Ukudalulwa Komthombo Wobubi!

NGEKHULU lokuqala, amaJuda amaningi ayelindele ukufika kukaMesiya othenjisiwe. (Johane 6:14) Lapho uJesu efika, waduduza abantu futhi wabenza baliqonda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Waphulukisa abagulayo, wapha abalambile ukudla, walawula isimo sezulu, wavusa ngisho nabafileyo. (Mathewu 8:26; 14:14-21; 15:30, 31; Marku 5:38-43) Futhi wakhuluma amazwi kaJehova wanikeza nesithembiso sokuphila okuphakade. (Johane 3:34) Ngamazwi nangezenzo, uJesu wabonisa ngokugcwele ukuthi wayenguMesiya, lowo owayezokhulula isintu esonweni nakuyo yonke imiphumela yaso emibi.

Kunengqondo ukuthi abaholi benkolo bamaJuda kwakufanele babe abokuqala ukwamukela uJesu, bamlalele futhi bakwamukele ngenjabulo ukuqondisa kwakhe. Kodwa abazange bakwenze lokho. Kunalokho, bamzonda, bamshushisa futhi benza uzungu lokumbulala!—Marku 14:1; 15:1-3, 10-15.

UJesu wawalahla kufanele lawo madoda anecala. (Mathewu 23:33-35) Nokho, wayazi ukuthi ububi obabusezinhliziyweni zawo babungasuki kuwo kuphela. Wathi kuwo: “Nina nivela kuyihlo uDeveli, futhi nifisa ukwenza izifiso zikayihlo. Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kusukela ekuqaleni, akazange ame aqine eqinisweni, ngoba iqiniso alikho kuye. Lapho ekhuluma amanga, ukhuluma ngokuvumelana nesimo sakhe, ngoba ungumqambimanga noyise wamanga.” (Johane 8:44) Nakuba uJesu ayazi ukuthi abantu bayakwazi ukwenza izenzo ezimbi, wadalula lowo empeleni ongumthombo wobubi—uSathane uDeveli.

Amazwi kaJesu athi uSathane “akazange ame aqine eqinisweni,” embula ukuthi lesi sidalwa somoya sake saba inceku kaNkulunkulu ethembekile kodwa saphambuka kuleyo nkambo elungile. Kungani uSathane ahlubuka uJehova? Ngoba wafukamela imizwa yokuzibona ebalulekile kwaze kwaba sezingeni lokufuna ukukhulekelwa okungokukaNkulunkulu kuphela.a— Mathewu 4:8, 9.

Ukuhlubuka kukaSathane kwabonakala ensimini yase-Edene lapho ekhohlisa u-Eva ukuba adle isithelo esenqatshelwe. Ngokukhuluma amanga okuqala nangokunyundela uJehova, uSathane wazenza ‘uyise wamanga.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokuyenga u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bangalaleli, wabangela ukuba isono sibabuse, futhi umphumela waba ukufa kwabo nokwezizukulwane zabo ezazizolandela. Ngakho, uSathane wazenza ngokwakhe ‘umbulali wabantu’—yebo, umbulali ononya kunabo bonke emlandweni!—Genesise 3:1-6; Roma 5:12.

Ithonya likaSathane elibi lathinta ngisho nezidalwa zomoya, wayenga ezinye izingelosi ukuba zihlanganyele naye ekuhlubukeni. (2 Petru 2:4) NjengoSathane, le mimoya emibi yaba nesithakazelo esingafanele kubantu. Yaba nesifiso esiphendukezelwe sobulili, esaba nemiphumela emibi eyaholela enhlekeleleni.

Ububi Bugcwala Emhlabeni

IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi: “Lapho abantu beqala ukwanda . . . futhi bezalelwa amadodakazi, khona-ke amadodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso aqala ukuqaphela amadodakazi abantu, ukuthi ayebukeka; ayesezithathela abafazi, okungukuthi, wonke lawo ayewakhetha.” (Genesise 6:1, 2) Ayengobani lawo “madodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso”? Ayengebona abantu, kodwa ayeyizidalwa zomoya. (Jobe 1:6; 2:1) Sikwazi kanjani lokho? Okokuqala, kwase kuyiminyaka engaba ngu-1 500 abantu beshada futhi sasingekho isizathu esikhethekile sokuba kukhulunywe ngakho. Ngakho, lapho ukulandisa kuveza iphuzu lokuthi “amadodana kaNkulunkulu” ayesegqoke imizimba yenyama alala ‘namadodakazi abantu’ ayezithathele wona, kwenza kube sobala ukuthi le nto yayingazange ibe khona ngaphambili nokuthi iphambene nemvelo.

Ukuthi lokhu kwakuphambene nemvelo kuqinisekiswa uhlobo lwenzalo olwaba khona ngenxa yalokho kuhlangana. Njengoba ibizwa ngokuthi amaNefili, le nzalo exubile yakhula yaba imidondoshiya. Yayinonya futhi iqinela abanye. Eqinisweni, igama elithi “amaNefili” lisho ukuthi “abaWisi,” noma “labo abawisa abanye.” Lezi ziqhwaga zichazwa ngokuthi “abanamandla bakudala, amadoda odumo.”—Genesise 6:4.

AmaNefili noyise benza ububi baba bukhulu kakhulu kunangaphambili. UGenesise 6:11 uthi: “Umhlaba wonakala emehlweni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi . . . wagcwala ubudlova.” Yebo, abantu benza ubudlova, belingisa izindlela zalaba bantu abasha abase behlala phakathi kwabo.

AmaNefili noyise baba kanjani nethonya elibi elinamandla kangaka esintwini? Ngokusizakala ngezifiso zesintu nokuthambekela kwaso esonweni. Waba yini umphumela? ‘Yonke inyama yonakalisa indlela yayo phezu komhlaba.’ Ekugcineni, uJehova wabhubhisa lelo zwe ngoZamcolo wembulunga yonke, wasindisa kuphela uNowa olungileyo nomkhaya wakhe. (Genesise 6:5, 12-22) Nokho, izingelosi ezazigqoke imizimba yenyama zabuyela endaweni yomoya zihlazekile. Njengoba zase zingamademoni onakele, zaqhubeka nokuphikisana noNkulunkulu nomkhaya wakhe olungileyo wezingelosi eziqotho. Kubonakala sengathi uNkulunkulu wayenqabela kusukela ngaleso sikhathi le mimoya emibi ukuba iphinde igqoke imizimba yenyama. (Jude 6) Noma kunjalo, isenethonya elinamandla ezindabeni zesintu.

Ukudalulwa Komubi Ngokugcwele!

Izinga lethonya likaSathane elibi lembulwa kweyoku-1 Johane 5:19 ethi: “Lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” UDeveli uqhubela isintu esivunguvungwini somaye abalokhu banda. Empeleni, uzimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukulimaza isintu. Ngani? Ngoba yena namademoni akhe baxoshwa ezulwini ngemva kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngo-1914. Mayelana nalokhu kuxoshwa, iBhayibheli labikezela: “Mayé ngomhlaba . . . , ngoba uDeveli wehlele kini, ethukuthele kakhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane.” (IsAmbulo 12:7-12) USathane usithonya kanjani-ke isintu namuhla?

Ngokuyinhloko uSathane ukwenza lokhu ngokukhuthaza umoya obusa indlela abantu abacabanga futhi benze ngayo. Yingakho eyabase-Efesu 2:2 ibiza uDeveli ngokuthi ‘umbusi wegunya lomoya, noma isimo sengqondo esivamile, umoya manje osebenza emadodaneni okungalaleli.’ Kunokuba ukhuthaze ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu nobuhle, lo “moya” wobudemoni ubangela ukuvukela uNkulunkulu nezimiso zakhe. Ngakho, uSathane namademoni akhe bakhuthaza futhi babhebhethekise ububi obenziwa abantu.

“Qapha Inhliziyo Yakho”

Enye indlela lo “moya” obonakala ngayo ukwanda kwezithombe ezingcolile zobulili ezivusa inkanuko yobulili engafanele futhi zenze amanyala abonakale ethandeka. (1 Thesalonika 4:3-5) Ukudlwengula, ubudlova, ukudlwengulwa komuntu yiqembu, ukulala nesilwane nokunukubezwa kwabantwana kungezinye zezinto ezivezwa izithombe ezingcolile zobulili njengezijabulisayo. Ngisho nezithombe ezingcolile zobulili okuthiwa azizimbi kangako, azive zibalutha futhi zibalimaza abazibukayo noma abafunda izincwadi zazo, zibenze babe nomkhuba wokuzisebenzisela ukwanelisa inkanuko yabo yobulili.b Ziwububi obonakalisa ubuhlobo bomuntu nabanye abantu nobuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu. Izithombe ezingcolile zobulili zibonisa isimo sengqondo esonakele samademoni azikhuthazayo—izihlubuki inkanuko yazo engafanele yobulili esukela emuva le ngaphambi kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa.

Ngesizathu esihle, indoda ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yayala: “Ngaphezu kwakho konke okumelwe kuqashelwe, qapha inhliziyo yakho, ngoba imithombo yokuphila ivela kuyo.” (IzAga 4:23) Ukulibeka ngembaba, ukuqapha inhliziyo yakho ogibeni lwezithombe ezingcolile zobulili kungase kusho ukushintsha isiteshi se-TV noma ukucima i-computer lapho kuvela izithombe zobulili ezivusa inkanuko, futhi kubalulekile ukusheshe uthathe isinyathelo esiwujuqu! Zicabange uyisosha elizama ukuzivikela emcibisholweni oqondiswe enhliziyweni yakho. USathane usophe inhliziyo yakho engokomfanekiso—isizinda sezisusa nezifiso zakho—futhi ufuna ukuyilimaza.

Kudingeka futhi uvikele inhliziyo yakho ekuthandeni ubudlova, ngoba uDeveli uyazi ukuthi “ngokuqinisekile umphefumulo [kaJehova] uyamzonda umuntu othanda ubudlova.” (IHubo 11:5) Akudingeki ukuba uSathane akwenze ube nequngo lokubulala ukuze akwenze isitha sikaNkulunkulu; ufuna nje ukuhlakulela kuwe isifiso sokuthanda ubudlova. Akukhona ukuthi kumane kuqondane nje ukuba ubudlova, ngokuvamile obuhambisana nemilingo, bugcwale kumathelevishini nasezincwadini ezithandwayo. AmaNefili afa kudala, kodwa izici nokuziphatha kwawo kusenethonya elinamandla! Ingabe ukuzijabulisa okukhethayo kubonisa ukuthi uyamelana namacebo kaSathane?—2 Korinte 2:11.

Indlela Yokumelana Nethonya Elibi LikaSathane

Amandla obubi angase abonakale emakhulu kakhulu. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngaphezu kokulwa nenyama yabo engaphelele, labo abalwela ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu ‘babambene nanebandla lomoya ababi.’ Ukuze sinqobe kule mpi futhi sithole umusa kaNkulunkulu, kudingeka siwasebenzise ngokunenzuzo amalungiselelo amaningi avela kuNkulunkulu.—Efesu 6:12; Roma 7:21-25.

La malungiselelo ahlanganisa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, amandla amakhulu kunawo wonke endaweni yonke. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala: “Asamukelanga umoya wezwe, kodwa umoya ovela kuNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 2:12) Labo abaholwa umoya kaNkulunkulu bafunda ukuthanda lokho okuthandwa uNkulunkulu futhi bazonde lokho akuzondayo. (Amose 5:15) Umuntu angawuthola kanjani umoya ongcwele? Ngokuyinhloko ngokuthandaza, ngokutadisha iBhayibheli—njengoba iBhayibheli ngokwalo liwumkhiqizo womoya ongcwele—nangokuba nobudlelwane obakhayo nalabo abamthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu.—Luka 11:13; 2 Thimothewu 3:16; Hebheru 10:24, 25.

Ngokuwasebenzisa ngokunenzuzo la malungiselelo kaNkulunkulu, usuke uqala ukugqoka “zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu,” eziwukuphela kwesivikelo esiqinisekile ekumelaneni “namaqhinga kaDeveli.” (Efesu 6:11-18) Kuphuthuma kunanini ngaphambili ukuba siwasebenzise ngokugcwele la malungiselelo. Kungani kunjalo?

Ububi Sebuzophela!

Umhubi uthi: “Lapho ababi behluma njengezimila nabo bonke abakwenza umkhuba okulimazayo beqhakaza, kungenjongo yokuba babhuqwe kuze kube phakade.” (IHubo 92:7) Yebo, njangasosukwini lukaNowa, ukubhebhetheka kobubi namuhla kuwubufakazi bokuthi sekuseduze ukuba uNkulunkulu akhiphe isahlulelo, hhayi nje kuphela kubantu ababi kodwa nakuSathane namademoni akhe, abayophonswa kwalasha esimweni sokungenzi lutho ngaphambi kokuba ekugcineni babhujiswe. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 7-10) Ubani ozokhipha leso sahlulelo? Akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu, esifunda lokhu ngaye: “INdodana kaNkulunkulu yabonakaliswa ngenxa yale njongo, okungukuthi, ukuzobhidliza imisebenzi kaDeveli.”—1 Johane 3:8.

Ingabe uyakulangazelela ukuphela kobubi? Uma kunjalo, ungathola induduzo ezithembisweni eziseBhayibhelini. Ayikho enye incwadi edalula isidalwa esibangela ububi, uSathane, futhi ayikho enye incwadi ebonisa indlela ayoqedwa ngayo ekugcineni kanye nayo yonke imisebenzi yakhe emibi. Sikunxusa ukuba uthole ulwazi olunembile oluseBhayibhelini ukuze uzivikele emathonyeni amabi kaSathane manje futhi ube nethemba lokuphila ezweni elingenabo ububi.—IHubo 37:9, 10.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe 6]

Izinganekwane Ezineqiniso Elithile

Izinganekwane ezikhuluma ngabantu ababenjengonkulunkulu, imidondoshiya nokhukhulela-ngoqo wesikhukhula zitholakala emhlabeni wonke ezincwadini zezinganekwane zasendulo. Ngokwesibonelo, iZibongo ZikaGilgamesh zesi-Akkad zikhuluma ngesikhukhula, umkhumbi nangabantu abasinda. UGilgamesh ngokwakhe wayechazwa njengonkulunkulu okhanukayo futhi onobudlova ngokwengxenye engunkulunkulu enye ingxenye ingumuntu. Izinganekwane zama-Aztec zikhuluma ngozamcolo omkhulu nangezwe lasendulo elalihlalwa imidondoshiya. Izinganekwane zaseNorway zichaza uhlanga lwemidondoshiya ethile nomuntu owayehlakaniphile okwakuthiwa uBergelmir owakha umkhumbi omkhulu ukuze azisindise yena nomkakhe. Uma ubufakazi bazo zonke lezi zinganekwane buhlanganiswa buqinisekisa okushiwo iBhayibheli ukuthi sonke isintu sivela kubantu abasinda kuzamcolo owabhubhisa izwe lasendulo elibi.

Isibhebhe esibhalwe iZibongo ZikaGilgamesh

[Imithombo ekhasini 6]

The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania (neg. # 22065)

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Izici zamaNefili zisabonakala kubantu namuhla

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ulwazi olunembile luyasiqinisa ukuze simelane namathonya amabi