UYOSEFU wayesehla esenyuka kwezo paseji zimnyama thsu, ebile xhopho kukusebenza nzima, nabubushushu balapho. Indlela elalitshisa ngayo ilanga laseYiputa kwakungathi loo ntolongo ibhakwa eontini. Kwakukhe kube ngathi uzazi zonke izitena, namathanda akweso sisele. Ngoku yayibubomi bakhe obu. Ewe kona, wayehlonitshwa apha. Nakuba kunjalo, wayelibanjwa ekugqibeni.

Kufanele ukuba iingcinga zakhe zazimane zimbuyisela kwiinduli zamatye zaseHebron, apho wayesalusa izimvu zikayise! Wayeneminyaka eyi-17 kuphela xa uyise, uYakobi, wamthuma kwindawo ekumgama omde kakhulu kunekhaya. Ngoku, wayengasakwazi nokuyiphupha inkululeko enjalo. UYosefu wajikelwa ngabantakwabo, ababezele ngumona, befuna ukumbulala nababemcaphukela, bamthengisa njengekhoboka. Wasiwa eYiputa apho wafika wasebenza kwindlu yegosa elingumYiputa uPotifare. UYosefu wayethenjiwe yinkosi yakhe de watyholwa ngumfazi kaPotifare ngokumdlwengula, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba aphoswe ngaphaya kwezitshixo. *—Genesis, isahluko 37, no-39.

Ngoku uYosefu wayeneminyaka eyi-28, sekudlule malunga neshumi leminyaka elikhoboka kwaye esentolongweni. Ubomi bakhe babungeyiyo nakancinane into awayecinga ukuba babuya kuze bube yiyo. Wayeya kuze akhululwe na bethu? Ngaba lalikho lona ithemba lokuba uya kuze ambone uyise owayesele elixhego, okanye umnakwabo uBhenjamin? Wayeya kuhlala kude kube nini kona kulo mhadi?

Ngaba wakhe wavakalelwa njengoYosefu? Ngamany’ amaxesha amaphupha esinawo ngobomi awaze azaliseke. Ukanti ngamanye kuba ngathi izinto ezibuhlungu zihlala zisilandela, kube nzima nokucinga ukuba siya kuze sifumane isiqabu kuzo okanye indlela yokuzinyamezela. Makhe sibone oko sinokukufunda kukholo lukaYosefu.

UYosefu wayesazi ukuba uThixo wakhe uYehova wayengamlahlanga kwesinomhlwa, ibe ngokuqinisekileyo loo nto yamnceda wanyamezela. Nalapho kuloo ntolongo, uYehova wazifumana iindlela zokumsikelela uYosefu. Sifunda oku: “UYehova waqhubeka enoYosefu waza wamenzela ububele bothando, wamenza wakholeka emehlweni egosa eliyintloko lendlu yentolongo.” (Genesis 39:21-23) Njengokuba uYosefu waqhubeka ezilahlela nofele kumsebenzi wakhe, wayeqhubeka enika uThixo isizathu sokumsikelela. Kufanele ukuba kwakumkhuthaza ngokwenene ukwazi ukuba uYehova wayesoloko enaye!

Ngaba uYehova wayezimisele ukumyeka uYosefu athothoze kweso sisele naphakade? NoYosefu wayengayazi impendulo yalo mbuzo, kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo wayehlala eyithandazela kuThixo le meko. Njengokuba kudla ngokuba njalo, umthandazo wakhe waphendulwa ngendlela awayengayilindelanga. Ngeny’ imini kwabakho isiphithi-phithi entolongweni njengokuba kwakufika amabanjwa amabini awayengamagosa wabasebenzi bakaFaro buqu. Omnye yayingumbhaki ibe omnye ingumngcamli wokumkani waseYiputa.—Genesis 40:1-3.

Umphathi wamadindala wabela uYosefu ukuba anyamekele loo madoda awayekade engabantu abaphezulu. *  Kobunye ubusuku, ngamnye kubo waphupha into engaqhelekanga. Ngentsasa elandelayo uYosefu waqaphela ukuba kukho nto ibaphazamisayo. Ngoko ke wababuza: “Kutheni nidakumbile nje namhlanje?” (Genesis 40:3-7) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ukufudumala kwakhe kubo kwabenza baqiniseka ukuba bangamxelela izinto ezibakhathazayo. UYosefu wayengazi ukuba loo ncoko yayiya kuba sisiqalo sokutshintsha kobomi bakhe. Ngaba ngeyayikho le ncoko ukuba uYosefu wayengabahoyanga abanye? Umzekelo kaYosefu wenza nathi sizibuze, ‘Ngaba ndibonisa ukholo kuThixo ngokuba nomdla kwabanye abantu?’

La madoda mabini amchazela ukuba ayehlutshwa ngamaphupha awo angaqhelekanga, nakukuba kwakungekho mntu unokuwacacisa. Amaphupha ayebalulekile kumaYiputa, ibe ayexhomekeke kumadoda awayesithi ayakwazi ukuwatolika. La madoda ayengazi ukuba la maphupha ayesuka kuThixo kaYosefu, uYehova. Kodwa yena uYosefu wayesazi. Wabathuthuzela ngelithi: “AsikokukaThixo na ukutolika? Khanincede, nindibalisele lona.” (Genesis 40:8) Amazwi kaYosefu abalulekile nanamhlanje kubantu abayifunda ngokunyanisekileyo iBhayibhile. Akwaba abantu abanqulayo bangathobeka ngendlela efanayo! Simele siyeke ukucinga ngendlela yekratshi, size sithembele kuThixo ukuba asicacisele ilizwi lakhe!—1 Tesalonika 2:13; Yakobi 4:6.

Kwaqala umngcamli. Wabalisela uYosefu ukuba uphuphe umdiliya onamasetyana amathathu kungathi kuhluma izihlahla zeediliya kuwo. Iidiliya zavuthwa, waza umngcamli wakhamela incindi yazo ekomityini kaFaro. Encedwa nguYehova, uYosefu wayiqonda ngoko nangoko intsingiselo yelo phupha. Wamxelela ukuba amasetyana amathathu ziintsuku ezintathu, ngoko kwintsuku ezintathu uFaro wayeya kumbuyisela kwisikhundla sakhe. Kwathi xibilili kumngcamli, batsho nobuso bakhululeka, uYosefu waqhubeka wathi: ‘Nceda undenzele ububele bothando, undikhankanye kuFaro.’ Wambalisela ukuba waxhwilwa kowabo, waza waphoswa nasesiseleni engenzanga nto.—Genesis 40:9-15.

Emva kokuva indaba ezimnandi zomngcamli, nombhaki watsho wabuza uYosefu ngentsingiselo yelakhe iphupha. Wayephuphe iingobozi ezintathu zezonka, neentaka ezazisitya kwingobozi awayeyithwele. UThixo wamxelela uYosefu nentsingiselo yeli iphupha. Umbhaki wayefikelwe lilifu elimnyama. UYosefu wathi: “Naku ukutolikwa kwalo: Iingobozi ezo zintathu ziintsuku ezintathu. Kwiintsuku ezintathu ukususela ngoku uFaro uya kuyiphakamisa isuke intloko yakho kuwe aze ngokuqinisekileyo akuxhome esibondeni; zize ngokuqinisekileyo iintaka ziyidle inyama yakho.” (Genesis 40:16-19) Njengabo bonke abanquli bakaThixo bokwenene,  uYosefu wazichaza ngesibindi indaba ezivela kuThixo, kungakhathaliseki ukuba zintle okanye zezentshabalalo ezayo.—Isaya 61:2.

Emva kweentsuku ezintathu, kwenzeka oko kwakuthethwe nguYosefu. UFaro wenza itheko losuku lwakhe lokuzalwa—theko elo lalingenziwa ngabantu bakaThixo ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile—waza wawisa isigwebo kwabo basebenzi bakhe. Umbhaki wabulawa, kanye njengoko uYosefu wayetshilo, yena umngcamli wabuyiselwa kwisikhundla sakhe. Okubuhlungu kukuba, loo ndoda ingenankathalo yamlibala shici uYosefu.—Genesis 40:20-23.

Ngoku sekudlule iminyaka emibini yonke. (Genesis 41:1) Khawufan’ ucinge indlela ekumele ukuba wayencitheka ngayo uYosefu! Mhlawumbi wenyukelwa ngamathemba xa uYehova wamxelela intsingiselo yephupha lomngcamli nelombhaki. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ntsasa nganye uYosefu wayevuka lithe thaa engqondweni yakhe ithemba lokuba olo yayiyakuba lusuku lokukhululwa kwakhe—suke afumane impoxeko yokuzibona ejongene nosuku olukruqulayo olufana nezinye kuloo ntolongo. Kufanel’ ukuba loo minyaka mibini yaba yeyona kwakunzima ukuyinyamezela. Sekunjalo, akazange ayeke ukuthembela kuThixo wakhe uYehova. Endaweni yokunikezela kumvandedwa, wazixelela ukuba uza kunyamezela, bonke obo bunzima bamomeleza nangakumbi.—Yakobi 1:4.

Kula maxesha anzima, sonke simele sikufunde ukunyamezela. Ukuze sikwazi ukumelana neengxaki ezingapheliyo zobomi, kufuneka sizimisele, sibe nomonde kunye noxolo lwengqondo esilufumana kuphela kuThixo. Uya kusinceda silwe umvandedwa size sihlale sinethemba, njengoko wamncedayo noYosefu.—Roma 12:12; 15:13.

Nokuba umngcamli wamlibala uYosefu, yena uYehova akazange amlibale. Kobunye ubusuku, wanika uFaro amaphupha amabini angenakulibaleka. Kwelokuqala, ukumkani wabona iinkomo ezisixhenxe ezintle nezityebileyo zisithi gqi ngakuMlambo umNayile zilandelwa zezingcakachileyo, zibhitye nokubhitya. Iinkomo ezibhityileyo zaziqwenga ezo zityebileyo. Kamva uFaro waphupha izikhwebu ezihle ezisixhenxe ziphuma eludizeni olunye. Kodwa ezinye ezisixhenxe ezazitshazile zahluma zaza zaqwenga ezo zihle. Ngentseni elandelayo uFaro wavuka ehluphekile ngala maphupha, waza ke wabiza onke amadoda azizilumko nababingeleli abaqhelisela umlingo ukuze beze kumcacisela intsingiselo yawo. Bonke batsho phantsi. (Genesis 41:1-8) Asazi ke nokuba kungenxa yokuba bamxelela izinto ezothusayo okanye isiphithanyongo sezinto. Kodwa bamdanisa uFaro—sekunjalo, wayeyifuna emanzini iintsingiselo yaloo maphupha.

Ekugqibeleni, umngcamli wakhumbula uYosefu! Ethundezwa sisazela, waxelela uFaro ngomfana omangalisayo owachaza ngokuchanileyo iphupha lakhe nelombhaki ngoxa babesentolongweni kwiminyaka emibini eyadlulayo. Ngoko nangoko, uFaro wathumela ukuba kuye kulandwa uYosefu entolongweni.—Genesis 41:9-13.

Khawufan’ ucinge indlela ekumele ukuba wayevuya ngayo uYosefu xa abathunywa bakaFaro bemxelela ukuba uyabizwa ngukumkani. Ngokukhawuleza watshintsha impahla waza watsheva—mhlawumbi wacheba nenkqayi, kuba eso yayisisithethe samaYiputa. Ngokuqinisekileyo wathandaza kuYehova ngokuphum’ entliziyweni ecela ukuba uYehova abe naye xa ethetha noFaro! Ngoku uzibona sele ekwibhotwe eliyokozelayo, emi phambi kokumkani. Sifunda oku: “Wathi uFaro kuYosefu: ‘Ndiphuphe iphupha, kodwa akukho toliki yalo. Ndive kusithiwa ngawe, wena uyaliva iphupha uze ulitolike.’” Kwakhona, impendulo kaYosefu yabonisa indlela athobeke ngayo nathembele ngayo kuThixo wakhe. Wathi: “Ungandigqali nganto! UThixo uya kumazisa okuhle uFaro.”—Genesis 41:14-16.

UYehova uyabathanda abantu abathobekileyo nabathembekileyo kuye. Kungeso sizathu singayothuki into yokuba wanika uYosefu iimpendulo ezawaxaka kwaphela amadoda azizilumko nababingeleli baseYiputa. UYosefu wamcacisela uFaro ukuba omabini amaphupha akhe ayethetha into enye. Isizathu sokuba uYehova awaphindaphinde la maphupha kukuba ‘le nto yayimiswe ngokuqinileyo’—yayiza kwenzeka ngokuqinisekileyo. Iinkomo ezityebileyo nezikhwebu ezihle zazithetha ukuba iYiputa yayiza kutyeba iminyaka esixhenxe, zona iinkomo ezibhityileyo nezikhwebu ezingcakachileyo zazithetha ukuba kwakuya kulandela imbalela iminyaka  esixhenxe. Loo mbalela yayiya kubuqwenga bonke ubutyebi belizwe.—Genesis 41:25-32.

UFaro waqonda ukuba uYosefu unyanisile. Kodwa kwakumele kuthiweni ngoku? UYosefu weza necebo. Kwakufuneka uFaro afumane indoda “eyingqondi nesisilumko” eyayiza kuqiniseka ukuba kule minyaka isixhenxe yendyebo kuqokelelwa ukutya kuze kugcinwe koovimba, ukuze kunikwe abantu abahluphekayo ngexesha lembalela. (Genesis 41:33-36) UYosefu ngoyena mntu wayewufanelekela ibe ekwazi ukuwenza loo msebenzi, sekunjalo, akazange aziphakamise. Ngenxa yokuthobeka kwakhe, ayizange ithi qatha kwasengqondweni yakhe loo nto, ukuthembela kwakhe kuThixo, kwenza ayabikho nemfuneko yoko. Xa sithembele kuYehova ngokwenene, akubikho mfuneko yakuziphakamisa. Singafumana uxolo lwengqondo ngokuyekela izinto kuye, siqinisekile ukuba akaxakwa nto!

UFaro nabanye abasebenzi bakhe balibona lilelobulumko icebo likaYosefu. Lo kumkani wavuma ukuba eli cebiso likaYosefu lalisuka kuThixo wakhe. Wathi kubasebenzi bakhe ababelapho kuloo ndlu yasebukhosini: “Singamfumana na omnye umntu onjengalo, onomoya kaThixo?” KuYosefu wathi: “Ekubeni uThixo ekwazisile konke oku, akukho bani uyingqondi nosisilumko njengawe. Wena uqobo uya kuba phezu kwendlu yam, yaye bonke abantu bam baya kukuthobela ngokupheleleyo. Kusetroneni kuphela endiya kuba mkhulu kunawe.”—Genesis 41:38-41.

UFaro wenza ngokwamazwi akhe. Ngokukhawuleza, uYosefu wanxityiswa impahla yelinen. UFaro wamnika intsimbi yomqala yegolide, umsesane wokutywina, inqwelo yasebukhosini kunye negunya lokulikhenketha lonke elaseYiputa, elungisa imicimbi yomsebenzi wakhe. (Genesis 41:42-44) Kusuku nje olunye, uYosefu waphuma entolongweni, waya kuba kwibhotwe likaKumkani. Wavuka elibhantinti, walala engumlawuli olisekela likaFaro. Sicaca gca isizathu sokuba uYosefu wayenokholo olungaka kuYehova uThixo! UYehova wayezibona zonke izinto ezibuhlungu ezazisehlela umkhonzi wakhe kuyo yonke loo minyaka. Wazilungisa zonke iingxaki zakhe ngexesha elifanelekileyo, nangendlela efanelekileyo. UYehova wayengacingi nje kuphela ngokulungisa iingxaki zikaYosefu, kodwa wayecinga nangokulungiselela uhlanga lakwaSirayeli ikamva. Siza kubona ukuba wayenza njani loo nto kwinqaku elilandelayo lolu ngcelele.

Ukuba wehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu, mhlawumbi sekuyiminyaka ngoku zikulandela, musa ukulahl’ ithemba. Khumbula uYosefu. Yena akazange ayeke ukuba nobubele, ukuthobeka, ukunyamezela nokubek’ ithemba kuYehova, emnika izizathu zokumsikelela ekugqibeleni.