1. Yini uJehova ayembula ngesitha sethu e-Edene?

NGOKUQINISEKILE u-Adamu wayazi ukuthi izinyoka azikwazi ukukhuluma. Ngakho kungenzeka wasola ukuthi yingelosi eyakhuluma no-Eva isebenzisa inyoka. (Gen. 3:1-6) Cishe u-Adamu no-Eva babengazi lutho ngale ngelosi. Noma kunjalo, ngamabomu, u-Adamu wanquma ukulahla uYise wasezulwini wabe esehlanganyela nale ngelosi ekuphikiseni intando kaNkulunkulu. (1 Thim. 2:14) Ngokushesha, uJehova waqala ukuveza imininingwane ngalesi sitha esasikhohlise u-Adamu no-Eva, wathembisa ukuthi le ngelosi embi izobhujiswa. Nokho, uJehova waphinde waxwayisa ngokuthi okwesikhathi esithile, le ngelosi eyayikhulume ngenyoka yayiyoba namandla okuphikisa abantu abathanda uNkulunkulu.—Gen. 3:15.

2, 3. Yini okungenzeka yabangela ukuba kungakhulunywa kakhulu ngoSathane ngaphambi kokuba kufike uMesiya?

² Ngokuhlakanipha uJehova akakaze asitshele igama lale ngelosi eyavukela. * Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukungalivezi igama elichaza izenzo zayo, waze waliveza ngemva kweminyaka engu-2 500 yavukela. (Jobe 1:6) Empeleni, zintathu kuphela  izincwadi emiBhalweni yesiHebheru okuvela kuzo igama elithi Sathane, elisho ukuthi “uMphikisi”—eyoku-1 IziKronike, uJobe noZakariya. Kungani kungekuningi okwashiwo ngesitha sethu ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya?

³ Kubonakala sengathi uJehova wayengafuni ukunika uSathane udumo olungamfanele ngokuxoxa ngaye nangezenzo zakhe engxenyeni enkulu yemiBhalo YesiHebheru. Injongo kaJehova eyinhloko yokuphefumulela ukubhalwa kwale ngxenye yemiBhalo kwakuwukubonisa ukuthi uMesiya ungubani nokuholela abantu bakaNkulunkulu kuye. (Luka 24:44; Gal. 3:24) Lapho lokho kufezeka futhi uMesiya efika, uJehova wamsebenzisa kanye nabafundi bakhe ukuze embule okuningi esikwaziyo ngoSathane nangezingelosi ezakhetha uhlangothi lwakhe. * Lokhu kuyafaneleka njengoba uJehova eyosebenzisa uJesu nabagcotshiwe abayobusa naye ukuchoboza uSathane nabalandeli bakhe.—Roma 16:20; IsAm. 17:14; 20:10.

4. Kungani kungafanele sikhathazeke ngokweqile ngoDeveli?

⁴ Umphostoli uPetru uchaza uSathane uDeveli “njengengonyama ebhongayo,” uJohane umbiza ngokuthi “inyoka” ‘nodrako’. (1 Pet. 5:8; IsAm. 12:9) Nokho, asikho isidingo sokukhathazeka ngokweqile ngoDeveli—amandla akhe alinganiselwe. (Funda uJakobe 4:7.) Sisekelwa uJehova, uJesu nezingelosi zakhe ezithembekile. Sisizwa yibo, singamelana nesitha sethu. Noma kunjalo, kudingeka sazi izimpendulo zemibuzo emithathu ebalulekile: Lingakanani ithonya likaSathane? Yini ayenzayo ukuze athonye abantu? Yiziphi izinto angeke akwazi ukuzenza? Njengoba siphendula le mibuzo, sizoxoxa nangezifundo esingazifunda.

5, 6. Kungani ohulumeni babantu bengeke bakwazi ukwenza ushintsho olunganelisa izidingo zabantu?

⁵ Izingelosi eziningi zavukela kanye noSathane. Ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, uSathane wayenga izingelosi ezithile ukuba zilale nabesifazane. IBhayibheli lembula leli qiniso emfanekisweni obonisa udrako edonsa ingxenye yesithathu yezinkanyezi zezulu ngesikhathi exoshwa ezulwini. (Gen. 6:1-4; Jude 6; IsAm. 12:3, 4) Ngesikhathi lezi zingelosi zishiya umndeni kaNkulunkulu, zazikhetha ukulawulwa uSathane. Nokho, lezi zihlubuki azilona nje iqembu elisusa uthuthuva. USathane uzenzele umbuso onjengoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi uyinkosi yawo. Endaweni engabonakali, uSathane uye wahlela amademoni aba ohulumeni, wawanika igunya futhi wawenza ababusi bezwe.—Efe. 6:12.

⁶ Esebenzisa inhlangano yakhe engabonakali, uSathane ulawula bonke ohulumeni babantu. Lelo qiniso labonakala ngokucacile lapho uSathane ebonisa uJesu “yonke imibuso yomhlaba” futhi ethi: “Ngizokunika lonke leli gunya nenkazimulo yale mibuso, ngoba linikezwe mina, futhi ngilinika noma ubani engithanda ukumnika lona.” (Luka 4:5, 6) Naphezu kwethonya elibi likaSathane, ngokwezinga elithile ohulumeni abaningi bayazama ukwenzela abantu izinto ezinhle. Ababusi bangase babe nezinhloso ezinhle. Nokho, akekho umbusi noma uhulumeni wabantu ongenza ushintsho olunganelisa izidingo zabantu.—IHu. 146:3, 4; IsAm. 12:12.

7. Ngaphandle kohulumeni, uSathane uyisebenzisa kanjani inkolo yamanga nezentengiselwano? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁷ USathane namademoni abasebenzisi nje kuphela ohulumeni kodwa basebenzisa nenkolo yamanga nezentengiselwano ukuze badukise “umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.” (IsAm. 12:9) Esebenzisa inkolo yamanga,  uSathane ubhebhethekisa amanga ngoJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kubonakala sengathi uDeveli uzimisele ukwenza abantu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka balikhohlwe igama likaNkulunkulu. (Jer. 23:26, 27) Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abacabanga ukuthi bakhulekela uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso basuke bekhohlisiwe ukuze bakhulekele amademoni bengaboni. (1 Kor. 10:20; 2 Kor. 11:13-15) USathane uphinde abhebhethekise amanga esebenzisa ezentengiselwano. Ngokwesibonelo, ezentengiselwano ngokuvamile zifundisa abantu ukuthi ukuphishekela imali nezinto ezibonakalayo kukwenza ujabule. (IzAga 18:11) Labo abawakholelwayo la manga bachitha ukuphila kwabo bekhonza ‘iNgcebo’ kunokukhonza uNkulunkulu. (Math. 6:24) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukuthanda kwabo izinto ezibonakalayo kungaqeda noma yiluphi uthando ababenalo ngoNkulunkulu.—Math. 13:22; 1 Joh. 2:15, 16.

8, 9. (a) Yiziphi izifundo ezimbili esizifunda esibonelweni sika-Adamu no-Eva nesezingelosi ezahlubuka? (b) Kusisiza ngani ukwazi ukuthi lingakanani ithonya likaSathane?

⁸ Isibonelo sika-Adamu no-Eva nesezingelosi ezahlubuka zisifundisa izifundo ezimbili ezibalulekile. Esokuqala ukuthi kunezinhlangothi ezimbili kuphela futhi kumelwe sikhethe olulodwa. Kuphakathi kokuthi sikhetha ukuhlala siqotho kuJehova noma siba sohlangothini lukaSathane. (Math. 7:13) Esesibili, labo abasohlangothini lukaSathane bathola izinzuzo ezilinganiselwe nje kuphela. U-Adamu no-Eva bathola ithuba lokuzibekela ezabo izindinganiso zokuhle nokubi futhi amademoni abanethonya phezu kohulumeni babantu. (Gen. 3:22) Noma kunjalo, imiphumela ebuhlungu yokuba sohlangothini lukaSathane ihlale iminingi kunezinzuzo uSathane angase asinike zona.—Jobe 21:7-17; Gal. 6:7, 8.

⁹ Sisizakala kanjani ngokwazi ukuthi lingakanani ithonya likaSathane? Kusisiza sihlale sinombono olinganiselwe ngeziphathimandla futhi kusishukumisela ukuba senze umsebenzi wokushumayela. Siyaqonda ukuthi uJehova ufuna sizihloniphe izikhulu zikahulumeni. (1 Pet. 2:17) Ulindele ukuba silalele imithetho yohulumeni babantu uma nje leyo mithetho ingangqubuzani nezindinganiso zakhe. (Roma 13:1-4) Siyaqaphela ukuthi kumelwe singathathi hlangothi futhi asilokothi sisekele iqembu lezombusazwe noma umholi othile. (Joh. 17:15, 16; 18:36) Ngenxa yokuthi siyabona ukuthi uSathane uzama ukwenzani ngegama likaNkulunkulu nedumela lakhe, sizizwa sinomthwalo owengeziwe wokutshela abanye iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu wethu. Ngokuziqhenya sazisa abantu ngegama lakhe futhi siyalisebenzisa, sazi ukuthi ukumthanda kuzuzisa kakhulu kunokuthanda imali noma ukuthanda izinto.—Isaya 43:10; 1 Thim. 6:6-10.

10-12. (a) Kungenzeka uSathane wasisebenzisa kanjani isicupho ukuze ayenge izingelosi? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esisifunda ekuhlubukeni kwezingelosi eziningi?

¹⁰ USathane usebenzisa izindlela eziphumelelayo ukuze athonye abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, usebenzisa isicupho ukuze abayenge ukuba benze izinto ngendlela yakhe. Uphinde azame ukuphoqa abantu ukuba benze lokho akuthandayo.

¹¹ Cabanga ngendlela uSathane aphumelela ngayo ukubamba izingelosi eziningi ngesicupho. Kumelwe ukuba wazinika isikhathi esanele sokuzitadisha ngaphambi kokuba aziyenge ukuba zibe sohlangothini lwakhe. Lapho ezinye izingelosi zibanjwa isicupho futhi zilala nabesifazane, kwazalwa imidondoshiya eyayihlukumeza abantu. (Gen. 6:1-4) Kungenzeka uSathane akazicuphanga ngocansi kuphela lezi zingelosi ezingathembekile kodwa wazicupha nangokuzithembisa amandla okulawula abantu. Cishe injongo yakhe kwakuwukuphazamisa ukufika ‘kwenzalo yowesifazane’ eyayithenjisiwe. (Gen. 3:15) Kunoma yikuphi, uJehova wawaqeda wonke lawo macebo ngokuletha uZamcolo—isenzo esabhuntshisa imizamo kaSathane nezingelosi ezahlubuka.

¹² Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kulesi senzakalo? Ungalokothi nanini uweye amandla esilingo sokuziphatha okubi noma ingozi yokuqhosha. Izingelosi ezahlanganyela noSathane ekuvukeleni zase zikhonze uNkulunkulu iminyaka eminingi. Ngisho noma zaziphila endaweni enhle ngaleyo ndlela, izingelosi eziningi zavumela izifiso ezimbi ukuba zakheke futhi zikhule kuzo. Ngokufanayo, kungenzeka sesiye sakhonza amashumi eminyaka engxenyeni esemhlabeni yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu. Ngisho nakule ndawo ehlanzekile esikhonza kuyo uNkulunkulu, izifiso ezingahlanzekile zingaba khona. (1 Kor. 10:12) Kubalulekile ukuthi njalo sihlole izinhliziyo zethu, senqabe imicabango emibi futhi silwe nokuqhosha.—Gal. 5:26; funda eyabaseKolose 3:5.

13. Yisiphi esinye isicupho esiphumelelayo uSathane asisebenzisayo futhi singasigwema kanjani?

¹³ Esinye isicupho uSathane asisebenzisayo ilukuluku lokufuna ukwazi ngemilingo. Namuhla, akagcini nje ngokusebenzisa inkolo yamanga ukuze enze abantu bathande imilingo kodwa usebenzisa ngisho nezokuzijabulisa. Ama-movie, imidlalo yamavidiyo nezinye izinto zobuchwepheshe zenza imilingo ibukeke imnandi. Singakugwema kanjani ukubanjwa yilesi sicupho? Akufanele silindele ukuba inhlangano kaNkulunkulu isinike uhlu lwezinto zokuzijabulisa ezamukelekile nezingamukelekile. Ngamunye wethu kudingeka aqeqeshe unembeza wakhe ukuze uvumelane nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 5:14) Nokho, siyokwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile uma sisebenzisa iseluleko somphostoli uPawulu esithi,  uthando lwethu “malungabi nabuzenzisi.” (Roma 12:9) Singase sizibuze: ‘Ingabe lokho engikhetha ukuzijabulisa ngakho kungenza ngibonakale ngingumzenzisi? Uma abantu engifunda nabo iBhayibheli noma izimpindelo zami bezingabona lokho engizijabulisa ngakho, ingabe beziyocabanga ukuthi ngiyakwenza lokho engikufundisayo?’ Mancane amathuba okuthi sibanjwe isicupho sikaSathane uma izenzo zethu zivumelana nalokho esikushoyo.—1 Joh. 3:18.

14. USathane angazama kanjani ukusesabisa futhi singasabela kanjani kulokho?

¹⁴ Ngaphandle kokusicupha, uSathane uzama ukusesabisa ukuze singabi qotho kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, angasebenzisa ohulumeni ukuze avimbele umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Noma agqugquzele esisebenza nabo noma esifunda nabo esikoleni ukuba basigcone ngenxa yokuphila ngezindinganiso zeBhayibheli zokuziphatha. (1 Pet. 4:4) Angase asebenzise ngisho namalungu omndeni anezisusa ezinhle ukuze asidikibalise singabe sisaya emihlanganweni. (Math. 10:36) Singasabela kanjani ezimweni ezinjalo? Okokuqala, kumelwe sikulindele lokhu kuhlaselwa—uSathane ulwa nathi. (IsAm. 2:10; 12:17) Ngemva kwalokho, kudingeka sibone isizathu esibalulekile esibangela lokhu kuhlaselwa—uSathane uthi sikhonza uJehova kuphela lapho kusihambela kahle. Uthi lapho sivivinywa, siyomlahla uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Okokugcina kudingeka sithembele kuJehova ukuze asinike amandla okubhekana novivinyo. Khumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke asilahle.—Heb. 13:5.

15. Ingabe uSathane angasiphoqa ukuba senze izinto esingazithandi? Chaza.

¹⁵ USathane ngeke akwazi ukuphoqa abantu ukuba benze into abangayithandi. (Jak. 1:14) Benganakile abantu abaningi benza lokho okufunwa uSathane. Kodwa ngemva kokufunda iqiniso, umuntu uzenzela isinqumo sokuthi uzokhonza bani. (IzE. 3:17; 17:30) Uma sizimisele ukwenza intando Nkulunkulu, ayikho into uSathane angayenza ukuze aphule ubuqotho bethu.—Jobe 2:3; 27:5.

16, 17. (a) Yikuphi okunye uSathane namademoni abangakwazi ukukwenza? (b) Kungani kungafanele sesabe ukuthandaza ngokuzwakalayo?

¹⁶ Kukhona nokunye uSathane namademoni abangeke bakwazi ukukwenza. Ngokwesibonelo, imiBhalo ayibonisi ukuthi bayakwazi ukufunda izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu. UJehova noJesu kuphela okuthiwa banalelo khono. (1 Sam. 16:7; Marku 2:8) Kodwa bayakwazi yini ukusizwa lapho sikhuluma noma lapho sithandaza ngokuzwakalayo? Ingabe kufanele sesabe ukuthi uDeveli noma amademoni bangase bayizwe imithandazo yethu bese beyagxambukela? Cha. Kungani? Asesabi ukwenza izinto ezinhle enkonzweni kaJehova ngenxa nje yokuthi uDeveli angase asibone. Ngendlela efanayo, asikho isidingo sokwesaba ukuthandaza ngokuzwakalayo ngoba nje uDeveli engase asizwe. Empeleni, iBhayibheli linezibonelo eziningi zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezathandaza ngokuzwakalayo futhi akukho nokuncane okubonisa ukuthi lezo zinceku zazesaba ukuthi uDeveli angase azizwe. (1 AmaKh. 8:22, 23; Joh. 11:41, 42; IzE. 4:23, 24) Uma senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sikhulume futhi senze ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ngeke avumele ukuba uDeveli asilimaze.—Funda iHubo 34:7.

¹⁷ Kudingeka sisazi isitha sethu kodwa akudingeki sisesabe. Ngosizo lukaJehova, ngisho nabantu abanesono bangamnqoba uSathane. (1 Joh. 2:14) Uma simelana naye, uyosibalekela. (Jak. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9) Kubonakala sengathi uSathane uhlasela ngokukhethekile intsha. Yini intsha engayenza ukuze imelane ngokuqinile noDeveli? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngalokho.