1, 2. (a) Sazi njani bona abantu bangaba bangani bakaZimu? (b) Sizokufunda ngani esihlokwenesi?

KUSUKELA umuntu abelethwa bekayokufa utlhoga ukuthandwa. Abantu batlhoga ukuba nabangani abanethando nababakhathalelako, ingasi ithando labantu abatjhadileko kwaphela. Kodwana kilo loke ithando esingalifumana sitlhoga ukuthandwa nguJehova. Abantu abanengi abakholwa ukuthi umuntu angaba nesingani noZimu, lokho bakutjhwiso kukuthi angithi uZimu akabonakali abuye abe namandla. Kodwana thina siyalazi iqiniso!

² Nasifunda iBhayibheli sifumana bona abantu khebaba bangani bakaZimu. Kufuze sifunde eembonelweni zabo. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungombana ukuba nesingani noZimu kuyinto eqakatheke khulu esingaba nayo. Okwanje akhesifunde ngesibonelo saka-Abrahamu. (Funda uJakopo 2:23.) Kwenzeka njani bona abe mngani kaZimu? U-Abrahamu  noZimu bahlanganiswa kukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu, begodu nje waziwa ngokuthi ‘ngukhokho wabo boke abakholwako.’ (Roma 4:11) Njengombana uzabe ufunda ngesibonelo sakhe, zibuze, ‘Ngingakulingisa njani ukukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu, benginzinzise nesikhozi sami noJehova?’

3, 4. (a) Hlathulula bona yini okungenzeka yalinga ukukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu. (b) Ngiliphi ibanga elenza u-Abrahamu wazimisela ukunikela ngo-Isaka?

³ Akhucabange u-Abrahamu aneminyaka engaba yi-125 ananya, atjhinga phezulu entabeni. ^[1] (Qala isiphetho.) Alandelwa ngu-Isaka okungenzeka bekaneminyaka eyi-25. Umlandela nje uphethe iinkuni, u-Abrahamu yena uphethe umukhwa nezinye izinto zokubasa. Kungenzeka lelo bekulikhambo elibudisi khulu ku-Abrahamu. Ingasi ngebanga lokukuthi iminyaka besele ikhambile. Bekasese mumuntu oqinileko. Ebekwenza ikhambweli libe budisi kukuthi uJehova bekambawe bona anikele ngendodanakhe!—Genesisi 22:1-8.

⁴ Kungenzeka lokho kwakulinga khulu ukukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu! Abanye abantu bathi bekukukhohlakala bona uZimu abawe u-Abrahamu ukuthi anikele ngendodanakhe. Bese abanye bathi u-Abrahamu lokho wakwenziswa kukuthi vele bekangayithandi indodanakhe. Okwenza abantu batjho iintwezi kukuthi abanakho ukukholwa, abazi bona ukukholwa kwamambala kuyini nokuthi kusebenza njani. (1 Korinte 2:14-16) U-Abrahamu akhenge ase enze nanyana yini uZimu athi ayenze, amane enze ngaphandle kokucabanga. Walalela ngombana anokukholwa kwamambala. Bekazi kuhle bona uJehova angekhe ambawa into ezombangela amatlhuwo unomphela. Bekazi bona nakangalalela uJehova uzombusisa abe abusise nendodanakhe ayithandako. Yini eyasiza u-Abrahamu bona abe nokukholwa okunzinze ngalendlela? Bekufuze abe nelwazi begodu kube nezinto akhamba azibona epilweni.

5. Ngiyiphi indlela okungenzeka u-Abrahamu wafunda ngayo ngoJehova? Ilwazelo lamenza wazizwa njani?

 ⁵ Ilwazi. U-Abrahamu wakhulela edorobheli elibizwa ngokuthi yi-Uri. Abantu balapho bebalotjha abasingazimu, noyise naye bekalotjha abosingazimu. (Jotjhuwa 24:2) Ngiyiphi indlela u-Abrahamu afunda ngayo ngoJehova? IBhayibheli ithi uTjhemu indodana kaNowa beyihlobene no-Abrahamu. UTjhemu waphila u-Abrahamu bewaba neminyaka eyi-150. UTjhemu bekanokukholwa okunzinzileko, kungenzeka bekanande akhuluma nesihlobo sakhe ngoJehova. Asiqiniseki kodwana kungenzeka ngileyo indlela u-Abrahamu afunda ngayo ngoJehova. U-Abrahamu akufundako kwamenza wathanda uJehova begodu ilwazelo lamenza waba nokukholwa.

6, 7. Izinto u-Abrahamu akhamba ahlangabezana nazo zakuqinisa njani ukukholwa kwakhe?

⁶ Izinto akhamba ahlangabezana nazo. U-Abrahamu wahlangabezana nani eyanzinzisa ukukholelwa kwakhe kuJehova? Abaziko bathi ukucabanga kurholela emizweni kuthi yona irholele ekwenzeni. U-Abrahamu wathinteka ehliziyweni ngesikhathi afunda ngoZimu, lokho kwamenza wahlonipha ‘uZimu ongoPhezulu, uMdali wezulu nephasi.’ (Genesisi 14:22) IBhayibheli ithi ihlonipho leyo ‘kuzinikela ngokuzithoba.’ (Hebheru 5:7) Nasizakutjhidelana noZimu, kufuze simhloniphe ngokuzinikela. (IRhubo 25:14) Ngikho-ke lokho okwenza u-Abrahamu walalela uJehova.

⁷ UZimu watjela u-Abrahamu noSara bona batjhiye umzabo ogade use-Uri baye enarheni abangayaziko. Ngesikhatheso iminyaka gade sele ikhambile kibo, bekuzokufuze bahlale ematendeni ipilwabo yoke. Ngitjho nanyana u-Abrahamu bekazi bona kuzokukhamba kuba yingozi, bekazimisele ukulalela uJehova. Ngebanga lokulalela kwakhe, uZimu wambusisa ngokumvikela. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi bammuka isiphalaphala esingunakwakhe uSara bekasengozini yokubulawa, yeke uJehova wabavikela iinkhathi ezinengi. (Genesisi 12:10-20; 20:2-7, 10-12, 17, 18) Izenzwezo zenza ukukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu kwanzinza.

8. Singalifumana njani ilwazi elizokunzinzisa isikhozi sethu noJehova?

⁸ Kuyakghonakala na ukuthi sibe bangani abatjhidelene noJehova? Iye, lokho kuyakghonakala! Njengo-Abrahamu nathi kufuze sifunde ngoJehova. Nathi-ke singafumana ilwazi esilitlhogako. Namhlanjesi, thina sinokunengi okudlula lokho u-Abrahamu agade anakho.  (Danyela 12:4; Roma 11:33) IBhayibheli izele ilwazi ngoJehova ‘Owenza izulu nephasi.’ Esikufunda kiyo kusenza simthande bekusisize sidephise nehlonipho yethu ngaye. Ithando nehlonipho ngikho okusenza simlalele. Nasimlalelako sibona indlela asivikela ngayo nasibusisa ngayo, bese kuthi lokho kusenze sibe nelwazi bekuqinise nokukholwa kwethu. Nasilotjha uJehova ngakho koke okusemandlenethu siyaneliseka, sifumane ukuthula besifumane nethabo. (IRhubo 34:9, [34:8 NW]; IzAga 10:22) Nasisolo sifunda ngoJehova sifumana ilwazi, nesikhozi sethu naye sizokunzinza.

9, 10. (a) Yini etlhogekako bona isikhozi sinzinze? (b) Yini etjengisa bona u-Abrahamu besimthokozisa isikhozi sakhe noJehova?

⁹ Ukuba nesikhozi esihle nomuntu kuligugu. (Funda izAga 17:17.) Angeze sakufanisa nepoto yomrhabiso edurako ngombana yona isetjenziselwa ukuhlobisa kwaphela. Isikhozeso singafaniswa neblomu elihle, lona-ke kufuze litlhogonyelwe lithelelelwe bona likhule. U-Abrahamu besimthokozisa isikhozi sakhe noJehova. Wakwenza njani lokho?

¹⁰ U-Abrahamu waragela phambili anzinzisa ukukholwa nokulalela kwakhe uZimu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi aya eKanana nomndenakhe neensebenzi zakhe, waragela phambili avumela uJehova bona amrhole ekwenzeni iinqunto ezincani nezikulu. Ngesikhathi kusele umnyaka munye bona kubelethwe u-Isaka, u-Abrahamu bekaneminyaka eyi-99. Yeke uJehova wamtjela bona asoke boke abantu bembaji emzinakhe. Kghani u-Abrahamu akhenge athembe uJehova, namkha afumane izaba zokungenzi lokho uJehova ambawe bona akwenze? Awa akusinjalo, wathemba uJehova bewamlalela “khona mhlokho.”—Genesisi 17:10-14, 23.

11. Kubayini u-Abrahamu bekatshwenyekile ngokubhujiswa kweSodoma neGomora? UJehova wamsiza njani?

¹¹ Ngebanga lokobana u-Abrahamu bekalalela uJehova ngitjho neentweni ebezibonakala zizincani, isikhozi sabo sanzinza. Wazizwa bona angakhuluma noJehova ngananyana yini, lokho kwamenza wakghona ukubawa isizo nagade ararejwa mibuzo ebudisi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJehova athe uzokubhubhisa idorobha leSodoma neGomora kwamtshwenya lokho u-Abrahamu. Kubayini? Bekathuswe kukuthi nabantu abalungileko bazokubhubha nabakhohlakeleko. Kungenzeka bekacabanga umtjhanakhe uLothi nomndenakhe, ebebahlala eSodoma. U-Abrahamu bekamthemba uJehova, ‘umGwebi wephasi loke,’ yeke wazithoba, wakhuluma noJehova ngebekumtshwenya. UJehova wambekezelela umnganakhe wamtjengisa nokuthi Unomusa. Wathi ngitjho nanyana azokwahlulela idorobheli, uzokufuna abantu abalungileko abasindise.—Genesisi 18:22-33.

12, 13. (a) Ilwazi u-Abrahamu egade analo nezinto ebekakhamba ahlangabezana nazo zamsiza njani ngokukhamba kwesikhathi? (b) Yini etjengisa bona u-Abrahamu bekamthemba uJehova?

 ¹² Kuyakhanya bona ilwazi nezinto u-Abrahamu ebekakhamba ahlangabezana nazo kwamsiza bona isikhozi sakhe noJehova sihlale sinzinzile. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJehova nakambawa bona anikele ngendodanakhe, bekazi kuhle nje bona uJehova bekahlala ambekezelela, anomusa kuye, athembekile begodu amvikela. U-Abrahamu bekaqiniseka bona uJehova bekangakatjhuguluki okutjho ukuthi bengeze amphathe ngelunya namkha amkhahlameze! Kubayini sitjho njalo?

¹³ Ngaphambi kobana atjhiye iinsebenzi zakhe u-Abrahamu wathi, “Salani lapha nodumbana, mina nomsana lo sisaya phetjheyapha. Sisayokulotjha khona, sizakubuya godu kinapha.” (Genesisi 22:5) Bekatjho ukuthini u-Abrahamu? Inga-kghani bekakhuluma amala nakathi uzokubuya no-Isaka, njengombana bekazi kuhle bona uyokunikela ngaye? Awa bekangakhulumi amala. IBhayibheli lithi u-Abrahamu bekazi bona uJehova bekazokukghona ukuvusa u-Isaka ekufeni. (Funda amaHebheru 11:19.) U-Abrahamu bekazi bona uJehova wamupha indodana ngitjho nanyana uSara besele aluphele. (Hebheru 11:11, 12, 18) Lokho kwamenza wazi bona ayikho into engabhalela uJehova. Bekangazi ukuthi kuzokwenzekani mhlokho. Kodwana bekakholwa bona nakutlhogekako uJehova uzoyivusa indodanakhe ekufeni, bekakholwa nokuthi zoke iinthembiso zakaZimu zizokuzaliseka. Ngikho u-Abrahamu abizwa ngokuthi, ‘ukhokho wabo boke abakholwako.’

14. Ngiziphi iinqabo ohlangabezana nazo ekulotjheni kwakho uJehova? Isibonelo saka-Abrahamu singakusiza njani?

¹⁴ Namhlanjesi uJehova akasibawi bona sinikele ngabantwana bethu, kodwana usasibawa bona silalele imiyalo yakhe. Ngezinye iinkhathi kungenzeka singayizwisisi eminye yemiyalo le, namkha kube budisi ukuyilalela. Inga-kghani nawe uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela? Kwabanye kubudisi ukutjhumayela. Kungenzeka baneenhloni namkha bakufumana kubudisi ukukhuluma nabantu abangabaziko. Abanye ase abakuthandisisi ukuhluka ebantwini ababerega nabo namkha abafunda nabo esikolweni. (Eksodusi 23:2; 1 Thesalonika 2:2) Nakwenzeka bakubawe bona wenze into obona ngasuthi ibudisi, cabanga ngo-Abrahamu osibonelo esihle sokukholwa nesibindi. Nasizindla ngamadoda nabafazi abaziimbonelo sizokukhuthazeka bona sibalingise bese isikhozi sethu noJehova siyanzinza.—Hebheru 12:1, 2.

15. Yini esiqinisekisa bona u-Abrahamu akhenge azisole ngokulalela nokuthembeka kuJehova?

¹⁵ U-Abrahamu ukhe wazisola na ngokulalela  uJehova? IBhayibheli lithi u-Abrahamu “wahlongakala anelisekile ngepilo, aliqhegu elithukgheleko.” (Genesisi 25:8) Ngitjho nangesikhathi u-Abrahamu aneminyaka eyi-175 bekhe acabange ngepilo ayiphilileko azizwe anelisekile. Kubayini bekazizwa njalo? Kungombana isikhozi sakhe noJehova bekuyinto eqakathekileko kuye. Kodwana nasifunda bona u-Abrahamu ‘bekanelisekile ngepilo, aliqhegu elithukgheleko,’ akutjho bona bekanganaso isifiso sokuragela phambili aphila.

16. Yini u-Abrahamu azoyithabela ePharadesi?

¹⁶ IBhayibheli lithi “bekalindele umuzi oneensekelo, umakhi nomenzi wawo kunguZimu.” (Hebheru 11:10) Bekakholwa u-Abrahamu bona ngelinye ilanga uzakhe alibone idorobhelo, abone umBuso kaZimu ubusa iphasi loke. Kuzokuba njalo! Akhuthi uyacabanga bona kuzomthabisa kangangani u-Abrahamu ukuphila epharadesini, khibe ngapha uragela phambili nokunzinzisa isikhozi sakhe noZimu. Kuzomthabisa nokwazi ukuthi isibonelo sakhe sokukholwa sasiza iinkhonzi zakaZimu, iinkulungwana zeminyaka! Nasele asePharadesi uzokuzwisisa bhedere bona umnikelo awenza eNtabeni iMoriya bewufanekisela okukhulu. (Hebheru 11:19) Uzokuzwisisa nokuthi ubuhlungu abuzwako nakalungiselela ukunikela ngendodanakhe kwasiza iingidi zabantu, zazwisisa ubuhlungu uJehova abuzwako, ngesikhathi anikela ngeNdodanakhe uJesu Krestu njengomhlatjelo wabantu. (Jwanisi 3:16) Isibonelo saka-Abrahamu sisisize soke sathokoza umhlatjelo, osisipho esenziwe ngethando elikhulu okungekho umuntu okhe walitjengisa!

17. Yini ozimisele ukuyenza? Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokufunda ngani?

¹⁷ Kwanga omunye nomunye kithi angazimisela ukulingisa isibonelo sokukholwa kwaka-Abrahamu. Sitlhoga ukuba nelwazi njengo-Abrahamu. Njengombana siragela phambili sifunda besilalele uJehova, sizokubona indlela asibusisa nasivikela ngayo. (Funda amaHebheru 6:10-12.) Kwanga uJehova angahlala amNganethu! Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokufunda ngeembonelo ezintathu zabantu abathembekako baba bangani abatjhidelene noZimu.