Xelisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wafunda Isifundo Sokuba Nenceba

UYONA wayeza kuba nexesha elininzi lokucinga. Wayeza kuthabatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-800, olwalunokumthabatha inyanga nangaphezulu, ngeenyawo. Kuqala kwakuza kufuneka akhethe phakathi kwendlela emfutshane okanye engeyongozi aze acande iintlambo neentaba ezininzi. Kwakuza kufuneka ahambe enyeleni yentlango yaseSiriya aze awele imilambo enjengomEfrate aze ahambe ecela indawo yokulala emizini kwiidolophu nakwiilali zaseSiriya, eMesopotamiya naseAsiriya. Njengoko iintsuku zaziqengqeleka wacinga ngendawo awayesiya kuyo, isixeko saseNinive aweyesoyika kakhulu njengoko wayesiya esondela kuso.

Nantsi ke into awayeqiniseke ngayo uYona: Kwakungekho ndlela mbini, wayengenakusibaleka isabelo sakhe. Kaloku wayekhe wazama ngaphambili. Xa uYehova wayemthume ukuba aye kuvakalisa umgwebo kwesi sixeko soyikekayo saseAsiriya uYona akazange aphozise maseko, wakhwela inqanawa kodwa ke ebalekela kwelinye icala. UYehova wabangela ukuba kubekho uqhwithela olukhulu, yaye uYona wakhawuleza waqonda ukuba imvukelo yakhe yayiza kubulalisa wonke umntu owayekuloo nqanawa. Ukuze akhusele abo matiloshe wabayalela ukuba bamphose elwandle. Nangona babethandabuza, oomatiloshe bamphosa elwandle yaye uYona wayeqinisekile ukuba wayeza kufa. Noko ke uYehova wathumela intlanzi enkulu eyamginyayo yaza emva kweentsuku ezintathu yamhlanzela emhlabeni. UYona ngoku wayetshintshile, ezimisele ukuthobela.a—Yona, isahluko 1, 2.

Xa uYehova waphinda wamthuma eNinive, uYona wathobela waza waya. (Yona 3:1-3) Kodwa, ngaba wayeza kuluvumela uqeqesho lukaYehova ukuba lumlolonge? Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wayemenzele inceba, emsindisa ukuba angarhaxwa, yaye akazange amohlwaye ngenxa yemvukelo yakhe kunoko wamthuma kwakhona. Ngaba naye uYona wayefunde ukubenzela inceba abanye? Abantu abangafezekanga bakufumanisa kunzima ukuba nenceba. Masikhe sibone ukuba thina singafunda ntoni kwizinto ezenzeka kuYona.

Isigidimi Somgwebo Nentsabelo Eyothusayo

UYona wayengayiboni ngendlela awayeyibona ngayo uYehova iNinive. Kuthiwa: “Ke kaloku iNineve yayisisixeko esikhulu kuThixo.” (Yona 3:3) Izihlandlo ezithathu, incwadi kaYona icaphula uYehova ethetha ‘ngeNinive isixeko esikhulu.’ (Yona 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Kwakutheni ukuze esi sixeko sibe sikhulu okanye sibaluleke kuYehova?

INinive yayisisixeko sakudala, esinye sezixeko zokuqala ezakhiwa nguNimrodi emva koMkhukula. Yayingummandla omkhulu owawunezixeko eziliqela, ekwakufuneka uhambe iintsuku ezintathu ukusuka kwelinye icala ukuya kutsho kwelinye. (Genesis 10:11; Yona 3:3) Kuyacaca ukuba iNinive le yayintle kwaye ineetempile zodidi oluphezulu, iindonga ezinkulu nezinye izakhiwo. Kodwa akukho nokuba ibenye kwezi zinto eyasenza esi sixeko sabaluleka kuYehova. Eyona nto yayibalulekile kuye yayingabantu baso. Ngaloo maxesha iNinive yayinabantu abaninzi. Nangona babengendawo uYehova wayebakhathalele. Uyabuxabisa ubomi bomntu yaye unethemba lokuba bonke abantu banokuguquka baze bafunde ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo.

Kumele ukuba wathi xa efika apho uYona watyhwatyhwa kukoyika ngenxa yenyambalala yabantu beso sixeko abangaphezu kwama-120 000.b Wahamba imini yonke etyhutyha eso sixeko, mhlawumbi ekhangela indawo esembindini awayeza kuma kuyo aze aqalise ukushumayela. Wayeza kukwazi njani ukubaxelela bonke abantu balapho isigidimi sakhe? Ingaba wayekwazi bethu ukuthetha ulwimi lama-Asiriya? Okanye, ngaba uYehova wayemnike ngokungummangaliso isiphiwo sokuluthetha? Asazi. Kungenzeka ukuba uYona wathetha isiHebhere esebenzisa itoliki. Enokuba kuyintoni, isigidimi sakhe sasilula yaye sasiza kumenza angathandwa. Sasisithi: “Ziintsuku ezingamashumi amane kuphela, ibhukuqwe iNineve.” (Yona 3:4) Wathetha ngesibindi yaye esiphandaphinda isigidimi sakhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo wabonisa isibindi nokholo, mpawu ezo ekufuneka amaKristu abe nazo ngakumbi namhlanje.

UYona wakwazi ukubenza bamphulaphule abantu baseNinive. Alithandabuzeki elokuba uYona wayelindele ukuchaswa ngolunya nogonyamelo. Kodwa ke kwenzeka umhlola. Abantu baphulaphula! Isigidimi sakhe sanwenwa okomlilo wedobo. Kungekudala sonke isixeko sasithetha ngesiprofeto sikaYona sentshabalalo. Ingxelo kaYona ithi: “Abantu baseNineve bakholwa kuThixo, yaye babhengeza ukuba kuzilwe ukutya kwambathwe namarhonya, ukususela koyena mkhulu kuse koyena mncinane kubo.” (Yona 3:5) Bonke, izityebi namahlwempu, abomeleleyo nababuthathaka, abancinane nabakhulu baguquka. Ezi ndaba zakhawuleza zeviwa nanguKumkani.

Naye waqalisa ukumoyika uThixo. Wehla etroneni waza wazikhulula izambatho ezimbejembeje zasebukhosini wanxiba amarhonya njengomntu wonke, wada “wahlala eluthuthwini.” Yena kunye “nezikhulu zakhe” okanye izihandiba bayitshintsha lento yayiqalwe ngabantu yaba ngumyalelo karhulumente. Wakhupha umyalelo wokuba bonke abantu kuquka nezilwanyana zasekhaya banxibe amarhonya.c Wathobeka waza wavuma ukuba abantu bakhe babenetyala lokwenza izinto ezimbi nogonyamelo. Kwakhona waba nentembelo yokuba uThixo oyinyaniso wayeza kubenzela inceba xa ebona ukuba babeguqukile, esithi: “UThixo angajika . . . abuye ekuvutheni komsindo wakhe, ukuze singatshabalali?”—Yona 3:6-9.

Bambi abahlalutyi bayayithandabuza into yokuba abantu baseNinive baguquka ngokukhawuleza kangako. Noko ke, abahlalutyi beBhayibhile bathi inguquko enjalo ihambisana kakuhle neenkolelo kunye nezithethe zabantu baloo maxesha. Ibe ke naye uYesu Kristu wathetha ngenguquko yabantu baseNinive. (Mateyu 12:41) Wayeyazi into awayethetha ngayo kuba wayephila ezulwini yaye wayibona yonke loo nto. (Yohane 8:57, 58) UYehova wasabela njani kwinguquko yabantu baseNinive?

Umahluko Phakathi Kwenceba KaThixo Nobungqwabalala Babantu

Kamva uYona wabhala wathi: “UThixo oyinyaniso wayibona imisebenzi yabo, ukuba babebuyile endleleni yabo embi; yaye uThixo oyinyaniso wazisola ngentlekele awayethe uza kubazisela yona; waza akayizisa.”—Yona 3:10.

Ngaba le nto ithetha ukuba uYehova wayenze impazamo ngokugweba kwakhe iNinive? Akunjalo. Kaloku iBhayibhile ithi ngoYehova: “Ugqibelele umsebenzi wakhe,ngokuba zonke iindlela zakhe zisesikweni. NguThixo wentembeko, tu ubugqwetha.” (Duteronomi 32:4) UYehova wayeka ukuba nomsindo nxamnye nesixeko saseNinive. Wabona ukuba abantu beso sixeko babeguqukile, yaye kwakungaseyomfuneko ukuba abohlwaye. Eli yayilixesha lokuba abonise inceba.

UYehova akanguye lo Thixo ukhohlakeleyo, ongenazimvakalelo nongqwabalala odla ngokuchazwa ziinkokeli zonqulo. Kunoko unengqiqo, ubhetyebhetye yaye unenceba. Uqala abalumkise esebenzisa abameli bakhe basemhlabeni abantu abangendawo ngaphambi kokuba abohlwaye, kuba ufuna benze oko kwenziwa ngabantu baseNinive—ukuguquka nokuba batshintshe iindlela zabo. (Hezekile 33:11) UYehova wathi kumprofeti uYeremiya: “Nangawuphi na umzuzu endisenokuthetha nxamnye nohlanga nanxamnye nobukumkani ukuba ndibuncothule nokuba ndibudilize nokuba ndibutshabalalise, luze okunene olo hlanga lubuye ebubini balo endithethe nxamnye nabo, nam ndiza kuzisola ngenxa yentlekele endicinge ukuyiphumeza kulo.”—Yeremiya 18:7, 8.

Ngoko ngaba sasibubuxoki isiprofeto sikaYona? Akunjalo kuba sayifeza injongo yaso yokulumkisa abantu. Sasijoliswe kubantu baseNinive abangendawo abaye baguquka. Ukuba abantu baseNinive babenokubuyela kwiindlela zabo ezimbi uThixo wayeza kubohlwaya. Yiloo nto kanye eyenzekayo kamva.—Zefaniya 2:13-15.

Wasabela njani uYona xa intshabalalo ingazange ifike ngexesha awayelindele ngalo? Kuthiwa: “Noko ke, oku kwakungamkholisi kakhulu uYona, yaye wavutha ngumsindo.” (Yona 4:1) UYona wada wenza nomthandazo ovakala ngathi wayemkhalimela uSomandla! UYona wathi ngekwakube bhetele kakhulu ukuba wayevele wazihlalela ekhaya. Wathi wayesazi kakade ukuba uYehova wayengazi kuyitshabalalisa iNinive, yaye esithi yayiseso sizathu esamenza wabalekela eTarshishe ekuqaleni. Emva koko wacela ukuba afe, esithi ukufa kwakubhetele kunobomi.—Yona 4:2, 3.

Wayekhathazwa yintoni uYona? Asinakuyazi yonke into awayeyicinga, kodwa ke siyazi ukuba uYona wayexelele bonke abantu ukuba isixeko saseNinive sasiza kutshabalala. Abantu babemkholelwe. Kodwa ngoku kwakungabonakali ntshabalalo. Ngaba bethu wayesoyika ukuhlekwa okanye ukubizwa ixoki lomprofeti? Enoba kwakuyintoni na, akazange avuye xa abantu beguquka okanye xa besenzelwa inceba nguYehova. Kunoko waya esiba luba gcwabevu ngumsindo, evakalelwa kukuba wayethotywe isidima. Kodwa ke kuyabonakala ukuba uThixo kaYona onenceba wayesabona iimpawu ezintle kule ndoda ikhathazekileyo. Kunokuba amohlwaye ngenxa yokungabi nantlonelo kwakhe, uYehova wasuka nje wambuza esithi: “Ngaba kufanelekile na ukuba uvuthe ngumsindo?” (Yona 4:4) Ngaba uYona waphendula? IBhayibhile ayisixeleli.

Indlela UYehova Awamfundisa Ngayo Isifundo UYona

Lo mprofeti uqumbileyo wemka eNinive waya ngasempuma kwiintaba ezazisivelele kakuhle isixeko saseNinive. Apho wazakhela ikhusi waza wahlala kulo, elindele ukubukela ukutshatyalaliswa kweNinive. Kungenzeka ukuba wayesenethemba lokubona iNinive itshatyalaliswa. UYehova wayeza kumfundisa njani lo mprofeti onenkani ukuba abe nenceba?

Ngobo busuku uYehova wabangela ukuba kuhlume umthi womhlavuthwa. UYona wathi xa evuka wawubona lo mthi mhle unamahlamvu amakhulu, unomthunzi obhetele kakhulu kunekhusi awayezenzele lona. Yamvuyisa kakhulu loo nto. “UYona waqalisa ukuba nemihlali kakhulu” ngenxa yaloo mthi ewugqala njengentsikelelo evela kuYehova. Noko ke, uYehova wayefuna ukwenza okungakumbi kunokumhlangula nje kubushushu nakumsindo wakhe. Wayefuna ukuyifikelela intliziyo kaYona. Ngoko uThixo wathumela umbungu ukuba utye loo mthi. Emva koko wathumela “ulophu lwasempuma” olwamtshisa uYona wade ‘wawa isiduli.’ Waphinda wacaphuka kwakhona uYona waza wacela kuThixo ukuba afe.—Yona 4:6-8.

UYehova wambuza kwakhona enoba wayefanele abe nomsindo na ngenxa yomhlavuthwa. Kunokuba aguquke uYona wazithethelela esithi: “Kufanelekile ukuba ndivuthe ngumsindo ukusa kwinqanaba lokufa.” Latsho lavela ithuba elifanelekileyo lokuba uYehova amfundise isifundo uYona.—Yona 4:9.

UThixo waqiqa noYona esithi lo mprofeti wayenovelwano ngenxa yokutsha komthi owawukhule ngobusuku nje obunye, mthi lowo angazange awutyale okanye awukhulise. Emva koko uYehova waqukumbela ngelithi: “Yaye mna andifanele na ndibe nosizi ngeNineve isixeko esikhulu, ekukho kuyo abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu elinamashumi amabini amawaka abangawaziyo konke konke umahluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sasekunene nesasekhohlo, ngaphandle kwezilwanyana zasekhaya ezininzi?”—Yona 4:10, 11.d

Ngaba uyakubona ukubaluleka kwesi sifundo sikaYehova? UYona wayengazange aphakamise nomnwe lo ukuze anyamekele lo mthi. Kwelinye icala uYehova yena wayeNgumthombo wobomi babantu baseNinive yaye wayebanyamekele njengoko esenza kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni. Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba uYona akhathazeke ngomthi omnye kunabantu abangama-120 000 nemfuyo yabo? Akungebi mhlawumbi uYona wayecingela isiqu sakhe kuphela? Ngapha koko eyona nto eyamenza wanovelwano ngomthi yayikukuba wawumnceda. Akungebi ke umsindo wakhe ngenxa yokungatshabalali kweNinive wawubangelwa kukuzingca okunjalo—kuba wayefuna ukuba nantoni na ayithethayo yenzeke ngenxa yekratshi lakhe?

Isifundo esibaluleke ngokwenene! Nanku ke umbuzo esifanele siwubuze, Ngaba uYona wafunda kweso siganeko? Incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe iphela loo mbuzo kaYehova ungaphendulwanga yaye usamile. Abanye abahlalutyi basenokuyikhalazela into yokuba uYona engazange aphendule. Kodwa ke impendulo yakhe ikhona. Incwadi yona ngokwayo iyaphendula. Kaloku ubungqina bubonisa ukuba le ncwadi yabhalwa nguYona ngokwakhe. Khawube nomfanekiso wakhe lo mprofeti, ngoku esekhayeni lakhe ekhuselekile yaye ebhala le ncwadi. Khawumbone ngeliso lengqondo njengoko sele ekhulile, elumkile yaye ethobekile emana enikina intloko xa ebalisa ngeempazamo, imvukelo yakhe kunye nokwala kwakhe ngenkani ukuba nenceba. Kucace mhlophe ukuba uYona wafunda kwimfundiso kaYehova yobulumko. Wafunda ukuba nenceba. Ngaba nathi siza kufunda?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 16]

UThixo ufuna ukuba abantu abangendawo baguquke baze batshintshe iindlela zabo, njengabantu baseNinive

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 17]

UThixo wasebenzisa umhlavuthwa ukuze afundise uYona isifundo sokuba nenceba