Nangona Sibuhlungu, Asingabo Abangenathemba

“Andithandi ukuba ningazi, bazalwana, mayela nabalele ukufa, ukuze ningabi buhlungu njengabanye abangenathemba bona.”—1 TESALONIKA 4:13.

1. Yintoni uluntu olujamelana nayo rhoqo?

NGABA ukhe walahlekelwa ngumntu omthandayo ekufeni? Kungakhathaliseki ukuba sibadala kangakanani, inkoliso yethu iye yabuhlungu ngokulahlekelwa sisalamane okanye umhlobo. Mhlawumbi yayingumakhulu okanye utatomkhulu wakho, umzali, iqabane, okanye umntwana. Ukwaluphala, ukugula neengozi zisoloko zibulala abantu umhla nezolo. Ulwaphulo-mthetho, ugonyamelo nemfazwe ziyongezelela kule nkxwaleko nentlungu. Nyaka ngamnye kulo lonke ihlabathi, abantu abalinganiselwa ngaphezu kwama-50 ezigidi bayafa. Ngowe-1993 babelinganiselwa kwi-140 250 ngemini. Ilahleko ebangelwa kukufa ichaphazela abahlobo nentsapho, ibe imvakalelo yokulahlekelwa inzulu.

2. Yintoni ebonakala ingaqhelekanga ngokufa kwabantwana?

² Asinakuvelana kusini na nabazali baseCalifornia, eUnited States, abehlelwa yintlekele yokulahlekelwa yintombi yabo eyayikhulelwe kwingozi yenqwelo-mafutha? Ngephanyazo, balahlekelwa yintombi yabo ekuphela kwayo nosana olwaluza kuba ngumzukulwana wabo wokuqala. Umyeni welo xhoba walahlekelwa ngumfazi nonyana okanye intwazana yakhe yokuqala. Ukufelwa kwabazali ngumntwana, enoba uselula okanye selekhulile, ngandlel’ ithile akuyonto iqhelekileyo. Akuqhelekanga ukuba abantwana bafe ngaphambi kwabazali babo. Sonke siyabuthanda ubomi. Ngoko ke, ngokwenyaniso ukufa lutshaba.—1 Korinte 15:26.

Ukungena Kokufa Kwintsapho Yabantu

3. Kusenokuba kwamchaphazela njani uAdam noEva ukufa kuka-Abheli?

³ Isono nokufa ziye zalawula njengookumkani kangangeminyaka enokuba ngamawaka amathandathu yembali yabantu, ukususela kwimvukelo yabazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu, uAdam noEva. (Roma 5:14; 6:12, 23) IBhayibhile ayisixeleli indlela abasabela ngayo ekugetyengweni konyana wabo uAbheli ngumntakwabo uKayin. Ngezizathu eziliqela, imele ukuba yaba ngamava awabaphazamisa gqitha. Ngoku, okwesihlandlo sokuqala, bajamelana ngokoqobo nokufa komntu, abakubona kunyana wabo. Basibona isiqhamo semvukelo yabo nesokuqhubeka kwabo besebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yokuzenzela izigqibo. UKayin, phezu kwako nje ukulunyukiswa kwakhe nguThixo, wayezikhethele ukuba ngumntu wokuqala ukubulala isalamane sakhe. Siyaqonda ukuba uEva umele ukuba wavakalelwa ngokunzulu ngokufa kuka-Abheli ngenxa yokuba xa wazala uSete, wathi: “UThixo undimisele enye imbewu esikhundleni sika-Abheli owabulawa nguKayin.”—Genesis 4:3-8, 25.

4. Kutheni intsomi yokungafi komphefumlo yayingenakubathuthuzela emva kokufa kuka-Abheli?

⁴ Kwakhona abazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu babona inzaliseko yokoqobo yesigwebo sikaThixo kubo—esokuba ukuba babevukele yaye bengathobeli, babeya “kufa.” Phezu kwabo nje ubuxoki bukaSathana, kubonakala ukuba intsomi yokungafi komphefumlo yayingekaveli, ngoko babengenakufumana nayiphi na intuthuzelo yobuxoki kuloo nto. UThixo wayethe kuAdam: “Uya . . . [kubuyela] emhlabeni, kuba uthatyathwe kuwo; ngokuba uluthuli, uya kubuyela kwaseluthulini.” Akazange athethe ngokuphila kwixesha elizayo njengomphefumlo ongenakufa ezulwini, esihogweni, eLimbo, kwindawo yentlambululo-miphefumlo, okanye nakweyiphi na enye indawo. (Genesis 2:17; 3:4, 5, 19) Njengemiphefumlo ephilileyo eyayonile, ekugqibeleni uAdam noEva babeya kufa baze bangabikho. UKumkani uSolomon waphefumlelwa ukubhala oku: “Abadla ubomi bayazi ukuba baya kufa; ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho, abasabi namvuzo; ngokuba balityelwe, abasakhunjulwa nganto. Seluphelile kade uthando lwabo, nentiyo yabo, nekhwele labo; abasenasabelo naphakade ezintweni zonke ezenzekayo phantsi kwelanga.”—INtshumayeli 9:5, 6.

5. Liyintoni ithemba lokwenene ngabafileyo?

⁵ Hayi indlela ayinyaniso ngayo loo mazwi! Ngokwenene, ngubani osabakhumbulayo ookhokho ababekho kwiminyaka engamakhulu amabini okanye amathathu eyadlulayo? Ngokufuthi namangcwaba abo akasaziwa okanye alityalwa kudala. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba akukho themba ngabafileyo bethu esibathandayo? Hayi, akunjalo konke konke. UMarta wathi kuYesu ngokuphathelele umnakwabo owayefile, uLazaro: “Ndiyazi ukuba uya kubuya avuke eluvukweni, ngomhla wokugqibela.” (Yohane 11:24) Abantu abangamaHebhere babekholelwa ukuba uThixo uza kubavusa abafileyo kwixesha elizayo. Sekunjalo, oko akuzange kubenze bangabi buhlungu ngokulahlekelwa ngumntu abamthandayo.—Yobhi 14:13.

Abantu Abathembekileyo Ababa Buhlungu

6, 7. UAbraham noYakobi basabela njani xa babefelwe?

⁶ Phantse kwiminyaka engamawaka amane eyadlulayo, xa umfazi ka-Abraham uSara wafayo, “uAbraham waya kumbambazelela uSara nokumlilela.” Loo mkhonzi kaThixo uthembekileyo wazibonakalisa iimvakalelo zakhe ezinzulu ngokulahlekelwa ngumfazi wakhe awayemthanda nowayenyanisekile. Nangona wayeyindoda ekhaliphileyo eyomeleleyo, akazange abe nazintloni zakubonakalisa intlungu awayekuyo ngeenyembezi.—Genesis 14:11-16; 23:1, 2.

⁷ Kwaba njalo nangoYakobi. Xa wakhohliselwa ekukholelweni ukuba unyana wakhe uYosefu wayebulewe lirhamncwa lasendle, wasabela njani? KwiGenesis 37:34, 35 sifunda oku: “UYakobi wazikrazula iingubo zakhe, wabeka ezirhwexayo esinqeni sakhe, wamenzela isijwili unyana wakhe imihla emininzi. Besuka bonke oonyana bakhe, nazo zonke iintombi zakhe, beza kumthuthuzela; akavuma kuthuthuzelwa, wathi, Ndiya kuhla ndiye kunyana wam kwelabafileyo, ndisenza isijwili. Uyise wamlilela ke.” Ewe, kuyinto eqhelekileyo neyokwemvelo ngabantu ukuvakalisa ubuhlungu xa umntu abamthandayo esifa.

8. Ngokufuthi amaHebhere ayekubonakalisa njani ukuba buhlungu kwawo?

⁸ Bambi basenokucinga ukuba ngokwamasiko ale mihla okanye endawo abahlala kuyo, indlela awasabela ngayo uYakobi yayigabadele yaye wayeyinkenenkene. Kodwa yena wayekhule ngexesha nenkqubo yempucuko eyahlukileyo. Le ndlela awabonakalisa ngayo ukuba buhlungu kwakhe—ukwambatha ezirhwexayo—yeyokuqala ukukhankanywa eBhayibhileni. Noko ke, njengoko kuchaziwe kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, ukuba sentlungwini kwakubonakaliswa nangokumbambazela, ngokuqamba izimbonono nangokuhlala phantsi eluthuthwini. Ngokobungqina obukhoyo amaHebhere ayengasikelwanga mda ekubonakaliseni kwawo ukuba buhlungu okunyanisekileyo.a—Hezekile 27:30-32; Amosi 8:10.

Ukuba Sentlungwini Ngexesha LikaYesu

9, 10. (a) UYesu wasabela njani ekufeni kukaLazaro? (b) Indlela uYesu awasabela ngayo isixelela ntoni ngaye?

⁹ Sinokuthini ngabafundi bakaYesu bokuqala? Ngokomzekelo, xa uLazaro wafayo, oodade wabo uMarta noMariya babonakalisa intlungu ngokufa kwakhe ngeenyembezi nokukhala. Umntu ofezekileyo uYesu wasabela njani akufika apho? Ingxelo kaYohane ithi: “UMariya ngoko, akufika apho uYesu ebekhona, akumbona, wawa ezinyaweni zakhe, esithi kuye, Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha, ange engafanga umnakwethu. Uthe ngoko uYesu, akumbona elila, namaYuda abeze naye elila, wafutheka, wakhathazeka. Wathi, Nimbeke phi na? Bathi kuye, Nkosi, yiza ubone. UYesu walila [“zehla iinyembezi kuYesu,” TE].”—Yohane 11:32-35.

¹⁰ “Zehla iinyembezi kuYesu.” Loo mazwi ambalwa athetha lukhulu ngobuntu bukaYesu, imfesane yakhe, iimvakalelo zakhe. Nakubeni wayesazi ngokupheleleyo ngethemba lovuko, “uYesu walila.” (Yohane 11:35) Le ngxelo ihlabela mgama isithi ababukeli bathi: “Yabonani ke ukumthanda kwakhe [uLazaro]!” Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuba umntu ofezekileyo uYesu walila ngokulahlekelwa ngumhlobo, akulohlazo ngendoda okanye umfazi ukuba abe sentlungwini aze alile namhlanje.—Yohane 11:36.

Liliphi Ithemba Elikhoyo Ngabafileyo?

11. (a) Sinokufunda ntoni kwimizekelo yeBhayibhile ebandakanya ukubonakaliswa kokuba sentlungwini? (b) Kutheni singabi buhlungu njengabo bangenalo ithemba?

¹¹ Sinokufunda ntoni kule mizekelo isuka eBhayibhileni? Sinokufunda ukuba kuyinto eqhelekileyo neyemvelo ngabantu ukuba buhlungu yaye asifanele sibe nazintloni ngokuyibonakalisa intlungu esikuyo. Naxa kupholiswa lithemba lovuko, ukufa komntu esimthandayo kuseyilahleko ebuhlungu gqitha, esichaphazela ngokunzulu. Iminyaka, mhlawumbi amashumi eminyaka, singamaqabane asenyongweni naye ibe sisabelana naye ngezinto iphela ngephanyazo nangendlela ebuhlungu. Liyinyaniso elokuba asibi buhlungu njengabo bangenathemba okanye njengabo banamathemba obuxoki. (1 Tesalonika 4:13) Kanjalo, asilahlekiswa zizo naziphi na iintsomi zokuba umntu unomphefumlo ongafiyo okanye oqhubeka uphila ngokuvela ngokutsha. Siyazi ukuba uYehova uthembise “elitsha izulu, nomtsha umhlaba, apho kumi ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13) UThixo ‘uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni ethu, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho nasijwili, nakukhala, nantlungu; ngokuba izinto zokuqala zigqithile.’—ISityhilelo 21:4.

12. UPawulos waluvakalisa njani ukholo lwakhe eluvukweni?

¹² Liliphi ithemba elikhoyo ngabo bafileyo?b Umbhali ongumKristu uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba asinike intuthuzelo nethemba xa wabhala oku: “Njengotshaba lokugqibela, ukufa kuya kupheliswa.” (1 Korinte 15:26, NW) IBhayibhile yesiXhosa ithi: “Olokugqibela utshaba oluya kubhangiswa kukufa.” Kutheni uPawulos wayenokuqiniseka kangaka ngoko? Kungenxa yokuba wayeguqulwe waza wafundiswa ngulowo wayevuswe kwabafileyo, uYesu Kristu. (IZenzo 9:3-19) Kukwangenxa yoko uPawulos wayenokuthi: “Ekubeni kaloku kungomntu [uAdam] ukufa, kukwangomntu [uYesu] ukuvuka kwabafileyo. Kuba, njengokuba kuye uAdam bafa bonke, ngokunjalo nakuye uKristu baya kudliswa ubomi bonke.”—1 Korinte 15:21, 22.

13. Amangqina okuzibonela asabela njani kuvuko lukaLazaro?

¹³ Imfundiso kaYesu isinika intuthuzelo nethemba elikhulu ngekamva. Ngokomzekelo, wenza ntoni kwimeko kaLazaro? Waya engcwabeni owawulele kulo umzimba kaLazaro iintsuku ezine. Wathandaza, yaye “etshilo ke, wadanduluka ngezwi elikhulu, wathi, Lazaro, phuma. Waphuma ofileyo, ebotshiwe iinyawo nezandla ngezithandelo, nobuso bakhe bujikelwe ngeqhiya. Athi kubo uYesu, Mkhululeni, nimyeke ahambe.” Ungakuthelekelela na ukumangaliswa novuyo olwalubonakala ebusweni bukaMarta noMariya? Hayi indlela abamele ukuba bakhwankqiswa ngayo abamelwane xa babona lo mmangaliso! Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba ababukeli abaninzi bakholwa kuYesu. Noko ke, iintshaba zakhe zonqulo ‘zabhunga ukuba zimbulale.’—Yohane 11:41-53.

14. Uvuko lukaLazaro lwaluyimbonakaliso yantoni?

¹⁴ Olo vuko lungalibalekiyo uYesu walwenza phambi kwamangqina amaninzi okuzibonela. Lwaluyimbonakaliso yovuko lwexesha elizayo awayesele eluxele ngaphambilana, xa wathi: “Musani ukumangaliswa kuko oko; ngokuba kuza ilixa abaya kuthi ngalo bonke abasemangcwabeni balive ilizwi [loNyana kaThixo]; baphume ke: abo benza izinto ezilungileyo beze eluvukweni lobomi; nabo ke benza izinto ezimbi, beze eluvukweni lokugwetywa.”—Yohane 5:28, 29.

15. Bubuphi ubungqina uPawulos noHananiya ababenabo bovuko lukaYesu?

¹⁵ Njengoko kukhankanyiwe ngaphambili, umpostile uPawulos wayekholelwa eluvukweni. Ngasiphi isizathu? Ngaphambili wayenguSawule odume kakubi, umtshutshisi wamaKristu. Igama nodumo lwakhe zabangela uloyiko phakathi kwamakholwa. Ngapha koko, yayingenguye na owayekuqhwabel’ izandla ukubulawa komfeli-nkolo ongumKristu uStefano ngokuxulutywa ngamatye? (IZenzo 8:1; 9:1, 2, 26) Noko ke, endleleni eya eDamasko, uKristu ovusiweyo wabuyisela uSawule ezingqondweni, emenza abe yimfama okwexeshana. USawule weva ilizwi lisithi kuye: “Sawule, Sawule, unditshutshiselani na? Wathi ke yena, Ungubani na, Nkosi? Ithe ke iNkosi, Mna ndinguye uYesu omtshutshisayo wena.” Wandula ke lo Kristu ukwamnye ovusiweyo wayalela uHananiya, owayehlala eDamasko, ukuba aye kuloo ndlu uSawule wayekuyo ethandaza aze abuyisele ukubona kwakhe. Ngenxa yoko, ngokusuka kumava obuqu, uSawule noHananiya babenesizathu esaneleyo sokukholelwa eluvukweni.—IZenzo 9:4, 5, 10-12.

16, 17. (a) Sazi njani ukuba uPawulos wayengakholelwa kwingcamango yamaGrike yomphefumlo womntu ongenakufa? (b) Liliphi ithemba eliqinileyo iBhayibhile elinikelayo? (Hebhere 6:17-20)

¹⁶ Phawula indlela uSawule, umpostile uPawulos, awaphendula ngayo xa, njengomKristu owayetshutshiswa, waziswa phambi kweRhuluneli uFelikis. KwiZenzo 24:15 sifunda oku: “Ndinethemba kuThixo . . . ukuba kuza kubakho uvuko lwabafileyo, lwamalungisa kwanolwabangemalungisa.” Kucacile ukuba uPawulos wayengakholelwa kwingcamango yamaGrike yobuhedeni yomphefumlo womntu ongenakufa, ekuthiwa uphila kwindawo yasentsomini ngemva kokufa okanye kwilizwe labafileyo. Wayekholelwa eluvukweni ibe wafundisa ukuba nokholo kulo. Kwabanye oko kwakuya kuthetha isipho sobomi bokungafi njengezidalwa zomoya ezulwini kunye noKristu kuze kwabaninzi kuthethe ukubuyela ebomini kumhlaba ofezekileyo.—Luka 23:43; 1 Korinte 15:20-22, 53, 54; ISityhilelo 7:4, 9, 17; 14:1, 3.

¹⁷ Ngaloo ndlela iBhayibhile isinika idinga elicacileyo nethemba eliqinileyo lokuba ngovuko, abaninzi baya kubabona kwakhona abantu ababathandayo apha emhlabeni kodwa phantsi kweemeko ezahluke gqitha.—2 Petros 3:13; ISityhilelo 21:1-4.

Uncedo Olusebenzisekayo Kwabo Basentlungwini

18. (a) Sisiphi isixhobo esiluncedo esakhululwa kwiiNdibano “Zokoyika UThixo”? (Bona ibhokisi.) (b) Ngoku yiyiphi imibuzo ekufuneka iphendulwe?

¹⁸ Ngoku siseneenkumbulo zethu yaye sisentlungwini. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze simelane neli xesha linzima lokufelwa? Abanye banokwenza ntoni ukuze bancede abo basentlungwini? Ngaphezu koko, sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sincede abo bantu banyanisekileyo esidibana nabo kubulungiseleli bethu basentsimini abangenalo naliphi na ithemba lokwenene ibe nabo besentlungwini? Kwaye yiyiphi intuthuzelo engakumbi esinokuyifumana eBhayibhileni ngokuphathelele abantu esibathandayo abaye balala ekufeni? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kunikela amacebiso athile.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Unokuphendula Na?

◻ Kutheni kunokuthiwa ukufa kulutshaba?

◻ Abakhonzi bakaThixo kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile bakubonakalisa njani ukuba buhlungu kwabo?

◻ Liliphi ithemba elikhoyo ngabantu abafileyo esibathandayo?

◻ Sisiphi isizathu awayenaso uPawulos sokukholelwa eluvukweni?

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 8, 9]

Uncedo Olusebenzisekayo Kwabo Basentlungwini

KwiiNdibano “Zokoyika UThixo” ebudeni bowe-1994-95, iWatch Tower Society yenza isaziso sokukhululwa kwencwadana entsha enemifanekiso nenomxholo othi Xa Umntu Omthandayo Esifa. Le mpapasho ekhuthazayo iye yalungiselelwa ngendlela yokuba ithuthuzele abantu bazo zonke iintlanga neelwimi. Njengoko usenokuba sele ubonile, inikela ingcaciso elula yeBhayibhile ngokufa nemeko yabafileyo. Okude kwabaluleka ngakumbi kukuba ibalaselisa idinga likaThixo, ngoKristu Yesu, lokuvukela ebomini kumhlaba oyiparadisi ocociweyo. Ngokwenyaniso iyabathuthuzela abo basentlungwini. Ngoko ke, ifanele ibe sisixhobo esiluncedo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu yaye ifanele ivuse umdla, nto leyo enokwenza kubekho izifundo zeBhayibhile zamakhaya ezininzi ngakumbi. Ngobulumko imibuzo yofundisiso ibhalwe kwiibhokisi ezingasekupheleni kwecandelo ngalinye ukuze iingongoma ezixutyushiweyo zibe nokuhlolisiswa ngokulula nabo nabaphi na abantu abanyanisekileyo, abasentlungwini.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

Ekufeni kukaLazaro, uYesu walila

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

UYesu wamvusa uLazaro kwabafileyo

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

First Mourning, by W. Bouguereau, from original glass plate in Photo-Drama of Creation, 1914