Izwe Elingcono—Liseduze!
“ISIFISO esinamandla sepharadesi siphakathi kwezifiso ezinamandla okubonakala sengathi abantu bahlala becabanga ngazo. Singase sibe isifiso esinamandla kakhulu nesiphikelela kunazo zonke. Isifiso esithile sepharadesi sibonakala kuwo wonke amazinga okuphila okungokwenkolo,” kusho i-Encyclopedia of Religion.
Yonke imiphakathi ibonakala inesifiso esifanayo sokuphila ezweni elingcono, njengokungathi ikhalela ubuhle basekuqaleni obungasekho. Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi ipharadesi lokuqala lalikhona, kodwa kuphi? Umhlaziyi wezifo zengqondo angase athi lesisifiso esinamandla sembula isifiso sokuthola ukulondeka kwasesiswini sikamama. Nokho, lencazelo ayizanelisi izazi ezifunda umlando wenkolo.
“Isifiso Esinamandla Sepharadesi”—Kungani?
Ingabe ukuba khona kwesifiso esinjalo esinamandla, kumane kwenze ukuba ubunzima neqiniso lokuthi ukuphila komuntu kufushane kubekezeleleke ngokwengeziwe njengoba abanye besikisela? Noma ingabe ikhona enye incazelo?
Kungani isintu sifisa izwe elingcono? IBhayibheli linikeza incazelo ecacile nelula: Isintu sivela ezweni elingcono! Ipharadesi lokuqala lalikhona ngempela. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lilichaza ngokuthi “insimu” eyayisesifundeni esithile eMpumalanga Ephakathi, ebusiswe ‘ngemithi ebukekayo, emihle, edliwayo.’ UNkulunkulu wayinika umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu ukuba uyinakekele. (Genesise 2:7-15) Kwakuyindawo ekahle abantu ababengajabula ngempela kuyo.
Kungani lezozimo zePharadesi zingazange zihlale isikhathi eside? Kungenxa yokuhlubuka, okokuqala kwesidalwa somoya futhi kamuva kombhangqwana ongabantu. (Genesise 2:16, 17; 3:1-6, 17-19) Ngakho-ke, umuntu akalahlekelwanga iPharadesi nje kuphela kodwa nokuphelela, impilo, nokuphila okungenasiphelo. Izimo ezaqala ukuba khona ngokuqinisekile azizange zikuthuthukise ukuphila kwabantu. Kunalokho, lokhu kwenze isimo esisibonayo namuhla sawohloka ngamandla kunanini ngaphambili.—UmShumayeli 3:18-20; Roma 5:12; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13.
Ukufuna IPharadesi—Umlando Wokuthola Umqondo
Njengoba kungase kucatshangwe, “isifiso esinamandla sepharadesi” sinomlando omude kakhulu. Abantu baseSumer bakhumbula isikhathi lapho ubunye babubusa imbulunga yonke: “Lwalungekho uvalo, kungekho ukwesaba, umuntu wayengenambangi. . . . Endaweni yonke, abantu ngobunye, badumisa u-Enlil ngazwi-linye,” kusho inkondlo yasendulo yaseMesopotamiya. Abanye, njengabantu bamandulo baseGibithe, babenethemba lokufinyelela ezweni elingcono ngemva kokufa. Babekholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo ongafi wawufinyelela kulokho okubizwa ngokuthi amasimu ase-Aaru. Kodwa ekuqaleni, lelithemba lalivulekele abacebile kuphela; abampofu babengenakucabanga ngokuzuza izwe elijabulisayo.
Endaweni ehlukile yenkolo, amaHindu aye alindela ukufika kwenkathi yezwe elingcono (i-yuga) emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka. Ngokwezimfundiso zamaHindu, ama-yuga amane ahlala ephindaphindeka emjikelezweni oqhubekayo, futhi manje siphila phakathi kwe-yuga embi kunawo wonke. Ngeshwa, le-Kali Yuga (inkathi yobumnyama), nakho konke ukuhlupheka nobubi bayo, ngokusho kwabanye, iyothatha iminyaka engu-432 000 ikhona. Nakuba kunjalo, amaHindu athembekile alindele inkathi yokuchuma, i-Krita Yuga.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amaGreki namaRoma ayecabanga ngokufinyelela eziQhingini Zenhlanhla eziyinganekwane, e-Atlantic Ocean. Futhi ababhali abaningi, abanjengoHesiod, Virgil, no-Ovid, bakhuluma ngenkathi yokuchuma emangalisayo yasekuqaleni, benethemba lokuthi ngolunye usuku iyobuyiswa. Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala B.C.E., imbongi engum-Latin uVirgil yabikezela ukufika okuseduze kwe-aetas aurea (inkathi yokuchuma) entsha futhi ezohlala isikhathi eside. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, “ababusi bamaRoma abangaphezu kweshumi nesithupha bathi ukubusa kwabo kwase kuyakhe kabusha iNkathi Yokuchuma,” kusho i-Encyclopedia of Religion. Kodwa njengoba sazi kahle namuhla, leyo kwakumane kuyinkulumo-ze yezombangazwe.
AmaCelt amaningi ayefuna ukuzuza lokho ayecabanga ukuthi yizwe elikhazimulayo esiqhingini (noma ezweni leziqhingi) ngaphesheya kolwandle, lapho ayekholelwa ukuthi abantu baphila ngenjabulo ephelele khona. Ngokusho kwenye inganekwane, nakuba ayelimele kakhulu, iNkosi Arthur waqhubeka ephila ngemva kokuthola isiqhingi esimangalisayo okuthiwa i-Avalon.
Ezikhathini zasendulo naseNkathini Ephakathi, abaningi babecabanga ukuthi insimu engokoqobo enezinto ezimnandi, insimu yase-Edene, isekhona endaweni ethile, “esiqongweni sentaba engagibeleki noma ngaphesheya kolwandlekazi olungaweleki,” kuchaza isazi-mlando uJean Delumeau. Nakuba imbongi yase-Italy uDante yayikholelwa epharadesi lasezulwini, yayicabanga ukuthi ipharadesi lasemhlabeni lalisekhona esiqongweni sentaba yeSihlanzo sakhe, ezifundeni ezibhekene zedolobha laseJerusalema. Abanye babekholelwa ukuthi lalingatholakala e-Asia, eMesopotamiya, noma ezintabeni zaseHimalaya. Futhi izinganekwane zenkathi ephakathi eziphathelene nepharadesi lase-Edene zaziziningi kakhulu. Abaningi babekholelwa ukuthi eduze nalelo pharadesi, kwakunombuso omangalisayo owawubuswa umPristi oshisekayo uJohn. Ngenxa yokuba seduze kwepharadesi lasemhlabeni, ukuphila embusweni womPristi uJohn cishe kwakukude futhi kujabulisa, umthombo oqhubekayo wenala nengcebo. Abanye, becabanga ngezinganekwane zasendulo zamaGreki, babesacabanga ukuthi iziqhingi zepharadesi zaziyotholakala e-Atlantic. Amabalazwe angenkathi ephakathi aye abonisa ukuthi abantu babeqiniseka ngokuba khona kwensimu yase-Edene, aze ngisho abonise indawo okucatshangwa ukuthi yayikuyo.
Ekhulwini le-15 nele-16, abaqondisi bemikhumbi abanqamula i-Atlantic empeleni babefuna izwe, elalilisha futhi lingelasendulo ngesikhathi esifanayo. Babecabanga ukuthi ngaphesheya kolwandlekazi, babengenakuthola i-Indies nje kuphela kodwa nensimu yase-Edene. Ngokwesibonelo, uChristopher Columbus wafuna i-Edene phakathi kwezintaba zamazwe anamazinga alinganiselwe okushisa namazwe ashisa kakhulu aseMelika eseNingizimu nePhakathi. Izinhloli zaseYurophu ezafika eBrazil zaziqiniseka ngokuthi ipharadesi elalahleka kwakumelwe libe lapho ngenxa yesimo sezulu esihle nenala yokudla nohlaza. Nokho, ngokushesha zaphoqeleleka ukuba ziqaphele iqiniso elidabukisayo.
Amazwe Asemaphusheni—Izindawo Ezinhle?
Kunokuba bazame ukuthola lelizwe elihle engxenyeni ethile ekude yomhlaba, abanye baye bazama ukulihlela. Ngakho-ke, ngo-1516, isazi sobuntu babantu esiyiNgisi uThomas More sachaza isiqhingi seZwe Lasemaphusheni ngokuthi, indawo emangalisayo, enokuthula, engabekezelelwa, ehluke kakhulu ezweni elonakele ayelazi. Abanye babeye bazama ukuhlela amazwe angcono, amazwe angenabandlululo: ekhulwini lesithupha B.C.E., uPlato ne-Republic yakhe; ngo-1602 isikhulu sase-Italy uTommaso Campanella neDolobha laso leLanga elihleleke kakhulu; eminyakeni embalwa nje kamuva, isazi sefilosofi esiyiNgisi uFrancis Bacon lapho sichaza “indawo ejabulisayo nechumayo” yeNew Atlantis yakhe. Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, abantu abacabangayo bazo zonke izinhlobo (ababambelele enkolweni noma abangabambelele kuyo) baye bachaza amaZwe Asemaphusheni amaningi ngokungenakulinganiswa. Nokho, ambalwa awo, uma ekhona, ake athathwa ngokungathi sína.
Kuye kwaba khona ngisho nalabo abaye bazama ukwakha awabo amaZwe Asemaphusheni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1824 iNgisi eliyinjinga, uRobert Owen, lanquma ukuthuthela e-Indiana, e-U.S.A., ukuze libone ukufezeka kwemibono yalo yeZwe Lasemaphusheni emzini elawubiza ngokuthi yiNew Harmony. Liqiniseka ngokuthi ngaphansi kwezimo ezikahle, abantu bangathuthuka, lasebenzisa cishe yonke ingcebo yalo lilwela ukwakha lokho elalikubona ngeso lengqondo njengezwe elisha elihle. Kodwa imiphumela yabonisa ukuthi izimo ezintsha zokuphila azanele ekuvezeni abantu abasha.
Cishe yonke imibono yezombangazwe iwukuthi umuntu kumelwe ahlele umhlaba ngolwazi lwakhe siqu nangokwalokho yena siqu akucabangela njengokuyiqiniso ukuze alethe ipharadesi elicatshangelwayo emhlabeni. Nokho, kuyadida ukuthi imizamo yokuqaphela izifiso ezinamandla ezinjalo iye yaphumela ezimpini nokuvukela, njengokuVukela kwaseFrance ngo-1789 nokuVukela kwamaBolshevik ngo-1917. Kunokuba ilethe izimo zepharadesi, ngokuvamile lemizamo iye yaholela osizini nasekuhluphekeni okwengeziwe.
Izifiso ezinamandla, amacebo, amaZwe Asemaphusheni, nemizamo yokukuthola—kuyindaba yokudumazeka isikhathi ngasinye. Esikhathini sanamuhla, abanye bakhuluma ‘ngephupho elishabalele’ ‘nangokuphela kwenkathi yamazwe asemaphusheni,’ besimema ukuba sifunde “ukuphila ngaphandle kwamazwe asemaphusheni.” Ingabe likhona ithemba lokubona izwe elingcono, noma ingabe kudalwe ukuba kuhlale kuyiphupho?
AmaKristu Nezwe Elingcono
Izwe elisha alilona neze iphupho—liyithemba eliqinisekile! UJesu Kristu, umQalisi WobuKristu, wayazi ukuthi lelizwe lamanje alilona elingcono kakhulu emazweni angaba khona. Wafundisa ukuthi ifa lomhlaba liyodliwa ngabamnene nokuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yayiyokwenziwa khona. (Mathewu 5:5; 6:9, 10) Yena nabafundi bakhe babazi ukuthi lelizwe libuswa isitha sikaNkulunkulu, uSathane uDeveli, nokuthi lesi yisizathu esiyinhloko somaye abaningi besintu. (Johane 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19; IsAmbulo 12:12) AmaJuda athembekile ayelindele usuku lapho ekugcineni uNkulunkulu eyokhulula umhlaba ezimpini, osizini, nasekuguleni ukuze awenze uhlalwe abathandi bokuthula nobulungisa. Ngokufanayo, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala alindela ngethemba ukuba lelizwe lamanje lithathelwe indawo yisimiso esisha sezinto, “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha.”—2 Petru 3:13; IHubo 37:11; 46:8, 9; Isaya 25:8; 33:24; 45:18; IsAmbulo 21:1.
Lapho uJesu Kristu elenga esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, wasiphinda lesithembiso sezwe elingcono eselelesini esabonisa izinga elithile lokholo kuYe. “[UJesu] wathi kuso: Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Namuhla uzakuba-nami eParadisi.” (Luka 23:40-43) Yini lesoselelesi esayiqonda ngokwakushiwo yilawomazwi? Ingabe uJesu wasikisela ukuthi lesoselelesi ‘sasizokuba naye’ ezulwini ngalolosuku, njengoba izinguqulo ezithile zeBhayibheli zamaKatolika namaProtestani zingase zibonakale zisho kanjalo? Cha, akukhona lokho uJesu ayekusho, ngoba ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu watshela uMariya Magdalena ukuthi ‘wayengakanyukeli kuYise.’ (Johane 20:11-18) Nakuba uJesu abafundisa iminyaka emithathu nengxenye ngaphambi kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., ngisho nabaphostoli bakhe abazange bacabange ngepharadesi lasezulwini. (IzEnzo 1:6-11) Lesoselelesi saqonda lokho iningi lamaJuda ayephila ngalesosikhathi elalingakuqonda: UJesu wayethembisa izwe elingcono elaliyokuza emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Isazi esithile saseJalimane savuma: “Imfundiso yokujeziswa ngemva kokufa imane nje ayitholakali eTestamenteni Elidala.”
Ukuthi kuyoba nepharadesi emhlabeni wethu kufakazelwa umphostoli uPawulu encwadini yakhe eyayiya kumaHeberu. Lapho ekhuthaza ayekholwa nabo ukuba ‘bangadebeseli ukusindiswa okungaka okwakhulunywa kuqala ngeNkosi,’ uPawulu uqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu unike uJesu igunya phezu ‘kwezwe [ngesiGreki, oi·kou·meʹne] elizayo.’ (Heberu 2:3, 5) EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, igama elithi oi·kou·meʹne ngaso sonke isikhathi libhekisela emhlabeni wethu ohlalwa abantu, hhayi ezweni lasezulwini. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 24:14; Luka 2:1; 21:26; IzEnzo 17:31.) Ngakho-ke, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu obuswa uKristu Jesu uyobusa phezu komhlaba owakhiwe. Leyo kuyoba yindawo enhle ngempela ukuhlala kuyo!
Nakuba uMbuso ngokwawo ungokwasezulwini, uyongenela ezindabeni zomhlaba. Ube yini umphumela? Ukukhubazeka, izenzo zobudlova, ubumpofu, nokufa akusayikukhunjulwa. Ngisho nokukhungatheka nokunganeliseki kuyophela. (IsAmbulo 21:3-5) IBhayibheli lithi ‘uNkulunkulu uyovula isandla sakhe asuthise ukufisa kwakho konke okuphilayo.’ (IHubo 145:16) Izinkinga ezinjengokuntuleka kwemisebenzi nokungcola ziyoba nekhambi elingokoqobo nelihlala njalo. (Isaya 65:21-23; IsAmbulo 11:18) Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngenxa yesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu, kuyoba khona ukunqoba kweqiniso, ubulungisa, nokuthula—izimfanelo ezibonakala zingasekho!—IHubo 85:7-13; Galathiya 5:22, 23.
Ingabe konke lokhu kuyiphupho, iZwe Lasemaphusheni? Cha, lesisikhathi esinzima kakhulu kwezake zaba khona esiphila kuso sibonisa ukuthi ‘sisezinsukwini zokugcina’ zalelizwe nokuthi izwe elisha liseduze. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Ungathanda yini ukuphila lapho? Funda indlela okungenzeka ngayo ngokutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Izwe elingcono kakhulu liseduze, elingcono ngaphezu kwesake sacabanga ngalo. Akulona iZwe Lasemaphusheni—liyinto engokoqobo!
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Izwe elingcono—ngokushesha lizoba elingokoqobo