1, 2. Ngokuphambeneko namasonto weloBukholwa, aboFakazi bakaJehova baliqala njani ibizo lakaZimu?

PHEZE woke amasonto weloBukholwa azitjhidisele kude nebizo lakaZimu. Ngokwesibonelo, isethulo se-Revised Standard Version sithi: “Ukusetjenziswa kwananyana ngiliphi ibizo okuyibizombala kuZimu okunguye yedwa nokuphela kwakhe . . . akufaneleki ekholweni lesonto lobuKrestu kiyo yoke indawo.”

² Ngakelinye ihlangothi, aboFakazi bakaJehova bayazikhakhazisa ukubizwa ngebizo lakaZimu nokulidumisa. (Funda iRhalani 86:12; Isaya 43:10.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sikuqala njengokuyilungelo ukwazi okutjhiwo libizwelo nepikiswano yendawo yoke ebandakanya ukucwengiswa kwalo. (Mat. 6:9) Nokho, lokho yilungelo ekungakafuzi silithathe bulula. Ngebanga lalokho, akhe sicabangele imibuzo emithathu eqakathekileko: Kutjho ukuthini ukwazi ibizo lakaZimu? UJehova uphile njani ngokuvumelana nebizo lakhe elikhulu, okungezelela ephazimulweni yalo? Begodu singakhamba njani ngebizo lakaJehova?

3. Kutjho ukuthini ukwazi ibizo lakaZimu?

³ Ukwazi ibizo lakaZimu kubandakanya okungaphezu kokujayelana nebizo elithi “Jehova.” Kubandakanya ukwazi idumo lakaJehova, kuhlanganise nobuntu bakhe, iminqopho nezenzo zakhe njengombana ziseBhayibhilini, njengokusebenzelana kwakhe neenceku zakhe. Liqiniso, uJehova unikela ngelemukelo kancanikancani, ngokuvumelana nokuzaliseka kwentando yakhe. (IzA. 4:18) UJehova wembula ibizo lakhe ebatjhadini bokuthoma babantu, kungebangelo u-Efa alisebenzisa ngemva kokubeletha uKayini. (Gen. 4:1) Iinhloko zembeleko uNuwa, u-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJokobho gade balazi ibizo lakaZimu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuthokoza kwabo ngalo kwakhula njengombana uJehova ababusisa, abatlhogomela begodu ambula iingcenye zomnqophwakhe kibo. UMosisi wanikelwa ilemuko elikhethekileko ngebizo lakaZimu.

4. Kubayini uMosisi abuza uZimu ngebizo lakhe, begodu kubayini ukutjhwenyeka kwakaMosisi gade kuzwisiseka?

 ⁴ Funda u-Eksodosi 3:10-15. UMosisi nekaneminyaka ema-80 ubudala, uZimu wamnikela umlayo womsebenzi obudisi: “Ukhuphe abantu bami abantwana bakwa-Israyeli eGibhide.” UMosisi waphendula ngehlonipho asebenzisa umbuzo, okumbuzo oqakatheke kwamambala. Kuhlekuhle, uMosisi bakabuza ukuthi: ‘Ungubani ibizo lakho?’ Nesicabangela bona ibizo lakaZimu kade laziwa, khuyini uMosisi egade alinga ukuyifumana? Kuyakhanya bona bekafuna ukwazi okungeziweko malungana nomuntu ojanyelwe libizwelo—amaqiniso egade azokwenza abantu bekhabo bakholwe bona uZimu bekazobatjhaphulula kwamambala. Gade kufanele bona uMosisi atshwenyeke ngombana besele kusikhathi eside ama-Israyeli amakghoba. Bewazokuzaza bona uZimu wabokhokho wawo angawatjhaphulula. Ngitjho namanye ama-Israyeli besele akhulekela abosingazimu beGibhide!—Eze. 20:7, 8.

5. UJehova wakukhanyisa njani ngokungeziweko lokho okutjhiwo libizo lakhe nekaphendula uMosisi?

⁵ UJehova wamphendula njani uMosisi? Ngokwengcenye wathi: “Naku okufuze ukutjho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ‘UZOKUBA NGIKHO ungithume kini.’” * Wangezelela wathi: “UJehova uZimu wabokhokho benu . . . ungithume kini.” UZimu wembula bona uzokuba nginanyana yini afuna ukuba ngiyo ukwenzela bona azalise umnqophwake, bona uzokuhlala akuzalisa akutjhoko. Ngalokho, endinyaneni ye-15 sifunda bona uJehova ngokwakhe wathi: “Leli libizo lami bekube nini nanini, begodu lokhu sikhumbuzo sami isizukulwana ngesizukulwana.” Qala bona ukwambulwa kwalokho kungenzeka bona kwaliqinisa kangangani ikholo lakaMosisi bekwamtjhiya amhlonipha uZimu!

6, 7. UJehova waphila njani ngokuvumelana nebizo lakhe ngokuzeleko?

⁶ Msinyana ngemva kokuthuma uMosisi, uJehova waphila ngokuvumelana nebizo lakhe ngokuzeleko ‘ngokuba’ Mtjhaphululi wama-Israyeli. Wahlazisa beGebhide ngeembetho ezibuhlungu ezilitjhumi, ngesikhathi esifanako aveza ukuba lilize kwabosingazimu beGibhide—kuhlanganise ngoFaro—njengabanganawo amandla. (Eks. 12:12) Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wavula iLwandle eliBomvu, wadlulisa ama-Israyeli kilo begodu waminzisa uFaro nebutho lakhe lepi. (Rha. 136:13-15) Emangweni “amakhulu nasabekako,” uJehova wazibonakalisa amPhululusi wokuphila njengombana atlhogomela abantu bakhe ngokudla nangamanzi, pheze abangaba  linani elisuka eengidini eentathu namtjhana ngaphazulu! Wabangela iimbatho namapatlagwana wabo bona angapheli. (Dut. 1:19; 29:5) Kwamambala, akukho okungavimbela uJehova bona azibonakalise aqinisile ngokuvumelana nebizo lakhe elingekhe lamadaniswa nalitho. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wathi ku-Isaya: “Mina—Mina nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwama akunamphulusi.”—Isa. 43:11.

⁷ UJoshuwa, owalandela uMosisi, naye wazibona izenzo zakaJehova ezisabekayo eGibhide nemangweni. Kungebangelo lokha nasele kutjhidele isikhathi sokufa kwakhe, uJoshuwa bekangatjela ama-Israyeli wekhabo ngokuqiniseka okusuka ehliziyweni athi: “Nazi kuhle ngeenhliziyo zenu zoke nemiphefumulo yenu yoke bona alikho nalinye ilizwi kiwo woke amezwi amahle uJehova uZimenu awakhulume kini elingakhenge liphumelele. Woke azalisekile kini. Alikho nelinye elingakazaliseki.” (Josh. 23:14) Ngaphandle kokuzaza, uJehova waligcina ilizwi lakhe, ‘waba ngilokho.’

8. UJehova uphila njani ngokuvumelana nebizo lakhe esikhathini sethu?

⁸ Ngokufanako nanamhlanjesi, uJehova ‘uba ngilokho.’ Asebenzisa indodanakhe, wabikezela bona emalangeni wokuphela, umlayezo womBuso uzokutjhunyayelwa “ephasini loke.” (Mat. 24:14) Ngubani omunye ngaphandle koZimu uMninimandla woke ongabikezela umsebenzi onjengaloyo, aqiniseke bona uyenziwa begodu asebenzise ‘abantu abanengi abangakafundi nabavamileko’ ukuwufeza? (IzE. 4:13) Ngalokho nesihlanganyela emsebenzini lo, kuhlekuhle sihlanganyela ekuzalisekeni kwesiporofido seBhayibhili. Sidumisa uBabethu begodu sitjengisa bona sisuke siqinisile kwamambala nesithi: “Ibizo lakho alicwengiswe. Umbuso wakho awuze. Intando yakho yenziwe, ephasini njengombana yenziwa ezulwini.”—Mat. 6:9, 10.

9, 10. Ngezenzo zakhe kuma-Israyeli, uJehova wakungezela njani kilokho okutjhiwo libizo lakhe, begodu kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁹ Msinyana ngemva kokuFuduka kwaka-Israyeli, uJehova waba yintwetja ebantwini bakhe. Ngelungiselelo lomThetho wesivumalwano, waba ‘mnikazi wawo omnyeni,’ watjata yoke imithwalo yefanelo ekhambisana nokuba ngilokho. (Jer. 3:14) Ama-Israyeli wona aba mkakhe ongokomfanekiso, abantu ababizwa ngebizo lakhe. (Isa. 54:5, 6) Njengombana azithoba kuye alalela nemilayo yakhe, bekazokuba ‘mYeni’ omuhle kwamambala. Bekazowabusisa, awabulunge begodu awaphe ukuthula. (Num. 6:22-27) Ngebanga lalokho ibizo lakaJehova elikhulu belizokudunyiswa hlangana neentjhabatjhaba. (Funda uDuteronomi 4:5-8; iRhalani 86:7-10.) Ngokuqinisekileko, kiwo woke umlando wama-Israyeli, abatjhili abanengi badoseleka ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Eqinisweni batjho lokho okwatjhiwo ngumMowabikazi uRude kuNawomi:  “Abantu bekhenu bazokuba babantu bekhethu, noZimakho abe nguZimami.”—Rude 1:16.

¹⁰ Iminyana eyi-1 500, ukusebenzelana kwakaJehova nama-Israyeli kwambula iingcenye ezinengi ezitja zobuntu bakhe. Ngitjho nanyana gade kusitjhaba esihlahlathako, kanengi uJehova wazibonakalisa ‘anguZimu onomusa’ ‘nongarhabi ukusilingeka’. BekanguZimu onesineke ngendlela erarako nobekezelako. (Eks. 34:5-7) Nokho, ukubekeza kwakaJehova bekunomkhawulo, amaJuda afika kwamgodi uyagcina nekala begodu abulalala iNdodanakhe. (Mat. 23:37, 38) Inzalo yama-Israyeli engokwenyama kwayiphelela ukuba babantu ababizwa ngebizo lakaZimu. Ngokuyihloko, bafa ngokomoya, njengesihlahla esitjhwabileko. (Luka 23:31) Lokhu kwayithinta njani indlela abaqala ngayo ibizo lakaZimu?

11. Kwenzeka njani bona ibizo lakaZimu lisuswe esitjhabeni samaJuda?

¹¹ Umlando utjengisa bona, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, amaJuda aba nekolelo engakalungi ngebizo lakaZimu, aliqala njengento ekungakafuzi iphinyiselwe. (Eks. 20:7) Kancanikancani ibizo lakaZimu lakhutjhwa ekolweni yobuJuda. Akunakuzaza bona kwamzwisa ubuhlungu uJehova ukubona ibizo lakhe lingahlonitjhwa ngale ndlela. (Rha. 78:40, 41) Nokho, uZimu, ‘ibizo lakhe ekunguMona,’ angekhe aliphathise abantu abamhlobokileko naye abahlobokileko. (Eks. 34:14) Iqinisweli kufuze lidzimelelise kithi ukuqakatheka kokuphatha ibizo lomBumbi wethu ngehlonipho.

12. UJehova wasiveza njani isitjhaba sebizo lakhe ekwabikezelwa ngaso?

¹² Asebenzisa uJeremiya, uJehova wembula umnqophwakhe wokwenza “isivumelwano esitjha” nesitjhaba esitjha, u-Israyeli ongokomoya. Woke amalunga wawo, “kusukela komcani kibo boke ukufikela komkhulu kibo boke,” uJeremiya wabikezela bona, “bazomazi uJehova.” (Jer. 31:31, 33, 34) Isiporofidweso sathoma ukuzaliseka ngePentekosi laka-33 C.E. uZimu nekenza isivumelwano esitjha. Isitjhaba esitjha, ‘u-Israyeli kaZimu,’ ebekahlanganisa amaJuda nabangasimaJuda, waba ‘babantu ababizwa ngebizo [lakaZimu],’ namtjhana njengombana uJehova atjho, ‘abantu ababizwa ngebizo lami.’—Gal. 6:16; funda IzEnzo 15:14-17; Mat. 21:43.

13. (a) AmaKrestu wokuthoma alisebenzisa na ibizo lakaZimu? Hlathulula. (b) Uliqala njani ilungelo lokusebenzisa ibizo lakaJehova ekonzwenakho?

¹³ ‘Njengabantu ababizwa ngebizo [lakaZimu],’ amalunga wesitjhaba esingokomoyeso gade asebenzisa ibizo lakaZimu, enza njalo nekadzubhula emiTlolweni yesiGirigi. * Ngalokho, umpostoli uPitrosi nekakhuluma nabalaleli abamaJuda namaProselithe abavela eentjhabeni ezihlukahlukeneko ngePentekosi laka-33 C.E., wasebenzisa ibizo lakaZimu iinkhathi ezimbalwa. (IzE. 2:14, 20, 21, 25, 34) AmaKrestu wokuthoma amdumisa uJehova, bese yena wabusisa imizamawo emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Ngokufanako nanamhlanjesi, uJehova ubusisa ikonzwethu nesimemezela ibizo lakhe ngokuzikhakhazisa silitjengise abanekareko, kewabo amaBhayibhili nekukghonekako. Ngokwenza njalo sibethula kuZimu weqiniso. Qala bona kulilungelo elingangani—kibo nakithi! Ukubethulokho ngezinye iinkhathi kungaba sithomo sobuhlobo obuhle noJehova obuzokukhula ngamandla begodu buhlale ngokungapheliko.

14, 15. Naphezu kokurhatjheka kobuhlubuki, khuyini uJehova ayenzileko malungana nebizo lakhe elisikhumbuzo?

¹⁴ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi kwangena ukuhlubuka ebandleni lobuKrestu lokuthoma, khulukhulu ngemva kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli. (2 Tes. 2:3-7) Abafundisi  bamala bamukela isiko lobuJuda lokungasebenzisi ibizo lakaZimu. Inga-kghani uJehova bekazokuvumela ibizo lakhe elisikhumbuzo bona litjhatjalaliswe? Bengekhe! Liqiniso, ukuphinyiselwa kwalo nje akusaziwa kuhle, kodwana ibizwelo besolo lomelele. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, livele emaBhayibhilini ahlukahlukeneko, kuhlanganise nemitlolweni yezazi zeBhayibhili. Isibonelo, ngo-1757, uCharles Peters watlola bona ibizo elithi “Jehova,” ngokungafaniko neziqu ezinengi zakaZimu, “libonakala likuhlathulula ngcono lokho angikho.” Ngo-1797 encwadini emalungana nokukhulekela uZimu, uHopton Haynes wathoma isahluko 7 ngokuthi: “UJEHOVA libizombala lakaZIMU ebelisetjenzisa maJuda; okunguye kwaphela agade amkhulekela; njengombana kwenza uKrestu nabaPostoli bakhe.” UHenry Grew (1781-1862) khenge asebenzise ibizo lakaZimu kwaphela kodwana watjheja bona lihlanjalaziwe begodu kufuze licwengiswe. Ngokukufanako nangoGeorge Storrs (1796-1879), umngani oseduze kaCharles T. Russell, wasebenzisa ibizo lakaZimu, njengombana kwenza uRussell ngokwakhe.

¹⁵ Umnyaka ka-1931 bewuqakatheke ngokukhethekileko, ngombana kungomnyaka loyo lapho abaFundi beBhayibhili ePhasini maZombe, njengombana bebabizwa njalo abantu bakaZimu, bafumana ibizo elingokomTlolo elithi aboFakazi bakaJehova. (Isa. 43:10-12) Ngemva kwalokho bamemezela ephasini loke bona bayazikhakhazisa ngokuba ziinceku zakaZimu weqiniso okukuphela kwakhe, ukuba ‘babantu ababizwa ngebizo lakhe,’ badumise ibizwelo. (IzE. 15:14) Izenzakalwezi zibangela bona sikhumbule amezwi kaJehova afumaneka kuMalaki 1:11, athi: ‘Kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga bekube sekutjhingeni kwalo ibizo lami lizokuba likhulu hlangana neentjhaba.’

16. Kubayini kufuze sikuqale njengelungelo ukukhamba ngebizo lakaJehova?

¹⁶ Umporofidi uMika watlola wathi: “Zoke iintjhaba, ngileso naleso sizokukhamba ngebizo lakazimu waso, kodwana thina, sizokukhamba ngebizo lakaJehova uZimethu bekube nini nani, ngokungapheliko.” (Mika 4:5) Ukuthi uJehova uvumele abaFundi beBhayibhili bona bamukele ibizo lakhe kungaphezu kokuba lilungelo elikhulu. Godu bekulitshwayo eliqinisekisa ukwamukelwa nguye. (Funda uMalaki 3:16-18.) Nokho, kuthiwani ngawe mathupha? Wenza koke ongakwenza ‘ukukhamba ngebizo lakaJehova?’ Uyakubonisa ukuthokoza okubandakanya lokho?

17. Kubandakanya ini ukukhamba ngebizo lakaZimu?

¹⁷ Ukukhamba ngebizo lakaZimu kubandakanya okunganani izinto eentathu. Kokuthoma, kufuze simemezele ibizwelo kwabanye, siyelela bona ‘ngilabo ababiza ibizo lakaJehova kwaphela abazokuphuluswa.’ (Rom. 10:13, NW.) Kwesibili, kufuze sibonakalise ubuntu bakaJehova, khulukhulu ithando lakhe. Kwesithathu, sikhamba ngebizo lakaZimu nesizithoba ngokuzithandela eenkambiswenilawulo zakhe, bona singahlambalazi ibizo lakaBabethu elicwengileko. (1 Jwa. 4:8; 5:3) Uzimisele na ‘ukukhamba ngebizo lakaJehova uZimethu bekube nini nani’?

18. Kubayini labo abadumisa ibizo lakaJehova elikhulu bangaqala phambili ekusaseni ngokuqiniseka?

¹⁸ Esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo boke abangandaba namtjhana abasilaphaza ibizo lakaJehova bazokukateleleka bona bamtjheje. (Eze. 38:23) Lokho kubandakanya nabantu abanjengoFaro owathi: ‘Ngubani uJehova, bona ngilalele ilizwi lakhe?’ Qala bona ipendulo yalokho wayifumana msinyana kangangani! (Eks. 5:1, 2; 9:16; 12:29) Nokho, thina sizithandele ngokwethu ukwazi uJehova. Siyakuthabela ukuphatha ibizo lakhe nokuba babantu ababizwa ngebizo lakhe abalalelako. Ngalokho, siqale phambili ekusaseni siqiniseka ngethemba elitlolwe kuRhalani 9:10 esithi: “Labo abazi ibizo lakho bazokuthembela kuwe, ngombana ngokuqinisekileko angekhe ubatjhiye labo abakufunako Jehova.”