Isahluko 3
Ungubani UNkulunkulu Weqiniso?
1. Kungani abaningi bevumelana namazwi okuqala eBhayibheli?
LAPHO ubuka isibhakabhaka ngobusuku obucwathile, awumangali yini ukubona izinkanyezi eziningi kangaka? Uye uthi zaba khona kanjani? Futhi kuthiwani ngezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni—izimbali ezimibalabala, izinyoni nezingoma zazo ezimnandi, imikhomo enamandla egxuma olwandle? Singabala sithini. Konke lokhu akunakwenzeka ukuthi kwazivelela ngengozi. Kungakho abaningi bevumelana namazwi okuqala eBhayibheli: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala izulu nomhlaba”!—Genesise 1:1.
2. Lithini iBhayibheli ngoNkulunkulu, futhi lisikhuthaza ukuba senzeni?
2 Isintu sihlukene kakhulu endabeni kaNkulunkulu. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungamandla angeyena umuntu. Izigidi zikhulekela okhokho asebafa, zikholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukude kakhulu ukuba singasondela kuye. Kodwa iBhayibheli lembula ukuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso ungumuntu wangempela obonisa isithakazelo esifudumele kithi njengabantu ngabanye. Kungaleso sizathu lisikhuthaza ukuba ‘sifune uNkulunkulu,’ lithi: ‘Akakude kulowo nalowo kithi.’—IzEnzo 17:27.
3. Kungani kungenakwenzeka ukwenza umfanekiso kaNkulunkulu?
3 UNkulunkulu unjani? Izinceku zakhe ezimbalwa ziye zabona imibono yokuba khona kwakhe okukhazimulayo. Kulemibono uye waziveza ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, kunokukhanya okwesabekayo okusuka kuye. Nokho, labo ababona imibono enjalo abakaze bachaze ubuso obucacile. (Daniyeli 7:9, 10; IsAmbulo 4:2, 3) Lokho kungenxa yokuthi “uNkulunkulu uwuMoya”; akanawo umzimba wenyama. (Johane 4:24) Eqinisweni, kuyinto engenakwenzeka ukwenza umfanekiso onembile woMdali wethu, ngoba “akekho umuntu oye wabona uNkulunkulu nganoma isiphi isikhathi.” (Johane 1:18; Eksodusi 33:20) Nokho, iBhayibheli lisifundisa okuningi ngoNkulunkulu.
UNKULUNKULU WEQINISO UNEGAMA
4. Yiziphi ezinye iziqu ezinencazelo ebalulekile uNkulunkulu abizwa ngazo eBhayibhelini?
4 EBhayibhelini, uNkulunkulu weqiniso uchazwa ngamagama anjengathi “uNkulunkulu uSomandla,” “oPhezukonke,” “Mdali [Omkhulu, NW],” “Mfundisi Omkhulu,” “Nkosi Engumbusi,” nangokuthi “Nkosi engunaphakade.” (Genesise 17:1; IHubo 50:14; UmShumayeli 12:1; Isaya 30:20, NW; IzEnzo 4:24; 1 Thimothewu 1:17) Ukuzindla ngeziqu ezinjalo kungasisiza sikhule olwazini ngoNkulunkulu.
5. Ubani igama likaNkulunkulu, futhi livela kangaki emiBhalweni yesiHeberu?
5 Nokho, uNkulunkulu unegama eliyingqayizivele elivela cishe izikhathi ezingu-7 000 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu iyodwa—kaningi ukudlula noma yisiphi seziqu zakhe. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-1 900 edlule, ngenxa yokukholelwa ezeni amaJuda ayeka ukuphimisela lelogama laphezulu. IsiHeberu seBhayibheli sasibhalwa ngaphandle konkamisa. Ngakho, ayikho indlela yokwazi ngokuthé ngqo ukuthi uMose, uDavide, noma abanye abantu basendulo babebaphimisela kanjani ongwaqa abane (יהוה) abakha igama laphezulu. Ezinye izazi zisikisela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu laliphinyiselwa ngokuthi “Yahweh,” kodwa azinakugomela. Indlela yokuphimisela yesiNgisi ethi “Jehovah” sekungamakhulu eminyaka isetshenziswa futhi indlela yokulibiza ngezilimi eziningi yamukelwa abaningi namuhla.—Bheka u-Eksodusi 6:3 no-Isaya 26:4.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA USEBENZISE IGAMA LIKANKULUNKULU
6. IHubo 83:18 lithini ngoJehova, futhi kungani kufanele sisebenzise igama lakhe?
6 Igama likaNkulunkulu eliyingqayizivele, elithi Jehova, limhlukanisa kubo bonke abanye onkulunkulu. Kungakho lelogama livela izikhathi eziningi eBhayibhelini, ikakhulukazi embhalweni wesiHeberu. Abahumushi abaningi bayahluleka ukusebenzisa leligama laphezulu, kodwa iHubo 83:18 lisho ngokucacile: “Nguwe wedwa ogama lakho linguJehova; ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.” Ngakho kufanelekile ukuba sisebenzise igama likaNkulunkulu lapho sikhuluma ngaye.
7. Incazelo yegama elithi Jehova isifundisani ngoNkulunkulu?
7 Igama elithi Jehova liwuhlobo lwesenzo sesiHeberu esisho “ukuba khona.” Ngakho, igama likaNkulunkulu lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu uzichaza njengoMsunguli Wezinjongo Omkhulu. Ngaso sonke isikhathi uyazifeza izinjongo zakhe. UNkulunkulu weqiniso kuphela ongase abizwe ngaleli gama ngokufanele, ngoba abantu abasoze baqiniseka ukuthi amacebo abo ayophumelela. (Jakobe 4:13, 14) UJehova kuphela ongase athi: “Liyakuba-njalo izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami . . . Liphumelele kulokhu engilithumele kukho.”—Isaya 55:11.
8. Iyiphi injongo uJehova ayimemezela esebenzisa uMose?
8 Ngayinye yezinzalamizi ezingamaHeberu u-Abrahama, u-Isaka, noJakobe ‘yalibiza igama likaJehova,’ kodwa zazingakwazi kahle ukubaluleka kwalelo gama laphezulu. (Genesise 21:33; 26:25; 32:9; Eksodusi 6:3) Lapho kamuva uJehova embula injongo yakhe yokukhulula inzalo yazo, ama-Israyeli, ebugqilini baseGibithe nokuyinika “izwe elichichima ubisi nezinyosi,” kungenzeka lokhu kwabonakala kungenakwenzeka. (Eksodusi 3:17) Nokho, uNkulunkulu wagcizelela ukubaluleka kwaphakade kwegama lakhe ngokutshela umprofethi wakhe uMosê: “Uzakusho njalo kubo abantwana bakwaIsrayeli, uthi: UJehova, uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, noNkulunkulu kalsaka; noNkulunkulu kaJakobe, ungithumile kini: yileli eliyigama lami kuze kube-phakade, lesi siyisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.”—Eksodusi 3:15.
9. UFaro wayembheka kanjani uJehova?
9 UMose wacela uFaro, inkosi yaseGibithe, ukuba ivumele ama-Israyeli ayokhulekela uJehova ehlane. Kodwa uFaro, naye uqobo owayebhekwa njengonkulunkulu futhi ekhulekela abanye onkulunkulu baseGibithe, waphendula: “Ngubani uJehova ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe, ngimyeke uIsrayeli ukuba ahambe na? Angimazi uJehova, futhi angiyikumvumela uIsrayeli ukuba ahambe.”—Eksodusi 5:1, 2.
10. EGibithe lasendulo, yisiphi isinyathelo uJehova asithatha ukuze afeze injongo yakhe eyayihilela ama-Israyeli?
10 UJehova wabe esethatha isinyathelo sokufeza injongo yakhe, enza ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lakhe. Wehlisela abaseGibithe lasendulo izinhlupho eziyishumi. Inhlupho yokugcina yabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibithe, kuhlanganise nendodana kaFaro owayeqhosha. Ngemva kwalokho abaseGibithe bashisekela ukuba u-Israyeli ahambe. Nokho, abanye abantu baseGibithe bahlatshwa umxhwele amandla kaJehova kangangokuba bahamba nama-Israyeli lapho eshiya iGibithe.—Eksodusi 12:35-38.
11. Yisiphi isimangaliso uJehova asenza oLwandle Olubomvu, futhi yini izitha zakhe ezaphoqelelwa ukuba ziyivume?
11 UFaro onenkani namabutho akhe, kanye namakhulu ezinqola zempi, bazama ukubuye babambe lezi zigqila zakhe. Njengoba abaseGibithe besondela, ngokuyisimangaliso uNkulunkulu wahlukanisa phakathi uLwandle Olubomvu ukuze ama-Israyeli anqamule emhlabathini owomile. Lapho ababewaxosha sebengene phakathi nolwandle, uJehova ‘wawisa amasondo ezinqola ukuba bahambe kalukhuni.’ Amabutho aseGibithe amemeza: “Masibaleke ebusweni bukaIsrayeli, ngokuba uJehova uyabalwela emelene nabaseGibithe.” Kodwa kwase kwephuze kakhulu. Izindonga ezinkulu zamanzi zadilika futhi ‘zasibekela izinqola, nabamahhashi, nayo yonke impi kaFaro.’ (Eksodusi 14:22-25, 28) Ngaleyondlela uJehova wazenzela igama elikhulu, futhi leso sigameko asikalitshalwa kuze kube namuhla.—Joshuwa 2:9-11.
12, 13. (a) Lisho ukuthini igama likaNkulunkulu kithi namuhla? (b) Yini abantu okudingeka bayifunde ngokuphuthumayo, futhi ngani?
12 Igama uNkulunkulu azenzele lona libaluleke kakhulu kithi namuhla. Igama lakhe, elithi Jehova, liyisiqinisekiso sokuthi konke akuhlosile uyokufeza. Lokho kuhlanganisa nokufeza injongo yakhe yasekuqaleni yokuba umhlaba wethu ube ipharadesi. (Genesise 1:28; 2:8) Ukuze enze lokho, uNkulunkulu uyosusa bonke abamelene nobukhosi bakhe namuhla, ngoba uthe: “Zazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Hezekeli 38:23) Khona-ke uNkulunkulu uyogcwalisa isithembiso sakhe sokukhulula abakhulekeli bakhe bangene ezweni elisha lokulunga.—2 Petru 3:13.
13 Bonke abafuna umusa kaNkulunkulu kumelwe bafunde ukubiza igama lakhe ngokholo. IBhayibheli liyathembisa: “Wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova uyosindiswa.” (Roma 10:13) Yebo, igama elithi Jehova linencazelo ebalulekile. Ukubiza uJehova ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wakho noMkhululi kungakuholela enjabulweni engapheli.
IZIMFANELO ZIKANKULUNKULU WEQINISO
14. Yiziphi izimfanelo eziyisisekelo zikaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli eliziqokomisayo?
14 Ukufunda ngokukhululwa kuka-Israyeli eGibithe kuqokomisa izimfanelo ezine eziyisisekelo uNkulunkulu anazo azilinganisa ngokuphelele. Ukusebenzelana kwakhe noFaro kuveza amandla akhe asabekayo. (Eksodusi 9:16) Ubuciko uNkulunkulu asingatha ngabo leso simo esasiyinkimbinkimbi babonisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe okungenakuqhathaniswa. (Roma 11:33) Wabonisa ubulungisa bakhe lapho ejezisa abaphikisi nabacindezeli abanenkani babantu bakhe. (Duteronomi 32:4) Imfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele uthando. UJehova wabonisa uthando oluvelele ngokugcina isithembiso sakhe esiphathelene nenzalo ka-Abrahama. (Duteronomi 7:8) Futhi wabonisa uthando ngokuvumela abathile baseGibithe ukuba bashiye onkulunkulu bamanga futhi bazuze kakhulu ngokumelela owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso.
15, 16. UNkulunkulu uye walubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando?
15 Njengoba ufunda iBhayibheli, uzoqaphela ukuthi uthando luyimfanelo kaNkulunkulu eyinhloko, futhi uyibonakalisa ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, uthando olwamenza waba uMdali futhi waqala ukuhlanganyela injabulo yokuphila nezidalwa zomoya. Lawomakhulu ezigidi ezingelosi ayamthanda uNkulunkulu futhi ayamdumisa. (Jobe 38:4, 7; Daniyeli 7:10) Futhi uNkulunkulu wabonisa uthando ngokudala umhlaba nokuwulungisa ukuze abantu bahlale kuwo ngenjabulo.—Genesise 1:1, 26-28; IHubo 115:16.
16 Sizuza othandweni lukaNkulunkulu ngezindlela eziningi kakhulu ukuba singazibala. Phakathi kokunye, ngothando uNkulunkulu wenze imizimba yethu ngendlela enhle kakhulu ukuze sikwazi ukujabulela ukuphila. (IHubo 139:14) Uthando lwakhe lubonakaliswa ngokuba alungiselele “izimvula ezivela ezulwini nezinkathi ezinezithelo, egcwalisa kakhulu izinhliziyo [zethu] ngokudla nangokwenama okukhulu.” (IzEnzo 14:17) UNkulunkulu uze ‘enze ilanga lakhe liphume phezu kwabantu ababi nabahle futhi wenza line phezu kwabantu abalungileyo nabangalungile.’ (Mathewu 5:45) Futhi uthando lushukumisela uMdali wethu ukuba asisize ukuba sizuze ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu futhi simkhonze ngenjabulo njengabakhulekeli bakhe. Ngempela, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Kodwa ubuntu bakhe buhilela okungaphezu kwalokhu.
“UNKULUNKULU OGCWELE ISIHE, ONOMUSA”
17. Yini esiyifunda ngoNkulunkulu ku-Eksodusi 34:6, 7?
17 Ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli ewele uLwandle Olubomvu, kwakusadingeka amazi kangcono uNkulunkulu. UMose wasizwa lesi sidingo futhi wathandaza: “Uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, ake ungibonise izindlela zakho ukuba ngikwazi, ukuze ngifumane umusa emehlweni akho.” (Eksodusi 33:13) UMose wamazi kangcono uNkulunkulu lapho ezwa uNkulunkulu uqobo ememeza: “NguJehova! NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé ubumnene neqiniso, ogcinela abayizinkulungwane umusa, othethelela ububi neziphambeko nezono, ongayikuyekela onecala.” (Eksodusi 34:6, 7) UNkulunkulu ulinganisa uthando lwakhe nobulungisa, akavikeli izoni zamabomu emiphumeleni yokona kwazo.
18. UJehova uye wabonakala kanjani enesihe?
18 Njengoba uMose afunda, uJehova ubonisa isihe. Umuntu onesihe unozwela ngabahluphekayo futhi uzama ukubalethela impumuzo. Ngenxa yalokho uNkulunkulu uye wabonisa isintu isihawu ngokwenza ilungiselelo lokusikhulula phakade ekuhluphekeni, ekuguleni, nasekufeni. (IsAmbulo 21:3-5) Abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu bangabhekana nezinhlekelele ngenxa yezimo zalelizwe elibi, noma bangase benze izinto ngobuwula bese bebhekana nezinkinga. Kodwa uma ngokuthobeka bephendukela kuJehova bacele usizo, uyobaduduza futhi abasize. Ngani? Ngoba ngesihe ubonisa ukubakhathalela kothando abakhulekeli bakhe.—IHubo 86:15; 1 Petru 5:6, 7.
19. Kungani singase sithi uNkulunkulu unomusa?
19 Abantu abaningi abanegunya babaphatha ngokhahlo abanye. Ngokuphambene, yeka indlela uJehova anomusa ngayo ezincekwini zakhe ezithobekile! Nakuba eyigunya eliphakeme kunawo wonke endaweni yonke, ubonisa umusa ovelele esintwini sisonke. (IHubo 8:3, 4; Luka 6:35) Futhi uJehova unomusa kubantu ngabanye, esabela kunoma yikuphi ukunxusa kwabo becela umusa. (Eksodusi 22:26, 27; Luka 18:13, 14) Yebo, akukho muntu uNkulunkulu anesibopho sokumbonisa umusa noma isihe. (Eksodusi 33:19) Ngakho-ke, kudingeka sibonise ukwazisa okujulile ngesihe nomusa kaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 145:1, 8.
WEPHUZA UKUTHUKUTHELA, AKAKHETHI, FUTHI ULUNGILE
20. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova uyephuza ukuthukuthela futhi akakhethi?
20 UJehova uyephuza ukuthukuthela. Nokho, lokhu akusho ukuthi akasithathi isinyathelo, ngoba yilokho akwenza lapho ebhubhisa uFaro owayenenkani namabutho akhe oLwandle Olubomvu. UJehova ubuye abe ongakhethi. Ngakho, abantu bakhe ayebathanda, ama-Israyeli, bagcina belahlekelwe umusa wakhe ngenxa yokuphikelela kwabo ekoneni. UNkulunkulu wamukela abantu bazo zonke izizwe ukuba babe abakhulekeli bakhe, kodwa kuphela labo abenza ngokuvumelana nezindlela zakhe zokulunga.—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.
21. (a) IsAmbulo 15:2-4 sisifundisani ngoNkulunkulu? (b) Yini eyokwenza kube lula ukuba senze lokho uNkulunkulu athi kulungile?
21 Incwadi yeBhayibheli yesAmbulo iqokomisa ukubaluleka kokufunda ‘ngezinqumo’ zikaNkulunkulu “ezilungileyo.” Isitshela ukuthi izidalwa zasezulwini ziyahlabelela: “Mikhulu iyamangalisa imisebenzi yakho, Jehova Nkulunkulu, Mninimandla onke. Zilungile futhi ziyiqiniso izindlela zakho, Nkosi yaphakade. Ubani ongeke ngempela akwesabe, Jehova, futhi akhazimulise igama lakho, ngoba wena wedwa uthembekile? Ngoba zonke izizwe zizokuza futhi zikhulekele phambi kwakho, ngoba izinqumo zakho ezilungileyo ziye zabonakaliswa.” (IsAmbulo 15:2-4) Sisuke sibonisa ukwesaba uJehova okunempilo, noma ukumhlonipha, uma senza ngokuvumelana nalokho athi kulungile. Ukuzikhumbuza ngokuhlakanipha nangothando lukaNkulunkulu kukwenza kube lula lokhu. Yonke imiyalo yakhe izuzisa thina.—Isaya 48:17, 18.
‘UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU WETHU MUNYE’
22. Kungani labo abamukela iBhayibheli bengakhulekeli uZiqu-zintathu?
22 AbaseGibithe lasendulo babekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, kodwa uJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu ofuna ukuzinikela okukhethekile.’ (Eksodusi 20:5, NW) UMose wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi “uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, munye.” (Duteronomi 6:4, omalukeke sizenzele.) UJesu Kristu wawaphinda lawo mazwi. (Marku 12:28, 29) Ngakho-ke, labo abamukela iBhayibheli njengeliyiZwi likaNkulunkulu abakhulekeli uZiqu-zintathu onabantu noma onkulunkulu abathathu koyedwa. Eqinisweni, igama elithi “Ziqu-zintathu” aliveli nakuvela eBhayibhelini. UNkulunkulu weqiniso unguMuntu oyedwa, ongahlangene noJesu Kristu. (Johane 14:28; 1 Korinte 15:28) Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu awuyena umuntu. Ungamandla kaJehova asebenzayo, asetshenziswa uMninimandla onke ekufezeni izinjongo zakhe.—Genesise 1:2; IzEnzo 2:1-4, 32, 33; 2 Petru 1:20, 21.
23. (a) Yini eyokhulisa uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu? (b) UJesu wathini ngokuthanda uNkulunkulu, futhi yini okudingeka siyifunde ngoKristu?
23 Lapho ucabangela indlela uJehova amuhle ngayo, awuvumi yini ukuthi uyakufanelekela ukuba umkhulekele? Njengoba utadisha iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, uyomazi kangcono futhi uyokwazi ukuthi ufunani kuwe ukuze ube nenhlala-kahle nenjabulo yaphakade. (Mathewu 5:3, 6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu luyokhula. Kuyafaneleka lokho, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke nangezikhwepha zakho zonke.” (Marku 12:30) Ngokusobala, uJesu wayenothando olunjalo ngoNkulunkulu. Kodwa iBhayibheli lembulani ngoJesu Kristu? Iyini indima yakhe enjongweni kaJehova?
HLOLA ULWAZI LWAKHO
Ubani igama likaNkulunkulu, futhi lisetshenziswe kangaki emiBhalweni yesiHeberu?
Ubani igama likaNkulunkulu, futhi lisetshenziswe kangaki emiBhalweni yesiHeberu?
Kungani kufanele usebenzise igama likaNkulunkulu?
Yiziphi izimfanelo zikaJehova uNkulunkulu ozithanda ngokukhethekile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 29]
Umazi kahle kangakanani uMdali wezinto zonke?