Limelelani Igama?

Owesifazane waseTopiya ubeletha umfanyana. Kodwa injabulo iphenduka usizi lapho ebona umntanakhe elele enganyakazi. Lapho uninakhulu emthatha ethi uyamgeza, ngokungazelelwe lo mfanyana uqala ukunyakaza aphefumule, abese ekhala! Igama likayise walo mntwana lisho ukuthi “Isimangaliso,” ngakho abazali bahlanganisa lelo gama nelinye lesi-Amharic bese betha umntwana ngokuthi Kwenzeke Isimangaliso.

EBurundi, insizwa ethile ibalekela amasosha afuna ukuyibulala. Njengoba icashile ehlathini, le nsizwa ithembisa ukuthi uma uNkulunkulu engayisindisa, iyokwetha izibulo layo ngokuthi uManirakiza, okusho ukuthi “UNkulunkulu UnguMsindisi.” Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu, ejabule ngokuthi wasinda, lo mlisa wetha indodana yakhe eyizibulo ngalelo gama.

UKWETHA abantwana ngamagama anencazelo ethile kungase kubonakale kuyinto engavamile kwabathile, kodwa lo mkhuba waqala endulo. Empeleni, iBhayibheli linenqwaba yamagama anjalo. Ukuqonda incazelo yamagama abantu abahlukahlukene kuyokwenza ukufunda kwakho iBhayibheli kuthakazelise. Cabangela izibonelo nje ezimbalwa.

Amagama Anencazelo EmiBhalweni YesiHebheru

Phakathi kwamagama okuqala alotshwa eBhayibhelini kubalwa nelikaSeti, elisho ukuthi “Omisiwe.” Unina kaSeti, u-Eva, wachaza ukuthi kungani ayekhethe lelo gama, ethi: “UNkulunkulu ungimisele enye inzalo esikhundleni sika-Abela, ngoba uKhayini umbulele.” (Genesise 4:25) Umzukulu kaSeti uLameka wetha indodana yakhe ngokuthi uNowa, okusho ukuthi “Impumuzo” noma “Induduzo.” ULameka wetha indodana yakhe lelo gama ngoba ethi ‘yayizobanika induduzo emsebenzini wabo nasebuhlungwini bezandla zabo ngenxa yomhlabathi uJehova ayewuqalekisile.’—Genesise 5:29.

UNkulunkulu washintsha amagama abanye abantu ngenjongo engokwesiprofetho. Ngokwesibonelo, washintsha igama lika-Abrama, elisho ukuthi “Uyise Uyaphakanyiswa,” laba u-Abrahama, okusho ukuthi “Uyise Wesixuku.” Ngokuvumelana negama lakhe, u-Abrahama ngempela waba uyise wezizwe eziningi. (Genesise 17:5, 6) Cabanga nangegama lomka-Abrahama, uSarayi, ngokunokwenzeka elisho ukuthi “Othanda Umbango.” Kumelwe ukuba wajabula kakhulu lapho uNkulunkulu eshintsha igama lakhe ethi uSara, okusho ukuthi “Inkosazana,” okwakubhekisela ekubeni kwakhe ukhokhokazi wamakhosi.—Genesise 17:15, 16.

UNkulunkulu uqobo wakhetha namagama ezingane ezithile. Ngokwesibonelo, watshela u-Abrahama noSara ukuba bethe indodana yabo ngokuthi u-Isaka, okusho “Ukuhleka.” Lelo gama laliyokhumbuza lo mbhangqwana othembekile njalo ngendlela owasabela ngayo lapho utshelwa ukuthi wawuzoba nendodana usukhulile. Lapho u-Isaka ekhula eba inceku kaNkulunkulu ethembekile, ngokungangabazeki igama lakhe laqhubeka limthokozisa u-Abrahama noSara njengoba bejabulela ukuba nendodana yabo ethandekayo.—Genesise 17:17, 19; 18:12, 15; 21:6.

Umalokazana ka-Isaka uRaheli wetha indodana yakhe ewuthunjana ngesizathu esihluke ngokuphelele. Lapho esezokufa, uRaheli wetha lo mntwana ngokuthi uBheni-oni, okusho ukuthi “Indodana Yosizi Lwami.” Umyeni wakhe owayesengumfelwa, uJakobe, walishintsha kancane leli gama wathi uBhenjamini, okusho ukuthi “Indodana Yesokunene.” Leli gama lalingabonisi nje isikhundla sokuthandwa kodwa nesokuba umsekeli.—Genesise 35:16-19; 44:20.

Ngezinye izikhathi abantu babethiwa ngokuvumelana nezici zabo ezingokomzimba. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaka noRebheka babenendodana eyazalwa inoboya obukhulu obubomvu njengesambatho, ngakho bayetha ngokuthi u-Esawu. Ngani? NgesiHebheru lelo gama lisho ukuthi “Onoboya.” (Genesise 25:25) Njengoba kuphawulwe encwadini kaRuthe, uNawomi wayenamadodana amabili. Enye kwakunguMahaloni, okusho ukuthi “Ogulayo, Ongaphilile,” kanti enye kwakunguKiliyoni, okusho ukuthi “Ontekenteke.” Ukuthi la magama bawethiwa lapho bezalwa noma kamuva akushiwo, kodwa kubonakala sengathi ayefaneleka, uma ucabangela ukuthi lezi zinsizwa zasheshe zafa.—Ruthe 1:5.

Omunye umkhuba owawuvamile kwakuwukuwashintsha amagama. Lapho uNawomi ephindela eBhetlehema, elusizi ngemva kokushonelwa umyeni namadodana, wayengasafuni ukubizwa ngalelo gama, elisho “Injabulo.” Kunalokho, wathi: “Ningangibizi ngokuthi nginguNawomi. Ngibizeni ngokuthi nginguMara [okusho “Umunyu”], ngoba uMninimandla onke wenze kwaba munyu kakhulu kimi.”—Ruthe 1:20, 21.

Omunye umkhuba owawuvamile kwakuwukwetha umntwana ngesenzakalo esithile esikhethekile. Ngokwesibonelo, igama lomprofethi uHagayi lisho ukuthi “Owazalwa Ngomkhosi.”a

Amagama Aphawulekayo Enkathini YobuKristu

Igama likaJesu linencazelo ebalulekile ngokwesiprofetho. Ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe, uNkulunkulu wayala abazali bakhe: ‘Umqambe ngokuthi uJesu,’ okusho ukuthi “UJehova Uyinsindiso.” Ngani? Ingelosi eyakhuluma noJosefa yathi: ‘Ngoba uyosindisa abantu bakubo ezonweni zabo.’ (Mathewu 1:21) Ngemva kokuba uJesu egcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele lapho ebhapathizwa, igama lakhe lahlanganisa nesiqu sesiHebheru esithi “Mesiya.” NgesiGreki, lesi siqu esifanayo sihunyushwa ngokuthi “uKristu.” Womabili la magama asho ukuthi “Ogcotshiwe.”—Mathewu 2:4.

UJesu naye wakhetha amagama anencazelo awanika abanye babafundi bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, wetha uSimoni ngegama lesiHebheru elithi Khefase, elisho “Idwala.” UKhefase waziwa kangcono ngegama lesiGreki eliwukuhunyushwa kwaleli, elithi “Petru.” (Johane 1:42) UJesu wabiza izelamani ezishisekayo uJakobe noJohane ngokuthi “Bowanergesi,” okusho “amaDodana Okuduma.”—Marku 3:16, 17.

Abafundi bakaJesu baqhubeka nomkhuba wokwetha abanye ngezibongo ezifanelekayo. Isibonelo salokhu esomfundi uJosefa, abaphostoli abambiza ngokuthi uBarnaba, okusho “iNdodana Yenduduzo.” UBarnaba waphila ngokuvumelana negama lakhe, walethela abaningi induduzo engokwenyama nengokomoya.—IzEnzo 4:34-37; 9:27; 15:25, 26.

Ukubaluleka Kwegama Lakho

Asinakuzikhethela igama esethiwa lona lapho sizalwa. Kodwa, yithina kuphela esizakhela idumela. (IzAga 20:11) Zibuze, ‘Ukube uJesu noma abaphostoli babenethuba, babeyongetha liphi igama? Iliphi igama elifanelekayo ebelingachaza imfanelo evelele enginayo noma idumela lami?’

Lo mbuzo udinga ukucatshangelwa ngokujulile. Ngani? INkosi uSolomoni yabhala: “Yigama okumelwe likhethwe kunengcebo echichimayo.” (IzAga 22:1) Ngokuqinisekile, uma sizuza idumela elihle emphakathini, sinegugu elikhulu. Kodwa, okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi uma sizenzela igama elihle noNkulunkulu, siyothola ingcebo engapheli. Kanjani? UNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi uyobhala “encwadini yakhe yenkumbulo” amagama alabo abamesabayo, futhi uyobanika ithemba lokuphila okuphakade.—Malaki 3:16; IsAmbulo 3:5; 20:12-15.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 15]

Iliphi igama ebelingafanelekela ukuchaza idumela lami?

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Wayengubani U-Imanuweli?

Amagama abantu abathile eBhayibhelini ayenencazelo engokwesiprofetho futhi echaza umsebenzi owawuzokwenziwa yilowo muntu. Ngokwesibonelo, umprofethi u-Isaya waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale: “Bheka! Intombi empeleni iyokhulelwa, ibelethe indodana, ngokuqinisekile iyoyiqamba ngokuthi u-Imanuweli.” (Isaya 7:14) Leli gama lisho ukuthi “UNkulunkulu Unathi.” Abahlaziyi abathile beBhayibheli baye bazama ukuhlobanisa ukugcwaliseka kokuqala kwalesi siprofetho nenye yamakhosi akwa-Israyeli noma enye yamadodana ka-Isaya. Kodwa, umlobi weVangeli uMathewu wabonisa ukuthi isiprofetho sika-Isaya sagcwaliseka kuJesu ngokuphelele.—Mathewu 1:22, 23.

Abanye baye bathi ngokusebenzisa igama elithi Imanuweli kuJesu, iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu. Kodwa uma sibheka izinto ngaleyo ndlela, khona-ke insizwa okuthiwa u-Elihu, eyaduduza futhi yakhuza uJobe, nayo yayinguNkulunkulu. Ngani? Igama layo lisho ukuthi “UNkulunkulu Wami Nguye.”

UJesu akazange athi unguNkulunkulu. (Johane 14:28; Filipi 2:5, 6) Kodwa wabuveza ngokuphelele ubuntu bukaYise, futhi wagcwalisa zonke izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu mayelana noMesiya. (Johane 14:9; 2 Korinte 1:20) Igama elithi Imanuweli liyichaza kahle indima kaJesu njengeNzalo enguMesiya, umzukulu kaDavide, obonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu unalabo abamkhulekelayo.

[Isithombe]

U-IMANUWELI “UNkulunkulu Unathi”

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Igama Elibaluleke Kunawo Wonke

Igama likaNkulunkulu siqu livela izikhathi ezingaba ngu-7 000 kulo lonke iBhayibheli. Leli gama, elimelelwa yizinhlamvu zesiHebheru ezine ezithi יהוה, livame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “Jehova” esiZulwini. Lisho ukuthini lelo gama? Lapho uMose ebuza igama likaNkulunkulu, uJehova waphendula: “Ngizoba yinoma yini engifuna ukuba yiyo.” (Eksodusi 3:14, The Emphasised Bible, kaJ. B. Rotherham) Ngakho-ke, igama likaNkulunkulu liyisiqinisekiso sokuthi uzoba yinoma yini edingekayo ukuze afeze izinjongo zakhe. (Isaya 55:8-11) Uma uNkulunkulu enza isithembiso, singasekela ukuphila kwethu kuso. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi igama lakhe linguJehova.

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

U-ABRAHAMA “Uyise Wesixuku”

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

USARA “Inkosazana”