Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Waqapha Futhi Walinda

U-ELIYA wayefuna ukuba yedwa akhulume noYise wasezulwini. Kodwa izixuku zabantu zazisanda kubona lo mprofethi ebiza umlilo ezulwini, futhi ngokungangabazeki abaningi babefuna ukumncoma. Ngaphambi kokuba u-Eliya akhuphukele emagqumeni aheleza umoya eNtaba iKarmeli, eyothandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngasese, kwadingeka enze umsebenzi ongajabulisi. Kwadingeka ukuba akhulume neNkosi u-Ahabi.

La madoda amabili ayengafani nhlobo. U-Ahabi, owayevunule ngezasebukhosini, wayeyisihlubuki esinobugovu, esiyivaka. U-Eliya wayegqoke ingubo yomprofethi—ingubo evamile engenamicikilisho cishe eyayenziwe ngesikhumba sesilwane noma ngoboya obuphothiwe bekamela noma bembuzi. Wayeyindoda enesibindi kakhulu, ethembekile futhi enokholo. Lolu suku olwase lusondela ekupheleni lwalwembule lukhulu ngobuntu bala madoda amabili.a

Usuku lwalumhambele kabi u-Ahabi nabanye abakhulekeli bakaBhali. Inkolo yobuqaba u-Ahabi nomkakhe, iNdlovukazi uJezebeli, ababeyikhuthaza embusweni wezizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli yayihlazisiwe. UBhali wayedalulwe njengonkulunkulu wamanga. Lowo nkulunkulu ongaphili wayehlulekile ukokhela umlilo ngemva kokunxusa okukhulu, ukudansa, nokuzigwaza kwabaprofethi bakhe. UBhali wayehlulekile ukuvikela lawo madoda angu-450 esahlulelweni sokufa esasiwafanele. Kodwa wayehlulekile nakwesinye isici, futhi kwase kuzobonakala ukuthi uyisehluleki ngokuphelele. Kwase kuphele iminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu abaprofethi bakaBhali benxusa unkulunkulu wabo ukuba aqede isomiso esasihlasele ezweni, kodwa uBhali wehluleka. Ngokushesha, uJehova ngokwakhe wayezobonisa ukuphakama kwakhe ngokuqeda isomiso.—1 AmaKhosi 16:30–17:1; 18:1-40.

Kodwa uJehova wayezosithatha nini isinyathelo? U-Eliya wayezoziphatha kanjani kuze kube yileso sikhathi? Futhi yini esingayifunda kule ndoda yokholo? Ake sibone njengoba sihlola ukulandisa okulotshwe kweyoku-1 AmaKhosi 18:41-46.

Ukuthembela Emthandazweni

U-Eliya wathi ku-Ahabi: “Khuphuka, udle uphuze; ngoba kukhona umsindo wenhlokomo yemvula.” (Ivesi 41) Ingabe le nkosi embi yayifunde okuthile ezenzakalweni zalolo suku? Ukulandisa akusho ngokuqondile, kodwa lapha akukho ekushoyo okubonisa ukuthi yayizisola, futhi ayicelanga ukuba umprofethi ayisize isondele kuJehova futhi icele intethelelo. Cha, u-Ahabi wamane “wakhuphuka ukuze adle aphuze.” (Ivesi 42) Kuthiwani ngo-Eliya?

“Kepha u-Eliya wakhuphukela esiqongweni seKarmeli waqoshama phansi efaké ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo.” Nakuba u-Ahabi ahamba wayokudla, u-Eliya wathola ithuba lokuthandaza kuYise. Phawula isimo sokuthobeka esichazwa lapha—u-Eliya uguqile kangangokuba ubuso bakhe babusemadolweni. Wayenzani u-Eliya? Akudingeki nokuba siqagele. KuJakobe 5:18, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi u-Eliya wathandazela ukuba isomiso siphele. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayethandaza kanjalo esesiqongweni seKarmeli.

Ngaphambili, uJehova wayethe: “Ngizimisele ukunisa imvula phezu kobuso bomhlaba.” (1 AmaKhosi 18:1) Ngakho u-Eliya wayethandazela ukuba uYise afeze intando yaKhe ayeyambulile, njengoba nje noJesu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze eminyakeni engaba yinkulungwane kamuva.—Mathewu 6:9, 10.

Isibonelo sika-Eliya sisifundisa lukhulu ngomthandazo. Into yokuqala u-Eliya ayecabanga ngayo kwakuwukufezwa kwentando kaYise. Lapho sithandaza, kuhle ukuba sikhumbule: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini esiyicelayo ngokwentando [kaNkulunkulu], uyasizwa.” (1 Johane 5:14) Khona-ke kusobala ukuthi kudingeka sazi ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu ukuze sithandaze ngendlela ayamukelayo—isizathu esihle sokwenza ukutadisha iBhayibheli kube ingxenye yokuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke. Ngokuqinisekile u-Eliya wayefuna nokubona isomiso siphelile ngenxa yakho konke ukuhlupheka kwabantu ezweni lakubo. Cishe inhliziyo yakhe yayigcwele ukubonga ngemva kwesimangaliso ayebone uJehova esenza ngalolo suku. Imithandazo yethu kufanele iphawuleke nangokukhathalela inhlalakahle yabanye nokubonga okusuka enhliziyweni.—2 Korinte 1:11; Filipi 4:6.

Ukuqiniseka Nokuqapha

U-Eliya wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayezosiqeda isomiso, kodwa wayengaqiniseki ukuthi uJehova wayezokwenza nini lokho. Ngakho, yini lo mprofethi ayenza ngaleso sikhathi? Phawula lokho okushiwo ivesi 43: “Wathi esikhonzini sakhe: ‘Ngicela ukhuphuke. Bheka ngasolwandle.’ Ngakho sakhuphuka sabheka, sase sithi: ‘Akukho lutho.’ Waqhubeka izikhathi eziyisikhombisa ethi, ‘Phindela emuva.’” Isibonelo sika-Eliya sisifundisa okungenani izifundo ezimbili. Okokuqala, phawula ukuqiniseka kwalo mprofethi. Yibe usuphawula ukuqapha kwakhe.

U-Eliya wabufuna ngentshiseko ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova wayesezothatha isinyathelo, ngakho wathumela isikhonzi sakhe ukuba siyobuka emkhathizwe sisendaweni ephakeme, sifune izimpawu zokusondela kwemvula. Lapho isikhonzi sibuya, saletha lo mbiko ongajabulisi: “Akukho lutho.” Kwakungekho lutho emkhathizwe, futhi lalibalele. Ingabe uphawule okuthile okungavamile? Khumbula ukuthi u-Eliya wayesanda kutshela iNkosi u-Ahabi ukuthi: “Kukhona umsindo wenhlokomo yemvula.” Lo mprofethi wayengakusho kanjani lokhu kube kungenaphawu lwemvula emafwini?

U-Eliya wayazi ngesithembiso sikaJehova. Njengomprofethi nommeleli kaJehova, wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wakhe wayezolifeza izwi laKhe. U-Eliya wayeqiniseka—kangangokuthi kwakusengathi uyayizwa kakade imvula. Singase sikhumbule indlela iBhayibheli elimchaza ngayo uMose: “Waqhubeka egxilile sengathi uyambona Lowo ongabonakali.” Ingabe uNkulunkulu ungokoqobo ngaleyo ndlela kuwe? Usinikeza izizathu ezanele zokuba nalolo kholo kuye nasezithembisweni zakhe.—Hebheru 11:1, 27.

Ngokulandelayo, phawula indlela u-Eliya ayeqaphe ngayo. Wathuma isikhonzi sakhe, hhayi kanye noma kabili, kodwa izikhathi eziyisikhombisa! Singase sisibone isikhonzi sesikhathele yilo msebenzi esiwenza siphindelela, kodwa u-Eliya wayemagange efuna uphawu futhi akazange ayeke. Ekugcineni, ngemva kwezikhathi ezingu-7 isikhonzi siphindela, sabika: “Bheka! Kukhona ifu elincane elinjengentende yomuntu elikhuphuka liphuma olwandle.” (Ivesi 44) Ungasibona yini ngeso lengqondo leso sikhonzi selule ingalo futhi sisebenzisa isandla ukuze silinganise ubukhulu befu elincane elibonakala emkhathizwe likhuphuka oLwandle Olukhulu?b Kungenzeka lesi sikhonzi sasibheka leli fu njengento engasho lutho. Kodwa ku-Eliya, lelo fu lalibalulekile. Manje wanikeza isikhonzi sakhe iziyalezo eziphuthumayo: “Khuphuka, uthi ku-Ahabi, ‘Bophela! Wehle ukuze imvula ingakubambi!’”

Nalapha futhi, u-Eliya usibekela isibonelo esinamandla. Nathi siphila esikhathini lapho uNkulunkulu ezothatha isinyathelo maduze ukuze afeze injongo ayishilo. U-Eliya walinda ukuphela kwesomiso; izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zilinde ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto sezwe elonakele. (1 Johane 2:17) Kuze kube yilapho uJehova uNkulunkulu ethatha isinyathelo, kudingeka sihlale siqaphile, njengoba kwenza u-Eliya. INdodana kaNkulunkulu uqobo, uJesu, yayala abalandeli bayo: “Hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.” (Mathewu 24:42) Ingabe uJesu wayesho ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babengeke bazi nhlobo ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini? Cha, ngoba walandisa kabanzi ngokuthi izwe laliyoba njani ezinsukwini ezandulela ukuphela. Ngamunye wethu angafunda ngalesi sibonakaliso esinemininingwane ‘sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’—Mathewu 24:3-7.c

Isici ngasinye saleso sibonakaliso sinikeza ubufakazi obunamandla, obugculisayo. Ingabe lobo bufakazi banele ukuba busishukumisele ekuthatheni isinyathelo ngokuphuthuma? Ifu elilodwa nje elincane elalikhuphuka emkhathizwe lalanele ukuqinisekisa u-Eliya ngokuthi uJehova wayesezothatha isinyathelo. Ingabe lo mprofethi othembekile waphoxeka?

UJehova Uletha Impumuzo Nezibusiso

Ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka: “Kwathi phakathi naleso sikhathi amazulu aba mnyama ngamafu nomoya, kwana imvula enkulu. U-Ahabi wagibela elibhekisa eJizreyeli.” (Ivesi 45) Izinto zaqala ukwenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu. Ngesikhathi isikhonzi sika-Eliya sidlulisela umyalezo womprofethi ku-Ahabi, leliya fu elincane laba amafu amaningi, laguqubala. Kwaba nomoya onamandla. Ekugcineni, ngemva kweminyaka emithathu nesigamu, imvula yana kwa-Israyeli.d Imvula yamatisa umhlabathi owomile. Njengoba imvula yayina ngamandla, umfula iKishoni wadla izindwani, ngokungangabazeki wahlanza igazi labaprofethi bakaBhali ababebulewe. Ama-Israyeli ayenhlanhlatha nawo anikezwa ithuba lokususa isisihla sokukhulekelwa kukaBhali ezweni.

Ngokuqinisekile u-Eliya wayethemba ukuthi kuyoba njalo! Ingabe u-Ahabi wayezophenduka ashiye ukungcola kokukhulekelwa kukaBhali? Izenzakalo zosuku zazimnikeze izizathu ezinamandla zokwenza lolo shintsho. Yiqiniso, asazi ukuthi yini u-Ahabi ayeyicabanga ngalesi sikhathi. Ukulandisa kusitshela nje ukuthi inkosi ‘yagibela yalibhekisa eJizreyeli.’ Ingabe kukhona ayekufundile? Ingabe wayezimisele ukushintsha izindlela zakhe? Izenzakalo zakamuva zibonisa ukuthi kwakungenjalo. Kodwa lolo suku lwalungakapheli ku-Ahabi—nakuye u-Eliya.

Umprofethi kaJehova walandela ngayo kanye indlela u-Ahabi ayehambe ngayo. Wayezothatha uhambo olude, ebumnyameni, endaweni enodaka. Kodwa kwabe sekwenzeka okuthile okungavamile.

“Sona kanye isandla sikaJehova saba phezu kuka-Eliya, wabopha ukhalo lwakhe wagijima ngaphambi kuka-Ahabi yonke leyo ndlela elibangise eJizreyeli.” (Ivesi 46) Ngokusobala, “sona kanye isandla sikaJehova” sasisebenza ku-Eliya ngendlela engaphezu kweyemvelo. IJizreyeli yayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-30, kanti no-Eliya wayesekhulile.e Ake umbone ngeso lengqondo lowo mprofethi efingqa izingubo zakhe ezinde, ezibopha okhalweni ukuze imilenze yakhe ikwazi ukuhamba ngenkululeko, abese egijima emgwaqweni onodaka—egijima kakhulu kangangokuba waze wafica inqola yasebukhosini, wayidlula futhi wayishiya!

Yeka ukuthi lokho kwaba yisibusiso esingakanani ku-Eliya! Ukuba nalawo mandla, umfutho nomdlandla—mhlawumbe ngezinga elingaphezu kwalokho ayenakho esemusha—kumelwe ukuba kwaba yinto evusa amadlingozi. Singase sikhumbule iziprofetho eziqinisekisa abaqotho ukuthi bayoba nempilo ephelele nobungqabavu emhlabeni ozayo oyiPharadesi. (Isaya 35:6; Luka 23:43) Njengoba u-Eliya ayegijima kuleyo ndlela enodaka, ngokuqinisekile wayazi ukuthi wayamukeleka kuYise, uNkulunkulu weqiniso owukuphela kwakhe, uJehova!

UJehova uyakufuna ukusinika izibusiso. Ukulwela ukuzifinyelela kuyifanele yonke imizamo esingayenza. Njengo-Eliya, sinezizathu ezinhle zokuthembela ngokuphelele ezithembisweni zikaJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu weqiniso.’—IHubo 31:5.

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Isomiso Sosuku Luka-Eliya Saba Side Kangakanani?

Umprofethi kaJehova u-Eliya watshela iNkosi u-Ahabi ukuthi kwakuzoba nesomiso eside maduzane. Lokho kwenzeka “ngonyaka wesithathu”—ngokusobala kusukela osukwini u-Eliya aqala ukusibikezela ngalo. (1 AmaKhosi 18:1) UJehova waletha imvula ngokushesha ngemva kokuba u-Eliya ethé uNkulunkulu wayezokwenza kanjalo. Khona-ke, abanye bangase baphethe ngokuthi isomiso saphela phakathi nonyaka waso wesithathu, ngakho-ke sathatha isikhathi esingaphansi kweminyaka emithathu. Kodwa uJesu noJakobe basitshela ukuthi lesi somiso sathatha “iminyaka emithathu nezinyanga eziyisithupha.” (Luka 4:25; Jakobe 5:17) Ingabe iBhayibheli liyaziphikisa?

Lutho neze. Phela inkathi engenazo izimvula kwa-Israyeli wasendulo yayiyinde kakhulu, ithatha izinyanga ezingaba yisithupha. Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Eliya watshela u-Ahabi ngesomiso ngesikhathi lapho inkathi engenazo izimvula isibonakala iyinde ngokungavamile. Empeleni, isomiso sasiqale cishe esigamwini sonyaka ngaphambi kwalokho. Ngakho, lapho u-Eliya ememezela ukuphela kwesomiso “ngonyaka wesithathu” kusukela esimemezelweni sakhe sokuqala, isomiso sase sithathe iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. Kwase kuphele “iminyaka emithathu nengxenye” ngesikhathi bonke abantu bebuthana ndawonye ukuzobona lesi sivivinyo esikhulu eNtabeni iKarmeli.

Cabanga nangesikhathi u-Eliya aya ngaso ku-Ahabi okokuqala. Abantu babekholelwa ukuthi uBhali “wayegibela amafu,” umuntu owayengaqeda isomiso ngokuletha imvula. Uma kuwukuthi inkathi engenamvula yayiyinde ngokungavamile, kungenzeka abantu babezibuza: ‘Uphi uBhali? Uzoyiletha nini imvula?’ Isimemezelo sika-Eliya sokuthi kwakungeke kube namvula noma amazolo kuze kusho yena kumelwe ukuba sabakhungathekisa kakhulu abakhulekeli bakaBhali.—1 AmaKhosi 17:1.

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Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

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Imithandazo ka-Eliya yayibonisa isifiso sakhe esiqotho sokubona intando kaNkulunkulu yenzeka