1. E-Eden, ziintoni uYehova awazichazayo ngotshaba lwethu?

UADAM wayesazi ukuba iinyoka azikwazi ukuthetha. Ngoko umele ukuba waqonda ukuba sisidalwa somoya esathetha noEva sisebenzisa inyoka. (Gen. 3:1-6) UAdam noEva babengasazi esi sidalwa somoya. Sekunjalo, uAdam wakhetha ukumjikela uYise wasezulwini onothando waza waba ngakwicala lesi sidalwa angasaziyo, wavukela uThixo. (1 Tim. 2:14) Ngoko nangoko uYehova waqalisa ukuchaza izinto ngolu tshaba olwalahlekisa uAdam noEva, wathembisa ukuba ekugqibeleni uza kulutshabalalisa. Kodwa uYehova walumkisa nangokuba, kangangexesha elithile, esi sidalwa somoya esathetha sisebenzisa inyoka sasiza kuba namandla okuchasa abantu abathanda uThixo.—Gen. 3:15.

2, 3. Kubonakala ngathi kutheni kungathethwa kangako ngoSathana ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya?

² Ngenxa yokuba esisilumko, uYehova zange asixelele igama lalo nyana wakhe uyingelosi owamvukelayo. * Wakhetha nokuba angasixeleli negama elichaza into ayiyo kwada kwadlula iminyaka emalunga ne-2 500 evukele. (Yobhi 1:6) Zintathu  kuphela iincwadi kwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere ezithetha ngoSathana, gama elo lithetha “uMchasi.” Yeyoku-1 yeziKronike, uYobhi noZekariya. Kutheni kungazange kuthethwe kangako ngolu tshaba lwethu ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya?

³ Kubonakala ngathi uYehova wayengafuni ukumenza abaluleke uSathana ngokuthetha into eninzi ngaye nangezinto awayezenza kwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Eyona njongo kaYehova yokuphefumlela ezo Zibhalo yayikukuze abantu bakaThixo bakwazi ukumbona uMesiya baze bamlandele. (Luka 24:44; Gal. 3:24) Xa wafikayo uMesiya, uYehova wasebenzisa yena nabafundi bakhe ukuba bachaze izinto esizaziyo ngoku ngoSathana nangeengelosi ezakhetha ukuba kwicala lakhe. * Ifanelekile loo nto, kuba uYehova uza kusebenzisa uYesu nabathanjiswa abaza kulawula naye ukutyumza uSathana nabalandeli bakhe.—Roma 16:20; ISityhi. 17:14; 20:10.

4. Kutheni singamele simoyike kakhulu uMtyholi?

⁴ Umpostile uPetros uthi uSathana uMtyholi ‘yingonyama egqumayo,’ kanti yena uYohane uthi ‘yinyoka nenamba enkulu.’ (1 Pet. 5:8; ISityhi. 12:9) Kodwa ke asimele simoyike kakhulu uMtyholi kuba amandla akhe alinganiselwe. (Funda uYakobi 4:7.) UYehova, uYesu neengelosi ezithembekileyo bangakuthi. Banokusinceda silwe notshaba lwethu. Kodwa ke kuyafuneka sizazi iimpendulo zale mibuzo mithathu: Lingakanani ifuthe likaSathana? Uzama njani ukuba nefuthe kumntu ngamnye? Amandla akhe aphelela phi? Njengoko siphendula le mibuzo siza kubona ukuba sifunda ntoni.

5, 6. Kutheni oorhulumente bengakwazi ukwenza utshintsho olufunwa ngabantu?

⁵ Zininzi iingelosi ezaxhasa uSathana. Ngaphambi koMkhukula, uSathana wahenda ezinye zazo ukuba zilale neentombi zabantu, ibe waphumelela. IBhayibhile isenzela umfanekiso-ngqondweni wale nto yenzekayo ngokuthi inamba yarhuqa isinye kwisithathu seenkwenkwezi zezulu, yaza yaya nazo emhlabeni. (Gen. 6:1-4; Yude 6; ISityhi. 12:3, 4) Xa ezi ngelosi zayishiyayo intsapho kaThixo, zakhetha ukulawulwa nguSathana. Aba bavukeli, abayomigulugudu nje ephazamisayo. USathana uzenzele ubukumkanana bakhe bomgunyathi, ibe nguye ukumkani. Ulungelelanise iingelosi zakhe ukuba zibe ngoorhulumente, wazinika igunya, waza wazenza abalawuli behlabathi.—Efe. 6:12.

⁶ USathana ulawula bonke oorhulumente babantu esebenzisa le ntlangano yakhe yeedemon. Le nto yacaca xa uSathana wabonisa uYesu “zonke izikumkani zomhlaba omiweyo” waza wathi: “Ndiza kukunika lonke eli gunya nozuko lwazo, ngenxa yokuba linikelwe kum, kwaye ndilinika nabani na endisukuba ndinqwenela ukumnika.” (Luka 4:5, 6) Nangona uSathana enomoya ombi koorhulumente, abaninzi babo babenzela izinto ezintle abantu babo. Abanye abalawuli banokuba neenjongo ezintle. Kodwa akakho urhulumente okanye umlawuli okwaziyo ukwenza utshintsho olufunwa ngabantu.—INdu. 146:3, 4; ISityhi. 12:12.

7. USathana ulusebenzisa njani unqulo lobuxoki nezorhwebo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁷ USathana needemon zakhe abasebenzisi oorhulumente bodwa, kodwa  bakwasebenzisa nonqulo lobuxoki nezorhwebo ukuze balahlekise “umhlaba omiweyo uphela.” (ISityhi. 12:9) USathana usasaza ubuxoki ngoYehova esebenzisa unqulo lobuxoki. Ukongezelela, kubonakala ngathi uzimisele ukwenza abantu abaninzi balilibale igama likaThixo. (Yer. 23:26, 27) Ngenxa yoko, abantu abahamba iicawa bayaqhathwa bacinge ukuba banqula uThixo, kanti banqula iidemon. (1 Kor. 10:20; 2 Kor. 11:13-15) Kwakhona uSathana usasaza ubuxoki esebenzisa ezorhwebo. Ngokomzekelo, ezorhwebo zifundisa abantu ukuba ukuze umntu onwabe kufuneka afune imali aze abe nezinto ezininzi. (IMize. 18:11) Abantu ababukholelwayo obu buxoki bachitha ubomi babo bonke benqula ‘ubuTyebi’ kunokuba banqule uThixo. (Mat. 6:24) Ekugqibeleni kuba bethanda izinto baphela bengamthandi uThixo.—Mat. 13:22; 1 Yoh. 2:15, 16.

8, 9. (a) iintoni ezimbini esinokuzifunda kuAdam, kuEva nakwiingelosi ezavukelayo? (b) Kusinceda ngantoni ukwazi ukuba uSathana unefuthe elingakanani?

⁸ Ubuncinane sifunda izinto ezimbini ezibalulekileyo kuAdam, uEva neengelosi ezavukelayo. Okokuqala, kukho amacala amabini kuphela, kufuneka sikhethe libe linye. Licala likaYehova okanye elikaSathana. (Mat. 7:13) Okwesibini, abo bakhetha ukuba kwicala likaSathana akhonto ingako bayifumanayo. UAdam noEva bakwazi ukuzigqibela ngokulungileyo nokubi, iidemon ukusa kumkhamo othile bezinefuthe koorhulumente. (Gen. 3:22) Kodwa ke, isoloko incinci into oyifumanayo xa kuthelekiswa nezinto ekubonakala ngathi uza kuzifumana kuSathana.—Yobhi 21:7-17; Gal. 6:7, 8.

⁹ Kusinceda ngantoni ukwazi ukuba uSathana unefuthe elingakanani? Kusinceda singayibaxi indlela esiwajonga ngayo amagunya ehlabathi size siyikhuthalele intsimi. Siyazi ukuba uYehova ufuna sibahlonele oorhulumente. (1 Pet. 2:17) Ulindele nokuba siyithobele imithetho yabo ukuba ayingqubani neyakhe. (Roma 13:1-4) Kodwa siyazi ukuba simele singathathi cala, sithande umbutho othile wepolitiki okanye inkokeli ethile kunenye. (Yoh. 17:15, 16; 18:36) Ngenxa yokuba sisazi ukuba uSathana uzama ukwenza ntoni kwigama likaYehova nakwindlela abantu abamjonga ngayo, siziva sinyanzelekile ukuba sifundise abantu inyaniso ngoThixo wethu. Siyazidla ngegama lakhe ibe siyalisebenzisa, siyazi ukuba xa sithanda yena siya konwaba kakhulu kunaxa sithanda imali nezinto.—Isa. 43:10; 1 Tim. 6:6-10.

10-12. (a) USathana inoba wazihenda njani iingelosi? (b) Sifunda ntoni kwinto yokuba waphumelela ukuhenda iingelosi ezininzi?

¹⁰ USathana unamacebo asebenzayo okulawula abantu. Ngokomzekelo, uyabahenda ukuba benze izinto ngendlela afuna ngayo. Kwakhona uzama ukubanyenzela ukuba bamthobele.

¹¹ Khawucinge nje ngendlela uSathana awaphumelela ngayo ekuhendeni iingelosi ezininzi. Inoba wazifunda kangangexesha elithile ngaphambi kokuba azihendele kwicala lakhe. Xa ezinye zazo zahendekayo zaza zalala nabafazi, zaba nabantwana abangumxube ababaphatha kakubi abantu. (Gen. 6:1-4) Inoba uSathana zange azihende nje ngokulala nabafazi kodwa wazithembisa nokuba zaziza kulawula abantu. Mhlawumbi wayefuna ingabikho ‘imbewu yomfazi’ eyayithenjisiwe. (Gen. 3:15) Kodwa ke uYehova wayichitha yonke loo nto ngoMkhukula, awa phantsi loo macebo kaSathana neengelosi ezavukelayo.

¹² Sifunda ntoni ke kule nto? Singaze sicinge ukuba asinakuze siziphathe kakubi okanye siziphakamise. Ezi ngelosi ezaya kwicala likaSathana, kwakukudala zihleli noThixo. Nangona zazikwindawo elunge ngolo hlobo, zazivumela zaba neminqweno emibi yaza yakhula. Nathi kusenokwenza ukuba sele sineminyaka sisentlanganweni kaThixo. Nangona sikule ntlangano icoceke ngolu hlobo, kungenzeka ukuba sivumele iminqweno emdaka ikhule. (1 Kor. 10:12) Kubalulekile ukuba sisoloko sizihlola iintliziyo, singacingi ngokulala nabantu esingatshatanga nabo kwaye singaziphakamisi!—Gal. 5:26; Funda kwabaseKolose 3:5.

13. Yeyiphi enye indlela ephumelelayo uSathana ayisebenzisayo, ibe sinokwenza ntoni ukuze singahendeki?

¹³ Enye indlela ephumelelayo uSathana ayisebenzisayo kukusenza sibe nomdla kwiidemon. Akasebenzisi unqulo lobuxoki lodwa ukuze asenze sibe nomdla kwiidemon kodwa usebenzisa nezolonwabo. Iimuvi, imidlalo ye-elektroniki nezinye izinto zenza ubugqwirha bube ngathi yinto nje yokuzonwabisa. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze singahendeki? Asinakulindela ukuba intlangano kaThixo isidwelisele izinto esinokuzonwabisa ngazo nesingamele sizonwabise ngazo. Umntu ngamnye kufuneka aqeqeshe isazela sakhe sivisisane nemithetho kaThixo. (Heb. 5:14) Kodwa ke, siya kukhetha kakuhle xa sisebenzisa icebiso likampostile uPawulos elithi uthando lwethu ngoThixo “malungabi naluhanahaniso.” (Roma 12:9) Khawuzibuze:  ‘Ngaba indlela endizonwabisa ngayo indenza ndibonakale ndingumntu ongenanyani? Ukuba izifundo zam zeBhayibhile okanye amabuyelo am ebenokubona indlela endizonwabisa ngayo, ngaba ebeya kuthi ndithetha le, ndize ndenze leya?’ Ukuba siyazenza izinto esizithethayo asinakufane sibanjiswe nguSathana.—1 Yoh. 3:18.

14. USathana uzama njani ukusinyanzela ukuba simlahle uYehova, ibe yintoni enokusinceda sinyamezele?

¹⁴ Ukongezelela ekusihendeni, uSathana uzama ukusinyanzela ukuba simlahle uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, unokwenza oorhulumente bawuvale umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Okanye enze abantu esiphangela okanye esifunda nabo bahlekise ngento yokuba sifuna ukuphila ngemithetho yeBhayibhile yendlela yokuziphatha. (1 Pet. 4:4) Usenokude enze izizalwana zethu zisinqande xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni. (Mat. 10:36) Yintoni enokusinceda sinyamezele? Okokuqala, simele silindele ukuba ezi zinto ziza kusehlela, uSathana ulwa nathi. (ISityhi. 2:10; 12:17) Okwesibini, simele sicinge ngeyona nto yenzekayo, kaloku uSathana uthi thina simkhonza uYehova xa kumnandi qha. Uthi xa kunzima siza kumlahla uThixo. (Yobhi 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Okokugqibela, kufuneka simthembe uYehova ukuba uza kusinika amandla, sinyamezele. Khumbula ukuba akasoze asishiye.—Heb. 13:5.

15. Ngaba uSathana unokusinyanzela ukuba senze into esingayifuniyo? Cacisa.

¹⁵ USathana akakwazi ukunyanzela abantu benze into abangayifuniyo. (Yak. 1:14) Abanye benza ukuthanda kukaSathana bengazi. Emva kokuba baze inyaniso, ngamnye uyazikhethela ukuba uza kukhonza bani. (IZe. 3:17; 17:30) Ukuba sizimisele ukukhonza uThixo, akukho nto uSathana anokuyenza ukuze siyeke ukumkhonza.—Yobhi 2:3; 27:5.

16, 17. (a) Ziintoni ezinye uSathana needemon zakhe abangakwaziyo ukuzenza? (b) Kutheni singamele soyike ukuthandaza sivakale?

¹⁶ Zikhona ezinye izinto uSathana needemon zakhe abangakwaziyo ukuzenza. Ngokomzekelo, akukho ndawo kwiZibhalo ebonisa ukuba bayakwazi ukubona izinto ezisezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zethu. NguYehova noYesu kuphela ekuthiwa bayakwazi. (1 Sam. 16:7; Marko 2:8) Kodwa ke kwenzeka ntoni xa sithetha okanye sithandaza ngokuvakalayo? Ngaba simele soyike ukuba uMtyholi okanye iidemon zakhe baza kusiva, baze babangele ingenzeki loo nto siyithandazelayo? Hayi. Ngoba? Kaloku asiyeki ukwenzela uYehova izinto ezintle kuba nje uMtyholi esibona. Ngokufanayo, asifanele soyike ukuthandaza sivakale kuba nje uMtyholi enokusiva. IBhayibhile inemizekelo emininzi yabakhonzi bakaThixo abathandaza ngokuvakalayo, ibe asiva kusithiwa babesoyika ukuba uMtyholi uza kubeva. (1 Kum. 8:22, 23; Yoh. 11:41, 42; IZe. 4:23, 24) Ukuba izinto esizithethayo nesizenzayo zihambisana nokuthanda kukaThixo, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova akasoze amvumele uMtyholi ukuba asitshabalalise.—Funda iNdumiso 34:7.

¹⁷ Simele silwazi utshaba lwethu kodwa asimele siloyike. Ngoku singafezekanga sinokumoyisa uSathana xa sincedwa nguYehova. (1 Yoh. 2:14) Ukuba siyamchasa, uza kusibaleka. (Yak. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9) USathana uyathanda ukuzifikisela apha ebantwaneni. Yintoni abanokuyenza ukuze bamchase uMtyholi? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuphendula lo mbuzo.