Kungani Abantu Abalungileyo Behlupheka?

UNYAKA kwakungu-1914, futhi izwe lalisempini. Ngokungazelele, isifo ityphus saqubuka ekamu leziboshwa zempi eSerbia. Kodwa lokho kwakumane nje kuyisiqalo. Lesifo esesabekayo sasakazekela nakubantu ababengekho empini futhi sabulala abangu-150 000 ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kuphela. Phakathi kwezimo zesikhathi sempi kanye nokuvukela okwalandela eRashiya, abayizigidi ezintathu babulawa isifo ityphus. Ungaphetha ngokufanele ngokuthi abantu abaningi abalungileyo namalungu emikhaya yabo ashonelwe babephakathi kwezisulu.

Lesi isibonelo nje esisodwa sosizi lwabantu. Kungenzeka wena ngokwakho uye wabhekana nokuhlupheka okuba khona lapho abathandekayo beba izisulu zezifo, izingozi, nezinhlekelele zohlobo oluthile. Cishe, uyakhathazeka lapho umuntu olungile ehlaselwa ubuhlungu besifo esingalapheki. Cishe udabuka kakhulu lapho umuntu olungileyo—mhlawumbe indoda ezikhandlayo enomkhaya—efa engozini. Usizi lwalabo abashonelwe lungenza inhliziyo yakho ibadabukele.

Abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi umuntu owenza okulungileyo kufanele avuzwe ngokukhululeka ekuhluphekeni. Abanye baze babheke ukuhlupheka njengobufakazi bokuthi isisulu singumenzi wobubi. Lona kwakungumbono wamadoda amathathu ayephila eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 600 edlule. Ayephila ngesikhathi sendoda elungileyo okwakuthiwa uJobe. Ake sibuyele osukwini lwawo njengoba siqala ukufuna impendulo yombuzo othi, Kungani abantu abalungileyo behlupheka?

Ukuhlupheka KukaJobe

Lapho labo ababebhekwa njengabangane bakaJobe bemvakashela, wayephethwe izinhlungu nesifo ngokungachazeki. Wayeshonelwe abantwana bakhe abayishumi futhi elahlekelwe yizo zonke izinto zakhe ezibonakalayo. Abantu ababemhlonipha uJobe bamenyanya. Ngisho nomkakhe wamphendukela futhi wamnxusa ukuba athuke uNkulunkulu afe.—Jobe 1:1–2:13; 19:13-19.

Ezinsukwini eziyisikhombisa nobusuku obuyisikhombisa, izivakashi zikaJobe zazithule zibukela ukuhlupheka kwakhe. Khona-ke esinye sazo samsola ngokuziphatha okungalungile esasithi wayejeziselwa khona. “Ake ukhumbule,” kusho indoda enguElifazi: “ukuthi ngubani owake wachithwa engenacala na? Babhujiswaphi abalungileyo na? Njengokubona kwami abalima okubi bahlwanyela ukona, bayakuvuna. Babhubha ngokuphephetha kukaNkulunkulu; ngomoya wentukuthelo yakhe bayaphela.”—Jobe 4:7-9.

Ngakho, uElifazi wagomela ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayejezisa uJobe ngenxa yezono zakhe. Namuhla futhi, abanye bagomela ngokuthi izinhlekelele ziyizenzo zikaNkulunkulu eziklanyelwe ukujezisa abantu ngenxa yokwenza okubi. Kodwa uJehova wayengajezisi uJobe ngenxa yokwenza izenzo ezingalungile. Lokhu siyakwazi ngoba kamuva uNkulunkulu watshela uElifazi: “Intukuthelo yami iyavuthela wena nabangane bakho ababili, ngokuba anikhulumanga okulungileyo ngami njengenceku yami uJobe.”—Jobe 42:7.

UNkulunkulu Akanacala

Namuhla, izigidi—ngokuqinisekile kuhlanganise nabantu abaningi abalungileyo—zimpofu futhi zisonqenqemeni lwendlala. Abanye abantu bezwa ubuhlungu futhi basole uNkulunkulu njengobangela ukuhlupheka kwabo. Kodwa akufanele asolwe ngenxa yendlala. Eqinisweni, nguYe olungiselela isintu ukudla.—IHubo 65:9.

Ubugovu, ukuhaha, nezinye izici ezibangelwa abantu zingavimbela ukuthuthelwa kokudla kulabo abalambile. Impi iphakathi kwezimbangela zendlala. Ngokwesibonelo, iWorld Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Impi ingabangela indlala uma abalimi abaningi beshiya amasimu abo futhi bajoyine amabutho ahlomile. Kwezinye izimo, ibutho liye ladala indlala ngamabomu ukuze libangele isitha ukuba silambe size sicele umaluju. Ibutho lichitha ukudla okugciniwe nezitshalo ezikhulayo bese limisa amasosha ukuze avimbele ukuthunyelwa kokudla esitheni. Amasosha avimbela ukufinyelela kokudla okuthunyelwayo esifundeni saseBiafra phakathi neMpi Yombango yaseNigeria (1967-70). Kwaphumela endlaleni, futhi abaseBiafra abangaphezu kwesigidi cishe balamba.”

Abanye basola uNkulunkulu ngokungafanele ikakhulukazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, lapho kuhlupheka futhi kufa abantu abaningi abalungileyo. Nokho, abantu baphula imithetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuzondana nangokulwa. Lapho uJesu Kristu ebuzwa ukuthi yimuphi umyalo “wokuqala kuyo yonke,” waphendula: “Owokuqala ngowokuthi: Yizwa, Israyeli: iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, iNkosi, yinye. Woyithanda iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho, nangawo onke amandla akho. Owesibili yiló: Womthanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena. Awukho omunye umyalo omkhulu kunalé.”—Marku 12:28-31.

Lapho abantu bephula imithetho kaNkulunkulu ngokubulala okukhulu, ingabe ukhona ongamsola ngokufanelekile uma ukuhlupheka kuba umphumela? Uma umzali etshela abantwana bakhe ukuba bangalwi bese bengasinaki iseluleko sakhe esihle, ingabe unecala uma belimazana? UNkulunkulu njengalowomzali akanacala ngenxa yokuhlupheka komuntu lapho abantu bengayinaki imithetho yaphezulu.

Nakuba kungase kube nokuhlupheka lapho imithetho kaJehova inganakwa, iBhayibheli alibonisi ukuthi izinhlekelele ngokuvamile ziyizenzo zikaNkulunkulu eziklanyelwe ukujezisa ababi. Lapho umbhangqwana wokuqala wona, walahlekelwa isibusiso nesivikelo sakhe esikhethekile. Ngaphandle kwezenzakalo zokungenela kwaphezulu ukuze kufezwe izinjongo zikaJehova, okuye kwenzeka esintwini usuku nosuku bekuqondiswa yilesimiso esingokomBhalo: “Ukujaha akuyi ngabanejubane, nokulwa ngamaqhawe, nesinkwa ngabahlakaniphileyo, nengcebo ngabaqondileyo, nomusa ngabanokwazi, ngokuba bonke bahlangabezana nesikhathi nethuba.”—UmShumayeli 9:11.

Kokubili Abalungileyo Nababi Bayahlupheka

Eqinisweni, kokubili abantu abalungileyo nababi bayahlupheka ngenxa yesono nokungapheleli okwazuzwa njengefa. (Roma 5:12) Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abalungileyo nababi ngokufanayo babhekana nezifo ezibuhlungu. UmKristu othembekile uThimothewu wayehlushwa ‘ubuthakathaka obuvamileyo.’ (1 Thimothewu 5:23) Lapho umphostoli uPawulu ekhuluma ngelakhe siqu “iva enyameni,” kungenzeka wayebhekisela esifweni esithile esingokomzimba. (2 Korinte 12:7-9) Ngisho nasezincekwini zakhe ezithembekile, uNkulunkulu akabususi manje ubuthakathaka obuzuzwe njengefa noma ukungenwa yizifo.

Abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu bangahlupheka futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngenxa yokusebenzisa ukwahlulela okubi noma ukwehluleka ukusebenzisa iseluleko esingokomBhalo. Ngokwesibonelo: Umuntu ongalaleli uNkulunkulu bese eshada nongakholwa angase abe nezinkinga zomshado ayengazigwema. (Duteronomi 7:3, 4; 1 Korinte 7:39) Uma umKristu engadli ngokufanelekile futhi engaphumuli ngokwanele, angase ahlupheke ngenxa yokonakalisa impilo yakhe.

Kungase kube khona ukuhlupheka okungokomzwelo uma sehlulwa ubuthakathaka bese sihileleka ekuziphatheni okubi. Ukuphinga kweNkosi uDavide noBati-Sheba kwamlethela ukuhlupheka okukhulu. (IHubo 51) Lapho ezama ukufihla ububi, waba nokucindezeleka okukhulu. “Kwathi ngithule,” esho, “amathambo ami aguga ngokububula kwami usuku lonke. . . . Uloya lwami loma njengokomisa kwehlobo.” (IHubo 32:3, 4) Ukukhathazeka ngenxa yecala lakhe kwanciphisa amandla kaDavide njengoba isihlahla singalahlekelwa umswakama onikeza ukuphila phakathi nesomiso noma ukushisa kwehlobo elomisileyo. Ngokusobala wahlupheka kokubili ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba. Kodwa iHubo 32 libonisa ukuthi ukuhlupheka okunjalo kungaqedwa ngokuba umuntu avume isono ngokuphenduka futhi amukele intethelelo kaNkulunkulu.—IzAga 28:13.

Abantu ababi ngokuvamile bahlupheka ngenxa yokuphishekela inkambo exekethile, hhayi ngenxa yesijeziso saphezulu. UHerode Omkhulu wayegcwele izifo ngenxa yemikhuba emibi. Ezinsukwini zakhe zokugcina, uHerode “wabhekana nezinhlupho ezisabekayo,” kusho isazi-mlando esingumJuda uJosephus. “Wayenesifo sokuluma komzimba esibi kakhulu, izibilini zakhe zazinezilonda, nezitho zakhe zangasese zazibhucuka futhi zinezimpethu. Wazama ukuqeda ukukhefuzela nokufinyela kwemisipha yakhe eziphethwini ezifudumele eCallirrhoe, kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. . . . Manje uHerode wayesenobuhlungu obubi kakhulu kangangokuthi wazama ukuzigwaza, kodwa wavinjwa umzala wakhe.”—Josephus: The Essential Writings, eyahunyushwa futhi yahlelwa uPaul L. Maier.

Ukunamathela emthethweni kaNkulunkulu kunikeza isivikelo esithile ezintweni esinjengezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili. Nokho, kungani abantu abalungileyo abafuna umusa wakhe bebonakala benokuhlupheka okungaphezu kokuvamile?

Isizathu Sokuba Abantu Abesaba UNkulunkulu Bahlupheke

Isizathu esiyinhloko sokuhlupheka kwabantu abesaba uNkulunkulu siwukuthi balungile. Lokhu kuboniswe endabeni kaJosefa indodana yenzalamizi uJakobe. Nakuba umkaPotifari anxusa uJosefa ngokuqhubekayo ukuba abe nobuhlobo bobulili naye, wabuza: “Ngingenza kanjani lobobubi obungaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu, na?” (Genesise 39:9) Lokhu kwaholela ekuboshweni ngokungeyikho, futhi uJosefa wahlupheka ngoba wayeqotho.

Kodwa kungani uNkulunkulu evumela izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ukuba zihlupheke? Impendulo itholakala empikiswaneni eyaphakanyiswa ingelosi eyisihlubuki uSathane uDeveli. Lempikiswano ihilela ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu. Sazi kanjani? Ngoba lokhu kwabonakala endabeni yendoda elungileyo uJobe, okukhulunywe ngayo ngaphambidlana.

Emhlanganweni wamadodana kaNkulunkulu ayizingelosi ezulwini, uJehova wabuza uSathane: “Inhliziyo yakho iyiqaphele inceku yami uJobe na? Ngokuba akakho onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela okubi.” Impendulo kaDeveli ibonisa ukuthi kwakunempikiswano ngokuqondene nokuthi abantu babeyobulondoloza yini ubuqotho kuJehova ngaphansi kovivinyo. USathane wagomela ngokuthi uJobe wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yezibusiso zezinto ezibonakalayo azijabulelayo futhi hhayi ngenxa yothando. Khona-ke uSathane wathi: “Ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte konke [uJobe] anakho, impela uyakukuthuka ebusweni bakho.” UJehova waphendula: “Bheka, konke anakho kusesandleni sakho; kuphela kuyena uqobo ungabeki isandla sakho.”—Jobe 1:6-12.

Naphezu kwakho konke uSathane akwenza, uJobe walondoloza inkambo elungileyo futhi wabonisa ukuthi wayekhonza uJehova ngenxa yothando. Ngempela, uJobe watshela ababemsola: “Makube-kude nami ukuba nginivumele; angiyikuzaphuca ukuphelela [“ubuqotho,” NW] kwami ngize ngife.” (Jobe 27:5) Yebo, abagcini bobuqotho abanjalo baye bazimisela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba bahlupheke ngenxa yokulunga. (1 Petru 4:14-16) IBhayibheli lilandisa ngabaningi abaye baba nothando olungahluleki ngoNkulunkulu futhi abaye baphila ukuphila okulungileyo ukuze bamdumise futhi bakubonise kungamanga ukuzisholo kukaSathane kokuthi angasusa bonke abantu kuJehova. Wonke umuntu ohlupheka ngenxa yokulondoloza ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu angajabula ngokuthi ubonakalisa uDeveli engumqambimanga futhi uthokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova.—IzAga 27:11.

Akukhona ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanandaba ngokuhlupheka kwezinceku zakhe ezithembekile. Umhubi uDavide wathi: “UJehova uyaphasa bonke abawayo, abavuse bonke abathotshisiweyo.” (IHubo 145:14) Labo abazinikezele kuJehova bangase bantule amandla anele omuntu siqu ukuze bakhuthazelele izinhlupheko zokuphila noshushiso ababhekana nakho njengabantu bakhe. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyabaqinisa futhi abasekele futhi abanikeze ukuhlakanipha okudingekile ukuze bakhuthazelele zonke izilingo zabo. (IHubo 121:1-3; Jakobe 1:5, 6) Uma abashushisi bengazibulala ezinye zezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile, zinethemba lovuko elivela kuNkulunkulu. (Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15) Ngisho nakulelozinga, uNkulunkulu angayiqeda imiphumela yanoma ikuphi ukuhlupheka okutholwa yilabo abamthandayo. Waphelisa ukuhlupheka kukaJobe futhi wayibusisa ngokucebile leyondoda eqotho. Futhi singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ngeke abashiye abantu bakhe osukwini lwethu.—Jobe 42:12-16; IHubo 94:14.

Ngokushesha—Ukuhlupheka Ngeke Kusaba Khona!

Khona-ke, wonke umuntu ubhekana nokuhlupheka ngenxa yokungapheleli okuzuzwe njengefa nokuphila phakathi kwalesimiso esibi sezinto. Abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu nabo bangalindela ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokulondoloza ubuqotho kuJehova. (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Kodwa bangathokoza, ngoba ngokushesha uNkulunkulu uyoqeda izinyembezi, ukufa, ukudabuka, ukukhala, nobuhlungu. Ngalokhu, umphostoli uJohane wabhala:

“Ngase ngibona izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha; ngokuba izulu lokuqala nomhlaba wokuqala kudlulile, nolwandle alusekho. Ngabona umuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema elisha, wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu, ulungisiwe njengomlobokazi ohlotshiselwe umyeni wakhe. Ngase ngizwa izwi elikhulu livela esihlalweni sobukhosi, lithi: Bheka, itabernakele likaNkulunkulu likubantu; uyakuhlala nabo, babe-ngabantu bakhe, yena uNkulunkulu abe-nabo, azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona; ngokuba okokuqala kudlulile. Wayesethi ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi: Bheka, ngenza konke kube-kusha. Wathi: Loba, ngokuba lawamazwi athembekile, aqinisile.”—IsAmbulo 21:1-5.

Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPetru wamemezela: “Siyalindela ngesithembiso sakhe [sikaJehova uNkulunkulu] amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:13) Yeka amathemba amahle angaphambili! Ukuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi kungaba ilungelo lakho elithokozisayo. (Luka 23:43) Khona-ke, ungakuvumeli ukuhlupheka kosuku lwanamuhla kukudabukise. Kunalokho, bheka esikhathini esizayo ngesimo sengqondo esiqondile. Beka ithemba lakho nokuqiniseka ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu eliseduze kakhulu. Phishekela inkambo eyamukelekayo kuJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi ungaphila phakade ezweni elingenakho konke ukuhlupheka.

[Isithombe ekhasini 4]

Nakuba uJobe ahlupheka, waphishekela inkambo eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ungaphila ezweni elingenakho konke ukuhlupheka

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 3]

Collier’s Photographic History of the European War