12—Isihendo

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuMat. 4:1-11; Marko 1:12, 13; Luka 4:1-13.]

“Ke kaloku, wathi uYesu, ezele nguMoya Oyingcwele, wabuya eYordan, wasiwa nguMoya entlango.” Amazwi kaMarko asabaluleke kakhulu. Uthi, “Uthi kwaoko uMoya amkhuphele entlango. Waye esentlango apho iintsuku ezimashumi mane, ehendwa nguSathana; waye endawonye namarhamncwa.” “Akadla nto ngezo ntsuku.”ULw 114.1

Xa uYesu wayekhokelelwa entlango ukuba alingwe, wayekhokelwa nguMoya kaThixo. Akazange asimeme isilingo. Waya entlango ukuze abe yedwa ukuba acamange ngoko akuthunyiweyo kunye nomsebenzi waKhe. Ngokuzila nokuthandaza wayeza kuzixhobisela indlela enamachaphaza egazi ekwakufuneka eyihambile. USathana wazi ukuba uMsindisi ubheke entlango, waza wacinga ukuba eli lelona thuba lilungileyo ukuba amvelele.ULw 114.2

Imicimbi emikhulu yehlabathi yayisesichengeni kwidabi leNkosi yokukhanya nenkokeli yobukumkani bobumnyama. Emva kokuba walinga umntu ukuba one, uSathana wawubanga njengowakhe umhlaba, waza wazimisa ukuba abe yinkosi yalo mhlaba. Ngokuba bevumelene neyakhe indalo, umama notata bohlanga lwethu, wacingaukuba abumisele apha ubukumkanibakhe.Wavakalisaukuba abantu bakhethe yena njengomlawuli wabo.Ngokulawula kwakhe abantu, wabanolawulo phezu komhlaba. UKristu weza ukuze aphikisane nebango likaSathana. NjengoNyana woMntu, uYesu wayeza kuhlala enyanisekile kuThixo. Ngaloo ndlela uSathana wayeza kuboniswa ukuba akaluzuzanga ulawulo olupheleleyo lohlanga loluntu, nokuba, ibango lakhe lehlabathi lalibubuxoki. Bonke abalangazelela ukuhlangulwa kwigunya lakhe, baya kukhuluwa. Ubukhosi buka-Adam, awalahlekana nabo ngenxa yesono, buya kuzuzwa kwakhona.ULw 114.3

Ukususela ekuxelelweni kwenyoka e-Eden, kwathiwa, “Ndiya kumisa ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi, naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe” (Gen. 3:15), uSathana waya wazi ukuba akanalulawulo lupheleleyo phezu komhlaba. Kwabonakala ebantwini ukusebenza kwamandla awamelana nobukhosi bakhe. Ngomdla omkhulu, wayibukela imibingelelo eyayinikelwa nguAdam noonyana bakhe. Kwezi nkonzo, waphawula umfuziselo wokudlelana phakathi komhlaba nezulu. Wazimisela ukuba uya kukuqhawula oko kudlelana. Wamveza ngandlela yimbi uThixo, echaza ngokuxoka iinkonzo ezazisalatha kuMsindisi. Abantu bakhokelelwa ekumoyikeni uThixo njengowonwabele intshabalalo yabo. Imibingelelo eyayimele ukuba yatyhila uthando lwaKhe, yamkelwa kuphela ukuba ithomalalise ingqumbo yaKhe. USathana wavusa iimvakalelo ezimbi zabantu, ukuze abethelele ulawulo lwakhe phezu kwabo. Lathi lakunikwa ilizwi elibhaliweyo likaThixo, uSathana wafunda iziprofeto ezingokufika koMsindisi. Kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana, wasebenzela ukuba abamfamekise abantu ngakwezi ziprofeto, ukuze bamale uKristu ekufikeni kwaKhe.ULw 115.1

Ekuzalweni kukaYesu, uSathana wazi ukuba ufikile Lowo uze enomyalelo wezulu ukuba abange ubukhosi bakhe. Wangcangcazela sisigidimi sengelosi esasingqina igunya loKumkani ozelweyo. USathana wayesazi kakuhle isikhundla awayekuso uKristu ezulwini njengOyintanda kaYise. Into yokuba uNyana kaThixo eze kulo mhlaba engumntu, yammangalisa wanoloyiko. Akazange akwazi ukubazi ubunzulu balo mbingelelo mkhulu [kangaka]. Umoya wakhe onomona awuzange ukwazi ukuluqonda uthando olungaka ngakubantu abakhohlisiweyo. Uzuko noxolo lwezulu, novuyo lokuqhagamshelana noThixo, zizinto ezaziqondwa mfiliba ngabantu; kodwa zazisaziwa ngokupheleleyo nguKhwezi, ikherubhi egqubuthelayo. Kususela ekubeni walahlekwa lizulu, wazimisela ukuziphindezela ngokwenza ukuba abanye babe nesabelo ekuweni kwakhe. Oku wayeza kukwenza ngokusebenzela ukuba bazixabise kancinane izinto zezulu, bayibeke intliziyo yabo kwizinto zasemhlabeni.ULw 115.2

Kwakungekho ngaphandle kweziphazamiso kuMphathi womkhosi wasezulwini ukuzuzela ubukumkani baKhe imiphefumlo yabantu. Ukusuka kwixesha lobusana baKhe eBhetelehem, wahlala ehlaselwa njalo ngokhohlakeleyo. Umfanekiselo kaThixo wawubonakalalisiwe kuKristu, kwaza kwathi, kumaqumrhu kaSathana, kwagqitywa kwelokuba kufuneka oyiswe. Akakho umntu owakha weza elizweni aze asinde kumandla omkhohlisi. Imikhosi yemanyano yobubi yabekwa emkhondweni waKhe ukuba ibe semfazweni elwa Yena, kuthi, ukuba kunokwenzeka, imoyise.ULw 116.1

Ekubhaptizweni koMsindisi, uSathana wayephakathi kwamangqina. Wabubona ubuqaqawuli bukaYise bumgubungela uNyana waKhe. Waliva ilizwi likaYehova libungqina ubuThixo bukaYesu. Kususela esonweni sika-Adam, uhlanga loluntu lwalunqanyulwe kuqhagamshelwano oluthe ngqo noThixo; ukudlelana phakathi kwezulu nomhlaba lwalungoKristu; kodwa ngoku njengokuba uYesu efike “efana nenyama elawulwa sisono” (Rom. 8:3), uYise ngokwaKhe wathetha. Wayeke waqhagamshelana kuqala noKristu; ngoku uqhagamshelana noluntu kuKristu. USathana wayethembe ukuba ukuthiya kukaThixo ububi kuya kuzisa ukwahlukana okungunaphakade phakathi kwezulu nomhlaba. Kwakubonakala kodwa ngoku ukuba uqhagamshelano phakathi kukaThixo nomntu lubuyiselwe.ULw 116.2

USathana waqonda ukuba kufuneka oyise okanye oyiswe. Umcimbi wawuxhome kakhulu ukuba ungayekelwa kwiingelosi ezisebenza naye. Kufuneka alikhokele ngokwakhe eli idabi. Onke la mandla okreqo ahlanganiswa ukuba achase uNyana kaThixo. UKristu wenziwa into ekujoliswa kuyo siso sonke isixhobo senkohlakalo.ULw 116.3

Baninzi abakhangela kolu ngquzulwano phakathi kukaKristu noSathana njengolungena nto ibalulekileyo enokwenza nobabo ubomi; ngoko ke kubo alwenzi mdla ungako. Kanti ke, phakathi kumhlaba wentliziyo yomntu ngamnye, le mbambano iyaphindwa. Akaze abakho okwazi ukushiya izintlu zobubi athabathe umsebenzi kaThixo angaze aqubisane nokuntlitha kukaSathana. Izinto ezinomtsalane awamelana nazo uKristu, zezo yayizezo thina sikufumana kunzima ukuba simelane nazo. Zazinyanzelwa kuYe ngomgangatho omkhulu njengoko isimilo saKhe naso singaphezulu kwesethu. Enobunzima obukhulu bezono zehlabathi phezu kwaKhe, uKristu wamelana novavanyo lwelithe, ukuthanda ihlabathi,nokuthanda ubuqheleqhele obukhokelela ekubeni bobuganga [ekuziphatheni]. Eziyayizizihendo ezamoyisayo uAdam noEva, nezithi zisoyise ngokulula nathi.ULw 116.4

USathana wayolathe isono sika-Adam njengesibonakaliso sokuba umthetho kaThixo awunabulungisa, nokuba awunako ukuthotyelwa. Engumntu njengathi, uKristu wayeza kuhlawulela ukusilela kuka-Adam. Wathi kodwa uAdam akuhlaselwa ngumlingi, akwabakho nasinye kwiziphumo zesono esaba phezu kwakhe. Wema emandleni obudoda obugqibeleleyo, enamandla apheleleyo engqondo nomzimba. Wayejikelezwe bubuhle be-Eden, eqhagamshelana yonke imihla nezidalwa zasezulwini. Kwakungenjalo kuYesu xa wayengena entlango ukuba amelane noSathana. Kwakuyiminyaka emawaka mane uhlanga luya lusihla ngokuhla emandleni omzimba, emandleni engqondo, nasekukwazini ukuziphatha; waza uKristu wathabathela kuYe ubuthakathaka boluntu obukumgangatho ophantsi. Kwakungaloo ndlela kuphela awayenokuhlangula ngayo umntu kobona busezantsi ubunzulu bokuthobeka kwakhe.ULw 117.1

Abaninzi babanga ukuthi, kwakungenako ukwenzeka ukuba uKristu oyiswe sisilingo. Ukuba kunjalo wayengenako ukubekwa endaweni ka-Adam; wayengenakuzuza uloyiso awoyiswa kukuluzuza uAdam. Ukuba, nangayiphi na ingqondo, sinedabi elikhulu kunelo uKristu waba nalo, akangeke ngoko akwazi ukusihlangula. Yena, uMsindisi wethu, wathabatha ubuntu, nazo zonke izikhwasilima zabo. Wathabatha indalo yomntu, nesakhono sokoyiswa sisilingo. Akukho nto ekufuneka siyinyamezele, angazange naYe ayinyamezele.ULw 117.2

NakuKristu, njengakwisibini esingcwele e-Eden, ukuthanda ukutya kwakungumhlaba wesihendo esikhulu sokuqala. Kanye apho waqala khona umonakalo, kufuneka uqale apho umsebenzi wokuhlangula. Njengoko uAdam wawa ngokuyekela ukuthanda ukutya, ngokunjalo, ngokungavumeli ukuthanda ukutya, kufuneka uKristu oyisile. “Uthe akuba ezile ukudla iimini ezimashumi mane nobusuku obumashumi mane, ekupheleni kwazo walamba. Efikile ke umhendi kuye, uthe, Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, yitsho la matye abe zizonka. Waphendula ke yena wathi, Kubhaliwe kwathiwa, akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaThixo.”ULw 117.3

Ukususela kwixesha lika-Adam ukuya kwelikaKristu, ukuziyekelela kwandisa amandla okufuna ukutya nemizwa, kwada kwafikelela apho ezo nto kunzima ukuzilawula. Ngenxa yoko abantu behla ekuziphatheni banezifo, baza bona ngokwabo abakwazi ukoyisa. Endaweni yomntu, uKristu woyisa ngokunyamezela olona luvavanyo lunzima. Ngenxa yethu, waba nokuzilawula kakhulu kunendlala okanye ukufa. Kolu loyiso lokuqala, kwakubandakanyeke eminye imiba eye ingene kuwo onke amadabi okulwa namagunya obumnyama. ULw 117.4

Ngexesha uYesu efika entlango, wayegqutyuthelwe bubuqaqawuli bukaYise. Exakeke kukuxhumana noThixo, waphakanyiswa ngaphezu kokuswela amandla kobuntu. Bathi bakumka ubuqaqawuli, washiywa ukuba alwe nesilingo. Sasinzima phezu kwaKhe ngomzuzu ngamnye. Indalo yaKhe yobuntu yaloyika idabi elalimlindele. Ephelelwe ngamandla, eswazekile yindlala, ephelile, ewohlokile yintlungu yasengqondweni, “[yabanjalo] ukonakala imbonakalo yakhe, ukuda ingabi yeyomntu, nesithomo sakhe ukuba singabi sesoonyana baka-Adam.” Isa. 52:14. Ngoku, yayilithuba likaSathana. Ngoku wacinga ukuba unokumoyisa uKristu.ULw 118.1

Kwafika kuMsindisi, ngokwempendulo kwimithandazo yaKhe, othile omilise okwengelosi evela ezulwini. Wathi unomyalelo ovela kuThixo wokuba avakalise ukuba ukuzila kukaKristu kufikelele ekupheleni. Njengokuba uThixo wayethumele ingelosi ukuba ibambe isandla sika-Abraham ekunikeleni uIsake, ngokunjalo, ngokwaneliseka yintumekelelo kaKristu ukungena kwindlela edyojwe ligazi, uYise wathumela ingelosi ukuba imhlangule; sisigidimi esi esaziswa kuYesu. UMsindisi wayephelelwe ngamandla yindlala, wayekufuna ngamandla ukutya, ngexesha uSathana wafika ngequbuliso kuYe. Esalatha ematyeni awayethe saa entlango, nawayenembonakalo yezonka, umlingi wathi, “Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, yitsho la matye abe zizonka.” ULw 118.2

Nangona wayebonakala njengengelosi yokukhanya, la mazwi okuqala ayasidiza isimilo sakhe. “Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo.” Apha kunikwa ingqondo yokungathembi. Ukuba uYesu angayenza le nto uSathana ayicebisayo, oko kuya kuba kukwamkela intandabuzo. Umlingi uceba ukubhukuqa uKristu ngendlela enye naleyo waba nempumelelo enkulu ngayo kuhlanga lwabantu ekuqalekeni. Ubuchule obungako uSathana awavela ngabo kuEva e-Eden! “Utshilo na okunene uThixo ukuthi, Zeningadli kuyo yonke imithi yomyezo?” Gen 3:1. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, amazwi omlingi ayeyinyaniso; kodwa indlela le awathethe ngayo, yayifihle ukuwadelela amazwi kaThixo. Kwakukho inkcaso efihlakeleyo, intandabuzo yobunyaniso bobuThixo. USathana wazama ukufaka engqondweni kaEva ingcamango yokuba uThixo akasokuze enze njengoko wayetshilo; nokuthi, ukuvimba isiqhamo esihle kangako sasikukuphikisana nothando lwaKhe nemfesane ngasemntwini. Ngoku ke, umlingi ufuna ukukhuthaza uKristu ngezakhe izimvo. “Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo.” La mazwi amtya kakhulu engqondweni yakhe. Kwimvakalo yelizwi lakhe ibonakalisa ukungakholwa ngokupheleleyo. UThixo angamphatha ngolu hlobo uNyana waKhe? Angamshiya entlango namarhamncwa asendle, engenakutya, engenamahlakani, engonwabanga? Unika ingqondo yokuba uThixo wayengathethi ukuba uNyana waKhe angabakwimeko elolu hlobo. “Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo,” bonisa amandla aKho ngokuzikhulula kule ndlala ikucinezeleyo. Yalela ukuba eli litye lenziwe isonka.ULw 118.3

Amazwi aphuma ezulwini, athi, “Lo nguNyana wam oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye” (Mat. 3:17), ayesavakala ezindlebeni zikaSathana. Noko kunjalo, wayezimisele ukumenza uKristu ukuba angabukholelwa obu bungqina. Ilizwi likaThixo lalisisiqinisekiso kuKristu ngokuthunywa kwaKhe lizulu. Wayeze ukuba aphile njengomntu phakathi kwabantu, kwaye yayililizwi likaThixo elavakalisa ukuqhagamshelana kwaKhe nezulu. Yayiyinjongo kaSathana ukumenza ukuba alithandabuze elo lizwi. Ukuba ukuthemba kukaKristu uThixo kwakunokushukunyiswa, uSathana wayesazi ukuba uloyiso kuyo yonke imbambano lungaba lolwakhe. Wayenokumoyisa uYesu. Wayethembe ukuba, ngaphantsi kokunyanzela ukuphelelwa lithemba nokulamba kakhulu, uKristu wayeya kukulahla ukukholelwa kuYise, aze enze ummangaliso wokuzinceda. Ukuba wayeyenzile le nto, icebo losindiso ngelaliphanzile.ULw 119.1

Ukuqubisana kukaSathana noNyana kaThixo okokuqala edabini, uKristu wayengumphathi wemikhosi yasezulwini; waza uSathana, inkokeli yovukelo ezulwini, walahlelwa ngaphandle. Ngoku imeko yabo ikhangeleka ijikile, ngoko uSathana usebenzisa lonke ithuba acinga ukuba limlungele. Enye kwezona ngelosi zinamandla, uthi uSathana, igxothiwe ezulwini. Imbonakalo kaYesu ixela ukuba nguYe loo ngelosi iwileyo, yalahlwa nguThixo, yashiywa nangumntu. Isidalwa sezulu besinokuba nako ukulixhasa ibango laso ngokwenza ummangaliso; “Ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, yitsho la matye abe zizonka.” Isenzo esinjalo samandla okudala, uyaqhuba umlingi, siya kuba bubungqina obupheleleyo sobuThixo. Siya kuyiphelisa imbambano.ULw 119.2

Ukungaphenduli kukaYesu kumkhohlisi omkhulu kwakungathethi ukuba akalwi. Phofu, uNyana kaThixo wayengazi kubonisa ubuThixo baKhe kuSathana, okanye achaze isizathu sokuthotyelwa phantsi kwaKhe. Ngokuyekela kokufunwa ngumvukeli, akukho nto ilungele umntu okanye yozuko lukaThixo yayiya kuzuzwa. Ukuba uKristu wayevumelene necebiso lotshaba, uSathana wayeza kuqhubeka athi, “Ndibonise umqondiso ukuze ndikholwe ukuba unguNyana kaThxo. Ubungqina babungayi kuba lulutho ukwaphula amandla ovukelo entliziyweni yakhe. UKristu wayengasayi kusebenzisa amandla obuThixo kokwaKhe ukulungelwa. Wayeze ukuba anyamezelwe ukuvavanywa njengoko nathi kufuneka senzile, esishiya nomzekelo wokholo lokuzinikela. Kwakungekuphela apha, kodwa nakweliphi ixesha elilandelayo, kubomi baKhe basemhlabeni, apho angazange wakha wenzela isiqu saKhe ummangaliso. Imisebenzi yaKhe emangalisayo yayisenzelwa ukulungelwa kwabanye abantu. Nangona uYesu wamqondakwasekuqaleniuSathana, akazange akhuthazeke ukuba angenekwimpikiswanonaYe. Enikwe amandla kukukhumbula ilizwi ilizwi elaliphuma ezulwini, waphumla eluthandweni lukaYise. Wayengazimisele kuxoxa nesilingo.ULw 119.3

UYesu waqubisana noSathana ngamazwi esiBhalo. “Kubhaliwe,” watsho. Kuso sonke isilingo, isixhobo sokulwa kwaKhe yayililizwi likaThixo. USathana wafuna kuKristu ummangaliso wobuThixo baKhe. Phofu, oko kungaphezu kwayo yonke imimangaliso, ukuxhomekeka okuzinzileyio phezu kuka-“Utsho uYehova,” yayingummangaliso owawungenako ukuphikiswa. Lonke ixesha uKristu wayesabambelele kule ndawo, umlingi wayengeke azuze mhlaba.ULw 120.1

Yayilixesha lokuphelelwa ngamandla okukhulu ukuhlaselwa kukaKristu ngezona zihendo zoyikekayo. Ngoko ke, uSathana wacinga ukuba uya koyisa. Ngale ndlela wayezuza uloyiso ebantwini. Xa amandla ephelile, amandla engqondo esilela, nokholo luyekile ukukholosa ngoThixo, bathi ngoko abo bebemele okulungileyo ixesha elide nangokukhalipha, basuka boyiswa. UMoses wayeqotywe yiminyaka amashumi mane yokubhadula kukaIsrayeli entlango, ukuyeka kokholo lwakhe ukubambelela okomzuzwana kumandla angenasiphelo. Woyisakala kanye kwimida yeZwe leDinga. Kwakunjalo nakuEliya, owema engenakoyika phambi kokumkani uAhabhi, nowajongana nesizwe sonke sikaIsrayeli, phambili kuso ekwakukho amakhulu amane anamashumi amahlanu abaprofeti bakaBhahali. Emva kwemini eyayimbi kwintaba yeKarmele, bakuba bebulewe abaprofeti bobuxoki, nabantu bavakalisa ukwayama kwabo kuThixo, uEliya wabalekela ukusindisa ubomi bakhe phambi kwezothuso zomnquli wezithixo onguYizebhele. Njalo, uSathana wasebenzisa ithuba lokuphelelwa kwamandla komntu. Kunjalo nje, uya kuhlala esebenza ngale ndlela inye. Lonke ixesha ubani egutyungelwe ngamafu, edidwe ziimeko, okanye ebethwa yintlupheko okanye uxinzelelo, uSathana usoloko ekufuphi ukuba amlinge amcaphukise. Uhlasela iindawo ezibuthakathaka zesimilo sethu. Ufuna ukukushukumisa ukuthembela kwethu kuThixo, oyiyekelayo imeko enjalo ukuba ibekho. Silingelwa ukuba singamthembi uThixo, sibe nengxaki ngothando lwaKhe. Umlingiukholisaukuzakuthi ngale ndlela waya ngayo kuKristu, andlale phambi kwethu ukuswela kwethu amandla nobuthakathaka bethu. Uthembe ukuwutyhafisa umphefumlo, nokuqhawula ukubambelela kwethu kuThixo. Uye ngoko aqiniseke ngexhoba lakhe. Ukuba singaqubisana naye njengoko wenzayo uYesu, siya kusinda ekoyisweni okuninzi. Ngokudlala notshaba, silunika ithuba elihle.ULw 120.2

Xa uKristu wayesithi kumhendi, “Akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaThixo,” wayephinda amazwi awawathetha kuIsrayeli, esithi, “UYehova uThixo wakho, le minyaka imashumi mane entlango, . . . wakuthoba, wakulambisa, wakudlisa imana, into obungayazi, ababengayazi nooyihlo; ukuze akwazise ukuba akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu; umntu lo yena uphila ngento yonke ephuma emlonyeni kaYehova.” Dut. 8:2, 3. Entlango, zakuba zonke iindlela zokuxhasa ziphelile, uThixo wabathumela abantu baKhe imana evela ezulwini; ingumnikelo owaneleyo nothe rhoqo. Lo msindleko wawubafundisa ukuba, lo gama besathembele kuThixo behamba ezindleleni zaKhe, akasayi kuze abashiye. UMsindisi ngoku wenza isifundo awasifundisa uIsrayeli. Ngelizwi likaThixo, uncedo walunikwa umkhosi wamaHebhere, kwaye kwangelo lizwi linye, wayezakulunikwa uYesu. Walindela ixesha likaThixo lokuzisa ukukhululeka. Wayesentlango ngokuthobela uThixo, kwaye engayi kufumana ukutya ngokulandela amacebiso kaSathana. Phambi kwamehlo endalo yonke ebukeleyo, wangqina ukuba yintlekele encinane ukuphatheka kakubi nokuba kuhla ntoni kunokumka nangayiphi indlela kwintando kaThixo.ULw 121.1

“Akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaThixo.” Kuyakholisa ukuba umntu abekwe kwindawo apho angenako ukukhonza uThixo abe nokuqhubela phambili ngamashishini akhe asemhlabeni. Mhlawumbi kuyabonakala ukuba ukuthobela kwezinye iimfuneko ezicacileyo zikaThixo kuya kunqamla iindlela zenkxaso. USathana wayeza kumenza ukuba akholwe ukuba kuyanyanzeleka ukuba azincame ezinye iingcamango [ezilungileyo] anenkathalo ngazo. Eyona nto ekuphela kwayo kwilizwe lethu, esinokuxhomekeka kuyo, lilizwi likaThixo. “Funani ke tanci ubukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe, zaye zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” Mat. 6:33. Kanti ke, nakobu bomi, asikokwethu ukulungelwa ukumka kwintando kaBawo wethu osemazulwini. Xa siwafunda amandla elizwi laKhe, asiyi kukulandela ukusicebisa kukaSathana indlela yokuba sizuze ukutya okanye sisindise ubomi bethu. Impendulo yethu iya kuba nye kuphela, ithi, Uthini umyalelo kaThixo? Sithini isithembiso saKhe? Xa sizazi ezi zinto, siya kuyithobela enye, siyithembe enye.ULw 121.2

Kwidabi lokugqibela lembambano enkulu noSathana, abo banyanisekileyo kuThixobayakuyibonayonkeinkxaso yasemhlabeni iqhawulwe. Kuya kuthi, kuba besala ukwaphula umthetho waKhe, balelwe ukuba bathenge okanye bathengise. Ekugqibeleni, uya kuphuma umthetho wokuba babulawe. Khangela IsiTy. 13:11-17. Lowo ke uthobelayo unikwe isithembiso, “Nguye oya kuhlala ezindaweni eziphezulu. Iimboniselo zeengxondorha yingxonde yakhe; isonka sakhe usinikiwe, amanzi akhe ahleli.” Isa. 33:16. Ngesi sithembiso, abantwana bakaThixo baya kuphila. Xa umhlaba uya kubhuqwa yindlala, baya kondliwa. “Abayi kudana ngexesha lobubi; baya kuhlutha ngeemini zendlala.” Nd. 37:19. Kwelo xesha loxinzelelo awayejonge phambili umprofeti uHabhakuki, amazwi akhe axela ngokholo lwebandla: “Nokuba umkhiwane awusayi kutyatyamba, kungabikho ndyebo emidiliyeni; nokuba isiqhamo somnquma asiyi kuba siso, amasimi angabi nakudla, iphele esibayeni impahla emfutshane, kungabikho nkomo esitalini: mna ke ndiya kudlamka ndikuYehova, ndigcobe ndikuThixo umsindisi wam.” Hab. 3:17, 18.ULw 122.1

Kuzo zonke izifundo ekufuneka zifundiwe kwisilingo esikhulu sokuqala seNkosi yethu, asikho esibaluleke kakhulu ukudlula eso sinento yokwenza nelithe kunye nemizwa. Kuzo zonke izizukulwana, izilingo ezijoliswe kwimveli yomzimba ziba zezona zinempumelelo ekonakaliseni nasekuthobeleni phantsi uluntu. Ngokungabi nabo ubungcathu, uSathana usebenza ukutshabalalisa amandla engqondo nokuziphatha uThixo awawanika umntu ngomlinganiselo ongenakubekwa xabiso. Kuba nzima ke ngoko ukuba abantu bazixabise izinto ezinexabiso likanaphakade. [Ngokusebenzisa] ekuyekelweni kokuthandwa kweziyolo zenyama, uSathana ufuna ukususa emphefumlweni yonke imbonakalo yokufana noThixo.ULw 122.2

Ukuziyekela okungalawulwayo kwanesiphumo esisisifo nokuhla emgangathweni okwakukho ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu kokuqala, kuya kuphinda kubekho kwakhona, kunokuqina kobubi, ngaphambi kokufika kwaKhe kwesibini. UKristu uthi, imeko yehlabathi iya kuba njengeyemihla yaphambi koNogumbe, nanjengaseSodom neGomora. Konke ukucamanga kweengcinga zentliziyo kuya kuba kubi lonke ixesha. Kuya kuthi kanye emngciphekweni wexesha eloyikekayo esiphila kulo, nakuthi kufike isifundo sokuzila koMsindisi. Kuphela ngale ntlungu ingathethekiyo awayinyamezelayo uKristu, esinokuthi sibubone ngayo ububi obungenamikhala kokuziyekela. Umzekelo waKhe uxela ukuba, ithemba lethu, ekuphela kwalo lobomi obungunaphakade, lilele ekuziseni ukuthanda ukutya neenkanuko phantsi kolawulo lwentando kaThixo.ULw 122.3

Ngawethu amandla, asingeke sikwazi ukulandula imikhwazo nendalo yethu ewileyo. Ngeli jelo, uSathana uza kuzisa isilingo phezu kwethu. UKristu wayesazi ukuba utshaba luya kuza kuye wonke umntu, lusebenzisa inxeba lokungabi namandla kwethu ngokwemfuza, kuze kuthi ngokuzithandisa nje kwakhe kobuxoki, ababambisebonkeabo ukuthembakwabo kungekhokuThixo. Ngokuhamba kumhlaba omelwe kukuhanjwa ngumntu, iNkosi yethu iyilungisile indlela yokuba soyise. Asiyiyo intando yaYo ukuba sibekwe kwindawo engalunganga ekulweni noSathana. Akafuni ukuba sothuswe sityhafiswe kukuhlasela kwenyoka. “Yomelelani,” utsho; “mna ndiloyisile ihalabathi.” Yohane 16:33.ULw 122.4

Lowo uzamana nedabi lamandla okufuna ukutya (lelithe) makakhangele kuMsindisi kwintlango yokulingwa. Mbone esentlungwini emqamlezweni, xa ekhala, “Ndiyanxanwa.” Uthwele konke esinokukuthwala. Uloyiso lwaKhe lolwethu.ULw 123.1

UYesu wahlala phezu kobulumko namandla kaYise osemazulwini. Uthi, “Ke iNkosi uYehova iya kundinceda; ngenxa yoko andihlazekanga; . . . ndiyazi ukuba andiyi kudana. . . . Uyabona, iNkosi uYehova iya kundinceda.” Esalatha kowaKhe umzekelo, uthi kuthi, “Ngubani na kuni owoyika uYehova, . . . ohamba emnyameni, kungabi mhlophe kuye?” Isa. 50:7-10.ULw 123.2

“Umphathi weli hlabathi uyeza” (KJV), “engenanto nam.” Yohane 14:30. Kwakungekho nto kuYe eyayisabela kumaqhinga kaSathana. Akazange avume ukona. Nangengcinga, akazange ayekele ekulingweni. Kunokuba njalo nakuthi. Ubuntu bukaKristu babumanyene nobuThixo; wayelilungele idabi ngokuhlala ngaphakathi kukaMoya Oyingcwele. Wayeze kusenza ukuba sibe ngamadlelane endalo engcwele. Lonke ixesha simanyene naYe ngokholo, isono asinalulawulo phezu kwethu. UThixo wolulela ukubamba isandla sokholo kuthi ukuze asikhokele ukuba sibambe siqinise ubuThixo bukaKristu, ukuze sifikelele ekugqibeleleni kwesimilo.ULw 123.3

Ukuba oku kwenzeka njani, uKristu usibonisile. Kungaziphi iindlela awaya woyisa edabini noSathana? Ngelizwi likaThixo. Kuphela kungelizwi esinokuthi sikwazi ukumelana nesilingo. “Kubhaliwe,” watsho. Thina ke sinikwe “amadinga amakhulukazi, anqabileyo, ukuze ngawo nibe ngamadlelane ngemvelo yobuThixo, nisinde ekonakaleni okukhoyo ehlabathini ngenkanuko.” 2 Petros 1:4. Sonke isithembiso elizwini likaThixo sesethu. “Ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaThixo” siya kuphila. Xa uhlaselwa sisilingo, musa ukukhangela kwiimeko okanye kubuthakathaka bakho, kodwa kumandla elizwi. Onke amandla alo ngawakho. “Ndiyibeke intetho yakho,” utsho umdumisi, “entliziyweni yam, ukuze ndingoni kuwe.” “Ngelizwi lemilebe yaKho, ndizikhwebule kwiindlela zababulali (KJV).” Nd. 119:11; 17:4ULw 123.4