ʻĒpalahame mo Sela—ʻE Lava Ke Ke Faʻifaʻitaki ki Heʻena Tuí!

ʻOKU ui ia “ko e tamai ʻanautolu kotoa pe ʻoku tui.” (Loma 4:11) Ko hono uaifi ʻofeiná naʻá ne toe maʻu foki ʻa e ʻulungāanga ko iá. (Hepelu 11:11) Ko e pēteliake anga-fakaʻotua ia ko ʻĒpalahamé mo hono uaifi līʻoa ko Selá. Ko e hā naʻá na hoko ai ko e ongo faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ʻo e tuí? Ko e hā ʻa e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi naʻá na kātekiná? Pea ko e hā ʻa e mahuʻinga kia kitautolu ʻa e talanoa kia kinauá?

Naʻe fakahāhā ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa e tuí ʻi he taimi naʻe fekauʻi ai ia ʻe he ʻOtuá ke ne mavahe mei hono ʻapí. Naʻe folofola ʻa Sihova: “Hiki koe mei ho fonua, pea mei ho tupuʻanga, pea mei he fale ʻo hoʻo tamai, ki he fonua te u fakaha kiate koe.” (Senesi 12:1) Naʻe talangofua ʻa e pēteliake faitōnungá, he ʻoku tala mai kia kitautolu: “Ko tui naʻe talangofua ai ʻa Epalahame ʻi hono ui, ʻo ne ʻalu atu mei hono fonua ki ha potu te ne toki maʻu mōnō tofiʻa; ʻio, naʻa ne ʻalu atu, ʻo ʻikai te ne ʻilo pe ko ʻene ʻalu ki fē.” (Hepelu 11:8) Fakakaukau angé pe naʻe ʻuhinga ki he hā ʻa e hiki ko iá.

Naʻe nofo ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻi ʻUa, ʻi he feituʻu ʻoku ʻiloa he taimí ni ko e fakatonga ʻo ʻIulakí. Ko ʻUá ko ha senitā moʻumoʻua ia ʻi Mesopotēmia ʻa ia naʻe fefakatauʻaki mo e ngaahi fonua ʻo e Kūlifa Pēsiá hangehangē ko e Indus Valley. Ko Sir Leonard Woolley, ʻa ia naʻá ne fakahinohino ʻa e palani ʻo e keli fakatotolo ʻo ʻUá, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ʻo pehē ʻi he taimi ʻo ʻĒpalahamé ko e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi fale ʻi aí naʻe langa ia mei he pilikí, fakataha mo e holisi palasitā mo lanu hinehina. Hangē ko ení, ko e ʻapi ʻo ha tangataʻifonua tuʻumālie ʻe taha ko ha fale fungavaka ua fakataha mo hano lotoʻā valitā. Naʻe nofo ʻi lalo ʻa e fāmilí mo e kau fakaafé. ʻI he lēvolo ʻo e ʻuluaki fungavaká, naʻe lele takai ha fakafaletolo papa ʻi he holisí, ʻo ʻi ai ʻa e hūʻanga ki he ngaahi loki naʻe fakamavaheʻi ke ngāueʻaki ʻe he fāmilí. ʻI honau ngaahi loki ʻe 10 ki he 20, ko e ngaahi ʻapi nofoʻanga peheé naʻe “ʻi ha tuʻunga ʻatā pea lava ke ʻi ai ʻa e tuʻunga ki ha moʻui feʻungamālie, fakafiemālie pea ʻi he ngaahi tuʻunga ʻa e Hahaké, naʻe tuʻumālie,” ko e lau ia ʻa Woolley. Ko e “ngaahi ʻapi ʻiloa ia ʻo ha kakai sivilaise pea naʻe fakatōliʻa ai ʻa e ngaahi fiemaʻu ʻa ha moʻui fakakolo tuʻunga māʻolunga.” Kapau naʻe mavahe ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Sela mei ha ʻapi pehē fakataha mo e ʻamanaki atu ke nofo ʻi he ngaahi tēnití, naʻá na fai ʻa e ngaahi feilaulau lahi ke talangofua kia Sihova.

Ko e hiki ʻa ʻĒpalahamé naʻá ne ʻuluaki ʻave ai hono fāmilí ki Hālani, ko ha kolo ʻi he tokelau ʻo Mesopotēmia, pea hoko atu ai ki Kēnani. Ko e mamaʻo ia ʻo e kilomita nai ʻe 1,600—ko ha fuʻu hiki lahi ē ki ha ongo meʻa taʻumotuʻa! ʻI heʻena mavahe mei Hālaní, naʻe taʻu 75 ʻa ʻĒpalahame pea taʻu 65 ʻa Sela.​—Senesi 12:4.

Naʻe ongoʻi fēfē nai ʻa Sela ʻi he taimi naʻe fakahā ange ai ʻe ʻĒpalahame te na mavahe mei ʻUá? ʻI hono tukuange ʻa e tuʻunga malu ʻo ha ʻapi lelei, ʻo hiki ki ha fonua muli pea ʻe malava ke hoko ko ha fonua fakafilí, pea mo hono tali ha tuʻunga māʻulalo ange ʻo e moʻuí naʻá ne fakahohaʻasi nai ia. Ka neongo ia, naʻe anganofo ʻa Sela, ʻo ne fakakaukau kia ʻĒpalahame ko hono “ʻeiki.” (1 Pita 3:​5, 6) Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa e kau mataotao ʻe niʻihi ki he meʻá ni ko ha fakahāhā ia ʻe Sela ʻa e “fakakaukau mo e tōʻonga ʻapasia ʻi he anga fakafonuá kiate ia,” ko e fakamoʻoni ʻo e “ngaahi anga moʻoni ʻo e fakakaukaú mo e ongoʻí.” Kae hiliō he meʻa kotoa, naʻe falala ʻa Sela kia Sihova. Ko ʻene anganofó mo e tuí ʻoku hoko ia ko ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ki he ngaahi uaifi Kalisitiané.

Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku ʻikai kole mai ke tau liʻaki hotau ʻapí ke talangofua ai ki he ʻOtuá, neongo ia kuo mavahe ʻa e kau ʻevangeliō taimi-kakato ʻe niʻihi mei honau fonua tupuʻangá koeʻuhi ke malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻi ha toe fonua ʻe taha. Tatau ai pē pe ko fē ʻa e feituʻu ʻoku tau tauhi ai ki he ʻOtuá, kehe pē ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻa ʻi he moʻuí ʻa e ngaahi meʻa fakalaumālié, te ne tokangaʻi ʻa ʻetau ngaahi fiemaʻú.​—Mātiu 6:​25-​33.

Naʻe ʻikai fakaʻiseʻisa ʻa Sela pe ko ʻĒpalahame ʻi he fili naʻá na faí. ‘Ka ne na manatu ki he fonua ko ia naʻá na haʻu mei aí, naʻá na maʻu ai pe ha faingamalie ke na foki,’ ko e lau ia ʻa e ʻapositolo ko Paulá. Ka naʻe ʻikai te na toe foki. ʻI he tuipau ko Sihová “te ne hanga ʻo totongi kiate kinautolu ʻoku kumi hākili kiate ia,” naʻá na ngāueʻi ʻa e tui ki heʻene ngaahi talaʻofá. Kuo pau ke pehē pē mo kitautolu kapau ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau hokohoko atu hono fai ʻa e līʻoa ʻaufuatō kia Sihová.—Hepelu 11:​6, 15, 16.

Ngaahi Koloa Fakalaumālie mo Fakamatelie

Hili e aʻu ʻa ʻĒpalahame ki Kēnaní, naʻe tala ange ʻe he ʻOtuá kiate ia: “Ko ho hako te u ʻatu ki ai ʻa e fonua ni.” Naʻe tali ki ai ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻaki hono langa ha ʻōlita kia Sihova pea ʻaki ʻa e ui “ki he huafa ʻo Sihova.” (Senesi 12:​7, 8) Naʻe ʻai ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻĒpalahame ke ne koloaʻia, pea ko e faʻahinga ʻi hono ʻapitangá naʻa nau tokolahi. Koeʻuhi naʻá ne fakatahaʻi ʻi he taimi ʻe taha ʻa e kau tangata kuo akoʻi ʻe toko 318, ko e kau tamaioʻeiki naʻe fanauʻi ʻi hono falé, ʻoku pehē ai “ko e fakakātoa ʻo ʻene kulupú ʻoku pau pē naʻe laka hake hono tokolahí ʻi he toko taha afé.” Ko e hā pē ʻa e ʻuhingá, naʻe vakai kiate ia ʻa e kakaí “ko e ʻeiki lahi.”—Senesi 13:2; 14:14; 23:6.

Naʻe takimuʻa ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻi he lotú, ʻo akoʻi ʻa e faʻahinga ʻi hono falé ke nau “tauhi ʻa e ʻalunga ʻo Sihova, mo nau fai totonu mo tauhi tuʻutuʻuni.” (Senesi 18:19) Ko e ngaahi ʻuluʻi fāmili Kalisitiane he ʻaho ní ʻe lava ke nau maʻu ʻa e fakalototoʻa mei he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahamé ʻi he tuʻunga ko ha tokotaha ʻa ia naʻá ne lavameʻa ʻi hono akoʻi ʻa e ngaahi mēmipa ʻo hono falé ke nau falala kia Sihova pea ngāue ʻi ha founga māʻoniʻoni. Ko ia ʻoku ʻikai ha ofo ʻi he falala kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ʻa e kaunanga ʻIsipite ʻa Sela ko Hekaʻaá, ko e tamaioʻeiki taʻumotuʻa taha ʻa e pēteliaké, pea mo e foha ʻo ʻĒpalahame ko ʻAisaké.​—Senesi 16:​5, 13; 24:​10-​14; 25:21.

Kumi ʻa ʻĒpalahame ki he Melinó

Ko e ngaahi meʻa naʻe hoko ʻi he moʻui ʻa ʻĒpalahamé ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ko ʻĒpalahamé naʻá ne maʻu ha angaʻitangata anga-fakaʻotua. ʻI he ʻikai te ne fakaʻatā ke hokohoko atu ʻa e kē ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo ʻene kau tauhi manú mo e kau tauhi manu ʻa Lote ʻa ia naʻá ne fohaʻakí, naʻe fokotuʻu ange ʻe ʻĒpalahame ke mavaeua ʻa hona ongo ʻapitangá pea fakaafeʻi ʻa Lote naʻe siʻisiʻi angé ke ne fili ʻa e fonua naʻá ne saiʻia aí. Ko ʻĒpalahamé ko ha tokotaha fakamelino.​—Senesi 13:​5-​13.

Kapau ʻe faifai ange pea pau ke tau fili ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo ʻetau vilitaki ʻi heʻetau ngaahi totonú pe ko hono fai ha ngaahi meʻa ke tauhi ʻa e melinó, te tau fakatokangaʻi nai ai naʻe ʻikai tuku ʻe Sihova ke faingataʻaʻia ʻa ʻĒpalahame koeʻuhi he naʻá ne fakahāhā ʻa e fakaʻatuʻi kia Lote. ʻI hono kehé, naʻe talaʻofa ʻa Sihova ʻi he hili iá kia ʻĒpalahame mo hono hakó ʻa e fonua naʻe lava ke sio ki ai ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻi he tafaʻaki kotoa pē. (Senesi 13:​14-​17) “Monūʻiaā ka ko kinautolu ʻoku fakatupu melino,” ko e lea ia ʻa Sīsuú, “he ʻe ui ʻa kinautolu ko e ngāhi foha ʻo e ʻOtua.”—Mātiu 5:9.

Ko Hai ʻE Hoko ko e ʻEa ʻo ʻĒpalahamé?

Neongo ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa fekauʻaki mo ha hakó, naʻe kei paʻa pē ʻa Sela. Naʻe fakahā ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa e meʻá ni ki he ʻOtuá. ʻE maʻu nai ʻe heʻene sevāniti ko ʻEliesá ʻa e meʻa kotoa naʻá ne maʻú? ʻIkai, he naʻe folofola ʻa Sihova: “ʻOku ikai ko eni ia te ne ea kiate koe; kae kehe, ko e toko taha ʻe haʻu mei ho mānava, ko ia ia te ne ea kiate koe.”—Senesi 15:​1-4.

Neongo ia naʻe ʻikai ha tama, pea ko e taʻu 75 ko Selá ne mole ʻene ʻamanaki ʻe feitamá. Ko ia ai, naʻá ne tala ange kia ʻĒpalahame: “Kuo taʻofi au ʻe Sihova mei he fānau; ke ke ʻalu ki heʻeku kaunanga, heiʻilo te u fānau ʻiate ia.” Naʻe maʻu leva ai ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa Hekaʻā ko hono uaifi hono ua, ʻo ne mohe mo ia pea naʻá ne feitama. ʻI hono ʻiloʻi pē ʻe Hekaʻā kuó ne feitamá, naʻe kamata ke ne taʻetokaʻi ʻa hono pulé. Naʻe lāunga mamahi ʻa Sela kia ʻĒpalahame peá ne fakavaivaiʻi ʻa Hekaʻā, ʻo fakatupunga ai ke hola ʻa e kaunangá.—Senesi 16:​1-6.

Naʻe ngāue ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Sela ʻi he tui moʻoni, ʻi hono ohi ha ʻalunga ʻa ia naʻe fehoanaki mo e ngaahi tōʻonga naʻe tali ʻi hona ʻahó. Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai ko e founga ia ʻa Sihova ki hono fakatupu ʻa e hako ʻo ʻĒpalahamé. ʻE fakahaaʻi nai ʻi heʻetau anga fakafonuá ʻoku tonu ha ngaahi tōʻonga pau ʻi he malumalu ʻo ha ngaahi tuʻunga kehekehe, ka ʻoku ʻikai ke ʻuhinga tefito eni ia ʻoku finangalo ki ai ʻa Sihova. Ko ʻene vakai mai ki hotau tuʻungá ʻoku kehe ʻaupito nai ia. Ko ia ai, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau kumi ki he tataki ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻo lotu ke ne fakahaaʻi mai ʻa e founga ʻokú ne finangalo ke tau faí.​—Sāme 25:​4, 5; 143:​8, 10.

ʻOku ʻIkai ha Meʻa ʻe “Faigataa kia Jihova”

Faifai atu pē, naʻe fanauʻi ʻe Hekaʻā ha foha kia ʻĒpalahame ne ui ko ʻIsimeʻeli. Neongo ia, naʻe ʻikai ko ia ʻa e hako ne talaʻofá. Ko Sela tonu naʻe pau ke ne fanauʻi ʻa e ʻea ko iá, neongo ʻa hono tuʻunga taʻumotuʻá.​—Senesi 17:​15, 16.

ʻI hono fakahaaʻi pau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻe fanauʻi ʻe Sela ki hono husepānití ha fohá, naʻe “to foʻohifo ʻa Epalahame, ʻo ne kata; ʻo ne pehe ʻi hono loto, ʻE maʻu fanau koā ʻe ha fuʻu teau taʻu? pe faʻele koā ʻa Sela ko ha fuʻu hivangofulu taʻu?” (Senesi 17:17) Ko hano toe leaʻaki ʻe ha ʻāngelo ʻa e pōpoaki tatau ʻo lava ke fanongo atu ki ai ʻa Selá naʻe fakatupunga ai ia ke ne “katakata loto.” Ka ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻa ʻe “faigataa kia Jihova.” ʻOku lava ke tau maʻu ʻa e tui te ne lava ke fai ha meʻa pē ʻokú ne finangalo ki ai.—Senesi 18:​12-14, PM.

Ko e “tui naʻe maʻu malohi ai ʻa Sela foki ke tuʻituʻia, ʻio neongo kuo ne tauhili mo e taimi ko ia, ko e meʻa ʻi heʻene lau ko e toko taha ia ʻoku fai ki heʻene lea ʻa ia kuo ne talaʻofa.” (Hepelu 11:11) ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taimí, naʻe fanauʻi ai ʻe Sela ʻa ʻAisake, ʻa ia ko hono hingoá ʻoku ʻuhinga ko e “Kata.”

Falala Kakato ki he Ngaahi Talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá

Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe Sihova ko ʻAisake ʻa e ʻea naʻe tatali fuoloa ki aí. (Senesi 21:12) Ko ia kuo pau pē naʻe moʻutāfuʻua ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻi he taimi naʻe kole ai kiate ia ʻa e ʻOtuá ke ne feilaulauʻaki ʻa hono fohá. Neongo ia, naʻe maʻu ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa e ngaahi ʻuhinga lelei ke falala kakato ai ki he ʻOtuá. ʻIkai ʻe malava ʻe Sihova ke ne fokotuʻu hake ʻa ʻAisake mei he maté? (Hepelu 11:​17-​19) ʻIkai ne fakamoʻoniʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa hono mālohí ʻaki ʻene fakafoki fakaemana mai ʻa e ngaahi mālohi fakafanau ʻo ʻĒpalahame mo Selá koeʻuhi ke fakahoko ʻi he ʻuluaki taimí ʻa e fanauʻi ʻo ʻAisaké? ʻI he tuipau ki he malava ʻa e ʻOtuá ke fakahoko ʻa ʻEne ngaahi talaʻofá, naʻe mateuteu ai ʻa ʻĒpalahame ke talangofua. Ko e moʻoni, naʻe taʻofi ia mei heʻene fakapoongi moʻoni ʻa hono fohá. (Senesi 22:​1-​14) Neongo ia, ko e ngafa naʻe fakahoko ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻi he meʻa ko ení ʻoku tokoniʻi ai kitautolu ke tau sio ki he faingataʻa ko ia kuo pau ne hoko kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ke ne “foaki hono ʻAlo tofu-pe-taha-ne-fakatupu, koeʻuhi ko ia kotoa pe ʻoku tui pikitai kiate ia ke ʻoua naʻa ʻauha, kae maʻu ʻa e moʻui taʻengata.”—Sione 3:16; Mātiu 20:28.

Ko e tui ki he ʻOtuá naʻá ne ʻai ke mahino kia ʻĒpalahame ko e ʻea ki he ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihová ʻe ʻikai lava ke ne mali mo ha tokotaha lotu loi ʻo e fonua ko Kēnaní. ʻE lava fēfē ke loto ha mātuʻa anga-fakaʻotua ke mali ʻa ʻene tamá mo ha taha ʻoku ʻikai ke tauhi kia Sihova? Naʻe kumi ai ʻe ʻĒpalahame ha uaifi feʻungamālie kia ʻAisake ʻi he lotolotonga ʻo hono kāinga ʻi Mesopotēmiá, ʻa ia naʻe laka hake hono mamaʻó ʻi he kilomita ʻe 800. Naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e feinga ko iá ʻaki ʻene fakahaaʻi ko Lepeka ʻa e fefine kuó ne fili ke hoko ko e mali ʻo ʻAisaké pea hoko ko ha kui-fefine ʻa e Mīsaiá. ʻIo, naʻe hanga ʻe Sihova ʻo ‘tabuaki a Ebalahame i he mea kotoabe.’—Senesi 24:​1-67, PM; Mātiu 1:​1, 2.

Ngaahi Tāpuaki ki he Puleʻanga Kotoa Pē

Naʻe alafaʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Sela ʻi hono kātekina ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahí pea ʻi hono ngāueʻi ʻa e tui ki he ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko e fakahoko ʻo e ngaahi talaʻofa ko iá ʻoku ʻi ai hono kaunga ki he ngaahi ʻamanaki taʻengata ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, he naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻe Sihova kia ʻĒpalahame: “Ko ho hako ʻe monuʻia ai ʻa e ngaahi puleʻanga ʻo mamani; koeʻuhiā kuo ke tuitala ki heʻeku lea.”—Senesi 22:18.

Ko e moʻoni, naʻe taʻehaohaoa ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Sela, ʻo tatau pē mo kitautolu. Kae kehe, ʻi he taimi naʻe hoko ai ʻo mahino kia kinaua ʻa e finangalo ʻo e ʻOtuá, naʻá na fai leva ki ai—ʻo tatau ai pē pe ko e hā hono lahí. ʻOku manatua ʻa ʻĒpalahame ko e “Takanga ʻo e ʻOtua” pea ko Selá ko ha ‘fefine maʻoniʻoni, ʻa ia naʻe tuʻu ʻene falalá ki he ʻOtuá.’ (Semisi 2:23; 1 Pita 3:5) ʻI he feinga ke faʻifaʻitaki ki he tui ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Selá, ko kitautolu foki ʻe lava ke tau maʻu ha fekoekoeʻi mahuʻinga mo e ʻOtuá. ʻE toe lava foki ke tau maʻu ʻaonga mei he ngaahi talaʻofa mahuʻinga naʻe fai ʻe Sihova kia ʻĒpalahamé.​—Senesi 17:7.

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 26]

Koeʻuhi ko ʻena tuí, naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻĒpalahame mo Sela ʻaki ha foha ʻi hona taʻumotuʻá

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 28]

Ko e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahamé ʻoku tokoniʻi ai kitautolu ke tau sio ki he anga hono uesia ʻa Sihova ʻi heʻene fakaʻatā ʻa hono ʻAlo tofu-pē-taha-ne-fakatupú ke ne pekiá