IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi uNkulunkulu wawadala nini amazulu lomhlaba lokuthi wathatha isikhathi esinganani. Nanku elisitshela khona: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu lomhlaba.” (UGenesisi 1:1) Kodwa kalisitsheli ukuthi “ekuqaleni” lapho kwakunini. Nxa singahlola kuGenesisi ukulandelana kwendlela izinto ezadalwa ngayo, sithola ukuthi amazulu lomhlaba kwadalwa kungakafiki “amalanga” ayisithupha okudalwa kwezinye izinto.

•  Amalanga ayisithupha okudalwa kwezinto ayengamahola angu-24 yini?

•  Kwenzakalani ngamalanga ayisithupha okudalwa kwezinto?

•  OkukuGenesisi kuyahambelana lesayensi yini?

•  Ilanga, lenyanga, lezinkanyezi kwadalwa nini?

•  IBhayibhili lithi umhlaba usulesikhathi esinganani wadalwa?

 Hatshi. EBhayibhilini ibala elithi ‘ilanga’ lingatsho izikhathi ezitshiyeneyo kusiya ngokuthi kukhulunywa ngani. Ngokwesibonelo, kwenye ivesi sitshelwa ukuthi ukudalwa kwezinto kwathatha ilanga elilodwa.—UGenesisi 2:4, NWT.

 Umhlaba “wawungelasimo njalo ungelalutho,” uNkulunkulu wasewulungisa ukuze abantu bahlale kuwo. (UGenesisi 1:2) Ngemva kwalokho wadala izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. IBhayibhili lichaza okwenzakala emalangeni ayisithupha okudalwa kwezinto:

•  Ilanga lokuqala: UNkulunkulu wenza ukuthi kube lokukhanya emhlabeni, kwaba lobusuku lemini.—UGenesisi 1:3-5.

•  Ilanga lesibili: UNkulunkulu wenza umkhandlu, wehlukanisa amanzi angaphansi komkhandlu lamanzi angaphezulu kwawo.—UGenesisi 1:6-8.

•  Ilanga lesithathu: UNkulunkulu wenza ukuthi kube lomhlabathi owomileyo njalo wadala izimila.—UGenesisi 1:9-13.

•  Ilanga lesine: UNkulunkulu wenza ukuthi ilanga, lenyanga, lezinkanyezi kukhanyise emhlabeni.—UGenesisi 1:14-19.

•  Ilanga lesihlanu: UNkulunkulu wadala izidalwa ezihlala emanzini kanye lezidalwa eziphaphayo.—UGenesisi 1:20-23.

•  Ilanga lesithupha: UNkulunkulu wadala izidalwa ezihamba emhlabathini kanye labantu.—UGenesisi 1:24-31.

 Ilanga lesithupha lathi seliphelile uNkulunkulu waphumula emsebenzini wakhe, wama ukudala.—UGenesisi 2:1, 2.

 UGenesisi kasitsheli konke mayelana lokudalwa kwezinto, kodwa uchaza indlela izinto ezadalwa ngayo zilandelana okokuthi labantu bendulo babezwisisa lula okutshiwoyo. IBhayibhili kaliphikisani lezinto eziliqiniso ezitshiwo ngabesayensi. Esinye isazi sezinkanyezi okuthiwa nguRobert Jastrow siveza ukuthi lanxa ukhona umehluko phakathi kwalokho okutshiwo kuGenesisi lalokho okutshiwo ngabesayensi, esikunanzelelayo yikuthi iBhayibhili lesayensi kuyavumelana ukuthi kulesikhathi lapho izinto ezidaliweyo ezabakhona ngaso.

 Ilanga, lenyanga, lezinkanyezi kuyingxenye ‘yamazulu’ ayevele esedaliwe “ekuqaleni.” (UGenesisi 1:1) Kodwa kumele ukuthi ukukhanya kwakungafiki emhlabeni ngenxa yomkhathi owawuvimbile. (UGenesisi 1:2) Lanxa kwasekulokukhanya ngelanga lokuqala, kwakungakabonakali ukuthi ukukhanya lokho kuvela ngaphi. Kumele ukuthi umkhathi wavuleka ngelanga lesine. IBhayibhili lithi ilanga, lenyanga lezinkanyezi kwaqalisa “ukuletha ukukhanya emhlabeni,” okungabe kusitsho ukuthi izinto lezo zaqalisa ukubonakala.—UGenesisi 1:17.

 IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi sekulesikhathi esinganani umhlaba wadalwa. UGenesisi 1:1 usitshela ukuthi umhlaba kanye lezinye izinto ezadalwayo kwaba lesiqalo. Lokho akuphikisani lokutshiwo ngabesayensi mayelana lokuthi umhlaba usulesikhathi esinganani wadalwa.