Melana NoSathane, Uyobaleka!

“Zithobeni kuNkulunkulu; kodwa melanani noDeveli khona-ke uyonibalekela.”—JAKOBE 4:7.

 1, 2. (a) Isiphi isici sikaDeveli esibonakala emazwini aku-Isaya isahluko 14? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

UDEVELI uyisibonelo esifaneleka kahle somuntu ozikhukhumezayo. Ukuzazisa kwakhe kubonakala emazwini alotshwa umprofethi kaNkulunkulu, u-Isaya. Eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu ngaphambi kokuba iBhabhiloniya libe umbuso wezwe oyinhloko, abantu bakaJehova bachazwa njengabasho la mazwi ‘enkosini yaseBhabhiloni’: “Uthé enhliziyweni yakho, ‘Ngizokwenyukela emazulwini. Ngizophakamisela isihlalo sami sobukhosi ngaphezu kwezinkanyezi zikaNkulunkulu [amakhosi ohlanga lukaDavide], . . . Ngizozenza ngifane noPhezukonke.’” (Isaya 14:3, 4, 12-15; Numeri 24:17) Ukuzazisa ‘kwenkosi yaseBhabhiloni’ kwakufana nomoya kaSathane, “unkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto.” (2 Korinte 4:4) Kodwa ukuzikhukhumeza kukaSathane kuzophela ngenhlekelele, njengoba nohlanga lwamakhosi aseBhabhiloni lwaphela ngendlela ehlazisayo.

² Nokho, uma nje uDeveli esekhona singase sihlushwe imibuzo enjengalena: Ingabe kufanele simesabe uSathane? Kungani eqhubezela abantu ukuba bashushise amaKristu? Singakugwema kanjani ukuphanjwa uDeveli?

Ingabe Kufanele Simesabe UDeveli?

 3, 4. Kungani amaKristu agcotshiwe nabangane bawo bengamesabi uDeveli?

³ KumaKristu agcotshiwe, aweve eqinisa ukholo la mazwi kaJesu Kristu: “Ungazesabi izinto osazohlupheka ngazo. Bheka! UDeveli uzoqhubeka ephonsa abanye kini etilongweni ukuze nivivinywe ngokugcwele, ukuze futhi nibe nosizi izinsuku eziyishumi. Zibonakalise uthembekile kuze kube ngisho nasekufeni, khona-ke ngiyokunika umqhele wokuphila.” (IsAmbulo 2:10) Abagcotshiwe nabangane babo abanethemba lasemhlabeni abamesabi uDeveli. Akusona isibindi semvelo esibenza bangamesabi. Abamesabi ngoba banokwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu futhi ‘bathola isiphephelo emthunzini wamaphiko akhe.’—IHubo 34:9; 36:7.

⁴ Abafundi bakaJesu Kristu bokuqala ababenesibindi bazibonakalisa bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni, naphezu kokuhlupheka ababhekana nakho. Abavumanga ukunqotshwa ukwesaba lokho uSathane uDeveli angakwenza, ngoba babazi ukuthi uJehova akasoze abashiya labo abazibonakalisa beqotho kuYe. Ngokufanayo, lapho eshushiswa kanzima namuhla, amaKristu agcotshiwe nabangane bawo abazinikezele bazimisela ukuhlala beqotho kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi uDeveli uyakwazi ukubangela ukufa. Ingabe lokho akufanele kusenze sesabe?

 5. Sifundani kumaHebheru 2:14, 15?

⁵ UPawulu wathi uJesu ‘wahlanganyela igazi nenyama’ ukuze “ngokufa kwakhe amenze ize lowo onendlela yokubangela ukufa, okungukuthi, uDeveli; futhi akhulule bonke labo okwathi ngokwesaba ukufa baba ngaphansi kobugqila konke ukuphila kwabo.” (Hebheru 2:14, 15) ‘Njengalowo onendlela yokubangela ukufa,’ uSathane walawula uJuda Iskariyothe wayesesebenzisa abaholi bamaJuda kanye namaRoma ukuze babulale uJesu. (Luka 22:3; Johane 13:26, 27) Nokho, ngokufa kwakhe okuwumhlatshelo uJesu ukhulula isintu esinesono ekulawulweni uSathane, enze ukuba thina sikwazi ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—Johane 3:16.

 6, 7. USathane angakubangela ngezinga elingakanani ukufa?

⁶ UDeveli angakubangela ngezinga elingakanani ukufa? Amanga nokuhola kukaSathane kuye kwabangela ukufa kwabantu kusukela ekuqaleni kwezenzo zakhe ezimbi. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi u-Adamu wona, kanjalo wadlulisela isono nokufa emkhayeni wesintu. (Roma 5:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinceku zikaSathane zasemhlabeni ziye zashushisa abakhulekeli bakaJehova, ngezinye izikhathi zaze zababulala, njengoba nje zenza kuJesu Kristu.

⁷ Nokho, akufanele sicabange ukuthi uDeveli angabangela ukufa kwanoma ubani nje afuna ukumbulala. UNkulunkulu uyabavikela abangabaKhe futhi akasoze avumela uSathane ukuba aqothule bonke abakhulekeli beqiniso emhlabeni. (Roma 14:8) Yiqiniso, uJehova uyavuma ukuba bonke abantu bakhe bashushiswe, nokuba abanye bethu bafe ngenxa yokuhlasela kukaDeveli. Kodwa imiBhalo inikeza ithemba elimangalisayo lovuko kulabo ‘abasencwadini yenkumbulo’ kaNkulunkulu—futhi akukho nokuncane uDeveli angakwenza ukuze avimbele lokho kubuyiselwa ekuphileni!—Malaki 3:16; Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15.

Kungani USathane Esishushisa?

 8. Kungani uDeveli ebangela ukuba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zishushiswe?

⁸ Uma siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziqotho, kukhona isizathu esiyisisekelo esenza uDeveli abangele ukuba sishushiswe. Umgomo wakhe ukusenza silahle ukholo lwethu. Sinobuhlobo obuyigugu noBaba wethu osezulwini, futhi uSathane ufisa ukububhidliza. Akufanele kusimangaze lokhu. E-Edene, uJehova wabikezela ukuthi kwakuyoba khona ubutha phakathi ‘kowesifazane’ wakhe ongokomfanekiso ‘nenyoka’ naphakathi ‘kwenzalo’ yowesifazane neyenyoka. (Genesise 3:14, 15) ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi “inyoka yokuqala” nguDeveli, iveze nokuthi isikhathi sakhe sesiyamphelela futhi uthukuthele kakhulu. (IsAmbulo 12:9, 12) Njengoba ubutha phakathi kwalezi ‘zinzalo’ ezimbili buqhubeka, labo abakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka bangalindela ukushushiswa. (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Uyasazi yini isizathu esibangela lolo shushiso lukaSathane?

 9, 10. Iyiphi impikiswano uDeveli ayiphakamisa, futhi ukuziphatha kwabantu kuhlobana kanjani nayo?

⁹ UDeveli waphakamisa impikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Waphakamisa nenye ehlobene nalena, wangabaza ubuqotho babantu kuMdali wabo. USathane wabangela ukuba indoda eqotho enguJobe ishushiswe. Ngani? Ukuze aphule ubuqotho bukaJobe kuJehova. UmkaJobe ‘nabaduduzi bakhe abayinkathazo’ abathathu babesetshenziswa uDeveli ngaleso sikhathi. Njengoba kuboniswa encwadini kaJobe, uDeveli waphonsela uNkulunkulu inselele, ethi akekho umuntu oyoqhubeka ethembekile kuNkulunkulu uma yena engavunyelwa ukumvivinya lowo muntu. Kodwa uJobe wanamathela ebuqothweni bakhe, kanjalo ebonisa ukuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga. (Jobe 1:8–2:9; 16:2; 27:5; 31:6) Namuhla, uDeveli ushushisa oFakazi BakaJehova ezama ukuphula ubuqotho babo nokufakazela ayekushilo.

¹⁰ Ukwazi ukuthi uDeveli ubangela ukuba sishushiswe ngoba efuna ngezinkani ukuphula ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu empeleni kungasisiza ukuba sibe nesibindi futhi siqine. (Duteronomi 31:6) UNkulunkulu wethu unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke, futhi uyosisiza ukuba sigcine ubuqotho bethu. Kwangathi njalo singafuna ukujabulisa inhliziyo kaJehova ngokuba abagcini bobuqotho, simenze akwazi ukuphendula umklolodeli omkhulu, uSathane uDeveli.—IzAga 27:11.

“Usikhulule Komubi”

11. Sisho ukuthini isicelo esithi, “Ungasingenisi esilingweni”?

¹¹ Ukuba ngumgcini wobuqotho akulula; kudinga umthandazo oqotho. Amazwi omthandazo oyisibonelo awusizo kakhulu. Ngokwengxenye, uJesu wathi: “Ungasingenisi esilingweni, kodwa usikhulule komubi.” (Mathewu 6:13) UJehova akasilingi ukuze sone. (Jakobe 1:13) Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi imiBhalo ithi uNkulunkulu wenza noma ubangela izinto ezithile, kuyilapho empeleni emane ezivumela. (Ruthe 1:20, 21) Ngakho, lapho sithandaza njengoba uJesu asho, sicela uJehova ukuba angasiyekeleli singene esilingweni. Impela ngeke asiyekelele, ngoba sinalesi siqinisekiso semiBhalo: “UNkulunkulu uthembekile, futhi ngeke akuvumele ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwalokho eningakuthwala, kodwa kanye naleso silingo uyokwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusikhuthazelela.”—1 Korinte 10:13.

12. Kungani sithandaza sithi, “Usikhulule komubi”?

¹² Ngemva kokukhuluma ngesilingo emthandazweni oyisibonelo, ngokufanelekayo uJesu wathi: “Usikhulule komubi.” Ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zithi: “Usikhulule kokubi” (IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile; Revised Standard Version) noma “Usivikele ebubini.” (Contemporary English Version) Nokho, emiBhalweni inkulumo ethi ‘khulula ku-’ isetshenziswa ngokuqondene nabantu ngokuyinhloko, futhi uDeveli ubizwa ngokuthi “uMlingi” eVangelini likaMathewu, okusho umuntu. (Mathewu 4:3, 11) Ngakho, kubalulekile ukuthandazela ukukhululwa “komubi,” uSathane uDeveli. Ngobuqili, uzama ukusenza sone kuNkulunkulu. (1 Thesalonika 3:5) Lapho sicela sithi, “Usikhulule komubi,” sisuke sicela uBaba wethu osezulwini ukuba asiqondise futhi asisize ukuze uDeveli angasiphambi.

Angakuphambi UDeveli

13, 14. Kungani abaseKorinte kwakudingeka bashintshe indlela ababephatha ngayo umuntu owayeziphathe kabi ebandleni?

¹³ Lapho uPawulu enxusa amaKristu aseKorinte ukuba athethelele, wabhala: “Noma yini eniyithethelela noma ubani ngomusa, ngiyamthethelela yona nami. Eqinisweni, ngokuqondene nami, noma yini engiyithethelele ngomusa, uma kukhona engikuthethelele ngomusa, bekungenxa yenu emehlweni kaKristu; ukuze singaphanjwa uSathane, ngoba asibona abangenalwazi ngamacebo akhe.” (2 Korinte 2:10, 11) UDeveli angasiphamba ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, kodwa kungani uPawulu asho la mazwi?

¹⁴ UPawulu wayesole abaseKorinte ngoba babevumele umuntu othile owayeziphethe kabi ukuba aqhubeke esebandleni. Kumelwe ukuba lokhu kwakumjabulisa uSathane, ngoba ibandla lalinesihlamba ngenxa yokubekezelela “ubufebe obungekho ngisho naphakathi kwezizwe.” Ekugcineni, leso soni sasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni. (1 Korinte 5:1-5, 11-13) Kamuva, lowo muntu waphenduka. Uma abaseKorinte babenqaba ukumthethelela nokumbuyisela ekuhlanganyeleni, uDeveli wayeyobe ubaphamba ngendlela ehlukile. Kanjani? Babeyobe babonisa isihluku nokungabi nasihe, njengaye uSathane. Uma lo muntu owayephendukile ‘ayegwinywa ukudabuka ngokweqile’ ayeke phansi, abadala babezoba necala ngokukhethekile ngalokhu phambi kukaNkulunkulu onesihe, uJehova. (2 Korinte 2:7; Jakobe 2:13; 3:1) Yebo, akekho umKristu weqiniso ongafuna ukulingisa uSathane ngokuba nonya nesihluku, angabi nasihe.

Sivikelwe Izembatho Zempi Ezivela KuNkulunkulu

15. Iyiphi impi esiyilwayo, futhi singayinqoba kuphela uma senzani?

¹⁵ Ukuze sikhululwe kuDeveli, kumelwe silwe nebandla lomoya ababi. Izitha ezinamandla kangako singazinqoba kuphela uma sigqoka “zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu.” (Efesu 6:11-18) Lezi zembatho zihlanganisa “isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga.” (Efesu 6:14) Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo uSawule ayimlalelanga uNkulunkulu, wawususuka kuyo umoya ongcwele. (1 Samuweli 15:22, 23) Kodwa uma senza okulungile futhi sizigqoke zonke izembatho zempi ezingokomoya, siyoba nomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu nesivikelo esisidingayo ukuze simelane noSathane nezingelosi zakhe ezimbi, amademoni.—IzAga 18:10.

16. Singahlala kanjani sivikelekile ebandleni lomoya ababi?

¹⁶ Ukuze siqhubeke sivikelekile ebandleni lomoya ababi, phakathi kokunye kudingeka sifunde futhi sitadishe iZwi likaNkulunkulu njalo, sizisebenzise impela izincwadi ezilungiselelwa ‘ngomphathi othembekile.’ (Luka 12:42) Ngokwenza kanjalo siyobe sigcwalisa izingqondo zethu ngezinto ezingokomoya ezakhayo, ngokuvumelana neseluleko sikaPawulu: “Bazalwane, noma yiziphi izinto eziyiqiniso, noma yiziphi izinto ezibaluleke ngempela, noma yiziphi izinto ezilungileyo, noma yiziphi izinto ezihlanzekile, noma yiziphi izinto ezithandekayo, noma yiziphi izinto okukhulunywa kahle ngazo, noma yibuphi ubuhle obukhona nanoma yini ekhona ekufanelekelayo ukudunyiswa, qhubekani nicabanga ngalezi zinto.”—Filipi 4:8.

17. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sibe abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle abaphumelelayo?

¹⁷ UJehova usenza sikwazi ukuba ‘nezinyawo ezigqokiswe ukuhlonyiselwa izindaba ezinhle zokuthula.’ (Efesu 6:15) Ukuhlanganyela njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu kusihlomisela ukumemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yeka injabulo esiyitholayo ngokusiza abanye bafunde iqiniso likaNkulunkulu futhi bathole inkululeko engokomoya! (Johane 8:32) ‘Inkemba yomoya, okuwukuthi, izwi likaNkulunkulu,’ ibaluleke kakhulu ekuphebezeni izimfundiso zamanga ‘nasekugumbuqeleni izinto ezimbelwe ngokuqinile.’ (Efesu 6:17; 2 Korinte 10:4, 5) Ukulisebenzisa ngobuciko iZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe, iBhayibheli, kusisiza ukuba sifundise iqiniso kusilonde nasekubanjweni uDeveli ngamaqhinga akhe.

18. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba ‘simelane ngokuqinile namaqhinga kaDeveli’?

¹⁸ UPawulu waqala ingxoxo yakhe yezembatho zethu zempi ezingokomoya ngokuthi: “Qhubekani nizuza amandla eNkosini nasebukhulwini bamandla ayo. Gqokani zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu ukuze nikwazi ukumelana ngokuqinile namaqhinga kaDeveli.” (Efesu 6:10, 11) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukumelana ngokuqinile” lihlobene nokuma kwesosha lingasuki endaweni yalo. Sima siqine empini engokomoya, nakuba uSathane esebenzisa amaqhinga ahlukahlukene njengoba ezama ukuphazamisa ubunye bethu, ukonakalisa izimfundiso zethu, noma ukuphula ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa kuze kube manje ukuhlasela kukaDeveli akukaphumeleli—futhi akusoze kwaphumelela!a

Melana NoDeveli, Futhi Uyobaleka

19. Iyiphi enye yezindlela zokumelana ngokuqinile noDeveli?

¹⁹ Singaphumelela empini yethu engokomoya yokulwa noDeveli nebandla lomoya ababi alilawulayo. Asikho isizathu sokuthuthumeliswa uSathane, ngoba umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Zithobeni kuNkulunkulu; kodwa melanani noDeveli khona-ke uyonibalekela.” (Jakobe 4:7) Enye yezindlela zokumelana ngokuqinile noSathane nezidalwa zomoya ezimbi ezimdibi munye naye iwukungabi nalutho olusihlanganisa nokulumba noma umlingo nalabo abenza lezi zinto. ImiBhalo ibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova kumelwe zenqabe ukufuna amabika noma ukufunda izinkanyezi, ukubhula nokusebenzelana nemimoya. Uma sikhuthele futhi siqinile ngokomoya, akudingeki sesabe ukuthi othile uzosithakatha.—Numeri 23:23; Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 47:12-15; IzEnzo 19:18-20.

20. Singamelana kanjani noDeveli?

²⁰ ‘Simelana noDeveli’ ngokunamathela ezindinganisweni nasemaqinisweni eBhayibheli. Izwe livumelana noSathane ngoba ungunkulunkulu walo. (2 Korinte 4:4) Ngakho, siyazigwema izici zezwe ezinjengokuzazisa, ubugovu, ukuziphatha okubi, ubudlova nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. Siyazi ukuthi uDeveli wabaleka lapho uJesu emelana naye ngokusebenzisa imiBhalo ngenkathi emlinga ehlane. (Mathewu 4:4, 7, 10, 11) Ngokufanayo, uSathane uyojokola ‘asibalekele’ uma sizithoba ngokugcwele kuJehova futhi sincika kuYe ngomthandazo. (Efesu 6:18) Njengoba sisekelwa uJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe ethandekayo, akekho ongasilimaza ngendlela engenakulungiseka—ngisho noDeveli uqobo!—IHubo 91:9-11.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Ingabe kufanele simesabe uSathane uDeveli?

• Kungani uSathane ebangela ukuba amaKristu ashushiswe?

• Kungani sithandazela ukuba sikhululwe “komubi”?

• Singaphumelela kanjani ekulweni impi engokomoya?

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Abalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala ababenesibindi bazibonakalisa bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

UDeveli akanakukuvimbela ukuvuswa kwalabo abasenkumbulweni kaJehova

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Uyakuthandazela yini ukuba ukhululwe “komubi”?

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Ingabe uzigqokile “zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu”?