1, 2. Abantu bathi yintoni iparadesi?

ABAZALWANA noodade abasuka kumazwe ahlukahlukeneyo babekwindibano eyayiseSeoul, eKorea. Bathi xa beshiya ibala ukuphela kwendibano, abazalwana noodade baseKorea basondela kubo. Abaninzi babebhabhayisa besithi, “Sakubonana Eparadesi!” Ucinga ukuba yeyiphi le paradesi babethetha ngayo?

² Abantu bayichaza ngeendlela ezingafaniyo iparadesi. Abanye bathi “iparadesi” yindawo yasentsomini. Abanye bathi iparadesi yiyo nayiphi na indawo ebenza bonwabe. Indoda elambileyo esetafileni egcwele qhu kukutya inokucinga ukuba iseparadesi. Kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, elinye ibhinqa labona ithafa elihle elineentyatyambo laza lathi: “Yho, nantsi iparadesi!” Loo ndawo isabizwa ngokuba yiParadesi nangoku, nangona isogqunywa likhephu qho ngonyaka. Wena, uthi yintoni iParadesi? Ucinga ukuba iya kuze ifike?

3. Kuqalwa nini ukuthethwa ngeparadesi eBhayibhileni?

³ IBhayibhile ithetha ngeparadesi eyayikhona neparadesi ezayo. Kwakwincwadi yokuqala yeBhayibhile kuyathethwa ngeParadesi. IGenesis 2:8 ithi: ‘UYehova uThixo watyala umyezo [iparadesi yolonwabo ngokweDouay Version yamaKatolika] e-Eden, ngasempuma, waza wambeka khona umntu abembumbile.’ (Akekeliswe sithi.) Nezinye iZibhalo zesiHebhere ziyathetha ‘ngomyezo wase-Eden.’ Igama elithi Eden lithetha “Ukonwaba,”  ibe nyhani kwakumnandi apho. Kwakukho ukutya okuninzi, kukuhle, kukho noxolo phakathi kwezilwanyana nabantu.​—Gen. 1:29-31.

4. Kutheni sinokuwubiza ngokuthi yiparadesi umyezo wase-Eden?

⁴ Igama lesiHebhere elithetha “umyezo” liguqulelwa ngokuthi pa·raʹdei·sos ngesiGrike. ICyclopaedia ebhalwe nguM’Clintock noStrong ithi xa umGrike wamandulo esiva ngegama elithi pa·raʹdei·sos wayecinga ngepaki enkulu, engenabungozi, entle, enemithi emininzi ethi ndijonge neziqhamo ezahlukahlukeneyo, enemilambo enamanzi acwengileyo, nemihlambi yeembabala neegusha.​—Thelekisa iGenesis 2:15, 16.

5, 6. Yintoni eyabangela uAdam noEva baphoswe yiParadesi, ibe abanye banokuzibuza ntoni?

⁵ UThixo wabeka uAdam noEva kule paradesi, kodwa ke abazange bahlale ixesha elide kuyo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba abazange bamthobele uThixo. Baphoswa yiParadesi, bona kwakunye nabantwana babo. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Nakubeni lo myezo washiyeka ungahlali mntu, kubonakala ngathi wahlala ukhona de yanguNogumbe wexesha likaNowa.

⁶ Abanye abantu basenokuzibuza, ‘Ngaba iya kuze iphinde ibe khona iParadesi apha emhlabeni?’ Ithini yona iBhayibhile? Ukuba unethemba lokuphila eParadesi nabantu obathandayo, ngaba unezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nelo themba? Ungakwazi ukucacisela abanye ukuba kutheni uqinisekile ukuba iParadesi iza kuba khona?

7, 8. (a) UThixo wamthembisa ntoni uAbraham? (b) Inoba esi sithembiso samenza wacinga ngantoni uAbraham?

⁷ Eyona ncwadi inokusiphendulela imibuzo esinayo ngeParadesi yiBhayibhile, kuba iphefumlelwe nguMdali weParadesi yokuqala. Khawucinge ngento uThixo awayixelela umhlobo wakhe uAbraham. UThixo wathi uza kuyandisa imbewu ka-Abraham ‘njengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle.’ Emva koko uYehova wenza esi sithembiso sibalulekileyo: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba kuba uliphulaphule ilizwi lam.” (Gen. 22:17, 18) UThixo wasiphinda esi sithembiso kunyana nakumzukulwana ka-Abraham.​—Funda iGenesis 26:4; 28:14.

⁸ Ayikho eBhayibhileni into ethi uAbraham wayecinga ukuba abantu baza kuphila kwiparadesi esezulwini. Ngoko xa uThixo wathi “zonke iintlanga zomhlaba” ziza kusikelelwa, uAbraham wayesenokucinga ukuba ziza kusikelelwa apha emhlabeni. Esi sithembiso sasivela kuThixo, ngoko loo nto yayibonisa ukuba iimeko zaziza kuba ngcono kuzo “zonke iintlanga zomhlaba.” Kodwa, ngaba bukhona obunye ubungqina obubonisa ukuba kuza kubakho iparadesi apha emhlabeni?

9, 10. Zeziphi izithembiso ezisenza siqiniseke ngeparadesi ezayo?

⁹ UDavide, ongomnye wesizukulwana sikaAbraham, wathetha ngexesha elizayo laxa lowo ‘ungendawo engekho.’ (INdu. 37:1, 2, 10) Bona “abalulamileyo baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, baziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngobuninzi boxolo.” UDavide waphinda wathi: “Amalungisa aya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, ahlale kuwo ngonaphakade.” (INdu. 37:11, 29; 2 Sam. 23:2) Ucinga ukuba ezi zithembiso zabenza bacinga ntoni abantu ababefuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezo zithembiso zabenza balindela ukuba, xa kuphila amalungisa kuphela emhlabeni, ekuhambeni kwexesha wawuza kuba yiparadesi kwakhona njengomyezo wase-Eden.

 ¹⁰ Ekuhambeni kwexesha, amaSirayeli awayesithi akhonza uYehova amlahla, alahla nonqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngenxa yoko, uThixo wavumela amaBhabhiloni ukuba oyise abantu bakhe, onakalise ilizwe labo, aze athimbe abaninzi kubo. (2 Kron. 36:15-21; Yer. 4:22-27) Kodwa abaprofeti bakaThixo bathi abantu bakhe baza kubuyela kwilizwe labo emva kweminyaka eyi-70. Ezo ziprofeto zazaliseka. Kodwa zikhona izinto ezisixelela zona nathi. Njengokuba siza kuthetha ngazo, qaphela indlela ezisiqinisekisa ngayo ngeparadesi eza kuba lapha emhlabeni.

11. Wazaliseka njani uIsaya 11:6-9? Ngowuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

¹¹ Funda uIsaya 11:6-9. Esebenzisa umprofeti uIsaya, uThixo wathi xa abakhonzi bakhe bebuyela kwilizwe labo, akukho nto yayiza kubenzakalisa, bengazukuhlaselwa nazizilwanyana eziyingozi okanye abantu abakhohlakeleyo. Wonke umntu wayeza kube ekhuselekile. Ngaba le nto ayikukhumbuzi ngomyezo wase-Eden? (Isa. 51:3) Eso siprofeto saphinda sathi umhlaba wonke, hayi nje uhlanga lakwaSirayeli kuphela, uza “kuzaliswa kukwazi uYehova njengamanzi egubungele ulwandle.” Iza kwenzeka nini loo nto?

12. (a) Abantu ababebuya ekuthinjweni bafumana eziphi iintsikelelo? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uIsaya 35:5-10 uza kuzaliseka nakwixesha elizayo?

¹² Funda uIsaya 35:5-10. UIsaya waphinda wayibethelela into yokuba xa amaSirayeli ebuyela kwilizwe lawo ayengazukuhlaselwa zizilwanyana okanye abantu. Ilizwe lawo laliza kuba neziqhamo ezininzi, kuba kwakuza kubakho amanzi amaninzi njengokuba kwakunjalo kumyezo wase-Eden. (Gen. 2:10-14; Yer. 31:12) Ngaba esi siprofeto sasiza kuzaliseka kumaSirayeli kuphela? Abukho ubungqina obubonisa ukuba abantu ababesuka ekuthinjweni baphiliswa ngendlela engummangaliso. Ngokomzekelo, iimfama azizange ziphinde zibone. Ngoko uThixo wayebonisa ukuba uza kubaphilisa kwixesha elizayo abantu.

13, 14. UIsaya 65:21-23 wazaliseka njani kumaSirayeli awayebuya ekuthinjweni, ibe yeyiphi indawo aseza kuzaliseka kuyo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹³ Funda uIsaya 65:21-23. Xa amaSirayeli ayebuya ekuthinjweni awazange afikele kwizindlu ezintle, kumasimi alinyiweyo nemithi yeediliya. Kodwa izinto zatshintsha ethubeni, kuba uThixo wayewasikelela. Inoba avuya nyhani akwakha izindlu aza ahlala kuzo! Ayenokutyala aze atye ukutya okumnandi.

¹⁴ Esi siprofeto sibonisa ukuba imihla yethu iya kuba “njengemihla yomthi.” Eminye imithi iphila iminyaka engaphaya kwamawaka. Kungafuneka abantu babe sempilweni ukuze baphile ubomi obude kangaka. Ukuba abantu bangaphila phantsi kweemeko uIsaya awayethetha ngazo, iya kuba yiparadesi nyhani leyo! Siza kuzaliseka nesi siprofeto!

15. Iziprofeto ezikwincwadi kaIsaya zithi siza kusikelelwa njani?

¹⁵ Ezi zithembiso sithethe ngazo zibonisa ukuba kuza kubakho iparadesi apha emhlabeni. Bonke abantu baza kusikelelwa nguThixo. Akukho mntu uza koyika ukuhlaselwa zizilwanyana nangabantu abakhohlakeleyo. Bonke abantu abangaboniyo, abangevayo nabaziziqhwala baza kuphiliswa. Abantu baza kuzakhela izindlu zabo baze batye izinto abazityalileyo. Baza kuphila ixesha elide ukodlula imithi. YiBhayibhile esiqinisekisayo ukuba siza kuphila kwiparadesi elolu hlobo. Kodwa ke, abanye abantu banokuthi ezi ziprofeto azithethi kuthi kuza kubakho iparadesi apha emhlabeni. Ungamphendula njani umntu othetha loo nto? Sesiphi isizathu esikwenza uqiniseke ukuba  kuza kubakho iparadesi apha emhlabeni? Oyena mntu ubalulekileyo wakha waphila wasinika isizathu esibambekayo.

16, 17. UYesu wathetha nini ngeParadesi?

¹⁶ UYesu wabanjwa engenzanga nto, waza waxhonywa epalini namabanjwa amabini angamaYuda ukuze afele khona. Ngaphambi kokuba afe, elinye kula mabanjwa layivuma into yokuba uYesu ungukumkani, laza lacela le nto: “Yesu, uze undikhumbule xa uthe wangena ebukumkanini bakho.” (Luka 23:39-42) Impendulo kaYesu iyakuchaphazela nawe. Ifumaneka kuLuka 23:43. Abanye abaphengululi babeka isiphumlisi ngaphambi kwegama elithi “namhlanje” baze bayiguqulele ngokuthi: “Inene ndithi kuwe, namhlanje uya kuba nam eParadesi.” Abantu bathetha izinto ezingafaniyo ngendawo esimele sibe kuyo esi siphumlisi. Kodwa uYesu wayethetha ukuthini xa esithi “namhlanje?”

¹⁷ Kwiilwimi zanamhlanje, iziphumlisi zidla ngokusetyenziswa ukuze yenziwe icace loo nto ibhaliweyo, kodwa ke kwimibhalo yesiGrike yakudala, zazingasoloko zisetyenziswa. Ngoko, umbuzo ophakamayo ngulo: Ngaba uYesu wayesithi, “Inene ndithi kuwe, namhlanje uya kuba nam eParadesi”? Okanye wayesithi, “Inene ndithi kuwe namhlanje, uya kuba nam eParadesi”? Abaguquleli bafaka isiphumlisi phambi okanye emva kwegama elithi “namhlanje” ngokusuka kwinto abacinga ukuba yayithethwa nguYesu, ibe ungazifumana zombini ezi ndlela kwiiBhayibhile zanamhlanje.

18, 19. Yintoni esinceda siqonde oko kwakuthethwa nguYesu?

¹⁸ Khumbula ukuba ngaphambili uYesu wayethe kubafundi bakhe: “UNyana womntu uya kuba sembilinini womhlaba iimini ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.” Waphinda wathi: “UNyana womntu umiselwe ukuba angcatshwe ezandleni zabantu, kwaye baya kumbulala, aze abuye avuke ngomhla wesithathu.” (Mat. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22, 23; Marko 10:34) Umpostile uPetros wathi yenzeka loo nto. (IZe. 10:39, 40) Ngoko uYesu nela banjwa abazange baye eParadesi ngala mini bafa ngayo. UYesu wayesengcwabeni [okanye “eHadesi”] kangangeentsuku, de uThixo wamvusa.​—IZe. 2:31, 32. *

¹⁹ Ngoko siyabona ukuba uYesu waqala ngokuthi kwela banjwa: “Inene ndithi kuwe namhlanje.” Kwakuthethwa ngolu hlobo nangexesha likaMoses. Wathi: “La mazwi ndikuyalela wona namhlanje amele abe sentliziyweni yakho.”​—Dut. 6:6; 7:11; 8:1, 19; 30:15.

20. Yeyiphi enye into evumelana nendlela esiwaqonda ngayo amazwi kaYesu?

²⁰ Umguquleli weBhayibhile wakuMbindi Mpuma wathi xa ethetha ngempendulo kaYesu: “Elona gama libalulekileyo kula vesi lelithi ‘namhlanje,’ ibe imele ithi, ‘Inene ndithi kuwe namhlanje, uya kuba nam eParadesi.’ Sisithembiso esenziwa ngala mini, kodwa yona into eyayithenjiswa yayiza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo. Le yindlela abathetha ngayo abantu baseMpuma kwaye ibonisa ukuba esa sithembiso senziwa ngosuku oluthile yaye sasiza kugcinwa nakanjani na.” Inguqulelo yakudala kakhulu yolwimi lwaseSiriya iwaguqulela ngolu hlobo amazwi kaYesu: “Amen, ndithi kuwe namhlanje uza kuba nam kuMyezo WaseEden.” Sonke simele sikhuthazeke sesi sithembiso.

21. Yintoni elalingayazi ela banjwa, ibe ngoba?

 ²¹ Ela banjwa lalingazi ukuba uYesu wenze isivumelwano sokuphila ezulwini kunye nabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo. (Luka 22:29) Ngapha koko, lalingabhaptizwanga nokubhaptizwa. (Yoh. 3:3-6, 12) Ngoko kumele ukuba uYesu wayelithembisa ngeparadesi esemhlabeni. Emva kweminyaka ethile, umpostile uPawulos wathetha ngombono wendoda ‘eyathatyathelwa eparadesi.’ (2 Kor. 12:1-4) Ngokungafaniyo nela banjwa, uPawulos kunye nabanye abapostile babekhethwe ukuze balawule ezulwini noYesu. UPawulos wayethetha ngeparadesi ezayo. * Ngaba loo paradesi iza kuba lapha emhlabeni? Uza kuba khona?

22, 23. Yintoni onokuyilindela eparadesi?

²² Khumbula ukuba uDavide wathetha ngexesha laxa ‘amalungisa eya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba.’ (INdu. 37:29; 2 Pet. 3:13) UDavide wayethetha ngexesha apho wonke umntu emhlabeni eza kube esenza izinto ezithandwa nguThixo. Isiprofeto esikuIsaya 65:22 sithi: “Njengemihla yomthi iya kuba njalo imihla yabantu bam.” Le nto ibonisa ukuba abantu baza kuphila iminyaka engaphezu kwamawaka. Ngaba iza kwenzeka nyhani loo nto? Ewe, ngokutsho kweSityhilelo 21:1-4, uThixo uza kubasikelela abantu, ibe enye indlela abaza kusikelelwa ngayo kukupheliswa kokufa.

²³ Itsho yacaca into ethethwa yiBhayibhile ngeparadesi. UAdam noEva baphoswa lithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade eParadesi, kodwa umhlaba uza kuba yiparadesi kwakhona. UThixo wathembisa ukuba uza kubasikelela abantu apha emhlabeni. UDavide wathi abantu abalulamileyo nabalungileyo baza kuhlala emhlabeni ngonaphakade. Iziprofeto ezikwincwadi kaIsaya zisenza siyijonge ngamehl’ abomvu le paradesi intle iza kube ilapha emhlabeni. Iza kubakho nini? Xa kusenzeka la nto uYesu wayeyithembise ela banjwa lomYuda. Nawe ungakhona. Iza kutsho yenzeke into eyayithethwe ngabazalwana noodade ababekwindibano yaseKorea besithi: “Sakubonana eParadesi!”