Isahluko 21
USuku Lokwahlulela Nangemva Kwalo
1. Uyini umbono ovamile ngoSuku Lokwahlulela?
YIMUPHI umfanekiso uSuku Lokwahlulela oluwuletha engqondweni yakho? Abanye baba nombono wesihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu, futhi phambi kwaso kunohlu olude lwabantu abaye bavuswa kwabafileyo. Njengoba ngamunye edlula phambi kwalesihlalo, uyahlulelwa ngezenzo zakhe ezidlule, zonke ezilotshwe encwadini kaMahluleli. Ngokusekelwe ezintweni azenza, umuntu uthunyelwa ezulwini noma esihogweni somlilo.
2. (a) Ubani oye wahlela uSuku Lokwahlulela? (b) Ubani aye wammisa ukuba abe ngumahluleli?
2 Nokho, iBhayibheli linikeza umbono ohluke ngokuphelele woSuku Lokwahlulela. Akulona usuku lokwesatshwa. Phawula ukuthi iBhayibheli lithini ngoNkulunkulu: “Umisile usuku azakwahlulela ngalo izwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisele lokho, enika bonke ithemba ngokumvusa kwabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 17:31) Yebo, lomahluleli omiswe uNkulunkulu uJesu Kristu.
3. (a) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uKristu ngeke akhethe ekwahluleleni kwakhe? (b) Kungasiphi isisekelo abantu abayokwahlulelwa ngaso?
3 Singaqiniseka ukuthi uKristu ngeke akhethe ekwahluleleni kwakhe futhi uyokwenza ngokulunga. Isiprofetho esiphathelene naye kuIsaya 11:3, 4 siyasiqinisekisa ngalokhu. Ngakho-ke, ngokuphambene nombono ovamile, ngeke ahlulele abantu ngesisekelo sezono zabo ezidlule, eziningi zazo okungenzeka bazenza bengazi. IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi lapho efa umuntu uyakhululwa kunoma iziphi izono ayeke wazenza. Lithi: “Ofileyo ukhululiwe esonweni.” (Roma 6:7) Lokhu kusho ukuthi uma umuntu evuswa uyokwahlulelwa ngesisekelo salokho ayokwenza phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela, hhayi ngalokho akwenza ngaphambi kokuba afe.
4. (a) Luyoba lude kangakanani uSuku Lokwahlulela? (b) Obani abayoba ngabahluleli noKristu?
4 Ngakho-ke uSuku Lokwahlulela alulona usuku olungokoqobo lwamahora angama-24. IBhayibheli likwenza kukhanye lokhu uma likhuluma ngalabo abayohlanganyela noJesu ekwenzeni lokhu kwahlulela. (1 Korinte 6:1-3) Umlobi weBhayibheli uthi: “Ngase ngibona izihlalo zobukhosi; bahlala kuzo, banikwa ukwahlulela.” Labahluleli ngabalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe nabathembekile, labo, njengoba iBhayibheli liqhubeka lisho, “abaphila, babusa kanye noKristu iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” Ngakho uSuku Lokwahlulela luyoba iminyaka eyi-1 000 ubude. Kuseyisikhathi esifanayo seminyaka eyi-1 000 naleso uKristu nabalandeli bakhe abathembekile abagcotshiwe abayizi-144 000 abayobusa ngaso njenga“mazulu amasha” phezu ko“mhlaba omusha.”—IsAmbulo 20:4, 6; 2 Petru 3:13.
5, 6. (a) Umhubi weBhayibheli waluchaza kanjani uSuku Lokwahlulela? (b) Ukuphila kuyoba njani emhlabeni phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela?
5 Bheka lamakhasi. Anikeza umbono wokuthi uSuku Lokwahlulela luyoba ngoluhle kangakanani ngesintu. Umhubi weBhayibheli wabhala ngalesosikhathi esikhazimulayo: “Mawename amasimu nakho konke okukuwo, ijabule imithi yonke yehlathi ebusweni bukaJehova, ngokuba uyeza, yebo, uyeza ukwahlulela umhlaba; uyakwahlulela izwe ngokulunga, nezizwe ngokuthembeka kwakhe.”—AmaHubo 96:12, 13.
6 Phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela labo abasinda eArmagedoni bayosebenza benza umhlaba ube yipharadesi. Abafileyo bayovuselwa kulelipharadesi. (Luka 23:43) Yeka injabulo eyoba khona lapho imikhaya osekuyisikhathi eside yahlukaniswa ukufa ihlangana futhi! Yebo, yeka ukuthi kuyojabulisa kanjani ukuphila ngokuthula, ukujabulela impilo enhle nokwamukela iziyalezo ngokuqondene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu! IBhayibheli lithi: “Lapho izahlulelo zakho zisemhlabeni, abakhileyo bezwe bafunda ukulunga.” (Isaya 26:9) Phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela, bonke abantu bayofunda ngoJehova, futhi bayonikezwa ithuba lokumlalela nokumkhonza.
7. Phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela, kuyokwenzekani kulabo abakhetha ukukhonza uNkulunkulu nakulabo abenqabayo ukwenza kanjalo?
7 Kungaphansi kwalezizimo zepharadesi lapho uJesu Kristu namakhosi akanye naye ayizi-144 000 beyokwahlulela khona isintu. Abantu abakhetha ukukhonza uJehova bayoba sesimweni sokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade. Kodwa, ngisho naphansi kwalezizimo ezinhle kangaka, abanye bayakwenqaba ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Njengoba imiBhalo isho: “Uma omubi ephiwa umusa, akafundi ukulunga; ezweni lobuqotho uyakwenza ukonakala.” (Isaya 26:10) Ngakho-ke ngemva kokunikezwa ithuba eligcwele lokuguqula izindlela zabo nokufunda ukulunga, abanjalo ababi bayobhujiswa. Abanye bayobulawa ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uSuku Lokwahlulela luphele. (Isaya 65:20) Ngeke bavunyelwe ukuba bahlale bangcolise noma bonakalise umhlaba oyipharadesi.
8. Sasiyini isimo sokuziphatha samadoda aseSodoma?
8 Ngempela kuyoba ilungelo elikhulu ukuvuselwa emhlabeni phakathi noSuku lukaJehova olukhulu Lokwahlulela. Nokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi kuyoba ilungelo elingeke lijatshulelwe yibo bonke. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngabantu baseSodoma lasendulo. IBhayibheli lithi amadoda aseSodoma afuna ukuba nobuhlobo bobulili ‘namadoda’ ayevakashele uLoti. Ukuziphatha kwawo okubi kwakwedlulele kangangokuthi ngisho nalapho eshaywa ngobumpumputhe ngokuyisimangaliso, ‘aze akhathala efuna umnyango’ wendlu ukuze angene abe nobuhlobo bobulili nezivakashi zikaLoti.—Genesise 19:4-11.
9, 10. ImiBhalo ibonisani ngethemba lovuko ngabantu baseSodoma ababi?
9 Ingabe abantu ababi kangako bayovuswa phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela? ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi ngokusobala ngeke bavuke. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye wabafundi bakaJesu abaphefumlelwe, uJuda, wabhala okokuqala ngezingelosi ezashiya indawo yazo ezulwini ukuze zibe nobuhlobo namadodakazi abantu. Wabe esenezela: “Njengokuba iSodoma neGomora nemizi yangakhona yenza ubufebe ngendlela efana neyayo, yalandela inyama imbe imisiwe ibe-yisiboniso, izwa isijeziso somlilo omiyo njalo.” (Juda 6, 7; Genesise 6:1, 2) Yebo, ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo okubi ngokwedlulele abantu baseSodoma nabasemizini yangakhona bathola ukubhujiswa ngokusobala abangeke bavuswe kukho.—2 Petru 2:4-6, 9, 10a.
10 NoJesu futhi wabonisa ukuthi abaseSodoma bangase bangavuswa. Lapho ekhuluma ngeKapemawume, omunye wemizi enza kuyo izimangaliso, wathi: “Uma yayenziwe eSodoma imisebenzi yamandla eyenziwe kuwe [Kapernawume], ngabe likhona nanamuhla. Kepha ngithi kini: Kuyakuba-ngcono kulo izwe laseSodoma ngosuku lokwahlulela kunakuwe.” (Mathewu 11:22-24) Lapha uJesu wayegcizelela ukuba necala kwabantu baseKapernawume ngokuba athi kwakuyoba ngcono ngabantu basendulo baseSodoma labo, ezingqondweni zezilaleli zakhe ezingamaIsrayeli, ababengakufanele neze ukuvuswa ngoSuku Lokwahlulela.
11. Kungani kuyoba lula ‘ngabalungile’ ngoSuku Lokwahlulela kunanganoma yibaphi ‘babangalungile’?
11 Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile kufanele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba siphile ukuphila kwethu ukuze sifanelwe uvuko. Kodwa kusengabuzwa: Ingabe kuyoba nzima ngokwengeziwe ngabanye babavusiwe ukufunda nokwenza ukulunga kunangabanye? Nokho cabanga: Ngaphambi kokuba abantu ‘abalungile’ abanjengoAbrahama, uIsaka, uJobe, uDebora, uRuthe, noDaniyeli bafe, bonke babebheke phambili ekufikeni kukaMesiya. Yeka ukuthi bayojabula kanjani phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela ukufunda ngaye, nangokuthi uyabusa ezulwini! Ngakho kuyoba lula kakhulu ngalabantu “abalungile” ukwenza ukulunga ngalesosikhathi kunanganoma yibaphi ‘babangalungile’ abavusiwe ukwenza kanjalo.—IzEnzo 24:15.
UVUKO ‘LOKUPHILA’ ‘NOLOKULAHLWA’
12. NgokukaJohane 5:28-30, obani abamukela ‘ukuvukela ekuphileni,’ futhi obani abamukela ‘ukuvukela ukulahlwa’?
12 Lapho echaza isimo ngoSuku Lokwahlulela uJesu wathi: “Abasemathuneni bayakulizwa izwi layo, abenze ukulunga baphumele ekuvukeni kokuphila, abenze okubi ekuvukeni kokulahlwa . . . ngahlulela njengalokho engikuzwayo; ukwahlulela kwami kulungile, ngokuba ngingafuni eyami intando kepha intando yongithumileyo.” (Johane 5:28-30) Kuyini ‘ukuvuka kokuphila,’ futhi kuyini ‘ukuvuka kokulahlwa’? Futhi obani abathola lokho kuvuka?
13. Kusho ukuthini ngomuntu ukwamukela ‘uvuko lokuphila’?
13 Siye sabona ngokukhanyayo ukuthi lapho abafileyo bebuya emathuneni, abahlulelwa ngezenzo zabo ezidlule. Kunalokho, bahlulelwa ngesisekelo salokho abakwenza phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela. Ngakho-ke lapho uJesu ekhulumela “abenze ukulunga” nalabo “abenze okubi,” wayebhekisela ezintweni ezinhle nasezintweni ezimbi ababeyozenza phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela. Ngenxa yezinto ezilungileyo abazenzayo, abaningi balabo abavusiweyo bayoqhubekela ekupheleleni kobuntu lapho kuphela uSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyi-1 000. Ngaleyondlela ukubuya kwabo kwabafileyo kuyobonakala kuwukuphumela “ekuvukeni kokuphila,” ngoba bayofinyelela ukuphila okuphelele okungenasono.
14. Kusho ukuthini ngomuntu ukwamukela ‘uvuko lokulahlwa’?
14 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kuthiwani ngalabo ‘abenza okubi’ phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela? Ukuvuka kwabo kwabafileyo kuyobonakala kuwukuphumela “ekuvukeni kokulahlwa.” Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Kusho ukwahlulelwa noma ukulahlelwa ekufeni. Ngakho-ke labantu bayobhujiswa phakathi noma ngasekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela. Isizathu siwukuthi benza okubi; benqaba ngenkani ukufunda nokwenza okulungileyo.
LAPHO KUQALA USUKU LOKWAHLULELA
15. Yini eyenzeka ngaphambi nje kokuqala koSuku Lokwahlulela?
15 Umphostoli uJohane wabona embonweni lokho okwenzeka ngokushesha nje ngaphambi koSuku Lokwahlulela. Wabhala: “Ngase ngibona isihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu esimhlophe nohlezi kuso, obuso bakhe babalekelwa izulu nomhlaba, . . . Ngabona abafileyo, abakhulu nabancane, bemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi . . . nabafileyo bahlulelwa.” (IsAmbulo 20:11, 12) Ngakho ngaphambi kokuba uSuku Lokwahlulela luqale, lesimiso samanje sezinto esenziwe “izulu nomhlaba” sizodlula. Kuphela yilabo abakhonza uNkulunkulu abayosinda, kanti bonke ababi bayobhujiswa eArmagedoni.—1 Johane 2:17.
16. (a) Ngaphandle kwabafileyo obani abayokwahlulelwa phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela? (b) Bayokwahlulelwa ngani?
16 Ngakho-ke, akubona “abafileyo” abayobe bevusiwe kuphela abayokwahlulelwa ngaloloSuku Lokwahlulela. “Abaphilayo” abayosinda eArmagedoni, kanye nanoma yibaphi abantwana abangase babe nabo, nabo bayokwahlulelwa. (2 Thimothewu 4:1) Embonweni wakhe uJohane wabona indlela abahlulelwa ngayo. “Izincwadi zavulwa,” kuloba uJohane. “Nabafileyo bahlulelwa ngalokho okulotshiwe ezincwadini njengokwemisebenzi yabo. Nolwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidese kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho, bahlulelwa yilowo nalowo njengokwemisebenzi yakhe.”—IsAmbulo 20:12, 13.
17. Ziyini “izincwadi” “abaphilayo” kanye na“bafileyo” abayokwahlulelwa ngazo?
17 Ziyini “izincwadi” ezivulwayo “abafileyo” kanye na“baphilayo” abahlulelwa ngazo? Ngokusobala ziyoba okuthile okunezela eBhayibhelini eliNgcwele esinalo. Ziyimibhalo ephefumlelwe noma izincwadi eziqukethe imithetho kaJehova neziyalo. Ngokufunda lezi bonke abantu emhlabeni bayokwazi ukwazi intando kaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ngesisekelo semithetho neziyalezo ezikulezi“zincwadi,” wonke umuntu emhlabeni uyokwahlulelwa. Labo abalalela izinto ezilotshwe kuzo bayokwamukela izinzuzo zomhlatshela wesihlengo kaKristu, futhi kancane kancane bayokhulela ekupheleleni kobuntu.
18. (a) Siyoba yini isimo ekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela? (b) Kungayiphi indlela “abafileyo” abaphila ngayo ekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000?
18 Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000 yoSuku Lokwahlulela akekho umuntu emhlabeni oyobe esesimweni sokufa ngenxa yesono sika-Adamu. Ngempela, ngengqondo ephelele wonke umuntu uyobe efinyelele ekuphileni. Yilokho iBhayibheli elibhekisela kukho uma lithi: “Abafileyo ababesele [labo abangaphandle kwezi-144 000 eziya ezulwini] kabaphila yaze yaphela iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” (IsAmbulo 20:5) Ukubhekisela lapha “kwabafileyo ababesele” akusho ukuthi abanye bavuswa ekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000 yoSuku Lokwahlulela. Kunalokho, kusho ukuthi bonke abantu bafinyelela ekuphileni ngengqondo yokuthi ekugcineni bafinyelela ekupheleleni kobuntu. Bayoba sesimweni sokuphelela esifanayo naleso sika-Adamu noEva ensimini yase-Edeni. Kuyobe sekwenzekani-ke?
NGEMVA KOSUKU LOKWAHLULELA
19. Yini uKristu ayenzayo ekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela?
19 Lapho esenze konke uNkulunkulu amnike khona ukuba akwenze, uJesu Kristu ‘unikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu uYise.’ Lokhu kusekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyi-1 000. Ngalesosikhathi zonke izitha ziyobe sezigudluziwe. Esokugcina salezi kuyoba ukufa okwazuzwa kuAdamu. Kuyobhujiswa! Khona-ke uMbuso usuyoba ngokaJehova uNkulunkulu. Uwubusa ngokuqondile njengeNkosi.—1 Korinte 15:24-28.
20. (a) Yini uJehova ayoyenza ukuze anqume ukuthi amagama obani alotshwa “encwadini yokuphila”? (b) Kungani uvivinyo lokugcina lwesintu lufaneleka?
20 UJehova uyonquma kanjani ukuthi awobani amagama okumelwe abhalwe “encwadini yokuphila”? (IsAmbulo 20:12, 15) Kuyoba ngokusivivinya isintu. Khumbula indlela uAdamu noEva abahluleka ngayo kulokhu kuvivinywa, nendlela uJobe lapho engaphansi kokuvivinywa, agcina ngayo ubuqotho. Kodwa abantu abaningi abayophila kuze kube sekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000 bayobe bengakaze bavivinywe ukholo lwabo. Ngaphambi kokuba bavuswe babengazi lutho ngezinjongo zikaJehova. Babeyingxenye yesimiso esibi sezinto sikaSathane; babe“ngabangalungile.” Khona-ke, ngemva kokuvuswa kwabo, kwakulula ngabo ukukhonza uJehova ngenxa yokuba bephila epharadesi ngaphandle kwanoma ikuphi ukuphikisa kukaDeveli. Kodwa ingabe lezozigidi zezigidi zabantu, eziyobe ziphelele ngalesosikhathi, ziyomkhonza uJehova uma uSathane enikezwa ithuba lokuzama ukuzivimbela ekubeni ziqhubeke zenza kanjalo? Ingabe uSathane uyokwazi ukwenza kubo njengoba enza kuAdamu noEva abaphelele?
21. (a) UJehova uyosivivinya kanjani isintu? (b) Lapho uvivinyo seluphelile, kuyokwenzekani kubo bonke abahilelekile?
21 Ukuze aphendule leyomibuzo, uJehova ukhulula uSathane namademoni akhe kwalasha lapho bebekhona iminyaka eyi-1 000. Uba yini umphumela? IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uSathane uyaphumelela ekuhlubuleni abanye ekukhonzeni uJehova. Labo bayoba “ngangesihlabathi solwandle,” okusho ukuthi inani labo alinakulinganiswa. Ngemva kokuba lokhu kuvivinywa sekufeziwe, uSathane namademoni akhe, kanye nalabo abangaphumeleli kuloluvivinyo, baphonswa kwelingokomfanekiso “ichibi lomlilo,” eliwukufa kwesibili (kwaphakade). (IsAmbulo 20:7-10, 15) Kodwa labo abamagama abo atholakala elotshwe “encwadini yokuphila” bayosala epharadesi lasemhlabeni elikhazimulayo. Ukuba kwabo namagama abo elotshwe “encwadini yokuphila” kusho ukuthi uJehova ubahlulela njengabalunge ngokuphelele enhliziyweni, ingqondo nomzimba futhi ngalokho bakufanelekele ukuphila phakade njengabagcini bobuqotho epharadesi emhlabeni.
OLWANAMUHLA USUKU LOKWAHLULELA
22. Ukuze siphile size sibone uSuku Lokwahlulela novivinyo lokugcina lwesintu, yini okumelwe sisinde kuyo manje?
22 Ngakho iBhayibheli linikeza ukwaziswa ngezenzakalo ezingale kweminyaka eyi-1 000 esikhathini esizayo. Futhi liyabonisa ukuthi akukho sizathu sokwesaba okungaphambili. Kodwa umbuzo uwukuthi: Ingabe uyoba lapho ukuze ujabulele izinto ezinhle uNkulunkulu asibekele zona? Lokhu kuyoxhomeka ekutheni uyasinda yini oSukwini Lokwahlulela olungaphambi kwalolo, okungukuthi olwamanje “usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 3:7.
23. (a) Kukuziphi izigaba ezimbili abantu abahlukaniselwa kuzo manje? (b) Yini eyokwenzeka esigabeni ngasinye, futhi ngani?
23 Yebo, kusukela uKristu abuya wahlala phansi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi sasezulwini, sonke isintu besahlulelwa. Lolu lwamanje “usuku lokwahlulela” lufika ngaphambi kokuba kuqale uSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyi-1 000. Phakathi nokwahlulela kwamanje abantu bahlukaniswa njenge“zimbuzi” ngakwesobunxele sikaKristu noma njenge“zimvu” ngakwesokudla sikaKristu. “Izimbuzi” ziyobhujiswa ngoba ziye zahluleka ukusiza “abafowabo” bakaKristu abagcotshiwe enkonzweni yabo kuNkulunkulu. Ngemva kwesikhathi, lezi“zimbuzi” zizibonakalisa ziyizoni ezingaphenduki, ezimbi, ezenziwe lukhuni emikhubeni yazo yokungalungi. “Izimvu,” ngakolunye uhlangothi, ziyobusiswa ngokuphila ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso ngenxa yokuba ziye zasekela “abafowabo” bakaKristu ngazo zonke izindlela.—Mathewu 25:31-46.
[Izithombe ekhasini 178]
Kungani uJesu athi kuyoba ngcono ngoSuku Lokwahlulela kwabaseSodoma?