NOWA nalo lonke usapho lwakhe babekunye ngoxa kwakusina izantyala-ntyala zemvula. Khawube nombono wabo, kubonakala nje izithunzi zabo ezibangelwa sisibane seoyile, bothukile ngoxa bemamele imvula egalela eluphahleni nasemacaleni omkhombe. Inoba yayisitsho ngamandla.

Njengoko uNowa wayejonge usapho lwakhe—inkosikazi yakhe ethembekileyo, oonyana bakhe abathathu kunye namakhosikazi awo—waba nombulelo omkhulu. Ngelo xesha linzima, yena wayexolile kwaye ezolile kuba wayekunye nabo bonke abantu abathandayo. Babekhuselekile. Ngenxa yengxolo yemvula, kumel’ ukuba wayezama ukonyusa ilizwi ukuze intsapho yakhe imve ngoxa wayethandaza ebulela uThixo.

UNowa wayenokholo olungummangaliso. Kwakungenxa yolu kholo le nto uYehova uThixo wamkhuselayo nentsapho yakhe. (Hebhere 11:7) Ngaba olu kholo lwaluza kuphela nje bakungena emkhombeni? Akunjalo, kwakusafuneka babenalo olu phawu nasemva kokungena kwabo. Oku kuyafana nathi namhlanje. Makhe sibone ukuba yintoni esinokuyifunda kukholo lukaNowa.

Imvula yaqhubeka inetha ‘kangangeemini ezimashumi mane nobusuku obumashumi mane.’ (Genesis 7:4, 11, 12) Amanzi aya enyuka. Njengokuba kwakusina, uNowa watsho wabona ukuba uThixo usindisa abantu abalungileyo ngoxa etshabalalisa bonke abangalunganga.

Lo mkhukula wanceda ekupheliseni imvukelo yezithunywa zezulu. Zityhefwe nguSathana, iingelosi ezininzi “zayishiya indawo yazo efanelekileyo yokuhlala” esezulwini, ukuze zibe nabafazi apha emhlabeni, loo nto yabangela ukuba zizale izigantsontso zabantwana ababizwa ngokuba ziiNefili. (Yude 6; Genesis 6:4) Ayithandatyuzwa indlela uSathana awayevuya ngayo xa ebona le mvukelo njengoko yayiphazamisa nabantu basemhlabeni.

Kodwa ke, njengoko le mvula yayigalela, kwanyanzeleka ukuba ezi ngelosi ziyilahle imizimba yazo yenyama zize zibuyele kummandla womoya, kwaye azizange ziphinde ziyifumane loo mizimba. Zashiya abafazi kunye nabantwana bazo ukuba bafe.

UYehova waqalisa ukulumkisa abantu ngalo mkhukula ngemihla kaEnoki, phantse iinkulungwane ezisixhenxe ngaphambili. (Genesis 5:24; Yude 14, 15) Ukususela ngoko, abantu baya besenza izinto ezimbi kwaye beqaqadeka. Ngoku kwakuza kufuneka batshayelwe. Ngaba uNowa nentsapho yakhe bayivuyela le nto?

Akunjalo! KwanoThixo onenceba akazange ayivuyele. (Hezekile 33:11) UYehova wenza konke anako ukuze asindise abantu. Wasebenzisa uEnoki ukuba alumkise abantu, waza wacela noNowa ukuba akhe umkhombe. UNowa nentsapho yakhe babebila besoma besakha lo mkhombe kangangamashumi eminyaka ukuze kusindiswe abantu. UThixo wada wamcela uNowa ukuba abe ‘ngumshumayeli wobulungisa.’ (2 Petros 2:5) NjengoEnoki, naye walumkisa abantu ngomgwebo ozayo. Bathini bakuva ezo zilumkiso? UYesu wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo esezulwini, ubalisa athi ngabantu bomhla kaNowa: “Abazange banikele ngqalelo de wafika  umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke.”—Mateyu 24:39.

Khawuthekelele ukuba kwakunjani ngeza ntsuku ziyi-40 uNowa nosapho lwakhe besemkhombeni. Njengokuba izantyala-ntyala zazizenzela suku nosuku, inokuba bosibhozo babesenza imisebenzi emincinci kwalapha emkhombeni—njengokuqiniseka ukuba izilwanyana ziyondliwa kwaye zikhuselekile. Kukho ixesha apho lo mkhombe mkhulu wakha wangquba-ngqubeka kakhulu. Wawushukuma! Amanzi awuphakamisa lo mkhombe “wadada ngaphezu komhlaba.” (Genesis 7:17) Oku kubonisa indlela amakhulu ngayo amandla kaYehova uThixo!

Umel’ ukuba uNowa waba nombulelo gqitha—kungekuphela nje kuba yena nosapho lwakhe bekhuselekile, kodwa ngenxa yokuba uYehova esebenzise inceba yakhe ukuze alumkise uluntu. Inokuba loo minyaka bayichitha belumkisa abantu yayifana nokugalela amanzi kwiemele evuzayo. Abantu babengamameli tu! Khawucinge ngoku—kunokwenzeka ukuba uNowa wayenabantakwabo, oodadewabo, abatshana, nabazala abaninzi ngaphambi kokuba kufike uMkhukula; sekunjalo akukho namnye owasindayo ngaphandle kwentsapho yakhe. (Genesis 5:30) Kunokwenzeka ukuba abo basibhozo basindayo babecinga ngeenzame abazenzayo ukuze basindise abanye.

UYehova akakatshintshi. (Malaki 3:6) UYesu Kristu wathi la maxesha siphila kuwo namhlanje afana nqwa ‘nemihla kaNowa.’ (Mateyu 24:37) Awethu amaxesha kwathethwa ngawo kwakude kudala. Ngokufanayo, namhlanje abantu bakaThixo balumkisa bonke abantu abakulungeleyo ukuphulaphula. Uza kuthini wakuva eso silumkiso? Ukuba sowuyamkele inyaniso eza kunye nesi silumkiso, ngaba uza kuchazela nabanye? UNowa nentsapho yakhe basibonisa indlela yokuyenza le nto.

Njengoko lo mkhombe wawusiya unyuka, abo babekuwo babephulaphule izandi zokukrikriza kwamaplanga. Ngaba uNowa wayenexhala ngobukhulu bamaza okanye ukomelela komkhombe? Akunjalo. Izinto ezinjalo zinokucingwa ngabantu banamhlanje kodwa kwakungenjalo kuNowa. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ngokholo uNowa. . . wakha umkhombe.” (Hebhere 11:7) Ukholo entwenini? UYehova wenza isivumelwano noNowa ukuba uza kumkhusela, yena kunye nabo babekunye naye kuloo Mkhukula. (Genesis 6:18, 19) Ngaba ibingenako ukwenzeka into yokuba la mntu wadala indalo yonke kuquka umhlaba esiphila kuwo, aqiniseke ukuba le nqanawa kaNowa ayizukutshona emanzini kwaye iza kuhlala yomelele? Ilula gqitha loo nto kuye! UNowa wamthemba uThixo. Kwaye nangoku yena nosapho lwakhe “bathwalwa ngokukhuselekileyo emanzini.”—1 Petros 3:20.

Imvula yayeka ukunetha emva kweentsuku ezingama-40. Kwikhalenda yethu, elo xesha limalunga noDisemba 2370 B.C.E. Kodwa kwakusekude ukuba le ntsapho iphume emkhombeni. Le nqanawakazi izele zizilwanyana ezahlukeneyo yayindanda phezu kwezona ntaba zakha zankulu emhlabeni. (Genesis 7:19, 20) Singathi nguNowa owayesenza umsebenzi ofuna amandla amaninzi ukuze oonyana bakhe uShem, uHam, noYafeta bakwazi ukutyisa zonke izilwanyana, zihlale zicocekile kwaye zisempilweni. Kakade ke, lo Thixo uye wazenza azabi naburhalarhume ezi zilwanya wayenako ukuzigcina zinjalo ngoxa zazisemkhombeni. *

Kuyabonakala ukuba uNowa wayezigcina engqondweni izinto ezazisenzeka imihla ngemihla. Loo ngxelo isixelela umhla eyaqala ukunetha ngayo imvula kunye nomhla eyayeka ngayo. Iphinda ichaze ukuba yonk’ into esemhlabeni yayiphantsi kwamanzi kangangeentsuku eziyi-150. Ekugqibeleni, amanzi aqalisa ukuwutha. Ngenye imini abangasoze bayilibale, “umkhombe wema kwiintaba zeArarati,” ezingakwiTurkey yemihla yethu. Kumel’ ukuba kwakungoAprili 2369 B.C.E. Iinkcochoyi zeentaba zaqala ukubonakala ngoJuni, kwiintsuku eziyi-73 kamva. Kwiinyanga ezintathu kamva ngoSeptemba, uNowa wagqiba kwelokuba asuse amanye amaplanga eluphahleni. Oko kwanceda kakhulu, kuba batsho bafumana ilanga kunye nempepho epholileyo. Efuna ukuqiniseka ukuba kuyahlaleka emhlabeni, uNowa wakhupha ihlungulu, labhabha kodwa kamva laphinda labuya, okwesibini wakhupha ihobe elada lafumana indawo eyomileyo elinokuhlala kuyo ngaphandle komkhombe.—Genesis 7:24–8:13.

Alithandabuzeki elokuba uNowa wayexakeke nazizinto zobuthixo. Singazenzela umfanekiso-ngqondweni wale ntsapho ihlanganisana rhoqo ukuze ithandaze ize incokole ngendlela uYehova uBawo osezulwini ayikhusele ngayo. Kuzo zonke izigqibo ezibalulekileyo, uNowa wayefuna ukhokelo lukaThixo. Nasemva kokuba ebonile ukuba ‘umhlaba womile’—emva konyaka ephakathi kule nqanawa—akazange avule ucango ayalele wonk’ umntu ukuba aphume. (Genesis 8:14) Walinda ibe nguYehova otshoyo!

Iintloko zamakhaya namhlanje zingafunda okuninzi kumzekelo wale ndoda inokholo. Yayinocwangco, ikhuthele emsebenzini, ingangxami kwaye ibakhusela bonke abo bendlu yayo. Kodwa olona phawu lubalaseleyo kukubeka ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kuqala. Ukuba siyamxelisa uNowa ngezi mpawu, siya kubangela ukuba kubekho intsikelelo kubo bonke abo sibathandayo.

Ekugqibeleni uYehova wada watsho. Wathi kuNowa, “Phuma emkhombeni, wena nomfazi wakho noonyana bakho noomolokazana bakho.” Bathobela baza balandelwa zizilwanyana. Njani? Ngaba zazinalo ucwangco? Ewe! Le vesi yeBhayibhile iqhubeka isithi, “zaphuma emkhombeni ngokweentsapho zazo.” (Genesis 8:15-19) Bathi bakuphuma uNowa nentsapho yakhe, babona umhlaba ocociweyo kwabe kusitshw’ impepho epholileyo kwiintaba zeArarati. Zazingekho iiNefili kunye nobundlobongela bazo, zingekho neengelosi ezivukeleyo nabo bonke abantu abangathobeli Thixo! * Abantu babeza kufumana elinye ithuba lokuthobela uThixo.

UNowa wayeyazi into emele yenziwe kuqala—kukunqula. Wakha isibingelelo waza wasebenzisa  ezinye izilwanyana ezazicocekile emehlweni kaThixo—ababeqokelele kuzo “ngasixhenxe”—waza wenza isibingelelo esitshiswayo kuYehova. (Genesis 7:2; 8:20) Ngaba oko wakuthanda uYehova?

IBhayibhile isiqinisekisa ngale mpendulo: “UYehova weva ivumba elithozamisayo.” La ntlungu uYehova wayenayo ngoxa abantu babewuzalisile umhlaba ngobubi, yajika yayimigcobo novuyo olungathethekiyo xa wayejonge intsapho ethembekileyo esemhlabeni neyayizimisele ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. UYehova wayengalindelanga mfezeko. Le vesi inye iqhubeka ngolu hlobo: “Intliziyo yomntu ityekele ebubini kwasebutsheni bakhe.” (Genesis 8:21) Khawuve nenye indlela uYehova awababonisa ngayo abantu ukuba ubakhathalele kwaye uyabathanda.

UYehova wasisusa isiqalekiso somhlaba. Ngaphambidlana, ngemihla yokuvukela ka-Adam noEva, uThixo wawuqalekisa umhlaba, oko kwaphumela ekubeni kube nzima kakhulu ukutyala uze uvelise iziqhamo ezintle. Uyise kaNowa uLameki wamthiya kakuhle unyana wakhe, onegama ekusenokwenzeka ukuba lithetha “Ukuphumla” okanye “Ukukhululeka,” kwaye waxela kwangaphambili ukuba unyana wakhe wayeya kukhokela abantu aze abakhulule kwisiqalekiso. UNowa wavuya kakhulu akuva ukuba esi siprofeto sasiza kuzalisekiswa nguye kwaye umhlaba wawuza kuchuma ngakumbi. Yiyo loo nto uNowa waba ngumlimi emva koko!—Genesis 3:17, 18; 5:28, 29; 9:20.

UYehova wanika inzala kaNowa imithetho elula necacileyo ababemele bayilandele—njengokuba bangabulalani kwaye bangalisebenzisi kakubi igazi. UYehova wabathembisa abantu ukuba akasoze aphinde onakalise umhlaba ngezikhukula zemvula. Ukuze abaqinisekise ngeso sithembiso, uThixo wababonisa enye yezinto ezakha zantle kwindalo yakhe—umnyama. Ukuza kutsho kule mihla yethu, xa sibona umnyama sikhumbula isithembiso sothando esenziwa nguYehova.—Genesis 9:1-17.

Ukuba eli bali likaNowa laliyintsomi, ngelaphela ngala mnyama. Kodwa uNowa wayengumntu oqhelekileyo, ibe ubomi bakhe babungelulanga. Ngaloo maxesha abantu babesaphila ixesha elide, loo ndoda ithembekileyo kwakuza kufuneka inyamezele eminye iminyaka eyi-350 neyayineenkathazo. Wenza impazamo enkulu xa wanxila ngesinye isihlandlo, kodwa oyena mntu wona nangakumbi ngumzukulwana wakhe uKanan—nto leyo eyaba nemiphumo ebuhlungu kwintsapho kaKanan. UNowa wabona inzala yakhe isenza izono ezifana nokunqula izithixo nogonyamelo ngemihla kaNimrod. Noko ke, okuvuyisayo kukuba uNowa wabona indlela unyana wakhe uShem awamisela ngayo umzekelo omhle wokholo.—Genesis 9:21-28; 10:8-11; 11:1-11.

NjengoNowa, kufuneka sibe nokholo size sinyamezele. Xa abantu abasingqongileyo bemnyhasha uThixo, okanye bemshiya, kufuneka sixelise uNowa singanikezeli. UYehova uyakuxabisa ukunyamezela okunjalo. Njengoko uYesu watshoyo, “lowo unyamezele kwada kwasekupheleni uya kusindiswa.”—Mateyu 24:13.