1, 2. (a) Kutshoni ukuba ngufakazi, njalo intatheli zehluleke njani ukuba ngofakazi? (b) Kungani uJehova engasebenzisi intathelizindaba zomhlaba lo?

 KUTSHONI ukuba ngufakazi? Esinye isichazamazwi sithi ufakazi “ngumuntu obona isehlakalo esithile sisenzakala abesebika lokho akubonileyo.” Ngokwesibonelo edolobheni lePietermaritzburg eSouth Africa kulephephandaba elibizwa kuthiwa yi-The Witness eselileminyaka edlula engu-160 lidindwa. Libizo elifaneleyo sibili leli ngoba inhloso yephephandaba leli yikubika izehlakalo ezenzakala emhlabeni wonke njengoba zinjalo. Umhleli walo wafunga wathi lizabika “iqiniso, njengoba linjalo, iqiniso lodwa zwi.”

² Kuyadanisa ukuthi intathelizindaba ziyalitshilatshila iqiniso eliphathelane lezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Kodwa khangela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uSomandla wathini esebenzisa umphrofethi wakhe uHezekheli. Wathi: “Lezizwe zizakwazi ukuthi mina uJehova ngingoNgcwele.” (Hez. 39:7) UMbusi wendawo yonke kasebenzisi intathelizindaba zomhlaba lo. UlaboFakazi abangaba yizigidi ezingu-8 abatshela abantu bezizwe zonke ukuthi ungubani lokuthi wabenzelani abantu kudala kanye lokuthi ubenzelani khathesi. Bafakaza langalokho uNkulunkulu athembisa ukukwenzela abantu esikhathini esizayo. Nxa siqakathekisa umsebenzi lo ukwedlula konke okunye, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi kusifanele sibili ukubizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu njengoba kutshiwo ­ku-Isaya 43:10 ethi: “‘Lina lingofakazi bami,’ kutsho uJehova, ‘lenceku yami engiyikhethileyo.’”

3, 4. (a) Abafundi beBhayibhili baqala nini ukubizwa ngokuthi ngoFakazi bakaJehova, njalo balamukela yini ibizo leli? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

 ³ Kuyisibusiso sibili ukubizwa ngebizo likaJehova, “iNkosi yaphakade.” Uthi: “Leli libizo lami laphakade, ibizo engizakhunjulwa ngalo kusukela kusizukulwana kusiya kwesinye isizukulwana”! (1 Tim. 1:17; Eks. 3:15; qathanisa lomTshumayeli 2:16.) Abafundi beBhayibhili baqala ukubizwa ngokuthi ngoFakazi bakaJehova ngo-1931. Ngemva kwalokho izincwadi ezinengi ezabhalwa ngabantu bebonga zaphuma ku-Nqabayokulinda. Elinye ibandla ­laseCanada labhala lathi: “Sithabe saba manzi te sisizwa izindaba ezinhle zokuthi sesibizwa ngokuthi singoFakazi bakaJehova, njalo lokhu kusenze sazimisela kakhulu ukungalingcolisi ibizo lakhe.”

⁴ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyasiqakathekisa isibusiso sokubizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu? Kanti njalo ungenelisa yini ukuchasisa usebenzisa iMibhalo ukuthi kuyini okwenza ukuthi uJehova asibize ngokuthi singoFakazi bakhe?

5, 6. (a) Abazali bako-Israyeli babefakaza njani ngoJehova? (b) Yikuphi okunye okuqakathekileyo okwakumele bakufundise abantwababo, futhi abazali kumele bakulingisele njani lokhu lamuhla?

⁵ Esikhathini sika-Isaya, umIsrayeli munye ngamunye ‘wayengufakazi’ kaJehova njalo isizwe sonke ‘sasiyinceku’ yakhe. (Isaya. 43:10) Abazali babefakaza ngokufundisa abantwababo ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebaphatha njani okhokho babo. Ngokwesibonelo bathi sebephiwe umlayo wokuthi benze umkhosi wePhasika umnyaka munye ngamunye, batshelwa ukuthi: “Nxa abantwabenu belibuza besithi, ‘Umkhosi lo ngowani?’ libatshele lithi, ‘UliPhasika lomhlatshelo kaJehova owadlula eceza izindlu zabako-Israyeli eGibhithe waphephisa imizi yethu mhla egongoda amaGibhithe.’” (Eks. 12:26, 27) Mhlawumbe okunye ababekuxoxela abantwababo yikuthi lapho  uMosi esiyacela imvumo yokuthi abako-Israyeli bayekhonza uJehova enkangala, inkosi yaseGibhithe, uFaro, yala yemba phansi yathi: “Ungubani uJehova okufanele ngimlalele ngivumele abako-Israyeli ukuthi bahambe na?” (Eks. 5:2) Kanti njalo bangabe babatshela lokuthi kwabacacela bonke abantu ukuthi uJehova ungubani lapho etshaya amaGibhithe ngezinhlupho ezilitshumi futhi echaphisa abako-Israyeli oLwandle oLubomvu, lapho okwatshabalala khona ibutho laseGibhithe. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uJehova uzahlala enguSomandla. Abako-Israyeli bazibonela ngawabo ukuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso uyazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe.

⁶ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli ababeqakathekisa isibusiso sokubizwa ngebizo likaJehova babexoxela lezigqili zabo ezazivela ezizweni izinto lezi ezimangalisayo. Kanti njalo kwakuqakathekile lokuthi bafundise abantwababo ukuthi basebenzise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ezingcwele ekuphileni kwabo. UJehova wathi: “Yibani ngcwele ngoba mina uJehova wenu ngingcwele.” (Levi. 19:2; Dute. 6:6, 7) Lesi yisifundo esihle sibili kubazali abangamaKhristu lamuhla. Kufanele bafundise abantwababo ukuthi babe ngcwele ukuze ibizo likaNkulunkulu elikhazimulayo lidunyiswe.—Bala iZaga 1:8; Kwabase-Efesu 6:4.

7. (a) Ezinye izizwe zazizakwenzani nxa abako-Israyeli babeziphatha kuhle? (b) Bonke ababizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu kufanele bazimisele ukwenzani?

⁷ Yikho-ke nxa abako-Israyeli babeziphatha kuhle, babesenza ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lidunyiswe. Babetshelwe ukuthi: “Ngalokho bonke abantu bazabona ukuthi lina libizwa ngebizo likaJehova balesabe.” (Dute. 28:10) Kodwa kuyadanisa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babengathembekanga ngoba babefulathela uNkulunkulu kanenginengi besiyakhonza izithombe. Okubi kakhulu yikuthi bacina sebelesihluku njengabonkulunkulu baseKhenani ababebakhonza ngoba basebenikela ngabantwababo njalo behlukuluza abayanga. Yikho lathi siyafunda ukuthi kufanele sizimisele ukuba ngcwele ukuze silingisele uNkulunkulu oNgcwele esibizwa ngebizo lakhe.

8. UJehova wathuma u-Isaya ukuthi enzeni, futhi kuyini u-Isaya ayefuna ukukwazi?

⁸ UJehova wayevele ekhulumile ukuthi wayezakwenza izimangaliso ukuze akhulule abako-Israyeli ekuthunjweni. (Isaya. 43:19) Izahluko ezingu-6 zakuqala ebhukwini lika-Isaya zimumethe izixwayiso mayelana lalokho okwakuzakwenzakala eJerusalema kanye lakwamanye amadolobho ayeseduze kwalo. Kanti njalo uJehova uyenelisa ukuhlola izinhliziyo. Yikho wathuma u-Isaya ukuthi aqhubeke exwayisa abantu lanxa babengasoze bamlalele. Abantu laba babemmangalisa u-Isaya njalo wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi kwakuzaze kube nini bengafuni ukuphenduka. UNkulunkulu wamphendula wathini? Wathi: “Amadolobho aze achitheke njalo kungaselabantu kuwo, izindlu zisale zingaselabantu, lamasimu ephundleke abhuquzeka.”​—Bala u-Isaya 6:8-11.

9. (a) Kwagcwaliseka nini lokho u-Isaya akuphrofetha mayelana leJerusalema? (b) Yisiphi isixwayiso okungamelanga sisithathe lula?

⁹ Kumele ukuthi u-Isaya wathunywa ngomnyaka wokucina wokubusa kweNkosi u-Uziya, kumbe ngo-778 B.C.E. Waqhubeka ephrofetha kwaze kwedlula umnyaka ka-732 B.C.E., sekubusa iNkosi uHezekhiya. Kutsho ukuthi waphrofetha okweminyaka edlula engu-46. Kwakusasele iminyaka engu-125 ukuthi iJerusalema libhujiswe ngo-607 B.C.E. Yikho abantu bakaNkulunkulu baxwayiswa kuseselesikhathi mayelana lalokho okwakuzabehlela. Lalamuhla uJehova uthuma abantu bakhe ukuthi bayexwayisa abantu kuseselesikhathi mayelana lalokho osekuzakwenzakala. Sekuleminyaka engu-135 iNqabayokulinda idindwa. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi ibilokhu  ixwayisa abantu ukuthi sekuseduze ukuthi umbuso kaSathane omubi utshabalaliswe, besekungena okaKhristu ozabusa okweminyaka eyinkulungwane.​—Isam. 20:1-3, 6.

10, 11. Ama-Israyeli ayeseBhabhiloni akubona yini ukugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho sika-Isaya? Chaza.

¹⁰ AmaJuda alalelayo asinda ngoba avuma ukuthunjwa ngabaseBhabhiloni lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa. (Jer. 27:11, 12) Sekudlule iminyaka engu-70 babona ukugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho esimangalisayo esithi: “UJehova, uMhlengi wenu, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, uthi, ‘Ngenxa yenu ngizathumela impi eBhabhiloni ilethe bonke abaseBhabhiloni, njengeziphepheli ngemikhumbi ababezigqaja ngayo.’”​—Isaya. 43:14.

¹¹ Ngelinye ilanga ebusuku, ngo-October 539 B.C.E., isiphrofetho lesi sagcwaliseka ngoba kwenzakala okuthile okwatshiya abantu bethithibele. Ngesikhathi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lezikhulu zayo besanatha iwayini ngezitsha ezingcwele ezazithunjwe ethempelini eJerusalema njalo bedumisa onkulunkulu babo, amabutho amaMede lamaPhesiya afika alinqoba iBhabhiloni. Ngo-538 kumbe ngo-537 B.C.E., uKhurosi owayenqobe iBhabhiloni watshela amaJuda ukuthi abuyele eJerusalema ayekwakha kutsha ithempeli likaNkulunkulu. Konke lokhu u-Isaya wayekuphrofethile, waze watsho lesithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi wayezabavikela nxa sebebuyela eJerusalema. UNkulunkulu wababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu engazenzela bona ukuthi bangidumise.’ (Isaya. 43:21; 44:26-28) Bathi sebefike eJerusalema njalo sebelakhe kutsha ithempeli, bazibonela ukuthi uJehova, uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uyaligcwalisa ilizwi lakhe loba sekutheni.

12, 13. (a) Ngobani abahamba labako-Israyeli sebesiyabuyisela ukukhonza kweqiniso? (b) ‘Ezinye izimvu’ zikhangelelwe ukuthi zenzeni, njalo zilaliphi ithemba?

¹² Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ebuyela eJerusalema, izinkulungwane zabantu ezazingayisiwo ma-Israyeli zahamba labo. Kanti njalo kwaba labanye abeZizwe abaphendukayo bangena enkolweni yesiJuda. (Ezra. 2:58, 64, 65; Esta. 8:17) Lamuhla “ezinye izimvu” zikaJesu ezibumba ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ zisekela ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,’ okutsho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo. (Isam. 7:9, 10; Joh. 10:16; Gal. 6:16) Ixuku elikhulukazi lalo libizwa ngebizo leli esaliphiwa nguNkulunkulu elithi: OFakazi bakaJehova.

¹³ UJesu esebusa okweminyaka eyinkulungwane ixuku leli elikhulukazi lizathokoza kakhulu nxa selichasisela abazavuswa emathuneni ukuthi kwakunjani ukuba nguFakazi kaJehova ezinsukwini zokucina zomhlaba lo. Kodwa intokozo le sizayithola nxa singenza izinto ezingasoze zingcolise  ibizo leli besesilwisa ukuhlala singcwele. Lanxa sizama ngamandla onke ukuba ngcwele, sonke siyaphambanisa ngenxa yokuthi sizalwa silesono. Yikho kumele sicele nsuku zonke ukuthi uJehova asithethelele. Kambe ngubani ongaphika ukuthi ukubizwa ngebizo likaJehova kuyisibusiso esikhulu?​—Bala u-1 Johane 1:8, 9.

14. Ibizo elithi Jehova litshoni?

¹⁴ Ukucabangisisa ngokuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu litshoni kuzasinceda ukuthi siliqakathekise. Ibizo likaNkulunkulu elijayele ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “Jehova,” lithathelwa ebaleni lesiHebheru elingachaza ukwenza okuthile. Ibala leli lingahunyutshwa ngokuthi “kube khona.” Yikho-ke ubufakazi butshengisa ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu elithi Jehova litsho ukuthi “Wenza Ukuthi Kube Khona.” Lokho elikutshoyo kuyamfanela sibili uJehova ngoba nguye uMdali wakho konke njalo uyazigcwalisa izinjongo zakhe. Uzaqhubeka esenza ukuthi zigcwaliseke loba sekutheni lanxa uSathane labanye abaphikisayo bengafuni ukuthi intando yakhe yenziwe.

15. Lokho uJehova akutshela uMosi mayelana lebizo lakhe kusifundisani ngaye? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ibizo Elitsho Okukhulu.”)

¹⁵ UJehova waveza okuthile mayelana lalokho ayikho khona ngesikhathi ethuma uMosi ukuthi ayekhokhela abantu bakhe abakhiphe eGibhithe. Lokhu wakwenza ngokusebenzisa umutsho ochaza ukwenza okuthile, ohambelana lalokho okutshiwo libizo lakhe. IBhayibhili lithi: “UNkulunkulu wathi kuMosi, ‘NGINGUYE ENGINGUYE.’ Lokhu yikho ozakutsho kubantwana bako-Israyeli ukuthi, ‘UNGINGUYE ungithumile kini.’” (Eks. 3:14) Umutsho wolimi lwesiHebheru sasendulo ohunyutshwe ngokuthi “NGINGUYE ENGINGUYE” ungahunyutshwa langokuthi “Ngizakuba Yilokho Engikhetha Ukuba Yikho.” Yikho-ke lokhu kusifundisa ukuthi uJehova uzakuba loba kuyini okudingekayo ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe. Phela kuma-Israyeli waba nguMkhululi, nguMvikeli, nguMkhokheli njalo waba nguMnakekeli owabapha konke ababekudinga ukuze baqhubeke bephila njalo bemkhonza.

16, 17. (a) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyasibonga isibusiso sokubizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁶ Lalamuhla uJehova ulokhu esiba yilokho okudingekayo ukuze anakekele abantu bakhe. Uyasinakekela ukuze siqhubeke siphila njalo simkhonza. Kodwa ibizo likaNkulunkulu kalitsho kuphela lokho yena angaba yikho. Litsho lalokho angenza ukuthi kwenzakale ikakhulu emsebenzini owenziwa ngoFakazi bakhe ukuze injongo yakhe igcwaliseke. Ukucabangisisa ngalokhu kuzasenza sizimisele ukuthi singalingcolisi ibizo lakhe. Omunye umzalwane oleminyaka engu-84 okuthiwa nguKåre oseleminyaka engu-70 enguFakazi okhutheleyo uthi: “Ngikubona kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukukhonza uJehova, iNkosi yaphakade, lokuba ngomunye wabantu ababizwa ngebizo lakhe elingcwele. Ngiyabe ngikholisa kakhulu nxa ngifundisa abantu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini njalo ngibabona bethokoziswa yikulizwisisa. Ngokwesibonelo ngiyasuthiseka kakhulu nxa ngibafundisa ukuthi umhlatshelo wenhlawulo kaKhristu usinceda ngani lokuthi ungabanceda njani ukuthi bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni omutsha olokuthula lokulunga.”

¹⁷ Kwezinye izindawo kulokhu kusiba nzima sibili ukuthola abantu abafisa ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu. Lanxa kunjalo, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lawe uyajabula kakhulu njengoKåre nxa uthola oyedwa nje olalelayo beselixoxa ngebizo likaJehova. Kodwa singaba njani ngoFakazi bakaJehova ngapha singofakazi bakaJesu? Lokhu sizaxoxa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.