11—Ubizo Luka-Abraham

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiGenesis 12.]

Emva kokuchithakala kusukwa eBhabheli, ukunqula izithixo kwaphinda kwaphantsa ukuwuzalisa umhlaba, waza ekugqibeleni uYehova wabayeka aboni abantliziyo zilukhuni ukuba balandele iindlela zabo ezikhohlakeleyo, lo gama yena enyula uAbraham, womlibo kaShem, emenza umgcineli wezizukulwana ezilandelayo umthetho waKhe. UAbraham wakhulela phakathi kweenkolo nobuhedeni. Nendlu kayise, ekwagcinwa ngayo ukwaziwa kukaThixo, yayiziyekela kwiimpembelelo eziwexulayo zoko kubangqongileyo, baza “bakhonza thixo bambi” endaweni kaYehova. Yona inkolo yenyaniso yayingayi kuphela. UThixo uhlala egcina isisalela ukuba simkhonze. UAdam, uSete, uEnoki, uMethusela, uNowa, uShem, bangumnombo ongaqhawukiyo owagcina ukutyhileka kwentando yaKhe eligugu, kususela kwisizukulwana kuye kwesinye. Unyana kaTera waba yindlalifa yeli lifa lingcwele. Ukunqula izithixo kwakumbiza macala, kodwa ngelize. Enyanisekile phakathi kwabanganyanisekanga, engoniwanga lukreqo olugqubayo, watshela ngokuqinileyo ekunquleni uThixo ekuphela kwaKhe oyinyaniso. “Usondele uYehova kubo bonke abamnqulayo, kubo bonke abamnqulayo ngenyaniso.’ Ndumiso 145:18. Wayixela kuAbraham intando yaKhe, wamnika ulwazi olucacileyo loko kufunwa ngumthetho waKhe kunye nosindiso olwaluza kufezwa ngoKristu.ANa 125.1

Lanikelwa kuAbraham idinga, elalibaluleke ngendlela eyodwa kubantu belo xesha, lentlaninge yenzala kwanobukhulu besizwe: “ndikwenze uhlanga olukhulu, ndikusikelele, ndilikhulise igama lakho, ube yintsikelelo.” Kulo eli (dinga), kongezwa ingqinisekiso exabiseke ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi kwindlalifa yokholo, eyokuba, kumnombo wakhe, kuya kuphuma uMhlanguli wehlabathi: “Zisikeleleke ngawe zonke izizwe zehlabathi.” Noko kunjalo, njengemeko yokuqala yokuzaliseka kwalo (idinga), kwakuza kufuneka ukuba kubekho uvavanyo lokholo; kwaza kwafunwa umbingelelo.ANa 125.2

Isigidimi sikaThixo safika kuAbraham, “Hamba, umke ezweni lakowenu, kwelokuzalwa kwakho, nasendlwini kayihlo, uye ezweni endokubonisa lona.” Ukuze uThixo amenze ukuba awufanele umsebenzi wakhe omkhulu njengomgcini wemiyalelo engcwele, uAbraham kufuneka ahlulwe kubahlobo bobutsha bakhe. Impembelelo yabendlu nabahlobo yayiya kuphazamisa kuqeqesho uYehova awayelucebele isicaka saKhe. Njengokuba uAbraham, ngendlela eyodwa, wayeqhagamshelene nezulu, kwakuza kufuneka ahlale phakathi kwabasemzini. Isimilo sakhe kufuneka sibe sesikhethekileyo, sahluke kulo lonke ihlabathi. Wayengakwazi nokuyichaza eyona nto kwakufuneka eyenzile ukuze aqondwe lula ngabahlobo bakhe. Izinto zikamoya ziqondwa ngokomoya, kwaye iinjongo nezenzo zakhe zazingaqondwa ngabendlu kayise eyayinqula izithixo.ANa 126.1

“Ngokholo uAbraham wathi, akubizwa, wakululamela ukuba aphume, aye kuloo ndawo abeza kuyamkela ukuba ibe lilifa, waphuma ke, engazi kakuhle nalapho aya khona.” Hebhere 11:8. Ukuthobela kuka-Abraham ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo sesinye sezibonakaliso zokholo olufunyanwa kuyo yonke iBhayibhile. Kuye, ukholo yaba “kukukholosa ngezinto ezithenjiweyo; [no]kweyiseka bubukho bezinto ezingabonwayo.” Indima 1. Wathi exhomekeke kwidinga lezulu, kungekho nento encinane eyingqinisekiso ebonakala ngaphandle yokuzaliseka kwalo, walincama ikhaya lakhe nabendlu kayise, waphuma waya apho angaziyo, elandela ukuya apho uThixo amkhokelela khona. “Ngokholo waba ngumphambukeli emhlabeni wedinga, wanga ukowasemzini, ehleli eminqubeni, ndawonye noIsake noYakobi, beziindlalifa zalo elo dinga ndawonye naye.” Hebhere 11:9.ANa 126.2

Yayingelulo uvavanyo olulula olwaziswa kuAbraham, ingenguwo nombingelelo omncinane owafunwa kuye. Kwakukho amaqhina awomeleleyo awayemhlanganisa nelizwe lakhe, nebendlu kayise, kunye nekhaya lakhe. Noko kunjalo, akazange azilazile ekuthobeleni ubizo. Akazange abe nambuzo ngelizwe ledinga—nokuba ingaba umhlaba utyebile na, okanye imozulu inika impilo na; nokuba, ingaba ilizwe limi kakuhle na kangangokuba likufanele ukumenza umntu akwazi ukuqokelela ubutyebi na. UThixo wayethethile, umkhonzi waKhe kwakufuneka ethobele; indawo eyiyeyona inolonwabo kuye emhlabeni yileyo uThixo wayefuna abe kuyo.ANa 126.3

Baninzi abasavavanywa njengoAbraham. Abaliva lithetha nabo ngqo liphuma emazulwini ilizwi likaThixo, kodwa uyababiza ngeemfundiso zelizwi laKhe nangeziganeko zokubonelela kwaKhe. Kusenokufuneka bashiye imisebenzi abaqeqeshelwe yona ethembisa ubutyebi nokudunyiswa, bashiye ubuhlobo obumnandi nobunenzuzo bahlukane nabakubo, bangene kwinto ebonakala kuphela iyindlela yokuzincama, yobunzima nombingelelo. UThixo unomsebenzi ekufuneka bewenzile; kodwa ubomi bolonwabo nempembelelo yabahlobo ingakuthibaza ukuphuhla kweempawu kanye ezidingekayo ekuwufezeni (loo msebenzi). Ubabizela kude kwiimpembelelo nosizo lwabantu, abakhokele ukuze bazive bedinga uncedo lwaKhe, nokuxhomekeka kuYe kuphela, ukuze azityhile kubo. Ingaba ngubani olulungeleyo ubizo lokubonelela kukaThixo ukuze ashiye amacebo awathandayo nabahlobo aqhelene nabo? Ngubani oya kwamkela imithwalo emitsha angene kwiindima ezingazange zizanywe, esenza umsebenzi kaThixo ngentliziyo eqinileyo nenentumekelelo, ngenxa kaKristu, eyibalela ekuthini iyinzuzo ilahleko yakhe? Lowo oya kwenza oko, unokholo luka-Abraham, kwaye eya kwabelana naye ngabo “ubuqaqawuli obukhulukazi obungunaphakade,” ekuthi ngenxa yabo “iintlungu zeli xesha lakalokunje” zingabi nakho “ukulinganiswa.” 2 Korinte 4:17; Roma 8:18.ANa 127.1

Ubizo oluphuma ezulwini lwafika kuAbraham ngexesha wayehlala kwi“Ure yamaKhaledi” waza, ngokuluthobela, wandulukela kwelakwaHaran. Ukuze kufikelela apha, indlu kayise yamkhapha, kuba, kunqulo lwabo lwezithixo, bahlanganisa nokukhonza uThixo wenyaniso. Wahlala apha uAbraham wada wafa uTera. Engcwabeni likayise, laphuma iLizwi lezulu limyalela ukuba abheke phambili. Umntakwabo uNahor, ekunye nendlu yakhe, babambelela ekhayeni labo nakwizithixo zabo. Ngaphandle kukaSara, umfazi ka-Abraham, nguLote kuphela, unyana kaHaran owayenethuba wafayo, owakhetha ukwabelana nenyange (uAbraham) ngobomi bokuba ngumphambukeli. Ngoko ke, yaba liqela elikhulu elanduluka ukusuka eMesopotami. UAbraham wayesele enemihlambi emikhulu yempahla emfutshane kunye neenkomo, ubutyebi baseMpuma, erhangqwe liqela elikhulu labasebenzi kunye nezicaka ezikhulu [ezazinesandla ekuphatheni iimpahla zakhe.] Wayesuka kwilizwe looyise, ukuba engasayi kuphinda abuyele khona, wathabatha konke okwakhe “neengqwebo yabo yonke ababeyiqwebile, nabantu ababebafumene kwelakwaHaran.” Phakathi kwaba, babebaninzi ababetsalwa kukuqaphela izinto zaphezulu kunabo bokusebenza nabajonge okwabo ukulungelwa. Ngexesha lokuhlala kwabo kwaHaran, uAbraham noSara bakhokelela abanye ekunquleni nasekukhonzeni uThixo oyinyaniso. Aba bazihlanganisa nabendlu yenyange, bahamba nalo ukuya ezweni ledinga. “Baphuma ke besiya ezweni lakwaKanan; bafika ke ezweni lakwaKanan.”ANa 127.2

Indawo yokuqala abamisa kuyo yayiyiShekem. Phantsi komthunzi wemioki yaseMmore, intili enengca, nezigcume zeminquma, nemithombo empompoza amanzi phakathi kwe-Ebali kwelinye icala, nentaba yeGerizim kwelinye, khona apho uAbraham wamisa iintente. Lilizwe elihle nelilungileyo eyangena kulo indoda enkulu, “ezweni lemilanjana yamanzi, lemithombo namanzi enzonzobila, aphuma ezihlanjeni nasezintabeni; ezweni lengqolowa nerhasi, neediliya, nemikhiwane, neerhalnate; ezweni leminquma ye-oli nobusi.” Duteronomi 8:7, 8. Noko kunjalo, konqula uYehova, kwakukho ithunzi elingqingqwa phezu kwenduli enamahlathi namathafa aneziqhamo. “AmaKanan abekho ngelo xesha kulo ilizwe.” UAbraham wayefikile kumgomo wamathemba akhe, ukufumana ilizwe elimiwe luhlanga lwasemzini nelizaliswe lunqulo lwezithixo. Kumagcume emithi kwakumiswe izibingelelo zoothixo ababuxoki, nabantu bebingelelwa kwiindawo ezikufuphi khona eziphakamileyo [ezigangeni]. Nangona wayebambelele kwidinga lezulu, zazingaswelekanga izithintelo ezihluphayo ekumiseni kwakhe intente yakhe. Noko kunjalo, “wamakhela khona isibingelelo uYehova, owabonakalayo kuye.” Njengomhambi, kungekudala, wesuka waya kwindawo ekufuphi eBheteli, nalapho wamisa isibingelelo, walibiza khona apho phezu kwaso igama likaYehova.ANa 128.1

UAbraham, “isihlobo sikaThixo,” wasimisela umzekelo omhle. Ubomi bakhe yayibubomi bomthandazo. Kuyo yonke indawo awayemisa kuyo intente, kufutshane kuyo wayemisa isibingelelo sakhe, ebahlanganisela kumbingelelo wakusasa nangokuhlwa bonke ababekunye naye ezintenteni zakhe. Ukususwa kwentente yakhe, sasisala isibingelelo. Kwiminyaka elandelayo, babakho, phakathi kwamaKanan ajikelezayo, abafumana isifundo kuAbraham; kwaye babesithi bakufika kweso sibingelelo, bazi ukuba ebekho apho (uAbraham) ngaphambi kwabo, ngenxa yoko, nabo bakuba bemise ezabo iintente, babesilungisa isibingelelo, banqule kuso apho uThixo ophilayo.ANa 128.2

UAbraham waqhubeka nohambo olusinga emzantsi, kwaphindwa ukuvavanywa kwakhe. Amazulu ayibamba imvula yawo, imithombo yanqumka ukusa amanzi ezintilini, yabuna ingca emathafeni. Impahla emfutshane nemihlambi yeenkomo azafumana madlelo, indlala yaluchwechwela lonke uhlanga olwalusezintenteni. Ayizange na ngoku indoda enkulu ikuthandabuze ukukhokela kokulungiselela kukaThixo? Ingaba ayizange ikhangele emva ilangazelele indyedo yamathafa amaKaledi? Bonke babekhangele belindele ukubona okuza kwenziwa nguAbraham, xa kwakufika iinkathazo, enye phezu kwenye. Ngalo lonke ixesha ithemba lakhe lalingabonakalisi kugungqa, babesiva likho ithemba; babenengqiniseko yokuba uThixo wayenguMhlobo wakhe, nokuba usamkhokela.ANa 128.3

UAbraham wayengakwazi ukukuchaza ukwenzelelela kukaThixo; wayengafikelelanga koko akulindeleyo; kodwa wabambelela kulo idinga, “ndikusikelele, ndilikhulise igama lakho, ube yintsikelelo.” Wathi enomthandazo ozingisileyo, wayigqala indlela yokugcina ukuphila kwabantu bakhe, nemihlambi yakhe, akavuma ukuba iimeko zilushukumise ukholo lwakhe elizwini likaThixo. Ukuphepha indlala, wehla waya eYiputa. Akazange ayilahle iKanan, okanye athi ekuncameni kwakhe abuyele kwilizwe lamaKhaledi awayesuka kulo, apho sasinganqabanga isonka; kodwa wafuna indawo yokuphephela okomzuzwana kufuphi kangangoko kwiLizwe leDinga, ejonge ukubuyela kungekudala apho uThixo wayembeke khona.ANa 129.1

UYehova ekuboneleleni kwaKhe, waluzisa olu vavanyo kuAbraham ukuze amfundise ukuzinikela, umonde, nokholo—lwezifundo ezaziya kubhalwa ukuze zibe lulutho kubo bonke ababeya kuthi kamva babizwe ukuba bathwale ingcikivo. UThixo ubakhokela abantwana baKhe ngendlela abangayaziyo, kodwa akabalibali okanye abalahle abo babeka ithemba labo kuYe. Wamvumela uYohane othandwayo ukuba agxothelwe kubulolo basePatimo, kodwa uNyana kaThixo wahlangana naye apho, waza nombono wakhe wazaliswa yimibono yozuko olungapheliyo. UThixo uvumela izilingo ukuba zihlasele abantu baKhe, ukuze bathi, ngokuzingisa nokuthobela kwabo, bazuze ubutyebi basemoyeni, nokuthi umzekelo wabo ube lithende lamandla kwabanye. “Ngokuba ndiyazazi iingcinga endizicingayo ngani, utsho uYehova: iingcinga zoxolo ezingezizo ezobubi.” Yeremiya 29:11. Ezi zilingo kanye zisebenzisa nzima ukholo lwethu, ade abe ngathi uThixo usishiyile, zisikhokelela ngakumbi ekwayameni kuKristu, ukuze siyibeke ezinyaweni zaKhe imithwalo yethu, sizuze uxolo athi asibuyekeze ngalo.ANa 129.2

UThixo usoloko ebavavanya abantu baKhe kwiziko lembandezelo. Kusekugqatseni kweziko apho inkunkuma yahlulwa khona kwigolide yenene yesimilo somKristu. UYesu uyalubukela uvavanyo; uyakwazi okufunekayo ukuhlambulula isinyithi esinexabiso ukuze sibonakalalise ukukhanya kothando lwaKhe. Uyabona ukuba abanye banamagunya anokusetyenziswa ekuhambiseleni phambili umsebenzi waKhe, aze abathabathe aba bantu ababeke ekulingweni; ngokwenzelela kwaKhe, ubabeka ababantu kwizikhundla ezivavanya isimilo sabo, zize ziveze iziphako nobuthakathaka, izinto ebezifihlakele kolwaboulwazi. Ubanika ithuba lokuzilungisa ezi ziphako baze bawufanele umsebenzi waKhe. Ubabonisa ubuthakathaka babo, abafundise ukwayama kuYe; kuba nguYe kuphela uncedo lwabo nomkhuseli wabo. Ngaloo ndlela iyafezeka injongo yaKhe. Bayafundiswa, baqeqeshwe, balulekwe, belungiselelwa ukuzalisekisa injongo ephakamileyo ababewanikelwe wona amagunya abo. Xa uThixo ebabizela emsebenzini bawulungele, zaye iingelosi zezulu zingazimanya nabo kumsebenzi ekufuneka ugqityiwe emhlabeni.ANa 129.3

Ngexesha lokuhlala kwakhe eYiputa, uAbraham wabonakalisa ukuba wayengakhululekanga kubuthakathaka nokungagqibeleli komntu. Ekufihleni ukuba uSara ngumkakhe, wabonisa ukungakuthembi ukukhathalelwa lizulu, nokusilela kokholo nesibindi esiphezulu, izinto ebezisoloko zibonakala zingumzekelo omhle ebomini bakhe. USara wayemhle ngenkangeleko, waza akayithandabuza into yokuba la maYiputa amnyama aya kuyinqwenela inzwakazi yasemzini, nokuthi, ukuze ayizuze awayi kuphozisa maseko ekubulaleni indoda yakhe. Wayezathuze ngelithi, akanabutyala bakuxoka xa emveza uSara njengodade wabo, kuba wayeyintombi kayise, nangona engenguye okamama wakhe. Sekunjalo, oku kufihlwa kolwalamano phakathi kwabo kwakuyinkohliso. Akukho ukusuka kwingqibelelo epheleleyo okwamkelekayo kuThixo. Ngokuswela ukholo kuka-Abraham, uSara wabekwa engozini enkulu. Ukumkani waseYiputa, akuba exelelwe ngobuhle bakhe, wathi makaziswe kuye ebhotwe, ezimisele ukumenza umfazi wakhe. UYehova, ngenceba yaKhe enkulu, wamkhusela uSara ngokuthumela izigwebo kusapho lwasebukhosini. Ngale ndlela ukumkani wayifunda inyaniso ngalo mcimbi, wathi, enomsindo ngokukhohliswa kwakhe, wamngxolisa uAbraham, wambuyisela kuye umfazi wakhe, esithi, “Yintoni na le uyenzileyo kum? . . . Yini na ukuba uthi, ngudade wenu? Ndamthabatha ukuba abe ngumfazi wam. Ngoku ke nanko umkakho, mthabathe uhambe.”ANa 130.1

UAbraham wayethandwe kakhulu ngukumkani; nangeli xesha, uFaro akazange avume ukuba abe nokuphathwa kakubi yena okanye indlu yakhe, kodwa wamisela umlindi ukuba abandulule bekhuselekile kubukumkani bakhe. Ngeli xesha kwenziwa imithetho eyalela amaYiputa ukuba angabi nabudlelane nabelusi basemzini nangayiphi indlela yokuqhelana, njengokutya nokusela kunye nabo. Ukuhanjiswa kuka-Abraham nguFaro kwakukuhle kunobubele; kodwa wathi makayishiye iYiputa, kuba akazange amvumele ukuba ahlale. Wathi ngokungazi, waphantsa wamenzakalisa kakhulu, kodwa uThixo wangenelela, wamsindisa ukumkani ekwenzeni isono esikhulu kakhulu. UFaro wabona kulo mntu wasemzini umntu othandwa kakhulu nguThixo wezulu, waza woyika ukuba ebukumkanini bakhe abe nomntu ekucace ngolo hlobo ukuba uphantsi kothando lwezulu. Ukuba uAbraham ebengahlala eYiputa, ubutyebi bakhe nentlonipho yakhe eyandayo zizinto ezaziya kuvusa umona okanye ukubawa kumaYiputa, abe nokulinyazwa, nto leyo awayeya kuba nobutyala ngayo ukumkani, neyayiza kwenza ukuba indlu yasebukhosini iphinde ifikelwe zizigwebo.ANa 130.2

Isilumkiso esanikwa uFaro saba sisikhuselo kuAbraham kamva ekuhlanganeni kwakhe nabantu abangabahedeni; kuba lo mba awuzange ube nakufihlakala, kwaza kwabonwa ukuba, uThixo amkhonzayo uAbraham uyasikhusela isicaka saKhe, nokuba, nakuphina ukusilimaza kuya kuba nempindezelo. Yinto eyingozi ukuba wone omnye wabantwana boKumkani wezulu. Umdumisi ubhekisa kwesi sahluko samava ka-Abraham xa athi, ethetha ngabantu abanyuliweyo, uThixo “wohlwaya ookumkani ngenxa yabo; esithi, Musani ukubachukumisa abathanjiswa bam, musani ukubaphatha kakubi abaprofeti bam.” Ndumiso 105:14, 15.ANa 131.1

Kukho ufano olunika umdla phakathi kwamava ka-Abraham eYiputa kunye nalawo enzala yakhe, sekuziinkulungwane kamva. Bonke behla basinga eYiputa ngenxa yendlala, baza bonke bahlala khona. Kwathi ngobukho bezohlwayo zezulu ngenxa yabo, ukoyikwa kwabo kwawawela amaYiputa; baza bathi, betyetyiswe zizipho zabahedeni, baphuma bexakathe intaphane yezinto.ANa 131.2