UAbraham NoSara—Unokuluxelisa Ukholo Lwabo!
UBIZWA ngokuba “nguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo.” (Roma 4:11) Nomfazi wakhe othandekayo wayenalo olo phawu. (Hebhere 11:11) Lowo yayingusolusapho uAbraham nomfazi wakhe uSara ababesoyika uThixo. Kwakutheni ukuze babe ngumzekelo obalaseleyo wokuba nokholo? Ziziphi ezinye izilingo abazinyamezelayo? Yaye ibali lobomi babo libaluleke kangakanani kuthi?
Ukholo luka-Abraham lwabonakala xa uThixo wamyalela ukuba ashiye ikhaya lakhe. UYehova wathi: “Hamba umke ezweni lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho nasendlwini kayihlo, uye ezweni endiya kukubonisa lona.” (Genesis 12:1) Lo solusapho unokholo wathobela, kuba sixelelwa ukuba: “Ngokholo uAbraham, xa wabizwayo, wathobela waphuma waya kwindawo awayemiselwe ukuyifumana njengelifa; waphuma, nangona wayengazi apho aya khona.” (Hebhere 11:8) Khawucinge nje ngoko kwakubandakanyekile kolo hambo.
UAbraham wayehlala eUre, ngoku engumzantsi Iraq. IUre le yayililizwe elalimi kakuhle eMesopotamiya nelalirhweba namazwe akwiPersian Gulf neIndus Valley. UMhlekazi uLeonard Woolley, owayekhokela ukumbiwa kwezinto eUre, uthi ngexesha lika-Abraham izindlu ezininzi kwelo zazakhiwe ngezitena, zatyatyekwa zaza zakalikwa. Ngokomzekelo, ikhaya lomnye ummi odumileyo welo xesha lalinemigangatho emibini yaye yonke iyadi yayinesamente. Umgangatho ongaphantsi wawuhlala abantu balapho neendwendwe. Kumgangatho wokuqala weso sakhiwo kwakukho ivaranda, nto leyo eyayisenza kube lula ukungena kumagumbi ahlala intsapho yalapho. Ekubeni zaziba namagumbi ali-10 ukuya kwangama-20, ezi zakhiwo zazithe “gabalala yaye zazibenza abo bahlala kuzo baphile tofotofo ngokwendlela yalapho eMpuma,” utsho lo kaWoolley. “Ngaphambili la yayingamakhaya abantu abaphucukileyo yaye ayebufanela ubomi basezidolophini.” Ukuba uAbraham noSara babenokulishiya ikhaya elinjalo baye kuhlala ezintenteni, ngokwenene babezincamile ngenxa yokuthobela uYehova.
UAbraham nentsapho yakhe baqala baya eHaran, isixeko esikumantla eMesopotamiya, baza kamva baya kwaKanan. Bahamba umgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezili-1 600—mgama lowo othe qelele kakhulu kwisibini esasisele sikhulile! Ukumka kwabo eHaran, uAbraham wayeneminyaka engama-75 ubudala, uSara eneminyaka engama-65 ubudala.—Genesis 12:4.
Inokuba wavakalelwa njani uSara xa uAbraham wamxelela ukuba babeza kuyishiya iUre? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwamxhalabisa ukushiya unqabiseko lwekhaya lakhe elitofotofo, esiya kwilizwe angalaziyo, nelalisenokuba nabantu abanogonyamelo, kwanobomi obukumgangatho ophantsi. Nakuba kunjalo uSara wathobela egqala uAbraham ‘njengenkosi yakhe.’ (1 Petros 3:5, 6) Abanye abaphengululi bakugqala oku, njengokubonisa kukaSara “imbeko yemveli ngendoda yakhe,” “ukucingela abanye nokuba novelwano.” Kodwa ngaphezu kwako konke uSara wathembela ngoYehova. Ukuthobela nokholo lwakhe kungumzekelo obalaseleyo wokholo kubafazi abangamaKristu.
Enyanisweni, akuthiwa masishiye amakhaya ethu ukuze sithobele uThixo, nakuba abanye abashumayeli bexesha elizeleyo beye bashiya amazwe abazalelwe kuwo ukuze baye kushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwamanye amazwe. Enoba simkhonza phi uThixo, ukuba nje sibeka izilangazelelo zokomoya kuqala ebomini bethu uya kusinyamekela.—Mateyu 6:25-33.
Akukho namnye phakathi kukaSara noAbraham owazisolayo ngesigqibo abasenzayo. Umpostile uPawulos uthi: “Ukuba eneneni babehleli beyikhumbula loo ndawo babesuka kuyo, ngebaba nethuba lokubuyela kuyo.” Kodwa abazange bakwenze oko. Beqinisekile ukuba uYehova “ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko” baba nokholo kwizithembiso zakhe. Ukuba siza kuqhubeka sizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova simele sibe nokholo.—Hebhere 11:6, 15, 16.
Ubutyebi Bokomoya Nobezinto Eziphathekayo
Emva kokufika kuka-Abraham eKanan, uThixo wathi kuye: “Imbewu yakho ndiya kuyinika eli lizwe.” Emva koko uAbraham wamakhela isibingelelo uYehova waza “wabiza egameni likaYehova.” (Genesis 12:7, 8) UYehova wamnika ubutyebi uAbraham yaye baba baninzi nabo babehlala ententeni yakhe. Ekubeni wakha wazihlanganisela amadoda angama-318, angamakhoboka azalelwe endlwini yakhe, kudla ngokuthiwa “bebonke abantu ababehlala ententeni yakhe babengaphezu kwewaka.” Enoba sasiyintoni isizathu soko, abantu bamgqala ‘njengesikhulu sakwaThixo.’—Genesis 13:2; 14:14; 23:6.
UAbraham wayekhokela ekunquleni, efundisa abo bendlu yakhe ukuba “bagcine indlela kaYehova, benze ngokobulungisa nangokwemigwebo yakhe.” (Genesis 18:19) Iintloko-ntsapho ezingamaKristu namhlanje zinokufunda kuAbraham owaphumelelayo ekufundiseni amalungu endlu yakhe ukuba athembele kuYehova aze enze ngokobulungisa. Ngoko ke, akumangalisi ukuba isicakakazi sikaSara esingumYiputa, uHagare, umkhonzi owayongamele indlu kasolusapho, nonyana ka-Abraham uIsake babe bakholosa ngoYehova uThixo.—Genesis 16:5, 13; 24:10-14; 25:21.
UAbraham Uba Ngumxolelanisi
Izinto ezenzeka kuAbraham zibonisa ukuba wayemthanda uThixo. Kunokuba avumele iingxwabangxwaba phakathi kwabelusi bakhe nabomtshana wakhe uLote, uAbraham wacebisa ukuba bazahlule iinkampu zabo waza wanika umfana onguLote ithuba lokuba akhethe umhlaba awuthandayo. UAbraham wayengumxolelanisi.—Genesis 13:5-13.
Kunokuba sibambelele kumalungelo ethu, sinokuba bhetyebhetye, ukuze silondoloze uxolo, kuba uYehova wamsikelela uAbraham ngenxa yokubonisa kwakhe ulwazelelelo kuLote. Emva koko, uThixo wathembisa uAbraham nembewu yakhe ukuba uya kubanika wonke umhlaba owawubajikelezile. (Genesis 13:14-17) UYesu wathi: “Banoyolo abanoxolo, kuba baya kubizwa ngokuba ‘ngoonyana bakaThixo.’”—Mateyu 5:9.
Ngubani Oza Kuba Yindlalifa Ka-Abraham?
Nakuba wathenjiswa ngembewu, uSara waqhubeka eludlolo. UAbraham wawubhekisa kuThixo lo mba. Ngaba zonke izinto awayenazo zaziza kufunyanwa njengelifa ngumkhonzi wakhe uEliyezere? Akunjalo, kuba uYehova wathi: “Akayi kuba yindlalifa yakho lo mntu, kodwa ngophuma ezibilinini zakho oya kuba yindlalifa yakho.”—Genesis 15:1-4.
Sekunjalo wayengenamntwana, yaye uSara oneminyaka engama-75 ubudala wayengenathemba lokuba uya kuze aphinde akhawule. Ngenxa yoko wathi kuAbraham: “UYehova undivalile ukuba ndingazali bantwana. Nceda ke, ube neentlobano zokwazana nesicakakazi sam. Mhlawumbi ndingafumana abantwana kuso.” Wandula ke uAbraham wathabatha uHagare njengomfazi wesibini, waba neentlobano zokwazana kunye naye, waza yena wakhulelwa. Uthe uHagare akufumanisa ukuba ukhulelwe, wamdela uSara. USara wakhalaza kabuhlungu kuAbraham waza wamhlazisa uHagare, nto leyo eyambangela ukuba emke.—Genesis 16:1-6.
UAbraham noSara baba nokholo belandela ikhondo elalivisisana nendlela yokuphila yelo xesha. Kodwa ke leyo yayingeyondlela kaYehova yokuvelisa imbewu ka-Abraham. Indlela esikhule ngayo isenokunyanzelisa ukuba senze izinto ngendlela ethile xa siphantsi kweemeko ezithile, kodwa oko kungathethi ukuba uYehova ufuna senze njalo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba indlela ayijonga ngayo imeko yethu yahluke kwaphela. Ngenxa yoko, kufuneka sifune ulwalathiso lukaThixo, sithandazela ukuba asibonise indlela afuna sizenze ngayo izinto.—INdumiso 25:4, 5; 143:8, 10.
‘UYehova Akanqatyelwa Nto’
Ekugqibeleni, uHagare wamzalela uAbraham unyana ogama linguIshmayeli. Kodwa, wayengeyiyo iMbewu ethenjisiweyo. NguSara owayeza kuzala indlalifa nakuba wayesele ekhulile.—Genesis 17:15, 16.
Xa uThixo waxelela uSara ukuba uza kuzalela indoda yakhe unyana, “uAbraham wawa ngobuso wahleka waza wathi entliziyweni yakhe: ‘Indoda eneminyaka elikhulu ubudala ingaba sazala umntwana na, yena uSara, umfazi ominyaka imashumi asithoba ubudala, angaba sazala na?’” (Genesis 17:17) Xa ingelosi yasiphinda uSara esiva esi sigidimi, “wahlekela ngaphakathi.” Kodwa ‘uYehova akanqatyelwa nto.’ Sinokuqiniseka ukuba unokwenza nantoni na ayithandayo.—Genesis 18:12-14.
“Ngokholo noSara ngokwakhe wafumana amandla okukhawula imbewu, nakuba wayesele edlule kumda wobudala, ekubeni wambalela ekuthini uthembekile lowo wayethembisile.” (Hebhere 11:11) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uSara wazala uIsake, gama elo elithetha “Intsini.”
Ukuthembela Ngokupheleleyo Kwizithembiso ZikaThixo
UYehova wachaza uIsake njengembewu ekudala ilindelwe. (Genesis 21:12) Ngoko kumele ukuba uAbraham wamangaliswa xa uThixo wathi makabingelele ngonyana wakhe. Kodwa, uAbraham wayenezizathu ezivakalayo zokuthembela ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Ngaba uYehova wayenokoyiswa kukuvusa uIsake ekufeni? (Hebhere 11:17-19) Ngaba uThixo akazange abonise amandla anawo ngokuthi ngokungummangaliso avuselele amandla okuzala ka-Abraham noSara ukuze kuzalwe uIsake? Eqinisekile ukuba uThixo uyakwazi ukuzalisekisa izithembiso Zakhe, uAbraham wakulungela ukuthobela. Eneneni, wanqandwa ngaphambi kokuba ambulale unyana wakhe. (Genesis 22:1-14) Igalelo lika-Abraham lisinceda sibone indlela ekumele ukuba kwakunzima ngayo kuYehova uThixo ‘ukunikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.’—Yohane 3:16; Mateyu 20:28.
Ukuba nokholo kuThixo kwayenza yamcacela uAbraham into yokuba indlalifa yesithembiso kaYehova ayinakutshata nomnquli wobuxoki welizwe lakwaKanan. Yayinokwenzeka njani into yokuba umzali owoyika uThixo avumele ukuba umntwana wakhe atshate nomntu ongamkhonziyo uYehova? Ngenxa yoko uAbraham wafunela uIsake umfazi ofanelekileyo kwizizalwane zakhe ezazihlala eMesopotamiya, ekumgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-800. UThixo walisikelela elo nyathelo ngokubonisa ukuba uRebheka wayelibhinqa awayelikhethele uIsake nelaliza kuba ngukhokhokazi kaMesiya. Ewe, uYehova ‘wamsikelela uAbraham kwinto yonke.’—Genesis 24:1-67; Mateyu 1:1, 2.
Ukusikelelwa Kweentlanga Zonke
UAbraham noSara babengumzekelo wokunyamezela iimvavanyo nokuba nokholo kwizithembiso zikaThixo. Ukuzaliseka kwezo zithembiso kuyafana nokuzaliseka kwamathemba oluntu ekamva, kuba uYehova wamqinisekisa ngelithi uAbraham: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba kuba uliphulaphule ilizwi lam.”—Genesis 22:18.
Kakade ke, uAbraham noSara babengafezekanga njengathi. Noko ke, xa ukuthanda kukaThixo kwachazwayo kubo benza ngokuvisisana nako—nakuba oko kwakufuna ukuzincama. UAbraham ukhunjulwa ‘njengomhlobo kaYehova’ yaye uSara waziwa ‘njengomfazi ongcwele owayethembele kuThixo.’ (Yakobi 2:23; 1 Petros 3:5) Ngokuzama ukuxelisa ukholo luka-Abraham noSara, nathi sinokunandipha ubuhlobo obuxabisekileyo noThixo. Sinokungenelwa nakwizithembiso ezixabisekileyo uYehova awazenza kuAbraham.—Genesis 17:7.
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Ngenxa yokholo, uYehova wamsikelela uAbraham noSara ngonyana wabo abamfumana ebudaleni
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Umzekelo ka-Abraham usinceda sibone oko kuthethwa kukuvumela kukaYehova uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ukuba afe