Qaphelani Isitha Senu, UDeveli!
“Qondani, nilinde. Isitha senu, uSathane, siyahamba njengebhubesi elibhodlayo sifuna esingamgwinya.”—1 PETRU 5:8.
1. Yisiphi iSitha oFakazi BakaJehova abanaso, kodwa ingabe singanqotshwa?
INGABE ungufakazi kaJehova uNkulunkulu ozinikezele ngokungagodli lutho? Uma kunjalo, unesitha esinamaqhinga, isitha esibi kakhulu. Nokho, naphezu kwakho konke esingakwenza, leso sitha esinobuqili singanqotshwa. Ungazibonakalisa uthembekile kuNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, uJehova. Ngaphandle kokungabaza, kanjalo ungahlanganyela ekulweleni igama elingenakulinganiswa likaBaba wakho wasezulwini. Ngempela, ungenza inhliziyo kaJehova ithokoze futhi ungamnikeza impendulo kuMsoli Omkhulu. Yebo, futhi ungazuza umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade enjabulweni yepharadesi.—IzAga 27:11; Luka 23:43; IsAmbulo 2:7.
2. Umphostoli uPetru wathini ngesitha sethu esikhulu?
2 Ukuze uhlale uthembekile kuNkulunkulu, kumelwe uqaphele isitha sakho esikhulu. Ngokuqondene naso, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Qondani, nilinde. Isitha senu, uSathane, siyahamba njengebhubesi elibhodlayo sifuna esingamgwinya.” Nokho, ukuzivikela kulesisitha kungenzeka, ngoba lomphostoli uyaqhubeka: ‘Melanani naye niqinile ekukholweni, . . . uNkulunkulu womusa . . . senihluphekile isikhashana, . . . uyakuniqinisa, aninike amandla, anisekele.’ (1 Petru 5:8-10) Lawomazwi aletha induduzo ngokukhethekile kubalandeli bakaJesu Kristu abagcotshiwe. Nokho, asho okukhulu futhi nasezincekwini zikaJehova ezibheke phambili ekuphileni phakade epharadesi lasemhlabeni.
3. (a) Obani abalungele ukusisiza? (b) Yiziphi izitha uSathane azisebenzisayo ekufezeni izinjongo zakhe ezimbi?
3 Ukuze sikwazi ukuqaphela iSitha sethu, sidinga usizo, kanye nolwazi lwamacebo aso. Abalungele nabazimisele ukusisiza sonke ukuba silondoloze ubuqotho, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, izingelosi ezingcwele nebandla lobuKristu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, sinenyama yethu engaphelele, lesisimiso sezinto esibi kanye noSathane uDeveli ngokwakhe okumelwe simelane naye. Ushukunyiswa unya futhi ulungele njalo ukusebenzisa usizo lwezinye izitha zethu ezimbili ukuba afeze izinjongo zakhe ezimbi.—Johane 15:19; 1 Korinte 9:27.
4. (a) Imaphi amagama amane uSathane aziwa ngawo? (b) Kungani uSathane efanelwe amagama athi “uDeveli,” “inyoka” ‘nodrako’?
4 Wona kanye amagama imiBhalo ewanikeza iSitha sethu asisiza ukuba siqonde kangcono izindlela zaso, amacebo aso. Kubhekiselwa kuso njengoSathane, uDeveli, inyoka nodrako. (IsAmbulo 12:4, 9, 10) Igama laso elithi Sathane lisho “uMphikisi,” noma “iSitha.” (Jobe 1:6; 2:1) “UDeveli” usho “uMhlebi,” “uMmangaleli,” noma “uMnyundeli.” USathane futhi ubizwa ngokuthi “inyoka” ngoba wasebenzisa inyoka ukuba akhohlise uEva ensimini yase-Edene. (Genesise 3:1-7) Futhi ubizwa ngokuthi “udrako” ngenxa yokuthanda kwakhe ukushwabadela.
Izisusa ZikaSathane Nezinjongo
5. USathane uye wathatha siphi isimo ngokuphathelene noJehova?
5 USathane uDeveli, ekuqaleni owayengenye yamadodana kaNkulunkulu asezulwini, wawela ekuphikiseni nasekuhlebeni uJehova. Injongo kaSathane kwakuwukususa abantu kuNkulunkulu, ukuze bakhonze izinhloso zikaSathane zobugovu. Inkambo kaDeveli yesenzo yenza kukhanye ukuthi wangabaza ukuba neqiniso kukaNkulunkulu, kanye nesidingo sesintu sokuncika kuJehova nokubheka kuye ngokuphila okuqhubekayo nenjabulo. Inkambo kaSathane isikisela ukuthi ungabaza ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa nendlela yakhe yokubusa. UJehova ulandela isimiso sokubusa ngokulunga nesokuvumela izidalwa ukuba zimkhonze ngokuzithandela ngenxa yothando ngaye nangokulunga. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uSathane uye wathatha isimo sokuthi inzuzo yobugovu iyisisusa esifiseleka kakhulu. Ngamanye amazwi, uphikisa ngokuthi zonke izidalwa ezihlakaniphile kumelwe zibe nobugovu futhi zinobugovu njengaye.—Jobe, izahluko 1 no-2.
6. Inkambo kaSathane yembulani ngezisusa zakhe?
6 NgoSathane ukuba angenele inkambo enjalo kwembula ukuthi wavumela ukulangazela okungafanele kwaba isifiso nesisusa esinamandla. Lokhu kuyakhanya futhi ngesixwayiso somphostoli uPawulu ngokumisa indoda esanda kuphenduka esikhundleni sokuba umbonisi, “funa ngokukhukhumala ayele ekulahlweni kukaSathane.” (1 Thimothewu 3:6) Yebo, ngempela kwabonisa ukuzidla okukhulu ngoSathane ukuba alokothe aziqhathanise noMninimandla onke, oPhezukonke, uMbusi weNdawo Yonke, iNkosi yaphakade, uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Genesise 17:1; 2 Samuweli 7:28; IHubo 83:18; 1 Thimothewu 1:17) Ukuthi isifiso sikaDeveli esidlulele siwukuziphakamisa, ukuthi wahawukela ukukhulekela izidalwa ezihlakaniphile ezazikunikeza uJehova uNkulunkulu, kwembulwa uyena lapho ethembisa uJesu Kristu “imibuso yonke yezwe” uma uJesu ayengenza isenzo sokukhulekela kuyena.—Mathewu 4:8, 9.
7. Kungani uNkulunkulu engazange azibhubhise ngalesosikhathi izihlubuki uSathane, uAdamu noEva?
7 Yebo, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayengambulala uSathane nombhangqwana wokuqala wabantu ngokushesha lapho bona. Kodwa ngenxa yezimpikiswano uSathane ayeziphakamisile, futhi nangenxa yesihawu ngenzalo ka-Adamu eyayingakazalwa, uNkulunkulu wavumela uDeveli ukuba aphile futhi azame ukufakazela izinselele zakhe zokuzigabisa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uJehova ngalokho wanikeza labo besintu ababelifuna ithuba lokuzama ukuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu nezimiso zakhe zokulunga.
Ukukhohlisa Ngokuba-Khona Kwakhe
8. USathane uye wasikhohlisa kanjani isintu ngabo kanye ubukhona bakhe?
8 USathane uphendukela emacebweni amaningi nahlukahlukene ukuze aqhubekisele injongo yakhe njengeSitha sikaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi uma kungenzeka, asuse bonke abantu ekukhulekeleni okuqondile uMdali wabo. Elinye lalamacebo liwukwenza abantu ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi akekho ngisho nokuba khona! Lokhu kwenza kube lula ngabo ukuba babe izisulu zakhe. Kanjalo, namuhla, ezinkolweni eziningi kuyifeshini ukukholelwa ukuthi akekho umuntu onjengoSathane uDeveli. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuhlola okwenziwa iCenter for Policy Research eNew York City kwabika ukuthi ngo-1974 abaseMelika abangaphezu kwengxenye babengakholelwa ngokuphelele ebukhoneni bukaDeveli ongumuntu. Ngisho nabefundisi abaningi abakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaDeveli njengomuntu.
9, 10. ImiBhalo iliqinisa kanjani iqiniso lokuthi uDeveli ungumuntu?
9 Kepha imiBhalo isishiya singenakungabaza ngokuthi kukhona uDeveli ongumuntu. Ibonisa ukuthi umuntu wakhuluma ngenyoka, ekhohlisa futhi eyenga owesifazane wokuqala, uEva. Incwadi kaJobe ngokuqhubekayo iqinisa ukuba-khona kukaSathane njengomuntu, ngoba ikhuluma ngokukhuluma kwakhe noJehova uNkulunkulu, esola ubuqotho benceku kaNkulunkulu uJobe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abalobi beVangeli uMathewu, uMarku noLuka babhala ukuthi uJesu Kristu walingwa uDeveli. Ukuthi izilingo ezinjalo zeza kuJesu zivela emthonjeni ongaphandle kuyakhanya hhayi kuphela ngenxa yalokho esikwazi ngokuphelela nobuntu bukaJesu kodwa futhi ngenxa yohlobo lwesilingo sesithathu sikaSathane. UJesu wayengawa kanjani futhi enze isenzo sokukhulekela ngaphambi kwesimiso noma umqondo omubi? Okubalulekile futhi, ukubhekisela kukaJesu okuphindaphindiwe kuSathane njengomuntu ‘nanjengombusi walelizwe.’—Johane 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 8:44; Mathewu 4:1-10; 12:26; Luka 10:18.
10 Abaphostoli bakaJesu nabo babonakalisa uDeveli njengomuntu. UPawulu wabonisa ukuthi amaKristu eqiniso awawona angawaziyo “amacebo” kaSathane futhi umphostoli wawaxwayisa ‘ngamaqhinga kaSathane.’ (2 Korinte 2:11; Efesu 6:11) Njengoba sekuphawuliwe, uPetru wakhuthaza akholwa kanye nabo ukuba baqaphele iSitha sabo, uDeveli. Futhi umphostoli uJohane wafakaza ngokuthi “izwe lonke limi [emandleni omubi]” nokuthi “uSathane uzakuphonsa abanye [amaKristu] etilongweni.”—1 Johane 5:19; IsAmbulo 2:10; 1 Petru 5:8.
Icebo LikaSathane Lenkolo Yamanga
11. Yini uSathane aye wayenza ngomuzwa womuntu wokukhulekela?
11 Icebo likaSathane lokugcina abantu beyizimpumputhe lihilela ukusebenzisa kwakhe inkolo yamanga. (2 Korinte 4:4) Umuntu wadalwa uNkulunkulu enesidingo sokuhlala ethintene noMdali wakhe ngokukhulekela. USathane uye wawuqeda lomuzwa wemvelo ngokusebenzisa ubugovu nokuthuthukisa ukungayazi inkolo ehlanzekile. Ukuze afeze injongo yakhe “uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya.” (2 Korinte 11:14) Ngenxa yokukhohlisa okunjalo, abantu bangenela izinkulungwane zezinhlobo ezihlukene zenkolo yamanga.
12. Kumelwe siyibheke kanjani inkolo yamanga nokuhlanganisa izinkolo ezahlukene?
12 Yonke inkolo yamanga empeleni iwumkhiqizo kaSathane, ngoba uPawulu wathi: “Okuhlatshwa ngabezizwe bakuhlabela amademoni, kabakuhlabeli uNkulunkulu.” UJesu wathi: “Ongenami umelene nami; ongabuthi nami uyahlakaza.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, uKristu akazange akuvumele ukuhlangana kwezinkolo ezingafani, kodwa wathi: “Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami.”—1 Korinte 10:20; Mathewu 12:30; Johane 14:6.
13. Kungaziphi izindlela uSathane aye wasebenzisa ngazo kabi isifiso somuntu sokufuna ukwazi ngokuphathelene nomlingo?
13 USathane usebenzisa kabi isifiso somuntu sokufuna ukwazi ngokuphathelene nomlingo kanye nesimo sabafileyo. Ngamacebo anjalo angewona nakancane angokomBhalo njengokukhuluma nabafileyo, noma imimoya, ukubikezela inhlanhla, ukufunda izinkanyezi nomlingo omnyama, uye wabamba abaningi. Eqinisweni, namuhla kunesithakazelo esikhula njalo ezintweni ezinjalo. Lokhu kuye kwadlulela kangangokuthi abanye eqinisweni bakhulekela uDeveli ngokwakhe.—Eksodusi 22:18; Levitikusi 19:26; 20:6; Duteronomi 18:10-12.
Ukusebenzisa KukaSathane Ukuqhosha
14, 15. (a) Iliphi icebo uSathane alisebenzisa ukuze enze uEva noKayini bakhonze injongo yakhe? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo iBhayibheli elizinikezayo ngalokhu?
14 USathane wahlulwa isilingo sokuqhosha. Ngokuvumelana nalokho, wavusa kuEva isifiso sobugovu sokuqhosha sokuba afane noNkulunkulu oPhezukonke futhi kanjalo waphumelela ekususeni abazali bethu bokuqala ekukhulekeleni uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngokungangabazeki uSathane wasebenzisa indlela efanayo kuKayini. Eqaphela indlela uKayini ayejabhe ngayo ngenxa yokuthi umfowabo uAbela wathola ukuvunyelwa kwaphezulu, uDeveli wakwazi ukubhebhezela lokho kujabha kwaba umhawu wokubulala.—Genesise 4:3-8; 1 Johane 3:11, 12.
15 Kuwo wonke umlando wesintu, uSathane uye wakwazi ukusebenzisa abaqhoshayo njengamathuluzi—amadoda anjengoNimrode, uFaro waseGibithe ngosuku lukaMose neNkosi yaseAsiriya uSaneheribi. (Genesise 10:8-12; Eksodusi 5:2; Isaya 36:7-10, 16-20) Namuhla uSathane ubambe abaningi ngokuqhosha: ukuqhosha ngobuhlanga, ukuqhosha ngobuzwe, ukuqhosha ngemfundo, ukuqhosha ngesikhundla emphakathini, nokunye. Konke lokhu kufeza injongo kaDeveli ngokubangela abantu ukuba bangasilaleli isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu.
Ukuyenga Kokuhahela Izinto Ezibonakalayo
16. Iyiphi impumelelo uSathane aye wayithola ekusebenziseni ukuhahela izinto ezibonakalayo?
16 Elinye icebo uSathane alisebenzisayo ukuze abambe abantu, izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuhaha, uthando lwemali, ukuqhosha ngezinto abanazo. Ngalokho wabamba abefundisi bosuku lukaJesu ababengabathandi bemali abahahayo. (Luka 16:14) Esebenzisa ukuyenga kokuhahela izinto ezibonakalayo, ‘uSathane wagcwalisa inhliziyo [ka-Ananiya] waqamba amanga kuMoya ongcwele.’ (IzEnzo 5:1-11) Futhi akungabazeki ukuthi uDeveli wasebenzisa uthando lwezinto ezibonakalayo nezinjabulo zezwe ukuba aphambukise uDema namanye amaKristu enkonzweni kaJehova.—2 Thimothewu 4:10.
17. Sinasiphi isibonelo esidume kabi ngokukhethekile somuntu owahlulwa ukusebenzisa kukaSathane ukuhaha njengogibe?
17 Isibonelo esidume kabi ngokukhethekile sokusebenzisa kukaSathane ukuhaha ukuba abambe ngogibe ileso sikaJuda Iskariyothe. Akazange abe isela elihahayo kuphela kepha ukuhaha kwakuyimbangela yokukhaphela kukaJuda iNkosi yakhe. Ukuthi ingqondo yakhe yayithambekele ngakulokho kuboniswa ukuphikisa kwakhe ukugcoba kukaMariya izinyawo zikaJesu ngamafutha abizayo. (Johane 12:4-6; Mathewu 26:14-16) Yeka indlela okumelwe siqaphe ngayo ukuba uSathane angasikhohlisi ngokuyenga kokuhahela izinto ezibonakalayo!
USathane Uzingela Ubuthakathaka Bomuntu
18. (a) Imaphi amalungiselelo uNkulunkulu awenzela umuntu ukuba athole injabulo ekuphileni? (b) USathane uye wawasebenzisa kanjani kabi ukuze alimaze umuntu?
18 Phakathi kobuthakathaka obuhlukahlukene uSathane abusebenzisayo ukukhanukela izinjabulo zenyama ezenqatshelwe. UJehova uNkulunkulu wayehlose ukuba sijabulele izinjabulo eziningi, futhi uma zijatshulelwa phakathi kwemingcele yentando yakhe ngathi, zingaphumela enzuzweni enkulu nentokozo. Kodwa uSathane ulinga abantu ukuba babeke lezizinto kuqala ekuphileni kwabo futhi bazitike kuzo ngezindlela ezinokuziphatha okubi eziphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Kanjalo uSathane wabangela amaIsrayeli ayizi-24 000 ukuba ahlulwe ukuyenga kukaBali-Peyori. (Numeri 25:1-9) Namuhla izwe liyahlanya ekufuneni kwalo izinjabulo zenyama. Omagazini, amaphephandaba, amabhayisikobho nezinhlelo zamathelevishini zithinta ngokukhanya ngokwengeziwe isithakazelo esinenkanuko. Nokho, njengamaKristu aqondiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu, kumelwe sixwaye izilingo ezinjalo.—1 Korinte 14:20.
19. (a) Iluphi ugibe lukaSathane amaKristu angabasha athonywa yilo ngokukhethekile? (b) AmaKristu angabasha kumelwe aqapheleni?
19 Elinye icebo likaSathane, liwukuthinta kwakhe isifiso sokwesasa. AmaKristu angabasha athonyeka ngokukhethekile kulolugibe. Ngokuvamile azinikela kuzo zonke izinhlobo zemidlalo, kokubili njengezibukeli nanjengabadlali. Kodwa lokhu kungawabangela ukuba abe “abathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:4) Ngabanye abasha ukufisela ukwesasa kuphendukela ezinhlotsheni zomculo nezingoma ezikhuthaza ukuziphatha okubi nobudlova. Ngokuqinisekile, kunesidingo esikhulu sokuqapha, ngoba izinto ezinjalo zingayenga amaKristu angabasha ziwasuse endleleni yokulunga nobumsulwa.—IHubo 16:11; 2 Petru 2:20-22.
20. USathane ukusebenzisa kanjani ukwesaba?
20 USathane futhi usebenzisa ugibe lokwesaba abantu. Kungokwemvelo ukwesaba ukuhlekwa nokuzama ukugwema ukuhlushwa. Ukwesaba okunjalo kuye kwabangela abaningi ukuba balahle ukholo ngezikhathi zokucindezela. (IzAga 29:25; Heberu 2:14, 15) Ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu asinakukuvumela lokho ukuba kwenzeke kithina.
21. Kungani singadingi ukwehlulwa ukudunyazwa?
21 Elinye lamacebo kaSathane liwukuzama kwakhe ukudumaza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuze ziyeke. UDeveli ngokuqinisekile wazama ukwenza lokhu kuJobe, embangela ukuba afise ukufa noma ukuthi ngabe engazalwanga. USathane futhi wakuzama lokhu kuMose. (Jobe 3:1-13; 14:13; Numeri 11:10-15) Nayinye kulamadoda athembekile eyahlulwa ukudunyazwa. Kunalokho, avumelana nentando yaphezulu. Njengabo, asidingi ukwehlulwa inoma iziphi izimo, ngoba uJehova angasisekela futhi akayikuvuma ukuba olungileyo azanyazanyiswe.—IHubo 55:22.
Yima Uqine!
22, 23. Ukuze sikwazi ukumelana “namaqhinga” kaSathane futhi singaphumelelisi amacebo akhe, kumelwe senzeni?
22 Ngenxa yokuphumelela kukaSathane ukwehlukanisa iningi lesintu noJehova uNkulunkulu, yini okumelwe siyenze? Njengofakazi bakaJehova abangamaqhawe, kumelwe sibe “namandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane,” simelane namacebo akhe, amacebo akhe okuphamba namasu akhe. (Efesu 6:11) Ngalokho singambonakalisa ewumqambimanga owonakele, oqhoshayo, lokho ayikho ngempela.
23 Nokho, ngeke simelane noSathane ngamandla ethu, ngoba unamandla amakhulu, ulwazi olubanzi nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi kakhulu kunesinakho. Ngakho-ke, ukuze sikwazi ukumelana naye siqinile, sidinga ukuzuza ngokugcwele kulo lonke usizo uJehova uNkulunkulu aye walulungiselela abantu bakhe. Khona-ke singasinqoba leso sitha esinobuqili!
Ungakhumbula?
□ Yiziphi izitha uDeveli azisebenzisela ukufeza izinjongo zakhe ezimbi?
□ Yisiphi isimo uSathane aye wasithatha ngokuqondene noJehova?
□ IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi uSathane ungumuntu?
□ Imaphi amanye amacebo asetshenziswa uDeveli ukuba asibambe ogibeni, futhi singakugwema kanjani ukwehlulwa yiwo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
OFakazi BakaJehova abahlulwa ukwesaba abantu