Abrahamu​—Mneneri ndi Bwenzi la Mulungu

MAGULU ophatikizidwa a mafumu anayi a Kum’mawa akuwoloka Mtsinje wa Firate. Mzera wawo wopitamo uli Msewu Waukulu wa Mfumu kum’mawa kwa chigwa cha Mtsinje wa Yordano. Pa ulendo iwo agonjetsa a Refai, Zuzi, Emi, ndi Ahori. Kenaka, oloŵererawo atembenuka ndi kugonjetsa nzika zonse za kum’mwera kwa Negeb.

Nchiyani chomwe chiri chifuno cha ndawala ya nkhondo imeneyi? Pakati pa magawo oloŵereredwa a Transjordan ndi Negeb pali mphoto. Icho chiri chigwa chokhumbirika chotchedwa Boma la Yordano. (Genesis 13:10) Pano, nzika za maboma a mizinda isanu, Sodomu, Gomora, Adima, Ziboimu, ndi Bera, anali kukhala moyo wosasamala wa chuma chakuthupi. (Ezekieli 16:49, 50) Kamodzi iwo anali ogonjera kwa mtsogoleri wachidziŵikire wa magulu ankhondo ophatikizanawo, Kedorelaomere, mfumu ya Elami. Koma iwo anawukira motsutsana naye. Tsopano, popanda chirikizo la pafupipo, iwo ayang’anizana ndi kuŵerengera. Kedorelaomere ndi magulu ake ogwirizana apambana nkhondo yotulukapoyo ndi kuyamba ulendo wawo wautali wopita kumudzi ndi zofunkha zambiri.

Pakati pa akapolowo pali munthu wolungama, Loti. Iye ali mwana wa mphwake wa Abrahamu, yemwe akukhala m’mahema m’mapiri apafupipo a Hebroni. Pamene Abrahamu amva mbiri yomvetsa chifundoyo, iye mwamsanga atumiza amuna ake 318. Molimba mtima, ndi chichirikizo cha anansi ena, iwo athamangitsa mafumu anayiwo ndi kudabwitsa magulu awo ankhondo usiku. Oloŵererawo athaŵa. Loti ndi banja lake apulumutsidwa, limodzi ndi andende ena ndi katundu.

Ndi chifukwa chotani chimene tiri nacho cha kukhulupirira cholembera chimenechi m’mutu 14 wa Genesis? Kodi nkhaniyo inangopekedwa kuti ipange ngwazi ya mtundu ya kholo la unyinji wa mitundu, kuphatikizapo Ayuda? Bwanji ponena za zochitika zina m’moyo wa Abrahamu?

Chimene Atsogoleri a Chipembedzo Anena

Kuchiyambiyambi kwa zana la 19, wa nthanthi ya zaumulungu ya Lutheran Peter von Bohlen anadzinenera kuti Abrahamu anali nthano ndipo kuti cholembera cha kuloŵerera kwa Kedorelaomere chinalibe maziko a mbiri yakale. Wina, Profesa Julius Wellhausen, analongosola kuti: “Sitimafika ku chidziŵitso cha mbiri yakale ya makolo.” Iye analingalira kuti: “[Abrahamu] motsimikizirika angawonedwe monga chilengedwe chaulere cha luso lopanda malingaliro.”

A nthanthi ya zaumulungu a Chingelezi anatsatira chitsogozo cha anzawo a Chigerman. “Nthano za makolo aakulu m’bukhu la Genesis ziri za nthaŵi ya mbiri yakale isanayambe, sizowona mwa mbiri yakale monga mmene ziriri nthano za . . . Mfumu Arthur,” analemba tero mtsogoleri wa chipembedzo Stopford Brooke m’bukhu lake lakuti The Old Testament and Modern Life. “Kuchokera mu . . . Genesis . . . timapeza kokha kawonedwe kosweka ndi kosokonezeka ka moyo ndi mkhalidwe wa aliyense wa makolo,” analemba tero John Colenso, bishopu wa Anglican wa dziko lomwe kale linkalamuliridwa ndi Britain la Natal. “Nchosatheka,” iye anawonjezera, “kuika chidaliro chotheratu mu zirizonse za zolembedwa zimenezi.”

Kusuliza koteroko kunafalikira monga chironda. (2 Timoteo 2:17) Lerolino, mamiliyoni a opita ku tchalitchi samatenganso moyo wa makolowo mosamalitsa. Komabe, ku kunyazitsidwa kwa nthanthi zaumulungu a Chikristu cha Dziko, osakhulupirira m’kukhalako kwa Mulungu tsopano amanena kuti kusuliza Baibulo kwapita patali. Mwachitsanzo, Bol’shaia Sovetskaia Entsiklopediia (Bukhu la Nazonse Lalikulu la Soviet) imalongosola kuti: “M’zaka za posachedwapa, mipambo ya mikangano ya kusuliza Baibulo inasanthulidwanso m’chiwunikiro cha kufufuza kwatsopano, makamaka pa maziko a zopezedwa zotchedwa zinthu zofotseredwa pansi zakale za Baibulo. Miyambo ina ya Baibulo yomwe inalingaliridwa kukhala nthano . . . ikuwoneka kukhala ndi maziko a mbiri yakale.” Lingalirani mmene maphunziro a zinthu zofotseredwa pansi awunikirira pa cholembedwa ponena za Abrahamu.

Uri wa kwa Akaldayo

Mogwirizana ndi Baibulo, Abrahamu analeredwa mu “Uri wa Akaldayo.” (Genesis 11:27-31; 15:7) Kwa zaka mazana, malo a Uri anali chinsinsi. Osuliza anakhulupirira kuti ngati iyo inakhalakodi, iyo inali yosazindikirika, malo a kumbuyo kwenikweni. Kenaka, ku kunyazitsidwa kwawo, mabwinja omwe anali pakati pa Babulo ndi Persian Gulf anazindikiritsidwa mosalakwika kukhala aja a Uri. Zikwi za zidutswa za mapale zofukulidwa pamalopo zinavumbula kuti Uri anali malo apakati a malonda a dziko, okhala ndi chiŵerengero chokulira chokhala m’malo a mzinda. M’nthaŵi ya Abrahamu, mzindawo unali ngakhale ndi sukulu kumene anyamata anali kuphunzitsidwa kulemba ndi kupanga masamu.

M’kuwonjezerapo, zofukulidwa pa Uri zinavumbula kuti aluso lomanga ake anagwiritsira ntchito mzati, arch, vault, ndi dome. Amuna a luso la zopangapanga a Uri anatulutsa zokometsera zabwino, azeze okongoletsedwa bwino, ndi mipeni yokhala ndi kochekera kwa golidi woyengeka. M’nyumba zambiri, ofukula zinthu zofotseredwa pansi anafukula mapaipi a dongosolo lopita zoipa, opangidwa ndi dothi lowotchedwa, omwe anatsikira m’maenje aakulu otairamo ofika ku kuzama kwa mamita 12.

Zopeza zimenezi zinapatsa ophunzira ambiri kawonedwe katsopano ka Abrahamu. “Tinazoloŵera kulingalira Abrahamu monga wokhala m’mahema wopepuka, ndi kumpeza iye kukhala wokhala wothekera wa nyumba ya njerwa yotchuka mu mzinda,” analemba tero Sir Leonard Woolley m’bukhu lake lakuti Digging Up the Past. “Abrahamu,” analongosola tero katswiri wofukula zinthu zofotseredwa pansi Alan Millard m’bukhu lake lakuti Treasures From Bible Times, “anasiya mzinda wotchukawo, ndi chisungiko ndi ubwino wake wonse, kukhala mmodzi wa oyendayenda onyozedwa!”

Kuloŵerera kwa Kedorelaomere

Bwanji ponena za chilakiko cha Abrahamu pa Kedorelaomere, mfumu ya Elami? Kuchiyambiyambi kwa zana la 19, zochepera zinadziŵika ponena za Aelami. Osuliza Baibulo anakana lingaliro lakuti Elami anali konse ndi chisonkhezero pa Babulo, osatchula nkomwe Palestina. Tsopano, Aelami akuwonedwa mosiyanako. Phunziro la zinthu zofotseredwa pansi likuvumbula iwo kukhala mtundu wamphamvu womenya nkhondo. Funk & Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia ikulongosola kuti: “Aelami anawononga mzinda wa Uri chifupifupi 1950 B.C. . . . Motsatira iwo anaika chisonkhezero cholingalirika pa olamulira a Babulo.”

M’kuwonjezerapo, maina a mafumu Achielami apezedwa pa zozokotedwa za zinthu zofotseredwa pansi. Ena a iwo amayamba ndi kalongosoledwe kakuti “Kudur,” kofanana ndi “Kedore.” Mulungu wachikazi wofunika koposa wa Chielami anali Lagamar, wofanana ndi “laomere.” Chotero, Kedorelaomere akulandiridwa tsopano ndi magwero ena a ku dziko kukhala wolamulira wa m’mbiri yakale, dzina lake mwinamwake lotanthauza “Mtumiki wa Lagamar.” Ndandanda imodzi ya zozokotedwa za Chibabulo iri ndi maina ofanana ku atatu a mafumu oloŵererawo​—Tudhula (Tidala), Eri-aku (Arioki), ndi Kudur-lahmil (Kedorelaomere). (Genesis 14:1) M’bukhu lakuti Hidden Things of God’s Revelation, Dr. A. Custance akuwonjezera kuti: “Pambali pa maina amenewa panali tsatanetsatane yemwe anawonekera kulozera ku zochitika zomwe zinathera m’Babulo pamene Aelami anakhazikitsa ulamuliro wawo pa dzikolo. . . . Miyala imeneyi inali yotsimikizira Lemba kwenikweni kotero kuti Osuliza Apamwamba analumphira pa iyo ndipo anachita chirichonse mu mphamvu yawo kuti atsendereze mwadala kufunika kwawo.”

Bwanji ponena za kuloŵerera kwa mafumu anayiwo? Kodi pali umboni wina uliwonse wa zinthu zofotseredwa pansi mu Transjordan ndi Negeb kuchirikiza ichi? Inde. M’bukhu lake lakuti The Archaeology of the Land of Israel, Profesa Yohanan Aharoni akulozera ku kuzimiririka kwa kutsungula kwa nthaŵi ya Israyeli isadakhale komwe kunali ndi makhazikitsidwe “osangalatsa” mu Transjordan ndi Negeb, “chifupifupi 2000 B.C.E.” Akatswiri ena a zinthu zofotseredwa pansi amanena kuti ichi chinachitika chifupifupi 1900 B.C.E. “Zowumba za ponse paŵiri Negeb ndi Transjordan kaamba ka nyengoyi ziri zofanana ndipo zonse ziŵiri zimasonyeza kutha kwa mwadzidzidzi, kwa tsoka kwa kutsungula,” akulongosola tero Dr. Harold Stigers mu Commentary on Genesis yake. Ngakhale osuliza Baibulo, onga ngati John Van Seters, amalandira umboni kaamba ka ichi. “Vuto limodzi losathetsedwa liri kumene anthu amenewa anapita, ngati pali kulikonse, pamapeto a nyengoyo,” iye akulongosola tero m’bukhu lake lakuti Abraham in History and Tradition.

Genesis mutu 14 umapereka yankho lothekera ku vutolo. Mogwirizana ndi kuŵerengera masiku kwa Baibulo, Abrahamu anafika mu Kanani mu 1943 B.C.E. Kuloŵerera kosakaza kwa Kedorelaomere kuyenera kukhala kunachitika mwamsanga pambuyo pa chimenecho. Pambuyo pake, m’zana limodzimodzilo, Mulungu anabweretsa chiwonongeko cha moto pa mizinda ya makhalidwe a chisembwere ya Sodomu ndi Gomora. Ichi chinasintha kotheratu kawonekedwe ka malo ka kunsi kwa Chigwa cha Yordano komwe poyambapo kunali kwa chonde. (Genesis 13:10-13; 19:24, 25) Icho sichinalinso mphoto ya oloŵerera achilendo.

Pali zitsanzo zina zambiri za mmene maphunziro a zinthu zofotseredwa pansi amagwirizanirana ndi Malemba m’kuika chiwunikiro pa zochitika m’moyo wa Abrahamu. Koma phunziro la zofotseredwa pansi liri ndi malire ake. Umboni umene limapereka kaŵirikaŵiri sumakhala wachindunji ndipo uli wogonjetsedwera ku matanthauzo a anthu opanda ungwiro.

Umboni Wodalirika Koposa

Umboni wamphamvu wakuti Abrahamu anakhalakodi uli umboni wa Mlengi wa munthu, Yehova Mulungu. Pa Salmo 105:9-15, Mulungu analankhula movomereza za Abrahamu, Isake, ndi Yakobo monga “aneneri” ake. Zitapita zaka chikwi pambuyo pa imfa ya Abrahamu, Yehova Mulungu analozera kwa Abrahamu kupyolera pakamwa pa chifupifupi aneneri atatu, ngakhale kumutcha iye monga “bwenzi” lake. (Yesaya 41:8; 51:2; Yeremiya 33:26; Ezekieli 33:24) Mofananamo, Yesu Kristu anakwezeka Abrahamu monga chitsanzo. Mkati mwa kukhalapo kwake kumwamba asanakhale munthu, Mwana wa Mulungu mwaumwini anachitira umboni zochita za Atate wake ndi khololo. Chotero, iye akanakhoza kunena kwa Ayuda kuti:

“Ngati muli ana a Abrahamu, mukadachita ntchito za Abrahamu. Koma tsopano mufuna kundipha ine, ndine munthu amene ndinalankhula ndi inu chowonadi, chimene ndinamva kwa Mulungu; ichi Abrahamu sanachita. Ayuda pamenepo anati kwa iye, simunafikire zaka makumi asanu, ndipo munawona Abrahamu kodi? Yesu anati kwa iwo, Indetu, indetu, ndinena kwa inu, asanayambe kukhala Abrahamu ndipo ine ndiripo.”​—Yohane 8:39, 40, 56-58.

Ndi umboni ndi chilimbikitso cha Anthu aŵiri aakulu koposa m’chilengedwe chaponseponse, tiri ndi zifukwa zabwino koposa za kulandirira chirichonse chimene Baibulo limanena ponena za Abrahamu. (Yohane 17:5, 17) Ngakhale kuti Baibulo limapereka Abrahamu monga chitsanzo, ilo silimamukweza iye mosayenerera monga ngwazi ya mtundu. Ichi chingawonedwe mwa kusanthula cholembera cha chilakiko chake pa mafumu anayi ogwirizanawo. Pamene Abrahamu anabwerera kuchokera ku nkhondo, iye anapatsidwa moni ndi Melikizedeke, mfumu ya ku Salemu, yemwe ananena kuti: “Ayamikike Mulungu Wamkulukulu amene wapereka adani ako m’dzanja lako.” Anali Yehova amene iye anatamanda kaamba ka chipulumutso chimenecho.​—Genesis 14:18-20.

Ngakhale kuli tero, chilakiko chachikulu koposerapo chiri pafupi! Posachedwapa, Mulungu wa ulemerero mmodzimodziyu adzagonjetsa “mafumu a dziko lonse” pa nkhondo ya chiwunda chonse yotchedwa Armagedo. (Chibvumbulutso 16:14, 16) Kenaka, lonjezo la Mulungu kwa Abrahamu, mneneri ndi bwenzi lake, lidzakhala ndi kukwaniritsidwa kokwanira: “M’mbewu zako mitundu yonse ya dziko lapansi idzadalitsidwa.” Mamiliyoni akusangalala ndi kulawa kwa madalitso oterowo. Mungaphatikizidwe pakati pawo, monga mmene nkhani zowonekera pa masamba 18-28 m’magazini ino zidzasonyezera.​—Genesis 22:18.

[Mapu/​Zithunzi patsamba 7]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Great Sea

THE NEGEB

Damascus

Haran

Euphrates River

Tigris River

Ur

ELAM

Persian Gulf

[Mapu]

Damascus

Dan

REPHAIM

ZUZIM

Shechem

Bethel

District of the Jordan

Salt Sea

Hebron

THE NEGEB

King’s Highway

EMIM

Gomorrah

Sodom

HORITES

[Zithunzi]

Abrahamu anamvera, kutuluka mu Uri, mzinda wopita patsogolo kwenikweni

Zitsanzo za maumboni akale kuchokera ku Uri:

1. Nkhalamanja ndi choikamo

2. ‘Chitsanzo’ cha Uri

3. Mutu wa ng’ombe yamphongo wagolidi kuchokera mu bokosi lotulutsa mawu la zeze

4. Zokometsera

5. Nduwira ya kumutu yokongoletsedwa

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Zithunzithunzi: Courtesy of the British Museum