Ngaba Ukho Owakha Wambona UThixo?
USOLUSAPHO owayedumile uAbraham, owaphila kwiminyaka engaphezu kwe-1 900 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu, wayethandwa ngokusenyongweni nguMdali wethu kangangokuba wabizwa ngokuba “sisihlobo sikaThixo.” (Yakobi 2:23) Ukuba nabani na wayenganikwa ilungelo lokubona uThixo, ngokuqinisekileyo uAbraham wayenokuba nguloo mntu. Kaloku, ngasihlandlo sithile, wafikelwa ziindwendwe ezintathu zinomyalezo ongokobuthixo. UAbraham walubiza olunye lwazo ngokuthi nguYehova. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba ngenene uAbraham wambona uThixo?
Le ngxelo ifumaneka kwiGenesis 18:1-3. Apho sifunda oku: “UYehova wabonakala kuye eMiokini kaMamre, ehleli emnyango wentente, ekufudumaleni kwemini. Wawaphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona, nango amadoda amathathu emi ngakuye. Wabona, wagidima, eya kuwakhawulela, esuka emnyango wentente. Waqubuda emhlabeni, wathi, ‘Nkosi yam [Yehova, NW], ukuba kaloku ndibabalwe nguwe, musa ukudlula umke kumkhonzi wakho.’”
Kamva, xa uAbraham neendwendwe zakhe ezintathu babeqwalasele iSodom kwindawo ephakamileyo, ezimbini zahamba zisiya kutyelela isixeko. lndinyana yama-22 emva koko ithi: “Ke yena uAbraham wayesemi phambi koYehova.” Bekuya kubonakala ngokusuka koku ukuba uThixo wayekho phambi koAbraham ekumzimba obonakalayo wenyama. Le yindlela bambi babantu abakholelwa kukuba uThixo noYesu Kristu bangumntu omnye abaphikisa ngayo.
Malunga neGenesis 18:3, umphengululi weBhayibhile uMelancthon W. Jacobus wabhala: “Apha uThixo ubonakala okokuqala ngokwengxelo njengomntu phakathi kwabantu, ukubonakalisa ngenene uBukho Bakhe, nendlela Yena afana ngayo nabantu, yaye ngesi senzo sikhethekileyo wayesenzela ukuqinisekisa usolusapho ngonxulumano lobuThixo nobudlelwane.” Abo banale mbono babesenokugqiba ngokuthi uAbraham eneneni wambona uThixo ngamehlo akhe enyama yaye abantu abambonayo uYesu Kristu nabo bambona uThixo. Kodwa ngaba esi sigqibo siyavumelana neBhayibhile?
Oko UYesu Wakuthethayo
Endaweni yokuthi yena unguThixo osenyameni, uYesu Kristu wathi: “NdinguNyana kaThixo.” (Yohane 10:36) NjengoMmeli ofezekileyo kaYehova uThixo, kwakhona uYesu wathi: “Mna ngokwam andinakwenza nto; njengoko ndivayo, ndigweba ngako, nomgwebo wam ububulungisa; ngokuba andifuni kuthanda kwam, ndifuna ukuthanda kukaBawo owandithumayo.” (Yohane 5:30) Xa uYesu wayesemthini wentuthumbo, wathandaza kuMdali omkhulu osemazulwini, embiza ngokuthi “Thixo wam! Thixo wam!” (Mateyu 27:46) Emva kovuko lwakhe, uYesu waxelela uMariya waseMagadala oku: “Ndiyenyuka, ndiya kuBawo, ku Yihlo; kuThixo wam, kuThixo wenu.” (Yohane 20:1, 17) Ekubeni uYesu Kristu wayengenguye uThixo onomzimba wenyama, akukho namnye owabona uYesu owayenokuthi ngaloo ndlela wayembonile uThixo.
UYohane, umpostile owayethandwa ngokukhethekileyo ngu Yesu, wasingqina isibakala sokuba abapostile babengaboni Thixo xa bathi babona uYesu. Ephefumlelwe, uYohane wathi: “Akukho namnye wakha wambona uThixo.” (Yohane 1:18) Ngoko, yayingubani lo wabonwa nguAbraham? Amava kaMoses ayasinceda sifumane impendulo.
Indlela UMoses Awambona Ngayo UThixo
UMoses wakha wavakalisa umnqweno wokubona uThixo. KwiEksodus 33:18-20, sifunda oku: “Khawundibonise [mna Moses] ubuqaqawuli bakho. Wathi [uThixo], Ndiya kukudlulisa konke ukulunga kwam ebusweni bakho, ndivakalise igama likaYehova phambi kwakho, ndibabale endimbabalayo, ndisikwe yimfesane kondosikwa yimfesane ngaye. Wathi, Akunakububona ubuso barn; kuba akukho mntu undibona aphile.”
Into uThixo awamvumela yona uMoses ukuba ayibone kukudlula kobuqaqawuli Bakhe. Indinyana yama-21-23 ithi: “Wathi uYehova, Nantsi ke indawo ngakum; uze ume phezu kweliwa; kuthi, ekudluleni kobuqaqawuli barn, ndikubeke emqhokrweni weliwa, ndikugubungele ngesandla sam, ndide ndidlule; ndize ndisuse isandla sam, uwubone umva wam. Ke bona ubuso barn abuyi kubonwa.”
Ngokuvisisana noko uYehova wakuxelela uMoses noko kwathethwa ngumpostile uYohane, uMoses akazange abone ukuguquka komzimba kaThixo okanye engumzimba obonakalayo. Ekuphela kwento uMoses awayibonayo kukudlula kokukhanya okwabakho emva kobukho bukaThixo. Sekunjalo, kwafuneka ekhuselwe ngokobuthixo. Ngokucacileyo, yayingengoThixo ngokwakhe owabonwa nguMoses.
Xa uMoses wathetha noThixo “ubuso ngobuso,” njengoko kuboniswe kwiEksodus 33:11, NW, wayengabonani noThixo. Eli binzana libonisa indlela uMoses awayethetha ngayo noThixo, ingekuko awakubonayo. Ukuthetha noThixo “ubuso ngobuso” kubonisa incoko yabantu ababini abaphendulanayo. Ngokufanayo, umntu usengaphendulana nomnye ngencoko ngomnxeba ngaphandle kokumbona omnye umntu lowo.
Xa uMoses wathetha noThixo waza wafumana nemiyalelo evela kuye, le ncoko yayingadluliselwa ngemibono, njengoko kwakusoloko kunjalo kwabanye abaprofeti. Oku kuphawulwe kwiNumeri 12:6-8, apho sifunda oku: “Wathi, Khanive amazwi am. Ukuba nithe nanomprofeti ka Yehova, ndozazisa kuye ngombono, ndithethe kuye ephupheni. Akanjalo umkhonzi wam uMoses; unyanisekile yena endlwini yam yonke. Ndiya kuthetha naye umlomo kumlomo, ngokubonakalayo, kungabi ngantsonkotha; asikhangele yena isimilo [imbonakalo, NW] sikaYehova.” Kungayiphi ingqiqo awathi uMoses wayibona “imbonakalo kaYehova”?
UMoses wayibona “imbonakalo ka Yehova” xa yena, uAron namanye amadoda athile babekwiNtaba yeSinayi. KwiEksodus 24:10, kubhalwe oku: “Bambona uThixo wamaSirayeli; phantsi kweenyawo zakhe kwaye kunjengento eyenziwe ngesafire eqaqambileyo, njengenkqu yezulu lisile.” Kodwa kwenzeka njani ukuba uMoses namanye amadoda, babe “bambona uThixo wamaSirayeli” ekubeni uThixo wayemxelele ukuba, “Akukho mntu undibona aphile”? Indinyana ye-11 iyacacisa, kuba ithi: “Amanene oonyana bakaSirayeli akawasanga sandla. Ambona [ngombono, NW] ke uThixo, adla, asela.” Ngoko imbonakalo kaThixo uMoses nabanye abayibonayo yayingombono.
Abameli Abazizithunywa Zezulu
Akukhange kube yimfuneko ngoMdali omkhulu wendalo ukuba ehle kwindawo yakhe ephakamileyo esemazulwini ukuze adlulise imiyalezo kubantu abathile. Ngaphandle kwezihlandlo ezithathu ezibhaliweyo xa ilizwi likaThixo lobuqu laviwa ngoxa uNyana wakhe wayesemhlabeni, uYehova ngokufuthi uye wasebenzisa izithunywa zezulu ukudlulisa imiyalezo Yakhe. (Mateyu 3:17; 17:5; Yohane 12:28) KwanoMthetho uThixo awawunikela kuhlanga lakwaSirayeli kwiNtaba yeSinayi wadluliselwa ngezithunywa zezulu, nangona uMoses wayegqalwa njengowayethetha ngokuthe ngqo noThixo. Malunga noku, umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Uyintoni na ngoko umthetho? Walekelwa ngenxa yezigqitho, ukude ifike imbewu leyo yayibekwe ngedinga; wamiswa [wadluliselwa, NW] ngezithunywa zezulu, sisandla somlamleli.”—Galati 3:19.
Into yokuba ngokwenene uMoses wathetha nesithunywa sezulu esasimela uThixo ngenkqu ikwaboniswe kwiZenzo 7:38, apho kuthiwa: “Nguye lowo owayephakathi kwalo ibandla entlango, ndawonye nesithunywa sezulu, ebesithetha naye entabeni yeSinayi, noobawo bethu.” Eso sithunywa sezulu sasisisithethi sobuqu sikaYehova uThixo, uMdali, ibe ngoko sathetha kuMoses ngokungathi kwakuthetha uThixo ngokwakhe.
Isithunywa sezulu esadlulisela umyalezo kaThixo kuMoses kwityholo elitshayo naso sasisisithethi. Sibizwa njengesithunywa sikaYehova kwiEksodus 3:2, apho sixelelwa oku: “Kwabonakala isithunywa sikaYehova kuye, siselangatyeni lomlilo, etyholweni phakathi.” Indinyana yesi-4 ithi: “Wabona uYehova, ukuba utyekile esiza kubona; uThixo wabiza esetyholweni phakathi.” Kwindinyana yesi-6, esi sithethi sikaThixo sisisithunywa sezulu sathi: “NdinguThixo kayihlo, uThixo ka-Abraham, uThixo kaIsake, uThixo kaYakobi.” Ngoko xa wayethetha nalo mmeli wobuqu kaThixo, uMoses wathetha ngokungathi wayethetha noYehova ngokwakhe.—Eksodus 4:10.
Kwisahluko sesi-6 saBagwebi, sifumana omnye umzekelo wendoda ethetha noThixo ngommeli osisithunywa sezulu. Indinyana ye-11 imbiza lo wayedlulisa umyalezo ngokuthi “isithunywa sikaYehova.” Apho sifunda oku: “Kweza isithunywa sikaYehova, sahlala phantsi komoki obuseOfra, kaYowashe umAbhihezere. Ke uGidiyon, unyana wakhe, wayebhula ingqolowa esixovulelweni, ukuze ayifihle kumaMidiyan.” Lo mthunywa, “isithunywa sikaYehova,” kamya uboniswe ngokungathi yayinguYehova uThixo ngokwakhe. Kwindinyana ye-14 neye-15, sifunda oku: “Wabheka ke uYehova kuye [uGidiyon], wathi, Hamba ngala mandla akho, uwasindise amaSirayeli esandleni samaMidiyan. Akuthunywe ndim yini na? Wathi yena kuye, Camagu, Nkosi yam [Yehova, NW], ndowasindisa ngantoni na amaSirayeli?” Ngoko isithunywa sezulu esaba nomzimba nesabonwa nguGidiyon waza wathetha naso siboniswa kwingxelo yeBhayibhile ngokungathi yayinguThixo ngokwakhe. Kwindinyana yama-22, uGidiyon uthi: “Ndibonene nesithunywa sikaYehova.” Isithunywa sezulu sathetha kanye oko uThixo wayesixelele ukuba sikuthethe. Ngoko ke, uGidiyon wathetha noThixo ngesi sithethi sisisithunywa sezulu.
Kwakhona, khawucinge ngemeko kaManowa nomfazi wakhe, abazali bakaSamson. Kwakhona le ngxelo ithetha ngomthunywa osisithunywa sezulu ngokuthi “sisithunywa sikaYehova” nokuthi ‘isithunywa sikaThixo.’ (ABagwebi 13:2-18) Kwindinyana yama-22, uManowa uthi kumfazi wakhe: “Siya kufa ngenene, ngokuba simbonile uThixo.” Nangona engazange ngokwenene abone uYehova uThixo, uManowa wayakalelwa ngaloo ndlela ngenxa yokuba wayebone isithunywa sikaThixo ngenkqu esinomzimba obonakalayo.
“Akukho Namnye Wakha Wambona UThixo”
Ngoku kungenzeka ukuba sisiqonde isizathu sokuba uAbraham wabiza isithunywa sezulu esinomzimba obonakalayo sikaThixo ngokungathi wayethetha noYehova uThixo ngokwakhe. Ekubeni esi sithunywa sezulu sathetha kanye oko uThixo wayefuna kuthethwe kuAbraham, ibe sasikho ngokobuqu simele Yena, ingxelo yeBhayibhile yayinokutsho ukuba “uYehova wabonakala kuye.”—Genesis 18:1.
Khumbula ukuba isithethi sikaThixo esisisithunywa sezulu sasinokudlulisela iniiyalezo Yakhe kanye njengokuba umnxeba okanye unomathotholo enokudlulisela amazwi ethu komnye umntu. Ngenxa yoko, inokuqondwa indlela uAbraham, uMoses, uManowa nabanye ababenokuthetha ngayo nesithunywa sezulu esinomzimba obonakalayo ngokungathi babethetha noThixo. Ngoxa abantu abanjalo bakwazi ukuzibona ezi zithunywa zezulu nobuqaqawuli bukaYehova bukhanyiswe zizo, abazange bakwazi ukumbona uThixo. Ngoko ke, oku akuphikisani nangayiphi indlela namazwi ompostile uYohane athi: “Akukho namnye wakha wambona uThixo.” (Yohane 1:18) Okwabonwa ngaba bantu yayingabameli abazizithunywa zezulu ingenguye uThixo ngokwakhe.