UGenesise Ukhuthaza Ukholo, Ithemba Nesibindi
Ngenyanga ka-August, oFakazi BakaJehova bazoqala ukutadisha incwadi yeBhayibheli kaGenesise. Kuyoba isikhathi esithile lomlando oshukumisayo ucatshangelwa eSikoleni Senkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini samasonto onke. Njengosizo ukuze bawuqonde, lesihloko manje siyakhishwa futhi sithemba ukuthi sizophendula imibuzo ongase ube nayo maqondana noGenesise, ingxenye yemiBhalo eNgcwele edonsa ngempela, eyakha ukholo.
UJEHOVA ujatshuliswa kuphela yilabo abanokholo oluqinile kuye. Futhi ngempela banesizathu sokumethemba, ngoba ungu“Nkulunkulu wethemba” nezithembiso zakhe ezinhle azehluleki. Yiqiniso, njengoba zisalindele ukugcwaliseka, ubunzima noshushiso kungahlangatshezwana nakho. Kodwa bonke aba‘themba uJehova’ bangaba nesibindi esingapheli ngoba ngaso sonke isikhathi ulondoloza abamkhonza ngokuthembeka.—Roma 15:13; AmaHubo 31:23, 24; Heberu 11:6.
Konke lokhu kuboniswe kahle encwadini yeBhayibheli kaGenesise. Lengxenye eyigugu yeZwi likaNkulunkulu ikhuthaza ukholo, ithemba nesibindi, yabhalwa uMose ehlane laseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E.
Incwadi Kafushane
Ebuyela emuva ezigidini zezigidi zeminyaka, uGenesise uvula ngalamazwi: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala izulu nomhlaba”—izinto zasezulwini nezasemhlabeni. Umhlaba ulungiselelwa ukuhlala abantu, futhi ekugcineni isintu siphambi koMdali siphelele. Nakuba iPharadesi lilahleka ngenxa yesono, uJehova unikeza ithemba ngokubikezela nge“nzalo” ezochoboza ikhanda lenyoka. Ngokholo, uAbela olungile unikela umhlatshelo owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu kodwa ubulawa umfowabo njengofakazi kaJehova wokuqala ongumfel’ ukholo.—Genesise 1:1–4:26.
UEnoke ‘uhamba noNkulunkulu,’ wenza ngokuvumelana nentando yaphezulu. Kodwa izimo ziba zimbi njengoba ‘amadodana kaNkulunkulu’ ayizingelosi ezingalaleli ethatha abesifazane njengomkawo futhi ezala amaNefile. Kodwa, ngokholo, ithemba nesibindi uNowa wakha umkhumbi, uxwayisa ngoZamcolo ozayo futhi ekugcineni uyasinda ekubhubhiseni kwawo nomkhaya wakhe. Izwe elingaphambi kukaZamcolo alisekho, isintu singena esikhathini esisha. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi abakhi bombhoshongo waseBabele bafuna ukuzenzela igama, bathiyeka kuphela lapho uJehova esanganisa ulimi lwabo futhi ebahlakaza emhlabeni wonke.—Genesise 5:1–11:9.
Enza ngokholo njengoba uNkulunkulu eqondisa, uAbrahama ushiya iUri yamaKhaledi futhi uhlala emathendeni ezweni uJehova amthembisa ukumnika lona nenzalo yakhe. Isinyathelo saphezulu siyathathwa ngokumelene nezakhamuzi ezingalungile zaseSodoma namadolobha aseduze. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu siyagcwaliseka ekuzalweni kukaIsaka. Nokho, eminyakeni ethile kamuva uAbrahama ulingwa kanzima uma uJehova emtshela ukuba anikele lendodana njengomhlatshelo. Ngokuvinjwa ingelosi, lenzalamizi akusadingeki iqhube lesenzo. Kodwa manje akungabazeki ukuthi iyindoda yokholo, futhi iyaqinisekiswa ukuthi ngenzalo yayo zonke izizwe ziyakuzibusisa. Ukufa komka-Abrahama othandekayo uSara kuyamdabukisa, kodwa angabheka phambili ngethemba eliqinisekile ovukweni.—Genesise 11:10–23:20; Heberu 11:8-19.
Ngenceku yakhe, uAbrahama ulungiselela umshado kaIsaka noRebeka, owesifazane onokholo kuJehova. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ubeletha amawele uEsawu noJakobe. UEsawu ubukela phansi ubuzibulo futhi ubuthengisa kuJakobe, lowo kamuva othola isibusiso sikayise. UJakobe ubalekela ePhadani-Aramu, lapho eganwa khona uLeya noRaheli futhi ulusa umhlambi kayise wabo, uLabani, iminyaka engama-20 ngaphambi kokuba ahambe nomkhaya wakhe. Kamuva, uJakobe ubambana nengelosi, uyabusiswa futhi igama lakhe lishintshelwa kuIsrayeli. Njengendoda yokholo enethemba eliqinisekile, uIsrayeli uyaqhubeka ehlala njengesihambi eKhanani, izwe lesithembiso.—Genesise 24:1–37:1.
Umona ushukumisela amadodana kaJakobe ukuba athengise umfowabo uJosefa njengesigqila eGibithe, ukunamathela kukaJosefa ngokholo nangesibindi ezimisweni eziphakeme zokuziphatha zikaNkulunkulu kuphumela ekuboshweni kwakhe. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi uyakhishwa etilongweni ukuba, ngosizo lukaJehova, achaze amaphupho kaFaro lawo abikezela iminyaka eyisikhombisa yenala elandelwa iminyaka eyisikhombisa yendlala. Wenziwa umphathi wezokudla eGibithe. Abafowabo bakaJosefa bafuna ukudla eGibithe kodwa abamboni. Uyabavivinya kuqala, khona-ke ekugcineni uyaziveza kubo. UJakobe othembekile uhlanganiswa nendodana yakhe enesikhathi eside yalahleka, futhi umkhaya walenzalamizi uhlala ezweni elivundile laseGosheni. Ocansini lwakhe lokufa uJakobe ubusisa amadodana akhe futhi ushukunyiselwa ukuba abikezele ukuthi intonga yobukhosi nozime lokubusa ngeke kusuke kuJuda kuze kufike olufaneleyo—isiprofetho esinikeza ithemba eliqinisekile lezibusiso ezinkulu eminyakeni engamakhulu ezayo. Isidumbu sikaJakobe siyiswa eKhanani ukuba siyongcwatshwa, futhi lapho uJosefa efa eneminyaka eyi-110 umzimba wakhe uyagqunywa ukuba ngolunye usuku uyiswe eZweni leSithembiso.—Genesise 37:2–50:26; Eksodusi 13:19.
Ngokufunda uGenesise ngokucophelela uzothola inzuzo enkulu kulomlando oshukumisayo wokholo, ithemba nesibindi. Ngokwenza lokhu, nokho, ungase ube nemibuzo. Eminye yaleyomibuzo ingase iphendulwe njengoba sibhekisisa incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli.
Izwe Elingaphambi KukaZamcolo
●1:26—Umuntu wenziwa kanjani ngomfanekiso nangomfuziselo kaNkulunkulu?
Isimo sikaNkulunkulu asaziwa muntu. (Duteromoni 4:15-20) Kodwa umuntu wenziwa ngomfanekiso nangomfuziselo kaJehova ngoba wadalwa nezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu njengokwahlulela, ukuhlakanipha, amandla nothando. (Duteromoni 32:4; Jobe 12:13; Isaya 40:26; 1 Johane 4:8) Njengoba lezimfanelo neNdodana kaNkulunkulu inazo ngokufanayo, uLizwi, uJehova ngokufanelekile wathi kuye: “Masenze abantu ngomfanekiso wethu, basifuze.”—Johane 1:1-3, 14.
●4:17—UKayini wamtholaphi umfazi?
UAdamu “wazala amadodana namadodakazi.” (Genesise 5:4) Khona-ke uKayini wathatha omunye wodadewabo njengomkakhe. Kamuva, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu kumaIsrayeli awuzange uvumele ukuganana komfowabo nodadewabo benyama.—Levitikusi 18:9.
●6:6—Kungayiphi ingqondo uJehova ‘azisola’ ngayo ukuthi wenza abantu?
Lapha igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “wazisola” lihlangene nokushintsha kwesimo sengqondo noma inhloso. UJehova uphelele ngakho-ke akazange enze iphutha ngokudala umuntu. Kodwa waba nalo ushintsho lwesimo sengqondo ngokuphathelene nesizukulwane esingaphambi kukaZamcolo. UNkulunkulu washintsha esimweni sengqondo sokuba uMdali wabantu waba nesombhubhisi wabo ngenxa yokungajabuli ngobubi babo. UJehova wazisola ngokuthi ububi bomuntu babizela ukubhujiswa okukhulu kokuphila, kodwa wayebophekile ukuba enze isenzo ukuze asekele izimiso zakhe zokulunga. Iqiniso lokuthi wasindisa abanye abantu libonisa ukuthi ukuzisola kwakhe kwakukulabo ababebabi ngezwi nangesenzo.—2 Petru 2:5, 9.
Isintu Singena Esikhathini Esisha
●8:11—Uma izihlahla zachithwa uZamcolo, ijuba lalitholaphi iqabunga lomnqumo?
Ngokungangabazeki amanzi kaZamcolo alimaza kabi izihlahla eziningi. Nokho, isazi sokudabuka kwezinto nesayensi uTheaphrastus nesazi sezemvelo uPliny the Elder ongumRoma babika ukuthi umnqumo uye wakhula ngaphansi kwamanzi oLwandle Olubomvu, wagcina ubuluhlaza bawo lapho. Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi isihlahla somnqumo sahlala siphila ngaphansi kwamanzi izinyanga ezithile phakathi noZamcolo. Ngokubohla kwamanzi kaZamcolo, isihlahla somnqumo esasimboziwe sasingaba semhlabathini owomile futhi, futhi siveze amaqabunga lawo amanye awo elalingawathola kalula ijuba.
●9:24, 25—Kungani uNowa aqalekisa uKhanani lapho kunguHamu owayenecala?
Kungenzeka uKhanani owayenecala lokuphatha kabi noma lokuphendukezela ubunqunu bukamkhulu wakhe uNowa, futhi uHamu wakubona lokhu ngaphandle kokungenela. Kunalokho, indodana kaNowa uHamu kubonakala ukuthi wayisakaza indaba, kanti uShemi noJafete benza isenzo ukuze bamboze uyise. Ngakho-ke, babusiswa, isoni esinguKhanani saqalekiswa, futhi isibukeli nomcethezi uHamu wahlupheka ngehlazo elalethwa phezu kwenzalo yakhe. Nakuba imibhalo inganikezi yonke imininingwane, iphuzu elibalulekile liwukuthi uJehova wabangela uNowa ukuba asho isiprofetho futhi uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba sigcwaliseke lapho amaKhanani angazange abhujiswe ngamaIsrayeli eba izigqila kulabo ababeyisizukulwane sikaShemi.—Joshuwa 9:23; 1 AmaKhosi 9:21.
●10:25—Izwe “ladatshulwa” kanjani emihleni kaPhelege?
UPhelege waphila kusukela ngo-2269 kuya ku-2030 B.C.E. Igama lakhe lalisho uku“dabula,” futhi uma anikwa lelogama ngenkathi ezalwa, kwakuyisiprofetho sokudatshulwa okuphawulekayo okwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kwakhe. Kungalesosikhathi lapho “izwe [noma, “abakhileyo ezweni”) ladatshulwa” khona. Umlando weBhayibheli uyabonisa ukuthi kwaku“semihleni yakhe” lapho uJehova abangela ukwehlukana okukhulu ngokusanganisa izilimi zabakhi beBabele futhi ‘wabahlakazela emhlabeni wonke.’—Genesise 11:9; bheka futhi 10:1, 6, 8-10; 11:10-17.
Izinzalamizi Ezinokholo OLuqinile
●15:13—Kwagcwaliseka kanjani ukuhlushwa kwenzalo ka-Abrahama kweminyaka engama-400 okwabikezelwa?
Lesikhathi sokuhlushwa saqala ngo-1913 kuya ku-1513 B.C.E. lapho indodana ka-Abrahama uIsaka ilunyulwa cishe ineminyaka eyi-5 ubudala ngo-1913 B.C.E., umfowabo ngamzali munye uIshmayeli (ngaleso sikhathi cishe owayeneminyaka eyi-19 ubudala) ‘wadlalisa’ ngaye. Ukungathi sína kwalokhu kuklolodelwa kwendlalifa ka-Abrahama kubonakala ngokusabela kukaSara nokuvunyelwa kokuphikelela kwakhe nguJehova ukuba uHagari nendodana yakhe uIshmayeli baxoshwe. (Genesise 21:8-14; Galathiya 4:29) Lesikhathi sokuhlushwa seminyaka engama-400 saphela ngokukhululwa kwamaIsrayeli ebugqilini ngo-1513 B.C.E.
●19:30-38—Ingabe uJehova wakuvumela ukudakwa kukaLoti nokuthola amadodana emadodakazini akhe amabili?
UJehova akakuvumeli ukuganana kwezihlobo noma ubudakwa. (Levitikusi 18:6, 7, 29; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umshana ka-Abrahama walahla “izenzo ezingenamthetho” zezakhamizi zaseSodoma futhi ngokusobala waba lusizi ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi ahileleka kukho, ngoba umhloli wezinhliziyo wambheka njengo“lungileyo.” (2 Petru 2:8) Lona kanye iqiniso lokuthi amadodakazi kaLoti amdakisa lisikisela ukuthi aqaphela ukuba wayengeke avume ukuba nobuhlobo bobulili nawo uma engadakiwe. Kodwa njengezihambi ezweni, amadodakazi akhe aba nomuzwa wokuthi lena kwakuwukuphela kwendlela yokuvimbela ukuphela komkhaya kaLoti. Ukubakhona kwalomlando akukhona ukuba uvuse imicabango yobulili kodwa ukuba uveze ubuhlobo babakwaMowabi nama-Amoni ezizukulwaneni zika-Abrahama, amaIsrayeli.
●28:12, 13—Kwakuyini ukubaluleka kwephupho likaJakobe elalihilela “umkhwelo”?
Lo“mkhwelo” (okungenzeka wawubukeka njengezitebhisi zamatshe ezikhuphukayo) wawubonisa ukuthi kukhona ukuxhumana phakathi komhlaba nezulu. Wawubonisa ukuthi izingelosi zikhonza phakathi kukaJehova nabantu abamukelekayo kuye.—Qhathanisa noJohane 1:51.
●31:19—Zaziyini izithixo uRaheli azeba kuLabani?
Izithixo zazingonkulunkulu noma izithombe zomkhaya. Imivubukulo yaseMesopotamiya ibonisa ukuthi ukuba nezithombe ezinjalo kwakuhlobene nokuthi ngubani ozothola ifa lomkhaya. Kungenzeka uRaheli wayecabanga ngalokhu futhi wacabanga ukuthi wayevumelekile ukuthatha izithixo ngenxa yokusebenzelana ngenkohliso kukayise uLabani nomyeni wakhe uJakobe. (Genesise 31:14-16) Kodwa akukho okubonisa ukuthi uJakobe wake wazama ukusebenzisa izithixo ukuze azuze ifa lomkhaya. Kamuva, lezithombe zasuswa lapho uJakobe embela bonke onkulunkulu bezizwe abalethwa kuye umkhaya wakhe.—Genesise 35:1-4.
●44:5—Ingabe ngempela uJosefa wasebenzisa indebe ukuba abhule?
UJosefa wayezimisele ukuvivinya abafowabo ababengamboni. Ngakho wayala inceku yakhe ukuba igcwalise amasaka abo ngokudla, ifake imali yalowo nalowo emlonyeni wesaka lakhe futhi ifake indebe kaJosefa yesiliva emlonyeni wesaka likaBenjamini. Kukho konke lokhu, uJosefa wayezibonakalisa njengombusi wezwe lobuhedeni. Khona-ke, indebe nalokho okwashiwo ngayo ngokusobala kwakuyingxenye yeqhinga. Njengesikhonzi esithembekile sikaJehova, uJosefa akazange ngempela asebenzise indebe ukuba abhule ngayo, njengoba noBenjamini engazange ayebe ngempela.
●49:10—Ingabe ukhona umehluko phakathi kwentonga yobukhosi nozime lokubusa?
Yebo. Intonga yobukhosi iyinduku ephathwa umbusi njengophawu lwegunya lobukhosi. Uzime lobukhosi induku ende esebenza njengophawu lwamandla okubusa. Ukubhekisela kukaJakobe kuzo zombili ngokusobala kwakubonisa ukuthi igunya eliphawulekayo namandla kwakuyohlala esizweni sakwaJuda aze afike yena olumfanele. Lenzalo kaJuda iwuJesu Kristu. Lowo uJehova amnike ubukhosi basezulwini. UKristu unegunya lobukhosi futhi unamandla okubusa.—AmaHubo 2:8, 9; Isaya 55:4; Daniyeli 7:13, 14.
Isisekelo Sokholo, Nethemba Nesibindi
UGenesise usinika ngokukhanyayo isisekelo sokholo, nethemba nesibindi. Ukhuthaza ukholo kuJehova nethemba ‘enzalweni’ ethenjisiwe yesibusiso. (Genesise 3:15; 22:18) Lencwadi isisiza futhi ukuba sibhekane nesikhathi esizayo ngesibindi, njengoba kwenza ofakazi bakaJehova bakuqala.
Lezo zikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zazi“langazelela [izwe] elihle kunalelo, . . . elasezulwini,” futhi uJehova “ubalungisele umuzi.” (Heberu 11:15, 16) Njengoba babebheke phambili elungiselelweni loMbuso, sengathi nathi, ngokufanayo, singabeka ithemba lethu kuwo. Futhi, njengalabofakazi bakaJehova, sengathi singaba nokholo lweqiniso, ithemba nesibindi.
[Izithombe ekhasini 29]
UJakobe noEsawu
UJosefa
UAbrahama noIsaka
UKayini noAbela
UNowa