Ukuphila Okuphakade Emhlabeni—Ithemba Elaphinde Latholakala
“Wena Daniyeli, yenza la mazwi abe yimfihlo . . . kuze kube isikhathi sokuphela. Abaningi bayozulazula, futhi ulwazi lweqiniso luyoba luningi.”—DAN. 12:4.
1, 2. Imiphi imibuzo ezocatshangelwa kulesi sihloko?
IZIGIDI zabantu namuhla zisiqonda ngokucacile isisekelo esingokomBhalo sethemba lokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni. (IsAm. 7:9, 17) Ekuqaleni komlando wabantu, uNkulunkulu wembula ukuthi umuntu wayengadalelwanga ukuba aphile iminyaka embalwa abese efa, kodwa ukuba aphile phakade.—Gen. 1:26-28.
2 Ithemba u-Israyeli ayenalo lalihlanganisa nokubuyiselwa kwesintu ekupheleleni okwalahlwa u-Adamu. ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ichaza indlela uNkulunkulu azoyisebenzisa ukuze isintu sikwazi ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade ePharadesi emhlabeni. Pho kungani kwakudingeka ukuba ithemba lomuntu liphinde litholakale? Lacaciswa kanjani futhi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba izigidi zazi ngalo?
Ithemba Elisithibeziwe
3. Kungani kungamangalisi ukuthi ithemba lesintu ngokuphila okuphakade lasithibezwa?
3 UJesu wabikezela ukuthi abaprofethi bamanga babeyokonakalisa izimfundiso zakhe nokuthi iningi labantu laliyodukiswa. (Math. 24:11) Umphostoli uPetru waxwayisa amaKristu: “[Kuyoba] khona abafundisi bamanga naphakathi kwenu.” (2 Pet. 2:1) Umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ‘ngenkathi lapho abantu bengayikuyibekezelela khona imfundiso ephilayo, kodwa, ngokuvumelana nezifiso zabo siqu, beyozibuthela abafundisi ukuze babakitaze izindlebe.’ (2 Thim. 4:3, 4) USathane usembhidlangweni wokudukisa abantu futhi uye wasebenzisa ubuKristu bezihlubuki ukuze asithe iqiniso elijabulisayo eliphathelene nenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngomuntu nangomhlaba.—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 4:3, 4.
4. Iliphi ithemba lesintu abaholi benkolo abayizihlubuki abaye balenqaba?
4 ImiBhalo ichaza ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwuhulumeni osezulwini oyochoboza futhi uqede yonke imibuso yabantu. (Dan. 2:44) Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, uSathane uyovalelwa kwalasha, abafileyo bayovuswa futhi isintu emhlabeni siyokwenziwa siphelele. (IsAm. 20:1-3, 6, 12; 21:1-4) Nokho, abaholi beLobukholwa abayizihlubuki baye bamukela ezinye izimfundiso. Ngokwesibonelo, uBaba Wesonto wekhulu lesithathu leminyaka, u-Origen wase-Alexandria walahla abantu ababekholelwa ezibusisweni zasemhlabeni zokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. I-Catholic Encyclopedia ithi isazi semfundiso yenkolo yamaKatolika u-Augustine waseHippo (354-430 C.E.) “sanamathela enkolelweni yokuthi ngeke ibe khona iminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaKristu.”a
5, 6. Kungani u-Origen no-Augustine baphikisana nemfundiso yokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane?
5 Kungani u-Origen no-Augustine baphikisana nemfundiso yokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane? U-Origen wayefundiswe uClement wase-Alexandria owathekela umqondo womphefumulo ongafi ezinkolelweni zamaGreki. Isazi semfundiso yenkolo, uWerner Jaeger, siphawula ukuthi, u-Origen wayethonywe ngokunamandla yimiqondo kaPlato ngomphefumulo, yingakho “afaka emfundisweni yobuKristu sonke lesi sidididi esikhona ngomphefumulo, asithatha kuPlato.” Ngenxa yalokho, u-Origen wafundisa ukuthi izibusiso zokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane zaziyoba sendaweni yomoya, hhayi emhlabeni.
6 Ngaphambi kokuba aguqukele “ebuKristwini” eneminyaka engu-33 ubudala, u-Augustine wayebe umlandeli wemfundiso ehlobene nefilosofi kaPlato eyathuthukiswa uPlotinus ekhulwini lesithathu leminyaka. Ngemva kokuguquka kwakhe, waqhubeka ebambelele kule mfundiso. I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Ukucabanga kwakhe kuyimbiza okwadidiyelwa kuyo ngokuphelele inkolo yeTestamente Elisha nenkolelo kaPlato yefilosofi yamaGreki.” U-Augustine wachaza ukuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane okuchazwe kusAmbulo isahluko 20 ngokunikeza “incazelo [yako] engokomfanekiso.” Iyanezela: “Le ncazelo . . . yamukelwa izazi zemfundiso yenkolo yaseNtshonalanga ezamlandela, futhi inkolelo yokuqala yokubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane ayibange isasekelwa.”
7. Iyiphi inkolelo engamanga eye yaqeda ithemba lomuntu lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, futhi kanjani?
7 Ithemba lesintu lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni laqedwa umqondo owawuvame eBhabhiloni lasendulo owasakazekela emhlabeni wonke—wokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo noma umoya ongafi omane uhlale emzimbeni womuntu. Lapho eLobukholwa lamukela lo mqondo, izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zahlanekezela imiBhalo ukuze zenze amavesi achaza ithemba lasezulwini abonakale efundisa ukuthi bonke abantu abalungile baya ezulwini. Ngokwalo mbono, ukuphila komuntu emhlabeni kuhloselwe ukuba kube okudlulayo—kuyisivivinyo sokubona ukuthi uyakufanelekela yini ukuphila ezulwini. Kwenzeka into ethi ayifane ethembeni lokuqala amaJuda ayenalo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Njengoba amaJuda kancane kancane ayemukela umqondo wamaGreki wokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi, ithemba ayenalo ekuqaleni lokuphila emhlabeni lafiphala. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuhluke kanjani kulokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngomuntu! Umuntu uyisidalwa senyama, hhayi somoya. UJehova wathi kumuntu wokuqala: “Uluthuli.” (Gen. 3:19) Umhlaba, hhayi izulu, uyikhaya lomuntu laphakade.—Funda amaHubo 104:5; 115:16.
Iqiniso Likhanya Ebumnyameni
8. Yini ezinye izazi zangawo-1600 ezayisho ngethemba lesintu?
8 Nakuba izinkolo eziningi ezithi zingezobuKristu ziliphika ithemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni, uSathane akazange aphumelele njalo ekusitheni iqiniso. Phakathi nawo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, abafundi beBhayibheli abambalwa abacophelelayo bakubona ukukhanya kweqiniso njengoba baqonda izici ezithile zendlela uNkulunkulu ayobuyisela ngayo isintu ekupheleleni. (IHu. 97:11; Math. 7:13, 14; 13:37-39) Ngawo-1600, ukuhunyushwa nokunyatheliswa kweBhayibheli kwase kwenze ukuba imiBhalo Engcwele itholakale kabanzi. Ngo-1651, isazi esithile sabhala ukuthi njengoba ngo-Adamu abantu “balahlekelwa iPharadesi, nokuPhila Okuphakade Emhlabeni,” ngokufanayo ngoKristu “bonke abantu babeyokwenziwa baphile eMhlabeni; ngoba uma kungenjalo ukuqhathaniswa kwabo kwakungeke kufaneleke.” (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:21, 22.) Enye yezimbongi zesiNgisi ezidumile emhlabeni wonke, uJohn Milton (1608-1674), yabhala inkondlo ethi Paradise Lost eyalandelwa ethi Paradise Regained. Ezinkondlweni zakhe, uMilton wakhuluma ngomvuzo owawuyotholwa abathembekile epharadesi lasemhlabeni. Nakuba uMilton asebenzisa ingxenye enkulu yokuphila kwakhe etadisha iBhayibheli, waqaphela ukuthi iqiniso elisemiBhalweni alinakuqondakala ngokugcwele kuze kube sekubeni khona kukaKristu.
9, 10. (a) Yini u-Isaac Newton ayibhala ngethemba lesintu? (b) Kungani isikhathi sokuba khona kukaKristu sasibonakala sisekude kakhulu kuNewton?
9 USir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) owayeyisazi sezibalo esidumile, naye wayenesithakazelo esijulile eBhayibhelini. Waqonda ukuthi abangcwele babeyovuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini futhi babeyobusa bengabonakali noKristu. (IsAm. 5:9, 10) Ngokuphathelene nezikhonzi zoMbuso, wabhala: “Abantu bayoqhubeka behlala emhlabeni ngemva kosuku lokwahlulela hhayi iminyaka eyinkulungwane kuphela kodwa kuze kube phakade.”
10 UNewton wayecabanga ukuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu kwakusazothatha amakhulu eminyaka. Isazimlando uStephen Snobelen, sithi “esinye isizathu esenza ukuba uNewton acabange ukuthi kwakusasele isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ube khona ukuthi wayengazethembi neze izihlubuki ezazikholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu ezazimzungezile.” Izindaba ezinhle zazisagutshuzelwe. UNewton wayengaliboni iqembu lobuKristu elalizokwazi ukuzishumayela. Wabhala: “Lezi ziprofetho zikaDaniyeli noJohane [esikaJohane esilotshwe encwadini yesAmbulo] akufanele ziqondwe kuze kube sesikhathini sokuphela.” UNewton wachaza: “‘Ngaleso sikhathi,’ kusho uDaniyeli, ‘abaningi bayokwehla benyuka futhi ulwazi luyokwanda.’ Ngoba iVangeli kumelwe lishunyayelwe ezizweni zonke ngaphambi kokufika kosizi olukhulu nokuphela kwezwe. Isixuku esikhulu esiphethe amahlamvu esundu, esiphuma kulolu sizi olukhulu, ngeke sibe esingenakubalwa futhi siphume kuzo zonke izizwe, ngaphandle kokuba sikhishwe ngokushunyayelwa kweVangeli lungakafiki [usizi olukhulu].”—Dan. 12:4; Math. 24:14; IsAm. 7:9, 10.
11. Kungani ithemba lesintu lahlala lisithekile kubantu abaningi ezinsukwini zikaMilton noNewton?
11 Ezinsukwini zikaMilton noNewton, ukuveza imibono ephikisana nemfundiso engokomthetho yesonto kwakuyingozi. Ngenxa yalokho, eziningi zezincwadi zabo eziphathelene neBhayibheli zaze zanyatheliswa sebefile. INkathi Yezinguquko yekhulu le-16 leminyaka yahluleka ukuguqula imfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi, futhi amasonto obuProthestani amakhulu aqhubeka efundisa umqondo ka-Augustine wokuthi ukuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kwase kudlulile, kungeyona into yesikhathi esizayo. Ingabe ulwazi luye lwanda esikhathini sokuphela?
“Ulwazi Lweqiniso Luyoba Luningi”
12. Ulwazi lweqiniso lwaba luningi nini?
12 UDaniyeli wabikezela into enhle eyayiyokwenzeka “esikhathini sokuphela.” (Funda uDaniyeli 12:3, 4, 9, 10.) UJesu wathi: “Ngaleso sikhathi abalungileyo bayokhanya ngokukhazimulayo njengelanga.” (Math. 13:43) Ulwazi lweqiniso lwaba kanjani luningi esikhathini sokuphela? Cabangela izenzakalo ezimbalwa emlandweni ezenzeka emashumini eminyaka angaphambi kuka-1914, unyaka esaqala ngawo isikhathi sokuphela.
13. Yini uCharles Taze Russell ayibhala ngemva kokuhlola indaba yokubuyiselwa kwesintu ekupheleleni?
13 Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800, idlanzana labantu abaqotho lalifuna ukuqonda ‘isibonelo samazwi anempilo.’ (2 Thim. 1:13) Omunye walabo bantu kwakunguCharles Taze Russell. Ngo-1870 yena nedlanzana labanye ababefuna iqiniso bakha ikilasi lokutadisha iBhayibheli. Ngo-1872 bahlolisisa indaba yokubuyiselwa kwesintu ekupheleleni. Kamuva, uRussell wabhala: “Asizange siwubone ngokucacile umahluko omkhulu ophakathi komvuzo webandla manje elivivinywayo nowabathembekileyo besintu kwaze kwaba ngaleso sikhathi.” Umvuzo walaba bokugcina uyoba “ukubuyiselwa ekupheleleni kwesintu okwake kwajatshulelwa ukhokho nenhloko yabo, u-Adamu, e-Edene.” URussell wathi wayesizwe abanye ekutadisheni kwakhe iBhayibheli. Babengobani?
14. (a) UHenry Dunn wawuqonda kanjani umBhalo wezEnzo 3:21? (b) UDunn wathi obani abayophila phakade emhlabeni?
14 Omunye wabo kwakunguHenry Dunn. Wayebhale ‘ngokubuyiselwa kwakho konke uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngakho ngomlomo wabaprofethi bakhe abangcwele besikhathi sasendulo.’ (IzE. 3:21) UDunn wayazi ukuthi lokhu kubuyiselwa kwakuhlanganisa ukupheleliswa kwesintu emhlabeni phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Wahlola nombuzo owawudide abaningi othi, Obani abayophila phakade emhlabeni? Wachaza ukuthi izigidi ziyovuswa, zifundiswe iqiniso futhi zibe nethuba lokubonisa ukholo kuKristu.
15. Yini uGeorge Storrs ayiqonda ngovuko?
15 Ngo-1870, uGeorge Storrs naye wafinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi abangalungile bayovuswa banikezwe ithuba lokuphila phakade. Ngokufunda imiBhalo, waqonda nokuthi umuntu ovusiwe ongalamukeli leli thuba “uyofa nakuba leso ‘soni sineminyaka eyikhulu ubudala.’” (Isaya 65:20) UStorrs wayehlala eBrooklyn, eNew York, futhi wayengumhleli kamagazini obizwa ngokuthi i-Bible Examiner.
16. Yini eyenza abaFundi BeBhayibheli bahluka kweLobukholwa?
16 URussell waqonda ngokufunda iBhayibheli ukuthi sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba izindaba ezinhle zishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke. Ngakho, ngo-1879, waqala ukunyathelisa i-Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, manje esibizwa ngokuthi INqabayokulinda Ememezela UMbuso KaJehova. Ngaphambili, iqiniso ngethemba lesintu laliqondwa abantu abambalwa kakhulu, kodwa manje amaqembu abaFundi BeBhayibheli emazweni amaningi ayesethola INqabayokulinda futhi eyitadisha. Inkolelo yokuthi bambalwa kuphela abazoya ezulwini, kuyilapho izigidi ziyothola ukuphila okuphelele emhlabeni, yenza abaFundi BeBhayibheli bahluka ezinkolweni eziningi zeLobukholwa.
17. Ulwazi lweqiniso lwaba kanjani luningi?
17 “Isikhathi sokuphela” esabikezelwa saqala ngo-1914. Ingabe ulwazi lweqiniso ngethemba lesintu lwaba luningi? (Dan. 12:4) Ngo-1913, izintshumayelo zikaRussell zazinyatheliswa emaphephandabeni angu-2 000 afundwa abantu abayizigidi ezingu-15. Ngasekupheleni kuka-1914, abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-9 emazwekazini amathathu base beyibonile i-“Photo-Drama of Creation”—inkulumo eyayihlanganisa izithombe ezinyakazayo nama-slide eyayichaza ukuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Kusukela ngo-1918 kuze kube ngo-1925, oFakazi BakaJehova banikeza inkulumo ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Azisoze Zafa,” eyayichaza ithemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni, ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-30 emhlabeni wonke. Ngo-1934, oFakazi BakaJehova base beqaphela ukuthi labo ababenethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni kwakufanele babhapathizwe. Lokhu kuqonda kwabenza bashiseka ngokwengeziwe ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Namuhla, ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni lenza izigidi zichichime ukubonga uJehova.
‘Inkululeko Ekhazimulayo’ Isemnyango!
18, 19. Ukuphila okunjani okwabikezelwa ku-Isaya 65:21-25?
18 Umprofethi u-Isaya waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale ngokuphila okuyojatshulelwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. (Funda u-Isaya 65:21-25.) Eminye yemithi eyayikhona eminyakeni engu-2 700 edlule ngesikhathi u-Isaya ebhala lawo mazwi cishe isekhona nanamuhla. Uyazibona yini nawe usuphila isikhathi eside kangako, unobungqabavu nempilo enhle?
19 Esikhundleni sokuba ukuphila kube uhambo olufushane oluqala lapho sizalwa luphelele ethuneni, ukuphila kuyosivezela intilibathwa yamathuba okwakha, okutshala nokufunda. Cabanga ngabangane oyoba nabo. Labo bangane bayohlala bengabakho nini nanini. Yeka ‘inkululeko ekhazimulayo’ “abantwana bakaNkulunkulu” abayoyijabulela ngaleso sikhathi emhlabeni!—Roma 8:21.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a U-Augustine wathi ukuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane KoMbuso KaNkulunkulu kwakungeyona into yesikhathi esizayo kodwa kwakuqale lapho kusungulwa ibandla.
Ungachaza?
• Ithemba lesintu ngokuphila emhlabeni lasithibezwa kanjani?
• Ikuphi ukuqonda abanye abafundi beBhayibheli ababa nakho ngawo-1600?
• Ithemba langempela lesintu laya licaca kanjani njengoba u-1914 ayesondela?
• Ulwazi ngethemba lasemhlabeni lwanda kanjani?
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Imbongi uJohn Milton (ngakwesobunxele) nesazi sezibalo u-Isaac Newton (ngakwesokudla) babazi ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
AbaFundi BeBhayibheli bokuqala baqonda ngokufunda imiBhalo ukuthi kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba ithemba langempela lesintu lishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke