Ukuvumela KukaNkulunkulu Ukuhlupheka Sekuzophela

YONKE indawo lapho ubheka khona, kugcwele ukuhlupheka. Abanye abantu bazibangela bona ngokwabo kona. Bathola izifo ezidluliselwa ngobulili noma babhekane nemiphumela yokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa noma utshwala noma yokubhema. Noma bangase babe nezinkinga zempilo ngenxa yemikhuba emibi yokudla. Nokho, ukuhlupheka okuningi kubangelwa yizici noma izenzakalo ezingenakulawulwa umuntu ovamile: izimpi, udlame lobuhlanga, ubugebengu, ubumpofu, indlala nezifo. Ukuhlupheka okubangelwa ukuguga nokufa kungenye into abantu abangenakuyilawula.

IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Pho, kungani uNkulunkulu oluthando evumele konke lokhu kuhlupheka ukuba kuqhubeke amakhulu eminyaka amaningi kangaka? Uyosilungisa nini isimo? Ukuze siphendule imibuzo enjalo, kudingeka sihlole injongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene nabantu. Lokhu kuzosisiza siqonde ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu evumele ukuhlupheka nokuthi yini azoyenza ngako.

Isipho Senkululeko Yokuzikhethela

Lapho uNkulunkulu edala umuntu wokuqala, wakha okungaphezu  nje komzimba onobuchopho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu akabenzanga o-Adamu no-Eva baba ngonodoli abangacabangi. Wabanika inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Futhi leso kwakuyisipho esihle, ngoba “uNkulunkulu wabona konke akwenzileyo; bheka, kwakukuhle kakhulu.” (Genesise 1:31) Yebo, “umsebenzi wakhe uphelele.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Sonke siyasazisa lesi sipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela ngoba asifuni ukunqunyelwa konke esingakucabanga nesingakwenza, singabi nathuba lokuzikhethela noma yini.

Nokho, ingabe lesi sipho esihle senkululeko yokuzikhethela kwakufanele sisetshenziswe ngaphandle kwemingcele? Eziyalezweni ezanikwa amaKristu okuqala, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphendula: “Yibani njengabantu abakhululekile, kodwa nokho ningaphathi inkululeko yenu njengesembozo sobubi, kodwa njengezigqila zikaNkulunkulu.” (1 Petru 2:16) Ukuze kuzuze wonke umuntu, kumelwe kube nemingcele. Ngakho, ikhono lokuzikhethela kwakufanele lilawulwe umthetho. Ngale kwalokho, kwakuyoba kwampunzi idla emini.

Umthetho Kabani?

Umthetho kabani okwakufanele ubeke imingcele efanele yenkululeko? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ihlobene nesizathu esiyinhloko sokuvumela kukaNkulunkulu ukuhlupheka. Njengoba kunguNkulunkulu owadala abantu, nguye owazi kangcono ukuthi yimiphi imithetho okudingeka bayilalele ukuze basizakale, bona nabanye. IBhayibheli likubeka kanje: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okufundisile okukusizayo; okuholile ngendlela omelwe ukuhamba ngayo.”—Isaya 48:17.

Kusobala ukuthi iphuzu elibalulekile yileli: Abantu abadalelwanga ukuba bazibuse ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. Wabenza ngendlela yokuba ukuphumelela nokujabula kwabo kuxhomeke ekulaleleni imithetho yakhe elungile. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uJeremiya wathi: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”—Jeremiya 10:23.

UNkulunkulu wenza abantu kwadingeka balalele imithetho yakhe yemvelo, njengomthetho wamandla adonsela phansi. Ngokufanayo, wenza abantu kwadingeka balalele nemithetho yakhe yokuziphatha, eklanyelwe ukwenza umphakathi onokuvumelana. Khona-ke, ngesizathu esihle, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyanxusa: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda.”—IzAga 3:5.

Ngakho, umkhaya wabantu wawungeke neze uphumelele ukuziqondisa ngokwawo ngaphandle kokubusa kukaNkulunkulu. Bezama ukukhululeka kuye, abantu babeyokwakha izimiso ezingqubuzanayo zenhlalo, zezomnotho, zezombangazwe nezenkolo, futhi ‘umuntu wayeyobusa omunye kube ngukulimala kwakhe.’—UmShumayeli 8:9.

Konakalaphi?

UNkulunkulu wanika abazali bethu bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, isiqalo esiphelele. Babenemizimba nezingqondo eziphelele nekhaya  eliyingadi eyipharadesi. Ukube babezithobile ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu, babeyohlala bephelele futhi bejabule. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, babeyoba ngabazali bomkhaya wesintu ophelele wonke nojabulayo emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Kwakuyileyo injongo kaNkulunkulu ngohlanga lwesintu.—Genesise 1:27-29; 2:15.

Nokho, okhokho bethu bokuqala bayisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela. Benza iphutha ngokuzitshela ukuthi babengaphumelela ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. Ngokuzithandela, beqela ngale kwemingcele eyimithetho yakhe. (Genesise, isahluko 3) Ngenxa yokuthi babekwenqabile ukubusa kwakhe, akabange esaba nasibopho sokubagcina bephelele. ‘Babonile kuye; abaqhubekanga bengabantwana bakhe, kwakuyisici sabo.’—Duteronomi 32:5.

Kusukela ngesikhathi abangamlalelanga ngaso uNkulunkulu, u-Adamu no-Eva baqala ukuwohloka emzimbeni nasengqondweni. UJehova ungumthombo wokuphila. (IHubo 36:9) Ngakho ngenxa yokuzihlukanisa noJehova, umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu waba ongaphelele, wagcina ufile. (Genesise 3:19) Ngokuvumelana nemithetho yofuzo, inzalo yabo yayiyothola lokho abazali bayo ababenako. Kwakuyini lokho? Kwakuwukungapheleli nokufa. Ngakho-ke, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.”—Roma 5:12.

Impikiswano Enkulu—Ngubani Onelungelo Lokubusa?

Lapho u-Adamu no-Eva bevukela uNkulunkulu, babekela ubukhosi bakhe inselele, okungukuthi, ilungelo lakhe lokubusa. UJehova wayengababhubhisa abese eqala kabusha ngomunye umbhangqwana, kodwa lokho kwakungeke kuphendule umbuzo wokuthi okukabani ukubusa okulungile nokubafanele kahle kakhulu abantu. Lapho benikwa isikhathi sokuba bathuthukise imiphakathi yabo ngokwemibono yabo, abantu babeyobonisa ngendlela engenakungatshazwa ukuthi ukuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu kuyoke kuphumelele yini.

Zisitshelani izinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando wesintu? Kuwo wonke lawo makhulu eminyaka, abantu baye bazama izinhlobo eziningi zezimiso zezenhlalo, zezomnotho, zezombangazwe nezenkolo. Nokho, ububi nokuhlupheka kuye kwaqhubeka. Eqinisweni, ‘abantu ababi baye baqhubeka besuka kokubi baya kokubi kakhulu,’ ikakhulu esikhathini sethu.—2 Thimothewu 3:13.

Ekhulwini lama-20 kuye kwafezwa izinto ezinkulu kakhulu kuyisayensi nakwezezimboni. Kodwa futhi kwaba nokuhlupheka okubi kunakho konke kuwo wonke umlando wohlanga lwesintu. Futhi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iyiphi intuthuko yezokwelapha eba khona, umthetho kaNkulunkulu usalokhu uyiqiniso: Uma abantu behlukene noNkulunkulu—umthombo wokuphila—bayagula, baguge bafe. Yeka indlela okuye kwabonakala ngokucace ngayo ukuthi abantu ‘abanakuziqondisa izinyathelo zabo’!

Ilungelo LikaNkulunkulu Lokubusa Lifakazelwe

Le mizamo edabukisayo yokuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu iye yabonisa ngendlela engeke iphindwe ukuthi ukuzibusa kwabantu ngaphandle kwakhe akusoze kwaphumelela. Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu yikona kuphela okungaletha injabulo, ubunye, impilo nokuphila. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iZwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu elingenzi phutha, iBhayibheli Elingcwele, libonisa ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zokuzibusa kwabantu ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Ukuvumela kukaNkulunkulu lesi simo nobubi nokuhlupheka sekuzophela.

Maduze nje, uNkulunkulu uzongenela ezindabeni zesintu. ImiBhalo iyasitshela: “Ezinsukwini zalawo makhosi [imibuso yabantu ekhona manje] uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso [ezulwini] ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu [abantu ngeke baphinde babuse umhlaba], kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke le mibuso [ekhona manje], wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

Ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu  ngoMbuso wasezulwini yisona sihloko seBhayibheli. UJesu wenza lokhu kwaba yimfundiso yakhe eyinhloko. Wathi: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”—Mathewu 24:14.

Lapho umbuso kaNkulunkulu uthatha isikhundla sokubusa kwabantu, obani abayosinda, obani abangeke basinde? KuzAga 2:21, 22, siyaqinisekiswa: “Abaqotho [abasekela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu] bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi [abangakusekeli ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu] bayakunqunywa ezweni.” Umhubi ophefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu wahlabelela: “Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu. Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHubo 37:10, 11, 29.

Izwe Elisha Elihle Ngokumangalisayo

Ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, abasinde ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto bayongeniswa emhlabeni ohlanziwe wasuswa ububi nokuhlupheka. Isintu siyothola imfundo evela kuNkulunkulu, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi “umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.” (Isaya 11:9) Le mfundo eyakhayo newusizo iyoveza umkhaya wesintu onokuthula nokuvumelana ngempela. Ngakho, ngeke kusaba nempi, ukubulalana, ubudlova, ukudlwengula, ukweba, nanoma yibuphi obunye ubugebengu.

Abantu abalalelayo abaphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu bayothola izinzuzo ezimangalisayo ezingokwenyama. Yonke imiphumela emibi yokuvukelwa kokubusa kukaNkulunkulu iyosuswa. Ukungapheleli, ukugula, ukuguga nokufa kuyoba yizinto zesikhathi esidlule. IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa: “Abakhe khona abayikusho ukuthi: ‘Ngiyagula.’” Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiBhalo iyathembisa: “Khona amehlo ezimpumputhe ayakuvulwa, zivuleke nezindlebe zezithulu. Khona unyonga luyakutshekula njengendluzele, nolimi lwesimungulu luyakuhuba.” (Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6) Yeka ukuthi kuyoba mnandi kanjani ukuhlala uwumqemane nsuku zonke—phakade!

Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu kothando, abakhé kulelo zwe elisha bayosebenzisa amandla namakhono abo ekwakheni ipharadesi lomhlaba wonke. Akusayophinde kube khona ukuhlupheka, ukulamba nokuswela amakhaya, ngoba isiprofetho sika-Isaya sithi: “Bayakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo; bayakutshala izivini, badle izithelo zazo. Abayikwakha, kuhlale omunye; abayikutshala, kudle omunye.” (Isaya 65:21, 22) Ngempela, “bayakuhlala, kube yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa.”—Mika 4:4.

Umhlaba uyovuma njengoba unakekelwa ngothando nguNkulunkulu nabantu abalalelayo. Sinalezi ziqinisekiso ezingokomBhalo: “Kuyakujabula ihlane nogwadule, kuthokoze uqwathule, lukhahlele njengentebe. . . . Ehlane kuyakubhoboka amanzi, nemifudlana  kwahlongasibi.” (Isaya 35:1, 6) “Kuyakuba khona inala kakolweni ezweni esiqongweni sezintaba.”—IHubo 72:16.

Kuthiwani ngezinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu abafile? Labo abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni, ngoba “luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Yebo, abafileyo bayovuselwa ekuphileni. Bayofundiswa amaqiniso amangalisayo amayelana nokubusa kukaNkulunkulu, banikwe nethuba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi.—Johane 5:28, 29.

Ngalokhu, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyosiqeda ngokuphelele isimo esibi sokuhlupheka, ukugula nokufa okuye kwaxhakathisa isintu izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ukugula kuyobe kungasekho! Ukukhubazeka kungasekho! Ukufa kungasekho! UNkulunkulu “uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni [abantu], futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili [ziyobe] zidlulile.”—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

Uyokuqeda kanjalo uNkulunkulu ukuhlupheka. Uzobhubhisa leli zwe elonakele, angenise isimiso sezinto esisha shá, ‘okuyohlala kuso ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:13) Yeka ukuthi yizindaba ezinhle kanjani lezi! Silidinga kakhulu lelo zwe elisha. Futhi ngeke kusadingeka silinde isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba silibone. Ngokokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli, siyazi ukuthi leli zwe elisha selisemnyango, futhi ukuvumela kukaNkulunkulu ukuhlupheka sekuzophela.—Mathewu 24:3-14.

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Ukuhluleka Kokubusa Kwabantu

Ngokuqondene nokubusa kwabantu, owayeyiShansela elingumJalimane, uHelmut Schmidt, wathi: “Thina bantu . . . besilokhu siwubusa ngokwengxenye kuphela umhlaba, futhi esikhathini esiningi [siwubusa] kabi kakhulu. . . . Asikaze siwubuse ngokuthula okuphelele.” I-Human Development Report 1999 yaphawula: “Wonke amazwe abika ukuwohloka kwezenhlalo kuwo, okubangela iziyaluyalu zomphakathi, ubugebengu obengeziwe, ubudlova obengeziwe ekhaya. . . . Izinto ezisongela umhlaba wonke ziyanda, ziba ngaphezu kwamandla amazwe okuzisingatha, futhi zishesha ngaphezu kokusabela kwezizwe zomhlaba.”

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‘Bayakuthokoza ngokuthula okukhulu.’—IHubo 37:11

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Third from top, mother and child: FAO photo/B. Imevbore; bottom, explosion: U.S. National Archives photo