UMdali Wakho—Funda Ukuthi Unjani
“Ngiyakudlulisa phambi kwakho ubuhle bami, ngilimemezele igama likaJehova phambi kwakho.”—EKSODUSI 33:19.
1. Kungani uMdali efanelwe ukudunyiswa?
UMPHOSTOLI UJOHANE, umlobi wencwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli, wabhala la mazwi anzulu mayelana noMdali: “Uyakufanelekela, Jehova, yebo Nkulunkulu wethu, ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngoba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba khona futhi zadalwa.” (IsAmbulo 4:11) Njengoba isihloko esandulele sikuvezile, okutholwa yisayensi yanamuhla ngokuvamile kunezela izizathu zokukholelwa kuMdali wazo zonke izinto.
2, 3. (a) Yini edingwa abantu ukuze bafunde ngoMdali? (b) Kungani kungenangqondo ukubonana ubuso nobuso noMdali?
2 Njengoba kubalulekile ukwamukela ukuthi ukhona uMdali, kubaluleke ngokufanayo nokufunda ukuthi unjani—ukuthi ungumuntu ongokoqobo, onobuntu nezindlela ezenza abantu badonsekele kuye. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usukwenzé kangakanani lokho, ngeke yini kukuzuzise ukumazi kangcono? Lokho akudingi ukuba uze ubonane naye ubuso nobuso, ngendlela esibonana ngayo nabanye abantu.
3 UJehova unguMthombo wezinkanyezi imbala, njengoba ilanga lethu liyinkanyezi engadle ngabukhulu kunezinye. Ingabe ubungacabanga ukuzama ukulibonela eduze ilanga? Lutho! Iningi labantu liyakugwema ngisho nokubheka kulo noma ukuchaya isikhumba sabo emisebeni yalo enamandla isikhathi eside. Izinga lokushisa kwalo phakathi lingaba ngu-15 000 000 °C. Umzuzwana ngamunye, leli ziko elincibilikisa ama-nucleus ama-athomu liphehla amandla ngezakhi ezinesisindo esingaba amathani ayizigidi ezine. Yingxenyana nje encane yalawo mandla efinyelela emhlabeni isiwukushisa nokukhanya, kodwa leso silinganiso sisekela konke ukuphila lapha. Lawo maqiniso ayisisekelo kufanele asenze senganywe amandla oMdali asabekayo. U-Isaya wabhala ngokufanelekile “ngobuningi bamandla [oMdali] nangobukhulu bezikhwepha zakhe.”—Isaya 40:26.
4. Wacelani uMose, futhi uJehova wathini?
4 Nokho, bewazi yini ukuthi ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile ama-Israyeli ephumé eGibithe ngo-1513 B.C.E., uMose wancenga uMdali wathi: “Ake ngibone inkazimulo yakho.” (Eksodusi 33:18) Ngokukhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMthombo welanga imbala, ungaqonda ukuthi kungani atshela uMose ukuthi: “Awunakubona ubuso bami, ngokuba akukho muntu ongangibona, aphile.” UMdali wavumela uMose ukuba acashe eNtabeni YaseSinayi lapho Yena ‘edlula.’ UMose wabe esebona “umhlane” kaNkulunkulu, ngokomfanekiso, wabona uhlobo oluthile lokukhanya ngemva kokudlula kwenkazimulo, noma ukuba khona, koMdali.—Eksodusi 33:20-23; Johane 1:18.
5. UMdali wasanelisa kanjani isicelo sikaMose, okwafakazelani?
5 Isifiso sikaMose sokumazi kangcono uMdali saneliswa. Ngokusobala ekhuluma esebenzisa ingelosi, uNkulunkulu wadlula ngakuMose wathi: “NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novame ubumnene neqiniso, ogcinela abayizinkulungwane umusa, othethelela ububi neziphambeko nezono, ongayikuyekela onecala.” (Eksodusi 34:6, 7) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi ukwazi uMdali wethu kangcono akuhileli ukubona isimo sakhe esingokoqobo, kodwa ukuqonda kakhudlwana ukuthi unjani, ubuntu nezici zakhe.
6. Kukanjani isimiso sokuzivikela semizimba yethu siyisimangaliso?
6 Enye indlela esingakwenza ngayo lokho iwukubona izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu kulokho akudala. Cabanga ngesimiso sokuzivikela somzimba wakho. Lapho ikhuluma ngalesi simiso, i-Scientific American yathi: “Kusukela ngaphambi kokuzalwa kuze kube sekufeni, isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela silokhu sisebenza. Inqwaba yama-molecule namangqamuzana ahlukahlukene . . . isivikela ezintweni eziphila ngokuncela kithi nasemagciwaneni agulisayo. Ngaphandle kwalezo zivikelo, abantu bebengeke baqhubeke bephila.” Uyini umthombo waleso simiso? Isihloko esasikulowo magazini sathi: “Le nqwaba emangalisayo yamangqamuzana asebenzelana ngobungcweti navikela umzimba kubahlaseli abangama-microbe nabangamagciwane ivela emangqamuzaneni ambalwa andulelayo aqala ukuvela emasontweni angaba yisishiyagalolunye ngemva kokukhulelwa.” Owesifazane okhulelwe udlulisela ingxenye yesimiso sokuzivikela embungwini osakhula. Kamuva, unikeza umntwana wakhe namangqamuzana avikela umzimba kanye namakhemikhali awusizo ngobisi lwakhe lwebele.
7. Yini esingase sicabange ngayo ngesimiso sokuzivikela semizimba yethu, okuholela kusiphi isiphetho?
7 Unesizathu esihle sokuphetha ngokuthi isimiso somzimba wakho sokuzivikela sidlula noma yini engase inikezwe ezokwelapha zanamuhla. Ngakho, zibuze, ‘Kusikiselani lokhu ngoMsunguli noMuphi waso?’ Lesi simiso, ‘esiqala ukuvela cishe emasontweni ayisishiyagalolunye ngemva kokukhulelwa’ futhi esikulungele ukuvikela umntwana osanda kuzalwa, ngokuqinisekile sibonisa ukuhlakanipha nokuhlela kusengaphambili. Kodwa ingabe kukhona okunye esingakubona mayelana noMdali kulesi simiso? Yini iningi lethu eliphetha ngayo ngo-Albert Schweitzer nabanye abanikela ngokuphila kwabo ekunakekeleni impilo yabahluphekayo? Ngokuvamile sibachaza ngezimfanelo ezinhle abantu abanjalo abathuthukisa inhlalakahle nabanesisa. Ngokufanayo, yini esingaphetha ngayo ngoMdali wethu, onikeza abacebile nabampofu ngokufanayo isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela? Kusobala ukuthi unothando, akakhethi, unesisa futhi unobulungisa. Ingabe lokhu akuhambisani nencazelo yoMdali eyezwiwa uMose?
Uyakwambula Ukuthi Unjani
8. Iyiphi indlela ekhethekile uJehova azambula ngayo kithi?
8 Nokho, kukhona enye indlela yokumazi kangcono uMdali wethu—ukumazi ngeBhayibheli. Lokhu kubaluleke kakhulu ngoba kunezinto eziphathelene naye isayensi nendawo yonke okungeke neze kuzambule, nezinye izinto ezicace kakhudlwana eBhayibhelini. Isibonelo salezi zokuqala yigama loMdali. YiBhayibheli kuphela elambula kokubili igama loMdali nalokho elikushoyo. Emibhalweni yesandla yeBhayibheli yesiHeberu, igama lakhe livela izikhathi ezingu-7 000 lingongwaqa abane abangase bahunyushwe ngokuthi YHWH noma JHVH, ngokuvamile okuphimiselwa ngokuthi Jehovah ngesiNgisi.—Eksodusi 3:15; 6:3.
9. Lisho ukuthini igama loMdali, futhi yini esingaphetha ngayo ngenxa yalokhu?
9 Ukuze simazi kangcono uMdali, kudingeka siqaphele ukuthi akayona nje “iMbangela Yokuqala” engaqondakali noma “uNginguye” ongacacile. Igama lakhe liyakubonisa lokho. Liyisenzo sesiHeberu esisesimweni esisho ukuthi “yiba.”a (Qhathanisa noGenesise 27:29; UmShumayeli 11:3.) Igama likaNkulunkulu lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona” futhi ligcizelela ukuthi uba nenjongo futhi athathe isinyathelo. Uma silazi futhi silisebenzisa igama lakhe, singakuqonda kangcono ukuthi uyazifeza izithembiso nezinjongo zakhe.
10. Yini ebalulekile esingayiqonda ekulandiseni okukuGenesise?
10 IBhayibheli liwumthombo wolwazi lwezinjongo nobuntu bukaNkulunkulu. Ukulandisa okukuGenesise kwembula ukuthi ngesinye isikhathi isintu sasinokuthula noNkulunkulu futhi sinethemba lokuphila okude nokunenjongo. (Genesise 1:28; 2:7-9) Ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lakhe, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyokuqeda ukuhlupheka nokukhungatheka osekuyisikhathi eside abantu bebhekene nakho. Mayelana nokugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe, siyafunda: “Izwe elingokoqobo lenziwa lakhungatheka, kungengakufisa kwalo, kodwa ngentando yoMdali, okwathi lapho elenza kanjalo, walinika ithemba lokuba ngolunye usuku . . . lenziwe lihlanganyele inkululeko yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 8:20, 21, The New Testament Letters, kaJ. W. C. Wand.
11. Kungani singase sihlole izindaba zeBhayibheli, futhi ithini imininingwane yenye yalezo zindaba?
11 IBhayibheli lingasisiza futhi ukuba simazi kangcono uMdali wethu ngoba lembula izenzo zakhe nendlela ayesabela ngayo lapho esebenzelana no-Israyeli wasendulo. Cabanga ngesibonelo esihilela u-Elisha noNahamani, isikhulu sebutho labaseSiriya (ama-Aramu) ababeyizitha. Lapho ufunda le ndaba kumaKhosi esiBili isahluko 5, uzobona ukuthi intombazane yakwa-Israyeli eyayiyisithunjwa yasikisela ukuthi uchoko lukaNahamani lwalungase lwelapheke uma ethola usizo ku-Elisha kwa-Israyeli. UNahamani waya lapho elindele ukuthi u-Elisha wayezofike avayizise izandla ngokwesiko elithile lokwelapha eliyimfihlakalo. Kunalokho, u-Elisha watshela lo muntu waseSiriya ukuba ayogeza eMfuleni iJordani. Nakuba kwadingeka ukuba izinceku zakhe zimenze akholiseke ukuthi kwakudingeka enze lokho ayekutshelwa, uNahamani welapheka lapho enza kanjalo. UNahamani wakhipha izipho eziyigugu, lezo u-Elisha azenqaba. Kamuva isisebenzi esikanye naye sanyenya saya kuNahamani, safike sathola ezinye zalezi zipho ngokuqamba amanga. Ukungathembeki kwaso kwaholela ekubeni sishaywe ngochoko. Lena yindaba ethakazelisayo ebonisa isimo somuntu—indaba esingafunda kuyo.
12. Yiziphi iziphetho esingafinyelela kuzo mayelana noMdali uma sibheka indaba ka-Elisha noNahamani?
12 Ngendlela ekhangayo, le ndaba ibonisa ukuthi uMdali Omuhle wendawo yonke akaphakeme kangangokuthi akanakubonisa intombazanyana umusa, okuyinto ehluke kakhulu kokuvamile emasikweni amaningi namuhla. Ifakazela nokuthi uMdali akakhethi uhlanga noma isizwe esisodwa kuphela. (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Ngokuthakazelisayo, kunokuba alindele ukuba abantu basebenzise imigilingwane yokukhohlisa—eyayivamile kwabanye ‘babelaphi’ basendulo nakwabanamuhla—uMdali wabonisa ukuhlakanipha okumangalisayo. Wayekwazi ukwelapha uchoko. Wabonisa nokuqonda nobulungisa lapho engakuvumeli ukukhwabanisa kuphumelele. Ingabe nalokhu akuvumelani yini nobuntu bukaJehova uMose ezwa ngabo? Nakuba le ndaba yeBhayibheli imfushane, yeka ukuthi kuningi kangakanani esingakuthola kuyo ngokuthi unjani uMdali wethu!—IHubo 33:5; 37:28.
13. Bonisa ukuthi singazithola kanjani izifundo ezibalulekile ezindabeni zeBhayibheli.
13 Ezinye izindaba eziphathelene nezenzo zika-Israyeli ezibonisa ukungabongi nendlela uNkulunkulu asabela ngayo zifakazela ukuthi uJehova uyakhathalela ngempela. IBhayibheli lithi ama-Israyeli amlinga ephindelela, emdabukisa futhi emzwisa ubuhlungu. (IHubo 78:40, 41) Ngakho, uMdali unemizwa, futhi kuyamthinta lokho abantu abakwenzayo. Kuningi futhi esingakufunda ezindabeni eziphathelene nabantu abaziwa kakhulu. Lapho uDavide ekhethwa ukuba abe yinkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu watshela uSamuweli: “Umuntu ubheka okusemehlweni, kepha uJehova ubheka okusenhliziyweni.” (1 Samuweli 16:7) Yebo, uMdali ubheka lokho esiyikho ngaphakathi, hhayi nje ukubukeka kwethu ngaphandle. Yeka ukuthi kwanelisa kanjani!
14. Yini okungasizuzisa ukuyenza lapho sifunda imiBhalo YesiHeberu?
14 Izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezingu-39 zabhalwa ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaJesu, futhi kufanele sizifunde. Lokhu akufanele nje kube ngenjongo yokwazi izindaba noma umlando weBhayibheli. Uma sifuna ngempela ukwazi ukuthi unjani uMdali, kufanele sizindle ngalezo zindaba, mhlawumbe sizibuze, ‘Lesi senzakalo sivezani ngobuntu bakhe? Iyiphi phakathi kwezimfanelo zakhe evelelayo lapha?’b Ukwenza kanjalo kungase kusize ngisho nabangabazayo ukuba babone ukuthi iBhayibheli kumelwe ukuba labhalwa ngokwaphezulu, kanjalo kubeke isisekelo sokuba bamazi kangcono uMlobi walo onothando.
UMfundisi Omkhulu Usisiza Ukuba Sazi UMdali
15. Kungani kufanele sifunde ezenzweni nasezimfundisweni zikaJesu?
15 Kuyavunywa, abantu abangabazayo ukuthi kunoMdali noma abanombono ongacacile ngoNkulunkulu kungenzeka abazi lutho olutheni ngeBhayibheli. Mhlawumbe uke wahlangana nabantu abangazi ukuthi uMose waphila ngaphambi kukaMathewu yini noma ngemva kwakhe futhi cishe abangazi lutho ngezenzo nezimfundiso zikaJesu. Kuyadabukisa kakhulu lokho ngoba umuntu angafunda okuningi kakhulu ngoMdali kuMfundisi Omkhulu, uJesu. Njengoba ayenobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu, wayengambula ukuthi unjani uMdali wethu. (Johane 1:18; 2 Korinte 4:6; Heberu 1:3) Futhi wakwambula. Eqinisweni, wake wathi: “Lowo ongibonile mina umbonile noBaba futhi.”—Johane 14:9.
16. Kubonisani ukuxoxa kukaJesu nowesifazane ongumSamariya?
16 Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo. Lapho uJesu ayekhathazwe uhambo, wakhuluma nowesifazane ongumSamariya eduze kwaseSikhari. Wamtshela amaqiniso ajulile, wagxila esidingweni ‘sokukhulekela uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso.’ AmaJuda angaleso sikhathi ayewagwema amaSamariya. Ngokuphambene, uJesu wabonisa ukuzimisela kukaJehova ukwamukela abesilisa nabesifazane abaqotho bazo zonke izizwe, njengoba nje sibonile endabeni ka-Elisha noNahamani. Kufanele kusiqinise idolo ukuthi uJehova akahambisani nenzondo yezinkolo yokungafuni ukwamukela umbono ohlukile egcwele izwe namuhla. Singaphawula neqiniso lokuthi uJesu wayezimisele ukufundisa owesifazane, futhi kulokhu, owesifazane owayehlala nendoda engeyena umyeni wakhe. Kunokuba amlahle, uJesu wamphatha ngenhlonipho, ngendlela eyayingamsiza ngempela. Ngemva kwalokho, amanye amaSamariya amlalela uJesu futhi aphetha ngokuthi: “Siyazi ukuthi lomuntu ngokuqinisekile ungumsindisi wezwe.”—Johane 4:2-30, 39-42; 1 AmaKhosi 8:41-43; Mathewu 9:10-13.
17. Indaba yokuvuswa kukaLazaru iholela kusiphi isiphetho?
17 Ake sibheke esinye isenzakalo esibonisa indlela esingafunda ngayo ngoMdali ngokwazi izenzo nezimfundiso zikaJesu. Cabanga ngesikhathi lapho kufa umngane kaJesu uLazaru. Ngaphambili uJesu wayebonise amandla akhe okubuyisela abafileyo ekuphileni. (Luka 7:11-17; 8:40-56) Nokho, wenzenjani lapho ebona udadewabo kaLazaru uMariya elila? UJesu “wabubula emoyeni futhi wakhathazeka.” Akabanga umuntu ongenandaba noma oziphakamisile; “wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:33-35) Futhi lokhu kwakungekhona nje ukubukisa ngemizwelo. UJesu washukumiseleka ukuba athathe isinyathelo sokusiza—wamvusa uLazaru. Ungacabanga indlela lokhu okwabasiza ngayo abaphostoli ukuba baqonde imizwa nezenzo zoMdali. Kufanele kusize thina kanye nabanye ukuba siqonde ubuntu boMdali nezindlela zakhe.
18. Abantu kufanele bazizwe kanjani ngokutadisha iBhayibheli?
18 Asikho isizathu sokuba namahloni ngokutadisha iBhayibheli nokufunda okwengeziwe ngoMdali wethu. IBhayibheli aliyona incwadi eyisidala. Omunye umuntu owalitadisha futhi waba umngane oseduze kaJesu nguJohane. Kamuva wabhala: “Siyazi ukuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ifikile, futhi isinike amandla engqondo ukuze sizuze ulwazi ngalowo weqiniso. Futhi sisebunyeni nalowo weqiniso, ngeNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu. Lona unguNkulunkulu weqiniso nokuphila okumi phakade.” (1 Johane 5:20) Phawula ukuthi ukusebenzisa “amandla engqondo” ukuze sizuze ulwazi “ngalowo weqiniso,” uMdali, kungaholela ‘ekuphileni okumi phakade.’
Ungabasiza Kanjani Abanye Ukuba Bafunde Ngaye?
19. Yisiphi isinyathelo esiye sathathwa ukuze kusizwe abantu abangabazayo?
19 Kwabanye abantu kudingeka okuningi ukuze bakholelwe ukuthi kunoMdali onesihe osikhathalelayo futhi baqonde ukuthi unjani. Kunezigidi zezigidi zabantu abasenokungabaza mayelana noMdali noma abambheka ngendlela engahambisani nalokho okutholakala eBhayibhelini. Ungabasiza kanjani? Emihlanganweni yesigodi neyezizwe yango-1998/99 yoFakazi BakaJehova, kwakhululwa ithuluzi elisha elisebenzayo ngezilimi eziningi—incwadi ethi Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?
20, 21. (a) Incwadi i-Creator ingasetshenziswa kanjani ngendlela ephumelelayo? (b) Landisa izenzakalo ezibonisa indlela incwadi i-Creator esiye yaphumelela ngayo kakade.
20 Le ncwadi iyoqinisa ukholo lwakho kuMdali wethu futhi ikwenze ubuqonde kangcono ubuntu nezindlela zakhe. Kungani siqiniseka ngalokhu? Ngoba le ncwadi ethi Is There a Creator Who Cares About You? ihlelwe kucatshangwa ngaleyo migomo ngokukhethekile. Isici esitholakala kuyo yonke le ncwadi siwukuthi “Yini engenza ukuphila kwakho kube nenjongo?” Ibhalwe ngendlela ezokwenza ngisho nabantu abafundile impela bayithole ithakazelisa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ithinta izinto esizilangazelelayo sonke. Kunokwaziswa okuthakazelisayo nokukholisayo okungasiza abafundi abangabazayo ukuthi kunoMdali. Le ncwadi ayithathi sengathi oyifundayo uyakholelwa kuMdali. Labo abangabazayo bayokhangwa yindlela okusingathwe ngayo lokho okutholwe yisayensi muva nje nemibono yayo. La maqiniso ayoqinisa ngisho nokholo lwalabo abakholelwayo kuNkulunkulu.
21 Lapho utadisha le ncwadi entsha, uyobona ukuthi ezinye izingxenye zayo zinikeza umlando ofingqiwe weBhayibheli ngendlela eqokomisa izici ezithile zobuntu bukaNkulunkulu, okusiza oyifundayo ukuba amazi kangcono uNkulunkulu. Abaningi asebeyifundile kakade baye bakhuluma ngokuthi kuye kwenzeka kanjani lokho kubo. (Bheka isihloko esilandelayo, amakhasi 25-6.) Kwangathi kungaba njalo nakuwe njengoba uzijwayelanisa nale ncwadi futhi uyisebenzisela ukusiza abanye ukuba bamazi kangcono uMdali wabo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Isazi esingumJesuit uM. J. Gruenthaner, lapho sisengumhleli oyinhloko we-Catholic Biblical Quarterly, sathi lokho okuphathelene nesenzo esifuze lesi kuyasebenza nakuso lesi, okungukuthi “akwenzeki sibe nomqondo wokuba khona ngendlela ecatshangelwayo kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi sisho ukuba khona noma ukwenzeka ngendlela eqaphelekayo, okungukuthi, ukuzibonakalisa ngendlela engokoqobo.”
b Lapho abazali bexoxela izingane zabo izindaba zeBhayibheli, bangazisiza ngokubuza imibuzo enjengalena. Kanjalo izingane zingamazi uNkulunkulu, futhi zifunde ukuzindla ngeZwi lakhe.
Uphawulile Yini?
◻ UMose wamazi kanjani kangcono uJehova eNtabeni YaseSinayi?
◻ Kungani ukutadisha iBhayibheli kusiza ekwazini ukuthi uNkulunkulu unjani?
◻ Yini esingayenza ukuze sisondele eduze nakakhulu kuMdali wethu lapho sifunda iBhayibheli?
◻ Uhlela ukuyisebenzisa kanjani incwadi i-Creator?
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
Isimiso sokuzivikela semizimba yethu sisikiselani ngoMdali wethu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Isiqeshana seMiqulu YasoLwandle Olubomvu, kugqanyiswe iTetragrammaton (igama likaNkulunkulu ngesiHeberu)
[Umthombo]
Courtesy of the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Yini esingayifunda endleleni uJesu asabela ngayo ekulileni kukaMariya?