Isahluko 9
Umnqophiso KaThixo ‘Nesihlobo’ Sakhe Sele Uyingenelo Kwizigidi
1, 2. (a) Luluphi ulwalamano lobuhlobo olusele luqalisile ukuba yingenelo kwizigidi? (b) Kutheni uAbraham waba sisihlobo sikaThixo nje?
NGAPHEZU kweminyaka eli-1 950 eyadlulayo isihlobo sokwenyaniso salo lonke uluntu sathi: “Akukho namnye unalo uthando olungaphezu kolu, lokuba ubomi bakhe abuncamele izihlobo zakhe.” (Yohane 15:13) Lo wayethetha la mazwi, uYesu, wayeyinzala yomntu owayebizwa ngokuba sisihlobo saLowo ungoyena ubalaseleyo kwindalo iphela, uYehova uThixo. Olu lwalamano lobuhlobo, nangona lunokubonakala lungaqhelekanga, sele luqalisile ukuba yingenelo kwizigidi.
2 Ngubani lo mntu wamaxesha amandulo owasenza safumana okukhulu kangaka ngenxa yokuba nobuhlobo noThixo? YayinguAbraham, inzala yendoda enguShem, owayengomnye wabantu abasinda kuMkhukula womhlaba womhla kaNowa. UAbraham waba nolwalamano noThixo, ebonakalisa iimpawu zesihlobo sokwenyaniso. Eshukunyiswe luthando nokholo, uAbraham wenza ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo, ibe ngenxa yesi sizathu umbhali weBhayibhile uYakobi uthi: “Sazaliseka isibhalo esithi, Wakholwa ke uAbraham nguye uThixo; kwaza oko kwabalelwa ebulungiseni kuye, wabizwa ngokuba sisihlobo sikaThixo.”—Yakobi 2:23.
3, 4. (a) Yintoni ecacisa indlela uYehova awaluxabisa gqitha ngayo ukholo nentembelo uAbraham awayenayo kuye? (b) KuIsaya 41:8 uYehova wabeka amazwi akhe kwincopho ezukileyo ngokuthini?
3 Loo ndoda yokholo nezenzo yayiphuma kwisixeko saseUre yamaKaledi, ibe yaba yeyokuqala ukubizwa ngokuba ingumHebhere. (Genesis 14:13) Eli gama lathi lasetyenziswa kwinzala yayo yohlanga lwakwaSirayeli. (Filipi 3:5) Ngenxa yokwenza kwakhe uAbraham isihlobo sakhe, uYehova uThixo wakwambonisa imicimbi ethile Yakhe esenyongweni. Oku kuboniswa koko kubhalwe kwiGenesis 18:17-19.
4 Oko kubonisa indlela uYehova uThixo awayeluxabisa kakhulu ngayo ukholo nentembelo uAbraham awayenayo ngaye, nto leyo eyaphumela kwintobelo engathandabuzekiyo ka-Abraham. Ngoko engaphoxekanga okanye engenakuzisizela, uYehova wawabeka encotsheni amazwi akhe kuhlanga lwakwaSirayeli ngokuthi: “Ke wena Sirayeli, mkhonzi wam Yakobi, wena ndakunyulayo, mbewu ka-Abraham umthandi [umhlobo, NW] wam.”—Isaya 41:8.
Ukusebenza Komnqophiso Ka-Abraham
5, 6. (a) Nguwuphi umnqophiso uYehova awawenza nomhlobo wakhe onguAbraham? (b) Kuxa wayejongene naziphi iimeko ezahlukileyo awathi uThixo wenza idinga nomhlobo wakhe ‘ngembewu’?
5 Ukuba ubuhlobo bukabani nesihlobo esithandekayo buya kumkhokelela ukusa kuwuphi na umlinganiselo kucaciswe sisibakala sokuba uMongami wendalo iphela, uYehova, wenza umnqophiso nale ndoda ingumntu nje, uAbraham. KwiGenesis 15:18 sifunda oku: “Ngaloo mini ke uYehova wenza umnqophiso noAbram [uAbraham], wathi, Imbewu yakho ndiyinike eli lizwe, lithabathele emlanjeni waseYiputa, lise emlanjeni omkhulu, emlanjeni ongumEfrati.”
6 UmEfrati yayingumlambo uAbraham nendlu yakhe abawunqumlayo ukuze bangene kwiLizwe Ledinga. Ngexesha lokunqumla kwakhe, uAbraham wayengenabantwana, nangona ngelo xesha wayefikelele ubudala beminyaka engama-75, ibe umkakhe wayedlulile kubudala bokuzala. (Genesis 12:1-5) Kanti, ejongene neemeko ezahluke ngolo hlobo, uThixo wathi kuAbraham onentobelo: “Khawubheke phezulu ezulwini, uzibale iinkwenkwezi, ukuba unokuzibala; . . . Iya kuba njalo ke imbewu yakho.”—Genesis 15:2-5.
7. (a) Ubizwa njani lo mnqophiso? (b) Waqala ngawuphi unyaka ukusebenza ibe ngasiphi isiganeko kubomi buka-Abraham? (c) Yayiyiminyaka emingaphi leyo ngaphambi kokwenziwa komnqophiso woMthetho nohlanga lukaSirayeli?
7 Umnqophiso uYehova awawenza ‘nomhlobo’ wakhe siwubiza ngokuba ngumnqophiso ka-Abraham. Loo mnqophiso waqalisa ukusebenza ngowe-1943 B.C.E. xa uAbraham wathobela izinto ezazifunwa ngumnqophiso kaThixo waza wanqumla umEfrati esenjenjeya ukusinga kwiLizwe Ledinga. Ngaloo nyaka uYehova uThixo waba nemfanelo yokusikelela uAbraham ongenabantwana ‘ngembewu.’ UMthetho owawungowomnqophiso owenziwa nohlanga lwakwaSirayeli kwiNtaba yeSinayi wathi wabakho kwiminyaka engama-430 kamva, ngowe-1513 B.C.E.—Genesis 12:1-7; Eksodus 24:3-8.
Umnqophiso Womthetho Wongezelelwa Kumnqophiso Ka-Abraham
8. (a) Yayiyintoni injongo yomnqophiso woMthetho? (b) Ngaba umnqophiso woMthetho wawuphelisa umnqophiso ka-Abraham?
8 Ngelo xesha, inzala ka-Abraham ngonyana wakhe uIsake yayisel’ ingabantu abakhululekileyo. Uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwalukhululwe eYiputa lwaza lwakhokelelwa kwiNtaba yeSinayi eArabhi. Ngokusetyenziswa kukaMoses njengomlamli, lwalungeniswe kumnqophiso woMthetho noYehova uThixo. Ekubeni loo maSirayeli ayesele eyinzala yokwemvelo ‘yomhlobo’ kaYehova, uAbraham, eneneni yayiyintoni injongo yomnqophiso woMthetho ololo hlobo? Yayikukukhusela abantu abanyulwe nguYehova. Umnqophiso woMthetho awuzange uwuphelise umnqophiso ka-Abraham, nakubeni walubonisa uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli njengolunetyala lezono ngenxa yomthetho kaThixo ogqibeleleyo.—Galati 3:19-23.
9, 10. (a) Inzala ka-Abraham ngokubanzi yavakalelwa njani ‘ngembewu’ ekwakuya kuthi ngayo zonke iintlanga zizisikelele? (b) Ngaba indlela yayo yokucinga ingqineke isengqiqweni?
9 Ngokufuziselayo, amaSirayeli athi aba ‘ngoonyana’ baloo mnqophiso woMthetho. Avakalelwa kukuba ngenxa yokuba ayeyinzala yokwemvelo ka-Abraham, ngokuzenzekelayo aba ‘yimbewu’ ekwakuya kuthi ngayo zonke iintlanga zizisikelele. Ngaba oku kungqineke kunjalo? Hayi! Namhlanje, kwiminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-3 500 kamva, siyayibona iRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli eyinxalenye yehlabathi nezimele geqe, kodwa ilwela ukuba ihlale ikho phakathi kweentlanga ezininzi ezinobutshaba.
10 Ngoko ukuba ngumYuda ongumngeni namhlanje ucinga ngokuba yinxalenye ‘yembewu’ ka-Abraham eza kusikelela lonke uluntu akuyondlela kaYehova uThixo. Ngoko, kwenzeke ntoni?
11. Umpostile uPawulos wakucacisa njani okwenzekayo kwinzala yokwemvelo ka-Abraham?
11 Umpostile uPawulos usicacisela lo mbandela, esithi: “Kubhaliwe kwathiwa, uAbraham wayenoonyana ababini: omnye engowekhobokazana [uHagare], omnye engowomfazi okhululekileyo [uSara]. Waye okunene lowo wekhobokazana ezelwe ngokwenyama; kodwa lowo womfazi okhululekileyo wayezelwe ngalo idinga. Eziyintsonkotha zona ezo zinto; kuba aba bayiyo iminqophiso emibini. Omnye uvela entabeni yeSinayi, uzalela ebukhobokeni, onguHagare ke wona lowo; kuba loo nto inguHagare yiSinayi, intaba ekwelama-Arabhi, elungelelene neYerusalem yakalokunje, esebukhobokeni ke nabantwana bayo. Ke yona ephezulu iYerusalem ikhululekile, enguma wethu leyo.”—Galati 4:22-26.
12. Ikhobokazana elinguHagare lalifanekisela ntoni?
12 IYerusalem eyayifana nekhobokazana elinguHagare yayiyeyasemhlabeni, ekubeni kwakuhlala kuyo amaYuda okwenyama. Ngemihla kaYesu Kristu, yayilikomkhulu lohlanga lakwaSirayeli ibe yayiphantsi komnqophiso woMthetho. (Mateyu 23:37, 38) Ngoxa umnqophiso woMthetho owawunomlamli onguMoses wawusasebenza, uSirayeli wokwemvelo wayeyinxalenye ebonakalayo yentlangano kaYehova. Ngaloo ndlela yayinokufanekiselwa ngumfazi onguHagare nowayelikhobokazana likaSara.
Oonyana Bokwenyaniso Bomnqophiso Ka-Abraham
13. (a) Yintoni eyayifanekiselwa ngumfazi ka-Abraham, uSara? (b) Kungani kunokuthiwa “ephezulu iYerusalem” ‘ikhululekile?’
13 Kwelinye icala, “ephezulu iYerusalem” yayiyintlangano kaYehova engabonakaliyo yasezulwini. Ngokuvisisanayo, yayinokufanekiselwa ngumfazi, ogama linguSara, umfazi wokwenyaniso ka-Abraham. Umnqophiso woMthetho awuzange wenziwe nale ntlangano, ngoko “ephezulu iYerusalem” yayikhululekile, injengoSara wamandulo. Le yintlangano evelisa “imbewu” ethenjisiweyo, ibe kungeso sizathu le nto umpostile uPawulos wayenokuyibiza ngokuthi “nguma wethu.”
14. Ngaba umnqophiso ka-Abraham uyasebenza ‘kwephezulu iYerusalem,’ ibe ke ngoko banokubizwa njani abafundi bakaYesu Kristu abazelwe ngomoya?
14 Ngoko, eneneni, umnqophiso ka-Abraham usebenza kuyo njengomfazi wokomfuziselo ka-Abraham Omkhulu, ewe, usebenza kwintlangano kaYehova yendalo iphela ephezulu emazulwini. Njengompostile uPawulos, kuyabonakala ukuba abafundi abazelwe ngomoya bakaYesu Kristu bangoonyana, okanye abantwana bomnqophiso ka-Abraham. UPawulos uhlabela mgama eqiqa ngale ndlela, esithi:
15. Wathini umpostile uPawulos kumaGalati 4:27-31 ngokubhekisele ‘kubantwana’ bomnqophiso ka-Abraham?
15 “Kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Yiba nemihlali, ludlolo lungazaliyo; gqabhuka umemelele, wena ungenanimba; ngokuba baninzi abantwana besishiywa, ngaphezu kwabonendoda. Thina ke, bazalwana, ngokokukaIsake, singabantwana bedinga. Kusuke, kwanjengokuba wayesithi oko owazalwa ngokwenyama amtshutshise owazalwa ngokoMoya, kwaba njalo nakaloku. Sithini na ke sona isibhalo? Sithi, Likhuphele phandle ikhobokazana nonyana walo; kuba unyana wekhobokazana akasayi kuba ndlalifa kunye nonyana wokhululekileyo. Ngoko, bazalwana, asingabantwana bekhobokazana thina; singabowokhululekileyo.”—Galati 4:27-31; Isaya 54:1.
16. Isiganeko sokomfuziselo samaxesha amandulo saxela kwangaphambili ntoni ngomnqophiso woMthetho, ibe kushiywe ntoni?
16 Ngaloo ndlela eso siganeko sokomfuziselo samaxesha amandulo saxela kwangaphambili ukuba uYehova uThixo, uAbraham Omkhulu, wayeya kushenxisa umnqophiso woMthetho owawuya kwenziwa noSirayeli kwiNtaba yeSinayi. Ngale ndlela okongezelelwayo (umnqophiso woMthetho) kumnqophiso ka-Abraham kwakuya kushenxiswa, kushiywe nje kuphela umnqophiso ka-Abraham nedinga lawo ‘lembewu’ ekwakuya kuthi ngayo zonke iintsapho zomhlaba zizisikelele.
17. (a) Umnqophiso woMthetho wawuza kuqhubeka ithuba elide kangakanani? (b) Kungani uYesu Kristu wayeza kuba yinzala eyintloko ka-Abraham? (c) Into yokuba uYesu abe nguThunywashe kaThixo Oyintloko wokusikelela zonke iintsapho zomhlaba yayixhomekeke entwenini?
17 Ngoko umnqophiso woMthetho owongezelelweyo wawuya kuqhubeka de kufike “imbewu” ethenjisiweyo, ibe yona yangqineka inguYesu Kristu. Ngommangaliso wobuthixo, waba yinzala yokwenyama ka-Abraham. Waba yinzala eyintloko yaloo solusapho. Akazange abe yinzala yokwenyama ka-Abraham kuphela kodwa waba kwanguNyana kaThixo, ibe ngenxa yoko waba ngumntu ofezekileyo, lowo wahlala ‘engongcwele, ongenabubi, ongenabala nowahlukileyo kubo aboni.’ (Hebhere 7:26) Noko ke, ukuba nguThunywashe kaThixo Oyintloko wokusikelela zonke iintsapho zomhlaba kwakuxhomekeke ekuncameni ubomi bakhe bobuntu obufezekileyo nokusebenzisa ixabiso loku ngenxa yalo lonke uluntu. Ngokuzincama okulolo hlobo, wayeya kukhonza njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu kaYehova, enikela idini elaliza kuhlangabezana nako konke okufunwa nguThixo.
Ukubethelelwa Komnqophiso WoMthetho Emthini KaYesu Wentuthumbo
18. (a) Iingenelo zedini lentlawulelo zaziza kunikelwa okokuqala koobani, ibe ngoba? (b) UYesu waba yintoni?
18 Iingenelo zeli dini lentlawulelo okokuqala zaziza kunikelwa ngenxa yohlanga lwamaYuda, uYesu awayelilungu lalo ngokuzalwa kwakhe okungummangaliso ngentombi enyulu uMariya. Oku kwakuyimfuneko kunene, kuba amaYuda ayephantsi kwesigwebo sokufa esintlu-mbini. Njani njalo? Okokuqala, ayeyinzala yomoni onguAdam, ibe okwesibini, ngenxa yokungafezeki kwawo, ayeqalekisiwe ngokusilela ukuphila ngokuvisisana nomnqophiso woMthetho kaThixo. Noko ke, uYesu wazinikela ukuba kuqalekiswe yena endaweni yawo. Ngokuxhonywa emthini wentuthumbo ade afe, wakwazi ukushenxisa isiqalekiso “kwizimvu ezilahlekileyo zendlu kaSirayeli.” Ngowama-33 C.E., umnqophiso woMthetho wabethelelwa kumthi wentuthumbo kaYesu, ibe ubuhlanti bezimvu bamaYuda obabuphantsi kwaloo mnqophiso woMthetho wokwexeshana bathi bavalwa, bapheliswa.—Mateyu 15:24; Galati 3:10-13; Kolose 2:14.
19. (a) Bubuphi ubuhlanti obutsha bezimvu ekwafuneka buvuliwe, ibe babuza kungenisa ntoni? (b) Ngoko ke, abo bangeniswa kubuhlanti bezimvu obutsha baba yintoni?
19 Ngoko kwafuneka kuvulwe ubuhlanti bezimvu obutsha ukuze kungeniswe izimvu zokomoya zoMalusi Olungileyo ovusiweyo, uYesu Kristu. UMalusi Olungileyo owazenza idini ukwalucango lokomfuziselo lokungena kobu buhlanti butsha bezimvu. (Yohane 10:7) Abo bangeniswa kobu buhlanti butsha bezimvu phantsi koMalusi Olungileyo baba ngoonyana abazelwe ngomoya baka-Abraham Omkhulu baze ngaloo ndlela babe yinxalenye ‘yembewu’ Yakhe. (Roma 2:28, 29) Ngokuphumeza ubunyaniso besi sibakala, ebudeni bale mihla yokugqibela intsalela yaloo “mbewu” yokomoya ibiyintsikelelo kwizigidi zabantu ezandayo emazweni angaphezu kwama-200.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 80, 81]
Umnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses owenziwa kwiNtaba yeSinayi waphela xa wabethelelwa emthini wentuthumbo noYesu