Singafunda Embhangqwaneni Wokuqala Ongabantu

UNKULUNKULU wahlola iplanethi enguMhlaba. Wayeyilungiselela ukuba abantu bahlale kuyo. Wabona ukuthi konke ayekwenza kwakukuhle. Eqinisweni, lapho usuphelile lo msebenzi, wathi ‘wawumuhle kakhulu.’ (Genesise 1:12, 18, 21, 25, 31) Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba afike kuleso siphetho esiphelele, uNkulunkulu wakhuluma ngento ethile ‘eyayingeyinhle.’ Yiqiniso, akukho lutho uNkulunkulu alwenza olwalungaphelele. Kwakumane kuwukuthi nje indalo yakhe yayingakapheleli. UJehova wathi: “Akukuhle ukuba umuntu ahlale yedwa. Ngizakumenzela umsizi onjengaye.”—Genesise 2:18.

Kwakuyinjongo kaJehova ukuba umphakathi wesintu ujabulele ukuphila okuphakade unempilo enhle, injabulo nenala yezinto epharadesi lasemhlabeni. Uyise waso sonke isintu kwakungu-Adamu. Umkakhe, u-Eva, waba “ngunina wabo bonke abaphilayo.” (Genesise 3:20) Nakuba umhlaba  manje ugcwele izinkulungwane zezigidi zenzalo yabo, abantu abaphelele neze.

Indaba ka-Adamu no-Eva yaziwa kakhulu. Kodwa isizuzisa kanjani ngokoqobo? Yini esingayifunda kulokho okwenzeka embhangqwaneni wokuqala ongabantu?

“Wabadala Owesilisa Nowesifazane”

Lapho u-Adamu eqamba izilwane amagama, wayebona ukuthi zazinabangane kodwa yena wayengenaye. Ngakho lapho ebona isidalwa esihle uJehova ayesenze ngobambo lwakhe, wajabula. Eqaphela ukuthi sasiyingxenye yakhe ngokungafani nanoma yisiphi esinye, u-Adamu wababaza: “Lo useyithambo lamathambo ami nenyama yenyama yami; uyakubizwa ngokuthi indodakazi, ngokuba uthathwe endodeni.”—Genesise 2:18-23.

Indoda yayidinga “umsizi.” Manje yayisithole oyifanela kahle. U-Eva wayekufanelekela ngokuphelele ukuba umphelelisi ka-Adamu—ekunakekeleni ikhaya labo eliyingadi nezilwane, ekuzaleni abantwana nasekumenzeleni umuntu ayengaxoxa naye futhi amsekele njengomngane wangempela.—Genesise 1:26-30.

UJehova walungiselela lo mbhangqwana konke owawungase ukufise. Ngokuletha u-Eva kumyeni wakhe futhi kanjalo ebahlanganisa, uNkulunkulu wamisa ilungiselelo lomshado nomkhaya, okwakuzokwakha umphakathi. Ukulandisa kukaGenesise kuthi: “Indoda iyakushiya uyise nonina, inamathele kumkayo; bayakuba nyamanye.” Futhi lapho uJehova ebusisa umbhangqwana wokuqala oshadile futhi ewutshela ukuba uzale, kusobala ukuthi wayehlose ukuba zonke izingane zizalelwe emkhayeni okhathalelayo, zibe nobaba nomama abayozinakekela.—Genesise 1:28; 2:24.

“Ngomfanekiso KaNkulunkulu”

U-Adamu wayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu ephelele, eyenziwe ‘ngomfanekiso waKhe futhi yamfuza.’ Kodwa njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu ewuMoya,’ babengenakufana ngokwenyama. (Genesise 1:26; Johane 4:24) Babefana ngezimfanelo ezenza umuntu waphakama kakhulu kunezilwane. Yebo, kusukela ekuqaleni kwafakwa kumuntu izimfanelo zothando, ukuhlakanipha, amandla nobulungisa. Wanikwa inkululeko yokuzikhethela nesidingo esingokomoya. Umuzwa wangaphakathi wokuziphatha, noma unembeza, wamenza wakwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile. Umuntu wayenengqondo ekhaliphile, eyayimenza akwazi ukuzindla ngesizathu sokuba khona kwabantu, aqongelele ulwazi ngoMdali wakhe futhi asondelane ngokujulile naYe. Ehlonyiswe ngale ndlela, u-Adamu wayenakho konke ayekudinga ukuze afeze indima yakhe njengomqondisi womsebenzi wezandla zikaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.

Ukona Kuka-Eva

Ngokungangabazeki, u-Adamu wamazisa ngokushesha u-Eva ngokuwukuphela komthetho owenqabelayo owawubekwe nguNkulunkulu: Babengadla izithelo zayo yonke imithi esengadini yabo ngaphandle kowodwa—umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi. Kwakungafanele badle kuwo. Uma babedla, babeyokufa ngalolo suku.—Genesise 2:16, 17.

Kungakabiphi, kwaba nempikiswano ngesithelo esenqatshelwe. U-Eva wakhohliswa yinyoka eyayisetshenziswa umoya ongabonakali njengomkhulumeli. Njengokungathi ayazi lutho, inyoka yabuza: “Ngempela uNkulunkulu ushilo yini ukuthi: ‘Ningadli emithini yasensimini,’ na?” U-Eva waphendula wathi kuvumelekile ukuba badle izithelo zayo yonke imithi ngaphandle kowodwa. Kodwa inyoka yabe isiphikisa uNkulunkulu, yathi kowesifazane: “Aniyikufa nokufa; kepha uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi mhla nizidla, kuyakuvuleka amehlo enu, nibe njengoNkulunkulu, nikwazi okuhle nokubi.” Owesifazane waqala ukuwubheka ngamanye amehlo umuthi owenqatshelwe. ‘Umuthi wawulungele ukudliwa, ubukeka emehlweni.’ Ekhohliswe ngokuphelele, u-Eva waphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu.—Genesise 3:1-6; 1 Thimothewu 2:14.

Ingabe isono sika-Eva sasingenakugwenywa? Lutho neze! Zibeke esimweni sakhe. Okwakushiwo yinyoka kwakuhlanekezela ngokuphelele lokho uNkulunkulu no-Adamu ababekushilo. Ubungazizwa kanjani uma umuntu ongamazi ethi umuntu omthandayo nomethembayo akathembekile? U-Eva kwakufanele asabele ngokuhlukile, anengeke futhi acasuke, enqabe  ngisho nokulalela. Yayingubani yona le nyoka ukuba ingabaze ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu futhi iphikise izwi lomyeni wakhe? U-Eva kwakufanele afune ukucetshiswa ngaphambi kokwenza isinqumo, ahloniphe isimiso sobunhloko. Nathi kufanele senze kanjalo uma singase sinikezwe ukwaziswa okuphambene neziyalezo ezivela kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, u-Eva wathemba amazwi oMlingi, efisa ukuzinqumela yena okulungile nokungalungile. Lapho ecabanga ngokwengeziwe ngalo mqondo, wamkhanga ngokwengeziwe. Yeka iphutha alenza ngokufukamela isifiso esingafanele, kunokuba asisuse engqondweni noma axoxe ngendaba nenhloko yomkhaya wakhe!—1 Korinte 11:3; Jakobe 1:14, 15.

U-Adamu Ulalela Izwi Lomkakhe

Ngokushesha u-Eva wayengela u-Adamu ekubeni azibandakanye naye esonweni. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba avele avume kalula? (Genesise 3:6, 17) U-Adamu kwadingeka akhethe ukuthi wayezothembeka kubani. Ingabe wayeyolalela uMdali wakhe, owayemnike konke, kuhlanganise nomkakhe ayemthanda, u-Eva? Ingabe u-Adamu wayeyofuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu mayelana nalokho okwakufanele akwenze manje? Noma ingabe le ndoda yayizokhetha ukuzibandakanya nomkayo? U-Adamu wayazi kahle ukuthi umkakhe wayengeke akuthole lokho ayenethemba lokukuthola ngokudla isithelo esenqatshelwe. Umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale: “U-Adamu akakhohliswanga, kodwa owesifazane wakhohliswa ngokuphelele wayeseqa umthetho.” (1 Thimothewu 2:14) Ngakho u-Adamu wakhetha ukudelela uJehova ngamabomu. Ngokusobala ukwesaba ukuhlukana nomkakhe kwakungaphezu kokholo lwakhe ekutheni uNkulunkulu wayengasilungisa leso simo.

Isenzo sika-Adamu saba njengokuzibulala. Saba ukubulala nayo yonke inzalo uJehova ayemvumele ngesihe ukuba ayiveze, njengoba yonke yazalelwa esonweni nasekulahlweni ngokufa. (Roma 5:12) Yeka ubukhulu benhlawulo yokungalaleli ngenxa yobugovu!

 Imiphumela Yesono

Umphumela osheshayo wesono waba amahloni. Kunokuba ugijime uyokhuluma noJehova ngenjabulo, lo mbhangqwana wacasha. (Genesise 3:8) Ubuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu base bonakele. Lapho bebuzwa ukuthi benzeni, ababonisanga kuzisola, nakuba bobabili babazi ukuthi babephule umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngokudla isithelo esenqatshelwe, bafulathela ubuhle baphezulu.

Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi ukubeletha kwakuyohambisana nobuhlungu obengeziwe. U-Eva wayeyonxanela umyeni wakhe, futhi umyeni wakhe wayeyombusa. Kanjalo, imizamo ka-Eva yokuthola ukuzibusa yaphumela kokuhluke kakhulu. U-Adamu manje wayesezokudla umkhiqizo womhlabathi ngezinhlungu. Kunokuba anelise iphango lakhe ngaphandle kokukhandleka e-Edene, kwakuyodingeka ajuluke ukuze aziphilise kuze kube yilapho ebuyela othulini ayenziwe ngalo.—Genesise 3:16-19.

Ekugcineni, u-Adamu no-Eva baxoshwa ensimini yase-Edene. UJehova wathi: “Bheka, umuntu usenjengomunye wethu ekwazini okuhle nokubi, futhi manje ukuze angeluli isandla sakhe futhi empeleni athathe izithelo nasemthini wokuphila adle aphile isikhathi esingenasiphelo . . . ” “Umusho uphelela endleleni,” kuphawula isazi uGordon Wenham, futhi kushiyelwa kithi ukuqedelela umqondo kaNkulunkulu—mhlawumbe ngokuthi, “mangimxoshe ensimini.” Ngokuvamile, umlobi weBhayibheli unikeza umqondo ophelele kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa lapha, kuqhubeka uWenham, “ukushiywa kwawo ungaqedelwanga kubonisa ukushesha kwesinyathelo sikaNkulunkulu. Wayengakaligwinyi nakuligwinya lapho bexoshwa ensimini.” (Genesise 3:22, 23, NW) Ngemva kwalokho, kubonakala sengathi kwanqamuka konke ukuxhumana phakathi kukaJehova nombhangqwana wokuqala.

U-Adamu no-Eva abafanga ngokwenyama phakathi nalolo suku lwamahora angu-24. Nokho, bafa ngomqondo ongokomoya. Njengoba base behlukene ngokungenakulungiswa noMthombo wokuphila, baqala ukuwohlokela ekufeni. Cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba kwaba buhlungu ngayo lapho beqala ukubona ukufa lapho indodana yabo yesibili, u-Abela, ibulawa nguKayini, izibulo labo!—Genesise 4:1-16.

Ngemva kwalokho, kuncane esikwaziyo ngombhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu. Indodana yabo yesithathu, uSeti, yazalwa lapho u-Adamu eneminyaka engu-130 ubudala. U-Adamu wafa ngemva kweminyaka engu-800, eseneminyaka engu-930, esezale “amadodana namadodakazi.”—Genesise 4:25; 5:3-5.

Isifundo Esisitholayo

Ngalé kokwambula imbangela yesimo esiwohlokile somphakathi wesintu namuhla, ukulandisa kombhangqwana wokuqala oshadile kufundisa isifundo esiyisisekelo. Noma yikuphi ukuzishaya ongancikile kuJehova uNkulunkulu kuwubuwula obuphindiwe. Labo abahlakaniphe ngempela babonisa ukholo kuJehova naseZwini lakhe, hhayi kulokho abacabanga ukuthi yikhono lokuzinakekela ngokwabo ngenxa yolwazi abanalo. NguJehova onquma okuhle nokubi, futhi ngokuyisisekelo ukwenza okulungile kusho ukulalela yena. Ukwenza okungalungile kusho ukwephula imithetho yakhe nokungazinaki izimiso zakhe.

UNkulunkulu wanika isintu, futhi usasinika namanje, konke esingase sikufise—ukuphila okuphakade, inkululeko, ukwaneliseka, injabulo, impilo enhle, ukuthula, ukuchuma nokuthola izinto ezintsha. Nokho, ukuze sijabulele zonke lezi zinto kufuneka siqaphele ukuthi sinciké ngokuphelele kuBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova.—UmShumayeli 3:10-13; Isaya 55:6-13.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ingabe U-Adamu No-Eva Bamane Bayinganekwane?

Inkolelo yepharadesi lokuqala elalahleka ngenxa yesono yayandile endulo kwabaseBabiloni, abase-Asiriya, abaseGibithe nabanye. Izindaba eziningi zazikhuluma ngomuthi wokuphila owawunezithelo ezinikeza abazidlayo ukuphila okuphakade. Ngakho abantu bayakhumbula ukuthi kwenzeka inhlekelele e-Edene.

Namuhla, abaningi bayakuphika ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngo-Adamu no-Eva bethi kumane kuyinganekwane. Nokho, iningi lososayensi liyavuma ukuthi uhlanga lwesintu luwumkhaya owodwa onomsuka owodwa. Izazi eziningi zemfundiso yenkolo azikwazi ukuphika ukuthi imiphumela yesono sokuqala esenziwa ukhokho wawo wonke umuntu yadluliselwa esintwini. Inkolelo yokuthi umuntu wavela emisukeni eminingi ingaziphoqa ukuba zithi isono sokuqala senziwa okhokho abaningi. Lokhu bekuyoziphoqa futhi ukuba ziphike ukuthi uKristu, “u-Adamu wokugcina,” wahlenga isintu. Kodwa uJesu nabafundi bakhe ababhekananga nale nkanankana. Babeqaphela ukuthi ukulandisa kukaGenesise kuyiqiniso.—1 Korinte 15:22, 45; Genesise 1:27; 2:24; Mathewu 19:4, 5; Roma 5:12-19.