1, 2. (a) Ngiwuphi umraro uJona azifaka kiwo wafaka nabantu ebakakhwele nabo? (b) Indaba kaJona ingasisiza njani?

 UJONA bekakhanuka kwanga angathulisa itjhada elimbeli. Bekungasi mumoya onamandla kwaphela ogade uphephula iinrobho zeseyila, godu bekungasiwo amagagasi aphakamileko kwaphela ebekabetha umkhumbi, enza amaplanka womkhumbi abange itjhada. Awa, obekubuhlungu khulu kuJona bekukurhuwelela kwabakhweli, ukaputeni nesiqhema sakhe njengombana bekubudisi ukwenza umkhumbi uragele phambili uthaya. UJona bekaqiniseka bona amadoda la selazokufa—woke ngebanga lakhe!

² Khuyini eyenza uJona waba sebujamweni obubudisi kangaka? Wenza umtjhapho omkhulu ekusebenzelaneni noZimakhe uJehova. Wenzani? Izinto bengekhe zisalungiseka na? Ipendulo ingasifundisa likhulu. Isibonelo, indaba kaJona isisiza sibone ukuthi kungenzeka njani bona ngitjho nabantu abanekholo eliqinileko baphambuke—nokobana bangayilungisa njani imitjhapho leyo.

3-5. (a) Khuyini kanengi abantu abadzimelela kiyo nebacabanga ngoJona? (b) Khuyini esiyaziko ngemvelaphi kaJona? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.) (c) Kubayini ikonzo kaJona njengomporofidi beyingasi lula namtjhana ingasi mnandi?

³ Abantu nebacabanga ngendoda enguJona, kanengi kubonakala kwanga badzimelela emitjhaphwenakhe, bakhumbula ukungalaleli kwakhe nekani. Kodwana kunengi okuhle esingakufunda ngoJona kunemitjhapho. Khumbula, uJona wakhethelwa ukukhonza njengomporofidi kaJehova uZimu. UJehova bengekhe amkhethele umsebenzi omkhulu lo nengabe bekangakathembeki namtjhana angakalungi.

 ⁴ IBhayibhili ayisitjeli okungako ngemvelaphi kaJona. (Funda 2 AmaKhosi 14:25.) Gade avela eGati-heferi, emakhilomitha amane kwaphela ukusuka eNazareda, idorobho uJesu Krestu egade azokubelethelwa kilo eminyakeni emakhulu abunane ngokukhamba kwesikhathi. a UJona waba mporofidi phakathi nokubusa kweKosi uJerobhowami II weentjhaba ezilitjhumi zombuso wakwa-Israyeli. Isikhathi saka-Elija besele kukade sadlula; owamlandelako, u-Elitjha, wafa phakathi kokubusa kwakababa kaJerobhowami. Nanyana uJehova asebenzisa amadoda la bona asuse ukukhulekela kwakaBhali, ama-Israyeli ahlahlatha ngamabomu godu. Inarha kwanje gade ingaphasi komthelela wekosi ‘eyaragela phambili yenza okumbi emehlweni kaJehova.’ (2 Kho. 14:24) Ngalokho ikonzo kaJona bengekhe ibe lula namtjhana mnandi. Nokho, wayenza ngokuthembeka.

⁵ Nokho, langelinye, kwenzeka amatjhuguluko amakhulu ekuphileni kwakaJona. Wafumana isabela kuJehova asibona sibudisi khulu. UJehova bekambawa bona enzeni?

6. Ngisiphi isabelo uJehova asinikela uJona, begodu kubayini besibonakala sibudisi?

⁶ UJehova watjela uJona: “Sikima, uye eNiniva idorobho elikhulu, bese umemezela kilo bona ubumbi balo bunyukele kimi.” (Jona 1:2) Kulula ukubona bonyana kubayini isabelwesi besibonakala sibudisi kangaka. INiniva imakhilomitha ama-800 ukuya epumalanga, ikhambo leenyawo elingathatha inyanga yoke. Nokho, ikhambweli belingamtshwenyi kangako uJona. ENiniva, uJona bekufuze adlulisele umlayezo kaJehova kuma-Asiriya egade anelunya khulu. Nengabe uJona akhenge afumane ukusabela okungako hlangana nabantu bakaZimu, khuyini-ke ebekazoyilindela ebarhedeninabo? Beyizokuphumelela njani inceku kaJehova eyodwa eNiniva, leyo ebeyizokubizwa “umuzi wokuphalazwa kweengazi?”—Nah. 3:1, 7.

7, 8. (a) UJona bekazimisele kangangani ukubalekela isabelo uJehova amnikela sona? (b) Kubayini kungakafuzi siphethe ngokuthi uJona bekalitjhatjha?

⁷ Imicabango enjalo kungenzeka yamfikela uJona? Asazi. Esikwaziko kukobana wabaleka. UJehova wathi aye epumalanga; uJona waya etjhingalanga, waya kude khulu ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Waya ezibukweni, endaweni ebizwa bona yiJopha, lapho afumana khona umkhumbi oya eTharashishi. Ezinye izazi zithi iTharashishi beyiseSpain. Nengabe kunjalo, uJona waya endaweni  emakhilomitha azi-3 500 ukusuka eNiniva. Ikhambo elinjalo lokuya kude le etjhingalanga yeLwandle Elikhulu belingathatha unyaka woke. UJona bekazimisele kangako ukubalekela isabelo uJehova amnikela sona!—Funda uJona 1:3.

⁸ Lokhu kutjho bona singaqala uJona njengetjhatjha? Akukafuzi sigijimele ukumahlulela. Njengombana sizokubona, kunezinto ezitlhoga isibindi uJona azenzako. Nokho, njengathi soke, uJona bekamumuntu ongakapheleli alwisana nemitjhapho eminengi. (Rha. 51:5) Ngubani hlangana nathi ongakhenge akhe afikelwe kusaba?

9. Ngezinye iinkhathi singazizwa njani ngesabelo esivela kuJehova, begodu ngiliphi iqiniso esifuna ukulikhumbula ngeenkhathi ezinjalo?

⁹ Ngezinye iinkhathi kungabonakala kwanga uZimu usibawa bona senze into ebonakala ibudisi, namtjhana engekhe yenzeke. Kungenzeka sikuthole ngitjho kuthusa ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu, njengombana amaKrestu akhonjelwa bona enze njalo. (Mat. 24:14) Kulula khulu ngathi ukukhohlwa iqiniso elinamandla uJesu alitjhoko: ‘Zoke izinto ziyakghoneka kuZimu.’ (Mar. 10:27) Nengabe ngesinye isikhathi silahlekelwa mbono weqinisweli, mhlamunye singakghona ukuzwisisa ubudisi uJona ebekaqalene nabo. Nokho, waba yini umphumela wokubaleka kwakaJona?

10, 11. (a) Khuyini uJona ebekayicabanga njengombana umkhumbi wokuthwala iimpahla usuka ezibukweni? (b) Ngiyiphi ingozi umkhumbi nabakhweli abaqalana nayo?

¹⁰ Singacabanga ngoJona alungiselela ikhambo elidelo ngomkhumbi, mhlamunye ngomkhumbi wokuthwala iimpahla weFenike. Wabona njengombana ukapteni nabasizi bakhe batinazela nokulungiselela ikhambo nokusuka ezibukweni. Njengombana kancani kancani basuka ezibukweni begodu basithela, uJona bekangacabanga bona uyibalekele ingozi ebekayisaba. Kodwana msinyana ubujamo bezulu batjhuguluka.

¹¹ Umoya omkhulu wasunduza ilwandle ngamandla, ngamagagasi angagubuzesa ngitjho nemikhumbi yanje. Kwawuthatha isikhathi eside kangangani umkhumbi wamaplanka loyo ukubonakala umncani begodu ubuthakathaka, ukuphuka nokuya phasi phezulu hlangana namagagasi amakhulu layo? Kghani uJona bekakwazi lokho ngesikhatheso ngombana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi watlola bona “uJehova ngokwakhe wabangela isivunguvungu elwandle?” Asazi. Nokho, wabona bona abakhweli bathoma ukulila kibozimu babo abahlukahlukeneko, begodu bekazi bona akunasizo elingavela lapho. (Lev. 19:4) Ukulandisa kwakhe kuthi: “Umkhumbi wona  besele uzokuphuka.” (Jona 1:4) UJona yena bekazokuthandaza njani kuZimu ambalekeleko?

12. (a) Kubayini kungakafuzi sirhabele ukwahlulela uJona ngokulala njengombana isivunguvungu sibhokile? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.) (b) UJehova wayiveza njani imbangela yomraro lo?

¹² Abona bonyana ayikho into angayenza, uJona waya endaweni engaphasi emkhunjini wazifumanela indawo yokulala lapho. Walala pu. b Ukapteni wafumana uJona, wamvusa, begodu wambawa bona athandaze kuzimu, njengombana bekwenza woke umuntu. Baqiniseka bona kunamandla angaphezu kwajayelekileko ngesivunguvungwesi, abathayi bafuna ukwazi bona ngubani emkhunjini okungenzeka ngunobangela womraro lo. Akunakuzaza bona uJona wangenwa mamanzi emadolweni njengombana abantu bathoma ukuncipha. Msinyana inyanga yambulwa mamafu. UJehova bekanqophisa isivunguvungu, wabonisa nokobana uJona nguye unobangela waso ngebanga lokungalaleli!—Funda uJona 1:5-7.

13. (a) UJona wabatjelani abakhambi ngomkhumbi? (b) UJona wababawa bona benzeni abakhambi ngomkhumbi, begodu kubayini?

¹³ UJona wabatjela koke abakhambi ngomkhumbi. Bekayinceku kaZimu umninimandla woke, uJehova. Lo bekunguZimu ambalekelako namonako, wabafaka boke engozini ekulu le. Amadoda la ararwa ngilokho uJona akutjhoko; uJona wawabona amrhudulele amehlo. Ambuza bona amenzeni bonyana azokwazi ukuphulusa umkhumbi namaphilwawo. Wathini? UJona kungenzeka wahlengezela nekazicabanga aqwila elwandle elikwatilekwelo nemanzini amakhaza. Kodwana bekangawalisa njani woke amadoda la afe kungilapho angawaphulusa? Ngalokho wawabawa: “Ngiphakamisani ningiphose elwandle, ilwandle lizokuthula; ngombana ngiyabona bonyana kungebanga lami bona nehlelwe sivunguvungwesi.”—Jona 1:12.

14, 15. (a) Singalilingisa njani ikholo lakaJona? (b) Abakhambi ngomkhumbi basabela njani esibaweni sakaJona?

¹⁴ Amezwi kaJona atjengisa bonyana akasilo itjhatjha. Kufuze bona kwamthabisa uJehova ukubona isibindi sakaJona, ukuzidela kwakhe ngesikhathi esibudiseso. La, sibona ikholo lakaJona eliqinileko. Namhlanje singalilingisa ngokubeka ihlalakuhle yabanye phambi kweyethu. (Jwa. 13:34, 35) Nesibona umuntu atlhagile, kungaba ngokwezinto ezingokwenyama, ezingokwamazizo namtjhana ezingokomoya, siyazidela na bona simsize? Qala bona simthabisa kangangani uJehova nesenza njalo!

 ¹⁵ Mhlamunye abakhambi ngomkhumbi kwabathinta lokho uJona abatjela bona bakwenze, ngombana ekuthomeni babhala ukukwenza! Kunalokho, benza koke abangakwenza bona baphephe esivunguvungwini—kodwana kwafana nokuthela amanzi emhlana wedada. Isivunguvungu sarhagala. Ekugcineni, babona bonyana ayisekho into abangayenza. Babiza uZimu kaJona, uJehova, bona ababonise umusa, baphakamisa indoda le bayiphosela eqadi, elwandle.—Jona 1:13-15.

16, 17. Hlathulula okwenzeka kuJona ngemva kokuphoselwa elwandle. (Qala iinthombe.)

¹⁶ UJona wawela emagagasini anamandla. Mhlamunye wasebenza nzima, alinga ukuthaya, begodu phakathi kwawo wabona igwebu lithela umkhumbi egade umfulathela msinyana. Kodwana amagagasi amakhulu ambetha amphosela ngaphasi kwamanzi. Waqwila kancani kancani, abona bonyana ithemba alisekho.

¹⁷ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJona wahlathulula bona wazizwa njani ngesikhatheso. Bekacabanga ezinye izinto ngokuphila kwakhe. Ngokudana wabona bonyana angekhe asalibona itempeli lakaJehova elihle eliseJerusalema. Wezwa bona kwanje khona uyatjhinga,  uya lapho iintaba zithoma khona, lapho utjanyana belwandle bumrareja khona. Leli kubonakala kwanga kuzokuba mgodakhe, ithuna lakhe.—Funda uJona 2:2-6.

18, 19. Kwenzekani kuJona ekutjhingeni kwelandle, ngisiphi isibunjwa ebesibandakanyeke lapho, begodu ngubani owabangela lokhu? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

¹⁸ Kodwana akhujame! Kunento ekhambakhamba eduze—into ephilako ekulu nenzima tshu. Iyatjhidela, msinyana iya kuye. Yakhamisa, yamgomojela!

¹⁹ Lokhu ukufa kwami. Nokho, uJona wezwa into erarako. Bekasaphila! Bekangakaphuki namtjhana ahlafunyiwe, anganaso nesimuku. Bekasaphila nanyana bekalapho kuhle kuhle ebekufuze kube lithuna lakhe. Kancani kancani, uJona warareka khulu. Ngokunganakuzaza, bekunguZimakhe uJehova, “owenze ifesi ekulu bona imginye.” c—Jona 1:17.

20. Singafundani kuJona ngomthandazo awenza angaphakathi kwefesi?

²⁰ Kwadlula imizuzu, kwadlula nama-awara. Lapho, ebumnyameni angazange akhe abubone, uJona bekanesikhathi sokucabanga nokuthandaza kuJehova uZimu. Umthandazwakhe otlolwe ngokuzeleko kuJona isahluko sesibili ungasifundisa okunengi ngaye. Kuyabonakala bona uJona bekayazi kuhle imiTlolo, ngombana bekanande adzubhula incwadi yamaRhalani. Godu usitjengisa ifanelo ehle khulu: ukuthokoza. UJona waphetha: “Mina, ngizokwenza umhlatjelo ngelizwi lokuthokoza. Engikufungileko, ngizokwenza. Iphuluso ngekaJehova.”—Jona 2:9.

21. UJona wafundani ngokuphuluswa, begodu ngisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileko esingasikhumbula?

²¹ Ngitjho nalapho—“ngaphakathi kwefesi”—uJona wafunda bona iphuluso yinto uJehova angayilethela nanyana ngubani, nanyana kuphi nanganoma ngisiphi isikhathi. Ngitjho nalapho, uJehova wafumana begodu waphulusa incekwakhe esemrarweni. (Jona 1:17) NguJehova kwaphela ongabulunga umuntu aphila amalanga amathathu nobusuku obuthathu ngemathunjini wefesi ekulu. Kuhle ngathi  ukukhumbula namhlanje bona uJehova “nguZimu umphefumulwakho osesandleni sakhe.” (Dan. 5:23) Simkoloda umphefumulo wethu, nokuba khona kwethu. Akusithabisi na lokho? Manje asimkolodi uJehova ukulalela na?

22, 23. (a) Ukuthokoza kwakaJona kwalingwa njani msinyana? (b) Singafundani kuJona malungana nemitjhapho esiyenzako?

²² Kuthiwani ngoJona? Wafunda ukuthokoza uJehova ngokulalela? Iye. Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu nobusuku obuthathu, ifesi yakhafulela uJona ezibukweni “yahlanzela uJona ehlabathini eyomileko.” (Jona 2:10) Akhucabange—ngemva kwakho koke lokho uJona akhenge kutlhogeke bona adude aye ngaphandle kwelwandle! Liqiniso, bekufuze azifumanele indlela esuka elwandle, nanyana kukuphi lapho egade akhona. Nokho, kungakabiphi, ukuthokoza kwakhe kwalingwa. UJona 3:1, 2, uthi: “Ilizwi lakaJehova lafika kuJona kwesibili, lathi: ‘Sikima, uye eNiniva umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kilo isimemezelo engikutjela sona.’” Bekazokwenzani uJona?

²³ UJona akhenge azaze. Siyafunda: “Ngalokho, uJona wasikima waya eNiniva ngokuvumelana nelizwi lakaJehova.” (Jona 3:3) Mbala, walalela. Kuyakhanya bona wafunda emitjhaphwenakhe. Nakilokhu, kufuze silingise ikholo lakaJona. Soke siyona; soke siyayenza imitjhapho. (Rom. 3:23) Kodwana silahla itewu na namtjhana sifunda emitjhaphwenethu bese sibuyela ekonzweni yokulalela uZimu?

24, 25. (a) Ekugcineni ngiwuphi umtlomelo uJona awufumanako ekuphileni kwakhe? (b) Ngiwuphi umtlomelo omlindele esikhathini esizako?

²⁴ UJehova wamtlomelisa na uJona ngokulalela kwakhe? Iye kunjalo. Omunye umtlomelo bekukukwazi kwakaJona bona abantu ebekakhamba nabo baphuluka. Isivunguvungu sathula khonokho ngemva kokuzidela kwakaJona, begodu abakhwelabo “bathoma ukumsaba khulu uJehova” bebamenzela umhlatjelo kunokwenzela abozimu babo.—Jona 1:15, 16.

²⁵ Umtlomelo omkhulu khulu walandela. UJesu wasebenzisa isikhathi sakaJona ngaphakathi kwefesi ekulu njengomfanekiso ongokwesiporofido wesikhathi sakhe ethuneni, namtjhana eShiyoli. (Funda uMatewu 12:38-40.) Qala bona uJona uzokuthaba kangangani nekezwa ngesibusisweso nekavuselwa ekuphileni ephasini! (Jwa. 5:28, 29) Nawe uJehova ufuna ukukubusisa. NjengoJona, uzokufunda emitjhaphwenakho bese uyalalela, uyazidela?