Incwadi YeBhayibhile 32—Yona

Umbhali: NguYona

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-844 B.C.E.

 1. Kuphendulwa yiphi imibuzo kwincwadi kaYona, kwaye ibonisa ntoni ngenceba kaYehova?

UYONA—umvangeli wasemazweni wenkulungwane yesithoba Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, owayekwilizwe lasemzini! Wasijonga njani isabelo sakhe esasivela kuYehova? Esi sabelo samfundisa waphi amava amatsha? Ngaba wabafumanisa beneendlebe ezivayo abantu kwisabelo sakhe? Kwaba nempumelelo kangakanani ukushumayela kwakhe? Ingxelo eshukumisayo yencwadi kaYona iyayiphendula le mibuzo. Le ngxelo yesiprofeto eyabhalwa ngethuba laxa abantu bakaYehova abanyuliweyo babewaphule umnqophiso wabo naye baza bawela kunqulo-zithixo lobuhedeni, ibonisa ukuba inceba kaThixo ayipheleliselwanga kuhlanga oluthile olunye, nkqu nolwakwaSirayeli. Ukongezelela, iphakamisa inceba enkulu kaYehova nobubele bakhe, ngokuchasene nokungabi nanceba, umonde, nalukholo okubonakala ngokufuthi kumntu ongafezekanga.

 2. Yintoni eyaziwayo ngoYona, kwaye waprofeta malunga nawuphi unyaka?

² Igama elithi Yona (Yoh·nahʹ, ngesiHebhere) lithetha “iHobe.” Wayengunyana womprofeti uAmitayi waseGati-hefere eGalili kummandla wakwaZebhulon. Kweyesi-2 yooKumkani 14:23-25 sifunda ukuba uYarobheham ukumkani wakwaSirayeli wawolula umda weso sizwe ngokwelizwi awayelithethile uYehova ngoYona. Oku kunokulibeka ixesha lokuprofeta kukaYona malunga nowama-844 B.C.E., umnyaka wokuqalisa kolawulo lukaYarobheham II wakwaSirayeli kwaye iminyaka emininzi ngaphambi kokuba iAsiriya, eyayinekomkhulu layo eNineve, iqalise ukucinezela amaSirayeli.

 3. Yintoni eyingqinela njengeyinyaniso le ngxelo kaYona?

³ Alithandabuzeki elokuba iyonke ingxelo kaYona iyeyokwenyaniso. “UMgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu, uYesu,” wathetha ngoYona njengomntu wokoqobo waza wanikela utoliko oluphefumlelweyo lweziganeko ezibini kwincwadi kaYona, ngaloo ndlela ebonisa ukuba loo ncwadi iqulethe isiprofeto sokwenyaniso. (Heb. 12:2, NW; Mat. 12:39-41; 16:4; Luka 11:29-32) Incwadi kaYona ibisoloko ibekwa ngamaYuda phakathi kweencwadi zawo zemibhalo engcwele kwaye ayiphawula njengevisisana nembali. Ukuthetha phandle kukaYona ekuchazeni iimpazamo zakhe nobuthathaka bakhe, engazami ukubufihla, kukwayiphawula le ngxelo njengeyinyaniso.

 4. Luhlobo luni lwentlanzi olusenokuba lwaginya uYona? Ukanti, yintoni eyaneleyo ukwenzela inkcazelo esiyifunayo?

⁴ Kuthekani ‘ngentlanzi enkulu’ eyaginya uYona? Kubekho ukuwa ngokuwa kweentetho kuzanywa ukufumanisa ukuba yayisenokuba luhlobo luni na lwentlanzi olu. Umnenga owaziwa ngokuba yisperm whale unokumginya ngokulula umntu ephelele. Kukwanjalo nangokrebe omkhulu owaziwa ngokuba yiwhite shark. Noko ke, iBhayibhile isuka nje ithi: “UYehova wamisela intlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye uYona.” (Yona 1:17) Akuchazwanga ukuba yayiluhlobo luni na lwentlanzi olo. Akunakuze kutshiwo ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba yayingumnenga isperm whale, ukrebe omkhulu iwhite shark, okanye esinye isidalwa saselwandle esingaxelwanga.a Ingxelo yeBhayibhile yokuba ‘yayiyintlanzi enkulu’ iyinkcazelo eyaneleyo kuthi.

OKUQULETHWE YEKAYONA

 5. Usabela njani uYona kuthumo lokuya kwisabelo sakhe, kwaye ngawuphi umphumo?

⁵ UYona wabelwa ukuya eNineve kodwa uyabaleka (1:1-16). “Ke kaloku kwafika ilizwi likaYehova kuYona, unyana ka-Amitayi, lisithi, Suk’ ume, uye eNineve, kuloo mzi mkhulu, umemeze ngawo; kuba iindawo zawo ezimbi zinyukile, zeza phambi kwam.” (1:1, 2) Ngaba uYona uyayoliswa sesi sabelo? Nakanye! Ubalekela kwelinye icala, ekhwela inqanawa eya eTarshishe, ngokunokwenzeka eyaziwa ngoku njengeSpeyin. Inqanawa akhwele kuyo uYona iqubisana noqhwithela olukhulu. Betyhwatyhwa luloyiko oomatiloshe bacela uncedo, “elowo kuthixo wakhe,” ngoxa uYona elele emazantsi enqanawa. (1:5) Bakuba bemvusile uYona, benza amaqashiso ngelinge lokufumana lowo ubangele le nkxwaleko bakuyo. Iqashiso liphuma noYona. Kungeli thuba athi abazise ukuba ungumHebhere, ungumnquli kaYehova, nokuthi ubaleka isabelo sakhe asinikwe nguThixo. Uyabacela ukuba bamphosele elwandle. Emva kokuba benze imigudu engakumbi yokuyisindisa inqanawa kolo qhwithela, ekugqibeleni bamphosela elwandle uYona. Ulwandle luyazola.

 6. Ngawaphi amava kaYona ‘ngentlanzi enkulu’?

⁶ Uginywa ‘yintlanzi enkulu’ (1:17–2:10). “UYehova wamisela intlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye uYona. UYona waba sembilinini wentlanzi iimini ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.” (1:17) Engaphakathi kuloo ntlanzi uthandaza ngokunzulu kuYehova. ‘Esesiswini seSheol [selabafileyo]’ uyakhala ecela uncedo, kwaye uvakalisa ukuba uya kukuhlawula oko enze isibhambathiso ngako, kuba “usindiso lolukaYehova.” (2:2, 9, NW) Ngokomyalelo kaYehova, intlanzi imhlanzela emhlabeni owomileyo uYona.

 7. Kuba nomphumo omhle kanganani ukushumayela kukaYona eNineve?

⁷ Ukushumayela eNineve (3:1–4:11). UYehova uyawuphinda umyalelo wakhe abewunike uYona. UYona akasabuyi asibaleke isabelo sakhe, kodwa uya eNineve. Akufika apho utyhutyha izitrato zesixeko ememeza esithi: “Zisaya kuba ziintsuku ezimashumi mané, iNineve ibhukuqwe.” (3:4) Ukushumayela kwakhe kuba nemiphumo emihle. INineve igutyungelwa lilifu lenguquko, kwaye abantu bayo baqalisa ukuba nokholo kuThixo. Ukumkani ubhengeza ukuba abantu nezilwanyana mabazile ukudla notyani baze bambathe ezirhwexayo. Ngenceba uYehova uyasisindisa eso sixeko.

 8. Usabela njani uYona ekubonakaliseni kukaYehova inceba kweso sixeko, kwaye uYehova ukubhenca njani ukungayijongi komprofeti imicimbi ngendlela elungeleleneyo?

⁸ Oku akunyamezeleki kuYona. Uthi kuYehova ebesazi kakade ukuba uYehova wayeya kuba nenceba kwaye kungenxa yoko wayebalekele eTarshishe. Unqwenela ukuba afe. Equmbe esisifu, uYona uhlala kwimpuma yesixeko aze alinde ukuze abone oko kwakuza kwenzeka. UYehova umisela isityalo esingumhlavuthwa ukuba sintshule size sibe ngumthunzi phezu kwalo mprofeti wakhe untshingintshingi. Uvuyo lukaYona ngenxa yawo luba lolokwexeshana. Ngentsasa elandelayo uYehova umisela intlava ukuba iye konakalisa eso sityalo, ngomphumo wokuba isikhuselo saso esithuthuzelayo siyashenxiswa aze atshiswe lulophu lwasempuma nayingqatsini yelanga. Kwakhona uYona unqwenela ukuba afe. Ezenza ilungisa uyawuthethelela umsindo wakhe. UYehova uyambonisa ukungalungelelani kwendlela aziqiqa ngayo izinto: uYona wayelusizi ngesityalo nje esinye somhlavuthwa kodwa uqumbile kuba uYehova ngoku esisizela isixeko esikhulu saseNineve.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

 9. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo sikaYona nekhondo awalithabathayo ezimele zibe sisilumkiso kuthi?

⁹ Isenzo sikaYona nomphumo waso simele sibe sisilumkiso kuthi. Wawubaleka umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo; wayemele ukuba uwenze ngenkuthalo waza wakholosa ngoThixo ukuba amzimase. (Yona 1:3; Luka 9:62; IMize. 14:26; Isa. 6:8) Xa waya kwicala awayengamele kuya kulo, wabonakalisa isimo sengqondo esingakhiyo ngokusilela ukuzazisa ngokukhululekileyo koomatiloshe njengomnquli ‘kaYehova, uThixo wamazulu.’ Wayelahlekelwe yinkalipho yakhe. (Yona 1:7-9; Efe. 6:19, 20) Ukuzingca kukaYona kwamkhokelela ekuyigqaleni inceba kaYehova kwiNineve njengokuthotyw’ isidima kwakhe; waza wazama ukuzikhuph’ ehlazweni ngokuxelela uYehova ukuba wayehleli esazi ukuba izinto zaziya kuphumela koku—ngoko wayemthumela ntoni njengomprofeti? Wohlwaywa ngesi simo sengqondo sokungabi nambeko nesokukhalaza, ngoko simele singenelwe kumava akhe size sizinxweme ekugxekeni ukubonakalisa inceba kukaYehova okanye indlela azenza ngayo izinto.—Yona 4:1-4, 7-9; Fil. 2:13, 14; 1 Kor. 10:10.

10. Ububele bukaYehova nenceba yakhe ziboniswe njani kwincwadi kaYona?

¹⁰ Okubalasele ngaphezu kwako konke kwincwadi kaYona yindlela ezityhila ngayo iimpawu ezizukileyo zobubele bukaYehova nenceba yakhe. UYehova wabonakalisa ububele kwiNineve ngokuthumela umprofeti wakhe ukuba aye kuyilumkisa ngentshabalalo eyayisemnyango, kwaye wayekulungele ukubonisa inceba xa saguqukayo eso sixeko—nceba leyo eyavumela iNineve ukuba ihlale imile ngaphezu kwama-200 eminyaka de kwasekutshatyalalisweni kwayo ngamaMedi nangamaBhabhiloni malunga nowama-632 B.C.E. Wabonakalisa inceba kuYona ngokumhlangula kulwandle olwaluntsilwa luqhwithela nangokumlungiselela umhlavuthwa ukuba ‘umhlangule kwimbandezelo yakhe.’ Ngokulungiselela umhlavuthwa owawukhusele uYona waza wabuya wawushenxisa, uYehova wamazisa uYona ukuba Yena wayeya kubonakalisa inceba nobubele ngokokuthanda Kwakhe.—Yona 1:2; 3:2-4, 10; 2:10; 4:6, 10, 11.

11. Uyintoni “umqondiso kaYona”?

¹¹ KuMateyu 12:38-41 (NW) uYesu wazixelela iinkokeli zonqulo ukuba ekuphela komqondiso ezaziya kuwunikwa yayiya kuba ‘ngumqondiso kaYona.’ Emva kwemihla emithathu nobusuku obuthathu ‘esesiswini seSheol (engcwabeni),’ uYona waya kushumayela eNineve, ngaloo ndlela esiba ‘ngumqondiso’ kwabaseNineve. (Yona 1:17; 2:2; 3:1-4) Ngokufanayo, uYesu wachithela iinxalenye zemihla emithathu engcwabeni waza wavuswa. Xa abafundi bakhe bavakalisa ubungqina beso siganeko, uYesu waba ngumqondiso kweso sizukulwana. Ngokwendlela yamaYuda yokubala ixesha nangokwezibakala ezazalisekisa imeko kaYesu, eli thuba ‘leemini ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu’ livumela ithuba elingaphantsi kwemihla emithathu ezeleyo.b

12. (a) Yintoni engenye ayithethayo uYesu ngabemi baseNineve nangamaYuda omhla wakhe? (b) Wavela njani “omkhulu kunoYona,” kwaye unxulumene njani noBukumkani bukaYehova nosindiso?

¹² Kwakule ngxubusho inye, uYesu uthelekisa ukuguquka kwabantu baseNineve nobulukhuni beentliziyo nokucekiswa ngokuphandle awakufumana kumaYuda ngethuba lobulungiseleli bakhe, esithi: “Amadoda aseNineve aya kusuka eme ngomgwebo nesi sizukulwana, asigwebe; ngokuba aguquka wona ngomemezo lukaYona; ke omkhulu kunoYona ulapha.” (Bona kwanoMateyu 16:4 noLuka 11:30, 32.) “Omkhulu kunoYona”—wayethetha ukuthini uYesu ngala mazwi? Wayebhekisela kuye njengoyena mprofeti mkhulu wakha wakho, Lowo wayethunywe nguYehova ukuya kuvakalisa esithi: “Guqukani, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.” (Mat. 4:17) Sekunjalo, inkoliso yamaYuda eso sizukulwana yawucekisa “umqondiso kaYona.” Injani imeko namhlanje? Nangona inkoliso ingasinikeli ngqalelo isigidimi esilumkisayo sikaYehova, ehlabathini jikelele amawaka ngamawaka anethuba elizukileyo lokuva iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ezaqaliswa ukushunyayelwa nguYesu, “uNyana woMntu.” Njengabemi abaguqukileyo baseNineve, abazuza intsikelelo ngokushumayela kukaYona, naba bakwanokuba nesabelo kwilungiselelo likaYehova eliyintabalala nelenceba lobomi oboluliweyo, kuba ngokwenyaniso “usindiso lukuYehova.”—Yona 2:9.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]