Chapter 6

Ihlabathi Elatshatyalaliswayo

1. (a) Ngaba intshabalalo yehlabathi yakhe yajongana noluntu ngaphambili? (b) Kutheni simele sibe nombulelo nje kuba uNowa engazange wahlekisa ngesilumkiso sayo?

NGAXA lithile ngaphambili, intshabalalo yehlabathi yakha yaba yesondeleyo. Abantu bazo zonke iintlanga banokuba nombulelo ngento yokuba phakathi kookhokho babo kwakukho indoda eyayingazange isihleke isilumkiso sikaThixo esingomkhukula womhlaba. Ngenxa yokuba uNowa waphulaphula waza wathobela, yena nomkakhe, oonyana bakhe abathathu nabafazi babo basindiswa. Thina sonke siphuma kubo.—Genesis 10:1, 32.

2. Kutheni uThixo walitshabalalisayo nje elo hlabathi?

² UThixo walitshabalalisa elo hlabathi kuba wabona ukuba umhlaba wawuzele lugonyamelo. ‘Ububi babantu babandile ehlabathini.’ (Genesis 6:3, 5, 13) Iimeko zazifana nqwa nezo zikwinkulungwane yethu yama-20.

3. Yintoni eyabangela imeko ukuba ibe mbi kangako?

³ Yintoni eyayibangele imeko ngomhla kaNowa ibe mbi kangaka? Isibakala esibalulekileyo sichazwe kwiGenesis 6:2, ethi: “Bazibona oonyana bakaThixo iintombi zabantu ukuba zintle, bazeka abafazi kuzo zonke abazinyulayo.” Kodwa yintoni eyayiphosakele ngaloo nto? Kaloku, la yayingengomadoda nje enza isigqibo sokutshata. Aba “nyana bakaThixo” babezizithunywa zezulu, izidalwa ezingumoya, ezabona abafazi abahle emhlabeni noyolo lomtshato nezathi zazenza zafana nabantu. (Thelekisa uYobhi 1:6.) Ukuzambathisa kwazo ngemizimba yenyama nokutshata kwazo kwakuzizenzo zokungathobel’ uThixo. IZibhalo zithi ‘azizange zaneliseke zizikhundla zazo’ yaye zithi ulwalamano lwazo nabafazi ‘lwalunxamnye nemvelo,’ lugqwethekile. (Yuda 6, 7, TE; 1 Petros 3:19, 20) Inzala yazo engamabhastile yayinkulu ngokungaqhelekanga. Yayikwabizwa ngokuba ziiNgxilimbela, okanye “abawisi,” ngenxa yokuba yayikhohlakele.—Genesis 6:4.

4. (a) Kutheni uNowa wababalwayo nje nguThixo? (b) Ngawaphi amalungiselelo athi enziwa ukulondoloza ubomi?

⁴ Nangona wayephila phakathi kwelo hlabathi lalonakele, uNowa waba ngokholisekileyo emehlweni kaYehova. Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba “uNowa waye eyindoda elilungisa.” Wayeqhelene neembambano ezaphakanyiswa e-Eden, waza wazingqina engenakusoleka, ‘egqibelele.’ (Genesis 6:8, 9) Enembono yokulondoloza uNowa nentsapho yakhe, kwanazo zonke iintlobo zezilwanyana zasemhlabeni nezibhabhayo, uYehova wamyalela ukuba akhe umkhombe, isakhiwo esikhulu esifana nebhokisi. Kunjengokuba uThixo wacacisa wathi: “Ndihlisa unogumbe wamanzi ehlabathini, wokonakalisa yonke inyama enomoya wokuphila kuyo, ephantsi kwamazulu; konke okusehlabathini kuya kuphuma umphefumlo.” (Genesis 6:13-17) Ngobulumko, uNowa wamphulaphula uThixo waza wamthobela.

5. Wawumkhulu kangakanani uMkhukula?

⁵ UMkhukula wafika ngonyaka wama-2370 B.C.E., njengokuba kuboniswe lubalo lwamaxesha lweBhayibhile noluneenkcukacha. Yaba yeyona ntlekele inkulu kwimbali yabantu, kwanakwixesha lanamhla. Wawumkhulu kangangokuba “zagutyungelwa zonke iintaba eziphakamileyo kakhulu, eziphantsi kwamazulu onke.” (Genesis 7:19) ‘Ihlabathi langoko latshatyalaliswa’ nguloo Mkhukula. (2 Petros 3:6) Kodwa umntu usenokubuza ngelithi, ‘Ukuba kwanezona ntaba ziphakamileyo zazigutyungelwe ngamanzi, aphi onke loo manzi ngoku?’ Ngokucacileyo alapha kanye emhlabeni.

6. Emva koMkhukula, ayaphi onke loo manzi?

⁶ Kumele kuqondwe ukuba iBhayibhile ayithi ngomhla kaNowa kwakukho iintaba ezaziphakame njengeNtaba iEverest. Izazinzulu zithe kwixa elidlulileyo iintaba ezininzi zazimfutshane gqitha kunangoku nokuba ezinye ziye zatyhalwa zisuka ngaphantsi kweelwandle. Ngokungakumbi, kukholelwa ukuba kwakukho ixesha laxa iilwandle zazincinane namazwekazi emakhulu ngakumbi kunokuba enjalo ngoku, njengokuba oku kungqinwa yimisinga yemilambo eya kude lee ngaphandle ngaphantsi kweelwandle. Kodwa ngokuphathelele imeko ekhoyo, iphephancwadi iNational Geographic, kwinkupho yalo kaJanuwari 1945, lathi: “Amanzi maninzi kangangezihlandlo ezilishumi elwandle ngaphezu komhlaba ongaphandle elwandle. Xa unokufaka wonke lo mhlaba ngokulinganayo elwandle, amanzi ebeya kugubungela wonke umhlaba, abe nobunzulu obumalunga nemayile enesiqingatha [iikhilomitha ezimbini].” Ngoko, emva kokuna kwamanzi omkhukula, kodwa ngaphambi kokuphakama kweentaba nokuhla komhlaba ongaphantsi kolwandle kubangele amanzi ashenxe emhlabeni nangaphambi kokwakheka kweengqimba zomkhence ezisezincamini zomhlaba, ngokokutsho kweBhayibhile, kwakukho amanzi amaninzi awayegubungele “zonke iintaba eziphakamileyo kakhulu.”—Genesis 7:17-20; 8:1-3; thelekisa INdumiso 104:8, 9.

7, 8. Yiyiphi enye ingxelo ekhoyo engoMkhukula ngaphandle kweyeBhayibhile?

⁷ Umkhukula womhlaba owawumkhulu ngolo hlobo ngokuqinisekileyo kumele ukuba wabethelela into engasokuze ilibaleke kwabo baphila ukutyhubela wona. Izizukulwana zexesha elizayo zaziza kuxelelwa ngawo. Ekubeni ingxelo yeBhayibhile isithi zonke iintlanga ziphume kwakwiqela elinye labasindi boMkhukula, kusengqiqweni ukulindela ukuba kuzo zonke iindawo zomhlaba kwakuya kubakho ubungqina beenkumbulo ezithile zangaphambili zaloo ntlekele inkulu. Ngaba oku kunjalo? Ewe, ngokwenene kunjalo!

⁸ Njengokuba inzala yabasindi boMkhukula yafudukela kwiindawo ezikude yaye ngokuhamba kwexesha, iinkcukacha zagqwethwa ibe ingxelo yalungelelaniswa ukuze ifanele iingcamango zasekuhlaleni zonqulo. Kodwa kunokuba nzima ukuba kube kukuhla nje kweziganeko ngexesha elinye into yokuba kwiintsomi zabantu bakuqala jikelele ehlabathini kube kukho amabali angomkhukula omkhulu owatshabalalisa uluntu ngaphandle kwabambalwa abalondolozwa kunye. Oku kufunyanwa eMesopotami nakwezinye iindawo zaseAshiya, eOstreliya nakwiziqithi zeePasifiki, phakathi kwezizwe ezininzi zamaIndiya kumNtla nakuMzantsi Merika, kumabali abaliswa ngamaGrike namaRoma amandulo, eScandinavia, naphakathi kwezizwe zabaNtsundu. Uninzi lwezi ngxelo lukhankanya ukulondolozwa kwezilwanyana kwiphenyane kunye nabantu. Ngokuvisisana nengxelo yeBhayibhile, bambi bathi iintaka zakhutshwa ukuze zibone xa amanzi ayewuthile. (Thelekisa iGenesis 7:7-10; 8:6-12.) Asikho esinye isiganeko samandulo esikhumbuleka ngokubanzi kangaka.

9. Luluphi uqheliselo olubonisa ukuba ziyakhunjulwa iziganeko ‘zenyanga yesibini’ ngokwekhalenda kaNowa?

⁹ Iinkcukacha ezingokwembali ezinxulumene noMkhukula zichaphazele amasiko ukuza kuthi ga nakumhla wethu. Njani? Kaloku, iBhayibhile ithi uMkhukula waqala “ngenyanga yesibini, ngosuku lweshumi elinesixhenxe enyangeni leyo.” Loo “nyanga yesibini” ihlangana nenxalenye yokugqibela kaOktobha nenxalenye yokuqala kaNovemba kwikhalenda yethu. (Genesis 7:11) Ngoko ke kuyaphawuleka ukuba abantu abaninzi jikelele ehlabathini bakhumbuza uMhla Wabafi okanye Isidlo Sookhokho ngelo xesha lonyaka. Kutheni kunjalo nje? Kungenxa yokuba la masiko abuyisa iinkumbulo zentshabalalo eyabangelwa nguMkhukula.a

10. Kutheni ingxelo yeBhayibhile engoMkhukula iyeyona inokuthenjwa neyiyeyona ixabiseke kakhulu ngokobuqu?

¹⁰ Noko ke, yiBhayibhile equlethe ubungqina obunyulu ngento eyenzekayo. Into eyabonwayo neyeviwa nguNowa yathi kamva yahlanganiswa eBhayibhileni. Kwiinkulungwane kamva, uThixo, xa wayethetha ngomprofeti uIsaya, wakhankanya “amanzi kaNowa.” (Isaya 54:9) NoNyana kaThixo wamazibulo wazibona iziganeko zomhla kaNowa. Kamva, xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu Kristu wathetha ngoMkhukula njengesibakala esingokwembali yaye kwakhona wacacisa isizathu sokuba kube kwafa abantu abaninzi kangaka ngelo xesha.

‘ABAZANGE BAQONDE’

11. Kutheni kwatshatyalaliswa abantu abaninzi kangaka ngoMkhukula?

¹¹ UYesu akazange atsho ukuba wonke umntu ngaphandle kwendlu kaNowa wayeyindlobongela eyaphula umthetho. Kunoko, wathi: “Njengokuba babesithi, ngemihla ebingaphambi konogumbe, badle, basele, bazeke, bendise, kwada kwayimini awangena ngayo emkhombeni uNowa, bengaqondanga, wada wafika unogumbe, wabakhukulisa bonke: koba njalo nokufika koNyana woMntu [uYesu Kristu].”—Mateyu 24:37-39.

12. Kutheni ‘ukungaqondi kwabo’ kwakukubi kangaka?

¹² Kwakungaphosakele ukuba badle baze basele ngobungcathu okanye ukutshata ngokubekekileyo. Kodwa xa balunyukiswa ngentlekele yomhlaba, ukuqhubeka kwabo besakhela ubomi babo kusukelo lobuqu olunjalo kwabonisa ukuba ngokwenene babengakholelwa kuNowa okanye kuYehova uThixo, owayenesigidimi sakhe sesilumkiso esavakaliswa nguNowa. Ukuba babekholelwe, ngebathi ngokunyanisekileyo babuza indlela ekwakunokwenzeka ngayo ukuba basinde baze ke ngokungxamisekileyo benze okuthile ukuze bahlangabezane nezinto ezazifuneka. Mhlawumbi bambi abantu bavuma ukuba kwakufanele kwenziwe into ethile ukuze kuthintelwe ugonyamelo olwalwandile ngaloo mihla, kodwa ngokungathandabuzekiyo umkhukula womhlaba wabonakala uyinto engenakwenzeka ngokwenene kubo. Ngoko, kunjengokuba uYesu wathi, ‘abazange baqonde [isigidimi sikaThixo esasithethwa nguNowa] wada wafika unogumbe, wabakhukulisa bonke.’ Oko kwabhalwa njengomzekelo osisilumkiso kuthi.

13. (a) Njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili, basabela njani abantu abaninzi namhlanje xa bexelelwa ukuba uKristu ukho ngokungabonakaliyo, yaye ngoba? (b) UPetros uthi yintoni abayityeshelayo?

¹³ Umpostile uPetros ophefumlelweyo ngokukwanjalo wahlokomisa isilumkiso xa wabhala oku: “Kuya kuza ngemihla yokugqibela [esikuyo ngoku] abagxeki, behamba ngokwezabo iinkanuko, besithi, Liphi na kaloku idinga lokufika kwakhe? Kuba kuseloko oobawo balalayo ukufa, izinto zonke zahlala zihleli zinjengokwasekuqalekeni kwendalo.” Abantu abanjalo abafuni kuziva benemfanelo yokuziphendulela kuye nabani na. Ngoko bakuphosa ngaphandle kweengqondo zabo ubukho bukaKristu noko kuya kuthethwa kuko kwabo bafuna indlela yobomi yokungahloneli Thixo. Kodwa uPetros uhlabela mgama athi: “Oku kufihlakele kubo ngokuthanda kwabo, ukuba izulu laye likho kwakudala, nomhlaba uvele emanzini, umi ngamanzi, ngalo ilizwi likaThixo, elathi ngezo zinto ihlabathi langoko lantywiliselwa ngamanzi, latshabalala. Ke lona izulu langoku, nawo umhlaba lo, kwangelo lizwi ezo zinto ziqwetyelwe, zigcinelwe, umlilo, kuse kwimini yomgwebo netshabalalo yabantu abangahloneli Thixo.”—2 Petros 3:3-7.

14. Kutheni ukuzaliseka ‘kwelizwi likaThixo’ ngexesha lendalo nangomhla kaNowa kusenza sicinge ngokunzulu namhlanje?

¹⁴ Abo bagxekayo bayasityeshela isibakala sokuba “ilizwi likaThixo” alihlali lingazaliseki. Echitha imbono yabo, umpostile uPetros usibuyisela emva kwixesha lendalo. Ngelo xesha uThixo wathi: “Makubekho isibhakabhaka phakathi kwawo amanzi, sibe ngumahlulo wokwahlula amanzi kumanzi.” Akuba ethethe oko, “wasenza uThixo isibhakabhaka, wawahlula amanzi angaphantsi kwesibhakabhaka kuwo amanzi angaphezu kwesibhakabhaka.” Ngaloo ndlela “ilizwi likaThixo,” ukuvakalisa kwakhe injongo, kwazalisekiswa. (Genesis 1:6, 7) Ilizwi lakhe nalo lazalisekiswa xa wakhupha umyalelo womkhukula womhlaba ngomhla kaNowa waza wawasebenzisa loo manzi ukutshabalalisa “ihlabathi langoko.” Ibe intshabalalo iya kufikela inkqubo yezinto ekhoyo nengahloneli Thixo kwangelo lizwi likaThixo lingenakuxhathiswa.

15. (a) Kutheni eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:7 ingaprofeti ngokutshiswa koMhlaba? (b) Ngoko liyintoni “izulu” ‘nomhlaba’ ‘ezigcinelwe umlilo’?

¹⁵ Okwenzekayo ngexesha loMkhukula kwakungumzekelo wezinto eziza kuza. Umhlaba awuzange utshatyalaliswe emva apho, kodwa kwatshatyalaliswa abantu abangahloneli Thixo. Ngoko, athetha ntoni amazwi athi “izulu langoku, nawo umhlaba lo, . . . ziqwetyelwe, zingcinelwe, umlilo”? (2 Petros 3:7; 2:5) Kaloku, umlilo wokoqobo ubuya kuba nawuphi umphumo kwilanga elisele lishushu kakhulu neenkwenkwezi ezikumazulu abonakalayo? Ibe ukutshiswa komhlaba wokoqobo bekuya kuyifanela njani injongo kaThixo yokuwenza iParadisi? Ngokucacileyo, “izulu langoku, nawo umhlaba,” njengokuba kukhankanywe njalo apha, ezi zinto zimele ukuba zezomfuziselo. (Thelekisa iGenesis 11:1; 1 Kumkani 2:1, 2; 1 Kronike 16:31.) “Izulu” limela amandla alawulayo aphakanyiswe phezu koluntu ngokubanzi, yaye “umhlaba” libutho labantu elingahloneli Thixo. Ngemini enkulu kaYehova ziya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo ngokungathi zitshiswa ngomlilo. Abo baqhubeka behlekisa ngesi silumkiso sobuthixo ubomi babo babubeka kwingozi embi.

UKUHLANGULWA KWABANTU ABAHLONEL’ UTHIXO

16. Njengokuba kuboniswe kweyesi-2 kaPetros 2:9, yintoni efuneka ngokuphambili ukuze uhlangulwe?

¹⁶ Ingxelo yoMkhukula iyibonisa ngokucacileyo ingongoma thina namhlanje ekufuneka siyithabathele entliziyweni. Iyintoni leyo? Emva kokuchaza ngento eyenziwa nguThixo ngomhla kaNowa, umpostile uPetros uqukumbela ngelithi: “Iyakwazi iNkosi [uYehova] ukubahlangula ekuhendweni abahlonela uThixo; ke abangemalungisa ibagcinele imini yomgwebo, ukuba babethwe.” (2 Petros 2:9) Ngoko, into ephambili ukuze uhlangulwe, kukuba ngumntu ohlonel’ uThixo.

17. UNowa wabunikela njani ubungqina bokuhlonel’ uThixo?

¹⁷ Kuthetha ntoni oko? Ngokucacileyo uNowa wayeyindoda ehlonel’ uThixo. “UNowa wahamba noThixo.” (Genesis 6:9) Walandela ikhondo lobomi elivisisana nokuthanda kukaYehova okutyhiliweyo. Wayenolwalamano olusondeleyo lobuqu noThixo. Ukwakha umkhombe nokuqokelela zonke iintlobo zeentaka nezilwanyana kwakungumsebenzi omkhulu. UNowa akazange abe nesimo sengqondo esithi makhe ndime ndikhe ndibone. Wayenokholo. UNowa ‘wenza konke uThixo abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenza njengoko.’ (Genesis 6:22; Hebhere 11:7) Abantu kwakufuneka bakhunjuzwe ngeendlela zikaYehova zobulungisa baze balunyukiswe ngentshabalaliso ezela abangahlonel’ uThixo. NoNowa wakwenza oko ‘njengomshumayeli wobulungisa.’—2 Petros 2:5.

18. Kutheni le nto mntu ngamnye owasinda ngoMkhukula kumele ukuba wayezinikele kangako?

¹⁸ Kuthekani ngomfazi kaNowa, oonyana bakhe nabafazi babo—kwakufuneka ntoni kubo? Ingxelo yeBhayibhile itsalela ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kuNowa kuba wayeyintloko yentsapho, kodwa abanye nabo kumele ukuba babengabantu abahlonel’ uThixo. Kutheni kunjalo nje? Imeko yabantwana bakaNowa kamva yachazwa nguYehova kumprofeti wakhe uHezekile ukubonisa ukuba, ukuba uNowa wayephila kwaSirayeli ngelo xesha, abantwana bakhe ngebabengenakulindela ukuhlangulwa ngenxa yokuba lilungisa kukayise. Babebadala ngokwaneleyo ukuba bangathobela okanye bangathobeli, ngoko ngokobuqu kwakufuneka banikele ubungqina bokuzinikela kwabo kuYehova nakwiindlela zakhe zobulungisa.—Hezekile 14:19, 20.

19. Ngoko, yintoni esimele ukuba siyayenza, yaye njani?

¹⁹ Ngenxa yokuqiniseka kwentshabalalo yehlabathi esondelayo, iBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba sihlale siyikhumbula nokuze singqine ukuba nathi, singabantu abahlonel’ uThixo. (2 Petros 3:11-13) Phakathi kwenzala kaNowa, namhlanje kukho abantu abakuzo zonke iindawo zomhlaba abasiphulaphulayo eso siluleko sobulumko nabaya kusindela ‘kumhlaba omtsha.’

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]