1, 2. (a) Yimiphi imibuzo ongathanda ukuyibuza uNkulunkulu? (b) UMose wambuzani uNkulunkulu?

 UNGAZIBONA yini ngeso lengqondo uxoxa noNkulunkulu? Ukucabanga nje ngakho kuyesabisa—uMbusi wendawo yonke ekhuluma nawe pho! Uqale ubambeke, kodwa bese uyakwazi ukuphendula. Uyakulalela, akuphendule, aze akwenze uzizwe ukhululekile ukubuza noma yimuphi umbuzo owuthandayo. Yimuphi-ke umbuzo ongawubuza?

² Endulo kwakunomuntu owayesesimweni esinjalo. KwakunguMose igama lakhe. Kodwa umbuzo akhetha ukuwubuza uNkulunkulu ungase ukumangaze. Akabuzanga ngaye siqu, ngekusasa lakhe, noma ngokuhlupheka kwesintu. Kunalokho wabuza igama likaNkulunkulu. Ungase ukuzwe kuyinqaba lokho ngoba uMose wayeselazi kakade igama likaNkulunkulu. Kusho ukuthi umbuzo wakhe wawunencazelo ejulile. Empeleni, kwakuwumbuzo obaluleke kunayo yonke uMose ayengayibuza. Impendulo iyasithinta sonke. Ingakusiza ukuba uthathe isinyathelo esibalulekile ukuze usondele kuNkulunkulu. Kanjani? Ake sihlolisise leyo ngxoxo engavamile.

3, 4. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezaholela ekuxoxeni kukaMose noNkulunkulu, futhi babexoxa ngani?

³ UMose wayeneminyaka engu-80 ubudala. Wayeseneminyaka engu-40 edingisiwe kubantu bakubo ababeyizigqila eGibhithe, ama-Israyeli. Ngelinye ilanga esaluse imihlambi yomukhwe wakhe, wabona into eyinqaba. Isihlahla sameva sasivutha, kodwa singashi. Sasilokhu sivuthe njalo, sivutha njengelangabi lomlilo ohlangothini lwentaba. UMose waya kuso eyosibheka. Kumele ukuba wethuka woma lapho izwi likhuluma naye livela emlilweni! Esebenzisa umkhulumeli oyingelosi, uNkulunkulu noMose babe sebexoxa nje impela. Njengoba kungenzeka uyazi, kulapho  lapho uNkulunkulu athuma khona uMose owayemanqikanqika ukuba ashiye ukuphila kwakhe okunokuthula, abuyele eGibhithe ayokhulula ama-Israyeli ebugqilini.—Eksodusi 3:1-12.

⁴ Ngaleso sikhathi uMose wayengambuza noma yini uNkulunkulu. Kodwa phawula umbuzo akhetha ukuwubuza: “Ake ngithi ngiya kuma-Israyeli ngithi kuwo, ‘UNkulunkulu wokhokho benu ungithume kini,’ wona athi kimi, ‘Ubani igama lakhe?’ Kufanele ngithini kuwo?”​—Eksodusi 3:13.

5, 6. (a) Yiliphi iqiniso elilula nelibaluleke kakhulu umbuzo kaMose osifundisa lona? (b) Yini embi kakhulu eyenziwe egameni likaNkulunkulu? (c) Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wembulele isintu igama lakhe?

⁵ Okokuqala, lowo mbuzo usifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama. Akumele silithathe kancane leli qiniso elilula. Kodwa abaningi balithatha kalula. Igama likaNkulunkulu lisusiwe ezinguqulweni eziningi zeBhayibheli, esikhundleni salo kwafakwa iziqu, njengesithi “Nkosi” nesithi “Nkulunkulu.” Lena kungenye yezinto ezidabukisayo nezimbi kunazo zonke ezenziwe abantu benkolo. Kungani sisho kanjalo? Konje yini oqale uyenze lapho uqala ukubonana nomuntu? Awumbuzi yini igama lakhe? Kunjalo nangokwazi uNkulunkulu. Akayena umuntu ongenagama, okude nabantu, ongasoze aziwa noma aqondwe. Yize engabonakali, unguMuntu ongokoqobo futhi unegama elithi Jehova.

⁶ Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uNkulunkulu embula igama lakhe, kusuke kunento enkulu nevusa amadlingozi esondelayo. Usicela ukuba simazi. Ufuna sikhethe ukwenza into enhle kunazo zonke ekuphileni—sisondele kuye. Kodwa uJehova wenze okungaphezu kokusitshela igama lakhe. Usifundise nohlobo loMuntu elimmelelayo.

7. (a) Igama likaNkulunkulu liqondwa ngokuthi lisho ukuthini? (b) Yini ngempela uMose ayefuna ukuyazi lapho ebuza uNkulunkulu igama laKhe?

⁷ UJehova wazikhethela yena igama lakhe, igama elinencazelo  ebalulekile. Igama elithi “Jehova” liqondwa ngokuthi lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngeke afaniswe nalutho emhlabeni, ngoba nguye owadala zonke izinto. Uphinde aphumelelise zonke izinjongo zakhe, angaze ngisho abangele ukuba izinceku zakhe ezinesono zibe yinoma yini akhetha ukuba zibe yiyo. Kumangalisa ngempela ukucabanga ngalokho. Kodwa ingabe kukhona okunye okumelelwa igama likaNkulunkulu? Kusobala ukuthi uMose wayefuna ukuthola okwengeziwe. Phela, wayazi ukuthi uJehova unguMdali, elazi negama likaNkulunkulu. Igama likaNkulunkulu lalingelisha. Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka abantu belisebenzisa. Akungatshazwa-ke ukuthi lapho ebuza igama likaNkulunkulu, uMose wayebuza ngoMuntu omelelwa yileli gama. Empeleni, wayethi ‘Yini engingayitshela abantu bakho u-Israyeli ngawe eyokwakha ukholo lwabo kuwe futhi ibenze baqiniseke ukuthi uyobakhulula ngempela?’

8, 9. (a) UJehova wawuphendula kanjani umbuzo kaMose, futhi yini eyiphutha endleleni evame ukuhunyushwa ngayo impendulo yaKhe? (b) Isho ukuthini inkulumo ethi “Ngiyoba Yilokho Engikhetha Ukuba Yikho”?

⁸ UJehova waphendula ngokuthi embule isici esivusa amadlingozi sobuntu bakhe, okuyinto ehlobene nencazelo yegama lakhe. Wathi kuMose: “Ngiyoba Yilokho Engikhetha Ukuba Yikho.” (Eksodusi 3:14) Izinguqulo eziningi zamaBhayibheli zifundeka kanje lapha: “Ngingulowo enginguye.” Kodwa indlela ecophelelayo yokuhumusha ibonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengamane nje evuma ukuthi ukhona. Kunalokho, uJehova wayefundisa uMose—kanye nathi futhi—ukuthi ‘wayeyokhetha ukuba’ yinoma yini eyayizodingeka ukuze afeze izithembiso zaKhe. Inguqulo kaJ. B. Rotherham ilihumusha ngokucacile leli vesi: “Ngiyoba yinoma yini engithanda ukuba yiyo.” Esinye isazi sesiHebheru seBhayibheli sichaza le nkulumo ngale ndlela: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuphakama siphi isimo noma isidingo . . . , uNkulunkulu ‘uyoba’ isixazululo saso.”

⁹ Kwakusho ukuthini lokho kuma-Israyeli? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yiziphi izinkinga ezazingavela, kungakhathaliseki  ukuthi sinzima kangakanani isimo ayengazithola ekuso, uJehova wayeyoba yinoma yini edingekayo ukuze awakhulule ebugqilini, awayise eZweni Lesithembiso. Lelo gama lawenza athembela ngempela kuNkulunkulu. Lingenza okufanayo nakithina namuhla. (IHubo 9:10) Kungani?

10, 11. Igama likaJehova lisenza kanjani simbheke njengoBaba ozivumelanisa nezimo nongcono ukubedlula bonke? Fanekisa.

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo: Abazali bayayazi indlela okudingeka bashintshashintshe ngayo futhi bazivumelanise ngayo nezimo lapho benakekela izingane zabo. Phakathi nosuku olulodwa, umzali kungase kudingeke abe umhlengikazi, umpheki, uthisha, umjezisi, umahluleli, nokunye okuningi. Abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi zingaphezu kwamandla abo izindima ezihlukahlukene okulindeleke ukuba bazifeze. Babona ukholo izingane ezinalo kubo, zona ezingangabazi ukuthi ubaba noma umama angayipholisa indawo ebuhlungu, alamule izingxabano, akhande noma iliphi ithoyizi eliphukile, futhi aphendule noma imuphi umbuzo ofika ezingqondweni zazo ezihlale zifuna ukwazi. Ukulinganiselwa kwabo kubaqeda amandla abanye abazali futhi ngezinye izikhathi kubakhungathekise. Bazizwa behluleka kweziningi zalezi zindima.

¹¹ UJehova naye ungumzali onothando. Kodwa, ngaphandle kokuchezuka emithethweni yakhe ephelele, akukho lutho angeke abe yilo ukuze anakekele izingane zakhe zasemhlabeni ngendlela engcono kakhulu. Ngakho igama lakhe elithi Jehova lisenza simbheke njengoBaba ongcono ukubedlula bonke. (Jakobe 1:17) UMose nawo wonke amanye ama-Israyeli athembekile basheshe babona ukuthi uJehova wenza okuvumelana negama lakhe. Bakhexa lapho bebona ezenza abe uMkhuzi Wempi onganqobeki, iNgcweti yokusebenzisa indalo, uMniki-mthetho ongenakuqhathaniswa, uMahluleli, uMklami, uMlungiseleli wokudla namanzi, uMlondolozi wezingubo nezimbadada—nokunye okuningi.

12. Isimo sengqondo sikaFaro ngoJehova sasihluke kanjani kwesikaMose?

¹² Ngakho uNkulunkulu usazisile igama lakhe, wembula izinto  ezivusa amadlingozi ngoMuntu omelelwa yilelo gama, waze wabonisa nokuthi lokho akushoyo ngaye ngokwakhe kuyiqiniso. Akungabazeki ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyafuna simazi. Sisabela kanjani? UMose wayefuna ukumazi uNkulunkulu. Leso sifiso esinamandla sathinta indlela uMose aphila ngayo, samenza wasondelana kakhulu noYise wasezulwini. (Numeri 12:6-8; Hebheru 11:27) Ngokudabukisayo, bambalwa abantu ababephila noMose ababenesifiso esifanayo. Lapho uMose ebiza uJehova ngegama kuFaro, leyo nkosi yaseGibhithe eqhoshayo yaphendula: “Ungubani uJehova?” (Eksodusi 5:2) UFaro wayengafuni ukufunda okwengeziwe ngoJehova. Kunalokho, ngokuchwensa wavele wamchilizela eceleni uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli njengongathi shu. Uvame kakhulu lowo mbono namuhla. Wenza abantu bangaliboni elinye lamaqiniso abaluleke kakhulu—uJehova uyiNkosi EnguMbusi.

13, 14. (a) Kungani uJehova enikezwa iziqu ezihlukahlukene eBhayibhelini, futhi yiziphi ezinye zazo? (Bheka  ibhokisi ekhasini 14.) (b) Kungani kunguJehova kuphela ofanelekela ukubizwa ngokuthi “iNkosi EnguMbusi”?

¹³ UJehova uyazishintshashintsha futhi azivumelanise nezimo kangangokuthi uneziqu ezihlukahlukene emiBhalweni. Azibangisani negama lakhe; kunalokho zisifundisa okwengeziwe ngalokho elikumelelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ubizwa ngokuthi ‘iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.’ (2 Samuweli 7:22) Leso siqu esiphakeme, esivela izikhathi eziningi eBhayibhelini, siveza isikhundla sikaJehova. Uyena kuphela onegunya lokuba uMbusi wendawo yonke. Nasi isizathu.

¹⁴ UJehova unguMdali ongenakufaniswa namuntu. IsAmbulo 4:11 sithi: “Kukufanele Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngoba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba khona zadalwa.” Asikho isidalwa esingafanelwa yila mazwi amahle kangaka. Konke okukhona ezulwini nasemhlabeni kukhona ngenxa kaJehova! Ngaphandle kokungabaza, uJehova ufanelwe udumo,  amandla, nenkazimulo efanela iNkosi EnguMbusi noMdali wezinto zonke.

15. Kungani uJehova ebizwa ngokuthi ‘iNkosi yaphakade’?

¹⁵ Esinye isiqu esisebenza kuJehova kuphela sithi “Nkosi yaphakade.” (1 Thimothewu 1:17; IsAmbulo 15:3) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Kunzima ukuba izingqondo zethu ezinesono zikuqonde, kodwa uJehova ungowaphakade ngezindlela ezimbili​—uma sihlehlela emuva ngesikhathi noma siya phambili esikhathini esizayo. IHubo 90:2 lithi: “Kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade, wena unguNkulunkulu.” Ngakho uJehova akazange abe nesiqalo; ubelokhu ekhona. Ubizwa kufanele ngokuthi “oMdala Wezinsuku”​—ngoba wayekhona kusukela nini nanini, ngaphambi kokuba kube khona noma ubani nananoma yini enye emhlabeni nasezulwini! (Daniyeli 7:9, 13, 22) Ubani ongalokotha angabaze igunya lakhe lokuba iNkosi EnguMbusi?

16, 17. (a) Kungani singenakumbona uJehova, futhi kungani kungafanele kusimangaze lokho? (b) Kungamuphi umqondo uJehova engokoqobo ukwedlula noma yini esingayibona nesingayithinta?

¹⁶ Noma kunjalo, abanye bayalingabaza lelo gunya, njengoba kwenza uFaro. Ingxenye yenkinga ukuthi abantu abanesono bathembela kakhulu kulokho abangakubona ngamehlo. Asiyiboni iNkosi EnguMbusi. Ingumoya, asinakuyibona ngamehlo. (Johane 4:24) Ngaphandle kwalokho, ukube umuntu wenyama negazi ubengama phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu, ubengafa. UJehova ngokwakhe watshela uMose: “Ngeke ububone ubuso bami ngoba akukho muntu ongangibona kodwa aphile.”​—Eksodusi 33:20; Johane 1:18.

¹⁷ Akufanele kusimangaze lokho. UMose wabona ingxenyana encane nje yenkazimulo kaJehova, ngokusobala ngommeleli oyingelosi. Waba yini umphumela? Ubuso bukaMose ‘bakhipha imisebe’ isikhathi esithile ngemva kwalokho. Ama-Israyeli esaba ngisho nokububuka ngqo ubuso bukaMose. (Eksodusi 33:21-23; 34:5-7, 29, 30) Khona-ke, akekho ngempela umuntu ongabuka iNkosi EnguMbusi isenkazimulweni yayo ephelele! Njengoba singenakuyibona futhi siyithinte,  ingabe kusho ukuthi ayiyena-ke umuntu ongokoqobo? Cha, ngokwesibonelo, asingabazi ukuthi zikhona izinto eziningi esingaziboni​—umoya, amaza omsakazo nemicabango. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uhlal’ ekhona njalo, ukuhamba kwesikhathi akumthinti, ngisho nezigidi eziyizinkulungwane zeminyaka! Ngalowo mqondo, ungokoqobo ngaphezu kwanoma yini esingayithinta noma siyibone, ngoba indawo esiyibonayo iyaguga futhi ibole. (Mathewu 6:19) Nokho, ingabe kufanele simbheke njengento ecatshangelwayo nje, noma njengoMthombo Wendalo ongenabuntu nongaqondakali? Ake sibone.

18. Yimuphi umbono owanikezwa uHezekeli, futhi ubuso obune ‘bezidalwa eziphilayo’ eziseduze kukaJehova bumelelani?

¹⁸ Yize singenakumbona uNkulunkulu, eBhayibhelini kunamavesi amnandi asenza sikwazi ukulunguza ezulwini uqobo lwalo. Isahluko sokuqala sikaHezekeli singesinye sezibonelo ezinjalo. UHezekeli wanikezwa umbono wengxenye esezulwini yenhlangano kaJehova yendawo yonke, leyo ayibona injengenqola enkulu yasezulwini. Okuhlaba umxhwele nakakhulu yincazelo yezidalwa zomoya ezinamandla ezizungeze uJehova. (Hezekeli 1:4-10) Lezi ‘zidalwa eziphilayo’ zisondelene kakhulu noJehova, futhi ukubukeka kwazo kusitshela okuthile okubalulekile ngoNkulunkulu ezimkhonzayo. Ngasinye sinobuso obune​—obenkunzi, obebhubesi, obokhozi nobomuntu. Kusobala ukuthi ubuso ngabunye bumelela izimfanelo ezine eziyinhloko zobuntu bukaJehova obumangalisayo.​—IsAmbulo 4:6-8, 10.

19. Iyiphi imfanelo efanekiselwa (a) ubuso benkunzi? (b) ubuso bebhubesi? (c) ubuso bokhozi? (d) ubuso bomuntu?

¹⁹ Ngokuvamile eBhayibhelini inkunzi ifanekisela amandla, futhi kube kufanele ngoba iyisilwane esinamandla kakhulu. Kanti ngokuvamile ibhubesi lifanekisela ubulungisa, ngoba ubulungisa beqiniso budinga isibindi, okuyimfanelo adume ngayo amabhubesi. Izinkozi zidume ngamehlo azo abukhali, zibona ngisho nezinto ezincanyana ezile kude.  Ngakho, ubuso bokhozi bukufanekisela kahle ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okufinyelela kude. Ubuso bomuntu bona? Njengoba umuntu enziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, uyaphawuleka ngekhono lakhe lokubonisa imfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele​—uthando. (Genesise 1:26) Lezi zici zobuntu bukaJehova​—amandla, ubulungisa, ukuhlakanipha nothando—​ziqokonyiswa kaningi emBhalweni kangangokuba zingase zibizwe ngokuthi izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu eziyinhloko.

20. Ingabe kuyadingeka sikhathazeke ngokuthi mhlawumbe ubuntu bukaJehova buye bashintsha, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

²⁰ Ingabe kufanele sikhathazeke ngokuthi mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu uye washintsha phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka kusukela achazwa eBhayibhelini? Cha, ubuntu bukaNkulunkulu abushintshi. Uyasitshela: “NginguJehova; angishintshi.” (Malaki 3:6) Kunokuba avele azishintshe kungalindelwe, uJehova uzibonisa enguBaba ofiselekayo ngendlela enza ngayo esimweni ngasinye. Uveza lezo zici zobuntu bakhe ezifaneleka ngaphezu kwezinye. Kuzo zonke izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu, evelele uthando. Ibonakala kukho konke uNkulunkulu akwenzayo. Usebenzisa amandla akhe, ubulungisa nokuhlakanipha ngendlela enothando. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli lisho into engavamile ngoNkulunkulu nale mfanelo. Lithi:  “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Phawula ukuthi alisho ukuthi uNkulunkulu unalo uthando noma ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyathanda kodwa lithi uNkulunkulu uyilo uthando. Uthando, oluwubuntu bakhe, luyisisusa sako konke akwenzayo.

21. Siyozizwa kanjani njengoba siya sizazi kangcono izimfanelo zikaJehova?

²¹ Wake wambona umntwana omncane ekhombisa abangani bakhe uyise, abese esho ngentokozo nangeqholo athi, “Ubaba wami lona”? Izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zinesizathu sokuzizwa kanjalo ngoJehova. IBhayibheli libikezela isikhathi abantu abathembekile abayosho ngaso bathi: “Bheka! Lona nguNkulunkulu wethu!” (Isaya 25:8, 9) Lapho uziqonda ngokwengeziwe izimfanelo zikaJehova, kulapho lapho uyoba nomuzwa ojulile wokuthi unoBaba ongcono kunabo bonke ongabacabanga.

22, 23. IBhayibheli limchaza kanjani uBaba wethu wasezulwini, futhi sazi kanjani ukuthi ufuna sisondele kuye?

²² Lo Baba akalukhuni, akaziphakamisi, futhi akakude nabantu​—naphezu kwalokho okuye kwafundiswa abashisekeli benkolo nezazi zamafilosofi. UNkulunkulu olukhuni ubengeke asikhange, futhi iBhayibheli alimchazi kanjalo uBaba wethu wasezulwini. Kunalokho, limbiza ngokuthi ‘uNkulunkulu ojabulayo.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:11) UJehova unendaba nokuthi abantu benzani. Mayelana nesikhathi lapho izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile zidelela iziqondiso azibekele inhlalakahle yazo, siyafunda: “Wezwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni yakhe.” (Genesise 6:6; IHubo 78:41) Kodwa lapho senza ngokuhlakanipha ngokuvumelana neZwi lakhe, senza ‘inhliziyo yakhe ijabule.’​—IzAga 27:11.

²³ UBaba wethu ufuna sisondele kuye. IZwi lakhe lisikhuthaza ukuba ‘simfunisise futhi simthole ngempela, nakuba eqinisweni engekude kulowo nalowo kithi.’ (IzEnzo 17:27) Kodwa kungenzeka kanjani ukuba abantu abangelutho nje basondele eNkosini EnguMbusi?