Isahluko 2
Isitha Sokuphila Okuphakade
1. Njengoba injabulo nokuthula kungatholakali njalo, imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?
INJABULO emhlabeni—cishe wonke umuntu uyayifuna. Pho kungani abaningi kangaka bengajabuli? Yini eyonakele? Njengoba cishe wonke umuntu ufuna ukuthula, kungani izizwe ziya empini futhi kungani abantu bezondana? Ingabe kunamandla athile aqondisayo abashukumisela ukuba benze lezizinto ezimbi? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi amandla athile angabonakali aqondisa izizwe?
2. Ibuphi ubugebengu emlandweni obubangela abaningi bazibuze noma amndla amabi angabonakali kungenzeka yini ukuba aqondisa izinto?
2 Abaningi baye bamangala ngalokhu uma becabangela unya olwesabekayo lwabantu—amagesi asabekayo asetshenziswa ezimpini ukuze kubulawe abantu ngokubahila nangokubashisa, kanye namabhomu e“napalm” namabhomu eathomu. Cabangela futhi, isikhali esiciba umlilo, amakamu okuhlushwa, ukubulawa kwezigidi zabantu, njengaseCambodia eminyakeni yamuva. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi bonke lobububi bamane bazenzekela nje? Nakuba umuntu engase akwazi ukwenze izenzo ezesabekayo ngokwakhe, uma ucabangela ububi obesabekayo bezenzo zakhe, ingabe akubonakali yini sengathi uye wathonywa amandla amabi, angabonakali?
3. IBhayibheli lithini ngokubuswa kwenze?
3 Asikho isizathu sokuqagela kulendaba. IBhayibheli libonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi umuntu ohlakaniphile ongabonakali ubeqondisa kokubili abantu nezizwe. EBhayibhelini, uJesu Kristu ubiza lona onamandla njengo“mbusi walelizwe.” (Johane 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) Ungubani?
4. Yini uDeveli ayibonisa uJesu, futhi wamthembisa ukumnikezani?
4 Ukuze sisizakale ekutholeni ukuthi ungubani, cabangela okwenzeka ekuqaleni kwenkonzo kaJesu lapha emhlabeni. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ngemva kokuba uJesu esebhapathiziwe waya ehlane lapho alingwa khona isidalwa esingabonakali esibizwa ngokuthi uSathane uDeveli. Okunye kwalokho kulinga kuchazwa ngalendlela: “USathane wabuye wamyisa entabeni ende kakhulu, wamkhombisa imibuso yonke yezwe nenkazimulo yayo; wathi kuye Konke lokhu ngizakukunika khona, uma uziwisa phansi, ukhuleke kimi.”—Mathewu 4:8, 9.
5. (a) Yini ebonisayo noma bonke ohulumeni bezwe bangabakaDeveli? (b) NgokweBhayibheli, ubani “uNkulunkulu walelizwe”?
5 Cabanga ngalokhu uDeveli akuthembisa uJesu Kristu. Kwakuyi“mibuso yonke yezwe.” Ingabe bonke labohulumeni bezwe ngempela babengabakaDeveli? Yebo, ngoba kwakungenzeka kanjani athembise ukubanika uJesu? UJesu akazange aphike ukuthi babengabakaSathane, okuyinto ayengayenze ukuba uSathane wayengeyena umnikazi wabo. USathane ngempela ungumbusi ongabonakali wazo zonke izizwe zalelizwe! IBhayibheli lisho ngokusobala: “Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Eqinisweni, iZwi likaNkulunkulu libiza uSathane ngokuthi “unkulunkulu walelizwe.”—2 Korinte 4:4.
6. (a) Lolulwazi ngokuqondene nokubusa kukaSathane lusisiza ukuba siqondeni? (b) Yini uSathane angathanda ukuyenza kithina, ngakho-ke kumelwe senzeni?
6 Lokhu kwaziswa kusisiza ukuba siqonde ukuthi kungani uJesu athi: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe.” (Johane 18:36) Kuyasisiza futhi ukuba siqonde kangcono ukuthi kungani izizwe zizondana futhi zizama ukubhubhisana uma isifiso sabo bonke abantu siwukuphila ngokuthula. Yebo, ‘uSathane, udukisa izwe lonke.’ (IsAmbulo 12:9) Ufuna ukuba asidukise nathi. Akafuni ukuba samukele isipho sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okuphakade. Ngakho-ke kumelwe silwele ukuba angasithonyeli ukuba senze okubi. (Efesu 6:12) Kumelwe sazi ngoSathane nokuthi usebenza kanjani ukuze sikwazi kumelana nemizamo yakhe yokusidukisa.
LOWO UDEVELI ANGUYE
7. Kungani singenakumbona uDeveli?
7 USathane uDeveli ungumuntu ongokoqobo. Akabona nje ububi obukubo bonke abantu, njengoba abanye abantu bekholelwa. Yebo, abantu abanakumbona uDeveli, njengoba nje bengenakumbona noNkulunkulu. Bobabili uNkulunkulu noDeveli bangabantu bomoya, uhlobo lokuphila olungaphezu kolwabantu nokungabonakali futhi emehlweni ethu.—Johane 4:24.
8. Kungani abantu abaningi bekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wadala uDeveli?
8 Omunye angabuza, ‘Kodwa uma uNkulunkulu eluthando, kungani enza eDeveli?’ (1 Johane 4:8) Iqiniso liwukuthi, uNkulunkulu akazange amdale uDeveli. Nokho umuntu angase athi, Uma uNkulunkulu adala konke, kumelwe ukuba wamdala noDeveli. Wayengadalwa ubani omunye? Wavelaphi-ke uDeveli?
9. (a) Izingelosi ziluhlobo luni lwabantu? (b) Amagama elithi “develi” nelithi “sathane” asho ukuthini?
9 IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wadala abantu bomoya abaningi abafana naye. EBhayibhelini, labomoya babizwa ngokuthi izingelosi. Babizwa nangokuthi futhi “amadodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Jobe 38:7; AmaHubo 104:4; Heberu 1:7, 13, 14) UNkulunkulu wazidala zonke ziphelele. Ayikho neyodwa kuzona eyayingudeveli noma usathane. Igama elithi “udeveli” lisho inhlebi kanti elithi “usathane” lisho umphikisi.
10. (a) Ubani owenza uSathane uDeveli? (b) Umuntu olungileyo angazenza kanjani isigebengu?
10 Nokho, kwafika isikhathi lapho enye yalamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya yazenza ngokwayo uDeveli, okungukuthi, umqambimanga onenzondo okhuluma izinto ezimbi ngomunye. Wazenza ngokwakhe futhi uSathane, okungukuthi, umphikisi kaNkulunkulu. Akazange adalwe ngaleyondlela. Alikho isela elizalwa liyisela. Kungenzeka lingumuntu ophuma emkhayeni omuhle, onabazali abathembekile nabafowabo nodadewabo abagcina umthetho. Kodwa isifiso sakhe siqu ngalokho imali engakuthenga kungenzeka sambangela ukuba abe yisela. Khona-ke enye yamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya yazenza kanjani uSathane, uDeveli?
11. (a) Iyiphi injongo kaNkulunkulu ingelosi ehlubukayo eyayiyazi? (b) Isiphi isifiso lengelosi eyayinaso, futhi sayiholela ekubeni yenzeni?
11 Ingelosi eyaba uDeveli yayikhona lapho uNkulunkulu edala umhlaba futhi kamuva abantu bokuqala ababili, uAdamu noEva. (Jobe 38:4, 7) Ngakho kumelwe ukuba yamuzwa uNkulunkulu ebatshela ukuba babe namantwana. (Genesise 1:27, 28) Yayazi ukuthi ngemva kwesikhathi umhlaba wonke wawuyogcwala abantu abalungileyo abakhulekela uNkulunkulu . Kwakuyileyo injongo kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, lengelosi yacabanga kakhulu ngobuhle bayo nokuhlakanipha, yafuna ukuba ukukhulekela okwakumelwe kunikezwe uNkulunkulu kuze kuyo. (Hezekeli 28:13-15; Mathewu 4:10) Esikhundleni sokususa lesifiso esingalungile engqondweni yayo, yayilokhu icabanga ngaso. Lokhu kwaholela ekubeni ithathe isinyathelo sokuzizuzela udumo nokubaluleka eyayikufisa. Yenzani-ke?—Jakobe 1:14, 15.
12. (a) Lengelosi yakhuluma kanjani noEva, futhi yamtshelani? (b) Lengelosi yaba kanjani uSathane uDeveli? (c) Imuphi umbono ongaqondile ngokuqondene nobunjalo bukaDeveli?
12 Ingelosi ehlubukayo yasebenzisa inyoka ephansi ukuba ikhulume nowesifazane wokuqala, uEva. Lokhu yakwenza ngendlela umuntu onekhono angenza ngayo kube sengathi kukhuluma isilwane esiseduze noma umfanekiso. Kodwa eqinisweni kwakuyilengelosi ehlubukayo, leyo eBhayibhelini ebizwa ngokuthi “inyoka endala,” eyayikhuluma noEva. (IsAmbulo 12:9) Yathi uNkulunkulu wayengamtsheli iqiniso, futhi emfihlela ulwazi okwakumelwe abe nalo. (Genesise 3:1-5) Lawo kwakungamanga enzondo futhi amenza udeveli. Ngaleyondlela waba futhi umphikisi kaNkulunkulu, noma uSathane. Njengoba ungase ubone, kungokuphambukile ukucabanga ngoDeveli njengesidalwa esinezimpondo nemfoloko yokuphendula esinakekela indawo engaphansi komhlaba yokuhlupha abantu. Eqinisweni uyingelosi enamandla kakhulu, kodwa embi.
UMTHOMBO WEZINKATHAZO ZEZWE
13. (a) UEva wasabela kanjani emangeni kaDeveli? (b) Yikuphi ukuzisholo okwenziwa uDeveli?
13 Amanga uDeveli awatshela uEva asebenza njengoba ayehlelile. UEva wawakholwa ngakho wangamlalela uNkulunkulu. Futhi wakwazi ukwenza umyeni wakhe ukuba naye aphule umthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Genesise 3:6) UDeveli wathi umuntu angakwazi ukuziphilela ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. Wagomela ngokuthi abantu bangazibusa ngokwabo ngokuphumelelayo, ngaphandle kosizo lukaNkulunkulu. UDeveli wathi futhi angabasusa ngakuNkulunkulu bonke labo abayoba inzalo ka-Adamu noEva.
14. Kungani uNkulunkulu engambhubhisanga uSathane ngalesosikhathi?
14 Yebo, uNkulunkulu wayengase ambhubhise uSathane ngaso lesosikhathi. Kodwa lokho kwakungeke kuyiphendule imibuzo eyayiphakanyiswe uSathane, imibuzo eyayingase ihlale ezingqondweni zezingelosi ezazibukela. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wavumela isikhathi ngoSathane ukuba azame ukufakazela ayekusho. Yaba yini imiphumela?
15, 16. (a) Ukuhamba kwesikhathi kuye kwabonisani ngokuqondene nokuzisholo kukaDeveli? (b) Isiphi isenzakalo esesiseduze kakhulu?
15 Ukudlula kwesikhathi kuye kwabonisa ukuthi abantu abanakuzibusa ngokuphumelelayo ngaphandle kosizo lukaNkulunkulu. Imizamo yabo iye yahluleka ngokuphelele. Abantu baye bahlupheka kanzima ngaphansi kohulumeni babantu, labo, njengoba imiBhalo ibonisa, abaye baqondiswa ngasese uDeveli. Futhi, ukuvumela kukaNkulunkulu isikhathi kuye kwabonisa ngokusobala ukuthi uSathane uhlulekile ukuguqula bonke abantu basuke ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu. Ngaso sonke isikhathi kuye kwaba nabathile abaye bahlala bethembekile ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ungazifundela eBhayibhelini ukuthi uSathane wazama, kodwa wahluleka, ukuyekisa uJobe ukuba akhonze uNkulunkulu.—Jobe 1:6-12.
16 Ngakho ukuzisholo kukaDeveli kuye kwabonakala kungamanga. Ngokuqinisekile ufanelwe ukubhujiswa ngenxa yokuqalisa ukuhlubuka okubi ngakuNkulunkulu. Ngokujabulisayo, manje sesifinyelele isikhathi ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqede ukubusa kukaSathane. Lapho lichaza isinyathelo sokuqala sokwenza lokhu, iBhayibheli lisitshela ngempi ebalulekile ezulwini, engazange ibonwe noma izwiwe ngabantu emhlabeni. Funda ngokunakekela ukulandisa okulandelayo eBhayibhelini:
17. (a) IBhayibheli liyichaza kanjani impi ezulwini? (b) Waba yini umphumela wayo kulabo abasezulwini, nakulabo abasemhlabeni?
17 “Kwase kubakhona ukulwa ezulwini; uMikayeli [okunguJesu Kristu ovusiwe] nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako. Nodrako walwa enezingelosi zakhe, kepha kabaze banqoba, nendawo yabo kayabe isafunyanwa ezulwini. Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka endala ethiwa umhlebi noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke, waphonswa phansi emhlabeni, nezingelosi zakhe zaphonswa kanye naye. Ngalokho thokozani nina-mazulu nabahlala kuwo; maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwe-lulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!”—IsAmbulo 12:7-9, 12.
18. (a) Yalwiwa nini lempi ezulwini? (b) Yini ebeyenzeka emhlabeni kusukela uSathane ‘alahlelwa phansi’?
18 Ingabe yalwiwa nini lempi ezulwini? Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi yenzeka cishe ngesikhathi seMpi Yezwe I, eyaqala ngo-1914. Njengoba isAmbulo sibonisa, uSathane waxoshwa ezulwini ngalesosikhathi, okusho ukuthi besilokhu siphila ‘esikhathini sakhe esifushane’ kusukela lapho. Ngakho-ke, lezi “izinsuku zokugcina” zezwe likaSathane. Ukwanda kokungabi namthetho, ukwesaba, izimpi, ukuntuleka kokudla, izifo, nezinye izimo ezesabekayo esiye sazibona ziwubufakazi baleliqiniso.—Mathewu 24:3-12; Luka 21:26; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.
19. (a) Yini manje uSathane azama ngamandla onke ukuyenza? (b) Yini okuyoba ukuhlakanipha ngathi ukuba siyenze?
19 Njengoba uSathane azi ukuthi ‘isikhathi sakhe esifushane’ sesiyaphela, uzama ngamandla onke ukuvimbela abantu ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu. Ufuna ukuthatha abantu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka ukuba baye ekubhujisweni kanye naye. Kungesizathu esihle iBhayibheli limchaza njengebhubesi elibhodlayo elifuna elingamgwinya. (1 Petru 5:8, 9) Uma singafuni ukubanjwa nguye, kumelwe sifunde indlela ahlasela ngayo nezindlela adukisa ngazo abantu.—2 Korinte 2:11.
IZINDLELA USATHANE ADUKISA NGAZO ABANTU
20. (a) Ukuhlasela kukaSathane kuye kwaphumelela kanjani? (b) Kungani singalindela ukuba amasu akhe ngaso sonke isikhathi abonakale emahle, futhi enenzuzo?
20 Ungacabangi ukuthi izindlela zikaSathane zokwenza abantu bamlandele ngaso sonke isikhathi kulula ukuzibona. Uyingcweti yokukhohlisa abantu. Izindlela zakhe ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka, eqinisweni ziye zaba ngezokuhlakanipha kangangokuthi namuhla abantu abaningi abasakholwa nokukholwa ukuthi ukhona. Kubona ukonakala nobubi kumane kuyizimo ezivamile nje eziyolokhu zikhona. USathane usebenza ngendlela efanayo nabaholi bobugebengu banamuhla abazenza bahlonipheke phambi kwabantu, kodwa ekusithekeni, abenza izinto ezimbi. IBhayibheli liyachaza: “USathane uqobo uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya.” (2 Korinte 11:14) Ngakho-ke singalindela ukuba amaqhinga akhe okudukisa abantu ngokuvamile ayobonakala emahle, futhi enenzuzo.
21. Iliphi elinye icebo uSathane aye walisebenzisa?
21 Khumbula ukuthi uSathane wabonakala engumngane kuEva. Khona-ke wabe esemphamba ukuba enze lokho akucabangela njengokuyomzuzisa. (Genesise 3:4-6) Kungokufanayo nanamuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, ngabameleli bakhe abangabantu uSathane ngobuqili ukhuthaza abantu ukuba babeke izithakazelo zohulumeni babantu ngaphambi kwenkonzo yabo kuNkulunkulu. Lokhu kuye kwazala umoya wobuzwe, kwaphumela ezimpini ezesabekayo. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, uSathane uye washukumisa abantu ukuba bavele namacebo ahlukahlukene ekufuneni kwabo ukuthula nokulondeka. Elinye lalawa iZizwe Ezihlangene. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kuye kwaveza izwe elinokuthula? Lutho neze! Kunalokho, kuye kwabonakala kuyindlela yokuguqula ukunakekela kwabantu kusuke elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lokuletha ukuthula esintwini, umbuso wakhe ozayo ngaphansi kukaJesu Kristu, “iNkosi yokuthula.”—Isaya 9:6; Mathewu 6:9, 10.
22. Iluphi ulwazi uSathane angafuni sibe nalo?
22 Ukuze sizuze ukuphila okuphakade, sidinga ulwazi oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu, iNdodana yakhe eyiNkosi nangombuso wakhe. (Johane 17:3) Ngokuqinisekile uSathane uDeveli akafuni ukuba ube nalolulwazi, futhi uyokwenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuba akuvimbele ekubeni uluthole. Uyokwenza kanjani lokhu? Enye yezindlela iwukuba enze ukuba uphikiswe, mhlawumbe ngendlela yokuhlekwa usulu. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Bonke abathanda ukuhamba ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu kuKristu Jesu bayakuzingelwa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:12.
23. (a) USathane angabasebenzisa kanjani ngisho nabangane nezihlobo ukuba basidumaze? (b) Kungani kungamelwe uvumele ukwehlulwa ukuphikiswa?
23 Kungenzeka ukuthi ngisho nabangane abaseduze noma izihlobo bangakutshela ukuthi abakuthandi ukuhlola kwakho imiBhalo. Ngisho noJesu Kristu ngokwakhe waxwayisa: “Nezitha zomuntu kuyaba-ngabendlu yakhe. Othanda uyise nonina kunami kangifanele; nothanda indodana noma indodakazi kunami kangifanele.” (Mathewu 10:36, 37) Izihlobo zingase zizame ukukudumaza, lokhu zikwenze ngobuqotho ngenxa yokuba zingawazi amaqiniso amangalisayo atholakala eBhayibhelini. Kodwa uma uyeka ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu uma kuphakama ukuphikiswa, uNkulunkulu uyokubheka kanjani? Futhi, uma wena uyeka, labo bangane nabathandekayo bakho uyobasiza kanjani ukuba baqonde ukuthi ulwazi oluqondile lweBhayibheli lunokubaluleka kokufa nokuphila? Ukunamathela kwakho ezintweni ozifunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu kungase ngemva kwesikhathi kubathonyele ekubeni nabo ngokufanayo bafunde iqiniso.
24. (a) Iziphi ezinye izindlela uDeveli azisebenzisayo ukuba avimbele abantu ekungeniseni ulwazi olunika ukuphila? (b) Ngokombono wakho kubaluleke kangakanani ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu?
24 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uSathane angase akulingele ekubeni uhlanganyele esenzweni esithile sokuziphatha okubi, okuyinto engathokozisi kuNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Noma kungenzeka akubangele ukuba ube nomuzwa wokuthi umatasatasa kakhulu ukuba utadishe iBhayibheli. Kodwa uma ucabanga ngakho, ingaba khona yini into ebaluleke ngaphezu kokuzuza loluhlobo lolwazi? Ungavumeli lutho ukuba lukuvimbele ekubeni uthole lolulwazi olungase luholele ekubeni wamukele ukuphila okuphakade epharadesi emhlabeni!
25. Uma siqhubeka simelana noDeveli, yini angenakukwazi ukuyenza kithina?
25 IBhayibheli liyakhuthaza: “Nimelane noSathane.” Uma nenza lokhu, ‘uyonibalekela.’ (Jakobe 4:7) Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uma ulwisana nokuhlasela kukaSathane uyoyeka angabe esakubangela inkathazo? Cha, uyozama ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba akwenze wenze lokho akufunayo. Kodwa uma uqhubeka umelana naye, akanakuphumelela ekubeni akwenze uthathe inkambo emelene noNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke khuthalela ukuthola ulwazi olubaluleke kunakho konke lweBhayibheli bese wenza lokho okufundayo. Lokhu kubalulekile ukuze kukuvikele ekubeni ukhohliswe enye yezindlela zikaSathane zokudukisa abantu, inkolo yamanga.
[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Kwakungenzeka yini uSathane athembise ukunika uKristu bonke labohulumeni bezwe ukuba kwakungebona abakhe?
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Lelisela alizalwanga liyisela, njengoba nje noDeveli engadalwanga engu“develi”
[Isithombe ekhasini 20, 21]
Impi yasezulwini yaphela ngokwehliselwa kukaSathane namademoni emhlabeni. Manje sewuzwa imiphumela yalokho
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Ungase uphikiswe ekuqhubekeni kwakho ufunda iBhayibheli