UNOWA uyazelula. Mbone ngeso lengqondo ehleli ebhentshini elide, ephumule kancane emsebenzini wakhe njengoba ebuka isakhiwo esikhulu somkhumbi. Kunephunga elihishayo letiyela emoyeni; kuzwakala umsindo wamathuluzi okhuni. Ehlezi lapho, uNowa uyakwazi ukubona amadodana akhe esebenza kanzima ngezingodo ezinkulu. Sekuphele amashumi eminyaka umkakhe amthandayo, amadodana akhe nomkawo bezikhandla kulo msebenzi. Kukude phambili kukude nasemuva!

Abantu kuleyo ndawo babecabanga ukuthi bayiziphukuphuku. Njengoba umkhumbi wawuqhubeka wakhiwa, abantu bahleka nakakhulu behlekiswa ngisho nawukucabanga ngozamcolo ozofika emhlabeni wonke. Inhlekelele uNowa ayexwayisa ngayo yayibonakala iyimbudane! Babengakholwa ukuthi umuntu angachitha ukuphila kwakhe konke nokomndeni wakhe enza into ewubuwula kangaka. Nokho, uNkulunkulu kaNowa, uJehova, wayembheka ngendlela ehlukile.

IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (Genesise 6:9) Kwakusho ukuthini lokho? Kwakungasho ukuthi uNkulunkulu weza emhlabeni noma ukuthi uNowa ngandlela thile waya ezulwini. Kunalokho, uNowa walalela uNkulunkulu wakhe futhi wamthanda kakhulu kwaba sengathi yena noJehova bayahambisana njengabangane. Ngemva kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka, iBhayibheli lathi ngoNowa: ‘Ngokholo lwakhe walahla izwe.’ (Hebheru 11:7) Kwenzeka kanjani lokho? Singafundani namuhla okholweni lwakhe?

UNowa wakhulela ezweni elaliya ngokuya licwila ebubini. Izwe lase livele lilibi ngesikhathi sikakhokho wakhe u-Enoke, enye indoda elungile eyahamba noNkulunkulu. U-Enoke wabikezela ukuthi luyeza usuku lokwahlulela abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. Manje, ngosuku lukaNowa, ububi base bedlulele. Empeleni, ngokombono kaJehova umhlaba wase wonakele ngoba wawugcwele ubudlova. (Genesise 5:22; 6:11; Jude 14, 15) Yini eyayenze izinto zaba zimbi kangaka?

Kwakwenzeke into embi kakhulu emadodaneni kaNkulunkulu omoya, izingelosi. Enye yawo yayisihlubukile kuJehova yaba uSathane uDeveli ngoba yanyundela uNkulunkulu futhi yanxenxela u-Adamu no-Eva esonweni. Ngosuku lukaNowa, ezinye izingelosi zaqala ukuhlubuka ekubuseni kukaJehova okulungile. Zishiya indawo yazo eziyabelwe uNkulunkulu ezulwini, zeza emhlabeni, zagqoka imizimba yenyama futhi zazithathela abafazi phakathi kwabesifazane abahle. Lezo zingelosi eziqhoshayo, ezinobugovu neziyizihlubuki zaba ithonya elilimazayo kubantu.—Genesise 3:1-5; 6:1, 2; Jude 6, 7.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, lokho kuhlangana okungeyona imvelo okwakuphakathi kwezingelosi ezinemizimba yabantu nabesifazane abangabantu kwaveza inzalo exubile, amadodana ayizidlakela futhi anamandla angavamile. IBhayibheli liwabiza ngokuthi amaNefili, ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ukuthi “Abawisi”—labo abawisa abanye. Lezi ziqhwaga eziyizidlova okuthiwa amaNefili zenza umhlaba waba nonya nakakhulu, zafaka nomoya wokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Yingakho uMdali abona ukuthi, “ububi bomuntu babudlangile emhlabeni futhi konke ukuthambekela kwemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe kubi ngaso sonke isikhathi.” UJehova wayezimisele ukuthi uzowubhubhisa wonke lowo mphakathi  owonakele ingakapheli iminyaka engu-120.—Genesise 6:3-5.

Cabanga nje ukuthi kwakunzima kanjani ukukhulisa izingane ezweni elinjalo! Kodwa yilokho uNowa akwenza. Wathola umfazi omuhle futhi ngemva kokuba uNowa eseneminyaka engu-500, umkakhe wamzalela amadodana amathathu—uShemi, uHamu, noJafete. * Bobabili njengabazali kwadingeka bavikele amadodana abo emathonyeni amabi kakhulu ababephila kuwo. Laba bafanyana babemangala futhi bewesaba amaNefili, ‘abantu abanamandla namadoda odumo.’ Kwakunzima ngoNowa nomkakhe ukuvikela izingane zabo kuyo yonke imibiko yokuhlukumeza kwaleyo midondoshiya, kodwa babengase bakwazi ukuzifundisa iqiniso elimangalisayo ngoJehova uNkulunkulu obuzondayo bonke ububi. Kwakudingeka basize abafana babo ukuba babone ukuthi uJehova uzwa ubuhlungu lapho ebona ubudlova nokuhlubuka ezweni.—Genesise 6:6.

Namuhla abazali bakuqonda kahle lokho uNowa nomkakhe ababhekana nakho. Namanje, izwe esiphila kulo lingcoliswe ubudlova nokuvukela. Ngisho nokuzijabulisa okwenzelwe izingane kungase kugcwale kona. Abazali abahlakaniphile benza okusemandleni abo ukuze balwisane namathonya anjalo ngokufundisa izingane zabo ngoNkulunkulu wokuthula, uJehova, ngelinye ilanga ozobuqeda nyá bonke ubudlova. (IHubo 11:5; 37:10, 11) Bazali ningaphumelela! UNowa nomkakhe baphumelela. Abafana babo bakhula baba amadoda alungile futhi bashada namakhosikazi ayezimisele njengabo ukubeka uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, kuqala ekuphileni kwawo.

Ngolunye usuku, ukuphila kukaNowa kwashintsha unomphela. UJehova wakhuluma nale nceku yakhe ayithandayo futhi wayitshela ngenjongo yakhe yokubhubhisa izwe langaleso sikhathi. UNkulunkulu wayala uNowa: “Zenzele umkhumbi ngokhuni lomuthi okhipha inhlaka.”—Genesise 6:14.

Lo mkhumbi kwakungewona owokuhamba olwandle njengoba abanye becabanga. Wawungenalo ingaphambili noma ingemuva noma isiqu noma iphini lokuwuqondisa—futhi wawungacijile. Empeleni, wawuyibhokisi elikhulu. UJehova wanika uNowa isilinganiso esinembile sobukhulu bomkhumbi, imininingwane ethile mayelana nokuma kwawo neziqondiso zokuwuhuqa ngaphakathi nangaphandle ngetiyela. Watshela uNowa isizathu sokuwakha: “Bheka ngiletha uzamcolo wamanzi phezu komhlaba . . . Konke okusemhlabeni kuzophangalala.” Nokho, uJehova wanikeza uNowa lesi siqondiso: “Kumelwe ungene emkhunjini, wena namadodana akho nomkakho nabafazi bamadodana akho kanye nawe.” UNowa kwakufanele afake izinhlobo zazo zonke izilwane. Ezazisemkhunjini kuphela ezaziyosinda kuZamcolo.—Genesise 6:17-20.

UNowa wayesalindwe umsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu. Lo mkhumbi kwakufanele ube mkhulu—ube ngamamitha angaba ngu-133 ubude, angu-22 ububanzi nangu-13 ukuphakama. Wawumkhulu kakhulu kunemikhumbi yasolwandle eyayakhiwe ngokhuni futhi umkhulu ngisho nakweyamanje. Ingabe uNowa wazama ukusigwema lesi sabelo, ethi sinzima, noma ashintshe imininingwane ethile ukuze lo  msebenzi ube lula? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “UNowa wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho. Wenza kanjalo nje.”—Genesise 6:22.

Lo msebenzi wathatha amashumi eminyaka, mhlawumbe iminyaka engu-40 kuya kwengu-50. Kwakudingeka bagawule izingodo, bazidonse baziyise esakhiweni, bazigwede futhi bazihlanganise. Lo mkhumbi kwakufanele ube nezitezi ezintathu, ube namakamelo amaningana nomnyango ohlangothini. Kusobala ukuthi wawunamafasitela phezulu, futhi uphahla lwawo luphakeme maphakathi ukuze amanzi angami.—Genesise 6:14-16.

Njengoba iminyaka ihamba futhi ukwakhiwa komkhumbi kuya ngasekupheleni, uNowa kumelwe ukuba wajabula kakhulu ngokusekelwa umndeni wakhe! Kwakunesinye isici salo msebenzi okungenzeka sasinzima ukudlula ukwakha umkhumbi. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Petru 2:5) Ngakho, ngesibindi wahola ekuzameni ukuxwayisa abantu ababi nabangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngembubhiso eyayisondela. Basabela kanjani? Kamuva uJesu Kristu wakhuluma ngaleso sikhathi, wathi labo bantu ‘abanakanga.’ Wathi babematasa ngokuphila kwabo kwansuku zonke—bedla, bephuza futhi beshada—kangangokuthi abazange bamlalele uNowa. (Mathewu 24:37-39) Akungabazeki ukuthi abaningi babemhleka yena nomndeni wakhe; abanye kungenzeka ukuthi babemsongela futhi bemphikisa ngonya.

Noma kunjalo, uNowa nomndeni wakhe abazange bayeke. Ngisho noma babehlala ezweni elaligxile ekuphileni kwangaleso sikhathi—ukwakha umkhumbi kubonakala kuyinto engasho lutho, ebonisa ukudukiswa noma ewubuwula—baqhubeka ngokwethembeka. Namuhla imindeni yamaKristu ingafunda lukhulu okholweni lukaNowa nomndeni wakhe. Kakade, siphila esikhathini iBhayibheli elisibiza ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zaleli zwe. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) UJesu wathi isikhathi sethu siyofana ncamashi nesikhathi uNowa akha ngaso umkhumbi. Uma izwe lingasinaki isigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu, lisishaya indiva noma ngisho lishushise amaKristu, siyobe senza kahle uma sikhumbula uNowa. Kuyobe kungaqali ngathi ukubhekana nalezi zinselele.

Kwadlula amashumi eminyaka futhi kancane kancane umkhumbi waphela. Njengoba uNowa ayesecela eminyakeni engu-600 ubudala, washonelwa izihlobo. Kwashona uyise, uLameka. * Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu, uyise kaLameka, umkhulu kaNowa uMethusela, wafa eneminyaka engu-969 futhi waphila isikhathi eside kunabo bonke okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini. (Genesise 5:27) Bobabili uMethusela noLameka baphila ngesikhathi umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu esaphila.

Ngawo lowo nyaka, inzalamizi uNowa yathola umyalezo omusha ovela kuJehova uNkulunkulu: “Ngena emkhunjini, wena nayo yonke indlu yakho.” Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa ukuba angenise izinhlobonhlobo zezilwane emkhunjini—ezihlanzekile ngasikhombisa, ukuze enze ngazo umhlatshelo kanti zonke ezinye ngazimbili.—Genesise 7:1-3.

Kumelwe ukuba kwaba yinto angeke ayilibale. Zivela kude le, zatheleka ngobuningi bazo—zihamba, zindiza, zihaqazela—zonke ngezinhlobonhlobo nangokwakheka kwazo okudida ikhanda. UNowa akazange ajahane nazo zonke izilwane efuna zingene emkhunjini. Ukulandisa kuthi “kwangena ngazimbili kuNowa ngaphakathi emkhunjini.”—Genesise 7:9.

Abanye abaphikisi bangase bathi: ‘Yayingenzeka kanjani leyo nto? Futhi zonke lezo zilwane zahlala kanjani ndawonye ngokuthula endaweni evalelekile?’  Cabanga ngalokhu: Ingabe uMdali wendawo yonke angahluleka ukulawula izilwane azidala, aze azithambise uma kudingeka? Khumbula, uJehova unguNkulunkulu owahlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu nowenza ilanga ukuba lime. Wayengahluleka yini ukwenza zonke izinto ezichazwe ekulandiseni kukaNowa? Lutho neze!

Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu wayengakhetha ukusindisa izilwane azidalile ngenye indlela. Nokho, ngokuhlakanipha wakhetha indlela esikhumbuza ngomsebenzi awuphathisa abantu ekuqaleni, wokunakekela zonke izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. (Genesise 1:28) Ngakho, abazali abaningi namuhla basebenzisa indaba kaNowa ukuze bafundise izingane zabo ukuthi kuJehova, abantu kanye nezilwane azidalile kubalulekile.

UJehova watshela uNowa ukuthi ezinsukwini eziyisikhombisa kwakuzofika uZamcolo. Kumelwe ukuba kwakuyisikhathi esimatasa kakhulu emndenini wakhe. Cabanga nje ngomsebenzi wokufaka zonke izilwane nokudla kwazo ngendlela ehlelekile nokufaka izimpahla zomndeni emkhunjini. Kungenzeka ukuthi umkaNowa nenkosikazi kaShemi, kaHamu nekaJafete babematasa benza umkhumbi ube indawo okujabulisayo ukuhlala kuyo.

Babenzani abantu ababephila nabo? ‘Abanakanga’ ngisho noma kwakubonakala ukuthi uJehova uyambusisa uNowa nomsebenzi wakhe. Ngokuqinisekile, babezibona izilwane zingena emkhunjini. Kodwa akumelwe kusimangaze ukuthi kungani bengasabelanga. Abantu namuhla ababunaki ubufakazi bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezwe sezinto. Umphostoli uPetru wabikezela ukuthi, abahleki bosulu babeyobahleka usulu labo abalalela isixwayiso sikaNkulunkulu. (2 Petru 3:3-6) Ngokuqinisekile, abantu bamhleka noNowa nomndeni wakhe.

Kwaphela nini lokho kuhleka kwabo usulu? Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi lapho uNowa esefake umndeni wakhe nezilwane emkhunjini, “uJehova wavala umnyango ngemva kwakhe.” Uma abahleki bosulu babekhona eduze, leso senzo sikaNkulunkulu nakanjani sabavala umlomo. Uma kungenjalo, ngokuqinisekile imvula yabavala umlomo—ngoba layithela! Layidliva impela—lawukhukhula umhlaba, njengoba nje uJehova ayeshilo.—Genesise 7:16-21.

Ingabe uJehova wajabula ngokufa kwalabo bantu ababi? Lutho neze! (Hezekeli 33:11) Kunalokho, wayebanike ithuba elanele lokushintsha izindlela zabo, benze okulungile. Babengashintsha yini? Ukuphila kukaNowa kwawuphendula lowo mbuzo. UNowa wabonisa ukuthi babengasinda uma behamba noJehova, belalela uNkulunkulu ezintweni zonke. Ngalowo mqondo, ukholo lwakhe lwalulahla izwe losuku lwakhe; lwabulahla ngokucacile ububi besizukulwane sakhe. Ukholo lwakhe lwasindisa yena nomndeni wakhe. Uma ulingisa ukholo lukaNowa, wena nalabo obathandayo ningasinda. NjengoNowa, ungahamba noJehova uNkulunkulu futhi abe umngane wakho. Futhi ubungane benu bungahlala phakade!