1, 2. (a) Yiyiphi imeko awazifaka kuyo uYona noomatiloshe ababekhwele enqanaweni? (b) Linokusinceda njani ibali likaYona?

UYONA wayenqwenela ukuthulisa ezo zandi zazisitsho kabuhlungu. Yayingengomoya nje omkhulu, owawubhudla loo nqanawa; okanye amaza amakhulu, awayebetha amaplanga ayo. Oomatiloshe bayo, umphathi wayo neqela lakhe ababengekude kuyaphi kuYona, babengxola bexhalabile, njengoko babezama ukuyibheqa loo nqanawa. UYona wayevakalelwa kukuba onke loo madoda ayeza kubhubha—ngenxa yakhe!

² Yintoni eyamenza wakobo bugxwayiba? Wenza iimpazamo ezinkulu kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo noThixo wakhe, uYehova. Wenza ntoni? Ngaba izinto zazingenakuba salunga? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo zinokusifundisa izinto ezininzi. Ngokomzekelo, ibali likaYona liyasinceda sibone ukuba kwanabo banokholo lokwenyaniso banokuzenza iimpazamo—nendlela abanokuzilungisa ngayo ezo mpazamo.

3-5. (a) Yintoni edla ngokuthi qatha kuqala ebantwini xa becinga ngoYona? (b) Yintoni esiyaziyo ngemvelaphi kaYona? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.) (c) Kutheni usenokuba wawungelulanga umsebenzi kaYona wokuprofeta?

³ Xa abantu becinga ngoYona, basoloko becinga ngeempawu zakhe ezimbi, ezinjengokungathobeli kwakhe nokuba nenkani. Zininzi izinto esinokuzifunda ngaye. Khumbula ukuba uYona wayekhethiwe ukuba abe ngumprofeti kaYehova uThixo. UYehova wayengenakuze amnike isabelo esibaluleke ngolo hlobo ukuba wayengathembekanga okanye engelolungisa.

⁴ IBhayibhile isixelela okuthile ngemvelaphi kaYona. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKumkani 14:25.) Wayesuka eGati-hefere, eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezine ukusuka eNazarete, idolophu awayeza  kukhulela kuyo uYesu Kristu kwiinkulungwane ezisibhozo kamva. * UYona wayengumprofeti ngexesha lolawulo lukaKumkani uYerobhoham II wezizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli. Lalisele lidlule ixesha awayephila ngalo uEliya; ilandela lakhe uElisha wafa ngexesha lokulawula kukayise kaYerobhoham. Nangona uYehova wasebenzisa loo madoda ukuze alusiphule neengcambu unqulo lukaBhahali, uSirayeli wayebuyela kulo kwakhona. Ngoku ilizwe lalilawulwa ngukumkani ‘owaqhubeka esenza oko kubi emehlweni kaYehova.’ (2 Kum. 14:24) Imele ukuba yayingelulanga inkonzo kaYona okanye yayingekho mnandi. Sekunjalo, wasenza ngokuthembeka esi sabelo.

⁵ Noko ke, ngenye imini ubomi bukaYona batshintsha ngesiquphe. Wafumana isabelo esivela kuYehova esasinzima kakhulu. UYehova wayefuna enze ntoni?

6. UYehova wamnika siphi isabelo uYona, ibe kutheni simel’ ukuba sasilucelomngeni?

⁶ UYehova wathi kuYona: “Sukuma, uye eNineve isixeko esikhulu, uze ubhengeze nxamnye nayo ukuba ububi babo bunyuke beza kufika phambi kwam.” (Yona 1:2) Akukho nzima ukubona isizathu sokuba esi sabelo sibe lucelomngeni. INineve yayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-800 ngasempuma, yaye ukuya khona kwakunokuthabatha malunga nenyanga xa uhamba ngeenyawo. Noko ke, ukuya apho yayiyeyona nto ilula kweso sabelo. ENineve, uYona wayeza kubhengeza isigidimi somgwebo kaYehova kuma-Asiriya, awayedume ngogonyamelo. Xa abantu bakaThixo bengazange banikele ngqalelo kwisilumkiso sikaYona, yintoni awayenokuyilindela kubahedeni? Wayenokuphumelela njani umkhonzi omnye kaYehova eNineve, eyayibizwa ngokuba ‘sisixeko sophalazo-gazi’?—Nah. 3:1, 7.

7, 8. (a) Wayezimisele kangakanani uYona ukubaleka isabelo awayesinikwe nguYehova? (b) Kutheni singamele sikhawuleze sigqibe kwelokuba uYona wayeligwala?

⁷ Mhlawumbi yayikhe yathi qatha nakuYona into enjalo. Kodwa ke asazi. Ekuphela kwento esiyaziyo kukuba wabaleka. UYehova wayemyalele ukuba aye empuma; kodwa uYona waya entshona, kude kakhulu. Waya ezibukweni, kwidolophu ebizwa ngokuba yiYopa, apho wafumana inqanawa eya eTarshishe. Bambi  abaphengululi bathi iTarshishe yayiseSpeyin. Ukuba kunjalo, uYona wayesiya kwindawo eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-3 500 ukusuka eNineve. Uhambo lomgama ongako oluya esiphelweni soLwandle Olukhulu lwalunokuthabatha ixesha elingangonyaka. UYona wayezimisele ngokwenene ukusibaleka eso sabelo wayesinikwe nguYehova.—Funda uYona 1:3.

⁸ Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba simele sigqibe kwelokuba uYona wayeligwala? Masingakhawulezi sitsho. Njengoko siza kubona, wayeyindoda ekhaliphileyo. Kodwa ke njengathi sonke, uYona wayengumntu ongafezekanga, owayeneempazamo. (INdu. 51:5) Ngubani kuthi ongazange akhe oyike?

9. Sinokuvakalelwa njani ngamany’ amaxesha ngesabelo esivela kuYehova, yaye ngawaphi amazwi ayinyani esimele siwakhumbule?

⁹ Maxa wambi kusenokubonakala ngathi uThixo ufuna senze eyona nto inzima, mhlawumbi ebonakala ingenakwenzeka. Sisenokufumanisa kulucelomngeni ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, njengokuba kufuneka enjenjalo amaKristu. (Mat. 24:14) Siyakhawuleza ukuwalibala amazwi kaYesu athi: “Kuba zonke izinto zinokwenzeka kuThixo.” (Mar. 10:27) Ukuba sikhe siyilibale loo nyaniso ngamanye amaxesha, mhlawumbi sinokubuqonda ubunzima awayekubo uYona. Noko ke, kwaphumela entwenini ukusaba kukaYona?

10, 11. (a) Wayenethemba lantoni uYona njengoko inqanawa yayinduluka? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni kwinqanawa nabo babekhwele kuyo?

¹⁰ Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaYona ezama ukuzifihla phakathi komthwalo owawukuloo nqanawa ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayiyeyamaFenike. Wayebabukele oomatiloshe njengoko babemaxhaphetshu befuna inqanawa yabo iphume ezibukweni. Njengokuba inqanawa yayisiya kusithela, uYona wayecinga ukuba usindile kuloo ngozi wayeyoyika. Kodwa ngequbuliso imozulu yatshintsha.

¹¹ Imimoya ebhudla ngamandla yaluphehluzelisa ulwandle, amaza ayenokwenzakalisa kwaneenqanawa ezisetyenziswa kule mihla yethu. Kwathabatha ixesha elide kangakanani ngaloo nqanawa yenziwe ngamaplanga encinane nebuthathaka, ukogqunywa ngamaza olwandle anamandla? Ngaba uYona wayekwazi oko wabhala ngako kamva—ukuba “uYehova wezisa umoya omkhulu elwandle”? Asingetsho. Kodwa wabona ukuba ababheqi bakhala koothixo babo, yaye wayesazi ukuba abo thixo abanakuze babancede. (Lev. 19:4) Ingxelo yakhe ithi: “Inqanawa yona yayisele iza kwaphuka.” (Yona 1:4) UYona wayenokuthandaza njani kuThixo ambalekayo?

12. (a) Kutheni singamele sikhawuleze simgwebe uYona ngokulala kwakhe kweso saqhwithi? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.) (b) UYehova wawubhenca njani unobangela wale ngxaki?

 ¹² Ekubeni wayeqonda ukuba akanakuze akwazi ukunceda, uYona waya emazantsi enqanawa waza wafumana indawo yokungqengqa. Apho wafika walala yoyi. * Umbheqi wathi akumbona uYona, wamvusa waza wambongoza ukuba athandaze kuthixo wakhe, njengabanye abantu. Baqonda oomatiloshe ukuba esi saqhwithi sibangelwa ngamandla angaphezu kwawendalo, baphosa amaqashiso ukuze babone ukuba yayingubani owayebangela loo nkathazo phakathi kwabo. UYona umele ukuba waba novalo njengoko kwakubonakala ngathi la maqashiso aza kumntama. Akuzange kube kudala yazicacela inyaniso. Olu qhwithela lwalubangelwa nguYehova, waza wabangela ukuba amaqashiso aphume nendoda enye—uYona!—Funda uYona 1:5-7.

13. (a) UYona wabaxelela ntoni oomatiloshe? (b) UYona wababongoza ukuba benze ntoni oomatiloshe, yaye ngoba?

¹³ UYona wabaxelela yonke into abo matiloshe. Wayengumkhonzi kaThixo usomandla, uYehova. Wayebaleka loo Thixo ibe wayemonile, yiyo loo nto babekule ngxaki. La madoda agubha kukoyika; noYona wayeyibona loo nto. Bambuza ukuba benze ntoni na kuye ukuze basindise ubomi babo naloo nqanawa. Wathini? Mhlawumbi uYona wayesoyika xa ecinga ukuba uza kurhaxwa ngaloo manzi olwandle abandayo. Kodwa wayengathini ukuvuma ukuba loo madoda afe ekubeni esazi ukuba wayenokuwasindisa? Wathi kuwo: “Ndiphakamiseni nindiphose elwandle, yaye ulwandle luya kunizolela; ngenxa yokuba ndiyazi ukuba kungenxa yam le nto kukho esi sivuthuvuthu.”—Yona 1:12.

14, 15.(a) Sinokuluxelisa njani ukholo lukaYona? (b) Oomatiloshe basabela njani kwisicelo sikaYona?

¹⁴ Alikho igwala elingathetha ngale ndlela, akunjalo? Kumele ukuba kwamvuyisa uYehova ukubona inkalipho kaYona, umoya wokuzincama ngexesha elalinzima ngolo hlobo. Apha silubona kakuhle ukholo lukaYona. Nathi sinokuluxelisa namhlanje ngokubeka izilangazelelo zabanye abantu kuqala kunezethu. (Yoh. 13:34, 35) Xa sibona umntu esengxakini, enoba yeyokwenyama, yeyeemvakalelo okanye yeyokomoya, ngaba siyalunikela uncedo? Siyamkholisa uYehova xa sisenjenjalo!

¹⁵ Nababheqi bamele ukuba bachukumiseka, kuba ekuqaleni  babengafuni ukumphosa elwandle! Kunoko, benza konke okusemandleni bezama ukuya elunxwemeni, kodwa abazange bakwazi. Uqhwithela lwathabatha unyawo. Ekugqibeleni babona ukuba akukho ndlela yimbi. Babiza uThixo kaYona, uYehova, ukuba abenzele inceba, bamphakamisa baza bamphosa elwandle.—Yona 1:13-15.

16, 17. Chaza into eyenzeka kuYona xa waphoselwa elwandle. (Bona nemifanekiso.)

¹⁶ UYona waphoswa kulwandle olulwayo. Mhlawumbi wazama ukuqubha, kwathi kusenjalo wabona inqanawa iya isithela. Kodwa amaza anamandla amgqumelela. Watshona kuloo manzi ephelelwe lithemba.

¹⁷ Kamva uYona wachaza indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo ngeli xesha. Imele ukuba ingqondo yakhe yayithath’ ibeka. Wayebuhlungu ecinga ukuba akasoze aphinde ayibone itempile entle kaYehova yaseYerusalem. Wayeqonda ukuba uza kwehlela enzonzobileni yolwandle, enyeleni yentaba, apho wayeza kuthandelwa zizityalo zaselwandle. Kuyabonakala ukuba eli yayiza kuba lingcwaba lakhe.—Funda uYona 2:2-6.

18, 19. Yintoni eyenzeka kuYona ezinzulwini zolwandle, sisiphi isilwanyana eseza kuye, yaye yayibangelwa ngubani yonke le nto? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

 ¹⁸ Yintoni eyenzekayo? Kukho into eyayisiza ngakuye—isithinzi sento enkulu. Yasondela kuye ngokukhawuleza. Yavula umlomo wayo omkhulu yaza yamginya!

¹⁹ Umele ukuba wayecinga ukuba esi sisiphelo sobomi bakhe. Kodwa kukho into eyayimdida. Wayesaphila! Wayengatyumkanga, engetyiswanga sesi silwanyana ibe engafuthaniselekanga. Wayesaphila, nangona kwakufanele ukuba ufe ngoko nangoko. UYona wayemangalisiwe. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo yayinguThixo wakhe, uYehova ‘owamisela intlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye.’ *—Yona 1:17.

20. Yintoni esinokuyifunda ngoYona ngomthandazo awawenza ngoxa wayeginywe yintlanzi?

²⁰ Yadlula imizuzu yade yaba ziiyure. Elapho kuloo nzonzobila, uYona wacinga nzulu waza wathandaza kuYehova uThixo. Umthandazo wakhe obhalwe kwisahluko sesibini sencwadi kaYona, usifundisa lukhulu. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYona wayezazi kakuhle iZibhalo, kuba usoloko ebhekisela kwiiNdumiso. Kwakhona ubonisa uphawu oluhle lokuba nombulelo. UYona waqukumbela ngokuthi: “Ke mna, ndiza kukubingelela ngelizwi lombulelo. Oko ndikubhambathisileyo, ndiza kukufezekisa. LolukaYehova usindiso.”—Yona 2:9.

21. Yintoni awayifundayo uYona ngosindiso, ibe sisiphi isifundo esimele singasilibali?

²¹ Apho, kwindawo obungenakuyicingela—‘embilinini wentlanzi,’—uYona wafunda ukuba uYehova angasindisa nabani na, naphi na, nanini na. Nalapho kuloo ntlanzi, uYehova wamfumana waza wamsindisa lo mkhonzi wakhe ukhathazekileyo. (Yona 1:17) NguYehova kuphela onokumgcina ephila umntu esiswini sentlanzi iintsuku ezintathu. Kuhle nanamhlanje ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova ‘nguThixo esesandleni sakhe impefumlo yakho.’ (Dan. 5:23) Umoya esiwuphefumlayo nobukho  bethu buxhomekeke kuye. Ngaba sinombulelo? Ngaba asifanele simthobele uYehova?

22, 23. (a) Umbulelo awayenawo uYona wavavanywa njani? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kuYona ngeempazamo esizenzayo?

²² Kuthekani ngoYona? Ngaba wafunda ukuba nombulelo kuYehova ngokumthobela? Wafunda. Emva kweentsuku nobusuku obuthathu, intlanzi “yamhlanzela emhlabeni owomileyo uYona.” (Yona 2:10) Khawufan’ ucinge—emva kwayo yonke le nto uYona akuzange kufuneke ukuba makaqubhe aye elunxwemeni! Kodwa kwakuza kufuneka azifunele indlela esuka apho. Akuzange kube kudala, umoya wakhe wokuba nombulelo wavavanywa. UYona 3:1, 2 uthi: “Laza lafika ilizwi likaYehova kuYona okwesihlandlo sesibini, lisithi: ‘Sukuma, uye eNineve isixeko esikhulu, uze ubhengeze kuyo esi sibhengezo ndisithetha kuwe.’” Wayeza kwenza ntoni uYona?

²³ UYona akazange athandabuze. Siyafunda: “Waza uYona wasukuma waya eNineve ngokwelizwi likaYehova.” (Yona 3:3) Ewe, wathobela. Kucacile ukuba wafunda kwiimpazamo zakhe. Nakule inkalo kufuneka sixelise ukholo lukaYona. Sonke siyona, sonke siyazenza iimpazamo. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ngaba siyanikezela, okanye ngaba siyafunda kwiimpazamo zethu size sibuyele kwikhondo lokuthobela uThixo?

24, 25. (a) Nguwuphi umvuzo owafunyanwa nguYona esaphila? (b) Nguwuphi umvuzo aseza kuwufumana uYona kwixa elizayo?

²⁴ Ngaba uYehova wamvuza uYona ngokuthobela kwakhe? Ewe wamvuza. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYona wafumanisa ukuba abo babheqi baye basinda. Uqhwithela lwadamba ngoko nangoko emva kokuba uYona eye wazincama, abo babheqi “bamoyika kakhulu uYehova” babingelela kuye kunokuba babingelele koothixo babo bobuxoki.—Yona 1:15, 16.

²⁵ Owona mvuzo mkhulu wafika kamva. UYesu wasebenzisa umzekelo kaYona esesiswini sentlanzi enkulu njengesiprofeto esasifuzisela ixesha awayeza kulichitha esengcwabeni okanye eShiyol. (Funda uMateyu 12:38-40.) Umele ukuba uza kuvuya gqitha uYona xa esiva ngesi siganeko xa evuselwa ebomini kwakhona emhlabeni. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Nawe, uYehova ufuna ukukusikelela. NjengoYona, ngaba uza kufunda kwiimpazamo zakho uze ubonise umoya wokuthobeka nokuzincama?