Ukuhlupheka Kwabantu—Kungani UNkulunkulu Ekuvumela?

EKUQALENI komlando womuntu, zazingekho izinyembezi zokudabuka noma zobuhlungu. Ukuhlupheka kwabantu kwakungekho. Isintu sasinesiqalo esiphelele. “UNkulunkulu wabona konke akwenzileyo; bheka, kwakukuhle kakhulu.”—Genesise 1:31.

Kodwa abanye baphikisa ngokuthi, ‘Indaba ka-Adamu no-Eva ensimini yase-Edene imane ingumfanekiso wokuthile.’ Ngokudabukisayo, abefundisi abaningi beLobukholwa bayakusho lokhu. Nokho, uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe owayenegunya eliphakeme kakhulu waqinisekisa izenzakalo zase-Edene njengezingokomlando. (Mathewu 19:4-6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, okuwukuphela kwendlela yokuqonda isizathu sokuvumela kukaNkulunkulu ukuhlupheka kwabantu ukuhlola lezizenzakalo zomlando wokuqala womuntu.

Umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, wanikezwa umsebenzi owanelisayo wokunakekela insimu yase-Edene. Futhi, uNkulunkulu wabeka phambi kwakhe umgomo wokwandisa ikhaya lakhe lase-Edene alenze libe insimu yembulunga yonke yenjabulo. (Genesise 1:28; 2:15) Ukuze asize u-Adamu ukuba afeze lesisabelo esikhulu, uNkulunkulu wamnika umngane womshado, u-Eva, futhi wabatshela ukuba bazalane, bande, futhi banqobe umhlaba. Ngakho kwakudingeka okuthile ukuze kuqinisekiswe impumelelo yenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba nesintu. Njengoba ayenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, umuntu wayenenkululeko yokuzikhethela; ngakho, kwakudingeka ukuba intando yomuntu ingalokothi ingqubuzane nekaNkulunkulu. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kwakuyoba nokungahleleki endaweni yonke, futhi injongo kaNkulunkulu yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngomkhaya wabantu abanokuthula yayingenakufezeka.

Ukuzithoba ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu kwakungazenzekeli. Kwakumelwe kube ukubonakaliswa kothando kwenkululeko yomuntu yokuzikhethela. Ngokwesibonelo, sifunda ukuthi lapho uJesu Kristu ebhekene novivinyo olunzima, wathandaza: “Baba, uma uthanda, susa lesisitsha kimi; nokho makungenziwa intando yami kodwa eyakho.”—Luka 22:42.

Ngokufanayo, kwakuxhomeke ku-Adamu no-Eva ukubonakalisa ukuthi babekufuna yini ukuzithoba ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalenjongo, uJehova uNkulunkulu walungiselela uvivinyo olulula. Omunye wemithi yasensimini wawubizwa ngokuthi ‘umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi.’ Wawumelela ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokunquma izindinganiso zokuziphatha okulungile. Ngenkulumo ecacile, uNkulunkulu wenqabela ukudliwa kwezithelo kulomuthi ngokukhethekile. Uma u-Adamu no-Eva bengalaleli, babeyofa.—Genesise 2:9, 16, 17.

Ukuqala Kokuhlupheka Kwabantu

Ngolunye usuku enye indodana kaNkulunkulu yomoya ngokugabadela yangabaza indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa. Isebenzisa inyoka njengendlela yokukhulumisana, yabuza u-Eva: “Ngempela uNkulunkulu ushilo yini ukuthi: Ningadli emithini yasensimini, na?” (Genesise 3:1) Ngaleyondlela kwatshaleka imbewu yokungabaza engqondweni ka-Eva ephathelene nokuthi yayilungile yini indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa.a Ekuphenduleni u-Eva wanikeza impendulo eqondile, ayeyithole kumyeni wakhe. Nokho, lesisidalwa somoya sabe sesiphikisa uNkulunkulu futhi saqamba amanga ngokuphathelene nemiphumela yokungalaleli, sithi: “Aniyikufa nokufa; kepha uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi mhla nizidla, kuyakuvuleka amehlo enu, nibe-njengoNkulunkulu, nikwazi okuhle nokubi.”—Genesise 3:4, 5.

Ngokudabukisayo, u-Eva wakhohliswa ukuba acabange ukuthi ukungalaleli kwakungenakuphumela ekuhluphekeni kwabantu, kodwa ekuphileni okungcono. Lapho eqhubeka ebheka isithelo, sasibonakala sifiseleka kakhudlwana, futhi waqala ukusidla. Kamuva, wakhuthaza no-Adamu ukuba asidle. Ngokudabukisayo u-Adamu wakhetha ukulondoloza ukwamukeleka kumkakhe kunakuNkulunkulu.—Genesise 3:6; 1 Thimothewu 2:13, 14.

Ngokubangela lokhu kuhlubuka, lesisidalwa somoya sazenza umphikisi kaNkulunkulu. Ngaleyondlela sabizwa ngokuthi uSathane, okuyigama elivela kwelesiHeberu elisho “umphikisi.” Futhi lesisidalwa saqamba amanga ngoNkulunkulu, sizenza ngokwaso umnyundeli. Ngakho, sibizwa nangokuthi uDeveli, okuyigama elivela kwelesiGreki elisho “umnyundeli.”—IsAmbulo 12:9.

Ngaleyondlela, kwaqala ukuhlupheka kwabantu. Izidalwa zikaNkulunkulu ezintathu zazisisebenzise kabi isipho sazo senkululeko yokuzikhethela, zikhetha indlela yokuphila yobugovu ngokumelene noMdali wazo. Manje kwaphakama umbuzo, UNkulunkulu wayezokusingatha kanjani lokhu kuhlubuka ngendlela enobulungisa eyayizolondoloza ukuzethemba kwayo yonke indalo yakhe ehlakaniphile, kuhlanganise nezingelosi ezithembekile ezulwini kanye nenzalo yesikhathi esizayo ka-Adamu no-Eva?

Ukusabela Okuhlakaniphile KukaNkulunkulu

Abanye bangase baphikise ngokuthi kwakuyoba ngcono ukuba uNkulunkulu wayebabhubhise ngokushesha oSathane, u-Adamu, no-Eva. Kodwa lokho kwakungenakuzixazulula izimpikiswano ezaphakanyiswa ukuhlubuka. USathane wayengabaze indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa, esikisela ukuthi abantu babeyojabulela ukuphila okungcono uma bekhululekile ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu. Futhi, ukuphumelela kwakhe ekuphambukiseni abantu ababili bokuqala ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu kwaphakamisa eminye imibuzo. Njengoba u-Adamu no-Eva babonile, ingabe lokhu kwasho ukuthi kwakunokuthile okwakungalungile endleleni uNkulunkulu ayedale ngayo umuntu? Ingabe uNkulunkulu ubeyoba nabo abantu emhlabeni ababeyohlala bethembekile kuye? Futhi kuthiwani ngamadodana kaJehova ayizingelosi abona ukuhlubuka kukaSathane? Ingabe ayeyokusekela ukulunga kobukhosi baKhe? Ngokuqinisekile, kwakudingeka isikhathi esanele ukuze kuxazululwe lezizimpikiswano. Kungakho uNkulunkulu eye wavumela uSathane ukuba aqhubeke ekhona kuze kube sosukwini lwethu.

Ngokuqondene no-Adamu no-Eva, ngosuku lokungalaleli kwabo, uNkulunkulu wabagwebela ukufa. Ngakho inqubo yokufa yaqala. Inzalo yabo, eyazalwa ngemva kokuba u-Adamu no-Eva bonile, yazuza njengefa isono nokufa kubazali bayo abangaphelele.—Roma 5:14.

USathane waqala enabantu ababili bokuqala ngasohlangothini lwakhe lwempikiswano. Uye wasebenzisa isikhathi asinikeziwe ukuze azame ukugcina yonke inzalo ka-Adamu ingaphansi kokuqondisa kwakhe. Futhi uye waphumelela ekukhohliseni izingelosi eziningi ukuba zihlanganyele naye ekuhlubukeni kwakhe. Nokho, iningi lamadodana kaNkulunkulu ayizingelosi liye lasekela ngokwethembeka ukulunga kokubusa kukaJehova.—Genesise 6:1, 2; Juda 6; IsAmbulo 12:3, 9.

Lempikiswano yayihilela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu ngokumelene nokubusa kukaSathane, impikiswano eyayinamandla ezinsukwini zikaJobe. Lendoda ethembekile yabonisa ngenkambo yayo ukuthi yayikhetha ukubusa okulungile kukaNkulunkulu kunokuzibusa kobusathane, njengamadoda esaba uNkulunkulu anjengo-Abela, u-Enoke, uNowa, u-Abrahama, u-Isaka, uJakobe, noJosefa ayenze kanjalo kakade. UJobe waba undab’ uzekwayo ezulwini phambi kwezingelosi ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu. Esekela ukubusa kwakhe okulungile, uNkulunkulu wathi kuSathane: “Inhliziyo yakho iyiqaphele inceku yami uJobe na? Ngokuba akakho onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela okubi.”—Jobe 1:6-8.

Enqaba ukuvuma ukuthi uhluliwe, uSathane wathi uJobe wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa nje yezizathu zobugovu, njengoba uNkulunkulu ayebusise uJobe ngokucebile ngokuchuma ngezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho uSathane waphikelela: “Kepha ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte konke anakho, impela uyakukuthuka ebusweni bakho.” (Jobe 1:11) USathane wabuye waqhubeka, engabaza ubuqotho bazo zonke izidalwa zikaNkulunkulu. “Konke umuntu anakho uyakunika ngokuphila kwakhe,” ephikelela. (Jobe 2:4) Lokhu kuhlasela kokunyundela akuzange kuhilele uJobe nje kuphela kodwa bonke abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abathembekile ezulwini nasemhlabeni. USathane wayesho ukuthi babeyobulahla ubuhlobo babo noJehova uma ukuphila kwabo kusengozini.

UJehova uNkulunkulu wayebuthemba ngokugcwele ubuqotho bukaJobe. Enikeza ubufakazi balokho, wavumela uSathane ukuba alethe ukuhlupheka kobuntu phezu kukaJobe. Ngokwethembeka kwakhe, uJobe akazange asuse isihlamba egameni lakhe nje kuphela, kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, wasekela ukulunga kobukhosi bukaJehova. UDeveli wabonakaliswa enamanga.—Jobe 2:10; 42:7.

Nokho, isibonelo esihle kunazo zonke zokwethembeka ngaphansi kovivinyo kwakunguJesu Kristu. UNkulunkulu wayedlulisele ukuphila kwaleNdodana eyingelosi kusuka ezulwini kuya esizalweni sencasakazi. Ngakho-ke uJesu akazange azuze njengefa isono nokungapheleli. Kunalokho wakhula waba indoda ephelele, eyayilingana ncamashí nomuntu wokuqala ngaphambi kokuba alahlekelwe ukuphelela kwakhe. USathane wenza uJesu waba isisulu esikhethekile, emlethela izilingo eziningi novivinyo, okwafinyelela emvuthwandaba ngokufa okuyihlazo. Kodwa uSathane wehluleka ukwephula ubuqotho bukaJesu. UJesu wasekela ukulunga kokubusa kukaYise ngokuphelele. Futhi wabonisa ukuthi umuntu ophelele u-Adamu wayengenakuzithethelela ngokuhlanganyela ekuhlubukeni kukaSathane. U-Adamu wayengathembeka ngaphansi kovivinyo lwakhe oluncane kakhulu.

Yini Enye Eye Yaboniswa?

Cishe sekudlule iminyaka engu-6 000 yokuhlupheka kwabantu kusukela ekuhlubukeni kuka-Adamu no-Eva. Phakathi nalesisikhathi uNkulunkulu uye wavumela isintu ukuba sizame zonke izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zohulumeni. Umlando osabekayo wokuhlupheka kwabantu ufakazela ukuthi umuntu akanakukwazi ukuzibusa. Eqinisweni, manje kuneziyaluyalu ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba. Ukuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwamiswa uSathane, kuyinhlekelele.

Akukho okwadingeka ukuba uJehova azifakazele ngakho. Uyazi ukuthi indlela yakhe yokubusa ilungile futhi ingeyenzuzo engcono kakhulu yezidalwa zakhe. Nokho, ukuze aphendule ngokwanelisayo yonke imibuzo eyaphakanyiswa ukuhlubuka kukaSathane, uye wavumela izidalwa zakhe ezithembekile ukuba zibe nethuba lokubonisa ukukhetha kwazo ukubusa kwakhe okulungile.

Imivuzo yokuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuthembeka kuye isidlula kude isikhathi esifushane sokuhlupheka ngaphansi kukaDeveli. Indaba kaJobe iyakubonisa lokhu. UJehova uNkulunkulu welapha uJobe ekuguleni uDeveli ayembangele kona. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu “wabusisa ukugcina kukaJobe kunokuqala kwakhe.” Ekugcineni, ngemva kweminyaka engu-140 yokuphila okwandisiwe, “wafa-ke uJobe esemdala, esanelisiwe yizinsuku.”—Jobe 42:10-17.

Umlobi weBhayibheli ongumKristu uJakobe ubhekisela kulokhu, ethi: “Niye nezwa ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe futhi nabona umphumela uJehova awunikeza, ukuthi uJehova unesisa kakhulu ekusondelaneni ngokomzwelo futhi unobubele.”—Jakobe 5:11, umbhalo waphansi we-NW.

Manje uSathane nezwe lakhe sebephelelwe yisikhathi. Ngokushesha, uNkulunkulu uyonqanda konke ukuhlupheka ukuhlubuka kukaSathane okuye kwakulethela isintu. Ngisho nabafileyo bayovuswa. (Johane 11:25) Khona-ke, amadoda athembekile anjengoJobe ayoba nethuba lokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Lezizibusiso zesikhathi esizayo uNkulunkulu ayozithulula phezu kwezinceku zakhe ziyomlwela phakade njengoMbusi olungile ‘onesisa kakhulu ekusondelaneni ngokomzwelo futhi onobubele’ ngempela.

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NKULUNKULU ABANONYA BABANTU

ONKULUNKULU basendulo ngokuvamile babevezwa njengabomele igazi nabagcwele inkanuko. Ukuze bashweleze kubo, abazali babeshisa ngisho nezingane zabo ziphila emililweni. (Duteronomi 12:31) Ngakolunye uhlangothi olweqisayo, izazi zefilosofi ezingamaqaba zazifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengenayo imizwa enjengokuthukuthela noma isihawu.

Lemibono ephefumlelwe amademoni yalezizazi zefilosofi yathonya abantu ababethi bangabakaNkulunkulu, amaJuda. Isazi sefilosofi esingumJuda uPhilo, esasiphila ngesikhathi sikaJesu, sagomela ngokuthi uNkulunkulu “akanawo nhlobo umzwelo.”

Ngisho nehlelo lobuJuda labaFarisi elinemithetho eqinile alikwazanga ukuphunyuka ethonyeni lefilosofi yamaGreki. Lamukela izimfundiso zikaPlato zokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi ongaphakathi emzimbeni womuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokwesazi-mlando sekhulu lokuqala uJosephus, abaFarisi babekholelwa ukuthi imiphefumulo yabantu ababi “izwa isijeziso saphakade.” Nokho, iBhayibheli aliwusekeli umbono onjalo.—Genesise 2:7; 3:19; UmShumayeli 9:5; Hezekeli 18:4.

Kuthiwani ngabalandeli bakaJesu? Ingabe bavumela ukuthonywa ifilosofi yobuqaba? Eqaphela lengozi, umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Xwayani funa kube-khona onithumbayo ngokuhlakanipha nangenkohliso eyize njengokwemvelo yabantu‚ njengezifundiso zokucathula kwezwe‚ kungenjengokukaKristu.”—Kolose 2:8; bheka neyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:20.

Ngokudabukisayo, inani elikhulu lababonisi ababethi bangamaKristu bekhulu lesibili nelesithathu lasishaya indiva lesosixwayiso futhi lafundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanayo imizwa. I-Encyclopedia of Religion ithi: “Sekukonke, izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu zaziqondwa kakhulu ngendlela ezazigcizelelwe ngayo embonweni wobuJuda nowefilosofi wangalesosikhathi . . . Umqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu uYise wayengaba nemizwa enjengesihawu . . . ngokuvamile uye wabhekwa njengongamukeleki okungenani kwaze kwaba ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lamashumi amabili.”

Ngakho, eLobukholwa liye lamukela imfundiso yamanga yokuthi kunonkulunkulu ononya ojezisa izoni ngokuzihlupha phakade zizwa. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova uNkulunkulu usho ngokucacile eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli, ukuthi “inkokhelo yesono ingukufa‚” hhayi ukuhlushwa phakade uzwa.—Roma 6:23.

[Imithombo]

Above: Acropolis Museum, Greece

Courtesy of The British Museum

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Injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuguqula umhlaba ube ipharadesi elifana nelase-Edene kumelwe igcwaliseke!