Yona Aphunzira za Chifundo cha Yehova

YEHOVA ali ndi ntchito yoti apatse mneneri wake Yona. Nthaŵi yake ndi m’zaka za zana lachisanu ndi chinayi B.C.E., ndipo Yerobiamu II akulamulira m’Israyeli. Yona ndi wa ku Gati-heferi, mudzi wa ku Zebuloni. (Yoswa 19:10, 13; 2 Mafumu 14:25) Mulungu akutuma Yona kulikulu la Asuri la Nineve, pamtunda wa makilomita 800 kumpoto koma chakummaŵa kwa mudzi wakwawo. Afunika akachenjeze Anineve kuti Mulungu ali pafupi kuwawononga.

Yona angakhale ataganiza kuti: ‘Kupita kumudzi uja ndi mtundu uja? Iwo sali odzipereka kwa Mulungu ayi. Asuri aja ambanda sanaloŵepo m’pangano ndi Yehova monga Aisrayeli. Ndipotu anthu a mtundu uja angaone chenjezo langa ngati chiwopsezo nagonjetsa Israyeli! Ine toto! Sindipita. Ndithaŵira ku Yopa ndi kukwera chombo kupita kumadzulo​—mpaka ku Tarisi, tsidya linalo la Nyanja Yaikulu. Ndi zimene ndidzachita!’​—Yona 1:1-3.

Ngozi Panyanja!

Posapita nthaŵi Yona wafika ku Yopa kugombe la Mediterranean. Alipira mtengo wa ulendo wake nakwera chombo chopita ku Tarisi, amene ambiri amati ndi Spain, pamtunda wa makilomita oposa 3,500 kumadzulo kwa Nineve. Ali panyanja, mneneri wotopayo apita m’chipinda chapansi nagona tulo. Patapita nthaŵi pang’ono, Yehova autsa chimphepo chachikulu panyanjapo, ndipo mmalinyero aliyense wamantha afuulira mulungu wake kuti awathandize. Chombocho chikundengumandenguma ndi kuponyedwa uku ndi uku kwambiri kwakuti iwo akuponya katundu wochuluka panyanja kuti chombocho chipepuke. Komabe, chombo chikuoneka kuti chidzaswekadi, ndipo Yona akumva mwini chombo wokwiya akufuula kuti: “Utani iwe wam’tulo? Uka, itana mulungu wako, kapena [Mulungu woona, NW] adzatikumbukira tingatayike.” Yona auka nakwera pamwamba.​—Yona 1:4-6.

“Tiyeni tichite maere,” akutero amalinyero, “kuti tidziŵe choipa ichi chatigwera chifukwa cha yani.” Maerewo agwera Yona. Talingalirani nkhaŵa yake pamene amalinyero anena kuti: “Utiuzetu choipa ichi chatigwera chifukwa cha yani? Ntchito yako njotani? Ufuma kuti? Dziko lako nliti? Nanga mtundu wako?” Yona anena kuti ndi Mhebri wolambira “Yehova Mulungu wakumwamba” ndi kuti amalemekeza “Amene analenga nyanja ndi mtunda.” Namondwe ameneyo wadza pa iwo chifukwa iye akuthaŵa kuchoka pamaso pa Yehova m’malo mwa kumvera ndi kupereka uthenga wa Mulungu ku Nineve.​—Yona 1:7-10.

Amalinyerowo amfunsa: “Tichitenji nawe, kuti nyanja itichitire bata?” Popeza namondweyo akukulakulabe panyanjapo, Yona akuwauza kuti: “Mundinyamule ndi kundiponya m’nyanja, momwemo nyanja idzachitira inu bata; pakuti ndidziŵa kuti namondwe wamkulu amene wakugwerani chifukwa cha ine.” Pokhala osafuna kuponya mtumiki wa Yehova m’nyanja kuti afe, amunawo ayesa kupalasa kuti afike kumtunda. Atalephera, amalinyerowo afuula nati: “Tikupemphanitu, Yehova, tisatayike chifukwa cha moyo wa munthu uyu, musatisenzetse mwazi wosachimwa; pakuti, inu Yehova, mwachita monga mudakomera inu.”​—Yona 1:11-14.

Amponya m’Nyanja!

Atatero, amalinyerowo aponya Yona m’nyanja. Pamene akumira m’nyanja yomaŵinduka, mkokomo wake uyamba kulekeka. Poona zimenezi, ‘amunawo awopa Yehova ndi mantha aakulu namphera nsembe, naŵinda.’​—Yona 1:15, 16.

Pamene madzi akuphimba Yona, iye mosakayikira akupemphera. Ndiyeno akumva ngati kuti akutsetsereka pamene akuloŵa m’dzenje lalikulu. Chodabwitsa nchakuti akali kupuma! Atachotsa kayandeyande wa m’nyanja kumutu kwake, Yona apeza kuti ali m’malo achilendodi. Zimenezi zachitika chifukwa “Yehova anaikiratu chinsomba chachikulu chimeze Yona; ndipo Yona anali m’mimba mwa nsombayi masiku atatu usana ndi usiku.”​—Yona 1:17.

Pemphero la Yona la Mtima Wonse

M’mimba mwa chinsomba chachikulucho, Yona ali ndi nthaŵi ya kupemphera. Mawu ake ena afanana ndi masalmo ena. Yona analemba mapemphero ake pambuyo pake osonyeza nkhaŵa yake ndi kulapa. Mwachitsanzo, iye anaona ngati kuti m’mimba mwa nsombayo mudzakhala manda ake. Chotero anapemphera kuti: “Ndinaitana Yehova m’nsautso yanga, ndipo anandiyankha ine; ndinafuula ndili m’mimba ya manda, ndipo munamva mawu anga.” (Yona 2:1, 2) Nyimbo Zokwerera ziŵiri​—zimene zitheka kuti amene anaimba ndi Aisrayeli pokwera ku Yerusalemu kumapwando apachaka​—zimatchula malingaliro ofanana.​—Salmo 120:1; 130:1, 2.

Akumaganiza za kuloŵa kwake panyanja, Yona akupemphera kuti: “Munandiponya [Yehova] mwakuya mkati mwa nyanja, ndipo madzi anandizinga; mafunde anu onse a nyondonyondo anandimiza.”​—Yona 2:3; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 42:7; 69:2.

Yona akuwopa kuti kusamvera kwake kudzamtayitsa chiyanjo cha Mulungu ndi kuti sadzaonanso kachisi wa Mulungu. Akupemphera kuti: “Ndipo ndinati, Ndatayika ndichoke pamaso panu; [Ndidzapenyanso bwanji, NW] kachisi wanu wopatulika”? (Yona 2:4; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 31:22.) Mkhalidwe wa Yona ukuoneka kukhala woipa kwambiri kwakuti iye akuti: “Madzi anandizinga mpaka moyo wanga [kuika moyo wake pangozi], madzi akuya anandizungulira, kayandeyande wa m’nyanja anandikulunga mutu.” (Yona 2:5; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 69:1.) Talingalirani za nsautso ya Yona, pakuti akuwonjezera kuti: “Ndinatsikira ku matsinde a mapiri [mkati mwa nsomba], mipingiridzo ya dziko [yonga ya manda] inanditsekereza kosatha; koma munandikwezera moyo wanga kuuchotsa kuchiwonongeko [tsiku lachitatu], Yehova Mulungu wanga.”​—Yona 2:6; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 30:3.

Ngakhale kuti ali m’mimba mwa nsomba, Yona sakuganiza kuti: ‘Ndachita tondovi kwambiri kwakuti sinditha kupemphera.’ M’malo mwake, akupemphera kuti: “Pokomoka moyo wanga mkati mwanga [pafupi ndi imfa] ndinakumbukira Yehova [m’chikhulupiriro, monga Uyo amene ali ndi mphamvu yosayerekezeka ndi chifundo]; ndi pemphero langa linafikira inu m’kachisi wanu wopatulika.” (Yona 2:7) Ali m’kachisi wakumwamba, Mulungu anamvera Yona nampulumutsa.

Pomaliza Yona akupemphera kuti: “Iwo osamalira mabodza opanda pake [mwa kukhulupirira mafano opanda moyo a milungu yonama] ataya chifundo chawochawo [pokana Uyo amene amasonyeza mkhalidwe umenewu]. Koma ine ndidzakupherani inu [Yehova Mulungu] nsembe ndi mawu akuyamika, ndidzakwaniritsa choŵinda changa [chimene ndinaŵinda pachochitikachi kapena panthaŵi ina]. Chipulumutso ncha Yehova.” (Yona 2:8, 9; yerekezerani ndi Salmo 31:6; 50:14.) Atazindikira kuti Mulungu yekha ndiye angampulumutse ku imfa, mneneri wolapayo (monga Mfumu Davide ndi Mfumu Solomo iye asanakhaleko) akunena kuti chipulumutso chichokera kwa Yehova.​—Salmo 3:8; Miyambo 21:31.

Yona Amvera

Pambuyo posinkhasinkha mwakuya ndi pemphero laphamphu, Yona akumva kuti akutulutsidwa m’dzenje limene anali waloŵamo. Potsirizira pake, aponyedwa kunja kumtunda. (Yona 2:10) Poyamikira chilanditso chake, Yona amvera mawu a Mulungu akuti: “Nyamuka, pita ku Nineve mudzi waukulu uja, nuulalikire uthenga umene ndikuuza.” (Yona 3:1, 2) Yona autenga ulendo wopita kulikulu la Asuri. Atadziŵa za tsikulo, azindikira kuti anali m’mimba mwa nsomba masiku atatu. Mneneriyo adutsa mtsinje wa Firate panyondo yake yaikulu yakumadzulo, apita kummaŵa kudutsa kumpoto kwa Mesopotamia, afika pamtsinje wa Tigris, ndipo potsirizira pake afika m’mudzi waukuluwo.​—Yona 3:3.

Yona aloŵa m’Nineve, mudzi waukuluwo. Ayenda ulendo wa tsiku limodzi ndiyeno alengeza kuti: “Atsala masiku makumi anayi ndipo Nineve adzapasuka.” Kodi Yona wadziŵa mozizwitsa chinenero cha Asuri? Sitikudziŵa. Koma ngakhale ngati akulankhula m’Chihebri ndipo wina akumasulira, chilengezo chake chibala zipatso. Anthu a Nineve ayamba kukhulupirira Mulungu. Alengeza kusala kudya navala ziguduli, kuyambira wamkulu kufikira wamng’ono. Mawuwo atafika kwa mfumu ya Nineve, mfumuyo inyamuka pampando wake wachifumu, nivula chovala chake, nivala chiguduli, ndi kukhala m’mapulusa.​—Yona 3:4-6.

Yona akudabwa kwambiri! Mfumu ya Asuri itumiza amithenga ndi mfuu yakuti: “Ngakhale munthu kapena nyama, ngakhale ng’ombe kapena nkhosa, zisalaŵe kanthu, zisadye, zisamwe madzi; koma zifundidwe ndi chiguduli munthu ndi nyama, nizifuulire kolimba kwa Mulungu; ndipo abwere yense kuleka njira yake yoipa, ndi chiwawa chili m’manja mwake. Kaya, akatembenuka Mulungu, ndi kuleka kubwera ku mkwiyo wake waukali, kuti tisatayike.”​—Yona 3:7-9.

Anineve amvera lamulo la mfumu yawo. Mulungu ataona kuti abwerera kuleka njira yawo yoipa, abweza mtima ponena za tsoka limene wanena kuti adzawadzetsera, chotero sakulidzetsa. (Yona 3:10) Chifukwa cha kulapa kwawo, kudzichepetsa, ndi chikhulupiriro, Yehova asankha kusapereka chiweruzo chimene anati apereke.

Mneneri Wochita Msunamo

Papita masiku makumi anayi ndipo palibe chimene chagwera Nineve. (Yona 3:4) Atadziŵa kuti Anineve sadzawonongedwa, Yona sakukondwa konse ndipo akupsa mtima napemphera kuti: “Ha, Yehova! si ndiwo mawu anga ndikali m’dziko langa? Chifukwa chake ndinafulumira kuthaŵira ku Tarisi, pakuti ndinadziŵa kuti inu ndinu Mulungu wachisomo ndi wodzala chifundo, wolekerera ndi wokoma mtima mochuluka, ndi woleka choipacho. Ndipo tsopano, Yehova, mundichotseretu moyo wanga, kundikomera ine kufa, osakhala ndi moyo ayi.” Mulungu ayankha ndi funso ili: “Uyenera kupsa mtima kodi?”​—Yona 4:1-4.

Ndiyeno, Yona atuluka m’mudziwo. Atafika kummaŵa, adzimangira thandala kuti akhale mumthunzi wake kufikira ataona zimene zidzachitikira mudziwo. Ndiponso Yehova mwachifundo “aikiratu msatsi, naumeretsera Yona, uchite mthunzi pamutu pake, kumlanditsa m’nsautso yake.” Yona akukondwa nawo zedi msatsi umenewo! Koma Mulungu auikira phanzi msatsiwo kuti iudye pakucha, ndipo uyamba kufota. Posakhalitsa waumiratu. Mulungu atumizanso mphepo yakummaŵa yotentha. Tsopano dzuŵa likutentha mutu wa mneneriyo, kotero kuti akulefuka. Iye akupemphererabe kufa. Inde, Yona mobwerezabwereza akunena kuti: “Kundikomera ine kufa, kukhala ndi moyo ayi.”​—Yona 4:5-8.

Yehova alankhula tsopano. Afunsa Yona kuti: “Uyenera kodi kupsa mtima chifukwa cha msatsiwo?” Yona akuyankha kuti: “Ee, kundiyenera ine kupsa mtima mpaka imfa.” Kwenikweni, Yehova tsopano akuuza mneneriyo kuti: ‘Uchitira chifundo msatsiwo. Koma sunaugwirire ntchito kapena kuumeretsa. Unangomera ndi kutha usiku.’ Mulungu akupitiriza kulingalira naye nati: ‘Sindiyenera ine kodi kuchitira chifundo Nineve mudzi waukulu uwu; mmene muli anthu oposa 120,000 osadziŵa kusiyanitsa pakati pa dzanja lawo lamanja ndi lamanzere, ndi zoŵeta zambiri zomwe?’ (Yona 4:9-11) Yankho lolondola nlachidziŵikire.

Yona alapa nakhala ndi moyo kufikira alemba buku la Baibulo lotchedwa ndi dzina lake. Kodi iye anadziŵa motani kuti amalinyero anawopa Yehova, kumphera nsembe Iye, ndi kupanga zoŵinda? Mwa kuuziridwa ndi Mulungu kapenanso anamva kukachisi kwa mmodzi wa amalinyerowo kapena wa amene anakwera m’chombo.​—Yona 1:16; 2:4.

“Chizindikiro cha Yona”

Pamene alembi ndi Afarisi anapempha Yesu Kristu chizindikiro, iye anati: “Akubadwa oipa achigololo afunafuna chizindikiro; ndipo sichidzapatsidwa kwa iwo chizindikiro, komatu chizindikiro cha Yona mneneri.” Yesu anawonjezera kuti: “Monga Yona anali m’mimba mwa chinsomba masiku atatu ndi usiku wake, chomwecho Mwana wa munthu adzakhala mumtima mwa dziko lapansi masiku atatu ndi usiku wake.” (Mateyu 12:38-40) Masiku achiyuda anayamba pakuloŵa kwa dzuŵa. Kristu anafa pa Lachisanu masana, Nisani 14, 33 C.E. Mtembo wake anauika m’manda dzuŵa lisanaloŵe tsiku lomwelo. Nisani 15 inayamba madzulo amenewo mpaka Loŵeruka pakuloŵa kwa dzuŵa, tsiku lomaliza la mlungu lachisanu ndi chiŵiri. Panthaŵiyo Nisani 16 inayamba mpaka kuloŵa kwa dzuŵa patsiku lomwe timatcha Sande. Chotero, Yesu anakhala wakufa ndiponso m’manda kanthaŵi pa Nisani 14, anali m’manda tsiku lonse la Nisani 15, ndipo anathera maola a usiku a Nisani 16 ali m’manda. Pamene akazi ena anafika kumanda pa Sande mmaŵa, iye anali atauka kale.​—Mateyu 27:57-61; 28:1-7.

Yesu anali m’manda kwa mbali za masiku atatu. Chotero adani ake analandira “chizindikiro cha Yona,” koma Kristu anati: “Anthu a ku Nineve adzauka pamlandu pamodzi ndi obadwa amakono, nadzawatsutsa; chifukwa iwo anatembenuka mtima ndi kulalikira kwake kwa Yona; ndipo onani, wakuposa Yona ali pano.” (Mateyu 12:41) Zimenezo nzoonadi! Ayuda anali ndi Yesu Kristu pakati pawo​—mneneri woposa Yona. Ngakhale kuti Yona anali chizindikiro chokwanira kwa Anineve, Yesu analalikira ndi ukumu waukulu kwambiri ndi umboni womchirikiza kuposa mneneri uja. Komabe, Ayuda ambiri sanakhulupirire.​—Yohane 4:48.

Monga mtundu Ayuda sanalandire modzichepetsa Mneneri woposa Yona, ndipo sanamkhulupirira Iye. Koma bwanji makolo awo? Nawonso analibe chikhulupiriro ndi mzimu wakudzichepetsa. Kwenikweni, Yehova mwachionekere anatuma Yona ku Nineve kuti asonyeze kusiyana pakati pa Anineve olapa ndi Aisrayeli ouma khosi, amene analibiretu chikhulupiriro ndi kudzichepetsa.​—Yerekezerani ndi Deuteronomo 9:6, 13.

Nanga bwanji za Yona iye yekha? Anaphunzira za ukulu wa chifundo cha Mulungu. Ndiponso, njira imene Yehova anachitira ndi kung’ung’udza kwa Yona pa chifundo chosonyezedwa kwa Anineve olapa iyenera kutiletsa kudandaula pamene Atate wathu wakumwamba asonyeza chifundo kwa anthu m’tsiku lathu. Inde, tiyeni tikondwere kuti chaka chilichonse anthu zikwi zambiri amatembenukira kwa Yehova m’chikhulupiriro ndi mitima yodzichepetsa.