1, 2. UNowa nomkhaya wakhe babakhani, futhi yiziphi ezinye zezinselele ababhekana nazo?

UNOWA wazelula iqolo welula nemisipha yakhe ebuhlungu. Mbone ngeso lengqondo ehlezi ogongolweni olubanzi, ethi ukukhokha umoya, ebuka isizemazema sohlaka lomkhumbi. Kwakunuka itiyela elishisayo; kuzwakala nemisindo yamathuluzi okusebenza ngamapulangwe. Lapho uNowa ayehleli khona wayengabona amadodana akhe esebenza kanzima ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zalolu hlaka olukhulu lwamapulangwe. Amadodana akhe, amakhosikazi awo nomkakhe amthandayo bonke base besebenze naye kulo msebenzi amashumi eminyaka. Mningi umsebenzi abase bewenzile, kodwa lwaluselude ukhalo!

² Abantu bendawo babecabanga ukuthi bayiziphukuphuku. Njengoba umkhumbi ulokhu uqhubeka wakhiwa, kwakubahlekisa nakakhulu ukucabanga ngozamcolo ozokwemboza umhlaba. Inhlekelele uNowa ayebaxwayisa ngayo yayibonakala iyinganekwane, iwubuwula obuphindiwe! Babengakholwa ukuthi kunendoda engadlala ngokuphila kwayo—nokomkhaya wayo—yenza into engenangqondo kanje. Kepha uNkulunkulu kaNowa, uJehova, wayembheka ngendlela ehlukile.

3. UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu ngamuphi umqondo?

³ IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (Funda uGenesise 6:9.) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Akusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahamba emhlabeni, kungasho futhi nokuthi ngandlela-thile uNowa waya ezulwini. Kunalokho, uNowa walalela uNkulunkulu wakhe ngokuseduze futhi wamthanda kakhulu kangangokuba kwaba njengokungathi yena noJehova bayahambisana njengabangane. Ngemva kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane, iBhayibheli lathi ngoNowa: ‘Ngokholo [lwakhe] walahla izwe.’ (Heb. 11:7) Kwenzeka kanjani lokho? Yini esingayifunda thina namuhla okholweni lwakhe?

4, 5. Osukwini lukaNowa, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba izwe lisuke kokubi liye kokubi nakakhulu?

⁴ UNowa wakhulela ezweni elalishintsha ngokushesha lisuka  kokubi liya kokubi nakakhulu. Lalilibi ezinsukwini zikakhokho wakhe u-Enoke, enye indoda elungile eyahamba noNkulunkulu. U-Enoke wayebikezele ukuthi abantu ababi babezofikelwa usuku lokwahlulelwa. Manje, osukwini lukaNowa, ububi base bande nakakhulu. Eqinisweni, ngokombono kaJehova, umhlaba wawusuwonakele ngoba wawugcwele ubudlova. (Gen. 5:22; 6:11; Jude 14, 15) Yini eyayenze izinto zaba zimbi kangaka?

⁵ Kwakwenzeke into embi kakhulu phakathi kwamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya, izingelosi. Enye yawo yayisimhlubukile kakade uJehova, yaba uSathane uDeveli ngokunyundela uNkulunkulu nangokuyengela u-Adamu no-Eva esonweni. Osukwini lukaNowa, ezinye izingelosi zaqala ukuvukela ukubusa kukaJehova okulungile. Zashiya ikhaya ezazilinikwe uNkulunkulu ezulwini, zeza emhlabeni, zazenza abantu, zathatha abesifazane abahle baba omkabo. Lezi zihlubuki zezingelosi eziqhoshayo nezingamagovu zaba ithonya eliwushevu kubantu.—Gen. 6:1, 2; Jude 6, 7.

6. AmaNefili aba naliphi ithonya esimweni sezwe, futhi uJehova wanquma ukwenzani?

⁶ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlangana okungekona okungokwemvelo phakathi kwezingelosi ezazizenze abantu nabesifazane, kwaveza ingxube yamadodana anamandla nayizikhondlakhondla. IBhayibheli liwabiza ngokuthi amaNefili, ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ukuthi “Abawisi”—abantu abawisa abanye. Njengoba ayeyizidlova ezinonya, amaNefili enza isimo emhlabeni saba sibi nakakhulu. Akumangalisi ukuthi uMdali wabona ukuthi “ububi bomuntu babudlangile emhlabeni futhi konke ukuthambekela kwemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe kukubi ngaso sonke isikhathi.” UJehova wanquma ukuthi uzowuqeda lowo mphakathi okhohlakele eminyakeni engu-120.—Funda uGenesise 6:3-5.

7. Yiziphi izinselele uNowa nomkakhe ababebhekene nazo ekuvikeleni amadodana abo emathonyeni amabi osuku lwabo?

 ⁷ Cabanga uzama ukuba nomkhaya ezweni elinjalo! Kepha uNowa waba nawo umkhaya. Wathola inkosikazi enhle. Lapho uNowa eseneminyaka engu-500 ubudala, umkakhe wamzalela amadodana amathathu—uShemi, uHamu noJafete. * Laba bazali kwadingeka bavikele abafana babo emathonyeni amabi ayebazungezile. Abafana abancane baye bathande futhi bafise ukufana ‘nabantu abanamandla, amadoda odumo’—futhi amaNefili ayenjalo. UNowa nomkakhe babengeke bakwazi ukuvikela abantababo kuyo yonke imibiko yezinto ezazenziwa yilezo ziqwaga, kodwa babengabafundisa amaqiniso amnandi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, yena ozonda bonke ububi. Kwakudingeka basize abafana babo babone ukuthi uJehova uzwa ubuhlungu ngobudlova nokuvukela kwabantu.—Gen. 6:6.

8. Abazali abahlakaniphile namuhla bangamlingisa kanjani uNowa nomkakhe?

⁸ Abazali banamuhla bangase basiqonde isimo sikaNowa nomkakhe. Izwe esiphila kulo nalo lingcoliswe ubudlova nokuvukela. Emadolobheni kuvame ukukhonya amaqembu entsha eyizigelekeqe. Ngisho nezokuzijabulisa zentsha zingase zigcwale ubudlova. Abazali abahlakaniphile benza konke abangakwenza ukuze balwe namathonya anjalo ngokufundisa abantababo ngoNkulunkulu wokuthula, uJehova, ngelinye ilanga oyoqeda bonke ubudlova. (IHu. 11:5; 37:10, 11) Izingane zingafunda ukwenza okulungile! UNowa nomkakhe baphumelela ekufundiseni izingane zabo. Abafana babo bakhula baba amadoda alungile, bashada namakhosikazi nawo ayezimisele ukubeka uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, kuqala ekuphileni kwawo.

9, 10. (a) Yimuphi umyalo kaJehova owashintsha ukuphila kukaNowa? (b) Yini uJehova ayembulela uNowa ngokuma komkhumbi nenjongo yawo?

⁹ Ngelinye ilanga ukuphila kukaNowa kwashintsha unomphela. UJehova wakhuluma nale nceku ayithandayo wayitshela ngenjongo yakhe yokuqeda izwe langaleso sikhathi. UNkulunkulu wayala uNowa: “Zenzele umkhumbi ngokhuni lomuthi okhipha inhlaka.”—Gen. 6:14.

¹⁰ Lo mkhumbi wawungewona ngempela umkhumbi njengemikhumbi esiyijwayele. Wawungenakhala, ungenaso isiqu esingena emanzini, ungenalo nephini lokuwuqondisa. Empeleni wawuyibhokisi elikhulu. UJehova wanikeza uNowa izilinganiso ezinembile zaleli bhokisi, imininingwane ethile ngokuma kwalo neziqondiso zokulihuqa ngaphandle nangaphakathi ngetiyela. Watshela uNowa isizathu: “Ngiletha uzamcolo wamanzi phezu komhlaba . . . Konke okusemhlabeni kuzophangalala.” Noma kunjalo, uJehova wenza lesi sivumelwano noNowa: “Kumelwe ungene emkhunjini, wena namadodana akho  nomkakho nabafazi bamadodana akho kanye nawe.” UNowa kwakumelwe afake zonke izinhlobo zezilwane emkhunjini. Ngabantu nezilwane okusemkhunjini kuphela okwakuyosinda kuZamcolo!—Gen. 6:17-20.

11, 12. UNowa wayenasiphi isabelo esikhulu, futhi wasabela kanjani kule nselele?

¹¹ Wawumkhulu kakhulu umsebenzi kaNowa. Kwakuzoba isizemazema somkhumbi lesi—ube ngamamitha acishe abe ngu-133 ubude, angu-22 ububanzi nangu-13 ukuphakama. Wawumkhulu kakhulu kunemikhumbi yamapulangwe eyakhiwe ngisho nakulesi sikhathi sethu. Ingabe uNowa wasigwema lesi sabelo, wakhononda ngezinselele zaso, noma washintsha indlela okumelwe senziwe ngayo ukuze kube lula ukusifeza? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “UNowa wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho. Wenza kanjalo nje.”—Gen. 6:22.

¹² Lo msebenzi wadonsa amashumi eminyaka, mhlawumbe iminyaka engu-40 kuya kwengu-50. Kwakudingeka bagawule imithi, bahudule izingodo, bahlahle izingongolo, bazibaze futhi bazihlanganise. Umkhumbi wawuzoba nezitezi ezintathu, amagumbi amaningi nesicabha eceleni. Ngokusobala kwakunamafasitela phezulu nophahla olwaluthe ukucija phakathi nendawo ukuze amanzi angami kulo.—Gen. 6:14-16.

13. Yisiphi isici somsebenzi kaNowa okungenzeka saba yinselele kunokwakha umkhumbi, futhi abantu basabela kanjani?

¹³ Njengoba iminyaka idlula nomkhumbi uqhubeka wakhiwa, kumelwe ukuba uNowa wethaba kakhulu ngokuba nomkhaya omsekelayo! Kunesinye isici esiqondene nalo msebenzi esasingase sibe nzima nakakhulu kunokwakha umkhumbi. IBhayibheli lithi uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 2:5.) Lokhu kusho ukuthi wayehola ngesibindi ekuzameni ukuxwayisa abantu abonakele nabangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngembubhiso eyayizobafikela. Basabela kanjani? UJesu Kristu kamuva wakhumbula leso sikhathi, ethi labo bantu ‘abanakanga.’ Wathi babenake kakhulu ukuphila kwabo kwansuku zonke—ukudla, ukuphuza nokushada—kangangokuthi abamlalelanga uNowa. (Math. 24:37-39) Akungabazeki ukuthi abaningi bamhleka usulu yena nomkhaya wakhe; kungenzeka nokuthi abanye babemsongela futhi bemphikisa ngendlela enobudlova. Kungenzeka bazama nokubhuntshisa ukwakhiwa komkhumbi.

14. Imikhaya engamaKristu ingafundani kuNowa nomkhaya wakhe?

¹⁴ Noma kunjalo, uNowa nomkhaya wakhe abazange bayeke. Nakuba babephila ezweni elalizimisele ukwenza umsebenzi ababewuphishekela ubonakale uwubala, ungaphusile futhi uwubuwula, baqhubeka nawo. Ngakho imikhaya engamaKristu namuhla ingafunda okukhulu okholweni lukaNowa nomkhaya wakhe. Phela nathi siphila esikhathini iBhayibheli elisibiza ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zalesi simiso sezinto. (2 Thim. 3:1) UJesu wathi inkathi yethu iyofana ncamashi nenkathi uNowa akha ngayo umkhumbi. Uma  izwe liwashushisa amaKristu, lingawanaki noma liwahleka ngenxa yesigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu, kuhle akhumbule uNowa. Akuqali ngawo ukubhekana nezinselele ezinjalo.

15. UNowa washonelwa obani lapho esezohlanganisa unyaka ka-600 ubudala?

¹⁵ Kwadlula amashumi eminyaka, kancane kancane umkhumbi wabonakala ukuthi uzogcina umi kanjani. Lapho uNowa esezohlanganisa unyaka ka-600 ubudala, washonelwa. Uyise uLameka washona. * Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu kwashona uyise kaLameka, uMethusela, umkhulu kaNowa, eneminyaka engu-969—okwasho ukufa komuntu owaphila isikhathi eside kunabo bonke emlandweni weBhayibheli. (Gen. 5:27) Bobabili uMethusela noLameka baphila ngasikhathi sinye nomuntu wokuqala u-Adamu.

16, 17. (a) Yimuphi umyalezo omusha uNowa awuthola onyakeni wakhe ka-600? (b) Chaza umbukwane ongalibaleki owabonwa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe.

¹⁶ Ngonyaka wayo ka-600, inzalamizi uNowa yathola umyalezo omusha kuJehova uNkulunkulu: “Ngena emkhunjini wena nayo yonke indlu yakho.” Ngesikhathi esifanayo uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa ukuba athathe zonke izinhlobo zezilwane azifake emkhunjini—azithathe ngasikhombisa ezihlanzekile ezifanelekela ukwenziwa umhlatshelo, zonke ezinye azithathe ngambili.—Gen. 7:1-3.

 ¹⁷ Kumelwe ukuba kwakuwumbukwane ongasoze walibaleka. Kusukela le lapho amehlo ephelela khona, zatheleka izilwane—zihamba, zindiza, zihamba sakugaqa, zidlwathuzela, zihamba zisindana—zonke zishiyashiyana ngobukhulu nangokuma, ezinye zinolaka ezinye zithobekile. Akudingeki simbone ngeso lengqondo uNowa wenkosi ezama ukuvimba, ukukhuza noma ukuncenga zonke lezo zilwane zasendle ukuba zivume ukungena endaweni ecinene emkhunjini. Ukulandisa kuthi ‘zangena kuNowa ngaphakathi emkhunjini.’—Gen. 7:9.

18, 19. (a) Singayiphendula kanjani imibuzo ebuzwa abangakholwa mayelana nendaba kaNowa? (b) Sikubona kanjani ukuhlakanipha kukaJehova endleleni akhetha ukusindisa ngayo izilwane?

¹⁸ Abanye abangakholwa bangase babuze: ‘Yayingenzeka kanjani into enjalo? Futhi zazingaphila kanjani ndawonye zonke lezo zilwane endaweni ecinene, zingalwi?’ Cabanga: Ingabe uMdali wezulu nomhlaba angehluleka ukulawula izilwane zakhe azidalile, aze azenze zingalumi futhi zithobeke uma kudingeka? Khumbula, uJehova unguNkulunkulu owadala izilwane. Ngemva kwesikhathi eside wahlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu, wenza nelanga lama. Wayengeke-ke yini akwenze konke okuchazwe endabeni kaNowa? Yebo wayengakwenza futhi wakwenza!

¹⁹ Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu wayengakhetha ukuzisindisa ngenye indlela izilwane zakhe. Kepha ngokuhlakanipha wakhetha indlela esikhumbuza ukuthi wayebethemba abantu kwasekuqaleni ukuthi bayozinakekela izinto eziphilayo kulo mhlaba. (Gen. 1:28) Ngenxa yalokho, abazali abaningi namuhla basebenzisa indaba kaNowa ukuze bafundise abantababo ukuthi uJehova uyazazisa izilwane nabantu abadalile.

20. Kungenzeka babematasa ngani oNowa nomkhaya wakhe ngesonto lokugcina ngaphambi kukaZamcolo?

 ²⁰ UJehova watshela uNowa ukuthi uZamcolo wawuzofika ezinsukwini eziyisikhombisa. Kumelwe ukuba kwase kushikisha ufudu kuleli khaya. Cabanga ngomsebenzi wokuqoqa izilwane nokudla kwazo nokufaka umkhaya nezimpahla zawo ngendlela ehlelekile emkhunjini. Kungenzeka ukuthi umkaNowa namakhosikazi kaShemi, uHamu noJafete babephans’ phezulu benza umkhumbi ukuba ube ikhaya ababengaphila kulo.

21, 22. (a) Kungani kungafanele kusimangaze ukunganaki kwabantu bosuku lukaNowa? (b) Omakhelwane bakaNowa nomkhaya wakhe bayeka nini ukuhleka usulu?

²¹ Kuthiwani ngabantu bendawo? ‘Abanakanga’—nakuba babusobala ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyambusisa uNowa nemizamo yakhe. Bazibona kahle nje izilwane zingena emkhunjini. Kodwa akufanele kusimangaze ukunganaki kwabo. Nanamuhla abantu bayabubona ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto. Futhi njengoba umphostoli uPetru abikezela, abahleki bosulu bafikile nokuhleka kwabo usulu, beklolodela labo abalalela izixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 3:3-6.) Ngokufanayo, abantu babemhleka usulu uNowa nomkhaya wakhe.

²² Kwaphela nini ukuhleka kwabo usulu? Le ndaba ithi lapho uNowa esewungenisile umkhaya wakhe nezilwane emkhunjini, “uJehova wavala umnyango ngemva kwakhe.” Uma babekhona abahleki bosulu eduzane, asingabazi ukuthi leso senzo sikaJehova sabavala umlomo. Uma singabavalanga umlomo, imvula yona yabavala—ngoba layithela! Yana! Yana! Yana! Yakhukhula lonke izwe njengoba nje uJehova ayeshilo.—Gen. 7:16-21.

23. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi akumjabulisanga uJehova ukufa kwababi osukwini lukaNowa? (b) Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukulingisa ukholo lukaNowa namuhla?

²³ Kwamjabulisa yini uJehova ukufa kwalabo bantu ababi? Cha! (Hez. 33:11) Kunalokho, wayebanike ithuba elanele lokushintsha izindlela zabo benze okulungile. Babengakwenza yini lokho? Inkambo yokuphila kaNowa yawuphendula lowo mbuzo. Ngokuhamba noJehova, alalele uNkulunkulu wakhe ezintweni zonke, uNowa wabonisa ukuthi abantu babengasinda. Ngalowo mqondo, ukholo lwakhe lwalahla izwe losuku lwakhe; lwabuveza obala ububi babantu besikhathi sakhe. Ukholo lwakhe lwagcina yena nomkhaya wakhe bephephile. Uma ulingisa ukholo lukaNowa, nawe ungase uzisindise, usindise nabathandekayo bakho. NjengoNowa, nawe ungahamba noJehova uNkulunkulu njengoMngane wakho. Futhi lobo bungane bungahlala phakade!