1, 2. (a) Yikuphi ukungabi nabulungisa uNabhoti namadodana akhe ababhekana nakho? (b) Yiziphi izimfanelo ezimbili esizoxoxa ngazo kulesi sihloko?

AKE ubone lokhu ngeso lengqondo: Indoda ibhecwa ngecala elibi engalenzanga. Umndeni nabangane beshaqekile, babuka le ndoda igwetshwa ngenxa yobufakazi obungamanga obethulwe ofakazi abaziwayo ukuthi bangamadoda angelusizo lwalutho. Abathandi bobulungisa baphatheka kabi kakhulu njengoba bebuka le ndoda ibulawa. Lena akuyona inganekwane. Kwenzeka ngokoqobo kumkhulekeli othembekile kaJehova uNabhoti, owayephila ngesikhathi kubusa iNkosi u-Ahabi yakwa-Israyeli.—1 AmaKh. 21:11-13; 2 AmaKh. 9:26.

² Kulesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngendaba kaNabhoti neyomdala othembekile ebandleni lobuKristu ngekhulu lokuqala owakhipha isahlulelo esiyiphutha. Njengoba sihlola lezi zibonelo zeBhayibheli, sizofunda ukuthi ukuthobeka kubalulekile ukuze sibonise ukuthi sibheka ubulungisa ngombono kaJehova. Sizofunda nendlela ukuzimisela ukuthethelela—lapho sibona ukungabi nabulungisa ebandleni—okungabonisa ngayo ukuthi sinombono kaNkulunkulu ngobulungisa.

3, 4. UNabhoti wayeyindoda enjani futhi kungani enqaba ukudayisela iNkosi u-Ahabi isivini sakhe?

³ UNabhoti wayethembekile kuJehova ngesikhathi lapho ama-Israyeli amaningi ayelandela isibonelo esibi seNkosi u-Ahabi nesomkakhe, iNdlovukazi embi uJezebeli. Labo bakhulekeli bakaBhali babengamhloniphi uJehova futhi bengazinaki izindinganiso zakhe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uNabhoti wayebazisa ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova kangangokuthi wayezimisele ukudela ukuphila kwakhe.

⁴ Funda eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 21:1-3. Lapho u-Ahabi ethi ufuna ukuthenga isivini sikaNabhoti noma amnike esingcono, wenqaba. Kungani? Ngenhlonipho wachaza: “Kuyinto engacabangeki kimi, ngokombono kaJehova, ukuba ngikunike ifa lokhokho bami.” Ukwenqaba kukaNabhoti kwakusekelwe emthethweni kaJehova ayewunike isizwe sakwa-Israyeli owawukwenqabela ukudayiswa kwento eyifa. (Lev. 25:23; Num. 36:7) Kuyacaca ukuthi uNabhoti wayebheka izinto ngombono kaJehova.

5. Yini uJezebeli ayenza ukuze kubulawe uNabhoti?

⁵ Ngokudabukisayo, ukwenqaba kukaNabhoti kwaholela ukuba iNkosi u-Ahabi nomkayo benze izenzo ezimbi kakhulu. Ukuze atholele umyeni wakhe isivini, uJezebeli wenza itulo lokumangalela ngamanga uNabhoti, okwaholela ekubulaweni kukaNabhoti namadodana akhe. UJehova wayezokusingatha kanjani lokhu kungabi nabulungisa okukhulu kangaka?

6, 7. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi ungumthandi wobulungisa futhi kungani lokhu kwaziduduza izihlobo nabangane bakaNabhoti?

⁶ Ngokushesha uJehova wathumela u-Eliya ku-Ahabi. U-Eliya wahlulela u-Ahabi kufanele, njengombulali nesela. Sasithini isahlulelo sikaJehova kuleli cala? U-Ahabi, umkakhe namadodana akhe babezobulawa.—1 AmaKh. 21:17-25.

⁷ Nakuba umndeni kaNabhoti nabangane balila ngenxa yezenzo zika-Ahabi, asingabazi ukuthi baduduzeka ngokwezinga elithile ngokwazi ukuthi uJehova wayekubona ukungabi nabulungisa futhi wayekulungisa ngokushesha. Nokho, ukuthobeka kwabo nokuthembela kwabo kuJehova cishe kwavivinyeka lapho kwenzeka into engalindelekile.

8. U-Ahabi wasabela kanjani esahlulelweni sikaJehova futhi waba yini umphumela?

⁸ Lapho u-Ahabi ezwa isahlulelo sikaJehova esiqinile, “waklebhula izingubo zakhe wembatha indwangu yesaka; wazila ukudla waqhubeka elele ngendwangu yesaka futhi ehamba edangele.” U-Ahabi wazithoba! Waba yini umphumela? UJehova watshela u-Eliya ukuthi: “Ngenxa yokuthi uzithobile ngenxa yami, ngeke ngilethe le nhlekele ezinsukwini zakhe. Ngiyoletha le nhlekelele phezu kwendlu yakhe ezinsukwini zendodana yakhe.” (1 AmaKh. 21:27-29; 2 AmaKh. 10:10,11,17) UJehova, “umhloli wezinhliziyo,” wabonisa u-Ahabi, umusa.—IzAga 17:3.

9. Kungani ukuthobeka kwangaba yisivikelo emndenini nakubangane bakaNabhoti?

⁹ Lesi sinqumo sabathinta kanjani labo ababesazi isono esibi sika-Ahabi? Lokhu kuhlehliswa kwesigwebo kungenzeka kwaluvivinya ukholo lomndeni kaNabhoti nolwabangane bakhe. Uma kunjalo, cishe ukuthobeka kwakuyobavikela, kubashukumisele ukuthi baqhubeke bethembekile ekukhulekeleni kwabo uJehova beqiniseka ngokuthi akukho ukungabi nabulungisa  kuNkulunkulu wabo. (Funda uDuteronomi 32:3, 4.) UNabhoti, amadodana akhe nemindeni yabo bayothola ubulungisa obuphelele lapho uJehova evusa abalungileyo. (Jobe 14:14, 15; Joh. 5:28, 29) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umuntu othobekile uyakhumbula ukuthi “uNkulunkulu weqiniso ngokwakhe uyoletha umsebenzi wazo zonke izinhlobo ekwahluleleni maqondana nayo yonke into efihliweyo, ukuthi yinhle yini noma yimbi.” (UmSh. 12:14) Yebo, lapho ekhipha isahlulelo, uJehova ucabangela amaqiniso esingawazi thina. Ngakho ukuthobeka kuvikela abamsulwa enhlekeleleni engokomoya.

10, 11. (a) Kungaphansi kwaziphi izimo lapho indlela esibheka ngayo ubulungisa ingavivinyeka? (b) Ukuthobeka kuyosivikela ngaziphi izindlela?

¹⁰ Uyosabela kanjani lapho abadala bethatha isinqumo ongasiqondi noma ongavumelani naso? Ngokwesibonelo, uyokwenzenjani lapho wena noma umuntu omaziyo elahlekelwa ilungelo lenkonzo alazisayo? Kuthiwani uma oshade naye, indodana, indodakazi yakho noma umngane wakho omkhulu esuswa bese ungavumelani nesinqumo? Kuthiwani uma ukholelwa ukuthi owonile uboniswe umusa ngokungafanele? Izimo ezinjalo zingaluvivinya ukholo kuJehova naselungiselelweni lenhlangano. Ukuthobeka kuyokuvikela  kanjani lapho ubhekana novivinyo olunjalo? Cabangela izindlela ezimbili.

¹¹ Okokuqala, ukuthobeka kuyosishukumisela ukuba sivume ukuthi asiwazi wonke amaqiniso ahilelekile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sazi kangakanani ngodaba, uJehova kuphela ongafunda inhliziyo yomuntu engokomfanekiso. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ukuqaphela kwethu leli qiniso elingenakuphikwa kuyosishukumisela ukuba sithobeke, siqaphele ukulinganiselwa kwethu futhi silungise umbono wethu ngaleyo ndaba. Okwesibili, ukuthobeka kuyosisiza silalele futhi sibe nesineke njengoba silindele ukuba uJehova alungise noma yikuphi ukungabi nabulungisa. Kunjengoba nje kwabhala indoda ehlakaniphile: “Kuyobahambela kahle labo abesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso . . . , Kodwa ngeke neze kumhambele kahle omubi, futhi ngeke azelule izinsuku zakhe.” (UmSh. 8:12, 13) Ngokuqinisekile, ukusabela ngokuthobeka kuyobazuzisa ngokomoya bonke abahilelekile.—Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:5.

12. Iyiphi indaba esizoxoxa ngayo manje futhi kungani?

¹² AmaKristu angekhulu lokuqala e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya abhekana nesimo esingagcinanga nje ngokuvivinya ukuthobeka kwawo kodwa esavivinya nokuzimisela kwawo ukuthethelela. Ake sicabangele lokhu kulandisa sibone indlela okungasisiza ngayo sihlole umbono wethu ngokuthethelela futhi sijulise ukuqonda kwethu kwendlela ukuthethelela okuhlobana ngayo nendlela uJehova abheka ngayo ubulungisa.

13, 14. Yimaphi amalungelo uPetru ayewajabulela futhi wasibonisa kanjani isibindi?

¹³ Umphostoli uPetru wayengumdala owaziwa kakhulu ebandleni lobuKristu. Wayengumngane kaJesu futhi wayephathiswe izinto ezinkulu. (Math. 16:19) Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-36 C.E., uPetru waba nelungelo lokuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle noKorneliyu emzini wakhe. Lesi senzakalo sasiphawuleka ngoba uKorneliyu wayengoweZizwe ongasokile. Lapho uKorneliyu nabendlu yakhe bethola umoya ongcwele, uPetru wathi: “Ingabe ukhona ongenqaba namanzi ukuba bangabhapathizwa laba abamukele umoya ongcwele njengoba nje nathi siwamukele?”—IzE. 10:47.

¹⁴ Ngo-49 C.E., abaphostoli nabadala eJerusalema bahlangana ukuze bahlole ukuthi kwakudingekile yini ngabeZizwe abaphendukela ebuKristwini ukuba basokwe. Kulo mhlangano uPetru wakhuluma ngesibindi, ekhumbuza abafowabo ukuthi eminyakeni edlule abeZizwe abangasokile bathola isipho somoya ongcwele. Ubufakazi bukaPetru bokuzibonela kwaba usizo kakhulu endikimbeni ebusayo yangekhulu lokuqala ekwenzeni isinqumo. (IzE. 15:6-11, 13, 14, 28, 29) Cishe amaKristu angamaJuda nangabeZizwe akwazisa ukuchaza kukaPetru amaqiniso ngesibindi. Yeka ukuthi kwakulula kanjani ukuyethemba le ndoda evuthiwe ngokomoya!—Heb. 13:7.

15. Yiliphi iphutha uPetru alenza e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁵ Ngokushesha ngemva komhlangano wango-49 C.E., uPetru wavakashela e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya. Elapho, wazihlanganisa ngokukhululekile nabafowabo abangabeZizwe. Akungabazeki ukuthi bazuza olwazini nakulokho uPetru ayebhekane nakho. Nokho, ungase ukucabange ukumangala nokudumala okwaba khona lapho kungazelelwe uPetru eyeka ukudla nabo. Amanye amalungu ebandla angamaJuda, ngisho noBarnaba, athonywa umbono omubi kaPetru ukuba benze okufanayo. Yini eyabangela ukuba umdala ovuthiwe ongumKristu ahlulele  ngendlela eyiphutha kangaka—okwakungabangela uqhekeko ebandleni? Ngaphezu kwalokho, yini esingayifunda ephutheni likaPetru ezosisiza lapho silinyazwa amazwi noma izenzo zomdala?

16. UPetru walungiswa kanjani futhi yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?

¹⁶ Funda eyabaseGalathiya 2:11-14. UPetru wanqotshwa ugibe lokwesaba abantu. (IzAga 29:25) Ngisho noma ayewazi kahle umbono kaJehova kule ndaba, uPetru washaywa uvalo lapho ecabanga ngalokho okwakuzoshiwo amaJuda asokile ayengamalungu ebandla laseJerusalema. Umphostoli uPawulu owayekhona kulowo mhlangano eJerusalema ngo-49 C.E., wakhuluma noPetru e-Antiyokiya wadalula ubuzenzisi bakhe. (IzE. 15:12; Gal. 2:13) Ayezosabela kanjani amaKristu angabeZizwe ayethintekile kulokhu kungabi nabulungisa okwenziwa uPetru? Ingabe ayezovumela ukuba kubakhube? Ingabe uPetru wayezolahlekelwa amalungelo akhethekile ngenxa yephutha lakhe?

17. UPetru wazuza kanjani entethelelweni kaJehova?

¹⁷ UPetru wasamukela isiyalo sikaPawulu. ImiBhalo ayibonisi ukuthi walahlekelwa amalungelo. Empeleni, waphefumulelwa kamuva ukuba alobe izincwadi ezimbili ezaba ingxenye yeBhayibheli. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi encwadini yakhe yesibili, uPetru ubiza uPawulu ngokuthi “umfowethu othandekayo.” (2 Pet. 3:15) Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi iphutha likaPetru lawazwisa ubuhlungu amalungu ebandla angabeZizwe, uJesu, oyinhloko yebandla, waqhubeka emsebenzisa. (Efe. 1:22) Ngakho amalungu ebandla athola ithuba lokulingisa uJesu noYise ngokubonisa intethelelo. Sithemba ukuthi akekho noyedwa owavuma ukukhubekiswa iphutha lomuntu ongaphelele.

18. Iziphi izimo ezingenza kudingeke ukuba sibe nombono kaJehova ngobulungisa?

¹⁸ Njengoba kwakunjalo ngekhulu lokuqala, abekho abadala abaphelele ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla, “ngoba sonke siyakhubeka izikhathi eziningi,” noma senze amaphutha. (Jak. 3:2) Kulula ukukwamukela lokho, kodwa inkinga iphakama lapho ukungapheleli komfowethu kukuthinta ngokuqondile. Esimweni esinjalo ingabe siyoba nombono kaJehova ngobulungisa? Ngokwesibonelo, uyosabela kanjani lapho umdala esho into ebonisa ukuthi unenhlansi yobandlululo? Ingabe uyovuma ukukhubeka lapho umdala ekhuluma engacabanganga, esho into ekuhlukumezayo noma ekulimazayo? Kunokuba usheshe uphethe ngokuthi umzalwane akasakufanelekeli ukukhonza njengomdala, ingabe ngesineke uzolinda uJesu oyinhloko yebandla? Ingabe uzokwenza umzamo wokuba nombono obanzi, mhlawumbe ucabange ngeminyaka eminingi umzalwane ayichithe ekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka? Uma umzalwane okonile eqhubeka ekhonza njengomdala noma aze ngisho athole amalungelo engeziwe, ingabe uyojabula naye? Ukuzimisela kwakho ukuthethelela kungabonisa ukuthi unombono kaJehova ngobulungisa.—Funda uMathewu 6:14, 15.

19. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁹ Abathandi bobulungisa balangazelela usuku lapho uJehova eyosusa ngokuphelele esintwini ukungabi nabulungisa obubangelwe uSathane nesimiso sakhe sezinto esonakele. (Isaya 65:17) Njengoba sisalinde leso sikhathi, kwangathi sonke singazimisela ukuzibonakalisa sinombono kaJehova ngobulungisa, ngokuqaphela ngokuthobeka ukulinganiselwa kwethu futhi ngokukhululekile sithethelele abasonayo.