“Ningofakazi Bami”

1, 2. (a) Kusho ukuthini ukuba ufakazi, futhi iyiphi indlela ephawulekayo imithombo yezindaba yaleli zwe eye yahluleka ngayo? (b) Kungani uJehova engathembele emithonjeni yezindaba yaleli zwe?

KUSHO ukuthini ukuba ufakazi? Esinye isichazamazwi sichaza igama elithi ufakazi ngale ndlela: “Umuntu obona isenzakalo esithile abese ebika lokho okwenzekile.” Ngokwesibonelo, lapha eNingizimu Afrika, edolobheni laseMgungundlovu kunephephandaba manje elibizwa ngokuthi The Witness osekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-160 linyatheliswa. Leli gama liyafaneleka, njengoba injongo yephephandaba iwukubika ngokunembile izenzakalo ezenzeka ezweni. Umhleli ongumsunguli walo wazibophezela ukuthi leli phephandaba ‘lalizobika iqiniso, iqiniso eliphelele, yebo iqiniso lodwa.’

² Nokho, kuyadabukisa ukuthi imithombo yezwe yezindaba ngokuvamile iye yawashalazela noma yawahlanekezela amaqiniso omlando wabantu abaluleke kakhulu kunawo wonke. Empeleni lokhu kuye kwaba njalo ngokuphathelene nalokho uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke akusho ngomprofethi wakhe wasendulo uHezekeli: “Izizwe ziyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Hez. 39:7) Kodwa uMbusi Wendawo Yonke akathembele emithonjeni yezindaba yaleli zwe. UnoFakazi abangaba izigidi ezingu-8 abatshela abantu bazo zonke izizwe ngaye nangalokho aye wakwenzela isintu esikhathini esidlule nasenzela kona manje. Leli butho loFakazi limemezela nangalokho uNkulunkulu athembisa ukukwenza esikhathini esizayo ukuze abusise isintu. Ngokwenza lo msebenzi wokufakaza uze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, sigcwalisa lokho okushiwo igama lethu esilinikwe uNkulunkulu, njengoba lishiwo ku-Isaya 43:10: “‘Ningofakazi bami,’ usho uJehova, ‘yebo inceku yami engiyikhethile.’”

3, 4. (a) AbaFundi BeBhayibheli balamukela nini igama elisha, futhi bazizwa kanjani ngalo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo manje?

³ Yeka ukuthi kuyilungelo elingakanani ukubizwa ngegama likaJehova, ngoba ‘uyiNkosi engunaphakade,’ ethi: “Yileli igama lami kuze kube nini nanini, futhi lesi yisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane”! (1 Thim. 1:17; Eks. 3:15; qhathanisa nomShumayeli 2:16.) Ngo-1931, abaFundi BeBhayibheli bamukela igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, kwabhalwa izincwadi eziningi ezidlulisela ukwazisa ezanyatheliswa kulo magazini. Elinye ibandla laseCanada labhala: “Zisijabulise kakhulu izindaba ezinhle zokuthi ‘singofakazi bakaJehova,’ futhi zisenze sazimisela ngokwengeziwe ukuba silifanelekele leli gama elisha.”

⁴ Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyalazisa ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu? Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungakwazi yini ukuchaza umongo ongokomBhalo igama lethu elithi oFakazi BakaJehova elithathelwe kuwo?

OFAKAZI BAKANKULUNKULU EZIKHATHINI ZASENDULO

5, 6. (a) Abazali abangama-Israyeli babengofakazi bakaJehova ngayiphi indlela? (b) Yini enye abazali abangama-Israyeli abayalwa ukuba bayenze, futhi kungani lokho kusadingeka nanamuhla kubazali?

⁵ Ama-Israyeli ngamanye osuku luka-Isaya ‘ayengofakazi’ bakaJehova, futhi isizwe sisonke ‘sasiyinceku’ kaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 43:10) Enye indlela abazali abangama-Israyeli ababefakaza ngayo yayiwukufundisa abantwana babo ngendlela uNkulunkulu asebenzelana ngayo nokhokho babo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho isizwe siyalwa ukuba sigcine iPhasika unyaka ngamunye, satshelwa: “Kuyothi lapho amadodana enu ethi kini, ‘Isho ukuthini le nkonzo kini?’ nithi, ‘Ngumhlatshelo wephasika esiwenzela uJehova, owadlula phezu kwezindlu zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli eGibhithe lapho eshaya abaseGibhithe ngenhlupho, kodwa wazikhulula izindlu zethu.’” (Eks. 12:26, 27) Kungenzeka ukuthi labo bazali babachazela abantwana babo nokuthi lapho uMose eya kumbusi waseGibhithe okokuqala eyocelela ama-Israyeli imvume yokuyokhulekela uJehova ehlane, uFaro waphendula: “Ungubani uJehova, ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe ngimukise u-Israyeli?” (Eks. 5:2) Yiqiniso, babengase balandise nokuthi impendulo yombuzo kaFaro yaba sobala kubo bonke abantu ngemva kokuba izinhlupho eziyishumi zibhubhisile ezweni futhi ama-Israyeli esindiswe ebuthweni laseGibhithe oLwandle Olubomvu. Kwacaca ukuthi uJehova wayenguMninimandla onke—futhi usenguye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isizwe sama-Israyeli saba ofakazi bokuzibonela bokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso nozigcinayo izithembiso zakhe.

⁶ Akungabazeki ukuthi ama-Israyeli alazisayo ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaJehova alandisa ngalezi zenzakalo ezimangalisayo kubantwana bawo nakwabezizwe ababeyizigqila ezindlini zawo. Ayalwa ngokufanayo ukuba aqeqeshe abantwana bawo ukuba bagcine izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zobungcwele. UJehova wathi: “Kufanele nibe ngcwele, ngoba mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.” (Lev. 19:2; Dut. 6:6, 7) Yeka ukuthi lokhu kubabekela isibonelo esihle kanjani abazali abangamaKristu namuhla, nabo okumelwe baqeqeshe abantwana babo ngezindlela zobungcwele, ngaleyo ndlela bebasiza ukuba badumise igama likaNkulunkulu elikhazimulayo!—Funda izAga 1:8; Efesu 6:4.

7. (a) Lapho ama-Israyeli ethembekile kuJehova, kwakuba namuphi umphumela ezizweni eziwazungezile? (b) Imuphi umthwalo wemfanelo bonke ababizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu abanawo?

⁷ Ngakho, lapho ama-Israyeli ethembekile, ayenikeza ubufakazi obuhle ngegama likaNkulunkulu. Ayetsheliwe: “Zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyobona ukuthi igama likaJehova libizwé phezu kwakho, futhi impela ziyokwesaba.” (Dut. 28:10) Nokho, kuyadabukisa ukuthi umlando wama-Israyeli ugcwele kakhulu ukungathembeki. Ngokuphindaphindiwe, ayebuyela ekukhulekeleni izithombe ezenziwe umuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, aba nonya njengonkulunkulu baseKhanani ayebakhulekela, enza imihlatshelo ngabantwana bawo futhi acindezela abampofu. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyisifundo esinamandla kangakanani kithi sokuba sikulwele njalo ukuba ngcwele, silingisa oNgcwelengcwele esibizwa ngegama lakhe!

“BHEKANI! NGENZA INTO ENTSHA”

8. UJehova wathuma u-Isaya ukuba enzeni, futhi u-Isaya wasabela kanjani?

⁸ UJehova wayebikezele ngesenzakalo esimangalisayo sokukhululwa ekuthunjweni ama-Israyeli ayeyoba ofakazi baso. (Isaya 43:19) Ingxenye enkulu yezahluko zokuqala eziyisithupha zencwadi ka-Isaya ixwayisa ngenhlekelele eqinisekile eyayizokwehlela iJerusalema nemizi elizungezile. UJehova, ofunda inhliziyo ngokunembile, watshela u-Isaya ukuba aqhubeke ememezela lesi sixwayiso ngisho noma abantu babengeke basabele kahle. Lokhu kwammangaza kakhulu u-Isaya futhi wafuna ukwazi ukuthi lesi sizwe sikaNkulunkulu sasiyoqhubeka singaphenduki kuze kube nini. Yathini impendulo kaNkulunkulu? “Imizi ize ibhidlike impela ibe yizincithakalo, ukuze ingabi nowakhileyo kuyo, nezindlu zingabi namuntu wasemhlabeni, nezwe ngokwalo lichithwe libe yincithakalo.”—Funda u-Isaya 6:8-11.

9. (a) Isiprofetho sika-Isaya ngeJerusalema sagcwaliseka nini? (b) Isiphi isimo esikhona namuhla esidinga ukuba sihlale siphapheme?

⁹ U-Isaya wathola lokhu kuthunywa ngonyaka wokugcina wokubusa kweNkosi u-Uziya, noma cishe ngo-778 B.C.E. Waqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe yokuprofetha cishe iminyaka engu-46 kwaze kwaba ngemva kuka-732 B.C.E., iNkosi uHezekiya isineminyaka ibusa. Kwakusasele iminyaka engu-125 ngaphambi kokuba iJerusalema libhujiswe ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngakho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu baxwayiswa kusenesikhathi esanele ngalokho okwakuzokwehlela isizwe sabo. Nanamuhla uJehova uyale abantu bakhe ukuba banikeze isixwayiso sezinto eziseza kusenesikhathi esanele. Sekuyiminyaka engu-135, kusukela kumagazini wayo wokuqala, INqabayokulinda ilokhu inxusa abafundi bayo ukuba bahlale bephaphamele iqiniso lokuthi ukubusa kukaSathane okubi kuzoqedwa maduzane bese kuthathelwa indawo ukuBusa KweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane kukaJesu Kristu.—IsAm. 20:1-3, 6.

10, 11. Ikuphi ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sika-Isaya ama-Israyeli ayeseBhabhiloni akubona?

¹⁰ AmaJuda amaningi alalelayo azinikela kwabaseBhabhiloni asinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema futhi athunjelwa eBhabhiloni. (Jer. 27:11, 12) Ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 belapho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babona ukugcwaliseka kwesinye isiprofetho esimangalisayo: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo, uMhlengi wenu, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli: ‘Ngenxa yenu ngizothumela eBhabhiloni ngibangele ukuba kuwe imigoqo yamatilongo.’”—Isaya 43:14.

¹¹ Ngokuvumelana naleso siprofetho, kwenzeka isenzakalo esanyakazisa izwe ngobunye ubusuku ekuqaleni kuka-October 539 B.C.E. Ngesikhathi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni nezicukuthwane zayo bephuza iwayini ngezitsha ezingcwele ababeziphange ethempelini laseJerusalema futhi bedumisa onkulunkulu babo abenziwe umuntu, amabutho amaMede namaPheresiya alinqoba iBhabhiloni. Ngo-538 noma ngo-537 B.C.E., uKoresi, owanqoba iBhabhiloni, wayala amaJuda ukuba abuyele eJerusalema ayokwakha kabusha ithempeli likaNkulunkulu. Konke lokhu u-Isaya wayekubikezele, kuhlanganise nesithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi wayezobanakekela futhi abavikele abantu bakhe abaphendukayo njengoba bebuyela eJerusalema. UNkulunkulu wababiza ngokuthi “isizwe engizibumbele sona, ukuba silandise ngodumo lwami.” (Isaya 43:21; 44:26-28) Lapho la bantu ababedingisiwe sebebuyele eJerusalema, futhi sebelakhe kabusha ithempeli likaJehova, baba ofakazi beqiniso lokuthi uJehova, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uligcwalisa njalo izwi lakhe.

12, 13. (a) Obani abahlanganyela nama-Israyeli ekubuyiselweni kokukhulekelwa kukaJehova? (b) Yini elindeleke ‘kwezinye izimvu’ njengoba zisekela “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” futhi zinaliphi ithemba?

¹² Izinkulungwane zabantu abangewona ama-Israyeli zaba ingxenye yalesi sizwe esasizelwe kabusha, futhi kamuva nabanye abeZizwe abaningi baphendukela ebuJudeni. (Ezra 2:58, 64, 65; Est. 8:17) Namuhla, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu siwasekela ngobuqotho amaKristu agcotshiwe, akha “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (IsAm. 7:9, 10; Joh. 10:16; Gal. 6:16) Isixuku esikhulu naso sibizwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova, igama eliqanjwe nguNkulunkulu.

¹³ Phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane Yokubusa KukaKristu, isixuku esikhulu siyothola injabulo enkulu kakhulu yokuchazela abavusiweyo ukuthi kwakunjani ukuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto. Kodwa lokhu siyokwazi ukukwenza kuphela uma siphila ngokuvumelana negama lethu manje futhi silwele ukuhlale singcwele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sizama kanzima kangakanani, nsuku zonke kumelwe sicele intethelelo nganoma yini esiyenzile entula ubungcwele, siqaphela ukuthi siyizoni nokuthi ukuvunyelwa kwethu ukuba sibizwe ngegama likaNkulunkulu elingcwele kuyilungelo elikhulu ngendlela engenakuchazwa.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 1:8, 9.

LOKHO IGAMA LIKANKULUNKULU ELIKUSHOYO

14. Lisho ukuthini igama elithi Jehova?

¹⁴ Ukuze silazise ngokujulile ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu, kuhle sizindle ngencazelo yalo. Igama likaNkulunkulu ngokuvamile elihunyushwa ngokuthi “Jehova,” livela esenzweni sesiHebheru esingase sichaze isenzo futhi lingahunyushwa ngokuthi “ukuba.” Ngakho igama elithi Jehova liqondwa njengelisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Le ncazelo iyifanelekela kahle indima kaJehova kokubili njengoMdali wendawo yonke ebonakalayo nowabantu nanjengoMfezi wenjongo yakhe. Njengoba izenzakalo zenzeka emhlabeni, uyaqhubeka ebangela ukuba intando nenjongo yakhe kugcwaliseke kungakhathaliseki lokho noma imuphi umphikisi, njengoSathane, angase akwenze ezama ukuthiya ukugcwaliseka kwentando kaNkulunkulu.

15. UJehova wasembula ngayiphi indlela isici sobuntu bakhe esivezwe encazelweni yegama lakhe? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Igama Elisho Lukhulu.”)

¹⁵ Lapho uJehova ethuma uMose ukuba ahole abantu bakhe abakhiphe eGibhithe, wembula isici sobuntu bakhe ngokusebenzisa isenzo esihlobene nencazelo yegama lakhe ukuze alichaze, kulokhu kunguye olichazayo. Umlando weBhayibheli uthi: “UNkulunkulu wathi kuMose: ‘Ngiyoba Yilokho Engiyoba Yikho’ [noma, “Ngiyoba Yilokho Engiyokhetha Ukuba Yikho”]. Futhi wanezela: ‘Yilokhu ozokusho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, “UNgiyoba Yikho ungithumé kini.”’” (Eks. 3:14) Ngakho kunoma isiphi isimo, uJehova uyoba yinoma yini okudingeka abe yiyo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Kuma-Israyeli ayeyizigqila, waba uMkhululi, uMvikeli, uMholi noMondli owazanelisa zonke izidingo zawo ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya.

INDLELA ESINGABONISA NGAYO UKUBONGA

16, 17. (a) Singakubonisa kanjani ukubonga ngelungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁶ Namuhla, uJehova uyaqhubeka enza ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lakhe ngokwanelisa zonke izidingo zethu ezingokomoya nezingokwenyama. Kodwa, incazelo yegama likaNkulunkulu ayisho kuphela lokho yena akhetha ukuba yikho. Ihlanganisa nalokho abangela ukuba kwenzeke ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi woFakazi bakhe ekufezeni injongo yakhe. Ukuzindla ngalokhu kuyosishukumisela ukuba siqhubeke siphila ngokuvumelana negama lakhe. Njengoba uKåre oneminyaka engu-84 ubudala, osekuyiminyaka engu-70 enguFakazi oshisekayo eNorway, esho, “Nginomuzwa wokuthi kuyilungelo elikhulu ukukhonza uJehova, iNkosi engunaphakade, nokuba yingxenye yabantu ababizwa ngegama lakhe elingcwele. Kuhlale kuyilungelo elikhulu ukuchaza iqiniso leBhayibheli nokubona ubuso babantu buchachamba injabulo lapho beliqonda. Ngokwesibonelo, kunginikeza umuzwa ojulile wokwaneliseka lapho ngibachazela indlela umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu osebenza ngayo nendlela abangathola ngayo ngaso ukuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha elinokuthula nokulunga.”

¹⁷ Kuyavunywa, kwamanye amasimu kuya kuba nzima ukuthola abantu abafisa ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, njengoKåre, lapho uthola umuntu olalelayo futhi ukwazi ukumfundisa ngegama likaJehova, akukuletheli yini injabulo ejulile? Kodwa singaba kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova, ngesikhathi esifanayo sibe ofakazi bakaJesu? Sizoxoxa ngalo mbuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.