1, 2. (a) Kuyini uJehova asitshela khona? (b) U-Isaya 46:10, 11 lo–55:11 usitshelani ngoJehova?

UGENESISI 1:1 usitshela ukuthi “ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu lomhlaba.” Amazwi la angakhanya elula kodwa amumethe okukhulu kakhulu. UNkulunkulu wadala izinto ezinengi okwamagama kodwa zilutshwana esiyake sizibone ngamehlo ethu njalo luncane ulwazi esilalo ngezinye izinto ezigoqela amandla adonsela phansi, ukukhanya kanye lomkhathi ngobukhulu bawo. (UmTshu. 3:11) Kodwa-ke okuhle yikuthi uJehova uyasitshela injongo yakhe ngomhlaba kanye labantu. Wadala abantu ngomfanekiso wakhe futhi wayefuna bahlale emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. (Gen. 1:26) Babezakuba ngabantwabakhe kuthi yena abe nguYise.

² UGenesisi isahluko 3 uchaza ukuthi kulokuthile okwaphambanisa injongo kaJehova. (Gen. 3:1-7) Kodwa lokho okwenzakalayo akuzange kuyintshintshe injongo yakhe ngoba akulalutho olungamvimbela ukuthi enze loba yini ayihlosileyo. (Isaya. 46:10, 11; 55:11) Ngakho  asithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzayigcwalisa injongo yakhe ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.

3. (a) Kuyini esakufundayo lapho siqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili? (b) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sixoxe ngolwazi lolu? (c) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

³ Sathi siqalisa ukufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu safunda ngenjongo yakhe ngomhlaba labantu kanye lomsebenzi oqakathekileyo owenziwa nguJesu Khristu ukuze leyonjongo igcwaliseke. Lolu lulwazi oluqakatheke kakhulu njalo sizimisele ukuluhlephunela abanye ukuze labo bafunde. Yikho silethuba elihle lokwenza lokhu njengoba sizama ukunxusa abantu abanengi ukuthi bazonanza kanye lathi iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKhristu. (Luk. 22:19, 20) Labo abazabe bekhona kulumbuthano oqakathekileyo bazafunda okunengi kakhulu ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba sekusele amalanga amalutshwana ukuthi singene iSikhumbuzo, ake sixoxe ngemibuzo esingayisebenzisa nxa sixoxa labantu esifunda labo iBhayibhili kanye labanye esihlangana labo ekutshumayeleni. Nansi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo: UNkulunkulu wayehloseni lapho edala umhlaba labantu? Kuyini okwaphambanisa injongo yakhe? Ukufa kukaJesu kwavula njani ithuba lokuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu igcwaliseke?

4. Izinto ezidaliweyo zisifundisani ngoJehova?

⁴ UJehova nguMdali omangalisayo njalo izinto azidalileyo zinhle futhi zihlelekile. (Gen. 1:31; Jer. 10:12) Thina sifundani kulokho? Sifunda ukuthi yonke into edaliweyo ilomsebenzi wayo oqakathekileyo kungelani lokuthi incane loba inkulu kangakanani. Ngokwesibonelo sisala sibambe owangaphansi nxa sibona indlela umuntu adalwe ngayo, ubuhle bomntwana omncane loba ubuhle belanga liphuma. Siyakuthanda ukubuka izinto lezi ngoba savele sadalwa sisenelisa ukukholisa ubuhle esibubonayo.—Bala iHubo 19:1; 104:24.

5. Kuyini uJehova akwenzileyo ukuze yonke indalo yakhe isebenze ngokubambisana?

⁵ UJehova wafaka imithetho ethile kuzo zonke izinto azidalileyo. Wafaka imithetho eqondisa imvelo njalo wanika labantu imithetho okumele bayilandele. Imithetho le inceda zonke izinto ezidaliweyo ukuthi zisebenze ngokubambisana. (Hubo. 19:7-9) Yonke into uyifake endaweni yayo njalo ilomsebenzi wayo ewenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo emkhathini kulezinto ezinengi eziqakathekileyo ezenza senelise ukuphila emhlabeni. Amandla adonsela phansi yiwo abamba izinto lezi ukuthi zihlale ziseduze lomhlaba. Anceda lokuthi amanzi olwandle ahlale esendaweni yawo. Aluba engekho amandla la, izinto eziphilayo bezingeke zibe khona emhlabeni. Yikho-ke siyabona ukuthi imithetho yemvelo iyasiza sibili ukuthi kube lokuhleleka okukhulu ezintweni ezidaliweyo. Lokhu kusitshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulenjongo enhle ngomhlaba labantu. Yikho nxa sisekutshumayeleni kasizameni ukunceda abantu babone ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMdali olenhlakanipho.—Isam. 4:11.

6, 7. Yiziphi ezinye izipho uJehova azinika u-Adamu lo-Eva?

⁶ UJehova wathi edala abantu wayehlose ukuthi baphile phakade emhlabeni. (Gen. 1:28; Hubo. 37:29) Wanika abantu bokuqala izipho ezitshiyeneyo ukuze bakholise impilo. (Bala uJakhobe 1:17.) Ngokwesibonelo wabanika inkululeko yokuzikhethela, amandla okucabanga kanye lokwenelisa ukuthanda lokukholisa ubungane. UJehova wayekhuluma lo-Adamu njalo emtshela lokho okwakumele akwenze ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyamhlonipha. Laye u-Adamu wafunda indlela okwakumele  azinakekele ngayo, lendlela okwakumele anakekele ngayo izinyamazana kanye lesivande ayekuso. (Gen. 2:15-17, 19, 20) Kanti njalo u-Adamu lo-Eva babesenelisa ukunambitha, ukubamba, ukubona, ukuzwa lokuhogela. Ngakho babezakukholisa kakhulu ukuphila ekhaya labo elalilihle. Mkhulu sibili umsebenzi u-Adamu lo-Eva ababezakholisa ukuwenza njalo kunengi okutsha ababezaqhubeka bekuvumbulula ukusa kwamalanga kuze kube nini lanini.

⁷ Kuyini okunye uNkulunkulu ayekuhlosile? Wayehlose ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva babe labantwana abapheleleyo abangelasono. Abantwababo labo kwakumele bazale ababo abantwana umhlaba uze ugcwale abantu. Wayefuna ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva labo bonke abazali ababezakuba khona bathande abantwababo belingisela isibonelo sakhe. Siyabona-ke ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayehlose ukuthi abantu bahlale emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini.—Hubo. 115:16.

8. UJehova wawufakelani umthetho okuGenesisi 2:16, 17?

⁸ Izinto kazizange zihambe ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayehlose ngayo. Kwahamba njani? UJehova wanika u-Adamu lo-Eva umthetho ukuze abasize babone ukuthi inkululeko ababelayo yayilalapho ecina khona. Wathi: “Ukhululekile ukudla loba yisiphi isihlahla esivandeni; kodwa ungadli isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi, ngoba ungaze usidle uzakufa ngempela.” (Gen. 2:16, 17) Kwakunganzima ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva bawulalele umthetho lo ngoba kwakulokudla okunengi kakhulu ensimini.

9, 10. (a) USathane wamsola njani uJehova? (b) U-Adamu lo-Eva bakhetha ukwenzani? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁹ USathane wasebenzisa inyoka ukuze akhohlise u-Eva. (Bala uGenesisi 3:1-5; Isam. 12:9) Wayefuna u-Adamu lo-Eva babone angathi uNkulunkulu uyabacindezela, kafuni ukuthi bazenzele abakufunayo. Esuka lapho wahutshuza amanga aluhlaza tshoko wathi: “Kalisoze life ngempela.” Waphinda wamqila u-Eva ngokumenza acabange ukuthi kamdingi uNkulunkulu, wathi: “UNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi lingasidla amehlo enu azavuleka.” Ngamanye amazwi wayesithi uJehova kafuni badle lesosithelo ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi bangasidla bazahlakanipha. Kanti njalo wabathembisa amanga wathi: ‘Lizakuba njengoNkulunkulu lazi okuhle lokubi.’

¹⁰ U-Adamu lo-Eva kwasekumele bakhethe ukuthi ngubani abazamlalela. Kodwa kuyadanisa ukuthi bona bakhetha ukulalela uSathane. Ngokwenza njalo bahle baba ngabahlamuki njengaye. Bamhlamukela egcekeni uJehova njalo batshengisa ukuthi kabasafuni ukubuswa nguye.—Gen. 3:6-13.

11. Kungani uJehova engazange akubekezelele ukuhlamuka kuka-Adamu lo-Eva?

¹¹ Ukuhlamuka kuka-Adamu lo-Eva kwabenza baba lesono esabangela ukuthi baguge futhi bafe. Abakwenzayo kwabehlukanisa loJehova ngoba ‘amehlo akhe ahlanzeke kakhulu ukuba akhangele okubi.’ Ngakho ‘wayengeke akubekezelele okungalunganga.’ (Hab. 1:13) Aluba wababekezelela abahlamuki laba, ukuthula lokumanyana kwezinye izidalwa zakhe ezulwini lasemhlabeni kwakuzaphambaniseka. Kanti njalo ngabe waphongubayekela nje, ezinye izidalwa zazingabona angathi kami eqinisweni. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi uJehova uthembekile kukho konke akwenzayo, kakaze loba nini ephule izimiso zakhe. (Hubo. 119:142) Yikho lanxa u-Adamu lo-Eva babelenkululeko yokuzikhethela, kayisikho ukuthi babengazenzela umathanda bengelandaba  lomthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuhlamukela kwabo uJehova bafa babuyela othulini lapho abavela khona.—Gen. 3:19.

12. Kwenzakalani ebantwaneni baka-Adamu?

¹² Ngemva kokudla lesosithelo, u-Adamu lo-Eva kabazange baphinde babe ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Wabaxotsha esivandeni sase-Edeni njalo lalingasekho ithemba lokuthi bazake babuyele ngelinye ilanga. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Bavuna lokho ababekuhlanyelile. (Bala uDutheronomi 32:4, 5.) Njengoba isono sasesingenile ebantwini babengeke baphinde benelise ukulingisela uNkulunkulu ngokupheleleyo. U-Adamu kazange alahlekelwe yikusasa elihle kuphela kodwa watshiyela bonke abantu isono lokufa. (Rom. 5:12) Ukona kwakhe kwabangela ukuthi balahlekelwe lithuba elihle lokuphila phakade. U-Adamu lo-Eva bazala abantwana abalesono njalo lezizukulwane zabo zonke zizala abantwana abalesono. Lalamuhla uSathane ulokhu edukisa abantu abanengi.—Joh. 8:44.

13. Kuyini uJehova akufunayo?

¹³ Lanxa u-Adamu lo-Eva bahlamuka, uNkulunkulu kazange ahle abalahlele iganga abantu. Ulokhu efuna ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe njalo kafisi ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe. (2 Phet. 3:9) Yikho ngemva kokuhlamuka lokhu uNkulunkulu wahle wavula indlela eyayizasiza abantu ukuthi baphinde babe ngabangane bakhe. Kodwa wakwenza njani lokhu engazange ephule izimiso zakhe? Ake sibone.

14. (a) Kuyini uNkulunkulu akwenzele abantu ukuze abakhulule esonweni lasekufeni? (b) Yiwuphi umbuzo esingaxoxa ngawo labantu abalesifiso sokufunda iBhayibhili?

¹⁴ Bala uJohane 3:16. Abantu abanengi esizabanxusa eSikhumbuzweni bayayazi ivesi le ngekhanda. Kodwa ukufa kukaJesu kuvule njani ithuba lokuthi abantu bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo? Ukuphatheka emkhankasweni weSikhumbuzo, ukubakhona kuso lokuyaphindela kulabo abayabe besivakatshele kuzasinika ithuba lokunceda abantu abatshiyeneyo ukuthi bazwisise impendulo yombuzo lo oqakathekileyo. Asithandabuzi ukuthi abantu laba bazathokoza kakhulu nxa bangazwisisa ukuthi inhlawulo itshengisa njani inhlakanipho kaJehova lokuthi uyasithanda. Yiziphi izinto eziphathelane lenhlawulo esingabaxoxela zona?

15. UJesu wayetshiyene njani lo-Adamu?

¹⁵ UJehova wanikela ngomuntu ongelasono ukuze ahlenge abantu. Kodwa-ke lowomuntu ongelasono kwakumele athembeke kuJehova njalo azimisele ukufela abantu. (Rom. 5:17-19) Lowomuntu nguJesu njalo nguye owathunywa nguJehova ukuthi azofela abantu emhlabeni. (Joh. 1:14) UJesu wayengelasono njalo kazange enze njengo-Adamu. Wahlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu futhi lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi umuntu opheleleyo angenelisa ukuhlala eqotho. Kazange aphambuke loba ephule imithetho kaNkulunkulu lanxa wayesebunzimeni obukhulu.

16. Kungani inhlawulo iyisipho esiligugu kakhulu?

¹⁶ UJesu wayefanele sibili ukufela abantu ukuze bakhululwe esonweni lekufeni. Wabhadala inhlawulo eyayilingana lalokho okwakulahlwe ngu-Adamu ngoba wayengelasono, eqotho futhi elalela uNkulunkulu. (1 Tim. 2:6) Ukufa kwakhe kunika abantu ‘abanengi’ ithemba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Mat. 20:28) Kanti njalo kwenza kube lula ukuthi uNkulunkulu abuyisele lokho ayevele ekuhlosile ngabantu ekuqaleni.  (2 Khor.1:19, 20) Ngakho bonke abantu abathembekileyo sebelethemba lokuphila phakade.

17. Kuyini esizakuthola ngenxa yenhlawulo kaJesu?

¹⁷ UJehova wavuma ukuthi iNdodana yakhe ibulawe kabuhlungu ukuze avule indlela yokukhulula abantu esonweni lekufeni. (1 Phet. 1:19) Indlela abathanda ngayo yiyo eyamfuqa ukuthi enze lokhu. (1 Joh. 4:9, 10) Ngakho singathi uJesu wathatha indawo kababa wethu u-Adamu. (1 Khor. 15:45) Okunye njalo yikuthi ukufa kukaJesu kusinika ithuba lokubuyela kuNkulunkulu sibe ngamalunga emuli yakhe. Kuyasithokozisa kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi ngesikhathi esizayo isono sizasuswa kubo bonke abantu abathembekileyo. Ngalesosikhathi kuyabe sekulokumanyana okukhulu phakathi kwemuli kaNkulunkulu esemhlabeni lesezulwini njalo abantu abathembekileyo bazabe sebengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.—Rom. 8:21.

18. Kunini lapho uJehova ‘azakuba yikho konke kukho konke’?

¹⁸ Ukuhlamuka kukaSathane akuzange kumvimbele uJehova ukuthi aqhubeke ebathanda abantu njalo akufanelanga kusenze sehluleke ukuhlala siqotho kuJehova. UJehova uzasebenzisa inhlawulo ukuze asize bonke abantu bakhe babe ngabalungileyo. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi ‘bonke abakhangela eNdodaneni bakholwe’ bazathola ukuphila okungapheliyo. Kumele ukuthi impilo iyabe isimnandi kakhulu ngalesosikhathi! (Joh. 6:40) Ngesikhathi esizayo uJehova uzabuyisela lokho ayekuhlosile ekuqaleni lapho edala umhlaba labantu futhi ngalesosikhathi uBaba wethu ‘uzakuba yikho konke kukho konke.’—1 Khor. 15:28.

19. (a) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyambonga uJehova ngesipho senhlawulo? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Qhubeka Udinga Abantu Abalesifiso Sokufunda.”) (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Kasizameni ngazo zonke izindlela ukunceda abantu babone ukuthi inhlawulo ingabasiza njani ukuthi bathole izibusiso ezinengi. Singenza njalo siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyambonga uJehova ngokuthumela indodana yakhe ukuthi izosifela. Kumele abantu bakwazi ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa inhlawulo ukuze abancede ukuthi bathole impilo engapheliyo. Kodwa-ke kunengi inhlawulo esenzela khona. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi inhlawulo iphendula njani amanga akhulunywa nguSathane ensimini yase-Edeni.