Nakuba Sidabuka, Asibona Abangenalo Ithemba

“Asifuni ukuba nibe abangenalwazi ngokuphathelene nabalele ekufeni; ukuze ningadabuki njengoba nje kwenza bonke abanye abangenalo ithemba.”—1 THESALONIKA 4:13.

 1. Yini isintu esibhekana nayo ngokuvamile?

INGABE uye walahlekelwa othandekayo ngokufa? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibadala kangakanani, iningi lethu liye ladabuka ngenxa yokulahlekelwa isihlobo noma umngane. Mhlawumbe kwakuwugogo noma umkhulu, umzali, umngane womshado, noma ingane. Ukuguga, ukugula, nezingozi kuyaqhubeka kuyimbangela yalokhu. Ubugebengu, ubudlova, nempi kuyanezela kulolusizi. Minyaka yonke ezweni lonke, abantu abalinganiselwa ezigidini ezingaphezu kuka-50 bayafa. Isilinganiso sababefa nsuku zonke ngo-1993 sasingu-140 250. Ukulahlekelwa ngenxa yokufa kuthinta abangane nomkhaya, futhi umuzwa wokulahlekelwa ujulile.

 2. Yini ebonakala ingamukeleki ngokufa kwezingane?

² Ngeke yini sazwelana nabazali baseCalifornia, e-U.S.A., abalahlekelwa ngokuhlasimulisayo yindodakazi ekhulelwe engozini yemoto eyenzeka isigubhukane? Kulesisenzakalo esisodwa esingalindelekile, balahlekelwa indodakazi yabo okuwukuphela kwayo nomntwana owayezoba umzukulu wabo wokuqala. Umyeni walesisisulu walahlekelwa umkakhe nendodana noma indodakazi yakhe yokuqala. Ukubhekana nokufa kwengane kuyinto engamukeleki kubazali, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isencane noma isikhulile. Akuyona into eyamukelekayo ukufa kwezingane ngaphambi kokufa kwabazali bazo. Sonke siyakuthanda ukuphila. Ngakho-ke, ukufa kuyisitha ngempela.—1 Korinte 15:26.

Ukufa Kungena Emkhayeni Wesintu

 3. Iyiphi indlela okungenzeka ukuthi ukufa kuka-Abela kwabathinta ngayo o-Adamu no-Eva?

³ Isono nokufa kuye kwabusa njengamakhosi iminyaka engaba izinkulungwane eziyisithupha zomlando womuntu, selokhu abazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu, u-Adamu no-Eva, bahlubuka. (Roma 5:14; 6:12, 23) IBhayibheli alisitsheli ukuthi basabela kanjani ekubulaweni kwendodana yabo u-Abela ngumfowabo uKayini. Ngenxa yezizathu eziningi, kumelwe ukuba kwakuyisenzakalo esasibakhungathekisa. Lapha, ngokokuqala ngqá, babebhekene ubuso nobuso nokufa komuntu, bekubona ngokoqobo endodaneni yabo siqu. Bazibona izithelo zokuhlubuka kwabo nezokusetshenziswa kabi okuqhubekayo kwenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Naphezu kwezixwayiso ezivela kuNkulunkulu, uKayini wayekhethe ukuba umagwazendlini wokuqala. Siyazi ukuthi kumelwe ukuba u-Eva wayethinteke ngokujulile ngokufa kuka-Abela ngoba lapho ezala uSeti, wathi: “UNkulunkulu ungibekele enye inzalo esikhundleni sika-Abela, njengokuba uKayini umbulele.”—Genesise 4:3-8, 25.

 4. Kungani inganekwane yomphefumulo ongafi yayingenakuba nanduduzo ngemva kokufa kuka-Abela?

⁴ Abazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu babona futhi ukuba yiqiniso kwesigwebo sikaNkulunkulu kubo—ukuthi uma behlubuka futhi bengalaleli, ‘babeyokufa nokufa.’ Ngokusobala, naphezu kwamanga kaSathane, inganekwane yomphefumulo ongafi yayingakaqali, ngakho babengeke bathole noma iyiphi induduzo yamanga kulokhu. UNkulunkulu wayethe ku-Adamu: “[Uyobuyela] emhlabathini, lokhu wathathwa kuwo; ngokuba ungumhlabathi, uyakuphenduka umhlabathi.” Wayengazange akhulume ngokuba khona kwangesikhathi esizayo njengomphefumulo ongafi ezulwini, esihogweni, e-Limbo, esihlanzweni, noma kwenye indawo. (Genesise 2:17; 3:4, 5, 19) Njengemiphefumulo ephilayo eyayonile, u-Adamu no-Eva ekugcineni babezofa futhi bangabe besaba khona. INkosi uSolomoni yaphefumulelwa ukuba ibhale: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayakufa, kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho, futhi abasenawo umvuzo, ngokuba ukukhunjulwa kwabo sekukhohlakele. Uthando lwabo, nokuzonda kwabo, nomhawu wabo sekuphelile; futhi abasenaso isabelo nanini kukho konke okwenziwa phansi kwelanga.”—UmShumayeli 9:5, 6.

 5. Liyini ithemba langempela ngabafile?

⁵ Yeka ukuthi lawomazwi ayiqiniso kangakanani! Ngempela, ubani okhumbula okhokho beminyaka engamakhulu amabili noma amathathu edlule? Ngokuvamile ngisho namathuna abo awaziwa noma sekuyisikhathi eside enganakwa. Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi alikho ithemba ngabathandekayo bethu abafile? Cha, akunjalo neze. UMarta wathi kuJesu ngokuphathelene nomfowabo owayefile, uLazaru: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Johane 11:24) Abantu abangamaHeberu babekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyovusa abafile esikhathini esizayo. Nokho, lokho akuzange kubayekise ukudabuka ngenxa yokulahlekelwa othandekayo.—Jobe 14:13.

Abathembekileyo Abadabuka

 6, 7. U-Abrahama noJakobe basabela kanjani ngokuphathelene nokufa?

⁶ Eminyakeni ecishe ibe izinkulungwane ezine edlule, lapho umka-Abrahama uSara efa, “uAbrahama wafika ukumlilela uSara nokumkhalela.” Leyonceku ethembekile kaNkulunkulu yabonisa imizwa yayo ejulile ngokulahlekelwa umkayo othandekayo nothembekile. Nakuba yayiyindoda enesibindi, yayingenamahloni okubonisa ukuba lusizi kwayo ngezinyembezi.—Genesise 14:11-16; 23:1, 2.

⁷ UJakobe wayesesimweni esifanayo. Lapho ekhohliswa ukuba akholelwe ukuthi indodana yakhe uJosefa yayibulawe isilwane sasendle, wasabela kanjani? KuGenesise 37:34, 35 siyafunda: “UJakobe wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wafaka indwangu yamasaka okhalweni lwakhe, walilela indodana yakhe izinsuku eziningi. Onke amadodana akhe nawo onke amadodakazi akhe asuka ukuyomduduza, kepha wala ukududuzwa, wathi: Ngiyakwehla, ngiye endodaneni yami endaweni yabafileyo ngilila. Uyise wamlilela-ke.” Yebo, kuwubuntu futhi kungokwemvelo ukubonisa ukudabuka lapho othandekayo efa.

 8. Ngokuvamile amaHeberu ayekubonisa kanjani ukuba lusizi kwawo?

⁸ Ngokwezindinganiso zanamuhla noma zendawo, abanye bangase bacabange ukuthi indlela uJakobe asabela ngayo yayeqisa futhi iwukudabuka kokuzenzisa. Kodwa wayephila esikhathini esihlukile nempucuko ehlukile. Indlela abonisa ngayo ukudabuka—ukumbatha indwangu yamasaka—kuyisenzakalo sokuqala salomkhuba okukhulunywe ngaso eBhayibhelini. Nokho, njengoba kuchazwe emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, ukulila kwakuboniswa futhi nangokubangalasa, ngokuqamba izililo, nangokuhlala emlotheni. Ngokobufakazi obutholakalayo amaHeberu ayenganqatshelwe ukubonisa ukuba lusizi kwawo okuqotho.a—Hezekeli 27:30-32; Amose 8:10.

Ukuba Lusizi Esikhathini SikaJesu

 9, 10. (a) UJesu wasabela kanjani ngokufa kukaLazaru? (b) Ukusabela kukaJesu kusitshelani ngaye?

⁹ Singathini ngabafundi bakaJesu bokuqala? Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uLazaru efa, odadewabo uMarta noMariya balilela ukufa kwakhe ngezinyembezi nangokukhala. Wasabela kanjani umuntu ophelele uJesu lapho efika kulendawo? Ukulandisa kukaJohane kuthi: “Lapho uMariya efika lapho uJesu ayekhona futhi embona, wawa ngasezinyaweni zakhe, ethi kuye: ‘Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha umfowethu ngabe akafanga.’ Ngakho-ke, uJesu lapho embona ekhala namaJuda ayeze naye ekhala, wabubula emoyeni futhi wakhathazeka; futhi wathi: ‘Nimbekephi?’ Bathi kuye: ‘Nkosi, woza uzobona.’ UJesu wakhala izinyembezi.”—Johane 11:32-35.

¹⁰ “UJesu wakhala izinyembezi.” Lawomazwi ambalwa asho lukhulu ngobuntu bukaJesu, ububele bakhe, nemizwa yakhe. Nakuba ayeliqaphela ngokugcwele ithemba lovuko, “uJesu wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:35) Ukulandisa kuqhubeka ngokuthi ababebukele bathi: “Bhekani, ukuthi ubesondelene kangakanani [noLazaru] ngokomzwelo!” Ngokuqinisekile, uma umuntu ophelele uJesu akhala ngokulahlekelwa umngane, akulona ihlazo uma indoda noma owesifazane elila futhi ekhala namuhla.—Johane 11:36.

Liyini Ithemba Ngabafile?

11. (a) Yini esingayifunda ezibonelweni eziseBhayibhelini ezihilela ukulila? (b) Kungani singadabuki ngendlela okwenza ngayo labo abangenalo ithemba?

¹¹ Yini esingayifunda kulezizibonelo eziseBhayibhelini? Ukuthi kuwubuntu futhi kungokwemvelo ukuba lusizi futhi akufanele sizizwe sinamahloni ukuveza ukudabuka kwethu. Ngisho noma sikhululwa ithemba lovuko, ukufa kothandekayo kusewukulahlekelwa okubuhlungu, okusithinta ngokujulile. Iminyaka, mhlawumbe amashumi eminyaka, yobungane obuseduze nokuhlanganyela okuthile iphela ngokuzumayo nakalusizi. Yiqiniso, asidabuki ngendlela okwenza ngayo labo abangenalo ithemba noma ngendlela okwenza ngayo labo abanamathemba amanga. (1 Thesalonika 4:13) Futhi, asidukiswa yinoma iziphi izinganekwane zokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi noma ukuthi uyaqhubeka ephila ngokuphindukuzalwa. Siyazi ukuthi uJehova uthembise ‘amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okuyohlala kukho ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:13) UNkulunkulu “uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni [ethu], futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.”—IsAmbulo 21:4.

12. UPawulu walubonisa kanjani ukholo lwakhe ovukweni?

¹² Yiliphi ithemba elikhona ngabafile?b Umlobi ongumKristu uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba asinikeze induduzo nethemba lapho ebhala: “Njengesitha sokugcina, ukufa kumelwe kwenziwe ize.” (1 Korinte 15:26) I-New English Bible ithi: “Isitha sokugcina okumelwe siqedwe ukufa.” Kungani uPawulu ayengaqiniseka kangaka ngalokho? Ngenxa yokuthi wayeguquliwe futhi wafundiswa yilowo owayevuswe ekufeni, uJesu Kristu. (IzEnzo 9:3-19) Yingakho futhi uPawulu ayengase athi: “Njengoba ukufa kukhona ngomuntu [u-Adamu], novuko lwabafileyo lukhona ngomuntu [uJesu]. Ngoba njengoba nje bonke befa ku-Adamu, kanjalo nakuKristu bonke bayokwenziwa baphile.”—1 Korinte 15:21, 22.

13. Ofakazi bokuzibonela basabela kanjani ekuvusweni kukaLazaru?

¹³ Imfundiso kaJesu isinikeza induduzo enkulu nethemba lesikhathi esizayo. Ngokwesibonelo, yini ayenza endabeni kaLazaru? Waya ethuneni lapho umzimba kaLazaru wawusulale khona izinsuku ezine. Wenza umthandazo, “futhi lapho esezishilo lezizinto, wakhamuluka ngezwi elikhulu wathi: ‘Lazaru, phuma!’ Lomuntu owayefile waphuma izinyawo nezandla zakhe ziboshwe ngokokusonga, futhi ubuso bakhe babuboshwe bonke ngendwangu. UJesu wathi kubo: ‘Mthukululeni nimyeke ahambe.’” Ungacabanga yini ngokumangala nenjabulo eyayisebusweni bukaMarta noMariya? Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba omakhelwane bamangala kanjani lapho bebona lesisimangaliso! Yingakho izibukeli eziningi zaba nokholo kuJesu. Nokho, izitha zakhe zenkolo ‘zacebisana ngokuba zimbulale.’—Johane 11:41-53.

14. Ukuvuswa kukaLazaru kwakuyisibonakaliso esincane sani?

¹⁴ UJesu wenza lolovuko olungenakulibaleka phambi kofakazi bokuzibonela abaningi. Lwaluyisibonakaliso esincane sovuko lwesikhathi esizayo ayelubikezele esikhathini esingaphambili, lapho ethi: ‘Ningamangali ngalokhu, ngoba ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni ayisikhumbuzo beyozwa khona izwi [leNdodana kaNkulunkulu] futhi baphume, labo abenze izinto ezinhle baphumele ovukweni lokuphila, labo abazenze umkhuba izinto ezimbi ovukweni lokwahlulelwa.’—Johane 5:28, 29.

15. Ibuphi ubufakazi uPawulu no-Ananiya ababenabo bokuvuswa kukaJesu?

¹⁵ Njengoba kushiwo ngaphambili, umphostoli uPawulu wayekholelwa ovukweni. Ngasiphi isisekelo? Ngaphambili wayebe uSawulu onedumela elibi, umshushisi wamaKristu. Igama nedumela lakhe kwabangela ukwesaba phakathi kwamakholwa. Kakade, wayengeyena yini lowo owayevumele ukubulawa ngokukhandwa ngamatshe komfel’ ukholo ongumKristu uStefanu? (IzEnzo 8:1; 9:1, 2, 26) Nokho, endleleni eya eDamaseku, uKristu ovusiwe wasangulukisa uSawulu, emshaya ngobumpumputhe besikhashana. USawulu wezwa izwi lithi kuye: “‘Sawulu, Sawulu, ungishushiselani?’ Wathi: ‘Ungubani wena, Nkosi?’ Wathi: ‘NginguJesu, lowo omshushisayo.’” Yena kanye uKristu ovusiwe wabe eseyala u-Ananiya, ohlala eDamaseku, ukuba aye endlini uSawulu ayethandaza kuyo futhi abuyisele ukubona kwakhe. Ngakho, kokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo siqu, bobabili uSawulu no-Ananiya babenazo zonke izizathu zokukholelwa ovukweni.—IzEnzo 9:4, 5, 10-12.

16, 17. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uPawulu akazange akholelwe emqondweni wamaGreki wokungafi komphefumulo womuntu okuzuzwe njengefa? (b) IBhayibheli linikeza liphi ithemba eliqinile? (Heberu 6:17-20)

¹⁶ Phawula indlela uSawulu, umphostoli uPawulu, njengomKristu oshushiswayo, aphendula ngayo lapho elethwa phambi koMbusi uFeliksi. KuzEnzo 24:15 siyafunda: “Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu . . . lokuthi luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” Ngokusobala, uPawulu akazange akholelwe emqondweni wamaGreki wobuqaba wokungafi komphefumulo womuntu okuzuzwe njengefa okucatshangwa ukuthi udlulela endaweni ethile yangemva kokuphila yasenganekwaneni noma emhlabeni ongaphansi. Wayekholelwa ovukweni futhi efundisa ukuba nokholo kulo. Kwabathile lokhu kuyosho isipho sokuphila kokungafi njengezidalwa zomoya ezulwini noKristu futhi kwabaningi kuyosho ukubuyela ekuphileni emhlabeni ophelele.—Luka 23:43; 1 Korinte 15:20-22, 53, 54; IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 17; 14:1, 3.

¹⁷ Ngakho iBhayibheli lisinikeza isithembiso esicacile nethemba eliqinile lokuthi ngovuko, abaningi bayophinde babone abathandekayo babo lapha emhlabeni kodwa ngaphansi kwezimo ezihluke kakhulu.—2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:1-4.

Usizo Olusebenzisekayo Kulabo Abadabukile

18. (a) Iliphi ithuluzi eliwusizo elakhululwa eMihlanganweni Yesigodi ‘Yokwesaba UNkulunkulu’? (Bheka ibhokisi.) (b) Imiphi imibuzo manje edinga ukuphendulwa?

¹⁸ Manje sinezinkumbulo nosizi lwethu. Yini esingayenza ukuze sibhekane nalenkathi yokushonelwa evivinyayo? Yini abanye abangayenza ukuze basize labo abadabukile? Ngaphezu kwalokho, yini esingayenza ukuze sisize labobantu abaqotho esihlangana nabo enkonzweni yethu yasensimini abangenalo nhlobo ithemba langempela futhi abadabukile? Futhi iyiphi enye induduzo esingayithola eBhayibhelini ngokuphathelene nabathandekayo bethu abaye balala ekufeni? Isihloko esilandelayo sizonikeza ukusikisela okuthile.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungaphendula?

◻ Kungani kungase kuthiwe ukufa kuyisitha?

◻ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikhathini zeBhayibheli zalubonakalisa kanjani usizi lwazo?

◻ Kunaliphi ithemba ngabafileyo abathandekayo?

◻ Isiphi isisekelo sokukholelwa ovukweni uPawulu ayenaso?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8, 9]

Usizo Olusebenzisekayo Kulabo Abadabukile

EMihlanganweni Yesigodi ‘Yokwesaba UNkulunkulu’ phakathi kuka-1994-95, i-Watch Tower Society yamemezela ukukhululwa kwencwajana entsha engangomagazini enesihloko esithi Lapho Ufelwa Othandekayo. Lencwajana ekhuthazayo iye yaklanyelwa ukuletha induduzo kubantu bazo zonke izizwe nezilimi. Njengoba kungenzeka usuye wabona kakade, inikeza incazelo elula yeBhayibheli ngokufa nesimo sabafile. Okubaluleke ngisho nakakhulu, iqokomisa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu, sokuvuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni ohlanziwe oyipharadesi ngoKristu Jesu. Iletha induduzo ngempela kulabo abalilayo. Ngakho-ke, kufanele ibe ithuluzi eliwusizo enkonzweni yobuKristu futhi kufanele isize ekuvuseni isithakazelo, okuyophumela ezifundweni zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya eziningi ngokwengeziwe. Imibuzo yokutadisha ibekwe ngendlela enokuqonda emabhokisini ngasekupheleni kwengxenye ngayinye ukuze ukwazi ukubukeza kalula amaphuzu ahlanganisiwe nanoma imuphi umuntu oqotho, olilayo.

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Lapho uLazaru efa, uJesu wakhala izinyembezi

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

UJesu wavusa uLazaru kwabafile

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 7]

First Mourning, by W. Bouguereau, from original glass plate in Photo-Drama of Creation, 1914