Ungalitholaphi Ithemba Langempela?

IWASHI lakho limile futhi kubonakala sengathi liphukile. Uma ufuna indlela yokulilungisa, uzithola ubhekene nezindlela eziningi kakhulu okumelwe ukhethe kuzo. Kunezikhangiso eziningi zezindawo zokulungisa amawashi, zonke zinikeza iziqinisekiso, nakuba ezinye ziphikisana. Kodwa kuthiwani uma ubungathola ukuthi umakhelwane wakho nguye umklami ohlakaniphile owaklama lelo washi eminyakeni eminingi edlule? Ngaphezu kwalokho, uthola nokuthi uzimisele ukukusiza, ngaphandle kwenkokhiso. Kusobala ukuthi ubungakhethani, akunjalo?

Manje qhathanisa lelo washi nekhono lakho lokuba nethemba. Uma uthola ukuthi uphelelwa yithemba—njengoba kunjalo ngabaningi kulezi zikhathi ezinzima—ungalufunaphi usizo? Baningi abantu abathi bayakwazi ukulungisa le nkinga, kodwa ukusikisela okuningi abakunikezayo kungadida futhi kuphikisane. Ngakho kungani zisuka nje, ungayi kuLowo owadala isintu sinekhono lokuba nethemba? IBhayibheli lithi ‘akakude kulowo nalowo kithi’ futhi ukulungele ngempela ukusiza.—IzEnzo 17:27; 1 Petru 5:7.

Incazelo Ejulile Yethemba

Incazelo yeBhayibheli yethemba ibanzi futhi ijule ngaphezu kwaleyo evame ukusetshenziswa odokotela, ososayensi, nezazi zokusebenza kwengqondo zanamuhla. Amagama olimi lokuqala asetshenziswa eBhayibhelini ahunyushwe ngokuthi “ithemba” asho ukulinda ngokulangazela nokulindela okuhle. Ngokuyisisekelo, ithemba lakhiwa yizici ezimbili. Lihilela isifiso sokuthile okuhle kanye nesisekelo sokukholelwa ekutheni okuhle kuzofika. Ithemba elinikezwa yiBhayibheli alisona nje isifiso esingenakugcwaliseka. Linesisekelo esiqinile seqiniso nobufakazi.

Kulesi sici, ithemba lifana nokholo, okumelwe lusekelwe ebufakazini—hhayi ekwamukeleni yonke into. (Hebheru 11:1) Nokho, iBhayibheli liyahlukanisa phakathi kokholo nethemba.—1 Korinte 13:13.

Ngokwesibonelo: Uma ucela usizo kumngane omkhulu, ungaba nethemba lokuthi uzokusiza. Ithemba lakho linesisekelo ngoba uyamethemba umngane wakho—umazi kahle, futhi uye wambona enza izenzo zomusa  futhi ephana esikhathini esidlule. Ukholo lwakho nethemba kuhlobene eduze, futhi kuncikene, yize kungafani. Ungaba kanjani nethemba elinjalo kuNkulunkulu?

Isisekelo Sethemba

UNkulunkulu ungumthombo wethemba langempela. Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli uJehova wayebizwa ngokuthi “ithemba lika-Israyeli.” (Jeremiya 14:8) Noma yiliphi ithemba eliqinisekile abantu bakhe ababenalo lalivela kuye; ngakho, wayeyithemba labo. Ithemba elinjalo lalingekhona nje ukufisa. UNkulunkulu wabanikeza isisekelo esiqinile sethemba. Lapho esebenzelana nabo phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, wazakhela umlando wokwenza izithembiso futhi azigcine. Umholi wabo uJoshuwa wathi ku-Israyeli: “Nazi kahle . . . ukuthi akukho nelilodwa izwi kuwo wonke amazwi amahle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu awakhulumile kini eliye laphutha.”—Joshuwa 23:14.

Ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka kamuva, lowo mlando useyiqiniso. IBhayibheli ligcwele izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu eziphawulekayo kanye nomlando onembile wokugcwaliseka kwazo. Izithembiso zakhe eziyisiprofetho zinokwethenjelwa kangangokuthi ngezinye izikhathi zalotshwa njengokungathi zase zigcwalisekile kakade ngesikhathi ezakhulunywa ngaso.

Yingakho singalibiza iBhayibheli ngokuthi incwadi yethemba. Njengoba ufunda umlando wokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, izizathu onazo zokumethemba ziyoqina. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.”—Roma 15:4.

Yiliphi Ithemba UNkulunkulu Asinika Lona?

Kunini lapho silidinga kakhulu khona ithemba? Akukhona yini lapho sibhekene nokufa? Nokho, abaningi baphelelwa ithemba ngaso kanye isikhathi esinjalo—ngokwesibonelo, lapho ukufa kuthatha othandekayo. Yini ngempela engaqeda ithemba njengokufa? Kuyisigwebo esilengela ngamunye wethu. Singakugwema isikhathi esithile kuphela, kodwa asinandlela yokukuhlehlisa. Ngokufanele, iBhayibheli libiza ukufa ngokuthi ‘isitha sokugcina.’—1 Korinte 15:26.

Singalithola kanjani-ke ithemba lapho sibhekene nokufa? Ivesi leBhayibheli elibiza ukufa ngesitha sokugcina libuye lithi lesi sitha ‘sizokwenziwa ize.’ UJehova uNkulunkulu unamandla kunokufa. Uye wakubonisa lokhu izikhathi eziningi. Kanjani? Ngokuvusa abafileyo. IBhayibheli lichaza izenzakalo ezingu-9 ezihlukene lapho uNkulunkulu asebenzisa khona amandla akhe ukuze avuse abantu ekufeni.

Kwesinye isenzakalo esivelele, uJehova wanika iNdodana yakhe, uJesu, amandla okuvusa umngane wayo othandekayo uLazaru, owayesenezinsuku ezine efile. UJesu akazange akwenze ngasese lokhu, kodwa wakwenza obala, phambi kwezihlwele ezazibukele.—Johane 11:38-48, 53; 12:9, 10.

Ungase uzibuze, ‘Babevuselwani abantu? Ingabe abaphindanga baguga bagcina sebefile futhi?’ Kunjalo. Kodwa, ngenxa yokulandisa okunokwethenjelwa okuphathelene novuko okunjengalokhu, singaba nokuthile okungaphezu nje kwesifiso sokuthi abathandekayo bethu abafile bayophila futhi; sinesizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi bayophila. Ngamanye amazwi, sinethemba langempela.

UJesu wathi: “Ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” (Johane 11:25) Nguye uJehova ayomupha amandla okuvusa abafileyo emhlabeni wonke. UJesu wathi: “Ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi [likaKristu] baphume.” (Johane 5:28, 29) Yebo, bonke abalele ethuneni banethemba lokuvuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni oyipharadesi.

Umprofethi u-Isaya wanikeza lo mbono othinta inhliziyo wovuko: “Abafileyo bakho bayophila, imizimba yabo iyovuka futhi. Labo abalele emhlabeni bayovuka bakhamuluke ngenjabulo; ngoba amazolo akho angamazolo okukhanya okukhulu, futhi umhlaba uyokhipha labo osekukade bafa bazalwe futhi.”—Isaya 26:19, The New English Bible.

Ingabe akududuzi lokho? Abafileyo basesimweni esilondeke kunazo zonke ongazicabanga, njengosana oluvikeleke esibelethweni sikanina. Yebo, labo abaphumule ethuneni balondolozwe  kahle enkumbulweni engenamkhawulo kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. (Luka 20:37, 38) Futhi maduzane bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni, bangene ezweni elijabulisayo, elinobungane njengoba nje nosana olusanda kuzalwa lwamukelwa umkhaya onothando, olinde ngabomvu! Ngakho kunethemba ngisho nalapho sibhekene nokufa.

Lokho Ithemba Elingakwenzela Kona

UPawulu usifundisa lukhulu ngokubaluleka kwethemba. Wakhuluma ngethemba njengengxenye ebalulekile yesambatho sempi esingokomoya—isigqoko sokuzivikela. (1 Thesalonika 5:8) Wayesho ukuthini ngalokho? Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, isosha laligqoka isigqoko sensimbi lapho liya empini, ngokuvamile phezu kwesigqoko soboya noma sesikhumba. Ngenxa yalesi sigqoko sensimbi, amagalelo amaningi agadla ekhanda lalelo sosha ayengagunguluza nje esikhundleni sokwenza umonakalo obulalayo. Wayeqonde ukuthini uPawulu? Njengoba nje isigqoko sivikela ikhanda, kanjalo nethemba livikela ingqondo, ikhono lokucabanga. Uma unethemba eliqinile elivumelana nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, akudingeki ukuba ukuthula kwakho kwengqondo kuphazanyiswe ixhala noma ukuphelelwa ithemba lapho ubhekana nobunzima. Ubani phakathi kwethu ongasidingi isigqoko esinjalo?

UPawulu wasebenzisa omunye umfanekiso ocacile wethemba elihlobene nentando kaNkulunkulu. Wabhala: “Leli themba sinalo njengehange lomphefumulo, liqinisekile futhi liqinile.” (Hebheru 6:19) Ngemva kokusinda kaningana ekuphahlazekeni komkhumbi, uPawulu wayekwazi ukubaluleka kwehange. Lapho ehlaselwe yizivunguvungu, amatilosi ayehlisa ihange lomkhumbi. Uma lingabamba ekujuleni kolwandle liqine, cishe umkhumbi wawungasinda esiphephweni kunokuba ukhukhulekele ogwini uyophahlazeka emadwaleni.

Ngokufanayo, uma izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ziyithemba ‘eliqinisekile neliqinile’ kithi, lelo themba lingasisiza ukuba simelane neziphepho zalezi zikhathi ezilusizi. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi maduze kuzofika isikhathi lapho isintu singeke sisahlushwa yizimpi, ubugebengu, usizi, ngisho nokufa. (Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 18.) Ukubambelela kulelo themba kungasisiza sigweme inhlekelele, kusinike isisusa esisidingayo ukuze siphile ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu esikhundleni sokuvumela umoya oneziyaluyalu nokuziphatha okubi odlange kangaka ezweni namuhla.

Ithemba esilinikwa uJehova liyakuthinta nawe ngokuqondile. UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba uphile ngendlela ayehlose ukuba uphile ngayo. Isifiso sakhe siwukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe.” Kanjani? Okokuqala, ngamunye kumelwe ‘afinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.’ (1 Thimothewu 2:4) Abanyathelisi balo magazini bakukhuthaza ukuba ungenise lolo lwazi olunikeza ukuphila mayelana neqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ithemba uNkulunkulu ayokunika lona ngaleyo ndlela liphakeme kunanoma iliphi ithemba elingatholakala kuleli zwe.

Ngethemba elinjalo, akudingeki ukuba uzizwe ungelutho, ngoba uNkulunkulu angakunika amandla owadingayo ukuze ufinyelele noma imiphi imigomo onayo evumelana nentando yakhe. (2 Korinte 4:7; Filipi 4:13) Ingabe lelo akulona ithemba olidingayo? Ngakho, uma udinga ithemba, uma ubulokhu ulifuna, yima isibindi. Ithemba liseduze. Ungalithola!

 [Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Izizathu Zokuba Nethemba

La maphuzu angokomBhalo angakusiza ukuba wakhe ithemba lakho:

◼ UNkulunkulu uthembisa ikusasa elijabulisayo.

IZwi lakhe lithi umhlaba uyoba ipharadesi lembulunga yonke, elakhiwe umkhaya wabantu abajabulayo, abanobunye.—IHubo 37:11, 29; Isaya 25:8; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

◼ UNkulunkulu akanakuwaqamba amanga.

Uyakwenyanya konke ukuqamba amanga. UJehova ungcwele noma umsulwa ngokuphelele, ngakho akunakwenzeka ukuba aqambe amanga.—IzAga 6:16-19; Isaya 6:2, 3; Thithu 1:2; Hebheru 6:18.

◼ UNkulunkulu unamandla angenakulinganiswa.

NguJehova kuphela onamandla onke. Akukho lutho kuyo yonke indalo olungamvimbela ekugcwaliseni izithembiso zakhe.—Eksodusi 15:11; Isaya 40:25, 26.

◼ UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba uphile phakade.

—Johane 3:16; 1 Thimothewu 2:3, 4.

◼ UNkulunkulu usibheka ngethemba.

Ukhetha ukuba angagxili emaphutheni nasekushiyekeni kwethu, kodwa ezimfanelweni zethu ezinhle nasemizamweni esiyenzayo. (IHubo 103:12-14; 130:3; Hebheru 6:10) Unethemba lokuthi sizokwenza okufanele futhi uyajabula uma sikwenza.—IzAga 27:11.

◼ UNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi uyokusiza ufinyelele imigomo evumelana nentando yakhe.

Akudingeki ukuba izinceku zakhe zizizwe zingenamandla. Ngesandla esivulekile, uNkulunkulu usipha umoya wakhe ongcwele, ongamandla amakhulu kunawo wonke akhona, ukuze asisize.—Filipi 4:13.

◼ Ukuthembela kuNkulunkulu akukhona ukuzikhohlisa.

Ngenxa yokuthi uthembeke ngokuphelele, akasoze akudumaze.—IHubo 25:3.

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Njengoba isigqoko sivikela ikhanda, nethemba livikela ingqondo

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Njengehange, ithemba elinesisekelo esiqinile lingakuqinisa

[Umthombo]

Courtesy René Seindal/Su concessione del Museo Archeologico Regionale A. Salinas di Palermo