1. Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba?

INJONGO kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba imangalisa ngempela. UJehova ufuna umhlaba ugcwale abantu abajabulayo nabayimiqemane. IBhayibheli lithi “uNkulunkulu watshala insimu e-Edene” futhi “wenza ukuba kumile . . . yonke imithi efiselekayo emehlweni omuntu nefanelekele ukudliwa.” Ngemva kokudala indoda yokuqala nowesifazane, u-Adamu no-Eva, wababeka kulelo khaya elihle wabe esebatshela: “Zalani nande nigcwalise umhlaba niwunqobe.” (Genesise 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15) Ngakho kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu babe nabantwana, banwebele imingcele yekhaya labo eliyinsimu enhle kuwo wonke umhlaba, futhi banakekele nezilwane.

2. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba izogcwaliseka? (b) IBhayibheli lithi abantu abanjani abayophila phakade?

² Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi injongo kaJehova uNkulunkulu yokuba abantu baphile emhlabeni oyipharadesi iyoke igcwaliseke? “Ngikukhulumile nokukukhuluma,” kusho uNkulunkulu, “ngizokwenza futhi.” (Isaya 46:9-11; 55:11) Yebo, lokho uNkulunkulu akuhlosile uyokufeza nakanjani! Uthi ‘[umhlaba] akawudalelanga ize nje kodwa wawubumba ukuze uhlalwe ngisho nokuhlalwa.’ (Isaya 45:18)  UNkulunkulu wayefuna kuhlale abantu abanjani emhlabeni? Futhi wayefuna baphile isikhathi eside kangakanani? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.”—IHubo 37:29; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

3. Yiziphi izimo ezidabukisayo ezikhona manje emhlabeni, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?

³ Ngokusobala, lokhu akukenzeki. Okwamanje abantu bayagula bafe; bayalwa nokulwa, babulalane bodwa. Kukhona okonakala. UNkulunkulu wayengahlosile neze ukuba umhlaba ube njengoba siwubona namuhla! Kwenzekani? Kungani injongo kaNkulunkulu ingakagcwaliseki? Ayikho incwadi yomlando ebhalwe umuntu engasitshela ngoba izinto zaqala ukonakala ezulwini.

4, 5. (a) Ubani ngempela owakhuluma no-Eva esebenzisa inyoka? (b) Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba umuntu obehloniphekile futhi ethembekile aphenduke isigebengu?

⁴ Incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli isitshela ngomphikisi kaNkulunkulu owabonakala ensimini yase-Edene. Imchaza ngokuthi “inyoka,” kodwa wayengesona neze isilwane. Incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli imbiza “ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane, odukisa umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.” Ubizwa nangokuthi “inyoka yokuqala.” (Genesise 3:1; IsAmbulo 12:9) Le ngelosi enamandla, noma isidalwa somoya esingabonakali, yasebenzisa inyoka ukuze ikhulume no-Eva, njengoba nje nomuntu onekhono engenza kubonakale sengathi kukhuluma udoli oseduze kwakhe. Akungatshazwa ukuthi lo muntu womoya wayekhona lapho uNkulunkulu elungisela abantu umhlaba.—Jobe 38:4, 7.

⁵ Njengoba yonke indalo kaJehova iphelele, ubani-ke owadala lo “Develi,” lo “Sathane”? Kalula nje, enye yamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya enamandla yazishintsha yona ngokwayo yaba uDeveli. Kwénzeka kanjani lokhu? Angithi namuhla umuntu ohloniphekile nothembekile angase aphenduke  isigebengu. Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu? Lo muntu angase avumele isifiso esingalungile sakhele enhliziyweni yakhe. Uma eqhubeka ecabanga ngaso, leso sifiso esibi singakhula kakhulu. Bese kuthi lapho ithuba livela, enze ngokuvumelana naleso sifiso abelokhu ecabanga ngaso.—Jakobe 1:13-15.

6. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba indodana kaNkulunkulu yomoya enamandla ibe uSathane uDeveli?

⁶ Yilokho okwenzeka kuSathane uDeveli. Kubonakala sengathi uSathane wamuzwa uNkulunkulu etshela u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba babe nezingane futhi bagcwalise umhlaba ngenzalo yabo. (Genesise 1:27, 28) Cishe uSathane wacabanga, ‘Bonke laba bantu bangakhulekela mina esikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu!’ Kanjalo-ke isifiso esibi sakheka enhliziyweni yakhe. Ekugcineni, wathatha isinyathelo sokukhohlisa u-Eva ngokumtshela amanga ngoNkulunkulu. (Genesise 3:1-5) Ngokwenza kanjalo waba “uDeveli,” okusho ukuthi “uMnyundeli.” Ngesikhathi esifanayo waba “uSathane,” okusho “uMphikisi.”

7. (a) Kungani u-Adamu no-Eva bafa? (b) Kungani yonke inzalo ka-Adamu iguga futhi ifa?

⁷ Ngokusebenzisa amanga nobuqili, uSathane uDeveli wenza ukuba u-Adamu no-Eva bangamlaleli uNkulunkulu. (Genesise 2:17; 3:6) Ngenxa yalokho bagcina befile, njengoba nje uNkulunkulu ayethé kuzoba njalo uma bengamlaleli. (Genesise 3:17-19) Njengoba u-Adamu aba ongaphelele lapho ona, yonke inzalo yakhe yathola isono kuye njengefa. (Roma 5:12) Lesi simo singase sifaniswe nesitsha sokubhaka isinkwa. Uma lesi sitsha sinesifaca, ziba njani zonke izinkwa eziphuma kuso? Zonke ziba nesifaca, noma ukungapheleli. Ngokufanayo, umuntu ngamunye uye wathola “isifaca” esiwukungapheleli ku-Adamu. Yingakho bonke abantu beguga futhi befa.—Roma 3:23.

8, 9. (a) Iyiphi inselele okubonakala ukuthi yaphonswa uSathane? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu engawabulalanga ngaso leso sikhathi amambuka?

⁸ Lapho uSathane ebangela u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bone  kuNkulunkulu, empeleni wayehola ekuvukeleni uNkulunkulu. Wayeyibekela inselele indlela kaJehova yokubusa. Kufana nokuthi uSathane wayethi: ‘UNkulunkulu ungumbusi omubi. Uqamba amanga futhi ugodlela abantu bakhe izinto ezinhle. Abantu abadingi ukubuswa uNkulunkulu. Bangazinqumela bona ngokwabo ukuthi yikuphi okuhle nokubi. Kuyobahambela  kangcono ngaphansi kokwami ukubusa.’ UNkulunkulu wayeyosabela kanjani kulokhu kumangalelwa ngendelelo? Abanye bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu kwakufanele avele awabulale la mambuka. Kodwa ingabe ukwenza kanjalo kwakuyoziphendula izinsolo zikaSathane? Kwakuyobonisa yini ukuthi indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa ilungile?

⁹ Imfanelo kaJehova ephelele yokulunga ayimvumelanga ukuba awabulale ngaso leso sikhathi la mambuka. Wanquma ukuthi kwakudingeka isikhathi ukuze kuphenduleke izinsolo zikaSathane ngendlela egculisayo futhi kufakazeleke ukuthi uDeveli ungumqambimanga. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wanquma ukuthi wayezovumela abantu bazibuse isikhashana bengaphansi kwethonya likaSathane. Ukuthi kungani uJehova enza kanjalo nokuthi kungani eye wayeka kwadlula isikhathi eside kangaka ngaphambi kokuba alungise izinto, kuzoxoxwa ngakho eSahlukweni 11 sale ncwadi. Okwamanje nokho, kuhle ukucabanga ngalokhu: Ingabe u-Adamu no-Eva babenazo izizathu zokulalela uSathane, owayengakaze abenzele lutho oluhle? Kwakulungile yini ngabo ukukholelwa ukuthi uJehova, owayebanike konke ababenakho, ungumqambimanga ononya? Wena wawuyokwenzenjani?

10. Ungaba kanjani sohlangothini lukaJehova ekuphenduleni inselele kaSathane?

¹⁰ Kuhle ukucabanga ngale mibuzo ngoba ngamunye wethu namuhla ubhekana nezinselele ezifanayo. Yebo, wena unethuba lokuba sohlangothini lukaJehova ekuphenduleni inselele kaSathane. Ungamukela uJehova njengoMbusi wakho, kanjalo usize ekuboniseni ukuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga. (IHubo 73:28; IzAga 27:11) Ngokudabukisayo, bambalwa kuphela abathatha isinqumo esinjalo ezigidini zabantu emhlabeni. Lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo obalulekile, Ingabe ngempela iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uSathane ubusa leli zwe?

11, 12. (a) Ukulingwa kukaJesu kukuveza kanjani ukuthi uSathane ungumbusi waleli zwe? (b) Yini enye efakazela ukuthi uSathane ungumbusi waleli zwe?

¹¹ UJesu akazange angabaze nakancane ukuthi uSathane ungumbusi waleli zwe. Ngelinye ilanga, ngendlela ethile eyisimangaliso, uSathane wake watshengisa uJesu “yonke imibuso yezwe nenkazimulo yayo.” USathane wabe esethembisa uJesu: “Zonke lezi zinto ngizokunika zona uma uwa phansi wenze isenzo sokukhuleka kimi.” (Mathewu 4:8, 9; Luka 4:5, 6) Cabanga ngalokhu. Ingabe lokhu kwakuyoba isilingo kuJesu ukube uSathane wayengeyena umbusi wale mibuso? UJesu akazange aphike ukuthi bonke lab’ ohulumeni bezwe abakaSathane. UJesu wayeyomphikisa nakanjani ukube kwakungeyena uSathane oyiqondisayo.

¹² Yebo, uJehova unguNkulunkulu onamandla onke, uMdali wezulu nomhlaba omangalisayo. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Noma kunjalo, akukho ndawo eBhayibhelini lapho kuthiwa khona uJehova uNkulunkulu noma uJesu Kristu ungumbusi waleli zwe. Empeleni, uJesu wabiza uSathane ngokuqondile ngokuthi “umbusi waleli zwe.” (Johane 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) IBhayibheli lize libhekisele kuSathane uDeveli ‘njengonkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto.’ (2 Korinte 4:3, 4) Ekhuluma ngalo mphikisi, noma uSathane, umphostoli ongumKristu uJohane wabhala: “Lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.”—1 Johane 5:19.

13. Kungani izwe elisha lidingeka?

¹³ Unyaka nonyaka, izwe liya liba libi kakhulu. Ligcwele amabutho alwayo, osombusazwe abangathembekile, abaholi benkolo abangabazenzisi, nezigebengu ezingasenanembeza. Izwe lilonke alisenakulungiseka. IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi isikhathi sesiseduze lapho uNkulunkulu ezoqothula khona leli zwe elibi empini yakhe i-Armagedoni. Lokhu kuyovulela izwe elisha elinokulunga indawo.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16.

14. Ubani uNkulunkulu amkhethele ukuba abe uMbusi woMbuso wakhe, futhi lokhu kwabikezelwa kanjani?

 ¹⁴ UJehova uNkulunkulu ukhethe uJesu Kristu ukuba abe uMbusi woMbuso waKhe wasezulwini, noma uhulumeni. Kudala, iBhayibheli labikezela: “Sizalelwa umntwana, siphiwa indodana; umbuso uyakuba semahlombe akhe, negama lakhe liyakuthiwa . . . iNkosi yokuthula. Umbuso uyakuba mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi nakuphela.” (Isaya 9:6, 7, IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile.) Maqondana nalo hulumeni, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze kanje: “Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:10) Njengoba sizobona kamuva kuyo le ncwadi, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzosusa bonke labo hulumeni ngokushesha, futhi wona uqobo uthathe isikhundla sabo. (Daniyeli 2:44) UMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyobe usuletha ipharadesi emhlabeni.

15. Uyini ‘umhlaba omusha’?

¹⁵ IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa: “Kukhona amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha esikulindele ngokwesithembiso [sikaNkulunkulu], futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:13; Isaya 65:17) Ngezinye izikhathi lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma “ngomhlaba,” lisuke lisho abantu abahlala kuwo. (Genesise 11:1) Ngakho ‘umhlaba omusha’ onokulunga umphakathi wabantu abamukelwa uNkulunkulu.

16. Isiphi isipho esiyigugu esiyotholwa yilabo uNkulunkulu abamukelayo, futhi yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sisithole?

¹⁶ UJesu wathembisa ukuthi emhlabeni omusha ozayo, labo abamukelwa uNkulunkulu bayothola isipho ‘esiwukuphila okuphakade.’ (Marku 10:30) Siza uvule iBhayibheli lakho kuJohane 3:16 no-17:3, bese ufunda lokho uJesu athi kumelwe sikwenze ukuze sithole ukuphila okuphakade. Manje cabanga ngezibusiso iBhayibheli elithi ziyotholwa yilabo uNkulunkulu ayobanika lesi sipho esihle ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo.

17, 18. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi kuyoba nokuthula nokulondeka emhlabeni wonke?

 ¹⁷ Ububi, izimpi, ubugebengu, nobudlova kuyophela. ‘Omubi uyobe engasekho. Kodwa abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba.’ (IHubo 37:10, 11) Kuyoba nokuthula ngoba ‘uNkulunkulu uyoqeda izimpi kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.’ (IHubo 46:9; Isaya 2:4) Khona-ke “olungile uyohluma, kanye nokuchichima kokuthula ize ingabe isaba khona inyanga”—lokhu kusho ukuthi kuze kube phakade!—IHubo 72:7.

¹⁸ Izikhonzi zikaJehova ziyohlala ngokulondeka. Uma nje ama-Israyeli esikhathi seBhayibheli ayelalela uNkulunkulu, ayehlala ngokulondeka. (Levitikusi 25:18, 19) Yeka ukuthi kuyoba kuhle kanjani ukuba nokulondeka okufanayo ePharadesi!—Isaya 32:18; Mika 4:4.

19. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukudla kuyoba inala emhlabeni kaNkulunkulu omusha?

¹⁹ Ngeke kusweleke ukudla. Umhubi wahlabelela: “Kuyoba khona inala yokusanhlamvu emhlabeni; kuyoba khona ukuchichima esiqongweni sezintaba.” (IHubo 72:16) UJehova uNkulunkulu uyobabusisa abalungileyo bakhe, futhi “umhlaba ngokuqinisekile uyothela umkhiqizo wawo.”—IHubo 67:6.

20. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi umhlaba wonke uyoba ipharadesi?

²⁰ Umhlaba wonke uyoba ipharadesi. Ezweni elonakaliswe abantu abanesono kuyokwakhiwa imizi emisha emihle kulinywe nezingadi. (Isaya 65:21-24; IsAmbulo 11:18) Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, izingxenye zomhlaba esezinabantu kakade ziyonwetshwa kuze kube yilapho yonke imbulunga isiyinhle futhi isikhiqiza njengensimu yase-Edene. UNkulunkulu ngeke neze ehluleke ‘ukuvula isandla sakhe, anelise isifiso sayo yonke into ephilayo.’—IHubo 145:16.

21. Yini ebonisa ukuthi kuyoba nokuthula phakathi kwabantu nezilwane?

²¹ Kuyoba nokuthula phakathi kwabantu nezilwane. Izilwane zasendle nezifuywayo ziyodla ndawonye. Ngisho  nomntwana omncane ngeke kudingeke esabe izilwane manje eziyingozi.—Isaya 11:6-9; 65:25.

22. Kuyokwenzekani ngokugula?

²² Ukugula kuyophela. NjengoMbusi woMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, uJesu uyokwelapha abantu ngesilinganiso esikhulu kakhulu kunangesikhathi esemhlabeni. (Mathewu 9:35; Marku 1:40-42; Johane 5:5-9) Ngaleso sikhathi, “akekho ohlala khona oyothi: ‘Ngiyagula.’”—Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6.

23. Kungani uvuko luyosilethela injabulo?

²³ Abathandekayo bethu abafileyo bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni sebenethemba lokungaphinde bafe. Bonke abafileyo futhi abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni. Empeleni, “kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.”—IzEnzo 24:15; Johane 5:28, 29.

24. Uzizwa kanjani ngokuphila ePharadesi emhlabeni?

²⁴ Yeka ikusasa elimangalisayo elilindele labo abakhetha ukufunda ngoMdali wethu Omkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi bamkhonze! UJesu wayesho iPharadesi elizayo lapha emhlabeni ngesikhathi ethembisa iselelesi esafa eceleni kwakhe: “Uyokuba nami ePharadesi.” (Luka 23:43) Kubalulekile ukufunda okwengeziwe ngoJesu Kristu, eziyotholakala ngaye zonke lezi zibusiso.