UZamcolo Ezinganekwaneni Zomhlaba

UZAMCOLO wosuku lukaNowa wawuyinhlekelele ebhubhisa kangangokuba isintu asiwulibalanga. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-2 400 kamuva, uJesu Kristu wakhuluma ngawo njengoyiqiniso lomlando. (Mathewu 24:37-39) Lesisenzakalo esesabekayo sashiya umyocu ongenakucimeka ohlangeni lwesintu kangangokuthi kuye kwaba nezinganekwane ezikhuluma ngaso emhlabeni wonke.

Encwadini ethi Myths of Creation, uPhilip Freund ulinganisela ukuthi kunezinganekwane zikaZamcolo ezingu-500 ezilandiswa izizwe ezingu-250 nabantu. Njengoba kungaba okulindelekile, ngokudlula kwamakhulu amaningi eminyaka, lezinganekwane ziye zanongwa kakhulu ngezenzakalo nabalingiswa bokuzicabangela. Nokho, kuzo zonke kungatholakala ukufana okuthile okuyisisekelo.

Ukufana Okuphawulekayo

Njengoba abantu babefuduka besuka eMesopotamiya ngemva kukaZamcolo, bahamba nokulandisa kwalenhlekelele baya nakho kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba. Ngaleyondlela, izakhamuzi zaseAsia, eziqhingini zaseNingizimu Pacific, eNyakatho Melika, eMelika Ephakathi, naseNingizimu Melika zinezinganekwane zalesenzakalo esivusa amadlingozi. Lezinganekwane eziningi zikaZamcolo zaba khona esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba labantu bathole iBhayibheli. Nokho, lezinganekwane zinamaphuzu athile ayisisekelo afanayo nokulandisa kweBhayibheli ngoZamcolo.

Ezinye izinganekwane zikhuluma ngemidondoshiya enobudlova eyayiphila emhlabeni ngaphambi kukaZamcolo. Uma kuqhathaniswa, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngaphambi kukaZamcolo izingelosi ezingalaleli zembatha imizimba yenyama, zaba nobuhlobo bobulili nabesifazane, futhi zaveza uhlanga lwemidondoshiya eyayibizwa ngokuthi amaNefili.—Genesise 6:1-4, qhathanisa neNW; 2 Petru 2:4, 5.

Izinganekwane zikaZamcolo ngokuvamile zibonisa ukuthi kunomuntu oyedwa owaxwayiswa ngokuza kukazamcolo waphezulu. NgokweBhayibheli, uJehova uNkulunkulu waxwayisa uNowa ngokuthi wayezobhubhisa abantu ababi nabayizidlova. UNkulunkulu watshela uNowa: “Ukuphela kwenyama yonke kufikile phambi kwami, ngokuba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu; bheka, ngiyakubachitha kanye nomhlaba.”—Genesise 6:13.

Izinganekwane eziphathelene noZamcolo ngokuvamile zibonisa kuthi waletha imbubhiso yomhlaba wonke. Ngokufanayo, iBhayibheli lithi: “Amanzi andisisa impela emhlabeni; zasitshekelwa zonke izintaba eziphakemeyo eziphansi kwezulu lonke. Konke okunomphefumulo womoya wokuphila emakhaleni akho, konke okusemhlabathini owomileyo, kwafa.”—Genesise 7:19, 22.

Iningi lezinganekwane zikaZamcolo zithi indoda ethile yasinda kuZamcolo kanye nomunye umuntu oyedwa noma abangaphezulu. Izinganekwane eziningi zithi waphephela esikebheni ayesakhile, futhi zithi sahlala phezu kwentaba. Ngokuqhathaniswa, imiBhalo ithi uNowa wakha umkhumbi. Ithi futhi: “Kwasala uNowa yedwa kanye nakho okwakukhona naye emkhunjini.” (Genesise 6:5-8; 7:23) NgokweBhayibheli, ngemva kukaZamcolo “umkhumbi wema ezintabeni zaseArarati,” lapho uNowa nomkhaya wakhe baphuma khona. (Genesise 8:4, 15-18) Izinganekwane zibonisa futhi ukuthi abasinda kuZamcolo baqala ukwanda emhlabeni, njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi umkhaya kaNowa wanda.—Genesise 9:1; 10:1.

Izinganekwane ZikaZamcolo Zasendulo

Sinalamaphuzu andulelayo engqondweni, ake sicabangele ezinye zezinganekwane zikaZamcolo. Ake sithi siqala ngabantu baseSumer, abantu basendulo ababehlala eMesopotamiya. Indlela abachaza ngayo uZamcolo yatholakala esibhebheni sobumba esavumbululwa emanxiweni aseNippur. Lesibhebhe sithi onkulunkulu bamaSumer uAnu noEnlil banquma ukubhubhisa isintu ngozamcolo omkhulu. Ngenxa yokuthi wayexwayiswe unkulunkulu uEnki, uZiusudra nomkhaya wakhe bakwazi ukusinda besemkhunjini omkhulu.

INkondlo kaGilgamesh yabaseBabiloni iqukethe imininingwane eminingi. Ngokulandisa kwayo, uGilgamesh wavakashela ukhokho wakhe u-Utnapishtim, owayenikezwe ukuphila okuphakade ngemva kokusinda kuZamcolo. Engxoxweni eyalandela, u-Utnapishtim wachaza ukuthi watshelwa ukuba akhe umkhumbi futhi angenise kuwo izinkomo, izilwane zasendle, nomkhaya wakhe. Wakha umkhumbi onjengesikwele esilinganayo nxazonke esingamamitha angu-60 ohlangothini ngalunye, nezitezi eziyisithupha. Utshela uGilgamesh ukuthi isiphepho sathatha izinsuku eziyisithupha nobusuku obuyisithupha, abese ethi: “Lapho kufika usuku lwesikhombisa, isivunguvungu somoya, uZamcolo, ukundindizela kwempi kwanqamuka, okwakuchithe njengebutho lempi. Ulwandle lwacwatha, isivunguvungu sadamba, uZamcolo waphela. Ngabheka ebusweni bolwandle futhi umsindo wamazwi wawusuphelile. Sonke isintu sasiphenduke ubumba.”

Ngemva kokuba umkhumbi uhlale eNtabeni iNisir, u-Utnapishtim wadedela ijuba elabuyela emkhunjini lapho lingayitholi indawo yokuhlala. Lalandelwa yinkonjane nayo eyabuya. Kwabe sekukhishwa igwababa, futhi lapho lingabuyi, wazi ukuthi amanzi ayesebohlile. U-Utnapishtim wabe esededela izilwane futhi wenza umhlatshelo.

Lenganekwane endala kakhulu ithi ayifane nokulandisa kweBhayibheli ngoZamcolo. Nokho, intula imininingwane ecacile nobulula bokulandisa kweBhayibheli, futhi ayizinikezi izilinganiso ezinengqondo zomkhumbi futhi ayibunikezi ubude besikhathi obuboniswe emiBhalweni. Ngokwesibonelo, inkondlo kaGilgamesh yathi isiphepho sathatha izinsuku eziyisithupha nobusuku obuyisithupha, kuyilapho iBhayibheli lithi “lana emhlabeni izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane”—imvula enkulu eqhubekayo eyagcina imboze umhlaba wonke ngamanzi.—Genesise 7:12.

Nakuba iBhayibheli likhuluma ngabayisishiyagalombili abasinda kuZamcolo, enganekwaneni yamaGreki uDeucalion nomkakhe, uPyrrha, kuphela abasinda. (2 Petru 2:5) Ngokwalenganekwane, ngaphambi kukaZamcolo umhlaba wawuhlala abantu abayizidlova ababebizwa ngokuthi abantu bebronze. Unkulunkulu uZeus wanquma ukubabhubhisa ngozamcolo omkhulu futhi watshela uDeucalion ukuba akhe ibhokisi elikhulu futhi angene kulo. Lapho uzamcolo ubohla, lelibhokisi lahlala eNtabeni iParnassus. UDeucalion noPyrrha behla entabeni futhi baqalisa isintu kabusha.

Izinganekwane ZaseMpumalanga Ekude

ENdiya kunenganekwane kaZamcolo kuyona umuntu osindile nguManu. Uba umngane wenhlanzi encane ekhula ibe nkulu futhi emxwayisa ngozamcolo oyinhlekelele. UManu wakha isikebhe, esidonswa yilenhlanzi kuze kube yilapho sihlala phezu kwezintaba zaseHimalaya. Lapho uzamcolo uphela, uManu uyehla entabeni ekanye noIda, ukwenziwa samuntu komhlatshelo wakhe, uvuselela uhlanga lwesintu.

Ngokwenganekwane yamaShayina kazamcolo, unkulunkulu wokuduma kwezulu unikeza abantwana ababili, uNuwa noFuxi, izinyo. Ubayala ukuba balitshale futhi bakhosele eguleni eliyomila kulo. Ngokushesha kumila isihlahla kulelozinyo futhi siveza igula elikhulu. Lapho lonkulunkulu wokuduma kwezulu eletha isiwuhlula semvula, labantwana bangena kuleligula. Nakuba uzamcolo oba umphumela uminzisa zonke ezinye izakhamuzi ezisemhlabeni, uNuwa noFuxi bayasinda futhi bandise abantu kabusha emhlabeni.

Emazweni AseMelika

AmaNdiya aseNyakatho Melika anezinganekwane ezihlukahlukene ezinesihloko esifanayo sikazamcolo obulala bonke abantu ngaphandle kwabambalwa. Ngokwesibonelo, ama-Arikara, abantu baseCaddo, athi umhlaba wake wahlala uhlanga lwabantu olwalunamandla amakhulu kangangokuthi lwalweyisa onkulunkulu. Unkulunkulu uNesaru wabhubhisa lemidondoshiya ngozamcolo kodwa walondoloza abantu bakhe, izilwane, nommbila emgedeni. Abantu abangamaHavasupai bathi unkulunkulu uHokomata wabangela isikhukhula esabhubhisa isintu. Nokho, indoda ethiwa uTochopa yasindisa indodakazi yayo uPukeheh ngokuyivalela ogodweni olunomgodi phakathi.

AmaNdiya eMelika Ephakathi neseNingizimu anezinganekwane zikazamcolo ezinokufana okuyisisekelo. AmaMaya aseMelika Ephakathi ayekholelwa ukuthi inyoka enkulu yemvula yabhubhisa izwe ngamathantala amanzi. EMexico indlela yamaChimalpopoca ilandisa ngokuthi uzamcolo othile wasibekela izintaba. Unkulunkulu uTezcatlipoca waxwayisa indoda ethiwa uNata, eyagweda ugodo lapho yona nomkayo, uNena, baphephela khona amanzi aze abohla.

EPeru amaChincha anenganekwane kazamcolo wezinsuku ezinhlanu owabhubhisa bonke abantu ngaphandle koyedwa owaholelwa illama ekhulumayo entabeni ephephile. Ama-Aymara asePeru naseBolivia athi unkulunkulu uViracocha waphuma eChibini iTiticaca futhi wadala umhlaba kanye nabantu abakhulu ngokungavamile nabanamandla. Ngenxa yokuthi loluhlanga lokuqala lwamthukuthelisa, uViracocha walubhubhisa ngozamcolo.

AmaNdiya angamaTupinamba aseBrazil akhuluma ngesikhathi lapho uzamcolo omkhulu waminzisa bonke okhokho bawo ngaphandle kwalabo abasinda ezikejaneni ezigwedlwayo noma phezulu emithini emide. AmaCashinaua aseBrazil, amaMacushi aseGuyana, amaCarib aseMelika Ephakathi, namaOna namaYahgan aseTierra del Fuego eNingizimu Melika aphakathi kwezizwe eziningi ezinezinganekwane zikazamcolo.

ENingizimu Pacific NaseAsia

Kulo lonke elaseNingizimu Pacific, izinganekwane zikazamcolo ezinabambalwa abasinda zivamile. Ngokwesibonelo, eSamoa kunenganekwane kazamcolo wasendulo owabhubhisa wonke umuntu ngaphandle kukaPili nomkakhe. Bathola isiphephelo edwaleni, futhi ngemva kukazamcolo baphinde bandisa abantu emhlabeni. EziQhingini zaseHawaii, unkulunkulu uKane wabacasukela abantu futhi wathumela uzamcolo ukuba ubabhubhise. UNuʹu kuphela owasinda esikebheni esikhulu ekugcineni esahlala phezu kwentaba.

EMindanao ePhilippines, ama-Ata athi umhlaba wake wambozwa ngamanzi abhubhisa wonke umuntu ngaphandle kwamadoda amabili nowesifazane. AmaIban aseSarawak, eBorneo, athi kwasinda abantu abambalwa kuphela esikhukhuleni esithile ngokubalekela emagqumeni aphakeme kakhulu. Enganekwaneni yamaIgorot asePhilippines, umuntu nodadewabo kuphela abasinda ngokuphephela eNtabeni iPokis.

AmaSoyot aseSiberia, eRussia, athi ixoxo elikhulu, elalisekele umhlaba, lanyakaza futhi labangela ukuba umhlaba usitshekelwe amanzi. Indoda esikhulile nomkhaya wayo basinda ngesihlenga eyayisenzile. Lapho amanzi ebohla, lesihlenga sahlala entabeni ephakeme. AmaUgrian asentshonalanga yeSiberia naseHungary nawo athi abasinda kuzamcolo basebenzisa izihlenga kodwa basakazekela ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba.

Umsuka Ofanayo

Yini esingaphetha ngayo kulezinganekwane eziningi zikaZamcolo? Nakuba zehlukahlukene kakhulu ngemininingwane, zinezici ezithile ezifanayo. Lezici zikhomba emsukeni wenhlekelele enkulu futhi engenakukhohlakala. Naphezu kokuhlukahluka okusobala phakathi neminyaka, isihloko sazo esiyinhloko sinjengomucu ozibophela zonke esigamekweni esisodwa esikhulu—uZamcolo wembulunga yonke okuxoxwa ngawo ngendlela elula, enganongiwe ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli.

Njengoba izinganekwane zikaZamcolo ngokuvamile zitholakala phakathi kwabantu abangazange bathintane neBhayibheli kuze kube semakhulwini amuva eminyaka, kungaba yiphutha ukuphikisa ngokuthi bathonywa ukulandisa okungokomBhalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukutholakala kokulandisa kukazamcolo emhlabeni wonke ngokuvamile kuthathwa njengobufakazi bokubhujiswa kwaso sonke isintu ngozamcolo endaweni yonke . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, okunye kokulandisa kwasendulo kwalotshwa ngabantu ababephikisana kakhulu nesiko lamaHeberu namaKristu.” (Umqulu 2, ikhasi 319) Ngakho singaphetha ngokuqinisekile ngokuthi izinganekwane zikaZamcolo zifakazela ubuqiniso bokulandisa kweBhayibheli.

Njengoba siphila ezweni eligcwele ubudlova nokuziphatha okubi, senza kahle ngokufunda ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngoZamcolo, njengoba kulotshwe kuGenesise izahluko 6 kuya ku-8. Uma sizindla ngembangela yalowoZamcolo womhlaba wonke—ukwenziwa kwalokho okwakukubi emehlweni kaNkulunkulu—kuyo siyobona isixwayiso esibalulekile.

Ngokushesha isimiso esibi sezinto samanje sizobhekana nesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esibuhlungu. Nokho, ngokujabulisayo bakhona abayosinda. Ungase ube phakathi kwabo uma ulalela amazwi omphostoli uPetru: “Izwe elalikhona [ngesikhathi sikaNowa] labhubha ngokukhukhula kwamanzi; kepha izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelelwe umlilo ngalo lona lelizwi, kulindele usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. . . . Njengoba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka [nigcina ukuba khona kosuku lukaJehova kusengqondweni, NW].”—2 Petru 3:6-12.

Ingabe ukuba khona kosuku lukaJehova uyokugcina kusengqondweni? Uma wenza kanjalo futhi wenza ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu, uyojabulela izibusiso ezinkulu. Labo abathokozisa uJehova uNkulunkulu ngaleyondlela bangaba nokholo ezweni elisha uPetru abhekisela kulo lapho enezela: “Siyalindela ngesithembiso [sikaNkulunkulu] amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Izinganekwane zaseBabiloni zikazamcolo zedluliselwa kusukela kwesinye isizukulwane kuya kwesinye

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ingabe uyasilalela isixwayiso sikaPetru ngokulukhumbula njalo usuku lukaJehova?