Kuyoba Novuko Lwabalungile
“Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu . . . lokuthi kuyakuba-khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungile nokwabangalungile.”—IZENZO 24:15.
1. Isiphi isimo bonke abantu abaye babhekana naso kusukela ekuphambukeni kuka-Adamu no-Eva?
“KONKE isandla sakho esikufumanayo ukukwenza, kwenze ngamandla akho, ngokuba akukho-msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha endaweni yabafileyo, lapho uya khona.” (UmShumayeli 9:10) Ngalamazwi ambalwa, akhethwe ngokucophelela, iNkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni ichaza isimo zonke izizukulwane zesintu eziye zabhekana naso kusukela ekuphambukeni kwabazali bethu bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva. Ngaphandle kokukhetha, ekugcineni ukufa kuye kwasobozela bonke abantu—abacebile nabampofu, inkosi nomuntukazana, othembekile nongathembekile. Ngempela, ukufa kuye “kwabusa.”—Roma 5:17.
2. Kungani kungenzeka ukuthi abanye abathembekile baye badumazeka phakathi nalesisikhathi sokuphela?
2 Naphezu kwentuthuko yamuva yesayensi yezokwelapha, ukufa kusabusa ngisho nanamuhla. Nakuba lokhu kungamangalisi, kungenzeka ukuthi abanye baye badumazeka ngandlela-thile lapho ekugcineni bebhekana nalesisitha osekuyisikhathi eside sikhona. Ngani? Phela, emuva ngawo-1920, i-Watch Tower Society yamemezela isigijimi esithi “Izigidi eziphilayo manje azisoze zafa.” Zingaba ngobani lezizigidi? ‘Yizimvu’ okukhulunywa ngazo enkulumweni kaJesu ephathelene nezimvu nezimbuzi. (Mathewu 25:31-46) Lababantu abanjengezimvu kwaprofethwa ukuthi babeyovela phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela, futhi ithemba labo laliyoba ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka, abantu bakaNkulunkulu basiqonda kangcono isikhundla ‘salezizimvu’ ezinjongweni zikaJehova. Kwaqashelwa ukuthi lababantu abalalelayo babezohlukaniswa ‘ezimbuzini’ ezinenkani, futhi ngemva kokubhujiswa kwalaba bamuva, izimvu ziyodla ifa lendawo yasemhlabeni yoMbuso eyayilungiselelwe zona.
Ukuqoqwa Kwabanjengezimvu
3. Yimuphi umsebenzi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abaye bagxila kuwo kusukela ngo-1935?
3 Kusukela ngo-1935, “inceku ethembekileyo” iye yagxila ekufuneni labobantu abanjengezimvu nasekubaletheni enhlanganweni kaJehova. (Mathewu 24:45; Johane 10:16) LamaKristu afundisekayo aye aqaphela ukuthi uJesu manje uyabusa eMbusweni kaJehova wasezulwini nokuthi sisondela ngokushesha isikhathi sokuphela kwalesisimiso sezinto esibi nokungeniswa kwezwe elisha okuyoba khona kulo ukulunga. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 12:10) Kulelozwe elisha, amazwi ka-Isaya akhuthazayo ayogcwaliseka: “Uyakugwinya ukufa kuze kube-phakade.”—Isaya 25:8.
4. Nakuba ngobuqotho bebenethemba lokubona ubukhosi bukaJehova bulwelwa e-Armagedoni, yini eye yenzeka kwabaningi bezinye izimvu?
4 Njengoba ukuphela kwezwe likaSathane kuseduze kakhulu, amaKristu anjengezimvu abengakujabulela kakhulu ukuphila kuze kube yilapho ubukhosi bukaJehova bulwelwa phakathi nosizi olukhulu oluza eBabiloni Elikhulu nakulo lonke izwe likaSathane. (IsAmbulo 19:1-3, 19-21) Kwabaningi izinto azizange zenzeke ngaleyondlela. Abaningi ababenethemba lokuba phakathi ‘kwezigidi’ ezingasoze zafa eqinisweni sebeye bafa. Abanye babulawelwa iqiniso emajele nasemakamu okuhlushwa noma ezandleni zabashisekela inkolo ngokungenangqondo. Abanye baye bafa ezingozini noma kulokho okuthiwa izimbangela ezingokwemvelo—ukugula nokuguga. (IHubo 90:9, 10; UmShumayeli 9:11) Ngokusobala, abaningi bayofa ngaphambi kokuba kufike isiphelo. Abanjalo bayokubona kanjani ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sezwe elisha okuyoba khona kulo ukulunga?
Ithemba Lovuko
5, 6. Banaliphi ikusasa labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni abafa ngaphambi kwe-Armagedoni?
5 Umphostoli uPawulu wanikeza impendulo lapho ekhuluma phambi kombusi ongumRoma uFeliksi. Njengoba kulotshwe kuzEnzo 24:15, uPawulu wamemezela ngesibindi: “Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu . . . lokuthi kuyakuba-khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungile nokwabangalungile.” Ithemba lovuko lisinikeza isibindi lapho sibhekene nokuhlupheka okunyantisayo. Ngenxa yalelothemba, abangane bethu abathandekayo abangenwa ukugula bese beba nomuzwa wokuthi bazofa abakhathazeki ngokweqile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, bayazi ukuthi bayovuna umvuzo wokuthembeka. Ngenxa yethemba lovuko, abafowethu nodadewethu abanesibindi ababhekene nokufa ezandleni zabashushisi bayazi ukuthi abashushisi babo abasoze banqoba. (Mathewu 10:28) Lapho othile ebandleni efa, siyadabuka ngokulahlekelwa yilowomuntu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uma engomunye wezinye izimvu, siyajabula ngokuthi esikholwa naye uye wazibonakalisa ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekupheleni futhi manje usephumule, eqiniseka ngesikhathi esizayo ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu.—1 Thesalonika 4:13.
6 Yebo, ithemba lovuko liyisici esibalulekile sokholo lwethu. Nokho, kungani ukukholelwa kwethu ovukweni kunamandla kangaka, futhi obani abahlanganyela lelothemba?
7.Luyini uvuko, futhi imiphi imibhalo eveza ukuqiniseka kwalo?
7 Igama lesiGreki elisho ‘uvuko’ u-a·naʹsta·sis, ngokwezwi nezwi elisho “ukusukuma.” Ngokuyisisekelo libhekisela ekuvukeni kwabafileyo. Ngokuthakazelisayo, lona ngempela igama elithi ‘uvuko’ aliveli emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, kodwa ithemba lovuko livezwe ngokucacile lapho. Ngokwesibonelo, siyalibona emazwini ashiwo uJobe phakathi nokuhlupheka kwakhe: “Sengathi ungangifihla endaweni yabafileyo, . . . unginqumele isikhathi, ungikhumbule.” (Jobe 14:13) Ngokufanayo, kuHoseya 13:14, siyafunda: “Ngiyakubahlenga esandleni sendawo yabafileyo, ngibahlawulele ekufeni; ziphi izifo zakho, kufa, kuphi ukuchitha kwakho, ndawo yabafileyo, na?” Kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:55, umphostoli uPawulu wacaphuna lamazwi futhi wabonisa ukuthi ukunqoba ukufa okwaprofethwa ngakho kufezwa ngovuko. (Yiqiniso, kulowombhalo, uPawulu wayekhuluma ngovuko lwasezulwini.)
Abakholwayo ‘Okuthiwa Balungile’
8, 9. (a) Abantu abangaphelele bangaba kanjani nengxenye ovukweni lwabalungile? (b) Siyini isisekelo sethemba lethu lokuphila okungenakunqanyulwa ukufa?
8 Enkulumweni yakhe kuFeliksi, ecashunwe esigabeni 5, uPawulu wathi kwakuyoba novuko lwabalungile nolwabangalungile. Bangobani abalungile abayovuswa? Phela, akekho umuntu olungile ngokwemvelo. Sonke siyizoni kwasekuzalweni, futhi senza izono kukho konke ukuphila kwethu—okusenza sifanelekele ukufa ngenxa yalezizizathu ezimbili. (Roma 5:12; 6:23) Nokho, eBhayibhelini sithola amazwi athi “kuthiwa ulungile.” (Roma 3:28, NW) Lokhu kubhekisela kubantu okuthi nakuba bengaphelele, bathethelelwe izono zabo uJehova.
9 Lamazwi asetshenziswa kakhulu ngokuphathelene namaKristu agcotshiwe, anethemba lasezulwini. KweyabaseRoma 5:1, umphostoli uPawulu uthi: “[Njengokuba kuye kwathiwa silungile, NW] ngokukholwa, sinokuthula kuNkulunkulu ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.” Wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe kuthiwa alungile ngenxa yokholo. Ukholo kuphi? Njengoba uPawulu echaza ngokuningiliziwe encwadini yabaseRoma, ukholo kuJesu Kristu. (Roma 10:4, 9, 10) UJesu wafa engumuntu ophelele futhi kamuva wavuswa kwabafile futhi wanyukela ezulwini ukuze anikele inani lokuphila kwakhe kobuntu ngenxa yethu. (Heberu 7:26, 27; 9:11, 12) Lapho uJehova emukela lowomhlatshelo, eqinisweni uJesu wathenga uhlanga lwesintu ebugqilini besono nokufa. Labo ababonisa ukholo kulelilungiselelo bazuza kakhulu kulo. (1 Korinte 15:45) Ngesisekelo salo amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile banethemba lokuzuza ukuphila okungenakunqanyulwa isitha esinonya, ukufa.—Johane 3:16.
10, 11. (a) Iluphi uvuko olulindele amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile? (b) Hlobo luni lovuko abakhulekeli bangesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu ababenethemba lalo?
10 Ngenxa yomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo, abagcotshiwe abathembekile, okuthiwa balungile, banethemba eliqinisekile lokuvuswa njengezidalwa zomoya ezingenakufa, njengoJesu. (IsAmbulo 2:10) Uvuko lwabo luphawulwe kusAmbulo 20:6, esithi: “Ubusisiwe, ungcwele onesabelo ekuvukeni kokuqala; kulabo ukufa kwesibili akunamandla, kepha bayakuba-ngabapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, babuse kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” Lolu uvuko lwasezulwini. Nokho, phawula ukuthi iBhayibheli lilubiza ngokuthi ‘uvuko lokuqala,’ okusho ukuthi kusenabanye abasazovuswa.
11 KumaHeberu isahluko 11, uPawulu wabhekisela ohlwini olude lwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu ezazibonise ukholo oluqinile kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Nalezi zazinokholo ovukweni. Evesini 35 lalesosahluko, uPawulu ukhuluma ngovuko oluyisimangaliso olwenzeka phakathi nomlando ka-Israyeli, ethi: “Abesifazane bamukeliswa abafileyo babo bevusiwe; abanye bahlushwa, kabavuma ukukhululwa, ukuze bathole ukuvuka okuhle.” Labofakazi abathembekile bezikhathi zasendulo babengabheka phambili ovukweni olungcono kunalolo, ngokwesibonelo, olwaluhilela u-Eliya no-Elisha. (1 AmaKhosi 17:17-22; 2 AmaKhosi 4:32-37; 13:20, 21) Ithemba labo laliwukuvukela ezweni lapho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingenakuhlukunyezwa khona ngenxa yokholo lwazo, izwe lapho abesifazane bengenakulahlekelwa khona abathandekayo ngokufa. Yebo, babebheke phambili ekuvukeni kwabafile bangene ezweni elisha elifanayo esinethemba lalo. (Isaya 65:17-25) UJehova akazange abembulele okuningi njengoba enzile kithi ngokuphathelene nalelizwe elisha. Nakuba kunjalo, babazi ukuthi liyeza, futhi babefuna ukuba kulo.
Uvuko Lwasemhlabeni
12. Ingabe abathembekileyo bangesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu kwathiwa balungile? Chaza.
12 Kufanele yini ukuba sicabange ngokuvuselwa kwalamadoda nabesifazane abathembekile bangesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu kulelozwe elisha njengengxenye yokuvuswa kwabalungile? Ngokusobala kunjalo, ngoba iBhayibheli libhekisela kubo njengabalungile. Ngokwesibonelo, umfundi uJakobe ukhuluma ngendoda nowesifazane bangezikhathi zasendulo okwathiwa balungile. Indoda kwakungu-Abrahama, ukhokho wohlanga lwamaHeberu. Ngokuphathelene naye siyafunda: “UAbrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga, wabizwa ngokuthi umhlobo kaNkulunkulu.” Owesifazane kwakunguRahabi, umuntu ongeyena umIsrayeli owabonisa ukholo kuJehova. Kwathiwa ulungile, futhi wayeseba ingxenye yesizwe samaHeberu. (Jakobe 2:23-25, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Ngakho, amadoda nabesifazane bakudala ababebonisa ukholo oluqinile kuJehova nasezithembisweni zakhe futhi bahlala bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni uJehova wathi balungile ngesisekelo sokholo lwabo, futhi ngokungangabazeki bayovuswa ‘ovukweni lwabalungile.’
13, 14. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi amaKristu anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kungathiwa alungile? (b) Kusho ukuthini lokhu ngawo?
13 Nokho, kuthiwani ngabantu abanjengezimvu namuhla, labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni abazinikezela kuJehova futhi abafa bethembekile phakathi nalesisikhathi sokuphela? Ingabe bayovuswa ovukweni lwabalungile? Ngokusobala kunjalo. Isixuku esikhulu sabantu abanjalo abathembekile sabonwa umphostoli uJohane embonweni. Phawula indlela asichaza ngayo: “Ngabona, bheka-ke, isixuku esikhulu ebesingenakubalwa-muntu, sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi, simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu, sembethe izingubo ezinde ezimhlophe, siphethe amahlamvu esundu ngezandla zaso, samemeza ngezwi elikhulu, sithi: Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi neyeWundlu.”—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10.
14 Phawula ukuthi lababantu abamnene baqiniseke ngokungenakunyakaziswa ngokusindiswa kwabo, futhi ngokuphathelene nalokhu udumo baluyisa kuJehova noJesu, ‘iWundlu.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, bami phambi kukaJehova neWundlu, bonke bembethe okumhlophe. Kungani bembethe okumhlophe? Isidalwa sasezulwini sitshela uJohane: “Bahlanza izingubo zabo, bazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.” (IsAmbulo 7:14) EBhayibhelini, umbala omhlophe uwuphawu lobumsulwa, ukulunga. (IHubo 51:7; Daniyeli 12:10; IsAmbulo 19:8) Iqiniso lokuthi isixuku esikhulu sibonakala sembethe izingubo ezimhlophe lisho ukuthi uJehova ubabheka njengabalungile. Kungenzeka kanjani lokho? Ngoba kunjengokungathi bahlanze izingubo zabo egazini leWundlu. Babonisa ukholo egazini likaJesu Kristu elachitheka futhi ngenxa yalokho kuthiwa balungile njengabangane bakaNkulunkulu bejonge ukusinda osizini olukhulu. Ngakho, noma imuphi umKristu othembekile ozinikezele manje oyingxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ ofa ngaphambi kosizi olukhulu angaqiniseka ngokuthi uyovuswa ovukweni lwabalungile oluyokwenzeka emhlabeni.
15. Njengoba abalungile nabangalungile beyovuswa, iyini inzuzo yovuko lwabalungile?
15 Lolovuko luchazwa kusAmbulo isahluko 20, ivesi 13, ngalamazwi: ‘Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidese kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho, bahlulelwa yilowo nalowo njengokwemisebenzi yakhe.’ Ngakho, phakathi noSuku olukhulu Lokwahlulela lukaJehova lweminyaka eyinkulungwane, bonke labo abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu bayovuswa—abalungile nabangalungile. (IzEnzo 17:31) Nokho, yeka ukuthi kuyoba ngcono kanjani ngabalungile! Kakade sebeye baphila ukuphila kokuba nokholo. Kakade sebenobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova nethemba ekufezweni kwezinjongo zakhe. Ofakazi abalungile bangaphambi kweNkathi YobuKristu bayovuka kwabafile belangazelela ukuzwa indlela izithembiso zikaJehova ngokuphathelene neMbewu ezagcwaliseka ngayo. (1 Petru 1:10-12) Labo bezinye izimvu uJehova ababheka njengabalungile osukwini lwethu bayovuka emathuneni belangazelela ukubona umhlaba oyiPharadesi ababekhuluma ngawo lapho bememezela izindaba ezinhle kulesisimiso sezinto. Yeka ukuthi leso kuyoba isikhathi esijabulisa kangakanani!
16. Yini esingase siyisho ngovuko lwangoSuku Lokwahlulela lwalabo abafa esikhathini sethu?
16 Phakathi naloloSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyinkulungwane, kunini ngempela lapho labo abafa bethembekile kuleminyaka yokugcina yesimiso sezinto sikaSathane beyovuswa khona? IBhayibheli alisho. Nokho, akunakuba okunengqondo yini ukucabanga ukuthi labo ababhekwa njengabalungile abafa esikhathini sethu bayovuka kuqala futhi ngaleyondlela bahlanganyele nesixuku esikhulu sabasinde e-Armagedoni emsebenzini wokwamukela izizukulwane zokuqala kwabafileyo? Kungaba njalo ngempela!
Ithemba Elinikeza Induduzo
17, 18. (a) Iyiphi induduzo enikezwa ithemba lovuko? (b) Yini esishukunyiselwa ukuba siyimemezele ngoJehova?
17 Ithemba lovuko linikeza amandla nenduduzo kuwo wonke amaKristu namuhla. Uma sihlala sithembekile, akukho senzakalo esingalindelekile futhi akukho sitha esingasiphuca umvuzo wethu! Ngokwesibonelo, kuyi-Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses ka-1992, ekhasini 177, kunemifanekiso yamaKristu anesibindi aseTopiya aye afa kunokuba ahlehle okholweni lwawo. Umbhalo ohambisana nalemifanekiso ufundeka kanje: “Ubuso esilindele ukububona ovukweni.” Yeka ukuthi kuyoba ilungelo elingakanani ukwazi lababantu nabanye abaningi abaye babonisa ukuthembeka okufanayo lapho bebhekene nokufa!
18 Kuthiwani ngabathandekayo bethu nabangane okuthi ngenxa yokukhula nokukhubazeka bangakwazi ukufinyelela osizini olukhulu? Ngokuvumelana nethemba lovuko, banekusasa elimangalisayo uma behlala bethembekile. Futhi uma nathi ngesibindi sibonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo, sinekusasa elimangalisayo. Ngani? Ngoba, njengoPawulu, sinethemba ‘ovukweni lwabalungile nolwabangalungile.’ Ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zethu, sibonga uJehova ngalelithemba. Ngokuqinisekile, lisishukumisela ukuba senanele lamazwi omhubi: “Landani inkazimulo [kaNkulunkulu] phakathi kwabezizwe, izimangaliso zakhe phakathi kwabantu bonke. Ngokuba mkhulu uJehova, udumisekile kakhulu.”—IHubo 96:3, 4.
Ungachaza?
◻ Imiphi imibhalo esiza ekuqinisekiseni ithemba lethu lovuko lwasemhlabeni?
◻ Kungasiphi isisekelo amaKristu manje kuthiwa alungile?
◻ Ithemba lovuko lisinikeza kanjani isibindi nokuzimisela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
NjengoPawulu, amaKristu agcotshiwe anethemba lovuko lwasezulwini