1, 2. (a) Ngisiphi isipho uZimu asiphe u-Adamu? (b) Kubayini uZimu akhetha ukwenzela u-Adamu umfazi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

UJEHOVA khenge alibumbele ilize iphasi, kodwana “walibumba bonyana kuhlalwe kilo.” (Isa. 45:18) Yeke, umuntu ambumba kokuthoma, u-Adamu, bekaphelele begodu uZimu wamenzela ikhaya elihle kwamambala, eliyisimu ye-Edeni. Iinhlahla ezikulu zalapho, imilambo yakhona ephuphumako neenlwana ebezikhambakhamba lapho bekumthabisa khulu u-Adamu! Kodwana kukhona okuthileko okuqakathekileko ebekatlhayela ngakho. UJehova watjengisa lokho ebekatlhayela ngakho nakathi: “Akusikuhle bona umuntu ahlale yedwa. Yeke ngizomenzela umsizi omfaneleko.” Ngemva kwalokho wamlalisa ubuthongo obukhulu, “wakhupha linye leembambo zomuntu . . . wabumba umuntu wengubo ngembambo.” Uthe nekavukako u-Adamu, khenge awakholwe amehlwakhe. Ngendlela ebekathabe ngayo, wabe wathi: “Lo, lithambo lamathambami nenyama yenyamami! Uzakubizwa bona mfazi ngombana uthethwe endodeni.”—Gen. 2:18-23.

² Isipho sakaZimu esimumuntu wengubo besiqakatheke kangangobana sabelwa nokobana sibe msizi opheleleko wendoda. Wanikelwa nelungelo elikhethekileko lokubeletha abantwana. Eqinisweni, “indoda yathiya umkayo bona ngu-Eva ngombana gade azokuba ngunina wabo boke abaphilako.” (Gen. 3:20) Leso, bekusisipho esihle kwamambala uZimu abaphe sona, isipho sokubeletha! Yeke, bebazokubeletha abanye abantu abapheleleko. Lokho bekutjho  ukuthi iphasi loke belizokuba yiPharadesi elizele abantu abapheleleko ebebazokubusa phezu kwezinye iimbunjwa eziphilako.—Gen. 1:27, 28.

3. (a) Nebazakubusiswa nguZimu, u-Adamu no-Eva bekufuze benzeni, kodwana bagcina sele benzeni? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo?

³ Nebazakufumana ezinye iimbusiso ebezibalindile, u-Adamu no-Eva bekufuze bamlalele uJehova, bazithobe nekubuseni kwakhe. (Gen. 2:15-17) Ngilokho kwaphela ebekufuze bakwenze nebazakufumana lokho uZimu abahlosele khona. Ngetjhudu elimbi, uSathana, “inyoka yokuthoma” wabadunga iingqondo, bagcina sele beqe umthetho kaZimu. (IsAm. 12:9; Gen. 3:1-6) Ukuhlubukokhu kwabathinta njani abantu bengubo ngemva kwalokho? Ngiyiphi indima edlalwe bafazi bekadeni abasaba uZimu? Kubayini iBhayibheli lithi abantu bengubo “balibutho elikhulu”?—Rhu. 68:12, [68:11, NW].

4. Ngubani obekufuze asolwe ngesono esenziwa ngu-Adamu no-Eva?

⁴ Kunokuthi u-Adamu avume isono sakhe, yena wazisitha ngesithupha wathi: “Awa, umfazi owangipha yena bona abe nami, nguye ongiphe isithelo somuthi, yeke ngadla.” (Gen. 3:12) Ekulandisenokhu, u-Adamu khenge asivume isono sakhe, kodwana wasola umfazi uZimu amuphe yena—wasola noZimu, uMuphi onethando! Siyazi bona u-Adamu no-Eva bone bobabili, kodwana u-Adamu nguye othweswe umlandu lo. Ngikho umpostoli uPowula athi nakatlolako: “Yeke njengombana isono seza ephasini ngomuntu munye [u-Adamu], ukufa kwangena ngesono.”—Rom. 5:12.

5. Ngibuphi ubufakazi obutjengisa bona, abantu abaphumeleli nebazibusa bona?

⁵ Abatjhadikazi ababilaba bakhohliswa, yeke bazitjela bona akutlhogeki ukuthi bangabuswa nguJehova. Lokho kwaphakamisa umbuzo wokuthi: Kuhlekuhle, ngubani onelungelo lokubusa? Nekazakuphendula umbuzo lo, uZimu wavumela bona abantu bazibuse okwesikhathi esithileko, khona kuzokutholakala ipendulo ezokuhlala isiphelani. Bekazi kuhle bona umlando uzokuveza bona umuntu angekhe aphumelele nekazibusa yena. Ngebangelo-ke, sekudlule amakhulu weminyaka abantu bazibusa bona, kodwana lokho kwabalethela iinhlekelele zilandelana. Ngokwesibonelo, eminyakeni elikhulu egadungileko, abantu abangaba ma-100 000 000 balahlekelwe maphilwabo ngebanga lepi—isibalwesi sihlanganisa amadoda, abafazi, nabantwana ababulawa banganamlandu. Yeke, sekunobufakazi obunengi khulu obutjengisa bona “akusisemuntwini ukuzikhambela nokunqophisa amagadangwakhe.” (Jor. 10:23) Ngebanga lokuthi silizwisisa kuhle iphuzweli, ngikho sivumela ukubuswa nguJehova.—Funda izAga 3:5, 6.

6. Baphathwa njani abantu bengubo kwezinye iinarha?

⁶ Qala bona ephasini elibuswa nguSathaneli abafazi namadoda baphathwa kabuhlungu kangangani. (UmTj. 8:9; 1 Jwa. 5:19) Begodu nakubafazi bona benziwa izinto ezibuhlungu ngokudluleleko. Ephasini mazombe, kuthiwa abantu bengubo abangaphezu kwebhiliyoni yinye, babika ukuthi bakhe batlhoriswa mlinganabo wembaji. Kwezinye iinarha, abantu bembaji bathathelwa phezulu ngombana kuthiwa ngibo abakhulisa isibongo somndeni wekhabo, nokuthi bangatlhogomela ababelethi abalupheleko. Kwezinye iindawo, abafuni nokwizwa ngabantwana babentazana, yeke kurhululwa imibungu eminengi yabentazana kuneyabesana.

7. Ngisiphi isithomo esihle uZimu asibekela amadoda nabafazi?

⁷ Siyaqiniseka bona uZimu akakuthabeli ukuphathwa kumbi kwabantu bengubo. UZimu uyabahlonipha abantu bengubo begodu ubaphatha kuhle khulu. Ukuthi uJehova uyabahlonipha abafazi, ukubona endleleni abumba ngayo u-Eva. Wambumba aphelele, anobuntu obumenza bona abe mphelelisi ka-Adamu omuhle kwamambala, ingasi isigqila sakhe. Ngilokho-ke  okwenza uZimu wathi ngelanga lesithandathu lomsebenzakhe wokubumba “wabona koke akwenzileko bona kuyakarisa.” (Gen. 1:31) Kwamambala, “koke” uJehova akwenzileko ‘bekukarisa.’ Yeke, wabekela amadoda nabafazi isithomo esihle!

8. (a) Kunjani ukuziphatha kwabantu namhlanjesi? (b) Solo kwabunjwa abantu, babantu abanjani ebebasekelwa nguZimu?

⁸ Ukuziphatha kwamadoda nabafazi konakala khulu ngemva kokuhlubuka okwenzeka e-Edeni. Eqinisweni sele kubhebhedlhe njengomlilo eminyakeni elikhulu edlulileko le. NeBhayibheli lakhe labikezela ukuthi ukuziphatha kwabantu bekuzokonala khulu ‘ngemihla yokuphela.’ Ngendlela izenzo zokukhohlakala esele zibhebhedlhe ngayo, zifakazela bona siphila ‘eenkhathini ezibudisi.’ (2 Thim. 3:1-5) Nanyana kunjalo, kiwo woke umlando wabantu, iKosi eBusako uJehova beyisolo isekela woke umuntu wembaji nowengubo othembele kiyo, olalela imithethwayo, nozithobako ekubuseni kwayo.—Funda iRhubo 71:5.

9. Bangakhi abantu abasinda nekurhayilwa iphasi ngamanzi, begodu kubayini basinda?

⁹ Ngesikhathi uZimu arhayila iphasi lekadeni ngamanzi emihleni kaNowa, kwasinda abantu abambalwa kwaphela. Nengabe abafowabo nabodadwabo bakaNowa bebasadla amabele ngesikhatheso, bafa boke babulawa mamanzi womthwalela. (Gen. 5:30) Yeke, kwasinda abafazi abane, namadoda amane, okunguNowa nomkakhe, namadodanakhe amathathu nabomkabo. Boke basinda ngombana bebamesaba uZimu benza nentando yakhe. Ngebangelo-ke, woke amabhiliyoni wabantu aphila namhlanjesi aziinzukulwana zabantu ababunane ebebasekelwa nguJehova.—Gen. 7:7; 1 Pit. 3:20.

10. Khuyini eyenza uJehova asekele abafazi abamesabako bamadoda aziinhloko zemindeni?

¹⁰ Eminyakeni eminengi kamva, uZimu wawasekela namakhosikazi amsabako weenhloko zemindeni ezithembekileko. Kghani bekazobasekela na nengabe bebahlala banghonghoyila ngamalungelwabo? (Jud. 16) Khesezwa na bona umka-Abrahamu ohlonipheka kangaka, uSara wakhe wanghonghoyila ngokuthi kubayini batjhiye inarha ebebaphila kamnandi kiyo, babazizakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ezihlala ematendeni kwenye inarha? Awa, kunalokho ‘uSara wathobela indodakwakhe, wabe wayibiza nangekosi.’ (1 Pit. 3:6) Cabanga nangoRabega, obekasisipho esibusisekileko esivela kuJehova, owagcina sele amfazi omuhle kwamambala ka-Isaka. Ngikho u-Isaka “wamthatha waba mkakhe begodu wamthanda. Yeke watjhiriyeka ekutjhiyweni ngunina.” (Gen. 24:67) Awazi bona kusithabisa kangangani ukwazi bonyana nanamhlanjesi kusesenabafazi abasaba uZimu abanjengoSara noRabega!

11. Abafazi ababelethisako bakutjengisa njani bona banesibindi?

¹¹ Hlangana neminyaka abayiphila ebugqilini eGibhide, ama-Israyeli abeletha anda ngesibalo, kangangobana uFaro bewakhipha nomyalo wokuthi woke umntwana womsana obelethwako kufuze abulawe. Kodwana, cabanga ngababelethisi abamaHebheru uTjhifira noPuwa, okungenzeka bebangamele umsebenzi wokubelethisa. Ngesibindi, khenge bavumelane nendaba yokuqintwa kwamasana ngombana bebasaba uJehova. Kwathi nekukhamba isikhathi uZimu wababusisa ngokubapha nemindeni okungeyabo.—Eks. 1:15-21.

12. Ngiziphi izenzo ezenziwa bafazi ababili uDebhora noJayeli?

¹² Esikhathini sabahluleli bakwa-Israyeli, kwakhe kwaba nomma obekasekelwa nguZimu, omphorofidikazi uDebhora. Nguye owakhuthaza uMahluleli uBharaki, wadlala nendima ekulu ekutjhaphululeni ama-Israyeli ebugqilini, bewabikezela nokuthi idumo lokuhlula amanaba angekhe liye kuBharaki. Kunalokho uZimu bekazokunikela induna yebutho lamasotja weKanana uSisera, “esandleni somfazi.” Koke lokhu kwenzeka njengombana atjhwile, uSisera wayokubulawa mfazi ongasimu-Israyeli, uJayeli.—Khok. 4:4-9, 17-22.

13. IBhayibheli lisitjelani ngo-Abigeyili?

 ¹³ U-Abigeyili owaphila ngesikhathi sakaDavida bekamumuntu wengubo onobuntu obuhle. Bekahlakaniphile, kodwana indodakwakhe uNabhali inehliziyo embi, isidlhadlha injalo nje. (1 Sam. 25:2, 3, 25) Kwenzeka-ke bona uDavida namabuthwakhe bavikele ifuyo kaNabhali, kodwana bathi nasele babawa okuya ngethunjini nezinye izinto abangaziphilisa ngazo, uNabhali walikhomba libaba, ‘wabathela nangehlamba’ watjhiya alikhohliweko, khenge abanikele litho. Uthe nakezwa lokho uDavida wakwata wadlhabhaza, bewaqunta nokuyokuhlasela uNabhali nabantu bakhe. (1 Sam. 25:8-18) Indaba le yafika neendlebeni zaka-Abigeyili, yeke wathatha ukudla neenselo wayokunikela uDavide namabuthwakhe ukwenzela bona kungaphalaki iingazi. (1 Sam. 25:8-18) Kamuva, uDavide wathi kuye: “Akadunyiswe uSomnini uZimu ka-Israyeli, okuthume bona namhlanjesi uzongihlangabeza.” (1 Sam. 25:32) UNabhali wagcina ahlongakele, yeke u-Abigeyili watjhada noDavida.—1 Sam. 25:37-42.

14. Ngimuphi umsebenzi ebewenziwa madodakazi kaTjhalumi? Ngimuphi umsebenzi ofanako abafazi abamaKrestu abawenzako namhlanjesi?

¹⁴ Kwabulawa amadoda, abafazi, nabantwana abanengi ngesikhathi iBhabhiloni lirhayila iJerusalema ngomnyaka ka-607 emihleni kaJeromiya. Kwabuyelwa eJerusalema, uNerhemiya wathoma umsebenzi wokuvuselela amaboda wedorobho ngomnyaka ka-455. Ebantwini ebebasiza emsebenzini wokuvuselela amaboda wakhona, bekunamadodakazi kaTjhalumi obekambusi wengcenye yesifunda seJerusalema. (Nerh. 3:12) Kunokuthi baziphathe njengamadodakazi womBusi, benza umsebenzi ebewenziwa babantu abaphasi. Sibathokoza khulu abantu bengubo abamaKrestu abasekela umsebenzi kaZimu wokwakha namhlanjesi!

15. Ngiliphi ilungelo uZimu alinikela uMariya?

¹⁵ Ngaphambi kweenkhathi zakaJesu nasemihlenakhe, bekunedlanzana labafazi ababusiswa nguJehova emihleni kaJesu. Edlanzanenelo bekunetlawana, ibizo lalo nguMariya. Kwathi asathembisene umtjhado noJosefa wazifumana asidisi ngekarisomraro yomoya ocwengileko. Yini eyenza uZimu wakhetha itlawaneli bona libelethe uJesu? Kusemtarini bona bekanobuntu obuhle obenza afanelekele ukukhulisa indodana kaZimu epheleleko, kusukela ebuntwaneni bekube sebudodeni. Cabanga ngelungelo elikhulweli lokuba ngunina womuntu omkhulu kunabo boke ephasini!—Mat. 1:18-25.

16. Nikela isibonelo sendlela uJesu abaphatha ngayo abantu bengubo.

¹⁶ UJesu bekabaphatha ngomusa abantu bengubo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakhe kwaba nomfazi ebesele kuminyaka eli-12 aphopha iingazi. Hlangana nesiqubuthu sabantu wakhukhutha waya ngemva kwakaJesu wayokuthinta isambatho sakhe. Kunokuthi uJesu amkhalime, wathi kuye: “Ndodakazi, ukukholwa kwakho kukusindisile. Khamba ngokuthula, utjhaphuluke eenhlungwini zakho.”—Mar. 5:25-34.

17. Ngisiphi isenzakalo esiyikarisomraro esenzeka ngePentekoste lomnyaka ka-33 emihleni yabapostoli?

¹⁷ Kunabanye babafazi ebebabafundi bakaJesu, ebebasiza ngokusekela uJesu nabapostoli bakhe ngeendleko zabo. (Luk. 8:1-3) Kwathi ngePentekoste langomnyaka ka-33, bekunamadoda nabafazi abali-120 abafumana umoya kaZimu ngokwekarisomraro. (Funda IzEnzo 2:1-4.) Indaba le, besekukade yabikezelwa emtlolweni othi: ‘Kuzakuthi emuva kwalokho ngithululele umoyami kibo boke abantu. Amadodanenu namadodakazenu azakuphorofida; . . . Ngizakuthululela umoyami naphezu kweenceku neencekukazi.’ (Juw. 2:28, 29) Ikarisomraro uZimu ayenzako ngelanga lePentekostelo beyitjengisa bona usukile esitjhabeni sama-Israyeli wendabuko aziinhlubuki, wasekela omunye ‘u-Israyeli kaZimu’ owakhiwa madoda nabafazi. (Gal. 3:28; 6:15, 16) Ebafazini ebebatjhumayela emihleni yabapostoli bekunamadodakazi  amane kaFlebhe umvangeli.—IzE. 21:8, 9.

18, 19. (a) Nekuziwa endleleni yokulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso, ngiliphi ilungelo alinikele amadoda nabafazi? (b) Umrhubi uthini ngabantu bengubo abatjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi?

¹⁸ Kwathi nekuyokuphela iminyaka yabo-1800, idlanzana lamadoda nabafazi ladosa phambili ekufuneni indlela yokulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso. Ngibo ebebadosa phambili ekuzaliseni kwesiphorofido sakaJesu esithi: “Nje-ke ivangeli lombusweli lizakutjhunyayelwa ephasini loke, kube bufakazi kizo zoke izizwe ngaphambi kobana kufike isiphetho.”—Mat. 24:14.

¹⁹ Isiqhenyaneso sabaFundi beBhayibheli sesikhulile kwanjesi, sesiboFakazi bakaJehova abangaba ngu-8 000 000. Abantu abangaphezu kwaka-11 000 000 abathanda ukufundelwa iBhayibheli beza esiKhumbuzweni saqobe mnyaka sokufa kwakaJesu. Inengi labantwabo babantu bengubo. Begodu, abantu bengubo abangaphezu kwe-1 000 000 batjhumayela ngomBuso isikhathi esizeleko ephasini mazombe. Kuliqiniso bona uZimu unikele abomma ilungelo lokuzalisa amezwi womrhubi: “UJehova ukhipha umyalo; abantu bengubo abatjhumayela ngeendaba ezimnandi balibutho elikhulu.”—Rhu. 68:11, NW.

20. Ngiziphi iindaba okufuze sifunde ngazo?

²⁰ Ilanga lingaphuma beliyokutjhinga nasingakhuluma ngawo woke umuntu wengubo oseBhayibhelini. Kodwana soke singafunda ngabo eliZwini lakaZimu naseencwadini zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, singazipha isikhathi sokuzindla ngoRute. (Rut. 1:16, 17) Singafunda nencwadi yeBhayibheli ebizwa ngeNdlovukazi u-Esta, lokho kungaqinisa ukukholwa kwethu. Sizabe siyiphethe ngesibhukwini nange singafunda ngabantu abanjengalaba ekuKhulekeleni kwethu komNdeni. Nengabe awukatjhadi, kuhle bona ufunde ngabo esifundweni sakho mathupha.

21. Abafazi abesaba uZimu bakutjengise njani ukuzinikela kwabo eenkhathini ezibudisi?

²¹ Kusepepeneneni bona uJehova bekasolo awubusisa umsebenzi wokutjhumayela owenziwa bafazi begodu uyabasekela eenkhathini ezibudisi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi kurhagele amaKomanisi namaNazi, inengi labafazi lalibamba litjhisa, latlhoriswa belabulawa ngebanga lokulalela uZimu. Kodwana uZimu bekasolo abasiza. (IzE. 5:29) Namhlanjesi, abodadwethu abakunye nabanye abakhulekeli bakaZimu baphakamisa ubukhosi bakhe. Eqinisweni, njengama-Israyeli wekadeni usibambile isandla sabo sesidleni, uthi kibo: “Nje-ke ungesabi ngombana nginawe.”—Isa. 41:10-13.

22. Ngimaphi amalungelo esilindele ukuwafumana?

²² Esikhathini esizako, amadoda nabafazi abasaba uZimu bazokutjhugulula iphaseli libe yipharadesi, bafundise neengidi zabantu abavusiweko ngomqopho kaJehova. Njengombana isikhatheso singakafiki nje, kungakhathaliseki bona umumuntu wembaji namkha wengubo, lithabele ilungelo lokulotjha uZimu ‘ngokubambisana.’—Zef. 3:9.