UMahluko Omkhulu Phakathi Kokuphendula Kwabantu BaseNineve NabaseSodoma Esixwayisweni SikaNkulunkulu UJehova

Kuchaza ukuthini ukuchithwa? Ngamazwi alula, kuchaza ukunyamalala. Kodwa kanjani? Ubani owayengenza umuzi wonke unyamalale? Kungeke kwenzeke ukuba umuntu enze into enjalo, empeleni. Laba bantu babengezona iziwula; bathi bangasizwa lesi simemezelo, baqonda. Bazi ukuthi sasivele kuNkulunkulu; babazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wabe ezokwenza umsebenzi Wakhe; bazi ukuthi ukukhohlakala kwabo kwase kuvuse ulaka lukaNkulunkulu uJehova futhi kwaletha intukuthelo Yakhe phezu kwabo, ngendlela yokuthi maduzane nje, base bezobhujiswa kanye nomuzi wabo. Baziphatha kanjani abantu balo muzi emuva kokulalela isexwayiso sikaNkulunkulu uJehova? IBhayibheli liyachaza ngemininingwane ethile ukuthi laba bantu baziphatha kanjani kusukela enkosini yabo kuya kumuntu ovamile. Njengoba kubhaliwe emiBhalweni: “Ngakho abantu baseNineve bakholwa uNkulunkulu, futhi bamemezela ukuzila, base bembatha indwangu yamasaka, kusukela kwabadala babo kuya kwabancane kunabo bonke. Ngokuba izwi lafika enkosini yaseNineve, futhi yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yabeka ingubo yayo, futhi yazimboza ngendwangu yamasaka, yase ihlala emlotheni. Yaze yamemezela futhi yatshela iNinive ngomthetho wenkosi nabakhulu bayo, yathi, makungabi bikho muntu noma isilwane, umhlambi wezinkomo noma owezimvu onambitha utho, mabangadli lutho futhi bangaphuzi manzi: Kepha abantu nezilwane mabambozwe ngendwangu yamasaka, futhi kukhalwe kakhulu kuNkulunkulu: yebo, kuphenduke wonke umuntu endleleni yakhe embi, nasebudloveni obusezandleni zabo. …”

Emuva kokuzwa isimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu uJehova, abantu baseNineve baba nombono ohlukile kunabantu baseSodoma—abantu baseSodoma baphikisana noNkulunkulu obala, baqhubekela phambili besuka ebubini beya ebubini, kodwa emuva kokuzwa la magama, abantu baseNineve abazange bayizibe indaba, noma baphike ngenkani; esikhundleni salokho bakholwa nguNkulunkulu bamemezela ukuzila. Kuchaza ukuthini ukuthi “bakholwa” lapha? Igama lilodwa lisho ukholo nokuzithoba. Uma sisebenzisa ukuziphatha kwabantu baseNineve uqobo ukuchaza leli gama, kuchaza ukuthi bakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengakwazi futhi wayezokwenza njengoba eshilo nokuthi babezimisele ukuphenduka. Abantu baseNineve bafikelwa ukwesaba ebusweni benhlekelele enkulu eseduze kakhulu? Inkolelo yabo yafaka ukwesaba ezinhliziyweni zabo. Ngakho singasebenzisani ukufakazela inkolelo nokwesaba kwabantu baseNineve? Kunjengoba iBhayibheli lisho: “bamemezela ukuzila, base bembatha indwangu yamasaka, kusukela kwabadala babo kuya kwabancane kunabo bonke.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi abaseNineve bakholwa, nokuthi kusuka kuleyo nkolelo, kwafika ukwesaba, okwabaholela ekuzileni nokugqoka indwangu yamasaka. Bakukhombisa kanje ukuqala kokuphenduka kwabo. Ngendlela ehluke ngokuphelele kunabantu baseSodoma, abantu baseNineve abazange nje kuphela bangaphikisani noNkulunkulu, kodwa futhi bakhombisa ngokusobala ukuzisola kwabo nokuphenduka ngokuziphatha nangezenzo zabo. Empeleni lokhu akuzange kwenziwe ngabantu abajwayelekile baseNineve kuphela; nenkosi yabo yenza ngokufanayo.

Ukuphenduka KweNkosi YaseNineve Kunqoba Ukunconywa NguNkulunkulu

Kwathi lapho inkosi yaseNineve izwa lezi zindaba, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yagqoka indwangu yamasaka futhi yahlala emlotheni. Yabe isimemezela ukuthi akukho muntu kulo muzi owayezovunyelwa ukuthi adle noma yini kanye nokuthi akukho mfuyo, izimvu kanye nezinkunzi azazivunyelwe ukudla noma ukuphuza amanzi. Abantu kanye nemfuyo bonke kwakufanele kumbathe indwangu yamasaka; abantu babezoncenga ngokukhuthazela uNkulunkulu. Inkosi yamemeza futhi ukuthi bonke babezozishiya izindlela zabo ezimbi bashiye nobudlova ezandleni zabo. Uma sahlulela ngokubuka ukulandelana kwezigameko, inkosi yaseNineve yakhombisa ukuphenduka okuvela enhliziyweni. Uchungechunge lwezenzo azithatha—ukusukuma esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi, ukulahla izingubo zakhe zobukhosi, ukugqoka indwangu yamasaka nokuhlala emlotheni—kutshela abantu ukuthi inkosi yaseNineve yabeka eceleni isikhundla sayo sobukhosi yagqoka indwangu yamasaka kanye nabantu abajwayelekile. Lokhu kusho ukuthi inkosi yaseNineve ayizange ihlale esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi ukuqhubeka nezindlela zayo ezimbi noma ubudlova ezandleni zayo emuva kokuzwa isimemezelo esivela kuNkulunkulu uJehova; kunalokho, wabeka eceleni igunya abe enalo futhi waphenduka phambi kukaNkulunkulu uJehova. Ngalo mzuzu, inkosi yaseNineve yayingaphenduki njengenkosi; yayize phambi kukaNkulunkulu ukuzovuma nokuphenduka ezonweni zayo njengesikhonzi esijwayelekile sikaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, yatshela umuzi wonke ukuthi uvume izono futhi uphenduke phambi kwaNkulunkulu uJehova ngendlela efana neyayo; Ukwengeza kulokho, yayinohlelo oluthize lokuthi kungenziwa kanjani lokhu, njengoba sibona eMbhalweni: “Makungabi bikho muntu noma isilwane, umhlambi wezinkomo noma owezimvu onambitha utho, mabangadli lutho futhi bangaphuzi manzi: … futhi bakhale kakhulu kuNkulunkulu: yebo, kuphenduke wonke umuntu endleleni yakhe embi, nasebudloveni obusezandleni zabo.” Njengombusi womuzi, inkosi yaseNineve yabe inesikhundla esiphakeme namandla kunabo bonke futhi yayingenza noma yini eyithandayo. Lapho ibhekene nesimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu uJehova, yayengayiziba le ndaba noma iphenduke futhi ivume izono zayo iyodwa; noma abantu bakulo muzi babekhethe ukuphenduka, noma cha, wayengayiziba le ndaba ngokuphelele. Kepha, inkosi yaseNineve ayizange neze ikwenze lokho. Ayizange isukume esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi kuphela, imbathe indwangu yamasaka nomlotha, futhi ivume, iphenduke ezonweni zayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu uJehova, kodwa yayala bonke abantu nemfuyo kulo muzi ukuthi benze njalo. Yaze yayala abantu ukuthi “bakhale kakhulu kuNkulunkulu.” Ngalolu chungechunge lwezenzo, inkosi yaseNinive yafeza lokho umbusi ekufanele akwenze; uchungechunge lwezenzo zayo lwabe lunzima ukuthi inoma iyiphi inkosi emlandweni wesintu ilwenze futhi akekho owake walwenza. Lezi zenzo kungathiwa izenzo ezingakaze zibekhona emlandweni wesintu; zifanele ukuthi zikhunjulwe futhi zilingiswe yisintu. Selokhu kwaba khona umuntu, wonke amakhosi ayehole abantu bawo ukuba bamelane futhi baphikise uNkulunkulu. Ayikho eyake yahola abantu bayo ukuba bancenge uNkulunkulu ukufuna ukuhlengwa ngenxa yokukhohlakala kwabo, ukuthola ukuxolelwa nguNkulunkulu uJehova nokugwema ukujeziswa okwabe sekuseduze. Inkosi yaseNineve, kodwa, yakwazi ukuhola abantu bayo ukubuyela kuNkulunkulu, ukushiya izindlela zabo ezihlukene ezimbi kanye nokulahla ubudlova ezandleni zabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wakwazi ukubeka eceleni isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi, futhi, njengomvuzo, uNkulunkulu wajika futhi waphenduka futhi wahoxisa intukuthelo Yakhe, wabavumela abantu bakulo muzi ukuthi basinde futhi wabagcina ukuthi bangabhubhi. Izenzo zenkosi kungathiwa isimangaliso esingavamile emlandweni wesintu; zingabizwa nangokuthi ziyisibonelo sesintu esikhohlakele sivuma futhi siphenduka ezonweni zaso phambili kukaNkulunkulu.

UNkulunkulu Uyakubona Ukuphenduka Kweqiniso Ekujuleni Kwezinhliziyo Zabantu BaseNineve

Ngemva kokulalela isimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu, inkosi yaseNineve nabantu bayo benza izigameko eziwuchungechunge. Luyini uhlobo lokuziphatha nezenzo zabo? Ngamanye amazwi, yini ingqikithi yakho konke ukuziphatha kwabo? Kungani benza lokho abakwenza? Emehlweni kaNkulunkulu babephenduke ngokweqiniso, hhayi kuphela ngoba babekade bencenge ngeqiniso uNkulunkulu futhi bavuma izono zabo phambi Kwakhe, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi babeyishiye phansi imikhuba nezinto ababezenza. Benza njalo ngoba emuva kokuzwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, baba nokwesaba okumangalisayo futhi bakholwa ukuthi wayezokwenza njengoba eshilo. Ngokuzila ukudla nokuphuzwayo, ukumbatha indwangu yamasaka kanye nokuhlala emlotheni, babefisa ukukhombisa ukuzimisela kwabo ukuguqula izindlela zabo, bayeke ukukhohlakala, ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu uJehova ukuba ehlise ulaka Lwakhe, ukuncenga uNkulunkulu uJehova ukuba ahoxise isinqumo Sakhe kanye nenhlekelele eyayizobehlela. Ngokuhlola konke abakwenza siyabona ukuthi babeqonda ukuthi izenzo zabo zokukhohlakala zangaphambilini zazinengeka kuNkulunkulu uJehova futhi babeqonda isizathu ayezobabhubhisela sona maduzane. Ngalezi zizathu, bafisa bonke ukuphenduka ngokuphelele, ukushiya izindlela zabo ezimbi nokulahla ubudlova ezandleni zabo. Ngamanye amazwi, bathi bangezwa ngesimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu, bonke, ngamunye ngamunye bafikelwa ukwesaba ezinhliziyweni zabo, ababange besaqhubeka nokuziphatha okukhohlakele futhi abaqhubekanga benza lezo zenzo ezazizondwa nguNkulunkulu uJehova. Ukwengeza, bancenga uNkulunkulu uJehova ukuba abaxolele izono zabo zangaphambilini futhi nokuthi angabaphathi ngendlela ebafanele ngenxa yezenzo zabo ezimbi. Babezimisele ukuthi bangaphinde benze ukukhohlakala futhi benze ngendlela eshiwo uNkulunkulu uJehova, ukuze nje bangaphinde bacasule uNkulunkulu uJehova. Ukuphenduka kwabo kwabe kusuka enhliziyweni futhi kuphelele. Kwakuvela ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabo futhi kwakungekhona okokuzenzisa futhi kwakungekona okwesikhashana.

Lapho abantu baseNineve, kusuka enkosini yabo ephakeme kuya kubantu bayo, sebezwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu uJehova wayebathukuthelele, zonke izenzo zabo, nakho konke ukuziphatha kwabo, kanye nazo zonke izinqumo nekukhetha kwabo kwakucacile futhi kusobala emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Inhliziyo kaNkulunkulu yaguquka ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo. Kwakunjani ukucabanga kwabo ngoNkulunkulu ngaleso sikhathi? IBhayibheli lingakuphendulela lowo mbuzo. Njengoba kubhaliwe kuMbhalo: “Futhi uNkulunkulu wayesebona izenzo zabo, ukuthi babuyile endleleni yabo embi; uNkulunkulu wase eguquka kokubi, ayesekushilo ukuthi uzokwenza kubo; futhi akabange esakwenza.” Nakuba uNkulunkulu waguqula umqondo Wakhe, yayingekho into enkimbinkimbi ngesimilo semqondo Wakhe. Wasuka ekuzwakaliseni intukuthelo Yakhe, waya ekudambiseni intukuthelo Yakhe, futhi wabe esenquma ukungasilethi isigemegeme phezu komuzi waseNineve. Isizathu esabangela ukuthi isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu—ukuphephisa abantu baseNineve kulesi sigemegeme—sisheshe kakhulu, ingoba uNkulunkulu wabona inhliziyo yomuntu ngamunye eNineve. Wabona ababenakho ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabo: ukuvuma ngeqiniso nokuphenduka ezonweni zabo, ukukholwa kwabo ngeqiniso Kuye, nomuzwa ojulile ababenawo ngokuthi izenzo zabo zokukhohlakala zazivuse ulaka esimweni Sakhe, kanye nokwesaba okwalandela besaba isijeziso esase siseduze. Ngaleso sikhathi uNkulunkulu wezwa imithandazo ephuma ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabo bemncenga ukuthi asuse ulaka Lwakhe kubo, ukuze bakwazi ukugwema isigemegeme. Lapho uNkulunkulu ebuka zonke lezi zehlakalo, kancane kancane intukuthelo yakhe yaphela. Akukhathaleki ukuthi ulaka Lwakhe lwalulukhulu kangakanani ngaphambilini, kwathi lapho ebona ukuphenduka ngeqiniso ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zalaba bantu, inhliziyo Yakhe yathinteka, ngakho kwaba nzima Kuye ukuletha isigemegeme kubo, futhi wayeka ukubathukuthelela. Esikhundleni salokho waqhubeka wabakhombisa isihe nokubekezelela Kwakhe futhi waqhubeka wabaqondisa futhi wabapha.

Kucashunwe embhalweni othi “UNkulunkulu Uqobo Lwakhe, Oyingqayizivele II” encwadini ethi Izwi Livela Lisenyameni