1, 2. Umphrofethi u-Isaya wabona wuphi umbono futhi umbono lo usifundisani ngoJehova?

 U-ISAYA wabona umbono owawuvela kuNkulunkulu. Umbono lo wammangalisa kakhulu, kwakungathi yinto eyenzakalayo sibili! Ngemva kwalokho u-Isaya wabhala ukuthi ‘wabona uJehova’ ngokwakhe ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esiphakemeyo. Umphetho wengubo yakhe wawugcwele ithempeli elikhulu laseJerusalema.—U-Isaya 6:1, 2.

² U-Isaya wamangaliswa layikuhlabela kwamaserafi okwakulamandla kakhulu okokuthi kwakunyikinya ithempeli lezisekelo zalo. Amaserafi zingilosi ezilesikhundla esiphezulu. Ayehlabela edumisa uNkulunkulu esithi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uJehova wamabutho. Umhlaba wonke ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.” (U-Isaya 6:3, 4) Amaserafi asebenzisa ibala elithi “ungcwele” kathathu ukuze agcizelele ukuthi akula omunye ongcwele njengoJehova. (ISambulo 4:8) Manengi amavesi akhuluma ngobungcwele bukaJehova. Kwamanye amavesi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihamba lebala elithi “ngcwele” kumbe “ubungcwele.”

3. Kungani abanye bebona angathi ngeke benelise ukusondela kuNkulunkulu?

³ Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova ufuna sizwisise ukuthi ungcwele. Kodwa ukuba ngcwele kukaJehova kwenza abanye besabe ukusondela kuye. Phela abanye bacabanga ukuthi umuntu ongcwele ngozibona elunge kakhulu. Abanye baze babone angathi ngeke benelise ukusondela kuNkulunkulu ngoba bazikhangelela phansi. Lokhu kuyadanisa ngenxa yokuthi ubungcwele yibuntu obuhle kakhulu okumele  busenze sifise ukusondela kuNkulunkulu. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Singakaphenduli umbuzo lo, kasixoxeni ngokuthi kutshoni ukuba ngcwele.

4, 5. (a) Kutshoni ukuba “ngcwele”? (b) Kutshoni ukuthi uJehova “wehlukene” lathi?

⁴ Ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungcwele akutsho ukuthi uyazigqaja loba ukuthi ukhangelela abanye phansi. Vele uyabazonda abantu abalobuntu obunjalo. (IZaga 16:5; UJakhobe 4:6) Manje litshoni ibala elithi “ngcwele”? Ibala elithi “ngcwele” lihunyutshwe kwelesiHebheru elitsho “ukwehlukaniswa.” EBhayibhilini lokhu kuyabe kusitsho ukuthi into leyo inikelwe kuJehova kuphela, ngeke isetshenziswe kokunye. Ukuba ngcwele kuphinda kutsho ukuhlanzeka lokungabi lasici. Manje kutshoni ukuthi uJehova ungcwele? Kutsho yini ukuthi “wehlukene” labantu abalesono lokuthi ukhatshana labo?

⁵ Hatshi. Abako-Israyeli babengabantu abalesono kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu “oNgcwele ka-Israyeli” wathi ‘wayezakuba phakathi kwabo.’ (U-Isaya 12:6; UHosiya 11:9) Ngakho lanxa engcwele, akutsho ukuthi ukhatshana lalabo abamkhonzayo. Pho kutshoni ukuthi “wehlukene” lathi? Okokuqala, wehlukene lakho konke okudaliweyo ngoba nguye yedwa oPhezukonke. Kalasici njalo uhlanzeke ngokupheleleyo. (IHubo 40:5; 83:18) Okwesibili, uJehova uyakwenyanya okubi futhi uyasizonda isono. Ukwazi lokho kusinceda njani?

6. Kungani kusiduduza ukwazi ukuthi uJehova kasoze enze loba yini embi?

⁶ Lamuhla abantu abanengi abazihluphi ngokuba ngcwele. Abamazi uNkulunkulu, yikho izinto ezinengi abazenzayo zingahlanzekanga. Kanti njalo kulula ukuthi sonke senze okubi ngenxa yokuthi sazalwa silesono. Ngakho kumele sizame ngamandla wonke ukwenza okulungileyo.  (KwabaseRoma 7:15-25; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:12) Kodwa uJehova kafanani lathi ngenxa yokuthi kalasono. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi ngeke angcoliswe yiloba yini. Singamthemba ngenhliziyo yonke ngoba yena uzahlala ethembekile futhi kasoze lanini abe lolunya kumbe enze izinto ezimbi. Okwenza singakuthandabuzi lokho yikuthi unguNkulunkulu ongcwele. Kwezinye izikhathi wayeze afunge ngobungcwele bakhe ukuze aqinisekise izinceku zakhe ukuthi uzazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe loba sekutheni. (U-Amosi 4:2) Lokhu kuyasiduduza sibili!

7. Kungani sisithi uJehova ungcwele ngokupheleleyo?

⁷ UJehova ungcwele ngokupheleleyo. Kutshoni lokhu? Cabanga ngebala elithi “abantu” lelithi “isono.” Amabala la ahamba ndawonye ngoba nxa sikhuluma ngesono siyabe sikhuluma ngabantu. Phela akulamuntu ongelasono. Kodwa khathesi cabanga ngebala elithi “Jehova” lelithi “ngcwele.” Amabala la lawo ahamba ndawonye ngoba nxa sikhuluma ngobungcwele siyabe sikhuluma ngoJehova. Phela akula ongcwele njengaye. Uhlanzekile, kalasici njalo ulungile. Ngakho nxa sifuna ukumazi kuhle uJehova kumele siqale sizwisise ukuthi ‘ungcwele.’

8, 9. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabancedisa abantu abalesono ukuthi babe ngcwele?

⁸ UJehova uyenelisa ukwenza loba yini ibe ngcwele ngoba yena ungcwele ngokupheleleyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ekhuluma loMosi esebenzisa ingilosi, ngitsho lendawo uMosi ayemi kuyo yaba ngcwele ngenxa yokuthi kwakuloJehova. (U-Eksodusi 3:5) UJehova uzimisele ukuncedisa labanye ukuthi babe ngcwele.

⁹ Kodwa abantu abalesono bangenelisa yini ukuba ngcwele? Ye bangenelisa nxa bencediswa nguJehova. UJehova watshela abako-Israyeli ukuthi babezakuba “yisizwe esingcwele.” (U-Eksodusi 19:6) Wabachasisela ukuthi kwakumele bamkhonze  njani ukuze bahlale bengcwele futhi behlanzekile. Yikho uMthetho kaMosi ukhuluma kanengi ngokuba ngcwele. Umphristi omkhulu wayegqoka iqhiye eyayifakwa izenge legolide ebunzini lapho wonke umuntu ayengalibona khona. Izenge lelo lalilamazwi athi: “Ubungcwele ngobukaJehova.” (U-Eksodusi 28:36) Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova wayefuna bamkhonze ngendlela ehlanzekileyo njalo baziphathe kuhle. Wabatshela wathi: “Kumele libe ngcwele ngoba mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.” (ULevi 19:2) Nxa ama-Israyeli ayengazimisela ukulalela lokho uJehova ayewatshele khona, lawo ayezakuba ngcwele.

10. Yiwuphi umehluko owawukhona phakathi kwama-Israyeli lezinye izizwe?

¹⁰ Indlela ama-Israyeli ayekhonza ngayo yayingafanani leyezizwe ezazingomakhelwane. Izizwe lezo zabahedeni zazikhonza onkulunkulu bamanga okwakuthiwa balodlakela, bayizihwaba futhi abaziphathanga. Onkulunkulu labo babengekho ngcwele yikho loba ngubani obakhonzayo wayengeke abe ngcwele. Yikho uJehova watshela abantu bakhe ukuthi bangabi lobudlelwano lezizwe lezo futhi bangalandeli ukukhonza kwazo ngoba kwakuzabangcolisa.—ULevi 18:24-28; 1 AmaKhosi 11:1, 2.

11. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi izingilosi zingcwele?

¹¹ Lanxa ama-Israyeli ayezama ukuba ngcwele, ayengeke abe ngcwele njengezingilosi. Kulezingilosi ‘ezingcwele’ ezinengi kakhulu ezulwini ezikhonza uNkulunkulu futhi ezithembekileyo kuye. (UDutheronomi 33:2; UJuda 14) Zimlingisela ngokupheleleyo uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Azilasici ngitsho futhi konke ezikwenzayo kuhle. Amaserafi wona ke? Amaserafi abonwa ngu-Isaya embonweni wakhe ayehlabela edumisa uJehova ngokuthi ungcwele. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi alomsebenzi wokwenza ezinye izidalwa zikaJehova zikwazi ukuthi uJehova ungcwele. Kodwa kulengilosi engcwele ukwedlula zonke ezinye. Ingilosi le yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, uJesu. IBhayibhili  limbiza ngokuthi “ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.”—UJohane 6:68, 69.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kuqondile ukuthi sithi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcwele? (b) Kungani kumele ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe?

¹² Ibizo likaNkulunkulu lona ke? Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 1, leli kayisilo bizo lokuhlonipha kodwa lichasisa lokho uJehova ayikho khona lobuntu bakhe. Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi ‘ibizo lakhe lingcwele.’ (U-Isaya 57:15) UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi loba ngubani owayethuka ibizo likaNkulunkulu kwakumele abulawe. (ULevi 24:16) Nanzelela ukuthi kuyini uJesu athi sikufake kuqala nxa sithandaza. Wathi sithandaze sithi: “Baba wethu osezulwini, kalingcweliswe ibizo lakho.” (UMathewu 6:9) Ukungcwelisa into ethile kutsho ukuyihlonipha lokuyibona ingcwele. Manje kungani kumele ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe lona livele lingcwele?

¹³ Ibizo likaNkulunkulu langcoliswa. Ensimini yase-Edeni uSathane wakhuluma amanga ngoJehova wenza kwakhanya angathi unguMbusi ongalunganga. (UGenesisi 3:1-5) Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, uSathane ubangele ukuthi amanga ngoNkulunkulu amemetheke emhlabeni lo omubi obuswa nguye. (UJohane 8:44; 12:31; ISambulo 12:9) Amasonto afundise abantu ukuthi uNkulunkulu kalandaba lathi lokuthi nguye owenza sihlupheke. Bathi uNkulunkulu nguye obenza banqobe ezimpini zabo ezibulala abantu abanengi. Baphinda bathi zonke izinto ezikhona azidalwanga nguNkulunkulu kodwa zazivelela. Balingcolisile sibili ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Yikho kumele lingcweliswe futhi lidunyiswe. Silindele ngabomvu ukuthi uJehova aphinde enze ukuthi ibizo lakhe lingcweliswe. Lokhu uzakwenza esebenzisa uMbuso wakhe. Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi lathi silethuba lokuncedisa ukungcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu.

14. Kungani umoya kaNkulunkulu ubizwa ngokuthi ungcwele njalo kungani ukuthuka umoya ongcwele kuyisono esingasoze sathethelelwa?

 ¹⁴ Umoya kaNkulunkulu lawo kuthiwa ungcwele. Umoya lo ngamandla akhe awasebenzisayo futhi avela kuye ngokwakhe. (UGenesisi 1:2) UJehova usebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuthi enze lokho ayabe ekuhlosile. Konke uNkulunkulu akwenzayo kungcwele, kuhlanzekile futhi akulasici. Ngakho kuqondile sibili ukuthi amandla akhe abizwe ngokuthi ngumoya ongcwele. (ULukha 11:13; KwabaseRoma 1:4) IBhayibhili lithi abanye abantu bathuka umoya ongcwele. Lesi yisono esingeke sithethelelwe ngoba bayabe bephikisana lentando kaNkulunkulu ngabomo.—UMakho 3:29.

15. Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ungcwele kusinceda ngani?

¹⁵ IBhayibhili lenza kucace ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungcwele yikho kumele simesabe. Ngokwesibonelo iHubo 99:3 lithi: “Izizwe kazidumise ibizo lakho elikhulu, ngoba liyesabeka njalo lingcwele.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kumele silihloniphe kakhulu ibizo lakhe ngoba yena ungcwele ukwedlula loba ngubani. Uhlanzekile futhi uyakhazimula, kodwa lokho akumelanga kusenze sesabe ukusondela kuye. Kumele kusenze sifise ukusondela kuye. Ngenxa yani?

16. (a) Kungani sisithi into engcwele inhle? Nika isibonelo. (b) IBhayibhili libuchasisa njani ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele?

¹⁶ IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi into engcwele inhle. U-Isaya 63:15 uthi izulu yindawo kaNkulunkulu “engcwele lekhazimulayo [kumbe “lenhle,” amabala angaphansi].” Sonke siyazithanda izinto ezinhle. Ngokwesibonelo khangela ipikitsha esekhasini 33. Kawufisi yini ukuba sendaweni enje? Khangela ukuthi amanzi akhona ahlanzeke njani. Kumele ukuthi lomoya wakhona uhlanzekile. Kulokukhanya futhi lesibhakabhaka siluhlaza. Kodwa ubungafisa yini ukuba sendaweni  le nxa ibingangcoliswa, isifudlana sigcwale idoti, izihlahla lamadwala kudwetshwadwetshwe, umkhathi lawo ugcwale intuthu? Hatshi, phela nxa into ihlanzekile yikho lapho ekhanya khona ukuthi inhle. Bunjalo lobungcwele bukaJehova. UJehova uhlanzekile, uyakhazimula, kalasici futhi muhle. Yikho sikholisa nxa sibala amavesi achasisa ubuhle bukaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ngoNkulunkulu wethu esesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi ezulwini lithi uyakhazimula njengamatshe aligugu lanjengensimbi ecazimulayo futhi uyakhanya njengomlilo ovuthayo.—UHezekheli 1:25-28; ISambulo 4:2, 3.

17, 18. (a) U-Isaya wezwa njani esebone umbono ovela kuJehova? (b) UJehova wamduduza njani u-Isaya esebenzisa iserafi njalo okwenziwa liserafi kwakusitshoni?

¹⁷ Manje ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungcwele kumele kusenze sizibone sibancane yini nxa siziqathanisa laye? Ye, vele sibancane kakhulu kuloJehova. Kodwa lokho sekusitsho ukuthi ngeke sisondele kuye yini? Cabanga ngalokho okwenziwa ngu-Isaya ngesikhathi esizwa amaserafi edumisa uJehova ngokuthi ungcwele. Wabhala wathi: “Ngasengisithi: ‘Maye babo! Ngafa mina, ngoba ngingumuntu olezindebe ezingcolileyo, njalo ngihlala phakathi kwabantu abakhuluma izinto ezingcolileyo. Amehlo ami asebone iNkosi, uJehova wamabutho ngokwakhe!’” (U-Isaya 6:5) Ubungcwele bukaJehova bakhumbuza u-Isaya ukuthi wayelesono. Ekuqaliseni indoda le ethembekileyo yadana kakhulu, kodwa uJehova wayiduduza.

¹⁸ Wahle wathuma iserafi ukuthi liyeduduza u-Isaya. Lamduduza njani? Laphapha lafika e-alithareni, lathatha ilahle laselisiya ku-Isaya lafika lathinta indebe zakhe ngalo. Lokho kungakhanya kubuhlungu kulokuthi kududuze. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi lo kwakungumbono. Wawusitshoni? U-Isaya wayengumJuda othembekileyo ngakho wayekwazi ukuthi imihlatshelo yayinikelwa nsuku zonke e-alithareni lethempeli ukuze abantu bathethelelwe izono. Iserafi  lamkhumbuza ngendlela elomusa ukuthi lanxa wayelesono, ‘elezindebe ezingcolileyo,’ wayengenelisa ukuba ngohlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. a UJehova wayezimisele ukumbona engcwele lanxa wayelesono.—U-Isaya 6:6, 7.

19. Kungenzakala njani ukuthi uJehova asibone singcwele lanxa silesono?

¹⁹ Lalamuhla uJehova uzimisele ukusibona singcwele lanxa silesono. Yonke imihlatshelo eyayinikelwa e-alithareni elaliseJerusalema yayimela umhlatshelo ongcono kakhulu owawuzanikelwa esikhathini esizayo. Umhlatshelo lo ongelasici wanikelwa nguJesu Khristu ngo-33 C.E. (KumaHebheru 9:11-14) UJehova uzasithethela izono zethu nxa singaphenduka ngeqiniso, silungise lapho esiyabe siphambanise khona futhi sitshengise ukuthi silokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu. (1 UJohane 2:2) Lathi singaba ngabantu abahlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Yikho umphostoli uPhetro wasikhumbuza wathi: “Kubhaliwe ukuthi: ‘Kumele libe  ngcwele ngoba mina ngingcwele.’” (1 UPhetro 1:16) Nanzelela ukuthi uJehova kazange athi kumele sibe ngcwele ngendlela yena angcwele ngayo. Kakhangelelanga ukuthi senze lokho esingenelisi ukukwenza. (IHubo 103:13, 14) Uthi sibe ngcwele ngoba yena ungcwele. ‘Njengoba singabantwabakhe abathandayo,’ kumele senze konke esikwenelisayo ukuze simlingisele. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1) Yikho kumele sizame nsuku zonke ukuba ngcwele. Nxa sisenza njalo siyabe ‘siphelelisa ubungcwele bethu.’—2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1.

20. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuzwisisa ukuthi singenelisa ukuba ngabahlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele? (b) U-Isaya wezwa njani lapho esizwa ukuthi izono zakhe zasezithethelelwe?

²⁰ UJehova uthanda izinto eziqondileyo lezihlanzekileyo. Uyasizonda isono. (UHabakhukhi 1:13) Kodwa thina kasizondi. Uzasithethelela nxa ebona ukuthi siyakuzonda okubi futhi sithanda okuhle, lokuthi siyazama ukulingisela uJesu Khristu. (U-Amosi 5:15; 1 UPhetro 2:21) Kuyasinceda kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi siyenelisa ukuba ngabahlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Khumbula ukuthi ubungcwele bukaJehova baqala bakhumbuza u-Isaya ukuthi wayengahlanzekanga. Wathi: “Maye babo!” Kodwa waduduzeka lapho ezwisisa ukuthi izono zakhe zasezithethelelwe. UJehova wathi edinga umuntu ayengamthuma, u-Isaya wavumela phezulu lanxa wayengakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwakumele akwenze. Wathi: “Ngilapha! Thuma mina!”—U-Isaya 6:5-8.

21. Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi singaba ngcwele?

²¹ Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, yikho siyenelisa ukumlingisela lokuba ngabangane bakhe. (UGenesisi 1:26) Sonke siyenelisa ukuba ngcwele ngoba uJehova uzimisele ukusincedisa. Nxa singaba ngcwele sizakwenelisa ukuba seduze loNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Ezahlukweni ezilandelayo sizafunda ngobunye ubuntu bukaJehova obuzakwenza sifise ukusondela kuye.