Xelisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wafunda Kwiimpazamo Zakhe

UYONA wayenqwenela ukuthulisa ezo zandi zazisitsho kabuhlungu. Yayingengomoya nje omkhulu, owawubhudla loo nqanawa; okanye amaza amakhulu, awayebetha amaplanga ayo. Oomatiloshe bayo, umphathi wayo neqela lakhe ababengekude kuyaphi kuYona, babengxola bexhalabile, njengoko babezama ukuyibheqa loo nqanawa. UYona wayevakalelwa kukuba onke loo madoda ayeza kubhubha—ngenxa yakhe.

Yintoni eyamenza wakule meko ingaginyisi mathe? Wenza iimpazamo ezinkulu kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo noThixo wakhe, uYehova. Wenza ntoni? Ngaba izinto zazingenakuba salunga? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo zinokusifundisa izinto ezininzi. Ngokomzekelo, ibali likaYona liyasinceda sibone ukuba kwanabo banokholo lokwenyaniso banokuzenza iimpazamo—nendlela abanokuzilungisa ngayo ezo mpazamo.

Umprofeti WaseGalili

Xa abantu becinga ngoYona, basoloko becinga ngeempawu zakhe ezimbi, ezinjengokungathobeli kwakhe nokuba nenkani. Zininzi izinto esinokuzifunda ngaye. Khumbula ukuba uYona wayekhethiwe ukuba abe ngumprofeti kaYehova uThixo. UYehova wayengenakuze amnike isabelo esibaluleke ngolo hlobo ukuba wayengathembekanga okanye engelolungisa.

Kweyesi-2 kooKumkani 14:25, sifunda okuthile ngemvelaphi kaYona. Wayesuka eGati-hefere, eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezine ukusuka eNazarete, idolophu awayeza kukhulela kuyo uYesu Kristu kwiinkulungwane ezisibhozo kamva.a UYona wayengumprofeti ngexesha lolawulo lukaKumkani uYerobhoham II wezizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli. Lalisele lidlule ixesha awayephila ngalo uEliya; ilandela lakhe uElisha wafa ngexesha lokulawula kukayise kaYerobhoham. Nangona uYehova wasebenzisa loo madoda ukuze alusiphule neengcambu unqulo lukaBhahali, uSirayeli wayebuyela kulo kwakhona. Ngoku ilizwe lalilawulwa ngukumkani ‘owaqhubeka esenza oko kubi emehlweni kaYehova.’ (2 Kumkani 14:24) Imele ukuba yayingelulanga inkonzo kaYona okanye yayingekho mnandi. Sekunjalo, wasenza ngokuthembeka esi sabelo.

Noko ke, ngenye imini ubomi bukaYona batshintsha ngesiquphe. Wafumana isabelo esivela kuYehova esasinzima kakhulu. UYehova wayefuna enze ntoni?

“Sukuma, Uye ENineve”

UYehova wathi kuYona: “Sukuma, uye eNineve isixeko esikhulu, uze ubhengeze nxamnye nayo ukuba ububi babo bunyuke beza kufika phambi kwam.” (Yona 1:2) Akukho nzima ukubona isizathu sokuba esi sabelo sibe lucelomngeni. INineve yayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-800 ngasempuma. Ukuya khona kwakunokuthabatha ixesha elimalunga nenyanga xa uhamba ngeenyawo. Noko ke, ukuya apho yayiyeyona nto ilula kweso sabelo. ENineve, uYona wayeza kubhengeza isigidimi somgwebo kaYehova kuma-Asiriya, awayedume ngogonyamelo. Ukuba uYona wayenokubona intsabelo encinane kubantu bakaThixo, yintoni awayenokuyilindela kubahedeni? Wayenokuphumelela njani umkhonzi kaYehova eNineve, eyayibizwa ngokuba ‘sisixeko sophalazo-gazi’?—Nahum 3:1, 7.

Mhlawumbi yayikhe yathi qatha nakuYona into enjalo. Kodwa ke asazi. Ekuphela kwento esiyaziyo kukuba wabaleka. UYehova wayemyalele ukuba aye empuma; kodwa uYona waya entshona, kude kakhulu. Waya ezibukweni, kwidolophu ebizwa ngokuba yiYopa, apho wafumana inqanawa eya eTarshishe. Bambi abaphengululi bathi iTarshishe yayiseSpeyin. Ukuba kunjalo, uYona wayesiya kwindawo eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-3 500 ukusuka eNineve. Uhambo lomgama ongako oluya esiphelweni solwandle olukhulu—lwalubizwa ngaloo ndlela uLwandle lweMeditera ngezo mini—lwalunokuthabatha ixesha elingangonyaka. UYona wayezimisele ngokwenene ukusibaleka eso sabelo wayesinikwe nguYehova.

Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba simele sigqibe kwelokuba uYona wayeligwala? Akunjalo. Njengoko siza kubona, wayeyindoda ekhaliphileyo. Njengathi sonke, uYona wayengumntu ongafezekanga, owayeneempazamo. (INdumiso 51:5) Ngubani kuthi ongazange akhe oyike?

Maxa wambi kusenokubonakala ngathi uThixo ufuna senze eyona nto inzima, mhlawumbi ebonakala ingenakwenzeka. Sisenokufumanisa kulucelomngeni ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, njengokuba kufuneka enjenjalo amaKristu. (Mateyu 24:14) Siyakhawuleza ukuwalibala amazwi kaYesu athi: “Kuba zonke izinto zinokwenzeka kuThixo.” (Marko 10:27) Ukuba sikhe siyilibale loo nyaniso ngamanye amaxesha, mhlawumbi sinokubuqonda ubunzima awayekubo uYona. Kwaphumela entwenini ukusaba kukaYona?

UYehova Uyamqeqesha Umprofeti Wakhe Ophambukayo

Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaYona ezama ukuzifihla phakathi komthwalo owawukulo nqanawa yamaFenike. Wayebabukele oomatiloshe njengoko babemaxhaphetshu befuna inqanawa yabo iphume ezibukweni. Njengokuba inqanawa yayisiya kusithela, uYona wayecinga ukuba usabile kuloo ngozi wayeyoyika. Kodwa ngequbuliso imozulu yatshintsha.

Imimoya ebhudla ngamandla yaluphehluzelisa ulwandle, amaza ayenokwenzakalisa kwaneenqanawa ezisetyenziswa kule mihla yethu. Kwathabatha ixesha elide kangakanani ngaloo nqanawa yenziwe ngamaplanga encinane nebuthathaka, ukogqunywa ngamaza olwandle anamandla? Ngaba uYona wayekwazi oko wabhala ngako kamva—ukuba “uYehova wezisa umoya omkhulu elwandle”? Asingetsho. Wabona ukuba ababheqi bakhala koothixo babo, yaye wayesazi ukuba abo thixo abanakuze babancede. Ingxelo yakhe ithi: “Inqanawa yona yayisele iza kwaphuka.” (Yona 1:4; Levitikus 19:4) UYona wayenokuthandaza njani kuThixo ambalekayo?

Ekubeni wayeqonda ukuba akanakuze akwazi ukunceda, uYona waya emazantsi enqanawa waza wazifihla. Apho wafika walala yoyi.b Umbheqi wathi akumbona uYona, wamvusa waza wambongoza ukuba athandaze kuthixo wakhe, njengabanye abantu. Baqonda oomatiloshe ukuba esi saqhwithi sasibangelwa ngamandla angaphezu kwawendalo baphosa amaqashiso ukuze babone ukuba kwabo bantu babesenqanaweni yayingubani owayebangela loo nkathazo. UYona umele ukuba waba novalo njengoko amadoda ayesiya encipha. Akuzange kube kudala yazicacela inyaniso. Olu qhwithela lwalubangelwa nguYehova, namaqashiso aphuma nendoda enye—uYona!—Yona 1:5-7.

UYona wabaxelela yonke into abo matiloshe. Wayengumkhonzi kaThixo usomandla, uYehova. Wayebaleka loo Thixo ibe wayemonile, yiyo loo nto babekule ngxaki. La madoda agubha kukoyika. Bambuza ukuba benze ntoni na kuye ukuze basindise ubomi babo naloo nqanawa. Wathini? Mhlawumbi uYona wayesoyika xa ecinga ukuba uza kurhaxwa ngaloo manzi olwandle abandayo. Kodwa wayengathini ukuvuma ukuba loo madoda afe ekubeni wayesazi ukuba wayenokuwasindisa? Wathi: “Ndiphakamiseni nindiphose elwandle, yaye ulwandle luya kunizolela; ngenxa yokuba ndiyazi ukuba kungenxa yam le nto kukho esi sivuthuvuthu.”—Yona 1:12.

Alikho igwala elingathetha ngale ndlela? Kumele ukuba kwamvuyisa uYehova ukubona inkalipho kaYona, umoya wokuzincama ngexesha elalinzima ngolo hlobo. Apha silubona kakuhle ukholo lukaYona. Nathi sinokuluxelisa namhlanje ngokubeka izilangazelelo zabanye abantu kuqala kunezethu. (Yohane 13:34, 35) Xa sibona umntu esengxakini, enokuba yeyokwenyama, yeyeemvakalelo okanye yeyokomoya, ngaba siyalunikela uncedo? Siyamkholisa uYehova xa sisenjenjalo.

Nababheqi bamele ukuba bachukumiseka, kuba ekuqaleni babengafuni ukumphosa elwandle. Kunoko, benza konke okusemandleni bezama ukuya elunxwemeni, kodwa abazange bakwazi. Uqhwithela lwathabatha unyawo. Ekugqibeleni babona ukuba akukho ndlela yimbi. Babiza uThixo kaYona, uYehova, ukuba abenzele inceba, bamphakamisa baza bamphosa elwandle.—Yona 1:13-15.

UYona Wenzelwa Inceba Aze Ahlangulwe

UYona waphoswa kulwandle olulwayo. Mhlawumbi wazama ukuqubha, kwathi kusenjalo wabona ugwebu lwenqanawa njengoko yayihamba. Kodwa amaza anamandla amgqumelela. Watshona kuloo manzi ephelelwe lithemba.

Kamva uYona wachaza indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo ngeli xesha. Imele ukuba ingqondo yakhe yathatha ibeka. Wayebuhlungu ecinga ukuba akasoze aphinde ayibone itempile entle kaYehova yaseYerusalem. Wayeqonda ukuba uza kwehlela enzonzobileni yolwandle, enyeleni yentaba, apho wayeza kuthandelwa zizityalo zaselwandle. Kuyabonakala ukuba eli yayiza kuba lingcwaba lakhe.—Yona 2:2-6.

Yintoni eyenzekayo? Kukho into eza ngakuye—isithinzi sento enkulu. Isondela kuye ngokukhawuleza. Ivula umlomo wayo omkhulu ize imginye.

Umele ukuba wayecinga ukuba esi yayisisiphelo sobomi bakhe. Kodwa wayesaphila. Wayengatyumkanga, engetyiswanga sesi silwanyana okanye efuthaniselekile. Wayesaphila, nangona wayekwindawo eyayinokuba lingcwaba lakhe. UYona wayemangalisiwe. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo yayinguThixo wakhe, uYehova ‘owamisela intlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye.’c—Yona 1:17.

Yadlula imizuzu yade yaba ziiyure. Elapho kulo nzonzobila, uYona wacinga nzulu waza wathandaza kuYehova uThixo. Umthandazo wakhe obhalwe kwisahluko sesibini sencwadi kaYona, uyasinceda. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYona wayezazi kakuhle iZibhalo, kuba usoloko ebhekisela kwiiNdumiso. Kwakhona ubonisa uphawu oluhle lokuba nombulelo. UYona waqukumbela ngokuthi: “Ke mna, ndiza kukubingelela ngelizwi lombulelo. Oko ndikubhambathisileyo, ndiza kukufezekisa. LolukaYehova usindiso.”—Yona 2:9.

UYona wafunda ukuba uYehova angasindisa nabani, naphi nanini na. Nalapho, ‘embilinini wentlanzi,’ uYehova wamfumana waza wamsindisa lo mkhonzi wakhe ukhathazekileyo. (Yona 1:17) NguYehova kuphela onokumgcina ephila umntu esiswini sentlanzi iintsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu. Kuhle nanamhlanje ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova ‘nguThixo esesandleni sakhe impefumlo yakho.’ (Daniyeli 5:23) Umoya esiwuphefumlayo nobukho bethu buxhomekeke kuye. Ngaba sinombulelo? Ngaba asifanele simthobele uYehova?

Kuthekani ngoYona? Ngaba wafunda ukuba nombulelo kuYehova ngokumthobela? Wafunda. Emva kweentsuku nobusuku obuthathu, intlanzi “yamhlanzela emhlabeni owomileyo uYona.” (Yona 2:10) Khawufan’ ucinge—emva kwayo yonke le nto uYona akuzange kufuneke ukuba makaqubhe aye elunxwemeni! Kodwa kwakuza kufuneka azifunele indlela esuka apho. Akuzange kube kudala, umoya wakhe wokuba nombulelo wavavanywa. UYona 3:1, 2 uthi: “Laza lafika ilizwi likaYehova kuYona okwesihlandlo sesibini, lisithi: ‘Sukuma, uye eNineve isixeko esikhulu, uze ubhengeze kuyo esi sibhengezo ndisithetha kuwe. ‘” Wayeza kwenza ntoni uYona?

UYona akazange athandabuze. Siyafunda: “Waza uYona wasukuma waya eNineve ngokwelizwi likaYehova. Ke kaloku iNineve yayisisixeko esikhulu kuThixo, ikumgama onokuhanjwa iintsuku ezintathu.” (Yona 3:3) Ewe, wathobela. Kucacile ukuba wafunda kwiimpazamo zakhe. Nakule inkalo kufuneka sifunde ukuxelisa ukholo lukaYona. Sonke siyona, sonke siyazenza iimpazamo. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ngaba siyanikezela, okanye ngaba siyafunda kwiimpazamo zethu size sibuyele kwikhondo lokuthobela uThixo?

Ngaba uYehova wamvuza uYona ngokuthobela kwakhe? Ewe wamvuza. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYona wafumanisa ukuba abo babheqi baye basinda. Uqhwithela lwadamba ngoko nangoko emva kokuba uYona eye wazincama, abo babheqi “bamoyika kakhulu uYehova” bamenzela amadini.—Yona 1:15, 16.

Owona mvuzo mkhulu wafika kamva. UYesu wasebenzisa ixesha awalichitha esesuswini sentlanzi enkulu uYona njengesiprofeto esasifuzisela ixesha awayeza kulichitha esengcwabeni okanye eShiyoli. (Mateyu 12:38-40) Umele ukuba uza kuvuya gqitha uYona xa esiva ngesi siganeko ekuvuselweni kwakhe ebomini kwakhona emhlabeni. (Yohane 5:28, 29) Nawe, uYehova ufuna ukukusikelela. NjengoYona, ngaba uza kufunda kwiimpazamo zakho uze ubonise umoya wokuthobeka nokuzincama.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

UYona Umelana Nabahlalutyi

▪ Ngaba iziganeko ekuthethwa ngazo kwincwadi yeBhayibhile kaYona zenzeka ngokwenene? Ukususela kumaxesha amandulo le ncwadi ibisoloko ihlatyw’ amadlala. Kule mihla yethu yabahlalutyi abaqatha, le ncwadi isoloko igatywa—mhlawumbi njengentsomi, ibali okanye inkolelo. Omnye umbhali wenkulungwane ye-19 wabalisa indlela umfundisi ayichaza ngayo ingxelo kaYona nentlanzi enkulu njengentsomi, wathi: UYona wayehlala kwihotele eseYopa ebizwa ngokuba yiThe Sign of the Whale. Wathi esakuphelelwa yimali yokuhlawula igumbi awayeliqeshile, wagxothwa. NguYona ke lowo “owaginywa” yintlanzi yaza yaphinda “yamhlanza.” Kuyabonakala ukuba abahlalutyi beBhayibhile babefuna ukumtshabalalisa uYona kanye njengala ntlanzi.

Kutheni abantu abaninzi becinga ukuba le ncwadi ayichananga? Ithetha ngemimangaliso. Kubonakala ngathi abahlalutyi abaninzi ababukholelwa ubukho bemimangaliso. Kodwa ngaba kufanelekile ukuyijonga ngolo hlobo imimangaliso? Zibuze oku: ‘Ngaba ndiyasikholelwa isivakalisi sokuqala seBhayibhile?’ Ithi: “Ekuqaleni uThixo wadala amazulu nomhlaba.” (Genesis 1:1) Izigidi zabantu ehlabathini jikelele ziyayikholelwa loo nyaniso. Ngandlel’ ithile, le ndinyana ithetha ngezinto ezibalulekileyo kunayo nayiphi na imimangaliso ekuthethwa ngayo eBhayibhileni.

Cinga ngomntu owadala amazulu neentlobo ngeentlobo zezinto eziphila emhlabeni, yintoni awayengenakukwazi ukuyenza kwizinto ekuthethwa ngazo kwincwadi kaYona? Kukubangela uqhwithela? Ukubangela ukuba intlanzi enkulu iginye umntu? Okanye ukuyenza imhlanze kwakhona loo mntu? Ekubeni uThixo enamandla, kwakungenzimanga ukwenza loo nto.—Isaya 40:26.

Nokuba uThixo akakhange angenelele, maxa wambi izinto ezimangalisayo ziyenzeka. Ngokomzekelo, kuthiwa ngowe-1758 umatiloshe wawela kuLwandle lweMeditera waza waginywa ngukrebe. Lo krebe wadutyulwa. Loo ntlanzi yamhlanza loo matiloshe waphuma engenawo nomkrwelo. Ukuba liyinyaniso eli bali, liyothusa—kodwa asingommangaliso. Ngaba uThixo akanakusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze enze okungaphezu koko?

Abanye abahlalutyi balilisela ngokuba akakho umntu ongaze aphile esiswini sentlanzi iintsuku ezintathu engafuthaniselwa. Noko ke abantu bayakwazi ukuzalisa amagongqo ngomoya baze bawusezele umoya okulo magongqo xa bengaphantsi kwamanzi. Ngaba uThixo wayengenakukwazi ukusebenzisa amandla nobulumko bakhe ukuze uYona aqhubeke ephila iintsuku ezintathu? Njengokuba enye yeengelosi zikaYehova yakhe yathi kuMariya, umama kaYesu, “uThixo akavakalisi nto ingenakwenzeka.”—Luka 1:37.

Yintoni enye ebonisa ukuba incwadi kaYona ichanile ngokwembali? Indlela uYona ayichaza ngayo inqanawa nababheqi ichanile kwaye yeyokwenene. KuYona 1:5, sibona ababheqi bephosa izinto elwandle. Izazi ngembali zakudala nomthetho woorabhi ubonisa ukuba yayiyinto eqhelekileyo leyo kumaxesha akudala xa imozulu imbi. Indlela ayichaza ngayo iNineve uYona iyangqinelana nembali nokwembiwa kwezinto zakudala. UYesu Kristu wabhekisela ekuhlaleni kukaYona entlanzini enkulu iintsuku ezintathu njengesiprofeto esasifuzisela iintsuku awayeza kuzihlala engcwabeni. (Mateyu 12:38-40) Ubungqina bukaYesu buqinisekisa ukuba ibali likaYona liyinyaniso.

“UThixo akavakalisi nto ingenakwenzeka.”—Luka 1:37

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UYona wabongoza oomatiloshe ukuba bamphakamise bamphose elwandle