UJona Ufunda Ngesihe SikaJehova

UJEHOVA unikeza umprofethi wakhe uJona isabelo. Kusekhulwini lesishiyagalolunye B.C.E., futhi uJerobowamu II ubusa kwa-Israyeli. UJona ungowaseGati-Heferi, emzini wabakwaZebuloni. (Joshuwa 19:10, 13; 2 AmaKhosi 14:25) UNkulunkulu uthuma uJona enhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya iNineve, engamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-800 ukuya enyakatho-mpumalanga yomuzi wenkaba yakhe. Kufanele axwayise abantu baseNineve ngokuthi babhekene nokubhujiswa uNkulunkulu.

Kungenzeka uJona wacabanga: ‘Ngiye kuloya muzi nakulesiya sizwe? Asizinikele nakuzinikela kuNkulunkulu. Labo bantu base-Asiriya abomela ukuchitha igazi abakaze bangene esivumelwaneni noJehova njengoba kwenza ama-Israyeli. Phela, abantu balesiya sizwe esibi bangase babheke isixwayiso sami njengosongo bese benqoba u-Israyeli! Ngeke ngilunge! Angiyi. Ngizobaleka ngiye eJopha ngigibele umkhumbi—ngiqonde eTharishishi, ngaphesheya koLwandle oluKhulu. Yilokho engizokwenza!’—Jona 1:1-3.

Ingozi Olwandle!

Ngokushesha uJona useseJopha ogwini lweMedithera. Uyakhokha abese egibela umkhumbi oya eTharishishi, ngokuvamile ehlanganiswa neSpain, engamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-3 500 ukuya entshonalanga yeNineve. Lapho esesolwandle, lomprofethi okhathele wehlela ngaphansi emkhunjini abese elala. Ngemva kwesikhashana, uJehova uvunguzisa umoya omkhulu olwandle, futhi itilosi ngalinye elithukile licela usizo kunkulunkulu walo. Umkhumbi ulokhu ugingqika futhi uketuka kangangokuthi imithwalo ize iphonswe olwandle ukuze wenziwe ube lula. Nakuba kunjalo, kubonakala sengathi nakanjani umkhumbi uzophuka, futhi uJona uzwa ukaputeni othukuthele ememeza: “Unani wena olele ubuthongo na? Vuka, ubize uNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe loNkulunkulu uyakusikhumbula ukuba singabhubhi.” UJona uyavuka abese ekhuphukela ngaphezulu emkhunjini.—Jona 1:4-6.

“Wozani senze inkatho,” kusho amatilosi, “sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu.” Inkatho idla uJona. Cabanga ngovalo olumshayayo lapho amatilosi ethi: “Ake usitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu; umsebenzi wakho uyini? Uvelaphi? Liphi izwe lakini, ungowasiphi isizwe na?” UJona uthi ungumHeberu okhulekela “uJehova, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini,” uthi futhi wesaba lowo “owenzile ulwandle nomhlabathi owomileyo.” Lesi sivunguvungu sibafikele ngenxa yokuthi uyabaleka phambi kukaJehova esikhundleni sokuba alalele ayise isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu eNineve.—Jona 1:7-10.

Amatilosi ayabuza: “Siyakwenze-njani ku-we, ukuze ulwandle luthule kithina?” Njengoba ulwandle lugubha kakhulu kunakuqala, uJona uthi: “Ngiphakamiseni, ningiphonse elwandle, beseluthula kini ulwandle, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu ngenxa yami.” Engathandi ukuphonsa inceku kaJehova olwandle okusho ukufa nakanjani ngayo, lamadoda azama ukufinyelela emhlabathini owomile. Ehluleka, lamatilosi ayamemeza: “Siyakuncenga [Jehova]: masingabhubhi ngenxa yalomuntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingenacala, ngokuba wena-Jehova wenzile njengokuhlosa kwakho.”—Jona 1:11-14.

Phakathi Olwandle!

Khona-ke amatilosi aphonsa uJona olwandle. Njengoba ezika olwandle olugubhayo, luqala ukubohla. Ebona lokhu, ‘lamadoda abe eseqala ukwesaba uJehova ngokwesaba okukhulu, amhlabele umhlatshelo, enze izithembiso.’—Jona 1:15, 16.

Njengoba amanzi emboza uJona, akungabazeki ukuthi uyathandaza. Khona-ke uzizwa eshushuluza emgudwini othambile njengoba engena endaweni evulekile. Kuyamangaza ukuthi usakwazi ukuphefumula! Esusa izitshalo zasolwandle ezithandele ikhanda lakhe, uJona uzithola esendaweni engavamile ngempela. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ‘uJehova wayemisele inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye uJona, uJona abe sezibilinini zenhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.’—Jona 1:17.

Umthandazo KaJona Oqotho

Njengoba esesiswini senhlanzi enkulukazi, uJona unesikhathi sokuthandaza. Amanye amazwi akhe afana nawamahubo athile. Kamuva uJona waloba imithandazo yakhe ezwakalisa kokubili ukuphelelwa yithemba nokuzisola. Ngokwesibonelo, kuye kwakubonakala sengathi isisu senhlanzi sasizoba indawo yabafileyo, ithuna lakhe. Ngakho wathandaza: “Ekuhluphekeni kwami ngakhala kuJehova, wangiphendula; ngisesiswini sendawo yabafileyo ngamemeza, wezwa izwi lami.” (Jona 2:1, 2) AmaGama Okukhuphuka amabili—okungenzeka ukuthi ayehlatshelelwa ama-Israyeli lapho ekhuphukela eJerusalema eyoba nemikhosi yaminyaka yonke—anemiqondo efanayo.—IHubo 120:1; 130:1, 2.

Ekhumbula ukucwila kwakhe olwandle, uJona uyathandaza: “Wangiphonsa [Jehova] ekujuleni, enhliziyweni [phakathi] yolwandle, umfula wangihaqa; onke amadlambi akho namaza akho adlula phezu kwami.”—Jona 2:3; qhathanisa neHubo 42:7; 69:2.

UJona wesaba ukuthi ukungalaleli kwakhe kuzomlahlekisela umusa waphezulu futhi angabe esaphinde abone ithempeli likaNkulunkulu. Uyathandaza: ‘Ngathi mina: Ngixoshiwe emehlweni akho; nokho ngiyakubuye ngibheke [kanjani, NW] ithempeli lakho elingcwele?’ (Jona 2:4; qhathanisa neHubo 31:22.) Isimo sikaJona sibonakala sisibi kangangokuba uthi: “Amanzi angihaqa kwaze kwaba-nasekuphileni kwami [efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini], utwa lwangikaka. Umhlanga [wasolwandle] wathandela ekhanda lami.” (Jona 2:5; qhathanisa neHubo 69:1.) Cabanga ngesimo sikaJona esidabukisayo, ngoba uyanezela: “Ngehla ngasemikhawulweni yezintaba [engena enhlanzini]; imigoqo yomhlaba [njengeyethuna] yayisemva kwami kuze kube-phakade. Kepha wakhuphula ukuphila kwami egodini [ngosuku lwesithathu], Jehova Nkulunkulu wami.”—Jona 2:6; qhathanisa neHubo 30:3.

Nakuba esesiswini senhlanzi, uJona akacabangi ukuthi: ‘Ngicindezeleke kakhulu kangangokuthi angikwazi ukuthandaza.’ Kunalokho, uyathandaza: “Lapho umphefumulo wami waphela amandla phakathi kwami [ulengela ekufeni], ngamkhumbula uJehova [ngokholo, njengaLowo onamandla nesihe okungenakuqhathaniswa]; umkhuleko wami wangena kuwe ethempelini lakho elingcwele.” (Jona 2:7) Esethempelini lasezulwini, uNkulunkulu wamuzwa uJona futhi wamsindisa.

Ekuphetheni uJona uyathandaza: “Abagcina okungumoya nokuyize nje [ngokuthembela emifanekisweni engaphili yonkulunkulu bamanga] bashiya oThembekile kubo. Kepha mina ngiyakukuhlabela [Jehova Nkulunkulu] ngezwi lokudumisa ngigcwalise engikuthembisileyo [phakathi nalesi senzakalo noma ngezinye izikhathi]. Ukusindiswa kukuye uJehova.” (Jona 2:8, 9; qhathanisa namaHubo 31:6; 50:14.) Eqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu kuphela ongamkhulula ekufeni, lomprofethi ophendukile (njengaMakhosi uDavide noSolomoni angaphambi kwakhe) uthi insindiso ivela kuJehova.—IHubo 3:8; IzAga 21:31.

UJona Uyalalela

Ngemva kokucabangisisa nokuthandaza ngobuqotho, uJona uzizwa esunduzeleka ngaphandle ephuma ngomgudu angene ngawo. Ekugcineni, ulahlelwa ngaphandle emhlabathini owomile. (Jona 2:10) Ebonga ngokukhululwa, uJona ulalela izwi likaNkulunkulu: “Suka uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu umemezele kulo isimemezelo esikhulu engasikhuluma kuwe.” (Jona 3:1, 2) UJona ulibangisa enhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya. Lapho ethola ukuthi ulwesingaki, uyaqaphela ukuthi ubé sesiswini senhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu. Lomprofethi uwela uMfula i-Ewufrathe ejikeni lawo elikhulu elingasentshonalanga, abhekise amabombo empumalanga edabula inyakatho yeMesopotamiya, afike eMfuleni iTigrisi, futhi ekugcineni afike kulomuzi omkhulu.—Jona 3:3.

UJona ungena eNineve, umuzi omkhulu. Uhambahamba kuwo usuku olulodwa abese ememezela: “Kusezakuba-yizinsuku ezingamashumi amane, beselichithwa iNineve.” Ingabe uJona uye waphiwa ukwazi ulimi lwase-Asiriya ngokuyisimangaliso? Asitshelwa. Kodwa ngisho noma ngabe ukhuluma ngesiHeberu abese ehunyushelwa othile, isimemezelo sakhe siba nemiphumela. Abantu baseNineve baqala ukubeka ukholo kuNkulunkulu. Bamemezela ukuba kuzilwe futhi bagqoke indwangu yamasaka, kusukela komkhulu kuye komncane wabo. Lapho lelizwi lifinyelela enkosini yaseNineve, iyasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, ikhumule isembatho sayo sasebukhosini, yembathe indwangu yamasaka, bese ihlala phansi emlotheni.—Jona 3:4-6.

Yeka indlela uJona amangala ngayo! Inkosi yase-Asiriya ikhipha izimemezelo: “Makungabikho-muntu onambitha utho, nasilwane, nankomo, namvu, bangadli, bangaphuzi-manzi, kepha bambozwe ngendwangu yamasaka umuntu nesilwane, kukhalwe kuNkulunkulu ngamandla, yebo, kubuyiswe yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi nasebudloveni obusezandleni zakhe. Ngubani owaziyo uma uNkulunkulu engayikubuya, azisole, abuye ekufutheni kwentukuthelo yakhe, size singabhubhi, na?”—Jona 3:7-9.

Abantu baseNineve bayavumelana nomyalo wenkosi yabo. Lapho uNkulunkulu ebona ukuthi bayifulathele indlela yabo embi, uyazisola ngenhlekelele athe uzobabangela yona, ngakho akayibangeli. (Jona 3:10) Ngenxa yokuphenduka kwabo, ukuthobeka, nokholo, uJehova unquma ukuba angabehliseli isahlulelo abesihlosile.

Umprofethi Ohwaqabele

Izinsuku ezingu-40 ziyadlula futhi akwenzeki lutho eNineve. (Jona 3:4) Eqaphela ukuthi abantu baseNineve ngeke babhujiswe, uJona ucasuka kakhulu avuthe bhé yintukuthelo abese ethandaza: “Ngiyakuncenga, Jehova; lokho kwakungesilo izwi lami ngisekhona ezweni lakithi na? Ngalokho ngakwandulela ngokubalekela eTharishishi, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi unguNkulunkulu onomusa nobumnene, wephuza ukuthukuthela, unesihe esikhulu, uzisola ngokubi; ngalokho, Jehova, ake ususe kimi ukuphila kwami, ngokuba kungcono kimi ukufa kunokuphila.” UNkulunkulu uphendula ngalombuzo: “Wenza kahle ngokuthukuthela na?”—Jona 4:1-4.

Lapho ezwa lokho, uJona uyashingila aphume kuleli dolobhana. Ngasempumalanga, ufike amise idokodo ukuze ahlale emthunzini walo aze abone ukuthi kwenzekani kulomuzi. Ngesihawu uJehova ube ‘eselungiselela umhlakuva ukuba ube-ngumthunzi phezu kwekhanda likaJona ukumophula kokubi kwakhe.’ Yeka indlela uJona asijabulela ngayo lesi sitshalo somhlakuva! Kodwa uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba impehlwa yonakalise lesi sitshalo ekuthatheni kokusa, futhi siqala ukuyetha. Ngokushesha nje sesibune ngokuphelele. UNkulunkulu futhi uthumela umoya wasempumalanga oshisayo. Ilanga selimhlaba ekhanda lomprofethi, futhi uqala ukuba nesiyezi. Ulokhu ecela ukuba afe. Yebo, uJona uphindaphinda ukuthi: “Kungcono kimi ukufa kunokuphila.”—Jona 4:5-8, qhathanisa ne-NW.

Manje uJehova uyakhuluma. Ubuza uJona: “Wenza kahle ngokuthukuthela ngenxa yomhlakuva na?” UJona uyaphendula: “Ngenza kahle ngokuthukuthela kuze kube-sekufeni.” Ngokuyisisekelo, manje uJehova utshela lomprofethi: ‘Uwudabukele umhlakuva. Kodwa awuwukhandlekelanga noma uwukhulise ube mkhulu. Ube khona futhi washabalala njengento nje emila ngobusuku obubodwa.’ UNkulunkulu waqhubeka embonisa: ‘Mina-ke, akufanele yini ngiwudabukele umuzi omkhulu waseNineve, onabantu abangu-120 000 abangawazi umehluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sokunene nesokhohlo, ngaphandle kwemfuyo eningi?’ (Jona 4:9-11) Impendulo efanele isobala.

UJona uyaphenduka futhi uyaqhubeka ephila ukuze abhale incwadi yeBhayibheli ebizwa ngegama lakhe. Wakuthola kanjani ukuthi amatilosi amesaba uJehova, amhlabela umhlatshelo, futhi enza izithembiso? Ngokuphefumulelwa kwaphezulu noma mhlawumbe ethempelini kwelinye lamatilosi noma komunye wabagibeli.—Jona 1:16; 2:4.

‘Isibonakaliso SikaJona’

Lapho ababhali nabaFarisi becela isibonakaliso kuJesu Kristu, wathi: “Isizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo siyaqhubeka sifuna isibonakaliso, kodwa asikho isibonakaliso esizonikwa sona ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona umprofethi.” UJesu wanezela: “Ngoba njengoba nje uJona ayesesiswini senhlanzi enkulu izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, kanjalo neNdodana yomuntu izoba senhliziyweni yomhlaba izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.” (Mathewu 12:38-40) KumaJuda usuku lwaluqala ekushoneni kwelanga. UKristu wafa ngoLwesihlanu ntambama, ngo-Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Isidumbu sakhe sabekwa ethuneni ngaphambi kokushona kwelanga ngalolo suku. U-Nisan 15 waqala ngalokho kuhlwa futhi waqhubeka kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kwelanga ngoMgqibelo, usuku lwesikhombisa nolokugcina lwesonto. Ngaleso sikhathi kwaqala u-Nisan 16 futhi waqhubeka kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kwelanga ngosuku esilubiza ngokuthi iSonto. Ngakho-ke, uJesu waba sethuneni efile okungenani isikhathi esithile ngo-Nisan 14, waba sethuneni usuku lonke lwango-Nisan 15, futhi kwadlula ubusuku bango-Nisan 16 esethuneni. Lapho abesifazane abathile befika ethuneni ngeSonto ekuseni, wayesevusiwe.—Mathewu 27:57-61; 28:1-7.

UJesu waba sethuneni izingxenye zezinsuku ezintathu. Ngakho izitha zakhe zathola ‘isibonakaliso sikaJona,’ kodwa uKristu wathi: “Abantu baseNineve bayovuka kanye nalesisizukulwane ekwahlulelweni futhi bayosilahla; ngoba baphenduka ngalokho uJona akushumayela, kodwa, bhekani! lapha kukhona okuthile okungaphezu kukaJona.” (Mathewu 12:41) Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kangakanani! AmaJuda ayenoJesu Kristu phakathi kwawo—umprofethi omkhulu kakhulu kunoJona. Nakuba uJona ayeyisibonakaliso esanele kubantu baseNineve, uJesu washumayela ngegunya elikhulu kakhulu nobufakazi obusekelayo kunalowo mprofethi. Nakuba kunjalo, iningi lamaJuda alizange likholwe.—Johane 4:48.

Njengesizwe amaJuda awazange amamukele ngokuthobeka umProfethi omkhulu kunoJona, futhi awazange abonise ukholo kuYe. Kodwa kuthiwani ngokhokho bawo? Nabo bantula ukholo nomoya wokuthobeka. Eqinisweni, ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi uJehova wathumela uJona eNineve ukuze abonise umehluko phakathi kwabantu baseNineve abaphendukayo nama-Israyeli antamo-lukhuni, ayeluntula kakhulu ukholo nokuthobeka.—Qhathanisa noDuteronomi 9:6, 13.

Kuthiwani ngoJona ngokwakhe? Wafunda indlela isihe sikaNkulunkulu esikhulu ngayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusabela kukaJehova ekububuleni kukaJona ngesihawu esaboniswa abantu baseNineve abaphendukayo kufanele kusenze singakhononi lapho uBaba wethu wasezulwini ebonisa isihe kubantu osukwini lwethu. Empeleni, masijabule ngokuthi unyaka ngamunye izinkulungwane ziphendukela kuJehova ngokholo nangezinhliziyo ezithobekile.