1. Khuyini inengi labantu elikudelileko begodu kubayini?

IINGIDI zabantu bakaZimu namhlanjesi kunezinto ezithileko ezizidelileko. Inengi labafowethu nabodadwethu likhethe ukungatjhadi. Abatjhadileko bakhethe ukuhlala isikhathi esithileko banganabo abantwana. Imindeni ehlukahlukeneko ikhethe ukwenza ukuphila kwayo kwaba bulula. Boke abantwaba bakhethe ukuthatha amagadango la ngebanga lento yinye eqakathekileko, bafuna ukwenza koke okusemandlenabo bona balotjhe uJehova. Bathabile begodu bathemba ukuthi uzobanikela koke abakutlhogako. Kghani bazozisola ngalokho? Awa! Kubayini siqiniseka ukuthi ngeze bazisola? Kungebanga lokuthi uJehova wabusisa u-Abrahamu, ‘uyise wabo boke abakholwako.’—Rom. 4:11.

2. (a) NgokwamaHebheru 11:8-10, 16, kubayini u-Abrahamu akhetha ukutjhiya i-Uri? (b) Khuyini esizokucoca ngayo esihlokwenesi?

² U-Abrahamu wakhetha ukutjhiya ukuphila kamnandi edorobheni le-Uri, lokho wakwenza ngombana bekalindele “idorobho elineensekelo zamambala.” (Funda amaHebheru 11:8-10, 16.) Liyini ‘idorobhelo?’ Ngiziphi iintjhijilo u-Abrahamu aqalana nazo nakasalindele ukwakhiwa kwedorobhelo? Ngiziphi izinto esingazenza nasizakufana no-Abrahamu kunye nalabo besikhathi sethu abalandela isibonelo sakhe?

3. Liyini ‘idorobho’ u-Abrahamu ebekalilindele?

³ Idorobho u-Abrahamu ebekalilindele, mBuso kaZimu. UmBuso lo wakhiwa nguJesu Krestu kunye namaKrestu azesiweko ayi-144 000. UPowula uthi umBuso lo ‘lidorobho lakaZimu ophilako, iJerusalema lezulwini.’ (Heb. 12:22; IsAm. 5:8-10; 14:1) UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe bona bathandazele umBuso lo bona uze, ukwenzela bona intando kaZimu yenzeke  nephasina njengombana yenzeka nezulwini.—Mat. 6:10.

4. NgokwakaGenesisi 17:1, 2, 6 kungangani u-Abrahamu ebekakwazi ngedorobho namkha umBuso ebewuthenjiswe nguZimu?

⁴ Kghani u-Abrahamu bekayazi yoke imininingwana yokuthi umBuso kaZimu uzokuhlelwa njani? Awa. Kwadlula iminyaka eminengi imininingwana leyo ‘iyifihlo ecwengileko.’ (Efe. 1:8-10; Kol. 1:26, 27) U-Abrahamu bekazi ukuthi abanye esizukulwaneni sakhe bazokuba makhosi. Ngilokho uJehova amthembisa khona. (Funda uGenesisi 17:1, 2, 6.) U-Abrahamu bekanokukholwa okuqinileko eenthembisweni zakaZimu. Bekubonakala ngasuthi uyambona ozesiweko, namkha uMesiya ozokuba yiKosi yomBuso kaZimu. Lokhu ngikho okwenza uJesu watjela amaJuda wangesikhathi sakhe wathi: “U-Abrahamu uyihlo wakuthabela khulu ukubona ilanga lami, begodu walibona wathaba.” (Jwa. 8:56) Kuyakhanya ukuthi u-Abrahamu bekazi ukuthi abanye esizukulwaneni sakhe bebazokuba yingcenye yomBuso ebeyizokwakhiwa nguJehova.

5. Sazi njani ukuthi u-Abrahamu bekalindele idorobho elakhiwa nguZimu?

⁵ U-Abrahamu watjengisa njani ukuthi bekalindele idorobho namkha umBuso owakhiwa nguZimu? Kokuthoma, u-Abrahamu khenge abe yingcenye yananyana ngimuphi umbuso wasephasina. Wakhetha ukungasekeli nanyana ngimuphi umbusi wasephasina, wakhetha ukuba sikhambi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, khenge alinge ukujamisa umbuso ephasina. Kunalokho, walalela uJehova begodu walindela bona kube Nguye ozalisekisa isithembiso Sakhe. Ngokwenza njalo watjengisa ukukholwa okukhulu kuJehova. Akhesicoce ngezinye iintjhijilo aqalana nazo, sibone ukuthi khuyini esingakufunda endleleni aziphatha ngayo.

6. I-Uri bekulidorobho elinjani?

⁶ Idorobho u-Abrahamu ebekahlala kilo beliphephile ngokwezinga elithileko, lilihle begodu kumnandi ukuhlala kilo. Bekuyindawo enamaboda amakhulu begodu ibhodwe mamanzi emahlangothini womathathu. Abantu ebebahlala e-Uri bebanamakghono tle! Banjalo nje bahlakaniphile, bakghona ukutlola nokwenza iimbalo. Kungenzeka nokuthi idorobheli beliyikaba yamabhizinisi ngombana manengi amaphepha wamabhizinisi afunyanwa endaweni le. Izindlu ebezihlala abantu bezakhiwe ngeentina;  amaboda apendwe ngombala omhlophe. Ezinye izindlu zakhona bezinamakamura ali-13 namkha ali-14 bese kuthi ngaphandle phasi bekunganahlabathi, bekuziintina nesamende.

7. Kubayini u-Abrahamu kwakufuze athembe ukuthi uJehova uzomvikela, avikele nomndenakhe?

⁷ U-Abrahamu bekufuze athembe ukuthi uJehova uzomvikela yena nomndenakhe. Kubayini? Kungombana u-Abrahamu noSara batjhiya indawo ephephileko nebebathabela ukuhlala kiyo, edorobheni le-Uri, bayokuhlala ematendeni, emasimini avulekileko weKanana. Lapho, yena nomndenakhe bebangakavikelwa maboda namkha mamanzi atjhingako abhode umuzi. Kunalokho, njenganje besele babonakala bangakavikeleki begodu bebangahlaselwa manababo.

8. Khuyini okwafuze u-Abrahamu ayibekezelele?

⁸ U-Abrahamu wenza intando kaZimu, kodwana kwafika lapho abhalelwa khona kukondla umndenakhe. Kwafuze abekezelele indlala ebeyifikele inarha la uJehova ebekamthumele khona. Indlala leyo beyiyimbi kangangobana u-Abrahamu waqunta ukufudukisa umndenakhe awuse eGibhide kwesikhatjhana. Ngesikhathi aseGibhide, uFaro ebekunguye obekaphethe inarha leyo, wabamukela begodu wamthathela umkakhe. Cabanga ukuthi kungenzeka u-Abrahamu wagandeleleka kangangani bekwaba kulapho uJehova enza uFaro bona abuyisele uSara ku-Abrahamu.—Gen. 12:10-19.

9. Ngibuphi ubudisi emndenini u-Abrahamu aqalana nabo?

⁹ Ukuphila emndenini ka-Abrahamu bekubudisi. Umkakhe amthandako bekangabatholi abantwana, besele kudlule amatjhumi weminyaka baqalene nobudisobo. Kwafikela ezingeni lokuthi uSara anikele u-Abrahamu isisebenzi sakhe uHagari bona abe nabantwana abazokuba ngebaka-Abrahamu. Kwathi uHagari nakazithwele u-Itjhimayeli, wathoma ukunyaza uSara. Ubujamo baba bumbi khulu kangangobana uSara waqotjha uHagari kwakhe.—Gen. 16:1-6.

10. Ngibuphi ubujamo hlangana kwaka-Isaka no-Itjhimayeli obenza u-Abrahamu athembele kuJehova?

¹⁰ Ekugcineni uSara wazithwala, wabelethela u-Abrahamu indodana abayithiya ngokuthi ngu-Isaka. U-Abrahamu bekawathanda womabili amadodanakhe, u-Itjhimayeli no-Isaka. Ngebanga lokuthi u-Itjhimayeli bekamphethe kumbi khulu u-Isaka, u-Abrahamu wakateleleka bona akhambise uHagari nendodanakhe u-Itjhimayeli. (Gen. 21:9-14) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wathi ku-Abrahamu akenze u-Isaka umhlatjelo. (Gen. 22:1, 2; Heb. 11:17-19) Kibo bobubili ubujamobu, kwatlhogeka bona u-Abrahamu athembe uJehova, athembe nokuthi uzokwenza izinto ziwakhambele kuhle amadodanakhe womabili.

11. Kubayini kwafuze u-Abrahamu alinde uJehova begodu abekezele?

¹¹ Kiso soke isikhathesi, u-Abrahamu bekufuze afunde ukulinda uJehova. Kungenzeka bekaneminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 yena nomndenakhe nabafudukako e-Uri. (Gen. 11:31–12:4) Eminyakeni engaba likhulu yoke bekahlala ematendeni, akhambakhamba enarheni yeKanana. U-Abrahamu wahlongakala aneminyaka eli-175. (Gen. 25:7) Wahlongakala ngaphambi kokubona uJehova azalisekisa isithembiso sakhe sokunikela iinzukulwana zakhe inarha. Wahlongakala angakaboni idorobho, okumBuso kaZimu wakhiwa. Kikho koke lokho, u-Abrahamu uhlathululwa ngokuthi wafa ‘aliqhegu anelisekile ngepilo.’ (Gen. 25:8) Kizo zoke iintjhijilo u-Abrahamu aqalana nazo, wahlala anokukholwa okuqinileko, anelisekile ngokulinda uJehova. Khuyini eyamsiza wakghodlhelela? Kungombana ukuphila kwakhe koke, uJehova wamvikela begodu wamphatha njengomngani.—Gen. 15:1; Isa. 41:8; Jak. 2:22, 23.

12. Khuyini esiyilindileko begodu sizokucoca ngani?

¹² Nathi sinjengo-Abrahamu, silinde idorobho elineensekelo zamambala. Umehluko kithi kukuthi asikalindeli bona lakhiwe. UmBuso kaZimu  wathoma ukubakhona ngo-1914 begodu sele ubusa ezulwini. (IsAm. 12:7-10) Silindele bona ubuse nephasina ngokupheleleko. Njengombana silinde bona lokho kwenzeke, kunezinto ezinengi ekufuze siqalane nazo njengo-Abrahamu noSara. Inga-kghani ebantwini abalotjha uJehova namhlanjesi, bakhona na abalingisa u-Abrahamu noSara? Iinhloko ezithi, Umlando ezifumaneka esiThaleni zitjengisa ukuthi bakhona namhlanjesi abalingisa u-Abrahamu noSara abatjengisa ukukholwa nokubekezela. Akhesicoce ngeendaba ezimbalwa sibone ukuthi singafundani kizo.

13. Khuyini esiyifunda kilokho okwenzakalela uMfowethu uWalden?

¹³ Zimisele ukuzidela. Nasizakubeka qangi idorobho lakaZimu, okumBuso ekuphileni kwethu, kufuze sifane no-Abrahamu owazikhethela ukuzidela bona athabise uZimu. (Mat. 6:33; Mar. 10:28-30) Tjheja isibonelo sakamfowethu uBill Walden. * Ngo-1942, uBill bekazokuthweswa iziqu eyunivesithi ye-U.S, emkhakheni wezokwakha begodu wathoma ngesikhatheso ukufunda iBhayibheli naboFakazi bakaJehova. Uphrofesakhe bekamlungiselele umsebenzi nakaqeda nje ukuthweswa iziqu zakhe, kodwana uBill khenge avumelane naye, wamtjela ukuthi uqunte ukungasebenzi, ukwenzela bona alotjhe uZimu ngokupheleleko. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho uBill wabizwa ebusotjeni. Wabawa ukungayi, umphumela walokho kwaba kukuthi ahlawuliswe amadola we-America ayi-$10,000. Ngaphezu kwalokho wagwetjwa iminyaka emihlanu ejele kodwana watjhatjhululwa ngemva kweminyaka emithathu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wamenyelwa eSikolweni seGiliyadi begodu wabasithunywa sevangeli e-Afrika. UBill watjhada u-Eva begodu bobabili babaziinthunywa zevangeli e-Afrika, lokho bekutlhoga bona bazidele. Kwatlhogeka bona babuyele godu e-United States, bayokutlhogomela umma kaBill. Nakarhunyeza indabakhe, uBill uthi: “Ngifikelwa ziinyembezi nangicabanga ilungelo elihle engilithabeleko lokusetjenziswa nguJehova iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-70. Ngihlala ngimthokoza ngokungisiza ngihlale ngisekonzweni.” Kghani ungakghona ukwenza ikonzo yesikhathi esizeleko ibe kuphila kwakho?

14-15. Khuyini oyifundako endabeni kaMfowethu noDadwethu u-Apostolidis?

 ¹⁴ Kulindele ukuthi uzokuqalana neentjhijilo. Esibonelweni saka-Abrahamu sifunda ukuthi ngitjho nalabo abalotjhe uJehova ukuphila kwabo koke bazokuqalana neentjhijilo. (Jak. 1:2; 1 Pit. 5:9) Indaba le iliqiniso, khulukhulu nasiqala lokho okwenzakalela umfowethu u-Aristotelis Apostolidis. * Wabhajadiswa ngo-1946 eGreece. BekanguFakazi okhutheleko begodu ngo-1952 watjhada nodade ibizo lakhe lingu-Eleni, naye bekangudade okhuthele. U-Eleni wafumana ukuthi unobulwele bekankere yobuqhopho. Abodorhodere bakghona ukuyisusa ikankere leyo, kodwana kwathi ngemva kweminyaka embalwa batjhadile, ikankere yabuya. Abodorhodere bamhlinza godu, kodwana kilokhu u-Eleni wasala asirhole, angasakghoni ukukhuluma kuhle. Wahlala angufakazi okhutheleko naphezu kokugula ebekaqalene nakho nokutjhutjhiswa borhulumende.

¹⁵ Iminyaka ema-30 yoke, u-Aristotelis bekatlhogomela umkakhe. Hlangana nesikhatheso, bekangumdala webandla, asekomidini yomhlangano begodu asiza ekwakhiweni kwamaWolo. Ngo-1987 u-Eleni walimala engozini ngesikhathi atjhumayela. Bekasesibhedlela emitjhinini esekela ipilo iminyaka emithathu yoke, ngemva kwalokho wahlongakala. u-Aristotelis nakarhunyeza umlandwakhe uthi: “Eminyakeni yoke le ngaqalana neentjhijilo, nobujamo obubudisi kunye nezenzakalo ebengingakazilindeli, koke lokho bekutlhoga ukubekezela okukhulu. Kikho koke, uJehova bekahlala anami, anginikela amandla engiwatlhogako bona ngiqalane ngokuphumelelako neentjhijilwezi.” (Rhu. 94:18, 19) UJehova ubathanda boke abantu abenza koke okusemandlenabo bona bamlotjhe nanyana baqalene nemiraro!

16. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso esihle umfowethu uKnorr asipha umkakhe?

¹⁶ Cabanga ngengomuso. U-Abrahamu bekahlala acabanga ngengomuso lapho uJehova azombusisa khona, lokho kwamsiza wakghona ukuhlula iinqabo ebekahlangabezana nazo. UDadwethu u-Audrey Hyde walinga ukuhlala acabanga ngezinto ezakhako ngitjho nanyana ubabakwakhe wokuthoma uNathan H. Knorr  ahlongakala ngebanga lobulwele bekankere, kwathi ubabakwakhe wesibili uGlenn Hyde naye wahlongakala ngebanga lokuphathwa bulwele be-Alzheimer obenza bona agandeleleke begodu akhohlwe msinya. * Uthi wasizwa ngilokho uMfowethu uKnorr akutjhoko emvekeni ezimbalwa ngaphambi kobana ahlongakale. Uthi: “UNathan wangikhumbuza ukuthi: ‘Ngemva kobana sihlongakele, ithemba lethu liqinisekisiwe begodu ngeze sisaphinde sizwe ubuhlungu.’ Wangikhuthaza wathi: ‘Qala phambili ngombana mnengi umvuzo esizowufumana.’ Wangezelela wathi: ‘Hlala umajadu, linga ukusebenzisa uphila kwakho wenzela abanye izinto ezihle, lokho kuzokwenza uthabe.’” Akukho okungasisiza okudlula ukuthi sibe majadu, senze izinto ezihle begodu ‘sithabe ethembeni.’—Rom. 12:12.

17. (a) Kubayini uneenzathu ezihle zokucabanga ngengomuso? (b) Ukulingisa isibonelo esisemtlolweni kaMikha 7:7 kuzokusiza njani bona uthabele iimbusiso zengomuso?

¹⁷ Namhlanjesi kunezinto ezinengi khulu ekufuze zisenze sicabangisise ngengomuso. Izinto ezenzeka ephasini namhlanjesi zitjengisa kuhle ukuthi siphila emalangeni wokuphela. Kungasikade angekhe kusatlhogeka bona silindele idorobho elineensekelo zamambala bona libuse iphaseli ngokupheleleko. Hlangana nezinye iimbusiso esizozibona zizaliseka, kubona abantu esibathandako bavuswa kwabafileko. Kungesikhatheso uJehova azokubusisa khona u-Abrahamu ngokukholwa nokubekezela ngokuthi abuyise umndenakhe uphile ephasini godu. Uzakuba khona na lapho bona ubamukele? Kungakghonakala ukuthi ubekhona, nangabe njengo-Abrahamu uzimisele ukuthi uzidele ngomnqopho wokuthuthukisa umBuso kaZimu ngokuhlala unokukholwa okuqinileko naphezu kwemiraro nokuthi ufunde ukulinda uJehova begodu ubekezele.—Funda uMikha 7:7.