Ikhambi Okuwukuphela Kwalo!

INDODA okuthiwa uLazaru nawodadewabo, uMarta noMariya, bahlala eBhethaniya, umzana ongamakhilomitha amathathu ukusuka eJerusalema. Ngolunye usuku umngane wabo uJesu engekho, uLazaru ugula kakhulu. Odadewabo bakhathazeka kakhulu ngaye. Bathumela umyalezo kuJesu. Sekudlule isikhathi esithile ewutholile umyalezo, uJesu uyahamba ayobona uLazaru. Endleleni, uJesu utshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uya eBhethaniya ukuyovusa uLazaru ebuthongweni. Abafundi baqale bangaqondi kahle, kodwa uJesu uyacacisa athi: “ULazaru ufile.”—Johane 11:1-14.

Lapho uJesu efika ethuneni likaLazaru, uqala ngokunikeza umyalo wokuba kususwe itshe elivale umnyango wethuna. Ngemva kokuthandaza ngokuzwakalayo, uyayala: “Lazaru, phuma!” ULazaru uyaphuma. Lo muntu obesenezinsuku ezine efile usevusiwe.—Johane 11:38-44.

Indaba kaLazaru ibonisa ukuthi uvuko yilona khambi lokufa. Kodwa ingabe lesi simangaliso sokuvuswa kukaLazaru senzeka ngempela? IBhayibheli lisilandisa njengento eyenzeka. Funda ukulandisa okukuJohane 11:1-44, uzobona ukuthi imininingwane elapho icace kangakanani. Uyakuphika yini ukuthi senzeka? Ukusiphika kungakwenza ukungabaze ukuba yiqiniso kwazo zonke izimangaliso ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini, kuhlanganise novuko lukaJesu Kristu ngokwakhe. IBhayibheli lithi: “Uma uKristu engavuswanga, ukholo lwenu alunamsebenzi.” (1 Korinte 15:17) Uvuko luyimfundiso eyinhloko yemiBhalo. (Hebheru 6:1, 2) Nokho, lisho ukuthini igama elithi “uvuko”?

Kushiwoni Ngelithi “Uvuko”?

EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, igama elithi “uvuko” livela izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-40. Lihunyushwe egameni lesiGreki ngokwezwi nezwi elisho “ukuphinde usukume.” Igama lesiHebheru elifanayo lisho “ukuvuselela ofileyo.” Nokho, uma umuntu esefile, kuvuswani? Akunakuba umzimba, obolayo ubuyele othulini lomhlabathi. Akuvuswa umzimba ofanayo kodwa kuvuswa umuntu ofanayo owafa. Ngakho, uvuko luhilela ukubuyisela indlela yomuntu yokuphila—ubuntu bakhe, umlando wakhe nayo yonke imininingwane emenza ahluke kwabanye.

UJehova uNkulunkulu onenkumbulo ephelele, akanankinga yokukhumbula izindlela zokuphila zalabo abafile. (Isaya 40:26) Njengoba enguMsunguli wokuphila, uJehova angamvusa kalula umuntu ofanayo ngomzimba owakhiwe kabusha. (IHubo 36:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli lithi uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘uyakulangazelela’—unesifiso esiqotho—ukuvusa abafileyo. (Jobe 14:14, 15) Yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani ngokuthi akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi ukuvusa umuntu ofile kodwa futhi uyafisa ukukwenza!

UJesu Kristu naye unendima ebalulekile ekuvuseni abafileyo. Esikhathini esingaphezudlwana konyaka ngemva kokuba eqale inkonzo yakhe, uJesu wathi: “Njengoba nje uYise evusa abafileyo futhi ebaphilisa, kanjalo neNdodana iyabaphilisa efuna ukubaphilisa.” (Johane 5:21) Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaLazaru akubonisi yini ukuthi uJesu Kristu unamandla futhi unesifiso sokuvusa abafileyo?

Kuthiwani ngomqondo wokuthi kukhona okuthile okungaphakathi kithi okuqhubeka kuphila ngemva kokuba sifile? Eqinisweni, imfundiso yovuko nomqondo wokungafi komphefumulo noma umoya womuntu akuhambisani.  Ukube bekunokuthile ngaphakathi kithi okuqhubeka kuphila ngemva kokufa, kungani bekuyodingeka uvuko? Udadewabo kaLazaru uMarta akazange akholelwe ukuthi ngesikhathi umfowabo efile, wayeqhubeka ephila endaweni ethile yomoya. Wayenokholo ovukweni. Lapho uJesu emqinisekisa: “Umfowenu uzovuka,” uMarta wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Johane 11:23, 24) Futhi lapho uLazaru esevusiwe, akalandisanga zindaba zokuphila kwangemva kokufa. Wayefile. IBhayibheli lithi: “Abafileyo bona abazi lutho. . . . Akukho msebenzi namacebo nalwazi nakuhlakanipha eShiyoli [ithuna elivamile lesintu], indawo oya kuyo.”—UmShumayeli 9:5, 10.

NgokweBhayibheli-ke, ikhambi lokufa okuwukuphela kwalo uvuko. Kodwa obani abayovuswa kulezi zigidi eziningi kangaka zabantu abafile, futhi bayovuselwaphi?

Obani Abayovuswa?

UJesu wathi: “Ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi [leNdodana] baphume.” (Johane 5:28, 29) Ngokwalesi sithembiso, abasemathuneni abayovuswa yilabo abasenkumbulweni kaJehova. Ngakho-ke, umbuzo uwukuthi, Kulaba bantu asebefile, obani ngempela abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu abalindele uvuko?

Incwadi yeBhayibheli yamaHebheru isahluko 11 inikeza uhlu lwamagama amadoda nabesifazane abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Bona kanye nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezife eminyakeni yamuva bayoba phakathi kwalabo abayovuswa. Kuthiwani ngabantu abangazange bahlangabezane nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuntula ulwazi? Ingabe nabo basenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu? Yebo, abaningi basenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu, ngoba iBhayibheli liyethembisa: “Kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.”—IzEnzo 24:15.

Nokho, akuwona wonke umuntu owake waphila oyovuka. IBhayibheli lithi: “Uma senza isono ngamabomu ngemva kokuba sesamukele ulwazi olunembile lweqiniso, awusekho umhlatshelo wesono osele, kodwa kukhona ukulindelwa okuthile kwesahlulelo  okwesabisayo.” (Hebheru 10:26, 27) Abanye baye benza izono ezingeke zithethelelwe. Abekho eHayidesi (ithuna elivamile lesintu) kodwa baseGehena, indawo efanekisela ukubhujiswa okuphakade. (Mathewu 23:33) Nokho, kumelwe siqaphele ukuba singaqageli ukuthi umuntu othile uyovuswa yini noma cha. KungokukaNkulunkulu lokho kwahlulela. Uyazi ukuthi obani abaseHayidesi nokuthi obani abaseGehena. Thina siyobe senza kahle ngokuphila ngendlela evumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu.

Obani Abayovuselwa Ezulwini?

Uvuko oluphawuleka kakhulu olukaJesu Kristu. ‘Wabulawa enyameni, kodwa waphiliswa emoyeni.’ (1 Petru 3:18) Akekho umuntu owayeseke wathola uvuko olunjalo ngaphambili. UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Akekho umuntu oye wanyukela ezulwini ngaphandle kwalowo owehla evela ezulwini, iNdodana yomuntu.” (Johane 3:13) Ngempela, iNdodana yomuntu yaba umuntu wokuqala ukuba avuswe njengomuntu womoya. (IzEnzo 26:23) Kwakusazolandela abanye. ImiBhalo ithi: “Yilowo nalowo esigabeni sakhe siqu: UKristu ulibo, kamuva kube yilabo abangabakaKristu phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe.”—1 Korinte 15:23.

Iqembu elincane labantu—“abangabakaKristu”—lizovuselwa ezulwini ngenjongo ekhethekile. (Roma 6:5) Liyobusa noKristu “njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 5:9, 10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, liyokhonza njengabapristi ngoba liyohlanganyela ekususeni imiphumela yesono isintu esasizuza kumuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu. (Roma 5:12) Labo abayobusa noKristu njengamakhosi nabapristi bangu-144 000. (IsAmbulo 14:1, 3) Bathola umzimba onjani lapho bevuswa? IBhayibheli lithi, “umzimba womoya.” Lo mzimba uyobenza bakwazi ukuphila ezulwini.—1 Korinte 15:35, 38, 42-45.

Uvuko lwasezulwini lwenzeka nini? “Phakathi nokuba khona [kukaKristu],” kuphendula eyoku-1 Korinte 15:23. Kusukela ngo-1914 izenzakalo zezwe zibonisa ngokusobala ukuthi kokubili ukuba khona kukaKristu ‘nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ kwaqala ngalowo nyaka. (Mathewu 24:3-7) Ngakho kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ukuvuselwa ezulwini kwamaKristu athembekile sekuqalile, nakuba kungabonakali kubantu. Lokho kuyosho ukuthi abaphostoli namaKristu okuqala sebevuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini. Kuthiwani ngamaKristu aphilayo manje anethemba eliqinisekile alinikezwe uNkulunkulu lokuyobusa noKristu ezulwini? Avuswa “ngokuphazima kweso,” noma masinyane ngemva kokufa. (1 Korinte 15:52) Njengoba uvuko lwaleli qembu elincane labangu-144 000 lwandulela oloquqaba lwalabo abayovuselwa emhlabeni, lubizwa ngokuthi ‘ukuvuka kokuqala,’ nangokuthi ‘uvuko lokuqala.’—Filipi 3:11; IsAmbulo 20:6.

Obani Abayovuselwa Emhlabeni?

NgokwemiBhalo, iningi labantu abafile liyovuswa. (IHubo 37:29; Mathewu 6:10) Echaza umbono ovusa amadlingozi wabavusiwe, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidesi kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho, bahlulelwa ngamunye ngokwezenzo zabo. Ukufa neHayidesi kwaphonswa echibini lomlilo. Lokhu kusho ukufa kwesibili, ichibi lomlilo.” (IsAmbulo 20:11-14) Labo abaseHayidesi, noma eShiyoli—ithuna elivamile lesintu—basenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu. Ukufa kuyobadedela bonke ngothi lwabo. (IHubo 16:10; IzEnzo 2:31) Ngamunye kubo uyokwahlulelwa ngokwezenzo zakhe zangemva kokuvuswa. Kuyobe sekwenzekani-ke ngokufa neHayidesi? Kuyophonswa “echibini lomlilo.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukufa abantu abakuzuza ku-Adamu ngeke kusaphinde kubakhathaze.

Cabanga ukuthi isithembiso sovuko sibanika ithemba elijabulisa kangakanani labo abaye bashonelwa umuntu abamthandayo! Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba umfelokazi waseNayini wajabula kangakanani lapho uJesu evusa indodana yakhe okwakuwukuphela kwayo!  (Luka 7:11-17) Ngokuphathelene nabazali bentombazane eneminyaka engu-12 uJesu ayivusa, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ngaso leso sikhathi bagajwa yinjabulo enkulu.” (Marku 5:21-24, 35-42; Luka 8:40-42, 49-56) Ngempela, ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu elithenjisiwe, kuyosilethela injabulo ukwamukela abantu esibathandayo bebuya ekufeni.

Ukwazi iqiniso ngovuko kungaba naliphi ithonya kithi manje? I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Abantu abaningi bayakwesaba ukufa futhi bazama ukukugwema ukucabanga ngakho.” Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi kubantu abaningi ukufa kuyimfihlakalo—into engaziwa okumelwe yesatshwe. Ukwazi iqiniso ngesimo sabafileyo nokuba nethemba ngovuko kungasinika isibindi uma kwenzeka sibhekana ‘nesitha sokugcina, ukufa.’ (1 Korinte 15:26) Lolu lwazi lwenza kube lula ukukhuthazelela usizi olusifikelayo lapho sishonelwa umngane oseduze noma isihlobo.

Luyoqala nini uvuko lwasemhlabeni? Umhlaba namuhla ugcwele ubudlova, umbango, ukuchithwa kwegazi nokungcola. Ukube abafileyo bebeyovuselwa emhlabeni onje, ngokuqinisekile noma iyiphi injabulo ibingaba eyesikhashana. Nokho, uMdali usithembise ukuthi sekuseduze aliqede leli zwe lanamuhla elilawulwa uSathane. (IzAga 2:21, 22; Daniyeli 2:44; 1 Johane 5:19) Injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba isizogcwaliseka. Khona-ke, ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu elinokuthula izigidigidi zabantu manje abalele ubuthongo bokufa ziyophaphama.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Iningi labantu abafile liyovuselwa emhlabeni