Ithemba Lovuko—Lisho Ukuthini Kuwe?

“Uvula isandla sakho wanelise isifiso sayo yonke into ephilayo.”—IHUBO 145:16.

 1-3. Iliphi ithemba abanye abanalo ngekusasa? Bonisa.

UCHRISTOPHER oneminyaka engu-9 kanye nomfowabo babechithe isikhathi sasekuseni noninalume nomkakhe, nabazala babo ababili bengena indlu ngendlu benza inkonzo yabo yobuKristu eduze kwaseManchester, eNgilandi. Okwalandela kwachazwa umagazini i-Phaphama! owumngane walona owufundayo. “Ntambama, bahamba ndawonye ohambweni lokubona indawo beya eBlackpool, endaweni eseduze yokuqeda isizungu ngasolwandle. Bonke abayi-6 babephakathi kwabantu abayi-12 abafa ujuqu engozini yemoto, eyachazwa amaphoyisa ‘njengenhlekelele ephelele.’”

² Ngobusuku obandulela le nhlekelele, lo mkhaya wawuye eSifundweni Sencwadi Sebandla, esasikhulume ngendaba yokufa. Uyise uyalandisa: “UChristopher ngaso sonke isikhathi wayengumfana onengqondo kakhulu. Ngalobo busuku, wakhuluma ngokucacile ngezwe elisha nangethemba lakhe ngekusasa. Khona-ke, njengoba ingxoxo yethu yayiqhubeka, uChristopher ngokungalindelekile wathi: ‘Into ngokuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova iwukuthi nakuba ukufa kubuhlungu, siyazi ukuthi siyobonana futhi emhlabeni ngolunye usuku.’ Akekho noyedwa kithi ababekhona owaqaphela indlela lawo mazwi ayezokhumbuleka ngayo.”a

³ Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, ngo-1940, uFranz, uFakazi wase-Austria, wayebhekene nokufa ngokunqunywa ikhanda ngoba enqaba ukulahla ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova. UFranz wabhalela unina ngesikhathi evalelwe eBerlin: “Ngokwalokho engikwaziyo, ukuba bengisamukele isifungo [sempi], bengiyobe ngenze isono okufanele ngife ngenxa yaso. Lokho bekuyoba ububi kimi. Bengingeke ngivuswe. . . . Manje-ke, mama wami othandekayo nani nonke bafowethu nodadewethu, namuhla ngazisiwe ngesigwebo sami, futhi ningesabi, singesokufa, futhi ngizobulawa kusasa ekuseni. Nginamandla avela kuNkulunkulu, njengoba kwakunjalo ngawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso esikhathini esidlule. . . . Uma niyohlala niqinile kuze kube sekufeni, siyobuye sibonane ovukweni. . . . Size sibonane futhi.”b

 4. Okuhlangenwe nakho okulandiswe lapha kukuthinte kanjani, futhi ikuphi esesizokuhlola?

⁴ Ithemba lovuko laliyinto enkulu kuChristopher noFranz. Lalingokoqobo kubo. Ngokuqinisekile ukulandisa kwabo kusithinta inhliziyo! Ukuze sijulise ukumazisa kwethu uJehova futhi siqinise ithemba lethu ovukweni, masihlole ukuthi kungani uvuko luzoba khona nokuthi lokhu kufanele kumthinte kanjani umuntu ngamunye kithi.

Umbono Wovuko Lwasemhlabeni

 5, 6. Umbono olotshwe umphostoli uJohane kusAmbulo 20:12, 13 wembulani?

⁵ Embonweni wezenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Jesu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, umphostoli uJohane wabona sekwenzeka uvuko lwasemhlabeni. Walandisa: “Ngabona abafileyo, abakhulu nabancane . . . Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidesi kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho.” (IsAmbulo 20:12, 13) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi banasiphi isikhundla—ukuthi “bakhulu” noma “bancane”—bonke ababanjwe iHayidesi (iShiyoli), ithuna elivamile lesintu, bayodedelwa. Labo abafela olwandle nabo bayobuye baphile ngaleso sikhathi. Lesi senzakalo esimangalisayo siyingxenye yenjongo kaJehova.

⁶ Ukubusa kukaKristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kuqala ngokuboshwa kukaSathane nokuvalelwa kwakhe kwalasha. Akekho noyedwa kulabo abavusiwe noma abasinde osizini olukhulu osayodukiswa uSathane phakathi nalokho kubusa, ngoba uSathane uyobe engakwazi kwenza lutho. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Iminyaka eyinkulungwane ingase ibonakale iyisikhathi eside kuwe, kodwa empeleni, uJehova uyibheka “njengosuku olulodwa.”—2 Petru 3:8.

 7. Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, abantu bayohlulelwa ngokwasiphi isisekelo?

⁷ Ngokwalo mbono, ukuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kuyoba isikhathi sokwahlulelwa. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Ngabona abafileyo, abakhulu nabancane, bemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, futhi imiqulu yavulwa. Kodwa nomunye umqulu wavulwa; umqulu wokuphila. Abafileyo bahlulelwa ngokwalezo zinto ezazilotshwe emiqulwini ngokwezenzo zabo. . . . Bahlulelwa ngamunye ngokwezenzo zabo.” (IsAmbulo 20:12, 13) Phawula ukuthi isisekelo salokhu kwahlulelwa akukona lokho umuntu akwenzile noma angakwenzanga ngaphambi kokuba afe. (Roma 6:7) Kunalokho sihlobene ‘nemiqulu’ esazovulwa. Izenzo umuntu azenza ngemva kokufunda okusemiqulwini ziyoba isisekelo sokunquma ukuthi lilotshwe yini igama lakhe ‘emqulwini wokuphila.’

‘Uvuko Lokuphila’ Noma ‘Uvuko Lokwahlulelwa’

 8. Imaphi amathuba amabili ayobe evulekele labo abavusiwe?

⁸ Ekuqaleni kombono kaJohane, uJesu uchazwa ngokuthi uphethe ‘izihluthulelo zokufa nezeHayidesi.’ (IsAmbulo 1:18) ‘UnguMmeli Oyinhloko wokuphila’ kaJehova, onikwe amandla okwahlulela “abaphilayo nabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 3:15; 2 Thimothewu 4:1) Uyokwenza kanjani lokhu? Ngokuthi ababuyisele ekuphileni labo abalele ekufeni. UJesu wathi ezixukwini ayezishumayeza: “Ningamangali ngalokhu, ngoba ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi layo baphume.” Wabe esenezela: “Abenze okuhle baphumele ovukweni lokuphila, ababenomkhuba wokwenza okubi ovukweni lokwahlulelwa.” (Johane 5:28-30) Ngakho, iliphi ikusasa elilindele amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile basendulo?

 9. (a) Lapho bebuya ovukweni, yini abaningi ngokungangabazeki abayoyazi? (b) Imuphi umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa osazokwenziwa?

⁹ Lapho laba abasendulo abathembekile bebuya ovukweni, bayosheshe babone ukuthi izithembiso ababebambelele kuzo sezifezekile. Yeka ukuthi kuyobathakazelisa kangakanani ukwazi ukuthi ubani owaba iNzalo yowesifazane kaNkulunkulu okukhulunywe ngayo esiprofethweni sokuqala seBhayibheli, kuGenesise 3:15! Yeka ukuthi bayojabula kanjani ukuzwa ukuthi lo Mesiya othenjisiwe, uJesu, wathembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni, kanjalo enikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengomhlatshelo wesihlengo! (Mathewu 20:28) Labo ababahlangabezayo njengoba bevuswa bayokuthola kujabulisa kakhulu ukubasiza ukuba baqonde ukuthi leli lungiselelo lesihlengo liyisibonakaliso somusa ongafanelwe nesihe sikaJehova. Akungabazeki ukuthi lapho labo abavusiwe bebona lokho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu okufezayo ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaJehova ngomhlaba, izinhliziyo zabo ziyochichima amazwi okumdumisa. Bayoba nethuba eliningi lokubonisa ubuqotho babo kuYise wasezulwini onothando naseNdodaneni yakhe. Wonke umuntu ophilayo uyojabulela ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini omkhulu wokufundisa oyobe udingeka ukuze kufundiswe izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu ababuya ethuneni, okuyodingeka nabo bamukele ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lesihlengo.

10, 11. (a) IMinyaka Eyinkulungwane iyobanika maphi amathuba bonke abantu emhlabeni? (b) Lokhu kufanele kusithinte kanjani?

¹⁰ U-Abrahama ovusiwe uyoduduzeka kakhulu lapho ebona ukuthi kunjani ukuphila ngaphansi kokubusa ‘komuzi’ ayebheke phambili kuwo. (Hebheru 11:10) Cabanga ngenjabulo uJobe wasendulo othembekile ayoba nayo lapho ezwa ukuthi inkambo yakhe yokuphila yaqinisa ezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezabhekana novivinyo lobuqotho bazo! Futhi yeka ukuthi uDaniyeli yena uyokulangazelela kangakanani ukwazi ukuthi zagcwaliseka kanjani iziprofetho aphefumulelwa ukuba azilobe!

¹¹ Ngempela bonke labo abazuza ukuphila ezweni elisha lokulunga, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngovuko noma ngokusinda osizini olukhulu, bayoba nezinto eziningi abayozifunda ngenjongo kaJehova ngomhlaba nabakhileyo kuwo. Ithemba lokuphila phakade nokudumisa uJehova kulo lonke iphakade ngokuqinisekile liyokwenza isimiso sokufundisa phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane sibe esijabulisa ngempela. Nokho, okubaluleke kakhulu kuyoba yilokho esikwenzayo thina ngabanye lapho sifunda okuqukethwe imiqulu. Ingabe siyokusebenzisa esikufundayo? Ingabe siyozindla futhi sikusebenzise ukwaziswa okubalulekile okuyosiqinisela ukuba simelane nomzamo kaSathane wokugcina wokusiphambukisa eqinisweni?

12. Yini eyosiza ngamunye wethu ukuba akwazi ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele kokubili emsebenzini wokufundisa nowokuguqula umhlaba ube ipharadesi?

¹² Akufanele sikhohlwe izibusiso ezimangalisayo eziyoba khona lapho kusetshenziswa izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo. Labo ababuyiselwe ekuphileni ovukweni ngeke babe nobuthakathaka bomzimba noma ukukhubazeka esinako namuhla. (Isaya 33:24) Imizimba eyimiqemane nethuba lempilo engenazifo kuyokwenza bonke abakhileyo ezweni elisha bahlanganyele ngokugcwele emsebenzini wokufundisa izinkulungwane zezigidi zabavusiwe indlela yokuphila. Bayohlanganyela nasemsebenzini omkhulu kunayo yonke eyake yenziwa emhlabeni—wokuguqula wonke umhlaba ube ipharadesi kube udumo kuJehova.

13, 14. Iyini injongo yokukhululwa kukaSathane ovivinyweni lokugcina, futhi imuphi umphumela ongaba khona kithina ngabanye?

¹³ Lapho uSathane ekhululwa kwalasha ekhululelwa uvivinyo lokugcina, uyozama ukuphinde adukise abantu. NgokwesAmbulo 20:7-9, zonke ‘izizwe ezidukisiwe,’ noma amaqembu abantu, ezivumela ithonya elibi likaSathane ziyothola isahlulelo sokubhujiswa: ‘Kuyokwehla umlilo uvela ezulwini uzishwabadele.’ Kulabo abavuswe phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, lokhu kubhujiswa kuyokwenza uvuko lwabo lube olokwahlulelwa kokulahlwa. Ngokuphambene, abavusiwe abagcina ubuqotho bayothola isipho sokuphila okuphakade. Ngempela, olwabo uvuko kuyoba ‘uvuko lokuphila.’—Johane 5:29.

¹⁴ Ithemba lovuko lingasiduduza kanjani kwamanje? Ngempela, yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze siqinisekise ukuthi siyothola izinzuzo zalo esikhathini esizayo?

Izifundo Esingazifunda Manje

15. Ukukholelwa ovukweni kungaba kanjani usizo kwamanje?

¹⁵ Kungenzeka ukuthi usanda kushonelwa othandekayo wakho futhi mhlawumbe usazama ukujwayelana noshintsho olukhulu lokhu okululethayo. Ithemba lovuko likusiza ukuba ube nokuthula kwangaphakathi namandla abantu abangalazi iqiniso abangenakukuthola. UPawulu waduduza abaseThesalonika: “Asifuni ukuba nibe abangenalwazi ngalabo abalele; ukuze ningadabuki njengoba nje kwenza bonke abanye abangenalo ithemba.” (1 Thesalonika 4:13) Ingabe uyazibona usezweni elisha, ubona abantu bevuka? Thola induduzo kwamanje ngokuzindla ngethemba lokuphinde ubonane nabathandekayo bakho.

16. Cishe uyozizwa kanjani lapho ubona kuvuswa abafileyo?

¹⁶ Kungenzeka ukuthi emzimbeni uzwa imiphumela yokuvukela kuka-Adamu, mhlawumbe uhlushwa impilo. Musa ukuvumela usizi oluhambisana nako lukwenze ukhohlwe ithemba elijabulisayo lokuzibona uvuka futhi uphinde uphile usululeme futhi unobungqabavu ezweni elisha. Khona-ke lapho amehlo akho evuleka futhi ubona ubuso obuchachambile babantu abalangazelela ukukutshela indlela abajabule ngayo ngokuvuka kwakho, nakanjani uyombonga uNkulunkulu ngomusa wakhe wothando.

17, 18. Iziphi izifundo ezimbili ezibalulekile okufanele sizikhumbule?

¹⁷ Okwamanje, cabangela izifundo ezimbili okufanele sizikhumbule. Esokuqala ukubaluleka kokukhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke kwamanje. Njengoba silingisa iNkosi yethu, uKristu Jesu, ukuphila kwethu kokuzidela kubonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova nomakhelwane bethu. Uma ukuphikiswa noma ushushiso kusiphuca izinto ebesiziphilisa ngazo noma inkululeko yethu, siyazimisela ukuhlala siqinile okholweni kungakhathaliseki ukulingwa esingase sibhekane nako. Uma kungenzeka abaphikisi bethu basongele ukuphila kwethu, khona-ke ithemba lovuko liyasiduduza futhi lisiqinise ukuze sihlale siqotho kuJehova naseMbusweni wakhe. Yebo, intshiseko yethu emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi isigcina sisohlwini lokuthola izibusiso zaphakade uJehova azigcinele abalungileyo.

¹⁸ Isifundo sesibili sihlobene nendlela esibhekana ngayo nezilingo ezibangelwa inyama yethu enesono. Ulwazi lwethu ngethemba lovuko nokuwazisa kwethu umusa kaJehova ongafanelwe kuqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhlala siqinile okholweni. Umphostoli uJohane waxwayisa: “Ningalithandi izwe noma izinto ezisezweni. Uma umuntu ethanda izwe, uthando lukaBaba alukho kuye; ngoba konke okusezweni—isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho—akuveli kuBaba, kodwa kuvela ezweni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Johane 2:15-17) Ukuyenga kwezwe ngezinto zalo ezibonakalayo ngeke kusikhange uma sikuqhathanisa ‘nokuphila kwangempela.’ (1 Thimothewu 6:17-19) Uma silingelwa ukuba siziphathe kabi ngokobulili, siyokwenqaba ngokuqinile. Siyaqaphela ukuthi uma singase sife ngaphambi kwe-Armagedoni, kanti besilokhu siqhubeka enkambweni yokuphila engamjabulisi uJehova, kungasibeka esimweni esifanayo nesalabo abangenalo ithemba lovuko.

19. Iliphi ilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa esinalo okungafanele silikhohlwe?

¹⁹ Ngaphezu kwakho konke, akufanele nanini sikhohlwe ilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa esinalo lokwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule manje naphakade. (IzAga 27:11) Ukwethembeka kwethu kuze kube sekufeni noma ukuqhubeka kwethu sigcina ubuqotho kuze kube yilapho kuphela lesi simiso esibi kubonisa uJehova ukuthi simi ngakubani empikiswanweni yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Khona-ke yeka ukuthi kuyoba injabulo engakanani ukuphila ePharadesi emhlabeni, kungaba ngokusinda osizini olukhulu noma ngokuthola uvuko oluyisimangaliso!

Ukwanelisa Izifiso Zethu

20, 21. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sihlale sithembekile ngisho nalapho sinemibuzo engaphenduliwe ngovuko? Chaza.

²⁰ Ingxoxo yethu ngovuko ayiphenduli yonke imibuzo. UJehova uzoyisingatha kanjani indaba yalabo ababeshadile ngesikhathi befa? (Luka 20:34, 35) Ingabe abantu bayovukela endaweni abafele kuyo? Ingabe bayovuselwa eduze nemindeni yabo? Kuneminye imibuzo eminingi ephathelene namalungiselelo ovuko esadinga ukuphendulwa. Noma kunjalo, kudingeka sikhumbule amazwi kaJeremiya: “UJehova muhle kothembela kuye, emphefumulweni oqhubeka ufuna yena. Kuhle ukuba umuntu alinde, yebo buthule, alindele insindiso kaJehova.” (IsiLilo 3:25, 26) Ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele kuyokwembuleka konke ngendlela eyosanelisa ngokugcwele. Kungani singaqiniseka ngalokhu?

²¹ Cabanga ngamazwi omhubi aphefumulelwe lapho ehlabelela ngoJehova: “Uvula isandla sakho wanelise isifiso sayo yonke into ephilayo.” (IHubo 145:16) Njengoba siguga, izifiso zethu ziyashintsha. Lokho esasikufisa ngesikhathi siseyizingane asisakufisi namuhla. Indlela esibheka ngayo ukuphila ithintwa izigigaba zokuphila namathemba ethu. Noma kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyobe ziyini izifiso zethu ezifanele ezweni elisha, nakanjani uJehova uyozanelisa.

22. Kungani sinesizathu esizwakalayo sokudumisa uJehova?

²² Into okumelwe sonke sikhathazeke ngayo manje iwukuba sithembeke. “Okufunekayo kubaphathi ukuba umuntu atholakale ethembekile.” (1 Korinte 4:2) Singabaphathi bezindaba ezinhle ezikhazimulayo zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ukumemezela kwethu lezi zindaba ezinhle ngenkuthalo kubo bonke abantu esihlangana nabo kuyosisiza ukuba sihlale sisohlwini lwabayothola ukuphila. Masingalokothi silikhohlwe iqiniso lokuthi “isikhathi nesenzakalo esingalindelekile” sisehlela sonke. (UmShumayeli 9:11) Ukuze silwisane nanoma ikuphi ukukhathazeka okungadingekile ngenxa yokungazi ukuthi ukuphila kusiphatheleni, kumelwe sibambelele ethembeni elimangalisayo lovuko. Uma kubonakala sengathi ukufa kungase kukwanele ngaphambi kokuqala kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, yazi ukuthi ungaduduzeka ngesiqinisekiso sokuthi impumuzo izofika. Ngesikhathi sikaJehova uyokwazi ukunanela amazwi kaJobe kuMdali: “Uyobiza, futhi mina ngiyokuphendula.” Makadunyiswe uJehova, olangazelela ukubabuyisela ekuphileni bonke labo abasenkumbulweni yakhe!—Jobe 14:15.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Usakhumbula?

• Abantu bayokwahlulelwa ngokwasiphi isisekelo phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane?

• Kungani abanye beyothola ‘uvuko lokuphila,’ abanye bathole ‘uvuko lokwahlulelwa’?

• Ithemba lovuko lingasiduduza kanjani kwamanje?

• Amazwi asencwadini yeHubo 145:16 asisiza kanjani ukuba sisingathe imibuzo engaphenduliwe ngovuko?

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

Ukukholelwa ovukweni kungasisiza kanjani kwamanje?