Uvuko—Ithemba Elimangalisayo

UKUKHOLELWA ovukweni kusakazeke wonke umhlaba. Incwadi engcwele yamaSulumane, iKoran, inesihloko sonke esikhuluma ngovuko. Isurah 75 ngokwengxenye ithi: “Ngifunga uSuku Lokuvuka . . . Ingabe umuntu ucabanga ukuthi asinakukwazi ukuwahlanganisa amathambo akhe? . . . Uyabuza: ‘Lunini uSuku Lovuko?’ Ingabe Yena, (ongaguquki), akanawo amandla okunika abafileyo ukuphila?”—Surah 75:1-6, 40.

I-New Encyclopædia Britannica, ithi: “UbuZoroastrian bukholelwa ukuthi uBubi buyogumbuqelwa ekugcineni, ukuthi kuyoba novuko lwabo bonke abantu, kube nokwaHlulelwa Kokugcina, nokuthi abalungileyo bayobuyiselwa umhlaba ohlanziwe.”

I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ichaza uvuko ngokuthi “inkolelo yokuthi makhathaleni abafileyo bayovuswa ngemizimba yabo babuye baphile emhlabeni.” Yona le ncwadi iphawula nokuthi inkolelo yokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi ubuJuda osebuyamukele idala inkinga. Iyavuma: “Ngokuyinhloko lezi zinkolelo ezimbili zovuko nokungafi komphefumulo ziyangqubuzana.”

UbuHindu bufundisa ukuphind’ ukuzalwa noma ukuthi umuntu uzalwa kaninginingi. Ukuze lokhu kwenzeke, kungadingeka umuntu abe nomphefumulo oqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa. Incwadi engcwele yamaHindu i-Bhagavad Gita ithi: “Lokho okukuwo wonke umzimba akunakubhubha. Akekho okwaziyo ukubhubhisa umphefumulo ongenakubhubha.”

UbuBuddha buyehluka kubuHindu ngoba bona buyaphika ukuthi kunomphefumulo ongafi. Noma kunjalo, namuhla amaBuddha amaningi eMpumalanga Ekude akholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo awufi kodwa uyathutha.a

Indida Ngemfundiso Yovuko

Izinkonzo zemingcwabo eziqhutshwa kweLobukholwa zivame ukukhuluma ngovuko nangomphefumulo oqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa. Ngokwesibonelo, abefundisi baseSheshi ngokuvamile baphinda la mazwi: “Njengoba nje kuye kwathokozisa uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ukuba ngesihe sakhe esikhulu azithathele umphefumulo womzalwane wethu othandekayo ongasekho, sibuyisela umzimba wakhe enhlabathini; umhlaba emhlabeni, umlotha emlotheni, uthuli othulini; ngethemba eliqinisekile nelingantengantengi lokuVuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade, ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—The Book of Common Prayer.

La mazwi angenza umuntu azibuze ukuthi kazi iBhayibheli lifundisa ngovuko noma ngemfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi. Nokho, phawula okwashiwo uProfesa u-Oscar Cullmann, umProthestani ongumFulentshi. Encwadini yakhe ethi Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead? uthi: “Kunomahluko omkhulu phakathi kwethemba lamaKristu lovuko lwabafileyo nenkolelo yamaGreki yomphefumulo ongafi. . . . Yize ubuKristu kamuva bazihlanganisa lezi zinkolelo ezimbili, futhi namuhla umKristu ovamile ezididanisa ngokuphelele, angisiboni isizathu sokufihla lokho mina neningi lezazi esikucabangela njengokuyiqiniso. . . . Ukuphila nombono wabantu okutholakala kuyiTestamente Elisha kubuswa ngokuphelele inkolelo yovuko. . . . Umuntu ophelele, osuke efile ngempela, ubuyiselwa ekuphileni ngesenzo sikaNkulunkulu sokumdala kabusha.”

Akumangalisi ukuthi kungani abantu ngokuvamile bedidekile ngokufa nangovuko. Ukuze kuqedwe lokho kudideka, kudingeka sibheke eBhayibhelini, elinikeza amaqiniso embulwe uMdali womuntu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli lilandisa izindaba zabantu abaningana abavuswa. Ake sihlole ezine zazo futhi sibone ukuthi zembulani.

“Abesifazane Bamukela Abafileyo Babo Ngovuko”

Encwadini yakhe ayeyibhalele amaJuda ayebe amaKristu, umphostoli uPawulu wathi abesifazane bokholo babeye “bamukela abafileyo babo ngovuko.” (Hebheru 11:35) Omunye walaba besifazane wayehlala eZarefati, umuzana waseFenike eduze neSidoni ngasoGwini LweMedithera. Wayengumfelokazi owamukela umprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Eliya ngomoya omuhle futhi wamnika ukudla ngesikhathi sendlala enkulu. Ngokudabukisayo, indodana yalo wesifazane yagula futhi yafa. U-Eliya wayithatha masinyane wakhuphukela nayo ekamelweni elisophahleni lapho ayehlala khona wayesenxusa uJehova ukuba amvuse lo mfana. Kwenzeka isimangaliso, umfana “waphila.” U-Eliya wabuyisela umfana kunina futhi wathi: “Bheka, indodana yakho isiyaphila.” Wasabela kanjani? Ejabule, wathi: “Impela manje ngiyazi ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu nokuthi izwi likaJehova elisemlonyeni wakho liyiqiniso.”—1 AmaKhosi 17:22-24.

Cishe ebangeni elingamakhilomitha ayikhulu ukuya eningizimu yeZarefati kwakuhlala umbhangqwana ophanayo owanakekela u-Elisha, umprofethi owalandela u-Eliya. Inkosikazi yayingowesifazane owaziwayo emzini wakubo waseShunemi. Yona nomyeni wayo bavuma ukulungiselela u-Elisha indawo yokuhlala ekamelweni elisophahleni emzini wabo. Ukudabuka kwabo okwakubangelwa ukungabi nazingane kwaphenduka injabulo lapho lona wesifazane ebeletha indodana. Njengoba lo mfana ekhula, wayevame ukuhambisana nabavuni lapho beyosebenza noyise emasimini. Ngolunye usuku kwagadla usizi. Umfana wakhala ngekhanda. Inceku yamphuthumisa ekhaya. Unina wafike wamgona kodwa umfana wagcina efile. Unina elusizi wanquma ukubiza u-Elisha ukuba azosiza. Wahamba nenceku baya ngasenyakatho-ntshonalanga belibangise eNtabeni iKarmeli, lapho u-Elisha ayehlala khona.

Esabela kulokhu, umprofethi wathumela inceku yakhe uGehazi ukuba ihambe ngaphambi kwakhe futhi yathola ukuthi ngempela umfana wayeshonile. U-Elisha nalo wesifazane bayilandela, kodwa kwenzekani lapho ekugcineni befika eShunemi? Ukulandisa okusencwadini yesi-2 AmaKhosi 4:32-37 kuyabika: “Ekugcineni u-Elisha wangena endlini, futhi bheka umfana wayefile, elaliswe phezu kombhede wakhe. Khona-ke wangena wazivalela nomfana wayeseqala ukuthandaza kuJehova. Ekugcineni wakhuphuka walala phezu komntwana wabeka umlomo wakhe phezu komlomo wakhe namehlo akhe phezu kwamehlo akhe nezintende zezandla zakhe phezu kwezintende zezandla zakhe waqhubeka egobele kuye, futhi kancane kancane inyama yomntwana yafudumala. Khona-ke waqala ukuhamba futhi endlini, eya lé kanye abuye aye lé kanye, ngemva kwalokho wakhuphuka wagobela kuye. Umfana wathimula kasikhombisa, kamuva umfana wavula amehlo akhe. Ngemva kwalokhu wabiza uGehazi wathi: ‘Biza owesifazane waseShunemi.’ Ngakho wambiza wangena lapho ekhona. Khona-ke wathi: ‘Phakamisa indodana yakho.’ Wangena wawela ezinyaweni zakhe wamkhothamela, okwathi ngemva kwalokho wayiphakamisa indodana yakhe waphuma.”

Njengomfelokazi waseZarefati, lona wesifazane waseShunemi naye wazi ukuthi okwakwenzekile kwakwenzeke ngamandla kaNkulunkulu. Bobabili laba besifazane bajabula kakhulu lapho uNkulunkulu ebuyisela izingane zabo ekuphileni.

Uvuko Ngesikhathi Senkonzo KaJesu

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-900 kamuva, kwavuswa umuntu ebangeni elifushane nje enyakatho yeShunemi ngaphandle komzana waseNayini. Njengoba uJesu Kristu nabafundi bakhe bevela eKapernawume futhi sebesondela esangweni laseNayini, bahlangana nodwendwe lomngcwabo, futhi uJesu wabona umfelokazi owayeshonelwe indodana yakhe okuwukuphela kwayo. UJesu wamtshela ukuba athule angakhali. ULuka, udokotela, wachaza okwabe sekwenzeka: “Ngemva kwalokho [iNkosi uJesu] yasondela yathinta uhlaka, ababeluthwele bema, yathi: ‘Nsizwa, ngithi kuwe, Vuka!’ Lo muntu ofile wavuka wahlala futhi waqala ukukhuluma, yamnika unina.” (Luka 7:14, 15.) Labo abasibona ngawabo lesi simangaliso bakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu. Izindaba zalolu vuko zasakazekela eningizimu zayofika eJudiya nasesifundeni esilizungezile. Ngokuthakazelisayo, abafundi bakaJohane uMbhapathizi bezwa ngalo futhi babikela uJohane ngalesi simangaliso. Yena wabathumela ukuba bayofuna uJesu futhi bambuze ukuthi wayenguMesiya owayelindelwe yini. UJesu wabatshela: “Hambani nibikele uJohane lokho enikubonile nenikuzwile: izimpumputhe ziyabona, izinyonga ziyahamba, abanochoko bayahlanjululwa nezithulu ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, abampofu batshelwa izindaba ezinhle.”—Luka 7:22.

Isimangaliso esaziwa kakhulu esenziwa uJesu yileso sokuvusa umngane wakhe omkhulu uLazaru. Kule ndaba kwase kudlule isikhathi uLazaru efile lapho uJesu efika emzini wakubo. Lapho ekugcineni efika eBhethaniya, uLazaru wayesenezinsuku ezine eshonile. Lapho uJesu eyala ukuba kususwe itshe elalivale umnyango wethuna lakhe, uMarta akavumanga, ethi: “Nkosi, ngalesi sikhathi kumelwe ukuba useyanuka, ngoba sekuyizinsuku ezine.” (Johane 11:39) Kodwa akukho kubola komzimba kaLazaru okwavimbela lolu vuko ukuba lwenzeke. Lapho uJesu emyala ukuba avuke, “lo muntu owayefile waphuma izinyawo nezandla zakhe ziboshwe ngokokusonga, ubuso bakhe buboshwe bonke ngendwangu.” Okwenziwa izitha zikaJesu ngemva kwalokhu kufakazela ukuthi ngempela kwabuyiselwa uLazaru luqobo ekuphileni.—Johane 11:43, 44; 12:1, 9-11.

Siphetha ngokuthini ngalezi zindaba ezine zovuko? Ovukweni ngalunye ovusiwe wabuyela ekuphileni kusenguye. Ngisho nezihlobo zabo eziseduze zakwazi ukubabona zibazi. Akekho noyedwa kulabo abavuswa owakhuluma ngalokho okwakwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi esifushane efile. Akekho owakhuluma ngokuthi kade eye kwelinye izwe. Bonke kubonakala bavuswa beyimiqemane. Kubo kwakunjengokungathi babelele okwesikhashana base bevuka, njengoba nje uJesu asikisela. (Johane 11:11) Noma kunjalo ngemva kwesikhathi laba baphinde bafa.

Ukuphinda Sihlangane Nabathandekayo—Ithemba Elimangalisayo

Ngemva kwesikhathi esifushane u-Owen, okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni esandulelayo, eshone kabuhlungu, uyise wavakashela kwamakhelwane. Ngesikhathi elapho wabona isimemo etafuleni esimemezela ngenkulumo yeningi eyayihlelwe oFakazi BakaJehova. Yayinesihloko esamkhanga esasithi, “Bakuphi Abafileyo?” Yilokho kanye ayezibuza kona engqondweni. Waya kule nkulumo futhi wathola induduzo yangempela eBhayibhelini. Wafunda ukuthi abafileyo abahlushwa. Kunokuba bahlushwe esihogweni somlilo noma esikhundleni sokuthi uNkulunkulu abathathe ukuze bayoba izingelosi ezulwini, abafileyo, kuhlanganise no-Owen, balinde ethuneni kuze kufike isikhathi sokuba bavuswe.—UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4.

Ingabe niye navelelwa usizi lokushonelwa ekhaya? Ingabe nawe, njengobaba ka-Owen, uzibuza ukuthi baphi abathandekayo bakho abafile manje nokuthi likhona yini ithemba lokuphinde ubabone? Uma kunjalo, sikumema ukuba ucabangele lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngokwengeziwe ngovuko. Mhlawumbe uyazibuza: ‘Uvuko luyoba nini? Kahle-hle obani abazozuza kulo?’ Sicela ufunde izihloko ezilandelayo ukuze uthole ingxoxo yale mibuzo kanye neminye.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

UJehova wasebenzisa u-Elisha ukuba avuse indodana yomShunemikazi

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

U-Eliya wanxusa uJehova ukuba avuse umfana owayefile

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

UJesu wavusa indodana yomfelokazi waseNayini

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Uvuko luyophinde luhlanganise izihlobo nabathandekayo bazo