U-Abrahama—Isibonelo Sokholo

“[U-Abrahama waba] nguyise wabo bonke abanokholo.”—ROMA 4:11.

1, 2. (a) U-Abrahama ukhunjulwa njengomuntu onjani kumaKristu eqiniso namuhla? (b) Kungani u-Abrahama ebizwa ngokuthi “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo”?

WAYENGUKHOKHO wesizwe esinamandla, engumprofethi, engusomabhizinisi, engumholi. Nokho kumaKristu namuhla, ukhunjulwa kangcono kakhulu ngenxa yemfanelo eyabangela ukuba uJehova uNkulunkulu ambheke njengomngane—ukholo lwakhe olungazamazami. (Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:23) Igama lakhe kwakungu-Abrahama, futhi iBhayibheli limbiza ngokuthi “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo.”—Roma 4:11.

² Awazange yini amadoda aphila ngaphambi kuka-Abrahama, njengo-Abela, u-Enoke noNowa, nawo abonise ukholo? Alubonisa, kodwa isivumelwano sokubusisa zonke izizwe zomhlaba senziwa no-Abrahama. (Genesise 22:18) Ngaleyo ndlela waba uyise ongokomfanekiso wabo bonke ababezoba nokholo eNzalweni ethenjisiwe. (Galathiya 3:8, 9) Ngomqondo othile, u-Abrahama angabhekwa njengobaba wethu, ngoba ukholo lwakhe luyisibonelo okumelwe silingiswe. Konke ukuphila kwakhe kungabhekwa njengesibonakaliso sokholo, ngoba kwakugcwele izilingo nezivivinyo eziningi. Ngempela, kusasele isikhathi eside u-Abrahama abhekane nalokho okungabizwa ngokuthi ukuvivinywa kokholo okukhulu kunakho konke—umyalo wokuba anikele ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka—u-Abrahama wabonisa ukholo lwakhe ezilingweni eziningi ezincane. (Genesise 22:1, 2) Manje ake sihlole ezinye zalezi zivivinyo zokuqala zokholo sibone ukuthi zingasifundisa ziphi izifundo thina namuhla.

Umyalo Wokuhamba E-Uri

3. IBhayibheli lisitshelani ngesizinda sika-Abrama?

³ IBhayibheli liqala ukusitshela ngo-Abrama (kamuva owaziwa ngokuthi u-Abrahama) kuGenesise 11:26, othi: “UThera wahamba iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, wazala o-Abrama, noNahori, noHarana.” U-Abrama wayengumzukulu kaShemi owayesaba uNkulunkulu. (Genesise 11:10-24) NgokukaGenesise 11:31, u-Abrama wayehlala nomkhaya wakubo emzini ochumile “e-Uri lamaKaledi,” umuzi owake waba sempumalanga yoMfula i-Ewufrathe. * Ngakho, akakhulanga ehambe ehlala ematendeni kunalokho wayehlala edolobheni endaweni eyayinezinto eziningi zokunethezeka. Ezimakethe zase-Uri umuntu wayengathenga izimpahla ezivela kwamanye amazwe. Imizi ehuqwe ngomcako enamakamelo angu-14, eyayize ibe ngisho nanamapayipi amanzi ngaphakathi, yayiklele emigwaqweni yakhona.

4. (a) Yiziphi izinselele i-Uri elalizibekela abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso? (b) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba u-Abrama abe nokholo kuJehova?

⁴ Ngaphandle kwezinto zalo ezibonakalayo, i-Uri lalimbekela inselele enzima umuntu owayefuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Laliwumuzi owawukhonza kakhulu izithombe futhi ligcwele izinkolelo-ze. Isici esasivelele kulo kwakuwumbhoshongo wethempeli lokuhlonipha unkulunkulu wenyanga uNanna. Ngokuqinisekile u-Abrama wayecindezelwa ukuba ahlanganyele kulokhu kukhulekela okonakele mhlawumbe ecindezelwa nayizihlobo. Okunye ukulandisa kwamaJuda kuthi uyise ka-Abrama uqobo, uThera, wayengumenzi wezithombe zawonkulunkulu.  (Joshuwa 24:2, 14, 15) Noma ngabe ikuphi, u-Abrama wayengahlanganyeli ekukhulekeleni kwamanga okonakele. Ukhokho wakhe owayesekhulile uShemi wayesaphila futhi ngokuqinisekile waludlulisela kwabanye ulwazi lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngenxa yalokho, u-Abrama waba nokholo kuJehova, hhayi kuNanna!—Galathiya 3:6.

Ukuvivinywa Kokholo

5. Yimuphi umyalo nesithembiso uNkulunkulu akunika u-Abrama esese-Uri?

⁵ Ukholo luka-Abrama lwaluzovivinywa. UNkulunkulu wabonakala kuye wamyala wathi: “Phuma ezweni lakini, nasezihlotsheni zakho, nasendlini kayihlo, uye ezweni engiyakukukhombisa lona. Ngiyakukwenza isizwe esikhulu, ngikubusise, ngenze igama lakho libe likhulu, wena ube yisibusiso. Ngiyakubabusisa abakubusisayo, nokuqalekisayo ngiyakumqalekisa; imindeni yonke yomhlaba iyakubusiswa kuwe.”—Genesise 12:1-3; IzEnzo 7:2, 3.

6. Kungani kwakudinga ukholo lwangempela ngo-Abrama ukuba ashiye i-Uri?

⁶ U-Abrama wayesemdala futhi engenabantwana. Wayengaba kanjani “isizwe esikhulu”? Futhi lalikuphi lona leli zwe ayeyalwa ukuba aye kulo? UNkulunkulu akamtshelanga ngaleso sikhathi. Ngakho kwakudinga ukholo lwangempela ngo-Abrama ukuba ashiye i-Uri elichumile nako konke ukunethezeka kwalo. Incwadi ethi Family, Love and the Bible isho lokhu ngezikhathi zasendulo: “Isijeziso esibuhlungu kunazo zonke esasingatholwa ilungu lomkhaya elenze isono esibi sasiwukuxoshwa, ukuphucwa ‘ubulungu’ emkhayeni. . . . Yingakho kwakuwukubonakaliswa okungavamile kokulalela ngokungathandabuzi nokuthembela kuNkulunkulu lapho  u-Abrama, ngokulandela ubizo lwaphezulu, ehamba engashiyi nje izwe lakubo kuphela, kodwa nezihlobo zakhe.”

7. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba amaKristu namuhla abhekane nokuvivinywa okunjengalokho u-Abrama abhekana nakho?

⁷ AmaKristu namuhla angase abhekane novivinyo olufanayo. Njengo-Abrama singase sizizwe sicindezeleka ukuba sikhathalele kakhulu izinto ezibonakalayo kunezinto ezingokomoya. (1 Johane 2:16) Singase siphikiswe yizihlobo ezingakholwa, kuhlanganise nezisusiwe, ezingase zizame ukusiyenga ukuba sibe nobudlelwane nabantu abangalungile. (Mathewu 10:34-36; 1 Korinte 5:11-13; 15:33) Ngakho u-Abrama wasibekela isibonelo esihle. Wabeka ubungane noJehova ngaphambi kwakho konke okunye—ngisho nangaphambi kwezibopho zomkhaya. Wayengazi ngokunembile ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zaziyogcwaliseka kanjani, nini, noma kuphi. Noma kunjalo, wayezimisele ukusekela ukuphila kwakhe kulezo zithembiso. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyisikhuthazo esihle kanjani sokuba senze uMbuso uze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu namuhla!—Mathewu 6:33.

8. Ukholo luka-Abrama lwaba naliphi ithonya emalungwini omkhaya wakhe, futhi yini amaKristu angayifunda kulokhu?

⁸ Kuthiwani ngamalungu omkhaya ka-Abrama? Ngokusobala, ukholo luka-Abrama nokuqiniseka kwakhe kwaba nethonya elikhulu kuwo, ngoba bobabili umkakhe, uSarayi, nendodana yomfowabo eyintandane, uLoti, nabo bashukumiseleka ukuba balalele ubizo lukaNkulunkulu bashiye i-Uri. Kamuva umfowabo ka-Abrama uNahori nenye yenzalo yakhe balishiya i-Uri bayohlala eHarana, lapho bakhulekela khona uJehova. (Genesise 24:1-4, 10, 31; 27:43; 29:4, 5) Phela, ngisho noyise ka-Abrama, uThera, wavuma ukuhamba nendodana yakhe! Ngakho, njengenhloko yomkhaya, iBhayibheli lithi nguye owathuthela eKhanani. (Genesise 11:31) Ingabe nathi singaba nempumelelo ethile uma sifakaza ezihlotsheni zethu ngokuhlakanipha?

9. Malungiselelo mani u-Abrama okwadingeka awenzele uhambo lwakhe, futhi kungani kungenzeka ukuthi ayedinga ukuzidela?

 ⁹ Ngaphambi kokuba u-Abrama aqalise uhambo lwakhe, kuningi okwakumelwe akwenze. Kwakudingeka athengise impahla yakhe athenge amatende, amakamela, ukudla, nezinto ezazidingeka. Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Abrama walahlekelwa izimali ezithile njengoba ayenza la malungiselelo ngokuphuthuma, kodwa wayekujabulela ukulalela uJehova. Yeka ukuthi kwakuwusuku oluyingqopha-mlando kanjani lapho amalungiselelo esephelile futhi amakamela ka-Abrama esemi ngaphandle kwezindonga zase-Uri, elungele indlela! Elandela igwinci loMfula i-Ewufrathe, amakamela asinga enyakatho-ntshonalanga. Sekuphelé amasonto ehamba, esehlanganise amakhilomitha angaba inkulungwane, afika emzini osenyakatho yeMesopotamiya okuthiwa yiHarana, isikhumulo esikhulu samakamela.

10, 11. (a) Cishe kungani u-Abrama ahlala okwesikhashana eHarana? (b) Yisiphi isikhuthazo esinganikwa amaKristu anakekela abazali asebekhulile?

¹⁰ U-Abrama wazinza eHarana, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokucabangela uyise owayesekhulile, uThera. (Levitikusi 19:32) Ngokufanayo, amaKristu amaningi namuhla anelungelo lokunakekela abazali asebekhulile noma abagulayo, amanye kuze kudingeke enze izinguquko ezithile ukuze enze kanjalo. Uma kuvela leso sidingo, lawo maKristu angaqiniseka ukuthi ukuzidela kwawo kothando “kuyamukeleka emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Thimothewu 5:4.

¹¹ Sahamba isikhathi. “Izinsuku zikaThera zaziyiminyaka engamakhulu amabili nanhlanu; uThera wafela eHarana.” Ngokuqinisekile kwamzwisa ubuhlungu u-Abrama lokhu kushonelwa uyise, kodwa lapho isidlulile inkathi yokulila, ngokushesha wamuka. “U-Abrama wayeneminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu mhla ephuma eHarana. U-Abrama wathatha uSarayi umkakhe, noLoti indodana yomfowabo, nempahla yonke ababeyibuthile, nezinceku ababezitholile eHarana; basuka ukuya ezweni laseKhanani.”—Genesise 11:32; 12:4, 5.

12. Wenzani u-Abrama ngesikhathi ehlala eHarana?

¹² Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ngesikhathi eseHarana, u-Abrama ‘wabutha impahla.’ Nakuba ayedele izinto ezibonakalayo ngesikhathi emuka e-Uri, u-Abrama wahamba eHarana eyindoda ecebile. Ngokusobala, lokhu kwakungenxa yesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. (UmShumayeli 5:19) Nakuba uNkulunkulu engabathembisi ingcebo bonke abantu bakhe namuhla, uyasifeza isithembiso sakhe sokubanika lokho abakudingayo labo ‘abashiya amakhaya, abafowabo, noma odadewabo’ ngenxa yoMbuso. (Marku 10:29, 30) U-Abrama futhi ‘wathola nezinceku.’ IJerusalem Targum neChaldee Paraphrase zithi u-Abrama ‘wenza amaproselithe.’ (Genesise 18:19) Ingabe ukholo lwakho luyakushukumisa ukuba ukhulume nomakhelwane, osebenza nabo, noma ofunda nabo? Esikhundleni sokuba azinze futhi akhohlwe umyalo kaNkulunkulu, u-Abrama wayesisebenzise ngokunenzuzo isikhathi eseHarana. Kodwa manje isikhathi sakhe kuleyo ndawo sase siphelile. “Wayesesuka u-Abrama, njengalokho uJehova emtshelile.”—Genesise 12:4.

Ngaphesheya Kwe-Ewufrathe

13. U-Abrama wawuwela nini uMfula i-Ewufrathe, futhi sasibaluleke ngani lesi senzo?

¹³ Kwaphinda futhi kwadingeka ukuba u-Abrama angene indlela. Eshiya iHarana ngemuva, amakamela akhe abhekisa amabombo entshonalanga, ahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-90. Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Abrama wathi ukuma kancane endaweni ethile e-Ewufrathe ngaphesheya kwesikhungo sohwebo sasendulo saseKharikemishi. Lena kwakuyindawo evelele okwakuwela kuyo amakamela. * Awuwela nini umfula amakamela ka-Abrama? IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka eminyakeni engu-430 ngaphambi koFuduko lwamaJuda eGibithe ngoNisani 14, 1513 B.C.E. U-Eksodusi 12:41 uthi: “Kwathi ekupheleni kweminyaka engamakhulu amane namashumi amathathu, kwathi ngalona lolo suku, amabandla onke kaJehova aphuma ezweni laseGibithe.” Cishe-ke isivumelwano sika-Abrahama saqala ukusebenza  ngoNisani 14, 1943 B.C.E., lapho u-Abrama ngokulalela ewela i-Ewufrathe.

14. (a) Yini u-Abrama ayekwazi ukuyibona ngamehlo akhe okholo? (b) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla babusiswe kanjani ukwedlula u-Abrama?

¹⁴ U-Abrama wayeshiye ngemuva umuzi ochumayo. Nokho, manje wayekwazi ukubona ngeso lengqondo “umuzi onezisekelo zangempela,” uhulumeni wokulunga ozobusa phezu kwesintu. (Heberu 11:10) Yebo, nakuba ayenokwaziswa okuncane, u-Abrama wayeseqalile ukubona izici eziyisisekelo zenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokuhlenga isintu esifayo. Namuhla sibusisiwe ngokuziqonda kangcono kakhulu izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ukwedlula u-Abrama. (IzAga 4:18) Lowo “muzi,” noma uMbuso onguhulumeni, u-Abrama ayenethemba lawo manje usukhona—umisiwe emazulwini kusukela ngo-1914. Akufanele-ke yini sishukunyiswe ukuba senze izenzo ezibonisa ukholo nokwethembela kuJehova?

Ukugogobala Ezweni Lesithembiso Kuyaqala

15, 16. (a) Kungani kwakudingeka isibindi ngo-Abrama ukwakhela uJehova i-altare? (b) AmaKristu namuhla angaba kanjani nesibindi njengo-Abrama?

¹⁵ UGenesise 12:5, 6 uyasitshela: “Bafika-ke ezweni laseKhanani. U-Abrama wadabula izwe, waze wafika endaweni yaseShekemi nase-okini laseMore.” IShekemi yayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-50 ukuya enyakatho yeJerusalema futhi isesigodini esivundile esiye sachazwa ngokuthi “ipharadesi lasezweni elingcwele.” Noma kunjalo, “amaKhanani ayesekhona ezweni.” Njengoba amaKhanani ayengenazimilo, u-Abrama kwakuzodingeka aqikelele kakhulu ukuba avikele umkhaya wakhe ethonyeni lawo elonakalisayo.—Eksodusi 34:11-16.

¹⁶ Ngokwesibili, “uJehova wabonakala ku-Abrama, wathi: ‘Leli zwe ngiyakulinika inzalo yakho.’” Yeka ukuthi kwakujabulisa kanjani! Yiqiniso, kwakudinga ukholo ngo-Abrama ukuba ajabulele  into eyayizotholwa yinzalo yakhe yesikhathi esizayo. Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yalokho u-Abrama “wamakhela khona i-altare uJehova owayebonakele kuye.” (Genesise 12:7) Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sisikisela ukuthi: “Ukumisa i-altare ezweni eqinisweni kwakuyindlela yokulithatha ngesisekelo selungelo elihambisana nokubonisa ukholo.” Futhi ukwakha i-altare elinjalo kwakuyisenzo sesibindi. Ngokungangabazeki, leli altare lalingelohlobo olwachazwa kamuva esivumelwaneni soMthetho, lakhiwe ngamatshe angabaziwe. (Eksodusi 20:24, 25) Isimo salo sasihluke kakhulu kwesama-altare ayesetshenziswa amaKhanani. Kanjalo u-Abrama waziveza obala ngesibindi ukuthi ungumkhulekeli kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, ezenza nyamana mbana futhi ezichaya engozini. Kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Ingabe abanye bethu—ikakhulukazi intsha—siyakugwema ukwazisa omakhelwane noma esifunda nabo ukuthi sikhulekela uJehova? Kwangathi isibonelo sika-Abrama sesibindi singasikhuthaza sonke ukuba siziqhenye ngokuthi siyizinceku zikaJehova!

17. U-Abrama wazibonakalisa kanjani engumshumayeli wegama likaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kuwakhumbuzani amaKristu namuhla?

¹⁷ Nomaphi lapho u-Abrama ayeya khona, ukukhulekela uJehova kwakuhamba phambili. “Wayesesuka lapho, waya entabeni ngasempumalanga kwaseBethele, wamisa itende lakhe, iBethele lingasentshonalanga ne-Ayi lingasempumalanga; wamakhela khona uJehova i-altare, [“wabiza,” NW] egameni likaJehova.” (Genesise 12:8) Inkulumo yesiHeberu ethi “biza egameni” isho futhi ukuthi “memezela (shumayela) igama.” Ngokungangabazeki, u-Abrama walimemezela ngesibindi igama likaJehova phakathi komakhelwane bakhe abangamaKhanani. (Genesise 14:22-24) Lokhu kusikhumbuza ngesibopho esinaso sokuba nengxenye enkulu ngangokunokwenzeka ‘ekulivumeni obala igama lakhe’ namuhla.—Heberu 13:15; Roma 10:10.

18. Babunjani ubuhlobo buka-Abrama nezakhamuzi zaseKhanani?

¹⁸ Ayikho kulezo zindawo u-Abrama ahlala isikhathi eside kuyo. “Ngasemuva u-Abrama wahamba waqonda njalo ngaseningizimu”—indawo eyomile eningizimu yezintaba zakwaJuda. (Genesise 12:9) Ngokuhlala ethutha njalo futhi ezibonakalisa ukuthi ungumkhulekeli kaJehova endaweni ngayinye ayefika kuyo, u-Abrama nendlu yakhe “bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.” (Heberu 11:13) Ngaso sonke isikhathi, babekugwema ukwakha ubungane obuseduze nomakhelwane babo abangamaqaba. Ngokufanayo amaKristu namuhla kumelwe ahlale ‘engeyona ingxenye yezwe.’ (Johane 17:16) Nakuba sinomusa komakhelwane bethu nakwesisebenza nabo futhi sibahlonipha, siyaqaphela ukuba singahileleki ekuziphatheni okubonisa umoya wezwe elidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu.—Efesu 2:2, 3.

19. (a) Kungani ukuphila kokungahlali ndawonye kwakungababekela inselele u-Abrama noSarayi? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izinselele ezazisalindele u-Abrama?

¹⁹ Masingakhohlwa ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwakungelula ku-Abrama noSarayi ukuzivumelanisa nobunzima bokuphila kokungahlali ndawonye. Babedla imikhiqizo yemfuyo yabo esikhundleni sokudla okuthengwe ezimakethe zase-Uri ezazinakho konke; babehlala ematendeni esikhundleni sendlu eyakhiwe kahle. (Heberu 11:9) Ukuphila kuka-Abrama kwakumatasa; kuningi okwakumelwe akwenze ekunakekeleni imfuyo yakhe nezinceku zakhe. Ngokuqinisekile uSarayi wayenakekela imisebenzi ngokwesiko eyayenziwa abesifazane bangalezo zikhathi: ukuxova inhlama, ukubhaka izinkwa, ukwenza insonto ngovolo, ukuthunga izingubo. (Genesise 18:6, 7; 2 AmaKhosi 23:7; IzAga 31:19; Hezekeli 13:18) Noma kunjalo, babesalindelwe izilingo ezintsha. Ngokushesha u-Abrama nendlu yakhe babezobhekana nesimo esasizobeka kona kanye ukuphila kwabo engozini! Ingabe u-Abrama wayezokwazi ukubhekana nale nselele?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ingabe Uphawulile?

• Kungani u-Abrama ebizwa ngokuthi “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo”?

• Kungani kwakudingeka ukholo ku-Abrama ukushiya i-Uri lamaKaledi?

• U-Abrama wabonisa kanjani ukuthi ukukhulekela uJehova kwakuza kuqala?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 16]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UHAMBO LUKA-ABRAMA

I-Uri

IHarana

IKharikemishi

IKHANANI

ULwandle Olukhulu

[Umthombo]

Based on a map copyrighted by Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est. and Survey of Israel

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Kwakudinga ukholo ku-Abrama ukushiya ukunethezeka kokuphila kwase-Uri

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ngokuhlala ematendeni, u-Abrama nendlu yakhe “bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni”