Ingabe Ubumpofu Buwuphawu Lokungathandwa UNkulunkulu?
UNKULUNKULU watshela ama-Israyeli asendulo: “Akekho okufanele abe mpofu phakathi kwenu.” Lokhu wakusho ngoba eMthethweni awanika wona, kwakunamalungiselelo okunakekela abampofu ngisho nawokwesula izikweletu. (Duteronomi 15:1-4, 7-10) Ngakho, kwakungafanele kube nabantu abampofu phakathi kwama-Israyeli ngoba uJehova wayethembise ukuwabusisa. Kodwa leso sibusiso sasixhomeke ekulaleleni kwawo uMthetho, kodwa-ke ama-Israyeli ehluleka ukuwulalela.
Nokho, lokho kwakungasho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengabathandi labo ababeswele, futhi kwakungasho ukuthi ababecebile wayebabusisa. Izinceku zakhe eziningi ezithembekile zazimpofu. Umprofethi u-Amose wayengumalusi ozihluphekelayo futhi esebenza emasimini ngezinkathi ezithile zonyaka. (Amose 1:1; 7:14) Ezinsukwini zomprofethi u-Eliya, ngesikhathi izwe lakwa-Israyeli lihlaselwe indlala, u-Eliya kwadingeka athembele emseni womfelokazi owayezihluphekela. Ubadlana lukafulawa namafutha lo mfelokazi ayenakho kwanda ngokuyisimangaliso kwabaphilisa phakathi naso sonke isikhathi sendlala. U-Eliya nomfelokazi abazange bacebe; uJehova wamane wanakekela izidingo zabo eziyisisekelo.—1 AmaKh. 17:8-16.
Izimo ezivela kungalindelwe zingenza abantu bazithole sebempofu. Izingozi noma ukugula kungenza umuntu angakwazi ukusebenza okwesikhashana noma angaphinde akwazi. Ukufa kungashiya abanye beyizintandane noma bengabafelokazi. Ngisho nalezi zimo ezibuhlungu kangaka azilona neze uphawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu akabathandi. Indaba kaNawomi noRuthe iyisibonelo esithinta inhliziyo sendlela uJehova abakhathalela futhi abathanda ngayo abantu abahluphekayo. Nakuba uNawomi noRuthe basala behlupheka lapho kufa abayeni babo, uJehova uNkulunkulu wababusisa futhi wenza ilungiselelo lokuba banakekelwe.—Ruthe 1:1-6; 2:2-12; 4:13-17.
Kusobala-ke ukuthi ubumpofu abulona uphawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu akakuthandi. Labo abathembekile kuJehova uNkulunkulu bangawethemba la mazwi eNkosi uDavide: “Ngangiyinsizwa, manje ngikhulile, nokho angizange ngimbone olungileyo eshiywe ngokuphelele, noma inzalo yakhe iphanza isinkwa.”—IHubo 37:25.
[Isithombe ekhasini 8]
Nakuba uNawomi noRuthe babempofu, uNkulunkulu wababusisa futhi wabanakekela ngothando