1-3. Isiphi isigwebo sonke esasithola, futhi uJehova uzosikhulula kanjani?

AKE sithi ugwetshwe udilika-jele ngenxa yecala ongalenzanga. Alikho ithemba lokuthi uyoke udedelwe. Ikusasa lakho libonakala lifiphele, futhi ayikho into ongayenza. Bese kuthi lapho nje usulahle ithemba, uthole ukuthi ukhona umuntu onamandla okukukhulula ejele nokuthi uthembisé ukuthi uzokusiza! Ubungazizwa kanjani?

² Sonke sithole isigwebo esiwukufa. Ngisho singenzani, asikwazi ukuphunyuka. Kodwa uJehova unawo amandla okusikhulula ekufeni. Usithembisa ukuthi ‘isitha sokugcina, ukufa, sizokwenziwa ize.’—1 Korinte 15:26.

³ Cabanga indlela oyozizwa ngayo lapho kungasadingeki ukhathazeke ngokufa! Kodwa uJehova ngeke aqede ukufa nje kuphela. Uzovusa nalabo asebashona. Cabanga ukuthi lokho kuzosho ukuthini kuwe. Uthembisa ukuthi “labo abangenamandla ekufeni” bazophinde baphile. (Isaya 26:19) Yilokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi uvuko.

4. (a) Yini engasiduduza lapho kushona umuntu wakithi noma umngane? (b) Babengobani abanye babangane bakaJesu abakhulu?

⁴ Lapho kushona umuntu wakithi noma umngane wethu omkhulu, ubuhlungu nosizi esikuzwayo  kungaba ngaphezu kwamandla. Sisala sididekile. Isuke ingekho into esingayenza ukuze simenze aphinde aphile. Kodwa iBhayibheli lisinika induduzo yangempela. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 1:3, 4.) Ake sifunde ngesibonelo esisodwa esenza sibone ukuthi uJehova noJesu bafuna kangakanani ukuvusa abantu esibathandayo. Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, wayejwayele ukuvakashela uLazaru nodadewabo, uMarta noMariya. Bobathathu babengabangane bakaJesu abakhulu. IBhayibheli lithi: “UJesu wayebathanda oMarta nodadewabo noLazaru.” Ngelinye ilanga uLazaru wafa.—Johane 11:3-5.

5, 6. (a) Yini uJesu ayenza lapho ebona umndeni nabangane bakaLazaru bekhala? (b) Kungani kududuza ukwazi indlela uJesu azizwa ngayo ngokufa?

⁵ UJesu waya koduduza uMarta noMariya. Lapho uMarta ezwa ukuthi uJesu uyeza, wahamba wayomhlangabeza. Wajabula lapho embona, kodwa wayesethi kuye: “Ukube ubulapha umfowethu ngabe akafanga.” UMarta wayecabanga ukuthi uJesu ufike sekwephuzile. Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wabona uMariya, udadewabo kaMarta, ekhala. Ebona usizi lwabo, wezwa ubuhlungu wakhala. (Johane 11:21, 33, 35) UJesu wabuzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu esibuzwa lapho sishonelwa umuntu esimthandayo.

⁶ Kuyaduduza ukwazi ukuthi noJesu uyabuzwa ubuhlungu esibuzwa lapho sishonelwe. UJesu ufana nse noYise ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi noBaba wakhe, uJehova, uyazwelana nathi lapho sishonelwe. (Johane 14:9) UJehova unamandla okuqeda ukufa kungaphinde kube khona futhi yilokho kanye azokwenza maduze.

7, 8. Kungani uMarta ayengathandi ukuba kususwe itshe ethuneni likaLazaru, kodwa yini uJesu ayenza?

⁷ Lapho uJesu efika ethuneni okwakungcwatshwe kulo uLazaru, lalivalwe ngetshe elikhulu. UJesu wathi: “Susani itshe.” Kodwa uMarta wayengathandi balisuse. Isidumbu sikaLazaru sase sinezinsuku ezine singcwatshiwe. (Johane 11:39) Wayengazi ukuthi kukhona uJesu ayesezokwenza ukuze asize umfowabo.

⁸ UJesu wathi kuLazaru: “Phuma!” Lokho uMarta noMariya abakubona ngemva kwalokho kwabamangaza. “Lo muntu owayefile waphuma izinyawo nezandla zakhe ziboshwe ngokokusonga.” (Johane 11:43, 44) ULazaru wayevusiwe! Waphinde waba nabakubo kanye nabangane bakhe. Babengamthinta, bambambe futhi baxoxe naye. Kwakuyisimangaliso ngempela lesi! UJesu wayesemvusile uLazaru.

9, 10. (a) Ubani owanika uJesu amandla okuvusa abantu? (b) Kungani izindaba zokuvuswa kwabantu zibalulekile kithi?

⁹ Ingabe uJesu wavusa abantu ngamandla akhe? Cha. Ngaphambi kokuba avuse uLazaru, uJesu wathandaza, uJehova wamnika amandla okumvusa. (Funda uJohane 11:41, 42.) Akuyena uLazaru kuphela owavuswa. IBhayibheli lisitshela ngentombazane eneminyaka engu-12 eyayigula kakhulu. Uyise uJayiru, wayekhathazekile. Kwakuwukuphela kwayo. Wancenga uJesu ukuba ayelaphe. Njengoba esakhuluma noJesu, kwafika amadoda athile athi: “Indodakazi yakho ifile! Usamhluphelani umfundisi?” Kodwa uJesu wathi  kuJayiru: “Ungesabi, kuphela bonakalisa ukholo, izosinda.” UJesu wabe esehamba noJayiru baya endlini kaJayiru. Njengoba besondela kwakhe, uJesu wezwa futhi wabona abantu bekhala. Wathi kubo: “Yekani ukukhala, ngoba ayifile ilele.” Kumelwe ukuba abazali bengane bazibuza ukuthi uJesu wayechaza ukuthini. UJesu wacela bonke ababekhona ukuba baphume, wangena nabazali bengane endlini eyayilele kuyo. Ebamba isandla sengane, uJesu wathi kuyo: “Ntombazane, ngithi kuwe, Vuka!” Cabanga indlela abazali bengane abajabula ngayo lapho ivuka ngaso leso sikhathi iqala ukuhamba! UJesu wayeseyivusile indodakazi yabo. (Marku 5:22-24, 35-42; Luka 8:49-56) Kusukela ngalolo suku, lapho bebona indodakazi yabo babeyokhumbula lokho uJehova ayebenzele kona ngoJesu. *

¹⁰ Ngemva kwesikhathi, labo uJesu abavusa baphinde bafa. Kodwa esikufundayo ngabo kubalulekile ngoba kusinika ithemba langempela. UJehova uyafuna ukuvusa abantu, futhi uzobavusa.

11. UmShumayeli 9:5 usifundisani ngoLazaru?

¹¹ IBhayibheli lisho ngokucacile ukuthi “abafileyo . . . abazi lutho.” Yilokho kanye okwenzeka kuLazaru. (UmShumayeli 9:5) Njengoba uJesu asho, kwakufana  nokuthi uLazaru wayekade elele ubuthongo. (Johane 11:11) Ngesikhathi esethuneni, uLazaru ‘wayengazi lutho.’

12. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uLazaru wavuswa ngempela?

¹² Baningi ababona uJesu evusa uLazaru. Ngisho nezitha zikaJesu zazazi ukuthi wayesenzile lesi simangaliso. ULazaru wayephila, okwakuwubufakazi bokuthi wayevuswe ngempela. (Johane 11:47) Baningi nabantu abavakashela uLazaru, futhi ngenxa yalokho, baqala ukukholwa ukuthi uJesu wayethunywe uNkulunkulu. Izitha zikaJesu azikuthandanga lokho, ngakho zahlela ukubabulala bobabili uJesu noLazaru.—Johane 11:53; 12:9-11.

13. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzobavusa abafileyo?

¹³ UJesu wathi ‘bonke abasemathuneni bayokhunjulwa’ bavuswe. (Johane 5:28) Lokho kusho ukuthi bonke abasenkumbulweni kaJehova bayophinde baphile. Kodwa ukuze uJehova avuse umuntu, kudingeka akhumbule konke ngalowo muntu. Angakwazi ngempela yini ukukwenza lokho? Kunezinkanyezi eziningi kakhulu emkhathini. IBhayibheli lithi uJehova wazi ngayinye ngegama. (Funda u-Isaya 40:26.) Uma ekwazi ukukhumbula igama lenkanyezi ngayinye, ngokuqinisekile kulula ukukhumbula konke ngabantu ayobavusa. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, uJehova wadala zonke izinto, ngakho siyazi ukuthi unawo amandla okuvusa abantu.

14, 15. Amazwi kaJobe asifundisani ngovuko?

¹⁴ Indoda ethembekile uJobe yayikholelwa ovukweni. Yabuza: “Uma indoda . . . ifa, ingabuye iphile futhi?” Yabe isithi kuJehova: “Uyobiza, futhi mina ngiyokuphendula.  Uyolangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” UJobe wayazi ukuthi uJehova uyasilangazelela isikhathi ayovusa ngaso abantu abafileyo.—Jobe 14:13-15.

¹⁵ Uzizwa kanjani njengoba sewazi ukuthi abafileyo bazovuka? Kungenzeka uyazibuza, ‘Kuthiwani ngabakithi nabangane asebashona, bazovuswa yini?’ Kuyasiduduza ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyafuna ngempela ukuvusa abafileyo. Ake sifunde ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi obani abazovuswa nokuthi bazohlalaphi.

16. Labo abazovuselwa emhlabeni bazophila ukuphila okunjani?

¹⁶ Esikhathini esidlule, labo abavuswa baphinde bahlangana nemindeni yabo nabangane lapha emhlabeni. Lokhu kuzophinde kwenzeke esikhathini esizayo, kodwa kuzobe kungcono kakhulu. Yini ezokwenza kube ngcono? Ukuthi labo abavuselwe emhlabeni bazothola ithuba lokuphila phakade bangaphinde bafe. Futhi umhlaba uzobe usuhluke kakhulu kulokho oyikho manje. Izimpi, ubugebengu nokugula kuzobe kungasekho.

17. Obani abazovuswa?

¹⁷ Obani abazovuswa? UJesu wathi ‘bonke abasemathuneni bayokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi lakhe baphume.’ (Johane 5:28, 29) IsAmbulo 20:13 siyasitshela: “Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidesi kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho.” Yebo, izigidigidi zabantu zizophinde ziphile. Umphostoli uPawulu naye wathi kuzovuswa abantu “abalungile nabangalungile.” (Funda izEnzo 24:15.) Kusho ukuthini lokho?

18. Bangobani “abalungile” abazovuswa?

 ¹⁸ Phakathi ‘kwabalungile’ abazovuswa kukhona izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile ezaziphila ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni. UNowa, u-Abrahama, uSara, uMose, uRuthe no-Esteri baphakathi kwalabo abazovuselwa lapha emhlabeni. Ungafunda ngamanye alawa madoda nabesifazane kweyamaHebheru isahluko  11. Kuthiwani ngezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile ezifa esikhathini sethu? Nazo ziphakathi ‘kwabalungile’ ngakho zizovuswa.

19. Bangobani “abangalungile”? UJehova uzobanika liphi ithuba?

¹⁹ Phakathi ‘kwabangalungile’ abazovuswa kukhona nabantu abayizigidigidi abangazange balithole ithuba lokwazi ngoJehova. Nakuba sebashona, uJehova akabakhohliwe. Uzobavusa abanike ithuba lokufunda ngaye nokumkhonza.

20. Kungani abanye bengeke bavuswe?

²⁰ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi wonke umuntu osashona uzovuswa? Cha. UJesu wathi abanye ngeke bavuswe. (Luka 12:5) Ubani onqumayo ukuthi obani abavuswayo nabangeke bavuswe? NguJehova uMahluleli omkhulu, kodwa unike uJesu igunya lokuba “umahluleli wabaphilayo nabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 10:42) Noma ubani anquma ukuthi akalungile futhi akazimisele ukushintsha ngeke avuswe.—Bheka uMbhalo Osekugcineni 19.

21, 22. (a) Umuntu uvuselwa ezulwini enamuphi umzimba? (b) Ubani umuntu wokuqala owavuswa wayiswa ezulwini?

²¹ IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi kunabantu abazophila ezulwini. Lapho othile evuselwa ezulwini akabe esaba nomzimba wenyama. Kunalokho, uvuswa esenomzimba womoya.

²² UJesu waba umuntu wokuqala owavuswa ngale ndlela. (Johane 3:13) Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu uJesu ebulewe, uJehova wamvusa. (IHubo 16:10; IzEnzo 13:34, 35) UJesu akavuswanga enomzimba wenyama. Umphostoli uPetru wathi uJesu ‘wabulawa  enyameni, kodwa waphiliswa emoyeni.’ (1 Petru 3:18) UJesu wavuswa eseyingelosi enamandla. (1 Korinte 15:3-6) Kodwa iBhayibheli lithi kwakungeke kugcine ngaye.

23, 24. Uyini ‘umhlambi omncane’ uJesu akhuluma ngawo futhi bangaki abawakhayo?

²³ Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu afe, wathi kubafundi bakhe abathembekile: “Ngiyahamba ngiyonilungisela indawo.” (Johane 14:2) Lokhu kusho ukuthi abanye babalandeli bakhe bayovuswa bese bephila naye ezulwini. Bangaki sebebonke? UJesu wathi babeyoba mbalwa, ‘umhlambi omncane.’ (Luka 12:32) Umphostoli uJohane walisho ngokuqondile inani labo lapho ebona uJesu ‘emi [ezulwini] eNtabeni iZiyoni kumi kanye naye abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane.’—IsAmbulo 14:1.

²⁴ Ayovuswa nini amaKristu angu-144 000? IBhayibheli lithi lokhu kuyokwenzeka ngemva kokuba uKristu eseqale ukubusa ezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:23) Siphila kuleso sikhathi manje, futhi iningi labangu-144 000 selivusiwe ukuze liyophila ezulwini. Labo abasaphila emhlabeni bavuswa ngokushesha lapho befa bese beyophila ezulwini. Nokho, abantu abaningi abayovuswa bayophila lapha emhlabeni.

25. Sizofunda ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁵ Maduze uJehova uzokhulula bonke abantu ekufeni futhi uzokuqeda ukufa! (Funda u-Isaya 25:8.) Bayokwenzani ezulwini labo abaya khona? IBhayibheli lithi bayokwakha uMbuso wasezulwini noJesu. Sizofunda kabanzi ngalowo Mbuso abayobusa kuwo esahlukweni esilandelayo.