Izulu

Incazelo: Indawo yokuhlala kaJehova uNkulunkulu neyezidalwa zomoya ezithembekile; indawo engabonakali emehlweni abantu. IBhayibheli futhi lisebenzisa igama elithi “(ama)izulu” ngeminye imiqondo eminingi; ngokwesibonelo: ekumeleleni uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, inhlangano yakhe yezidalwa zomoya ezithembekile, isimo sokuvunyelwa kwaphezulu, indawo yonke ebonakalayo ngaphandle komhlaba, umkhathi ozungeze iplanethi enguMhlaba, ohulumeni babantu ngaphansi kokubuswa uSathane, nohulumeni wasezulwini omusha olungileyo lapho uJesu Kristu nezindlalifa ezikanye naye banikezwe nguJehova amandla okubusa.

Ingabe sonke sasiphila endaweni yomoya ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwethu njengabantu?

Joh. 8:23: “[UJesu Kristu wathi:] Nina ningabaphansi, mina ngingowaphezulu; nina ningabalelizwe, mina angingowalelizwe.” (UJesu wavela endaweni yomoya. Kodwa, njengoba uJesu asho, abanye abantu abavelanga khona.)

Roma 9:10-12: “URebeka ekhulelisiwe [“amawele,” NW] . . . bengakazalwa, bengakenzi okuhle nokubi, ukuze icebo likaNkulunkulu eliya ngokukhetha lime, kungabi-ngemisebenzi, kodwa kube-ngaye obizayo, kwashiwo kuye ukuthi: Omkhulu uyakukhonza omncane.” (Yebo, uma lamawele anguJakobe noEsawu ayeke aphila ngaphambili endaweni yomoya ngokuqinisekile ayeyobe ezakhele igama ngokusekelwe ekuziphatheni kwawo lapho, akunjalo? Kodwa ayengenalo igama elinjalo kwaze kwaba yilapho ezalwa njengabantu.)

Ingabe bonke abantu abalungileyo baya ezulwini?

IzE. 2:34: “UDavide [lowo iBhayibheli elibhekisela kuye ‘njengomuntu othandeka enhliziyweni kaJehova’] akenyukelanga ezulwini.”

Math. 11:11: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Kwabazelwe ngabesifazane akuvelanga omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi; kepha omncane embusweni wezulu mkhulu kunaye.” (Ngakho-ke uJohane akayanga ezulwini lapho efa.)

IHu. 37:9, 11, 29: “Ababi bazakuchithwa, kepha abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba . . . Abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu. Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”

Ukuba uAdamu akonanga, ingabe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wayeyokuya ezulwini?

Gen. 1:26: “UNkulunkulu wathi: Masenze abantu ngomfanekiso wethu, basifuze, babuse phezu kwezinhlanzi zolwandle, nezinyoni zezulu, nezinkomo, nomhlaba wonke, nezilwanyana zonke ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni.” (Ngakho-ke, injongo kaNkulunkulu ngoAdamu kwakuwukuba abe ngumnakekeli womhlaba nezilwane ezikuwo. Akushiwo lutho ngokuya kwakhe ezulwini.)

Gen. 2:16, 17: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wamyala umuntu, wathi: Ungadla kuyo yonke imithi yensimu ngokuthanda kwakho, kepha ungadli kuwo umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi, ngokuba mhla udla kuwo uyakufa nokufa.” (Kwakungeyona injongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni ukuba umuntu ngolunye usuku afe. Umyalo kaNkulunkulu ocashunwe lapha ubonisa ukuthi waxwayisa ngenkambo eyayiyoholela ekufeni. Ukufa kwakuyoba isijeziso sokungalaleli, hhayi indlela yokuya ekuphileni okungcono ezulwini. Ukulalela kwakuyovuzwa ngokuqhubeka bephila, ukuphila okuphakade, ePharadesi uNkulunkulu ayelinike umuntu. Bheka futhi uIsaya 45:18.)

Ingabe umuntu kumelwe aye ezulwini ukuze abe nekusasa elijabulisa ngempela?

IHu. 37:11: “Abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”

IsAm. 21:1-4: “Ngase ngibona izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha . . . Ngase ngizwa izwi elikhulu livela esihlalweni sobukhosi, lithi: Bheka, itabernakele likaNkulunkulu likubantu; uyakuhlala nabo, babe-ngabantu bakhe, yena uNkulunkulu abe-nabo, azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona; ngokuba okokuqala kudlulile.”

Mika 4:3, 4: “Isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa. Bayakuhlala, kube-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa, ngokuba umlomo kaJehova-Sebawoti ukhulumile.”

Ingabe uJesu wabavulela indlela yokuya ezulwini labo ababefé ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe?

Isho ukuthini eyoku-1 Petru 3:19, 20? “[UJesu] ehamba ngawo [umoya, ngemva kokuvuka kwakhe] ukushumayeza omoya abasekuboshweni abakade bengalaleli, lapho ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kubalindele ezinsukwini zikaNowa umkhumbi usakhiwa, abasindiswa ngawo abayingcosana, okungukuthi abayisishiyagalombili [“imiphefumulo,” KJ, Dy; “abantu,” TEV, JB; RS], ngawo amanzi.” (Ingabe ‘labomoya abasekuboshweni’ babeyimiphefumulo yabantu ababenqabe ukulalela ekushumayeleni kukaNowa ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, futhi manje yayisivulekile indlela ngabo yokuba baye ezulwini? Ukuqhathanisa eyesi-2 Petru 2:4 nekaJuda 6 noGenesise 6:2-4 kubonisa ukuthi labomoya babengamadodana kaNkulunkulu ayizingelosi ambatha imizimba yabantu ashada ngosuku lukaNowa. Kweyoku-1 Petru 3:19, 20 igama lesiGreki elithi “omoya“ elithi pneuʹma·sin, kanti igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “imiphefumulo” lithi psy·khaiʹ. ‘Labomoya’ babengeyona imiphefumulo ehlukaniswe nemizimba kodwa kwakuyizingelosi ezingalalelanga; “imiphefumulo” okubhekiselwe kuyo lapha kwakungabantu abaphilayo, uNowa nomkhaya wakhe. Khona-ke okwashunyayelwa ‘komoya abasekuboshweni’ kumelwe kube isigijimi sesahlulelo.)

Isho ukuthini eyoku-1 Petru 4:6? “Ngokuba ngalokho ivangeli lashunyayelwa nakwabafileyo, ukuze bahlulelwe ngokwabantu enyameni kepha baphile ngokukaNkulunkulu emoyeni.” (Ingabe laba “abafileyo” kwakungabantu ababefé ngaphambi kokufa kukaKristu? Njengoba sekubonisiwe kakade, abafileyo akubona “omoya abasekuboshweni.” Labomoya kwakuyizingelosi ezingalalelanga. Futhi ukushumayela kwakungeke kubazuzise abantu abafile ngokwenyama ngoba, njengoba umShumayeli 9:5 esho, “abazi-lutho,” futhi iHubo 146:4 liyanezela ukuthi lapho umuntu efa “amacebo akhe ayaphela.” Kodwa eyabase-Efesu 2:1-7, 17 iyabhekisela kubantu ababefile ngokomoya nabaphila ngokomoya ngenxa yokwamukela izindaba ezinhle.)

Ingabe ukuphila kwasezulwini kubekwe “eTestamenteni Elisha” njengethemba lawo wonke amaKristu?

Joh. 14:2, 3: “Ekhaya likaBaba kukhona izindlu eziningi; uma bekungenjalo, bengiyakunitshela ukuthi ngiya ukunilungisela indawo. Nanxa ngiya nginilungisela indawo, ngobuye ngize, nginibuyisele kimi ukuba lapho ngikhona nibe-khona nani.” (Lapha uJesu ubonisa ukuthi abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile, ayekhuluma nabo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, babezoba ‘sekhaya’ likaYise, ezulwini, kanye noJesu. Kepha lapha akasho ukuthi bangaki abanye nabo ababeyokuya ezulwini.)

Joh. 1:12, 13: “Bonke abamamukelayo [uJesu] wabapha amandla okuba babe-ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, labo abakholwa egameni lakhe, abangazalwanga ngagazi, nantando yenyama, nantando yendoda, kodwa bazalwa nguNkulunkulu.” (Phawula ukuthi umongo wendaba, evesini 11, ubhekisela ‘kwabakhe,’ abantu bakubo kaJesu amaJuda. Bonke abamamukela lapho efika kubo ngekhulu lokuqala baba ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, benombono wokuphila kwasezulwini. Lombhalo usenkathini edlule, ngakho-ke lengxenye ayibhekiseli kubo bonke abantu abaye baba amaKristu kusukela lapho.)

Roma 8:14, 16, 17: “Bonke abaholwa nguMoya kaNkulunkulu, labo bangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Yena lowoMoya ufakaza kanye nomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Uma-ke singabantwana, siyizindlalifa futhi, izindlalifa zikaNkulunkulu, izindlalifa kanye noKristu, uma phela sihlupheka kanye naye, ukuze siphiwe inkazimulo futhi kanye naye.” (Ngesikhathi okwabhalwa ngaso lokhu kwakuyiqiniso ukuthi bonke ababeholwa umoya kaNkulunkulu babengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ababenethemba lokuthi bayokhazinyuliswa kanye noKristu. Kodwa lokhu kwakungenjalo kubo bonke. ULuka 1:15 uthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wayezogcwaliswa umoya ongcwele, kodwa uMathewu 11:11 wenza kukhanye ukuthi ngeke ahlanganyele enkazimulweni yoMbuso wasezulwini. Ngakho-ke, ngemva kokuqoqwa kwezindlalifa zoMbuso wasezulwini, kuyoba nabanye abayokhonza uNkulunkulu njengabalandeli beNdodana yakhe kodwa bangahlanganyeli enkazimulweni yasezulwini.)

Imiphi imibhalo eqondile ekhona “eTestamenteni Elisha” mayelana nelungiselelo lamaKristu lokuba avuzwe ngokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni?

Math. 5:5: “Babusisiwe abamnene, ngokuba bayakudla ifa lomhlaba.”

Math. 6:9, 10: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho; mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Iyini intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene nomhlaba? Yini eboniswa uGenesise 1:28 noIsaya 45:18?)

Math. 25:31-33, 40, 46: “Nxa iNdodana yomuntu iza ngenkazimulo yayo nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo, khona izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo senkazimulo; kuzakubuthelwa phambi kwayo izizwe zonke, ibahlukanise abanye kwabanye, njengomalusi ahlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi, imise izimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kepha izimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo. Isiyakuphendula iNkosi, ithi kubo [izimvu]: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, njengokuba nikwenzile komunye walababafowethu abancane, nikwenzile kimi. Laba [izimbuzi] bayakumuka, baye ekujezisweni okuphakade, kodwa abalungileyo [izimvu] baye ekuphileni okuphakade.” (Phawula ukuthi ‘lezizimvu’ azifani nabafowabo beNkosi, ‘abahlanganyela ukubizwa kwasezulwini.’ [Heb. 2:10–3:1] Kodwa laba abanjengezimvu bayobe bephila ngesikhathi uKristu esesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi nangesikhathi lapho abanye ‘babafowabo’ besabhekene nobunzima lapha emhlabeni.)

Joh. 10:16: “Nezinye izimvu nginazo ezingesizo ezalesisibaya; nalezo ngimelwe ukuziletha; ziyakuzwa izwi lami, kube-mhlambi munye nomalusi munye.” (Zingobani lezi “ezinye izimvu”? Zingabalandeli bakaMalusi Omuhle, uJesu Kristu, kodwa azikho esibayeni sezimvu ‘zesivumelwano esisha,’ ezinethemba lokuphila ezulwini. Kodwa zihlanganyela eduze nalezo ezikuleso sibaya.)

2 Pet. 3:13: “Siyalindela ngesithembiso sakhe amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.” (NesAmbulo 21:1-4)

IsAm. 7:9, 10: “Emva kwalokho [ngemva kokuba umphostoli uJohane ebone inani eligcwele ‘lababekwa uphawu’ ‘ababethengwe emhlabeni’ ukuba babe noKristu eNtabeni yasezulwini iSiyoni, bheka isAmbulo 7:3, 4; 14:1-3] 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.”

Bangaki iBhayibheli elibanikeza ithemba lokuphila ezulwini?

Luka 12:32: “Ungesabi, mhlambi omncane; ngokuba kwathandeka kuYihlo ukuninika umbuso.”

IsAm. 14:1-3: “Ngase ngibona; bheka, iWundlu [uJesu Kristu] limi entabeni yaseSiyoni [ezulwini; bheka amaHeberu 12:22-24], kumi kanye nalo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane, benegama lalo negama likaYise lilotshwé emabunzini abo. . . . Bahlabelela igama elisha . . . kepha akubangakho onamandla okufunda lelogama, kuphela abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane abathengiweyo emhlabeni.”

Ingabe abayizi-144 000 bangamaJuda emvelo kuphela?

IsAm. 7:4-8: “Ngase ngizwa umumo wababekwa uphawu, izinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane, ababekwa uphawu ezizweni zonke zabantwana bakwaIsrayeli: . . . sakwaJuda . . . sakwaRubeni, . . . sakwaGadi . . . sakwa-Aseri . . . sakwaNafetali . . . sakwaManase . . . sakwaSimeyoni . . . sakwaLevi . . . sakwaIsakare . . . sakwaZabuloni . . . sakwaJosefa . . . sakwaBenjamini.” (Lezi akunakuba izizwe zikaIsrayeli wemvelo ngoba asikaze sibe khona isizwe sakwaJosefa, isizwe sakwaEfrayimi nesakwaDani azihlanganisiwe kuloluhlu lapha, kanti amaLevi ayebekelwe eceleni inkonzo yethempeli kodwa awazange aqashelwe njengesinye sezizwe eziyi-12. Bheka uNumeri 1:4-16.)

Roma 2:28, 29: “UmJuda kakusiye onguye ngokubonwayo, nokusoka akusikho okubonwa enyameni; kodwa umJuda yilowo onguye ngaphakathi, nokusoka kungokwenhliziyo, ngomoya kungengegama.”

Gal. 3:26-29: “Ngokuba nonke ningabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ngokukholwa kuKristu Jesu. . . . Akakho umJuda nomGreki, akakho oboshiweyo nokhululekileyo, akakho owesilisa nowesifazane, ngokuba nina nonke nimunye kuKristu Jesu. Kepha uma ningabakaKristu, seniyinzalo ka-Abrahama, niyizindlalifa ngokwesithembiso.”

Ingabe inani lezi-144 000 limane lingokomfanekiso?

Impendulo iboniswa iqiniso lokuthi, ngemva kokuphawula inani eliqondile lezi-144 000, isAmbulo 7:9 sibhekisela ‘esixukwini esikhulu esasingenakubalwa-muntu.’ Uma lelinani lezi-144 000 lalingelona elingokoqobo lalingeke lisho lutho uma liqhathaniswa ‘nesixuku esikhulu.’ Ukubheka lelinani njengoba linjalo kuyavumelana nenkulumo kaJesu kuMathewu 22:14 ngokuqondene noMbuso wamazulu: “Baningi ababiziweyo, kepha bayingcosana abakhethiweyo.”

Ingabe labo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ okubhekiselwe kubo kusAmbulo 7:9, 10 nabo futhi baya ezulwini?

IsAmbulo asisho kubo, njengoba sisho kwabayizi-144 000, ukuthi “abathengiweyo emhlabeni” ukuba babe noKristu eNtabeni yasezulwini iSiyoni.—IsAm. 14:1-3.

Ukuchazwa kwaso ngokuthi “simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu” akubonisi ngempela indawo abakuyo, kodwa isimo sokwamukeleka. (Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 6:17; Luka 21:36.) Inkulumo ethi “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi” (ngesiGreki, e·noʹpi·on tou throʹnou; ngokwezwi nezwi, “ekubonakaleni kwesihlalo sobukhosi”) ayidingi ukuba baze babe sezulwini. Isimo abakuso simane nje “sisekubonakaleni” kuNkulunkulu, ositshela ukuthi ubona abantwana babantu esezulwini.—IHu. 11:4; qhathanisa noMathewu 25:31-33; Luka 1:74, 75; IzEnzo 10:33.

‘Isixuku esikhulu ezulwini’ okubhekiselwe kuso kusAmbulo 19:1, 6 asifani ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ sesAmbulo 7:9. Labo abasezulwini abachazwa njengabavela “kuzo zonke izizwe” noma njengabathi insindiso yabo ivela eWundlwini; bayizingelosi. Inkulumo ethi “isixuku esikhulu” isetshenziswe ezingxenyeni ezinemiqondo ehlukahlukene eBhayibhelini.—Marku 5:24; 6:34; 12:37.

Labo abaya ezulwini bayokwenzani khona?

IsAm. 20:6: “Bayakuba-ngabapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, babuse kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” (NoDaniyeli 7:27)

1 Kor. 6:2: “Anazi yini ukuthi abangcwele bayakwahlulela izwe na?”

IsAm. 5:10: “Wabenza babe-ngumbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu wethu, babuse emhlabeni. [“phezu komhlaba,” AT, Da, Kx, CC].” (Igama elifanayo lesiGreki nokuhlelwa kolimi litholakala kusAmbulo 11:6. Lapho iRS, KJ, Dy, njll., wonke ahumusha ngokuthi “phezu.”)

Ubani okhetha labo abayokuya ezulwini?

2 Thes. 2:13, 14: “Thina simelwe ukubonga uNkulunkulu njalo ngani-bazalwane abathandwa yiNkosi, ngokuba kwasekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wanikhethela ukusindiswa ngokungcwelisa kukaMoya nangokukholwa yiqiniso anibizela kukho ngevangeli lethu, nize nizuze inkazimulo yeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”

Roma 9:6, 16: “Asibo bonke abavela kuIsrayeli abangabakwaIsrayeli; . . . akuyi ngentando nangokuzikhathaza komuntu, kodwa kuya ngokuhawukela kukaNkulunkulu.”