Mtengo Wauŵisi wa Azitona M’nyumba ya Mulungu

M’DZIKO la Israyeli amalima mtengo umene suwonongeka wambawamba. Ngakhale ataudula, chitsa chake chimaphukanso msanga. Ndipo akakolola zipatso zake, umam’dalitsa mwiniwakeyo ndi mafuta amene angagwiritsidwe ntchito kuphikira, kuunikira, kudzola, ndi kupangira mankhwala onunkhiritsa.

Malinga ndi kunena kwa nthano ina yakale ya m’buku la m’Baibulo la Oweruza, “inamuka mitengo kudzidzozera mfumu.” Kodi inasankha mtengo uti wam’tchire? Sunali wina koma wokakalawo ndi wobala kwambiri, mtengo wa azitona.​—Oweruza 9:8.

Zaka zoposa 3,500 zapitazo, mneneri Mose anafotokoza Israyeli kukhala ‘dziko lokoma, dziko la azitona.’ (Deuteronomo 8:7, 8) Ngakhale lerolino, minda ya azitona imapezeka kuchokera m’tsinde mwa Phiri la Herimoni kumpoto mpaka kumidzi ya Beereseba kumwera. Mindayo idakakongoletsabe chidikha chakugombe cha Saroni, m’mapiri a mathanthwe a Samariya, ndi m’zigwa zachonde za Galileya.

Olemba Baibulo kaŵirikaŵiri anagwiritsa ntchito mtengo wa azitona mophiphiritsa. Zochita za mtengo umenewu zimapereka chitsanzo cha chifundo cha Mulungu, lonjezo la chiukiriro, ndi moyo wachimwemwe wa banja. Kupenda mosamalitsa mtengo wa azitona kudzatithandiza kuzindikira mikhalidwe imeneyi yotchulidwa m’Malemba ndi kuudziŵa bwino mtengo wapadera umenewu umene umatamanda Mpangi wake monga chimachitira chilengedwe chonse.​—Salmo 148:7, 9.

Mtengo Wokakalawo wa Azitona

Mtengo wa azitona suoneka wosangalatsa kwambiri poyamba. Si wautali kwambiri mofanana ndi mikungudza yolemekezeka ya ku Lebano. Matabwa ake si amtengo kwambiri ngati a mlombwa, ndipo maluŵa ake si okongola ngati a mchiwu. (Nyimbo ya Solomo 1:17; Amosi 2:9) Mbali yofunika kwambiri ku mtengo wa azitona ili posaoneka​—pansi panthaka. Mizu yake yaitaliyo, imene imatha kuzikika m’nthaka mamita asanu ndi imodzi ndi kutambalala kwambiri, ndiyo gwero la chuma cha mtengowo ndi moyo wake.

Mizu yoteroyo imalola mitengo ya azitona yomera m’mbali mwa mapiri amiyala kukhalabe yamoyo m’chilala pamene mitengo ya m’munsi m’chigwa itafa kale ndi ludzu. Mizu yakeyo imaulola kupitiriza kubala zipatso zake kwa zaka mazana angapo, ngakhale pamene  thunthu la mtengowo lingaoneke ngati louma longofunikira kuchita nkhuni basi. Zimene mtengo wokakalawo umangofuna ndizo malo otakasuka kuti ukule bwino ndi dothi lolola mpweya kotero kuti uthe kupuma, popanda udzu kapena zomera zina zimene zingakhale ndi tizilombo towononga. Ngati mikhalidwe yosavuta imeneyi ilipo, mtengo umodzi wokha ukhoza kupereka malita 57 a mafuta pachaka.

Mosakayikira, Aisrayeli anali kuukonda kwambiri mtengo wa azitona chifukwa cha mafuta ake abwino kwambiri. Nyali zothira mafuta a azitona zinawalitsa m’nyumba zawo. (Levitiko 24:2) Mafuta a azitona anali ofunikanso pophikira. Anali kuteteza khungu ku dzuŵa, ndipo anathandizanso Aisrayeli monga sopo wochapira. Tirigu, mphesa, ndi azitona ndizo mbewu zimene zinkalimidwa kwambiri m’dzikolo. Ngati banja lachiisrayeli linalephera kukolola azitona okwanira, banjalo limakhala pavuto lalikulu kwambiri.​—Deuteronomo 7:13; Habakuku 3:17.

Komabe, nthaŵi zambiri mafuta a azitona amakhalapo ochuluka kwambiri. Mwachionekere, Mose ananena za Dziko Lolonjezedwa kuti ‘dziko la azitona’ chifukwa azitona ndiyo inali mitengo imene anthu amaidzala kwambiri kuderalo. Katswiri wina wa zachilengedwe wa m’zaka za m’ma 1800, H. B. Tristram ananena kuti azitona unali “mtengo wodziŵika kwambiri wa dzikolo.” Chifukwa cha phindu lake ndi kuchuluka kwake, mafuta a azitona anagwiritsidwanso ntchito monga ndalama ya mayiko onse a m’dera la Mediterranean. Yesu Kristu mwiniyo ananenapo za ngongole ina imene inaŵerengeredwa kukhala “mitsuko yamafuta zana.”​—Luka 16:5, 6.

“Adzanga Timitengo ta Azitona”

Mtengo wa azitona wothandiza kwambiriwo umapereka chitsanzo choyenerera cha madalitso a Mulungu. Kodi munthu woopa Mulungu angadalitsidwe motani? “Mkazi wako adzanga mpesa wopatsa m’mbali za nyumba yako,” anaimba motero wamasalmo. “Ana ako adzanga timitengo ta azitona pozinga podyera pako.” (Salmo 128:3) Kodi “timitengo ta azitona” timeneti ndi chiyani, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani wamasalmoyo akutiyerekeza ndi ana?

Mtengo wa azitona n’ngwodabwitsa chifukwa mphukira zake zatsopano zimatuluka mosalekeza patsinde lake. * Pamene mtengowo uleka kubala zipatso chifukwa cha kukalamba, alimi angalole timitengoto, kapena mphukira zatsopanozo, kukula mpaka zitakhala mbali ya mtengowo. Patapita nthaŵi, mtengo woyambirirawo umakhala ndi mitengo yaing’ono yamphamvu itatu kapena inayi yowuzinga, ngati ana pagome lodyera. Timitengo timeneti tili ndi tsinde limodzi, ndipo tonse timabalira limodzi zipatso zokoma za azitona.

Mkhalidwe umenewu wa mtengo wa azitona umapereka chitsanzo chabwino cha mmene ana angakulire m’chikhulupiriro, chifukwa cha mizu yolimba yauzimu ya makolo awo. Pamene ana akula, iwonso amabala zipatso ndi kuchirikiza makolo awo, amenenso amasangalala poona ana awo akutumikira Yehova limodzi nawo.​—Miyambo 15:20.

‘Ngakhale Mtengo Uli ndi Chiyembekezo’

Tate wokalamba amene amatumikira Yehova amasangalala pokhala ndi ana opembedza. Koma anawo amalira pamene atate wawo potsirizira pake ‘amuka njira ya dziko lonse.’ (1 Mafumu 2:2) Pofuna kutithandiza kupirira tsoka la pabanja loterolo, Baibulo limatitsimikizira kuti padzakhala kuuka kwa akufa.​—Yohane 5:28, 29; 11:25.

Yobu, atate wa ana ambiri, anadziŵa bwino kwambiri za kufupika kwa moyo wa munthu. Iye anakuyerekeza ndi duŵa limene limafota msanga. (Yobu 1:2; 14:1, 2) Yobu analakalaka kufa pofuna kuthaŵa nsautso yake, akumaona manda ngati malo okabisalako kumene akatha kubwerako. Yobu anafunsa kuti: “Atafa munthu, adzakhala ndi moyo kodi?” Kenako anayankha mwachidaliro kuti: ‘Ndidzayembekeza masiku onse a nkhondo yanga, mpaka kufika kusandulika kwanga. Mudzaitana [inu Yehova], ndipo ndidzakuyankhani; mudzakhumba ntchito ya manja anu.’​—Yobu 14:13-15.

Kodi Yobu anasonyeza motani chidaliro chake chakuti Mulungu akamuitana kuchokera kumanda? Mwa kugwiritsa ntchito chitsanzo cha mtengo umene mafotokozedwe ake akuonetsa kuti anali kunena za mtengo wa azitona. Anatero Yobu kuti, “akaulikha mtengo pali chiyembekezo kuti udzaphukanso.” (Yobu 14:7) Mtengo  wa azitona angaudule, koma sikuti wathera pomwepo. Mtengowo umangofa ngati auzula ndi mizu yake yomwe. Ngati mizu yake sanaikhudze, umaphukanso ndi nyonga yatsopano.

Ngakhale pamene chilala cha nthaŵi yaitali chinganyalitse kwambiri mtengo wa azitona, chitsa chake chofotacho chimatha kudzukanso. “Ngakhale muzu wake wakalamba m’nthaka, ndi tsinde lake likufa pansi; koma pa mnunkho wa madzi udzaphuka, nudzaswa nthambi ngati womera.” (Yobu 14:8, 9) Yobu anali kukhala m’dziko louma ndi lafumbi kumene mwinamwake ankaona mitengo ya azitona yambiri yooneka youma ngati yakufa. Komabe pofika mvula, mitengo ‘yakufa’ yoteroyo inkadzukanso ndipo thunthu lake linaimanso mwamphamvu kuchokera pamizu yake ngati mtengo “womera” chatsopano. Kulimba kwapadera kumeneku kunachititsa mlimi wina wazipatso wa ku Tunisia kunena kuti: “Tingatero kuti mitengo ya azitona siifa.”

Mmene mlimi amalakalakira kuona mitengo yake ya azitona yofoota itaphukanso, ndi mmenenso Yehova amalakalakira kuukitsa atumiki ake okhulupirika. Akuyembekezera mwachidwi kufika kwa nthaŵi pamene anthu okhulupirika monga Abrahamu ndi Sara, Isake ndi Rabeka, ndi ena ambiri adzakhalanso ndi moyo. (Mateyu 22:31, 32) Mmene kudzakhalire kosangalatsa nanga, podzawalandira oukitsidwa kwa akufawo ndi kuwaona akukhalanso ndi miyoyo yokhutiritsa ndi yopindulitsa!

Mtengo wa Azitona Wophiphiritsa

Chifundo cha Mulungu chimaonekera mwa kupanda kwake tsankho komanso m’makonzedwe ake a chiukiriro. Mtumwi Paulo anagwiritsa ntchito mtengo wa azitona pofanizira mmene chifundo cha Yehova chimafikira kwa anthu mosaganizira fuko lawo kapena mbiri yawo. Kwa zaka mazana ambiri Ayuda anadzitama pokhala anthu osankhika a Mulungu, “mbewu ya Abrahamu.”​—Yohane 8:33; Luka 3:8.

Kubadwa Myuda pakokha sikunali chiyeneretso chopezera chiyanjo cha Mulungu. Komabe, ophunzira oyambirira a Yesu onse anali Ayuda, ndipo anali ndi mwayi wokhala anthu oyamba kusankhidwa ndi Mulungu kuti akakhale mbewu ya Abrahamu yolonjezedwayo. (Genesis 22:18; Agalatiya 3:29) Paulo anayerekeza ophunzira achiyuda ameneŵa ndi nthambi za mtengo wa azitona wophiphiritsa.

Aisrayeli akuthupi ochuluka anam’kana Yesu, akumadzilepheretsa okha kukhala a “kagulu ka nkhosa,” kapena “Israyeli wa Mulungu.” (Luka 12:32; Agalatiya 6:16) Choncho, iwo anakhala ngati nthambi zodulidwa za mtengo wa azitona wophiphiritsa. Kodi ndani anayenera kutenga malo awo? M’chaka cha 36 C.E., Akunja anasankhidwa kukhala mbali ya mbewu ya Abrahamu. Kunali ngati kuti Yehova anamezetsanitsa nthambi za mtengo wa azitona wakutchire pamtengo wa azitona wam’munda. Aja odzakhala mbewu yolonjezedwa ya Abrahamu anaphatikizapo anthu a mitundu. Akristu amitundu tsopano anatha ‘kugaŵana nazo za muzu za mafuta ake a mtengowo.’​—Aroma 11:17.

Kwa mlimi, kumezetsanitsa nthambi ya mtengo wa azitona wakutchire pa mtengo wa azitona wam’munda ndi chinthu chosaganizika komanso chotsutsana ndi “makhalidwe” achilengedwe. (Aroma 11:24) Buku lotchedwa The Land and the Book limafotokoza kuti: “Mukamezetsanitsa mbewu yabwino pa yakuthengo, malinga n’kunena kwa Maarabu, yabwinoyo imagonjetsa yakuthengo. Koma mukachitira mwa njira inayo zimakanika.” Mofananamo, Akristu achiyuda anadabwa pamene kwanthaŵi yoyamba “Mulungu anayang’anira amitundu,  kuti atenge mwa iwo anthu a dzina lake.” (Machitidwe 10:44-48; 15:14) Komabe, chimenechi chinali chizindikiro choonekeratu chakuti kukwaniritsidwa kwa cholinga cha Mulungu sikunadalire mtundu umodzi uliwonse. Koma “m’mitundu yonse, wakumuwopa iye ndi wakuchita chilungamo alandiridwa naye.”​—Machitidwe 10:35.

Paulo anasonyeza kuti popeza kuti “nthambi” za Ayuda za mtengo wa azitona zinadulidwa, zofananazo zingachitike kwa munthu aliyense amene asiya kukhala m’chiyanjo cha Yehova chifukwa cha kunyada ndi kusamvera kwake. (Aroma 11:19, 20) Zimenezi zikusonyezadi kuti chisomo cha Mulungu sichoyenera kuchitenga mopepuka.​—2 Akorinto 6:1.

Kudzoza ndi Mafuta

Malemba amanena za kugwiritsa ntchito mafuta m’lingaliro lenileni komanso mophiphiritsa. M’nthaŵi zakale, anthu ‘ankapaka mafuta’ pa zilonda ndi mikwingwirima kuti zipole msanga. (Yesaya 1:6) Malinga ndi limodzi la mafanizo a Yesu, Msamariya wachifundo uja anathira mafuta a azitona ndi vinyo pamabala a mwamuna amene anam’peza panjira yopita ku Yeriko.​—Luka 10:34.

Kuthira mafuta a azitona pamutu wa munthu kumatsitsimutsa ndi kutonthoza. (Salmo 141:5) Ndipo posamalira nkhani za kudwala kwauzimu, akulu achikristu angafunikire ‘kudzoza ndi mafuta chiwalo cha mpingo m’dzina la Ambuye.’ (Yakobo 5:14) Uphungu wachikondi wa m’Malemba wa akulu ndi mapemphero awo ochokera pansi pa mtima kulinga kwa wokhulupirira mnzawo wodwala mwauzimuyo kungayerekezedwe ndi mafuta otonthoza. M’chinenero cha miyambi yambiri chachihebri, mwamuna wabwino nthaŵi zina ananenedwa kukhala “mafuta a azitona enieni.”

“Mtengo Wauŵisi wa Azitona M’nyumba ya Mulungu”

Malinga ndi mfundo tazionazo, m’posadabwitsa kuti atumiki a Mulungu angafanizidwe ndi mitengo ya azitona. Davide anakhumba kukhala ngati “mtengo wauŵisi wa azitona m’nyumba ya Mulungu.” (Salmo 52:8) Monga momwe mabanja achiisrayeli analili ndi mitengo ya azitona mozungulira nyumba zawo, Davidenso analakalaka kukhala pafupi ndi Yehova ndi kubala zipatso zodzetsa chitamando kwa Mulungu.​—Salmo 52:9.

Panthaŵi imene ufumu wa Yuda wa mafuko aŵiri unali womvera Yehova, unali ngati “mtengo wa azitona wauŵisi, wokoma wa zipatso zabwino.” (Yeremiya 11:15, 16) Koma anthu a Yuda anataya mwayi wawo pamene ‘anakana kumva mawu a Yehova ndi kutsata milungu ina.’​—Yeremiya 11:10.

Kuti tikhale mtengo wauŵisi wa azitona m’nyumba ya Mulungu, tiyenera kumvera Yehova ndi kukhala ndi mtima wofuna kulandira chilango chimene amagwiritsa ntchito ‘potidulira’ kuti tibale zipatso zochuluka zachikristu. (Ahebri 12:5, 6) Ndiponso, monga momwe mitengo yachilengedwe ya azitona imafunikira mizu yaitali kuti ikhalebe ndi moyo m’nyengo yachilala, ifenso tifunikira kuzamitsa mizu yathu yauzimu kuti tikathe kupirira mayesero ndi mazunzo.​—Mateyu 13:21; Akorinto 2:6, 7.

Mtengo wa azitona umaphiphiritsira bwino Mkristu wokhulupirika, yemwe angakhale wosadziŵika ku dziko koma Mulungu ama’dziŵa bwino lomwe. Ngati munthu woteroyo amwalira m’dongosolo ili la zinthu, adzakhalanso ndi moyo m’dziko latsopano likudzalo.​—2 Akorinto 6:9; 2 Petro 3:13.

Mtengo wa azitona wosafawo wobala zipatso zake chaka ndi chaka umatikumbutsa lonjezo la Mulungu lakuti: “Monga masiku amtengo adzakhala masiku a anthu anga; ndi osankhidwa anga adzasangalala nthaŵi zambiri ndi ntchito za manja awo.” (Yesaya 65:22) Lonjezo laulosi limeneli lidzakwaniritsidwa m’dziko latsopano la Mulungu.​—2 Petro 3:13.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

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Chikuni chokakala chamakedzana chopezedwa ku Jávea, m’Chigawo cha Alicante, ku Spain

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Minda ya azitona m’Chigawo cha Granada, ku Spain

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Mtengo wa azitona wamakedzana kunja kwa linga la Yerusalemu

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Baibulo limanena za kumezetsanitsa nthambi pa mtengo wa azitona

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Mtengo wa azitona wakalewu n’ngwozingidwa ndi mphukira za timitengo tating’ono