1, 2. Abantu bacabanga bona liyini ipharadesi?

AKHUCABANGE nakhu okwenzekako, ngesikhathi abafowethu nabodadwethu abavela kwezinye iinarha bakhamba nakuphela umhlangano omkhulu ebewuseSeoul, eKorea. AboFakazi beKorea babuthana, inengi labo liphakamisa izandla belirhuwelela lithi, “Sizokubonana ePharadesi!” Ucabanga bona bebakhuluma ngaliphi ipharadesi?

² Abantu banemibono eminengi nehlukahlukeneko ngepharadesi. Abanye bathi ipharadesi selibhudango nje kwaphela. Abanye bathi yinto eyenza abantu bathabe bebaneliseke, abanye bathi nawungathatha indoda ebulawa yindlala uyibeke lapho kunokudla okunengi nokumnandi khona usuke uyibeke epharadesi. Esinye isivakatjhi sathi nasibona iliwa elinamabhlomu amahle sathi, “Leli lipharadesi!” Indawo leyo isabizwa ngokuthi yiPharadesi ngitjho nanyana likhithika khulu lapho. Alo wena ucabanga bona liyini iPharadesi? Unethemba lokuphila kilo?

3. IBhayibheli ithini ngepharadesi?

³ IBhayibheli ikhuluma ngamapharadesi amabili, lokuthoma ngileli elaba khona ngesikhathi saka-Adamu no-Eva lesibili ngesililindeleko. IPharadesi kukhulunywa ngalo ekuthomeni kweBhayibheli. I-Catholic Douay Version yatjhugulula umtlolo  kaGenesisi 2:8 isusela elimini lesiLatin ngendlela le: “UZimu watjala ipharadesi lokuthaba kusukela ekuthomeni: bese wathatha u-Adamu wambeka khona.” (Amagama atjhigamileko ngewethu.) Umtlolo wesiHebheru uthi, ‘yisimu ye-Edeni.’ Igama elithi Edeni litjho “ukuThaba,” kungebangelo nesimu le beyithabisa. Bekunokudla okunengi, indawo iyihle begodu abantu neenlwana bebanokuthula.—Gen. 1:29-31.

4. Kubayini singathi isimu ye-Edeni beyiyipharadesi?

⁴ Igama lesiGirigi elisetjenzisiweko ukutjhugulula lesiHebheru elithi ‘isimu’ ngileli pa·raʹdei·sos. I-Cyclopaedia ka-M’Clintock noStrong nayihlathulula igameli ithi: “Yiphaga ekulu, ephephileko, imvelo iseseyihle ayikonakala. Kunemithi emihle yemmangweni, eminengi yayo iyathela. Ithelelelwa milambo enamanzi ahlwengileko, kunemihlambi yezimvu namkha yamaqhina. Ngilokho isivakatjhi somGirigi esabanakho emkhumbulweni nasicabanga ngegameli.”—Madanisa noGenesisi 2:15, 16.

5, 6. IPharadesi lalahleka njani, begodu ngimiphi imibuzo abanye abangazibuza yona?

⁵ UZimu wabeka u-Adamu no-Eva epharadesini elinjalo kodwana akhenge bahlale isiphelani kilo. Kwenziwa yini lokho? Akhenge balalele uZimu, lokho kwenza bona bangasahlala endaweni le. IPharadesi labalahlekela bunjalo-ke, kanti akhenge kuphelele kibo kodwana kwathinta ngitjho neenzukulwana zabo. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Isimu ye-Edeni yahlala ikhona ngitjho nanyana bekungahlali muntu, bekwafika umThwalela wangesikhathi sakaNowa.

⁶ Abanye bangazibuza ukuthi, ‘Kuzakhe kube nomuntu ozakuhlala ePharadesi khona ephasina?’ Umlando uthini ngendaba le? Nange unethemba lokuthi uzokuphila ePharadesi nabantu obathandako, unabo na ubufakazi bokuthi mbala lokho kuzokwenzeka? Ungahlathulula ukuthi kubayini uqiniseka bona iPharadesi lizokuba khona ephasina?

7, 8. (a) UZimu wamthembisani u-Abrahamu? (b) Isithembiso uZimu asenza ku-Abrahamu kungenzeka samenza wacabangani?

⁷ Nasifuna ukwazi iimpendulo zemibuzo esinayo ngePharadesi kufanele sitjhinge encwadini eyatlolwa Mdali nomsunguli wePharadesi. Akhucabange ngalokho uZimu akutjela u-Abrahamu umnganakhe. UZimu wathi uzokwenza iinzukulwana zakhe zibe zinengi ‘njengetjhwabatjhwaba magegana nelwandle.’ UJehova wamthembisa wathi: “Zoke iinkoro zephasi zikhanukele ukubusiswa njengeenzukulwana zakho ngombana ulalele ilizwi lami.” (Gen. 22:17, 18) UZimu watjela ngitjho nendodana ka-Abrahamu nesizukulwana sakhe ngaso isithembiswesi.—Funda uGenesisi 26:4; 28:14.

⁸ Akunalitho eBhayibhelini elitjengisa ukuthi u-Abrahamu wakhe wacabanga ukuthi abantu bazakufumana umvuzo wokuphila epharadesi elisezulwini. Yeke uZimu wathi nakathembisa bona “zoke iinkoro zephasi” zizokubusiswa, u-Abrahamu wacabanga bona koke lokho kuzokwenzeka ephasini. Njengombana kunguZimu othembise lokho, “zoke iinkoro zephasi” zizokusizeka ngamatjhuguluko azokuba khona. Izinto ezenzeka zatjengisa njani ukuthi iinthembiso zakaZimu zizokufezeka?

9, 10. Ngiziphi iinthembiso esele zizalisekile ezenza sithembe ezisezako?

⁹ Isizukulwana saka-Abrahamu uDavida sakhuluma ngesikhathi lapha ‘abenzi bobumbi’ kunye nabantu abangakalungi bazabe bangasekho. Uzokuba yini umphumela? “Isikhohlakali” angeze sisaba khona. (Rhu. 37:1, 2, 10) “Kodwana abathobekileko bazakuzuza inarha, bathabele ukuthula okukhulu.” UDavida watlola nokuthi: “Abalungileko  bazakuzuza inarha, bahlale kiyo nini nanini.” (Rhu. 37:11, 29; 2 Sam. 23:2) Ucabanga bona izintwezi zabaqinisekisa ngani abantu ebebafuna ukwenza intando kaZimu? Baqiniseka bona nange kubabantu abalungileko kwaphela abazokuphila ephasini, esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo ipharadesi elifana nesimu ye-Edeni lizokuba khona.

¹⁰ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ama-Israyeli amanengi ebewathi alotjha uJehova akhenge asamlotjha begodu asuka neqinisweni. Yeke uZimu wawanikela ezandleni zabantu beBhabheli, wabavumela bona batjhabalalise inarhabo begodu bathumbe inengi lawo. (2 Kron. 36:15-21; Jor. 4:22-27) Nanyana kunjalo, abaphorofidi bakaZimu babikezela bona ngemva kweminyaka ema-70 ama-Israyeli azokubuyela enarheni yekhabo. Iimphorofidwezo zazaliseka. Begodu ziyasithinta nathi namhlanjesi. Njengombana sidemba iimphorofidwezi, ungakhohlwa bona sicoca ngokuza kwepharadesi.

11. U-Isaya 11:6-9 wazaliseka njani, kodwana kusala wuphi umbuzo?

¹¹ Funda u-Isaya 11:6-9. UZimu wabikezela ngo-Isaya bona abantu bakhe bazokubuyela enarheni yekhabo begodu bengeze baqalane nezinto eziyingozi nezibuhlungu, namkha bahlaselwe ziinlwana nabantu abakhohlakeleko abaphila njengeenlwana. Woke umuntu uzokuvikeleka. Inga-kghani lokho akukwenzi ucabange ngalokho uZimu akwenza esimini ye-Edeni? (Isa. 51:3) Isiphorofido saka-Isaya sakhuluma nangokuthi iphasi loke “lizakuzala ilwazi lakaSomnini njengamanzi asibekele ilwandle.” Kuzokwenzeka nini lokho?

12. (a) Abantu ababuya ekuthunjweni bafumana ziphi iimbusiso? (b) Khuyini etjengisa bona u-Isaya 35:5-10 usazokuzaliseka?

¹² Funda u-Isaya 35:5-10. U-Isaya wabikezela nokuthi abantu ababuya ekuthunjweni angeze basabe abantu namkha iinlwana. Inarhabo beyizokuthela ukudla okunengi, bengeze batlhoge amanzi wokuthelelela njengombana nesimu ye-Edeni beyifumana amanzi aneleko. (Gen. 2:10-14; Jor. 31:12) Inga-kghani le kuphela kwendlela umtlolo lo owazaliseka ngayo? Asinabo ubufakazi obuveza bona abantu ababuya ekuthunjweni balatjhwa ngokusimangaliso. Isibonelo salokho kukuthi iimphofu khenge zivulwe amehlo. Kuhlekuhle uZimu bekathembisa bona uzobalapha esikhathini esizako.

13, 14. Abantu ebebathunjiwe bakubona njani ukuzaliseka kwaka-Isaya 65:21-23, kodwana ngisiphi isiphorofido ekusafuze sizaliseke? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹³ Funda u-Isaya 65:21-23. AmaJuda akhenge afumane izindlu ezihle, amasimu alinyiweko namkha iimvande zamadiribe. Kodwana lokho bekuzokutjhuguluka njengombana uZimu ababusisa. Bekuzowathabisa khulu ukwakha izindlu bewahlale kizo. Bewazokutjala begodu adle ukudla okunepilo.

¹⁴ Akhutjheje nasi into eqakathekileko ngesiphorofidwesi. Sizokufika na isikhathi lapho sizokuphila khona isikhathi eside ‘njengemithi’? Eminye imithi iphila iminyaka engaphezu kweenkulungwana. Abantu kuzokufuze babe nemizimba ephile tswe bona baphile isikhathi eside kangako. Nange baphila ebujamweni u-Isaya akhuluma ngabo kuzokuba ngathi baphila epharadesi. Lokho-ke kuzaliseka kwesiphorofido!

15. Ngokurhunyeziweko, ngiziphi iinthembiso incwadi ka-Isaya ekhuluma ngazo?

¹⁵ Qala bona iinthembiso esikhulume ngazo zihlobana njani nepharadesi elizako, abantu ephasini loke bazokubusiswa nguZimu. Iinlwana nabantu abakhohlakeleko ngeze zisaba yingozi ebantwini. Iimphofu, abangezwako nabarholopheleko bazokulatjhwa. Abantu bazokwakha izindlu begodu batjale ukudla okunepilo. Abantu bazokuphila isikhathi eside ukudlula  imithi. IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi iinthembiswezo zizokwenzeka. Abanye bangathi sikholelwa khulu eenthembiswenezo kunangendlela ekufuze kube ngayo. Uzobaphendula uthini? Ngiliphi ibanga elikwenza ulilindele ngabovu ipharadesi elizokuba sephasini? UJesu wasinikela amabanga azwakalako wokuba nethemba.

16, 17. Bekwenzakalani ngesikhathi uJesu azakukhuluma ngePharadesi?

¹⁶ UJesu bekanganasono kodwana waphanyekwa neenlelesi ezimaJuda. Ngaphambi kobana sihlongakale esisodwa seenlelesezi salemuka bona uJesu uyikosi yeke sabawa sathi: “Jesu, ungikhumbule nawufika emBuswenakho.” (Luk. 23:39-42) Ingomuso lakho liyathinteka ependulweni kaJesu esemtlolweni kaLukasi 23:43. Ezinye izazi zitjhugulula umtlolo lo ngegama negama zithi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe, namhlanjesi uzokuba nami ePharadesi.” Igama uJesu alisebenzisako elithi “namhlanjesi” litjho ukuthini? Abantu balihlathulula ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko.

¹⁷ Amalimi amanengi namhlanjesi asebenzisa amakhoma ukwenza umutjho uzwakale kuhle kodwana imitlolo yesiGirigi yakade yona beyingawasebenzisi khulu. Yeke umbuzo abantu ababanawo ngothi: Kghani uJesu bekathi “ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe, namhlanjesi uzokuba nami ePharadesi”? Namkha bekathi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namhlanjesi, uzokuba nami ePharadesi”? Abatjhugululi bangafaka amakhoma ukuya ngalokho abacabanga bona uJesu bekakutjho.

18, 19. Singaphetha ngokuthi uJesu bekatjho ukuthini?

¹⁸ Ngaphambi kokuthi uJesu ahlongakale wathi: ‘INdodana yomuntu izokuba sethuneni amalanga amathathu nobusuku obuthathu.’ Wabuye wathi: “INdodana yomuntu izokukghatjhelwa ezandleni zabantu, bazoyibulala, kodwana ngelanga lesithathu izokuvuswa.” (Mat. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22, 23; Mar. 10:34) Umpostoli uPitrosi uthi lokho kwenzeka. (IzE. 10:39, 40) Yeke uJesu akhenge aye ePharadesi ngelanga yena nesilelesesa abahlongakala ngalo. Kodwana ‘bekaseThuneni [namkha “eHayidesi”]’ bekwaba kulapho uZimu amvusa khona.—IzE. 2:31, 32; ftn. *

¹⁹ UJesu wathi nakakhuluma nesilelesesa wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namhlanjesi.” Bekujayelekile bona abantu bakhulume njalo ngitjho nangeenkhathi zakaMosi. Wathi: “Amezwi la engikuyala ngawo namhlanje azakuba sehliziywenakho.”—Dut. 6:6; 7:11; 8:1, 19; 30:15.

20. Khuyini esisiza sizwisise amezwi kaJesu?

²⁰ Umtjhugululi weBhayibheli weMiddle East wathi: “Ibizo eliyihloko ngelithi ‘namhlanjesi’ yeke nasilifundako kufuze silifunde ngendlela le, ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namhlanjesi, uzokuba nami ePharadesi.’ UJesu wamthembisa ngelangelo kodwana lokho bekuzokwenzeka esikhathini esizako. Le bekuyikulumo eqinisekisiweko etjengisa ukuthi isithembiso esenziwe ngelanga elithileko sizokufezwa.” Imitlolo yesi-Syriac yangeminyaka ehlangana nabo-1401 kuya-1500 nayitjhugulula amezwi kaJesu ithi: “Ngithi kuwe namhlanjesi uzokuba nami eSimini ye-Edeni.” Isithembisweso kufuze sisikhuthaze.

21. Khuyini engakhenge yenzeke esilelesinesa begodu kubayini?

²¹ Isilelesi ebesiphanyekwe noJesu besingasazi isivumelwano uJesu asenza nabapostoli bakhe somBuso wezulwini. (Luk. 22:29) Isilelesesa besingakabhajadiswa ngitjho  nokubhajadiswa. (Jwa. 3:3-6, 12) Singaphetha ngokuthi uJesu wasithembisa ipharadesi ephasini. Iminyaka eyalandelako umpostoli uPowula wakhuluma ngombono wendoda ‘eyasiwa epharadesi.’ (2 Kor. 12:1-4) UPowula nabanye abapostoli abathembekileko bahlukile kunesilelesesa, begodu bona bakhethelwa ukuyokubusa noJesu ezulwini. Ngitjho nalapho uPowula bekakhuluma ‘ngepharadesi’ * elizokuba khona esikhathini esizako. Kghani ngokutjho njalo bekahlanganisa nephasi? Thina singaphila lapho?

22, 23. Khuyini esingayilindela?

²² Khumbula ukuthi uDavida wabona kungakenzeki ukuthi: “Abalungileko bazakuzuza inarha.” (Rhu. 37:29; 2 Pit. 3:13) UDavida bekakhuluma ngesikhathi lapho woke umuntu ophila ephasini azokuphila ngemithetho kaJehova. Isiphorofido esiku-Isaya 65:22 sithi: “Njengamalanga womuthi azakuba njalo-ke namalanga wabantu bami.” Lokho kutjho ukuthi abantu bazokuphila iinkulungwana zeminyaka. Kuliqiniso na lokho? Ngokuya ngomtlolo wesAmbulo 21:1-4 uZimu uzokutjheja abantu bakhe begodu hlangana neenthembiso azobanikela zona uzokuqeda ‘ukufa kungasaba khona.’

²³ Kuyakhanya-ke nje ukuthi ngitjho nanyana u-Adamu no-Eva balahlekelwa yiPharadesi kodwana kungakghonakala bona silifumane. UZimu uthembise bona abantu abasephasini bazokubusiswa. UDavida wasetjenziswa nguZimu bona atlole ukuthi abalungileko bazokuzuza inarha bahlale kiyo ngokungapheliko. Iimphorofido ezisencwadini ka-Isaya kufuze zisenze sikuqale ngabovu okuzokwenzeka esikhathini esizako, lapho kuzokufezeka khona isithembiso uJesu asenza esilelesinesa. Nawe ungaba sePharadesinelo. Ngesikhatheso isithembiso esenziwa ebantwini abavela kwezinye iinarha ebebasemhlanganweni weKorea esithi: “Sizakubonana ePharadesi!” naso sizokufezeka ekugcineni.