1, 2. (a) Iphutha likaJona lamholela kuyiphi inhlekelele yena namatilosi? (b) Indaba kaJona ingasisiza kanjani?

UJONA wayefisa sengathi angayithulisa le misindo eyisicefe. Wayengakhathazwa nje kuphela isivunguvungu somoya esasenza izindophi zomkhumbi zibange umsindo; kungewona futhi amagagasi amakhulu ayeshaya ngamandla umkhumbi, enze wonke amapulangwe omkhumbi abange umsindo. Cha, okwakukhathaza uJona nakakhulu kwakuwumsindo kakaputeni namatilosi akhe njengoba babezabalazela ukugcina umkhumbi untanta. UJona wayeqiniseka ukuthi lawo madoda ayesezokufa—ngenxa nje yakhe!

² Yini eyayifake uJona obishini olunjena? Wayenze iphutha elingathí sina ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe noNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova. Wayenzeni? Ingabe kwakuyinto eyayingasenakulungiseka? Izimpendulo zingasifundisa okuningi. Ngokwesibonelo, indaba kaJona isisiza sibone indlela ngisho nalabo abanokholo oluqotho abangaphambuka ngayo—nabangalungisa ngayo amaphutha abo.

3-5. (a) Abantu bavame ukugxilaphi lapho becabanga ngoJona? (b) Sazini ngemvelaphi kaJona? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (c) Kungani inkonzo kaJona njengomprofethi yayingelula noma ingajabulisi?

³ Lapho abantu becabanga ngoJona, sengathi bavame ukugxila ezicini ezimbi, njengokungalaleli kwakhe noma ngisho nokuba nenkani kwakhe. Kodwa kuningi kakhulu okwakukuhle ngale ndoda. Khumbula, uJona waqokwa ukuba akhonze njengomprofethi kaJehova uNkulunkulu. UJehova wayengeke amkhethele isabelo esisinda njengalesi ukube wayengathembekile noma engalungile.

⁴ Kuncane iBhayibheli elikwembulayo ngemvelaphi kaJona. (Funda eyesi-2 amaKhosi 14:25.) Wayevela eGati-heferi, eqhele ngamakhilomitha  amane eNazaretha, umuzi uJesu Kristu ayezokhulela kuwo cishe ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-800. * UJona wakhonza njengomprofethi phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uJerobowamu II embusweni wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi. Kwase kuyisikhathi eside u-Eliya ashona; owangena esikhundleni sakhe, u-Elisha, wayefe phakathi nokubusa kukayise kaJerobowamu. Nakuba uJehova ayesebenzise lawo madoda ukuze aqede ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali, u-Israyeli wayesephinda enza izinto ezimbi ngamabomu. Manje u-Israyeli wayesengaphansi kwethonya lenkosi ‘eyayiqhubeka yenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.’ (2 AmaKh. 14:24) Ngakho kumelwe ukuba inkonzo kaJona yayingelula noma yayingajabulisi. Yize kunjalo wayenza ngokwethembeka.

⁵ Nokho, ngelinye ilanga ukuphila kukaJona kwashintsha ngendlela emangalisayo. UJehova wamnika isabelo asithola sinzima kakhulu. UJehova wayemcela ukuba enzeni?

6. UJehova wamnika siphi isabelo uJona, futhi kungani sasingase sibonakale siqeda amandla?

⁶ UJehova watshela uJona: “Sukuma, uye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kuwo ukuthi ububi bawo bukhuphukele phambi kwami.” (Jona 1:2) Akunzima ukubona ukuthi kungani lesi sabelo sasingase sibonakale sithena amandla. INineve lalisempumalanga endaweni cishe engamakhilomitha angu-800, uhambo oluya khona ngezinyawo lwalungathatha mhlawumbe inyanga. Nokho, kungenzeka kwakubonakala sengathi ubunzima balolu hambo kwakuyinto elula kunazo zonke kulesi sabelo. ENineve, uJona kwakufanele amemezele isigijimi sesahlulelo sikaJehova kwabase-Asiriya, ababedume ngobudlova ngisho nanokuba nesihluku. Uma uJona ayebone ukungasabeli kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, yiliphi ithemba ayengaba nalo ngalaba bantu abangamazi uNkulunkulu? Kwakuyosihambela kanjani isikhonzi sikaJehova esisodwa kulo dedangendlale womuzi owawuzokwaziwa ngokuthi “umuzi wokuchithwa kwegazi”?—Nah. 3:1, 7.

7, 8. (a) UJona wayezimisele kangakanani ukubalekela isabelo uJehova ayemnikeze sona? (b) Kungani kungafanele sahlulele uJona sithi wayeyigwala?

⁷ Kungenzeka yamfikela uJona imicabango enjalo. Asazi. Esikwaziyo ukuthi wabaleka. UJehova wayethe makaye empumalanga; uJona yena wabhekisa amabombo entshonalanga, kude ngangokunokwenzeka. Wehlela ogwini, ethekwini elibizwa ngokuthi iJopha, lapho athola khona umkhumbi oya eTharishishi. Abanye ongoti  bathi iTharishishi yayiseSpain. Uma kunjalo, uJona wayeya endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-3 500 eNineve. Uhambo olunjalo ngomkhumbi uya emaphethelweni oLwandle Olukhulu lwalungase luthathe isikhathi esingangonyaka. UJona wayezimisele kangako ukubalekela isabelo uJehova ayemnike sona!—Funda uJona 1:3.

⁸ Ingabe lokhu kufanele kusenze siphethe ngokuthi uJona wayeyigwala? Akufanele sijahe ukumahlulela. Njengoba sizobona, wayenesibindi esimangalisayo. Nokho, njengathi, uJona wayengumuntu ongaphelele onamaphutha amaningi amakhulu. (IHu. 51:5) Ubani kithi ongakaze esabe?

9. Singase sizizwe kanjani ngezinye izikhathi ngesabelo esisithola kuJehova, futhi yiliphi iqiniso okumelwe silikhumbule ngalezo zikhathi?

⁹ Ngezinye izikhathi kungase kubonakale sengathi uNkulunkulu usicela ukuba senze izinto esizibona zingaphezu kwamandla ethu noma ngisho zingenakwenzeka. Singase sikuthole kusiqeda amandla ngisho nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, njengoba kuyimfuneko kumaKristu. (Math. 24:14) Kulula kakhulu ngathi ukukhohlwa iqiniso elibalulekile elashiwo uJesu: “Zonke izinto zingenzeka kuNkulunkulu.” (Marku 10:27) Uma ngezinye izikhathi silikhohlwa lelo qiniso, mhlawumbe singabuqonda ubunzima bukaJona. Yaba yini-ke imiphumela yokubaleka kukaJona?

10, 11. (a) Yini okungenzeka ukuthi uJona wayenethemba layo njengoba umkhumbi usuka ethekwini? (b) Umkhumbi nabantu babelengela kuyiphi ingozi?

¹⁰ Singambona ngeso lengqondo uJona ehlala phansi kulowo mkhumbi, okungenzeka kwakuwumkhumbi wezimpahla waseFenike. Wayebukele njengoba ukaputeni neqembu lakhe behla benyuka belungiselela ukuba umkhumbi wabo uphume ethekwini. Njengoba babeqhela kancane kancane ethekwini futhi nalo liya lisitheka, kungenzeka ukuthi uJona waba nethemba lokuthi wayeseyibalekele ingozi ayeyesaba kakhulu. Kodwa isimo sezulu sashintsha ngokuphazima kweso.

¹¹ Kwaqubuka isivunguvungu esenza ulwandle lwaba nolaka, lwaba namagagasi amakhulu ayengacwilisa ngisho nemikhumbi yesimanje. Kwathatha isikhathi esingakanani ngalowo mkhumbi wamapulangwe ukuba ubonakale umncane kakhulu futhi untengantenge, nokuba amagagasi amakhulu awududulele endaweni eyingozi? Ingabe ngaleso sikhathi uJona wayekwazi lokho akubhala kamuva—ukuthi “uJehova waphonsa umoya omkhulu olwandle”? Asazi. Nakuba awabona amatilosi esecela usizo konkulunkulu bawo abahlukahlukene, wayazi ukuthi babengeke bawasize ngalutho. (Lev. 19:4) Ukulandisa kwakhe kuthi: “Umkhumbi wona wawusuzophihlizeka.” (Jona 1:4) UJona-ke yena wayengathandaza kanjani kuNkulunkulu ayembalekela?

12. (a) Kungani kungafanele sisheshe ukwahlulela uJona ngokulala kunesiphepho esikhulu? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) Wayembula kanjani uJehova imbangela yenhlekelele?

 ¹² Ezibona engelusizo lwalutho, uJona wehlela ezingxenyeni ezingaphansi zomkhumbi wathola indawo yokucambalala. Wabe esezunywa ubuthongo. * Ukaputeni wamthola, wamvusa, wamnxusa ukuba athandaze kunkulunkulu wakhe njengoba bonke babenza. Eqiniseka ukuthi kunamandla angaphezu kwavamile kulesi siphepho, amatilosi enza inkatho ukuze athole ukuthi ubani kulaba bantu abasemkhunjini oyimbangela yale nhlekelele. Ngokungangabazeki uJona washaywa uvalo njengoba inkatho yayilokhu ikhipha umuntu ngamunye. Ngokushesha iqiniso laba sobala. UJehova wayeqondisa isiphepho kanye nenkatho eyadla umuntu oyedwa—uJona!—Funda uJona 1:5-7.

13. (a) Yini uJona ayivuma ematilosini? (b) UJona wanxusa amatilosi ukuba enzeni, futhi kungani?

¹³ UJona wawatshela yonke into amatilosi. Wayeyisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu ophakeme, uJehova. Uyena lo Nkulunkulu ayembalekela futhi emcasulile, ebafaka bonke kule nhlekelele embi kangaka. La madoda ashaqeka; uJona wayeyibona ingebhe emehlweni awo. Ambuza ukuthi yini okufanele ayenze kuye ukuze asindise umkhumbi nokuphila kwawo. Wathini? Kungenzeka kwamthuthumelisa ukuzicabanga eseminza kulolo lwandle olubandayo nolunolaka. Kodwa wayengawayeka kanjani wonke la madoda afe kanjalo ebe azi ukuthi angawasindisa? Ngakho wawanxusa: “Ngiphakamiseni ningiphonse olwandle, futhi ulwandle luzothula; ngoba ngiyaqaphela ukuthi kungenxa yami kunalesi siphepho esikhulu phezu kwenu.”—Jona 1:12.

14, 15. (a) Singalulingisa kanjani ukholo lukaJona oluqinile? (b) Asabela kanjani amatilosi esicelweni sikaJona?

¹⁴ Igwala lingawasho kambe amazwi anje? Kumelwe ukuba kwamjabulisa uJehova ukubona isibindi nomoya wokuzidela kaJona ngalowo mzuzu obucayi. Lapha sibona ukholo oluqinile lukaJona. Namuhla singalulingisa ngokubeka inhlalakahle yabanye ngaphambi kweyethu. (Joh. 13:34, 35) Lapho sibona oswele, kungaba ngokwenyama, ngokomzwelo noma ngokomoya, ingabe siyazidela ukuze simsize? Yeka ukuthi uJehova ujabula kanjani lapho senza kanjalo!

¹⁵ Kungenzeka ukuthi nawo amatilosi athinteka, ngoba aqale enqaba ukwenza njengoba uJona ayewacelile! Kunalokho, enza konke okwakusemandleni ukuze umkhumbi ungaphahlazeki—kodwa leyo mizamo yaphelela ezeni. Isiphepho saba namandla. Ekugcineni, abona ukuthi yayingasekho enye indlela. Anxusa uNkulunkulu  kaJona, uJehova, ukuba awabonise isihe, amqukula uJona amphonsa olwandle.—Jona 1:13-15.

16, 17. Chaza okwenzeka kuJona ngesikhathi ephonswa emanzini. (Bheka nezithombe.)

¹⁶ UJona waphonseka emagagasini ayaluzayo. Kungenzeka wazabalaza kancane ezama ukungaminzi futhi njengoba ayembozwa amanzi, waphawula ukuthi umkhumbi usuhamba kahle. Kodwa yena washaywa amagagasi amakhulu amminzisa. Uye lowaya eminza eshona phansi impela, nethemba lokusinda lingasekho.

¹⁷ Kamuva uJona wayichaza indlela ayezizwa ngayo ngalesi sikhathi. Kunemicabango eyamfikela. Ngokudabuka wacabanga ukuthi wayengeke aphinde alibone ithempeli likaJehova elihle eJerusalema. Wezwa ukuthi wehlela emajukujukwini olwandle, ngasesisekelweni sezintaba, lapho athandelwa khona ukhula lwasemanzini. Kwakubukeka sengathi wayezofela la.—Funda uJona 2:2-6.

18, 19. Yini eyenzeka kuJona ekujuleni kolwandle, hlobo luni lwesilwane olwaluhilelekile, futhi ubani owahlela lezi zenzakalo? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹⁸ Kodwa yima kancane! Kukhona okwakunyakaza eduze kukaJona —into enkulu emnyama ephilayo. Kwakulokhu kusondela, kwabe sekuqonda kuye ngqo. Kwafike kwakhamisa, kwamshwabadela, kwamgwinya!

¹⁹ Kumelwe ukuba kwase kuphelile ngaye. Kodwa uJona wabe esezwa okuthile okumangalisayo. Wayesaphila! Wayengahlafuniwe, engagayekile, wayekwazi ngisho nokuphefumula. Umoya wokuphila wawusekhona kuye, nakuba ayesendaweni okwakufanele ibe ithuna lakhe. UJona wathuthumela. Ngokungangabazeki, kwakunguNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova ‘owamisa inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye.’ *—Jona 1:17.

20. Yini esingayifunda ngoJona emthandazweni awusho esesiswini senhlanzi enkulu?

²⁰ Kwadlula imizuzu, kwadlula namahora. Elapho, ebumnyameni obukhulu ayengakaze abubone, uJona wacabanga futhi wathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Umthandazo wakhe, olotshwe waphelela esahlukweni sesibili sencwadi kaJona, usifundisa okuningi. Ubonisa ukuthi uJona wayenolwazi oluningi ngemiBhalo ngoba ubhekisela kaningi kumaHubo. Ubonisa nemfanelo etusekayo: ukubonga. UJona waphetha: “Kodwa mina, ngizokwenzela umhlatshelo ngezwi lokubonga. Engikuthembise ngesifungo, ngizokugcwalisa. Insindiso ingekaJehova.”—Jona 2:9.

21. Yini uJona ayifunda ngensindiso, futhi yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile esingase sisikhumbule?

²¹ Elapho, endaweni ongeke uyicabange—‘ezibilinini zenhlanzi’—uJona wafunda ukuthi insindiso uJehova angayilethela noma ubani, noma kuphi, noma nini. Ngisho nalapho, uJehova wayithola futhi wayisindisa inceku yakhe eyayisenkingeni. (Jona 1:17) NguJehova kuphela ongagcina umuntu ephila esiswini senhlanzi enkulu izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu. Kuhle ngathi namuhla ukukhumbula ukuthi uJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu okuphefumula [kwethu] kusesandleni sakhe.’ (Dan. 5:23) Simkweleta ukuphila kwethu, ukuba khona  kwethu. Asibongi yini ngalokho? Uma sibonga, akufanele-ke yini simlalele?

22, 23. (a) Kwavivinywa kanjani ngokushesha ukwazisa kukaJona? (b) Yini esingayifunda kuJona mayelana namaphutha esiwenzayo?

²² Kuthiwani ngoJona? Ingabe wafunda ukubonga uJehova ngokulalela? Kunjalo. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, inhlanzi yayisa uJona ogwini yafike “yamhlanza . . . yamkhiphela emhlabathini owomile.” (Jona 2:10) Cabanga—ngemva kwakho konke okwakwenzekile, uJona akudingekanga ngisho nokuba abhukude aye ogwini! Noma kunjalo, uyena okwadingeka azitholele indlela yokusuka kulelo bhishi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lalikuphi. Kodwa kungakabiphi, umoya wakhe wokwazisa wavivinywa. UJona 3:1, 2, uthi: “Khona-ke izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona okwesibili, lathi: ‘Sukuma, uye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kuwo isimemezelo engisikhuluma kuwe.’” Wayezokwenzenjani uJona?

²³ UJona akazange anqikaze. Siyafunda: “Khona-ke uJona wasukuma waya eNineve ngokwezwi likaJehova.” (Jona 3:3) Yebo walalela. Ngokusobala, wayefundile emaphutheni akhe. Nakulokhu kudingeka silingise ukholo lukaJona. Sonke siyona; sonke siyawenza amaphutha. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ingabe siyadikila, noma siyafunda emaphutheni ethu bese siphendukela enkambweni yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokumlalela?

24, 25. (a) UJona wagcina ethole muphi umvuzo ngesikhathi esaphila? (b) Imiphi imivuzo elindele uJona esikhathini esizayo?

²⁴ Ingabe uJehova wamvuza uJona ngokulalela kwakhe? Yebo. Okokuqala, kubukeka sengathi uJona wagcina ezwile ukuthi lawo matilosi asinda. Isiphepho sanqamuka ngokushesha ngemva kwesenzo sokuzidela sikaJona, nalawo matilosi “aqala ukumesaba kakhulu uJehova” amenzela nomhlatshelo esikhundleni sokwenzela onkulunkulu bawo bamanga.—Jona 1:15, 16.

²⁵ Umvuzo wesibili omkhulu nakakhulu weza kamuva. UJesu wasebenzisa isikhathi uJona asichitha esiswini senhlanzi enkulu njengesiwumfuziselo oyisiprofetho wesikhathi naye ayezosichitha ethuneni noma eShiyoli. (Funda uMathewu 12:38-40.) Yeka injabulo uJona ayoba nayo ngokuzwa ngalezo zibusiso lapho evuselwa emhlabeni! (Joh. 5:28, 29) UJehova uyafuna ukukubusisa nawe. NjengoJona, ingabe uzofunda emaphutheni akho futhi ubonise umoya wokulalela nowokuzidela?