1, 2. Ngokuphambene namasonto eLobukholwa, oFakazi BakaJehova balibheka kanjani igama likaNkulunkulu?

CISHE wonke amasonto eLobukholwa aye aziqhelelanisa negama likaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, isandulela se-Revised Standard Version sithi: “Ukusetshenziswa kwanoma iliphi igama eliyibizoqho kulowo owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu . . . akufaneleki neze okholweni lwendawo yonke lweSonto LobuKristu.”

² Ngakolunye uhlangothi, oFakazi BakaJehova bayaziqhenya ngokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu nangokulikhazimulisa. (Funda iHubo 86:12; Isaya 43:10.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sikubheka njengelungelo ukuqonda incazelo yalelo gama nempikiswano yendawo yonke ehilela ukungcweliswa kwalo. (Math. 6:9) Nokho, akumelwe silithathe kalula lelo lungelo. Ngenxa yalokho, ake sicabangele imibuzo emithathu ebalulekile: Kusho ukuthini ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu? UJehova uye wenza kanjani ngokuvumelana negama lakhe elikhulu, kanjalo enezela enkazimulweni yalo? Singahamba kanjani ngegama likaJehova?

3. Kusho ukuthini ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu?

³ Ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu kuhilela okungaphezu kokwazi ukuthi igama lakhe nguJehova. Kuhlanganisa ukwazi idumela laKhe, kanye nezimfanelo, izinjongo nemisebenzi yakhe njengoba yembulwe eBhayibhelini, njengokusebenzelana kwakhe nezinceku zakhe. Yebo, uJehova usinikeza lokho kuqonda ngokuqhubekayo, njengoba injongo yakhe iya yembuleka. (IzAga 4:18) UJehova walembula igama lakhe kubantu bokuqala ababili; yingakho u-Eva alisebenzisa ngemva kokubeletha uKhayini. (Gen. 4:1) Izinzalamizi ezithembekile uNowa, u-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe zazilazi igama likaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulazisa kwazo kwakhula njengoba uJehova ezibusisa, ezinakekela futhi embula izici ezithile zenjongo yakhe kuzo. UMose wanikwa ukuqonda okukhethekile ngegama likaNkulunkulu.

4. Kungani uMose abuza uNkulunkulu igama lakhe, futhi kungani kuqondakala ukukhathazeka kwakhe?

 ⁴ Funda u-Eksodusi 3:10-15. Lapho uMose eneminyaka engu-80 ubudala, uNkulunkulu wamnika umyalo wokwenza umsebenzi omkhulu: “Ukhiphe abantu bami abantwana bakwa-Israyeli eGibhithe.” UMose wasabela ngenhlonipho ngokubuza umbuzo obaluleke kakhulu. Wabuza: ‘Ungubani igama lakho?’ Njengoba kwase kuyisikhathi eside igama likaNkulunkulu laziwa, singathi yini uMose ayefuna ukuyazi? Kusobala ukuthi wayefuna ukwazi okwengeziwe ngomuntu owayemelelwa yilelo gama—amaqiniso ayeyoqinisekisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi wayeyobakhulula ngempela. Kwakufaneleka ukuba uMose akhathazeke ngalokhu ngoba kwase kuyisikhathi eside ama-Israyeli eyizigqila. Cishe ayeyozibuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wokhokho bawo wayeyokwazi yini ukubakhulula. Phela amanye ama-Israyeli ayeseqale nokukhulekela onkulunkulu baseGibhithe!—Hez. 20:7, 8.

5. UJehova wayikhanyisa kanjani ngokwengeziwe incazelo yegama lakhe lapho ephendula uMose?

⁵ UJehova wawuphendula kanjani umbuzo kaMose? Ngokwengxenye wathi: “Yilokhu ozokusho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ‘UNGIYOBA YIKHO ungithumé kini.’” * Wabe esenezela: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho benu . . . ungithumé kini.” UNkulunkulu wembula ukuthi wayeyoba yinoma yini ayeyokhetha ukuba yiyo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe, ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi wayeyolifeza izwi lakhe. Yingakho evesini 15 sifunda ukuthi uJehova ngokwakhe wathi: “Yileli igama lami kuze kube nini nanini, futhi lesi yisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.” Yeka ukuthi ukwembula leli qiniso kumelwe ukuba kwaluqinisa kanjani ukholo lukaMose futhi kwamenza wafikelwa umuzwa wokumesaba uNkulunkulu!

6, 7. UJehova wenza kanjani ngokuvumelana negama lakhe elikhulu?

⁶ Ngemva nje kokuthuma uMose, uJehova wenza ngokuvumelana negama lakhe ngokuthi ‘abe’ uMkhululi ka-Israyeli. Wathobisa iGibhithe ngezinhlupho eziyishumi ezibangela incithakalo, ngesikhathi esifanayo edalula onkulunkulu baseGibhithe—kuhlanganise noFaro—njengabangenamandla. (Eks. 12:12) Wabe esevula uLwandle Olubomvu wahola ama-Israyeli adabula kulo, waminzisa uFaro namabutho akhe. (IHu. 136:13-15) ‘Ehlane elikhulu nelesabekayo,’ uJehova wazibonakalisa enguMlondolozi wokuphila njengoba anikeza abantu bakhe ukudla namanzi, mhlawumbe ababebalelwa ezigidini ezimbili kuya kwezintathu noma ngaphezulu! Waze wabangela ngisho nokuba  izingubo nezicathulo zabo zingagugi. (Dut. 1:19; 29:5) Yebo, akukho lutho olungavimba uJehova ekwenzeni ngokuvumelana negama lakhe elingenakuqhathaniswa. Kamuva wathi ku-Isaya: “Mina—mina nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwami akekho umsindisi.”—Isaya 43:11.

⁷ UJoshuwa owalandela uMose naye wayibona imisebenzi kaJehova eyesabekayo eGibhithe nasehlane. Yingakho ngasekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe akwazi ukukhuluma ngokuqiniseka okusuka enhliziyweni nama-Israyeli akubo: “Nazi kahle ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zenu nangayo yonke imiphefumulo yenu ukuthi akukho nelilodwa izwi kuwo wonke amazwi amahle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu awakhulumile kini eliye laphutha. Agcwaliseke wonke kini. Akuphuthanga nezwi elilodwa kuwo.” (Josh. 23:14) Yebo, uJehova walifeza ngokugcwele izwi lakhe—‘waba yilokho’ ayekushilo.

8. UJehova wenza kanjani ngokuvumelana negama lakhe esikhathini sethu?

⁸ Nanamuhla, uJehova ‘uba yilokho’ athi uzoba yikho. NgeNdodana yakhe, wabikezela ukuthi phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, isigijimi soMbuso sasiyoshunyayelwa “emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe.” (Math. 24:14) Ubani omunye ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ongabikezela umsebenzi onjalo, aqinisekise ukuthi uyenziwa futhi asebenzise abantu abaningi “abangafundile nabavamile” ekuwufezeni? (IzE. 4:13) Ngenxa yalokho, lapho sihlanganyela kulo msebenzi, sisuke siba nengxenye ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli. Sidumisa uBaba wethu futhi sibonisa ukuthi sikusho ngokusuka ezinhliziyweni ngempela lapho sithandaza: “Malingcweliswe igama lakho. Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.”—Math. 6:9, 10.

9, 10. UJehova waqhubeka kanjani enezela encazelweni yegama lakhe ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe no-Israyeli, futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁹ Ngemva nje kokuFuduka kwama-Israyeli, uJehova wathatha indima entsha ngakubantu bakhe. Ngesivumelwano soMthetho, waba ‘umnikazi wabo ongumyeni,’ ngokuzithandela ethatha yonke imithwalo yemfanelo ehlobene nalokhu. (Jer. 3:14) Ama-Israyeli aba umkakhe ongokomfanekiso, isizwe segama lakhe. (Isaya 54:5, 6) Njengoba ezithoba ngokuzithandela kuye futhi egcina imiyalo yakhe, wayeyoba ‘uMyeni’ omuhle kakhulu kuwo. Wayeyowabusisa, awanakekele futhi awanike ukuthula. (Num. 6:22-27) Ngaleyo ndlela, igama likaJehova elikhulu laliyokhazinyuliswa phakathi kwezizwe. (Funda uDuteronomi 4:5-8; IHubo 86:7-10.) Ngempela, kuwo wonke umlando wakwa-Israyeli, kunabantu abaningi bezinye izizwe abadonsekela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Kunjengokungathi basho amazwi afana nalawo umMowabikazi uRuthe awasho kuNawomi: “Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu  wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami.”—Ruthe 1:16.

¹⁰ Phakathi neminyaka engaba ngu-1 500, indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo no-Israyeli yembula izici eziningi ezintsha zobuntu bakhe. Naphezu kokunhlanhlatha kwaleso sizwe, uJehova wabonisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi ‘wayenguNkulunkulu onesihe nowephuza ukuthukuthela.’ WayenguNkulunkulu obekezelayo futhi onesineke ngendlela engavamile. (Eks. 34:5-7) Noma kunjalo, ukubekezela kukaJehova kwafinyelela emkhawulweni lapho isizwe samaJuda senqaba futhi sibulala iNdodana yakhe. (Math. 23:37, 38) Inzalo ka-Israyeli ongokwenyama yayeka ukuba isizwe segama likaNkulunkulu. Ngokuyinhloko, yafa ngokomoya, njengomuthi obunile. (Luka 23:31) Lokhu kwasithinta kanjani isimo sayo ngokuphathelene negama likaNkulunkulu?

11. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba isizwe samaJuda siziqhelelanise negama likaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Umlando ubonisa ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amaJuda aqala ukuba nenkolelo-ze ngegama likaNkulunkulu, elibheka njengento okungafanele ayiphimisele. (Eks. 20:7) Kancane kancane, igama likaNkulunkulu laya liqhelelaniswa nenkolo yobuJuda. Akungabazeki ukuthi kwamphatha kabi uJehova ukubona igama lakhe liphathwa ngaleyo ndelelo. (IHu. 78:40, 41) Nokho, kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu “ogama lakhe linguMhawu,” wayengeke aqhubeke elihlanganisa nabantu ababemlahlile, naye ayesebalahlile. (Eks. 34:14) Leli qiniso kufanele ligcizelele kithi ukubaluleka kokuphatha igama loMdali wethu ngenhlonipho enkulu.

12. UJehova wasiveza kanjani isizwe segama lakhe esasibikezelwe?

¹² NgoJeremiya, uJehova wembula injongo yakhe yokwenza “isivumelwano esisha” nesizwe esisha, u-Israyeli ongokomoya. UJeremiya wabikezela ukuthi wonke amalungu aso, “kusukela komncane kunabo bonke kuya ngisho nakomkhulu kunabo bonke kubo” ‘ayeyomazi uJehova.’ (Jer. 31:31, 33, 34) Leso siprofetho saqala ukugcwaliseka ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu enza leso sivumelwano esisha. Isizwe esisha, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” esihlanganisa amaJuda nabangemaJuda, saba “isizwe segama [likaNkulunkulu],” noma njengoba uJehova asho “abantu ababizwa ngegama lami.”—Gal. 6:16; funda izEnzo 15:14-17; Math. 21:43.

13. (a) Ingabe amaKristu okuqala alisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu? Chaza. (b) Ulibheka kanjani ilungelo lokusebenzisa igama likaJehova enkonzweni yakho?

¹³ ‘Njengabantu ababizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu,’ amalungu aleso sizwe esingokomoya alisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu, futhi ngokuqinisekile enza kanjalo lapho ecaphuna imiBhalo YesiHebheru. * Ngakho, lapho umphostoli uPetru ekhuluma nezilaleli ezazivela ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene ezazingamaJuda namaproselithe ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., wasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu izikhathi eziningana. (IzE. 2:14, 20, 21, 25, 34) AmaKristu okuqala amhlonipha uJehova, ngakho, naye wayibusisa imizamo yawo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Nanamuhla, uJehova ubusisa inkonzo yethu lapho silimemezela ngeqholo igama lakhe futhi silibonisa abantu abathakazelayo, emaBhayibhelini abo uma kungenzeka. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibethula kuNkulunkulu weqiniso. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyilungelo elingakanani—kubo nakithi! Ezimweni eziningi, lokho kubethula kungase kube isiqalo sobuhlobo obumangalisayo noJehova obuyoqhubeka buqina futhi obuyohlala phakade.

14, 15. Naphezu kokwanda kokuhlubuka, yini uJehova aye wayenza ngegama lakhe eliyisikhumbuzo?

¹⁴ Kamuva ukuhlubuka kwaqala ukungena ebandleni lamaKristu okuqala, ikakhulu  ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli. (2 Thes. 2:3-7) Abafundisi bamanga baze bamukela nesiko lamaJuda lokungalisebenzisi igama likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe uJehova wayeyovuma ukuba igama lakhe eliyisikhumbuzo liqedwe? Lutho neze! Kuyavunywa ukuthi ayikho manje indlela yokuqinisekisa indlela eqondile elaliphinyiselwa ngayo, kodwa liyaqhubeka likhona. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, liye lavela ezinguqulweni ezihlukahlukene, kanye nasezincwadini zezazi zeBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1757, uCharles Peters wabhala ukuthi igama elithi “Jehova,” ngokungafani neziqu eziningi zikaNkulunkulu, “libonakala likuchaza kangcono lokho ayikho.” Encwadini eyabhalwa ngo-1797, ephathelene nokukhulekela uNkulunkulu, uHopton Haynes waqala isahluko 7 kanje: “Igama elithi JEHOVA liyigama likaNKULUNKULU wamaJuda; ayekhulekela yena kuphela; njengoba kwenza noKristu nabaPhostoli bakhe.” UHenry Grew (1781-1862) walisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu, wabona nokuthi laliye lahlanjalazwa futhi kwakumelwe lingcweliswe. Ngokufanayo, uGeorge Storrs (1796-1879), umngane oseduze kaCharles T. Russell, walisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu, njengoba naye uRussell enza.

¹⁵ Unyaka ka-1931 waphawuleka ngokukhethekile, ngoba ngalowo nyaka, abaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke, njengoba abantu bakaNkulunkulu babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, bamukela igama elingokomBhalo elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Ngaleyo ndlela bamemezela ezweni lonke ukuthi babeziqhenya ngokuba izinceku zowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, ngokuba “isizwe segama lakhe,” esidumisa lelo gama. (IzE. 15:14) Lezi zenzakalo zisikhumbuza amazwi kaJehova akuMalaki 1:11: “Kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube sekushoneni kwalo igama lami liyoba likhulu phakathi kwezizwe.”

16. Kungani kufanele sikubheke njengelungelo elikhulu ukuhamba ngegama likaJehova?

¹⁶ Umprofethi uMika waloba: “Ngoba zonke izizwe, ziyohamba yileso naleso ngegama likankulunkulu waso; kodwa thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.” (Mika 4:5) Ukuvumela kukaJehova abaFundi BeBhayibheli ukuba basebenzise igama lakhe kwakuyinto enkulu kakhulu kunokuba nje yilungelo elikhulu. Kwakubuye kube yisibonakaliso esiqinisekisayo sokuthi wayebamukela. (Funda uMalaki 3:16-18.) Nokho, kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe wenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuba ‘uhambe ngegama likaJehova’? Uyaqonda yini ukuthi lokho kuhilelani?

17. Yini ehilelekile ekuhambeni ngegama likaNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Ukuhamba ngegama likaNkulunkulu kuhilela okungenani izinto ezintathu. Okokuqala, kumelwe silimemezele lelo gama kwabanye, siqaphele ukuthi yilabo kuphela ‘ababiza igama likaJehova abayosindiswa.’ (Roma 10:13) Okwesibili, kudingeka sibonakalise izimfanelo zikaJehova, ikakhulukazi uthando lwakhe. Okwesithathu, sihamba ngegama likaNkulunkulu lapho sizithoba ngenjabulo ezindinganisweni zakhe zokulunga, ukuze singalethi isihlamba egameni elingcwele likaBaba wethu. (1 Joh. 4:8; 5:3) Ingabe uzimisele ‘ukuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini’?

18. Kungani bonke abadumisa igama likaJehova elikhulu bebheka ikusasa ngokuqiniseka?

¹⁸ Maduze bonke abangamnaki noma abamedelelayo uJehova bayophoqeleka ukuba bamazi. (Hez. 38:23) Lokho kuhlanganisa nabantu abanjengoFaro, owathi: “Ungubani uJehova, ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe?” Washeshe wayithola impendulo! (Eks. 5:1, 2; 9:16; 12:29) Nokho, thina siye samazi ngokuzithandela uJehova. Siyaziqhenya ngokubizwa ngegama lakhe nokuba isizwe esilalelayo segama lakhe. Yingakho sibheka ikusasa sinokuqiniseka ngesithembiso esikumaHubo 9:10: “Labo abalaziyo igama lakho bayothembela kuwe, ngoba ngokuqinisekile ngeke ubashiye labo abakufunayo, Jehova.”