8—Emva KukaNogumbe

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiGenesis 7:20 ukuya kwese-9:17.]

Amanzi enyuka iikubhite ezilishumi elinantlanu ngaphezu kwezona ntaba zinde. Kwakukhangeleka, kusapho oluphakathi emkhombeni, ingathi lungatshabalala, njengoko yaba ziinyanga ezinde ezintlanu umkhombe wabo ulatyuzeliswa ngapha nangapha, usezincebeni zomoya namaza. Yayiyimeko ecindezelayo kodwa noko kunjalo, ukholo lukaNowa aluze lugungqe, kuba wayenayo ingqiniseko yokuba isandla sezulu sasilibambile ivili.ANa 105.1

Athi xa amanzi eqala ukuhla, uThixo wawenza umkhombe ukuba ubheke kwicala elalinendawo eyayikhuselwe liqela leentaba awayezigcinile ngamandla aKhe. Ezi ntaba zazingaqelelananga kakhulu, waza umkhombe wangena kakuhle kule ndawo izolileyo yokhuseleko, awaba sazuliswa kulwandle olungenamda. Oku kwazisa ukukhululeka okukhulu, kubakhweli ababebhudlwa luqhwithela.ANa 105.2

UNowa nosapho lwakhe balinda bexhalabile ukuba ade ahle amanzi, kuba babelangazelela ukuphuma babe phezu komhlaba. Iintsuku ezimashumi mane emva kokuba iincopho zeentaba zabonakala, baza bathumela ihlungulu, intaka eliva lula ivumba, ukuba bafumane ukuba umhlaba womile na. Le ntaka, ngokungafumani nto ngaphandle kwamanzi, yabhabha, iquqa ibuyelela emkhombeni. Emva kweentsuku ezisixhenxe, kwathunyelwa ihobe, elathi, ngokungafumani ndawo yokuchopha, labuyela emkhombeni. UNowa walinda ezinye iintsuku ezisixhenxe, waphinda wathumela ihobe. Ukubuya kwalo ngokuhlwa liphethe ngomlomo igqabi lomnquma, kwabakho uvuyo olukhulu. Kamva “uNowa walususa uphahla lomkhombe; wakhangela, nango umhlaba womile.” Waqhubeka elindile ngomonde emkhombeni. Njengoko wayengene ngomyalelo kaThixo, wayelindele imiyalelo eyodwa ukuba awushiye.ANa 105.3

Ekugqibeleni yehla ingelosi ezulwini, yaluvula ucango olukhulu, yaliyalela inyange nosapho lwalo ukuba baye emhlabeni behamba nazo izinto eziphilayo zonke. Kuvuyo lokukhululwa kwabo, uNowa akazange amlibale Lowo bathi, ngenceba yaKhe,balondolozwa. Intoyokuqala awayenzayo emva kokushiya umkhombe yaba kukwakha isibingelelo wanikela, ethabatha kulo lonke uhlobo lwesilwanyana neentaka ezihlambulukileyo umbingelelo, njalo ebonisa umbulelo wakhe kuThixo ngokubahlangula kunye nokholo lwakhe kuKristu, umbingelelo omkhulu. Lo mnikelo wamkholisa uYehova; isiphumo yaba yintsikelelo, kungekuphela kwinyange nosapho lwalo, kodwa kubo bonke ababeya kuphila phezu komhlaba. “UThixo weva ivumba elithozamisayo, wathi uYehova entliziyweni yakhe, Andisayi kuphinda ndilitshabhise ihlabathi ngenxa yomntu. . . . Kuthabathela apha, ngayo yonke imihla yehlabathi, akuyi, kuphela ukuhlwayela nokuvuna, ukubanda nobushushu, ihlobo nobusika, imini nobusuku.” Kwakukho apha isifundo sazo zonke izizukulwana ezilandelayo. UNowa wafikela kumhlaba oyinkqantosi, kodwa phambi kokuba azilungisele eyakhe indawo yokuhlala, wakhela uThixo isibingelelo. Imfuyo yakhe yeenkomo yayincinane, kwaye yagcinwa ngexabiso elikhulu; ukanti wanikela kuYehova inxalenye yayo, evuma ukuba yonke yayiyeyaKhe. Ngokunjalo, kufuneka nakuthi kuhambe phambili ukunikela umnikelo wokuzithandela kuThixo. Sonke isibonakaliso senceba yaKhe nothando lwaKhe ngakuthi kufuneka kwamkelwe ngombulelo, ngezenzo zokuzinikela nangezipho emsebenzini waKhe.ANa 105.4

Xa ehlangana amafu, ize ine imvula, abantu baya kuthi rhoqo bezaliswa lunkwantyo, ngenxa yokoyika omnye uNogumbe, ngenxa yoko, uThixo wayikhuthaza intsapho kaNowa ngesithembiso: “Ndiwumise umnqophiso wam nawe, . . . kungabi sabakho Nogumbe wokulonakalisa ihlabathi. . . . umnyama wam ndiwubeke efini ukuba ube ngumqondiso womnqophiso ophakathi kwam nehlabathi. Kothi, ndakuwusibekelisa ngelifu umhlaba, ubonakale umnyama lowo efini; ndiwukhumbule umnqophiso ongunaphakade phakathi koThixo nayo yonke imiphefumlo ephilileyo.”ANa 106.1

Ukuhla okungako kukaThixo, nokuba nemfesane kwaKhe kwizidalwa ezonayo ngokubeka umnyama omhle emafini ukuba ube ngumqondiso womnqophiso nabantu! UYehova uthi, xa ewukhangele umnyama, uya kukhumbula umnqophiso waKhe. Le nto ayithethi ukuba ebeya kulibala; kodwa uthetha nathi ngolwimi lwethu, ukuze sibe nokumqonda ngcono. Yayiyinjongo kaThixo ukuba bathi abantwana bezizukulwana ezilandelayo bakubuza intsingiselo yale atshi intle inqumla emazulwini, abazali babo baliphinde ibali likaNogumbe, babaxelele ukuba Osenyangweni wawugoba umnyama wawubeka emafini njengesiqinisekiso sokuba amanziawasayi kuwugubungela umhlaba kwakhona.Ngokoke, ukusuka kwisizukulwana ukuya kwesinye isizukulwana, kufanele ukuba kungqinwe ngothando lwezulu emntwini ukuze oko kukuqinise ukumthemba kwakhe [umntu] uThixo.ANa 106.2

Ezulwini, imfano yomnyama irhangqe itrone, ijikele nangaphezu kwentloko kaKristu. Uthi umprofeti, “Ngathi yimbonakalo yomnyama obakhoyo efini mini ngemvula, yabe injalo imbonakalo yobumhlophe ngeenxa zonke [etroneni]. Leyo yimbonakalo yomfanekiselo wobuqaqawuli bukaYehova.” Hezekile 1:28. Umtyhilelwa uthi, “Nanko kumi itrone emazulwini, phezu kwetrone kukho ohleliyo. . . . waye umnyama wenze isangqa etroneni apho, ufana nelesmarado ukubonakala kwawo.” IsiTyhilelo 4:2, 3. Xa umntu, ngenkohlakalo yakhe enkulu, emema izigwebo zezulu, uMsindisi ungenelela endaweni yakhe phambi kukaYise, alathe umnyama osemafini, alathe umnyama orhangqe itrone nongaphezu kwentloko yaKhe, njengomqondiso wenceba kaThixo ngakumoni oguqukayo.ANa 107.1

Ngokwengqiniseko awayinika uNowa malunga noNogumbe, uThixo ngokwaKhe wahlanganisa esinye sezona zithembiso zinexabiso zobabalo lwaKhe: “Oko ndafungayo ukuba amanzi kaNowa akasayi kuba sahamba phezu kwehlabathi, ngokunjalo ndifungile ukuba andiyi kuba naburhalarhume kuwe, ndingakukhalimeli. Ngokuba zingade zimke iintaba, neenduli zishukume; yona inceba yam ayiyi kumka kuwe, . . . utsho onemfesane kuwe, uYehova.” Isaya 54:9, 10.ANa 107.2

Wathi uNowa akubona izilo ezinamandla eziphila ngokubulala ziphuma emkhombeni, woyika esithi, hleze usapho lwakhe, olwalungabantu abasibhozo kuphela, lungaqwengwa. UYehova wathumela ingelosi kumkhonzi waKhe inesigidimi sokuqinisekisa: “Ukoyikeka kwenu, nokuqhiphuka kwenu umbilini, makube phezu kwezinto zonke eziphilileyo nomhlaba, naphezu kweentaka zonke zezulu, nakwiinto zonke ezinambuzelayo emhlabeni, nakwiintlanzi zonke zolwandle; zona zinikelwe esandleni senu. Zonke izinambuzane eziphilileyo mazibe kukudla kuni; njengomfuno oluhlaza, ndininikile oko konke.” Ngaphambi kweli xesha, uThixo wayengazange amvumele umntu ukuba atye ukutya kwezilwanyana; wayemisele ukuba uluntu luphile kuphela ngemveliso yomhlaba; kodwa ngoku, njengoko uhlaza lwalutshabalele, wabavumela ukuba batye inyama yezilwanyana ezicocekileyo ezasindiswa emkhombeni.ANa 107.3

Bonke ubuso bomhlaba baguqulwa nguNogumbe. Isiqalekiso sesithathu e soyikekayo sawiswa phezu kwawo ngenxa yesono.Athiamanzi xa eqala ukuthotha, iinduli neentaba zajikelezwa lulwandle olubanzi noludungekileyo. Kuyo yonke indawo kwakuthe saa izidumbu zabantu nezilwanyana. UThixo wayengathandi ukuba zihlale ziqungquluze zibole zingcolise umoya, waza wawenza umhlaba ukuba ube yindawo ebanzi yokungcwaba. Umoya omkhulu ovuthuza ngamandla wenziwa ukuba uwomise amanzi, uzisuse (izidumbu) ngamandla amakhulu, kwezinye iindawo ukhukulise iincopho zeentaba ufumbe imithi, amatye, nomhlaba phezu kwemizimba efileyo. Ngaloo ndlela isilivere negolide, imithi emihle namatye anqabileyo, ezazityebise zahombisa umhlaba phambi koNogumbe, nabathi abemi bazenza izithixo, zafihlwa emehlweni nasekuzingelweni ngabantu, umsebenzi wokuvuthuza okukhulu komoya wafumba umhlaba namatye phezu kwale ndyebo, kwezinye iindawo kude kwenzeke iintaba phezu kwabo. Wabona uThixo ukuba, okona abantu beya kutyeba baphumelele, kokona baya kuzonakalisa iindlela zabo phambi kwaKhe. Ubutyebi obabumelwe ukwenza ukuba bazukise Lowo upha ngokukhulu, basuka banqulwa, abe Yena uThixo engahlonitshwa koko edelelwa.ANa 108.1

Umhlaba wanika inkangeleko yombhodamo nenkangala engachazekiyo. Iintaba ezazintle zimi kakuhle, zaqhekeka zayimiwewe. Amatye amangqameko, eembokotho ezidlakadlaka ayethe saa phezu kobuso bomhlaba. Kwiindawo ezininzi, iinduli neentaba zathi shwaka, zishiya kungabonakali nalapho zazikho; kwakukho amathafa apho kwakukho udederhu lweentaba. Ezi nguquko zazibonakala kakhulu kwezinye iindawo kunezinye. Apho ngaphambili kwakukho obona butyebi buninzi begolide, isilivere, namatye anqabileyo, kwakubonakala nje iimpawu zesiqalekiso. Kumazwe ayengenabo abemi, nalawo ayenolwaphulo-mthetho oluncinane, saba sincinane kakhulu isiqalekiso.ANa 108.2

Ngeli xesha, amahlathi amakhulu ayegqumelelekile. Ukususela ngoko aguquka angamalahle, esiba yinto eninzi yamalahle akhoyo ngoku, ekwaveza nemfumba ye-oli. Amalahle ne-oli zikholisa ukuqhwitha zivuthe ngaphantsi komhlaba. Athi ke amatye atshise, ilitye lekalika livuthe, isinyithi sinyibilike. Ukusebenza kwamanzi kwikalika kongeze ubushushu kubushushu obukhulu, kwenzeke inyikima, iintaba-mlilo, neminye imililo. Umlilo namanzi zithi zakufika elungqamekweni lweliwa nesinyithi, kubekho ugqabhuko oluninzi phantsi komhlaba, oluvakala njengeendudumo ezifuthaniselweyo. Umoya uyatshisa kwaye uyafuthanisela. Kuthi kulandele ukuphuma kodaka lwentaba-mlilo;kuthi, kubaezizinto aziniki ndlela yaneleyo yokuba kuphume amandla atshisayo, usuke umhlaba ushukume, unyuke, uphakame ngokwamaza olwandle, ucandeke kakhulu, maxa wambi izixeko ezikhulu, iilali, neentaba ezitshayo ziginyeke. Ezi zibonakalaliso zimangalisayo ziya kuthi rhoqo ngakumbi nangakumbi ukwenzeka, zizibi, kanye ngaphambi kokubuya kwesibini kukaKristu, njengemiqondiso yentshabalalo ekhawulezileyo yalo [ihlabathi].ANa 108.3

Kwiinzulu zomhlaba kulapho kugcinwe khona izixhobo zikaYehova, apho ziya kukhutshwa khona ukuba zisetyenziswe ekutshabalaliseni umhlaba omdala. Amanzi aphuma emhlabeni ahlangana namanzi aphuma ezulwini ukuba awufeze umsebenzi wentshabalaliso. Kususela kuNogumbe, umlilo kunye namanzi ube uzizithunywa zikaThixo zokutshabalalisa izixeko ezikhohlakele kakhulu. Ezi zigwebo zithunyelwa kwabo bawutyeshelayo umthetho kaThixo balinyhashe igunya laKhe ukuze benziwe bangcangcazele phambi kwamandla aKhe babuvume ubungangamsha baKhe obufanelekileyo. Abantu xa bebona iintaba zikhupha umlilo namalangatye kunye nemisinga yodaka lokunyibilika komhlaba, kusitsha imilambo, kugutyungelwa izixeko ezidumileyo, kuyo yonke indawo kusasazeka intshabalalo nokuphanza, neyona ntliziyo iqinileyo izaliswa luloyiko, abaqhankqalazi nabanyelisi bayanyanzeleka ukuba bawavume amandla kaThixo angenamda.ANa 109.1

Abaprofeti bakudala bathi, xa babebhekisa kwimibono enje: “Yoo! Wanga ungawakrazula amazulu uhle, zizamazame iintaba ebusweni bakho, njengomlilo uvuthisa iintsasa, njengomlilo uxhaphazelisa amanzi; ukuze ulazise igama lakho kubabandezeli bakho. Ekwenzeni kwakho imisebenzi eyoyikekayo, ebe singayilindele, wanga ungehla, zizamazame iintaba ebusweni bakho!” Isaya 64:1-3. “UYehova indlela yakhe isesivunguvaneni naseluqhwitheleni, namafu aluthuli lweenyawo zakhe. Ukhalimela ulwandle, alutshise, ayomise nemilambo yonke.” Nahum 1:3, 4.ANa 109.2

Zikho ezinye izibonakaliso ezoyikekayo ezingazanga zabonwa emhlabeni, eziya kubonwa ekubuyeni kwesibini kukaKristu. “Iintaba ziyanyikima phambi kwakhe, neenduli ziyanyibilika; liyafukuka ihlabathi ebusweni bakhe, elimiweyo nabemi bonke abakulo. Ngubani na ongemayo phambi kobhavumo lwakhe?” Nahum 1:5, 6. “Yehova, thoba amazulu akho, uhle; phatha ezintabeni, ziqhume. Banekisa imibane, uziphangalalise; thuma iintolo zakho, uziduba-dube.” Ndumiso 144:5, 6.ANa 109.3

“Ndenze izimanga ezulwini phezulu, nemiqondiso emhlabeni phantsi, igazi, nomlilo, nentshinyela yomsi.” Zenzo 2:19. “Kwabakho ubumenyemenye bemibane, ukugqekreza, nezandi zeendudumo, kunye nenyikima eyoyikekayo. Akuzange kubekho nyikima yoyikeka njengaleyo ezimbalini.” “Zonke iintaba zathi shwaka, neziqithi zaphel’ emehlweni. Kwawa isichotho esingamatye amakhulu. Ilitye ngalinye lalimalunga namashumi amahlanu eekhilogram ubunzima.” IsiTyhilelo 16:18, 20, 21, (IBHAYIBHILE].ANa 110.1

Iya kuthi xa imibane yezulu ihlangana nomlilo osemhlabeni, iintaba zitshe njengeziko, zikhuphe imifula yodaka oloyikekayo, lugubungele iigadi namasimi, iilali nezixeko. Udaka olunyibilikileyo bubushushu luya kungena emilanjeni luwabilise amanzi, lukhuphe amatye ngamandla amabi angenakuchazwa, luwaqhekeza kuthi saa ingceba phezu komhlaba. Imilambo iya koma. Kuya kubakho ukuzamazama; kuyo yonke indawo kubeko iinyikima neentaba-mlilo.ANa 110.2

Ngoko uThixo uya kubatshabalalisa abakhohlakeleyo phezu komhlaba. Amalungisa aya kugcinwa phakathi kwengxushungxushu, njengoko uNowa wayegcinwe emkhombeni. UThixo uya kuba sisiphephelo sabo, ukuthembela kwabo kube phantsi kwamaphiko aKhe. Uthi umdumisi, “Ngokuba nguwe, Yehova, ihlathi lam. Umenze Osenyangweni ikhaya lakho. Akuyi kuqubisana bubi nawe. Kungafiki sibetho ententeni yakho.” Ndumiso 91:9, 10. “ngokuba undigusha emnqubeni wakhe ngemini yobubi, undisithelisa esitheni lentente yakhe, undimisa eweni.” Ndumiso 27:5. Isithembiso sikaThixo sithi, “Ngokuba enamathele kum, ndomsiza; ndimse engxondeni, ngokuba elazi igama lam.” Ndumiso 91:14.ANa 110.3