Waqapha, Walinda

1, 2. Yimuphi umsebenzi ongemnandi okwakumelwe wenziwe u-Eliya, futhi yena no-Ahabi babehluke ngaziphi izindlela?

U-ELIYA wayelangazelela ukuba yedwa akhuleke kuYise wasezulwini. Kepha izixuku zabantu ezazinaye zazisanda kubona lo mprofethi weqiniso ebiza umlilo ezulwini futhi abaningi babo babesafuna ukuzincengela kuye. Ngaphambi kokuba u-Eliya akhuphukele esiqongweni seNtaba iKarmeli ayothandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngasese, kwakusamelwe enze umsebenzi ongemnandi. Kwakudingeka akhulume neNkosi u-Ahabi.

² La madoda amabili ayeyimpumalanga nentshonalanga. U-Ahabi, evunule econsa ngezasebukhosini, wayeyigovu lesihlubuki esidonswa ngekhala. U-Eliya wayegqoke isembatho somprofethi—esingenazo izinto eziningi,cishe esenziwe ngesikhumba sesilwane noma ngoboya bekamela noma bembuzi. Wayenesibindi esikhulu, eqotho enokholo. Lolu suku olwase luyophela lwalwembule okukhulu ngohlobo lwabantu la madoda amabili ayeyilo.

3, 4. (a) Kungani lungabanga luhle usuku ku-Ahabi nabakhulekeli bakaBhali? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

³ Kwakube usuku olubi ku-Ahabi nabanye abakhulekeli bakaBhali. Inkolo yobuqaba eyayigqugquzelwa u-Ahabi nomkakhe, iNdlovukazi uJezebeli, embusweni wezizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli yayishaywe ngembibizane. UBhali wayedaluliwe ukuthi ungumkhohlisi. Lo nkulunkulu ongaphili wayehlulekile ukokhela umlilo ngemva kokunxusa okukhulu, ukudansa nokuzigwaza kwabaprofethi bakhe. Wayehlulekile ukuvikela amadoda angu-450 ayefanelwe ukufa. Kodwa lo nkulunkulu wamanga wayehluleke nakokunye, futhi lokho kwehluleka kwase kuzodalulwa ngokuphelele. Kwase kuyiminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu abaprofethi bakaBhali bencenga unkulunkulu wabo ukuba aqede isomiso ezweni, kodwa wayehlulekile. Ngokushesha uJehova wayesezobonisa ukuthi unguNkulunkulu weqiniso ngokusiqeda leso somiso.—1 AmaKh. 16:30–17:1; 18:1-40.

⁴ Wayezosiqeda nini kodwa uJehova leso somiso? U-Eliya wayezobe enzani kuze kube yileso sikhathi? Futhi singafundani kule ndoda yokholo? Asihlole le ndaba, sibone.—Funda eyoku-1 amaKhosi 18:41-46.

 5. U-Eliya watshela u-Ahabi ukuba enzeni, futhi ingabe kubonakala kukhona u-Ahabi ayekufundile kokwakwenzeke ngalolo suku?

⁵ U-Eliya waya ku-Ahabi wathi: “Khuphuka, udle uphuze; ngoba kukhona umsindo wenhlokomo yemvula.” Kukhona yini eyayikufundile le nkosi embi kokwakwenzeke ngalolo suku? Ukulandisa akusho ngokuqondile, kodwa asitholi mazwi okuphenduka, asitholi sicelo sokuba umprofethi ayisize athandazele intethelelo kuJehova. Cha, u-Ahabi wamane “wakhuphuka ukuze adle aphuze.” (1 AmaKh. 18:41, 42) U-Eliya yena?

6, 7. Yini u-Eliya ayithandazela, futhi ngani?

⁶ “Kepha u-Eliya wakhuphukela esiqongweni seKarmeli waqoshama phansi efaké ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo.” Njengoba u-Ahabi ayeyokudla, u-Eliya wathola ithuba lokuthandaza kuYise wasezulwini. Phawula isimo sentobeko esichazwe lapha—u-Eliya uguqile, wakhothamisa ikhanda ubuso bakhe baze bathinta amadolo. Wayenzani u-Eliya? Akudingeki siqagele. KuJakobe 5:18, iBhayibheli lithi u-Eliya wathandazela ukuba isomiso siphele. Cishe yilowo mthandazo ayewenza esiqongweni seKarmeli.

⁷ Ngaphambili, uJehova wayethe: “Ngizimisele ukunisa imvula phezu kobuso bomhlaba.” (1 AmaKh. 18:1) Ngakho u-Eliya wathandazela ukugcwaliseka kwentando kaJehova, njengoba nje uJesu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze eminyakeni engaba inkulungwane eyayiseza.—Math. 6:9, 10.

 8. Isibonelo sika-Eliya sisifundisani ngomthandazo?

⁸ Isibonelo sika-Eliya sisifundisa okuningi ngomthandazo. Okwakusemqoka ku-Eliya kwakuwukufezeka kwentando kaNkulunkulu. Lapho sithandaza, kuhle sikhumbule: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini esiyicelayo ngokwentando [kaNkulunkulu], uyasizwa.” (1 Joh. 5:14) Ngokusobala-ke, kudingeka sazi ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu ukuze sithandaze ngendlela ayamukelayo—okusho ukuthi kudingeka silifunde njalo iBhayibheli. Ngokuqinisekile no-Eliya wayefuna ukubona siphela isomiso ngoba sase sibahluphile abantu bakubo. Cishe inhliziyo yakhe yayigcwele ukubonga ngemva kwesimangaliso ayebone uJehova esenza ngalolo suku. Nathi sifuna imithandazo yethu ibonise ukubonga okusuka enhliziyweni nokukhathalela inhlalakahle yabanye.—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 1:11; Filipi 4:6.

 9. U-Eliya wathuma isikhonzi sakhe ukuba senzeni, futhi yiziphi izimfanelo ezimbili esizofunda ngazo?

⁹ U-Eliya wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzosiqeda isomiso, kepha engaqiniseki ukuthi uzosiqeda nini. Yini-ke ayenza phakathi naleso sikhathi? Yizwa lokho okushiwo ukulandisa: “Wathi esikhonzini sakhe: ‘Ngicela ukhuphuke. Bheka ngasolwandle.’ Ngakho sakhuphuka sabheka, sase sithi: ‘Akukho lutho.’ Waqhubeka izikhathi eziyisikhombisa ethi, ‘Phindela emuva.’” (1 AmaKh. 18:43) Isibonelo sika-Eliya sisifundisa izifundo okungenani ezimbili. Esokuqala, sifunda ngokuqiniseka kwakhe. Esesibili, sifunda ngokuhlala kwakhe elindile.

10, 11. (a) U-Eliya wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyaqiniseka ngesithembiso sikaJehova? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ngendlela efanayo?

¹⁰ Ngenxa yokuthi u-Eliya wayeqiniseka ngesithembiso sikaJehova, wayesha amashushu efuna ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uzosiqeda isomiso. Wathuma isikhonzi sakhe ukuba sikhuphukele phezulu siyobheka ukuthi zikhona yini izimpawu zokuthi lizona. Lapho sibuya, sasho lo mbiko ongathembisi: “Akukho lutho.” Umkhathizwe nesibhakabhaka kwakucwebile, kungekho mafu. Ingabe kukhona okungavamile okuphawulile? Khumbula, u-Eliya wayesanda kutshela iNkosi u-Ahabi: “Kukhona umsindo wenhlokomo yemvula.” Umprofethi wayengayisho kanjani into enjalo kube kungekho mafu emvula?

¹¹ U-Eliya wayesazi isithembiso sikaJehova. Njengomprofethi nommeleli kaJehova, wayeqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wakhe uzokwenza akushilo. U-Eliya wayeqiniseka—eqiniseka kangangokuba kwakusengathi useyayizwa ngempela imvula ina. Lokhu kusikhumbuza okushiwo iBhayibheli ngoMose: “Waqhubeka egxilile sengathi uyambona Lowo ongabonakali.” Ingabe uNkulunkulu ungokoqobo kanjalo kuwe? Usinikeza izizathu ezanele zokuba sibe nokholo olunjalo kuye nasezithembisweni zakhe.—Heb. 11:1, 27.

12. U-Eliya wahlala kanjani elindile, futhi wasabela kanjani lapho ezwa ukuthi kukhona ifu elincane?

¹² Isifundo sesibili, phawula indlela ayelinde ngayo u-Eliya. Wasiphindisela emuva isikhonzi sakhe, hhayi kanye noma kabili, kodwa kasikhombisa! Singasibona ngeso lengqondo isikhonzi sesikhathele ukwehla senyuka, kodwa u-Eliya wayesha amashushu ngokuthola isibonakaliso futhi akazange adikibale. Ekugcineni, sesiphindele emuva okwesikhombisa, isikhonzi sathi: “Bheka! Kukhona ifu elincane elinjengentende yomuntu elikhuphuka liphuma olwandle.” Ungasibona isikhonzi selula ingalo silinganisa ngentende yaso ubukhulu befu elincane elikhuphuka emkhathizwe woLwandle Olukhulu? Kungenzeka ukuthi isikhonzi sasingenandaba naleli fu. Kepha lalibaluleke kakhulu ku-Eliya. Wabe esenika isikhonzi sakhe iziqondiso eziphuthumayo: “Khuphuka, uthi ku-Ahabi, ‘Bophela! Wehle ukuze imvula ingakubambi!’”—1 AmaKh. 18:44.

13, 14. (a) Singakulingisa kanjani ukuhlala kuka-Eliya elindile? (b) Yiziphi izizathu esinazo zokuthatha isinyathelo ngokuphuthumayo?

¹³ Nalapha u-Eliya wasibekela isibonelo esinamandla. Nathi siphila esikhathini uNkulunkulu azofeza ngaso injongo yakhe. U-Eliya wayelindele ukuphela kwesomiso; izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zilindele ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto esonakele. (1 Joh. 2:17) Kumelwe sihlale silindile njengo-Eliya kuze kube yilapho uJehova uNkulunkulu ethatha isinyathelo. INdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu, yeluleka abalandeli bayo: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.” (Math. 24:42) Ingabe uJesu wayesho ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babengeke bazi nhlobo ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini? Cha, ngoba waningiliza mayelana nokuthi umhlaba uyobe unjani ezinsukwini ezandulela ukuphela. Sonke siyazibonela ukugcwaliseka kwalesi sibonakaliso esiningilizayo “sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.”—Funda uMathewu 24:3-7.

¹⁴ Isici ngasinye saleso sibonakaliso sisinika ubufakazi obunamandla nobugculisayo. Ingabe lobo bufakazi banele ukuba busenze sithathe isinyathelo ngokuphuthumayo enkonzweni yethu kuJehova? Ifu elilodwa elincane elakhuphuka emkhathizwe lalanele ukuba ligculise u-Eliya ukuthi uJehova wayesezothatha isinyathelo. Wadumazeka yini lo mprofethi othembekile?

15, 16. Yiziphi izinto ezenzeka ngokukhulu ukushesha, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi u-Eliya wayezibuzani ngo-Ahabi?

¹⁵ Ukulandisa kuthi: “Kwathi phakathi naleso sikhathi amazulu aba mnyama ngamafu nomoya, kwana imvula enkulu. U-Ahabi wagibela elibhekisa eJizreyeli.” (1 AmaKh. 18:45) Izinto zabe sezenzeka ngokukhulu ukushesha. Njengoba isikhonzi sika-Eliya sasisahambisa umyalezo ku-Ahabi, lelo fu elincane laba amafu amaningi, agcwala isibhakabhaka saba mnyama. Kwavunguza umoya omkhulu. Ekugcineni, ngemva kweminyaka emithathu nesigamu, lana kwa-Israyeli. Umhlabathi ogagadekile wathola amanzi. Njengoba lagcina seliyidliva, umfula iKishoni wagcwala, wageza igazi labaprofethi bakaBhali ababebulewe. Ama-Israyeli angalaleli nawo athola ithuba lokususa isisihla esibi esiwukukhulekela uBhali ezweni.

¹⁶ Ngokuqinisekile yilokho u-Eliya ayekufisa! Mhlawumbe wayezibuza ukuthi kazi u-Ahabi uzosabela kanjani kulezi zigigaba ezazenzeka. Ingabe wayezozisola, aphenduke ekungcolisweni ukukhulekela uBhali? Okwakwenzeke ngalolo suku kwakunikeze izizathu ezinamandla zokwenza izinguquko ezinjalo. Yebo, ngeke sikwazi okwakusengqondweni ka-Ahabi ngaleso sikhathi. Ukulandisa kumane nje kuthi inkosi ‘yagibela ilibhekisa eJizreyeli.’ Kukhona eyayikufundile? Ingabe yayisinqume ukushintsha izindlela zayo? Izenzakalo zangemva kwalokho zisikisela ukuthi impendulo ingucha. Kepha usuku lwalungakapheli, kukhona okwakusazokwenzeka ku-Ahabi—naku-Eliya.

17, 18. (a) Kwenzekani ku-Eliya emgwaqweni oya eJizreyeli? (b) Yini eyayiphawuleka ngokugijima kuka-Eliya esuka eKarmeli eya eJizreyeli? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹⁷ Umprofethi kaJehova waqala ukuhamba ngendlela efanayo neyayithathwe u-Ahabi. Kwakuzoba uhambo olude, kumnyama futhi lina. Kwabe sekwenzeka into engavamile.

¹⁸ “Sona kanye isandla sikaJehova saba phezu kuka-Eliya, wabopha ukhalo lwakhe wagijima ngaphambi kuka-Ahabi yonke leyo ndlela elibangise eJizreyeli.” (1 AmaKh. 18:46) Ngokusobala, “sona kanye isandla sikaJehova” sasisekela u-Eliya ngendlela eyisimangaliso. IJizreyeli laliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-30, kanti no-Eliya wayesekhulile.a Mbone lo mprofethi esebophe izingubo zakhe ezinde okhalo ukuze imilenze inyakaze kalula, abese egijima kulowo mgwaqo ogcwele amanzi—antininize aze afice inqola yenkosi, ayidlule futhi ayishiye!

19. (a) Amandla nomfutho u-Eliya ayekunikwe uNkulunkulu kungase kusikhumbuze ziphi iziprofetho? (b) Njengoba u-Eliya ayegijima eya eJizreyeli, yini ayeyazi ngokuqinisekile?

¹⁹ Yeka isibusiso okumelwe ukuba kwaba yiso lokho ku-Eliya! Ukuzizwa enamandla angaka, umdlandla nomfutho—mhlawumbe okungaphezu kwayenakho esemusha—kumelwe ukuba kwamthokozisa kakhulu. Singase sikhumbule iziprofetho eziqinisekisa abathembekile ukuthi bayoba nempilo ephelele nobungqabavu ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo. (Funda u-Isaya 35:6; Luka 23:43) Njengoba u-Eliya ayentininiza kulowo mgwaqo onamanzi, ngokuqinisekile wayazi ukuthi uYise uyamamukela, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova!

20. Singazithola kanjani izibusiso zikaJehova?

²⁰ UJehova ulangazelela ukusibusisa. Masizamukele izibusiso zakhe; ziwufanele noma yimuphi umzamo esingawenza. Njengo-Eliya, kudingeka sihlale silindile, sihlaziye ngokucophelela ubufakazi obunamandla obubonisa ukuthi uJehova usezothatha isinyathelo kulezi zikhathi eziyingozi neziphuthumayo. Njengo-Eliya, sinazo zonke izizathu zokuzethemba ngokuphelele izithembiso zikaJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu weqiniso.’—IHu. 31:5.