1-3. Yisiphi isitha esisijahayo, futhi kungani ukucabanga ngalokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo kungasilethela impumuzo?

AKE uzicabange ubalekela isitha esinonya. Sinamandla futhi sinejubane ngaphezu kwakho. Uyazi ukuthi asinalo uzwela ngoba uye wasibona sibulala abanye abangane bakho. Ube usathé uyasibalekela, silokhu sila emva kwakho. Kubonakala ingekho into ongayenza. Kuthi kusenjalo, eceleni kwakho kuqhamuke umuntu ozokulamulela. Unamandla ngaphezu kwesitha sakho, futhi uthembisa ukuthi uzokusiza. Kuthi gidi kuwe!

² Ngomqondo othile, siyakujaha vele isitha esinjalo. Sonke siyasijaha. Njengoba sifundile esahlukweni esandulele, iBhayibheli libiza ukufa ngokuthi isitha. Akekho kithina ongasibalekela noma asehlule. Abaningi bethu basibonile lesi sitha sithatha ukuphila kwabantu esibathandayo. Kodwa uJehova unamandla kakhulu kunokufa. UnguMkhululi onothando oseye wabonisa ukuthi angasinqoba lesi sitha. Futhi uthembisa ukuthi uzosibhubhisa unomphela isitha esiwukufa singaphinde sibe khona. IBhayibheli lithi: “Njengesitha sokugcina, ukufa kuzokwenziwa ize.” (1 Korinte 15:26) Yeka izindaba ezinhle!

³ Ake sicabange kafushane ngendlela esizizwa ngayo lapho kufa umuntu esimaziyo. Ukwenza kanjalo kuzosisiza siqonde  okuthile okuzosijabulisa. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi abafileyo bayophinde baphile. (Isaya 26:19) Bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni. Yithemba lovuko lelo.

4. (a) Kungani indlela uJesu asabela ngayo lapho kufa umuntu amthandayo isifundisa ngemizwa kaJehova? (b) Obani ababa abangane abakhulu bakaJesu?

⁴ Wake washonelwa umuntu omthandayo? Ubuhlungu, usizi nemizwa yokudangala kungase kukuqede amandla. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, kudingeka siye eZwini likaNkulunkulu ukuze sithole induduzo. (2 Korinte 1:3, 4) IBhayibheli liyasisiza ukuba siqonde indlela uJehova noJesu abazizwa ngayo ngokufa. UJesu wamlingisa ngokuphelele uYise ngaso sonke isikhathi, futhi kunokulandisa okubonisa indlela asabela ngayo lapho ezwa ubuhlungu bokulahlekelwa othile ngokufa. (Johane 14:9) Uma uJesu eseJerusalema wayejwayele ukuvakashela uLazaru nodadewabo, uMariya noMarta, ababehlala emzini oseduze waseBhethaniya. Baba abangane abakhulu. IBhayibheli lithi: “UJesu wayebathanda oMarta nodadewabo noLazaru.” (Johane 11:5) Nokho, njengoba sifundile esahlukweni esandulele, uLazaru wafa.

5, 6. (a) Wazizwa kanjani uJesu lapho esenezihlobo nabangane bakaLazaru ababedabukile? (b) Kungani ukukhala kukaJesu kusikhuthaza?

⁵ UJesu wazizwa kanjani ngokufelwa umngane wakhe? Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi uJesu weza ezihlotsheni nakubangane bakaLazaru ababedabukile. Lapho ebabona, uJesu wathinteka kakhulu. “Wabubula emoyeni futhi wakhathazeka.” Le ndaba ibe isithi “uJesu wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:33, 35) Ingabe ukukhala kukaJesu kwakusho ukuthi wayengenathemba? Phinde. Empeleni, uJesu wayazi ukuthi kunento enhle eyayizokwenzeka. (Johane 11:3, 4) Noma kunjalo, wabuzwa ubuhlungu nosizi lokufelwa.

⁶ Ngandlela-thile, ukukhala kukaJesu kuyasikhuthaza. Kusifundisa ukuthi uJesu noYise, uJehova, bayakuzonda ukufa.  Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukulwa nalesi sitha futhi asinqobe! Ake sibone ukuthi uNkulunkulu wanikeza uJesu amandla okwenzani.

7, 8. Kungani isimo sikaLazaru sasingase sibonakale singathembisi kulabo ababebukele, kodwa uJesu wenzani?

⁷ ULazaru wayengcwatshwe emhumeni, futhi uJesu wacela ukuba lisuswe itshe okwakuvalwe ngalo. UMarta wenqaba ngoba kwase kuphele izinsuku ezine uLazaru engcwatshiwe, futhi cishe isidumbu sakhe sase siqale ukubola. (Johane 11:39) Ngokubheka komuntu, kwakungasekho nelincane ithemba.

⁸ Itshe lasuswa, futhi uJesu wakhamuluka ngezwi elikhulu: “Lazaru, phuma!” Kwenzekani? “Lo muntu owayefile waphuma.” (Johane 11:43, 44) Ungayicabanga indlela abajabula ngayo abantu ababelapho? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uLazaru wayehlobene kanjani nabo, engumfowabo, isihlobo, umngane, noma umakhelwane, babazi ukuthi wayekade efile. Kodwa nangu manje—yena kanye lo muntu abamthandayo—emi phakathi kwabo. Kwakusengathi bayaphupha. Cishe abaningi bamanga ngokujabula uLazaru. Yeka ukunqotshwa kokufa!

9, 10. (a) UJesu wathi ubani uMthombo wamandla akhe okuvusa uLazaru? (b) Yiziphi ezinye zezinzuzo zokufunda izindaba zeBhayibheli zovuko?

⁹ UJesu akashongo ukuthi lesi simangaliso usenza ngamandla akhe. Emthandazweni wakhe ngaphambi nje kokubiza uLazaru, wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi nguJehova onguMthombo wovuko. (Johane 11:41, 42) Lesi akukuphela kwesikhathi uJehova asebenzisa ngaso amandla akhe ngale ndlela. Isimangaliso sokuvuswa kukaLazaru simane siphakathi kwezingu-9 zalolu hlobo ezilotshwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. *  Ukufunda nokutadisha ngalezi zimangaliso kuyajabulisa. Zisifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi ngoba phakathi kwabavuswa, kwakukhona abancane nabadala, amadoda nabesifazane, abangama-Israyeli nabangewona. Futhi yeka intokozo echazwe kulawo mavesi! Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJesu evusa intombazane encane kwabafileyo, abazali bayo “bagajwa yinjabulo enkulu.” (Marku 5:42) Yebo, uJehova wayebanikeze isizathu sokuthokoza ababengasoze basilibala.

¹⁰ Yebo, labo abavuswa uJesu baphinde bafa. Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi ukuvuswa kwabo kwakungasho lutho? Cha. Lezi zindaba zeBhayibheli zigcizelela amaqiniso abalulekile, zisinikeze nethemba.

11. Indaba yokuvuswa kukaLazaru ilifakazela kanjani iqiniso elilotshwe kumShumayeli 9:5?

¹¹ IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi ‘abafileyo abazi lutho.’ Abaphili ndawo. Indaba kaLazaru iyalifakazela leli qiniso. Ngemva kokuvuswa, ingabe uLazaru wamangaza abantu ngokubachazela ukuthi izulu linjani? Noma ingabe wabesabisa ngezindaba ezethusayo zesihogo esivutha umlilo? Cha. IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi uLazaru wenza kanjalo. Phakathi nezinsuku ezine efile, ‘wayengazi lutho.’ (UmShumayeli 9:5) ULazaru wayekade elele ekufeni.—Johane 11:11.

12. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uLazaru wavuswa ngempela?

¹² Indaba kaLazaru isifundisa nokuthi uvuko luyinto engokoqobo, aluyona inganekwane. UJesu wavusa uLazaru phambi kwesixuku sofakazi bokuzibonela. Ngisho nabaholi benkolo ababemzonda uJesu abazange basiphike lesi simangaliso. Kunalokho bathi: “Sizokwenzenjani, ngoba lo muntu [uJesu] wenza izibonakaliso eziningi?” (Johane 11:47) Kwafika abantu abaningi bezobona umuntu ovusiwe. Umphumela waba ukuthi abengeziwe baba nokholo kuJesu. Baqaphela ukuthi uLazaru uwubufakazi obuphilayo bokuthi uJesu wayethunywe uNkulunkulu. Lobu bufakazi babunamandla kakhulu kangangokuba abanye abaholi bamaJuda  abanezinhliziyo ezilukhuni baceba ukubabulala bobabili uJesu noLazaru.—Johane 11:53; 12:9-11.

13. Sinasiphi isiqinisekiso sokuthi ngempela uJehova angabavusa abathandekayo bethu abafileyo?

¹³ Ingabe kuwubuwula ukwamukela uvuko njengento engokoqobo? Cha, ngoba uJesu wafundisa ukuthi ngelinye ilanga “bonke abasemathuneni” bayokhunjulwa bavuswe. (Johane 5:28) UJehova unguMdali wakho konke okuphilayo. Ingabe kumelwe kube nzima ukukholelwa ukuthi angakwazi ukubadala kabusha abantu? Yiqiniso, okuningi kuyoxhomeka enkumbulweni kaJehova. Ingabe angabakhumbula abathandekayo bethu abafileyo? Kunezigidigidi zezinkanyezi ezigcwele emkhathini wethu, noma kunjalo uNkulunkulu ubiza ngayinye yazo ngegama! (Isaya 40:26) Ngakho uJehova uNkulunkulu angakwazi ukukhumbula yonke imininingwane ngabathandekayo bethu abafileyo, futhi ukulungele ukubabuyisela ekuphileni.

14, 15. Njengoba kuboniswa yilokho uJobe akusho, uJehova uzizwa kanjani ngokuvusa abafileyo?

¹⁴ Nokho, uJehova uzizwa kanjani ngokuvusa abafileyo? IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uzimisele ukubavusa. Indoda ethembekile uJobe yabuza: “Uma indoda enamandla ifa ingabuye iphile futhi?” UJobe wayekhuluma ngokulinda ethuneni kuze kufike isikhathi uNkulunkulu ayomkhumbula ngaso. Wathi kuJehova: “Uyobiza, futhi mina ngiyokuphendula. Uyolangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.”—Jobe 14:13-15.

¹⁵ Cabanga nje! UJehova uyakulangazelela ukubabuyisela ekuphileni abafileyo. Akujabulisi yini ukufunda ukuthi uJehova uzizwa ngale ndlela? Kodwa kuthiwani ngalolu vuko oluzayo? Obani abayovuswa futhi bayovuselwaphi?

16. Abafileyo bayovuselwa ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjani?

¹⁶ Izindaba zeBhayibheli zokuvuswa kwabantu zisifundisa okuningi ngovuko oluzayo. Abantu ababuyiselwa  ekuphileni lapha emhlabeni babuye bahlangana nabathandekayo babo. Uvuko oluzayo luyothi alufane—kodwa lona luyoba ngcono kakhulu. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 3, injongo kaNkulunkulu iwukuba wonke umhlaba wenziwe ipharadesi. Ngakho, abafileyo ngeke bavuselwe ezweni eligcwele izimpi, ubugebengu, nokugula. Bayoba nethuba lokuphila phakade kulo mhlaba ngaphansi kwezimo zokuthula nezijabulisayo.

17. Bayoba baningi kangakanani abayovuswa?

¹⁷ Obani abayovuswa? UJesu wathi ‘bonke abasemathuneni bayokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi lakhe [uJesu] baphume.’ (Johane 5:28, 29) Ngokufanayo, IsAmbulo 20:13 sithi: “Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidesi kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho.” Elithi “Hayidesi” libhekisela ethuneni elivamile lesintu. (Bheka iSithasiselo, amakhasi 212-13.) Amathuna ayogeqwa. Zonke lezo zigidi zezigidi eziphumule kuwo ziyophila futhi. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Kusho ukuthini lokhu?

18. Obani abahlanganiswe phakathi ‘kwabalungile’ abayovuswa, futhi leli themba likuthinta kanjani wena?

¹⁸ ‘Abalungile’ bahlanganisa abantu abaningi esifunda ngabo eBhayibhelini abaphila ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni. Ungacabanga ngoNowa, u-Abrahama, uSara, uMose, uRuthe, u-Esteri, nabanye abaningi. Abanye kula madoda nabesifazane bokholo kukhulunywa ngabo esahlukweni se-11 sencwadi yamaHebheru. ‘Abalungile’ futhi bahlanganisa nezinceku zikaJehova ezifa esikhathini sethu. Ngenxa yethemba lovuko, singakhululeka ekukwesabeni ngokweqile ukufa.—Hebheru 2:15.

19. Obani ‘abangalungile,’ futhi yiliphi ithuba uJehova abanikeza lona ngomusa?

¹⁹ Kuthiwani ngabo bonke abantu abangazange bamkhulekele noma bamlalele uJehova ngenxa yokuthi babengazi ngaye? Lezi zigidigidi ‘zabangalungile’ ngeke zilitshalwe.  Nazo ziyovuswa, zinikezwe ithuba lokufunda ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi zimkhonze. Phakathi nenkathi eyiminyaka eyinkulungwane, abafileyo bayovuswa banikezwe ithuba lokukhonza uJehova nabantu abathembekile emhlabeni. Kuyoba isikhathi esihle kakhulu. IBhayibheli libiza le nkathi ngokuthi uSuku Lokwahlulela. *

20. Liyini iGehena, futhi obani abaya kulo?

²⁰ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi wonke umuntu owake waphila uyovuswa? Cha. IBhayibheli lithi abanye babafileyo ‘baseGehena.’ (Luka 12:5) Igama elithi Gehena lisuselwa endaweni yokulahla udoti eyayingaphandle kweJerusalema lasendulo. Izidumbu kanye nodoti kwakushiswa lapho. AmaJuda ayethi izidumbu ezaziphonswa lapho azikufanelekele ukungcwatshwa nokuvuswa. Ngakho iGehena likufanekisela kahle ukubhujiswa kwaphakade. Nakuba uJesu ezoba nengxenye ekwahluleleni abaphilayo nabafileyo, nguJehova umaHluleli wokugcina. (IzEnzo 10:42) Akasoze abavusa labo ababonayo ukuthi abalungile futhi abazimisele ukushintsha.

21, 22. (a) Yiluphi olunye uhlobo lovuko olukhona? (b) Ubani owaba owokuqala ngqá ukuvuselwa ekuphileni njengesidalwa somoya?

²¹ IBhayibheli libhekisela kolunye uhlobo lovuko, ukuvuselwa ekuphileni ezulwini njengesidalwa somoya. Sinye kuphela isibonelo salolu hlobo lovuko esilotshwe eBhayibhelini, esikaJesu Kristu.

²² Ngemva kokuba uJesu ebulewe njengomuntu, uJehova akazange ayivumele iNdodana yakhe ethembekile ukuba ihlale ethuneni. (IHubo 16:10; IzEnzo 13:34, 35) UNkulunkulu wamvusa uJesu, kodwa hhayi njengomuntu.  Umphostoli uPetru wachaza ukuthi uKristu ‘wabulawa enyameni, kodwa waphiliswa emoyeni.’ (1 Petru 3:18) Ngempela, lesi kwakuyisimangaliso esikhulu. UJesu wayesephila futhi njengomuntu womoya onamandla! (1 Korinte 15:3-6) UJesu wayengowokuqala ngqá ukuthola lolu hlobo olukhazimulayo lovuko. (Johane 3:13) Kodwa wayengeke abe owokugcina.

23, 24. Obani abakha ‘umhlambi omncane’ kaJesu, futhi bangaki?

²³ Azi ukuthi ngokushesha uzobuyela ezulwini, uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe abathembekile ukuthi ‘uyobalungisela indawo’ khona. (Johane 14:2) Wabiza labo abaya ezulwini ngokuthi ‘umhlambi omncane.’ (Luka 12:32) Bangaki abazoba kuleli qembu elincane lamaKristu athembekile? NgokwesAmbulo 14:1, umphostoli uJohane uthi: “Ngabona, bheka! iWundlu [uJesu Kristu] limi eNtabeni iZiyoni, kumi kanye nalo abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane kulotshwé igama lalo negama likaYise emabunzini abo.”

²⁴ La maKristu angu-144 000, kuhlanganise nabaphostoli bakaJesu abathembekile, avuselwa ekuphileni ezulwini. Lwenzeka nini lolu vuko? Umphostoli uPawulu wathi lwaluyokwenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu. (1 Korinte 15:23) Njengoba uzofunda eSahlukweni 9, siphila kuleso sikhathi manje. Ngakho, labo abambalwa abasasele kwabangu-144 000 abafa osukwini lwethu bavuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini ngokuphazima kweso. (1 Korinte 15:51-55) Kodwa iningi lesintu linethemba lokuvuswa esikhathini esizayo liphile ePharadesi emhlabeni.

25. Sizofunda ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁵ Yebo, uJehova uyosinqoba ngempela isitha sethu esiwukufa, futhi siyosuswa phakade! (Isaya 25:8) Kodwa ungase uzibuze, ‘Labo abavuselwa ezulwini bayokwenzani khona?’ Bayoba ingxenye kahulumeni woMbuso omangalisayo ezulwini. Sizofunda okwengeziwe ngalo hulumeni esahlukweni esilandelayo.