Kodi Muli ndi Chikhulupiriro Chonga cha Eliya?
CHITAGANYA cha anthu lerolino chimaluluza chikhulupiriro. Akatswiri ambiri amaseka lingaliro la kukhalako kwa Mulungu. Onyenga achipembedzo amanyazitsa Mulungu. Ndipo dziko lonse mowonjezereka limachita monga ngati Mulungu saali kanthu kwenikweni. Kaya kaimidwe kamaganizo kameneka kamawopseza munthu, kapena kumlefula, kapena kumgwetsa mphwayi, kali ndi chotulukapo chimodzimodzi: Chikhulupiriro cha munthuyo chimazimiririka. Nkosadabwitsa kuti mtumwi Paulo anatcha kusoŵa chikhulupiriro kukhala ‘tchimo lomangotizinga’!—Ahebri 12:1.
Mwina nchifukwa chake Paulo anayesayesa kwambiri kukokera chidwi chathu ku moyo wa amuna ndi akazi achikhulupiriro cholimba. (Ahebri, mutu 11) Zitsanzo zoterozo zingatisonkhezere ndi kulimbitsa chikhulupiriro chathu. Mwachitsanzo, tiyeni tipende mneneri Eliya, mwakusumika maganizo athu kokha pambali yoyamba ya ntchito yake ya uneneri wanthaŵi yaitali. Iye anakhalako m’nthaŵi yaulamuliro wa Mfumu Ahabu ndi mkazi wake wakunja, Mfumukazi Yezebeli, panthaŵi imene, mofanana ndi tsopano, chikhulupiriro mwa Mulungu wowona chinali kunyonyotsoka.
Ufumu Woipa wa Mafuko Khumi
Anthuni, okwatirana aŵiri ameneŵa anapezana chotani nanga! Ahabu anali mfumu yachisanu ndi chiŵiri ya Ufumu wa Israyeli wa mafuko khumi. Ngakhale kuti mafumu ena asanu ndi imodzi amene analamulira iye asanakhale anali oipa, Ahabu anaŵaposa. Sanangochirikiza kulambiridwa konyansa kwa mwana wang’ombe kwa dzikolo koma anakwatira Yezebeli, mwana wamkazi wa mfumu ya dziko lina, motero kuyambitsa mpangidwe wolimba wakulambira Baala mulungu wonyenga, umene dzikolo silinadziŵe ndi kalelonse.—1 Mafumu 16:30-33.
Yezebeli anali kulambira Baala chiyambire ubwana wake. Etibaala, atate ŵake, yemwe anali wansembe wa Asitoreti (mkazi wa Baala), anachita kupha anzawo kuti akhale mfumu ya Sidoni, ufumu wakumpoto kwenikweni kwa Israyeli. Yezebeli anasonkhezera mwamuna wake wololera molakwayo kukhazikitsa kulambira kwa Baala m’Israyeli. Mosataya nthaŵi, m’dzikomo munakhala aneneri 450 a mulungu wonyengayo ndi aneneri 400 a Asherah, mulungu wachikazi, ndipo onse ankadya pagome la mfumu. Mpangidwe wawo wakulambira unali wochititsa nseru chotani nanga m’maso mwa Mulungu wowona, Yehova! Zizindikiro za mpheto yachimuna, madzoma akubala, mahule amkachisi (amuna ndi akazi), ngakhale kupereka ana nsembe—zinali zinthu zapadera za chipembedzo chonyansa chimenechi. Mwachilolezo cha Ahabu, chinafalikira mosaletseka mu ufumu wonsewo.
Aisrayeli mamiliyoni ambiri anaiŵala Yehova, Mlengi wa dziko lapansi ndi zungulirezungulire wake wamadzi. Kwa iwo Baala ndamene anadalitsa dzikolo kulipatsa mvula pamapeto pa nyengo yachilimwe. Chaka chirichonse anayembekezera ‘Wokwera pa Mitambo’ ameneyu, wotchedwa mulungu wa kubala ndi nyengo yadzinja, kuthetsa chilala. Chaka ndi chaka, mvula inkagwa. Chaka ndi chaka, Baala ankalandira thamo.
Eliya Alengeza Chilala
Mothekera kunali kumapeto kwa nyengo yaitali yachilimwe—pafupi kwenikweni ndi nthaŵi imene anthu anayamba kuyembekezera Baala kudzetsa mvula yopatsa moyo—pamene Eliya anawonekera m’cholembedwachi.a Awonekera m’cholembedwa cha Baibulo chimenechi mwadzidzidzi mofanana ndi kugunda kwa bingu. Cholembedwacho chimatiuza zochepa ponena za makulidwe ake, ndipo sichimatchula makolo ake. Koma mosiyana ndi bingu, Eliya sanali chizindikiro cha mvula yamkuntho. Iye analengeza kwa Ahabu nati: ‘Pali Yehova Mulungu wa Israyeli, amene ndimakhala pamaso pake, ngati adzagwa mame kapena mvula zaka izi, koma ntanena ine ndipo.’—1 Mafumu 17:1.
Tamuyerekezerani mwamunayu, wovala malaya wamba aubweya. Iye ndinzika ya Gileadi, dziko lamapiri, mothekera wokulira pakati pa abusa wamba a nkhosa. Waima pamaso pa Ahabu mfumu yamphamvu, mwinamwake m’bwalo mwenimweni mwa nyumba yake yaikulu yachifumu, nyumba yaminyanga yotchukayo, zokometsera zochuluka ndi mafano aakulu odabwitsa. Kumeneko, mumzinda wa Samariya wapiringupiringu, kumene kulambira kwa Yehova kunazilala, auza Ahabu kuti mulungu ameneyu, Baala, ngwopanda mphamvu, wachabechabe. Chaka chino ndi zaka zotsatira, akulengeza motero Eliya, sidzagwa mvula kapena mame!
Kodi nkuti kumene anapeza chikhulupiriro chotero? Kodi sanachite mantha, kuima pamaso pa mfumu yopanduka, yodzikuza imeneyi? Mwina anatero. Pambuyo pa zaka zikwi, Yakobo, mbale wamimba ina wa Yesu, akutitsimikizira kuti Eliya anali “wakumva zomwezi tizimva ife.” (Yakobo 5:17) Koma kumbukirani mawu a Eliya akuti: ‘Pali Yehova Mulungu wa Israyeli, amene ndimakhala pamaso pake.’ Eliya anakumbukira kuti monga mtumiki wa Yehova, anali kuima pamaso pa mpando wachifumu waukulu kuposa wa Ahabu—mpando wachifumu wa Mfumu Ambuye wa chilengedwe chonse! Anali woimira, nthumwi, ya wokhala pampando wachifumu umenewo. Pokhala ndi lingaliro limenelo, akanawopanji kwa Ahabu, mfumu wamba yaumunthu imene inataya dalitso la Yehova?
Sanali malunji kuti Yehova anali weniweni kwa Eliya. Mosakaikira mneneriyo anafufuza cholembedwa chonena za zochita za Mulungu ndi anthu Ake. Yehova anachenjeza Ayuda kuti akawalanga ndi chilala ndi njala ngati akatembenukira kukulambira milungu yonyenga. (Deuteronomo 11:16, 17) Pokhala ndi chidaliro chakuti Yehova amakwaniritsa mawu ake nthaŵi zonse, Eliya ‘anapemphera chipempherere kuti isavumbe mvula.’—Yakobo 5:17.
Chikhulupiriro Chisonyezedwa Mwakutsatira Chitsogozo
Komabe, kwakanthaŵi, chilengezo chomwe Eliya anapereka chinamuika paupandu wakuphedwa. Imeneyo inali nthaŵi yofuna mbali ina ya chikhulupiriro chake. Kuti akhale wamoyo, anayenera kukhala wokhulupirika m’kutsatira malangizo a Yehova aŵa: ‘Choka kuno, nutembenukire kum’maŵa, ukabisale kumtsinje Keriti uli ku Yordano. Ndipo kudzakhala kuti uzikamwa mumtsinje, ndipo ndalamulira makungubwi kukudyetsa kumeneko.’—1 Mafumu 17:3, 4.
Eliya anamvera panthaŵi yomweyo. Ngati anafuna kupulumuka chilala ndi njala zimene zinagwera dziko lake, anafunikira kudalira pamakonzedwe alionse amene Yehova anapereka kwa iye. Zimenezi zinali zovuta ndithu. Zinatanthauza kudzibisa iyemwini, kudzibindikiritsa kotheratu kwa miyezi yambiri popanda kuwonekera. Zinatanthauza kudya nyama ndi mkate zimene makungubwi anambweretsera—mbalame zodya nyama yowola yongodzifera zomwe zinali zodetsedwa malinga ndi Chilamulo cha Mose—ndi kukhulupirira Yehova kuti nyama zomwezo sizinali zowola zongodzifera koma zokhetsedwa bwinobwino monga mwalamulo. Chozizwitsa chimenechi chimawoneka kukhala chosatheka kotheratu kwa othirira ndemanga pa Baibulo kotero kuti amalingalira kuti liwu loyambirira panopa liyenera kuti linatanthauza “Aluya” osatinso “makungubwi” ayi. Koma makungubwi anali oyenerera kwambiri. Palibe amene akanalingalira kuti mbalame zonyansidwa zimenezi, zodetsedwa, zomaulukira kuthengo ndi zidutswa zawo za chakudya zinali kudyetsadi Eliya, yemwe Ahabu ndi Yezebeli analikufunafuna m’maiko onse ozungulira!—1 Mafumu 18:3, 4, 10.
Pamene chilalacho chinapitiriza, Eliya ayenera kuti anadera nkhaŵa ponena za madzi ake akumwa mumtsinje wa Keriti. Mitsinje yambiri ya Israyeli idaphwa m’nthaŵi yachilala, ndipo “atapita masiku ena,” mtsinjewu udaphwanso. Kodi mungayerekezere mmene Eliya anadzimvera pamene madziwo mwapang’onopang’ono analeka kutuluka kwambiri ndi maiŵe kuphwa tsiku ndi tsiku? Kunena zowona anazizwa ponena za zimene zikachitika madziwo atapitiratu. Ngakhale nditero, Eliya sanachokeko. Yehova anampatsa malangizo ena pamene mtsinjewo unaumiratu. Pita ku Zarefati, anauzidwa tero mneneriyo. Kumeneko akapeza chakudya kunyumba ya mkazi wamasiye.—1 Mafumu 17:7-9.
Zarefati! Tawuni limenelo linali m’dera la Sidoni, kumene Yezebeli anachokera ndi kumene atate ŵake analamulira monga mfumu! Kodi kukakhala kotetezereka? Mwina Eliya anazizwa. Koma “ananyamuka namka.”—1 Mafumu 17:10.
Yehova Apereka Chakudya ndi Moyo
Mwamsanga kumvera kwake kunafupidwa. Anakumana ndi mkazi wamasiye monga kunanenedweratu, ndipo anapeza mwa mkaziyo chikhulupiriro chimene nzika zinzake zinalibiretu. Mkazi wamasiye ameneyu anali ndi ufa ndi mafuta zongokwanira kuphikira chakudya chake chomalizira ndi cha mwana wake wamng’ono wamwamuna. Komabe, ngakhale kuti anali m’kusoŵa kwakukulu, mkaziyo anali wofunitsitsa choyamba kuphikira Eliya mkate, pokhulupirira lonjezo lake lakuti Yehova akadzaza nsupa ya mafuta ndi mbiya yake ya ufa malinga ndi utali wa kusoŵako. Nkosadabwitsa kuti Yesu Kristu anakumbukira chitsanzo chakukhulupirika kwa mkazi wamasiyeyu pamene anatsutsa Aisrayeli osakhulupirira m’tsiku lake!—1 Mafumu 17:13-16; Luka 4:25, 26.
Komabe, mosasamala kanthu ndi chozizwitsa chimenechi, chikhulupiriro cha mkazi wamasiyeyo ndi cha Eliya zinali pafupi kuyesedwa kwakukulu. Mwana wamwamuna wa mkaziyo anamwalira mwadzidzidzi. Posweka mtima, mkazi wamasiyeyo anangoganiza kuti tsoka lalikulu limenelo linachititsidwa ndi Eliya, “munthu wa Mulungu [wowona, NW].” Mkaziyo anazizwa kuti mwina anali kulangidwa chifukwa cha machimo ake akale. Koma Eliya analanda mwana wakufayo m’manja mwa amake namnyamula kupita naye kuchipinda chapamwamba. Anadziŵa kuti Yehova ankapereka zoposa chakudya chokha. Yehova ndiye magwero a moyo weniweniwo! Choncho Eliya anapemphera ndi mtima wonse mobwerezabwereza kuti moyo wa mwanayo ubwerere.
Eliya sanali woyamba kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro chotero m’chiukiriro, koma m’cholembedwa cha Baibulo, anali woyamba kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kuukitsa wakufa. Mnyamatayo ‘anakhalanso moyo’! Amayiyo ayenera kuti anasonyeza chimwemwe chadzawoneni pamene Eliya anambweretsera mwana wakeyo nanena m’mawu okhweka nati: ‘Tawona, mwana wako ali moyo.’ Mkaziyo, mosakaikira akugwetsa misozi, anati: ‘Ndizindikira tsopano kuti ndinu munthu wa Mulungu, ndikuti mawu a Yehova ali m’kamwa mwanuwo ngowona.’—1 Mafumu 17:17-24.
“Yehova Ndiye Mulungu Wanga”
Nkotonthoza chotani nanga, ndi koyenerera, kuti dzina la Eliya limatanthauza “Yehova Ndiye Mulungu Wanga”! M’nthaŵi ya chilala ndi njala, Yehova anampatsa chakudya ndi madzi; panthaŵi yamakhalidwe oipa a anthu, Yehova anampatsa chitsogozo choyenera; imfa itachitika, Yehova anamgwiritsira ntchito kubwezeretsa moyo. Ndipo zikuwoneka kuti nthaŵi iriyonse pamene Eliya anafunikira kusonyeza chikhulupiriro chake mwa Mulungu wake—mwakukhulupirira kuti Iye akapereka chakudya, mwakutsatira malangizo Ake, mwakumdalira Iye kuti adzalemekeza dzina Lake—zinampatsa zifukwa zowonjezereka zosonyezera chikhulupiriro mwa Yehova. Zimenezi zinakhala zowona pamene anapitiriza kulandira magawo owopsa ndipo ngakhale ovuta kwa Mulungu wake, Yehova; kunena zowona, zozizwitsa zake zina zazikulu zinali mtsogolo.—Onani 1 Mafumu, mutu 18.
Zilinso chimodzimodzi ndi atumiki a Yehova lerolino. Sitingadyetsedwe mozizwitsa kapena kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kuukitsa wakufa; ino sinyengo ya zozizwitsa zoterozo. Komabe, Yehova iyemwini sanasinthe mpang’ono pomwe chiyambire m’tsiku la Eliya.—1 Akorinto 13:8; Yakobo 1:17.
Nafenso tingagaŵiridwe ntchito yogwetsa ulesi, kapena magawo ena ovuta ndi owopsa kufikako ndi uthenga woperekedwa ndi Mulungu. Nthaŵi zina tingazunzidwe. Mwina tingakumanedi ndi njala. Koma kwa anthu okhulupirika ndi ku gulu lake lonse, Yehova watsimikizira mobwerezabwereza kuti akadali kutsogoza ndi kutetezera atumiki ake. Amawapatsabe mphamvu zochitira ntchito zirizonse zimene amawagaŵira. Ndipo amawathandizabe kupirira ziyeso zirizonse zimene zingawagwere m’dziko ili lokanthidwa ndi mavuto.—Salmo 55:22.
[Mawu a M’munsi]
a Yesu ndi Yakobo ananena kuti mvula sinagwe m’dzikolo “zaka zitatu ndi miyezi isanu ndi umodzi.” Komabe, Eliya akunenedwa kukhala akuwonekera pamaso pa Ahabu kuti athetse chilalacho ‘m’chaka chachitatu’—mosakaikira kuyambira kuŵerengera patsiku limene analengeza chilalacho. Chifukwa chake, ayenera kuti anaima pamaso pa Ahabu kwanthaŵi yoyamba pambuyo pa nyengo yaitali yachilala.—Luka 4:25; Yakobo 5:17; 1 Mafumu 18:1.
[Chithunzi patsamba 18]
Mofanana ndi Eliya, kodi muli ndi chikhulupiriro chakuti Yehova adzasamalira zosoŵa za atumiki ake?