Isahluko 9
“Isihogo” Ingabe Sikhona Ngempela?
1. Yini izinkolo eziye zayifundisa ngesihogo?
IZIGIDI zabantu ziye zafundiswa izinkolo zazo ukuthi kunendawo yokuhlushwa kwaphakade ebizwa ngokuthi “isihogo.” Yilapho ababi beya khona. Ngokwe-Encyclopædia Britannica, “ISonto lamaRoma Katolika lifundisa ukuthi isihogo . . . siyohlala phakade; ukuhlupheka kuso akuyikuphela.” Lemfundiso yamaKatolika, njengoba lencwadi iqhubeka isho, “isasebenza kwamaningi amaqembu amaProtestandi.” AmaHindu, amaBuddha namaMohamede nawo afundisa ukuthi isihogo siyindawo yokuhlushwa. Akumangalisi ukuthi kungani abantu abaye bafundiswa lokhu ngokuvamile bethi uma isihogo siyindawo embi kanjalo abathandi ukukhuluma ngaso.
2. UNkulunkulu waba namuphi umbono ngokushiswa kwezingane emlilweni?
2 Lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo: Ingabe uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wayidala indawo enjalo yokuhlushwa? Nokho, wawuyini umbono kaNkulunkulu lapho amaIsrayeli, elandela isibonelo sabantu ababengomakhelwane, eqala ukushisa izingane zawo emlilweni? Uyachaza eZwini lakhe: “Bakhile izindawo eziphakemeyo zaseThofeti ezisesigodini sendodana kaHinomu ukuba bashise amadodana abo namadodakazi abo ngomlilo, engingakuyalelanga nokungangenanga enhliziyweni yami.”—Jeremiya 7:31.
3. Kungani kungokungenangqondo, futhi kungekhona okungokombhalo, ukucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengahlupha abantu?
3 Cabanga ngalokhu. Uma umqondo wokushisa abantu emlilweni ungazange ungene enhliziyweni kaNkulunkulu, ingabe kuzwakala kunengqondo ukuthi wadala isihogo somlilo ngenxa yalabo abangamkhonzi? IBhayibheli lithi, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Ingabe uNkulunkulu onothando ngempela ubengabahlupha abantu phakade? Ingabe wena ubungakwenza lokho? Ukwazi ngothando lukaNkulunkulu kumelwe kusishukumisele ekubeni siphendukele eZwini lakhe ukuze sithole noma “isihogo” sikhona ngempela yini njengendawo yokuhlushwa kwaphakade.
ISHEOLI NEHAYIDESI
4. (a) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi iSheoli neHayidesi kusho into eyodwa? (b) Yini eboniswa iqiniso lokuthi uJesu wayeseHayidesi?
4 Lapho libhekisela endaweni lapho abantu beya khona uma befa, iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “Sheoli” emiBhalweni yesiHeberu nelithi “Hayidese” emiBhalweni yesiGreki. Ukuthi lamagama asho into eyodwa kubonakala ngokubheka amaHubo 16:10 (Kwelidala) nezEnzo 2:31, okungamavesi ongase uwabone lapha. Phawula ukuthi ekucaphuneni kumaHubo 16:10 lapho igama elithi Sheoli livela khona ngokwesiHeberu, izEnzo 2:31 zisebenzisa iHayidesi. Abanye bathi iHayidesi indawo yokuhlushwa kwaphakade. Kodwa phawula ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayeseHayidesi. Ingabe-ke kumelwe sikholelwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahlupha uKristu “esihogweni somlilo”? Akunjalo neze! Ekufeni kwakhe, uJesu wamane waya ethuneni lakhe.
5, 6. Okushiwo ngoJakobe nendodana yakhe uJosefa, nangoJobe, kukufakazela kanjani ukuthi iSheoli aliyona indawo yokuhlupha?
5 UGenesise 37:35 (Kwelidala) usitshela ngoJakobe, owayekhalela indodana yakhe ethandekayo uJosefa leyo ayecabanga ukuthi ibulewe. IBhayibheli lithi ngoJakobe: ‘Wala ukukhuzwa, wathi: Ngizokwehla, ngiye endodaneni yami ethuneni [iSheoli ngesiHeberu] ngikhala.’ Manje ake ume isikhashana ucabange. Ingabe iSheoli kwakuyindawo yokuhlushwa? Ingabe uJakobe wayekholelwa ukuthi indodana yakhe uJosefa yayisendaweni enjalo eyayizoba kuyo kuze kube phakade, futhi ingabe naye wayefuna ukuya lapho ahlangane nayo? Noma, kunalokho, ingabe kwakuwukuthi nje uJakobe wayecabanga ukuthi indodana yakhe ethandekayo yayifile isethuneni futhi naye uJakobe efisa ukufa?
6 Yebo, abantu abalungileyo bayaya eSheoli noma eHayidesi. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela uJobe owaziwa kahle ngokwethembeka kwakhe nobuqotho kuNkulunkulu. Lapho esebuhlungwini obukhulu, wacela uNkulunkulu ukuba amsize. Umthandazo wakhe ukuJobe 14:13, (Kwelidala): “Sengati u nga ngi tukusa ehaidesi, [Sheoli ngesiHeberu] . . . u ngi misele isikati esitile, u ngi kumbule.” Manje cabanga: Uma iSheoli lisho indawo yomlilo nobuhlungu, ingabe uJobe wayengafisa ukuya lapho ahlale sonke isikhathi sakhe kuze kube yilapho uNkulunkulu emkhumbula? Ngokusobala, uJobe wayefuna ukufa aye ethuneni ukuze izinhlungu zakhe ziphele.
7. (a) Siyini isimo salabo abaseSheoli? (b) Ngakho-ke liyini iSheoli neHayidesi?
7 Kuzo zonke izindawo lapho elithi Sheoli livela khona eBhayibhelini alihlanganiswa neze nokuphila, umsebenzi noma ubuhlungu. Kunalokho, ngokuvamile lihlanganiswa nokufa nokungasebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela umShumayeli 9:10 (Kwelidala), ofundeka kanje: “Konke isandhla sako e si ku fumanayo kwenze ngamandhla ako, ngokuba ku ngeko umsebenzi, necebo, nokwazi, nokuhlakanipha etuneni [iSheoli], lapo u ya kona.” Ngakho impendulo iba ngesobala. ISheoli neHayidese akubhekiseli endaweni yokuhlushwa kodwa ethuneni elivamile lesintu. (AmaHubo 139:8, Kwelidala) Abantu abalungileyo kanye nabantu ababi bayaya eSheoli, noma eHayidesi.
UKUPHUMA ESHEOLI
8, 9. Kungani uJona, ngesikhathi esesiswini senhlanzi, ethi wayeseSheoli?
8 Abantu bangaphuma yini eSheoli (Hayidesi)? Cabangela indaba kaJona. Lapho uNkulunkulu enza ukuba inhlanzi enkulu igwinye uJona ukuze angaminzi, uJona wathandaza esesiswini senhlanzi: “Nga kala ekuhlupekeni kwami kuJehova, yena wa ngi pendula; esiswini sa seSheoli nga nxusa, wa li zwa izwi lami wena.”—Jona 2:2, Kwelidala.
9 UJona wayesho ukuthini ngokuthi “esiswini sa seSheoli”? Phela, lesosisu senhlanzi ngokuqinisekile sasingeyona indawo yokuhlushwa ngomlilo. Kodwa sasingaba ithuna likaJona. Eqinisweni, uJesu Kristu wathi ngokuqondene naye ngokwakhe: “Njengalokho uJona wayesesiswini somkhomo izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, kanjalo-ke neNdodana yomuntu iyakuba-sebuthunjini bomhlaba izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.”—Mathewu 12:40.
10. (a) Ibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi labo abaseSheoli bangaphuma? (b) Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi “iSheoli” lisho “ithuna”?
10 UJesu wayefile futhi esethuneni lakhe izinsuku ezintathu. Kodwa iBhayibheli liyabika: “Akashiywanga eHayidese, . . . UJesu lo uNkulunkulu wamvusa.” (IzEnzo 2:31, 32) Ngokufanayo, ngokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu, uJona wavuswa eSheoli, okungukuthi, kulokho okwakungase kube yithuna lakhe. Lokhu kwenzeka lapho inhlanzi imhlanzela ezweni elomileyo. Yebo, abantu bangaphuma eSheoli! Eqinisweni, isithembiso esijabulisayo esinikwe kusAmbulo 20:13 siwukuthi ‘ukufa neHayidesi kuyokhipha abafileyo abakukho.’ Yeka indlela ehluke ngayo imfundiso yeBhayibheli ngokuqondene nesimo sabafileyo kulokho izinkolo eziningi eziye zakufundisa!
IGEHENA NECHIBI LOMLILO
11. Iliphi elinye igama lesiGreki elivela izikhathi eziyi-12 eBhayibhelini elihunyushwa ngokuthi “isihogo” eBhayibhelini lesiZulu?
11 Nokho omunye angase aphikise, athi: ‘IBhayibheli liyakhuluma ngesihogo somlilo kanye nechibi lomlilo. Ingabe lokhu akubonisi ukuthi ikhona indawo yokuhlushwa?’ Kuyiqiniso, ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli, njengeBhayibheli lesiZulu, ziyakhuluma nge“sihogo somlilo” nangoku‘phonswa esihogweni, emlilweni ongacimekiyo.’ (Mathewu 5:22; Marku 9:45) Sekukonke kunamavesi ayi-12 emiBhalweni yesiGreki yamaKristu lapho iBhayibheli lesiZulu lisebenzisa khona “isihogo” ekuhumusheni igama lesiGreki elithi Gehena. Ingabe iGehena ngempela liyindawo yokuhlushwa ngomlilo, kuyilapho iHayidesi limane lisho ithuna nje?
12. Liyini iGehena, futhi yini eyayenziwa kulona?
12 Ngokusobala, igama lesiHeberu elithi “Sheoli” nelesiGreki elithi “Hayidese” asho ithuna. Khona-ke, iGehena lisho ukuthini? EmiBhalweni yesiHeberu iGehena ‘liyisigodi sikaHinomu.’ Khumbula, iHinomu kwakuyigama lesigodi esingaphandle nje kwezindonga zeJerusalema lapho amaIsrayeli ayenikela khona ngezingane zawo emlilweni. Ngemva kwesikhathi, inkosi enhle uJosiya yenza ukuba lesisigodi singakufanelekeli ukusetshenziselwa umkhuba omubi kanjalo. (2 AmaKhosi 23:10) Sashintshelwa ekubeni sibe indawo enkulu yokulahla udoti.
13. (a) Ngosuku lukaJesu iGehena lalisetshenziselwa yiphi injongo? (b) Yini eyayingalokothi iphonswe khona?
13 Ngakho ngesikhathi uJesu elapha emhlabeni iGehena kwakuyindawo yokulahla udoti yaseJerusalema. Umlilo wawugcinwa uvutha lapho ngokufakwa kwesibabule ukuze kushiswe udoti. ISmith’s Dictionary of the Bible, Umqulu 1, iyachaza: “Laba indawo evamile yokulahla udoti yedolobha, lapho izidumbu zezigelekeqe, kanye nezidumbu zezilwane, nanoma yiluphi uhlobo lokungcola kwakulahlwa khona.” Nokho, azikho izidalwa eziphilayo ezaziphonswa khona.
14. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi iGehena lalisetshenziswa njengesifanekiselo sokubhujiswa kwaphakade?
14 Njengoba zazazi ngendawo yokulahla udoti yedolobha lazo, izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zakuqonda okwakushiwo uJesu uma etshela abaholi benkolo abonakele: “Zinyoka, nzalo yezinhlangwana, ni ngabalekela kanjani ukulahlwa egehena na?” (Mathewu 23:33, Kwelidala) Ngokusobala uJesu wayengaqondile ukuthi labaholi benkolo bayohlushwa. Phela, nangesikhathi amaIsrayeli eshisa abantwana bawo bephila kulesosigodi, uNkulunkulu wathi ukwenza into embi kanjalo akuzange kuvele enhliziyweni yakhe! Ngakho kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayesebenzisa iGehena njengesifanekiso esifanelekile sokubhujiswa okuphelele nokuhlala njalo. Wayesho ukuthi labobaholi benkolo ababi babengalufanelekele uvuko. Labo ababelalele uJesu bakwazi ukuzwisisa ukuthi labo abaya eGehena njengodoti, bayobhujiswa phakade.
15. Liyini “ichibi lomlilo,” futhi ibuphi ubufakazi obukhona balokhu?
15 Pho, liyini-ke “ichibi lomlilo” elikhulunyelwa encwadini yeBhayibheli kusAmbulo? Linencazelo efanayo naleyo yeGehena. Alisho ukuhlushwa umuntu ezwa kodwa ukufa phakade, noma ukubhujiswa. Phawula ukuthi iBhayibheli ngokwalo likusho kanjani lokhu kusAmbulo 20:14: “Ukufa neHayidese kwaphonswa echibini lomlilo. Lokhu kungukufa kwesibili, ichibi lomlilo.” Yebo, ichibi lomlilo lisho “ukufa kwesibili,” ukufa okungekho kukho uvuko. Kusobala ukuthi leli“chibi” lingokomfanekiso, ngoba ukufa nesihogo (iHayidese) kuphonswa kulo. Ukufa nesihogo akunakushiswa ngokoqobo. Kodwa kungase kususwe, noma kubhujiswe, futhi kuyoba njalo.
16. Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uDeveli uyohlushwa phakade “echlbini lomlilo”?
16 Omunye angase aveze ukuthi ‘nokho iBhayibheli lithi uDeveli uyohlushwa phakade echibini lomlilo.’ (IsAmbulo 20:10) Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni abaphathi bamajele ngezinye izikhathi babebizwa ngokuthi “abahluphi.” Njengoba uJesu asho ngendoda ethile komunye wemifanekiso yakhe: “Nenkosi yayo yathukuthela, yayinikela kubahluphi, ize ikhokhe lonke icala layo.” (Mathewu 18:34, King James Version) Njengoba labo abaphonswa “echibini lomlilo” bangena “ekufeni kwesibili” lapho lungekho uvuko khona, ngenye indlela, baboshwa phakade ejele ngokufa. Bahlala besekufeni njengokungathi basesitokisini sabaphathi bejele ngunaphakade. Yebo, ababi abahlushwa ngokoqobo, ngoba njengoba sesibonile, uma umuntu esefile akekho ngokuphelele. Akazi lutho kwaphela.
ISICEBI NOLAZARU
17. Sazi kanjani ukuthi amazwi kaJesu ngesicebi noLazaru angumfanekiso?
17 Pho, wayesho ukuthini uJesu uma ethi komunye wemifanekiso yakhe: “Wafa ompofu, wathwalwa yizingelosi, wasiwa esifubeni sika-Abrahama; nesicebi safa, sembelwa. SesiseHayidese saphakamisa amehlo aso, sisebuhlungwini, sabona uAbrahama ekude, noLazaru esifubeni sakhe”? (Luka 16:19-31) Njengoba-ke, sesibonile, iHayidesi libhekisela ethuneni lesintu, hhayi endaweni yokuhlushwa, kusobala ukuthi uJesu lapha wayelandisa ngomfanekiso. Njengobufakazi obengeziwe bokuthi lena akuyona indaba engokoqobo kodwa ingokomfanekiso, cabangela lokhu: Ingabe isihogo sisondelene nezulu kangangokuthi ingxoxo enjalo engokoqobo ingenziwa? Ngokungaphezulu, uma isicebi sasisechibini elivutha ngokoqobo, uAbrahama wayengamthumela kanjani uLazaru ukuba apholise ulimi lwaso ngeconsi nje lamanzi elisemunweni wakhe? Yini eyayifanekiselwa uJesu?
18. Iyini incazelo yomfanekiso ngokuqondene (a) nesicebi? (b) noLazaru? (c) nokufa kwabo bobabili? (d) nokuhlushwa kwesicebi?
18 Isicebi kulomfanekiso sasimelele abaholi benkolo abazazisayo abamphika futhi kamuva bambulala uJesu. ULazaru wafanekisela abantu abavamile abayamukela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ukufa kwesicebi nokukaLazaru kwakumelele ushintsho esimweni sabo. Lolushintsho lwenzeka lapho uJesu ondla ngokomoya abantu abanjengoLazaru ababelahliwe ukuze babe sesimweni sokuvumeleka kuAbrahama oMkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, abaholi benkolo yamanga “bafa” ngokuqondene nokuba nomusa kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba base belahliwe, bezwa ubuhlungu uma abalandeli bakaKristu bedalula imisebenzi yabo emibi. (IzEnzo 7:51-57) Ngakho lomfanekiso awufundisi ukuthi abantu abathile abafile bayahlushwa kwesoqobo isihogo somlilo.
IZIMFUNDISO EZIPHEFUMLELWE NGUDEVELI
19. (a) Imaphi amanga uDeveli aye wawasakaza? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi imfundiso yesihlanzo ingamanga?
19 UDeveli watshela uEva ukuthi: “Aniyikufa nokufa.” (Genesise 3:4; IsAmbulo 12:9) Kodwa wafa; akukho ngxenye yakhe eyaphila. Ukuthi umphefumulo uyaqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa kungamanga aqaliswa uDeveli. Okungamanga ngokufanayo futhi, uDeveli aye wawasakaza, ukuthi imiphefumulo yababi iyahlushwa esihogweni noma esihlanzweni. Njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi abafileyo abezwa, lezimfundiso azinakuba yiqiniso. Eqinisweni, kwalona igama elithi “isihlanzo” noma umqondo wesihlanzo akutholakali eBhayibhelini.
20. (a) Yini esiye sayifunda kulesisahluko? (b) Yimuphi umphumela lolulwazi oluye lwaba nawo kuwe?
20 Sibonile ukuthi iSheoli, noma iHayidesi, kuyindawo yabafileyo yokuphumula ngethemba. Kokubili abalungileyo nababi baya khona, ukuba balindele uvuko. Siye safunda futhi ukuthi iGehena alisho indawo yokuhlushwa, kodwa eBhayibhelini lisetshenziswa njengesifanekiselo sokubhujiswa kwaphakade. Ngendlela efanayo “ichibi lomlilo” aliyona indawo engokoqobo yomlilo, kodwa limelele “ukufa kwesibili” lokho okungeke kube khona ukuvuka kukho. Lokhu kwakungenakuba indawo yokuhlushwa ngoba umqondo onjalo awukaze ube sengqondweni noma ube senhliziyweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngokungaphezulu, ukuhlupha umuntu phakade ngenxa yokuba enze okubi emhlabeni iminyaka emibalwa kuphambene nokulunga. Yeka ukuthi kuhle kanjani ukwazi iqiniso ngabafileyo! Ngempela kungamkhulula umuntu ekwesabeni nasekukholelweni ezeni.—Johane 8:32.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 83]
Igama lesiHeberu elithi “Sheoli” nelesiGreki elithi “Haidesi” asho into eyodwa
IsiZulu Esidala
10 Ngokuba a u yi ku shiya umpefumulo wami eSheoli; u nganikeli o ingcwele wako a bone ukubola.
Imisebenzi 2:31
31 E bona loku ngapambili, wa shumayela ngokuvuka kuka Kristu ukuti, umpefumulo wake a u shiyelwanga ehaidesi, inyama yake a i bonanga ukubola.
[Isithombe ekhasini 84, 85]
Ngemva kokugwinywa inhlanzi, kungani uJona athi: ‘Ngakhala ngisesiswini saseSheoli’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 86]
IGehena laliyisigodi esingaphandle kweJerusalema. Lalisetshenziswa njengesifanekiso sokufa kwaphakade