Ikusasa Lenkolo Uma Kubhekwa Isikhathi Sayo Esidlule
Ingxenye 1—4026-2370 B.C.E—Ukungabi Nabunye Kwenkolo Indlela Okwaqala Ngayo
“Umuntu ngokwemvelo uyisilwane esingokwenkolo.”—UEdmund Burke, isazi sezokuphathwa kwezwe saselreland sekhulu le-18 leminyaka
ABANTU banesidingo esingokwemvelo sokukhulekela. IThe New Encyclopcedia Britannica ithi “ngokwalokho izazi eziye zakuthola, akukaze kube khona abantu, nomaphi, nganoma isiphi isikhathi, abangenankolo ngandlela-thile.” Kusukela nje ekuqaleni kwesintu, indoda nowesifazane ngokufanelekile babephendukela kuMdali wabo ngokumdumisa. Babembheka njengeGunya lokubanikeza isiqondiso neseluleko. Kanjalo, ngazo zonke izinhloso nezinjongo, ukuzalwa kwenkolo emhlabeni kwenzeka ngesikhathi sokudalwa kuka-Adamu. Ngokokubalwa kwezikhathi kweBhayibheli, lokhu kwenzeka ngonyaka ka-4026 B.C.E.
Abanye bangase bakuphikise ukusetshenziswa kwamazwi athi “ukudalwa kuka-Adamu.” Kodwa muva nje imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo engasekelwe ndawo iye yahlangabezana nokungaphumeleli okudabukisayo, okuvela ngisho nakubasekeli bayo imbala. Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwenezelwe, bheka incwadi ethi Life—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? eyakhishwa yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Namuhla, umuntu ngeke akuphikise ngamaphuzu aphathekayo ukuthi indaba yeBhayibheli yesiqalo esifanayo sesintu ayisiyo engokwesayensi. Isihloko seNewsweek ka-1988 sabika ukuthi izici zofuzo manje zithambekela ekuvumeni ukuthi umuntu wanamuhla wavela kumama oyedwa. Sicaphuna isazi sesayensi esihlolisisa umbhalo wemivubukulo yasendulo saseHarvard uS. J. Gould sithi “bonke abantu, naphezu kokungafani ngokubukeka kwangaphandle, ngempela bangamalungu omphakathi owodwa owaba nesiqalo esikhathini esingeside esidlule endaweni eyodwa.” Siyanezela: “Kunohlobo lokuzalana olungokwemvelo olujule ngaphezu kwalokho esake sakucabanga.”
Lamaphuzu afakazela ukushaya emhloleni kweBhayibheli. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi asikho isizathu ngathi sokungabaza incazelo yalo ngendlela okwaqala ngayo impi engokwenkolo.
Indlela Inkolo Eyodwa Eyaba Ngayo Ezimbili
IThe Encyclopedia of Religion ithi cishe zonke izinkolo ezaziwayo zinezinkolelo ezithile, okuthi nakuba zihluka ngokwemininingwane, zifane ngokumangalisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, zikholelwa ukuthi isintu sehla esikhundleni sakuqala sokuba semseni waphezulu, ukuthi ukufa akusikho okungokwemvelo, nokuthi kudingeka isihlengo ukuze kuzuzwe futhi umusa waphezulu. Lobu ubufakazi obunamandla bemininingwane ehlukahlukene obubonisa ukuthi zonke izinkolo zanamuhla zazinesiqalo esifanayo.
IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani. Lisitshela ukuthi indoda yokuqala nowesifazane benqaba ukuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu, baphendukela komunye umthombo ukuba ubaqondise futhi ubeluleke. Nakuba ngokusobala babengazi ngoSathane nokuhlubuka kwakhe kuNkulunkulu, bathatha inkambo yokuzibusa futhi balandela iseluleko sesidalwa, esasimelelwe inyoka, kunoMdali. IBhayibheli kamuva lembula ukuthi uSathane wayeyizwi langempela elikhulumisa inyoka edukisayo.—Genesise 2:16-3:24; IsAmbulo 12:9.
Umuntu waphuma ngaleyondlela ngaphansi kokubusa kwasezulwini wayesezimisela izindinganiso zakhe ngokuqondene nokuhle nokubi. Ngezenzo zabo zokuzibusa, uAdamu noEva bafaka isintu enkambweni eyayiyoholela ezinkolweni eziningi ezihlukahlukene, zonke zakha ukukhulekela kwamanga okuphambene nokukhulekela kweqiniso okwenziwa ofakazi abathembekile bakaJehova kuwo wonke umlando. Ngokuqondile noma ngandlela-thile, umnikazi walokho kukhulekela kwamanga ubelokhu eyiSitha esikhulu, uSathane. Ngakho-ke, umphostoli uPawulu wakwazi ukuba abhale: “Lokho okuhlatshwa ngabezizwe bakuhlabela amademoni, kabakuhlabeli uNkulunkulu. Kepha angithandi ukuba nibe nenhlanganyelo namademoni.” Waqhubeka ebonisa ukuthi kunezinhlobo ezimbili kuphela zokukhulekela, ethi: “Ningesiphuze isitsha seNkosi [“sikaJehova,” NW] kanye nesitsha samademoni; ningelihlanganyele itafula leNkosi [“likaJehova,” NW] kanye netafula lamademoni.”—1 Korinte 10:20, 21.
Ngakho-ke, ukuhlubuka kuka-Adamu kwaqalisa uhlobo lwesibili lokukhulekela, lolo olwabeka isidalwa ngalé koMdali. Futhi umgqugquzeli wangempela waleyonkolo entsha ‘kwakuwunkulunkulu’ ozimise ngokwakhe, uSathane uDeveli.—2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19.
Amadodana amabili okuqala ka-Adamu no-Eva, uKayini noAbela, anikela imihlatshelo kuMdali, ebonisa ukuthi womabili ayenokuthambekela-okungokwenkolo. Nokho, ukulandelana kwezenzakalo kwabonisa ukuthi ayengenabo ubunye obungokwenkolo. Lokhu kwaba sobala eminyakeni engaphansi kweyi-130 emlandweni wesintu, lapho umhlatshelo owawenziwe uAbela wamukelwa uMdali, kuyilapho okaKayini wenqatshwa. Ngokusobala, uNkulunkulu wayengazimisele ukwamukela noma iyiphi nje inkolo yomuntu siqu. Leliphuzu lamthukuthelisa uKayini futhi lwamshukumisela ukuba abulale umfowabo.—Genesise 4: 1-12; 1 Johane 3:12.
Ngokokuqala ngqá emlandweni wesintu, inzondo engokwenkolo yangcolisa umhlaba ngegazi elingenacala. Kwakungeke kube okokugcina. Umhleli wephephandaba wosuku lwanamuhla waphawula: “Cishe ingxenye noma ngaphezulu yezimpi ezilwiwayo manje emhlabeni wonke yizimpi ezingokwenkolo ngokusobala noma zihilela imibango engokwenkolo.”
Ezinsukwini zikaEnoshe, indodana yomfowabo kaKayini noAbela, “baqala ukubiza egameni likaJehova.” (Genesise 4:26, NW) Njengoba uAbela ayesesenzile ngaphambili isiqalo sokubiza egameni likaNkulunkulu ngokholo, lokhu ‘kubiza egameni likaJehova’ kwakamuva kuqondwa njengokusho ukuthi abantu baqala ukusebenzisa lelogama ngendlela yokulihlambalaza noma eyonakele. Ngokusobala kwakuyindaba yobuzenzisi obungokwenkolo.
IJerusalem Targum yamaJuda, noma ukufushaniswa kwayo, iyaphawula: “Ngalezozinsuku zalesosizukulwane baqala ukona, nokuzenzela onkulunkulu, nokuqamba onkulunkulu babo ngegama leZwi leNkosi.” Ukukhulekela izithombe, kuhambisana nobuzenzisi bokumelela uNkulunkulu, kuye kwaba uphawu lwenkolo yamanga kusukela ngalesosikhathi.
KuJuda 14, 15, sifunda ngesiprofetho sikaEnoke othembekile ngokuphathelene nesintu esikhulekela izithombe saleyonkulungwane yokuqala yeminyaka. Wathi: “Bheka, iNkosi iyakufika nabangcwele bayo abayizigidigidi, ukuze yahlulele bonke, ijezise bonke abangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yemisebenzi yonke yabo yokungahloniphi uNkulunkulu abadelela ngayo, nangawo onke amazwi alukhuni izoni ezingamesabi uNkulunkulu eziwakhulumile ngaye.” Lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka enkulungwaneni yesibili yeminyaka yomlando womuntu, lapho inkolo yamanga yayisakazekile. Ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu kungenzeka kwakuhlanganise ngisho nokukhulekela izingelosi lezo ngokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu ezaziziguqule zaba nemizimba yabantu emhlabeni futhi zashada “amadodakazi abantu,” beveza inzalo exubile ‘yamadodana asendulo anamandla, anegama lodumo.’—Genesise 6:4.
Nokho, uNowa “wayetholile umusa emehlweni kaJehova” ngoba “wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 6:8, 9) Yena nomkhaya wakhe, abalandeli abayisishiyagalombili benkolo yeqiniso, babedlulwa kakhulu inani lababi. Ngenxa yokuthi inkolo yamanga nalabo ababeyenza babebaningi, ‘ububi bomuntu baba bukhulu emhlabeni,’ futhi “umhlaba wagcwala ubudlwangudlwangu.” (Genesise 6:5, 11) UNkulunkulu wanquma ukuletha uzamcolo ukuze abhubhise abantu abenza inkolo yamanga. UNowa nomkhaya wakhe kuphela abasinda ngaphansi kokuvikelwa uNkulunkulu, okwaba isizathu esanele ngabo ukuba kamuva ‘bakhele uJehova ialtare’ njengesenzo sokukhulekela kweqiniso. (Genesise 8:20) UZamcolo wawubonise ngokusobala ukuthi phakathi kwalezimiso ezimbili ezingokwenkolo ezazikhona ngosuku lukaNowa isiphi esasingeseqiniso nokuthi isiphi esasingesamanga.
Lokhu okungenhla kusekelwe kokushiwo ukuthi umbhalo weBhayibheli uyiqiniso. Kodwa ngaphezu kweziqinisekiso ezishiwo ekuqaleni kwesihloko sethu, ake ubheke ubufakazi obunikezwa ebhokisini elithi “Ingabe Wawukhona Ngempela UZamcolo Wembulunga Yonke?”
Ikusasa Lenkolo—Ikusasa Lakho
Ukuzuza ulwazi ngesikhathi esidlule senkolo kubalulekile ngenxa yokuthi ngokuyisisekelo kunezinhlobo ezimbili kuphela zenkolo—eyamukelekayo kuMdali wesintu nenye engamukeleki ngokusobala. Khona-ke, ngokunengqondo uma umuntu efuna ukuthola ukuvunyelwa uMdali, kumelwe abe nemibono efana neyaKhe ngenkolo. Ungakhohlwa ukuthi sonke sihilelekile ngenxa yokuthi “umuntu ngokwemvelo uyisilwane esingokwenkolo.”
Ekubhekeni isikhathi esidlule senkolo, ake sikwenze lokhu ngomqondo ovulekile, okubaluleke ngisho nangokungaphezulu, ngenhliziyo evumayo. Noma nini lapho kucutshungulwa inkolo ethile, ake sime isikhashana futhi sizibuze ukuthi izimfundiso zayo ziyaqondakala yini, zicacile, futhi zinengqondo. Futhi kuthiwani ngekufezayo? Ingabe amalungu ayo iye yawasondeza eduze noMdali ngokugcizelela kuwo ukubaluleka kokulalela imithetho yakhe, noma kunalokho, ingabe iye yawavumela ukuba azibekele izindinganiso zawo zokuziphatha? Ingabe inkolo iye yabafundisa abantu ukuba bathembele kuNkulunkulu ukuba axazulule izinkinga zomhlaba? Noma kunalokho ingabe iye yabaphambukisa ukuba bathembele ezindleleni zezombangazwe ukuba zikwenze lokho? Ingabe iye yathuthukisa ubunye nokuthula phakathi kwezakhamuzi zomhlaba, noma kunalokho ingabe iye yadala ukungabi nabunye futhi yaqhatha izimpi?
Lena kanye neminye imibuzo izosisiza ukuba sihlukanise phakathi kwenkolo yokuqala eyamiswa uMdali wesintu kanye nezinye izinhlobo eziningi zokukhohlisa ezamiswa isitha sakhe.
Ingabe inkolo ihilelekile ekuwohlokeni kwanamuhla kokuziphatha nasekwehleni kwezindinganiso zokuziphatha? Isihloko esilandelayo siyoxoxa ngamafuphi ngalowombuzo.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]
Ingabe Wawukhona Ngempela UZamcolo Wembulunga Yonke?
“Kunokuba uZamcolo kaGenesise ube yisenzakalo esingenakwenzeka ezikhathini zanamuhla zesayensi yolwazi lomlando womumo womhlaba, ufanelana ngempela naleyonkathi . . . Empeleni kwakuyinkathi efaneleka kakhulu yenhlekelele enjalo esheshayo nenobudlova.”—The Flood Reconsidered.
“Abavubukuli baye futhi bavumbulula ezinye izinguqulo zendaba kaZamcolo [kaGenesise] . . . Izinto ezifanayo ziningi kunezinto ezingafani.”—Digging Up the Bible Lands.
“Uzamcolo womhlaba okwakhukhulwa ngawo umhlaba ngamanzi uwumqondo otholakala cishe kuzo zonke izinganekwane ezikhona emhlabeni. . . . Enganekwaneni yomInca wabangelwa unkulunkulu ophakeme, uViracocha, owayenganelisiwe abantu bokuqala futhi wanquma ukubabhubhisa.”—Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend.
“Ngisho nezinto ezinkulu ezifana nendaba kaGenesise ziyatholakala kwenye inkondlo yaseBabiloni yezibongo zeqhawe eqhawe layo linguGilgamesh. . . . Ngokunokwenzeka yaba khona ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibili yeminyaka. . . . [Isibhebhe sobumba XI] ngokunokwenzeka asizange siphahlazeke, khona-ke sinikeza umbono ophelele wendaba kazamcolo embhalweni obhalwe ngendlela yecuneiform.”—Encyclopcedia Judaica.
“NjengamaHeberu, abaseBabiloni, amaGreki, amaNorseman, nabanye abantu beZwe Lamandulo, izizwe eziningi zamaNdiya aseNyakatho naseNingizimu-Melika zazinemikhuba kaZamcolo. . . . ‘Lapho abavangeli bokuqala ngqá befika’ . . . , uMfundisi Myron Eells wabika ngo-1878 ukuthi, ‘bathola ukuthi lawomaNdiya ayenemikhuba yawo yangozamcolo, nokuthi indoda ethile nomkayo yasindiswa ngomkhumbi owakhiwe ngamapulangwe.’”—Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest.