Ngaba Ngokwenene Wawukho Umyezo Wase-Eden?

NGABA uyalazi ibali lika-Adam noEva nomyezo wase-Eden? Liyaziwa ngabantu abaninzi ehlabathini jikelele. Kutheni ungazifundeli lona? Likwincwadi yeGenesis 1:26–3:24. Nanku umongo weli bali:

UYehova uThixoa wenza umntu ngothuli, wambiza ngokuba nguAdam, waza wambeka emyezweni okummandla obizwa ngokuba yiEden. NguThixo ngenkqu owatyala lo myezo. Unkcenkceshelwa kakuhle kwaye uneziqhamo nemithi emihle. Embindini wawo kukho ‘umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi.’ UThixo wabalela abantu ukuba batye kulo mthi, esithi ukuba babengathobeli babeza kufa. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uYehova wenzela uAdam iqabane—umfazi onguEva—emenza ngelinye lamabambo akhe. UThixo wabanika umsebenzi wokuba banyamekele umhlaba waza wabaxelela ukuba bande bazalise umhlaba.

Wathi esakuba yedwa uEva, inyoka yathetha naye, imhendela ukuba atye umthi owalelweyo isithi uThixo umxokisile yaye umbandeza into elungileyo eza kumenza afane naye. Wahendeka waza watya isiqhamo esalelweyo. Kamva uAdam wamthelela. UYehova wawisa isigwebo kuAdam, uEva nakwinyoka. Emva koko bagxothwa abantu kulo myezo uyiparadesi zaze ingelosi zalinda isango.

Phakathi kwabaphengululi, iinkcuba buchopho nezazi ngembali, iziganeko ekuthethwa ngazo kwincwadi yeBhayibhile yeGenesis zazikhe zathathwa njengeziyinyaniso neziyinxalenye yembali. Kule mihla kuxhaphakile ukuthandatyuzwa kwezo ngxelo. Siyintoni isizathu sokuthandabuza ingxelo ekwiGenesis engoAdam, uEva nomyezo wase-Eden? Makhe sihlalutye izizathu ezine ezixhaphakileyo.

 1. Ngaba umyezo wase-Eden wawuyindawo yokwenene?

Kutheni uthandatyuzwa nje? Kunokwenzeka ukuba intanda-bulumko iye yanegalelo. Kangangeenkulungwane abezakwalizwi bebecingela ukuba lo myezo kaThixo wawusekho ndaweni ithile. Kuyabonakala, ukuba icawa yaphenjelelwa ziintanda-bulumko zamaGrike ezinjengoPlato noAristotle, ababekholelwa ukuba ayikho into efezekileyo emhlabeni. Lizulu kuphela elinezinto ezifezekileyo. Ngenxa yoko, abezakwalizwi bacinga ukuba, iparadesi yokuqala ifanele ukuba yayikufutshane ezulwini.b Abanye bathi lo myezo wawuphezu kwentaba ephakame kakhulu kude nalo mhlaba ungafezekanga, ngoxa abanye besithi wawukwiNcam Engasentla okanye Engezantsi; bambi bathi wawusenyangeni okanye kufutshane nayo. Akothusi ukuba ekugqibeleni iEden yaba yinto nje yasemaphupheni. Abaphengululi bale mihla bathi ayizange ibekho kwaukubakho indawo ekuthiwa yiEden.

Noko ke, iBhayibhile ayiwuchazi ngaloo ndlela lo myezo. KwiGenesis 2:8-14, sifunda ngezinto ezithile ezazikule ndawo. Wawukwicala elisempuma lommandla obizwa ngokuba yiEden. Wawunkcenkceshelwa ngumlambo owaba ngunozala wemilambo emine. Ngamnye kule milambo kuyathethwa ngawo yaye uchazwa ngokweenkcukacha. Kudala zabangel’ umdla ezi nkcukacha kubaphengululi yaye abaninzi baye bafunda le nxalenye yeBhayibhile ukuze bakwazi ukuqonda indawo owawukuyo lo myezo. Noko ke, baye beza nezimvo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba izinto ekuthiwa zazikulo myezo wase-Eden nakwimilambo yawo bubuxoki?

Khawucinge ngoku: Iziganeko ekuthethwa ngazo kwibali lomyezo wase-Eden zenzeka kwiminyaka engama-6 000 eyadlulayo. Kucacile ukuba zabhalwa nguMoses ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wabaliselwa okanye wasebenzisa iingxelo ezibhaliweyo ezazikho. UMoses wabhala emva kweminyaka emalunga nama-2 500. IEden yayisele ilibali lakudala. Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba izinto ezinjengemilambo zaye zatshintsha ukutyhubela iinkulungwane? Umhlaba usoloko utshintsha. Ummandla ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayikuwo iEden uyathandwa ziinyikima—namhlanje ezili-17 ekhulwini zenzeka kulo mmandla. Kwimimandla elolo hlobo ukutshintsha komhlaba yinto engaphephekiyo. Okunye kukuba, uMkhukula kaNowa umel’ ukuba wawutshintsha umhlaba ngeendlela esingenakuze siziqonde namhlanje.c

Nazi izibakala ezimbalwa esizaziyo: Ingxelo ekwiGenesis ibhekisela kulo myezo njengendawo yokwenene. Imilambo emibini kuleyo mine kuthethwe ngayo kule ngxelo—umEfrate neTigrisi, okanye iHidekeli—isekho namhlanje yaye amaso ayo asondelelene kakhulu. Le ngxelo ichaza namagama eendawo eyayihamba kuyo loo milambo ize ichaze nezinto ezazikwezo ndawo. Kubantu bamaSirayeli bamandulo, ababengabantu bokuqala ukufunda le ngxelo, ezi nkcukacha zaziluncedo.

Ngaba zinjalo iintsomi? Okanye ngaba azidli ngokungazichazi ezinye iinkcukacha? Iintsomi zidla ngokuqala ngokuthi “kwathi ke kaloku ngantsomi kwilizwe elikude.” Imbali yona idla ngokuquka iinkcukacha ezithile, njengengxelo yase-Eden.

 2. Ngaba iyakholeleka into yokuba uThixo wabumba uAdam ngothuli waza wenza uEva ngelinye lamabambo ka-Adam?

Inzululwazi yale mihla iyaqinisekisa ukuba umzimba womntu ubunjwe ngehydrogen, ioksijini, necarbon—zonke ezi zinto zifumaneka apha emhlabeni. Kodwa zadityaniswa njani ukuze zenze isidalwa esiphilayo?

Izazinzulu ezininzi zithi ubomi bazivelela, baqala ngezinto ezingantsonkothanga baza emva kwezigidi zeminyaka, baba nezinto ezintsonkothileyo. Noko ke, ibinzana elithi “into engantsonkothanga” linokusilahlekisa kuba izinto ezincinane—kuquka nezinye ezineseli enye—zintsonkothe kakhulu. Abukho ubungqina obubonisa ukuba ubomi bazivelela. Kunoko, zonke izinto eziphilayo zibubungqina bokuba zadalwa ngumntu okrelekrele ngakumbi kunathi.d—Roma 1:20.

Ngaba unawo umfanekiso ngqondweni wakho uphulaphule iqela lomculo, ubuka umzobo omhle uze umangaliswe bubuchwepheshe bezobugcisa, uze emva koko uthi ezi zinto azenziwanga mntu? Ubungenakuyithetha loo nto! Kodwa ezo zinto zikha phantsi isitya sizele xa zithelekiswa nokuntsonkotha, ubuhle okanye indlela oyilwe ngayo umzimba wethu. Sinokuyicinga njani into yokuba awuzange udalwe? Ukongezelela koko, incwadi yeGenesis ibonisa ukuba kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni, ngabantu kuphela abenziwe ngomfanekiso kaThixo. (Genesis 1:26) Ngenxa yoko, ngabantu kuphela abakwaziyo ukuxelisa uThixo maxa wambi baqambe umculo, bazobe baze benze izinto zobugcisa. Ngaba ifanele isothuse into yokuba uThixo esenza izinto ezibhetele kunathi?

Yintoni eyayinzima ekudaleni umfazi esebenzisa ubambo lwendoda?e UThixo wayenokusebenzisa ezinye iindlela, kodwa indlela awayisebenzisayo yaba nefuthe. Wayefuna indoda nomfazi batshate baze basondelelane, ngokungathi ‘banyama-nye.’ (Genesis 2:24) Ngaba indlela indoda nomfazi abaphelelisana baze bamanyane ngayo, asibobungqina obunamandla obubonisa ubulumko nothando loMdali?

Ukongezelela, izazi ngemizila yemfuza ziye zavuma ukuba bonke abantu bavela kwindoda nomfazi omnye. Ngaba ingxelo yeGenesis ikhiw’ emoyeni?

 3. Umthi wokwazi nomthi wobomi ibonakala iyinto yasentsomini.

Ingxelo ekwiGenesis ayifundisi ukuba le mithi yayinamandla angaqhelekanga. Kunoko, yayiyimithi eyayinentsingiselo engokomfuziselo.

Ngaba abantu abazenzi izinto ezifanayo maxa wambi? Ngokomzekelo ijaji isenokukutyityimbisela umnwe ngokudelela inkundla. Asiyompahla engaphakathi neendonga zenkundla ijaji efuna ukuzikhusela kodwa ifuna kuhlonelwe inkqubo yomthetho emelwa yiloo nkundla. Iikumkani ezahlukahlukeneyo ziye zazisebenzisa intonga yobukhosi nesitshaba njengemifuziselo yegunya lazo.

Yayifuzisela ntoni le mithi? Ziye zawa ngokuwa iintetha. Impendulo echanileyo nangona ilula inamandla. Umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi umela ilungelo likaThixo lokugqiba ngento elungileyo nembi. (Yeremiya 10:23) Akumangalisi ukuba kube lityala ukuba kuloo mthi! Umthi wobomi wona wawufuzisela isipho esivela kuThixo kuphela—ubomi obungunaphakade.—Roma 6:23.

 4. Inyoka ethethayo ibonakala iyinto yasentsomini.

Kuyaqondakala ukuba le ngxelo yeGenesis isenokungaqondakali ngokukodwa xa ungakhange uzifunde ezinye iinxalenye zeBhayibhile. Noko ke, iZibhalo ziyicacisa ngokuthe ngcembe le mfihlelo.

Yintoni eyabangela ukuba loo nyoka ibonakale ngathi iyathetha? Abantu bamandulo bakwaSirayeli babesazi ezinye izibakala ezabancedayo bayiqonda indima yenyoka. Ngokomzekelo, babesazi ukuba nangona izilwanyana zingathethi, umntu ongumoya unokusenza isilwanyana sibonakale ngathi siyathetha. UMoses wabhala nangengxelo kaBhileham; uThixo wathumela ingelosi ukuze yenze imbongolo kaBhileham ibonakale ngathi iyathetha.—Numeri 22:26-31; 2 Petros 2:15, 16.

Ngaba abanye abantu bomoya banokukwazi ukwenza imimangaliso kuquka nabo baziintshaba zikaThixo? UMoses wabona ababingeleli baseYiputa abenza imilingo bexelisa imimangaliso kaThixo, njengokujika intonga ibe yinyoka. Amandla okwenza imimangaliso efana naleyo ayenokuvela kuphela kwiintshaba zikaThixo ezikwelemimoya.—Eksodus 7:8-12.

Kuyabonakala ukuba uMoses nguye owabhala incwadi kaYobhi. Loo ncwadi yayithetha okuninzi ngotshaba olukhulu lukaThixo, uSathana, owayicel’ umngeni ingqibelelo yabakhonzi bakaYehova. (Yobhi 1:6-11; 2:4, 5) Ngaba amaSirayeli amandulo agqiba kwelokuba uSathana wayesebenzise inyoka e-Eden, yabonakala ngathi iyathetha, ukuze aqhathe uEva ophule ingqibelelo yakhe kuThixo? Kubonakala njalo.

Ngaba yayinguSathana owasebenzisa le nyoka? Kamva uYesu wathi uSathana “ulixoki noyise wabo ubuxoki.” (Yohane 8:44) ‘Uyise wobuxoki’ wayeya kuba ngumntu wokuqala ukuxoka, akunjalo? Ubuxoki bokuqala bobo bathethwa kuEva. Iphikisa isilumkiso sikaThixo sokuba ukutya kumthi owalelweyo kwakuza kuzisa ukufa, le nyoka yathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo anisayi kufa.” (Genesis 3:4) Kucacile ukuba, uYesu wayesazi ukuba uSathana wasebenzisa le nyoka. ISityhilelo uYesu awasinika umpostile uYohane siqukumbela lo mbandela ngokuthi uSathana ‘yinyoka yantlandlolo.’—ISityhilelo 1:1; 12:9.

Ngaba kukubaxa izinto ukukholelwa ukuba umntu ongumoya wayenokusebenzisa inyoka aze ayenze ibonakale ngathi iyathetha? Kwanabantu, nangona amandla abo engaphantsi lee kwawezidalwa zomoya, bayakwazi ukwenza izinto ezikwenza ubamb’ ongezantsi, njengakwiimovie nakumabonwakude.

Obona Bungqina Bunamandla

Ngaba akuvumi ukuba ukuthandatyuzwa kwengxelo ekwiGenesis akunasihlahla? Kwelinye icala, kukho ubungqina obunamandla obubonisa ukuba le ngxelo iyimbali yokwenene.

Ngokomzekelo, uYesu Kristu ubizwa ngokuba ‘lingqina elithembekileyo neliyinyaniso.’ (ISityhilelo 3:14) Ekubeni wayengumntu ofezekileyo, akazange axoke, engazange ayimele kakubi inyaniso nangayiphi indlela. Ngaphezu koko, wafundisa ukuba wayephila ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni—wayephila kunye noYise, uYehova, “phambi kokubakho kwehlabathi.” (Yohane 17:5) Ngoko wayesele ekho xa kwakudalwa emhlabeni. Lithini lona eli ngqina lithembekileyo?

UYesu wathetha ngoAdam noEva njengabantu bokwenene. Wabhekisela kumtshato wabo xa wayethetha ngomlinganiselo kaYehova womtshato. (Mateyu 19:3-6) Ukuba abazange babekho yaye umyezo ababephila kuwo yintsomi, uYesu wayeya kuba uqhathiwe okanye lixoki. Ayinakwenzeka loo nto. UYesu wayesezulwini, ebukele njengoko le ntlekele yayisenzeka e-Eden. Bubuphi ubungqina obunamandla ngaphezu kobo?

Enyanisweni ukungakholelwa kwingxelo yeGenesis kukungakholelwa kuYesu. Oku kubangela ukuba singayiqondi neminye imixholo eseBhayibhileni nezithembiso zayo. Makhe sibone ukuba kunokwenzeka njani oku.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]