1, 2. (a) Babehlushwa yini abantu bakubo ka-Eliya? (b) Obani ababephikisana no-Eliya eNtabeni iKarmeli?

U-ELIYA wabuka isixuku njengoba sikhuphuka emimmangweni yeNtaba iKarmeli sizihudula. Nakuba kwakusekuntweleni kokusa, sasibonakala ukuthi siququdwa inhlupheko nobuphofu. Sasihlushwa isomiso esase sithathe iminyaka emithathu nesigamu.

² Phakathi kwaso kwakunabaprofethi bakaBhali abangu-450 ababehamba beqholosha, beziqhenya, bengamfuni nakumbona u-Eliya, umprofethi kaJehova. INdlovukazi uJezebeli yayibulale izinceku zikaJehova eziningi, kodwa le ndoda yayisamelene ngokuqinile nokukhulekela uBhali. Kazi wayeyomelana nakho isikhathi esingakanani! Mhlawumbe labo bapristi babecabanga ukuthi umuntu oyedwa nje ngeke alwe nabo bonke abahlule. (1 AmaKh. 18:4, 19, 20) INkosi u-Ahabi nayo yayikhona, ihamba ngenqola yayo yasebukhosini. Nayo yayingamfuni u-Eliya.

3, 4. (a) Kungani kungenzeka ukuthi u-Eliya wesaba njengoba kuqala lolu suku olubalulekile? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela?

³ Lolu suku lwaluzoba nzima kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwalo mprofethi. Phambi kwamehlo akhe, inkundla yayisilungela impi enkulu ngendlela engakaze ibonwe phakathi kokuhle nokubi. Wazizwa kanjani njengoba lolo suku luqala? Naye wayesaba ngoba “wayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu.” (Funda uJakobe 5:17.) Kepha nakhu esingaqiniseka ngako: Njengoba ayezungezwe abantu abangenalukholo, inkosi yabo eyisihlubuki nalabo bapristi abangababulali, u-Eliya wazizwa eyedwa ngempela.—1 AmaKh. 18:22.

⁴ Kodwa yini eyayibeke u-Israyeli kulesi simo esibucayi kanje? Futhi ikuthinta kanjani wena le ndaba? Awufunde ngesibonelo sika-Eliya sokholo nendlela esingaba usizo ngayo kithi namuhla.

5, 6. (a) Yimpi yani eyayibambene kwa-Israyeli? (b) INkosi u-Ahabi yayimcasule kanjani uJehova?

⁵ Iminyaka eminingi yokuphila kwakhe, u-Eliya wayebukele engenakwenza lutho lapho into eyigugu ngezwe lakubo nabantu bakubo  ichilizelwa eceleni futhi inyathelwa ngezinyawo. Phela, kwase kuyisikhathi eside ibambene phezulu kwa-Israyeli, kulwa inkolo emsulwa neyamanga, ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova uNkulunkulu nokukhulekelwa kwezithombe zezizwe ezingomakhelwane. Osukwini luka-Eliya, ukukhulekela izithombe kwase kukubi ngendlela exakile.

⁶ INkosi u-Ahabi yayimcasule kakhulu uJehova. Yaganwa uJezebeli, indodakazi yenkosi yaseSidoni. UJezebeli wayezimisele ukusakaza ukukhulekela uBhali ezweni lakwa-Israyeli nokuqeda ukukhulekela uJehova. U-Ahabi washeshe wathonyeka. Wakha ithempeli ne-altare likaBhali futhi wahola ekukhothameleni lo nkulunkulu wamaqaba.—1 AmaKh. 16:30-33.

7. (a) Yini eyenza ukukhulekela uBhali kwenyanyeka kangaka? (b) Mayelana nobude besomiso sosuku luka-Eliya, kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi iBhayibheli aliziphikisi? (Hlanganisa  nebhokisi.)

⁷ Yini eyenza ukukhulekela uBhali kwenyanyeka kangaka? Kwayenga u-Israyeli, kwenza abaningi bahlamuka uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kwakuyinkolo enemikhuba engcolile nenesihluku. Yayinezifebe zesilisa nezesifazane zasethempelini, kunemikhosi yokuzitika ngobulili, kunikelwa ngisho nangezingane. UJehova wasabela ngokuthuma u-Eliya ku-Ahabi ukuba amtshele ngesomiso esasizodonsa kuze kube yilapho umprofethi kaNkulunkulu ethi asiphele. (1 AmaKh. 17:1) Kwadlula iminyaka eminingi ngaphambi kokuba u-Eliya aye ku-Ahabi amtshele ukuba aqoqele abantu nabaprofethi bakaBhali eNtabeni iKarmeli. *

8. Le ndaba ephathelene nokukhulekela uBhali isho ukuthini kithi namuhla?

⁸ Le mpi isho ukuthini-ke kodwa kithi namuhla? Abanye bangase bathi indaba ephathelene nokukhulekela uBhali ayisithinti manje ngoba asiwaboni amathempeli nama-altare kaBhali. Kepha le ndaba ayiwona nje umlando wasendulo. (Roma 15:4) Igama elithi “Bhali” lisho ukuthi “umnikazi” noma “inkosi.” UJehova watshela abantu bakhe ukuthi kufanele bakhethe yena ‘njengobhali’ wabo, noma umyeni wabo. (Isaya 54:5) Awuvumi yini ukuthi abantu basakhonza amakhosi ahlukahlukene ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi basebenzisa ukuphila kwabo bephishekela imali, umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ezokuzilibazisa, ukuzitika ngobulili, nanoma yimuphi konkulunkulu abaningi abakhulekelwa esikhundleni sikaJehova, basuke bezikhethela inkosi. (Math. 6:24; funda eyabaseRoma 6:16.) Izici ezenza ukukhulekela uBhali kwaphumelela kakhulu zisenamandla nanamuhla. Ukucabanga ngalowo mshuduliswano wasendulo  phakathi kukaJehova noBhali kungasisiza sikhethe ngokuhlakanipha ukuthi sizokhonza bani.

9. (a) Kungani singathi iNtaba iKarmeli yayiyindawo ekahle kakhulu yokudalula ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) Wathini u-Eliya kubantu?

⁹ Bephezulu le eNtabeni iKarmeli, abantu babebona kahle—bebona isigodi sesifufula saseKishoni laphaya phansi, kube uLwandle Olukhulu (uLwandle iMedithera) eduze, kube izintaba zaseLebhanoni le enyakatho. * Kodwa njengoba ilanga liphakama kulolu suku lwamanqamu, kwacaca ukuthi izwe alincwaba neze. Leli zwe elalike lavunda uJehova ayelinike abantwana baka-Abrahama manje lase liwumqothuka. Laligagadwe ilanga elingenamusa, loniwe ubuwula babantu  bakaNkulunkulu! Njengoba labo bantu bebuthana, u-Eliya waya kubo wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini nixhugela phakathi kwemibono emibili? Uma uJehova enguNkulunkulu weqiniso, landelani yena; kodwa uma kunguBhali, landelani yena.”—1 AmaKh. 18:21.

10. Abantu bakubo ka-Eliya ‘babexhugela’ kanjani “phakathi kwemibono emibili,” futhi yiliphi iqiniso eliyisisekelo abase belikhohliwe?

¹⁰ Wayesho ukuthini u-Eliya ngenkulumo ethi “nixhugela phakathi kwemibono emibili”? Phela labo bantu babengaqondi ukuthi kwakumelwe bakhethe phakathi kokukhulekela uJehova nokukhulekela uBhali. Babecabanga ukuthi bangakwenza kokubili—bashweleze kuBhali ngamasiko abo anengekayo, baqhubeke futhi becela umusa kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Mhlawumbe babecabanga ukuthi uBhali uzobusisa abakutshalile nemfuyo yabo, ‘uJehova wamabutho’ yena abavikele empini. (1 Sam. 17:45) Base bekhohlwe iqiniso eliyisisekelo—elisabaphunyuka nabaningi namuhla. UJehova akabhangqwa nomunye umuntu lapho ekhulekelwa. Ufuna abantu bazinikele kuye kuphela futhi uyakufanelekela lokho. Akakwamukeli ukukhulekelwa okuxutshwe nezinye izinhlobo zokukhulekela, futhi kuyamcasula nokumcasula!—Funda u-Eksodusi 20:5.

11. Ucabanga ukuthi inkulumo ka-Eliya eNtabeni iKarmeli ingasisiza kanjani ukuba sihlole kabusha izinto ezibalulekile ekuphileni nendlela esikhulekela ngayo?

¹¹ Ngakho lawo ma-Israyeli ‘ayexhugela’ njengomuntu ozama ukuhamba ezindleleni ezimbili ngasikhathi sinye. Abaningi namuhla benza iphutha elifanayo, bavumele abanye “obhali” bangene ekuphileni kwabo bese bechilizela eceleni ukukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu. Ukulalela isicelo sika-Eliya esicacile sokuba siyeke ukuxhugela kungasisiza sizihlole kabusha izinto ezibalulekile ekuphileni kwethu nendlela esikhulekela ngayo.

12, 13. (a) Yisiphi isivivinyo esahlongozwa u-Eliya? (b) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu simethemba ngendlela u-Eliya ayemethemba ngayo?

¹² U-Eliya wabe esethi akwenziwe isivivinyo. Sasilula. Abapristi bakaBhali babezokwakha i-altare babeke umhlatshelo kulo; bese bethandaza kunkulunkulu wabo bamcele awuthungele ngomlilo. U-Eliya naye wayezokwenza okufanayo. Wathi ‘uNkulunkulu ophendula ngomlilo nguye onguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ U-Eliya wayazi kahle ukuthi ubani uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ukholo lwakhe lwaluqine kakhulu kangangokuba akenqenanga ukwenzela abaphikisi babo izinto zibe lula. Wathi labo baprofethi bakaBhali abaqale kuqala. Ngakho bakhetha inkunzi ezoba umhlatshelo base bethandaza kuBhali. *—1 AmaKh. 18:24, 25.

 ¹³ Asiphili enkathini yezimangaliso thina. Kepha uJehova akashintshile. Singathembela kuye njengoba nje no-Eliya enza. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abantu bephikisa okufundiswa iBhayibheli, akudingeki sesabe ukubayeka baveze imibono yabo kuqala. Njengo-Eliya, singamethemba uNkulunkulu weqiniso ukuthi uyozixazulula izinto. Lokho sikwenza ngokuncika eZwini lakhe eliphefumulelwe ‘eliqondisa izinto,’ singazethembi thina.—2 Thim. 3:16.

14. U-Eliya wabagcona wathini abaprofethi bakaBhali, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Abaprofethi bakaBhali babeka umhlatshelo wabo base bebiza unkulunkulu wabo. Bakhala bekhalile: “O Bhali, siphendule!” Kwaqhubeka kuyiso sona leso njengoba kudlula imizuzu namahora. “Kodwa kwakungekho zwi, kungekho namuntu ophendulayo,” kusho iBhayibheli. Emini u-Eliya waqala ukubagcona, ebabhuqa ethi kumelwe ukuba uBhali umatasa kakhulu ukuba angabaphendula, ethi usayozikhulula endlini yangasese, noma ulele udinga umuntu ozomvusa. “Memezani ngalo lonke izwi lenu,” kusho u-Eliya kulabo bakhohlisi. Ngokusobala, wayebona ukuthi lokhu kukhulekela uBhali kwakuyinto ekhohlisayo neyinhlekisa, futhi wayefuna abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakubone nabo lokho.—1 AmaKh. 18:26, 27.

15. Indaba yabapristi bakaBhali ibubonisa kanjani ubuwula bokukhetha enye inkosi ngaphandle kukaJehova?

¹⁵ Ngenxa yalokho, abapristi bakaBhali kwaba sengathi bayahlanya, ‘bamemeza ngezwi labo lonke bazisika ngokwenkambiso yabo ngezinqindi nangezijula, baze bagxaza igazi.’ Kwaba zinhlanga zimuka nomoya! “Akubanga nazwi, kwangaba namuntu ophendulayo, futhi kwangaba nakunaka.” (1 AmaKh. 18:28, 29) Ngempela, wayengekho uBhali. Wayeziqanjelwe uSathane ukuze ayenge abantu bahlamuke uJehova. Iqiniso liwukuthi, ukukhetha enye inkosi ngaphandle kukaJehova kuholela ekudumazekeni ngisho nasekuhlazekeni.—Funda iHubo 25:3; 115:4-8.

16. (a) Ukulungisa kuka-Eliya i-altare likaJehova eNtabeni iKarmeli kungenzeka kwabakhumbuzani abantu? (b) U-Eliya wabuye wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyamethemba uNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Ntambama kwaba ithuba lika-Eliya lokwenza umhlatshelo. Walungisa i-altare likaJehova elalibhidlizwe cishe yizitha zokukhulekela okumsulwa. Wasebenzisa amatshe ayishumi nambili, hleze ekhumbuza abaningi esizweni sakwa-Israyeli sezizwe eziyishumi  ukuthi uMthetho owawunikwe zonke izizwe eziyishumi nambili wawusasebenza kuzo. Wabe esebeka umhlatshelo wakhe, wayesethi konke makubhunyelwe ngamanzi, cishe ayekhiwe oLwandle iMedithera olwaluseduze. Waze wathi makumbiwe nomsele uzungeze i-altare, ugcwaliswe ngamanzi. Njengoba nje ayenzele abaprofethi bakaBhali izinto zaba lula, wenzela uJehova izinto zaba nzima—wayemethemba kangako uNkulunkulu wakhe.—1 AmaKh. 18:30-35.

17. Umthandazo ka-Eliya wazembula kanjani izinto ezibalulekile kuye, futhi singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe lapho sithandaza?

¹⁷ Lapho konke sekumi ngomumo, u-Eliya wathandaza. Umthandazo wakhe wawunamazwi alula, wabonisa ngokucacile ukuthi yini eyayibalulekile ku-Eliya. Okokuqala, wayefuna kwaziwe ukuthi nguJehova ‘owayenguNkulunkulu kwa-Israyeli,’ hhayi uBhali. Okwesibili, wayefuna bonke bazi ukuthi yena wayeyinceku nje kaJehova; yonke inkazimulo nodumo kufanele kuye kuNkulunkulu. Okokugcina, wabonisa ukuthi wayesabakhathalela abantu bakubo ngoba wayezimisele ukubona uJehova ‘ebuyisa inhliziyo yabo.’ (1 AmaKh. 18:36, 37) Naphezu kwalo lonke usizi ababelubangele ngokuntula kwabo ukholo, u-Eliya wayesabathanda. Lapho sithandaza kuNkulunkulu, ingabe nathi singakubonisa ukuzithoba okufanayo, ukukhathalela igama likaNkulunkulu nozwela ngabantu abadinga usizo?

18, 19. (a) UJehova wawuphendula kanjani umthandazo ka-Eliya? (b) U-Eliya wayala abantu ukuba benzeni, futhi kungani abapristi bakaBhali babengawufanelekele umusa?

¹⁸ Ngaphambi kokuba u-Eliya athandaze, izixuku ezazilapho kungenzeka zazizibuza ukuthi uJehova ngeke yini naye ehluleke njengoba kuhluleke uBhali. Kepha ngemva komthandazo, asibanga khona isikhathi sokuzibuza. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Khona-ke umlilo kaJehova wehla wawudla umnikelo wokushiswa nezinkuni namatshe nothuli, wakhotha namanzi ayesemseleni.” (1 AmaKh. 18:38) Yeka impendulo eyisimanga! Abantu bona basabela kanjani?

¹⁹ Bamemeza: “UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso! UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso!” (1 AmaKh. 18:39) Ekugcineni balibona iqiniso. Kepha babengakalubonisi ukholo. Empeleni, ukuvuma ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso ngoba bebone umlilo uvela ezulwini ngemva komthandazo akukona ukubonisa ukholo okuhlaba umxhwele. Ngakho u-Eliya wathi abenze okwengeziwe. Wabacela ukuba benze into okwakufanele ngabe bayenza eminyakeni  eminingi ngaphambili—balalele uMthetho kaJehova. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuthi abaprofethi bamanga nabakhulekeli bezithombe kufanele babulawe. (Dut. 13:5-9) Laba bapristi bakaBhali babeyizitha zangempela zikaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi babephikisana nezinjongo zaKhe ngamabomu. Ingabe babekufanelekela ukuboniswa umusa? Hawu, ukhona yini umusa bona ababewubonise izingane ezingenacala ezazishiswe njengomhlatshelo kuBhali? (Funda izAga 21:13; Jer. 19:5) Babengawufanele umusa! Ngakho u-Eliya wakhipha izwi lokuba babulawe, nebala babulawa.—1 AmaKh. 18:40.

20. Kungani kungenazisekelo ukukhathazeka kwabagxeki banamuhla ngokubulala kuka-Eliya abapristi bakaBhali?

²⁰ Abagxeki banamuhla bangase basigxeke isiphetho salesi sivivinyo saseNtabeni iKarmeli. Abanye abantu bangase bakhathazeke bacabange ukuthi abashisekeli benkolo bangasisebenzisela ukusekela izenzo zabo zobudlova abazenza kubantu bezinye izinkolo. Futhi ngeshwa baningi vele namuhla abashisekeli benkolo abanobudlova. Kepha u-Eliya wayengeve eshiseka ngendlela engenangqondo. Wababulala ngoba elandela umyalo kaJehova, futhi kwakuyisenzo sobulungisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu eqiniso ayazi ukuthi ngeke amlingise u-Eliya ngokubulala ababi. Kunalokho, alandela umthetho obekelwe bonke abafundi bakaJesu, uKristu awusho kuPetru: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngoba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.” (Math. 26:52) Esikhathini esizayo uJehova uzosebenzisa iNdodana yakhe ukuze enze ubulungisa.

21. Kungani isibonelo sika-Eliya sifaneleka kumaKristu eqiniso namuhla?

²¹ Umthwalo wemfanelo womKristu weqiniso ukuba aphile ngokholo. (Joh. 3:16) Enye yezindlela zokwenza lokho ukulingisa amadoda athembekile njengo-Eliya. Wakhulekela uJehova yedwa futhi wakhuthaza abanye ukuba benze okufanayo. Wayidalula njengekhohlisayo inkolo uSathane ayeyisebenzisela ukuyenga abantu balahle uJehova. Futhi wathembela kuJehova ukuba axazulule izinto kunokuba ancike emandleni akhe nasentandweni yakhe. U-Eliya wakulwela ukukhulekela okumsulwa. Kwangathi sonke singalingisa ukholo lwakhe!