1-3. Yisiphi isitha esisigijimisayo, njalo kungani ukukhangela okufundiswa liBhayibhili kuzasenza sikhululeke?

AKE sithi ubalekela isitha esesabekayo. Isitha lesi siqine kakhulu njalo silejubane kulawe. Uyakwazi ukuthi asilazwelo ngoba usuke wasibona sibulala abanye abangane bakho. Uzama ngamandla ukusibalekela kodwa silokhu sikuhlezi ezithendeni. Kukhanya kungelathemba. Kusesenjalo, kuthutsha umuntu ozokulamulela. Umuntu lo ulamandla amakhulu ukwedlula isitha sakho njalo uthembisa ukukunceda. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu bekuzakwenza ukuthi ukhululeke!

² Ngenye indlela singathi ugijinyiswa yisitha esinjalo. Siyasigijimisa sonke. Esahlukweni esidlulileyo sifunde ukuthi iBhayibhili lithi ukufa kuyisitha. Akulamuntu ongasibalekela kumbe asehlule. Abanengi bethu sesike sasibona isitha lesi sibulala abantu esibathandayo. Kodwa uJehova ulamandla amakhulu ukwedlula ukufa. UnguMlamuleli olothando osetshengise ukuthi angasehlula isitha lesi esiyikufa. Uthembisa ukusitshabalalisa singaphindi sibe khona. IBhayibhili lifundisa ukuthi: “Isitha sokucina esizachithwa, yikufa.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:26) Lezi yizindaba ezinhle sibili!

 ³ Ake sixoxe ngamafitshane ukuthi sizwa njani nxa sifelwe. Lokhu kuzasinceda ukuthi sizwisise okuthile okuzasithokozisa. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi abafileyo bazaphinda baphile. (U-Isaya 26:19) Bazavuswa. Leli yilo ithemba esilalo ngabantu abafileyo.

4. (a) Okwenziwa nguJesu esefelwe ngumuntu amthandayo kusifundisani ngemizwa kaJehova? (b) UJesu waba lobungane obuqinileyo labobani?

⁴ Wake wafelwa ngumuntu omthandayo yini? Mhlawumbe wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu, wahlulukelwa, kumbe waphelelwa ngamandla. Ezikhathini ezinjalo, kumele sibale iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze lisiduduze. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:3, 4.) IBhayibhili liyasincedisa ukuthi sizwisise indlela uJehova loJesu abazizwa ngayo ngendaba yokufa. UJesu watshengisa ubuntu bukaYise ngokupheleleyo njalo wayebazi ubuhlungu obuzwiwa ngumuntu ofelweyo. (UJohane 14:9) UJesu wayejayele ukuthi angahamba eJerusalema, aye laseBhethani, idolobho elaliseduze evakatshela uLazaro labodadewabo, uMariya loMatha. Baba ngabangane abaqinileyo. IBhayibhili lithi: “UJesu wayemthanda uMatha kanye labafowabo oMariya loLazaro.” (UJohane 11:5) Kodwa uLazaro wafa, njengoba sifundile esahlukweni esidlulileyo.

5, 6. (a) UJesu wenzani lapho ebona izihlobo zikaLazaro labangane bakhe bekhala? (b) Kungani ukukhala kukaJesu kusikhuthaza?

⁵ UJesu wezwa njani esefelwe ngumngane wakhe ayemthanda? Endabeni yakhona, sifunda ukuthi uJesu wakhala lezihlobo zikaLazaro kanye labangane bakhe. UJesu wathinteka kakhulu lapho ebabona. “Wadabuka kakhulu emoyeni, wakhathazeka.” Indaba yakhona iphinda ithi, “UJesu wakhala.” (UJohane 11:33, 35) Ukukhala kukaJesu kwakusitsho ukuthi kalathemba yini? Hatshi. Wayesazi ukuthi kwasekuzakwenzakala into enhle okumangalisayo. (UJohane 11:3, 4) Lanxa wayekwazi, wabuzwa ubuhlungu lokukhathazeka okubangelwa yikufa.

⁶ Ngenye indlela, ukukhala kukaJesu kuyasikhuthaza.  Kusifundisa ukuthi uJesu loYise uJehova bayakuzonda ukufa. Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu uyenelisa ukulwa lesitha lesi asehlule! Ake sibone ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza uJesu wenelisa ukwenzani.

7, 8. Ngokubona kwabantu, kungani kwakukhanya kungaselathemba ngoLazaro, kodwa uJesu wenzani?

⁷ ULazaro wayengcwatshwe ebhalwini njalo uJesu wacela ukuthi ilitshe elalivale ubhalu likhitshwe. UMatha wala ngoba umzimba kaLazaro wawusubola, njengoba kwasekudlule amalanga amane. (UJohane 11:39) Ngokubona kwabantu, kwakungaselathemba.

⁸ Ilitshe lakhitshwa, uJesu wasememeza ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: “Lazaro, phuma!” Kwenzakalani? “Indoda efileyo yaphuma.” (UJohane 11:43, 44) Cabanga ngentokozo abantu ababa layo! Abanewabo bakaLazaro, izihlobo zakhe, abangane bakhe labomakhelwane bakhe babekwazi ukuthi uLazaro wayefile. Kodwa bamangala sebebona indoda le ababeyithanda isimi futhi phambi kwabo. Kwakunzima ukukukholwa lokhu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abanengi bamgijimela uLazaro, bethokoza. Ukufa kwasekunqotshiwe!

9, 10. (a) UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi amandla okuvusa uLazaro kwabafileyo ayengaveli kuye? (b) Ukubala izindaba ezimayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo eBhayibhilini kusinceda ngani?

⁹ UJesu kazange athi wenza isimangaliso lesi ngamandla akhe. Engakabizi uLazaro, wakhuleka ecacisa ukuthi uJehova nguye owayezamnika amandla okuvusa uLazaro. (Bala uJohane 11:41, 42.) UJehova kawasebenzisanga kanye kuphela amandla akhe ekuvuseni umuntu ofileyo. Ukuvuswa kukaLazaro, ngesinye sezimangaliso ezingu-9 eziphathelane lokuvuswa kwabafileyo ezibhalwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. * Kuyajabulisa ukubala kanye lokufunda izindaba lezi. Zisifundisa  ukuthi uNkulunkulu kakhethi, ngenxa yokuthi ebantwini abavuswayo kwakulabancane labadala, amadoda labesifazane, ama-Israyeli labangayisiwo ma-Israyeli. Endabeni lezi sitshelwa ngabantu abathokoza kakhulu! Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJesu evusa intombazana encane kwabafileyo, abazali bakhe “baphela amandla [“bathokoza kakhulu,” NW].” (UMakho 5:42) Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova wenza abantu bathokoza ngendlela ababengasoze bayikhohlwe.

¹⁰ Abantu abavuswa nguJesu kwabafileyo baphinda bafa. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi ukuvuswa kwabo kwakungelancedo yini? Hatshi. Izindaba lezi eziseBhayibhilini ziveza iqiniso eliqakathekileyo njalo zisinika ithemba.

11. Indaba yokuvuswa kukaLazaro isivezela njani iqiniso elibhalwe kumTshumayeli 9:5?

¹¹ IBhayibhili lisifundisa ukuthi abafileyo “kabazi lutho.” (UmTshumayeli 9:5) Kabaphili njalo kabakho kwenye indawo. Indaba kaLazaro itshengisa ukuthi lokhu kuliqiniso. Esevusiwe, uLazaro wabaxoxela yini abantu ngokuthi ezulwini kwakunjani? Wabesabisa yini ngezindaba ezethusayo zesihogo somlilo? Hatshi. IBhayibhili alisitsheli ukuthi uLazaro wakukhuluma lokho. Okwamalanga amane efile, wayengazi “lutho.” Ngamazwi alula nje, uLazaro wayelele ekufeni.​—UJohane 11:11.

12. Kungani singaba leqiniso lokuthi uLazaro wavuswa kwabafileyo?

¹² Indaba kaLazaro isifundisa lokuthi ukuvuswa kwabafileyo kakusiyo nganekwane, kuzakwenzakala sibili. UJesu wavusa uLazaro phambi kwexuku labantu elalibukele. Abakhokheli benkolo ababezonda uJesu labo abasiphikanga isimangaliso lesi. Kodwa bathi: “Sizakwenza njani na? Ngoba umuntu lo [uJesu] wenza izibonakaliso ezinengi.” (UJohane 11:47, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Abantu abanengi bahamba bayambona uLazaro owayesevusiwe njalo lokhu kwenza bakholwa kuJesu. Nxa babebona uLazaro babebona ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wathunywa nguNkulunkulu. Ubufakazi lobu babuqine  okokuthi abakhokheli benkolo abangamaJuda ababelezinhliziyo ezilukhuni bakha amacebo okubulala uJesu loLazaro.​—UJohane 11:53; 12:9-11.

13. Kuyini okusenza sikholwe ukuthi uJehova angabavusa sibili abantu abafileyo?

¹³ Ukukholwa ukuthi abantu abafileyo bazavuswa yikudlala ngesikhathi yini? Hatshi, ngoba uJesu wafundisa ukuthi “bonke abasemathuneni” bazavuswa. (UJohane 5:28) UJehova nguye uMdali wakho konke okuphilayo. Njengoba enguMdali, kungabanzima yini ukukholwa ukuthi angamdala kutsha umuntu? Lokhu sekuzakuya ngenkumbulo kaJehova. Angabakhumbula yini abantu esibathandayo asebafayo? Kulezinkanyezi ezinengi esingeke sizibale ezigcwele esibhakabhakeni, kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazazi zonke ngamabizo! (U-Isaya 40:26) Yikho-ke, uJehova uNkulunkulu angakhumbula konke okuphathelane labantu esibathandayo asebafayo, njalo uyenelisa ukubavusa baphile.

14, 15. Amazwi kaJobe atshengisa ukuthi uJehova uzizwa njani ngokuvusa abafileyo?

¹⁴ Kodwa uJehova uzizwa njani ngokuvusa abafileyo? IBhayibhili lifundisa ukuthi uzimisele ukuvusa abantu abafileyo. Indoda ethembekileyo uJobe yathi: “Umuntu angafa uphinde aphile na?” UJobe wayekhuluma ngokulindela engcwabeni kuze kufike isikhathi sokuthi uNkulunkulu amkhumbule. Wathi kuJehova: “Uzabiza lami ngizasabela; uzasifisa leso sidalwa esenziwa yizandla zakho.”​—UJobe 14:13-15.

¹⁵ Akucabange! UJehova uyasifisa lesosikhathi lapho azavusa khona abafileyo. Akuthokozisi yini ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uzizwa njalo? Kodwa kuzakwenzakalani ngesikhathi sokuvuswa kwabafileyo? Ngobani abazavuswa njalo bazavuselwa ngaphi?

16. Abantu abafileyo bazavuswa baphile emhlabeni onjani?

¹⁶ Izindaba zokuvuswa kwabafileyo eziseBhayibhilini zisifundisa okunengi ngabantu abazavuswa. Labo ababevusiwe  lapha emhlabeni bahlanganiswa lezihlobo zabo. Ukuvuka kwabantu abafileyo lakho kuzabe kunjalo, kodwa kuzabe kungcono kakhulu. KuSahluko 3, sifunde ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngeyokuntshintsha umhlaba wonke ube lipharadayisi. Ngakho abantu abafileyo bazavuswa, kodwa abasoze baphile emhlabeni ogcwele izimpi, ubugebengu kanye lokugula. Bazathola ithuba lokuphila kuze kube nini lanini emhlabeni olokuthula lentokozo.

17. Ngobani abazavuswa njalo bazabe bebangaki?

¹⁷ Ngobani abazavuswa? UJesu wathi: “bonke abasemathuneni abo bezalizwa ilizwi layo [elikaJesu] baphume.” (UJohane 5:28, 29) ISambulo 20:13 laso sithi: “Ulwandle lwakhupha abafileyo ababekulo, ukufa leHadesi [“leNgcwaba,” NW] kwakhupha abafileyo ababekukho.” (Khangela iSengezo, esithi “IShiyoli leHadesi Kuyini?”) Bonke abasemangcwabeni la bazakhitshwa. Izigidigidi zabantu abaphakathi kwawo zizaphila. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “Kuzakuba khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungileyo labangalunganga.” (ImiSebenzi 24:15, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kutshoni lokhu?

18. Ngobani abanye ‘abalungileyo’ abazavuswa, njalo ithemba leli lingakunceda njani wena ngokwakho?

¹⁸ ‘Abalungileyo’ bagoqela abantu abanengi esifunda ngabo eBhayibhilini abaphila uJesu engakezi emhlabeni. Ungacabanga ngoNowa, u-Abhrahama, uSara, uMosi, uRuthe, u-Esta labanye abanengi. Bonke laba bantu ababelokholo kanye labanye kukhulunywa ngabo kumaHebheru isahluko 11. Izinceku zikaJehova ezifa esikhathini esiphila kuso lazo ziyabalwa ‘kwabalungileyo.’ Akulasidingo sokuthi sesabe ukufa ngenxa yokuthi siIethemba lokuthi abantu abafileyo bazavuswa.​—KumaHebheru 2:15.

19. ‘Abangalunganga’ ngobani, njalo uJehova ubatshengisa umusa ngokubanika ithuba lokwenzani?

¹⁹ Kodwa kuzakwenzakalani ngabantu bonke abangazange bamkhonze uJehova kumbe abangazange bamlalele ngenxa yokuthi babengamazi? Izigidigidi zalababantu ‘abangalunganga’ kazisoze zilitshalwe. Zizavuswa besezinikwa isikhathi  sokufunda ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso lesokumkhonza. Phakathi kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, abafileyo bazavuswa besebenikwa ithuba lokukhonza uJehova labanye abantu abathembekileyo emhlabeni. Kuzabe kuyisikhathi esijabulisayo. IBhayibhili lisibiza ngokuthi luSuku Lokwahlulela. *

20. Kuyini iGehena, njalo ngobani abaya kuyo?

²⁰ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi wonke umuntu owake waphila uzavuswa yini? Hatshi. IBhayibhili lithi abanye abafileyo baseGehena. Ibala leli lihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘isihogo,’ eBhayibhilini lesiNdebele. (ULukha 12:5) IGehena kwakulibizo lendawo yokulahlela izibi eyayiphandle kweJerusalema lasendulo. Izidumbu lezibi kwakutshiselwa khona. AmaJuda ayelahlela khona izidumbu zabantu ayebabona bengafanelanga ukungcwatshwa lokuvuswa. Ngakho iGehena iyisifanekiso esitshengisa ukuthi umuntu usetshabalaliswe phakade. UJesu ulomsebenzi othile ekwahluleleni abaphilayo labafayo, kodwa uJehova nguye uMahluli omkhulu. (ImiSebenzi 10:42) Ekwahluleleni kwakhe, kasoze abavuse labo ababona bebabi futhi abangazimiselanga ukuntshintsha.

21, 22. (a) Yikuphi okunye ukuvuswa okukhona? (b) Ngubani owaqala ukuvuswa eyisidalwa somoya?

²¹ IBhayibhili likhuluma ngokunye ukuvuswa kwabafileyo, ukuvuswa komuntu esiyaphila eyisidalwa somoya ezulwini. EBhayibhilini kulesibonelo esisodwa sokuvuswa lokhu, esikaJesu Khristu.

²² UJehova kazange avumele iNdodana yakhe ethembekileyo uJesu, ukuthi ihlale eNgcwabeni ngemva kokubulawa kwayo. (IHubo 16:10; ImiSebenzi 13:34, 35) UNkulunkulu wamvusa uJesu, kodwa kamvusanga elomzimba wenyama. Umphostoli uPhethro wachasisa ukuthi uKhristu “wabulawa  emzimbeni kodwa wavuswa emoyeni.” (1 UPhetro 3:18, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Lokhu kwakuyisimangaliso esikhulu. UJesu wayesephila futhi, eseyisidalwa somoya esilamandla! (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:3-6.) UJesu nguye owaqala ukuvuswa ngendlela le elodumo. Kodwa wayengasoze abe ngowokucina.​—UJohane 3:13.

23, 24. Ngobani ‘abangumhlambi omncane’ kaJesu, njalo bangaki?

²³ UJesu esezakufa watshela abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo ukuthi wayezabuyela ezulwini ‘ayebalungisela indawo.’ (UJohane 14:2) UJesu wathi abaya ezulwini ‘bangumhlambi wakhe omncane.’ (ULukha 12:32) Mangaki amaKhristu athembekileyo abumba iqembu leli elincane? KuSambulo 14:1, umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Ngabuya ngakhangela, khonapho phambi kwami kwakuleWundlu, [uJesu Khristu] limi phezu kweNtaba iZiyoni, lilabayizi-144 000 ababelotshwe ibizo lalo lelikaYise emabunzini abo.”

²⁴ AmaKhristu la angu-144 000, agoqela labaphostoli bakaJesu abathembekileyo avuswa ayephila ezulwini. Avuswa nini? Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala ukuthi ayezavuswa ekubuyeni kukaKhristu. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:23) Njengoba uzafunda kuSahluko 9, siphila kulesosikhathi. Ngakho abalutshwana abaseleyo, abayingxenye yeqembu labangu-144-000 abafa esikhathini esiphila kuso, bavuswa besanda kufa bahle bayephila ezulwini. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:51-55) Kodwa abantu abanengi balethemba lokuvuswa esikhathini esizayo besebephila ePharadayisi emhlabeni.

25. Sizafunda ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁵ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova uzasehlula sibili isitha sethu esiyikufa njalo isitha lesi asisoze siphinde sibekhona futhi kuze kube nini lanini! (Bala u-Isaya 25:8.) Kodwa ungazibuza ukuthi, ‘Labo abavuswa bayephila ezulwini bazakwenzani khonale?’ Bazakuba ngamalunga kahulumende woMbuso wasezulwini omuhle kakhulu. Sizafunda okunengi ngohulumende lo esahlukweni esilandelayo.