Ingabe Uyalilahla Izwe Ngokholo Lwakho?
“Ngokukholwa uNowa . . . wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe, . . . walahla izwe . . . ngokukholwa.”—HEBERU 11:7.
1, 2. Yini esingayifunda ekuhloleni ukuphila kukaNowa?
UJEHOVA wanika uNowa nomkhaya wakhe—abayisishiyagalombili kuphela ngenani—ilungelo lokuba babe ukuphela kwabantu abasinda kuZamcolo. Ukuphila kwabo bonke abanye ababephila esikhathini sikaNowa kwanqamuka lapho uNkulunkulu ebakhukhulela ethuneni elingamanzi. Njengoba ngaleyondlela uNowa engukhokho wethu sonke, kufanele sibonge kakhulu ngokholo alubonisa.
2 Singafunda okuningi ngokuhlola ukuphila kukaNowa. ImiBhalo isitshela isizathu sokuba uNkulunkulu abonise uNowa umusa ngokumsindisa kuyilapho ebhubhisa abantu besizukulwane sakhe. Wona lombhalo ogciniwe ofanayo waphezulu ubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi isizukulwane sethu sibhekene nokwahlulelwa okufanayo kukaNkulunkulu. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, uJesu wathi: “Kuyakuba-khona usizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona.” (Mathewu 24:21) Ngokulingisa ukholo lukaNowa, singaba nethemba eliqinisekile lokusinda ekubhujisweni okuseduze kwalesimiso samanje esibi.—Roma 15:4; qhathanisa namaHeberu 13:7.
3. Kungani uJehova aletha uZamcolo?
3 Phakathi neminyaka eyi-1 656 kusukela ekudalweni kuka-Adamu kuya kuZamcolo, babembalwa kakhulu abantu ababethambekele ekwenzeni okuhle. Ukuziphatha kwawohloka kwaba sezingeni eliphansi kakhulu. “UJehova wabona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe zimbi njalo.” (Genesise 6:5) Ubudlova, ukufuna injabulo, nokuba khona kwezingelosi ezaziguqula abantu zashada nabesifazane futhi zaveza inzalo eyiziqhwaga kwakuphakathi kwezici ezaholela ekukhishweni kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kulelozwe lesintu lasendulo. KuNowa, uJehova wathi: “Ukuphela kwenyama yonke kufikile phambi kwami, ngokuba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu.” Ukubekezela koMdali, “umahluleli womhlaba wonke,” kwase kuphelile.—Genesise 6:13; 18:25.
UNowa Wayehamba NoNkulunkulu
4. (a) UJehova wambheka kanjani uNowa, futhi ngani? (b) Nakuba ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kwafuna ukuba lelozwe elibi libhujiswe, uthando lwakhe lwaboniswa kanjani kuNowa nomkhaya wakhe?
4 Yeka ukuthi uNowa wayehluke kanjani kubantu bosuku lwakhe! “Wayetholile umusa emehlweni kaJehova. . . . UNowa wayeyindoda eqotho, engenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe, uNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 6:8, 9) UNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu ngayiphi indlela? Ngokwenza izinto ezilungile ezinjengokushumayela njengommeleli wokulunga nangokwakha umkhumbi ngokholo nangokulalela. Ngaleyondlela, nakuba lelozwe lasendulo labhujiswa ngenxa yokuthi lalonakele ngokuphelele, uNkulunkulu “wamlondoloza uNowa, umshumayeli wokulunga, engowesishiyagalombili, mhla eletha uzamcolo ezweni elingamesabi uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 2:5) Yebo, uNkulunkulu wethu onothando nolungile, uJehova, akazange abhubhise abalungileyo kanye nababi. Wayala uNowa ukuba akhe umkhumbi omkhulu wokusindisa yena, umkhaya wakhe, nezilwane eziningana, ukuze bonke babe yizakhamuzi zomhlaba ezintsha ngemva kukaZamcolo. Futhi uNowa “wenze njalo.”—Genesise 6:22.
5. ImiBhalo ikuchaza kanjani ukulunga nokholo lukaNowa?
5 Usuphelile umkhumbi, uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa: “Ngena emkhunjini, wena nendlu yakho yonke, ngokuba ngikubonile wena ukuthi uqotho phambi kwami kulesisizukulwane.” UPawulu ufingqa lendaba ngalendlela: “Ngokukholwa uNowa exwayisiwe ngezinto ebezingakabonwa, esaba uNkulunkulu, wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe, okungakho walahla izwe, waba-yindlalifa yokulunga okuvela ngokukholwa.”—Genesise 7:1; Heberu 11:7.
6. UNowa walilahla kanjani izwe losuku lwakhe ngokholo lwakhe?
6 UNowa wayenokholo oluvelele. Wayekukholelwa lokho okwashiwo uNkulunkulu ngokukhukhula lesosizukulwane. UNowa wayenokwesaba okunempilo ukudumaza uJehova futhi ngokulalela wakha umkhumbi ngokwemiyalo ayeyinikwe uNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengomshumayeli wokulunga, uNowa watshela abanye ngembubhiso eyayisondela. Nakuba bengawalalelanga amazwi akhe, wenqaba ukuvumela lelozwe elibi ukuba ‘limlolonge ukuze afane nalo.’ (Roma 12:2, Phillips) Kunalokho, ngokholo lwakhe, uNowa walilahla izwe ngenxa yobubi balo futhi wabonisa ukuthi lalikufanele ukubhujiswa. Ukulalela nezenzo zakhe zokulunga kwabonisa ukuthi abanye ngaphandle kwakhe nomkhaya wakhe babengasinda ukuba babeye bazimisela ukuguqula indlela yabo yokuphila. Ngempela, uNowa wabonisa ukuthi, naphezu kokucindezela okuvela enyameni yakhe siqu engaphelele, ezweni elibi elalimzungezile, nakuDeveli, kwakungenzeka ukuba umuntu aphile ukuphila okuthokozisa uNkulunkulu.
Isizathu Sokuba UNkulunkulu Asibhubhise Lesisimiso
7. Sazi kanjani ukuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina?
7 Ishumi leminyaka ngalinye lalelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka liye labona izwe liya ngokuya licwila ebubini. Lokhu kuye kwaba iqiniso ikakhulukazi kusukela ekuqaleni kweMpi Yezwe I. Isintu sesiye sacwila kakhulu ezintweni ezinjengokuziphatha okubi kobulili, ubugebengu, ubudlova, impi, inzondo, ubugovu, nokusetshenziswa kabi kwegazi kangangokuthi labo abathanda okulungile bayazibuza ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuba lezizimo zibe zimbi ngokwengeziwe. Nokho, iBhayibheli labikezela ngokwanda kobubi obedlulele esizukulwaneni sethu, kunikeza obunye ubufakazi bokuthi ‘sisezinsukwini zokugcina.’—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; Mathewu 24:34.
8. Abanye baye bathini ngokwazi isono?
8 Namuhla, umqondo wesono uye walulazwa ezingqondweni zoquqaba lwabantu. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-40 edlule, uPapa Pius XII waphawula: “Isono salelikhulu leminyaka siwukulahlekelwa ngokuphelele ukuqonda ukuthi siyini isono.” Isizukulwane samanje siyenqaba ukuvuma isono nokuba necala. Encwadini yakhe ethi Whatever Became of Sin? UDkt. Karl Menninger wathi: “Lona kanye igama elithi ‘isono’ . . . cishe liye lanyamalala—igama, kanye nomqondo walo. Ngani? Ingabe abantu abasoni?” Abaningi baye bangakwazi ukwehlukanisa okulungile kokungalungile. Kodwa asimangali ngalokhu, ngoba uJesu wabikezela izinto ezinjalo lapho ekhuluma ‘ngesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe’ “esikhathini sokugcina.”—Mathewu 24:3, NW; Daniyeli 12:4.
Isenzakalo Sosuku LukaNowa Siyisibonelo Sokwahlulela
9. UJesu waluqhathanisa kanjani usuku lukaNowa nalokho okwakuyokwenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kwaKhe?
9 UJesu wabonisa ukufana kwezenzakalo zosuku lukaNowa nalokho okwakuzokwenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kwaKhe emandleni oMbuso, kusukela ngo-1914. Wathi: “Njengasemihleni kaNowa, kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu [uJesu]. Ngokuba njengasezinsukwini lezo ezandulela uzamcolo babedla, bephuza, beganwa, bendiswa, kwaze kwafika usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini, abazanga [abanakanga, NW] kwaze kwafika uzamcolo wabakhukhula bonke, kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu.”—Mathewu 24:37-39.
10. Ngokuvamile kungayiphi indlela abantu abangazinaki ngayo izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezihlangene nokuba khona kukaKristu?
10 Yebo, njengasosukwini lukaNowa, abantu namuhla abanaki. Njengoba bematasa kakhulu ngokuphila kwansuku zonke nangeminako yobugovu, bayenqaba ukuqaphela ukuthi izimo zamanje zihluke kakhulu kulezo zesikhathi esidlule futhi zifana nsé nalokho uJesu athi kwakuyophawula isikhathi sokuphela. Eminyakeni eminingi, oFakazi BakaJehova bebetshela lesizukulwane samanje ukuthi ukuba khona kukaJesu njengeNkosi yobuMesiya ezulwini kwaqala ngo-1914 futhi kuhambisana ‘nokuphela kwezwe.’ (Mathewu 24:3) Abantu abaningi basihleka usulu isigijimi soMbuso, kodwa ngisho nalokhu kwabikezelwa lapho umphostoli uPetru ebhala: “Nazi kuqala lokhu ukuthi ngezinsuku zokugcina kuyakufika abahleki abahleka usulu, behamba ngezinkanuko zabo, bethi: Siphi isithembiso sokufika kwakhe na? Ngokuba kuselokhu obaba balala, konke kumi kunjalo njengakwasekuqaleni kokudalwa.”—2 Petru 3:3, 4.
11. Kungani isizukulwane sanamuhla singeke sibe nakuzithethelela lapho kufika usizi olukhulu?
11 Nokho, isizukulwane sanamuhla ngeke sibe nokuzithethelela lapho kufika usizi olukhulu. Ngani? Ngoba kunokulandisa kweBhayibheli ngezahlulelo zaphezulu zasendulo ezibeka isibonelo salokho uNkulunkulu azokwenza osukwini lwethu. (Juda 5-7) Isiprofetho seBhayibheli esigcwaliseka phambi kwamehlo abo sibonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi sikuphi ochungechungeni lwezikhathi. Futhi phambi kwalesizukulwane kunomsebenzi wokushumayela woFakazi BakaJehova nerekhodi labo lokugcina ubuqotho elinjengelikaNowa.
12. Ngokuyisisekelo, uPetru ukuqhathanisa kanjani ukubhujiswa kwezwe losuku lukaNowa nalokho okuzofika phezu ‘kwezulu nomhlaba okukhona manje’?
12 UPetru uchaza okuyokwenzeka kulabo abangawanaki lamaqiniso. NjengoJesu, lomphostoli wenza kanjalo ngokubhekisela kulokho okwenzeka osukwini lukaNowa, ethi: “Bathanda ukukhohlwa lokhu ukuthi kwaphakade izulu lalikhona kanye nomhlaba owavela emanzini nangawo amanzi, umi ngezwi likaNkulunkulu, okwathi ngawo izwe elalikhona labhubha ngokukhukhula kwamanzi; kepha izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje, kubekelelwe umlilo ngalo lelizwi, kulindele usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 3:5-7.
13. Ngenxa yezenzakalo ezibalulekile ezingaphambili, isiphi iseluleko esivela kuPetru okumelwe silalelwe?
13 Njengoba lesahlulelo esiqinisekile sikaNkulunkulu sesiseduze, masingakhohliswa noma sesatshiswe abahleki. Akudingeki ukuba sithole isijeziso sabo. UPetru uyeluleka: “Njengokuba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka nilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu ayakubhidlika ngalo amazulu, ashe, konke kushe, kuncibilike, na? Kepha siyalindela ngesithembiso sakhe amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:11-13.
Lingisa Ukholo LukaNowa Ukuze Usinde
14. Imiphi imibuzo engasisiza ukuba sizihlole ngokwethu?
14 Namuhla, sibhekene nezinselele ezifanayo nalezo uNowa nomkhaya wakhe ababhekana nazo ngokuba sohlwini lwabasindayo futhi bahlale bekulo. NjengoNowa, oFakazi BakaJehova bayalilahla izwe ngokholo lwabo olusekelwa imisebenzi emihle. Kodwa ngamunye wethu angase azibuze: ‘Mina ngokwami ngenza kanjani? Uma usizi olukhulu belungafika kusasa, ingabe uNkulunkulu ubeyongahlulela njengokufanelekele ukusinda? NjengoNowa, “owayengenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe,” ingabe nginaso isibindi sokwehluka ezweni? Noma ingabe ngezinye izikhathi kunzima ukubona umehluko phakathi kwami nomuntu wezwe ngenxa yendlela engenza ngayo, engikhuluma ngayo, noma engigqoka ngayo?’ (Genesise 6:9) UJesu wathi ngabafundi bakhe: “Abasibo abezwe, njengalokhu nami angisiye owezwe.”—Johane 17:16; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Johane 4:4-6.
15. (a) Ngokweyoku-1 Petru 4:3, 4, kumelwe sikubheke kanjani ukucabanga nokuziphatha kwethu kwesikhathi esidlule ngendlela yezwe? (b) Yini okufanele siyenze uma sigxekwa ababekade bengabangane bethu bezwe?
15 UPetru uyeluleka: “Isikhathi esidlulileyo sasanele ukwenza okuthandwa ngabezizwe ngokuhamba ngamanyala, nangezinkanuko, nangokudakwa, nangokuminza, nangokuxokozela, nangokukhonza izithombe okuyichilo. Bayamangala ngokungagijimeli kwenu kulowomsindo wokushinga kwabo, behlambalaza.” (1 Petru 4:3, 4) Ababekade bengabangane bakho bezwe bangase bakhulume kabi ngawe ngenxa yokuthi uhamba noNkulunkulu futhi awusagijimi nabo. Kodwa, njengoNowa, ungabalahla ngokholo lwakho nangemisebenzi emihle oyenza ngesizotha.—Mika 6:8.
16. UNkulunkulu wambheka kanjani uNowa, futhi imiphi imibuzo engasisiza ukuba sihlole ukucabanga nokuziphatha kwethu?
16 UNkulunkulu wabheka uNowa njengendoda elungileyo. Leyonzalamizi ethembekile ‘yayithole umusa emehlweni kaJehova.’ (Genesise 6:8) Lapho uhlola imicabango yakho nokuziphatha ngombono wezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu, ingabe unomuzwa wokuthi uyakwamukela lokho okwenzayo, nazo zonke izindawo oya kuzo? Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi uhileleka ekuzilibaziseni okonakele, osekuvame kakhulu manje? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi kufanele sicabange ngezinto ezihlanzekile, ezinempilo, nezakhayo. (Filipi 4:8) Ingabe ulitadisha ngenkuthalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze ‘uqeqeshe umqondo wakho ukuba ulungele ukwahlukanisa okubi nokuhle’? (Heberu 5:14) Ingabe uyabaxwaya abangane ababi futhi wazise ukuba nobungane nokhulekela nabo uJehova emihlanganweni yobuKristu nangezinye izikhathi?—1 Korinte 15:33; Heberu 10:24, 25; Jakobe 4:4.
17. NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, singafana kanjani noNowa?
17 Ngemva kokubika ngokuqedwa kokwakhiwa komkhumbi, imiBhalo ithi: “UNowa wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.” (Genesise 6:22) Leyondoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu yayikhuthele nasekushumayeleni njengofakazi kaJehova. NjengoNowa, ungaba ummeleli oqinile wokulungileyo njengomshumayeli wasikhathi sonke wokulunga. Phikelela ekuzwakaliseni isixwayiso sokuphela kwalelizwe elibi, ngisho nakuba bembalwa abalalelayo. Sebenza ngobunye nokholwa nabo ekwenzeni umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi ngaphambi kokuphela.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.
18. Kungasiphi isisekelo uJehova anquma ngaso ukuthi obani okufanele basinde osizini olukhulu?
18 Esebenzisa izindinganiso ezifanayo ezilungileyo njengoba enza osukwini lukaNowa, uNkulunkulu manje unquma ukuthi obani okufanele basinde nokuthi obani okufanele babhujiswe phakathi nosizi olukhulu. UJesu wafanisa umsebenzi wamanje wokwehlukanisa nokuhlukanisa kukamalusi izimvu ezimbuzini. (Mathewu 25:31-46) Abantu abagxilisa ukuphila kwabo ezifisweni naseminakweni yobugovu abafuni ukuba izwe elidala liphele futhi ngeke basinde. Kodwa labo abagwema ukuhileleka ekungcoleni kwalelizwe, abalondoloza ukholo oluqinile kuNkulunkulu, nabaqhubeka beshumayela isigijimi soMbuso, bezwakalisa isixwayiso sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esizayo, bayojabulela umusa waphezulu njengabayosinda. UJesu wathi: “Khona-ke kuyakuba-khona ababili ensimini, omunye athathwe, omunye ashiywe; ababili boba besila etsheni, omunye athathwe, omunye ashiywe.”—Mathewu 24:40, 41; 2 Thesalonika 1:6-9; IsAmbulo 22:12-15.
Zuza Izibusiso Kanye NoNowa
19. Ikuphi ukuqoqa okwabikezelwa uIsaya noMika okwakuyokwenzeka ezinsukwini zokugcina?
19 Eziprofethweni ezifanayo, abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu uIsaya noMika bobabili bachaza okwakuyokwenzeka phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina. Bakubona kusengaphambili lokho esikubona kugcwaliseka namuhla—uquqaba lwabantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungile luphuma ezweni elidala futhi lukhuphukela entabeni engokomfanekiso yokukhulekela kweqiniso. Ludlulisela lesimemo kwabanye: “Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” (Isaya 2:2, 3; Mika 4:1, 2) Ingabe uhamba nalesixuku esijabulayo?
20. Iziphi izibusiso eziyojatshulelwa yilabo abalahla izwe ngokholo lwabo?
20 UIsaya noMika bathinta nezibusiso eziyojatshulelwa yilabo abalahla izwe ngokholo lwabo. Kuyochuma ukuthula kweqiniso nokulunga phakathi kwabo, futhi ngeke besafunda ukulwa. Bayoba nethemba eliqinisekile lokuzuza ifa elivela kuJehova futhi “bayakuhlala, kube-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe.” Kodwa umuntu ngamunye kumelwe enze isinqumo esiqinile, ngoba uMika ubonisa ukuthi kunezinkambo ezimbili, ethi: “Ngokuba bonke abantu bahamba, kube-yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe, kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.”—Mika 4:3-5; Isaya 2:4.
21. Wena ungahlanganyela kanjani esibusisweni esihle sokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni?
21 ImiBhalo ikubonisa ngokucacile okudingekile ukuze umuntu asinde osizini olukhulu: ukholo oluqinile. UNowa wayenokholo olunjalo, kodwa ingabe wena unalo? Uma unalo, njengaye uyoba “yindlalifa yokulunga okuvela ngokukholwa.” (Heberu 11:7) UNowa wasinda embubhisweni eyakhishwa uNkulunkulu eyafika phezu kwesizukulwane sakhe. Akaphilanga nje kuphela iminyaka engama-350 ngemva kukaZamcolo kodwa uyovuswa enethemba lokuphila emhlabeni phakade. Yeka isibusiso esihle! (Heberu 11:13-16) Nawe ungaba nengxenye kulesosibusiso kanye noNowa, umkhaya wakhe, nezigidi zabanye ezithanda ukulunga. Kanjani? Ngokukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni nangokulahla izwe ngokholo lwakho.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani ukuhlola ukuphila kukaNowa kubalulekile kumaKristu?
◻ Yini abantu balesizukulwane abangayinaki, okuholela ekubhujisweni kwabo?
◻ NjengoNowa, singalilahla kanjani lelizwe?
◻ Singafana kanjani noNowa njengomshumayeli wokulunga?