Xelisani Ukholo Lwabo

Wabukela Waza Walinda

UELIYA wayekulangazelela ukuba kunye noBawo wakhe wasezulwini. Kodwa isihlwele sabantu esasimngqongile sasibona umprofeti wokwenyaniso obiza umlilo ezulwini yaye uninzi lwabo babezithandisa kuye. Ngaphambi kokuba uEliya anyuke aye kwiNtaba yeKarmele aze athethe noYehova uThixo ngasese ngomthandazo kwakufuneka enze umsebenzi onzima. Kwakufuneka athethe noKumkani uAhabhi.

UAhabhi noEliya babengafani. UAhabhi wayenxiba iimpahla ezintle zokumkani, engumntu obawayo nomwexuki ongenamqolo. UEliya wayenxiba ingubo yomprofeti—engekho mbejembeje, isambatho esenziwe ngesikhumba sesilwanyana, esenkamela okanye ngoboya bebhokhwe. Wayeyindoda eyayikhaliphe gqitha, egcina ingqibelelo nenokholo. Usuku ekwakumbovu ukuba lufike lwatyhila okuninzi ngobuntu bala madoda.a

KuAhabhi nabanye abanquli bakaBhahali olu yayilusuku olubi. Unqulo lobuhedeni olwaluxhaswa nguAhabhi nenkosikazi yakhe uKumkanikazi uIzebhele lwezizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli lwangqineka lububuxoki. UBhahali kwafumaniseka ukuba uliqothaqikili. Lo thixo ungaphiliyo akazange atsho nelimdaka nakuba abaprofeti bakhe babembongoza, bengqungqa yaye bezicenta kude kutsaze igazi. UBhahali akazange abakhusele abantu abangama-450 xa babebulawa nto leyo yayibafanele. Kodwa lo thixo wobuxoki wayesilele nakwenye into yaye lo nto yayisele iza kutyhilwa. Ngaphezu kweminyaka emithathu, abaprofeti bakaBhahali babongoza uthixo wabo ukuba aphelise imbalela eyayithwaxa ilizwe, kodwa uBhahali akazange akwazi. Kungekudala, uYehova wayeza kubabonisa ukuba wayenguThixo wokwenyaniso ngokuyiphelisa imbalela.—1 Kumkani 16:30–17:1; 18:1-40.

UYehova wayeza kukwenza nini oko? UEliya wayeza kuziphatha njani de kube lelo xesha? Yaye sinokufunda ntoni kule ndoda yokholo? Makhe sibone njengokuba siza kuhlolisisa ingxelo ekweyoku-1 Kumkani 18:41-46.

Umthandazo Wakhe

UEliya waya kuAhabhi waza wathi: “Hamba, uye kudla usele; kuba kuvakala isandi sengxokozelo yezantyalantyala zemvula.” (Indinyana 41) Ngaba ikho into eyafundwa ngulo kumkani ungendawo kwezi zinto zenzekayo? Le ngxelo ayitsho ngokungqalileyo, kodwa siphawula apha ukuba kwakungekho mazwi abonisa inguquko, akukho sicelo asenzileyo kumprofeti ukuze athethe noYehova aze acele uxolo. Akunjalo, uAhabhi “wenyuka waya kudla wasela.” (Indinyana 42) Kuthekani ngoEliya?

“Yena uEliya, wenyuka waya encotsheni yeKarmele waza wabuthuma emhlabeni wafaka nobuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo akhe.” Ngoxa uAhabhi wayesayokutya, uEliya wafumana ithuba lokuthandaza kuYise. Phawula indlela echazwa ngayo indlela awayeme ngayo—uEliya esemhlabeni intloko yakhe wayigoba kangangokuba ubuso bakhe babukufuphi namadolo akhe. Wayesenza ntoni uEliya? Kufuneka siqashele. EBhayibhileni, kuYakobi 5:18 isichazela ukuba uEliya wayethandazela ukuba imbalela iphele. Lo mthandazo wayewenzela encotsheni yeKarmele.

Ngaphambilana, uYehova wathi: “Ndizimisele ukunisa imvula phezu komhlaba.” (1 Kumkani 18:1) Ngoko ke, uEliya wayethandazela ukuba ukuthanda kukaYise kwenzeke, kanye njengokuba noYesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bakuthandazele emva kweminyaka eliwaka.—Mateyu 6:9, 10.

Umzekelo kaEliya usifundisa okuninzi ngomthandazo. Eyona nto wayecinga ngayo uEliya kukwenzeka kokuthanda kukaThixo. Xa sithandaza kuhle ukukhumbula ukuba: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni na esiyicelayo ngokuvumelana nokuthanda kwakhe [uThixo], uyasiva. Licacile elokuba kufuneka sikwazi ukuthanda kukaThixo ukuze imithandazo yethu iviwe—isizathu esivakalayo sokuba ukufunda iBhayibhile kube yinxalenye yobomi bethu. Ngokuqinisekileyo uEliya wayefuna ukuyibona imbalela iphela ngenxa yobunzima ababejamelene nabo abantu belizwe lakhe. Kwakhona wambulela uYehova emva kommangaliso awawenzayo ngalo mini. Sifanele sithandazele impilo-ntle yabanye abantu size simbulele uYehova.—2 Korinte 1:11; Filipi 4:6.

Ukuqiniseka Nokubukela

UEliya wayeqinisekile ukuba uYehova wayeza kwenza okuthile ukuze aphelise imbalela kodwa wayengaqinisekanga ukuba wayeza kukwenza nini. Ngoko ke, wenza ntoni lo mprofeti njengokuba wayesalindile? Phawula indinyana 43, ithi: “Wathi kumlindi wakhe: ‘Nceda unyuke. Khangela kwicala elingaselwandle.’ Ngoko wenyuka wajonga waza wathi: ‘Akukho nto konke konke.’ Yaye wahlabela mgama wathi, ‘Buyela kwakhona,’ kwada kwaba zizihlandlo ezisixhenxe.” Umzekelo kaEliya usifundisa ubuncinane izinto ezimbini. Okokuqala, phawula indlela lo mprofeti awayeqiniseke ngayo. Okwesibini phawula ukuba wayebukele.

UEliya njengokuba ngolangazelelo wayefuna ubungqina boko kwakuza kwenziwa nguYehova, wathumela umlindi wakhe kwindawo ephakamileyo ukuze ajonge esibhakabhakeni nantoni na engumqondiso wokuba kwakuza kuna. Emva kokuba ebuyile, umlindi weza nendaba ezimbi: “Akukho nto konke konke.” Kwakuzole nasebukhweni bezinja yaye kwakungekho mafu esibhakabhakeni. Ngaba ikho into oyiphawulayo engaqhelekanga? Khumbula ukuba uEliya wayesand’ ukuchazela uAhabhi esithi: “Kuvakala isandi sengxokozelo yezantyalantyala zemvula.” Lo mprofeti wayeyithatha phi lento wayeyithetha kuba kwakungekho mafu abonisa ukuba kwakuza kuna?

UEliya wayesazi isithembiso sikaYehova. Njengomprofeti nommeli kaYehova wayeqinisekile ukuba uThixo wayeza kuwazalisekisa amazwi Akhe. UEliya wayeqinisekile—kangangokuba wayengathi uyayiva imvula isina. Sisenokukhumbula indlela iBhayibhile emchaza ngayo uMoses: “Waqhubeka eqinile ngokungathi uyambona Lowo ungabonakaliyo”. Ngaba uThixo ungumntu wokwenene kuwe? Unezizathu eziliqela zokuba abe nokholo kuThixo nakwizithembiso zakhe.—Hebhere 11:1, 27.

Phawula indlela uEliya awayebukele ngayo. Waphinda wamthumela umlindi wakhe kungekhona isihlandlo esinye okanye ezibini kodwa izihlandlo ezisixhenxe. Khawufan’ ucinge indlela lo mlindi awayedinwe ngayo kukuquqa ebuyelela esenza into enye, kodwa uEliya wayefun’ umqondiso yaye akazange anikezele. Ekugqibeleni emva kwesihlandlo sesixhenxe, umlindi wabuya nengxelo ethi: “Khangela! Kukho ilifu elincinane elinjengentende yomntu linyuka liphuma elwandle.” (Indinyana 44) Ngaba unomfanekiso ngqondweni womlindi olule ingalo esebenzisa intende yesandla ukulinganisa ubungakanani belifu elincinane elinyuka liphuma kuLwandle Olukhulu?b Lo mlindi kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayecinga ukuba eli lifu lincinane lalingabalulekanga. Kodwa kuEliya ela lifu lalibalulekile kakhulu. Ngoku unika umlindi wakhe umyalelo ongxamisekileyo: “Nyuka, uthi kuAhabhi, ‘Bopha! Uze uhle ukuze izantyalantyala zemvula zingakubambezeli!’”

Kwakhona uEliya usimisela umzekelo omhle. Nathi siphila kwixesha laxa uThixo kungekudala aza kuzalisekisa injongo yakhe. UEliya walindela ukuphelisa imbalela; abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje balindele ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto. (1 Yohane 2:17) De uYehova akwenze oko, kufuneka sihlale silindile njengokuba wenzayo uEliya. UNyana kaThixo uYesu wacebisa abalandeli bakhe esithi: “Hlalani nilindile, ngenxa yokuba aniwazi umhla eza ngawo iNkosi yenu.” (Mateyu 24:42) Ngaba uYesu wayethetha ukuba abalandeli bakhe babengazukwazi nowathwethwa ngexesha esasiza kufika ngalo isiphelo? Akunjalo, kuba waxela kwangaphambili ngokuba ihlabathi laliza kuba njani ngaphambi kokuba kufike isiphelo. Mntu ngamnye kuthi unokufunda ngomqondiso oyintlanganisela “wokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto.”—Mateyu 24:3-7.c

Nxalenye nganye yalo mqondiso inikela ubungqina. Ngaba obo bungqina busenza sibe nemvo yongxamiseko? Ilifu elinye elincinane elinyuka liphuma elwandle lalanele ukweyisela uEliya ukuba uYehova kungekudala wayeza kuthabatha inyathelo. Ngaba lo mprofeti uthembekileyo waphoxeka?

UYehova Usinika Isiqabu Neentsikelelo

Le ngxelo ityatyadula isithi: “Kwathi ngelo xesha amazulu aba mnyama ngamafu nomoya kwaza kwana izantyalantyala zemvula. Yaye uAhabhi waqhubeka ekhwele waya eYizereli.” (Indinyana 45) Iziganeko zenzeka ngokukhawuleza. Ngoxa umlindi kaEliya wayedlulisela isigidimi somprofeti kuAhabhi, ilifu elincinane laba ngamafu amaninzi, azalisa isibhakabhaka yaye kwaba mnyama. Kwabakho isivunguvungu somoya. Ekugqibeleni, emva kweminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha imvula yana kumhlaba wakwaSirayeli.d Umhlaba obharhileyo wawudada emanzini. Njengokuba le mvula yayizizantyalantyala umlambo iKishon wawuzele yaye wawusimka negazi labaprofeti bakaBhahali abafileyo. AmaSirayeli atenxileyo nawo anikwa ithuba lokuba alusiphule nengcambu unqulo lukaBhahali kwelo lizwe.

UEliya wayeqinisekile ukuba kuza kuba njalo! Ngaba uAhabhi wayeza kuguquka aze alushiye unqulo olungacocekanga lukaBhahali? Iziganeko zolo suku zisinika izizathu ezivakalayo zokwenza utshintsho. Kakade ke, asinakukwazi ukuba wayecinga ntoni uAhabhi ngelo xesha. Ingxelo isixelela nje ukuba ukumkani “waqhubeka ekhwele waya eYizereli.” Ngaba kukho awakufundayo? Ngaba wayezimisele ukutshintsha iindlela zakhe? Okwenzekayo kamva kubonisa ukuba akuzange kube njalo. Usuku lwalungekapheli kuAhabhi—noEliya.

Umprofeti kaYehova wahamba indlela enye noAhabhi. Indlela ende yaye ngaphambili kwakugxovugxovu. Kodwa kwenzeka okuthile okungaqhelekanga.

“Isandla sikaYehova saba noEliya, wabhinqa esinqeni sakhe waza wabaleka phambi kuka-Ahabhi waya kutsho eYizereli.” (Indinyana 46) Kucacile ukuba “isandla sikaYehova” sasiphezu koEliya ngendlela emangalisayo. IYizereli yayikude malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-30 yaye uEliya wayengelotyendyana.e Yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni womprofeti ebhinqa esinqeni sakhe izambatho zakhe ezide, esenzela ukuba akwazi ukubaleka, ebaleka kulo ndlela igxovugxovu—ukuze ayifumane inqwelo yokulwa!

Ngokuqinisekileyo wayeyintsikelelo kuEliya! Ukuziva enamandla mhlawumbi angaphezu kwawayenawo xa wayeseyidyongwana—ngamava achukumisayo. Sisenokukhumbula iziprofeto ezisiqinisekisa ngokungabikwa hlaba nokomelela kwabo bathembekileyo kwiParadesi ezayo. (Isaya 35:6; Luka 23:43) Njengokuba uEliya wayebaleka kwindlela egxovugxovu, ngokuqinisekileyo wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayekholiswa nguye, ekuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova!

UYehova uyakulangazelela ukuthulula iintsikelelo. Ukuze uzifumane kufuneka senz’ okuthile. NjengoEliya sihlale silindile sihlole ubungqina obubonisa ukuba uYehova uza kuthabatha amanyathelo kula maxesha anzima namaxhaphetshu. NjengoEliya sinezizathu zokuba siqiniseke ngezithembiso zikaYehova, ‘uThixo wenyaniso.’—INdumiso 31:5.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

Yathabatha Ixesha Elingakanani Imbalela Yomhla KaEliya?

Umprofeti kaYehova uEliya wachazela uKumkani uAhabhi ukuba imbalela eyathabatha ixesha elide yayiza kuphela kungekudala. Oko kwenzeka “ngonyaka wesithathu”—kubalwa ukususela ngosuku uEliya awaqala ngalo ukuthetha ngembalela. (1 Kumkani 18:1) Emva kokuba uEliya wayethe kuza kuba njalo uYehova wathumela imvula. Abanye basenokugqiba ngelithi imbalela yaphela ebudeni bonyaka wesithathu ngenxa yoko yathabatha iminyaka engaphantsi kwemithathu. Noko ke, uYesu noYakobi basichazela ukuba imbalela yathabatha “iminyaka emithathu neenyanga ezintandathu.” (Luka 4:25; Yakobi 5:17) Ngaba oku kuyaphikisana?

Akunjalo. Ntonje, iinyanga zembalela kuSirayeli wamandulo zazithabatha ixesha elide, zazide zifike kwiinyanga ezintandathu. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uEliya wachazela uAhabhi ngembalela ngexesha kanye eyayikho ngalo yaye yayingaqhelekanga. Le mbalela yayiqale phantse kwisiqingatha sonyaka ngaphambi kwexesha layo. Xa uEliya wayethetha ngokupheliswa kwembalela “ngonyaka wesithathu” imbalela yayisele ithabathe phantse iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. “Iminyaka emithathu neenyanga ezintandathu” yayigqithile ngexesha bonke abantu ababehlanganisene ukuze babone iNtaba iKarmele.

Phawula okwenzekayo xa uEliya wayetyelele uAhabhi. Abantu babekholelwa ukuba uBhahali “ngumkhweli wamafu,” uthixo owayeza kunisa imvula ukuphelisa imbalela. Ukuba iinyanga zembalela zazinde ngendlela engaqhelekanga, abantu babedla ngokubuza bathi: ‘Uphi uBhahali?’ Uza kuyinisa nini imvula?’ Isigidimi sikaEliya sokuba akusayi kubakho mbethe namvula ngaphandle komyalelo welizwi lakhe kwabashiya bethe khunubembe abanquli bakaBhahali.—1 Kumkani 17:1.

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Imithandazo kaEliya yayibonisa umnqweno wakhe onyanisekileyo wokubona kusenziwa ukuthanda kukaThixo