Umbuto Lovela Kubafundzi . . .

▪ Jesu wetsembisa indvodza lebeseyitakufa, futsi ngesibindzi lebeyibe nekukholwa kuye, watsi: “Utakuba nami ePharadisi.” (Lukha 23:43) Beyitawuya kuphi lendvodza? LiPharadisi belitawuba sezulwini nobe emhlabeni yini, nobe belitawuba kulenye indzawo bantfu labatawulindzela kwehlulelwa kuyo?

Bokhokho betfu bebahlala ePharadisi. LiBhayibheli liyasitjela: “Nkulunkulu Simakadze wahlanyela insimi yase-Edeni ngasemphumalanga; wambeka khona-ke lomuntfu labesamentile. . . . Nkulunkulu Simakadze wamtsatsa umuntfu wambeka ensimini yase-Edeni kutsi ayilime, ayilindze.” (Genesisi 2:8, 15) Ngesikhatsi lamavi ahunyushelwa elulwimini lwesiGriki, ligama lelitsi “insimi” lahunyushwa ngekutsi pa·raʹdei·sos, lokungulapho lavela khona ligama lesiNgisi lelitsi “paradise.”

Njengobe nje bantfu labashadile bawukhulisa umuti wabo nasebanebantfwana labanyenti, nebatali betfu bekucala bekufanele balinwebe liPharadisi, lingasagcini nje e-Edeni. Nkulunkulu wabatjela: ‘Gcwalisani umhlaba, niwuncobe.’​—Genesisi 1:28.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, injongo yeMdali wetfu beyikutsi bantfu bahlale ePharadisi emhlabeni futsi batale bantfwana. Bebatawuphila phakadze ensimini lesemhlabeni, futsi besingeke sibe khona sidzingo semathuna. Umhlaba bewutawuba likhaya laphakadze labo bonkhe bantfu. Kungako indalo leseplanethini yetfu isijabulisa kangaka. Besidalelwe kutsi sihlale emhlabeni lomuhle.

Seyishintjile yini injongo yaNkulunkulu? Cha. Jehova uyasicinisekisa: “Linjalo-ke nelivi lami leliphuma emlonyeni wami: Lingeke libuye kimi yabayaba, kodvwa liyawukwenta loko lengikuhlosile.” (Isaya 55:11) Ngemuva kweminyaka lengetulu kwa-3 000 umuntfu adalwa, liBhayibheli latsi ‘uMdali lowabumba umhlaba . . . , akazange awudalele kutsi ubete lutfo, kodvwa wawubumbela kutsi uhlale bantfu.’ (Isaya 45:18) Intsandvo yaNkulunkulu ayikashintji. Umhlaba usetawuba lipharadisi.

Kuyajabulisa kutsi tindzima letinyenti teliBhayibheli letikhuluma ngeliPharadisi tisuke tichaza kuphila kwasemhlabeni. Nasi sibonelo: Siphrofetho sa-Isaya sitsi: “Bayakwakha tindlu, bahlale kuto, bayawuhlanyela tivini, badle titselo tato.” (Isaya 65:21) Takhiwa kuphi tindlu, futsi tihlanyelwa kuphi tivini? Ngukuphi lapho kudliwa titselo khona? Emhlabeni! Taga 2:21 tichaza ngalokucacile: ‘Bantfu labacotfo batawuhlala emhlabeni.’

Jesu naye wakhuluma ngelipharadisi lasemhlabeni. Kuliciniso kutsi waphindze wetsembisa lipharadisi lasezulwini, kodvwa lona belitawutfolwa ngulabambalwa labakhetsiwe. (Lukha 12:32) Ngemuva kwekufa, laba bavuselwa ePharadisi lasezulwini, futsi batawuhlanganyela naKhristu ekubuseni bantfu ePharadisi lasemhlabeni. (Sembulo 5:10; 14:1-3) Labantfu labatawube babusa ezulwini batawuciniseka kutsi liPharadisi lasemhlabeni liholwa futsi linakekelwa ngekuvumelana netimiso taNkulunkulu.

Jesu bekati kutsi loko bekuyintsandvo yaNkulunkulu ngemhlaba. Ngetulu kwaloko, abesezulwini naBabe wakhe ngesikhatsi kudalwa insimi yase-Edeni. Kuphila epharadisi lasemhlabeni lelitako, kutawutfolwa ngibo bonkhe lababa nekukholwa. (Johane 3:16) Kubantfu labanjalo, Jesu uyetsembisa: ‘Nitakuba nami ePharadisi.’​—Lukha 23:43.

[Emavi laveta Umtfombo wesitfombe ekhasini 10]

© FORGET Patrick/SAGAPHOTO.COM/Alamy