Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wafunda Emaphutheni Akhe

UJONA wayefisa ukuvala izindlebe angawuzwa lo msindo omkhulu. Kwakungewona nje umoya onamandla, owawenza izindophi zoseyili zivunguze; futhi kwakungewona nje amagagasi aphakeme, ayeshaya umkhumbi, enza amapulangwe omkhumbi abange umsindo. Cha, okwakukubi nakakhulu kuJona kwakuwukumemeza kwalawo matilosi, ukaputeni neqembu lakhe, njengoba bezabalaza ukuze umkhumbi ungacwili. UJona wayeqiniseka ukuthi la madoda ayelengela egodini—ngenxa nje yakhe!

UJona wayengene kanjani kule nkinga? Wayenze iphutha elikhulu ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe noNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Wayenzeni? Ingabe kwakungasenandlela yokulungisa isimo? Kuningi esingakufunda ezimpendulweni. Ngokwesibonelo, umlando kaJona usisiza ukuba sibone indlela ngisho nalabo abanokholo oluqotho abangaphambuka ngayo—nendlela abangasilungisa ngayo isimo.

Umprofethi WaseGalile

Lapho abantu becabanga ngoJona, kubonakala sengathi bavame ukugxila ezicini ezingafanele, njengokungalaleli kwakhe noma ukuba nenkani kwakhe. Kodwa kuningi esingakusho ngale ndoda. Khumbula, uJona wakhethwa ukuba abe umprofethi kaJehova uNkulunkulu. UJehova wayengeke amkhethe ukuba asingathe umthwalo onzima kangaka ukube wayengathembekile noma engalungile.

Kweyesi-2 AmaKhosi 14:25, sifunda okuthile ngesizinda sikaJona. WayengowaseGati-heferi, engamakhilomitha amane nje ukusuka eNazaretha, umzana uJesu Kristu ayezokhulela kuwo eminyakeni engaba ngu-800 kamuva.a UJona wayengumprofethi ngesikhathi sokubusa kweNkosi uJerobowamu II wombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi. Kwase kuyisikhathi eside u-Eliya ashona; umlandeli wakhe, u-Elisha, wayeshone ngesikhathi kubusa uyise kaJerobowamu. Nakuba uJehova ayesebenzise lawo madoda ukuze aqede ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali, u-Israyeli wabuye wanhlanhlatha ngamabomu. Manje izwe lalingaphansi kwenkosi ‘eyaqhubeka yenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.’ (2 AmaKhosi 14:24) Ngakho cishe inkonzo kaJona yayingelula futhi ingajabulisi neze. Kodwa wayifeza ngokwethembeka.

Kodwa ngolunye usuku ukuphila kukaJona kwashintsha ngokuphelele. UJehova wamnika isabelo asithola sinzima kakhulu. Yini uJehova ayecela ukuba ayenze?

“Sukuma, Uye ENineve”

UJehova watshela uJona: “Sukuma, uye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kuwo ukuthi ububi bawo bukhuphukele phambi kwami.” (Jona 1:2) Akunzima ukubona ukuthi kungani lesi sabelo sasingase sibonakale sesabisa. INineve lalingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-800 ngasempumalanga, uhambo olunqamula izwe olwaluyothatha cishe inyanga yonke ngezinyawo. Kodwa, izinkinga zalolu hambo zazingase zibonakale zilula. ENineve, uJona kwakufanele ethule isigijimi sikaJehova sesahlulelo kwabase-Asiriya, ababaziwa ngobudlova, ngisho nesihluku. Uma abantu bakaNkulunkulu uqobo babengazange bamlalele uJona, yini ayengayilindela kulawo maqaba? Inceku kaJehova yayiyophumelela kanjani eNineve iyodwa, umuzi owawuyogcina waziwa ngokuthi “umuzi wokuchithwa kwegazi”?—Nahume 3:1, 7.

Kungenzeka uJona wafikelwa imicabango enjalo. Asazi. Esikwaziyo ukuthi wabaleka. UJehova wayemyale ukuba aye empumalanga; uJona yena waya kude entshonalanga. Wehlela ogwini emzini onechweba okuthiwa iJopha, lapho athola khona umkhumbi oya eTharishishi. Ezinye izazi zithi iTharishishi yayiseSpain. Uma kunjalo, uJona wayelibangise endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-3 500 ukusuka eNineve. Uhambo olunjalo oluya emaphethelweni oLwandle Olukhulu—njengoba lwalubizwa kanjalo uLwandle iMedithera ngalezo zinsuku—lwalungase luthathe unyaka wonke! UJona wayezimisele ngaleyo ndlela ukubalekela isabelo uJehova ayemnike sona!

Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi kufanele sibheke uJona njengevaka? Akufanele simahlulele ngamawala. Njengoba sizobona, wayenesibindi kakhulu. Kodwa njengathi sonke, uJona wayengumuntu ongaphelele owayenamaphutha amaningi amakhulu. (IHubo 51:5) Ubani kithi ongakaze abe nenkinga yokwesaba?

Kungenzeka ngezinye izikhathi kubonakale sengathi uNkulunkulu usicela ukuba senze okuthile okubonakala kunzima, noma kungenakwenzeka. Singase sikuthole kusabisa ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, njengoba kulindelekile ngamaKristu. (Mathewu 24:14) Kungaba lula kithi ukukhohlwa iqiniso elibalulekile elashiwo uJesu: “Zonke izinto zingenzeka kuNkulunkulu.” (Marku 10:27) Uma ngezinye izikhathi silikhohlwa lelo qiniso, mhlawumbe singabuqonda ubunzima uJona ayebhekene nabo. Kodwa kuthiwani ngemiphumela yokubaleka kwakhe?

UJehova Uyala Umprofethi Wakhe Onhlanhlathayo

Singambona uJona esegibela lowo mkhumbi, okungenzeka kwakuwumkhumbi waseFenike othwala izimpahla. Wayebukele njengoba ukaputeni neqembu lakhe behla benyuka bezama ukuphuma echwebeni ngomkhumbi. Njengoba beya beqhela ogwini, kungenzeka uJona wayethemba ukuthi wayebalekela ingozi ayeyisaba kakhulu. Kodwa kungazelelwe, isimo sezulu sashintsha.

Izivunguvungu zenza ulwandle lwathukuthela, lwaba namagagasi ayengagubuzela ngisho nemikhumbi yesimanje. Kwathatha isikhathi esingakanani ukuba lowo mkhumbi wamapulangwe ubonakale umncane futhi ubuthaka, ugwinywa amagagasi olwandle aphakeme? Ngaleso sikhathi, ingabe uJona wayekwazi lokho akubhala kamuva—ukuthi “uJehova waphonsa umoya omkhulu olwandle”? Asazi. Kodwa wabona njengoba amatilosi eqala ukukhala konkulunkulu bawo abahlukahlukene, futhi wayazi ukuthi ayengeke aluthole usizo. Ukulandisa kwakhe kuthi: “Umkhumbi wona wawusuzophihlizeka.” (Jona 1:4; Levitikusi 19:4) UJona wayengathandaza kanjani kuNkulunkulu ayezama ukumbalekela?

Engenamandla okusiza, uJona wangena egumbini elingaphansi emkhunjini wathola indawo yokulala. Elapho, wazumeka.b Ukaputeni wamthola, wamvusa, wamnxusa ukuba athandaze kunkulunkulu wakhe, njengoba bonke babenza kanjalo. Ekholelwa ukuthi kukhona okwakungaphezu kwemvelo ngalesi sivunguvungu, amatilosi enza inkatho ukuze athole ukuthi obani abasemkhunjini okungenzeka babe imbangela yale nhlekelele. Kungenzeka uJona wafikelwa ukwesaba njengoba abantu behlukaniswa ngenkatho. Ngokushesha kwacaca. NguJehova owayeqondisa lesi sivunguvungu kanye nenkatho eyadla umuntu oyedwa—uJona!—Jona 1:5-7.

UJona watshela amatilosi lonke iqiniso. Wayeyinceku kaNkulunkulu ongumninimandla onke, uJehova. Yilo Nkulunkulu ayezama ukumbalekela futhi ayemthukuthelisile, okwabafaka bonke engozini. La madoda ashaqeka; uJona wawabona emehlweni ukuthi ayenovalo. Ambuza ukuthi yini okufanele ayenze ngaye ukuze asindise umkhumbi nokuphila kwawo. Wathini? Kungenzeka uJona wathuthumela lapho ecabanga ukuthi wayezominza kulolo lwandle oluthukuthele, olubandayo. Kodwa wayengavuma kanjani ukuba laba bantu bafe ngaleyo ndlela, azi kahle ukuthi wayengabasindisa? Ngakho wathi: “Ngiphakamiseni ningiphonse olwandle, futhi ulwandle luzothula; ngoba ngiyaqaphela ukuthi kungenxa yami kunalesi siphepho esikhulu phezu kwenu.”—Jona 1:12.

Lawa akuwona amazwi evaka, akunjalo? Kumelwe ukuba kwamthokozisa uJehova ukubona isibindi sikaJona, ukuzidela kwakhe kuleso simo esinzima. Lapha silubona ngokucacile ukholo lukaJona. Singalulingisa namuhla ngokubeka inhlalakahle yabanye ngaphambi kweyethu. (Johane 13:34, 35) Uma sibona othile oswele ngokwenyama, ngokomzwelo, noma ngokomoya, ingabe siyazidela ukuze sisize? Yeka indlela esimthokozisa ngayo uJehova uma senza kanjalo!

Kungenzeka namatilosi athinteka, ngoba ekuqaleni enqaba ukuvuma! Kunalokho, enza konke okwakungawasindisa kulesi siphepho, kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Isiphepho saba namandla kakhulu. Ekugcineni, abona ukuthi yayingekho enye indlela. Enxusa kuNkulunkulu kaJona, uJehova, ukuba awabonise isihe, amthatha amjikijela olwandle.—Jona 1:13-15.

UJona Uthola Isihe Futhi Uyakhululwa

UJona wawela olwandle oluthukuthele. Kungenzeka wazabalaza ezama ukungagwilizi, futhi wabona umkhumbi umfulathela ngokushesha esemanzini anegwebu. Kodwa la magagasi anamandla amgubuzela. Wacwila, enomuzwa wokuthi alisekho ithemba.

Kamuva uJona wachaza indlela azizwa ngayo ngalesi sikhathi. Wafikelwa imicabango eminingi. Wadabuka lapho ecabanga ukuthi wayengeke aphinde alibone ithempeli elihle likaJehova eJerusalema. Wazizwa eshona ekujuleni kolwandle, ezisekelweni zezintaba, lapho abanjwa khona ukhula lwasolwandle. Kwabonakala sengathi wayezofela lapha.—Jona 2:2-6.

Kodwa yima! Kukhona okuthile okwakunyakaza eduze—isilwane esikhulu esimnyama. Njengoba sisondela, saqonda ngqo kuye. Savula umlomo omkhulu samgwinya!

Kumelwe ukuba uJona wayecabanga ukuthi sekuphelile ngaye. Kodwa wezwa okuthile okumangalisayo. Wayesaphila! Lesi silwane sasingamdlanga futhi wayesaphefumula. Cha, wayesaphila, nakuba ayekulokho okwakufana nethuna lakhe. Kancane kancane, uJona wamangala. Ngokungangabazeki, kwakunguNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, ‘owamisa inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye.’c—Jona 1:17.

Kwadlula imizuzu, kwaphela amahora. Esebumnyameni ayengakaze abubone ngaphambili, uJona wazindla futhi wathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Umthandazo wakhe, olotshwe wonke esahlukweni sesibili sikaJona, wembula amaqiniso athile. Ubonisa ukuthi uJona wayenolwazi oluhle lwemiBhalo, ngoba ubhekisela kaningi kumaHubo. Uveza nemfanelo encomekayo: ukubonga. UJona waphetha: “Kodwa mina, ngizokwenzela umhlatshelo ngezwi lokubonga. Engikuthembise ngesifungo, ngizokugcwalisa. Insindiso ingekaJehova.”—Jona 2:9.

UJona wafunda ukuthi uJehova angasindisa noma ubani, noma kuphi, nganoma isiphi isikhathi. Ngisho nalapho, ‘ezibilinini zenhlanzi,’ uJehova wayithola futhi wayisindisa inceku yakhe eyayisenkathazweni. (Jona 1:17) NguJehova kuphela owayengagcina umuntu ephila saka izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu esesiswini senhlanzi enkulu. Kuhle ukuba sikhumbule namuhla ukuthi uJehova “uNkulunkulu okuphefumula kwakho kusesandleni sakhe.” (Daniyeli 5:23) Siphila nje kungenxa yakhe. Ingabe siyambonga ngalokho? Pho, akufanele yini simlalele uJehova?

Kuthiwani ngoJona? Ingabe wafunda ukubonisa ukuthi uyambonga uJehova ngokulalela? Yebo. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, le nhlanzi yaya ogwini futhi “yamhlanza uJona yamkhiphela emhlabathini owomile.” (Jona 2:10) Cabanga nje—ngemva kwazo zonke lezi zigemegeme, akudingekanga nokuba uJona abhukude aye ogwini! Yiqiniso, kwadingeka ukuba athole indlela yokusuka kulolo gu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lwalukuphi. Kodwa ngokushesha umoya wakhe wokwazisa wavivinywa. UJona 3:1, 2 uthi: “Khona-ke izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona okwesibili, lathi: ‘Sukuma, uye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kuwo isimemezelo engisikhuluma kuwe.’” Wayezokwenzenjani uJona?

UJona akazange anqikaze. Siyafunda: “Khona-ke uJona wasukuma waya eNineve ngokwezwi likaJehova.” (Jona 3:3) Yebo, walalela. Ngokusobala, wafunda emaphutheni akhe. Nalapha futhi kudingeka silingise ukholo lukaJona. Sonke siyona; sonke siyawenza amaphutha. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ingabe siyadangala, noma ingabe siyafunda emaphutheni ethu bese sikhonza uNkulunkulu ngokumlalela?

Ingabe uJehova wamvuza uJona ngokulalela kwakhe? Yebo. Phakathi kokunye, kubonakala sengathi ekugcineni uJona wezwa ukuthi lawo matilosi asinda. Isiphepho sanqamuka ngokushesha ngemva kwesenzo sakhe sokuzidela, futhi lawo matilosi “aqala ukumesaba kakhulu uJehova” futhi amenzela umhlatshelo esikhundleni sokuwenzela onkulunkulu bawo bamanga.—Jona 1:15, 16.

Umvuzo omkhulu nakakhulu weza kamuva. UJesu wasebenzisa isikhathi uJona asichitha enhlanzini enkulu njengomfanekiso ongokwesiprofetho wesikhathi yena ayeyosichitha ethuneni, noma eShiyoli. (Mathewu 12:38-40) Yeka indlela uJona ayojabula ngayo uma ezwa ngaleso sibusiso lapho evuswa ukuze aphile emhlabeni! (Johane 5:28, 29) UJehova uyafuna ukukubusisa nawe. NjengoJona, ingabe uyofunda emaphutheni akho futhi ubonise ukulalela nomoya wokuzidela?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 29]

UJona Ubhekana Nabagxeki

▪ Ingabe izenzakalo ezilotshwe encwadini kaJona eBhayibhelini zenzeka ngempela? Kusukela endulo, le ncwadi iye yagxekwa. Esikhathini sanamuhla sabagxeki abacusumbulayo, le ncwadi iye yagxekwa—kwathiwa iyinganekwane. Umlobi othile wangekhulu le-19 wabika indlela umfundisi othile achaza ngayo ukulandisa kukaJona nenhlanzi enkulu njengenganekwane eyinqaba: UJona wahlala ehhotela laseJopha okuthiwa uPhawu Lomkhomo. Ngenxa yokuthi wayengenamali eyanele yokukhokha, umnikazi wehhotela wamxosha. Kanjalo uJona “wathathwa” futhi kamuva “wahlanzwa” umkhomo! Empeleni, kubonakala sengathi abagxeki beBhayibheli bazimisele ukushwabadela uJona ngaphezu kwaleyo nhlanzi enkulu!

Kungani le ncwadi yeBhayibheli igxekwa kangaka? Ichaza izimangaliso. Kubonakala sengathi abagxeki abaningi banalo mbono oqinile ngezimangaliso: Izinto ezinjalo azinakwenzeka. Kodwa ingabe lowo mbono unengqondo ngempela? Zibuze lo mbuzo, ‘Ingabe ngiyawukholelwa umusho wokuqala eBhayibhelini?’ Uthi: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu nomhlaba.” (Genesise 1:1) Izigidi zabantu abanengqondo emhlabeni jikelele ngokuhlakanipha ziyalamukela lelo qiniso elilula. Kodwa, lawo mazwi ewodwa aqukethe okungaphezu kwanoma iziphi izimangaliso ezachazwa kamuva eBhayibhelini.

Cabanga: KuLowo owadala amazulu anezinkanyezi nazo zonke izimangaliso zokuphila eziyinkimbinkimbi ezisemhlabeni, yini echazwe encwadini kaJona ebingenakwenzeka? Ukubangela isiphepho? Ukutshela inhlanzi enkulu ukuba igwinye umuntu? Noma ukwenza ukuba leyo nhlanzi iphinde imhlanze lowo muntu? KuLowo onamandla angenamkhawulo, bezingeke neze zibe nzima izinto ezinjalo.—Isaya 40:26.

Ngisho nangaphandle kokungenela kukaNkulunkulu, izinto ezimangalisayo ziyenzeka ngezinye izikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, kuthiwa ngo-1758 itilosi elithile elalisemkhunjini lawela oLwandle iMedithera futhi ladliwa ushaka. Kodwa lowo shaka wadutshulwa ngenganono. Lapho le nhlanzi ishaywa inhlamvu yenganono, yalihlanza leli tilosi, futhi lakhishwa emanzini liphila, lingenamyocu. Uma lokhu kuyiqiniso, singase sibheke le ndaba njengephawulekayo, mhlawumbe emangalisayo—kodwa ayisona isimangaliso. Ingabe uNkulunkulu ubenganakuwasebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze enze okungaphezu kwalokho?

Abagxeki baveza nokuthi akukho muntu obengahlala ephila esiswini senhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu angafi. Kodwa abantu baye basebenzisa ukuhlakanipha bagcwalisa izigubhu ngomoya futhi bazisebenzisela ukuphefumula ngaphansi kwamanzi isikhathi eside. Ingabe uNkulunkulu ubengenakuwasebenzisa amandla akhe angenamkhawulo nokuhlakanipha ekugcineni uJona ephila futhi ephefumula izinsuku ezintathu? Njengoba nje enye yezingelosi zikaJehova yake yasho kuMariya, unina kaJesu, “kuNkulunkulu akukho simemezelo esiyoba yinto engenakwenzeka.”—Luka 1:37.

Yini enye ebonisa ukuthi incwadi kaJona iwumlando onembile? Incazelo kaJona yomkhumbi nezisebenzi zawo inemininingwane futhi ingokoqobo. KuJona 1:5, sibona amatilosi ephonsa izinto ezisemkhunjini olwandle ukuze ube lula. Izazi-mlando zasendulo ngisho nomthetho worabi ubonisa ukuthi lokhu kwakuwumkhuba ovamile uma isimo sezulu sisibi. Incazelo kaJona kamuva ngeNineve nayo ifakazelwa umlando nemivubukulo. Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJesu Kristu wabhekisela ekuhlaleni kukaJona izinsuku ezintathu esiswini senhlanzi enkulu njengesiprofetho esibhekisela ekuhlaleni kwakhe ethuneni. (Mathewu 12:38-40) Ubufakazi bukaJesu bufakazela ukuthi umlando kaJona uyiqiniso.

“KuNkulunkulu akukho simemezelo esiyoba yinto engenakwenzeka.”—LUKA 1:37

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ngenxa yokunxusa kukaJona, amatilosi amphakamisa amphonsa olwandle