Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi
KuGenesise 6:3 sifunda lokhu: “Umoya wami ngeke usebenze njalo kumuntu lokhu futhi eyinyama. Ngakho izinsuku zakhe zizoba iminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amabili.” Ingabe uJehova wayesho ukuthi isikhathi sokuphila kwabantu sesizoba iminyaka engu-120, futhi ingabe uNowa washumayela ngokuza kukaZamcolo isikhathi eside kangako?
Impendulo yayo yomibili le mibuzo ingucha.
Abantu abaningi ngaphambi kukaZamcolo baphila amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. UNowa wayeneminyaka engu-600 lapho kufika uZamcolo, futhi waphila waze waba neminyaka engu-950. (Gen. 7:6; 9:29) Abanye abazalwa ngemva kukaZamcolo nabo baphila iminyaka engaphezulu kakhulu kwengu-120. U-Arpakishade wafa eneminyaka engu-438, uShela enengu-433. (Gen. 11:10-15) Nokho, ngesikhathi sikaMose, ukuphila kwabantu kwase kunciphe kwaba iminyaka engu-70 kuya kwengu-80. (IHu. 90:10) Ngakho, uGenesise 6:3 wawunganqumi isilinganiso sesikhathi sokuphila kwabantu noma ubude besikhathi esivamile sokuphila ukuba sibe iminyaka engu-120.
Khona-ke, ingabe leli vesi lingamazwi uNkulunkulu awasho kuNowa ukuze axwayise abanye ngembubhiso eyayizofika phakathi neminyaka engu-120? Cha. UNkulunkulu wakhuluma noNowa izikhathi eziningana. Sifunda lokhu emavesini ayishumi kamuva: “UNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa: ‘Ukuphela kwayo yonke inyama sekufikile phambi kwami, ngoba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlova.’” Eminyakeni eyalandela, uNowa wawuqeda umsebenzi omkhulu wokwakha umkhumbi, futhi ngaleso sikhathi: “UJehova wathi kuNowa: ‘Ngena emkhunjini, wena nayo yonke indlu yakho.’” (Gen. 6:13; 7:1) Kunezinye futhi izikhathi lapho uJehova atshela khona uNowa amanye amaqiniso.—Gen. 8:15; 9:1, 8, 17.
Nokho, uGenesise 6:3 uhlukile; awukhulumi ngoNowa futhi awusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayekhuluma naye. La mazwi angase aqondwe njengabonisa injongo kaNkulunkulu noma isinqumo sakhe. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 8:21.) Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ezenzakalweni zangaphambi kokudalwa kuka-Adamu, sithola amazwi anjengokuthi: “UNkulunkulu wathi.” (Gen. 1:6, 9, 14, 20, 24) Kusobala ukuthi uJehova wayengakhulumi nomuntu osemhlabeni ngoba kwakungakadalwa muntu.
Ngakho-ke, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi uGenesise 6:3 ubonisa isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu sokuqeda leso simiso sezinto esonakele emhlabeni. UJehova wakhipha isinqumo sokwenza lokho eminyakeni engu-120, nakuba uNowa ayengazi lutho ngaso. Kodwa kungani anquma isikhathi? Kungani alinda?
Umphostoli uPetru usinikeza izizathu: “Ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu [kwakulindile] ezinsukwini zikaNowa, ngesikhathi kusakhiwa umkhumbi, okwathi ngawo abantu abambalwa, okungukuthi, imiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili, bathwalwa ngokuphepha emanzini.” (1 Pet. 3:20) Yebo, lapho uNkulunkulu enza isinqumo esiphathelene neminyaka engu-120, kwakusenezinto okwakusadingeka zenziwe. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-20, uNowa nomkakhe baqala ukuba nezingane. (Gen. 5:32; 7:6) Amadodana abo akhula futhi ashada, okwenza umkhaya waba “imiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili.” Kwabe sekudingeka ukuba bakhe umkhumbi, okwakungewona umsebenzi owawuzothatha isikhashana uma sicabangela ubukhulu bawo nobomkhaya kaNowa. Yebo, ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu iminyaka engu-120 kwavumela ukuba zonke lezo zinto zenziwe futhi kwenza ukuba kulondolozwe ukuphila, kwavumela ukuba abantu abangu-8 abathembekile ‘bathwalwe ngokuphepha emanzini.’
IBhayibheli aliwusho unyaka uJehova atshela ngawo uNowa ukuthi kuzofika uZamcolo. Njengoba amadodana akhe ayesezelwe, akhula futhi ashada, kungenzeka ukuthi kwase kusele iminyaka engu-40 noma engu-50 ngaphambi kokuba kufike uZamcolo. UJehova wabe esethi kuNowa: “Ukuphela kwayo yonke inyama sekufikile phambi kwami.” Wanezela ngokuthi uNowa kwakufanele akhe umkhumbi omkhulu futhi angene kuwo nomkhaya wakhe. (Gen. 6:13-18) Phakathi namashumi eminyaka ayesele, uNowa akagcinanga nje ngokuba isibonelo sokulunga ngendlela ayephila ngayo. Waba “umshumayeli wokulunga” okwakudingeka ashumayele isigijimi esiyisixwayiso esicacile—isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu sokubhubhisa abantu ababengamesabi bangaleso sikhathi. UNowa akazange awazi kusengaphambili unyaka leyo mbubhiso eyayizofika ngawo, kodwa wayazi ukuthi yayizofika nakanjani. Nawe uyazi ukuthi yafika.—2 Pet. 2:5.