Ihlabathi Elilunge Ngakumbi—Lisemnyango!
“UKULANGAZELELA iparadisi kulolunye lolangazelelo olunamandla abakhe banalo abantu. Kusenokuba lolona lunamandla nolona luhlala luhleli kunalo naluphi na olunye. Zonke iinkalo zonqulo zintama ulangazelelo oluthile lweparadisi,” itsho njalo iThe Encyclopedia of Religion.
Onke amabutho abantu abonakala enomnqweno ofanayo wokuphila kwihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi, ngokungathi kulilelwa elo laligqibelele lantlandlolo elingasekhoyo ngoku. Oku kubonisa ukuba kungenzeka yayikho iparadisi ntlandlolo, kodwa yayiphi? Ugqirha onyanga izifo zengqondo ngokuphanda ngembali nangamaphupha omguli usenokuthi olu langazelelo lubonisa umnqweno wokubuyisela unqabiseko ubani awaphulukana nalo olwalukho kwisibeleko sikanina. Ukanti, le nkcazelo ayibanelisi ncam abaphengululi abaphanda ngembali yonqulo.
“Ukulangazelela Iparadisi”—Ngoba?
Ngaba ulangazelelo olunjalo, ngokutsho kwabanye, luyindlela nje yokwenza ukuba iinzima nesibakala sokuba ubomi bomntu bubufutshane zibe nokunyamezeleka ngakumbi? Okanye ngaba kukho nkcazelo yimbi?
Kutheni uluntu lulangazelela ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi? IBhayibhile inikela inkcazelo ecacileyo nelula yokuba: Uluntu luvela kwihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi! Iparadisi yantlandlolo yayikho ngokwenene. ILizwi likaThixo liyichaza ‘njengomyezo’ owawukummandla othile kwingingqi eseMbindi-Mpuma, owawusikelelwe ngayo “yonke imithi enqwenelekayo ngokukhangeleka, nelungele ukudliwa.” UThixo wawunikela kwisibini sokuqala esingabantu ukuba siwunyamekele. (Genesis 2:7-15) Wawuyindawo egqibeleleyo abantu engebabonwabe ngokwenene kuyo.
Kutheni ezo meko zaseParadisi zingazange zihlale zihleli? Kungenxa yemvukelo eyaqalwa sisidalwa somoya kwaza kwalandela isibini esingabantu. (Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:1-6, 17-19) Ngenxa yoko, umntu waphulukana kungekuphela nje neParadisi kodwa kwanemfezeko, impilo nobomi obungenasiphelo. Iimeko ezalandelayo ngokuqinisekileyo azizange zibuphucule ubomi bomntu. Kunoko, buye bathi gqolo budodobala ukusa kowona mkhamo umaxongo esiwubonayo namhlanje.—INtshumayeli 3:18-20; Roma 5:12; 2 Timoti 3:1-5, 13.
Iphulo Lokufuna Iparadisi—Imbali Yale Ngcamango
Njengoko kunokuthelekelelwa, “ukulangazelela iparadisi” kunembali ende kakhulu. AmaSumerian ayekhumbula ixesha laxa kwakukho imvisiswano kwindalo iphela: “Kwakungekho loyiko, bungekho ubugrogrisi, nabantu bengasukuzani. . . . Indalo iphela, abantu bembumba-nye, babezukisa uEnlil ngamxhelo-mnye,” watsho njalo umbongo wamandulo waseMesopotami. Bambi, njengamaYiputa amandulo, babenethemba lokuya kwihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi emva kokufa kwabo. Babekholelwa ukuba umphefumlo ongafiyo wawufika kwindawo eyayibizwa ngokuba yimihlaba ka-Aaru. Kodwa ke noko ntlandlolo, eli themba lalileleengcungcu ezimilomo mide kuphela; izixhwitha-ntamo zazingayiphuphi nokuyiphupha into yokufumana ihlabathi elizaliswe lulonwabo.
Kummandla owahlukileyo wonqulo, kangangeenkulungwane amaHindu ebelindele ukufika kwexesha lehlabathi elilunge ngakumbi (iyuga). Ngokweemfundiso zamaHindu, iiyuga ziba nemijikelo emine, yaye thina ngoku siphila kowona mjikelo umandundu. Ngelishwa, le Kali Yuga (ixesha lobumnyama), nako konke ukubandezeleka nobungendawo bayo, inobude beminyaka engama-432 000, ngokutsho kwabanye. Sekunjalo, amaHindu athembekileyo alindele ixesha elizukileyo, iKrita Yuga.
Kwelinye icala, amaGrike namaRoma ayephupha ngokufumana iZiqithi Zethamsanqa zasentsomini, kuLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki. Yaye ababhali abaninzi, njengoHesiod, uVirgil no-Ovid, bathetha ngexesha elizukileyo elimangalisayo lantlandlolo, benethemba lokuba ngaminazana ithile loze libuye kwakhona. Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, imbongi yesiLatini uVirgil yaxela kwangaphambili ukufika okwakusemnyango kweaetas aurea (ixesha elizukileyo) entsha nehlala ihleli. Kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo, “abakho ngaphantsi kweshumi elinesithandathu abalawuli bamaRoma ababanga ukuba ulawulo lwabo lwalulibuyisele kwakhona iXesha Elizukileyo,” itsho njalo iThe Encyclopedia of Religion. Kodwa njengoko sisazi kakuhle namhlanje, leyo yayiyingcamango nje yezobupolitika.
AmaCelt amaninzi ayelangazelela oko ayecinga ukuba lilizwe elinokukhanya kwisiqithi (okanye kwiqela leziqithi) phesheya kolwandle, apho ayekholelwa ukuba abantu babephila kulonwabo olugqibeleleyo. Ngokutsho kwenye intsomi, uKumkani uArthur, nangona waba nenxeba elibulalayo, waqhubeka ephila emva kokuba efumene isiqithi esimangalisayo esibizwa ngokuthi yiAvalon.
Kumaxesha amandulo nakumaXesha Aphakathi, abaninzi babecinga ukuba umyezo wolonwabo lokoqobo, umyezo wase-Eden, wawusekho ndaweni ithile, “kwincopho yentaba engafikelelekiyo okanye phesheya kolwandlekazi olungenakuwelwa,” ucacisa ngelitshoyo umbhali-mbali uJean Delumeau. Nakubeni imbongi yomTaliyane uDante yayikholelwa kwiparadisi yasezulwini, yayithelekelela ukuba yayisekho neyasemhlabeni iparadisi encotsheni yentaba eyayikwindawo awayeyicingela ukuba yeyeNtlambululo-miphefumlo, ngaphesheya kwesixeko saseYerusalem. Bambi babekholelwa ukuba yayinokufunyanwa eAsiya, kwiMesopotami, okanye kwiiHimalaya. Yaye ebudeni bamaxesha aphakathi kwakukho iintsomi ezininzi kakhulu ezazinokuthanani neparadisi yase-Eden. Abaninzi babekholelwa ukuba kufuphi naloo paradisi, kwakukho ubukumkani obumangalisayo obumlawuli wabo wayenguPrester John ohloniphekileyo. Ngenxa yokusondela kweparadisi yasemhlabeni, ubomi kubukumkani bukaPrester John kuqikelelwa ukuba babubude yaye buyolisa, buzaliswe yintabalala nabubutyebi. Abanye, nakubeni babezazi iintsomi zamaGrike zamandulo, babesacinga ukuba iziqithi zeparadisi zazinokufunyanwa kwiAtlantiki. Iimaphu zamaxesha aphakathi zabonisa indlela ekwakuqinisekwe ngayo ngaloo nkolelo yobukho bomyezo wase-Eden, zide zibonise nendawo ekwakucingelwa ukuba wawukuyo.
Ngenkulungwane ye-15 neye-16, enyanisweni oomatiloshe abawela iAtlantiki babekwiphulo lokufuna ihlabathi elalilitsha, yaye kwangaxeshanye lilelamandulo. Babecinga ukuba kwelinye icala lolwandlekazi, babeza kufumana kungekuphela nje ii-Indies kodwa kwanomyezo wase-Eden. Ngokomzekelo, uChristopher Columbus wawukhangela phakathi kweentaba zommandla onemozulu epholileyo nakumazwe etropiki akuMzantsi nakuMbindi Merika. Iintlola zaseYurophu ezafika eBrazil zaziqinisekile ukuba iparadisi elahlekileyo yayimele ibe lapho ngenxa yokuphola kwemozulu yalapho nokubakho kwentabalala yokutya nohlaza. Noko ke, kamsinya nje zanyanzeleka ukuba zibuqonde ubunyaniso obungathandekiyo ngale ndawo.
AmaZwe AGqibeleleyo AThelekelelwayo—Ngaba Akho?
Kunokuzabalazela ukufumana ihlabathi eligqibeleleyo kwiindawo ezikwanti zomhlaba, abanye bazama ukuliceba. Ngenxa yoko, ngowe-1516, isazinzulu ngezentlalo esiliNgesi uThomas More sasichaza isiqithi esiGqibeleleyo esiThelekelelwayo, njengendawo emangalisayo, yoxolo nekuvumeleke yonke into kuyo, eyahluke mpela kwihlabathi elonakeleyo awayephila kulo. Nabanye baye bazama ukuzicebela amazwe alunge ngakumbi, anolonwabo olungakumbi: ngenkulungwane yesithandathu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uPlato waceba iRiphabliki yakhe; ngowe-1602, imonki yaseItali uTommaso Campanella yaceba iSixeko sayo seLanga esilungelelaniswe kakuhle; kwiminyaka nje embalwa kamva, isithandi sobulumko esiliNgesi uFrancis Bacon saliceba ngokubalisa “ngemeko yolonwabo nokuchuma” kweNew Atlantis yaso. Ebudeni beenkulungwane, izazinzulu zazo zonke iintlobo (enoba zazingamakholwa okanye zazingengawo) zachaza intlaninge yamaZwe aGqibeleleyo aThelekelelwayo. Noko ke ambalwa, ukuba akho kwaukubakho, abakholelwayo kuwo abantu.
Kubekho nabo baye bazama ukuzakhela awabo amaZwe aGqibeleleyo aThelekelelwayo. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1824 isigwili seNgesi, uRobert Owen, sagqiba kwelokuba singenelele njengommi waseIndiana, eU.S.A., ukuze siphumeze iingcamango zaso zeliZwe eliGqibeleleyo eliThelekelelwayo kwidolophana esayibiza ngokuba yiNew Harmony. Seyisekile kukuba phantsi kweemeko ezifanelekileyo, abantu babeya kuphucuka, sasebenzisa phantse bonke ubuncwane baso sizabalazela ukumisela oko sasikuthelekelela njengehlabathi elinokuziphatha okutsha. Kodwa imiphumo yabonisa ukuba iimeko ezintsha zokuphila azanelanga ukuvelisa abantu abatsha.
Phantse zonke iingcamango zezobupolitika zimisela ukuba umntu ufanele alicebe ihlabathi ngokolwazi lwakhe nangokwengqiqo yakhe yoko kukokwenyaniso ukuze azise iparadisi yasemhlabeni ekuphutshwa ngayo. Kanti, ngokuchasene noko, amalinge okuphumeza olo langazelelo aye aphumela kwiimfazwe nakwiimvukelo, njengeMvukelo yaseFransi ngowe-1789 neMvukelo yamaBolshevik ngowe-1917. Kunokuzisa iimeko zeparadisi, le migudu iye ngokufuthi yakhokelela kwintlungu nakwingcinezelo engakumbi.
Ulangazelelo, amacebo, amaZwe aGqibeleleyo aThelekelelwayo, namalinge okuphumeza oku—konke kuziintsomi nje eziphelela ekuphoxekeni. Kwixesha lanamhlanje, bambi bathetha “ngephupha elichithiweyo nokuphela kwexesha lamazwe agqibeleleyo athelekelelwayo,” besimema ukuba “silibale ngamazwe agqibeleleyo athelekelelwayo ekuphileni kwethu.” Ngaba kukho naliphi na ithemba lokubona ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi, okanye ngaba limiselwe ukuba lihlale liliphupha nje?
AmaKristu Nehlabathi Elilunge Ngakumbi
Ihlabathi elitsha asilophupha konke konke—lilithemba eliqinisekileyo! UYesu Kristu, uMseki wobuKristu, wayesazi ukuba eli hlabathi lanamhlanje asililo elona lilunge ngakumbi. Wafundisa ukuba umhlaba wawuya kuzuzwa njengelifa ngabanobulali yaye kwakuya kwenziwa ukuthanda kukaThixo kuwo. (Mateyu 5:5; 6:9, 10) Yena nabafundi bakhe babesazi ukuba eli hlabathi lilawulwa lutshaba lukaThixo, uSathana uMtyholi, kwanokuba esi sisizathu esiyintloko sokubandezeleka koluntu. (Yohane 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Yohane 5:19; ISityhilelo 12:12) AmaYuda athembekileyo ayelindele umhla waxa uThixo wayeya kuthi ngokusisigxina akhulule umhlaba kwiimfazwe, kwintlungu, nasekuguleni ukuze uzaliswe ngabathandi boxolo nokusesikweni. Ngendlela efanayo, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala alindela ngentembelo ukuba eli hlabathi lanamhlanje lithatyathelw’ indawo yinkqubo entsha yezinto, ‘izulu elitsha nomhlaba omtsha.’—2 Petros 3:13; INdumiso 37:11; 46:8, 9; Isaya 25:8; 33:24; 45:18; ISityhilelo 21:1.
Xa uYesu Kristu wayejinga kumthi wentuthumbo, waliphinda ithemba lehlabathi elilunge ngakumbi kumenzi-bubi owabonakalisa umlinganiselo othile wokholo Kuye. “[UYesu] wathi kuye: ‘Inene ndithi kuwe namhlanje, Uya kuba nam eParadisi.’” (Luka 23:40-43, NW) Loo menzi-bubi wawaqonda njani loo mazwi? Ngaba uYesu wayebhekisela ekuthini loo menzi-bubi wayeza kuba ‘kunye naye’ ezulwini kwangalo olo suku, njengoko abaguquleli abathile beBhayibhile yamaKatolika neyamaProtestanti babonakala benaloo ngcamango? Hayi, wayengathethi oko uYesu, ekubeni emva kokuvuka kwakhe, waxelela uMariya waseMagadala ukuba Yena Yesu ‘wayengekanyuki aye kuBawo.’ (Yohane 20:11-18) Nkqu abapostile ngokwabo, nangona babefundiswe nguYesu kangangeminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha, ngaphambi kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. abazange bahlale becinga ngeparadisi yasezulwini. (IZenzo 1:6-11) Loo menzi-bubi wakuqonda oku ngendlela inkoliso yamaYuda eyayiphila ngelo xesha eyayiya kukuqonda ngayo: UYesu wayethembisa ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi elaliza kubakho kumhlaba oyiparadisi. Omnye umphengululi waseJamani wavuma esithi: “Imfundiso yokufunyanwa komvuzo emva kokufa ayikho nje kwaphela kwiTestamente Endala.”
Into yokuba kuya kubakho iparadisi kumhlaba wethu ingqinwa ngumpostile uPawulos kwincwadi yakhe eya kumaHebhere. Xa ekhuthaza amanye amakholwa ukuba ‘angaluhilizeli usindiso olukhulu, lona lwaqalwa ukuthethwa nguye uYesu Kristu,’ uPawulos uqinisekisa ukuba uYehova uThixo wanika uYesu igunya phezu ‘kwelimiweyo [oi·kou·meʹne, ngesiGrike] eliza kubakho.’ (Hebhere 2:3, 5) KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, ibinzana elithi oi·kou·meʹne lisoloko libhekisela kumhlaba wethu omiwe ngabantu, kungekhona kwihlabathi lasezulwini. (Thelekisa uMateyu 24:14; Luka 2:1; 21:26; IZenzo 17:31.) Ngoko ke uBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulwa nguKristu Yesu buya kulawula phezu komhlaba omiweyo. Leyo ngokwenene iya kube iyindawo egqibeleleyo ekunokuphilwa kuyo!
Nakubeni uBukumkani ibobasezulwini, kodwa buya kungenelela kwimicimbi yasemhlabeni. Ibe yintoni ke imiphumo? Ubulwelwe, izenzo zenkohlakalo, ubuhlwempu nokufa ziya kuphoswa kwelokulibala. Kwanokunxunguphala nokunganeliseki kuya kuphela. (ISityhilelo 21:3-5) IBhayibhile ithi ‘uThixo uya kusivula isandla sakhe aze azihluthise zonke izinto eziphilileyo ngeento ezikholekileyo.’ (INdumiso 145:16) Iingxaki ezinjengokungaqeshwa nongcoliseko ziya kube ziconjululwe ngokoqobo nangokusisigxina. (Isaya 65:21-23; ISityhilelo 11:18) Kodwa ngaphezu kwako konke, ngenxa yentsikelelo kaThixo, inyaniso, okusesikweni noxolo ziya kwesamela—mpawu ezo ekubonakala ukuba phantse zibe azisekho!—INdumiso 85:7-13; Galati 5:22, 23.
Ngaba konke oku kuliphupha, iliZwe nje eliGqibeleleyo eliThelekelelwayo? Akunjalo, eli xesha lilelona limaxongo esiphila kulo lenza kubonakale ukuba ‘sikwimihla yokugqibela’ yeli hlabathi yaye ke ngoko ihlabathi elitsha lisondele. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Ubungathanda na ukuphila apho? Funda indlela ekunokwenzeka ngayo ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile kunye namaNgqina kaYehova. Ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi lisondele, lilunge ngakumbi kakhulu kunokuba sakha saphupha ngalo. AsiloliZwe liGqibeleleyo liThelekelelwayo—liyinto yokwenene!
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
Ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi—kungekudala liza kubakho ngokwenene