Ubomi Emva Kokufa—Buya Kubakho Njani, Phi, Nini?
UMDALI noMniki-bomi womntu uyasiqinisekisa ukuba ukufa kwabantu akuthethi siphelo saphakade sobomi. Ukongezelela, uThixo uyasiqinisekisa ukuba kuyinto enokwenzeka ukuba singaneli nje ukuphila kwakhona kangangexesha elithile elisikelw’ umda kodwa siphile sinethemba lokungaze sijamelane nokufa kwakhona! Umpostile uPawulos wakuchaza ngokuphandle yaye eqinisekile oku: ‘[UThixo] ubanike isiqinisekiso bonke abantu ngokuba eye wamvusa [uKristu Yesu] kwabafileyo.’—IZenzo 17:31.
Kakade ke, oku kusashiya imibuzo emithathu esisiseko ijinga: Umntu ofileyo angabuyela njani ebomini? Kuya kwenzeka nini oku? Bubakho phi obo bomi butsha? Kulo lonke ihlabathi, kuye kwanikelwa iimpendulo ezahlukahlukeneyo kule mibuzo, kodwa esona sikhokelo sokufumana inyaniso ngalo mbandela kukuqonda kakuhle oko kwenzekayo ebantwini xa besifa.
Ngaba Ukungafi Kunikela Impendulo?
Inkolelo eqhelekileyo yeyokuba kukho inxalenye ethile kubo bonke abantu engafiyo yaye yimizimba yabo yodwa efayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo ukhe wayiva into enjalo. Le nxalenye kuthiwa ayifi kubhekiselwa kuyo ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo ngokuthi “umphefumlo” okanye “umoya.” Kuthiwa iyasinda xa umzimba usifa ize iqhubeke iphila kwindawo ethile. Ngeliphandle, loo nkolelo ayiveli eBhayibhileni. Kuyinyaniso ukuba abantu bamandulo beZibhalo zesiHebhere babekhangele phambili kubomi emva kokufa, kodwa kungekhona ngokusinda kwenxalenye yabo ethile engafiyo. Ngentembelo babekhangele phambili ekubuyiselweni ebomini emhlabeni kwixesha elizayo ngommangaliso wovuko.
Usolusapho uAbraham ungumzekelo obalaseleyo womntu owayekholelwa kuvuko lwabafi lwexesha elizayo. Ichaza ukukulungela kuka-Abraham ukunikela ngonyana wakhe uIsake njengedini, incwadi yamaHebhere 11:17-19 isixelela oku: “Ngokholo uAbraham, xa wavavanywayo, wafana ngathi wamnikela uIsake, . . . Kodwa wakubalela ekuthini uThixo wayekwazi ukumvusa kwanakwabafileyo; yaye khona apho wamamkela kanjalo ngendlela yomzekeliso,” ekubeni uThixo wayengafuni ukuba uIsake enziwe idini. Enikela ubungqina obungakumbi beenkolelo zamandulo zamaSirayeli bokuba ayenokuphila kwakhona kamva (kunokuqhubeka ephila kwelemimoya ngokukhawuleza emva koko), umprofeti uHoseya wabhala: “Ndiya kubakhulula esandleni selabafileyo [ingcwaba eliqhelekileyo loluntu], ndiya kubahlawulela ndibakhulule ekufeni.”—Hoseya 13:14.
Ngoko yaqalisa nini kumaYuda nakwiinkolelo zawo ingcamango yokungafi komntu okuzuzw’ ilifa? IEncyclopaedia Judaica iyavuma ukuba “mhlawumbi yimpembelelo yamaGrike eyeza nemfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo kubuYuda.” Noko ke, amaYuda azinikeleyo ayesakholelwa yaye ekhangele phambili kuvuko lwexesha elizayo de kwalixesha likaKristu. Oku sinokukubona kakuhle kwincoko kaYesu noMarta xa kwakufe umntakwabo uLazaro: “UMarta ke ngoko wathi kuYesu: ‘Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha umntakwethu ange engafanga.’ . . . UYesu wathi kuye: ‘Umntakwenu uya kuvuka.’ UMarta wathi kuye: ‘Ndiyazi ukuba uya kuvuka eluvukweni ngomhla wokugqibela.’”—Yohane 11:21-24.
Imeko Yabafi
Nakulo mbandela, akukho mfuneko yakufunisela. Inyaniso ecace gca yeBhayibhile ikukuba abafi “balele,” abakho zingqondweni, abanazo kwaphela iimvakalelo okanye ulwazi. Loo nyaniso ayichazwanga ngendlela entsonkothileyo, nekunzima ukuyiqonda eBhayibhileni. Khawuhlolisise ezi zibhalo ziqondakala ngokulula: “Abadla ubomi bayazi ukuba baya kufa; ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho, . . . Yonke into esiyifumanayo isandla sakho ukuba siyenze, yenze ngamandla akho; ngokuba akukho kwenza, nakucinga, nakwazi, nakulumka kwelabafileyo, apho uya khona wena.” (INtshumayeli 9:5, 10) “Musani ukukholosa ngamanene, ngonyana womntu, yena ungenalo usindiso. Uyaphuma umoya wakhe, abuyele yena emhlabeni wakhe; ngaloo mini ayatshitsha amabhongo akhe.”—INdumiso 146:3, 4.
Ngoko ke, siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uYesu Kristu abhekisele kukufa njengobuthongo. Umpostile uYohane wabhala ngencoko kaYesu nabafundi bakhe: “Wathi kubo: ‘ULazaro umhlobo wethu uye kuphumla, kodwa ndiyahamba ndiya apho ukuze ndimvuse ebuthongweni.’ Ngoko ke abafundi bathi kuye: ‘Nkosi, ukuba uye kuphumla, uya kuphila.’ Noko ke, uYesu wayethetha ngokufa kwakhe. Kodwa bona babesiba wayethetha ngokuphumla ebuthongweni. Ngelo xesha, ke ngoko, uYesu ngokuphandle wathi kubo: ‘ULazaro ufile.’”—Yohane 11:11-14.
Umntu Ufa Ngokupheleleyo
Inkqubo yokufa komntu ibandakanya umntu ngokupheleleyo, kungekhona nje ukufa komzimba. Ngokutsho kwamazwi acacileyo eBhayibhile, sifanele sigqibe kwelokuba umntu akanamphefumlo ongafiyo onokusinda xa umzimba wakhe usifa. IZibhalo zibonisa kakuhle ukuba umphefumlo unokufa. “Yabonani, yonke imiphefumlo yeyam; umphefumlo woyise unjengomphefumlo wonyana, yeyam yomibini; umphefumlo owonayo, kuya kufa wona.” (Hezekile 18:4) Ayikho indawo elivela kuyo igama elithi “ongafiyo” okanye “ukungafi” libhekiswa kuluntu.
INew Catholic Encyclopedia isinika le mvelaphi ibangel’ umdla yamagama esiHebhere nawesiGrike aguqulelwe ngokuthi “umphefumlo” eBhayibhileni: “Umphefumlo kwiTestamente Endala yinepeš, kwiTestamente Entsha [yipsy·kheʹ]. . . . Igama elithi nepeš livela kwisakhi mhlawumbi esithetha ukuphefumla, yaye ngaloo ndlela . . . ekubeni ukuphefumla kusahlula abaphilayo kwabafileyo, unepeš uye wanentsingiselo yobomi okanye isiqu okanye ubomi nje bukabani. . . . KwiTestamente Endala umzimba awahlulwa kumphefumlo. UmSirayeli izinto wayezijonga ngobunjalo bazo, ziphelele, yaye ngaloo ndlela abantu wayebagqala njengabantu kungekhona nje intlanganisela yezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo. Igama elithi nepeš, nangona siliguqulela ngokuthi umphefumlo, alithethi kuthi umphefumlo wahlukile emzimbeni okanye emntwini. . . . Igama elithi [psy·kheʹ] ligama leTestamente Entsha elifana nelithi nepeš. Linokuthetha amandla obomi, ubomi ngokwabo, okanye isiqu esiphilileyo.”
Ngaloo ndlela unokubona ukuba xa umntu esifa, umntu okanye umphefumlo ophilayo, obuphila ngaphambili, uyayeka ukuphila. Umzimba ubuyela “eluthulini” okanye kumasuntswana omhlaba ngokungcwatywa kuze kulandele ukubola okanye oko kukhawuleziswe ngenkqubo yokutshiswa kwezidumbu. UYehova wamxelela oku uAdam: “Uluthuli, uya kubuyela kwaseluthulini.” (Genesis 3:19) Ngoko ke, bunokubakho njani ubomi emva kokufa? Bunokubakho ngenxa yokuba uThixo uyamkhumbula umntu ofileyo. UYehova unamandla nobuchule obungummangaliso bokudala abantu, ngoko akumele kusimangalise ukuba akwazi ukugcina ingxelo yendlela yokuphila yomntu kwinkumbulo yakhe. Ewe, onke amathemba okuba loo mntu aphile kwakhona axhomekeke kuThixo.
Oku koko kuthethwa ligama elithi “umoya,” ekuthiwa ubuyela kuThixo wokwenyaniso owawunikayo. Echaza ngalo mphumo, umbhali ophefumlelweyo wencwadi yeNtshumayeli uyachaza: “Lungekabuyeli emhlabeni uthuli, njengoko belunjalo, umoya ubuyele kuThixo owawunikayo.”—INtshumayeli 12:7.
NguThixo kuphela onokwenza ubani aphile. Xa uThixo wadala umntu e-Eden waza waphefumlela emathatheni akhe “impefumlo yobomi,” ukongezelela ekuzaliseni imiphunga ka-Adam ngomoya, uYehova wabangela ukuba amandla obomi enze zonke iiseli zomzimba wakhe ziphile. (Genesis 2:7) Ekubeni la mandla obomi enokudluliselwa ukusuka kubazali ukuya ebantwaneni ngenkqubo yokukhawula nokuzala, nguThixo onokuzukiswa ngobomi bomntu nangona, eneneni, bufumaneka buvela kubazali.
Uvuko—Ixesha Lolonwabo
Uvuko alumele lubhidaniswe nokuvela ngokutsha, okungaxhaswa nakancinane ziZibhalo Ezingcwele. Ukuvela ngokutsha yinkolelo yokuba emva kokuba umntu efile, uphinda azalwe kwakhona okanye izihlandlo ezingakumbi. Kuthiwa obo bomi buba kumgangatho ophezulu okanye ophantsi xa buthelekiswa nobangaphambili, kuxhomekeka kwizenzo zikabani kubomi obungaphambili. Ngokutsho kwale nkolelo, ubani “unokuphinda azalwe” engumntu okanye esisilwanyana. Oko kuphikisana ngokupheleleyo nemfundiso yeBhayibhile.
Igama elithi “uvuko” liguqulelwe lisuka kwigama lesiGrike elithi a·naʹsta·sis, ngokoqobo elithetha “ukuphakama kwakhona.” (Abaguquleli besiGrike abangamaHebhere baye baguqulela igama elithi a·naʹsta·sis ngamagama esiHebhere utechi·yathʹ ham·me·thimʹ, athetha “ukuvuselelwa kwabafi.”) Uvuko lubandakanya ukwenziwa kwendlela yokuphila yomntu isebenze kwakhona, indlela yokuphila egcinwe nguThixo kwinkumbulo yakhe. Loo mntu uvuswa enomzimba womntu okanye enomzimba womoya; oko kuxhomekeka koko uThixo afuna abe kuko loo mntu, yaye uhlala enentsobi yakhe, engulaa mntu wayenguye yaye enenkumbulo awayenayo ekufeni kwakhe.
Ewe, iBhayibhile ithetha ngeendidi ezimbini zovuko. Olunye lolwabambalwa ngentelekiso, abavuselwa ezulwini benomzimba womoya. UYesu Kristu wafumana olo vuko. (1 Petros 3:18) Yaye wabonisa ukuba olo vuko lwaluya kufunyanwa ngabanyuliweyo kwabo babelandela emanyathelweni akhe, ukususela kubapostile ababethembekile, awabathembisa oku: “Ndihamba indlela yam ndisiya kunilungiselela indawo. . . . Ndiyeza kwakhona ibe ndiza kunamkelela kum ekhaya, ukuze apho ndikhoyo mna nibe lapho kwanani.” (Yohane 14:2, 3) IBhayibhile ithi olu ‘luvuko lokuqala,’ ilelokuqala ngokubhekisele kwixesha elenzeka ngalo nomgangatho walo. IZibhalo zichaza abo baya kuthi ngaloo ndlela bavuselwe kubomi basezulwini njengababingeleli bakaThixo nabalawula njengookumkani kunye noKristu Yesu. (ISityhilelo 20:6) “Uvuko lokuqala” lolwenani elilinganiselweyo labantu, yaye iZibhalo zibonisa ukuba kuphela li-144 000 eliya kunyulwa kumadoda nabafazi abathembekileyo. Baya kube beyibonakalisile ingqibelelo yabo kuYehova uThixo nakuKristu Yesu kwada kwasa ekufeni, beye bakhuthala ekunikeleni ubungqina kwabanye ngokholo lwabo.—ISityhilelo 14:1, 3, 4.
Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, uvuko lwabafileyo lixesha lolonwabo olungasikelwe mda kwabo bavuselwa kubomi basezulwini. Kodwa alupheleli apho olo lonwabo, kuba kukho nedinga lokuvuselwa kubomi basemhlabeni. Abo bavusiweyo baya kuthelela inani elingasikelwe mda labo baya kusinda ekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo ingendawo ikhoyo. Ngemva kokubona inani elincinane labo bafanelekela ukuvuselwa ezulwini, umpostile uYohane wabona “isihlwele esikhulu, ekungekho mntu wakwaziyo ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe namaqela abantu neelwimi.” Hayi indlela ekuya kuba mnandi ngayo xa izigidi, mhlawumbi amawaka ezigidi, ebuyela ebomini apha emhlabeni!—ISityhilelo 7:9, 16, 17.
Luya Kubakho Nini?
Naluphi na uvuyo nolonwabo beluya kuba lolwexeshana ukuba abafileyo bebenokubuyela emhlabeni ozaliswe ziimfazwe, ukuphalazwa kwegazi, ungcoliso nogonyamelo—njengokuba kunjalo namhlanje. Ewe, uvuko lumele lulinde ukumiselwa ‘komhlaba omtsha.’ Khawube nombono, isijikelezi-langa esingenabantu namaziko asabonakala ezimisele ukuwonakalisa umhlaba nobuhle bawo bangaphambili, singasathethi ke ngosizi olungathethekiyo abaye baluzisa kubemi baso.—2 Petros 3:13; ISityhilelo 11:18.
Ngokuqinisekileyo, liseza ixesha lovuko loluntu ngokubanzi. Kodwa iindaba ezimnandi kukuba akusentsuku zatywala lufike. Kuyinyaniso ukuba lumele lulinde isiphelo sale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. Noko ke, ubungqina obuyintabalala bubonisa ukuba ixesha lokuqhambuka ‘kwembandezelo enkulu’ likufuphi, eliya kufikelela incopho yalo “kwimfazwe yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla”—ngokuqhelekileyo ebizwa ngokuthi yiArmagedon. (Mateyu 24:3-14, 21; ISityhilelo 16:14, 16) Le mfazwe iya kushenxisa bonke ubungendawo kwesi sijikelezi-langa sihle, uMhlaba. Emva koko kuya kubakho uLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka lukaKristu Yesu, ekuya kuthi ngalo umhlaba wenziwe iparadisi ngokuthe ngcembe.
IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uvuko lwabafileyo luya kubakho ebudeni bolu lawulo lweWaka Leminyaka. Kwandule ke kuzaliseke isithembiso sikaYesu awasenza ngoxa wayesemhlabeni: “Musani ukumangaliswa koku, ngenxa yokuba liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo balive ilizwi lakhe baze baphume . . . beze kuvuko.”—Yohane 5:28, 29.
Umphumo Wethemba Lovuko
Hayi indlela elimangalisa ngayo ithemba lovuko elikwikamva—ixesha abafi abaya kubuyela ngalo ebomini! Hayi indlela elisikhuthaza ngayo njengoko sijamelene neengxaki zokwaluphala, ukugula, iintlekele nosizi olungalindelekanga, nezinto ezisicinezelayo neenkathazo zobomi zemihla ngemihla! Liyalukhupha ulwamvila lokufa—lungalushenxisi ngokupheleleyo usizi kodwa lusenza sahluke kwabo bangenathemba konke konke ngekamva. Umpostile uPawulos wawuchaza lo mphumo uthuthuzelayo wethemba lovuko ngala mazwi: “Bazalwana, asifuni ningabi nalwazi ngokuphathelele abo balele ekufeni; ukuze ningabi lusizi kanye njengokuba abanye abangenathemba besenza. Kuba ukuba ukholo lwethu lukukuba uYesu wafa waza wavuka kwakhona, ngokunjalo, nabo baye balala ekufeni ngoYesu uThixo uya kubazisa naye.”—1 Tesalonika 4:13, 14.
Sisenokuba sesibubonile ubunyaniso bento eyaphawulwa yindoda yaseMpuma uYobhi: “Mna lo, uhageleyo njengevithi, njengengubo edliwe ngamanundu. Umntu, into ezelwe ngumfazi, imihla yakhe mifutshane, izele ziinkathazo. Uphuma njengentyantyambo, abune; ubaleka njengethunzi, angemi.” (Yobhi 13:28–14:2) Nathi siyazi ukuba asinakuqiniseka ngobomi nokuba ‘ixesha nesihlo’ zinokufikela nabani na phakathi kwethu. (INtshumayeli 9:11) Ngokuqinisekileyo, akakho kuthi okuvuyelayo ukujamelana nenkqubo yokufa. Sekunjalo, ithemba eliqinisekileyo lovuko liyanceda ukushenxisa uloyiko olugqithisileyo lokufa.
Ngoko, yomelela! Khangela ngaphaya kokulala ukufa okusenokukufikela uze ubone ukubuyiselwa ebomini ngommangaliso wovuko. Khangela phambili ngentembelo kwithemba lobomi obuzayo obungenasiphelo, yaye wongezelele koko uvuyo lokwazi ukuba elo xesha lizaliswe ziintsikelelo lisemnyango.