Xelisani Ukholo Lwabo

Walumela Unqulo Olunyulu

UELIYA wakhel’ umkhanya isihlwele njengoko sasinyuka amaxethuka eNtaba yeKarmele. Nkqu nasekukhanyeni kokuthi qheke kokusa, aba bantu babebonakala nakuthathatha ukuba bayimipha echutywe yalahlwa yaye babebethwe linxele likaKhetsekile. Yayibonakala nasebusweni iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha yembalela.

Phakathi kweso sihlwele kwakukho abaprofeti bakaBhahali abangama-450, benekratshi yaye bemthiy’ egazini umprofeti kaYehova uEliya. UKumkanikazi uIzebhele wayesele ebulele intlaninge yabakhonzi bakaYehova, kodwa le ndoda yayinxamnye nonqulo lukaBhahali. Phofu yema de kwanini le ndedeba? Mhlawumbi abo babingeleli babecinga ukuba ekubeni engumth ‘uzimele wayengenakumelana nabo. (1 Kumkani 18:3, 19, 20) UKumkani uAhabhi wayelapho eze ngenqwelo yakhe yamahashe yasebukhosini. Wayengayifuni nendawo anyathela kuyo uEliya.

Phezu kokuba wayekuphela kommeli wonqulo lokwenyaniso, lo mprofeti wayejongene nemini engafani nezinye ebomini bakhe. Ebukele uEliya, zazigagene ebezikade zizondana, ukulunga nobungendawo emhlabeni ngendlela engazange yabonwa ngaphambili. Wavakalelwa njani njengokuba kwakusisa? Kusenokwenzeka wayethe xhungu luloyiko kaloku naye “wayengumntu oneemvakalelo ezinjengezethu.” (Yakobi 5:17) Nokuba sele kutheni nantsi into esinokuqiniseka ngayo: Ukungqongwa ngabantu abangenalukholo, ngukumkani owexukileyo nezo zigwinta zababingeleli, wayenokuqiniseka ukuba yayinguye yedwa jwii kwicala lakhe.—1 Kumkani 18:22.

Yintoni eyabeka uSirayeli kobu bugxwayiba? Khona, inantoni yakwenza nawe le ngxelo? IBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba sondele umzekelo wabakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo size ‘sixelise ukholo lwabo.’ (Hebhere 13:7) Makhe siqwalasele umzekelo kaEliya.

Imbambano Yexesha Elide Ifikelela Encotsheni

Ixesha elininzi lobomi bakhe, uEliya wayebukele engenakwenza kwanto njengokuba abantu bakowabo babenyhasha unqulo lokwenyaniso. Apha kwaSirayeli kwakuqhum’ uthuli kusilwa unqulo lokwenyaniso lukaYehova uThixo nonqulo lobuxoki lwezithixo zeentlanga ezazibangqongile. Ngemihla kaEliya, elo dabi lalisele liyimfazwe.

UKumkani uAhabhi wazeka uIzebhele, intombi yokumkani wakwaSidon. UIzebhele wayezimisele ukuhlwayela unqulo lukaBhahali kwilizwe lakwaSirayeli liphela aze alususe neengcambu unqulo lukaYehova. Akuzange kube kudala uAhabhi wathi swii yimpembelelo yakhe. Wakha itempile nesibingelelo sikaBhahali etshotsh’ entla ekunquleni oothixo babahedeni. Wamcaphukisa kakhulu uYehova.—1 Kumkani 16:30-33.a

Yintoni le yayisenza unqulo lukaBhahali lube lisikizi? Olu nqulo lwaluwexula amaSirayeli, luwarhwebeshela kude noThixo oyinyaniso. Yayilunqulo olucekisekayo nolukhohlakeleyo. Lwalubandakanya oonongogo abangamadoda nabafazi etempileni, amatheko anxulumene nesini nokubingelela ngabantwana. UYehova wasabela ngokuthumela uEliya kuAhabhi ukuze avakalise imbalela eyayiza kuphela ngokutsho komprofeti kaThixo. (1 Kumkani 17:1) Kwiminyaka eliqela ngaphambili, uEliya wafika kuAhabhi waza wayalela ukuba aqokelele abantu phambi kwabaprofeti bakaBhahali kwiNtaba yeKarmele.

Kuthetha ukuthini oku kusukuzana kuthi namhlanje? Abanye basenokuthi ibali likaBhahali yintw’ endala kaloku akusekho zitempile nazibingelelo zikaBhahali namhlanje. Le ngxelo asiyombali nje yakudala. (Roma 15:4) Igama elithi Bhahali lithetha “umnini” okanye “inkosi.” UYehova wakha wathi abantu bakhe babemele bakhethe yena ‘njengobhahali’ wabo okanye indoda engumnini wabo. (Isaya 54:5) Ngaba ungaliphika elokuba abantu bakhonza ezinye iinkosi kunokukhonza uThixo uSomandla? Enyanisweni, kungakhathaliseki ukuba abantu bachitha ubomi babo besukela imali, imisebenzi esemanqwanqweni, ukuzanelisa ngokwesini, okanye abanye oothixo abaninzi abanokunqulwa endaweni yokunqula uYehova, bakhetha inkosi yabo. (Mateyu 6:24; Roma 6:16) Ngandlel’ ithile, iimpawu ezazibalasele zonqulo lukaBhahali zikho nakule mihla yethu. Olo sukuzwano phakathi konqulo kukaYehova nolukaBhahali lunokusinceda ukuba senze ukhetho lobulumko koyena siya kumkhonza.

“Nimbaxa”—Njani?”

Kumoya obhudlayo weNtaba iKarmele kuthe thande uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli—ukusuka kwintlambo yeKishon ukuya kuLwandle Olukhulu (Ulwandle LweMeditera) kufuphi neentaba zaseLebhanon elundini ngasentla phaya.b Njengokuba kwakusithi qheke ilanga kolu suku luyincopho, ilizwe lalikwimeko engancumisiyo. Kwakujinga ilifu elimnyama kwilizwe elichumileyo uYehova awayelinike abantwana baka-Abraham. Ilanga lawugqatsa wayinkqantosi lo mhlaba ngenxa yobudenge babantu bakaThixo! Njengokuba abantu babegxalathelana ingumbo nomxesibe, uEliya wasondela waza wathi: “Koda kube nini na nimbaxa? Ukuba uYehova nguThixo oyinyaniso, landelani yena; kodwa ukuba nguBhahali, landelani yena.”—1 Kumkani 18:21.

Wayethetha ukuthini uEliya xa wathi “nimbaxa”? Kaloku, abo bantu babengazi ukuba babefanele bakhethe phakathi konqulo lukaYehova nonqulo lukaBhahali. Babecinga ukuba babenokubetha iintaka ezimbini ngelitye elinye—banelise uBhahali ngemibingelelo elisikizi baze bacele uncedo kuYehova uThixo. Mhlawumbi babeqiqa ngelithi uBhahali wayenokusikelela intsimi nemfuyo yabo, ngoxa “uYehova wemikhosi” wayeza kubakhusela edabini. (1 Samuweli 17:45) Kukho isibakala esithile ababesilibele—nesiseyinkohla kubantu abaninzi nanamhlanje—uYehova akalufuni unqulo oluxutywe lwavangwa nabanye oothixo. Ufuna yaye ulufanele uzinikelo lobuthixo olupheleleyo. Ukuvanga unqulo akwamkelekanga kuye yaye ukuthiy’ egazini!—Eksodus 20:5.

Ngoko ke, olo hlanga lwakwaSirayeli ‘lwalumbaxa’ ngokungathi ngumntu ofuna ukuhamba ngeendlela ezimbini ezahlukeneyo ngaxeshanye. Abantu abaninzi benza impazamo efanayo namhlanje, bavumela abanye ‘oobhahali’ ebomini babo, belushiya kwesinomhlwa unqulo lukaThixo! Ikhwelo elihlatywa nguEliya lokushiya ikhondo elimbaxa linokusinceda ukuze sihlole izinto eziza kuqala kuthi nakunqulo lwethu.

Uvavanyo Lufikelela Uvuthondaba

UEliya wacela ukuba kwenziwe uvavanyo. Lwalubonakala lulula kakhulu. Abaprofeti bakaBhahali kwakufuneka balungiselele isibingelelo baze babeke umbingelelo phezu kwaso; kwakuza kufuneka bathandaze kuthixo wabo ukuze athumele umlilo. NoEliya wayeza kwenza into efanayo. Wathi: “UThixo wenyaniso ophendule ngomlilo abe nguThixo wenyaniso.” UEliya wayesazi ukuba yayingubani uThixo wenyaniso. Lwalomelele ukholo lwakhe kangangokuba wavumela abo baprofeti bakaBhahali bathandaze kuqala. Wanika aba baprofeti ukuba bakhethe inkunzi yenkomo abaza kubingelela ngayo baze basondele kuBhahali kuqala.c—1 Kumkani 18:24, 25.

Yaphela imihla yemimangaliso. Kodwa uYehova akakatshintshi. Sifanele sibe nokholo kuye kanye njengokuba uEliya wayenjalo. Ngokomzekelo, xa abanye bekuphikisa oko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile, asimele soyike ukubavumela bathethe oko bafuna ukukuthetha. NjengoEliya, sifanele sikhangele kuThixo wokwenyaniso ukuze alungelelanise izinto. Asithembeli ngamandla ethu, kodwa ngeLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo, elilungiselelwe ‘ukulungelelanisa izinto.’—2 Timoti 3:16.

Abaprofeti bakaBhahali baqalisa ukulungiselela isibingelelo baza babiza egameni lothixo wabo. Badanduluka ngokuphindaphindiweyo besithi: “Owu Bhahali, siphendule!” Bakhwaza njengokuba kwakudlula imizuzu neeyure. IBhayibhile ithi: “Kodwa akuzange kubekho lizwi, yaye akuzange kubekho uphendulayo.” Emva kokutshona kwelanga uEliya wabagculela ekweka uBhahali esithi, mhlawumbi uxakekile akakwazi ukuniphendula, makube usazithuma okanye usangqengqile yaye kufuneka avuswe. Wabanxwala esithi: “Waphakamiseni amazwi enu.” Wabona ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba unqulo lukaBhahali lwaluyinto engekhoyo, yaye wayefuna ukuba abantu bakaThixo babone ubuqhetseba obululo.—1 Kumkani 18:26, 27.

Babangathi bayaqinisa abanquli bakaBhahali, “bawaphakamisa amazwi abo, bezicenta ngezinkempe neencula ngokwesiko labo, kwade kwatsaza igazi kubo.” Kodwa babuya nemband’ esikhova! “Akuzange kubekho lizwi, yaye akuzange kubekho uphendulayo, akuzange kunikelwe ngqalelo.” (1 Kumkani 18:28, 29) Xa sitheth’ inyani kwakungekho kwanto ibizwa ngokuba nguBhahali. Yayiliqhinga nje likaSathana lokulukuhla abantu ukuze bamshiye uYehova. Njengokuba kwakunjalo ngelo xesha kusenjalo nangoku, ukukhetha inkosi engenguye uYehova kukhokelela kwimpoxo nehlazo.—INdumiso 25:3; 115:4-8.

Impendulo

Xa ilanga lalibantu bahle, lafika ityeli likaEliya. Walungisa isibingelelo sikaYehova esasidilizwe, ziintshaba zonqulo lokwenyaniso. Wasakha ngamatye ali-12, mhlawumbi ekhumbuza izizwe ezili-10 zakwaSirayeli ukuba zazisephantsi koMthetho. Wabeka umbingelelo wakhe phezu kwesibingelelo wagalela namanzi, ekunokwenzeka ukuba ayekhiwe kuLwandle lweMeditera olwalukufutshane. Kwade kwavulwa nomsele wamanzi ecaleni kwesibingelelo, waze nawo wazaliswa ngamanzi. Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba abaprofeti bakaBhahali bakwenze oku ebonisa indlela awayemthembe ngayo uThixo.—1 Kumkani 18:30-35.

Yathi isakulunga yonke into, uEliya wathandaza. Engacikozi kumthandazo wakhe wachaza ezona zinto zibalulekileyo kuye. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo awayefuna kwaziwe ukuba uYehova, ‘nguThixo kaSirayeli’ kungekhona uBhahali. Okwesibini wayefuna bonke abantu bazi ukuba yena wayesisicaka nje sikaYehova, lonke uzuko neendumiso zazimele ziye kuThixo. Okokugqibela, wabonisa ukuba ubakhathalele abantu bakhe, yaye ulangazelela ukubona uYehova ‘eguqula iintliziyo zabo.’ (1 Kumkani 18:36, 37) Nangona bazifaka ezintlungwini ngenxa yokungabi nalukholo, uEliya wayebathanda. Ngaba xa sithandaza, sinokubonisa inkxalabo efanayo ngegama likaThixo, size sibe novelwano nemfesane ngabanye?

Ngaphambi kokuba uEliya athandaze, kusenokwenzeka ukuba loo ndimbane yabantu yayizibuza enoba uYehova wayeza kubaphoxa na njengoBhahali. Noko ke, emva kokuba ethandazile lalingekho ixesha lokucinga loo nto. Ingxelo ihlabela mgama ithi: “Wawa ke umlilo kaYehova, wawudla wawugqiba umnikelo otshiswayo neenkuni namatye nothuli, namanzi awayesemseleni wawakhotha.” (1 Kumkani 18:38) Enjani ukuchukumisa indlela awamphendula ngayo. Abantu basabela njani?

Badanduluka besithi: “UYehova nguTHIXO oyinyaniso! UYehova nguTHIXO oyinyaniso!” (1 Kumkani 18:39) Ekugqibeleni bayibona inyaniso. Noko ke, babengekabi nalo ukholo. Into yokuvuma nje ukuba uYehova unguThixo wokwenyaniso ngenxa yokubona umlilo usihla uvela ezulwini uphendula umthandazo akubonisi ukuba nokholo lokwenene. UEliya wababongoza ukuba babe nokholo olungakumbi. Wabacela ukuba benze into ababefanele bayenze kakade—ukuthobela uMthetho kaYehova. UMthetho kaThixo wawusithi abaprofeti bobuxoki nabanquli zithixo babefanele bacinyw’ igama. (Duteronomi 13:5-9) Aba babingeleli bakaBhahali babezintshaba zikaYehova uThixo ezazizijul’ ijacu nxamnye neenjongo zakhe. Ngaba babefanele benzelwe inceba? Ngaba yayiyinceba into yokutshiswa kwabantwana bephila esibingelelweni sikaBhahali? (IMizekeliso 21:13; Yeremiya 19:5) Unotshe, inceba yantoni kwizigwinta ezinje. UEliya wayalela ukuba zibulawe, akuzange kusale nempunde.—1 Kumkani 18:40.

Abanye abahlalutyi banamhlanje bakuhlab’ amadlala ukubulawa kwabaprofeti kwiNtaba yaseKarmele. Abanye boyikisela ukuba abantu basenokusebenzisa esi siganeko ukuthethelela ugonyamelo nxamnye nonqulo olungafaniyo nolwabo. Okulusizi kukuba namhlanje lugqugqisile ugonyamelo olunento yokwenza nonqulo. Noko ke, uEliya wayengaphanjaniswa lunqulo. Wayesetyenziswa nguYehova ukuba kubulawe abo bantu. Ngaphezu koko, amaKristu okwenyaniso akanakubulala abantu abangendawo ngekrele kuba esithi alandela umzekelo kaEliya. Emva kokuba uMesiya efikile, bonke abalandeli bakaYesu balandela umgaqo uKristu awawuxelela uPetros othi: “Buyisela ikrele lakho endaweni yalo, kuba bonke abathabatha ikrele baya kutshabalala ngekrele.” (Mateyu 26:52) UYehova uza kusebenzisa uNyana wakhe ukuze aphumeze okusesikweni kwixesha elizayo.

Ekuphela kwento emele ukwenziwa ngumKristu wokwenyaniso kukuphila ngokuvisisana nokholo lwakhe. (Yohane 3:16) Enye indlela yokwenza oko kukuxelisa ukholo lwamadoda athembekileyo anjengoEliya. Wayekhonza uYehova kuphela yaye wabongoza nabanye ukuba benjenjalo. Ngenkalipho wabhenca unqulo olwalusetyenziswa nguSathana ukurhwebesha abantu bakaYehova. Eny’ into wayekela imicimbi kuYehova kunokuba abe ligagu. Ewe, uEliya walumela unqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngamana sonke singaxelisa ukholo lwakhe!

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 20]

Ukukhetha enye inkosi kunoYehova kunokusishiya sidane simanzi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

“UYehova nguThixo wokwenyaniso!”