Isahluko 20
Uvuko—Lobani, Futhi Kuphi?
1, 2. Sazi kanjani ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo zazikholelwa ovukweni?
IZINCEKU ZIKANKULUNKULU njalo bezikholelwa ovukweni. NgoAbrahama, owayephila eminyakeni eyizi-2 000 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu njengomuntu, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ethi uNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusa [uIsaka indodana yakhe] nakwabafileyo.” (Heberu 11:17-19) Kamuva inceku kaNkulunkulu uJobe yabuza: “Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?” Ekuphenduleni umbuzo wakhe siqu, uJobe wathi kuNkulunkulu: “Ubuyakubiza, mina ngiphendule.” Ngaleyondlela wabonisa ukuthi wayekholelwa ovukweni.—Jobe 14:14, 15.
2 Ngesikhathi uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, wachaza: “Kepha ukuthi bayavuswa abafileyo, noMose wakubonakalisa esihlahleni, lapho eyibiza iNkosi [uJehova] ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, noNkulunkulu kaIsaka, noNkulunkulu kaJakobe. UNkulunkulu kasiye owabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo, ngokuba bonke ba[ya]phila kuye.” (Luka 20:37, 38) EmiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki igama elithi “ukuvuka” lisetshenziswe ngaphezu kwezikhathi ezingama-40. Ngempela, uvuko lwabafileyo luyimfundiso yeBhayibheli eyinhloko.—Heberu 6:1, 2.
3. Yiluphi ukholo ovukweni uMarta alubonakalisa?
3 Lapho umfowabo uLazaru efa, umngane kaJesu uMarta wabonisa ukholo ovukweni. Lapho ezwa ukuthi uJesu uyeza, uMarta wagijima wamhlangabeza. Wathi: “Nkosi, uma ubukhona, umnewethu nga engafanga.” Ebona ukudabuka kwakhe, uJesu wamduduza ngalamazwi: “Umnewenu uzakuvuka.” UMarta waphendula: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.”—Johane 11:17-24.
4-6. Yiziphi izizathu uMarta ayenazo zokukholelwa ovukweni?
4 UMarta wayenezizathu ezinamandla zokuba nokholo ovukweni. Ngokwesibonelo, wayazi ukuthi eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu oEliya noElisha, ngamandla kaNkulunkulu, ngamunye wayevuse umntwana. (1 AmaKhosi 17:17-24; 2 AmaKhosi 4:32-37) Futhi wayazi ukuthi umuntu owayefile, wabuye waphila futhi lapho ephonswa ethuneni ethinta amathambo kaElisha owayefile. (2 AmaKhosi 13:20, 21) Kodwa okwakuluqinise kakhulu ukholo lwakhe ovukweni kwakuyilokho uJesu ngokwakhe ayekufundisile futhi wakwenza.
5 UMarta kungenzeka ukuthi wayekhona eJerusalema eminyakeni engaphansi kwemibili ngaphambili, lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngengxenye ayezoba nayo ekuvuseni abafileyo. Wathi: “Ngokuba njengalokhu uYise evusa abafileyo, abaphilise, kanjalo neNdodana iyabaphilisa labo ethanda ukubaphilisa. Ningamangali ngalokho, ngokuba isikhathi siyeza, lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyakulizwa izwi layo . . . baphume.”—Johane 5:21, 28, 29.
6 Kuze kube yilesosikhathi uJesu akhuluma ngaso lawomazwi, akukho mbhalo weBhayibheli wokuthi wavusa noma ubani. Kodwa kafushane ngemva kwalokho wavusela ekuphileni insizwa ethile, indodana yomfelokazi wasemzini waseNayini. Izindaba ngalokhu zafinyelela eningizimu yeJudiya, ngakho uMarta nakanjani kumelwe ukuba wezwa ngakho. (Luka 7:11-17) Kamuva, uMarta futhi kumelwe ukuba wezwa ukuthi yini eyenzeka eduze koLwandle lwaseGalile emzini kaJayiru. Indodakazi yakhe eneminyaka eyi-12 ubudala yayigule kakhulu yase ifa. Kodwa lapho uJesu efika emzini kaJayiru, waya kumntwana ofile, wathi: “Ntombazana, vuka!” Futhi yavuka!—Luka 8:40-56.
7. Yibuphi ubufakazi uJesu abunikeza uMarta bokuthi angabavusa abafileyo?
7 Nokho uMarta akazange alindele ukuba uJesu avuse umfowabo ngalesikhathi. Kungakho athi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.” Nokho, ukuze agcizelele kuMarta ingxenye anayo ekuvuseni abafileyo, uJesu wathi: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila; okholwa yimi, noma efa, wophila. Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uJesu wayiswa ethuneni lapho uLazaru ayefihlwe khona. Wamemeza: “Lazaru, phuma!” Futhi uLazaru, owayesefe izinsuku ezine, waphuma!—Johane 11:24-26, 38-44.
8. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uJesu wavuswa?
8 Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva uJesu ngokwakhe wabulawa wafakwa ethuneni. Kodwa wayelapho izingxenye zezinsuku ezintathu kuphela. Umphostoli uPetru uyachaza ukuthi ngani, ethi: “UJesu lo uNkulunkulu wamvusa, esingofakazi bakho thina sonke.” Abaholi benkolo babengenakuyivimbela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ekubeni iphume ethuneni. (IzEnzo 2:32; Mathewu 27:62-66; 28:1-7) Akukho kungabaza ukuthi uKristu wavuswa kwabafileyo, ngoba kamuva wazibonakalisa ephila kwabaningi babafundi bakhe, ngesinye isikhathi kwabangama-500. (1 Korinte 15:3-8) Abafundi bakaJesu babekholelwa kangako ovukweni kangangokuthi babezimisele ukubhekana ngisho nanokufa ukuze bakhonze uNkulunkulu.
9. Yibaphi abantu abayisishiyagalolunye iBhayibheli elithi bavuswa?
9 Ubufakazi obengeziwe bokuthi abafileyo bangavuswa banikezwa kamuva abaphostoli uPetru noPawulu. Okokuqala, uPetru wavusa uThabitha, owayebizwa futhi ngokuthi uDorka, womuzi waseJopha. (IzEnzo 9:36-42) Khona-ke uPawulu wabuyisela ekuphileni insizwa uEvitiku eyayife lapho iwa ewindini lesitezi sesithathu ngesikhathi uPawulu ekhuluma. (IzEnzo 20:7-12) Ngokuqinisekile lokhu kuvuswa kwabantu okuyisishiyagalolunye okuseBhayibhelini kunikeza ubufakazi obuqinisekile bokuthi abafileyo bangabuyiselwa ekuphileni!
OBANI ABAYOVUSWA?
10, 11. (a) Kungani uNkulunkulu alungiselela uvuko? (b) NgokwezEnzo 24:15 yiziphi izigaba ezimbili zabantu eziyovuswa?
10 Ekuqaleni kwakungeyona injongo kaNkulunkulu ukuvusa noma ubani, ngoba ukuba uAdamu noEva babehlale bethembekile akekho okwakuyodingeka afe. Kodwa-ke isono sika-Adamu saletha ukungapheleli nokufa phezu komuntu wonke. (Roma 5:12) Ngakho-ke ukuze kube nokwenzeka nganoma imuphi kubantwana baka-Adamu ukuba ajabulele ukuphila okuphakade, uJehova uNkulunkulu walungiselela uvuko. Kodwa yini enqumayo noma umuntu uyovuswa noma cha?
11 IBhayibheli liyachaza: “Kuyakuba khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungile nokwabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Lokhu kungabamangaza abanye. Bangase bazibuze, ‘Bangavuselwa kanjani ekuphileni “abangalungile”?’ Okwenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu elenga esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa kuzosisiza ukuba siphendule lombuzo.
12, 13. (a) Yisiphi isithembiso uJesu asenza eselelesini? (b) Likuphi “iPharadesi” uJesu akhuluma ngalo?
12 Lamadoda aseceleni kukaJesu ayizelelesi. Enye yawo isanda kuqeda nje ukumgcona, ithi: “Wena awusiye uKristu na? Zisindise kanye nathi.” Nokho, esinye salezizelelesi siyamkholelwa uJesu. Siphendukela kuye sithi: “Ngikhumbule, nxa usufike embusweni wakho.” Kulokho, uJesu uyathembisa: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namuhla, uyokuba nami ePharadesi.”—Luka 23:39-43, NW.
13 Kodwa uJesu usho ukuthini uma ethi: “Uyokuba nami ePharadesi?” Likuphi iPharadesi? Nokho, lalikuphi ipharadesi uNkulunkulu ayelenzile ekuqaleni? Lalisemhlabeni, akunjalo? UNkulunkulu wabeka umbhangqwana wokuqala wabantu epharadesi elihle elalibizwa ngokuthi insimu yase-Edeni. Ngakho uma sifunda ukuthi lona owayeyisigelekeqe wayezoba sePharadesi, ezingqondweni zethu kumelwe sibe nombono walomhlaba sewenziwe indawo enhle okungahlalwa kuyo, ngoba igama elithi “pharadesi” lisho “insimu” noma “ipaki.”—Genesise 2:8, 9.
14. Kungayiphi indlela uJesu ayoba ngayo nowayeyiselelesi ePharadesi?
14 Yebo, uJesu Kristu angeke abe lapha emhlabeni nalowo owayeyiselelesi. Cha, uJesu uyoba sezulwini ebusa njengeNkosi phezu kwePharadesi lasemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke uyoba naleyondoda ngengqondo yokuthi uyoyivusa kwabafileyo futhi anakekele izidingo zayo, kokubili ngokwenyama nangokomoya. Kodwa kungani uJesu eyovumela lendoda eyayiyisigelekeqe ukuba iphile ePharadesi?
15. Kungani “abangalungile” bevuswa?
15 Kuyiqiniso ukuthi lendoda yayenza izinto ezimbi. Yayi“ngalungile.” Futhi, yayingazi ngentando kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe yayiyoba isigebengu ukuba yayazi ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu? Ukuze kutholakale lokho, uJesu uyovusa lendoda engalungile, kanye nezinkulungwane zezigidi zabanye abafa bengazi. Ngokwesibonelo, emakhulwini eminyaka adlule baningi abantu abafa bengakwazi ukufunda futhi bengakaze balibone kwanhlobo iBhayibheli. Kodwa bayovuswa eSheoli, noma eHayidesi. Khona-ke, emhlabeni oyipharadesi, bayofundiswa intando kaNkulunkulu, futhi bayothola ithuba lokuba bazibonakalise ukuthi ngempela bayamthanda uNkulunkulu ngokwenza intando yakhe.
16. (a) Obani kwabafileyo abangeke bavuswe? (b) Kungani kungamelwe sizame ukwahlulela izindaba? (c) Ukukhathalela kwethu okuyinhloko kumelwe kube yini?
16 Lokhu akusho ukuthi wonke umuntu uyovuswa. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uJuda Iskariyothe, owanikela uJesu, ngeke avuswe. Ngenxa yobubi bakhe bangamabomu, uJuda ubizwa ngokuthi “indodana yokulahlwa.” (Johane 17:12) Waya eGehena elingokomfanekiso okungekho uvuko kulo. (Mathewu 23:33) Abantu abenza izinto ezimbi ngamabomu ngemva kokuba sebeyazi intando kaNkulunkulu kungenzeka bona umoya ongcwele. Futhi uNkulunkulu ngeke abavuse labo abona umoya wakhe ongcwele. (Mathewu 12:32; Heberu 6:4-6; 10:26, 27) Nokho, njengoba kunguNkulunkulu uMahluleli, akukho sizathu ngathi sokuba sizame ukunquma noma abantu abathile ababebabi esikhathini esithile esidlule noma ezikhathini zanamuhla bayovuswa noma cha. UNkulunkulu uyabazi abaseHayidesi nabaseGehena. Ngokwethu, kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba sibe nomusa kubantu uNkulunkulu abafuna esimisweni sakhe esisha.—Luka 13:24, 29.
17. Obani abangeke bakudinge ukuvuswa ukuze bajabulele ukuphila okuphakade?
17 Iphuzu liwukuthi akubona bonke abamukela ukuphila okuphakade okuyodingeka bavuswe. Eziningi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziphila manje kulezi“nsuku zokugcina” zalesisimiso sezinto ziyophila zidlule iArmagedoni. Khona-ke, njengengxenye yo“mhlaba omusha” olungileyo, ngeke zikubone ukufa. Lokho uJesu akusho kuMarta kungaba yiqiniso ngokoqobo kubona: “Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.”—Johane 11:26; 2 Thimothewu 3:1.
18. Obani “abalungileyo” abayovuswa?
18 Obani-ke “abalungileyo” abayovuswa? Laba bayohlanganisa izinceku ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu ezaziphila ngaphambi kokuba uJesu Kristu eze emhlabeni. Abaningi balabantu babizwe ngamagama kumaHeberu isahluko 11. Abazange babe nethemba lokuya ezulwini, kodwa babenethemba lokubuye baphile khona lapha emhlabeni. Futhi phakathi kwa“balungileyo” abayovuswa kunezinceku ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu eziye zafa eminyakeni yamuva. UNkulunkulu uyoqiniseka ukuba ithemba labo lokuphila phakade epharadesi phezu komhlaba liyagcwaliseka ngokuba abavuse kwabafileyo.
ISIKHATHI NENDAWO ABAYOVUSWA KUYO
19. (a) Kungayiphi ingqondo uJesu aba owokuqala ngayo ukuba avuswe? (b) Obani abavuswa ngokulandelayo?
19 UJesu Kristu ukhulunyelwa njengo“wokuqala ekuvukeni kwabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 26:23) Lokhu kusho ukuthi wayengowokuqala ukuba avuswe kulabo abangeke baphinde bafe futhi. Futhi, wayengowokuqala ukuba avuswe njengomuntu womoya. (1 Petru 3:18) Kodwa iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi kuyoba khona abanye, lithi: “Yilowo nalowo ngesigaba sakhe: uKristu kuqala, bese kuba-ngabangabakaKristu ekufikeni kwakhe.” (1 Korinte 15:20-23) Ngakho ovukweni abanye bayovuswa ngaphambi kwabanye.
20. (a) Obani “abangabakaKristu”? (b) Yiluphi uvuko abanalo?
20 Labo “abangabakaKristu” abafundi abathembekile abayizi-144 000 abakhethelwe ukubusa kanye naye eMbusweni. Ngokuvuselwa kwabo ezulwini, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ubusisiwe, ungcwele onesabelo ekuvukeni kokuqala; kulabo ukufa kwesibili akunamandla, kepha . . . babuse kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.”—IsAmbulo 20:6; 14:1, 3.
21. (a) Kunini lapho “uvuko lokuqala” luqala khona? (b) Obani ngokungangabazeki asebeye bavuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini kakade?
21 Ngakho ngemva kokuvuswa kukaKristu, abayizi-144 000 bangabalandelayo ekuvukeni. Banengxenye “ekuvukeni kokuqala.” Kwenzeka nini lokhu? IBhayibheli lithi, “Ekufikeni kwakhe.” Njengoba sesifundile ezahlukweni ezandulelayo, ukuba khona kukaKristu kwaqala ngonyaka ka-1914. Ngakho-ke “lolosuku” lo“kuvuka kokuqala” kwamaKristu athembekile aya ezulwini selufikile kakade. Ngokungangabazeki abaphostoli namanye amaKristu akuqala sebevuselwe kakade ekuphileni kwasezulwini.—2 Thimothewu 4:8.
22. (a) Obani abanye abayoba nengxenye “ekuvukeni kokuqala”? (b) Bavuswa nini bona?
22 Kodwa kunamaKristu aphila manje ngesikhathi sokuba khona kukaKristu okungabonakali anethemba elifanayo lokubusa ezulwini noKristu. Angabaseleyo, insali yabayizi-144 000. Avuswa nini-ke wona? Awadingi ukuba alale ekufeni, kodwa avuswa ngokushesha uma efa. IBhayibheli liyachaza: “Asiyikulala sonke, kepha siyakuguqulwa sonke, ngesikhashanyana, ngokuphazima kweso, ngecilongo lokugcina; ngokuba icilongo liyakukhala, abafileyo bavuswe bengenakubola.”—1 Korinte 15:51, 52; 1 Thesalonika 4:15-17.
23. IBhayibheli likuchaza kanjani ukushintshela ekuphileni komoya?
23 Yebo, lolu“vuko lokuqala” lokuphila kwasezulwini alubonakali ngamehlo enyama. Luwuvuko lokuphila njengezidalwa zomoya. IBhayibheli lichaza ukuguqukela ekuphileni komoya ngalendlela: “Kuhlwanyelwa kunokubola, kuvuswa kungenakubola; kuhlwanyelwa kunokudelwa, kuvuswa kunenkazimulo . . . Kuhlwanyelwa kungumzimba wemvelo, kuvuswa kungumzimba womoya.”—1 Korinte 15:42-44.
24. (a) Yiluphi uvuko olulandela “ukuvuka kokuqala”? (b) Kungani lubizwa ngokuthi “ukuvuka okuhle”?
24 Nokho, yona kanye inkulumo ethi “uvuko lokuqala” ibonisa ukuthi kuyolandela olunye. Lolu luwuvuko lokuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi lwakho kokubili abantu abalungileyo nabangalungile. Lolu luyokwenzeka ngemva kweArmagedoni. Luyoba “ukuvuka okuhle” kunalokho kwabafana abavuswa uEliya noElisha nokwabanye futhi abake bavuswa emhlabeni. Ngani? Ngoba uma labo abavuswa ngemva kweArmagedoni bekhetha ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngeke futhi kudingeke ukuba bafe.—Heberu 11:35.
ISIMANGALISO SIKANKULUNKULU
25. (a) Kungani kungewona umzimba owafa ovuswayo? (b) Yini evuswayo, futhi yini enikwa labo abavuswayo?
25 Ngemva kokuba umuntu esefile, yini evuswayo? Akuwona umzimba ofanayo owafa. IBhayibheli liyakubonisa lokhu uma lichaza ukuvuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:35-44) Ngisho nalabo abavuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni abatholi umzimba ofana nalowo ababenawo ngesikhathi besaphila. Lowomzimba kungenzeka uye wabola wabuyela emhlabathini. Ngemva kwesikhathi izakhi zalowomzimba ofile kungenzeka ziye zaba yingxenye yezinye izinto eziphilayo. Ngakho uNkulunkulu akavusi umzimba ofanayo kodwa umuntu ofanayo nalowo owafa. Abantu abaya ezulwini, ubanikeza umzimba omusha ongokomoya. Labo abavuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni, ubanikeza umzimba omusha wenyama. Lomzimba wenyama omusha ngokungangabazeki uyofana nalowo umuntu ayenawo ngaphambi kokuba afe ukuzeke bakwazi ukumbona labo ababemazi.
26. (a) Kungani uvuko luyisimangaliso esingaka? (b) Yiziphi izinto eziye zenziwa ngabantu ezingasisiza ukuba siqonde amandla kaNkulunkulu amakhulu okukhumbula abantu abaye bafa?
26 Uvuko ngempela luyisimangaliso esixakayo. Umuntu ofayo kungenzeka useye waba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi nolwazi oluningi nezinkumbulo eziningi aziqongelele esaphila. Uye waba nobuntu obuye bamenza wahluka kunanoma imuphi umuntu owake waphila. Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu ukhumbula yonke leyomininingwane, futhi uyombuyisela wonke lowomuntu uma emvusa. Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho ngabafileyo abazovuswa: “Bonke ba[ya]phila kuye.” (Luka 20:38) Abantu bayakwazi ukuthwebula amazwi nemifanekiso yabantu, babuye bakudlale lokhu ngemva kokuba umuntu esefile. Kodwa uJehova uyakwazi, futhi eqinisweni uyokwenza, ukuba abuye aphilise abantu abaphilayo enkumbulweni yakhe!
27. Yimiphi imibuzo ngokuqondene novuko esizophendulelwa yona kamuva?
27 IBhayibheli lisitshela okuningi okunye ngokuphila ePharadesi ngemva kokuvuswa kwabafileyo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wakhuluma ngabantu abaphumela “ekuvukeni kokuphila” nabanye abaphumela “ekuvukeni kokulahlwa.” (Johane 5:29) Wayesho ukuthini? Futhi ingabe isimo siyoba ngesihlukile nga“balungileyo” abavuswayo kuleso okuyoba yiso “ngabangalungile”? Ukucabangela uSuku Lokwahlulela kuzosiphendulela imibuzo enjalo.
[Izithombe ekhasini 167]
“Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni”
UEliya wavusa indodana yomfelokazi
UElisha wavusa umntwana
Indoda eyathinta amathambo kaElisha yavuka
[Izithombe ekhasini 168]
Abantu abavuswa uJesu:
Indodana yomfelokazi waseNayini
ULazaru
Indodakazi kaJayiru
[Izithombe ekhasini 169]
Abanye abavuswa:
UDorka
UJesu ngokwakhe
UEvitiku
[Isithombe ekhasini 170]
Likuphi iPharadesi uJesu alithembisa isoni?