Izigidi Eziphila Manje Azisoze Zafa Emhlabeni Wethu
“Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila; okholwa yimi, noma efa wophila. Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.”—JOHANE 11:25, 26.
1. Ngomuntu ukuba angafi emhlabeni wethu bekungasho ukuthini ngalowomuntu othandwa ngaleyondlela?
NGOMUNTU ukuba angafi nakanye bekungasho ukuthi umuntu othandwa ngaleyondlela uyohlala ephila njengendoda noma owesifazane ongumuntu lapha emhlabeni isikhathi sonke! Leso isiphetho esinengqondo sokwenziwa, akunjalo? Futhi ingabe asivumelani yini namazwi kaJesu Kristu angenhla akhulunywa emakhulwini ayi-19 eminyaka ngaphambili? Yebo!
2, 3. (a) Iliphi ithemba elinikezwa imiBhalo yesiHeberu? (b) Yini ngokuvamile ewumbono wezimiso zenkolo zeLobukholwa?
2 ImiBhalo engcwele yesiHeberu, kusukela kuGenesise kuya kuMalaki, ayinikezi ithemba lasezulwini, ngakho amaJuda ayebambelele ngokuqinile kulemiBhalo ayengenathemba noma isifiso sasezulwini. Kodwa imiBhalo yesiHeberu iyalinikeza ithemba lokuphila okuphakade. (IHubo 37:29; Jobe 14:13-15) KumJuda wemvelo osokile ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni ngaphansi koMbuso kaMesiya othenjisiwe kwakuyithemba elivamile nento elindelekile.
3 Nokho, ngokuvamile lowo akuwona umbono wezimiso zenkolo zeLobukholwa. Zikholelwa futhi zifundise ukuthi thina bantu sinomphefumulo ongenakufa ngaphakathi komzimba wethu ofayo nokuthi ekufeni kwethu okungenakuvinjelwa lomphefumulo uyakhululwa futhi ungene endaweni engabonakali yomoya. Lapho ungenela ukwahlulelwa futhi uNkulunkulu uwabela ukuya enjabulweni enkulu yasezulwini noma endaweni yokujeziswa ekuhlushweni okungapheliyo uma umuntu ayengeyena umKristu othembekile. Futhi umbono ovamile weLobukholwa uwukuthi umhlaba, ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi ziyoshiswa, zibhujiswe esithandweni somlilo sendawo yonke.
4. Kungani ukungabi nakufa emhlabeni wethu bekungenakubonakala njengezindaba ezinhle kubantu abaningi abacabanga ngesimo sawo samanje?
4 Ngombono onjalo wenkolo, ngeke neze kwenzeke ukuthi “izigidi eziphila manje azisoze zafa emhlabeni wethu.” Nokho, abantu abaningi bangase basibuze, Ubani ongafuna ukuphila kunozungezilanga okhathazwa indlala, izifo eziwumshayabhuqe, ukuzamazama komhlaba, izimpi, inzondo yezizwe nezinhlanga, kanye nokunqwatshelwa kwezikhali zenyukliya zempi esongela bonke ubukhona besintu emhlabeni, njengoba kunjalo manje? Uma izinto ezisabeka kanjalo beziyohlupha umhlaba wethu ngokungenasiphelo, abantu abaningi abanengqondo bebengafuna ukusuka kuwo—ngisho nangokufa!
Injongo Yasekuqaleni Ngomhlaba
5. Sasiyini isimo somhlaba lapho uNkulunkulu ebeka isintu phezu kwawo, futhi uNkulunkulu unamuphi umuzwa ngesintu?
5 Nokho, ekuqaleni nje kokuba khona komuntu, uMdali wanikeza abantu umhlaba njengekhaya labo laphakade. Khona-ke ‘kwakuwumhlaba omuhle’ ngempela. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngendalo kusitshela ukuthi, ngemva kokuba uMdali eye walungisela indoda yokuqala nowesifazane izimo zasemhlabeni futhi wababeka phezu komhlaba, “UNkulunkulu wabona konke akwenzileyo; bheka, kwakukuhle kakhulu.” (Genesise 1:31) Ukuba akuzange kubukeke kukuhle kakhulu kuMdali, wayengasoze abeke abantwana bakhe abangabantu lapha. Yena kanye umlobi womlando wendalo uthi ngoNkulunkulu uMdali: “Uyidwala, umsebenzi wakhe uphelele, ngokuba zonke izindlela zakhe zingukulunga; unguNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala.” (Duteronomi 32:4) UNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke akanawo umsebenzi, noma isenzo, okumelwe axolise ngawo kunoma ubani. NjengoBaba omuhle, wathanda isintu ekuqaleni. Usasithanda isintu.—Johane 3:16.
6, 7. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi ukudala kukaNkulunkulu umhlaba nomuntu phezu kwawo ngeke kube umsebenzi weze?
6 Ngokujabulisayo ukudala kukaNkulunkulu umhlaba nomuntu phezu kwawo akunakuba umsebenzi weze. Ebeka umgomo odumisa uNkulunkulu phambi kwendoda yokuqala nowesifazane, uNkulunklu wagunyaza uAdamu noEva ukuba bande ngabantwana abaphelele futhi bagcwalise umhlaba ngabo. Babeyalezwe futhi ukuba banqobe umhlaba ukuba ube iPharadesi lembulunga yonke futhi babuse phezu kwazo zonke izidalwa ezingebona abantu emhlabeni. (Genesise 1:28) Ngokudabukisayo, ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwezi-6 000 yokuba-khona komuntu nokuhlangenwe nakho, isintu siye sahluleka ukwenza esasigunyazwe ukukwenza. Okubi kakhulu, abantu manje basongela ukuzishanela ngokwabo ngesidlozane esikhulu ngamacebo abo enzondo. Kepha ukuzenza kwesintu izehluleki, akumenzanga uNkulunkulu uMdali isehluleki.
7 Injongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngomhlaba wethu iyogcwaliseka. Sinesiqinisekiso sikaNkulunkulu ngalokho! (Isaya 55:11) Kumshumayeli 1:4 iBhayibheli lithi: “Isizukulwane siyamuka, isizukulwane siyeza, kepha umhlaba umi phakade.” Futhi kuIsaya 45:18 uNkulunkulu uMdali ubhekisela kuye ngokwakhe ‘njengowawubumba umhlaba, wawenza,’ futhi uyanezela: “Wawumisa, engawudalelanga ize, wawubumba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo, uthi: NginguJehova, akakho omunye.” Futhi ‘ukuhlala kuwo’ kwesizwe esiphelele sesintu, esibusiswe ngesipho sokuphila okuphakade kusazoba sesikhathini sikaNkulunkulu esifanelekile!
8, 9. (a) Kungani injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo ingaphikiswa iqiniso lokuthi amazulu nomhlaba wamanje kuzodlula? (b) Ayini “amazulu amasha” no“mhlaba omusha,” futhi siyini isithembiso seBhayibheli ngawo?
8 Lenkulumo eqinisekisayo engenhla yenjongo kaNkulunkulu umphostoli uPetru akayiphikisi uma esixwayisa ukuthi amazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kuyodlula. Qha, ngoba ngemva nje kokusikhumbuza ngalokho okuyokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo, esiseduze kakhulu manje, uqhubeka athi: “Kepha siyalindela ngesithembiso sakhe amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:10-13) Isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sanjalo amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha sigcinwe kuIsaya 65:17. Ukuthi lawa ayohlala isikhathi eside kangakanani, sitshelwa kuIsaya 66:22: “Ngokuba njengokuba izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha engiyakukwenza kuyokuma phambi kwami, usho uJehova, kanjalo kuyakuma inzalo yakho negama lakho.”
9 Awu, yebo, amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha kuyoqhubeka kumile phambi kukaJehova; kuyoma kuqinile, kuyohlala, kuyoqhubeka! “Umhlaba omusha” wenziwe isizwe sabantu abalungileyo abayohlala embulungeni yomhlaba ehlanziwe, leyo uMdali ayenza ‘ukuba kuhlalwe kuyo.’ (Isaya 45:18) “Amazulu amasha,” okungamandla amasha alungileyo asezulwini, ayophatha umhlaba ohlanziwe nabantu bawo abalungileyo. Ngokuqinisekile-ke, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyobe ‘engayidalelanga ize’ imbulunga yethu emangalisayo ewumhlaba. Isayomfakazela njengoMenzi!
Ukusindela ‘Emhlabeni Omusha’
10, 11. (a) Ekubikezeleni kwazo, yini izazi zezindaba zezwe ezingayicabangeli, ngakho yini esingasinda kuyo singenephi? (b) Yini esingayifunda ngokusinda kukaNowa nomkhaya wakhe kuZamcolo?
10 Umbono abafundi bezindaba zezwe ngokuvamile abawubekayo awushiyi themba lokusindela kwesintu esimisweni sezinto esisha nesingcono. Ngokubongekayo imicabango yabo akuyona imicabango yoMdali womhlaba, nezindlela zabo akuzona izindlela zakhe. (Isaya 55:8-11) Imicabango yabo ayisekelwe kulokho okwenzeka emhlabeni kudala ezinsukwini zendoda uNowa. Onke amabhomu enyukliya nezinye iziqhumane ezinamandla zezizwe ngeke kulingane ngamandla noZamcolo wembulunga owathululeka ngalesosikhathi uvela esibhakabhakeni ukuze ulethe ukuphela kulelozwe elidala lobudlova. Ngomusa uJehova uNkulunkulu uMdali wenza amalungiselelo ngomkhaya wesintu ukuba usinde kulokho kuphela okubhubhisayo kwezwe ngalesosikhathi ukuze uqhubeke emhlabeni.
11 Ngokuphathelene nabantu abasinda balelozwe lamandulo, kwakunabayisishiyagalombili babo, okungukuthi, uNowa nomkakhe, namadodana abo nomkawo. Ngalemiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili engabantu isizwe sethu sanikezwa isiqalo esisha, ekulungeni. (2 Petru 2:5; 3:6) Lokhu kusebenza njengesibonelo sesikhathi esizayo esiseduze. (Genesise 9:1-7) Okukubonisayo ukuthi, njengoba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe basinda ekupheleni kwezwe osukwini lwabo, kanjalo singasinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe singene esimisweni esisha sezinto esiseduze kakhulu manje!
12, 13. (a) Kungani izigidi namuhla zingakwesabi ukuphela kwalesimiso esidala sezinto? (b) Umkhuleko esawufundiswa iNdodana yomuntu usiqinisekisa ngokuphathelene nani ngomhlaba wethu ongokoqobo?
12 Izigidi emhlabeni namuhla ziyaqonda ukuthi “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha” kuseduze kakhulu phambi kwethu. Azikwesabi ukuphela kwezwe elidala lamanje, ngisho nakuba kuyokwenzeka njengomlilo omboza kokubili izulu nomhlaba. Ziyazi ngokweZwi loMdali wezinto zonke elinokwethenjelwa ukuthi umhlaba wethu ongokoqobo uyosinda njengoba nje wenza ekupheleni kwezwe lakuqala ezinsukwini zikakhokho wazo uNowa. Umhubi ophefumlelwe wenza lokhu kukhulumela ngomhlaba wethu: “Izulu liyizulu likaJehova, kepha umhlaba wawunika abantwana babantu.”—IHubo 115:16.
13 “Abantwana babantu” abenzelwanga izulu, kepha umhlaba, lapho uMdali abagunyaza ukuba bahlale khona. Lapha phansi emhlabeni uMfundisi oMkhulu owazibiza ngokuthi “iNdodana yomuntu” wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandaze kuMdali, bathi: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho; mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 24:37; 6:9, 10) Ukuze lowomkhuleko uphendulwe yilowo “ozwayo imikhuleko” ngokuza koMbuso wakhe wasezulwini, umhlaba wethu ongokoqobo kumelwe usinde ekupheleni okusondelayo kwesimiso sezinto samanje esilahliwe. (IHubo 65:2) Phezu kwawo, isintu esisindayo siyokwenza intando kaBaba wasezulwini njengoba izingelosi ezulwini ziyenza ngokwethembeka.
14. Obani abayoqalisa “umhlaba omusha,” futhi lowomhlaba omusha uyokwandiswa kanjani?
14 Yeka amathemba amangalisa kanjalo aphambi kwabenzi bentando kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni ohlanziwe! Abantu abayosinda kulelizwe lamanje, ababheke phambili ekukhonzeni uBaba wasezulwini okungenakuphela emhlabeni oyiPharadesi, bayoqalisa “umhlaba omusha” ngaphansi “kwamazulu amasha” obuMesiya. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ‘lomhlaba omusha’ othenjisiwe uyokwandiswa ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo besintu abahlengiwe abayofundiswa ukulunga nabayobopheka ukuba benze okulungileyo. (Johane 5:28, 29) Ngokwalokhu, yini esingayenza thina esinamathemba okusinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe?
15, 16. (a) Yini umphostoli uPetru ayibonisa ukuba inkambo efanelekile ngalabo abayosinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe? (b) UNowa wayeluhlobo luni lomuntu phakathi nezinsuku zangaphambi kukaZamcolo, kwaba namuphi umvuzo kuye nomkhaya wakhe?
15 Lowo umbuzo omuhle. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwe-1 900 edlule umphostoli uPetru wabonisa okumelwe kube yimpendulo yalowombuzo, lapho ebhala: “Njengokuba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka nilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu ayakubhidlika ngalo amazulu, ashe, konke kushe, kuncibilike, na?” (2 Petru 3:11, 12) Uma kwakufanele ngomphostoli ophefumlelwe ukubhala lawomazwi eminyakeni eyi-1 900 edlule phakathi nesikhathi sokudlondlobala koMbuso wamaRoma, yeka ukuthi kufaneleke kakhulu kangakanani ngalawomazwi esikhuthazo ukuba ashiwo koFakazi BakaJehova phakathi nalezinsuku zokugcina zalesimiso sezinto. Lokhu “kufika kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu” kuyophelela ekuncibilikeni, njengokungathi kusebhodweni lokuncibilikisa, ‘komhlaba nemisebenzi yawo’ okungokomfanekiso.—2 Petru 3:10.
16 Ezinsukwini zokugcina ngaphambi kokuphela kwezwe langaphambi kukaZamcolo, “uNowa wayeyindoda eqotho, engenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe; uNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 6:9) Ukuhamba kukaNowa ngaleyondlela njengenhloko yomkhaya wakhe omncane kwasebenzela ukuba uNkulunkulu ayehamba naye abagcine bephila. Ngemva kokuba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe bephume bephila emkhunjini wosindiso, basetshenziswa ekuqaliseni isimiso esisha sezinto sokulunga ngaphansi kwesibusiso sikaJehova uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke uNkulunkulu wenza isivumelwano nalaba abasinda kuZamcolo sokungasaphinde alethe uZamcolo wembulunga yonke phezu kwesizwe sesintu emhlabeni.—Genesise 9:8-17.
17. UNowa wanikezwa isixwayiso ezingeni elingakanani, futhi isiphi isimo esifana naleso ezinsukwini zethu?
17 UNowa wanikezwa isixwayiso esanele sokuza kwemvula yamanzi anele ukuba acwilise wonke umhlaba. OFakazi BakaJehova balelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka baye banikwa isixwayiso esifanayo sokuphela kwalelizwe. Lesixwayiso sisekelwe eBhayibhelini eliphefumlelwe nasekugcwalisekeni kweziprofetho zalo ezenza kukhanye ukuthi sisondela eduze kwesiphelo salesimiso sezinto esinobudlova.
Ukwamukela Abafile Bebuyela Emhlabeni
18. Ikuphi ukubikezelwa kovuko lwabafileyo basemhlabeni njengoba luchazwe kusAmbulo izigidi zoFakazi ezijabula ngakho namuhla?
18 Namuhla izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova ‘abahamba noNkulunkulu’ bayajabula ngalokho okubikezelwe kusAmbulo 20:11-14, lapho sifunda ukuthi: “Ngase ngibona isihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu esimhlophe nohlezi kuso, obuso bakhe babalekelwa yizulu 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, ichibi lomlilo.”
19. Abantu abafileyo abavusiwe bayobuyela emhlabeni okusiphi isimo, futhi iyiphi impatho abayoyithola abayoqalisa ngayo ukuphila kabusha?
19 Labo abavuswe ekufeni ngokwalesiprofetho seBhayibheli abayikubuyela emhlabeni ongenabantu. Izigidi zofakazi bakaJehova abazinikezele babhapathizwa zilindele ukusinda ekunyamalaleni kwamazulu nomhlaba omdala okungokomfanekiso ukuze bamukele abafileyo abavusiwe emhlabeni olungiselelwa ukuba iPharadesi lomhlaba wonke. (Luka 23:43) Isimiso esisha sezinto ngalesosikhathi siyobe sesiqalile kakade. Ngothando abasinde ekupheleni kwalelizwe elidala bayobe benze amalungiselelo anele okubuya kwabafile abahlengiweyo.
20. Iziphi iziyalezo ezanikezwa uJesu ngemva kokuvusa uLazaru nendodakazi kaJayiru kwabafileyo ezibonisa lokho abaphilayo abayokwenzela izigidigidi ezivusiwe?
20 Lezozigidi zabasindile ziyokhumbula ukuthi, uJesu masinya ngemva kokuvusa umngane wakhe othandekayo uLazaru ethuneni laphaya eBethani, eduze kweJerusalema, wayala labo ababebukela lesimangaliso ukuba bathukulule uLazaru izindwangu ayengcwatshwe ngazo. Ngokufanayo, lapho uJesu evusa indodakazi yombusi ongumJuda uJayiru ekufeni, “wayala ukuba inikwe ukudla.” (Luka 8:55; Johane 11:44) Ngokungangabazeki iziyalezo ezivela ezulwini ziyonikezwa abasindile ukuba benze amalungiselelo afanele okubuya kwezigidigidi zabantu abafile.
21, 22. (a) Kungasiphi isimiso abasindile abayosiza ngaso abafileyo abavusiwe ukuba bamukele ngokugcwele izinzuzo zokufa kukaKristu? (b) Kungani ‘umhlaba omusha’ uyoba olungileyo kusukela ekuqaleni kwawo nje?
21 Kuyoba khona futhi umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa oyokwenziwa. Lokhu kusekuvumelaneni nenjongo yaphezulu ngabantu abafileyo ababuyayo ukuba bazuze ngokugcwele emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu. Kungokwenza lokhu kuphela ukuthi bayovunyelwa ukuhlala emhlabeni onjenge-Edene, ekupheleleni kobuntu. Kakade “isixuku esikhulu” sabayosinda “osizini olukhulu” sizilungiselela ukuhlanganyela kulesosimiso esimangalisayo sokufundisa. Bona ngokomuntu siqu baye bamukela izinzuzo zomhlatshelo wokufa ‘kweWundlu likaNkulunkulu,’ uJesu Kristu. (Johane 1:29) Lokhu yilokho okuboniswe kusAmbulo 7:9-14, lapho, phakathi kwezinye izinto, kuphawulwe lokhu ngabo: “Laba yibo abaphuma osizini olukhulu, bahlanza izingubo zabo bazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.” Ngakho, ngenxa yokwamukela izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu, baboniswa ‘njengabambethe izingubo ezimhlophe.’
22 ‘Ngalesisixuku esikhulu,’ kuthiwa futhi ngengqondo engokomfanekiso: “Bemkhonza imini nobusuku ethempelini lakhe.” (IsAmbulo 7:15) Phakathi “nosizi olukhulu” oluseduze nje, ingubo yabo emhlophe ayinakuthathwa kubo, kepha ngokungaxegi bayoqhubeka benikeza inkonzo engcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwesivikelo sakhe. (IsAmbulo 7:17) Bona, ‘ngezingubo zabo ezimhlophe’ ezingokomfanekiso, bayoba ingxenye yokuqala ‘yomhlaba omusha,’ ukuze kuwo, kusukela ekuqaleni nje, kube “khona kuwo ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
□ Imuphi umbono wokuphila esikhathini esizayo abantu besikhathi esidlule nesamanje abaye baba nawo?
□ Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba, futhi iBhayibheli likubonisa kanjani lokhu?
□ Okwenzeka kuNowa nomkhaya wakhe kusinikeza kanjani isiqinisekiso sokuthi izigidi eziphila manje azisoze zafa?
□ Obani abayokwamukela abafileyo, futhi imaphi amalungiselelo abayokwenzelwa wona?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UNowa nomkhaya wakhe basinda kuZamcolo. Izigidi ziyosinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Njengoba uLazaru amukelwa ephila, ngakho abasinda eArmagedoni bayomukela abafileyo