Ingabe Kungenzeka Ngempela Ukuphila Phakade?
“Mfundisi, buhle buni okumelwe ngibenze ukuze ngithole ukuphila okumi phakade?”—MATHEWU 19:16.
1. Yini engashiwo ngobude bokuphila kwethu thina bantu?
INKOSI yasePheresiya u-Xerxes I, eyaziwa ngokuthi u-Ahashiveroshi eBhayibhelini, yayihlola amabutho ayo ngaphambi kwempi ngonyaka ka-480 B.C.E. (Esteri 1:1, 2) Ngokwesazi-mlando esingumGreki uHerodotus, le nkosi yakhala izinyembezi lapho ibuka amabutho ayo. Ngani? UXerxes wathi: “Kuyangidabukisa ukucabanga ngobufushane bokuphila komuntu. Ngoba kuwo wonke la madoda, ayikho neyodwa eyobe isaphila ngemva kweminyaka eyikhulu ukusuka manje.” Cishe nawe usuke waphawula ukuthi ukuphila kufushane ngendlela edabukisayo nokuthi akekho umuntu ofuna ukuguga, ukugula nokufa. Oh, ukube nje besingajabulela ukuphila sinempilo nenjabulo yasebusheni!—Jobe 14:1, 2.
2. Abaningi banaliphi ithemba, futhi kungani?
2 Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi i-New York Times Magazine ka-September 28, 1997, yayinesihloko esithi “Bafuna Ukuphila.” Yacaphuna umcwaningi owathi: “Ngiyakukholelwa ngempela ukuthi singaba yisizukulwane sokuqala esiphila phakade”! Mhlawumbe nawe uyakukholelwa ukuthi ukuphila phakade kungenzeka. Kungenzeka ucabanga kanjalo ngoba iBhayibheli lithembisa ukuthi singaphila phakade lapha emhlabeni. (IHubo 37:29; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Nokho, abanye abantu bakholelwa ukuthi ukuphila okuphakade kungatholakala ngenxa yezinye izizathu ngaphandle kwalezi eziseBhayibhelini. Ukucabangela ezimbalwa zalezi zizathu kuzosisiza ukuba sibone ukuthi kungenzeka ngempela ukuphila phakade.
Saklanyelwa Ukuphila Phakade
3, 4. (a) Kungani abathile bekholelwa ukuthi kufanele sikwazi ukuphila phakade? (b) Wathini uDavide ngokwakhiwa kwakhe?
3 Esinye sezizathu esenza abaningi bakholelwe ukuthi abantu kufanele bakwazi ukuphila phakade siphathelene nendlela emangalisayo esenziwe ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, iyisimangaliso ngempela indlela esakheka ngayo ezibelethweni zomama bethu. Isazi esivelele kwezokuguga sabhala: “Ngemva kokwenza izimangaliso ezenzeka kithi kusukela ekukhulelweni kuya ekuzalweni bese kuba sekuvuthweni ngokobulili kuya ekubeni umuntu omdala, indalo yakhetha ukuba ingaklami lokho okwakungase kubonakale kuyisimiso esilula kakhudlwana sokuba imane igcine lezo zimangaliso zinjalo phakade.” Yebo, uma ucabangela indlela esenziwe ngokumangalisa ngayo, kuphakama umbuzo othi, Kungani kumelwe sife?
4 Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane edlule umlobi weBhayibheli uDavide wacabanga ngazo kanye lezo zimangaliso, nakuba ayengenakubona ngokoqobo ngaphakathi esibelethweni njengoba kungenza ososayensi namuhla. UDavide wacabanga ngokwakhiwa kwakhe lapho ‘ayalukwa esiswini sikanina,’ njengoba abhala. Wathi ngaleso sikhathi ‘kwenziwa izinso zakhe.’ Wakhuluma nangokwakhiwa ‘kwamathambo’ akhe, njengoba athi, lapho “ngenziwa ekusithekeni.” UDavide wabe esekhuluma ngaye lapho ‘eseyihlule,’ futhi mayelana nalelo hlule elalisesibelethweni sikanina wathi: “Zonke izitho zalo zalotshwa phansi.”—IHubo 139:13-16, qhathanisa ne-NW.
5. Yiziphi izimangaliso ezihilelekile lapho sakhiwa esibelethweni?
5 Ngokusobala, esibelethweni sikanina kaDavide kwakungekho pulani elingokoqobo elidwetshwe ngesandla lokwakheka kwakhe. Kodwa lapho uDavide ezindla ngokwakhiwa ‘kwezinso’ zakhe, “amathambo” akhe, nezinye izitho zomzimba wakhe, kuye kwabonakala sengathi ukwakheka kwalezi zinto kwakuvumelana nepulani—njengokungathi yonke into ‘yayilotshwe encwadini.’ Kwakunjengokungathi ingqamuzana elinembewu elingaphakathi kunina lalinekamelo elikhulu eligcwele izincwadi ezineziyalezo eziningilizayo zokuthi umntwana womuntu wakhiwa kanjani futhi lezi ziyalezo eziyinkimbinkimbi zazidluliselwa engqamuzaneni ngalinye elivelayo. Ngakho, umagazini i-Science World, ungathekisa, uthi ‘ingqamuzana ngalinye esibelethweni esikhulayo liyikhabethe eligcwele lemidwebo yamapulani.’
6. Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi ‘senziwe ngokuyisimangaliso’ njengoba uDavide abhala?
6 Ingabe wake wacabanga ngendlela emangalisayo imizimba yethu esebenza ngayo? Isazi sezinto eziphilayo uJared Diamond saphawula: “Amangqamuzana akha ulwelwesi lwamathumbu ethu avuseleleka njalo ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, lawo akha ulwelwesi lwesinye avuseleleka njalo ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili, kanti amangqamuzana ethu abomvu egazi avuseleleka njalo ngemva kwezinyanga ezine.” Saphetha ngokuthi: “Nsuku zonke imvelo iyasihlukanisa ibuye isikhande.” Kusho ukuthini ngempela lokho? Kusho ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singase siphile iminyaka emingaki—ingaba ngu-8, noma 80, noma ibe ngu-800 imbala—umzimba wethu uhlala umusha. Usosayensi othile wake walinganisa wathi: “Ngemva konyaka ama-atom angaba amaphesenti angu-98 akithina manje ayobe esekhishwe amanye esiwathola emoyeni, ekudleni naseziphuzweni.” Yebo, njengoba nje uDavide asho edumisa uNkulunkulu: ‘Senziwe ngokumangalisayo.’—IHubo 139:14.
7. Ngenxa yendlela imizimba yethu eklanywe ngayo, yini abanye abaye baphetha ngayo?
7 Ngenxa yendlela imizimba yethu eklanywe ngayo, isazi esivelele kwezokuguga sathi: “Akucaci kahle ukuthi kungani kufanele kube khona ukuguga.” Ngempela, kubonakala sengathi kufanele siphile phakade. Futhi yingakho abantu bezama ukufinyelela lo mgomo ngezindlela zabo zobuchwepheshe. Esikhathini esingeside kakhulu, uDkt. Alvin Silverstein, waloba ngokuqiniseka encwadini yakhe ethi Conquest of Death, wathi: “Siyowuthola umnyombo wokuphila. Siyoqonda . . . ukuthi umuntu uguga kanjani.” Ube yini umphumela? Wabikezela: “Ngeke besaba khona abantu ‘abagugile,’ ngoba ulwazi oluyoholela ekunqotshweni kokufa luyoletha nobusha baphakade.” Uma ucabangela ukucwaninga kwanamuhla okungokwesayensi mayelana nokwakheka komuntu, ingabe umcabango wokuphila phakade uzwakala uyiphupho elingenakufezeka? Kunesinye isizathu esinamandla ngokwengeziwe sokukholelwa ukuthi kungenzeka ukuphila phakade.
Isifiso Sokuphila Phakade
8, 9. Yisiphi isifiso esingokwemvelo abantu abebelokhu benaso kuwo wonke umlando?
8 Ingabe uke waphawula ukuthi ukuphila phakade kuyisifiso sabantu esingokwemvelo? Udokotela othile waloba ephephabhukwini lesiJalimane: “Kungenzeka ukuthi isintu besilokhu siphupha ngokuphila phakade selokhu kwathi nhló.” Ichaza izinkolelo zabanye abantu baseYurophu yasendulo, i-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Abantu abafanelekayo bayophila phakade ehholo elicwazimulayo elifulelwe ngegolide.” Futhi yeka izinto abantu abaye bazenza bezama ukwanelisa leso sifiso esiyisisekelo sokuphila phakade!
9 I-Encyclopedia Americana yaphawula ukuthi eChina eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-2 000 edlule, “ababusi nabantu [abavamile] ngokufanayo, beholwa abapristi abangamaTao, bayeka ukusebenza bayofuna ikhubalo lokuphila”—okuthiwa liwumthombo wobusha. Yebo, kuwo wonke umlando, abantu baye bakholelwa ukuthi ngokudla amakhathakhatha ahlukahlukene, noma ngisho nangokuphuza amanzi athile, bangahlala bebasha.
10. Yimuphi umzamo wesimanje oye wenziwa wokukwenza kwenzeke ukuphila isikhathi eside?
10 Imizamo yesimanje yokwanelisa isifiso sangaphakathi somuntu sokuphila phakade imangalisa ngendlela efanayo. Isibonelo esivelele siwumkhuba wokumfaka eqhweni umuntu obulewe yisifo esithile. Lokhu kuye kwenziwa ngethemba lokubuyisela ukuphila kuye esikhathini esizayo lapho ikhambi laleso sifo selitholakele. Umsekeli wale nqubo ebizwa ngokuthi i-cryonics, wabhala: “Uma ithemba esinalo lifezeka futhi siyithola indlela yokwelapha noma yokulungisa wonke umonakalo—kuhlanganise nobuthakathaka obubangelwa ukuguga—khona-ke labo ‘abafa’ manje bayoba nokuphila okwandisiwe okungapheli esikhathini esizayo.”
11. Kungani abantu befisa ukuphila phakade?
11 Ungase ubuze, Kungani lesi sifiso sokuphila phakade sigxile kangaka ekucabangeni kwethu? Ingabe kungenxa yokuthi “[UNkulunkulu] ufaké ubuphakade engqondweni yomuntu”? (UmShumayeli 3:11, Revised Standard Version) Lena indaba okufanele icatshangelwe ngokujulile! Ake ucabange: Kungani besingaba nesifiso sangaphakathi sokuphila ngokungenakuphela—phakade—ukube kwakungeyona injongo yoMdali wethu ukuba lesi sifiso sigcwaliseke? Bekungeke yini kube ukungabi nathando ukuba asidale sinesifiso sokuphila phakade abese esikhungathekisa ngokusenza singakwazi ukufeza leso sifiso?—IHubo 145:16.
Ubani Okufanele Simethembe?
12. Yini abathile ababonakala beqiniseka ngayo, kodwa ingabe ukholelwa ukuthi banesisekelo esihle?
12 Amathemba ethu okuthola ukuphila okumi phakade kufanele siwabeke kuphi? Kwezobuchwepheshe bomuntu bekhulu lama-20 noma lama-21? Isihloko se-New York Times Magazine esithi “Bafuna Ukuphila” sakhuluma ‘ngonkulunkulu: ubuchwepheshe’ kanye ‘nangokushisekela lokho ubuchwepheshe obungakwenza.’ Kuze kuthiwe omunye umcwaningi “wayeqiniseka . . . ukuthi izindlela zokuthuthukisa izakhi zofuzo zizotholakala kusenesikhathi ukuze [zisisindise] ngokunqanda ukuguga, mhlawumbe zikuhlehlise.” Nokho, empeleni imizamo yabantu iye yehluleka ngokuphelele ukunqanda ukuguga noma ukunqoba ukufa.
13. Indlela ubuchopho bethu obakheke ngayo ibonisa kanjani ukuthi sasihloselwe ukuphila phakade?
13 Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ayikho indlela esingakuthola ngayo ukuphila okuphakade? Phinde! Ikhona indlela! Indlela ubuchopho bethu obumangalisayo obakheke ngayo, nekhono labo elingenakulinganiselwa lokufunda, kufanele kusenze siqiniseke ngalokhu. Isazi sesayensi yamangqamuzana uJames Watson sabiza ubuchopho bethu ngokuthi “yinto eyinkimbinkimbi kunazo zonke esisayitholile endaweni yethu yonke.” Isazi sezinzwa uRichard Restak sona sathi: “Akukho lutho endaweni yonke eyaziwayo oluthi alusondele ngisho nokusondela kubo.” Kungani besingaba nobuchopho obukwazi ukugcina nokumumatha ulwazi olungenamkhawulo nomzimba oklanyelwe ukuphila phakade uma kwakungahlosiwe ukuba siphile phakade?
14. (a) Abalobi beBhayibheli bakhomba kusiphi isiphetho mayelana nokuphila komuntu? (b) Kungani kufanele sethembele kuNkulunkulu, hhayi kubantu?
14 Khona-ke, yisiphi isiphetho esinengqondo, esivumelana namaqiniso okumelwe sisifinyelele? Akukhona yini ukuthi saklanywa futhi sadalwa uMenzi onamandla onke nohlakaniphile ukuze sikwazi ukuphila phakade? (Jobe 10:8; IHubo 36:9; 100:3; Malaki 2:10; IzEnzo 17:24, 25) Ngakho-ke, akufanele yini senze ngokuhlakanipha ngokulalela umyalo ophefumulelwe womhubi waseBhayibhelini, othi: “Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza”? Kungani kungafanele sethembele kumuntu? Ngoba, njengoba umhubi abhala, “umoya wakhe uyaphuma, yena abuyele emhlabathini wakhe; ngalona lolo suku amacebo akhe ayaphela.” Yebo, nakuba kungenzeka ukuba abantu baphile phakade, akukho abangakwenza lapho ukufa sekufikile. Umhubi uphetha ngokuthi: “Ubusisiwe yena . . . othemba lakhe likuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe.”—IHubo 146:3-5.
Ingabe Kuyinjongo KaNkulunkulu Ngempela?
15. Yini ebonisa ukuthi kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba siphile phakade?
15 Kodwa ungase ubuze, Ingabe kuyinjongo kaJehova ngempela ukuba sijabulele ukuphila okuphakade? Yebo kuyiyo! IZwi lakhe likuthembisa kaningi lokhu. IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa: “Isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo siwukuphila okumi phakade.” Inceku kaNkulunkulu uJohane yabhala: “Yilena into ethenjisiwe asithembisa yona [uNkulunkulu] ngokwakhe, ukuphila okumi phakade.” Akumangalisi ukuthi insizwa ethile yabuza uJesu: “Mfundisi, buhle buni okumelwe ngibenze ukuze ngithole ukuphila okumi phakade?” (Roma 6:23; 1 Johane 2:25; Mathewu 19:16) Eqinisweni, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ‘ngethemba lokuphila okumi phakade lokho uNkulunkulu, ongenakuqamba amanga, akuthembisa ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimiyo njalo.’—Thithu 1:2.
16. Kungamuphi umqondo okungenzeka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wathembisa ngawo ukuphila okumi phakade “ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimiyo njalo”?
16 Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuphila okuphakade “ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimiyo njalo”? Abanye bacabanga ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wayesho ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba kudalwe umbhangqwana wokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, uNkulunkulu wayesenenjongo yokuba abantu baphile phakade. Nokho, uma uPawulu ayebhekisele esikhathini sangemva kokudalwa kwabantu, lapho uJehova asho khona injongo yakhe, khona-ke kusobala ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu ihlanganisa nokuphila kwabantu phakade.
17. Kungani u-Adamu no-Eva baxoshwa ensimini yase-Edene, futhi kungani kwabekwa amakherubi endleleni engenayo?
17 IBhayibheli lithi ensimini yase-Edene, “uJehova uNkulunkulu wahlumisa emhlabathini . . . [umuthi] wokuphila.” Isizathu esanikezwa sokuxoshwa kuka-Adamu ensimini sasiwukuba “angeluli isandla sakhe, athathe nakuwo umuthi wokuphila, adle, aphile”—yebo, kuze kube phakade! Ngemva kokuxosha u-Adamu no-Eva ensimini yase-Edene, uJehova wabeka “amakherubi kanye nenkemba yelangabi ephenduphendukayo, ilinde indlela eya emthini wokuphila.”—Genesise 2:9; 3:22-24.
18. (a) Kwakuyosho ukuthini ngo-Adamu no-Eva ukudla emthini wokuphila? (b) Ukudla kulowo muthi kwakumelelani?
18 Ukube u-Adamu no-Eva babevunyelwe ukuba badle kulowo muthi wokuphila, kwakuzokwenzekani kubo? Phela babeyothola ilungelo lokuphila phakade ePharadesi! Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sathi: “Kumelwe ukuba umuthi wokuphila wawunamandla athile ayeyovikela umzimba womuntu ebuthakathakeni bokuguga, noma ekuwohlokeni okusiphetho sako siwukufa.” Saze sasho nokuthi “epharadesi kwakunekhambi elinamandla elalikwazi ukulwa nemiphumela” yokuguga. Nokho, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi umuthi wokuphila ngokwawo wawunamandla okunikeza ukuphila. Kunalokho, lowo muthi wawumane umelela isiqinisekiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okumi phakade kulowo owayeyovunyelwa ukuba adle isithelo sawo.—IsAmbulo 2:7.
Injongo KaNkulunkulu Ayishintshanga
19. Kungani u-Adamu afa, futhi kungani nathi nzalo yakhe sifa?
19 Lapho u-Adamu ona, walahla ilungelo lokuba yena nayo yonke inzalo yakhe eyayingakazalwa bathole ukuphila okumi phakade. (Genesise 2:17) Lapho eba yisoni ngenxa yokungalaleli kwakhe, wonakala, waba ongaphelele. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, kwafana nokuthi umzimba ka-Adamu usuklanyelwe ukufa, njengoba kusho iBhayibheli: “Inkokhelo isono esiyikhokhayo iwukufa.” (Roma 6:23) Ngaphezu kwalokho, inzalo ka-Adamu engaphelele kwafana nokuthi nayo isiklanyelwe ukufa, hhayi ukuphila phakade. IBhayibheli liyachaza: “Ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.”—Roma 5:12.
20. Yini ebonisa ukuthi abantu babehloselwe ukuphila phakade emhlabeni?
20 Kodwa kwakuyokwenzekani ukube u-Adamu akonanga? Kwakuyoba njani ukube walalela uNkulunkulu futhi wanikezwa imvume yokudla emthini wokuphila? Wayeyosijabulelaphi isipho sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okumi phakade? Ezulwini? Cha! UNkulunkulu akashongo lutho ngokuthi u-Adamu wayeyoyiswa ezulwini. Umsebenzi ayabelwe ukuwenza wawulá emhlabeni. IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi “uJehova uNkulunkulu wahlumisa emhlabathini imithi yonke ebukekayo, emihle, edliwayo,” futhi lithi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wayesemthatha umuntu, wambeka ensimini yase-Edene ukuba ayilime, ayigcine.” (Genesise 2:9, 15) Ngemva kokuba kudalwe u-Eva ukuba abe umngane ka-Adamu, bobabili banikezwa izabelo zomsebenzi owengeziwe lá emhlabeni. UNkulunkulu wabatshela: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise umhlaba, niwunqobe, nibuse phezu kwezinhlanzi zolwandle, nezinyoni zezulu, nezilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni.”—Genesise 1:28.
21. Yimaphi amathemba amahle abantu bokuqala ababenawo?
21 Cabanga ngamathuba amahle asemhlabeni lezo ziyalezo ezivela kuNkulunkulu ezawavulela u-Adamu no-Eva! Babezokhulisa amadodana namadodakazi anempilo ephelele ePharadesi lasemhlabeni. Njengoba izingane zabo abazithandayo zikhula, nazo zaziyozala futhi zenze kanye nabo umsebenzi omnandi wasengadini wokulondoloza lelo Pharadesi. Njengoba zonke izilwane zaziyobathobela, abantu babeyokwaneliseka kakhulu. Cabanga ngenjabulo yokunweba imingcele yensimu yase-Edene ukuze ekugcineni wonke umhlaba ube yipharadesi! Ubungakujabulela yini ukuphila ekhaya lasemhlabeni elihle kanjalo unezingane eziphelele, ungakhathazwa ukuguga nokufa? Vumela imizwa engokwemvelo yenhliziyo yakho kube yiyo ephendula lo mbuzo.
22. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu akayishintshanga injongo yakhe ngomhlaba?
22 Nokho-ke, lapho u-Adamu no-Eva bengalaleli futhi bexoshwa ensimini yase-Edene, ingabe uNkulunkulu wayishintsha injongo yakhe yokuba abantu baphile phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni? Lutho neze! Ukube uNkulunkulu wenza kanjalo kwakuyobe kuwukuvuma ukuthi wehlulekile ukufeza injongo yakhe yokuqala. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwenza akuthembisayo, njengoba esho ngokwakhe: “Liyakuba njalo izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami: aliyikubuyela ze kimi, lingakafezi lokhu engikufunayo, liphumelele kulokhu engilithumele kukho.”—Isaya 55:11.
23. (a) Yini eqinisekisa nakakhulu ukuthi kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abathambekele ekulungeni baphile phakade emhlabeni? (b) Yini esizoxoxa ngayo ngokulandelayo?
23 Ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba ayishintshile kuvezwe ngokucacile eBhayibhelini, lapho uNkulunkulu ethembisa khona, ethi: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” Ngisho noJesu Kristu eNtshumayelweni yakhe edumile yaseNtabeni wathi abamnene bayozuza umhlaba njengefa. (IHubo 37:29; Mathewu 5:5) Nokho, singakuthola kanjani ukuphila okuphakade, futhi kumelwe senzeni ukuze sijabulele ukuphila okunjalo? Lokhu kuzoxoxwa ngako esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani abaningi bekholelwa ukuthi kungenzeka ukuphila phakade?
◻ Yini okufanele isikholise ukuthi sasihloselwe ukuphila phakade?
◻ Yayiyini injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ngesintu nangomhlaba?
◻ Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyoyifeza injongo yakhe yokuqala?