“Melanani NoDeveli”
“Melanani NoDeveli”
“Melanani noDeveli futhi uyonibalekela.”—JAKOBE 4:7.
1. Lingachazwa kanjani izwe lanamuhla, futhi kungani abagcotshiwe nabangane babo kudingeka baqaphe?
“UNKULUNKULU unyamalele, kodwa uDeveli usekhona.” La mazwi omlobi ongumFulentshi u-André Malraux angasebenza kahle ezweni esiphila kulo. Ngempela imisebenzi yabantu ibonakala ibonisa ubuqili bukaDeveli kunentando kaNkulunkulu. USathane udukisa abantu “ngayo yonke imisebenzi yamandla nezibonakaliso zamanga nemihlola nangayo yonke inkohliso engalungile kulabo ababhubhayo.” (2 Thesalonika 2:9, 10) Nokho kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, uSathane ugxilise imizamo yakhe ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele, ulwa namaKristu agcotshiwe, ‘agcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi enomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1; IsAmbulo 12:9, 17) Lab’ oFakazi nabangane babo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kudingeka baqaphe.
2. USathane wamyenga kanjani u-Eva, futhi umphostoli uPawulu wayesabani?
2 USathane ungumkhohlisi omkhulu. Ecashe ngenyoka, waphamba u-Eva wamenza wacabanga ukuthi angajabula kakhudlwana uma engaqondiswa uNkulunkulu. (Genesise 3:1-6) Eminyakeni engaba yizinkulungwane ezine kamuva, umphostoli uPawulu waveza uvalo ayenalo lokuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe aseKorinte ayengase abe yizisulu zobuqili bukaSathane. Wabhala: “Ngiyesaba ukuthi ngandlela-thile, njengoba inyoka yayenga u-Eva ngobuqili bayo, izingqondo zenu zingase zonakaliswe zisuke ebuqothweni nasebumsulweni obufanele uKristu.” (2 Korinte 11:3) USathane wonakalisa izingqondo zabantu asonte nokucabanga kwabo. Njengoba ayenga u-Eva, angenza amaKristu acabange ngokungeyikho, azitshele ukuthi injabulo yawo ixhomeke entweni uJehova neNdodana yakhe abangayifuni.
3. UJehova usivikela kanjani kuDeveli?
3 USathane angafaniswa nomzingeli wezinyoni obeka izicupho ukuze abambe izisulu ezingaqaphile. Ukuze sizigweme izicupho zikaSathane, kudingeka ‘sakhe ekusithekeni koPhezukonke,’ isikhoselo sikaJehova esingokomfanekiso asilungiselele labo abaqaphela ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke kulokho abakwenzayo. (IHubo 91:1-3) Sisidinga sonke isivikelo uNkulunkulu asinikeza ngeZwi lakhe, ngomoya wakhe, nangenhlangano yakhe ukuze ‘sikwazi ukuma siqinile ekumelaneni namaqhinga kaDeveli.’ (Efesu 6:11) Akungabazeki ukuthi uDeveli usebenzisa amaqhinga amaningi emizamweni yakhe yokubamba izinceku zikaJehova.
Izicupho USathane Ayezibekele AmaKristu Okuqala
4. AmaKristu okuqala ayephila endaweni enjani?
4 AmaKristu ayephila ngekhulu lokuqala nelesibili C.E. ayephila ngesikhathi lapho uMbuso WaseRoma wawudlondlobele khona. I-Pax Romana (uKuthula KwaseRoma) yenza ezentengiselwano zachuma. Lokhu kuchuma kwenza ababusayo baba nesikhathi esiningi esikhululekile, futhi ababusi baqikelela ukuthi abantu banokuningi kokuzijabulisa ngakho ukuze bangavukeli. Ngezinye izinkathi, amaholide ayelingana nezinsuku zokusebenza. Abaholi babesebenzisa izimali zomphakathi ukuze banike abantu okuya ethunjini nokokuzijabulisa, bebagcina besuthi futhi benokuthile okuthathe izingqondo zabo.
5, 6. (a) Kungani kwakungafanele ukuba amaKristu ajwayele ukuya emidlalweni yaseRoma yaseshashalazini? (b) Yiliphi iqhinga uSathane ayelisebenzisa futhi amaKristu ayengaligwema kanjani?
5 Ingabe lesi simo sasiyingozi kumaKristu okuqala? Ngokwezixwayiso ezabhalwa ababhali bokuqala ngemva kwenkathi yabaphostoli, njengoTertullian, izinto eziningi zokuzilibazisa zangaleso sikhathi zazigcwele izingozi kumaKristu eqiniso, ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha. Phakathi kokunye, imikhosi nemidlalo eminingi yayenzelwa onkulunkulu bamaqaba. (2 Korinte 6:14-18) Emashashalazini, ngisho nemidlalo yakudala yayinokuziphatha okubi okwedlulele noma inobudlova obunyantisayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abantu baphelelwa uthando lwale midlalo yakudala, bathanda imibukiso exekethile yabantu abalingisa bengakhulumi. Encwadini yakhe ethi Daily Life in Ancient Rome, isazi-mlando uJérôme Carcopino sithi: “Kule midlalo abadlali besifazane babevunyelwa ukukhumula babe nqunu . . . Igazi laliphalala. . . . [Le midlalo] yayanelisa abantu bakulo muzi ekonakaleni okwase kubalawula. Imibukiso enjalo yayingabanengi ngoba ubudlova obunyantisayo basemidlalweni yaseshashalazini base bayithuntubeza kudala imizwa yabo futhi bayihlanekezela.”—Mathewu 5:27, 28.
6 Emashashalazini, izilwi zazilwa zize zibulalane, noma zilwe nezilwane zizibulale, noma zibulawe yizo. Izigelekeqe ezazilahlwe yicala, kamuva namaKristu amaningi, zaziphonswa kulezi zilwane ezesabekayo. Ngisho nangalezo zikhathi zakudala, iqhinga likaSathane kwakuwukuthuntubeza umuzwa wabantu wokwenyanya ukuziphatha okubi nobudlova kuze kube yilapho sebezijwayele futhi sebezifuna lezi zinto. Ukuphela kwendlela yokugwema leso sicupho kwakuwukungayi emidlalweni yaseshashalazini.—1 Korinte 15:32, 33.
7, 8. (a) Kungani kwakungaba ubuwula ngomKristu ukuya emijahweni yezinqola? (b) USathane wayengase awasebenzise kanjani amachibi aseRoma ukubamba amaKristu?
7 Akungabazeki ukuthi yayijabulisa imijaho yezinqola eyayenzelwa ezinkundleni ezinde ezazibizwa ngokuthi amasekisi, kodwa yayingamukeleki kumaKristu ngoba izixuku zazivame ukuba nobudlova. Umlobi wekhulu lesithathu wabika ukuthi ezinye izibukeli zazilwa, futhi uCarcopino uthi “ababhula ngezinkanyezi nezifebe babeqhuba amabhizinisi abo” emihubheni yesakhiwo sesekisi. Ngokusobala, isekisi laseRoma lalingeyona indawo efanele umKristu.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.
8 Kuthiwani ngamachibi adumile aseRoma? Kwakungekho lutho neze olubi ngokugeza ukuze umuntu ahlanzeke. Kodwa amaningi alawo machibi aseRoma kwakuyizakhiwo ezinkulu ezazinamakamelo okubhucungwa, okuvocavoca umzimba, okugembula nezindawo zokudlela nokuphuza. Nakuba kwakuthiwa kunezikhathi ezihlukene zabesilisa nabesifazane, ngokuvamile babevunyelwa ukugeza ndawonye. UClement wase-Alexandria wabhala: “Abesilisa nabesifazane abahlukaniswa emachibini okugeza; khona, bakhumula babe nqunu ukuze banelise izinkanuko.” Ngakho izindawo ezikahle zomphakathi uSathane wayengazisebenzisa kalula njengesicupho sokubamba amaKristu. Abahlakaniphile babengayi kuzo.
9. Yiziphi izingibe amaKristu okuqala okwakudingeka azigweme?
9 Ukugembula kwakuyindlela abantu ababeyithanda yokuchitha isizungu lapho uMbuso WaseRoma udlondlobele. AmaKristu okuqala ayengakugwema ukubheja okwakwenziwa emijahweni yezinqola ngokumane nje angayi emasekisini. Ukugembula okuseceleni kwakwenziwa ngokungemthetho nasemakamelweni angemuva amahhotela nawezindlu zokuphuzela. Abadlali babebheja ngamatshe noma amathambo aphethwe omunye umdlali. Ukugembula kwakunandisa ukuphila kwabantu, ngoba kwakubanika ithemba lokwenza imali kalula. (Efesu 5:5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, oweta besifazane kulezo zindlu zokuphuzela ngokuvamile babeyizifebe, okwakwenezela ingozi yokuziphatha okubi kobulili. Zazinjalo-ke ezinye zezingibe uSathane ayezibekela amaKristu ayephila emizini yoMbuso WaseRoma. Ingabe kuhlukile namuhla?
Izingibe ZikaSathane Namuhla
10. Isimo sanamuhla sizifuze kanjani izimo ezazikhona eMbusweni WaseRoma?
10 Ngokuyinhloko, amaqhinga kaSathane awakashintshi yize sekudlule amakhulu eminyaka. Ukuze amaKristu ayehlala emzini okhohlakele waseKorinte ‘angaphanjwa uSathane,’ umphostoli uPawulu waweluleka ngokuqinile. Wathi: “Asibona abangenalwazi ngamacebo [kaSathane].” (2 Korinte 2:11) Emazweni amaningi athuthukile, namuhla isimo sifuze esaseMbusweni WaseRoma usadlondlobele. Abantu abaningi banesikhathi esiningi kunakuqala bengenzi lutho. Ama-lotto kahulumeni anika ngisho nabampofu inhlansi yethemba. Kunokuzijabulisa okuningi okushibhile okuthatha izingqondo zabantu. Izinkundla zemidlalo ziyagcwala, abantu bayagembula, ngezinye izikhathi izixuku ziba nobudlova, kanti abadlali bavamile ukuba nobudlova. Abantu balalela umculo owonakalisayo, futhi emashashalazini, emabhayisikobho naku-TV kugcwele imibukiso exekethile. Kwamanye amazwe, ukugeza ndawonye kwabesilisa nabesifazane kuma-sauna naseziphethwini ezishisayo kuyathandwa, ingasaphathwa eyokubhukuda nqunu kwamanye amabhishi. Njengasemakhulwini okuqala obuKristu, uSathane uzama ukuyenga izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngezindlela zezwe zokuzilibazisa.
11. Isifiso sokuphumula noma ukushaywa umoya singaba naziphi izingibe?
11 Ezweni lapho ukucindezeleka kuyinto evamile, kungokwemvelo ukufuna ukuphumula noma ukushaywa umoya. Nokho, njengoba nje amachibi aseRoma ayenezici ezazingaba yingozi kumaKristu okuqala, ezinye izindawo zokuvakasha ziye zaba yisicupho uSathane asisebenzisayo ekuholeleni amaKristu anamuhla ekuziphatheni okubi noma ekuphuzeni ngokweqile. UPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseKorinte: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba enosizo. Phaphamani nisanguluke ngendlela elungileyo futhi ningasenzi umkhuba isono, ngoba abanye abanalwazi ngoNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 15:33, 34.
12. Yimaphi amanye amaqhinga uSathane awasebenzisayo ukuze abambe izinceku zikaJehova namuhla?
12 Sibonile ukuthi uSathane wabusebenzisa kanjani ubuqili ku-Eva ukuze onakalise ukucabanga kwakhe. (2 Korinte 11:3) Namuhla, olunye lwezingibe zikaSathane ukwenza amaKristu acabange ukuthi uma engenza konke angakwenza ukuze abonise ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayafana nabanye abantu, bangase baphumelele ukudonsela abanye eqinisweni lobuKristu. Ngezinye izikhathi, bayeqisa, kube yibo abadonswayo. (Hagayi 2:12-14) Elinye lamaqhinga kaSathane ukuqunga amaKristu azinikezele, amasha namadala isibindi, isibindi sokuphila ukuphila okumbaxa-mbili, ‘awenze lusizi umoya kaNkulunkulu ongcwele.’ (Efesu 4:30) Amanye aye abanjwa yilolu gibe ngokusebenzisa kabi i-Internet.
13. Yiluphi ugibe olucashile olungelinye lamaqhinga kaDeveli, futhi yisiphi iseluleko sezAga esifanelekayo lapha?
13 Olunye lwezingibe zikaSathane ukulumba okucashile. Akekho umKristu weqiniso onganambitha ngamabomu ukukhulekelwa kukaSathane noma ukusebenzelana nemimoya. Nokho, bengaqondile, abanye abawaqapheli amabhayisikobho, imidlalo ye-TV, ama-video game, ngisho nezincwadi zezingane nezamahlaya ezigqamisa ubudlova noma imilingo. Noma yini enomnonjana wokulumba kumelwe siqhele kuyo. Isaga esihlakaniphile sithi: “Ameva nezingibe kusendleleni yabaphambeneyo, kepha ogcina umphefumulo wakhe uyakudedela kude nakho.” (IzAga 22:5) Njengoba uSathane ‘engunkulunkulu walesisimiso sezinto,’ noma yini ethandwa kakhulu kungenzeka ifihle esinye sezicupho zakhe.—2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 2:15, 16.
UJesu Wamelana NoDeveli
14. UJesu wamelana kanjani nesilingo sokuqala sikaDeveli?
14 UJesu waba yisibonelo esihle sokumelana noDeveli nokumenza abaleke. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa nokuzila ukudla izinsuku ezingu-40, uJesu walingwa nguSathane. (Mathewu 4:1-11) Esilingweni sokuqala wazama ukusebenzisa into engokwemvelo, indlala uJesu ayenayo ngemva kokuzila ukudla. USathane wathi uJesu makenze isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala ukuze anelise isidingo esingokwenyama. Ecaphuna uDuteronomi 8:3, uJesu wenqaba ukuwasebenzisa ngobugovu amandla akhe, wabheka ukudla okungokomoya njengokubaluleke ngaphezu kokungokwenyama.
15. (a) Yisiphi isifiso esingokwemvelo uSathane asisebenzisa ukuze alinge uJesu? (b) Yiliphi elinye lamaqhinga ayinhloko uDeveli awasebenzisa ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu namuhla, kodwa singamelana kanjani naye?
15 Okuthakazelisayo ngalesi silingo ukuthi uDeveli akazamanga ukwenza uJesu enze isono sobulili. Indlala, ngokwemvelo ebangela isifiso sokudla yabonakala iyisona sifiso senyama esinamandla angasisebenzisa ekulingeni uJesu kulokhu. Yiziphi izilingo uDeveli azisebenzisayo ukuze ayenge abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? Ziningi futhi zihlukahlukene, kodwa usebenzisa izilingo zobulili njengelinye lamaqhinga ayinhloko emizamweni yakhe yokuphula ubuqotho babantu bakaJehova. Ngokulingisa uJesu, singamelana noDeveli nezilingo. Njengoba nje uJesu ayibhuntshisa imizamo kaSathane ngokukhumbula imibhalo efanele, nathi lapho silingwa singakhumbula imibhalo enjengoGenesise 39:9 neyoku-1 Korinte 6:18.
16. (a) USathane wamlinga kanjani uJesu okwesibili? (b) Yiziphi izindlela uSathane angase azame ukusilinga ngazo ukuba sivivinye uJehova?
16 UDeveli wabe esethi uJesu makaziphonse phansi esuka odongeni lwethempeli, avivinye uNkulunkulu abone ukuthi uzomvikela yini ngezingelosi zaKhe. Ecaphuna uDuteronomi 6:16, uJesu wenqaba ukuvivinya uYise. USathane angase angasilingi ukuba siziphonse phansi sisuka odongeni lwethempeli, kodwa angasilinga ukuba sivivinye uJehova. Ingabe siyalingeka ukuba sizame ukubona ukuthi singazilingisa kangakanani izimfashini zezwe zokugqoka nokuzilungisa ngaphandle kokuthola iseluleko? Ingabe siyalingeka ekuzijabuliseni okungabazekayo? Kungenzeka siyamvivinya uJehova. Uma sinokuthambekela okunjalo, uSathane ngeke asibalekele, kunalokho uyohlala nathi, elokhu ezama ukusiyenga ukuba sibe ngakuye.
17. (a) UDeveli wamlinga kanjani uJesu okwesithathu? (b) Kungenzeka kanjani kithi okushiwo uJakobe 4:7?
17 Lapho uSathane ethembisa ukunika uJesu yonke imibuso yomhlaba uma engenza isenzo esisodwa sokukhulekela, uJesu waphinde wamelana naye ngokucaphuna emBhalweni, wama waqina ezimisele ukukhulekela uYise kuphela. (Duteronomi 5:9; 6:13; 10:20) USathane angase angasithembisi imibuso yomhlaba, kodwa uhlale esilinga ngobucwebecwebe bezinto ezibonakalayo, ngisho nangokuzibona usembusweni wakho omncanyana. Ingabe senza njengoba kwenza uJesu, sizinikele kuJehova kuphela? Uma kunjalo, okwenzeka kuJesu kuyokwenzeka nakithi. Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuthi: “Khona-ke uDeveli wamshiya.” (Mathewu 4:11) USathane uyosishiya uma simelana naye ngokuqinile ngokukhumbula izimiso zeBhayibheli ezifanele bese sizisebenzisa. Umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Melanani noDeveli futhi uyonibalekela.” (Jakobe 4:7) UmKristu othile wabhalela ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eFrance: “USathane uyiqili ngempela. Ngisho noma sengizimisele kanjani, ngikuthola kunzima kakhulu ukulawula imizwa yami nezifiso zami. Noma kunjalo, ngesibindi, ngokubekezela, nangosizo lukaJehova ikakhulukazi, ngiye ngaphumelela ngabambelela ngokuqinile eqinisweni.”
Sikuhlomele Ngokugcwele Ukumelana NoDeveli
18. Isiphi isambatho esingokomoya esisihlomisela ukumelana noDeveli?
18 UJehova usinike isambatho esiphelele sokuzivikela esingokomoya ukuze sikwazi ‘ukuma siqinile ekumelaneni namaqhinga kaDeveli.’ (Efesu 6:11-18) Uthando esinalo ngeqiniso luyobhukulisa izinkalo zethu, noma lusilungiselele imisebenzi yobuKristu. Ukuzimisela kwethu ukunamathela ezindinganisweni zikaJehova zokulunga kuyofana nesivikelo sesifuba esivikela inhliziyo yethu. Uma izinyawo zethu zigqokiswe izindaba ezinhle, ziyovama ukuya emsebenzini wokushumayela, futhi lokhu kuyosiqinisa kusivikele ngokomoya. Ukholo lwethu oluqinile luyoba njengesihlangu esikhulu, lusivikele ‘ezikhalini ezijikijelwayo ezivuthayo zomubi,’ ukuhlasela kwakhe kobuqili nezilingo. Ithemba eliqinisekile esinalo ngokugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaJehova liyoba njengesigqoko esivikela ukucabanga kwethu lisinike nokuthula kwengqondo. (Filipi 4:7) Uma siba ochwepheshe ekusebenziseni iZwi likaNkulunkulu, liyoba njengenkemba esingayisebenzisa ukuze sikhulule abantu ekuboshweni uSathane ngokomoya. Singalisebenzisela nokuzivikela, njengoba noJesu enza lapho elingwa.
19. Yini edingekayo ngaphezu ‘kokumelana noDeveli’?
19 Ngokuhlala sisigqokile sonke lesi “sambatho sokuzivikela esivela kuNkulunkulu” futhi sithandaza singaphezi, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosivikela lapho uSathane esihlasela. (Johane 17:15; 1 Korinte 10:13) Kodwa uJakobe wabonisa ukuthi ‘ukumelana noDeveli’ akwanele. Kumelwe futhi, ngaphezu kwakho konke, ‘sizithobe kuNkulunkulu’ osinakekelayo. (Jakobe 4:7, 8) Ukuthi singakwenza kanjani lokhu kuzoxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Yiziphi izingibe zikaSathane amaKristu okuqala okwakudingeka azigweme?
• Yimaphi amaqhinga uSathane awasebenzisayo namuhla ukuze azame ukubamba izinceku zikaJehova?
• UJesu wamelana kanjani nezilingo zikaDeveli?
• Yisiphi isambatho sokuzivikela esingokomoya esisenza sikwazi ukumelana noDeveli?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]
UJesu wamelana ngokuqinile noDeveli
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala akwenqaba ukuzijabulisa okunobudlova nokunokuziphatha okubi
[Umthombo]
The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck