UAbraham—Umzekelo Wokholo

‘UAbraham wayenguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo.’—ROMA 4:11.

1, 2. (a) AmaKristu okwenyaniso akhumbula ntoni ngoAbraham namhlanje? (b) Kutheni uAbraham ebizwa ngokuba “nguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo”?

WAYENGUKHOKHO wohlanga olunamandla, engumprofeti, engusomashishini, eyinkokeli. Ukanti, amaKristu namhlanje, akhumbula uphawu olwashukumisela uYehova uThixo ukuba amgqale njengomhlobo wakhe—ukholo lwakhe olungaxengaxengiyo. (Isaya 41:8; Yakobi 2:23) Igama lakhe nguAbraham, yaye iBhayibhile imbiza ngokuba “nguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo.”—Roma 4:11.

² Ngaba amadoda awayephila ngaphambi kuka-Abraham, njengoAbheli, uEnoki noNowa, akazange abonakalise ukholo? Alubonakalisa, kodwa umnqophiso wokusikelela zonke iintlanga zomhlaba wenziwa noAbraham. (Genesis 22:18) Ngaloo ndlela waba nguyise wokomfuziselo wabo bonke ababeza kubonakalisa ukholo kwiMbewu ethenjisiweyo. (Galati 3:8, 9) Ukusa kumlinganiselo othile, uAbraham unokugqalwa njengobawo wethu, kuba ukholo awayenalo ngumzekelo wokuxeliswa. Ubomi bakhe bonke bunokugqalwa njengembonakaliso yokholo, kuba lwavavanywa ngeendlela ezininzi. Eneneni, kude kudala ngaphambi kokuba uAbraham ajamelane nokuvavanywa kokholo lwakhe ngeyona ndlela igqithiseleyo—umyalelo wokunikela ngonyana wakhe uIsake—uAbraham wazingqina enokholo kwiimvavanyo ezininzi. (Genesis 22:1, 2) Ngoku makhe sihlolisise ezinye zeendlela olwavavanywa ngazo ukholo lwakhe ngaphambili size sibone oko zinokusifundisa kona namhlanje.

Umyalelo Wokumka eUre

3. Isixelela ntoni iBhayibhile ngemvelaphi ka-Abram?

³ IBhayibhile ithetha ngoAbram (kamva owaziwa njengoAbraham) kwiGenesis 11:26, ethi: “UTera waphila iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe, waza emva koko wazala uAbram, uNahore noHaran.” UAbram wayeyinzala kaShem owayesoyika uThixo. (Genesis 11:10-24) Ngokutsho kweGenesis 11:31, uAbram wayehlala nentsapho yakowabo “eUre yamaKhaledi” kwisixeko esasichumile esasikwimpuma yoMlambo umEfrate.a Ngaloo ndlela, akazange akhule njengonothwal’ impahlana kodwa wayehlala esixekweni apho kwakuphilwa ubomi obutofotofo. Kwiimarike zaseUre kwakuthengiswa impahla evela kwamanye amazwe. Kwizitrato zalapho kwakukho imizi eyayiqatywe mhlophe eyayinamagumbi ali-14, eyayinemibhobho yamanzi ngaphakathi.

4. (a) Luluphi ucelomngeni ababejamelana nalo abanquli boThixo oyinyaniso eUre? (b) Kwenzeka njani ukuba uAbram abe nokholo kuYehova?

⁴ Ngaphandle kwezo zinto ziphathekayo, iUre yayisizisa ucelomngeni olunzima kuye nabani na owayefuna ukunqula uThixo oyinyaniso. Esi sixeko sasibandakanyeke ngokunzulu kunqulo-zithixo nakwiinkolelo. Eneneni, eso sixeko sasizaliswe ziitempile ezazineenqaba ezinde ezazizukisa uthixo wenyanga uNanna. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uAbram wayephantsi kwengcinezelo yokubandakanyeka kolo nqulo lungendawo, mhlawumbi nengcinezelo yezalamane zakhe ezithile. Ngokutsho kwenye imbali yamaYuda, uyise ka-Abram, uTera wayengumenzi wezithixo. (Yoshuwa 24:2, 14, 15) Enoba kuyintoni na, uAbram akazange abandakanyeke kunqulo lobuxoki olungcolileyo. Ukhokho wakhe owayesele ekhulile uShem wayesaphila yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo wamazisa oko yena wayekwazi ngokuphathelele uThixo oyinyaniso. Ngenxa yoko, uAbram wayenokholo kuYehova, kungekhona kuNanna!—Galati 3:6.

Ukuvavanywa Kokholo

5. Nguwuphi umyalelo nesithembiso uThixo awasinika uAbram ngoxa wayeseseUre?

⁵ Ukholo luka-Abram lwaluza kuvavanywa. UThixo wabonakala kuye waza wamyalela esithi: “Hamba umke ezweni lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho nasendlwini kayihlo, uye ezweni endiya kukubonisa lona; yaye ndiya kukwenza ube luhlanga olukhulu ndize ndikusikelele, ndilenze libe likhulu igama lakho; ube yintsikelelo. Yaye ndiya kubasikelela abo bakusikelelayo, ndize ndimqalekise lowo ukuqalekisayo, kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngawe zonke iintsapho zasemhlabeni.”—Genesis 12:1-3; IZenzo 7:2, 3.

6. Kutheni kwakufuneka uAbram abe nokholo olomeleleyo ukuze ayishiye iUre?

⁶ UAbram wayesele ekhulile yaye wayengenamntwana. Kwakuza kwenzeka njani ukuba enziwe ‘uhlanga olukhulu’? Yaye lalindawoni kanye kanye eli lizwe wayalelwa ukuba aye kulo? UThixo akazange amxelele ngelo xesha. Ngoko ke, kwafuneka uAbram abe nokholo olomeleleyo ukuze asishiye eso sixeko saseUre sasinobunewunewu. Xa ithetha ngamaxesha amandulo incwadi ethi Family, Love and the Bible ithi: “Esona sohlwayo sibuhlungu esasifunyanwa lilungu lentsapho elaphule umthetho ngokunzulu yayikukuligxotha, liyeke ukuba ‘lilungu’ lentsapho. . . . Kungenxa yoko le nto uAbraham egqalwa njengalowo wabonakalisa intobelo nentembelo ebalaseleyo kuThixo xa waphulaphula umyalelo kaThixo wokushiya kungekuphela nje ilizwe lakowabo kodwa nezalamane zakhe.”

7. AmaKristu namhlanje anokujamelana njani neemvavanyo ezifana nezo uAbram wajamelana nazo?

⁷ AmaKristu namhlanje asenokujamelana novavanyo olufanayo. NjengoAbram, sisenokuphenjelelwa ukuba sibeke izinto eziphathekayo ngaphambi kwezilangazelelo zobuthixo. (1 Yohane 2:16) Sisenokuchaswa ngamalungu entsapho angakholwayo, kuquka izalamane ezisusiweyo kubudlelane, ezisenokuzama ukusilukuhlela kunxulumano olungafanelekanga. (Mateyu 10:34-36; 1 Korinte 5:11-13; 15:33) Ngaloo ndlela uAbram wasimisela umzekelo omhle. Ubuhlobo bakhe noYehova wabubeka kwindawo yokuqala ukudlula yonke into—nkqu namaqhina entsapho. Wayengazi ngokuthe ngqo ukuba izithembiso zikaThixo zaziya kuzaliseka njani, nini yaye phi. Sekunjalo, wayekulungele ukuphila ngokuvisisana nezo zithembiso. Olunjani lona ukhuthazo lokubeka uBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu namhlanje!—Mateyu 6:33.

8. Ukholo luka-Abram lwaba nayiphi impembelelo kumalungu entsapho yakhe, yaye anokufunda ntoni amaKristu koku?

⁸ Kuthekani ngamalungu entsapho ka-Abram? Ngokucacileyo, ukholo luka-Abram nolweyiseko lwakhe lwaba nempembelelo enkulu kuwo, kuba umfazi wakhe uSarayi, nomtshana wakhe uLote owayeyinkedama bashukunyiselwa ukuba bathobele umyalelo kaThixo wokulishiya elaseUre. Umntakwabo Abram uNahore nenye yenzala yakhe kamva bemka eUre baya kuhlala kwaHaran, apho babenqula khona uYehova. (Genesis 24:1-4, 10, 31; 27:43; 29:4, 5) Kaloku, noyise ka-Abram, uTera, wavuma ukuhamba nonyana wakhe! Ngaloo ndlela, ngenxa yokufudukela kwakhe kwaKanan, iBhayibhile imbiza ngokuba yintloko-ntsapho. (Genesis 11:31) Ngaba nathi sinokuphumelela ukusa kumlinganiselo othile ukuba sinikela ubungqina ngobuchule kwizalamane zethu?

9. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo ekwafuneka uAbram awenze ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, yaye kutheni oko kusenokuba kwakuquka ukulahlekelwa kokuthile?

⁹ Yayininzi into ekwafuneka uAbram ayenze ngaphambi kokuqalisa uhambo lwakhe. Kwafuneka athengise umzi nempahla yakhe, athenge iintente, iinkamela, ukutya nezinye izinto ezaziyimfuneko. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uAbram walahlekelwa yimali ethile xa wayesenza loo malungiselelo ngokungxama, kodwa wayekuvuyela ukuthobela uYehova. Hayi indlela olumele ukuba lwalubaluleke ngayo usuku lwaxa amalungiselelo ayesele egqityiwe yaye uAbram kunye neqela awayeza kuhamba nalo bemi ngaphandle kweUre, belungele ukuhamba! Emva kokudlula kwigophe elikufuphi noMlambo umEfrate, elo qela laya ngakumntla-ntshona. Emva kweeveki eziliqela zolo hambo, lihambe malunga neekhilomitha ezili-1 000, lafika kwisixeko esikumntla Mesopotamiya esibizwa ngokuba kukwaHaran, indawo ababedla ngokumisa kuyo abantu abakuhambo olude.

10, 11. (a) Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela uAbram wahlala kwaHaran okwethutyana? (b) Anokukhuthazwa njani amaKristu anyamekela abazali bawo abalupheleyo?

¹⁰ UAbram wahlala kwaHaran, mhlawumbi ngenxa yolwazelelelo awayenalo ngoyise owayaluphele, uTera. (Levitikus 19:32) Ngokufanayo, amaKristu amaninzi namhlanje anembopheleleko yokunyamekela abazali abalupheleyo nabagulayo, wambi kude kufuneke enze uhlengahlengiso oluthile ukuze akwazi ukwenjenjalo. Xa kuyimfuneko, abo benza oko banokuqinisekiswa ukuba ukuzincama kwabo ngenxa yothando “kwamkelekile emehlweni kaThixo.”—1 Timoti 5:4.

¹¹ Lahamba ixesha. “Imihla kaTera yaba yiminyaka engamakhulu amabini anesihlanu. Wafa ke ngoko uTera ekwelakwaHaran.” Ngokuqinisekileyo uAbram waba buhlungu ngenxa yokufelwa nguyise, kodwa emva kokuba eye wazila, ngoko nangoko wahamba. “UAbram wayeneminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe anesihlanu ubudala ekuphumeni kwakhe kwaHaran. Ngoko uAbram wathabatha uSarayi umfazi wakhe noLote unyana womntakwabo nayo yonke impahla ababeyiqwebile nemiphefumlo ababeyizuzile kwaHaran, baza banduluka besiya ezweni lakwaKanan.”—Genesis 11:32; 12:4, 5.

12. Yintoni eyenziwa nguAbram ngoxa wayehlala kwaHaran?

¹² Kubangel’ umdla ukuphawula ukuba ngoxa wayekwaHaran, uAbram ‘waqweba impahla.’ Nangona wayencame izinto eziphathekayo xa wayesimka eUre, uAbram wemka esisityebi kwaHaran. Ngokucacileyo, oku kwabangelwa yintsikelelo kaThixo. (INtshumayeli 5:19) Ngoxa uThixo engabathembisi ukuba baya kuba zizityebi bonke abantu bakhe namhlanje, uthembekile kwisithembiso sakhe sokunyamekela iintswelo zabo ‘bashiye amakhaya abantakwabo noodade wabo’ ngenxa yoBukumkani. (Marko 10:29, 30) UAbram ‘wazuza nemiphefumlo,’ oko kukuthi, izicaka ezininzi. IJerusalem Targum neChaldee Paraphrase zithi uAbram ‘waguqul’ abantu.’ (Genesis 18:19) Ngaba ukholo lwakho lukushukumisela ukuba uthethe nabamelwane bakho, abantu osebenza nabo okanye abo ufunda nabo? Kunokuba ahlale apho ngokusisigxina alibale umyalelo kaThixo, uAbram walisebenzisa ngokuyingenelo ixesha awahlala ngalo kwaHaran. Kodwa ngoku laliphelile ixesha lokuhlala kwakhe apho. “Wahamba ke uAbram kanye njengoko wathethayo uYehova kuye.”—Genesis 12:4.

Ngaphesheya KomEfrate

13. UAbram wawuwela nini uMlambo umEfrate, yaye yintoni eyayibalulekile ngesi senzo?

¹³ UAbram kwafuneka aphinde ahambe. Elo qela lalihamba naye landuluka kwaHaran, laya ngasentshona umgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-90. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uAbram wama ngakumEfrate kufuphi nendawo yezorhwebo yaseKarkemishe. Le yayiyeyona ndawo yayisetyenziswa ngabahambi xa bewela.b Iqela elalihamba noAbram lawuwela ngawuphi umhla umlambo? IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba bawela kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-430 ngaphambi kweMfuduko yamaYuda awayesuka eYiputa ngoNisan 14, ngowe-1513 B.C.E. IEksodus 12:41 ithi: “Kwathi ekupheleni kweminyaka engamakhulu amane anamashumi amathathu, kanye ngalo olo suku, yaphuma yonke imikhosi kaYehova ezweni laseYiputa.” Kuyabonakala ukuba, umnqophiso ka-Abraham waqalisa ukusebenza ngoNisan 14, 1943 B.C.E., xa uAbram wathobelayo waza wawela umEfrate.

14. (a) Yintoni eyabonwa nguAbram ngamehlo okholo? (b) Abantu bakaThixo basikelelwe ngakumbi kunoAbram ngayiphi ingqiqo namhlanje?

¹⁴ UAbram wasishiya ngasemva isixeko esichumileyo. Ukanti ngoku, wayenombono ‘wesixeko esineziseko zokwenene,’ urhulumente wobulungisa owayeza kulawula uluntu. (Hebhere 11:10) Ewe, nakuba wayefumene inkcazelo encinane, uAbram waqalisa ukuqonda iinkalo ezisisiseko zenjongo kaThixo yokukhulula uluntu olufayo. Namhlanje, sisikelelekile kuba siziqonda ngakumbi iinjongo zikaThixo kunoAbram. (IMizekeliso 4:18) “Isixeko,” okanye urhulumente woBukumkani, lowo uAbram wayenethemba lakhe ngoku uyinto yokwenene—wamiselwa ezulwini ukususela ngowe-1914. Ngoko ke, ngaba asifanele sishukunyiselwe ukubonakalisa ukholo nentembelo kuYehova?

Baqalisa Ukuhlala KwiLizwe Lesithembiso

15, 16. (a) Kutheni kwafuneka uAbram abe nenkalipho xa wayeza kwakhela uYehova isibingelelo? (b) Anokuba nesibindi njani amaKristu namhlanje njengoAbram?

¹⁵ IGenesis 12:5, 6, ithi: “Ekugqibeleni bafika ezweni lakwaKanan. Walityhutyha ke uAbram ilizwe elo wada waya kufikelela kwindawo yakwaShekem, kufuphi nemithi emikhulu kaMore.” IShekem yayikumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-50 kumntla weYerusalem yaye yayikwintlambo echumileyo eye yachazwa “njengeparadesi yelizwe elingcwele.” Sekunjalo, “ngelo xesha kwakukho amaKanan kwelo lizwe.” Ekubeni amaKanan ayeziphethe kakubi, kwakuza kufuneka uAbram alumke aze akhusele intsapho yakhe kwimpembelelo yawo eyonakalisayo.—Eksodus 34:11-16.

¹⁶ Okwesihlandlo sesibini, “wabonakala ke ngoko uYehova kuAbram waza wathi: ‘Imbewu yakho ndiya kuyinika eli lizwe.’” Hayi indlela ekwakubangela imincili ngayo oko! Kakade ke, kwafuneka ukuba uAbram abe nokholo ukuze avuyiswe yinto eyayiya kunanditshwa yinzala yakhe kwixesha elizayo. Sekunjalo, uAbram “wamakhela khona isibingelelo uYehova, owayebonakele kuye.” (Genesis 12:7) Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi: “Eneneni, ukwakha isibingelelo kwelo lizwe kwakuyindlela yokubonisa ukuba ungummi yaye unelungelo kulo ngenxa yokuba nokholo kwakhe.” Ukwakha eso sibingelelo kwakusisenzo senkalipho. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, esi sibingelelo sasenziwe ngendlela eyachazwa kumnqophiso woMthetho kamva, sasenziwe ngamatye angaqingqwanga. (Eksodus 20:24, 25) Sasiza kwahluka kakhulu kwizibingelelo ezazisetyenziswa ngamaKanan. Ngaloo ndlela, uAbram wabonakalisa isibindi njengomnquli woThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, ezibeka engozini. Kuthekani ngathi namhlanje? Ngaba bakho kuthi—ngokukodwa abaselula—abangabaxeleliyo abamelwane babo okanye abo bafunda nabo ukuba banqula uYehova? Ngamana umzekelo ka-Abram wenkalipho ungasikhuthaza sonke ukuba sibe nelunda ngokuba ngabakhonzi bakaYehova!

17. UAbram wazingqina njani engumshumayeli wegama likaThixo, yaye oku kuwakhumbuza ntoni amaKristu namhlanje?

¹⁷ Naphi na apho uAbram wayesiya khona, wayesoloko ebeka unqulo lukaYehova kwindawo yokuqala. “Kamva wasuka apho waya kummandla weentaba ongakwimpuma yeBheteli waza wamisa intente yakhe, iBheteli ingasentshona, iAyi yona ingasempuma. Waza ke wamakhela khona isibingelelo uYehova, wabiza egameni likaYehova.” (Genesis 12:8) Ibinzana lesiHebhere elithi “wabiza egameni” likwathetha “ukuvakalisa (ukushumayela) igama.” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uAbram wavakalisa igama likaYehova ngenkalipho phakathi kwabamelwane bakhe abangamaKanan. (Genesis 14:22-24) Oku kusikhumbuza ngembopheleleko esinayo namhlanje yokuba nesabelo kangangoko kunokwenzeka ‘sivakalise ekuhleni igama lakhe.’—Hebhere 13:15; Roma 10:10.

18. Lwalunjani ulwalamano luka-Abram nabemi bakwaKanan?

¹⁸ UAbram akazange ahlale ixesha elide nakwenye yezo ndawo. “Emva koko uAbram wayichitha inkampu, wahamba emisa iinkampu ngeenkampu esingise eNegebhi.”—ummandla okumzantsi weentaba zakwaYuda, ongenamvula. (Genesis 12:9) Ngokuhamba befuduka yaye bezazisa njengabanquli bakaYehova kwindawo nganye entsha, uAbram nendlu yakhe “bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.” (Hebhere 11:13) Ngalo lonke ixesha, babekuphepha ukusondela kakhulu kubamelwane babo ababengabahedeni. AmaKristu namhlanje afanele enze ngokufanayo ukuze ahlale ‘engeyonxalenye yehlabathi.’ (Yohane 17:16) Ngoxa sinobubele nentlonelo ngabamelwane bethu nabo sisebenza nabo, simele silumke singabandakanyeki kwihambo ebonisa umoya wehlabathi elahlukanisiweyo noThixo.—Efese 2:2, 3.

19. (a) Kutheni ubomi bokufuduka babunokuzisa ucelomngeni kuAbram noSarayi? (b) Luluphi olunye ucelomngeni olungakumbi awayeza kuhlangabezana nalo uAbram?

¹⁹ Masingalibali ukuba kwakungelula kuAbram noSarayi ukuzama ukuziqhelanisa neenzima zokuhamba befuduka. Babesitya imveliso yemihlambi yabo kunokuba batye ukutya okuthengwe kwenye yeemarike zaseUre ezazithengisa ukutya okuninzi; babehlala ezintenteni kunokuba bahlale ekhayeni elakhiwe kakuhle. (Hebhere 11:9) UAbram wayephila ubomi obuxakekileyo; wayexakeke kukunyamekela imihlambi yakhe nezicaka zakhe. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uSarayi wayesenza imisebenzi eyayisenziwa ngamabhinqa ngelo xesha, exova intlama, ebhaka isonka, esonta uboya ethunga nempahla. (Genesis 18:6, 7; 2 Kumkani 23:7; IMizekeliso 31:19; Hezekile 13:18) Sekunjalo, babesaza kuhlangabezana nezinye izilingo. Kungekudala uAbram nentsapho yakhe babeza kujamelana nemeko eyayiza kubeka ubomi babo esichengeni! Ngaba ukholo luka-Abram lwaluza kungqineka lomelele ukuze ahlangabezane nolo celomngeni?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Uphawulile?

• Kutheni uAbram ebizwa ngokuba “nguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo”?

• Kutheni kwakufuneka uAbram abe nokholo ukuze emke kwiUre yamaKhaledi?

• UAbram wabonisa njani ukuba unqulo lukaYehova wayelubeka kwindawo yokuqala?

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 16]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

UHAMBO LUKA-ABRAHAM

eUre

KwaHaran

EKarkemishe

EKANAN

Ulwandle Olukhulu

[Inkcazelo]

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

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UAbram kwafuneka abe nokholo ukuze akwazi ukushiya ubomi obutofotofo baseUre

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ngokuhlala ezintenteni, uAbram nendlu yakhe “bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana”