (IHubo 78:38-41) Wabatshengisa isihawu futhi wabanika amathuba amanengi okuthi batshintshe izenzo zabo. Wabancenga esithi: “Angithokozi nxa umuntu owenza okubi esifa, engikufunayo yikuthi umuntu owenza okubi atshiye okubi akwenzayo ukuze aqhubeke ephila. Yikho phendukani litshiye izenzo zenu ezimbi. Kungani kumele life  lina bantu bako-Israyeli?” (UHezekheli 33:11) UJehova waqhubeka ethuma abaphrofethi bakhe ukuthi baxwayise abako-Israyeli ngoba wayengafuni ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe. Kodwa abanengi babo babengelandaba loJehova njalo kabazange balalele. Yikho wacina ebanikela ezitheni zabo ukuze kukhanye ukuthi yena unguNkulunkulu ongcwele futhi owahlulela kuhle.—UNehemiya 9:26-30.

20. (a) Lokho uJehova akwenza kwabako-Israyeli kusifundisani ngaye? (b) Kungani kuqondile ukuthi isilwane simele ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova?

²⁰ Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli isifundisani ngaye? Sifunda ukuthi uyakubona konke okungalunganga okwenzakalayo futhi kuyamdanisa kakhulu. (IZaga 15:3) Sifunda lokuthi uJehova uzimisele ukuthethelela labo abaphendukayo. Lokhu kuyasiduduza. Okunye esikufundayo yikuthi uyabekezela anike abantu isikhathi sokuthi batshintshe. Ngenxa yalokho abantu abanengi bacina becabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu kasoze abajezise abenza okubi. Kodwa lokho uNkulunkulu akwenza kwabako-Israyeli kusifundisa ukuthi ukubekezela kwakhe kulalapho okucina khona. UJehova uzahlala esahlulela kuhle. Kafanani labantu abesabayo kwezinye izikhathi ukuqondisa  umuntu nxa ephambanisa. Yena kesabi ukuqondisa loba ngubani nxa ephambanisa. Yikho ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle kumelwa yisilwane ngoba silesibindi. b (UHezekheli 1:10; ISambulo 4:7) Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uzasigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe sokubhubhisa abantu abenza okubi labaphatha abanye kubi. Ngamafitshane singathi uJehova wahlulela kuhle ngoba uyabajezisa labo okumele bajeziswe, kodwa abatshengise isihawu labo okufanele batshengiswe isihawu.—2 UPhetro 3:9.

21. Nxa sicabangisisa ngendlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo, kumele simbone njani futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?

²¹ UJehova kasomahluleli olenhliziyo elukhuni ofuna nje ukujezisa labo abonayo. Kodwa unguBaba wethu olothando ofuna ukuhlala esenzela okuhle. Ulungile futhi wahlulela kuhle zikhathi zonke, yikho engayekeli ukujezisa labo okufanele bajeziswe kodwa esiba lozwelo ebantwaneni bakhe abadinga uncedo lwakhe kanye lokuthethelelwa.—IHubo 103:10, 13.

22. UJehova usinike liphi ithemba futhi lokhu kutshengisani?

²² Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokuthi nxa esahlulela kacabangi kuphela ngokujezisa abantu abenza okubi kodwa usinika lethemba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo singaselasono. Siwulindele ngabomvu umhlaba omutsha lapho okuzakuba khona ‘lokulunga.’ (2 UPhetro 3:13) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi inhloso kaNkulunkulu yikusindisa abantu hatshi ukubajezisa. Nxa singakuzwisisa lokhu kuzasenza sifise ukusondela kuye. Ezahlukweni ezilandelayo sizaxoxa ngezinye izindlela uJehova atshengisa ngazo ukuthi wahlulela kuhle.