Gusenga Baali-Intambara mu Mitima y’Abisirayeli

Mu gihe cy’imyaka igera hafi ku gihumbi, intambara yarabicikirizaga mu mitima y’abagize ishyanga ry’Isirayeli. Ku ruhande rumwe, ubwoba bushingiye ku miziririzo hamwe n’imihango yakorerwagamo ibikorwa by’ubusambanyi, byarwanaga n’ukwizera hamwe n’ubudahemuka ku rundi ruhande. Iyo ntambara yo gupfa no gukira, yashyamiranyije gahunda yo gusenga Baali na gahunda yo gusenga Yehova.

MBESE, abari bagize ishyanga ry’Isirayeli bari kwifatanya akaramata ari abizerwa ku Mana y’ukuri yari yarabakuye mu Misiri (Kuva 20:2, 3)? Cyangwa se bari kuyinamukaho bakisangira Baali, imana yari ikunzwe cyane n’Abanyakanaani, yasezeranyaga kuzarumbura ubutaka bw’icyo gihugu?

Iyo ntambara yo mu buryo bw’umwuka yarwanywe mu myaka ibarirwa mu bihumbi ishize, ifite icyo iturebaho. Kubera iki? Intumwa Pawulo yaranditse iti “ibyo . . . byandikiwe kuduhugura, twebwe abasohoreweho n’imperuka y’ibihe” (1 Abakorinto 10:11). Umuburo w’ingenzi w’iyo ntambara yabayeho mu mateka, uzarushaho kugira ireme niba dusobanukiwe uwo Baali yari we, hamwe n’icyo gusenga Baali byari bikubiyemo.

Baali Yari Nde?

Abisirayeli bahuye na Baali igihe bari bageze i Kanaani, ahagana mu mwaka wa 1473 M.I.C. Basanze Abanyakanaani basenga imana nyinshi zitari zitandukanye n’imana zo mu Misiri, n’ubwo zari zifite andi mazina hamwe n’ibindi bintu runaka biziranga byari bitandukanye n’iby’izo mu Misiri. Ariko kandi, Bibiliya igaragaza ko Baali ari yo yari imana y’ingenzi mu mana z’Abanyakanaani, kandi ibyagezweho n’ubushakashatsi bw’ibyataburuwe mu matongo bihamya ko ari yo yazirutaga koko (Abacamanza 2:11). N’ubwo Baali atari yo yari imana y’ikirenga mu mana zabo zemewe, ku Banyakanaani ni yo mana yari ifite icyo ivuze cyane kurusha izindi. Biringiraga ko ifite ubushobozi ku mvura, ku muyaga no ku bicu, kandi ko ari yo yonyine yashoboraga kurokora abantu​—hamwe n’amatungo n’ibihingwa byabo​—ikabakiza ubugumba, kurumba cyangwa se urupfu. Mu gihe Baali yari kuba itabarinze, imana yitwaga Mot, ikaba yari imana y’Abanyakanaani yahoranaga inyota yo kugira nabi, nta kabuza yari kubateza amakuba.

Gahunda yo gusenga Baali yagendanaga n’imihango yakorerwagamo ibikorwa by’ubusambanyi. Ndetse n’ibintu byo mu rwego rw’idini bifitanye isano na Baali, urugero nk’ingoro zera n’inkingi zera, byerekezaga ku bitsina. Uko bigaragara, inkingi z’amabuye zera​—zaba izubatswe mu mabuye asanzwe cyangwa se izikozwe mu mabuye abajwemo ishusho y’igitsina cy’umugabo​—zari zihagarariye Baali, wari ufite umwanya w’umugabo mu mibonano mpuzabitsina. Ku rundi ruhande, inkingi z’ibiti zera, zabaga ari ibintu bikozwe mu biti cyangwa ibiti ubwabyo, zabaga zihagarariye Ashera wari umugore wa Baali, kandi zigafata umwanya w’umugore.​—1 Abami 18:19.

Ubusambanyi bwo mu nsengero hamwe no gutamba abana, ni ibindi bintu byari byiganje cyane muri gahunda yo gusenga Baali (1 Abami 14:23, 24; 2 Ngoma 28:2, 3). Igitabo cyitwa The Bible and Archaeology cyagize kiti “mu nsengero z’Abanyakanaani, habagamo indaya z’abagabo n’iz’abagore (abagabo n’abagore ‘bera’), kandi ibikorwa byose by’akahebwe mu bihereranye n’ibitsina byarahakorerwaga. [Abanyakanaani] bumvaga ko mu buryo runaka, iyo mihango yatumaga ibihingwa n’amatungo birumbuka.” Ibyo ari byo byose, uko ni ko bisobanuraga babiherereza ku mpamvu za kidini, n’ubwo nta gushidikanya ko bene ibyo bikorwa by’ubwiyandarike byabyutsaga irari ry’umubiri ry’ababaga basenga. None se, ni gute Baali yaje kureshya imitima y’Abisirayeli?

Kuki Yabareheje Cyane?

Wenda Abisirayeli benshi bahisemo gukurikiza idini ritabasabaga byinshi. Mu gihe basengaga Baali, ntibabaga bagisabwa gukurikiza Amategeko, urugero nk’Isabato hamwe n’andi mategeko menshi yabashyiriragaho imipaka mu by’umuco (Abalewi 18:2-30; Gutegeka 5:1-3). Birashoboka ko uburumbuke Abanyakanaani bari bafite mu birebana n’ubutunzi bw’iby’umubiri, bwemeje abandi ko Baali yagombaga kugushwa neza.

Insengero z’Abanyakanaani, zari zizwiho ko ari ahantu hirengeye kandi zikaba mu dushyamba twabaga turi ku tununga two ku misozi miremire, zigomba kuba zari ahantu hareshya, hareherezaga abantu kuza mu mihango y’iby’iyororoka yahakorerwaga. Nyuma y’igihe gito, Abisirayeli ntibari bakinyurwa no kujya ahantu hera h’Abanyakanaani; ahubwo biyubakiye ahabo bwite. “Biyubakiye ingoro n’inkingi na Asherimu ku musozi muremure wose no munsi y’igiti kibisi cyose.”​—1 Abami 14:23; Hoseya 4:13.

Ariko mbere y’ibindi byose, gahunda yo gusenga Baali yashishikazaga umubiri (Abagalatiya 5:19-21). Imihango ibyutsa ibyiyumvo yaje kuruta ibyifuzo by’irari ryo kubona imyaka myinshi n’amatungo. Igitsina cyarasingijwe. Ibyo byagaragajwe n’amashusho menshi yataburuwe, amashusho ariho ibintu bikabije bihereranye n’igitsina, agaragaza ibihereranye no gushyukwa. Kurya neza mu buryo bwihariye, kubyina n’umuzika, byatumaga abantu bumva basunikiwe kugira imyifatire y’ubwiyandarike.

Dushobora kwiyumvisha uko ibintu biba bimeze mu ntangiriro z’umuhindo. Ubusanzwe muri iyo mimerere, iyo abayoboke bamaze kurya bagakura amabondo, n’akayoga kamaze kubageramo, batangira kubyina. Imbyino zabo zihereranye n’iby’iyororoka, zigamije gukangura Baali akava mu gihe cy’impeshyi yari amaze nta cyo akora, kugira ngo igihugu gihabwe umugisha kigushe imvura. Baragenda babyina bazenguruka inkingi z’amabuye zifite ishusho y’igitsina cy’umugabo n’inkingi z’ibiti zera. Imibyinire yabo, cyane cyane ariko iy’indaya zo mu rusengero, ibyutsa irari ry’ibitsina kandi igakangura ibyiyumvo. Umuzika hamwe n’abantu bahari birabatera kurushaho guhimbarwa. Kandi birashoboka ko iyo kubyina bigeze ahashyushye, ababyinnyi bajya mu byumba by’inzu ya Baali bakagirana imibonano y’ubwiyandarike.​—Kubara 25:1, 2; gereranya no Kuva 32:6, 17-​19; Amosi 2:8.

Bagendaga Bayoborwa n’Ibyo Bareba, Batayoborwa no Kwizera

N’ubwo bene ubwo buryo bwo gusenga bugamije kwinezeza bwareheje benshi, ubwoba na bwo bwatumye Abisirayeli bagana gahunda yo gusenga Baali. Uko ukwizera Abisirayeli bari bafitiye Yehova kwagendaga kudohoka, ni na ko gutinya abapfuye, gutinya iby’igihe kizaza hamwe no gushishikazwa n’ibintu bifitanye isano n’ubumaji, byatumaga bishora mu bikorwa by’ubupfumu, na byo bikaba byari bikubiyemo imihango irangwa n’ubwiyandarike bukabije. Igitabo The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia gisobanura ukuntu Abanyakanaani bahaga icyubahiro umwuka w’uwapfuye mu buryo bwo gusenga abakurambere, kigira kiti “ibirori . . . byizihirizwaga ku mva yo mu muryango cyangwa mu marimbi, bigaherekezwa n’imihango yarangwaga no kunywa amayoga menshi hamwe n’ubusambanyi (bushobora no kuba bwarabaga bukubiyemo no guhuza ibitsina kw’abafitanye isano), bakaba baratekerezaga ko abapfuye babyifatanyagamo.” Kwifatanya muri bene ibyo bikorwa byonona by’ubupfumu, byarushagaho gutandukanya Abisirayeli n’Imana yabo Yehova.​—Gutegeka 18:9-​12.

Nanone kandi, ibigirwamana​—hamwe n’imihango yagendanaga na byo​—byareheje abo Bisirayeli bahisemo kugenda bayoborwa n’ibyo bareba aho kuyoborwa no kwizera (2 Abakorinto 5:7). Ndetse na nyuma yo kubona ibitangaza bihambaye byakozwe n’ukuboko kutagaragara kwa Yehova, Abisirayeli benshi bari baravuye mu Misiri bumvaga ari ngombwa ko bagira ikintu runaka kigaragara kizajya kimubibutsa (Kuva 32:1-4). Mu buryo nk’ubwo, bamwe mu babakomotseho bifuje gusenga ikintu runaka kigaragara, urugero nk’ibigirwamana bya Baali.​—1 Abami 12:25-30.

Ni Nde Watsinze?

Iyo ntambara yo mu mitima y’Abisirayeli yamaze ibinyejana byinshi ibicikiriza, uhereye igihe bagereye mu kibaya cy’i Mowabu, mbere gato y’uko binjira mu Gihugu cy’Isezerano, kugeza igihe bajyaniwe mu bunyage i Babuloni. Ibyo bashyiraga imbere byasaga n’aho bihindagurika. Habagaho igihe abenshi mu Bisirayeli bajyaga baba indahemuka kuri Yehova, ariko incuro nyinshi bahindukiriraga Baali. Impamvu y’ibanze yabiteraga, ni imishyikirano bagiranaga n’abantu b’abapagani bari babakikije.

Abanyakanaani bamaze gutsindwa mu bya gisirikare, barwanishije uburyo bufifitse kurushaho. Bari batuye ku mbibi z’Abisirayeli, maze bagatera abari barabatsinze inkunga yo kuyoboka imana z’icyo gihugu. Abacamanza b’intwari, urugero nka Gideyoni na Samweli, barwanyije iyo ngeso. Samweli yateye abantu inkunga agira ati “nimwikuremo imana z’abanyamahanga . . . mutunganirize Uwiteka imitima yanyu, abe ari we mukorera musa.” Abisirayeli bamaze igihe runaka bumvira inama ya Samweli, maze “baherako bakuraho Babāli na Ashitaroti, bakorera Uwiteka musa.”​—1 Samweli 7:3, 4; Abacamanza 6:25-​27.

Nyuma y’ingoma ya Sawuli na Dawidi, Salomo ageze mu za bukuru yatangiye gutambira imana z’abanyamahanga ibitambo (1 Abami 11:4-8). Abandi bami b’Isirayeli n’u Buyuda na bo babigenje batyo, maze bahindukirira Baali. Ariko kandi, abahanuzi hamwe n’abami bizerwa, urugero nka Eliya, Elisa na Yosiya, bafashe iya mbere mu kurwanya gahunda yo gusenga Baali (2 Ngoma 34:1-5). Byongeye kandi, muri icyo gihe cyose cy’amateka y’Isirayeli, hari hariho abantu bakomezaga kuba abizerwa kuri Yehova. Ndetse no mu gihe cya Ahabu na Yezebeli, ubwo gahunda yo gusenga Baali yari yarasagambye kurusha ikindi gihe cyose, hari hari abantu ibihumbi birindwi banze ‘gupfukamira Bāli.’​—1 Abami 19:18.

Amaherezo, kuva aho Abayahudi bagarukiye bavuye mu bunyage i Babuloni, nta ho gahunda yo gusenga Baali yongera kuvugwa. Kimwe n’abavugwa muri Ezira 6:21, bose ‘bitandukanije n’ingeso mbi z’abapagani bo muri icyo gihugu, ngo bashake Uwiteka Imana y’Abisirayeli.’

Imiburo ku Byagaragaye mu Gusenga Baali

N’ubwo hashize igihe kirekire gahunda yo gusenga Baali yarazimiye, iryo dini ry’Abanyakanaani rifite ikintu kimwe rihuriyeho n’umuryango w’abantu bo muri iki gihe​—gusingiza igitsina. Ibishuko biturehereza kwiyandarika bisa n’aho byamaze gucengera no mu mwuka duhumeka (Abefeso 2:2). Pawulo yatanze umuburo ugira uti “duhanganye n’imbaraga itaboneka itegeka iyi si y’umwijima, hamwe n’abakozi bo mu buryo bw’umwuka bo mu biro bikuru by’ikibi.”​—Abefeso 6:12, Phillips.

Iyo ‘mbaraga itaboneka’ ya Satani iteza imbere ubusambanyi, kugira ngo igire abantu imbata mu buryo bw’umwuka (Yohana 8:34). Mu muryango w’abantu bo muri iki gihe barangwa no kwihanganira ibintu bibi, kwirekura mu birebana n’ibitsina ntibikorerwa mu mihango y’iby’iyororoka, ahubwo bikorwa nk’uburyo abantu bakoresha kugira ngo banyurwe, cyangwa bwo kwishyira bakizana. Kandi na za poropagande ni uko, na zo zirarura abantu. Binyuriye mu myidagaduro, umuzika n’amatangazo yamamaza, ubutumwa buhereranye n’ibitsina bwuzura mu bwenge bw’abantu. Abagaragu b’Imana na bo ntibisoba ibyo bitero. Koko rero, abenshi mu bacibwa mu itorero rya Gikristo, ni abantu baba baraguye muri bene ibyo bikorwa. Umukristo azakomeza guhungira kure ubusambanyi ari uko gusa ahora yamaganira kure ibyo bitekerezo byanduye.​—Abaroma 12:9.

Abahamya bakiri bato ni bo cyane cyane baba bugarijwe n’akaga, bitewe n’uko ibintu byinshi bashobora kubona ko ari byiza biba birimo ibintu bibyutsa irari ry’ibitsina. Igituma ibintu birushaho kuba bibi, ni uko baba bagomba kunanira amoshya y’urundi rubyiruko rubibasunikiramo. (Gereranya n’Imigani 1:10-15.) Hari benshi baguye mu kaga, urugero nko mu makoraniro yabaga yahuriwemo n’abantu benshi. Kimwe n’uko byari bimeze muri gahunda yo gusenga Baali mu bihe bya kera, umuzika, imbyino n’ibintu bibyutsa irari ry’ibitsina, bigira uruvange rushobora kugira ingaruka zikomeye ku byiyumvo.—⁠2 Timoteyo 2:22.

Umwanditsi wa Zaburi yarabajije ati “umusore azeza inzira ye ate?” Yashubije agira ati “azayejesha kuyitondera nk’uko ijambo [rya Yehova] ritegeka” (Zaburi 119:9). Kimwe n’uko Amategeko y’Imana yategekaga Abisirayeli kwirinda kugirana imishyikirano ya bugufi n’Abanyakanaani, ni na ko Bibiliya itugaragariza akaga ko kutarangwa n’ubwenge mu guhitamo abo twifatanya na bo (1 Abakorinto 15:32, 33). Umukristo ukiri muto agaragaza ko akuze mu buryo bw’umwuka mu gihe yamagana ibintu bishobora kumureshya bigakangura ibyiyumvo bye, ariko akaba azi ko bishobora kumuteza akaga mu bihereranye n’umuco. Kimwe n’umwizerwa Eliya, ntidushobora gufata imyanzuro yacu dushingiye ku nkubi y’ibitekerezo byemerwa na benshi.​—1 Abami 18:21; gereranya na Matayo 7:13, 14.

Undi muburo ni uhereranye no kubura ukwizera, ari na cyo ‘cyaha kibasha kutwizingiraho vuba’ (Abaheburayo 12:1). Birasa n’aho Abisirayeli benshi bakomezaga kwemera Yehova, ariko bakiringira ko Baali ari yo mana yari kubarindira imyaka, kandi ikabaha ibyo bakeneraga buri munsi. Wenda bumvaga ko urusengero rwa Yehova rw’i Yerusalemu rwari ruri kure cyane, kandi ko gukurikiza amategeko ye bitari bigishoboka. Babonaga rero ko gahunda yo gusenga Baali yabasabaga bike cyane kandi ko ari yo yari ibashobokeye​—ndetse bashoboraga no kosereza Baali umubavu bari ku bisenge by’amazu yabo (Yeremiya 32:29). Birashoboka ko biroshye muri gahunda yo gusenga Baali binyuriye gusa ku kwifatanya mu mihango imwe n’imwe, cyangwa se binyuriye mu gutura Baali amaturo mu izina rya Yehova.

Ni gute dushobora gutakaza ukwizera maze buhoro buhoro tukitandukanya n’Imana nzima (Abaheburayo 3:12)? Dushobora buhoro buhoro kudaha amateraniro n’amakoraniro agaciro twajyaga tubiha. Bene iyo myifatire igaragaza ko umuntu atagifitiye icyizere ibyo Yehova ategura mu birebana no gutanga “igerero [ryo mu buryo bw’umwuka], igihe cyaryo” (Matayo 24:45-47). Iyo tumaze gucika intege dutyo, dushobora kudohoka ku byo ‘kwerekana ijambo ry’ubugingo,’ cyangwa tukagira umutima w’amaharakubiri, wenda tukaba twanagwa mu mutego wo kwiruka inyuma y’ubutunzi cyangwa w’ubwiyandarike.​—Abafilipi 2:16; gereranya na Zaburi 119:113.

Dukomere ku Gushikama Kwacu

Nta wabishidikanyaho, muri iki gihe intambara irimo irarwanirwa mu mitima. Mbese, tuzakomeza kuba indahemuka kuri Yehova, cyangwa tuzayobywa n’imibereho irangwa no guta umuco y’iyi si? Ikibabaje ariko, kimwe n’uko Abisirayeli barehejwe n’ibikorwa biteye ishozi by’Abanyakanaani, muri iki gihe hari abagabo n’abagore bamwe na bamwe b’Abakristo bareherejwe gukora ibintu biteye isoni.​—Gereranya n’Imigani 7:7, 21-23.

Bene uko gutsindwa ko mu buryo bw’umwuka gushobora kwirindwa mu gihe, kimwe na Mose, twaba ‘twihanganye nk’abareba Itaboneka’ (Abaheburayo 11:27). Koko rero, tugomba ‘gushishikarira kurwanira ibyo kwizera’ (Yuda 3). Ariko kandi, binyuriye mu gukomeza kuba indahemuka ku Mana yacu no ku mahame yayo, dushobora gutegerezanya amatsiko igihe ugusenga kw’ikinyoma kuzavaho burundu. Kimwe n’uko gahunda yo gusenga Yehova yatsinze gahunda yo gusenga Baali, dushobora kwiringira tudashidikanya ko vuba aha “isi izakwirwa no kumenya Uwiteka, nk’uko amazi y’inyanja akwira hose.”​—Yesaya 11:9.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 31]

Amatongo y’i Gezer y’inkingi zera z’amabuye zakoreshwaga mu gusenga Baali

[Aho ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 28 yavuye]

Musée du Louvre, Paris