1, 2. Umhlaba wawusushintshe kanjani kusukela ngosuku lukaNowa, futhi u-Abrama wayezizwa kanjani?

U-ABRAMA wabheka phezulu, ebuka isizemazema sombhoshongo owawusemzini wakubo e-Uri. * Kwakunomsindo lapho, kushunqa nomusi. Abapristi bakankulunkulu wenyanga babenikela ngemihlatshelo futhi. Mbone ngeso lengqondo u-Abrama ephenduka enikina ikhanda, ubuso bakhe buhwaqabele. Njengoba esendleleni eya ekhaya emigwaqweni ephithizela izixuku zabantu, cishe wayecabanga ngokukhulekelwa kwezithombe okwakuyinsakavukela e-Uri. Yeka indlela lokho kukhulekela okonakele okwase kusakazeke ngayo emhlabeni kusukela osukwini lukaNowa!

² UNowa wafa eminyakeni emibili nje ngaphambi kokuzalwa kuka-Abrama. Ngesikhathi uNowa nomkhaya wakhe bephuma emkhunjini ngemva kukaZamcolo omkhulu, le nzalamizi yenzela uJehova uNkulunkulu umhlatshelo, uNkulunkulu wabe esenza ukuba kuvele uthingo. (Gen. 8:20; 9:12-14) Ngaleso sikhathi kwakukhona ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kuphela emhlabeni. Kodwa manje, njengoba isizukulwane seshumi kusukela kuNowa sasisakazeka emhlabeni, ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kwase kumfimfa. Abantu babekhulekela onkulunkulu bamaqaba kuyo yonke indawo. Ngisho noyise ka-Abrama, uThera, wayekhulekela izithombe, mhlawumbe ezibumba.—Josh. 24:2.

3. Njengoba u-Abrama ayeqhubeka ephila, iyiphi imfanelo yakhe eyavelela, futhi singafundani kulokho?

³ U-Abrama wayehlukile. Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, waya ngokuya ehluka nakakhulu ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Empeleni, umphostoli uPawulu kamuva waphefumulelwa ukuba ambize ngokuthi “nguyise wabo bonke abanokholo”! (Funda eyabaseRoma 4:11.)  Ake sibone ukuthi u-Abrama wayiqala kanjani le nkambo eyamenza waba indoda enjena. Nathi ngokwethu singafunda okuningi ngendlela esingakha ngayo olwethu ukholo.

4, 5. Ubani okungenzeka wafundisa u-Abrama ngoJehova, futhi kungani singaphetha kanjalo?

⁴ U-Abrama wamazi kanjani uJehova uNkulunkulu? Siyazi ukuthi uJehova wayenezinceku ezithembekile emhlabeni ngalezo zinsuku. UShemi wayengomunye wazo. Nakuba kungeyena owayemdala emadodaneni kaNowa, uyena ovame ukubalwa kuqala. Cishe kungenxa yokuthi wayeyindoda enokholo oluphawulekayo. * Esikhathini esithile ngemva kweSikhukhula, uNowa wabiza uJehova ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu kaShemi.” (Gen. 9:26) UShemi wabonisa inhlonipho ngoJehova nangokukhulekela okuhlanzekile.

⁵ Ingabe u-Abrama wayemazi uShemi? Kungenzeka wayemazi. Awumcabange u-Abrama esengumfanyana. Yeka indlela ayengathokoza ngayo lapho ethola ukuthi unokhokho owayesephile iminyaka engaphezu kuka-400! UShemi wayebubonile ububi bezwe langaphambi kweSikhukhula, uZamcolo omkhulu owahlanza umhlaba, ukusungulwa kwezizwe zokuqala njengoba abantu babanda emhlabeni nezinsuku ezinzima zokuhlubuka kukaNimrode eMbhoshongweni WaseBhabhele. UShemi othembekile akahlanganyelanga kulokho kuhlubuka, ngakho lapho uJehova ephithanisa ulimi lwabakhi bombhoshongo, uShemi nomkhaya wakhe baqhubeka bekhuluma ulimi lokuqala lwabantu, ulimi olwalukhulunywa uNowa. Lowo mkhaya wawuhlanganisa no-Abrama. Ngokuqinisekile-ke u-Abrama wakhula emhlonipha kakhulu uShemi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uShemi waqhubeka ephila phakathi nengxenye enkulu yokuphila kuka-Abrama, naye owaphila isikhathi eside. Ngakho kungenzeka nguShemi owafundisa u-Abrama ngoJehova.

6. (a) U-Abrama wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayesifundile isifundo esikhulu sikaZamcolo? (b) Hlobo luni lokuphila u-Abrama noSarayi ababeluphila?

⁶ Kunoma ikuphi, u-Abrama wafunda esifundweni esikhulu sikaZamcolo. Wazama ukuhamba noNkulunkulu njengoba noNowa ayenzile. Yingakho u-Abrama akwenqaba ukukhonza izithombe futhi wahluka kubantu base-Uri, mhlawumbe ngisho nasemndenini wakubo.  Nokho, wazitholela inkosikazi enhle. Washada noSarayi, owesifazane owayethandeka, hhayi nje ngenxa yobuhle bakhe kuphela kodwa nangenxa yokholo lwakhe oluqinile kuJehova. * Nakuba babengenabantwana, akungabazeki ukuthi babekujabulela ukukhonza uJehova ndawonye. Bakhulisa umshana ka-Abrama owayeyintandane, uLoti.

7. Abalandeli bakaJesu kudingeka bamlingise kanjani u-Abrama?

⁷ U-Abrama akazange amshiye uJehova ayokhonza izithombe zase-Uri. BenoSarayi babezimisele ukuhlala behlukile emphakathini wakhona owawukhulekela izithombe. Uma sifuna ukuba nokholo oluqinile, kudingeka senze okufanayo. Nathi kumelwe sizimisele ukwehluka. UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babengeke ‘babe ingxenye yezwe’ futhi ngenxa yalokho izwe laliyobazonda. (Funda uJohane 15:19.) Uma kukuzwisa ubuhlungu ukuthi abomndeni noma umphakathi bakukhipha inyumbazane ngenxa yesinqumo sakho sokukhonza uJehova, khumbula ukuthi awuwedwa. Uhamba noNkulunkulu njengoba kwenza u-Abrama noSarayi.

8, 9. (a) Yisiphi isenzakalo esenzeka ku-Abrama ayengeke asilibale? (b) Wawuthini umyalezo kaJehova ku-Abrama?

⁸ Langa limbe, u-Abrama wavelelwa into ayengasoze ayilibala. Wathola umyalezo ovela kuJehova uNkulunkulu! IBhayibheli alivezi mininingwane etheni ngalokhu, kodwa liyasho ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wenkazimulo” wabonakala kuleyo ndoda ethembekile. (Funda izEnzo 7:2, 3.) Mhlawumbe ngommeleli oyingelosi, u-Abrama wayithi shazi inkazimulo ebabazekayo yoMbusi wendawo yonke. Ungayicabanga indlela ayejabule ngayo lapho ebona umehluko phakathi kukaNkulunkulu ophilayo nezithombe ezingaphili ezazikhulekelwa abantu bakubo!

⁹ Wawuthini umyalezo kaJehova ku-Abrama? “Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho uye ezweni engizokutshengisa lona.” UJehova akashongo ukuthi iliphi izwe ayezoya kulo—wamane nje wathi uzomtshengisa lona. Okokuqala u-Abrama kwakuzomelwe ashiye umuzi wakubo nezihlobo zakhe. Emasikweni aseMpumalanga Ephakathi yasendulo, umndeni wawusho lukhulu. Ukuhamba komuntu ashiye izihlobo athuthele kude kwakuvame ukubhekwa njengokuwukuzibizela amashwa; abanye bekubheka njengento embi ngisho kunokufa!

10. Kungani kungenzeka kwakuwukuzidela ngo-Abrama noSarayi ukushiya umuzi wabo e-Uri?

¹⁰ Ukushiya izwe lakubo kwakusho ukuzidela. Cishe i-Uri lalingumuzi ophithizelayo nochumayo. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi  “Umuzi  Owashiywa U-Abrama NoSarayi.”) Imivubukulo ibonisa ukuthi kwakunezindlu ezinhle e-Uri lasendulo; ezinye zinamagumbi angu-12 noma ngaphezulu omkhaya nezinceku, wonke ezungeze igceke elikhonkwe ngezitini. Izinto ezazikhona ezaziwusizo emphakathini zazihlanganisa imithombo yamanzi, izindlu zangasese nezindawo zokulahla udoti. Khumbula nokuthi u-Abrama noSarayi base bekhulile; cishe u-Abrama eneminyaka eyevile kwengu-70, uSarayi eyevile kwengu-60. U-Abrama wayefuna ngempela ukumnakekela umkakhe nokuba aphile ntofontofo—okuyinto indoda ekahle eyifunela umkayo. Cabanga izinto okungenzeka babezixoxa ngalesi sabelo, imibuzo nezinto ezibakhathazayo ababezibuza zona ezinhliziyweni. Kumelwe ukuba u-Abrama wethaba lapho uSarayi evuma ukuhamba! Njengo-Abrama, wayezimisele ukushiya konke ukunethezeka kwakulowo muzi.

11, 12. (a) Yimaphi amalungiselelo nezinqumo okwadingeka zenziwe ngaphambi kokuba bahambe e-Uri? (b) Yini okungenzeka yayenzeka ngosuku abahamba ngalo?

¹¹ Sebesenzile isinqumo, u-Abrama noSarayi base benomsebenzi omkhulu obahlalele. Kwakumelwe babophe imithwalo bahlele nezinye izinto. Yiziphi izinto ababezoya nazo kule ndawo abangayazi, yiziphi ababezozishiya? Okwakubaluleke nakakhulu kwakuyizihlobo zabo. Babezokwenzenjani ngoThera owayesekhulile? Banquma ukuhamba naye bamnakekele. Kungenzeka wavumela phezulu, ngoba ukulandisa kuthi njengenhloko yomkhaya, waphuma nomkhaya wakhe e-Uri. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayengasazikhonzi izithombe. Umshana ka-Abrama uLoti naye wayezohamba nabo.—Gen. 11:31.

¹² Ekugcineni, umthwalo wawususobhokweni. Babone ngeso lengqondo sebemi ngaphandle kwezindonga zomuzi nangale komsele wamanzi ase-Uri. Amakamela nezimbongolo zithwele imithwalo, imihlambi isilungele ukuhamba, umndeni nezinceku zimi ngomumo, bonke babheke phambili kulolu hambo. * Mhlawumbe base belinde u-Abrama ukuba akhiphe izwi lokuba kuhanjwe. Ekugcineni wafika umzuzu ongaliyo, basuka balishiya i-Uri bangaphinde babuya.

13. Izinceku zikaJehova eziningi namuhla ziwubonisa kanjani umoya ofana noka-Abrama noSarayi?

¹³ Namuhla, izinceku eziningi zikaJehova zinquma ukuthuthela lapho kunendingeko yabamemezeli boMbuso abengeziwe. Abanye bakhetha ukufunda olunye ulimi ukuze bandise inkonzo yabo. Noma banquma ukungenela isici esithile senkonzo esingelula. Izinqumo ezinjalo ngokuvamile zidinga ukuzidela—ukuzimisela ukulahlekelwa isilinganiso esithile sokunethezeka ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Awuve uncomeka umoya onjalo, umoya owaboniswa u-Abrama noSarayi! Uma sibonisa ukholo olunjalo, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyohlale  esinika okungaphezu kwalokho esimnikeza khona. Akehluleki nanini ukuvuza abantu abanokholo. (Heb. 6:10; 11:6) Ingabe wamvuza u-Abrama?

14, 15. Lwalunjani uhambo olusuka e-Uri luya eHarana, futhi sasingaba yini isizathu sokuba u-Abrama anqume ukuhlala eHarana isikhashana?

¹⁴ Kancane kancane bakujwayela ukuba sendleleni. Singambona ngeso lengqondo u-Abrama noSarayi beshintshana, lapho omunye egibele isilwane, omunye uhamba ngezinyawo, kuzwakala amazwi abo njengoba bexoxa ephazanyiswa ukukhenceza kwezinsimbi ezilenga emahhanisini ezilwane. Kancane kancane lezi zihambi ezazingavamile ukuba sendleleni zajwayela ukwakha nokudiliza amadlangala, nokuqukula uThera osekhulile zimhlalise kahle ekameleni noma embongolweni. Zabhekisa amabombo enyakatho-ntshonalanga zigudla uMfula i-Ewufrathe. Kwaphela izinsuku namasonto zisendleleni.

¹⁵ Ekugcineni, ngemva kokuhamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-960, bafika ezindlini zaseHarana eziyindilinga ezinophahla oluyingungu, umuzi ochumayo osempambana-ndlela okwakuhwebelana kuwo abantu baseMpumalanga nabaseNtshonalanga. Bafike bema lapho, bahlala khona isikhashana. Mhlawumbe uThera wayesebuthaka kakhulu ukuba angaqhubeka nohambo.

16, 17. (a) Yisiphi isivumelwano esajabulisa u-Abrama? (b) UJehova wambusisa kanjani u-Abrama ngesikhathi eseHarana?

 ¹⁶ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uThera wafa eneminyaka engu-205. (Gen. 11:32) U-Abrama wathola induduzo enkulu ngaleso sikhathi sokushonelwa ngoba uJehova wakhuluma naye futhi. Waphinde wamnika iziqondiso ayemnike zona e-Uri, wayesemnika nezinye izithembiso. U-Abrama wayeyoba “isizwe esikhulu,” futhi yonke imindeni emhlabeni yayiyobusiswa ngenxa yakhe. (Funda uGenesise 12:2, 3.) Ejatshuliswe yilesi sivumelwano phakathi kwakhe noNkulunkulu, u-Abrama wabona ukuthi sekufanele baqhubeke nohambo.

¹⁷ Nokho, manje yayisiminingi imithwalo yabo ngoba uJehova wayembusisile u-Abrama ngesikhathi eseHarana. Ukulandisa kukhuluma ngayo “yonke impahla ababeyiqongelele nemiphefumulo ababeyizuzile eHarana.” (Gen. 12:5) Ukuze abe isizwe, u-Abrama wayezodinga izinto ayezosakha ngaso kanye nezinceku—abe nempahla eningi. UJehova akazenzi ngaso sonke isikhathi izinceku zakhe ukuba zicebe, kodwa uyazinika noma yini eziyidingayo ukuze zifeze intando yakhe. Njengoba ayesebusisiwe, u-Abrama wasuka nodwendwe lwakhe waya endaweni angayazi.

18. (a) U-Abrama wayifinyelela nini ingqophamlando ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu nabantu baKhe? (b) Iziphi ezinye izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezenzeka ngoNisani 14 eminyakeni eyalandela? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Usuku Olusemqoka Emlandweni WeBhayibheli.”)

¹⁸ Ngemva kohambo lwezinsuku ezimbalwa besuke eHarana babezodlula eKharikemishi, indawo izihambi ezazivame ukuwela kuyo i-Ewufrathe. Mhlawumbe kwakukule ndawo lapho u-Abrama afinyelela khona ingqophamlando emlandweni wokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu baKhe. Cishe kwakungumhla ka-14 enyangeni kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi uNisani, ngo-1943 B.C.E., lapho u-Abrama nodwendwe lwakhe bewela umfula. (Eks. 12:40-43) Ngaseningizimu kwakunezwe elingudedangendlale uJehova ayethembise ukulitshengisa u-Abrama. Ngalolo suku, isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu no-Abrama saqala ukusebenza.

19. Isithembiso sikaJehova ku-Abrama sahlanganisa nani, futhi lokho kwakungase kumkhumbuzeni u-Abrama?

¹⁹ U-Abrama walidabula izwe waya  ngaseningizimu, udwendwe lwakhe lwafike lwema eduze kwemithi emikhulu kaMore ngaseShekemi. Ngesikhathi elapho kwaphinde kwafika kuye izwi likaJehova. Kulokhu, isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sasithinta imbewu ka-Abrama, noma inzalo yakhe, eyayizohlala kulelo zwe. Ingabe u-Abrama wakhumbula isiprofetho uJehova ayesisho e-Edene esasikhuluma ‘ngenzalo’ eyayiyohlenga isintu ngelinye ilanga? (Gen. 3:15; 12:7) Kungenzeka wasikhumbula. Mhlawumbe kwase kumkhanyela kancane ukuthi uyingxenye yenjongo enkulu kaJehova.

20. U-Abrama wakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ngelungelo uJehova ayemnike lona?

²⁰ U-Abrama wayelazisa kakhulu ilungelo ayelinikwe uJehova. Njengoba ayenqamula kuleli zwe—cishe ngokuqapha ngoba kwakusahlala amaKhanani—wayema akhele uJehova ama-altare. Elokuqala walakha ngasemithini emikhulu kaMore, elinye walakha eBhethele. Wabiza igama likaJehova, cishe ebonga ngokusuka enhliziyweni kuNkulunkulu njengoba ayecabanga ngekusasa lenzalo yakhe. Kungenzeka nokuthi wayebashumayeza omakhelwane bakhe abangamaKhanani. (Funda uGenesise 12:7, 8.) Yiqiniso, ukholo luka-Abrama lwalusazovivinywa kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Wahlakanipha ngokuba angacabangi emuva emzini wakhe nasekuphileni okunethezekile ayekushiye e-Uri. Wayebheke phambili. EyamaHebheru 11:10 ithi ngo-Abrama: “Wayelindele umuzi onezisekelo zangempela, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.”

21. Ulwazi esinalo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu luhluke kanjani koluka-Abrama, futhi yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

²¹ Thina esikhonza uJehova namuhla kuningi kakhulu esikwaziyo kuno-Abrama ngalowo muzi ongokomfanekiso—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Siyazi ukuthi uyabusa ezulwini futhi maduze uzoqeda lesi simiso sezwe, siyazi nokuthi iNzalo ka-Abrama eyayithenjiswe kudala, uJesu Kristu, manje iyinkosi yalowo Mbuso. Yeka ilungelo esiyoba nalo lapho sibona isikhathi u-Abrahama ayophinde aphile ngaso futhi ekugcineni aqonde injongo yaphezulu eyayingamcaceli ngokuphelele! Ungathanda ukubona uJehova efeza zonke izithembiso zakhe? Uma kunjalo, qhubeka wenza lokho u-Abrama akwenza. Bonisa umoya wokuzidela, ulalele futhi uthandaze ngokwazisa ngamalungelo uJehova akunika wona. Njengoba ulingisa ukholo luka-Abrama, ngomqondo othile “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo” uyoba uyihlo nakuwe!