1. Ziintoni abazincamileyo abazalwana noodade abaninzi, ibe kutheni?

ABAKHONZI bakaThixo abaninzi namhlanje banezinto abazincamileyo. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi bakhethe ukungatshati. Bona abatshatileyo bakhethe ukuhlala bengenabantwana okwangoku. Iintsapho ziye zoneliswa kukungabi namali ininzi okanye izinto ezininzi. Bonke aba bazalwana noodade benze ezi zigqibo ngenxa yesizathu esinye, bafuna ukuzinikela ekukhonzeni uYehova. Bayonela zizinto abanazo, ibe baqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kubanika zonke izinto abazidingayo. Baza kuphoxeka? Hayi! Yintoni esenza siqiniseke? Esinye isizathu kukuba uYehova wamsikelela uAbraham ‘utata wabo bonke abo banokholo.’​—Roma 4:11.

2. (a) AmaHebhere 11:8-10, 16 athi kwakutheni ukuze uAbraham angabi nangxaki yokushiya iUre? (b) Siza kufunda ngantoni kweli nqaku?

² UAbraham akazange abe nangxaki yokushiya isixeko saseUre esasimi kakuhle. Ngoba? Kuba wayelindele “isixeko esineziseko zokwenene.” (Funda amaHebhere 11:8-10, 16.) Yintoni eso ‘sixeko’? Zeziphi iingxaki awaba nazo uAbraham xa wayelindele ukuba kwakhiwe eso sixeko? Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sifane noAbraham nabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova abaye balinganisa yena?

3. Yintoni esi ‘sixeko’ uAbraham wayesilindele?

³ Esi sixeko uAbraham wayesilindele buBukumkani BukaThixo. Kobu Bukumkani kulawula uYesu Kristu namaKristu athanjisiweyo ayi-144 000. UPawulos uthi obu Bukumkani ‘sisixeko sikaThixo ophilayo, iYerusalem yasezulwini.’ (Heb.  12:22; ISityhi. 5:8-10; 14:1) UYesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba mababuthandazele ukuba bufike ukuze ukuthanda kukaThixo kwenzeke emhlabeni njengasezulwini.​—Mat. 6:10.

4. IGenesis 17:1, 2, 6 ithi yintoni uAbraham awayeyazi ngesixeko okanye uBukumkani obabuthenjiswe nguThixo?

⁴ Ngaba uAbraham wayesazi ukuba ngoobani abaza kulawula kuBukumkani BukaThixo? Hayi. Leyo ‘ibiyimfihlelo engcwele’ kangangeminyaka. (Efe. 1:8-10; Kol. 1:26, 27) Kodwa wayesazi ukuba abanye kwinzala yakhe baza kuba ngookumkani kuba uYehova wamthembisa loo nto. (Funda iGenesis 17:1, 2, 6.) Wayenokholo kwizithembiso zikaThixo, kangangokuba kwakungathi uyambona lowo uthanjisiweyo okanye uMesiya owayeza kuba nguKumkani woBukumkani BukaThixo. Yiloo nto uYesu wathi kumaYuda omhla wakhe: “UAbraham utata wenu wayekuvuyela ukuza kwexesha lokufika kwam, ibe walibona waza wavuya.” (Yoh. 8:56) Kucacile ukuba wayesazi ukuba abanye kwinzala yakhe babeza kulawula kobu Bukumkani bumiselwe nguYehova, ibe wayengenangxaki yokulinda ukuba uYehova asenze eso sithembiso.

5. Sazi njani ukuba uAbraham wayelindele isixeko esasakhiwe nguThixo?

⁵ UAbraham wabonisa njani ukuba ulindele isixeko okanye uBukumkani obabumiselwe nguThixo? Akazange abe phantsi kwakhe nawuphi na uKumkani owayelawula emhlabeni. Wakhetha ukungabi namzi kulo naliphi na ilizwe, ibe akazange axhase nawuphi na uKumkani. Enye into, akazange azame ukuzenzela obakhe uBukumkani. Kodwa waqhubeka ethobela uYehova, elindele isithembiso sakhe. Loo nto yayibonisa indlela uAbraham anokholo ngayo kuYehova. Makhe sithethe ngeengxaki awayenazo nezinto esinokuzifunda kuye.

6. Sasinjani isixeko saseUre?

⁶ Isixeko uAbraham awasishiyayo, iUre, sasikhuselekile, simi kakuhle ibe abantu balapho babefundile bezizityebi. Sasibiyelwe ngeendonga ezinkulu sijikelezwe nangamanzi anzulu kumacala amathathu. Abantu baseUre babekwazi kakuhle  ukubhala nokubala. Kubonakala ukuba esi sixeko sasinamashishini amaninzi, kuba abembi bezinto zakudala baye bafumana amaphepha ezoshishino. Izindlu zabantu zazenziwe ngezitena, zintle zipeyintwe mhlophe. Ezinye zezi zindlu zazinamagumbi ayi-13 okanye ayi-14, ibala lakhona lenziwe ngezitena.

7. Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uAbraham amthembe uYehova ukuba uza kumkhusela yena nentsapho yakhe?

⁷ UAbraham kwakufuneka amthembe uYehova ukuba uza kumkhusela yena nentsapho yakhe. Ngoba? Kaloku uAbraham noSara bashiya ubomi obabumnandi nobabukhuselekile kwisixeko saseUre bayokuhlala kwiintente ababezibeka kumathafa aseKanan. Yena nentsapho yakhe babengasakhuselwanga ziindonga ezinkulu namanzi anzulu. Kodwa, babesengozini yokuhlaselwa ziintshaba zabo.

8. Yintoni eyenzeka kuAbraham?

⁸ UAbraham wayenza into eyayifunwa nguThixo, kodwa wakhe wasokola ukondla intsapho yakhe, kwabakho indlala kwilizwe uYehova awathi makaye kulo. Kwaba nzima kakhulu kangangokuba kwafuneka uAbraham nentsapho yakhe bafudukele eYiputa okwexeshana. Ukufika kwabo apho, uFaro umlawuli welo lizwe, wathatha inkosikazi ka-Abraham. Khawucinge indlela uAbraham awaba nexhala ngayo de uYehova wathi uFaro makabuyisele uSara kuAbraham.​—Gen. 12:10-19.

9. Zeziphi iingxaki awaba nazo uAbraham kwintsapho yakhe?

⁹ Kwabakho iingxaki ezinkulu nakwintsapho ka-Abraham. Inkosikazi yakhe uSara yayingafumani bantwana. Yabakhathaza kangangeminyaka emininzi le nto. Ekugqibeleni, uSara wanika uAbraham isicakakazi sakhe, uHagare, ukuba sibe ngumfazi wakhe ukuze sibazalele abantwana. Kodwa xa uHagare wakhulelwa uIshmayeli, wamgezela uSara. Kwaba nzima kakhulu, kangangokuba uSara wamgxotha uHagare.​—Gen. 16:1-6.

10. Yintoni eyenzeka kuIshmayeli noIsake eyayisenokwenza kube nzima kuAbraham ukumthemba uYehova?

¹⁰ USara wade wakhulelwa waza wamzalela unyana uAbraham, awamthiya ngokuba nguIsake. UAbraham wayebathanda bobabini oonyana bakhe, uIshmayeli noIsake. UIshmayeli wamphatha kakubi uIsake, kwaza kwanyanzeleka ukuba uAbraham amgxothe uIshmayeli noHagare. (Gen. 21:9-14) Kwiminyaka emva koko, uYehova wacela uAbraham ukuba abingelele ngoIsake. (Gen. 22:1, 2; Heb. 11:17-19) Kuzo zombini ezi zinto, kwakufuneka uAbraham amthembe uYehova ukuba uza kude azenze izinto awamthembisa zona ngoonyana bakhe.

11. Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uAbraham alindele kuYehova ngomonde?

¹¹ Lonke eli xesha, kwakufuneka uAbraham afunde ukulindela kuYehova enomonde. Xa yena nentsapho yakhe bashiya iUre, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayesele edlulile kwiminyaka eyi-70. (Gen. 11:31–12:4) Kangangeminyaka emalunga neyi-100, wayehamba ehlala ezintenteni eKanan. UAbraham wasweleka eneminyaka eyi-175. (Gen. 25:7) Kodwa akazange ayibone into uYehova awayemthembise yona yokunika inzala yakhe ilizwe awayekulo. Akazange abone naxa kwakumiselwa isixeko esibuBukumkani BukaThixo. Nakuba kunjalo, kuthiwa uAbraham wafa “aluphele yaye anelisekile.” (Gen. 25:8) Nangona uAbraham wanyamezela izinto ezininzi, wahlala enokholo oluqinileyo, engenangxaki yokulindela kuYehova. Yintoni eyamenza wanyamezela? Kukuba uYehova  wamkhusela waza wangumhlobo wakhe ubomi bakhe bonke.​—Gen. 15:1; Isa. 41:8; Yak. 2:22, 23.

12. Yintoni esiyilindeleyo, ibe siza kuthetha ngantoni?

¹² NjengoAbraham, silindele isixeko esineziseko zokwenene. Kodwa asilindelanga ukuba sakhiwe. UBukumkani BukaThixo bamiselwa ngo-1914, ngoku sele bulawula ezulwini. (ISityhi. 12:7-10) Kodwa sisalindele ukuba bulawule umhlaba wonke. Njengoko sisabulindile, zininzi izinto ekusenokufuneka sizinyamezele njengoAbraham noSara. Bakhona abakhonzi bakaYehova bangoku abaye bafana noAbraham. Amabali obomi akwiiMboniselo abonisa ukuba abantu abaninzi namhlanje baye banokholo nomonde njengoAbraham noSara. Makhe sithethe ngabo, sibone ukuba singafunda ntoni.

13. Ufunda ntoni kwibali likaMzalwana uWalden?

¹³ Kulungele ukuncama ezinye izinto. Ukuba sifuna isixeko sikaThixo esibuBukumkani bakhe sibe yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bethu, kufuneka sifane noAbraham owancama izinto ukuze avuyise uThixo. (Mat. 6:33; Marko 10:28-30) Makhe sithethe ngoMzalwana uBill Walden. * Ngo-1942, uBill wayesele eza kufumana isidanga kwizifundo zokuba yinjineli yokwakha kwiyunivesithi yaseMerika xa waqala ukufunda namaNgqina KaYehova. Uprofesa wakhe wayesele emfunele umsebenzi, kodwa uBill wawala. Wathi ufuna ukuzinikela ekukhonzeni uThixo kunokwenza umsebenzi obhatala kakhulu. Zange kube kudala, kwathiwa uBill makaye emkhosini. Akazange avume, kwathiwa makabhatale iidola eziyi-10 000 waza wagwetywa iminyaka emihlanu etrongweni. Wakhululwa emva kweminyaka emithathu, emva koko wamenywa kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi waza wangumthunywa wevangeli eAfrika. Emva koko, uBill watshata uEva, baza bakhonza bobabini eAfrika, loo nto ithetha ukuba kwafuneka benezinto  abazincamayo. Emva kweminyaka embalwa, kwafuneka babuyele eMerika ukuze bahoye umama kaBill. Xa elenza lifutshane ibali lakhe lobomi, uBill uthi: “Kuthi gwantyi iinyembezi xa ndicinga ngeminyaka engaphezu kweyi-70 ndikhonza uYehova. Ndisoloko ndimbulela ngokundinceda ndenze ukukhonza yena kube ngumsebenzi wam.” Wena, ngaba ungakwazi ukuncama umsebenzi obhatala imali eninzi ukuze ube kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo?

14-15. Ufunda ntoni kwibali lobomi likaMzalwana nodade Apostolidis?

¹⁴ Zilindele iingxaki. KuAbraham, sifunda ukuba nabantu abazinikele kuYehova baba nazo iingxaki. (Yak. 1:2; 1 Pet. 5:9) Kwaba njalo nakuAristotelis Apostolidis. * Wabhaptizwa ngo-1946 eGrisi. Ngo-1952, wangeja noEleni, udade owayezimisele ukuzinikela ekukhonzeni uYehova njengaye. Kodwa, uEleni waba nethumba ebuchotsheni. Eli thumba lasuswa, kodwa kwiminyaka embalwa emva kokuba betshatile waphinda wanalo. Oogqirha baphinda bamtyanda, loo nto yenza ukuba ezinye iindawo emzimbeni wakhe zingasebenzi waza akakwazi nokuthetha kakuhle. Waqhubeka ekhuthele emsebenzini wokushumayela noxa wayegula norhulumente ewatshutshisa amaNgqina ngelo xesha.

¹⁵ UAristotelis wonga inkosikazi yakhe kangangeminyaka eyi-30. Ngelo xesha wayengumdala, ekwiikomiti zendibano, encedisa nasekwakheni iHolo YeNdibano. Ngo-1987, uEleni wonzakala xa wayeshumayela. Wayengekho sezingqondweni kangangeminyaka emithathu waza wasweleka. Xa egqibezela ibali lakhe lobomi, uAristotelis uthi: “Ukutyhubela iminyaka, ukuba phantsi kweemeko ezinzima, ucelomngeni olunzima, iimeko ezingalindelekanga, kuye kwandenza ndanenyameko egqithiseleyo nenzondelelo. Sekunjalo, uYehova ubesoloko endinika amandla endiwafunayo ukuze ndeyise ezi ngxaki.” (INdu. 94:18, 19) UYehova ubathanda kakhulu abakhonzi bakhe abazinikelayo ekumkhonzeni nangona beneengxaki.

16. Wathini uMzalwana uKnorr kwinkosikazi yakhe?

 ¹⁶ Hlala ucinga ngexesha elizayo. UAbraham wahlala ecinga ngezinto uYehova awayeza kumenzela zona. Le nto yamnceda wanyamezela iingxaki awayenazo. Udade Audrey Hyde wahlala ecinga ngethemba analo nangona umyeni wakhe wokuqala, uNathan H. Knorr, wabulawa ngumhlaza waza owesibini, uGlenn Hyde, wafunyanwa yiAlzheimer. * Uthi wancedwa yinto eyathethwa nguMzalwana uKnorr kwiiveki ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba asweleke. Uthi: “UNathan wandikhumbuza oku: ‘Emva kokufa, sinethemba eliqinisekileyo yaye akuyomfuneko ukuba siphinde sibandezeleke.’ Wandula ke wandibongoza ngelithi: ‘Khangela phambili emvuzweni.’ . . . Wongezelela ngelithi: ‘Zigcine uxakekile, yenzela abanye abantu izinto. Oku kuya kukunceda ufumane uyolo ebomini.’” Kuza kusinceda kakhulu ukuhlala sixakeke kukwenzela abantu izinto ezintle size ‘sivuye ngenxa yokuba sinethemba.’​—Roma 12:12.

17. (a) Kutheni sinesona sizathu sokuhlala sicinga ngexesha elizayo? (b) UMika 7:7 uza kusinceda njani sizifumane iintsikelelo kwixesha elizayo?

¹⁷ Ngoku, sinesona sizathu sokuhlala sicinga ngexesha elizayo. Izinto ezenzekayo namhlanje zibonisa ukuba sisekupheleni kwemihla yokugqibela. Sele siza kuyeka ukulindela isixeko esineziseko zokwenene ukuba side silawule umhlaba wonke. Enye yezinto eziza kusivuyisa kukubona abantu esibathandayo bevuswa. Ngelo xesha, uYehova uza kuvuza uAbraham kuba wayenokholo nomonde, ngokumvusela emhlabeni nentsapho yakhe. Uza kube ulapho ukuze ubamkele? Unokuba lapho ukuba kukho izinto ongenangxaki yokuzincama ngenxa yoBukumkani BukaThixo njengoAbraham, ukuba uhlala unokholo nokuba uneengxaki uze ufunde ukulindela kuYehova.​—Funda uMika 7:7.