Ingabe Unokholo Olunjengoluka-Abrahama?
“Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola ukholo emhlabeni?”—LUKA 18:8.
1. Kungani kunzima ngomuntu ukugcina ukholo lwakhe luqinile namuhla?
AKULULA ngomuntu ukugcina ukholo lwakhe luqinile namuhla. Izwe liwacindezela kakhulu amaKristu ukuze liwenze ayeke ukunaka izinto ezingokomoya. (Luka 21:34; 1 Johane 2:15, 16) Amaningi ayashikashikeka ukuze aqhubeke ephila phakathi kwezimpi, izinhlekelele, izifo, noma indlala. (Luka 21:10, 11) Emazweni amaningana, kunokuthambekela okunamandla ezintweni zezwe, futhi noma yibaphi abantu abaphila ngokuvumelana nokholo lwabo babhekwa njengabangabhekani namaqiniso, ngisho nanjengabashiseka ngokweqile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu amaningi ashushiselwa ukholo lwawo. (Mathewu 24:9) Ngokuqinisekile umbuzo kaJesu, awubuza eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 edlule, uyafaneleka: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola ukholo emhlabeni?”—Luka 18:8.
2. (a) Kungani ukholo oluqinile lubalulekile kumKristu? (b) Yisibonelo sikabani sokholo okungakuhle sisicabangele?
2 Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi ukholo oluqinile lubalulekile ukuze siphumelele ekuphileni manje futhi sithole ukuphila okumi phakade okuthenjisiwe esikhathini esizayo. Ecaphuna amazwi ashiwo uJehova kuHabakuki, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “‘Olungileyo wami uyophila ngenxa yokholo,’ futhi, ‘uma ehlehlela emuva, umphefumulo wami awujabuli ngaye.’ . . . Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa kahle [uNkulunkulu].” (Heberu 10:38–11:6; Habakuki 2:4) UPawulu watshela uThimothewu: “Yilwa ukulwa okuhle kokholo, bambisisa ukuphila okuphakade owabizelwa khona.” (1 Thimothewu 6:12) Khona-ke, kungenzeka kanjani ukuba nokholo olungenakwephulwa? Lapho sicabangela lowo mbuzo, kungakuhle sibheke indoda eyayiphila eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 edlule, kodwa elukholo lwayo lusahlonishwa ezinkolweni ezintathu ezinkulu—ubu-Islam, ubuJuda nobuKristu. Leyo ndoda ngu-Abrahama. Kungani ukholo lwakhe lwaluvelele kangaka? Ingabe singamlingisa namuhla?
Ukulalela Isiqondiso SikaNkulunkulu
3, 4. Kungani uThera athutha umkhaya wakhe e-Uri waya eHarana?
3 U-Abrahama (ekuqaleni owayebizwa ngo-Abrama) kukhulunywa ngaye ekuqaleni kweBhayibheli. KuGenesise 11:26, siyafunda: “UThera . . . wazala oAbrahama, noNahori, noHarana.” UThera nomkhaya wakhe babakhe e-Uri lamaKaledi, umuzi ochumayo owawuseningizimu yeMesopotamiya. Nokho, abahlalanga lapho. “UThera wathatha uAbrama indodana yakhe, noLoti indodana kaHarana, indodana yendodana yakhe, noSarayi [uSara] umalokazana wakhe, umka-Abrama indodana yakhe, waphuma nabo eUri lamaKaledi ukuya ezweni laseKhanani; bafika eHarana, bakha khona.” (Genesise 11:31) Umfowabo ka-Abrahama, uNahori naye wathuthela umkhaya wakhe eHarana. (Genesise 24:10, 15; 28:1, 2; 29:4) Nokho, kungani uThera athutha e-Uri elichumayo waya kude eHarana?
4 Eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 000 ngemva kwesikhathi sika-Abrahama, indoda ethembekile uStefanu, lapho ikhuluma phambi kweSanhedrini yamaJuda, yachaza ngalokhu kuthutha okungavamile komkhaya kaThera. Yathi: “UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo wabonakala kukhokho wethu u-Abrahama lapho eseMesopotamiya, ngaphambi kokuba ahlale eHarana, futhi wathi kuye, ‘Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho uye ezweni engizokubonisa lona.’ Khona-ke waphuma ezweni lamaKaledi wahlala eHarana.” (IzEnzo 7:2-4) UThera wayezithoba kulokho okwakuyintando kaJehova ngo-Abrahama lapho ethuthela umkhaya wakhe eHarana.
5. U-Abrahama wayaphi ngemva kokufa kukayise? Kungani?
5 Umkhaya kaThera wazinza emzini omusha. Ngemva kweminyaka ethile lapho u-Abrahama ekhuluma ‘ngezwe lakithi,’ wayesho indawo yaseHarana, hhayi i-Uri. (Genesise 24:4) Nokho, iHarana yayingeke ibe yikhaya lika-Abrahama unomphela. NgokukaStefanu, “ngemva kokuba uyise [ka-Abrahama] esefile, uNkulunkulu wabangela ukuba ashintshe indawo yakhe yokuhlala eze kulelizwe enihlala kulo manje.” (IzEnzo 7:4) Elalela isiqondiso sikaJehova, u-Abrahama, ekanye noLoti, wawela i-Ewufrathe wangena ezweni laseKhanani.a
6. Yisiphi isithembiso uJehova asisho ku-Abrahama?
6 Kungani uJehova abangela u-Abrahama ukuba athuthele eKhanani? Isizathu sasihlobene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu mayelana naleyo ndoda ethembekile. UJehova wayethe ku-Abrahama: “Phuma ezweni lakini, nasezihlotsheni zakho, nasendlini kayihlo, uye ezweni engiyakukukhombisa lona. Ngiyakukwenza isizwe esikhulu, ngikubusise, ngenze igama lakho libe-likhulu, wena ube-yisibusiso. Ngiyakubabusisa abakubusisayo, nokuqalekisayo ngiyakumqalekisa; imindeni yonke yomhlaba iyakubusiswa kuwe.” (Genesise 12:1-3) U-Abrahama wayezoba uyise wesizwe esikhulu, esasiyovikelwa nguJehova futhi sidle ifa lezwe laseKhanani. Isithembiso esihle ngokumangalisayo! Kodwa u-Abrahama kwakudingeka enze izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwakhe ukuze adle ifa lalelo lizwe.
7. Yiziphi izinguquko u-Abrahama okwadingeka alungele ukuzenza ukuze azuze isithembiso sikaJehova njengefa?
7 Lapho u-Abrahama esuka e-Uri, washiya umuzi ochumayo futhi cishe nomndeni kayise—okwakuyizici ezibalulekile zokulondeka ngalezo zikhathi zezinzalamizi. Lapho esuka eHarana, wazihlukanisa nomkhaya kayise, kuhlanganise nomkhaya womfowabo uNahori, wathuthela ezweni angalazi. EKhanani akazange akhosele ngaphakathi kwezingange zomuzi. Ngani? Ngemva nje kokungena kuka-Abrahama kuleli lizwe, uJehova wathi kuye: “Suka udabule izwe, ubude balo nobubanzi balo, ngokuba ngiyakukunika lona.” (Genesise 13:17) U-Abrahama owayeneminyaka engu-75 ubudala nomkakhe uSara, owayeneminyaka engu-65, bakwenza lokhu ababekutsheliwe. “Ngokholo wahlala njengomfokazi ezweni lesithembiso njengokungathi kusezweni lesinye isizwe, futhi wahlala ematendeni.”—Heberu 11:9; Genesise 12:4.
Ukholo Olunjengoluka-Abrahama Namuhla
8. Ngenxa yesibonelo sika-Abrahama nabanye ofakazi basendulo, yini okufanele siyihlakulele?
8 U-Abrahama nomkhaya wakhe babalwa phakathi ‘kwefu elikhulu lofakazi [bangaphambi kobuKristu]’ okukhulunywa ngabo kumaHeberu isahluko 11. Ngenxa yokholo lwalezi zinceku zikaNkulunkulu zokuqala, uPawulu ukhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ‘alahle konke okusindayo nesono [ukuntula ukholo] esisithandela kalula.’ (Heberu 12:1) Yebo, ukuntula ukholo ‘kungasithandela kalula.’ Kodwa osukwini lukaPawulu nakolwethu, amaKristu aqotho aye akwazi ukuhlakulela ukholo oluqinile olufana noluka-Abrahama nabanye bangezikhathi zasendulo. Ekhuluma ngaye namaKristu akanye naye, uPawulu uthi: “Asilona uhlobo oluhlehlela emuva ekubhujisweni, kodwa siwuhlobo olunokholo kube ukulondolozwa komphefumulo uphila.”—Heberu 10:39.
9, 10. Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi abaningi namuhla banokholo olunjengoluka-Abrahama?
9 Yiqiniso, izwe alisafani nelangesikhathi sika-Abrahama. Noma kunjalo, sisakhonza ‘uNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama’ ofanayo, futhi akashintshi. (IzEnzo 3:13; Malaki 3:6) UJehova ufanelwe ukukhulekelwa namuhla njengoba nje kwakunjalo ngesikhathi sika-Abrahama. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Abaningi bazinikela ngokuphelele kuJehova bese, njengo-Abrahama, benza noma yiziphi izinguquko ezidingekayo ekuphileni kwabo ukuze benze intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngonyaka odlule, abangu-316 092 banikeza ubufakazi basobala bokuzinikezela kwabo ngokubhapathizwa ngamanzi “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele.”—Mathewu 28:19.
10 Iningi lalawa maKristu asanda kuhlanganyela akuzange kudingeke liye emazweni akude ukuze lifeze ukuzinikezela kwalo. Nokho, ngomqondo ongokomoya, abaningi bawo bahamba uhambo olude. Ngokwesibonelo, eMauritius, u-Elsie wayekade engumthakathi. Wayesatshwa yiwo wonke umuntu. Iphayona elikhethekile lahlela isifundo seBhayibheli nendodakazi ka-Elsie, futhi lokhu kwavula indlela yokuba u-Elsie ‘aphenduke ebumnyameni aye ekukhanyeni.’ (IzEnzo 26:18) Ngenxa yesithakazelo sendodakazi yakhe, u-Elsie wavuma ukufunda incwadi ethi INcwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli. Isifundo sakhe sasiqhutshwa kathathu ngesonto ngoba wayedinga isikhuthazo esiqhubekayo. Imikhuba yakhe yokulumba yayimenza angajabuli, futhi wayenezinkinga eziningi zomuntu siqu. Nokho, ekugcineni wakwazi ukuluqeda uhambo olude lokusuka ekusebenzelaneni namademoni eze ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Lapho abantu bezocela usizo lwakhe, wayebachazela ukuthi nguJehova kuphela ongabavikela kokubi. U-Elsie usenguFakazi obhapathiziwe, futhi abantu abangu-14 emndenini wakubo nayekade ebazi baye bamukela iqiniso.
11. Yikuphi ukulungisa labo abazinikezela kuJehova abazimisele ukukwenza?
11 Iningi lalabo abazinikezela ngonyaka odlule ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu akudingekanga lenze izinguquko ezinkulu kangako. Kodwa bonke bashintsha ekubeni ngabafile ngokomoya baba ngabaphilayo ngokomoya. (Efesu 2:1) Nakuba besesezweni ngokwenyama, abaseyona ingxenye yalo. (Johane 17:15, 16) Njengabagcotshiwe, ‘abayizakhamuzi zasezulwini,’ nabo ‘banjengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana.’ (Filipi 3:20; 1 Petru 2:11) Bavumelanise ukuphila kwabo nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu, beshukunyiswa uthando ngoNkulunkulu nothando ngomakhelwane ngaphezu kwakho konke. (Mathewu 22:37-39) Abaphishekeli imigomo yobugovu neyokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo noma bazizwe bedinga ukuzanelisa kuleli lizwe. Kunalokho, bagxilisa amehlo abo ‘emazulwini amasha nomhlaba omusha’ okuthenjisiwe, “okuyohlala kukho ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13; 2 Korinte 4:18.
12. Yimuphi umsebenzi owabikwa ngonyaka odlule onikeza ubufakazi bokuthi, phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe, uJesu uye ‘waluthola ukholo emhlabeni’?
12 Lapho u-Abrahama ethuthela eKhanani, yena nomkhaya wakhe babebodwa lapho, kunguJehova kuphela owayezobasekela futhi abavikele. Nokho, la maKristu angu-316 092 asanda kubhapathizwa awawodwa neze. Yiqiniso, uJehova uyawasekela futhi awavikele ngomoya wakhe, njengoba enza ku-Abrahama. (IzAga 18:10) Nokho, ngaphezu kwalokho, uwasekela ‘ngesizwe’ somhlaba wonke esinomdlandla nesikhulu kunezinye zezizwe zomhlaba namuhla. (Isaya 66:8) Ngonyaka odlule, izakhamuzi zaleso sizwe eziyinani eliphakeme elingu-5 888 650 zanikeza ubufakazi bokholo lwazo ngokukhuluma nomakhelwane bazo ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Marku 13:10) Zasebenza amahora ayinani elingavamile elingu-1 186 666 708 kulo msebenzi, zifuna ukuthola abantu abanesithakazelo. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaqhutshwa izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-4 302 852 nabantu abafisa ukuhlakulela ukholo. Bebonisa intshiseko yabo ngokwengeziwe, abangu-698 781 kulesi “sizwe” bahlanganyela enkonzweni yokuphayona, isikhathi esigcwele, inyanga noma ngaphezulu. (Imininingwane yomsebenzi wangonyaka odlule woFakazi BakaJehova isemakhasini 12 kuya ku-15.) Lo mbiko ophawulekayo uyimpendulo eqinisekile necacile yombuzo kaJesu othi, “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola ukholo emhlabeni?”
Wayekholekile Naphezu Kovivinyo
13, 14. Chaza ezinye zezinkinga u-Abrahama nomkhaya wakhe abahlangabezana nazo eKhanani.
13 Ngokuphindaphindiwe izinto zaziba nzima ku-Abrahama nomkhaya wakhe eKhanani. Izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa, kwaba khona indlala enkulu eyamsusa eKhanani yamehlisela eGibithe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bobabili umbusi waseGibithe nombusi waseGerari (ngaseGaza) bazama ukuzithathela umka-Abrahama, uSara. (Genesise 12:10-20; 20:1-18) Futhi kwakuba nezingxabano phakathi kwabelusi bemfuyo ka-Abrahama nabelusi bemfuyo kaLoti, futhi lokhu kwabangela ukuhlukana phakathi kwale mikhaya emibili. Ebonisa ukungabi nabugovu, u-Abrahama wakhethisa uLoti izwe kuqala, futhi uLoti wakhetha ukuyokwakha ethafeni laseJordani, elalibonakala lisansimu yase-Edene ngokuvunda nangobuhle balo.—Genesise 13:5-13.
14 Khona-ke, uLoti wabe esehileleka empini phakathi kwenkosi yase-Elamu ekude ikanye namakhosi asizana nayo, namakhosi emizi emihlanu yasesiGodini saseSidimi. Amakhosi asemazweni akude awanqoba amakhosi endawo futhi athatha impango eningi, kuhlanganise noLoti nempahla yakhe. Lapho u-Abrahama ezwa okwakwenzekile, ngesibindi wawaxosha la makhosi asemazweni akude futhi wakwazi ukubuya noLoti nomkhaya wakhe, kanye nempahla yamakhosi endawo. (Genesise 14:1-16) Nokho, leso kwakungesona isenzakalo esibi kunazo zonke ezehlela uLoti eKhanani. Ngasizathu-simbe wahamba wayohlala eSodoma, naphezu kwedumela lokuziphatha okubi lalo muzi.b (2 Petru 2:6-8) Lapho exwayiswa yizingelosi ezimbili ngokuthi umuzi wawuzobhujiswa, uLoti wabaleka nomkakhe namadodakazi akhe. Nokho, umkaLoti akazinakanga iziyalezo eziqondile zezingelosi futhi, ngenxa yalokho, wangcwabeka kusawoti. Okwesikhathi esithile uLoti waphoqeleka ukuba ahlale emhumeni eSowari namadodakazi akhe amabili. (Genesise 19:1-30) Kumelwe ukuba lezi zenzakalo zamkhathaza kakhulu u-Abrahama, ikakhulu njengoba uLoti ayefike eKhanani eyingxenye yomkhaya wakhe.
15. Naphezu kwezinkinga u-Abrahama abhekana nazo esahlala ematendeni ezweni angalazi, yikuphi ukucabanga okuphambene okusobala ukuthi wakugwema?
15 Ingabe u-Abrahama wake wazibuza ukuthi kazi kwakungeke yini kube ngcono ukube yena noLoti babehlale endaweni elondekile e-Uri nomndeni kayise noma eHarana nomfowabo uNahori? Ingabe wake wafisa sengathi ngabe wayezinze emzini onogange ophephile kunokuba ahlale ematendeni? Ingabe mhlawumbe wazibuza ukuthi kwakuhlakaniphe kangakanani ukuzidela ayekwenza ngokuhamba egoba amadlangala ezweni angalazi? Ekhuluma ngo-Abrahama nomkhaya wakhe, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Ukuba ngempela baqhubeka bekhumbula leyondawo ababephume kuyo, babeyoba nalo ithuba lokubuya.” (Heberu 11:15) Nokho, abazange babuyele khona. Bengadikibalisiwe ubunzima, bahlala lapho uJehova ayefuna babe khona.
Ukukhuthazela Namuhla
16, 17. (a) Yiziphi izinkinga amaKristu amaningi abhekana nazo namuhla? (b) Yisiphi isimo sengqondo esiqondile amaKristu anaso? Kungani?
16 Kubonakala ukukhuthazela okufanayo kumaKristu namuhla. Nakuba ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kuwumthombo wenjabulo enkulu kuwo, ukuphila akulula kumaKristu eqiniso kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Nakuba ephila epharadesi elingokomoya, ahlushwa ukucindezela kwezomnotho okufanayo nokomakhelwane bawo. (Isaya 11:6-9) Amaningi aye aba yizisulu ezingenacala ezimpini zamazwe, futhi amanye aye azithola esempofu ngokwedlulele kungephutha lawo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akhuthazelela izinkinga zokuba yidlanzana elinyamana-mbana. Emazweni amaningi ashumayela izindaba ezinhle ebhekene nokunganakwa okukhulu. Kwamanye ahlaselwa ngokungamanga yilabo ‘abasebenza okubi kungathi ngomthetho’ futhi ‘balahle igazi elingenacala.’ (IHubo 94:20, 21) Ngisho nasemazweni lapho amaKristu engahlaselwa khona futhi etuswa abanye ngezindinganiso zawo eziphakeme, ayaqaphela ukuba ahluke kulabo afunda nabo nasebenza nabo—kodwa abe njengo-Abrahama, owayehlala ematendeni kuyilapho iningi labantu ababakhe eduze kwakhe babehlala emizini. Yebo, akulula ukuphila ezweni kodwa ube ‘ungeyona ingxenye’ yalo.—Johane 17:14.
17 Khona-ke, ingabe siyazisola ngokuzinikezela kwethu kuNkulunkulu? Ingabe sifisa sengathi ngabe sahlala siyingxenye yezwe, sibe njengawo wonke umuntu? Ingabe siyakukhalela ukuzidela kwethu esiye sakwenza enkonzweni kaJehova? Lutho neze! Kunokuba sibheke emuva ngokulangazela, siyaqaphela ukuthi noma yini okungenzeka sayidela yayingabalulekile ngempela uma iqhathaniswa nezibusiso esizijabulela manje nalezo esizozijabulela esikhathini esizayo. (Luka 9:62; Filipi 3:8) Ngaphandle kwalokho, ingabe abantu bajabule ezweni? Iqiniso liwukuthi abaningi babo bafuna izimpendulo thina esesinazo kakade. Bayahlupheka ngenxa yokungasilandeli isiqondiso esisilandelayo esivela kuNkulunkulu ngeBhayibheli. (IHubo 119:105) Futhi abaningi babo balangazelela uhlobo lobungane bobuKristu nobudlelwane obujabulisayo esinabo nesikholwa nabo.—IHubo 133:1; Kolose 3:14.
18. Uyoba yini umphumela ekugcineni lapho amaKristu ebonisa isibindi esinjengesika-Abrahama?
18 Yiqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi kudingeka sibe nesibindi njengo-Abrahama lapho exosha abathumbi bakaLoti. Kodwa lapho siba naso, uJehova uyawubusisa umphumela. Ngokwesibonelo, eNyakatho Ireland inzondo iye yagxila ngenxa yodlame lwamahlelo, futhi kudinga isibindi ukungathathi hlangothi. Nokho, amaKristu akholekile aye alandela amazwi uJehova awasho kuJoshuwa: “Qina, ume isibindi, ungesabi, ungabi-naluvalo, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.” (Joshuwa 1:9; IHubo 27:14) Phakathi neminyaka eminingana, ukuma kwabo kokungesabi kuye kwabazuzela inhlonipho, futhi namuhla bayakwazi ukushumayela ngokukhululeka emiphakathini yakuleyo ndawo.
19. Yikuphi lapho amaKristu ejabulela ukuba khona, futhi yimuphi umphumela awulindela ngokuqiniseka lapho elandela ukuqondisa kukaJehova?
19 Masingalokothi singabaze ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yisiphi isimo esibhekana naso, uma silandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, umphumela ekugcineni uyoba yinkazimulo kuye nenzuzo ehlala isikhathi eside kithina. Naphezu kwezinselele nokuzidela, ayikho enye indawo esingakhetha ukuba kuyo kunasenkonzweni kaJehova, sijabulela ubudlelwane nabafowethu abangamaKristu futhi sibheke phambili ngokuqiniseka ekusaseni elingunaphakade uNkulunkulu alithembisile.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Abrahama wamukela indodana yomfowabo enguLoti njengendodana yakhe lapho uyise kaLoti efa.—Genesise 11:27, 28; 12:5.
b Abanye baye basikisela ukuthi uLoti wahlala kulo muzi ukuze alondeke kakhudlwana ngemva kokuba yimpango yamakhosi amane.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani ukholo oluqinile lubalulekile?
◻ U-Abrahama wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenokholo oluqinile?
◻ Ukuzinikezela kuhambisana kanjani nezinguquko ekuphileni komuntu?
◻ Kungani sikujabulela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu naphezu kwanoma yiziphi izinkinga esingase sibhekane nazo?
[Izithombe ekhasini 7]
U-Abrahama wayezimisele ukwenza izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwakhe ukuze azuze isithembiso njengefa
[Izithombe ekhasini 9]
Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi uJesu uye ‘waluthola ukholo emhlabeni’ phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe