Imikhaya Ehlonipha UNkulunkulu Yangesikhathi Esidlule—Isibonelo Sosuku Lwethu

UMKHAYA—inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene yazama ukwenza izwe ligxilise ukunakekela kuwo. Kanjani? Ngokumemezela ukuthi u-1994 “uNyaka Womkhaya Wezizwe Zonke.” Nakuba abaholi bezwe, izazi zezokuhlalisana kwabantu, nabeluleki bemikhaya bebelokhu beshesha ukukhala ngezinto ezinjengokwanda kokuzalwa kwamavezandlebe nezinga lenani lezehlukaniso elikhuphuka ngokushesha, baye bephuza ukuvela namakhambi asebenzisekayo, angokoqobo ezinkingeni ezinjalo.

Kungenzeka yini ukuthi iBhayibheli linamakhambi ezinkinga zomkhaya? Kwabanye kungase kubonakale kungahlakaniphile ukusikisela ukuthi iBhayibheli lingaba usizo emikhayeni yanamuhla. Kakade labhalwa emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule esizindeni nasemasikweni aseMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwe, ukuphila kuye kwashintsha kakhulu kusukela ezikhathini zeBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli laphefumulelwa uJehova uNkulunkulu, lowo yonke imikhaya eqanjwe ngaye. (Efesu 3:14, 15; 2 Thimothewu 3:16) Lithini iBhayibheli ngezinkinga zomkhaya?

UJehova ukwazi kahle okudingekile ukuze wenze ukuphila komkhaya kujabulise futhi kwanelise. Ngakho-ke, iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, lisho okuningi ngokuphila komkhaya, okunye kuyisiyalo. IBhayibheli liqukethe nezibonelo zemikhaya eyasebenzisa izimiso zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, yajabulela ukusondelana nokwaneliseka kwangempela. Ake sihlole ukuphila komkhaya ezikhathini zeBhayibheli futhi sibone ukuthi iziphi izifundo ezingase zifundwe.

Ubunhloko—Inkinga?

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendaba yobunhloko emkhayeni. Ezikhathini zezinzalamizi, amadoda anjengo-Abrahama, u-Isaka, noJakobe ‘ayeyizinhloko zemikhaya’ ezingenakungatshazwa. (IzEnzo 7:8, 9; Heberu 7:4) I-New Manners and Customs of Bible Times, kaRalph Gower, ithi: “Umkhaya . . . ‘wawuwumbuso omncane’ owawubuswa ubaba. Wayebusa umfazi, izingane, abazukulu, nezinceku—wonk’ umuntu emkhayeni.” Empeleni, ngokuvamile izinzalamizi zazinegunya naphezu kwemikhaya yamadodana azo.—Qhathanisa noGenesise 42:37.

Ingabe lokhu kwakunganikezi amadoda imvume yokucindezela abafazi nezingane zawo? Lutho neze. Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu watshela owesifazane wokuqala, u-Eva: “Ukunxanela kwakho kuyakuba-sendodeni yakho; yona iyakukubusa.” (Genesise 3:16) Lawo mazwi ayebonisa lokho isimo esasiyoba yikho ngokuvamile kwabesifazane abashadile, kodwa ayengachazi indlela izinto okwakufanele zibe ngayo phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso. Amadoda esaba uNkulunkulu kwakufanele akhumbule injongo kaJehova yokuqala. UJehova wenza owesifazane ukuba abe ‘umsizi ongumphelelisi’ wendoda, hhayi isigqila sayo. (Genesise 2:20, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Ngenxa yokuthi amadoda ahlonipha uNkulunkulu ezikhathi zakuqala ayekuqaphela ukuthi wona ngokwawo ayengaphansi kukaNkulunkulu futhi ayeyolandisa kuye, awalisebenzisanga kabi igunya lawo. Kunokuba ziphathe abafazi nezingane zazo njengezigqila nje, izinzalamizi ezesaba uNkulunkulu zazibonisa uthando lwangempela kubo nokusondelana ngokomzwelo kwangempela.

Umbono omncane nje wokusondelana ngokomzwelo izingane ngokuvamile ezazikuthola unikezwa kuGenesise 50:23. Lapho, kuthiwa ngabazukulu bakaJosefa: “Bazalelwa emathangeni kaJosefa.” Nakuba lokhu kungase kusho nje ukuthi uJosefa wayamukela lezi zingane njengeziyinzalo yakhe, kusengabonisa futhi ukuthi wayedlala nazo ngokusondelana ngokomzwelo, ezidlalisa emadolweni akhe. Obaba namuhla benza kahle ngokubonisa izingane zabo ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okufanayo.

Njengezinhloko zemikhaya, izinzalamizi ezesaba uNkulunkulu zazinakekela nezidingo ezingokomoya zemikhaya yazo. Lapho ephuma emkhunjini ngemva kukaZamcolo wembulunga yonke, “uNowa wamakhela uJehova ialtare, . . . wanikela umnikelo wokushiswa ealtare.” (Genesise 8:20; qhathanisa noJobe 1:5.) Inzalamizi ekholekile u-Abrahama yabeka isibonelo esihle ngokufundisa amalungu omkhaya wayo ngokomuntu siqu. ‘Yayala abantwana bayo nendlu yayo emva kwayo ukugcina indlela kaJehova nokusebenza ukulunga nokwahlulela.’ (Genesise 18:19) Ngaleyo ndlela ubunhloko obunothando baba nengxenye enhlalakahleni engokomzwelo nengokomoya yemikhaya.

Amadoda angamaKristu namuhla alandela lesi sibonelo. Asebenzisa ubunhloko ezindabeni zokukhulekela ngokusiza imikhaya yawo ukuba yenze ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu nangokubeka isibonelo esihle wona ngokwawo. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Heberu 10:24, 25) Njengezinzalamizi, amadoda nobaba abangamaKristu nabo bazinika isikhathi sokufundisa amalungu emikhaya yabo ngokomuntu siqu.

Ukuthatha Isinyathelo Esiwujuqu

Lapho ekugcineni isikhokha sonke isikweleti esikhulu eyayisikweleta umukhwe wayo, inzalamizi uJakobe yabuza: “Ngiyakuyisebenzela nini eyami indlu na?” (Genesise 30:30) Njengabo bonke obaba, uJakobe wezwa ukucindezela kokuhlangabezana nezidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo zomkhaya wakhe, futhi wasebenza kanzima ukuze enze lokhu. UGenesise 30:43 uthi: “Yayisikhula kakhulu impela lendoda, yaba-nemihlambi emikhulu, nezincekukazi, nezinceku, namakamela, nezimbongolo.”

Nokho, eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ngemva kokuba uJakobe ethuthele ezweni laseKhanani, ngokusobala wayengaqaphele ukuthi indodakazi yakhe uDina yayisinomkhuba oyingozi wokuzihlanganisa namaKhanani angamaqaba.a (Genesise 34:1) Wehluleka futhi ukuthatha isinyathelo lapho ethola ukuthi kwakunezinto zenkolo zamaqaba emndenini wakhe. Nokho, ngemva kokudlwengulwa okudabukisayo kukaDina ngumKhanani, uJakobe wathatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu. Wayala: “Lahlani izithixo zabezizwe eziphakathi kwenu, nizihlambulule nina.”—Genesise 35:2-4.

Obaba abangamaKristu kumelwe babe abaqaphile lapho kuziwa endabeni yengokomoya lemikhaya yabo. Uma kunezinsongo ezingathi sína enhlalakahleni engokomoya yomkhaya, njengokuba khona kwezincwadi ezinokuziphatha okubi noma umculo owonakele ekhaya, kumelwe bathathe isinyathelo esiwujuqu.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, abesifazane bokholo abanjengoSara, uRebeka, noRaheli nabo babenethonya eliphawulekayo emkhayeni. Nakuba babezithoba kubayeni babo, babengavinjelwe ukuthatha isinyathelo kuqala lapho kufanelekile futhi kudingekile. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Eksodusi 4:24-26 usitshela ukuthi lapho uMose nomkhaya wakhe beya eGibithe, ‘uJehova [“ingelosi kaJehova,” Septuagint] wahlangana naye, wafuna ukuyibulala [indodana kaMose].’ Ngokusobala, indodana kaMose yayisengozini yokubulawa ngoba uMose wayengazange ayisoke. USipora wathatha isinyathelo esisheshayo wasoka indodana yakhe. Ngenxa yalokho, ingelosi yayiyeka. Abafazi abangamaKristu namuhla nabo bangathatha isinyathelo kuqala lapho isimo senza lokhu kufaneleke.

Ukufundisa Kobaba Ngaphansi KoMthetho KaMose

Ngo-1513 B.C.E., inkathi yezinzalamizi yaphela lapho u-Israyeli eba isizwe. (Eksodusi 24:3-8) Obaba baqhubeka beyizinhloko zemikhaya. Nokho, umthetho womkhaya waba ngaphansi koMthetho wesizwe uMose awunikezwa uNkulunkulu futhi waphathiswa abahluleli abamisiwe. (Eksodusi 18:13-26) Ubupristi bobuLevi bathatha izici zemihlatshelo zokukhulekela. Noma kunjalo, ubaba waqhubeka efeza indima ebalulekile. UMose wanxusa: “Lawamazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla ayakuba-senhliziyweni yakho, ubafundise impela wona abantwana bakho, uwakhulume lapho uhlezi endlini yakho nalapho uhamba endleleni, nalapho ulala, nalapho uvuka.”—Duteronomi 6:6, 7.

UMthetho wawunikeza izikhathi, ezinjengePhasika, okwakufundiswa ngazo ngokuhleliwe nangokwethukela. Njengoba usuku lwePhasika, u-Nisan 14, lwalusondela, imikhaya yamaJuda yayiqala ukulungiselela uhambo lwayo oluvamile oluya eJerusalema. (Duteronomi 16:16; qhathanisa noLuka 2:41.) Iyiphi nje ingane eyayingeke yesase ngenxa yamalungiselelo anjalo? Uhambo ngokwalo lwaluyoba intokozo. Ngaleso sikhathi inkathi yemvula yayisuke isiphelile, futhi ilanga lasentwasahlobo seliqalile ukwenza kufudumale. Njengoba iqhwa leNtaba iHermoni lincibilika, uMfula iJordani wawugola izintethe.

Endleleni, obaba babengafundisi izingane zabo ngokuma kwezwe labo nje kuphela kodwa futhi babezifundisa nangomlando ocebile ohlangene nezindawo ababengase badlule kuzo. Lezi zindawo zazingase zihlanganise neziNtaba i-Ebali neGerizimu, lapho kwafundwa khona iziqalekiso nezibusiso zoMthetho. Futhi babengase badlule neBethele, lapho uJakobe abona khona umbono wesikhwelo sasezulwini. Yeka ukuthi kwakungalandela izingxoxo ezivusa amadlingozi kanjani! Njengoba uhambo luqhubeka futhi amaqembu emikhaya ehlangana nabahambi abavela kwezinye izingxenye zezwe, bonke babengajabulela ukuhlangana okwakhayo.

Ekugcineni umkhaya wawuyongena eJerusalema, “eliphelele ebuhleni.” (IHubo 50:2) Isazi u-Alfred Edersheim sithi: “Kumelwe ukuba iningi lalezi zihambeli zendawo engokwenkolo lalikanisa ngaphandle kwezindonga zomuzi. Labo ababengena ngaphakathi komuzi babehlaliswa ngesihle.” Yebo, intsha engamaHeberu yayisithola ngokuqondile isifundo sothando lobuzalwane nokungenisa izihambi. Imihlangano emikhulu yaminyaka yonke yoFakazi BakaJehova ifeza injongo efanayo namuhla.

Ekugcineni kwakufika u-Nisan 14. Kwakuhlatshwa isilwane sePhasika futhi sosiwe amahora amaningana. Cishe phakathi kwamabili umkhaya wawudla leli wundlu, isinkwa esingenamvubelo, nemifino ebabayo. Ngokuvamile indodana yayibuza: “Iyini lenkonzo kini na?” Khona-ke obaba babefundisa ngokuhleliwe, bethi: “Kungumhlatshelo wephasika likaJehova owadlula kuzo izindlu zabantwana bakwaIsrayeli mhla ebulala abaseGibithe, ezophula izindlu zethu.”—Eksodusi 12:26, 27; 13:8.

INkosi yakwa-Israyeli uSolomoni yathi: ‘Kunesikhathi sokuhleka nesikhathi sokusina.’ (UmShumayeli 3:4) Izingane zama-Israyeli zazinikezwa isikhathi sokuzilibazisa. Ngokusobala uJesu Kristu wayezibukela izingane zidlala ezigcawini. (Zakariya 8:5; Mathewu 11:16) Futhi kwakungekhona okungavamile ngabazali abami kahle ukuba bahlele imibuthano ejabulisayo yemikhaya okwakuculwa, kudanswe, futhi kube nedili kuyo. (Luka 15:25) Ngokufanayo namuhla abazali abangamaKristu bathatha isinyathelo kuqala ekulungiseleleni izingane zabo ukuzilibazisa nokuhlangana okunempilo.

Omama Nezingane Emphakathini WamaJuda

Iyiphi indima eyayifezwa omama ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose? IzAga 1:8 zaziyala: “Ndodana yami, yizwa ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawushiyi umthetho kanyoko.” Elungiselelweni legunya lomyeni wakhe, umfazi ongumJuda wayeyosebenzisa izimfuneko ezivela kuNkulunkulu ekuphileni komkhaya. Izingane zakhe kwakufanele zimazise, ngisho nalapho esegugile.—IzAga 23:22.

Umama futhi wayenengxenye enkulu ekuqeqeshweni kwezingane zakhe. Wayenakekela usana cishe eyedwa kuze kube yilapho selukhule ngokwanele ukuba lulunyulwe, ngokungangabazeki okwakuphumela ekusondelaneni eduze kukamama nengane. (Isaya 49:15) Ngesikhathi obaba befundisa amadodana abo umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, omama babefundisa amadodakazi abo amakhono emisebenzi yasendlini. Omama futhi babenethonya elikhulu emadodaneni abo. Ngokwesibonelo, inkosi uLemuweli yazuza ‘emazwini eyawafundiswa ngunina.’—IzAga 31:1.

Umfazi ongumJuda onekhono wayejabulela nenkululeko enkulu ‘ngokuqaphela okwenziwayo endlini yakhe.’ NgokwezAga 31:10-31, wayengase athenge izinto ezidingekayo ekhaya, azalise imali ngokuthenga izindlu noma umhlaba, abe ngisho nanebhizinisi elincane. Kumyeni onokwazisa, inani lakhe ‘lalidlula kakhulu elamarubi’!

Isibonelo Sanamuhla

Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli ilungiselelo lomkhaya lalenza wonke amalungu awo akhule ngokomzwelo nangokomoya. Obaba kwakufanele basebenzise igunya labo ngothando ukuze bazuzise imikhaya yabo. Kwakumelwe bahole ekukhulekeleni. Kokubili obaba nomama babebonisa isithakazelo ezinganeni zabo—bezifundisa futhi beziqeqesha, bekhulekela nazo, futhi bezilungiselela okokuzilibazisa. Omama abahlonipha uNkulunkulu babengabasizi abayigugu, behlonipha ubunhloko babayeni babo kuyilapho bethatha isinyathelo kuqala ngenxa yemikhaya yabo. Izingane ezilalelayo zaziletha injabulo kubazali bazo nakuJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngempela, umkhaya owesaba uNkulunkulu wangezikhathi zeBhayibheli wawuyisibonelo esihle kakhulu sosuku lwethu.

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Umkhaya wakho ungaba ojabula njengemikhaya eyayikhulekela uJehova ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli