Ingabe Unokholo OlunjengolukaEliya?

NAMUHLA umphakathi wesintu uyalululaza ukholo. Izihlakaniphi ziyakuklolodela ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu. Abazenzisi benkolo bamhleka usulu uNkulunkulu. Futhi ngokwandayo izwe lenza sengathi uNkulunkulu uyinto engasho lutho. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lezizimo zengqondo zifaka umuntu ingebhe, noma zimqeda amandla, noma zimenza anganaki, umphumela uyafana kunoma ikuphi: Ukholo lwakhe luyakhukhuleka. Akumangalisi ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wabiza ukuntula ukholo ngokuthi ‘isono esithandela kangaka kithi’!—Heberu 12:1.

Mhlawumbe yingakho uPawulu enza umzamo okhethekile wokudonsela ukunakekela kwethu ekuphileni kwamadoda nabesifazane bokholo oluqinile. (AmaHeberu, isahluko 11) Izibonelo ezinjalo zingasiqhubezela futhi zisekele ukholo lwethu. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sicabangele umprofethi uEliya, sigxile nje engxenyeni yokuqala yomsebenzi wakhe wokuprofetha owathatha isikhathi eside nowanelisayo. Waphila ngesikhathi sokubusa kweNkosi uAhabi nomkayo oyiqaba, iNdlovukazi uJezebeli, ngesikhathi lapho, njengoba kunjalo manje, ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu weqiniso kwakuphela.

Umbuso Owonakele Wezizwe Eziyishumi

Yeka ukuthi babewumbhangqwana onjani! UAhabi wayeyinkosi yesikhombisa yoMbuso wakwaIsrayeli wezizwe eziyishumi. Nakuba amakhosi ayisithupha ayemandulela ayemabi, uAhabi wayemubi ukuwedlula. Akabhebhezelanga nje kuphela ukukhulekelwa kwethole okonakele kodwa washada nenkosazana yabezizwe uJezebeli, ngaleyondlela engenisa uhlobo oluqine kunazo zonke olwake lwenzeka ezweni lokukhulekelwa kukankulunkulu wamanga uBali.—1 AmaKhosi 16:30-33.

UJezebeli wayecwile ekukhulekeleni uBali kusukela ebuntwaneni. Uyise, uEtibali, umpristi ka-Ashitaroti (umkaBali), wayesebenzise ukubulala ukuze afinyelele esihlalweni sobukhosi saseSidoni, umbuso osenyakatho nje nelakwaIsrayeli. UJezebeli wathonya umyeni wakhe obuthakathaka ngokokuziphatha ukuba amise ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwaIsrayeli. Kungakapheli isikhathi eside, kwase kukhona abaprofethi abangu-450 balowonkulunkulu wamanga nabaprofethi abangu-400 bakankulunkulukazi uAshera ezweni, bonke bedla etafuleni lasebukhosini. Yeka ukuthi indlela yabo yokukhulekela yayinengeka kanjani emehlweni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova! Imifanekiso enesimo sesitho sobulili sowesilisa, imikhuba yenzalo, izifebe zasethempelini (kokubili ezesilisa nezesifazane), ngisho nokunikelwa kwabantwana njengemihlatshelo—lezo kwakuyizimpawu zalenkolo enyanyekayo. Ivunyelwe uAhabi, yasakazeka ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa kuwo wonke umbuso.

Izigidi zamaIsrayeli zamkhohlwa uJehova, uMdali womhlaba nomjikelezo wawo wamanzi. Kuwona nguBali owayebusisa izwe ngezimvula ekupheleni kwenkathi yokomisa. Minyaka yonke ayethembela ‘kuloMgibeli Wamafu,’ okwakuthiwa unkulunkulu wenzalo nowenkathi yemvula, ukuba aqede inkathi yokomisa. Unyaka nonyaka, izimvula zazina. Unyaka nonyaka, uBali wayethola udumo.

UEliya Umemezela Isomiso

Cishe kwakusekupheleni kwehlobo elide, elingenamvula—lapho nje abantu babeqala ukulindela ukuba uBali anise izimvula ezinika ukuphila—lapho uEliya aqala ukuvela khona.a Uvela ngokungazelele emlandweni weBhayibheli. Kuncane kakhulu esikutshelwayo ngesizinda sakhe, futhi asitshelwa lutho ngabazali bakhe. Kodwa ngokungafani nokuduma kwezulu, uEliya wayengeyena ummemezeli wezimvula ezinkulu. Wamemezela kuAhabi: “Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli engimi phambi kwakhe, akuyikubakho-mazolo namvula kuleminyaka, kuphela ngesilayezo sezwi lami.”—1 AmaKhosi 17:1.

Yibone ngeso lengqondo lendoda, yembethe ingubo yayo yoboya yasemaphandleni. Idabuka emagqumeni akwaGileyadi amagoxigoxi, ngokunokwenzeka ikhulele phakathi kwabelusi abaphansi bemihlambi yezimvu. Ima phambi kwenkosi enamandla uAhabi, mhlawumbe khona kanye esigodlweni sayo esiyisithabathaba, esinendlu yaso edumile eyakhiwe ngophondo lwendlovu, nemihlobiso yaso ewubuciko nengavamile nezithixo ezinkulukazi. Lapho, emzini obiyelweyo ophithizelayo waseSamariya, lapho ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kwase kucishe kulibaleke khona, itshela uAhabi ukuthi lonkulunkulu wakhe, loBali, akanamandla futhi akalutho. UEliya uthi, kulonyaka nakweminye ezayo ngeke ibe khona imvula namazolo!

Wayelutholaphi ukholo olunjalo? Wayengesabi yini, njengoba ayemi phambi kwalenkosi eqhoshayo, neyisihlubuki? Mhlawumbe kunjalo. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwenkulungwane kamuva, uJakobe umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa uyasiqinisekisa ukuthi uEliya “wayengumuntu efana nathi.” (Jakobe 5:17) Kodwa phawula amazwi kaEliya: “Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli engimi phambi kwakhe.” UEliya wakhumbula njalo ukuthi njengenceku kaJehova, wayemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi esiphakeme kakhulu kunesika-Ahabi—isihlalo sobukhosi seNkosi enguMbusi wendawo yonke! Wayengummeleli, inxusa, lalesosihlalo sobukhosi. Enalombono, yini ayengayesaba kuAhabi, umbusi ongumuntu ongelutho owayelahlekelwe isibusiso sikaJehova?

Kwakungenzekanga ngengozi ukuba uJehova abe ngokoqobo kangaka kuEliya. Ngokuqinisekile lomprofethi wayewutadishile umlando wokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu baKhe. UJehova wayexwayise amaJuda ngokuthi wayeyowajezisa ngesomiso nangendlala uma ephendukela ekukhulekeleni onkulunkulu bamanga. (Duteronomi 11:16, 17) Eqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyaligcwalisa njalo izwi lakhe, uEliya “wakhuleka . . . ukuba lingani.”—Jakobe 5:17.

Ukholo Luboniswa Ngokulandela Isiqondiso

Nokho, okwesikhashana isimemezelo sikaEliya sambeka engozini yokufa. Kwakuyisikhathi sokuba esinye isici sokholo lwakhe sibonakale. Ukuze aqhubeke ephila, kwakumelwe athembeke ekulandeleni iziyalezo zikaJehova: “Suka lapha, uye ngasempumalanga, ucashe ngasemfudlaneni iKeriti ongaphambi kweJordani. Kuyakuthi uphuze emfudlaneni; ngiyalile amagwababa ukuba akondle khona.”—1 AmaKhosi 17:3, 4.

UEliya walalela ngokushesha. Uma ayefuna ukusinda esomisweni nasendlaleni eyehlela izwe lakubo, kwakumelwe athembele kunoma imaphi amalungiselelo uJehova ayemenzela wona. Lokhu kwakungelula neze. Kwakusho ukucasha, ukuhlala yedwa ngokuphelele izinyanga eziningi. Kwakusho ukudla inyama nesinkwa ayekulethelwa amagwababa—izinyoni ezidla ingcuba ezazibhekwa njengezingcolile eMthethweni kaMose—nokuthembela kuJehova ukuthi inyama enjalo yayingeyona ingcuba kodwa yayiyinyama eyayophiswe kahle ngokuvumelana nomthetho. Kwabanye abakhulumeli beBhayibheli lesimangaliso esathatha isikhathi eside sibonakala singenakwenzeka kangangokuthi basikisela ukuthi igama lakuqala lapha kumelwe ukuba lalisho “ama-Arabhu” hhayi “amagwababa.” Kodwa amagwababa ayefaneleka kahle. Akekho owayengasola ukuthi lezinyoni ezidelelekile nezingcolile ezazindizela ehlane nokudla kwazo okuyingcuba eqinisweni zazondla uEliya, lowo uAhabi noJezebeli ababemfuna kuyo yonke imibuso ezungezile!—1 AmaKhosi 18:3, 4, 10.

Njengoba isomiso sasiqhubeka, kungenzeka ukuthi uEliya waqala ukukhathazeka ngamanzi akhe emfudlaneni waseKeriti. Eminingi yemifudlana yakwaIsrayeli iyasha ngezikhathi zesomiso, futhi “kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku,” nalona washa. Ungacabanga yini ngendlela uEliya azizwa ngayo njengoba amanzi ayencipha eba amaconsi futhi amachibi ehla usuku nosuku? Ngokuqinisekile kumelwe ukuba wazibuza ukuthi kwakuzokwenzekani lapho amanzi esephelile. Noma kunjalo, ngokholo uEliya wahlala. UJehova akazange amnike ezinye iziyalezo kwaze kwaba yilapho umfudlana usushile. Yiya eSarefati, kutshelwa umprofethi. Lapho wayeyothola ukondliwa ekhaya lomfelokazi.—1 AmaKhosi 17:7-9.

ESarefati! Lelodolobha lalingelomuzi waseSidoni, lapho uJezebeli ayevela khona nalapho uyise omzalayo ayebuse khona njengenkosi! Ingabe kwakuzoba indawo elondekile? Kumelwe ukuba uEliya wazibuza. Kodwa ‘wasuka waya khona.’—1 AmaKhosi 17:10.

UJehova Ulungiselela Ukudla Nokuphila

Ngokushesha ukulalela kwakhe kwavuzwa. Wahlangana nomfelokazi othile njengoba kwakubikezelwe, futhi wamthola enalolohlobo lokholo olwaluntuleka kakhulu phakathi kwabantu bakubo (uEliya). Lomfelokazi ompofu wayenempuphu namafutha okwanele nje kuphela ukuba apheke isidlo sokugcina sakhe nendodana yakhe encane. Kodwa, ngisho nasekusweleni kwakhe okukhulu, wayezimisele ukwenzela uEliya isinkwa kuqala, ethembela esithembisweni sakhe sokuthi uJehova wayeyogcina indebe yakhe yamafutha nesitsha sakhe sempuphu kugcwele uma nje kusekhona ukweswela. Yingakho nje uJesu Kristu akhumbula isibonelo salomfelokazi onokholo lapho elahla amaIsrayeli angenalukholo ngosuku lwakhe!—1 AmaKhosi 17:13-16; Luka 4:25, 26.

Nokho, naphezu kwalesimangaliso, ukholo lwabo bobabili umfelokazi noEliya lwase luzobhekana nokuvivinywa okukhulu. Indodana yakhe yafa ngokungazelelwe. Ekhungathekile, umfelokazi wamane waphetha nje ngokuthi lesisenzakalo esibuhlungu sasihlangene noEliya, ‘umuntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ Wazibuza ukuthi ingabe akajeziswa yini ngenxa yesono esithile sangesikhathi esidlule. Kodwa uEliya wathatha indodana yalomfelokazi eyayingasaphili eyayisezandleni zakhe wayithwala wayiyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu. Wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayengalungiselela okungaphezu kokudla. UJehova ungumthombo wokuphila ngokwakho! Ngakho uEliya wathandaza ngobuqotho nangokuphindaphindiwe ukuba ukuphila komtwana kubuye.

UEliya wayengeyena owokuqala ukuba abe nokholo olunjalo ovukweni, kodwa ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli, ungowokuqala ukuba asetshenziselwe ukulwenza. Umfana “waphila”! Kumelwe ukuba injabulo kanina yayiwumbukwane njengoba uEliya ayeletha indodana yakhe kuye ngamazwi nje athi: “Bheka, indodana yakho isiyaphila.” Ngokungangabazeki ekhala, wathi: “Manje sengiyazi ukuthi wena ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu nokuthi izwi likaJehova elisemlonyeni wakho liyiqiniso.”—1 AmaKhosi 17:17-24.

“UNkulunkulu Wami NguJehova”

Yeka ukuthi kuthinta inhliziyo, futhi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi igama likaEliya lisho ukuthi “UNkulunkulu Wami NguJehova”! Esikhathini sesomiso nendlala, uJehova wamupha ukudla nokokuphuza; esikhathini sesiphithiphithi ngokokuziphatha, uJehova wamnika isiqondiso esinengqondo; esikhathini sokufa, uJehova wamsebenzisa ukuba abuyisele ukuphila. Futhi kubonakala sengathi isikhathi ngasinye lapho uEliya kwakudingeka ukuba abonise ukholo kuNkulunkulu wakhe—ngokuthembela kuYe ukuba enze amalungiselelo, ngokulandela iziqondiso zaKhe, ngokuthembela kuYe ukuba angcwelise igama laKhe—wayevuzwa ngezinye izizathu ezengeziwe zokuba nokholo kuJehova. Wabambelela kulenkambo njengoba ayeqhubeka amukela izabelo ezinzima nezesabisayo ezivela kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova; eqinisweni, ezinye zezimangaliso zakhe eziwumbukwane kunazo zonke zazisengaphambili.—Bheka eyoku-1 AmaKhosi, isahluko 18.

Kusafana nanamuhla ngezinceku zikaJehova. Singase singondliwa ngokuyisimangaliso noma sisetshenziswe ukuba sivuse abafile; lena akuyona inkathi yezimangaliso ezinjalo. Nokho, uJehova ngokwakhe akakashintshi nakancane kusukela osukwini lukaEliya.—1 Korinte 13:8; Jakobe 1:17.

Nathi singase samukele izabelo ezithena amandla, amasimu alukhuni nasabisayo okumelwe afinyelelwe ngesigijimi sethu esivela kuNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka sibhekane noshushiso. Singase sibulawe nayindlala. Kodwa kubantu abathembekile nasenhlanganweni yakhe iyonke, uJehova uye wazibonakalisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi usaziqondisa futhi azivikele izinceku zakhe. Usazinikeza amandla okufeza noma imiphi imisebenzi azabele yona. Futhi usazisiza ukuba zikhuthazelele noma iziphi izilingo ezingazehlela kulelizwe elinezinkinga.—IHubo 55:22.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ingabe, njengoEliya, unalo ukholo lokuthi uJehova uyozinakekela izidingo zezinceku zakhe?