1. Ngokutsho kwabaseKolose 2:4, 8, uSathana uzama njani ukutshintsha indlela esicinga ngayo?

USATHANA ufuna siyeke ukumthanda uYehova. Le nto uyenza ngokuzama ukutshintsha indlela esicinga ngayo, ukuze sicinge njengaye. Ufuna senze izinto ezifunwa nguye ngokusebenzisa izinto esinomdla kuzo.​—Funda kwabaseKolose 2:4, 8.

2-3. (a) Kutheni esi silumkiso sikwabaseKolose 2:4, 8 sibaluleke kakhulu kuthi namhlanje? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

² Ngaba nyhani sisengozini yokulahlekiswa nguSathana? Ewe sikuyo! Khumbula ukuba kwabaseKolose 2:8, uPawulos wayengalumkisi abantu abangengomaKristu. Wayebhalela amaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya oyingcwele. (Kol. 1:2, 5) Loo maKristu kwakufuneka alumkele ukulahlekiswa nguSathana, ibe thina simele silumke kakhulu namhlanje. (1 Kor. 10:12) Ngoba? Kaloku uSathana waphoselwa apha emhlabeni, ibe uzimisele ukulahlekisa abakhonzi bakaThixo. (ISityhi. 12:9, 12, 17) Ngapha koko, kule mihla abantu abenza izinto ezimbi baya ‘behambela phambili ebubini.’​—2 Tim. 3:1, 13.

³ Kweli nqaku, siza kufunda ngendlela uSathana azama ngayo ukutshintsha indlela esicinga ngayo. Siza kuthetha ‘ngamaqhinga’ akhe amathathu. (Efe. 6:11) Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngezinto esimele sizenze ukuze siyeke ukucinga njengoSathana. Makhe siqale sithethe ngezinto esinokuzifunda kwindlela uSathana awawalahlekisa ngayo amaSirayeli emva kokuba engene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso.

4-6. Ngokutsho kweDuteronomi 11:10-15, yeyiphi indlela entsha yokulima ekwafuneka amaSirayeli eyifundile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso?

⁴ USathana wawaqhatha ngobuchule amaSirayeli ukuze anqule izithixo. Wayenza njani loo nto? Wayesazi ukuba  kwakufuneka etyile, ngoko wazama ukuwabambisa ngaloo nto. Xa amaSirayeli angena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, kwafuneka afunde indlela entsha yokulima. EYiputa, ayenkcenkceshela ngamanzi akuMlambo umNayile. Kodwa ke, kwiLizwe Lesithembiso wawungekho umlambo omkhulu. Izinto abazityalileyo zazikhuliswa yimvula nangumbethe. (Funda iDuteronomi 11:10-15; Isa. 18:4, 5) Ngoko ke, kwafuneka amaSirayeli afunde iindlela ezintsha zokulima. Yayingazukuba lula le nto, kuba abantu abaninzi ababekwazi ukulima bafa entlango.

⁵ UYehova wabachazela abantu bakhe ukuba izinto zazitshintshile. Emva koko wabalumkisa wathi: “Lumkelani ukuba ingawexulwa intliziyo yenu, niphambuke nikhonze thixo bambi nize niqubude kubo.” (Dut. 11:16, 17) Le nto yayisenokubonakala ngathi ayinanto yakwenza nokulima. Yintoni eyayisenza uYehova athethe nangokunqula izithixo xa wayethetha ngeendlela ezintsha zokulima?

⁶ UYehova wayesazi ukuba amaSirayeli ayesenokufuna ukufunda iindlela zokulima kubantu ababekhonza izithixo ababehlala phakathi kwawo. Kakade ke, aba bantu babesazi ukuba kulinywa njani kwela lizwe, ibe ininzi into amaSirayeli ayenokuyifunda kubo. Kodwa ke, kwakufuneka alumke. Abalimi abangamaKanan babekhonza uBhahali ibe loo nto yayibonakala kwindlela ababecinga ngayo. Babesithi isibhakabhaka sesikaBhahali ibe nemvula inethiswa nguye. UYehova wayengafuni abantu bakhe bakholelwe obu buxoki. Kodwa ke, amaSirayeli aqhubeka ekhonza uBhahali. (Num. 25:3, 5; ABagwe. 2:13; 1 Kum. 18:18) Ngoku makhe sithethe ngendlela uSathana awawabambisa ngayo amaSirayeli.

7. Yintoni eyayiza kubonisa ukuba amaSirayeli analo ukholo xa ayekwiLizwe Lesithembiso?

⁷ Okokuqala, uSathana wawabambisa ngento ekuqhelekileyo ukuba umntu ayifune. Wona amaSirayeli ayefuna imvula yokunkcenkceshela izityalo zawo. Yayinqabile imvula kwiLizwe Lesithembiso ekupheleni kuka-Aprili ukuya kutsho ngoSeptemba qho ngonyaka. Ukuze amaSirayeli alale etyile, kwakufuneka alinde imvula eyayiqala ukubakho malunga no-Oktobha. USathana wenza amaSirayeli acinga ukuba kufuneka nawo akhonze izithixo ukuze angalambi. Abantu ababehlala phakathi kwamaSirayeli babekholelwa ukuba oothixo babo baza kunethisa imvula xa besenza izinto ezithile zonqulo. AmaSirayeli awayengenalukholo kuYehova ayexolela ukukhonza uBhahali xa ebona ngathi imvula ayide inethe.

8. Leliphi iqhinga lesibini uSathana awalisebenzisayo? Cacisa.

⁸ Okwesibini, uSathana wawalinga amaSirayeli ukuba aziphathe kakubi. Abantu abakhonza izithixo babesenza izinto ezenyanyekayo xa bekhonza. Kwakubakho abafazi namadoda abathengisa ngomzimba etempileni. Babengathi nje kwamkelekile ukulala kwendoda nenye indoda, okanye kwebhinqa nelinye ibhinqa, kodwa babeyijonga njengento eqhelekileyo loo nto. Babesamkela nezinye iindlela zokuziphatha kakubi. (Dut. 23:17, 18; 1 Kum. 14:24) Aba bantu babesithi ezi zinto babezenza, zazisenza oothixo babo bachumise umhlaba. AmaSirayeli amaninzi nawo afuna ukuziphatha njengaba bantu bakhonza izithixo aza nawo azikhonza. USathana wayewabambisile.

9. Ngokutsho kukaHoseya 2:16, 17, uSathana wazama njani ukwenza amaSirayeli amlibale uYehova?

⁹ Okwesithathu, uSathana wazama ukwenza amaSirayeli amlibale uYehova. Ngemihla kaYeremiya, uYehova wathi abaprofeti bobuxoki benza abantu bakhe balilibala igama lakhe “ngenxa kaBhahali.” (Yer. 23:27) Abantu bakaThixo bayeka ukumbiza ngegama lakhe baza bambiza Bhahali. Eli gama lithetha ukuthi “Mnini” okanye “Nkosi.” Le nto yenza amaSirayeli awawubona umahluko phakathi kukaYehova noBhahali, aza adibanisa indlela yokukhonza uBhahali nekaYehova.​—Funda uHoseya 2:16, 17.

10. USathana ubabambisa njani abantu namhlanje?

¹⁰ USathana usababambisa abantu ngendlela awenza ngayo kumaSirayeli. Ubabambisa ngezinto ekuqhelekileyo ukuba bazifune, ngokuziphatha kakubi ngokwesondo, nangokubenza bamlibale uYehova. Makhe siqale sithethe ngale yokugqibela.

11. USathana uzama njani ukwenza abantu bamlibale uYehova?

¹¹ USathana uzama ukwenza abantu bamlibale uYehova. Emva kokuba kufe abapostile bakaYesu, abanye abantu ababesithi bangamaKristu baqalisa ukufundisa izinto ezingezizo. (IZe. 20:29, 30; 2 Tes. 2:3) Aba bawexuki benza abantu abamazi kakuhle oyena Thixo wokwenyaniso. Ngokomzekelo, balikhupha igama likaThixo kwiiBhayibhile zabo baza basebenzisa igama elithi “Nkosi” namanye amagama endaweni yalo. Le nto iye yabangela kwanzima kubantu abafunda iBhayibhile ukwazi umahluko phakathi kukaYehova nabanye oothixo ekuthethwa ngabo  eBhayibhileni. (1 Kor. 8:5) Baye basebenzisa igama elithi “Nkosi” naxa bethetha ngoYesu. Le nto iye yenza akwabi lula ebantwini ukuqonda ukuba uYehova noYesu ayingomntu omnye. (Yoh. 17:3) Ikwayile nto ebangele ukuba kubekho imfundiso yokuba uThixo uneziqu ezithathu, engekhoyo ke phofu eBhayibhileni. Ngenxa yale nto, abantu abaninzi bacinga ukuba abanakumazi uThixo. Bubuxoki obo!​—IZe. 17:27.

12. Luvumele ntoni unqulo lobuxoki, ibe kwabaseRoma 1:28-31, uPawulos wathi zeziphi izinto ezenzekayo ngenxa yaloo nto?

¹² USathana ukhuthaza ukuziphatha kakubi. Ngexesha lamaSirayeli, uSathana wakhuthaza ukuziphatha kakubi esebenzisa unqulo lobuxoki. Usenza into efanayo nanamhlanje. Unqulo lobuxoki namhlanje lwenza kubonakale ngathi akuyonto imbi ukuziphatha kakubi. Ngenxa yaloo nto, abantu abaninzi abathi bakhonza uThixo abayithobeli imithetho yakhe yendlela yokuziphatha. Kwileta yakhe eyayisiya kwabaseRoma, uPawulos wachaza izinto ezenzekayo kuba unqulo lobuxoki luvumele ukuziphatha kakubi. (Funda kwabaseRoma 1:28-31) Kwezi ‘zinto zingafanelekanga’ athetha ngazo uPawulos, kukho zonke iindlela zokuziphatha kakubi ngokwesondo, ezinjengokulala kwendoda nendoda okanye ibhinqa nebhinqa. (Roma 1:24-27, 32; ISityhi. 2:20) Kubaluleke nyhani ukuba sizenze izinto ezifundiswa yiBhayibhile.

13. Yeyiphi enye indlela uSathana ababambisa ngayo abantu?

¹³ USathana ubambisa abantu ngezinto ekuqhelekileyo ukuba bazifune. Sonke siyafuna ukufunda izakhono eziza kusinceda, zize zisincede sikwazi nokondla iintsapho zethu. (1 Tim. 5:8) Amaxesha amaninzi, ukuze sibe nezi zakhono, kuye kufuneke siye esikolweni size sizimisele. Kodwa kufuneka silumke. Izikolo zamazwe amaninzi azifundisi izakhono kuphela, kodwa zifundisa nobulumko babantu. Ngokomzekelo, kwezi zikolo abantwana benziwa bangaqiniseki ncam ukuba uThixo ukhona, baze bangayihloniphi neBhayibhile. Bafundiswa nokuba ngabantu abakrelekrele kuphela abakholelwa ukuba izinto zazivelela. (Roma 1:21-23) Izinto ezinje ziyaphikisana ‘nobulumko bukaThixo.’​—1 Kor. 1:19-21; 3:18-20.

14. Ubulumko behlabathi bukhuthaza ntoni?

 ¹⁴ Ubulumko babantu buyaphikisana nezinto ezifundiswa nguYehova. Abukhuthazi abantu ukuba babe nesiqhamo somoya kaThixo, kunoko bukhuthaza “imisebenzi yenyama.” (Gal. 5:19-23) Bukhuthaza abantu ukuba babe nekratshi ibe loo nto iye yababangela ukuba ‘bazithande.’ (2 Tim. 3:2-4) Kodwa uThixo akafuni babe njalo abakhonzi bakhe, kunoko ufuna bathobeke. (2 Sam. 22:28) Amanye amaKristu afunde eyunivesithi azibhaqe sele ecinga njengeli hlabathi kunokuba acinge njengoThixo. Makhe sithethe ngento enokwenzeka xa umKristu eye eyunivesithi.

15-16. Ufunda ntoni kwinto eyenzeka komnye udade?

¹⁵ Udade oneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-15 ekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo uthi: “Kuba ndandisele ndibhaptiziwe, ndandivile ndaza ndafunda ngendlela ekuyingozi ngayo ukuya eyunivesithi, kodwa ke andizange ndiyihoye yonke loo nto. Ndandisithi asoze zenzeke kum ezo zinto.” Zeziphi iingxaki awaba nazo emva koko? Uthi: “Ndandichitha ixesha elininzi ndifunda iincwadi zesikolo, kangangokuba ndandingabi nalo nexesha elaneleyo lokuthandaza njengokuba ndandisenza ngaphambi kokuba ndiye eyunivesithi. Ndandidinwa kakhulu ndide ndingakwazi nokuya entsimini okanye ndizilungiselele kakuhle iintlanganiso. Kodwa ke, ndathi ndakubona ukuba ukuchitha ixesha elide ndisenza izinto zesikolo kuyandibhekelisa kuYehova, ndaqonda ukuba mandiyeke.”

¹⁶ Iyunivesithi yayitshintsha njani indlela acinga ngayo lo dade? Uphendula eneentloni esithi: “Yandenza ndajonga kakhulu  iimpazamo zabanye abantu, ingakumbi ezabazalwana noodadewethu. Kwakhona, yandenza ndalindela ukuba benze izinto ezingaphaya kwamandla abo ndaza ndazikhetha. Kwagqitha ixesha elide ngaphambi kokuba ndiyeke ukucinga ngale ndlela. Le nto yandifundisa indlela ekuyingozi ngayo ukungamameli xa uTata wethu osezulwini esilumkisa ngentlangano yakhe. UYehova wayendazi ngaphezu kokuba ndizazi. Akwaba ndandimmamele!”

17. (a) Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁷ Zimisele ukuba ungabanjiswa “ziintanda-bulumko nayinkohliso elambathayo” yeli hlabathi likaSathana. Hlala uwalumkele amaqhinga kaSathana. (1 Kor. 3:18; 2 Kor. 2:11) Ungaze umvumele akwenze umlibale uYehova. Ziphathe ngendlela uYehova ayifunayo. Kwakhona, ungaze uvumele uSathana akwenze ungammameli uYehova. Kodwa ke, yintoni omele uyenze xa ubona ngathi sele ucinga njengeli hlabathi? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusibonisa indlela iLizwi LikaThixo elinokusinceda ngayo siyeke ukucinga nokwenza izinto ezimbi enoba sele kudlule ixesha elingakanani.​—2 Kor. 10:4, 5.