Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-32—UJona
Umlobi: UJona
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-844 B.C.E.
1. Yimiphi imibuzo ephendulwa encwadini kaJona, futhi ibonisani ngobumnene bukaJehova?
UJONA—isithunywa sevangeli sakwamanye amazwe sekhulu lesishiyagalolunye leminyaka B.C.E.! Wasibheka kanjani isabelo sakhe esivela kuJehova? Yikuphi okuhlangenwe nakho okusha lokhu okwamvulela khona? Ingabe wathola abantu basesabelweni sakhe belalela? Kwaphumelela kangakanani ukushumayela kwakhe? Ukulandisa okuvusa amadlingozi kwencwadi kaJona kuyayiphendula lemibuzo. Njengoba kwalotshwa ngesikhathi lapho isizwe sikaJehova esikhethiwe sesisaphulile isivumelwano naye futhi sawela ekukhulekeleni izithombe kobuqaba, lokhu kulandisa okungokwesiprofetho kubonisa ukuthi ubumnene bukaNkulunkulu abulinganiselwe kunoma yisiphi isizwe esisodwa, hhayi ngisho nakuIsrayeli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uphakamisa ubumnene obukhulu nesihe sikaJehova, ngokuphambene nokuntula ubumnene, ukubekezela, nokholo okubonakala kaningi kangaka kumuntu ongaphelele.
2. Yini eyaziwayo ngokuphathelene noJona, futhi cishe waprofetha ngamuphi unyaka?
2 Igama elithi Jona (ngesiHeberu, Yoh·nahʹ) lisho ukuthi “Ijuba.” Wayeyindodana yomprofethi uAmithayi waseGati-Heferi eGalile endaweni yakwaZebuloni. Kwawesi-2 AmaKhosi 14:23-25 sifunda ukuthi uJerobowamu inkosi yakwaIsrayeli wanweba umngcele wesizwe njengokwezwi uJehova alikhuluma ngoJona. Lokhu kwenza isikhathi sokuprofetha kukaJona sibe cishe u-844 B.C.E., unyaka wokukhushulwa kukaJerobowamu II wakwaIsrayeli futhi eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kokuba iAsiriya, elinhloko-dolobha yalo iNineve, liqale ukubusa uIsrayeli.
3. Yini ebonisa ukuthi indaba kaJona iyiqiniso?
3 Akukho kungabaza ngokuthi konke ukulandisa kukaJona kuyiqiniso. ‘UMphelelisi wokukholwa kwethu, uJesu,’ wabhekisela kuJona njengomuntu ongokoqobo futhi wanikeza incazelo ephefumlelwe yezimbili zezenzakalo ezingokwesiprofetho ezikuJona, ngaleyondlela ebonisa ukuthi lencwadi iqukethe isiprofetho esiyiqiniso. (Heb. 12:2; Math. 12:39-41; 16:4; Luka 11:29-32) Ngaso sonke isikhathi uJona ubebekwa amaJuda phakathi kwezincwadi zawo ezingcwele futhi ambheka njengongokomlando. Ukwethembeka kukaJona ekuchazeni amaphutha nobuthakathaka bakhe siqu, engazami nakancane ukuwafihla, nakho kuphawula lombhalo njengoyiqiniso.
4. Luhlobo luni lwenhlanzi okungenzeka ukuthi yagwinya uJona? Nokho, yini okwanele ukuba siyazi?
4 Kuthiwani ‘ngenhlanzi enkulu’ eyagwinya uJona? Kuye kwaba nokuqagela okuningi ngokuthi lena kungase kube luhlobo luni lwenhlanzi. Umkhoma ukwazi kahle ukugwinya umuntu ephelele. Kungokufanayo nangoshaka omkhulu omhlophe. Nokho, iBhayibheli limane lithi: “UJehova wamisela inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye uJona.” (Jona 1:17) Uhlobo lwenhlanzi alushiwongo. Akunakushiwo ngokuqiniseka ukuthi kwakuwumkhoma, ushaka omkhulu omhlophe, noma esinye isidalwa sasolwandle esingashiwongo ngegama.a Umbhalo ogciniwe weBhayibheli othi ‘kwakuyinhlanzi enkulu’ wanele ngenjongo yokwaziswa kwethu.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KAJONA
5. UJona usabela kanjani esabelweni sakhe, futhi kuba namuphi umphumela?
5 UJona uthunywa eNineve kodwa uyabaleka (1:1-16). “Izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona indodana ka-Amithayi, lathi: Suka uye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, umemeze phezu kwalo, ngokuba ububi balo benyukele ebusweni bami.” (1:1, 2) Ingabe uJona uyasijabulela lesabelo? Lutho neze! Ubalekela ngaphesheya, ethatha umkhumbi oya eTharishishi, mhlawumbe iSpain. Umkhumbi uJona akuwo uhlangabezana nesiphepho esikhulu. Ngokwesaba amatilosi akhalela usizo, “kwaba-yilelo nalelo kunkulunkulu walo,” kuyilapho uJona elele endaweni yomkhumbi yezimpahla. (1:5) Ngemva kokuvusa uJona, enza izinkatho ezama ukuthola ukuthi ubani obangele lenhlupho akuyo. Inkatho idla uJona. Manje uyawatshela ukuthi ungumHeberu, umkhulekeli kaJehova, nokuthi ubalekela umsebenzi wakhe awunikwe uNkulunkulu. Uwacela ukuba amphonse olwandle. Ngemva kokwenza imizamo eminingi yokugwedlela ngaphandle, ekugcineni amphonsa ngaphandle uJona. Ulwandle luyapheza ukuthukuthela.
6. Kuyini okuhlangenwe nakho kukaJona ‘nenhlanzi enkulu’?
6 Ugwinywa “inhlanzi enkulu” (1:17–2:10). “UJehova wamisela inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye uJona; uJona wayesezibilinini zenhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.” (1:17) Ukhuleka ngobuqotho kuJehova engaphakathi kwenhlanzi. ‘Esesiswini sendawo yabafileyo’ ukhalela usizo futhi uthi uzogcwalisa akuthembisile, ngoba “ukusindiswa kukuye uJehova.” (2:2, 9) Ngokuyala kukaJehova, inhlanzi ihlanzela uJona emhlabathini owomileyo.
7. Kuphumelela kangakanani ukushumayela kukaJona eNineve?
7 Ukushumayela eNineve (3:1–4:11). UJehova uvuselela umyalo wakhe kuJona. UJona akasasibalekeli isabelo sakhe, kodwa uya eNineve. Lapho uhamba emigwaqweni yomuzi futhi uyamemezela: “Kusezakuba-yizinsuku ezingamashumi amane, beselichithwa iNineve.” (3:4) Ukushumayela kwakhe kuyaphumelela. Kuphenduka abaningi kulo lonke elaseNineve, futhi abantu bakhona baqala ukukholwa uNkulunkulu. Inkosi imemezela ukuthi umuntu nesilwane kumelwe kuzile futhi kwembathe indwangu yamasaka. Ngobubele uJehova uyawusindisa umuzi.
8. UJona usabela kanjani ekuboniseni kukaJehova ububele emzini, futhi uJehova ukudalula kanjani ukuntula kwalomprofethi ukuqonda?
8 Lokhu kukhulu kakhulu ukuba uJona akubekezelele. Utshela uJehova ukuthi sonke lesikhathi wayazi ukuthi Yena wayezobonisa ububele nokuthi yileso isizathu esenza wabalekela eTharishishi. Ufisa sengathi angafa. Enganelisekile nakancane, uJona umisa idokodo empumalanga yomuzi futhi ulindele ukubona lokho okuzokwenzeka. UJehova ulungiselela umhlakuva ukuba umile ube umthunzi kumprofethi wakhe othukuthele. Ukuthokoza kukaJona ngalokhu kungokwesikhashana. Ngakusasa ekuseni uJehova ulungiselela impehlwa ukuba iphehle umuthi, ukuze kuthi esikhundleni sokuvikela kwawo okududuzayo kube ukwenekwa emoyeni oshisayo wasempumalanga naselangeni elishisayo. Nalapha uJona ufisa ukuba afe. Ezibona elungile uthethelela intukuthelo yakhe. UJehova uveza ukuguquguquka kwakhe: UJona wawuhawukela umhlakuva owodwa kodwa uyathukuthela ngoba uJehova manje uhawukela umuzi omkhulu waseNineve.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
9. Isiphi isimo sengqondo nenkambo kaJona okumelwe kube yisixwayiso kithi?
9 Inkambo kaJona nomphumela wayo kumelwe ibe yisixwayiso kithi. Wabalekela umsebenzi ayewunikwe uNkulunkulu; kwakumelwe enze umsebenzi futhi athembele kuNkulunkulu ukuba amsekele. (Jona 1:3; Luka 9:62; IzAga 14:26; Isaya 6:8) Lapho eya endaweni okungeyiyo, wabonisa isimo sengqondo esibi ngokwehluleka ukuziveza ngokukhululekile ematilosini njengokhulekela “uJehova, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini.” Wayesephelelwe isibindi. (Jona 1:7-9; Efe. 6:19, 20) Ubugovu bukaJona bamholela ekubeni abheke ububele bukaJehova ngeNineve njengesithuko esiqondiswe kuye; wazama ukuziqinisa ngokutshela uJehova ukuthi sonke lesikhathi wayazi ukuthi kwakuyophumela kulokhu—pho-ke kungani amthuma njengomprofethi? Wasolwa ngalesimo sengqondo sokwedelela, sokukhononda, ngakho kumelwe sizuze kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe, futhi sigweme ukuthola iphutha ekuboniseni kukaJehova ububele noma endleleni yakhe yokwenza izinto.—Jona 4:1-4, 7-9; Fil. 2:13, 14; 1 Kor. 10:10.
10. Umusa wothando nobubele bukaJehova kufanekiswa kanjani encwadini kaJona?
10 Okubaluleke kunakho konke encwadini kaJona ukubonisa kwayo izimfanelo ezimangalisayo zomusa wothando nobubele bukaJehova. UJehova wabonisa umusa wothando ngeNineve ngokuthumela umprofethi wakhe ukuba axwayise ngokubhujiswa okwakusondela, futhi wayekulungele ukubonisa ububele lapho umuzi uphenduka—ububele obavumela iNineve ukuba lihlale iminyaka engaphezu kuka-200 kuze kube sekubhujisweni kwalo amaMede nabaseBabiloni cishe ngo-632 B.C.E. Wabonisa ububele kuJona ngokumkhulula olwandle olunesiphepho nangokulungiselela umhlakuva ukuba ‘umophule kokubi kwakhe.’ Ngokulungiselela umhlakuva ovikelayo abese ewususa, uJehova wenza uJona wazi ukuthi uyobonisa ububele nomusa wothando uma Yena ebona kufanele.—Jona 1:2; 3:2-4, 10; 2:10; 4:6, 10, 11.
11. Siyini “isibonakaliso sikaJona”?
11 KuMathewu 12:38-41, uJesu watshela abaholi benkolo ukuthi ukuphela kwesibonakaliso ababeyonikezwa sona ‘kwakuyisibonakaliso sikaJona.’ Ngemva kokuba ‘sesiswini sendawo yabafileyo’ izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu uJona waya eNineve futhi washumayela, ngaleyondlela eba “isibonakaliso” kwabaseNineve. (Jona 1:17; 2:2; 3:1-4) Ngokufanayo, uJesu wachitha izingxenye zezinsuku ezintathu esethuneni futhi wavuswa. Lapho abafundi bakhe bememezela ubufakazi balesosenzakalo, uJesu waba isibonakaliso kulesosizukulwane. Ngokwendlela yamaJuda yokulinganisa isikhathi namaqiniso ekugcwalisekeni kwendaba kaJesu, lenkathi ‘yezinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu’ ivumela izinsuku ezingaphansi kwezintathu ezigcwele.b
12. (a) Yini enye uJesu ayishoyo ngokuphathelene nabaseNineve namaJuda esizukulwane sakhe? (b) Kwavela kanjani “okukhulu kunoJona,” futhi kuhlangana kanjani noMbuso kaJehova nensindiso?
12 Kulengxoxo efanayo, uJesu uqhathanisa ukuphenduka kwabaseNineve nobulukhuni benhliziyo kanye nokwenqatshwa ngokuqondile ahlangabezana nakho kumaJuda phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, ethi: “Amadoda aseNineve ayakusukuma ekwahlulelweni kanye nalesisizukulwane, asilahle; ngokuba aphenduka ngokushumayela kukaJona; bhekani, kukhona lapha okukhulu kunoJona.” (Bheka futhi uMathewu 16:4 noLuka 11:30, 32.) “Okukhulu kunoJona”—wayesho ukuthini uJesu ngalamazwi? Wayebhekisela kuye ngokwakhe njengomprofethi omkhulu kunabo bonke, Lowo othunywe uJehova ukuba ashumayele: “Phendukani, ngokuba umbuso wezulu ususondele.” (Math. 4:17) Noma kunjalo, abaningi bamaJuda alesosizukulwane basenqaba “isibonakaliso sikaJona.” Kuthiwani namuhla? Nakuba abaningi bengasilaleli isigijimi sikaJehova sesixwayiso, izinkulungwane eziningi emhlabeni wonke zinethuba elikhazimulayo lokuzwa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezashunyayelwa okokuqala uJesu, “iNdodana yomuntu.” NjengabaseNineve abaphenduka, babusiswa ngokushumayela kukaJona, nalaba bangahlanganyela elungiselelweni likaJehova elikhulu nelobubele lokuphila okweluliwe, ngoba ngempela “ukusindiswa kukuye uJehova.”—Jona 2:9.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Insight on the Scriptures, Umq. 2, amakhasi 99-100.
b Insight on the Scriptures, Umq. 1, ikhasi 593.