Bible Society of South Africa
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Forgiveness
Forgiveness – Day 13
Ds Hein Barnard

Forgiveness – Day 13

This is the only instance in the Bible where God forgave a nation other that Israel, even when the messenger decided that he did not want to do it.

Itekisi yeBhayibhile

UJONA 3

UJona uya eNiniva

1Liphinde lafika ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuJona, lisithi: 2“Hamba uye kweso sixekokazi siyiNiniva, ufike ushumayele olu daba ndikunike lona.”

3Ke uJona walithobela ilizwi likaNdikhoyo, waya eNiniva. INiniva le ibisisixeko esikhulu gqitha. Bekumthatha umntu iintsuku ezintathu ukuphumela kuyo. 4Ke kaloku uJona waluqala uhambo lwakhe kweso sixeko. Akuba ehambe imini yonke wadanduluka wathi: “Yoba ziintsuku ezimashumi mane kuphela, itshatyalaliswe iNiniva.” 5Abo bantu baseNiniva balwamkela olo daba lukaThixo. Ngoko ke bamisela inzila, baza bonke abantu, kuqalela komdala kuye komncinane, bavatha ezenzila.

6Akuyiva le nto ukumkani wakhona waphuma ebhotwe, umnweba wakhe wawuthi tya phaya, wanxiba ezenzila, wahlala eluthuthwini. 7Waza ke wakhupha isaziso esithi: “Nasi isaziso esigunyaziswe ngukumkani namaphakathi: Makuzilwe, kungabikho mntu okanye silwanyana ongcamla nantoni na, nditsho iinkomo nempahla emfutshane. Ewe, makungatyiwa nto, kungàselwa namanzi. 8Abantu nemfuyo mabavathe ezenzila. Bonke mabakhale kuThixo ngamandla, bahlukane neendlela zabo ezimbi nogonyamelo lwabo. 9Mhlawumbi uThixo angayijika ingqondo yakhe, abuye nganeno ngengqumbo yakhe, size ke thina singatshabalali.”

10Ke kaloku uThixo wasibona isenzo sabo nokwahlukana kwabo neendlela zabo ezimbi. Ngoko ke uThixo wayijika ingqondo yakhe, akabi sabatshabalalisa njengoko wayezimisele.

UJONA 3XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

Forgiveness in the Prophets – 3

God sent Jonah to Nineveh, but he decided to go in the opposite direction, ending up in a storm at sea, got thrown overboard and swallowed up by a big fish.

When he was back on dry ground, God sent him again to Nineveh – and he went.  Everybody in Nineveh paid attention to the impending judgement, even the king.  Everybody fasted and stopped doing the wrong things, the animals included.

Verse 10 states that God felt sorry for them – accepted their fasting and wearing of sack-clothes and did not punish them.

This illustrates how God deals with other nations, not only His own people.

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