Wabeketelela Timo Letimatima

ELIJA abehla ngeSihosha saseJordane. Abesahambe emaviki lamanyenti alibangise enyakatfo kusuka eNtsabeni iHorebe, waze wefika ka-Israyeli. Watsi nakefika wabona lushintjo kulelive lakubo. Besewuphela umonakalo lobowubangelwe somiso lebesesitsetse sikhatsi lesidze. Imikhemetelo yasekwindla beseyicalile, nebalimi sebavele basemasimini abo, balima. Kungenteka kutsi kwamdvudvuta lomphrofethi kubona umhlaba wakubo ubuyela esimeni lesikahle, noma kunjalo bekubantfu labebakhatsalela kakhulu. Buhlobo babo naNkulunkulu bebusesimeni lesibucayi. Elija abenemsebenti lomkhulu lobekufanele awente ngoba ema-Israyeli abesolo abanjwe kukhonta kwaBhali lobekutse citsi saka.a

Dvutane nelidolobha i-Abela Mehola, Elija wabona kulinywa imihhalo yemasimu. Bekunesipani setinkhabi letingu-24, tiboshelwe ngatimbili, tivula emalayini kulomhlabatsi lobutsile. Indvodza lebeyilima ngaleti letimbili lebetisekugcineni, kwakungulena Elija labevele ayifuna. Lendvodza kwakungu-Elisha, Jehova labemkhetse kutsi abe ngumphrofethi ngemuva kwa-Elija. Elija wake wacabanga kutsi nguye kuphela locotfo kuNkulunkulu, ngako-ke akungabateki kutsi abekulangatelela kuhlangana nalendvodza.—1 Emakhosi 18:22; 19:14-19.

Elija abengabata yini kuniketa lomunye umuntfu leminye yemisebenti yakhe, kusebentisana nalomunye nome kutsi ngalelinye lilanga kufakwe lomunye esikhundleni sakhe? Singete sasho njalo futsi sibe singeke sigomele ngekutsi imicabango lenjalo ayizange seyifike engcondvweni yakhe ngoba naye “abengumuntfu lonemiva lefana neyetfu.” (Jakobe 5:17) Kunome ngukuphi, liBhayibheli litsi: “Elija waya kuye, wafike wamembesa ngalengubo yakhe.” (1 Emakhosi 19:19) Lengubo ya-Elija, lokungenteka kutsi beyentiwe ngesikhumba semvu nome sembuti, yayembatfwa njengelijazi lelingenamikhono futsi beyimelela kutsi Jehova umnikete sabelo lesikhetsekile. Ngako, kwembesa Elisha lengubo kwaba sento lesinenchazelo lekhetsekile. Elija wawulalela umyalo waJehova wekutsi akhetse Elisha kutsi abe ngumphrofethi ngemuva kwakhe. Elija abemetsemba futsi amhlonipha Nkulunkulu wakhe.

Lendvodza beyikulangatelela kusita lomphrofethi lobekasakhulile. Elisha abengeke angene ngaleso sikhatsi esikhundleni sa-Elija. Kunaloko, wahamba naye iminyaka lecishe ibe sitfupha, futsi ngekutitfoba asita lomphrofethi losakhulile. Kamuva wadvuma ngekutsi “abevamise kutsela emanti etandleni ta-Elija.” (2 Emakhosi 3:11) Kwamdvudvuta kakhulu Elija kuba nemuntfu lokhona kumsita ngalendlela. Kungenteka kutsi laba lababili baba ngematse nelulwimi. Siyaciniseka kutsi kukhutsatana kwabo kwabasita kutsi babeketelele kuphatfwa kabi lobekusebhememe kuleyo ndzawo. Bubi benkhosi Ahabi bona-ke bebuya ngekudlanga nakakhulu.

Kuke kwenteke yini uphatfwe kabi? Linyenti letfu liphatfwa kabi kulomhlaba lowonakele. Kutfola umngani lotsandza Nkulunkulu kungakusita kutsi ubeketele. Ungaphindze ufundze lokunyenti ekukholweni kwa-Elija nawuzama kubeketelela kuphatfwa kabi.

Bo-Elija na-Elisha benta konkhe lokwakusemandleni abo kute basite bantfu bakhe buhlobo babo naNkulunkulu. Asingabati kutsi bahamba phambili ekucecesheni labanye baphrofethi, lokungenteka kutsi bebahlelwe baba ngemacembu lamancane. Kodvwa ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Elija watfola sabelo lesisha. Jehova watsi kuye: “Yehla uye ku-Ahabi, inkhosi yema-Israyeli.” (1 Emakhosi 21:18) Bekenteni Ahabi?

Lenkhosi yaseyivele isihlubuki, yenta tintfo letimbi kakhulu kwendlula onkhe lamanye emakhosi aka-Israyeli leyawalandzela. Yayishade naJezebeli, lokwabangela kutsi kukhontwa kwaBhali kugcwale lonkhe lelo live, futsi nayo lenkhosi yaba mdzibimunye kuloko. (1 Emakhosi 16:31-33) Kukhonta Bhali bekufaka ekhatsi emasiko lamayelana nentalo, bugwadla, nekwenta imihlatjelo ngebantfwana. Ngetulu kwaloko, Ahabi abesandza kwephula umyalo waJehova wekutsi abulale Bheni Hadadi, inkhosi lembi yaseSiriya. Kuyacaca kutsi kungalaleli kwa-Ahabi lomyalo bekubangelwa kutsi abenelitsemba lekutfola imali. (1 Emakhosi sehluko 20) Lase likhule kakhulu lizinga lekungenetiseki, kutsandza umcebo kanye nebudlova ku-Ahabi naJezebeli.

Ahabi bekanesigodlo lesikhulukati eSamariya. Abenalesinye sigodlo eJezreyeli, lebesikhashane ngemakhilomitha langu-37. Eceleni kwalesigodlo kwakunesivini. Ahabi abefuna kutsi lesivini sibe sakhe kantsi besisendvodza lebeyibitwa ngekutsi nguNabhothi. Ahabi wambita watsi utamnika imali nome amshintjisele ngalesinye sivini nakangamnika sona. Kodvwa Nabhothi watsi: “Simakadze akasungivumela kutsi ngikunike lifa labobabemkhulu.” (1 Emakhosi 21:3) Abengumuntfu locinisa ingcondvo nalongacabangisisi yini Nabhothi? Bantfu labanyenti bacabanga kanjalo, kantsi empeleni abelalela uMtsetfo waJehova lowawungawavumeli ema-Israyeli kutsi awutsengise siphelane umhlaba lolifa lemndeni wakubo. (Levithikhusi 25:23-28) KuNabhothi, kwakuyintfo lengenangcondvo kwephula uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Abeyindvodza leyetsembekile futsi lenesibindzi, ngobe bekati kutsi kuyingoti kungakwenti loko bekushiwo ngu-Ahabi.

Kuyacaca kutsi Ahabi abengacabangi ngeMtsetfo waJehova. Wabuyela ekhaya ‘ahluneme futsi atfukutsele’ ngenca yekutsi abengakakutfoli loku labekufuna. ‘Wafike walala embhedzeni wakhe, acumbelene; wadvuba nekudla.’ (1 Emakhosi 21:4) Watsi Jezebeli nakabona indvodza yakhe idvubise kwemntfwana, ngekushesha wase wakha lisu lekutsi ayitfolele loko lebeyikufuna. Lelisu lakhe lalifaka ekhatsi nekubulala umndeni lobewungenacala.

Nawufundza ngalelisu lakhe, akwenteki kutsi ungetfuki ngendlela lalilibi ngayo. Indlovukati Jezebeli beyati kutsi uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu bewutsi licala lelibi kufanele libe nabofakazi lababili kuze libe nesisindvo. (Dutheronomi 19:15) Ngako-ke yabhala tincwadzi egameni la-Ahabi yatjela emadvodza aseJezreyeli lasetikhundleni letiphakeme kutsi afune emadvodza lamabili lanesifiso sekwetfula bufakazi lobungemanga ngaNabhothi, atsi uhlambalate Nkulunkulu, lokwakulicala lelinesigwebo sekufa. Kuyadzabukisa kutsi laphumelela lelicebo lakhe. “Emahuzu lamabili” etfula bufakazi lobungemanga ngaNabhothi, wase ugcotjwa ngematje waze wafa. Akugcinanga ngaye, ngisho nemadvodzana akhe abulawa.b (1 Emakhosi 21:5-14; Levithikhusi 24:16; 2 Emakhosi 9:26) Ahabi akazange abusebentise bunhloko bakhe, wavumela umfati wakhe kutsi ente matsandza aphindze abulale bantfu labangenacala.

Asewucabange nje kutsi waphatseka njani Elija ngalesikhatsi Jehova amembulela loko lokwakwentiwe yinkhosi nendlovukati. Kungasicedza emandla kubona bantfu lababi baphumelela kwendlula labalungile. (Tihlabelelo 73:3-5, 12, 13) Lamuhla sivame kubona kuphatfwa kabuhlungu kwebantfu, ngaletinye tikhatsi kwentiwa ngulabasetikhundleni labatsi bamelele Nkulunkulu. Nome kunjalo, singadvudvuteka nasifundza lendzaba. Kuyo, liBhayibheli lisikhumbuta kutsi kute lokufihlekile kuJehova. Ubona konkhe. (Hebheru 4:13) Yini layentako ngalobubi labubonako?

Jehova watfuma Elija ku-Ahabi, watsi kuye: “Manje usesivinini saNabothi.” (1 Emakhosi 21:18) Watsi Jezebeli nakatjela Ahabi kutsi sesakhe lesivini, wavele wasukuma ngaleso sikhatsi waya kuso. Akazange akucabange nakancane nje kutsi Jehova uyambona. Asewumbone ngeliso lengcondvo ahambahamba kulesivini, acabanga ngendlela langasenta ngayo kutsi sibe yingadze lenhle. Kwatsi kusenjalo, chamu tfushu Elija! Buso ba-Ahabi lobebugcwele injabulo bashintja ngekuphatima kweliso, bagcwala intfukutselo nenzondo, waze wabhavumula watsi: “Wo! Sewungitfolile, sitsa sami!”—1 Emakhosi 21:20.

Emavi a-Ahabi akhombisa bulima ngetindlela letimbili. Kwekucala, nakatsi ku-Elija: “Sewungitfolile,” Ahabi abekhombisa kutsi abengacabangi ngaJehova, ngoba Jehova abesavele ‘amtfolile.’ Wambona Ahabi nakayisebentisa kabi inkhululeko yakhe yekutikhetsela aphindze ajatjuliswa ngulesivini labesitfole ngenca yelisu lelibi laJezebeli. Nkulunkulu wayibona inhlitiyo ya-Ahabi kutsi beseyitsandza umcebo kwendlula, kuba nemusa, kuphatsa kahle labanye nome kuba neluvelo. Kwesibili, Ahabi nakatsi ku-Elija: “Sitsa sami!” abekhombisa kutsi abeyizonda lendvodza leyayingumngani waNkulunkulu Jehova futsi lebeyingamsita aphendvuke kulesento sakhe lesibi.

Singafundza tifundvo letibalulekile kulobulima ba-Ahabi. Kufanele sihlale sikhumbula kutsi Nkulunkulu Jehova ubona konkhe. Njengobe anguBabe lositsandzako, uyasibona nasesiphambuka kulokulungile, futsi ufisa kusibona sishintja kuloko lokubi. Kute asisite, uvame kusebentisa bangani bakhe, lokubantfu labetsembekile, labatjela labanye loko Nkulunkulu lakushoko, njengoba kwenta Elija. Ngabe senta liphutsa nasibatsatsa njengetitsa tetfu labo lababangani baNkulunkulu.—Tihlabelelo 141:5.

Asewumbone ngeliso lengcondvo Elija aphendvula Ahabi atsi: “Ngikutfolile.” Abesatfolile kutsi Ahabi ungumuntfu lonjani. Abesigebengu, angumbulali futsi avukela Nkulunkulu Jehova. Ungacabanga-ke kutsi bekudzingeka abe nesibindzi lesingakanani kute acondzane nalendvodza lebeyenta lokubi! Elija wase utjela Ahabi ngesehlulelo saNkulunkulu. Jehova wakubona konkhe lokwakwenteka. Bubi lobebentiwa emndenini wa-Ahabi besebungene nakubantfu baleyondzawo. Ngako-ke, Elija watjela Ahabi kutsi Nkulunkulu ‘utawubhubhisa intalelwane yakhe,’ lokusho kucedvwa kwawo onkhe emakhosi labetawuvela emndenini wakhe. Jezebeli naye abetawujeziswa.—1 Emakhosi 21:20-26.

Elija akazange amane atsatse ngekutsi bantfu batawuvele baphunyule bangajeziswa ngalokubi labakwentile. Bantfu labanyenti bacabanga kanjalo eveni lesiphila kulo namuhla. Lendzaba leseBhayibhelini isikhumbuta kutsi Nkulunkulu Jehova akagcini nje ngekubona loko lokwentekako, kodvwa uphindze aletse sehlulelo ngesikhatsi sakhe lesifanele. LiVi lakhe lisicinisekisa ngekutsi liyeta lilanga latawucedza ngalo konkhe kuphatfwa kabi kwebantfu lobekusolo kwenteka. (Tihlabelelo 37:10, 11) Noma kunjalo, ungase utibute kutsi: ‘Tehlulelo taNkulunkulu tifaka ekhatsi kujezisa kuphela yini? Akwenteki yini tibe nesihawu?’

Kungenteka kutsi Elija wamangala ngendlela lenta ngayo Ahabi ngemuva kwekumtjela ngesehlulelo saNkulunkulu. Naku lokwenteka: “Watsi kube Ahabi eve lamavi, wadzabula tingubo takhe, wembatsa emasaka, wazila, walala ngemasaka, wahamba angulotfotjisiwe.” (1 Emakhosi 21:27) Abekhombisa kuphendvuka yini Ahabi?

Mhlawumbe singasho kutsi kwakusento lesikhombisa kuphendvuka. Ahabi watitfoba—lokuyintfo lekumatima ngendvodza letigcabhako naletikhukhumetako kutsi iyente. Kodvwa kwakukuphendvuka mbamba yini loko? Loku singakucatsanisa nalokwenteka enkhosini Manase, leyenta lokubi kakhulu kwendlula Ahabi. Ngesikhatsi Jehova amjezisa, Manase watitfoba wacela kutsi amsite. Kodvwa akagcinanga ngaloko. Washintja kuphila kwakhe ngekutsi asuse tonkhe tithico lebekatentile. Wenta konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kutsi akhonte Jehova, waze wakhutsata ngisho nebantfu lebekababusa kutsi nabo babuyele kuNkulunkulu. (2 Tikhronike 33:1-17) Waphendvuka ngaleyondlela yini na-Ahabi? Kuyadzabukisa kutsi akazange.

Jehova wakubona yini kuphendvuka kwa-Ahabi nekudzabuka kwakhe? Jehova watsi ku-Elija: “Ubonile yini kutsi Ahabi utitfobe kanjani embikwami? Ngenca yekutsi utitfobile kimi, ngingeke ngisamehlisela lesigemegeme etikhatsini takhe, kodvwa ngiyawusehlisela etikwendlu yakakhe ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwemsa wakhe.” (1 Emakhosi 21:29) Jehova abemtsetselela yini Ahabi nakasho njalo? Cha, kuphendvuka mbamba kuphela lobekungamenta atfole umusa waNkulunkulu. (Hezekeli 33:14-16) Kodvwa njengobe Ahabi watisola ngelizinga lelitsite, Jehova wamkhombisa umusa ngekwelizinga lebekaphendvuke ngalo. Ahabi abengeke asibone lesigemegeme sekubulawa kwemndeni wakhe wonkhe.

Nome kunjalo, Jehova akazange asishintje sehlulelo sakhe. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Jehova wakhuluma netingilosi takhe mayelana nekutsi angahungwa kanjani Ahabi kutsi aye emphini lapho bekatawubulawa khona. Ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko Jehova wamgweba Ahabi. Bamgwaza kuleyo mphi, wopha waze wafela encoleni yakhe. Lendzaba iphindze isho naku lokubuhlungu: Ngalesikhatsi incola yenkhosi igezwa kwefika tinja tacapha ingati yayo. Agcwaliseka embi kwebantfu emavi aJehova Elija lawatjela Ahabi, latsi: “Lapho tinja tacapha khona ingati yaNabothi, tinja tiyawuphindze ticaphe khona ingati yakho.”—1 Emakhosi 21:19; 22:19-22, 34-38.

Ku-Elija na-Elisha, nakubo bonkhe bantfu baNkulunkulu labetsembekile, siphetfo sa-Ahabi sisicinisekiso lesisikhumbuta kutsi Jehova akazange asikhohlwe sibindzi nekukholwa kwaNabhothi. Nkulunkulu wekulunga akehluleki nanini kujezisa labenta lokubi, nanome kungashesha nome kutsatse sikhatsi lesidze; futsi akehluleki kwehlulela ngemusa nangabe anesizatfu sekwenta njalo. (Numeri 14:18) Leso kwaba sifundvo lesikhulu ku-Elija, lowabeketela iminyaka leminyenti ngephansi kwekubusa kwalenkhosi lembi. Uke waphatfwa kabi yini wena? Uyakulangatelela yini kubona Nkulunkulu akucedza loko? Uyobe wenta kahle nawulingisa kukholwa kwa-Elija. Akanye na-Elisha, umsiti wakhe lowetsembekile, waphikelela ekumemeteleni imilayeto yaNkulunkulu, wabeketelela timo letimatima.