1, 2. (a) Sikwazi njani ukuthi abantu bangenelisa ukuba ngabangane bakaNkulunkulu? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

KUSUKELA umuntu ezalwa aze ayengena egodini, into ayidinga kakhulu luthando. Abantu bayaludinga futhi bayalufuna uthando, hatshi uthando oluphakathi kwezithandani kuphela. Siyakufuna sibili ukuba labangane lokuba lobudlelwano labanye abantu. Kodwa ukuthandwa nguJehova yikho esikudinga kakhulu ukwedlula loba ngubani. Abanengi kabakuvumi ukuthi abantu bangenelisa ukuba ngabangane bakaNkulunkulu uSomandla ongabonakaliyo. Kodwa thina kasiwusekeli umbono lo.

² IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi bakhona abantu ababenjengathi ababengabangane bakaNkulunkulu. Kuhle ukuthi sinakane ngezibonelo zabo ngoba ukwakha ubungane loNkulunkulu yinto eqakatheke ukwedlula zonke esingayenza ekuphileni kwethu. Omunye wabo ngu-Abhrahama owaba ngumngane kaNkulunkulu omkhulu. (Bala uJakhobe 2:22, 23.) U-Abhrahama wenelisa njani ukusondela eduze  kukaJehova? Okwamnceda kakhulu lukholo ayelalo. IBhayibhili limbiza ngokuthi “unguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo.” (Rom. 4:11) Ake sibone ukuthi ukholo lwamnceda njani ukuthi abe ngumngane kaNkulunkulu omkhulu. Sonke singazibuza umbuzo lo othi, ‘Ngingamlingisela njani u-Abhrahama endabeni yokholo njalo ngiqinise ubungane bami loJehova?’

3, 4. (a) Chaza ukuthi yisiphi isenzakalo esingabe sanyikinya ukholo luka-Abhrahama. (b) Kungani u-Abhrahama wayezimisele ukunikela ngo-Isaka?

³ Ake ulibone ngelihlo lengqondo ixhegu elingu-Abhrahama liqansa intaba. Uhambo lolu kasoze afa alukhohlwa ngoba lunzima. Kodwa ukukhula kwakhe kayisikho okwenza lube nzima. Mhlawumbe useleminyaka engaba ngu-125, kodwa ulokhu esaqinile emzimbeni. ^[1] Emva kwakhe ulandelwa ngumfana ongabe eleminyaka engu-25. Umfana lo yindodana yakhe u-Isaka futhi uthwele umnyaba wenkuni. U-Abhrahama yena ulengqamu lezinye izinto zokubasa umlilo. UJehova umcele ukuthi anikele ngendodana yakhe uqobo!​—Gen. 22:1-8.

⁴ U-Abhrahama wayesekhangelane lesenzakalo esasizanyikinya ukholo lwakhe. Kulabanye abathi uNkulunkulu ulolunya, kambe wayengaze acele u-Abhrahama ukuthi anikele ngomntanakhe! Abanye njalo bachaza lokuthi laye u-Abhrahama wayengakwazi akwenzayo wayephongulalela nje, futhi wayengelazwelo. Batsho njalo ngoba kabalalo ukholo njalo kabakwazi ukuthi luvele luyini. (1 Khor. 2:14-16) Kayisikho ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayelalela uNkulunkulu engakwazi akwenzayo. Kodwa wayelalela ngoba wayelokholo. Yilo olwamenza waba leqiniso lokuthi uYise osezulwini uJehova, wayengasoze acele abantu bakhe abathembekileyo ukuthi benze into eyayizabenza bahlale bezithonisisa. Wayekwazi ukuthi ukulalela uJehova uNkulunkulu kwakuzakwenza ambusise njalo abusise lendodana yakhe u-Isaka. Kuyini okwakumenza abe lokholo oluqine kangaka? Lulwazi kanye lezinto ayehlangane lazo empilweni.

5. U-Abhrahama angabe waluthola ngaphi ulwazi ngoJehova, njalo wezwa njani ngolwazi lolu?

⁵ Ulwazi. U-Abhrahama wakhulela e-Uri idolobho lamaKhaledi elaligcwele abantu ababekhonza izithombe, ngitsho loyise uThera wayekhonza izithombe. Manje u-Abhrahama waluthola ngaphi ulwazi ngoJehova? (Josh. 24:2) IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi waluthola njani. Kodwa liveza ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayeyisizukulwane sikaShemu indodana kaNowa. U-Abhrahama wakhula waze waba leminyaka engu-150 uShemu elokhu esaphila. UShemu wayeyindoda eyayilokholo oluqinileyo futhi kungenzakala ukuthi wayehlala exoxela amalunga emuli yakhe lokho ayekwazi ngoJehova. Kukhanya kulengqondo ukuthi sithi le yiyo indlela u-Abhrahama athola ngayo ulwazi ngoJehova olwamthinta inhliziyo. Ngakho-ke wamthanda uNkulunkulu ayefundiswe ngaye njalo ulwazi ayelutholile lwamenza waba lokholo.

6, 7. Okwenzakala ku-Abhrahama kwaluqinisa njani ukholo lwakhe?

⁶ Okwakusenzakala empilweni yakhe. Kuyini okwenzakala empilweni ka-Abhrahama okwaqinisa ukholo lwakhe? Abanye bathi imicabango izala imizwa, imizwa layo izala izenzo. Lokho ayekufundile ngoNkulunkulu kwamenza waba lemizwa ezikileyo kanye lenhlonipho emangalisayo ‘ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu oPhezukhonke, uMdali wezulu lomhlaba.’ (Gen. 14:22) IBhayibhili lithi umuzwa lo “yikuzehlisa okuhloniphekayo” kumbe ukwesaba uNkulunkulu futhi lokhu kuqakathekile nxa ufuna ukuba ngumngane kaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 5:7; Hubo. 25:14) Lokhu yikho okwafuqa u-Abhrahama ukuthi enze okuthile.

⁷ UNkulunkulu watshela u-Abhrahama loSara ukuthi basuke e-Uri bayekwelinye ilizwe.  Kwakuzamele bahlale emathenteni ukuphila kwabo konke. Ukulalela kuka-Abhrahama kwenza ukuthi uJehova ambusise futhi amvikele. Ngokwesibonelo u-Abhrahama wayesesaba ukuthi abantu bazambulala ngenxa yomkakhe uSara owayemuhle njengelanga liphuma. Lanxa wayelezizatho ezizwakalayo zokwesaba kazange akuvumele lokhu ukuthi kumenze angamlaleli uJehova. UJehova laye kazange amtshiye u-Abhrahama lomkakhe uSara, wabavikela izikhathi ezinengi, waze wakwenza lokhu langendlela eyisimangaliso. (Gen. 12:10-20; 20:2-7, 10-12, 17, 18) Izenzakalo lezi zaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo luka-Abhrahama.

8. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siqinise ubungane bethu loJehova?

⁸ Singenelisa yini ukuba ngabangane bakaJehova? Singenelisa sibili ngoba thina sileBhayibhili elisinika ulwazi olunengi kanye lezibonelo zabantu abakwenzayo lokhu. U-Abhrahama yena kulutshwana kakhulu ayekwazi mayelana lenhlakanipho emangalisayo eseBhayibhilini. (Dan. 12:4; Rom. 11:33) ILizwi likaNkulunkulu limumethe inhlakanipho eligugu engajulisa ulwazi lwethu “ngoMdali wezulu lomhlaba.” Esikufunda kulo kuyasinceda ukuthi simhloniphe njalo simthande. Ukumthanda lokumhlonipha khona kwenza simlalele. Nxa sikwenza lokhu sizakuba lokunengi esihlangana lakho empilweni njengoba siyabe sibona indlela uJehova asivikela ngayo lendlela asibusisa ngayo. Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke kwenza sisuthiseke, sibe lokuthula kanye lenjabulo. (Hubo. 34:8; Zaga. 10:22) Ukuqhubeka sikhulisa ulwazi ngoJehova lokubona izinto asenzela zona empilweni kuzaluqinisa ukholo lwethu, kwenze lokuthi sibe ngabangane bakhe abakhulu.

9, 10. (a) Kuyini okudingakalayo ukuze ubungane buqine? (b) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayebuqakathekisa ubungane bakhe loJehova?

⁹ Ubungane bungaba njengento eligugu kakhulu. (Bala iZaga 17:17.) Abufanani lempahla yokucecisa umuntu angayithenga abeseyifaka endaweni ethile ibe ilokhu igcwala uthuli. Kodwa bungafaniswa lamaluba adinga ukunakekelwa lokuthelelwa ukuze aqhubeke enunkula futhi ebukeka. U-Abhrahama wabulondoloza ubungane bakhe loJehova ngoba wayebuqakathekisa kakhulu. Wakwenza njani lokhu?

¹⁰ U-Abhrahama kazange acabange ukuthi ukwesaba uJehova lokumlalela ayeke wakwenza kuqala kwenele. Lapho yena lemuli yakhe besiya eKhenani, waqhubeka evumela ukuthi uJehova amqondise kukho konke ayekwenza, kungelani lokuthi kwakukuncane kumbe kukukhulu. Kwathi kusasele umnyaka ukuthi u-Isaka azalwe, uJehova watshela u-Abhrahama ukuthi asoke bonke abesilisa ababesemzini wakhe. U-Abhrahama kazange atshone ezilazila. Watshengisa “ngalonalelolanga” ukuthi uyamlalela  uNkulunkulu lokuthi uyamethemba.​—Gen. 17:10-14, 23.

11. Kungani u-Abhrahama wayekhathazekile ngeSodoma leGomora, njalo uJehova wamsiza njani?

¹¹ U-Abhrahama waqhubeka engumngane omkhulu kaNkukunkulu ngoba wayezijayeze ukulalela uJehova lasezintweni ezincane kakhulu. Wayekhululekile ukutshela uJehova okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe, wamcela lokuthi amncede ngesikhathi elemibuzo eyayimkhathaza kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo u-Abhrahama wathi esizwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezabhubhisa idolobho laseSodoma leGomora, wakhathazeka kakhulu ngokuthi abantu abalungileyo labo bazabhujiswa kanye lababi. Mhlawumbe wayekhathazeke ngomntanomnewabo uLothi lemuli yakhe ababehlala eSodoma ngalesosikhathi. U-Abhrahama wabuza uNkulunkulu imibuzo ngentobeko enkulu langendlela eyayitshengisa ukuthi wayemethemba “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke.” UJehova wambekezelela umngane wakhe wamtshengisa lokuthi ulesihawu. Wamchazela lokuthi nxa eletha isahlulelo, uqala adinge abalungileyo abesebasindisa.​—Gen. 18:22-33.

12, 13. (a) Ulwazi kanye lalokho okwakusenzakala empilweni yakhe kwamnceda njani u-Abhrahama ngokuhamba kwesikhathi? (b) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayemethemba uJehova?

¹² Kusegcekeni ukuthi loba yiluphi ulwazi u-Abhrahama ayeluthola kanye lezinto ayezibona zisenzakala kwamnceda ukuthi aqhubeke engumngane kaJehova. Lalapho uJehova emcela ukuthi enze into enzima kakhulu—ukunikela ngeNdodana yakhe u-Isaka, u-Abhrahama wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova uyabekezela, ulesihawu, uthembekile njalo uyavikela. Wayekholwa ukuthi uJehova wayengeke aphonguntshintsha nje abe lomoya omubi lolunya. Sikwazi njani lokhu? Ake siphinde sixoxe ngalokho okwenzakala lapho u-Abhrahama eqansa intaba yaseMoriya.

¹³ Engakehlukani lezinceku ezazimphelekezela, u-Abhrahama wathi kuzo: “Hlalani lapha lobabhemi, mina lomfana sisake siye laphayana. Sizakuthi singakhonza sibuye kini.” (Gen. 22:5) Wayesitshoni u-Abhrahama? Wayeziqambela amanga yini izinceku zakhe lapho esithi u-Isaka uzaphenduka yena ekwazi ukuthi uyanikela ngaye? Hatshi. IBhayibhili liyasitshela ukuthi wayevele ecabangani u-Abhrahama. (Bala uHebheru 11:19.) U-Abhrahama “wanakana ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengabavusa abafileyo,” yikho wayekholwa ukuthi wayengamvusa u-Isaka. Wayekholwa sibili ukuthi abantu abafileyo bazavuswa. Wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova nguye owayevuselele amandla abo okuzala, benelisa ukuba lomntwana sebeluphele. (Heb. 11:11, 12, 18) Wananzelela lokuthi akulalutho olungehlula uJehova. Ngakho wayekholwa ukuthi loba kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala mhlalokho, wayezaphinda ayibone indodana yakhe ayithandayo ukuze zonke izithembiso zikaJehova zigcwaliseke. Yikho phela u-Abhrahama ebizwa kuthiwa “unguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo”!

14. Yibuphi ubunzima ohlangana labo ekukhonzeni uJehova, njalo isibonelo sika-Abhrahama singakunceda njani?

 ¹⁴ Lamuhla uNkulunkulu kasiceli ukuthi sinikele ngabantwabethu njengokwenzakala ku-Abhrahama. Kodwa usicela ukuthi silalele imithetho yakhe lanxa kungaba nzima kumbe singakuzwisisi ukuthi kungani esinike yona. Kukhona yini uNkulunkulu akucele ukuthi ukwenze kodwa ukuthola kunzima? Kwabanye kunzima ukutshumayela. Mhlawumbe balenhloni ezenza kube nzima ukuthi balande abantu abangabaziyo babatshumayeze. Ikanti kwabanye kunzima ukuthi benze okutshiyene lokwenziwa ngabanengi, kungaba sesikolo kumbe emsebenzini. (Eks. 23:2; 1 Thes. 2:2) Nxa ungaphiwa umsebenzi ongakhanya unzima kuwe, lingisela indlela u-Abhrahama atshengisa ngayo ukholo lesibindi. Ukucabangisisa ngezibonelo zamadoda labesifazana abathembekileyo kungasenza sibe ledlabuzane lokubalingisela njalo kuzasisondeza kumngane wethu uJehova.​—Heb. 12:1, 2.

15. Kuyini okwenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi u-Abhrahama kazange azisole ngokuhlala elalela uJehova?

¹⁵ U-Abhrahama wazisola yini ngokuhlala elalela uJehova? Hatshi. Nanku iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngesiphetho sempilo yakhe. Lithi: “U-Abhrahama wasephela, wafa eseluphele kuhle emdala enele.” (Gen. 25:8, TBS) Lanxa wayeseleminyaka engu-175, esekhokhobele engaselawo amandla, wasuthiseka ngokuthi wayephile impilo yokulalela uNkulunkulu. Ayekuqakathekisa ekuphileni kwakhe konke yikuba ngumngane kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Kodwa amazwi athi u-Abhrahama ‘wayemdala enele,’ akumelanga asenze sicabange ukuthi wayesekholise impilo okokuthi wayengaselaso isifiso sokuphila emhlabeni omutsha.

16. Yiziphi izinto ezizamthokozisa u-Abhrahama emhlabeni omutsha?

¹⁶ IBhayibhili lithi u-Abhrahama “wayelindele idolobho elilezisekelo, elimcandi walo lomakhi walo nguNkulunkulu.” (Heb. 11:10) Wayekholwa ukuthi kwelinye ilanga wayezalibona lelodolobho, lakanye uzalibona sibili. Idolobho leli nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu ozabusa umhlaba lo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi u-Abhrahama uzathokoza kakhulu ngokuphila ePharadayisi njalo uzaqhubeka eqinisa ubungane bakhe loJehova kuze kube phakade. Uzajabula kakhulu lapho esizwa ukuthi isibonelo sakhe sokholo sasiza abantu bakaJehova okweminyaka eminengi. Uzafunda lokuthi indlela u-Isaka abuyiselwa ngayo kuye ‘yayingumzekeliso’ wento enkulu kakhulu eyayizakwenzakala. (Heb. 11:19) Uzafunda langokuthi ubuhlungu abuzwa lapho elungiselela ukunikela ngo-Isaka, banceda njani izigidi zabantu ukuthi zizwisise ubuhlungu uJehova abuzwayo lapho enikela ngokuphila kweNdodana yakhe uJesu Khristu. (Joh. 3:16) Isibonelo sika-Abhrahama sincede ngamunye wethu ukuthi aqakathekise inhlawulo, isipho esedlula zonke ezake zabakhona ngaphansi kwelanga.

17. Uzimisele ukwenzani, futhi sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Sonke kazisimiseleni ukulingisela ukholo luka-Abhrahama. Nxa singaqhubeka sifunda okunengi ngoJehova, sizazakhela imbali enhle yokuthembeka, futhi sizakuba lokunengi esihlangane lakho empilweni esingakulandisa okumayelana lendlela uJehova abesibusisa ngayo. (Bala uHebheru 6:10-12.) Kasenzeni uJehova abe ngumngane wethu kuze kube nininini! Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngabanye abantu abathathu ababengabangane bakaJehova.