U-ENOKE wayesephile isikhathi eside. Kungase kube nzima ngathi ukukucabanga lokhu, kodwa le ndoda yayisiphile iminyaka engaba ngu-365—iminyaka ephindwe kane uma iqhathaniswa neminyaka ephilwa abantu namuhla! Kodwa ngokwesikhathi ayephila ngaso wayengemdala kangako. Ngaleso sikhathi, eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-5 000 edlule, abantu babephila isikhathi eside kunaleso esiphilwa namuhla. U-Adamu, indoda yokuqala, wayesephile iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-600 lapho kuzalwa u-Enoke futhi waqhubeka ephila eminye iminyaka engu-300! Enye inzalo ka-Adamu yaphila isikhathi eside kunaleso. Ngakho, lapho eneminyaka engu-365, kungenzeka u-Enoke wayesabukeka engumqemane, njengendoda eyayisazophila isikhathi eside. Kodwa akubanga njalo.

Cishe ukuphila kuka-Enoke kwakusengcupheni. Mcabange ebaleka, esayikhumbula kahle indlela ababesabele ngayo abantu ayebatshele umyalezo ovela kuNkulunkulu. Babethukuthele bengqangqa. Babemzonda. Babengawufuni umyalezo wakhe futhi bemenyanya uNkulunkulu owayemthumile. Babengeke bakwazi ukuhlasela uNkulunkulu ka-Enoke, uJehova, kodwa u-Enoke yena babengamhlasela! Mhlawumbe u-Enoke wayezibuza ukuthi uyoke aphinde awubone yini umndeni wakhe. Wacabanga yini ngenkosikazi nangamadodakazi akhe noma indodana yakhe uMethusela noma umzukulu wakhe uLameka? (Genesise 5:21- 23, 25) Ingabe kwase kuphelile ngaye?

IBhayibheli alisho okuningi ngo-Enoke. Kunezindinyana ezintathu kuphela ezikhuluma ngaye eBhayibhelini. (Genesise 5:21-24; Hebheru 11:5; Jude 14, 15) Nokho, lawo mavesi asinika imininingwane eyanele ukuba sibone ukuthi wayeyindoda yokholo. Ingabe unomndeni owunakekelayo? Wake wazabalaza ukuze ulwele iqiniso? Uma kunjalo, ungase ufunde okuningi endleleni u-Enoke alubonisa ngayo ukholo.

Lapho kuzalwa u-Enoke abantu babenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu. Kwakuyisizukulwane sesikhombisa ukusuka ku-Adamu. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi abantu babesasondele empilweni ephelele ngokomzimba u-Adamu no-Eva ababenayo kodwa bayilahla. Yingakho babephila isikhathi eside kangaka. Kodwa, uma kuziwa endleleni yabo yokuziphatha nasebuhlotsheni babo noNkulunkulu base beduke kakhulu. Ubudlova babudlangile. Lowo mkhuba wawuqale esizukulwaneni sesibili, lapho uKhayini ebulala umfowabo u-Abela. Omunye oyinzalo kaKhayini wayebonakala eziqhenya ngokuba nobudlova kakhulu kunoKhayini. Esizukulwaneni sesithathu, kwase kunobunye ububi. Abantu baqala ukubiza igama likaJehova kodwa hhayi njengesenzo sokumkhonza. Ngokusobala, babesebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu elingcwele ngendlela ehlambalazayo nengenanhlonipho.—Genesise 4:8, 23-26.

Lolo hlobo lwenkolo eyonakele cishe lwalwandile ngesikhathi sika-Enoke. Njengoba u-Enoke ekhula, kwadingeka akhethe. Ingabe wayezofana nabantu bangosuku lwakhe? Noma ingabe wayeyofuna uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, owenza amazulu nomhlaba? Kumelwe ukuba kwamkhuthaza kakhulu ukufunda ngo-Abela, owayefele ukholo lwakhe ngoba wayekhulekele uJehova ngendlela eyayimjabulisa. U-Enoke naye wakhetha ukujabulisa uJehova. UGenesise 5:22 uthi: “U-Enoke waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu  weqiniso.” Lawo mazwi aphawulekayo aveza u-Enoke njengendoda ehlonipha uNkulunkulu ezweni elingamhloniphi. Ungumuntu wokuqala iBhayibheli elimchaza ngale ndlela.

Ivesi elifanayo lithi u-Enoke waqhubeka ehamba noJehova ngisho nangemva kokuzalwa kwendodana yakhe uMethusela. Ngakho u-Enoke wayenomndeni lapho eneminyaka engaba ngu-65. Wayenenkosikazi, engashiwongo ngegama emiBhalweni, ‘namadodana namadodakazi’ okungashiwongo ukuthi ayemangaki. Uma indoda izohamba noNkulunkulu ibe ikhulisa umndeni wayo futhi iwondla, kumelwe izame ukuwunakekela ngendlela kaNkulunkulu. U-Enoke wayeqonda ukuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba anamathele kumkakhe ngokwethembeka. (Genesise 2:24) Futhi wenza konke okwakusemandleni akhe ukuba afundise izingane zakhe ngoJehova uNkulunkulu. Kwaba namuphi umphumela?

ImiBhalo ephefumulelwe ayisiniki imininingwane eminingi ngalokho. Ayisitsheli lutho ngokholo lwendodana ka-Enoke, uMethusela, owaphila isikhathi eside kunabo bonke okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini, waze wafa ngonyaka okwafika ngawo uZamcolo omkhulu. Nokho, uMethusela wazala uLameka. ULameka waphila nomkhulu wakhe u-Enoke iminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu. Lapho ekhula, uLameka wabonisa ukholo oluphawulekayo. UJehova wamphefumulela ukuba aprofethe ngoNowa indodana yakhe futhi leso siprofetho sagcwaliseka ngemva kukaZamcolo. UNowa kwathiwa uyindoda eyahamba noNkulunkulu njengokhokho wakhe u-Enoke. UNowa akazange ahlangane no-Enoke. Kodwa u-Enoke washiya ifa elicebile. Kungenzeka uNowa wezwa ngalelo fa ngobaba wakhe, uLameka, noma ngomkhulu wakhe uMethusela noma mhlawumbe ngisho nangoJarede, ubaba ka-Enoke, owafa ngesikhathi uNowa eneminyaka engu-366.—Genesise 5:25-29; 6:9; 9:1.

Cabanga ngomehluko ophakathi kuka-Enoke no-Adamu. U-Adamu, nakuba ayephelele, wona kuJehova futhi washiyela inzalo yakhe ifa lokuvukela nosizi. U-Enoke, nakuba ayengaphelele, wahamba noNkulunkulu futhi washiyela inzalo yakhe ifa lokholo. U-Adamu wafa lapho u-Enoke eneminyaka engu-308. Ingabe umndeni ka-Adamu wamlilela ukhokho wawo onobugovu? Asazi. Kunoma yikuphi, u-Enoke “waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.”—Genesise 5:24.

Uma unakekela umndeni, cabanga ngalokho ongakufunda okholweni luka-Enoke. Nakuba kubalulekile ukunakekela umndeni wakho ngokwenyama, asikho isidingo esibaluleke kunobuhlobo bawo noNkulunkulu. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Leso sidingo awusinakekeli ngalokho okushoyo kuphela kodwa nangalokho okwenzayo. Uma ukhetha ukuhamba noNkulunkulu njengo-Enoke uvumele iziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu zikuhole ekuphileni, nawe uyoshiyela umndeni wakho ifa elicebile—isibonelo esiyigugu abangasilingisa.

Kungenzeka u-Enoke wazizwa elahliwe njengoba ayeyindoda enokholo ezweni elingenalo ukholo. Kodwa ingabe uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova wayembona? Yebo. Lafika usuku uJehova axhumana ngalo nenceku yakhe ethembekile. UNkulunkulu wanika u-Enoke umyalezo okwakufanele awuhambise kubantu bangosuku lwakhe. Ngakho wenza u-Enoke waba umprofethi, owaba owokuqala ukuba umyalezo wakhe ubhalwe eBhayibhelini. Lokhu sikwazi ngoba uJude, umfowabo kaJesu, waphefumulelwa ukuba  abhale amazwi ka-Enoke ayisiprofetho emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva. *

Sasithini isiprofetho sika-Enoke? Sasithi: “Bheka! UJehova wafika namashumi akhe ezinkulungwane ezingcwele, ezokhipha isahlulelo kubo bonke, futhi ezobalahla ngecala bonke abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yazo zonke izenzo zabo zokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu abazenza ngendlela yokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, nangenxa yezinto ezishaqisayo izoni ezingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ezazikhuluma ngaye.” (Jude 14, 15) Into yokuqala okungenzeka uyinakile ukuthi u-Enoke wayekhuluma esebenzisa inkathi eyedlule, njengokungathi uNkulunkulu wayesekwenzile lokho okuchazwa isiprofetho. Le indlela abaprofethi abaningi abamlandela abayisebenzisa. Nali iphuzu: Umprofethi ukhuluma ngokuthile okuqinisekwayo ukuthi kuzokwenzeka kangangokuthi kungachazwa njengosekwenzekile!—Isaya 46:10.

Wayezizwa kanjani u-Enoke ngokuhambisa leso simemezelo, mhlawumbe eshumayeza bonke ayengabafinyelela? Phawula ukuthi sasinamandla kanjani isixwayiso sakhe—izikhathi ezine wasebenzisa amazwi athi ‘ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu’ ukuze agxeke abantu, izenzo zabo nendlela ababenza ngayo izinto. Ngakho isiprofetho saxwayisa bonke abantu ngokuthi indlela ababephila ngayo kusukela ekuxoshweni kwabo e-Edene yase yonakele ngokuphelele. Leyo ndlela yabo yokuphila yayizoqedwa nya lapho uJehova efika “namashumi akhe ezinkulungwane ezingcwele”—amalegiyona ezingelosi ezinamandla ezihlelelwe impi—elethe imbubhiso. U-Enoke wasihambisa ngesibindi leso sixwayiso, eyedwa vo! Mhlawumbe uLameka osemncane wayebukele emangazwe yisibindi sikamkhulu wakhe. Uma kunjalo, singabona ukuthi kungani.

Ukholo luka-Enoke lungasenza sizibuze ukuthi ingabe sibheka izwe esiphila kulo ngendlela uNkulunkulu alibheka ngalo. Isahlulelo esamenyezelwa u-Enoke ngesibindi sisenjalo, sisasebenza ezweni lanamuhla njengoba nje sasisebenza ezweni nangosuku luka-Enoke. Njengoba sasishilo isixwayiso sika-Enoke, uJehova waletha uZamcolo omkhulu ngokumelene nezwe langosuku lukaNowa elalingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Leyo mbubhiso yaba isibonelo sembubhiso enkulu nakakhulu eseza. (Mathewu 24:38, 39; 2 Petru 2:4-6) Nanamuhla, njengoba kwakunjalo ngaleso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu namashumi akhe ezinkulungwane ezingcwele ukulungele ukuletha isahlulelo esilungile ngokumelene nezwe elingamhloniphi. Ngamunye wethu kudingeka asinakisise isixwayiso sika-Enoke futhi asidlulisele kwabanye. Abangane nemindeni yethu bangase bamelane nathi. Singase sibe nomzwangedwa ngezinye izikhathi. Kodwa uJehova akazange amshiye u-Enoke, futhi ngeke azishiye nezinceku zakhe ezithembekile namuhla!

Wafa kanjani u-Enoke? Indlela afa ngayo imangaza kakhulu kunokuphila kwakhe. Ukulandisa kukaGenesise kuthi: “U-Enoke waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso. Khona-ke akabange esaba khona, ngoba uNkulunkulu wamthatha.” (Genesise 5:24) UNkulunkulu wamthatha ngayiphi indlela u-Enoke? Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza: “Ngokholo u-Enoke wadluliswa ukuze angakuboni ukufa, futhi akatholakalanga ndawo ngoba uNkulunkulu wayemdlulisile; ngoba ngaphambi kokudluliswa kwakhe wafakazelwa ukuthi wayemjabulisile uNkulunkulu.” (Hebheru 11:5) Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu uma ethi “wadluliswa ukuze angakuboni ukufa”? Ezinye izinguqulo zamaBhayibheli zithi uNkulunkulu wathatha u-Enoke wamusa ezulwini. Kodwa lokho akunakwenzeka. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayengowokuqala ukuvuselwa ezulwini.—Johane 3:13.

 Pho kungayiphi indlela u-Enoke ‘adluliswa’ ukuze “angakuboni ukufa”? Kungenzeka ukuthi uJehova wadlulisela u-Enoke ekufeni ngendlela engenabo ubuhlungu, emsindisa kunoma yimiphi imihelo yokufa. Kodwa ngaphambi kwalokho, u-Enoke “wafakazelwa ukuthi wayemjabulisile uNkulunkulu.” Kanjani? Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, kungenzeka u-Enoke wathola umbono kuNkulunkulu, mhlawumbe owawumbonisa umhlaba usuyipharadesi. Enalolo phawu olucacile lokwamukelwa uJehova, u-Enoke wafa. Ebhala ngo-Enoke namanye amadoda nabesifazane abanokholo umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Bonke laba bafa benokholo.” (Hebheru 11:13) Ngemva kwalokho izitha zakhe kungenzeka zacinga isidumbu sakhe kodwa ‘asitholakalanga,’ mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wasifihla, enzela ukuthi zingasonakalisi noma zisisebenzisele ukukhuthaza inkolo yamanga. *

Sinalokho kuqonda okusekelwe emBhalweni ake sizame ukucabanga indlela okungenzeka u-Enoke wafa ngayo. Sibone ngeso lengqondo lesi senzakalo, ukhumbule ukuthi lokhu kumane kungenye yezinto okungenzeka zenzeka. U-Enoke wayebaleka, esefile ukukhathala. Izitha zazisezithendeni zakhe, zithukuthele zingqangqa ngenxa yesahlulelo ayesimemezela. U-Enoke wathola indawo yokucasha isikhashana, kodwa wayazi ukuthi wayengeke abaleke unomphela. Kwase kuseduze afe kabuhlungu. Ngesikhathi esaphumule, wathandaza kuNkulunkulu. Wabe esehlelwa ukuthula okungavamile. U-Enoke wafikelwa umbono owawucace njengokungathi wawenzeka ngempela.

Mcabange ebona embonweni izwe elihluke kakhulu kulelo ayelazi. Kuye, lalilihle lifana nensimu yase-Edene kodwa ayengekho amakherubi ayegade ukuba abantu bangangeni. Kwakunamadoda nabesifazane abaningi—bonke beyimiqemane futhi begcwele ubungqabavu. Kwakunokuthula phakathi kwabo. Yayingekho inzondo noma ukuhlushwa ngenxa yenkolo u-Enoke ayekujwayele. U-Enoke yena wazizwa eqiniseka ngothando lukaJehova nangokwamukelwa nguye. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi le ndawo, yindawo okufanele abe kuyo futhi yayizoba yikhaya lakhe. Kancane kancane wafikelwa ukuthula okukhulu, u-Enoke wacimeza wazunywa ubuthongo obungenamaphupho.

Uselapho namanje—ebuthongweni obuwukufa futhi ugcinwe kahle enkumbulweni kaJehova engenamkhawulo! Njengoba uJesu athembisa kamuva, luyeza usuku lapho bonke abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu beyozwa izwi likaKristu futhi baphume emathuneni, bavule amehlo abo babone izwe elisha, elihle nelinokuthula.—Johane 5:28, 29.

Ingabe nawe uyoba khona? Cabanga ukuthi kuyoba mnandi kanjani ukuhlangana no-Enoke. Cabanga ngezinto ezimangazayo esingazifunda kuye! Angasitshela ukuthi lokho ebesicabanga ukuthi kwenzeka kuye esezofa kuyiqiniso yini. Kodwa kunento ephuthumayo okumelwe siyifunde kuye kwamanje. Ngemva kokukhuluma ngo-Enoke, uPawulu wathi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa [uNkulunkulu].” (Hebheru 11:6) Yeka isizathu esinamandla sokuba ngamunye wethu alingise ukholo nesibindi okwaboniswa u-Enoke!