Yake Yaba Khona Yini

INSIMU YE-EDENI?

UYAYAZI yini indaba ka-Adamu lo-Eva lensimu ye-Edeni? Abantu abanengi bayayazi. Ungazibalela yona kuGenesisi 1:26–3:24. Ake sikulandisele yona ngamafitshane.

UJehova uNkulunkulua udala umuntu ngomhlabathi amnike ibizo elithi Adamu abesemhlalisa ensimini esendaweni okuthiwa yi-Edeni. UNkulunkulu nguye owalungisa insimu leyo. Ilamanzi amanengi njalo ilezihlahla ezinengi ezilezithelo. Phakathi laphakathi kwayo ‘kulesihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi.’ UNkulunkulu utshela umuntu ukuthi angadli isithelo sesihlahla lesi ngoba angakwenza lokhu uzakufa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJehova uthatha ubambo luka-Adamu abesemenzela umkakhe, u-Eva. Ngemva kwalokhu ubanika umsebenzi wokugcina insimu leyo abesebatshela lokuthi bazalane bagcwalise umhlaba.

Kuthi ngelinye ilanga u-Eva eyedwa, inyoka ikhuluma laye, imlinga ukuthi adle isithelo sesihlahla okuthwe bangasidli njalo ithi uNkulunkulu umqambele amanga futhi umfihlela okuhle okuzamenza abe njengoNkulunkulu. U-Eva uyayilalela inyoka adle isithelo. Ngemva kwalokho u-Adamu laye wephula umlayo kaNkulunkulu adle isithelo leso. UNkulunkulu uyabagweba bobathathu, u-Adamu lo-Eva lenyoka abesebaxotsha abantu ensimini enhle njalo ingilosi besezilinda igedi lensimu.

Kudala izikhwicamfundo labezembali babekuvuma ukuthi indaba le esebhukwini likaGenesisi iliqiniso futhi yenzakala. Kodwa lezinsuku abantu kabasakuvumi ukuthi yenzakala. Kuyini okwenza abantu bathandabuze indaba ekuGenesisi emayelana lo-Adamu lo-Eva lensimu ye-Edeni? Ake sihlole okunye abakutshoyo.

1. Insimu ye-Edeni yake yaba khona yini?

Kungani abantu beyithandabuza indaba le? Okunye okwenza bathandabuze ngamafilosofi akhona. Okweminyaka eminengi abenkolo bebecabangela ukuthi insimu ye-Edeni ilokhu ikhona kwenye indawo. Kodwa amasonto athatheka ngemfundiso zezazi zefilosofi ezinjengoPlato lo-Aristotle ezazisithi ngeke kube lolutho olupheleleyo emhlabeni. Zazisithi okupheleleyo kusezulwini kuphela. Yikho-ke abezenkolo baphetha besithi ipharadayisi lokuqala kwakumele ukuthi laliseduze lasezulwini.b Abanye babesithi insimu ye-Edeni yayisentabeni ende kakhulu, iphezulu khatshana lomhlaba lo olesono. Abanye bona babesithi yayiseNorth Pole loba eSouth Pole. Abanye babesithi yayisenyangeni loba eduze kwayo. Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi indaba yensimu ye-Edeni icine isingani yinganekwane nje. Kanti njalo ezinye izikhwicamfundo zithi insimu ye-Edeni ayizange ibe khona, bathi akuzake kube lendawo enjalo.

Kodwa lokhu ayisikho okutshiwo liBhayibhili ngensimu ye-Edeni. KuGenesisi 2:8-14 sitshelwa okunengi mayelana lendawo le. Yayisempumalanga kwendawo okuthiwa yi-Edeni. Yayithelelwa ngumfula owawudabukana ube yimifula emine. Imifula le emine ilamabizo futhi kulokunye esikuchasiselwa ngayo. Izinto lezi zihluphe izikhwicamfundo okwesikhathi eside, okubangele ukuthi zicine zidingisisa sibili ngendaba le eseBhayibhilini ukuze zikwazi ukuthi indawo le ingaphi lamuhla. Kodwa izikhwicamfundo lezi zifike eziphethweni ezinengi ezitshiyeneyo. Kambe lokhu sekusitsho ukuthi indawo okuthiwa yi-Edeni lensimu eyayikuyo lemifula yakhona konke ngamanga loba yinganekwane?

Cabanga ngalokhu: Izinto okukhulunywa ngazo mayelana lensimu ye-Edeni zenzakala eminyakeni engaba ngu-6 000 eyadlulayo. Izinto lezi zabhalwa nguMosi, okungenzakala ukuthi wayelandiselwa ngabanye kumbe ezithatha kwamanye amabhuku akudala. Ngesikhathi uMosi ebhala izinto lezi kwasekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-2 500 kwenzakale indaba yensimu ye-Edeni. Kungenzakala yini ukuthi izinto ezinjengemifula zitshintshe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi? Izinto ezinjengemifula lezintaba azihlali zisesimeni esifananayo. Indawo okucatshangelwa ukuthi kulapho okwakulensimu ye-Edeni khona ijayele ukuba lokuzamazama komhlaba futhi amaphesenti angaba ngu-17 okuzamazama komhlaba okulamandla okwake kwenzakala emhlabeni kwenzakala khonale. Ezindaweni ezinjalo izinto vele zihlala zitshintsha. Kanti njalo kungenzakala ukuthi uZamcolo owenzakala ngesikhathi sikaNowa watshintsha kakhulu indlela izinto ezazimi ngayo.c

Kodwa nanku esikwaziyo ngensimu ye-Edeni: UGenesisi uyasinceda sibone ukuthi insimu le yayikhona sibili. Umfula uYufrathe loTigrisi eqanjwa kuGenesisi ilokhu igeleza lalamuhla, futhi izindawo lapho imifula le eqalisela khona ziseduzeduze. Kuqanjwa izindawo imifula le eyayigeleza idlula kuzo lezinye izinto ezitholakala ezindaweni lezo. Kumele ukuthi abako-Israyeli babeyizwisisa kuhle indaba le ngesikhathi beyibala.

Izinganekwane zijayele ukuqamba yini izinto ezinjengalezi esesikhulume ngazo? Phela zona zijayele ukuqalisa ngokuthi, “Kuthwa kwakukhona kwenye indawo ekhatshana.” Kodwa imbali yona ijayele ukuqamba izinto ezifanana lalezo eziqanjwe endabeni ye-Edeni.

2. Kambe singakukholwa sibili ukuthi uNkulunkulu wadala u-Adamu ngothuli, wasedala lo-Eva ngobambo luka-Adamu?

Ukuchwayisisa okwenziwe ngabezesayensi kuveze ukuthi umzimba womuntu wenziwe ngezinto ezitholakala ethulini lomhlabathi ezinjenge-hydrogen, i-oxygen kanye le-carbon. Kodwa izinto lezi zahlanganiswa njani ukuze kubunjwe umuntu ophilayo?

Abezesayensi abanengi bathi ukuphila kwaziqalisela, kwaqala ngezinto ezincane futhi ezingamangalisiyo kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi zaqhubeka zisanda futhi zacina sezimangalisa kakhulu. Kodwa nxa besithi ukuphila kwaqalisa ngezinto ezingamangalisiyo akuqondanga ngoba zonke izinto kungelani lokuthi zincane kangakanani ziyamangalisa kakhulu. Yikho-ke akulabufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi ukuphila kwaphonguzivelela nje kumbe ukuthi kungazivelela. Izinto eziphilayo zitshengisa ukuthi kulomuntu olenhlakanipho emangalisayo owazidalayo.d—KwabaseRoma 1:20.

Akucabange ulalele ingoma emnandi, kumbe ubuka umdwebo omuhle loba ubona okunye okuhle okwenziwe ngabezempucuko kodwa ubususithi izinto lezi zazivelela nje akulamuntu owazenzayo. Umcabango onjalo awulangqondo. Lanxa izinto lezi zingakhanya zizinhle kakhulu ngeke ziqathaniswe lomzimba womuntu ngoba wenziwe ngendlela emangalisayo langobungcitshi futhi muhle. Kambe kulengqondo ukuthi sithi awudalwanga, waphongubakhona nje? Kanti njalo ibhuku likaGenesisi lisitshela ukuthi kuzo zoke izinto eziphilayo ezisemhlabeni abantu yibo kuphela abadalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 1:26) Yikho sibona abantu besenelisa ukulingisela uNkulunkulu ngokuba lobungcitshi bokwenza ezinye izinto kungaba ngumculo omnandi, ukudweba loba ezempucuko. Ngakho akusimangalisi ukubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyenelisa ukwenza izinto ngobungcitshi ukwedlula thina abantu.

Kuyamangalisa yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ubambo lwendoda ukuze adale owesifazana?e UNkulunkulu wayengasebenzisa ezinye indlela kodwa indlela le ayisebenzisayo iveza okunye okuqakathekileyo ayekuhlosile. Wayefuna indoda lomfazi babe ngamathe lolimi, bamanyane kube ngathi ‘banyamanye.’ (UGenesisi 2:24) Le yiyo sibili indlela indoda lomfazi abenza ngayo, bayafanelana, bathandane kakhulu njalo bakhe ubungane obuthokozisayo. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uMdali uhlakaniphile futhi ulothando.

Kanti njalo izifundiswa ezibona ngokusebenza kwezakhi zofuzo ebantwini zithi kukhanya abantu bonke bavela emuntwini wesilisa oyedwa lowesifazana oyedwa. Nxa sikhangela konke lokhu, kambe singathi okutshiwo kuGenesisi yikusenga lezimithiyo yini?

3. Indaba yesihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi leyesihlahla sokuphila yinganekwane yini?

Indaba yezihlahla lezi okukhulunywa ngazo kuGenesisi kayisitsheli ukuthi izihlahla lezi zazitshiyene lezinye kumbe ukuthi zazilamandla athile angazwisisekiyo. Kodwa kwakuyizihlahla nje uJehova azisebenzisayo ezazimela okuthile.

Abantu labo bayake bakwenze lokhu. Ngokwesibonelo umahluli angatshela abantu ukuthi bahloniphe umthethwandaba. Kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi uyabe engakhulumi ngokuthi abantu bahloniphe imiduli lamatafula loba okunye okuphakathi kwesakhiwo kodwa uyabe esitsho ukuthi bahloniphe imithetho yokwahlulela emelwa ngumthethwandaba lowo. Kanti njalo amakhosi lawo ayasebenzisa izinto ezithile kungaba yintonga loba umqhele okuyabe kumela ubukhosi bawo.

Manje izihlahla lezo ezimbili zazimelani? Kunengi okukhunywa ngabantu ngendaba le. Kodwa impendulo ecacileyo njalo elula yile, isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi sasimela ilungelo uNkulunkulu alalo, elingelakhe yedwa, nguye yedwa olelungelo lokusitshela ukuthi kuyini okuhle lokubi. (UJeremiya 10:23) Yikho kwakulicala sibili ukutshontsha izithelo zesihlahla leso. Isihlahla sokuphila sona sasimela isipho sokuphila okuphakade, isipho esingasinikwa nguNkulunkulu kuphela—KwabaseRoma 6:23.

4. Indaba yokuthi inyoka yakhuluma izwakala iyinganekwane nje.

Indaba le etholakala kuGenesisi ingakuphica sibili ikakhulu nxa ungaphongubala yona yodwa ungazange uhlole ukuthi amanye amavesi aseBhayibhilini athini ngayo. Kodwa ungaqhubeka ubala iBhayibhili uzabona ukuthi iMibhalo iyakucasisa lokhu.

Kuyini okwenza inyoka yakhuluma? Kudala abantu bako-Israyeli babezwisisa ukuthi kuyini okungabe kwenza ukuthi inyoka leyo ikhulume. Ngokwesibonelo lanxa babekwazi ukuthi inyamazana azikhulumi, babekwazi lokuthi izidalwa zasezulwini zingenza inyamazana ikhanye angathi iyakhuluma. UMosi laye wabhala ngendaba kaBhalamu. UNkulunkulu wathuma ingilosi yakhe ukuthi iyekwenza ubabhemi kaBhalamu akhulume njengomuntu sibili.—AmaNani 22:26-31; 2 UPhetro 2:15, 16.

Manje ezinye izidalwa zasezulwini kugoqela lalezo ezahlamukela uNkulunkulu ziyenelisa yini ukwenza izimangaliso? UMosi wakubona lokhu eGibhithe. Abaphristi abenza amasalamusi balingisela ezinye izimangaliso ezazivela kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo batshintsha izintonga zabo zaba angathi zinyoka. Kuyakhanya ukuthi izitha zikaNkulunkulu, okutsho amadimoni yizo ezabanika amandla okuthi benze izimangaliso ezinjalo.—U-Eksodusi 7:8-12.

Kukhanya angathi uMosi nguye owaphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale ibhuku likaJobe. Ibhuku leli likhuluma okunengi ngoSathane isitha sikaNkulunkulu esikhulu, njalo nguye owaqamba amanga wathi kayikho inceku kaNkulunkulu engahlala iqotho. (UJobe 1:6-11; 2:4, 5) Kukhanya abantu bako-Israyeli endulo babekuzwisisa ukuthi uSathane nguye owasebenzisa inyoka ensimini ye-Edeni, wenza yakhanya angathi iyakhuluma njalo yaqila u-Eva wehluleka ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu.

USathane nguye yini owabangela ukuthi inyoka ikhulume? UJesu wathi uSathane “ungusomangase loyise wamanga.” (UJohane 8:44) Nxa kuthiwa ‘unguyise wamanga’ kutsho ukuthi nguye owaba ngowokuqala ukuwahulula amanga? Amanga okuqala atholakala emazwini inyoka eyawatshela u-Eva. Yaphikisa lokho uNkulunkulu ayebatshele khona ukuthi bangadla isihlahla leso bazakufa, yathi: “Alisoze life loba sekutheni.” (UGenesisi 3:4) Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi uSathane nguye owasebenzisa inyoka. Isambulo uJesu asinika umphostoli uJohane sihle siyibeke icace indaba le. Isambulo lesi sibiza uSathane ngokuthi ‘yinyoka yokuqala.’—ISambulo 1:1; 12:9.

Kambe kunzima yini ukukholwa ukuthi ingilosi elamandla ingenza inyoka ikhanye angathi iyakhuluma? Phela lanxa abantu bengelamandla anjengawezingilosi, bayenelisa ukwenza izinto ezimangalisayo. Ngokwesibonelo umuntu oyingcitshi angenza okungudoli kukhanye angathi kuyakhuluma.

Ubufakazi Ongabuthemba

Sithemba usuvuma ukuthi abantu abaqina ngokuthi indaba elandiswa kuGenesisi yinganekwane nje abala bufakazi. Lanxa kunjalo bukhona ubufakazi ongabuthemba obutshengisa ukuthi indaba le iliqiniso futhi yenzakala.

Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu Khristu ubizwa ngokuthi ‘ngufakazi othembekileyo loleqiniso.’ (ISambulo 3:14) Phela yena kakaze aqambe amanga kumbe atshile iqiniso ngaloba yiphi indlela ngoba kalasono. Watshela abantu ayebafundisa ukuthi wayephila ezulwini ngesikhathi engakabuyi emhlabeni. UJesu wayeloYise uJehova ezulwini, “umhlaba ungakabi khona.” (UJohane 17:5) Ngakho wayekhona ngesikhathi konke okuphilayo kudalwa emhlabeni. Manje yibuphi ubufakazi esibuthola kufakazi othembeke kulabo bonke?

Okwatshiwo nguJesu kutshengisa ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva ngabantu abake baba khona sibili. Wakhuluma ngomtshado wabo lapho echasisa ukuthi uJehova uthini ngendaba yesithembo. (UMathewu 19:3-6) Nxa kuyikuthi abazange babe khona njalo lendaba yensimu ababehlala kuyo iyinganekwane nje, kuyabe kusitsho ukuthi uJesu waqilwa kumbe wayeqamba amanga. Umbono onjalo uyabe unxele kakhulu. UJesu wayesezulwini ekhangele izinto zisonakala ensimini ye-Edeni. Kambe siyabe sisabufunelani obunye ubufakazi obedlula lobu?

Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi ukuthandabuza indaba le elandiswa kuGenesisi kwenza ukuthi abantu bangakholwa kuJesu. Kwenza kubenzima lokuthi abantu bakholwe lezinye izindaba eziqakatheke kakhulu eziseBhayibhilini kanye lezithembiso eziduduzayo ezikulo. Asiboneni ukuthi kungani sisitsho njalo.

[Footnotes]