1, 2. Abakhonzi bakaThixo baye baziva njani kule nkqubo yezinto, ibe liliphi ikhaya abanalo?

 NGABA uziva unqabisekile kweli hlabathi lingendawo? Ukuba akunjalo, akuwedwa nabakhonzi bakaYehova babeziva ngolo hlobo! Ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, bonke abathanda uYehova ngokwenene bebeziva bengabasemzini, okanye abaphambukeli kule nkqubo yezinto. Ngokomzekelo, xa babehamba bemisa iinkampu kwilizwe lakwaKanan, abanquli bakaThixo abathembekileyo “bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana.”—Heb. 11:13.

² Nabo ke abalandeli bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo, ‘abangabemi basemazulwini,’ bazigqala “njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana” kule nkqubo yezinto ikhoyo. (Fil. 3:20; 1 Pet. 2:11) Nazo ‘ezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu ‘aziyonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko [noYesu] wayengeyonxalenye yehlabathi.’ (Yoh. 10:16; 17:16) Noko ke, abakhonzi bakaThixo banalo ‘ikhaya.’ Enyanisweni, alikho ikhaya elikhuseleke nelinothando njengeli sikulo, ikhaya elibonwa ngamehlo okholo. UMoses wathi: “Owu Yehova, wena uye waba yindawo yethu yokuhlala yokwenene ebudeni bezizukulwana ngezizukulwana.” (INdu. 90:1) UYehova waba yiyo njani ‘indawo yokuhlala yokwenene’ yabakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo mandulo? Uyiyo njani ‘indawo yokuhlala yokwenene’ yabantu begama lakhe namhlanje? Uza kuba yiyo njani indawo ekhuselekileyo yokuhlala kwixa elizayo?

3. Ngumfanekiso-ngqondweni kabani esiwuzotyelwa yiNdumiso 90:1, ibe ziziphi izinto afana ngazo uYehova nendawo yokuhlala?

³ Njengokuba iBhayibhile izaliswe yimizekelo esinika umfanekiso-ngqondweni wento ekuthethwa ngayo, nalapha kwiNdumiso 90:1 sifumana umfanekiso-ngqondweni  onjalo. Yona isizobela uYehova. Imzoba njengendawo. Zininzi izinto afana ngazo uYehova nendawo yokuhlala. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova uyabakhusela abantu bakhe. Oku kuvisisana kakuhle nesibakala sokuba uluthando lumntwisiwe. (1 Yoh. 4:8) UkwanguThixo woxolo, owenza abanyanisekileyo bakhe ‘bahlale benqabisekile.’ (INdu. 4:8) Ngokomzekelo, cinga indlela awaphatha ngayo oosolusapho, ukuqala kuAbraham.

4, 5. UThixo wazingqina njani ‘eyindawo yokuhlala yokwenene’ ka-Abraham?

⁴ Sinokuyicingela nje indlela awavakalelwa ngayo uAbraham, xa uYehova wathi kuye: “Hamba umke ezweni lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho . . . uye ezweni endiya kukubonisa lona.” Ukuba uAbraham waxhalatyiswa koko, zimele ukuba zehla izibilini xa esiva la mazwi alandelayo athi: “Ndiya kukwenza ube luhlanga olukhulu ndize ndikusikelele, ndilenze libe likhulu igama lakho . . . Yaye ndiya kubasikelela abo bakusikelelayo, ndize ndimqalekise lowo ukuqalekisayo.”—Gen. 12:1-3.

⁵ Ngaloo mazwi, uYehova waqinisekisa ukuba wayeza kuba yindawo yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo ka-Abraham nenzala yakhe. (Gen. 26:1-6) Wasizalisekisa eso sithembiso. Ngokomzekelo, wabathintela uFaro waseYiputa noKumkani uAbhimeleki waseGerare ekubeni bone ngokulala noSara baze babulale uAbraham. Wabakhusela ngendlela efanayo uIsake noRebheka. (Gen. 12:14-20; 20:1-14; 26:6-11) Sifunda oku: “[UYehova] akazange avumele nawuphi na umntu ukuba abaqhathe, kodwa ngenxa yabo wohlwaya ookumkani, esithi: ‘Musani ukubachukumisa abathanjisiweyo bam, ningenzi okubi nakubaprofeti bam.’”—INdu. 105:14, 15.

6. UIsake wamxelela ntoni uYakobi, ibe yiyiphi indlela asenokuba wayeziva ngayo uYakobi?

⁶ Abo baprofeti baquka umzukulwana ka-Abraham, uYakobi. Xa kwafika ixesha lokuba uYakobi azithabathele umfazi, uIsake, uyise wathi kuye: “Uze ungathabathi mfazi ezintombini zakwaKanan. Suka uye ePadan-aram, endlwini kaBhetuweli uyihlomkhulu uze uzithabathele khona umfazi ezintombini zikaLabhan unyokolume.” (Gen. 28:1, 2) UYakobi wamthobela uIsake. UYakobi washiya ukhuseleko kwintsapho yakowabo, kwaKanan, wahamba yedwa amakhulu eekhilomitha esiya kwaHaran. (Gen. 28:10) Mhlawumbi wayezibuza oku: ‘Ndiza kuba kude ixesha elingakanani nekhaya? Ngaba umalume uza kundamkela aze andinike umfazi owoyika uThixo?’ Ukuba uYakobi wayenelo xhala, nakuye kumele ukuba zehla izibilini akufka eLuzi, emalunga neekhilomitha ezili-100 ukusuka eBher-shebha. Kwenzeka ntoni eLuzi?

7. UThixo wamqinisekisa njani uYakobi ephupheni?

 ⁷ ELuzi, uYehova wabonakala kuYakobi ephupheni, esithi: “Yabona ndinawe yaye ndiya kukugcina kuyo yonke indlela oyihambayo ndize ndikubuyisele kulo mhlaba, kuba andiyi kukushiya de ndibe ndikwenzile ngenene oko ndikuthethileyo kuwe.” (Gen. 28:15) Loo mazwi amnandi amele ukuba amomeleza aza amthuthuzela uYakobi! Ngaba unawo umfanekiso wakhe emva koko njengoko etyhalela phambili nohambo lwakhe elangazelela ukubona indlela uThixo aza kusizalisekisa ngayo esi sithembiso? Ukuba washiya ikhaya, mhlawumbi waya kukhonza kwelinye ilizwe, umele ukuba uyayiqonda indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uYakobi. Kodwa ke, asithandabuzi ukuba sele uzibonele indlela akukhathalele ngayo uYehova.

8, 9. UYehova wazingqina njani “eyindawo yokuhlala yokwenene” kaYakobi, ibe sifunda ntoni koko?

⁸ Ukufika kwakhe kwaHaran, uninalume uLaban wamamkela ngobubele waza kamva wamnika uLeya noRakeli bangabafazi bakhe. Kodwa ke, ethubeni uLaban wazama ukuxhaphaza uYakobi, wawutshintsha kalishumi umvuzo wakhe! (Gen. 31:41, 42) UYakobi wanyamezela, enethemba lokuba uYehova uza kuqhubeka emnyamekela—ibe wakwenza oko! Xa uThixo wayexelela uYakobi ukuba abuyele kwaKanan, lo solusapho wayesele ‘enemihlambi emikhulu nezicakakazi nezicaka neenkamela namaesile.’ (Gen. 30:43) Ngombulelo ongazenzisiyo, uYakobi wathandaza wathi: “Andifanelwanga bubo bonke obu bubele bothando nakuko konke oku kuthembeka ukubonakalisileyo kumkhonzi wakho, kuba ndayiwela le Yordan ndinomsimelelo wam wodwa yaye ngoku ndingamaqela amabini.”—Gen. 32:10.

⁹ Uyinyaniso ngokwenene umthandazo kaMoses othi: “Owu Yehova, wena uye waba yindawo yethu yokuhlala yokwenene ebudeni bezizukulwana ngezizukulwana”! (INdu. 90:1) Kusenjalo nanamhlanje, kuba uYehova “akaguquguquki njengesithunzi,” uqhubeka eyindawo yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo nefudumeleyo yabanyanisekileyo bakhe. (Yak. 1:17) Makhe sibone indlela akwenza ngayo oko.

10. Siqiniseka njani ukuba uYehova uqhubeka eyindawo yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo yabakhonzi bakhe?

¹⁰ Masithi: Unikel’ ubungqina enkundleni nxamnye nombutho ozalise ihlabathi wezaphuli-mthetho. Inkokeli yawo ikrelekrele, inamandla, lixoki elivunyiweyo nombulali. Ubuya kuziva njani xa uphuma phandle ekupheleni kolo suku? Ukhuselekile? Nakanye! Bekuya kunyanzeleka ukuba ucele ukukhuselwa. Nqwa nemeko abakuyo abakhonzi bakaYehova, abangqinela uYehova ngesibindi, baze bengoyiki babhence utshaba lwakhe olukhulu, uSathana! (Funda iSityhilelo 12:17.) Ngaba uSathana uye wakwazi ukubaval’ umlomo? Nakanye! Enyanisweni, siqhubeka sikhula ngokomoya—nto leyo eyenzeka kuphela ngenxa yokuba: UYehova useyindawo yethu yokusabela, “indawo yokuhlala yokwenene” yethu, ngakumbi kule mihla yokugqibela. (Funda uIsaya 54:14, 17.) Noko ke, uYehova akayi kuba yindawo yethu yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo xa sivumela uSathana asirhwebeshele ngaphandle kwendawo yethu yokuhlala.

11. Yintoni esinokuyifunda koosolusapho?

¹¹ Ikho enye into esimele siyifunde koosolusapho. Nakuba babehlala kwaKanan, bazigcina bahlukile kubantu belizwe, bezithiyile iindlela zabo zobungendawo nokuziphatha kakubi. (Gen. 27:46) Babephila ngemigaqo, bengaxhomekekanga kuluhlu lwezinto ezimele zenziwe nemazingenziwa. Oko babekwazi ngoYehova  neempawu zakhe kwakwanele. Ekubeni wayeyindawo yabo yokuhlala, zange bafune ukusondela kangangoko banako kwihlabathi. Kunoko, bacezela kude kangangoko kulo. Basimisela umzekelo omhle ngokwenene! Ngaba uzama ukubaxelisa kwindlela okhetha ngayo izinxulumani nokuzonwabisa? Okubuhlungu kukuba, ebandleni kukho ekubonakala ukuba ukusa kumkham’ othile baziva benqabisekile kweli hlabathi likaSathana. Ukuba nawe uziva njalo, umele uthandaze. Khumbula ukuba, eli lihlabathi likaSathana. Lifana naye ngokungakhathali nokuzingca.—2 Kor. 4:4; Efe. 2:1, 2.

12. (a) UYehova uyilungiselela njani indlu yakhe yokomoya? (b) Uziva njani ngala malungiselelo?

¹² Ukuze sikwazi ukuxhathisa amaqhinga kaSathana, simele siwaxhakamfule onke amalungiselelo okomoya uYehova awenzela abo bendlu yakhe yokholo, abo bamenza indawo yabo yokuhlala. La malungiselelo aquka iintlanganiso zamaKristu, unqulo lwentsapho, ‘nezipho ezingabantu’—abalusi abamiselwe nguThixo ukuze bathuthuzele baze basixhase njengoko sisilwa neengxaki zobomi. (Efe. 4:8-12) UMzalwana uGeorge Gangas, owaba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo iminyaka, wathi: “Xa ndiphakathi [kwabantu bakaThixo] ndiziva ndisekhaya, kwiparadesi yokomoya.” Ngaba nawe uziva ngolo hlobo?

13. Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esikumaHebhere 11:13?

¹³ Olunye uphawu loosolusapho esimele siluxelise kukulungela kwabo ukuhlala bahlukile kubantu ababangqongileyo. Njengokuba kubonisiwe  kwisiqendu 1, “bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.” (Heb. 11:13) Ngaba uzimisele ukuhlala wahlukile? Masivume ukuba akusoloko kulula oko. Kodwa ngokuncedwa nguThixo nenkxaso yabazalwana, ungaphumelela. Khumbula ukuba akukho wedwa. Bonke abafuna ukukhonza uYehova basemlweni! (Efe. 6:12) Sekunjalo, sinokuphumelela xa sithembela kuYehova size simenze indawo yethu yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo.

14. Sisiphi “isixeko” ababesilindele abakhonzi bakaYehova?

¹⁴ Enye into ebalulekileyo yile: Xelisa uAbraham ngokugcina amehlo akho emvuzweni. (2 Kor. 4:18) Umpostile uPawulos wachaza ukuba uAbraham “wayelindele isixeko esineziseko zokwenene, sixeko eso esimakhi nomenzi waso unguThixo.” (Heb. 11:10) Eso “sixeko” yaba buBukumkani obulawulwa nguMesiya. Kakade ke, kwafuneka uAbraham asilindele eso “sixeko.” Noko ke, singatsho ukuba akunjalo kuthi. Sithetha nje buyalawula ezulwini. Ngaphezu koko, kukho  ubungqina obuninzi bokuba sele buza kulawula umhlaba ngokupheleleyo. Ngaba obo Bukumkani buyinto yokwenene kuwe? Ngaba bunegalelo kwindlela obujonga ngayo ubomi, olijonga ngayo ihlabathi, nakwizinto ezibalulekileyo kuwe?—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:11, 12.

15. Linjani ikamva labo bathembele kule nkqubo yezinto?

¹⁵ Njengoko eli hlabathi likaSathana lisondela esiphelweni, iintlungu ‘zenimba’ ziza kuya ziqatsela. (Mat. 24:7, 8) Nakanjani kuza kuba nzima ngakumbi kwimbandezelo enkulu. Neziseko zolwakhiwo ziya kuwohloka baze abantu batyhwatyhwe ngenxa yobomi babo. (Hab. 3:16, 17) Ngenxa yokuxakwa, baya kuba ngathi bafuna indawo yokuzifihla “emiqolombeni nasemaweni eentaba.” (ISityhi. 6:15-17) Kodwa akukho mqolomba uya kukwazi ukubakhusela enoba ngowokoqobo okanye yintlangano efana nentaba yezopolitiko neyezorhwebo.

16. Simele silijonge njani ibandla lamaKristu, yaye ngoba?

¹⁶ Bona ke, abantu bakaYehova baya kuhlala bekhuselekile ‘kwindawo yabo yokuhlala yokwenene,’ uYehova uThixo. Njengomprofeti uHabhakuki, ‘baya kugcoba ngoYehova. Baya kuvuya kuThixo wosindiso lwabo.’ (Hab. 3:18) Ziziphi iindlela uYehova aya kuba ‘yindawo yokuhlala yokwenene’ xa kunzima? Kuza kufuneka silinde de sibone. Kodwa nantsi into esiqiniseke ngayo: NjengamaSirayeli ngexesha leMfuduko, “isihlwele esikhulu” siya kuhlala silungelelene, siluphaphele ulwalathiso oluvela kuThixo. (ISityhi. 7:9; funda iEksodus 13:18.) Olo lwalathiso siya kulufumana ngendlela kaThixo, mhlawumbi kwibandla lamaKristu. Eneneni, amawaka amabandla asehlabathini afana ‘namagumbi angaphakathi’ akhuselekileyo awaxelwa kuIsaya 26:20. (Yifunde.) Ngaba uyazixabisa iintlanganiso zebandla? Ngaba kulula ukuthobela ulwalathiso lukaYehova xa ulufumana ebandleni?—Heb. 13:17.

17. Kutshiwo njani ukuba uYehova ‘uyindawo yokuhlala yokwenene’ nakubakhonzi bakhe abafa bethembekile?

¹⁷ Kwanabo banokufa bethembekile ngaphambi kwembandezelo enkulu baya kuhlala benqabisekile kuYehova, ‘indawo yabo yokuhlala yokwenene.’ Njani? Emva kwexesha elide befile oosolusapho bamandulo, uYehova wathi kuMoses: “NdinguThixo . . . ka-Abraham, uThixo kaIsake noThixo kaYakobi.” (Eks. 3:6) Emva kokucaphula la mazwi, uYesu wathi: “AkangoThixo wabafileyo, kodwa ngowabaphilayo, kuba bonke bayaphila kuye.” (Luka 20:38) Ewe, kuYehova abakhonzi bakhe abafa bethembekile bayafana nabaphilayo; uqinisekile ukuba uza kubavusa.—INtshu. 7:1.

18. Kwihlabathi elitsha, uYehova uya kuba yiyo njani “indawo yokuhlala yokwenene” yabantu bakhe ngendlela ekhethekileyo?

¹⁸ Kwihlabathi elitsha elikufuphi, uYehova uza kuba “yindawo yokuhlala yokwenene” yabantu bakhe nangenye indlela. ISityhilelo 21:3 sithi: “Khangela! Intente kaThixo iphakathi koluntu, yaye uya kuhlala nalo, lube ngabantu bakhe. Naye abe nguThixo walo.” Ekuqaleni, uYehova uya kuhlala nabantu bakhe abasemhlabeni ngokumelwa nguKristu uYesu. Ekupheleni kweminyaka eliwaka, uYesu uya kubuyisela uBukumkani kuYise, emva kokuyifeza ngokupheleleyo injongo kaThixo ngomhlaba. (1 Kor. 15:28) Emva kokuba abantu befezekile, akuyi kuba yimfuneko ukulanyulelwa nguYesu; uYehova uya kube enabo. Limangalisa ngokwenene ikamva esinalo! Okwangoku masizabalazele ukuxelisa izizukulwana zabo babethembekile mandulo ngokwenza uYehova abe ‘yindawo yethu yokuhlala yokwenene.’