INDODANA kaNowa uShemi yasinda kuZamcolo yaphila nangemva kwawo. Uyazi yini ukuthi kungani abantu ababephila noShemi ngaphambi kukaZamcolo babhujiswa, nokuthi yena nomkhaya wakhe bakwazi kanjani ukusinda baphile nangalé kukaZamcolo?— * Ake sixoxe ngalokhu.

Ngesikhathi uShemi esemusha, iBhayibheli lithi “ububi bomuntu” babudlangile. Yonke into abantu ababeyicabanga ‘yayiyimbi ngaso sonke isikhathi.’ Uyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenzani?— Wanisa imvula enkulu eyabhubhisa lelo zwe elonakele. Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Izwe langaleso sikhathi labhujiswa lapho limbozwa amanzi.”—Genesise 6:5; 2 Petru 3:6.

Uyabona yini ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu abhubhisa lelo zwe?— Abantu babebabi, becabanga ‘okubi ngaso sonke isikhathi.’ UJesu wakhuluma ngalokhu. Wathi “ngaphambi kukazamcolo” abantu babezijabulisa ‘bedla, bephuza, beshada bendiswa.’ UJesu wanezela: ‘Abanakanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.’—Mathewu 24:37-39.

Yini labo bantu abehluleka ukuyinaka noma ukuyibona?— Uyise kaShemi, uNowa, ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga,’ kodwa abantu abazange bakulalele lokho ayekusho. UNowa walalela uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi owawuzosindisa yena nomkhaya wakhe kuZamcolo. Ukuphela kwabantu abenza lokho uNkulunkulu ayefuna bakwenze uNowa, umkakhe namadodana akhe—uShemi, uHamu noJafete—namakhosikazi awo. Abanye bazenzela umathanda, uZamcolo wabakhukhula.—2 Petru 2:5; 1 Petru 3:20.

Lapho sekuzophela unyaka besemkhunjini, uShemi nomndeni wakhe baphumela emhlabathini owomile. Bonke abantu ababi babengasekho, kodwa kungakabiphi kwashintsha lokho. UKhanani, indodana kaHamu, umfowabo kaShemi, wenza into embi kakhulu kangangokuba uNowa wathi: “Makaqalekiswe uKhanani.” UNimrode, umzukulu kaHamu, naye wayengumuntu omubi. Wamelana noNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, watshela abantu ukuba bakhe umbhoshongo owabizwa ngokuthi  iBhabhele ukuze bazenzele igama. Ucabanga ukuthi uShemi noyise bazizwa kanjani ngale ndaba?—Genesise 9:25; 10:6-10; 11:4, 5.

Yabaphatha kabi, noJehova yamphatha kabi. Uyazi ukuthi uJehova wenzani?— Waphithanisa ulimi lwabantu ukuze bangezwani uma bekhuluma. Khona-ke, baphoqeleka ukuba bayeke ukwakha, bahambe baye ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene kanye nalabo abakhuluma ulimi olufana nolwabo. (Genesise 11:6-9) Kodwa uNkulunkulu akazange alushintshe ulimi lukaShemi nomndeni wakhe. Lokho kwenza ukuba bahlale ndawonye basizane ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu. Ingabe uyazi ukuthi uShemi wamkhonza isikhathi esingakanani uJehova?—

UShemi waphila iminyaka engu-600. Waphila iminyaka engu-98 ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, wabe esephila engu-502 ngemva kwawo. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi wasiza uNowa ekwakheni umkhumbi nasekuxwayiseni abantu ngokuza kukaZamcolo. Kodwa ucabanga ukuthi uShemi wenzani phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kuka-500 ayiphila ngemva kukaZamcolo?— UNowa wabiza uJehova ‘ngoNkulunkulu kaShemi.’ Kumelwe ukuba uShemi waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova futhi esiza amalungu omndeni wakhe ukuba enze okufanayo. Kamuva waba nabazukulu, u-Abrahama, uSara no-Isaka nabanye.—Genesise 9:26; 11:10-31; 21:1-3.

Cabanga ngezwe lanamuhla ebelilokhu liya ngokuya liba libi kusukela esikhathini sikaShemi. Kuzokwenzekani kulo?— IBhayibheli lithi “liyadlula.” Kodwa yizwa lesi sithembiso: “Lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” Uma senza intando kaNkulunkulu singase sibe phakathi kwalabo abayosinda baphile ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu singaphila ngenjabulo emhlabeni kuze kube phakade!—1 Johane 2:17; IHubo 37:29; Isaya 65:17.