1, 2. Yimuphi umbono owabonwa umprofethi u-Isaya, futhi usifundisani ngoJehova?

 U-ISAYA wamangala kakhulu lapho ebona okwakuphambi kwakhe​—umbono owawuvela kuNkulunkulu. Kwakungathi ubona into eyenzeka ngokoqobo! Kamuva u-Isaya wabhala wathi ‘wayebone uJehova’ esesihlalweni saKhe sobukhosi esiphakeme. Umphetho wengubo kaJehova wawugcwele ithempeli elikhulu eJerusalema.​—Isaya 6:1, 2.

² U-Isaya wamangazwa nayilokho akuzwa​—ukuhlabelela okwakunamandla kangangokuba kwenza izisekelo zethempeli zandindizela. Le ngoma yayiculwa amaserafi, izidalwa zomoya zesigaba esiphakeme kakhulu. Kule ngoma enamandla ngempela, kwezwakala amazwi amahle kakhulu: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uJehova wamabutho. Umhlaba wonke ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.” (Isaya 6:3, 4) Ukuhlabelela igama elithi “ungcwele” kathathu kwalenza lakhetheka, futhi kube kufanele ngoba uJehova ungcwele ngezinga eliphakeme kunawo wonke. (IsAmbulo 4:8) Ubungcwele bukaJehova bugcizelelwa kulo lonke iBhayibheli. Amavesi amaningi ahlobanisa igama lakhe namagama athi “ungcwele” nelithi “ubungcwele.”

3. Imibono eyiphutha ngobungcwele bukaJehova ibenze kanjani abaningi bafulathela uNkulunkulu esikhundleni sokusondela kuye?

³ Kusobala-ke ukuthi enye yezinto ezisemqoka uJehova afuna siziqonde ngaye ukuthi ungcwele. Kodwa yilokho kanye okuvele kubenqenise abantu abaningi namuhla. Abanye benza iphutha lokuhlanganisa ubungcwele nokuzibona belungile noma ukuzishaya abakholiwe. Ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu bungase bubadide kunokuba bubakhange abantu abangenakho ukuzethemba. Bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi abasoze bakufanelekela ukusondela kulo Nkulunkulu ongcwele. Ngakho, abaningi bayamfulathela uNkulunkulu ngenxa yobungcwele  bakhe. Kuyadabukisa lokho ngoba ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu empeleni buyisizathu esinamandla sokusondela kuye. Kungani? Singakawuphenduli lo mbuzo, ake sixoxe ngokuthi buyini ubungcwele bangempela.

4, 5. (a) Busho ukuthini ‘ubungcwele,’ futhi yini obungayisho neze? (b) UJehova “uhlukaniswe” ngaziphi izindlela ezimbili ezibalulekile?

⁴ Ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungcwele akusho ukuthi uyazidla, uyaziphakamisa, noma uyabadelela abanye. Kunalokho, uyazizonda izimfanelo ezinjalo. (IzAga 16:5; Jakobe 4:6) Pho, lisho ukuthini ngempela igama elithi “ngcwele”? Olimini lwesiHebheru seBhayibheli, leli gama lisuselwa egameni elisho “ukuhlukaniswa.” Ekukhulekeleni, elithi “ngcwele” libhekisela kulokho okungasetshenziselwa neze izinto ezivamile. Elithi ubungcwele lidlulisela nomqondo onamandla wokuhlanzeka nobumsulwa. Leli gama lisebenza kanjani kuJehova? Ingabe lisho ukuthi ‘uzihlukanisile’ nabantu abanesono, uziqhelisele kude nathi?

⁵ Lutho neze. ‘NjengoNgcwele ka-Israyeli,’ uJehova waqinisekisa abantu bakhe ngokuthi wayehlala phakathi kwabo, yize babenesono benjalo. (Isaya 12:6; Hoseya 11:9) Ngakho ubungcwele bakhe abumenzi aqhele kithi. Pho “uhlukaniswe” kanjani? Ngezindlela ezimbili ezibalulekile. Eyokuqala, uhlukaniswe nazo zonke izidalwa ngokuthi uyena kuphela ongoPhezukonke. Ubumsulwa bakhe nokuhlanzeka kwakhe kuphelele futhi akupheli. (IHubo 40:5; 83:18) Eyesibili, uJehova uhlukaniswe ngokuphelele nako konke ukona, futhi kuyaduduza lokho. Kungani?

6. Kungani kusiduduza ukuhlukaniswa kukaJehova ngokuphelele nokona?

⁶ Ubungcwele bangempela buyivelakancane ezweni esiphila kulo. Yonke into yomphakathi wesintu ohlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu yonakele ngandlela-thile, ingcoliswe ukuba nesono. Sonke kumele silwe nesono esingaphakathi kithi. Ngakho, sonke sisengozini yokunqotshwa isono uma singanakile.  (Roma 7:15-25; 1 Korinte 10:12) UJehova akekho engozini enjalo. Ngenxa yokuthi akanakona, akasoze angcoliswa ngisho nayiminonjana yesono. Lokhu kugcizelela lokho esikwaziyo ngoJehova njengoBaba ofanelekayo, ngoba kusho ukuthi singamethemba ngokuphelele. Ngokungefani nobaba abaningi abangabantu abanesono, uJehova akasoze onakala, antule ukuzithiba, noma aphathe kabi abanye. Ngenxa yobungcwele bakhe, azisoze zenzeka izinto ezinjalo. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova uye wafunga ngisho nangobungcwele bakhe, ngoba akukho lutho okungathenjelwa kulo ukwedlula bona. (Amose 4:2) Akusiqinisi yini idolo lokho?

7. Kungani kungase kuthiwe uJehova ungcwele ngokwemvelo?

⁷ UJehova ungcwele ngokwemvelo. Kusho ukuthini lokho? Ngokwesibonelo: Cabanga ngegama elithi “umuntu” nelithi “isono.” Awunakulichaza leli lokuqala ngaphandle kokucabanga ngelesibili. Isono sisegazini kithi futhi sibonakala kukho konke esikwenzayo. Manje cabanga ngamagama amabili ahluke ngokuphelele​—elithi “Jehova” nelithi “ngcwele.” Ubungcwele busegazini kuJehova. Konke akwenzayo kuhlanzekile, kumsulwa, futhi kuqondile. Ngeke size simazi uJehova njengoba enjalo ngaphandle kokuqonda leli gama elijulile​—elithi “ngcwele.”

8, 9. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova uyabasiza abantu abanesono ukuba babe ngcwele ngomqondo olinganiselwe?

⁸ Njengoba uJehova emelela imfanelo yobungcwele, kungashiwo kufanele ukuthi ungumthombo wabo bonke ubungcwele. Akayigodli ngobugovu le mfanelo eyigugu; uyidlulisela nakwabanye, futhi ubanika yona ngokukhululeka. Phela, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ekhuluma noMose ngengelosi esihlahleni esivuthayo, kwamhlabathi walapho waba ngcwele ngenxa yokuxhumana kwawo noJehova!​—Eksodusi 3:5.

⁹ Ingabe abantu abanesono bangaba ngcwele ngosizo lukaJehova? Yebo, ngomqondo olinganiselwe. UNkulunkulu wanikeza abantu bakhe u-Israyeli ithemba lokuba ‘isizwe esingcwele.’ (Eksodusi 19:6) Wabusisa leso sizwe ngesimiso sokukhulekela esasingcwele, sihlanzekile futhi simsulwa. Ngakho indaba  yobungcwele ilokhu ivela eMthethweni KaMose. Eqinisweni, edukwini lokushuqula lompristi ophakeme kwakunocwecwe lwegolide olwalubenyezela ekukhanyeni, lubonwa yibo bonke abantu. Kulo kwakuqoshwe amazwi athi: “Ubungcwele bungobukaJehova.” (Eksodusi 28:36) Ngakho ukukhulekela kwabo, ngisho nendlela yabo yokuphila, kwakufanele kuphawulwe imithetho ephakeme yokuhlanzeka nobumsulwa. UJehova wabatshela: “Kufanele nibe ngcwele, ngoba mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.” (Levitikusi 19:2) Uma nje ama-Israyeli ayephila ngemiyalo kaNkulunkulu ngezinga abangenza ngalo abantu abanesono, ayengcwele ngomqondo olinganiselwe.

10. Ngokuqondene nobungcwele, kwakunamuphi umehluko phakathi kuka-Israyeli wasendulo nezizwe ezazingomakhelwane?

¹⁰ Lokhu kugcizelelwa kobungcwele kwakuhluke ngokuphelele ekukhulekeleni kwezizwe ezazingomakhelwane baka-Israyeli. Lezo zizwe ezingamaqaba zazikhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga nabakhohlisayo, onkulunkulu ababevezwa beyizidlova, bengamagovu futhi bengenasimilo. Babentula ubungcwele ngazo zonke izindlela. Ukukhulekela onkulunkulu abanjalo akubenzanga baba ngcwele abantu. Ngaleso sizathu, uJehova waxwayisa izinceku zakhe ukuba zizihlukanise nabakhulekeli abangamaqaba nemikhuba yabo yenkolo eyonakele.​—Levitikusi 18:24-28; 1 AmaKhosi 11:1, 2.

11. Ubungcwele benhlangano kaJehova yasezulwini bubonakala kanjani (a) ezingelosini? (b) kumaserafi? (c) kuJesu?

¹¹ Ngisho nalapho izimo zizinhle, isizwe sikaJehova esikhethiwe sika-Israyeli wasendulo sasibonisa ubungcwele benhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasezulwini ngendlela efiphele nje kuphela. Izigidi zezidalwa zomoya ezikhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka zibizwa ngokuthi “amashumi ezinkulungwane ezingcwele.” (Duteronomi 33:2; Jude 14) Zibubonakalisa ngendlela enhle kakhulu ubuhle obumsulwa nobukhazimulayo bobungcwele bukaNkulunkulu. Khumbula namaserafi abonwa u-Isaya embonweni. Amazwi engoma yawo asikisela ukuthi lezi zidalwa zomoya ezinamandla zifeza indima ebalulekile ekwenzeni ubungcwele bukaJehova baziwe kuyo yonke  indawo. Nokho, kunesidalwa esisodwa esingaphezu kwazo zonke lezi​—iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. UJesu ububonakalisa ngezinga eliphakeme kakhulu ubungcwele bukaJehova. Ubizwa kufanele ngokuthi “ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.”​—Johane 6:68, 69.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kufaneleka ukuba igama likaNkulunkulu lichazwe ngokuthi lingcwele? (b) Kungani kumele igama likaNkulunkulu lihlanzwe kuso isihlamba?

¹² Kuthiwani ngegama likaNkulunkulu? Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 1, lelo gama alisona nje isiqu noma ilebula. Limelela uJehova uNkulunkulu, lihlanganisa zonke izimfanelo zakhe. Ngakho, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ‘igama lakhe lingcwele.’ (Isaya 57:15) Ukuhlambalaza igama likaNkulunkulu kwakunesijeziso sokufa eMthethweni KaMose. (Levitikusi 24:16) Phawula lokho uJesu akubeka kuqala emthandazweni: “Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho.” (Mathewu 6:9) Ukungcwelisa okuthile kusho ukukubekela eceleni njengokungcwele nokukuhlonipha. Kodwa kungani into emsulwa njengegama likaNkulunkulu kudingeka ingcweliswe?

¹³ Igama likaNkulunkulu elingcwele liye lahlanjalazwa, langcoliswa ngamanga nangokunyundelwa. E-Edene, uSathane waqamba amanga ngoJehova futhi wakubeka sakugigiyela ukuthi unguMbusi ongalungile. (Genesise 3:1-5) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uSathane​—umbusi waleli zwe elingengcwele—​uye waqikelela ukuthi ayabhebhetheka amanga ngoNkulunkulu. (Johane 8:44; 12:31; IsAmbulo 12:9) Izinkolo ziye zaveza uNkulunkulu njengowasebenzisa kabi amandla akhe, oqhelelene nabantu, noma ononya. Ziye zathi zisekelwa nguye ezimpini zazo ezichitha igazi. Kunokuba kunconywe uNkulunkulu ngemisebenzi emangalisayo yendalo, kuye kwathiwa yazivelela noma yavela ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Yebo, igama likaNkulunkulu liye lahlanjalazwa kabi kakhulu. Kumele lingcweliswe; kumele kubuyiselwe inkazimulo yalo elifanele. Siyalilangazelela usuku lapho uJehova eyolingcwelisa unomphela  igama lakhe ngokususa sonke isihlamba. Lokhu uyokwenza ngoMbuso obuswa iNdodana yakhe. Kuyasijabulisa ukuba nanoma iyiphi ingxenye kuleyo njongo enhle.

14. Kungani umoya kaNkulunkulu kuthiwa ungcwele, futhi kungani kuyinto enkulu kangaka ukuhlambalaza umoya ongcwele?

¹⁴ Kunenye into ehlobene eduze noJehova nayo ebizwa ngokuthi ingcwele njalo nje​—umoya wakhe, noma amandla asebenzayo. (Genesise 1:2) UJehova usebenzisa la mandla angahlulwa yilutho ukuze afeze izinjongo zakhe. Konke uNkulunkulu akwenzayo ukwenza ngendlela engcwele, emsulwa, nehlanzekile, ngakho amandla akhe asebenzayo abizwa kufanele ngokuthi umoya ongcwele, noma umoya wobungcwele. (Luka 11:13; Roma 1:4) Ukuhlambalaza umoya ongcwele, okuhlanganisa ukuphikisa izinjongo zikaJehova ngamabomu, kuyisono esingenakuthethelelwa.​—Marku 3:29.

15. Kungani kubalulekile ukwesaba, noma ukuba nenhlonipho ngoJehova ngenxa yobungcwele bakhe futhi lokho kuhilelani?

¹⁵ Akunzima-ke ukubona ukuthi kungani iBhayibheli lihlobanisa ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu nokwesaba, noma ukwesaba komuntu uNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iHubo 99:3 lifundeka kanje: “Mazidumise igama lakho elikhulu, ngoba liyesabeka futhi lingcwele.” Lokhu kwesaba kuhilela inhlonipho ejulile; ephakeme ngezinga elikhulu. Kuyafaneleka ukuzizwa kanjalo, kwazise ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu buphakeme kakhulu kunathi. Buhlanzeke ngokuphelele, buyakhazimula. Noma kunjalo, akufanele busiqhelise kuye. Kunalokho, ukuba nombono ofanele ngobungcwele bukaNkulunkulu kuyosisondeza kuye. Kungani?

16. (a) Ubungcwele buhlobana kanjani nenkazimulo noma ubuhle? Nikeza isibonelo. (b) Imibono echaza uJehova ikugcizelela kanjani ukuhlanzeka, ubumsulwa, nokukhanya?

¹⁶ Isizathu siwukuthi iBhayibheli lihlobanisa ubungcwele nobuhle. Ku-Isaya 63:15, izulu lichazwa ngokuthi ‘indawo [kaNkulunkulu] yokuhlala ephakeme yobungcwele nenkazimulo [noma “nobuhle,” umbhalo waphansi].’ Inkazimulo nobuhle  kuyasikhanga. Ngokwesibonelo, bheka isithombe esisekhasini 33. Ayikukhangi yini le ndawo? Yini eyenza ikhange kangaka? Buka ukuthi amanzi ahlanzeke kanjani. Kumele ukuba nomoya uhlanzekile, ngoba isibhakabhaka siluhlaza cwe nokukhanya kuyaxhopha. Uma le ndawo ingase ishintshwe​—umfula ugcwale udoti, izihlahla namadwala kudwetshwe imidwebo engcolile, umoya ungcoliswe ngentuthu—​ngeke isasikhanga; ingasicasula. Ngokuvamile ubuhle noma inkazimulo, sibuhlobanisa nokuhlanzeka, nobumsulwa kanye nokukhanya. Wona la magama afanayo angasetshenziselwa ukuchaza ubungcwele bukaJehova. Yingakho imibono echaza uJehova isihlaba umxhwele kangaka! Bunemisebe yokukhanya, bubenyezela njengamatshe ayigugu, bukhanya njengomlilo noma njengamagugu ambiwa phansi amsulwa nacwebezelayo​—injalo inkazimulo noma ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele.​—Hezekeli 1:25-28; IsAmbulo 4:2, 3.

17, 18. (a) Umbono ka-Isaya waqale wamthinta kanjani? (b) UJehova walisebenzisa kanjani iserafi ukuba liduduze u-Isaya, futhi sasibaluleke ngani isenzo seserafi?

¹⁷ Nokho, ingabe ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu kufanele busenze sizizwe siphansi? Yebo kunjalo. Vele singaphansi kukaJehova​—futhi siswele amagama okuchaza indlela esiphansi ngayo. Ingabe ukwazi lokho kufanele kusenze siqhele kuye? Cabanga indlela u-Isaya asabela ngayo lapho ezwa amaserafi ememezela ubungcwele bukaJehova. “Ngathi: ‘Maye kimi! Kuphelile ngami, ngoba ngingumuntu onezindebe ezingcolile, ngihlala phakathi kwesizwe esinezindebe ezingcolile; ngoba amehlo ami abone iNkosi, uJehova wamabutho uqobo!’” (Isaya 6:5) Yebo, ubungcwele bukaJehova obungapheli bakhumbuza u-Isaya indlela ayenesono ngayo nayengaphelele ngayo. Ekuqaleni, le ndoda ethembekile yakhungatheka. Kodwa uJehova akayishiyanga ikuleso simo.

¹⁸ Ngokushesha iserafi lamduduza lo mprofethi. Kanjani? Ingelosi enamandla yandizela e-altare, yathatha ilahle, yathinta izindebe zika-Isaya ngalo. Kungazwakala kubuhlungu lokho kunokuba kududuze. Kodwa khumbula, kwakuwumbono lona, unencazelo eningi engokomfanekiso. U-Isaya, umJuda  othembekile, wayazi kahle ukuthi imihlatshelo yayenziwa mihla yonke e-altare lethempeli ngenjongo yokuhlawulela izono. Ngothando iserafi lakhumbuza lo mprofethi ukuthi yize ayengaphelele, ‘enezindebe ezingcolile,’ wayesengaba nokuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. a UJehova wayezimisele ukubheka umuntu onamaphutha nonesono njengongcwele​—okungenani ngomqondo olinganiselwe.​—Isaya 6:6, 7.

19. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba sibe ngcwele ngomqondo olinganiselwe, yize sinesono?

¹⁹ Kunjalo nanamuhla. Yonke imihlatshelo eyayinikelwa e-altare eJerusalema yayimane nje iyisithunzi sokuthile okukhulu kunayo​—umhlatshelo okuyiwona wodwa ophelele, owanikelwa uJesu Kristu ngo-33 C.E. (Hebheru 9:11-14) Uma siphenduka ngempela ezonweni zethu, silungise inkambo yethu engalungile, sibonise ukholo kulowo mhlatshelo, siyathethelelwa. (1 Johane 2:2) Nathi singaba nokuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Yingakho umphostoli uPetru esikhumbuza:  “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Kumele nibe ngcwele, ngoba mina ngingcwele.’” (1 Petru 1:16) Phawula ukuthi uJehova akashongo ukuthi kumele sibe ngcwele njengaye. Akalokothi alindele okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. (IHubo 103:13, 14) Kunalokho, uJehova uthi masibe ngcwele ngoba yena ungcwele. “Njengabantwana abathandekayo,” sifuna ukumlingisa ngendlela engcono kakhulu esingenza ngayo njengabantu abanesono. (Efesu 5:1) Ngakho ukuba ngcwele kuyisenzo esiqhubekayo. Njengoba sikhula ngokomoya, sisebenzela ‘ukuphelelisa ubungcwele’ usuku nosuku.​—2 Korinte 7:1.

20. (a) Kungani kubalulekile ukuqonda ukuthi singaba abahlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele? (b) Kwamthinta kanjani u-Isaya ukwazi ukuthi izono zakhe zazithethelelwe?

²⁰ UJehova uyakuthanda okulungile nokumsulwa. Uyasizonda isono. (Habakuki 1:13) Kodwa akasizondi thina. Uma nje isono sisibheka ngendlela asibheka ngayo​—sizonda okubi, sithanda okuhle—​futhi silwela ukulandela izinyathelo eziphelele zikaKristu Jesu, uJehova uyasithethelela izono zethu. (Amose 5:15; 1 Petru 2:21) Uma siqonda ukuthi singaba abahlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele, imiphumela iba mihle. Khumbula ukuthi ubungcwele bukaJehova baqale bakhumbuza u-Isaya ngokungahlanzeki kwakhe. Wabalisa: “Maye kimi!” Kodwa lapho esazi ukuthi izono zakhe zithethelelwe, umbono wakhe washintsha. Lapho uJehova efuna ivolontiya elalizokwenza isabelo esithile, u-Isaya wavumela phezulu, yize ayengazi nakwazi ukuthi wayezokwenzani. Wathi: “Nangu mina! Thuma mina!”​—Isaya 6:5-8.

21. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi singayihlakulela imfanelo yobungcwele?

²¹ Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongcwele, sinikezwe izimfanelo ezinhle senziwa sakwazi ukuba nobungani obuseduze naye. (Genesise 1:26) Sonke singaba ngcwele. Lapho siqhubeka sihlakulela ubungcwele, uJehova uyakujabulela ukusisiza. Uma sikuhlakulela, siyosondela nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba sizoxoxa ngezimfanelo zikaJehova ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, sizobona ukuthi ziningi izizathu ezizwakalayo zokusondela kuye!