IPharadesi—Ingabe Ungalifinyelela?
“Ngazi umuntu othile owayemunye noKristu . . . [owathathwa] wayiswa epharadesi.”—2 KORINTE 12:2-4.
1. Iziphi izithembiso zeBhayibheli ezikhanga abaningi?
IPHARADESI. Uyakhumbula yini ukuthi wazizwa kanjani lapho uqala ukuzwa ngesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sepharadesi lasemhlabeni? Ungase ukhumbule lapho uthola ukuthi ‘amehlo ezimpumputhe ayovulwa, kuvulwe nezindlebe zabayizithulu, futhi ehlane kuqhume’ ubuhle yonke indawo. Uthini ngesiprofetho sempisi newundlu, nezinyane lembuzi nengwe? Awuzange yini ujabule lapho ufunda ngabathandekayo bethu asebashona abayovuka babe nethuba lokuphila phakade kulelo Pharadesi?—Isaya 11:6; 35:5, 6; Johane 5:28, 29.
2, 3. (a) Kungani kungase kuthiwe ithemba lakho elisekelwe eBhayibhelini linesisekelo? (b) Isiphi esinye isisekelo sethemba esinaso?
2 Ithemba lakho linesisekelo. Unesizathu sokuzikholelwa izithembiso zeBhayibheli zalelo Pharadesi. Ngokwesibonelo, uyawethemba amazwi uJesu awasho esonini esasibethelwe: “Uyokuba nami ePharadesi.” (Luka 23:43) Uyasethemba lesi sithembiso: “Kukhona amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha esikulindele ngokwesithembiso sakhe, futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.” Uyasethemba nesithembiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisula izinyembezi; ukufa ngeke kusaba khona; usizi, ukukhala, nobuhlungu kuyophela. Lokhu kusho ukuthi kuzophinde kube nepharadesi lasemhlabeni!—2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:4.
3 Esinye futhi isisekelo saleli themba lePharadesi yilokho amaKristu emhlabeni wonke ayingxenye yako manje. Kuyini lokho? UNkulunkulu wenze ipharadesi elingokomoya futhi ulethe abantu bakhe kulo. Inkulumo ethi “ipharadesi elingokomoya” ingase izwakale ingaqondakali kalula, kodwa ipharadesi elinjalo labikezelwa, futhi likhona ngempela.
Umbono Wepharadesi
4. Eyesi-2 Korinte 12:2-4 ikhuluma ngamuphi umbono, futhi cishe ubani owaba nawo?
4 Phawula lokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhala: “Ngazi umuntu othile owayemunye noKristu . . . [owathathwa] wayiswa ezulwini lesithathu enjengoba enjalo. Yebo, ngiyamazi umuntu onjalo—ukuthi kwakusemzimbeni noma kwakungaphandle komzimba yini, angazi, uNkulunkulu owaziyo—ukuthi wathathwa wayiswa epharadesi futhi wezwa amazwi angaphimiseleki okungekhona okungokomthetho ngomuntu ukuba awakhulume.” (2 Korinte 12:2-4) Leyo ndima ingemva nje kwamavesi uPawulu avikela kuwo ukufaneleka kwakhe njengomphostoli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli alikhulumi ngomunye umuntu okwenzeka into enjalo kuye, kanti-ke nguPawulu osixoxela ngayo. Ngakho cishe nguye uPawulu owaba nalo mbono. Kulo mbono owawuvela kuNkulunkulu, iliphi ‘ipharadesi’ uPawulu angena kulo?—2 Korinte 11:5, 23-31.
5. Yini uPawulu angayibonanga, ngakho ‘kwakuyipharadesi’ elinhloboni lelo?
5 Umongo awusikiseli ukuthi ‘izulu lesithathu’ libhekisela endaweni ezungeze umhlaba, noma emkhathini, noma kwamanye ama-universe athile ososayensi abathi akhona. IBhayibheli livame ukusebenzisa isibalo sezinto ezintathu ukuze libonise ukugcizelela, ukuqina, noma amandla engeziwe. (UmShumayeli 4:12; Isaya 6:3; Mathewu 26:34, 75; IsAmbulo 4:8) Ngakho, lokho uPawulu akubona embonweni kwakuphakeme. Kwakuyinto engokomoya.
6. Iziphi izenzakalo ezingokomlando ezisisiza siqonde lokho uPawulu akubona?
6 Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zangaphambili ziyasisiza siqonde. Ngemva kokuba abantu bakhe basendulo bengathembekanga kuye, uNkulunkulu wanquma ukuvumela abaseBhabhiloni ukuba balwe noJuda neJerusalema. Lokho kwafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngembubhiso yango-607 B.C.E., ngokohlelo lwezikhathi lweBhayibheli. Iziprofetho zazithe izwe laliyohlala liyincithakalo iminyaka engu-70; ngemva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wayeyovumela amaJuda aphendukile ukuba agoduke ayovuselela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Lokhu kwenzeka kusukela ngo-537 B.C.E. (Duteronomi 28:15, 62-68; 2 AmaKhosi 21:10-15; 24:12-16; 25:1-4; Jeremiya 29:10-14) Nokho, kuthiwani ngezwe uqobo lwalo? Phakathi naleyo minyaka engu-70, laba indawo egagadekile yezimila zasendle nezimpungushe. (Jeremiya 4:26; 10:22) Noma kunjalo, kwakukhona lesi sithembiso: “Ngokuqinisekile uJehova uyoliduduza iZiyoni. Ngokuqinisekile uyoziduduza zonke izindawo zalo ezibhuqiwe, futhi uyokwenza ihlane lalo libe njenge-Edene nethafa lalo eliwugwadule libe njengensimu [noma iPharadesi, Septuagint] kaJehova.”—Isaya 51:3.
7. Kwakuzokwenzekani ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 iJerusalema noJuda kuyincithakalo?
7 Ngemva kweminyaka engu-70, lokho kwenzeka. Ngesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu, izimo zaba ngcono. Ake ukubone ngengqondo lokhu: “Ihlane nesifunda esingenamanzi kuyothaba, ithafa eliwugwadule liyojabula futhi liqhakaze njengesafroni. Liyoqhakaza nakanjani, futhi ngempela liyojabula ngenjabulo nangokukhamuluka kokuthokoza. . . . Olunyonga uyoqombola njengendluzele, nolimi loyisimungulu luyokhamuluka ngokuthokoza. Ngoba kuyobe kuqhume amanzi ehlane, nezifufula ethafeni eliwugwadule. Umhlabathi ogangathwe ukushisa uyobe usunjengechibi elinomhlanga, nomhlabathi owomele amanzi unjengeziphethu zamanzi. Endaweni okuhlala kuyo izimpungushe, indawo yazo yokuphumula, kuyoba khona utshani obuluhlaza nemihlanga nezitshalo zebungu.”—Isaya 35:1-7.
Abantu Ababuyiselwe Futhi Abaguquliwe
8. Sazi kanjani ukuthi u-Isaya isahluko 35 wayegxile kubantu?
8 Yeka ushintsho! Ukusuka encithakalweni kuya epharadesi. Nokho, lesi siprofetho, nezinye ezithembekile, sabonisa ukuthi kwakuyoba noshintsho nakubantu, ushintsho olufanayo nolwezwe eliphundlekile elishintsha libe elithelayo. Kungani sisho kanjalo? U-Isaya wayegxile ‘kubona kanye abakhululwe nguJehova,’ ababeyobuyela ezweni labo “ngokukhamuluka kwenjabulo” bathole “ukwethaba nokuthokoza.” (Isaya 35:10) Lokho kwakubhekisela kubantu, hhayi enhlabathini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwenye indawo u-Isaya wabikezela ngabantu ababeyobe bebuyiselwe eZiyoni: “Bayobizwa ngokuthi imithi emikhulu yokulunga, okutshalwe nguJehova . . . Ngoba njengoba nje umhlaba uveza okuhluma kuwo, . . . uJehova [uyobangela] ukuba kuhlume ukulunga nokudumisa phambi kwazo zonke izizwe.” U-Isaya wathi futhi ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu: “Nakanjani uJehova uyokuhola njalo . . . , futhi uyowahlumelelisa amathambo akho; uyoba njengensimu eniselwa kahle.” (Isaya 58:11; 61:3, 11; Jeremiya 31:10-12) Ngakho, njengoba nje isimo sezwe elingokoqobo sasiyothuthuka, kwakuyoba noshintsho kumaJuda abuyiselwe.
9. Iliphi ‘ipharadesi’ elabonwa uPawulu, futhi umbono walo wagcwaliseka nini?
9 Lesi sibonelo esingokomlando sisisiza ukuba siqonde lokho uPawulu akubona embonweni. Kwakuyohilela ibandla lobuKristu alibiza ngokuthi “insimu kaNkulunkulu elinywayo” futhi okwakufanele lithele. (1 Korinte 3:9) Wawuyogcwaliseka nini lowo mbono? UPawulu wabiza lokho akubona ngokuthi ‘isambulo,’ into eseza. Wayazi ukuthi ngemva kokufa kwakhe kwakuzoba nokuhlubuka okukhulu. (2 Korinte 12:1; IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Thesalonika 2:3, 7) AmaKristu eqiniso ayengenakufaniswa neze nensimu echumayo ngenkathi izihlubuki ziziningi futhi zibonakala sengathi ziyawagqiba. Nokho, sasizofika isikhathi sokuba ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuphinde kuphakanyiswe. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babeyobuyiselwa ukuze “abalungileyo [bakhanye] ngokukhazimulayo njengelanga embusweni kaYise.” (Mathewu 13:24-30, 36-43) Lokho kwenzeka eminyakeni embalwa ngemva kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezulwini. Futhi njengoba sekudlule amashumi eminyaka, sekusobala ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bajabulela ipharadesi elingokomoya, uPawulu alibona kusengaphambili kulowaya mbono.
10, 11. Kungani sithi sisepharadesi elingokomoya, yize singaphelele?
10 Kuyavunywa ukuthi asiphelele, ngakho akusimangazi ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi kuvela izinkinga, njengoba nje zaziba khona phakathi kwamaKristu ngosuku lukaPawulu. (1 Korinte 1:10-13; Filipi 4:2, 3; 2 Thesalonika 3:6-14) Nokho, cabanga ngepharadesi elingokomoya esilijabulelayo manje. Uma kuqhathaniswa nesimo sokugula esake saba kuso, seselashiwe ngokomoya. Futhi bheka umahluko phakathi kokulamba esake saba kukho nokondleka kahle ngokomoya esikujabulelayo manje. Kunokuba bahlupheke njengokungathi basogwadule olungokomoya, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayamukelwa nguye futhi bathola imvula yezibusiso. (Isaya 35:1, 7) Kunokuba sivaleke amehlo ebumnyameni obungokomoya obunjengobasejele, sibona ukukhanya kwenkululeko nokomusa kaNkulunkulu. Abaningi ababenjengezithulu ngokuqondene nokuzwa iziprofetho zeBhayibheli sebekuzwa bakuqonde lokho okushiwo imiBhalo. (Isaya 35:5) Ngokwesibonelo, izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke ziye zatadisha ivesi ngalinye lesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli. Ngemva kwalokho zacubungula isahluko ngasinye sencwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Isaya. Lokho kudla okungokomoya okuqabulayo akufakazeli yini ukuthi sisepharadesi elingokomoya?
11 Cabanga nangezinguquko ezicini zobuntu ezenzeka njengoba abaqotho bazo zonke izizinda bezama ukuqonda nokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngokuyisisekelo, baye balwela ukukhumula izici zobulwane ezazivelele kubo. Mhlawumbe nawe uye wakwenza lokho, kwaba nemiphumela emikhulu, futhi kunjalo nangabafowenu nodadewenu abangokomoya. (Kolose 3:8-14) Ngakho, njengoba uhlanganyela nebandla loFakazi BakaJehova, ukanye nabantu asebenokuthula nomusa ngokwengeziwe. Bona abakapheleli, kodwa abanakubizwa neze ngamabhubesi anolaka noma izilwane zasendle ezidwengulayo. (Isaya 35:9) Bubonisani lobu budlelwane obungokomoya obunokuthula? Kusobala ukuthi sijabulela isimo esingokomoya esisibiza ngakhona ngokuthi ipharadesi elingokomoya. Futhi ipharadesi lethu elingokomoya liyisandulela sepharadesi lasemhlabeni esiyolijabulela uma sihlala sithembekile kuNkulunkulu.
12, 13. Kumelwe senzeni ukuze siqhubeke sisepharadesi lethu elingokomoya?
12 Nokho, kukhona into okungamelwe siyishalazele. UNkulunkulu watshela ama-Israyeli: “Kumelwe niwugcine wonke lo myalo enginiyala ngawo namuhla, ukuze nibe namandla futhi impela ningene nilidle izwe.” (Duteronomi 11:8) KuLevitikusi 20:22, 24, kukhulunywa ngalo lelo zwe: “Kumelwe nigcine zonke izimiso zami nazo zonke izinqumo zami zokwahlulela futhi nizenze, ukuze izwe enginiletha kulo ukuba nihlale kulo linganihlanzi linikhiphe. Yingakho ngithé kini: ‘Nina, niyodla ifa lomhlabathi wabo, futhi mina, ngiyowunika nina ukuba nidle ifa lawo, izwe eligeleza ubisi noju.’” Yebo, ukudla iZwe Lesithembiso kwakuxhomeke ebuhlotsheni obuhle noJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuthi ama-Israyeli awamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, wavumela abaseBhabhiloni ukuba bawanqobe futhi bawasuse endaweni yawo.
13 Kungenzeka kuningi esikuthandayo epharadesi lethu elingokomoya. Indawo yinhle, iletha impumuzo. Sinokuthula namaKristu aye alwela ukushiya izici zobulwane. Azama ukuba nomusa nomoya wokusiza. Nokho, ukuze siqhubeke sisepharadesi lethu elingokomoya kufuneka okungaphezu kokuba nobuhlobo obuhle nalaba bantu. Kufuneka sibe nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova futhi senze intando yakhe. (Mika 6:8) Seza ngokuzithandela kuleli pharadesi elingokomoya, kodwa singakhukhuleka siphume kulo—noma sixoshwe kulo—uma singalweli ukulondoloza ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu.
14. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sihlale epharadesi elingokomoya?
14 Ukuqhubeka siqiniswa iZwi likaNkulunkulu yisona sici esibalulekile esiyosisiza. Phawula ulimi olungokomfanekiso kuyiHubo 1:1-3: “Uyajabula umuntu ongazange ahambe ngeseluleko sababi . . . Kodwa injabulo yakhe isemthethweni kaJehova, futhi ufunda umthetho wakhe ngezwi eliphansi imini nobusuku. Ngokuqinisekile uyoba njengomuthi otshalwe ngasemifudlaneni yamanzi, othela isithelo sawo ngenkathi yaso nomahlamvu awo angabuni, futhi konke akwenzayo kuyophumelela.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zesigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo zinikeza ukudla okungokomoya kuleli pharadesi elingokomoya.—Mathewu 24:45-47.
Ukugxilisa Umbono Wakho WePharadesi
15. Kungani uMose engakwazanga ukuholela ama-Israyeli awangenise eZweni Lesithembiso, kodwa yini ayibona?
15 Cabanga nangomunye umbono wePharadesi. Ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli ezule iminyaka engu-40 ehlane, uMose wawaholela emaThafeni akwaMowabi, empumalanga yoMfula iJordani. Ngenxa yephutha uMose ayelenze ngaphambili, uJehova wanquma ukuthi uMose ngeke awawelise iJordani ama-Israyeli. (Numeri 20:7-12; 27:12, 13) UMose wanxusa uNkulunkulu: “Ngicela ungivumele ngiwele ngibone izwe elihle elingaphesheya kweJordani.” Ngisho noma ayengeke angene kulo, ngemva kokukhuphuka iNtaba iPhisiga nokubona izingxenye ezithile zalelo zwe, kumelwe ukuba uMose wabona ukuthi ‘liyizwe elihle.’ Ucabanga ukuthi lalinjani lelo zwe?—Duteronomi 3:25-27.
16, 17. (a) Ezikhathini zasendulo, iZwe Lesithembiso lalihluke kanjani kulokho eliyikho manje? (b) Kungani sinesizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi iZwe Lesithembiso lake laba njengepharadesi?
16 Uma umbono wakho uwusekela kulokho ingxenye enkulu yaleyo ndawo eyikho manje, ungase ucabange izwe eligagadekile elinesihlabathi, izingwadule ezinamatshe, nokushisa okuhangulayo. Nokho, kunesizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi cishe yonke leyo ndawo yayihluke kakhulu ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli. Kumagazini i-Scientific American, isazi samanzi nenhlabathi uDkt. Walter C. Lowdermilk sachaza ukuthi umhlaba wakule ndawo uye “walinyazwa ukuphathwa budedengu iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” Lesi sazi sabhala: “‘Ugwadule’ olwavela endaweni eyayikade inothile lwabangelwa umuntu, hhayi imvelo.” Empeleni, ukucwaninga kwaso kwabonisa ukuthi “le ndawo yake yaba ipharadesi lamadlelo.” Kuba sobala ukuthi abantu bayikhahlameza yaze yacekeleka phansi le ndawo eyayikade ‘iyipharadesi lamadlelo.’a
17 Uma ucabanga ngalokho okufunde eBhayibhelini, ungase ubone ukuthi sinengqondo kanjani leso siphetho. Khumbula lokho uJehova abaqinisekisa ngakho abantu esebenzisa uMose: “Izwe eniyolidla liyizwe lezintaba namathafa asezigodini. Liphuza amanzi emvula yamazulu; yizwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho alinakekelayo.”—Duteronomi 11:8-12.
18. U-Isaya 35:2 kumelwe ukuba wawanika kanjani ama-Israyeli adingisiwe umbono wesimo seZwe Lesithembiso?
18 Ubuhle nokuthela kweZwe Lesithembiso elinothile kwakubangela ukuba ukuphathwa nje kwezindawo ezithile kwenze umuntu acabange ngezimo ezinjengezepharadesi. Lokho kubonakala kahle esiprofethweni esiku-Isaya isahluko 35, esagcwaliseka okokuqala lapho ama-Israyeli ebuya eBhabhiloni. U-Isaya wabikezela: “Liyoqhakaza nakanjani, futhi ngempela liyojabula ngenjabulo nangokukhamuluka kokuthokoza. Liyonikwa inkazimulo yeLebhanoni, ubukhazikhazi beKarmeli nobeSharoni. Kuyoba khona labo abayobona inkazimulo kaJehova, ubukhazikhazi bukaNkulunkulu wethu.” (Isaya 35:2) Ukukhuluma ngeLebhanoni, iKarmeli, neSharoni kumelwe ukuba kwenza ama-Israyeli afikelwa umfanekiso owanelisayo nothandekayo.
19, 20. (a) Chaza indawo yaseSharoni lasendulo. (b) Iyiphi enye yezindlela zokuqinisa ithemba lethu lePharadesi?
19 Cabanga ngeSharoni, ithafa eligudle ugu phakathi kwamagquma aseSamariya noLwandle Olukhulu, noma iMedithera. (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 10.) Lalaziwa ngobuhle nangokuthela kwalo. Njengoba lalinamanzi amaningi, lalinamadlelo amahle, kodwa ezingxenyeni ezisenyakatho lalinamahlathi ezihlahla ze-oki. (1 IziKronike 27:29; IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo 2:1, IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile; Isaya 65:10) Ngakho, u-Isaya 35:2 wayebikezela ukuvuselelwa kanye nezwe eliqhakaza libe lihle njengepharadesi. Leso siprofetho sasibonisa nepharadesi elihle elingokomoya, ngokuvumelana nalokho uPawulu akubona kamuva embonweni. Okokugcina, lesi siprofetho nezinye ziqinisa ithemba lethu lepharadesi lasemhlabeni lesintu.
20 Njengoba sisepharadesi lethu elingokomoya, singakhulisa ukulazisa kwethu siqinise nethemba lethu lePharadesi lasemhlabeni. Kanjani? Ngokujulisa indlela esikuqonda ngayo lokho esikufunda eBhayibhelini. Izindima neziprofetho zeBhayibheli kuvamile ukukhuluma ngezindawo ezithile ngokukhethekile. Ungathanda yini ukuqonda kangcono ukuthi zazikuphi lezi zindawo nokuthi zaziqhelelene kangakanani nezinye? Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngokuthi ungakwenza kanjani lokho ngokuzuzisayo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Encwadini ethi The Geography of the Bible, uDenis Baly uthi: “Uhlobo lwezinto ezimila [kule ndawo] kumelwe ukuba lushintshe kakhulu kusukela ezikhathini zeBhayibheli.” Iyini imbangela? “Umuntu wayedinga izinkuni zokubasa nezokwakha futhi ngenxa yalokho . . . waqala ukugawula izihlahla, kanjalo wachaya inhlabathi ekulinyazweni izulu. Umphumela walokhu kuphazamisa imvelo waba ukuthi isimo sezulu . . . kancane kancane sashintsha saba iyona mbangela eyinhloko yokucekeleka phansi [kwale ndawo].”
Uyakhumbula?
• Iliphi ‘ipharadesi’ elabonwa umphostoli uPawulu embonweni?
• U-Isaya isahluko 35 wagcwaliseka kanjani okokuqala, futhi uhlobene kanjani nalokho uPawulu akubona embonweni?
• Singakukhulisa kanjani ukulazisa kwethu ipharadesi lethu elingokomoya nethemba lethu lepharadesi lasemhlabeni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
IThafa LaseSharoni, indawo ethelayo eZweni Lesithembiso
[Umthombo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UMose wabona ukuthi ‘laliyizwe elihle’