Isizathu Sokuba Sazi Igama LikaNkulunkulu

“BONKE abakhuleka egameni likaJehova bayosindiswa.” (Roma 10:13, NW) Ngalamazwi umphostoli uPawulu wagcizelela indlela okubaluleke ngayo ngathi ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu. Inkulumo yakhe isibuyisela emuva embuzweni wethu wokuqala: Kungani uJesu abeka ‘ukungcweliswa’ kwegama likaNkulunkulu ekuqaleni koMthandazo Oyisibonelo, ngaphambi kweziningi kangaka ezinye izinto ezibalulekile? Ukuze siqonde lokhu, sidinga ukuthola incazelo yamagama amabili ayinhloko.

Okokuqala, lisho ukuthini igama elithi ‘ukungcwelisa’? Ngokwezwi nezwi lisho: “ukwenza kube ngcwele.” Kodwa ingabe igama likaNkulunkulu alingcwele kakade? Yebo linjalo. Uma singcwelisa igama likaNkulunkulu, asilenzi libe ngcwele ngaphezu kokuba linjalo. Kunalokho siyaliqaphela ukuthi lingcwele, siyalihlukanisa, siliphatha ngokuphakeme. Uma sithandazela ukuba igama likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe, sibheke esikhathini lapho yonke indalo iyolihlonipha njengelingcwele.

Okwesibili, uyini ngempela umqondo okulelizwi elithi “igama”? Sibonile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama, elinguJehova, nokuthi igama lakhe livela izinkulungwane zezikhathi eBhayibhelini. Siye saxoxa futhi, ngokubaluleka kokubuyisela lelogama endaweni yalo efanelekile embhalweni weBhayibheli. Uma leligama lingekho, angagcwaliseka kanjani amazwi omhubi: “Nabalaziyo igama lakho bayakwethemba wena; ngokuba wena-Jehova awubashiyi abakufunayo”?—IHubo 9:10.

Kodwa ingabe ‘ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu’ kuhilela ukwazi nje ngengqondo ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu ngesiHeberu uYHWH, noma ngesiZulu, uJehova? Cha, kusho okungaphezu kwalokho. Ngesikhathi uMose eseNtabeni iSinayi, “uJehova wehla ngefu, wema naye [uMose] lapho, wamemezela igama likaJehova.” Lokhu kumenyezelwa kwegama likaJehova kwakuhilelani? Ukuchazwa kwezimfanelo zakhe: “NguJehova! NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé ubumnene neqiniso.” (Eksodusi 34:5, 6) Kwaphinda futhi, ngokushesha nje ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uMose wathi kumaIsrayeli: “Ngiyakumemezela igama likaJehova.” Yini eyalandela? Ukuthintwa kwezinye zezimfanelo zaKhe ezinhle, bese kuba ukubukezwa kwalokho uNkulunkulu ayekufezele amaIsrayeli ngenxa yegama laKhe. (Duteronomi 32:3-43) Ngakho-ke, ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu kusho ukufunda ukuthi lelogama limeleleni nokukhulekela uNkulunkulu okungelakhe.

Njengoba uJehova eye wahlanganisa igama lakhe nezimfanelo zakhe, izinjongo nezenzo, singabona ukuthi kungani iBhayibheli lithi igama likaNkulunkulu lingcwele. (Levitikusi 22:32) Lingelibabazekayo, likhulu, liyesabeka futhi liphakeme ngokungenakulinganiswa. (IHubo 8:1; 99:3; 148:13) Yebo, igama likaNkulunkulu lingaphezu kwegama nje. Limelela yena njengomuntu. Kwakungelona nje igama lesikhashana elalizosetshenziswa isikhathi esithile bese lithathelwe indawo iziqu ezifana nesithi “Nkosi.” UJehova ngokwakhe wathi kuMose: “UJehova . . . yileli eliyigama lami kuze kube-phakade, lesi siyisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.”—Eksodusi 3:15.

Noma umuntu angazama kangakanani, akasoze alisusa igama likaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. “Ngokuba kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube-sekushoneni kwalo igama lami likhulu phakathi kwezizwe; ezindaweni zonke igama lami lishiselwa impepho kanye neminikelo ehlambulukileyo, ngokuba igama lami likhulu phakathi kwezizwe, usho uJehova-Sebawoti.”—Malaki 1:11; Eksodusi 9:16; Hezekeli 36:23.

Ngakho-ke, ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu kubaluleke kakhulu kunanoma iyiphi enye impikiswano. Zonke izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu zihlangene negama lakhe. Izinkinga zesintu zaqala lapho uSathane eqala ukungcolisa igama likaJehova ngokumbiza ngokuthi ungumqambimanga futhi akafanele ukubusa isintu. (Genesise 3:1-6; Johane 8:44) Kuphela kulapho igama likaNkulunkulu lilwelwa ngokufanelekile lapho isintu siyojabulela ukukhululeka ngokuphelele emiphumeleni ebhubhisayo yamanga kaSathane. Kungakho amaKristu ethandaza ngokujulile ukuba kungcweliswe igama likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kunezinto angase azenze, nawo, ukuze alingcwelise.

Singalingcwelisa Kanjani Igama LikaNkulunkulu?

Enye indlela iwukukhuluma nabanye ngoJehova nokubhekisela eMbusweni wakhe ngoKristu Jesu njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu. (IsAmbulo 12:10) Baningi abenza lokhu, ekugcwalisekeni kwanamuhla kwalamazwi esiprofetho sikaIsaya: “Niyakusho ngalolosuku ukuthi: Bongani uJehova, nibize igama lakhe, nizazise izenzo zakhe phakathi kwezizwe, nimemezele ukuthi igama lakhe liphakeme. Hlabelelani kuJehova, ngokuba wenzile izinto ezinkulu; lokhu makwazeke emhlabeni wonke.”—Isaya 12:4, 5.

Enye indlela iwukulalela imithetho nemiyalo kaNkulunkulu. UJehova watshela isizwe sakwaIsrayeli: “Anogcina imiyalo yami, niyenze; nginguJehova. Ningahlambalazi igama lami elingcwele; kepha ngiyakungcweliswa phakathi kwabantwana bakwaIsrayeli; nginguJehova oningcwelisayo.”—Levitikusi 22:31, 32.

Ukugcina kwamaIsrayeli uMthetho kaJehova kwalingcwelisa kanjani igama lakhe? UMthetho wawunikezwe amaIsrayeli ngesisekelo segama lakhe. (Eksodusi 20:2-17) Ngakho-ke, uma ewugcina uMthetho, ayebonisa inhlonipho efanelekile nokulidumisa lelogama. Ngaphezu kwalokho, igama likaJehova lalikumaIsrayeli njengesizwe. (Duteronomi 28:10; 2 IziKronike 7:14) Uma enza okufanelekile, lokhu kwakumdumisa, njengoba nje nomntwana owenza ngendlela efanelekile eletha udumo kuyise.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma amaIsrayeli ehluleka ukugcina uMthetho kaNkulunkulu, ayengcolisa igama lakhe. Kanjalo-ke, izono ezinjengokuhlabela izithombe, ukufungela amanga, ukucindezela abampofu nokuhlobonga zichazwa eBhayibhelini ‘njengezihlambalaza igama likaNkulunkulu.’—Levitikusi 18:21; 19:12; Jeremiya 34:16; Hezekeli 43:7.

Ngokufanayo, amaKristu aye anikezwa imiyalo ngegama likaNkulunkulu. (Johane 8:28) Nawo futhi, ahlanganyela ‘nabantu begama likaJehova.’ (IzEnzo 15:14) Ngakho-ke, umKristu othandaza ngobuqotho athi, “Malingcweliswe igama lakho” uyolingcwelisa lelogama ekuphileni kwakhe siqu ngokulalela yonke imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. (1 Johane 5:3) Lokhu kuyohlanganisa futhi nokulalela imiyalo enikezwa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu, owakhazimulisa uYise njalo.—Johane 13:31, 34; Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20.

Ngobusuku obandulela ukubulawa kwakhe, uJesu waqokomisa ukubaluleka kwegama likaNkulunkulu kumaKristu. Ngemva kokuthi kuYise: “Ngibazisile igama lakho, ngizakubazisa lona,” uyaqhubeka achaze, “ukuba uthando ongithandé ngalo lube-kubo, nami ngibe-kubo.” (Johane 17:26) Ukufunda kwabafundi ngegama likaNkulunkulu kwahilela ukuba bona ngokwabo balwazi uthando lukaNkulunkulu. UJesu wayenze kwaba nokwenzeka ngabo ukujwayelana noNkulunkulu njengoYise onothando.—Johane 17:3.

Indlela Elikuthinta Ngayo

Emhlanganweni wekhulu lokuqala wabaphostoli abangamaKristu namadoda amadala eJerusalema, umfundi uJakobe wathi: “USimeyoni uselandile ngokuhlela kukaNkulunkulu ekuqaleni ukuba athathele igama lakhe isizwe kubo abezizwe.” Ubungabalwa yini kanye nalabo uNkulunkulu ‘abathathela igama lakhe’ uma ungakwazi ukulisebenzisa noma ungabizwa ngalelogama?—IzEnzo 15:14.

Nakuba abaningi bekungabaza ukusebenzisa igama elithi Jehova, futhi abahumushi abaningi beBhayibheli belikhipha ezinguqulweni zabo, izigidi zabantu emhlabeni wonke ziye zalamukela ngenjabulo ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu, ilungelo lokulisebenzisa hhayi nje ekukhulekeleni kuphela kodwa enkulumweni yansuku zonke, nokulimemezela kwabanye. Uma umuntu ekhuluma nawe ngoNkulunkulu weBhayibheli futhi asebenzise igama elithi Jehova, iliphi iqembu lenkolo obungamhlanganisa nalo? Kuneqembu elilodwa kuphela emhlabeni elisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu njalo ekukhulekeleni kwalo, njengoba nje abakhulekeli bakhe ezikhathini zasendulo babenza. LingoFakazi BakaJehova.

Igama elisekelwe eBhayibhelini elithi oFakazi BakaJehova, lihlukanisa lamaKristu ‘njengabantu begama lakhe.’ Bayaziqhenya ngokuba nalelogama, ngoba liyigama uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe alinikeza abakhulekeli beqiniso. KuIsaya 43:10, siyafunda: “Ningofakazi bami, usho uJehova, nenceku yami engiyikhethileyo.” UNkulunkulu wayekhuluma ngobani lapha? Cabangela amanye amavesi angaphambili.

Emavesini 5-7 esahluko esifanayo, uIsaya uthi: “Ungesabi, ngokuba nginawe; ngiyakuyiletha inzalo yakho iphume empumalanga, ngikubuthe nasentshonalanga. Ngiyakusho kuyo inyakatho, ngithi: Balethe, nakuyo iningizimu: Ungabagodli; lethani amadodana ami akude, namadodakazi ami ukuba aphume emikhawulweni yomhlaba, onke abizwé ngegama lami, nengiwadalele inkazimulo yami, engiwabumbile nengiwenzile.” Osukwini lwethu, lawomavesi abhekisele kubantu bakaNkulunkulu aye wababiza ezizweni zonke ukuba bamdumise futhi babe ngofakazi bakhe. Ngakho igama likaNkulunkulu alichazi nje yena kuphela kodwa liyasiza ukuba sibone izinceku zakhe zeqiniso emhlabeni namuhla.

Izibusiso Zokwazi Igama LikaNkulunkulu

UJehova uyabavikela labo abathanda igama lakhe. Umhubi wathi: “Ngenxa yokuba enamathele kimi, ngakho ngiyamkhulula; ngiyamphakamisa ngokuba elazi igama lami.” (IHubo 91:14) Uyabakhumbula futhi: “Khona abamesaba uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova bezindla ngegama lakhe.”—Malaki 3:16.

Kanjalo, izinzuzo zokwazi nokuthanda igama likaNkulunkulu azigcini kulokhu kuphila kuphela. UJehova uye wathembisa abantu abalalelayo ukuphila okuphakade ngenjabulo emhlabeni oyiPharadesi. UDavide waphefumlelwa ukuba alobe: “Ababi bazakuchithwa, kepha abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba. Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”—IHubo 37:9, 11.

Lokhu kuyokwenzeka kanjani? UJesu wayinikeza impendulo. Kofanayo uMthandazo Oyisibonelo lapho asifundisa khona ukuba sithandaze sithi, “Malingcweliswe igama lakho,” wanezela: “Mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Yebo, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezandleni zikaJesu Kristu uyongcwelisa igama likaNkulunkulu futhi ulethe izimo ezinhle kulomhlaba. Uyosusa ububi ususe impi, ubugebengu, indlala, nokufa.—IHubo 46:8, 9; Isaya 11:9; 25:6; 33:24; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

Ungakujabulela ukuphila okuphakade ngaphansi kwalowoMbuso. Kanjani? Ngokufinyelela ekwazini uNkulunkulu. “Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) OFakazi BakaJehova bayokujabulela ukukusiza ukuba ungenise lololwazi olunikeza ukuphila.—IzEnzo 8:29-31.

Kunethemba lokuthi ukwaziswa okukulencwajana kuye kwakuqinisekisa ukuthi uMdali unegama lakhe siqu eliyigugu kakhulu kuye. Kumelwe libe yigugu nakuwena futhi. Sengathi ungakubona ukubaluleka kokwazi nokusebenzisa lelogama, ikakhulukazi ekukhulekeleni.

Futhi sengathi ungazimisela ukusho njengoba kwasho umprofethi uMika ngesibindi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule: “Bonke abantu bahamba, kube-yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe, kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.”—Mika 4:5.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 28]

‘Ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu’ kusho okungaphezu nje kokuba nolwazi lokuthi igama lakhe uJehova

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 30]

Igama likaJehova ‘liyababazeka, likhulu, liyesabeka futhi liphakeme ngokungenakulinganiswa.’ Zonke izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu zihlangene negama lakhe

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Esihlokweni esikuAnglican Theological Review (October 1959), uDr. Walter Lowrie waqokomisa isidingo sokwazi igama likaNkulunkulu. Wabhala: “Ebuhlotsheni babantu kubaluleke kakhulu ukwazi igama eliqondile, igama lomuntu siqu, lalowo esimthandayo, lowo esikhuluma naye, noma ngisho lowo esikhuluma ngaye. Kungokufana ncamashí ngobuhlobo bomuntu noNkulunkulu. Umuntu ongamazi uNkulunkulu ngegama akamazi ngempela njengomuntu, akanakho ukuhlobana kokukhulumisana naye (okuyikhona okushiwoyo ngomthandazo), futhi akanakumthanda, uma emazi nje njengamandla angenabuntu.”