1. Ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu lo-Eva, uJehova wavezani ngesitha sethu?

U-ADAMU wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi inyoka azikhulumi. Yikho ngesikhathi esizwa ukuthi u-Eva wayekhulume lenyoka, mhlawumbe kwafika engqondweni yakhe ukuthi kulesidalwa somoya esasisebenzise inyoka ukuze sikhulume lo-Eva. (Gen. 3:1-6) U-Adamu lo-Eva babesemnyameni bengazi ukuthi singubani isidalwa leso. Loba kunjalo u-Adamu wakhetha ukulalela isidalwa ayengazi ukuthi singubani njalo wahlamukela uYise olothando. (1 Tim. 2:14) Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wahle waqala ukuveza okuthile mayelana lesitha leso esakhohlisa u-Adamu lo-Eva njalo wathembisa lokuthi sizabhujiswa. Kanti njalo waxwayisa ukuthi okwesikhathi esithile isitha leso sasizaphikisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu.​—Gen. 3:15.

2, 3. Yisiphi isizatho esingabe senza ukuthi kukhulunywe okulutshwana ngoSathane ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya?

² Ngenxa yokuhlakanipha kwakhe okujulileyo uJehova wakhetha ukuthi angatsheli abantu ibizo eliqondileyo lengilosi le eyahlamukayo. * Ngemva kokuhlamuka okwenzakala e-Edeni, kwadlula iminyaka engaba ngu-2 500 uJehova elokhu engakavezi ibizo elichaza isitha  lesi lemisebenzi yaso. (Jobe. 1:6) U-1 ImiLando, uJobe kanye loZekhariya yiwo wodwa amabhuku aseMibhalweni yesiHebheru aqamba ibizo elithi Sathane elitsho “uMphikisi.” Kungani uNkulunkulu engasitshelanga okunengi ngesitha lesi ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya?

³ UJehova kazange atshone elandisa okunengi ngoSathane lemisebenzi yakhe eMibhalweni yesiHebheru. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi injongo yeMibhalo le yayingeyokusiza abantu ukuthi benelise ukubona uMesiya njalo bamlandele. (Luk. 24:44; Gal. 3:24) Ngesikhathi uMesiya esefikile emhlabeni, uJehova wamsebenzisa kanye labafundi bakhe ukuthi basivezele okunengi ngoSathane lezingilosi ezahlamuka laye. * Lokhu kwakuqondile sibili ngoba uJesu labalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo yibo abazasetshenziswa ukuthi babhubhise uSathane labalandeli bakhe.​—Rom. 16:20; Isam. 17:14; 20:10.

4. Kungani kungamelanga simesabe okudlulise amalawulo uSathane?

⁴ Umphostoli uPhetro uchaza uSathane ngokuthi ‘yisilwane esibhongayo’ ikanti uJohane uthi ‘uyinyoka’ njalo ‘ungumgobho.’ (1 Phet. 5:8; Isam. 12:9) Kodwa akumelanga sidlele evalweni nsuku zonke sisesaba uSathane ngoba amandla akhe alalapho aphelela khona. (Bala uJakhobe 4:7.) Kanti njalo uJehova loJesu kanye lezingilosi ezithembekileyo bayasisiza ukuthi silwisane loSathane. Ngakho ake sihlole imibuzo emithathu eqakathekileyo ephathelane lesitha sethu: USathane ukhohlisa kangakanani? Yiziphi izindlela azisebenzisayo ukuze ahuge abantu? Kuyini angenelisiyo ukukwenza? Ngesikhathi sihlola imibuzo le sizaxoxa langezifundo esingazithola.

5, 6. Kuyini okwenza imibuso yabantu yehluleke ukuqeda izinto ezikhathaza abantu lamuhla?

⁵ Inani elithile lezingilosi lahlamuka kanye loSathane. Kungakafiki uZamcolo uSathane wahuga ezinye izingilosi ukuthi ziziphathe kubi kwezemacansini lamadodakazi abantu. IBhayibhili lisebenzisa isifaniso ukuze lichaze lokho okwenziwa nguSathane. Lithi umgobho wadonsela phansi ingxenye yesithathu yezinkanyezi ezazisemkhathini. (Gen. 6:1-4; Jud. 6; Isam. 12:3, 4) Ngesikhathi izingilosi lezi zihlamuka zaba ngaphansi kukaSathane. Kodwa akumelanga sicabange ukuthi izingilosi lezi ziliqembu nje elingahlelekanga. USathane uzama ukulingisela indlela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ohlelwe ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo yena uzibeke waba yinkosi yamadimoni, wasehlela amadimoni aba ngababusi njalo wawanika amandla okubusa umhlaba. Lokhu kuyenzakala sibili lanxa singenelisi ukukubona ngamehlo.​—Efe. 6:12.

⁶ USathane usebenzisa inhlanganiso le ebunjwa ngamadimoni ukuze aqondise bonke ohulumende babantu. Lokhu kwacaca ngesikhathi uSathane etshengisa uJesu “yonke imibuso yomhlaba.” Wasemtshela wathi: “Ngizakunika amandla phezu kwayo kanye lobukhazikhazi bayo, ngokuba ngikuphiwe lokhu, njalo ngingapha loba ngubani engifuna ukumupha.” (Luk. 4:5, 6) Lanxa uSathane efuna ohulumende benze intando yakhe, abanye ohulumende balamacebo amahle sibili futhi bayazama ukwenzela izizalwane zemibuso yabo okuhle. Kodwa kakho umbusi loba uhulumende ongenelisa ukuqeda zonke izinto ezikhathaza abantu emhlabeni.​—Hubo. 146:3, 4; Isam. 12:12.

7. USathane uyisebenzisa njani inkolo kanye lezokuthengiselana ukuze ahuge abantu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁷ USathane lamadimoni akhe kabasebenzisi ohulumende kuphela ukuze ‘badukise umhlaba  wonke’ kodwa basebenzisa lenkolo yamanga lezokuthengiselana. (Isam. 12:9) USathane usebenzisa inkolo yamanga ukuze afundise abantu amanga ngoJehova. Kanti njalo uzimisele ukukhohlisa abantu abanengi ukuze bangabi lendaba lebizo likaNkulunkulu. (Jer. 23:26, 27) Ngakho abantu abanengi abacabanga ukuthi bakhonza uNkulunkulu abakunanzeleli ukuthi bakhonza amadimoni. (1 Khor. 10:20; 2 Khor. 11:13-15) Okunye okusetshenziswa nguSathane ukuze adukise abantu ngezokuthengiselana. Ngokwesibonelo wenza abantu bacabange ukuthi intokozo itholakala ngokubuthelela inotho lemali enengi. (Zaga. 18:11) Labo abathatheka ngamanga la bacina sebekhonza “iMali” kulokuthi bakhonze uNkulunkulu. (Mat. 6:24) Ngokuya kwesikhathi ukuthanda inotho lemali kucina kugqibela lonke uthando abalalo ngoNkulunkulu.​—Mat. 13:22; 1 Joh. 2:15, 16.

8, 9. (a) Yiziphi izifundo ezimbili esizithola endabeni ka-Adamu lo-Eva lezingilosi ezahlamukayo? (b) Kusinceda ngani ukwazi ukuthi uSathane nguye obusa umhlaba?

⁸ Kulezifundo ezimbili eziqakathekileyo esizithola endabeni ka-Adamu lo-Eva lezingilosi ezahlamukayo. Isifundo sokuqala ngesokuthi mabili kuphela amaqembu akhona, kulelikaJehova lelikaSathane futhi ngamunye wethu kumele akhethe ukuthi yena ufuna ukuba kuliphi. (Mat. 7:13) Esesibili, kuncane kakhulu okuzatholwa yilabo abalandela iqembu likaSathane. Ngokwesibonelo u-Adamu lo-Eva bathola ithuba lokuzikhethela ukuthi yikuphi okuhle loba okubi ikanti amadimoni athola amandla okubusa ohulumende babantu. (Gen. 3:22) Kodwa iqiniso elikhona yikuthi ngazo zonke izikhathi ukukhetha ukulandela uSathane kuba lempumela emibi njalo inzuzo yakhona iphelela emoyeni.​—Jobe. 21:7-17; Gal. 6:7, 8.

⁹ Ukwazi ukuthi uSathane nguye obusa umhlaba kuyasinceda ukuthi sinike ohulumende inhlonipho ebafaneleyo njalo siqhubeke ngomsebenzi wokutshumayela. Siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna sihloniphe ohulumende. (1 Phet. 2:17) Kanti njalo ukhangelele ukuthi sihloniphe imithetho yabohulumende ingqe nje ingephuli izimiso zakhe. (Rom. 13:1-4) Kodwa kumele sihlale simsulwa ezindabeni zombusazwe, akumelanga sisekele iqembu elithile kumbe sicabange ukuthi umbusi othile ungcono kulomunye. (Joh. 17:15, 16; 18:36) Okuqakatheke kakhulu okumele sikwenze yikufundisa abantu iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu ngoba siyananzelela ukuthi uSathane uhlose ukunyundela uJehova lokungcolisa ibizo lakhe. Siyaziqhenya ngokubizwa ngebizo likaJehova langokulisebenzisa ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi ukumthanda kulomvuzo omuhle kakhulu ukwedlula ukuthanda imali loba inotho.​—Isaya. 43:10; 1 Tim. 6:6-10.

10-12. (a) USathane angabe wenzani ukuze ahuge izingilosi? (b) Indaba yokuhlamuka kwezingilosi lezi isifundisani?

¹⁰ USathane usebenzisa izindlela ezitshiyeneyo ukuze ahuge abantu. Kwezinye izikhathi uyabathiya abantu kuhle komuntu ogola inhlanzi ikanti kwezinye izikhathi uyabethusela ukuze benze intando yakhe.

¹¹ Ake ucabange ngalokho akwenzayo ukuze ahuge izingilosi ezinengi ukuthi zihlamuke kanye laye. Kumele ukuthi waqala wahlola umumo okwesikhathi eside ukuze abone ukuthi angazithiya ngani izingilosi lezo. Ezinye wazithiya esebenzisa ukuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini njalo zahugeka zaziphatha kubi lamadodakazi abantu. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi kuzalwe inkalakatha zabantwana ababesesabeka futhi ababecindezela abantu. (Gen. 6:1-4) Kukhanya uSathane kazange asebenzise ezemacansini kuphela ukuze ahuge izingilosi lezi kodwa angabe wazithembisa lamandla okubusa abantu. Kumele ukuthi wayehlose ukuphambanisa ukufika ‘kwenzalo yowesifazana’ eyayithenjisiwe. (Gen. 3:15) Kodwa icebo likaSathane lezingilosi zakhe alisaphumelelanga ngoba uJehova waletha uZamcolo emhlabeni.

¹² Indaba le isifundisani? Isifundisa ukuthi akumelanga siyithathe lula indaba yokuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini leyokuzigqaja. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi izingilosi ezahugwa nguSathane zasezikhonze uJehova okweminyaka eminengi njalo zimbona mathupha. Lanxa kunjalo izingilosi lezi zaqala ukuba lezifiso ezimbi futhi zavumela ukuthi izifiso lezo zikhule. Ngakho lathi kufanele sinanzelele ngoba singaqala ukuba lezifiso ezimbi kungelani lokuthi sesilesikhathi esingakanani sisenhlanganisweni kaJehova ehlanzekileyo. (1 Khor. 10:12) Ngakho kumele sihlale sizihlola ukuze sixwaye imicabango emibi njalo silwisane lokuzigqaja.​—Gal. 5:26; Bala uKholose 3:5.

13. Yiphi enye indlela esetshenziswa nguSathane ukuze asihuge futhi singayibalekela njani?

¹³ Okunye uSathane akusebenzisayo ukuze abambe abantu yisifiso sokwazi ngezinto eziphathelane lobudimoni. Kulezinsuku uSathane usebenzisa inkolo yamanga lezokuzilibazisa ukuze enze abantu babelesifiso sokwazi okunengi ngamadimoni. Imidlalo yamavidiyo, amafilimu kanye lezinye ezokuzilibazisa ezikhona zenza kukhanye angani ukusebenzelana lamadimoni kuyathokozisa. USathane uthiya abantu esebenzisa indlela le. Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze singabanjwa? Akumelanga silindele ukuthi inhlanganiso kaJehova isitshele lokho okumele sizilibazise ngakho lalokho okumele sikuxwaye. Ngamunye wethu kumele aqeqetshe umzwangedwa wakhe ukuze enelise ukwenza izinqumo ezihambisana lezimiso zikaJehova. (Heb. 5:14) Ukusebenzisa amazwi atshiwo ngumphostoli uPhawuli kungasisiza ukuthi senze  izinqumo ezinhle nxa sikhetha ezokuzilibazisa. Wathi indlela esithanda ngayo uNkulunkulu kumele ‘ibe qotho.’ (Rom. 12:9) Nansi imibuzo okumele sizibuze yona: ‘Lokho engikhetha ukuzilibazisa ngakho kutshengisa ukuthi ngiqotho yini? Nxa engifunda labo iBhayibhili labanye engijayele ukuphindela kubo bangabona lokho engizilibazisa ngakho, bazavuma yini ukuthi ngiyakwenza lokho engibafundisa khona?’ Nxa singazimisela ukwenza lokho esikufundisa abanye kuzakuba lula ukuthi silwisane lamaqhinga kaSathane.​—1 Joh. 3:18.

14. USathane usethusela ngaziphi izindlela njalo kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi singesabi?

¹⁴ Enye indlela esetshenziswa nguSathane yikwethusela abantu ukuze bayekele ukwenza intando kaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo angasebenzisa ohulumende ukuthi bafake imithetho esivimbela ukuthi sitshumayele. Okunye angakwenza yikusebenzisa esifunda labo kumbe esisebenza labo ukuthi basihleke ngenxa yokuthi silandela lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili. (1 Phet. 4:4) Kanti njalo angabangela ukuthi silove emihlanganweni yebandla esebenzisa amalunga emuli angakhanya angani ayasizwela. (Mat. 10:36) Pho singamelana njani lezimo ezinjalo? Kumele sihlale sikulindele ukuhlaselwa nguSathane ngalindlela ngoba ulwa impi enzima lezinceku zikaJehova. (Isam. 2:10; 12:17) Okunye okumele sikukhumbule yikuthi uSathane wathi abantu bakhonza uJehova nxa izinto zibahambela kuhle kuphela kodwa nxa impilo ingaba nzima bayamhlamukela. (Jobe. 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Okunye okufanele sikwenze yikuhlala sibambelele kuJehova sithembe ukuthi uzasinika amandla okuqhubeka simkhonza lanxa sisebunzimeni.​—Heb. 13:5.

15. USathane angenelisa yini ukusibamba ngamandla ukuthi senze lokho esingakufuniyo? Chaza.

¹⁵ USathane kenelisi ukusibamba ngamandla ukuthi senze esingakufuniyo. (Jak. 1:14) Abantu abanengi uyabasebenzisa ukuthi benze intando yakhe lanxa bona bengakunanzeleli. Kodwa nxa bangafunda iBhayibhili kuyabe sokumele bakhethe ukuthi bazakhonza bani. (ImiSeb. 3:17; 17:30) Nxa sizimisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu akulalutho olungenziwa nguSathane ukuze aphambanise ubuqotho bethu kuJehova.​—Jobe. 2:3; 27:5.

16, 17. (a) Yikuphi okunye uSathane lamadimoni akhe abangenelisiyo ukukwenza? (b) Kungani kungamelanga sesabe ukukhuleka kuJehova siphumisela amazwi?

¹⁶ Kukhona okunye uSathane lamadimoni abangeke benelise ukukwenza. IMibhalo iveza ukuthi kabenelisi ukubona lokho okusezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zethu. UJehova loJesu yibo bodwa abenelisa ukwenza njalo. (1 Sam. 16:7; Mak. 2:8) Kumele siyekele yini ukukhuleka siphumisela sisesaba ukuthi uSathane lamadimoni akhe bazasizwa njalo basithwalise nzima? Hatshi. Akumelanga siyekele ukwenza okuhle ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthi uSathane uzasibona. Kanti njalo akumelanga siyekele ukukhuleka siphumisela ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthi uSathane uzakuzwa esikutshoyo. IBhayibhili lilezibonelo ezinengi zabantu abakhuleka kuJehova bephumisela amazwi abo njalo akula lapho esitshelwa khona ukuthi babesesaba ukuthi uSathane uzabezwa. (1 AmaKho. 8:22, 23; Joh. 11:41, 42; ImiSeb. 4:23, 24) Nxa singazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukukhuluma lokwenza izinto ezifunwa nguJehova, uzasivikela njalo kasoze avumele ukuthi uSathane asilimaze.​—Bala iHubo 34:7.

¹⁷ Kuqakathekile ukwazi isitha sethu kodwa akumelanga silale singalele ngenxa yokwesaba. Lanxa silesono, uJehova angasisiza ukuthi simnqobe uSathane. (1 Joh. 2:14) Nxa singamelana laye uzasibalekela. (Jak. 4:7; 1 Phet. 5:9) Kulezinsuku uSathane ubafuna phansi phezulu abasakhulayo. Pho kuyini abangakwenza ukuze bangabanjwa yisitha lesi esiyingozi? Isihloko esilandelayo sizasiphendulela umbuzo lo.