Uvuko—Ingabe Lungokoqobo Kuwe?

“Kuyoba khona uvuko.”—IZENZO 24:15.

1. Kungani ukufa kubonakala kuqinisekile?

“KULELI zwe akukho okuqiniseke njengokufa nokukhokha izintela.” Lawo mazwi, alotshwa ngo-1789 yisikhulu sikahulumeni saseMelika uBenjamin Franklin, ezwakala ephusile kwabathile. Nokho, abantu abaningi abangathembekile bayakubalekela ukukhokha izintela ngokwethembeka. Ukufa kona kubonakala kungenandlela yokukubalekela. Ngamandla ethu, akekho kithi ongakugwema ngokuphelele. Kudla fumuka kudle silaza. Ngenxa yokuthi alideli, iShiyoli—ithuna wonke umuntu aya kulo—ligwinya abantu esibathandayo. (IzAga 27:20) Kodwa cabanga ngaleli phuzu eliduduzayo.

2, 3. (a) Kungani ukufa kungeyona into eqinisekile njengoba abaningi becabanga? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

² IZwi likaJehova linikeza ithemba eliqinisekile lovuko, ukubuyiselwa ekuphileni. Leli akulona nje iphupho, futhi akukho lutho endaweni yonke olungavimbela uJehova ekufezeni leli themba. Nokho, abantu abaningi abazi ukuthi ukufa akuyona into eqinisekile kubo bonke abantu. Ngani? Ngoba “isixuku esikhulu” esingenakubalwa siyosinda “osizini olukhulu,” oluzofika maduze. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14) Kamuva siyoba sethubeni lokuqhubeka siphila phakade. Ngakho, kuso ukufa akuyona into eqinisekile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “ukufa kuzokwenziwa ize.”—1 Korinte 15:26.

³ Kudingeka sizizwe siqiniseka ngovuko njengomphostoli uPawulu, owathi: “Kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Ake sixoxe ngemibuzo emithathu ephathelene novuko. Owokuqala, yini eyenza leli themba libe eliqiniseke kangaka? Owesibili, wena ngokwakho lingakududuza kanjani ithemba lovuko? Owesithathu, leli themba lingayithonya kanjani indlela ophila ngayo manje?

Uvuko Luqinisekile

4. Uvuko luyisici esisemqoka ngayiphi indlela enjongweni kaJehova?

⁴ Kunezici eziningi ezenza uvuko lube oluqinisekile. Ngokuyinhloko, luyisici esisemqoka enjongweni kaJehova. Khumbula ukuthi uSathane waholela isintu esonweni nokufa, okuwumphumela waso ongenakugwenywa. Ngakho, uJesu wathi ngoSathane: “Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kusukela ekuqaleni.” (Johane 8:44) Kodwa uJehova wathembisa ukuthi “owesifazane” wakhe, noma inhlangano yakhe enjengomfazi ezulwini, wayeyoveza ‘inzalo’ eyayiyochoboza “inyoka yokuqala” ekhanda, imbhubhise ngokuphelele uSathane. (Genesise 3:1-6, 15; IsAmbulo 12:9, 10; 20:10) Njengoba uJehova ayeyembula kancane kancane injongo yakhe ehilela leyo Nzalo enguMesiya, kwaba sobala ukuthi leyo Nzalo yayiyokwenza okungaphezu kokubhubhisa uSathane. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “INdodana kaNkulunkulu yabonakaliswa ngenxa yale njongo, okungukuthi, ukuzobhidliza imisebenzi kaDeveli.” (1 Johane 3:8) Ukufa okwabangelwa isono esasithola ngofuzo ku-Adamu kuwumsebenzi kaSathane oyinhloko uJehova ahlose ukuwuqeda, noma ukuwubhidliza, ngoJesu Kristu. Kule ndaba umhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo novuko kubaluleke kakhulu.—IzEnzo 2:22-24; Roma 6:23.

5. Kungani uvuko luyokhazimulisa igama likaJehova?

⁵ UJehova uzimisele ukukhazimulisa igama lakhe elingcwele. USathane uye wanyundela igama likaNkulunkulu futhi wakhuthaza amanga. Waqamba amanga wathi u-Adamu no-Eva ‘babengeke bafe’ uma bedla isithelo esasenqatshelwe nguNkulunkulu. (Genesise 2:16, 17; 3:4) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uSathane uye wabhebhethekisa amanga afanayo, njengemfundiso engamanga ethi umphefumulo uyasinda lapho umuntu efa. Nokho, ngovuko uJehova uyowadalula wonke lawo manga. Uyobonisa kube kanye ukuthi nguye yedwa onguMlondolozi noMbuyiseli wokuphila.

6, 7. UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngokuvusa abantu, futhi sazi kanjani?

⁶ UJehova uyakulangazelela ukuvusa abafileyo. IBhayibheli liyiveza ngokucacile imizwa kaJehova ngale ndaba. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngala mazwi aphefumulelwe endoda ethembekile, uJobe: “Uma indoda enamandla ifa ingabuye iphile futhi? Ngiyolinda zonke izinsuku zomsebenzi wami oyimpoqo, kuze kufike impumuzo yami. Uyobiza, futhi mina ngiyokuphendula. Uyolangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Jobe 14:14, 15) Asho ukuthini la mazwi?

⁷ UJobe wayazi ukuthi uma esefile, kwakuyodingeka alinde isikhathi esithile ebuthongweni bokufa. Wayebheka leso sikhathi ‘njengomsebenzi oyimpoqo,’ isikhathi ayephoqelekile ukuba alinde ngaso ukukhululwa. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi wayeyokhululwa. UJobe wayazi ukuthi leso sikhathi sasizofika. Ngani? Ngoba wayeyazi imizwa kaJehova. UJehova ‘wayeyolangazelela’ ukuphinde ayibone inceku yakhe ethembekile. Yebo, uNkulunkulu uyakulangazelela ukuvusa bonke abantu abalungileyo. UJehova uyonikeza abanye ithuba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni. (Luka 23:43; Johane 5:28, 29) Njengoba kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukufeza leyo njongo, ubani ongamvimba?

8. Iyiphi indlela uJehova aye ‘wasinikeza ngayo isiqinisekiso’ sethemba lethu ngekusasa?

⁸ Ithemba lethu ngekusasa liqinisekiswa ukuvuswa kukaJesu. Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma ese-Athene, wathi: “[UNkulunkulu] umise usuku ajonge ukwahlulela ngalo umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile, futhi unikeze isiqinisekiso kubo bonke abantu njengoba eye wamvusa kwabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 17:31) Ezinye izilaleli zikaPawulu zahleka usulu lapho zizwa ngovuko. Nokho, kunezithile ezaba amakholwa. Mhlawumbe okwazikhanga ukuzwa ukuthi leli themba liqinisekisiwe. Lapho uJehova evusa uJesu, wenza isimangaliso sezimangaliso. Wavusela iNdodana yakhe ekuphileni njengesidalwa somoya esinamandla. (1 Petru 3:18) UJesu ovusiwe wayesenesikhundla esiphakeme ngaphezu kwayenaso ngaphambi kokuba abe ngumuntu. Njengoba engasenakufa futhi kunguJehova kuphela omkhulu kunaye, manje uJesu ukulungele ukwenza izabelo ezimangalisayo azinikwa uYise. UJehova usebenzisa uJesu ekuvuseni bonke abantu—abayophila ezulwini noma abayophila emhlabeni. UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” (Johane 5:25; 11:25) Ngokuvusa iNdodana yakhe, uJehova waqinisekisa bonke abathembekile ukuthi lawo mathemba ayogcwaliseka.

9. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kukufakazela kanjani ukuthi uvuko lungokoqobo?

⁹ Kunabantu abazibonela lapho kuvuswa abafileyo, futhi lolo vuko lulotshwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuchaza ngokuningiliziwe ukuvuswa kwabantu abangu-8 emhlabeni. Lezi zimangaliso azenziwanga ngasese, kodwa obala. Eziningi zazo zenziwa phambi kofakazi bokuzibonela. UJesu wavusa uLazaru owayesenezinsuku ezine efile phambi kwesixuku esasilila—futhi akungabazeki ukuthi kwakukhona nomndeni, abangane nomakhelwane. Lobu bufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayethunywe nguNkulunkulu babunamandla kangangokuthi izitha zikaJesu zenkolo azibuphikanga. Kunalokho, zenza ugobe lokubulala, hhayi uJesu kuphela, kodwa noLazaru! (Johane 11:17-44, 53; 12:9-11) Yebo, singaqiniseka ukuthi uvuko luyokwenzeka nakanjani. UNkulunkulu uye wasinikeza umlando wabantu abavuswa ukuze usiduduze futhi uqinise ukholo lwethu.

Ukududuzwa Ithemba Lovuko

10. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sithole induduzo ezindabeni zeBhayibheli ezikhuluma ngovuko?

¹⁰ Ungafisa yini ukuthola induduzo lapho ubhekene nokufa? Omunye wemithombo eqinisekile yenduduzo ungatholakala ezindabeni zeBhayibheli ezikhuluma ngovuko. Ukufunda lezi zindaba, uzindle ngazo futhi uzibone ngeso lengqondo kungenza ithemba lovuko libe ngokoqobo ngokwengeziwe kuwe. (Roma 15:4) Lezi zindaba azizona nje izinganekwane. Empeleni ziyizenzakalo ezenzeka kubantu bangempela abafana nathi, ababephila ngesikhathi esithile endaweni eyayikhona ngempela. Ake sigxile kafushane esibonelweni esisodwa—uvuko lokuqala olulotshwe eBhayibhelini.

11, 12. (a) Umfelokazi waseZarefati wavelelwa iluphi usizi, futhi wasabela kanjani ekuqaleni? (b) Chaza izimangaliso uJehova anika umprofethi u-Eliya amandla okuba azenzele umfelokazi.

¹¹ Ake usibone ngeso lengqondo lesi senzakalo. Sekungamasonto ambalwa umprofethi u-Eliya eyisivakashi somfelokazi waseZarefati, futhi ehlala egumbini elisophahleni. Lesi isikhathi esinzima. Le ndawo ihlaselwe isomiso nendlala. Kufa abantu abaningi. UJehova usemsebenzisile kakade u-Eliya ukuba enze isimangaliso esiqhubeka isikhathi esithile ukuze avuze ukholo lwalo mfelokazi othobekile. Yena nendodana yakhe base bezobulawa indlala, besalelwe ukudla kokugcina, lapho uNkulunkulu enika u-Eliya amandla okwenza isimangaliso ukuze ufulawa namafutha kungapheli. Kodwa manje lo mfelokazi uvelelwa usizi. Umntanakhe uhlatshwa ukugula, futhi uyafa. Yeka indlela akhungatheka ngayo lo mfelokazi! Kunzima ukuphila ngaphandle kwezikhwepha nokusekela komyeni, kodwa manje usefelwe ukuphela kwengane yakhe. Ngenxa yosizi akulo, usegxeka ngisho no-Eliya noNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova! Yini ezokwenziwa yilo mprofethi?

¹² U-Eliya akamthethisi lo mfelokazi ngokusola abantu abangafanele. Kunalokho, uthi: “Nginike indodana yakho.” Ngemva kokuthwala le ngane eshonile aye nayo egumbini elisophahleni, u-Eliya uthandaza ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba iphinde iphile. Ekugcineni uJehova uthatha isinyathelo! Cabanga ngendlela ubuso buka-Eliya obuchichima ngayo injabulo njengoba ebona isifuba somfana siphakama njengoba edonsa umoya. Amehlo engane ayavuleka futhi abonisa ukuthi iyaphila. U-Eliya uhambisa umfana kunina abese ethi: “Bheka, indodana yakho iyaphila.” Injabulo yakhe ayichazeki. Uthi: “Impela manje ngiyazi ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu nokuthi izwi likaJehova elisemlonyeni wakho liyiqiniso.” (1 AmaKhosi 17:8-24) Uba nokholo nakakhulu kuJehova nakummeleli wakhe.

13. Kungani isiduduza namuhla indaba ka-Eliya yokuvusa indodana yomfelokazi?

¹³ Ngokuqinisekile, ukuzindla ngaleyo ndaba kukunikeza induduzo enkulu. Yeka indlela okucace ngayo ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi ukunqoba isitha sethu esiwukufa! Cabanga nje ngosuku lapho beyoba baningi abantu abajabula njengalowo mfelokazi lapho kuvuswa abafileyo! Kuyoba nenjabulo enkulu nasezulwini njengoba uJehova eyala iNdodana yakhe ngenjabulo ukuba ivuse abafileyo emhlabeni wonke. (Johane 5:28, 29) Ukhona yini umuntu omthandayo owathathwa ukufa? Yeka indlela okujabulisa ngayo ukwazi ukuthi uJehova unamandla okuvusa abafileyo futhi uyobavusa!

Ithemba Lakho Nokuphila Kwakho Manje

14. Ithemba lovuko lingakuthonya kanjani ukuphila kwakho?

¹⁴ Ithemba lovuko lingayithonya kanjani indlela ophila ngayo manje? Lingakunika amandla lapho ubhekene nobunzima, izinselele, ushushiso noma ingozi. USathane ufuna ukwesabe kakhulu ukufa uze ukhethe ukudela ubuqotho bakho lapho wethenjiswa ukuphepha okungaqinisekile. Khumbula ukuthi uSathane wathi kuJehova: “Umuntu uyokhipha konke anakho ngenxa yomphefumulo wakhe.” (Jobe 2:4) Lapho uSathane esho lawo mazwi, wasinyundela sonke, kuhlanganise nawe. Kuyiqiniso yini ukuthi uyoyeka ukukhonza uNkulunkulu lapho ubhekene nengozi? Ngokucabanga ngethemba lovuko, ungaqinisa ukuzimisela kwakho ukuqhubeka wenza intando kaYihlo osezulwini.

15. Amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 10:28 angasiduduza kanjani lapho sibhekene nengozi?

¹⁵ UJesu wathi: “Ningabesabi labo ababulala umzimba kodwa bengenakuwubulala umphefumulo; kodwa kunalokho yesabani lowo ongabhubhisa kokubili umphefumulo nomzimba eGehena.” (Mathewu 10:28) Asikho isidingo sokuba sesabe uSathane noma amanxusa akhe angabantu. Yiqiniso, abanye bangase bakwazi ukusilimaza, baze basibulale nokusibulala. Kodwa ngisho nokubi kakhulu abangase bakwenze kithi kungokwesikhashana. UJehova unamandla okulungisa noma ikuphi ukulinyazwa kwezinceku zakhe ezithembekile futhi uyokulungisa. Angazivusa nokuzivusa. NguJehova kuphela okufanele simesabe, futhi simhloniphe ngokujulile. Nguye yedwa onamandla okuqeda ukuphila nawo wonke amathemba okuphila esikhathini esizayo, abhubhise kokubili umzimba nomphefumulo eGehena. Kuyajabulisa ukuthi uJehova akafuni ukuba kwenzeke kuwe lokhu. (2 Petru 3:9) Ngenxa yethemba lovuko, thina njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu singaqiniseka njalo ukuthi siphephile. Siyothola ukuphila phakade uma nje sihlala sithembekile, futhi uSathane noma amanxusa akhe abanakwenza lutho ngalokho.—IHubo 118:6; Hebheru 13:6.

16. Umbono wethu ngovuko uyithonya kanjani indlela esihlela ngayo izinto eziza kuqala?

¹⁶ Uma ithemba lovuko lingokoqobo kithi, lingathonya isimo sethu sengqondo ngokuphila. Siyazi ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ‘siyaphila noma siyafa, singabakaJehova.’ (Roma 14:7, 8) Ngakho, lapho sibeka izinto eziza kuqala, sisebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Yekani ukulolongwa nifane nalesi simiso sezinto, kodwa maniguqulwe ngokushintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nizitholele ngokwenu okuyintando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Abantu abaningi bashabashekela ukwanelisa zonke izifiso nokufeza wonke amaphupho abo. Ngenxa yokuthi babheka ukuphila njengokufushane, babonakala beyifuna ngabomvu injabulo futhi uma benenkolo ethile, ngokuqinisekile ayivumelani ‘nentando kaNkulunkulu ephelele.’

17, 18. (a) IZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa kanjani ukuthi ukuphila komuntu kufushane, kodwa uNkulunkulu ufuna sitholeni? (b) Kungani sishukumiseleka ukudumisa uJehova nsuku zonke?

¹⁷ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ukuphila kufushane. “Kumelwe kudlule masinyane, futhi sindize simuke,” mhlawumbe lapho sesineminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80. (IHubo 90:10) Abantu bahlala isikhashana njengotshani obuluhlaza, njengethunzi elidlulayo nanjengomoya okhishwa ngamakhala. (IHubo 103:15; 144:3, 4) Kodwa kwakungeyona injongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba sichithe amashumi ambalwa eminyaka sikhula futhi sithola ukuhlakanipha nokuhlangenwe nako okuthile, bese sichitha amanye amashumi eminyaka ambalwa siwohloka, sigule futhi sife. UJehova wadala abantu benesifiso sokuphila phakade. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Ufake ngisho nobuphakade ezinhliziyweni [zabo].” (UmShumayeli 3:11) Ingabe uNkulunkulu angaba nonya kangako, asinike isifiso esinjalo abese enza kungenzeki ukuba sifezeke? Lutho neze, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Uzosebenzisa uvuko ukuze abantu abafile bakwazi ukuphila phakade.

¹⁸ Ngenxa yethemba lovuko, singaba nekusasa elilondekile. Akudingeki ukuba sixhamazele, sishabashekele ukuwasebenzisa ngokugcwele wonke amakhono ethu manje. Akudingeki ukuba silisebenzise “ngokugcwele” leli zwe elidlulayo. (1 Korinte 7:29-31; 1 Johane 2:17) Thina asifani nalabo abangenalo ithemba langempela ngoba sinesipho esimangalisayo sokwazi ukuthi uma sihlala sithembekile kuJehova uNkulunkulu, siyojabulela ukuphila futhi simdumise phakade. Ngakho-ke, masimdumise nsuku zonke uJehova olenza libe eliqinisekile leli themba lovuko!

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngovuko?

• Iziphi izici ezenza ithemba lovuko libe eliqinisekile?

• Ithemba lovuko lingakududuza kanjani?

• Ithemba lovuko lingayithonya kanjani indlela ophila ngayo?

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

UJobe wayazi ukuthi uJehova uyakulangazelela ukuvusa abantu abalungile

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

“Bheka, indodana yakho iyaphila”