1, 2. Iphasi latjhuguluka njani kusukela esikhathini sakaNuwa, begodu lokho kwamthinta njani u-Abramu?

 U-ABRAMU uphakamisa amehlo, ubuso bakhe buqalisise indawo ebebakhulekela kiyo evele ngale kwemizi yedorobheni langekhabo i-Uri. a Lapho bekunetjhada elikhulu kuthunya nentuthu. Abapristi bakazimu wenyanga bebanikela imihlatjelo njengemhleni. Cabanga u-Abramu ajika athintitha ihloko, atjhwabanise nepandla. Njengombana asendleleni ebuyela ekhaya hlangana newomakazi labantu endleleni, kungenzeka bekacabanga ngokukhulekela iinthombe okuzele e-Uri. Qala indlela ukukhulekela okusilapheleko ebekurhagele ngayo ephasini kusukela ngesikhathi sakaNuwa!

² UNuwa wahlongakala eminyakeni emibili ngaphambi kobana u-Abramu abelethwe. UNuwa nekaphuma emkhunjini ngemva kwakaKukhulamungu omkhulu, ihloko yembeleko le yanikela umhlatjelo kuJehova uZimu, bese uJehova waveza izungulekosi. (Gen. 8:20; 9:12-14) Ngesikhatheso bekukhona ukukhulekela okuhlwengileko kwaphela ephasini. Njengombana isizukulwana setjhumi ukusuka kuNuwa besanda ephasini, bancani khulu ebebakhulekela uJehova. Abantu kiyo yoke indawo besele bakhulekela abozimu babarhedeni. Ngitjho noyise ka-Abramu, uThera, bekazibandakanye eenthombeni, mhlamunye azenza nokuzenza.—Josh. 24:2.

3. Njengombana ipilo ka-Abramu iragela phambili, ngiyiphi ifanelo ebeyivelele kuye, begodu khuyini esingayifunda kilokho?

³ U-Abramu bekahlukile. Njengombana ipilwakhe iragela phambili, bekahlukile kwabanye abantu ngombana bekakholelwa kuZimu. Ngalokho, umpostoli uPowula ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waphefumulelwa bona ambize ‘uyise wabo boke abakholwako’! (Funda  AmaRoma 4:11.) Akhe sibone bonyana khuyini eyenza ikholo laka-Abramu lakhula. Nathi singafunda okunengi bona singalikhulisa njani ikholo.

4, 5. Kungenzeka u-Abramu wafunda kubani ngoJehova, begodu kubayini singaphetha ngokobana kungenzeka bekunjalo?

⁴ U-Abramu wafunda njani ukukhonza uJehova uZimu? Siyazi bona uJehova bekaneenceku ezithembekileko ephasini ngesikhatheso. UShemi bekangenye yazo. Nanyana agade angasilo izibulo lakaNuwa, kanengi kukhulunywa ngaye ntanzi. Kungenzeka lokho bekwenziwa kukobana uShemi bekayindoda enekholo eliveleleko. b Isikhathi esithileko ngemva kwakaKukhulamungu, uNuwa waqalisa kuJehova ‘njengoZimu kaShemi.’ (Gen. 9:26) UShemi gade amhlonipha uJehova nokukhulekela okuhlwengileko.

⁵ U-Abramu bekamazi na uShemi? Kungenzeka bekamazi. Akhe ucabange ngo-Abramu njengomsanyana. Qala bona kungenzeka kwamthabisa kangangani ukwazi bona unokhokho wekadeni ophilako, owaphila iminyaka engaphezu kwamakhulu amane! UShemu wabona ubumbi bangaphambi kweenrhurhula, uKukhulamungu omkhulu owahlanza iphasi, ukuthoma kweentjhaba njengombana abantu banda ephasini, nesikhathi esibudisi sokuhlubuka kwakaNimrode eMbhotjhongweni weBhabhele. UShemi othembekileko akhenge azibandakanye ekuhlubukenokho, ngalokho uJehova nekararanisa ilimi labakhi bombhotjhongo, uShemi nomndenakhe baragela phambili bakhuluma ilimi labantu lokuthoma, ilimi lakaNuwa. Umndeni loyo bewuhlanganisa no-Abramu. Ngalokho siyaqiniseka bona u-Abramu wakhula amhlonipha khulu uShemi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uShemi waragela phambili aphila isikhathi eside sokuphila kwaka-Abramu. Ngalokho u-Abramu kungenzeka wafunda ngoJehova kuShemi.

6. (a) U-Abramu watjengisa njani bona ufunde likhulu kuKukhulamungu? (b) Bekunjani ukuphila kwaka-Abramu noSarayi?

⁶ Kunanyana ngikuphi, u-Abramu wafunda likhulu kuKukhulamungu. Wazimisela ukukhamba noZimu njengoNuwa. Ngikho u-Abramu abhala ukukhulekela iinthombe begodu waba ngohlukileko e-Uri, mhlamunye ngitjho nemndeninakhe. Nokho, wafumana  ihlamazana ekuphileni kwakhe. Watjhada noSarayi, umfazi ogade akhethekile, ingasi ngobuhle bakhe kwaphela, kodwana godu nangekholo lakhe elinamandla kuJehova. c Nanyana gade banganabantwana, abatjhadaba ngokuqinisekileko bafumana ithabo elikhulu ekukhonzeni uJehova ndawonye. Godu bakhulisa umtjhana ka-Abramu uLoti.

7. Abalandeli bakaJesu kufuze bamlingise njani u-Abramu?

⁷ U-Abramu akhenge atjhiye uJehova akhulekele iinthombe ze-Uri. Yena noSarayi bebazimisele ukuhluka emphakathini ogade ukhulekela iinthombe loyo. Nengabe sifuna ukuba nekholo lamambala, kufuze sizimisele ukwenza okufanako. Nathi kufuze sizimisele ukuhluka. UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe ‘abasingebephasi’ begodu ngebanga lalokho iphasi lizobahloya. (Funda uJwanisi 15:19.) Nengabe nawe uhloywa malunga womndenakho namtjhana mphakathi ngebanga lesiqunto sakho sokukhonza uJehova, khumbula bona awusiwedwa. Uphakathi komhlana nembeleko, ukhamba noZimu njengombana kwenza uSarayi no-Abramu.

8, 9. (a) U-Abramu wezwa yiphi into angekhe ayilibale? (b) Bewuthini umlayezo kaJehova ku-Abramu?

⁸ Langelinye u-Abramu wezwa into angekhe ayilibale. Wafumana umlayezo ovela kuJehova uZimu! IBhayibhili ayisinikeli imininingwana engako ngomlayezo lo, kodwana ithi “uZimu wokukhanya okukhulu” wabonakala endodeni ethembekileko leyo. (Funda IzEnzo 7:2, 3.) U-Abramu wafumana ukukhanya okuncani kwephazimulo esabekako yomBusi wezulu nephasi, mhlamunye ngomjameli oyingilozi. Kungenzeka u-Abramu wathaba khulu ukubona umahluko phakathi kwakaZimu ophilako neenthombe ezingaphiliko ebezikhulekelwa mphakathi we-Uri.

⁹ Bewuthini umlayezo kaJehova ku-Abramu? “Tjhiya isapho lakho nenarhekhenu uye ephasini engizakutjengisa lona.” UJehova akhenge atjho bona bekatjho yiphi inarha—akutjhoko kukobana uzoyitjengisa u-Abramu. Nokho, kokuthoma, u-Abramu bekufuze atjhiye inarhekhabo neenini zakhe emva. Ebantwini bePumalanga Ephakathi yekadeni umndeni bewuqakatheke khulu. Bona indoda itjhiye iinini zayo iye kude lokho bekuqalwa njengento embi; kwabanye, beyiyimbi ukudlula ukufa!

10. Kubayini bekutjho ukuzidela ngo-Abramu noSarayi ukutjhiya umzabo e-Uri?

¹⁰ Ukutjhiya inarha yekhabo bekutjho ukuzidela okukhulu. Kuyakhanya bona i-Uri bekuyinarha enothe kwamambala. (Qala ibhoksi elithi,  “Umuzi U-Abramu NoSarayi Abafuduka Kiwo.”) Abarhubhululi  batjengisa bona e-Uri bekunamakhaya amahle khulu; amanye bekanamakamaro womndeni namtjhana weenceku alitjhumi nambili namtjhana ngaphezulu, woke akhiwe ngaphakathi kwetatawu eligangadelweko. Ezinye izinto ezijayelekileko ezenza ukuphila kube lula bezihlanganisa iimpompo zamanzi, iindlwana zokusithela nokulahlwa kweenzibi. Godu khumbula bona uSarayi no-Abramu besele bakhulile; bekapheze abe neminyaka ema-70, bese umkakhe aneminyaka engaba ma-60. Ngokuqinisekileko bekafuna uSarayi azigedle begodu atlhogonyelwe kuhle—into efunwa nginanyana ngiyiphi indoda elungileko kumkayo. Akhe ucabange ngengcocwabo ngesabelwesi, imibuzo nokutshwenyeka okungenzeka bebanakho. U-Abramu kungenzeka wathaba khulu uSarayi nekamukela isabelo esibudisesi! Njengaye bekazimisele ukutjhiya woke amabothobotho wekhaya emva.

11, 12. (a) Ngimaphi amalungiselelo neenqunto ebekufuze zenziwe ngaphambi kwekhambo lokutjhiya i-Uri? (b) Singalihlathulula njani ilanga lekhambo?

¹¹ Sebenze isinquntweso, u-Abramu noSarayi bebaqalene nomsebenzi omkhulu. Bekufuze bahlele begodu babhincele indlela. Bathatheni batjhiyeni? Nokho, okuqakathekileko, bekubabantu ebebaphila nabo. Bebazokwenzani ngoThera olupheleko? Bakhetha ukukhamba naye nokumtlhogomela endleleni. Kungenzeka wavumela phezulu ngombana ukulandisa kumhlathulula njengowathatha umndenakhe baphuma e-Uri. Akunakuzaza bona wakulisa ukukhulekela iinthombe. Umzukulu ka-Abramu uLoti naye bekazokukhamba nabo.—Gen. 11:31.

¹² Emaswapheleni, besele lifikile elingaliko. Akhe ucabange ngewoma labantu lijame ngaphandle magega namaboda womuzi? Amakamela nabodumbana besele bathwele umthwalo, ifuyo nayo ijame lapho, umndeni neenceku balungele ikhambo boke baqale phambili. d Mhlamunye boke barhudulele u-Abramu amehlo balindele bona athi, Aziye. Ekugcineni, isikhatheso safika, bathoma ukukhamba batjhiya i-Uri.

13. Iinceku zakaJehova namhlanje ziwutjengisa njani umoya ofana noka-Abramu noSarayi?

¹³ Namhlanje, iinceku zakaJehova ezinengi zikhethe ukufudukela lapho kunetlhogeko ekulu yabatjhumayeli bomBuso. Abanye bakhethe ukufunda ilimi elitjha bona bandise ikonzwabo. Namtjhana balinga ukwenza ikonzo ebenza batjhiye ukuzigedla kwabo. Iinqunto ezinjalo ngokuvamileko zitlhoga ukuzidela—ukuzimisela ukulahlekelwa kuzigedla ngezinga elithileko. Qala bona yinto ehle kangangani leyo, umoya ofana newaka-Abramu noSarayi! Nengabe siba nekholo  elinjalo, singaqiniseka bona uJehova uzosipha okungaphezu kwalokho esimenzele khona. Akhenge akhabhalelwe kubusisa abantu abanekholo. (Heb. 6:10; 11:6) Kghani wambusisa no-Abramu?

14, 15. Belinjani ikhambo lokusuka e-Uri ukuya eHarana, begodu kubayini u-Abramu akhetha ukuhlala eHarana isikhatjhana?

¹⁴ Iwoma labantu kancani kancani lajayelana nendlela. Singacabanga ngo-Abramu noSarayi badlhegana ngokukhwela nokukhamba ngeenyawo, ingcocwabo ihlangene netjhada leensimbi ezibotjhelelwe eenlwaneni. Kancani kancani, ngitjho nalabo abangakajayelani nokukhamba bajayela ukwakha nokubhuruza imitlhatlhana nokusiza uThera olupheleko bona ahlale kuhle ekameleni namtjhana kudumbana. Baya ngetlhagwini tjhingalanga, bakhamba magega noMlambo iYufrathe. Baragela phambili nekhambo.

¹⁵ Emaswapheleni, ngemva kobana sebakhambe amakhilomitha ama-960 , bafika eendlini ezakhiwe njengendlu yeenyosi eHarana, idorobho elinothileko epambanondlela yabathengisi bePumalanga Tjhingalanga. Umndeni wahlala lapho isikhatjhana. Mhlamunye uThera besele amadolo nzima ukuragela phambili nekhambo.

16, 17. (a) U-Abramu wathatjiswa ngisiphi isivumelwano? (b) UJehova wambusisa njani u-Abramu nekaseHarana?

 ¹⁶ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uThera wahlongakala aneminyaka ema-205. (Gen. 11:32) U-Abramu watjhiriyeka khulu ngesikhathi sokulahlekelweso, ngombana uJehova wakhuluma naye godu. Wabuyelela iinlayezo amnikela zona e-Uri, begodu wangezelela eenthembiswenezo. U-Abramu bekufuze abe “sitjhaba esikhulu,” begodu yoke imindeni ephasini beyizokubusiswa ngaye. (Funda uGenesisi 12:2, 3.) Athatjiswe sithembiso esihlangana naye noZimu, u-Abramu wazi bona kwanje sikhathi sokuragela phambili.

¹⁷ Nokho, kwanje besele banentundu enengi, ngombana uJehova wambusisa u-Abramu nekaseHarana. Ukulandisa kukhuluma ngayo “yoke intundu abayitholako nemiphefumulo abayifumanako eHarana.” (Gen. 12:5) Bona abe sitjhaba esikhulu, u-Abramu bekufuze abe nezinto eziphathekako ezinengi neenceku—umndeni omkhulu. UJehova akenzi iinceku zakhe zinjinge ngaso soke isikhathi, kodwana uzinikela koke ezikutlhogako bona zifeze intando yakhe. Aqinisiwe, u-Abramu waragela phambili newomakazelo baya endaweni abangayaziko.

18. (a) U-Abramu wayifikelela nini iqophamlando yokusebenzelana kwakaZimu nabantu Bakhe? (b) Ngiziphi ezinye izenzakalo eziqakathekileko ezenzeka ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngo-Nisan 14? (Qala ibhoksi elithi, “Ilanga Eliqakathekileko Emlandweni WeBhayibhili.”)

¹⁸ Amalangana ngemva kokusuka eHarana, bafika eKherikhemishi, lapho iwoma labantu liyama khona i-Yufrathe. Mhlamunye kulapho u-Abramu afikelela iqophamlando endleleni yokusebenzelana kwakaZimu nabantu Bakhe. Ngokuqinisekileko bekulilanga le-14 lenyanga ngokukhamba kwesikhathi eyabizwa ngoNisan, ngo-1943 B.C.E., lapho u-Abramu ayama khona newoma egade akhamba nalo. (Eks. 12:40-43) Esewula bekunenarha uJehova athembisa ukuyitjengisa u-Abramu. Mhlokho, isivumelwano sakaZimu no-Abramu sathoma ukusebenza.

19. Isithembiso sakaJehova ku-Abramu besibandakanyani, begodu lokho kwamkhumbuzani u-Abramu?

¹⁹ U-Abramu wanghaya ummango waya esewula yenarha, begodu iwoma lajama hlanu kwemithi emikhulu yeMora,  hlanu kweShekemi. Lapho, u-Abramu wafumana umlayezo ovela kuJehova godu. Isithembiso sakaZimu nje sikhuluma ngembewu ka-Abramu, namtjhana inzalo ezokuthatha inarha. Inga-kghani u-Abramu wacabanga emva le esiporofidweni uJehova asitjho e-Edeni, leso ebesikhuluma “ngembewu,” namtjhana inzalo leyo langelinye ebeyizokuphulusa abantu? (Gen. 3:15; 12:7) Mhlamunye kunjalo. Bekazokuthoma ukubona, nokho lififana bona bekayingcenye yomnqopho omkhulu uJehova ebekanawo engqondweni.

20. U-Abramu wakutjengisa njani ukuthokoza ngesibusiso uJehova amnikela sona?

²⁰ U-Abramu walithabela khulu ilungelo uJehova amnikela lona. Njengombana anghaya ummango—ngokunganakuzaza ngokutjheja okukhulu, njengombana bekusahlala abantu beKanana—u-Abramu wajama wakhela uJehova ama-adare, kokuthoma hlanu kwemithi emikhulu yeMore, bese kwaba seduze kweBhethele. Wabiza igama lakaJehova, ngokunokwenzeka amthokoza ngokusuka ehliziyweni uZimakhe njengombana alindele ingomuso lenzalwakhe. Kungenzeka godu watjhumayeza abomakhelwana bakhe bamaKanana. (Funda uGenesisi 12:7, 8.) Liqiniso, isitjhijilo esikhulu ekholweni laka-Abramu besisesengaphambili. Ngokuhlakanipha, u-Abramu akhenge aqale emva emzinakhe nemabothobothweni awatjhiye e-Uri. Gade aqale phambili. AmaHebheru 11:10 athi ngo-Abramu: “Bekalindele umuzi onesisekelo esiqinileko owasungulwa wakhiwa nguZimu.”

21. Ilwazi lethu ngomBuso kaZimu lihluke njani kwelaka-Abramu, begodu khuyini ozimisele ukuyenza?

²¹ Thina esikhonza uJehova namhlanje sazi okunengi ngomuzi ongokomfanekiso loyo—umBuso kaZimu kuno-Abramu. Siyazi bona umBuso lo ubusa ezulwini begodu msinyana uzokuqeda iphasi elimbeli, begodu siyazi bona iNzalo ka-Abramu eyathenjiswa kade, uJesu Krestu, kwanje ubusa emBusweni loyo. Qala bona kuzokuba lilungelo elingangani ngathi ukubona u-Abrahama avuswa begodu ekugcineni azwisisa bona umnqopho kaZimu ngaphambilini egade angawuzwisisi kuhle wazaliseka njani! Ungathanda na ukubona uJehova azalisa isithembiso sakhe ngasinye? Ngalokho, ngayo yoke indlela, ragela phambili wenza lokho okwenziwa ngu-Abramu. Yiba nomoya wokuzidela, ukulalela, begodu ngomthandazo thokoza amalungelo uJehova akunikele wona. Njengombana ulingisa ikholo laka-Abramu, “uyise wabo boke abakholwako,” ngomqondo othileko, nawe uzokuba nguyihlo!