LiBhayibheli alisho kutsi Nkulunkulu wacala nini kudala tonkhe tintfo nekutsi kwatsatsa sikhatsi lesingakanani. Limane litsi: “Ekucaleni Nkulunkulu wadala emazulu nemhlaba.” (Genesisi 1:1) LiBhayibheli alisho ngalokucondzile kutsi lokudala ‘kwacala nini.’ Nobe kunjalo, kulandzelana kwendlela tintfo letadalwa ngayo lokukhulunywa ngako kuGenesisi, kukhombisa kutsi kudala kwacala ngaphambi kwemalanga lasitfupha ekudala.

•  Emalanga lasitfupha ekudala, bekungemalanga lanema-awa langu-24 yini?

•  Yini leyenteka ngemalanga lasitfupha ekudala?

•  Kulandzisa lokukuGenesisi kuyavumelana yini nesayensi?

•  Ladalwa nini lilanga, inyanga kanye netinkhanyeti?

•  Ngekusho kweliBhayibheli, mdzala kangakanani umhlaba?

 Cha. Ligama leliseBhayibhelini lelitsi “lilanga” lingasho tikhatsi tebudze lobehlukahlukene, kuye ngekutsi kukhulunywa ngani. Sibonelo saloku kutsi, incenye yalokulandzisa ichaza sikhatsi sekudala ngekutsi lilanga linye.—Genesisi 2:4.

 Nkulunkulu washintja umhlaba ‘lobewute lutfo futsi kute lebekuhlala kuwo’ wawenta waba yindzawo lekahle yekutsi kungaphilwa kuwo. (Genesisi 1:2) Wabese udala tonkhe tintfo letiphilako emhlabeni. LiBhayibheli lichaza tintfo letisitfupha letenteka ngemalanga ekudala:

•  Lilanga lekucala: Nkulunkulu wenta kutsi kukhanya kufike emhlabeni, lokwenta kutsi kube nemjikeleto webusuku nemini.—Genesisi 1:3-5.

•  Lilanga lesibili: Nkulunkulu wenta umkhatsi nobe wehlukanisa emanti, lamanye aba setulu, lamanye aba phansi emhlabeni.—Genesisi 1:6-8.

•  Lilanga lesitsatfu: Nkulunkulu wenta kutsi kuvele umhlaba lowomile. Waphindze wadala netitjalo.—Genesisi 1:9-13.

•  Lilanga lesine: Nkulunkulu wenta kutsi lilanga, inyanga netinkhanyeti kubonakale emhlabeni.—Genesisi 1:14-19.

•  Lilanga lesihlanu: Nkulunkulu wadala tonkhe tilwane tasemantini kanye naletindizako.—Genesisi 1:20-23.

•  Lilanga lesitfupha: Nkulunkulu wadala tilwane letihamba emhlabatsini kanye nebantfu.—Genesisi 1:24-31.

 Ngemuva kwelilanga lesitfupha, Nkulunkulu waphumula nobe wayekela kudala.—Genesisi 2:1, 2.

 LiBhayibheli nalichaza ngekudalwa kwemhlaba, aliyisho yonkhe imininingwane njengobe kwenta isayensi. Kunaloko, lichaza kudalwa kwetintfo ngendlela yekutsi umfundzi weliBhayibheli wangesikhatsi sekubhalwa kwalo, bekangakhona kucondza melula kulandzelana kwemalanga ekudala. Lokulandzisa lokumayelana nakudala, akuphikisani nesayensi. Robert Jastrow loyi-Astrophysicist wabhala watsi: “Imininingwane ayifani, kodvwa tintfo letimcoka letishiwo bososayensi ngetintfo letisesibhakabhakeni kanye naloko lokushiwo liBhayibheli kuGenesisi, kuyafana. Kulandzelana kwetintfo letaholela ekudalweni kwemuntfu tenteka ngekushesha ngesikhatsi lesitsite.”

 Lilanga, inyanga netinyanyeti, besetivele tikhona njengencenye ‘yemazulu’ lebekadalwen “ekucaleni.” (Genesisi 1:1) Nobe kunjalo, kukhanya bekungafiki emhlabeni, ngobe bekuvinjwe yinkungu. (Genesisi 1:2) Ngisho nobe ngelilanga lekucala kukhanya kwase kuyavela emhlabeni, kodvwa bekungabonakali kutsi kuchamuka kuphi. Ngelilanga lesine, lenkungu yabese iyakhwesha. LiBhayibheli litsi kukhanya kwelilanga, kwenyanga kanye nekwetinkhanyeti kwase kuyabonakala emhlabeni, futsi belichaza ngendlela bekungabonakala ngayo kumuntfu losemhlabeni.—Genesisi 1:17.

 LiBhayibheli alisho kutsi umhlaba mdzala kangakanani. Genesisi 1:1 utsi konkhe lokudaliwe, lokufaka ekhatsi umhlaba, kwaba nesicalo. Lamavi akaphikisani naloko lokukholelwa bososayensi kanye naloko labakushoko ngebudzala bemhlaba.