UJoshuwa Makakusize Ukhonze UJehova Ngesibindi!

“EZWENI niyakuba lusizi, kepha yimani isibindi, mina ngilinqobile izwe.” Ungase uqaphele ukuthi lawomazwi ashiwo yindoda egama layo linguJesu. Nokho, uma ukhuluma isiHeberu, igama elithi Joshuwa lingase lifike engqondweni, ngoba elithi Jesu liyisimo sesiGreki segama lesiHeberu elithi Joshuwa.—Johane 16:33.

Ngokufanelekile, ukuba nesibindi futhi kuwumqondo oyisihluthulelo encwadini yeBhayibheli eyabhalwa umanduleli kaJesu, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni. Kodwa, ungase uzibuze, thina siqu singazuza kanjani encwadini kaJoshuwa? Nokho, asiqale ngalomqondo wokuba nesibindi.

Indoda Enesibindi

Njengoba uMose ayefika ekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe, uJehova wakhetha uJoshuwa njengomlandeli wakhe esikhundleni, ngokuqinisekile owayengeyena umuntu omusha oyimfunda noma ongalingwanga. UJoshuwa wayezalwe eyisigqila eGibithe, kodwa ngemva kokuMuka wazibonakalisa ewumhloli oyiqhawe ekuvimbeleni ukuhlasela okungenasisusa kwama-Amaleki. (Eksodusi 17:8-16) UJoshuwa waqinisekisa ubuqhawe bakhe nokholo lapho yena noKalebi kuphela emadodeni ayishumi nambili ayethunywe ukuyohlola izwe laseKhanani, bebika ngokungesabi ukuthi ngosizo lukaJehova amaKhanani aziphatha kabi ayenganqotshwa futhi iZwe leSithembiso lithathwe.—Numeri 13:1–14:9.

Njengoba uMose ayengavunyelwe ukungena eZweni leSithembiso, watshela uJoshuwa: “Qina, ume isibindi, ngokuba uyakuhamba nalababantu, uye ezweni uJehova afunga koyise ukubanika lona; wena uyakwenza ukuba balidle ifa lalo.”—Duteronomi 31:7, 23.

Ungabona-ke ukuthi kungani encwadini kaJoshuwa singalindela ukufunda indlela ayenesibindi ngayo nendlela esingaba yiyo. Eqinisweni, izikhathi ezingaphezu kwengxenye amazwi “isibindi” ‘nokuqina’ avela ngazo ndawonye kunoma yiliphi ivesi leBhayibheli kusencwadini kaJoshuwa noma ezinkulumweni ezikhuluma ngaye. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba siqala ukufunda lencwadi sithola iseluleko sikaJehova kuJoshuwa: “Qina kuphela, ume isibindi kakhulu, uqaphele ukwenza ngokomthetho wonke akuyala ngawo uMose inceku yami, ungaphambuki kuwo ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo ukuba ube-nempumelelo nomaphi lapho uya khona.” (Joshuwa 1:7) Ake sibheke ezinye zezikhathi lapho uJoshuwa anikeza ubufakazi bokuba nesibindi sangaphakathi sokholo ngokufanayo nesibindi sangaphandle sesenzo. Khona-ke singabona izifundo thina siqu esingazifunda kulokhu.

Ukholo Olunesibindi Nezenzo

Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba uJehova enxuse uJoshuwa ukuba ‘aqine, ame isibindi kakhulu,’ waqalisa amalungiselelo okuhola uIsrayeli awele iJordani angene ezweni laseKhanani. UJoshuwa wayaleza: “Zilungiseleni umphako, ngokuba emva kwezinsuku ezintathu niyakuwela leliJordani, ningene ukuba nilidle izwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu aninika lona ukuba nilizuze.” (Joshuwa 1:11) Ngakho ukholo olunesibindi aluzange luholele uJoshuwa ukuba abe nomuzwa wokuthi babengahlala nje futhi balindele uJehova ukuba abenzele yonke into. Umzamo wabo siqu wawudingeka. Ngokufanayo, sidinga ukholo nesibindi ukuba silandele iseluleko sikaJesu ukuze sithembe ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisiza ukuba sithole ukudla okwanele nezambatho. Nokho isithembiso sosizo olunjalo asisho ukuthi singamane sihlale futhi singenzi lutho lokuzondla.—Mathewu 6:25-33.

Inkinga yangaleso sikhathi eyayibhekene noJoshuwa kwakuwukuwela uMfula iJordani entwasahlobo lapho amanzi ayephakeme futhi ukuwela kuyingozi kakhulu. (Joshuwa 5:10) UJoshuwa akazange azindle, ‘Kungase kube ngcono ukulinda kuze kube phakathi nehlobo lapho isilinganiso samanzi sehla.’ UNkulunkulu wathi awele, futhi uJoshuwa wenza kanjalo ngesibindi. Ingabe uyasibona isifundo lapha? Uma kuyisikhathi ngathi sokwenza into ethile ehilela ukukhulekela kweqiniso, kumelwe senze ngesibindi, kunokuba sithambekele ngasekuphuzeni kuze kube yilapho izinto zibonakala zisivumela noma kulula. Yebo, yenza, njengoba kwenza uJoshuwa.—UmShumayeli 11:4; Jakobe 4:13, 14.

Ukubonisa ukuthi wayenoJoshuwa, uNkulunkulu wamqondisa ukuba athwese abapristi umphongolo wesivumelwano bawuyise emfuleni ogcwele. Lapho benyathela emanzini, ahlukana. Khona-ke isizwe sadlula njengasemhlabathini owomileyo. Kunokuzithathela noma iluphi udumo ngalokhu, uJoshuwa walandela ukuqondisa kukaJehova futhi wakha eGiligali (ngokuphephile osebeni olungasentshonalanga) isikhumbuzo samatshe ayethathwe phakathi komfula. Kwakuwukugcizelela ukuthi ‘isandla sikaJehova sinamandla, ukuze esatshwe kuze kube-phakade.’ (Joshuwa 3:5–4:24) Nakuba thina singekho esimweni sokubona lesosikhumbuzo samatshe, lokho uJehova akwenza ngoJoshuwa kumelwe kwakhe ukuthembela kwethu emandleni kaJehova okulwela abantu baKhe. Ukubaluleka kwalesikhumbuzo ngokuqinisekile kwakuyoba nenjongo ngamaIsrayeli ayebhekene nomuzi wamaKhanani obiyelwe waseJeriko.

Ingabe uJoshuwa, owayengumphathi wamabutho ongesabi, wayeyoholela amaIsrayeli ekuhlaseleni ngobuningi lomuzi obiyelwe ngezindonga? Ungase wazi ukuthi kunalokho uJoshuwa walandela iziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu. Zokwenzani? Zokuba amadoda akhe ahlomile azungeze ngokuthula usuku ngalunye umuzi elandelwa abapristi, abanye beshaya amacilongo futhi abanye bethwele uMphongolo. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa bawuzungeza kasikhombisa, lapho “abantu base bekhamuluka, amacilongo abethwa: . . . ugange [lwaseJeriko] lwawela phansi endaweni yalo.” Lokhu kwavumela amadoda kaJoshuwa ukuba angene futhi abhubhise umuzi. Yebo, ukunqoba okuphelele!—Joshuwa 6:20.

Ukuqina Ngesibindi, Nokho Elinganisela

Singaqaphela esinye isici sesibindi sikaJoshuwa ezehlakalweni ezimbili ezenzeka ngokulandelayo. Esokuqala sahilela umuzi oseduze waseAyi. Lapho amaIsrayeli emelana nalo, achithwa. Ngani? Ngoba ngokuphambene nomyalo kaNkulunkulu, uAkani wayethathe enye impango eJeriko. Abanye abantu bangase bathethelele isenzo sakhe ngoba izinto azithatha zaziwusizo futhi akuzange kubonakale ukuthi ukuzithatha kwakhe kwakungase kulimaze noma ubani. Kungenzeka wake wezwa ngombono ofanayo ngokweba okuncane kumqashi noma okunye ukona “okuncane.” UJoshuwa wasabela kanjani?

Ngosizo lwaphezulu uJoshuwa wakhipha umenzi wobubi futhi wenza ubufakazi balobugebengu ngokuthola izimpahla ezebiwe. Yeka ukuthi lezozimpahla kumelwe ukuba zabukeka ziyize kanjani! Kodwa uJoshuwa wafinyelela ekujuleni kwendaba, etshela uAkani: “Usihluphelani na? UJehova uzakukuhlupha namuhla.” (Joshuwa 7:25) UJoshuwa, emelela ukulunga, wabangela ukuba lesisoni sibulawe, evula indlela yokuba kunqotshwe iAyi. Sicabanga ngokuphatha kukaJoshuwa indaba ka-Akani, singase sicabangele lokhu, ‘Ingabe ngiba nokuqina okufanayo uma engisebenza nabo noma engifunda nabo bengazinaki izenzo ezingemthetho noma zokuziphatha okubi?’

Manje cabangela isehlakalo sesibili, esihilela abantu abangamaKhanani baseGibeyoni. Lapho bezwa ngempumelelo kaJoshuwa elwa neJeriko neAyi, ngobuqili bathumela amadoda azenza izihambi ezivela ezweni elikude ezazifuna ukwenza isivumelwano sokuthula noIsrayeli, futhi aphumelela. Khona-ke kwezwakala ukuthi lamadoda eqinisweni ayevela eGibeyoni eliseduze, futhi amaIsrayeli amaningi aqala ukukhononda ngendlela lendaba eyaphathwa ngayo. Ingabe uJoshuwa wayeyofutheka ngentukuthelo ngalokhu kukhohlisa futhi ayale ukuba iGibeyoni libhujiswe?

Isivumelwano sase senziwe, futhi uJoshuwa wasihlonipha. Wayala ukuba abaseGibeyoni kusukela lapho babelwe ukukha amanzi nokugawula imithi yendlu kaNkulunkulu. AbaseGibeyoni bavuma ukuhlonipha lelolungiselelo, futhi izehlakalo zabonisa ngokushesha ukuthi naye uJoshuwa wayezolihlonipha. Kanjani? Nokho, amakhosi amahlanu amaKhanani akuleyondawo ahlangana amelana neGibeyoni. UJoshuwa wathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, futhi, ngemva kohambo lobusuku bonke, wahlasela leyonhlangano. UJehova walekelela ngokwehlisela isichotho esibulalayo phezu kwamabutho amaKhanani futhi ngokuyisimangaliso wamisa ilanga langashona ngalolosuku ukuze amaIsrayeli aphethe ukunqoba kwawo. Ngokukhumbula abaseGibeyoni, uma singenela isivumelwano noma senza isithembiso kokuthile okungamelene nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu, ingabe siyoba nesibindi ngokuqinile njengoba ayenjalo uJoshuwa? Ingabe siyaligcina izwi lethu ngisho nakuba kunzima noma izimo zingavumi?—IHubo 15:4.

Ngokuphawulekayo, ngemva kwalempi esanda kushiwo, futhi njengoba amakhosi amahlanu ayizitha ayezobulawa, uJoshuwa wanxusa abantu bakhe: “Ningesabi, ningabinaluvalo; qinani, nime isibindi, ngokuba uJehova uyakwenza kanjalo kuzo zonke izitha zenu enilwanazo.” (Joshuwa 10:25) Ukuqinanesibindi kwakuyobeka amaIsrayeli esimweni esihle njengoba eqhubela ukunqoba okumiswe uNkulunkulu okokuqala ngaseningizimu kwase kuba senhla ngasenyakatho lapho inkosi yaseHasori yahlanganisa amakhosi okuhlanganyela uIsrayeli okungaphumelelanga. Nakuba ayengathuthukile ngakwezobuchwepheshe njengamaKhanani ayenemizi ebiyelwe nezinqola zempi ezihlomile, amaIsrayeli afeza intando kaJehova ngesibindi.

Ezinye Izifundo Zencwadi KaJoshuwa

Ngokukhethekile encwadini kaJoshuwa siye saqaphela izifundo ezihlobene nesibindi sakhe. Kodwa njengoba ufunda lencwadi ungase uthole ezinye izifundo eziwusizo.

Ngokwesibonelo, abesifazane abaningi baye bahlatshwa umxhwele isimo sikaRahabi, owavikela amaIsrayeli amabili ayezohlola iJeriko. AmaKhanani amaningi, lapho ezwa ngezenzo ezinkulu zikaNkulunkulu azenzela uIsrayeli, alungiselela ukuzivikela futhi ngokwesaba amelana noIsrayeli. Hhayi uRahabi. Wayezimisele ukuzibeka esimweni sokungezwani nabantu bakubo nokufaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze amukele umusa wothando kaJehova. Futhi wenza ayengakwenza ukuze asize izihlobo zakhe zifunde ezazidinga ukukwenza ukuze zivikele ukuphila kwazo. Ngokuqinisekile singayisebenzisa lendaba ekusizeni abesifazane namuhla ukuba babe nombono wokubeka ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuqala ngaphezu kobuhlobo nomakhelwane babo noma ngisho nesizwe sabo.—Joshuwa 2:8-14.

Uyothola isifundo esihle kuJoshuwa ngokungazehluleli kabi izisusa zabanye. Sihilela isikhathi, ngemva kokuba ingxenye enkulu yeKhanani isinqotshiwe, lapho uJoshuwa ayesehlukanise izwe ngokwamafa ezizwe. Amadoda ayevela ezizweni ezimbili nengxenye ayebuyela esabelweni sawo empumalanga yeJordani. Njengoba ayenza kanjalo, akha ialtare. Ezinye izizwe zafinyelela isiphetho—esiyiphutha—okwakuyincazelo yealtare. Kwafufusa impi yezizwe ezizalanayo. Njengoba ufunda indaba ekuJoshuwa isahluko 22, phawula isifundo ngokuqondene nokuqaphela ungacabangeli izisusa ezimbi ngezenzo zabanye. Phawula futhi, ukuthi ikuphi okuyoba kuhle ngawe ukukwenza uma unomuzwa wokuthi omunye uye wakudikila noma wenza ngokungafanele.

Akukho kuhlaziywa kwencwadi kaJoshuwa okumelwe kushiye ukugcizelela kwayo ekufundeni nasekunamatheleni ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso okusekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu weluleka uJoshuwa ukuba afunde izwi laKhe njalo futhi angasuki kulo. (Joshuwa 1:8) Ngemva kokunqoba eAyi, uJoshuwa waholela sonke isizwe enhla enyakatho endaweni yaseShekemi, phakathi kweNtaba iEbali neNtaba iGerizimu. Wakha lapho ialtare lemihlatshelo, khona-ke “waloba khona ematsheni impinda yomthetho kaMose.” (Joshuwa 8:32) Futhi, wawufundela abantu lowomthetho. “Akwabakho-zwi kukho konke akuyalayo uMose, angalifundanga uJoshuwa phambi kwebandla lonke lakwaIsrayeli, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabafokazi ababehamba phakathi kwabo.”—Joshuwa 8:35.

Kamuva, ngemva kokuba uJoshuwa esehlale isikhathi edolobheni ayelicele ngokuzithoba njengefa, wabutha abantu, wathi: “Sengimdala ngineminyaka eminingi, nibonile konke uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu akwenzile kuzo zonke lezizizwe ngenxa yenu, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nguye onilweleyo.” Ngakho wabanxusa: “Yimani kakhulu isibindi ukugcina nokwenza konke okulotshiwe encwadini yomthetho kaMose, ukuze ningachezuki kukho ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo, . . . kepha ninamathele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” Ukuze abakhuthaze kulokho, wabakhumbuza: “Niyazi . . . ukuthi akuphuthanga nento eyodwa kuzo zonke izinto ezinhle azikhuluma uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngani; kwenziwa konke.”—Joshuwa 23:2-8, 14.

Ekuphetheni, waphinda futhi wabutha abantu ndawonye ngeziyalo zokuvalelisa futhi wabancenga: “Khethani namuhla ukuthi ngubani eniyakumkhonza, . . . kepha mina nendlu yami siyakumkhonza uJehova.” Lapho bemqinisekisa ukuthi nabo bayomkhonza, wenza isivumelwano nabo. Umbhalo waphezulu uthi: “Kwathi emva kwalezozinto uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.” Ngokuqinisekile lomkhulekeli kaJehova othembekile usinikeza ugqozi olunamandla, ukuba nathi sibe nesibindi futhi siqine njengoba ‘sesaba uJehova, simkhonza ngobuqotho nangeqiniso.’—Joshuwa 24:14, 15, 29.