Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wathola Induduzo KuNkulunkulu Wakhe

NJENGOBA lase liyozilahla kunina, u-Eliya waqhubeka egijima emvuleni. Yayiseyinde indlela ngaphambi kokuba afike eJizreyeli, futhi wayesekhulile. Nokho, wagijima engakhathali ngoba “isandla sikaJehova” sasinaye. Wayengakaze azizwe enamandla angako ngaphambili. Phela wayesanda kudlula isipani samahhashi ayedonsa inqola yasebukhosini yeNkosi u-Ahabi!—1 AmaKhosi 18:46.

Wayeseyishiye emuva lé iNkosi u-Ahabi, kodwa lwaluselude impela ukhalo. Mbone ngeso lengqondo eshaywa imvula ebusweni njengoba egijima ecabanga ngosuku olube nezigameko eziningi. Akungabazeki ukuthi uNkulunkulu ka-Eliya, uJehova, wayenqobe ngendlela eyisimangaliso futhi ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwaphakanyiswa. U-Eliya wayeseqhele kakhulu eNtabeni iKarmeli eyayingasabonakali ngenxa yesivunguvungu. UJehova wayemsebenzisile kuleyo ntaba ukuba abonise ngokuyisimangaliso ubuze bokukhulekela uBhali. Abaprofethi bakaBhali abangamakhulu bémbulwa ukuthi babi, bakhohlakele, ngakho babulawa kufanele. Ngemva kwalokho, u-Eliya wathandaza kuJehova ecela ukuba kunqamuke isomiso esase sihlasele izwe iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. Nangempela imvula yana!a—1 AmaKhosi 18:18-45.

Njengoba u-Eliya ayegijima emvuleni ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-30 elibangise eJizreyeli, kungenzeka ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi u-Ahabi wayezoshintsha nakanjani! Ngemva kwakho konke ayesekubonile, kwakufanele ayeke ukukhulekela uBhali, anqande indlovukazi yakhe, uJezebeli, aqede nokushushiswa kwezinceku zikaJehova.

Lapho kubonakala sengathi izinto zisihambela kahle, kungokwemvelo ukuba sibe namathemba. Singase sibone sengathi izimo zethu zokuphila zizoqhubeka zithuthuka, mhlawumbe size sicabange nokuthi izinkinga zethu ezinkulu seziphelile. Ngeke samangala uma no-Eliya acabanga kanjalo ngoba “wayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu.” (Jakobe 5:17) Kodwa wayengabuzanga elangeni ngoba izinkinga zakhe zazingakezukuphela. Empeleni, emahoreni ambalwa nje wayezofikelwa ukwesaba, acindezeleke aze afise nokufa. Kwénzekani futhi uJehova wamsiza kanjani umprofethi wakhe ukuba avuselele ukholo lwakhe futhi abe nesibindi? Ake sibone.

Ushintsho Olungalindelekile

Lapho u-Ahabi efika esigodlweni sakhe eJizreyeli, ingabe wabonisa ukuthi ushintshile, nokuthi wayesemesaba uNkulunkulu? Siyafunda: “U-Ahabi watshela uJezebeli konke u-Eliya ayekwenzile nakho konke ngokuphathelene nendlela ayebulele ngayo bonke abaprofethi ngenkemba.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:1) Phawula ukuthi lapho elandisa okwakwenzekile, u-Ahabi akashongo lutho ngoNkulunkulu ka-Eliya, uJehova. Njengoba ayengumuntu wenyama, wabona lezo zimangaliso ngamehlo enyama kuphela—wathi ‘zenziwa u-Eliya.’ Kusobala ukuthi wayengakafundi ukuhlonipha uJehova uNkulunkulu. Wasabela kanjani-ke uJezebeli owayefuna ukuziphindiselela?

Wathukuthela wagana unwabu! Wathumela lo myalezo ku-Eliya ethukuthele engqangqa: “Kwangathi bangenza kanjalo nonkulunkulu, futhi kwangathi bangenezela kanjalo kukho, uma kungukuthi ngalesi sikhathi kusasa angiyukwenza umphefumulo wakho ube njengomphefumulo walowo nalowo kubo!” (1 AmaKhosi 19:2) UJezebeli wayefuna ukumyisa kwagoqanyawo. Empeleni, wayencamela ukuba kufe yena uma lingashona elakusasa u-Eliya esaphila, engakabaphindiseleli abaprofethi bakhe ababekhonza uBhali. Mbone ngeso lengqondo u-Eliya evuswa endlwaneni yokulala eJizreyeli ngalobo busuku obunesiphepho—kanti uvukela ukuzwa umyalezo owethusayo ovela endlovukazini. Waphatheka kanjani?

Wagajwa Indumalo Nokwesaba

Uma u-Eliya ayecabanga ukuthi yayisinqotshiwe impi yokukhulekelwa kukaBhali, amathemba akhe ashabalala khona lapho. UJezebeli wayengaphelile amandla. Izikhonzi eziningi ezithembekile ezazikanye no-Eliya zase zibulewe kakade ngomyalo owawukhishwe uJezebeli, futhi kwakubonakala sengathi kuzolandela yena. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Wafikelwa ukwesaba.” Ingabe u-Eliya wayibona ngamehlo engqondo indlela enyantisayo uJezebeli ayezombulala ngayo? Uma ayicabanga ephindelela le ndaba, akumangalisi ukuthi waphelelwa isibindi. Kunoma yikuphi, “wasuka wahamba ngenxa yomphefumulo wakhe”—wabaleka, esindisa ukuphila kwakhe.—1 AmaKhosi 18:4; 19:3.

U-Eliya wayengeyena ukuphela komuntu wokholo owafikelwa ukwesaba. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva umphostoli uPetru waba nenkinga efanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJesu enza ukuba uPetru ahambe naYe phezu kwamanzi, lo mphostoli waqala ‘ukubheka isivunguvungu.’ Wabe esephelelwa isibindi waqala ukuminza. (Mathewu 14:30) Ngakho, izibonelo zikaPetru no-Eliya zisifundisa isifundo esibalulekile. Uma sifuna ukuhlala sinesibindi, akumelwe sivumele izingqondo zethu zigxile ezingozini ezisethusayo. Kudingeka sigxile eMthonjeni wethemba namandla ethu.

“Kwanele!”

Ngenxa yokwesaba, u-Eliya wabalekela eningizimu-ntshonalanga, wahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-150 elibangise eBeri-sheba, umuzi oseduze nomngcele oseningizimu yakwaJuda. Wasishiya lapho isikhonzi sakhe, yena waya ehlane yedwa. Ukulandisa kuthi wahamba “uhambo losuku,” ngakho singambona ngeso lengqondo ephuma kusantwela ezansi, engaphethe kudla noma ezinye izinto ayengase azidinge. Walibhadula ngonyawo ehamba ehlanzeni ecindezelekile futhi esaba, nelanga likhiph’ umkhovu etsheni. Lapho ilanga selishona, waphelelwa amandla. Ekhathele eyingcuba, wahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla sonwele—ukuphela kwendawo ayengakhosela kuyo kulolo gwadule.—1 AmaKhosi 19:4.

Ekhungathekile, u-Eliya wathandaza. Wacela ukufa. Wathi: “Angingcono kunokhokho bami.” Wayazi ukuthi okhokho bakhe base bemathamb’ amhlophe, bengakwazi kwenzela muntu oluhle. (UmShumayeli 9:10) Wazibona engelusizo lwalutho njengabo. Yingakho akhala: “Kwanele!” Wayezibuza ukuthi usaphilelani.

Kufanele kusimangaze yini ukuthi umuntu kaNkulunkulu angacindezeleka ngale ndlela? Cha. Maningi amadoda nabesifazane iBhayibheli elithi bacindezeleka baze bafisa ukufa—abanye babo uRebheka, uJakobe, uMose noJobe.—Genesise 25:22; 37:35; Numeri 11:13-15; Jobe 14:13.

Namuhla, siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,’ ngakho akumangazi ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi abantu abaningi bazizwa becindezelekile, ngisho nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Uma nawe uke uzizwe kanjalo, lingisa isibonelo sika-Eliya: Thululela isifuba sakho kuNkulunkulu. UJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke.’ (2 Korinte 1:3) Ingabe wamduduza u-Eliya?

UJehova Wamsekela Umprofethi Wakhe

Ucabanga ukuthi uJehova wazizwa kanjani lapho ebuka esezulwini futhi ebona umprofethi wakhe amthandayo elele ngaphansi kwesihlahla ehlane futhi ecela ukuba afe? Cishe siyayazi impendulo. Ngemva kokuba u-Eliya esezunywe ubuthongo, uJehova wathumela ingelosi kuye. Ingelosi yamvusa ngomusa, yathi: “Vuka, udle.” U-Eliya wavuka, wadla isinkwa esishisayo namanzi ingelosi eyayimbekele kona. Wayibonga yini ingelosi? Ukulandisa kuthi lo mprofethi wadla, waphuza, walala futhi. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi wayephelelwe amandla, engakwazi nokukhuluma? Kunoma yikuphi, ingelosi yaphinde yamvusa, cishe ekuntweleni kokusa. Yaphinde yamncenga, “Vuka, udle,” yabe seyenezela la mazwi aphawulekayo “ngoba lolu hambo lungaphezu kwamandla akho.”—1 AmaKhosi 19:5-7.

Ngosizo lukaJehova, ingelosi yayazi ukuthi ulibangisephi. Yayazi nokuthi wayengenawo amandla okubhekana nalolo hambo. Yeka ukuthi kududuza kangakanani ukukhonza uNkulunkulu owazi izinhloso nokulinganiselwa kwethu ngaphezu kwethu! (IHubo 103:13, 14) Kwamzuzisa kanjani u-Eliya lokho kudla?

Siyafunda: “Wavuka wadla waphuza, waqhubeka ehamba ngamandla alokho kudla izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane waze wafika entabeni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, iHorebe.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:8) NjengoMose owayephile eminyakeni engamakhulu ayisithupha ngaphambi kwakhe nanjengoJesu owaphila eminyakeni engaba yinkulungwane ngemva kwakhe, u-Eliya wazila ukudla izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40. (Eksodusi 34:28; Luka 4:1, 2) Leso sidlo esisodwa asiziqedanga zonke izinkinga zakhe, kodwa samnika amandla amangalisayo. Libone ngeso lengqondo leli khehla lihamba ehlane usuku nosuku, isonto nesonto, isikhathi esicishe sibe inyanga nengxenye!

UJehova uyazisekela izinceku zakhe nanamuhla, hhayi ngokudla okuyisimangaliso, kodwa ngendlela ebaluleke kakhulu—uzondla ngokomoya. (Mathewu 4:4) Ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu eZwini lakhe nasezincwadini ezisekelwe ngokucophelela eBhayibhelini kusinika amandla angokomoya. Ukuzondla ngalokho kudla okungokomoya kungase kungaziqedi zonke izinkinga zethu, kodwa kungasisiza ukuba sikhuthazelele izimo ebesingeke sikwazi ukuzikhuthazelela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuholela ‘ekuphileni okuphakade.’—Johane 17:3.

U-Eliya wahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-320, waze wayofika eNtabeni iHorebe, lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu ayesebenzise khona ingelosi ukuze abonakale kuMose esihlahleni somunga. Kamuva wenza isivumelwano soMthetho no-Israyeli kuyo lendawo. U-Eliya wathola indawo yokukhosela emhumeni.

UJehova Waduduza Waqinisa Umprofethi Wakhe

EHorebe, “izwi” likaJehova—ngokusobala elafika ngengelosi—labuza lo mbuzo olula: “Wenzani lapha, Eliya?” Kumelwe ukuba lo mbuzo wabuzwa ngendlela emnene ngoba u-Eliya wawubheka njengesicelo sokuba aveze imizwa yakhe. Ngaphandle kokunanaza wakusho konke okumhluphayo! Wathi: “Benginomhawu ngokuphelele ngoJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho; ngoba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli basishiyile isivumelwano sakho, badilize ama-altare akho, futhi babulele abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, kangangokuba kusele mina kuphela; futhi sebeqala ukufuna umphefumulo wami ukuze bawususe.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:9, 10) Amazwi ka-Eliya embula okungenani izizathu ezintathu ezamenza wacindezeleka.

Okokuqala, waba nomuzwa wokuthi umsebenzi wakhe uyize. Naphezu kweminyaka eminingi ‘enomhawu ngokuphelele’ ekukhonzeni uJehova, ebeka igama laKhe elingcwele nokukhulekela kwakhe ngaphezu kwayo yonke into, u-Eliya wabona izimo ziqhubeka ziba zimbi. Abantu babelokhu bengenalukholo futhi bevukela, kuyilapho ukukhulekela kwamanga kudlondlobala. Okwesibili, waba nomuzwa wokuthi ukhonza uNkulunkulu yedwa. Wathi, “kusele mina kuphela,” njengokungathi kwakunguye kuphela esizweni sonke owayesakhonza uJehova. Okwesithathu, wayesaba. Abaprofethi abaningi abakanye naye base bebulewe futhi wayeqiniseka ukuthi naye uzolandela. Cishe kwakungelula ukuvuma zonke lezo zinto, kodwa akazange avumele ukuqhosha noma ukuphoxeka kumenze angavumi. Ngokuthululela inhliziyo yakhe kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, wabekela bonke abantu abathembekile isibonelo esihle.—IHubo 62:8.

UJehova wakuqeda kanjani ukwesaba kuka-Eliya, kuhlanganise nezinye izinto ezazimkhathaza? Ingelosi yatshela u-Eliya ukuba ame emlonyeni womhume. Wenza njengokusho kwayo, engazi nokuthi kuzokwenzekani. Kwasuka esikhulu isivunguvungu! Cishe sasinomsindo omkhulu ngoba saqhekeza izintaba namadwala. Mbone ngeso lengqondo u-Eliya ezama ukuvikela amehlo akhe, ngesikhathi esifanayo ebambe ingubo yakhe yoboya esindayo njengoba ipheshulwa umoya. Ukuzimelela nakho kwaba umzukuzuku ngoba kwawona umhlaba wawusunyakaza—kwaba nokuzamazama komhlaba kuleyo ndawo! Kusenjalo, kwadlula umlilo omkhulu. Wabuyela emhumeni wacashela ukushisa kwawo okuhangulayo.—1 AmaKhosi 19:11, 12.

Kuzo zonke lezi zigemegeme, ukulandisa kusikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova wayengekho kulokho kubonakaliswa kwamandla emvelo. U-Eliya wayazi ukuthi uJehova akayena unkulunkulu wendalo wasezinganekwaneni, njengoBhali owayedunyiswa abakhulekeli bakhe abadukisiwe, bembiza ngokuthi “uMgibeli Wamafu,” noma bethi uletha imvula. UJehova unguMthombo wangempela wawo wonke amandla amangalisayo asendalweni, kodwa futhi mkhulu kakhulu kunanoma yini ayidalile. Ngisho namazulu awakwazi ukumthwala! (1 AmaKhosi 8:27) Nokho, kwamsiza kanjani u-Eliya konke lokhu? Khumbula, wayesaba. U-Eliya kwakungafanele amesabe u-Ahabi noJezebeli ngoba yena wayesekelwa uJehova, uNkulunkulu onamandla amangalisayo!—IHubo 118:6.

Ngemva kokudlula komlilo, kwaba nokuthula okukhulu futhi u-Eliya wezwa “izwi eliphansi elizolile.” Laphinde lamcela ukuba akhulume, futhi washo izinto ezimkhathazayo okwesibili.b Mhlawumbe lokho kwamenza wazizwa engcono kakhulu. Nokho, akungabazeki ukuthi wathola induduzo eyengeziwe kulokho “izwi eliphansi elizolile” elabe selimtshela kona. UJehova wamqinisekisa ngokuthi wayebaluleke kakhulu. Kanjani? Wamtshela lokho ayefuna ukukwenza esikhathini esizayo mayelana nokuqedwa kokukhulekelwa kukaBhali kwa-Israyeli. Kusobala ukuthi u-Eliya wayengasebenzeli ize ngoba injongo kaNkulunkulu yayizofezeka futhi akukho okwakungayivimba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayesazoba ingxenye yaleyo njongo ngoba uJehova wambuyisela emsebenzini emnika neziqondiso ezithile.—1 AmaKhosi 19:12-17.

Nokho, kuthiwani ngemizwa ka-Eliya yokuzizwa engenabani? UJehova wenza izinto ezimbili ngayo. Okokuqala, wamtshela ukuba agcobe u-Elisha owayezoba umprofethi ngemva kwakhe. Le nsizwa yayizohamba no-Eliya futhi ibe umsizi wakhe iminyaka eminingi. Yeka ukuthi le nduduzo yafika ngesikhathi kanjani! Okwesibili, uJehova wembula lezi zindaba ezijabulisayo: “Ngivumelé ukuba kusale abayizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa kwa-Israyeli, wonke amadolo angazange aguqe kuBhali, nayo yonke imilomo engazange imange.” (1 AmaKhosi 19:18) U-Eliya wayengeyedwa neze. Kumelwe ukuba kwamjabulisa ukuzwa ngezinkulungwane zabantu ezithembekile ezazenqabile ukukhulekela uBhali. Zazimdinga ukuba aqhubeke nenkonzo yakhe yokwethembeka, azibekele isibonelo sokugcina ubuqotho kuJehova phakathi nalezo zikhathi ezinzima. Kumelwe ukuba u-Eliya wathinteka ngokujulile lapho ezwa lawo mazwi ngesithunywa sikaJehova, “izwi eliphansi elizolile” likaNkulunkulu wakhe.

Njengo-Eliya, amandla emvelo abonakala endalweni angasishiya sibambe ongezansi, kube kufanele. Indalo iwabonisa ngokucacile amandla oMdali. (Roma 1:20) Namanje uJehova usathanda ukusebenzisa amandla akhe angenamkhawulo ukuze asize izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. (2 IziKronike 16:9) Nokho, usebenzisa ngokuyinhloko iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ukuze akhulume nathi. (Isaya 30:21) Ngomqondo othile, iBhayibheli lifana ‘nezwi eliphansi elizolile.’ Ngalo, uJehova uyasiqondisa, asilungise, asikhuthaze futhi asiqinisekise ngothando lwakhe.

Ingabe u-Eliya wayamukela induduzo ayinikwa uJehova eNtabeni iHorebe? Akubuzwa! Ngokushesha wabuyela emsebenzini, waba umprofethi othembekile nonesibindi futhi wamelana nenkohlakalo ehlobene nokukhulekela kwamanga. Nathi siyokwazi ukulingisa ukholo luka-Eliya uma silalela amazwi kaNkulunkulu aphefumulelwe, ‘induduzo evela emiBhalweni.’—Roma 15:4.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

UJehova wambusisa kakhulu u-Eliya ezikhathini ezimnandi nezinzima

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Lapho ecindezeleke kakhulu, u-Eliya wathululela inhliziyo yakhe kuJehova

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UJehova wasebenzisa amandla akhe ababazekayo ukuze aduduze futhi akhuthaze u-Eliya