1, 2. I-New World Translation iliphakamisa njani ibizo likaNkulunkulu?

IQEMBU elincane labafowethu abagcotshiweyo elaliseBhetheli yaseBrooklyn, eNew York, laqalisa ukwenza umsebenzi omkhulu ngoLwesibili mhlaka 2 December, 1947. Kwakungumsebenzi onzima sibili kodwa kabazange babeke amajogwe phansi kwaze kwaphela iminyaka engu-12. Lafika elingaliyo, kungeSonto mhlaka 13 March, 1960, bawuqeda umsebenzi wabo wokuhumutsha iBhayibhili elitsha. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu ngoJune 18, 1960, uMfowethu uNathan Knorr wethula iBhayibhili elipheleleyo i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures emhlanganweni owawuseManchester, e-England. Abantu ababesemhlanganweni lo bathaba babamanzi te. Isikhulumi sayichaza kuhle indlela bonke abantu ababezizwa ngayo lelolanga sisithi: ‘Lamuhla lilanga laboFakazi bakaJehova lokuthokoza emhlabeni wonke!’ Okunye okwakumangalisa ngeBhayibhili leli okwenza abantu bathokoza kangaka yikuthi lalisebenzisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu kanengi.

² AmaBhayibhili amanengi kawalalo ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiweyo zalwisana laleliqhinga likaSathane lokuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingaphindi laziwe. Isethulo se-New World Translation eyethulwa ngalelolanga sasisithi: “Okuqakatheke kakhulu ngeBhayibhili leli yikuthi libuyisele ibizo elingcwele endaweni yalo efaneleyo.” Lokhu kuliqiniso sibili ngoba ibizo likaNkulunkulu elithi Jehova litholakala ku-New World Translation izikhathi ezedlula 7 000. Kalikho elinye iBhayibhili eliphakamise ibizo likaJehova, uBaba wethu osezulwini njengaleli!

3. (a) Kuyini abafowethu abakuzwisisayo mayelana lencazelo yebizo likaNkulunkulu? (b) Kumele simzwisise njani u-Eksodusi 3:​13, 14? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ibizo LikaNkulunkulu Litshoni?”)

³ Ekuqaliseni, aBafundi beBhayibhili babecabanga ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu litsho ukuthi “Nginguye enginguye.” (Eks. 3:14) Yikho-ke i-The Watch Tower kaJanuary 1, 1926, yathi: ‘Ibizo elithi Jehova limela Lowo owayevele ekhona, ongelasiqalo futhi ongelasiphetho.’ Kodwa ngesikhathi abahumutshi be-New World Translation beqalisa umsebenzi wabo, uJehova wayesesize abantu bakhe ukuthi bazwisise ukuthi ibizo lakhe kalitsho ukuthi wayevele ekhona nje kuphela, kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu, litsho ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olenjongo njalo  oyenza ukuthi igcwaliseke. Bafunda ukuthi ibizo likaJehova litsho ukuthi “Wenza Ukuthi Kube Khona.” Nguye owenza ukuthi izulu lomhlaba, abantu kanye lezingilosi kube khona, njalo uyaqhubeka esenza ukuthi intando yakhe lenjongo yakhe kugcwaliseke. Kodwa kungani kuqakatheke kangaka ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu liphakanyiswe, njalo thina singaliphakamisa njani?

4, 5. (a) Kuyini esikucelayo nxa sithandaza sisithi: “Malihlonitshwe ibizo lakho”? (b) UNkulunkulu uzalingcwelisa njani futhi nini ibizo lakhe?

⁴ UJehova ufuna ukuthi ibizo lakhe lidunyiswe. Phela injongo yakhe enkulu ngeyokwenza ukuthi ibizo lakhe libe ngcwele, njengoba nje isicelo sokuqala somthandazo kaJesu oyisibonelo sisithi: “Malihlonitshwe ibizo lakho.” (Mat. 6:9) Nxa sisenza isicelo lesi, kuyini esiyabe sikuthandazela?

⁵ Safunda eSahlukweni 1 sebhuku leli ukuthi isicelo esithi “Malihlonitshwe ibizo lakho,” ngesinye sezicelo ezintathu ezisemthandazweni kaJesu eziphathelane lenjongo kaJehova. Ezimbili zakhona ngezithi: “UMbuso wakho kawuze, intando yakho yenziwe.” (Mat. 6:10) Yikho-ke, sicela ukuthi uJehova enze ibizo lakhe libengcwele, njengoba nje sicela ukuthi enze uMbuso wakhe uze lokuthi intando yakhe yenziwe. Ngamanye amazwi, siyabe sicela ukuthi uJehova enze okuthile ukuze ahlambulule ibizo lakhe ebelilokhu lingcoliswa kusukela abantu bahlamuka e-Edeni. UJehova uzawuphendula njani umthandazo onjalo? Uthi: “Ngizabonakalisa ubungcwele bebizo elikhulu, eselingcolisiwe phakathi kwezizwe.” (Hez. 36:23; 38:23) Lapho uJehova esusa ububi nge-Amagedoni, uzangcwelisa ibizo lakhe phambi kwendalo yonke.

6. Singalingcwelisa njani ibizo likaNkulunkulu?

⁶ UJehova ubezivumela izinceku zakhe ukuthi lazo zingcwelise ibizo lakhe kusukela endulo. Liqiniso ukuthi ngeke senze ibizo likaNkulunkulu libe ngcwele ukwedlula lokho eliyikho. Lona ngokwalo lingcwele ngokupheleleyo. Pho-ke singalingcwelisa njani? U-Isaya uthi: “UJehova uSomandla nguye okumele limazi engongcwele.” UJehova ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngabantu bakhe wathi: ‘Bazakwenza ibizo lami libe ngcwele, njalo bazamesaba uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.’ (Isaya. 8:13; 29:23) Ngakho-ke singcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu ngokulazi ukuthi liphakeme futhi lehlukene lamanye wonke amabizo, ngokuhlonipha lokho elikumelayo, langokusiza abanye ukuba balazi ukuthi lingcwele. Kanti njalo indlela enkulu esitshengisa ngayo ukuthi siyalesaba njalo siyalihlonipha kakhulu ibizo likaNkulunkulu, yikwamukela uJehova njengoMbusi wethu lokumlalela ngenhliziyo yonke.​—Zaga. 3:1; Isam. 4:11.

7, 8. (a) Kungani kwathatha isikhathi eside ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babizwe ngebizo lakhe? (b) Kuyini esesizakuhlola?

⁷ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikhathini zalamuhla bezilokhu zisebenzisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu emabhukwini azo  kusukela ngabo-1870. Ngokwesibonelo, ibizo elithi Jehova labhalwa ku-The Watch Tower ka-August 1879 kanye lasesihlabelelweni okwakuthiwa yi-Songs of the Bride esadindwa ngomnyaka lo. Lanxa kunjalo, kukhanya angathi uJehova engakavumeli ukuthi abantu bakhe bazibize ngebizo lakhe obala, waqala waqiniseka ukuthi babesifanele sibili lesisibusiso esikhulu. UJehova wabasiza njani aBafundi beBhayibhili bokuqala ukuthi balungele ukubizwa ngebizo lakhe?

⁸ Nxa sikhangela ekucineni kweminyaka yabo-1800 kusiya ekuqaliseni kwabo-1900, sibona indlela uJehova akhanyisela ngayo abantu bakhe izinto eziqakathekileyo eziphathelane lebizo lakhe. Ake sihlole ezintathu zakhona.

9, 10. (a) Kungani iWatch Tower yayihlala ikhuluma ngoJesu? (b) Yiluphi untshintsho olwaba khona kusukela ngo-1919, futhi kwahamba njani ngemva kwalokho? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Indlela iNqabayokulinda Eliphakamise Ngayo Ibizo LikaNkulunkulu.”)

⁹ Okokuqala, izinceku zikaJehova zaqalisa ukuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu laliqakatheke kanganani. ABafundi beBhayibhili bokuqala ababethembekile babecabanga ukuthi imfundiso yeBhayibhili eqakatheke ukwedlula zonke ngeyomhlatshelo kaJesu. Yikho okwenza ukuthi i-The Watch Tower ihlale ikhuluma ngoJesu izikhathi ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo, yathi iqalisa ukubhalwa ngo-1879, ibizo likaJesu laqanjwa kanengi kulelikaJehova ngezikhathi ezilitshumi. INqabayokulinda kaMarch 15, 1976 yathi aBafundi beBhayibhili bokuqala ‘babemqakathekise bedlulisa’ uJesu. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi, uJehova wabasiza bayizwisisa indlela iBhayibhili eliqakathekisa ngayo ibizo lakhe. Basebesenzani? INqabayokulinda le iqhubeka isithi kusukela ikakhulu ngo-1919, “baqalisa ukuqakathekisa kakhulu uYise kaMesiya osezulwini, uJehova.” Yikho-ke kusukela ngo-1920 kusiya ku-1929, ibizo likaNkulunkulu labhalwa izikhathi ezedlula 6 500 ku-The Watch Tower!

¹⁰ Abafowethu batshengisa ukuthi ibizo elithi Jehova bayalithanda lapho beqalisa ukuliqakathekisa ngendlela efaneleyo. Baqalisa ‘ukuphakamisa ibizo [‘likaJehova,’ NW ]’ njengoMosi wasendulo. (Dute. 32:3; Hubo. 34:3) UJehova laye wananzelela ukuthi bayalithanda ibizo lakhe, wasebabusisa njengoba wayethembisile eMibhalweni.​—Hubo. 119:132; Heb. 6:10.

11, 12. (a) Yiluphi untshintsho olwabakhona kulokho okwakubhalwa emabhukwini ethu kusukela ngo-1919? (b) UJehova wenza ukuthi izinceku zakhe zinanzeleleni, futhi ngani?

¹¹ Okwesibili, amaKhristu eqiniso aqalisa ukuwuzwisisa kuhle umsebenzi ayewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu. Kusanda nje ukwedlula u-1919, abafowethu abagcotshiweyo ababekhokhela baqondiswa ngumoya ongcwele ukuthi bahlolisise isiphrofetho sika-Isaya. Ngemva kwalokho, okwakubhalwa emabhukwini ethu lakho kwantshintsha. Kungani untshintsho lolu lwaba ‘yikudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo’?​—Mat. 24:45.

¹² Amazwi ka-Isaya athi: “ ‘Lina lingofakazi bami,’ kutsho uJehova, ‘lenceku yami engiyikhethileyo’ ” ayengakaze ahluzwe ku-The Watch Tower u-1919 engakafiki. (Bala u-Isaya 43:10-12.) Kodwa kwathi kusanda kwedlula u-1919, amabhuku ethu aqalisa ukuhlolisisa amavesi la, ekhuthaza bonke abagcotshiweyo ukuthi benze umsebenzi ababewuphiwe nguJehova.  Umsebenzi lo wawungowokufakaza ngaye. Kusukela ngo-1925 kusiya ku-1931, amamagazini e-The Watch Tower angu-57 akhuluma ngo-Isaya isahluko 43, futhi ngayinye yawo yayichasisa ukuthi amazwi ka-Isaya ayesitshoni kumaKhristu eqiniso. Kuyakhanya ukuthi ngalesisikhathi uJehova wayesesenza ukuthi izinceku zakhe zinanzelele ukuthi kwakulomsebenzi okwakumele ziwenze. Wazilimukisa ngomsebenzi lo ukuze ‘ziqale zihlolwe.’ (1 Tim. 3:10) ABafundi beBhayibhili kwakumele baqale batshengise uJehova ngemisebenzi yabo ukuthi babengofakazi bakhe sibili, engakabavumeli ukuthi babizwe ngebizo lakhe.​—Luk. 24:47, 48.

13. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu liyiveza njani indaba eqakatheke kulazo zonke?

¹³ Okwesithathu, abantu bakaJehova baqalisa ukuzwisisa ukuthi ukungcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu kuqakatheke kakhulu. Eminyakeni yabo-1920, bazwisisa ukuthi indaba eqakatheke kulazo zonke ngeyokuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu kumele lingcweliswe. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu liliveza njani iqiniso eliqakatheke kangaka? Ake sikhangele izibonelo ezimbili. Yisiphi isizatho esikhulu esenza uJehova wakhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe? UJehova wathi: ‘Ngayonale injongo yokuthi ibizo lami lifakazwe kuwo wonke umhlaba.’ (Eks. 9:16) Futhi kungani uJehova waba lesihawu kuma-Israyeli ngesikhathi emhlamukela? Lalapha uJehova wathi: “Kodwa ngenxa yebizo lami ngenza okwakuzalivikela ekungcolisweni phambi kwezizwe.” (Hez. 20:8-10) ABafundi beBhayibhili bafundani ezindabeni lezi kanye lakwezinye eziseBhayibhilini?

14. (a) Kuyini abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakuzwisisayo sekuzafika iminyaka yabo-1930? (b) ABafundi beBhayibhili bazizwa njani ngomsebenzi wokutshumayela ngemva kokuzwisisa kuhle udaba lolu? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Isizatho Esilamandla Sokutshumayela.”)

¹⁴ Sekuzafika u-1930, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazwisisa ukuqakatheka kwamazwi ka-Isaya ayeseleminyaka engaba ngu-2 700 ewakhulumile. Wakhuluma ngoJehova wathi: “Wena wabakhokhela kanjalo abantu bakho ukuze uzenzele ibizo elilodumo.” (Isaya. 63:14) ABafundi beBhayibhili bakuzwisisa ukuthi okwakuqakatheke kakhulu yikungcweliswa kwebizo likaNkulunkulu, hatshi ukusindiswa kwabo. (Isaya. 37:20; Hez. 38:23) Ngo-1929, ibhuku elalibizwa ngokuthi Prophecy lakufingqa lokhu ngamazwi athi: “Indaba yebizo likaJehova iqakatheke kulazo zonke endalweni yonke.” Ukuzwisisa kuhle loludaba kwangezelela intshiseko yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu yokufakaza ngaye lokuhlambulula ibizo lakhe.

15. (a) Kuyini abafowethu abasebekuzwisisa ngabo-1930? (b) Kwasekuyisikhathi sani?

¹⁵ Ekuqaliseni kwabo-1930, abafowethu basebekuzwisisa kuhle ukuqakatheka kwebizo likaNkulunkulu, usubacacela umsebenzi ababewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu njalo sebekuzwisisa ngcono ukuthi kuqakatheke kangakanani ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe. Sasesifikile isikhathi sokuthi uJehova abusise izinceku zakhe ngokuzivumela ukuthi zibizwe ngebizo lakhe obala. Ake sihlole ezinye izenzakalo zasendulo ukuze sibone ukuthi lokhu kwenzakala njani.

16. (a) Yiphi indlela enkulu uJehova aphakamisa ngayo ibizo lakhe? (b) Ngobani abaqalisa bengabantu bakaNkulunkulu endulo?

¹⁶ Indlela enkulu uJehova aphakamisa ngayo ibizo lakhe  yikukhetha abantu emhlabeni ababizwa ngebizo lakhe. Isizwe sako-Israyeli saba ngabantu bakaJehova kusukela ngo-1513 B.C.E. (Isaya. 43:12) Kodwa isizwe lesi sehluleka ukugcina isivumelwano esasisenze loNkulunkulu, okwabangela ukuthi ubuhlobo baso laye buphele ngo-33 C.E. Ngemva kwalokho, akuthathanga sikhathi ukuthi uJehova ‘atshengise ukunakekela kwakhe abeZizwe ngokukhetha phakathi kwabo abantu ukuba babe ngabakhe kumbe babizwe ngebizo lakhe.’ (ImiSeb. 15:14) Abantu laba ababesanda kukhethwa babizwa ngokuthi ‘ngu-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,’ obunjwa ngabalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo abaphuma ezizweni ezitshiyeneyo.​—Gal. 6:16.

17. Yiliphi icebo likaSathane elaphumelelayo?

¹⁷ Ngabo-44 C.E., abafundi bakaKhristu baqondiswa nguNkulunkulu  ukuthi ‘babizwe ngokuthi ngamaKhristu.’ (ImiSeb. 11:26) Ibizo leli laqalisa libehlukanisa lezinye izinkolo ngoba lalisitsho amaKhristu eqiniso kuphela. (1 Phet. 4:16) Kodwa njengoba uJesu wayetshilo emzekelisweni wakhe wengqoloyi lokhula, icebo likaSathane lokwenza ukuthi amaKhristu amanga lawo abizwe ngokuthi ngamaKhristu laphumelela. Ngenxa yalokho, kwathatha iminyaka eminengi ukuthi umehluko phakathi kwamaKhristu eqiniso lawamanga ukhanye kuhle. Kodwa umehluko lo waqalisa ukukhanya ‘ngesikhathi sokuvuna’ esaqalisa ngo-1914. Lokhu kwabangelwa yikuthi izingilosi zaqalisa ukwehlukanisa amaKhristu eqiniso lawamanga.​—Mat. 13:30, 39-41.

18. Kuyini okwanceda abafowethu ukuthi babone ukuthi kwasekumele babe lebizo elitsha?

¹⁸ UJehova wasiza abantu bakhe ukuthi bawuzwisise umsebenzi ayebanike wona ngemva kokubekwa kwenceku ethembekileyo ngo-1919. Akuzange kuthathe isikhathi ukuthi bananzelele ukuthi ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu kwakubehlukanisa lamaKhristu amanga. Sebekunanzelele lokhu, bahle bakubona lokuthi ibizo elithi “ABafundi beBhayibhili” lalingabehlukanisi kangako lezinye izinkolo. Lanxa ukufunda iBhayibhili kwakuqakatheke kakhulu kubo, ukufakaza ngoNkulunkulu, ukudumisa kanye lokuphakamisa ibizo lakhe, lakho kwakuqakatheke kakhulu. Ngakho-ke, yiliphi ibizo elalizafanela umsebenzi ababewenza? Umbuzo lo waphendulwa ngo-1931.

19, 20. (a) Yiliphi ilizwi lesinqumo elethulwa emhlanganweni othile ngo-1931? (b) Abafowethu benzani besizwa ukuthi basebelebizo elitsha?

¹⁹ ABafundi beBhayibhili abangaba ngu-15 000 bafika eColumbus, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. ngoJuly 1931, belande umhlangano. Bamangala bebona uhlelo lomhlangano lulamabala amabili amakhulu ekhasini eliphandle, u-J lo-W. Abanengi bazama ukuqagela ukuthi ayemeleni amabala la. Abanye babesithi atsho ukuthi ‘Just Watch’; abanye besithi, ‘Just Wait.’ Kwathi ngeSonto, ngoJuly 26, uMfowethu uJoseph Rutherford wethula ilizwi lesinqumo elalilamazwi la alamandla: “Sifisa ukwaziwa lokubizwa ngebizo elithi, oFakazi bakaJehova.” Abantu bonke ababesemhlanganweni bahle bazwisisa ukuthi amabala amabili ababezibuza ngawo ayemeleni. Ayemele ukuthi Jehovah’s Witnesses (oFakazi bakaJehova), ibizo elalithethwe eMbhalweni ka-Isaya 43:10.

²⁰ Inkundla yonke yahlokoma ngenjabulo enkulu isizwa isinqumo lesi, njalo yaqakeza okwesikhathi eside. Umsindo wentokozo owawuseColumbus wezwakala lakwamanye amazwe kulabo ababelalele ngamarediyo! U-Ernest loNaomi Barber ababese-Australia bathi: “Abafowethu ababeseMolbourne bathi besizwa inhlokomo ye-America labo bahle bathi lothu, baqakeza okwesikhathi eside. Kasisoze safa sakukhohlwa okwenzakalayo!” *

21. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zatshumayela njani sezithole ibizo elitsha?

²¹ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zengezelela umdlandla  wokutshumayela ngemva kokuthola ibizo elivela eMbhalweni elithi oFakazi bakaJehova. U-Edward Grimes lomkakhe uJessie abangamaphayona e-United States, ababekhona emhlanganweni eColumbus ngo-1931 bathi: “Sasuka ngekhaya singaBafundi beBhayibhili, kodwa saphenduka sesingoFakazi bakaJehova. Sathokoza kakhulu ukuthi sasesilebizo elalisisiza ukuthi sikhazimulise ibizo likaNkulunkulu wethu.” Ngemva komhlangano, abanye oFakazi bahle basebenzisa indlela entsha yokulikhazimulisa. Babezethula ebantwini ngokubaqhubela ikhadi elalibhalwe ukuthi: “Ngingufakazi kaJEHOVA otshumayela ngoMbuso kaJEHOVA uNkulunkulu wethu.” Kuyakhanya sibili ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babezigqaja ngokubizwa ngebizo lakhe, njalo basebezimisele ukumemezela ukuqakatheka kwalo indawo yonke.​—Isaya. 12:4.

22. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi abantu bakaJehova behlukene lezinye izinkolo?

²² Sekuleminyaka eminengi uJehova waqondisa abagcotshiweyo ukuthi bamukele ibizo labo elibehlukanisa lezinye izinkolo. Kusukela ngo-1931, uSathane wenelisile yini ukwenza ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangaziwa? Uphumelele yini ukwenza ukuthi abantu bangawuboni umehluko phakathi kwethu lezinye izinkolo? Ngitsho sibili! Khathesi sekuzikhanyela bha ukuthi yithi sodwa esifakazela uNkulunkulu. (Bala uMikha 4:5 loMalaki 3:18.) Sesisaziwa kakhulu ngebizo likaNkulunkulu okokuthi loba ngubani olisebenzisa ekhululekile kuhle kuthiwe unguFakazi bakaJehova. Ukukhonza uJehova kweqiniso akusithwanga yizinkolo zamanga ezinjengezintaba, kodwa ‘kuphakanyiswe phezu kwazo zonke intaba.’ (Isaya. 2:​2, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Liqiniso sibili, ibizo likaJehova elingcwele kanye lokumkhonza sekuphakeme kakhulu lamuhla.

23. IHubo 121:5 liveza liphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo ngoJehova elisiqinisa kakhulu?

²³ Kuyasiqinisa ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uzasivikela lapho uSathane esihlasela khathesi kanye lasesikhathini esizayo! (Hubo. 121:5) Silesizatho esihle sokuzizwa njengomhubi owabhala wathi: “Sibusisekile isizwe uNkulunkulu waso onguJehova, abantu abakhethayo baba yilifa lakhe.”​—Hubo. 33:12.