Wafunda Isifundo Ngesihe

 1. Hlobo luni lohambo olwaluzothathwa uJona, futhi wayezizwa kanjani ngendawo ayeya kuyo?

UJONA wayezoba nesikhathi esiningi sokucabanga. Wayesahlalelwe uhambo lwamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-800, uhambo olwaluzomthatha inyanga yonke, noma ngisho ngaphezulu. Ukuze aqale lolo hambo, kwakumelwe akhethe phakathi kwezindlela ezinqamulelayo neziphephile abesehamba ngokungajahi ezigodini nasezinsungubezini eziningi. Kungenzeka kwakumelwe ahambe oGwadule LwaseSiriya oluwudedangendlale, awele imifula enjenge-Ewufrathe enkulu, afune nendawo yokufihla ikhanda kubantu angabazi emizini nasemizaneni yaseSiriya, eMesophothamiya nase-Asiriya. Njengoba izinsuku zidlula, wayecabanga ngendawo ayeya kuyo ayeyesaba kakhulu, umuzi ayelokhu esondela kuwo njengoba ethatha igxathu ngalinye—iNineve.

 2. UJona wafunda kanjani ukuthi wayengeke asibalekele isabelo sakhe?

² Nansi into uJona ayeyazi kahle: Wayengeke ajike abalekele lesi sabelo. Wayeke wakuzama lokho ngaphambili. Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esandulele, ngesineke uJehova wafundisa uJona ngesivunguvungu olwandle nangokumkhulula ngokuyisimangaliso enhlanzini enkulu. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu, inhlanzi yamhlanzela esihlabathini ephila, yamshiya emangele futhi esezimisele ukulalela.—Jona, izahl. 1, 2.

 3. Iyiphi imfanelo uJehova ayeyibonise uJona, kepha kuphakama muphi umbuzo?

³ Lapho uJehova emyala okwesibili uJona ukuba aye eNineve, lo mprofethi walalela wathatha lolu hambo olude oluya empumalanga. (Funda uJona 3:1-3.) Kepha ingabe wayesesivumele isiyalo sikaJehova ukuba simshintshe ngokuphelele? Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wayembonise isihe, wamsindisa lapho eminza, wangamjezisa ngokungalaleli kwakhe, wamnika elinye ithuba lokuba afeze lesi sabelo. Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu, ingabe uJona wayesefundile ukubonisa abanye isihe? Ngokuvamile, kunzima ngabantu abangaphelele ukubonisa isihe. Ake sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda ebunzimeni bukaJona.

4, 5. Kungani uJehova athi ngeNineve “liwumuzi omkhulu,” futhi lokho kusifundisani ngaye?

⁴ UJona wayengayibheki iNineve ngendlela uJehova ayeyibheka ngayo. Siyafunda: “INineve laliwumuzi omkhulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Jona 3:3) Umbhalo kaJona ucaphuna uJehova kathathu elibiza ngokuthi ‘iNineve umuzi omkhulu.’ (Jona 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Kungani lo muzi wawumkhulu noma ubalulekile kuJehova?

⁵ INineve laliwumuzi omdala, liphakathi kwemizi yokuqala uNimrode ayakha ngemva kweSikhukhula. Lalilikhulu, lineminye imizi ehlukahlukene, kungathatha izinsuku ezintathu ngomuntu ukuba alinqamule ayophuma ngale kwalo. (Gen. 10:11; Jona 3:3) Lalilihle, lisho ngamathempeli amakhulukazi, izindonga eziqinile nezinye izakhiwo ezinhle. Kodwa akukho kulezi zinto ezenza lo muzi wabaluleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Into eyayibalulekile kuye kwakungabantu. INineve lalinabantu abaningi ngaleso sikhathi. Naphezu kobubi babo, uJehova wayebakhathalela. Ubheka ukuphila komuntu njengokuyigugu, ufisa ukubona umuntu ngamunye ephenduka futhi efunda ukwenza okulungile.

 6. (a) Yini eyayingase yenze uJona alesabe iNineve? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) Sifundani kuJona ngomsebenzi wokushumayela ayewenza?

⁶ Ekugcineni lapho uJona efika eNineve, cishe abantu bakhona abangaphezu kuka-120 000 bamenza wayesaba nakakhulu le ndawo.a Wahamba usuku lonke, engena maphakathi nalo muzi omkhulu ophithizela abantu, mhlawumbe efuna indawo ekahle ukuze aqale ukushumayela isigijimi sakhe. Wayezokhuluma kanjani nabo? Wayesekwazi yini ukukhuluma ulimi lwase-Asiriya? Noma ingabe uJehova wamnika ikhono lokukhuluma lolo limi ngokuyisimangaliso? Asazi. Kungenzeka ukuthi uJona wamemezela leso sigijimi ngolimi lwakubo lwesiHebheru esebenzisa umhumushi ukuba ahumushele abaseNineve. Kunoma ikuphi, isigijimi sakhe sasilula futhi singeke simenze athandeke: “Kusele izinsuku ezingamashumi amane kuphela, bese iNineve ligumbuqelwa.” (Jona 3:4) Wakhuluma ngesibindi nangokuphindaphindiwe. Ngokwenza kanjalo, wabonisa isibindi nokholo olumangalisayo, okuyizimfanelo amaKristu azidingayo namhlanje kunanini ngaphambili.

7, 8. (a) Abantu baseNineve basabela kanjani esigijimini sikaJona? (b) Yasabela kanjani inkosi yaseNineve esigijimini sikaJona?

⁷ Abantu baseNineve basilalela isigijimi sikaJona. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi bazomthukuthelela futhi babe nobudlova. Kunalokho, kwenzeka isimanga. Abantu basamukela isigijimi! Amazwi akhe asakazeka njengomlilo wequbula. Kungakabiphi, wonke umuzi wawusukhuluma ngesiprofetho sikaJona sembubhiso. (Funda uJona 3:5.) Izicebi nabampofu, abanamandla nababuthaka, abasha nabadala, bonke baphenduka. Bazila ukudla. Ngokushesha lezi zindaba zokuphenduka kwabantu zafika enkosini.

⁸ Inkosi nayo yasamukela isigijimi sikaJona. Igcwele ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yakhumula izembatho zayo zasebukhosini, yembatha amasaka ayembathwa abantu bayo, yaze “yahlala phansi emlotheni.” Yona “nabakhulu” bayo bakhipha isinqumo sokuba ukuzila kungabi nje indaba yokuzikhethela kodwa kube yinto engokomthetho. Yayala ukuba bonke abantu bembathe indwangu yesaka, ngisho nezilwane ezifuywayo.b Yavuma ngentobeko ukuthi abantu bayo babenecala lobubi nobudlova. Iveza ithemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyobabonisa isihe lapho ebabona bephenduka, inkosi yathi: “UNkulunkulu . . . [angase] abuye entukuthelweni yakhe evuthayo, ukuze singashabalali.”—Jona 3:6-9.

 9. Yini abagxeki abayingabazayo ngabaseNineve, kodwa sazi kanjani ukuthi benza iphutha?

⁹ Abagxeki abathile bayakungabaza ukuthi abantu baseNineve baphenduka ngokushesha okungako. Nokho, izazi zeBhayibheli ziphawule ukuthi ukuphenduka okunjalo kwakungangqubuzani nezinkolelo-ze nobudlova babantu ababephila ngamasiko anjalo ezikhathini zasendulo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyazi ukuthi labo bagxeki banephutha ngoba ngisho noJesu Kristu ngokwakhe kamuva wakhuluma ngokuphenduka kwabaseNineve. (Funda uMathewu 12:41.) UJesu wayekwazi ayekusho ngoba wayephila ezulwini, ezibona lezo zenzakalo zenzeka. (Joh. 8:57, 58) Iqiniso liwukuthi akumelwe nanini sicabange ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukuba abantu baphenduke—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibabona benonya kangakanani. NguJehova kuphela okwazi ukufunda okusenhliziyweni yomuntu.

10, 11. (a) UJehova wasabela kanjani lapho abaseNineve bephenduka? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi isahlulelo sikaJehova sasingelona iphutha?

¹⁰ Wasabela kanjani uJehova lapho abaseNineve bephenduka? 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.

¹¹ Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi uJehova wanquma ukuthi isahlulelo ayezosinika abaseNineve sasiyiphutha? Akunjalo. IBhayibheli lithi ubulungisa bukaJehova buphelele. (Funda uDuteronomi 32:4.) Intukuthelo kaJehova yokulunga ngokumelene neNineve yaphela. Walubona ushintsho kulabo bantu, wabona nokuthi isijeziso ayehlose ukubanika sona sasingeke sisafaneleka. Manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokubabonisa isihe.

12, 13. (a) UJehova ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uyacabangela, uyabonelela nokuthi unesihe? (b) Kungani isiprofetho sikaJona sasingewona amanga?

¹² UJehova akayena neze uNkulunkulu olukhuni, ongenazwela, ngisho nononya njengoba abaholi benkolo bevame ukumchaza. Kunalokho, uyacabangela, uyabonelela futhi unesihe. Lapho enquma ukujezisa ababi, uqale asebenzise abameleli bakhe emhlabeni ukuba bakhiphe izixwayiso ngoba ulangazelela ukubona ababi benza okwenziwa abaseNineve—bephenduka futhi beshintsha izindlela zabo. (Hez. 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.”—Jer. 18:7, 8.

¹³ Ingabe isiprofetho sikaJona sasingamanga? Cha; sayifeza injongo yaso njengesiyisixwayiso. Leso sixwayiso sasibhekisela ezindleleni ezimbi zabaseNineve, kamuva ezashintsha. Ukube abaseNineve baphindela ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, uNkulunkulu wayeyosiletha leso sahlulelo kubo. Yilokho kanye okwenzeka kamuva.—Zef. 2:13-15.

14. UJona wasabela kanjani esiheni sikaJehova kwabaseNineve?

¹⁴ Wasabela kanjani uJona lapho imbubhiso ingafiki ngesikhathi ayesilindele? Siyafunda: “Nokho, kuJona kwakungathandeki neze, futhi wavutha ngentukuthelo.” (Jona 4:1) UJona waze wathandaza ngendlela eyezwakala sengathi usola uMninimandla onke! Wathi kwakuyoba ngcono ukube wayezihlalele ekhaya, ezweni lakubo. Wathi futhi wayazi kwasekuqaleni ukuthi uJehova wayengeke ayilethe inhlekelele kwabaseNineve, waze ngisho wasebenzisa lokho njengezaba zokuqale abalekele eTharishishi. Wabe esecela ukufa, ethi ukufa kuyoba ngcono kunokuphila.—Funda uJona 4:2, 3.

15. (a) Yini okungenzeka yenza uJona wacindezeleka? (b) UJehova wasebenzelana kanjani nomprofethi wakhe owayecindezelekile?

¹⁵ Yini eyayikhathaza uJona? Asazi ukuthi wayecabangani, kodwa siyazi ukuthi wayememezele ukubhujiswa kweNineve phambi kwabo bonke abantu. Bamkholwa. Kodwa manje lalingasezukubhujiswa. Ingabe wayesaba ukwenziwa inhlekisa noma ukubizwa ngomprofethi wamanga? Kunoma yikuphi, akazange akujabulele ukuphenduka kwabantu noma ukubonisa kukaJehova isihe. Kunalokho, kubukeka sengathi kancane kancane wagcwala intukuthelo, ukuzidabukela nokuzikhukhumeza. Nokho, kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu kaJona onesihe wayesabona okuhle kulo mprofethi owayecindezelekile. Kunokuba ajezise uJona ngokungahloniphi kwakhe, ngobumnene uJehova wamane wambuza umbuzo wokuzihlola: “Ingabe kulungile yini lokhu kuvutha kwakho ngentukuthelo?” (Jona 4:4) Ingabe uJona waphendula? IBhayibheli alisitsheli.

16. Iziphi izindlela abanye abangase bangavumelani ngazo noNkulunkulu, futhi isiphi isifundo esingasifunda esibonelweni sikaJona?

¹⁶ Kulula ukwahlulela uJona ngezenzo zakhe, kodwa senza kahle ngokukhumbula ukuthi akuyona into engavamile ngabantu abangaphelele ukuba bangavumelani noNkulunkulu. Abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova kwakufanele avimbele inhlekelele ethile noma asheshe ukubhubhisa ababi noma bacabange ngisho nokuthi kufanele ngabe kade asiqeda lesi simiso sezinto. Isibonelo sikaJona sisikhumbuza ukuthi lapho singavumelani noJehova uNkulunkulu, kuyohlale kuwumbono wethu odinga ukulungiswa—hhayi owaKhe.

17, 18. (a) Wenzani uJona ngemva kokuhamba eNineve? (b) Izimangaliso zikaJehova ezihilela uselwa zamthinta kanjani uJona?

¹⁷ Lo mprofethi odangele wahamba eNineve, kodwa kunokuba aye ekhaya, waya empumalanga, endaweni enezintaba ezazibheke lo muzi. Wakha umpheme omncane wayeselinda kuwo—wabheka iNineve. Mhlawumbe wayesabambelele ethembeni lokuthi uzolibona libhujiswa. UJehova wayezoyifundisa kanjani le ndoda elukhuni ukuba ibe nesihe?

¹⁸ UJehova wenza ukuba kumile uselwa ngobusuku obubodwa. Lapho uJona evuka wabona lesi sitshalo esase sikhule saba sikhulu, sinamahlamvu amakhulu ayemnika umthunzi owedlula owompheme wakhe ongathi shu. Wathokoza. “UJona wajabula kakhulu” ngalolu selwa, mhlawumbe ebona ukumila kwalo okuyisimangaliso njengophawu lokubusiswa nokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Nokho, uJehova wayefuna ukwenzela uJona okungaphezu kokumkhulula ekushisweni ilanga nasentukuthelweni yakhe yobuntwana. Wayefuna ukufinyelela inhliziyo yakhe. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wenza ezinye izimangaliso. Wathumela isibungu ukuba sihlasele leso sitshalo sisibulale. Wabe esethumela “umoya ogangathayo wasempumalanga” kwaze kwaba yilapho uJona ‘eba nesinxi’ ngenxa yokushisa kwelanga. UJona wadabuka, waphinde wacela kuNkulunkulu ukuba afe.—Jona 4:6-8.

19, 20. UJehova wabonisana kanjani noJona ngoselwa?

¹⁹ UJehova waphinde wabuza uJona ukuthi kwakufanele yini athukuthele, kulokhu ngenxa yokufa koselwa. Kunokuba aphenduke, uJona wazithethelela, wathi: “Kulungile lokhu kuvutha kwami ngentukuthelo, kuze kube seqophelweni lokufa.” Manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba uJehova amfundise isifundo.—Jona 4:9.

²⁰ UNkulunkulu wabonisana noJona, ethi lo mprofethi wayedabukele ukufa kwesitshalo nje esasimile ngobusuku obubodwa, ayengazange asitshale noma asikhulise. UNkulunkulu wabe esethi: “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.c

21. (a) UJehova wamfundisa siphi isifundo uJona ngesitshalo? (b) Indaba kaJona ingasisiza kanjani ukuba sizihlole ngokwethembeka?

²¹ Ingabe uyakuqonda lokho uJehova ayekufundisa ngalesi sifundo? UJona wayengenzanga lutho ukuze anakekele leso sitshalo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova uyena owayenguMthombo wokuphila kwalabo bantu baseNineve futhi wayebanakekele, njengoba enakekela zonke izidalwa zakhe emhlabeni. UJona wayengasibheka kanjani isitshalo esisodwa njengesibaluleke ngaphezu kokuphila kwabantu abangu-120 000, kuhlanganise nayo yonke imfuyo yabo? Kwakungekhona yini ukuthi uJona wayevumela ukucabanga kwakhe kube nobugovu? Empeleni, wahawukela isitshalo ngoba nje sasizuzise yena siqu. Intukuthelo yakhe ngeNineve ayibangelwanga yini izisusa ezifanayo zobugovu—isifiso sokuzazisa, sokufuna ukuba kuthiwe wayeqinisile? Indaba kaJona ingase isisize ukuba sizihlole ngokwethembeka. Ubani kithi ogonyiwe ekuthambekeleni okunjalo kobugovu? Yeka ukuthi kufanele sijabule kanjani ngokuthi uJehova usifundisa ngesineke ukuba sizidele, sibe nozwela nesihe njengaye!

22. (a) Samthinta kanjani uJona isiqondiso sikaJehova esihlakaniphile ngokuqondene nesihe? (b) Yisiphi isifundo sonke okudingeka sisifunde?

²² Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ingabe uJona wafunda kuleso sifundo? Incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe iphetha ngombuzo kaJehova ongaphenduliwe. Abanye abagxeki bangase bakhononde ngokuthi uJona akazange aphendule. Eqinisweni, impendulo yakhe ikhona. Yona le ncwadi ayiloba iyimpendulo. Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi nguJona owaloba incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe. Awumcabange nje lo mprofethi esebuyele ngokuphepha ezweni lakubo, eloba le ncwadi. Cishe singambona ngeso lengqondo eseyindoda ekhulile, ehlakaniphile nethobekile enikina ikhanda njengoba echaza amaphutha akhe, ukuvukela kwakhe nokwenqaba kwakhe ngenkani ukubonisa isihe. Ngokusobala uJona wafunda isifundo esibalulekile eselulekweni esihlakaniphile sikaJehova. Wafunda ukuba nesihe. Ingabe thina sizofunda ukuba nesihe?—Funda uMathewu 5:7.