Lapho Abafileyo Beyophila Futhi!
“UJesu wathi kuye: Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila; okholwa yimi, noma efa, wophila. Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.”—JOHANE 11:25, 26.
1. (a) Nganoma ubani emhlabeni ukuze athi uwu“kuvuka nokuphila” kungafunekani? (b) Kungokwasiphi isizathu osho lokhu ekwazi ukukhonza njengonjalo?
NGOKUQINISEKILE bekungafuna isibindi esikhulu nganoma imuphi umuntu ukusho lokhu, “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” Kodwa yilokho kanye lowomuntu odumile emlandweni, uJesu Kristu, akusho ngaye ngaphezu kweminyaka engamakhulu ayi-19 edlule. Omunye wabaphostoli bakhe, othiwa uJohane, wamuzwa esho lokhu futhi wakuloba ngokwenzuzo yethu namuhla. (Johane 11:25) UJesu wayesho ukuthi wayenjalo ngenxa yabafile nabafayo nesintu esesingcwatshiwe kakade. Ngokusobala, naye wafa ukufa okubuhlungu esigxotsheni sokubulawa ngaphandle kwezindonga zaseJerusalema, futhi ngakho-ke uYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayezoba “ukuvuka nokuphila” kuye. Ngosuku lwesithathu lokufa kukaJesu, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wamvusa kwabafileyo futhi wamembathisa ukuphila kokungafi endaweni engokomoya. Ngokumembathisa ngokumangalisayo ngomzimba wenyama njengalowo ayefe ngawo, uJesu wazembula kubafundi bakhe ababedabukile, ngesinye isikhathi kwabangama-500. (1 Korinte, isahluko 15) Kanjalo wayengaba ukuvuka nokuphila ngempela esintwini ayesifele.
2. Kungani kungekho muntu namuhla ongalulaza ukuvuka kukaJesu Kristu njengenganekwane yekhulu lokuqala C.E.?
2 Akukho muntu ophilayo namuhla ongahleka noma alulaze lokhu kuvuselwa ekuphileni kukaJesu Kristu owabethelwa okunobufakazi njengenganekwane eyasakazeka ekhulwini lokuqala leSikhathi Sethu Esivamile. Ngaphandle kukadokotela uLuka, owabhala izincwadi zeBhayibheli uLuka nezEnzo Zabaphostoli, bonke ababhali bezinye izincwadi ezingama-25 okuthiwa iTestamente Elisha babengofakazi bokuzibonela beNdodana kaNkulunkulu eyavuswa. Omunye wofakazi abavelele kwakungowayekade engumshushisi wamaKristu, uSawulu wasemzini waseTarsu, owaba umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu, futhi owabhala izincwadi eziyi-14 ze“Testamente Elisha” ngesiGreki esivamile salolosuku.
3, 4. EMars Hill, yini umphostoli uPawulu ayisho kwabaseAthene ngosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela nangovuko?
3 Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho esemzini ophucuke kakhulu nonezihlakaniphi eziningi waseAthene, umuzi ovelele kakhulu waseGrisi, uPawulu wadonselwa phambi kwabahluleli eNkantolo Enkulu eyahlangana eMars Hill, noma eAreyophagu
4 Ngenhlonipho efanele uPawulu wakhuluma phambi kwalezozihlakaniphi ezazibuthene eMars Hill. Kwakungesikho ukweya imfundo ephakeme yalezozilaleli zakhe ezinolwazi lokomhlaba ukuthi uPawulu waqhubeka wathi, ekuletheni ubufakazi bakhe nokuzivikela emvuthwandaba omuhle:
“Ngokuba izikhathi zokungazi wazithalalisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa kalokhu usememezela kubantu ukuba bonke ezindaweni zonke baphenduke, njengokuba umisile usuku azakwahlulela ngalo izwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisele lokho, enika bonke ithemba ngokumvusa kwabafileyo.”—IzEnzo 17:30, 31.
5. Kwaba yini ukusabela kwalezozilaleli zaseAthene, futhi umbuzo uphakama ngokuqondene nobani?
5 Leyomfundiso ephawulekayo yovuko lwabafileyo yawathinta kanjani lawomaGreki ayekholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo womuntu? “Kwathi bezwa ngokuvuka kwabafileyo, abanye bahleka usulu, kepha abanye bathi: Siyakuphinda sikuzwe ngaleyondaba.” Babesenomuzwa wokuthi wayengo“memezela onkulunkulu abangaziwayo.” Nokho, uDiyonisiyu, umahluleli waseAreyophagu, wakwazisa lokho uPawulu akusho ngosuku oluzayo lokwahlulelwa kwaso sonke isintu, futhi wazindla ngendaba. Owesifazane ogama lakhe linguDamari wenza okufanayo naye. (IzEnzo 17:18, 32-34) Kodwa kuthiwani ngathi namuhla kulenkathi ethuthuke kakhulu ngokwesayensi? Lena akuyona indaba ehlekisayo!
6. Ingabe ukuvuka kukaJesu kwakungokokuqala kokuvuka kwabantu kwabafile, futhi yini eyokwenzeka ngalabo uJesu asazobavusela ekuphileni?
6 Ngokusobala, ukuvuka kukaJesu Kristu kwakungekhona okokuqala lapho abantu abafileyo bevuselwa ekuphileni okuvamile. IBhayibheli libika okunye okungaphambili, kuhlanganise nokukaLazaru, uJesu amvusela ekuphileni ngosuku lwesine lokufa kwakhe nokungcwatshwa. (Johane 11:1-44) Kodwa indaba yokuvuka kukaJesu yayingebaluleke kakhulu kuso sonke isintu. Akafanga futhi, njengoba kwaba njalo ngabanye; kodwa manje, esesimweni avuselwa kuso sokungafi, angaba “ukuvuka nokuphila” ngabantu ukuba bathole ukuphila okungapheli ekupheleleni, okukhululekile esijezisweni sokufa futhi ngaphansi kobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bendawo yonke.
7, 8. (a) Ubude beminyaka yokuphila kuka-Adamu noMethusela bukufakazela kanjani ukuthi isintu esiphelelisiwe singaphila phakade? (b) Kude kangakanani ukuphila kukaMelkisedeki ephila njengomuntu, futhi lokhu kufakazelani ngokuphila kwalowo ayemfanekisela?
7 Ukuthi ukuphila okungapheli kwabantu emhlabeni kungenzeka uma isintu esilalelayo sesiluleme ekuweleni esonweni nokufa (ngomuntu wokuqala uAdamu) kufakazelwa iqiniso lokuthi uAdamu, ngisho nakuba ona kuNkulunkulu, waphila iminyaka engama-930, esiningi salesosikhathi engaphandle kwensimu ephelele yase-Edene. Omunye wezizukulwane zakhe, uMethusela, waphila iminyaka engama-969 ubudala. (Genesise 5:5, 27) Kwakungonyaka ka-2370 B.C.E. lapho uMethusela efa, futhi ngawo lowonyaka uZamcolo wembulunga yonke wosuku lukaNowa wakhukhula bonke abantu nezilwane ezazingaphandle komkhumbi uNowa nomkhaya wakhe ababevikeleke kuwo. Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, ngo-1933 B.C.E. ngemva kwesikhathi eside, kwaba khona ubupristi emhlabeni, lobo bukaMelkisedeki, owabusisa inzalamizi uAbrahama futhi owayenokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Izinsuku zokuzalwa kwakhe nokufa azinikeziwe.
8 Ngakho ubupristi bakhe eSalema, lapho ayeyinkosi nompristi khona, kubonakala ukuthi babunganqunyelwe sikhathi. (Genesise 14:18-20) Ukuphila kukaJesu Kristu ovusiwe kufaniswa nalokho kweNkosi-Mpristi uMelkisedeki, ngoba amaHeberu 7:15-17 asitshela ukuthi uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe manje, una“mandla okuphila okungabhubhiyo. Ngokuba kufakazwa ngaye ukuthi: Wena ungumpristi kuze kube-phakade ngokokuma kukaMelkisedeki.” (Bheka futhi iHubo 110:1-4.) Ngakho phakathi naso sonke isikhathi kusukela ekukhazinyulisweni kwakhe kwasezulwini ngo-33 C.E., uJesu Kristu ongenakufa uye wasebenza njengoMpristi Omkhulu ongenakufa emalungwini omkhaya wesintu, azinikela njengomhlatshelo wobuntu ophelele ngenxa yaso. Ngakho-ke, angasebenza njengoAdamu wesibili emkhayeni wesintu esifayo. Lapho ngesikhathi esifanele evusela ekuphileni kwasemhlabeni abantu abafile, kuyoba ithuba ngabo lokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade ekupheleleni kobuntu ePharadesi elilulelwe emhlabeni wonke. Ngokuhlukile kuAdamu wokuqala, uJesu Kristu ozidelayo akayikwehluleka emthwalweni wakhe wemfanelo maqondana nomkhaya wesintu awuthululela igazi lakhe lokuphila eliphelele.—1 Korinte 15:22-45.
Abafileyo Esiyobabona Futhi Kulomhlaba
9. Ngenxa yovuko lwezizukulwane ezifile zika-Adamu noEva, uNkulunkulu wazilungisa kanjani izinto, ngokweyoku-1 Korinte 15:21 namaRoma 5:12?
9 Ngeningi elikhulu lesintu eliye lanyathela kulomhlaba, ilungelo lokubuyela ekuphileni emhlabeni ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu othenjisiwe ngoKristu liyoxhomeka ovukweni lwabafileyo. Ukufakazela amandla kaNkulunkulu okulungisa izinto ngokulungile nangokuphelele, umphostoli uPawulu, njengofakazi wovuko lukaJesu Kristu, wabhala: “Ngokuba lokhu ukufa kweza ngomuntu, ukuvuka kwabafileyo nakho kweza ngomuntu.” (1 Korinte 15:21) Ngokuvumelana nencwadi yakhe kumaKristu aseKorinte, uPawulu wabhala encwadini yakhe kumaKristu aseRoma: “Ngakho-ke njengalokho isono sangena ezweni ngamuntu munye, nangesono kwangena ukufa, ngokunjalo ukufa kwafikela abantu bonke, lokhu bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova uNkulunkulu walungiselela izizukulwane zika-Adamu noEva ukuba zihlengwe ngomuntu oyedwa owabonakala ehlukile esimweni esichazwe kumaRoma 5:12.
10. Kungokwasiphi isisekelo uJesu Kristu enganikela ukuphila kwakhe kobuntu njengokumelelayo futhi abe uYise ongunaPhakade wenzalo ka-Adamu?
10 Lowo owehlukile kwakunguJesu, uNkulunkulu enza ukuba azalwe ngokumangalisayo incasakazi engumJuda uMariya, indodakazi kaEli wesizwe sobukhosi sakwaJuda. (Luka 3:23-38) Njengomhlatshelo, ukuphila kwakhe okuphelele kobuntu kwakungamelela ukuphila okuphelele kobuntu uAdamu ayekulahlekisele yonke inzalo yakhe yemvelo ngokona ngamabomu kuMdali wakhe ensimini yase-Edene. Ngakho-ke, uJesu Kristu ovusiwe wakhonza njengo“Yise ongunaphakade” kubo bonke labo uAdamu wokuqala azenza waba ubaba wabo onesono. Lokhu kushiyelwa eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu ukuba ibe uYise wabo ongunaPhakade.—Isaya 9:6.
11. Uma uJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe, lapho besesemhlabeni, bakwazi ukuvusa abafileyo, kuthiwani ngamandla kaJesu maqondana nalokhu kusukela ekuvusweni kwakhe siqu?
11 Lapho UJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe bevusa abantu kwabafileyo, lokhu akubakhululanga emiphumeleni yesijeziso sokufa ababesizuze njengefa kuAdamu wokuqala. Ngakho-ke, ngisho nomngane kaJesu ayemthanda kakhulu uLazaru wabuye wafa futhi udinga uvuko lokugcina ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe. Kodwa lokhu akuyikuba nankinga. Uma uJesu, lapho engumuntu ophelele emhlabeni, ayenikwe amandla okuvusa abantu abafileyo ukuze avuselele futhi elule ukuphila kwabo kwasemhlabeni, okungenani isikhashana ngaphansi kwalesisimiso sezinto esikhona, ingabe akanamandla yini ngokwengeziwe okuvusa abafileyo ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu, manje njengoba esebuye waba iNdodana kaNkulunkulu engumoya? Yebo, ngempela, ngenxa yawo wonke amandla ezulwini nasemhlabeni awanikezwa kusukela ekuvusweni kwakhe siqu nokwenyukela kwakhe ebuyela kuYise wasezulwini.
12. Ingabe ubuhlobo bukaJesu Kristu emkhayeni wesintu banqanyulwa indlela avuswa ngayo, futhi uyoyifeza kanjani injongo yomhlatshelo wakhe wobuntu?
12 Lapho omunye wabafundi bakaKristu, umphostoli uPawulu, exoxa ngovuko encwadini yakhe kumaKristu aseKorinte, uPawulu wathi: “Kanjalo futhi kulotshiwe ukuthi umuntu wokuqala uAdamu waba-ngumphefumulo ophilayo; uAdamu wokugcina waba-ngumoya ophilisayo.” (1 Korinte 15:45) Iqiniso lokuthi ukhulunyelwa njengoAdamu wokugcina libonisa ukuthi usenobuhlobo obuthile bomkhaya nesintu. Akunandaba ukuthi manje ungumuntu ongumoya ongaphezu kwabantu. (IHubo 8:4, 5; Heberu 2:5-9) Phakathi nosuku lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyinkulungwane oluzayo, uyofeza injongo yomhlatshelo wakhe ophelele wobuntu ngokuvusa abafileyo benethuba lokudluliselwa ekupheleleni emhlabeni oyiPharadesi nokuba naye njengoYise wabo waPhakade neNkosi Yokuthula. Ngakho uyoguqula lokho uAdamu akwenza kubo.
13. Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu avuse uLazaru kwabafileyo, wathini kuMarta ngabafileyo nabakholwa kuYe?
13 Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu avuse umngane wakhe othandekayo uLazaru waseBethani kwabafileyo, wathi kuMarta, udadewabo kaLazaru: “Umnewenu uzakuvuka.” UMarta wacabanga ukuthi uJesu wayebhekisela esikhathini esizayo esisekude futhi waphendula: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.” Kwakungalesosikhathi lapho uJesu esebenzisa ithuba lokusho lamazwi aphawulekayo: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila; okholwa yimi, noma efa, wophila. Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.”—Johane 11:23-26.
14. (a) Ukuze umuntu abe onokholo kuJesu, yini efunekayo kuqala kuye? (b) Uma uNkulunkulu ekhetha umuntu onjalo ngenxa yefa lasezulwini, yini okumelwe yenzeke nakuba eyokufa?
14 Ukuze abe nokholo kuJesu Kristu, umuntu kumelwe abe ophilayo futhi ezwe noma afunde ngaye. Umuntu khona-ke anganikela ukuphila kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu futhi abonakalise lesisinyathelo esiqinisekile ngokubhapathizwa emanzini. Uma uBaba wasezulwini kaJesu Kristu ekhetha ukuba lomfundi ozinikezele, wabhapathizwa weNdodana yakhe ambizele efeni lasezulwini kanye naye, uyomzala lowo ngomoya wakhe. Lokhu kuyosho ukuthi lomfundi ozelwe ngomoya ekugcineni uyokufa njengomuntu. Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Noma efa, wophila.” Esimweni sakhe kuyoba ukuphila njengesidalwa somoya esivusiwe endaweni yasezulwini noJesu.
15. Uma okholwa ngokufanele futhi engazalwanga ngomoya kaNkulunkulu efa, siyoba yini isimo salowo ekuvukeni kwakhe?
15 Uma namuhla umfundi ozinikezele nobhapathiziwe owayengazelwe nguJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba adle ifa lasezulwini noKristu, efa, njengabanye kusukela ukubuthwa kwe“zinye izimvu” zikaKristu kwaqala, kuthiwani-ke? (Johane 10:16) Ngenxa yokuba nokholo kwakhe kuLowo owuku“vuka nokuphila,” uyoba sesimweni esingcono maqondana nesimiso sezinto esisha kusukela nje ekuvusweni kwakhe kwasemhlabeni kuya phambili, mhlawumbe ekuqaleni kwaso. (Heberu 11:35) Khona-ke uyolungela amalungelo akhethekile enkonzo ngaphansi koMbuso wasezulwini. Ngaleyondlela ithemba lovuko afa nalo liyogcwaliseka, kube inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu!
16, 17. (a) Maqondana novuko, kuthiwani ngalabo besikhathi esingaphambi kobuKristu ababheka kuphela ekufikeni kwe“nzalo” “yowesifazane” kaNkulunkulu? (b) UJesu wasiqinisekisa ngamaphi amazwi ngovuko lwabo?
16 Akubona bodwa labo abaye baba nokholo kuJesu Kristu kusukela ekufikeni kwakhe kokuqala abanengxenye emalungiselelweni ovuko kodwa nalabo besikhathi esingaphambi kobuKristu, ngokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ababheka phambili ekufikeni kwe“nzalo” yo“wesifazane” wakhe ongokomfanekiso, njengoba abikezela kuGenesise 3:15. Leyo“nzalo” yabonakala ingefanayo naleyo kamuva eyathiwa ‘inzalo ka-Abrahama.’ (Genesise 12:1-3; Galathiya 3:16) Abanjalo ababheka phambili ekufikeni kwale“nzalo” ka-Abrahama Omkhulu uJehova uNkulunkulu, ngokusobala kuhlanganise uAbrahama nendodana yakhe uIsaka nomzukulu wakhe uJakobe, noma uIsrayeli. Eqinisekisa ukuqiniseka kovuko lwabo, uJesu Kristu, iNzalo ka-Abrahama, wathi:
17 “Kepha maqondana nokuvuka kwabafileyo anifundanga yini okwakukhulunywa kini nguNkulunkulu, ethi: Mina nginguNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, noNkulunkulu kaIsaka, noNkulunkulu kaJakobe, na? Akasiye uNkulunkulu wabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo.” (Mathewu 22:31, 32) “Kepha maqondana nabafileyo ukuthi bayavuswa anifundanga yini encwadini kaMose ngesihlahla ukuthi uNkulunkulu wakhuluma kuye, wathi: NginguNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, noNkulunkulu kaIsaka, noNkulunkulu kaJakobe, na? Akasiye uNkulunkulu wabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo.” (Marku 12:26, 27) “UNkulunkulu kasiye owabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo.” (Luka 20:37, 38) Ngaleyondlela egudliselayo uJehova uNkulunkulu wasiqinisekisa ngovuko lwesintu esifile.
18. Ngenxa yesimo senzalo ethenjisiwe, uAbrahama umngane kaNkulunkulu wayefanekisela bani?
18 Isithembiso sakhe siqu uNkulunkulu kumngane wakhe uAbrahama sasiwukuthi yonke imikhaya yomhlaba yayiyo“busiswa” nge“nzalo” yakhe. (Jakobe 2:23; Genesise 12:1-3; 22:15-18) Njengoba leyo“nzalo” iye yaba engokomoya, uAbrahama ongumuntu wayefanekisela uJehova uNkulunkulu, ngoba yiLona kuphela ongaba uYise we“nzalo” engokomoya, manje uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe emazulwini.
19. KusAmbulo 20:11-14, sinikezwa umbono wani ongokwesiprofetho?
19 Sinikezwa umfanekiso ongokwesiprofetho wovuko oluzayo lwaleyomikhaya efile yomhlaba. IsAmbulo 20:11-14 siyaluchaza, ngemifanekiso ethile, sithi: “Ngase [umphostoli uJohane] ngibona isihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu esimhlophe nohlezi kuso, obuso bakhe babalekelwa izulu nomhlaba, akutholelwanga indawo. Ngabona abafileyo, abakhulu nabancane, bemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi; izincwadi zavulwa; nenye incwadi yavulwa, ngeyokuphila; nabafileyo bahlulelwa ngalokho okulotshiwe ezincwadini njengokwemisebenzi yabo. Nolwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidese kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho, bahlulelwa yilowo nalowo njengokwemisebenzi yakhe, ukufa neHayidese kwaphonswa echibini lomlilo. Lokhu kungukufa kwesibili, ichbi lomlilo.”
20. Ekupheleni kosuku lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyinkulungwane, yini eyokwenzeka kubantu abayobhalwa amagama encwadini yokuphila nalabo amagama abo angeke abhalwe?
20 Phakathi no“suku” oluyiminyaka eyinkulungwane, uNkulunkulu alu“misile” futhi “azakwahlulela ngalo izwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisele lokho,” abafileyo abavusiwe bayozamukelela wonke amalungiselelo aphezulu enzelwe ukusindiswa kwabo phakad. (IzEnzo 17:31) Ngalomqondo bayo“busiswa.” Ngokwehlula uvivinyo lokugcina lobuqotho babo ngokuphelele, bayothola umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade ePharadesi lembuluga yonke. Ngaphandlle kwalokho yini? “Ukufa kwesibili,” okungekho vuko kukho. (IsAmbulo 20:14) Njengoba kulotshiwe, kusAmbulo 20:15: “Uma ekhona ongafunyaniswanga elotshiwe encwadini yokuphila, waphonswa echibini lomlilo.”
Ungakhumbula?
□ Kungani kungekho muntu namuhla ongakubukela phansi ukuvuka kukaJesu Kristu njengenganekwane?
□ Kungasiphi isisekelo uJesu engaba uYise ongunaphakade ezizukulwaneni zika-Adamu?
□ Uma umuntu othembekile ongazelwe ngomoya kaNkulunkulu efa, siyoba yini isimo sakhe lapho evuswa?
□ IsAmbulo 20:11-14 sisinikeza umfanekiso wani ongokwesiprofetho?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Injabulo iyochichima lapho labo abafile manje bephila futhi