Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wafunda Isifundo Ngesihe

UJONA wayezoba nesikhathi esiningi sokucabanga. Wayezothatha uhambo lwamakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-800 ngezinyawo, uhambo olwaluzomthatha cishe inyanga noma ngaphezulu. Okokuqala, kwadingeka akhethe phakathi kwemizila enqamulelayo nemizila ephephile enqamula ezigodini nasezinsungubezini eziningi. Kwakuyodingeka agudle uGwadule LwaseSiriya olungudedangendlale, awele imifula emikhulu njenge-Ewufrathe, afune indawo yokukhosela kubafokazi emizini nasemizaneni yaseSiriya, eMesophothamiya nase-Asiriya. Njengoba izinsuku zidlula, wacabanga ngale ndawo ayesaba ukuya kuyo, umuzi ayelokhu esondela kuwo—iNineve.

Kunento eyodwa uJona ayeyazi ngokuqinisekile: Wayengeke aphenduke abalekele lesi sabelo. Wayeke wakuzama lokho ngaphambili. Lapho uJehova emyala ekuqaleni ukuba ahambise isigijimi sokwahlulela kulo muzi wase-Asiriya onamandla, uJona wagibela umkhumbi ngokushesha walibangisa kwenye indawo. UJehova wabe esethumela isivunguvungu esikhulu, futhi ngokushesha uJona waqaphela ukuthi ukuvukela kwakhe kwakuzobulala wonke umuntu osemkhunjini. Ukuze asindise lawo matilosi anesibindi, wawatshela ukuba amphonse olwandle. Emanqikanqika, amphonsa olwandle, futhi uJona wayecabanga ukuthi uzokufa nakanjani. Nokho, uJehova wathumela inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye futhi imkhiphele ogwini ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu engenamyocu, eseyindoda elalelayo futhi emangele.a—Jona, izahluko 1, 2.

Lapho uJehova eyala uJona ukuba aye eNineve okwesibili, lo mprofethi walalela futhi walibangisa empumalanga kulolu hambo olude. (Jona 3:1-3) Nokho, ingabe wayevumele isiyalo sikaJehova ukuba simshintshe ngokuphelele? Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wayembonise isihe, wamsindisa ekucwileni olwandle, wangamjezisa ngokuvukela kwakhe futhi wamnika elinye ithuba lokufeza isabelo sakhe. Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu, ingabe uJona wayesefundile ukubonisa isihe kwabanye? Ngokuvamile kunzima kakhulu ukuba abantu abangaphelele bafunde ukubonisa isihe. Ake sibone ukuthi singafundani kulo mshikashika kaJona.

Isigijimi Sesahlulelo Nokusabela Okumangalisayo

UJona wayengenawo umbono onjengokaJehova ngeNineve. Siyafunda: “Manje iNineve laliwumuzi omkhulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Jona 3:3) Kathathu, umlando kaJona ucaphuna uJehova ekhuluma ‘ngeNineve umuzi omkhulu.’ (Jona 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Kungani lo muzi wawumkhulu, noma ubalulekile kuJehova?

INineve laliwumuzi wasendulo, ngoba liphakathi kwemizi yokuqala eyakhiwa uNimrode ngemva kweSikhukhula. Lalilikhulu, liyisifunda okusobala ukuthi sasihlanganisa neminye imizi eminingana, futhi umuntu kwakumthatha izinsuku ezintathu ukunqamula kulo muzi ayophumela ngalé. (Genesise 10:11; Jona 3:3) Cishe umuzi waseNineve wawukhanga, unamathempeli amakhulu, izindonga eziphakeme nezinye izakhiwo. Kodwa akukho lutho kulezi zinto okwakwenza lo muzi ubaluleke kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Okwakubalulekile kuye kwakungabantu. Kwakunabantu abaningi ababehlala eNineve ngaleso sikhathi. Nakuba babebabi, uJehova wayebakhathalela. Uyakwazisa ukuphila kwabantu kanye nethuba lokuba umuntu ngamunye aphenduke futhi afunde ukwenza okulungile.

Lapho uJona engena eNineve ekugcineni, abantu abaningi bakulo muzi abangaphezu kuka-120 000 bakwenza kwesabeka nokungena kuwo.b Waqeda usuku lonke ehamba, engena phakathi kulowo muzi omkhulu, mhlawumbe ebheka indawo efanele ayengaqala kuyo ukusakaza isigijimi sakhe. Wayezobafinyelela kanjani laba bantu? Ingabe wayesefunde ukukhuluma isi-Asiriya? Noma ingabe uJehova wamnika lelo khono ngokuyisimangaliso? Asazi. Kungenzeka uJona wamemezela isigijimi sakhe ngesiHebheru sakubo futhi wasebenzisa umhumushi ukuze asidlulisele kwabaseNineve. Kunoma ikuphi, isigijimi sakhe sasilula futhi cishe sasingeke sithandeke: “Kusele izinsuku ezingamashumi amane kuphela, bese iNineve ligumbuqelwa.” (Jona 3:4) Wakhuluma ngesibindi, ephindaphinda. Ngokwenza kanjalo, wabonisa isibindi esikhulu nokholo, izimfanelo amaKristu azidinga kakhulu namuhla kunanini ngaphambili.

AbaseNineve bamlalela uJona. Akungabazeki ukuthi wazilungiselela ukusabela okunobutha nokunobudlova. Kunalokho, kwenzeka isimanga. Abantu balalela! Isigijimi sakhe sasakazeka ngokushesha. Ngokushesha, wonke umuzi wawusuxoxa ngesiprofetho sikaJona sesahlulelo. Ukulandisa kukaJona kusitshela ukuthi: “Amadoda aseNineve aqala ukuba nokholo kuNkulunkulu, amemezela ukuzila ukudla agqoka indwangu yesaka, kusukela komkhulu kunawo wonke kuwo kuya komncane kunawo wonke.” (Jona 3:5) Abacebile nabampofu, abanamandla nababuthaka, abancane nabadala bonke babonisa ukuphenduka. Ngokushesha umbiko ngalesi sinyathelo esasithathwe iningi wafinyelela enkosini.

Inkosi nayo yafikelwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. Yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yakhumula izingubo zayo zasebukhosini, yembatha indwangu yesaka eyayigqokwe abantu bayo, yaze “yahlala phansi emlotheni.” Ikanye “nabakhulu bayo,” noma izikhulu, yakhipha umyalo wokuba ukuzila kwabantu kube umthetho wezwe. Yayala ukuba bonke bembathe indwangu yesaka, ngisho nezilwane ezifuyiwe imbala.c Ngokuzithoba yavuma ukuthi abantu bayo babenecala lobubi nobudlova. Yaveza nethemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso wayezobonisa isihe lapho ebona ukuphenduka kwabo, ithi: ‘UNkulunkulu angase abuye entukuthelweni yakhe evuthayo, ukuze singashabalali.’—Jona 3:6-9.

Abanye abagxeki bathi bayangabaza ukuthi izinhliziyo zabaseNineve zazingashintsha ngokushesha kangaka. Nokho, izazi zeBhayibheli ziye zaphawula ukuthi isinyathelo esinjalo sasingangqubuzani nezinkolelo-ze nokuthatheka kwabantu bezizwe ezinjalo ezikhathini zasendulo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikuphi, kamuva uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngokuphenduka kwabaseNineve. (Mathewu 12:41) Wayazi ukuthi ukhuluma ngani, ngoba wayekade ephila ezulwini engufakazi walezo zenzakalo. (Johane 8:57, 58) Kodwa uJehova wasabela kanjani ekuphendukeni kwabaseNineve?

Indlela Isihe SikaNkulunkulu Esihluke Ngayo Esahlulelweni Somuntu Esiqinile

Kamuva uJona wabhala: “UNkulunkulu weqiniso wayibona imisebenzi yabo, ukuthi babebuyile endleleni yabo embi; ngakho uNkulunkulu weqiniso wadabuka ngenhlekelele ayekhulumé ukuthi uzobabangela yona; akabange esayibangela.”—Jona 3:10.

Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uJehova wabona ukuthi isahlulelo ayezosikhipha phezu kweNineve sasiyiphutha? Cha. IBhayibheli lithi ngoJehova: “Uphelele umsebenzi wakhe, ngoba zonke izindlela zakhe ziwubulungisa. UNkulunkulu wokuthembeka, okungekho ukungabi nabulungisa kuye.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Intukuthelo kaJehova elungile ngokumelene neNineve yamane yaphela. Walubona ushintsho kulabo bantu futhi wabona ukuthi isijeziso ayezobanika sona sasingeke sisafaneleka. Lesi kwakuyisikhathi sokuba uNkulunkulu abonise isihe.

UJehova akayena neze uNkulunkulu olukhuni, ongenazwela futhi ononya ngendlela abaholi benkolo abavame ukumchaza ngayo. Ngokuphambene nalokho, uyacabangela, uvumelana nezimo futhi unesihe. Lapho enquma ukujezisa ababi, uqale athumele abameleli bakhe emhlabeni ukuba bakhiphe isixwayiso, ngoba ufuna ukubona ababi benza lokho abaseNineve abakwenza—ukuphenduka bashintshe ezindleleni zabo. (Hezekeli 33:11) UJehova watshela umprofethi wakhe uJeremiya: “Nganoma yimuphi umzuzu engingase ngikhulume ngawo ngokumelene nombuso nangokumelene nesizwe ukuba ngisisiphule ngisidilize futhi ngisibhubhise, bese leso sizwe sibuya impela ebubini baso engibukhulumile ngaso, nami ngiyodabuka ngaleyo nhlekelele ebengicabangé ukuyiletha phezu kwaso.”—Jeremiya 18:7, 8.

Ngakho-ke, ingabe isiprofetho sikaJona sasingamanga? Cha; sayifeza injongo yaso njengesixwayiso. Leso sixwayiso sasisekelwe ezindleleni ezimbi zabaseNineve, abashintsha kamuva. Uma abaseNineve babengabuyela ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, babezothola isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu. Yilokho kanye okwenzeka kamuva.—Zefaniya 2:13-15.

UJona wasabela kanjani lapho imbubhiso ingafiki ngesikhathi ayesilindele? Siyafunda: “Nokho, kuJona kwakungathandeki neze, futhi wavutha ngentukuthelo.” (Jona 4:1) UJona waze wenza umthandazo owawuzwakala sengathi uthethisa uMninimandla onke! UJona wathi kungcono ukube wahlala ekhaya, ezweni lakubo. Wathi wayazi vele ukuthi uJehova wayengeke alethe inhlekelele phezu kweNineve, waze wasebenzisa lokho njengezaba zokubalekela kwakhe eTharishishi ekuqaleni. Wabe esecela ukufa, ethi ukufa kwakuyoba ngcono kunokuphila.—Jona 4:2, 3.

Wayekhathazwa yini uJona? Asinakukwazi konke ayekucabanga, kodwa siyazi ukuthi wayememezele ukubhujiswa kweNineve phambi kwabo bonke abantu. Bamkholelwa. Manje leyo mbubhiso yayingeke isafika. Ingabe wayesaba ukuhlekwa usulu noma ukubizwa ngomprofethi wamanga? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikuphi, akazange akujabulele ukuphenduka kwabantu noma ukubonisa kukaJehova isihe. Kubonakala sengathi esikhundleni salokho, wathukuthela kakhulu, wazidabukela futhi wazazisa. Nokho, kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu kaJona onesihe wayesabona ubuhle kule ndoda ecindezelekile. Kunokuba amjezise uJona ngenxa yokungahloniphi kwakhe, uJehova wamane wambuza umbuzo wokuzihlola ngesineke: “Ingabe kulungile yini lokhu kuvutha kwakho ngentukuthelo?” (Jona 4:4) Ingabe uJona waphendula? IBhayibheli alisitsheli lutho.

Indlela UJehova Amfundisa Ngayo Isifundo UJona

Lo mprofethi odangele wasuka eNineve wangaya ekhaya, kodwa walibangisa empumalanga, ezintabeni ezengamele lesi sifunda. Wakha idokodo wahlala, walinda ebheke eNineve. Mhlawumbe wayesenethemba lokubona imbubhiso. UJehova wayezoyifundisa kanjani le ndoda enenkani ukuba ibe nesihe?

Ebusuku, uJehova wenza ukuba kumile uselwa. Kwathi lapho uJona evuka, wabona lesi simila esikhulu, esinamahlamvu amakhulu ayenethunzi elingcono kunedokodo lakhe. Wajabula kakhulu. “UJona wajabula kakhulu” ngalesi simila, mhlawumbe ebheka ukumila kwaso ngokuyisimangaliso njengophawu lwesibusiso nokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Nokho, uJehova wayefuna ukwenzela uJona okungaphezu nje kokumvikela ekushiseni nasolakeni lwakhe oluvuthayo. Wayefuna ukufinyelela inhliziyo yakhe. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa isibungu ukuba sihlasele lesi simila. Wabe esethumela “umoya ogangathayo wasempumalanga” kwaze kwaba ilapho uJona eqala ‘ukuba nesinxi’ ngenxa yokushisa. UJona waphinde wadangala, wacela kuNkulunkulu ukuba afe.—Jona 4:6-8.

Nalapha futhi uJehova wabuza uJona ukuthi wayethukuthele kufanele yini, ngenxa yokufa kwalolu selwa. Esikhundleni sokuphenduka, uJona wazithethelela, ethi: “Kulungile lokhu kuvutha kwami ngentukuthelo, kuze kube seqophelweni lokufa.” Manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba uJehova acacise iphuzu ayemfundisa lona.—Jona 4:9.

UNkulunkulu wabonisana noJona, ethi lo mprofethi wayehawukele isimila nje esasikhule ebusuku, ayengazange asitshale noma asenze sikhule. UNkulunkulu wabe esephetha ngokuthi: “Mina, akufanele yini ngilihawukele iNineve umuzi omkhulu, okukhona kuwo abantu abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili abangawazi nhlobo umehluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sokunene nesobunxele, ngaphandle kwezilwane eziningi ezifuywayo?”—Jona 4:10, 11.d

Ingabe uyasibona isifundo esijulile uJehova ayesifundisa? UJona wayengenzanga lutho ukuze anakekele lesi simila. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova wayenguMthombo wokuphila kwalabo bantu baseNineve futhi wayebanakekele njengoba enza ngazo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni. UJona wayengasibheka kanjani isimila esisodwa njengesibaluleke ngaphezu kokuphila kwabantu abangu-120 000, ngaphandle kwayo yonke imfuyo? Akwenziwa yini ukuthi uJona wayevumele ukucabanga kwakhe ukuba kube nobugovu? Phela, wayehawukela isimila ngoba nje sasizuzise yena. Ingabe ukuthukuthelela kwakhe abaseNineve nakho kwakungabangelwa izisusa zobugovu—isifiso sokuzazisa sokugwema ukuhlekwa usulu, ukuze abonakale elungile?

Yeka isifundo esibalulekile! Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ingabe uJona wasamukela lesi sifundo? Incwadi yakhe iphetha ngombuzo kaJehova osala ungaphenduliwe. Abanye abagxeki bangase bakhononde ngokuthi uJona akayiphenduli imibuzo. Kodwa empeleni impendulo yakhe ikhona. Yile ncwadi ngokwayo eyimpendulo. Phela, ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi nguJona owabhala le ncwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe. Cabanga nje ngalowo mprofethi, esebuyele ezweni lakubo, ebhala lokhu kulandisa. Cishe singayibona indoda esikhulile, ehlakaniphile futhi ethobekile inikina ikhanda ngokuzisola njengoba ichaza amaphutha ayo, ukuvukela nokungavumi kwayo ngenkani ukubonisa isihe. Ngokusobala, uJona wafunda eselulekweni sikaJehova esihlakaniphile. Wafunda ukuba nesihe. Ingabe thina sizokufunda?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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UNkulunkulu umagange ukubona ababi bephenduka bashintshe izindlela zabo, njengoba kwenza abaseNineve

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UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa uselwa ukuze afundise uJona isifundo sokuba nesihe