Ukuphila Emhlabeni—Ingabe Kuyitshe Lokuwelela Ezulwini?

INGABE umhlaba umane nje uyindawo yokuba sizalelwe kuyo, siphile iminyaka embalwa yenkathazo futhi emva kwalokho, uma silungile, siwushiye siye ekuphileni kwenjabulo yaphakade ezulwini—noma, uma sibabi, siye ekuphileni endaweni yokuhlushwa yomlilo? Ingabe kuyofika isikhathi lapho umhlaba uyoshiswa ube ilahle?

Abaholi abaningi benkolo beLobukholwa bebengathi yebo. Ingabe uyavumelana nemibono enjalo? Nokho, lithini iBhayibheli ngomhlaba nangenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokudala umuntu phezu kwawo? IHubo 115:16 liphendula ngokufanele: “Izulu liyizulu likaJehova, kepha umhlaba wawunika abantwana babantu.”

Uma sibekela eceleni zonke izimfundiso zenkolo futhi sibheke embhalweni weBhayibheli sitshelwa ukuthi kusukela ekuqaleni nje kokuphila komuntu emhlabeni uNkulunkulu wenza umbhangqwana wokuqala ngomfanekiso waKhe nomfuziselo. (Genesise 1:26-28) Akukho ngisho nesiboniso sokuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabo yayiwukuthi bona nabantababo kamuva babeyokufa futhi baye ezulwini noma kwenye indawo. Njengoba babezobe befeza umsebenzi wabo abawunikwe uNkulunkulu ‘wokuzalana, bande, bagcwalise umhlaba,’ imbulunga kancane kancane yayiyogcwaliswa ngezizukulwane zabo.

Indawo ekhethekile, insimu yase-Edene, yalungiselelwa uNkulunkulu ukuze abantu bokuqala babe nekhaya eliphelele. Umbhalo uyalandisa: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wayesemthatha umuntu, wambeka ensimini yase-Edene ukuba ayilime, ayigcine.” (Genesise 2:8, 15) Lensimu yayiyonwetshwa ngokwesidingo, kuze kube yilapho umhlaba wonke ekugcineni usuyiPharadesi elinenala engenakulinganiswa yokudla okumnandi nokuphilisayo nenye ingcebo eningi engenakulinganiswa.

Ukuthi umhlaba wawuyoba okwengeziwe kunekhaya lesikhashana noma isinyathelo sokuya kwenye indawo kukhanyiswa ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu alandelayo kuAdamu: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wamyala umuntu, wathi: Ungadla kuyo yonke imithi yensimu ngokuthanda kwakho, kepha ungadli kuwo umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi, ngokuba mhla udla kuwo uyakufa nokufa.”—Genesise 2:16, 17.

Ngenkathi elingwa uDeveli, uEva futhi kamuva uAdamu abawulalelanga lomyalo futhi bathola isijeziso sikaNkulunkulu esifanelekile, ukufa. Kodwa zibuze, ‘Ingabe kunjani ukuba balalela?’ Incazelo ekhanyayo iwukuthi babeyoqhubeka bephila—bangafi. Yebo, uAdamu noEva ngabe basaphila nanamuhla, ngempilo ephelele nenjabulo.

Kuthiwani Ngekusasa Lomhlaba?

UAlbert Barnes, kweyakhe ethi Notes on the New Testament, ufingqa inkolelo evamile yeLobukholwa ngekusasa lomhlaba. Ngokubhekiselwe kweyesi-2 Petru 3:10, lomhlaziyi wabhala:

“Nomhlaba nemisebenzi yawo kuyakusha. Okusho ukuthi, noma kuyimisebenzi kaNkulunkulu noma yomuntu—yonke imifino nendalo eyizilwane, nazo zonke izinqaba, amadolobha, izindlu zobukhosi, imikhiqizo yezihlakaniphi, izinto ezipendiweyo, umsebenzi oqoshwe ngetshe, izincwadi ezenziwe umuntu.”

Njengoba kulandiswe lapha, umqondo weningi kweLobukholwa esikhathini eside uye waba ukuthi isikhathi siyofika lapho umhlaba ungasayikuba indawo yokuhlala yomuntu noma yanoma iyiphi into ephilayo. Umhlaba, ngombono wabantu abaningi abasontayo, uyobe usuyifezile injongo yawo, ngoba kubona umhlaba umane nje uyindawo ohlolwa kuyo ukuthi uyoya ezulwini noma esihogweni.

Nokho, kuleliphuzu uyokwenza kahle ukucabangela lokhu, Ingabe injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba nomuntu yashintsha ngenkathi uAdamu noEva bona? Uyothola ukuthi akukho noyedwa ongakhomba umbhalo owodwa weBhayibheli osho kanjalo. Ngokuphambene, eminyakeni eminingi ngemva kokuba umbhangqwana wokuqala wabantu wonile, umprofethi uIsaya waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale:

“Usho kanje uJehova, owalidala izulu, onguNkulunkulu, owawubumba umhlaba, wawenza, wawumisa, engawudalelanga ize, wawubumba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo.” UIsaya wacaphuna uJehova njengothi: “Icebo lami liyakuma, ngiyakwenza yonke intando yami.” (Isaya 45:18; 46:10) Umhubi naye wabhala ngaYe: “Ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane ukuthembeka kwakho kukhona; wamisa umhlaba [ngokuqinile, ukuze uqhubeke umile, NW].”—IHubo 119:90.

Ungabona ukuthi iBhayibheli kanjalo lisho ngokukhanyayo ukuthi uNkulunkulu, ekudaleni umhlaba, wawenza impahla yesikhathi sonke endaweni yonke nokuthi injongo yakhe eqinisekile ekuwudaleni yayiwukuthi uhlalwe ngabantu. Leyonjongo ayikashintshi. UNkulunkulu uyokwenza ukuthi injongo yakhe igcwaliseke ngokuphelele.

Kodwa ingabe iBhayibheli alibonisi yini ukuthi abanye abantu bayoya ezulwini? Yebo, iBhayibheli liyakufundisa ukuthi inani elilinganiselwe liya ezulwini ngesizathu esikhethekile. UNkulunkulu akabadingi abantu ezulwini; akabophekile futhi ukubayisa ezulwini ukuze abanikeze injabulo yaphakade. Uma kunjalo, kungani engabadalanga ezulwini kwasekuqaleni, ngaphandle kwazo zonke izinhlupheko nesiyaluyalu abaye badlula kuso lapho besemhlabeni?

Nokho, ngenkathi uAdamu noEva bekhetha ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu, ngokusebenzisa inkululeko yabo ayebanikeze yona njengezidalwa ezihlakaniphile, uNkulunkulu wathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha ukuba aqinisekise ukuthi injongo yakhe ngomhlaba nomuntu phezu kwawo iyofezeka. Yonke imininingwane yayingembulwanga kubantu kwaze kwaba amakhulu eminyaka kamuva. Nokho kuyakhanya ngokwembulwa kwalokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi ‘imfihlakalo engcwele’ ukuthi uNkulunkulu zisuka nje ngalesosikhathi wasungula injongo yakhe enhle yokuhlenga umuntu. Lokhu ‘kwakungaphambi kokusekelwa kwezwe,’ okungukuthi, ngaphambi kokuba uAdamu noEva bazale abantwana ababengase bahlengwe, njengendodana yabo ethembekile uAbela.—Roma 16:25; Efesu 1:4.

Ukuvezwa okuncane kwalenjongo kwanikezwa lapho kwenziwa isithembiso sokuthi “inzalo” yayiyozalwa “owesifazane” othile nokuthi ‘lenzalo’ yayiyochoboza ikhanda ‘lenyoka,’ ilethe inkululeko ezinkingeni ezaletha ukuhlubuka. (Genesise 3:14, 15) Njengokuvuleka kwembali enhle, ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ‘ngalenzalo’ kwakwembuleka ngokuqhubekayo kangangokuthi, ngemva kokufika kukaJesu, incazelo ‘yemfihlakalo engcwele’ yakhanya. Yebo, uNkulunkulu wakwenza kwaziwa ukuthi ‘lenzalo’ yayiyohlanganiswa kuphela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa nabakanye nayo abayizi-144 000 ‘ababezothengwa esintwini.’ Kanye noKristu bayokwenza uMbuso, noma uhulumeni omusha, phezu komhlaba.—IsAmbulo 14:3, 4; Galathiya 3:16, 26-29.

UNkulunkulu akazange amise kusengaphambili, noma akhethe kusengaphambili, abantu ngamagama ababezothathwa emhlabeni bayiswe emazulwini ukuba bayokwenza lohulumeni, kodwa wamisa kusengaphambili ukuthi iqembu elinjalo lalizokuba khona ngokwentando yakhe yaphezulu. Ukuthi obani ababezokhethelwa ukulihlanganisa, uNkulunkulu wayezonquma kamuva, ngemva kokuba iNdodana yakhe isiye yeza emhlabeni futhi isiye yavula indlela yokuya ekuphileni kwasezulwini.

Ngemva kokuba ‘lemfihlakalo engcwele’ seyembulwe ngokugcwele, umphostoli uPawulu, njengomunye wabakhethelwe ukuya ezulwini, wayengabhala ngayo ebhalela abanye ababenethemba elifanayo. Ngomusa ongafanelwe owaboniswa kanjalo uNkulunkulu, uPawulu wathi:

“[Umusa] awuvamisa kithi ngakho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda, esazisa imfihlakalo yentando yakhe njengokuzibonela kwakhe azimisele khona ngaphambili, kuze kube-yihlelo lokuphelela kwezikhathi lokuba kuhlanganiselwe ndawonye kuKristu konke okusezulwini nokusemhlabeni; kuyena esabelwa futhi ifa kuye, esakumiselwa ngaphambili [hhayi njengabantu ngabanye kodwa njengeqembu lenani elinqunyiwe] ngokwesimiso salowo osebenza izinto zonke ngokunquma kwentando yakhe.”—Efesu 1:8-11; IsAmbulo 14:1-4.

Umhlaba Ushiswe?

Kodwa kuthiwani ngamazwi kaPetru athi “izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelelwe umlilo”? (2 Petru 3:7) UPetru ngokusobala ngeke abhekisele emazulwini nomhlaba ongoqobo iBhayibheli elithi uyohlala phakade. (UmShumayeli 1:4) UNkulunkulu akanasizathu sokuphelisa amazulu ahlala kuwo, noma zonke izimbulunga ezingokoqobo zasezulwini. Futhi imbulunga ewumhlaba ngokwayo ayimnikanga sizathu sokuyibhubhisa, naphezu kwalokho abantu abaye bakwenza ekonakaliseni nasekungcoliseni ubuso bayo. UJehova ngokwakhe usitshela ukuthi ngenkathi umhlaba wawudalwa ngobungqayizivele bawo nobuhle amadodana akhe asezulwini “ahlabelela ngokujabula, . . . amemeza ngokuhalalisa.”—Jobe 38:4-7, NW.

Yonke injongo kaNkulunkulu yokubuthela inani elikhethiwe ukuba libe semazulwini iwukufeza injongo yakhe emhlabeni, yebo, ukugcwalisa umkhuleko owashiwo kudala, othi “Mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu, ekubhekiseleni kumaHubo 37:10, 11, wahlanganisa lamazwi eNtshumayelweni edumileyo yaseNtabeni: “Babusisiwe abamnene, ngokuba bayakudla ifa lomhlaba.” (Mathewu 5:5) Ungabona ngokukhanyayo kulawomazwi ukuthi uJesu akazange abe nomuzwa wokuthi umhlaba wawumane nje uyisiteshi. Nakuba “umhlambi omncane” olinganiselwe uyozuza ukubusa phezu komhlaba isikhathi esimisiwe, isithembiso sikaJesu futhi siyaqhubeka sihlanganise zonke izigidigidi zesintu eziyozuza ifa lomhlaba. (Luka 12:32; IsAmbulo 7:9, 10) Lokho akuyikuba nje ngokwesikhathi esifushane sokuphila kosizi, njengoba sazi manje, kodwa phakade ngenjabulo!

Lapho uPetru ebhekisela ‘emazulwini’ ayoshiswa, ukhuluma ‘ngamazulu’ angokomfanekiso. Lawa angohulumeni abangaphezu kwabantu abenza “umhlaba.” Njengoba iCyclopædia kaMcClintock noStrong isho:

“Noma kuphi lapho kunikezwa umbono ongokwesiprofetho, izulu lifanekisela . . . sonke isigungu semibuso ebusayo, leso ngokwezikhonzi ezisemhlabeni, siyizulu elibusayo, eliphezu futhi elibusa lezizikhonzi, njengoba izulu elingokwemvelo limi ngaphezulu futhi libusa umhlaba.”—Umq. IV, k. 122.

Iziphathimandla zikahulumeni ezingabantu abangaphelele futhi ngokuvamile abacindezelayo ziye zehluleka kakhulu, futhi ziyoshatshalaliswa ‘osukwini lukaJehova,’ njengoba uPetru asho. Ziyothathelwa isikhundla “amazulu amasha” ahlanganisa uJesu Kristu nenani elilinganiselwe labaya ezulwini ukuba bakhe uhulumeni woMbuso. Kungakho uPetru abhala: “Siyalindela ngesithembiso sakhe amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:12, 13.

Ngalabo abahlanganisa “amazulu amasha,” lohulumeni omusha wasezulwini womhlaba, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ubusisiwe, ungcwele onesabelo ekuvukeni kokuqala; kulabo ukufa kwesibili akunamandla, kepha bayakuba-ngabapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, babuse kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.”—IsAmbulo 20:6.

Babuse phezu kobani? Ngokusobala phezu kwezikhonzi ezisemhlabeni—uma kungenjalo lelivesi belingenakuba nengqondo. “Umhlaba” omdala uyopheliswa, njengokungathi ngomlilo, ngenkathi abantu ababi nezinkambiso zabo kupheliswa, beshiya kuphela umphakathi “omusha” wasemhlabeni. Lapho ubugebengu, ukungalaleli nokuhlubuka kuyizinto zesikhathi esidlule, futhi lapho impilo ephelele nenjabulo engenamkhawulo kuyifa labantu bonke abaphilayo, ngempela lokhu kuyoba umphakathi “omusha” wabantu, “umhlaba omusha”!

Singaqiniseka kanjani ngokuphelele ukuthi lezizithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ziyogcwaliseka? Njengoba zashiwo kudala kangaka, uNkulunkulu ubenzani yokuqinisekisa ukuthi lezithembiso ekugcineni ziyoba yinto engokoqobo? Ukuze uthole izimpendulo zalemibuzo, siyakumema ukuba ufunde izihloko ezimbili eziqala ekhasini le-10.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

UKristu uyobusa njengeNkosi phezu kwezigidi zezikhonzi ezingabantu ezijabulela iPharadesi elibuyiselwe lasemhlabeni

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Kukuphi lapho uNkulunkulu abeka khona uAdamu noEva futhi enenhloso yokuba bahlale khona?