1. Khuyini eyavimbela umndeni ka-Adamu no-Efa ukungena esimini ye-Edeni, begodu khuyini u-Abela ebekayifuna ukudlula yoke into?

 U-ABELA uqale umhlambakhe wezimvu njengombana udla ngokuthula eqadi kombundu. Ngalokho, mhlamunye waqala ngale kwezimvu zakhe ukubona lapho egade angakwazi ukubona khona umkhanywana. Gade azi bona khonapho gade kunesabula ephenduphendukako evutha amalangabu, beyisolo iphenduphenduka, ivimbe indlela eya esimini ye-Edeni. Ababelethi bakhe bebahlala lapho, kodwana okwanje bekungasekho phakathi kwabo nanyana abantwababo ogade angangena lapho. Cabanga ngomoyana wantambama uphephula iinhluthu zaka-Abela njengombana aqale phezulu begodu acabanga ngomBumbakhe. Isikhala esiphakathi komuntu noZimu singakwazi ukuvaleka na? Ngilokho kanye u-Abela egade akufuna.

2-4. U-Abela ukhuluma njani nathi namhlanje?

² U-Abela ukhuluma nawe namhlanje. Uyamuzwa? Ungathi into enjalo angekhe yenzeke. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, indodana ka-Adamu yesibili le yahlongakala esikhathini eside esadlulako. Amathambayo aphela kade, ahlangana nehlabathi yeminyaka epheze ibe ma-6 000. Malungana nabahlongakeleko, iBhayibhili isifundisa bona: “Abazi litho.” (Mtj. 9:5, 10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Abela akhenge atjho nelilodwa ilizwi elitlolwe eBhayibhilini. Manje-ke angakhuluma njani nathi?

³ Umpostoli uPowula waphefumulelwa bona atjho lokhu ngo-Abela: ‘Nanyana aselafa, ikholo lakhe lisakhuluma.’ (Funda amaHebheru 11:4.) U-Abela ukhuluma njani? Ngekholo. U-Abela mumuntu wokuthoma owaba nefanelo etjhukumisako le. Ngalokho, ngamandla watjengisa ikholo lakhe kangangobana isibonelo sakhe siyaphila begodu yifanelo esingayilandela namhlanje. Nengabe sifunda ekholweni lakhe begodu sifuna ukulilingisa, isibonelo saka-Abela sikhuluma nathi ngendlela ezwakalako nesebenzako.

⁴ Ngalokho-ke, khuyini esingayifunda ngo-Abela nekholo lakhe njengombana kukuncani kangaka okutjhiwo ngaye eBhayibhilini? Akhe sibone.

5. Bekatjho ukuthini uJesu nekahlanganisa u-Abela “nesikhathi okwabunjwa ngaso iphasi”? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

⁵ U-Abela wabelethwa ingasi isikhathi eside ngemva kokubunjwa kwabantu bokuthoma. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJesu wabandakanya u-Abela “nesikhathi okwabunjwa ngaso iphasi.” (Funda uLuka 11:50, 51.) Ngokukhanyako, uJesu utjho iphasi labantu abanethemba lokuphuluswa esonweni. Nanyana u-Abela bekamumuntu wesine owaba khona, kubonakala kwanga waba ngewokuthoma uZimu ambona afanelwe kuphuluswa. a Ngokukhanyako, u-Abela akhenge akhulele hlangana nabantu abanomthelela omuhle.

6. U-Abela bekanababelethi abanjani?

⁶ Nanyana bekungasi sikhathi eside abantu bakhona, besele kufuze baqalane namatlhuwo. Ababelethi baka-Abela, u-Adamu no-Efa, bekubabantu abahle khulu nabanamandla. Kodwana benza umtjhapho omkhulu ekuphileni kwabo, begodu bebakwazi lokho. Bakhe baba babantu abanganasono, banethemba lokuphila okungapheliko. Ngalokho bahlubuka kuJehova uZimu begodu baqothwa ekhaya labo eliyiParadeyisi, isimu ye-Edeni. Ngokubeka iimfiso zabo ngaphambi kwayo yoke into—ngitjho nangaphambi kweentlhogo zesizukulwana sabo—balahlekelwa kuphelela nokuphila okungapheliko.—Gen. 2:15–3:24.

7, 8. U-Efa wathini nekubelethwa uKayini, begodu khuyini okungenzeka bekayicabanga?

⁷ Baragelwe ngaphandle kwesimu, u-Adamu no-Efa bafumana  ukuphila kwabo kubudisi khulu. Nokho, nekubelethwa izibulo labo, balithiya ibizo lakaKayini, namtjhana “Into Evelileko,” begodu u-Efa wamemezela: “Ngifumene indoda ngesizo lakaJehova.” Amezwakhe alinganisa bona kungenzeka bonyana engqondweni bekanesithembiso uJehova asenza esimini nekabikezela bona umfazi othileko bekazokuveza “imbewu” leyo okuzokuthi langelinye itjhabalalise omumbi owadukisa u-Adamu no-Efa. (Gen. 3:15; 4:1) Kghani u-Efa wacabanga bona bekamfazi wesiporofido begodu uKayini ‘ayimbewu’ ethenjisiweko?

⁸ Nengabe bekacabanga njalo, bekabethe phasi. Okumbi khulu, nengabe yena no-Adamu batjala intweleyo kuKayini njengombana akhula, akhenge bamsize ngalitho ekuziphakamiseni kwakhe njengomuntu onesono. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, u-Efa waba nendodana yesibili, kodwana asifumani mathemba aphezulu kangako ngayo. Bayithiya ibizo laka-Abela, okungenzeka litjho “Umoya,” namtjhana “Ilize.” (Gen. 4:2) Inga-kghani ukukhetha kwabo ibizweli bekutjengisa bona bebangakalindeli okukhulu kuye, kwangathi bebanethemba elincani ku-Abela kunakuKayini? Kungenzeka, kodwana asiqiniseki.

9. Khuyini ababelethi namhlanje abangayifunda ebabelethini bethu bokuthoma?

⁹ Ababelethi namhlanje bangafunda okunengi ebabelethini bokuthomaba. Ngamezwakho nangezenzo, uzokurhagalisa ukuzikhakhazisa kwabantwabakho, amathembabo nokuba marhamaru? Namtjhana uzobafundisa ukuthanda uJehova uZimu nokufuna ubungani naye? Ngokudanisako, ababelethi bokuthoma babhalelwa ukwenza njalo. Nokho, bekunethemba ngesizukulwana sabo.

10, 11. Bewuyini umsebenzi kaKayini no-Abela, begodu u-Abela wahlawulela yiphi ifanelo?

¹⁰ Njengombana abasana ababilaba bakhula, kungenzeka u-Adamu wababandula emsebenzini obekufuze wenziwe ukutlhogomela umndeni. UKayini waba mlimi; u-Abela waba ngumalusi.

¹¹ Nokho, u-Abela wenza into eqakatheke khulu. Njengombana iminyaka ikhamba, wakha ikholo, ifanelo ehle uPowula ngokukhamba kwesikhathi abhala ngayo. Cabanga ngalokho! U-Abela gade anganaso isibonelo esimumuntu angasilandela. Alo-ke walithuthukisa njani ikholo lakhe kuJehova uZimu? Cabangela iinsekelo eentathu okungenzeka ikholo lakhe belisekelwe kizo.

12, 13. Ukuqala indalo kaJehova kungenzeka kwamsiza njani u-Abela bona akhule ekholweni?

¹² Indalo kaJehova. Liqiniso, uJehova wathuwelelisa iphasi, walibangela bona liveze ameva neenkunzana ezizokuliya iintjalo. Nanyana kunjalo, iphasi belizokuveza ukudla okuzokuphilisa umndeni ka-Abela. Begodu iinlwana bezingakathuweleliswa, kubandakanya iinyoni, iimfesi; iintaba, ilitsha, imilambo, ilwandle; isibhakabhaka, amafu,  ilanga, inyanga neenkwekwezi. Koke lapho u-Abela egade aqala khona, wabona ubufakazi bethando lamambala, ukuhlakanipha, nobuhle bakaJehova uZimu, loyo obumbe zoke izinto. (Funda amaRoma 1:20.) Ukuzindlisisa ngezinto ezinjalo kwaqinisa ikholo laka-Abela.

¹³ Ngokuqinisekileko u-Abela wathatha isikhathi acabanga ngezinto ezingokomoya. Mcabange alusa umhlambakhe. Ukuphila komalusi kubandakanya ukukhamba khulu. Wasa iindalwa ezithobekilekwezi emibundwini, eenkhisini, ngaphetjheya kwemilambo—asolo afuna utjani obuhlaza, imithombo yokusela engcono, nendawo yokuphumula enomthunzi omuhle. Kiyo yoke indalo kaZimu, izimvu zibonakala zibuthakathaka, kwanga zifuna umuntu ozozinqophisa nozozivikela. U-Abela bekabona na bonyana naye utlhoga isinqophiso, isivikelo, nokutlhogonyelwa Mumuntu ohlakaniphileko nonamandla kunanyana ngimuphi omunye umuntu? Akunakuzaza bona waveza imicabango eminengi enjalo emthandazweni, ngalokho ikholo lakhe laragela phambili likhula.

14, 15. Iinthembiso zakaJehova zamsiza njani u-Abela bona abe nezinto ezinengi angazindla ngazo?

¹⁴ Iinthembiso zakaJehova. U-Adamu no-Efa kungenzeka bacocela amadodanabo ngezenzakalo zesimini ye-Edeni ezababangela ukuqothwa. Ngalokho, u-Abela gade anokunengi angazindla ngakho.

¹⁵ UJehova wathi ihlabathi izokuthuweleliswa. U-Abela gade awabona kuhle ameva neenkunzana ezizalisa amezwi layo. Godu uJehova wathi u-Efa bekazokuzwa ubuhlungu nekasidisi nalokha nekabelethako. Njengombana kubelethwa abantwana bakwabo laka-Abela, akunakuzaza bona wabona ukuzaliseka kwamezwi la godu. UJehova wabona bonyana u-Efa bekazokufuna ithando nokunakwa kwendodakwakhe ngendlela edluleleko, kodwana ngakelinye ihlangothi u-Adamu bekazombusa. U-Abela wakubona ngamehlwakhe lokho. Kizo zoke iintwezi, u-Abela wabona bonyana ilizwi lakaJehova lithembeke ngokupheleleko. Ngalokho, u-Abela bekanebanga elinamandla lokuba nekholo eenthembisweni zakaZimu malungana “nembewu” langelinye ezokulungisa umtjhapho owathoma e-Edeni.—Gen. 3:15-19.

16, 17. Khuyini okungenzeka u-Abela wayifunda emakherubhini kaJehova?

 ¹⁶ Iinceku zakaJehova. U-Abela akhenge afumane nesisodwa isibonelo esihle emndenini wesintu, kodwana abantu bekungasi kuphela kweembunjwa ezihlakaniphileko ephasini ngesikhatheso. U-Adamu no-Efa nebaqothwa esimini, uJehova waqiniseka bona akekho hlangana nabo nanyana inzalo yabo ozokwazi ukungena eParadeyisini elisephasinelo. Bona avimbe indawo yokungena, uJehova wabeka amakherubhi—iingilozi ezisebujamweni obuphakeme khulu—ziphethe isabula ephenduphendukako nevutha amalangabu.—Funda uGenesisi 3:24.

¹⁷ Akhe ucabange bonyana bekunjani ku-Abela ukubona amakherubhi la asesemsanyana. Ambethe umzimba wenyama, ukubonakala kwawo ngokuqinisekileko bekubonisa amandla amakhulu. Begodu “isabula” esolo ivutha amalangabu, isolo iphenduphenduka, nayo yamrara khulu. Njengombana u-Abela akhula, ukhe wabona amakherubhi la adinekile na begodu atjhiya izabelo zawo? Awa. Imini nobusuku, qobe mnyaka, ngemva kwamakhulu weminyaka, iimbunjwa ezihlakaniphilekwezo nezinamandla zahlala ezabelweni zazo. U-Abela wabona bonyana uJehova uZimu uneenceku ezilungileko nezinzinzileko. Emakherubhini layo, u-Abela wabona ukuthembeka nokulalela uJehova angazange akubone emndeninakhe. Ngokunganakuzaza isibonelo seengilozesi saqinisa ikholo lakhe.

18. Singalisekelaphi ikholo lethu namhlanje?

¹⁸ Ukuzindla ngakho koke uJehova akumbulileko ngaye ngendalo yakhe, iinthembiso nesibonelo seenceku Zakhe eziziingilozi, u-Abela wabona bonyana ikholo lakhe likhula ngamandla. Isibonelo sakhe sikhuluma nathi, kghani akusinjalo? Abantu abatjha ngokukhethekileko  bangakufumana kuqinisekisa ukwazi bona bangakha ikholo kuJehova uZimu, kunganandaba bona amalunga womndenabo enzani. Ngabo boke ubuhle bendalo obusibhodileko begodu nangeBhayibhili, kuhlanganise neembonelo ezinengi zabantu bekholo, banamabanga azwakalako wokwakha ikholo namhlanje.

19. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngiliphi ikholo elinamandla u-Abela aba nalo?

¹⁹ Njengombana ikholo laka-Abela kuJehova likhula, wafuna indlela yokubonisa ikholwelo ngezenzo. Nokho, khuyini umuntu ofana nathi angayenzela umBumbi wezulu nephasi? Ngokukhanyako uZimu akatlhogi sipho namtjhana isizo ebantwini. Ngesikhatheso, u-Abela wezwisisa iqiniso elinamandleli: Nengabe—ngomnqopho omuhle—wanikela kuJehova ngokungcono khulu kwalokho anakho, uYise wezulwini onethando bekazokuthaba.

20, 21. Ngiwuphi umhlatjelo owenziwa nguKayini no-Abela kuJehova, begodu uJehova wasabela njani?

²⁰ U-Abela walungiselela ukunikela ngemvu emhlambinakhe. Wakhetha ehle kunazo zoke, izibulo, wanikela ngalokho ebekacabanga bona zizitho ezihle khulu. Kungilapho uKayini naye afuna isibusiso nokwamukelwa nguZimu, walungiselela umhlatjelo eentjalweni zakhe. Kodwana iinsusa zakhe bezingafani nezaka-Abela. Umehluko waba sepepeneneni lokha abantwana bomuntwaba banikela ngemihlatjelo yabo.

²¹ Womabili amadodana ka-Adamu la kungenzeka asebenzisa ama-aldare nomlilo ukwenza umhlatjelwawo, mhlamunye phambi kwamakherubhi, ebekungiwo kwaphela iimbunjwa eziphilako ebezijamele uJehova ephasini ngesikhatheso. UJehova waphendula! Siyafunda: “UJehova wamamukela ngomusa u-Abela nomhlatjelwakhe.” (Gen. 4:4) Bona uZimu wawubonisa njani umusakhe, iBhayibhili ayitjho.

22, 23. Ngiliphi ibanga elenza uJehova wakhetha umhlatjelo ka-Abela?

²² Kodwana kubayini uZimu amukela u-Abela? Kungebanga lomhlatjelo ngokwawo? U-Abela wanikela ngesibunjwa esiphilako nesiphefumulako, waphalaza iingazi zaso eziligugu. U-Abela watjheja na bona umhlatjelo loyo uqakatheke kangangani? Amakhulu weminyaka ngemva kwesikhathi saka-Abela, uZimu wasebenzisa umhlatjelo wemvana enganabala ukutjengisa umhlatjelo weNdodanakhe opheleleko, “iMvana kaZimu,” iingazi zayo ezinganamlandu ezizokuphalaka. (Jwa. 1:29; Eks. 12:5-7) Nokho, u-Abela kungenzeka bekukuncani akwaziko namtjhana akuzwisisako ngalokhu.

²³ Esikwaziko ngilokhu: U-Abela wanikela ngokungcono khulu kwegade anakho. UJehova wawuqala ngomusa, ingasi umhlatjelo kwaphela, kodwana umuntu ngokwakhe. Atjhukunyiswe lithando ngoJehova begodu anekholo lamambala kuye, u-Abela wenza umhlatjelo.

24. (a) Kubayini singathi umhlatjelo kaKayini bewunganaphoso wona ngokwawo? (b) Kungayiphi indlela uKayini egade afana ngayo nabanengi esikhathini sanamhlanje?

 ²⁴ Wenza into ehlukileko ngoKayini. UJehova “akhenge amamukele uKayini nomhlatjelwakhe.” (Gen. 4:5) Bekungasikho ukuthi umhlatjelo kaKayini bewunephoso ngokwawo; umThetho kaZimu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wavumela ukunikela ngeentjalo. (Lef. 6:14, 15) Kodwana iBhayibhili ithi ngoKayini, “izinto egade azenza bezizimbi.” (Funda 1 uJwanisi 3:12.) Njengabantu abanengi namhlanje, kuyakhanya bona uKayini bekacabanga ukuthi ukubonisa ikholo ngaphandle kwaphela kwanele. Ukutlhoga kwakhe ikholo lamambala nethando ngoJehova msinyana kwabonakala ngezenzo zakhe.

25, 26. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso uJehova asinikela uKayini, nokho, uKayini wenzani?

²⁵ UKayini nekabona bonyana uJehova akamamukeli, wafuna na ukufunda esibonelweni saka-Abela? Awa, azange. Wabambela umfowabo ivunda. UJehova wakubona ebekwenzeka ehliziyweni kaKayini begodu ngesineke wabonisana naye. Wayelelisa uKayini ngokobana isenzo sakhe sizombangela isono esikhulu, begodu Wathembisa “ukumphakamisa” nengabe uyatjhuguluka.—Gen. 4:6, 7.

²⁶ UKayini akhenge asinake isiyeleliso sakaZimu. Kunalokho wathi umfowabo omncani omthembako akhambe naye esimini. Lapho uKayini wasahlela u-Abela wambulala. (Gen. 4:8) Ngendlela leyo, u-Abela waba ngungazimbi wokuthoma ukutlhoriselwa, nokubulawelwa ikholo. Bekafile, kodwana indabakhe beyisesekude nokuphela.

27. (a) Kubayini singaqiniseka bona u-Abela uzokuvuswa? (b) Singaqiniseka njani bona sizakuhlangana no-Abela langelinye?

²⁷ Ngokomfanekiso, iingazi zaka-Abela bezililela ukubuyiselelwa nguJehova uZimu, namtjhana bona enze ubulungiswa. Begodu uZimu waqinisekisa bona ubulungiswa buyenziwa, wajezisa uKayini ngobumbi abenzako. (Gen. 4:9-12) Okuqakatheke khulu, umlando wekholo laka-Abela ukhuluma nathi namhlanje. Koke ukuphila kwakhe—mhlamunye okwathatha ikhulu leminyaka—bekukufitjhani nekumadaniswa nokwabantu ebebaphila ngesikhatheso, kodwana u-Abela waphila ngendlela ethabisa uZimu. Wafa azi bona uthandwa begodu wamukelwa nguYise wezulwini, uJehova. (Heb. 11:4) Ngalokho singaqiniseka bona ulondekile emkhumbulweni kaJehova onganamkhawulo, ulindele ukuvuselwa ekuphileni eparadeyisini ephasini. (Jwa. 5:28, 29) Uzokuhlangana naye lapho? Ungakwazi nengabe uzimisele ukulalela njengombana u-Abela akhuluma begodu ulingisa nekholo lakhe eliveleleko.