Bambelela ‘Ezindabeni Ezinhle’!
“Nibambelela kulo, ngaphandle kwalokho, ukukholwa kwenu kungaba-yize.”—1 Kor. 15:2, “NW”.
1. Kungani uPawulu enza impikiswano enkulu maqondana novuko?
UMPHOSTOLI uPawulu ufinyelela umvuthwandaba wencwadi yakhe eya kwabaseKorinte ngengxoxo enamandla yovuko. Kungani enza impikiswano engaka ngovuko? Kwakungenxa yenjongo yangalesosikhathi. LawomaKristu aseKorinte ayezungezwe yizwe elihahayo, eliziphethe kabi, futhi amanye ayeze ngisho awela ogibeni lukaSathane. UPawulu wayengafuni ukuba ‘ukukholwa kwabafowabo abathandekayo kube-yize,’ ngoba lokhu kwakuyosho ukubhujiswa ngabo. Kunalokho, wayefuna ukuba babambelele ‘ezindabeni ezinhle’ ayebatshele zona.
2. (a) Kungani namuhla kumelwe sisebenze kanzima ngenxa ye“zindaba ezinhle”? (b) Uvuko luhlangene kanjani ne“zindaba ezinhle”?
2 Ngokufanayo namuhla, siphila ezweni elingenaye uNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, thina ‘esibeke ithemba lethu kuNkulunkulu ophilayo’ kumelwe sisebenze kanzima futhi sizikhandle ngenxa ‘yezindaba ezinhle.’ (1 Thim. 4:10) Lezi“ndaba ezinhle” manje zigxile ekumisweni ‘kombuso weNkosi yethu [uJehova] noKristu wakhe.’ Kungenxa yovuko ukuthi uKristu Jesu namakhosi akanye naye ayizi-144 000 bazuza uMbuso, kweyasezulwini iNtaba yaseSiyoni. Futhi kungenxa yovuko ukuthi isixuku esikhulu sesintu siyozuza umbuso wasemhlabeni. (IsAm. 11:15; 14:1; 20:12) Ngakho-ke, uvuko luba isici esibalulekile se“zindaba ezinhle.”
ITHEMBA LOVUKO
3. Kungayiphi indlela imfundiso yovuko eshayisana ngayo naleyo yokungafi komphefumulo?
3 Ngakho-ke, liyini lelithemba lovuko? Alilona ithemba elisekelwe kokucatshangelwayo ukungafi komphefumulo, njengoba kufundiswa umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, kokubili phakathi nangaphandle kweLobukholwa. Cha, liyithemba lemiphefumulo efayo! Igama elithi “uvuko” (ngesiGreki an·asʹtas·is) livela izikhathi ezingama-40 emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki. Lisho ukuvuka uphile futhi. Ukuze avuke abuye aphile, umuntu kumelwe afe kuqala, ngoba ukuphila kungokuphambene nokufa.—Dut. 30:19, 20; Isaya 38:17-19.
4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi amaJuda akuqala ayengakholelwa ekungafini komuntu kodwa ekholelwa ovukweni lwasemhlabeni?
4 EmiBhalweni yesiHeberu, ayikho imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo. Lowomqondo wawungekho ngokuphelele kumaJuda. Nokho, kukhona izibonakaliso eziningi zokuthi ayekholelwa ovukweni lwasemhlabeni. Ngokusobala yingakho ayeqagela ethi uJesu kumelwe ukuba wayengovusiwe ‘uJohane uMbhapathizi, uElija, uJeremiya noma omunye umprofethi.’—Math. 16:14.
5. Ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu, kukuliphi ithemba uAbrahama nezinye izinceku zasendulo zikaNkulunkulu ezazibheke phambili kulo?
5 Ngemva kokuchaza inkambo yokwethembeka ka-Abela, uEnoki, uNowa nendlu ka-Abrahama, umphostoli uPawulu uyasitshela: “Bonke laba bafa bekholiwe, bengazamukeliswanga izithembiso, kepha bezibonile, bezithakazele zikude, bevumile ukuthi bangabafokazi nezihambi emhlabeni.” Babebheke phambili ovukweni, olwaluyoba semhlabeni ngaphansi kokubusa ‘komuzi onezisekelo ezingokoqobo’—umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoMesiya. Lapho evivinywa maqondana nokunikela uIsaka, uAbrahama othembekile ‘wavuma ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukumvusa ngisho kwabafileyo.’ Futhi uAbrahama wasikholelwa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu kuye sokuthi ‘ngenzalo yakhe izizwe zonke zomhlaba zaziyozibusisa ngokwazo.’ Ngokufanelekileyo-ke, iningi lalabo bantu balezozizwe liyodinga ukuvuswa ukuze lijabulele izibusiso ezinjalo ngaleyo“nzalo.”—Gen. 22:18; Heb. 11:4-19.
6. Amazwi kaJobe nawamadodana kaKora abonisani maqondana novuko?
6 Kamuva, uJobe oqotho wabuza lo mbuzo: “Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?” UJobe wayekholelwa ukuthi umuntu wayengaphila. Futhi wabonisa lokho ngokucela uNkulunkulu ukuba amfihle eSheol (ithuna elivamile lesintu) futhi amkhumbule ngemva kwesikhathi esinqunyiwe. (Jobe 14:13-15) KumaHubo 45:16, amadodana kaKora aprofetha ngokuthi uMesiya wayeyoba ‘namadodana’ ayeyowamisa abe “yizikhulu emhlabeni wonke,” phakathi nokubusa kwakhe kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. La“madodana” ayeyohlanganisa ‘oyisemkhulu’ bakhe ayoba uyise wabo ngokubavusa kwabafileyo.—Math. 1:1-16; Luka 3:23-38.
7. (a) Imibhalo yabaprofethi ilisekela kanjani ithemba lovuko lasemhlabeni? (b) Kungani uvuko lukaDaniyeli nabanye luyoba “ukuvuka okuhle”?
7 Abaprofethi abaphefumlelwe nabo bakhuluma ngovuko, ababeqonda ukuthi lungolwasemhlabeni. (Isaya 25:8; 26:19; Hos. 13:14) Njengoba ukufa kusondela uDaniyeli owayesekhulile wathola isithembiso: “Usuphumulile uyakuma esabelweni sakho ngasekupheleni kwezinsuku.” (Dan. 12:13) UDaniyeli lowo ‘ngokholo . . . waze ngisho wavimba imilomo yezingonyama’ wayebheke phambili ‘ekuvukeni okuhle [uvuko olungcono].’ Lokhu kuyoba ukuvuselwa ekuphileni ngaphansi kombuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe, ngokungafani nalokho uElija, uElisha, uJesu nabaphostoli abakufeza ekuvuseni abantu ababuye bafa kamuva.—Heb. 11:33, 35.
8. Yimuphi umbono ngovuko owajatshulelwa yizithunywa zikaJohane nanguMarta?
8 Ngemva kokuba uJesu eqalise inkonzo yakhe, umbhapathizi owayeboshiwe, uJohane, wathumela izithunywa ukuba ziyobuza ukuthi ingabe uJesu wayenguye ngempela yini uMesiya. Ngemva kokwenza ezinye izimangaliso zokuphulukisa, uJesu wabatshela ukuthi: “Hambani nimlandise uJohane lokho enikubonile nenikuzwile ukuthi: Izimpumputhe ziyabona, izinyonga ziyahamba, abanochoko bayahlanjululwa, izithulu ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, abampofu bayashunyayezwa ivangeli.” (Luka 7:19-23) Ngakho-ke, uJesu wayengaqinisi nje kuphela ukuthi wayenguMesiya kodwa futhi wayakha ukholo ngalokho ayokufeza ngombuso wakhe, ngisho nokuvusa abafileyo. Labobantu bakuqonda lokhu ukuthi ukuvuselwa emhlabeni. Kwakungokufanayo nangoMarta, lapho kamuva ethi kuJesu maqondana noLazaru owayefile: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.”—Joh. 11:24.
UVUKO LWASEZULWINI
9. ULazaru wakwazi kanjani ukuthola ithemba lovuko lwasezulwini?
9 Ukuba uJesu akamvusanga uLazaru ngalesosikhathi, ithemba lakhe ngempela laliyoba elasemhlabeni. Kodwa uJesu wasenza lesisimangaliso, ngokuvusa okwesikhashana uLazaru kwabafileyo. Ngokungangabazeki, uLazaru waphila kwaze kwaba ngosuku lwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., futhi lokho kwakuyosho ukwamukela umusa owengeziwe ovela eNkosini yakhe. Ngoba ngalolosuku lwePentekoste wayengazalwa ngomoya kaNkulunkulu enethemba lokuvuselwa ezulwini. Lelithuba lavulwa kanjani?
10. Yimuphi umbono ophambukile owaphakama osukwini lukaPawulu, kodwa wawunqoba kanjani?
10 Encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya kumaKristu aseKorinte, umphostoli uPawulu uxoxa ngovuko. Abanye kulelobandla babephikisana ngokuthi “akukho ukuvuka kwabafileyo.” Kusobala ukuthi babenombono wokuthi amaKristu aphilayo ayeselutholile uhlobo oluthile “lokuvuswa” ngokomoya, futhi mhlawumbe abathile babehlanganisa lokhu nomqondo kaPlato wokungafi komphefumulo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iyini imininingwane yombono wabo ophambukile, uPawulu wakubona kufanelekile ukubaqondisa ngokuvusa impikiswano enamandla elwela imfundiso yeqiniso yovuko, egcizelela ‘izindaba ezinhle lezo futhi ababesindiswa ngazo.’—1 Kor. 15:1, 2, 12.
11. Lezindaba ezinhle zihlangana kanjani nethemba lovuko?
11 Ziyini lezi“zindaba ezinhle”? Zigxile kuKristu. UPawulu uhlanganisa phakathi ‘kwezinto zokuqala’ ezibalulekile iqiniso lokuthi uKristu wafa, wangcwatshwa, wavuswa, futhi wabonakala, okokuqala kuKhefasi (uPetru) kwase kuba ukubonakala okwehlukahlukene kwabangama-500 nabanye abantu abengeziwe, futhi ekugcineni kuPawulu ngokwakhe. Ngempela uKristu wayevuselwe emoyeni! (1 Pet. 3:18) Njengoba uPawulu agcizelela kabili, lezizehlakalo ezivusa amadlingozi ‘zazivumelana nemiBhalo,’ zigcizelela konke lokho izwi likaJehova elalikuprofethile maqondana noMesiya. Ukholo lwethu ngabe luyize ukuba alusekelwe eqinisweni lokuvuswa kukaJesu Kristu.—1 Kor. 15:3-8, 17.
“YILOWO NALOWO NGESIGABA SAKHE”
12. Kungayiphi indlela uKristu aba “ulibo” ngayo?
12 Ngokuqhubekayo, umphostoli uhlanganisa uvuko nezinjongo zombuso kaJehova. Ngokuqiniseka uPawulu uthi: “Kepha kalokhu uKristu uvusiwe kwabafileyo, engulibo lwabaleleyo.” Uma uKristu “ewulibo,” bekumelwe kube khona abanye abavuswayo, kodwa “yilowo nalowo ngesigaba sakhe.” Abanye kumelwe balinde kuze kube ‘sebukhoneni bukaKristu,’ emandleni oMbuso, lapho umhlengi, uJesu Kristu eqala ‘ukuphilisa’ labo ‘abafayo,’ noma abafe ngenxa yesono esizuzwe ngefa sika-Adamu.—1 Kor. 15:20-23, Kingdom Interlinear.
13. Uvuko lwenzeka kanjani ‘ngokwesikhundla’?
13 Ngemva kukaKristu, abayovuswa “yilowo nalowo ngesigaba sakhe” kuyoba khona izindlalifa zombuso ezigcotshiwe eziyizi-144 000 eziye zalandela ezinyathelweni zikaJesu kwaze kwaba sekufeni. Loluvuko luqala ‘phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe [ngesiGreki parousía],’ okwaqala onyakeni wezigigaba ka-1914. Abambalwa baba“fowabo” bakaKristu abangokomoya basakhonza emhlabeni, futhi laba ngokufanayo bayovuselwa ‘kulesikhundla,’ ‘ngokuphazima kweso’ ekufeni kwabo kobuntu. Ngakho-ke wonke ‘uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu ongokomoya,’ uyobuthelwa embusweni wasezulwini.—1 Kor. 15:22, 23, 50-52; Heb. 2:10-13; IsAm. 7:4-8; Gal. 6:16.
14. UPawulu ulufanekisa kanjani uvuko lwasezulwini?
14 Umphostoli ukufanekisa kahle ukufa nokuvuswa kwamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. Wenza kanjalo ngokuqhathanisa ukufa kohlamvu oluze lukakolweni noma nanoma ngubani wabasele, okuhluma kulo isithombo esisha. Yebo umzimba ‘ohlwanyelwa unokubola’, ‘uvuswa ungenakubola’ njengomzimba okhazimulayo ongokomoya ‘onomfanekiso ka-Adamu wokugcina’—iNkosi uJesu Kristu.—1 Kor. 15:35-49.
15. “Ukuvuka okuhle” kwenzeka kuphi, futhi obani abahlanganisiwe?
15 Nokho, ingabe izi-144 001, kuhlanganisa noKristu, ziwukuphela kwabantu abayovuswa ngezigaba ezifanelekile? Akunjalo neze! Ngoba amaHeberu 11:40 asitshela ukuthi uvuko lwabo luyoba ‘okuhle kunalokho,’ isimo esingokomoya sasezulwini. Lokhu kungcono kunakuphi? Phela kunesimo sokuvuswa esenzeka ngemva kwalesosigaba! Loluvuko kumelwe luhlanganise labo abayokwenziwa ‘izikhulu kuwo wonke umhlaba,’ futhi labo ngokunengqondo abayoba phakathi kwabokuqala abayovuselwa emhlabeni ngemva kokunqoba kukaJehova okungumnqamula juqu empini yaseHar-Magedoni. Kanjalo-ke bayokwazi ukuthatha imisebenzi yabo abayabelwe “emhlabeni omusha”—enhlanganweni engokwasezulwini yabantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni ohlanziwe. Okwabo kuwu“kuvuka okuhle” [uvuko olungcono] ngoba lwenzeka ngaphansi kombuso kaNkulunkulu, ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade kwabavuswayo. Eqenjini lalesisikhathi silindela ukuthola amaKristu athembekile azinikezele lawo namuhla anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni futhi afa ngenxa yezimbangela ezihlukahlukene ngaphambi kokungena ‘emhlabeni omusha.’—Isaya 32:1; IsAm. 16:14, 16; 21:1, 3, 4.
IQEMBU ELIBONISWA UMUSA
16. Iliphi elinye iqembu elijabulela umusa okhethekile, futhi kukumaphi amalungelo laba abahlanganyela kuwo?
16 Nokho, kukhona iqembu elilodwa eliboniswa umusa ngokukhethekile. Futhi ingabe labo ngobani? “Isixuku esikhulu” leso umphostoli uJohane asichaza ngokuningiliziwe kusAmbulo 7:9-17. Ithemba laso liwukuphila okuphakade ‘emhlabeni omusha.’ Njengeqembu sadlula “osizini olukhulu” ngaphandle kokuzwa ukufa. Yeka ilungelo eliyigugu esilijabulelayo ngenxa ‘yokuhlanza izingubo zalo nokuzenza mhlophe egazini leWundlu’! Kulesikhathi sokugcina esibaluleke kakhulu se“zinsuku zokugcina,” lapho ubufakazi obuxwayisayo bumelwe bunikezwe ezizweni nakubantu bomhlaba, le“sixuku esikhulu,” esiyinani elingaphezu kwezi-2 300 000 okwamanje, sibonwa senza “inkonzo engcwele” emagcekeni asemhlabeni ngelungiselelo likaJehova lokukhulekela. Le“sixuku esikhulu” asitholi ‘ukuhlatshwa yilanga’ lesahlulelo saphezulu. Futhi ngani? “Ngokuba iWundlu [uJesu Kristu], elingaphakathi nesihlalo sobukhosi liyakubelusa libaholele emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila; noNkulunkulu uyakwesula izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo.”
17. (a) Iyiphi injabulo elindele “isixuku esikhulu”? (b) Isimangaliso sovuko siyoqhubeka kanjani kuze kube sekugcineni kwaso?
17 Akungabazeki ukuthi “lesixuku esikhulu” siyojabula njengoba singena emhlabeni ohlanziwe futhi samukela abantu abathembekile abavusiwe. Khona-ke, futhi, esikhathini sikaNkulunkulu esifanelekile, nangelungiselelo elihlelekile, izinkulungwane zezigidi zesintu ‘ezisemathuneni enkumbulo’ ziyophumela emhlabeni ovukweni oluvamile. (Joh. 5:28, 29; IsAm. 20:12) Njengoba umphakathi wo“mhlaba omusha” uqala ukusebenza, futhi njengoba uKristu nababusa kanye naye besebenzisa izinzuzo zomhlatshelo wakhe wesihlengo ekuwuphulukiseni nasekuwuthuthukiseleni ekupheleleni okungokwengqondo nokungokomzimba, yeka injabulo eyoba khona phakathi kwemikhaya yesintu ebumbene!—Isaya 65:17, 18; 2 Pet. 3:13.
18. Injongo kaNkulunkulu enhle kakhulu ngomhlaba wethu iyofezeka kanjani ngokuphelele?
18 Iminyaka eyinkulungwane iyodlula njengosuku olulodwa, okungenani ngokombono kaJehova. (2 Pet. 3:8) Umhlaba uyogcwalisa isintu esiphelele, njengoba uJehova ayejongile lapho eqala ukudala umuntu, eminyakeni eyizi-7 000 edlule. “Usuku” lwakhe lokuphumula oluyiminyaka eyizi-7 000 luyofinyelela ekupheleni kwalo, futhi alunakuba yize, ngoba injongo yakhe enhle kakhulu ngomhlaba wethu iyobe ifeziwe. Bese kuba yini?
19. Yini eyenzeka ngemva kokuba “isitha sokugcina” sibhujisiwe?
19 Umphostoli uPawulu uyasitshela: “Andukuba kufike ukuphela, nxa uKristu enikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu uYise, lapho esechithile ukubusa konke, nobukhosi bonke, namandla [amelene]. Ngokuba umelwe ukubusa, aze abeke izitha zonke phansi kwezinyawo zakhe. . . . lapho-ke nayo iNdodana iyakuzithoba phansi kwalowo owathobisa zonke izinto phansi kwayo, ukuze uNkulunkulu abe-yikho konke kukho konke.” (1 Kor. 15:24-28) Khona-ke uSathane uyokhululwa, njengoba kuchazwe kusAmbulo 20:7-10, ukuze ahlole ubuqotho bomuntu ngamunye besintu esiphelele. Khona-ke yena nanoma ngubani ongase amlandele, bayophonswa “echibini lomlilo” elingokomfanekiso, elifanekisela ukubhujiswa kwaphakade.
20. Iliphi ithemba elikhazimulayo isintu esiyobhekana nalo njengoba usuku lokuphumula lukaNkulunkulu luphela?
20 Njengoba usuku lukaNkulunkulu ‘lokuphumula kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe’ maqondana nendalo yasemhlabeni manje luphela, akungabazeki ukuthi uyoqhubekela emisebenzini emisha eyokwembulwa kuze kube phakade. Asinakuba khona isikhathi esingathakazelisi njengoba izakhamuzi ezijabulayo zomhlaba, zijabula njalo ngokuqabuleka kwamandla obusha, zihlanganyela kunoma imuphi umsebenzi uNkulunkulu wenjongo azabela ukuba ziwenze.—Gen. 3:2; Isaya 66:22.
OKUBALULEKE KAKHULU
21. Singazuza kanjani empikiswaneni kaPawulu ekwabo-1 AbaseKorinte 15?
21 Kumelwe ‘sibambelele ezindabeni ezinhle,’ kuhlanganisa nethemba lazo lovuko, ngoba uvuko lubaluleke kakhulu kuzo zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Amadoda athembekile nabesifazane bezikhathi zasendulo babekholelwa ovukweni lwasemhlabeni futhi babebheke phambili kulo. (Heb. 11:13-16) UKristu Jesu wavuswa ‘njengolibo’ lovuko, njengoba kwafakazelwa amakhulu ofakazi bokuzibonela. AmaKristu agcotshiwe, azelwe ngomoya ‘aye ashumayela kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu,’ kokubili ezikhathini zabaphostoli nezanamuhla, ukuze “izindaba ezinhle” eziphathelene novuko zizungeze imbulunga. (Kol. 1:23) Futhi njengoba abagcotshiweyo abasele beqeda inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni, ukuze bazuze umvuzo wabo wasezulwini, “isixuku esikhulu,” kanye nethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, siye samemezela “izindaba ezinhle” zombuso.—Math. 24:14.
22. Isiphi iseluleko sokuphetha uPawulu asinikeza encwadini yakhe, futhi kungani sinesizathu esihle sokusilandela?
22 Yeka indlela wonke lamaqembu anelungelo ngayo njengoba efinyelela emigomweni yawo, yilelo nalelo ngesigaba salo, noma isikhundla! Ngokuqinisekile, thina namuhla sinesizathu esihle sokulandela iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Lindani nigxile ekukholweni, nibe-ngamadoda, nibe-namandla. Konke enikwenzayo kwenziwe ngothando.” (1 Kor. 16:13, 14) Kanjalo ukukholwa kwethu akunakuba yize.
Ungayiphendula yini imibuzo elandelayo?
◼ Yini ebonisa ukuthi amadoda nabesifazane bokholo ezikhathini zakuqala babebheke phambili ekuvuselweni emhlabeni?
◼ Ngemva ko“libo” olunguKristu, bangaki abanye abahlanganyelayo, “yilowo nalowo ngokwesigaba sakhe,” ovukweni lwasezulwini?
◼ Kunini futhi kukumaphi amaqembu uvuko lwasemhlabeni olwenzeka kuwo?
◼ Isigaba esisodwa siwuthola kanjani ngokukhethekile umusa ekuzuzeni ukuphila emhlabeni ngaphandle kovuko?
◼ Yini sonke okumelwe siyenze ukuze ‘ukukholwa kwethu kungabi yize’?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]
UMBUSO WEZWE WENKOLO YAMANGA UGXILISA ITHEMBA LAWO EMFUNDISWENI KAPLATO YOKUTHI YONKE IMIPHEFUMULO INGENGENAKUFA
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 15]
AMAKRISTU EQINISO ABAMBELELA ETHEMBENI ELISEKELWE EBHAYIBHELINI LOVUKO LWEMIPHEFUMULO ENGEZWA EMATHUNENI
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
“Izindaba ezinhle” zikhomba embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu, ithemba lokubuyisela ipharadesi emhlabeni wethu