Kulambira Baala Nkhondo Yosatha M’mitima mwa Aisrayeli

Pafupifupi zaka chikwi, mtundu wa Aisrayeli unali pankhondo yosatha ya m’mitima. Kukhulupirira malodza komanso miyambo ya chisembwere inali kumenyana ndi chikhulupiriro komanso kukhulupirika. Nkhondo ya moyo kapena imfa imeneyi inali pakati pa kulambira Baala ndi kulambira Yehova.

KODI mtundu wa Aisrayeli ukanakhala wokhulupirika kwa Mulungu amene anawatulutsa mu Igupto? (Eksodo 20:2, 3) Kapena udakatsatira Baala, mulungu wokondeka wa Akanani, yemwe analonjeza kupangitsa nthaka kukhala yachonde?

Nkhondo yauzimu imeneyi, yochitika zaka zikwi zapitazo, ili ndi tanthauzo kwa ife. Chifukwa chiyani? Mtumwi Paulo analemba kuti: “Izi zinalembedwa kutichenjeza ife, amene matsirizidwe a nthaŵi ya pansi pano adafika pa ife.” (1 Akorinto 10:11) Tanthauzo lenileni la nkhondo ya m’mbiri imeneyi n’lothandiza kwambiri ngati timvetsetsa chimene Baala anali ndi zimene zinali kuphatikizidwa m’kulambira Baala.

Kodi Baala Anali Ndani?

Aisrayeli anadziŵa za Baala pamene anafika ku Kanani, pafupifupi m’chaka cha 1473 B.C.E. Iwo anapeza kuti Akanani anali kulambira milungu yochuluka imene inali yofanana ndi milungu ya Aigupto ngakhale kuti inali ndi mayina osiyana komanso mikhalidwe yosiyana. Komabe Baibulo limatchula Baala monga mulungu wamkulu wa Akanani, ndipo zopezedwa m’mabwinja zimatsimikiza zimenezo. (Oweruza 2:11) Ngakhale kuti Baala sanali mulungu wopambana milungu yawo, kwa Akanani ambiri anali mulungu wofunika kwambiri. Ankakhulupirira kuti anali ndi mphamvu pamvula, pamphepo, ndi pamitambo ndiponso kuti iye yekha ndiye anali wokhoza kupulumutsa anthu​—komanso nyama ndi mbewu zawo​—kumatenda ngakhale kuimfa. Popanda kutetezedwa ndi Baala, mosakayikira Mot, mulungu wankhanza wa Akanani, anali kudzetsa matsoka pa iwo.

Kulambira Baala kunali kuchitika ndi miyambo yachisembwere. Ngakhalenso zinthu zolambirira Baala, monga zipilala zopatulika ndi milongoti yopatulika, zinali ndi matanthauzo achisembwere. Kwenikweni, zipilala zopatulika​—zimene zinali miyala kapena miyala yosemedwa mumpangidwe woyerekezera maliseche achimuna​—zinaimira Baala, monga mwamuna pochita chisembwere. Kumbali ina, milongoti yopatulika inali zinthu za matabwa kapena za mitengo zimene zinaimira Asherah, chibwenzi cha Baala, ndi maliseche a mkazi.​—1 Mafumu 18:19.

Chisembwere m’kachisi ndi kupereka ana nsembe zinali mbali zazikulu za kulambira Baala. (1 Mafumu 14:23, 24; 2 Mbiri 28:2, 3) Buku lotchedwa The Bible and Archaeology limati: “Mu akachisi a Akanani munali mahule amuna ndi akazi (amuna ndi akazi ‘opatulika’) ndipo munali kuchitika chisembwere chosadziletsa chamtundu wina uliwonse. [Akanani] ankakhulupirira kuti m’njira inayake miyambo imeneyi inali kupangitsa mbewu ndi ziweto kubereka kwambiri.” Chimenecho ndicho chinali chifukwa cha chipembedzo cholungamitsira zimenezo, ngakhale kuti mwachionekere zachiwerewere zimenezo zinkachitika makamaka chifukwa cha zilakolako za thupi za olambirawo. Kodi ndi motani mmene Baala anakopera mitima ya Aisrayeli?

Chifukwa Chiyani Anali Wokopa?

Mwinamwake Aisrayeli ambiri anakonda chipembedzo chosafuna zambiri kwa iwo. M’kulambira Baala sanali kusunga Chilamulo, monga Sabata ndi malamulo ena ambiri amakhalidwe abwino. (Levitiko 18:2-30; Deuteronomo 5:1-3) N’kuthekanso kuti, chuma cha Akanani chinapangitsa ena kukhulupirira kuti Baala anali woyenera kupembedzedwa.

Malo opembedzera a Akanani, otchedwa malo apamwamba amene anali m’malo okwera pakati pa mapiri m’mitengo yambiri, ayenera kuti anali malo okopa ochitirako miyambo ya mphamvu zobereketsa imene inali kuchitika kumeneko. Posakhalitsa, Aisrayeli sanali okhutira kupita kaŵirikaŵiri kumalo opatulika a Akanani; choncho anamanga awo. “Pakuti anadzimangiranso misanje, ndi zoimiritsa, ndi zifanizo, pa chitunda chonse chachitali, ndi patsinde pa mtengo wogudira uliwonse.”​—1 Mafumu 14:23; Hoseya 4:13.

Choposa zonse, kulambira Baala kunali kosangalatsa thupi. (Agalatiya 5:19-21) Zilakolako zathupi zinali kupambana chikhumbo chofuna mbewu ndi ziŵeto zochuluka. Anali kuchirikiza kugonana. Zimenezi zachitiridwa umboni ndi timafano tambiri tomwe tafukulidwa, tokhala ndi maliseche okakamula, odzutsa chilakolako chogonana. Kuchita phwando, kuvina, ndi nyimbo zinali kusonkhezera mkhalidwe wachisembwere.

Tikhoza kuganiza mmene mkhalidwewo unalili kumayambiriro a nthaŵi ya dzinja. Mwachizoloŵezi chawo, olambirawo anali kuvina modolola kwambiri, atakhuta mopitirira muyezo ndiponso atamwa moŵa. Anali kulingalira kuti kuvina pamwambo wa kubala kunali kudzutsa Baala kuntchito za dzinja ndikuti adalitse nthaka ndi mvula. Anali kuvina mozungulira zipilala zosonyeza maliseche achimuna ndi milongoti yopatulika. Kayendedwe makamaka ka mahule a m’kachisi, kanali kodzutsa chilakolako chogonana. Anthu openyerera komanso nyimbo ndizo zinali kuwasonkhezera. Ndipo mosakayikira, pachimake pa kuvinako, anthu ovinawo anali kupita m’zipinda za m’nyumba ya Baala nayamba kuchita chisembwere.​—Numeri 25:1, 2; Yerekezerani ndi Eksodo 32:6, 17-19; Amosi 2:8.

Anayenda mwa Maonekedwe, Osati Mwa Chikhulupiriro

Ngakhale kuli kwakuti kulambira kosangalatsa thupi kumeneku kunakopa anthu ambiri, manthanso anapangitsa Aisrayeli kulambira Baala. Pamene Aisrayeli anataya chikhulupiriro mwa Yehova, kuopa akufa, kuopa zam’tsogolo, ndiponso kuchita chidwi ndi obwebweta zinawapangitsa kuyamba kukhulupirira mizimu, kenako zimenezi zinaphatikizapo miyambo yonyansa kwambiri. Buku lotchedwa The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia limafotokoza mmene Akanani anali kulemekezera mizimu ya akufa monga mbali yolambira makolo: “Panali kuchitika madzoma . . . pamanda a banjalo kapena pamtumbira wake anali kuchita mwambo woledzera ndi wakugonana (n’kuthekanso kuti anali kugonana pachibale) zimene ankati wakufayo anali kuchita nawo.” Kutenga mbali m’machitachita onyansa opembedza mizimu ameneŵa kunalekanitsa kwambiri Aisrayeli ndi Mulungu wawo, Yehova.​—Deuteronomo 18:9-12.

Mafano​—ndi miyambo yoloŵetsedwamo​—inakopa Aisrayeli ofuna kuyenda mwa maonekedwe osati mwa chikhulupiriro. (2 Akorinto 5:7) Ngakhale pamene anaona zozizwitsa zazikulu zochitidwa ndi dzanja losaoneka la Yehova, Aisrayeli ambiri omwe anachoka ku Igupto anafuna kuti iye aziwakumbutsa ndi zinthu zooneka. (Eksodo 32:1-4) Mofananamo mbadwa zawo zina zinafunanso kulambira chinthu chooneka, monga mafano a Baala.​—1 Mafumu 12:25-30.

Kodi Anapambana Ndani?

Nkhondo ya m’mitima mwa Aisrayeli inachitika kwa zaka mazana, kuyambira panthaŵi imene anafika pachigwa cha Moabu atatsala pang’ono kuloŵa m’Dziko Lolonjezedwa mpaka panthaŵi imene anatengeredwa ku Babulo. Zinthu zake zinali kusinthasintha. Nthaŵi zina, Aisrayeli ambiri anali okhulupirika kwa Yehova, koma nthaŵi ndi nthaŵi anali kutembenukiranso kwa Baala. Kwenikweni chinkachititsa zimenezi chinali mayanjano awo ndi anthu akunja owazinga.

Atapambana nkhondoyi, Akanani anayamba kumenya mwamachenjera kwambiri. Akunjawo ankakhala pafupi ndi Aisrayeli ndipo anawalimbikitsa kuti azilambira milungu ya m’dzikolo. Koma oweruza olimba mtima monga Gideoni ndi Samueli anakana mchitidwe umenewu. Samueli anachenjeza anthuwo kuti: “Chotsani pakati pa inu milungu yachilendo, . . . . nimukonzere Yehova mitima yanu, ndi kum’tumikira iye yekha.” Kwa nthaŵi yakutiyakuti, Aisrayeli anamvera chenjezo la Samueli, ndipo “anachotsa Abaala ndi Asitaroti, natumikira Yehova yekha.”​—1 Samueli 7:3, 4; Oweruza 6:25-27.

Sauli ndi Davide atalamulira, Solomo muukalamba wake anayamba kupereka nsembe kwa milungu yachilendo. (1 Mafumu 11:4-8) Mafumu ena a Israyeli ndi Yuda anachitanso zofananazo kenako analambira Baala. Komabe, aneneri ndi mafumu okhulupirika, monga Eliya, Elisa, ndi Yosiya, anatsogolera kumenya nkhondo yolimbana ndi kulambira Baala. (2 Mbiri 34:1-5) Komanso, m’mbiri ya Aisrayeli imeneyi panali anthu amene anakhalabe okhulupirika kwa Yehova. Ngakhale m’nthaŵi ya Ahabu ndi Yezebeli, pamene kulambira Baala kunali kofala, anthu zikwi zisanu ndi ziŵiri anakana ‘kugwadira Baala maondo awo.’​—1 Mafumu 19:18.

Pomalizira pake, Ayuda atabwerako ku ukapolo ku Babulo, sanali kutchulanso za kulambira Baala. Mofanana ndi anthu amene akutchulidwa pa Ezara 6:21, onse ‘anadzipatula kuchokera kuchonyansa cha amitundu ndi kufuna Yehova Mulungu wa Israyeli.’

Machenjezo Ochokera pa Kulambira Baala

Ngakhale kuti kulambira Baala kunatha kale kwambiri, pali kufanana kumodzi pakati pa chipembedzo cha Akanani ndi cha anthu amakono​—kuchilikiza chigololo. Zosonkhezera chisembwere n’zofala m’dziko lathu. (Aefeso 2:2) Paulo akuchenjeza kuti: “Tikulimbana ndi mphamvu yosaoneka yomwe imalamulira dziko la mdimali, komanso zolengedwa zauzimu zochokera ku likulu kwenikweni kwa zoipa.”​—Aefeso 6:12, Phillips.

“Mphamvu yosaoneka” ya Satana imeneyi imachilikiza chisembwere ndi cholinga chofuna kuika anthu mu ukapolo wauzimu. (Yohane 8:34) M’dziko lamakono la anthu olekererali, chisembwere sichikuchitika monga mwambo wa kubala, m’malo mwake, monga njira yopezera zokhutiritsa zaumwini kapena yosonyezera kuti aliyense akhoza kuchita zomwe akufuna. Ndipo bodza limeneli n’lokopa kwambiri. Mauthenga a chisembwere adzaza m’maganizo a anthu, kudzera m’zosangulutsa, m’nyimbo ndi mwa osatsa malonda. Atumiki a Mulungu sali osakhoza kuyambukiridwa ndi zimenezo. Ndiponso, ambiri amene amachotsedwa mumpingo wachikristu ndi anthu amene amagonjera kumachitachita ameneŵa. Mkristu angakhale woyera nthaŵi zonse mwakukana zinthu zosonkhezera chisembwere zimenezi.​—Aroma 12:9.

Mboni zachinyamata ndizo zili pangozi kwambiri, popeza zinthu zambiri zomwe amaziona kukhala zosangalatsa zimasakanizidwa ndi nkhani zakugonana. Kuipa kwakenso, afunikira kukana chisonkhezero cha achinyamata ena owalimbikitsa. (Yerekezerani ndi Miyambo 1:10-15.) Mwachitsanzo, ambiri aloŵa m’mavuto, pamacheza a anthu ambiri. Mofanana ndi polambira Baala m’nthaŵi zakale, leronso nyimbo, kuvina, ndi zodzutsa chikhumbo chakugonana zikupanga chikoka chomwerekeretsa m’zonyansa.​—2 Timoteo 2:22.

Wamasalmo anafunsa kuti, “Mnyamata adzayeretsa mayendedwe ake bwanji? Anayankha kuti, “Akawasamalira monga mwa mawu [a Yehova].” (Salmo 119:9) Monga Chilamulo cha Mulungu chinalamula Aisrayeli kusayanjana kwambiri ndi Akanani, choncho Baibulo likutichenjeza za kuipa kwa mayanjano oipa. (1 Akorinto 15:32, 33) Mkristu wachinyamata amasonyeza uchikulire pamene akana zisonkhezero zokopa za kugonana zimene iye akudziŵa kuti ndi zoipitsa makhalidwe abwino. Monga Eliya wokhulupirikayo, sitingalole kungotengera zimene anthu ambiri amakonda popanga zosankha zathu.​—1 Mafumu 18:21; Yerekezerani ndi Mateyu 7:13, 14.

Chenjezo lina limakhudza kutaya chikhulupiriro, “tchimoli limangotizinga.” (Ahebri 12:1) Kukuoneka kuti Aisrayeli ambiri anakhulupirira Yehova, komabe anayang’ana kwa Baala monga mulungu amene angateteze mbewu zawo ndi kuwapatsa zosoŵa zawo zatsiku ndi tsiku. Mwina anali kuona kuti ku Yerusalemu komwe kunali kachisi wa Yehova kunali kutali ndiponso kuti kusunga malamulo ake kunali kosapindulitsa. Kulambira Baala kunali kosafuna zambiri ndiponso kosavuta​—anali kumufukizira Baala nsembe ngakhale pamwamba panyumba zawo. (Yeremiya 32:29) N’kutheka kuti, analambira Baala mwakungochita ina mwa miyambo yake kapenanso mwakupereka nsembe kwa Baala m’dzina la Yehova.

Ndi motani mmene tingatayire chikhulupiriro kenako ndikulekana naye Mulungu woona? (Ahebri 3:12) Pang’ono ndi pang’ono tingasiye kukonda misonkhano monga mmene tinali kuchitira poyamba. Khalidwe limeneli limasonyeza kusadalira makonzedwe a Yehova a “zakudya panthaŵi yake.” (Mateyu 24:45-47) Pokhala titafooka, tingataye ‘kuonetsera kwathu mawu a moyo’ kapenanso kukhala ndi moyo wapaŵiri, ngakhale kugonjera ku kukondetsa zinthu zakuthupi kapenanso ku chisembwere.​—Afilipi 2:16; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 119:113.

Kusungabe Umphumphu Wathu

Mosakayikira konse, lerolino nkhondo ya m’mitima ikuchitika. Kodi tidzakhalabe okhulupirika kwa Yehova kapena tidzakopeka ndi mkhalidwe wachisembwere wadzikoli? N’zachisoni kuti, monga mmene Aisrayeli anakopekera ndi zinthu zonyansa za Akanani, lerolino amuna ndi akazi achikristu akopeka kuchita machitachita onyansa.​—Yerekezerani ndi Miyambo 7:7, 21-23.

Tikhoza kupeŵa kugonjetsedwa mwauzimu, kokha ngati ‘tipirira molimbika, monga ngati tikuona wosaonekayo,’ monga momwe anachitira Mose. (Ahebri 11:27) Ndithudi, tiyenera ‘kulimbanatu chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro.’ (Yuda 3) Koma mwakukhalabe wokhulupirika kwa Mulungu ndi kumalamulo ake, tingayembekeze pamene kulambira konyenga kudzatheratu. Mofanana ndi mmene kulambira Yehova kunapambanira kulambira Baala, tingakhale otsimikiza kuti posachedwa “dziko lapansi lidzadzala ndi odziŵa Yehova, monga madzi adzaza nyanja.”​—Yesaya 11:9.

[Chithunzi patsamba 31]

Mabwinja a zipilala zopatulika ku Gezer zimene anali kugwiritsa ntchito pakulambira Baala

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 28]

Musée du Louvre, Paris