Yiba Nokholo Olunjengoluka-Abrahama!

“Labo abanamathela okholweni yibo abangamadodana ka-Abrahama.”—GALATHIYA 3:7.

 1. U-Abrama wabhekana kanjani novivinyo olusha eKhanani?

U-ABRAHAMA wayeshiye ukuphila kokunethezeka e-Uri elalela umyalo kaJehova. Ukuhlupheka abhekana nakho eminyakeni eyalandela kwakumane nje kuyisandulela sokulingwa kokholo abhekana nakho eGibithe. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “Kwakukhona indlala ezweni.” Yeka ukuthi kwakulula kanjani ngo-Abrama ukuba athukuthele ngenxa yesimo ayekuso! Kunalokho, wathatha izinyathelo zokunakekela umkhaya wakhe. “U-Abrama wehlela eGibithe ukuba agogobale khona, ngokuba indlala yayinzima ezweni.” Umkhaya omkhulu ka-Abrama wawungeke ungaqapheleki eGibithe. Ingabe uJehova wayezozifeza izithembiso zakhe zokuvikela u-Abrama ezingozini?—Genesise 12:10; Eksodusi 16:2, 3.

 2, 3. (a) Kungani u-Abrama akufihla lokho umkakhe ayeyikho ngempela? (b) Lapho esabela kuleso simo, u-Abrama wamphatha kanjani umkakhe?

² KuGenesise 12:11-13 siyafunda: “Kwathi esasondela ukungena eGibithe, wathi kuSarayi umkakhe: ‘Bheka-ke, ngiyazi ukuthi ungowesifazane omuhle, obukekayo. Kuyakuthi ukuba abaseGibithe bakubone, bathi: “Ngumkakhe lowo,” bazakungibulala mina, bakulonde wena. [“Siza uthi,” NW] ungudadewethu, ukuze kube kuhle kimi ngenxa yakho, umphefumulo wami uphile ngenxa yakho.’” Nakuba uSarayi ayeseneminyaka engaphezu kuka-65 ubudala, wayesemuhle ngokubabazekayo. Lokho kwakubeka ukuphila kuka-Abrama engozini.a (Genesise 12:4, 5; 17:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakuhileleke injongo kaJehova, ngoba wayethe zonke izizwe zomhlaba zaziyozibusisa ngenzalo ka-Abrama. (Genesise 12:2, 3, 7) Njengoba u-Abrama wayesalokhu engenamntwana, kwakubaluleke kakhulu ukuba aqhubeke ephila.

³ U-Abrama wakhuluma nomkakhe ngokusebenzisa icebo ababevumelene ngalo ngaphambili, okungukuthi, ukuba athi ungudadewabo. Phawula ukuthi nakuba ayenegunya njengenzalamizi, akazange asisebenzise kabi isikhundla sakhe, kunalokho wamcela ukuba abambisane naye futhi amsekele. (Genesise 12:11-13; 20:13) Kulokhu u-Abrama wawabekela isibonelo esihle amadoda sokuba abusebenzise ngothando ubunhloko; uSarayi yena, ngokubonisa ukuzithoba, uyisibonelo kubafazi namuhla.—Efesu 5:23-28; Kolose 4:6.

 4. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile namuhla kufanele zenze njani lapho ukuphila kwabafowabo kusengozini?

⁴ USarayi wayengakusho ukuthi ungudadewabo ka-Abrama ngoba empeleni wayengudadewabo ngomzali oyedwa. (Genesise 20:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Abrama wayengabophekile ukudalula amaqiniso kubantu abangenalungelo lokuwazi. (Mathewu 7:6) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile namuhla zilalela umyalo weBhayibheli wokuba zithembeke. (Heberu 13:18) Ngokwesibonelo, ngeke ziqambe amanga zibe zifungile enkantolo. Nokho, uma ukuphila kwabafowabo okungokomoya noma okungokwenyama kusengozini, njengasezikhathini zokushushiswa noma kuneziyaluyalu emphakathini, zilalela iseluleko sikaJesu sokuba ‘ziqaphe njengezinyoka kodwa nokho zibe msulwa njengamajuba.’—Mathewu 10:16; bheka INqabayokulinda, ka-November 1, 1996, ikhasi 18, isigaba 19.

 5. Kungani uSarayi ayezimisele ukulalela isicelo sika-Abrama?

⁵ USarayi wasabela kanjani esicelweni sika-Abrama? Umphostoli uPetru uchaza abesifazane abanjengaye ngokuthi “babethembela kuNkulunkulu.” Ngakho uSarayi wayeluqonda udaba olungokomoya olwaluhilelekile. Ngaphandle kwalokho wayemthanda futhi emhlonipha umyeni wakhe. Ngakho uSarayi wakhetha ‘ukuzithoba kumyeni wakhe’ futhi akufihle ukuthi ushadile. (1 Petru 3:5) Yiqiniso, ukwenza kanjalo kwakumbeka engozini. “Kwathi u-Abrama efika eGibithe, abaseGibithe babona owesifazane ukuthi muhle kakhulu. Izinduna zikaFaro zambona, zambabaza phambi kukaFaro; owesifazane wangeniswa endlini kaFaro.”—Genesise 12:14, 15.

Ukukhululwa NguJehova

 6, 7. Yisiphi isimo esibangela ukukhathazeka u-Abrama noSarayi abazithola bekuso, futhi uJehova wamkhulula kanjani uSarayi?

⁶ Kumelwe ukuthi lokhu kwababangela ukukhathazeka okukhulu o-Abrama noSarayi! Kwakubonakala sengathi uSarayi wayezonukubezwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uFaro, engazi ukuthi kanti uSara ushadile, wagidlabeza u-Abrama ngezipho, kangangokuthi “waba nezimvu, nezinkabi, nezimbongolo, nezinceku, nezincekukazi, nezimbongolokazi, namakamela.”b (Genesise 12: 16) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuthi u-Abrama wayezenyanya kanjani lezi zipho! Nakuba zazibonakala zizimbi kanjalo izinto, uJehova wayengamshiyile u-Abrama.

⁷ “Kepha uJehova wamshaya uFaro nendlu yakhe ngezinhlupho ezinkulu ngenxa kaSarayi umka-Abrama.” (Genesise 12:17) Ngandlela-thile engashiwongo, uFaro wambulelwa ukuthi yayiyini imbangela yangempela yalezi “zinhlupho.” Wathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha: “UFaro wayesembiza u-Abrama, wathi: ‘Kuyini lokho okwenze kimi na? Awungitshelanga ngani ukuthi ungumkakho na? Usholoni ukuthi: ‘Ungudadewethu,’ ngize ngimthathe abe ngumkami, na? Bheka manje, nangu umkakho; mthathe, uhambe.’ UFaro wayala amadoda ngaye; ammukisa kanye nomkakhe nakho konke anakho.”—Genesise 12:18-20; IHubo 105:14, 15.

 8. Hlobo luni lwesivikelo uJehova aluthembisa amaKristu namuhla?

⁸ Namuhla, uJehova akasiqinisekisi ukuthi uyosivikela ekufeni, ebugebengwini, endlaleni, noma ezinhlekeleleni zemvelo. Sithenjiswa ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uyosivikela ezintweni ezingabeka engozini ingokomoya lethu. (IHubo 91:1-4) Ngokuyinhloko, lokho ukwenza ngokusixwayisa ngesikhathi esifanele ngeZwi lakhe ‘nangesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45) Kuthiwani uma ushushiso lusongela ukusibulala? Nakuba abanye bengase bavunyelwe ukuba bafe, uNkulunkulu akasoze avume ukuba abantu bakhe baqothulwe bonke. (IHubo 116:15) Futhi uma abanye abathembekile bengase bafe, singaqiniseka ukuthi bayovuswa.—Johane 5:28, 29.

Wazidela Ukuze Agcine Ukuthula

 9. Yini ebonisa ukuthi u-Abrama wayelokhu ethutha njalo ngesikhathi eseKhanani?

⁹ Isiphelile indlala eKhanani, “u-Abrama wakhuphuka eGibithe kanye nomkakhe nakho konke anakho, uLoti enaye, waya ngaseningizimu [indawo esalugwadule eningizimu yezintaba zakwaJuda]. U-Abrama wayefuyile kakhulu izinkomo, nesiliva, negolide.” (Genesise 13:1, 2) Ngaleso sizathu izakhamuzi zakuleyo ndawo zaziyombheka njengendoda ecebile nenethonya, isikhulu. (Genesise 23:6) U-Abrama wayengenaso isifiso sokuzinza futhi azihilele kwezombusazwe zaseKhanani. Esikhundleni salokho, “wasuka eningizimu, wafika eBethele, leyo ndawo lapho lalikhona itende lakhe kuqala, phakathi kweBethele ne-Ayi.” Njengazo zonke izikhathi, u-Abrama wakubeka phambili ukukhulekela uJehova nomaphi lapho ayeya khona.—Genesise 13:3, 4.

10. Iyiphi inkinga eyavela phakathi kwabelusi baka-Abrama nabakaLoti, futhi kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba ixazululwe ngokushesha?

¹⁰ “Naye uLoti owahamba no-Abrama wayenezimvu, nezinkomo, namatende. Izwe lalingenakubanela ukuba bahlale ndawonye, ngokuba impahla yabo yayiningi kunokuba bahlale ndawonye. Kwavela ukuxabana phakathi kwabelusi bezinkomo zika-Abrama nabelusi bezinkomo zikaLoti; amaKhanani namaPherizi ayehlala khona ezweni.” (Genesise 13:5-7) Izwe lalingenawo amanzi namadlelo ayenganela imihlambi ka-Abrama nekaLoti. Ngakho isimo sashuba phakathi kwabelusi, kwaba nokunganambithani. Ukuxabana okunjalo kwakungabafanele abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Uma lokhu kuxabana kwakungaqhubeka, kwakungagcina kube khona uqhekeko olungalungiseki. Ngakho u-Abrama wayezosisingatha kanjani lesi simo? Wayethathe uLoti ngemva kokufa kukayise kaLoti, mhlawumbe wamkhulisa njengendodana yakhe. U-Abrama wayengenalo yini ilungelo lokuzikhethela okungcono, njengoba kwakunguye omdala?

11, 12. U-Abrama wamnika liphi ithuba elihle lokukhetha uLoti, futhi kungani uLoti ayekhethe kabi?

¹¹ Kodwa “u-Abrama wathi kuLoti: ‘Akungabikho ukuxabana phakathi kwami nawe naphakathi kwabelusi bami nabelusi bakho, ngokuba singabazalwane. Izwe lonke alisobala ebusweni bakho na? Mawuhlukane nami; uma uya ngakwesokhohlo, ngiyakuya ngakwesokunene; uma uya ngakwesokunene, ngiyakuya ngakwesokhohlo.’” Eduze kwaseBethele kukhona indawo echazwa ngokuthi “enye yezindawo engcono kunazo zonke ongabuka izwe lasePalestina ukuyo.” Mhlawumbe ekuleyo ndawo “uLoti waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona ukuthi ithafa lonke laseJordani lalinamanzi lonke; uJehova engakachithi iSodoma neGomora, lalinjengensimu kaJehova nanjengezwe laseGibithe kwaze kwaba seSowari.”—Genesise 13:8-10.

¹² Nakuba iBhayibheli lichaza uLoti ngokuthi ‘wayelungile,’ ngasizathu simbe akazange anike u-Abrama ilungelo lokukhetha kuqala, futhi akubonakali ukuthi wasifuna iseluleko sakhe njengendoda endala. (2 Petru 2:7) “ULoti wakhetha ithafa lonke laseJordani; uLoti wasuka waya ngasempumalanga; bahlukana omunye nomunye. U-Abrama wahlala ezweni laseKhanani; uLoti wahlala emizini yasethafeni, wamisa itende lakhe ngaseSodoma.” (Genesise 13:11, 12) ISodoma laliwumuzi ochumayo futhi linezinto eziningi ezibonakalayo. (Hezekeli 16:49, 50) Nakuba kwakungase kubonakale uLoti ekhethe ngokuhlakanipha ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, wayekhethe kabi ngokwezinto ezingokomoya. Ngani? Ngoba “abantu baseSodoma babebabi, bengabonayo kakhulu phambi kukaJehova,” kusho uGenesise 13:13. Lesi sinqumo sikaLoti sokuthuthela khona ekugcineni sasizowubangela usizi olukhulu umkhaya wakhe.

13. Isibonelo sika-Abrama siwasiza kanjani amaKristu angase ahileleke engxabanweni yezimali?

¹³ Nokho, u-Abrama wabonisa ukholo esithembisweni sikaJehova sokuthi ekugcineni inzalo yakhe yayizolithatha lonke leli zwe; akazange avuse impikiswano ngesiqeshana esincane salo. Ebonisa ukuba nesandla esivulekile, wenza ngokuvumelana nesimiso esashiwo kamuva kweyoku-1 Korinte 10:24: “Yilowo nalowo makangazifuneli inzuzo yakhe siqu, kodwa eyomunye umuntu.” Yisikhumbuzo esihle lesi uma kwenzeka umuntu ehileleka engxabanweni yezimali nakholwa naye. Esikhundleni sokulandela iseluleko esikuMathewu 18:15-17, abanye baye bamangalela abafowabo ezinkantolo. (1 Korinte 6:1, 7) Isibonelo sika-Abrama sibonisa ukuthi kungcono ukulahlekelwa ngokwezimali kunokuletha isihlamba egameni likaJehova noma ukuqeda ukuthula kwebandla lobuKristu.—Jakobe 3:18.

14. Wayezobusiswa kanjani u-Abrama ngokuba nesandla esivulekile?

¹⁴ U-Abrama wayezobusiswa ngokuba nesandla esivulekile. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngiyakwenza inzalo yakho ibe njengothuli lomhlaba, kuze kuthi, uma umuntu engabala uthuli lomhlaba, iyakubalwa nenzalo yakho.” Yeka ukuthi lesi sambulo sasikhuthaza kanjani ku-Abrama ongenabantwana! Ngokulandelayo, uNkulunkulu wayala: “Suka udabule izwe, ubude balo nobubanzi balo, ngokuba ngiyakukunika lona.” (Genesise 13:16, 17) Cha, u-Abrama wayengeke avunyelwe ukuba azinze emzini othile anethezeke. Kwakumelwe ahlale ehlukile kumaKhanani. Ngokufanayo, amaKristu namuhla kumelwe ahlale ehlukile ezweni. Awazibheki njengangcono kunabanye abantu, kodwa awabakhi ubungane obuseduze nanoma ubani ongase awayengele ekuziphatheni okuphikisana nemiBhalo.—1 Petru 4:3, 4.

15. (a) Kungenzeka kwakubonisani ukuhambahamba kuka-Abrama? (b) U-Abrama wayibekela siphi isibonelo imikhaya yamaKristu namuhla?

¹⁵ Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, umuntu wayenelungelo lokuba alihlole izwe ngaphambi kokuba alithathe libe ngelakhe. Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi ukuhambahamba kulo kwakulokhu kuyisikhumbuzo sokuthi ngelinye ilanga leli zwe laliyoba ngelenzalo ka-Abrama. Ngokulalela, “[“u-Abrama waqhubeka ehlala ematendeni,” NW]. Wayesesuka u-Abrama, weza wakha ngasema-okini aseMamre laseHebroni, wamakhela khona uJehova i-altare.” (Genesise 13:18) Waphinda futhi u-Abrama wabonisa ukuthi ukukhulekela kuza kuqala. Ingabe isifundo somkhaya, ukuthandaza njengomkhaya nokuba khona emihlanganweni kuza kuqala emkhayeni wakho?

Isitha Siyahlasela

16. (a) Kungani amazwi okuqala kaGenesise 14:1 ebika okubi? (b) Kungani amakhosi amane asempumalanga ayehlasela?

¹⁶ “Kwathi emihleni ka-Amrafeli inkosi yaseShineyari, no-Ariyoki inkosi yase-Elasare, noKedorlawomere inkosi yase-Elamu,c noTidali inkosi yezizwe, baphaka impi.” NgesiHeberu sakuqala, la mazwi okuqala (“Kwathi emihleni ka-. . . ”) abika okubi, andulela “inkathi yokulingwa ephetha ngokubusiswa.” (Genesise 14:1, 2, umbhalo waphansi we-NW.) Ukulingwa kwaqala lapho la makhosi amane asempumalanga kanye namabutho awo ehlasela futhi ebhubhisa iKhanani. Yayiyini injongo yawo? Ukunqanda ukuvukela kwemizi emihlanu yaseSodoma, eGomora, e-Adima, eSeboyimi naseBela. Anqoba konke okwakumelana nawo, “ahlangana esiGodini saseSidimi esiluLwandle Lukasawoti.” ULoti nomkhaya wakhe babehlala eduze kwalapho.—Genesise 14:3-7.

17. Kungani ukuthunjwa kukaLoti kwakuwukuvivinywa kokholo ku-Abrama?

¹⁷ Amakhosi aseKhanani alwa kanzima nalaba bahlaseli, kodwa anqotshwa kabuhlungu. “Bathatha yonke impahla yaseSodoma ne-yaseGomora kanye nakho konke ukudla, bamuka. Bamthatha uLoti indodana yomfowabo ka-Abrama owayehlala eSodoma kanye nempahla yakhe, bamuka.” Ngokushesha lezi zindaba zokuhlaselwa zafika ezindlebeni zika-Abrama: “Kepha kweza ophunyukileyo, wamtshela u-Abrama umHeberu, ngokuba wayehlala ngasema-okini kaMamre umAmori, umfowabo ka-Eshikoli nomfowabo ka-Anere; labo babehlangene no-Abrama. [“Kanjalo u-Abrama wezwa,” NW] ukuthi umzalwane wakhe uLoti uthunjiwe.” (Genesise 14:8-14) Yeka ukuvivinywa kokholo! Ingabe u-Abrama wayezombambela igqubu umntanomfowabo uLoti ngoba ethathe ingxenye yezwe enhle kunazo zonke? Khumbula futhi ukuthi laba bahlaseli babevela ezweni lakubo, eShineyari. Ukumelana nabo kwakungasho ukuthi akasoze akwazi ukubuyela ekhaya. Ngaphandle kwalokho, u-Abrama wayengalwa kanjani nebutho elehlule amabutho ahlangene aseKhanani?

18, 19. (a) U-Abrama wakwazi kanjani ukukhulula uLoti? (b) Ubani owathola udumo ngalokhu kunqoba?

¹⁸ U-Abrama waphinda futhi wamethemba ngokuphelele uJehova. “Wabutha izinceku zakhe ezifundisiweyo ebezizelwe endlini yakhe, ezingamakhulu amathathu neshumi nesishiyagalombili, wabaxosha kwaze kwaba kwaDani. Wazahlukanisa ebusuku izinceku zakhe, wabahlasela, wabanqoba, wabaxosha, waze wafika eHoba elingasenyakatho kwaseDamaseku. Wabuyisa yonke impahla, wambuyisa noLoti umzalwane wakhe, nempahla yakhe, nabesifazane, nabantu.” (Genesise 14:14-16) Ebonisa ukholo oluqinile kuJehova, u-Abrama wanqoba ngebutho lakhe elincane kakhulu, wakhulula uLoti nomkhaya wakhe. Manje u-Abrama wahlangana noMelkisedeki, inkosi engumpristi yaseSalema. “UMelkisedeki inkosi yaseSalema waletha isinkwa newayini; wayengumpristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Wambusisa wathi: ‘U-Abrama makabusiswe nguNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, umdali wezulu nomhlaba. Makabongwe uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke onike izitha zakho esandleni sakho.’ U-Abrama wamnika okweshumi kwakho konke.”—Genesise 14:18-20.

¹⁹ Yebo, ukunqoba kwakungokukaJehova. Ngenxa yokholo lwakhe, u-Abrama waphinda futhi wathola ukukhululwa nguJehova. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla abalwi ngezikhali zenyama, kodwa babhekana nokuvivinywa nezinselele eziningi. Isihloko sethu esilandelayo sizobonisa indlela isibonelo sika-Abrama esingasisiza ngayo ekubhekaneni nazo ngokuphumelelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ingabe Uphawulile?

• Indlala ezweni laseKhanani yaba kanjani ukuvivinywa kokholo ku-Abrama?

• U-Abrama noSarayi bawabekela kanjani isibonelo esihle amadoda nabafazi namuhla?

• Sifundo sini esingasifunda endleleni u-Abrama asingatha ngayo ingxabano eyayiphakathi kwezinceku zakhe nezikaLoti?

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

U-Abrama akazange aphikelele ekufuneni amalungelo akhe, kunalokho wacabangela uLoti kuqala

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Lapho ekhulula uLoti, umntanomfowabo, u-Abrama wabonisa ukuthembela kuJehova