1. Yini uJehova ayivezako malungana nenaba lethu?

U-ADAMU bekazi ukuthi iinyoka azikwazi ukukhuluma. Yeke kungenzeka bona waphetha ngokuthi mhlamunye mummoya othileko ongene enyokeni wayenza yakhuluma no-Eva. (Gen. 3:1-6) U-Adamu no-Eva bebangazi ukuthi ngubani okhuluma ngenyoka le. Nanyana kunjalo, u-Adamu wazikhethela yena ukungamlaleli uBabakhe wezulwini. Ngokwenza njalo wakhetha ukulalela umuntu angamaziko, waphikisana nentando kaZimu. (1 Thim. 2:14) UJehova akhenge asariyada wathoma waveza imininingwana malungana nenaba lakhe elakhohlisa u-Adamu no-Eva. Wathembisa ukuthi uzolibhubhisa lingasaphinde libe khona. Kodwana akhenge agcine ngokutjho lokho, wathi godu ummoya omumbi owasebenzisa inyoka bona ukhulume no-Eva uzokulwisana nalabo abafuna ukwenza intando kaZimu.—Gen. 3:15.

2, 3. Kubayini kukuncani kangaka okwatjhiwo ngoSathana ngaphambi kokufika kwakaMesiya?

² UJehova wakubona kukuhlakanipha ukungasitjeli ibizo lendodanakhe eyingilozi eyakhetha ukungamlaleli. * Kwadlula iminyaka  ezii-2 500 kwakhona aveza ukuthi singubani isihlubukesi. (Job. 1:6) Ngitjho nemiTlolweni yesiHebheru zintathu kwaphela iincwadi ezikhuluma ngoSathana okutjho ukuthi uMphikisi. Iincwadezo ngeyoku-1 yeenKronike, nguJobho noZakariya. Kubayini kukuncani kangaka okwakhulunywa ngenaba lethweli, khulukhulu ngaphambi kokufika kwakaMesiya?

³ Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova khenge afune ukunikela uSathana idumo ngokukhuluma khulu ngaye nemisebenzakhe emimbi emiTlolweni yesiHebheru. Umnqopho kaJehova emiTlolweni yesiHebheru bekukuveza ukuthi ungubani uMesiya nokuthi abantu bangatjhidela njani kuZimu barholwa nguMesiya. (Luk. 24:44; Gal. 3:24) Kwathi nasele kwenzekile lokho, uJehova waraga nokusebenzisa uMesiya nabafundi bakhe ukusivezela bona ungubani uSathana kunye neengilozi aqotjhwa nazo ezulwini. * Bekufanele ngoJehova ukwenza njalo, ngombana uJesu kunye nabazesiweko bazokusetjenziswa nguJehova bona babhubhise uSathana nabalandeli bakhe.—Rom. 16:20; IsAm. 17:14; 20:10.

4. Kubayini kungakafuzi sizitshwenye khulu ngoDeveli?

⁴ Umpostoli uPitrosi ubiza uSathana uDeveli ngokuthi ‘libhubezi elibhodlako,’ kanti noJwanisi umbiza ngokuthi ‘yinyoka’ ‘nedragoni.’ (1 Pit. 5:8; IsAm. 12:9) Kodwana akukafuzi sizitshwenye khulu ngoDeveli, ngombana ngitjho nanyana anamandla nje kunezinto angekhe akghone ukuzenza. (Funda uJakopo 4:7.) Sisekelwa nguJehova, uJesu Krestu kunye neengilozi ezithembekileko. Bazosisiza sijamelane nenaba lethu. Nanyana kunjalo, sisatlhoga iimpendulo zemibuzo emithathu eqakathekileko, ethi: USathana ubadurhise kangangani abantu? USathana ulinga njani ukudurhisa abanye? Amandlakhe aphelelaphi? Njengombana sicoca ngemibuzo le, sizokufumana nokuthi yini esiyifundako endabeni le.

5, 6. Kubayini umbuso wabantu ungeze wakghona ukwanelisa zoke iindingo zabantu?

⁵ Iingilozi ezinengi zahlanganyela noSathana ekuhlubukeni. Ngaphambi koMthwalela uSathana wakhohlisa ezinye zazo bona zihlanganyele amabhayi namadodakazi wabantu ephasina. IBhayibheli nalisihlathululela ngoSathana lithi uyidragoni edosa ingcenye yesithathu yeenkwekwezi zezulwini. (Gen. 6:1-4; Jud. 6; IsAm. 12:3, 4) Iingilozezi zazibeka ngaphasi kwelawulo lakaSathana ngokutjhiya umndeni kaZimu wezulwini. Iinhlubukezi azisisiqubuthu esibangela iinkinga kwaphela. USathana uzakhele umbuso afuna ufane newakaZimu, wazenza ikosi yombuso loyo. Embuswenakhe lo, wenze amadimoni aba babusi wawanikela amandla wokubusa iphaseli.—Efe. 6:12.

⁶ USathana usebenzisa umbuswakhe lo bona alawule yoke imibuso yabantu. Lokho kwabonakala kuhle ngesikhathi uSathana athi kuJesu: “Ngizokunikela amandla phezu kwayo yoke imibuso le, nephazimulwayo, ngombana yoke imibuso le ngeyami begodu ngiyinikela nanyana ngubani engifisa ukumnikela yona.” (Luk. 4:5, 6) Abanye aborhulumende bayalinga ukubaphatha kuhle abantu nanyana uSathana abhokile nje. Abanye ababusi kungenzeka bazimisele ukuphatha kuhle imiphakathabo. Kodwana siyazi ukuthi akakho umbusi ongakghona ukwanelisa zoke iindingo zabantu.—Rhu. 146:3, 4; IsAm. 12:12.

7. Ngaphezu kokusebenzisa aborhulumende, uSathana uyisebenzisa njani ikolo yamala nezokurhwebelana? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁷ Ngaphezu kokusebenzisa aborhulumende,  uSathana namadimonakhe basebenzisa godu ikolo yamala nezokurhwebelana bona badurhise “iphasi loke.” (IsAm. 12:9) USathana usebenzisa ikolo yamala ukurhatjha amanga ngoJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uzimisele ukudurhisa woke umuntu bona angalazi ibizo lakaZimu. (Jor. 23:26, 27) Ngebanga lalokho-ke abantu abacabanga bona balotjha uZimu bazifumana sebalotjha amadimoni. (1 Kor. 10:20; 2 Kor. 11:13-15) Akagcini lapho, uragela phambili asebenzisa amahlelo wezokurhwebelana bona akhohlise abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, iphaseli lifundisa abantu ukuthi ukugijimisa imali nokubuthelela izinto ezinengi kungabenza bathabe. (IzA. 18:11) Bese kuthi labo abawakholelwako amanga la, isikhathi sabo esinengi basisebenzisela ukuzifunela ‘ubuGwili’ kunokulotjha uZimu. (Mat. 6:24) Ekugcineni ukuthanda kwabo izinto kubenza bangayiboni itlhogeko yokuthanda uZimu.—Mat. 13:22; 1 Jwa. 2:15, 16.

8, 9. (a) Ngiziphi iimfundo ezimbili esizifundako endabeni ka-Adamu, ka-Eva neyeengilozi ezahlubukako? (b) Kusisiza ngani ukwazi ukuthi uSathana ubadurhise kangangani abantu?

⁸ Indaba ka-Adamu, u-Eva neengilozi ezahlubukako isifundisa izinto ezimbili eziqakathekileko. Kokuthoma, kunamahlangothi amabili, yeke kufuze sikhethe linye lawo. Singahlala sithembekile kuJehova namtjhana sibe ngehlangothini lakaSathana. (Mat. 7:13) Kwesibili, laba abakhetha ukuba sehlangothini lakaSathana, zincani izinto abazozifumana. U-Adamu no-Eva baba nethuba lokuzikhethela bona ngikuphi okulungileko nokungakalungi, kanti namadimoni afumana amandla wokulawula ababusi bephaseli. (Gen. 3:22) Nanyana kunjalo, ukukhetha ihlangothi lakaSathana kuhlala kukhambisana nemiphumela ebuhlungu khulu kunalokho umuntu angakucabanga.—Job. 21:7-17; Gal. 6:7, 8.

⁹ Kusisiza ngani ukwazi ukuthi uSathana ubadurhise kangangani abantu? Kusisiza siziqale ngendlela efaneleko iimphathimandla begodu kusenza siwukhuthalele umsebenzi wokutjhumayela. Siyazwisisa ukuthi uJehova ufuna sizihloniphe iimphathimandla. (1 Pit. 2:17) Begodu ulindele bona siyihloniphe imithetho ebekwe borhulumende babantu, khulukhulu nayivumelana nemithethwakhe. (Rom. 13:1-4) Kodwana siyazi bona akukafuzi sithathe ihlangothi kwezepolotiki, singathandi ihlangano ethileko namkha umrholi othileko. (Jwa. 17:15, 16; 18:36) Ukubona ukuthi uSathana ulinga ngamandlakhe woke ukwenza uJehova abe mumuntu omumbi kusenza sizimisele ekufundiseni iqiniso ngoZimu. Silisebenzisa ngokuzikhakhazisa ibizo lakhe begodu siyazi ukuthi ukumthanda kwethu kuqakatheke ukudlula ukuthanda imali namkha izinto zakanokutjho.—Isa. 43:10; 1 Thim. 6:6-10.

10-12. (a) USathana wabathiya njani abafowabo abaziingilozi? (b) Yini thina esiyifundako eengilozini ezahlubukako?

¹⁰ USathana usebenzisa amaqhinga bona adurhise abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, usebenzisa isithiyo bona ayenge abantu ukuthi benze lokho akufunako. Godu uyabatlhorisa ukuze abenze bamlalele.

¹¹ Akhuqale nje bona waphumelela kangangani ekusebenziseni isithiyo bona athumbe iingilozi ezulwini. Kuyakhanya ukuthi bekanesikhathi esinengi sokuziqala, azifundisise kuhle ngaleyo ndlela wakghona ukuzithumba. Ekugcineni wazithumba iingilozezo, zathoma ubuhlobo namadodakazi wabantu, zabe zababelethisa intsitsirimba zabantu, ezagcina ngokutlhorisa abantu. (Gen. 6:1-4) Kungenzeka uSathana akhenge alinge iingilozezi ngokuzinikela ithuba lokuhlanganyela amabhayi namadodakazi wabantu kwaphela kodwana kungenzeka wazikhohlisa nangokuthi zizokuba namandla zibuse abantu. Mhlamunye umnqophwakhe bekukuthikazisa ukuzaliseka kwesithembiso sokufika ‘kwesizukulwana somfazi.’ (Gen. 3:15) Kunanyana ngikuphi, uJehova wawaphelisa woke amano kaSathana ngokuletha uMthwalela, owaphelisa yoke imizamo kaSathana neengilozi zakhe.

¹² Sifundani endabeni le? Ungathomi uqalele phasi amandla wesithiyo sakaSathana, sokuziphatha kumbi nesokuzikhukhumeza. USathana bekalotjha uZimu kunye neengilozi ezahlubuka naye iminyaka eminengi. Nanyana kunjalo, endaweni ehle kangaka ezinye iingilozi zakhetha ukuhlubuka. Ngokufanako nakithi, kungenzeka silotjhe uJehova amatjhumitjhumi weminyaka ephasina, nanyana kunjalo iimfiso ezimbi zingakhula ngaphakathi kwethu. (1 Kor. 10:12) Kuqakatheke khulu bona sihlale sihlolisisa ubujamo beenhliziyo zethu, sibulale imicabango emimbi nokuzikhukhumeza.—Gal. 5:26; funda kwebeKolose 3:5.

13. Yini enye uSathana ayisebenzisako bona asithiye, begodu thina singayibalekela njani?

¹³ Enye indlela uSathana asithiya ngayo kusenza sikhanukele izinto zobudimoni. Amalanga la akasasebenzisi ikolo yamala kwaphela ukusenza sithande izinto zobudimoni kodwana usebenzisa nezinto esizithabisa ngazo. Amamuvi, imidlalo, umrhatjho, ama-TV nokhunye. Alo yini engasisiza singabanjwa sithiywesi? Akukafuzi silindele ihlangano kaZimu ukuthi isitlolele irhelo lezinto ezilungileko nezingakalungi. Soke kufuze sibandule abonembeza bethu, sibenze bakhambisane nemithetho kaZimu. (Heb. 5:14) Nasingalalela iseluleko sakampostoli uPowula sokuthi kufuze sithande uZimu ‘ngokungazenzisi,’ sizokuthatha iinqunto  ezihlakaniphileko. (Rom. 12:9) Akhuzibuze imibuzo nasi, ‘Izinto engizithabisa ngazo zingenza ngibonakale ngimzenzisi na? Nange umuntu engimfundelako namkha engicoce naye ngeendaba ezimnandi abona izinto engizithabisa ngazo uzokuthi ngiyakwenza na engikutjhumayelako?’ Nasingazifundisa ukwenza izinto esizitjhumayelako, angeze kube bulula ukubanjwa sithiyo sakaSathana.—1 Jwa. 3:18.

14. USathana angasisahlela njani, yini engasisiza sijamelane naye?

¹⁴ USathana ubuye asihlasele ngehloso yokusithusela bona singathembeki kuJehova. Lokho angakwenza ngokuhlohlozela urhulumende bona akhandele umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela. Angasebenzisa abantu esisebenza nabo nesifunda nabo bona basihleke ngebanga lokuthi siphila ngemithetho kaZimu. (1 Pit. 4:4) Angasebenzisa nabantu esibathandako emndenini bona basiqede amandla singasaya esifundweni. (Mat. 10:36) Alo, singasihlula njani isithiywesi? Kokuthoma ekufuze sikwenze kulindela ukuthi uSathana uzositlhorisa ngombana ulwa nathi. (IsAm. 2:10; 12:17) Godu akukafuzi sikhohlwe ukuthi kuhlekuhle yini uSathana ayilwelako la, kazi wathi silotjha uJehova ngombana izinto zisikhambela kamnandi. Wathi nange singahlangabezana nobudisi sizomsukela uJehova. (Job. 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Kwesibili ekufuze sikwenze kuthemba uJehova, ngombana unawo amandla wokusisindisa. Wasithembisa ukuthi angeze asilahla.—Heb. 13:5.

15. USathana angasenzisa na into esingafuni ukuyenza? Hlathulula.

¹⁵ USathana angeze enzisa abantu izinto abangafuni ukuzenza. (Jak. 1:14) Nokho abanye ngokungazi benza izinto ezifeza intando kaSathana. Bese kuthi nase bafunde amaqiniso weBhayibheli, bazikhethele ukuthi bazokulotjha bani. (IzE. 3:17; 17:30) Yeke nasizimisele ukwenza intando kaZimu akunalitho uSathana angasenza yona bona singathembeki kuZimu.—Job. 2:3; 27:5.

16, 17. (a) Ngiziphi ezinye izinto uSathana namadimonakhe abangakghoni ukuzenza? (b) Kubayini kungakafuzi sisabe ukuphimisela nasithandazako?

¹⁶ USathana namadimoni kunezinto ababhalelwa ukuzenza. Ngokwesibonelo, akunalapha iBhayibheli litjengisa khona ukuthi uSathana namadimonakhe bayakghona ukwazi izinto eziseenhliziyweni nesizicabangako. NguJehova noJesu okuthiwa bangakghona ukwenza lokho. (1 Sam. 16:7; Mar. 2:8) Alo-ke kuthiwani ngokukhuluma namkha ukuphimisela nasithandazako? Kghani kufuze sisabe ukuthi uDeveli namkha amadimonakhe bangezwa imithandazwethu bese bathikameze izinto? Awa, asisabi ukwenza imisebenzi kaJehova ngombana batjho uDeveli uzasibona. Godu angeze sasaba ukuphimisela nasithandazako ngombana sisaba ukuthi uDeveli uzasizwa. NeBhayibhelini banengi abakhulekeli bakaZimu abathi nabathandazako baphimisela, begodu akunalapha sifunda khona ukuthi babanevalo lokuthi uDeveli uzabezwa. (1 Kho. 8:22, 23; Jwa. 11:41, 42; IzE. 4:23, 24) Nasenza okusemandlenethu bona indlela esikhuluma nesenza ngayo ikhambisane nentando kaZimu, asingathomi singabaze ukuthi uJehova angeze avumele uDeveli asenze into ezosilimaza unomphela.—Funda iRhubo 34:8.

¹⁷ Iye khona kuqakathekile ukwazi inaba lethu, kodwana lokho akutjho ukuthi kufuze silisabe. Ngitjho nanyana singakapheleli nje singamhlula uSathana, ngombana uJehova uzosisekela. (1 Jwa. 2:14) Yeke nasijamelana naye uzosibaleka. (Jak. 4:7; 1 Pit. 5:9) Bantu abatjha, nina-ke niziinyamazana uSathana azithanda ngokukhethekileko. Alo yini enganisiza bona nimhlule? Umbuzo lo sizowuphendula esihlokweni esilandelako.