Ukholo LukaNowa Luyaligweba Ihlabathi
NGABA wakha weva ngoNowa, indoda eyayihlonel’ uThixo neyakha umkhombe ukuze isindise ubomi ngexesha lomkhukula owagubungela ihlabathi lonke? Nangona lilidala kakhulu, eli bali liqhelekile kwizigidi zabantu. Noko ke, eyona ngongoma bangayiqondiyo abaninzi kukuba, ubomi bukaNowa bunentsingiselo kuthi sonke.
Kutheni simele sibe nomdla kwingxelo enamawaka eminyaka ubudala? Ngaba kukho ukufana phakathi kwemeko kaNowa neyethu? Ukuba kukho, sinokungenelwa njani kumzekelo wakhe?
Ihlabathi Lomhla KaNowa
Ubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile lubeka ukuzalwa kukaNowa kowama-2970 B.C.E.—iminyaka eli-126 emva kokufa kuka-Adam. Ngomhla kaNowa, ihlabathi lalizaliswe lugonyamelo, yaye inkoliso yenzala ka-Adam yakhetha ukulandela umzekelo kakhokho wayo owanxaxhayo. Ngoko, “uYehova wabona ukuba ububi bomntu bandile emhlabeni yaye zonke iingcamango zentliziyo yakhe zityekele ebubini ngalo lonke ixesha.”—Genesis 6:5, 11, 12.
Imvukelo yabantu yayingekokuphela kwesizathu esabangela ukuba uYehova anganeliseki. Ingxelo yeGenesis ithi: “Baziphawula ke oonyana boThixo oyinyaniso iintombi zabantu, ukuba zintle ngenkangeleko; baza bazithabathela abafazi kuzo zonke abazikhethayo. . . . Kwaye kukho iiNefili emhlabeni ngaloo mihla, yaye emva koko, xa oonyana boThixo oyinyaniso baba neentlobano zokwazana neentombi zabantu zaza zabazalela oonyana, baba ngamadoda akudala anamandla, nadumileyo.” (Genesis 6:2-4) Uthelekiso lwezi ndinyana nengxelo eyabhalwa ngumpostile uPetros lubonisa ukuba “oonyana boThixo oyinyaniso” yayiziingelosi ezingathobeliyo. IiNefili yayiyinzala eziingxilimbela yeentlobano zokwazana phakathi kwabafazi neengelosi ezavukelayo ezazenza abantu.—1 Petros 3:19, 20.
Ibinzana elithi ‘Nefili’ elithetha ‘abaWisi,’ limela abantu abawisa abanye. Yayiziindlavini ezincanyiweyo, yaye isono sooyise safana nobubi beSodom neGomora. (Yude 6, 7) Ngendlel’ efanayo, zabangela ukuba kubekho ubungendawo obungathethekiyo emhlabeni.
“Engenasiphoso Phakathi Kwabantu Bexesha Lakhe”
Kwakugquba ubungendawo emhlabeni kangangokuba uThixo wazimisela ukuba uza kulutshabalalisa uluntu. Kodwa ingxelo ephefumlelweyo ithi: “UNowa yena wakholeka emehlweni kaYehova. . . . UNowa wayeyindoda elilungisa. Wangqineka engenasiphoso phakathi kwabantu bexesha lakhe. UNowa wahamba noThixo oyinyaniso.” (Genesis 6:8, 9) Kwakunokwenzeka njani ‘ukuhamba noThixo’ kwihlabathi labantu abangamhloneliyo uThixo abaza kutshatyalaliswa?
Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uNowa wafunda lukhulu kuyise, uLameki, indoda yokholo eyayiphila ngexesha lika-Adam. Xa wayethiya unyana wakhe igama elithi Nowa (ekucingwa ukuba lithetha “Ukuphumla,” okanye “Intuthuzelo”), uLameki waprofeta wenjenje: “Lo uya kusithuthuzela emsebenzini wethu nasekuveni ubuhlungu kwezandla zethu ngenxa yomhlaba awuqalekisileyo uYehova.” Eso siprofeto sazaliseka xa uThixo waphelisa isiqalekiso sakhe emhlabeni.—Genesis 5:29; 8:21.
Ukuba nabazali abahlonel’ uThixo akusosiqinisekiso sokuba abantwana baza kuba kwimeko entle yokomoya, kuba umntu ngamnye umele aziqalele ubuhlobo noYehova. UNowa “wahamba noThixo” ngokulandela ikhondo elalimkholisa uThixo. Oko uNowa wakufundayo ngoThixo kwamshukumisela ukuba amkhonze. Ukholo lukaNowa aluzange luxengaxenge xa waxelelwa injongo kaThixo ‘yokuzisa unogumbe wamanzi emhlabeni ukuze onakalise yonke inyama.’—Genesis 6:13, 17.
Eqinisekile ukuba le ntlekele ingenakuthelekiswa nanto iza kwenzeka, uNowa wathobela umyalelo kaYehova othi: “Zenzele umkhombe ngomthi onentlaka. Uze wenze amacandelo emkhombeni, yaye umele uwugubungele ngetela ngaphakathi nangaphandle.” (Genesis 6:14) Ukwenza umkhombe ngemiyalelo kaThixo kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Sekunjalo, “wenza ke uNowa njengako konke oko uThixo abemyalele kona.” Eneneni, “wenza kanye njengoko.” (Genesis 6:22) UNowa wakwenza oku encediswa ngumfazi wakhe nonyana wakhe uShem, uHam noYafete kunye nabafazi babo. UYehova walusikelela olo kholo. Onjani wona ukuba mhle umzekelo kwiintsapho zanamhlanje!
Kwakuza kubandakanya ntoni ukwakha umkhombe? UYehova wayalela uNowa ukuba akhe ibhokisi engangeni manzi enemigangatho emithathu, emalunga neemitha ezili-133 ubude, iimitha ezingama-22 ububanzi neemitha ezili-13 ukuphakama. (Genesis 6:15, 16) Umkhombe omkhulu ngolo hlobo ubuya kulingana neenqanawa ezinkulu zokuthwala imithwalo ezisetyenziswa namhlanje.
Hayi indlela owawumkhulu ngayo loo msebenzi! Kusenokwenzeka ukuba oku kwakuthetha ukugawula imithi emininzi, ukuyirhuqela kwindawo yokwakha, nokuyixonxa ibe ngamaplanga okanye iintsika. Kwakuthetha ukwenza isikafula, ukwenza izikhonkwane zomthi, ukufumana itela yokukhusela amanzi angangeni, ukufumana izinto zokuphatha nezixhobo, njalo njalo. Kunokwenzeka ukuba loo msebenzi wawufuna uthethathethwano nabarhwebi nentlawulo yezixhobo ezisetyenziswayo neyomsebenzi owenziweyo. Kuyabonakala ukuba kwakufuneka ubugcisa bokuchwela ukudibanisa amaplanga kakuhle nokwakha isakhiwo esomeleleyo. Yaye cinga nje ngokuba—ukwakha kwathabatha malunga neminyaka engama-50 okanye engama-60!
Ngoku kwakuza kufuneka ukuba uNowa anikele ingqalelo ekulungiseleleni ukutya okwaneleyo kwabantu nokwezilwanyana. (Genesis 6:21) Kwakuza kufuneka aqokelele aze aqhube umhlambi wezilwanyana awungenise kuloo mkhombe. UNowa wakwenza konke abemyalele kona uThixo, yaye umsebenzi wagqitywa. (Genesis 6:22) Intsikelelo kaYehova yaqinisekisa ukuba uphunyezwa ngokupheleleyo.
“Umshumayeli Wobulungisa”
Ngaphandle kokwakha umkhombe, uNowa wavakalisa isilumkiso yaye wakhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka ‘njengomshumayeli wobulungisa.’ Kodwa abantu “abazange banikele ngqalelo de wafika umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke.”—2 Petros 2:5; Mateyu 24:38, 39.
Xa sicinga ngendlela imilinganiselo yokuziphatha eyayiphantsi ngayo, kulula ukubona indlela intsapho kaNowa eyaba yintlekisa ngayo nezinto zokuxhatshazwa nokugculelwa ngabamelwane ababengafuni ukukukholelwa oko wayekuthetha. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu babebajonga njengabashiywa ziingqondo. Noko ke, uNowa waphumelela ukukhuthaza nokuxhasa intsapho yakhe ngokomoya, kuba ayizange ithelele kwihambo yobundlobongela, nokuziphatha okubi kwabantu bexesha layo abangamhloneliyo uThixo. Ngamazwi nangezenzo ezazibonisa ukholo lwakhe, uNowa waligweba ihlabathi lelo xesha.—Hebhere 11:7.
Wasindiswa KuMkhukula
Nje ngaphambi kokuba imvula iqalise, uThixo waxelela uNowa ukuba angene kumkhombe ogqityiweyo. Xa intsapho kaNowa nezilwanyana yayingaphakathi, “uYehova waluvala ucango,” evalela ngaphandle bonke abagculeli ababeyenza umdlalo yonke loo nto. Xa uMkhukula waqalisayo, kuyabonakala ukuba iingelosi ezingathobeliyo zayilahla imizimba yabantu zaza zayibaleka imbubhiso. Kodwa kuthekani ngabanye? Kaloku, zonke izidalwa eziphilayo ezikumhlaba owomileyo ongaphandle komkhombe, kuquka neeNefili, zatshabalala! NguNowa nentsapho yakhe kuphela abasindayo.—Genesis 7:1-23.
UNowa nentsapho yakhe bachitha unyaka neentsuku ezilishumi kumkhombe. Babexakekile besondla yaye beseza izilwanyana, bekhupha ukungcola yaye beliphaphele nexesha lokwenzeka kweziganeko. IGenesis inikela ingxelo entle ngeziganeko ezibandakanya uMkhukula, njengengxelo ngohambo lwenqanawa, nto leyo ebonisa ukuchana kwale ngxelo.—Genesis 7:11, 17, 24; 8:3-14.
Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, ngoxa wayekumkhombe uNowa wayekhokela xa intsapho yakhe ixubusha izinto zokomoya naxa ibulela kuThixo. Kuyacaca ukuba ingxelo yangaphambi koMkhukula yagcinwa ngoNowa nentsapho yakhe. Ingxelo yomlomo enokuthenjwa okanye imbali ebhalwe phantsi ababenayo yayiza kwenza ukuba kubekho into eyingenelo ababenokuyihlola ebudeni bukaNogumbe.
Hayi indlela anokuba wavuya ngayo uNowa nentsapho yakhe xa baphumela kumhlaba owomileyo kwakhona! Into yokuqala awayenzayo yaba kukwakha isibingelelo waza waba ngumbingeleli wentsapho yakhe, wanikela imibingelelo kuLowo ubasindisileyo.—Genesis 8:18-20.
“Kanye Njengokuba Yayinjalo Imihla KaNowa”
UYesu Kristu wathi: “Kanye njengokuba yayinjalo imihla kaNowa, buya kuba njalo ubukho boNyana womntu.” (Mateyu 24:37) Ngokufanayo, amaKristu anamhlanje angabashumayeli bobulungisa, akhuthaza abantu ukuba baguquke. (2 Petros 3:5-9) Njengoko kukho oko kufana, sinokuzibuza ngento enokuba yayisengqondweni kaNowa ngaphambi koNogumbe. Ngaba wakha wavakalelwa kukuba ukushumayela kwakhe kwakulilize? Ngaba maxa wambi wayedinwa? IBhayibhile ayisixeleli. Ekuphela kwento esixelela yona kukuba uNowa wathobela uThixo.
Ngaba uyakubona ukufana kwemeko kaNowa neyethu? Wathobela uYehova phezu kwayo nje inkcaso nobunzima. Kungenxa yeso sizathu lento uYehova wamvakalisa elilungisa. Intsapho kaNowa yayingalazi ngokuthe ngqo ixesha uThixo awayeza kuwuzisa ngalo uNogumbe, kodwa yayisazi ukuba uyeza. Ukholo kwilizwi likaThixo lwamomeleza uNowa kuyo yonke loo minyaka yomsebenzi nakoko bekuya kubonakala ngathi kukushumayela okungenamiphumo. Eneneni sixelelwa oku: “Ngokholo uNowa, emva kokunikwa isilumkiso sobuthixo sezinto ezingekabonwa, wabonisa uloyiko lobuthixo waza wakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe; yaye ngalo olo kholo waligwebela isohlwayo ihlabathi, waza waba yindlalifa yobulungisa bokholo.”—Hebhere 11:7.
UNowa walufumana njani ukholo olunjalo? Kuyabonakala ukuba wathabatha ixesha ephanda nzulu ngayo yonke into awayeyazi ngoYehova waza wazivumela ukuba alawulwe lolo lwazi. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uNowa wayethetha noThixo ngomthandazo. Enyanisweni, waba nobuhlobo obusenyongweni noYehova kangangokuba “wahamba noThixo.” Njengentloko-ntsapho, ngovuyo uNowa wachitha ixesha ekunye nentsapho yakhe yaye ngothando enikela ingqalelo kuyo. Oku kwakuquka ukunyamekela iintswelo zokomoya zomfazi wakhe, oonyana bakhe abathathu, kunye noomolokazana bakhe.
Ngokufanayo noNowa, amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje ayazi ukuba kungekudala uYehova uza kuphelisa le nkqubo yezinto ingamhloneliyo uThixo. Asiwazi loo mhla okanye iyure, kodwa siyaqonda ukuba ukuxelisa ukholo nokuthobela ‘komshumayeli wobulungisa’ kuya kuphumela ‘ekugcinweni komphefumlo uphila.’—Hebhere 10:36-39.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 29]
Ngaba Ngokwenene Wenzeka?
Izazinzulu ngemvelaphi nentlalo yabantu ziye zaqokelela amabali omkhukula angama-270 phantse kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe. Umphengululi uClaus Westermann uthi: “Ibali lomkhukula likho ehlabathini lonke. Njengebali lendalo, liyinxalenye yamasiko asisiseko esawazuza njengelifa. Ngokwenene kuyamangalisa: kuzo zonke iindawo ehlabathini sifumana amabali omkhukula wakudala.” Kunokucaciswa ngelithini oku? Omnye umphengululi uEnrico Galbiati uthi: “Ubukho obuzingisileyo bamabali omkhukula phakathi kwabantu abahlukahlukeneyo nabahlala kwiindawo eziqeleleleneyo ngumqondiso wokuchana kwamabali aphathelele umkhukula.” Noko ke, kunohlolisiso lwabaphengululi, okona kubalulekileyo kumaKristu kukwazi ukuba uYesu ngokwakhe wathetha ngoMkhukula njengesiganeko esenzekayo embalini yoluntu.—Luka 17:26, 27.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 30]
Ngaba Ubukho BeeNefili Yintsomi?
Amabali amalunga nokusebenzelana koothixo nabantu—“namaqhawe” okanye “oothixo babantu” abavela kolu lwalamano—ayeqhelekile kwiimfundiso zonqulo zamaGrike, zamaYiputa, zabemi baseUgarit, amaHurrian nabemi baseMesopotami. OoThixo beentsomi zamaGrike babekwimo yabantu yaye bebahle kakhulu. Babesidla, besela, belala, besiba neentlobano zesini, bexabana, besilwa, bewexula yaye bedlwengula. Nangona kwakusithiwa bangcwele, babekwazi ukukhohlisa nokwenza ulwaphulo-mthetho. Amaqhawe anjengoAchilles kwakusithiwa anemizimba yobuthixo neyobuntu yaye ayenikwa intlonipho yokwenza izinto ezingaphaya kwamandla abantu kodwa ayenganxulunyaniswa nokuziphatha okubi. Ngoko, oko kuthethwa yiGenesis ngeeNefili kusikhanyisela ngobukho okanye imvelaphi yeentsomi ezinjalo.