15—Umtshato KaIsake

[Esi sakhluko sisekwe kwiGenesis 24.]

UAbraham waye ekhulile, elindele ukuba angafa kungekudala; kanti ke, kwakusele kuye into enye ukuba ayenze ekuzuzeni idinga lesizukulwana sakhe. UIsake nguye owayetyunjwe lizulu ukuba amlandele, kodwa wayengekatshati. Abemi baseKanan babengabantu abanqula izithixo, abe uThixo ekwalele ukwendiselana phakathi kwabantu baKhe nabo, kuba esazi ukuba imitshato enjalo iya kukhokelela elukreqweni. Indoda enkulu yaloyika igalelo leempembelelo ezonakalisayo ezazingqonge unyana wayo. Ukholo luka-Abraham, lwesithethe, kuThixo, nokuzinikela kwintando yaKhe, zizinto ezazibonakala esimilweni sikaIsake; kwaye ukuthanda komfana kwakuqinile, enobulali ethozamile ngesimilo. Ukuba wayenokumanywa nomntu ongamoyikiyo uThixo, wayeya kuba sengozini yokuncama umthetho-siseko ngenxa yokufuna ukuvumelana. Engqondweni ka-Abraham, ukukhethela unyana wakhe umfazi kwakungumcimbi obaluleke kakhulu; wayenxanelwe ukuba angatshata umntu ongayi kumkhokelela kude kuThixoANa 171.1

Ngamaxesha akudala, ukungena emitshatweni kwakusenziwa ngabazali, laye eli ilisiko kwabo banqula uThixo. Kwakungafuneki kubekho abatshata abo bangenako ukubathanda; kodwa ekunikiseni kwabo ngothando, ulutsha lwalukhokelwa ziimbono zabazali balo ababemoyika uThixo. Kwakubonwa njengokungahloneli bazali, nokwaphulwa komthetho ukulandela ikhondo elichaseneyo noku.ANa 171.2

UIsake, ethembele kubulumko nothando lukayise, waneliswa kukuwuyekela kuye umcimbi, ekholwa kanjalo ukuba uThixo ngokwaKhe uya kukhokela kukhetho olwenziwayo. Iingcinga zendoda enkulu zaguqukela kwindlu kayise ezweni laseMesopotami. Nangona babengekho msulwa ekunquleni izithixo, babenalo ulwazi kunye nokunqula uThixo oyinyaniso. Kwakungafuneki uIsake ayishiye iKanan aye kubo, kodwa mhlawumbi wayenokufumaneka onokushiya ikhayalakhe azimanye naye ekugcineni unqulo oluhlambulukieyo lukaThixo ophilayo. UAbraham wawunikela lo mcimbi ubalulekileyo kumkhonzi “oyena mkhulu endlwini yakhe,” indoda enobungcwele, amava, nengqiqo ephilileyo, eyamnika inkonzo ende nethembekileyo. Wafuna ukuba lo mkhonzi enze isifungo esinendili phambi kukaYehova, ukuba akayi kumthabathela uIsake umfazi kumaKanan, kodwa uyakukhetha intombi kusapho lukaNahore eMesopotami. Wamyalela ukuba angayi naye uIsake khona apho. Ukuba ayinakufumaneka intwazana enokushiya abantu bakowayo, uya kuthi umkhonzi akhululeke kwisifungo sakhe. Indoda enkulu yamkhuthaza kumsebenzi wakhe onzima noethe-ethe ngesiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo uya kuwuwonga umsebenzi wakhe ngempumelelo. “UYehova, uThixo wamazulu,” watsho, “owandithabathayo endlwini kabawo, ezweni lokuzalwa kwam, . . . wosithuma isithunywa sakhe phambi kwakho.”ANa 171.3

Umthunywa wahamba engalibazisanga. Wathabatha ishumi leenkamela zokusetyenziswa liqela lakhe kunye nelomtshakazi aya kubuya naye, walungisa nezipho zomfazi ekujongwe kuye kunye nabahlobo bakhe, wathabatha uhambo olude ukudlula ngaphaya kweDamasko, ukubheka phambili kumathafa atyebileyo akwimida kumlambo omkhulu waseMpuma. Wathi akufika eHaran, “emzini kaNahore,” wamisa ngaphandle kweendonga, kufuphi nequla apho abafazi bendawo babefika ukuza kukha amanzi xa litshonayo ilanga. Laba lixesha lengcinga yonxunguphalo kuye. Iziphumo ezibalulekileyo, kungekuphela kwindlu yenkosi yakhe, kodwa nakwizizukulwana ezizayo, zaziya kulandela, zaye ziya kuxhomekeka kukhetho alwenzileyo; abe wayeza kukhetha njani ngobulumko phakathi kwabangaziwayo bonke? Wathi akukhumbula amazwi ka-Abraham, okuba uThixo uya kuthumela ingelosi yaKhe kunye naye, wathandaza ngemyameko ukuba akhokelwe kakuhle. Kusapho lwenkosi yakhe wayeqhelene nokwenza rhoqo ububele nokubuka abantu, waza ngoku wacela ukuba isenzo sembeko sibe luphawu lwentombi uThixo ayikhethileyo.ANa 172.1

Wathi ungekenziwa nje nomthandazo, yabe seyinikwa impendulo. Phakathi kwabafazi ababehlangene equleni, indlela enembeko yokuziphatha komnye yatsala ingqalelo yakhe. Wathi xa ebuya equleni, owasemzini wamhlangabeza, emcela amanzi asemphandeni abewuthwele egxalabeni lakhe. Isicelo safumana impendulo enobubele, nesipho sokukhelela neenkamela amanzi, umsebenzi lowo owawusisithethe nakumakhosazana ukuwenzela imihlambi yooyise yempahla emfutshane neenkomo. Ngaloo ndlela waba uyenzeka umqondiso obe ufunwa. Intombi “ibe intle kunene imbonakalo,“yaza nembekoenayoyanikaubungqinaentliziyoenobubelenendalo ekhutheleyo nesebenzayo. Ukuza kufika apho, isandla sezulu sasisenaye. Emva kokuphendula kububele bayo ngezipho ezityebileyo, abathunywa bayibuza ngabazali, baza bathi bakufumana ukuba uyintombi kaBhetuweli, umtshana ka-Abraham, wa“thoba . . . [wa]qubuda kuYehova.”ANa 172.2

Le ndoda yayicele ukwamkelwa endlwini kayise, yaza ekuvakaliseni kwayo umbulelo, yaveza ukuba ihlangene noAbraham. Ekubuyeleni kwayo ekhaya, intombi yakuxela okwenzekileyo, waza uLabhan, umnakwayo, wakhawuleza ukumngenisa umhambi nabo babekunye naye ukuba baxhamle ukwenzelwa ububele.ANa 173.1

UEliyezere akazange afune ukutya ade aluphalaze udaba athunywe lona, umthandazo wakhe equleni, nazo zonke iimeko ezihambelana nawo. Wathi ngoko, “Ngoku ke, ukuba niyayenzela inceba nenyaniso inkosi yam, ndixeleleni: ukuba anenjenjalo, ndixeleleni; ukuze ndibheke ekunene, nokuba kusekhohlo.” Impendulo yathi, “Le nto iphuma kuYehova; asinakuthetha nto kuwe, nokuba yembi nokuba yelungileyo. Nanko uRebheka phambi kwakho. Mthabathe, uhambe, abe ngumfazi wonyana wenkosi yakho, njengoko akuthethileyo uYehova.”ANa 173.2

Emva kokuba imvume yosapho ifunyenwe, uRebheka ngokwakhe kwathethwa naye kubuzwa ukuba uya kuyishiya umgama ongako na indlu kayise, ukuze atshate unyana ka-Abraham. Wakholwa, ngenxa yoko kwakuse kwenzekile, ukuba uThixo umkhethile ukuba abe yinkosikazi kaIsake, wathi, “Ndohamba.”ANa 173.3

Umkhonzi, elindele uvuyo lwenkosi yakhe ngenxa yempumelelo yohambo lwakhe, wakungxamela kakhulu ukuhamba; kwathi kwangonyezi, baluqala uhambo olubuyela ekhaya. UAbraham wayehlala eBhershebha, waza uIsake, owayesalusa imihlambi kwindawo engekude, wabuyela ententeni kayise ukuya kulindela ukufika komthunywa ukuvela kwaHaran. “Waphuma uIsake, waya kucamngca entsimini, xa kuhlwayo; wawaphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona nanzo iinkamela zisiza. URebheka wawaphakamisa amehlo akhe, wambona uIsake, waziphosa phantsi, wehla enkameleni. Wathi kumkhonzi, Ngubani na laa mfo uhambayo entsimini, esiza kusikhawulela? Wathi umkhonzi, Yinkosi yam. Wathabatha ke isigqubuthelo, wazigqubuthela. Umkhonzi wamxelela uIsake izinto zonke abezenzile. UIsake wamsa ententeni kaSara unina, wamzeka uRebheka, waba ngumkakhe; wamthanda. UIsake wathuthuzeleka ke ngenxa yonina.”ANa 173.4

UAbraham wayesiphawule isiphumo sokwendiselana nabo bamoyikayo uThixo nabo bangamoyikiyo, kususela kwimihla kaKayin ukuza kwelakhe ixesha. Iziphumo zowakhe umtshato noHagare, nezoqhagamshelwano ngemitshato kuIshmayeli noLote, zaziphambi kwakhe. Ukungabikho kokholo kuAbraham noSara kwaba nesiphumo sokuzalwa kukaIshmayeli, ukuxubana kwembewu elungileyo nengalunganga. Impembelelo katata kunyana yaphazanyiswa yileyo yezizalwana zikanina ezazinqula izithixo nakukuhlangana kuka-Ishmayeli nabafazi abangabahedeni. Ikhwele likaHagare, nelabafazi awabakhethela uIshmayeli, lalujikeleza usapho ngomqobo awazama woyisakala uAbraham ukuwoyisa.ANa 174.1

Iimfundiso zokuqala zika-Abraham azizange zingabi nalo igalelo kuIshmayeli, kodwa impembelelo yabafazi bakhe yaphumela ekumiselweni konqulo lwezithixo elusatsheni lwakhe. Wathi kuba ohlukene noyise, ekrakra emphefumlweni yimbambano nengxabano yekhaya eliphelelwe luthando nokoyika uThixo, uIshmayeli waqhutyelwa ekukhetheni ubomi benkosi yasentlango obundlongondlongo nobesibhadubhadu. [Wayethe uYehova], “isandla sakhe siya kuchasana nabantu bonke, isandla sabantu bonke sichasane naye.” Genesis 16:12. Kwimihla yakhe yamva waguquka kwiindlela zakhe ezimbi wabuyela kuThixo kayise, kodwa uphawu lwesimilo asinike izizukulwana zakhe lwahlala lukho. Uhlanga olunamandla olwaphuma kuye lwalungabantu abanengxwabangxwaba, abangabahedeni, ababesoloko besisiphazamiso nesigculelo kwizizukulwana zikaIsake.ANa 174.2

Umka Lote wayengumfazi othanda okwakhe, ongakholwayo, yaza impembelelo yakhe yasetyenziselwa ukwahlula umyeni wakhe kuAbraham. Ukuba kwakungengaso isizathu sakhe, uLote ngewayengahlalanga eSodom, ekude nengcebiso zenyange elilumkileyo nelimoyikayo uThixo. Impendulo yenkosikazi yakhe namahlakani ayo eso sixeko sikhohlakeleyo ngeyamkhokelela ekubeni akreqe kuThixo ukuba ekuqaleni wayengafumananga kuAbraham imfundiso enyanisekileyo. Umtshato kaLote nokukhetha kwakhe iSodom njengekhaya, kwaba likhonkco lokuqala kwityathanga leziganeko ezizele bububi ehlabathini kwizizukulwana ezininzi.ANa 174.3

Akakho othi emoyika uThixo, azimanye ngaphandle kwengozi nalowo ungamoyikiyo. “Bakha bahambe ndawonye na ababini, bengavani?” Amos 3:3. Ulonwabo nempumelelo yolwalamano emtshatweni ixhomekeka kubunye babo babini; kodwa phakathi kokholwayo nongakholwayo kukho ukwahluka okukhulu ekukhetheni, ekuthandeni nasezinjongweni. Bakhonza iinkosi ezimbini, ekungekho kuvumelana phakathi kwazo. Akukhathali nokuba inyulu, ilunge kangakanani imithetho-sisekoyomnye, impembelelo yeqabane elingakholwayo iya kuthanda ukukhokelela kude noThixo.ANa 174.4

Lowo ungene emtshatweni ngexesha engaguqukanga, ngokuguquka kwakhe, ubekwe phantsi kokunyanzeleka okuqinileyo ukuba athembeke kwiqabane lakhe, nokuba bohlukene kangakanani mayela nokholo lwenkolo; kanti ke, amabango kaThixo, kufuneka abekwe ngaphezu kwabo bonke ubudlelwane basemhlabeni, nangona isiphumo sinokuba zizilingo nentshutshiso. Ngomoya wothando nobulali, oku kuthembeka kusenokuba nempembelelo yokumzuza lowo ungakholwayo. Wona umtshato wamaKristu nabangakholwayo, uyalelwa yiBhayibhile. Umyalelo kaYehova uthi, “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke.” 2 Korinte 6:14, 17, 18.ANa 175.1

UIsake wabekwa phezulu kakhulu nguThixo ngokwenziwa indlalifa yamadinga, elaliza kuthi ihlabathi lisikelelwe ngawo; kanti wathi xa enamashumi amane eminyaka ubudala waziyekela kwimbono kayise ekunyuleni amava akhe, umkhonzi wakhe omoyikayo uThixo ukuba amkhethele umfazi. Isiphumo saloo mtshato, njengoko sibekwa eziBhalweni, ngumfanekiso wobubele nobuhle wolonwabo lwekhaya: “UIsake wamsa ententeni kaSara unina, wamzeka uRebheka, waba ngumkakhe; wamthanda. UIsake wathuthuzeleka ke ngenxa yonina.”ANa 175.2

Umahluko ongako phakathi kwekhondo likaIsake nelo lilandelwa lulutsha lweli xesha lethu, naphakathi kwabo bazibiza ngokuthi bangamaKristu! Abantu abatsha, bakholisa ukucinga ukuba ukubekwa kothando lwabo ngumcimbi ekufuneka umntu azenzele ngokwakhe; umcimbi uThixo nabazali babo ekungafuneki bawulawule nangayiphi indlela. Bathi kuse kude ukuba bafike ebudodeni okanye ebufazini bacinge ukuba bayakwazi ukuzikhethela ngokwabo, ngaphandle koncedo lwabazali babo. Iminyaka nje embalwa betshatile ikholisa ukuba yanele ukubonisa impazamo yabo, kodwa kuba sekusemva ukuba zinganqandwa iziphumo ezinenkohlakalo. Kwa-oku kuswela ubulumko nokuzilawula okwakhokelela ekukhetheni ngokungxama, kuyavunyelwa ukuba bubandise ububi, lude ulwalamano emtshatweni lube yidyokhwe ekrakra. Abaninzi baye balonakalisa ulonwabo lwabo kobu bomi kunye nethemba labo lobomi obuzayo.ANa 175.3

Ukuba kukho umba ekufuneka uqatshelwe ngononophelo, nekufuneka kufunwe kuwo icebiso labantu abadala nabanamava, ngumba womtshato; ukuba yakha yafuneka iBhayibhile njengomcebisi, ukuba inkokelo yezulu ikhe ifuneke ngomthandazo, kuphambi kokuba kuthatyathwe inyathelo elibophelela kunye abantu ubomi bonke.ANa 175.4

Akufuneki ukuba abazali balahlekwe luxanduva lwabo ngekamva lolonwabo lwabantwana babo. UkuhloniphakukaIsake imbono kayise kwakusisiphumo sengqeqesho eyamfundisa ukuthanda ubomi bokuthobela. Njengokuba uAbraham wayefuna ukuba abantwana bakhe bahloniphe igunya labazali, ubomi bakhe bemihla ngemihla babungqina ukuba, elo gunya lalingelulo ulawulo olusekeleze okukokwalo okanye ukuzithandela, kodwa lwalusekwe eluthandweni, lunenjongo yokulungelwa nokonwaba kwabo (abantwana).ANa 176.1

Oomama nootata kufuneka bazive ingumsebenzi oxhomekeke kubo ukukhokela ukuthanda kwabantu abatsha, ukuze kubekwe kwabo baya kuba ngamaqabane afanelekileyo. Kufuneka bakuve kungumthwalo, ngokufundisa kwabo nangomzekelo, ngoncedo lobabalo lukaThixo, ukuqulunqa isimilo sabantwana kwakwiminyaka yasekuqaleni ukuze babenyulu babe nesidima batsaleleke kokulungileyo nokuyinene. Izinto ezifanayo ziyatsalana; izinto ezifanayo ziyaxabisana. Ukuthanda inyaniso nobunyulu nokulungileyo makutyalwe emphefumlweni, khon’ ukuze ulutsha lufune ukuzihlanganisa nabo banazo ezo mpawu.ANa 176.2

Abazali mabazame, ezimilweni zabo nakubomi basemakhayeni abo, ukuba ngumzekelo wothando nentsikelelo kaBawo osezulwini. Ikhaya malizaliswe kukukhanya. Oku kuya kuba nexabiso ngaphezulu ebantwaneni kunemihlaba okanye imali. Uthando lwekhaya malugcinwe luphilile ezintliziyweni zabo, ukuze bakhangele emva kwikhaya lobuntwana babo njengendawo yoxolo nokonwaba ukulandela izulu. Amalungu osapho awanazimpawu zinye zesimilo onke, kuya kubakho amathuba okuba kufuneke umonde nokunyamezela; kodwa ngothando nokuzilawula, bonke banokuhlanganiswa kubunye obuliqilima.ANa 176.3

Uthando lwenene lungumthetho-siseko ophakamileyo nongcwele, owahluke ngokupheleleyo ngesimilo kolo thando luvuswa kukuthabatheka lubuye lufe kwakamsinyane lwakuvavanywa kakhulu. Kungokuthembeka emsebenzini ekhayeni labazali apho bathi abatsha bazilungiselele awabo amakhaya. Mabafunde ukuzilandula babonise ububele, imbeko, novelwano lobuKristu. Ngoko ke, uthando luya kugcinwa lushushu entliziyweni, aze athi lowo uphuma kwikhaya elinjalo, akuba eme njengentloko yosapho olulolwakhe, ayazi indlela yokukhuthaza ulonwabo lwalowo amkhethileyo njengeqabane lobomi bakhe. Umtshato, endaweni yokuba ube sisiphelo sothando, uya kuba sisiqalo salo.ANa 176.4