Ukuphila Okuphakade Emhlabeni—Ithemba Esilinikwe UNkulunkulu
“Indalo yabekwa ngaphansi kobuze . . . ngesisekelo sethemba.”—ROMA 8:20.
1, 2. (a) Kungani ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni libalulekile kithi? (b) Kungani abantu abaningi bekungabaza ukuthi umuntu angaphila phakade emhlabeni?
MHLAWUMBE uyakhumbula ukuthi wajabula kanjani lapho uqala ukuzwa ukuthi esikhathini esingeside esizayo abantu ngeke besaguga futhi bafe kodwa bayophila phakade emhlabeni. (Joh. 17:3; IsAm. 21:3, 4) Cishe uye wakujabulela ukutshela abanye ngaleli themba elisemiBhalweni. Kakade, ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni liwumgogodla wezindaba ezinhle esizishumayelayo. Lilolonga umbono wethu ngokuphila.
2 Iningi lezinkolo zeLobukholwa liye lalishaya indiva ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Nakuba iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi umphefumulo uyafa, iningi lamasonto lifundisa imfundiso engekho emiBhalweni yokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi ophumayo lapho umuntu efa futhi uqhubeke uphila endaweni yomoya. (Hez. 18:20) Ngenxa yalokhu, abantu abaningi bayakungabaza ukuthi umuntu angaphila phakade emhlabeni. Ngakho singase sibuze: Ingabe ngempela iBhayibheli liyafundisa ngaleli themba? Uma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu walembula nini okokuqala kubantu?
“Yabekwa Ngaphansi Kobuze . . . Ngesisekelo Sethemba”
3. Injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomuntu yaba sobala kanjani kwasekuqaleni komlando wabantu?
3 UJehova wayenza yaba sobala injongo yakhe ngesintu khona kanye ekuqaleni komlando wabantu. Wabonisa ngokucacile ukuthi u-Adamu wayeyophila phakade uma ayelalela. (Gen. 2:9, 17; 3:22) Cishe inzalo ka-Adamu yokuqala yazi ngokuwela komuntu esonweni, njengoba kwakunobufakazi obubonakalayo balokho. Indlela engena ensimini yase-Edene yayivinjiwe nabantu babeguga futhi befa. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isikhathi sokuphila komuntu sancipha. U-Adamu waphila iminyaka engu-930. UShemi owasinda kuZamcolo waphila engu-600 kuphela, kanti indodana yakhe u-Arpakishade yaphila engu-438. Uyise ka-Abrahama, uThera, waphila engu-205. U-Abrahama waphila iminyaka engu-175, u-Isaka waphila engu-180 futhi uJakobe waphila engu-147. (Gen. 5:5; 11:10-13, 32; 25:7; 35:28; 47:28) Kumelwe ukuba abantu abaningi baqaphela ukuthi lokhu kuncipha kwesikhathi sokuphila kwakusho ukuthini—umuntu wayelilahlile ithuba lokuphila phakade! Babenalo yini ithemba lokuthi kungabuye kutholakale?
4. Amadoda okholo asendulo ayenasiphi isisekelo sokukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyozibuyisela izibusiso ezalahlwa u-Adamu?
4 IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Indalo [engabantu] yabekwa ngaphansi kobuze . . . ngesisekelo sethemba.” (Roma 8:20) Liphi ithemba? Isiprofetho sokuqala ngqá eBhayibhelini sakhuluma ‘ngenzalo eyayiyolimaza inyoka ekhanda.’ (Funda uGenesise 3:1-5, 15.) Isithembiso saleyo Nzalo sanikeza abantu abathembekile isisekelo sokwethemba ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengeke ayiyeke injongo yakhe ngesintu. Sanika amadoda anjengo-Abela noNowa isizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyozibuyisela izibusiso ezalahlwa u-Adamu. Kungenzeka ukuthi la madoda aqaphela ukuthi ‘ukulinyazwa kwenzalo esithendeni’ kwakuyohilela ukuchitheka kwegazi.—Gen. 4:4; 8:20; Heb. 11:4.
5. Yini ebonisa ukuthi u-Abrahama wayenokholo ovukweni?
5 Cabanga ngo-Abrahama. Lapho evivinywa, ‘kwafana nokuthi wanikela ngo-Isaka, indodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa.’ (Heb. 11:17) Kungani ayezimisele ukwenza lokhu? (Funda amaHebheru 11:19.) Wayekholelwa ovukweni! Ukukholelwa kwakhe ovukweni kwakunesisekelo. Kakade, uJehova wayebuyisele amandla ka-Abrahama okuzala futhi wenza ukuba yena nomkakhe uSara bakwazi ukuzala indodana sebegugile. (Gen. 18:10-14; 21:1-3; Roma 4:19-21) U-Abrahama wayenanesithembiso sikaJehova. UNkulunkulu wayethe kuye: “Lokho okuyobizwa ngokuthi yinzalo yakho kuyoba khona ngo-Isaka.” (Gen. 21:12) Ngakho, u-Abrahama wayenezizathu eziqinile zokulindela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezomvusa u-Isaka.
6, 7. (a) Isiphi isivumelwano uJehova asenza no-Abrahama? (b) Isithembiso uJehova asenza ku-Abrahama sasinikeza kanjani isintu ithemba?
6 Ngenxa yokholo luka-Abrahama oluvelele, uJehova wenza naye isivumelwano ngokuphathelene nenzalo yakhe. (Funda uGenesise 22:18.) Ingxenye eyinhloko yale “nzalo” yaba nguJesu Kristu. (Gal. 3:16) UJehova wayetshele u-Abrahama ukuthi “inzalo” yakhe yayiyokwanda “ibe ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu nangangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle”—inani u-Abrahama ayengalazi. (Gen. 22:17) Nokho, kamuva lelo nani lembulwa. Le “nzalo” yakhiwa uJesu Kristu nabangu-144 000, abayobusa naye eMbusweni wakhe. (Gal. 3:29; IsAm. 7:4; 14:1) UMbuso kaMesiya uyindlela ‘zonke izizwe zomhlaba eziyobusiswa ngayo.’
7 Cishe akunakwenzeka ukuthi u-Abrahama wakuqonda ngokugcwele okwakushiwo isivumelwano uJehova ayesenze naye. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli lithi “wayelindele umuzi onezisekelo zangempela.” (Heb. 11:10) Lowo muzi, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ukuze athole izibusiso zalowo Mbuso, kuzodingeka ukuba aphinde aphile. Ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni uzokuthola ngovuko. Abayosinda e-Armagedoni noma abayovuswa kwabafileyo bayokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—IsAm. 7:9, 14; 20:12-14.
“Umoya Ungicindezele”
8, 9. Kungani incwadi kaJobe ingekona nje ukulandisa ngezilingo ezehlela umuntu oyedwa?
8 Phakathi nenkathi ephakathi kokuphila komzukulu ka-Abrahama, uJosefa, nomprofethi uMose, kwakukhona indoda okuthiwa uJobe. Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaJobe, cishe eyabhalwa uMose, ichaza ukuthi kungani uJehova avumela ukuba uJobe ahlupheke nokuthi kwaphelelaphi. Nokho, injongo yencwadi kaJobe ayikona nje ukusitshela ngezilingo ezehlela umuntu oyedwa; igxila ezimpikiswaneni ezibaluleke endaweni yonke. Le ncwadi isenza siqonde ukulunga kukaJehova endleleni asebenzisa ngayo ubukhosi bakhe, futhi yembula ukuthi impikiswano eyaphakanyiswa e-Edene ithinta ubuqotho namathemba okuphila azo zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni. Nakuba uJobe ayengayiqondi le mpikiswano, akazange avumele abangane bakhe abathathu bamenze acabange ukuthi akazange agcine ubuqotho. (Jobe 27:5) Lokhu kufanele kuqinise ukholo lwethu futhi kusenze siqaphele ukuthi singabugcina ubuqotho futhi simelele ubukhosi bukaJehova.
9 Ngemva kokuba laba baduduzi mbumbulu bakaJobe abathathu beqedile ukukhuluma, “u-Elihu indodana kaBharakeli umBuzi waphendula.” Yini eyamshukumisela ukuba akhulume? Wathi: “Ngigcwele amazwi; umoya ungicindezele esiswini sami.” (Jobe 32:5, 6, 18) Nakuba lokho u-Elihu akusho ngokuphefumulelwa kwagcwaliseka lapho uJobe evuzwa, amazwi akhe ayasebenza nakwabanye. Anikeza bonke abagcina ubuqotho ithemba.
10. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi umyalezo kaJehova oqondiswe kothile usebenza nasesintwini sonke?
10 Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova unikeza umuntu umyalezo oqondiswe nasesintwini sisonke. Lokhu singakubona esiprofethweni sikaDaniyeli sephupho lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinesari eliphathelene nokugawulwa komuthi omkhulu. (Dan. 4:10-27) Nakuba lelo phupho lagcwaliseka kuNebukhadinesari, lalibhekisela kokuthile okukhulu nakakhulu. Labonisa ukuthi ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu emhlabeni, obabumelelwa umbuso wohlu lozalo lweNkosi uDavide, babuyophinde bube khona ngemva kweminyaka engu-2 520, eqala ngo-607 B.C.E.a Ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu emhlabeni baqala ukubonakaliswa kabusha lapho uJesu Kristu ebekwa njengeNkosi yasezulwini ngo-1914. Cabanga nje ngendlela lo Mbuso maduze ozowagcwalisa ngayo amathemba esintu esilalelayo!
“Mkhulule Ukuze Angehleli Egodini!”
11. Amazwi ka-Elihu abonisani ngoNkulunkulu?
11 Lapho ephendula uJobe, u-Elihu ukhuluma ‘ngesithunywa, umkhulumeli, oyedwa enkulungwaneni, esizotshela umuntu ngobuqotho bakhe.’ Kwenzekani uma lesi sithunywa ‘sincenga uNkulunkulu ukuba ajabule ngaye’? U-Elihu uthi: “[UNkulunkulu] uba nomusa kuye athi, ‘Mkhulule ukuze angehleli egodini! Ngitholé isihlengo! Inyama yakhe mayibe ntsha kunasebusheni; makabuyele ezinsukwini zobungqabavu bobusha bakhe.’” (Jobe 33:23-26) Lawo mazwi abonisa ukuzimisela kukaNkulunkulu ukwamukela “isihlengo,” noma isembozo, sabantu abaphendukayo.—Jobe 33:24.
12. Iliphi ithemba amazwi ka-Elihu alinikeza isintu sisonke?
12 Cishe u-Elihu akazange akuqonde ngokugcwele okwakushiwo isihlengo, njengoba nje nabaprofethi bengazange bakuqonde konke abakubhala. (Dan. 12:8; 1 Pet. 1:10-12) Noma kunjalo, amazwi ka-Elihu abonisa ithemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga uNkulunkulu uyokwamukela isihlengo futhi akhulule isintu ekugugeni nasekufeni. Amazwi ka-Elihu amumethe ithemba elimangalisayo lokuphila okuphakade. Incwadi kaJobe ibonisa nokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko.—Jobe 14:14, 15.
13. Amazwi ka-Elihu awathinta kanjani amaKristu?
13 Namuhla, amazwi ka-Elihu ayaqhubeka ethinta izigidi zamaKristu anethemba lokusinda lapho kubhujiswa lesi simiso sezinto. Lawo asekhulile aphakathi kwabayosinda ayobuyela ezinsukwini zobungqabavu bobusha bawo. (IsAm. 7:9, 10, 14-17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ithemba lokubona abavusiwe bebuyiselwa ebusheni babo liyaqhubeka lijabulisa abantu abathembekile. Yebo, kokubili ukuphila okungenakufa kwamaKristu agcotshiwe ezulwini nokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni ‘kwezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu kuxhomeke ekuboniseni ukholo emhlatshelweni kaKristu wesihlengo.—Joh. 10:16; Roma 6:23.
Ukufa Kugwinyiwe Emhlabeni
14. Yini ebonisa ukuthi kwakudingeka okungaphezu koMthetho kaMose ukuze ama-Israyeli abe nethemba lokuphila phakade?
14 Inzalo ka-Abrahama yaba isizwe esizimele lapho ingena ebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noNkulunkulu. Lapho eyinikeza uMthetho, uJehova wathi: “Kumelwe nigcine izimiso zami nezinqumo zami zokwahlulela, okuyothi uma umuntu ezenza, aphile ngazo.” (Lev. 18:5) Nokho, njengoba engakwazanga ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zoMthetho eziphelele, ama-Israyeli alahlwa uMthetho futhi kwadingeka ukuba akhululwe kulokho kulahlwa.—Gal. 3:13.
15. UDavide waphefumulelwa ukuba alobe ngasiphi isibusiso sesikhathi esizayo?
15 Ngemva kukaMose, uJehova waphefumulela nabanye abalobi beBhayibheli ukuba bakhulume ngethemba lokuphila phakade. (IHu. 21:4; 37:29) Ngokwesibonelo, umhubi uDavide waphetha ihubo elikhuluma ngobunye babakhulekeli beqiniso eZiyoni ngala mazwi: “UJehova wayala ukuba isibusiso sibe lapho, yebo ukuphila kuze kube nini nanini.”—IHu. 133:3.
16. Esebenzisa u-Isaya, yini uJehova ayithembisa ngekusasa lawo “wonke umhlaba”?
16 UJehova waphefumulela u-Isaya ukuba aprofethe ngokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. (Funda u-Isaya 25:7, 8.) ‘Njengesigubuzelo’ esikuncisha umoya, isono nokufa kuye kwasicindezela kakhulu isintu. UJehova uqinisekisa abantu bakhe ukuthi isono nokufa kuyogwinywa noma kususwe “kuwo wonke umhlaba.”
17. Iyiphi indima kaMesiya engokwesiprofetho evula indlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade?
17 Cabanga nangenqubo eyayiseMthethweni KaMose maqondana nembuzi ka-Azazeli. Kanye ngonyaka, ngoSuku Lokubuyisana, umpristi ophakeme ‘wayebeka izandla zakhe zombili phezu kwenhloko yembuzi ephilayo avume phezu kwayo zonke iziphambeko zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, azibeke phezu kwenhloko yembuzi, futhi le mbuzi yayithwala zonke iziphambeko zabo iye nazo ehlane.’ (Lev. 16:7-10, 21, 22) U-Isaya wabikezela ngokuza kukaMesiya, owayezoba nendima efanayo futhi athwale “ukugula,” “izinhlungu” ‘nesono sabantu abaningi,’ ngaleyo ndlela evula indlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—Funda u-Isaya 53:4-6, 12.
18, 19. Iliphi ithemba eliqokonyiswa ku-Isaya 26:19 nakuDaniyeli 12:13?
18 Esebenzisa u-Isaya, uJehova watshela isizwe sakhe u-Israyeli: “Abafileyo bakho bayophila . . . bayovuka. Phaphamani nikhamuluke ngenjabulo, nina enihlala othulini! Ngoba amazolo akho anjengamazolo ezitshalo zasendle, nomhlabathi ngokwawo uyovumela ukuba labo abangenamandla ekufeni baqathake bezalwa.” (Isaya 26:19) ImiBhalo YesiHebheru inikeza ithemba elicacile lovuko nokuphila emhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uDaniyeli esezohlanganisa iminyaka eyikhulu, uJehova wamqinisekisa: “Uyophumula, kodwa uyosukuma umele isabelo sakho ekupheleni kwezinsuku.”—Dan. 12:13.
19 Ngenxa yethemba lovuko, uMarta wakwazi ukuthi kuJesu ngomfowabo owayefile: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Joh. 11:24) Ingabe izimfundiso zikaJesu nezincwadi eziphefumulelwe ezabhalwa abafundi bakhe zalishintsha leli themba? Ingabe ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni kuseyithemba uJehova alinikeza isintu? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zizocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Bheka isahluko 6 sencwadi ethi Sinake Isiprofetho SikaDaniyeli!
Ungachaza?
• Indalo engabantu “yabekwa ngaphansi kobuze” ngesisekelo saliphi ithemba?
• Yini ebonisa ukuthi u-Abrahama wayenokholo ovukweni?
• Iliphi ithemba amazwi ashiwo u-Elihu kuJobe alinikeza isintu?
• ImiBhalo yesiHebheru iligcizelela kanjani ithemba lovuko nokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Amazwi ashiwo u-Elihu kuJobe anikeza ithemba lokuthi umuntu uyokhululwa ekugugeni nasekufeni
[Isithombe ekhasini 6]
UDaniyeli waqinisekiswa ukuthi ‘wayeyosukuma amele isabelo sakhe ekupheleni kwezinsuku’