Jabulela “Ukuphila Kwangempela”

UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU uye wanika abantu umqondo wobuphakade. (UmShumayeli 3:11) Lo mqondo wenza abantu bazizwe bengenamandla lapho bebhekene nokufa, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, ubenza babe nesifiso esiphikelelayo sokuphila.

IBhayibheli Elingcwele, iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe, lisinika ithemba elikhulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) UJehova, owuthando uqobo lwalo, wayengeke enze abantu bakwazi ukuqonda lokho okushiwo ubuphakade kodwa abese ebenza baphile iminyaka embalwa nje kuphela. Ukusidalela ukuba sihlupheke ngenxa yezimo zethu kumane nje kuyangqubuzana nobuntu bukaNkulunkulu. Asidalwanga “njengezilwane ezingenangqondo ngokwemvelo ezizalelwa ukuba zibanjwe futhi zibhujiswe.”—2 Petru 2:12.

Ngokudala u-Adamu no-Eva benomuzwa wobuphakade ongaphakathi kubo, uJehova uNkulunkulu wenza okuthile ‘okuhle kakhulu’; wabenza benamandla okuphila phakade. (Genesise 1:31) Kodwa ngokudabukisayo, laba bantu ababili bokuqala bayisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela, bephula umthetho woMdali owawucacile futhi balahlekelwa ukuphelela ababenakho ekuqaleni. Ngenxa yalokho, bafa, bedlulisele ukungapheleli nokufa kubantwana babo.—Genesise 2:17; 3:1-24; Roma 5:12.

IBhayibheli alifihli ukuthi iyini injongo yokuphila nokuthi kusho ukuthini ukufa. Lithi ekufeni “akukho msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha” lithi futhi abafileyo “abazi lutho.” (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Ngamanye amazwi, abafileyo bafile. Imfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi ayisekelwe eBhayibhelini, ngakho akukho mfihlakalo enkulu edinga ukwembulwa mayelana nesimo sabafileyo.—Genesise 3:19; IHubo 146:4; UmShumayeli 3:19, 20; Hezekeli 18:4.a

UNkulunkulu wayenenjongo; akazange ‘awudalele ize’ umhlaba. Wawubumbela ‘ukuba kuhlale kuwo’ abantu abaphelele ezimweni zepharadesi, futhi uNkulunkulu akayishintshanga injongo yakhe. (Isaya 45:18; Malaki 3:6) Ukuze ifezeke, wathumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni. Ngokuhlala ethembekile kuze kube sekufeni, uJesu Kristu wanikeza indlela yokuhlenga isintu esonweni nasekufeni. Eqinisweni, uJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.”—Johane 3:16.

UNkulunkulu wathembisa kudala ukuthi wayeyodala “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha.” (Isaya 65:17; 2 Petru 3:13) Lokho kwakuyohilela ukuba akhethe iqembu elincane lamaKristu athembekile ukuze ayophila ezulwini. Ekanye noJesu Kristu, akha ingxenye eyinhloko kahulumeni. IBhayibheli liyibiza ngokuthi “umbuso wamazulu,” noma “umbuso kaNkulunkulu” oyobusa ‘izinto ezisemhlabeni.’ (Mathewu 4:17; 12:28; Efesu 1:10; IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 14:1, 3) Ngemva kokuqothula konke ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu emhlabeni wethu nokuwuhlanza, uNkulunkulu uyongenisa umphakathi wabantu omusha olungile, noma “umhlaba omusha.” Uyohlanganisa abantu abavikelwa nguNkulunkulu ekubhujisweni kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi okuseduze. (Mathewu 24:3, 7-14, 21; IsAmbulo 7:9, 13, 14) Laba bayohlangana nalabo abavuselwa ekuphileni ngovuko oluthenjisiwe.—Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15.

“Ukuphila Kwangempela” Ngaleso Sikhathi

Lapho eqinisekisa incazelo evusa amadlingozi ngokuphila emhlabeni oyiPharadesi wesikhathi esizayo, uNkulunkulu uthi: “Bheka! Ngenza zonke izinto zibe zintsha.” (IsAmbulo 21:5) Ingqondo yomuntu ayinakuziqonda ngokugcwele izinto ezimangalisayo uNkulunkulu ayozenzela isintu. UNkulunkulu uyokwakha ipharadesi lomhlaba wonke, elifuze i-Edene. (Luka 23:43) Njengase-Edene, kuyovama ubuhle, imibala emihle, izinhlobonhlobo zomsindo nokudla okunambithekayo. Ubumpofu nokuntuleka kokudla ngeke kusaba khona, ngoba ngokuphathelene naleso sikhathi iBhayibheli lithi: “Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:4; IHubo 72:16) Akukho muntu oyobe esathi, “Ngiyagula,” ngoba ukugula kuyosuswa phakade. (Isaya 33:24) Yebo, zonke izimbangela zobuhlungu ziyoshabalala, kuhlanganise nesitha esidala sesintu, ukufa. (1 Korinte 15:26) Embonweni omangalisayo ‘womhlaba omusha,’ umphakathi omusha wesintu esibuswa nguKristu, umphostoli uJohane wezwa izwi lithi: “[UNkulunkulu] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona.” Yini nje engaletha induduzo nenjabulo engaphezu kwengalethwa ukugcwaliseka kwalesi sithembiso saphezulu?

Lapho lichaza ukuphila kwesikhathi esizayo, iBhayibheli ligcizelela ngokukhethekile izimo eziyokwanelisa izifiso zabantu eziphathelene nezimiso zokuziphatha nezingokomoya. Yonke imigomo elungile isintu esiye salwela ukuyifinyelela kodwa kwalokhu kunhlanga zimuka nomoya kuze kube manje iyofinyelelwa ngokugcwele. (Mathewu 6:10) Phakathi kwayo kunesifiso sobulungisa, esiye sahlala singafezekile ngoba ezikhathini eziningi umuntu uye wahlushwa abacindezeli abanonya abaye babusa abantu ababuthaka. (UmShumayeli 8:9) Umhubi wabhala amazwi ayisiprofetho ezimo zangaphansi kombuso kaKristu: “Ezinsukwini zayo ubuqotho buyochuma, futhi ukuthula kuvame.”—IHubo 72:7, The New Jerusalem Bible.

Ukulingana kungenye into efiswayo, abaningi abaye bazidela ngenxa yako. “Ekudalweni kabusha,” uNkulunkulu uyoluqeda ubandlululo. (Mathewu 19:28) Bonke abantu bayohlonishwa ngokulinganayo. Lokhu ngeke kube ukulingana okuphoqelelwa uhulumeni othile onokhahlo. Ngokuphambene, izimbangela zobandlululo ziyosuswa, kuhlanganise nobugovu nokuqhosha okwenza abantu bafune ukubusa abanye noma ukuzibuthela inqwaba yezinto. U-Isaya waprofetha: “Bayakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo; bayakutshala izivini, badle izithelo zazo. Abayikwakha, kuhlale omunye; abayikutshala, kudle omunye.”—Isaya 65:21, 22.

Yeka indlela umuntu aye wahlupheka ngayo ngenxa yokuchithwa kwegazi ezimpini zababili nakwezabaningi! Lokhu kuye kwaqhubeka kusukela ekubulaweni kuka-Abela kuze kube sezimpini zanamuhla. Yeka ukuthi sesiside kangakanani isikhathi abantu benethemba futhi belindele lokho okubonakala kuwumnyama ongenafu, ukuba kube nokuthula! EPharadesi elibuyiselwe, bonke abantu bayoba nokuthula futhi babe abathobekile; ‘bayothokoza ngokuthula okukhulu.’—IHubo 37:11.

U-Isaya 11:9 uthi: “Umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.” Ngenxa yokungapheleli esikuzuze njengefa, kanye nezinye izimbangela, asinakukuqonda ngokugcwele namuhla ukuthi lawo mazwi ahlanganisani. Kungenzeka yimá sisazokwazi ukuthi ukumazi ngokuphelele uNkulunkulu kuyosenza kanjani sibe nobunye naye nokuthi lokhu kuyoholela kanjani enjabulweni egcwele. Kodwa njengoba imiBhalo isazisa ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu onamandla, ukuhlakanipha, ubulungisa nothando olumangalisayo, singaqiniseka ukuthi uyoyizwa yonke imithandazo eyenziwa yizakhamuzi ‘zomhlaba omusha.’

“Ukuphila Kwangempela” Kuqinisekile—Kubambe!

Kwabaningi, ukuphila okuphakade ezweni elingcono kubonakala kumane kuyiphupho noma utalagu. Nokho, kulabo abanokholo ngempela esithembisweni seBhayibheli, leli themba liqinisekile. Linjengehange lokuphila kwabo. (Heberu 6:19) Njengoba nje ihange libamba umkhumbi ungaphonseki ngapha nangapha, ithemba lokuphila okuphakade lenza abantu bazinze futhi baqiniseke, libenza bakwazi nokubhekana nobunzima obukhulu ekuphileni bakwazi ngisho nokubunqoba.

Singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyozifeza izithembiso zakhe. Uye wanikeza ngisho nesiqinisekiso ngokwenza isifungo azibopha ngaso ngokungenakuguqulwa. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “UNkulunkulu, lapho ejonga ukukubonisa kakhulu ngokwengeziwe ezindlalifeni zesithembiso ukungashintsheki kwenjongo yakhe, wangenela ngesifungo, ukuze kuthi, ngezinto ezimbili ezingenakushintsheka okungenakwenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqambe amanga kuzo, . . . sibe nesikhuthazo esinamandla sokuba sibambe ithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu.” (Heberu 6:17, 18) Lezo “zinto ezimbili ezingenakushintsheka” uNkulunkulu angasoze azesula yisithembiso sakhe nesifungo sakhe, esisekele kukho amathemba ethu.

Ukuba nokholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu kunikeza induduzo enkulu namandla angokomoya. UJoshuwa, umholi wabantu bakwa-Israyeli, wayenokholo olunjalo. Lapho uJoshuwa enikeza inkulumo yakhe yokuvalelisa ama-Israyeli, wayesemdala futhi azi ukuthi wayesezokufa. Nokho, wabonisa amandla nokwethembeka okwakungenakuzanyazanyiswa, okwakubangelwa ukuzethemba ngokuphelele izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokuba ethe uhamba “indlela yomhlaba wonke,” indlela eholela sonke isintu ekufeni, uJoshuwa wathi: “Niyazi ezinhliziyweni zenu zonke nasemiphefumulweni yenu yonke ukuthi akuphuthanga nento eyodwa kuzo zonke izinto ezinhle azikhuluma uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngani; kwenziwa konke kini, akuphuthanga nento eyodwa kukho.” Yebo, uJoshuwa waphindaphinda kathathu ukuthi njalo uNkulunkulu uyazigcina zonke izithembiso zakhe.—Joshuwa 23:14.

Nawe ungaba nokholo olufanayo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sezwe elisha osekuseduze lifike. Ngokutadisha iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo, uyoqonda ukuthi ungubani uJehova nokuthi kungani ekufanelekela ukuba umethembe ngokugcwele. (IsAmbulo 4:11) U-Abrahama, uSara, u-Isaka, uJakobe nabanye abathembekile basendulo babenokholo olwalungenakuzanyazanyiswa, olwalusekelwe ekumazini kwabo ngokuseduze uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. Bahlala beqinile ethembeni, nakuba “bengakutholanga ukugcwaliswa kwezithembiso” besaphila. Noma kunjalo, “bazibona zikude, bazamukela.”—Heberu 11:13.

Njengoba siziqonda iziprofetho zeBhayibheli, manje sibona ukusondela ‘kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,’ okuyohlanzwa ngalo umhlaba ususwe bonke ububi. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Njengamadoda athembekile asendulo, kumelwe sihlale sizilindele ngokuqiniseka izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo, sishukunyiswa ukholo nawuthando ngoNkulunkulu ‘nokuphila kwangempela.’ Iqiniso lokuthi seliseduze izwe elisha linikeza isisusa esinamandla kulabo abanokholo kuJehova nabamthandayo. Ukholo nothando olunjalo ludinga ukuhlakulelwa ukuze samukeleke kuNkulunkulu futhi asivikele phakathi nosuku lwakhe olukhulu, oseluseduze.—Zefaniya 2:3; 2 Thesalonika 1:3; Heberu 10:37-39.

Ngakho, ingabe uyakuthanda ukuphila? Futhi ingabe ufisa ngisho nokukhulu kunalokho, “ukuphila kwangempela”—ukuphila njengenceku kaNkulunkulu ayamukelayo, unethemba lekusasa elijabulisayo, yebo, ubheké ekuphileni okuphakade? Uma kuyilokho okufunayo, lalela isikhuthazo somphostoli uPawulu, owabhala ukuthi kufanele ‘singabeki ithemba lethu engcebweni engaqinisekile, kodwa kuNkulunkulu.’ UPawulu waqhubeka wathi: “[Masicebe] emisebenzini emihle,” edumisa uNkulunkulu, ukuze “[sibambisise] ukuphila kwangempela.”—1 Thimothewu 6:17-19.

Ngokuvuma ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova bakuqhubele isifundo seBhayibheli, ungathola ulwazi olusho “ukuphila okumi phakade.” (Johane 17:3) Ngothando, iBhayibheli linalesi simemo esinjengesikababa kuwo wonke umuntu: “Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa umthetho wami, kepha inhliziyo yakho mayigcine imiyalo yami, ngokuba iyakwenezela kuwe ubude bezinsuku, neminyaka yokuphila, nokuthula.”—IzAga 3:1, 2.

[Umbhalo waphansi]