NJENGOBA isintu sasanda, isono nobubi kwanda ngokushesha emhlabeni. Okuwukuphela komprofethi owayekhona u-Enoke, waxwayisa ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyobhubhisa abantu ababi ngelinye ilanga. Noma kunjalo, ububi banda futhi baba bubi nakakhulu. Ezinye izingelosi zahlubuka uJehova ngokushiya izindawo zazo ezazizinikiwe ezulwini, zazenza abantu emhlabeni, futhi ngobugovu zathatha abesifazane zabenza abafazi bazo. Leyo mishado engeyona eyemvelo yaveza izingane eziyingxube—imidondoshiya eyiziqhwaga eyayibizwa ngokuthi amaNefili, eyandisa ubudlova nokuchithwa kwegazi emhlabeni. UNkulunkulu wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho ebona indalo yakhe yasemhlabeni yonakala.

Ngemva kokufa kuka-Enoke, kwakunendoda eyodwa eyayilungile kulelo zwe elonakele. Igama layo kwakunguNowa. Yena nomkhaya wakhe bazama ukwenza okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Lapho uNkulunkulu enquma ukubhubhisa abantu ababi balelo zwe, wafuna ukuvikela uNowa nezilwane. Ngakho watshela uNowa ukuba akhe umkhumbi. Babeyosindiswa ngawo kuZamcolo womhlaba wonke owawuzofika, yena nomkhaya wakhe kanye nenqwaba yezilwane ezinhlobonhlobo. UNowa wamlalela uNkulunkulu. Phakathi neminyaka eminingi uNowa akha ngayo umkhumbi, wabuye waba “umshumayeli wokulunga.” (2 Petru 2:5) Waxwayisa abantu ngoZamcolo owawuza, kodwa bangamnaka. Safika isikhathi sokuba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe kanye nezilwane bangene emkhunjini. UNkulunkulu wahluthulela umnyango womkhumbi. Imvula yana.

Layidliva izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40 kwaze kwaba yilapho wonke umhlaba umbozeka. Ababi babengasekho. Ngemva kwezinyanga, amanzi abohla, umkhumbi wama entabeni. Ngesikhathi ababesemkhunjini abaphuma ngaso bephephile, base behlale emkhunjini unyaka wonke. UNowa wabonga uJehova wamenzela umhlatshelo. UNkulunkulu wasabela ngokuqinisekisa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe ngokuthi wayengeke aphinde alethe uZamcolo uzokhukhula konke okuphilayo emhlabeni. UJehova wabeka uthingo ukuze lube isiqinisekiso esibonakalayo, isikhumbuzo salesi sithembiso esiduduzayo.

Ngemva kukaZamcolo, uNkulunkulu wanikeza isintu imithetho ethile emisha. Wabanikeza imvume yokudla inyama yezilwane. Nokho, wenqabela ukudliwa kwegazi. Wayala nenzalo kaNowa ukuba isakazekele emhlabeni, kodwa abathile kubo abazange balalele. Abantu bahlangana ngaphansi komholi owayebizwa ngokuthi uNimrode, baqala ukwakha inqaba enkulu emzini waseBhabhele, kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi iBhabhiloni. Injongo yabo kwakungukuvukela umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokusakazekela kuwo wonke umhlaba. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayibhuntshisa imizamo yalezo zihlubuki ngokusanganisa ulimi lwazo olulodwa futhi azibangele ukuba zikhulume ngezilimi ezihlukahlukene. Zingasezwani, zawushiya phansi umsebenzi wokwakha zasakazeka.

—Isekelwe kuGenesise izahluko 6 kuya ku-11; Jude 14, 15.