Isizathu Esenza UNkulunkulu Wabonisa UNowa Umusa—Okwenza Ukuba Sisinake

ININGI lethu liyazikhumbula izikhathi elezwa ngazo izindaba ezibalulekile. Sikhumbula imininingwane—hhayi nje eyokuthi sasikuphi nokuthi sasenzani kodwa nokuthi sasabela kanjani. Akungabazeki ukuthi uNowa akalukhohlwanga usuku athola ngalo izindaba ezivela kuJehova uNkulunkulu, uMbusi wendawo yonke. Zikhona yini izindaba ezibaluleke ngaphezu kwalokho? UJehova wathi wayesenqume ukubhubhisa “yonke inyama.” UNowa kwakumelwe akhe umkhumbi omkhulu ukuze asinde yena, umkhaya wakhe nazo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane.—Genesise 6:9-21.

Wasabela kanjani uNowa? Ingabe wajabula lapho ezwa lezi zindaba, noma wakhononda? Wamtshela kanjani umkakhe nomkhaya wakhe lezi zindaba? IBhayibheli alisho. Kodwa nakhu elisitshela khona: “UNowa wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho. Wenza kanjalo nje.”—Genesise 6:22.

Yiphuzu elibalulekile ngempela lelo, ngoba lawo mazwi ngokwengxenye achaza isizathu esenza uNowa wathola umusa emehlweni kaNkulunkulu; uNowa wayezimisele ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu ayethi akakwenze. (Genesise 6:8) Yini enye eyabangela ukuba uNkulunkulu abonise uNowa umusa? Ibalulekile impendulo ngoba kufanele sifane noNowa ukuze sisinde lapho uNkulunkulu esephinda ehlanza umhlaba ngokususa ububi. Kodwa okokuqala, ake sicabangele ukuthi ukuphila kukaNowa kwakunjani ezinsukwini ezandulela iSikhukhula.

Amademoni Eza Emhlabeni

UNowa waphila ekuqaleni komlando wesintu. Wazalwa eminyakeni engaba yinkulungwane ngemva kokudalwa komuntu wokuqala. Ngaleso sikhathi abantu babengahlali emigedeni njengoba abaningi becabanga—beyizidalwa ezigcwele uboya, eziyiziphukuphuku ezazihamba zizidonsa ziphethe izagila. Kwakunamathuluzi enziwe ngensimbi nethusi, futhi kungenzeka uNowa wawasebenzisa ekwakheni umkhumbi. Kwakukhona nezinsimbi zomculo. Abantu babeshada, benakekela imikhaya, belima futhi befuyile. Babethenga futhi badayise izinto. Ngalezi zindlela, ukuphila kwakufana nanamuhla.—Genesise 4:20-22; Luka 17:26-28.

Kodwa izinto zazihlukile ngezinye izindlela. Omunye umehluko ukuthi abantu babephila isikhathi eside. Kwakuvamile ukuba umuntu aphile iminyaka engaphezu kuka-800. UNowa waphila iminyaka engu-950; u-Adamu, engu-930; kanti uMethusela, umkhulu kaNowa, waphila iminyaka engu-969.a—Genesise 5:5, 27; 9:29.

Omunye umehluko uchazwe encwadini kaGenesise 6:1, 2, ethi: “Manje kwathi lapho abantu beqala ukwanda ebusweni bomhlaba futhi bezalelwa amadodakazi, khona-ke amadodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso aqala ukuqaphela amadodakazi abantu, ukuthi ayebukeka; ayesezithathela abafazi, okungukuthi, wonke lawo ayewakhetha.” La “madodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso” ayeyizingelosi ezivela ezulwini ezathatha imizimba yabantu futhi zaphila emhlabeni njengabo. Ayengathunywanga uNkulunkulu; futhi ayengezelanga ukuzozuzisa isintu. Kunalokho, ‘ashiya indawo yawo yokuhlala efanele’ ezulwini ukuze azolala nabesifazane abahle emhlabeni. Aba amademoni.—Jude 6.

Lezi zingelosi ezingamademoni eziyizihlubuki ezonakele, futhi ezazinamandla nokuhlakanipha okwedlula okwabantu zafaka ithonya elibi kubantu. Kungenzeka ukuthi zazilawula umphakathi wesintu. Zazingazifihli njengesigebengu esingungqondongqondo esizifihlayo bese senza ububi ekusithekeni. Kunalokho, zakubonakalisa obala ukuvukela kwazo okuyihlazo ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu.

La madodana kaNkulunkulu ayizingelosi alala nabesifazane, bazala izingane ezakhula zaba namandla amangalisayo. Zaziwa ngegama lesiHebheru elithi “amaNefili.” Siyatshelwa: “Kwakukhona amaNefili emhlabeni ngalezo zinsuku, nakamuva futhi, lapho amadodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso eqhubeka elala namadodakazi abantu futhi ewazalela amadodana, ayengabantu abanamandla bakudala, amadoda odumo.” (Genesise 6:4) AmaNefili ayesatshwa kakhulu. Igama elithi “amaNefili” lisho “aBawisi,” labo abawisa abanye. Ayengababulali okungenzeka ukuthi izenzo zabo zobudlova kukhulunywa ngazo ezinganekwaneni zasendulo.

Usizi Lwabalungile

IBhayibheli lisichazela ukuthi leso sizukulwane sasinenkohlakalo ejulile futhi esakazekile. Lithi: “Ububi bomuntu babudlangile emhlabeni futhi konke ukuthambekela kwemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe kukubi ngaso sonke isikhathi. . . . Umhlaba wagcwala ubudlova. . . . Yonke inyama yayiyonakalisile indlela yayo phezu komhlaba.”—Genesise 6:5, 11, 12.

UNowa wayephila kulelo zwe. Ngokuphambene nabantu ababemzungezile, “uNowa wayeyindoda elungile” ‘eyahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (Genesise 6:9) Akulula ngomuntu olungile ukuba aphile emphakathini ongalungile. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu ngayo uNowa lokho abantu ababekusho nababekwenza! Cishe wayezizwa njengoLoti, enye indoda elungile eyaphila ngemva kweSikhukhula. ULoti, owayehlala nabantu baseSodoma abonakele, ‘wayecindezeleke kakhulu ngokuzitika kwabantu abadelela umthetho ekuziphatheni okubi,’ futhi ‘lokho akubona nakuzwa ngesikhathi esahlala phakathi kwabo usuku nosuku kwawuhlupha umphefumulo wakhe olungileyo ngenxa yezenzo zabo zokungabi namthetho.’ (2 Petru 2:7, 8) Kumelwe ukuba kwakunjalo nangoNowa.

Ingabe ziyakucindezela izenzakalo ezishaqisayo ezivezwa ezindabeni noma ukuziphatha kwabantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu abakuzungezile? Uma kunjalo, ungayiqonda indlela uNowa azizwa ngayo. Cabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwakunzima kangakanani kuye ukukhuthazelela izwe labangalungile iminyaka engu-600, ngoba wayemdala kangako lapho kufika iSikhukhula. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba wayeyilangazelela ngayo impumuzo!—Genesise 7:6.

UNowa Waba Nesibindi Sokuba Ohlukile

UNowa ‘wayengenaphutha phakathi kwabantu besikhathi sakhe.’ (Genesise 6:9) Phawula ukuthi iBhayibheli alithi abantu besikhathi sakhe babembona engenaphutha, kodwa lithi wayengenaphutha phakathi kwabo. Ngamanye amazwi, wayengenaphutha emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, kodwa kubantu besikhathi sangaphambi kweSikhukhula, uNowa wayeyinqaba. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi wayengahambisani nombono ovamile, futhi akazange ahileleke ekuzijabuliseni okungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu nemisebenzi yezenhlalo yosuku lwakhe. Cabanga indlela abantu ababembheka ngayo lapho eqala ukwakha umkhumbi! Cishe babemhleka usulu, bemklolodela. Babengamnaki.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNowa wayenezinkolelo ezijulile ezingokwenkolo, futhi akazange azigodle. IBhayibheli lithi ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Petru 2:5) Ngokungangabazeki, uNowa wayekulindele ukuphikiswa. Ukhokho wakhe u-Enoke wayeyindoda elungile eyabikezela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezokwahlulela ababi. Cishe lokhu kwenza ukuba u-Enoke ashushiswe, nakuba uNkulunkulu engabavumelanga abaphikisi bakhe ukuba bambulale. (Genesise 5:18, 21-24; Hebheru 11:5; 12:1; Jude 14, 15) Njengoba kwakunoSathane, amademoni, amaNefili neningi labantu ababenganaki noma bemphikisa, uNowa kwakudingeka abe nesibindi nokholo emandleni kaJehova okumvikela.

Labo abakhonza uNkulunkulu bebelokhu bephikiswa yilabo abangamkhonzi. Ngisho noJesu Kristu wayezondwa, kanjalo nalabo ababemlandela. (Mathewu 10:22; Johane 15:18) UNowa wayenesibindi sokukhonza uNkulunkulu, nakuba kwakungathandeki ukwenza kanjalo. Wayeqonda ukuthi ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu kubaluleke ngaphezu kokwamukelwa abantu abaphikisa uNkulunkulu. Futhi uNowa wathola umusa kaNkulunkulu.

UNowa Wanaka

Njengoba sesibonile, uNowa washumayela kwabanye ngesibindi. Basabela kanjani esigijimini asiletha? IBhayibheli lithi ngaphambi kweSikhukhula abantu ‘babedla, bephuza, amadoda eshada nabesifazane bendiswa, kwaze kwaba usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini; futhi abanakanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.’—Mathewu 24:38, 39.

UJesu wathi kwakuyokwenzeka okufanayo osukwini lwethu. Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu oFakazi BakaJehova bememezela isixwayiso sokuthi uJehova uzothatha izinyathelo ezinqala ukuze agcwalise isithembiso sakhe sokuletha umhlaba omusha onokulunga. Nakuba izigidi ziye zasabela kahle, izigidi zezigidi zabantu emhlabeni azinaki. ‘Ngokwesifiso sazo,’ ziziba iqiniso nokubaluleka kweSikhukhula.—2 Petru 3:5, 13.

Kodwa uNowa wanaka. Wayekukholelwa lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu amtshela khona. Leso senzo sokulalela samsindisa. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe.”—Hebheru 11:7.

Isibonelo Okufanele Silingiswe

Umkhumbi owakhiwa uNowa wawumkhulu—umude kunenkundla kanobhutshuzwayo futhi uphakeme njengesakhiwo esinezitezi ezintathu. Wawunobude obungamamitha angaphezu kwangu-30 kunomkhumbi kaseyili i-Wyoming, okubikwa ukuthi kwakuwumkhumbi wamapulangwe omkhulu kunayo yonke eyake yakhiwa. Kuyiqiniso, umkhumbi kaNowa wawungafani nomkhumbi ovamile; kwakudingeka ukuba untante nje kuphela. Noma kunjalo, kwakudingeka amakhono aphambili ukuze wakhiwe. Futhi kwakudingeka unanyekwe ngetiyela ngaphakathi nangaphandle. Kungenzeka kwathatha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50 ukuwakha.—Genesise 6:14-16.

Kwakuhileleke okwengeziwe. UNowa kwakudingeka agcine ukudla konyaka wonke komkhaya wakhe nezilwane. Ngaphambi kokufika kweSikhukhula, kwakudingeka ukuba kuqoqwe izilwane futhi zifakwe ngaphakathi. “UNowa wabe esenza njengakho konke uJehova ayemyale ngakho.” Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwaba impumuzo kangakanani lapho konke sekumi ngomumo futhi uJehova evala umnyango womkhumbi!—Genesise 6:19-21; 7:5, 16.

Kwabe sekufika iSikhukhula. Lana izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40. Bonke kwadingeka bahlale emkhunjini unyaka wonke kuze kubohle amanzi. (Genesise 7:11, 12; 8:13-16) Bonke abantu ababi babhujiswa. UNowa nomkhaya wakhe kuphela abasindela emhlabeni ohlanziwe.

IBhayibheli lithi iSikhukhula somhlaba wonke sosuku lukaNowa ‘siyisibonelo sezinto ezizayo.’ Kanjani? Siyafunda: “Amazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje abekelwe umlilo futhi ayagcinwa kuze kube sosukwini lokwahlulelwa nolokubhujiswa kwabantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.” Kodwa njengasosukwini lukaNowa, bakhona abayosinda. Ungaqiniseka ngokuthi “uJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 2:5, 6, 9; 3:7.

UNowa wayeyindoda ezinikele kuNkulunkulu, elungile esizukulwaneni esibi. Walalela uNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Waba nesibindi sokwenza okulungile nakuba ayazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuyomenza aklolodelwe futhi azondwe yilabo ababengafuni ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngokulingisa uNowa ngalezi zindlela, nathi singamukelwa uNkulunkulu futhi sibe nethemba lokusindiswa singene ezweni elisha elizofika maduze.—IHubo 37:9, 10.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

Izenzo zobudlova zamaNefili kukhulunywa ngazo ezinganekwaneni zasendulo

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ngokulingisa ukholo lukaNowa, singathola umusa kaNkulunkulu

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 5]

Alinari/Art Resource, NY