UMNQOPHO kaZimu ngephasi muhle kwamambala. UJehova ufuna iphasi lizale abantu abathabileko nabanepilo. IBhayibhili ithi, “UZimu wenza isimu ye-Edeni” begodu “wenza bona kumile…yoke imithi efiselekako emehlweni womuntu ifanelekele ukudliwa.” Ngemva kobana uZimu abumbe indoda nomfazi bokuthoma, u-Adamu no-Efa, Wababeka ekhaya elihle wathi kibo: “Belethani nande nizalise iphasi nilihlule.” (Genesisi 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15) Ngalokho bekumnqopho kaZimu bona abantu babe nabantwana, benze loke iphasi libe yiparadeyisi, batlhogomele neelwana.

² Ucabanga bona umnqopho kaJehova uZimu wokobana abantu bahlale ephasini eliyiparadeyisi uzokuzaliseka? UZimu wathi: “Ngikukhulumile nokukukhuluma, ngizokwenza.” (Isaya 46:9-11; 55:11) Kwamambala, umnqopho kaZimu uzokuzaliseka! UZimu wathi “khenge alibumbele ilize [iphasi], kodwana walibumbela bona lihlalwe nokuhlalwa.” (Isaya 45:18) UZimu gade afuna bona kuphile abantu abanjani ephasini? Begodu gade afuna bona abantwaba baphile isikhathi eside kangangani? IBhayibhili iyaphendula: “Abalungileko bazokudla ilifa lephasi, bazokuhlala kilo ngokungapheliko.”—AmaRhalani 37:29; ISambulo 21:3, 4.

³ Kuliqiniso, lokhu akukenzeki nje. Abantu nje bayagula, bayafa, bayalwa nokulwa, bayabulalana. Kukhona okwenzekileko. Nokho siyaqiniseka, uZimu bekangakanqophi bona iphasi libe njengombana silibona namhlanjesi! Kwenzekeni? Kubayini umnqopho kaZimu ungakazaliseki? Ayikho incwadi yomlando etlolwe mumuntu engasitjela, ngombana umraro wathoma ezulwini.

ISITHOMO SENABA

⁴ Incwadi yokuthoma yeBhayibhili isitjela ngaloyo ophikisana noZimu owavela esimini ye-Edeni. Umphikisi lo uhlathululwe “njengenyoka,” kodwana gade angasiso isilwana. Incwadi yamaswaphelo yeBhayibhili imbiza bona ‘Mhlebi, uSathana, umkhohlisi wephasi loke.’ Ubizwa nangokobana ‘yinyoka yamambala.’ (Genesis 3:1; ISambulo 12:9) Ingilozi enamandla le, namtjhana isibunjwa somoya esingabonakalikwesi, saberegisa inyoka bona sikhulume no-Efa, njengalokha umuntu onobukghoni angenza ngasuthi ilizwi lakhe livela kunompopi oseduze. Akunakuzaza bona isibunjwa somoyesi gade sikhona lokha uZimu nakalungiselela abantu iphasi.—Jobhi 38:4, 7.

⁵ Njengombana yoke indalo kaJehova beyiphelele, alo-ke, ngubani owenza “uSathana [uDeveli, NW]” lo? Ngamezwi abekwe bulula, enye yamadodana kaZimu womoya enamandla yazenza uDeveli. Kwenzeka njani lokho? Nokho umuntu okhe walunga begodu wathembeka angatjhentjha abe lisela. Kwenzeka njani lokho? Umuntu angavumela ikhanuko embi ikhule ehliziywenakhe. Nengabe uragela phambili ngokucabanga ngayo, ikhanuko embi le ingaba namandla khulu. Nekuvela ithuba, uzokwenza ngokuvumelana nekhanuko embi egade alokhu acabanga ngayo.—Jakobosi 1:13-15.

⁶ Ngilokho okwenzeka ngoSathana uDeveli. Kungenzeka bona wezwa lokha uZimu nekatjela u-Adamu no-Efa bona babe nabantwana begodu bazalise iphasi ngenzalo yabo. (Genesisi 1:27, 28) USathana wacabanga, ‘Abantwaba bangakhulekela mina kunoZimu!’ Ngalokho ikhanuko embi yakheka ehliziywenakhe. Emaswapheleni, wakhohlisa u-Efa ngokumtjela amala ngoZimu. (Genesisi 3:1-5) Ngalokho waba “nguDeveli,” okutjho “uMhlebi.” Ngesikhathi esifanako, waba “nguSathana,” okutjho “uMphikisi.”

⁷ Ngokuberegisa amala namano, uSathana uDeveli wabangela u-Adamu no-Efa bona bangalaleli uZimu. (Genesisi 2:17; 3:6) Umphumela, waba kukobana emaswapheleni bahlongakale, njengombana uZimu wathi kuzokwenzeka nabangalaleliko. (Genesisi 3:17-19) Njengombana u-Adamu wona, ngalokho-ke yoke inzalo yakhe yazuza isono kuye. (Roma 5:12) Ubujamobu bungafaniswa nepani yokubhaga uburotho. Nengabe ipani ibhodokile, kwenzekani eburothweni obunye nobunye obubhagwe ngepani leyo? Uburotho obunye nobunye buphuma bubhodokile. Ngokufanako, umuntu nomuntu uzuze “ukubhodoka” namtjhana ukungapheleli kwaka-Adamu. Ngikho boke abantu baluphala begodu bahlongakala.—Roma 3:23.

⁸ Lokha uSathana nakabangela u-Adamu no-Efa bona bone kuZimu, kwamambala gade avukela. Gade aphikisana nobubusi bakaJehova. Eqinisweni, uSathana gade athi: ‘UZimu mbusi omumbi. USathana gade athi uZimu ukhuluma amala begodu udima abantu bakhe izinto ezihle. Abantu abatlhogi ukubuswa nguZimu. Bangazenzela ngokwabo isiqunto bona khuyini okulungileko nokungakalungi. Begodu kuzobakhambela kuhle ngaphasi kokubusa kwami.’ UZimu bekazokusingatha njani ukuphikisokhu? Abanye bacabanga bona uZimu ngathana wazibulala zoke iinhlubukezi. Kodwana lokhu bekuzokunikela uSathana ipendulo na? Bekuzokutjengisa bonyana indlela yakaZimu yokubusa ilungile?

⁹ Ukulunga kwakaJehova bengekhe kwamvumela bonyana abulale iinhlubukezo khonokho. Wabona bonyana kutlhogeka isikhathi ukuphendula ukuphikisa kwakaSathana ngendlela eyanelisako begodu nokutjengisa bonyana uDeveli unamala. Ngalokho uZimu wabona bona avumele abantu bazibuse isikhatjhana ngaphasi kokulawula kwakaSathana. Bona kubayini uJehova enza lokho, begodu kubayini avumela kudlule isikhathi eside kangaka ngaphambi kokobana alungise umraro lo kuzokucocwa ngakho eSahlukweni-11 sencwadi le. Nokho, kuhle ukucabanga ngalokhu: Bekulungile na bona u-Adamu no-Efa bakholwe uSathana, ongakhenge abenzele nanyana yini ehle? Gade kulungile na ukukholelwa bona uJehova, obanikele zoke izinto egade banazo, unelunya namala? Bewungenzani wena?

¹⁰ Kuhle ukucabanga ngeembuzo le, ngombana omunye nomunye wethu uqalene nobujamo obufanako namhlanjesi. Iye, unethuba lokusekela ihlangothi lakaJehova ekuphenduleni ukuphikisa kwakaSathana. Ungamukela uJehova njengoMbusi begodu urhelebhe ekutjengiseni bona uSathana unamala. (AmaRhalani 73:28; Iziyema 27:11) Ngokudanisako, bambalwa eenkulungwaneni ezimabhiliyoni zabantu ephasineli, abenza ukukhetha okunjalo. Lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo oqakathekileko, Kwamambala iBhayibhili ifundisa bonyana uSathana ubusa iphaseli?

NGUBANI UMBUSI WEPHASELI?

¹¹ UJesu akhenge abe nokuzaza bonyana uSathana mbusi wephaseli. Ngendlela esimangaliso, uSathana watjengisa uJesu “boke ubukhosi bephasi nobukhulu balo.” USathana wathembisa uJesu godu: “Koke lokhu ngizakunikela, lokha newungaguqa ungikhothamele.” (Matewu 4:8, 9; Luka 4:5, 6) Akhe ucabange ngalokhu. Intwele beyizokuba silingo kuJesu na nengabe uSathana gade angasuye umbusi weembuso le? UJesu akhenge ale bona boke aborhulumende bephaseli ngebakaSathana. Eqinisweni, uJesu gade azokwala, nengabe uSathana gade anganamandla eembusweni le.

¹² Kwamambala, uJehova uZimu Mninimandla woke, Mbumbi wezulu nephasi elikarisako. (ISambulo 4:11) Nokho, akukho lapho iBhayibhili isitjela khona bona uJehova uZimu noJesu Krestu babusi bephaseli. Eqinisweni, ngokunembileko uJesu waqalisa kuSathana bona “umphathi wephaseli.” (Jwanisi 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) NeBhayibhili iqalisa kuSathana uDeveli bona ‘ngusingazimu wephasi.’ (2 KwebeKorinte 4:3, 4) Malungana nomphikisi lo, namtjhana uSathana, umpostoli omKrestu uJwanisi watlola wathi: ‘Iphasi loke lisemandleni wokhohlakeleko.’—1 KaJwanisi 5:19.

INDLELA IPHASI LAKASATHANA ELIZOKUPHELISWA NGAYO

¹³ Qobe mnyaka odlulako, iphaseli liba yingozi khulu. Lizele ipi, ukungathembeki kwabezombanganarha, abadosiphambili bekolo ababazenzisi, neenlelesi ezinelunya. Iphasi loke ngekhe lilungiseke. IBhayibhili imbula bona isikhathi sitjhidele lapho uZimu azokuqeda iphasi elimbi phakathi nepi yakhe ye-Amagedoni. Iphaseli lizokujanyiselelwa liphasi elitjha elinokulunga.—ISambulo 16:14-16.

¹⁴ UJehova uZimu wakhetha uJesu Krestu bona abe Mbusi woMbuso Wakhe wezulwini, namtjhana urhulumende. Esikhathini esadlulako, iBhayibhili yabikezela: “Sibelethelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana: umbuso uzokuba semahlombayo: begodu izokubizwa bona…yiKosi yoKuthula. Umbuso nokuthula angekhe kwaphela.” (Isaya 9:6, 7, King James Version) Malungana nombuso lo, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe bona bathandaze bathi: “Umbuso wakho awuze; intando yakho ayenziwe ephasinapha njengezulwini.” (Matewu 6:10) Njengombana sizokubona ngokukhamba kwesikhathi encwadini le, uMbuso kaZimu msinyana uzokususa yoke imibuso yephasi, wona ngokwawo uzoyijamiselela. (Danyela 2:44) Ngemva kwalokho uMbuso kaZimu uzokwenza iphasi loke libe yiparadeyisi.

IPHASI ELITJHA LITJHIDELE!

¹⁵ IBhayibhili iyasiqinisekisa: “Kodwana ngesithembiso [sakaZimu] silindele amazulu amatjha, nephasi elitjha, lapho kuyokubusa khona ukulunga.” (2 KaPitrosi 3:13; Isaya 65:17) Ngezinye iinkhathi iBhayibhili neyikhuluma “ngephasi,” iqalise ebantwini abaphila kilo. (Genesisi 11:1) Ngalokho-ke, “nephasi elitjha” lokulunga mphakathi wabantu abamukelwa nguZimu.

¹⁶ UJesu wathembisa bonyana ephasini elitjha elitjhidelako, labo abamukelwa nguZimu bazokufumana “ipilo engapheliko.” (Markosi 10:30) Sibawa uvule iBhayibhilakho kuJwanisi 3:16 no-17:3, ufunde ngalokho uJesu athi kufuneka sikwenze nesizakufumana ukuphila okungapheliko. Nje-ke cabangela iimbusiso eziseBhayibhilini ezizokuthatjelwa ngilabo abafanelekela ukufumana isipho esihlesi esivela kuZimu ephasini elitjhidelako iParadeyisi.

¹⁷Ubumbi, ipi, ubulelesi nenturhu ngekhe zisaba khona. “Omumbi ngekhe asaba khona…Kodwana abathobekileko ngibo abazokudla ilifa lephasi.” (AmaRhalani 37:10, 11) Kuzokuba nokuthula ngombana uZimu, “uthulisa izipi ephasini lokana.” (AmaRhalani 46:9; Isaya 2:4) Ngemva kwalokho “olungileko uzokuhluma, ukuthula kuzokuba kukhulu bekube kulapho inyanga ingasekho”—lokho kutjho bona ukuthula ngekhe kuphele!—AmaRhalani 72:7.

¹⁸Abakhulekeli bakaJehova bazokuvikeleka. Ngokufana nama-Israyeli eenkhathini zeBhayibhili nalalela uZimu gade azokuhlala ngokuvikeleka. (Lefitikosi 25:18, 19) Qala bonyana kuzokuba mnandi kangangani ukuthabela ukuvikeleka okunjalo eParadeyisini!—Isaya 32:18; Mika 4:4.

¹⁹Ngekhe kusaba nendlala. Umrhubi wavuma wathi: “Kuzokuba nokusanthoro okunengi ephasini. Kuzokuba nokuphuphuma esiqongolweni seentaba.” (AmaRhalani 72:16) UJehova uZimu uzokubusisa abalungileko bakhe, “iphasi ngokwalo lizokukhiqiza.—AmaRhalani 67:6.

²⁰Iphasi loke lizokuba yiparadeyisi. Kuzokuba khona izindlu neentoni ezihle ephasini elakhe lamoroswa babantu abanesono. (Isaya 65:21-24; ISambulo 11:18) Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, iingcenye zephasi okuhlalwa kizo nje, zizokwanda bekube kulapho loke iphasi selilihle begodu likhiqiza njengesimu ye-Edeni. UZimu angekhe abhalelwa ‘ukuvula isandla sakhe anelise isifiso sakho koke okuphilako.’—AmaRhalani 145:16.

²¹Kuzokuba nokuthula phakathi kwabantu neenlwana. Imbandana neenlwana zekhaya zizokudla ndawonye. Ngitjho nomntwana omncani angekhe azisaba iinlwana eziyingozi namhlanjesi.—Isaya 11:6-9; 65:25.

²²Ngekhe kusaba khona ukugula. NjengoMbusi woMbuso kaZimu wezulwini, uJesu uzokulapha abantu ngesilinganiso esikhulu kunaleso egade alapha ngaso lokha negade asephasini. (Matewu 9:35; Markosi 1:40-42; Jwanisi 5:5-9) Ngemva kwalokho, “akekho ohlala khona ozokuthi: Ngiyagula.’”—Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6.

²³Abathandekako bethu bazokuvuswa banethemba lokungafi. Boke abalele emalibeni abasemkhumbulweni kaZimu bazokuvuswa. Eqinisweni, “olungileko nongakalungi, bazovuka kwabafileko.”—IZenzo 24:15; Jwanisi 5:28, 29.

²⁴ Qala bona lingomuso elihle kangangani elilindelwe ngilabo abakhetha ukufunda ngoMbumbi Omkhulu, uJehova uZimu, begodu bamkhonze! UJesu gade akhuluma ngeParadeyisi elizako lokha nakathembisa umenzi wobumbi owafa eqadi kwakhe: “Uzaba nami eParadeyisini.” (Luka 23:43) Kuqakathekile bona sifunde okungezelelekileko ngoJesu Krestu, ngaye zoke iimbusiswezi zizokwenzeka.