Isahluko 1
Ukuphila Phakade Akulona Nje Iphupho
1, 2. Kungani kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi abantu bangaphila phakade ngenjabulo emhlabeni?
INJABULO emhlabeni—akubonakali kungenzeka ukuyijabulela ngisho nesikhathi esifushane. Ukugula, ukuguga, indlala, ubugebengu—uma sibala izinkinga ezimbalwa nje—kwenze ukuphila kube lusizi. Ngakho-ke, ungase uthi, ukukhuluma ngokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni kufana nokuzenza ongawaboni amaqiniso. Ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi kuwukuchitha isikhathi ukukhuluma ngakho, uthi ukuphila phakade kumane kuyiphupho nje.
2 Ngokungangabazeki abantu abaningi bangavumelana nawe. Ngakho-ke, kungani singaqiniseka kangaka ukuthi ungaphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni? Kungani singase sikholelwe ukuthi ukuphila okuphakade akulona nje iphupho?
ISIZATHU SOKUBA SIKHOLELWE
3. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba abantu bajabule emhlabeni?
3 Singakukholelwa ngoba onaMandla aPhakeme, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, walungiselela umhlaba waba nakho konke okudingekayo ukuze kwaneliswe izimfuneko zethu. Wenza umhlaba waphelela ngenxa yethu! Futhi wadala indoda nowesifazane ngendlela engcono kakhulu ngabo ukuba bajabulele ukuphila ngokuphelele kulelikhaya elingumhlaba—phakade.—AmaHubo 115:16.
4. Yini ososayensi abaye bayifunda ngomzimba womuntu ebonisa ukuthi wanzelwe ukuba uphile phakade?
4 Sekuyisikhathi eside ososayensi benolwazi ngamandla omzimba womuntu okuzivuselela. Ngendlela emangalisayo izingqamuzana zomzimba ziyashintshwa noma zivuselelwe, kuye ngokwesidingo. Futhi kubonakala sengathi lenqubo yokuzivuselela kumelwe iqhubeke phakade. Kodwa akunjalo, futhi lokhu kungokuthile ososayensi abangenakukuchaza. Kuze kube manje abaqondi ngokuphelele ukuthi kungani abantu beguga. Bathi, ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanele, abantu kumelwe bakwazi ukuphila phakade.—AmaHubo 139:14.
5. IBhayibheli lithini ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba?
5 Kodwa, ingabe ngempela kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu baphile ngenjabulo emhlabeni phakade? Uma kuyiyo, khona-ke ukuphila okuphakade akusona nje isifiso noma iphupho—kuzofika nakanjani! IBhayibheli, incwadi esitshela ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, lithini ngalendaba? Lithi ngoNkulunkulu “wawubumba umhlaba, wawenza,” bese linezela: “Wawumisa, engawudalelanga ize, wawubumba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo.”—Isaya 45:18.
6. (a) Zinjani izimo emhlabeni namuhla? (b) Ingabe ilendlela uNkulunkulu afuna kube yiyo?
6 Ingabe kuwena kubonakala sengathi umhlaba sewakhiwe ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayefuna kube ngayo? Kuyiqiniso, abantu bakuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba. Kodwa ingabe bahlala ndawonye ngenjabulo njengomkhaya onobunye, ngendlela enhle uMdali wabo ayefuna bahlale ngayo? Namuhla izwe lihlukene phakathi. Kukhona inzondo. Kukhona ubugebengu. Kukhona impi. Izigidi zabantu ziyalamba futhi ziyagula. Abanye nsuku zonke bakhathazwa indawo yokuhlala, umsebenzi nezindleko. Futhi akukho kulezizinto okudumisa uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ngokusobala umhlaba awakhiwe ngendlela uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ayefuna kube yiyo emhlabeni.
7. Yayiyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba lapho edala umbhangqwana wokuqala wabantu?
7 Ngemva kokudala umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu, uNkulunkulu wawubeka epharadesi lasemhlabeni. Wayefuna bajabulele ukuphila emhlabeni phakade. Injongo yakhe ngabo yayiwukwandisa ipharadesi labo kuwo wonke umhlaba. Lokhu kuboniswa imiyalo yakhe kubona: “Zalani nande, nigcwalise umhlaba, niwunqobe.” (Genesise 1:28) Yebo, injongo kaNkulunkulu yayiwukuba, ekuhambeni kwesikhathi, umhlaba wonke ube ngaphansi kokuphatha komkhaya wesintu olungileyo wonke ohlala ndawonye ngokuthula nenjabulo.
8. Nakuba umbhangqwana wokuqala ungamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, ungani singaqiniseka ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba ayizange ishintshe?
8 Nakuba abantu bokuqala ababili bengamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, ngalokho bazibonakalisa bengakufanelekele ukuphila phakade, injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ayishintshanga. Kumelwe igcwaliseke! (Isaya 55:11) IBhayibheli liyathembisa: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” (AmaHubo 37:29) Ngokuphindiwe iBhayibheli likhuluma ngelungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lokunikeza abantu abamkhonzayo ukuphila okuphakade.—Johane 3:14-16, 36; Isaya 25:8; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
ISIFISO SOKUPHILA—KUPHI?
9. (a) Isiphi isifiso ngokuvamile abantu abanaso? (b) Lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli uma lithi ‘uNkulunkulu wafaka nobuphakade ezingqondweni zabo’?
9 Sijabula ngempela ngokuthi kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba siphile phakade. Ngoba, ake ucabange: Uma bekungadingeka unqume, ubungakhetha ukufa ngaluphi usuku? Alukho ongalukhetha, akunjalo? Awukufuni ukufa, futhi kunjalo nganoma yimuphi umuntu ophile kahle engqondweni nonempilo enhle. UNkulunkulu wasenza sinesifiso sokuphila, hhayi isifiso sokufa. Ngokuqondene nendlela uNkulunkulu enza ngayo abantu, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ufake ngisho nobuphakade ezingqondweni zabo.” (UmShumayeli 3:11, Byington) Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Kusho ukuthi abantu bafuna ukuqhubeka bephila, bangafi. Ngenxa yalesifiso sekusasa elingenasiphelo, sekuyisikhathi eside abantu befuna indlela yokuba bahlale bebasha phakade.
10. (a) Kukuphi lapho kuyisifiso somuntu semvelo ukuba ahlale khona phakade? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzokwenza kwenzeke ngathi ukuphila emhlabeni phakade?
10 Kukuphi lapho abantu ngokuvamile befuna ukuphila khona phakade? Yilapho sebejwayele ukuphila khona, lapha emhlabeni. Umuntu wadalelwa umhlaba, nomhlaba wadalelwa umuntu. (Genesise 2:8, 9, 15) IBhayibheli lithi: “[UNkulunkulu] umisile umhlaba phezu kwezisekelo zawo, ukuze ungazanyazanyiswa kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” (AmaHubo 104:5) Njengoba umhlaba wawudalelwe ukuhlala phakade, khona-ke umuntu ngokufanayo kumelwe aphile phakade. Ngokuqinisekile uNkulunkulu onothando wayengeke adale abantu nesifiso sokuphila phakade kodwa enze kungenzeki ngabo ukugcwalisa lesosifiso.—1 Johane 4:8; AmaHubo 133:3.
UHLOBO LOKUPHILA OLUFISELEKAYO
11. Yini eshiwo yiBhayibheli ebonisa ukuthi abantu bangaphila phakade ngempilo enhle?
11 Bheka ekhasini elilandelayo. Luhlobo luni lokuphila labantu abalujabulelayo? Ungathanda ukuba ngomunye wabo? Yebo, uzovuma! Bheka indlela ababonakala bephile ngayo futhi beyimiqemane ngayo! Uma ubungatshelwa ukuthi labantu sebephile izinkulungwane zeminyaka kakade, ubungakholwa? IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi abagugile bayokuba basha futhi, abagulayo bayophulukiswa kuthi abayizishosha, izimpumputhe, izithulu nabayizimungulu baphulukiswe ekuguleni kwabo konke. Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, uJesu Kristu wenza izimangaliso eziningi zokuphulukisa abantu abagulayo. Ngokwenza lokho, wayebonisa indlela bonke abaphilayo abayobuyiselwa ngayo empilweni ephelele esikhathini esikhazimulayo esingasekude.—Jobe 33:25; Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6; Mathewu 15:30, 31.
12. Iziphi izimo esizibonayo kulemifanekiso?
12 Bheka ukuthi lengadi iyikhaya elithandeka kanjani! Njengoba uKristu athembisa, iyipharadesi ngempela, elifanayo nalelo elalahlwa indoda yokuqala nowesifazane abangalalelanga. (Luka 23:43) Futhi phawula ukuthula nokuzwana okukhona. Abantu bazo zonke izizwe—abamnyama, abamhlophe nabaphuzi—baphila njengomkhaya owodwa. Ngisho nezilwane zinokuthula. Bheka lomntwana odlala nebhubesi. Asikho isizathu sokwesaba. Ngokuqondene nalokhu uMdali uthi: “Ingwe ibuthise ndawonye nezinyane lembuzi, ithole nebhongo lengonyama kukhuluphaliswe kanyekanye, nomntwana omncane uyakukuqhuba. . . . Ingonyama idle utshani njengenkabi. Umntwana oncelayo uyakudlala ngasemgodini webululu.”—Isaya 11:6-9.
13. Yini eyobe ingasekho emhlabeni lapho izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu zigcwaliseka?
13 Epharadesi uNkulunkulu alihlosele isintu, kuyoba nezizathu eziningi zokujabula. Umhlaba uyokhiqiza izinto eziningi ezinhle ezidliwayo. Akekho oyophinde alambe. (AmaHubo 72:16; 67:6) Izimpi, ubugebengu, ubudlova, ngisho nenzondo nobugovu, kuyoba izinto zesikhathi esidlule. Yebo, kuyodlula phakade! (AmaHubo 46:8, 9; 37:9-11) Uyakholelwa ukuthi konke lokhu kungenzeka?
14. Yini ekwenza ukholelwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzokuqeda ukuhlupheka?
14 Ake ucabangele lokhu: Ukuba wawunawo amandla, ingabe wawuyoziqeda zonke izimo ezibangela ukuhlupheka kwesintu? Futhi ingabe wawuyoletha izinto ezilangazelelwa inhliziyo yabantu? Ngokuqinisekile ubungakwenza. UBaba wethu osezulwini onothando uyokwenza lokho kanye. Uyogcwalisa izidingo zethu nezifiso, ngoba amaHubo 145:16 athi ngoNkulunkulu: “Uyavula isandla sakho usuthise ukufisa kwakho konke okuphilayo.” Kodwa lokhu kuyokwenzeka nini?
IZIBUSISO EZINHLE ZISEDUZE
15. (a) Ukuphela kwezwe kuyosho ukuthini ngomhlaba? (b) Kuyosho ukuthini ngabantu ababi? (c) Kuyosho ukuthini ngalabo abenza intando kaNkulunkulu?
15 Ukuze lezizibusiso ezinhle zibe khona emhlabeni, uNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuqeda kokubili ububi nalabo ababubangelayo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uyovikela labo abamkhonzayo, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi: “Izwe liyadlula kanye nenkanuko yalo; kepha owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube-phakade.” (1 Johane 2:17) Yeka ushintsho okuyoba yilo! Ukuphela kwezwe ngeke kusho ukuphela komhlaba wethu. Kunalokho, njengoba kwenzeka kuzamcolo wezwe lonke ngosuku lukaNowa, kuyosho ukuphela kwabantu ababi kuphela nendlela yabo yokuphila. Kodwa labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu bayosinda kulokho kuphela. Khona-ke, emhlabeni ohlanziwe, bayojabulela inkululeko kubo bonke abafuna ukubalimaza nokubacindezela.—Mathewu 24:3, 37-39; IzAga 2:21, 22.
16. Iziphi izenzakalo ezabikezelelwa “izinsuku zokugcina”?
16 Kodwa omunye angase athi: ‘Izimo ziya ziba zimbi, azibi ngcono. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi lolushintsho oluhle luseduze?’ UJesu Kristu wabikezela izinto eziningi abalandeli bakhe besikhathi esizayo okwakumelwe baziqaphele ukuze bazi ukuthi sekuyisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokuletha ukuphela kwalelizwe. UJesu wathi izinsuku zokugcina zalesisimiso zaziyophawuleka ngezinto ezinjengezimpi ezinkulu, ukuntuleka kokudla, ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu, ukwanda kokungabi namthetho nokukhulayo ukuphelelwa uthando. (Mathewu 24:3-12) Wathi “usizi luyakwehlela izizwe, zixakeke.” (Luka 21:25) Futhi, iBhayibheli liqhubeka lithi: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Ingabe lezi akuzona kanye izimo esibhekana nazo?
17. Abantu abacabangayo bebethini ngezimo namuhla?
17 Abantu abaningi abahlola izenzakalo zezwe bathi kukhona ushintsho olukhulu olwenzekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, umhleli weHerald yaseMiami, eU.S.A., wabhala: “Noma ubani onengqondo ecabangayo angahlanganisa izenzakalo ezesabekayo zeminyaka emibalwa edlule abone ukuthi izwe lisonqenqemeni lomlando. . . . Liyoyishintsha phakade indlela abantu abaphila ngayo.” Ngomqondo ofanayo, umlobi waseMelika uLewis Mumford wathi: “Impucuko iyawohloka. Ngokuqinisekile. . . . Esikhathini esidlule uma impucuko iwohloka, kwakuba isenzakalo sakuleyondawo nje. . . . Manje, njengoba izwe selihlangene kangaka ngenxa yezindlela zokuxhumana zesimanje, uma impucuko iwohloka, yonke imbulunga iyawohloka.”
18. (a) Izimo zezwe zibonisani ngesikhathi esizayo? (b) Yini eyothatha isikhundla sohulumeni banamuhla?
18 Zona kanye izimo ezisezweni namuhla zibonisa ukuthi manje siphila esikhathini lapho ukubhujlswa kwaso sonke lesisimiso sezinto kuseduze ukuba kwenzeke. Yebo, ngokushesha manje uNkulunkulu uzohlanza umhlaba asuse bonke abawonakalisayo. (IsAmbulo 11:18) Uzosusa ohulumeni banamuhla ukuze avulele uhulumeni wakhe wokulunga ukuba ubuse wonke umhlaba. Yilohulumeni woMbuso uKristu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele.—Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10.
19. Uma sifuna ukuphila phakade, yini okumelwe siyenze?
19 Uma ukuthanda ukuphila futhi ufuna ukuphila phakade emhlabeni ngaphansi kokubusa kukaNkulunkulu, khona-ke kumelwe uphuthume ungenise ulwazi oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu, izinjongo zakhe nezimfuneko zakhe. UJesu Kristu wathi ngomthandazo kuNkulunkulu: “Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Yeka injabulo okuyiyo ukwazi ukuthi singaphila phakade—ukuthi akulona nje iphupho! Kodwa ukuze sijabulele lesisibusiso esihle esivela kuNkulunkulu sidinga ukufunda ngesitha esizama ukusenza singasiboni lesibusiso.
[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]
Ingabe UNkulunkulu wayehlose ukuba izwe libe nje?
[Isithombe esigcwele ikhasi ekhasini 11]