Ngamafitshane nje, uGenesisi ibhuku lokuqala leBhayibhili lichaza ukuthi umhlaba wabakhona njani, lithi: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu lomhlaba.” (UGenesisi 1:1) UNkulunkulu eseqede ukudala izihlahla kanye lezinyamazana wadala abantu bokuqala, u-Adamu lo-Eva. Babehlukene lezinyamazana ngoba abantu balenkululeko yokuzikhethela kanye lezimpawu zobuntu bukaNkulunkulu, lanxa bengenelisi ukuzitshengisa ngokugcweleyo. Yikho-ke konke ababezakwenza kwakuzaba ngumlandu wabo. Aluba balalela imilayo kaNkulunkulu, babezaba lengxenye enjongweni kaNkulunkulu bengabazali bokuqala bemuli yomhlaba wonke eyayizathokoza ngokuthula futhi ibe lempilo engapheliyo emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini.

Kodwa-ke enye ingilosi kumbe isidalwa sasezulwini sahle sangena ngenxeba njengempethu sahuga abantu ukuthi basilandele. Ngokwenza lokhu saba nguSathane, okutsho “Umphikisi.” Ekhuluma esebenzisa inyoka, uSathane waqila u-Eva ngokumtshela ukuthi wayezaphila ngcono nxa engasabuswa nguNkulunkulu. U-Adamu lo-Eva badiliza ubuhlobo babo loMenzi wabo ngokulandela uSathane. Ngenxa yokukhetha kwabo okubi, abazali bethu bokuqala balahlekelwa yikuphila okungapheliyo njalo badlulisela isono kithi sonke, ukusilela kanye lokufa esingeke sikubalekele.

Masinya nje, uNkulunkulu wahle waveza inhloso yakhe yokulungisisa umonakalo lo kanye lokunika inzalo ka-Adamu indlela yokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. UNkulunkulu wabikezela ukuthi ‘inzalo,’ umuntu oqakathekileyo, yayizacina ibhubhise uSathane njalo iqede konke ukuhlupheka okwabangelwa nguSathane, kanye lo-Adamu lo-Eva. (UGenesisi 3:15) Yayizakuba ngubani leyo ‘nzalo’? Kwakumele kudlule isikhathi ukuze impendulo ibesegcekeni.

Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uSathane wayelokhu ezama ukuphambanisa injongo kaNkulunkulu enhle. Isono labantu ababi kwamemetheka kakhulu. UNkulunkulu wazimisela ukutshabalalisa bonke abantu ababi ngozamcolo. Walaya indoda elungileyo uNowa ukuthi yakhe umkhumbi, inkalakatha yebhokisi elalizandenda emanzini, ukuze isinde kanye lemuli yayo lezinyamazana eyayilaywe ukuthi izingenise emkhunjini.

UNowa lemuli yakhe baphuma emkhunjini bahlala emhlabeni owawuhlanjululiwe sekudlule umnyaka uZamcolo eqalisile. Kodwa ‘inzalo’ yayingakafiki.

​—Isekelwe kuGenesisi izahluko 1-​11; UJuda 6, 14, 15; ISambulo 12:9.