1. Kuyini okwakuvimba ukuthi imuli ka-Adamu lo-Eva ingene esivandeni sase-Edeni, njalo kuyini u-Abela ayekufisa kakhulu?

U-ABELA ubuka izimvu zakhe zizidlela zichelesile eceleni koqaqa. Selibantu bahle futhi kuphephetha umoya omnandi. Nxa esithi mehlo suka abone khatshana le, ngale komhlambi wakhe kusithi bayi bayi okulilangabi. Ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi endaweni leyo kulenkemba ebhebha kusa kwamalanga, iphazima isiyale lale ivale yavitsha indlela eya esivandeni sase-Edeni. Abazali bakhe babekade behlala khona kodwa khathesi bona labantwababo babengasalugxobi esivandeni leso. U-Abela uphosa amehlo esibhakabhakeni, anakane ngoMdali wakhe. Kambe umkenke lo owawusuvulekile phakathi kukaNkulunkulu labantu wawuzaphinda uvaleke yini? U-Abela wayefisa kakhulu ukuthi abantu baphinde babe ngamalunga emuli kaNkulunkulu.

2-4. U-Abela ukhuluma njani lathi lamuhla?

² U-Abela ukhuluma lawe khathesi. Uyamuzwa yini? Mhlawumbe ungahle uthi lapho-ke inkomo ingazala umuntu ngoba akulamuhla wafa. Phela wayeyindodana yesibili ka-Adamu futhi sekuleminyaka ephosa ibe ngu-6 000 watshona. IBhayibhili lalo lithi abafileyo “kabazi lutho.” (UmTshu. 9:5, 10) Kanti njalo akula ngitsho lokukodwa okwakhulunywa ngu-Abela okwabhalwa eBhayibhilini. Pho angakhuluma lawe njani?

³ Umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi alobe ngo-Abela athi: “Ulokhu ekhuluma, lanxa sewafa.” (Bala uHebheru 11:4.) Njani? Ngokholo. U-Abela ngumuntu wokuqala owaba lophawu lolu oluqakathekileyo. Lokho akwenzayo kungasifundisa izinto ezingasisiza lamuhla ngoba waveza ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo. Yikho-ke nxa singafunda ukuthi watshengisa njani ukuthi wayelokholo njalo sizame ukumlingisela, kuba angathi siyamuzwa ngezindlebe zethu ekhuluma lathi.

⁴ Kodwa kuyini esingakufunda ngo-Abela langokholo lwakhe njengoba iBhayibhili lisitshela okulutshwana kakhulu ngaye? Kasehle lodaba sizwe.

5. UJesu wayesitshoni lapho esithi u-Abela waba khona ngesikhathi ‘sokudabuka komhlaba’? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

⁵ U-Abela wazalwa kuseselabantu abalutshwana kakhulu emhlabeni. UJesu wakhuluma ngaye ngesikhathi exoxa ‘ngokudabuka  komhlaba.’ (Bala uLukha 11:50, 51.) Kumele ukuthi nxa uJesu wayesithi umhlaba wayesitsho abantu ababengasindiswa esonweni. Lanxa u-Abela waba ngumuntu wesine emhlabeni, kukhanya wayengowokuqala owayengasindiswa nguNkulunkulu. * Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi u-Abela wakhula phakathi kwabantu ababengalunganga.

6. Babenjani abazali baka-Abela?

⁶ Lanxa abantu babengakaphili isikhathi eside emhlabeni, basebephakathi kwelitshe lembokodo. Kumele ukuthi abazali baka-Abela, u-Adamu lo-Eva, babebahle njalo beqine saka. Kodwa impilo yayisibehlule futhi labo babekwazi lokhu. Ekuqaleni babephelele njalo belethuba lokuthola impilo engapheliyo ePharadayisi. Kodwa bahlamukela uJehova uNkulunkulu, wasebaxotsha esivandeni sase-Edeni esasilikhaya labo. Babeqakathekise izifiso zabo ukwedlula ikusasa labantwababo lakho konke okunye. Yikho bacina sebelesono futhi balahlekelwa lithuba lokuphila okungapheliyo.—Gen. 2:15–3:24.

7, 8. U-Eva wathini lapho kuzalwa uKhayini, njalo wayengabe ecabangani ngaye?

⁷ Sebexotshiwe esivandeni sase-Edeni, u-Adamu lo-Eva basebesidla imbuya ngoluthi. Kodwa kwathi kuzalwa izibulo labo balinika ibizo elithi Khayini okutsho ukuthi “Okuzelweyo,” futhi u-Eva wathaba wathi: “Ngosizo lukaJehova sengibelethe indoda.” Amazwi la angabe etshengisa ukuthi wayecabanga ngesithembiso uJehova ayesenze besesivandeni. UNkulunkulu wayethe owesifazana wayezaveza ‘inzalo’ eyayizatshabalalisa omubi owayebangele ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva baphambuke.  (Gen. 3:15; 4:1) Mhlawumbe u-Eva wayecabanga ukuthi owesifazana lo kwakunguye lokuthi ‘inzalo’ le kwakunguKhayini.

⁸ Nxa kuyikho ayekucabanga, wayekhe phansi. Kanti njalo nxa kuyikuthi yikho ababekutshela uKhayini ngesikhathi esakhula, akumangalisi ukuthi waba ngumuntu ozikhukhumezayo. Ngokuya kwesikhathi u-Eva welamisa ngenye indodana kodwa akulandawo lapho esizwa kuthiwa wagiya ngayo. Bayipha ibizo elithi Abela, okutsho ukuthi “Umoya Ophuma Emakhaleni” loba “Into Engelamsebenzi.” (Gen. 4:2) Engxenye ukumnika ibizo leli kwakutshengisa ukuthi babekhangelele ukuthi uKhayini wayezakwenza okuhle kulaye.

9. Lokho abazali bokuqala abakwenzayo kungabafundisani abazali lamuhla?

⁹ Bazali lingafundani endabeni ka-Adamu lo-Eva? Akumelanga likhulume njalo lenze izinto ezizakwenza ukuthi abantwabenu bakhule bezigqaja, bafune izinto ezinkulu futhi bangabi lendaba labanye. Kodwa kumele libafundise ukuthi bathande uJehova uNkulunkulu lokuthi bazame ukuba ngabangane bakhe. Kuyadanisa ukuthi abazali bokuqala behluleka ukukhulisa kuhle abantwana. Lanxa kunjalo akutsho ukuthi abantwababo basebelahlelwe iganga.

10, 11. UKhayini lo-Abela benza yiphi imisebenzi, njalo yiluphi uphawu lobuntu u-Abela aba lalo?

¹⁰ Kumele ukuthi abafana laba ababili bathi bekhula, u-Adamu wabafundisa ukwenza imisebenzi eqakathekileyo ukuze imuli ithole okuya ethunjini. UKhayini waba ngumlimi, u-Abela waba ngumalusi.

¹¹ Kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu ngo-Abela yikuthi waba lokholo. Ngemva kweminyaka, uPhawuli wabhala okuthile mayelana lokholo. Kuyamangalisa ukuthi u-Abela waba lalo ngoba akulamuntu ayengalingisela isibonelo sakhe. Pho kuyini okwamsiza ukuthi abe lokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu? Ake sikhangele izinto ezintathu ezingabe zamnceda.

12, 13. Ukubuka indalo kaJehova kungabe kwaluqinisa njani ukholo luka-Abela?

¹² Indalo kaJehova. UJehova wayewuqalekisile sibili umhlabathi futhi lokhu kwakusenza ukuthi kube nzima ukulima ngoba wawusulameva lokhula oluhlabayo. Kodwa u-Abela labangakibo babeyitshaya inala, bathole ukudla okwakubagcina bephila. Kanti njalo uNkulunkulu wayengaziqalekisanga izinyamazana, izinyoni, izinhlanzi, izintaba, amachibi, imifula, izilwandle, isibhakabhaka, amayezi, ilanga, inyanga kanye lezinkanyezi. Loba ngaphi lapho u-Abela ayekhangela khona, wayebona ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu owadala zonke izinto ulothando, ulenhlakanipho njalo muhle. (Bala uRoma 1:20.) Kufanele ukuthi ukucabangisisa ngezinto lezi kwenza ukuthi ukholo luka-Abela luqhubeke luqina.

¹³ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi u-Abela wayesiba lesikhathi  sokunakana ngoNkulunkulu. Akumbone ngelihlo lengqondo eselusa izimvu zakhe. Umalusi kwakumele akhasabule imimango emide. Wayeqansa amaqaqa, adabule phakathi kwezihotsha, achaphe lemifula, edinga amadlelo aluhlaza lendawo elamanzi futhi enhle lapho izifuyo zakhe ezazingaphumula khona. Phakathi kwezinyamazana ezazikhona, kukhanya izimvu yizo ezazikudinga kakhulu ukuvikelwa lokunakekelwa ngumuntu. Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Abela wakubona lokhu wasenanzelela ukuthi laye kwakumele aqondiswe, avikelwe futhi anakekelwe nguNkulunkulu ngoba ulenhlakanipho njalo ulamandla kulabantu. Kumele ukuthi u-Abela wayehlala ekhuluma ngakho lokhu nxa ethandaza, futhi lokhu kwamenza waba lokholo oluqinileyo.

14, 15. Kuyini u-Abela ayengacabangisisa ngakho okwakukhulunywe nguJehova?

¹⁴ Izithembiso zikaJehova. U-Adamu lo-Eva bangabe baxoxela abantwababo ngezigigaba ezenza ukuthi bacine sebexotshiwe e-Edeni. Ngakho-ke kunengi u-Abela ayengacabangisisa ngakho.

¹⁵ UJehova wayethe umhlaba wawuzaqalekiswa. U-Abela wayewabona ameva kanye lokhula oluhlabayo okwakutshengisa ukuthi amazwi la ayegcwalisekile. UJehova wayephinde wathi u-Eva wayezakuzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu nxa esebeletha. Kufanele ukuthi u-Abela wezwa ukuthi lakanye yikho okwakusenzakala ngesikhathi kuzalwa abanawakhe. UJehova wayevele ekukhulumile ukuthi u-Eva wayezafuna ukuthi umkakhe ahlale emtshengisa ukuthi uyamthanda lokuthi ulendaba laye. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza ukuthi u-Adamu ambuse. U-Abela wazibonela ngawakhe lokhu kusenzakala. Kukho konke lokhu, wabona ukuthi akula lelilodwa ilizwi likaJehova elaliwele phansi. Yikho-ke wayelezizathu eziqinileyo zokukholwa ukuthi isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi ngelinye ilanga ‘inzalo’ yayizalungisa wonke umonakalo owawuqale e-Edeni, sasizagcwaliseka.—Gen. 3:15-19.

16, 17. Kuyini u-Abela angabe wakufunda nxa wayebona amakherubhi kaJehova?

¹⁶ Izinceku zikaJehova. Lanxa kwakungelamuntu olokholo u-Abela ayengamlingisela, zikhona ezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezazisemhlabeni ngaleso sikhathi. Lapho uJehova exotsha u-Adamu lo-Eva  e-Edeni, wafaka izingilosi okuthiwa ngamakherubhi kanye lenkemba ebhebhayo ukuze bona lenzalo yabo bengenelisi ukuyangena esivandeni leso esasiliPharadayisi. Izingilosi lezi zilesikhundla esiqakathekileyo.—Bala uGenesisi 3:24.

¹⁷ Ucabanga ukuthi esesengumfana u-Abela wayesizwa njani nxa wayebona amakherubhi lawo? Kumele ukuthi wayekubona ukuthi ayelamandla amakhulu njengoba ayentshintshe aba lemizimba yabantu. Mhlawumbe wayemangala abambe owangaphansi nxa wayebona ‘inkemba’ eyayihlala ivutha futhi iphenduphenduka. Likhona yini ilanga lapho u-Abela ezwa khona ukuthi izingilosi lezo zasezidakekile ngomsebenzi wazo zaze zawutshiya? Hatshi. Kwadlula amalanga, izinyanga, iminyaka lamatshumi eminyaka izingilosi lezo ezilamandla zithe mpo lapho ezazimiswe khona lanxa kwakungayisikho ukuthi zibanjwa ngamandla ukuthi zisebenze. U-Abela wakubona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ulazo sibili izinceku ezilungileyo futhi eziqotho. Wabona lokuthi zazihlala zimlalela uJehova. Zazingafanani labangakibo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi izingilosi lezo zaluqinisa ukholo lwakhe.

18. Kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁸ Ukucabangisisa ngendalo kaJehova, ngezithembiso zakhe kanye lezinceku zakhe eziyizingilosi kwasiza u-Abela ukuthi aqhubeke eqinisa ukholo lwakhe. Abasakhulayo bangafunda ukuthi kungelani lokuthi abanye emulini benzani, bona bangenelisa ukuba lokholo lweqiniso. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi u-Abela ukhuluma lathi lamuhla. Siyazibona izinto ezimangalisayo ezadalwa nguJehova, sileBhayibhili futhi bakhona abantu abalokholo esingabalingisela. Ngakho silazo izinto ezingasisiza ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo.

19. U-Abela wazwisisa liphi iqiniso eliqakathekileyo?

¹⁹ Ukholo luka-Abela lwaqhubeka luqina futhi wayefuna ukutshengisa ngezenzo ukuthi wayelalo. Manje kuyini ayengakupha uMdali wezinto zonke yena engumuntu nje? Phela uNkulunkulu wayengasweli lutho futhi wayengaludingi usizo lwabantu. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi u-Abela wazwisisa iqiniso eliqakathekileyo: Nxa wayengathatha okuhle kakhulu kukho konke ayelakho akunikele kuYise olothando ngenhliziyo eqotho, wayezamthokozisa kakhulu.

20, 21. UKhayini lo-Abela banikela ngani, njalo uJehova wathini?

²⁰ U-Abela walungisa umhlatshelo ayezanikela ngawo. Wakhetha izimvu ezingamazibulo futhi ezinhle kulazo zonke emhlambini wakhe, wasenikela ngezitho ezinonileyo zalezo zimvu. Ngapha uKhayini laye wayelungiselela ukunikela ngezilimo zakhe ukuze uNkulunkulu ambusise futhi amamukele. Kodwa izinhloso zakhe zazingafanani lezika-Abela. Umehluko lo wakhanya bha sebelethe iminikelo yabo.

²¹ Womabili amadodana la ka-Adamu angabe asebenzisa ama-alithare lomlilo ngesikhathi enikela. Engxenye lokhu bakwenza endaweni lapho ababebonwa khona ngamakherubhi kaJehova. Ngaleso sikhathi yiwo wodwa ayengabameli bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. UJehova wathini? IBhayibhili lithi: “UJehova wamthokozela u-Abela kanye lomnikelo wakhe.” (Gen. 4:4) Kodwa kalisitsheli ukuthi wakutshengisa njani ukuthi wayemthokozele.

22, 23. Kungani uJehova wawamukela umnikelo ka-Abela?

²² Kungani uNkulunkulu wathokozela umhlatshelo ka-Abela kulokaKhayini? Wathanda umnikelo wakhe yini? U-Abela wanikela ngento ephilayo njalo wachitha igazi layo eliqakathekileyo. Wayekwazi yini ukuthi umnikelo onjalo wawuligugu kakhulu? Kufanele ukuthi ngalesosikhathi lulutshwana ulwazi ayelalo mayelana leminikelo. Kodwa kwathi sekwedlule amakhulu eminyaka u-Abela enze lokhu, uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa umhlatshelo wemvana engelasici ukuthi umele umhlatshelo weNdodana yakhe engelasono, “iMvana kaNkulunkulu” okwakuzachitheka igazi layo.—Joh. 1:29; Eks. 12:5-7.

²³ Esikwaziyo yikuthi u-Abela wanikela ngokuhle kulakho konke ayelakho. UJehova wawamukela umnikelo wakhe waphinda wamamukela laye. Wayenikele kuJehova ngenxa yokuthi wayemthanda njalo elokholo lweqiniso.

24. (a) Lokho uKhayini anikela ngakho kwakungaqondanga yini? Chaza. (b) Okwenziwa ngabanengi lezinsuku kufana njani lalokho uKhayini akwenzayo?

²⁴ Kodwa izinto azizange zimhambele kuhle uKhayini. UJehova  “kamthokozelanga uKhayini lomnikelo wakhe.” (Gen. 4:5) Akusikho ukuthi lokho anikela ngakho kwakungaqondanga ngoba ngemva kwesikhathi, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wathi abantu babenganikela ngababekuvune emasimini. (Levi. 6:14, 15) Lanxa kunjalo, iBhayibhili lithi “ezakhe izenzo zazizimbi.” (Bala u-1 Johane 3:12.) Kukhanya uKhayini wayesenza okwenziwa ngabanengi lamuhla. Wayecabanga ukuthi wayengathokozisa uNkulunkulu ngokuzembathisa isikhumba semvu yena eyimpisi. Ngemva kwesikhatshana nje, izenzo zakhe zakuveza ukuthi wayengelalo ukholo lweqiniso lokuthi wayengamthandi ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova.

25, 26. UJehova wamxwayisa wathini uKhayini, kodwa uKhayini wenzani?

²⁵ UKhayini wakubona ukuthi uJehova wayengamamukelanga. Kodwa wazama yini ukufunda okuthile ku-Abela? Kazange. Wamthukuthelela kakhulu umfowabo. UJehova wakubona okwasekusenzakala enhliziyweni kaKhayini wasezama ukumqondisa kuhle kuhle. Wamxwayisa ngokuthi wayesekhasela eziko njalo wayezacina esenza isono esikhulu. Wamthembisa lokuthi ‘wayezakwamukelwa’ nxa wayengantshintsha.—Gen. 4:6, 7.

²⁶ Kodwa uKhayini waqinisa ikhanda. Wacela umfowabo owayemthemba ukuthi bake bathi tshampu bayefika egangeni. Kwathi sebekhonale, uKhayini wamgongoda wambulala. (Gen. 4:8) Ngamanye amazwi u-Abela waba ngumuntu wokuqala ukubulawa ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Wafa-ke u-Abela, kodwa indaba yakhe yayingakafiki komlindi uyacina.

27. (a) Kungani singathandabuzi ukuthi u-Abela uzavuswa? (b) Kuyini okumele sikwenze nxa sifuna ukumbona u-Abela?

²⁷ U-Abela esefile, kwakungathi igazi lakhe lalikhala kuJehova uNkulunkulu limcela ukuthi aphindisele. Lakanye uNkulunkulu waphindisela, wamjezisa uKhayini. (Gen. 4:9-12) Kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi u-Abela ulokhu ekhuluma lathi, okutsho ukuthi indaba yakhe isifundisa okunengi ngokholo. Mhlawumbe waphila iminyaka engaba ngu-100, okwakuyiminyaka emilutshwana ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa wathokozisa uNkulunkulu okwempilo yakhe yonke. Wafa esazi ukuthi uYise uJehova wayemthanda futhi emamukela. (Heb. 11:4) UJehova ngeke amkhohlwe. Ngakho-ke kasithandabuzi ukuthi uzamvusa emhlabeni olipharadayisi. (Joh. 5:28, 29) Wena uzambona yini u-Abela? Uzambona sibili nxa ungazimisela ukumlalela nxa ekhuluma, ubusulingisela ukholo lwakhe.