Kulezi zinsuku, abantu abaningi abazinaki izifundo okufanele zifundwe lapho besebenza nabanye. Sengithole ukuthi iningi lenu alifundi lutho lapho lisebenza nabanye; iningi lenu libambelela emibonweni yalo. Lapho usebenza ebandleni, usho okwakho nomunye asho okwakhe, futhi akukho budlelwane phakathi kwenu; anibambisani nhlobo. Ninendaba kuphela nokuveza ulwazi lwenu noma ukukhipha “imithwalo” eniyithwele ngaphakathi, ngaphandle kokufuna ngisho nokuncane ukuphila. Ubonakala wenza umsebenzi ngokungazimiseli, uhlala ukholwa ukuthi kufanele uhambe indlela yakho kungakhathaliseki ukuthi omunye umuntu uthini noma wenzani; ucabanga ukuthi kufanele uhlanganyele ngendlela uMoya oNgcwele akuqondisa ngayo, kungasho lutho ukuthi izimo zabanye zinjani. Anikwazi ukuthola amakhono abanye abantu, futhi anikwazi ukuzihlola nina. Ukwamukela kwenu izinto kuyanhlanhlatha futhi kuyiphutha ngempela. Kungashiwo ukuthi namanje nisakhombisa ukuzazi kakhulu ukuthi nilungile, sengathi senibuyele emuva ekuguleni okudala. Anixoxi ngendlela evuleleke ngokugcwele, njengokwesibonelo, ngohlobo lomphumela enilutholile ngenkathi nisebenza emabandleni athile, noma ngesimo esisha esingaphakathi kini, njalonjalo; anikhulumi nhlobo ngezinto ezinjalo. Anizenzi nhlobo izinto ezifana nokuyeka imibono yenu noma ukuzidela. Abaholi nezisebenzi bacabanga kuphela ngendlela abangavimba ngayo abafowabo nodadewabo ekudebeseleni nangendlela yokubenza balandele ngokuzikhandla. Nokho, nonke nicabanga ukuthi ukulandela ngokuzikhandla kukodwa kwanele, futhi ikakhulu, aniqondi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuzazi nokuzidela, ingasaphathwa eyokuqonda ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukukhonza ngokubambisana nabanye. Nicabanga kuphela ngokuzimisela kwenu ukukhokhela uNkulunkulu ngenxa yothando Lwakhe, nokuzimisela kwenu ukuphila ngokwendlela kaPetru. Ngaphandle kwalezi zinto, akukho okunye enikucabangayo. Uze usho uthi, noma ngabe abanye benzani, wena ngeke uthobe ngokuphuphutheka, futhi noma ngabe abanye abantu banjani, wena uzofuna ukupheleliswa nguNkulunkulu, futhi lokho kuyokwanela. Iqiniso, nokho, lithi ukuzimisela kwakho akukaze nangayiphi indlela kubonakale ngokuphathekayo empilweni yangempela. Ngabe konke lokhu akulona uhlobo lokuziphatha enilukhombisayo kulezi zinsuku? Nonke nibambelele olwazini lwenu, futhi nonke nifisa ukupheleliswa. Ngibona ukuthi senikhonze isikhathi eside kakhulu ngaphandle kokuba nenqubekela phambili etheni; ikakhulu, anizuze lutho kulesi sifundo sokusebenza ndawonye ngokuzwana! Lapho uya emabandleni ukhuluma ngendlela yakho, nabanye bakhulume ngendlela yabo. Akuvamile ukuthi kube nokubambisana ngokuzwana, futhi lokhu kubonakala kakhulu kubalandeli abangaphansi kwenu. Lokho kusho ukuthi, akuvamile ukuba phakathi kwenu kube khona oqondayo ukuthi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kuyini, noma ukuthi umuntu kufanele amkhonze kanjani uNkulunkulu. Nididekile futhi nithatha izifundo ezinje njengezindaba ezingabalulekile. Kunabantu abaningi abangagcini kuphela ngokwehluleka ukwenza le ngxenye yeqiniso, kodwa futhi abenza okungalungile ngamabomu. Nalabo asebekhonze iminyaka eminingi bayalwa bakhelane uzungu futhi banomona, bayancintisana; yilowo nalowo muntu wenza ngokubona kwakhe, futhi ababambisani nhlobo. Ngabe zonke lezi zinto azikhombisi isimo senu sangempela? Nina enikhonza ndawonye nsuku zonke nifana nama-Israyeli, ayekhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile nsuku zonke ethempelini. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi nina, enikhonza uNkulunkulu, ningayazi nhlobo indlela yokubambisana noma indlela yokukhonza?

Emuva ngaleso sikhathi, ama-Israyeli ayekhonza uJehova ngokuqondile ethempelini, futhi ayenokufana nabapristi. (Yebo, akubona bonke abantu ababengabapristi; ngabathile kuphela ababekhonza uJehova ethempelini ababenjalo.) Babefaka imiqhele ababeyinikwe nguJehova (okungukuthi babenza le miqhele njengokuyala kukaJehova; hhayi ukuthi uJehova wayebanika mathupha imiqhele). Futhi babegqoka izingubo zobupristi ababezinikwa nguJehova futhi babemkhonza ngokuqondile ethempelini, bengafake zicathulo, kusuka ekuseni kuze kuyokuhlwa. Ukukhonza kwabo uJehova kwakungaqabukeli nhlobo, futhi kwakungenakho ukuyaluza okungenangqondo; kunalokho, konke kwakwenziwa ngokuhambisana nemithetho eyayingeke yephulwe nangoyedwa umuntu owayemkhonza ngokuqondile. Bonke kwakufanele balandele le mithetho; kungenjalo, babenqatshelwa ukungena ethempelini. Uma noma ngubani kubo ephula imithetho yethempeli—okungukuthi, uma noma ngubani engalaleli imiyalelo kaJehova—khona-ke lowo muntu kwakufanele aphathwe ngokuhambisana nemithetho eyayishaywe nguJehova, futhi akukho muntu owayevunyelwe ukukuphikisa lokhu noma avikele isephulamthetho. Noma ngabe base bemkhonze iminyaka emingaki uNkulunkulu, bonke kwakufanele balandele imithetho. Ngalesi sizathu, abapristi abaningi kakhulu babegqoka izingubo zobupristi futhi babeqhubeka nokukhonza uJehova ngale ndlela, unyaka wonke, ngisho noma engabaphathanga ngendlela ekhethekile. Babeye baze bahlale e-altare nasethempelini konke okuphila kwabo. Lokhu kwakungukubonakalisa kwabo ukwethembeka nokuzinikela kwabo. Kwakungamangazi lapho uJehova ebanikeza izibusiso ezinjalo; konke ukwethembeka kwabo kwenza ukuba bathole umusa futhi babone zonke izenzo zikaJehova. Ngaleso sikhathi, lapho uJehova esebenza kwa-Israyeli phakathi kwabantu Bakhe abakhethiweyo, wayefuna izinto ezinzima kubo. Bonke babelalela kakhulu futhi babethitshwa yimithetho; le mithetho yayenza ukuthi bahlale bekwazi ukuhlonipha uJehova. Konke lokhu kwakuyizinqumo zikaJehova zokuphatha. Uma kukhona noma yimuphi umpristi owayengaligcini iSabatha noma ephula imiyalelo kaJehova, kwakuthi uma etholwa ngabantu, lowo muntu athathwe masinyane ayiswe phambi kwe-altare akhandwe ngamatshe aze afe. Kwakungavunyiwe ukuthi lezo zidumbu zibekwe eduze kwethempeli noma phakathi kulo; UJehova wayengakuvumeli lokho. Noma ngubani owayenza lokho wayethathwa njengomuntu owenza “iminikelo engamukeleki,” bese ephonswa emgodini omkhulu abulawe. Ngokusobala, bonke abantu abanjalo babefa; akekho owayesinda. Kwakukhona nalabo ababenikela “umlilo ongamukelekile”; ngamanye amazwi, abantu ababenganikeli ngezinsuku ezibekwe nguJehova babeshiswa ngumlilo Wakhe kanye neminikelo yabo, eyayingavunyelwe ukuthi isale e-altare. Izimfuno kubapristi kwakuyilezi: Babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini, ngisho nasegcekeni lalo ngaphandle kokugeza izinyawo kuqala; babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini uma bengazigqokile izingubo zabo zobupristi; babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini uma bengayifakile imiqhele yabo yobupristi; babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini uma bengcoliswe yisidumbu; babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini emva kokuthinta isandla somuntu ongalungile, ngaphandle kokuba beqale ngokugeza izandla; futhi babengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini emva kokuzingcolisa ngabantu besifazane (izinyanga ezintathu, hhayi unomphelo), futhi babengavunyelwe ukubona ubuso bukaJehova. Lapho sekuphele isikhathi—okusho ukuthi babengazigqoka kuphela emva kwezinyanga ezintathu izingubo zobupristi ezihlanzekile—kwakuye kudingeke ukuthi bakhonzele egcekeni izinsuku eziyisikhombisa ngaphambi kokuba bangene ethempelini ukuze babone ubuso bukaJehova. Babevunyelwe ukuba bagqoke noma yiziphi kulezi zingubo zobupristi lapho bengaphakathi ethempelini kuphela, hhayi ngaphandle, ukuze bagweme ukungcolisa ithempeli likaJehova. Bonke labo ababengabapristi kwakufanele balethe izigebengu ezazephule imithetho kaJehova phambi kwe-altare Lakhe, lapho zazibulawa khona ngabantu; kungenjalo, umpristi owayekubonile ukwenzeka kwecala wayeyokwehlelwa umlilo. Ngalokho, babethembeke ngokuphelele kuJehova, ngoba imithetho Yakhe yayiqine kakhulu kubo, futhi babengeke balokothe bayephule kalula nje imithetho Yakhe yokuphatha. Ama-Israyeli ayethembeke kuJehova ngoba ayelibonile ilangabi Lakhe, futhi ayesibonile isandla uJehova ayesola ngaso abantu, nangenxa yokuthi babemhlonipha kakhulu. Ngakho, abatholanga kuphela ilangabi likaJehova, kodwa bathola ukukhathalelwa Nguye, ukuvikela Kwakhe, nezibusiso Zakhe. Ukwethembeka kwabo kwakubonakala ngokuthi babelandela amazwi kaJehova kuzo zonke izenzo zabo, futhi akekho owayengalaleli. Uma kuba khona ukungalaleli, abanye babeqhubeka nokwenza amazwi kaJehova, bebulala noma ngubani ophikisa uJehova, futhi bangamfihli nhlobo lowo muntu Kuye. Labo ababephula umthetho weSabatha, labo ababeziphatha kabi ngokocansi, nalabo ababentshontsha iminikelo kaJehova babejeziswa kanzima. Labo ababengagcini iSabatha babekhandwa ngamatshe babulawe yibo (abantu), noma babhaxabulwe baze bafe, kungashiywa muntu. Labo ababephinga—nalabo ababekhanukela abesifazane abahle noma ababevumela imicabango yenkanuko lapho bebona abesifazane abonakele, noma babe nenkanuko lapho bebona abasifazane abasha—bonke babebulawa. Uma intombi engalimbozile ikhanda layo ilinga owesilisa ukuba aziphathe kabi, lowo owesifazane wayebulawa. Uma indoda eyephule imithetho enjalo iwumpristi (lowo okhonza ethempelini), yayibethelwa noma ilengiswe. Akekho umuntu onjalo owayevunyelwa ukuba aphile, akukho noyedwa owayethola umusa phambi kukaJehova. Izihlobo zalolu hlobo lomuntu zazingavunyelwa ukunikela kuJehova e-altare kuze kuphele iminyaka emithathu emva kokufa kwakhe, futhi kwakungavunyiwe ukuba zabelwe eminikelweni uJehova ayeyinike abantu. Kwakuthi kungedlula leso sikhathi bese beqala ukubeka izinkomo nezimvu zezinga eliphezulu phezu kwe-altare likaJehova. Uma kwenzeka amanye amacala, kwakufanele bazile ukudla izinsuku ezintathu phambi kukaJehova benxusa umusa Wakhe. Babekhonza uJehova hhayi kuphela ngoba imithetho Yakhe inzima futhi iqine kakhulu; babekwenza lokho ngenxa yomusa Wakhe nokwethembeka kwabo Kuye. Kanjalo, kuze kube namuhla, basethembeke ngokufanayo ekukhonzeni kwabo, futhi abakaze bahlehle ekunxuseni kwabo phambi kukaJehova. Kulezi zinsuku, abantu bakwa-Israyeli basathola ukunakekelwa nokuvikelwa Nguye, futhi usenomusa phakathi kwabo, uhlala nabo njalo. Bonke bayazi ukuthi kufanele bamhloniphe kanjani uJehova, nokuthi kufanele bamkhonze kanjani, futhi bonke bayazi ukuthi kumele benze njani ukuze bathole ukunakekela nokuvikela Kwakhe; lokhu kungenxa yokuthi bonke bayamhlonipha ezinhliziyweni zabo. Imfihlo yokuphumelela kwakho konke ukukhonza kwabo isekuhlonipheni kwabo kuphela. Ngakho, ninjani nonke kulezi zinsuku? Ninakho ukufana nabantu bakwa-Israyeli? Nicabanga ukuthi ukukhonza kulezi zinsuku kuyafana nokulandela ukuhola komuntu omkhulu wokomoya? Aninakho nhlobo ukwethembeka nokuhlonipha. Nithola umusa omkhulu, futhi niyalingana nabapristi abangama-Israyeli ngokuthi nonke nikhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile. Nakuba ningangeni ethempelini, enikwamukelayo nenikubonayo kuningi kakhulu kunalokho okwakutholwa ngabapristi ababekhonza uJehova ethempelini. Nokho, niyahlubuka futhi niphikisa kaningi kakhulu kunabo. Ukuhlonipha kwenu kuncane kakhulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho nithola umusa omncane kakhulu. Nakuba ninikela okuncane kakhulu, senithole okuningi kakhulu kunokwake kwatholwa ngama-Israyeli. Kukho konke lokhu, ngabe aniphethwe ngomusa? Ngenkathi kwenziwa umsebenzi kwa-Israyeli, abantu babengalokothi behlulele uJehova ngokuthanda. Kunjani-ke kinina? Ukuba akungenxa yomsebenzi engiwenzayo wokuninqoba, bengingakubekezelela kanjani ukuthela kwenu igama Lami ngehlazo kabi kangaka? Ukuba inkathi eniphila kuyo yiNkathi yoMthetho, ngokuya ngamazwi nezenzo zenu, akukho noyedwa kini obeyosala ephila. Ukuhlonipha kwenu kuncane kakhulu! Nihlala ningigxeka ngokunganiniki umusa omningi, futhi nize nithi angininiki amazwi esibusiso anele, nokuthi nginilethela iziqalekiso kuphela. Anazi yini ukuthi ngenxa yokungihlonipha okuncane kangaka ngeke nikwazi ukwamukela izibusiso Zami? Anazi yini ukuthi ngihlala nginiqalekisa futhi nginahlulela ngenxa yesimo sokukhonza kwenu esiphansi? Ngabe nonke nibona ukuthi niphathwe kabi? Ngingalibusisa kanjani iqembu labantu abahlubukayo futhi abangangithobeli? Ngingabanika kanjani umusa Wami abantu abahlaza igama Lami? Vele seniphathwe ngomusa owedlulele. Ukuba ama-Israyeli ayehlubuka njengoba nenza namuhla, ngangiyobe sengiwabhubhise kudala. Nokho, nginiphatha ngozwelo lodwa. Ngabe lokhu akuwona umusa? Ngabe nifisa izibusiso ezinkulu kunalokhu? UJehova ubusisa kuphela labo abamhloniphayo. Usola abantu abamhlubukayo, akaxoleli ngisho oyedwa kubona. Nina bantu banamuhla, abangayazi indlela yokukhonza, ngabe anidingi kakhulu ukusolwa nokwahlulelwa ukuze izinhliziyo zenu ziguqulwe? Ngabe ukusolwa nokwahlulelwa okunje akuzona izinhlobo ezinhle kakhulu zezibusiso eningazinikwa? Aziyikho ukuvikelwa kwenu okuhle kakhulu? Ngaphandle kwakho, ukhona oyedwa kinina ongamela umlilo ovuthayo kaJehova? Uma ngempela ningakhonza ngokwethembeka njengama-Israyeli, ngeke nani niphelezelwe umusa njalo nje? Ngeke nivame ukuba nenjabulo nomusa owenele? Ngabe nonke niyazi ukuthi kufanele nikhonze kanjani?

Okufunwa kinina namuhla—ukusebenza ndawonye ngokuzwana—kuyafana nenkonzo uJehova ayeyifuna kuma-Israyeli: Kungenjalo, yekani nje ukukhonza. Ngenxa yokuthi ningabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile, okungenani kufanele nikwazi ukwethembeka nokuthoba ekukhonzeni kwenu, futhi kufanele nikwazi nokufunda izifundo ngendlela engokoqobo. Kulabo ikakhulu abasebenza ebandleni, bangalokotha yini abafowenu nodadewenu abasezingeni elingaphansi kwenu babhekane nani? Ukhona ongalokotha anitshele emehlweni ngamaphutha enu? Niphakeme kunabo bonke abanye abantu; nibusa njengamakhosi! Anizifundi nakuzifunda noma ningene kulezi zinhlobo zezifundo zokoqobo, kodwa nisakhuluma ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu! Manje, ucelwa ukuba uhole amabandla ambalwa, kodwa awugcini nje ngokungazideli, kodwa ubuye ubambelele emibonweni yakho, usho izinto ezifana nokuthi, “Ngicabanga ukuthi lokhu kufanele kwenziwe ngale ndlela, njengoba uNkulunkulu uthe akufanele sivinjwe ngabanye nokuthi kulezi zinsuku akufanele sithobe ngokungenangqondo.” Ngakho, lowo nalowo kinina ubambelele embonweni wakhe, futhi akekho olalela omunye. Nakuba wazi ngokucacile ukuthi ukukhonza kwakho kukwangqingetshe, usalokhu uthi, “Ngokubona kwami, indlela yami ayiqhelile kakhulu. Vele-ke, sonke sinohlangothi: Khuluma ngolwakho, nami ngizokhuluma ngolwami; hlanganyela ngemibono yakho, nami ngizokhuluma ngokungena kwami.” Anibhekani nezinto eziningi okufanele kubhekanwe nazo, noma nivele nigcine icala nje, lowo nalowo ekhipha imibono yakhe futhi evikela isikhundla sakhe, igama nesithunzi ngokuhlakanipha. Akekho kinina ozimisele ukuzehlisa, futhi akukho luhlangothi oluzoqala luzidele bese lulungisa ubuthakathaka bolunye ukuze impilo iqhubeke ngokushesha okwengeziwe. Lapho nisebenzisana, kufanele nifunde ukufuna iqiniso. Ungathi, “Anginakho ukuqonda okucacile ngale ngxenye yeqiniso. Yikuphi okuhlangenwe nakho onakho?” Noma, uthi, “Unokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi kunokwami kule ngxenye; ngicela ungiqondise.” Ngeke lokhu kube yindlela enhle yokukwenza? Senilalele izintshumayelo eziningi, futhi kukhona esenihlangane nakho ekukhonzeni. Uma omunye engafundi komunye, nisizane, futhi nelekelele lapho omunye wenu ebuthakathaka khona lapho nenza umsebenzi emabandleni, ningazifunda kanjani-ke izifundo? Noma nini lapho nihlangana noma nayiphi into, kufanele nihlanganyele nabanye ukuze izimpilo zenu zizuze. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufanele nihlanganyele ngokucophelela ngezinto zanoma yiluphi uhlobo ngaphambi kokuthatha izinqumo. Ukwenza kanjalo kuphela okunenza nithwale umthwalo webandla kunokuba nenze izinto ngokungazimiseli nje. Emva kokuvakashela onke amabandla, kufanele nihlangane nihlanganyele ngazo zonke izindaba enizitholayo nezinkinga enihlangane nazo emsebenzini wenu, bese nixoxa ngokukhanyiseleka nokukhanyelwa enikutholile—lokhu kuyindlela yokwenza ebaluleke kakhulu. Kufanele nifinyelele ekubambisaneni ngokuzwana ngenxa yomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, ukuze kuzuze ibandla, nangenhloso yokugqugquzela abafowenu nodadewenu. Kufanele nibambisane, lowo nalowo alungise omunye futhi afinyelele emphumeleni womsebenzi ongcono, ukuze akhathalele intando kaNkulunkulu. Yilokhu okuwukubambisana kweqiniso, futhi yilabo kuphela abakwenzayo lokho abazozuza ukungena okuyiqiniso. Ngenkathi nibambisene, amanye amazwi eniwakhulumayo angase angehli kahle, kodwa lokho akusho lutho. Hlanganyelani ngakho kamuva, bese nikuqonda ngokucacile; ningakuyekeleli. Emva kwalokhu kuhlanganyela okufishane, ningalungisa ubuthakathaka babafowenu noma odadewenu. Ningathola imiphumela engcono kuphela ngokungena nijule kanje emsebenzini wenu. Nonke, ngamunye, njengabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu, kufanele nikwazi ukuvikela lokho okufunwa yibandla kukho konke enikwenzayo, kunokuba nizicabangele nina. Akwamukelekile ukusebenza wedwa, ukuhlala nibukelana phansi. Abantu abaziphatha kanjalo abakufanele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu! Abantu abanjalo banesimo esibi; akukho nobuncane ubuntu kubona. BawuSathane ngokugcwele! Bayizilwane! Namanje, izinto ezinjengalezi zisenzeka phakathi kwenu; nize nihlaselane ngenkathi yokuhlanganyela, nifune ngenhloso izinto eningacasha ngazo futhi nize nibe bomvu ebusweni nilokhu niphikisana ngodaba oluthile olungabalulekile, kungekho muntu ofuna ukuhoxa, lowo nalowo muntu efihlela omunye imicabango yakhe ejulile, ebukisisa omunye futhi ehlala eqaphile. Ngabe lolu hlobo lwesimo lukufanele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu? Kukhona yini umsebenzi onjengowakho ongondla ngawo abafowenu nodadewenu? Awugcini nje ngokungakwazi ukuqondisa abantu endleleni yokuphila efanele, kodwa empeleni ufaka izimo zakho ezikhohlakele kubafowenu nodadewenu. Ngabe awubalimazi abanye? Unembeza wakho mubi, futhi ubole ngokuphelele! Wena awungeni kokoqobo, futhi awulenzi iqiniso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uveza imvelo yakho yobudeveli kwabanye ngaphandle kwamahloni. Awulazi nhlobo ihlazo! Laba bafowenu nodadewenu babekwe kuwe, kodwa wena ubayisa esihogweni. Awuyena umuntu obolelwe ngunembeza? Awunamahloni neze!