Ithemba Lovuko Liqinisekile!
“Ndinethemba kuThixo . . . lokuba kuza kubakho uvuko.”—IZENZO 24:15.
1. Kutheni sinokuba nethemba lovuko?
UYEHOVA usinike izizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nethemba lovuko. Usixelele ukuba abafileyo baya kuvuka, baphile kwakhona. Yaye injongo yakhe ngokuphathelele abo balele ekufeni ngokuqinisekileyo iza kuzalisekiswa. (Isaya 55:11; Luka 18:27) Eneneni, uThixo sele ewabonakalisile amandla akhe okuvusa abafileyo.
2. Sinokungenelwa njani kwithemba lovuko?
2 Ukholo kwilungiselelo likaThixo lokuvusa abafileyo ngoNyana wakhe uYesu Kristu, lunokusomeleza ngamaxesha embandezelo. Ukuqiniseka kwethemba lovuko kusenokusinceda sigcine ingqibelelo kuBawo wethu osezulwini ukusa nakwinqanaba lokufa. Mhlawumbi, ithemba lethu lovuko liya komelezwa njengoko siqwalasela ukubuyiselwa ebomini ekuthethwe ngako eBhayibhileni. Yonke le mimangaliso yenziwa ngamandla avela kwiNkosi enguMongami uYehova.
Bamkela Abafileyo Babo Ngovuko
3. UEliya wanikwa amandla okwenza ntoni ekufeni konyana womhlolokazi waseTsarefathi?
3 Ehlolisisa ngochulumanco ukholo olwaboniswa ngamangqina kaYehova exesha elingaphambi kobuKristu, umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Abafazi babamkela abafileyo babo bevukile.” (Hebhere 11:35; 12:1) Omnye wabo bafazi yayingumhlolokazi olihlwempu kwidolophu yaseFenike ebizwa ngokuba yiTsarefathi. Ngenxa yokuba wabonakalisa umoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe kumprofeti kaThixo uEliya, umgubo neoli yakhe zalondolozwa ebudeni bendlala engeyayimbulele yena nonyana wakhe. Xa umntwana wafayo kamva, uEliya wambeka kwisingqengqelo, wathandaza, wazolula phezu komntwana lowo izihlandlo ezithathu, waza wabongoza esithi: “Owu Yehova Thixo wam, nceda, wenze umphefumlo walo mntwana ubuyele kuye.” UThixo wabangela ukuba umphefumlo, okanye ubomi, bubuyele emntwaneni. (1 Kumkani 17:8-24) Khawube nombono wendlela awavuya ngayo lo mhlolokazi njengoko ukholo lwakhe lwavuzwa ngovuko lokuqala olwabhalwayo—olo lonyana wakhe amthandayo!
4. Nguwuphi ummangaliso owenziwa nguElisha eShunem?
4 Omnye umfazi owamkela umntu wakhe owayefile ngovuko wayehlala kwidolophu yaseShunem. Inkosikazi yendoda esele ikhulile, yabonisa ububele kumprofeti uElisha nomlindi wakhe. Yavuzwa ngonyana. Noko ke, kwiminyaka ethile kamva yabiza umprofeti, owafika inkwenkwe ifile ekhayeni layo. Emva kokuba uElisha eye wathandaza waza wathabatha amanyathelo athile, “ngokuthe ngcembe inyama yomntwana yafudumala.” “Yaqalisa ukuthimla kasixhenxe, emva koko inkwenkwe yawavula amehlo ayo.” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo olu vuko lwabangela uvuyo olukhulu kumama nonyana wakhe. (2 Kumkani 4:8-37; 8:1-6) Kodwa hayi indlela abaya konwaba ngakumbi ngayo xa bevuselwa kubomi basemhlabeni ‘kuvuko olulunge ngakumbi’—ekuya kuthi emva koko bangaze bafe kwakhona! Esinjani sona isizathu sokuba nombulelo kuThixo onothando wovuko, uYehova!—Hebhere 11:35.
5. UElisha wabandakanyeka njani kummangaliso kwanasemva kokufa kwakhe?
5 Kwanasemva kokufa nokungcwatywa kukaElisha, uThixo, ngomoya oyingcwele wabangela ukuba amathambo akhe abe namandla. Siyafunda: ‘Njengoko [amaSirayeli athile] ayengcwaba enye indoda, abona amatutu [amaMowabhi]. Kwaoko ayiphosa loo ndoda kwindawo awayengcwatywe kuyo uElisha aza emka. Xa indoda [efileyo] leyo yadibana namathambo kaElisha, ngoko nangoko yaphila yaza yema ngeenyawo zayo.’ (2 Kumkani 13:20, 21) Hayi indlela ekumele ukuba yamangaliswa yaza yavuya ngayo loo ndoda! Khawucinge ngovuyo oluya kubakho xa abafileyo bethu esibathandayo bevuselwa ebomini ngokuvisisana nenjongo engasileliyo kaYehova uThixo!
UNyana KaThixo Wavusa Abafileyo
6. Nguwuphi ummangaliso owenziwa nguYesu kufuphi nesixeko saseNayin, yaye esi siganeko sinokusichaphazela njani?
6 UNyana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu, uye wasinika izizathu ezibambekayo zokukholelwa ukuba abafileyo banokuvuswa, benethemba lokuphila ubomi obungunaphakade. Isiganeko esehla kufuphi nesixeko saseNayin sinokusinceda siqonde ukuba ummangaliso onjalo unokwenzeka ngamandla avela kuThixo. Ngesinye isihlandlo, uYesu wadibana nabazili ababethwele isidumbu somfana bephuma esixekweni besiya kungcwaba. Wayekuphela komntwana womhlolokazi. UYesu wathi kuye: “Musa ukulila.” Wandula ke wachukumisa ithala waza wathi: “Mfana, ndithi kuwe, Vuka!” Wavuka wahlala nkqo waza wathetha. (Luka 7:11-15) Ngokuqinisekileyo lo mmangaliso uyalomeleza ukholo lwethu lokuba ithemba lovuko liqinisekile.
7. Yintoni eyenzekayo ngokuphathelele intombi kaYayiro?
7 Kwakhona, qwalasela isiganeko esibandakanya uYayiro, igosa elongamelayo kwindlu yesikhungu eKapernahum. Wacela uYesu ukuba aze kunceda intombi yakhe ayithandayo eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, ekwakusele kukufuphi ukuba ife. Kungekudala kwanikelwa ingxelo yokuba le ntombazana ifile. UYesu wabongoza uYayiro owayekhathazekile ukuba abe nokholo, waza wampheleka ukuya ekhayeni lakhe apho bafika kukho isihlwele silila. Sahleka xa uYesu esithi: “Umntwana oselula akafanga, kodwa ulele.” Okunene wayefile, kodwa uYesu wayeza kubabonisa ukuba abantu banokuvuselwa ebomini kanye njengokuba benokuvuswa kubuthongo obunzulu. Wayibamba ngesandla intombazana, wathi: “Ntombazana, vuka!” Yavuka ngoko nangoko, yaye “abazali bayo babethe phithi” yimincili. (Marko 5:35-43; Luka 8:49-56) Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, amalungu entsapho ‘aya kuthi phithi’ xa abafileyo bawo bevuselwa ebomini kumhlaba oyiparadesi.
8. Yintoni eyenziwa nguYesu kwingcwaba likaLazaro?
8 ULazaro wayefile iintsuku ezine xa uYesu waya engcwabeni lakhe kwaza kwasuswa ilitye elalikumnyango walo. Emva kokuba eye wathandaza esidlangalaleni ukuze abo babebukele bazi ukuba wayexhomekeke kumandla avela kuThixo, uYesu wadanduluka wathi: “Lazaro, phuma!” Yaye waphuma! Izandla neenyawo zakhe zazisabotshwe ngezithandelo, nobuso bakhe busongelwe ngelaphu. UYesu wathi: “Mkhululeni nize nimyeke ahambe.” Bakubona lo mmangaliso, abaninzi ababeze kuthuthuzela oodade boLazaro, uMariya noMarta, baba nokholo kuYesu. (Yohane 11:1-45) Ngaba le ngxelo ayikwenzi ube nethemba lokuba abafileyo bakho obathandayo basenokuvuselwa ebomini kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo?
9. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba ngoku uYesu unokubavusa abafileyo?
9 Xa uYohane umBhaptizi wayesentolongweni, uYesu wamthumelela esi sigidimi sikhuthazayo: “Iimfama ziyabona kwakhona, . . . nabafileyo bayavuswa.” (Mateyu 11:4-6) Ekubeni uYesu ngoxa wayesemhlabeni wavusa abafileyo, ngokuqinisekileyo unokukwenza oko njengesidalwa somoya esinamandla esiwanikwe nguThixo. UYesu ‘luvuko nobomi,’ yaye hayi indlela ekuthuthuzela ngayo ukwazi ukuba kwikamva elingekude ‘bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo baya kuliva ilizwi lakhe baze baphume’!—Yohane 5:28, 29; 11:25.
Ezinye Iingxelo Zovuko Ezomeleza Ukholo Lwethu
10. Ungaluchaza njani uvuko lokuqala ekuthethwa ngalo olwenziwa ngumpostile?
10 Xa uYesu wathumela abapostile bakhe njengabashumayeli boBukumkani, wathi: “Vusani abantu abafileyo.” (Mateyu 10:5-8) Kakade ke, ukuze bakwenze oku kwakufuneka bathembele kumandla kaThixo. EYopa, ngowama-36 C.E., ibhinqa elihlonel’ uThixo elinguDorkas (uTabhitha) lafa. Izenzo zalo ezilungileyo zaziquka ukwenzela abahlolokazi abasweleyo izambatho, yaye balila kakhulu ngenxa yokufa kwalo. Abafundi balungiselela umngcwabo walo baza bathumela ukuba kubizwe umpostile uPetros, mhlawumbi ukuze abathuthuzele. (IZenzo 9:32-38) Wakhupha wonke ubani kwigumbi eliphezulu, wathandaza wathi: “Tabhitha, vuka!” Wawavula amehlo akhe, wahlala nkqo, wabamba isandla sikaPetros yaye wamvusa. Olu vuko lokuqala ekuthethwa ngalo olwenziwa ngumpostile lwabangela ukuba abaninzi babe ngamakholwa. (IZenzo 9:39-42) Kwakhona lusinika isizathu esingakumbi sokuba nethemba lovuko.
11. Yiyiphi ingxelo yokugqibela ethetha ngovuko eBhayibhileni?
11 Uvuko lokugqibela ekuthethwa ngalo eBhayibhileni lwenzeka eTrowa. Xa uPawulos wamisa apho kuhambo lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli basemazweni, wayolula intetho yakhe de kwasezinzulwini zobusuku. Ngenxa yokudinwa mhlawumbi nobushushu obabubangelwa zizibane ezininzi nokuxinana kuloo ndawo yentlanganiso, umfana ogama linguYutiko wafikelwa bubuthongo waza wawa esuka kwifestile ekumgangatho wesithathu. “Wacholwa efile,” engafanga nje isiqaqa. UPawulos waziphosa kuYutiko waza wamwola, wathi kwabo babebukele: “Musani ukuvusa ingxokozelo, kuba umphefumlo wakhe ukuye.” UPawulos wayethetha ukuthi ubomi balo mfana babubuyiselwe. Abo babekho apho “bathuthuzeleka ngaphaya komlinganiselo.” (IZenzo 20:7-12) Namhlanje, abakhonzi bakaThixo bayathuthuzeleka kakhulu kukwazi ukuba abo babefudula benxulumana nabo enkonzweni kaThixo baya kubona inzaliseko yethemba lovuko.
Uvuko—Ithemba Ekudala Likho
12. Yintoni awavumayo uPawulos ukuba wayeyikholelwa phambi kweRhuluneli engumRoma uFeliks?
12 Xa kwakuthethwa ityala lakhe phambi kweRhuluneli engumRoma uFeliks, uPawulos wanikela obu bungqina: “Ndizikholelwa zonke izinto ezibekwe eMthethweni nezibhalwe kubaProfeti; yaye ndinethemba kuThixo, . . . lokuba kuza kubakho uvuko lwamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.” (IZenzo 24:14, 15) Iinxalenye zeLizwi likaThixo ezifana ‘noMthetho,’ zalatha njani ekuvusweni kwabafileyo?
13. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uThixo wayebhekisela eluvukweni xa wayethetha ngesiprofeto sokuqala?
13 UThixo ngokwakhe wabhekisela kuvuko xa wayethetha ngesiprofeto sokuqala e-Eden. Xa wayewisa isigwebo ‘kwinyoka yantlandlolo,’ uSathana uMtyholi, uThixo wathi: “Ndiya kubeka ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe. Yona iya kukutyumza intloko uze wena uyityumze isithende.” (ISityhilelo 12:9; Genesis 3:14, 15) Ukutyunyuzwa kwesithende sembewu yomfazi kwakuthetha ukubulawa kukaYesu Kristu. Ukuba loo Mbewu yayiza kutyumza intloko yenyoka emva koko, uKristu kwakuya kufuneka avuswe kwabafileyo.
14. UYehova “akangoThixo wabafileyo, kodwa ngowabaphilayo” njani?
14 UYesu wathi: “Into yokuba abafileyo bayavuswa kwanoMoses wayityhila, kwingxelo ephathelele ityholo elinameva, xa ebiza uYehova ngokuthi ‘uThixo ka-Abraham noThixo kaIsake noThixo kaYakobi.’ AkangoThixo wabafileyo, kodwa ngowabaphilayo, kuba bonke bayaphila kuye.” (Luka 20:27, 37, 38; Eksodus 3:6) UAbraham, uIsake noYakobi babefile, kodwa injongo kaThixo yokubavusa yayiqiniseke kangangokuba kuye babefana nabaphilayo.
15. Kwakutheni ukuze uAbraham abe nesizathu sokulukholelwa uvuko?
15 UAbraham wayenesizathu sokuba nethemba lovuko, kuba xa yena nenkosikazi yakhe uSara, babebadala kakhulu yaye befile ngokuphathelele amandla okuvelisa abantwana, uThixo ngokungummangaliso wawabuyisela amandla abo okuvelisa inzala. Oku kwakufana novuko. (Genesis 18:9-11; 21:1-3; Hebhere 11:11, 12) Xa unyana wabo uIsake, wayemalunga nama-25 eminyaka ubudala, uThixo waxelela uAbraham ukuba enze idini ngaye. Noko ke, kanye xa uAbraham wayesele eza kumbulala uIsake, ingelosi kaYehova yasibamba isandla sakhe. UAbraham “wakubalela ekuthini uThixo wayekwazi ukumvusa kwanakwabafileyo [uIsake]; yaye khona apho wamzuza ngokomzekeliso.”—Hebhere 11:17-19; Genesis 22:1-18.
16. Yintoni elindelwe nguAbraham njengoko elele ekufeni?
16 UAbraham wayenethemba lovuko phantsi kolawulo lukaMesiya, iMbewu ethenjisiweyo. Ekwisikhundla sakhe esiphakamileyo ngaphambi kokuba aphile njengomntu, uNyana kaThixo walubona ukholo luka-Abraham. Ngoko ke, xa wayengumntu uYesu Kristu waxelela amaYuda oku: “UAbraham uyihlo waphuphuma yimihlali ngethemba lokubona umhla wam.” (Yohane 8:56-58; IMizekeliso 8:30, 31) Ngoku uAbraham ulele ekufeni, elindele ukuvuselwa kubomi basemhlabeni phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo obungoMesiya.—Hebhere 11:8-10, 13.
Ubungqina Obuvela EMthethweni NakwiiNdumiso
17. “Izinto ezibekwe eMthethweni” zalatha njani kuvuko lukaYesu Kristu?
17 Ithemba likaPawulos ngovuko lalivisisana ‘nezinto ezibekwe eMthethweni.’ UThixo waxelela amaSirayeli oku: “Nimele nizise kumbingeleli isithungu sentlahlela yesivuno senu. Yaye [ngoNisan 16] umele asitshangatshangise isithungu eso phambi koYehova ukuze sinikholekise.” (Levitikus 23:9-14) Mhlawumbi wayecinga ngalo mthetho uPawulos xa wabhala esithi: “UKristu uvusiwe kwabafileyo, intlahlela kwabalele ekufeni.” ‘Njengentlahlela,’ uYesu wavuswa ngoNisan 16, ngowama-33 C.E. Kamva, ebudeni bobukho bakhe, kuya kubakho uvuko ‘lweziqhamo zamva’—abalandeli bakhe abathanjiswe ngomoya.—1 Korinte 15:20-23; 2 Korinte 1:21; 1 Yohane 2:20, 27.
18. UPetros wabonisa njani ukuba uvuko lukaYesu lwaluxelwe kwangaphambili kwiiNdumiso?
18 NeeNdumiso ziyaluxhasa uvuko. Ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., umpostile uPetros wacaphula iNdumiso 16:8-11, esithi: “UDavide uthi ngaye [uKristu], ‘Ndandinaye rhoqo uYehova phambi kwamehlo am; ngenxa yokuba ungasekunene kwam ukuze ndingaze ndigungqiswe. Ngenxa yoku intliziyo yam yachwayita nolwimi lwam lwaphuphuma yimihlali. Ngaphezu koko, kwanenyama yam iya kuhlala ethembeni; ngenxa yokuba akuyi kuwushiya umphefumlo wam eHadesi, ungayi kumvumela nalowo unyanisekileyo wakho ukuba abone ukonakala.’” UPetros wongezelela wathi: “[UDavide] wabona kwangaphambili waza wathetha ngovuko lukaKristu, okokuba engazange ashiywe eHadesi nenyama yakhe ingazange ibone konakala. Lo Yesu uThixo wamvusa.”—IZenzo 2:25-32.
19, 20. UPetros wacaphula nini kwiNdumiso 118:22, yaye oku kwakunxulumene njani nokufa nokuvuka kukaYesu?
19 Kwiintsuku ezithile kamva, uPetros wema phambi kweSanhedrin waza wacaphula kwakhona kwiiNdumiso. Ebuzwa indlela aphilise ngayo isiqhwala esasingqiba, lo mpostile wathi: “Makwazeke kuni nonke nakubo bonke abantu bakwaSirayeli, ukuba egameni likaYesu Kristu umNazarete, enambethelelayo kodwa uThixo wamvusa kwabafileyo, kungaye lo athe lo mntu wema apha phambi kwenu ephilile. Yena [uYesu] ‘ulilitye elaphathwa nini bakhi njengelingabalulekanga eliye laba yintloko yembombo.’ Ngapha koko, akukho lusindiso kuye nabani na ongomnye, kuba alikho elinye igama phantsi kwezulu elinikelweyo phakathi kwabantu esimele ukusindiswa ngalo.”—IZenzo 4:10-12.
20 UPetros apha wayecaphula INdumiso 118:22, ebhekisela ekufeni nasekuvusweni kukaYesu. Ephenjelelwa ziinkokeli zawo zonqulo, amaYuda amgatya uYesu. (Yohane 19:14-18; IZenzo 3:14, 15) ‘Ukugatywa kwelitye ngabakhi’ kwaphumela ekufeni kukaKristu, kodwa isibakala sokuba ‘ilitye liyintloko yembombo’ sabonakala ngokuvuselwa kwakhe kuzuko lwasezulwini. Njengoko umdumisi waxela kwangaphambili, “oku kuye kwabakho kuvela kuYehova.” (INdumiso 118:23) Ukwenza ‘ilitye’ libe yiNtloko yembombo kwakuquka ukumphakamisa njengoKumkani Onyuliweyo.—Efese 1:19, 20.
Ukomelezwa Lithemba Lovuko
21, 22. Liliphi ithemba elavakaliswa nguYobhi, njengoko kubhalwe kuYobhi 14:13-15, yaye oku kunokubathuthuzela njani abo bafelweyo namhlanje?
21 Nangona thina singazange sibone nabani na evuswa ekufeni, siye saphawula iingxelo ezithile zeZibhalo ezisiqinisekisa ngovuko. Ngoko ke, singaba nethemba elavakaliswa yindoda egqibeleleyo uYobhi. Xa wayebandezeleka, wabongoza esithi: “Owu akwaba ubungandifihla eShiyol [Yehova], . . . undibekele umda wexesha uze undikhumbule! Ukuba indoda eyomeleleyo iyafa ngaba inokuphila kwakhona? . . . Uya kubiza, ndisabele. Uya kuwulangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Yobhi 14:13-15) UThixo ‘uya kuwulangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe,’ enomnqweno onzulu wokuvusa uYobhi. Elinjani lona ithemba!
22 Ilungu lentsapho eloyika uThixo lisenokugula kakhulu, njengoko wayenjalo uYobhi, yaye lisenokude linikezele kutshaba olukukufa. Abo bafelweyo basenokulila ngenxa yentlungu, kanye njengokuba uYesu walilayo ngenxa yokufa kukaLazaro. (Yohane 11:35) Kodwa hayi indlela ekuthuthuzela ngayo ukwazi ukuba uThixo uya kubiza yaye abo bakwinkumbulo yakhe baya kusabela! Kuya kuba ngathi babuyile kuhambo—bengaguli okanye beyimilwelwe, kodwa bephile qete.
23. Abanye baye bayivakalisa njani intembelo abanayo kwithemba lovuko?
23 Ukufa komKristu okhulileyo nothembekileyo kwashukumisela abo babekholwa kunye naye ukuba babhale bathi: “Silusizi kakhulu ngokulahlekelwa kwakho ngumama wakho. Kuza kuba lixeshana nje yaye siya kumamkela—emhle yaye edlamkile!” Abazali abafelwa ngunyana wabo bathi: “Hayi indlela esikhangele phambili ngayo kumhla aya kuvuka ngawo uJason! Uya kubheka-bheka aze abone iParadesi awayeyinqwenela kunene. . . . Olunjani lona ukhuthazo kwabo bebemthanda ukuba nabo babe lapho.” Hayi indlela esinokuba nombulelo ngayo ngenxa yokuqiniseka kwethemba lovuko!
Ungaphendula Njani?
• Sinokungenelwa njani ngokuba nokholo kwilungiselelo likaThixo lokuvusa abafileyo?
• Ziziphi iziganeko eziseZibhalweni ezisinika isizathu sokuba nethemba eluvukweni?
• Kutheni kunokuthiwa uvuko lithemba ekudala likho?
• Liliphi ithemba elomelezayo esinokuba nalo ngokuphathelele abafi?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ngamandla avela kuYehova, uEliya wabuyisela ubomi kunyana oselula womhlolokazi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Xa uYesu wavusa intombi kaYayiro, abazali bayo babethe phithi yimincili
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., umpostile uPetros ngenkalipho wanikela ubungqina bokuba uYesu uvusiwe kwabafileyo