Ngaba Unesizathu Sokuba Nethemba Lokuphila Eparadesi?
“Ndazi umntu omanyene noKristu . . . wathatyathelwa eparadesi.”—2 KORINTE 12:2-4.
1. Ziziphi izithembiso zeBhayibhile abaninzi abazivuyelayo?
IPARADESI. Ngaba usayikhumbula indlela owaziva ngayo xa wawuqala ukuva ngesithembiso sikaThixo sokwenza umhlaba ube yiparadesi? Usenokuba uyakhumbula usiva ukuba ‘amehlo eemfama aya kuvulwa, iindlebe zezithulu zivulwe, kuze kumpompoze amanzi entlango’ kuyenze ichume ibe ntle. Okanye kuthekani ngesiprofeto sengcuka eya kuhlala netakane legusha nehlosi netakane lebhokhwe? Zange kukuvuyise ukufunda ukuba abafileyo baya kuphinda baphile benethuba lokuhlala kuloo Paradesi?—Isaya 11:6; 35:5, 6; Yohane 5:28, 29.
2, 3. (a) Kutheni kunokuthiwa ithemba onalo elisekelwe eBhayibhileni asilolize? (b) Sisiphi esinye isizathu esinaso sokuba nethemba?
2 Eso ayisosithembiso esililize. Unesizathu sokukholelwa kwizithembiso eziseBhayibhileni ezingaloo Paradesi. Ngokomzekelo, unentembelo kumazwi athethwa nguYesu kumenzi wobubi owayexhonyiwe athi: “Uya kuba nam eParadesi.” (Luka 23:43) Uyasithemba isithembiso esithi: “Silindele amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha, ngokwesithembiso sakhe, apho kumi ubulungisa.” Kwakhona ukholose ngesithembiso sokuba uThixo uya kuzisula iinyembezi zethu; ukufa akusayi kuphinda kubekho; ubuhlungu, ukukhala, neentlungu ziya kuphela. Oku kuthetha ukuba umhlaba uya kuphinda ube yiparadesi!—2 Petros 3:13; ISityhilelo 21:4.
3 AmaKristu emhlabeni wonke anesinye isizathu sokukholelwa ukuba kuza kubakho iParadesi ngenxa yento ayinxalenye yayo ngoku. Yintoni leyo? UThixo uye wavelisa iparadesi yokomoya yaye uye wangenisa abantu bakhe kuyo. Ukuthetha “ngeparadesi yokomoya” kusenokubonakala kuyinto nje eqikelelwayo, ekunzima ukuyiqonda, kodwa kwathethwa kwangaphambili ngeparadesi enjalo, yaye ikho ngokwenene.
Umbono Weparadesi
4. Eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 12:2-4 ikhankanya wuphi umbono, yaye isenokuba ngubani owawubonayo?
4 Ngokuphathelele oku, phawula oko kwabhalwa ngumpostile uPawulos: “Ndazi umntu omanyene noKristu owathi . . . wathatyathwa enjalo wasiwa kwelesithathu izulu. Enoba kwakusemzimbeni okanye ngaphandle komzimba, andazi, nguThixo owaziyo, kodwa ndiyazi ukuba loo mntu wathatyathelwa eparadesi waza weva amazwi angathethekiyo ekungekho mthethweni ukuba umntu awathethe.” (2 Korinte 12:2-4) Loo mazwi uPawulos wawathetha kanye emva kokuthethelela ilungelo lakhe lokuba ngumpostile. Ngapha koko, iBhayibhile ayithethi ngaye nabani na omnye umntu okwenzeka kuye into enjalo, yaye nguPawulos osixelela ngayo. Ngoko ke kusenokwenza ukuba nguPawulos owabona loo mbono. Xa kwakusenzeka lo mmangaliso, yiyiphi le “paradesi” wangena kuyo?—2 Korinte 11:5, 23-31.
5. Yintoni angazange ayibone uPawulos, yaye ngenxa yoko ‘yiparadesi’ enjani le?
5 Umongo wale ndinyana awusixeleli ukuba “izulu lesithathu” sisibhakabhaka okanye nawuphi na ummandla wendalo osingqongileyo njengokuba zisitsho izazi ngendalo. IBhayibhile idla ngokusebenzisa inani elisisithathu ukugxininisa, ukubonisa ubunzulu bento okanye ukuyibethelela. (INtshumayeli 4:12; Isaya 6:3; Mateyu 26:34, 75; ISityhilelo 4:8) Ngoko ke, okwabonwa nguPawulos embonweni kwakubalulekile. Kwakuyinto engokomoya.
6. Yintoni eyenzekayo ngaphambili esinika ufifi lwento eyabonwa nguPawulos?
6 Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zangaphambilana ziyasikhanyisela. Emva kokuba abantu bakhe bamandulo bengazange bamthobele uThixo, wavumela abantu baseBhabhiloni ukuba bahlasele kwaYuda naseYerusalem. Ngokutsho kobalo lwamaxesha eBhayibhile, oku kwakhokelela kwintshabalaliso ngowama-607 B.C.E. Isiprofeto sasithe eli lizwe laliya kuba yinkangala kangangeminyaka engama-70; yaye uThixo wayeya kuwavumela amaYuda aguqukayo ukuba abuye aze avuselele unqulo lokwenyaniso. Oku kwenzeka ukususela ngowama-537 B.C.E. (Duteronomi 28:15, 62-68; 2 Kumkani 21:10-15; 24:12-16; 25:1-4; Yeremiya 29:10-14) Kodwa kwenzeka ntoni ngelizwe ngokwalo? Ebudeni baloo minyaka ingama-70, kwakungathi kusendle kweli lizwe, limbatshile yaye kuhlala oodyakalashe. (Yeremiya 4:26; 10:22) Sekunjalo, kwakukho esi sithembiso: “Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uya kuyithuthuzela iZiyon. Ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuzithuthuzela zonke iindawo zayo eziphanzileyo, ayenze intlango yayo ibe njenge-Eden, nethafa layo eliyinkqantosi libe njengomyezo [okanye iParadesi, Septuagint] kaYehova.”—Isaya 51:3; umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo.
7. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka emva kweminyaka engama-70 yokuphanziswa?
7 Oku kwenzeka emva kweminyaka engama-70. Ngenxa yentsikelelo kaThixo, iimeko zaguquka zantle. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni woku: “Iya kuba nemihlali intlango nommandla ongumqwebedu, nethafa eliyinkqantosi liya kuvuya lize lityatyambe njengesafroni. Ngokuqinisekileyo liya kutyatyamba, yaye ngokwenene liya kuvuya ngovuyo limemelela ngochulumanco. . . . Isiqhwala siya kutsiba njengexhama, nolwimi lwesimumu luya kumemelela ngochulumanco. Kuba kuya kumpompoza amanzi entlango, nemisinga kwithafa eliyinkqantosi. Kwaye umhlaba obharhiswe bubushushu uya kuba njengechibi elineengcongolo, nomhlaba onxaniweyo ube njengemithombo yamanzi. Kwindawo ababutha kuyo oodyakalashe, kuya kubakho ingca eluhlaza kunye neengcongolo nezityalo zomkhanzi.”—Isaya 35:1-7.
Abantu Ababuyiselweyo Nokuguquka Kwezinto
8. Sazi njani ukuba uIsaya isahluko 35 sibhekisela ebantwini?
8 Hayi indlela izinto ezaziguquke ngayo! Ukuphuma ekuthinjweni ungene eparadesi. Kanti, esi nezinye iziprofeto ezinokuthenjwa zabonisa ukuba nabantu babeya kuguquka, bethelekiswa nentlango eba ngumhlaba ochumayo. Kutheni sinokuthetha loo nto nje? Kaloku, uIsaya wayebhekisa kwabo “bakhululweyo nguYehova,” ababeya kubuyela kwilizwe labo “ngentswahla yovuyo” baze ‘bagcobe babe nemihlali.’ (Isaya 35:10) Oku akuzange kwenzeke kumhlaba wokoqobo, kodwa ebantwini. Ukongezelela, kwenye indawo uIsaya wathetha ngabantu ababuyiselwe eZiyon esithi: “Baya kubizwa ngokuba yimithi emikhulu yobulungisa, oko kutyalwe nguYehova . . . Kuba njengoko umhlaba uvelisa ihlumelo lawo, . . . uYehova [uya] kuhlumisa ubulungisa nendumiso phambi kwazo zonke iintlanga.” Kwakhona uIsaya wathi ngabantu bakaThixo: “UYehova uya kubopheleleka ukuba akukhokele rhoqo . . . , yaye uya kuwomeleza amathambo akho; ube njengomyezo onamanzi.” (Isaya 58:11; 61:3, 11; Yeremiya 31:10-12) Ngoko ke, kanye njengokuba iimeko zomhlaba ziguquka zisiba bhetele, kuya kubakho iinguqulelo kumaYuda abuyiselweyo.
9. UPawulos wabona yiphi “iparadesi,” yaye yazaliseka nini?
9 Lo mzekeliso wembali usinceda siqonde oko kwabonwa nguPawulos embonweni. Oku kwakuya kwenzeka ebandleni lamaKristu, awalibiza ngokuthi “niyintsimi kaThixo elinywayo” eyayiza kuvelisa isiqhamo. (1 Korinte 3:9) Wawuya kuzaliseka nini loo mbono? UPawulos wakubiza oku wakubonayo ngokuthi ‘sisityhilelo,’ into eza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo. Wayesazi ukuba emva kokufa kwakhe kwakuya kubakho uwexuko olukhulu. (2 Korinte 12:1; IZenzo 20:29, 30; 2 Tesalonika 2:3, 7) Ngoxa abawexuki babebaninzi yaye bebonakala bewagubungela, amaKristu okwenyaniso ayengenakufaniswa nesitiya esichumayo. Sekunjalo, laliya kufika ixesha xa unqulo lokwenyaniso lwaluya kuphinda luphakanyiswe. Abantu bakaThixo babeya kubuyiselwa ukuze “amalungisa aqaqambe njengelanga ebukumkanini bukaYise.” (Mateyu 13:24-30, 36-43) Eneneni oko kwenzeka kwiminyaka embalwa emva kokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bamiselwa ezulwini. Ngokuhamba kwexesha, kwabonakala ukuba abantu bakaThixo bakwiparadesi yokomoya, uPawulos awayibona kusengaphambili kuloo mbono.
10, 11. Kutheni sinokuthi sikwiparadesi yokomoya phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki kwethu?
10 Liyinyaniso elokuba asifezekanga, ngoko ke kulindelekile ukuba kuvele iingxaki ngamaxesh’ athile, kanye njengokuba kwenzeka phakathi kwamaKristu kumhla kaPawulos. (1 Korinte 1:10-13; Filipi 4:2, 3; 2 Tesalonika 3:6-14) Noko ke, khawucinge ngeparadesi yokomoya esikuyo ngoku. Xa sithelekisa nemeko embi esasikuyo ngaphambili, siphilisiwe ngokomoya. Yaye thelekisa indlela esasikuyo ngaphambili nendlela esondliwa ngayo ngokomoya ngoku. Kunokutsala nzima kwilizwe elibharhileyo ngokomoya, abantu bakaThixo bamkelekile kuye yaye ubasikelela ngokungathethekiyo. (Isaya 35:1, 7) Kunokuba bafathule kwintsunguzi yobumnyama obungokomoya, sibona ukukhanya kwenkululeko nokwamkelwa nguThixo. Abaninzi ababengathi bazizithulu xa kuthethwa ngeziprofeto zeBhayibhile bayakuva oko kuthethwa ziZibhalo. (Isaya 35:5) Ngokomzekelo, amaNgqina kaYehova azizigidi emhlabeni wonke aye afunda isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli, indinyana ngendinyana. Emva koko aye aqwalasela ngokunzulu isahluko ngasinye sencwadi yeBhayibhile kaIsaya. Ngaba oko kutya kokomoya kuhlaziyayo akububo ubungqina bokuba sikwiparadesi yokomoya?
11 Kwakhona khawucinge ngendlela abaninzi abanyanisekileyo nabaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo abaye bayiguqula ngayo imikhwa yabo njengoko bezabalazela ukuqonda iLizwi likaThixo nokulisebenzisa ebomini babo. Ngokusisiseko, baye baguqula iimpawu ezimbi ababenazo ngaphambili. Mhlawumbi nawe wenze into efanayo kwaza oko kwanemiphumo emihle, kunjalo ke nangabazalwana bakho noodade bokomoya. (Kolose 3:8-14) Ngoko ke, njengoko unxulumana nebandla lamaNgqina kaYehova, ukunye nabantu abaseluxolweni nekuluyolo ukuba kunye nabo. Phofu ke, abakafezeki, kodwa abanakuchazwa njengeengonyama eziqwengayo okanye amarhamncwa anoburhalarhume. (Isaya 35:9) Obu buzalwana bokomoya buseluxolweni bubonisa ntoni? Ngokucacileyo, sikwimeko yokomoya ekufanelekileyo ukuyibiza ngokuthi yiparadesi yokomoya. Yaye iparadesi yethu yokomoya itshayelela umhlaba oyiparadesi esiza kuhlala kuwo ukuba sihlala sithembekile kuThixo.
12, 13. Yintoni esifanele siyenze ukuba sifuna ukuhlala kwiparadesi yethu yokomoya?
12 Sekunjalo, kukho into esingamele siyilibale. UThixo wawaxelela oku amaSirayeli: “Nize niwugcine wonke umyalelo endiniyalela wona namhlanje, ukuze nomelele, ningene, nilidle ilifa ilizwe elo niwelela kulo ukuba nilihluthe.” (Duteronomi 11:8) KuLevitikus 20:22, 24, kuthethwa kwangelo lizwe kusithiwa: “Nize niyigcine imimiselo yam yonke nezigwebo zam zonke, nizenze, ukuze linganihlanzi niphume ilizwe elo ndinisa kulo ukuba nihlale kulo. Ngako oko ndathi kuni: ‘Nina, niya kulidla ilifa ilizwe lazo, ndoninika mna ukuba libe lilifa kuni, ilizwe eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi.’” Ewe, ukuze ubani ahlale kwiLizwe Lesithembiso kwakufuneka abe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova uThixo. UThixo wawayekela amaSirayeli ukuba athinjwe ngamaBhabhiloni aze ashenxiswa kwindawo awayehlala kuyo ngenxa yokungamthobeli kwawo.
13 Sisenokuba sikuvuyela gqitha ukuva okungakumbi ngeparadesi yethu yokomoya. Zintle gqitha izinto esizibonayo kuyo, yaye zisinika uxolo lwengqondo. Siseluxolweni namanye amaKristu aye aguqula imikhwa yawo engathandekiyo. Azabalazela ukuba nobubele nokuba luncedo. Sekunjalo, ukuhlala kwiparadesi yethu yokomoya kufuna okungaphezu kokuba nolwalamano oluhle naba bantu. Kufuneka sibe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova size senze ukuthanda kwakhe. (Mika 6:8) Sizikhethele ukungena kule paradesi yokomoya, kodwa sisenokukhukuliseka siphume kuyo—okanye sigxothwe—ukuba asilulondolozi ulwalamano lwethu noThixo.
14. Yintoni eya kusinceda ukuze sihlale kwiparadesi yokomoya?
14 Into ebalulekileyo eza kusinceda kukuhlala sizomeleza ngeLizwi likaThixo. Phawula intetho esisafobe esetyenziswe kwiNdumiso 1:1-3: “Unoyolo umntu ongahambanga ngecebo labangendawo . . . Kodwa oyoliswa ngumthetho kaYehova, efunda emthethweni wakhe ngesandi esiphantsi imini nobusuku. Ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuba njengomthi otyalwe ngakwimisinga yamanzi, onika isiqhamo sawo ngexesha lawo nonamahlamvu angabuniyo, yaye konke akwenzayo kuya kuphumelela.” Ukongezelela, iimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni zekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi zinikela ukutya kokomoya kule paradesi yokomoya.—Mateyu 24:45-47.
Ukuwenza Uqaqambe Umbono Onawo NgeParadesi
15. Kwakutheni ukuze uMoses angakwazi ukukhokela amaSirayeli de angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, kodwa yintoni awayibonayo?
15 Khawucinge ngomzekelo woko kuya kwenzeka eParadesi. Emva kokubhadula kwamaSirayeli entlango kangangeminyaka engama-40, uMoses wawakhokelela kumaThafa akwaMowabhi, ngasempuma koMlambo iYordan. Ngenxa yesono esasenziwe nguMoses kwixesha elidluleyo, uYehova wamxelela uMoses ukuba akasayi kuwakhokela amaSirayeli ukuwela iYordan. (Numeri 20:7-12; 27:12, 13) UMoses wamcenga uThixo esithi: “Nceda undivumele ndiwele, ndilibone ilizwe elo lihle, liphesheya kweYordan.” Nangona wayengaz’ ukungena kulo, emva kokunyuka kwiNtaba iPisga waza wabona imimandla ethile kwelo lizwe, uMoses wabona ukuba eli ‘yayililizwe elihle.’ Ucinga ukuba lalinjani elo lizwe?—Duteronomi 3:25-27.
16, 17. (a) ILizwe Lesithembiso lamandulo lahluke njani kwelo lizwe mvanje? (b) Kutheni sinokukholelwa ukuba iLizwe Lesithembiso lalikhe lanjengeparadesi?
16 Ukuba imbono onayo isekelwe kwinkangeleko yalo mmandla kutshanje, usenokuba ubona ummandla oyinkqantosi, intlango enamatye nobushushu obungathethekiyo. Noko ke, kukho isizathu sokukholelwa ukuba wonke lo mmandla wawahlukile ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Kulindixesha iScientific American, isazi ngamanzi nomhlaba uGqr. Walter C. Lowdermilk wacacisa ukuba umhlaba walo mmandla uye “wonakaliswa kukuphathwa kakubi kangangamawaka eminyaka.” Le ngcali ngomhlaba yabhala: “‘Intlango’ ekummandla owawuchumile ngaphambili yenziwe ngabantu, ayibangelwanga yindalo.” Enyanisweni, uhlolisiso lwakhe lutyhila ukuba “lo mmandla wawuyiparadesi eyayichumile ngaphambili.” Kuyabonakala ukuba abantu baye bonakalisa indawo “eyayiyiparadesi echumileyo.”a
17 Xa ucingisisa ngoko ukufunde eBhayibhileni, usenokubona indlela ekusengqiqweni ngayo ukufikelela kweso sigqibo. Khumbula amazwi uYehova awawathetha kuMoses eqinisekisa abantu: “Ilizwe eniwelela kulo ukuba nilidle ilifa lilizwe leentaba namathafa asentlanjeni. Lisela amanzi emvula yasemazulwini; lilizwe alinyamekelayo uYehova uThixo wakho.”—Duteronomi 11:8-12.
18. Incwadi kaIsaya 35:2 ifanele ukuba yawanika njani amaSirayeli athinjiweyo umbono wendlela elimele ukuba lalingayo iLizwe Lesithembiso?
18 Ubuhle nokuchuma kweLizwe Lesithembiso kwakubangela ukuba ukukhankanya nje iindawo ezimbalwa zalo kwanele ukuba ubani acinge ngeparadesi. Oku kucacile ngokusuka kwisiprofeto esikuIsaya isahluko 35, esazaliseka okokuqala xa amaSirayeli ayebuya evela eBhabhiloni. UIsaya waprofeta esithi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo liya kutyatyamba, yaye ngokwenene liya kuvuya ngovuyo limemelela ngochulumanco. Liya kunikwa uzuko lweLebhanon, ubungangamsha beKarmele nobeSharon. Kuya kubakho abo baya kububona ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova, ubungangamsha boThixo wethu.” (Isaya 35:2) Ukukhankanywa kweLebhanon, iKarmele neSharon kumele ukuba kwawavuyisa amaSirayeli.
19, 20. (a) Chaza ummandla wamandulo waseSharon. (b) Yiyiphi enye indlela esinokulomeleza ngayo ithemba esinalo lokuphila eParadesi?
19 Khawucinge ngeSharon, amathafa agudle ulwandle phakathi kweenduli zakwaSamariya noLwandle Olukhulu, okanye lweMeditera. (Bona umfanekiso kwiphepha 10.) Yayisaziwa ngobuhle nokuchuma. Ekubeni yayifumana amanzi amaninzi, yayinamadlelo amahle, kodwa yayinamahlathi om-oki kwimimandla engasemantla. (1 Kronike 27:29; INgoma yazo iiNgoma 2:1, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo; Isaya 65:10) Ngenxa yoko, incwadi kaIsaya 35:2 yayiprofeta ngokubuyiselwa nangelizwe elihle, eliba njengeparadesi. Kwakhona eso siprofeto sasibhekisela kwiparadesi entle engokomoya, ngokuvisisana noko uPawulos kamva wakubona embonweni. Ekugqibeleni, esi siprofeto kwakunye nezinye someleza ithemba esinalo lokuphila kwabantu kumhlaba oyiparadesi.
20 Njengoko siphila kwiparadesi yokomoya, sinokomeleza uxabiso lwethu ngayo nethemba esinalo lokuphila kumhlaba oyiParadesi. Njani? Ngokulwenza nzulu ulwazi loko sikufunda eBhayibhileni. Iinkcazelo neziprofeto zeBhayibhile zidla ngokukhankanya iindawo ezithile. Ngaba ungathanda ukuwuqonda ngakumbi ummandla ezazikuzo ezi ndawo nendlela ezinxulumene ngayo nezinye iindawo ezikhankanyiweyo? Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuqwalasela indlela onokukwenza ngayo oko ngendlela ephumelelayo.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a UDenis Baly kwiThe Geography of the Bible uthi: “Utyani balo mmandla batshintsha gqitha ukususela kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile.” Oku kubangelwe yintoni? “Abantu bebefuna iinkuni nemithi yokwakha yaye ngenxa yoko . . . baqalisa ukugawula imithi ngaloo ndlela bechanaba umhlaba kwimozulu embi. Ngenxa yoku kuphazamiseka kwemeko-bume imozulu . . . yaguquka ngokuthe ngcembe de ekugqibeleni yawutshabalalisa.”
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
• Yiyiphi “iparadesi” eyabonwa ngumpostile uPawulos embonweni?
• Sazaliseka njani okokuqala isiprofeto sikaIsaya isahluko 35, yaye sinxulumene njani noko kwabonwa nguPawulos embonweni?
• Sinokulomeleza njani uxabiso lwethu ngeparadesi yethu yokomoya nethemba esinalo lokuphila kumhlaba oyiparadesi?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
IThafa laseSharon, ummandla ochumileyo kwiLizwe Lesithembiso
[Inkcazelo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
UMoses wabona ukuba eli ‘yayililizwe elihle’