1. Yintoni eyayithintela intsapho ka-Adam noEva ukuba ingene emyezweni wase-Eden, ibe yintoni eyona nto yayifunwa nguAbheli kakhulu?

UABHELI wayebukele umhlambi wakhe wezimvu usidla kumadlelo angasendulini. Mhlawumbi waphakamisa amehlo akhe waza wondela mgama apho kwakumana kusithi letshe ilitha elibomvu. Wayesazi ukuba elo litha lelekrele elibumlilorha elalijikeleza ukuze lithintele abantu bangangeni kumyezo wase-Eden. Loo myezo wawukhe walikhaya labazali bakhe, kodwa ngoku, bona kunye nenzala yabo babengavumelekanga ukuphinda bangene. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni ka-Abheli ebethwa yiloo mpepho imyoli yasemva kwemini njengoko ephakamisela amehlo akhe phezulu aze acamngce ngoMdali wakhe. Ngaba abantu babeya kuze baphinde baxolelaniswe noThixo? Ayikho into eyayifunwa nguAbheli ngaphezu kwaleyo.

2-4. UAbheli uthetha nathi namhlanje ngayiphi ingqiqo?

² UAbheli uthetha nawe namhlanje. Uyamva? Usenokuthi yintsomi emini leyo. Phofu naloo Abheli, unyana wesibini ka-Adam, wafa kudala. Akunakufumana nesuntswana eli lethambo lakhe, kuba kaloku sele kuziinkulungwane ezingama-60 wafayo. IBhayibhile ithi ngabafi: “Abazi nto konke konke.” (INtshu. 9:5, 10) Ngaphezu koko, naseBhayibhileni akukho kwamazwi kuthiwa ngaka-Abheli. Ngoko,unokuthetha njani nathi?

³ Umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba athi ngoAbheli: “Ngalo, nangona wafayo, usathetha.” (Funda amaHebhere 11:4.) Yintoni le kuthiwa uthetha ngayo uAbheli? Lukholo. UAbheli wayengumntu wokuqala ukuba nolu phawu lubalulekileyo. UAbheli wayenokholo kangangokuba umzekelo wakhe usaphila, kuba sisawusebenzisa nanamhlanje. Ukuba siyafunda kukholo lwakhe size sixelise umzekelo wakhe, kuya kuba ngathi ibali lika-Abheli lithetha nathi nqo.

⁴ Ekubeni kungathethwa nto ingako ngoAbheli eBhayibhileni, yintoni esinokuyifunda kuye ngokholo? Makhe sibone.

5. Yintoni intsingiselo yamazwi kaYesu anxulumanisa uAbheli ‘nokusekwa kwehlabathi’? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁵ UAbheli wazalwa kungekudala nje emva kokuba kudalwe abantu. UYesu wathi uAbheli wayephila “ekusekweni kwehlabathi.” (Funda uLuka 11:50, 51.) Kuyabonakala ukuba uYesu wayebhekisela kubantu abanethemba lokuxolelwa izono. Nangona uAbheli wayengumntu wesine emhlabeni, kubonakala ngathi wayengumntu wokuqala uThixo awambona enokuxolelwa. * Kuyacaca ukuba uAbheli lo wayeyintyatyambo phakathi kwameva.

6. Babenjani abazali baka-Abheli?

⁶ Nangona ihlabathi laliselitsha, abantu bakhawuleza baba phantsi kwelifu elimnyama. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abazali baka-Abheli, uAdam noEva babebahle yaye bekhuthele. Kodwa ke badlala ngobomi babo ibe nabo babeyazi loo nto. Babekade befezekile yaye benethuba lokuphila ngonaphakade. Kodwa ke bavukela uYehova uThixo baza bagxothwa kwikhaya labo elaliyiParadesi entle kumyezo wase-Eden. Ngokubeka iziqu zabo kuqala kunayo nantoni na enye, nkqu nenzala yabo, baphulukana nokufezeka kunye nobomi obungunaphakade.—Gen. 2:15–3:24.

7, 8. Wathini uEva xa kwazalwa uKayin, ibe kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayecinga ntoni?

⁷ Ubomi buka-Adam noEva baqalisa ukuba nzima emva kokuba begxothiwe emyezweni. Sekunjalo, xa kwazalwa unyana wabo  wokuqala bamthiya igama elithi Kayin, elithetha ukuthi “Into Evelisiweyo,” yaye uEva wathi: “Ndivelise umntu ngoncedo lukaYehova.” Amazwi akhe abonisa ukuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayecinga ngesithembiso esenziwa nguYehova emyezweni, sokuba mfazi uthile wayeza kuzala “imbewu” eyayiza kutshabalalisa lowo wayelukuhle uAdam noEva. (Gen. 3:15; 4:1) Ngaba bethu uEva wayecinga ukuba ungulo mfazi kuprofetwe ngaye, aze uKayin yena abe kanti uyile ‘mbewu’ ithenjisiweyo?

⁸ Ukuba wayecinga njalo, wayeziqaba ngentshongw’ emehlweni. Ngaphezu koko, ukuba yena noAdam bahlohla uKayin ngobu buxoki njengoko ekhula, ngokuqinisekileyo bamenza wanekratshi. Ethubeni uEva wazala unyana wesibini, kodwa ke asiva nto ethi wamtyibela ngezincomo ezinjengezo zikaKayin. Bamthiya igama elinguAbheli ekusenokwenzeka ukuba lithetha ukuthi “Umphunga” okanye “Amampunge.” (Gen. 4:2) Ngaba igama abamthiya lona lalibonisa ukuba akukho nto ingako bayilindele kuye, ngokungathi elona themba labo nguKayin? Asinakuqiniseka.

9. Yintoni enokufundwa ngabazali namhlanje kubazali bethu bokuqala?

⁹ Bazali, ininzi into eninokuyifunda kuAdam noEva. Izinto enizithetha ebantwaneni benu zinokubenza babe nekratshi namabhongo baze bazingce. Kwelinye icala, ninokubafundisa ukuthanda uYehova uThixo baze babe nobuhlobo naye. Okubuhlungu kukuba, uAdam noEva abazange bakwazi ukuyenza le nto. Sekunjalo, lalisekho ithemba ngenzala yabo.

10, 11. UKayin noAbheli benza yiphi imisebenzi, ibe waba naluphi uphawu?

¹⁰ Njengoko la makhwenkwe mabini ayekhula, kumel’ ukuba uAdam wawafundisa umsebenzi ukuze akwazi ukondla intsapho. UKayin waba ngumlimi; uAbheli yena waba ngumalusi.

¹¹ Noko ke, uAbheli wenza eyona nto ibalulekileyo. Njengoko ixesha lalihamba waba nokholo—uphawu oluhle awabhala ngalo kamva uPawulos. Khawufan’ ucinge nje! UAbheli wayengenamntu wayenokufunda kuye ukuba nokholo. Ngoko ke, kwenzeka njani ukuba abe nokholo kuYehova? Makhe sithethe ngezinto ezintathu ekusenokwenzeka ukuba zamnceda.

12, 13. Ukondela indalo kaYehova kumele ukuba kwamnceda njani uAbheli womeleza ukholo lwakhe?

¹² Indalo kaYehova. Yinyaniso ukuba uYehova wayewuqalekisile umhlaba ukuze ukhule inkunzane nameva awayesenza kube nzima ukuwulima. Sekunjalo, kwahluma ukutya okwaneleyo kokondla intsapho yakuloAbheli. Enye into, izilwanyana, iintaka neentlanzi zazingaqalekiswanga; kwakunjalo nangeentaba, amachibi, imilambo, iilwandle; nakwisibhakabhaka, amafu, ilanga, inyanga  kunye neenkwenkwezi. UAbheli wayengqongwe bubungqina bokuba uYehova uThixo odale ezi zinto unothando, ulumkile yaye ulungile. (Funda amaRoma 1:20.) Ukucamngca ngezi zinto kwamenza wanokholo uAbheli.

¹³ Ngokuqinisekileyo uAbheli wayekhe achithe ixesha ecinga ngoMdali wakhe. Khawube nomfanekiso wakhe esalusa umhlambi wakhe. Umalusi kwakufuneka ahambe imigama emide. Kwakufuneka akhokele imihlambi iqabele iinduli, yehl’ ezintlanjeni ize iwele imilambo—akhangele amadlelo aluhlaza, amaqula anamanzi kunye nekhusi. Kuzo zonke izidalwa zikaThixo, izimvu zibonakala zizezona zisizelekayo, ngokungathi zadalelwa ukuba zixhomekeke emntwini ukuze azikhusele. Ngaba uAbheli wayeyiqonda into yokuba naye udinga ukukhokelwa, ukukhuselwa nokunyanyekelwa Ngumntu olumke nonamandla ngaphezu kwakhe nawuphi na omnye umntu? Sinokuqiniseka ukuba waphalaza imbilini yakhe emthandazweni ngezi zinto, nto leyo eyamenza waba nokholo.

14, 15. Izithembiso zikaYehova zamnceda wacamngca ngantoni uAbheli?

¹⁴ Izithembiso zikaYehova. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uAdam noEva babaxelela oonyana babo isizathu sokuba bagxothwe emyezweni wase-Eden. Ngenxa yoko, zininzi izinto awayenokucamngca ngazo uAbheli.

¹⁵ UYehova wayethe umhlaba uza kuqalekiswa. UAbheli wazibona iinkunzane nameva ekwakuthiwe aza kuntshula. UYehova wayethe uEva uza kuphathwa yinimba. Njengoko abantakwabo noodadewabo babezalwa, ngokuqinisekileyo uAbheli wabubona ubunyani baloo mazwi. UYehova wayesazi ukuba uEva uza kufuna uAdam amthande aze amhoye ngendlela egqithiseleyo, ukanti uAdam yena wayeza kumgagamela uEva. Nakweli tyeli, awazange awe phantsi amazwi kaYehova. Kuzo zonke ezi zihlandlo, uAbheli wakubona ukuthembeka nokunyanisa kwamazwi kaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, uAbheli wayenezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nokholo kwisithembiso sikaThixo ‘sembewu’ eyayiza kulungisa umonakalo owaqala e-Eden—Gen. 3:15-19.

16, 17. Yintoni uAbheli asenokuba wayifunda kwiikherubhi zikaYehova?

 ¹⁶ Abakhonzi bakaYehova. Ngexesha lakhe, uAbheli wayengenamntu anokujonga kuye njengomzekelo, kodwa yayingengobantu kuphela izidalwa ezikrelekrele emhlabeni ngelo xesha. Xa uAdam noEva bagxothwayo emyezweni, uYehova waqinisekisa ukuba akukho mntu uphinda angene kuloo Paradesi. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wabeka iingelosi zodidi oluphezulu ezibizwa ngokuba ziikherubhi esangweni kunye nekrele lomlilo elijikelezayo.—Funda iGenesis 3:24.

¹⁷ Khawuthelekelele ukuba kwakunjani ku-Abheli ukubona ezo kherubhi eseyinkwenkwana. Kufanele ukuba zazingamadoda omeleleyo kuloo mizimba yazo yenyama. Limel’ ukuba lalisoyikeka nelaa ‘krele’ lomlilo lalijikeleza. Njengoko uAbheli ekhula, ngaba wakha wathi xa ejonga emyezweni wafika iikherubhi zingekho kuba ziye zakruquka kukuma apho? Akunjalo. Nangona zazinokuhamba xa zifuna, kwaqengqeleka amashumi ngamashumi eminyaka ezi ngelosi zomeleleyo zimi apho. Ngenxa yoko, uAbheli wafunda ukuba bakho nabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova uThixo abathembekileyo. Nangona intsapho ka-Abheli ingazange inyaniseke, ezo kherubhi zazingumzekelo omhle wokunyaniseka nokuthobela uYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo umzekelo wazo walomeleza ukholo lwakhe.

18. Sinokulusekela entwenini ukholo lwethu namhlanje?

¹⁸ Lomelela ngakumbi ukholo luka-Abheli xa wayecamngca ngendalo kaYehova, izithembiso zakhe kunye nomzekelo wabakhonzi bakhe. Sinokufunda okuthile kumzekelo wakhe, akunjalo? Siqinisekile ukuba kuya kulukhuthaza ulutsha ukwazi ukuba lunako ukuba  nokholo kuYehova uThixo, enoba amanye amalungu entsapho enza ntoni. Indalo kaYehova, iBhayibhile kunye nemizekelo emininzi yabantu abanokholo inokusinceda sibe nokholo olomeleleyo.

19. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uAbheli waqonda yiphi inyaniso enzulu?

¹⁹ Njengoko uAbheli wayesiya esiba nokholo olungakumbi, wafuna ukubonisa uYehova indlela amthanda ngayo. Kodwa, yintoni umntu oluthuli awayenokuyinika uMdali wezulu nomhlaba? Kaloku uThixo wayengadingi zipho okanye uncedo lwabantu. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uAbheli waqonda inyaniso ebalulekileyo: Wayenokumvuyisa uYehova xa enikela ngeyona nto yakhe ixabisekileyo, ingakumbi xa eqhutywa ziinjongo ezintle.

20, 21. UKayin noAbheli benza wuphi umnikelo kuYehova, ibe wasabela njani?

²⁰ UAbheli walungiselela ukunikela ngenye yezimvu zakhe. Wakhetha eyona ityetyisiweyo nelizibulo neyona nyama yayo intle. NoKayin wanikela ngesivuno ukuze afumane iintsikelelo kuThixo. Kodwa izizathu zakhe zazingafani nezika-Abheli. Le nto yacaca gca xa la madoda eza neminikelo yawo.

²¹ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba aba nyana baka-Adam benza izibingelelo baza babasa nomlilo wokutshisa iminikelo yabo, kwindawo ababeza kubonwa kuyo ziikherubhi ezazikuphela kwabameli bakaYehova emhlabeni ngelo xesha. UYehova waphendula! Sifunda oku: ‘UYehova wambabala uAbheli nomnikelo wakhe’. (Gen. 4:4) IBhayibhile ayisichazeli ukuba uThixo wabonakalisa njani ukuba wamkela wuphi umnikelo.

22, 23. Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba uYehova akholiswe ngumnikelo ka-Abheli?

²² Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze akholiswe nguAbheli? Ngaba kwakungenxa yomnikelo wakhe? UAbheli wanikela ngesilwanyana esiphilayo, ephalaza igazi laso. Ngaba wayeliqonda ixabiso lomnikelo wakhe? Kwiinkulungwane ezininzi emva kwexesha lika-Abheli, uThixo wasebenzisa umnikelo wemvu engenasiphako njengomfuziselo wedini loNyana wakhe ofezekileyo, “imvana kaThixo” egazi layo laliza kuphalala. (Yoh. 1:29; Eks. 12:5-7) Noko ke, asiqinisekanga ukuba uAbheli wayeyiqonda indlela awayeseza kusetyenziswa ngayo amadini.

²³ Kodwa ke nantsi into esiyaziyo: UAbheli wanikela ngeyona nto yakhe ixabisekileyo. UYehova akazange akholiswe nje leli lidini, kodwa wakholiswa nanguAbheli. UAbheli wenza umnikelo kuYehova kuba emthanda yaye enokholo.

24. (a) Kutheni sisithi yayingengomnikelo kaKayin lo wawunengxaki? (b) UKayin wayefana njani nabaninzi namhlanje?

²⁴ Kwakwahlukile ngoKayin, kuba uYehova “akazange ambabale  uKayin nomnikelo wakhe.” (Gen. 4:5) Yayingengomnikelo wakhe lo wawunengxaki; kuba kamva uMthetho kaThixo wabavumela abantu ukuba banikele ngezityalo. (Lev. 6:14, 15) Kodwa iBhayibhile ithi “imisebenzi yakhe [uKayin] yayingendawo.” (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 3:12.) Kuyabonakala ukuba uKayin wayefana nabantu abanininzi namhlanje, abacinga ukuba uThixo uqhathwa nje yimbonakalo yangaphandle. Ukungabi nalukholo nokungamthandi kwakhe uYehova kwakhawuleza kwabonakala kwizinto awazenzayo.

25, 26. UYehova wamlumkisa ngelithini uKayin, sekunjalo wenza ntoni yena uKayin?

²⁵ Xa uKayin wabona ukuba uYehova akakholiswa nguye, ngaba wazimisela ukufunda kumzekelo ka-Abheli? Hayi. Kunoko waqalisa ukumthiy’ egazini umntakwabo. UYehova wayibona into eyayisentliziyweni kaKayin waza wazama ukumlungisa. Wamlumkisa uKayin esithi izinto azicingayo ziza kumenza awele esonweni, waza wathi naye ‘unokuphakanyiswa’ ukuba utshintsha iindlela zakhe.—Gen. 4:6, 7.

²⁶ UKayin akazange amphulaphule uThixo. Kunoko, wacela umninawa wakhe, owayengenalo nofifi lwenkohlakalo eyayicingwa ngumkhuluwa wakhe, ukuba akhe amkhaphe baye edlelweni. Ukufika kwabo apho, uKayin wamhlasela uAbheli waza wambulala. (Gen. 4:8) Ngaloo ndlela, uAbheli waba ngumntu wokuqala ukubulawa ngenxa yonqulo lwakhe. Wafa, kodwa ibali lakhe lisaphila unanamhla oku.

27. (a) Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uAbheli uza kuvuswa? (b) Sinokwenza njani ukuze simbone uAbheli ngeny’ imini?

²⁷ Igazi lika-Abheli kwakungathi liyakhala kuYehova uThixo limcela ukuba aliphindezele. UThixo wamohlwaya uKayin ngenxa yobungendawo bakhe. (Gen. 4:9-12) Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba nathi sisafunda kukholo luka-Abheli. UAbheli akazange aphile xesha lide xa ethelekiswa nabantu bexesha lakhe—mhlawumbi waphila kangangenkulungwane nje enye—kodwa ke walisebenzisa kakuhle ixesha awaliphilayo. Wafa esazi ukuba uyathandwa nguYise wasezulwini uYehova. (Heb. 11:4) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uyakhunjulwa nguYehova yaye ulindele ukuvuselwa kwiparadesi esemhlabeni. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Ngaba uza kumbona apho? Unokumbona ukuba uyaphulaphula njengoko uAbheli ethetha, uze uxelise umzekelo wokholo lwakhe.