Ingabe Ukhona Oke Wabona UNkulunkulu?

INZALAMIZI edumile uAbrahama, eyayiphila eminyakeni engaphezu kweyi-1 900 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu, yabhekwa ngokufudumele uMdali wethu kangangokuthi yabizwa ngokuthi “umngane kaNkulunkulu.” (Jakobe 2:23, Byington) Uma wayekhona owayenganikwa ilungelo lokubona uNkulunkulu, ngokuqinisekile uAbrahama wayeyoba yilowomuntu. Nokho, kwesinye isenzakalo, izivakashi ezintathu zeza kuye zinesigijimi saphezulu. UAbrahama wabiza esinye sazo ngokuthi uJehova. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uAbrahama wambona ngempela uNkulunkulu?

Lokhu kulandisa kutholakala kuGenesise 18:1-3. Lapho siyafunda: “UJehova wabonakala kuye ngasemaokeni aseMamre, ehlezi emnyango wetende ngesikhathi sokushisa kwemini. Waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabuka; bheka, amadoda amathathu ayemi phambi kwakhe; wathi ukuba awabone, wasuka emnyango wetende, wagijima ukuwahlangabeza, wakhothama, wathi: Nkosi, uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, mawungadluli encekwini yakho.”

Kamuva, lapho uAbrahama nezivakashi zakhe ezintathu bebuka iSodoma besendaweni ephakeme, ezimbili zaya emzini. Ngakho ivesi 22 lithi: “Kepha uAbrahama wayesemi ebusweni bukaJehova.” Kulokhu kungabonakala sengathi uNkulunkulu wayenoAbrahama ngomzimba wenyama ongokoqobo. Abanye abantu abakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu bangumuntu ofanayo baphikisa ngalokhu.

Maqondana noGenesise 18:3, isazi seBhayibheli uMelancthon W. Jacobus sabhala: “Lapha uNkulunkulu ubonakala okokuqala ngqá embhalweni njengomuntu phakathi kwabantu, ukuze abonakalise ukuba ngokoqobo koBuntu baKhe, nobuhlobo Bakhe nabantu, futhi ngalesisenzo soqobo ukuze aqinisekise inzalamizi ngobudlelwane nobungane obungokwaPhezulu.” Labo abanalombono bangaphetha ngokuthi uAbrahama wambona ngempela uJehova ngamehlo akhe enyama nokuthi abantu ababona uJesu Kristu nabo bambona uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe lesiphetho sivumelana neBhayibheli?

Lokho UJesu Akusho

Esikhundleni sokumemezela ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu enyameni, uJesu Kristu wathi: “NgiyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 10:36) NjengoMmeleli ophelele kaJehova uNkulunkulu, uJesu futhi wathi: “Mina ngingenze-lutho ngokwami; ngahlulela njengalokho engikuzwayo; ukwahlulela kwami kulungile, ngokuba ngingafuni eyami intando kepha intando yongithumileyo.” (Johane 5:30) Lapho uJesu esesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, wathandaza kuMdali omkhulu emazulwini, embiza ngokuthi “Nkulunkulu wami, Nkulunkulu wami.” (Mathewu 27:46) Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu watshela uMariya Magdalena: “Ngenyukela kuBaba noYihlo, kuNkulunkulu wami noNkulunkulu wenu.” (Johane 20:1, 17) Njengoba uJesu ayengesona isimo senyama sikaNkulunkulu, akekho owabona uJesu owayengathi ngaleyondlela wayebone uNkulunkulu.

UJohane, umphostoli owayethandwa uJesu ngokukhethekile, wavuma ukuthi abaphostoli babengaboni uNkulunkulu lapho bebheka uJesu. Ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa uJohane wathi: “Akakho oké wabona uNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:18) Ubani-ke uAbrahama ambona? Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaMose kuyasisiza ukuba sithole impendulo.

Indlela UMose Abona Ngayo UNkulunkulu

UMose wake wabonisa isifiso sokubona uNkulunkulu. KuEksodusi 33:18-20, siyafunda: “Ake [mina Mose] ngibone inkazimulo yakho. Wathi [uNkulunkulu]: Ngiyakudlulisa phambi kwakho ubuhle bami, ngilimemezele igama likaJehova phambi kwakho, ngibe-nomusa kuyena engithanda ukuba-nomusa kuye, ngibe-nesihe kuyena engithanda ukuba-nesihe kuye. Wathi: Awunakubona ubuso bami, ngokuba akukho-muntu ongangibona, aphile.”

Lokho uNkulunkulu avumela uMose ukuba akubone kwakungukudlula kwenkazimulo yaKhe. Amavesi 21-23 athi: “UJehova wathi: Bheka, nansi indawo kimi; uyakuma edwaleni. Kuyakuthi isadlula inkazimulo yami, ngiyakukufaka ofantwini lwedwala, ngikumboze ngesandla sami, ngize ngidlule. Besengisusa isandla sami, ubone umhlane wami, kepha ubuso bami abuyikubonwa.”

Ngokuvumelana nalokho uJehova akutshela uMose nalokho umphostoli uJohane akusho, uMose akazange abone isimo esingokoqobo sikaNkulunkulu. Lokho uMose akubona kwakuyinkazimulo yobukhona bukaNkulunkulu idlula. Ngisho nalapho kwakumelwe avikelwe ngokwaphezulu. Ngokusobala, kwakungeyena uNkulunkulu uqobo lowo uMose ambona.

Lapho uMose ekhuluma noNkulunkulu “ubuso nobuso,” njengoba kushiwo kuEksodusi 33:11, wayengabonani noJehova. Lamazwi abonisa indlela uMose axhumana ngayo noNkulunkulu, hhayi lokho akubona. Ukukhuluma noNkulunkulu, “ubuso nobuso” kubonisa ingxoxo yabantu ababili. Ngokufanayo, umuntu angaqhuba ingxoxo yokuphendulana ocingweni ngaphandle kokubona omunye umuntu.

Lapho uMose ekhuluma noNkulunkulu futhi amukela iziyalezo kuye, ukuxhumana kwakungenziwa ngemibono, njengoba ngokuvamile kwakunjalo ngabanye abaprofethi. Lokhu kuphawulwe kuNumeri 12:6-8, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “Wayesethi: Yizwani manje amazwi ami: uma kukhona umprofethi phakathi kwenu, mina-Jehova ngiyakuzibonakalisa kuye ngombono, ngikhulume kuye ngephupho. Inceku yami uMose akanjalo; uthembekile endlini yami yonke; ngiyakukhuluma naye umlomo nomlomo ngokusobala, kungabi-ngamazwi ayimfumbe; isimo sikaJehova uyakusibona.” Kungamuphi umqondo uMose abona “isimo sikaJehova”?

UMose wasibona “isimo sikaJehova” lapho yena, uAroni, namanye amadoda athile beseNtabeni iSinayi. KuEksodusi 24:10, kulotshiwe: “Bambona uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; phansi kwezinyawo zakhe kwakungathi kugandayiwe ngamatshe amasafire, kungathi yizulu uqobo ngokucweba.” Kodwa kukanjani uMose namanye amadoda ‘babona uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli,’ njengoba uNkulunkulu ayemtshelile, “Akukho-muntu ongangibona, aphile”? Ivesi 11 liyachaza, ngoba lithi: “Akasibekanga isandla sakhe kuzo izikhulu zabantwana bakwaIsrayeli; sebembonile uNkulunkulu badla, baphuza.” Ngakho ukubonakala kukaNkulunkulu lokho uMose nabanye abakubona kwakungendlela yombono.

Abameleli Abayizingelosi

Akuzange kudingeke ngoMdali omkhulu wendawo yonke ukuba asuke endaweni yakhe ephakeme emazulwini eze phansi emhlabeni ukuze adlulisele izigijimi kubantu abathile. Ngaphandle kwezibonelo ezintathu ezibhalwe phansi lapho izwi likaNkulunkulu uqobo lezwakala khona ngesikhathi iNdodana yakhe isemhlabeni, uJehova ubelokhu esebenzisa izingelosi ukuze adlulisele izigijimi zaKhe. (Mathewu 3:17; 17:5; Johane 12:28) Ngisho noMthetho uNkulunkulu awunika isizwe sakwaIsrayeli eNtabeni iSinayi wadluliselwa ngezingelosi, nakuba uMose avezwa njengowayekhuluma ngokuqondile noNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Pho, umthetho uyini na? Wenezelwa ngenxa yeziphambeko, kuze kufike inzalo enikiwe isithembiso, umisiwe ngezingelosi, ngesandla somlamuleli.”—Galathiya 3:19.

Ukuthi uMose wakhuluma ngempela nengelosi eyayimelele uNkulunkulu ngokoqobo kubonisiwe futhi kuzEnzo 7:38, ezithi: “Nguye lowo owayesebandleni ehlane kanye nengelosi eyakhuluma naye entabeni yaseSinayi kanye nawobaba.” Leyongelosi yayingumkhulumeli ongokoqobo kaJehova uNkulunkulu, uMdali, ngakho yakhuluma noMose njengokungathi kwakukhuluma uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe.

Ingelosi eyadlulisela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kuMose esihlahleni esivuthayo nayo yayingumkhulumeli. Ichazwe njengengelosi kaJehova kuEksodusi 3:2, lapho sitshelwa khona ukuthi: “Kwabonakala kuye ingelosi kaJehova elangabini lomlilo livela phakathi kwesihlahla.” Ivesi 4 lithi: “UNkulunkulu esebona ukuthi uyaphambuka ukuyobuka, uNkulunkulu wambiza ephakathi kwesihlahla.” Evesini 6, lomkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu oyingelosi wathi: “NginguNkulunkulu kayihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, noNkulunkulu ka-Isaka, noNkulunkulu kaJakobe.” Ngakho lapho ekhuluma nalommeleli kaNkulunkulu ongokoqobo, uMose wakhuluma njengokungathi wayekhuluma noJehova ngokwakhe.—Eksodusi 4:10.

Esahlukweni sesi-6 saBahluleli, sithola esinye isibonelo somuntu ekhuluma noNkulunkulu ngommeleli oyingelosi. Ivesi 11 lichaza umphathi wesigijimi ngokuthi “ingelosi kaJehova.” Lapho siyafunda: “Kwafika ingelosi kaJehova, yahlala phansi kweoki laseOfira likaJowashi umAbiyezeri; indodana yakhe uGideyoni yayibhula ukolweni esikhamweni sewayini ukuba amthukusele abakwaMidiyani.” Lesithunywa, “ingelosi kaJehova,” kamuva simelelwe njengokungathi sasinguJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Kumavesi 14 no-15, siyafunda: “UJehova wambheka [uGideyoni], wathi: Hamba ngalawamandla akho, umsindise uIsrayeli esandleni sakwaMidiyani; angikuthumanga na? Wathi kuye: O Nkosi, ngiyakumsindisa uIsrayeli ngantoni na?” Ngakho ingelosi esesimweni esibonakalayo eyabonwa uGideyoni futhi wakhuluma nayo ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli imelelwe njengokungathi yayinguNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Evesini 22, uGideyoni uthi: “Ngibonile ingelosi kaJehova ubuso nobuso.” Ingelosi yakhuluma khona kanye lokho uNkulunkulu ayeyitshele khona ukuba ikukhulume. Ngakho-ke, uGideyoni wakhuluma noNkulunkulu ngalomkhulumeli oyingelosi.

Cabangela, futhi, indaba kaManowa nomkakhe, abazali bakaSamsoni. Lokhu kulandisa nakho kukhuluma ngesithunywa esiyingelosi ngokuthi “ingelosi kaJehova” nokuthi “ingelosi kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (AbAhluleli 13:2-18, NW) Evesini 22, uManowa uthi kumkakhe: “Siyakufa nokufa, ngokuba simbonile uNkulunkulu.” Nakuba engambonanga ngokoqobo uJehova uNkulunkulu, uManowa wazizwa ngaleyondlela ngoba wayebone umkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu esesimweni esibonakalayo.

“Akekho Umuntu Oke Wabona UNkulunkulu”

Manje kungaqondakala ukuthi kungani uAbrahama akhuluma nomkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu oyingelosi obonakala ngamehlo enyama njengokungathi wayekhuluma noJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Njengoba lengelosi yakhuluma khona kanye lokho uNkulunkulu ayefuna ukukusho kuAbrahama futhi yayimelele Yena ngokoqobo, umlando weBhayibheli ungasho ukuthi “uJehova wabonakala kuye.”—Genesise 18:1.

Khumbula ukuthi umkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu oyingelosi angadlulisela izigijimi zaKhe njengoba nje ucingo noma umsakazo kungadlulisela amazwi ethu komunye umuntu. Khona-ke, kungaqondwa indlela uAbrahama, uMose, uManowa, nabanye ababekwazi ngayo ukukhuluma nengelosi esesimweni esibonakalayo njengokungathi babekhuluma noNkulunkulu. Nakuba lababantu babekwazi ukubona lezingelosi nenkazimulo kaJehova ebonakaliswa yizo, abakwazanga ukumbona uNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, lokhu akuphikisani neze namazwi omphostoli uJohane: “Akakho oké wabona uNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:18) Lokho labantu abakubona kwakungabameleli abayizingelosi hhayi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe.