1. Ngukuphi kutidzela bantfu baNkulunkulu labanyenti labakwentile, futsi kungani bente njalo?

TIGIDZI tetikhonti taNkulunkulu lamuhla tiyatidzela. Bazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti bakhetse kungashadi. Labashadene bakhetse kungasheshi babe nebantfwana. Imindeni yente kuphila kwayo kwaba melula. Bonkhe bente letincumo ngesizatfu sekutsi bafuna kucitsa sikhatsi sabo lesinyenti bakhonta Jehova. Bayenetiseka futsi bayetsemba kutsi Jehova utawubanika tonkhe tintfo labatidzingako. Batawutisola yini? Angeke! Yini lesenta siciniseke ngaloko? Lesinye sizatfu kutsi Jehova wambusisa Abrahama, ‘longuyise wabo bonkhe lababa nekukholwa.’—Rom. 4:11.

2. (a) Ngekusho kwaHebheru 11:8-10, 16, kungani Abrahama bekafuna kushiya i-Uri? (b) Yini lesitawucoca ngayo kulesihloko?

² Abrahama wavuma kushiya imphilo lencono lebekayiphila edolobheni lase-Uri. Kungani? Ngobe bekalindzele “lidolobha lelinetisekelo leticinile.” (Fundza Hebheru 11:8-10, 16.) Liyini ‘lelidolobha’? Ngutiphi tinkinga Abrahama labhekana nato ngesikhatsi alindzele kwakhiwa kwalelidolobha? Singamlingisa njani Abrahama kanye nalabanye labamlingisile esikhatsini setfu?

3. Liyini ‘lelidolobha’ Abrahama lebekalilindzele?

³ Lelidolobha Abrahama lebekalilindzele, nguMbuso waNkulunkulu. LoMbuso wakhiwa nguJesu Khristu kanye nemaKhristu lagcotjiwe langu-144 000. Pawula watsi loMbuso ‘ulidolobha laNkulunkulu lophilako, lokuyiJerusalema yasezulwini.’ (Heb. 12:22; Semb. 5:8-10; 14:1) Jesu wafundzisa bafundzi bakhe kutsi bathantaze bacele kutsi loMbuso ufike  kuze intsandvo yaNkulunkulu yentiwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini.—Mat. 6:10.

4. Ngekusho kwaGenesisi 17:1, 2, 6, kungakanani Abrahama lebekakwati mayelana nalelidolobha, nobe uMbuso Nkulunkulu lebekawutsembisile?

⁴ Abrahama bekayati yini indlela uMbuso waNkulunkulu lobowutawuhlelwa ngayo? Cha. Kwaphela emakhulu eminyaka loko ‘kuyimfihlo lengcwele.’ (Ef. 1:8-10; Khol. 1:26, 27) Nanobe kunjalo, Abrahama bekati kutsi lenye intalelwane yakhe beyitawuba ngemakhosi, ngobe Jehova bekamtsembisile. (Fundza Genesisi 17:1, 2, 6.) Abrahama bekanekukholwa lokucinile etetsembisweni taNkulunkulu, bekungatsi utambona Logcotjiwe, nobe Mesiya, lobekatawuba yiNkhosi yeMbuso waNkulunkulu. Kungako Jesu atjela emaJuda lebekaphila ngesikhatsi sakhe watsi: “Uyihlo Abrahama wajabula kakhulu nakutsiwa utawubona lilanga lami, ngako walibona futsi loko kwamjabulisa.” (Joh. 8:56) Kuyacaca kutsi Abrahama bekati kutsi situkulwane sakhe besitawuba yincenye yaloMbuso lobewutawumiswa nguJehova, futsi bekalindzele kutsi Jehova agcwalise lesetsembiso.

5. Sati njani kutsi Abrahama bekalindzele “lidolobha” lebelakhiwe nguNkulunkulu?

⁵ Abrahama wakhombisa njani kutsi bekalindzele “lidolobha” nobe uMbuso lobewakhiwe nguNkulunkulu? Kwekucala, Abrahama akazange abe sakhamuti sanobe ngumuphi umbuso wasemhlabeni. Tinyenti tindzawo lahlala kuto, bekete likhaya futsi akazange asekele nobe nguyiphi inkhosi lengumuntfu. Ngetulu kwaloko, Abrahama akazange etame kutakhela wakhe umbuso. Kunaloko, bekahlale alalela Jehova futsi alindzele kutsi agcwalise tetsembiso takhe. Ngekwenta kanjalo, Abrahama wakhombisa kutsi bekanekukholwa lokucinile kuJehova. Asesicoce ngaletinye tinkinga laba nato futsi sibone kutsi yini lesingayifundza kuye.

6. Bekulidolobha lelinjani i-Uri?

⁶ Lidolobha lase-Uri Abrahama lalishiya, belivikelekile futsi kumnandzi kuhlala kulo, bantfu bakhona bebafundzile futsi banjingile. Lelidolobha belivikelwe lubondza loludze nemfula. Bantfu lebebakulelidolobha bebenta emabhizinisi futsi netimphepha  letinyenti temabhizinisi betentiwa khona. Tindlu tebantfu bakhona betakhiwe ngesitini futsi tiplasitelwe taphindze tapendwa ngapendi lomhlophe. Letinye tindlu betinemakamelo langu-13 nobe langu-14 futsi nelibala lakhona belihlotjiswe ngematje.

7. Kungani Abrahama bekudzingeka etsembe kutsi Jehova bekatamvikela yena nemndeni wakhe?

⁷ Abrahama bekufanele etsembe kutsi Jehova bekatamvikela yena nemndeni wakhe. Leni? Khumbula kutsi Abrahama washiya lidolobha lase-Uri lebelivikelekile futsi lebekumnandzi kuhlala kulo wayohlala emathendeni aseveni laseKhenani. Abrahama nemndeni wakhe besebasengotini yekuhlaselwa titsa njengobe besekute umfula nelubondza lebelungabavikela.

8. Yini leyenteka ku-Abrahama futsi ufundzani kuko?

⁸ Abrahama bekamlalela Nkulunkulu, kodvwa ngalesinye sikhatsi bekete kudla lokwanele kuze ondle umndeni wakhe. Lelive Jehova lebekamtjele kutsi aye kulo, belihlaselwe somiso lesimatima. Lesomiso besimatima kangangekutsi Abrahama wancuma kutsi yena nemndeni wakhe baye eGibhithe bayohlala khona kwesikhashana. Nobe kunjalo, ngesikhatsi aseGibhithe, Faro lobekayinkhosi wamtsatsela umfati wakhe. Cabanga ngendlela lokungenteka Abrahama wakhatsateka ngayo kwaze kwaba ngulapho Jehova atjela Faro kutsi abuyisele Sara emuva.—Gen. 12:10-19.

9. Ngutiphi tinkinga Abrahama laba nato emndenini wakhe?

⁹ Umndeni wa-Abrahama bewunetinkinga letinyenti. Umfati wakhe lebekamtsandza lobekutsiwa nguSara, bekangabatfoli bantfwana. Kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti bakulesimo lesibuhlungu. Sara wagcine anike Abrahama sisebenti sakhe lokutsiwa nguHagari kutsi sibatalele bantfwana. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi Hagari akhulelwe Ishumayeli wacala kuzonda Sara. Lesimo saba sibi kakhulu kangangekutsi Sara wagcine amcoshile Hagari ekhaya lakhe.—Gen. 16:1-6.

10. Yini leyenteka ku-Ishumayeli na-Isaka lokwenta kwaba matima nga-Abrahama kutsi etsembe Jehova?

¹⁰ Sara wagcine akhulelwe watalela Abrahama indvodzana futsi wayibita ngekutsi ngu-Isaka. Abrahama bekawatsandza omabili emadvodzana akhe, Ishumayeli na-Isaka. Ngenca yekutsi Ishumayeli bekamphatsa kabi Isaka, Jehova watjela Abrahama kutsi acoshe Ishumayeli naHagari. (Gen. 21:9-13) Ngemuva kweminyaka leminyenti, Jehova wacela Abrahama kutsi ente umhlatjelo nga-Isaka. (Gen. 22:1, 2; Heb. 11:17-19) Kuto totimbili letikhatsi, Abrahama bekufanele etsembe kutsi Jehova bekatawusebentisa emadvodzana akhe kuze agcwalise tetsembiso takhe.

11. Kungani Abrahama bekudzingeka kutsi alindzele Jehova ngekubeketela?

¹¹ Kuso sonkhe lesikhatsi, Abrahama kwadzingeka kutsi alindzele Jehova ngekubeketela. Besekaneminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-70 ngesikhatsi yena nemndeni wakhe bashiya i-Uri. (Gen. 11:31–12:4) Kwaphela iminyaka lengu-100 ahlala emathendeni futsi ahamba kulo lonkhe live laseKhenani. Abrahama wafa aneminyaka lengu-175. (Gen. 25:7) Kodvwa akazange abone Jehova afeza setsembiso sekunika situkulwane sakhe lelive lebekahlala kulo. Akazange abone lokwakhiwa kwalelidolobha lokunguMbuso waNkulunkulu. Nobe kunjalo, kutsiwa Abrahama wafa “asamdzala kakhulu asenelisekile.” (Gen. 25:8) Ngisho nobe kwadzingeka kutsi Abrahama abeketelele bumatima lobunyenti, kukholwa kwakhe kwahlala kucinile futsi bekajabulile alindzele Jehova. Yini leyamsita wakhona kubeketela? Kungobe Jehova bekamvikela kuko konkhe kuphila kwakhe futsi bekamtsatsa njengemngani wakhe.—Gen. 15:1; Isa. 41:8; Jak. 2:22, 23.

12. Yini lesiyilindzele, futsi yini lesitawucoca ngayo?

 ¹² Njenga-Abrahama natsi silindzele lidolobha lelinetisekelo leticinile, kodvwa asikalindzeli kutsi lakhiwe. UMbuso waNkulunkulu wamiswa nga-1914 futsi sewucalile kubusa ezulwini. (Semb. 12:7-10) Silindzele kutsi ucale kubusa nasemhlabeni wonkhe. Njengobe silindzele kutsi ucale kubusa, tinyenti timo letifana neta-Abrahama lesitawubhekana nato. Lamuhla, tinceku taJehova letinyenti tikhonile kulingisa Abrahama. Imilandvo yekuphila letfolakala kuSicongosekulindza ikhombisile kutsi tinceku taJehova letinyenti tikhonile kuba nekukholwa futsi tabeketela njengobe kwenta Abrahama. Asesicoce ngaleminye yalemilandvo yekuphila futsi sibone kutsi yini lesingayifundza kuyo.

13. Yini loyifundzako kuloko lokwenteka kuMzalwane Walden?

¹³ Hlale ukulungele kutidzela. Nangabe sifuna uMbuso waNkulunkulu ute kucala ekuphileni kwetfu, kufanele sibe njenga-Abrahama, lobekahlale akulungele kutidzela kuze ajabulise Nkulunkulu. (Mat. 6:33; Mak. 10:28-30) Cabanga ngaloko lokwenteka kumzalwane Bill Walden. * Nga-1942, Bill besekatawuphotfula enyuvesi yase U.S ngesikhatsi acala kufundza naboFakazi BaJehova. Lomunye wabothishela baBill besekamfunele umsebenti lebekatawenta ngemuva kwekuphotfula, kodvwa Bill akazange avume. Bill bekamchazele kutsi bekakhetse kukhonta Nkulunkulu kunemsebenti loholela kakhulu. Ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwaloko, hulumende watjela Bill kutsi ajoyine umbutfo wemasotja. Ngenhlonipho, wala kujoyina lombutfo wemasotja futsi wahlawuliswa imali lengu-$10 000 (E150 563.00), waphindze wagwetjwa iminyaka lesihlanu ejele. Wakhululwa ngemuva kweminyaka lemitsatfu. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, wamenywa kutsi aye esikolweni saseGiliyadi, ngemuva kwaloko waba sitfunywa selivangeli e-Africa. Bill washada na-Eva futsi bashumayela ndzawonye e-Africa, loko  kwadzinga kutsi batidzele. Ngemuva kweminyaka letsite, kwadzingeka kutsi babuyele e-United States kuze banakekele make waBill. Nakachaza umlandvo wakhe wekuphila, Bill utsi: “Ngifikelwa tinyembeti nangicabanga ngelilungelo lengibe nalo lekusetjentiswa nguJehova iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-70 emsebentini wakhe. Ngihlale ngimbonga ngekungisita kutsi ngisebentise kuphila kwami kuze ngimkhonte.” Ungakhona yini kwenta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe ute kucala ekuphileni kwakho?

14-15. Yini loyifundzako kulokwenteka kuMzalwane naDzadze Apostolidis?

¹⁴ Ungalindzeli kutsi imphilo yakho ibe bete tinkinga. Kusukela esibonelweni sa-Abrahama siyafundza kutsi nalabo labatinikela kuJehova kuze bamkhonte kuphila kwabo konkhe, bayabhekana netinkinga. (Jak. 1:2; 1 Phet. 5:9) Loko kwenteka ku-Aristotelis Apostolidis. * Wabhajatiswa nga-1946 e-Greece. BekanguFakazi lokhutsele futsi nga-1952 watsembisana umshado na-Eleni lobekanemigomo lefana neyakhe. Nobe kunjalo, Eleni wagula futsi kwatfolakala kutsi bekanesimila ebucosheni. Bodokotela bakhona kuselapha lesimila, kodvwa ngemuva kweminyaka bashadile saphindze sabuya. Bodokotela baphindze bamelapha Eleni, kodvwa wabese uyakhubateka futsi wangasakhoni kukhuluma kahle. Wachubeka angummemeteli lokhutsele ngisho nobe bekagula futsi nahulumende bekabashushisa ngaleso sikhatsi.

¹⁵ Kwaphela iminyaka lengu-30 Aristotelis anakekela umfati wakhe. Ngaleso sikhatsi bekakhonta njengalomdzala welibandla, asebenta nasekomidini yemhlangano futsi wasita nakwakhiwa liHholo leMhlangano. Nga-1987, Eleni watfola ingoti ashumayela. Waba ku-coma iminyaka lemitsatfu wabese uyashona. Aristotelis utsi: “Kuleminyaka leminyenti leyengcile, ngibe netinkinga letinyenti lebengingakatilindzeli, ngako kudzingeke kutsi ngitimisele kuze ngingavumeli lutfo lungicedze emandla. Nobe kunjalo, Jehova uchubekile anginika emandla lengiwadzingako kuze ngincobe letinkinga.” (Hla. 94:18, 19) Jehova ubatsandza  kakhulu bantfu bakhe labenta konkhe labangakwenta kuze bamkhonte ngisho babhekene netinkinga!

16. Ngusiphi seluleko lesihle uMzalwane Knorr lasinika umfati wakhe?

¹⁶ Hlale ucabanga ngelikusasa. Abrahama bekahlale acabanga ngetibusiso Jehova lebekatamnika tona futsi loko kwamsita wakhona kuncoba tinkinga lebekabhekana nato. Dzadze Audrey Hyde wetama kucabanga ngetibusiso tesikhatsi lesitako, ngisho nobe indvodza yakhe yekucala, Nathan H. Knorr yabulawa ngumdlavuza futsi indvodza yakhe yesibili, Glenn Hyde, yagula ngesifo lokutsiwa yi-Alzheimer. * Utsi wasitwa nguloko uMzalwane Knorr lamtjela kona kusesele emaviki lambalwa ngaphambi kwekutsi afe. Utsi: “Nathan wangikhumbuta kutsi: ‘Ngemuva kwekufa, siyaciniseka ngelitsemba lesinalo, futsi ngeke siphindze sive buhlungu.’ Wangikhutsata watsi: ‘Buka embili, ngobe kulapho umvuzo wakho ukhonakhona.’ . . . Wachubeka watsi: ‘Hlale umatasatasa usebentise kuphila kwakho kuze usite labanye. Loko kutakusita kutsi ujabule.’” Kusikhutsato lesihle kuhlale sentela labanye tintfo letinhle futsi ‘sijabula etsembeni’!—Rom. 12:12.

17. (a) Kungani sinesizatfu lesihle sekucabanga ngelikusasa? (b) Kulandzela sibonelo lesitfolakala kuMikha 7:7 kutasisita njani kutsi sijabulele tibusiso tesikhatsi lesitako?

¹⁷ Lamuhla, sinetizatfu letinyenti tekucabanga ngelikusasa. Tintfo letenteka kulomhlaba tikhombisa kutsi sesiphila ekupheleni kwemalanga ekugcina. Ngekushesha, ngeke sisalindzela kutsi uMbuso waNkulunkulu kube ngiwo lobusa wonkhe umhlaba. Lokunye lokutawusenta sijabule, kubona tihlobo tetfu tivuswa ekufeni. Ngaleso sikhatsi, Jehova utawunika Abrahama umvuzo wekukholwa kwakhe nekubeketela kwakhe ngekutsi amvuse yena nemndeni wakhe. Utawuba khona yini kuze ubemukele? Ungaba khona nawungalingisa Abrahama, utidzele ngenca yeMbuso waNkulunkulu, uchubeke ukholwa ngisho ubhekana netinkinga futsi ulindzele Jehova ngekubeketela.—Fundza Mikha 7:7.