1. Yiziphi izinto amaKristu amaningi azidelile, futhi kungani ekhethe ukwenza kanjalo?

IZIGIDI zabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla ziye zadela izinto eziningi. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bakhethe ukungashadi. Amanye amaKristu ashadile aye anquma ukungabi nazo izingane okwamanje. Eminye imindeni ikhethe ukwenza ukuphila kwayo kwaba lula. Bonke laba bantu benze lezi zinqumo ngenxa yesizathu esisodwa​—bafuna ukukhonza uJehova ngokugcwele. Banelisekile futhi bayamethemba uJehova ukuthi uzobanika lokho abakudinga ngempela. Ingabe bayazikhohlisa? Cha! Kungani siqiniseka ngalokho? Esinye isizathu siwukuthi uJehova wambusisa u-Abrahama, “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo.”​—Roma 4:11.

2. (a) Ngokwencwadi yamaHebheru 11:8-10, 16, kungani u-Abrahama ayezimisele ukuhamba e-Uri? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

² U-Abrahama washiya ukuphila okuntofontofo emzini wase-Uri. Kungani? Yingoba wayelindele “umuzi onezisekelo zangempela.” (Funda amaHebheru 11:8-10, 16.) Yimuphi lowo “muzi”? Yiziphi izinselele u-Abrahama abhekana nazo ngesikhathi esalinde ukuba lowo muzi wakhiwe? Singamlingisa kanjani u-Abrahama nalabo abaye balandela isibonelo sakhe osukwini lwethu?

3. Yimuphi umuzi u-Abrahama ayewulindele?

³ Umuzi owawulindelwe u-Abrahama uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lowo Mbuso wakhiwa uJesu Kristu namaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000. UPawulu ubiza lowo Mbuso ngokuthi ‘umuzi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iJerusalema lasezulwini.’ (Heb. 12:22; IsAm. 5:8-10; 14:1) UJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandazele  lowo Mbuso, bawucele uze ukuze intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni njengoba yenziwa ezulwini.​—Math. 6:10.

4. NgokukaGenesise 17:1, 2, 6, kungakanani u-Abrahama ayekwazi ngalowo muzi, noma uMbuso, uNkulunkulu ayewuthembisile?

⁴ U-Abrahama wayeyazi yini imininingwane ephathelene nalowo Mbuso kaNkulunkulu? Cha. Kwaphela isikhathi eside leyo mininingwane ‘iyimfihlo engcwele.’ (Efe. 1:8-10; Kol. 1:26, 27) Kodwa u-Abrahama wayazi ukuthi abanye enzalweni yakhe babeyoba amakhosi. Yilokho uJehova amthembisa kona. (Funda uGenesise 17:1, 2, 6.) U-Abrahama wayenokholo oluqinile ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu kangangokuba kwakungathi uyambona Ogcotshiwe, noma uMesiya, owayezoba iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yingakho uJesu atshela amaJuda angosuku lwakhe: “U-Abrahama uyihlo wajabula kakhulu ngethemba lokubona usuku lwami, futhi walubona wajabula.” (Joh. 8:56) Kusobala ukuthi u-Abrahama wayazi ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayiyoba ingxenye yoMbuso owawuzosungulwa uJehova, futhi wayezimisele ukulinda uJehova ukuba agcwalise leso sithembiso.

5. Sazi kanjani ukuthi u-Abrahama wayelindele umuzi osungulwe uNkulunkulu?

⁵ U-Abrahama wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayelindele umuzi, noma uMbuso, osungulwe uNkulunkulu? Okokuqala, awukho umbuso waleli zwe u-Abrahama awujoyina. Wayengazinzi endaweni eyodwa, futhi akazange asekele inkosi engumuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Abrahama akazange azame ukuzakhela owakhe umbuso. Kunalokho, waqhubeka elalela uJehova futhi elindele ukuba agcwalise isithembiso saKhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo, wabonisa ukuthi unokholo olumangalisayo kuJehova. Ake sihlole ezinye izinselele abhekana nazo, sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe.

6. Wawunjani umuzi wase-Uri?

⁶ Umuzi u-Abrahama awushiya wawuphephile, umuhle futhi unabantu abafundile nabacebile. Wawuvikelwe izindonga ezinkulu nemisele yamanzi ezinhlangothini ezintathu. Abantu base-Uri babengochwepheshe ekubhaleni nasezibalweni. Kubonakala sengathi lo muzi wawuhamba phambili kwezamabhizinisi;  kutholakale izincwadi zamabhizinisi eziningi lapho wawakhiwe khona. Izindlu zakhona zazakhiwe ngezitini; izindonga zipendwe kahle ngombala omhlophe. Ezinye zazinamakamelo angu-13 noma angu-14 azungeze igceke elikhonkwe ngamatshe.

7. Kungani u-Abrahama kwakumelwe amethembe uJehova ukuthi wayezomvikela yena nomndeni wakhe?

⁷ U-Abrahama kwakumelwe amethembe uJehova ukuthi wayezomvikela yena nomndeni wakhe. Kungani? Khumbula ukuthi u-Abrahama noSara bashiya indlu yabo ephephile nentofontofo emzini wase-Uri, bahamba bayohlala ematendeni ezigangeni zaseKhanani. Zazingasekho izindonga ezinkulu nemisele emikhulu yamanzi eyayibavikele. Kunalokho, kwase kulula ukuba izitha zibahlasele.

8. Yini eyenzeka ku-Abrahama ngesinye isikhathi?

⁸ U-Abrahama wayeyenza intando kaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngesinye isikhathi wahluleka ukutholela umndeni wakhe ukudla okwanele. Kwaba nendlala enkulu ezweni uJehova ayethe akaye kulo. Leyo ndlala yayinzima kangangokuba u-Abrahama wanquma ukuthuthela eGibhithe okwesikhashana nomndeni wakhe. Kodwa ngesikhathi eseGibhithe, uFaro, umbusi walelo zwe, wamthathela umkakhe. Ungase uyicabange indlela u-Abrahama ayekhathazeke ngayo kwaze kwaba yilapho uJehova etshela uFaro ukuthi akabuyisele uSara ku-Abrahama.​—Gen. 12:10-19.

9. Umndeni ka-Abrahama wabhekana naziphi izinkinga?

⁹ Umndeni ka-Abrahama wabhekana nobunzima obukhulu. Umkakhe ayemthanda, uSara, wayengabatholi abantwana. Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi bebhekene naleso simo esidumazayo. USara wagcina esenike u-Abrahama incekukazi yakhe, uHagari, ukuze ibatholele abantwana. Kodwa lapho uHagari esekhulelwe u-Ishmayeli, waqala ukudelela uSara. Isimo sashuba kangangokuba uSara wamxosha uHagari emzini wakhe.​—Gen. 16:1-6.

10. Yini eyenzeka ku-Ishmayeli naku-Isaka eyavivinya ukwethembela kuka-Abrahama kuJehova?

¹⁰ Ekugcineni uSara wakhulelwa, watholela u-Abrahama indodana ayiqamba ngokuthi u-Isaka. U-Abrahama wayewathanda womabili amadodana akhe, u-Ishmayeli no-Isaka. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi u-Ishmayeli wayehlupha u-Isaka, u-Abrahama waphoqeleka ukuba ahambise u-Ishmayeli noHagari. (Gen. 21:9-14) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wacela u-Abrahama ukuba anikele ngo-Isaka. (Gen. 22:1, 2; Heb. 11:17-19) Kuzo zombili lezi zimo, u-Abrahama kwakudingeka amethembe uJehova ukuthi ekugcineni wayezozifeza izithembiso eziphathelene namadodana akhe.

11. Kungani kwakudingeka u-Abrahama alinde uJehova ngesineke?

¹¹ Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi, u-Abrahama kwakudingeka afunde ukulinda uJehova ngesineke. Kungenzeka wayeneminyaka engaphezu kuka-70 ngesikhathi yena nomndeni wakhe behamba e-Uri. (Gen. 11:31–12:4) Iminyaka engaba ngu-100, wayehlala ematendeni futhi ehamba ehlala ezweni laseKhanani. U-Abrahama wayeneminyaka engu-175 ngesikhathi efa. (Gen. 25:7) Kodwa akazange akubone ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaJehova sokunika inzalo yakhe izwe ayehambe ehlala kulo. Akazange akubone nokumiswa komuzi, owuMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli lithi u-Abrahama wafa “esemdala, anelisekile.” (Gen. 25:8) Naphezu kwabo bonke ubunzima abhekana nabo, u-Abrahama wahlala enokholo oluqinile futhi wakujabulela ukulinda uJehova ngesineke. Kungani akwazi ukukhuthazela? Kungenxa yokuthi phakathi nakho konke ukuphila kwakhe, uJehova wamvikela futhi wamphatha njengomngane wakhe.​—Gen. 15:1; Isaya 41:8; Jak. 2:22, 23.

12. Yini esiyilindele, futhi yini esizoxoxa ngayo?

¹² Njengo-Abrahama, nathi silindele umuzi  onezisekelo zangempela. Kodwa asilindile ukuba wakhiwe. UMbuso kaNkulunkulu wamiswa ngo-1914 futhi usuyabusa kakade ezulwini. (IsAm. 12:7-10) Kodwa silindele ukuba ubuse kuwo wonke umhlaba. Njengoba sisalindile, ziningi izimo ezinzima esibhekana nazo ezifana nalezo u-Abrahama noSara ababhekana nazo. Izinceku zikaJehova zangosuku lwethu zikwazile yini ukulingisa isibonelo sika-Abrahama? Izindaba zokuphila ezikuyi-Nqabayokulinda zibonisa ukuthi abaningi namuhla baye baba nokholo nesineke njengo-Abrahama noSara. Ake sixoxe ngezimbalwa sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda kuzo.

13. Yini oyifundayo kulokho okwenziwa uMfoweth’ uWalden?

¹³ Zimisele ukuzidela. Uma sifuna ukubeka umuzi kaNkulunkulu, okuwuMbuso wakhe, kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, kumelwe silingise u-Abrahama owayezimisele ukuzidela ukuze ajabulise uNkulunkulu. (Math. 6:33; Marku 10:28-30) Nakhu okwenzeka kumfowethu uBill Walden. * Ngo-1942, uBill waqala ukufunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova ngesikhathi esezothweswa iziqu zokuba unjiniyela wezakhiwo eyunivesithi yase-United States. Uprofesa wakhe wayemtholele umsebenzi ayezowenza uma eseqedile ukufunda, kodwa uBill wawenqaba. Wamchazela ukuthi wayesenqume ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokugcwele kunokwamukela umsebenzi okhokhela kahle. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uBill watshelwa ukuba ayojoyina amasosha. Ngenhlonipho enkulu wenqaba futhi ngenxa yalokho wahlawuliswa isizumbulu semali, waphinde waboshwa iminyaka emihlanu ejele. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu, wakhululwa. Kamuva, wamenywa eSikoleni SaseGileyadi futhi wakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli e-Afrika. UBill wabe eseshada no-Eva, bakhonza ndawonye e-Afrika, okwakudinga ukuzidela okukhulu. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingana, babuyela e-United States ukuze banakekele umama kaBill. Nakhu uBill akushoyo uma efingqa  okwenzeka ekuphileni kwakhe: “Ngifikelwa izinyembezi uma ngicabanga ngelungelo elimangalisayo engibe nalo lokusetshenziswa uJehova iminyaka engaphezu kuka-70 enkonzweni yakhe. Ngimbonga njalo ngokungiqondisa ukuba ngenze inkonzo yakhe ibe umsebenzi obalulekile ekuphileni kwami.” Ungakwazi yini ukwenza inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibe umsebenzi obalulekile ekuphileni kwakho?

14-15. Yini oyifunda kulokho okwenzeka kuMzalwane noDade Apostolidis?

¹⁴ Kulindele ukuthi uzobhekana nezinkinga ekuphileni. Esibonelweni sika-Abrahama sifunda ukuthi ngisho nalabo abakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka bazobhekana nezinkinga ekuphileni. (Jak. 1:2; 1 Pet. 5:9) Cabanga ngendlela lokho okwaba iqiniso ngayo kulokho okwenzeka ku-Aristotelis Apostolidis. * Wabhapathizwa ngo-1946 eGrisi, ngo-1952 wathembisana umshado no-Eleni, owayenemigomo efana neyakhe. Nokho, u-Eleni wagula, kwatholakala ukuthi unesimila ebuchosheni. Odokotela bakwazi ukusisusa isimila, kodwa ngemva kweminyaka embalwa nje beshadile saphinde samila. Odokotela bamhlinza futhi, kodwa kulokhu u-Eleni wakhubazeka, wangabe esakwazi nokukhuluma kahle. Wayelokhu ekhuthele emsebenzini wokushumayela naphezu kokugula nokubhekana noshushiso.

¹⁵ Kwaphela iminyaka engu-30 u-Aristotelis enakekela umkakhe. Phakathi naleso sikhathi wayengumdala, ekhonza ekomitini yomhlangano futhi wasiza ekwakhiweni kweHholo LoMhlangano. Ngo-1987, u-Eleni walimala engozini yemoto ngesikhathi esashumayela. Kwaphela iminyaka emithathu ephefumula ngemishini esibhedlela futhi ekugcineni washona. Nakhu u-Aristotelis akushoyo uma efingqa okwenzeka ekuphileni kwakhe: “Kuyo yonke le minyaka, izimo ezivivinyayo, izinselele ezinzima, nezimo ezingalindelekile ziye zadinga ukuba ngiphikelele futhi ngikhuthazele. Nokho, uJehova uye wanginika amandla adingekayo ukuze nginqobe lezi zinkinga.” (IHu. 94:18, 19) UJehova uzithanda ngempela izinceku zakhe ezimenzela konke okusemandleni azo nakuba zibhekene nezinkinga!

16. Yisiphi iseluleko esihle uMfoweth’ uKnorr asinika umkakhe?

 ¹⁶ Gxila esikhathini esizayo. U-Abrahama wagxila ezibusisweni uJehova ayemthembise zona esikhathini esizayo, futhi lokho kwamsiza wakwazi ukukhuthazela. UDadewethu u-Audrey Hyde waqhubeka ecabanga ngethemba lesikhathi esizayo, nakuba umyeni wakhe wokuqala uNathan H. Knorr abulawa umdlavuza, kwathi owesibili, uGlenn Hyde, waba nesifo sokukhohlwa. * Uthi wasizwa amazwi ashiwo uMfoweth’ uKnorr emavikini ambalwa ngaphambi kokuba ashone. Uthi: “UNathan wangikhumbuza: ‘Ngemva kokufa, ithemba lethu liyogcwaliseka ngokuqinisekile, futhi ngeke kusadingeka ukuba sizwe ubuhlungu.’ Ngemva kwalokho wangikhuthaza, wathi: ‘Bheka phambili, ngoba umvuzo wakho ulapho.’ . . . Wanezela: ‘Hlale umatasa​—zama ukusebenzisa isikhathi sakho ekwenzeleni abanye izinto ezinhle. Lokho kuyokusiza uthole injabulo ekuphileni.’” Siwusizo ngempela iseluleko sokuhlale senzela abanye izinto ezinhle futhi ‘sijabule ethembeni’!​—Roma 12:12.

17. (a) Kungani sinesizathu esihle sokugxila esikhathini esizayo? (b) Ukulandela isibonelo esibhalwe kuMika 7:7 kuzosisiza kanjani sikwazi ukujabulela izibusiso zesikhathi esizayo?

¹⁷ Namuhla, sinezizathu eziningi kunanini ngaphambili zokugxila esikhathini esizayo. Izinto ezenzeka emhlabeni zibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi siphila engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku zokugcina zaleli zwe. Maduze, ngeke kusadingeka silinde umuzi onezisekelo zangempela ukuze ubuse wonke umhlaba. Ukubona abantu esibathandayo bevuswa, kuyoba phakathi kwezibusiso eziningi esiyozijabulela. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova uyobusisa u-Abrahama ngenxa yokholo nesineke asibonisa ngokuthi amvuse yena nomndeni wakhe, baphinde baphile la emhlabeni. Uzoba khona yini ukuze ubamukele? Ungaba khona uma nawe uzimisela ukuzidela ngenxa yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uma uqhubeka uba nokholo naphezu kwezinkinga obhekana nazo, uma ufunda ukulinda uJehova ngesineke njengoba kwenza u-Abrahama.​—Funda uMika 7:7.