1. Hlathulula bona ingilozi yaba njani nguSathana.

INGILOZI LE kwakhe kwenzeka yaba netjhebiswano elihle noJehova. Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, yazifunela idumo lokulotjhwa babantu. Esikhundleni sokuthi ifulathele isifiso esimbeso, yasivumela sakhula bekwaba sezingeni lokuthi yone. (Jakopo 1:14, 15) Ibizo layo lamambala asilazi, esilaziko ngelikaSathana. “Azange akhabe neqiniso.” Wahlubuka kuJehova, waba ‘ngusomalakazi noyise wamanga.’—Jwanisi 8:44.

2, 3. Amagama athi, “Sathana,” “Develi,” “nyoka” nelithi, “nomrhaso” alihlathulula njani inabakazi lakaJehova?

² Kusukela ekuhlubukeni, uSathana bekasolo alinaba elikhulu lakaJehova, nenaba labantu imbala! Ukonakala kwakhe sikubona endleleni iBhayibheli emhlathulula ngayo. Elithi Sathana litjho “uMphikisi,” okutjho bona ingilozi le ngendlela ekuzonda ngayo ukubuswa nguZimu, ilwisana nakho ngawo woke amandla wayo. Okufunwa nguSathana nje, kubona  uJehova alahle itewu, anghale ukubusa kwakhe!

³ KusAmbulo 12:9, uSathana ubizwa ngoMtjoli namkha uDeveli okutjho “uMhlebi.” USathana wadelela uZimu ngokuthi unamanga. Amezwi athi, “inyoka endala” asikhumbuza okwenziwa nguSathana ngenyoka nekazakukhohlisa u-Eva. Kanti-ke nala athi, “unomrhaso omkhulu” asamhlathulula kuhle uSathana. Mumbi, unelaka, begodu ukhohlakele! Ufuna ukujamisa umnqopho kaJehova, arhayile nabantu bakaZimu.

4. Ngiyiphi indaba ezokutjhukwa sihlokwesi?

⁴ Kusemtarini bona uSathana ulwisana nokuthembeka kwethu. Ngikho iBhayibheli lisiyelelisa ngokuthi: “Zikhalimeni nihlale niqaphile; isitha senu uSathana utjhagala hlangana nani njengengwenyama ebhodlako, efuna ezomrhiribidela.” (1 Pitrosi 5:8) Ngalokho-ke, isihlokwesi sizokukhuluma ngamabanga amathathu wobuntu bakaSathana asiyelelisa malungana nokuzivikela enabakazini elikhohlakelekweli lakaJehova nabantu bakhe.

5, 6. (a) Khewusiphe iimbonelo ezimbili eziveza bona iingilozi ‘ziingorho ezinamandla.’ (b) Ngiziphi iindlela uSathana akghona ngazo ukubangela ukufa?

⁵ Iingilozi ‘ziingorho ezinamandla.’ (IRhubo 103:20) Zihlakaniphe khulu begodu zinamandla kunabantu. Iingilozi ezithembekileko ziwasebenzisela ukwenza okuhle amandlazo. Ngokwesibonelo, enye yeengilozi zakaJehova yabulala amanaba ayi-185 000 wamasotja wama-Asiriya. Umuntu nakayedwa bengekhe abulale ibutho loke lamasotja. (2 AmaKhosi 19:35) Ngesinye isikhathi, ingilozi yasebenzisa amandlayo bona itjhaphulule abapostoli bakaJesu ejele. Kwabhala ngitjho sele kunabonogada, kodwana akhange bayizwe ingilozi nayivula iminyango, yakhipha abapostoli, beyavala godu!—izEnzo 5:18-23

⁶ Iingilozi ezithembekileko njengombana ziwasebenzisela okuhle nje amandlazo, uSathana yena wakhe uwasebenzisela ukukhohlakala. Begodu nakumamandla wokuthonya abantu wona abuzwa kuye! IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ngaye limbiza ‘ngomphathi wephaseli’ ‘nozimu wesikhathesi.’ (Jwanisi 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4) USathana ‘unawo namandla wokufa.’ (Hebheru 2:14) Kodwana lokhu akutjho ukuthi ubulala boke abantu bunqopha. Yeke, kutjho ukuthini lokho? Kokuthoma, iphaseli lizele ihloyo nepi okuzizenzo zakaSathana. Kwesibili, u-Eva wakukholwa akutjelwa nguSathana, no-Adamu wabhalelwa kulalela uZimu. Ngikho bonile bafa nokufa. (Roma 5:12) Akurari ukuthi uJesu ambize ‘ngombulali.’ (Jwanisi 8:44) Kwamambala ulinaba eliyikakaramba!

7. Amadimoni akuveze njani ukuthi nawo aziingorho?

⁷ Nasilwisana noSathana, sisuke silwisana nabo boke labo abangehlangothini lakhe, abahlubukile ngakuZimu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa newomakazi leengilozi ezimahlubuka, ezaziwa ngamadimoni. (IsAmbulo 12:3, 4) Iingilozezi sezizigabisa ngamandlazo ebantwini ngokubadosisa  emhlweni. (Matewu 8:28-32; Markosi 5:1-5) Ungakhohlwa ukuthi amadimoni kunye nekakaramba yakhona ewadosa phambili, banamandla kangangani. (Matewu 9:34) Ngaphandle kwesizo elivela kuJehova bengekhe saphumelela ekulwisaneni noSathana!

8. (a) Uyini umnqopho kaSathana? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Kilokho esewukubonile, iphaseli likhohlakele kangangani nalimadaniswa noSathana?

⁸ Umpostoli uPitrosi wamadanisa uSathana ‘nengengwenyama ebhodlako.’ Enye incwadi nayihlathulula ibizo lesiGirigi elithi “bhodla,” ithi “navane ikunzi yesibanda ibhodla, vane ifile yindlala beyinelaka.” Lokhu kumfanekisela kuhle kwamambala uSathana nehliziywakhe embi yokukhohlakala! Akathokozi, iphaseli lilawulwa nguye kodwana lokho akumanelisi. USathana ufana nengwenyama emarhamaru ehlala irhalela nanyana ngimuphi ungazimbi odlulako. (1 Jwanisi 5:19) Abafuna khulu ngabazesiweko abasese sephasini, abakhambisana ‘nezinye izimvu.’ (Jwanisi 10:16; IsAmbulo 12:17) Akufunako nje kwaphela kutjhabalalisa abantu bakaJehova. Lokho sikubona endleleni atlhorise ngayo amaKrestu wamambala kusukela emihleni yabapostoli, ukuthi uSathana unehlizwembi.

9, 10. (a) USathana wasisahlela njani isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli? (Yitjho iimbonelo.) (b) Kubayini uSathana bekawalele nje ama-Israyeli wekadeni? (c) Ucabanga ukuthi uDeveli uzizwa njani lokha omunye weenceku zakaJehova nakenza isono esimabhombo namhlanjesi?

⁹ USathana uyiveza nangenye indlela ihliziyo yakhe embi. Ingwenyama  elambileko ayimrhawukeli ungazimbi wayo. Ngendlela enganambeko ngayo, imbulala maratha begodu ingazisoli nakancani ngokwenza lokho. NoSathana unjalo-ke, akanamsebenzi nokuthi ngubani amsahlelako. Ngokwesibonelo, ucabanga ukuthi bekazizwa njani nekabona ama-Israyeli awa qobe sikhathi, ngokwenza isono esinjengokuziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi nomrhobholo? Uyambona na ngelihlo lengqondo atlitlitheka uZimri ngokuziphatha kwakhe okusilapheleko, noGerhazi ngokuba nehliziyo ede?—Numeri 25:6-8, 14, 15; 2 AmaKhosi 5:20-27.

¹⁰ USathana bekanebanga elikhethekileko lokusahlela ama-Israyeli wekadeni. Khumbula phela ukuthi uMesiya bekazokuvela ekorweni leyo, okunguye ebekazokutshidlha uSathana, abonise nokuthi uJehova unelungelo lokubusa. (Genesisi 3:15) USathana bekafuna ama-Israyeli angamukeleki kuZimu, yeke bekenza koke angakwenza ukuthi awonakalise ngesono. Ungathomi-ke ucabange ukuthi uSathana wamrhawukela uDavida mhla ahlobongako. Ungacabangi nokuthi wamdabukela uMosi mhla alahlekelwa lithuba lokungena eNarheni yesiThembiso. Ekhabolakhona, uSathana uthaba aqethuke nakabona omunye wabantu bakaZimu enza isono esimabhombo. Lezo ngizo kanye iinkhali uDeveli azisebenzisela ukunyaza uJehova.—IzAga 27:11.

11. Khuyini okungenzeka yenza uSathana bekamfuna phasi phezulu uSara?

¹¹ Nakuyikoro yomndeni uMesiya ebekazokuvela kiyo, yona-ke uSathana bekayinyenya ukuyinyenya. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngokwenzeka mhla uJehova atjela u-Abrahamu bona uzokuba ‘sisizwe esikhulu.’ (Genesisi 12:1-3) Ngesikhathi u-Abrahamu noSara baseGibhide, uFaro wathatha uSara wafuna ukumenza umkakhe. Kodwana uJehova wamvikela uSara ebujamweni obubudisobo. (Funda uGenesisi 12:14-20.) Kwenzeka soneso neGerari ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwaka-Isaka. (Genesisi 20:1-7) Wena-ke nasewuqala izigezi, azikufaneli noSathana? Khumbula ukuthi uSara wasukela ipilo emthebelele e-Uri wayokuhlala ematendeni. Yeke, kghani uSathana bekathembe bona uzomlinga ngepilo ehle ebekazoyithola kuFaro namkha ku-Abhimeleki? Kghani uSathana bekacabanga bona uzakubulalisa ubabakwakhe noJehova ngehliziyo ngokuthi amendise kwenye yamakhosi lawo? IBhayibheli ayitjho litho, kodwana kuyacaca ukuthi uDeveli bekazokuthaba kangangani nangathana uSara ubhalelwe kukuba yikoro yomndeni kaMesiya. USathana bengekhe aze ezwe nobuhlungu ngokuthi umtjhado wekosikazi le, idumela layo kunye nobuhlobo bayo noJehova bonakale. Maye uSathana ukhohlakele kangangani!

12, 13. (a) USathana ukuveze njani ukuthi unehlizwembi ngemva kokubelethwa kwakaJesu? (b) Ucabanga ukuthi uSathana uzizwa njani ngabantwana abathanda uJehova abahlala balinga ukumlotjha esikhathini sanamhlanjesi?

¹² UJesu wabelethwa emakhulwini weminyaka ngemva kwaka-Abrahamu. Kodwana ungacabangi ukuthi kuSathana bekamqala njengesiputuputwana esihle somntwana, ngombana bekazi kuhle  ukuthi umntwana loyo nakakhulako uzokuba nguMesiya othenjisiweko. UJesu bekasizukulwana esiyihloko esivela ku-Abrahamu, begodu bekazokugiriza “imisebenzi kaSathana.” (1 Jwanisi 3:8) Kghani uSathana lo bekangalilisa isanelo angalibulali ngoba alirhawukela? Bengekhe! USathana akanandaba nokuthi akwenzako kuhle namkha kumbi. Ngikho ayisikimela msinyana indaba yokubulala isana elinguJesu. Wakwenza njani lokho?

¹³ Ngesikhathi iKosi iHerode izwa ngezazi bona ‘ikosi yamaJuda’ izelwe, wakwata wadlhabhaza, wazingela umntwana lo, atjho ukumcima! (Matewu 2:1-3, 13) Yeke walayela bona kubulawe boke abesanyana abaneminyaka emibili nangaphasi eBhetlehema neendaweni ezakhelene nayo. (Funda uMatewu 2:13-18.) UJesu wasinda ekubulawenokho, kodwana lokhu kusitjelani ngenaba lethweli elinguSathana? KuDeveli ipilo yomuntu ayitjho litho. Nanyana sekuthiwa umntwana, uSathana akumthinti nakancani lokho, ngikho kuthiwa ‘yingwenyama ebhodlako.’ Ungathomi-ke ulibale bona umswa lo unehlizwembi kangangani!

14, 15. USathana ‘uyifiphaze njani imikhumbulo yabangakholwako’?

¹⁴ Okukuphela kwendlela uSathana angaphambukisa ngayo abantu kuJehova, uZimu wethando, kukuthi abakhohlise. (1 Jwanisi 4:8) USathana uphethe ukhohlisana nabantu ukuthi bangayingeni yokutlhogomela ubuhlobo babo noZimu. (Matewu 5:3) UDeveli “ufiphaze imikhumbulo yabangakholwako,” khona bangazukulilemuka iqiniso ngoJehova.—2 Korinte 4:4.

¹⁵ Enye yeendlela zakaSathana adurhisa ngazo abantu, yikolo yamala. Uyazi ukuthi uJehova ‘unesikhwele’ sokuthi kulotjhwe yena yedwa. (Eksodusi 20:5) Yeke, mqale ukuthi uthaba kangangani navane abona abantu balotjha abezimu namkha indalo, namkha iinlwana, namkha balotjha nanyana ngiyiphi into ngaphandle kwakaJehova. Okudabukisako kukuthi nalabo abacabanga ukuthi ikolo yabo iyamukeleka kuZimu, kutholakala ukuthi ikolo leyo ikhamba iqarha neenkolelo zamala namasiko angatjho litho. Ama-Israyeli wemihleni ka-Isaya bekanjalo nawo. UJehova wababuza ukuthi: “Nilinganiselani isiliva ngalokho okungasi sisikwa nomjulukwenu kokunganelisiko na? Naningilalelisisako nizakubetha esimonyongwana, umphimbenu uzakwenama ngamanoni.”—Isaya 55:2.

16, 17. (a) Kubayini uJesu athi kuPitrosi: “Suka kimapha, Sathana ndina”? (b) USathana angasikhohlisa njani ukuthi silise ukuhlala siphapheme?

¹⁶ USathana nasezimsuke kuhle angazinyakazisa neenceku zakaJehova ezitjhisekako. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngokwenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu atjela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uzokubulawa kungasikade. Umpostoli uPitrosi ebekathanda uJesu wathi: “Sengathi uZimu angaba nomusa Kosi, koke lokho kungenzeki kuwe!” UJesu wathi kuPitrosi: “Suka  kimapha, Sathana ndina!” (Matewu 16:22, 23) Kubayini uJesu abiza uPitrosi ‘ngoSathana’? Kungombana uJesu bekakwazi kuhle ebekuzokwenzeka. Bekazokufa njengomhlatjelo wesihlengo ebewuzokuveza ukuthi uDeveli mleyimala. Lesi bekusikhathi esimasikizi emlandweni wokuphila kwabantu, ingasi isikhathi sokuthi uJesu azincanekele. USathana bekangathaba abhembese nangathana uJesu khewazikhohlwa endabeni yokuhlala aphapheme.

¹⁷ Isiphelo sephaseli sisemnyango, okutjho ukuthi siphila esikhathini esimaphorodlha. USathana ufuna sizincanekele ngokuthi sibe majadu ngepumelelo ephasineli. Ufuna sizikhohlwe ukuthi siphila emihleni yokuphela, sikhohlwe nangokuhlala siphapheme. Ungakuvumeli lokho kwenzeke kuwe! Kunalokho, ‘hlala ulindile.’ (Matewu 24:42) Ungathomi umkholwe uSathana nakakukhohlisa ngokuthi isiphelo sisesekude, namkha athi ayikho into enjalo yokuthi batjho kuzokuba nesiphelo!

18, 19. (a) USathana angalinga njani ukusidlala asenze sicabange ukuthi ithando lakaJehova alikasifaneli? (b) UJehova usisiza njani sihlale siphapheme?

¹⁸ USathana ulinga ukusidlala nangenye indlela. Ufuna sikholelwe ekutheni ithando lakaJehova alikasifaneli, nokuthi uZimu angekhe azilibalela nangelanga lomhlolo izono zethu. Khewuthi uyezwa ukuthi lawo mamanga angangani! Iqale kuhle indaba le, kuhlekuhle ngubani ongakafanelwa lithando lakaJehova? NguSathana iqobo lakhe. Ngubani ongekhe alitjalelwe nguZimu? Nguye uSathana. Kodwana kithi, iBhayibheli lithi: “UZimu akasuye ongakalungi, angekhe alibale umsebenzi eniwubonakalisileko ngebanga lakhe.” (Hebheru 6:10) UJehova uthokoziswa ngikho koke esikwenzela idumo lakhe, nekonzwethu kuye ayisimdlalo. (Funda 1 Korinte 15:58.) Ungamvumeli-ke uSathana adlale ngawe.

¹⁹ Sesibonile-ke ukuthi uSathana yikakaramba enehlizwembi nekhohlisako. Yeke, singasihlula njani-ke isibhidlamnyanya esikhohlakelekwesi? Sisizwa nguJehova. IliZwi lakhe lisifundisa ngamano kaSathana, khona ‘singazowalalisela amehlo amaqhingakhe.’ (2 Korinte 2:11) Nasesizilemuka kuhle iindlela uSathana asizingela ngazo, kuba bulula kuhlala siphapheme. Kodwana ukwazi amaqhingakhe kwaphela akukaneli. IBhayibheli lithi: “Nijamelane noSathana, uzanibalekela.” (Jakopo 4:7) Esihlokweni esilandelako kuzokucocwa ngeendlela ezintathu esingalwisana ngazo noSathana simbethe phasi.