UMA kunjalo, ungathola induduzo ngokwazi ukuthi uSuku Lokwahlulela luyilungiselelo lothando eliyoletha izibusiso ezinkulu emkhayeni wesintu—kuhlanganise nakulabo asebafa. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Kungani ludingeka uSuku Lokwahlulela? Yini eyokwenzeka ngalolo “suku”?

Lapho uNkulunkulu ebeka abantu emhlabeni, wayengahlosile ukuba ube yindawo yokuhlola ukuthi bangaphila yini kwenye indawo. Wadala abantu ukuze baphile phakade emhlabeni. Nakuba wawuphelele ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo, umbhangqwana wokuqala awumlalelanga uNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, walahlekelwa ithuba lokuphila phakade futhi waletha isono nokufa kuyo yonke inzalo yawo.—Genesise 2:15-17; Roma 5:12.

USuku Lokwahlulela luyoba inkathi eyiminyaka eyinkulungwane lapho abantu beyoba nethuba lokuphinde bathole lokho okwalahlwa u-Adamu no-Eva. * Phawula ukuthi izEnzo 17:31 ezicashunwe ngenhla, zithi uSuku Lokwahlulela luyothinta labo abaphila “emhlabeni owakhiwe.” Labo abayothola isahlulelo sokuphila bayophila emhlabeni futhi bajabulele ukuphila phakade ngaphansi kwezimo ezinhle ngokuphelele. (IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Ngakho, uSuku Lokwahlulela luyasiza ekufezeni injongo yokuqala kaNkulunkulu ngabantu nangomhlaba.

UJesu Kristu unguMahluleli omiswe uNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli lithi uJesu ‘uyokwahlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo.’ (2 Thimothewu 4:1) Yibaphi “abaphilayo” abayokwahlulelwa? Bayophinde baphile kanjani abafileyo “emhlabeni owakhiwe?”

Manje sesisondele esiphelweni esabikezelwa salesi simiso sezinto, lapho uNkulunkulu ezobhubhisa yonke iminonjana yokukhohlakala komphakathi wesintu futhi asuse nababi.  Abayosinda ekupheleni kwalesi simiso kuyoba “abaphilayo” abayokwahlulelwa.—IsAmbulo 7:9-14; 19:11-16.

Phakathi naleyo nkathi yokwahlulela, eyothatha iminyaka eyinkulungwane, uJesu Kristu kanye nabangu-144 000 abangamadoda nabesifazane abavuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini bayobusa umhlaba. Bayoba ngamakhosi nabapristi, beqondisa izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo nokubuyiselwa kwabantu ekupheleleni ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo.—IsAmbulo 5:10; 14:1-4; 20:4-6.

Phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela, uSathane namademoni akhe bayovinjelwa ukuba babe nethonya kunoma yini eyenziwa abantu. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Kodwa, ekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela, uSathane uyovunyelwa ukuba avivinye ukwethembeka kwabo bonke abayobe bephila ngaleso sikhathi. Labo abayohlala beqotho kuNkulunkulu bayobe belunqobile uvivinyo olwehlula u-Adamu no-Eva. Bayotholakala bekufanelekela ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade ePharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni. Labo abakhethe ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu bayobhujiswa phakade, kuhlanganise noSathane namademoni.—IsAmbulo 20:7-9.

IBhayibheli lithi phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela, abafile “bayovuka.” (Mathewu 12:41) UJesu wathi “ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi layo baphume, abenze okuhle baphumele ovukweni lokuphila, ababenomkhuba wokwenza okubi ovukweni lokwahlulelwa.” (Johane 5:28, 29) Lokhu akusho imiphefumulo ehlukene nemizimba yalabo abafile. Abafile abazi lutho neze futhi abanawo umphefumulo osindayo lapho befa. (UmShumayeli 9:5; Johane 11:11-14, 23, 24) UJesu uyovusa labo abafile baphinde baphile emhlabeni.

Ingabe ukwahlulelwa kwalabo abavusiwe kuyobe kusekelwe ezintweni abazenza ngaphambili? Cha. IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi “lowo ofile ukhululiwe esonweni sakhe.” (Roma 6:7) Ngakho, njengalabo abayosinda esiphelweni salesi simiso sezinto, labo abavuselwe ukuphila emhlabeni bayokwahlulelwa “ngokwezenzo zabo” phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela. (IsAmbulo 20:12, 13) Kuye ngomphumela wezenzo zabo zangaleyo nkathi, lokhu kuyoba ukuvuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade noma ukuvuswa okunomphumela wokubhujiswa. Abaningi kulabo abavusiwe bayokwazi okokuqala ngqa ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nezindinganiso zakhe. Bayoba nethuba lokuphila ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu futhi bathole ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.

USuku Lokwahlulela ngeke nje lube yinkathi yokufundiswa uNkulunkulu kodwa luyoba nayinkathi yokuba labo abaphilayo basebenzise lokho abakufundayo futhi bajabulele izibusiso eziwumphumela wakho. Ake ucabange ngenjabulo oyoba nayo lapho usuhlangana nabathandekayo bakho abavusiwe futhi usuthuthukela nasekupheleleni kanye nabo!

UNkulunkulu uyovumela uSathane ukuba avivinye ukwethembeka kwezidalwa ezingabantu ekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela. Kodwa asikho isidingo sokuba zikhathazeke noma zesabe. Ngasekupheleni koSuku Lokwahlulela, bonke abaphilayo bayobe bekuhlomele ngokuphelele ukubhekana nesivivinyo sokugcina. Ngakho-ke uSuku Lokwahlulela luyoba ingxenye yokugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokulungisa yonke imiphumela yokungamlaleli kokuqala uNkulunkulu kwasensimini yase-Edene.