Ingabe Ukufa Kuwukuphela Ngempela?

CISHE ayikho enye indaba edidayo futhi ebeleselayo njengombuzo wokuthi kwenzekani ngemva kokufa. Sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka izihlakaniphi kuyo yonke imiphakathi zizibuza lo mbuzo. Kodwa amafilosofi abantu nocwaningo lwezesayensi kuveze inqwaba yemibono nezinganekwane.

Kuthiwani ngezimfundiso ezitholakala eBhayibhelini? Uma kuziwa endabeni yokufa nokuphila ngemva kokufa, abanye bangase bathi iBhayibheli nalo liyadida. Nokho, uma sikhuluma iqiniso kufanele sivume ukuthi ukudideka kubangelwe izinkolo eziningi eziye zadunga amanzi acwebile ezimfundiso zeBhayibheli ngamanga nangezinganekwane. Uma ungazinaki izindlela zabantu zokuphila nezinganekwane futhi unamathela kulokho okushiwo yiBhayibheli ngempela, uthola imfundiso enengqondo nenikeza ithemba.

Ngaphambi Kokuba Ube Khona

Ngokwesibonelo, ake sicabangele izingcaphuno ezimbili zeNkosi uSolomoni ezisesihlokweni esandulele. Leyo mibhalo ikwenza kucace ukuthi okufileyo—kokubili abantu nezilwane—akwazi lutho nhlobo. Ngakho-ke, ngokweBhayibheli, akukho msebenzi, ukuzwa, umzwelo, noma ukucabanga ekufeni.—UmShumayeli 9:5, 6, 10.

Ingabe kunzima ukukukholelwa lokhu? Cabanga: Siyini isimo somuntu ngaphambi kokuba aphile? Wawukuphi ngaphambi kokuba amangqamuzana amancane avela kubazali bakho ahlangane akhe umuntu onguye? Ukube umuntu ubenento ethile engabonakali esindayo ekufeni, isuke ikuphi leyo nto ngaphambi kokuba akheke esibelethweni? Iqiniso liwukuthi akukho ukuphila kwangaphambi kokuba umuntu ongase ukukhumbule. Ngaphambi kokuba wakheke esibelethweni, wawungekho. Kulula kanjalo nje.

Ngakho kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi lapho sifa sibuyela esimweni esifana ncamashí naleso esasikuso ngaphambi kokuba siphile. Kunjengoba uNkulunkulu atshela u-Adamu ngemva kokungamlaleli: “Ngoba uluthuli, uyobuyela othulini.” (Genesise 3:19) Ngalowo mqondo, umuntu akahlukile esilwaneni. Ngokuqondene nesimo sabafileyo, kunjengoba nje iBhayibheli lisho: “Umuntu akaphakeme ngalutho ngaphezu kwesilwane.”—UmShumayeli 3:19, 20.

Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ukuphila kwabantu kulinganiselwe ekuphileni amashumi ambalwa eminyaka bese kulandela ukuba yize phakade? Noma ingabe likhona ithemba ngabafileyo? Cabangela okulandelayo.

Isifiso Esingokwemvelo Sokuphila

Cishe wonke umuntu ucabanga ngokufa njengendaba engathandeki. Abantu abaningi babonakala bekugwema ukukhuluma ngokufa kwabo noma ngisho ukucabanga ngakho. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, bagxishwa ngezithombe zamabhayisikobho nezethelevishini zabantu abafa ngazo zonke izindlela ongazicabanga nangezindaba nezithombe eziveza abantu befa ngempela.

Ngenxa yalokho, ukufa kwabantu esingabazi kungase kubonakale kuyingxenye evamile yokuphila. Kodwa, uma kuziwa ekufeni kothandekayo noma kwethu uqobo, kuba yinto engavamile. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi abantu banesifiso esijulile esingokwemvelo sokuphila. Siphinde sibe nomuzwa ojulile wesikhathi nephakade. INkosi uSolomoni yabhala ukuthi uNkulunkulu “utshale ubuphakade ezinhliziyweni zabantu.” (UmShumayeli 3:11, The Amplified Bible) Ngaphansi kwezimo ezivamile sifuna ukuqhubeka siphila phakade. Sifuna ukuphila okungapheli. Azikho izimpawu ezikhombisa ukuthi izilwane zinesifiso esinjalo. Ziphila zingenawo nhlobo umbono wekusasa.

Ikhono Lomuntu Elingenakuqhathaniswa

Abantu abafisi nje ukuphila unomphela kuphela kodwa bananekhono lokuzigcina bematasa futhi besebenza phakade. Kubonakala kungenamkhawulo wekhono lokufunda kumuntu. Kuthiwa akukho lutho endalweni olungaqhathaniswa nobuchopho bomuntu ngokuphathelene nokuba yinkimbinkimbi nekhono labo lokuzivuselela. Ngokungafani nezilwane, sinezingqondo ezikwazi ukucabanga nokuqonda izinto ezithile. Ososayensi abakakhi ngisho phezulu uma kuziwa ekuqondeni ikhono lokusebenza kobuchopho bomuntu.

Ingxenye enkulu yaleli khono iqhubeka ikhona njengoba umuntu ekhula. Ochwepheshe bokusebenza kwezinzwa basanda kwazi nje ukuthi ingxenye enkulu yokusebenza kobuchopho ayiphazanyiswa inqubo yokuguga. Abacwaningi abasebenza eCenter for Innovation in Science Learning e-Franklin Institute bayachaza: “Ubuchopho bomuntu buyakwazi ukuqhubeka buzivumelanisa nezimo futhi buzihlele kabusha. Ngisho nasekugugeni, buyakwazi ukwenza amangqamuzana ezinzwa amasha. Ukuwohloka okukhulu kwengqondo ngokuvamile kubangelwa isifo esithile, kuyilapho ngokuvamile ukulahlekelwa yinkumbulo noma yikhono lokwenza izinto ezithile ngenxa yokukhula kubangelwa ukungenzi lutho kanye nokungayisebenzisi ingqondo.”

Ngamanye amazwi, ukube besingagcina ubuchopho bethu busebenza futhi bungenazo izifo, bebungaqhubeka busebenza unomphela. UJames Watson oyisazi sokwakheka kwamangqamuzana futhi ongomunye wabantu abathola ukwakheka kwe-DNA, uthi: “‘Ubuchopho,’ bungenye yezinto eziyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu esesike sazithola endaweni yonke.” Incwadi yesazi sokusebenza kwezinzwa uGerald Edelman iyachaza ukuthi ingxenye yobuchopho elingana nekhanda likamentshisi “inamangqamuzana ezinzwa angaba yizinkulungwane eziyisigidi angahlangana ngezindlela ezingachazeki—okuyinani eliyishumi elilandelwa izigidigidi zamaguncu.”

Ingabe kubonakala kunengqondo ukuthi nakuba abantu benekhono elingaka, kufanele baphile amashumi eminyaka ambalwa? Lokhu kuzwakala kungenangqondo njengokusebenzisa isitimela esinamandla esinezinqola eziningi ukuthutha uhlamvu lwenhlabathi ibanga elingamasentimitha nje ambalwa! Pho, kungani isintu sinekhono elikhulu kangaka lokusebenzisa ingqondo nokufunda? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi ngokungafani nezilwane, abantu akufanele bafe nhlobo—ukuthi babedalelwe ukuphila phakade?

Ithemba Elivela KuNkulunkulu Wokuphila

Iqiniso lokuthi sinesifiso sokuphila esingokwemvelo kanye nekhono elikhulu lokufunda liholela kulesi siphetho esinengqondo: Abantu baklanyelwe ukuphila isikhathi esingaphezu nje kweminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80. Lokhu nakho kusiholela kwesinye isiphetho: Kumelwe ukuba kukhona uMklami, uMdali, uNkulunkulu. Imithetho engaguquki yendawo yonke kanye nobunkimbinkimbi obungenakulinganiswa bokuphila emhlabeni kuyisekela ngokugcwele inkolelo yokuba khona koMdali.

Empeleni, uma uNkulunkulu asidala sinekhono lokuphila phakade, kungani sifa? Futhi kwenzekani ngemva kokufa? Ingabe kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuvusa abafileyo babuye baphile? Kubonakala kunengqondo ukuthi uNkulunkulu ohlakaniphile nonamandla angasinikeza izimpendulo zale mibuzo, futhi ukwenzile lokho. Cabangela okulandelayo:

◼ Ukufa kwakungeyona ingxenye yenjongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngesintu. Amazwi okuqala aphathelene nokufa eBhayibhelini abonisa ukuthi ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wayengahlosile ukuba abantu bafe. Umlando weBhayibheli kaGenesise uchaza ukuthi ukuze anikeze umbhangqwana wokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, ithuba lokubonisa uthando nokwethembeka kwawo, uNkulunkulu wawunika isivivinyo esilula. Sasiphathelene nokwenqatshelwa ukudla emthini othile. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngosuku oyodla ngalo kuwo uyokufa nokufa.” (Genesise 2:17) U-Adamu no-Eva babeyokufa kuphela uma bevukela, ngokwenza kanjalo bahlulwe isivivinyo. Umlando weBhayibheli wembula ukuthi abazange bathembeke kuNkulunkulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho bafa. Ngale ndlela, ukungapheleli nokufa kwangena emkhayeni wesintu.

◼ IBhayibheli lifanisa ukufa nokulala. Likhuluma ‘ngokulala ekufeni.’ (IHubo 13:3) Ngaphambi kokuba avuse umngane wakhe uLazaru, uJesu wachazela abaphostoli bakhe: “ULazaru umngane wethu uye kophumula, kodwa ngiya khona ukuze ngimvuse ebuthongweni.” Futhi yilokho kanye uJesu akwenza! IBhayibheli lithi lapho ememeza, “lo muntu [uLazaru] owayefile waphuma [ethuneni]”—ephila saka futhi!—Johane 11:11, 38-44.

Kungani uJesu athi kuwukulala? Ngenxa yokuthi umuntu olele akenzi lutho. Lapho umuntu ezumekile, akazi ukuthi kwenzekani endaweni emzungezile noma ukuthi yisikhathi sini. Abukho ubuhlungu noma ukuhlupheka. Ngokufanayo, awukho umsebenzi noma ukwazi ekufeni. Kodwa akugcini lapho. Lapho umuntu elele, kulindeleke ukuba avuke. Futhi yilelo kanye ithemba iBhayibheli elilinika abafileyo.

UMdali ngokwakhe uyathembisa: “Ngizobakhulula esandleni seShiyoli [ithuna elivamile]; ngizobophula ekufeni. O Kufa, ziphi izindosi zakho? O Shiyoli, kuphi ukubhubhisa kwakho?” (Hoseya 13:14) Esinye isiprofetho seBhayibheli sithi uNkulunkulu “empeleni uyogwinya ukufa kuze kube phakade, iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngokuqinisekile iyosula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke.” (Isaya 25:8) Le nqubo yokubuyisela abafileyo ekuphileni kuthiwa uvuko.

◼ Abafileyo bayophila kuphi? Njengoba sekuchaziwe ngenhla, abantu banesifiso esingokwemvelo sokuphila unomphela. Ungathanda ukuphila kuphi phakade? Bekungakwenelisa yini ukwazi ukuthi ngemva kokufa uyoqhubeka uphila njengengxenye yamandla athile angabonakali, njengoba ezinye izinkolo zifundisa? Ubungathanda yini ukuqhubeka uphila njengomuntu ohlukile, ungakhumbuli lutho ngalokho owawuyikho ngaphambi kokuba ufe? Ingabe kuyakukhanga ukubuya uzophila njengesilwane noma isihlahla? Uma kungathiwa khetha, ubungathanda ngempela ukuphila ezweni elingenalutho nje abantu emhlabeni abalwaziyo nabalujabulelayo?

Ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanele, ubungeke yini uthande ukuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi? IBhayibheli linikeza lona kanye lelo themba, okuwukuthi, ukuphila phakade lapha emhlabeni. UNkulunkulu wawudalela leyo njongo umhlaba—ukuba wakhiwe abantu abayomthanda futhi bamkhonze phakade ngenjabulo. Yingakho iBhayibheli lithi: “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.”—IHubo 37:29; Isaya 45:18; 65:21-24.

◼ Uvuko luyokwenzeka nini? Iqiniso lokuthi ukufa kufaniswa nokulala libonisa ukuthi ngokuvamile uvuko alwenzeki ngemva nje kokufa. Kuba nenkathi “yokulala” phakathi kokufa novuko. EBhayibhelini, indoda okuthiwa uJobe yabuza lo mbuzo: “Uma indoda enamandla ifa ingabuye iphile futhi?” Yabe isiphendula: “Ngiyolinda [ethuneni], . . . kuze kufike impumuzo yami. [UNkulunkulu] uyobiza, futhi mina [ngiyophendula].” (Jobe 14:14, 15) Yeka injabulo okuyoba yiyo lapho leso sikhathi sifika futhi abafileyo behlanganiswa nabathandekayo babo!

Asikho Isidingo Sokwesaba Okukhwantabalisayo

Kuyavunywa ukuthi ithemba elinikezwa yiBhayibheli alikususi konke ukwesaba ukufa. Kungokwemvelo ukuba nexhala ngobuhlungu nokucindezeleka ngezinye izikhathi okwandulela ukufa. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi ungase ube novalo lokushonelwa othandekayo. Kanti uma usaba imiphumela edabukisayo ukufa kwakho okungase kube nayo kwabathandekayo bakho, lokhu kungokwemvelo.

Noma kunjalo, ngokwambula isimo sangempela sabafileyo, iBhayibheli lisisiza ukuba silahle konke ukwesaba okukhwantabalisayo ngokufa. Asikho isidingo sokwesaba ukuhlukunyezwa amademoni esihogweni esivuthayo ngemva kokufa. Asikho isidingo sokwesaba indawo yezipoki esabekayo lapho imiphefumulo izulazula khona. Futhi akudingeki ukuba ube novalo lokuthi ikusasa lakho liyoba isimo saphakade sokungabi khona. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu unenkumbulo engenamkhawulo, futhi uthembisa ukuthi bonke abafileyo abasenkumbulweni yakhe uyobabuyisela ekuphileni lapha emhlabeni. IBhayibheli liqinisekisa lokhu ngala mazwi: “UNkulunkulu weqiniso, kithi unguNkulunkulu wezenzo zokusindisa; izindlela zokuphuma ekufeni zingezikaJehova iNkosi EnguMbusi.”—IHubo 68:20.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

“Ngoba uluthuli, uyobuyela othulini.”—Genesise 3:19

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

“[UNkulunkulu] utshale ubuphakade ezinhliziyweni zabantu.”—UmShumayeli 3:11, The Amplified Bible

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 8]

IMIBUZO YAKHO MAYELANA NOKUFA IYAPHENDULWA

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kunemibuzo ephathelene nokufa novuko okungashiwongo lutho ngayo kulezi zihloko. Abaningi baye bathola izimpendulo ezanelisayo zale mibuzo ngokutadisha iBhayibheli ngokucophelela noFakazi BakaJehova. Sikukhuthaza ukuba wenze okufanayo. Ngezansi kunemibuzo nje embalwa ozothola izimpendulo zayo:

◼ Lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli ngenkulumo ethi “isihogo” nethi “ichibi lomlilo”?

◼ Uma isihogo somlilo singekho, abantu ababi bajeziswa kanjani?

◼ NgokweBhayibheli, umoya ushiya umzimba ekufeni. Uyini lowo moya?

◼ Kungani kunemibiko eminingi kangaka yabantu abakhuluma nabafileyo?

◼ Iyini incazelo yegama elithi “umphefumulo” eBhayibhelini?

◼ Kuyokwenzeka nini ukuvuselwa emhlabeni oyipharadesi?

◼ Ingabe bonke abafayo bayovuswa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi baziphathe ngayiphi indlela besaphila?

Siza ubheke ikhasi lokugcina lalo magazini ukuze uthole ukuthi ungayithola kanjani impendulo ecacile esekelwe eBhayibhelini yale mibuzo.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

UJesu wathi wayezele ‘ukuzovusa uLazaru ebuthongweni’

[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Cabanga ngenjabulo eyoba khona lapho abathandekayo abafileyo bevuswa ekufeni!