Ukholo LukaNowa Lulahla Izwe

WAKE wezwa yini ngoNowa, indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu eyakha umkhumbi ukuze kulondolozwe ukuphila esikhukhuleni sembulunga yonke? Yize ingeyasendulo, izigidi ziyayazi le ndaba. Nokho, abaningi abaqapheli ukuthi ukuphila kukaNowa kusho okuthile kithi sonke.

Kungani kufanele sibe nesithakazelo endabeni enezinkulungwane zeminyaka yenzeka? Kukhona yini ukufana phakathi kwesimo sikaNowa nesethu? Uma kukhona, singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sakhe?

Izwe Losuku LukaNowa

Uhlelo lwezenzekalo zeBhayibheli luveza ukuthi uNowa wazalwa ngo-2970 B.C.E.—eminyakeni engu-126 ngemva kokufa kuka-Adamu. Ngosuku lukaNowa, umhlaba wawugcwele ubudlova, futhi iningi lenzalo ka-Adamu lakhetha ukulandela isibonelo sikakhokho walo sokuphambuka. Ngakho, “uJehova wabona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe zimbi njalo.”—Genesise 6:5, 11, 12.

Akukhona ukuvukela kwabantu kukodwa okwenza uJehova angajabuli. Ukulandisa kukaGenesise kuyachaza: “Amadodana kaNkulunkulu abona amadodakazi abantu ukuthi mahle, azithathela abafazi kuwo awathandayo. . . . Ngalezo zinsuku kwakukhona iziqhwaga [“amaNefili,” NW] emhlabeni, nangasemuva futhi, lapho amadodana kaNkulunkulu engena kuwo amadodakazi abantu, awazalela abantwana. Lana ayengamadodana asendulo anamandla, anegama lodumo.” (Genesise 6:2-4) Ukuqhathanisa la mavesi namazwi alotshwa ngumphostoli uPetru kubonisa ukuthi la “madodana kaNkulunkulu” kwakuyizingelosi ezingalalelanga. Iziqhwaga ezingamaNefili zaziyinzalo eyingxube yobuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho phakathi kwabesifazane nalezo zingelosi ezihlubukile ezazembethe imizimba yabantu.—1 Petru 3:19, 20.

Elithi “amaNefili,” elisho “aBawisi,” lisho abantu abawisa abanye. Ayeyiziqhwaga ezaziqinela abanye ngobushiqela, futhi isono soyise ababeqhutshwa yinkanuko yobulili sifaniswa nezenzo zokuphendukezelwa zaseSodoma naseGomora. (Jude 6, 7) Bebonke, baphehla ububi obungabekezeleleki emhlabeni.

 ‘Wayengenacala Esizukulwaneni Sakhe’

Ububi babudlange kangangokuthi uNkulunkulu wayezimisele ukubhubhisa isintu. Kodwa ukulandisa okuphefumulelwe kuthi: “UNowa wayetholile umusa emehlweni kaJehova. . . . UNowa wayeyindoda eqotho, engenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe; uNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 6:8, 9) Kwakungenzeka kanjani ‘ukuhamba noNkulunkulu’ ezweni elingamhloniphi, elalifanelwe ukubhujiswa kwaphela?

Ngokungangabazeki, uNowa wafunda okuningi kuyise, uLameka, indoda yokholo eyayiphila ngesikhathi sika-Adamu. Lapho etha indodana yakhe ngokuthi uNowa (okucatshangwa ukuthi kusho “ukuPhumula,” noma “iNduduzo”), uLameka waprofetha: “Lo uyakusiduduza emsebenzini wethu nasenkathazweni yezandla zethu emhlabathini awuqalekisa uJehova.” Leso siprofetho sagcwaliseka lapho uNkulunkulu esusa isiqalekiso sakhe emhlabathini.—Genesise 5:29; 8:21.

Ukuba nabazali abesaba uNkulunkulu akusona isiqinisekiso sokuthi izingane ziyoba ezingokomoya, ngoba umuntu ngamunye kumelwe azakhele ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. UNowa “wayehamba noNkulunkulu” ngokuphishekela inkambo eyayamukelwa ngophezulu. Lokho uNowa akufunda ngoNkulunkulu kwamshukumisela ukuba amkhonze. Ukholo lukaNowa aluzange luntengantenge lapho etshelwa ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ‘yokuchitha yonke inyama ngozamcolo.’—Genesise 6:13, 17.

Eqiniseka ukuthi yayizokwenzeka le nhlekelele eyayingakaze yenzeke, uNowa walalela umyalo kaJehova othi: “Yakha umkhumbi ngemithi yegofere, wenze amakamelo emkhunjini, uwuhuqe ngaphakathi nangaphandle ngekolitayi.” (Genesise 6:14) Ukuhlangabezana nokwakufunwa nguNkulunkulu ngalo mkhumbi kwakungelula neze. Nokho, “uNowa wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.” (Genesise 6:22) UNowa wenza lokhu esizana nomkakhe namadodana abo uShemu, uHamu noJafete nomkabo. UJehova walubusisa lolo kholo. Yeka izibonelo ezinhle abazibekela imikhaya namuhla!

Kwakuyohilelani ukwakha umkhumbi? UJehova wayala uNowa ukuba akhe ibhokisi elikhulu lokhuni elingangenisi manzi, elinezitezi ezintathu, elingamamitha angaba ngu-133 ubude, angu-22 ububanzi nangu-13 ukuphakama. (Genesise 6:15, 16) Umkhumbi onjalo wawuthi awulingane neminye yemikhumbi yanamuhla ethwala impahla.

Yeka umsebenzi omkhulu! Kungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi wawuhilela ukugawula izinkulungwane zemithi, idonswe iyiswe endaweni yokwakha bese isikwa ibe amapulangwe noma imishayo. Kwakusho ukwakha izikafula nezikhonkwane, ukuthola itiyela lokuhuqa umkhumbi ukuze ungangenisi amanzi, ukuthola izitsha namathuluzi, njalonjalo. Kungenzeka umsebenzi wawufuna kuxoxisanwe nabathengisi futhi kukhokhelwe izimpahla nezinkonzo. Ngokusobala wawudinga ikhono lokubaza ukuze amapulangwe ahlangane khaxa futhi akhe isakhiwo esiqine ngokufanele. Futhi cabanga nje—ukwakha cishe kwathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-50 noma engu-60!

UNowa kwakuyodingeka abe esenakekela ukulungiswa kokudla okwanele kwabantu nefoliji lezilwane. (Genesise 6:21) Kwakuyodingeka aqoqe futhi aqondise inqwaba yezilwane zingene emkhunjini. UNowa wakufeza konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho, umsebenzi waphothulwa.  (Genesise 6:22) Isibusiso sikaJehova saqinisekisa ukuthi uphumelela ngokuphelele.

“Umshumayeli Wokulunga”

Ngaphezu kokwakha umkhumbi, uNowa wakhipha isixwayiso futhi wakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka ‘njengomshumayeli wokulunga.’ Kodwa abantu “abanakanga kwaze kwafika isikhukhula, sabakhukhula bonke.”—2 Petru 2:5; Mathewu 24:38, 39.

Uma ucabanga ukuthi ingokomoya nokuziphatha okuhle kwakuntuleka ngaleso sikhathi, kulula ukubona indlela umkhaya kaNowa owawungaba yinhlekisa ngayo komakhelwane abangakholwa, uhlukunyezwe futhi ugconwe. Kumelwe ukuba abantu babebabheka njengabasangene. Nokho, uNowa waphumelela ekunikezeni abendlu yakhe isikhuthazo nokusekela okungokomoya, ngoba abazange bamukele izindlela zobudlova, ukuziphatha okubi nokuvukela zabantu besikhathi sabo abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Ngamazwi nangezenzo zakhe, okwabonisa ukholo lwakhe, uNowa walilahla izwe langaleso sikhathi.—Heberu 11:7.

Walondolozwa Esikhukhuleni

Lapho imvula isizoqala, uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa ukuba angene emkhunjini owawusuqediwe. Lapho umkhaya kaNowa nezilwane sebengenile, “uJehova wavala,” wawavalela ngaphandle noma yimaphi amazwi okukloloda. Lapho sifika iSikhukhula, ngokusobala izingelosi ezingalaleli zakhumula imizimba yenyama zaphunyula ekubhujisweni. Kodwa kuthiwani ngabanye? Phela, zonke izidalwa eziphilayo ezazisemhlabathini owomile ngaphandle komkhumbi, kuhlanganise namaNefili, zabhubha! Kwasinda uNowa nomkhaya wakhe kuphela.—Genesise 7:1-23.

UNowa nabendlu yakhe bahlala unyaka nezinsuku eziyishumi emkhunjini. Babematasa benika izilwane ukudla futhi beziphuzisa, bekhuculula indle yazo futhi bebhala imininingwane yezinto ngesikhathi sayo. UGenesise unikeza izinsuku eziqondile zazo zonke izigaba zeSikhukhula, njengombhalo wohambo lomkhumbi, okubonisa ukuba yiqiniso kwale ndaba.—Genesise 7:11, 17, 24; 8:3-14.

Lapho besemkhunjini, ngokungangabazeki  uNowa wahola umkhaya wakhe ezingxoxweni ezingokomoya nasekubongeni uNkulunkulu. Ngokusobala umlando wangaphambi kweSikhukhula walondolozwa ngoNowa nomkhaya wakhe. Izinkolelo ezamukelekayo ezinokwethenjelwa ezazidluliselwa ngomlomo noma izincwadi ezilotshiwe ezingokomlando ababenazo zaziyoba yizinto ezikahle ezaziyoba yinzuzo ekutadisheni phakathi noZamcolo.

Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe bajabula ngayo lapho bephinda bephumela emhlabathini owomile! Into yokuqala ayenza kwaba ukumisa i-altare nokukhonza njengompristi womkhaya wakhe, enikela imihlatshelo kuLowo owayebasindisile.—Genesise 8:18-20.

“Njengoba Nje Zazinjalo Izinsuku ZikaNowa”

UJesu Kristu wathi: “Njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:37) Namuhla, namaKristu angabashumayeli bokulunga, enxusa abantu ukuba baphenduke. (2 Petru 3:5-9) Sicabanga ngalowo mfanekiso, singase sizibuze ukuthi kazi yimiphi imicabango eyafikela uNowa ngaphambi kweSikhukhula. Ingabe wayeke abe nomuzwa wokuthi ukushumayela kwakhe akusizi ngalutho? Ingabe wayekhathala ngezinye izikhathi? IBhayibheli alisho. Sitshelwa nje ukuthi uNowa walalela uNkulunkulu.

Uyabona yini ukuthi isimo sikaNowa sihlobana kanjani nesethu? Walalela uJehova naphezu kokuphikiswa nobunzima. Yingakho uJehova amahlulela njengolungile. Umkhaya kaNowa wawungazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyosiletha nini ngempela iSikhukhula, kodwa wawazi ukuthi sasizofika. Ukuba nokholo ezwini likaNkulunkulu kwalondoloza uNowa phakathi neminyaka yokusebenza kanzima nokushumayela okwakungase kubonakale sengathi akunazithelo. Empeleni, siyatshelwa: “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe; futhi ngalolukholo walahla izwe, futhi waba indlalifa yokulunga okuvumelana nokholo.”—Heberu 11:7.

UNowa waluthola kanjani ukholo olunjalo? Ngokusobala wayezinika isikhathi sokuzindla ngezinto ayezazi ngoJehova futhi wayevuma ukuqondiswa yilolo lwazi. Ngokungangabazeki, uNowa wayekhuluma noNkulunkulu ngomthandazo. Eqinisweni, wayesondelene eduze noJehova kangangokuthi “wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” Njengenhloko yomkhaya, uNowa wakujabulela ukusebenzisa isikhathi sakhe enakekela abendlu yakhe ngothando. Lokhu kwakuhlanganisa ukunakekela izithakazelo ezingokomoya zomkakhe, amadodana akhe amathathu nomalokazana bakhe.

NjengoNowa, amaKristu eqiniso namuhla ayazi ukuthi maduze nje uJehova uzoqeda lesi simiso sezinto esingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Asilwazi lolo suku noma ihora, kodwa siyaqaphela ukuthi ukulingisa ukholo nokulalela kwalo “mshumayeli wokulunga” kuyophumela ‘ekulondolozweni komphefumulo uphila.’—Heberu 10:36-39.

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Ingabe Kwenzeka Ngempela?

Izazi zemvelaphi nenhlalo yabantu ziye zathola izinganekwane zesikhukhula ezingaba ngu-270 cishe kuzo zonke izizwe nezizwana. Isazi uClaus Westermann sithi: “Indaba yesikhukhula itholakala kuwo wonke umhlaba. Njengendaba yendalo, iyingxenye yefa lesiko lethu eliyisisekelo. Kuyamangaza ngempela: yonke indawo emhlabeni sithola izindaba zesikhukhula esikhulu sasendulo.” Kwenziwa yini? Umhlaziyi u-Enrico Galbiati uthi: “Ukuba khona njalo kwendaba yesikhukhula ezizweni ezihlukahlukene nezigqagqene kangaka kuwuphawu lokuthi lokho okuyisisekelo salezo zinkolelo kuwumlando oyiqiniso.” Nokho, okubaluleke kakhulu kumaKristu kunemibono yezazi ukwazi ukuthi uJesu ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngeSikhukhula njengesenzakalo esingokoqobo emlandweni wesintu.—Luka 17:26.

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Kuthiwani NgamaNefili Ezinsumansumeni?

Izinganekwane ezikhuluma ngobuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho phakathi kwawonkulunkulu nabantu—“namaqhawe” noma “abantu ababenjengonkulunkulu” abazalwa kulobu buhlobo—zazivamile ezimfundisweni ezingokwenkolo zamaGreki, abaseGibithe, abase-Ugarit, amaHurrian nezabaseMesopotamiya. Onkulunkulu basezinsumansumeni zamaGreki babenemizimba yabantu futhi bebahle kakhulu. Babedla, bephuza, belala, behlanganyela ubuhlobo bobulili, beba nezingxabano, belwa, beyenga futhi bedlwengula. Nakuba kwakuthiwa bangcwele, babekwazi ukukhohlisa nokwenza ubugebengu. Amaqhawe anjengo-Achilles kuthiwa ayenabazali abangonkulunkulu nabangabantu futhi ayenikezwe amandla angaphezu kwawabantu kodwa enganikwanga ukungafi. Ngakho, lokho okushiwo uGenesise ngamaNefili kuyasikhanyisela ngalokho okungenzeka kuwumsuka wezinsumansumane ezinjalo.