1. Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba?

INJONGO kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba inhle kakhulu. UJehova ufuna ukuthi umhlaba ugcwale abantu abalentokozo lempilakahle. IBhayibhili lithi ‘uJehova uNkulunkulu wayelungise isivande e-Edeni’ futhi ‘wenza yonke imihlobo yezihlahla ukuthi zikhule, izihlahla ezazibukeka emehlweni njalo zinhle ekudleni.’ UNkulunkulu esedale u-Adamu lo-Eva, indoda lowesifazana bokuqala, wabafaka kulelokhaya elihle, wasesithi kubo: “Zalani lande ngobunengi; wugcwaliseni umhlaba, liwubuse.” (UGenesisi 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuthi abantu babe labantwana, baqhelise isivande sabo baze bagcwale umhlaba wonke njalo banakekele lezinyamazana.

2. (a) Sikwazi njani ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba izagcwaliseka? (b) IBhayibhili lithi ngabantu abanjani abazaphila kuze kube nini lanini?

² Ubona angathi injongo kaJehova uNkulunkulu yokuthi abantu bahlale emhlabeni olipharadayisi izagcwaliseka yini? UNkulunkulu uthi, “Lokho engikutshiloyo ngizakwenza.” (U-Isaya 46:9-11; 55:11) Lokho uNkulunkulu ayabe ekujongile uyakwenza loba sekutheni! Uthi umhlaba “kawudalanga ukuba ungabi lalutho, kodwa wawenza ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo.” (U-Isaya 45:18) UNkulunkulu wayefuna  ukuthi kuhlale abantu abanjani emhlabeni? Wayefuna lokuthi bahlale okwesikhathi esingakanani emhlabeni? IBhayibhili liyaphendula: “Abalungileyo bazazuza ilifa lelizwe bahlale kulo lanini.”​—IHubo 37:29; ISambulo 21:3, 4.

3. Yiziphi izimo ezidanisayo ezikhona emhlabeni lamuhla, njalo lokhu kwenza kube layiphi imibuzo?

³ Kusegcekeni ukuthi lokhu akukenzakali. Abantu bayagula njalo bayafa; bayalwa njalo bayabulalana. Kukhona okwaphambanisekayo. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi uNkulunkulu wayengajonganga ukuthi umhlaba ube yilokhu oyikho khona lamuhla! Kwenzakalani? Kungani injongo kaNkulunkulu ingakagcwaliseki? Akulabhuku lembali elibhalwe ngabantu elingasitshela ngoba umonakalo waqalisela ezulwini.

4, 5. (a) Ngubani owakhuluma lo-Eva esebenzisa inyoka? (b) Umuntu obeziphethe kuhle njalo ethembekile angantshintsha njani abe lisela?

⁴ Ibhuku leBhayibhili lokuqala lisitshela ngomphikisi kaNkulunkulu owabonakala esivandeni sase-Edeni. Uchazwa ngokuthi ‘yinyoka’ kodwa wayengasinyamazana nje. Ibhuku lokucina leBhayibhili limbiza ngokuthi “ngoMubi loba uSathane, odukisa umhlaba wonke.” Uphinda abizwe ngokuthi ‘yinyoka endala.’ (UGenesisi 3:1; ISambulo 12:9) Ingilosi le elamandla, kumbe isidalwa somoya lesi esingabonakaliyo sasebenzisa inyoka ukuze sikhulume lo-Eva, njengoba nje umuntu olobuciko engenza kukhanye angathi ngudoli okhulumayo kodwa khona kungumuntu okhulumayo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi leso sidalwa somoya sasikhona ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu elungisela abantu umhlaba.​—UJobe 38:4, 7.

⁵ Njengoba konke okwadalwa nguJehova kuphelele, ngubani owenza “uSathane”? Ngamazwi alula nje, enye yamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya elamandla yazintshintsha yaba nguSathane. Lokhu kwenzakala njani? Kumele sinanzelele  ukuthi lamuhla, umuntu obeziphethe kuhle njalo ethembekile angantshintsha abe lisela. Lokhu kungenzakala njani? Umuntu lo angavumela ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe ifise okubi. Nxa angaqhubeka ecabanga ngakho, isifiso leso singakhula kakhulu. Nxa angathola ithuba, angahle enze lobobubi abelokhu ecabanga ngabo.—Bala uJakhobe 1:13-15.

6. Indodana kaNkulunkulu yomoya elamandla yantshintsha njani yaba nguSathane uDeveli?

⁶ Lokhu kwenzakala kuSathane. Kukhanya angathi wezwa uNkulunkulu etshela u-Adamu lo-Eva ukuthi bazale bande, bagcwalise umhlaba wonke ngabantwababo. (UGenesisi 1:27, 28) Kungenzakala ukuthi wacabanga wathi: ‘Abantu bonke laba bangakhonza mina kulokuthi bakhonze uNkulunkulu!’ Lokhu kwenza waba lesifiso esibi enhliziyweni yakhe. Ekucineni, wathatha inyathelo, waqila u-Eva ngokumtshela amanga ngoNkulunkulu. (Bala uGenesisi 3:1-5.) Ngakho waba “nguMnyundeli” okutshiwo libala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “Develi.” Waphinda futhi waba “nguMphikisi” okutshiwo libala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “Sathane.”

7. (a) Kungani u-Adamu lo-Eva bafa? (b) Kungani yonke inzalo ka-Adamu iguga futhi isifa?

⁷ USathane wasebenzisa amanga lobuqili ukuze enze u-Adamu lo-Eva bangalaleli uNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 2:17; 3:6) Isiphetho sabo saba yikufa, njengoba nje uNkulunkulu wayethe bazakufa nxa bengasalalelanga. (UGenesisi 3:17-19) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Adamu waba lesono lapho ekhetha ukungalaleli uNkulunkulu, abantwabakhe bonke baba lesono. (Bala uRoma 5:12.) Lokhu singakufanisa lepani yokuphekela isinkwa. Nxa ipani yakhona ifotokile, kwenzakalani ezinkweni eziphekelwa epanini leyo? Zonke ziphuma zifotokile kumbe zilalapho eziphambaniseke khona. Njengezinkwa eziphuma zifotokile, wonke umuntu uthole isono esivela ku-Adamu. Lokhu yikho okwenza abantu bonke baguge futhi bafe.​—KwabaseRoma 3:23.

8, 9. (a) Yikuphi ukuphikisa okusegcekeni okwenziwa nguSathane? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu engazange ahle ababulale abahlamuki laba?

 ⁸ USathane nguye owabangela ukuhlamuka lapho esenza ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva bangalaleli uNkulunkulu. Wayephikisa ukubusa kukaJehova. Kufanana lokuthi uSathane wayesithi: ‘UNkulunkulu ungumbusi omubi. Ukhuluma amanga njalo  uncitsha izidalwa zakhe izinto ezinhle. Abantu abadingi ukubuswa nguNkulunkulu. Bangazikhethela bona okulungileyo lokungalunganga. Kuzabahambela kuhle bengabuswa yimi.’ UNkulunkulu wayezakwenza njani ngokuphikiswa lokhu okutshengisa indelelo? Abanye bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu kwakumele ahle ababulale abahlamuki labo. Kodwa lokho kwakuzaphendula yini ukuphikisa kukaSathane? Kwakuzatshengisa yini ukuthi ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kulungile?

⁹ Ukulunga kukaJehova okupheleleyo akumvumelanga ukuthi ahle abhubhise abahlamuki laba. Wanquma ukuthi kwakudingeka isikhathi ukuze ukuphikisa kukaSathane kuphenduleke ngendlela esuthisayo njalo kukhanye ukuthi uDeveli ulamanga. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wanquma ukuthi uzavumela abantu bazibuse okwesikhathi esithile bengaphansi kukaSathane. ESahlukweni 11 sizakhuluma ngokuthi kungani uJehova wenza njalo lokuthi kungani evumele ukuthi kudlule isikhathi eside kangaka engakakulungisi konke lokhu. Kodwa okwakhathesi kuhle ukuthi sicabange ngalokhu: U-Adamu lo-Eva babeqondile yini ngokuthi bakholwe uSathane owayengakaze abenzele lutho oluhle? Kwakuqondile yini ukuthi bakholwe ukuthi uJehova ulamanga njalo ulolunya yena kunguye owayebanike konke ababelakho? Kunguwe wawuzakwenza njani?

10. Ungamsekela njani uJehova ekuphenduleni ukuphikisa kukaSathane?

¹⁰ Kuhle ukuthi sizibuze imibuzo le ngoba lamuhla ngamunye wethu uhlangana lezimo ezihambelana lalokho. Kuliqiniso ukuthi lawe ulethuba lokusekela uJehova ekuphenduleni ukuphikisa kukaSathane. Ungancedisa ekutshengiseni ukuthi uSathane ulamanga ngokukhetha ukubuswa nguJehova. (IHubo 73:28; bala iZaga 27:11.) Kuyadanisa ukuthi emhlabeni olamabhiliyoni abantu, ngabalutshwana kuphela abakhetha ukusekela uJehova. Lokhu kwenza kube lombuzo oqakathekileyo othi, IBhayibhili liyakufundisa yini ukuthi uSathane nguye obusa umhlaba?

11, 12. (a) Ukulingwa kukaJesu kutshengisa njani ukuthi uSathane ungumbusi womhlaba lo? (b) Kuyini okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uSathane ungumbusi womhlaba lo?

¹¹ UJesu kazange athandabuze ukuthi uSathane nguye obusa umhlaba lo. USathane wake watshengisa uJesu “yonke imibuso yomhlaba lobukhazikhazi bayo” ngendlela eyisimangaliso. USathane wasethembisa uJesu wathi: “Ngizakunika konke lokhu aluba nje ungakhothama ungikhonze.” (UMathewu 4:8, 9; ULukha 4:5, 6) Cabanga ngalokhu: Aluba uSathane wayengayisuye obusa leyo mibuso, lokhu kwakuzakuba yisilingo kuJesu yini? UJesu kazange aphike ukuthi ohulumende bonke laba abasemhlabeni ngabakaSathane. Iqiniso yikuthi uJesu wayezahle aphike aluba uSathane wayengayisuye umnikazi wabohulumende labo.

¹² Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu uSomandla, uMdali wazo zonke izinto. (ISambulo 4:11) Kodwa akulandawo eBhayibhilini lapho okubhalwe khona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu loba uJesu Khristu ungumbusi womhlaba lo. Okukhona yilokho okwatshiwo nguJesu ukuthi uSathane ‘ngumbusi womhlaba lo.’ (UJohane 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) IBhayibhili libiza uSathane ngokuthi “unkulunkulu walesisikhathi.” (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:3, 4) Umphostoli ongumKhristu uJohane wabhala mayelana lomphikisi lo, obizwa langokuthi nguSathane wathi: “Umhlaba wonke ungaphansi kwamandla omubi.”​—1 UJohane 5:19.

13. Kungani sidinga umhlaba omutsha?

¹³ Umnyaka ngamunye, umhlaba uqhubeka usiba yindawo eyesabekayo kakhulu. Ugcwele amabutho alwisanayo, abezombusazwe abangathembekanga, abakhokheli benkolo abalobuzenzisi kanye lezigebenga ezilesihluku. Abantu abasemhlabeni kabasalungiseki. IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi isikhathi sesiseduze lapho uNkulunkulu azasusa khona umhlaba lo omubi empini yakhe i-Amagedoni. Ngemva kwalokho kuzakuba  lomhlaba omutsha ozabe ulokulunga.​—ISambulo 16:14-16.

14. UNkulunkulu ukhethe bani ukuthi abe nguMbusi woMbuso wakhe, njalo lokhu kwaphrofethwa njani?

¹⁴ UJehova uNkulunkulu wakhetha uJesu Khristu ukuthi abe nguMbusi woMbuso loba uhulumende wakhe wasezulwini. IBhayibhili lakhuluma kudala lathi: ‘Sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi iNkosana yokuThula. Ukwanda kombuso wakhe lokuthula akuyikuba lomkhawulo.’ (U-Isaya 9:6, 7) Ngokuphathelane lohulumende lo, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bakhuleke besithi: “UMbuso wakho kawuze, intando yakho yenziwe emhlabeni njengalokhu isenziwa ezulwini.” (UMathewu 6:10) Njengoba sizabona emakhasini alandelayo ebhuku leli, sekuseduze ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ususe bonke ohulumende abasemhlabeni njalo wona ubususiba yiwo obusayo. (Bala uDanyeli 2:44.) Ngemva kwalokho, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzaletha umhlaba olipharadayisi.

15. Uyini ‘umhlaba omutsha’?

¹⁵ IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngokwesithembiso sakhe [uNkulunkulu] silindele izulu elitsha lomhlaba omutsha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.” (2 UPhetro 3:13; U-Isaya 65:17, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kwezinye izikhathi nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ‘ngomhlaba,’ liyabe lisitsho abantu abahlala emhlabeni. (UGenesisi 11:1) Yikho-ke, ‘umhlaba omutsha’ ngumphakathi wabantu owamukelwa nguNkulunkulu.

16. Labo abamukelwa nguNkulunkulu bazathola siphi isipho esiligugu, njalo kumele senzeni ukuze sisithole?

¹⁶ UJesu wathembisa ukuthi emhlabeni omutsha ozayo, labo abamukelwa nguNkulunkulu bazathola “ukuphila kwaphakade.” (UMakho 10:30) Vula iBhayibhili lakho kuJohane 3:16 lakuJohane 17:3 ubusubala ukuthi uJesu wathi kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo. Khathesi cabanga ngezibusiso eziseBhayibhilini ezizatholwa  yilabo uNkulunkulu azabanika isipho lesi emhlabeni oliPharadayisi.

17, 18. Kuyini okungasenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi kuzakuba lokuthula lokuvikeleka emhlabeni wonke?

¹⁷ Ububi, izimpi, ubugebenga lodlakela kuzabe kungasekho. ‘Ababi bazabe bengasekho kodwa abathobekileyo bazakudla ilifa lelizwe.’ (IHubo 37:10, 11) Kuzabe sekulokuthula ngoba uNkulunkulu ‘uzathulisa izimpi kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba.’ (IHubo 46:9; U-Isaya 2:4) ‘Ukulunga kuzaphumelela, lokuthula kuzakwanda, ize iphele inyanga.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi ukuthula kuzakuba khona kuze kube nini lanini!​—IHubo 72:7, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.

¹⁸ Izikhonzi zikaJehova zizabe zivikelekile. Ezikhathini zeBhayibhili, ama-Israyeli ayethola ukuvikeleka kuphela nxa ayelalela uNkulunkulu. (ULevi 25:18, 19) Kuzajabulisa kakhulu ukuba lokuvikeleka okufananayo ePharadayisi!​—Bala u-Isaya 32:18; UMikha 4:4.

19. Sazi njani ukuthi ukudla kuzakuba kunengi emhlabeni omutsha kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Indlala izabe ingasekho. Umhubi wahlabela wathi, “Akuthi amabele ande elizweni lonke; azunguze eziqongweni zamaqaqa.” (IHubo 72:16) UJehova uNkulunkulu uzabusisa abalungileyo bakhe, njalo “umhlaba uzathela isivuno.”​—IHubo 67:6.

20. Kungani singaba leqiniso ukuthi umhlaba wonke uzakuba lipharadayisi?

²⁰ Umhlaba wonke uzakuba lipharadayisi. Kuzakwakhiwa izindlu ezintsha lezivande ezinhle ezindaweni ezazonakaliswe ngabantu abalesono. (Bala u-Isaya 65:21-24; ISambulo 11:18) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izingxenye zomhlaba ezihlalwa ngabantu zizaqheliswa umhlaba wonke uze ube muhle njalo uthele njengesivande sase-Edeni. UNkulunkulu kasoze ehluleke ‘ukuvula isandla [sakhe] asuthise izidingo zakho konke okuphilayo.’​—IHubo 145:16.

21. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi kuzakuba lokuthula phakathi kwabantu lezinyamazana?

²¹ Kuzakuba lokuthula phakathi kwabantu lezinyamazana.  Izinyamazana zeganga lezifuywayo zizakudla ndawonye. Lomntwana omncane kasoze azesabe izinyamazana eziyingozi khathesi.​—Bala u-Isaya 11:6-9; 65:25.

22. Kuzakwenzakalani ngokugula?

²² Ukugula kuzaphela. Njengoba uJesu enguMbusi woMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, uzakwelapha abantu abanengi kakhulu ukwedlula labo abelapha esesemhlabeni. (UMathewu 9:35; UMakho 1:40-42; UJohane 5:5-9) Ngaleso sikhathi “akulamuntu . . . ozakuthi, ‘Mina ngiyagula.’”​—U-Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6.

23. Kungani ukuvuswa kwabantu kuzasenza sijabule?

²³ Izihlobo zethu ezafayo zizavuswa zilethemba lokungaphindi zife. Bonke abafileyo abasemcabangweni kaNkulunkulu bazavuswa. “Kuzakuba khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungileyo labangalunganga.”​—ImiSebenzi 24:15, The Holy Bible in Ndebele; bala uJohane 5:28,29.

24. Uzwa njani ngethemba lokuphila ePharadayisi emhlabeni?

²⁴ Labo abakhetha ukufunda ngoMdali wethu oMkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu njalo bamkhonze, balekusasa elihle kakhulu! UJesu wayekhuluma ngePharadayisi elizayo emhlabeni lapho ethembisa isigebenga esasilengiswe eceleni kwakhe esithi: ‘Uzakuba lami ePharadayisi.’ (ULukha 23:43) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sifunde okunengi ngoJesu Khristu, ngoba nguye ozakwenza sithole izibusiso lezi.