1, 2. Umphrofethi u-Isaya wabona wuphi umbono, futhi lowombono usifundisani ngoJehova?

U-ISAYA wamangaliswa ngumbono awubonayo owawuvela kuNkulunkulu. Wawukhanya uliqiniso! Ngemva kwalokho, u-Isaya wabhala ukuthi ‘wabona uJehova’ ngokwakhe ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esiphakemeyo. Injobo yesambatho sikaJehova yayigcwele ithempeli elikhulu laseJerusalema.

² U-Isaya wamangaliswa layikuhlabela akuzwayo okwakuduma ngamandla okokuthi kwakunyikinya ithempeli kanye lezisekelo zalo. Kwakuhlabela amaserafi, izidalwa ezilesikhundla esiphakemeyo kakhulu. Ukuvumelana kwamazwi awo kwakulomdumo omkhulu futhi kuphuma amazwi okudumisa athi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uJehova uSomandla, umhlaba wonke ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.” (U-Isaya 6:3, 4) Ukuhlabela ngebala elithi “ngcwele” kathathu kwakugcizelela ukuqakatheka kwalo, futhi lokho kufanele ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ungcwele ngezinga eliphakemeyo. (ISambulo 4:8) Ubungcwele bukaJehova bugcizelelwa kusukela ekuqaliseni kweBhayibhili kuze kube sekucineni kwalo. Emavesini amanengi, ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihambisana lamabala athi “ngcwele” lelithi “ubungcwele.”

3. Umcabango oliphutha ngobungcwele bukaJehova wenza njani ukuthi abanye behluleke ukusondela kuye?

³ Ngakho-ke, kuyacaca ukuthi enye yezinto eziqakathekileyo uJehova afuna ukuthi sizizwisise ngaye yikuthi ungcwele. Kodwa lokhu yikho okwenza abantu abanengi bangasondeli kuye. Abanye benza iphutha lokucabanga ukuthi umuntu ongcwele ngozibona elunge okwedlulisileyo. Abantu abazikhangelela phansi bangabona ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu njengento eyesabisayo hatshi ekhangayo. Bangesaba ukuthi kabasoze bafanele ukusondela kuNkulunkulu njengoba engcwele. Ngakho abantu abanengi kabazisondezi kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi ungcwele. Lokhu kuyadanisa ngenxa yokuthi ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu  yisizathu esihle sokusondela kuye. Ngenxa yani? Singakaphenduli lowombuzo, kasixoxeni ngokuthi ubungcwele buyini sibili.

4, 5. (a) Ubungcwele butshoni, futhi kabutshoni? (b) Yiziphi izindlela ezimbili okungathiwa uJehova “wehlukene” ngazo lathi?

⁴ Ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu abutsho ukuthi uyazigqaja loba uyazikhukhumeza, ngoba vele uyazizonda izimpawu zobuntu ezinjalo. (IZaga 16:5; UJakhobe 4:6) Ngakho-ke, litshoni sibili ibala elithi “ngcwele”? NgesiHebheru seBhayibhili, ibala leli lithethwe ebaleni elitsho “ukwahlukana.” Ezindabeni zokukhonza, “ubungcwele” butsho into eqakathekileyo kumbe into engaphongusetshenziswa nje. Ubungcwele buphinda bube lomqondo wokuhlanzeka lokungabi lasici. Ibala leli lisebenza njani kuJehova? Litsho yini ukuthi “wehlukene” labantu abalesono, futhi ukhatshana kakhulu lathi?

⁵ Hatshi. ‘NjengoNgcwele ka-Israyeli,’ uJehova wazichaza ‘njengohlala phakathi’ kwabo lanxa babengabantu abalesono. (U-Isaya 12:6; UHoseya 11:9) Ngakho ubungcwele bakhe abumenzi abe khatshana lathi. Pho “wehlukene” lathi ngayiphi indlela? Zimbili izindlela okungathiwa wehlukene ngazo lathi. Okokuqala, wehlukene lakho konke okudaliweyo ngoba nguye yedwa Ophezukonke. Akalasici njalo lenhlanzeko yakhe kayipheli. (AmaHubo 40:5; 83:18) Okwesibili yikuthi uJehova wehlukaniswe ngokupheleleyo lakho konke ukona njalo kuyasiduduza kakhulu ukwazi lokhu. Kungani?

6. Kungani kusiduduza ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ukhatshana lokuba lesono?

⁶ Siphila emhlabeni lapho ubungcwele beqiniso buyimvelakancane. Wonke nje umphakathi wabantu owehlukene loNkulunkulu wonakaliswe yisono. Sonke kumele silwe lesono esizelwe silaso ngenxa yokuthi sisengozini yokunqotshwa yiso nxa singekela ukubopha ziqine. (KwabaseRoma 7:15-25; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:12) UJehova kakho engozini enjalo ngoba kalasono futhi ngeke wangcoliswa yiloba yini. Lokhu kusenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova nguye uBaba ofaneleyo, ngoba kutsho ukuthi singamethemba ngokupheleleyo. Ngokungafanani labobaba  abalesono, uJehova kasoze abe ngongathembekanga, ololunya kumbe ohlukuluzayo. Ubungcwele bakhe yibo obumenza angabi njalo. Ngezinye izikhathi wayeke afunge ngobungcwele bakhe njalo lokhu kusenza sizethembe izifungo zakhe. (U-Amosi 4:2) Lokhu akusiduduzi yini?

7. Kungani kungathiwa uJehova ungcwele uqobo lwakhe?

⁷ UJehova qobo lwakhe ungcwele. Kutshoni lokhu? Ngokwesibonelo: Cabanga ngebala elithi “abantu” lelithi “isono.” Ngeke uchaze abantu ungazange ukhulume ngesono. Ukuba kwethu lesono kwenza ukuthi konke esikwenzayo kungabi kuhle. Kodwa khathesi cabanga ngamabala amabili angafananiyo, elithi “Jehova” lelithi “ngcwele.” Ubungcwele butshengisa lokho uJehova ayikho. Konke okumayelana laye kuhlanzekile, akulasici njalo kuqondile. Asingeke simzwisise ngokupheleleyo uJehova nxa singazange sizwisise ibala leli eliqakatheke kakhulu elithi “ngcwele.”

8, 9. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabancedisa abantu abalesono ukuthi babengcwele ngokwezinga elithile?

⁸ UJehova kungathiwa ungumthombo wobungcwele ngenxa yokuthi yena ngokwakhe ungcwele. Uphawu lobuntu lolu akalugcini lube ngolwakhe yedwa kodwa ulunika labanye ngesihle. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ekhuluma loMosi esebenzisa ingilosi eyakhuluma isesixukwini esibhebhayo, ngitsho lendawo ayemi kuyo yaba ngcwele ngenxa yokuthi kwakuloJehova.​—U-Eksodusi 3:5.

⁹ Abantu abalesono bangenelisa yini ukuba ngcwele bencediswa nguJehova? Bangenelisa ngokwesilinganiso. UNkulunkulu watshela abako-Israyeli ukuthi bangenelisa ukuba ‘yisizwe esingcwele.’ (U-Eksodusi 19:6) Wabusisa isizwe leso ngokusinika uhlelo lokukhonza olwalungcwele, luhlanzekile futhi lungelasici. Ngakho eMthethweni kaMosi, ubungcwele buyisiqokoqela. Umphristi omkhulu wayeqhiya, abesefaka izenge legolide esiphaqeni lapho wonke umuntu ayengalibona khona. Kulelo zenge kwakulamazwi athi: “Ubungcwele abube kuJehova.” (U-Eksodusi 28:36) Ngakho ukukhonza kwabo kanye lendlela ababephila ngayo kwakumele kukhanye ngenhlanzeko enkulu langokungabi lasici.  UJehova wabatshela wathi: “Yibani ngcwele ngokuba mina uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.” (ULevi 19:2) Ama-Israyeli ayesiba ngcwele ngokwesilinganiso nxa ayezama ngazo zonke izindlela ukulalela iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwawo.

10. Ngokuphathelane lobungcwele, yiwuphi umehluko owawukhona phakathi kwabako-Israyeli lezizwe ezazakhelene labo?

¹⁰ Ukugcizelelwa lokhu kobungcwele bukaNkulunkulu kwakungafanani lokukhonza okwakusenziwa yizizwe ezazakhelene labako-Israyeli. Izizwe lezo zabahedeni zazikhonza onkulunkulu bamanga, ababevezwa njengabonkulunkulu abalodlakela, abayizihwaba futhi abangaziphathanga. Onkulunkulu labo babengangcwele ngitsho lakancane. Ukukhonzwa kwabonkulunkulu abanjalo kwakusenza abantu bangabi ngcwele. Ngakho uJehova waxwayisa izikhonzi zakhe ukuthi zizehlukanise labantu ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga kanye lemikhuba yabo eyayingcolisiwe.​—ULevi 18:24-28; 1 AmaKhosi 11:1, 2.

11. Ubungcwele benhlanganiso kaJehova esezulwini sibubona njani (a) ezingilosini? (b) kumaserafi? (c) kuJesu?

¹¹ Isizwe esasikhethwe nguJehova sasizama ngazo zonke izindlela ukuba ngcwele, lanxa kunjalo satshengisa ubungcwele obuncane kakhulu balokho inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu esezulwini eyikho. Izigidi zezidalwa zomoya ezikhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka zibizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabangcwele’ bakhe. (UDutheronomi 33:2; UJuda 14) Zitshengisa ngokupheleleyo ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu obungelasici, obucwebezelayo futhi obuhle. Khumbula amaserafi abonwa ngu-Isaya embonweni wakhe. Amazwi ayehlatshelwa ngamaserafi la asitshengisa ukuthi lezizidalwa zomoya ezilamandla ziqakathekile ekwenzeni ukuthi ubungcwele bukaJehova baziwe emhlabeni wonke. Kodwa kulesidalwa somoya esikhulu kulezinye zonke esiyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. INdodana le nguJesu futhi yiyo yodwa ebutshengisa kuhle ubungcwele bukaJehova ukwedlula zonke izidalwa. Kuqondile ukuthi ibizwe ngokuthi ‘ingoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.’​—UJohane 6:68, 69.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kuqondile ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lichazwe njengelingcwele? (b) Kungani kumele ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe?

¹² Ibizo likaNkulunkulu lona ke? Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 1, leli kayisilo bizo lokuhlonipha nje. Limela uJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi ligoqela zonke izimpawu zobuntu bakhe. Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi ‘ibizo lakhe lingcwele.’ (U-Isaya 57:15) UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi loba ngubani owayehlambalaza ibizo likaNkulunkulu kwakumele abulawe. (ULevi 24:16) Nanzelela ukuthi kuyini uJesu akufaka kuqala emthandazweni lapho esithi: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe ibizo lakho.” (UMathewu 6:9, NW) Ukungcwelisa into ethile kutsho ukuyibona njengengcwele lokuyiqakathekisa. Kodwa kungani kumele ibizo likaNkulunkulu elingelasici lingcweliswe?

¹³ Ibizo likaNkulunkulu liye langcoliswa futhi lagconwa ngokuqanjelwa amanga langokunyundelwa. Esivandeni sase-Edeni, uSathane waqambela uJehova amanga wathi unguMbusi ongalunganga. (UGenesisi 3:1-5) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uSathane onguye obusa umhlaba lo ongangcwele, wenze ukuthi amanga ngoNkulunkulu amemetheke. (UJohane 8:44; 12:31; ISambulo 12:9) Izinkolo zenze ukuthi uNkulunkulu akhanye angani ukhatshana kakhulu labantu, kala kwahlulela okuhle futhi ulesihluku. Bathi uNkulunkulu uyabasekela ezimpini zabo ezichitha igazi elinengi. Indalo kaNkulunkulu emangalisayo kuthiwa yazenzakalela, kumbe yaphongubakhona nje. Ibizo likaNkulunkulu liye lagconwa kakhulu. Kumele lingcweliswe futhi lidunyiswe ngendlela okwakumele lidunyiswe ngayo kusukela ekuqaleni. Silindele ngabomvu ukuthi ibizo lelo lingcweliswe lokuthi ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bukhanye ukuthi bulungile, futhi kuyasithokozisa ukuba lokuthile esikwenzayo ukuze injongo le igcwaliseke.

14. Kungani umoya kaNkulunkulu ubizwa ngokuthi ungcwele, futhi kungani ukuhlambalaza umoya ongcwele kuyisono esingasoze sathethelelwa?

¹⁴ Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, kumbe amandla akhe awasebenzisayo, kukhulunywa ngawo njengoseduze kakhulu loJehova  ngazozonke izikhathi. (UGenesisi 1:2) UJehova usebenzisa umoya lo olamandla kakhulu ukuze afeze izinhloso zakhe. Konke uNkulunkulu akwenzayo, ukwenza ngendlela engcwele, ehlanzekileyo futhi engelasici, ngakho kuqondile ukuthi amandla akhe abizwe ngokuthi ngumoya ongcwele, loba umoya wobungcwele. (ULukha 11:13; KwabaseRoma 1:4) Ukuhlambalaza umoya ongcwele, okugoqela ukungahambisani lezinjongo zikaJehova ngabomo, yikwenza isono esingeke sithethelelwe.​—UMakho 3:29.

15. Kungani ukwesaba uJehova kuyinto efaneleyo nxa sikhangela ubungcwele bakhe, futhi ukwesaba okunjalo kugoqelani?

¹⁵ Ngakho-ke, kakunzima ukuthi sibone okwenza iBhayibhili livumelanise ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu lokumesaba okumele kwenziwe ngabantu. Ngokwesibonelo, u-2 Khorinte 7:1 uthi: “Siphelelise ubungcwele ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu.” Ukwesaba lokhu akusikho kwesaba kokuqhaqhazela kodwa ngokokuhlonipha okujulileyo. Kuqondile ukuthi sizizwe sisesaba ngenxa yokuthi ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu bukhulu kakhulu. Buhlanzekile futhi buyakhazimula. Lanxa kunjalo kakumelanga busenze ukuthi singasondeli kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukuba lombono ofaneleyo ngobungcwele bukaNkulunkulu kuzasisondeza kuye. Ngenxa yani?

16. (a) Ubuhle buhambisana njani lobungcwele? Nika isibonelo. (b) Imibono eyabonwayo emayelana loJehova ikugcizelela njani ukuhlanzeka, ukungabi lasici kanye lokucwebezela?

¹⁶ IBhayibhili likhuluma ngobungcwele njengobuhambisana lobuhle. Ku-Isaya 63:15, izulu lichazwa njengendawo kaNkulunkulu ‘ephakemeyo, engcwele futhi ecwebezelayo.’ Into enhle iyasikhanga. Ngokwesibonelo, khangela ipikitsha esekhasini 33. Kayikukhangi indawo leyo yini? Kuyini okwenza ikhange kangako? Khangela ukuthi amanzi akhona ahlanzeke njani. Kufanele ukuthi lomoya wakhona uhlanzekile, ngoba isibhakabhaka siluhlaza futhi lokukhanya kuyacwebezela. Kodwa nxa indawo leyo ingantshintshwa, isifudlana leso sigcwale idoti,  izihlahla kanye lamadwala kudwetshwadwetshwe, umkhathi ungcoliswe yintuthu, indawo leyo ibingeke isasikhanga kodwa besingayenyanya. Sandise ukuthi into enhle ngenhlanzekileyo, engelasici futhi ecwebezelayo. Amabala la afananayo angasetshenziswa ukuchaza ubungcwele bukaJehova. Kakusimangalisi-ke ukuthi imibono eyabonwayo emayelana loJehova iyasikhanga kakhulu! Ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele bunjengokukhanya okucazimulayo, bukhazimula njengesafire, bubhebha njengomlilo kumbe bukhanya njengensimbi eligugu evuthayo.​—UHezekheli 1:25-28; ISambulo 4:2, 3.

17, 18. (a) Ekuqaliseni, u-Isaya wazizwa njani ngombono awubonayo? (b) UJehova walisebenzisa njani iserafi ukuze aduduze u-Isaya, njalo lokho okwenziwa liserafi kwakusitshoni?

¹⁷ Kodwa ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu kumele busenze sizizwe sibancane nxa siziqathanisa laye yini? Impendulo nguyebo. Phela sibancane kakhulu kuloJehova, kusweleka ngitsho lamazwi okuchaza indlela esibancane ngayo nxa siqathaniswa laye. Ukwazi lokho kumele kusehlukanise laye yini? Cabanga ngendlela u-Isaya enza ngayo lapho esizwa okwakutshiwo ngamaserafi ngobungcwele bukaJehova. ‘Mina ngakhala ngathi, “Maye mina! Sengibhujisiwe! Ngoba ngingumuntu olezindebe ezingcolileyo, njalo ngihlala phakathi kwabantu abalezindebe ezingcolileyo, lamehlo ami asebone uJehova, uJehova uSomandla.” ’ (U-Isaya 6:5) Ubungcwele bukaJehova obungapheliyo bakhumbuza u-Isaya ukuthi wayelesono. Ekuqaliseni, indoda le ethembekileyo yadana kakhulu. Kodwa uJehova kazange ayitshiye idanile.

¹⁸ Iserafi lamduduza ngokuphangisa umprofethi lo. Lamduduza njani? Isidalwa leso esilamandla saphapha saya e-alithareni, sathatha ilahle kulo, sasesithinta izindebe zika-Isaya ngalelo lahle. Lokho kungakhanya kubuhlungu kulokuthi kududuze. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi lo kwakungumbono owawulomutsho oqakathekileyo. U-Isaya wayengumJuda othembekileyo ngakho wayekwazi ukuthi imihlatshelo yayinikelwa nsukuzonke e-alithareni lethempeli ukuze kwenziwe umnikelo wesono. Iserafi lamkhumbuza ngendlela elothando umphrofethi ukuthi lanxa wayelesono, ‘elezindebe  ezingcolileyo,’ wayengenelisa ukuba ngohlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. * UJehova wayezimisele ukubona umuntu olesono njengongcwele, ngokwezinga elithile.​—U-Isaya 6:6, 7.

19. Lanxa singantu abalesono kungenzakala njani ukuthi sibe ngcwele ngokwezinga elithile?

¹⁹ Lalamuhla kunjalo. Yonke imihlatshelo eyayinikelwa e-alithareni eJerusalema yayiyisithunzi sokuthile okungcono kakhulu okwakuzabuya. Lokhu okwakusiza ngumhlatshelo opheleleyo owanikelwa nguJesu Khristu ngo-33 C.E. (KumaHebheru 9:11-14) Siyathethelelwa izono zethu nxa siphenduka ngeqiniso, silungisa lapho esiphambanisa khona, futhi sisiba lokholo emhlatshelweni. (1 UJohane 2:2) Lathi singahlanzeka phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Yikho umphostoli uPhetro wasikhumbuza wathi: ‘Kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Yibani ngcwele ngoba mina ngingcwele.” ’ (1 UPhetro 1:16) Nanzelela ukuthi uJehova kazange athi kumele sibe ngcwele ngendlela yena angcwele ngayo. Kakhangeleli ukuthi senze lokho esingenelisi  ukukwenza. (IHubo 103:13, 14) Kulokuthi enze njalo, uJehova usitshela ukuthi sibe ngcwele ngoba yena ungcwele. “Njengabantwana abathandwa kakhulu,” kumele sizame ukumlingisela ngendlela esingenelisa ngayo njengabantu abalesono. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1) Ukufinyelela ukuba ngcwele yisenzo esiqhubekayo. Njengoba siqina ekukhonzeni, sizama ‘ukuphelelisa ubungcwele’ usuku ngosuku.​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1.

20. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuzwisisa ukuthi singenelisa ukuba ngabahlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele? (b) U-Isaya wazizwa njani lapho esizwa ukuthi izono zakhe zasezihlawulelwe?

²⁰ UJehova uthanda izinto eziqondileyo lezingelasici. Uyasizonda isono. (UHabakhukhi 1:13) Kodwa thina kasizondi. UJehova usithethelela kuphela nxa sibona isono ngendlela yena asibona ngayo, sizonda okubi, sithanda okuhle, futhi sizama ukulandela amanyathelo kaJesu Khristu apheleleyo. (U-Amosi 5:15; 1 UPhetro 2:21) Kuba lempumela emihle kakhulu nxa sizwisisa ukuthi singenelisa ukuhlanzeka phambi kukaNkulunkulu ongcwele. Khumbula ukuthi ubungcwele bukaJehova baqala bakhumbuza u-Isaya ukuthi wayengahlanzekanga. Wakhala wathi: “Maye mina!” Kodwa wantshintsha umcabango wakhe lapho ezwisisa ukuthi izono zakhe zasezihlawulelwe. Lapho uJehova ecela umuntu ongazinikela ukuthi enze umsebenzi othile, u-Isaya wavumela phezulu, lanxa wayengakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwakumele akwenze. Wathi: “Ngilapha. Thuma mina!”​—U-Isaya 6:5-8.

21. Kuyini okusenza siqiniseke ukuthi siyenelisa ukuba ngcwele?

²¹ Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongcwele, futhi siphiwe izimpawu zobuntu zokuziphatha kanye lokwenelisa ukuzwisisa izinto eziphathelane loNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 1:26) Sonke siyenelisa ukubangcwele. Kuyamthokozisa uJehova ukusincedisa emzamweni wethu wokuba ngcwele. Lokho kuzasenza sibe seduze kakhulu loNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Njengoba sizaqhubeka sixoxa ngezimpawu zobuntu bakhe ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, sizabona ezinye izizathu ezinengi ezizasenza singathandabuzi ukusondela kuJehova!