1, 2. INguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha iliphakamisa njani igama likaThixo?

NGENTSASA ephole kamnandi yangoLwesibini ngoDisemba 2, 1947, iqaqobana labazalwana abathanjisiweyo ababeseBheteli yaseBrooklyn, eNew York, lalungiselela ukwenza umsebenzi omkhulu. Lo msebenzi wawunzima, kodwa laqhubeka nawo kangangeminyaka eyi-12. Ekugqibeleni, ngeCawa, ngoMatshi 13, 1960, lagqiba ukuguqulela iBhayibhile entsha. Kwiinyanga ezintathu kamva, ngoJuni 18, 1960, uMzalwan’ uNathan Knorr wakhulula iNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele kubaphulaphuli ababenemincili eManchester, eNgilani. Isithethi sayibonisa kakuhle indlela ababevakalelwa ngayo abaphulaphuli xa sathi: ‘Namhlanje lusuku lokugcoba kumaNgqina kaYehova emhlabeni wonke!’ Eyona nto yayikhethekile neyayivuyisa ngale nguqulelo intsha kukusetyenziswa kwegama likaThixo.

² Uninzi lweenguqulelo zeBhayibhile ziyalikhupha igama likaThixo. Kodwa abakhonzi bakaYehova abathanjisiweyo bema ngokuqinileyo nxamnye neenzame zikaSathana zokwenza abantu bangalikhumbuli igama likaThixo. Intshayelelo yeNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha eyakhululwa ngaloo mini yathi: “Eyona nto ibalaseleyo ngale nguqulelo, kukubuyisela endaweni yalo igama likaThixo elingcwele.” Le Nguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha isebenzisa igama likaThixo, uYehova elivela izihlandlo ezingaphezu kweziyi-7 000. Le nguqulelo iye yaliphakamisa ngokwenene igama likaBawo wethu osezulwini—uYehova!

3. (a) Yintoni abayiqondayo abazalwana bethu ngentsingiselo yegama likaThixo? (b) Simele siyiqonde njani iEksodus 3:13, 14? (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi “ Intsingiselo Yegama LikaThixo.”)

³ Kwiminyaka yangaphambili aBafundi BeBhayibhile babecinga ukuba igama likaThixo lithetha ukuba “ndinguye endinguye.” (Eks. 3:14, iBhayibhile yesiXhosa) Ngoko ke, iMboniselo kaJanuwari 1, 1926 yathi: “Igama elithi Yehova lithetha Lowo ungazange adalwe mntu, . . . Lowo ungenasiqalo nasiphelo.” Noko ke, xa abaguquleli beNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha babeqalisa lo msebenzi wokuguqulela, uYehova wayesele ebancede baqonda ukuba intsingiselo yegama lakhe ayipheleli nje ekuthini ngulowo ungazange adalwe, kodwa okona kubalulekileyo kukuba unguThixo onenjongo nohlala esebenza.  Baqonda ukuba eyona nto ithethwa ligama elithi Yehova kukuba “Ubangela Kubekho.” Ngokwenene nguye owabangela ukuba kubekho izulu nomhlaba kunye nezidalwa ezikrelekrele, kwaye usaqhubeka ebangela ukuba ukuthanda nenjongo yakhe zizaliseke. Kutheni kubaluleke kangaka nje ukuphakanyiswa kwegama likaThixo, yaye singenza njani ukuze nathi siliphakamise?

4, 5. (a) Sicela ntoni xa sithandaza sisithi: “Malingcwaliswe igama lakho”? (b) UThixo uza kulingcwalisa njani yaye nini igama lakhe?

⁴ UYehova ufuna igama lakhe liphakanyiswe. Eyona njongo yakhe iphambili kukungcwaliswa kwegama lakhe. Oku kubonakala kakuhle kwinto yokuqala awayicelayo uYesu kumthandazo awawufundisa abalandeli bakhe: “Malingcwaliswe igama lakho.” (Mat. 6:9) Xa sisenza lo mthandazo, sicela ntoni?

⁵ Njengoko sifundile kwiSahluko 1 sale ncwadi, isibongozo esithi “Malingcwaliswe igama lakho” sesinye sezibongozo ezintathu kulo mthandazo nesinento yokwenza nenjongo kaYehova. Ezilandelayo zithi: “Mabufike ubukumkani bakho. Makwenzeke ukuthanda kwakho.” (Mat. 6:10) Ngoko xa sicela uYehova ukuba athath’amanyathelo okuzisa uBukumkani bakhe nokuba intando yakhe yenzeke, sikwacela nokuba abangele ukuba igama lakhe lingcwaliswe. Ngamany’ amazwi sicela uYehova ukuba acoce igama lakhe elangcoliswa kwimvukelo yase-Eden. Uya kuwuphendula njani uYehova loo mthandazo? Uthi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kulingcwalisa igama lam elikhulu, ebelihlanjelwa phakathi kweentlanga.” (Hez. 36:23; 38:23) Xa uYehova ephelisa ubungendawo ngeArmagedon, uza kulingcwalisa igama lakhe phambi kwendalo yonke.

6. Sinokulingcwalisa njani igama likaThixo?

⁶ Ukutyhubela imbali, uYehova uye wavumela abantu bakhe ukuba babe nenxaxheba ekungcwaliseni igama lakhe. Kakade ke, ayisithi abanokulenza libe ngcwele igama lakhe, kuba sele lingcwele ngokugqibeleleyo. Ngoko ke, singalingcwalisa njani? UIsaya uthi: “UYehova wemikhosi—Nguye enifanele nimngcwalise.” Yaye noYehova ngokwakhe uthi ngabantu bakhe: “Baya kulingcwalisa igama lam . . . , yaye bamgqale ngoloyiko uThixo kaSirayeli.” (Isa. 8:13; 29:23) Ngoko, igama likaThixo silingcwalisa ngokuligqala njengelahlukileyo nelona liphakamileyo kuwo onke amagama, ngokuhlonela oko likumelayo nangokunceda abanye baligqale njengelingcwele. Sibonisa ukuba siyaloyika kwaye siyalihlonela xa simgqala njengoMlawuli wethu size simthobele ngentliziyo epheleleyo.—IMize. 3:1; ISityhi. 4:11.

7, 8. (a) Kutheni kwathath’ ixesha nje ngaphambi kokuba uThixo avumele abantu bakhe bazibize ngegama lakhe? (b) Siza kuqwalasela ntoni ngoku?

⁷ Ukususela kwiminyaka yee-1870 abakhonzi bakaThixo bala maxesha bebelisebenzisa igama likaThixo kwiimpapasho  zabo. Ngokomzekelo, liyakhankanywa kwiZion’s Watch Tower ka-Agasti 1879 nakwiSongs of the Bride, iculo elapapashwa ngaloo nyaka. Sekunjalo, kuyabonakala ukuba ngaphambi kokuba uYehova avumele abantu bakhe ukuba bazibize ngeli gama lakhe lingcwele, waqiniseka ukuba bayalifanelekela eli lungelo likhulu kangaka lokubizwa ngalo. Yintoni awayenzayo uYehova ukuze alungise abo Bafundi BeBhayibhile bakufanelekele ukuba ngabathwali begama lakhe?

⁸ Xa sikhangela ekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1800 nasekuqaleni kweyee-1900, siyayibona indlela uYehova awazivula ngayo iingqondo zabantu bakhe ngeenyaniso ezibalulekileyo ezimayela negama lakhe. Makhe siqwalasele ezintathu zezi nyaniso.

9, 10. (a) Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba amanqaku eeMboniselo zakuqala athethe kakhulu ngoYesu? (b) Luluphi utshintsho olwenzeka ukususela ngo-1919 ukubheka phambili, yaye yaba yintoni imiphumo? (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi “ Indlela IMboniselo Eye Yaliphakamisa Ngayo Igama LikaThixo.”)

⁹ Eyokuqala, abakhonzi bakaYehova bakuqonda kakuhle ukubaluleka kwegama likaThixo. ABafundi BeBhayibhile bokuqala abathembekileyo babona ukuba intlawulelo yeyona mfundiso ibalaseleyo yeBhayibhile. Oko kusicacisa kakuhle isizathu sokuba iMboniselo yayisoloko ithetha kakhulu ngoYesu. Ngokomzekelo, kunyaka wokuqala eyapapashwa ngawo le magazini, yakhankanya igama likaYesu izihlandlo ezilishumi ukodlula elikaYehova. Ithetha ngaBafundi BeBhayibhile beminyaka yokuqala, iMboniselo yesiNgesi kaMatshi 15, 1976 yathi uYesu babemenza abonakale “njengoyena mkhulu” kunoYehova. Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha uYehova wabanceda bayibona indlela elibaluleke ngayo igama lakhe eBhayibhileni. Yintoni ke abayenzayo aBafundi BeBhayibhile? Kwale Mboniselo yathi, ngokukodwa ukususela ngo-1919 ukubheka phambili, “baqalisa ukumxabisa ngakumbi uYise kaMesiya onguYehova.” Phofu ke, kwiminyaka yasemva ko-1919, iMboniselo yakhankanya igama likaThixo izihlandlo ezingaphezu kweziyi-6 500!

¹⁰ Ngokulibeka kwindawo efanelekileyo igama likaYehova, abazalwana bethu babonisa indlela abalithanda ngayo eli gama. NjengoMoses wamandulo, bazimisela ‘ukulivakalisa igama likaYehova.’ (Dut. 32:3; INdu. 34:3) Kwelinye icala, njengoko ethembisile eZibhalweni, uYehova wayibona indlela abalithanda ngayo igama lakhe waza wakholiswa ngabo.—INdu. 119:132; Heb. 6:10.

11, 12. (a) Luluphi utshintsho olwabakho kwiimpapasho zethu kungekudala emva ko-1919? (b) Yintoni uYehova awayefuna abakhonzi bakhe bayibone, yaye ngoba?

¹¹ Eyesibini, amaKristu okwenyaniso awuqonda kakuhle umsebenzi awunikwe nguThixo. Kungekudala emva ko-1919, abazalwana abathanjisiweyo ababekhokela bahlolisisa isiprofeto sikaIsaya. Emva koko, yatshintsha eyona nto zazithetha ngayo kakhulu iimpapasho zethu. Kwakutheni ukuze olu tshintsho lube ‘kukutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo’?—Mat. 24:45.

¹² Ngaphambi ko-1919, iMboniselo yayingazange nakanye ikhe iwaxubushe la mazwi akuIsaya: “‘Ningamangqina am,’  utsho uYehova, ‘ningumkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo.’” (Funda uIsaya 43:10-12.) Kodwa kungekudala emva ko-1919, iimpapasho zethu zaqalisa ukuthetha kakhulu ngesi Sibhalo, zikhuthaza bonke abathanjiswa ukuba babe nenxaxheba kumsebenzi abawunikwe nguYehova—owokunikela ubungqina ngaye. Phofu ke, ukususela ngo-1925 ukuya ku-1931, iiMboniselo ezahlukahlukeneyo eziyi-57 zazithetha ngoIsaya isahluko 43, yaye zonke zaziwabhekisela kumaKristu okwenyaniso la mazwi. Kucacile ukuba ngaloo minyaka, uYehova wayefuna abakhonzi bakhe bawubone kakuhle owona msebenzi kwakufuneka bawenze. Kwakutheni? Ukuze ngandlel’ ithile ‘bavavanywe ukuba bayafaneleka na.’ (1 Tim. 3:10) Ngaphambi kokuba bakufanelekele ukuthwala igama likaThixo, aBafundi BeBhayibhile kwakufuneka babonise uYehova ngemisebenzi ukuba ngokwenene bangamangqina akhe.—Luka 24:47, 48.

13. ILizwi likaThixo layityhila njani eyona nyaniso ibalulekileyo?

¹³ Eyesithathu, abantu bakaYehova bakuqonda ukubaluleka kokungcwaliswa kwegama likaThixo. Kwiminyaka yee-1920, baqonda ukuba ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaThixo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo. ILizwi likaThixo layityhila njani loo nyaniso ibalulekileyo? Qwalasela le mizekelo mibini. Sasiyintoni esona sizathu esabangela ukuba uThixo ahlangule amaSirayeli eYiputa? UYehova wathi: ‘Ukuze livakaliswe igama lam emhlabeni wonke.’ (Eks. 9:16) Kwakutheni ke ukuze uYehova awenzele inceba amaSirayeli nakuba ayemvukele? Kwakhona uYehova wathi: “Ndenjenjalo ngenxa yegama lam ukuze lingahlanjelwa phambi kwamehlo eentlanga.” (Hez. 20:8-10) Yintoni abayifundayo aBafundi BeBhayibhile kule mizekelo nakwezinye iingxelo zeBhayibhile?

14. (a) Ekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920, yintoni eyaqondwa ngabantu bakaThixo? (b) Loo nto bayiqondayo yabanceda njani aBafundi BeBhayibhile kumsebenzi wokushumayela? (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi “ Esona Sizathu Sibalulekileyo Sokushumayela.”)

¹⁴ Ekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920, abantu bakaThixo bakuqonda ukubaluleka kwamazwi awathethwa nguIsaya kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-2 700 eyadlulayo. Ethetha ngoYehova, wathi: “Ngaloo ndlela wabakhokela abantu bakho ukuze uzenzele igama elihle.” (Isa. 63:14) ABafundi BeBhayibhile baqonda ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo ayikokusindiswa kwabo, kodwa kukungcwaliswa kwegama likaThixo. (Isa. 37:20; Hez. 38:23) Ngo-1929, incwadi ethi Prophecy yayishwankathela ngolu hlobo le nyaniso: “Igama likaYehova yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kwindalo yonke.” Oku kulungiswa kwendlela ababeziqonda ngayo izinto kwabangela ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo babe nomdla ngakumbi wokuxelela abantu ngoYehova nowokuthethelela igama lakhe eliye lanyeliswa.

15. (a) Kwiminyaka yee-1930, yintoni ababesele becacelwe yiyo abazalwana bethu? (b) Kwakufike ixesha lantoni?

¹⁵ Bathe bengena kwiminyaka yee-1930, abazalwana babe sebecacelwe gca kukubaluleka kwegama likaThixo, bewuqonda kakuhle umsebenzi abawunikwe nguThixo kwaneyona nto ibalulekileyo. Ngoku lalifikile ixesha lokuba uYehova anike abakhonzi bakhe ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama lakhe.  Ukuze sibone indlela okwenzeka ngayo oku, makhe siqwalasele ezinye zeziganeko ezenzeka kwixa elidluleyo.

16. (a) Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo uYehova aliphakamisa ngayo igama lakhe? (b) Yayingoobani ababebizwa ngegama likaThixo ngaphambili?

¹⁶ Eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo uYehova aliphakamisa ngayo igama lakhe kukuba abe nabantu ababizwa ngegama lakhe apha emhlabeni. Ukususela ngo-1513 B.C.E. ukusa phambili, yayiluhlanga lakwaSirayeli olwalumela uYehova. (Isa. 43:12) Noko ke, aluzange luwugcine umnqophiso olwaluwenze noThixo, yaye ngo-33 C.E. lwaphulukana nolwalamano olukhethekileyo kunye naye. Kungekudala emva koko, uYehova ‘waphethulela ingqalelo yakhe ezintlangeni ukuba kuzo athabathe isizwana segama lakhe.’ (IZe. 15:14) Eso sizwana sasisandul’  ukukhethwa saba ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo,’ owayebunjwa ngabalandeli bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo abaphuma kwiintlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo.—Gal. 6:16.

17. Liliphi iqhinga awaphumelela kulo uSathana?

¹⁷ Malunga no-44 C.E., ‘ngolwalathiso lobuthixo abalandeli bakaKristu babizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu.’ (IZe. 11:26) Ekuqaleni, ngamaKristu okwenyaniso kuphela awayebizwa ngelo gama. (1 Pet. 4:16) Noko ke, njengoko umzekeliso kaYesu wengqolowa nokhula ubonisa, uSathana waphumelela kwiqhinga lakhe lokuba kwanoovuk’ engceni bamaKristu basebenzise eli gama likhethekileyo. Ngenxa yoko, kangangamakhulu eminyaka kwakungekho mntu ukwaziyo ukwahlula amaKristu okwenyaniso kwabo vuk’ engceni. Kodwa “ngexesha lokuvuna” elaqalisa ngo-1914, zatshintsha izinto. Kwakutheni? Iingelosi zaqalisa ukwahlula oovuk’ engceni kumaKristu okwenyaniso.—Mat. 13:30, 39-41.

18. Kwakutheni ukuze abazalwana babone kufanelekile ukuba negama elitsha?

¹⁸ Emva kokuba kumiselwe ikhoboka elithembekileyo ngo-1919, uYehova wabanceda abantu bakhe bawuqonda umsebenzi awayebanike wona. Bakhawuleza babona ukuba ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu kuyabahlula koovuk’ engceni bamaKristu. Kungekudala emva kokuba beyibonile loo nto, baqonda ukuba ibinzana elithi “aBafundi BeBhayibhile” alibohluli ngokupheleleyo. Eyona njongo yabo iphambili yayingekokufunda nje iBhayibhile, kodwa yayikukuxelela abantu ngoThixo, ukuzukisa nokuphakamisa igama lakhe. Ngoko, liliphi igama elaliza kuwuchaza kakuhle umsebenzi ababeza kuwenza? Loo mbuzo waphendulwa ngo-1931.

19, 20. (a) Sisiphi isigqibo esivuyisayo esafundwa kwindibano eyayingo-1931? (b) Yintoni abayenzayo abazalwana bakuva ngeli gama litsha?

¹⁹ NgoJulayi 1931, kwindibano eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, eMerika kwafika aBafundi BeBhayibhile abamalunga ne-15 000. Bathi bakubona ucwangciso lwendibano, bamangaliswa ngoonobumba ababini abakhulu uJ noW, ababebhalwe ngaphandle kolo cwangciso. Babemela ntoni aba nobumba? Abanye babeqajela le ngoxa abanye besithi yileyaa. NgeCawa, ngoJulayi 26, uMzalwan’ uJoseph Rutherford wafunda esi sigqibo sinamandla: “Sinqwenela ukwaziwa nokubizwa ngegama elithi Jehovah’s witnesses [amaNgqina kaYehova].” Kanye ngelo xesha, bonke ababephulaphule baqonda ukuba abo nobumba bamela igama elikwincwadi kaIsaya 43:10.

²⁰ Emva kokuba kufundwe eso sigqibo abaphulaphuli batsho ngamayeyeye nentswahla yezandla. Loo ntswahla yavakala koonomathotholo phantse kulo lonke ihlabathi! UErnest noNaomi Barber baseOstreliya bathi: “Xa abazalwana baseMerika batsho ngentswahla, nabazalwana baseMelbourne bema ngeenyawo baza baqhwaba izandla. Soze siyilibale loo mini!” *

21. Eli gama litsha labakhuthaza njani abantu bakaThixo kumsebenzi wokushumayela?

²¹ Ukubizwa ngegama elisekelwe kwiZibhalo elithi amaNgqina kaYehova kwenza abantu bakaThixo baba ngathi  bayaqinisa apha ekushumayeleni. UEdward noJessie Grimes, indoda nomfazi wayo abangoovulindlela eMerika nababekho kwindibano eyayiseColumbus ngo-1931 bathi: “Semka ekhaya singaBafundi BeBhayibhile saza sabuya singamaNgqina kaYehova. Kwakusivuyisa ukubizwa ngegama elisinceda siphakamise igama loThixo wethu.” Emva kwaloo ndibano, amanye amaNgqina eza necebo elitsha lokwenza kanye loo nto. Xa ezazisa kumninimzi ayemnika ikhadi elibhalwe: “Ndilingqina likaYEHOVA elishumayela ngoBukumkani bukaYEHOVA uThixo wethu.” Abantu bakaThixo babenelunda ngokubizwa ngegama likaYehova yaye bekulungele ukushumayela ngokubaluleka kwalo kulo lonke elimiweyo.—Isa. 12:4.

22. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba abantu bakaYehova bahlukile?

²² Sele kudlule iminyaka ukususela oko uYehova watyhilela abazalwana bethu abathanjisiweyo ukuba bazibize ngeli gama labo likhethekileyo. Kwiminyaka esemva ko-1931, ngaba uSathana uye wakwazi ukubenza ababonakala abantu bakaThixo? Ngaba uye wakwazi ukusenza silale ngengub’ enye neecawa zehlabathi? Unotshe! Kunoko, indlela esahluke ngayo ibonakala nakuthathatha. (Funda uMika 4:5; Malaki 3:18.) Eneneni, igama likaThixo silisebenzisa kangangokuba nabani na olisebenzisayo kuvele kucingwe ukuba uliNgqina likaYehova. Kunokuba bogqunywe ziicawa zobuxoki ezithe saa okweentaba, abakhonzi bokwenene bakaYehova baye ‘bamiselwa ngokuqinileyo encotsheni yeentaba.’ (Isa. 2:2) Sithethanje, ukunqulwa kukaYehova negama lakhe elingcwele kuyaphakanyiswa.

23. Ngokutsho kweNdumiso 121:5, yiyiphi inyaniso ebalulekileyo ngoYehova esenza somelele?

²³ Kusenza somelele ukwazi ukuba uYehova uya kusikhusela kuSathana enoba usihlasela ngoku okanye kwixesha elizayo! (INdu. 121:5) Sinesizathu esivakalayo sokuphinda amazwi omdumisi owabhala wenjenje: “Lunoyolo uhlanga oluThixo walo unguYehova, abantu abanyule njengelifa lakhe.”—INdu. 33:12.