1. Kwenzeka njani ukuba ingelosi itshintshe ibe nguSathana?

ESI sidalwa somoya, okanye ingelosi, sasikhe sanolwalamano oluhle noYehova. Kodwa kamva, safuna ukuba abantu basinqule. Kunokuba siwukhabe ngoko nangoko lo mnqweno uphosakeleyo, sawuvumela ukuba ukhule, de sona. (Yakobi 1:14, 15) Asilazi igama esasibizwa ngalo ngaphambili, kodwa ke ngoku sibizwa ngokuba nguSathana. Akazange ‘eme enyanisweni.’ Wamvukela uYehova waza waba ‘nguyise wobuxoki.’—Yohane 8:44.

2, 3. Asichazela ntoni amagama athi “uSathana,” “uMtyholi,” “inyoka,” “inamba” ngolona tshaba lukhulu lukaYehova?

² Ukususela oko wavukelayo, uSathana ebelolona tshaba luphambili lukaYehova nololuntu luphela. IBhayibhile isenza sicacelwe yindlela anobuqhophololo ngayo. Igama elithi Sathana lithetha “uMchasi,” nto leyo ebonisa ukuba le ngelosi ingendawo iluthiy’ egazini ulawulo lukaThixo kwaye izijul’ ijacu ekulweni nalo. Eyona nto ayifunayo uSathana kukuphelisa ulawulo lukaYehova.

 ³ ISityhilelo 12:9 sithi uSathana nguMtyholi, gama elo lithetha “uMhlebi.” USathana uye wamdelela uThixo ngokumbiza ixoki. Amazwi athi “inyoka yantlandlolo” asikhumbuza indlela uSathana awasebenzisa ngayo inyoka ukuze akhohlise uEva. Kanti amanye amazwi amchaza kakuhle into ayiyo ngathi ‘uyinamba enkulu.’ Yindlobongela, ukhohlakele kwaye ungendawo. Ufuna ukuxaba phambi kwenjongo kaYehova nokutshabalalisa abantu bakaThixo.

4. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

⁴ Kucacile ke ukuba uSathana usesona sisongelo sikhulu ekugcineni kwethu ingqibelelo. Yiloo nto iBhayibhile isilumkisa isithi: “Hlalani nithe qwa, nilindile. Utshaba lwenu, uMtyholi, luhambahamba njengengonyama egqumayo, efuna ubani engamqwengayo.” (1 Petros 5:8) Ngoko, eli nqaku liza kuthetha ngezinto ezintathu adume ngazo uSathana, ezibonisa isizathu sokuba kufuneka sizikhusele kolu tshaba lungendawo lukaYehova nabantu bakhe.

5, 6. (a) Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba iingelosi ‘zomelele ngamandla’? (b) USathana unawo njani “amandla okubangela ukufa”?

⁵ Iingelosi ‘zomelele ngamandla.’ (INdumiso 103:20) Zikrelekrele kwaye zinamandla kakhulu kunabantu. Kakade ke, iingelosi ezithembekileyo ziwasebenzisa kakuhle amandla azo. Ngokomzekelo, enye yazo yakha yabulala amajoni ama-Asiriya ayi-185 000. Nkqu nomkhosi opheleleyo wawuya kunzinyelwa nyhani kukwenza loo nto, singasathethi ke ngomntu omnye. (2 Kumkani 19:35) Kanti enye yona yasebenzisa ubuchule namandla ayo ukuze ikhulule abapostile bakaYesu entolongweni. Nangona abalindi babekufutshane, abazange babone ukuba ingelosi yayivule iingcango, yakhupha abapostile, yaza yatshixa kwakhona!—IZenzo 5:18-23.

⁶ Iingelosi ezithembekileyo ziwasebenzisa ezintweni ezintle amandla azo, kodwa yena uSathana wenza izinto ezimbi ngawakhe. Ibe ngokuqinisekileyo unamandla nempembelelo enkulu. IBhayibhile ithi ‘ungumlawuli weli hlabathi nothixo wale nkqubo yezinto.’ (Yohane 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4) USathana unawo “namandla okubangela ukufa.” (Hebhere 2:14) Oku akuthethi kuthi ubabulala ngezandla zakhe bonke abantu. Kuthetha ukuthini ke? Okokuqala, eli hlabathi lizaliswe yintiyo nogonyamelo lukaSathana. Okwesibini, besona baze bafe nje abantu namhlanje, kungenxa yokuba uEva wakholelwa ubuxoki bukaSathana, nangenxa yokuba uAdam engazange amthobele uThixo. (Roma 5:12) UYesu umchaza kakuhle uSathana xa esithi “sisibulala-mntu.” (Yohane 8:44) Ngokwenene ulutshaba olunamandla.

7. Iidemon zibonise njani ukuba zinamandla?

⁷ Ukuba siyamchasa uSathana, siyabachasa nabo bamxhasayo nabavukela ulawulo lukaThixo. Phakathi kwabo singabala ezinye iingelosi ezininzi ezivukelayo, ezibizwa ngokuba ziidemon. (ISityhilelo 12:3, 4) Kudala zayibonisa into  yokuba zinamandla angaphaya kwawabantu, zibaphilis’ ubomi bentshontsho. (Mateyu 8:28-32; Marko 5:1-5) Ungaze uyilibale indlela ezinamandla ngayo iidemon nomlawuli wazo. (Mateyu 9:34) Ukuba uYehova ebengekho, uSathana ebeya kuzenzela nje apha kuthi.

8. (a) Yintoni afuna ukuyenza uSathana? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Izinto ozibonileyo zibonisa njani ukuba eli hlabathi lifuze uSathana ngokukhohlakala?

⁸ Umpostile uPetros wathi uSathana ufana ‘nengonyama egqumayo.’ Enye incwadi ithi igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “egqumayo” lithetha “ukugragrama kwerhamncwa elilambileyo.” Le ngcaciso iyichaza kakuhle inkohlakalo nobungendawo bukaSathana! Nangona ebambe iintambo kulo lonke ihlabathi, akakoneli. USathana ufana nengonyama efuna amaxhoba angakumbi. (1 Yohane 5:19) Abona bantu abagxeleshe kakhulu ngabathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni kunye “nezinye izimvu.” (Yohane 10:16; ISityhilelo 12:17) Kaloku ufuna ukubatshayela bathi tu abantu bakaYehova. Ukutshutshiswa kwamaKristu enene ukususela ngenkulungwane yokuqala ukuza kuthi ga ngoku kungqina indlela uSathana akhohlakele ngayo.

9, 10. (a) USathana waluhlasela njani uhlanga lwamaSirayeli? (Zekelisa.) (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uSathana abe nesizathu esikhethekileyo sokuhlasela uSirayeli wamandulo? (c) Ucinga ukuba uziva njani uSathana xa omnye wabakhonzi bakaYehova esenza isono esinzulu namhlanje?

⁹ Ikho nenye indlela uSathana aye wabonisa ngayo ukuba ukhohlakele. Xa  ingonyama ilambile ayibi naluvelwano kwixhoba layo. Ayibi nasizi ngaphambi kokuba ilibulale, kwaye ayibi namvandedwa emva kokuba ilibulele. Unjalo ke noSathana, akabasizeli abantu abahlaselayo. Ngokomzekelo, ucinga ukuba wayeziva njani uSathana qho amaSirayeli enikezela kwizono ezifana nokuziphatha okubi nokunyoluka? Khawube nombono wakhe ezingomb’ isifuba evuyiswa yimiphumo ebuhlungu yokuziphatha okubi kukaZimri nokunyoluka kukaGehazi.—Numeri 25:6-8, 14, 15; 2 Kumkani 5:20-27.

¹⁰ USathana wayenesizathu esikhethekileyo sokuba ahlasele amaSirayeli amandulo. Khumbula kaloku ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuvela kolu hlanga, nokuba nguye owayeza kutyumza uSathana aze angqine ukuba uYehova unelungelo lokulawula. (Genesis 3:15) USathana wayengafuni ukuba amaSirayeli akholeke emehlweni kaThixo, ngenxa yoko wazama ngandlela zonke ukuwenza one. Ucinga ukuba uSathana wakhathazeka xa uDavide ekrexeza? Okanye ucinga ukuba wamsizela uMoses akuphoswa kukungena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? USathana uncuma yedwa xa ebona omnye wabakhonzi bakaThixo esenza isono esinzulu. Kaloku uMtyholi usebenzisa loo mathuba ukuze angcikive uYehova.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

11. Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela ukuba uSathana ahlasele uSara?

¹¹ USathana wayewuthiye ngokukhethekileyo umnombo awayeza kuvela kuwo uMesiya. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngento eyenzekayo emva kokuba uYehova exelele uAbraham ukuba wayeza kuba “luhlanga olukhulu.” (Genesis 12:1-3) Xa uAbraham noSara babeseYiputa, uFaro wathatha uSara wagoduka naye, efuna ukuba abe yinkosikazi yakhe. Kodwa uYehova wamkhusela uSara waza wamsindisa kule meko inzima. (Funda iGenesis 12:14-20.) Kwenzeka into efanayo nakwisixeko saseGerare ngaphambi kokuba kuzalwe uIsake. (Genesis 20:1-7) Akungebi kanti nguSathana wonke lo wayebangela ezi zinto? Khumbula ukuba uSara wayeshiye isixeko saseUre waya kuhlala ezintenteni. Akungebi ke uSathana wayenethemba lokuba uza kuthabatheka libhotwekazi likaFaro nelika-Abhimeleki? Ngaba wayecinga ukuba uSara uza kumshiy’ apho loo myeni, noYehova lowo, aye kutshata nomnye waba kumkani? IBhayibhile ayisichazeli, kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba uMtyholi wayeya kuncuma yedwa ukuba uSara wayelahlekelwe lithuba lokuba kumnombo kaMesiya. Kwakungayi kuthi thiki nakancinci kuye ukuba eli bhinqa laliye laphelelwa ngumtshato, langcoliselwa igama elihle baza baphela ubuhlobo balo noYehova. Ngokwenene sisikhohlakali esingendawo esi!

12, 13. (a) USathana wabonisa njani ukuba ukhohlakele emva kokuzalwa kukaYesu? (b) Ucinga ukuba uziva njani uSathana xa ebona ulutsha olumthandayo uYehova noluzama ukumkhonza namhlanje?

¹² Kumakhulu eminyaka emva koAbraham, kwazalwa uYesu. Ungacingi ukuba uSathana wayebona ubuhle nokuthandeka  xa wayejonge olo sana lunguYesu. Kaloku wayesazi ukuba lwaluza kukhula lube nguMesiya othenjisiweyo. UYesu wayeyinxalenye ephambili yenzala ka-Abraham, ibe kamva wayeza ‘kuchitha imisebenzi kaMtyholi.’ (1 Yohane 3:8) Ngaba ucinga ukuba ukubulala umntwana lisikizi kuSathana? Uyaphazama. Akayikhathalele into elungileyo nephosakeleyo. Kwaye akazange alibazise ukuzama ukubulala uYesu. Njani?

¹³ Xa uKumkani uHerode weva ngezazi ukuba “ukumkani wamaYuda” wayezelwe, waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo waza wazimisela ukulubulala olo sana. (Mateyu 2:1-3, 13) Ngoko wayalela ukuba kubulawe onke amakhwenkwe aneminyaka emibini nangaphantsi eBhetelehem nakwizithili zayo. (Funda uMateyu 2:13-18.) UYesu wasinda kuyo yonke loo nto, kodwa isixelela ntoni le nto ngotshaba lwethu uSathana? Isixelela ukuba ubomi bomntu bufana nje nobempukane kuye. Nkqu neentsana ezo akazikhathalele. Ngokwenene uSathana ‘yingonyama egqumayo.’ Ungaze uyilibale ke indlela akhohlakele ngayo!

14, 15. USathana ‘uzimfamekise njani iingqondo zabangakholwayo’?

¹⁴ Ekuphela kwendlela yokuba uSathana asuse abantu kuThixo wethu onothando, uYehova, kukubakhohlisa. (1 Yohane 4:8) Ubakhohlisa ngokubenza ‘bangayiphapheli intswelo yabo yokomoya,’ ngamany’ amazwi, bangayiboni into yokuba bayakudinga ukuba nolwalamano noThixo. (Mateyu 5:3) UMtyholi uye “wamfamekisa iingqondo zabangakholwayo” ukuze bangayiqondi inyaniso ngoYehova.—2 Korinte 4:4.

¹⁵ Enye yezona ndlela aphumelela ngazo uSathana ekulahlekiseni abantu lunqulo lobuxoki. Uyazi ukuba uYehova ufuna “uzinikelo olupheleleyo.” (Eksodus 20:5) Ngoko khawuthelekelele indlela avuya ngayo uSathana xa ebona abantu benqula izinyanya zabo, indalo okanye izilwanyana, ngamany’ amazwi benqula nantoni na eyenye ngaphandle kukaYehova. Okubuhlungu kukuba, kwanabaninzi abacinga ukuba unqulo lwabo lwamkelekile kuThixo bantlokothiswa ziinkolelo zobuxoki nezithethe ezingenamsebenzi. AmaSirayeli ayekwimeko efanayo ngomhla kaIsaya. UYehova wawabuza lo mbuzo: “Kutheni na naqhubeka nihlawula imali ngenxa yoko kungesosonka, kwaye yini na ukuba nibulaleke ngenxa yoko kungananelisiyo? Phulaphulani ngenyameko kum, nize nidle okulungileyo, yaye imiphefumlo yenu mayiyoliswe ngokugqibeleleyo kukutyeba.”—Isaya 55:2.

16, 17. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu athi kuPetros: “Suka uye emva kwam, Sathana”? (b) USathana unokusikhohlisa njani ukuze siyeke ukuhlala silindile?

¹⁶ USathana unokuqhatha nkqu nabo bakukhuthaleleyo ukukhonza uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoko kwenzekayo xa uYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe  ukuba wayeza kubulawa kungekudala. Umpostile uPetros, owayemthanda uYesu, wathi: “Yiba nobubele kuwe, Nkosi; akuyi kuba nesi siphelo konke konke.” UYesu wamphendula wathi: “Suka uye emva kwam, Sathana!” (Mateyu 16:22, 23) Kwakutheni ukuze athi “Sathana” kuPetros? Kaloku uYesu wayeyazi into eyayiza kwenzeka kungekudala. Wayeza kuba lidini lentlawulelo aze amngqine elixoki uMtyholi. Eli yayilixesha elibaluleke kakhulu kwimbali yabantu, ingeloxesha lokuba uYesu ‘abe nobubele’ kwisiqu sakhe. Ngewayevuye nyhani uSathana ukuba uYesu wayengazange ahlale ethe qwa.

¹⁷ Isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto sisondele, ngenxa yoko nathi siphila kwixesha lamanqam. USathana ufuna sibe ‘nobubele’ kwiziqu zethu ngokusenza sifune ukuphumelela kweli hlabathi. Ungayivumeli loo nto! Kunoko, ‘hlala ulindile.’ (Mateyu 24:42) Ungaze uyikholelwe into yokuba isiphelo sisekude okanye asizi kwaukuza.

18, 19. (a) USathana unokuzama njani ukusiqhatha nokusenza sicinge ukuba asifanelwanga kukuthandwa nguYehova? (b) UYehova usinceda njani ukuba sihlale sithe qwa?

¹⁸ Ikho nenye indlela uSathana azama ukusikhohlisa ngayo. Ufuna sikholelwe ukuba uYehova akanakuze asithande nokuba soze uThixo asixolele izono zethu. Kodwa bubuxoki bukaSathana yonke loo nto. Xa ucinga, inoba ngubani ngokwenene ongenakuze athandwe nguYehova? NguSathana kaloku. Ngubani ongasoze axolelwe nguThixo? NguSathana. Kodwa xa iBhayibhile ithetha ngathi ithi: “UThixo akanantswela-bulungisa ukuba angawulibala umsebenzi wenu.” (Hebhere 6:10) UYehova uxabisa yonke into esiyenzayo ukuze simkholise, kwaye inkonzo esiyinikela kuye ayinakuze ibe lilize. (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 15:58.) Ngoko ungaqhathwa nguSathana.

¹⁹ Njengoko sele sibonile, uSathana unamandla, ukhohlakele kwaye unamaqhinga. Sinokuloyisa njani ke utshaba olunje? UYehova uyasinceda. ILizwi lakhe lisifundisa ngeendlela ezisetyenziswa nguSathana ukuze ‘siwazi amacebo akhe.’ (2 Korinte 2:11) Xa siziqonda iindlela ezahlukeneyo asihlasela ngazo uSathana, kuba lula ukuba sihlale sithe qwa. Kodwa ke akwanelanga ukwazi nje iindlela zikaSathana. IBhayibhile ithi: “Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.” (Yakobi 4:7) Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusichazela ngezinto ezintathu esinokumoyisa kuzo uSathana.