1, 2. Ekuqaliseni yayinjani impilo ka-Adamu lo-Eva, njalo yiyiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula?

 U-ADAMU lo-Eva bathi bedalwa babengayazi ngitsho into okuthiwa yisitha. Babengelasici njalo babephila epharadayisi. Babelobuhlobo obuhle kakhulu loMdali wabo ngoba babeyindodana lendodakazi yakhe. (Gen. 2:7-9; Luk. 3:38) Umlayo abawuphiwa nguNkulunkulu wawutshengisa ukuthi impilo yabo yayizabe injani. (Bala uGenesisi 1:28.) Kwakuzathatha isikhathi esithile ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva ‘bagcwalise umhlaba bawubuse.’ Kodwa ukuze ‘babuse phezu kwezidalwa zonke ezihambayo emhlabathini’ kwakuzamele baphile phakade njalo u-Adamu wayezaqhubeka esenza umsebenzi wakhe ngoba wayengasoze afe.

² Kodwa kuyini okwantshintsha izinto? Kwenzakala njani ukuthi kube lezitha ezinengi kangaka ezintshontsha injabulo yabantu, esikhulu sakhona kuyikufa? UNkulunkulu wayezakwenzani ukuze achithe izitha lezi? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le kanye leminye ehambelana layo singazithola eBhayibhilini. Ake sihlole ukuthi lithini.

3, 4. (a) U-Adamu lo-Eva baphiwa wuphi umlayo? (b) Chaza ukuthi kwakuqakatheke ngani ukulalela umlayo lo?.

³ Lanxa u-Adamu lo-Eva babelesibusiso sempilo engapheliyo,  kwakulezinto okwakumele bazenze ukuze baqhubeke bephila. Kwakumele baphefumule, banathe, balale njalo badle. Kodwa okwakuqakatheke kakhulu ukuze baqhubeke bephila yikuba lobuhlobo obuhle lalowo owayebanike ukuphila. (Dute. 8:3) Yikho-ke ukulalela imilayo kaNkulunkulu yikho kuphela okwakuzakwenza ukuthi baqhubeke bekholisa impilo. UJehova wakucacisa lokhu ku-Adamu, u-Eva engakadalwa lokudalwa. Njani? “INkosi uNkulunkulu yamlaya umuntu yathi: ‘Ungadla okwezihlahla zonke zensimu njengokuthanda kwakho; kodwa ungadli okwesihlahla sokwazi okulungileyo lokubi, ngoba mhla usidla okwaso uzakufa isibili.’ ”​—Gen. 2:16, 17, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.

⁴ ‘Isihlahla sokwazi okulungileyo lokubi’ sasitshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye olelungelo lokutsho ukuthi kuyini okulungileyo lokuthi kuyini okubi. Kodwa u-Adamu wayevele ekwazi ukuthi kuyini okulungileyo lokubi ngoba wayedalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu njalo wayelomzwangedwa. Isihlahla sasizakhumbuza u-Adamu lo-Eva ukuthi kwakumele balaywe nguJehova okwempilo yabo yonke. Nxa babengadla isihlahla leso, kwakuzabe kusitsho ukuthi bafuna ukwenza abakufunayo bengatshelwa lutho nguNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwakuzaphambanisa impilo yabo kanye leyabantwana ababezakuba labo. Lokho uNkulunkulu ayebatshele ukuthi kuzakwenzakala nxa bangasidla kwakutshengisa ukuthi ukusidla kwakuyisono esikhulu.

5. U-Adamu lo-Eva bayengwa njani ukuthi bacine bengasawulaleli umlayo ababewuphiwe?

⁵ U-Eva wathi esedaliwe, u-Adamu wamtshela umlayo kaNkulunkulu. Kuyakhanya ukuthi wayewazi mhlophe futhi wawutsho phose njengoba unjalo. (Gen. 3:1-3) Wayekhuluma lothile owayesebenzisa inyoka. Umuntu lo kwakunguSathane uDeveli owayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu yasezulwini eyavumela ukuthi isifiso sokuzibusa lokuthola amandla sikhule enhliziyweni. (Qathanisa loJakhobe 1:14, 15.) Ukuze icebo layo elibi liphumelele, yafika yawahulula amanga ku-Eva isithi uNkulunkulu wayebatshele okungayisikho. Yatshela u-Eva ukuthi nxa babengaziphilela besenza abakufunayo babengasoze bafe, kodwa babezakuba njengoNkulunkulu. (Gen. 3:4, 5) U-Eva wakukholwa lokhu, wasezidlela isithelo etshengisa ukuthi wayefuna ukuzenzela akufunayo. Emveni kwalokho wanika lo-Adamu. (Gen. 3:6, 17) UDeveli wayeqamba amanga aluhlaza tshoko. (Bala u-1 Thimothi 2:14.) Kodwa okumangalisayo yikuthi u-Adamu ‘walalela umkakhe.’ Inyoka yayingabe ikhanya ingumngane sibili, kodwa uSathane uDeveli owayeyisebenzisa wayeyisitha esilesihluku esibi esasikwazi ukuthi nxa u-Eva angasilalela, izinto zazingasoze zibahambele kuhle.

6, 7. UJehova wabahlulela njani o-Adamu lo-Eva?

⁶ U-Adamu lo-Eva bahlamukela lowo owayebaphe ukuphila lakho konke ababelakho. UJehova wayekwazi ukuthi kuyini okwasekwenzakele. (1 ImiLan. 28:9; bala iZaga 15:3.) Bonke bobathathu wayebanikile ithuba lokuthi batshengise ukuthi bayamthanda yini. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abakwenzayo kwamzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu uJehova ngoba wayenguBaba wabo. (Qathanisa loGenesisi 6:6.) Kwasekumele-ke abe nguMahluleli, enze lokho ayevele ethe kwakuzakwenzakala nxa bengalaleli.

⁷ UNkulunkulu wayetshele u-Adamu ukuthi: “Mhla usidla okwaso [isihlahla sokwazi okulungileyo lokubi] uzakufa isibili.” Kumele ukuthi u-Adamu wayecabanga ukuthi nxa uNkulunkulu esithi “mhla” wayesitsho ilanga elilamahola angu-24. Ngemva kokwephula umlayo kaNkulunkulu, mhlawumbe wayecabanga ukuthi uJehova uzahle amjezise lingakatshoni  lokutshona. Kwathi “kusihlwa ekupholeni kwelanga,” uJehova wafika ku-Adamu lo-Eva. (Gen. 3:8, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Singathi kwasekusemthethwandaba, uNkulunkulu evumela u-Adamu lo-Eva ukuthi bachaze ababekwenzile. (Gen. 3:9-13) Ngemva kwalokhu wasebagweba ngenxa yesono ababesenzile. (Gen. 3:14-19) Aluba wahle wababulala khonapho, injongo yakhe ephathelane lokwakuzakwenziwa ngu-Adamu lo-Eva kanye lenzalo yabo yayizahle iphelele emoyeni. (Isaya. 55:11) UJehova wahle watshela u-Adamu lo-Eva ukuthi babezakufa njalo bahle baqalisa ukuhlupheka. Lanxa kunjalo, wabavumela ukuthi babe labantwana ababezancedwa ngokunye ayezakwenza. KuNkulunkulu ilanga elilodwa lilingana leminyaka eyinkulungwane. Yikho-ke kuye, u-Adamu lo-Eva bafa ngalo kanye ilanga abona ngalo, “mhla” besidla isihlahla.​—2 Phet. 3:8.

8, 9. Ukona kuka-Adamu kwayintshintsha njani impilo yabantwabakhe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁸ Ukona kuka-Adamu lo-Eva kwayintshintsha yini impilo yabantwababo? Impendulo siyithola kuRoma 5:12 ethi: “Ngakho-ke njengalokhu isono sangena emhlabeni ngomuntu oyedwa, lokufa ngesono, njalo ngale indlela ukufa kwafika ebantwini bonke, ngoba bonke benze isono.” U-Abela owayethembekile nguye owaqala ukufa. (Gen. 4:8) Ngemva kwalokho abanye abantwana baka-Adamu baguga basebesifa. Kodwa isono bazalwa belaso yini? Ye, yikho umphostoli uPhawuli esithi: “Ngokungalaleli kwalowomuntu oyedwa abanengi benziwa izoni.” (Rom. 5:19) Ukufa lesono okuvela ku-Adamu kwaba yizitha ezilesihluku kakhulu njalo abantu abalesono kabangeke baphunyuke kuzo. Kanti njalo asingeke sikutsho kucace ukuthi isono esivela ku-Adamu sithathelwana njani sibili, kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi isono sangena ebantwini.

⁹ Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi isono lokufa okuvela ebazalini bethu bokuqala ‘yisembeso esimboze abantu bonke, ilembu elembese izizwe zonke.’ (Isaya. 25:7) Ilembu leli elembese izizwe zonke lihlasela abantu bonke. Yikho-ke ‘ku-Adamu bonke bayafa.’ (1 Khor. 15:22) Umbuzo osuka ubekhona yilo owabuzwa nguPhawuli othi: “Ngubani ozangihlenga kulo umzimba wokufa?” Kambe ukhona? *​—Rom. 7:24.

10. (a) Yiwaphi amavesi aseBhayibhilini atshengisa ukuthi uJehova uzachitha ukufa okwalethwa ngu-Adamu? (b) Amavesi la asifundisani ngoJehova langeNdodana yakhe?

¹⁰ UJehova nguye owayengamkhulula uPhawuli. U-Isaya wathi esanda kukhuluma ‘ngesembeso,’ wabhala wathi: “Uzakuginya kokuphela ukufa. UJehova Wobukhosi uzakwesula izinyembezi ebusweni babantu bonke.” (Isaya. 25:8) Ubaba uyabanceda abantwabakhe nxa behlupheka aze abesule lezinyembezi emehlweni abo. Yikho-ke loJehova kuyamthokozisa kakhulu ukuchitha ukufa okwalethwa ngu-Adamu. Lokhu kakwenzi eyedwa. U-1 Khorinte 15:22 uthi: “Njengoba ku-Adamu bonke besifa, ngokunjalo kuKhristu bonke bazaphiliswa.” UPhawuli laye wathi esebuze ukuthi, “Ngubani ozangihlenga?” waqhubeka wathi: “Kabongwe uNkulunkulu—ngoJesu Khristu iNkosi yethu!” (Rom. 7:25) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova kazange antshintshe ngenxa yokuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva bahlamuka, kodwa wayelokhu ebathanda abantu. Kanti njalo lalowo owancedisa uJehova ngesikhathi edala abantu bokuqala ababili wayelokhu  ezithanda kakhulu izizukulwana zabo. (Zaga. 8:30, 31) Kodwa abantu babezahlengwa njani?

11. UJehova wenzani ukuze ancede abantu?

¹¹ Abantu bazalwa belesono njalo bayafa ngenxa yokuthi u-Adamu wona, langenxa yesigwebo esakhitshwa nguJehova. (Rom. 5:12, 16) IBhayibhili lithi: “Okwalandela isiphambeko esisodwa kwaba yikulahlwa kwabantu bonke.” (Rom. 5:18) UJehova wayezakwenzani ukuze ahlenge abantu ngendlela engasoze iphikisane lezimiso zakhe? Impendulo siyithola emazwini kaJesu athi: ‘INdodana yoMuntu yeza ukuzonikela ukuphila kwayo kube lihlawulo labanengi.’ (Mat. 20:28) Lowo owayeyindodana kaJehova yokuqala yasezulwini, wacacisa ukuthi njengoba yena wazalwa engelasono emhlabeni, wayezakwenelisa ukuba yinhlawulo. Inhlawulo le yatshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle?​—1 Tim. 2:5, 6.

12. Yiyiphi inhlawulo ehambelana lalokho okwakulahliwe eyatshengisa ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle?

¹² Aluba u-Adamu konanga, wayezaphila kuze kube nini lanini njengoJesu, owayeyindoda eyayingelasono. UJehova wayevele ehlose ukuthi umhlaba ugcwaliswe yizizukulwana zika-Adamu ezingelasici. UJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuthi kube ngumhlatshelo ngoba wayemthanda kakhulu uYise kanye lezizukulwana lezi. Ngakho-ke wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe okwakuhambelana lalokho okwakulahlwe ngu-Adamu. Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wavusa iNdodana yakhe isiyisidalwa somoya. (1 Phet. 3:18, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) UJehova watshengisa ukuthi wahlulela kuhle ngoba wemukela umhlatshelo kaJesu owayengelasono, ukuthi ube yinhlawulo, kumbe imali ebhadalwayo ukuze kuthengwe abantwana baka-Adamu. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza ukuthi bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo okwakulahlwe ngu-Adamu. Ngamanye amazwi, uJesu wathatha indawo ka-Adamu. UPhawuli wakuchaza lokhu wathi: “Ngakho kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Umuntu wakuqala u-Adamu waba yisidalwa esiphilayo;’ kodwa u-Adamu wokucina waba ngumoya ophilisayo.”​—1 Khor. 15:45.

13. “U-Adamu wokucina” uzakwenzani ngabafileyo?

¹³ Sizaze sifike isikhathi sokuthi “u-Adamu wokucina” abe “ngumoya ophilisayo.” Abantwana baka-Adamu abanengi bazaphinda baphile. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Ngenxa yokuthi bake baphila basebesifa. Kuzamele bavuswe baphile futhi emhlabeni.​—Joh. 5:28, 29.

14. UJehova wenzani okuzanceda ukuthi kususwe isono esavela ku-Adamu?

¹⁴ Abantu bazakhululwa njani esonweni esibathwalise nzima kangaka abasithola ku-Adamu? UJehova wabeka uMbuso obunjwa ‘ngu-Adamu wokucina’ kanye labanye abakhethwe ebantwini. (Bala iSambulo 3:21.) Abazabusa loJesu ezulwini bayabe sebeke babuzwa ubuhlungu bokuba ngabantu abalesono. Bazabusa ndawonye okweminyaka eyinkulungwane bencedisa ukuthi kususwe isono ebantwini abasemhlabeni ngoba abantu ngeke benelise ukusinqoba bebodwa.​—Isam. 20:6.

15, 16. (a) Ukufa okuzachithwa okubizwa ngokuthi ‘yisitha sokucina’ ngokwalethwa ngubani, njalo kuzachithwa nini? (b) U-1 Khorinte 15:28 uthi uJesu uzakwenzani ngemva kwesikhathi esithile?

¹⁵ Ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa koMbuso, abantu abalalelayo bazabe sebekhululiwe ezitheni zonke ezalethwa yikungalaleli kuka-Adamu. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Njengoba ku-Adamu bonke besifa, ngokunjalo kuKhristu bonke bazaphiliswa. Kodwa yilowo lalowo ngethuba lakhe: UKhristu, oyizithelo zakuqala; muva, labo abangabakhe [abazabusa laye.] Lapho-ke isiphetho sizafika esenikela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uYise emva kokuba esechithe  ukubusa konke, lobukhosi kanye lamandla. Ngoba kumele abuse uNkulunkulu aze azibeke zonke izitha zakhe ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe. Isitha sokucina esizachithwa, yikufa.’ (1 Khor. 15:22-26) Siyabona-ke ukuthi ukufa okwalethwa ngu-Adamu kuzachithwa. “Isembeso” lesi esihlasela abantu bonke siyabe sesiginyiwe kuze kube nininini.​—Isaya. 25:7, 8.

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPhawuli uphetha indaba yakhe eyaphefumulelwayo ngamazwi la: “Lapho esekwenzile lokhu, iNdodana uqobo izakuba ngaphansi kwakhe yena owabeka izinto zonke ngaphansi kwakhe, ukuze uNkulunkulu abe yikho konke kukho konke.” (1 Khor. 15:28) Ngesikhathi leso, iNdodana izabe isiwuqedile umsebenzi wayo. Ngemva kwalokho, izabuyisela uMbuso kuJehova ngenhliziyo emhlophe. Ngakho-ke uNkulunkulu nguye ozabe esebusa abantu abayabe sebengaselasono.

17. USathane uzakwenziwani?

¹⁷ USathane onguye obangela ukuthi abantu bahlupheke kangaka uzakwenziwani? Impendulo siyithola kuSambulo 20:7-15. Ekuvivinyweni kokucina uSathane uzavunyelwa ukuthi azame ukudukisa abantu abazabe sebengaselasono. UDeveli labazamlandela bazabhujiswa phakade ‘ekufeni kwesibili.’ (Isam. 21:8) Ukufa lokhu akusoze kuchithwe ngoba abazabulawa ngalesosikhathi abasoze baphinde babekhona futhi. Kodwa ‘ukufa kwesibili’ akungeke kube yisitha ebantwini abakhonza uMdali wabo abamthandayo.

18. Umsebenzi uNkulunkulu ayewuphe u-Adamu uzaqediswa njani?

¹⁸ Abantu abayabe sebekhululiwe esonweni bazakwamukelwa nguJehova ngokugcweleyo bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo njalo abasoze baphinde bazithi tshazi izitha. Umsebenzi owawuphiwe u-Adamu uyabe usuqediswe yena engekho. Umhlaba uzagcwala inzalo yakhe ezathokoza ukuwunakekela kanye lokukholisa izinto ezinengi empilweni. Sonke bakithi asihlaleni sicabangisisa ngalokho uNkulunkulu olothando azakwenza ukuze achithe ukufa, isitha sokucina!